Chapter 154: Unexpected Twist

Chapter 154

Unexpected Twist

“I spoke the truth. You will all regret accusing me today!”

Chen Yuelan shouted.

“She ran off to Huangjing for two whole years, and during that time, General Song was constantly fighting at the border. Those three children may indeed be his, but what about the one she’s carrying now? No one knows what she was doing in Huangjing. The Hou! Brother Qilin lied to you and to everyone, claiming that he took her with him to the border, but she never set foot there. She was in Huangjing all along. You’ve all been deceived by her!”

“Yuelan...” the Hou said with a tone of pity. “The child in her womb is Qilin’s. There are many things you don’t know. It’s true that she went to Huangjing, but Qilin visited her frequently. During the ceasefire at the end of the year, he stayed with her there.”

When the Hou confirmed this clearly, murmurs erupted from the crowd again. No wonder the Young Furen had remained so calm—the Hou had known everything from the start. Only Chen Yuelan had been spreading baseless rumors.

“Young Miss Chen, if you don’t know the full truth, you shouldn’t fabricate lies to damage others’ reputations,”

Wen Furen, who had long been displeased with the Chen family, said.

“How could I not know the truth? It was her own stepmother who told me. She said that Nie Ran secretly visited his daughter in Huangjing and kept it hidden from everyone, even the family, under the pretense of business. If she wasn’t doing something shameful, why would she act so secretly?”

Chen Yuelan retorted. Wen Furen laughed.

“I didn’t realize Young Miss Chen was so naive. You know that Nie Furen is the stepmother. Do you think she would favor the Young Furen, a child of another woman? It seems you’ve become her pawn.”

Chen Yuelan was infuriated, not only embarrassed by her false accusations but also feeling insulted for being called a fool used by others. Yet, she was far from willing to admit defeat.

“In that case, answer me this—what were you doing in Huangjing?”

She demanded, pointing at Nie Shuang with the utmost rudeness, her words so disrespectful that the Hou could barely tolerate it. But out of respect for his friend, he held back, knowing Chen Yifang to be a good man. It was truly pitiful that his daughter had such behavior. Nie Shuang smiled and responded,

“I’m not obligated to report my actions to an outsider like you, but since you seem so determined to know every detail of the Hou Manor’s affairs, I’ll indulge you. I went to Huangjing to start a tea business. The teas like Lü Cui, Hong Bao, and Bi Yu, which are all popular in the capital, come from my Xiangyun Tea House. The horse-for-tea trade was arranged because I willingly provided tea to the government to exchange for horses without charge. I’m also the royal merchant who supplies tea to the palace. During those two years in Huangjing, I introduced the tea ceremony that has now gained popularity in the capital, and people have even traveled to study there. Soon, Xiangyun Tea House will open its doors here in the capital. So, you see, I have had no time to concern myself with the silly rumors you’ve been spreading.”

Chen Yuelan felt as though she had been struck across the face. Never had she imagined that Nie Shuang would be the owner of Xiangyun Tea House. In the capital, Xiangyun’s teas were highly sought after. Hosting guests with Lü Cui or Hong Bao tea earned one praise for having excellent taste. Even Chen Yuelan had asked her mother for several batches to drink. Suddenly, her world turned upside down. How could the woman she had always looked down upon as the low-born daughter of a merchant’s concubine had somehow become the owner of the largest tea business in the region?

Not only Chen Yuelan, but the other guests at the event had initially thought that Nie Shuang was just the Young Furen of the Hou Manor. Who would have imagined that this youthful woman was the owner of such a vast business empire? No one could find the words to speak, each silently contemplating this revelation.

While Chen Yuelan stood there, stunned, someone stepped forward, stopping behind the Hou and Nie Shuang. When Chen Yuelan saw him, her eyes widened, and she stammered in surprise and joy,

“B...Brother Qilin...Wh...When did you arrive?”

Song Qilin did not answer her. His eyes were solely fixed on Nie Shuang. Since finishing the battle, he had hurriedly returned, stopping only to pay his respects to the Emperor before rushing home. When he learned she was attending the banquet at Master Wen’s manor, he immediately followed. He hadn’t even changed out of his armor from leading troops into the capital, having only removed his helmet and weapons. As he stood there, his presence was striking.

"Qilin..."

Nie Shuang whispered softly when she turned and saw him. He was here. Was this real, or was she dreaming? Her delicate hand reached forward, as if to grasp his shadow. Were it not for the many people around, he would have pulled her into his arms, his heart brimming with longing.

Song Qilin’s gaze was full of tenderness as he stared at her. But when his eyes fell on her noticeably rounded belly, he was shocked. She had never told him she was pregnant, fearing it might distract him from battle. When he looked back at her, his eyes gleamed with uncontainable joy.

“This...this...?”

He stammered with uncertainty, his face a little puzzled. He had been away for only six months, and now he was about to meet his new child?

“It’s your child,”

Nie Shuang replied with a smile. The couple stared at each other as if there was no one else in the room, their joy too profound for words. Song Qilin longed to embrace her and carry her back home right then and there, but knowing they were in the middle of a banquet, he held back his excitement.

“Are you feeling well? Is your belly too heavy for you to stand...?”

He asked as he moved closer to help her sit. The Hou was pleased to see his son return, though a bit disgruntled when he realized his son had eyes only for his beautiful wife and hadn’t even noticed his father. But seeing how attentively Song Qilin cared for his wife, the Hou’s irritation melted away. After being separated for so long, how could the loving couple not be concerned for each other? The scene left no doubt in anyone’s mind that the General deeply loved and cared for his wife. Seeing their devotion, who could possibly come between them?

Seeing this, Chen Yuelan felt like crying. Once, Brother Qilin had been so kind to her. When they were young, whenever she visited the Hou Manor with her father, he would always come to play with her. But now, none of that kindness remained for her.

After helping Nie Shuang sit, Song Qilin finally greeted the host and respectfully acknowledged the other guests. Everyone admired him, a young man who returned a hero. He was still young but had already achieved great success. It was clear that the future of the Yong An Hou Manor was bright.

"Forgive me for interrupting, everyone. I just returned to the capital and heard my wife was attending Elder Wen Furen’s birthday banquet, so I hurried here to offer my congratulations."

Everyone greeted him warmly, but it was clear he had just arrived and hadn’t heard the rumors or learned of the dispute that had taken place. No one dared bring it up—except for Chen Yuelan, who, still not knowing when to quit, tearfully asked,

“Brother Qilin, is the child she’s carrying really yours?”The gentle expression on the General’s face darkened in an instant, and a menacing aura emanated from him, sending chills down everyone’s spine. Chen Yuelan, having never seen him like this before, turned pale with fear. It seemed she had said something she shouldn’t have.