Chapter 50

“Knock knock.” The sound of knocking came.
Everyone in the room woke with a start. Mu Wanqing turned over and sat up. “Who is it?”
“It's me.” It was Mu Jinyao's voice.
Madam Qian was sleepy and drowsy. “She won't sleep at this hour, what's she knocking for?”
Mu Wanqing sighed softly; what was destined to happen had happened.
“Mother, Fourth Miss Yu, you two go back to sleep; I'll go take a look.”
She threw on her clothes, smoothed her robe and opened the door. Outside, Mu Jinyao held a large red lantern; her white dress made her look especially fresh and ethereal.
Mu Wanqing pursed her lips. “Speak.”
Mu Jinyao looked strange, staring steadily at Mu Wanqing. “Are you really not going to let our main branch go?”
Mu Wanqing sized her up. She was freshly groomed, wearing delicate makeup and an ethereal flying topknot.
“You've got it backwards. It's your main branch that won't let me be. You keep scheming and making trouble, trying to restore your former status and to have all the clansmen prostrate themselves at your feet...”
All along, the Mu family's main first branch had relied on their status to swagger and intimidate, thinking themselves superior.
Even if they were to fall in a single day, they'd still try to drain their kin dry so their family could live in comfort.
In any case, Mu Wanqing wouldn't do it.
Mu Jinyao denied it emphatically, "No, it's not like that. They just can't accept it yet, give it time and they'll..."
Before she could finish, Mu Wanqing cut her off. "Do you take me for a fool? That kind of lie won't fool me. Mu Jinyao, I admit I've helped you a lot, but when it mattered you still stood against me. I can understand, after all, a cousin without feeling can't be compared to loving family. People help kin, not justice."
When the clan leader was last chosen, the first and third branches stood against her, and Mu Jinyao was no exception.
No, Mu Rongxue openly defected over.
"But you've abandoned morality and lost the people's trust."
Helping kin over right, Mu Jinyao unconditionally sheltered her family; this was the heart of their disagreement.
To be honest, Mu Wanqing was that sort of person too, when it came to the crunch she'd help first and ask questions later, but there was one difference: she had principles.
Afterwards, those who deserved a beating would get it; those who deserved punishment would be punished, there would be no leniency.
Mu Jinyao told herself she had done nothing wrong: her parents and family had lavished her with love and honor for years, giving her a life of comfort, and her repayment was to keep her parents safe and let them enjoy their old age.
Still, her heart swelled with an unspeakable melancholy. "I thought we could coexist peacefully."
She had thought she could stand on her own, rely on her own strength, but in the end she followed the same path as before, using her beauty to serve others.
But this time, she encountered the Prince of Jin’s heir from the start, rather than drifting from one man's arms to another's.
She believed that with the experience and lessons of a previous life she could avoid the deep pits and fight her way up.
Since she had already made her choice, what was there to be sentimental about? Mu Wanqing couldn't understand it, if it were her decision, she wouldn't go out of her way to say useless nonsense.
"The first and second branches are naturally opposed. Unless our second branch is willing to return to the past, let the first branch trample us, feast on our blood and flesh, use us as stepping stones, there's no solution."
"But why should that be? Just because you're the legitimate line? Are princes and ministers somehow a different breed?"
Mu Jinyao had been raised on the teaching that the legitimate line was heaven and the secondary line was earth; legitimacy and illegitimacy were distinct, and the second branch had never been her concern.
She was close to her full brothers, but cold toward her half-siblings, partly because Madam Mu had deliberately separated them, and partly because she never really kept the illegitimate in her heart.
So she didn't think the old order was wrong; now that the illegitimate branch had the upper hand, it made her uneasy.
"I'm very disappointed by this outcome, but I remember you once reached out to me. Whatever happens in the future, I'll spare you, I'll keep you safe."
She took that as a great favor, something deeply sentimental.
Mu Wanqing couldn't help laughing inwardly. Was she really that certain she'd come to misfortune? "What a boast. Where do you get that confidence,that Jin... young lord?"
A thought flickered through her mind.
Mu Jinyao shook her head and sighed. "Third sister, your greatest flaw is how sharp you are; you have no tolerance. But take my advice: fortunes turn. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west, who knows what tomorrow holds? Leave yourself some escape routes; don't make things irretrievable."
There was a tone of foreseeing condescension in her words, perhaps an attitude she herself had not noticed.
Mu Wanqing narrowed her eyes and probed deliberately, "So you know."
Mu Jinyao's expression changed several times. "You... what do you mean?"
Could it be that Mu Wanqing had discovered her rebirth???
Mu Wanqing had seen everything but pretended not to. "Didn't you say you knew the Jin young lord's identity? He must be an important man who can protect you. What's wrong? How am I wrong?"
Mu Jinyao drew a deep breath to calm herself. There was no way Mu Wanqing could know this, unless she had lived it herself. Who would believe such an astonishing thing otherwise?
When she had first been reborn she was bewildered for a long time, unable to tell if it was a dream or a kind of hysteria.
"No. Remember: don't make wild guesses and don't pick fights, he's not someone you can afford to offend."
Mu Wanqing was puzzled. "I've already offended the Fifth Prince for you, are you saying he's more powerful than the Fifth Prince? Then he'd have to be the emperor, but the ages don't match."
Every line sounded casual, but each left a hook.
Sweat dotted Mu Jinyao's forehead; she dared not meet Mu Wanqing's eyes. "No, it's not that. In any case, offending him ends badly. That's all I have to say, take care."
With that she turned and ran.
Mu Wanqing had already obtained the information she wanted; it seemed the Prince of Jin’s heir's future was far brighter than the Fifth Prince's.
Who could be more powerful than a prince? Only the one who sits upon the solitary throne.
Could the Jin heir one day ascend and become emperor?
For a cadet branch to claim the throne there are only two possibilities. One: all the legitimate imperial sons have died.
Two: rebellion and uprising.
But whichever it was, it would unleash a terrible storm of bloodshed.
Changes of throne have always been bloody.
As she pondered, a faint sigh sounded.
Mu Wanqing locked onto a direction with precision. "Come out."
This quarter was for the women; the men lived in the outer ring.
Mu Rongxue stepped out from the shadows, bewildered and dejected. "How did it turn out like this? It was clearly moving in the right direction before."
They exchanged a look, both understanding why Mu Jinyao had dressed up so carefully that night.
Mu Wanqing had seen all kinds of people and much darkness; she remained utterly unfazed.
"Everyone takes a different stance. She's of the first branch; the branch's interests are hers, inseparable. When it's none of her concern she can show charity, preach morality and conscience, but when it comes to herself she tosses principles aside, that's human nature."
So she wasn't disappointed.
Mu Rongxue winced in pain. "Is that really the right choice for her?"
Mu Wanqing replied coolly, "Right or wrong isn't the point. The point is she chose it of her own free will."
If it hadn't been voluntary, she would have stepped in. But since it was, let her take her chances.
The news hit Madam Qian hard; after she heard it she tossed and turned all night and couldn't sleep, which disturbed Mu Wanqing beside her.
Mu Wanqing, exhausted, said, "Mother, please sleep. Some things have already happened, there's no use dwelling on them."
Madam Qian gave a bitter smile. She had once believed Mu Jinyao was a daughter blessed by heaven, someone even she envied.
But now, she had willingly sunk so low.
Well, everyone has their own fate and reasons.
When Mu Wanqing woke from her sleep, the sky was already bright.
The room was empty; she had slept later than everyone else.
She stretched lazily, then sluggishly rose to wash and dress.
She skipped any elaborate coiffure, tying her hair into a simple ponytail and changing into a neat everyday outfit.
Stepping out into the corridor, she saw Second Master Mu and his wife talking.
Seeing her, Second Master Mu hurried over. "Qing'er, you're awake? Officer Zeng has asked you to come to the main hall, that young gentleman from last night is there too."
Mu Wanqing raised an eyebrow. "Got it, Father. What's for breakfast?"
The kitchen fell under the logistics department, which was Second Master Mu's responsibility.
"Vegetable and lean-pork porridge, and I'll add two fried eggs for you. How's that?"
"Sounds good." Mu Wanqing nodded happily and walked downstairs with a spring in her step.
In the main hall, the Prince of Jin’s heir sat elegantly sipping tea, his expression haughty; his guards stood behind him, imposing.
Officer Zeng stood before him with his hands folded, looking tense and uneasy.
Hearing the noise, he snapped his head up; his eyes brightened. "You finally came."
The Jin heir's gaze hardened. "Officer Zeng, did you really send a woman to an occasion like this?" It was an insult to him.
Officer Zeng had been roused at dawn and told the exiled prisoner was to be taken away, wasn't this putting him in an impossible position?
"If you want someone from the Mu household, you'll have to get the clan leader's consent first."
The Jin heir was astonished again. "The Mu clan leader? Her? Are you joking, has the Mu clan run out of men?"
He had already made inquiries, but still found it hard to believe, it was too inconceivable.
Mu Wanqing casually cupped her hands. "I am Mu Wanqing, the thirty-fifth head of Clan Mu. Young lord, you want someone from the Mu household? That's not possible, our clan members are registered exiles."
She spoke with the confidence of someone convinced she was right.
The Jin heir seethed inwardly. "What if I insist on taking them?"
Unfazed by the pressure, Mu Wanqing cupped her hands toward the direction of the capital. "Then I'll have to send a letter of contrition to the capital and beg the Emperor's forgiveness."
The Jin heir found her naïve to the point of ridicule. How on earth had she become the clan leader? She was like a child playing house, the Mu family must be mad.
"You think your letter will get into the palace?"
Mu Wanqing pulled over a chair and sat opposite him, utterly composed. "The proper procedure still has to be followed. Whether the palace accepts it isn't my concern. If necessary, I'll paste the confession to the city gates so everyone in the city will know."
The Jin heir was dumbfounded, well, that was a bold idea. "Do you even realize who you're speaking to?"
Mu Wanqing crossed her legs. "I could also deliver a letter to the Fifth Prince's residence, saying the one he's been pining for has fallen into the hands of the Jin heir. How do you like that?"
She hadn't wanted to expose things, but since there was no peaceful way out now, she might as well go all in.
Offending one person versus two wouldn't make much difference.
Though she spoke lightly, she had dropped a heavy bombshell.
The room fell unnaturally silent; dozens of eyes were on Mu Wanqing, and the atmosphere turned peculiarly tense.
How had she guessed the Jin heir's identity?
Knowing he was a noble, she still dared to be so brazen, simply astounding.
A flicker of surprise crossed the Jin heir's fair face. He had misjudged her; this young girl was no simpleton.
"You really think you can send them?"
Mu Wanqing's small foot tapped as she beamed provocatively. "Have your men inquire, did any letters go out last night?"
With a look from the Jin heir, his men immediately left and returned shortly after. One whispered, "There were indeed letters, five in all, their purpose unknown."
Everyone's gaze at Mu Wanqing changed. She had planned ahead, despite her youth, her mind was frighteningly meticulous.
What was even scarier was not knowing what she had written, or to whom.
The Jin heir ground his teeth. "You're impressive."
Mu Wanqing smiled sweetly. "I've always been fine, thanks for the compliment."
The Jin heir looked at her coldly for a long moment. Mu Wanqing kept smiling, which only further stoked his fury, shameless girl!
"Bring Mu Jinyao here."
Mu Jinyao wore the same clothes from last night, but her aura had changed, like a blossoming flower, a hint of womanhood softened her movements, making her even more beautiful.
Her brows and eyes were suffused with feeling, her face flushed with spring; she bowed gently. "Jinyao greets you, young lord."
The Jin heir gestured toward Mu Wanqing. "What I promised you may not be possible, your clan leader refuses to release her."
Mu Jinyao's face went ashen. With his power, how could he be unable? He simply refused. That man remained as cold and heartless as ever.
But only a man like that could ascend to that position, only he could emerge as the final victor.
She bit her lip and knelt before Mu Wanqing. "Third sister, I beg you, spare my life."
Mu Wanqing looked at the woman's coiled hair and frowned slightly. "Mu Jinyao, did you willingly betray the family and elope with someone?"
“I didn't betray, ” Mu Jinyao reflexively protested.
Mu Wanqing raised her right hand. “You only need to answer me: yes, or no?”
This was betrayal of the family. Mu Jinyao wanted to argue, but found she couldn't refute it. “Yes.”
Mu Wanqing asked coldly, “Have you thought about the consequences? What will happen to your family? Have you considered what catastrophic blow the Mu clan would suffer if this information leaked?”
For a banished criminal to escape is a grave crime; all associated parties would be punished.
Mu Jinyao answered without hesitation, “As for the Mu clan, with you in charge, I believe they'll be fine. As for my family, you won't have them here, so I'll take them with me.”
She thought it a win‑win plan, but Mu Wanqing laughed coldly. “You think well, but I disagree.”
“If you dare run, I'll report you, better to prevent you from dragging the whole family down again.”
Mu Jinyao's face went from pale to flushed; there was irritation, anger, but more than anything, helplessness.
One Mu Wanqing could crush them completely; their main branch couldn't possibly stay in the clan, otherwise it would be a dead end.
“My lord, have mercy.”
Seeing her pitiful look, the Prince of Jin’s heir remembered the passion of last night and felt a stir. “She's already mine. Name your price.”
Mu Wanqing chuckled. “Mu Jinyao, did you hear that? You're an item with a price tag. Are you sure you want to go with a man like him?”
Mu Jinyao's face was frighteningly pale, but her lovely eyes brimmed with feeling. “Love springs from nowhere and runs deep; even if I'm abandoned, I would have no regrets.”
Mu Wanqing sighed silently; she really was throwing herself into it.
“Fine. I'll oblige you, for a non‑negotiable price: one hundred thousand taels of silver.” This was hush money.
The hall froze. The pale, beardless man flew into a rage. “Are you crazy? Why don't you rob a bank instead? How can a woman possibly be worth that much?”
Mu Wanqing smiled wickedly. “Whether she's worth it is up to your master. What would a mere attendant like you know about love between men and women?”
“You... you...” The attendant trembled with anger, he had been insulted!!!
Mu Jinyao stared blankly at Mu Wanqing. Mu Wanqing blinked at her; this was as far as she could help.
Broken porcelain and fine china have different prices, and of course different treatment.
The former is carelessly discarded; the latter is treasured.
As for whether Mu Jinyao would boast of her conquests, Mu Wanqing wasn't worried at all, the Prince of Jin’s heir hadn't gotten any favors from her either.
The Prince of Jin’s heir didn't lack money, but losing face was unpleasant. “Fine. But you handle things afterward. If the news leaks, I'll come after you.”
Mu Wanqing waved her hands. “No, no, no. I only take the money; nothing else is my concern.”
“I'm just an ordinary nobody, what skill would I have? Prince of Jin’s heir, don't make things difficult for me.”
Damn, what ordinary nobody dares arm‑wrestle the Prince of Jin’s heir?
Listen to her, what nonsense is that? Only take the money and leave everything else? Never seen anyone so shameless!