King Jin looked at Mu Hua’s pitiful expression and then at Mu Anxiao, who was staring at Mu Hua. He chuckled, “This King truly sees for the first time a younger sister calling her elder sister a monster.”
Mu Hua’s expression stiffened. “King Jin, to be honest, in less than a year, I have been observing her. My speaking out today is for your own good.”
Mu Anxiao deliberately remained silent, using the opportunity to observe Mu Hua.
King Jin frowned. “For my good? Very well, tell me, what do you mean by that?”
Mu Hua pursed her lips. “To be frank, she has always wanted to replace me.”
“…” King Jin knitted his brows, remaining silent.
Mu Hua continued, “She even said at the mansion gate today that she wanted to enter the palace in my stead. You…”
“But your name doesn’t seem to be on the list for the selection of concubines,” the woman interrupted.
Mu Hua’s body stiffened, and she slowly turned to the woman glaring at her. “Replying to Your Highness, it’s all because of her.” She pointed at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao remained expressionless. “…” She wanted to see what accusations Mu Hua would fabricate.
The woman frowned. “What did she do to you?”
Mu Hua sobbed, “Your Highness, she has always wanted to take my place. To be honest, in less than a year, she has been bullying me incessantly. I don’t know how to deal with her. In short, she is extremely ill-mannered.”
“Is that so?” the woman said, shifting her gaze to Mu Anxiao’s face. “What is your name?”
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao looked at the woman and feigned an expression of not recognizing her. “Replying to Your Highness… this humble one is Mu Xiao.”
“Mu Xiao.” The woman repeated, then smiled. “Is what your sister says the truth?”
Mu Anxiao saw that the woman was deliberately engaging with her. After a moment of thought, she replied, “My sister has always found me displeasing, so what she says is naturally untrue. However, she did get one point right.”
“Got one point right? Which point?” the woman attempted to observe Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao gave a dry laugh. “Yes, I am indeed ill-mannered.”
“So, everything else is false, except for this one point?”
“Yes. To be frank, our family has committed the crime of deceiving the ruler.” Mu Anxiao stated directly.
Mu Anxiao had already understood the status of the Mu family in Jincheng. She knew that King Jin would not utterly destroy the Mu family. While she didn’t know King Jin’s purpose for being there, she was certain that King Jin also knew that the person intended for the concubine selection was not Mu Hua, but someone else.
Mu Hua’s accusation was essentially an attempt to gloss over everything by implicating Mu Anxiao. If she cooperated with Mu Hua now, she would fall into Mu Hua’s trap. Therefore, she knew that the only way to protect herself was to tell the truth.
“…” Mu Hua’s expression froze.
Subsequently, everyone in the Mu mansion knelt down, one by one.
Including the Madam and Mu Gui, they all knelt.
Conversely, only Mu Anxiao remained standing, calmly observing King Jin, her mind already calculating.
King Jin surveyed everyone in the Mu mansion and said lightly, “My beloved consort, what you said was indeed correct.”
Mu Hua knelt on the ground, tilting her head slightly to look at Mu Anxiao, thinking, *Just wait until you die.*
Meanwhile, Mu Anxiao glanced at Mu Hua, who was waiting to witness her misfortune, and remained silent.
The woman said, “King Jin, I merely spoke casually. I didn’t expect that upon arriving, someone would actually tell the truth.” She glanced at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao calmly looked at the woman and blinked.
King Jin’s expression was impassive as he looked at Mu Anxiao, who was still standing. “Only you are different from them.”
Mu Anxiao smiled. “I am a meritorious minister, perhaps?”
“Meritorious minister…” King Jin sneered and stood up. “Your thick skin is truly impressive.”
Seeing King Jin rise, the woman also stood up.
“Everyone in this mansion chose to deceive you, while only I spoke the truth. Naturally,” Mu Anxiao continued shamelessly, “I am a meritorious minister.”
Feng Qishi watched Mu Anxiao’s brazen display and worried for her inwardly.
King Jin said, “Guards, arrest her.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao’s eyes widened. “King Jin, you…”
“This is the price of arrogance,” King Jin interrupted, then looked at those kneeling on the ground. “I will not pursue this matter. Rise.”
Immediately, they raised their heads one by one.
King Jin calmly scanned their faces. “Why are you all still stunned? Get up.”
Heeding King Jin’s words, they stood up one by one.
Next, Mu Gui walked gracefully towards King Jin and said, “King Jin, I am guilty. My third daughter…”
“Enough, this matter is over. Your family has missed its opportunity,” King Jin interrupted, then looked at Mu Anxiao. “This wild girl from your family, I will take her with me.”
“What?” Mu Gui was stunned.
Upon hearing this, Mu Hua quickly said, “King Jin, kill her.”
Hearing Mu Hua’s words, King Jin’s expression froze. He then turned to Mu Hua and blinked, saying, “What is your name?”
Mu Hua gave a dry laugh. “This humble one’s name is Mu Hua.”
“Mu Hua…” King Jin repeated, then took a deep breath. “Very well, then you shall be buried with me.”
“…” Mu Hua froze.
Immediately, the Madam rushed forward and knelt before King Jin. “King Jin, spare my life! My daughter simply likes to joke. Please spare her life.” As she spoke, she kowtowed.
Mu Hua also knelt.
Mu Anxiao realized that King Jin was also a person who valued his reputation, and by doing this, he was likely giving himself a way out. As for taking lives, she believed King Jin would surely not do that.
Instead, she felt this was a good opportunity to enter the palace.
Therefore, seeing Mu Hua and the Madam like this, she felt a sense of satisfaction.
The woman looked at the actions of Mu Hua and the Madam, then glanced at Mu Anxiao, who was calmly observing them. She said, “King Jin, if you ask me, why not give the Mu family a chance?”
“…” Mu Anxiao frowned and looked at the woman.
Mu Gui’s eyes lit up.
The Madam continued to keep her head bowed to the ground. Mu Hua walked forward on her knees, grabbed the Madam’s arm, and sobbed incessantly.
Hearing Mu Hua’s cries, King Jin grew annoyed. “Silence,” he growled.
Upon hearing this, Mu Hua immediately closed her mouth, not daring to make a sound.
After Mu Hua calmed down, King Jin looked at the woman. “My beloved consort, what do you mean by that?”
“To speak of it, these two women are quite… peculiar. If I were to keep them by my side, it would also be interesting. Therefore,” the woman said, looking at both Mu Anxiao and Mu Hua, “I request King Jin to bestow them upon me.”
“…” Mu Anxiao felt a surge of secret joy.
Mu Hua wanted to cry but couldn’t, her heart filled with resentment.
King Jin smiled after hearing the woman’s words. “Do you truly like them?”
“Truly.” The woman replied earnestly.
King Jin nodded. “Very well, but before that, she must come with me.” He pointed at Mu Anxiao.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao’s body stiffened, thinking, *Could he have taken a liking to me?*
At this moment, Feng Qishi glanced at Mu Anxiao, his heart sinking.
“Alright,” the woman agreed readily.
King Jin pursed his lips and smiled, looking at Mu Hua. “Help your mother up.”
“Yes, King Jin,” Mu Hua replied with a sob, supporting her mother to stand.
Mu Gui breathed a sigh of relief.
The Madam, having lost her former arrogance, looked at King Jin and said softly, “Thank you, King Jin, for sparing my life.”
“…” King Jin deliberately avoided conversing with the Madam and shifted his gaze to Mu Gui’s face. “I came today only to accompany my beloved consort. I did not expect you to cause such a huge mess. In that case, you should also lose your current position. However, seeing as you have made countless contributions, I will let you off. From now on, your daughters are disqualified from entering the palace selection.”
“King Jin…”
“As for your two daughters, they can only serve as maids in the palace.” King Jin completely dashed Mu Gui’s hopes.
Mu Gui froze.
Mu Anxiao felt nothing and glanced at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi also glanced at Mu Anxiao and said, “King Jin, I believe it would be better for them to enter the palace later.” He walked up to King Jin.
King Jin asked, “General, why is that?”
“This matter is neither big nor small. If outsiders see you taking away the two young ladies of the Mu family, they will surely assume you favor them. If someone with ill intentions starts to gossip, wouldn’t that be a disgrace to you? Therefore, if you ask me, let me handle them.”
King Jin asked, “Are you serious?”
Feng Qishi nodded. “Yes, King Jin. I will definitely bring them into the palace and hand them over to the consort.” He glanced at the woman.
The woman found Feng Qishi’s words reasonable and smiled. “This is a good idea.”
“...Then do as you say. And make sure to bring this wild girl to me then,” King Jin instructed.
Feng Qishi cupped his fists. “Yes, King Jin.”
King Jin nodded slightly.
A quarter of an hour later.
On the carriage.
King Jin calmly looked at the woman, hesitated, and asked, “My beloved consort, have you found the person you were looking for?”
The woman replied, “Replying to King Jin, this consort… has found her, yet has not found her.”
“What do you mean?”
“King Jin, do you believe in immortals?”
“…” King Jin thought for a moment and shook his head.
Seeing King Jin shake his head, the woman lowered her eyelids. “To be honest, this consort is actually looking for an immortal. And as far as this consort knows, that immortal… should be at the Mu mansion. That is why this consort made such a request.”
“Didn’t you say you were looking for your long-lost sister?”
Before coming, the woman had told King Jin that she had a lost sister who might be at the Mu mansion. It was for this reason that he had brought the woman to the Mu mansion.
He had not expected the woman to change her story. This had truly bewildered King Jin.
The woman said, “My sister is a cultivator.”
“What?” King Jin frowned. “So, does that mean my beloved consort is also an immortal?”
The woman covered her mouth and chuckled. “King Jin, you jest. This consort only heard that a year ago, an immortal visited the Mu mansion, and my sister happens to be the immortal’s disciple. That is why I thought… my sister might have gone to the Mu mansion.” She continued, “Of course, I only learned this news this morning on my way back to the city.”
“…This morning?” King Jin sounded surprised.
The woman nodded. “Yes. On the road leading into the city, this consort inadvertently lifted the curtain and looked outside, seeing a woman with the same appearance as my sister. So, after returning to the palace, I inquired and learned about the Mu mansion’s affairs. Therefore,” she lowered her eyelids slightly, “I wanted you to take me to see. I apologize.”
“Why does my beloved consort apologize to me?”
“King Jin, this consort was willful and ultimately caused you trouble.”
“What trouble is this? To be frank, this King had already sent the General to investigate,” King Jin smiled. “If it weren’t for my beloved consort, this matter would not have been clarified so quickly.”
“King Jin…”
“Enough, this matter is in the past.” King Jin interrupted, leaned back against the cushion, and closed his eyes.
The woman looked at King Jin as he dozed off and smiled faintly.
Mu Mansion.
Mu Anxiao was pulled by Mu Hua outside the woodshed. Mu Hua said angrily, “Mu Anxiao, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?” She flung Mu Anxiao’s arm away.
Mu Anxiao calmly replied, “You are allowed to make false accusations, but I am not allowed to tell the truth? You really think highly of yourself.”
“Do you know that one of your words could have doomed our entire family?” Mu Hua said angrily.
Mu Anxiao crossed her arms. “Because of one of your words, I became a monster. How…” She narrowed her eyes. “…can’t one of my words turn this entire family into ghosts?”
“You…”
As Mu Hua uttered a single word, Mai Xia arrived behind Mu Anxiao and growled, “Mu Xiao, you’ve gone too far.”
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao’s body stiffened, and she turned to look at Mai Xia, remaining silent.
Mai Xiang glared at Mu Anxiao. “You were quite capable of speaking over there just now, so why are you silent now?”
Mu Anxiao said, “I have nothing to say to you.”
From the day Mu Anxiao returned to the mansion, Mai Xiang had never shown her any kindness. Conversely, Mu Anxiao always greeted her with a smile. Therefore, Mai Xiang thought Mu Anxiao would listen to her. She had not expected Mu Anxiao to treat her with such an attitude.
Consequently, her heart sank, and she said, “I am your mother.”
“…” Mu Anxiao sighed. “I know you are my mother, but I have never seen you treat me as your daughter.”
“You…”
“This has nothing to do with you, and you are not Mu Gui’s wife. Therefore, I think even if this Mu mansion is ruined, it will have nothing to do with you,” Mu Anxiao interrupted.
Mai Xiang’s expression stiffened. “Mu Xiao, do you know how many people you will cause to die by doing this?”
“I know. Only those related to Mu Gui will be affected. As for the servants in this mansion, they will be fine.”
Mai Xiang frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
“I’m not talking nonsense. It was just stipulated this year that if a person of status makes a mistake and is executed, then those servants should be set free.”
“Who stipulated that?”
“King Jin. The notice is posted at the city gate,” Mu Anxiao said, then turned to look at Mu Hua. “So, someone who is arrogant is about to cause people’s deaths.”
Hearing Mu Anxiao’s words, Mu Hua’s eyes widened in anger.
Mu Anxiao let out a cold laugh, then turned back to look at Mai Xiang. Just as she was about to speak, Mai Xiang raised her hand and slapped her.
Mu Hua saw this and smiled.
Mu Anxiao was stunned.