Chapter 209 Malicious Scheme Revealed, Zi You Skillfully Sows Dissension

Aunt Lan shook her head angrily. “Xiaojie, the servants around Hui Shaoye all said at the time that Qingyuan Shaoye pushed Hui Shaoye. And Qingyuan Shaoye’s servants all said that he did not push Hui Shaoye. Shui Yiniang was so distressed that her son had died that she immediately fainted.

“So, First Laoye was angry and killed all of Qingyuan Shaoye’s servants. He also said: ‘You deserve it. Who let you be my Mu YingRui’s child and not Mu YingYi’s child? His life is noble, so you asked for it even if you died!’

“Second Furen picked up the feather duster and beat Qingyuan Shaoye. Then she locked Qingyuan Shaoye up in the ancestral hall. I was worried, so I snuck inside the ancestral hall. Qingyuan Shaoye had already fainted and was mumbling nonsense. ‘Ghost…… Ghost……’

“I felt that Qingyuan Shaoye’s body was hot, so I quickly took him outside and called Second Furen over.”

“What day did this happen?” Zi You asked.

“Seven days ago,” Aunt Lan replied.

Seven days ago? How quickly they took action. Seven days ago was the day that the Emperor had received news that Zi You and the others were returning to the capital. Mu YingRui and Wang Yiping had immediately sent them this big “gift” to welcome their return.

Great! If Zi You didn’t give them a gift in return, then she really would be letting down their kind regards.

It could be seen that in two years, this slag male and malicious woman not only didn’t change, but instead became more poisonous.

In order to scheme against his brother, the coldblooded and ruthless beast Mu YingRui could even use his own son.

What Zi You could think of, Shangguan LingRan could naturally think of too. He immediately said darkly to Wang Yiping and Mu YingRui, “Leave with everyone else. Come to the study later, YingRui.”

After they left, Mu YingYi, Shangguan LingRan, and Zi You immediately looked at Nee Liu.

Mu YingYi’s guilt and remorse made him feel ashamed. He softly whispered to Nee Liu, “I’m sorry! I made you suffer.”

“Wuu……” Nee Liu couldn’t help but cried loudly.

Zi You went over to pull Shangguan LingRan and Aunt Lan over to Old General Mu’s study.

In the study, Zi You said to Aunt Lan, “Tell me everything that happened in the house after grandfather and uncle left.”

“Yes.” Aunt Lan instantly and carefully told Zi You everything that had happened after Old General Mu left.

Zi You already knew what happened before her grandfather left. She and Shangguan LingRan just didn’t know about what happened after he left.

That was because Shangguan LingRan had left for India and then gone on to Nanjiang. He had been thousands of miles away from the capital. It would have taken too long to communicate.

Aunt Lan spoke with anger. The more Zi You heard, the angrier she was. So things were like this.

Since the news of Old General Mu’s defeat in Nanjiang had come, Wang Yiping and Mu YingRui had begun to plan and scheme to take back Nee Liu’s management power.

First, Wang Yiping had pretended to be drugged and almost miscarried. She went to argue with Nee Liu, “I finally got pregnant. Laoye and I naturally pay special attention to everything. I checked and checked everything I eat, wear, and use in my courtyard again and again. It is impossible that someone drugged me.

“But I was almost harmed. I thought about it. Only when we’re eating together can someone do something. Sister-in-law, you are in charge of this household. What are you going to do?”

Nee Liu was very angry. But since she and Mu YingYi had quarreled and and Mu YingYi had accepted the bed-climbing Yueluo as a tongfang, her heart had been a mess. So how could she bother fighting with Wang Yiping?

Hence, she had said to her, “Since you’re worried, why don’t I allocate all the money back to the first household* and let you cook and take care of everything yourself?”

[First household = firstborn child’s family i.e. Mu YingRui and his wives and children. Second household = secondborn child’s family i.e. Mu YingYi and his wife and children]

Wang Yiping had pretended to make trouble. “What do you mean? Something happened and you don’t even give me an explanation, but you just kick our first household out, while you live your own comfortable life? In that case, how can you divide the household like that? Why don’t you give us a share of the thousands of acres of farmland and shops?”

Nee Liu had been shocked. She couldn’t help but angrily ask, “What do you mean? Do you want to divide the household? But father is still alive. If you want to divide the household, you have to wait until father comes back. Those are father’s properties. I don’t have the right to distribute them.”

“So you also know that they are father’s properties?” Wang Yiping had sneered mockingly. “Since they’re father’s properties, then his eldest son should be in charge of them when father isn’t here. But you’re holding onto them so tightly. What do you want to do?”

“What do you mean father isn’t here?” Nee Liu heard her cursing her father-in-law and didn’t let her get away with it of course. “Father just went to pacify the rebellion. What? Do you want to take advantage of him going to pacify the rebellion and take over his property? Are you still human?”

Mu YingRui had then shed all pretence of cordiality and scolded Nee Liu. “You’re shameless! I am father’s son. I am the eldest son of General’s Manor. You have been in charge of the General’s Manor for so many years and received so many benefits. Now, you don’t want to let go of it. Do you think we are fools? Does the second household want to take over father’s property?”

Nee Liu had had a smooth life for so many years. Even Old General Mu had rarely scolded her. Now that she was scolded like this by her brother-in-law, she knew that they wanted to take advantage of her husband and father-in-law’s absence to snatch property away. She was so angry that she trembled. She no longer wasted words with Mu YingRui and Wang Yiping.

She had righteously said, “I know what you mean. But father isn’t here right now. Before he left, he handed this household over to me, so I’m going to watch over this houseold. If you want to take it over or grab it, then tell father when he comes back.”

Then she had told Aunt Lan and two servants who knew martial arts, “Send First Laoye and First Furen out!”

Nee Liu was so decisive that Mu YingRui and Wang Yiping had fumed with anger. So they had begun to make trouble. Aunt Lan was so angry that her lips quivered. “During that period of time, either something happened in the shops or the crops in the farmlands were destroyed. Then servants caused trouble. That tongfang Yueluo told Second Furen that she was pregnant.

“Second Furen couldn’t handle so many things at once and became ill. At this time, news came that Lao TaiYe and Second Laoye are missing in the swamps. Second Furen became even more ill. But she held on desperately.

“That was until Hui Shaoye’s accident. At that time, First Laoye had pointed to Second Furen’s nose and scolded, ‘Liu Siyu, you malicious woman! Even if you hate me, you can’t take it out on a child. You actually instigated your son to drown my son? He’s only two years old. How can you do it? If your son doesn’t pay with his life, I will fight you!’

“Second Furen had no choice but to beat up Qingyuan Shaoye and lock him up in the ancestral hall. Lao TaiYe and Xiaojie know about what happened next.”

“When you saw Qingyuan Shaoye, he shouted ‘ghost,’ right?” Zi You asked. Aunt Lan nodded. “Qinyuan Shaoye was still very scared when he woke up. At night, he gets so scared that he leaves the light on and won’t let anyone leave.”

At this time, someone knocked on the door.

Shangguan LingRan used Old General Mu’s dignified voice to say, “Come in.”

Mu YingRui came inside and knelt to Shangguan LingRan. He squeezed out two crocodile tears and said, “Father, You’er, you finally came back…… Father, I was worried to death! I couldn’t sleep well because I was afraid that you and brother and wouldn’t come back. What happened? Why were there news of you and brother missing in the swamps?”

Shangguan LingRan looked at Mu YingRui for a quarter of an hour, which him made break out into a cold sweat. He then sneered and said, “You can’t sleep because you’re afraid that if this old man doesn’t die, you won’t be able to take over the family property, right?”

Mu YingRui glared fiercely at Aunt Lan. He pretended to be aggrieved and falsely accused. He shouted, “Father, your son is falsely accused! This darned woman has been bribed by sister-in-law, so how can you believe her?

“Yes, Hui’er passed away, so I lost my mind and said some harsh things, but I regretted it afterwards. I heard that Yuan’er was critically ill, so I went to the Palace to invite an imperial doctor here. I planned on not pursing this matter anymore, but someone wouldn’t let things go.

“While Ping’er is pregnant, Nee Liu asked people to put abortion-inducing medicine in the food, but why don’t you care, father? Nee Liu embezzled funds, but why don’t you ask about that, father? Father, I am also your son. Hui’er was also your grandson. You can’t……”

“Mu YingRui, don’t slander people!” Nee Liu pushed open the door and came inside. She pointed to Mu YingRui and angrily scolded, “There are ledgers to show how I manage the shops and farmlands. When did I embezzle funds? When did I tell someone to put abortion-inducing medicine in the food?

“Don’t use your villainous heart to accuse a gentleman. You wanted to embezzle the property while your father was away. You tried all sorts of schemes and used all sorts of means. You don’t even want your own son’s life. How can there be such a heartless father like you in the world?”

Nee Liu then knelt in front of Shangguan LingRan and cried. “Father! Fortunately, you and YingYi are back. If not…… I and your grandsons would have been forced to death……”

“You……” Mu YingRui pretended to look angry as he pointed to Nee Liu. “You’re a lady from a noble household. How can a lady talk to her brother-in-law like this?”

“Shut up!” Shangguan LingRan (Old General Mu) slammed his hand down on the table in anger. He scolded, “You have the cheek to scold your sister-in-law? When your father and brother went to Nanjiang, not only did you not take good care of your sister-in-law and nephews, but you also used all sorts of ways to snatch money and property.

“How did this old man raise such an unrighteous, ungrateful, and unfilial thing? Fortunately your brother and I are back. If we didn’t come back, wouldn’t you have driven your sister-in-law out of the house?

“I thought that after the last lesson, you and Nee Wang would really change. I didn’t expect that you were just acting in front of me. When you heard that I was coming back, not only did you not worry about mine and your brother’s safety and take good care of your sister-in-law and nephews, but you used all sorts of schemes instead. You beast!”

Shangguan LingRan picked up the inkstone on the table and threw it.

When it was about to hit Mu YingRui, Zi You’s finger gently flicked. The inkstone landed on Mu YingRui’s shoulder.

This was a play that she and Shangguan LingRan were acting out. If “Old General Mu” angrily punished his son, as his daughter, Zi You had to dissuade Old General Mu. Also, she could not let her slag father be hurt in such an obvious place like his head or his face. If this was spread out, Old General Mu would called heartless because he injured his son on the first day that he came back home.

Shangguan LingRan deliberately hit Mu YingRui’s head and Zi You deliberately went to save him, so that the slag father couldn’t blame his daughter for not pleading for mercy for him. And although the inkstone hit just his shoulder, Zi You might have decreased her power so as not to leave bruises on her slag father, but her spiritual power had shot into Mu YingRui’s Jianjing acpucunture point. Within three days, Mu YingRui’s left shoulder would hurt so much that he wouldn’t be able to life his arm up.

Zi You deliberately went over to her slag father and asked in concern, “Are you okay, father? Did it hit you?”

Mu YingRui clearly did not expect that Zi You would help him. He froze for a moment before shaking his head.

Zi You secretly sneered. She said to “Old General Mu,” “Grandfather, don’t blame father. I think that father isn’t so ruthless. If the matter of him forcing his sister-in-law out of the house while you and uncle are pacifiying the rebellion spreads out, he couldn’t be an official anymore. Is there some misunderstanding? Can you let me talk to father alone?”

“Old General Mu” waved his hand. Zi You immediately pulled Mu YingRui into a side room in Songtao Courtyard.

She pretended to look at Mu YingRui in concern. “Father, why don’t you tell grandfather who instigated you? This person clearly has bad intentions and wants to drive a wedge in our General’s Manor.

“Think about it. Would grandfather spare you if you did such a thing? He would certainly drive you out of the house. The Emperor values filial piety the most. If those imperial censors find out about this, can you still be an official? If that happens, have you thought about what will happen to you, father?”

Mu YingRui froze and started to proclaim his innocence, “You’er, don’t listen to that Lan woman. She is from Nee Liu’s side. Will she say anything good about us from the first household?”

Zi You shook her head and pretended to look displeased at Mu YingRui. “Father, do you think that grandfather is a fool? As long as he asks some servants or investigates, the truth will be revealed.

“You shouldn’t have used such a stupid way to seize property for our first household. Don’t you want to live anymore? Do you want everyone to know that you’re heartless and ruthless? Who gave you this bad idea? Isn’t this person harming you and our first household?”

Mu YingRui was a little hesitant with Zi You saying “our first household.” He didn’t dare to look confidently at Zi You, as if he was asking, “Why are you suddenly close to me and not your uncle after being gone for two years?”