A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 179 Taking advantage of the situation
Mu Qingcheng seemed to vaguely understand something, but not completely. "My lord, what does it matter to me whether the Duke's mansion has suffered any grievances?"

“How can it not be related? I have to let you know the benefits of marrying me!” Song Shuyu said emphatically.

"Cough-cough-"

Mu Qingcheng nearly choked to death on the maltose in her mouth!

Song Shuyu reached out his arm, wanting to pat her back, but she reflexively dodged. Her confused mind made her unable to find her tongue for a moment. "My lord, do you... do you have amnesia? When did I agree to marry you?"

"It's precisely because you won't agree that I have to work hard!"

"..."

Mu Qingcheng couldn't describe her feelings. She lowered her eyes, mechanically sucking on the malt candy, and remained silent for a long time.

Song Shuyu, however, couldn't help but start to overthink. "I know that Mu Xun is a third-ranked scholar, while I don't even have the title of a scholar. He is exceptionally talented and you two grew up together. I have neither talent nor fame, and I was just a nobody. So you like him more than me, don't you?"

“My lord,” Mu Qingcheng was forced to speak, feeling both helpless and amused, “Are you trying to gain sympathy by belittling yourself? What does our business have to do with Mu Xun?”

The light in Song Shuyu's eyes dimmed noticeably. "You've misunderstood. I just felt I wasn't good enough and was afraid you wouldn't like me..."

"My lord!" Mu Qingcheng couldn't wait to hear the rest and frowned, correcting him, "What's wrong with you? I've never seen a better lord than you!" Song Shuyu wasn't satisfied with this answer and tirelessly guided her, "Qingcheng, putting aside my status, how do you personally view me? Between me and Mu Xun, who do you value more? If Mu Xun and I were both in danger, who would you save first?"

Mu Qingcheng was speechless for a long time before finally uttering a few words indifferently: "Isn't Mu Xun dead?"

Song Shuyu was taken aback, but quickly realized that he was testing her sincerity, and she was playing along, trying to outsmart him? After thinking for a moment, he carefully replied, "I mean, what if... what if Mu Xun were still alive? What would you choose?"

Mu Qingcheng had no time for romance at the moment. After a moment's thought, she went straight to the point, "My lord, I won't hide it from you. Mu Xun is my father's adopted son, so he's like an older brother to me. That's why I'd like to know, how much do you know about Lu Shaoqing? And what is the nature of your personal relationship?"

“I met Lu Xun more than two years ago. We hit it off immediately and appreciated each other very much.” Song Shuyu briefly recounted what happened. “At the Hundred Flowers Banquet that year, I drank a few too many cups and felt depressed, so I went out to clear my head. Unexpectedly, a noble lady from an official family came straight at me! Fortunately, the heir of the Marquis of Huai’an’s mansion happened to be nearby. He used the scroll in his hand to catch the noble lady in time, so he was my savior.”

"Savior?" Mu Qingcheng was puzzled. "When a noble lady bumps into you, you should either dodge or help her up. How could it be a matter of life and death?"

Song Shuyu sighed with a smile: "If I dodge and ignore it, I will be branded as cold-hearted; if I help her up or stay still and the noble lady bumps into my arms, it will be like a brawl with a woman in broad daylight. At that time, both of our reputations will be ruined, and we can only get married."

Mu Qingcheng was full of surprise and found it unbelievable. "Helping others comes at the cost of marriage? The rules in the capital are indeed different from those in Jiangnan."

Sorry for the delay in updates these past few days, I've had some family matters to attend to. Updates should resume normally starting from the 18th. Thank you for your support, everyone!

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(End of this chapter)