Chapter Fifty-Six: The Transaction
Madam Mu was also startled, staggering backward as the embroidered gold hem of her magnificent robe knocked over the gilded incense burner on the paulownia table. The ashes spilled onto Mu Yanyan's newly changed gold-embroidered skirt, revealing faint traces of chains beneath. Madam Mu's eyes were filled with disbelief; only now did she realize that Sun Wenbin was far more terrifying than she had imagined! No wonder Sun Wenbin insisted on personally changing her daughter's clothes—that wasn't affection at all; it was to turn the Mu family's eldest daughter into his puppet!
"You, you, you...you all..." Overwhelmed with shock and anger, Madam Mu was too flustered to speak. She had misjudged Sun Wenbin, and even more so, she had underestimated that previously unknown concubine's daughter! How dare they, how dare they conspire to scheme against her daughter, ruining her life?
"Madam, watch your step..." Mu Lian reached out to support the swaying Madam Mu, pressing her long, slender fingers heavily on the Laogong acupoint between her thumb and forefinger. This was a technique that Qingniang had taught her to her illegitimate daughter before her death, a technique that could cause excruciating pain to someone whose blood and qi were surging, yet leave no visible external injury. "You must take good care of yourself. Fourth Sister and her husband will need your help in the future."
“Yes, Mother-in-law…” Sun Wenbin smiled politely, then pulled Mu Yanyan, who was trying to struggle, into a tighter embrace, his eyes full of warning. “Compared to the Third Miss, Yanyan is more to my liking, so I have to thank Mother-in-law for being so kind as to part with her.”
"You, you are..." Everything went black before her eyes, and Madam Mu could no longer withstand the successive blows and fainted.
"Mother, Mother..." Mu Yanyan cried miserably, but Sun Wenbin held her tightly and she couldn't move.
A pang of pity finally crossed her mind. Although Madam Mu was ruthless and scheming, Mu Yanyan, aside from being a bit outspoken and willful, really had no other faults. Giving Sun Wenbin a slight bow, Mu Lian said calmly, "Lord Sun, please don't forget our agreement. You should treat my sister well."
"Of course, of course..." Sun Wenbin gently squeezed Mu Yanyan's soft hand, then released her and escorted her to Madam Mu's side. In truth, apart from the injuries on her legs and genitals, the rest of Mu Yanyan's wounds were not serious; they were deliberately faked by Sun Wenbin to frighten Madam Mu. This little beauty before him was so alluring; he was too busy cherishing her to mistreat her. He was simply a bit lustful.
Mu Lian handed the jade-colored porcelain bottle brought from the Prince of Ruyang's residence to Sun Wenbin, saying meaningfully, "As long as Lord Sun is willing to keep his word, His Highness the Crown Prince will certainly not go back on his promise. This is a secret medicine from the Western Regions, a tribute from a foreign land. It is said to be a cure for male impotence. It requires three courses of treatment. This is the first pill. Lord Sun may give it a try."
"Is this really true?" Sun Wenbin's heart trembled, finally stirred with a hint of emotion. No matter how calm and collected he appeared on the surface, he ultimately wanted to be a real man. Moreover, now that he had found a beautiful woman, he was even more determined not to miss this opportunity.
"really."
"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Your Highness... Your Highness..." Sun Wenbin was a little excited, and the word "Princess Consort" was about to slip out, but when he saw Mu Lian's slightly changed expression, he changed his words in time.
"Lord Sun, please don't be so polite. His Highness the Crown Prince trusts your character." gesturing for Sun Wenbin to rise, Mu Lian went towards Madam Mu. The servants in the main hall had already been dismissed, leaving Mu Yanyan alone and helpless, while Madam Mu lay on the ground.
After taking Madam Mu's pulse, pinching her philtrum, and inserting a pill, Mu Lian gestured for Mu Yanyan and Sun Wenbin to help Madam Mu sit in a rosewood armchair.
"Don't worry, your mother will be fine soon..." Mu Lian patted Mu Yanyan's shoulder, her voice unusually gentle.
The way her third sister acted before her was no longer that of the timid and submissive third sister she once knew. Mu Yanyan was somewhat shocked and confused, but she didn't dare to ask and just nodded blankly. Fortunately, Sun Wenbin took her hand again and hugged her, which gave her some comfort and support.
Not long after, Madam Mu slowly woke up. In her hazy state, she saw her daughter huddled in the man's arms, and her anger almost surged up again. With pale lips, Madam Mu reached out to reach Mu Yanyan and pull her daughter into her arms, but Mu Lian blocked her way.
After taking Madam Mu's pulse again, Mu Lian said calmly, "Madam has always been in good health. She was just momentarily flustered. Now that the die is cast, Madam would be better off letting go of her obsession and going with the flow."
"You..., I..." Madam Mu's outstretched arm trembled incessantly in the air, unable to break free from Mu Lian's grip, let alone reach her daughter. Her vision went black again, and she almost fainted once more.
"Mother, Mother, don't worry, don't be angry..." Mu Yanyan struggled and threw herself at Madam Mu again. "Daughter, daughter did it willingly. Sun Lang, he... he treats daughter very well..."
"Very good? What do you mean by 'very good'?" Thinking of the wounds she had seen on Mu Yanyan's body earlier, Madam Mu felt as if her heart was being torn apart. But looking at the allure in Mu Yanyan's eyes and brows, Madam Mu was no longer sure what to do.
"Don't worry, Mother-in-law. As long as you approve of me, I will treat Yan Yan well..." At the right moment, Sun Wenbin stepped forward and stood guard behind Mu Yan Yan once again.
Now that the deed is done, even if Madam Mu is unwilling, she is powerless to do anything about it for the time being. A trace of guilt even flashed through her mind. Could it be that she really did something wrong? Should she have schemed against the concubine's daughter, only to end up harming her own daughter?
"So be it, so be it. We'll just have to take it one step at a time." Closing her eyes briefly, Madam Mu finally withdrew her trembling hand. Back then, if it weren't for that concubine's daughter's mother entering the household, she would have been a rare figure of favor in the capital. A loving husband and dutiful children—compared to the wives of officials with multiple wives and concubines, she was always looked up to. But ever since that concubine's daughter's mother entered the Mu household, all her past stories of love and affection had become jokes, gradually transforming her from a virtuous wife into a jealous one. Everything in this world has its cause and effect. Now, she can't be blamed for what has happened.
"Enough..." Madam Mu opened her eyes again, her expression filled with unconcealed weariness and sorrow: "As long as Lord Sun treats my son well, I have no objections..."
"Don't worry, Mother-in-law, your son-in-law will certainly treat Yan Yan well..." Sun Wenbin hurriedly stepped forward and bowed. Now that he had the secret medicine from the Western Regions, perhaps he would soon be able to regain his virility, and he would certainly reward the little beauty properly.
As dusk settled, the Sun family's carriage carrying Mu Yanyan sped away. Mu Lian stood under the eaves, toying with her newly acquired pair of keys, listening to the lingering sounds of shattering porcelain coming from the main house, gently blowing away the lingering datura powder from her palm. Suddenly, the carved window of the east wing was blown open by the night breeze, revealing Qingniang's most beloved zither, the Jiao Wei Qin. The strings emitted a soft "zheng" sound in the wind, its lingering melody echoing into the gradually deepening night…
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