“Jun’er, Xia’er, Father is fine, I’ve woken up, haven’t I? Look at you two, stop crying.” Mu Zhenfeng looked at his daughters, their faces streaked with tears, and despite the previous conflicts, he smiled warmly to comfort them.
“Father, it’s all my fault for not being able to protect our household. How could you have been poisoned? Could it be that Second Sister, feeling estranged from you, deliberately did something to mend your relationship?”
Seeing her father’s affectionate expression and recalling her own past willfulness, Mu Wanxia looked at him remorsefully, seizing the moment to slander Wanqing.
“Your Second Sister and I had a misunderstanding, but we cleared it up the other day. Once family matters are resolved, they’re no longer an issue. You two should go back now. I’m fine—Qing’er said I just need some rest to recover.”
Hearing Mu Wanxia’s concern laced with accusations against Wanqing, Mu Zhenfeng, though fond of both daughters, felt a faint displeasure. Feigning exhaustion, he waved them away.
“Father, Jun’er knows I’ve been willful and often caused you trouble. But Father, could you really bear to marry me off to that cloth merchant outside the city?”
Seeing her father’s weary expression, as if unwilling to listen, Mu Wanjun, preoccupied with her own worries, tearfully pleaded.
“They only came to propose. I merely gave a casual reply—there’s no formal engagement. If you don’t wish to marry him, I’ll refuse them.”
Though angered by Lady Liu’s deception and her hidden identity—something he hadn’t confirmed but inexplicably believed Wanqing about—Mu Zhenfeng forced a smile at his third daughter’s tears.
“Father, Jun’er doesn’t want to marry so soon. I only wish to serve you and Mother at home. Second Sister said you confined Mother because she poisoned you—is that true?”
Relieved by his words, Mu Wanjun hesitated before voicing her doubts. Wanxia, too, looked at him suspiciously, eager to understand the truth.
“These are matters between adults. Some things are better left unknown—the more you know, the worse it is for you. Just remember, you are both my beloved daughters. I’m tired.”
Though furious at the thought of Lady Liu, Mu Zhenfeng met their questioning gazes with a solemn expression.
“Alright, Father. Rest well. We’ll leave now.”
Realizing they wouldn’t get answers, Wanxia sensed the shift in her father’s demeanor when speaking of her mother. She nodded, tugged at her sister’s sleeve, and led her away.
“Sister, what’s really going on between Father and Mother? Why does he seem so agitated even mentioning her?”
Troubled by their father’s behavior, Mu Wanjun confided in Wanxia.
“I don’t know either. We’ll have to ask Mother. Hopefully, she’ll tell us.”
Wanxia sighed, disheartened by their father’s refusal to speak of their mother, who was now confined to the Nether Courtyard.
“I hope so. But, Sister, what if Mother won’t tell us either? With Young Master Sun growing distant and his family’s attitude, if Mother remains locked away, your chance with him might be lost forever.”
Wanxia’s heart sank at her sister’s words, reminded of Sun Fengyu’s avoidance and his family’s sudden coldness.
“Let’s find a chance to ask Mother together. Has anyone seen Lüxia? She hasn’t returned yet.”
“Lüxia? Didn’t she go with you to see the master?”
The maids’ puzzled replies alarmed Wanxia.
“Could something have happened? Jun’er, come with me to the kitchen.”
But halfway there, they encountered a group. Lüxia, bound and shoved forward by Honglian, trailed behind Wanqing.
“Wanqing! Why have you bound my maid without reason?”
Wanxia’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of Honglian, but she stepped forward defiantly.
“Elder Sister, perfect timing. Your maid was caught trying to poison Lanju, who was preparing Father’s tonic. Lanju confessed—you ‘helped’ her tend the stove this morning and even offered to deliver the soup. But after you left, she served it, and Father was poisoned.”
Wanqing’s calm accusation froze Wanxia in place.
“Is it wrong for a daughter to prepare soup for her father?”
“Not wrong. But the poison was in that very soup. Why were you at the kitchen so early? And why did you send Lüxia to kill Lanju—to silence her or for darker reasons?”
Wanxia paled, her sister gasping behind her. They hadn’t expected Wanqing to uncover the truth so quickly.
“I did it all myself! My lady had nothing to do with it! Lanju and I had a grudge—I wanted her dead!”
Lüxia, desperate, claimed sole responsibility, glaring at Wanqing as if harboring deep hatred.
“Oh? A grudge? Funny, I’ve never heard of it. What grudge? And the poison in the soup—care to explain how it appeared after your lady’s visit, followed by your attempt to kill Lanju?”
Wanqing’s mocking tone left no room for evasion.
“I—I hid the poison in her sleeve! I meant to frame her for Lanju’s death, but she forgot something and returned. Lanju served the soup to the master instead—”
“Really? Then let’s take this to Father. Elder Sister, shall we go together and hear his judgment?”
Wanxia recoiled.
“If the maid admits she acted alone, there’s no need for me to go.”
Her cold refusal hung in the air.
(To be continued.)
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