The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 167 - 166

Chapter 166

Time passed in the blink of an eye, and over two months had gone by. The Mu family manor was still in the official mourning period for Elder Mu Furen, which would last three years. However, despite telling the outside that it was the mourning period, the members of the Mu family continued their lives as usual, showing no signs of sorrow or any deviation from their normal behavior.

The only exception was Mu Jie, who frequently visited the temple with Su Ming to pray and pay respects to her late grandmother.

Meanwhile, Mu Luofei, after recovering within the first month, remained under confinement. She was confined to her room and not allowed to step outside. However, unlike before, she did not cause any disturbances or outbursts. Instead, she lived quietly and peacefully within her room, seeming unprecedented obedient.

Despite her newfound calm, Shin Wang did not lift the confinement order. This was because Mu Tingge was now heavily pregnant and due to give birth soon. Shin Wang could not afford any mistakes or disturbances during this critical period.

Zhuiping Residence

Inside the study of the quarters, Mu Yingying, who seemed to have slightly grown up, sat gazing out the window at the lush greenery. Her eyes were calm as she observed the flourishing trees and grass.

"The time to settle the score with those three is approaching..."

Mu Yingying said coldly. Behind her, a figure in black suddenly appeared and knelt, ready to receive orders.

"Send someone to tell my eldest brother to inform His Majesty to prepare the engagement proposal for my sister. Soon, it will be time to announce that we three siblings have long since separated from the Mu family."

"Yes, Miss," the man in black replied before vanishing without a trace.

Mu Yingying lowered her eyes slightly, hiding the ruthless glint within them. The time had come to deal with Mu Luofei decisively. Until now, the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang believed that Mu Luofei held the support of the powerful Mu family. Hence, they had never thought to deal with her harshly.

However, if they were to learn the truth—that the Mu family’s power through Mu Luofei was empty and meaningless because her brother had long since separated from their father—both the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang would undoubtedly direct all their anger toward Mu Luofei and the Mu family.

Should Mu Luofei commit another foolish act, neither the Empress Dowager nor Shin Wang would show her any mercy!

That day was drawing near...

These past two months of confinement had surely been enough to cultivate intense hatred and pressure within someone as twisted as Mu Luofei, causing her to have inappropriate thoughts. Given the chance to be free, she might commit some unthinkable act.

Even if she wasn’t released, Mu Luofei might already be plotting something!

The deeper the love, the deeper the hatred!

Especially for a vicious and twisted woman like Mu Luofei. Who knew what her hatred for Shin Wang might drive her to do...

All Mu Yingying needed to do now was to ensure that no hidden enemies extended a helping hand to Mu Luofei again. If her calculations were correct, it wouldn’t be long before these adversaries in the shadows would have to retreat to the Daliang Region.

Once that time came, the three mother and daughters would be left unprotected!

Even if some hidden protectors remained to guard them, Mu Yingying was confident that she could deal with those few individuals. This was her only chance to settle the score with the three of them without any third-party interference.

Shin Wang Palace

In the western wing of the palace, where Mu Tingge resided, her belly was now noticeably swollen as she neared the end of her pregnancy, with less than a month to go before the birth. Mu Tingge didn’t know whether it was due to the approaching summer or the impending childbirth, but she frequently felt anxious and suffered from nightmares.

Upon hearing that Mu Tingge had been having sleepless nights due to these nightmares, Shin Wang decided to stay with her to provide comfort and ensure nothing went wrong. Despite his presence, Mu Tingge’s nightmares persisted, leading to seven consecutive nights of restless sleep and increasing anxiety.

When the Empress Dowager learned of the situation, she advised Shin Wang to take Mu Tingge to the imperial temple to pray. She hoped that the divine intervention would dispel any misfortune and evil, allowing Mu Tingge to finally sleep peacefully. The Empress Dowager wasn’t particularly surprised by Mu Tingge’s anxiety, considering it common for first-time expectant mothers nearing their due date.

Following the Empress Dowager’s advice, Shin Wang arranged for a large, comfortable carriage padded with multiple layers of thick cushions for Mu Tingge’s journey. He also had some of his men prepare a room at the temple to ensure there would be no complications.

Given Mu Tingge’s advanced pregnancy, a day trip to the temple was impractical, so an overnight stay was necessary.

Meanwhile, confined to her bedroom, Mu Luofei’s face lit up with a cold smile when she heard that Shin Wang was taking Mu Tingge to the imperial temple. Her eyes glinted with icy determination.

She hoped that harlot and that treacherous man never return here again!

Upon arriving at the imperial temple, Shin Wang and Mu Tingge spent some time praying. As Mu Tingge offered her prayers, her previously anxious and troubled mind began to relax and return to a state of calm. The unusual fears and panic she had been experiencing started to fade away.

By the time Mu Tingge finished her prayers, the sun was beginning to set. Shin Wang helped her to the guest quarters that had been prepared at the temple.

The guest quarters were built like dozens of connected rooms in rows, each room being spacious and would only be used for accommodation when necessary. The temple staff led them to the three rooms at the far left end of the row: the last room for Shin Wang, the next for Mu Tingge, and the adjacent one for their accompanying servants.

Due to the small size of the beds, it was unsuitable for two people to share a room, so Shin Wang and Mu Tingge had to sleep separately. As Mu Tingge sat resting in her room, her two personal maids busied themselves by inspecting the surroundings and opening the windows to ensure proper ventilation.

"It was very hot during the day, and even now, it hasn’t cooled down much. We should keep the windows open tonight to let the breeze in," one maid reported while opening all the windows in the room.

Mu Tingge nodded in agreement and fanned herself to ease the heat. "When night falls, you can close the windows slightly. Otherwise, we might catch a chill from the draft."

"Yes, Miss."

"Oh, and did you bring the incense?" Mu Tingge asked the other maid, who was arranging their belongings.

"Yes, Miss. I remembered that you like this incense very much and can’t sleep without its scent." The maid took out the incense wrapped in cloth and lit it in the center of the room.

Soon, a delicate sweet fragrance filled the air. As Mu Tingge inhaled the soothing aroma, her entire body began to relax, alleviating the fatigue that had built up throughout the day.

After everything was arranged, the night grew late. While Mu Tingge was sleeping, she suddenly woke up from a nightmare. She opened her eyes wide in shock, breathing heavily, with sweat beading on her beautiful face.

"Xiao Pin, I need some water,"

Mu Tingge called out to her maid. However, she received no response even after waiting for a while. She turned to look at the corner of the room and saw her two maids sleeping soundly on the floor mats.

"Did you hear me?"

She was starting to get irritated. Furrowing her brows, she got up from the bed and reached for the oil lamp on the table to check on the maids who were still deeply asleep. Upon seeing this, Mu Tingge sighed and decided to get the water herself.

As she was pouring water into a cup, a mysterious hand suddenly covered her mouth with a handkerchief from behind. Before Mu Tingge could react, she was firmly restrained and couldn’t struggle. Soon, her body went limp, and she lost consciousness in the assailant’s arms.

In the darkness, the person carried Mu Tingge’s unconscious body out of the guest quarters. Another man dressed in black appeared and poured some liquid around all three rooms before setting them on fire and disappearing without a trace.

The flames quickly spread along the path of the oil that had been poured, giving no chance for anyone inside to wake up. That’s because everyone in the guest quarters had been drugged with an anesthetic, leaving them in a deep, unresponsive sleep. By the time they would have regained consciousness, it was already too late for them to escape.

In Shin Wang’s room, he regained consciousness only after inhaling a significant amount of smoke, causing him to cough and wake up. When he realized that he was surrounded by raging flames, he quickly jumped up to find a way out. However, as he attempted to use his internal energy to break through the fire, he discovered that he couldn’t gather his internal energy.

Shin Wang tried multiple times to harness his internal energy but to no avail. Panic set in as he struggled to find a way to survive, to escape the inferno, but no matter how hard he tried, he found that there was no way to escape unscathed.

Crack

Bang!

"Arghh!"

Shin Wang cried out in pain as a wooden beam from the ceiling, weakened by the fire, fell and struck his leg with great force. The weight of the beam, combined with the intense heat, caused excruciating pain to Shin Wang. His leg felt as though it was being seared by a hot iron.

"Shin Wang! Are you inside!?"

A voice called from outside, echoing continuously. Upon hearing that voice, Shin Wang immediately knew that his personal guard had come to rescue, so he shouted back anxiously.

"I’m here! Hurry, help me!"

"Hold on, Your Highness. We’re trying to get to you!"

Shin Wang gritted his teeth, trying to use his other leg to push the beam off his other leg. However, the heat from the beam seared his skin with every movement, causing unbearable pain, forcing him to stop.

By the time his guards managed to break through the flames and reach him, Shin Wang’s leg was numb from the pressure and heat of the beam, and he had inhaled so much smoke that he was barely conscious. As he was carried out, he looked back at the guest quarters, now engulfed in flames, hearing the anguished cries of the servants trapped inside.

Moments later, Shin Wang lost consciousness, his body covered in severe burns and blisters from the fire...

...

..

.

After Mu Tingge regained consciousness, she immediately recalled what had happened, causing her to panic and feel intense fear. She quickly surveyed her surroundings and realized she was in a small, old, and dilapidated wooden house.

Her hands were tied behind her back, her mouth was gagged so that she couldn’t make a noise, and her feet were bound as well, preventing any chance of escape. Mu Tingge immediately looked down at her belly and felt relieved to find her unborn child was still safe.

Shortly after, the door to the room opened, revealing a familiar silhouette. When Mu Tingge saw the person, her eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t believe that this was all orchestrated by this woman.

Mu Luofei slowly walked up to Mu Tingge with a wicked smile that made her seem like a demon.

"Mu Tingge, did you ever think that this day would come?"

Mu Luofei’s icy voice sent shivers down Mu Tingge’s spine. She never imagined that Mu Luofei would go to such insane lengths!

If anything happened to her or her unborn child, Mu Luofei would surely not escape death!

"From the look on your face, I suppose you never thought about it," Mu Luofei chuckled lightly before signaling a man behind her to remove the gag from Mu Tingge’s mouth.

"Weren’t you under confinement? How did you get out? You’re insane! If you dare to harm me, the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang won’t spare you!"

Mu Tingge shouted, filled with fear but determined not to give up. Otherwise, she didn’t know what would happen to her and her child.

"Hahaha, Shin Wang? Who knows if he’s even alive right now? Even if he survives, it will be a long time before he learns of your disappearance. As for the Empress Dowager, by the time that old hag hears of it, you’ll have died ten thousand deaths!"

Mu Luofei said with a sneer. She had been biding her time, pretending to be obedient, all while planning this moment. She was determined to make them pay, starting with this wench Mu Tingge. Didn’t this harlot want to climb to the top?

Then she would drag her to the lowest depths herself!

As for Shin Wang, if he survived the fire, he would surely be left crippled or in unbearable pain!

And as for the Empress Dowager, didn’t that old hag want a descendant to continue Shin Wang’s bloodline?

In that case, she would destroy the only heir!

"P...please, let me go. I beg you. I will never oppose you again. Once the child is born, I will leave Shin Wang Palace immediately. Please, spare my life,"

Mu Tingge pleaded tearfully. She now realized that Mu Luofei was beyond reasoning, lost to her madness. She would definitely not be able to save herself. She could only beg for mercy.

Seeing Mu Tingge’s pitiful state, Mu Luofei laughed with satisfaction, but then her eyes glinted with cruelty.

"Do you think I would let you go? Dream on! Anyone who dares trample on me, I will make them suffer ten thousand times over!"

"Force her to take the medicine!"

At her signal, two strong men grabbed Mu Tingge, forcing her mouth open and pouring a cup of dark liquid down her throat.

"No! No! Get it out! No!"

Mu Tingge looked at the dark liquid in genuine terror, struggling in vain. Ultimately, the men forced the dark liquid into her mouth and down her throat. As it reached her stomach, she felt an intense heat burning through her entire abdomen, causing unbearable pain.

"Ahhh!"

Mu Tingge screamed in agony as her insides felt like they were being scorched by flames. Her belly felt as though a heavy hand was crushing it. She writhed on the ground in pain for a while before blood began to seep from between her legs.

Amidst Mu Tingge’s excruciating torment, Mu Luofei watched with a look of pleasure, a sneer prominently displayed on her face. Her eyes were staring at Mu Tingge’s contorted face with satisfaction.

Mu Tingge continued to writhe in agony, blood flowing from all five orifices—her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and skin—all had blood seeping, creating a horrifying scene. Her lower abdomen contracted violently, causing a torrent of blood to gush out.

Eventually, Mu Tingge’s body went still, her eyes wide open in a final, gruesome expression. Her last breath had been drawn, leaving the room filled with the stench of blood.

"Dispose of her body in front of Shin Wang Palace," 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Mu Luofei ordered coldly before turning away without a second glance. With that harlot Mu Tingge gone, it was time to deliver a gift to Shin Wang and the Empress Dowager...

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

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