Qu Yue's hand hidden in her sleeve clenched into a fist.
She had never thought that the Marquis Mansion would resort to such despicable means!
No.
Perhaps it should be said that they never intended to recognize her as a member of the Marquis Mansion in the first place.
Mu Yuan and all his rewards had nothing to do with her.
If so, why didn't they make it clear earlier? They kept her here, flattering like a servant for three years.
The angrier Qu Yue got as she thought about it, and she bit her lip hard with her white teeth to barely hold back the surging tears.
She slowly retracted her delicate foot that had half - stepped out and submerged herself back into the crowd.
She stared at the ground with her head down, but the mist in front of her eyes focused and condensed into teardrops.
In Mu Qing's vicissitudinous voice, there was an uncontrollable excitement that trembled until the end note was on the verge of breaking.
"I, your subject, receive the imperial edict!"
Qu Yue's tears dropped with a plop.
Should she make a scene?
She definitely didn't dare.
In front of the emperor, anyone's life or death was like that of an ant.
That the emperor came here in person for the mourning must mean that he highly valued Mu Yuan. If she made a scene and disrupted Mu Yuan's funeral ceremony, the emperor would surely behead her.
Qu Yue's soft pink lips drooped into an arch, showing her glistening white teeth as she bit her lip and swallowed all her grievances.
Since Qu Yue obediently returned to the line, Mu Wang's eyes had never left her.
Her slender neck was drooping, and her spine was faintly visible, like round jade stones dotted on her skin.
The large mourning clothes on her didn't look the least bit bulky. Instead, she looked like a child wearing an adult's clothes, with the sleeves much too long.
Her small body was trembling. She must be crying.
She was like a desolate swan.
An inexplicable annoyance welled up in Mu Wang's heart: "So stupid."
At the risk of being discovered by the emperor, he inched to Qu Yue's back. "Isn't it just a reward? I'll give you my share if you want."
Qu Yue was very stubborn. "I don't want yours."
Mu Wang stood close to her. "I might believe you if you weren't crying."
At the same time, a cold voice rang out alongside Mu Wang's loud - mouthed consolation.
"Wait."
It was the emperor!
For a moment, everyone pricked up their ears.
The bold ones, like Mu Wang, even looked up directly.
They saw that the Son of Heaven, who had been sitting lazily on the main seat, actually raised his hand to stop the ceremony of announcing the imperial edict!
Mu Qing was already kneeling on the ground with his hands stretched out long. Hearing this, his heart tightened.
He nervously raised his head, and the droopy eyelids due to old age twitched wildly.
He asked tremblingly, "Your Majesty, what's the matter?"
There was a faint smile on Xie Qichi's fair skin. "If I remember correctly, Mu Yuan got married, right?"
Mu Qing's hands were aching, but he answered truthfully with fear. "Yes..."
Xie Qichi twirled the jade ring on his finger. His phoenix eyes were slanting upwards evilly, and his somewhat hoarse voice was like a cold wind blowing through the main hall.
"Why isn't she here to receive the imperial edict?"
"Do you look down on me?"
Since Xie Qichi stopped the ceremony, an inexplicable expectation had welled up in Qu Yue's heart.
When she heard his question, she couldn't hold back her tears.
The fact that the emperor mentioned her existence meant he was standing up for her!
But she couldn't respond rashly. She had to wait for the Marquis to call her.
Since Mu Qing dared to do this, he must have thought of an answer.
A full - voiced response echoed in the air. "Your Majesty, she would never dare."
"I just thought that Qu Yue is young and had no marital relations with Yuan'er. Now that Yuan'er has passed away, I was thinking of taking her as my adopted daughter and finding a good family for her to marry into."
Xie Qichi let out a low laugh. "Oh?"
Mu Qing's hair stood on end at his laugh. "That's what I mean."
"So, that's why I'm here to receive the imperial edict."
His words were well - spoken and elegant. It not only showed the Marquis Mansion's deep - seated humanity but also removed Qu Yue from Mu Yuan's position as his legal wife.
What a high - sounding attitude!
Qu Yue was so angry that her teeth itched after hearing this.
Countless thoughts of rushing up to expose them welled up in her mind, but she forced them down.
There was only one reason: she was afraid of death.
Even a dull person like her knew that making a scene at this time would only make people dislike her.
A laugh rolled out of Xie Qichi's throat. He glanced at Mu Qing's tense body. "How considerate."
Mu Qing couldn't figure out the emperor's mind. He could only make a blind guess and put on a smiling face. "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty."
They said that serving the emperor was like being with a tiger. He, an old retired official, was experiencing it to the fullest.
During the struggle for the throne back then, the least - favored Sixth Prince suddenly rose to prominence. He led the troops on a personal expedition and captured three cities in a row. He had outstanding military achievements and made great contributions.
He also knew how to mingle with the common people, showed concern for their livelihoods, and was deeply loved by the people.
Moreover, because the Princess betrayed the country and the Crown Prince was implicated, losing his biggest competitor, Xie Qichi eliminated the other princes overnight, seized the throne, and became famous far and wide.
But because of his extremely ruthless methods, many people privately called him the "Lord of the Unending Tribulation".
Mu Qing, a mere Marquis of Zhaoping, really didn't dare to provoke him.
So even though his hands were trembling from holding them up, he still didn't dare to move.
Seeing Mu Qing's aging body tensed up extremely tightly, Xie Qichi hooked his lips in pleasure. "But my reward is not for the Marquis Mansion of Zhaoping."
A chill climbed up Mu Qing's body from his toes. "Your Majesty means..."
Xie Qichi was in no hurry. He gently twirled the jade ring on his finger. "The Marquis of Zhaoping is really old and muddled. He even forgot whose son Mu Yuan is."
Mu Qing's pupils trembled instantly!
No, it's impossible!
He had handled that matter seamlessly back then. No one would know!
Mu Qing immediately raised his voice and angrily retorted righteously. "Your Majesty, what do you mean by this? Yuan'er is naturally my son!"
Xie Qichi let out a muffled laugh. "I'm just joking with the Marquis of Zhaoping. Why are you in such a hurry?"
He was like playing with tiny ants, constantly teasing Mu Qing.
And Mu Qing, like an ant, could only be toyed with and still had to force a smile. "Your Majesty suddenly said that Yuan'er is not my son. This concerns the reputation of the Marquis Mansion. I can't be careless."
"Of course, he is your son."
There was still a smile on Xie Qichi's lips, but the coldness seeped out from the very core, like a giant python secretly eyeing its prey in the jungle, making people shiver.
Mu Qing was sweating profusely. He felt like he was hanging over a boiling oil pan. "Then, Your Majesty, can I receive the imperial edict?"
"Yes."
Xie Qichi propped his chin with his long finger and nodded faintly.
Mu Qing's eyes lit up. He opened his five fingers like a hungry wolf.
But the next second, Xie Qichi stood up from the main seat, walked to Mu Qing's side, and kicked him hard!
"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking."
"The reward for Mu Yuan is only for Mu Yuan."
He just retracted his leg. His cold phoenix eyes lifted slightly and swept across everyone present.
Qu Yue didn't expect the eye - contact to come so suddenly.
Those dark eyes directly broke into her pupils, disturbing all her calmness. They were like maggots attached to the bone, sticky on every inch of her skin.
She stood there stupidly.
Until the current emperor hooked his finger at her. "You, come here."