Free Web NovelChapter 48: Chapter 48
Chapter 48
He heard that his face was so handsome that everyone in the capital city was taken with him. Not to mention, he holds a high social status and possesses more wealth than Mu Heng could imagine.
For a man, such comparisons are inevitable, and feeling inferior can shake one’s confidence. freeweɓnøvel.com
"But you don’t have to worry. I just wanted to inform you. I don’t wish to meet him, but I fear he will relentlessly pursue me. He hates me to the bone just as much as I hate him. Thus, any meeting between us would only result in attempts to destroy each other."
Mu Heng raised his eyebrows upon hearing his wife say this. He looked into her eyes and believed that she was not lying. The thing he heard surprised him greatly. free𝑤ebnovel.com
"You say you hate him too?"
From what he heard, wasn’t it rumored that Yueqian foolishly chased after that man? If Yueqian hates someone, that person must be a truly detestable one, hard to match.
Yueqian heard her husband’s question, together with his somber face, she guessed what he might be contemplating. The first thing her husband would think about regarding her former fiancé must be the rumors of her chasing after that man, which was why he asked her if she truly despises her former fiancé.
Additionally, what he might think next would be the reasons for why she hates him and why he hates her.
Yueqian did not want their thoughts to cause trouble later, so she decided to explain everything to Mu Heng.
"Yes, I hate him, and he probably hates me too."
"We were betrothed from a young age, due to our families’ desires to repay each other’s kindness and because both our families were prestigious. So, the position of the Young General’s wife was reserved for me."
"However, throughout that time, he kept taking wives. By the time I left, he already had four concubines. Even though I was supposed to be his principal wife, I wanted to be the only love of someone. My hope to marry him gradually faded, and I vented my anger on those women, earning the reputation of a villainess."
"Instead of protecting me, explaining to me, or at least making excuses, he did nothing. So, I fell out of love with him. Once you stop loving someone, the truth becomes clear. I lost all interest in him and lived my life in the Qin Manor."
"But the elders wouldn’t accept this. They still found time for us to be together, not realizing that many women were targeting him and using situations to provoke me."
"I was just a child and couldn’t stand the provocation. Even though I no longer cared for him, I couldn’t let his women or anyone else bully me. I fought back against everyone, which only worsened my reputation. Of course, everyone thought I was still in love with him."
"My displeasure grew daily, along with the infamous reputation of Young Villainess Qin. I didn’t even care to look at his face anymore."
"Yet, there was an incident where I was caught off guard by him. I don’t know who planned it, but they tarnished my reputation and made me a laughingstock. Those people drugged me into unconsciousness and also drugged him with aphrodisiac to simulate that I had orchestrated everything."
"No matter how I try to correct it, my notorious reputation won’t make people believe me. Ultimately, they found someone else for me to marry, assuming I was the villain who orchestrated everything."
"But did they ever consider why I would do such a thing? Anyway, he and I were engaged; we were supposed to marry. Would I need to be so foolish as to trade my position as the principal wife for something like this?"
"After that incident, I was very angry, which led me to despise him deeply. Despite that, he should have been the one who understood best what I was thinking. Instead, he ignored the situation, as if he wanted me to end up like this."
"But still... I’m more grateful to him for that because it led me to become your wife."
"If this hadn’t happened, I would never have met you. I would still be caught up in a struggle for an evil man. Now..., I feel as though I’ve escaped a dire fate." Yueqian narrated the truth with the drama she portrayed for Mu Heng to hear.
The more he listened, the more his face darkened. He was relieved to hear her final words, reflecting on how she had struggled before and how she now enjoyed cooking, writing, and playing with his younger siblings. His anger subsided considerably.
He did not want Yueqian to be without happiness. Perhaps, as she said, being with him was truly an escape for her. From now on, he resolved to make her glad to be with him, ensuring she wouldn’t have to work too hard or get too tired.
He was well aware of his shortcomings due to poverty, but if asked whether he would bring another woman into his home, he could confidently say no.
His father, like most people in the village, did not have multiple wives, possibly due to their poverty, they did not have a money to marry a woman. That shaped his belief.
He also saw the merits of having a monogamous relationship. Even a large household with many relatives was chaotic enough, let alone if there were multiple wives involved. If all were under one roof, the household would undoubtedly be tumultuous.
Mu Heng was not one to enjoy such chaos. His dream was simply to have one wife and children running around the house. That was enough for him.
"With them coming here this time, you won’t need to go into town," Mu Heng thought for a moment before speaking earnestly.
It wasn’t just about the Young General who was coming; the many people from the capital could also make Yueqian feel miserable. They might remember her and insult her terribly. In that case, it was better for her to stay at home. If she needed anything, he would go out and get it for her.
"I plan to do just that. I’ve already stocked up quite a bit. From what I can see, we should be able to last about a month and a half. If we really run out of something, I’ll rely on you to get it." The young woman told him her plan.
Mu Heng nodded, appreciating her well-thought-out plan.
They avoided trouble, but how could they escape when their enemies demanded a confrontation? Even if they stayed within their own home, they would eventually have to face them.
This became evident a few days later when a procession from the capital entered their village. She heard from Mu Heng that people from the city said rural folks might find it hard to travel to receive food, so they set up a food distribution center right there in Mu Heng’s village.
Not only that, but the women distributing food were accompanied by the army.
When Mu Heng first heard about this, he was quite concerned for his wife’s feelings. Her reputation with the people from the capital was not good, and every time Yueqian spoke of the people from the capital, her tone was unpleasant. Who would have thought that their plans to live separately and not associate with each other would end up being just their thoughts?
"Yueqian. Yueqian, are you at home?"
The voice of the village leader rang out on the day the people from the capital began setting up the soup kitchen, and the brave soldiers started to spread out to stay around the village, planning to turn this village into a command center for the capture of the One-Eyed Mountain Bandits.
Mu Heng looked at his wife in panic. The village leader’s presence here was surely not ordinary. In fact, he should have been receiving the village’s guests, not coming to call for Yueqian like this.
The beautiful woman, swishing her brush, sighed out loud. Her face was filled with annoyance, as if she had anticipated this situation was inevitable. Mu Heng looked at her worriedly until he saw her smile; then he felt somewhat relieved.
"Will you go out, or should I tell them you are not well?"
Mu Heng suggested. Even if people thought he was being deceitful, if it would make his wife more comfortable, he was ready to do it.
"It’s alright, even if I avoid them today, we will have to confront each other eventually. Better to face it now," Yueqian said indifferently.
Though the beautiful woman dressed in a simple gray outfit like a village girl, her fine complexion made her attire look more valuable.
When combined with her delicate face, it made Yueqian stand out from the villainess in fiery red, transforming her into a more approachable beauty.
Yueqian looked for a hairpin that a villager could afford, and its wood-carved patterns made her seem like a goddess seeking solitude. Typically, she did not like makeup or hairdos, and villagers didn’t care much about such things—a simple hair tie was enough to go outside. But this time, Yueqian didn’t do as usual.
The beautiful lady styled her hair like the women in the city and used the wooden pin to accentuate her elegantly shiny hair bun.
In the capital, she would let her beautiful hair flow with the wind, but now that she was married, she could not do that anymore, she needed to keep it up like a married woman, which suited Yueqian even better.
Her beauty resembled a blooming young woman, growing only more captivating with every look. So, anyone who saw her now would surely be astonished by her serene and dignified beauty.
"I’m ready."
Yueqian told her husband in brief words. Mu Heng nodded, his face set as if ready to go to battle.
His strong arm supported the delicate figure, encircling her waist to express his affection and possessiveness. Furthermore, the two young children, having overheard their elder brother and sister-in-law, followed them like personal guards.
Certainly, they already were biased against the people from the capital, as those people had bullied their sister-in-law. It was only normal for them to dislike them.
