The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 143 - 142

Chapter 142

Eunuch Fu carried the small wooden box to the stage and handed it to Elder Mu Furen before taking a seat in the newly prepared chair.

"As for the congratulatory gifts His Majesty has bestowed upon the Eldest Young Miss, I will ensure they are sent to Zhuiping Residence after the ceremony," Eunuch Fu said to Mu Gongzhen with a smile, then turned to Mu Cui Ming and spoke in a flat tone.

"Please continue with the ceremony. His Majesty has commanded me to stay and witness the ceremony until it is completed and report back to him. I hope Master Mu does not mind my interruption."

"Not at all, not at all," Mu Cui Ming quickly refused. Who would dare to mind the Emperor’s command!?

Elder Mu Furen opened the box, looking in astonishment at the sight of the rare red jade hairpin for a fleeting moment. She then carefully took it out and placed it in Mu Qingxuan’s hair bun with a warm smile.

"In the blink of an eye, Xuan’er has become a full-grown woman. I hope your life will always be smooth and prosperous."

"Thank you, Grandmother," Mu Qingxuan responded happily.

The genuine care and affection from her grandmother warmed her heart. Since her mother had passed away long ago, her grandmother had become like a second mother to her.

In the harsh environment of the Mu family manor, her grandmother was one of the few who genuinely cared for her, making Mu Qingxuan feel deeply connected to and respectful of her...

With the final step completed, the hairpin ceremony concluded. However, the astonishment and excitement among the guests lingered, and the rumors were spreading like wildfire throughout the capital.

First, the Empress Dowager had shown her support for Lady Ping An, followed by the Emperor’s open support for the eldest young miss. Both prominent figures had bestowed numerous valuable gifts during the ceremony, demonstrating their favor.

The hairpin ceremony for the two young women was truly grand, openly receiving gifts and backing from the two most powerful figures in the land, and most importantly, showcasing the Mu family’s utmost honor and influence that no other family had ever received.

Moreover, the relationship between the Emperor and Mu Qingxuan had become a hot topic among the people. Although His Majesty had sent Eunuch Fu to present the gifts and hairpin ostensibly due to Left Side Chancellor Mu Gongzhen’s merits, many couldn’t help but wonder if the Emperor was actually interested in the beautiful lady...

After the guests had all departed, the Mu family servants quickly began cleaning up the ceremony area and the event venue. Some went to help Bai Lijun move the gifts received from the guests to the storeroom.

While Bai Lijun was recording the list of gifts, a maid came running in, looking frantic as she reported,

"Furen! A group of people, I don’t know from where, have barged into the residence and are taking almost all the remaining gifts!"

"How did you let strangers into the residence?" Bai Lijun furrowed her brows in displeasure, then closed her gift record book. "Go! Take me to see who dares to invade the Mu Manor!"

"Yes, Furen," the maid quickly replied and led Bai Lijun to the open area where the ceremony was held that morning.

When Bai Lijun arrived, she saw a group of men and women in unfamiliar uniforms, clearly belonging to some other family, loading the remaining hundreds of gifts into carriages outside the manor continuously.

"Stop right there!"

Bai Lijun shouted, hoping to halt the mysterious group. However, they ignored her and continued loading the gifts onto the carriages.

Bai Lijun’s face twisted slightly with anger. How dare they ignore her in her presence?

Despite barging into someone else’s manor, they still dared to ignore her, the mistress of the household!

"Why are you all standing around? Are you waiting for them to take everything out of the manor? Stop them immediately!"

Bai Lijun ordered the Mu family servants, who quickly rushed to block the group’s path upon hearing the command of their mistress, preventing them from leaving through the front gate.

Seeing that they had managed to stop the mysterious group, Bai Lijun sighed in relief. Her eyes gleamed with malice as she looked at the intruders. "How dare you invade the Mu Manor without permission and steal our belongings..."

"Send someone to report to the authorities that the Mu family has caught thieves in the act!"

Following Bai Lijun’s command, a Mu family servant quickly volunteered and ran out to report the incident as per order. Throughout this, the mysterious group remained indifferent, showing no signs of fear or panic. They merely held onto the gifts tightly, not letting the Mu family servants take them back.

While the courtyard of the Mu Manor was filled with chaos, a cold voice suddenly rang out from the direction of the gate, drawing everyone’s attention.

"I heard the Mu family caught some thieves. Who dares to steal in broad daylight?"

Two figures, one large and one small, walked side by side into the Mu Manor unhurriedly, followed by the servant who had been sent to report to the authorities, now returning with a respectful demeanor. These two were none other than Mu Gongzhen and Mu Yingying.

"Greetings, Young Master. Greetings, Young Miss,"

When the mysterious group saw the two siblings, they respectfully bowed, showing their utmost loyalty.

Bai Lijun furrowed her brows tightly. Anyone with half a brain could see that these mysterious individuals belonged to the two siblings standing before her. She remembered that the three siblings from the former principal wife had moved to another residence, so these people must be their servants.

"So it’s the people of the Eldest Young Master and the Seventh Young Miss,"

Bai Lijun said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She stepped forward and stopped a short distance from them, saying, "Since these are your people, then explain why you sent them to steal things from this residence."

"Steal?"

Mu Yingying echoed with a high-pitched surprise, widening her eyes dramatically before smirking evilly. "Bai Lijun, have you misunderstood something? The thief here is you!"

"What do you mean, Seventh Young Miss? I don’t understand. Besides, I am now officially the Second Rank Lady. It’s not appropriate for you to address me so informally," Bai Lijun cautioned sternly. If she allowed even a little child to insult her, how would the servants in the manor view her.

Mu Gongzhen’s eyes darkened at Bai Lijun’s words, but Mu Yingying remained unfazed. She openly smiled mockingly. "Even though you are now the Second Rank Lady, that doesn’t change the fact that you are a concubine! According to the truth, we, who are born of the legally wedded principal wife, hold a higher status than you, the concubine."

"No matter how high you climb, as the Furen of the manor or otherwise, to us, you will always be just a concubine..."

Gnash~

Bai Lijun clenched her jaw so tightly that a sound escaped. What her stepdaughter said was the truth, one she couldn’t dispute. In the household hierarchy, no matter how high she rose, she remained a concubine to the legitimate children of the former principal wife. The title of Second Rank Lady was merely an honorary one to earn respect from others.

As long as these three siblings did not openly insult her in front of others, she couldn’t use her title to oppress them!

This wretched child, Mu Yingying!

She really wanted to rip that small mouth apart!

Clap!

Mu Yingying clapped her hands once to signal her people. "Continue loading the gifts, so we can get back to the residence."

Upon receiving the command, the group resumed moving the gifts through the Mu family’s servants who were blocking them. The Mu family’s servants, who had initially followed Bai Lijun’s orders, hesitated and eventually stepped aside, allowing the group to pass.

On one side was the current mistress of the household, and on the other was the future patriarch of the family. What choice did the servants have in such a situation...?

"Did your actions receive the patriarch’s approval?" Bai Lijun narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the two cautiously.

"We don’t need anyone’s approval because these items originally belonged to Xuan’er. It seems someone misunderstood and tried to take what isn’t theirs," Mu Gongzhen replied coldly, his eyes flashing dangerously, making Bai Lijun’s hair stand on end.

What Mu Gongzhen said was true. The gifts his people were moving to Zhuiping Residence were all items given to Mu Qingxuan by the guests, with the morning’s received records as evidence.

Bai Lijun understood this as well, which was why she couldn’t argue or reclaim the items, even though she regretted losing them. Being continuously outmaneuvered by the two siblings, her beautiful face turned sour.

Seeing Bai Lijun’s displeased expression, Mu Yingying’s big, round eyes sparkled with amusement. Did Bai Lijun think she could keep their belongings?

Not even in her dreams!

Even if Bai Lijun managed to swallow them, Mu Yingying would make her cough them back up!

"The list of gifts is complete, Miss," a maid reported softly to Mu Yingying, who nodded in acknowledgment.

"Let’s go back, Eldest Brother. We still have to handle all these gifts, including the valuable items His Majesty bestowed upon our sister. I doubt her storage room will be enough,"

Mu Yingying said to her brother, her words laced with a hint of boasting and sarcasm directed at Bai Lijun. Mu Gongzhen turned and walked away with his sister, responding, "If Xuan’er’s storeroom is insufficient, she can store the items in mine..."

Bai Lijun clenched her fists tightly, trying to contain her fury. Only after the siblings disappeared from sight did she return to her quarters. Once there, she ordered the servants to guard her quarters closely and not let anyone approach.

Soon, the sounds of objects being smashed and continuous curses emanated from within her quarters as she vented her frustration. The servants outside jumped and shuddered at the noise, unable to prevent their own fear...

Wan Manor

Within the luxurious large quarters of the Wan family, a slender woman stood poised, painting with a calm demeanor. Her beautiful face showed determination, with a faint smile constantly adorning her lips. The air around her was filled with relaxation and tranquility.

"Miss, here are your tea and snacks," her close maid said as she entered the room with a tray of refreshments.

"Just leave them there. I’m almost done with this painting," Wan Ningtong said absentmindedly, focusing on her artwork.

After setting the tea and snacks in place, the maid approached her mistress and peeked at the plum blossom painting, eyes full of admiration. Her young miss’s painting skills were unmatched.

"Oh, right. It’s a shame that you hadn’t attended the Mu family’s hairpin ceremony, Miss. I heard there was quite a surprising event."

"The Mu family remains neutral, not aligning with any faction. Our Wan family sides with the Right Side Chancellor. Attending the ceremony would give too much importance to the Mu family. You wouldn’t understand this..." Wan Ningtong continued focusing on her painting with steady hands.

"Miss, you might not know, but I heard that during the ceremony, the Empress Dowager sent a senior palace maid to deliver gifts and personally witness Lady Ping An’s hairpin ceremony," the maid told what she had heard, sharing the gossip as per usual without thinking much.

Wan Ningtong just listened absentmindedly and continued to focus on painting, but her body stiffened upon hearing the next sentence. Her hand faltered, pressing the brush too hard and causing the ink to spread across the paper.

"Not only that, but the Emperor also sent Eunuch Fu, his close attendant, to deliver gifts to the Eldest Young Miss Mu, far surpassing those from the Empress Dowager. He even bestowed a millennium jade hairpin for the final step of the ceremony, stating it was to honor Left Side Chancellor Mu’s merits..."

The close maid noticed her mistress’s unusual reaction and felt a bit confused. "Miss?"

Regaining her composure, Wan Ningtong stared at the ink blot on the paper, frowning. The painting she had meticulously worked on for over four hours was ruined in a matter of seconds.

Her previously calm eyes now showed an unusual dark glint. The relaxed air around her had turned icy. Wan Ningtong placed the brush on its rest and asked the maid unhurriedly, "Are you sure you heard correctly?"

"Yes, Miss. I heard it from the servants of the Tan family, who were following Tan Furen to visit our Furen just now."

Wan Ningtong did not respond. Instead, she folded the ruined painting on the table into a small square, and brought it to the lamp. As the flames caught the paper, she walked to the window and held the paper outside, letting the flames slowly engulf the painting paper. Her eyes were deep and unreadable.

The Emperor bestowed many gifts, including a jade hairpin for the eldest Young Miss Mu’s hairpin ceremony?

Though he claimed it was to honor the brother’s merits, the act of bestowing a jade hairpin and insisting on its use for the final step of the ceremony made Wan Ningtong quite certain that it wasn’t just to honor his merits!

The hairpin ceremony for a young woman was one of the most significant rites after marriage. The hairpin used in the ceremony, if not from an important person, must be of great significance. If the hairpin belonged to the mother or a senior relative, it signified the importance of the daughter who was now considered a full-grown woman.

However, if the hairpin came from a man outside the family, it implied a claim of ownership, indicating the intention of marriage in the future...

Wan Ningtong watched the burning painting as the flames reached the part she held. She let it drop out of the window until it turned to ashes on the ground.

She stared at the blackened ashes with cold eyes for a moment. All her life, she had diligently prepared to become the future empress of the land, dreaming of being by the current Emperor’s side ever since he was merely a prince!

But today, that eldest young miss of the Mu family had snatched the Emperor’s attention!

No!

The position of the mother of the nation must belong to her alone. Anyone who dared to take this position from her, don’t blame her for being ruthless!

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