Mu Ci, the young county princess, sipped her tea with a clear conscience.
She nibbled on several sweet hibiscus pastries, showing no worry at all.
The maids outside had been on edge, as they had received a death order: they absolutely could not let Mu Ci, the young county princess, leave.
After waiting for a while, they realized the young county princess indeed had no intention of coming out, and they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Time ticked by, and in a blink, more than half the day had passed.
Mu Ci, the young county princess, had been lounging around, never once mentioning wanting to go out and see.
Instead, it was only when evening arrived that someone knocked on her door.
Their tone was quite humble.
"Nannan, would you like to come out for dinner? Father has invited the imperial chefs from the palace; they've made your favorite roast goose, roast chicken, and osmanthus cakes, prepared with the utmost care. Nannan, please come out and try them. Father promises you'll like them..."
As he knocked, he continued to placate her in a gentle voice.
"Nannan, Father is worried about your health. You're not a child anymore, come out. Father misses you..."
Mu Ci, the young county princess, stretched lazily and then stepped out, only to be astonished by the scene before her. Good heavens, her father and her elder brothers were all standing neatly in front of her, their faces beaming with smiles. Each of them held a tray laden with her favorite foods.
Judging by their posture, they looked as though they wanted to move mountains of delicacies for her.
"Nannan, these are all your favorites. Look, won't you try them?"
Mu Ci, the young county princess, stretched slightly.
"I'm tired. I want to rest."
Her elder brother glanced at her, seeming to want to say something urgently.
But the old saying held true: experience is the best teacher. Her father, the Old Duke, shot his eldest son a look, then turned back to Mu Ci, his tone becoming gentle once more.
"Alright, if Xiao Ci is tired, then rest. I'll inform the small kitchen to prepare the food and keep it warm, so that whenever Xiao Ci wishes to eat, she can try it at any time. Please, don't hesitate."
Mu Ci turned and closed the door.
The entire Duke's mansion was illuminated!
The Old Duke glanced at his daughter's chambers, then turned to his eldest son.
They walked a few steps outside.
Ensuring his daughter in the room couldn't hear, he then urgently continued his inquiry.
"Are you certain—"
"Are you certain she didn't abort the child?"
The eldest son of the Duke's mansion was quite distressed.
"Naturally, she didn't. By the time I arrived, the medicine bowl had been knocked to the floor. When have I ever seen my sister so stubborn? She is determined to protect Prince Yan's child—Despite the hardships of this journey, the imperial physicians say the child is stable within her womb."
"Prince Yan is cruel. I don't know how he injured Xiao Ci."
"Yet Xiao Ci remains devoted to him, not hating him at all. This is truly... it pains me to see Xiao Ci. She is so pure and kind, how could she possibly understand the callousness, ingratitude, sweet talk, and endless schemes of those men!"
The eldest son of the Duke's mansion felt his heart ache for his sister just thinking about it!
Upon hearing this, the Old Duke couldn't help but show a smile on his face. The smile widened uncontrollably, the corners of his lips curving upwards, his entire demeanor radiating vitality!
"This is truly Heaven blessing our Duke Mu's mansion!"
However, across from him, the Old Duke's eldest son wore an expression of confusion.
"Father... why do you say that, Father?"
He truly couldn't understand this.
Was his sister not aborting Prince Yan's child really a cause for his father's excitement?
The Old Duke glanced at his son, hesitated, and then beckoned him into the study. Once the doors and windows were shut, ensuring not a single word could be overheard by outsiders, he waved his hand, his expression carrying a hint of strangeness yet also unexpected excitement.
"The Crown Prince is likely finished."
"I heard last night that assassins infiltrated the Crown Prince's mansion and attempted to assassinate him."
"Today, the court is on edge. I was urgently summoned to the palace, and the entire capital is under strict guard. Even you were dispatched to patrol the capital, all because of this matter. However, the Crown Prince's injuries are extremely severe; it is likely irreversible."
"His Majesty is furious, the Empress is furious, and they will likely search the entire capital."
"Even our Duke Mu's mansion cannot escape this turmoil!"
"But, we have another trump card!"
"This trump card is precisely what Xiao Ci brought back!"
"The fetus within her belly might just preserve our family's prosperity and honor for a hundred years!"
Hearing his father speak this way, and seeing his subtly excited expression, the young Duke opposite him paused slightly, then a look of sudden realization dawned on him.
"Wait... wait a moment."
"Father means... we are to bet on Prince Yan..."
"Bet that he... will ascend the throne in the future... the imperial throne?"
The young Duke gasped. He hadn't expected his father to have such a bold thought, yet as audacious as the idea was, upon closer consideration, it seemed quite plausible.
"If the Crown Prince truly dies from his severe injuries, then he indeed has immense prestige, and it's not impossible. But... how could the Empress allow... such a thing to happen."
"If the Crown Prince truly... truly cannot survive this ordeal, then Prince Yan will be the prime suspect. The Empress would surely wish to kill him, so how could she stand by and watch, watch him obtain that position?"
No matter how the young Duke thought about it, he couldn't figure it out.
The Old Duke opposite him shook his head, his expression filled with deep meaning.
"The Empress naturally hates Prince Yan immensely."
"But—for so many years, the Empress had numerous opportunities to deal with Prince Yan, yet she could only watch him be exiled to the northern territories, where he achieved great military feats, watched him win the hearts of the people in the north, and watched him command an army of hundreds of thousands of loyal soldiers..."
"Tell me, why is that?"
In the depths of the Old Duke's eyes, a complex glint flashed. This glint slowly rippled outwards, and then he extended his hand and tapped the table, saying:
"Have you ever considered what His Majesty truly thinks in his heart?"
"There is only one opportunity. If we win this gamble, our path will be smooth; if we lose, our entire clan will be executed!"
...
At the same moment the Old Duke was conversing with his eldest son, Mu Ci, the young county princess, who had closed her door, was quietly awaiting the arrival of an "uninvited guest."
When the little fox leaped through the window, its fur was almost entirely stained with blood.
Blood dripped from its skin, but it was afraid of staining her clothes, so it dared not approach.
It cautiously extended its front paw, attempting to touch her palm.
Then, before Mu Ci, the young county princess, this little fox fainted.
Lin Mu Ci sighed.
What a truly... pitiable little fox.