Chapter 17: Trapped, Listening to Filthy Words with a Smile

The commotion at the entrance was significant. Ancient houses were not well-insulated for sound; although Mu Qi's main house was ten *zhang* away from the courtyard gate, the clamor could still be heard. Mu Qi was naturally alert and a light sleeper; she had woken up as soon as the noise started at the gate and was currently letting Qiaoyu help her comb her hair and dress.

Qiaoyu skillfully styled Mu Qi's hair into a small bun and tucked a plum blossom glazed hairpin into it. Looking at her young mistress in the bronze mirror, she couldn't help but sigh with admiration, "Miss, I've noticed you are becoming more and more beautiful. Once the seamstress finishes the clothes and you put them on, I guarantee you'll look like a celestial being."

Mu Qi turned back and pinched Qiaoyu's cheek. "You're such a sweet talker. Bring me a cloak; let's go out and see the excitement."

"Right away, Miss. I'll go at once."

Back at the courtyard gate, the guards of the Duke of Chen's household, under the command of their mistress, were somewhat intimidated by the robust guards at the gate. However, out of necessity, they had to brace themselves and move forward. But how could these guards compare to the veterans of the Marquis of Anding? They were nothing but cowardly, death-fearing rats; as soon as they were shoved by the other guards, they fell to the ground, wailing and begging for mercy.

One could not blame these guards for being ineffective. If they were brave men, they would have been out on the battlefield earning military merits this morning, rather than staying in a large manor to serve as men at others' beck and call. Calling them "guards" was a generous term; to be blunt, they were merely coarse laborers, not even true guards. Earning five hundred coins a month as a general handyman in a manor without any danger was arguably the best livelihood these people could secure.

Seeing her men falling one by one, Mu Xiaochun's face turned as black as charcoal. "Useless things! Get up! All of you, get up! If you don't take them down today, I'll have the Master kick every single one of you out!"

It had to be said that Mu Xiaochun's words finally worked. The crowd, who had just been playing dead on the ground, had to scramble up and continue charging inward.

"Uncle Mu, what is going on?" As soon as Mu Qi and Qiaoyu reached the front courtyard, they saw waves of guards surging inward, only to be quickly beaten back by the guards at the gate.

Seeing that his young mistress had been awakened by the noise, Mu Sang felt quite vexed. Logically, they could resolve this quickly, but since the opposing side belonged to the Duke of Chen's manor, they couldn't simply beat them to death or leave them crippled. "Reporting to Miss, these are the guards from the Duke of Chen's manor, brought by the Third Young Madam."

Mu Sang truly did not want to acknowledge Mu Xiaochun's status as the Fourth Young Miss. He believed that if she weren't relying on the reputation of the Marquis's manor, with Mu Mingchong's actual abilities, she would at most be the daughter of a merchant, completely unworthy of being compared to the Miss.

Hearing Mu Xiaochun's name, a flash of calculation crossed Mu Qi's face. Since yesterday, she had asked Uncle Mu to list all the properties of the Marquis's manor. It was only after seeing the list this morning that she realized many of the manor's private assets had been added to Mu Xiaochun's dowry by Leng Rumei. Now that the woman had delivered herself to her doorstep, how could she not reclaim them?

"Stop." Mu Qi's voice was not loud, but it was crisp and clear, like pearls falling onto a tray. It carried an innate authority and a sense of dominance that caused the guards to stop their hands one after another.

Mu Xiaochun also looked over. She saw Mu Qi standing in the snow, wearing a white dress and an outer cloak of white rabbit fur. The white fur accentuated her flawless, jade-like face, her delicate features, bright eyes, and rosy lips. Standing quietly there in white, she looked like a budding magnolia—ineffably elegant and refined.

Looking at Mu Qi, Mu Xiaochun bit her lower lip so hard her teeth left marks. This woman was not only the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Anding, but she was also so exquisitely beautiful. Why did Heaven grant her such a high status and then favor her with such a beautiful countenance? Mu Xiaochun had been jealous of Mu Qi since she was old enough to remember, constantly thinking that one day she could replace her.

Yet, even after marrying into the Duke of Chen's manor two years ago, she was still merely the "Fourth Miss." Every time she faced her husband, who was ten years her senior, Mu Xiaochun felt an indescribable hatred. If she were the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Anding, how could she have married a man who was a widower and held no official rank?

Sensing the hatred in Mu Xiaochun's eyes, Mu Qi's smile only grew warmer and more gentle, like a blooming hibiscus, lovely and moving. She hated, and she smiled; this was the best response to someone who hated her.

"Fourth Sister is quite rude. This is the inner courtyard of the Marquis of Anding. What are your intentions, bringing a crowd of men into the inner residence?" Mu Qi spoke softly, her eyes lingering on the array of hairpins in Mu Xiaochun's hair. She thought to herself that with such taste, Chen San's Young Master could actually tolerate it; he certainly had heavy tastes.

Seeing Mu Qi staring at her head, Mu Xiaochun assumed she was envious of her ornaments. She reached up to adjust her hairpins with an air of arrogance and sneered, "Mu Qi, with your reputation as a broken shoe, what are you pretending to be virtuous about? Even a three-year-old in the capital knows you are nothing but a shameless little harlot."

Hearing Mu Xiaochun's words, Qiaoyu radiated a murderous aura. If it weren't for Lady Leng's family, the Miss would not have such a notorious reputation. "Miss, let me go over there and smash that foul mouth."

Mu Qi unhurriedly reached out to stop Qiaoyu, the corners of her mouth curling slightly. "Oh? Sister has had many affairs in the manor these past two days and has not been aware of the rumors outside. Since Fourth Sister has heard them, why don't you tell me about them?"

Mu Xiaochun had not expected Mu Qi to be so foolish as to voluntarily listen to such vulgarities in front of so many people. Thinking that if these words spread through the manor, Mu Qi would lose all her dignity, Mu Xiaochun could not hide her excitement. She said loudly, "Since you want to hear them, you aren't allowed to blame me!"

Mu Qi nodded. "Please, Fourth Sister, speak."

Mu Xiaochun's words were merely a formality; given the opportunity, even if Mu Qi had tried to retract her consent, she would not have let it go. "It is rumored everywhere that the eldest Miss of the Marquis's manor, Mu Qi, is lewd and lacks all feminine virtue. Any servant boy in the manor with even a bit of looks becomes your male concubine. The courtyard is even more filthy, filled with male pets. You bed several men every night, being naturally flirtatious. You dress in sheer gauze, acting dissolute, with a voice that sounds like panting, just like a prostitute in a brothel."

Mu Xiaochun spat out everything she had heard outside, along with the lies she had just made up, all in one breath. Having finished, she looked at Mu Qi with a triumphant expression. With these words pinned on her, she wondered how Mu Qi could ever marry again.

Mu Qi did not get angry. She simply turned to Mu Sang, who was standing beside her, and asked, "Did you record everything the Third Young Madam said?"

Mu Xiaochun indeed did not disappoint her. The way she described a flirtatious slut made it sound as if she had witnessed it with her own eyes. If the setting and timing had been different, Mu Qi would have wanted to applaud her.

Mu Sang's hand tendons bulged from tension. If he didn't know his Miss had a plan, he would have gone up and torn that woman's mouth apart; how could he allow her to slander the Miss like this? "This old servant has recorded it all."

Looking at the calm Mu Qi, Mu Xiaochun felt a very ominous premonition. She had specifically searched for the most hurtful words to fabricate, yet Mu Qi didn't even seem angry. It was truly, incredibly strange!