Mu Lixue looked at Deng Xiao, who had turned his face away. She thought he didn't want to see her, and tears welled up in her eyes and trickled down.
Ruo Hong turned around and left, closing the courtyard gate behind.
"Yi Qing lied to me, saying you might be dead. I've been looking for you all this time," Mu Lixue said, her head down as she wrung her fingers. Tears fell onto them. "I've made up my mind. No matter where you are, I must find you."
"Don't bother," Deng Xiao said icily.
"My father said that as long as you come to my home and tell him in person that you're willing to marry me, he'll let me marry you."
Deng Xiao wanted to tell her the truth, but the words died on his lips. "I'm not willing."
"Why?" Mu Lixue was on the verge of a breakdown. "Tell me what's wrong with me. I'll change."
"It's not your problem. It's mine. And I can't change it, nor do I want to."
"I don't care that you're a Jinyiwei," Mu Lixue took a step forward. "If we don't have children, we can adopt one. You don't have to worry about the money to raise the child. I have a lot of dowry."
"Don't you understand? It's my problem. I don't like you, and I don't want to marry you..."
It took a long time for Mu Lixue to stagger out of Deng Xiao's small courtyard. Yi Qing peeked at her and immediately pretended not to see.
Mu Lixue seemed not to notice Yi Qing. She walked out mechanically like a puppet.
"Hey? I told you it wouldn't work, right?" Yi Qing knew from Mu Lixue's state that it still hadn't worked.
Mu Lixue paused and turned to look at Yi Qing. "How much is your family's mansion? I'll buy it."
Yi Qing thought Mu Lixue might be too devastated. "It's not for sale."
"My family is very rich—" Mu Lixue said as she squatted on the ground and cried. "Since I was a child, I could get whatever I wanted. But now, what's the use of money? No matter what, Brother Deng Xiao still doesn't like me..." As she spoke, she cried even more bitterly.
"Don't cry," Yi Qing really couldn't stand it when someone cried so hysterically in front of her. "Go and call Deng Xiao here right away."
"Don't call him," Mu Lixue choked and stopped her.
"Aren't you eager to see him?"
"Let me touch up my makeup first," Mu Lixue sniffed and went to look for a mirror.
Yi Qing was really defeated by Mu Lixue. Under such circumstances, she still cared about these things. "I think there's no need to call Deng Xiao. You just need to think it through."
"I can't figure it out. Why doesn't he like me?" Mu Lixue started crying again when she heard that Deng Xiao wouldn't be called.
"Whether he likes you or not is his business. Why do you need so many reasons?" Yi Qing looked at Mu Lixue. "It's a person's feeling, a subjective will. That's all."
Mu Lixue wiped away her tears. "I'll definitely find a way." After saying that, she left.
Yi Qing watched Mu Lixue's back. She was so tenacious, always rising after a fall.
Duke Mu didn't expect that Deng Xiao was not only alive but also doing well in the Xiao family. He thought the matter was over, but the Xiao family had spoiled his plan.
Duke Mu came to the Xiao family for the first time and saw the Xiao family's bodyguards training. They were all veterans from the battlefield, each of them burly and with good skills.
"Duke Mu," Xiao Jinghan saluted.
Duke Mu nodded slightly. "I'm here today to ask General Xiao for a person."
Xiao Jinghan thought for a while. "There's no one here that I can give to Duke Mu."
"Are you sure, General Xiao?" Duke Mu didn't expect Xiao Jinghan to refuse so straightforwardly.
"Of course, I'm sure."
"Do you know that if I want him, even the emperor can't protect him. Why are you so stubborn, General Xiao?"
"It's not stubbornness. There are things I should do and things I shouldn't do," Xiao Jinghan looked into Duke Mu's eyes.
Duke Mu nodded. "Then I won't go in and sit. General Xiao, you'd better think carefully."
As soon as Duke Mu left, Yi Qing walked over. Mu Lixue had just found Deng Xiao, and Duke Mu came right after. The speed was too fast.
"What did he want?" Yi Qing whispered.
"Deng Xiao."
"Deng Xiao has become a hot commodity recently. Everyone wants him," Yi Qing thought Deng Xiao was quite pitiful. "Anyway, Duke Mu already knows he's alive. Let him go home."
Xiao Jinghan nodded.
Deng Xiao stopped hiding. He first went to the palace to report his duty and then went straight home.
Yi Qing thought Duke Mu would kill Deng Xiao directly, but unexpectedly, Deng Xiao was safe and sound. The next day, Deng Xiao was removed from his post, and several trumped - up charges were used to confiscate all his property.
"Damn emperor," Yi Qing was a bit angry when she knew about this.
Xiao Jinghan didn't scold Yi Qing. This was actually the emperor's compromise.
Deng Xiao had nowhere to go, so he brought his mother to the Xiao family. He could find another job, but he didn't want his mother to suffer.
Yi Qing kept Deng's mother. She knew Deng Xiao wouldn't live on others' charity, so she didn't try to keep Deng Xiao.
Deng Xiao was a Jinyiwei. He used to be so glorious. Now, after taking off the Jinyiwei's flying - fish robe, he was just a penniless courtier. He could only endure the ridicule.
Duke Mu didn't stop Mu Lixue from looking for Deng Xiao. He just wanted Mu Lixue to see Deng Xiao's sorry state so that she could give up.
"Aren't you the commander of the Jinyiwei?" A group of hooligans blocked Deng Xiao's way. "You used to be so majestic. Show us your majesty again. Maybe we'll be in a good mood and give you a copper coin." As they spoke, they burst into wild laughter.
Deng Xiao turned around and was about to leave.
"Don't go. I heard that you Jinyiwei are also courtiers. Let us have a look. We'll give you silver if you do," the hooligan pestered Deng Xiao.
Deng Xiao clenched his fists.
Mu Lixue watched those people humiliating Deng Xiao from the carriage. She also clenched her fists tightly.
"See? He's nothing. What can you do if you follow him?" Duke Mu looked at his daughter.
Maybe he had spoiled his daughter too much, so Xue'er didn't know what hardships were and only liked Deng Xiao's gorgeous clothes.
"Dad, you're being too much," Mu Lixue grabbed the coachman's whip and jumped out of the carriage.
Those people were shoving and humiliating Deng Xiao. Deng Xiao couldn't help but want to fight back.
Mu Lixue walked over from behind and whipped directly. The hooligan didn't see who it was. He grabbed the whip and pulled, causing Mu Lixue to fall to the ground.
"Xue'er," Deng Xiao saw the hooligan was about to grab Mu Lixue and immediately rushed over.
Mu Lixue lay on the ground and smiled happily when she saw Deng Xiao running towards her.
Deng Xiao picked up the whip on the ground and lashed out. Those hooligans were no match for Deng Xiao. Soon they were rolling on the ground, screaming in pain.
"Miss Mu," Deng Xiao helped Mu Lixue up.
"Brother Deng Xiao, I'm so scared," Mu Lixue immediately threw herself into Deng Xiao's arms.
Deng Xiao stiffened. He almost forgot that Mu Lixue had this trick.
At this moment, several city - guards walked over and pushed through the crowd.
"Lord Deng, now that you're no longer the commander, you still dare to commit violence in the street. Take him away," the centurion ordered.
"I'd like to see who dares," Mu Lixue stood in front of Deng Xiao.
"Miss Mu, don't make things difficult for us. Take Miss Mu away. Move," the centurion gave the order.