Counterattack of the Concubine’s Invincible Daughter

24. Adding Insult to Injury

Translator: Snowball

Mu Yingxue squinted at Mu Yueli as the latter prostrated herself elegantly, “Greetings to Your Majesty and Your Highness, I’m Mu Yueli.”

“Rise.”

Xuanyuan Lie was surprised to see this strange girl who claimed herself as a member of the Mu’s Mansion. He frowned, looking in Mu Yunxiao’s direction for an explanation.

Mu Yunxiao stood up hastily, saying, “Your Highness, please forgive my daughter for being rude.” Then he turned to Mu Yueli and reproached, “What are you doing? Don’t make a scene here, go back to your seat! Now!”

He sounded like a father rebuking his lovely daughter. But Mu Yingxue didn’t buy it. In her memory, her father, as noble as a Marquis, had never been a gracious, but a strict and indifferent elder. Mu Yingxue wasn’t surprised at her father’s attitude. As the only Marquis who had a different surname from the royal family, her father commanded massive forces and had spent decades in the battlefield. However, for so many years, he had nine daughters successively, but failed to have a son to inherit his career. How could he be in a good mood to love his daughters?

Mu Yueli was somewhat shocked to hear that, but in the end, she seemed determined and raised her head decidedly, “Father, please forgive me for not obeying your order. I have something to report to His Majesty.”

Mu Yunxiao stared shot his daughter a piercing glare. After all, except Mu Shuilan, he had never paid any attention to other girls delivered by his concubines. Now, he was quite pissed off for Mu Yueli’s disobedience. Given it would be embarrassed to blame her on the spot, he sat down unpleasantly.

Xuanyuan Lie was surprised as well and had a bad impression on Mu Yueli. He didn’t expect that a concubine’s daughter would dare to contradict her father in public. Also, he had a feeling that these people were about to make a mess on what had happened to these two families. But since Luo Wu had already closed the case, it was impossible to reopen it, or the authority of the magistrate in the capital would be questioned. If so, anyone in the capital would dare to challenge it.

However, Mu Yueli had no idea what the emperor or her father was thinking about. The only thing she knew was to set Mu Yingxue up. Seeing the emperor had no intention to dismiss her, Mu Yueli reported, “Your Majesty, my elder sister and Cousin Song died unjustly. People only know that they beat each other to death, but the truth is the killer has gotten away with murder!”

Mu Yingxue was shocked to hear this, but she still acted calmly.

Xuanyuan Lie was now quite impatient and even felt Mu Yueli was disgusting at the sight of her kneeling there. The magistrate of the capital was special because the incumbent must be the trusted follower of the emperor. Now Mu Yueli claimed that the murderer was still at large, which meant Luo Wu’s judgement had been erroneous, and further made the emperor himself lose face.

“The magistrate gave the solution that they beat each other to death, are you saying that Luo Wu is too incapable to try the case justly?”

As he said the above indifferently and unhurriedly, Luo Wu had already left his seat and knelt in the center of the hall.

“Your Majesty, I hold your keen intelligence and excellent judgment in deep respect.”

Seeing the emperor’s expression, Mu Shuilan couldn’t help feeling that Mu Yueli was too stupid. She only indicated her to testify Mu Yingxue tonight, but not in such a direct way. But she didn’t care, either. Now that Mu Yueli was willing to start this for her, she would be glad to look on.

Mu Yueli, however, didn’t even realize that she had provoked the emperor, self-assured that she was on the bright side, “Exactly.”

Xuanyuan Lie almost sneered. He then acted like he was going to explore the details, “Then, tell me, who exactly is the so-called murderer?”

Mu Yueli was waiting for him to ask.

With a hesitant look on her face, she pretended to be wrestling with herself deep down. It was not until the emperor almost lost his patience that she answered loudly with great righteousness, “It’s also my sister, Mu Yingxue.”

As she replied, she turned and pointed at Mu Yingxue, who had just held the glass up and was about to drink.

Mu Yingxue’s halted with the glass still in her hand. Her gaze gradually fixed on her own cold and beautiful reflection on the glass. She snickered and felt pity for Mu Yueli wasn’t born in the modern world, or the Oscar Award would definitely belong to her. What a shame!

Regardless of how others stared at her in shock, she just drank the wine slowly before she put the glass back unhurriedly. Then she looked around as if she didn’t know what had just happened. She also patted Ouyang Ruo on the back of her hand under the table to relieve the latter’s tension.

Finally seeing Mu Yueli pointing at herself, she asked in astonishment, “Sister Yueli, are you saying I am the murderer?”

There was nothing but hatred and gloat in Mu Yueli’s eyes. She rebuked, “Sister Yingxue, please don’t blame me for being ruthless. Before Sister Xiangqin and Cousin Song died, you were there, too, right?”

Mu Yingxue only stared at her with a faint smile, not even giving her an answer. Instead, she poured herself another cup of wine after a while.

Mu Yueli almost lost control. She had imagined that Mu Yingxue would claim herself innocent, or at least deny the accusation against her. But she was so damn calm.

Xuanyuan Lie also had expected an internal strife of the Mu’s Mansion, but now the 14-year-old girl surprised him for being so undisturbed in such an occasion.

“Behave yourself in front of His Majesty!”

Although Mu Yunxiao had heard that Mu Yingxue had regained intelligence, he had not personally verified it, because in his view, it did not matter whether his daughter had recovered or not. Therefore, when he saw Mu Yingxue’s contained attitude towards Mu Yueli’s accusation, he couldn’t even recognize his own daughter. After a while, he snorted slightly.

Mu Yingxue raised her head and glanced at him for a few seconds, and the coldness in her eyes even stunned her father, the Marquis who had almost spent his entire life on the battlefield.

After the glance, she took the filled glass and left her seat.

“Here’s to the longevity of Your Majesty!”

Mu Yingxue held the cup above her head with both hands, and bowed in respect, saying, “Today, my father returns to our capital with a great victory. Therefore, with this cup of wine, please allow me to wish the everlasting prosperity of Xuanyuan Dynasty.”

She then held her head up high and drank the wine up. When she finally put the cup down and revealed her face, Xuanyuan Lie finally saw her elegant and beautiful appearance. What she just said and did not only flattered her father, but also pleased the emperor, reminding everyone present the purpose for throwing the victory banquet and how unpleasant it was to mention such an old case.

Mu Yueli was reluctant to see Mu Yingxue pushing herself forward under such circumstance, and even the emperor had almost forgotten her accusation against Mu Yingxue. She reminded them immediately, “Your Majesty, Sister Yingxue has indeed gone to the spot when the tragedy happened, but she hid this on purpose, which led to the misjudgement of this case. The truth is, Sister Yingxue killed them out of grievance when she saw them together the other day.”

Under Mu Yingxue’s silent gaze, Mu Yueli felt too guilty to look straight into her eyes. In the end, she was irritated by her own guilty conscience, “Mu Yingxue, why are you staring at me like that? You screwed up first, so don’t blame others for revealing the truth.”

So, she was gonna ignore their sisterhood and uphold justice?

“There is something I don’t know if I should tell.”

Xu Min didn’t expect Mu Yueli to accuse Mu Yingxue of murdering on such an occasion, but she had made up her mind after she took a glance at Ouyang Ruo.

Xuanyuan Lie could tell that play was not gonna end, so he decided to to enjoy their show, saying, “Go ahead and tell us.”

“The other day, Mr. and Mrs. Song revisited us for what happened to Childe Song. According to Mrs. Song, Yingxue had gone to the crime scene on that day, and this was told by the attendant of Master Luo. The case was also reported by Yingxue’s personal maid.”

Xu Min’s eyes were full of viciousness. She regarded Mu Yingxue as a thorn in her flesh, mostly because she was envious of Ouyang Ruo, whom she had long wanted to get rid of. Therefore, she seized this chance to practice her plan.

Mu Yingxue looked at her indifferently, knowing that it’s just the beginning of this mess, and it wouldn’t lead to a happy ending. She only wondered who would be the next to accuse her.

“Your Majesty, my daughter had once told me that Miss Yingxue was carrying the torch for my nephew Qingyun, but he was never moved since he was an aboveboard person. If Miss Yingxue indeed had gone to the mountain and seen them together, she must have misunderstood the relationship between them and thus killed them.”

As Song Wanrou said that sadly, she wiped her tears with her sleeves. Her daughter not only died inexplicably, but was also labeled dead for such an unbearable cause. For the sake of her daughter’s reputation and her peaceful remaining years in the mansion, she decided to take Xu Min’s side. She fell out with her Mrs. Song for what had happened to Mu Xiangqin. But later, on second thought, she regretted what she had done. It was not worth the loss after all, so she wanted to take this chance to fix their relationship.

It was in most people’s nature to add insult to injury. Mu Yingxue was originally a fool bullied by everyone. How could there be so few people trying to throw her under the bus?

Mu Yingxue didn’t defend herself at this time, but observed everyone’s face. She was waiting, waiting for the next person to accuse her. If she were someone else, she would be terrified for being accused of committing the capital crime. But Mu Yingxue became the one she was today because she had a different experience and background, extraordinary wisdom and courage, as well as remarkable skills.

She always believed that enemies standing in the light were much easier to be dealt with than those hiding in the dark. Wasn’t it a good chance for her to finally know the true features of some people?