Upon thinking of the royal family's importance attached to their eldest daughter, he couldn't help but feel a chill of fear. It was fortunate that his daughter had escaped; otherwise, the consequences would have been truly unimaginable.
He felt his second daughter failed to grasp the situation. Although he suspected his eldest daughter was responsible for the disfigurement of his second daughter's face, it was clear that the eldest daughter's influence was now far greater. If he were in her shoes, he would absolutely find ways to build a good relationship with the Fifth Prince's consort. It was true that the two had fallen out in the past, but if the other party had done something wrong, they would surely feel guilty. He should stir up that sense of guilt. With her backing, she could live a comfortable life in the Xu family forever, instead of facing such hardship as she was now.
Mu Fei listened to the wet nurses outside discussing how much the Fifth Prince doted on Mu Yan. The more this was the case, the more she was reminded of her own wedding night. Tears inevitably streamed down her face as she continued to blow the whistle.
The servants looked at their young lady strangely. They had initially thought she was just acting on a whim, but she had been blowing it for several days. However, it was better to get involved less in their young lady's affairs. They had not forgotten that their young lady had even dared to kill people.
That night, Mu Fei was fast asleep when she suddenly opened her eyes. Turning her head, she found someone else in the room. She said with some emotion, "You once gave me this whistle, saying that if I ever needed you, I should blow it, and you would appear. I've blown it for days, and you never came. I had given up hope, and now you've come."
The other party sighed and looked at her, saying, "I still remember you once vowed that you would never blow this whistle in this lifetime and would never need my help. Years have passed, and you've indeed lived up to your words. I thought I would never hear this whistle again. I didn't expect you to seek me out. It seems you haven't been living well."
Mu Fei unconsciously touched her face. Even lying in bed at night, she didn't want to take off her veil. Let alone others, even she didn't want to see her own ugly face. Did the other party want to see it? The answer was no. To avoid affecting his impression of her, she felt that chatting like this was the best.
"I was living a perfectly good life, but the appearance of one person disrupted it. I'm confined here, unable to leave, while she lives in splendor. Didn't you say that you could do anything for me if I needed it? Does that still count?"
Mu Fei probed. She had unintentionally saved his life once, and she could see that he was fond of her. He had even tentatively asked her if she wanted to wander the jianghu with him. But she had set her heart on reaching the highest position, so how could she give up a comfortable life? She had rejected him without a second thought.
She wondered if he had met a girl he fancied in the past few years and if his words still held true, especially given Mu Yan's current status and position.
The other party nodded without hesitation. "You know, I love you. I will refuse no request you make, even if it costs me my life. What you don't know is that I've actually been watching you all along. I know you haven't been doing well in the Xu family, but since you didn't blow the whistle, I didn't dare to intrude. I know who you're talking about, and I know she disfigured you. You want revenge. Although I'm not confident facing her, I can try my best."
Mu Fei looked at him with some regret. He was the first person she knew who had been disfigured and hadn't distanced himself from her. It was a pity his status wasn't higher; otherwise, if she married him, her lifelong wishes would surely be fulfilled.
"Thank you!" she said sincerely.
"Although I wander the jianghu, I have my own sect and my own businesses. I can provide you with a prosperous life. As long as you're willing to come with me, all my money is yours. This small courtyard shouldn't trap you. Besides, Xu Minghui has no feelings for you, and you won't be happy. I love you, regardless of your appearance. If you're bothered by your disfigurement, I'll travel all over the country with you to find renowned doctors. I believe your beauty will be restored. Of course, if you don't mind, I'll care even less. I just don't know if you're willing." In a place Mu Fei couldn't see, the other party lowered his head, afraid to look at her expression, fearing she might refuse.
Silence fell in the room. Just as he thought she was unwilling to answer and he had come up empty-handed again, Mu Fei actually smiled and nodded, saying softly, "Okay!"
The other party immediately looked up, looking at her with disbelief. He recalled and found that he hadn't hallucinated. A smile involuntarily appeared on his face. He suddenly felt his life was complete and said firmly, "Wait for me. After I've avenged you, I will come with a grand procession to marry you and make you the happiest woman in the world."
She was alone in the room again. Mu Fei reminisced about their past moments together, her eyes inevitably moistening. It turned out she hadn't been without true love; she just hadn't cherished it.
At this moment, her heart was suddenly filled with infinite hope. Perhaps she could leave with him and live a free and uninhibited life in a place where no one knew her.
At the same time, she suddenly questioned whether calling him to avenge her was the right decision. However, when she thought about how miserably Wu Caiwei had harmed her, she felt unwilling. She felt that her greatest obsession in this life was her, and she would never be happy if she didn't resolve it. She cast aside the thought of faint regret from her mind.
Wu Caiwei had no idea that danger was approaching. The day after their wedding, she and the Fifth Prince went to the imperial palace to pay their respects to the Empress and the Emperor.
It was the first time the Emperor had seen her face. Looking at her bearing, he understood why the Empress had praised her so highly. He wondered who had committed such a wicked deed, spreading such rumors about her, which had led to his own misunderstandings.
If he had known she was such a woman of both inner beauty and outer radiance, he would have done anything to marry her into his own family. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise; their own son had taken a liking to her first. Although he found his son somewhat displeasing now, he couldn't deny that he had married a good consort.
To express his favor towards her, the Emperor bestowed upon her a pile of gold and jewels. Upon returning to the manor, the Fifth Prince summoned everyone and personally stood by her side to support her, making it clear to everyone that from this day forward, there was a mistress in the Fifth Prince's manor.
Wu Caiwei was already accustomed to managing household affairs. She was fair in her rewards and punishments, leaving everyone with no room for complaint.
One day, the couple woke up in the middle of the night. Wu Caiwei suddenly opened her eyes, grabbed the weapon by the bed, and silently drew her sword. The Fifth Prince was no less prepared, holding a powder he had kept under his pillow, which could save his life at a critical moment.