The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 176 - 175

Chapter 175

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, more than three months had gone by. Throughout these three months, events in the capital had proceeded in a state of peace. However, beneath this happiness, a significant undercurrent was silently forming, unnoticed by anyone.

Within the tranquil confines of Zhuiping Residence, away from the chaos, Mu Yingying appeared to have grown slightly more mature, transitioning from a young girl into her early teens. She was sitting and reading a report with a calm expression, her big round eyes carefully scanning each line of text.

Since the fall of the Mu family, the capital had returned to its peaceful state. Mu Yingying’s next targets were the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang, who were not ordinary adversaries that could be easily dealt with. The complexity of handling them required meticulous planning. Therefore, Mu Yingying decided not to stir any trouble in the capital during this period.

Despite not causing any major upheavals in the capital, that didn’t mean she had done nothing.

Mu Yingying and her siblings were actively discussing their strategy against the Empress Dowager. The main obstacle was Commander Wu, who commanded an army of hundreds of thousands. If they could deal with him, it would be easier to handle the Empress Dowager.

They had previously attempted several methods to deal with Commander Wu, but the likelihood of success was very low. If Commander Wu were an ordinary person, they might have used poison or an assassination to eliminate him. However, Commander Wu had been in battle for over thirty years and was exceptionally skilled in both strategy and combat, making it impossible to handle him with ordinary means.

Commander Wu could be likened to a fierce tiger!

This predicament caused the three siblings to spend a long time devising a plan. Eventually, they came up with a strategy that had the highest chance of success!

This plan had been set in motion five months ago, requiring a lengthy period to bear fruit. However, time was not a concern for Mu Yingying, as the outcome was what mattered most to her. Rushing to deal with an enemy without careful consideration could allow the opponent to escape, leading to endless problems, as she had experienced in the past with the incident involving the mother-daughters trio.

It was better to take a little more time and eliminate the enemy completely in one go...

Mu Yingying meticulously wrote something with her brush for a long time before fanning the paper to dry the ink. She then folded the letter, placed it in an envelope, and handed it to her kneeling subordinate in front of her.

"Take this to our people in Beijing."

"Understood," the man in black received the letter and stored it carefully before leaving without a trace.

After the man in black left, Mu Yingying leaned back in her chair, sipping her tea leisurely. Meanwhile, Su Su, who stood beside her, asked curiously, "Miss, are you starting to take action now?"

"Mm...It’s been over five months already. Our plan is fully in place. It’s time to end this long war."

Mu Yingying spoke with a faint smile, though the smile didn’t reach her eyes. If she could deal with the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang, she would be relieved of one significant burden, as the nearby enemies would be eliminated. However, she still had to contend with distant enemies like the royal court of the Daliang Region, which made her unable to fully relax.

If she couldn’t eliminate all her enemies, she wouldn’t be able to ease her mind and live the life she desired...

"What is the situation in the capital?"

Mu Yingying put down her teacup and turned to ask her close maid. Su Su immediately replied, "Uncle Wang sent news that many businesses previously under the control of the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang have now fallen into our hands. A few days ago, the Empress Dowager sold another two major enterprises in the capital to gather a large amount of money."

"If that’s the case, it won’t be long now..."

Mu Yingying’s face lit up with a cunning smile, her big round eyes glinting strangely. After she had sabotaged the Empress Dowager’s financial routes several months ago, it had a significant long-term impact on her.

Initially, with reduced income and increased expenses, the Empress Dowager began facing financial difficulties, especially after fabricating evidence to frame the Mu family, which required a substantial amount of money. Subsequently, as major businesses were overtaken by competitors, their profits and benefits were largely diminished, leading to an even greater decrease in income. This left her unable to manage her expenses, forcing the Empress Dowager to sell off several businesses.

By now, the Empress Dowager’s finances were in a dire state, prompting her to sell over ten major enterprises in the capital to gather a significant amount of money. Mu Yingying had been monitoring these movements closely. Besides financial issues, there was another problem forcing the Empress Dowager to sell off businesses and accumulate a large sum of money.

From the information Mu Yingying gathered, she discovered that the Empress Dowager was planning something akin to a rebellion. She had amassed a large sum of money and secretly sent it to Beijing, the base of Commander Wu’s forces, to enhance the strength of the troops with more personnel and weapons, as well as stockpiling supplies covertly.

Upon learning this, Mu Yingying immediately understood that the Empress Dowager likely perceived the risk of losing her power, prompting her to bolster her trump card, Commander Wu. If Commander Wu’s forces grew stronger, they would become the Empress Dowager’s ace against the Emperor.

Should the Empress Dowager decide to rebel, deploying Commander Wu’s army of hundreds of thousands to the capital would indeed put the Emperor at a significant disadvantage!

For this reason, Mu Yingying decided to act swiftly to thwart the Empress Dowager’s rebellious intentions, which would otherwise bring great turmoil to the land...

...

..

.

On the same evening, after the three siblings had dinner together, Mu Yingying informed her brother of her decision to proceed with the next phase of their plan immediately. Mu Gongzhen did not object, agreeing that the time was right.

"Tomorrow morning in the court, I will bring the matter to His Majesty to proceed with the next phase of the plan."

"Yes," Mu Yingying nodded before turning to her sister. "Have the poison and antidote you prepared been completed yet?"

"They are all finished. The poison and antidote you requested have been prepared. You can have them transported tonight,"

Mu Qingxuan replied with a pleased smile. In this plan to deal with Commander Wu, all three siblings were involved, making Mu Qingxuan feel she was no longer a burden to her siblings. Mu Yingying was responsible for executing the plan in Beijing, while Mu Gongzhen handled the flow of information within the capital, ensuring no leaks in or out, and guided the royal court’s direction according to their plan.

Mu Qingxuan had been requested by Mu Yingying to prepare various types of poisons and antidotes, totaling more than a hundred bottles, all of which were essential for the plan. This endeavor truly showcased the unity and cooperation among the three siblings.

"It’s been hard on you, Sister. I’ll have someone come and collect the poisons tonight."

Mu Yingying gave her elder sister a gentle smile. Preparing hundreds of bottles of such a vast array of poisons and antidotes alone was no easy task. Seeing her sister go through so much trouble made Mu Yingying feel a pang of guilt. However, when she saw Mu Qingxuan’s pleased smile, expressing her joy and willingness to participate in the plan, she chose to say nothing further.

"We are siblings. We only have each other. If there’s anything I can do to help you, I am always willing."

Mu Qingxuan affectionately patted her younger sister’s head. The atmosphere in the room was filled with warmth once again. The bond and harmony among the three siblings spread throughout the room, creating a heartwarming scene.

The next morning, in the throne room of the royal palace, Mu Gongzhen began executing the plan. After the officials finished discussing political matters, Mu Gongzhen presented a petition to the Emperor regarding the Black Forest bandits who had started causing trouble in the western part of the region five months ago, causing significant damage and distress to many merchants.

News of the Black Forest bandits had spread from Beijing City in the west to the capital for a while now. It was said that this bandit group was extremely fearsome. They hid in the high mountains and moved without a trace. There were several instances where authorities tried to locate their hideout but failed. Additionally, government officials sent to investigate had disappeared without a trace.

Initially, when the bandit group appeared five months ago, they only ambushed merchant caravans traveling along key routes between the central part of the region and Beijing City. However, they soon escalated their activities, boldly attacking government convoys. Recently, the Black Forest bandits had even raided military supplies and the annual budget that the royal court had sent to Commander Wu’s army in Beijing City.

This caused significant losses for both the royal court and the western army, prompting the court to take action.

After Mu Gongzhen presented the petition, a discussion ensued in the court about how to address the issue. Ultimately, it was decided, with the agreement of the court officials and the Emperor, to issue a imperial decree commanding Commander Wu, who was positioned at the west, to eradicate the Black Forest bandits.

Once the imperial decree was announced, it was dispatched using speed horses to ensure it reached Beijing City within seven days without any delays. Upon receiving the decree, the formidable Commander Wu accepted it willingly, though he had an unsettling feeling he couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Commander Wu had been aware of the Black Forest bandits for over five months, observing their increasing ferocity all these times. There were no apparent irregularities; they seemed like any other power-hungry bandits defying the royal court.

However, one thing puzzled Commander Wu: the origin of these bandits. He had previously received reports of small bandit groups ambushing merchant caravans over the years, but none were as skilled or audacious as the current bandits, who dared to raid military supplies.

What could have transformed ordinary, petty bandits into such notorious and daring marauders?

Despite his suspicions and a sense of ominous premonition deep down, Commander Wu had no choice but to comply with the imperial decree. He led his army to confront the Black Forest bandits, unaware that this mission would lead him to his doom, from which there would be no return...

...

..

The Royal Palace

Half a month had passed since the imperial decree sent Commander Wu and his forces to suppress the Black Forest bandits. The battles continued without any news reaching the capital, leaving the court anxiously awaiting updates.

In the Empress Dowager’s palace, she reclined comfortably on a daybed by the window, attended by her maids. Shortly, Eunuch Hao, her trusted eunuch, entered the palace and signaled the maids to leave with his eyes.

"Your Majesty, we have not received any news from Commander Wu."

The Empress Dowager slowly opened her eyes and stared at the eunuch with a cold gaze. "Why is it taking so long to suppress a group of bandits?"

"I believe the bandits are hiding in the high mountains, making the suppression difficult and causing Commander Wu to take longer than usual, Your Majesty."

"If there’s no news from Beijing, send our people to investigate there," the Empress Dowager ordered with a chilly tone, her presence exuding a cold and displeased aura.

The longer she went without hearing from Commander Wu, the more uneasy she felt, as if she had a premonition that something was amiss.

Crash!

As the Empress Dowager reached for her teacup, it slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor, spilling tea across the hem of her skirt. The room fell silent instantly.

She glanced at the broken teacup on the floor, a sense of foreboding rising within her. Could the broken cup be an omen...?

"Send a speed horse to investigate Beijing immediately!"

The Empress Dowager commanded, her voice tense. Her growing anxiety was evident, unsettling her deeply. Seeing his mistress anxious attitude, Eunuch Hao immediately sensed the gravity of the situation.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he responded promptly and hurried out of the palace.

Zhuiping Residence

The following evening, as Mu Yingying was handling documents, the shadow of a man in black appeared, kneeling before her. She lifted her gaze from the papers and looked at him, awaiting his report.

"Miss, our people in Beijing City have reported that the plan was successful. Three days after Commander Wu returned to Beijing City, he could not find the antidote in time. The poison took effect, and he eventually succumbed. Our infiltrators in the army confirmed this personally."

"And what are the casualty reports?"

"We lost thirty-two of our own. The rest sustained minor injuries. Regarding Commander Wu’s army, our people followed your instructions and used poison to weaken the soldiers before administering the antidote later. Only sixty soldiers died, while the rest were incapacitated temporarily by poisons but have since recovered."

Upon hearing the report, Mu Yingying sighed with relief. At least the losses were not as severe as she had feared.

"Very good. Tell our people to clean up thoroughly and leave no evidence behind."

"Understood."

After the man in black left, Mu Yingying closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, a faint smile forming on her lips instantly. Her plan had succeeded once more. With Commander Wu now eliminated, it was time to deal with the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang.

Because the target was initially Commander Wu, so Mu Yingying aimed to minimize unnecessary casualties. She did not want to take the lives of innocent soldiers who were merely following orders. Therefore, she employed a strategy using poison, crafted by Mu Qingxuan, to incapacitate the soldiers, rendering them unable to fight.

When the poison took effect, it rendered the soldiers powerless for five days, making them unable to fight. After the battle, her people administered the antidote, ensuring the soldiers survived the ordeal. Everything was very discreet. In the soldiers’ views, they would believe the poison naturally dissipated over time, unaware of her men’s involvement.

As for Commander Wu, he received no antidote, leading to his inevitable death from the poison...

The formidable Commander Wu possessed unmatched skills, making it difficult to confront him directly. Therefore, Mu Yingying devised a plan to lure the tiger out of its lair and use the complex terrain of the mountain range to hinder Commander Wu. By stalling him, her people would have the chance to use various poisons against him. No matter how skilled he was, he was no match for the multitude of poisons she had prepared.

Mu Yingying opened her eyes again, her gaze sharp and determined. She rose and walked to her eldest brother’s study. With Commander Wu gone, it was time for the Empress Dowager and Shin Wang to follow suit.

At long last, this prolonged war would come to an end...

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