The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 35 - 34

Chapter 34

Bai Lijun, upon hearing, clenched her jaw tightly, her beautiful face turning pale. Her hands under her sleeves formed fists so tight that her nails dug into her palms. What her stepson had just articulated felt no less than a public humiliation for her!

Moreover, he ended his rebuke with a threat that should she fail to comply amicably, and if word of today’s incident were to leak outside, Bai Lijun would inevitably face public scorn as a negligent stepmother!

Which was a situation she had never envisioned for herself!

For years, Bai Lijun had maintained a good posture, accumulating a commendable reputation outside. Thus, she could not allow her repute to be tarnished.

"El...Eldest Young Master,"

Bai Lijun’s lips tightly pressed together, revealing a ghastly pale expression as if she was the one being tormented. "This is my fault. Please do not blame your father. After all...Mu Patriarch is your father."

Seeing his wife on the verge of tears, still defending him, Mu Cui Ming’s anger flared instantly.

Crash!

A teacup was hurled towards where Mu Gongzhen was sitting with such force that it shattered upon hitting the floor right beside his feet. Everyone in the room was stunned, not expecting Mu Patriarch to display such fierce anger.

Even the Elder Furen never thought her son would go to the extent of throwing objects at her grandson. Had the teacup not shattered on the floor but hit the young man instead, particularly on the head, it could have been disastrous!

"You are utterly ungrateful! What a waste of being Zhuangyuan! Where on earth is it justified for a son to lecture and criticize his parents so rudely! It will be ashamed if people know!"

Mu Cui Ming stood up abruptly, pointing and berating his only son fiercely. He paid more attention and was kind to this son just because he had passed Zhuangyuan exams, but this did not entitle him to such arrogance and insolence!

Mu Gongzhen remained silent, merely gazing at the fragments of the shattered teacup at his feet with an icy stare.

Mu Qingxuan, sitting silently by her brother all along, revealed a malicious gleam in her eyes. She had thought she wouldn’t need to intervene, expecting the situation to resolve itself, but the father’s bold move to physically confront the eldest son was something she could not stand for!

The young woman clenched her lips tightly, restraining her anger, feeling powerless other than her medical knowledge. Once this ordeal ended, she vowed to avenge her father’s actions today!

"Husband! Please, don’t scold Eldest Young Master anymore...sob...it’s all...sob...it all my fault," Bai Lijun pleaded, grasping at her husband’s clothes, and begging with tears.

However, her words only fueled Mu Cui Ming’s anger further.

"You still defend that unworthy son! Just over a trivial children’s quarrel, it turns into a major ordeal that brings shame upon us! Such an ungrateful son, raised for nothing!"

Inside, Bai Lijun smirked coldly. If Mu Gongzhen dared to confront and threaten her, she’d make sure father and son were at loggerheads!

"Someone, take this disgraceful son away! Punish him according to our family laws - ten canings!" Mu Cui Ming decreed sternly, his eyes blazing with rage as his wife’s cries only intensified his anger.

"Enough!"

Thundered the Elder Mu Furen, unable to bear the unfolding chaos. She glared fiercely at her son. "Mu Cui Ming! You’ve gone too far!"

"Zhen’er did nothing wrong. He merely warned and spoke the truth. But it’s you who refuse to accept reality and vent your anger on your son. Is this justice!?"

"And just now, you threw a teacup at Gongzhen! What if it had hit his face, his head, or his eyes? Could you bear the responsibility for his ruined future?"

The Elder Mu Furen continued to speak, and when she saw her son was still distressed, she sharply turned her gaze towards Bai Lijun, who still had tears streaming down her face. Although Bai Lijun had seemed to plead with Mu Cui Ming earlier, admitting her faults to prevent him from unleashing his anger on Mu Gongzhen.

But such cunning was not beyond the Elder Furen’s perception!

Elder Mu Furen stared at Bai Lijun with icy eyes and said in a firm voice, "Do not forget that Zhen’er is the only young master of the Mu family! In the future, he will be the next patriarch of the Mu family!"

Gnash~

Hearing those words, Bai Lijun clenched her jaw tightly enough to produce a sound, lowering her eyes to the floor to hide her vengeful gaze. This was a truth she had tried to alter but had to accept as inevitable!

It was a truth that she couldn’t bring herself to accept!

What future would they, the trio of mother and daughters, have if Mu Gongzhen were to succeed as the next patriarch!?

Upon hearing his mother’s words, Mu Cui Ming regained his composure, realizing Mu Gongzhen was the sole heir to continue the family’s legacy, bringing prosperity, honor, and power to their home. His anger faded completely.

He sank back into his chair, no longer fuming as before.

Mu Yingying, who had suppressed her anger throughout, especially after witnessing her father throw a teacup at her eldest brother, showed a flash of icy determination in her eyes. She endured listening to all the insults and reprimands her brother received. Since her father was so heartless to the point of ordering her eldest brother to be flogged,

Then she resolved not to hold back against her father anymore!

As Mu Cui Ming was about to sit down, Mu Yingying discreetly flicked a bead from her sleeve using her internal energy, striking her father’s ankle and causing him to lose balance and fall.

Crash!

"Ouch!"

Mu Cui Ming felt a sudden pain in his ankle, lost his balance, and fell towards the chair, hitting his forehead against it and nearly causing a bloody wound. Dazed, he momentarily lost his bearings.

"Husband!"

"Father!"

"Cui Ming!"

Everyone exclaimed in unison, alarmed at the sight of seeping blood on his forehead. Bai Lijun rushed to help him sit back on the chair.

"Husband, how are you feeling?" she asked, genuinely concerned, tenderly touching the wound on his forehead. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Why are you all just standing there? Go fetch a doctor immediately!"

Elder Mu Furen ordered the servants, then turned to two concubines, "Lan concubine, Xie concubine, assist Cui Ming to wait for the doctor in his quarters."

"Ye...Yes, Miss,"

The two concubines quickly responded, taking over from Bai Lijun to support Mu Cui Ming, who was still dazed, out of the main hall.

As Bai Lijun intended to follow, concerned for her husband, she halted at a chilling command, "I have not permitted you to leave..."

The Elder Furen gave Bai Lijun a cold, discerning look. Now that her son had left, it was time to settle accounts properly!

Bai Lijun clenched her lips tightly, sensing that this elderly woman might seize this opportunity to deal with her, especially in her son’s absence!

It seemed her misfortune was imminent!

Bai Lijun turned back and knelt beside her daughters, maintaining her usual respectful demeanor. Elder Mu Furen snorted, knowing all too well.

The nature of the vixen didn’t change with the setting sun!

"Bai Lijun...Do you acknowledge your fault today?"

"I do, Mother,"

She bowed her head low, feigning remorse. "It was my failure to properly guide and instruct Shuang’er that led her to become such a willful child."

"Since you acknowledge your fault, that is good. Everything has its own rules and regulations. When one commits an error, punishment must be meted out to ensure it does not happen again, just as Zhen’er has stated,"

Elder Mu Furen spoke calmly, her gaze sweeping over the three women before her, followed by a deep sigh.

"Issue the order. The Furen is to relinquish her managerial responsibilities of the household affairs to Servant Tao temporarily, so she can devote time to properly educate and discipline her child. Once a year is complete, the authority to manage the household can be returned to her."

Upon hearing Elder Mu Furen’s words, Bai Lijun became stiff with shock. The sentence was like a bolt of lightning striking her; she had not expected her punishment to be the relinquishment of her managerial powers!

Over the years, she had engaged in so much misconduct, known only to her, and had grown accustomed to wielding power. Losing such authority to Servant Tao was an unthinkable worst-case scenario for her!

Moreover, there were past embezzlements from the family’s treasury, which could come to light if Servant Tao became aware. She would be doomed!

"Mother, please no!"

Bai Lijun protested impulsively, only realizing her mistake when she saw the Elder Furen’s furrowed brows and quickly added, "I mean, if I return all managerial responsibilities to Servant Tao, what would outsiders think?"

"You don’t need to ask me that question; you surely have the answer in your heart already,"

Elder Mu Furen remarked with narrowed eyes, showing no further interest in Bai Lijun. Turning to her granddaughter, the cause of the present issue, she softened her expression and inquired,

"Shuang’er, do you understand what you did wrong?"

Mu Qin Shuang shook her head rapidly, genuinely unaware of her error that had escalated the situation so severely.

"You shouldn’t have snatched things from your younger sister. As the elder, you should be nurturing and selfless. Moreover, your words were inappropriate. Ying’er is your sister, and both of you are descendants of the Mu family; no one is lesser than the other..."

Elder Mu Furen explained patiently, aiming to impart a lesson for her granddaughter to understand.

Mu Yingying, who had been standing aside, sneered sinisterly. She had witnessed her father reprimand her eldest brother, threw objects, ordered a beating, all for Bai Lijun and her daughters.

Since her father chose to protect them to such an extent, she would ensure their predicament worsened!

Seizing the unnoticed moment, Mu Yingying made eye contact with Mu Qin Shuang, silently mouthing words for her half-sister to read her lips:

’You will never have what’s mine.’

Provoked, Mu Qin Shuang suddenly stood up and reached for the fox fur cloak on Mu Yingying,

"Why shouldn’t I have it! What I want, I must get!"

The room was again astounded by Mu Qin Shuang’s abrupt behavior, unable to intervene as the girl lunged to tug at Mu Yingying’s cloak with full force.

"Sixth Sister! Please don’t pull it!"

Mu Yingying feigned shock, lifting her hands to loosen the string tied to her cloak. As it was yanked, the tie tightened around her neck.

"Cough, cough, Si...Sixth Sister, please stop!"

As Mu Yingying pretended to choke, the Elder Furen quickly intervened to prevent the cloak’s tie from strangling her further.

Both Mu Gongzhen and Mu Qingxuan were also shocked and rushed to aid Mu Yingying. It wasn’t long before Mu Yingying pretended to untie the string successfully, she then staggered and fell to the ground.

As for Mu Qin Shuang, who used her full strength to pull the cloak, fell heavily on her back as well.

Thud!

“Aaah!”

“Ying’er!”

“Shuang’er!”

The scene elicited a chorus of calls. Mu Gongzhen and Mu Qingxuan hurried to assist Mu Yingying to stand up, their faces full of concerns.

"Ying’er! Are you alright?" Mu Gongzhen scanned her with worried eyes.

"Cough, couch, I am fine, Eldest brother, Eldest sister. Don’t worry."

Mu Yingying pretended to cough a few times before managing a faint smile. Mu Qingxuan surreptitiously applied her medical knowledge to examine her younger sister and, finding no real injuries, breathed a sigh of relief.

On the other side, Bai Lijun and Mu Luofei quickly stepped in to help Mu Qin Shuang stand up, only to discover that the back of the girl’s head was swollen. Feeling both physical pain and frustration, Mu Qin Shuang suddenly pouted and burst into loud tears, crying out,

"Waaah..."

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