Chapter 4 The Flew Away Butterfly: The Courage Left Behind by Another Little Fisherman
"You insolent woman, who gave you permission to speak to A-Fang and Xiao-Yu like that!"
A furious shout rang out, and everyone looked in the direction of the sound. They saw a middle-aged man rushing over, panting heavily. It was Mu Fang's older brother, Mu Cheng.
Mu Cheng pulled his wife, Zhou, behind him, his face flushed red, and scolded in a low voice, "Are you crazy! Saying such things to your own brother!"
Zhou was humiliated in public by her husband and her thoughts were exposed by Mu Yu. Enraged, she retorted in a shrill voice, "Am I crazy? Mu Cheng, you're a coward! Mu Fang is about to be beheaded by the Crown Prince. If we don't quickly separate the family and sever ties, are we going to go to the guillotine with him? Every word I said was for the sake of our whole family!"
"You..." Mu Cheng was so angry that his fingers trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word.
"Auntie, what is a guillotine? Is it tasty?" Mu Yu tilted her head, looking at Zhou Shi with an innocent expression. "Is it like candied hawthorn skewers, red and hanging in strings?"
Upon hearing this, the maids and servants around turned pale with fright.
Zhou was speechless, her hand trembling as she pointed at Mu Yu: "You...you little monster! What nonsense are you spouting!"
"I'm not making this up," Mu Yu blinked her clear, big eyes. "When we were in the ice cave, Princess Jia Hui said she would feed me to the fish, but the fish are all my good friends, they wouldn't eat me. The Turtle Prime Minister said that only bad guys get their heads chopped off, my father is a great hero, why should he get his head chopped off?"
She took two steps forward, looked up at Zhou Shi, and said, "Aunt, you and the Crown Prince's daughter are both bullies. You're the bad guys. I heard from Grandpa Lie Wang that the Crown Prince did something wrong and is going to plant sweet potatoes to reflect on his actions. If you have nowhere to go, you can go with him. Roasted sweet potatoes are delicious!"
"Pfft—" A maidservant next to her couldn't help but laugh out loud, then quickly covered her mouth tightly.
Zhou's face turned from red to green, and she tried to break free from Mu Cheng and lunged forward to tear Mu Yu's mouth apart.
"Enough!"
Mu Fang's voice was as cold as ice. He picked up the family division agreement and tore it to shreds in front of everyone.
"Elder brother, elder sister-in-law," he said, each word distinct, his gaze sharp as a knife, "Back then, when I joined the army, I risked my life countless times to build this family business, all so that the Mu family could bring glory to our lineage, so that Mother could enjoy her old age in peace, and so that you could hold your heads high. I ask myself, I have never wronged you in the slightest."
He looked at Mu Cheng, then at Zhou Shi, a mocking smile curving his lips.
"I never imagined that in your eyes, I, Mu Fang, am just a burden that can be discarded at any time. Very well, I will remember what happened today." He stepped forward, gently pulled Mu Yu into his arms, and used his back to shield her from all the unfriendly gazes.
"This Zhenguo General's Mansion is my residence, Mu Fang's residence. If you want to leave, you can leave now, I will not stop you. I will forgive and forget all the food and clothing you have eaten and worn over the years. If you want to stay, then put away your filthy thoughts. And if I hear another word of slander against Xiao Yu or her mother..."
He paused, then unleashed the murderous aura honed through countless battles and bloodshed: "Don't blame me, Mu Fang, for my blade showing no favoritism!"
The terrifying killing intent made Zhou's legs go weak, and she collapsed to the ground, unable to utter a single word. She could only tremble and clutch her husband's sleeve.
Mu Cheng was covered in sweat and quickly clasped his hands in a gesture of respect: "A-Fang, A-Fang, don't be angry. Your sister-in-law... she's just short-sighted and foolish! We're brothers, blood is thicker than water, how can she just leave like that? Don't worry, I... I'll definitely teach her a lesson when I get back!"
He glanced at Mu Yu, who was quietly nestled in Mu Fang's arms, and forced a smile: "Big brother apologizes to you and Xiao Yu'er. Xiao Yu'er has been out in the cold for so long, quickly... quickly take her inside to rest."
Mu Fang stared at him coldly for a long time until Mu Cheng lowered his head, then finally looked away, picked up his daughter, turned and left without looking at them again.
...
Back in his courtyard, Mu Fang dismissed all the servants and personally brought hot water, using a warm cloth to wipe Mu Yu's little face and hands. His movements were so gentle that they didn't seem like those of a general accustomed to wielding weapons.
“Little Yu’er,” he suddenly spoke, his voice a little hoarse, “tell your father the truth, who taught you to say those things at the Prince Lie’s mansion today?”
Mu Yu was taken aback. She couldn't say she was the Koi Princess; would her father think she was a monster?
She reached out her little hands to hug Mu Fang's neck, rested her little head on his shoulder, and said in a very soft voice, "It was...it was my sister who told me."
Mu Fang froze instantly: "Which sister?"
“It’s that little Yu’er from before,” Mu Yu said softly, her tone carrying a hint of childlike mystery. “When I fell into the ice hole, she came to find me. She said she was so cold, and she missed her father so much. She also said that her father was the best father in the world and that bad people shouldn’t bully him. She told me so many things, and then she turned into a sparkling butterfly and flew away.”
Mu Fang tightened his grip on his daughter's arms, his eyes instantly reddening. He had assumed her drastic change in temperament after falling into the water was due to shock, but he never expected…
Could it be that his little fisherman still misses his useless father in heaven, and thus left this intelligence and courage to the child in front of him?
“Father…” Mu Yu noticed his intense emotional fluctuations and looked up at him. “Don’t you like the current Xiao Yu’er? Should I… not have said those things?”
"No, how could that be?" Mu Fang suppressed the sob in his throat and gently stroked his daughter's delicate cheek with his rough fingertips. "Little Yu'er now, and Little Yu'er before, are both Daddy's precious darlings. Daddy loves her, Daddy just... misses her too much."
He held his daughter tightly in his arms, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
After a long while, he finally released her, his eyes becoming incredibly firm: "Little Yu'er, you did the right thing. No one can bully Daddy's daughter. From now on, you can say whatever you want and do whatever you want, Daddy will back you up."
Mu Yu nodded heavily, but in his heart he thought, "Little Yu'er must also support her father."
...
The next morning, before dawn, the entire Zhenguo General's Mansion was in an uproar.
"Quick! Bring out that bolt of shimmering brocade that was presented as tribute last year from the storeroom so that the young lady can have a new dress!"
"It's too late! His Majesty summoned us at the last minute! Quickly find that little red Shu brocade dress. It was prepared for Miss when the old lady was still alive; it's the most festive one!"
Before Mu Yu could even open her eyes, a group of old women and maids hurriedly pulled her out of bed and began to comb her hair and change her clothes.
The one leading the group was actually Madam Zhou. Just yesterday she was thinking about dividing the family property, but now she was all smiles and her attitude was frighteningly warm: "Oh my good niece, wake up! What a wonderful thing! Last night at midnight, Chief Eunuch Li from the palace came in person to deliver an imperial decree, saying that Prince Lie had an audience with the Emperor last night to plead for you and your second brother. His Majesty was very pleased and wants to summon you and your father to the palace!"
As she spoke, she picked up a red Shu brocade dress embroidered with gold thread and held it up to Mu Yu, making her look like a New Year's painting doll.
"Really?" Mu Yu's eyes crinkled with laughter. She had only wished yesterday that her father could meet the Emperor, and it had come true today? Were her wishes really that effective?
She immediately became obedient, allowing the servants to dress her properly.
As soon as he stepped out of the room, he saw Mu Fang standing solemnly in a brand-new court robe. He had shaved his beard, changed into his official robes, and transformed back into the imposing General Zhenguo.
Mu Yu opened her little hands and called out in her childish voice, "Daddy, are we going to see Grandpa Emperor?"
Mu Fang looked at his daughter, who had been dressed up in a completely new way, but his expression remained solemn. He forced a smile, stepped forward, picked her up, and placed her in the carriage outside the mansion gate. He then mounted his horse and, surrounded by a group of guards, headed towards the palace.
The carriage slowly started moving. Mu Yu lifted a corner of the curtain and saw her father's tense profile. She understood; her father wasn't as happy as the servants. To him, the palace wasn't a place to receive rewards, but a more dangerous den of dragons and tigers than the border battlefield.
Mu Yu clenched her little fist. This time, she was determined to protect her father.
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