Counterattack of the Concubine’s Invincible Daughter

23. The Reek of Conspiracies

Translator: Snowball

The fact was, Mu Shuilan despised Mu Yueli for being so flattering and adulatory the most. But as the legitimate miss of the Mu’s Mansion, she was destined to be flattered. Therefore, she pretended to be modest and kind to her half-sisters but enjoyed their obsequiousness as well as she undervalued them. After all, the latter’s behavior could manifest her noble identity.

So she said casually, “Yueli, please just cut to the chase. I’m too tired to figure out what you mean.”

Mu Yueli was irritated by the indifferent look on her face. She didn’t expect that she would be bullied by both sides. But she had to hold back her grief because Mu Yueli and Madam Xu Min were the only backup of her mother and her. As long as they could rely on them, they would be able to live a better life than other concubines and their children in the mansion.

So she explained seriously, “I wonder if you know that Mu Yingxue has been to the mountain behind our mansion before Sister Xiangqin and Cousin Song died?”

Mu Shuilan had already known what she would say next, so she changed a topic, “What’s wrong with your face?”

Mu Yueli blushed for this question. If she was not in a rush to tell Mu Shuilan this news, she would definitely not run around with her face like that. She couldn’t wait to tear Mu Yingxue up.

“It was that bitch, Mu Yingxue! She did this to me! I’m gonna make her pay for this one day!” But she deliberately left out the part that she slapped herself so many times, which created her current image.

“Oh? What are you gonna do to make her pay for it?” Unexpectedly, Mu Shuilan continued the topic.

Mu Yueli was surprised but felt more excited, so she replied instantly, “Sister, are you willing to lend a hand?”

In fact, Mu Yueli was close to Mu Shuilan and she had grown up with her. Therefore, she knew Mu Shuilan wasn’t the one who she seemed to be. She was secretly holding a grudge against Mu Yingxue and her mother, but she never dealt with them in person.

However, Mu Shuilan replied, “What are you talking about, Yueli? Why should I help you teach Sister Yingxue a lesson? You can’t blame others for your poor talent.”

Mu Yingxue felt more embarrassed when she heard this, but she refused to give up, “You are right. I’m not as good as her. That twat such an expert at pulling off tricks. I’m afraid she had been playing dumb, which fooled all of us. I believe she is related to what happened to Sister Xiangqin and Cousin Song. Otherwise, why didn’t she tell the officials that she had been to the mountain before, but asked her maid to report the case secretly?”

Mu Shuilan smiled mysteriously, “You are right. If she dared not tell the truth in public, there must be something behind it.”

Mu Yueli’s eyes and face both lit up when she heard this. “Definitely. She dared not tell the truth. In that case, it’s quite possible that the one who killed them was no other than Mu Yingxue! That cunt!”

Mu Shuilan still remained silent. She grabbed the teacup to drink, waiting for Mu Yueli to lead the topic to the direction she expected.

“Sister Shuilan, now that we’ve figured out the truth, how do we reveal the fact that Mu Yingxue is the real killer?” Sure enough, she was already desperate to see Mu Yingxue’s downfall.

Mu Shuilan sipped the tea gently and corrected her, “Yueli, you got me wrong again. It’s not us, but you who are even smarter than Luo Wu to see through her trick. Even I am still confused. But I guess it’s not that hard to make it clear. Our father is coming back in a few days. And His Majesty would throw a royal welcoming banquet for all the soldiers at that time.”

She didn’t continue because she knew Mu Yueli could understand what she was indicating: testifying Mu Yingxue’s guilt for killing the two in front of all the noble ones.

Hearing this, Mu Yueli almost couldn’t wait to attend the welcoming banquet for her father.

“Sister, you are so considerate.” Mu Yueli sneered. This time, she would make sure that Mu Yingxue would have no chance to either redeem her reputation or reverse her fate.

On the sixth day of that month, Mu Yunxiao went back to the capital with his trusted attendants in the army. The emperor held the banquet, accompanied by the empress, the princes and all the concubines and officials.

Since the royal ones were all present, all the members of the Mu’s Mansion were supposed to attend it as well. Needless to say, womenfolk dressed up. Even Mu Yingxue and Ouyang Ruo were equipped with proper clothes and parures according to the rules. After all, it was the royal palace that they were heading for, and Mu Yunxiao was the main character at the banquet. So Madam Xu Min didn’t want to be judged as a wife who was hard upon concubines and their children.

After dressing up, Mu Yingxue’s exquisite face and her elegant temperament were revealed in a fancy way. Ouyang Ruo couldn’t help signing that her little girl was already a teenager. She even got misty eyes. Then she hurriedly wiped her tears with her sleeve after she realized that Mu Yingxue had noticed her sobbing.

Accidentally, Xu Min saw the scene and she was quite unhappy for that.

Mu Shuilan comforted her mother as she glanced at Mu Yingxue, “Mum, don’t let any of this get to you.

Xu Min was relieved at the sight of her elegant girl. What a decent and graceful legitimate daughter of the Mu’s Mansion.

Mu Yueli stepped forward when she heard their words. She spat fawningly, “What a pretentious coquette! I’m so sick of her.” No one knew whether she was referring to Mu Yingxue or Ouyang Ruo.

Xu Min felt the same way, but she didn’t like her saying these vulgar words, especially in such a momentous occasion. So she rebuked Concubine Fang on the spot, “Concubine Fang, you’d better cut Yueli off from the servants’ gossip from now on.”

Concubine Fang agreed obediently, while Mu Yueli dared not speak again, feeling like she had made a fool of herself.

“Here comes His Majesty!”

As soon as the eunuch’s voice faded, a man in a bright yellow robe embroidered with dragon pattern wearing an embellish golden crown walked in with the empress and other concubines behind.

“Long live, Your Majesty!”

Everyone prostrated themselves, kowtowing and greeting the emperor. Their voices resounded in the air.

Xuanyuan Lie was satisfied to see so many people kowtowing to him. He squinted and raised his voice, “Rise!”

After everyone got up and returned to their seats, Xuanyuan Lie picked up the full glass of wine from the end table, and said in a loud voice, “To the longevity of Xuanyuan Dynasty!”

“To the longevity of Xuanyuan Dynasty!”

Everyone raised their glasses to congratulate, which marked the beginning of the banquet.

For example, Mu Yunxiao took the lead to hold his wine cup, and proposed a toast to the higher ranks, “May the profound prosperity of Xuanyuan Dynasty and Your Majesty’s great achievements last generation after generation!”

Xuanyuan Lie nodded and replied solemnly, “Yunxiao, you have made great efforts to guard the garrison, assuring the safety our country. It should be me who proposes a toast to you.” As he finished, he took the cup and sipped.

At this time, Princess Xian, who sat on the left side of the emperor signed, “Marquis Mu has worked hard and performed a valuable service of guarding the garrison. You were supposed to enjoy your happy family reunion, but I heard that an accident has happened. My condolences for your loss, Marquis and Marquise Mu.” Then she acted as if she was about to sob.

Everyone present was well-aware why she said that. She was referring to the bizarre death of Mu Xiangqin and Song Qingyun, which had attracted public attention in the capital.

Mu Yunxiao returned to the capital earlier this time, which was somewhat related to this. He was sad for losing his daughter, but given that the cause of her death was by no means glorious, he was reluctant to mention it in public, only hoping that this incident would be forgotten by the masses in the capital as soon as possible.

Princess Xian mentioned this at this point, which embarrassed him to some extent. He could only hold up the cup and said, “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty and Your Highness. I’m ashamed of my daughter’s inappropriate behavior, which caused such an unfortunate incident.”

Xuanyuan Lie could tell he was embarrassed, so he glanced at Princess Xian, blaming her for mentioning this under such an occasion. But on second thought, it occurred to him that was a good chance for him to show his mercy as an emperor, so he comforted him, “Yunxiao, please don’t be so sad. Though I haven’t seen Xiangqin before, based on what Princess Xian described to me frequently, I could tell she must be a lovely girl.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

Hearing this, Mu Xiaoyun had a feeling that his dignity was somewhat redeemed, so he felt a little relieved.

Xuanyuan Lie felt complacent to see the result.

“Your Majesty, my son died unjustly! Please uphold justice for him!”

Unexpectedly, a man came forward from the opposite side of Mu Yunxiao. It was the decedent’s father, Song Zhong, the Assistant Minister of National Defense.

Xuanyuan Lie frowned. With so many pieces of negative news proposed at the banquet, a welcoming ceremony had now become as upset as a funeral. Two ministers were now depressed as if their sons were dead. Oh, wait, one of them had indeed lost his son. So, he managed to hold back his displeasure and asked, “Minister Song, the official had already closed the case, why are you asking for justice from me?”

Song Zhong knelt on the floor and kowtowed, saying, “I believe the truth is not that simple. My son would never have taken part in a brawl, let alone beat someone to death.”

Xuanyuan Lie was confused, “Oh? Are you saying your son was murdered?”

Song Zhong remained silent, tacitly the former’s assumption.

Xuanyuan Lie signed, “Minister Song, I know you must be enduring grief, but we need evidence. Your assumption could do nothing but get innocent people into trouble. If the case was indeed wrongly sentenced, just like you said, then I’ll definitely ask Luo Wu to reopen it.”

“Go back to your seat.” Xuanyuan Lie waved, seemingly in a bad mood.

Song Zhong had no choice but to follow his order.

Then Xuanyuan Lie intended to summon the dancers to cheer up everyone present, but a girl from the Mu’s Mansion came forward before he could even give the order to the eunuch.

Mu Yueli stepped ahead with a swollen face. Mu Yingxue had a feeling that something tricky was about to happen at the banquet, and that started when Princess Xian mentioned the death of Mu Xiangqin and Song Qingyun. She just didn’t know what was up their sleeves.