Chapter 47: Chapter 46: Obsession (Second Update)

But upon reflection, whether to believe or not, why Miao Ruoshan wanted to go to the manor, whether the Miao Family quarreled with her family and turned red in the face, had little to do with Du Yunluo.

Miao Ruoshan liking Du Yunlang was not something she instigated, nor was it her urging that made Miao Ruoshan confess to Du Yunlang.

In the end, if she hadn’t reminded Du Yunying to find someone to bring Miao Ruoshan back to Shuifu Garden before things got out of hand, the Miao family might still be busy cleaning up the mess.

Once she understood this, Du Yunluo felt peace of mind.

Yunuo seemed to be particularly sensitive to all kinds of news, and then turned to talk about another matter: "I heard this from Third Brother, saying that people from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion went to the Jiang Family to settle the marriage of the Princely Heir’s second brother before your wedding with the Princely Heir. It happened because a certain gentleman of the Jiang Family and a friend of Third Brother’s were well acquainted."

Mentioning matters related to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion caused Du Yunluo’s heart to sink instantly.

Mu Lianxiao’s second brother refers to Lian Family’s eldest son, Mu Liancheng, who succeeded the title after Mu Lianxiao’s death and finally seized the Marquisate of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.

And the Jiang Family, Jiang Yunuan.....

When it came to Du Yunluo’s boundless hatred for Mu Yuanmou and the Lian Family couple, as well as Mu Liancheng, her initial dislike and resentment toward Jiang Yunuan, who took the position of Marchioness, gradually transformed into sighs and reflections in her old age.

Jiang Yunuan was the daughter of Mrs. Xu’s cousin, from the third branch.

There were few girls in the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, and Lian Family only gave birth to one daughter named Lian Hui.

Madam Wu, feeling sorry for Mu Lianhui having no sisters to accompany her and thinking the mansion lacked a delightful girl, let Mrs. Xu bring Jiang Yunuan into the mansion.

At the time, the Jiang Family had declined, and it was considered honorable to have their daughter raised in the Marquis Mansion, so they agreed to send her.

Jiang Yunuan’s childhood was spent in the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, where she and Mu Lianhui were raised beside Madam Wu, like actual sisters. She and Mrs. Xu’s son, Mu Liankang, as well as Mu Liancheng, were like childhood sweethearts.

In the ninth year of Yong’an, Mu Yuan’an died in battle saving the Old Marquis Mu, and his widow, Mrs. Lu, miscarried, leaving the fourth branch with no offspring.

It was a heavy blow to the Old Madam, and Jiang Yunuan attended to her at her bedside daily, even more attentively than her own granddaughter, Mu Lianhui.

Seeing this, Lian Family was quite pleased, and because Mu Liancheng was fond of Jiang Yunuan, she brought it up quietly with the Old Madam after the mourning period.

Before the two families had the chance to arrange the marriage, the old lady of the Jiang family suddenly passed away, and Jiang Yunuan returned home for mourning. At the time, the Old Madam said that they would bring Jiang Yunuan back in a few years, which was essentially agreeing to Lian Family’s request.

But no one expected that January in the fourteenth year of Yong’an would bring about such a scene.

The Old Marquis and his three sons died in battle one after another. During the retrieval of their father’s and brothers’ bodies back to the Capital, Mu Liankang vanished halfway and never returned.

Jiang Yunuan came to pay her respects and offered incense, weeping bitterly in front of Madam Wu.

With the Marquis Mansion in mourning, all wedding arrangements were delayed.

When the mourning period ended, someone from the Jiang Family asked Mrs. Xu, but due to her husband’s death and her only son’s disappearance, she was too distraught to manage these matters and directed them to speak to the Old Madam.

The Old Madam couldn’t bear to let Jiang Yunuan go after raising and favoring her for so many years. Everyone in the Capital was aware of Jiang Yunuan’s connection with the Mu Family. Ignoring it would be unreasonable emotionally and logically.

The Old Madam decided, in line with her previous promise to Lian Family, to betroth Jiang Yunuan to Mu Liancheng.

After Du Yunluo married in and met her smiling sister-in-law, she felt an indescribable sentiment.

At first, she thought it was jealousy—jealousy of Jiang Yunuan’s favor with the elders, jealousy of her peaceful and never quarrelsome marriage, jealousy that they spent a lifetime hand in hand, while she could only spend half her life with a green lamp and old Buddha. Eventually, this jealousy turned into disgust and hatred. That smiling face was so piercing, highlighting Du Yunluo’s unfortunate life with Jiang Yunuan’s happiness.

Until her old age...

Until she realized Mu Lianxiao’s death was no accident and looked back in reflection, she finally understood that Jiang Yunuan’s smile wasn’t sweet, it was bitter.

Thus, before dying, Mrs. Xu said: "I can go find him, but you, just forget it."

Thus, Madam Wu, on her deathbed, said: "There isn’t any hurdle one cannot overcome. I lived through the deaths of my husband and sons; you should let go as well..."

Hence, Jiang Yunuan often went to the ancestral hall, closely watched the servants sweeping and tidying up, and her blazing eyes almost made Du Yunluo believe that if it weren’t for the constraints of etiquette, Jiang Yunuan would certainly do it herself every day.

She once thought that was because Jiang Yunuan cherished her position as the Marchioness and wanted to show her responsibility and efforts.

It wasn’t until Du Yunluo was about to close her eyes forever that she finally realized Jiang Yunuan looked at the ancestral hall with the same gaze she had, the same longing, and the same pain.

Childhood sweethearts, in Jiang Yunuan’s heart, Mu Liankang meant more than Mu Liancheng. She loved the one who didn’t come back, something both Mrs. Xu and Madam Wu knew well. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Moreover, Jiang Yunuan was a delicate thinker; having spent her life with Mu Liancheng, she likely discovered some clues.

One was a person she couldn’t forget, and the other was a caring husband. Jiang Yunuan couldn’t voice her suspicions based on mere traces, and presumably, she wandered between suspicion and confusion for many years.

Du Yunluo slowly exhaled; if Jiang Yunuan knew the truth behind Mu Liankang’s disappearance, how would she react?

Once the seed in her heart sprouted, with a little nourishment, it would grow into a towering tree. A wife nurtured in his hands, now confronts him, is the best revenge against Mu Liancheng, right?

"Fifth Sister?" Yunuo noticed Du Yunluo’s preoccupied demeanor and reached out to feel her forehead, "Are you tired from carving the flower melon? You should lie down on the couch for a while."

Hearing this, Du Yunluo came to her senses and, following the suggestion, laid on the couch.

Yunuo called Jin Rui in, smiling: "I won’t disturb Fifth Sister anymore, so I’ll leave now. Serve her well."

Jin Rui quickly agreed and, seeing Jin Ling returned, handed over the room to her and escorted Yunuo out herself.

"Have all the things been gathered?" Du Yunluo softly asked her.

"Chilled with ice, ensuring they’ll be just as they are tomorrow, rest assured, miss."

Du Yunluo nodded and rested her eyes for a while.

Perhaps due to recently carving Mu Lianxiao, every time she closed her eyes, she pictured his image.

Her chest throbbed as if a drum was being struck, echoing within.

At her ear, perhaps it was Mu Lianxiao’s hearty laughter, though unheard for half a lifetime, still lingering.

Half-awake and half-asleep, a thought crossed her mind.

In her daze, she wondered if Jiang Yunuan too thought of Mu Liankang like this.

Wishes ungranted eventually become an obsession.