Chapter Forty-Three: Only Two Paths Remain

Song Tang naturally knew that Madame Sun was feeling unsettled.

If it hadn’t been for her insistence on breaking off the engagement with Mu Changxiao, Mu Ziyu would never have been able to marry Song Wei. Even if she were flawed and Madame Sun held her in low regard, she was, after all, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Count’s estate. What was Song Wei? At best, she was a favored foster daughter, born to a father who had died of a cough—or what they considered to be tuberculosis.

Moreover, now that she had married Mu Changxiao, the two of them were sisters-in-law. Given Mu Changxiao’s status as a Marquis, she held a higher rank than Madame Sun. It would be a wonder if Madame Sun were happy to see her, let alone accept the situation.

"Greetings, Grandmother," Song Wei said, her voice soft and fragile, appearing exceptionally well-behaved.

Old Madame Mu’s gaze fell upon Song Wei, sizing her up from head to toe. Song Wei kept her eyes lowered, putting on an air of gentleness and virtue.

"Hmm, a suitable match for Ziyu," Old Madame Mu replied, her voice cold. She had never favored the daughter-in-law her eldest son had chosen, nor did she care much for the son they had produced, Mu Ziyu. Now that Mu Ziyu had taken a wife of such low standing, she had even less affection for them.

Madame Sun sensed the dissatisfaction in the Old Madame’s tone. She guessed that the scandalous events of yesterday’s wedding had already reached the Old Madame’s ears, and she felt a sense of trepidation. Having paid their respects, and seeing that the Old Madame had not invited them to sit, Madame Sun prepared to take Song Wei and Mu Ziyu away.

She curtsied to the Old Madame once more. "Mother, we shall not disturb your rest. I will come to pay my respects again tomorrow. We shall take our leave now."

Just as Madame Sun finished speaking, Mu Changxiao suddenly broke his silence.

"Sister-in-law, since you are here, there is no need to rush off. With such a massive scene caused yesterday, do you truly intend to let it slide like this? Do you not plan to provide this Marquis with an explanation?"

Mu Changxiao’s tone was heavy—so heavy that Mu Ziyu immediately dropped to his knees.

"Third Uncle, yesterday’s events had nothing to do with Wei’er. She was framed! I beg you, Third Uncle, please investigate this thoroughly."

"Ziyu, why are you kneeling? Get up at once!" Madame Sun’s face turned ashen as she hurried to pull Mu Ziyu up. Her son was a legitimate, hereditary heir! What was this Mu Changxiao anyway? His very title was something they had bestowed upon him!

If Changming had not died, how could they, mother and son, be interrogated like this by Mu Changxiao? How dared he treat them this way!

Mu Ziyu refused to rise. He knew Mu Changxiao’s methods and was truly terrified of him.

Mu Changxiao’s face darkened, his eyes swirling with a deep, murky intensity. He rubbed the jade ring on his thumb, the air around him thick with the tension of an impending storm. Seeing the expression on Mu Changxiao’s face, Madame Sun realized he was genuinely furious, and she instinctively took a step back.

Song Wei was terrified and knelt down alongside Mu Ziyu, looking up at Mu Changxiao with tear-filled, pitiful eyes. "Third Uncle, it wasn't me. I don't know what happened with the sedan chair either!"

"Oh? If it wasn't you, then who could it have been?" Mu Changxiao stared coldly at the two kneeling figures. One was guilty, the other reckless.

Mu Ziyu raised a hand and pointed directly at Song Tang, gritting his teeth. "It was her!"

Song Tang: "..."

So these two were trying to smear her with their filth? Song Tang’s eyes turned cold. She glanced at Mu Ziyu with a faint, mocking curve of her lips. "Mu Ziyu, what evidence do you have that I did this? Without proof, that is nothing but slander."

"Evidence? What evidence do you need? Song Tang, don't think I don't know that you’ve long regretted breaking off our engagement. Staging such a spectacle at the wedding yesterday—wasn't it all just to marry me?" Mu Ziyu shouted, his face flushed with anger.

"Mu Ziyu, have you no shame? I told you long ago that the Marquis is high-spirited, elegant, and of noble status. Do you think I’m blind? Why would I choose a piece of trash like you over him?" Song Tang was straightforward by nature. After speaking, she noticed the Old Madame looking at her, so she softened her tone and said with a "virtuous" air, "My eyes are not blind. I know clearly who is worth entrusting my life to. Unless you produce evidence, stop trying to drag me into your mess!"

Mu Ziyu was so infuriated his face turned purple. To think Song Tang would speak to him like that in front of so many people, and with such biting sarcasm!

"Song Tang, you..."

Mu Ziyu was burning with rage and just about to continue his tirade when he was suddenly kicked hard in the back. His head slammed into the floor, and a large bump instantly rose on his forehead.

"Third Brother, what are you doing?" Madame Sun shrieked, rushing to shield Mu Ziyu.

Mu Changxiao radiated a chilling, malevolent aura. His voice was ice-cold: "Shut up."

Madame Sun dared not make another sound and hurriedly crouched down to examine Mu Ziyu’s forehead. Song Wei huddled to the side in a panic, her face deathly pale; she had never seen such a terrifying fury.

Mu Ziyu, gritting his teeth in pain, straightened his posture on his knees and dared not make another sound. Song Tang was stunned. She really hadn't married the wrong man.

She caught a glimpse of the Old Madame out of the corner of her eye, fearing she might be angry. But the Old Madame just sat there watching, saying nothing, her face devoid of expression.

"You, speak!" Mu Changxiao pointed at Song Wei, his voice devoid of warmth.

Song Wei trembled. She lifted her head, her eyes filled with fear. "I... I don't know. I was just sitting in the sedan chair. I don't know why the directions were swapped."

"Is that so?" Mu Changxiao lifted his eyelids, his presence dark and intimidating.

"It really wasn't me." Song Wei’s voice trembled even more violently, and she bit her lower lip hard.

Mu Changxiao narrowed his eyes. "The two of you, get yourselves to the ancestral hall and kneel. You are not to come out until you are ready to tell the truth."

"Third Uncle!" Mu Ziyu couldn't help but cry out. To be forced to kneel in the ancestral hall on the second day of their marriage—and to do it together—was too humiliating!

Mu Changxiao turned his gaze slowly toward Mu Ziyu. "You refuse to kneel?"

Mu Ziyu’s face turned pale, and he lowered his head, daring not speak further. Song Wei also bowed her head in silence, tears welling in her eyes. This matter had blown up too large; she feared it would be difficult to resolve.

Last night, she had slipped the aphrodisiac originally intended for Mu Changxiao into Mu Ziyu’s wine. Throughout the night, she had used every trick in the book to win his favor. She had thought that with Mu Ziyu’s backing, the matter would simply pass, but she hadn't expected Mu Changxiao to be so adamant about getting an explanation.

Song Wei’s heart sank to the bottom of a pit. She didn't know what else to do. If she admitted that she had switched the sedan chairs, Mu Ziyu would surely abandon her! She absolutely could not admit it!

She was left with only two choices: either spend money to have the sedan chair bearers silenced, or swallow her pride and beg Song Tang to convince Mu Changxiao to let her off this once. She had never resorted to murder before; she didn't know how much it would cost or who to hire.

Though she knew Song Tang was the type to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart, she would rather die than bow down to her.