The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 17 - 16

Chapter 16

After the event concluded, over ten punished servants were expelled from the manor. Elder Mu Furen took this opportunity to swap out her staff, bringing in a fresh wave of faces, so the Mu Manor now comprised entirely of new servants.

Auntie Yang, in the meantime, was recuperating in a quarter designated for the head servants, a stark contrast to her usual scheming self. Once dominant and authoritative, she was now reduced to shivering under a blanket, her body wracked with pain, her back to her buttocks covered in bruises and split skin.

Her whole being ached, every breeze intensifying the stinging pain across her wounds. All she could do was lie face down, dependent on her niece to change her dressings daily.

Gnash~

Clenching her teeth so tightly it was audible, Auntie Yang’s eyes burned with a malevolent rage. Returning to Qingyun City had brought her such misfortune!

Over her fifty years, she had never experienced such torment. Even as the mistress’s wet nurse, yet Elder Mu Furen showed no mercy, striking with such severity.

Why wouldn’t that old hag just die already!

Just wait until she returned to the capital, she would ensure her mistress seized all power, then dealt with that nuisance Elder Furen herself!"

"Ah!... Be gentle,"

Auntie Yang winced in pain, prompting Yang Sui, who was applying her medication, to ease her touch. "Please endure, Auntie, so we can hasten our return to the capital. This place...hardly seems livable anymore."

In the capital, they would undoubtedly receive far superior care, free from the harsh conditions and indignity of being reduced to mere servants they faced here. Their status was higher than that!

After Auntie Yang received her punishment, Elder Mu Furen ordered them to reside in a servant’s dwelling at the manor’s edge. Though they had private rooms, they still had to share space with common servants.

In the capital, they had enjoyed private chambers in the Second Furen’s quarters, spared the discomfort of cohabiting with the manor’s general staff.

"Sui’er...endure a little longer. Once Auntie’s condition improves, we will immediately return to the capital,"

Auntie Yang consoled, expressing her reluctance to stay any longer. The longer she stayed, the more she was reminded of the punishment that caused her distress.

Initially, she intended to bring back the former Furen’s dowry to the capital, but she ended up returning empty-handed and injured. It was like failing to steal a chicken while losing a handful of rice[1].

Eastern Wing House

After Mu Yingying and Su Su regained consciousness after being unconscious for over two days, the Elder Furen arranged for people to help move the two back to the Eastern Wing House for further recuperation. Elder Mu Furen would often visit and check on her granddaughter’s condition, almost every other day.

Ten days passed, and inside the patient’s room, where the two were supposed to be resting and healing, they were instead sitting up, playing Weiqi and chatting joyfully.

"Wow...Young Miss, you win again!"

Su Su complained while staring at the Weiqi board. Recently, she had been accompanying her young miss to play Weiqi, which the Young Miss always emerged victorious, leaving Su Su feeling dejected and readily conceding.

Mu Yingying smiled, reached for her teacup, and took a sip. "Are you still not accustomed, Su Su?"

"I won’t play with the Young Miss anymore. I beg you to let me go. I’m already fed up."

Su Su gave Mu Yingying a pleading look. She had to pretend to be ill to accompany the young miss, which meant she did not have to work outside and could stay with the young miss as a supposedly seriously ill person in the eyes of others. However, this left her idle for the past ten days, causing her to grow weary.

"Come on, Su Su, consider it a break," Mu Yingying suggested with a playful smile, gathering the stone pieces back into their bowl.

Simultaneously, the door to the house abruptly opened, revealing the figure of a young man wearing a mask who stepped in and halted by the side to give a report. However, he was promptly stopped by Mu Yingying, who gestured with her hand for him to wait.

"Let’s talk later. Come play a game of Weiqi with me to alleviate boredom."

Lu Jiu hesitated momentarily before sitting down in Su Su’s place, opposite Mu Yingying, following her command. He did not reply whether he knew how to play Weiqi nor did he argue; he simply complied with her request quietly. He began placing his pieces on the board immediately following her lead.

Mu Yingying continued placing her pieces and then asked, "What’s the news?"

"Our informant reports that Auntie Yang’s condition has somewhat improved. She can walk now, although not very comfortably. It is expected that in no more than three days, Auntie Yang will likely lead the convoy back to the capital."

Lu Jiu reported the information he received while placing a stone on one corner of the Weiqi board. Mu Yingying analyzed the other party’s placing position for a moment and asked further, “How is Uncle Wang’s preparation?”

“Already done, Miss. He just needs to know the exact date and time of the departure. Uncle Wang can lead people to ambush at any time.”

Lu Jiu placed another stone, capturing one piece from the opponent’s side. Next was Mu Yingying’s turn, and she took back one of his stones. The two of them continuously took turns taking each other’s stones.

“Don’t forget to remind Uncle Wang. This gift shouldn’t cause too much bloodshed. I want the receiver to feel like crying but have no tears to shed.” Mu Yingying stretched out a wry smile, her big, round eyes sparkled with a dangerous gleam.

Aside from the big play that had just finished showing several days ago. She still had a big gift for the people in the capital. This gift was sure to please her father and Bai Lijun!

The Mu Family was now expanding its prosperity, but beneath all progress, money was a significant driving force. Without that money, she wanted to know how her father would push the family to grow in the capital.

As for Bai Lijun, if there was no money to spend, she also wanted to know how long that person could hold up her face in aristocratic society!

Mu Yingying’s grin was filled with sneer. She had said that if she were given a chance to come back, she would do everything to reclaim this blood debt. Her father wanted his family to grow, prosper, and gain great power, didn’t he?

Humph!

She would be the one who pulled him down!

Mu Yingying placed the last stone on the board and found that neither of them had any stones left in their hands. Moreover, when looking at the board, it was impossible to determine the winner. The match was a draw.

“Your skills are really good,” Mu Yingying concealed the evil glint in her eyes and said teasingly to the young man. Lu Jiu bowed down humbly, “You were holding back, Miss.”

He was secretly surprised that the five-year-old young miss in front of him was so skilled at playing Weiqi. The more he got to know the Young Miss, the more he found that she had many secrets hidden. She didn’t look like a five year old child at all.

Mu Yingying laughed and said, “You’re so humble.”

“I want you to handle this matter for me. Remember...there can be no mistake in this matter.”

“Yes, Miss,” Lu Jiu responded before standing up and bowing respectfully, then turned around and walked away to take care of other matters.

Mu Yingying laughed softly while gazing out the window with a cunning look in her eyes. She was curious to see how those people would react upon receiving her gift...

Three Days Later.

After Auntie Yang’s condition had improved enough for her to walk, albeit still suffering from the wounds on her back, she was adamant about her decision to return to the capital that day.

She couldn’t bear to stay a moment longer, feeling as if the pain from her injuries was not easing, compounded by the deep scars left in her heart from these harsh memories.

When the Elder Furen was informed, she did not object but ordered the servants to load the prepared belongings onto the eight carriages.

Once the loading was complete, the carriage convoy departed swiftly on the rough road, causing frequent jolts that Auntie Yang had to endure the pain on her wounds that were still fresh.

Her only hope was to reach the capital as soon as possible and never set foot in Qingyun City again. Now that the former Furen’s dowry had vanished. There was no reason for her mistress to send her back for any business here!

During her convalescence, Auntie Yang had instructed her followers from the capital to investigate the town, searching for any shops belonging to the former Furen’s dowry. Even though the property deeds were lost, if the shops still existed, she could claim them for the Second Furen.

However, the information she received made her frown again - all the shops on the dowry’s list had disappeared!

If not transferred to new owners, they were sold to others who continued the business. There were no traces or clues to follow, likely the managers had embezzled the shops for themselves.

How heartbreaking!

Auntie Yang sighed deeply, contemplating on the rugged road that stretched ahead, enduring the ongoing pain.

Since she couldn’t bring the dowry back to the capital, she would need to find alternative ways to assist her mistress in acquiring more funds, possibly by embezzling from the family’s central assets.

After all, the mistress held the key to the family’s treasury and kept the records herself. If they embezzled funds for expenditures, it was certain no one would ever know.

With a strategy in mind, Auntie Yang exhaled deeply before an idea struck her.

Right...she had completely forgotten about this.

Amidst the recent turmoil and her convalescence, the thought had slipped her mind. It seemed Seventh Young Miss might have become the favorite granddaughter of the Elder Furen!

This was a turn of events greatly unfavorable for their faction!

Should the Elder Furen travel to the capital in the future, with Seventh Young Miss being the favorite, any plans against the three siblings would surely become complicated.

Yet, on reflection, Seventh Young Miss’s gratitude to the Second Furen remained steadfast, showing no signs of opposition or future threats, evident from her intention to craft a gift for the Second Furen.

Perhaps...she was overthinking it.

Bang!

While Auntie Yang was deep in thought, the carriage suddenly halted, throwing its occupants forward. Auntie Yang’s head slammed against the carriage wall.

"Ouch..."

Auntie Yang clutched her head in pain, now having a new injury atop her unhealed wounds!

"How are you feeling, Auntie?" Yang Sui hurriedly crawled to assist, asking with concern.

"What were you drivers doing?!" Auntie Yang barked at the coachmen outside. Receiving no reply, she grew even more irate. "Sui’er, go outside and see what’s happened."

"Yes, ma’am," Yang Sui complied, opening the carriage door to check outside, only to freeze in shock at the sight of a blade pointed at her throat.

Auntie Yang, growing impatient with the absence of her niece and the drivers, became irritated. "Where has everyone vanished?!"

Exhaling in frustration and anger, her face distorted unsightly. Since no one came back to report, she decided to check for herself, but it was difficult to move due to her injuries.

When she exited the carriage, she was startled and prepared to scream for help – but then found a sharp sword’s tip at her throat.

"Stay quiet if you wish to live,"

A burly man with a masked face threatened her in a fierce tone. Auntie Yang trembled in fear, truly from the bottom of her heart.

The entire convoy, including the hired guards and the manor’s guards, had been overpowered and bound by this mysterious group of over fifty assailants.

They had been ambushed and robbed!

[1] Failing to steal a chicken while losing a handful of rice; an idiom, figuratively means: to try to gain an advantage only to end up worse off.

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