The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 65 - 64

Chapter 64

The two men in black bowed their heads even lower, their hearts filled with unprecedented fear towards the young man before them. They exchanged glances, silently deciding who should respond. Finally, one of them swallowed hard and answered.

“Yang Gui Fei[1]’s men have spread rumors that the former Empress had an affair and became pregnant with a child who is not of the dragon bloodline. They claim she deceived the Emperor, passing off the Prince as the Emperor’s son when, in reality, he is the child of her lover.”

“As a result, His Majesty has ordered the Special Royal Page Unit to investigate and find evidence to support this claim. Yang Gui Fei’s men have already fabricated evidence. If Your Highness does not return to clear the former Empress’s name, her grave will undoubtedly be desecrated!”

As he finished speaking, the surrounding atmosphere grew considerably colder. Despite it being summer, the temperature dropped sharply, chilling them to the depths of their hearts.

Lu Jiu clenched his teeth to suppress his anger. For the past five years, he had been exiled to the Qingzhou region, enduring countless hardships because of those people!

And yet, they still wouldn’t stop. Gave them an inch, and they would take a mile. They even went so far as to fabricate things to slander his late mother!

If they dared to disturb his mother’s grave, he couldn’t stand idly by!

“Your Highness, if you return to the court and confirm your lineage with His Majesty, you can dispel the false accusations Yang Gui Fei’s men have fabricated,”

The other man in black urged. For the past year, they had been trying to bring the missing prince back to the royal court after finally locating him. However, the prince had stubbornly refused, wanting to stay in Qingzhou Region a little longer.

But now, time was running out, and the matter in the royal court could not be delayed any longer. Only the prince’s return could resolve the issue...

Lu Jiu closed his eyes, contemplating deeply. His desire for revenge had not been satisfied, but if he left now, what would happen to his young miss?

At this crucial time, his young miss was facing numerous challenges, surrounded by enemies. If he left, who would protect and stay by her side?

Lu Jiu sighed heavily, feeling an immense burden. Part of him wanted to return home to settle his grudge, but another part worried about Mu Yingying, who would soon face a significant battle. He pondered for a long time, unable to make a decision.

This was the first time he couldn’t maintain his usual composure. Normally, when something happened, Lu Jiu would make decisive and quick decisions, but this time was an exception...

“I’ll give you my answer later,” he opened his eyes, revealing a calm and unreadable gaze.

“But...”

“No buts. I have matters to attend to. In three days, I will give you my answer.”

Lu Jiu gave the two men a cold look before tapping his feet, using his internal energy to propel himself toward his original destination.

The two men in black stood up, watching his retreating figure, one of them speaking in a disappointed tone.

“The prince left us again...”

“Come on, this time is better than before, isn’t it? At least the prince said he would give us an answer later instead of ignoring us like usual,” the other man consoled his companion.

Many times before, when they had come to invite the prince back to the palace, they were either ignored or chased away by force, barely escaping with their lives. They had never had a good moment. But this time, the prince said he would give an answer later,

This time, it seemed promising...

Over the past three days, Lu Jiu appeared normal on the surface, but Mu Yingying could easily see that something was weighing on his mind. Usually, Lu Jiu was decisive, thorough in his planning, and rarely showed any signs of worry, always maintaining a calm and cold demeanor.

However, in the past three days, Mu Yingying noticed occasional signs of confusion in his usually calm eyes. When discussing work, there were moments when he seemed troubled. Though the changes were subtle, Mu Yingying noticed them clearly.

Under the night sky, Mu Yingying sat on her favorite chair outside the balcony, gazing at the stars in a daze. Her small face was adorned with a faint smile all the time.

Many people might fear the darkness of the night, but for her, it was like a confidant that brought peace and allowed her to reflect on various things, especially those stars scattered across the sky. Though dispersed, they shone beautifully and mesmerized the onlookers.

“Miss, you’re still not asleep?”

Lu Jiu, passing by on his patrol, greeted her. As he looked at her small face, his heart felt heavy. The thoughts that had troubled him for three days made him even more confused.

The young miss was only ten years old. Although she appeared clever and cunning on the outside, deep down, she was no different from any other child who needed protection and someone to rely on.

Though he didn’t fully understand why she felt the need to bear all the burdens as if every problem was hers to solve, he couldn’t help but worry about her. If he ever had to leave, who would take care of her then?...

Mu Yingying turned to look at Lu Jiu, who stood not far away, raising her eyebrows slightly. She was certain she saw a troubled look on his face, even if only for a moment.

“Stay with me. I can’t sleep,”

She said with a smile, not pressing him further. Such matters needed to be approached gently rather than making him feel pressured.

“Yes, Miss,”

Lu Jiu replied, walking over to stand beside her. He lifted his gaze to the sky, following her lead, staring at the stars spread across the vast night sky. The two of them remained silent, enveloped in a comfortable quiet that felt far from awkward.

“Lu Jiu...is there something on your mind?”

Mu Yingying asked, her tone friendly and tinged with concern, though her eyes stayed focused on the twinkling stars above.

Lu Jiu paused briefly, lowering his gaze to the young miss beside him. “...There is, a bit.”

“That bit has something to do with me, right?”

Mu Yingying turned her eyes from the stars and looked back to him. “Whenever I have problems, you always help me think things through and solve them. So, when you have problems, can’t I help you think and solve them too?”

Lu Jiu pressed his lips together, not responding immediately. Mu Yingying didn’t push further, instead waiting patiently, letting him ponder and hoping he would open up to her.

“I guess I can’t hide anything from you, Miss,” Lu Jiu finally said with a soft laugh, his usually cold expression softening.

“You are my close confidant. Even the smallest change in you, how could I not notice?”

Mu Yingying tilted her head slightly, her big, round eyes sparkling like pearls, creating an endearing image that made Lu Jiu smile.

He felt her concern deeply. It was likely that she had come out to the balcony tonight specifically to talk to him.

If Lu Jiu continued to keep things from her, she would only worry more. He had recently made a decision, albeit with some hesitation, and thought it best to share it now to alleviate her worries, and they could have a serious conversation before he had to leave.

“I have something to take care of, which might take a considerable amount of time. The shortest would be around a year,”

Lu Jiu decided to share this matter, his hand gripping the lantern handle tightly, his eyes reflecting his inner turmoil.

“At most, it could take two to three years...”

Mu Yingying was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected that the issue weighing on him was about having to go far away to handle personal matters, potentially for a long time.

For the past five years, she had grown accustomed to having Lu Jiu by her side. If he were to leave for such an extended period, could she truly get used to it?...

Mu Yingying’s corners of her mouth tugged up as she smiled gently at him. “You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

“Yes,”

Lu Jiu replied without hesitation. He truly was concerned for her. The only thing holding him back from seeking revenge on his enemies was the matter of Mu Yingying. If he left, who would protect her from these dangerous tigers?

Mu Yingying hadn’t expected such a quick response, and she was taken aback for a moment before laughing. “You’re as straightforward as ever.”

Lu Jiu lowered his gaze, contemplating deeply to make a decision. Things had come to this. It had been five years, and he had never revealed anything about his background to her, nor had she ever pried.

But now, at least before he left, he felt it was time to share a bit about himself...

“My family is large. My father has many wives, which means there are many children. My mother is the Furen of the household, which makes me the only direct heir. My father actually had a favored concubine, the Second Furen, but he still had to respect my mother because of her family’s power and tradition.”

Mu Yingying raised her eyebrows in surprise, she didn’t expect Lu Jiu to tell a story about himself thus listening intently.

“When it came time to choose an heir to the head of the family, it should have been me, as the direct descendant of the Furen, to receive the rightful inheritance. My father agreed, but the Second Furen and her son, who were always being favored, would not accept this.”

“The second Furen’s side plotted to have my father take the family out of town for relaxation. But that night, a fire broke out in my mother’s quarters. I was there. My mother did everything to save me, ignoring her own life...”

The cruel memories flooded Lu Jiu’s mind. Though his voice remained calm, his eyes betrayed a deep turmoil. His other hand clenched tightly under his sleeve to control his overwhelming emotions.

"Although I ultimately survived, I had to flee from assassins, barely escaping with my life. My mother died in the flames, and I, gravely injured, was captured by a group of slave traders. They made me sign a slave contract and sold me to various cities..."

After finishing his story, Lu Jiu paused for a moment, feeling a warmth on his hand. When he looked down, he saw that Mu Yingying’s small hand was holding his tightly clenched fist.

“This is the origin of the scar on your face, isn’t it?”

Mu Yingying couldn’t help but frown, realizing the burn scar was a constant reminder of the horrific events he had encountered.

“You must have suffered greatly. The pain of losing a mother to murder cannot coexist with the same sky, I understand.” She patted his hand to comfort him. She understood the heart of someone bearing a deep grudge.

"Throughout all these years, your heart must have been filled with pent-up anger. No matter how much you wished for revenge, you still chose to stay and help me."

"Thank you very much, Lu Jiu."

Mu Yingying looked up at the tall figure before her, her big, round eyes reflecting sincere gratitude. Lu Jiu, having snapped out of his reverie, smiled faintly.

"I should be the one thanking you, Miss, for taking me out of that place, giving me the chance to seek my revenge as I do now."

"Do you remember what I told you on the first day we met?" Mu Yingying asked with a gentle smile.

Lu Jiu didn’t respond, simply lowering his eyes as he recalled the day they first met in the slave market. Every word she had spoken to him, he remembered clearly.

"I once told you that I would give you a future and help you get your revenge." Mu Yingying revealed an earnest expression, her eyes shining brightly like the stars in the sky.

"Time has passed, and now it’s time for you to fulfill your duty. I too must keep my promise."

"If you need manpower or money, you can have whatever you need. And if you have any problems, you can come to me at any time. I am always ready to help you solve them, just as you have helped me all these years."

"I know and I understand that you are worried about me, but you don’t need to worry anymore, Lu Jiu," Mu Yingying paused briefly, lowering her eyes slightly to hide the flicker of emotion before continuing.

"Everyone has their own duties. No matter how concerned you are for me, you cannot neglect your own tasks."

"We both have our own responsibilities. You need to go and settle your grievances, and I must go to the capital to settle mine."

"When we have both completed our duties, we can meet again. It’s never too late for that..."

Lu Jiu looked at the gentle smile on her small face, warmth spreading through his heart. All the hesitation he had felt before disappeared completely. He would hesitate no longer. He needed to resolve everything quickly so he could come back and help his young miss again!

He would come back!

One day...he would come back!

Mu Yingying saw the resolute determination in his eyes and smiled, knowing Lu Jiu had made up his mind. Unlike the past few days of indecision, he was now certain and without worry. This alone satisfied her, as her goal for tonight had been achieved successfully.

"Since you are leaving, make me a bowl of longevity noodles,"

Mu Yingying said with a laugh, her voice filled with happiness and joy, her big, round eyes sparkling beautifully.

"If you leave, I’ll miss your longevity noodles."

Lu Jiu smiled slightly, the warmth and gentleness in his gaze directed at the small figure before him. He nodded in agreement and turned to head to the kitchen to make the longevity noodles for her.

Mu Yingying watched his back silently as he left, her eyes momentarily dimming. The bright smile on her face gradually faded, leaving only a bitter smile. She pulled her cloak tighter around herself. Perhaps it was just her imagination,

But she felt like the night seemed colder than ever before...

[1] Noble consort (貴妃; guì fēi) is the highest rank of imperial consorts of China.

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