The original host could sense pain from his every move, and the source of the pain was no one but Mu Fei.
It was as if he was stimulated every so often, coming back drunk and abusing the original host, only to later feel he had gone too far. A trace of guilt could be seen in his eyes. Such a person still had a conscience. If it weren't for him taking the lives of the original host and her child, Wu Caiwei wouldn't have intended to kill him, as the mastermind was someone else. Unfortunately, there were no "if's" in life.
Once Mu Fei's marriage was settled, Madam Mu thought of Wu Caiwei. She looked at Master Mu cautiously, "My lord, our Fei'er's marriage is set. Yan'er, as the eldest daughter, is still unmarried. Outsiders say I, as a stepmother, look down on my stepdaughter and have delayed her. Heaven knows, I also wish she could marry into a good family. But she's been back for so long, and no one has come to propose."
It was then that Master Mu suddenly remembered he had an elder daughter in the manor. He didn't know what she looked like at all. He had no feelings for his original wife, only that the support from the Liu family had made his path smoother. Later, when she clashed with his family, he sent her away. He heard the Liu family was still secretly supporting her. Seeing that Master Liu didn't trust him, Master Mu felt annoyed, but it didn't matter. As long as the Liu family was there, she wouldn't suffer.
"With her reputation and having grown up in the countryside, no respectable family would want to marry her. Please, madam, put more effort into finding her a family with wealth and a promising husband." He held no hope for Mu Yan, not even wanting her to marry out of the Mu family. As long as the son-in-law his wife found wasn't too disgraceful, it would suffice.
"Are your requirements so low, my lord? If that's the case, I do have a good candidate, but I fear you might not approve." Madam Mu was a little surprised, not expecting Mu Yan to have such low standing in her husband's eyes. Her heart leaped with joy, thinking her own family might actually have a chance.
"Oh? Tell me about it, madam." Master Mu looked at her with some interest.
"I'm referring to my own family. Young Master Xuan is a talented and handsome young man, a scholar at such a young age. Most importantly, our two families are related. Even if she marries into a less prominent family, it would be understandable, and outsiders wouldn't be able to find fault." Madam Mu looked at him with hopeful eyes.
Master Mu stroked his beard and thought this was indeed a good candidate. He had met his wife's nephew and found him to be as she described. He nodded, "Everything is up to you, madam."
"Rest assured, my lord, I will ensure you are satisfied." Madam Mu had already written to her sister-in-law to discuss this matter. The opportunity to connect with the Mu family was something they had only dreamed of. Although Mu Yan's reputation wasn't very good, she was still the legitimate eldest daughter of the Mu family. Even if Bai Yexuan couldn't pass the imperial examinations, he could become a minor official with the Mu family's support.
They heard that the eldest young lady of the Mu family never left her chambers. Such a person would be easy to manage. If she behaved herself, they wouldn't mind supporting an extra person. But if she caused trouble, the fate of any woman in the inner court was in their hands. Moreover, her stepmother was their own sister, so no one would stand up for her.
As for the Liu family's money pot, with his niece in hand, they believed Master Liu would offer some silver to appease them. Every thought led them to believe this marriage was a good idea. Su Dan Novels
Wu Caiwei spent her days cultivating her people and practicing her skills. Because Mu Fei and Xu Minghui's affair had been witnessed by many, the rumors spread like wildfire. So, everything was done simply, and the pace was quickened.
Meanwhile, Madam Mu and Mu Fei were so busy they couldn't spare a moment to trouble Wu Caiwei. Wu Caiwei enjoyed her freedom. She had initially thought her good days would last until Mu Fei's wedding, but unexpectedly, Yan'er brought her some astounding news one day.
"You said who is getting engaged?"
"Naturally, it's you, my lady. How can someone of his background be worthy of you? Besides, entering Madam's family would be like falling into a fiery pit. My lady should quickly think of a solution." Yan'er looked at her with worry. Although she felt her lady was no ordinary person, women were always at a disadvantage when it came to marriage.
"Don't worry, your lady knows what she's doing. It seems I need to meet this fiancé. If a tiger doesn't show its ferocity, people will truly take me for a sick cat. He who wants to marry me must see if he has the ability." Having hidden in her courtyard for over four months, Wu Caiwei felt it was enough. It was time to make her presence known.
As soon as Wu Caiwei left her courtyard, Madam Mu received the news and couldn't help but frown. She disliked her stepdaughter even more. Didn't she see she was busy? And she had to come and cause trouble now.
"Send someone to see what she's up to." Although Madam Mu had a bad premonition, she couldn't summon her and question her just because her stepdaughter left her courtyard. If the news spread, it would be a great embarrassment.
"Yes." An inconspicuous cleaning maid from Wu Caiwei's courtyard quickly withdrew.
This was the first time in Wu Caiwei's two lives that she truly appreciated the Mu family's gardens. It seemed her uncle had sent them a lot of silver over the years. Wu Caiwei had thought of him as soon as she returned. She could understand his helplessness as a merchant. The Mu family treated his sister and niece poorly, but as a merchant, he only sought a powerful patron to protect his fortune. Although Master Mu was unreliable, he had one advantage: he would do things for them after accepting the Liu family's silver.
Thus, for many years, the Liu family was dissatisfied with the Mu family's treatment of Mu Yan but dared not speak their minds, only offering compensation in secret. He knew that a merchant opposing officials was like an egg hitting a rock.
The original host didn't resent him; in fact, she was very grateful. If not for her uncle's secret help, her life in the countryside wouldn't have been so comfortable. Even when the original host eventually married into the Xu family, Master Liu had found ways to send her money. However, as a merchant, his actions were often inconvenient.
If possible, Wu Caiwei hoped to become the Liu family's patron. The original host's mother had passed away long ago. Master Liu had done his best to reach this point, and she wanted to repay him.
Unknowingly, everyone arrived outside the guest courtyard. Not far away was a small pond, where Bai Yexuan was idly feeding the fish.
Suddenly, he saw a woman whose appearance bore a striking resemblance to his cousin. He was startled, never expecting his future wife to be so beautiful. He had prepared himself for a plain-looking woman due to the arranged marriage, but the reality far exceeded his expectations. Yes, the moment he saw her, he knew who she was.
"Are you Young Master Bai?" Their eyes met. Wu Caiwei looked at him with a mischievous gaze, asking a question she already knew the answer to.