However, life is not absolute. Some people are smart their whole lives but foolish at a crucial moment, while others are foolish their whole lives but smart at a crucial moment. Mu Qingzhu belonged to the latter category.
In the Mu Mansion, she was the arrogant eldest young lady, always doing as she pleased. Yet, after this journey to the palace, she actually understood many social niceties and her mind had become much clearer than before.
The Empress Dowager's current scheme was clearly aimed at the three sisters, using them to deal with the Empress, and behind dealing with the Empress was the intention to curb the Mu family. Sacrificing Mu Qingzhu could protect the Mu family.
If Mu Qingyao were to bear the blame, her father would likely be implicated. After careful consideration, Mu Qingzhu gritted her teeth and calmly spoke.
"It was Qingzhu who administered the poison. No one instructed me. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
"Mu Qingzhu." So many words of concern were packed into that one utterance.
Mu Qingyao had never imagined that Mu Qingzhu would one day bravely protect her. She wondered if she was foolish or if her sisterly love was deep. In any case, a string in Mu Qingyao's heart snapped.
She had always disliked Mu Qingzhu and treated her with indifference. But upon reflection, Mu Qingzhu hadn't done many extreme things to her. It was her own preconception. She had never considered that the original Mu Qingyao's personality was quite detestable.
Did she know this was a capital offense? Poisoning the Empress Dowager was punishable by death.
The Empress Dowager did not achieve the effect she desired. Her eyes darkened, and she glared unpleasantly at Mu Qingzhu.
Within the imperial chamber, the expressions of those present varied. Princess Murong Ruoyin looked at Mu Qingzhu with disdain, her gaze as if she were looking at an ant struggling to its death.
Consort Chu Yuyan and Ximen Xinyue could not hide their disappointment, but they held some admiration for Mu Qingzhu's righteous stance. They hadn't expected that the people taught by Prime Minister Mu would be so different.
They had previously thought these two flowers of the Mu family were useless, but now they realized their extraordinary nature.
At this moment, the eunuch sent to collect evidence from the Chu Xiu Palace returned, holding a packet of medicine and presenting it in the imperial chamber.
Emperor Xian Murong Liu Zun watched everything with a cold gaze, a fleeting sharpness in his eyes. He saw the heartache in Yao'er's eyes, and his heart tugged. Yet, at the same time, he felt relieved.
Thank goodness she was unharmed. The well-being of others did not affect him in the slightest. It was time to reel in the net. His alluring face became frosted over, and he spoke in a cold, deep voice, "How dare Mu Qingzhu attempt to poison the Empress Dowager! Her crime is deserving of..."
Before Emperor Xian could finish his decree, Mu Qingxiang, who had been obediently huddled in the corner, let out a wail, drawing everyone's attention. Mu Qingxiang was crying and shouting, "Don't touch me, don't touch me."
Mu Qingyao seized this opportunity and calmly spoke, "What is going on? What has happened to her?"
Xi Yu, as the second young lady's maid, thinking of the suffering her young lady had endured, could no longer heed the warnings from the Empress Dowager and the princess. She wailed along with her young lady, crying and saying,
"I beg Empress Nie to uphold justice for the second young lady! The second young lady was violated in the imperial garden of Guangyang Palace. The second young lady could not bear the shock and has gone mad."
"What?" Mu Qingyao shot up from her seat, her entire being enveloped in a chilling, fierce rage. She widened her eyes in disbelief, looking at Mu Qingxiang, who was still crying uncontrollably.
No wonder she had seen her eyes unfocused earlier. So she had been, had been? Mu Qingyao couldn't bear to think about it. How cruel this was for a woman.
"How could such a thing happen? How could there be a man in the palace? Are the palace guards incompetent, allowing a man to come and go freely in the palace, and in Guangyang Palace at that?"
As soon as Mu Qingyao finished speaking, Mu Qingxiang, who had been crying intensely, felt her heart turn to ashes.
She hadn't expected that the two of them entering the palace would lead to such a fate. She had been violated and no longer wished to live. Since she was going to die, why not fight back with all her might? Perhaps she could save her eldest sister.
If she died, her eldest sister could be spared. Because the royal family, out of concern for its reputation, would surely suppress the news. If the news were suppressed, her eldest sister would not have to go to the Ministry of Punishments.
Mu Qingxiang, who was already intelligent, considered everything. Once her mind was made up, she didn't think further. She quickly rushed towards the bronze pillar in the imperial chamber and slammed into it with all her might.
The Emperor Xian, amidst his shock, waved his hand. A powerful surge of energy pushed Mu Qingxiang aside, causing her body to deviate slightly. Yet, even so, Mu Qingxiang hit her head and fell into a coma with blood flowing.
The vast imperial chamber fell silent.
Mu Qingyao, the first to recover, quickly got up and flashed to Mu Qingxiang's side, reaching out to shake her.
At this moment, her heart was filled with indescribable feelings. Mu Qingxiang did this to protect Mu Qingzhu, and Mu Qingzhu did this to protect her. In truth, they had one thing in common: to protect the Mu Mansion and Prime Minister Mu.
Everyone knew that if this matter was not handled well, their father would inevitably be dealt a blow.
"Qingxiang, Qingxiang."
Blood flowed down from Mu Qingxiang's forehead, filling her face like a blooming blood lotus, alluring and carrying an unusual ferocity.
"Qingxiang, Qingxiang." The eldest young lady Mu recovered her senses. She hadn't expected that Mu Qingxiang, whom she had always treated so poorly, would risk her life to protect her. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, and she began to sob mournfully, her cries so sorrowful that everyone in the imperial chamber was moved.
Only the Empress Dowager and Ruoyin looked displeased, their eyes filled with coldness. It seemed their plan to kill three birds with one stone had failed. Who would have thought that the three daughters of the Mu family would protect each other with their lives?
The strength of unity was great. Mu Qingyao looked at everything before her, her eyes lighting up. Perhaps this was a turning point. She immediately stood up, her dark, luminous eyes filled with endless coldness. She cast a disdainful glance around, finally looking at Emperor Xian Murong Liu Zun, and spoke with a clear, calm, and steady voice.
"Your Majesty has not forgotten the promise you made to Qingyao that day, have you? Qingyao requests that His Majesty spare Mu Qingzhu's life."
As soon as Mu Qingyao finished speaking, the Empress Dowager and Princess Ruoyin's expressions immediately turned grim. They spoke simultaneously, "Empress, how dare you! She poisoned this imperial concubine, and the evidence is conclusive. Should she not die?"
"Your Majesty, please calm yourself. Allow Qingyao to speak before making a judgment."
In the imperial chamber, Mu Qingyao, with her proud bones, looked coldly at the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. For Mu Qingxiang's death today and Mu Qingzhu's intentions, she was determined to save her life.
She herself had not administered poison. The Empress Dowager's true target was herself.
"Poisoning the Empress Dowager is a crime punishable by death. Qingyao wishes to ask, is Your Majesty feeling unwell in any way at this moment?"
As she spoke, the Emperor and the Consort looked over. The Empress Dowager, who had been lying on the bed, had later sat up straight due to her anger.
Now, she was sitting properly on the bed, appearing to be completely fine.
"The ancient saying goes, a murderer shall die. But who has died? Since no one has died, where does the need for compensation with a life come from?"
"You?" The Empress Dowager was so enraged by Mu Qingyao that stars seemed to dance before her eyes, and she almost fainted.