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墨書 Inktalez
"Uncle, let's go find that bastard Xiao Yan. How can they just sell off the entire Daimiao Mountain like that?"
Shen Muhan allowed her to pull him along until they were both seated in the carriage and had driven quite a distance. Only then did he speak up.
"With the national treasury empty and frequent border conflicts, given the Retired Emperor's temperament, it's not impossible for someone to offer a hefty price."
Moreover, even if they bought the land, it would still belong to Tianli Kingdom. As long as Ouyang Xuan didn't mistreat the villagers, Shen Muhan would turn a blind eye.
"But this is our home! It's the home of hundreds of villagers. How can they do this?"
Xia Muxin slammed her hand on the tea table, expressing her dissatisfaction.
Do these common folks mean so little in the eyes of that damn Retired Emperor? If it weren't for these villagers, would he be living off scraps?
Shen Muhan smiled lightly and said leisurely, "Muxin, after today, I might just be an ordinary citizen."
Knowing Su Rong's nature, he figured that at this moment, she would definitely be scheming against him, and the Retired Emperor would take advantage of that to strip him of all his positions, waiting for him to return and plead with them.
"You mean they will team up to force you into submission, thinking you can't survive without the title of Regent? Then you'll have to go back and beg them, and they'll kindly restore your position and arrange a suitable marriage for you."
Xia Muxin's mind raced as she quickly analyzed the situation. In her heart, she scorned both Su Rong and the Retired Emperor.
“Su Rong is selfish, fearing the downfall of the Su Family the most, and his best support is the Retired Emperor. The two are entangled in a precarious situation, but he will never betray the royal family, no matter who he turns against. This is also why the Retired Emperor favors the Su Family in everything—not just because of their mentor-student relationship, but because the Shen Family's marriage with the Su Family is something they are determined to achieve. Mu Qing is absolutely out of the question, as military power is essentially in his hands now, and they do not dare to pressure him too much. That leaves me alone. Last time, the Retired Emperor was actually just stalling for time; as long as there are corresponding countermeasures, they will implement them immediately.”
Shen Muhan cast a approving glance at Xia Muxin and said leisurely.
“Um... Uncle, aren’t you anxious?”
Shen Muhan was clearly the kind of nobleman who lived a life of luxury and ease, but to Xia Muxin, he seemed like an ordinary person—someone who would wash clothes with her, help her cook, prepare water for her bath, dig fish ponds, and so on. There were too many things he could do for her that she couldn't even count. However, no matter how much the environment changed, his background would not change. Did he really want to spend his life with her on Daimiao Mountain?
“What’s there to be anxious about? At this moment, the emperor has probably already seen my resignation letter. What puzzles me is how the Ouyang Family managed to pull this off in just one night.”
His words hit the nail on the head; Xia Muxin was also puzzled. It seemed someone had anticipated this step long ago and was just waiting for the right opportunity.
What Xia Muxin could think of, Shen Muhan had already considered. The two exchanged knowing smiles and spoke in unison:
“Zhao Weiran.”
*
In the capital, Golden Throne Hall, the atmosphere was so strange that no one dared to breathe.
“Ming'er, what’s going on? What has Shen Muhan written?”
The Retired Emperor had once again entered Golden Throne Hall today and issued an edict in front of all the ministers to dismiss Shen Muhan from all his positions and demote him to commoner status. The Su Family was undoubtedly the happiest about this; they were eager to see how this young man would act now that he had suddenly lost everything. It was something no one could accept.
Shen Yu wore a worried expression; however, he had always been indifferent to court matters. At this moment, he merely maintained a calm demeanor and stood quietly to the side.
At the same time, Shen Muhan's memorial was submitted. Tian Ming Rui's face changed dramatically after reading it; it was hard to tell whether he was crying or laughing. The Retired Emperor impatiently urged him to speak.
He was also puzzled about how this memorial had come at such a coincidental time, right on the day he had dismissed Shen Muhan from all his positions.
Tian Ming Rui cleared his throat and said helplessly, "Regent Shen Muhan requests to resign from all official posts and become a son-in-law of the Xia Family in Daimiao Village, uh... and invites everyone to attend the wedding banquet."
As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, the entire Golden Throne Hall fell silent; even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.
The Regent wanted to become a son-in-law to a family of commoners...
Heavens, were they dreaming? Was there something wrong with the Regent's head?
The one who looked the worst was Su Rong. He suddenly appeared to age decades, his face turning ashen, and his eyes lost their focus, standing there like a puppet with his head drooping.
It seemed that as long as Xia Muxin remained, his heart would never find peace.
But the happiest among them was Zhao Weiran. With the Shen Family's pillar removed, the entire royal family began to teeter; who would interfere in his affairs now?
Meanwhile, Xia Muxin and Xiao Yan arrived at the county office. Xiao Yan received them and explained thoroughly about the sale of Daimiao Mountain. This matter was not handled by him but by the Zhao Family Brothers. After all, his father was the Deputy Minister of Revenue, responsible for such matters. However, all the money had been handed over to the court without a single coin missing. In fact, this money had saved the treasury from significant losses, and the higher-ups immediately approved it.
He mentioned that this sale had been in progress for some days; it was just that news of it had only spread this morning.
Moreover, the Ouyang Family declared that villagers would not need to relocate or pay any additional taxes; they could continue living as they always had.
Shen Muhan smiled lightly and glanced at Xia Muxin, saying, "It seems this was decided only last night."
"Ah?"
Xia Muxin didn't quite understand and responded with a puzzled "ah." Shen Muhan merely ruffled her hair and smiled gently.
Upon hearing that the villagers were not in danger, Xia Muxin felt a weight lift off her heart. The two then visited the shop, where business had improved significantly since the opposing side stopped haggling. People were coming and going.
Currently, Sister Swallow, her brother, and the wife of Three Bulls were there. After Xia Muxin made a round to discuss some trivial matters, she and Shen Muhan drove the cart back home.
However, upon returning, they noticed someone digging just ten paces from their house. It seemed to be a large project. Among the crowd, she spotted the flamboyant white attire of Ouyang Xuan. Alongside him were two other glaring figures: Zhao Yangwu and Zhao Yaowei. Xia Muxin suddenly felt alarmed and hurried into the house. Inside, she found Yan Zhouwan squatting at the door sharpening a knife. She rushed over, snatched it from her hands, and tossed it aside.
Yan Zhouwan's face was pale, her lips bitten until they bled. Upon seeing Xia Muxin, her watery eyes brimmed with tears as she pointed toward the yard outside.
"Muxin, do you know how much I want to taste their blood and eat their flesh right now?"
As she spoke, tears streamed down her cheeks, and her whole body trembled.
Xia Muxin felt a pang of pain for her and wiped away her tears, embracing her trembling form while softly comforting her.
Unbeknownst to them, Shen Muqing stood at the doorway, watching the two women with an inscrutable glint in his eyes.
Shen Muhan settled the cart and walked inside. With one glance, he understood what had happened and turned to Yan Zhouwan.
"Go inside and change your clothes, and remember the mask."
Yan Zhouwan's identity could not be revealed just yet, and the Zhao Family's true intentions had not yet surfaced; they could only wait for an opportunity.
After a long moment, Yan Zhouwan calmed down, nodded apologetically to Shen Muhan, and hurried toward her room. On the way, she nearly collided with Shen Muqing, who was lost in thought. However, seeing her petite figure rushing toward him, Shen Muqing not only failed to reach out to help but also stepped aside, causing Yan Zhouwan to crash into the door. She hit her forehead hard against the door panel, immediately forming a large bump surrounded by bruises. The pain was so intense that she could barely open her eyes, but it wasn't just the physical pain that hurt.
What hurt more was her heart...
Even a stranger would have reached out to help.
She shook her head with a self-deprecating smile.
Shen Muqing was taken aback as well; he hadn't expected her to be so clumsy as to run into the door. He had merely stepped aside to give her space, especially since she had been crying so sorrowfully. A flicker of complexity crossed his eyes as he withdrew his outstretched hand.
Xia Muxin rushed forward and pushed Shen Muqing aside forcefully before supporting Yan Zhouwan into the room. Shen Muhan grabbed the medicine kit and instructed them on how to use the medication before stepping outside.
Outside the door, the two brothers exchanged glances.
"When are you going back to Kyoto?"
Shen Muhan didn't waste words; he felt that with his brother around, the atmosphere in the Xia Family was tense.
"Weren't you the one who told me to come back? What, do you want to drive me away now?"
Shen Muqing retorted with raised eyebrows, equally frustrated; after all, this wasn't something he had intended.
"I didn't let you stay here shamelessly."
"I paid for it."
The two brothers were now at each other's throats, no longer resembling the ones who would rush to help each other in times of trouble.
Xia Muxin, having finished applying medicine to Yan Zhouwan, stepped outside to witness this scene. Sometimes she wondered, were they really brothers?
"Muxin, Lord Zhao is waiting in the village to build a house. He said your family has a large space and wants to eat there during the construction period. They will pay accordingly."
At that moment, the voice of Village Chief Yang Dadong echoed from afar. The Zhao Family Young Master was said to be the son of the Deputy Minister of Revenue, a person of high status. They couldn't afford to offend him. Besides, the entire Daimiao Mountain belonged to them; he was merely giving Xia Muxin a heads-up to avoid offending such powerful figures with her temper. That would lead to trouble they couldn't handle.
"Let them get lost."
"Let them get lost."
Upon hearing this, both Xia Muxin and Shen Muhan spoke in unison.
Having them come to her home for meals meant Zhou Zhou would have to face her enemies every day. Her life was already difficult enough; she would never agree to it.
...
Village Chief Yang Dadong was taken aback by the stern demeanor of Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin. His brows twitched as he struggled to find the right words.
"Oh, Boss Xia, so your home is here."
Not long after their words fell, Ouyang Xuan and the Zhao Family Brothers swaggered in. Ouyang Xuan raised his gaze to survey the house, a hint of appreciation flickering in his eyes. After a moment, he pointed to a room on the second floor and said, "That is your room!"
Shen Muhan pulled Xia Muxin behind him, his cold eyes locking onto Ouyang Xuan as he replied coldly, "It has nothing to do with you."
Behind him, Zhao Yangwu let out a playful whistle, seemingly in high spirits, completely forgetting about the brutal battle they had endured. The two brothers had been bedridden for two whole months.
Just as he reveled in his triumph, Shen Muhan swept his hand, sending a branch flying toward Zhao Yangwu's eyes. The force of the branch was substantial, causing nearby tools in the small workshop to clatter to the ground.
Zhao Yangwu was startled and rolled away just in time to avoid the branch. His expression darkened as he pointed at Shen Muhan. "You are now just a commoner; your only path forward with us leads to death."
Having been steeped in power since childhood, Zhao Yangwu's arrogance was evident. Even though he felt a twinge of fear toward Shen Muhan at that moment, his status made him believe that dealing with Shen Muhan would be an easy task.
In this world, power dictated everything. If you had it, you were the boss; no matter how glorious your past was, once you lost it all, you were nothing but an ant—someone others could crush at will.
Shen Muhan couldn't be bothered to engage in conversation with him. Instead, he swept his hand again, sending more firewood flying toward Zhao Yangwu. This time, there was no escaping; several pieces struck him in the chest. He coughed up blood and collapsed weakly to the ground.
Shen Muhan withdrew his hand and coldly glared at the Zhao Family Brothers from his elevated position. "Those things were shackles I wanted to throw off long ago. Thanks to your schemes, I can finally do so. But even if I am just a commoner now, killing you is merely a matter of words."
As Shen Muhan finished speaking, Zhao Yaowei threatened one last time before hurriedly supporting the seriously injured Zhao Yangwu and leaving.
"Why are you still here? My family doesn't have extra food to feed unnecessary people."
This was the first time Xia Muxin had seen such a handsome and imposing Shen Muhan, but upon noticing Ouyang Xuan still standing in the courtyard, her expression turned cold as she issued an eviction order.
She despised the Zhao Family and anyone associated with them.
"They are who they are, and I am who I am. Why should I leave?"
Ouyang Xuan shrugged and raised an eyebrow, though his gaze inadvertently flicked toward Shen Muhan.
"Dude, you should compare your thick skin to the post at my front door; I bet yours is thicker."
Hearing his shameless words, Xia Muxin rolled her eyes and pointed at the wooden post at the entrance of the courtyard.
Ouyang Xuan genuinely raised an eyebrow to take a look, then let his gaze drop with an ambiguous expression. After a pause, he said, "From now on, we’ll all be neighbors. We can’t just start arguing every time we meet; that would be so bad for everyone."
He had already lowered his head to seek peace, but if Xia Muxin continued to be aggressive, there was nothing more he could do.
Xia Muxin smiled lightly and then turned to Summer Forest, who was leaning against the door. "Dad, tomorrow let Er Dan Ge help out and find some villagers to surround our house with fire bricks."
"Hmph, who wants to see you face to face? I’ll make sure you can’t see me whether you look up or down."
Ouyang Xuan's lips twitched, but the amusement in his eyes deepened. He didn’t linger, turning away and leaving just like that.
"Muxin, did I scare your family with my reckless actions today?"
At noon, Xia Muxin was pulled upstairs by Shen Muhan. Earlier at the dining table, Aunt Xia and the others had looked at him strangely, and now he felt a bit worried.
Although he had displayed his martial skills before, it was always out of necessity to save Xia Muxin. They hadn’t seen it clearly then, but today he had undoubtedly killed someone right in front of them.
Xia Muxin cared deeply about her family. He had always restrained himself, hiding his power and influence because he feared that his family would distance themselves from him.
What he wanted was not just for Muxin to marry him; he wanted her family to fully accept him, both in terms of identity and everything else.
Xia Muxin straightened up. Today’s scene had startled not only her parents but also herself; his skills were simply extraordinary.
Though it wasn’t the first time she had seen him fight, each time left her in awe.
After a moment's pause, she wrapped her arms around Shen Muhan's sturdy waist and softly said, "Uncle, thank you."
Thank you for being so accommodating for me.
Shen Muhan hadn’t expected her to be so easily moved. He held her tightly in his embrace and smiled.
"Fool."
The next day, Shen Muqing set off back to the capital.
"Yan Zhouwan..."
"Yan Zhouwan..."
Yan Zhouwan was in the yard with Xia Muxin, sorting through the freshly picked mushrooms. However, Yan Zhouwan was distracted, crushing a whole mushroom into bits without realizing it. Xia Muxin waved her hand in front of her eyes and called out a few times tentatively, but Yan Zhouwan remained unresponsive.
Xia Muxin furrowed her brows, suddenly recalling something, and shouted:
"Are you interested in that temperamental Shen Er?"
- End of Chapter -
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