Chapter 186: Nie Ying

Chapter 186

Nie Ying

After Princess An Le’s wedding ceremony, Kang Wang went to bid farewell to his father, as he planned to return to his domain. Mu Rongying accompanied him. Once they had paid their respects, father and son engaged in casual conversation. After a while, Kang Wang broached a subject he had been meaning to address.

"Father, before returning to Huangjing, I wish to clarify something regarding my secondary consort, to ease any concerns you might have."

The Emperor waved his hand and responded,

"There’s no need. Whatever her background may be, the two of you are already married. Wuqian, don’t trouble yourself over it."

"Previously, I refrained from discussing this matter because of the upcoming wedding, and you were occupied with state affairs. Now that everything has been settled and as I prepare to return to Huangjing, I do not know when I’ll have another chance to return to the capital. I feel it is important to clarify this matter before I leave, Father."

Kang Wang was elegant and composed, and his speech was always respectful and gentle, making it hard for anyone to dislike him. Amidst the ongoing power struggle between the two major factions, Kang Wang had skillfully maintained neutrality, earning admiration. He had made it clear that he harbored no desire for power, balancing the tension between the factions. Although the Emperor wasn’t particularly adept in statecraft, he excelled at preserving his own authority, maintaining a cautious and suspicious disposition. Even now, he had yet to appoint a crown prince.

As a result, Kang Wang’s stance made the Emperor hold his son in higher regard. Handsome and charismatic, Kang Wang could easily have won public favor by riding into the capital on horseback for all to see, but he chose not to. Despite being approached by numerous officials pledging loyalty, he only responded with polite hospitality, without showing favoritism. Thus, no one dared to create difficulties over the true identity of his secondary consort.

Seeing that his son was determined to explain, the Emperor did not object and simply stroked his beard, taking a sip of tea.

"Father, in truth, my consort is Mu Rongying, as the rumors suggest."

The Emperor did not show any surprise, as though he had already suspected this. He merely raised an eyebrow slightly, listening intently. Seeing that his father was not angry, Kang Wang continued.

"I first met her at Lady Boss’s mansion in Huangjing. At that time, she had just been rescued from the Baihua Brothel."

Upon hearing the connection to Baihua Brothel, the Emperor’s expression immediately darkened, and he set his teacup down with a loud thud. Seeing this reaction, Kang Wang quickly continued.

"Mu Rongying was unharmed, Father. Lady Boss sent people to rescue her in time and informed the Mu family. However, to protect their reputation, the Mu family kept the incident secret. In an effort to restore their honor, they killed everyone in Baihua Brothel and destroyed all evidence with fire."

"Did Rui Wang know about this?"

The Emperor asked in a low voice.

"I kept the matter a secret, and to this day, Rui Wang has not found the culprit. However, he suspects it might have been the Mu family, which has led to increasing tensions between Rui Wang’s faction and Jun Wang’s faction."

"Mm, it seems you made the right decision to keep this matter hidden. I won’t pursue it further. But why did Mu Rongying appear in Huangjing in the first place, only to end up captured by Baihua Brothel?"

Kang Wang had anticipated this question and replied with hands clasped.

"Father, her relationship with the Mu family was strained. She didn’t want to be a puppet for them, so she fled."

Mu Rongying, seeing that the conversation concerned her, rose from her chair and knelt on the floor. Upon seeing this, Kang Wang knelt beside her, supporting her.

"I am guilty of concealing the truth from Your Majesty and am willing to accept any punishment."

The Emperor looked at the beautiful woman before him, whose elegance surpassed even that of Mu Guifei in her youth. Grand Chancellor Mu had once proposed offering this niece of his as a concubine, but in the end, they sent Mu Zhao Yi instead. Comparing the two, Mu Zhao Yi was no match for Mu Rongying—whether in beauty, demeanor, or ability. Mu Rongying was truly exceptional in every way. However, the Emperor couldn’t help but feel displeased, knowing she had fled from being presented to the court.

"Your Majesty, Mu Rongying did not wish for a life confined in a cage, constantly at the mercy of my family’s orders. When they found me useful, they valued me, but once I became useless, they discarded me like a worthless pawn. My mother warned me about this before she passed away. Her family was once powerful, but when they fell from grace, no one respected her, the matriarch, anymore. Even my father showed his disgust, as if fearing that her natal family would disturb him, tarnishing his own reputation. He never visited her, not even in her final days."

"I once dedicated myself to study and training, doing everything I could for the family, hoping it would elevate my mother’s status. But after her passing, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, they only saw me as a tool. My life, in their eyes, had no greater value than that."

"I remember your mother. She was a very beautiful woman. When she married your father, people said she was fortunate. I never imagined her family would later face such misfortune."

The Emperor was well aware of the way the Mu family handled matters. Those who succeeded from the Mu lineage were skilled but heartless. As a powerful and renowned family, the Mu family would have felt that the misfortunes of Mu Rongying’s mother’s natal family might reflect poorly on them. Thus, they treated her coldly until her last breath. The Mu family was ruthless, even with their own kin.

"Father, I have brought Young Song Furen to testify to the truth. If you allow, may she enter?"

"The Young Furen of the Hou Manor is here? Then, let her in."

The eunuch outside the room announced Nie Shuang, who gracefully entered the hall. Her youthful face was beautiful and compose. She wasn’t even twenty, yet she had a calm and prudent aura. It was hard to believe that this young figure had already borne six children.

Nie Shuang paid her respect and knelt beside Mu Rongying. As the two women sat together, their beauty was like that of celestial beings. The Emperor, recognizing her as the wife of General Song Qilin, allowed them to rise.

"Regarding Mu Rongying, were you complicit in her actions from the start?"

The Emperor asked in a neutral tone, showing no emotion.

"The Mu family sent people to retrieve her from Huangjing, but when they learned she could no longer present herself at court, they severed ties with her. Young Miss Mu is talented and no longer wishes to involve herself with court affairs. Seeing her alone in the world with no one to turn to, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy and take her in as my adopted sister. As for the relationship between her and Kang Wang, I am merely an outsider. How could I intervene or oppose it?"

Nie Shuang’s answer was clear. She had merely offered help to a woman with no other refuge, and there was nothing inappropriate or blameworthy in her actions. Kang Wang had simply fallen in love with Mu Rongying and was willing to marry her, even though she was the daughter of a merchant and offered no political advantage. The Emperor couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the situation. Still, his dissatisfaction was intended to be directed at Mu Rongying. Though he didn’t punish her, he still wanted to reprimand her.

"Mu Rongying, your actions have caused much trouble. Had it not been for Young Song Furen’s help or Kang Wang’s efforts to cover up the matter, the Mu and Pei families would have clashed, possibly to the death."

Mu Rongying was about to kowtow and admit her guilt, but Kang Wang quickly pulled her back.

“Father, any fault of Yingying’s, I am willing to take upon myself. Please, if there is any punishment to be given, let it fall upon me.”

Everyone could see that the Emperor’s anger did not stem from fear of conflict between the two families. Rather, it was due to his displeasure at not being able to claim beauty like Mu Rongying for himself. Despite her claims of not wanting to be a pawn of the Mu family, the Emperor likely believed that such a young woman simply found an older man like himself distasteful. Her escape, whether intended or not, had tarnished his pride to some extent.

“Your Majesty, Mu Rongying indeed has made mistakes. However, now that she belongs to the Nie family, let our family take responsibility for her errors. Punishing her or Kang Wang won’t serve any real purpose. Instead, it would be more beneficial for the Nie family to pay compensation, and the funds can be used for the region’s benefit. That way, the matter will be settled in a way that benefits the greater good.”

Nie Shuang’s words redirected the conversation cleverly. She didn’t believe that taking the blame on behalf of others would lead to a productive outcome. It would only deepen the Emperor’s anger. Instead, she proposed compensation, using it as a bargaining tool. Though the war had ended, the royal court’s finances were still struggling. If the earnings from the tea trade could help the country, she was more than willing. Furthermore, Nie Shuang feared that unresolved resentment from the Emperor toward the couple could lead to problems in the future.

The Emperor listened to her proposal with interest.

“And how would this compensation be handled? This matter hasn’t directly harmed the region. Is it appropriate for the Nie family to take responsibility?”

As a businesswoman, Nie Shuang was skilled at negotiation.

“Even if it only caused Your Majesty displeasure, that alone is a mistake worthy of amends. Xiangyun Tea House has had the privilege of trading tea for many years. Originally, the profits supported the tea-for-horse trade. After the war ended, Your Majesty was kind enough to allow the concession to continue. However, I believe we should not take advantage of Your Majesty’s generosity. It would be appropriate to impose a tax on the tea trade going forward.”

This proposal piqued the Emperor’s interest. The income from tea trade each year was considerable. Xiangyun Tea House profited from tea trade not only within the region but also with neighboring regions. Accepting this proposal meant that the royal court would receive regular revenue annually. When compared to the mild displeasure he had felt, this was clearly a more beneficial outcome. His expression visibly softened, though he still cleared his throat as if not entirely satisfied.

“I am not one to be swayed by money, but it’s clear this would benefit the people at large. As for Mu Rongying’s fleeing from the palace and deceiving the court, I’ll not pursue the matter further. From now on, she will go by the name Nie Ying and be recognized as an official daughter of the Nie family.”Mu Rongying was at a loss for words. She turned to Nie Shuang, filled with gratitude, before both she and Kang Wang knelt to thank the Emperor. They both praised the Emperor’s benevolence repeatedly. Nie Shuang also expressed her admiration, noting that His Majesty’s wisdom and understanding were befitting of a great ruler, willing to overlook minor mistakes. Nie Shuang could flatter with ease and grace. The Emperor, hearing her compliments, was pleased, feeling that this Young Furen was truly a beautiful and pleasant woman. Any lingering discomfort he had about the matter completely dissipated.