Chapter 113

Shangguan LingRan quickly covered the Empress Dowager’s mouth. He whispered, “What do you want to do, imperial grandmother?”

The Empress Dowager was angry and scolded, “He dares to insult the imperial family. He doesn’t know the meaning of death. Aijia will send someone to kill him, to take revenge for my good grandson.”

Shangguan LingRan looked around in panic. He repeatedly waved his hands. “Imperial grandmother, this is already embarrassing enough. Let’s not make it public knowledge and quietly take care of it.”

Looking at his expression, the Empress Dowager sensed something abnormal. She was about to question him, but Shangguan LingRan’s eyes moved and he smiled bitterly. He almost pled, “Forget it, imperial grandmother. Let’s not talk about this again, okay? Grandson is injured and wants to rest.”

Shangguan LingRan actually jumped onto the couch and closed his eyes. That tired, sad, and lonely expression on his face had the Empress Dowager in tears.

At this time, she was 100% certain that Shangguan LingRan once again experienced an attempted assassination and escaped from the clutches of death to return to her side.

Shangguan LingRan’s return took the Emperor by surprise. He was almost certain that the person who helped Mu Zi You take care of the assassins that day on Yunwu Mountain was Shangguan LingRan.

But he did not understand if it was Shangguan LingRan helping Mu Zi You and he injured, why didn’t he immediately return to the Palace? However, if he was injured and recuperating in the General’s Manor, then how did he sneak out from there?

And every time the imperial doctor returned, he said there was only one injured person in the General’s Manor. Although he was not allowed to treat the injury, he said she was certainly a female based on her appearance.

This wasn’t difficult to understand. Mu Zi You was a blue-blooded noble xiaojie. She naturally wouldn’t let a male imperial doctor treat her injuries. Her wounds must have been treated by the female healers.

Besides, so many people were watching the General’s Manor and were consistent with their reports. “There is no trace of Shangguan LingRan. No suspicious person has been seen leaving the General’s Manor.”

So where did Shangguan LingRan come from? The Emperor could not understand.

After Taizi found out that Shangguan LingRan returned, his face too turned gloomy.

He also had a bad feeling. Shangguan LingRan was tied to the General’s Manor. And Shangguan Lingluo’s attempted assassination gave them the opportunity.

Taizi deeply furrowed his forehead. He and his father had the same idea. They were both afraid that Shangguan LingRan would take his future throne from him.

The secret in the imperial family had been hidden from the public, but one day it would be exposed. At that time, popular sentiment would certainly fall onto the side of the Sirius star.

After all, it was difficult to go against the wishes of the heavens. If you do, people would certainly not stand on your side.

If Shangguan LingRan was really the manifestation of the Sirius star, that was the will of the heavens. In addition, his Fuwang [An Wang] held military power. If he also married a first-rank great general’s Di granddaughter as his Zhengfei [main consort], then 2/3 of Great Yan’s military power would be in the hands of an outsider. Wouldn’t it be child’s play to rebel and seize the throne then?

No. Taizi could not sit and wait for death. Currently, the most important thing to do was to take Old General Mu’s military power for himself. Therefore, he must marry Mu Zi You.

Thinking of this, Taizi shouted, “Someone, come. Prepare gifts. This Taizi wants to visit Mu Xiaojie.”

He turned to leave, but encountered Shangguan Lingluo coming in.

Seeing him leaving, she asked, puzzled, “Taizi gege, where are you going?”

He hurriedly pushed her away and replied, “Shangguan LingRan returned. I suspect that he’s the one who rescued Mu Zi You. I’m going to the General’s Manor to see what news I can get from Old General Mu.”

Shangguan Lingluo loudly berated, “Why are you making excuses? I know that you like that lowly cheap wench. If you want to go, then go. Why lie about Shangguan LingRan saving that cheap wench? Shangguan LingRan can’t even kill a chicken. How can he cope against the thirty-odd first-rate killers I sent?”

“Shut up!” Taizi was clearly furious. His voice lost his previous gentleness. “It’s your fault. Didn’t I tell you to not do anything to Mu Zi You? But you didn’t listen. And now what? You gave them a chance to collude together.”

Shangguan Lingluo rebutted, unwilling to accept it, “Why are you so sure that Shangguan LingRan and that cheap wench are colluding together?”

Taizi shook his head and regretted that he and this stupid woman were tangled. His tone was even more impatient. “I sent people, Fuwang sent people, and the other wangzis sent people. They almost dug three feet underground in the capital and its surrounding areas and still cannot find Shangguan LingRan. Now he suddenly came back when no one had discovered his whereabouts. Besides that, when Mu Zi You was injured, everyone went to visit her, except for An Wangfei. Even you said that An Wangfei really likes her. How can An Wangfei not visit her when Mu Zi You is seriously injured? That just clearly proves that they were avoiding suspicion. If they had nothing to worry about, what are they afraid of?”

“So what?” Shangguan Lingluo was unwilling to accept it. “Even if they collude, what can you do?”

Taizi looked straight at Shangguan Lingluo and decisively said, “I will marry her as cefei. No one can stop me.”

He walked with big strides outside and no longer paid attention to Shangguan Lingluo.

“No!” Shangguan Lingluo dashed over. She grabbed his waist and cried heartrendingly, “You’re not allowed to marry her. I don’t care about other women, but she cannot. I hate her.”

Taizi decisively shook off her hands. He said coldly as he left, “When did this Taizi need you to care about this Taizi’s matters? If there’s nothing in the future, stay in your own palace. Don’t come to Taizi fu.”

The blood in Shangguan Lingluo’s face disappeared. Her long nails pierced into her palms and drew blood. Her face was sinister as she said, “Mu Zi You, you and I are irreconcilable. If you don’t die, then I will perish.”

Taizi had never treated her so ruthlessly in all these years. This was the first time he tore all pretenses of cordiality with her for another woman. In addition, Zi You made her lose face in front of so many people before. Shangguan Lingluo already hated Mu Zi You more than Taizifei.

But she had already lost thirty-two death warriors out of the fifty she raised. If the remaining eighteen died, she would be defenseless.

In the predatory imperial family, without a mother consort’s protection, her own forces, and Taizi’s doting, she would be swallowed by others at any time.

Shangguan Lingluo’s face was pale. She was like a trapped animal, pacing to and fro in the spacious hall. Finally, she smiled malevolently and left.

Three days later was the day that Old General Mu and Zi You were going to do closed-door training with the female medical team and family troops on the mountain.

However, they did not go. The reason was because Taizi, Third Wangzi, and An Wang Shizi each requested the Emperor to marry Mu Zi You.

The Emperor did not want to marry Zi You to his sons or nephew. He wanted to bring Zi You into the Palace and make her a consort.

Regardless of Old General’s Mu military power, Zi You’s talents and appearance had moved the middle-aged Emperor.

But he could not express his thoughts out loud. Thus, he called Old General Mu into the Palace. His face was smiling, but his eyes were darkly sinister. “Beloved official, Zhen is really in a difficult spot. Zhen’s Taizi, Third Wangzi, and nephew all want to marry Mu Xiaojie. Taizi and Third Wangzi want to marry Mu Xiaojie as first cefei and An Wang Shizi wants to marry Mu Xiaojie as Zhengfei. Beloved official, Zhen is torn and don’t know who to marry Mu Xiaojie to. What do you think?”

Old General Mu didn’t lift his head, but could already feel the Emperor’s cold and sinister eyes.

He was extremely certain that whomever he picked today was the equivalent of telling the Emperor whom he was supporting in the future.

The choice for his grandson-in-law was the equivalent to choosing sides.

And at this time, the Emperor simply wanted to control his imperial power and not give it to anyone.

The Emperor was in the prime of his life. He had never thought about handing the throne over early. So how could he allow his sons, nephew, brother, or whomever to be more powerful than him and outside his control?

Old General Mu thought of this and quickly knelt down. He feigned panic as he said, “Emperor must never marry Chen’s granddaughter to Taizi Ye, Third Wangzi, and Shizi Ye! You’er is not worthy of marrying Emperor’s sons and nephew. Even if she is worthy, Chen doesn’t want You’er to marry into the imperial family. You’er had said that she is only willing to marry a man who will have her as his only wife. If a man wants to marry her, he must give up his concubines and give her full control of managing the house. Otherwise, she would rather not marry and go to the temple to be a nun. Emperor, please take into account that You’er had lost her mother at a young age and not marry her to anyone in the imperial family!”

After the Emperor got over his shock, he released a sigh of relief. This way, Mu Zi You didn’t have to think about getting married.

Let’s not speak of the imperial family, even normal official families wouldn’t allow their children and grandchildren to only have one main wife and no concubines.

Regarding making Mu Zi You a consort in the Palace, he would certainly need to expend some effort. But she was just a young little yatou. As long as he used a soft and hard approach and slowly schemed, would he be afraid that she wouldn’t submit?

The Emperor released a sigh of relief and his smile reached his eyes. His tone was also a lot more amiable. “Rest assured, beloved official. Zhen will fulfill Mu Xiaojie’s wish. Zhen will not bestow a marriage for her and wait for her to change her mind.”

Old General Mu released a sigh of relief and left the Palace. He thought that things would end for now, but didn’t expect that the troubles weren’t over.

Taizi and Third Wangzi had people bring gifts over almost every day to the General’s Manor.

At the same time, rumors circulated among the high society in the capital. “Old General Mu’s Di granddaughter is tangled with Taizi and Third Wangzi. Even that dandy An Wang Shizi likes her. She’s really a fickle woman.”

“Such a young age and she has such ability. Taizi and Third Wangzi are dragons among men. Although An Wang Shizi is a dandy, he is Great Yan’s handsomest man. This Mu Xiaojie is really not simple. She can actually make three excellent men in Great Yan like her. Have you heard? All of them asked the Emperor to bestow a marriage.”

Old General Mu heard these rumors and was so angry that he chopped a leg off of his desk in the study.

Only Zi You coldly smiled and didn’t pay attention to the rumors.

She had only wanted to avenge her previous life’s hatred. Now, it seemed like more problems appeared.

She died early in her previous life. Taizi and Third Wangzi were fighting fiercely then, but the winner was not decided.

Also, she was obscure and mediocre in her previous life, so she did not attract their attention.

Her slag father seemed to have been part of Taizi’s camp then. She found out when she visited her maiden family and her angry grandfather scolded her slag father.

Now, were these people doing such things for her grandfather’s military power or another reason?

There was also Shangguan LingRan. Could she trust him? The answer was clearly no.

She could not easily trust anyone again, especially a man.

Because she was careless in her previous life, the price she paid was too high. In this lifetime, I want others to be crazy for me, while I remain sober.

Zi You decided. She approached her black mandara flowers. She withdrew a silver needle and pricked her finger. She dripped her blood onto the heart of the flower. Then she silently chanted.

A moment later, the black mandara flowers mysteriously rose up and shook themselves at her.

Zi You laughed. Soon, she could psychically communicate with her plants and animals. They would become her sharpest weapons and most loyal comrades.

What man? What marriage? They could all go to hell. Protecting her loved ones and living free from harm and a good and happy life were the most important.

Zi You made up her mind. She lightly smiled and went towards her grandfather’s study.

She looked at the broken table and suddenly rushed into her grandfather’s arms. She smiled cutely, “What’s the matter? Who made my precious grandfather angry?”

Old General Mu was afraid that his granddaughter would be angry, so he didn’t dare to speak the truth. Thus, he smiled unnaturally. “Who dares to provoke your grandfather? My hand just itched. My hand itched.”

Grandfather was a soldier. If he said one, then he didn’t mean two. He would never lie. Now, for her……

A fervent heat rose in Zi You’s heart. Her determination was firmer.

She wrapped her arms around her grandfather’s neck and sweetly smiled. “Your face is red, your eyes are evasive, and your words have no energy. You’re lying. You can’t hide it from You’er.”

She then emerged from her grandfather’s hug and brewed a pot of Dahongpao tea. She handed it to him and seriously said, “Grandfather, You’er is your granddaughter. If You’er can’t even handle such a setback, would You’er be worthy of being your granddaughter? Rumors will go on until they reach a wise person. Tongues grow in other people’s mouths. They say whatever they want to say. Granddaughter doesn’t care about those false reputations. When granddaughter doesn’t marry those men, the truth will be revealed.”

Old General Mu was relieved hearing his granddaughter’s words. He didn’t expect that his granddaughter was so open-minded.

But this matter would damage his granddaughter’s reputation. For the Old General Mu who loved his granddaughter more than his life, how could he let it go?

Old General Mu angrily said, “I didn’t expect that Taizi and Third Wangzi are such shameless villains. And Shizi Ye. You saved his life in vain. He’s actually lacking a sense of justice and follows their chaotic actions. He’s a real scoundrel!”