Chapter 89 He knew better than Wei Xuan how to love her…

Wei Zhang must have taken his words to heart.

Mu Qinghong pressed her advantage, "I just saw Granny Liu gambling and drinking by the wall! It must be her!"

"I'm sorry, brother-in-law. My sister was in a bad mood and talked to me for a long time, which is why the fish suffered."

"I promise I won't do it again, I promise I won't do it again, brother-in-law, please forgive me just this once! Please forgive me just this once!"

As she spoke, Mu Qinghong knelt at Wei Zhang's feet, kowtowing repeatedly until her forehead was bruised and bleeding, while weeping bitterly.

Just like when I was a child, I cry whenever something happens.

Wei Zhang's meaningful gaze fell upon him, and he remained silent for a long time.

Mu Qinghong had been afraid of his taciturn and gloomy appearance since she was a child, and now she was even more afraid to the bone.

He didn't want to die like those guards, his eyes wide open in disbelief, trembling and his mind in turmoil as he awaited his sentence.

You mean her?

After a long while, Wei Zhang's calm voice came from above, and there was no trace of anger in it.

Mu Qinghong was somewhat taken aback. She froze for a moment, then looked up hesitantly in the direction Wei Zhang was pointing.

Ten steps away, by the wall, the old women who had been gambling and drinking were already tied up and their mouths were stuffed with rags.

A row of people knelt on the ground, their index fingers and thumbs, used for gambling and drinking, severed and hanging bloodily on their knees.

The severed fingers were piled up like a small mountain.

So, the finger that Mu Qinghong just kicked belonged to Granny Liu and the others!

He felt a chill run down his spine.

The old woman Liu across from him was also looking at him with resentful eyes, shaking her head desperately, probably trying to refute Mu Qinghong.

Mu Qinghong glanced away guiltily, but at the same time felt a sense of relief.

Since Wei Zhang punished Granny Liu and the others, he must suspect that Granny Liu was the mastermind behind killing the Red Scaled Fish, right?

Mu Qinghong quickly knelt down and stepped forward, kneeling beside Wei Zhang's knees. "Yes! It must be Granny Liu! I've seen these old women drinking and gambling every night. They don't follow the family rules, and sure enough, their drinking has caused trouble!"

"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!" Granny Liu groaned through gritted teeth.

Wei Zhang frowned.

The subordinates immediately understood and grabbed the noisy old women by the back of their collars, dragging them into the ancestral hall.

The Duke was strict in managing his household. Regardless of whether the Red Scale Fish mattered or not, since he had discovered someone drinking and slacking off right under his nose, he would not simply cut off a finger and call it a day.

Soon, even more intense sounds of sticks being struck and the wailing of old women could be heard from the backyard of the ancestral hall.

Are the old women also subjected to this beating?

Mu Qinghong was still in shock, her body trembling like a leaf beneath her loose clothes. She forced a smile and said, "These old women gamble every day and keep making mistakes. They deserve to be punished! They can't blame anyone else!"

"Yes." Wei Zhang surprisingly agreed with him.

He looked at Wei Zhang in surprise.

Wei Zhang raised his eyes, his pupils deep beneath his long lashes. "Once is never twice. I've forgiven you the first time. If it happens again, there's nothing more to say."

"Yes, yes..." Mu Qinghong nodded hesitantly, feeling that these words were not only directed at the old women.

He opened his mouth, but feeling too guilty, he kept thinking of adding a few more words.

Wei Zhang ignored him, put the fish back into the fish tank, and leisurely tidied up the silver utensils.

As night deepened, each time he collected a tool, tiny specks of silver light reflected off his face.

The face hidden in the darkness flickered between light and shadow. The light swept across the bridge of the nose and thin lips, revealing a sharp and cold expression. The eyes were calm and seemed to see through everything.

Looking at the deep silhouette in the darkness, Mu Qinghong was almost certain that Wei Zhang already knew he was the mastermind behind killing the fish.

Wei Zhang even anticipated that Mu Qinghong would shift the blame onto Granny Liu, which is why he tied Granny Liu up in advance as a warning to others.

Wei Zhang knew everything...

Mu Qinghong felt a chill run down her spine, as if she were standing on the edge of an abyss.

However, Wei Zhang did not kill him directly, which can be considered as giving him a chance.

Mu Qinghong took a deep breath to calm herself down.

He then realized that his escape from death was not due to his clever words that shifted the blame to Granny Liu, but rather because of the word "sister" he used in his words.

Wei Zhang, a man known for his vindictiveness, actually forgave Mu Qinghong for the sake of his elder sister.

Clearly, the elder sister held a greater place in Wei Zhang's heart than Mu Qinghong had realized.

This realization gave Mu Qinghong a lifeline, and she quickly said, "Sister, if you don't have anything else to do, I'll go and serve you some soup. You really like my shrimp and tofu."

Wei Zhang paused slightly, then hummed in agreement.

They did not make things difficult for Mu Qinghong.

Mu Qinghong felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly got up and went to the kitchen.

As Mu Qinghong brushed past Wei Zhang, she heard the man's slightly hoarse voice say, "Try to coax her to eat more."

Mu Qinghong paused, her coarse linen clothes brushing against Wei Zhang's hem.

The man's black python robe was magnificent and thick, with gold-threaded dragon patterns embroidered on the edges. The dragon and python are second only to the real dragon.

This man, who was above thousands of others, sounded somewhat tired and weak just now.

Mu Qinghong turned to look at him.

He had already put the silver utensils into the brocade box, concealing their silvery gleam.

He was enveloped in darkness, his straight back conveying both a sense of inhumanity and a touch of loneliness.

These past few days, Mu Qinghong has been following Wei Zhang, listening to him strategize and command the country. He speaks little but is decisive, and there has never been anything he couldn't do.

But clearly, he couldn't do anything about his older sister.

This is both a blessing and a hardship for my elder sister.

Her good fortune lay in the fact that the Duke of Wei was willing to put in the effort for her.

The difficulty lies in the fact that if the elder sister continues to ignore such thoughts, no one knows how long Wei Zhang can endure it.

It should be understood that a flood that has been building up is far more terrifying than a breach in the dam.

Mu Qinghong wasn't indifferent to his older sister's plight; if he could, he would like to help her.

Of course, he knew very well that no one could help his sister escape the prison that was the Duke's mansion.

All he could do was make this cold cage a little more comfortable.

Mu Qinghong paused for a moment, then said, "That wedding dress was left to my sister by my aunt before she passed away. That's why my sister was willing to defy her husband to get it back. Brother-in-law, please don't blame my sister, considering that she lost her mother at a young age."

Wei Zhang raised his eyes and glanced at Mu Qinghong.

He was trying to figure out how much of Mu Qinghong's words were true, and how much of them were an attempt to exonerate Xue Lanyi and Wei Xuan.

Mu Qinghong's gaze was now intense and focused as she looked at him.

"Brother-in-law, do you still remember the three Zhao sisters who were famous in Dayong back then?"

The Zhao family is renowned for its beautiful women, whose fame spreads throughout the land.

Back then, the eldest sister became the empress, who was also Mu Qinghong's mother; the second sister became a concubine, who was the Princess Consort of Qi; and the youngest sister married the former Grand Secretary, who was also Xue Lanyi's mother.

The three Zhao sisters married in a grand ceremony, and for the next ten years or so, almost no other family could rival their prominence.

What outsiders don't know is that the Zhao family has very few male members, and no matter how noble the women are, they are merely a means for the imperial power to establish alliances through marriage.

Therefore, from the time she was old enough to understand, Zhao knew her future destiny: to add icing to the cake for a powerful and wealthy man.

Perhaps having accepted this understanding from a young age, the three sisters did not have much aspiration for marriage. They simply hoped that the elders of the clan would choose a wealthy and powerful man with excellent conditions, and that they would marry him and raise their children.

"My aunt married the former Grand Secretary through an arranged marriage, becoming his wife. My uncle was an upright and good man, and the two of them treated each other with respect, so their life went smoothly."

However, my uncle, despite his young age, had the temperament of an old scholar. Although he didn't flirt with women, he was taciturn and didn't know how to be gentle and considerate.

My uncle spent most of his time in the cabinet and rarely returned home. Even on the day my aunt gave birth to my older sister, my uncle was busy with state affairs and only sent the best midwife, the best cook, and the best wet nurse in the capital to take care of my aunt and older sister.

My mother noticed that my aunt had no one to talk to and was worried that she would get sick from being cooped up during her postpartum period, so she brought my aunt to the Summer Palace. The two sisters lived together and had someone to take care of them.

That was the one time that everything changed…

Mu Qinghong's voice suddenly choked up as she spoke.

Wei Zhang sensed some of the true meaning, the suspicion in his eyes faded, and he frowned slightly.

Mu Qinghong sniffed, raised the corner of her eye, and turned her head away.

"When my aunt was in confinement after childbirth, she met... she met a general. The two of them recited poems and planted flowers, and they were kindred spirits. That should have been the first time my aunt experienced a harmonious relationship."

But at that time, my aunt already had a husband and an older sister. How could she have an affair with another man?

Knowing she was wrong, the aunt requested to return to the Grand Secretary's residence, where she lived a secluded life, devoted to her husband and children.

But if a person can control their body, how can they control their mind?

Since returning home, my aunt has been sullen and withdrawn. Her heart isn't with my uncle, much less with my older sister. Even though she tries her best to be a good mother, her heart isn't in it, and she inevitably becomes distant and cold towards my sister.

Wei Zhang's eyes flickered.

He remembered that when he was a child, Xue Lanyi would always pick all kinds of flowers and weave them into bouquets and wreaths whenever she went out for a spring outing with him and his brother, and ask Wei Xuan, "Is it pretty? Will my mother like it?"

The next time she goes on a spring outing, she will do the same thing and ask the same questions.

This cycle repeats itself year after year.

Wei Zhang always thought that Xue Lanyi had a close relationship with her mother, which was why she never forgot her mother.

Looking back now, it was because the flowers I sent each time failed to touch my mother's heart that I had to find even more beautiful and vibrant flowers to send her.

But actually, if it's the first time I give flowers, my mother won't like them.

So for the rest of your life, no matter how much effort you put in, how much thought you have, or what kind of flowers you send, your mother will never like them.

Wei Zhang was quite certain of this.

because……

Every time Xue Lanyi picked flowers, someone would be behind her, imitating her by picking a bunch of flowers that were exactly the same color and shape, and secretly tucking them behind their back to take home.

Then……

And that was the end of it.

Wei Zhang's knuckles, resting on the table, curled slightly. After a moment of silence, he asked Mu Qinghong, "And then?"

"And then..."

Mu Qinghong chuckled softly, a hint of emotion flickering in her eyes. "Six years have passed like still water. On that New Year's Eve, amidst the clinking of glasses and the full moon of the palace banquet, my aunt and that person reunited."

Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, the two poured out their hearts to each other, or perhaps something else happened; in any case, they did something they shouldn't have done, they were unconventional, they shouldn't have done it!

As Mu Qinghong spoke, her pupils suddenly widened, and she became more and more excited.

After a long while, she calmed down and her tone became somewhat indifferent: "Later, my aunt felt sorry for her husband, her elder sister, and others, so she jumped off the Star-Picking Tower."

Mu Qinghong let out a soft laugh, which seemed to be both sad and joyful.

Wei Zhang's face showed little expression.

He had no time to care about other people's affairs, nor did he have the heart to comfort them. His icy gaze was fixed on Mu Qinghong, waiting for him to continue.

Mu Qinghong shook her head with a forced smile, "My aunt never let go of that person until her death. When she was on her deathbed, she gave my sister the double-phoenix brocade that she had made into her wedding dress when she was insane."

She held her elder sister's hand and told her that she must find a loving husband to marry in the future, otherwise she would rather never marry in this life.

At that time, what could the young sister understand? Looking at her mother lying in a pool of blood, all she could do was cry, cry and cry.

Her aunt's bloodshot eyes stared at her, and she grabbed her neck, forcing her to swear an oath that she would rather die than marry a heartless man.

Amidst the grief of losing her mother, the older sister raised her hand, stained with her birth mother's blood, and made a vow.

Mu Qinghong was also present at the time. He hid behind his mother and witnessed how fierce his aunt was before she died.

At the moment of life and death, there was no final tenderness between mother and daughter, no maternal love and filial piety, only the aunt's coercion before she breathed her last.

He remembered that his sister's neck was stretched out as far as it could when she was being choked, but her body was curled up in a ball, and she was so scared that her teeth were chattering when she swore an oath.

"Perhaps the scene back then was too traumatic for my sister. She dared not forget her aunt's instructions, which is why she cherishes that wedding dress so much."

Wei Zhang remained silent for two breaths.

Xue Lanyi was a stubborn woman at heart.

She wouldn't value that wedding dress so much just because of a vow or a threat she made in her childhood.

What she valued was probably the love and care from her mother.

Although her mother was harsh with her before she died and forced her to swear an oath, it was clearly for her own good.

How could a child who has been deprived of love for many years not cherish such affection?

Even if this affection has thorns, I would still want to cherish it dearly.

Wei Zhang shook his head, stood up, and left in silence.

"Brother-in-law!"

Mu Qinghong mustered her courage and called out to him.

He watched Wei Zhang's retreating figure, knowing that Wei Zhang might not agree with his final conclusion.

But he felt that Wei Zhang must understand his sister's inner thoughts better than he did, because they were the same kind of people.

Mu Qinghong paused for a moment, then said, "I think that if my brother-in-law is willing, he will know better than Xuan-ge how to love my sister."

Mu Qinghong did not say this to curry favor with Wei Zhang.

Although she appears radiant, she is actually different from Xuan Ge.

Xuan Ge is a child who truly grew up in the love of his parents; his brightness comes from within.

Perhaps it was because she longed for such a perfect life that she admired Xuan Ge so much.

Xuan-ge was indeed the perfect lover for A-jie.

But they are from two different worlds. Although Xuan-ge tried his best to take care of his sister's feelings, he had never experienced what his sister had gone through, so it was difficult for him to truly empathize with her.

Wei Zhang and his sister are the ones who share the same experience.

If he wanted to, he would know better than anyone what his sister truly longed for deep down.

“Brother-in-law, my sister has suffered no less hardship in her life than anyone else, so please treat her better.”

Wei Zhang paused slightly, but did not reply or turn around.

A moment later, he left with his usual gait.

Mu Qinghong stood in the empty, deserted night, her eyes stinging with tears.

In this world, perhaps no one knows better than Mu Qinghong how many hardships her sister has encountered in her life.

Anyone who has experienced being rejected by their own mother, falling into a quagmire, and having friends and lovers leave one by one, might not have the courage to continue living a bright life.

Mu Qinghong knew that her elder sister had suffered many hardships in her life, but she still poured cold water on her.

Wasn't he too cruel?

But he had no choice.

He really had no other choice.

Not only was he powerless, he also had to do his best to help his sister get together with someone she didn't love.

Mu Qinghong felt a mix of emotions, and her knees buckled as she headed towards the bedroom.

"Ah Hong!"

Just now, Yue Niang heard that someone had jumped off a building in the side courtyard. She rushed over and saw Mu Qinghong's fair face with red eyes, and his body was swaying like duckweed, about to kneel down.

Yue Niang hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, "Did the Duke of Wei bully you and your sister again?"

The moon goddess could vaguely see that tall, dark figure walking into the night.

She wasn't afraid of Wei Zhang; after all, she had nothing to lose but her life. So she rolled up her sleeves, ready to confront Wei Zhang, "Is this scoundrel forcing you to be a puppet emperor again? I'll go tell him we won't, we only have one life to live anyway..."

"Yue Niang!"

Mu Qinghong quickly grabbed her arm and held it tightly, afraid that she would take another step forward. "Duke Wei, Duke Wei did not bully us. I was just talking to the Duke about my sister. I was just feeling a little emotional."

When Yue Niang first entered the room, she had actually heard what Mu Qinghong had said.

Does this mean that the elder sister's mother fell in love with someone else, became depressed, and then jumped off a building and hanged herself?

In that sense, the most innocent one is actually the older sister.

She did nothing wrong, yet from birth she was destined to become her mother's shackles.

Moon Maiden was also an orphan, and she could understand the feeling of not having a mother's love, but she had never received it before, which was different from receiving it and then having it collapse overnight.

A sudden fall from grace would hurt even more.

Besides, she had Ah Hong who shared joys and sorrows with her and supported her through thick and thin.

And my sister, who clearly had Xuan Ge who loved her so much, was only one step away from getting married, but now the Duke of Wei has ruined it all!

"The Duke of Wei has committed such a heinous crime, he deserves his just deserts. He will be all alone in the future, and die without a place to rest in peace!" Yue Niang became angrier and angrier as she thought about it, and wanted to rush up and argue with him again.

Mu Qinghong quickly hugged her and stopped her, "Yue Niang, Yue Niang, don't get agitated, what I said isn't all true, not all of it..."

He repeated his last sentence, his voice growing softer and softer.

Yue Niang sensed that Mu Qinghong's breath was getting weaker and weaker, clearly due to excessive emotional fluctuations, and that he was now exhausted.

Yue Niang quickly composed herself and helped Mu Qinghong up. "Ah Hong, what's wrong with you?"

She reached out to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, but Mu Qinghong stopped her hand, saying, "It's alright, let's go."

He was somewhat dejected, and Yue Niang, disregarding everything else, helped Mu Qinghong to the side room.

The two walked along the quiet, deserted lakeside in silence.

The road ahead grew increasingly dark.

Without lanterns for illumination, it's impossible to see what the end of this road looks like.

It is either a dazzling palace lantern or a bottomless abyss.

Mu Qinghong walked in silence for a long time, then suddenly asked Yue Niang, "Yue Niang, do you want to hear the true story?"

Moon Maiden shook her head.

Judging from Mu Qinghong's expression, she had a premonition that the original story might be even more complicated than what she had just heard.

Hearing it again is nothing more than another form of torture for those who experienced it firsthand.

She didn't want to hear it.

This time, Mu Qinghong ignored her advice and said to herself, "Let me tell you again. You must remember everyone in this story. In case... in case something happens to me in the future, this story will be your lifesaver."

"Ah Hong, I won't listen." Yue Niang covered her ears.

Mu Qinghong smiled awkwardly, "Back then, among the Zhao sisters, my mother and my elder sister's mother were the closest and most compatible."

The Empress Dowager wished she could share all the rare treasures and delicacies in the palace with her aunt.

He even joked in private: If the Empress's position could be shared in half, he would definitely bring his aunt into the palace so that she could share the burden and worries with him.

My mother's words were truly golden; she really did bring my aunt into the palace, and then..."

As Mu Qinghong spoke, her voice trembled more and more.

A night breeze blew across the lake, carrying away his words...

A cool breeze, carrying moisture, blew across the lake, through the corridors, and into the cracks of the dormitory windows.

Those words seemed to piece together a complete picture in Xue Lanyi's mind.

Xue Lanyi sat on the daybed in the inner room, stiffly stroking her tattered wedding dress while thinking about the past.

For many years, she couldn't understand why her mother would hurt herself and others for the sake of that so-called fate.

Xue Lanyi couldn't understand why, with so many new things in the world, she had to be trapped for one person for six years, only to end up going mad, being despised by others, and ultimately jumping off a building to commit suicide.

Today, Mu Qinghong's last words made Xue Lanyi realize that she had also fallen into such a vicious cycle.

She is also contemplating suicide for someone, jumping off a cloud-top attic for someone, disregarding everything.

It seems she has unknowingly followed in her mother's footsteps.

With so many things in the world, is she going to be trapped in a relationship for the rest of her life?

Xue Lanyi asked herself the same question.

Her gaze was unfocused as she leaned against the window, lost in thought.

Behind him, a figure was reflected in the window paper.

The shadow slowly approached, growing larger and larger until it gradually enveloped her.

The surrounding air suddenly turned cold and austere.

Xue Lanyi raised her head alertly.

Outside the window, even the shadows seemed to freeze.

Wei Zhang stopped two steps away from the window.

The window was slightly ajar, and the two people were separated by the gap, one looking up and the other looking down.

Their silhouettes were projected onto the window, one inside and one outside, facing each other as if gazing deeply into each other's eyes.