Chapter 3

The visitor was the Marquis Dingyuan's head steward, Rong Da.
He was stopped the moment he entered by Mu Zhongde. "Rong Da, are you alone? Where's your master? Why didn't he come in person?"
He still tried to hold himself like a third-rank official, but he didn't realize his hair was disheveled and he looked a mess.
Rong Da's expression was as cold as ice; he spoke stiffly, "My lord sent me to break the engagement."
He showed none of the usual deference, plain and blunt, only intent on completing his master's orders as quickly as possible.
"What?" The Mu family changed color. Mu Jinyao went ashen white, her slender body trembling.
Rong Da took something from his breast and held it out. "This is the bride's betrothal token. Master Mu, please keep it. Return our young lord's betrothal token to us."
Mu Zhongde was furious and bewildered. "…On whose orders is this?"
He still clung to the hope of pulling favors from the Marquis Dingyuan's mansion, if only they could be spared execution and allowed to return home, they could try to recover later.
Rong Da was the Marquis's most trusted retainer; even the Marchioness treated him politely.
"Naturally, it was the Marquis," he said.
Mu Zhongde turned an ashen shade; if the Marquis wouldn't pull strings for them, he had even the gall to drive them down further.
Once they had begged humbly to marry in; now the other side denied them.
He'd misjudged them.
Madam Mu, half mad with worry, protested, "The Marchioness once said she liked Jinyao and would treat her as a daughter, she wouldn't agree to this…"
Before she could finish, Rong Da interrupted, "The Marchioness agrees."
Madam Mu's face drained of color; she cried, "How can this be? Our two families already completed the three formal documents and the five ceremonial rites, there's only the bride's reception left. By protocol, my daughter is already part of the Marquis Dingyuan's household."
Rong Da sneered, his tone arrogant and mocking, "Never mind that the marriage isn't consummated, if it were, it could still be annulled. I'm here to notify you, not to negotiate."
He left no face for them; his manner represented the Marquisate's stance.
Mu Jinyao was crushed, tears springing to her eyes.
Madam Mu, heartbroken and furious, demanded, "You're betraying your word, aren't you afraid of public shame?"
"My lord said the Marquis Dingyuanate must remain blameless and cannot associate with those who have dishonorable conduct." Rong Da's gaze swept meaningfully across Miss Mu's face. "Nor can we trust the way your household raised its daughter."
Mu Jinyao went completely pale; her lips trembled.
Master Mu flew into a rage, did he think any great family was entirely clean? The Marquis Dingyuanate had muddy waters of its own.
"Nonsense. We would never withdraw an engagement. The Mu family does not have a history of breaking betrothals. Jinyao, don't blame your father for being harsh; I was forced into this."
Mu Jinyao's eyes were rimmed with red; tears fell like pearls. "I understand. A good woman will not serve two masters. In life I belong to the Marquis Dingyuanate; in death I will be the Marquisate's spirit."
Having said this, she shut her eyes, set her jaw, and hurled herself at the wall.
Everyone was stunned by the sight; they could only watch as she crashed toward it.
"Ah, no!" Madam Mu was terrified out of her wits.
It looked as if she would meet a tragic end, a living tragedy in the making.
Mu Wanqing, who was nearest, reacted swiftly and grabbed Miss Mu's arm, narrowly pulling her back.
By luck, Miss Mu only split the skin on her forehead a little.
She collapsed, spent, tears flooding down, utterly broken.
Madam Mu flung herself forward and hugged her daughter, sobbing as if her heart would break. "Child, why are you so foolish?"
Rong Da secretly breathed easier; if a death occurred here, he would not escape blame.
Mu Wanqing glanced at her right hand, expression unreadable, then quietly led her second brother to the most inconspicuous corner and sat cross-legged.
She watched the pitifully crying Miss Mu and raised a slight brow.
Truly one of the capital's famed beauties, she had depth and calculation. In truth, she hadn't intended to die; the force of the impact was weak. A gentle tug was all it took to stop her.
Of course, Mu Wanqing thought it was fine for a girl to have a little guile, better not to be naively deceived.
So long as no one was harmed, it was acceptable.
A rumble of hunger came from nearby. Mu Wanqing looked at her second brother; he embarrassedly clutched his belly. "Ah, I'm so hungry, the banquet hasn't even started and trouble already broke out."
Mu Wanqing smiled slightly, produced two fragrant roasted chicken legs from somewhere, and handed one over.
Mu Ziang: stunned.jpg.
"Not eating?"
"I'll eat!"
…
Rong Da hesitated a long moment, then turned to Wu Dongming and produced a list. "Lord Wu, this is our household's list of betrothal gifts. These items are not the Mu family's property, please be so kind as to return them to us."
As procedure dictated, the betrothal gifts were sent two months before the wedding, delivered to the bride’s family.
A portion of those gifts would become the dowry and accompany the bride to her new home.
In fact, Marquis Dingyuan had, half a month ago, sent over sixty‑eight loads of betrothal gifts, all fine goods.
Recovering those gifts was the true purpose of this trip.
Madam Mu snapped her head around and hissed in fury, “No, absolutely not, these are Mu family belongings. Even if they are confiscated, they should go into the state treasury!”
She would sooner see them destroyed than let Marquis Dingyuan benefit.
They could clearly have helped Jinyao escape, morally and reasonably they could have!
Rong Da cast her a contemptuous look, annoyance flashing in his eyes. She had no sense of propriety, did she not see what state the Mu family was in?
“Lord Wu, just a few days ago the Imperial Noble Consort said she greatly admires your ability. We believe your prospects will be far broader.”
The hint in his words was blunt; Madam Mu’s anger surged, these despicable people. “Lord Wu, this is improper.”
Both sides argued their case passionately, neither willing to yield; the situation was close to erupting into violence.
Wu Dongming’s expression didn’t change. Suddenly his gaze swept around the room.
At last he found someone in the least conspicuous corner.
“Third Miss Mu, what are you doing?”
Everyone followed his line of sight and were stunned.
Good heavens, Mu Wanqing was actually clutching a huge chicken leg and gnawing on it with relish.
While everyone else wallowed in grief and anxiety, you hide away carefree, stuffing your face, is that proper?
Mu Wanqing froze in the corner. Damn it, why had they singled her out?
Oh well, since it’s come to this, might as well go all the way.
She shifted slightly and cleverly placed the second brother who had been stealing bites behind her.
Mu Ziang wasn’t nearly as bold; caught off guard, he stood there dumbfounded.
Mu Wanqing took the chicken leg openly and bit into it hard. The meat was tenderly stewed, if only not quite flavorful enough.
For a moment she found herself oddly craving fried chicken.
“We’re eating, Lord Wu, it’s past mealtime; you must be hungry too. How about we have the kitchen prepare a fine spread for you? The Mu family’s banquets are lavish; we start preparing a month in advance.”
In fact, the kitchen’s provisions were piled high, cold dishes already laid out, whole chickens and ducks, everything was ready, and the feast hadn’t even begun.
Mu Ziang looked at his sister with admiration; her nerve was exceptional.
After all, when she had divided the chicken leg with him, he had already thought his sister was pretty formidable.
And yet an inexplicable happiness swelled in him, what was that about?
Wu Dongming’s eye twitched; his composed expression began to crack.
He was, after all, the feared deputy commander of the Wuyi Guards; even princes trembled at his sight, how dare she chatter with him?
Madam Mu, however, was furious; a flash of anger burst up inside her.
“You’re about to meet your end and you can still eat?”
She and Old Madam Mu were the same kind of person: outwardly generous, inwardly domineering and petty, refined egoists.
She bullied the weak and feared the strong; she wouldn’t dare confront the Wuyi Guards, only picking on soft targets.
Mu Wanqing wasn’t afraid of her; she replied coolly, “If death’s at the door, I might as well go out full.”
Madam Mu: …That cuts deep!
Mu Wanqing popped the last bite into her mouth and stood up.
She produced an oiled paper bag from somewhere and opened it: a cooked whole duck, a chicken missing two legs, and several meat buns.
She kept only four buns. “Second brother, hold these for me.”
With a chicken in her left hand and a duck in her right, she brought them to Second Master Mu. “Father, quickly fill your stomachs, when everything’s on the line, eating comes first.”
Only these few were sincere toward her; sincerity for sincerity. As for everyone else, forget it.
Second Master Mu regarded her steadily for a moment, then took the food. With a vigorous tug he split the two duck legs between his wife and his eldest son, Mu Zicheng.
He ripped off a duck wing and began to eat ferociously.
His daughter was right, better to die full!
Mu Ziang handed a meat bun to his sister. Mu Wanqing split it in two, one half for each, and they ate.
The thin skin and savory filling were unexpectedly delicious.
The scent of food filled the air, making mouths water.
Watching the five members of the second household gorge themselves, people felt conflicted. How could they pick at food with their hands in public? So lacking in decorum, impossibly rude.
The younger children watched greedily but didn’t dare approach.
Yet this simple scene washed away the terror that had accompanied the house search as if it had never existed.
Wu Dongming thought the family rather odd, and it seemed Third Miss Mu had inherited her boldness from her parents.
“Where did these come from?”
“From the kitchen. Putting food in your stomachs isn’t improper.” Mu Wanqing, already full, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and then her hands, composed and elegant. “By the way, before you leave don’t forget to take some of the provisions with you, share them out; don’t waste anything.”
Wu Dongming prided himself on having seen the world, but Mu Wanqing’s generosity actually left him momentarily speechless.
Rong Da rubbed his eyes. That was Third Miss Mu, how could she seem like a different person?
Oh well, he was too lazy to pay it much mind, after all, they were a group without a future.
He continued to pester Wu Dongming, begging to have the betrothal gifts reclaimed, wheedling and pressing with every trick in the book.
Wu Dongming still didn’t budge; perhaps he’d hit the wrong nerve. Then, unexpectedly, he called on Mu Wanqing by name: “Third Miss Mu, what do you think?”
Full and languid, Mu Wanqing was surprised at the question. What did this have to do with her? No one ever took her opinion anyway.
“This is the main family’s affair. You can hear from the parties concerned, for example, the eldest sister.”
Wu Dongming looked at Mu Jinyao. Her eyes were swollen from crying, she truly looked pitiable.
“I…” Mu Jinyao’s eyes brimmed with hot tears; her lovely face was filled with sorrow and grievance, evoking people’s pity. “I want to see the heir.”
Mu Wanqing raised an eyebrow. Tsk, tsk, clearly a clever one, trying to pry open a gap with the heir and win him over with feelings.
Too bad, too late.
Like ducks that know the river warms first, news travels fast. The Marquis Dingyuan’s household has a favored concubine; word reached them early and they’d already come to break the engagement, which said plenty.
This time the Mu family was done for.
She wasn’t afraid of death, what she feared was a half-life of misery.
Wu Dongming raised an eyebrow. “Miss Mu, if you were in my position, what would you do?”
Everyone’s expressions went odd.
Mu Wanqing rolled her eyes inwardly. Wasn’t it just that she refused to be the sobbing cannon fodder? Was it really necessary to screw her over like this?
She answered with a straight face, “You are an official of the Da Qi, a minister of the emperor. When problems arise you of course petition the emperor. The emperor is fair and severe, supremely wise, he will make the right decision.”
One’s loyalties must be correct!
Wu Dongming couldn’t help smiling. If she were a man intent on a political career, she’d make a sycophantic official.
Luckily she’s a woman, she can’t become an official!
What he didn’t know at that moment was that she would become the Da Qi dynasty’s only supreme-grade female marquis, ennobled as a woman, her name recorded in history and revered by countless generations.