The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 49 - 48

Chapter 48

When the male servants came to drag Auntie Yang away to be given a hundred flogs according to Mu Cui Ming’s order, the atmosphere in the room became instantly tense. Elder Mu Furen glared coldly at her son, who was sitting and lovingly embracing Bai Lijun. Her eyes reflected profound disappointment.

"Cui Ming! I never thought you would be so blinded by her that you would dare to overrule your own mother!"

"Mother, I did not overrule you. However, it has been revealed that the vile servant was responsible. Why should you continue to blame Jun’er?" Mu Cui Ming made a weary expression. His mother wanted to deal with this matter, so he had dealt with it, and the guilty party had been punished. What more did his mother want?

The Elder Furen closed her eyes for a moment, hiding the sadness and grief reflected in them. She never imagined that the only son she had raised with her own hands would turn out like this!

It was her fault for not teaching him properly!

Everything was her fault for neglecting him, letting him grow into such a person!

What a retribution!

"Cui Ming, can you be reasonable? How long will you pretend to be blind and deaf to this? Some matters, if not dealt with clearly, can become irreparable..."

The Elder Furen spoke in a weak voice, almost begging her son. She might allow him to turn a blind eye to other matters, but not this one!

Bai Lijun was so cruel that she wanted to destroy the Mu family line!

That was her granddaughter, his own daughter!

Even a fierce tiger wouldn’t eat its own cubs. How could Mu Cui Ming, a human, allow his own child to be harmed by someone else?...

"And why do you want to make a big deal out of it? The matter is past, and outsiders only know that the Mu family’s daughters were kidnapped. Even if we investigate further and push this to the end, will Fei’er and Shuang’er return to normal? No!"

"Since continuing won’t improve anything, and the perpetrator has been punished, what else do you want me to do, Mother? Making a small issue into a big one is just a waste of time!"

Mu Cui Ming retorted at length. He had always obeyed his mother, but this time, he had had enough. He didn’t understand why his mother wanted to dig up the issue and make it bigger. If this matter leaked to the outside, it would result in a terrible reputation for him!

Wouldn’t it be better to forget it, bury it deep, and prevent it from leaking out?

Bang!

“Cui Ming! How could you be so deluded!? Where have your sense gone!? Have you completely discarded all your virtues!?” Elder Mu Furen slammed her hand on the table, creating a loud sound. Her face alternated between red and pale with pent-up anger.

She stared at her son as if she had never known him before. Was this really her son?

“All I did was for the reputation and honor of our family. Please understand me, Mother...”

Mu Cui Ming sighed heavily, not wanting to prolong the conversation. He turned to leave with Bai Lijun.

But as they were about to get up, a cold voice spoke up. “Then please understand that what I am about to say is also for the reputation and honor of our family, Father!”

Mu Cui Ming frowned deeply when he saw his son enter the room without announcing himself. Bai Lijun also felt a twinge of anxiety, fearing that the matter was far from over.

“Father said not to make this a big deal to protect the family’s reputation. In that case, I must ask you to punish the Furen as well,”

Mu Gongzhen met his father’s eyes with an icy expression, sending a shiver down Mu Cui Ming’s spine.

“I agree with Grandmother. Some matters, if not handled clearly, will become irreparable...”

He smiled slightly at his grandmother before sitting down, his posture exuding dignity.

“Do you realize what you’re saying? Punishing the Furen would be like announcing this dirty matter to everyone! How would that preserve the family’s reputation?”

Mu Cui Ming’s face showed annoyance. Dealing with his mother was already difficult; now, his troublesome son was adding to the complication.

Mu Gongzhen smirked, his eyes mocking. “And you think no one knows about this dirty matter already?”

“Of...of course not! If we silence the servants and bribe the authorities to drop the case, no one will know,”

Mu Cui Ming said confidently. Since the chief of the militia had reported the matter to his mother directly, it meant the news hadn’t spread yet. There was still a way to contain it.

“Hah!” Mu Gongzhen sneered before revealing a cold smile. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken. Right now, in Qingyun City, rumors are spreading non-stop about the true mastermind behind the Mu family daughters’ kidnapping! People are watching the Mu residence closely. Any slight movement, and the whole city will know...”

Mu Cui Ming froze, his body stiffening immediately. His son’s words were like a bolt of lightning striking his head, and his face turned ashen in an instant!

So...the matter had already leaked out!

No!

He couldn’t let it be exposed!

Otherwise, how could he save face?

Bai Lijun was equally panicked. If the story spread, the reputation she had painstakingly built over the years would be utterly ruined!

Mu Gongzhen watched the panic on both their faces with a mocking expression in his eyes. Bai Lijun had dared to harm his sister so maliciously. No matter how biased his father was, he wouldn’t let her get away with it!

Mu Gongzhen had suspected something was wrong since the moment Ying’er waited to return with him. Seeing Bai Lijun’s suspicious behavior and hearing about the kidnapping of the second and sixth young misses allowed him to piece together most of the story.

All this time, he had ordered his people to secretly gather evidence until he was certain Bai Lijun was the culprit!

When he saw the condition of his two half-sisters, his heart sank. Just thinking that Ying’er would end up like this if she were to make a misstep, his heart constricted, left him breathless for a moment.

Mu Gongzhen knew how selfish his father was. Mere evidence wouldn’t be enough to punish Bai Lijun. Only by using social reputation to pressure his father, who cherished face, could he have a chance to bring her down!

So, he had ordered people to spread rumors in the bustling parts of the capital, starting among commoners until it reached the ears of noble families. With many eyes watching, his father couldn’t possibly cover it up...

“Ho...how did this happen!? When did the news leak!? Didn’t the authorities just start the investigation recently!?”

Mu Cui Ming let go of Bai Lijun’s body without care and turned to shout angrily.

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Even without piles of evidence, people can piece together the truth themselves,” Mu Gongzhen calmly replied, showing no sign of the agitation his father displayed.

Crash!

“Who!? Who leaked this information!?”

Mu Cui Ming threw the teacup on the ground in a fit of rage. The veins on his temples throbbed, and his face felt hot as if his blood was boiling.

“H...husband,”

Bai Lijun called out, her voice trembling with fear and anxiety, her beautiful face pale, almost colorless.

“It’s because of you! It’s all because of you! If it weren’t for you and your servant plotting wicked deeds, none of this would have happened!” Mu Cui Ming shouted harshly, glaring at the woman in front of him with disgust.

Bai Lijun trembled all over when she met her husband’s eyes filled with contempt. Just moments ago, he had been protecting her, cherishing her like a precious gem. But now, he looked at her as if she were worthless trash!

“Sob...Boohoo...”

Bai Lijun collapsed to the floor, crying. Her heart was so broken that she didn’t know what to do anymore. She had no one left to rely on except her husband, but now, even he had abandoned her without mercy!

“All you do is cry! Have you ever thought of solving the problems you created!?” Mu Cui Ming shook his sleeves in frustration and sat down angrily on a chair.

Previously, he had felt sympathy for her, but as the situation escalated and his reputation was eventually tarnished, his image was crushed, leading to widespread gossip, his sympathy for this wife evaporated completely!

The Elder Furen watched her son’s changing demeanor with renewed disappointment. She had always thought he was blindly in love with Bai Lijun, ignoring right and wrong. But now, she realized that he never loved her at all; he only loved his reputation and image...

Mu Gongzhen watched the marital breakdown with amusement and reminded, “No matter how much you rant, it won’t help. The most important thing now is to make this matter look transparent to clear up the rumors.”

“And how am I supposed to do that? Announcing that the Furen is responsible would only tarnish my reputation further!” Mu Cui Ming said irritably, his brows furrowed deeply.

“Actually, it’s quite simple. Just write a divorce letter and expel her from the family! Let her bear the brunt of the disgrace alone, and that will be the end of it...”

Mu Gongzhen smiled coldly; his eyes gleaming with enjoyment.

Mu Cui Ming fell silent upon hearing the suggestion. He lowered his eyes, pondering deeply. Meanwhile, Bai Lijun turned pale with shock, her eyes widening in panic as she looked at her husband.

“H...husband! No, you can’t! If you do that, what will happen to Fei’er and Shuang’er? Sob...Please don’t do this to me! Waah.” She crawled on her knees and clung tightly to his leg, pleading with a tear-streaked face.

In her heart, she was terrified. If she were divorced and expelled from the Mu family, it would be a fate worse than death!

And what about her daughters? If she were gone, what would become of them?

No!

She wouldn’t allow it!

She couldn’t get divorced!

“Husband...Boo-hoo...please think of our children,” Bai Lijun implored with tears, her face pressed against his leg, disregarding her dignity.

Mu Cui Ming furrowed his brows, weighing the pros and cons of this choice. If he divorced her, all the blame would fall solely on Bai Lijun. However, in the future, when people spoke of his two daughters, they would inevitably remember their flawed mother, becoming a disadvantage for his daughters later on!

That way, it wouldn’t be a permanent restoration of reputation, just a temporary fix!

If Bai Lijun’s two daughters grew up, the gossip about this incident would still be dug up by malicious people, tarnishing his own reputation...

“No, I can’t divorce her!”

Mu Cui Ming made a firm decision. Upon hearing this, Bai Lijun felt an immediate sense of relief. At least she wouldn’t be cast out like a street dog!

Mu Gongzhen wasn’t surprised by his father’s decision. He had predicted from the start that his father wouldn’t follow his suggestion. His selfish father always meticulously considered anything that could affect his reputation and image.

“In that case, we should ask Grandmother for her opinion. I’m sure she has the best solution for this situation...” Mu Gongzhen smiled slightly, giving way for his grandmother to make the decision.

Originally, it was his grandmother who wanted to handle this from the beginning. Moreover, he couldn’t push Bai Lijun too far into a corner, or else she might react unpredictably, like a cornered dog.

He just needed to wait for the right time...The time to deal with this treacherous mother and her daughters!

Killing them?

No...that would be too easy!

He wanted those who harmed his sisters to suffer a fate worse than death, making them experience the torment of living in misery!

As Mu Gongzhen let the Elder Mu Furen regain control of the decision, Mu Cui Ming turned to await his mother’s verdict with a furrowed brow. Bai Lijun’s heart raced with an ominous feeling.

“Since things have come to this, we need to provide an explanation to the public. The only way to maintain the family’s reputation is to hand the culprit over to the authorities to deal according to the laws,” Elder Mu Furen sighed deeply.

“That’s not possible! Sending Bai Lijun to the authorities is like announcing to the world how malicious things the Mu family’s Furen has done! It would bring endless shame! Just sending that wicked servant to the authorities and blaming it all on her is enough,” Mu Cui Ming argued immediately. Elder Mu Furen shot him a cold look and said,

“That won’t suffice! Do you think this lie will blind others? A master is responsible for their servant’s misdeeds! Haven’t you heard that? Even if we send the servant to the authorities, it won’t clear Bai Lijun’s name. Unless...”

“Unless what?”

Mu Cui Ming asked, his impatience showing as he wished to resolve the matter now. Bai Lijun’s heart pounded irregularly, her face turning pale as she sensed something ominous about to happen to her again.

The Elder Furen lowered her gaze and pondered for a long time before taking a deep breath, her expression icy as she looked at her son and Bai Lijun.

“Exile her to the family temple for lifelong repentance!”

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