The atmosphere at Mu manor was quite lively this morning. The servants, knowing that Governor Mu’s younger brother and sister by blood were about to arrive, were busy organizing and cleaning. Although there wasn’t much to be done, people were bustling about.
While the people inside Mu manor were filled with joy, outside, a commotion was brewing that was hard to control. The noise started in front of the manor just as Mu Heng went to handle official matters. The troublemakers appeared as if they had planned it all along.
"Hey, innkeeper. Let me ask you something. Is that the Mu manor over there? The one that harbors the wife who is rumored to be a demon?" A middle-aged man called out loudly, his voice filled with the strain of enduring hardships.
He carried many belongings on his back, looking like someone who had just traveled a long way. His attire clearly indicated that he was an outsider, not a local from the capital.
"And who might you be? Why are you looking for Governor Mu?" The innkeeper, who was called upon, responded.
He did not immediately reveal the location of Governor Mu’s manor but instead asked out of curiosity. Recently, the Mu family’s reputation had fallen significantly. Everyone had heard rumors that Furen Mu might indeed be a demon as the gossip suggested. However, because they were nobility, the surrounding villagers dared not speak much.
Moreover, the Mu manor, formerly the Cold Jade Palace, was very private. The area within several hundred meters around it belonged entirely to the Mu family. Villagers could only sneak peeks from afar to see what was happening at the Mu manor.
There were only rumors from those who had entered the Mu manor to help with tasks, stating that it was quite grand inside, filled with many valuable items. Thus, people speculated that the Mu family might truly be involved with the notorious bandits.
"I am just an ordinary villager. But I lost my wife and child when bandits suddenly attacked. My wife and child died just like that. I want to see who is responsible for my misfortune. I want to ask Furen Mu myself what kind of heart she has."
"Did you really have to kill my wife and child just for some wealth? Moreover, my village was already struggling before this. We hadn’t even recovered from the epidemic, and then the bandits struck again."
"In fact, I thought about ending my own life to join my wife and child. But... I also want to know the truth. I want to know and put my mind at ease—why Furen Mu, who already has plenty, would still kill people to get more. Why did she target innocent villagers who had nothing to eat?!"
The middle-aged man shouted loudly, his voice filled with frustration and bitterness, as if he had never had a chance to express it before. His eyes were red with fury, reflecting his hatred towards the cruel fate of his life. The villagers who heard and saw him gasped in shock.
Everyone had been curious about the rumors they had heard about Furen Mu, but they were only half-convinced. Until they heard it from someone who had experienced it firsthand, now more than 80 out of 100 believed that Furen Mu might truly be a demon.
"Don’t speak so harshly. Even the authorities aren’t convinced that Furen Mu is the leader of the bandits. There might be some misunderstanding," the innkeeper tried to defend Furen Mu.
After all, he had to remain neutral because if the truth turned out to be different from what people believed, Governor Mu could punish them severely to restore his wife’s reputation.
These villagers might be from the wild, ignorant and fearless, but he had been running his business here for a long time. He had seen many ordinary people fall like leaves, so he knew how to survive and navigate the situation carefully. It was not right to judge prematurely. If it turned out that Furen Mu was indeed a vicious person, and involved with the bandits, he could join in the condemnation later.
"I need to know the truth. That’s why I traveled all the way here. If Furen Mu isn’t to blame, then my wife and child were simply unfortunate, and I can only pray for the authorities to catch the bandits.”
“But if Furen Mu is responsible, then I consider this a good deed for my wife and children. At least, no one else will have to die because of her in the future! I’m not afraid. Now, I have nothing to lose. I’ve already lost my family. I thought my life was worthless to be thrown away, so wouldn’t it be better to do a good deed for the last time?”
"In that case, I don’t know how to stop you anymore. Anyway, the question you asked—where is Governor Mu’s manor? It is right ahead. The large manor is the Governor Mu’s manor," the innkeeper said with a heavy heart, but he didn’t stop him anymore. He intently pointed out the location of the Mu manor.
"Is that really the Mu manor? How could a newly appointed official have such a large manor?" The person from another city asked, trying to make everyone notice the irregularity.
"That manor was granted to Governor Mu by His Highness, the Wang. The Wang rewarded him and his wife for their numerous achievements."
"What kind of achievements warrant such a grand palace?" The middle-aged man let out a bitter laugh, seemingly deeply pained.
However, the surrounding people were not swayed by this line of questioning. They had never doubted the Wang’s intentions. They knew that whatever the Wang did, he had the Region’s best interests at heart.
Therefore, the fact that Governor Mu received a large palace as a manor from the Wang did not raise any suspicions among them. Of course, the middle-aged man was not foolish. Seeing that this line of incitement failed, he continued to slander Furen Mu.
After all, his task was simply to present himself as a victim and tarnish Furen Mu’s reputation, turning rumors into reality. He was not stupid enough to take on a job that would get him killed, so he had no real intention of actually going to the Mu manor. He only pretended to head there. Whether he went or not was entirely up to him, and the others did not know about it at all. He planned to slip away and hide in the ensuing chaos, considering the job done.
"Receiving a palace as a royal grant must indeed be a gesture of the Wang’s favor. But what about Furen Mu herself? Does she favor luxurious clothing? How is her diet? Are there any suspicious activities surrounding them?" The middle-aged man continued to ask, pretending to be a villager who was in trouble to gather information that might paint Furen Mu as a bandit.
These questions did not raise suspicions about him. Others even chimed in with their opinions. He merely played the role of a victim who believed the rumors and came here to find out the truth. This made people more inclined to believe him. Given that many were already aware of the situation, it would be easy for them to observe and connect the dots if Furen Mu ever left the manor in the future.
However, the responses he received were not what he had hoped for. Many villagers immediately voiced their own opinions.
"From what you’ve asked, I’ve been thinking about it. Furen Mu has never dressed in the extravagant manner typical of people from the Bai Region. Most of the clothes she wears are those granted by the royal family. The luxurious garments she has are from the Du Region. So, perhaps the rumor that she is involved in banditry might not be true."
"That’s right. Furen Mu dresses quite simply compared to other nobles. Didn’t she spend all her money helping the Red Earth City?"
"I heard that before receiving the royal manor, she had to live in the Wang’s guest house. When she gave gifts to the Second Prince’s consort, they were from the Du Region. I heard those gifts were quite valuable but were personal items she brought from home. Furen Mu was reportedly very reluctant to part with them."
"This is true. I heard from the soldiers who accompanied her. Previously, Governor Mu was the Governor of Red Earth City and helped it a lot. It took considerable effort and money to transform that remote town into the important city it is today. Even the Emperor and the Wang rewarded him with money."
The villagers from the capital, who had heard these stories, tried to share what they knew. Seeing the direction of the conversation shift, the middle-aged man who had been hired began to shout incoherently, like a madman.
"Ho!! So that’s what people in the city think. Everyone sees black as white, just as the prophecy foretold. This demoness can do this much!!" Unable to present a coherent argument, he began to cry and wail loudly, collapsing to the ground and hitting himself like a madman.
The mention of the prophecy startled the people once again. They realized that they had been defending Furen Mu despite their suspicions. Why did their doubts vanish when they thought more deeply? Was it because of the demon’s power?
People in this era were known for their rationality, but they were also deeply superstitious. Even with many logical reasons presented, when it came to their beliefs, they were ready to abandon all logic. Faith, after all, was intangible, unprovable, and sacred!
As the villagers gathered around to watch the middle-aged man thrashing about for attention, a bucket of water was suddenly thrown into the middle of the crowd. Screams erupted, and people scattered in all directions.
"Who! Who dares to throw water on me?" The man’s voice changed immediately, from sorrowful and blaming the heavens and earth to one of utmost rage.
"It was me." As the voice rang out, the crowd parted to reveal the speaker, allowing him to confront the middle-aged man, who was still sitting on the ground with red, angry eyes.
A young man appeared, looking like a scholar but with a strong physique that suggested he had done a lot of hard work. Behind him was a cute little girl, who appeared cheerful and appropriately youthful but with a hint of intelligence in her eyes. The sight of these two left the middle-aged man bewildered.
"Who are these two children, and why did they throw water on me?"
"Oh, my apologies. I saw you thrashing about as if you were poisoned. There’s a poison my sister-in-law taught me about called rabies. When someone is affected by it, they act like a rabid dog, thrashing about and biting people. So, I had to throw water to snap you out of it. I didn’t realize it was just a normal person in the middle of the crowd."
The person speaking was Xiao Long. The young man had overheard the middle-aged man shouting insults at their sister-in-law. Enraged, he had come over to silence him.
"You, young boy, are you accusing me of having a disease?!" The middle-aged man’s face turned red with anger as he realized people were watching and that he had been indirectly insulted. His fury was evident, but Xiao Long stood his ground, unafraid, like a cliff that remained unmoved by the wind and rain.
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