Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 270 - 270 271 Not a Word Must Leak Out_1

Chapter 270: Chapter 271: Not a Word Must Leak Out_1 Chapter 270: Chapter 271: Not a Word Must Leak Out_1 “The Emperor owes his throne to me, and the whole world can bear witness to that. If he tries to punish me just because I don’t want to be granted a title and reject his marriage decree, it defies common sense. No one would accept that. I’m not only his meritorious subject, but also a meritorious subject of the Daqian Dynasty. Without overthrowing Consort Yuan and the others, the Daqian Dynasty might have already become a vassal to the Qilian Kingdom by now. He can’t afford to lose the people’s hearts, he can’t kill me. Moreover, I haven’t committed any unforgivable crimes, I just want to live a life unconcerned with fame and wealth. If he kills a meritorious subject for such a simple wish, that would be utterly unreasonable.”

Muniang was stunned. She had always been focused solely on earning money and had never thought about such matters of the court. It was only after hearing Yu Ze discuss these issues today that she realized that they actually made sense. However, all this talk of being a meritorious subject… why was he showing off so absurdly?

Muniang frowned and huffed, “I’ve never seen anyone so full of self-praise. ‘Unacceptable to the people,’ indeed! I will acknowledge it the day you actually suffer, to see whether you can still show your face then.”

Yu Ze laughed, “You will definitely be the first to object.”

Muniang glared at him. “Why’s that? Can’t you stop being so presumptuous?”

“You can’t bear to part with me,” Yu Ze said shamelessly.

“I very much can!”

“You can’t bear it.”

“I can!”

“You can’t bear it.”

“I—mmph, mmph mmph mmph mmph mmph.” Roughly translated, this was Muniang cursing Yu Ze as a bastard.

Yu Ze pressed aggressively against Muniang’s delicate lips, leaving no room for escape. Ever since He Suxue appeared and cast a shadow over Muniang, they hadn’t been intimate. Now he wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

After a long while, Yu Ze finally let go of Muniang. Her little face was flushed red, not with shyness, but from being out of breath. Her oxygen-deprived body was drained of strength, and she lay limply in Yu Ze’s arms, only standing with the support of Yu Ze’s strong embrace.

“My lady, I’ve behaved so well today. What reward will you give me?” Yu Ze raised his eyebrows.

Regaining her composure, Muniang pushed him hard, “We haven’t settled things yet, stop distracting me with this nonsense! We’re still arguing, don’t try to get cozy with me!”

Tears streamed down Yu Ze’s face; he thought they had already made up.

“My lady—” Yu Ze looked aggrieved.

Muniang, who couldn’t stand hard treatment but was a sucker for the soft approach, could no longer bear to be harsh on him. However, she still felt uneasy, “Are you sure everything will be alright? I’m still worried.”

“Muniang, no matter how big the issue, I’m here, okay?”

“Okay.” Muniang had no choice but to nod. She had never accepted He Suxue, and if Yu Ze had truly accepted the imperial decree, she would probably be planning to divorce him by now. She disliked incessant entanglements and had no interest in sharing her husband with a woman she found utterly repulsive. But now that Yu Ze had really defied the decree, Muniang suddenly felt nervous, worrying whether the Emperor would blame him, or punish him. Her conflicted feelings were truly vexing.

That night, Yu Ze left the house quietly, alone, not disturbing anyone. He made his way to the bamboo grove not far from the house, where a man in black was already waiting. As soon as he saw Yu Ze, he bowed and said, “General.”

Yu Ze responded with a cold voice, “From today on, keep a close watch on the palace, see how His Majesty reacts to my defiance of his decree, and inform me immediately.”

Although his analysis was sound and the Emperor wouldn’t dare to kill him, he still couldn’t be complacent, as Muniang had said, anything could happen. Therefore, to be cautious, he ordered his men to closely monitor the palace in case of any unexpected developments.

“Yes.”

“And find out what exactly is going on with He Suxue’s arranged marriage. Who has been pulling the strings behind the scenes?” There was a flash of cold light in Yu Ze’s eyes. He Suxue, you dare to use this method to threaten me? Are you so certain that I would not dare to defy an imperial decree?”

——

In the backyard, Qingya was already training the household servants and maids on the rules, “Not a word about what you saw yesterday should be leaked. Our master’s identity and status, whether he defies an imperial order or not, are not to be discussed. If any shortsighted person lets slip even half a word, don’t blame me for not showing mercy!

“When you all first arrived at the mansion, the lady already told you to abide by your duties and keep to yourselves. There’s plenty of good children around; any treacherous thoughts should be put away immediately. Those who gossip about their masters, the lady will not be lenient. If I hear even the slightest rumor about our master’s true identity outside, I’ll hold all of you accountable!”

The maids and servants shivered with fear and quickly acknowledged her words.

After Qingya finished her admonishment, she then went to report back to Muniang. Muniang nodded, “I still don’t completely trust them. Keep a close watch; don’t let them cause any trouble.”

“Yes.”

Qinghe playfully complained, “It’s not something bad, why hide it? Yu Ze’s identity is bound to be revealed sooner or later, isn’t it?”

But Muniang replied, “If everyone knows about Yu Ze’s identity now, then I have to take into account his Marquis Chen Mansion’s reputation in my dealings, and others will have to consider my Princess status as well. If that happens, I might as well give up on doing business and idle away my life in the inner chambers.”

Li Qinghe blinked, “What’s wrong with idling your life away? That sounds pretty good.”

Muniang pinched Qinghe’s face, “Are you deliberately contradicting me now?”

Qinghe grinned, “You’ve seen right through me.”

Muniang said with mild annoyance, “I could certainly never be that kind of person. What pleasure is there in such a life? Titles like Princess and General’s Wife, they’re not earned by oneself. It’s not as satisfying as being the wealthiest person in the country.”

Qinghe was amazed, “My goodness, you’re not seriously aiming for that title, are you? It’s not that easy.”

Muniang raised an eyebrow, “That’s because they haven’t met me. Recently, I upgraded the quality of our goods at the Embroidery House and tapped into a huge market of wealthy families. Our income at the Embroidery House is climbing steadily. I’m planning to open a new one soon.”

“When are you planning to do that?”

Muniang smiled, “No rush, perhaps next year. We’ll see then.”

Qinghe suddenly understood and started to smile slyly, “Waiting until next year, huh? What are you planning for this year then? Going back with your husband to meet the in-laws?”

Muniang blushed, “What nonsense are you talking about?” But that was exactly what she had in mind.

“It’s about time you two took care of this matter. Otherwise, all the people in the Capital City lusting after your husband will keep coming up with women every now and then. How will you go on living? You have seen for yourself Yu Ze’s intentions. He would defy a decree for you. What more is there to discuss? If you miss this chance, it might be hard to find another as good.”

Muniang indeed found the words resonating in her heart, but she still teased Qinghe, “Wow, now you’re a love expert, even starting to meddle in my affairs? With all this free time, why don’t you look after your own matters?”