“Has your father ever truly had room in his heart for me, other than that wretched girl’s mother?”
Seeing her daughters speak up and complain on her behalf, Liu Shi forced a bitter smile and leaned against them, her frail figure swaying as she staggered out, panting weakly with resentment.
“Mother, what exactly happened? Why did Father treat you like this, beating you so badly? Does he not have even a shred of compassion? Mother, bear with it a little longer. Xia’er will apply medicine for you.”
At Liu Shi’s insistence, the mother and daughters returned to the secluded Youming Courtyard. Seeing how impoverished her mother’s living conditions were and how harshly her father had treated her, Mu Wanxia couldn’t stop her tears as she looked at her mother lying on the bed, her lips bruised and her face pale. Choking back sobs, she took a handkerchief to wipe the blood from her mother’s hands before applying medicine.
“I’m going to ask Father. I want to ask him why he could be so cruel to you, Mother. What exactly did you do wrong?”
Mu Wanjun watched as her mother lay there, weak and battered from the beating. Seeing her sister tending to their mother’s wounds, she felt helpless. She knew her mother had confronted their father over her own affairs, though she wasn’t entirely sure what had been said between her mother and that wretched girl. After their father woke up, he had flown into a rage against her mother.
Thinking that her mother had acted for her sake, Mu Wanjun’s fiery temper flared up, and she turned to storm out.
“Jun’er, don’t ask him, don’t—Jun’er…” Before Liu Shi could finish, her youngest daughter had already dashed out. Struggling to sit up despite the pain in her hands, which her eldest daughter was bandaging, Liu Shi tried to stop her, but Mu Wanjun only glanced back before leaving.
Anxious about her youngest daughter’s impulsiveness, Liu Shi gripped Mu Wanxia’s hand urgently. “Xia’er, don’t fuss over me. I can manage. Go quickly and stop your sister. Don’t let her act rashly. These are matters between adults. I don’t want you girls caught in the middle. Go after her—I’ll explain everything later. Hurry…”
“Alright.” Recalling the fury and murderous intent on their father’s face when he left, and knowing her sister’s impatience, Mu Wanxia immediately put down what she was holding and rushed out.
“Mother, you’re always thinking of Father, even now. But suddenly, he’s become a completely different person, even siding with that wretched girl. Mother, haven’t you noticed how strange Father has been lately?”
Mu Wanjun was stopped by her sister at the entrance of Youming Courtyard. After much persuasion, she reluctantly returned, grumbling as she watched her mother lying on the bed, letting her sister re-dress her wounds.
“Jun’er, can’t you see Mother is upset? Can’t you calm down and let her rest?”
Mu Wanxia, exasperated by her sister’s volatile temper, finished tending to their mother. Seeing Liu Shi lying silently with tears streaming down her face while her sister continued to complain, she rarely scolded her, though her voice was firm. She patted Mu Wanjun’s shoulder soothingly, her eyes filled with helplessness.
“But, Sister…”
Though she heard her sister’s reprimand, Mu Wanjun couldn’t help stomping her foot in frustration, venting her anger over the sudden upheaval and her own inexplicable betrothal.
“Enough. Mother, if you’re tired, rest for a while. No matter what happens, we’ll stay by your side. You’ll always be our mother…”
Shaking her head at her sister’s behavior, Mu Wanxia noticed Liu Shi gradually relaxing after her hands were bandaged, her weary eyes fluttering shut. She stepped forward to comfort her gently.
“Mmm…” Touched by her daughter’s tenderness, Liu Shi nodded tearfully before slowly closing her eyes.
“Alright, Mother’s asleep. Come with me. Jun’er, though I don’t know exactly why Mother and Father argued—why Father would disregard years of marriage and nearly kill her—I clearly heard Mother’s cries afterward. It’s all because of that wretched girl’s interference. Otherwise, Father would never have acted this way.”
Seeing Liu Shi’s breathing steady as she drifted into sleep, Mu Wanxia moved quietly, pulling a blanket over her before leading her still-fuming sister outside.
Once outside, she released her grip. Recalling the argument she had overheard outside their father’s chamber—how their mother had admitted to sabotaging the relationship between that woman and their father—she knew their mother had acted for their sake. But with her sister’s impulsiveness, she had to tread carefully.
“That wretched girl? Sister, are you saying it’s all because of her meddling that Father changed so suddenly?”
Mu Wanxia, who had been closest to the door, had caught fragments of the quarrel. Mu Wanjun, however, hadn’t heard clearly. Taking her sister’s words at face value, she immediately blamed Wanqing for manipulating their father.
“Most likely. Otherwise, why would Father and Mother suddenly be like this? But don’t dwell on it. As daughters, there’s little we can do. We’ll have to wait until Mother calms down to understand the full story. As for your betrothal, we’ll ask Father again once his anger subsides…”
Unaware of her sister’s brewing resentment, Mu Wanxia nodded absentmindedly, trying to placate her. Seeing Mu Wanjun finally calm down slightly, she turned to the most pressing matter.
“Fine. We’ll ask Father again when he’s in a better mood. For now, let’s go back and stay with Mother.”
Though Mu Wanjun outwardly agreed, her mind was already scheming. She followed her sister obediently, feigning compliance as they returned to Liu Shi’s side.
“Though I once hated you for your neglect of my mother, seeing you like this now, I suddenly don’t anymore. Give me your hand—let me check if you’re truly unharmed.”
Wanqing had followed Mu Zhenfeng as he stormed into his study, smashing things in a fit of rage before collapsing like a wounded beast against the wall. His eyes were bloodshot, tears brimming as he clenched his teeth, arms wrapped around himself like a child.
Standing at the doorway, Wanqing waited until his outburst subsided before stepping inside. As she approached, Mu Zhenfeng looked up, his weathered face etched with despair, regret, and lingering fury. She knelt before him, reaching out gently.
“Aren’t you angry at how I’ve neglected and mistreated you before?”
Though faint red marks still marred her face, Mu Zhenfeng found her features increasingly familiar and awe-inspiring. Yet he didn’t take her hand, only asking hoarsely, his voice heavy with guilt.
“No. But… do you feel a tightness or pain in your chest when you breathe deeply?”
Mu Zhenfeng’s sudden aging and despondence almost made Wanqing want to say he deserved it. But she felt no satisfaction, only a strange calm as she answered, taking his wrist to check his pulse. Her expression froze momentarily before she looked at him intently.
“A little. Why?”
At her prompting, Mu Zhenfeng inhaled sharply and indeed felt a dull ache in his chest. Dismissing it as stress from the emotional turmoil, he shrugged.
“Roll up your sleeve… and loosen your robe. Let me check your chest.”
His indifference didn’t ease Wanqing’s concern. She pushed up his sleeve, examined his arm, then set it down with a grave expression before speaking bluntly.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage