Chapter 6: Marrying Mu Yi—Is There Regret?

When they were wed, Song Qiao had caught a glimpse of him, so she retained some impression of Mu Yan.

The late Marquis had two sons and one daughter during his lifetime. While Mu Yan was born to a concubine, Mu Yi and his sister Mu Yun were both born to the lady of the house, the current Old Madame. Perhaps due to their different mothers, the two brothers were never close. After the passing of the Old Marquis, they grew even more estranged over the struggle for the title of nobility.

Song Qiao had assumed that anyone daring to stand against Mu Yi would have to be a fierce, demonic figure with fangs and claws; otherwise, an ordinary person would hardly dare to cross such a hell-raising tyrant. She had not expected Mu Yan to be the complete opposite of her imagination—a humble, courteous, and refined gentleman.

Seeing him again after two years, she was once more struck by his presence. Surprised that he would wander into such a remote corner as the Linglong Pavilion, Song Qiao froze for a moment before hurriedly stepping back to maintain a respectful distance.

"My gratitude to the eldest young master for your assistance. Song Yuan has been rude."

As she steadied herself against the nearby stone table, Mu Yan withdrew his hand and asked with a hint of surprise, "You still remember me?"

"I am grateful that you reached out to support me when I stepped out of the bridal sedan; otherwise, I would have fallen quite miserably. I never found the right opportunity to thank you then, so I offer my thanks today."

"It was a small effort, not worth mentioning," Mu Yan said dismissively. "I heard you have yet to fully recover. Why are you in such a hurry to leave your bed?"

"If I keep lying there, I will truly become a cripple," Song Qiao replied with a bitter smile. This fall had left her feeling somewhat discouraged.

Mu Yan seemed to understand her sentiment and offered comfort. "The physician Mu Yi hired is a master at treating leg ailments. As long as you cooperate with the treatment, your recovery is only a matter of time."

He paused, then suddenly realized something was amiss as he looked around the empty courtyard. "Where are the servants? Why are you alone?"

Song Qiao answered truthfully, "The kitchen is overwhelmed, so the maid went to fetch food."

Mu Yan was a sharp man; how could he be unaware of Song Qiao's current plight? "Do you regret marrying him?"

The reason Mu Yi had inherited the title was partly due to his own capabilities, but primarily because he had secured the support of the Song family through marriage. Ordinarily, the eldest son would have been wed first, but the Song family looked down upon Mu Yan’s status as a child of a concubine and had decisively extended an olive branch to the Old Madame instead.

Even if Song Yuan didn't feel it, Song Qiao felt the injustice for her. Had fate not played this trick, she would never have been dragged into this murky water.

"Marriage is a major life event, one dictated by my parents," Song Qiao said, unable to voice her bitterness in front of Mu Yan.

Whether he thought she was being too submissive or suspected she was holding back, Mu Yan pressed on, "It is often said that Minister Song dotes on his daughter as if she were his own life. Can it be that even you have times when you are not the master of your own destiny?"

Song Qiao tightened her grip against her palm, offering a helpless, faint smile. "In trivial matters, my word is law, but marriage is a lifelong commitment; a daughter cannot simply do as she pleases."

"But looking at you, you are not at all the willful and unruly person the rumors describe!"

Song Yuan had been the apple of her parents' eye, accustomed to having her every whim satisfied; her aura and air of arrogance were certainly not things Song Qiao could easily replicate. Could Mu Yan have noticed something?

Song Qiao’s heart tightened. Just as she was racking her brain for an excuse, a cold voice sounded from behind them without warning.

"What secret words is my brother sharing with my wife?"

Song Qiao instinctively looked toward the source of the voice and locked eyes with a pair of extremely dangerous, piercing pupils.

It was Mu Yi. He stood just outside the courtyard gate, watching them with a composed expression, though there was no telling how long he had been standing there.