The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 120 - 119

Chapter 119

"It’s alright, Your Majesty. This is just a minor family issue of mine. I wouldn’t dare trouble you with it,"

Mu Luofei quickly declined, her beautiful face showing signs of panic, not expecting the Empress Dowager to offer to handle the matter.

"Ai Jia has made up my mind. Don’t refuse my goodwill. You said yourself that when you see someone in trouble, you should help them. And Ai Jia, as the Empress Dowager, seeing my benefactor in distress, how could Ai Jia not lend a hand?"

The Empress Dowager spoke with a smile, her eyes looking at the young girl with the same tenderness as one would show to their own descendant.

"But..."

Before Mu Luofei could finish her protest, the Empress Dowager’s trusted servant entered the room to report.

"Your Majesty, the escort from the palace has arrived."

"I understand,"

the Empress Dowager acknowledged before turning to Mu Luofei. "If Ai Jia recalls correctly, you mentioned that your mother and sister are at Tai Lin Temple?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Mu Luofei confirmed immediately.

"In that case, Ai Jia’ll have some of the guards escort you to fetch your mother and sister back to the palace as a reward for your help," the Empress Dowager said with a smile.

"Th...thank you, Your Majesty,"

Mu Luofei replied, still somewhat bewildered. By the time she came to her senses, the Empress Dowager had already departed for the royal palace, leaving her with a portion of the escort to fetch her mother and sister.

Chining Palace

After returning to the royal palace with the escort, the Empress Dowager ordered her attendants to prepare a room for the guests who were soon to arrive, so that they could spend a night in the nearby palace, then she dismissed everyone from the room, leaving only her trusted servant.

With the bedroom empty, the Empress Dowager walked behind the bed and retrieved a large wooden box from beside the headboard. She opened the box and carefully took out a scroll that was well-preserved inside.

The eyes that had once been full of cunning suddenly turned melancholic and wistful. The image of the slender girl with a beautiful face on the paper stirred a storm of emotions within her heart. Her once strong and resilient heart now felt fragile, like a cracked vase ready to shatter at any moment.

The pain and sorrow she had buried deep within her surged up, overwhelming her emotions once more, causing a sharp ache in her chest.

"It’s been so long since I’ve seen these eyes since Pin’er passed away. I never thought I would see someone with eyes so similar to my Pin’er’s today..."

The Empress Dowager’s voice was tinged with surprise and deep sorrow as she continued to gaze at the painting. Her hand gently caressed the face in the portrait with a longing touch.

"This Mu Luofei has eyes remarkably similar to Princess Lu Pin’s, Your Majesty. Even I was shocked when I first saw her. Her endearing mannerisms reminded me so much of the princess," her trusted servant responded with a faint smile.

In her mind, the maid recalled memories of the girl in the painting, who was once a princess, the only daughter of the Empress Dowager, whom she had served and cared for long ago...

Most people only knew that the Empress Dowager had no children of her own, having only Shin Wang as her sole nephew and the Emperor as her adopted son. However, the truth was that when the Empress Dowager was still the Empress, she had a daughter, Princess Lu Pin. Princess Lu Pin was deeply loved and favored by both the Empress Dowager and the former Emperor, until she turned fifteen.

At that time, a conflict arose at the border. The only way to end the turmoil was for the Qingzhou Region to agree to a political marriage with the neighboring Anling Region. To ensure peace and resolve internal political struggles, the Empress Dowager, disadvantaged at the time, reluctantly sent Princess Lu Pin to marry in a foreign land.

However, while traveling to Anling Region for her marriage, Princess Lu Pin was assassinated at the border, resulting in her untimely death. This tragic event shattered the Empress Dowager’s heart, causing her to fall ill for several months with grief. And then, she came back to reclaim power and eliminate all her enemies who had forced her to send her daughter away.

This event was a grand brutal purge, instilling fear in many and reestablishing the Empress Dowager’s dominant political power.

After that, any mention of Princess Lu Pin became forbidden, as it was feared that it would bring sorrow to the Empress Dowager. Thus, the princess’s name was never spoken again in the royal palace. Over the years, people gradually forgot about Princess Lu Pin entirely...

"If Pin’er were still here, she would be as bright and cheerful as the young girl I met today," the Empress Dowager said with a smile, her eyes closed as she reminisced about her daughter’s vibrant and lively presence that remained vivid in her memories.

"Your Majesty, even though Mu Luofei has eyes similar to the princess, we shouldn’t trust her words entirely. Sometimes, a lamb pretending to be weak may actually be a wolf in disguise,"

The trusted maid cautioned, her tone filled with sincere concern. Both mistress and servant had overcome many challenges and encountered numerous deceptions; they wouldn’t easily fall for the words of a young girl.

The Empress Dowager opened her eyes again, a flash of coldness passing through them.

"I favor her because of her eyes, but I am not so blinded by them to lose my judgment."

"Send someone to investigate the background of Mu Luofei thoroughly. If what she says is true, she might become a valuable pawn. Since the Mu family is not as peaceful as it appears, we can use this girl to control the Mu family."

"...But if her words are false, I’ll consider how she might still be of use. If this pawn proves to be useless, I can always keep her as a companion to ward off my loneliness. When I grow tired of her, I’ll have those eyes removed and dispose of her,"

The Empress Dowager’s voice was as icy as winter’s snow, causing anyone who heard it to shiver involuntarily. However, the trusted servant was unafraid of her mistress, responding to the orders as usual.

The Empress Dowager gazed at the portrait of her daughter one last time before rolling it up and placing it back in the box. Though her daughter was gone, no one could compare to her.

If the girl became useless, she wouldn’t allow those familiar eyes to remain on anyone else’s face!

Tai Lin Temple

Meanwhile, Mu Luofei, escorted by some of the Empress Dowager’s guards, had finally arrived at Tai Lin Temple. As the carriage stopped, she informed the guards that she wanted to meet her mother and sister herself, asking them to wait by the carriage.

Once the guards agreed, Mu Luofei entered the temple, passing through the prayer hall and heading to the residence area at the back. She looked around cautiously before entering the last room at the end.

"Mother,"

Mu Luofei called out, catching the attention of a woman who was packing belongings inside the room. When the woman turned towards the sound, her face, similar to Mu Luofei’s, was revealed, with a few signs of age around her eyes, typical of a woman who had had children.

"Fei’er, you’re back? Is everything alright?"

Bai Lijun spoke to her daughter in a gentle voice, her delicate hands still busy packing belongings, as if preparing to travel somewhere.

"Everything is fine, Mother. The Empress Dowager wishes for the three of us to enter the palace. The carriage is waiting out front,"

Mu Luofei replied in a flat tone, her once cheerful and smiling face now devoid of any expression, her eyes tranquil.

"And where is the sister?"

"Shuang’er went out for a walk. She should be back soon," Bai Lijun, who had already prepared, stood up and walked over to her daughter, asking in a low voice.

"You didn’t reveal any hints, did you?"

"No, Mother. I followed the plan completely. The Empress Dowager didn’t seem suspicious at all," Mu Luofei shook her head slightly.

"That’s good. We cannot afford to ruin the plan of that person. He promised to fully support us if we followed his plan. Without his help, we would be doomed," Bai Lijun sighed with relief.

"Mother, rest assured. I know what to do. I’m no longer the naive child I once was. After going through that ordeal, I know what needs to be done..."

Mu Luofei said coldly, her swan-liked eyes filled with a ruthless determination that sharply contrasted with her delicate appearance.

Bai Lijun felt a pang in her heart upon hearing this. She reached out to gently pat her daughter’s shoulder in comfort. She felt a twinge of sadness that her once lively and cheerful daughter had died and changed into someone driven by revenge.

If it were possible, she would have preferred her daughter to grow up surrounded by love and the beauty of the world.

But the events of that time had turned their lives into a living hell!

As the two continued their conversation, the door to their room suddenly opened, revealing a young girl who bore a striking resemblance to both of them. However, her eyes, which should have been bright and cheerful, were now dim and somber, as if she had experienced something terrible.

"Mother, Sister."

"Shuang’er, you’re back just in time." Bai Lijun walked to take her younger daughter’s hand and gently patted her head.

"We need to go to the royal palace now. Do you remember the plan your sister and I told you?"

"Yes, I remember,"

Mu Qin Shuang nodded, her eyes, though dim, now showed a cold resolve. "I remember everything, the plan and the pain I endured."

"That’s good. I know the three of us have been through a lot, but that ends now. We will reclaim everything that rightfully belongs to us!"

As she said, Bai Lijun’s eyes, once gentle, now hardened with determination. The same look of vengeance and resolve flashed through the eyes of Mu Luofei and Mu Qin Shuang as well.

The past events that haunted the two sisters were like nightmares that never ceased. No matter how many times they closed their eyes, the memories would resurface, as if constantly reminding them of the fear and pain they had endured.

The journey back to their current standing had been filled with unimaginable suffering, known only to them...

The pain, suffering, and humiliation they experienced—they would return it all to their enemies!

The honor, power, reputation, and wealth that rightfully belonged to them—they would reclaim it all!

Zhuiping Residence

Late the same night, Mu Yingying, who had lived in relative relaxation for several days, found herself once again on high alert. After finishing her paperwork, she remained seated in her study, awaiting a report from her men amidst the silence.

She knew that without confirmation from the informant, she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight...

As the hours slowly passed, Mu Yingying still sat back in her chair in the same position, her small hands clasped together, her big, round eyes gazing into the darkness outside the window, contemplating various thoughts.

When the shadow of a black-clad man appeared kneeling before her, she turned her attention to him.

"What news do you have?"

"Miss, the one who helped the Empress Dowager is indeed the one we’ve been searching for—Mu Luofei..." the man reported truthfully.

After he spoke, silence enveloped the room once again. Mu Yingying lowered her gaze slightly, hiding the flicker of emotion in her eyes. In the end, what she had hoped wouldn’t happen had come to pass.

"What is the Empress Dowager’s current stance?"

"I saw that a group of imperial guards had been dispatched to escort Mu Luofei to Tai Lin Temple to fetch her mother and sister. They then return to the royal palace, Miss."

Upon hearing this, Mu Yingying frowned deeply. Judging by the Empress Dowager’s actions, it seemed likely that history was about to repeat itself. Given Mu Luofei’s meritorious service, the Empress Dowager might soon bestow upon her the title of Lady Ping An.

Once Mu Luofei was granted the title of Lady Ping An, it would provide the three women a grand return to the Mu family manor. This time, they would be untouchable, backed by the Empress Dowager.

Preventing the bestowal was impossible, as it was the Empress Dowager’s will, even the Emperor could not interfere. The only thing Mu Yingying could do now was to prepare a plan to deal with the imminent return of the three women.

As Mu Yingying pondered the plan to deal with the situation, she couldn’t help but question certain aspects. The fact that Mu Luofei happened to pass by in a carriage just in time to rescue the Empress Dowager and that Bai Lijun and her daughters were residing at Tai Lin Temple seemed too coincidental.

Wasn’t it a bit too much of a coincidence?

If this were to be considered fate, why was it so untraceable? Given that the three women had been in hiding for so long, making them difficult to find, there was no way they would choose to hide at Tai Lin Temple, a place so easy to locate...

The more Mu Yingying thought about this, the more she felt that things were not as they seemed. However, she couldn’t quite put her finger on what was amiss.

"And what about the assassin we captured? Have you managed to extract any information from him?"

"Not yet, Miss. No matter the torture, he hasn’t uttered a word. It appears he belongs to a suicide squad, thoroughly trained for their mission."

"A suicide squad?" Mu Yingying repeated the term curtly before scoffing. "Hmph, even if they are a suicide squad, they are still human. Their bodies still feel pain. I don’t believe they can remain silent forever!"

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