Li Junyan, who was originally shrinking and trembling, suddenly stiffened, looking at Duan Lan with eyes filled with panic and horror, her lips trembling for a moment before whispering, "You... you..."
Disgusted, Duan Lan glanced at her and no longer wished to say another word, departing hastily.
Li Junyan collapsed on the spot, utterly devoid of strength. At this moment, she didn’t even have the energy to resent Ji Xinhe. It turned out that no matter how hard she tried, it was all in vain; her fate had already been decided.
Her frozen stare momentarily broke into a grim smile, a laugh so tragic it was almost ferocious.
Qingyun signaled to a bystander, "First, let’s escort Madame back to the capital and discuss the rest later. She shouldn’t appear before His Highness anymore."
The servants hastily complied: "Yes!"
The situation was extremely clear – Li Junyan’s days were evidently numbered.
The journey back to the capital was not leading her towards death; if not, it would certainly be a fate worse than death.
Which lady of the house would need to kneel so humbly and beg her own husband? Moreover, how could a woman of Duan Lan’s position, with her immense power and influence, be humiliatingly escorted back to the capital?
The conclusion was clear. From the moment Li Junyan caused trouble for Duan Lan, she lost her place as Madame Duan, or, perhaps, in Duan Lan’s heart, she had never considered Li Junyan as Madame Duan.
——
Looking at the pitch-dark skies outside, Xin He thought that the scout sent to gather news should be returning soon.
"What are you thinking?" Marquis Mu Houchu gave her a dry towel to dry her dripping hair, noticing her habitual daze.
She just couldn’t get rid of that habit, probably because she had too many worries on her mind.
"I don’t know whether Duan Lan has left Yu State yet. How can I reassure you without any firm news?" Xin He shook her head.
Marquis Mu Houchu wrapped her head with a large towel and gave it a rub, causing Xin He’s head to sway noticeably.
"Ouch!"
Ignoring her exclamation, Marquis Mu Houchu teased, "You worry so much with such a small head; can it bear the burden?"
Xin He retorted in irritation, "I’m only doing this for you!"
A hint of warmth flashed through Mu Houchu’s eyes, as he said softly, "I know my wife is worried about me, but I’ll shoulder these burdens. Don’t stress yourself."
He would be heartbroken if she did.
Xin He mumbled, "But how can I rest easy? I don’t know why the scout hasn’t returned yet."
As she spoke, she looked out again.
Marquis Mu Houchu helplessly shook his head; he really had no way with this woman.
Marquis Mu Houchu suddenly remembered what Duan Lan said to him before he left.
She was not a woman who could be confined within a golden cage; her ambition and ability would never allow her to stand quietly behind a man.
The same was true before, as it is now and will be in the future.
Marquis Mu’s eyes deepened, and he suddenly asked, "Xin He, do you know what path I am on?"
Xin He was a bit puzzled. She didn’t understand why he was so serious all of a sudden, even bringing up this topic. She replied in confusion, "Yes, I do."
"The court and I have long since become complete opposites. Even if there’s no open conflict now, it’s only a matter of time. A man can’t sleep peacefully next to a snake; the Emperor won’t tolerate my existence any more than the court will."
Xin He turned around to look at Marquis Mu Houchu, who was drying her hair behind her, and asked in confusion, "Why the sudden mention of this?"
Marquis Mu Houchu squatted down, looked up at her and asked, "I know you are wholeheartedly helping me win, but have you ever thought about the consequences if we win?"
Xin He paused slightly, seeming to understand his hidden message. Over the years, they seldom discussed this matter. He wanted to win, and she wanted to help him win. It seemed that they had silently agreed that this was what they should do.
But what if they win? What happens after the victory?
She had thought about it, but never mentioned it.
"The victor is king, and the loser is a bandit. This has been a rule for thousands of years," Xin He murmured. "Naturally, I’ll sit on this throne with you. What else could happen?"
Marquis Mu Houchu looked at her as if he wanted to see something from her eyes, but she was extraordinarily calm at that moment. It seemed like an answer she had prepared a long time ago, an answer he couldn’t argue against.
Marquis Mu Houchu pressed his lips together, his hands clutching her small hands that rested on her knee, "So...are you willing? If it’s really like this, will you be happy?"
With a shallow smile, Xin He replied, "As long as we are together as a family, I certainly will be."
"Really?" Marquis Mu Houchu asked earnestly.
Xin He removed her hand and gently touched his face, holding his face and assuring him, "Don’t always think that you’ll wrong me. In this world, nothing can be done as one pleases. Every gain comes with a loss. I’m clear about that. Right now, my greatest wish is for our family to be together. I want nothing more. Even if there are things I slightly dislike, they are nothing compared to you and Ah Guai. Marquis Mu Houchu, I’ve thought this through."
The depths of Marquis Mu’s eyes flickered as he quietly called her name, "Xin He."
"Why did you suddenly ask me these questions today? Did Duan Lan say something to you?" Xin He laughed, "You’re such a sharp man. How could you not see that Duan Lan said that to shake your determination? Once you’re no longer sure about pursuing victory, you’ll hesitate, and that’s precisely the weakness he’s waiting to exploit."
"I know." Marquis Mu Houchu looked at her.
Pausing slightly, he added, "But I refuse to let you suffer."
When it came to her, he was overly cautious, even when rationality told him he shouldn’t be. Today, Ji Xinhe took advantage of Duan Lan’s feelings for her to win a round, but wasn’t he, Marquis Mu Houchu, also aware that his own greatest weakness was her?
"I won’t suffer. As long as I’m with you and Ah Guai, as long as our family is together, I won’t feel wronged. Marquis Mu Houchu, we’ve come this far; there is no turning back. We must move forward. Even if you don’t want the kingdom, you’ll have no choice but to take it," Xin He stated with conviction.
While they were talking, Xiaoyu’s voice came from outside, "Your Highness, Your Majesty, the scout has returned."
Xin He’s face changed slightly; she turned to Marquis Mu Houchu and said, "I’m afraid it’s news from Duan Lan."
Marquis Mu Houchu stood up, "I’ll go out and see. Wait for me here."
"Okay." Xin He had just finished bathing and her hair was still damp; with this appearance, she definitely couldn’t meet with others. Meanwhile, she could still hear their conversation from inside.
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