The Jianghu of Feng Qingcheng and Mo Xibei

Chapter 68

"Look at my memory! When I saw such a stunning beauty as Miss, I was so happy that I forgot everything else," Liu the matchmaker slapped her head heavily. "Miss, there is a girl named Honglu in your household, right? Well, a young master Chu who lives in the inn across the street asked me to ask for his brother Tian Xin's hand in marriage with this girl Honglu."

"Propose marriage for Honglu?" Mo Xibei was secretly delighted. "Tianxin, did your aunt meet him? Is he happy about it?"

"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have dared to come." Matchmaker Liu beamed with joy, thinking that this commission seemed to be a sure thing. Just as she was about to sing the praises of Tian Xin's character and appearance, she began, "I heard that Young Master Tian Xin first met Miss Honglu not long ago, when he was with Chunfeng..."

"I know how they met," Mo Xibei scoffed, thinking that this matchmaker was indeed adept at hiding things from both sides, even daring to fabricate a story about when Tian Xin and Hong Lü met. "What I want to know is, has the auspicious day been set? When?"

“Miss is not married yet, no wonder she doesn’t know these things.” Matchmaker Liu covered her mouth with her handkerchief again, chuckled twice, and then said, “Young Master Chu invited me here to pass on a message to Miss Honglu. He said that although we are both guests, the wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event and cannot be taken lightly. He asked Miss Honglu to rest assured that he can make the decision for Tianxin. Everything must not be simplified and must be done in accordance with ancient rites. The steps must not be disordered and the customs must not be broken.”

My mom had an allergic reaction to seafood and we rushed her to the hospital for an IV drip last night. I stood by her side for two hours. I was exhausted. Please excuse me for posting less now; I'll finish tomorrow!

Volume Two: The Wind Leaves Its Mark, Chapter Eighteen: The Road Ahead (Part Five)

Even if Chu Junfeng hadn't said anything, Mo Xibei had already planned it all out. Honglu's wedding was going to be a grand affair. Originally, she intended to give Honglu the Jade Pavilion on the fourth floor as part of her dowry. While the Jade Pavilion wasn't the most profitable business on the fourth floor, it was the easiest and least demanding to maintain. However, Tian Xin declared she would never leave Chu Junfeng, and Chu Junfeng had no intention of leaving the capital for Jiangnan. Therefore, Mo Xibei decided to simply give Honglu the Spring Breeze Pavilion as her dowry, and then leave after the wedding.

On the eve of their wedding, the two squeezed into a room, bidding each other a reluctant farewell.

"Young Master Mo, if I said that I don't really want to get married anymore, would you think I'm too frivolous in everything I do?" Honglu asked softly as she lay on Mo Xibei's soft bed.

"Pre-wedding jitters, it's said that almost every girl has the urge to not get married before she gets married." Mo Xibei lay down next to her, putting his arm behind his head. "But you're getting married tomorrow, so you can't be like you were before you got married, doing whatever you want, understand?"

"Judging from your tone, it sounds like you're my mother, but I remember I'm older than you." Honglu pushed Mo Xibei, took a deep breath, and then slowly said, "Actually, I'm more worried about you. You're lazy and greedy, how can you have the energy to manage a business? The accounts will definitely be a mess. And then there's Young Master Mu. You clearly told me that men who are too handsome are only meant to be admired from afar, but you can't resist the allure of beautiful women. He's perfect in front of you, but haven't you seen the way he sometimes looks at other people? It's so cold, like a drawn sword held to someone's neck, chilling you to the bone. I'm really afraid he'll hurt you in the future."

“Silly girl. I’m not that easily hurt. Actually, relationships are all about fate; meeting is destiny. Whether it’s a good or bad fate, as long as you open your heart and face it calmly, you’ll find that your world is always vast and boundless. Don’t worry too much about the business. I run the fourth floor just for fun. You know how much I’ve earned these past few years. In this life, you can’t take anything with you when you die; money is just a burden. I’m still running the fourth floor mainly because so many people rely on it for their livelihood. Everything is running smoothly, and I only need to spend some time watching over it. There won’t be any problems.” Mo Xibei thought for a while before adding, “As for you, the books say that a couple should grow old together; it’s a very profound subject. I think it’s all about patience.” "Respect is key to a good relationship. You two need to respect and love each other, learn to be tolerant of each other, and have a few healthy, chubby children—that would be perfect." "You talk like you've been there all along. If I hadn't known you for so many years, I would have really thought you'd been married for ages and lived a life of perfect harmony with your husband." Honglu snorted, seemingly unconvinced, but her breathing became heavier, and she remained silent for a long time, so long that Mo Xibei thought she had fallen asleep. Then, she suddenly said in a very low voice, "Xibei, thank you. Actually, the one I miss the most is you." Mo Xibei's heart sank inexplicably, an inexplicable unease welling up inside him. He turned to look at Honglu, only to see her eyes closed, her breathing even, as if she were truly asleep.

The wedding banquet, featuring both red and green guests, was held at Xinglong Inn. Neither side had any relatives, so the guests were mostly just there to celebrate. The attendees were all staff members from both inns. After a round of drinks, the sounds of drinking games and toasts rose and fell, and some people even started to force Tianxin to drink heavily.

Mo Xibei never liked such commotion, so he left early and returned to Chunfeng Ruyi Restaurant. The owner had a happy occasion, so a notice was posted on the door announcing that the restaurant would be closed for a day. However, in the main hall of Chunfeng Ruyi Restaurant, there were still a few people standing around the young man sitting in the center chair, like stars surrounding the moon.

Mo Xibei recognized him; he was the young master who had visited many times before. In fact, she had long since figured out his identity, but neither he nor she spoke of it. However, this time Huang Jin stood respectfully to the side with his head bowed. Under heaven, the only person who could make Huang Jin so humble was the current emperor. Therefore, she stopped far away and, upon seeing the slight smile on the young master's lips, bowed deeply and said, "This humble subject, Mo Xibei, pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"

"No need for such formalities. We are siblings. You need not be so polite when you see me in the future." The young master smiled slightly, stood up and helped Mo Xibei up. "My mother told me that Huang Jin said you look very much like my mother and me. I was suspicious. Now it seems that it really is you. I am so happy today. Jingjia, you should come back to the palace with me now."

“Your Majesty’s kindness is too much for me to refuse, but I’m used to being free and unrestrained, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to adapt to life in the palace. Rather than causing trouble that’s hard to handle later, it’s better to continue being my carefree little boss and enjoy a pleasant life.” Mo Xibei took a half step back without raising her head, her tone as humble as possible. “Silly girl, you are my own sister, the most honored woman in the palace besides the Empress Dowager. Not only will no one dare to cause you trouble, but even if there is trouble, the Empress Dowager and I can handle it for you. You don’t need to worry about anything and can still be carefree and happy.” The Emperor smiled, understanding and relaxed. “Jingjia, your brother knows you’ve suffered a lot these years while wandering outside. Your brother promises that from now on, you will only be happier, and your brother will definitely make it up to you.”

But the happiness and joy I desire most is to leave the capital far away, to become a free and easy businessman, to make money, and then to enjoy life. Mo Xibei's lips twitched, still trying to figure out how to phrase his words directly and tactfully, when the back corner door of the hall was forcefully flung open.

Those surrounding the emperor immediately drew their weapons, pointing them directly at the back corner gate, where a young woman in a light lake-green dress stood. Her long hair was styled into a flowing cloud bun, with a gold hairpin inserted diagonally, its long tassels hanging down her temples as if they might fall to the ground at any moment.

Mo Xibei had seen Murong Lianyun with a charming smile, Murong Lianyun with a cute and innocent look, and so on... but he had never seen Murong Lianyun with such captivating charm before him. Her watery eyes seemed to steal one's soul with every glance, and her slightly protruding belly did not make her look bloated, but rather added to her full and graceful figure.

"Young Master Zhu, have you forgotten Lianyun?" Murong Lianyun ignored the cold blade already pointed at his chest, staring blankly at the emperor. "Lianyun has been longing for you day and night, Young Master," he said, gently stroking his lower abdomen. "We are all waiting for you."

Volume Two: The Wind Leaves Its Mark, Chapter Eighteen: The Road Ahead (Part Six)

"Lianyun?" Mo Xibei felt a bang in her head, as if something had exploded violently. Her temples throbbed with pain. She felt that there was something fishy about Murong Lianyun and Chu Junfeng, but she never expected that the once innocent girl would have such a trick up her sleeve.

"Young Master, Lianyun is carrying your child. Please, give Lianyun and this child a way out." Murong Lianyun knelt heavily on the ground with a thud, crawling towards the Emperor. Tears streamed down her cheeks. The guards responsible for protecting the Emperor were at a loss for how to react. Some of them had escorted the Emperor out of the palace to meet with Murong Lianyun more than once, but the Emperor's will was hard to fathom, and they hesitated whether to stop her humble approach with their swords in hand.

Mo Xibei turned to look at the emperor. The emperor clenched his right fist, coughed twice, and, feeling Mo Xibei's gaze, merely smiled slightly. Only when Murong Lianyun took two more steps closer did he say, "Lianyun, are you sure you're carrying my child?"

“Young Master…” Murong Lianyun froze on the spot. She almost instantly raised her head, her eyes wide open, as if she could not believe what she was hearing. After a long while, she said, “What do you mean by this, Young Master? If you look down on Lianyun’s humble origins, you can just say so. Why do you have to insult my child like this?”

"Lianyun, I... I mean, that's not what I meant. It's just that I was a little surprised when you suddenly said you were pregnant with my child." The emperor spoke in a very gentle tone, almost like a lover's murmur. However, Mo Xibei saw that his handsome face, apart from the cold smile at the corner of his mouth, showed no sign of relaxation.

"I, the Emperor?" Murong Lianyun was stunned, and it took her a long time to recover. "Young Master hasn't contacted me lately, and I know in my heart that you've ultimately rejected me. Originally, I thought you were just an ordinary wealthy young master, but I never expected your status to be so noble. I was truly foolish. You call yourself 'I, the Emperor,' that's the Emperor! An emperor has six palaces. What kind of women haven't he seen? What kind of women haven't he met? Why would he care about a commoner like me? Fine, today's events are my own doing. I, Murong Lianyun, am destined for hardship, but I still have this much pride. I'll leave, I'll leave now. I will definitely give birth to this child properly and raise him to adulthood." After saying this, she stood up, no longer looking at the people in the hall. She turned and walked out.

“Miss Murong, now that you know the Emperor’s identity, you should know that you claim to be carrying the Emperor’s child. How could the Emperor let you leave so easily?” Everyone fell silent. Murong Lianyun took two steps forward, but was stopped by Huang Jin.

"What else can you do? Kill me and be done with it?" Murong Lianyun sneered repeatedly, tears welling up in her eyes again. Suddenly, she turned to Mo Xibei and said, "Sister Mo, if I die, I will have to trouble you to find a simple coffin to send me back to Luoyang. My happiest days were spent there, so it can be considered as returning to my roots."

"Don't talk nonsense about dying." Mo Xibei didn't want to speak, but he had to say it now. "I think everything can be resolved. This talk of life and death is scary."

“Your Highness, you have been away from the palace for a long time. Do you know how important the matter of the dragon’s offspring is? The royal bloodline cannot be confused. If Miss Murong lies about being pregnant with the dragon’s offspring, once it is verified, it will be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of her family.” Huang Jin stopped Murong Lianyun and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"How can we verify this?" Mo Xibei thought to himself. Even if I've never eaten pork, I've seen pigs run. I've read quite a few ancient palace novels and TV dramas. Women in the harem really do use any means necessary to determine who has the child. But right now, there's no advanced equipment to extract a fetal blood sample for DNA testing. All we have is some kind of blood test. You know, as long as people have the same blood type, their blood can mix. But the blood types of biological parents and children may not be completely compatible. If we rely on this test result to solve a case, wouldn't that be treating human life like dirt?

"Then we must respectfully request Your Majesty's judgment." Huang Jin bowed, passing the buck back to the Emperor.

"This happened so suddenly, I need to think about it. Here's what I'll do, Huang Jin, go and summon the imperial physician to examine her first, and we'll talk about the rest later." The emperor put his hands behind his back and turned to Mo Xibei, saying, "Imperial sister, she's from your household, so you can continue to take care of her for now. Today we've recognized each other as siblings, and I need to hurry back to tell Mother the good news so I can arrange for your return to the palace as soon as possible. The imperial physician will be here soon, and I'll have to trouble you these next few days." Mo Xibei wanted to say, "When did I recognize you as my sister?" but the emperor walked away quickly, not giving anyone a chance to interrupt. He turned and went out, and there was already a carriage that Mo Xibei hadn't seen before parked outside. The emperor and his guards disappeared almost instantly.

"Sister Mo, you're a princess? When did you become a princess?" Murong Lianyun watched the emperor's figure disappear before she could barely stand in front of Mo Xibei, her eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.

"That's a long story, Lianyun. How did you come to know the Emperor?" Mo Xibei didn't want to explain his bizarre experiences, because there was no need to.

"What, you forgot? You were there that day too, right here in the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Your pet rabbit died, and I came to tell you. Then, the Emperor and I fell in love at first sight." Murong Lianyun looked up at the second floor, recalling the scene. "Northwest, I always thought I liked you, but the moment I saw the Emperor, I understood what true love is like. In the end, I want to thank you, Northwest. Without you, I would never know what it feels like to love someone, and I would never know that loving someone can make you give everything without hesitation."

"You..." Mo Xibei smiled bitterly. She didn't feel that Murong Lianyun was saying "I love you" to her at all. On the contrary, she felt that Murong Lianyun was saying "I hate you." She also suspected that Murong Lianyun was intentionally getting close to the emperor, but she lacked reliable evidence. She couldn't figure out whether Murong Lianyun knew the emperor's identity all along or just found out. If she knew all along, then where did she find out from?

Mo Xibei also hoped to find some clues on Murong Lianyun's face, but Murong Lianyun had already headed towards the back door. Each step was slow and steady. When she was almost at the door, she stopped slightly and said to Mo Xibei, "Xibei, I thought that after wearing a wedding dress but not being able to marry last time, I had no happiness left. I never thought that I could meet someone I love and have a child of my own. Xibei, I hope you can bless me as you blessed Honglu. After all, I have no relatives or friends left in this world, okay?"

Volume Two: The Wind Leaves a Mark, Chapter Nineteen: Identity (Part One)

"I won't bless you, because you've chosen a path that's destined to be unhappy." Mo Xibei looked at Lian Yun, her usual smile gone, replaced by coldness. She had used Murong Lian Yun once, albeit as a calculated move, but a mistake was a mistake, and she acknowledged it. She was willing to make amends in any way possible. But for the first time, she realized that the Murong Lian Yun before her was a complete stranger.

"Then I can only say, what a pity." Murong Lianyun snorted, and before leaving, he turned to look at Mo Xibei. "Xibei, you don't need to work hard to get everything. I used to believe in fate, but I don't now. Now I only know that fate is in my own hands."

“Your fate is indeed in your own hands, Lian Yun. I hope you won’t regret it.” After saying this, Mo Xibei turned around and went upstairs.

Amidst the vibrant red and green wedding feast, Mu Feinan made a brief appearance alongside her. However, he disliked crowds even more than she did, so after seeing the newlyweds off, he volunteered to stay at Chunfeng Ruyi Tower to "look after the place." Upon reaching the second floor, Mo Xibei realized that something had been amiss ever since he entered and saw the meatballs—the lively scene downstairs had been completely overshadowed by the fact that Mu Feinan, who was supposed to be "looking after the place," had not shown up at all.

One has no choice in choosing one's parents and siblings, even someone reborn like Mo Xibei. From the very first day she unexpectedly arrived in the Ming Dynasty, some unchangeable facts were predetermined, such as having another name and another identity—these were things she could not alter.

Given Mu Feinan's skill level, it wouldn't be difficult for him to overhear the conversation in the hall of such a quiet building. This realization made Mo Xibei somewhat anxious, because she had no way of knowing how Mu Feinan would react after learning that he also had the identity of a princess.

The Accord was right in front of him. His heart pounded wildly, and it took Mo Xibei a long while to finally let out a sigh of relief. He decided to put aside his own needless worries and let things take their course. He'd have to see Mu Feinan's reaction first.

The door was ajar, ready to be opened at a touch. Mo Xibei had been holding her breath outside for a while, and when the door opened, she couldn't help but take a deep breath. The strong aroma of alcohol hit her, so intense that it made her cough twice.