Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Uncle, let's get married!"
Xia Muxin slowly approached, gazing at his solitary figure. Her clear eyes flickered a few times before she took a deep breath and spoke softly.
Shen Muhan felt somewhat dazed, even thinking he was hallucinating. After a moment, he turned around and saw Xia Muxin awkwardly fiddling with the hem of her clothes, her gaze shyly flickering. A wave of joy washed over him, and he quickly stepped forward to stand in front of her, placing his hands on her slender shoulders. His voice, hoarse yet filled with excitement, couldn't hide his emotions:
"Muxin, once you say it, you can't take it back!"
He had been longing for this day and certainly wouldn't give Xia Muxin a chance to back out now.
Xia Muxin had thought about this for a long time. She had intended to say it yesterday but was too exhausted and fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed. It wasn't until today that she finally spoke up. However, under Shen Muhan's tender gaze, she suddenly found herself unable to continue.
Shen Muhan chuckled to himself and then somehow summoned Ming Yi to prepare for their upcoming marriage.
He wasn't worried about the news spreading; it didn't take long for everyone at home to know they were getting married. Aunt Xia and her husband took their birth dates to consult a fortune teller about an auspicious date. Shen Muhan didn't believe in such things, but seeing the joy on the older couple's faces, he let them have their fun.
During this time, Xia Muxin asked Shen Muhan if he wanted to bring his family over. After much consideration, he decided against it because there was no need to bring them; they were already on their way due to Shen Muqing's serious injury.
Soon enough, Aunt Xia and her husband returned with the news that the wedding date was set for the twenty-eighth of next month. That meant they had over a month to prepare; by then, perhaps Shen Muqing would have woken up.
After that, Xia Muxin remained busy. She spent most of her time in Dayao Village, with Shen Muhan never leaving her side. Even when he had other matters to attend to, he would instruct Ming Yi and the others accordingly.
The Small family's house was undergoing renovations, so Xia Muxin and the others returned home late every day.
One day, upon arriving home, she sensed something was off. Not only were there several unfamiliar carriages parked outside, but there were also soldiers in uniform nearby. Shen Muhan's expression darkened as he firmly held Xia Muxin's hand and confidently walked toward their home.
He radiated a chilling hostility, causing Xia Muxin to freeze for a moment, her mood suddenly sinking.
In the courtyard, she spotted the gloomy Su Rong and the shy Su Xiuning, along with a man who resembled a eunuch. Xia Muxin suddenly recalled that this man was none other than the Retired Emperor's close Father-in-law.
A sense of foreboding washed over her. Shen Muhan tightened his grip on her hand, the warmth from his palm seemingly conveying a special strength that calmed her restless heart.
The Father-in-law was astute; he approached as soon as he saw Shen Muhan from afar. His sharp eyes landed on their clasped hands for just a moment before he bowed slightly and said politely, "Young Master Auspicious, Su Lao and the future heir's wife have been waiting for some time."
Xia Muxin furrowed her brow. The future heir's wife? Was he referring to Su Xiuning?
Shen Muhan, however, remained unfazed, leading Xia Muxin into the house without even glancing at the Eunuch.
Seeing that the two not only held hands tightly but also entered without a word of greeting, Su Rong felt irritated. Xia Muxin was just a country girl, lacking manners and education; he could overlook that. But Shen Muhan treated him with even less regard than an outsider. Instead, he poured tea for Xia Muxin and reminded her to drink slowly. This infuriated Su Rong, who slammed his hand on the Tea Table, rising abruptly to throw the imperial edict at Shen Muhan.
Shen Muhan did not bother to catch it; instead, he stepped directly onto it.
At this, Su Rong's beard bristled in anger, and even the Father-in-law's sharp eyes dimmed.
"Shen Muhan, this edict has been issued. If you dare defy it, your entire clan will face extermination."
Su Rong's tone was extremely harsh. This blatant threat did not faze Shen Muhan in the slightest. He glanced down at the edict beneath his foot and scoffed, "Is this what palace officials do? Forcing commoners to marry whom they please all day long?"
He had intended to set off for Kyoto in the next few days to express his intentions to the Retired Emperor, but it seemed that the Emperor was not as anxious as the eunuchs, who had already sent someone to his door.
Was he really underestimating the Emperor's authority? He indeed had that capability.
The Retired Emperor was a wise man; pressing him too hard would bring no benefit. Moreover, Rong Li had taken the Jade Princess to Kyoto and would likely meet the Retired Emperor within a day or two. Su Rong's selfishness stemmed from his Su Family, but for the Retired Emperor, it was tantamount to aiding tyranny. Unless he had lost his senses completely, he would have some awareness of the situation; otherwise, he was simply too calculating, wanting to take down both Shen and Su families in one fell swoop.
And Su Rong had forgotten that he was merely a commoner now, with nothing of value for anyone to exploit.
Su Rong glared with fury, then turned his gaze toward the seemingly unconcerned Xia Muxin. After a pause, he said, "I have already requested permission from the Retired Emperor to betroth this girl to Feng Liulang. That boy is quite ambitious; at a young age, he has become a Top Scholar in Arts. It is said that he has a past with this girl, and this time it will fulfill both of them."
As soon as Su Rong finished speaking, the temperature in the room dropped sharply. The Xia Family instinctively retreated, keeping their distance and not daring to approach. Shen Muhan's deep and intimidating gaze swept over Su Xiuning beside him. After a long moment, he coldly uttered two words: "Seeking death!"
Su Xiuning felt as if she had been cut loose from her strings and flew out of the door, landing in the courtyard where she spat out a mouthful of blood. Before she could say anything, her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
This scene left Su Rong dumbfounded; it took him a while to process what had just happened. It was Xia Muxin who reminded him, "It's getting late. It will take some time to get to Tang Family Medical Hall from here. A heavy rain is expected in about fifteen minutes. Here’s an umbrella for you; no need to return it." Seeing Su Rong glaring at her with fiery eyes, she added again, "Take care on your way; I won't see you off!"
With that, she closed the door firmly, blocking his furious gaze.
Su Xiuning had stayed in Daimiao Village for some time and had grown close to the Zhou Family. Naturally, she would darken Xia Muxin's past due to Zhou Family's covert machinations. Yet she foolishly spoke of things that never happened in front of Su Rong, prompting him to start plotting something sinister.
However, what surprised her was that Shen Muhan would take such ruthless action; Su Xiuning was practically left with half her life. Tian Ming Rui went to find Jiao Jiao, leaving the entire Nation unattended, not knowing what kind of bloodshed would ensue.
As Xia Muxin had predicted, a moment later, torrential rain began to pour outside, and Su Rong and the others had already left.
The family members were still worried, but when the person involved acted as if nothing had happened, they tactfully refrained from asking further. Only Zhou Zhou seemed a bit unusual, attempting to speak several times but ultimately holding back.
In recent days, Yan Zhouwan's expression had improved significantly, as if he had emerged from his own turmoil. However, the worry on his face and the fatigue in his brow still concerned Xia Muxin.
Xue Er could now eat with a spoon by herself and insisted on joining the table every meal. During mealtime, she was the happiest, babbling away in her own language. Small seemed to understand her intentions; every time she babbled, Small either fed her a bite of rice or a piece of vegetable. Once the girl’s mouth was stuffed with food, she would quiet down for a moment, but as soon as she swallowed, she would start again.
Watching Small's experienced demeanor, Xia Muxin felt a deep admiration.
Thanks to the antics of the two children, the previously tense atmosphere gradually eased. At the dining table, Shen Muhan hardly spoke; he mostly focused on picking and adding dishes for Xia Muxin.
Xia Muxin enjoyed it thoroughly.
After dinner, everyone washed up and retired to their respective rooms early to rest.
“Uncle, did you know about the arranged marriage all along?”
Xia Muxin lay on the bed, feeling sore all over. She propped her face up with her hands and asked with a mischievous grin in her eyes, clearly delighted by the situation.
Shen Muhan was half-kneeling as he massaged her shoulders and neck. Hearing her sudden question made him pause his movements. He cautiously glanced at her and caught sight of the smile in her eyes. He then replied with a hint of grievance in his tone:
“Look at how happy you are.”
Perhaps any woman would feel incredibly happy because of Shen Muhan's actions today.
Xia Muxin was just an ordinary person, naturally subject to the same mundane desires, so she was extremely satisfied with Su Xiuning's fate.
"Aren't you afraid?"
Seeing Xia Muxin still in a daze with a silly smile, Shen Muhan smiled back, increasing his grip before she could frown and cry out in pain.
Xia Muxin gasped at his sudden increase in strength, shot an annoyed glance at the smug Shen Muhan, and replied, "What is there to be afraid of? If the sky falls, isn't there still you, the tall one? Besides, worst case scenario, I just lose my head. Even in hell, we could still be ghostly lovers."
She spoke purely from her heart without thinking much, but her words completely delighted Shen Muhan. Suddenly, he lunged at Xia Muxin, eagerly capturing her lips.
"Uncle, don't you think it's tiring to do this every night?"
I’m exhausted; just when I’m about to lose interest halfway through, I have to stop.
Shen Muhan didn’t respond. Instead, he gave her cheek a gentle peck before rolling over and holding her tightly as they fell asleep.
- End of Chapter -
Comment 0 Comment Count