The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 160 - 159

Chapter 159

In the blink of an eye, time passed, and the New Year arrived. Families gathered together to celebrate the occasion warmly despite the cold weather. This year, however, was the first time the three siblings celebrated the New Year alone without the Mu family. They happily enjoyed their meals and shared activities.

Meanwhile, the Mu family was just as lively, except for Elder Mu Furen, whose health continued to deteriorate. Learning that her three grandchildren would not return for the New Year only made her more troubled, which worsened her condition, confining her to bed. Elder Mu Furen had always strived to keep the Mu family united.

However, by the time she realized, the family had already fallen apart. The three siblings had moved out, weakening familial bonds. The remaining granddaughters in the manor were estranged, oppressed by Bai Lijun and her daughter.

Elder Mu Furen, now frail and nearing her end, found herself neglected even by her own son. She learned about the significant event of her second granddaughter’s marriage to Shin Wang only after the birth dates had been exchanged. Her status as the family’s elder seemed to no longer command respect.

Despite his three children not returning for the New Year celebration, Mu Cui Ming showed no concern or interest in bringing them back to do the activities together. Thus, the exhausted Elder Mu Furen could only keep her sorrow within herself silently.

Meanwhile, Mu Cui Ming was excited with the upcoming wedding of his daughter to Shin Wang, so his mood was particularly good. He lavished attention on his beautiful wife and favored daughter, utterly neglecting his other children as if they didn’t exist.

On the last night of the year, the Mu family gathered for dinner in the grand hall. It was a rare sight to see everyone dining together without distinction between the principal wife and concubines, a practice typically reserved for significant family festivals.

Due to her worsen condition, Elder Mu Furen could not join the dinner, leaving Mu Cui Ming, the family patriarch, to sit at the head of the table. As everyone was eating, Mu Tingge, feeling unwell, excused herself to leave early.

"Father, I am not feeling well today. If I stay, I fear it may disrupt the pleasant atmosphere of the family gathering. May I be excused to return to my quarters?"

Mu Cui Ming glanced at his daughter, whom he had always neglected, with a frown. "On such a fine day, and you fall ill. Go on, then!"

"Thank you, Father," Mu Tingge bowed before standing up and walking back to her quarters, her face slightly pale.

Xie Yang, watching her daughter with concern, excused herself to follow and check on Mu Tingge. Mu Cui Ming, irritated, gave permission and continued eating, unconcerned by their departure.

When Xie Yang came back in her quarters, she saw that Mu Tingge was sitting in her bedroom, sipping tea, her face showing signs of unusual fatigue. Xie Yang approached and gently rubbed her daughter’s back, asking worriedly,

"What’s wrong? Where do you feel unwell?"

"I’m not too bad, Mother. It may be because the weather has been colder lately, so I haven’t had much appetite. Everything I eat tastes off. I felt a bit dizzy earlier, probably because I didn’t have lunch."

Mu Tingge set down her teacup and sighed. Part of the reason she couldn’t eat was the sight of the mother-daughter trio rejoicing as they kept talking about the upcoming marriage to Shin Wang, as if constantly boasting about the honor and fortune of becoming a royal consort.

"Why didn’t you eat lunch then? I had the kitchen prepare your favorite dishes."

"How could I eat when all the servants talked about was Mu Luofei’s marriage to Shin Wang? It made me want to vomit," Mu Tingge curled her lips with displeasure.

Since the marriage announcement, the servants had flocked to flatter the trio even more, causing some who previously respected Xie Yang and Mu Tingge to act condescendingly. Her father, too, seemed to have forgotten their existence, focusing solely on his favored wife and daughters.

"It’s alright. What can we do about it? Besides, it’s good news. Once Mu Luofei marries and moves to Shin Wang Palace, only Bai Lijun and Mu Qin Shuang will be left here, making it easier for us to take action,"

Xie Yang consoled her daughter. In the past, Xie Yang had been cautious because of Mu Luofei’s status as a titled lady within the household. However, once she moved out, she would not have her constant oversight within the Mu Manor, providing them an excellent opportunity to execute certain plans.

"...But Mu Luofei will become the primary consort," Mu Tingge muttered through gritted teeth, her eyes reflecting her unwillingness to accept the situation.

Despite being the daughter of a concubine like herself, Mu Luofei had a good life and had always been pampered since childhood, and now was easily ascending to the status of a royal consort. What about her?

She was still stuck as a concubine’s daughter, with no change in her status!

"Trust me, I’ve planned it all. I will ensure your future is secure and prosperous," Xie Yang reassured her daughter, gently stroking her head with genuine affection.

Mu Tingge merely smiled in response, lowering her eyes to hide their trembling. Her delicate hand moved to her abdomen, a subtle gesture unnoticed by others.

Sorry, Mother. It’s not that she didn’t believe in her mother, but she had her own plans as well...

If her plan succeeded, she would finally climb to a higher status!

She would no longer be a concubine’s daughter scorned by everyone!

...

..

.

As the New Year festivities passed, the grand wedding that the entire capital had been eagerly anticipating drew nearer. The Mu Manor was abuzz with preparations, and the Shin Wang Palace was similarly busy organizing the banquet.

Since this was Shin Wang’s wedding and the first major celebration of the year, the Empress Dowager had ordered that the event be grand and befitting his status. She also provided a portion of her wealth as part of Princess Ping An’s dowry. Combined with the dowry prepared by Bai Lijun and the Mu family, Mu Luofei’s dowry exceeded a hundred chests. Similarly, the betrothal gifts from Shin Wang to the bride’s family also exceeded a hundred chests, sparking envy and admiration among the women of the capital.

Mu Luofei basked in the glory of the substantial dowry and betrothal gifts, totaling two hundred chests. The Empress Dowager had also personally arranged for her wedding dress. When the exquisite intricate dress was delivered to the Mu Manor on the eve of the wedding, everyone who saw it was left speechless in awe.

The craftsmanship, the stitching, and the fabric were all of the highest quality and magnificence, unmatched by anything else. This only heightened Mu Luofei’s pride. She was confident that wearing this dress the next day, she would be the most beautiful woman in the land, unparalleled by anyone!

The next morning, Mu Luofei, fully dressed and adorned, looked stunningly beautiful, akin to a sculpture from the heavens. She wore a veil and waited excitedly for the groom to arrive and escort her to the bridal sedan chair at the manor. When Shin Wang arrived at the Mu Manor, he escorted the bride to the large sedan chair before mounting his black stallion and leading the wedding procession to his palace.

As the procession made its way to Shin Wang Palace, crowds gathered to witness the opulent bridal procession in awe. Words of congratulations and envy reached Mu Luofei’s ears throughout the journey, filling the bride with immense pride over her grand and magnificent wedding.

Despite being born a concubine’s daughter, she had risen to such a high status that everyone envied her!

In just a few hours from now, she would officially become the primary consort. Even if Mu Qingxuan stood before her, she would have to inevitably kneel in respect!

Mu Luofei had waited a long time for the day when Mu Qingxuan would bow before her!

Soon, the bridal procession stopped in front of the palace gates. The groom then escorted the bride inside with great dignity. The Empress Dowager herself attended the wedding, adding to its grandeur. As the ceremony proceeded, Mu Yingying, Mu Gongzhen, and Mu Qingxuan stood watching from among the guests with calm expressions. Only Mu Yingying displayed a cheerful demeanor.

Her big, round eyes were fixed on Mu Luofei’s blissful and radiant face through the veil for a long while. A sly smile played on her lips for a moment as she observed the scene with an inscrutable look in her eyes.

In truth, they didn’t need to attend this auspicious event. However, Mu Yingying wanted to see Mu Luofei’s happy face one last time, prompting her two elder siblings to accompany her.

Mu Luofei, oh Mu Luofei, wasn’t this the marriage you’d dreamed of since your previous life and into this one? I hope you savor this happiness as much as you can because soon you won’t taste such joy again...

Seeing the ceremony conclude, the three siblings quietly excused themselves from the other guests and returned to their residence immediately. On the bride and groom side, after they completed the wedding rituals, Mu Luofei was escorted to the bridal chamber to wait for her newly-wed husband with excitement. Shin Wang, on the other hand, escorted the Empress Dowager to her carriage to send her back to the palace and greet the guests briefly.

After a while, the door to the bridal chamber opened, and Shin Wang stepped inside. Mu Luofei lowered her eyes to her lap in embarrassment, then sat still, waiting for her groom to lift her veil according to tradition. When Shin Wang reached out and lifted the veil, his eyes were filled with astonishment at her breathtaking beauty.

Though Mu Luofei’s beauty had always been evident, today she looked exceptionally magnificent, making it impossible for him to take his eyes off her. Especially when she glanced up at him, his heart seemed to melt instantly.

"Fei’er, you are truly beautiful,"

Shin Wang complimented sincerely, causing Mu Luofei’s cheeks to flush with embarrassment. "Thank you, Your Highness, for the compliment. Shall we...drink the ceremonial wine?"

"Why be so shy? We are now husband and wife, only one step away from completing the union," Shin Wang teased, laughing, which made Mu Luofei blush even more.

He picked up the ceremonial wine cup and linked arms with Mu Luofei according to tradition, then they drank the auspicious wine to complete the final step of the ceremony. After setting the wine cup down on the table, they gazed into each other’s eyes with deep affection. Just as Shin Wang was about to remove his beautiful wife’s clothes, a sudden report interrupted them from outside the room.

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but there’s an urgent matter!"

The budding atmosphere of romance and affection was abruptly shattered. Shin Wang turned his piercing gaze towards the door, his expression cold and his voice chilling.

"What is it!? If it’s not truly important, you know the consequences you’ll face?"

"S...Sorry, Your Highness! But it is truly urgent that I dare not delay. Our men report that the Empress Dowager’s procession has been ambushed. They are currently being pursued by enemies, and the Empress Dowager cannot safely return to the palace!"

"What did you say!"

Shin Wang exclaimed in shock, his face tensing with worry. He turned to Mu Luofei with urgency in his voice. "I apologize, but I must go to protect the Empress Dowager immediately. Wait here for me."

"Yes, I understand. The Empress Dowager’s safety comes first. Please be careful, Your Highness,"

Mu Luofei responded; her face filled with concern. Though she felt a tinge of regret at not consummating their marriage that night, she understood the priority of the situation.

Now that she had married as the primary wife, she still had a lot of chances to share the bedroom with her husband...

Shin Wang nodded, offering a gentle smile before quickly leaving the bridal chamber.

Who dared to seize this opportunity to assassinate the Empress Dowager on the day of his wedding!

This was too much of an insult!

That night, Mu Luofei had to wait alone in the bridal chamber until morning. Even though it was already mid-morning, Shin Wang had still not returned to the palace, causing Mu Luofei to worry about his safety and what might have happened to him.

Originally, she was supposed to enter the royal palace today to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor according to tradition. However, due to the incident with the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang not yet returning, she was unsure of what to do next and could only wait for news within the palace.

As Mu Luofei raised a cup of tea to her lips, her hands suddenly went weak, causing the cup to fall and shatter on the floor with a loud crash. The shards scattered across the floor, and the spilled tea soaked the hem of her dress.

Mu Luofei stared at the broken pieces, biting her lip as her eyes slightly wavered.

Why did she have such a bad feeling...?

Before she could gather her thoughts, a servant’s voice called out from nearby.

"Your Highness, His Highness has returned!"

"Has he returned? Where is he?"

Mu Luofei quickly stood up and walked towards the servant with excitement. However, upon hearing the reply, she was shocked and stood frozen for a moment.

"His Highness is being taken to his quarters. He has been seriously injured, and there are many guards and royal physicians with him."

Shin Wang was injured!

Mu Luofei bit her lip to steady herself and prevent panic. She hurried to Shin Wang’s quarters immediately. When she arrived, she found a group of people bustling around the entrance, carrying medical equipment and supplies. One of them noticed her and quickly approached to report.

"Your Highness, the royal physicians are currently treating His Highness. Please wait here for news."

"Alright, I will wait."

Mu Luofei agreed readily, understanding that entering the room now would only hinder the physicians’ work as she was unable to help with anything.

The maid who had followed immediately fetched a chair for the consort to sit and wait. After two hours had passed, the royal physicians finally emerged from the room with solemn expressions. Seeing this, Mu Luofei frowned deeply.

“How is His Highness’s condition?”

“Uh...”

The royal physicians exchanged uneasy glances, hesitant to answer, which made Mu Luofei’s anxiety grow. She repeated her question in a cold voice, “I asked, how is His Highness’s condition?”

“Your Highness, His Highness’s condition has stabilized. However...”

“However what?”

Hearing that his condition had stabilized, Mu Luofei sighed in relief. But her relief quickly turned to irritation due to the physicians’ annoying hesitance.

“However...due to the severity of his injuries, we fear that His Highness will no longer be able to father children.”

Upon hearing these words, Mu Luofei’s face froze as if struck by lightning. Had she heard correctly just now?

Shin Wang could no longer have children?

That couldn’t be true!

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