At night, when Lady Cui and Juhua told Yanran about this matter, they thought Yanran would agree imdiately, because for her, being an unsupported concubine’s daughter, to marry into the Mu Family as an official wife was already a great fortune.
However, after hearing this, Yanran was touched but rationally refused.
"Aunt, Sister Juhua, I’m really sorry, but I cannot agree to this marriage proposal."
Lady Cui asked incredulously, "Why? Wen’er is young and handso, with excellent character and background. How could you not find such a young talent eye-catching?"
Yanran said sorrowfully, "It’s not that Master Mu isn’t good, it’s my own issue. My mother died innocently in the Dong Family, and I once swore in front of her grave that I would seek justice for her. Now, while my mother’s unjust death is not yet avenged, how can I have the heart to marry?"
Lady Cui said, "I admire your filial piety. However, if you marry into the Mu Family, given the Mu Family’s influence, wouldn’t it be easy to help you seek revenge? Why go so far when help is so close at hand?"
Yanran replied, "Princess Zhao Qing is the current emperor’s sister. Asking the Mu Family to pressure the emperor to deal with his own sister would be very unfair. I will find my own way to seek revenge, rather than using people’s kindness to achieve my ends."
She was resolute in her words, and Lady Cui and Juhua had no choice but to go back and report Yanran’s words to Lady Du.
Lady Du, upon hearing the words from Juhua and her mother, laughed and said, "This girl, she’s been busy making rouge powder every day and didn’t hear such important news. Princess Zhao Qing and Prince Consort Dong were long ago escorted to the Capital. Having been exposed for her cri of hiring murderers, the emperor has stripped her of royal status and imprisoned her in the prison of the Imperial Clan Court. I wonder if this can be considered avenging her mother. If not, I can report to the Empress Dowager, asking the emperor to thoroughly investigate Princess Zhao Qing’s cris over the years. If Yanran’s mother was indeed killed by Zhao Qing, along with the other concubine she killed before, it might be enough for a death sentence."
Juhua and her mother, hearing this, said happily, "That’s great! If that’s true, then this matter will be settled!"
Tongzhou in Nong’an, a hundred miles away in ancient tis with no communication facilities, relied entirely on word of mouth to relay ssages. The Shen family lived with their doors closed, not interacting much with outsiders, so they were unaware of the downfall of Zhao Qing and her husband.
And although Yanran was outside every day doing business, she only interacted with won, who were not interested in such gossip. Even if soone had heard, they never ntioned it in front of Yanran, so Yanran always did not know.
At that mont, Lady Cui and Juhua ran to Yanran’s small courtyard again, bringing this good news to Yanran. Upon hearing that Princess Zhao Qing received her deserved punishnt, Yanran was overwheld with emotions and burst into tears, crying for her ill-fated mother and for the hardships she and her younger brother suffered over the years because of that vile woman.
She cried until she was out of breath, dizzy and hazy. After crying, she wiped her tears and calmly said, "Aunt, please tell Madam Mu that I agree to this marriage proposal."
Lady Cui said happily, "Oh, that’s wonderful! Finally, lovers are to be united."
Yanran said, "I have one small request: could you please ask Lord Mu to send soone to help relocate my mother’s grave back to the Capital? I don’t want my mother to stay as their person even in death. I want to take her away and bury her in our Yuwen Clan’s ancestral grave, completely breaking ties with the Dong Family!"
Yanran’s request was nothing for the Mu Family. When Mu Zhongqing and his wife heard of their future daughter-in-law’s request, they agreed without hesitation. Mu Zhongqing imdiately dispatched his attendants, having them take his letter to find the Prefect of Tongzhou and ask the Prefect to send people to exhumate Lady Yuwen’s cetery, rewrap it, and transport it to the Capital...
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