When Mu Houchu came back to the room, Xin He was already curled up in the blanket like a lazy kitten, seemingly sleepy. Her face still had a few intoxicating red blushes, peaceful and lovely, Mu Houchu sat down by the bed, and gently stroked her cheek, whispering, "Xin He."
Xin He hadn’t fallen asleep yet, and responded in a drowsy manner: "Hmm?"
"Are you mad at me?"
Xin He found this question strange, opened her eyes, blinking at him: "What happened?"
"About Duan Lan." Mu Houchu looked at her, his eyes emotionless, incredibly calm.
"What about him?" Xin He asked, playing dumb.
Mu Houchu pinched her cheek: "I saw the family letter your dad sent you."
Xin He’s eyes flickered, then, propping herself up, she asked: "What happened?"
Mu Houchu noticed her slight nervousness, sighed silently, held her in his arms, clutching her hand, asking: "So, you knew about Duan Lan and Li Junyan’s marriage?"
Xin He looked at him: "Yes."
Mu Houchu smiled softly: "Why didn’t you say anything?"
"You didn’t say anything either," Xin He said in a complaining tone. She didn’t seem angry, but rather as if she was challenging him.
Mu Houchu softly said, "I’m sorry."
Xin He initially thought that this stubborn man was about to be difficult again, but she was caught off guard by his sudden apology. It took her a moment to find her words again, asking, "What happened to you?"
Mu Houchu felt a twinge of pain in his heart as he saw her being so gentle and confused.
He didn’t want to tell her anything about Duan Lan, because deep down, he did care. He minded the man who had once blatantly coveted her.
When Duan Lan gave Xin He the flower lantern, the sight of her satisfied smile as she looked at the lantern, and the affection in Duan Lan’s eyes, had been imprinted in Mu Houchu’s mind, unable to be easily dismissed.
This was why he was particularly protective over the topic of Duan Lan, unwilling to share even the smallest piece of information with her. But when he learned that she had got wind of his intentions, yet carefully hid these pieces of information as a way of avoiding upsetting him, he realized his mistake.
Seeing her now, so naïvely flustered and expressing no intention of blaming him, left Mu Houchu’s heart softened. Holding her hand a little tighter, he admitted, "I was too petty."
Only then did Xin He make out what he was saying, she softly laughed, saying: "What’s the big deal? I don’t mind. If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t mention it either. Besides, it’s not like he’s all that important."
At least not as much as Mu Houchu.
A smile spread across Mu Houchu’s face—his little wife was still on his side.
If Xin He had known what was going through Mu Houchu’s mind, she would have been rendered speechless.
"But ..." Mu Houchu paused for a moment, then asked, "Aren’t you curious about why he suddenly agreed to the marriage proposal with Li Junyan?"
Xin He looked at him, her eyes filled with a bit more gravity: "I guess he must have some other intentions. Did you find something?"
Mu Houchu’s expression seemed colder.
Now that they had spoken openly about it, the name Duan Lan didn’t feel as intrusive. He was simply another ordinary person subjected to analysis.
"That’s why I had someone inquire carefully about Lady Sun, that is, Lady Le Yuanhou," Mu Houchu solemnly explained. "Her backing is not as straightforward as the Shen family."
Xin He’s face grew serious as she listened carefully.
"Although we didn’t uncover her actual background, there’s evidence that she was involved in a few secret operations for the emperor over the past twenty years."
Xin He’s eyes narrowed: "Emperor? The late emperor?"
The current Emperor Leng Yao has only been on the throne for little over a year.
Mu Houchu nodded gravely: "Indeed. It was the late emperor. I suspect she was a chess piece the emperor had planted, intended to keep an eye on Le Yuanhou’s movements. Although the late emperor is now deceased, she is still likely to be loyal to the current Emperor Leng Yao, that is, to the royal family."
Upon hearing that the emperor had placed a chess piece in Le Yuanhou Mansion, Xin He’s heart tightened: "Why would the emperor suspect my dad? He has always been loyal and never had any ulterior motives."
Thinking about the incident from twenty years ago, a glint of cold light appeared in Mu Houchu’s eyes, but he continued, "Perhaps there’s more than one chess piece like Lady Sun, not only in Le Yuanhou’s Mansion."
A chill went through Xin He. This emperor was resorting to such underhanded tactics to gain insight into the private affairs of the courtiers.
"So, the current Duan Lan..." Xin He murmured.
"Given that Lady Sun’s daughter is going down the same road as her mother, a chess piece’s descendants can only be chess pieces. Since she’s marrying Duan Lan, it’s likely that the emperor approves. Duan Lan’s agreement to the marriage indicates that he’s made up his mind to join the imperial court, even trying to take control of the government." Mu Houchu’s voice was cold and tinged with scorn.
Xin He had long had suspicions about the changes in Duan Lan, but hearing the brutal truth from Mu Houchu, she still felt stunned.
She recalled him once saying that he hated the capital city because it was filled with plots and ambitions, and the allure of power tainted everyone’s hearts. That’s why he chose to study quietly at Jishan Academy, despite being very talented, he did not wish to pursue fame or success.
He once said that he didn’t want to get involved in the court like his father and brothers, instead, he wanted to live peacefully somewhere remote. He was content with a simple life, even if it meant being a mere teacher.
He once said that Mu Houchu was a crafty and scheming man. To achieve what he had, he had blood on his hands. Such a man was bound for hell.
So, what about now? Wasn’t this innocent boy with the purest eyes walking down the same path?
Xin He closed her eyes, not wanting to ponder over this any further. If he was willing to dispose of his own personal matters for the sake of gaining the emperor’s trust, what wouldn’t he do in the future?
"What are you thinking about?" Mu Houchu saw a shadow of the past in her eyes and his tone held a hint of sourness.
Xin He murmured, "The intrigues of the court are like a city. Some people get caught up in it and find themselves unable to escape, while others could avoid it all but choose to get involved. Why is that?"
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