Long Er quieted down and stopped being so aggressive. This was exactly what he wanted to hear.
"Second Master, please don't hate me. I'm not like that, I just..."
She remained silent for a while, and Long Er grew impatient. He wanted to hear more; he urged her to speak quickly. "But what?"
"But..." Overwhelmed with sadness, she sobbed uncontrollably, feeling both ashamed and guilty.
"Ju Mu'er!" Long Er roared. If she kept teasing him, he would really lose his temper.
"I've fallen for Second Master, I love Second Master the most, there's no one more. So I absolutely can't let Second Master be implicated!" Ju Mu'er, emboldened by his shout, retorted even louder than him!
She's fallen in love with him, so what!
73. A heart of iron, yet tender at heart.
Long Er laughed, and burst into loud laughter.
His undisguised smile made Ju Mu'er blush with embarrassment. Those words were truly inappropriate; given his personality, they would have been a handle to use against her. But the words had already been spoken, and it was too late to regret it.
After laughing enough, Long Er asked, "Do you really like me? No one can compare to me, right?"
Ju Mu'er pursed her lips. She had just finished scheming against him, so he definitely wasn't asking this question in a romantic or affectionate way. But since she had already spoken, there was no point in denying it, so she nodded.
Long Er then asked, "If I were angry with you or resent you, would you be sad and upset?"
Ju Mu'er nodded again.
“Very good.” Long Er was very satisfied. He nodded and said, “Then listen carefully. I’m going to hold a grudge against you for treating me this way. If you think I, Long Er, am a pushover who can be molded and manipulated by anyone, then you are very wrong.”
"Second Master..." Ju Mu'er never thought that Long Er was easy to bully, but she really didn't expect that Long Er would retaliate against her, so when she heard Long Er say this, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"I, Long Er, am a man of principle who seeks revenge and holds grudges no matter how small. Do you think I'll just play around with whatever you do to me? You're wrong!" Long Er's tone made Ju Mu'er's heart tighten, as if pricked by needles, a fine, lingering pain.
"You think I'll treat you the same way after I divorce you? You're wrong!"
Ju Mu'er bit her lip, unable to speak.
"If you were my Longju clan, I would take responsibility for anything you do. But since you've schemed against me like this, and are no longer my family, I will no longer be polite to you. From now on, you can forget about having a peaceful life." Long Er was very satisfied with his swift and ruthless words.
Ju Mu'er lowered her head, heartbroken by his words, "If you were my Long Ju clan." She pinched the flesh on her leg, trying to hold back her tears.
It's all her own doing, the decisions she made. She wanted to marry him then, now she regrets it—it's all her fault. If she hadn't been greedy, if she hadn't been selfish, everyone wouldn't be so heartbroken today.
"Ju Mu'er, let me tell you, I'm not saddened by the divorce, but I'm furious that you forced me like this. So don't get me wrong, if I treat you badly in the future, it won't be because I regret divorcing you." Long Er kept repeating the same few sentences. He wasn't ashamed at all for saying that his claim of divorcing Ju Mu'er was completely untrue. He felt a sense of pleasure watching Ju Mu'er being saddened by his words.
This woman dares to reject him! He'll make her regret it, make her cry and beg him to marry her again.
She'll just wait and see!
Long Er felt that he had completely gained the upper hand after several exchanges. Ju Mu'er had personally admitted that she loved him, and she was saddened when she heard him say that he disliked her. He controlled her emotions, and he was so important to her.
Long Er became increasingly smug. Seeing that Ju Mu'er finally couldn't hold back and tears fell down her cheeks, he took a long, satisfying breath. It felt so good.
Long Er left, having made Ju Mu'er cry. He was very satisfied and left arrogantly.
This time he didn't look back. He felt the victory was quite good, and he wanted to press his advantage, leave her hanging for three days, and wait until she was upset enough before coming back to deal with her.
As soon as Long Er returned to the mansion, a servant came to invite him, saying that Long Da had something to discuss.
When Long Er entered the council hall, he saw that Long Da and his wife, as well as Long San and his wife, were all sitting there. The sight made Long Er clear his throat, slowly walk in, and choose a seat.
"What happened?" Long Da asked bluntly.
Long Er touched his nose, his arrogance in front of Ju Mu'er completely gone. He glanced at An Ruochen and Feng Wu, thought for a moment, and decided it was best not to publicize the matter since it was still unclear. So he replied, "Mu'er was just teasing me."
"Are you kidding me?" Long San was dumbfounded.
Feng Wu looked at An Ruochen and said, "Second sister-in-law is playing pretty big games."
An Ruochen nodded: "The key is that my second brother is also happy to play with her."
Long Er looked around the room, pretending not to hear.
Long Da and Long San exchanged a glance, both understanding that things were not so simple, but since Long Er was unwilling to talk about it, there must be more to the story.
"Let us know when you're done playing."
Long Da's question made Long Er's expression turn serious, and he lowered his head in thought. An Ruochen caught Long Da's gaze and pulled Feng Wu along, saying, "Since it's not a big deal, Feng Feng and I will go out first. You brothers can talk it over."
Feng Wu was also perceptive, so she obediently walked out, but couldn't help but make a fuss: "Sister-in-law, I was divorced by Long San, and now Second Sister-in-law has also been divorced by Second Uncle, so you're the only one in our family who hasn't been divorced. You must hold on."
An Ruochen laughed heartily and pulled her quickly outside. Long Da turned around and glared at Long San, who took a sip of tea and pretended not to hear.
Soon only the three brothers remained in the room. Some glared at each other, some pretended to be oblivious, and some fell into deep thought; no one spoke. Finally, the eldest brother, the one with the most authority, spoke up: "Explain yourself clearly, what is your husband making a fuss about?"
Long Er didn't like hearing this. What did he mean by "your son is a troublemaker"? He pointed at Long San and threw mud at him: "The one who's a troublemaker is the third son's son. My son is clever and lovely."
Long San was also unhappy: "Nonsense, Feng'er is not troublesome at all. Feng'er is lively and lovable."
“None of them are easy to deal with.” Long Da was very unhappy. With the family in such a mess, how could he, as the eldest son, explain to his ancestors? “Tell them to learn from your sister-in-law. She is steady and virtuous. That is the way of a wife.”
Tch! Long Er and Long San simultaneously turned their heads away, ignoring him. How dare their boss say that? They were too embarrassed to even listen.
"What are you snickering about? Hurry up and tell me what happened. If you two are just joking around, go tell us in front of our parents' memorial tablets. I don't want to hear it." Long Da's face was grim, and he had no mood for joking at all.
Long Er straightened his expression. He needed to have a serious talk with his brother about this, because if things continued according to his ideas, they would be gambling with the Long family's life and fortune.
Long Er explained the situation, Ju Mu'er's determination to clear her name, and how she had tried to force a divorce.
After they finished speaking, the three brothers fell silent. After a while, Long Er said, "I can't let her face all this alone."
Long sighed, "It's a pity she's a woman. If she were a man, with such cunning and skill, and a loyal and chivalrous heart, she would be a great talent to serve the country."
Long San also sighed, "If her eyesight were still good and she had Feng'er's skills, it wouldn't be difficult for her to become a famous hero in the martial arts world."
Long Er glared at the two brothers and said, "Are we talking about the same thing?"
Long Da nodded and continued naturally, "It is indeed difficult to get past the Emperor. When he first ascended the throne, this case was handled with great fanfare, which saved him face. That's why all the old ministers who didn't support him shut up. If you want to overturn the case, not only do you need solid evidence, but you also have to consider the Emperor's dignity, find a way out for him, and show off your power so that the ministers can't say a single word. Only then can you succeed."
Long San also said, "It's not just the Emperor, but also the Ministry of Justice and Ding Sheng's faction. They're not a small number in the court. If each of them creates an obstacle, this matter can be ruined."
After they finished speaking, they both looked at Ryuji. Okay, now we're talking about the same thing, so what's next?
Long Er pursed his lips. What they were saying was all nonsense. He knew perfectly well how difficult this matter was, and he didn't need them to remind him. "I'm telling you all this so that you know I can't ignore her, but this matter is of no benefit to our Long family. If it's not handled properly, it could bring about the extermination of our entire family."
Long Da frowned: "So you want to split up the family? I don't agree."
Long San also said, "I can't divorce you like my second sister-in-law did. We are related by blood, so no matter what, we can't be separated, right?"
Long Er stared at them. Long Da said, "Don't bring up such impossible things. Anyway, I know what happened. I'll keep an eye on things with the court for you."
Long San also said, "The matter of that musical score has been causing quite a stir in the martial arts world lately. Everyone says it's a martial arts manual, and it has caused quite a few disputes. I will look into it carefully, Second Brother, don't worry."
Long Er nodded. He wasn't worried, really not worried. What worried him more was that stubborn and ungrateful woman. He really should give her another good beating and then use the example of their Long family to teach her a lesson: family members should unite to face whatever happens, not scheme and abandon each other like she did.
Thinking this through, Long Er felt angry with Ju Mu'er again. If he didn't teach her a lesson this time, she would never repent. Therefore, he had to harden his heart and deal with her properly.
He had been feeling insecure before, but after she personally admitted that she loved him, he felt much more confident.
Despite saying that, Long Er didn't sleep well that night. He thought of the cold steamed bun. It was so late; he wondered if Mu'er had eaten, and if she was hungry. Besides, she was living alone in the tavern, which made washing and tidying up inconvenient. He had made her so sad; how could she get any rest?
Long Er tossed and turned, unable to sleep all night.
The next day, Long Er struggled all day but finally managed to resist going to see Ju Mu'er. He was afraid that if he went, he would soften his heart, and he had finally gained the upper hand, so he had to hold onto this victory no matter what. But he was indeed worried about her well-being, so he sent the guard he had sent to the wine shop to inquire. Only after learning that Su Qing had been taking care of her at the wine shop all day did he breathe a sigh of relief.
On the third day, Long Er struggled internally. If three days wasn't enough, two days would be fine, right? But if he went today, it seemed like only one day had passed. Wasn't that a bit too short?
Long Er persevered in the end, but he made his guards report the situation of the wine shop to him every two hours. The two guards took turns guarding the shop and rushed back to report every two hours. This was a very difficult and arduous process.
On the fourth day, Long Er told himself again that these two days were enough. When it comes to important matters, one shouldn't be bothered with trifles, and a day or two wouldn't make a difference. But he also blamed himself for not being able to stay calm and for not being patient enough, which was why he underestimated her in everything and was manipulated by her. He was determined to get his revenge this time, with interest, because she would never know how powerful he was.
But before he could make up his mind, a guard came to report that Ju Mu'er was ill.
Is she sick? Long Er's heart tightened. But then he thought, everyone gets sick sometimes, he couldn't afford to panic over every little thing, or she'd have him wrapped around her little finger.
The guard said, "These past few days, Madam has not left the house. It has been Miss Su Qing who has been coming and going. But today, Miss Su Qing seemed very anxious and rushed to find a doctor. I pretended to run into her while I was on business and asked her what was wrong. She said that Madam had been feeling unwell yesterday and is now seriously ill. She has a high fever and is unconscious."
Upon hearing this, Long Er could no longer contain himself and jumped to his feet.
Long Er galloped towards the local wine shop, followed by the Long family's carriage carrying the doctor he had personally recruited. Upon arriving at the wine shop, Long Er jumped off before the horse had even come to a complete stop. Seeing the door unlocked, he hurriedly pushed it open and entered.
In the front kitchen, Su Qing had just finished boiling the medicine and was coming out with a small tray when she saw Long Er. She was quite surprised to see him and quickly greeted him. Long Er gave a perfunctory reply and followed her to the backyard, asking her about Ju Mu'er's condition along the way. When the two of them arrived at Ju Mu'er's room, they saw Yun Qingxian sitting by the bed.
Su Qing asked in surprise, "When did you arrive, sir?"
Long Er glared at her, secretly blaming her for not guarding the gate properly and letting just anyone in. Regardless of who Yun Qingxian was, kicking him out now was the right thing to do.
"I heard that Miss Ju is ill, so I brought a doctor to take a look at her." Yun Qingxian glanced at Long Er and the people behind him and answered calmly.
"Miss Ju?" Long Er was furious upon hearing this. He completely ignored the doctor-like man standing to the side of the room; he took two steps forward and stared at Yun Qingxian's hand. That obnoxious hand was currently holding his Mu'er's hand.
Before Long Er could speak, Ju Mu'er, who was burning up and delirious on the bed, suddenly stirred. Yun Qingxian quickly grabbed her hand and leaned over to check on her.
Ju Mu'er, her eyes still closed, weakly murmured as if calling out, "Husband..."
Long Er's face turned green instantly. Who was he calling "husband" to?!
He is the right husband! He is the right one!
Author's Note: Oops, I'm totally stuck on this, so I haven't updated. Please don't be rude or bully me. Please get rid of this writer's block!!!
74. Second Master devises a gambling strategy to test his wits.
Long Er disliked Yun Qingxian the most.
It wasn't because of past grudges, nor because he disliked Yun Qingxian's personality; Long Er had completely forgotten about those past events, because he had even more compelling reasons to dislike Yun Qingxian.
That is—this guy has feelings for Ju Mu'er.
They truly have feelings for each other.
Men can always see the deeper meaning behind a man's eyes.
Long Er hadn't noticed it before, but after the marriage, he was gradually filled with sweetness and joy, and he began to understand what his eldest and third brothers meant when they looked at their wives. He had seen that same expression in Yun Qingxian's eyes during the musical duel in the palace, when Yun Qingxian was looking at Ju Mu'er.
At this moment, Yun Qingxian was also looking at Ju Mu'er. The expression in his eyes made Long Er very uncomfortable, as if he had swallowed a fly.
"Dr. Chen!" Long Er shouted, startling Dr. Chen, who was following behind him carrying a medical kit. He hadn't done anything, so why was he being yelled at?
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and take Mu'er's pulse." Quickly go up and push that guy surnamed Yun down.
Dr. Chen quickly agreed, taking two steps forward before stopping. Yun Qingxian was sitting by the bedside, showing no intention of getting up to offer himself. Dr. Chen was stuck, unable to move forward or backward.
"Dr. Chen, Mu'er is seriously ill. If we don't diagnose her soon and prescribe medicine, what will happen if we delay her treatment?" Long Er said in a sinister tone, addressing Dr. Chen while keeping his eyes fixed on Yun Qingxian.
Yun Qingxian glanced at Su Qing, who stood silently to the side, then at the bowl of medicine in her hand, and finally met Long Er's gaze. It seemed that he, like Long Er, had brought his own doctor and completely ignored Su Qing.
Yun Qingxian and Long Er stared at each other for a moment, then Yun Qingxian suddenly raised his right hand slightly. Ju Mu'er was holding his hand, and although he raised it, she did not let go.