The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 58 - 57

Chapter 57

When the war ended, the rebellion was successfully suppressed by the royal court. The leader of this rebellion was a former commander who had supported the Second Prince during the previous reign’s power struggle. This former commander had escaped the current emperor’s grasp and gone into hiding, only to rebuild his strength and rise again in rebellion.

However, this time, the royal court managed to capture him. An imperial decree ordered his transportation back to the capital for execution. Thus, Jingyuan City returned to normalcy.

And the cities that had been occupied by the rebels were reclaimed. The royal court dispatched officials to oversee the restoration of these cities, allowing refugees to return home, while some sought new beginnings elsewhere.

Once the matters in Jingyuan City were settled, Mu Gongzhen set off for the capital with the principal commander’s escort troop, which was tasked with bringing the captured rebel leader back for execution. The journey proceeded smoothly without any significant dangers.

In less than half a month, the procession from Jingyuan City reached the capital. As the city gates opened, a long road filled with crowds on both sides came into view. People gathered to welcome the principal commander back from quelling the rebellion and to catch a glimpse of the villain responsible for the war that had caused widespread suffering.

Mu Gongzhen rode his horse with an air of dignity, beside the principal commander, though slightly to the rear. From the front, the crowd could clearly see him riding alongside the commander.

Initially, Mu Gongzhen had not intended to stand out, preferring to ride within the procession. However, the principal commander insisted he ride alongside, arguing that Mu Gongzhen deserved recognition for his significant contributions in managing Jingyuan City and securing supplies, without which the army might not have achieved such victory.

Ultimately, Mu Gongzhen acquiesced and rode proudly beside the principal commander towards the royal palace.

On the second floor of a luxurious restaurant in the heart of the capital, in a corner room with a view of the street below, three women in opulent attires were watching the scene. Their beauty far surpassed that of ordinary women, each possessing a distinct and striking personality. One of them, with a sweet and delicate appearance, wore a pale blue and white gown that added to her gentle demeanor. She was gazing down at the man leading the procession with an enamored expression.

No matter how many times she saw him, he remained as handsome and heroic as ever...

"What are you looking at, Baimiao?"

A voice called out, snapping her out of her reverie. Su Baimiao lowered her gaze slightly and replied, "The procession of the commander returning from quelling the rebellion in Jingyuan City."

"What’s so interesting about that?"

A woman in a pink outfit furrowed her brows and pouted. This was Jiao Fangniang, the youngest daughter of a third-rank official in the Ministry of Finance.

As Jiao Fangniang turned her head away, showing no interest in the scene below, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure. Her eyes instantly sparkled with excitement.

"That’s Master Mu! So, Master Mu has returned as well!"

Su Baimiao’s brows knitted slightly, her eyes flashing coldly for a moment. "Fangniang, don’t be so loud. If others see us, it won’t be good."

"Who cares if anyone sees? The chance to see Master Mu is rarer than anything. I won’t miss this opportunity! Perhaps, I might even ask my father to propose an engagement with Master Mu!"

Jiao Fangniang, ignoring her friend, leaned forward to get a better view of the impressive man on horseback, her eyes filled with admiration as if she were a young maiden in the throes of love.

Su Baimiao clenched her skirt tightly, her thin lips pressed together for a moment before she pretended to return her expression to normal.

Another woman, dressed in deep blue with a calm and composed demeanor, let out a soft laugh. She simply watched her two friends argue, shaking her head. This was Wan Ningtong, the eldest daughter of a second-rank official in the Ministry of Works.

Wan Ningtong did not share her friends’ interest in Master Mu and therefore did not offer any opinion or even glance his way. She merely sipped her tea, waiting quietly for the procession to pass.

As Mu Gongzhen rode past the restaurant, Su Baimiao’s eyes followed him intently, filled with fascination. A resolve grew within her heart: this valiant man must be her future husband!

No one but she was worthy of Master Mu!

...

..

.

When the procession reached the palace gates, the principal commander and Mu Gongzhen dismounted and proceeded to the throne room to present their report. They walked for a while before arriving at the throne room, where hundreds of officials were standing in neat rows, attending to their duties.

At the front, on the highest position, stood a magnificent golden dragon throne. On it sat a young man, the Son of Heaven, his gaze fixed on them. The aura of authority emanating from him caused the gathered officials to tremble with apprehension.

"Long live His Majesty, may he live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years," the two men knelt and bowed to the Emperor in unison.

"You may rise,"

Came the calm, steady voice from the throne. Chen Feng Yue surveyed the two men for a moment, noting that they bore no serious injuries, especially Mu Gongzhen, which put his mind at ease.

Otherwise, if Mu Gongzhen had been seriously injured, he himself would likely have been scratched and scarred by that little kitten...

"The rebellion suppression and refugee assistance this time were successfully accomplished thanks to your efforts. Merit should be rewarded,"

Chen Feng Yue praised. When officials commit mistakes, they must be punished, but when they perform meritorious deeds, they should be rewarded as well.

"It is Your Majesty’s great benevolence. Moreover, besides myself, there are countless soldiers who sacrificed their lives to accomplish this task. Therefore, I dare not claim the credit solely for myself," the principal commander bowed low, replying in a firm voice.

Suppressing the rebellion cost the lives of many thousands or tens of thousands of soldiers. It took a lot of bloodshed for the matter to be resolved successfully. To claim the credit alone would be selfish.

Chen Feng Yue nodded, understanding what the commander meant. He remained silent for a moment before turning to address the young official who was both his subordinate and friend.

"Master Mu, I have read the petitions. This time, you have done a commendable job. Even though there was an incident of the supply procession being sabotaged, considering that you sacrificed your own wealth to transport additional supplies to Jingyuan City, I will not hold you accountable and will reward you instead."

As he finished speaking, his personal eunuch stepped forward, unrolling an imperial decree and announcing it for all the officials to hear.

"Imperial Decree! Master Mu Gongzhen has shown great merit, prioritizing the greater good over personal interest. He used his own wealth to ensure the supplies reached Jingyuan City on time, performing a great deed. For this, His Majesty grants Master Mu the Zhuiping Residence to live in, and also bestows upon him land amounting to..."

While the chief eunuch was announcing the decree, Su Anming, standing at the forefront, clenched his fists tightly under his sleeves. He had already planned to deal with Mu Gongzhen, but he did not expect the other party to escape unscathed!

In recent times, the Su family had barely managed to stay afloat, overwhelmed by numerous problems. Su Anming was so busy that he had not had a moment to rest, which caused him to forget about Mu Gongzhen entirely. Consequently, he had no time to prepare any further schemes against him, allowing Mu Gongzhen to return to the capital and receive accolades instead.

He had intended to ensure Mu Gongzhen received punishment, but instead, he opened the opportunity for him to receive great rewards!

How infuriating!

After the imperial decree was announced, the Emperor allowed the two officials to return to their residences to rest, while the remaining officials continued with the morning court session. When Mu Gongzhen arrived back at his manor, he found his sister and family members already waiting to welcome him at the entrance.

Before he arrived, a eunuch had already brought the imperial decree to the manor, informing everyone in the Mu family about the rewards Mu Gongzhen had received. Mu Cui Ming, his father, came out to welcome his son with great joy. As long as his son succeeded, he too would gain respect and reverence from others.

Mu Qingxuan ignored her father and the rest of the family, who were all pretending to care. She walked over to support her brother, helping him back inside to rest, with a smile on her face.

At that moment, the two siblings appeared very close, completely disregarding the other members of the Mu family. They acted as if they were the only two people in the grand Mu Manor, treating everyone else as if they were invisible.

Mu Cui Ming frowned deeply, watching his two children walk away indifferently. A surge of anger welled up within him, but when he thought about his son’s achievements, which had brought him prestige, that anger dissipated instantly...

The residence of the Left Side Chancellor, Su family.

Inside a grand and beautifully decorated residence, a delicate woman in a light blue and white gown sat gazing absently at her reflection in the mirror. Her gentle, sweet face exuded a soft radiance, making her appear extremely fragile.

Su Baimiao stared at her own reflection with satisfaction. She was renowned as the most beautiful woman in the capital, perfect in appearance, status, and lineage. Su Baimiao was the eldest daughter of the Su family and the eldest granddaughter of Left Side Chancellor Su Anming.

Due to her prestigious status, Su Baimiao was highly sought after by many families in the capital, all eager to forge ties with the Su family. Moreover, Su Baimiao’s striking beauty was acknowledged by everyone, coupled with the gentle demeanor she displayed to the outside world, making her seem like a white lotus flower. This earned her the admiration of many men, who regarded her as a goddess.

However, ever since she met Mu Gongzhen three years ago, her heart had been stolen. Every night, she dreamed of her wedding day with him, of the time they would spend together.

Su Baimiao knew that Mu Gongzhen was a heroic and capable man, desired by many women. But she was determined not to give up!

Mu Gongzhen must be hers alone!

No one else deserved to be his wife!

Her previously gentle face twisted with anger and jealousy. She had power and wealth; she didn’t believe Mu Gongzhen wouldn’t be interested in her!

If she couldn’t have him, then no one else would either!

"Xiao Pin!"

Su Baimiao called out loudly to her close maid. Moments later, the maid hurried into the room.

"Yes, Miss."

"Tomorrow, I will go out with Jiao Fangniang to Emerald Lake. Have someone wait there to push her into the water when she arrives. Make sure there are many people around to witness it. Then, have a man jump in to save her. Remember, make sure she is thoroughly soaked..." Su Baimiao instructed with a cold smile, her eyes gleaming with malice.

"In the evening of the same day, find someone to spread rumors about what happened. The more the matter escalates, the better. I don’t want her to have any reputation left!"

With that, Su Baimiao flashed an evil smile, looking entirely different from the demure, gentle lady she appeared to be outside the manor.

Xiao Pin briefly met her mistress’s gaze, neither warning nor questioning her. She simply acknowledged the order and left immediately.

All this time, her young miss had always been like this. If someone displeased her, she would handle it behind their back. However, ever since the Eldest Young Miss Su met Master Mu three years ago, her cruelty had only increased.

If any woman approached Master Mu or even showed admiration for him, within days, those women would invariably encounter trouble.

And all of it was the handiwork of Su Baimiao!

Xiao Pin sighed quietly. She hadn’t expected this time’s victim to be Young Miss Jiao Fangniang, a childhood friend of her eldest young miss. Even friends who grew up together were not spared...

Meanwhile, Su Baimiao, sipping tea in a good mood, laughed aloud at the thought of what would happen the next day. Her eyes gleamed with enjoyment.

If Jiao Fangniang fell into the water and was rescued by a male stranger in front of hundreds or even thousands of people, there would be no hiding the rumors about her contact with another man. Furthermore, a woman falling into the water, soaking her clothes until they clung to her body, was not something that should be seen by others.

But facing the eyes of hundreds or thousands of people the next day, Jiao Fangniang’s reputation would be utterly destroyed!

If anyone was to be blamed, it should be Jiao Fangniang herself for having thoughts she shouldn’t have!

After that, Su Baimiao would have no more rivals, no other woman who was as perfect as she was!

Mu Gongzhen...I would make you see that no one in this world was more deserving of you than I was!

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