Chapter IBMLS Ch.10 Return to the Owner (1)
Return to the Owner
After Mu Mingtang said “violating your sister-in-law,” Xie Xuanji’s chest heaved with anger, but he dared not do anything to her.
When it came to the Prince of Qiyang, the emperor was in an awkward position. This was also the case for Xie Xuanji, as it was his cousin who should have been the heir to the throne. Everyone knew that the ones who had reaped the most benefits from the Prince of Qiyang’s illness was the current emperor’s family.
Nowadays, with the rise of Neo-Confucianism, tolerance for relations between men and women was becoming lower and lower. Brother and sister-in-laws were naturally expected to keep their distance, and it was especially the case for Mu Mingtang because the Prince of Qiyang was unconscious and bedridden. Although he was still alive, she was no different from a widow. If she, as a young, pretty widow, were to accuse Xie Xuanji of violating her, he would not be able to defend himself.
Xie Xuanji’s face was still red with anger, but he let go of her wrist. Mu Mingtang felt both smug and satisfied when she saw this. A commoner like her was not knowledgeable about politeness and proper etiquette. She only knew that if she was in an advantageous position, she should pursue it to victory. If she were to fall, she would be struck while she was down.
Mu Mingtang straightened out her sleeves and laughed. “Your Highness, the people know you as a man of virtue, a man as gentle as jade. You should mind your conduct a little more. After all, I am your sister-in-law, and your cousin is still in a coma. If anything were to happen to me, you would drown in the spittle of their whispers.”
After saying this, she smirked at him and swaggered out. The servant guarding the door moved to block her but froze when she sneered, “Get out of my way. The emperor himself appointed me as the Princess of Qiyang. Can you afford to stop me?”
Xie Xuanji had always portrayed himself as a gentle and courteous man, and every person who saw him had to stop and politely greet him. The women he interacted with were all noble daughters like Jiang Mingwei, filled with grace and elegance. When had he ever encountered a shrewd woman like Mu Mingtang?
His face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and Jiang Honghao’s face was even worse. Had he known Mu Mingtang’s true nature was like this, he wouldn’t have requested the Prince of Jin to be present. The fact that she had insulted the Jiang family in front of the Prince of Jin was already humiliating enough, but now she had slighted the Prince of Jin himself.
Jiang Honghao was both embarrassed and terrified. When Mu Mingtang was no longer in sight, he quickly went forward and bowed to Xie Xuanji. “Your Highness, I implore you for forgiveness! My adopted daughter was originally a merchant’s daughter. She is crass and lowborn with an empty head. Your Highness, you are a magnanimous man. Please do not take the words of a commoner to heart!”
Xie Xuanji nodded. It was an easy offense to forgive, not to mention he had no choice but to forgive her. Just as Mu Mingtang had said, her marriage to the Prince of Qiyang was decreed by the emperor himself with the entire imperial court as witness. The emperor had specifically named the second young miss of the Jiang family as the Princess of Qiyang. In other words, even if the Jiang Manor was suddenly hit by a meteorite, the rest of the Jiang family would have to ensure that not a single hair on Mu Mingtang’s head was harmed.
After a few rounds of flowery adulation to appease the Prince of Jin, a maidservant was summoned to serve them tea.
Jiang Honghao stroked his beard and said, “Had it not been for Your Highness, the marriage between my adopted daughter and the Prince of Qiyang would not have been settled so quickly and smoothly. Please rest assured, Your Highness. Mu Mingtang owes the Jiang family a great debt of gratitude and will naturally pay it back. She is not an insensible girl. If she does dare to resist and must pay with her life, she will do so after entering the Qiyang Manor.”
He was speaking in a very roundabout way to reassure Xie Xuanji. After all, Jiang Mingwei had escaped from her marriage. If Mu Mingtang were to do the same, the Jiang family would really lose all face.
Xie Xuanji nodded and replied, “Father-in-law, since Mingwei is my beloved fiancee, the affairs of the Jiang family are also my affairs.”
Jiang Honghao was very relieved when he heard this. Was there a father in the world that wouldn’t be satisfied with a son-in-law who was so devoted to their daughter? When she went missing, he’d even lent a hand in the search. With this, Jiang Honghao could even forgive Jiang Mingwei for running away in the first place.
When his thoughts reached this point, he felt a little conflicted. It was difficult for him, as a father, to ask his engaged daughter about such things. She had gone missing for an entire year, not to mention that on the day of her disappearance, he’d heard that she had eloped with a barbarian man. He had no choice but to worry. Naturally, Madam Jiang insisted that their daughter was still pure, and Jiang Honghao didn’t doubt her, but that didn’t matter.