Mu Yanxing glared fiercely at Mu Hua, then turned to her mother, "Mother, I'm sorry."
Madam: "If you know you're sorry, then come with me."
"Mother..." Mu Yanxing hesitated, then said, "I truly love him, I beg you to grant my wish."
"..." Madam narrowed her eyes. "Xing'er, you've always had your way, and I've never stopped you. Moreover, I told you long ago that you are the hope of our family, you..."
"Hope? Mother, I've never had anything of my own. No matter what you give me, you always say, 'Share some with Mu Hua, don't let Mu Hua be unhappy.' And now, you say I can do whatever I want?" She gave a bitter laugh. "Mother, is this real?"
"You... It seems I haven't punished you enough." Madam said abruptly.
Mu Anxiao calmly observed Madam's expression, remaining silent, ready to act.
"Mother, you say you haven't punished me enough? I remember last month, I accidentally broke your vase, and you immediately slapped me. When you hit me, didn't you think about whether you might damage my face? To be honest," Mu Yanxing dropped all pretense, "I've truly had enough of you. Please agree to my wish just this once. As long as you agree, your daughter will continue to be filial after she's married."
"If I don't agree, you'll disown me?"
"You said that, not your daughter." Mu Yanxing said softly.
Madam frowned. "You impudent girl, you..."
"Madam, Xing'er's name is not on the palace list. You just need to change it." Qiu Yan, unable to listen to Madam speak further about Mu Yanxing, interjected.
Hearing this, Madam immediately shifted her gaze to Qiu Yan's face. "You wretched boy, believe it or not, I'll ruin your family."
"Madam, I..."
"Shut your mouth." Madam roared, then looked at Mu Yanxing. "Xing'er, I'm giving you one last chance. Come home with me."
"I won't."
"You won't... Very well," Madam said, turning to the burly man standing before the servant. "Kill him for me." She pointed at the servant.
The burly man responded, "Yes."
Immediately, Mu Anxiao said quickly, "Madam, this has nothing to do with the servant." As she spoke, she moved to the servant's side.
"This is none of your business." Madam said without looking at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao: "Madam, murder is a grave crime. Aren't you afraid that if the authorities discover it and investigate our Mu manor, and I say a word, you will be ruined?"
Mu Hua, hearing this, exclaimed angrily, "Mu Xiao, shut up!"
This time, Mu Anxiao didn't even glance at Mu Hua, continuing to stare at Madam. "Madam, please think carefully."
"..." Madam's eyes darkened. She turned to Mu Anxiao, whose mind was surprisingly clear. "Look at your injuries. At this moment, you should be more concerned about yourself."
"Of course, I'm concerned about myself, but I want to stop you right now." Mu Anxiao said calmly.
Madam looked at Mu Anxiao's serious expression and sneered, "You are truly meddling."
"I just can't stand you wanting to kill him."
"You're really detestable like this." Madam said, looking at the second burly man standing beside her. "Take care of her too."
The second burly man was taken aback. He glanced at Mu Anxiao's face and said, "Madam, she is a young lady of the Mu manor. If I act, it might not be appropriate."
"If I tell you to act, then act. Don't spout nonsense." Madam said coldly.
Mu Anxiao knew Madam meant business, so her heart sank. She glanced at the second burly man's face and said, "Madam, killing me will do you no good."
"Just shut up," Mu Hua said smugly.
Mu Anxiao glanced towards Mu Hua, then said, "Madam, if you kill me, and the General finds out, you will be in serious trouble."
"What does this have to do with the General?" Mu Hua, displeased with Mu Anxiao's words, retorted.
"You say, how is it unrelated?" Mu Anxiao asked, fixing her gaze on Mu Hua's face.
Mu Hua frowned. "Brother Shen wasn't present, what does this have to do with him? I'm telling you, don't wrong him, or I'll have them throw you off a cliff."
Mu Anxiao snorted, "Don't you think about why I'm here?"
"You..."
"I was brought out by him. If I die, he can't be completely free of responsibility," Mu Anxiao interrupted.
Mu Hua's eyes darkened. She felt Mu Anxiao's words made sense and shifted her gaze to Madam. "Mother, you can't act."
"..." Madam looked at Mu Hua.
Seeing Madam looking at her, Mu Hua continued, "Mother, if she dies, Father will definitely investigate. And if he investigates, it will lead to Brother Shen. I don't want Brother Shen to lose his position as General because of this wild girl."
"Losing his position is minor. Dying because of me is major," Mu Anxiao said deliberately.
After hearing Mu Anxiao's words, Mu Hua became agitated. "Exactly, if Brother Shen dies because of this wild girl, it's really not worth it. Then who will I marry?"
"Exactly, who will you marry?" Mu Anxiao echoed.
Madam knew Mu Hua's temperament. She thought that if this matter truly involved Feng Qishi, Mu Hua would make her life a misery.
Therefore, for the sake of peace, she compromised. "Alright, I'll listen to you." With that, she gave the second burly man a look.
The second burly man saw it and withdrew the hand that was about to choke Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao glanced at the second burly man and said nothing.
Mu Hua breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Mu Xiao, it would be better if you said less."
Mu Anxiao ignored Mu Hua, suddenly remembering the servant about to be killed. "Madam, please don't joke with this servant's life."
"I'm not joking," Madam said, then looked at the second burly man. "Pull her away."
"Yes." The second burly man responded and stepped forward again, grabbing Mu Anxiao's injured arm.
Immediately, a sharp pain shot up, and Mu Anxiao's expression contorted. "Let go." she hissed.
Seeing this, the second burly man quickly let go. "Madam, she's injured." He glanced at the bloodstains on his palm.
"Don't mind it, pull." Madam ordered coldly.
Upon hearing this, the second burly man grabbed Mu Anxiao's arm again and then, completely disregarding Mu Anxiao's feelings, dragged her away.
The servant sat on the ground, continuously crying, "Young Master, save me."
The burly man looked down at the servant's craven expression, deliberately flexed his knuckles, and said, "Madam, may we begin?"
"Begin..."
"Madam, he is my man. Doing this is not right." Qiu Yan could no longer tolerate it.
Hearing this, Madam immediately turned to Qiu Yan. "Do you think you're qualified to beg me?"
"Madam, I..." Qiu Yan was speechless.
Mu Yanxing looked at Qiu Yan's speechless expression, then thought about her future. She said, "Mother, in this life, I will only marry Qiu Yan, unless..."
"If you want to die, then die right now." Madam had guessed Mu Yanxing's thoughts.
Mu Yanxing's eyes sank. "Mother..."
"Actually, it would be better if you died. Then I can tell your father that you caught a cold and couldn't be cured, and passed away." Madam said casually. "When we return, I'll give your chance to Mu Hua."
However, Mu Hua only wanted to marry Feng Qishi at this time. So, the moment she heard Madam say this, she was stunned. "Mother, what are you saying?"
Madam: "Your age is similar to your third sister's. Although you are not as beautiful as your third sister, your age is a significant advantage. So, I've also thought about it. At worst, if she dies, I'll let you marry." She looked at Mu Hua.
Mu Hua was stunned for a moment. "Mother, I want to marry Brother Shen. You..."
"The status of the benefactor is far higher than that of the General."
"Mother, I don't care about anyone's status. I just like Brother Shen. You promised you would fulfill our wishes." Mu Hua became anxious.
Madam's expression was blank. "When did I say that? I always said that if your sister married King Jin, you could choose Shen Moyun. But... the situation has changed, so naturally," she said, "it will be you."
"I don't want to."
"This is not a time for you to be willful, unless you want to die with her." Madam became completely cold-blooded.
Mu Anxiao, enduring the pain, looked at Madam and then thought of the demon spirits in the palace. She became anxious.
Mu Hua was speechless.
Mu Yanxing looked at Madam, who was planning everything again, with a look of disappointment. "Mother, am I your biological daughter?"
Hearing this, Madam shifted her gaze back to Mu Yanxing's face. "You are my daughter, but I don't see you treating me as your mother." She had completely taken control of the conversation.
Mu Yanxing choked, then said, "Mother, you are my own mother. I believe you also wish for my happiness, but..."
"I wish for your happiness, but only King Jin can give you that."
"Mother..."
"I'm giving you one last chance. Choose death, or come back with me." Madam interrupted.
Mu Yanxing felt a chill. "Mother, do you really want me to die?"
"Of course." Madam said softly.
Mu Anxiao looked at Madam's indifferent expression and thought of Madam's usual ruthless methods, including her strictness towards her daughters. She worried that Madam was serious.
At this moment, Qiu Yan couldn't believe Madam would treat her own daughter like this. He said, "Madam, she is your daughter. Can you really do it?"
Madam: "You have no right to speak here. Take your servant and get out." She gave Qiu Yan no quarter.
Qiu Yan was stunned.
Madam's attitude changed too quickly. Mu Hua couldn't believe what she was seeing. Especially seeing Madam's cold expression, she only felt fear. "Mother, are you serious?" Her voice trembled.
Madam: "I am serious, Hua'er. Mother hopes you will be obedient, otherwise, you will die with your sister."
"Mother..." Mu Hua's eyes widened. Seeing Madam's expression was not a joke, she said, "Mother, I like Brother Shen."
"Then go and die." Madam said coldly.
Mu Yanxing was already so despairing that she couldn't speak.
Mu Hua hesitated the moment she heard Madam say that so sternly.
Mu Anxiao, as an observer, looked at them and said, "Can I go into the palace?"
Hearing this, Mu Hua's body stiffened. She immediately shifted her gaze to Mu Anxiao's face. "..." She frowned. Instead of showing gratitude, she put on a look of disdain for Mu Anxiao.
At the same time, Mu Yanxing seemed to have found hope. "Mother, I think Mu Xiao can do it." She felt that saying this would save her from dying.
Conversely, Madam didn't even look at Mu Anxiao. "Mu Xiao, stop dreaming. Just because I'm not killing you now doesn't mean I won't kill you later. So, shut up."
"Madam..."
"Shut up." Madam roared, then looked at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao looked at Madam's angry expression, her heart sinking. She said, "If you kill the third young lady, I'll spread the word about you when I get back. If you don't believe me, we'll see."
At this moment, she realized Madam was just trying to scare her two daughters, and this was when Madam was most vulnerable. She thought if she said a few more words, Madam might compromise.
"You're threatening me."
"Yes, I am threatening you. I just can't stand you wanting to kill people. If Mu Yanxing dies, I'll be the first to tell Father that you did it." Mu Anxiao said seriously.
Madam: "You dare." Her eyes widened.
Mu Anxiao snorted, "Since you'll kill me sooner or later, I might as well drag you down with me. It's not bad."
"You..."
"I keep my word." Mu Anxiao intended to interrupt Madam.
Madam's eyes darkened. "Mu Xiao, I didn't expect you to be so scheming."
"Compared to you, I'm still far behind. However, if you let me go to the palace, I guarantee," Mu Anxiao said with a firm expression, "that Father can be promoted, and your status... at home will be more consolidated."
"You have such great ambition." Mu Hua couldn't stand it.
Mu Anxiao frowned and looked at Mu Hua, who had suddenly chimed in. "I'm talking to Madam, please shut up."
"I won't," Mu Hua roared, looking at Madam. "Mother, do you really believe her?" She pointed at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao glared at Mu Hua.
However, with Mu Anxiao's interruption, Mu Yanxing and Qiu Yan were instantly sidelined. The two of them exchanged glances without speaking.
"..." Madam did not reply immediately. Instead, after contemplating Mu Anxiao's words, she said, "Since none of you are willing, then give this opportunity to her."
Mu Anxiao was overjoyed at Madam's compromise.
Hearing this, Mu Hua was unhappy again. "Mother, she will ruin our Mu manor."
Madam frowned. "Then what do you suggest? Do you want to go?" She stared at Mu Hua.
Mu Hua glanced at Mu Anxiao and said, "If possible, I'm willing."
"What?" Mu Anxiao was startled and looked at Mu Hua. "Don't you want your Brother Shen? Why have you changed your mind now?" After asking, her heart began to feel uneasy.
Mu Hua: "I don't want to marry Brother Shen anymore. Actually, King Jin is not bad either." She said with a smug look.
Mu Anxiao's mouth twitched. "You're not doing this on purpose, I wouldn't believe it."
"I am doing this on purpose. I just want to be superior to you. This way," Mu Hua revealed a sinister smile, "I can find a way to kill you."
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao was speechless.