Chapter 244
Chapter 244
"Qian’er, let’s go. We still have to attend the banquet this evening," Mu Heng interjected, moving to Yueqian’s side and gently supporting her as if he hadn’t heard the earlier conversation.
His normal behavior made many women view him as a foolish man. Other men had clearly stated his wife had a relationship with someone else, yet he seemed oblivious to anything amiss.
Of course, those people didn’t know what the couple had gone through together. This wasn’t the first time they had encountered such situations, and some had been even more severe.
That Young General was hardly trustworthy. He was just a despicable man who wanted to dominate everyone and was extremely selfish. If people knew that he had previously tried to take Yueqian as his own furen, they might be even more shocked.
It appeared that even the great and boastful Young General had his moments of humility!
"Governor Mu, I haven’t had the chance to greet you yet since you’ve been busy with the welcoming preparations. You...How have you been?"
Amidst the gazes of many onlookers, a woman not far away spoke up. Her melodious voice and well-known identity caused those who were about to disperse to pause. No one wanted to miss such an entertaining and intriguing moment.
"Miss Wei?" Mu Heng raised his eyebrows in surprise.
It was this woman again, coming to obstruct them. Mu Heng wasn’t pleased, but since the Wei family was a staunch supporter of the Second Prince, they couldn’t afford to offend her.
If she were unimportant, Mu Heng might have ignored her. However, her status was not insignificant, so he had to stop beside his wife.
"I’m glad you remember me," Wei Mudan smiled faintly.
She greeted Mu Heng only briefly to maintain her own image. Her gaze then shifted to the woman in Mu Heng’s arms. When she locked eyes with the other party, Wei Mudan laughed softly.’
“Furen Mu,” Wei Mudan greeted first, displaying the manners of a well-bred woman.
However, her eyes were filled with disdain. The contempt was so evident that even those nearby could sense the uncomfortable tension. Yet, Yueqian didn’t care at all. On the contrary, she responded with a sweet smile.
“Miss Wei,” Yueqian replied gently, a stark contrast to her usual image.
Wei Mudan felt a slight urge to laugh in disgust. It was clear that this current Yueqian was truly malicious, and perhaps... Governor Mu had fallen for a devil like her!
“I heard what the general from the Du Region mentioned earlier. I remember you were once the eldest young miss of the Qin family. I never expected you to be engaged to the general.”
Wei Mudan subtly exposed Yueqian’s wounds with politeness, asking her question as if she didn’t mean anything by it. However, many others were already thinking along the same lines.
Upon hearing this, Yueqian knew Wei Mudan was trying to provoke her, but she remained unperturbed. The beautiful woman smiled sincerely.
“Yes, Miss Wei, as the envoy mentioned, everything depends on fate. Even this Yueqian managed to marry a good man like Brother Mu,” Yueqian said, not mentioning the Young General at all but instead looking at Mu Heng with affection.
For her, there was no need to defend against accusations about her and the Young General. Whatever others thought about the matter was of no concern to her. She was married to Mu Heng now, and what happened before shouldn’t matter to anyone.
However, it would backfire if she tried to defend herself, conceal what had happened, or explain further to clarify things.
This would suggest that she still cared about her past with the Young General, implying there was something significant that needed to be clarified to prevent misunderstandings. Naturally, Yueqian had no intention of doing that.
The beautiful woman lightly touched her husband’s arm, smiling warmly at him, drawing envious looks from many. If one compared Mu Heng’s earlier life as a mere farmer, laboring for a few handfuls of rice and sharing with his two younger siblings, how could he have the same aura as now?
Previously, although he was physically strong, his lean and undernourished appearance made him seem slightly inferior to the Young General in terms of aura and physique.
However, now that Mu Heng was eating well, sleeping properly, taking care of his body, and working less strenuously, he had become more robust. Even his rough, cracked skin was being treated with products from the department store, making him look more handsome.
He didn’t resemble a weak scholar with pale skin, nor a rough laborer. Instead, he had a well-balanced and appealing appearance. Therefore, when Yueqian showed affection toward him, it seemed more fitting than if she pretended to be enamored with the Young General from her past.
Otherwise, how could Mu Heng, merely a young Governor far from holding any high-ranking official position, catch the eye of Miss Wei? It was because he now possessed his own unique charm.
Many people noticed this change and nodded in agreement. They seemed to think that, compared to the Young General from the Du Region, their own Governor Mu was more appealing.
In reality, the difference wasn’t that significant, but Governor Mu had become one of their own. The people of the Bai Region naturally favored their own.
Previously, the mysterious monk had declared that Mu Heng was originally from the Bai Region. This background helped him gain wider acceptance. Even the most lineage-proud citizens of Bai acknowledged him.
This was thanks to the monk who stepped in to help. It also led to a significant shift in the attitude of many people. Everyone heard the prophecy about Mu Heng and witnessed how highly the monk regarded him. Even the prophecy about a son destined for greatness in the future was spoken without reservation. In the end, many who believed in the monk now sought Mu Heng out.
Normally, only those eager to learn, like Gui Zhong and his associates, visited Mu Heng’s manor. Gui Zhong had already taken poison in repentance for his daughter’s actions, so no one should have approached Mu Heng. But the situation had completely turned around.
Not only did many people want to associate with him, but they also expressed clear friendliness. Hence, their manor was bustling with more visitors than when Gui Zhong was around. This was all due to the influence of the prophecy. The monk likely intended just that, ensuring the Mu household’s situation remained smooth to prevent a disastrous outcome.
For Wei Mudan, seeing Yueqian’s response elicited no change in her expression. She had already known from their previous encounter that Yueqian was not someone easy to deal with.
Additionally, Wei Mudan prided herself on her patience. She wasn’t in a hurry to claim the position of the principal wife of Governor Mu. No matter how long it took, if the position was within her sights, it would eventually be hers—sooner or later.
“Furen Mu is truly enviable, always so cheerful and “easily accessible.” Unlike me, who doesn’t get along with others very well.”
Wei Mudan remarked with a cold smile, deliberately using a calm tone. This was to ensure that no one would realize she was deliberately picking on someone, pretending to be indifferent to her own words, even feigning self-criticism.
However, Miss Wei’s words made people interpret Yueqian in a different light. What did she mean by ‘easily accessible’? Should a woman who allows men to approach her easily be praised? If that were the case, the prostitutes in the Red Lantern House might be hailed as heroines.
“What do you mean by that, Miss Wei?” Mu Heng, who had been silent for a long time, couldn’t help but speak up.
Yueqian paused slightly. She had wanted to exchange a few more words with the other woman, but seeing her husband starting to get angry again, she felt the need to end the conversation.
“I apologize, Miss Wei. My husband tends to overthink and misunderstand your ambiguous statements, which isn’t ideal, especially when we’re welcoming the delegation from the Hu Region. I don’t mind, but I fear it might cause difficulties for the Bai Region.”
“To avoid further misunderstandings, it would be best for my husband and me to return to our manor. We can exchange thoughts another time. However, I do have some advice for you.”
“As you mentioned earlier, you find it difficult to get along with others. This is not due to external factors but because of yourself. Even if you try to talk with me and my husband...” The beautiful woman paused briefly before finishing her sentence.
"Even so, your words were truly inappropriate. They can easily be misunderstood as an attack on others. So, in the future, you should choose your words more carefully. This way, you’ll make many friends," Yueqian smiled.
Every sentence from the young woman was on point and made people think more deeply. Picking a fight or starting a quarrel was easy, but not in a situation where important guests were present. If a conflict did arise, who would dare take responsibility?
Moreover, Yueqian used the other party’s words against her. When Wei Mudan admitted she couldn’t get along with others, it implied she was a problematic person.
Additionally, Wei Mudan had said Yueqian was admirable. Since Wei Mudan admired her, Yueqian had the right to give her advice, didn’t she? And after receiving the advice, Wei Mudan had to accept it. How could she refuse or cause further trouble?
Everyone fell silent, astonished that Furen Mu, who smiled while speaking with Wei Mudan, had taken in every detail of her words so precisely. Mu Heng tightened his arm around his wife and guided her away, leaving the others standing there.
Wei Mudan clenched her fists beneath her cloak. She hadn’t expected Yueqian to respond and make her look foolish in such a manner.