Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 294 - 294 295 Half Truth Half False_1

Chapter 294: Chapter 295 Half Truth, Half False_1 Chapter 294: Chapter 295 Half Truth, Half False_1 Jian Yue’s words were a combination of grace and authority. On one hand, she reminded Muniang not to be narrow-minded, and on the other, she reassured her—the position of Princess of the Yu Family was hers, and no one else could take it. Jian Yue believed this approach should help Muniang more easily accept certain matters.

Muniang, however, sneered inwardly. So this was He Suxue’s doing. No sooner had she left than she came back to feign innocence and seek sympathy, trying to trap her into appearing cruel and unjust, right? Hearing Jian Yue’s subtly crafted words, Muniang knew that He Suxue had been speaking ill of her, adding fuel to the fire. It was fortunate that Jian Yue was good-natured; had it been someone else, they might have already kicked her out of the house.

Muniang pursed her lips, suppressing the anger in her heart, and laughed softly. “Mother worries too much. Ever since I learned of Ze’s identity, I have begun to strictly discipline myself in speech and conduct. I am truly touched that Miss He took the trouble to visit, and I treat her as my own sister. If there’s any way in which I’ve been negligent, resulting in her discomfort, I ask Mother to please point it out.”

Jian Yue was slightly taken aback. How could Muniang appear as if she knew nothing of the matter? Could it be that He Suxue had lied to her?

Jian Yue cleared her throat and then said, “Suxue claimed that you cannot stand her, that you have spoken harshly to her, and, and that you even physically harmed her. While it’s possible she’s not entirely blameless, resorting to violence is truly beneath one’s dignity—”

Muniang exclaimed in astonishment, “Miss He said that? I certainly never did any of those things!”

Jian Yue, frowning, asked, “Then how do you explain the injuries on her body?” She had watched He Suxue grow up and naturally found it hard to believe she would lie. At this point, she was reluctant to take Muniang’s word for it.

Muniang replied with an aggrieved look, “I am truly wronged! When Miss He came to our village and saw that Ze favored me while ignoring her, she became resentful and attempted suicide by jumping into the village river. The whole village knew about it. When Ze rescued her, she began to cry and shout, even uttering offensive words—”

“She called me a bitch, a kept woman that Yu Ze maintained outside, a lowly temptress unworthy of public standing. She claimed to be the legitimate wife. The villagers near us are simple folks; they can’t stand to see me slandered. After all, everyone knows about Ze and my marital status there. So, some villagers, eager to defend me, ended up hitting her. Mother, please don’t blame them; they had little choice. It’s actually Miss He—I truly don’t know what her intentions are.”

Muniang’s story was a mixture of truth and deceit, a tactic she had learned from He Suxue’s own words. She’ll play the victim; she’ll just give her a taste of her own medicine!

As expected, Jian Yue’s face darkened immediately. Not to mention how unseemly it was for a lady of standing to make a scene like that in public, but to smear Muniang’s name without any shame? However, Jian Yue was now unsure whom to believe as both parties told conflicting stories.

But seeing Muniang’s innocent face, Jian Yue found it especially hard to reproach her, so she said, “I’ll get to the bottom of this matter later. If Suxue truly did act inappropriately, I will certainly question her.”

“Thank you, Mother,” Muniang said gratefully. “As long as Mother is willing to trust me, I am already very grateful.”

In her heart, Muniang had made up her mind. The matter concerning He Suxue would be left for Yu Ze to handle; she would focus on playing the dutiful daughter-in-law to win over her mother-in-law. After all, it wouldn’t be worth resolving He Suxue for the cost of a lifetime’s relationship with her mother-in-law.

Jian Yue smiled gently. “I’m relieved you understand so well. I had a petty mind earlier and nearly misjudged you.” Although the truth was still unclear, Muniang’s willingness to humbly express such sentiments was commendable.

“But Suxue, after all, is the girl I watched growing up, and she’s not bad-hearted. She will eventually become Ze’er’s Consort, so please be more tolerant of her in the future. She’s been raised well since childhood. If you find managing household affairs difficult, don’t hesitate to let her share your worries.”

Muniang’s smile stiffened. Was her mother-in-law resolute in pushing He Suxue into their lives?

Before Muniang could respond, she was interrupted by a stern voice, “There is no negotiation about He Suxue’s matter. I will have only one wife in this lifetime, no other possibilities!”

Yu Ze, having been punished according to the family’s discipline, had not even had time to treat his wounds when he became anxious whether Muniang might face difficulties. He rushed over, but as soon as he entered, he heard Jian Yue bringing up the matter of He Suxue’s admittance into the household and immediately became furious, cutting the conversation short.

Jian Yue was also startled and stood up uneasily, “Ze’er, what are you saying? What does ‘only one wife in this lifetime’ mean? Our family isn’t like the ordinary folk, how could there only be one woman in the backyard?”

“I don’t want to repeat what I’ve said. I’ve made it very clear to father, and I can defy the Emperor’s decree, so stop harboring any delusional thoughts. Muniang hasn’t even formally entered our household, and you’re mentioning these things to her, aren’t you afraid of disheartening her?” Yu Ze’s tone had already turned cold.

Jian Yue hastily explained, “I hadn’t thought so much about it, it’s just that Suxue grew up with you, the affection between you isn’t minor. I thought that with Suxue entering the family, she could help Muniang manage the internal affairs, especially since Muniang comes from a modest household and isn’t familiar with these matters. Wouldn’t it be better to have someone help her? It’s a win-win situation—”

But Yu Ze interrupted directly, “Muniang doesn’t need to learn these things. I’ve said before that I won’t stay long in the Capital City. I’m not planning to linger here for long this time around. This place has never been suitable for me, and I don’t have the right to enjoy its privileges.”

Jian Yue was stunned for a long moment, her eyes reddening, “After all these years, you still refuse to forgive us. What must we do for you to truly accept this family?”

“When Jin is safely brought back,” Yu Ze replied in a grave voice, sorrow lacing his words, then he immediately pulled Muniang and left.

Yu Ze led Muniang back to his own courtyard, Bamboo Pavilion. Throughout the way, he was silent and brooding. Yu Jin was forever a minefield in his heart, the mere thought of it bringing unbearable pain.

Muniang did not know what to say; she had never dared to ask about that incident because she knew it was a topic that cast a shadow over Yu Ze’s heart, and she didn’t want to probe at his wounds carelessly.

As they entered the courtyard, a servant approached them, “Your Highness, the golden sore medicine and bandages have been placed in the room.”

Muniang then realized with alarm, “Golden sore medicine? Are you injured?”

Yu Ze had been facing Muniang directly the whole time, so she hadn’t noticed the wounds on his back until she looked closely and saw bloodstains covering an area, which immediately made her heart clench.

(Two more updates coming at noon.)