Chapter 144 - 143: Pressing for Answers
The winter nights come early.
The night shrouded the entire palace, with wind-shielding lamps lit on both sides of the path, but they couldn’t illuminate the whole road.
The small sedan chair came from deep within, producing no sound except for the footsteps, until it turned a corner and stopped at the side gate, whereupon a palace maid accompanying the chair spoke, "County Princess, we have arrived."
The sedan curtain lifted, and Mu Lianhui got out. Under the lantern light, it was hard to tell what her expression was, but her voice remained soft and gentle: "I am leaving the palace now, thank you, Aunt."
The palace gate was closed, and she could only leave through the small side gate.
The guard looked at the Cining Palace medal, then at the maid who had accompanied her, and allowed her to leave the palace.
The carriage from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion was waiting outside. Mu Lianhui gathered her cloak, stepped onto the carriage, and the horse neighed softly before setting off.
As the guard closed the side gate, he muttered to his companion, "Why is Lady leaving the palace at this time? Normally, she would stay overnight."
"What’s strange about that? New Year is approaching; shouldn’t she be allowed to go home?"
The carriage entered the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion and stopped outside the second gate.
Mu Lianhui briefly showed herself to Madam Wu before returning to her own room.
Just as she arrived and hadn’t had a chance to sit down for tea, Lian Shi came in.
"Hui’er, Lian Cheng returned to tell me that today, at Wangmei Garden, Prince Rui and that one from the Huo Family were schemed against. You went to the palace; what did the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Consort say?" Lian Shi asked eagerly.
Mu Lianhui glanced up at Lian Shi but said nothing, just signaled her maid to pour tea. After sipping a bit, she sat on the couch, kicked off her shoes, and leaned lazily against a pillow.
Lian Shi, irritated by her slow movements, dismissed the attendants, hurried over, and sat next to her. In a low voice, she said, "Hui’er, when you hosted the banquet, you didn’t tell me this would happen. We agreed to let Shi Lian’er scheme against Du Yundi, so how did Prince Rui get involved today instead?"
Mu Lianhui didn’t initially want to explain, but seeing Lian Shi was intent on getting answers, she had to reply, "Du Yundi was lucky, what could I do?"
"But you can’t get yourself involved!" Lian Shi widened her eyes, frustrated, but spoke even softer, "Those in Cining Palace know it was you causing trouble. What did you say?"
Mu Lianhui snorted coldly, "The Empress Dowager and the Imperial Consort know, but so what? I don’t admit to anything, and they can’t force me to."
Lian Shi was taken aback by her daughter’s nonchalant attitude, and after a pause, asked, "What about Prince Rui?"
"Him? Like Huo Ziming, he was just caught in the act and saw it happen," Mu Lianhui said casually, pulling out a book from the side of the couch and began reading.
Lian Shi tried to advise her gently, "Hui’er, listen to me, he only saw a glimpse. That woman wasn’t completely undressed, and even if she was, there will be others around the Princely Heir in the future. Why bother over this?"
Mu Lianhui pursed her lips, "I don’t want to marry him."
Lian Shi was stunned; this was the first time Mu Lianhui expressed her feelings. When the news first came, Lian Shi was so happy she didn’t sleep, but Mu Lianhui didn’t say a word.
But now...
Was it because of what happened, or did Mu Lianhui originally dislike Li Luan?
Lian Shi clutched her handkerchief, her mind racing, "Then who do you want to marry? Be honest with me; can’t mother help you get what you want? Is it Prince Cheng? Indeed, he is the grandson of the Imperial Consort. Back then, when you followed the Imperial Consort to Putuo, he also escorted you and stayed over a month. This time, he even picked you up; you’re familiar with him. Is it..."
Lian Shi rambled on, when Mu Lianhui suddenly interrupted: "If it happens, it happens; if not, so be it. I don’t care about these things."
Lian Shi was blocked by Mu Lianhui, opened her mouth, paused for a long time, finally furrowing her brows, "Nonsense! If you really like Prince Cheng, you should’ve confided in me sooner! But no, you directly stirred up trouble in Wangmei Garden. Will the Imperial Consort dare to ask for you before the Empress Dowager? How will you marry into the Prince Cheng Mansion then?"
"Without this, the Imperial Consort wouldn’t have spoken either. She has been submissive before the Empress Dowager all her life. If the Empress Dowager wants me to marry Li Luan, would she compete?" Mu Lianhui sneered coldly.
"Then what will you do? In the Capital, good families are scarce; you refuse this and reject that. Who do you want to choose?"
Mu Lianhui didn’t lift her head, spoke with extreme nonchalance, "Find a stable one, just to live life, why make such a fuss?"
Lian Shi was genuinely angered by Mu Lianhui’s attitude, snatched the book from her hands, and flipped it open only to find it was about ghosts and strange stories. The page Mu Lianhui was reading depicted a scholar mesmerized by a fox spirit, with an illustration showing the scholar reading under a lamp and the beautiful lady’s shadow with a furry tail cast on the wall.
Such things!
Lian Shi, infuriated, leaned back, wanting to tear the book but lacked the strength, only bending the binding instead.
She threw the book to the floor: "No fuss? If so, what were your father and I painstakingly doing all these years? Ahui, how is it that after your trip to Putuo, I barely recognize you?"
Mu Lianhui quietly watched Lian Shi, then slowly sat up, bent down to pick up the book, dusted it off with slender fingers, and placed it aside with a furrowed brow: "What’s strange? I barely recognize myself either."
Lian Shi gasped, standing up to pace the room, finally stopping and pointing at Mu Lianhui: "You caused Prince Rui to suffer, his demeanor is charming on the surface, but behind the scenes? Aren’t you afraid he will trouble you?"
Mu Lianhui’s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise and confusion, "Since you know his temper beneath the surface is not good, why do you still want me to marry him?"
Lian Shi was stumped, her pointed finger trembling, chest heaving, "Since you don’t want to marry, why didn’t you say so when the Empress Dowager spoke to you?"
Mu Lianhui, upon hearing this, suddenly smiled, eyes arching, lips curling as if she heard a joke: "I dare tell the Empress Dowager I won’t marry?"
"Then you still dared to defy and scheme against him?" Lian Shi, enraged, almost couldn’t stand still, had to steady herself on a chair, "You’ve lost your head!"
Mu Lianhui shrugged, chuckling softly, "I schemed against Du Yundi, and his wine was poured by Huo Ziming, what does it have to do with me?"