Chapter 29: Scheming

As soon as Su Mu returned home, she saw the table full of dishes – pickled vegetable with yellow croaker, shredded tripe in chili oil, wild pheasant braised with chestnuts, plum blossom tofu, fragrant lotus root, accompanied by a bowl of smooth and soft Brasenia schreberi soup.

If it were before Su Mu’s rebirth, when she was still the richest woman, she naturally wouldn’t have found it extravagant. But now that she was still an unknown nobody, these ingredients seemed a bit costly.

When she left, she had given Xie Yi some money to keep.

But all of this was to allow him to live comfortably in the Qiao family’s home, and to take care of the servants. However, the dishes before her made her realize that Xie Yi didn’t seem to have listened to her and used the money where it should be used, but instead spent it on cooking for her.

But when she saw Xie Yi’s eyes full of expectation, hoping she would pick up her chopsticks and taste the food he had made, and give him a look of praise, Su Mu’s reproach in her heart faded.

She picked up a piece of yellow croaker and put it in her mouth. The taste was pleasantly salty, the fish was smooth and tender, most delicious indeed.

She put down her chopsticks and praised him: “Xiao Yi’s cooking skills are getting better and better.”

Sure enough, she saw Xie Yi’s eyebrows lift slightly, revealing a satisfied smile.

Just because of her casual compliment, he was so happy?

“Yellow croaker is scarce this season, not easy to catch, and the price is not cheap. And this wild pheasant, it must have cost quite a bit, right?” Su Mu asked casually while eating.

Xie Yi naturally didn’t hear the real intention in her words, and said happily: “Yes, recently there are few yellow croakers sold in the market, most have been bought by wealthy families for tasting. I got up early, before dawn, to wait at the market, and finally managed to get these few. This wild pheasant I bought from a farmer who came into the city. I heard from Qiao’s wife-master that the meat of wild pheasants tastes much better than domesticated chickens, and the meat is also firmer and chewier. Would elder sister Mu like to try some?”

Su Mu casually picked up a piece of chicken and put it in his bowl: “You eat too.”

Xie Yi was pleasantly surprised, his emerald eyes widened, showing a kind of astonishment that she found pleasing to the eye.

Xie Yi seemed not to have expected such an honor, and for a moment he couldn’t even hold his chopsticks steady, they rolled right out of his hand. He quickly bent down to pick up the chopsticks, and when he returned to the table, Su Mu was resting her chin on her hand, smiling and gazing at him.

Xie Yi suddenly blushed, almost snapping the chopsticks he was gripping so tightly.

Rarely seeing such a flustered and shy side of Xie Yi, Su Mu suddenly enjoyed the pleasure of teasing men.

In her previous life, she often went to male brothels for business drinking, watching her partners flirt sweetly with those male courtesans. She found it both boring and felt that those male courtesans were too open – today accompanying this patron, tomorrow accompanying that patron, coming and going, not knowing how many women had been with them, not even knowing if they had diseases. The cheap perfume on their bodies also made her uncomfortable.

Perhaps because she had seen the wantonness of these male courtesans, and had experienced Yan Jiyue’s personality, when she returned to Luofeng Garden drunk, she complained to Xie Yi, who was undressing her and taking off her shoes: “Xiao Yi, I dislike men like this the most.”

Kneeling beneath her, taking off her shoes and socks to wash her feet, Xie Yi paused, then asked with a normal expression: “Then what kind of men does elder sister Mu like?”

Su Mu’s brain was muddled by alcohol, and she said hazily: “Obedient ones, well-behaved ones, not like Yan Jiyue, and not like those male courtesans. Gentle and elegant will do.”

After saying this, she was too drunk to stay awake, and fell asleep before her feet were even finished being washed.

In her hazy consciousness, she vaguely remembered Xie Yi unhurriedly finishing washing her feet, removing her heavy brocade clothes, helping her to bed, tucking in the corners of the blanket, and then whispering in her ear: “Gentle and elegant, is it? I’ve noted it down. Whatever kind of man elder sister Mu likes, that’s what I’ll become.”

From then on, she felt that Xie Yi had changed somewhat.

First was his clothing. Before, because Xie Yi was considered half-foreign, he preferred light and thin clothing. Later, he gradually changed to be like those conservative young men from secluded boudoirs.

Originally he would still actively beg her to see if his dance had improved, but now, only when Su Mu actively brought it up would he put on those jingling clothes and dance for her.

In addition, his words and actions became more proper, and he even began to actively learn poetry. Plus with the contrast of Yan Jiyue, rumors gradually spread outside that Su Mu’s primary husband was willful and unworthy of his position despite being the primary husband, and was unclear in his relationship with the Shen family’s daughter.

In contrast, Su Mu’s favorite was pampered and loved in every way but did not become arrogant, and instead was kind and courteous in managing the household. Although he had the status of a favorite, he had the fate of a primary husband. If he had children, he would surely be elevated to primary husband sooner or later.

The rumors grew more and more exaggerated, and naturally reached Yan Jiyue’s ears.

Originally, Yan Jiyue’s temper had gradually calmed down over the years. Except for beating Xiao Ping half to death and selling him off a while ago, he had rarely punished servants, and Su Mu was quite pleased.

But because of this rumor, Yan Jiyue’s barely restrained temper suddenly exploded. He came to Luofeng Garden and made quite a scene, even smashing the blood jade bracelet she had given to Xie Yi.

After a good deal of persuasion, and with Yan Zhujun’s birthday approaching and relatives from afar coming to stay at the mansion, Su Mu agreed to temporarily move back to Handan Courtyard to eat and live with him, for the sake of keeping up appearances and not letting outsiders laugh at them. Only then did Yan Jiyue stop.

As he left, he shot a mocking glance at Xie Yi with the posture of a victor.

Xie Yi’s expression was calm, neither angry nor furious, but he looked inexplicably sad.

Although they were eating and living together, Su Mu still slept on the soft couch. It was from that night that Yan Jiyue suddenly seemed to go mad, pulling her to the bed and asking her to undress him.

Su Mu refused, so he started to undo her clothes himself.

Su Mu didn’t know if she had gone stupid or if Yan Jiyue had gone crazy, and hurriedly pressed down his hands.

“What are you doing?”

Yan Jiyue blushed, his gaze somewhat awkward but with bright expectation: “Con-consummate the marriage.”

Su Mu forcefully withdrew her hand: “What are you saying? When we had our wedding night, didn’t you say very clearly not to touch you, otherwise you’d make me die a horrible death? I remember every word you said then, I don’t dare forget a single one, nor do I dare to have that kind of thought about you.”

Yan Jiyue’s face paled: “That was before, now… you can touch me.” He bit his lip, Su Mu had never seen him so nervous before: “Su Mu… I’m willing to let you touch me, I want you to touch me.”

Su Mu was silent. He was willing, but she wasn’t. It made her feel like a concubine waiting to be favored by the emperor.

The marriage was originally just a contractual one, and she hadn’t developed feelings for him over the years. Wasn’t it good to just respect each other? Why suddenly want to consummate the marriage? It made no sense.

Seeing her not moving, Yan Jiyue became anxious and asked angrily: “Do you dislike me so much? You’re not even willing to consummate the marriage with me, does that mean you’re not willing to give me children either? You……”

Yan Jiyue suddenly stood up, his bright eyes flashing with tears: “You just want to have children with him, don’t you? Su Mu, don’t forget, I am your husband, only I have the right to have children with you, that slut is nothing!”

Married for many years, Su Mu understood Yan Jiyue’s personality. He was someone who cared extremely about face, always needing to be coaxed and humored, not wanting others to see his weak side. That was the first time she had seen Yan Jiyue cry.

She also understood the reason why Yan Jiyue was suddenly willing to offer himself – because of a sense of crisis.

The rumors outside had made Yan Jiyue believe them to be true. He really thought that his position as primary husband was about to be replaced by Xie Yi, and once Xie Yi was pregnant with her child, she would elevate Xie Yi to primary husband, and naturally she and Yan Jiyue would divorce.

Now the Yan family was relying entirely on her to support them. Once they divorced, the Yan family would fall from grace, and Yan Jiyue’s current privileged life would disappear.

Understanding the reason, Su Mu wiped away the tears from the corner of his eye and said: “I understand what you’re worried about. Don’t worry, I won’t have children with Xie Yi, you don’t need to worry about not being able to keep your position.”

She thought that after she had said this much, Yan Jiyue wouldn’t need to force himself to consummate the marriage with someone he didn’t like anymore.

Who knew that Yan Jiyue still didn’t believe her, and intensified his demands, even going so far as to start undressing himself, begging her to consummate the marriage and give him a child.

Su Mu felt that Yan Jiyue had gone mad to keep the Yan family’s glory, willing to sacrifice his body.

But she didn’t have those feelings for Yan Jiyue, and the contract originally didn’t say anything about her having to sleep with him, so she found excuses to refuse consummating the marriage.

Perhaps because being rejected hurt Yan Jiyue’s self-esteem, his attitude went from pleading to forceful, and finally he started insulting Xie Yi.

An angry Yan Jiyue could spout any foul language.

Su Mu was both angry and helpless, and defended Xie Yi a few times: “Xie Yi is a clean and pure man, you keep calling him a slut, saying he came from a brothel, have some decency.”

“You actually speak up for him! You always side with him and not with me! …… Don’t forget your position, you are the Yan family’s married-in wife, if it wasn’t for my father you would have died long ago, how would you have today? Don’t think you’re so great now that you’ve become the richest woman, without the Yan family you are nothing!” Yan Jiyue’s violent temper flared up again, threatening to sell him off too.

Su Mu was speechless, not wanting to argue with him, so she ran away in the middle of the night.

Because Xie Yi was her personal attendant, when she came to stay at Handan Courtyard, Xie Yi naturally had to keep watch outside, and he could hear the conversation inside clearly.

Seeing Su Mu come out, Xie Yi hurriedly followed to comfort her: “Brother actually lives quite suppressed, with another woman living in his heart, but forced to submit to you due to family pressure. I guess he doesn’t feel good either when he thinks about having to serve you and bear your children, otherwise he wouldn’t have cried. Elder sister Mu, let’s be more understanding of brother.”

Su Mu smiled: “He just beat you today, and even smashed your bracelet, yet you speak up for him.”

“It’s just a bracelet, and besides, this blood jade bracelet was originally meant for brother, but there was a small flaw inside, and you were afraid brother would dislike it so you gave it to me instead. It’s already improper for a servant like me to wear such a bracelet, it’s good that it was smashed.”

Xie Yi pursed his lips: “And elder sister Mu said she likes those around her to be gentle and elegant. Elder sister Mu is tired from doing business outside every day, I don’t want elder sister Mu to be troubled by internal household matters.”

Su Mu was surprised: “Gentle and elegant, you still remember those words I said casually?”