The next day, news of Mu Qingyang's death had already spread from Yue Di Yun Ju. Old Liu from the Mu family troupe led a group to Wan Fang An He, demanding an explanation from Lan Qin. How could a perfectly healthy person have died here?
"Princess, Princess!" Cuizhu ran happily towards Liu's house.
As Liu was being served her daily morning bird's nest soup by her maid, she heard Cuizhu's voice and instinctively knew it must be about Mu Qingyang.
"You all go out first!" Madam Liu waved away the maids in the room. She kept her affairs private from these people; only Cuizhu and Xiaojinzi knew about them.
"Princess!" When Cuizhu saw several maids come out, she stepped inside.
"How is it?" Liu asked.
"Today, Liu, the head of the Mu family troupe, went to make a scene, saying that a living person died and they're probably demanding compensation," Cuizhu said.
After hearing this, Liu's expression changed several times before she finally said with a hint of sadness, "Where did he stop?"
Cuizhu was stunned for a moment before she reacted and said, "Princess, he's dead, so you can rest assured. Why do you look a little unhappy?"
Liu walked to the window, looked at the scenery outside, and said, "If we hadn't gone to Changyin Pavilion back then, perhaps things wouldn't have come to this. Go, go find out where he is. I'll go and pay my respects before his body is dragged away."
Upon hearing this, Cuizhu immediately widened her eyes and said, "Master, absolutely not! We must never have anything to do with him again."
Liu said, "Then go and see what's going on over there at Wan'an Fanghe. I'll just offer my prayers here; it'll be the same." After thinking about it, Liu also felt that going there immediately was not appropriate.
“Yes, then this servant will go out and find out. Your mistress must not have any further dealings with him,” Cuizhu said.
Meanwhile, Wan Anfang's courtyard was filled with people, all members of the Mu family troupe. Upon hearing of Mu Qingyang's sudden death the previous night, they discussed the matter overnight and then followed Old Man Liu to Lan Qin to discuss it. Old Man Liu had spoken to Lan Qin about Mu Qingyang's strange illness earlier, believing that his sudden collapse must have had a cause, and his sudden death suggested it was a murder.
“Consort, Qingyang is the pillar of our Mu family troupe. Without him, our troupe can’t continue,” said Old Liu. After their own internal discussion, they decided to ask the main family for a sum of money, giving half to Mu Qingyang’s family and the other half to the Mu family troupe. Even if the troupe couldn’t continue, everyone could share the money and make a living.
Lanqin knew they had no choice; she had insisted on keeping the person alive, but now that person had died here inexplicably, they naturally had to give them an explanation.
“Officer Liu, the Prince’s Mansion will cover all of Lord Mu’s funeral expenses. The amount of money you’re asking for is a bit excessive. Where would you find compensation this much?” Si Hua said to Old Man Liu on behalf of Lan Qin.
Lanqin sat in the inner room, her face sullen and silent. All the maids in the room had their heads down.
"Master, it's all my fault for not doing things properly!" Shui Ling suddenly knelt down and said to Lan Qin.
“There’s a reason for this, so it’s not your fault. Get up,” Lanqin said.
The argument outside grew louder and louder. Lanqin pondered, "Go tell Sihua that the Mu family needs compensation, and that the entire opera troupe should also pay 10,000 taels of silver for the loss of their star performer. I will pay this amount from my own savings. There's no need to tell Master about this."
“Master! How can you touch your personal funds? Besides, we don’t even know if that Master Mu had any strange illness before. He’s been staying here for so long, and you’ve sent people to take care of him day and night, and he’s taken a lot of medicine. You’ve already done more than enough. They’re clearly extorting us!” Shui Ling said.
“But the man is already dead, and he died in Master’s villa. If this gets out, it won’t be good for Master’s reputation. Let’s just leave it at that. No matter what, Young Master Mu’s opera was still very good. His death is a loss for his family and the opera troupe. My private savings are useless sitting there. Taking them out and helping many people make a living, and sparing Master from these unpleasant things that could damage his reputation, wouldn’t that be better?” Lanqin said.
Upon hearing this, Shui Ling could only nod silently and then turn and leave.
After the two parties reached an agreement, Mu Qingyang's body was placed in a thin coffin that evening and carried out by the Mu family troupe. All the members of their troupe also left.
The Moonlit Cloud Abode remained quiet for the entire time. The people who had once sung and danced there were no more. The matter seemed to be resolved, without further ripples. What great commotion could the death of an actor possibly cause?
The night was exceptionally dark, and even the moon seemed to be covered with fine, downy hairs—a prelude to rain.
Liu carried a small paper basket, followed by Cuizhu and Xiaojinzi. The three of them took advantage of the night to arrive at the grove of trees behind Xinghuachun Pavilion. It was here that Liu and Mu Qingyang had first met.
"Light the brazier!" Liu ordered. Ever since Cuizhu learned the outcome of how the Mu family troupe and Lanqin had handled that matter, she had completely relaxed. Mu Qingyang's death would forever bury that secret underground.
Following Liu's instructions, Xiao Jinzi and Cuizhu used a tinderbox to light the small amount of charcoal in the brazier. Liu stood there quietly, lost in thought. Then, she squatted down, took some paper money from the basket, and began to burn it.
As she burned the offerings, Liu muttered something under her breath. Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. Xiao Jinzi and Cuizhu stood guard nearby to prevent anyone from seeing them.
"Little Jinzi, how could that thing be so powerful? It actually took her life?" Cuizhu asked as she stood with Little Jinzi.
“That’s right. With that Mu guy dead, our princess doesn’t have so many worries anymore,” Xiao Jinzi said.
“That’s right, I hope this matter can be put behind us now. Princess still insists on coming to burn paper money for him, sigh!” Cuizhu said.
“That’s just how people are, let her burn some,” Xiao Jinzi said.
“Very well, let’s burn some paper money to sever their ill-fated relationship in this life. That way, we servants will have less to worry about,” Cuizhu said.
Meanwhile, Liu reminisced about her past with Mu Qingyang, feeling guilty for taking his life in her attempt to protect herself. So, while burning paper money, she had already uttered a torrent of apologies to Mu Qingyang, who had gone to the underworld.
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