Mu Wan didn’t go to see Mu Rou right away. She planned to list several potential households first and do her research so she could tactfully ask precise questions.
Yunling was still somewhat uneasy, “Miss, since you said you were determined not to break off the engagement, Madam and Second Miss must be eager to act, right? What if they persuade Master…”
Mu Wan’s smile was relaxed. “That’s exactly what I’m waiting for them to do—persuade my father.” How else could she dig a pit for him? Mu Xingde was, after all, her father; only when he mistreated her first could she retaliate with peace of mind.
Although Yunling was puzzled, she immediately felt relieved when she saw Mu Wan’s expression. Right—there’s no way Miss would suffer a loss!
As Mu Wan and Yunling predicted, after sending off Third Madam Li, Shen-shi saw Mu Xingde wavering and immediately sprang into action. “Actually, breaking off the engagement before registering for the draft did not constitute a crime,” she sighed.
Mu Xingde was still hesitant. Indeed, there was no law against it, but if someone were to pursue the matter, who knew what kind of troubles would follow? Although the current emperor was known for his good temper, it was common knowledge that women who had broken engagements were looked down upon by society. That was the case with the common folks, let alone the imperial family?
Shen-shi shook her head helplessly, “Well, let’s set aside Eldest Girl’s palace entry for now and talk about the marriage with the Li family.”
“Master, you just saw it, didn’t you? Third Madam Li has her eyes on Rou’er. Eldest Girl cannot endure even a bit of grievance; if she forcibly married into the Li family, she would likely make enemies with the entire household.”
Mu Xingde also knew this, which was why he had been so indecisive.
Shen-shi knew she had to take on the role of a villain here, so she pretended to sigh helplessly, “I know whatever I do as a stepmother is never right, but Li Liulang really fancies our Rou’er, and Third Madam Li likes her too. A marriage is a matter of joining two families, and if Rou’er gets married there, the young couple would be in harmony, which is beneficial for our Mu family. As for the eldest girl… let’s not mention how the Li family feels about her, even if she is able to secure her position with Old Madam Li’s support, given her vengeful nature, she might not only refuse to help our family but could use the Li family’s power to pressure you into oppressing us mother and daughter.”
Her eyes reddened as she spoke, seemingly recalling the years of grievances she had endured, “If she says she won’t supply the shop anymore, will you do whatever she tells you, Master? You always listened to Sister Xu before, which is okay. After all, although Sister Xu’s somewhat domineering, at least she’s smart and understands the big picture, and the Mu family has indeed been getting better with the partnership. But Eldest Girl doesn’t understand anything, she only cares about her own pleasure… If, because of this matter, she bears a grudge against Rou’er and is eager to sabotage her marriage, would you comply then?”
“Even setting personal grievances aside, having two daughters marrying well could be a boon for the Mu family. But do you think it is appropriate to abandon Rou’er just to accommodate Eldest Girl?”
Mu Xingde fell silent. As a shrewd businessman, he understood that it would be most advantageous for the Mu family if one daughter married into the Zhongyong Count Manor while the other entered the palace. Even if neither participated in the draft, having one sister in the Count’s manor would enhance the marital prospects of the other, allowing him to maintain fairness between his daughters.
Seeing him wavering, Shen-shi added fuel to the fire, “Once Eldest Girl gets married, she will naturally be inclined toward her husband’s family. Even now, knowing how important the Shunfeng Escort Agency is to the Mu family’s business, she hasn’t made things easier for you; otherwise, you wouldn’t need to work so hard, taking three months just to return home.”
Mu Xingde recalled his recent deals with several managers of the Shunfeng Escort Agency, and his frown deepened. When real profits were put on the balance, the scales in his heart began to tip.
Shen-shi immediately struck while the iron was hot, “It’s not that I’m begrudging Eldest Girl any good, but this is a solution that will benefit everyone. Rou’er heard from Li Liulang that the Empress Dowager herself comes from a merchant family, so she has a lot of sympathy for women of low birth. The emperor is not only gentle but also loves to play and enjoy himself, which is in line with Eldest Girl’s interests. As long as we manage her properties well on her behalf and keep sending in good food and fun items, she could certainly carve out a future for herself.”
“Besides, the Li family is heavily favored by the throne. The Count himself once saved the lives of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, and Li Liulang is currently in favor at court. Once our family becomes in-law, Liulang would undoubtedly aid the Eldest Girl in gaining the Emperor’s favor, which would also bring numerous advantages to the Li family. Given the mutual benefits, the Li family will certainly exert their utmost efforts to support her.”
Mu Xingde sighed, “I’ll think about it some more.”
Shen-shi knew he had been persuaded. Hiding the joy in her heart, she immediately went to Zhushi Courtyard to comfort her worried daughter, “Don’t worry, everything has been settled. Marriage is by the command of parents and the matchmaking words—whether to continue or to break the engagement is all decided by your father, and Mu Wan has no say.”
Despite her mother’s assurance, Mu Rou could hardly be at ease. This matter, after all, concerned her lifetime of glory and wealth. Entering the palace was not easy, but there were many ways to avoid it. It was a great miscalculation on her part that Mu Wan seemed to be so determined not to participate in the draft.
Since that was the case, she couldn’t be blamed for taking a drastic measure. As her gaze fell on the copper mirror, Mu Rou murmured, “Then we must make her have no choice but to enter the palace…”
…
Mu Wan is a person of action. Since ‘job hunting’ was better done sooner than later, the very next day she set out with Yunling towards Qingfeng Pavilion, one of the properties left to her by Xu Qinglan.
The Qingfeng Pavillion resembled a high-end club of modern times. This establishment boasted a wide range of activities, appealing to both the mind and body. Guests could recite poetry by flowing streams or participate in more physical past times such as pitch-pot and chuiwan games1, making it a favorite leisure spot for nobles and scholars alike.
This demographic was exactly Mu Wan’s ‘job hunting’ target, so she planned to start by gathering some information from the manager in charge.
They were running late, so Mu Wan had to apply her usual skincare routine in the carriage. As Yunling held up a bronze mirror for Mu Wan to put on face masks, she couldn’t resist sighing, “This servant cannot tell if you love beauty or not; Miss never shows your face, yet diligently apply face masks every day.” Yes, they had been delayed in order to prepare the face masks.
Looking at her beautiful reflection in the mirror, Mu Wan was in a good mood. “Beauty is something you can do without, but you can’t be without it. Who knows, it might come in handy for a beauty trap at a crucial moment,” she teased.
Yunling half-heartedly agreed, “Yes, yes, this servant knows. But now is that crucial moment! This time, Miss, please do your best to find someone of higher status than the Li family, so you annul the engagement with style and infuriate them to death.” She suddenly remembered the wish plaque written by Nanxi Xiangjun at the Kanyun Temple, “How about Marquis Zhenbei?”
Excited, she began listing the advantages of Marquis Zhenbei, “You’d be the in charge of the household right away, and Marquis Zhenbei, having a sweetheart he can’t forget, is never close to women. This perfectly meets your requirement of being able to exert the influence of your husband’s family without the hassle of serving a man!”
Mu Wan playfully flicked Yunling’s forehead and was about to chide her boldness for teasing her lady when a mocking laughter suddenly came from outside the carriage window, “Quite the daydreamer.”
They both immediately fell silent.
The sound of horse hooves passed by the carriage, and it was only after a while that Uncle Xu, the coachman, spoke up, “They’ve gone.”
The servant and master both exhaled in unison, and Yunling quietly peeked through a slit in the carriage curtain, “Who was that just now?”
Uncle Xu showed an indescribable expression, “Although he is wearing civilian clothes, he looks like a military man, most likely from the Mingjing Bureau.”
Mu Wan & Yunling: “…”
‘Great, they have just gossiped someone’s boss right under the nose of his subordinates!’
Yunling timidly retreated into the corner. ’Heaven knows I’m not usually that bold, aaah!!!’
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The evil Stepmother just wants a hold of her stuff if she goes to the palace, greedy much