Shen Moyun looked down at Mu Anxiao, who was deliberately ignoring him, and said, "Since you like being beaten so much, fine, I'll grant your wish." As he spoke, he stepped towards the two servants.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao furrowed her brow, slowly looked up, and saw Shen Moyun had already passed her and was approaching the two men. She looked at him with confusion and turned her head, only to see Shen Moyun taking a wooden stick from one of the servants. "What are you doing?" she exclaimed.
Shen Moyun casually swung the wooden stick a couple of times and said, "Not bad, the weight of this stick is just right."
"..." Mu Anxiao had a bad premonition.
At the same moment, the Madam, supported by her maid, crossed the threshold and looked at Shen Moyun holding the wooden stick. She exclaimed, "General, what are you doing?"
Hearing the Madam's question and seeing Shen Moyun's expression as he stared at the wooden stick, Mu Anxiao felt a knot of unease in her stomach. Just as she was about to get up, Shen Moyun poked her in the back with the wooden stick. She stiffened and stopped moving.
The Madam saw this and quickly said, "General, it will dirty your hands to hit this maid. Please put it down."
"..." Shen Moyun stared at the back of Mu Anxiao's head for a few seconds, then turned to the Madam. "Madam, how many times do you intend to beat this maid?"
"Replying to the General, thirty times."
"Thirty..." Shen Moyun repeated the word to himself twice, then turned back to Mu Anxiao, who had slumped down again. "Isn't that too few?"
Mu Anxiao frowned.
Seeing that Shen Moyun was a man of his word, Jia raised two fingers and cast a spell behind Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao, seeing Jia's action, let out a sigh of relief.
Shen Moyun continued to stare at the Madam.
The Madam, meeting Shen Moyun's serious gaze, gave a dry laugh and was about to speak when a woman in a pink dress suddenly ran to Shen Moyun's side and smiled, "Brother Shen, you're here."
This woman in pink was named Mu Hua. She was the Madam's fourth daughter, a rather vain young girl. She had seen Shen Moyun a while ago when she was out shopping with her third sister and had fallen for him at that moment.
Conversely, Shen Moyun had no recollection of this Mu Hua. "I don't have a sister this old," he said.
"Brother Shen, you're joking. You've forgotten Hua'er," Mu Hua said, reaching out to tug Shen Moyun's arm.
Shen Moyun took half a step back. "Don't you understand the principle of avoiding improper contact between men and women, even after growing up?" he said, then looked at the Madam. "Madam, how do you educate your daughters?"
The Madam looked embarrassed. "General, this girl is accustomed to not knowing her place. Please forgive her." As she spoke, she continued to smile at Mu Hua and said gently, "Hua'er, come here."
"Mother."
"Be obedient," the Madam said calmly.
Mu Hua responded unhappily, "I understand, Mother." As she spoke, she lowered her head and unintentionally glanced at Mu Anxiao. "You're still alive?"
The Madam's eyes darkened.
Mu Anxiao knew that no matter how much she said, she would fall into the trap set by the Madam. Therefore, she deliberately ignored Mu Hua.
Mu Hua frowned. "You rude, wild girl, why aren't you answering me?"
"..." Mu Anxiao yawned.
Mu Hua became angry. "Fine, since you're not dead, then I'll make sure you die." As she spoke, she glanced at the wooden stick in Shen Moyun's hand, hesitated, then walked around him to another servant and extended her hand. "Give it to me."
The servant, startled, obediently handed the wooden stick to Mu Hua.
Mu Hua took the wooden stick and looked at the Madam. "Mother, has this maid made a mistake?"
"Yes," the Madam replied truthfully, showing no intention of calling her over.
Mu Hua: "Mother, please leave her to me." As she spoke, she shifted her gaze to Shen Moyun's face. "Brother Shen, I'll join you."
Hearing this, Shen Moyun turned to Mu Hua and coldly refused, "No need."
Mu Hua pouted. "Brother Shen, this maid is tough. Let me help you, so you don't have to work so hard." As she spoke, she walked to Mu Anxiao's other side.
Because of the protective magic, Mu Anxiao was unafraid and said, "You? You can barely hold a plate steady, and you want to hit me? How laughable." As she spoke, she shifted her body.
Mu Hua: "You're the one who can't hold a plate! I'm very strong." As she spoke, she poked Mu Anxiao's knee with the wooden stick.
Mu Anxiao let out a cold laugh. "Hmph, like a mosquito."
"You..." Mu Hua uttered the word, unwilling to concede, and raised the wooden stick.
Shen Moyun watched Mu Hua raise the wooden stick, then glanced at Mu Anxiao, who seemed indifferent to everything. "Fine, I'll leave her to you," he said, putting down the wooden stick and stepping back two paces.
Mu Hua was startled and looked up at Shen Moyun. "Brother Shen, I... I'm afraid I can't cripple her alone."
"If you can cripple her, I'll cook you a meal."
The Madam chuckled upon hearing Shen Moyun's words.
Mu Hua blushed shyly. "Brother Shen, that would be too embarrassing," she said, her tone full of coaxing.
Shen Moyun: "I said, after she's crippled. If she's not crippled," he looked down at Mu Anxiao, "then there's nothing."
"Nothing..." Mu Hua lost confidence, looked down at Mu Anxiao, and said, "Brother Shen, I did contribute, shouldn't I get a little reward?" She winked at Shen Moyun.
Shen Moyun didn't avert his gaze, calmly looking at the fawning Mu Hua. "This is your mother's punishment for her. If you want a reward, ask your mother."
"Shen..."
"Hit her," Shen Moyun interrupted.
Seeing Shen Moyun's unwavering attitude, Mu Hua didn't dare to say anything more. She nodded, raised the wooden stick, and swung it at Mu Anxiao.
One strike, two strikes... By the tenth strike, Mu Hua couldn't take it anymore. "I can't," she said, putting down the wooden stick, panting.
"She's not injured," Shen Moyun glanced at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao heard this and deliberately cried out, "Ouch!"
Mu Hua heard this and laughed. "She's injured."
Shen Moyun blinked, took a step forward, and crouched beside Mu Anxiao. "Just pretend a bit more," he said, reaching out and grabbing Mu Anxiao's ear.
Immediately, Mu Anxiao feigned pain and cried, "Ow, ow, it hurts so much!" As she spoke, she gave Shen Moyun a look and then continued to wail in feigned agony.
Now Shen Moyun understood Mu Anxiao. "You're faking it," he said softly, releasing her ear.
Mu Anxiao continued to wail in feigned pain.
Mu Hua listened gleefully. "She's crippled, Brother Shen, cook for me!" She then dropped the wooden stick.
Before coming to the Mu mansion, Shen Moyun had heard that the young ladies of the Mu mansion were all cunning. At first, he thought it was an exaggeration.
Now, he believed it.
"You win," he said, pointing at Mu Anxiao's face, then stood up and looked at the smiling Mu Hua. "I said thirty times, not ten."
"You didn't say that."
"I'm saying it now," Shen Moyun said, looking down at the pretense of Mu Anxiao. "Unless you hit her thirty times."
"..." Mu Anxiao glared at Shen Moyun but said nothing.
Mu Hua hesitated.
Then, Shen Moyun said again, "Since you're not speaking, I'll take her away." As he spoke, he bent down and grabbed Mu Anxiao's arm.
Mu Anxiao was stunned.
Mu Hua asked, "Brother Shen, what are you doing?"
"I don't believe she's injured. I'm going to get a coroner to examine her," Shen Moyun said, pulling Mu Anxiao up from the chair. Before Mu Anxiao could react, he bent down and hoisted her onto his shoulder.
Mu Hua: "Brother Shen, you're looking for a coroner?"
"Yes," Shen Moyun said, glancing at Mu Anxiao. "If you dare to move, I'll kill you."
"You wouldn't dare," Mu Anxiao growled.
"..." Shen Moyun didn't speak, but carried Mu Anxiao away.
Mu Anxiao struggled.
The Madam's lips curled, and she quickly stepped up to Mu Hua, who was about to chase after them, and said, "Don't go."
Hearing this, Mu Hua became displeased. "Mother, what if Brother Shen takes a liking to that wild girl?"
"How is that possible?" the Madam said, tightly gripping Mu Hua's arm. "Your mother thinks this is a good opportunity."
"What good opportunity?" Mu Hua asked, puzzled, but a smile appeared on her face.
The Madam: "This way, we won't have to trouble ourselves with her."
Mu Hua listened, utterly confused. "Mother, I don't understand what you mean?" She stared at the Madam's face, then raised her hand and touched the back of her head.
The Madam looked at Mu Hua's dim-witted expression and then thought about what she had just said. She smiled and asked, "Generally, who are the people taken to the coroner?"
"The dead," Mu Hua said, her eyes lighting up. "Mother, you mean... Brother Shen might kill that wild girl."
"Didn't you hear? The General said if she moved again, he would kill her. She was moving around just now, and I don't believe," the Madam revealed a sinister smile, "she angered the General."
Mu Hua heard this and laughed.
"I understand."
"Yes, Mother, you are so clever. But..." Mu Hua said, thinking about Mu Anxiao's situation. "I still don't understand. That wild girl, she's just a wild girl, and Father doesn't pay her any attention. Why do you still want her dead?"
"She has too many schemes. Do you know why I wanted to beat her?" the Madam asked in return.
Mu Hua shook her head slightly.
"Because she wants to snatch your third sister's position."
"What?" Mu Hua laughed. "Isn't she overestimating herself? Would Prince Jin even look at someone with her looks?"
"He wouldn't. Also... do you know that she falsely accused your father outside the mansion today?"
"..." Mu Hua shook her head again.
The Madam frowned. "Why don't you know anything?"
"Mother... I heard Brother Shen was coming, so I took a bath and changed into this new dress. Besides," Mu Hua linked her arm with the Madam's, "Mother, Brother Shen is a General. If I marry Brother Shen, won't you gain prestige? Most importantly, with my sister's beauty, she'll surely be favored by Prince Jin. This way, won't you have even more prestige in this household?"
"You wicked girl, you've thought it through. But," the Madam patted Mu Hua's hand, "this General isn't a man who indulges in women. You must work hard."
"Mother, I am your daughter, of course," Mu Hua leaned her head against the Madam's arm. "Anything is not a problem for me."
"That's right, Mother believes in you."
"Thank you, Mother."
"Alright, stop acting cute. Your father brought back some pastries. Let's go inside and eat some, and wait for the good news," the Madam said, turning around with Mu Hua.
Mu Hua understood the Madam's meaning and smiled. "Mother, soon, that eyesore will disappear. I'm so happy."
"Yes, this way, we won't have to plot against her anymore," the Madam said, turning to look at Mu Hua. "It's quite tiring."
"Indeed," Mu Hua said with a smile.
The Madam also let out a laugh.
In the blink of an eye.
Mu Anxiao was brought by Shen Moyun to the front of a remote, dilapidated temple.
Shen Moyun said, "We're here." Then he bent down and put her down. He took out a pure white veil from his sleeve and handed it to her.
Mu Anxiao was dizzy from being carried by Shen Moyun, so she didn't notice what he handed her. Instead, she rubbed her head, recovered for a moment, and then asked, "Where is the coroner?" As she asked, she looked around and frowned.
Shen Moyun: "Here." He continued to offer the veil.
Mu Anxiao was taken aback. She looked down at the veil in Shen Moyun's hand and asked, "Why are you giving me this? Is it so the coroner can examine me for injuries?"
"You are indeed faking it," Shen Moyun said, looking down at Mu Anxiao's leg.
Mu Anxiao was embarrassed. "I'm not faking it, I just..."
"You are faking it," Shen Moyun interrupted coldly, shifting his gaze to Jia. "..."
Seeing Shen Moyun look at him, Jia's eyes widened. "He can see me." He nudged Mu Anxiao's arm.
Mu Anxiao heard this, turned her head to look at both Shen Moyun and Jia, and was about to speak when Shen Moyun said, "You are Jia."
"..." Mu Anxiao was startled.
Shen Moyun took a step forward, casually stuffed the veil into Mu Anxiao's hand, and said, "Mu the Fool, put this on."
Mu the Fool?
At this moment, hearing Shen Moyun's address, and looking at the face that looked exactly like Feng Qishi, Mu Anxiao stammered, "Are you... Shen... Feng Qishi?" She couldn't believe that this cold, heartless, and harsh-talking person in front of her could be Feng Qishi.
"Remember, my name is Shen Moyun now, not Feng Qishi."
"..." Mu Anxiao didn't know what to say.
Jia: "You're not Feng Qishi. Feng Qishi wouldn't..."
"I was Feng Qishi, but now I am the General of this city, Shen Moyun," Feng Qishi said, staring at Mu Anxiao. "I know you can't accept my current identity, but I believe you will accept it one day."
"What exactly happened to you?" Mu Anxiao asked profoundly.
Feng Qishi's eyes darkened. "Don't ask. Tell me whatever you need, and I will help you."
"Shen the Mad..."
"You can call me Feng Qishi in private, but you cannot call me Shen the Mad," Feng Qishi interrupted, his gaze sharp. "Otherwise, if I get angry with you, don't blame me."