Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

Mu Yunlian was truly a regular at Yama Hall. Despite being injured and poisoned, he was out of bed after only a day.

With his wound wrapped in gauze and his clothes on, he looked no different than usual, aside from being a little pale.

"Let’s go."

Mu Yunlian extended a hand to Xiao Yang.

Xiao Yang didn’t want to take it. "We’re already out of Da Wei. Where exactly are you taking me?"

Mu Yunlian stubbornly took her hand first. "As the one being kidnapped, you don’t need to know that much."

Wang Xiang arrived just in time to see Mu Yunlian leading Xiao Yang out the door.

She saw it clearly: her master was the one initiating it.

’Before, the master had shown no interest in women, living an ascetic life like a monk. I was worried sick watching him, but now he’s suddenly seen the light—and kidnapped a young lady, of all things. This is truly...’

Wang Xiang’s feelings were complicated. She glanced at Ling Ji. "I know what’s on your mind, but it’s a good thing that the master has finally come around. That young lady... you take good care of her."

’In the end, Ling Ji was just a handmaid; becoming the lady of the house is highly unlikely,’ Wang Xiang thought. ’It will all depend on whether that young lady is magnanimous enough to let Ling Ji become a concubine or something in the future, which would be a way to fulfill her heart’s desire.’

Ling Ji didn’t know what Wang Xiang was thinking, or she definitely wouldn’t have been able to maintain her cool and detached expression.

’I could accept being the master’s concubine, but sharing a husband with the Empress? Is she afraid my nine generations of kin, hidden who knows where, won’t be found and exterminated?’

"Don’t worry, Sister. I know what I’m doing."

Ling Ji truly did know what she was doing, but Wang Xiang thought she was just being stubborn. She patted her shoulder gently and said earnestly, "You’ve always served the master. He trusts you the most. Even with a lady of the house, your position won’t change. Don’t be too hasty and make a mistake because of a single wrong thought."

This time, Ling Ji understood. Wang Xiang was worried she would do something malicious out of jealousy.

"Sister Xiangxiang, you really don’t have to worry about that. There’s no way something like what you’re describing could happen between me and this young lady. Besides, don’t be so quick to call her the lady of the house. The master is forcing this, so nothing is certain yet."

’If it were any other woman in the world, I would be jealous and feel they were unworthy of the master. But that is the Empress.’

From the very beginning, Ling Ji never had any intention of competing.

’Besides, I know that the Empress has an ambiguous relationship with the Regent King. She had previously named the Regent King her Killing Concubine and General Li her Scolding Concubine. And then there was Mr. Xu, her favorite, for whom she had punished the Xu Family and even personally stood guard over.’

’The Empress has always been the one people beg for favor. In her eyes, my master doesn’t carry that much weight.’

’Setting aside the facts of what’s between my master and the Empress, just thinking of the Empress as a person... I think she’s a wonderful person. How could I do anything malicious?’

She adored her master and was even more grateful to him. If possible, more than her own feelings, she hoped her master could get what he wished for.

Wang Xiang could finally see Ling Ji’s attitude—she had truly accepted the situation, without any reluctance. She couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity, "Which family is this young lady from, anyway?"

’What kind of background could make the master so insistent, and make Ling Ji feel not even a shred of jealousy?’

Ling Ji said only four words: "Too noble for words."

「 」

Mu Yunlian drank his medicine before they departed. The moment he was on the carriage, he closed his eyes. He had lost too much blood and his body was weak; he desperately needed to rest.

The carriage was lined with soft cushions, but even the finest carriage still jostled. He kept his brows furrowed in his deep sleep.

Xiao Yang sat to one side, watching him for a long while before finally moving to sit beside him.

She touched his face. No fever.

Leaning back slightly, she gently braced him to keep him from being shaken too much.

Suddenly, her hand was seized. She looked down to see Mu Yunlian’s eyes still closed.

"Ah Yang..."

Xiao Yang paused in her attempt to pull her hand back. She stared at him for a moment, but ultimately didn’t retract her hand.

’I really must owe him from a past life.’

The carriage traveled for the better part of the day, and Mu Yunlian slept for the better part of the day.

Ling Ji brought in their lunch. She was just wondering how she could get Xiao Yang to eat while Mu Yunlian was holding her hand, when Xiao Yang pried his hand open herself.

She did it so quickly that no one had time to process it.

’Holding it for a while is enough. Don’t expect me to starve.’

In the evening, the carriage stopped in a mountain hollow. Mu Yunlian finally woke up. Xiao Yang had already stepped out for some fresh air, and Mu Yunlian followed right after her.

The first thing he did after getting out was take her hand. "I’m taking you to see something."

Mu Yunlian led Xiao Yang up a small path until they reached its end. Below them was a massive pit, where many people could be seen toiling away.

"Do you know what this is?"

"A mine pit," Xiao Yang said. "But judging by the color, it doesn’t look like iron."

’Why is it so shiny?’

"This is a gold mine," Mu Yunlian said.

"Beimeng is rich in ores, but not just iron and coal. It has quite a few gold and copper mines as well."

’A gold mine!’

Xiao Yang’s eyes screamed: I want it!

Even though Xiao Yang was now an empress, with the wealth of a nation at her command, and even though she had once been a rich heiress and a domineering CEO, this was a gold mine. No woman, no matter how aloof, could remain calm in the face of a gold mine.

"It’s mine," Mu Yunlian said.

Xiao Yang could only stare.

Mu Yunlian looked into her eyes and repeated, "This gold mine is mine."

Xiao Yang nodded numbly. "I heard you."

Mu Yunlian led Xiao Yang back, and that night, they stayed in one of his manors in yet another city.

After dinner, Mu Yunlian took out a map of Beimeng, which was covered in various markings.

"The gold markers are gold mines, red are iron mines, and green are copper mines."

On it were two gold mines, over a dozen iron mines, seven copper mines, and also some silver markers.

"Those are for gemstones."

Xiao Yang pointed to a place that was circled and marked with an X. "What’s this?"

"That’s the restaurant business," Mu Yunlian replied.

Xiao Yang stared at all the circles and dots on the map, and a single phrase echoed in her mind: ’Mine, mine, it’s all mine!’

’Her previous estimations of Mu Yunlian’s wealth had been far too conservative.’

Jealousy made Xiao Yang want to turn into a kidnapper herself and just abduct Mu Yunlian.

"So many mines... How could Beimeng allow them to be privately developed? Especially gold mines. How could the state hand over a gold mine to a merchant?"

"It’s not just one merchant," Mu Yunlian said. "The owner of each mine has a separate identity. They cooperate with the Beimeng court, handling the mining and smelting for a cut of the profits. Nominally, these mines belong to the Beimeng court, but the owners of all these mines were all placed by me."

As long as you have enough of your own people and enough control over the mines, only you know how much of the extracted ore you report and how much you hide.

Xiao Yang sighed in admiration. "You really are incredible."

’He really has Beimeng’s entire economic lifeline in his grasp.’

No wonder he had so many enemies, was frequently targeted by assassins, and didn’t even dare to show his true face to the public.

He was just too rich. This level of wealth was something no one short of a sovereign ruler could possibly control.

For a merchant to hold such an enormous fortune was like being a plump piece of meat running down the street. Who wouldn’t want to take a bite?

Mu Yunlian leaned in close, his gaze fixed on her. "Do you want it?"

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