The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 128 - 127

Chapter 127

When Mu Yingying thought about the person behind the three women, she recalled asking her older brother, Mu Gongzhen, to investigate within the palace since the outcome after the interrogations of the prisoner hadn’t yielded any progress. She had decided to consult with her brother and delegate the matter to him.

After some time had passed, she thought it appropriate to find an opportunity to ask her brother about any updates, hoping to gain more clues about their enemy.

She glanced at Mu Qingxuan and then decided to invite her to visit Mu Gongzhen together. “Since Eldest Brother is handling the matter of the enemy’s backer, let’s go see him together.”

“Alright.”

Mu Qingxuan quickly nodded in agreement, and the two sisters headed to their brother’s quarters nearby.

Meanwhile, Mu Gongzhen, after finishing his duties as the Left Side Chancellor, stood up and walked to the screen behind his desk. Hanging on the screen was a large painting of a mountain and river landscape, intricately and beautifully drawn. However, some parts of the painting were obscure, blending reality and illusion.

This painting was a gift from his mother on his tenth birthday and had become the last thing he received from her before she passed away...

Therefore, it held great sentimental value for Mu Gongzhen. Whenever he had free time or felt confused, he would stand and gaze at the painting to calm his mind.

Just like this time, with many thoughts swirling in his mind due to recent unexpected events, he stood looking at the painting for a long time to calm his chaotic, confused mind.

His eyes lingered on the painting for some time before it gazed at the obscure section in the lower right corner. Mu Gongzhen stared at this area and contemplated for a long time, as if spellbound. At this moment, he completely forgot the problems that were stuck in his heart and his mind became empty and tranquil.

While he was lost in thought and stared at the painting, he heard the footsteps of several people approaching. He turned his gaze from the painting and walked around the screen, finding his two younger sisters coming to visit.

As soon as Mu Gongzhen saw their faces, a slight smile appeared on his usually cold face. It was as if the emotionless man had suddenly transformed into a warm and gentle person.

“Eldest Brother...”

Mu Yingying greeted sweetly with a wide smile. She quickly stepped closer to her brother and pulled him to sit on a chair. Then, she walked behind him and started massaging his shoulders with both hands.

“You’ve been working so hard every day, I almost regret suggesting you take the position of Left Side Chancellor.”

Mu Gongzhen looked at her small face with affection, as she was grumbling. Usually, the pressure from a young child like her wouldn’t have any effect on him, but Ying’er was different because she had been practicing internal energy for several years. Hence, she could channel her energy through her hands to massage his shoulders effectively.

The muscles that had grown stiff from long hours of work began to relax noticeably, and Mu Yingying was proud of her skill.

“This is nothing compared to what you’ve been doing all these years, Ying’er. If anything, I should be working several ten times harder.”

Mu Gongzhen reached out his hand and gently held her small hands, signaling her to stop, then led her to sit beside Mu Qingxuan, who was already seated nearby.

“You must be here about the imperial decree that arrived at the Mu manor this morning?” Mu Gongzhen asked confidently, and both sisters nodded in agreement.

“The decree is part of it, but what I’m more interested in is the person behind the three women. Do you have any new information?”

Mu Yingying, who had been smiling like a child, now showed a serious expression, indicating her genuine concern. Mu Gongzhen had anticipated her interest.

“Don’t worry about the decree. The Empress Dowager is likely supporting them to keep an eye on the Mu family. Since the Mu family has become one of the power factions in the court, she would want to either draw them in or eliminate them if they seem to be a threat. That’s why she sent the three women back to monitor them.”

“Even so, the three of them can only watch the Mu family members. They can’t interfere with our Zhuiping Residence. Besides, whatever trouble they cause won’t affect us. If any issues arise, we can use the document of separation to deal with it. I doubt the head of the Mu family would ignore it, as he values his reputation and power too much...”

Mu Gongzhen explained calmly before turning to make eye contact with Mu Qingxuan, then continued, “The person who needs to be particularly cautious of is you, Xuan’er. If everything goes as expected, Mu Luofei will likely attend the Imperial Academy. With the upcoming competition and her new title as Lady Ping An, she might target you to cause trouble and bully you.”

“I understand, Eldest Brother. I’ll be careful,”

Mu Qingxuan readily agreed to her brother’s warning. She knew that she and Mu Luofei were like fire and water, unable to coexist peacefully. Even if she didn’t provoke Mu Luofei, the other would certainly seek her out for trouble.

Especially now that Mu Qingxuan was no longer the weak person she used to be, waiting for her enemies to bully her. She would be the one to make things difficult for them instead!

Since she and Mu Luofei could never coexist, why should she wait for the other to make the first move against her?

Seeing that his eldest sister understood well, Mu Gongzhen turned to address his youngest sister. “As for the person behind this, there hasn’t been much progress. Even though my people have tried to investigate, the enemy has been too cautious, leaving no traces behind. I’m afraid all evidence has been destroyed.”

“It seems we’ve encountered a tough opponent...”

Mu Yingying murmured, thinking for a moment before continuing. “...Have you tried investigating people inside the royal palace? Since the enemy could plan an assassination attempt on the Empress Dowager, they must have connections within the palace, possibly having close relations to the Empress Dowager’s palace or holding high positions. Otherwise, they couldn’t have known her schedule.”

“I’ve tried, but many people are involved, making it hard to pinpoint. It seems the enemy is aware and has gone into hiding, leaving no traces. The more cautious they are, the harder it is for us to find any clues,” Mu Gongzhen responded coldly, his eyes showing a determined glint.

“If the enemy remains in hiding, they can’t escape. Their informants must still be in the palace. Since we can’t find their traces, we need to make the enemy reveal themselves. We’ll have to wait for the enemy to become complacent and find the opportunity for them to act again. Meanwhile, we should station our people to keep a close watch for the enemy’s next move. I’m certain they will eventually show their hand, Eldest Brother,”

Mu Yingying suggested her idea. Given the enemy’s caution, continuing the investigation would be hard and only waste their time. Ultimately, they would end up with nothing. They needed to be patient and wait for the enemy to act again, at which point they were sure to obtain some clues.

When it came to patience, Mu Yingying was confident she and her siblings were on par with their enemies...

“Alright, I’ll order our people to stop their movements and instead keep an eye on people in the palace and other power factions in the capital,” Mu Gongzhen nodded in agreement.

Mu Qingxuan, who had been listening, asked, “But how will we know the enemy’s target? Last time, they attempted to assassinate the Empress Dowager, but they could also be behind the three women.”

“In that case, we need to watch both the Empress Dowager’s side and the three women. The true reason behind the enemy’s actions might be revealed when we create a situation that forces them to act again. Then we’ll know their true target,”

Mu Gongzhen explained in a measured tone. The others, upon hearing this, agreed without hesitation.

Their current adversary was an individual or force that had remained hidden in the shadows for a long time, putting the three siblings at a significant disadvantage. All they could do was remain calm and patient, waiting for the enemy to make a move so they could catch this elusive foe!

Thump, thump, thump.

Mu Yingying absentmindedly tapped her fingers on the table in a steady rhythm, a habit she had when deep in thought. After a short while, she looked up and asked her brother with curiosity.

"Is it possible that these people are from the Su family?"

Although the Su family had been eradicated, they had established roots for many generations, with a substantial force under their command. It wasn’t surprising if some remnants had escaped the previous purge.

If the new threat in the shadows consisted of surviving members of the Su family, it would make a lot of sense.

"I’m not sure...but I don’t think so,"

Mu Gongzhen reflected on his memories from his past life concerning the Su family. Even at the height of their power, the Su family, despite their strength and skill, couldn’t have executed such brazen acts while keeping their tracks so meticulously hidden. Not to mention those who survived the purge, it would take them at least seven years to regain enough power to seek revenge or orchestrate such bold actions.

It hadn’t been long enough for the remnants of the Su family to reemerge like this...

"In that case, there’s only so much we can do right now. However, to prevent unforeseen incidents in the future, I think we should proceed with the next step,"

Mu Yingying reminded her brother, her big, round eyes gleaming with a cold light.

They had underestimated their enemies for too long, resulting in numerous unforeseen events that were beyond control. It was time to restore order and control as it was supposed to be!

Mu Gongzhen met his youngest sister’s gaze. Seeing the seriousness and resolve in her eyes, he agreed without hesitation, "Alright, I’ll take care of it."

"I’ve already prepared evidence to clear the Cheng Bei Hou Manor’s name. Even though the main culprits, the Su family, have been eradicated, there are still many others involved in the false accusations against the former Cheng Bei Hou several years ago. These people include individuals from the Right Side Chancellor’s faction, those loyal to the Empress Dowager, and those aligned with Shin Wang. If we deal with them simultaneously, we can significantly weaken our enemies’ power."

"Then proceed, Brother. If you need any additional evidence against these people, just let me know," Mu Yingying nodded in agreement, offering her assistance. However, Mu Gongzhen readily declined.

“No need. Earlier, I had people spread out to gather more evidence on those wrongdoers, including some of the Empress Dowager’s faction. Now, we’ve compiled all the necessary evidence. With this, we can eliminate a substantial number of corrupt officials. Soon, the court will see a significant turnover of ministers.”

Mu Yingying smiled slyly before adding, “Indeed. Think of it as a gift for Cheng Bei Hou, with evidence against those who falsely accused Cheng Bei Hou Manor in the past. After all, his sister has been with me for many years. Consider it a gift for him to avenge the blood of his late family members.”

“Two birds with one stone...”

This plan would not only bring the pawn like Cheng Bei Hou over to their side but also eliminate some of the Empress Dowager’s people!

Although they couldn’t completely eliminate the Empress Dowager’s people, they could diminish her power considerably. Once again, the royal court would be embroiled in bloodshed inevitably.

Years ago, Mu Yingying had ordered her people to find the current Cheng Bei Hou, who had been exiled to the border. She ordered her people to ensure he was cared for and supported until he survived and returned to the capital as a hero who quashed the northern rebellion. However, he was imprisoned upon his return due to his previous exile, just as in their past life.

Later, Mu Yingying informed Mu Gongzhen of this, hoping to restore the Cheng Bei Hou Manor and use its power as a pawn. This would give them more advantage over their enemies. After waiting for the right moment, it was finally time to make this move.

When the Cheng Bei Hou Manor was restored, those who had once been loyal to them would return to support them. This would destabilize the balance of power in the capital once more, without anyone knowing that the Cheng Bei Hou Manor was actually one of the three siblings’ pawns...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read ‘The Return of the Seventh Young Lady’ before anyone else with more Chapters at http://www.jinovel.com/en