Chapter 3 Joy and Sorrow Intertwined

  Mu Tianyi and Madam Mu returned to the Mu residence with some trepidation. Although Liu Dang had agreed in front of them, Mu Tianyi could see his helplessness. Madam Mu was worried about whether Third Young Master would agree, and the couple's emotions were vastly different. Mu Tianyi said to Madam Mu, "Let Xiangyun marry Third Young Master, my heart is suffocating, don't ruin Xiangyun." Madam Mu retorted, "Third Son is our son after all, what logic is there in you repeatedly saying this?"

  "Although Third Young Master has his flaws, he's not inherently bad and is kind at heart. How would you know my true thoughts? In the end, this household will be left to our daughters-in-law. Lan Qiu grew up by our side, but she's timid and afraid of trouble, unable to bear the weight of the Mu estate. Hou Jingru comes from an official family, with a miss's temperament, already acting like the mistress before even entering our gates. I don't approve of her at all, so why did you agree to this marriage?" In this matter, Mu Tianyi had his own difficulties, but he couldn't express them clearly to his wife.

  Mu Tianyi said discontentedly, "The daughter-in-law hasn't even entered the door yet, and you're already distinguishing between thick and thin. In the future, won't this family be in chaos?" Mrs. Mu retorted, "I just think highly of Xiangyun. In the future, this family will definitely have to be handed over to Wanqiu. From childhood, Xiangyun and Wanqiu got along well, and with Xiangyun's support, I can rest assured. Xiangyun is beautiful, kind-hearted, and knowledgeable. She has been studying with Anxiang since childhood, and I've long considered her our family's daughter-in-law. If such a good daughter-in-law were to marry into another family, I wouldn't be willing to accept it."

  Mu Tianyi said: "You've been thinking about this for a long time, it's really a woman's idea." Mu's wife sighed and said: "I'm also doing this for the good of our family, maybe it's fate. If I wasn't anxious to save someone, how could I do such a thing? As the saying goes: saving one life is better than building a seven-story Buddhist temple, so I can only wrong Xiangyun."

  Then Madam Mu whispered, "Sir, I'll tell you a secret?" "What secret?" Mu Tianyi asked in surprise. "Xiangyun this girl has some feelings for the young master." "How is that possible!" Mu Tianyi denied. Madam Mu said, "You don't know, since Ah Ping got sick, Xiangyun has been coming to our house almost every day, on the surface she's looking for An Xiang, but each time she actively goes to visit the young master. After the young master fell seriously ill, there were several times when I saw her eyes red from crying."

  "Alas, there are countless men and women in the world who are destined to be together yet remain apart. As the saying goes: 'Those with fate will meet from a thousand miles away, while those without fate won't even recognize each other face-to-face.' But how many couples with matching hearts can truly come together? The moon has its phases of brightness and darkness, just as people experience joy and sorrow, parting and reunion. This is an ancient and difficult matter to resolve!" Mu Tianyi thought for a moment before asking, "Are you taking advantage of Xiangyun's infatuation with the young master, assuming she'll definitely agree to marry?" Madam Mu admitted, "I have no choice; if I'm to be punished, let heaven punish me!"

  At dinner time, Third Master had not returned home. Mu Tianyi was fed up with this idle and dissolute young master who spent his days outside, and kept blaming it on Mrs. Mu for spoiling him. Mrs. Mu countered with Confucian teachings that a child's fault is the father's fault, leaving Mu Tianyi speechless. The couple parted ways unhappily at the dinner table.

  When the lamp was lit, Mu Hepeng returned with a strong smell of wine. He went straight back to his room and fell asleep as soon as he lay down. Mu Tianyi and Mrs. Mu heard about it and rushed to his room, waking him up. Seeing his father's angry face and mother's worried expression, Mu Hepeng was somewhat dazed, looking like his father had come to scold him again. Mu Hepeng remained silent, waiting for the reprimand with a stiff upper lip.

  Third Master Mu Hewei grew up in a very superior family, as the youngest son, he naturally received his parents' doting. After graduating from high school, Mu Hewei thought that since there were older brothers to inherit the family business and younger sisters to make the family look good, he was under no pressure and lived a carefree life. Over time, he developed a very lazy lifestyle. His father asked him to find something to do, but he made excuses and with his mother's doting, he became a spoiled rich kid in the eyes of outsiders.

  As for how others see him, Muhe Ping doesn't care about that now. His family doesn't need him to take on any heavy responsibilities, and he doesn't have any great ambitions either. He's content with just getting by day by day, eating, drinking, having fun, and living out his life in this way. Perhaps this is a true reflection of the young people from wealthy families in 1920s China, where this kind of decadence is particularly pronounced.

  Mrs. Mu sighed and said, "Your elder brother is already so ill, how can you drink like this? It's really not letting me worry." Mu He Ping muttered, "Elder brother has an illness, what can I do?" "You scoundrel!" Mu Tian Yi finished speaking and raised his cane to hit. Mrs. Mu hurried forward to stop him, saying, "Husband, don't forget why we came here."

  Then Mrs. Mu said: "Your elder brother is critically ill and his life is in danger, to save your elder brother's life, we must win the good luck of the three wives at the same time. Your father and I have arranged a marriage for you, the girl is someone you know, she is your younger sister's classmate Liu Xiangyun." Mu He Ping heard this and immediately became half sober, jumping from the bed to the ground in an instant.

  Muhe Ping said: "You believe that old Taoist's nonsense, what a joke. The elder brother's illness is consumption and it can't be cured. You not only harmed the elder sister but also want to drag Xiangyun into this. I know I'm not worthy of Xiangyun, but I don't like her either. I clearly tell you, letting me marry Xiangyun would harm us."

  After a moment of shock, Mrs. Mu sat in the chair and began to cry, Mu Tianyi shouted: "The marriage has been decided, you don't agree but have to agree, parents' orders, matchmaker's words, can no longer be changed. If you disagree, I will drive you out of the house, cut off all ties, and consider that I, Mu Tianyi, never had a son like you."

  Muhe Ping was suddenly stunned, he knew his father could do what he said. If he really resisted to the end, once he was driven out of the house, he might not even be able to survive, let alone live a life of luxury and pleasure, he was afraid, he surrendered.

  The night was hazy, and the bright moonlight spilled into the courtyard, making it look very quiet. Liu Xiangyun sat alone on a stone bench, facing the moon and secretly grieving. A line of hot tears streaked across her face in the darkness, and her beautiful face seemed to be ruined. In fact, Liu Xiangyun had agreed to the marriage so readily, just as Mrs. Mu had said, it was all for the young master, because his illness had always been on her mind.

  In her girlhood, as a classmate of Mu Nianci's, Liu Xiangyun often came to the Mu residence. With the special relationship between the two families, Liu Xiangyun almost became a member of the Mu family. Due to her natural beauty and intelligence, Mrs. Mu and everyone in the Mu household loved her dearly. Especially Mu Yaping, who was several years older than her, showed great care for her, always protecting her like an elder brother. As time passed, her affection for her "elder brother" gradually turned into a romantic feeling.

  As she grew older, her feelings became more intense. However, he knew that his elder brother and Li Yuanchun had been betrothed since childhood, so she could only bury this feeling deeply in her heart. Nevertheless, this torment continued to haunt her, troubling her and making it impossible for her to extricate herself. The girl's infatuation often made her lament the unfairness of heaven, why fate had to torture her like this.

  Since Mu Ya Ping fell ill, Liu Xiangyun has almost come to the Mu residence every day to visit Mu Ya Ping. She and Wan Qiu, An Xiang often accompany her elder brother by his bedside, washing their faces with tears, all of which naturally did not escape Mrs. Mu's eyes. Mrs. Mu was certain that Xiangyun would follow her own wishes at this critical moment.

  Mrs. Liu hesitated and walked out the door, gazing lovingly at Xiangyun's back, sighed and walked to her daughter's side saying: "Daughter! Don't be too hard on yourself, if you don't agree, your father and I would rather bear the blame and call off this marriage." Xiangyun said: "Mother! Absolutely not, the Mu family has a great favor for the Liu family, I have no choice. Besides, Third Master is not all that bad, I am willing to marry him."

  When it comes to Mu Jia's second young master, Mu Weiping, he works in the Ministry of War and is a small officer in the military supply department under the Ministry of War. Although he wears his uniform neatly every day and has a pistol on his waist, his personality is actually very timid. Every day, going to work and getting off work, the military supplies account is counted in his hands every day, as long as the account is clear.

  In this era, in the big cities, under the influence of new thoughts, men and women have broken through the shackles of not being close. The daughter of Hou De-gui, vice president of the Central Bank of China, Hou Jing-ru, is a typical representative. Since she got engaged to Mu Wei-ping, she often boldly pestered him. Usually, Hou Jing-ru, who has the temperament of a big sister, often orders Mu Wei-ping around.

  Two people falling in love is one thing, but who knows what will happen after marriage. However, Mu Weiping seems to be numb to it all, thinking that since his parents chose the marriage for him, then this must be how it's supposed to be.

  The young master's condition worsened day by day, and the wedding date was soon set. Around mid-April, the Mu mansion was decorated with lanterns and streamers, filled with joy and laughter, as they welcomed the three new brides. However, on the night of the wedding, the loud and lively celebration unexpectedly tolled the funeral bell for the young master, and the wedding quickly turned into a funeral.

  But in a world where anything can happen, Mu Ya Ping, who had been declared dead, miraculously came back to life the next day from his coffin in the mourning hall, leading to an unbelievable yet magnificent story.