Chapter 44 The Psychopath He moved closer, and the scent of fresh snow and green bamboo...
*
The wind seemed to be cleaved by arrows, its momentum unstoppable.
Mu Hanshi stopped and restrained Shen Kunyao, who was about to move.
No sooner said than done.
In the blink of an eye, the arrow passed by his ear and embedded itself in the tree trunk behind him.
In his calm, mirror-like gaze, there was a touch of red. An extremely striking and bright color, yet it couldn't compare to the exquisite features set against the pear blossom white. Despite his stunning appearance, it exuded a certain coldness.
Shen Kunyao, who was standing next to him, felt his heart jump into his throat. He quickly came to his senses and asked, "Lord Mu, are you alright?"
He replied calmly, "It's nothing."
Yu Jingliang and Shen Changting were both startled. Without thinking, they quickly stepped forward to pay their respects.
When Gu Ruxu arrived, she didn't rush to say anything to her husband, but instead greeted Mu Hanshi. It looked like ordinary etiquette between peers, but it carried an unusual level of respect.
"Who is this child...?" Shen Kunyao looked at Shen Qinglu and asked.
Shen Changting was about to speak when his mother glared at him, and he immediately swallowed back the words he was about to say.
With a smile, Gu Ruxu said to Shen Linlang, "Linlang, quickly tell your older brother who this child is?"
Shen Linlang's throat tightened, and she spoke with difficulty under Shen Kunyao's questioning gaze, "Brother, this is your real niece, Ali. The previous Tang'er, she is not; she is Yu Qingxue's daughter."
"What... what exactly is going on?" Shen Kunyao had never met the original owner of this body, but he had met Yu Qingxue. When he first saw Shen Qinglu, he thought she was his younger sister who had brought the child from home out to play.
Now that he has heard that this child is actually his own niece, one can imagine how shocked he must have been.
In front of outsiders, namely Mu Hanshi, Shen Linlang became even more embarrassed to speak, "Big brother, Ali and Tang'er were switched at birth. I will tell you the specific reasons later."
It was a family scandal, and not just any ordinary family scandal. With outsiders present, she found it hard to bring herself to say it.
"Ali, this is your uncle, quickly call him uncle."
Shen Qinglu obediently called out, "Uncle."
The Shen siblings look somewhat alike, which explains why the cousins Yu Jingliang and Shen Changxiang also resemble each other.
Shen Kunyao's handsome face was full of complicated emotions, his brows furrowed. He clearly couldn't accept the sudden turn of events immediately.
He was full of questions, but Shen Linlang, mindful of her pride, couldn't answer directly and could only change the subject, "Brother, are you traveling to the capital with Lord Mu this time?"
“No.” Mu Hanshi stepped past Shen Kunyao and gave her the answer, “I just happened to have something to discuss with General Shen and we met on the road.”
So that's how it is.
She thought about it and agreed.
I heard that the Ninth Master of the Mu family has been in poor health since childhood. How could he possibly travel with his elder brother, rushing along the road and covered in dust, yet still maintain such a cool and composed demeanor, showing no signs of fatigue?
At this moment, a guard-like figure approached and presented the arrow that Shen Qinglu had shot earlier.
Mu Hanshi picked up the arrow, examined it carefully, and said to Shen Changting, "The arrowhead is a bit light; it could be a bit heavier. If it was made by a woman, the quiver is a bit cumbersome."
The quiver wasn't originally considered heavy, but perhaps because it was strapped to the girl's particularly slender wrist, it felt noticeably heavy, as if it couldn't bear the weight.
Shen Qinglu sensed his gaze and instinctively covered the quiver with her sleeve.
Shen Changting was overjoyed by his guidance and immediately said that he would improve.
"Sister Ali, please use this for now, and I'll make you an even better one."
“My Ah Li has never used this before, so he inevitably missed the mark. Please forgive him, Lord Mu.” Shen Linlang said this to Mu Hanshi.
Mu Hanshi's gaze swept over everyone and landed on Shen Qinglu, his voice as soft as falling snow following, "Although it is your daughter's first time using this technique, her aim is excellent."
Apart from Shen Qinglu, no one knew that he wasn't just being polite, but was genuinely praising her.
Shen Qinglu just wanted to scare him, so she deliberately shot off course. After all, under the clear sky and in the general's mansion, how could she possibly hurt someone or even get into a murder case?
Therefore, a slightly off-target aim is precisely a good aim.
“Children are easily frightened; I imagine even she was scared.” Gu Ruxu stroked Shen Qinglu’s hair, her affection and protectiveness evident in her words.
"Madam Shen is too modest. I think this child is quite bold, and has the style of your Shen family."
Shen Qinglu: "..."
Who is Mu Laojiu calling a child?
Judging from his appearance, he shouldn't be much older than me. The elders of the Mu family aren't the elders of the Shen and Yu families, so what's he acting all high and mighty for?
She pretended to be shy, covering her face with her sleeve while giving Mu Hanshi a very displeased glare with her dark eyes.
Whether Mu Hanshi noticed or not, he still maintained his aloof and indifferent demeanor.
Shen Kunyao said, "Thank you for your praise, Lord Mu. I just saw that although this child accidentally triggered the mechanism and shot the arrow, his face did not change and his hand did not tremble. He is bold and calm."
Shen Qinglu was somewhat surprised and shocked, not because of her uncle's praise and affirmation, but because of the attitude and tone he used when speaking to Mu Hanshi.
She asked Gu Ruxu in a low voice, "Aunt, what is this Lord Mu's official position?"
Gu Ruxu had no doubts and replied, "He is a Divine Strategist from the Divine Strategist Bureau."
The Shenji Division was subordinate to the Shenji Camp and was one of the subordinate departments of the Shenji Camp, specializing in vehicle control and weapons manufacturing.
In terms of official rank, Shen Kunyao, as the Right General of the Divine Martial Camp, treated even Mu Lin's father as an equal. Why would he treat a subordinate with such respect and courtesy?
Shen Qinglu pondered to herself that since Mu Laojiu dared to say that she could have whatever money, status, and power she wanted, he probably wasn't just talking big and must have some ability.
Shen Kunyao seemed to be thinking about something and asked Gu Ruxu, "Why does Ali seem a little different from what you all said before?"
“This child is blessed; it’s good that he’s been recognized,” Gu Ruxu replied.
Upon hearing this, Shen Kunyao looked at Shen Qinglu several more times and said with some relief, "It's good that she's better now. It seems she's a blessed child."
To be able to come back to life after death—isn't that a blessing?
Shen Qinglu thought to herself, then lowered her eyes.
Even though she was in a crowd, it felt as if she were all alone, and there were others who could empathize with her feeling of isolation.
Mu Hanshi glanced at her indifferently and said, "Since General Shen has matters to attend to at home, I shall take my leave."
Gu Ruxu called out to the man, "Lord Mu, please wait."
With a solemn expression and uncontrollable respect, she said, “My Shen family was completely unaware of the matter of my niece being switched. It was absolutely not an intention to confuse the bloodline of a disgraced official and deceive the world. I have already sent someone to invite my brother-in-law to confront him face to face, and I ask Lord Mu to be a witness.”
Whether the Su family were disgraced officials or henchmen of the evil king, if someone with ulterior motives were to use this to speculate that the Shen family was acting maliciously and deliberately, and this reached the emperor's ears, even if there was nothing wrong, it would still arouse some suspicion.
These words were like a wake-up call; not only Shen Kunyao, but even Shen Linlang immediately realized this.
Shen Kunyao quickly stepped forward, echoing his wife, and pleaded with Mu Hanshi, "Although this is a family scandal, it is a matter of great importance. If Lord Mu has nothing else to do, why don't you stay and take a look?"
Shen Qinglu observed his attitude and Gu Ruxu's attitude, and felt increasingly that some people might not be as simple as they seemed on the surface.
Some people, after thinking it over, agreed.
Shen Qinglu cursed inwardly: What a pretentious act!
The fact that Mu Lao Jiu was treated with such courtesy by the Shen family and even stayed to be a witness is probably exactly what he wanted. Despite his aloof and indifferent appearance, he is probably overjoyed inside.
She grumbled to herself, and as the group walked into the mansion, she subtly moved closer to Gu Ruxu and whispered, "Aunt, after what happened, the saddest person is my mother. I am her biological daughter, and Sister Tang'er is the child she raised for more than ten years. She is having a hard time making a choice right now. Could you please not mention Sister Tang'er later? I'm afraid she will be upset."
Gu Ruxu had no idea that she didn't want them to mention Yu Liuzhu, fearing they might say something they shouldn't and offend Mu Hanshi, a guest of honor in the Shen family. She simply thought she was being affectionate towards her own mother.
"Good boy, your aunt understands."
As they were talking, Mu Hanshi turned her head seemingly unintentionally.
Shen Qinglu sensed something and met his gaze.
One was as black as ink, the other as calm as a lake. It was unclear whether the ink had stained the lake or the lake had diluted the ink. The water and ink gradually blended together, and for a moment they were indistinguishable.
*
Yu Zhiheng was furious the entire way from Jixian Hall to the General's Mansion.
The person Gu Ruxu sent to invite him spoke very rudely, even behind his colleagues' backs, it still made him feel humiliated and looked down upon.
He was annoyed by Gu Ruxu's aggressive behavior and by Shen Linlang's failure to protect him from these troubles. When he entered the Shen residence and heard that Shen Kunyao had returned home, all his annoyance turned into fear.
As she stepped over the threshold, her legs went weak and she nearly fell. When she entered the house and saw that there were still outsiders there, her mind went blank, and she suddenly met Mu Hanshi's calm and indifferent gaze, which sent a chill down her spine.
"This is Lord Mu from the Divine Mechanism Bureau, who happens to be a witness to this matter."
He had never met Mu Hanshi before, nor did he know Mu Hanshi. Upon hearing that Mu Hanshi was a member of the Divine Mechanism Bureau and a witness, he naturally assumed that Mu Hanshi was one of Shen Kunyao's men.
Shen Kunyao didn't give him a chance to breathe, and went straight to the point. "I'm asking you, my Shen family's child was switched and suffered for more than ten years, my sister was separated from her own flesh and blood for many years, and they didn't recognize each other when they met. How do you plan to deal with this?"
Such questioning hardly resembles that of a brother-in-law and brother-in-law; it's no different from interrogating a suspect.
He remembered that when the two first met, his brother-in-law had also been so assertive in questioning him about his family affairs, his likes and dislikes, and even who he usually associated with.
That day, he was ill and confined to an inn. When he heard someone coming to see him, he thought it was the noble eldest daughter of the general's mansion. He tidied himself up and prepared to meet her, but unexpectedly, it was the young general of the mansion who came.
They were of similar age, one a scholar and the other a warrior. The warrior's heroic and imposing presence took the lead from the moment he entered, making the already powerless and weak man appear even more humble and frail.
Just like now.
"Besides the fact that there are still some untrue aspects to this matter, I think there may be other hidden stories. I will give you an explanation after I have investigated it thoroughly."
His answer made Shen Kunyao frown, his murderous aura fully revealed, "Your mother has already admitted that she was the one who switched the child, what else is there to investigate?"
Many years later, the young general has become a renowned general, and his awe-inspiring righteousness makes him unconsciously lower his imposing manner.
“Although my mother admitted to switching the babies, I believe that she would not do such a thing given her character and temperament. Brother, could you give me a few days? I will definitely investigate and find out the truth.”
Gu Ruxu snorted lightly, "It's nothing more than a mother's heart, unable to bear seeing her daughter crying and begging. My brother-in-law is a filial son, so it's not wrong for him to feel sorry for his mother. Someone, bring me that eldest aunt from the Yu family, I want to ask her myself!"
This can be considered as saving face for Yu Zhiheng.
He had no reason to stop her. His face darkened, and he remained silent, his gloomy gaze fixed on Shen Linlang, clearly showing some resentment.
"Mother, is Father resenting you?" Shen Qinglu deliberately pointed out, whispering in Shen Linlang's ear, "Look, there's no pity in his eyes for you, nor for me."
Shen Linlang felt distressed and resentful.
After many years of marriage, she believed she had been devoted to her husband and extremely tolerant of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. In the end, her child was switched by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Her husband said he would give her justice, but in reality, he just wanted to settle things peacefully and asked her not to pursue the matter.
Responding to resentment with resentment will only breed more resentment, not to mention there are people around fanning the flames.
"Mother, you said he used to treat you very well, so has he changed his mind now?"
"...Children shouldn't meddle in adult matters." Shen Linlang had no reply and could only use these words to dismiss Shen Qinglu.
Shen Qinglu pretended to be sensible and said nothing more, her eyes full of mockery as she lowered her head.
If it wasn't a change of heart, then there was never any true feeling to begin with; how many people can maintain a facade for a lifetime? Like her, if she hadn't died young, could she really have continued pretending?
*
It takes some time to travel from the General's Mansion to the Jade Mansion, and no one can just wait idly, especially with guests present; they cannot afford to be negligent.
When Gu Ruxu instructed people to put down the original snacks and tea and replace them with new ones, Shen Qinglu and Shen Linlang informed her that they were going out for some fresh air.
As soon as she stepped outside, she quickly avoided people and chased after Granny Xu and the others.
She hurried as fast as she could and finally caught up with them before they even left the general's mansion.
When Xu Mama was stopped by her, she was clearly taken aback, both surprised and amazed.
The red dress shone even brighter in the sunlight. Perhaps it was the rosy glow that made her look radiant, or perhaps it was because she had been walking in a hurry. Her beautiful face gained even more color, making her even more dazzling.
"Miss, is there anything you need?"
"I don't have any instructions, but I'm a little worried." She lowered her eyes. "I know her personality best. I'm afraid your trip might not go smoothly."
Xu Mama smiled and pointed to the two burly old women she had brought with her, "Miss, don't worry. Whether she can walk or not, we have a way to bring her here."
"Granny is someone my aunt values highly, so she's sure to handle things properly. I do have a method that might save some trouble."
"Please enlighten me, Miss."
She smiled, dazzling Xu Mama and the others, who all secretly praised her, marveling that this new cousin was even more beautiful than the previous one.
"Now that Sister Tang'er lives in the same courtyard as her, you can go and see Sister Tang'er first. Sister Tang'er was raised by my mother and has been loved by my uncle and aunt since she was a child. If she knows that my uncle has asked Master Mu Jiu of the Marquis's Mansion to witness this confrontation, she will definitely know her limits and help persuade her."
Granny Xu thought she was sharing the burden for her own mother and uncle. Hearing her call her "Sister Tang'er" without any hint of resentment, Granny Xu felt even more that she was sensible and rare.
Xia Chan was somewhat puzzled. When the two of them were alone, she asked, "The people your aunt sent could never be refused. Why did you go to all this trouble, Miss?"
"The person my aunt sent was Yu Qingxue, but I want Yu Liuzhu."
Will Miss Tang'er come?
Shen Qinglu raised the corners of her lips slightly and looked up at the sky. The sunlight gathered in her dark eyes, like the aurora that suddenly appeared in the night, transforming into colorful hues.
"She will come."
Because her words contained bait.
And that bait...
She glanced at the person not far away and gave a slight smirk.
That Mu Lao Jiu is truly a persistent ghost!
Mu Hanshi approached step by step, like green mountains after the rain gradually breaking through the mist, towering and majestic, forcing people to look up in awe.
He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on Shen Qinglu's wrist.
The wide sleeves concealed the hidden darts on his wrists.
"Do you really want to kill me?"
Shen Qinglu put on a stern face and said in a strict voice, "Lord Mu, you can't say such things carelessly."
"There are plenty of people who want me dead. One more or one less won't make a difference." Mu Hanshi's voice was still so soft, like drifting snowflakes, making one's heart feel uneasy as well.
Suddenly, Shen Qinglu remembered the incident at Da Xuan Kong Temple last time; those assassins were clearly targeting this person.
"Lord Mu's affairs are none of my business, and I don't want to know."
"But your matter concerns me. I'd like to know what you said to those people just now?"
"..."
Shen Qinglu was quite puzzled. What ability did this person, who was two-faced, have to make her uncle, a general, and her aunt, who came from a duke's family, treat her as an honored guest?
She sneered inwardly.
Since this person has asked, she will mercifully answer the question.
“I told them that it might be difficult to invite Yu Qingxue this time, so it would be better to let Yu Liuzhu persuade her. Yu Liuzhu has received kindness from my mother and the Shen family for many years. If she knows that her uncle is confronting my father and that you are a witness, she will surely understand the seriousness of the matter and will be moved by your words and reason with Yu Qingxue to come.”
"Your target is probably not Yu Qingxue, but her."
She wasn't angry when her thoughts were exposed.
“Back then, she and I were switched at birth. This matter cannot be separated from me or her, so when we confront each other, if I am there, she should be there too, isn’t that right?”
Mu Hanshi's calm, lake-like eyes encompassed her, showing neither joy nor anger, nor any fluctuation.
She didn't shy away, even arching her eyebrows in a half-smile, "Last time you told me you could give me anything—money, status, power. After thinking about it carefully, I found it very strange. Given your abilities, you could give everything to Yu Liuzhu, so why are you beating around the bush with me?"
The sunlight shone on them, one in stunning red, the other in pristine white. The red resembled plum blossoms, the white surpassed snow. Plum blossoms and snow do not vie for spring, but only for dominance.
For a moment, she felt as if the person in front of her was in a daze, or was in a daze.
"Lord Mu, if you won't marry her, you can't just not give her anything materially, can you?"
"You're right, drowning does feel terrible."
"..."
Judging from his tone, he must have already tried it.
He really is a pervert.
Shen Qinglu was baffled by his irrelevant answer, and a hint of confusion appeared on her stunningly beautiful face.
Such an expression was reflected in his eyes, and a sudden surge of emotion welled up in them, as if wild fish were playing and frolicking beneath a calm lake, stirring up countless splashes and spreading out layers of ripples.
"If one day I am destined to die, I hope it will be in this way." He moved closer, the scent of fresh snow and green bamboo gradually seeping in. "When that time comes, I will allow you to watch."
Shen Qinglu gazed at the sky in silence.
Neuropathy!
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