Chapter 467 - 466: Confession

Chapter 467: Chapter 466: Confession

Du Yunluo’s body swayed, her neck stiffened.

Mu Lianxiao was talking about "how much does she know," had he already guessed that she knew much more than him?

Du Yunluo instinctively licked her lower lip with the tip of her tongue, her smile awkward.

Mu Lianxiao caught her little gesture in his eyes, and the answer was already in his heart.

Yesterday at the Zhen Mansion, Imperial Doctor Xing had said to Du Yunluo, "There are many disputes in deep mansions and big houses." This morning before departing, Imperial Doctor Xing pointed out that Mu Tang was not mute.

If Du Yunluo hadn’t asked Imperial Doctor Xing beforehand, how would he have known whether Mu Tang was mute or not?

The many disputes lie in places unknown to Mu Lianxiao.

Their eyes met, and Du Yunluo saw her reflection in Mu Lianxiao’s eyes, going deeper, she saw a bottomless darkness.

She hesitated, how should she respond?

Before, she interpreted Mu Tang’s silence as the second branch putting too much pressure on him. Only when the second branch was weak would Mu Tang speak out.

Now, Du Yunluo understood that she was partly right, but not entirely.

In his heart, Mu Tang certainly hoped that Dingyuan Marquis Mansion would be inherited by the main branch, in Mu Lianxiao’s hands. He was always waiting for the chance to speak, but beyond that, if Mu Lianxiao couldn’t bear the burden of Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, Mu Tang would watch Mu Lianxiao die at Mu Yuanmou’s hands.

Just like in a past life, in the previous life, Du Yunluo was completely unaware of Mu Tang’s existence.

Only this way could Dingyuan Marquis Mansion stand firm.

When Mu Lianxiao couldn’t beat Mu Yuanmou, allowing the second branch to inherit the title was still preserving the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.

If he didn’t care about the glory and prestige of Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, Mu Tang wouldn’t need to keep his mouth shut.

In rural areas, brothers turn against each other over a few houses, so the struggle for the throne is originally brother against brother. All of Mu Yuanmou’s actions were against ethics and morality, but ultimately it’s still the victor who becomes king.

Du Yunluo thought of the previous life.

In Madam Wu’s later years, she disliked the strong presence of the second branch, especially when rumors about Du Yunluo and Mu Lingran spread, Madam Wu wanted the Lian Family to discipline the maids and matrons.

The Lian Family agreed.

Her hypocrisy made Madam Wu gradually see some clues, but even though the Old Madam understood everything in the end, she could only accept it all.

Outside of the second branch, Dingyuan Marquis Mansion only had Mu Lingran as the heir, other than letting the second branch inherit the mansion generation after generation, what could Madam Wu do?

It’s like Prince Rui’s rebellion, if the Empress Dowager were still here, seeing her two sons fight, all she could do was shed tears.

She wouldn’t kill the Holy Emperor because Prince Rui died. She would hate and blame, but would only endure; conversely, if Prince Rui won, it would be the same.

For the sake of this thousand-year dynasty, for the ancestors, she must endure.

Matters concerning lineage, concerning ancestral glory, cannot be explained by "right or wrong."

Endurance is far more difficult and painful than tearing faces.

Therefore, in this life, as long as Mu Lianxiao achieved great military success, as long as the main branch’s lineage continued, if Du Yunluo drove the second branch to misery, Madam Wu would still turn a blind eye.

Du Yunluo’s long lashes trembled.

Mu Tang revealing the truth before Mu Lianxiao inherited the title was due to Mu Liankang’s appearance giving him strength?

In the mansion, it was no longer Mu Lianxiao fighting alone, he had reliable support.

Mu Tang fulfilled his wishes and passed away peacefully, the mountain that had pressed on his heart for years was moved away, it was truly a liberation.

Du Yunluo began to smile softly, with a bit of helplessness, a bit of bitterness. She opened her mouth, her throat aching.

"I... I’ve always been hiding something from you." After a long time, Du Yunluo sighed.

Tears in her eyes turned to dense fog, she couldn’t see through everything, even Mu Lianxiao’s face became blurry, but Du Yunluo’s mind was extraordinarily clear, like the calm surface of a lake.

"The reason I needed to persuade you to take me to Lindong was for the sake of offspring. If I stayed in the Capital, offspring were hopeless." Du Yunluo said softly.

Her voice was very light, yet very heavy, suddenly striking Mu Lianxiao’s heart, arousing a splash.

Du Yunluo couldn’t see Mu Lianxiao’s reaction, she continued speaking: "When we first got married, the princely heir accompanied me to Tong City to visit my grandfather and grandmother. At that time, Imperial Doctor Xing took my pulse, saying I had taken something harmful for offspring, even though the amount was small and not obvious in the pulse.

Later, I found out that it was added to the chicken soup; every time after we shared the bed, the chicken soup I drank had issues.

I didn’t tell you then, without evidence, how could I assert whose doing it was?

And you were about to leave for the Northern Border. Telling you this would only add to your worries; anyway, you wouldn’t be in the Capital, and no one would make me consume that stuff.

When you returned, the household management was in my hands, they could hardly tamper with the chicken soup anymore, but a woman giving birth is like crossing the Ghost Gate. If I were under their watch, pregnant for ten months and through childbirth, I would be scared, really scared.

So, I wanted to go to Lindong, to be by my aunt’s side, somewhere they couldn’t reach, where my mother would support me. It was me who told her Imperial Doctor Xing’s words."

As Du Yunluo spoke, tears fell silently; she didn’t wipe them away, lowering her head and crying silently.

Many things she originally shouldn’t say and didn’t want to say to Mu Lianxiao.

But Mu Tang paved the way for her, cutting through the thorns with a bold stroke, making many unspeakable words become easier to express.

She wanted Mu Lianxiao to know that the ones eyeing the title weren’t just Mu Yuanmou, the entire second branch was involved.

She referred to "them."

Mu Lianxiao heard it, his eyes growing darker: "Yunluo..."

A sigh-like sound, just as each time Mu Lianxiao comforted her, his hand soothingly caressed her back.

Warm and powerful, again and again, calming her mood, giving her all the strength.

Countless fragments of past lives surged into her mind, like a breach of the tide, like weaving vines.

Du Yunluo was enveloped and sunk to the bottom of the water, she took a deep breath, freeing herself from suffocating feelings.

With tearful eyes, Du Yunluo hoarsely said, "Princely Heir, let me tell you a story. ℯℯ𝑙.

Perhaps, it’s just a dream, a dream, and I miss you to the bone.

Remember when we just started discussing marriage? Princess An Ran told you I was proud, used to having my way, never taking a loss. Everything she said was true, the me in the dream was just like that."

Mu Lianxiao’s eyes suddenly tightened, as if gripped by Du Yunluo’s words, memories instantly pulling him back to that year.

That spring, he learned from Princess An Ran’s mouth that he was discussing marriage, that the family was considering the granddaughter of the retired Crown Prince’s Tutor, Mr. Du, for him.

Her name was Du Yunluo, just hearing the name was like a string of bright flowers under the sun.