Chapter 128 A Second Wife is Also a First Wife
Rationally, Mu Xi could understand all of her father's actions, and even some of her previous views, such as betraying her birth mother, having an affair, being incompetent and weak, failing to do anything about his second wife's mistreatment of his children from his first marriage, and favoring sons over daughters...
Those things all seem to be understandable, but among those understandable reasons there may be a sense of righteousness, loyalty, forbearance, or being forced to do something against one's will, but there is no father-daughter affection.
Moreover, even at such a moment, when Jin Fangjun and Mu Zhen desperately tried to grab Mu Xun's hand, it seemed that they did not rely on her, their biological daughter.
“Father…Father…” Mu Xun’s voice choked with emotion.
Mu Zhen no longer cared about not receiving Mu Xi's promise. Hearing Mu Xun's earnest call, his eyes suddenly widened: "You...you must continue your father's...you must promise me...to restore Dayan..."
"I...I..." Mu Xun could only hold Mu Zhen's withered hand tightly and bury his head deeply.
After receiving no response for a long time, Mu Zhen's body, which had been struggling, suddenly relaxed and collapsed weakly onto the bed.
The last breath, like a wandering ghost in the summer night, silently escaped from his mouth and nose, disappearing into the stuffy air.
The candlelight flickered, and on the brocade quilt, the withered hand slipped from Mu Xun's grasp.
The dim light flickered on and off, its flame leaping uneasily three times in succession, like the final tremor of someone whose soul had been forcibly taken away.
The entire room fell into an eerie, deathly silence.
After taking her pulse, Doctor Luo stepped back without saying a word.
Shen Lun seemed to distrust Doctor Luo, so he went up to check his breathing and pulse, and then slowly shook his head.
Dead? Just like that?
Mu Xi just stared blankly, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
This wasn't the outcome she wanted. She wasn't ready, not even ready to be sad...
"Clang, clang, clang..." The sound of weapons clashing suddenly came from the courtyard outside.
And the man shouted, "How dare you! This is the mistress of the Jin Fangjun residence! You dare to stop her? Are you blind?!"
The four had no time to mourn Jin Fangjun's death; they immediately became alert.
Mu Xi tightly gripped the gold lock inside her sleeve.
Mu Xun immediately stood up and put away the long wooden box and gold lock in his hands.
Shen Lun went to the door to listen for any noise: "Aren't the people outside all guarded by your own people?"
Before Mu Xun could answer, the inner room door was pushed open forcefully, and the first person to rush in was none other than Grand Marshal Gao Quan.
Gao Quan's second wife was Lady Gao.
Behind Gao was a shaman wearing a black cloak, hood, and mask.
As soon as Gao entered, her face was full of concern, but she did not look at Mu Zhen's corpse on the bed. Instead, she turned to the shaman behind her and said urgently, "Quick, Master, take a look at Lord Jun."
The shaman nodded without making a sound.
He was completely wrapped in a black cloak, and judging from his build, he should be a middle-aged man, yet he walked silently and exuded a sinister aura.
It sends chills down your spine the moment you see it.
Mu Xi was startled and realized that she had never seen the mask he was wearing before.
Black background with gold patterns, the symbols and patterns drawn in the gold patterns are strange, seemingly the same one I saw in a glimpse at the gold shop on Guijie Street that day.
Ever since her chance encounter with Qi Zhuying at the gold shop, Mu Xi had considered investigating the gold shop's clues, but she had to temporarily give up due to being overwhelmed with other matters and having no one else available.
Mu Xi was pondering this to herself.
Shen Lun seemed to sense the shaman's threat as well, and stepped forward to stop him: "Who is this person? The Lord is already gone, and it is useless for any more shamans to come. Madam, please accept our condolences. The dead cannot be brought back to life."
There was no need for Gao Shi to speak herself; instead, her brother Gao Quan stepped forward and said, "Lord Shen, this is the Jin Fangjun residence. My sister is the rightful mistress of the Jin Fangjun residence, and no one can stop her. As for whether the Lord has passed away, it is not something an outsider like you can decide. Only when the lady brings a shaman to examine him can we know for sure."
"Am I an outsider?" Shen Lun retorted without backing down. "My sister, Princess Yunying, is the rightful and proper first wife of the Jin Fangjun family. According to etiquette, the Grand Marshal's sister should also be ranked according to seniority. Even in death, their memorial tablets should be placed on the left and right, with the left being more honorable than the right. So, in this respect, who is closer to me, the Grand Marshal, or who is more of an insider?"
Gao Quan sneered: "Heh, I am an outsider, but you, Lord Shen, are not exactly an 'insider' either. Lord Jin Fang is on the verge of death, and you, Marquis Shen Lun of Yong, an outsider, have sent people to guard the place and prevent the legitimate wife of the Jin Fang family from entering. What kind of logic is that?"
"Grand Marshal Gao, don't speak nonsense. When have I ever prevented my wife from entering?"
"No, then what's the deal with the guards outside?"
Shen Lun feigned ignorance: "Madam may enter, but what is the origin of this shaman? How can one approach him so easily?"
While they were talking, Gao was put in and went to Mu Zhen's bedside to take a few glances.
Gao seemed to have already anticipated the Lord's death. She didn't check his breathing or even call out to him. Instead, she turned around and said, "I, Yan Sheng, have always admired shamans. The master I have invited now has the ability to bring the Lord back to life and must summon his soul. What is Lord Shen's intention in obstructing this?"
“Summoning the soul? If it were truly to summon the soul of the Lord, one should report to the King of Yu and invite the Imperial Preceptor of Guanlan Palace.” Shen Lun remained unconvinced. “These unorthodox sorcerers are not fit for high society; we must be cautious.”
"Among all the people present, if we're talking about who truly owns the Jin Fangjun residence, it's only my sister. As the matriarch, she has the final say on which shaman to invite. Even the heir... as a junior, has no right to interfere," Gao Quan chimed in, specifically emphasizing Mu Xi.
Gao was even more impatient: "Master, please hurry up and start. If we miss the appointed time, won't we miss the best time to summon the soul?"
The black-faced shaman was about to step forward.
Shen Lun stopped him again: "Outsiders certainly have no right to interfere in the lady's affairs, but this shaman should first take off his mask and introduce himself so that we can all feel at ease."
"The master's name is 'Qiu Chi,' and he swore to serve the gods for life, never removing his mask. Although 'Qiu Chi' is little known, he truly possesses the art of bringing the dead back to life," Madam Gao introduced respectfully. Then, she changed the subject, "This young woman is trying to save the Lord, not harm him. The Lord is my own husband; how could I possibly harm him? If Lord Shen tries to stop me, people will question your intentions."
"I fear that my wife is shallow in her knowledge and unable to judge people well. Nowadays, there are many evil sorcerers who meddle in the underworld, plotting to make money and kill people. If these evil sorcerers do something that ultimately damages the reputation of Lord Jin Fang, even if I go to the King, I will still have to..." Shen Lun could not stand up to Gao Shi, so he could only bring up the King of Yu.
Unexpectedly, Gao Quan interrupted from the side: "Lord Shen, if I remember correctly, you entered Moyang City a few days ago, right? You entered the royal city but did not see the king, and you are acting suspiciously. What are your intentions? It will be difficult for me to explain to the king."
"..." One sentence left Shen Lun speechless.
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