Chapter 32: Blockade

“From the look on your face, I know you’re hiding something from me. If you don’t tell me now, I’ll still be pointed at and gossiped about when I go out tomorrow. You might as well tell me now, so I can be mentally prepared,” Su Mu said with a faint smile.

“I just found out myself. I originally didn’t want to tell you about this,” Shen Yuxue sighed and told Su Mu about the rumors in the city: “I think there must be someone behind this, taking advantage of your absence in Juancheng while you went to Yuncheng for the exam. They’re spreading whatever rumors they want about you… Now many people in the city have complaints about you.”

Shen Yuxue didn’t dare to point out to Su Mu that the troublemakers were from the Yan family, feeling it was inauspicious.

If Su Mu hadn’t become a married-in son-in-law to help Yan Zhujun, that widowed orphan, keep the Yan family property, how could her reputation in Juancheng be so bad? She wouldn’t have to be pointed at and cursed.

Now that they’ve divorced, and she passed the imperial examination on her own merit to become a scholar, her reputation was finally starting to turn around. But now the Yan family has pulled this stunt. Who exactly is repaying kindness with enmity?

“Su Mu, you need to think of a solution quickly. After all, the results of the provincial examination will be out soon. At this critical moment, you absolutely cannot have any scandals regarding ethics and morality, otherwise your official career will be ruined.”

Hearing the severity of the situation, Xie Yi’s mind went blank, his heart suspended in fear. His legs went weak, and he was filled with self-reproach.

It was because Su Mu had taken him in that those rumor-mongers had found an opportunity. Although Xie Yi knew that their relationship was pure, the people outside didn’t know that. They clearly regarded him as Su Mu’s kept man, the catalyst that destroyed Su Mu and Yan Jiyue’s relationship.

In that case, if he left, if he disappeared, would Su Mu be able to come out unscathed?

“Sister Mu, I’ll go tell them that our relationship is pure. I can show them my virginity mark…” Xie Yi stumbled and knelt before Su Mu. “Or… or you can sell me.”

Xie Yi’s hands were covered in sweat as he tugged at Su Mu’s skirt, his face as pale as paper.

He wasn’t worried about his own fate; he was afraid that because of him, her bright and upright life would be ruined. His life had been destroyed the moment the war broke out. It was Su Mu who appeared in his dark life, bringing him a ray of light. He couldn’t drag her into the abyss with him just because he wanted to grasp that light. They couldn’t sink together.

She couldn’t.

He could live such a life, but Su Mu couldn’t, absolutely not.

She should stand at the highest point, receiving the admiration and love of the world, not living a life mired in mud like him.

Shen Yuxue, seeing Xie Yi voluntarily stand up, felt a hint of admiration.

Even though she knew the rumors outside were a mix of truth and lies, Shen Yuxue had to admit that she had also been influenced by the rumors, subconsciously labeling Xie Yi as a ‘third party’ and a ‘scheming white lotus’.

So she deliberately waited until Xie Yi was present to reveal the outside rumors, wanting to see his reaction.

If he only knew how to hide behind Su Mu, timidly enjoying the peaceful life Su Mu provided him without regard for Su Mu’s well-being, she would definitely advise Su Mu to sell him off.

As Xie Yi said, selling him off was the best way to resolve the rumors.

The Yan family probably thought the same way. If Su Mu sold Xie Yi, then Yan Jiyue could appear at the right time, forcing Su Mu to reconcile with their family under the pressure of public opinion.

If Su Mu insisted on not selling Xie Yi, then she would have to wait for the Yan family to ruin her chance at becoming a Juren, and they would all rot together.

It had to be said, the Yan family was truly depraved.

Previously, Shen Yuxue hadn’t said it out loud, but she truly felt that Xie Yi wasn’t worthy of Su Mu. Now, she actually thought more highly of Xie Yi. At least Xie Yi put Su Mu first in his heart, unlike those lunatics.

Su Mu tightly grasped Xie Yi’s hand, her body slightly inclined, her gaze meeting his trembling eyes: “I won’t sell you.”

Xie Yi was momentarily transported back to their first meeting, with the same gentle tone and determined gaze. In that instant, Xie Yi felt his chest surge with wild passion, his hot blood boiling turbulently. His eyes overflowed with a surging, intense tide of emotion that could no longer be suppressed by reason.

“Alright, don’t cry, don’t be afraid.” Su Mu helped him up from the ground, her fingertips casually wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes.

Xie Yi quickly wiped away the tears from his swollen eyes, shaking his head, his eyeballs rolling with the motion. He wasn’t afraid; he was too happy. He thought that in his past life, in several past lives, he must have been a very, very good person, accumulating countless blessings, to meet Su Mu in this life.

Su Mu lowered her eyes in thought, her fingertips lightly tapping on the table. After a moment, she raised her head: “I already know who wants to harm me. Miss Shen, can you help me with something?”

“Still calling me Miss Shen? I thought we were already friends. Call me Yuxue,” Shen Yuxue said with a smile.

Su Mu smiled, pursing her lips: “Yuxue.”

Shen Yuxue curved her eyebrows: “If it weren’t for your advice, I would never have been able to make the iced jelly in this lifetime. I’ve been wondering how to repay you. Tell me, what do you want me to do?”

Su Mu said, “Although I’m not very popular in Juancheng, I’ve never truly made any deep enemies. The only ones I have grievances with are the Yan family.”

Shen Yuxue nodded: “I think so too. That Yan Jiyue looked down on you before, but as soon as you divorced, you passed the imperial examination and might even become a Juren. So he’s harboring resentment and deliberately trying to trip you up.”

Su Mu shook her head and said calmly, “It’s not Yan Jiyue. He wouldn’t do this kind of thing.”

“Huh?”

“Yan Jiyue and I were husband and wife for a while after all. I know his temperament well. This kind of backstabbing isn’t his style.”

In her previous life, although Yan Jiyue had an extreme and volatile temper, he was always straightforward. If he couldn’t stand Xie Yi, he would slap him directly or cut up his clothes. When Xiao Ping climbed into her bed, he directly used his private punishment and then handed him over to a slave trader. He didn’t play those convoluted games.

“Then who is it?” Shen Yuxue frowned.

“Yan Jiyue’s father, Yan Zhujun, the Marquis of Hui.”

“What?!” Shen Yuxue slammed the table and stood up. “That old bastard?! Damn, this old thing looks kind and gentle usually, like a benevolent and respected elder. I didn’t expect him to be so deeply hidden and so vicious! So what do you think we should do?”

Su Mu said, “The reason the rumors are so rampant is that the Yan family is standing on the moral high ground. To the Yan family, I’m an ungrateful white-eyed wolf; to my husband, I’m fickle and unfaithful, moving on to someone else. Once we find the crux of the problem, we can break it down one by one.”

Shen Yuxue became interested, squeezing Xie Yi aside to move next to Su Mu. She put both hands on the table and asked excitedly, “How do we break it down?”

“First, I’m ungrateful. The reason for becoming a married-in son-in-law was to help them keep their family property. Everyone actually knows this, but because I’m alone and weak in Juancheng, while the Yan family is big and powerful, those people don’t dare to mock the Yan family. They can only find amusement in me, so the real purpose is hidden. We just need to highlight this point.”

Shen Yuxue’s eyes lit up: “I’m familiar with this. When the time comes, we’ll say, ‘Su Mu was grateful for Yan Zhujun’s life-saving kindness. She was willing to give up a woman’s dignity to marry into the Yan family. Even if she was pointed at by thousands and spat on by tens of thousands, she still wanted to prevent the Yan father and son from becoming homeless. How pitiable and admirable.'”

“You really are clever,” Su Mu smiled.

Seeing Su Mu smile, Shen Yuxue’s face brightened. “…So what’s the second point?”

“Second, I’ve moved on emotionally and am keeping a man on the side.” Su Mu’s expression was indifferent. “They seem to have forgotten that before I divorced Yan Jiyue, the whole city was crazy with rumors about him admiring you.”

The gossip had landed on her own head, and Shen Yuxue laughed awkwardly. “You know, I’m clean and pure. Even if I needed a man, I would go to a brothel or a gentleman’s club. I don’t have a hobby of playing with married men.”

“Of course I know,” Su Mu scooped up a spoonful of crushed ice and drank it, smiling carelessly. “But for a man who’s already married to have so many rumors and gossip, where there’s smoke there’s fire. A huge green hat, what woman could endure that?”

“Right, why didn’t I think of that!” Shen Yuxue stood up excitedly.

In a matriarchal country, male virtue can be very strict. Even if Yan Jiyue looked down on Su Mu, he should have restrained himself after getting married. No man has ever dared to openly admire women after getting married.

“‘Su Mu endured a thousand humiliations and ten thousand accusations just to let the Yan father and son live a superior life. But Yan Jiyue was still not satisfied. Not only did he not respect his wife-master, he even had thoughts of an affair. This is simply intolerable, which is why Su Mu finally divorced him in anger.’ Like this, I don’t believe those people in Juancheng would still dare to stand on the Yan family’s side. Just Yan Jiyue not upholding male virtue is enough for them to drink a pot of bitterness.”

“Exactly, that’s why I asked for your help. Can you find a few eloquent people to polish up what we just said and spread it around? Naturally, it will clear my name,” Su Mu said.

“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely find the people with the best tongues for you,” Shen Yuxue said.

The widest range of gossip and rumors always spreads through gossipmongers. These gossipmongers are first-class at chewing on rumors. They’ll be merciless in cursing women who abandon their husbands, but they’ll be even harsher on men who don’t keep their vows and don’t know their place.

One tells ten, ten tell a hundred, and soon the news that the Yan family was taking advantage of their kindness, that Yan Jiyue had received Su Mu’s benevolence but secretly admired other women and gave her a green hat, spread throughout Juancheng.

Those who originally despised Su Mu began to sympathize with her plight, and public opinion immediately reversed.

“Xiao Yi, do you think what I’m doing is too harsh?” Su Mu asked, lowering her head during dinner that night.

After all, Yan Jiyue hadn’t really had an affair. By doing this, it would be very difficult for Yan Jiyue to marry again in the future. Even though he wasn’t the mastermind, and he might not even know about it, he would still be implicated.

But she had to do this. Yan Zhujun’s move had already forced her into a situation where it was either him or her.

“Not harsh,” Xie Yi answered without any hesitation.

He even felt that Su Mu was too merciful, showing leniency towards Yan Jiyue by only saying he admired other women after marriage, rather than confirming that he had relations with other women. If it were him, he would have unhesitatingly pushed Yan Jiyue to his death. Going even further, like Scholar Li’s husband, he would secretly set a fire and drag Yan Jiyue to be drowned in a pond, making the Yan family lose face and become a laughingstock for three generations.

When it came to matters not involving Su Mu, Xie Yi reverted to his former selfish and vicious self.

It’s for the best. Su Mu shouldn’t be tainted by those filthy matters in the gutter. In the future, he would help her with these things.