Female-dominated society: Striving for the position of powerful minister, doting on Xiao Yunqing

The old man nodded and turned to walk into the house.

Please sit down wherever you like.

"Yes," Shen Chenxi replied, pulling Mu Yunqing to sit down at the table.

Mu Yunqing looked at the person in front of him with a hint of inquiry in his eyes. The person had a very long wound on his face, and there was an unconcealable weariness in his eyes. His lips were as dry as withered wood, his complexion was sallow and thin, and his clothes were tattered.

That wasn't all; even their hands and feet were bound by shackles.

The situation wasn't good, but it didn't look disheveled at all. Instead, it gave off an otherworldly air that made people feel intimidated.

Shen Chenxi spoke first: "Sir, what have you thought about what I told you last night?"

“This plan is not suitable,” the old man shook his head and said, “Come back and discuss terms with me again with a different plan.”

"Is there anything wrong with this? Please explain."

The old man raised an eyebrow at him, a hint of impatience in his expression. "Do you think Zhang Xunyu is a fool? How can you so openly oppose her? It's no different from revealing your identity."

“The old gentleman is right,” Shen Chenxi said, bowing his head. “It was my oversight.”

“These empty words are useless in front of me,” he said in a deep voice. “What I need is a workable path.” The old man turned to look at Mu Yunqing and asked, “And you, what are your thoughts?”

Seeing Shen Chenxi's respectful attitude, Mu Yunqing also showed some respect and replied, "I believe that this matter should not be rushed. Now that the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, taking action rashly will only result in more losses than gains."

The old man scoffed and mocked, "You're just a pretty face, all talk and no action, but you're utterly naive. What's the point?"

"Mu was not just talking the talk."

"Let me ask you," the old man pressed, "you say this matter shouldn't be rushed, so when do you plan to make your move? Is it when she's recuperating and ready to take you down? Or is it when you're willing to hold out and risk your own life? You also say the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, but you know the enemy is in the shadows, so why are you still holding out in the light? Do you think you're smart enough to escape alone with your limited knowledge? Or are you relying on this position to be certain she won't dare to harm you?"

Mu Yunqing: "..."

The last time I was interrogated like this was the last time.

The old man snorted and said, "You two have some schemes, but not many. In my opinion, they are no different from armchair strategists. If you continue like this, you will surely lose. However..." He turned to Shen Chenxi and continued, "Since you saved me, I will show you two a way out."

"Please speak."

The old man said slowly, "What Zhang Xunyu cares about most is her reputation in the mansion. If you want to bring her down, you must start with the people around her. Find some clever servants and maids to spread rumors about her mistreating the servants and make everyone in the mansion panic."

Mu Yunqing frowned slightly: "These rumors alone are probably not enough to cause any real concern."

The old man rolled his eyes at him: "Of course it's not just that. All's fair in war, and people can't fight rumors. Once the rumors spread, she'll be busy suppressing them. At that time, you two can arrange for someone to pretend to join her. She'll be preoccupied with both sides, and you two can take advantage of the situation."

Shen Chenxi's eyes lit up, and he praised, "This plan is brilliant. It allows us to stay behind and continue the attack, while also enabling the two of us to retreat unscathed."

The old man nodded: "After that, you can follow these flaws to gather truly useful evidence and strike the bullseye. Remember, be careful at every step, or all your efforts will be in vain."

The two exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

"Don't thank me yet," the old man waved his hand and said, "What you two lack is not intelligence, but methods. When the plot is unclear, the worst thing you can do is to hide. The deeper you hide, the more vigilant and wary the enemy will be." He looked coldly at Mu Yunqing and reminded him, "When the enemy has everything ready, your side's edge will be dimmed. That will truly be a loss."

Mu Yunqing smiled and cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your guidance, sir. I will remember it."

"Go back."

"Yes."

_

The two left the attic, each with their own thoughts.

Mu Yunqing asked, "Who is that old man?"

“I kidnapped it from the Zhang family,” Shen Chenxi said calmly. “I thought it might be of some use, so I kept it.”

"He was kidnapped?" Mu Yunqing was taken aback. "I saw that you respected him very much, so I thought you two knew each other."

“If he knew him, he would never have acted that way.”

"If you don't know me, why did you kidnap me?"

“Lord Mu,” Shen Chenxi said helplessly, “If you had listened to me properly, you wouldn’t have asked me a second time.”

“What Lord Shen says is true,” Mu Yunqing said, cupping his hands. “However, I have heard everything you said. I was momentarily distracted and made this blunder. I hope Lord Shen will not take offense.”

"A momentary lapse of concentration?" Shen Chenxi said, "Lord Mu is truly preoccupied, never stopping for a moment, thinking of the country and the people." He deliberately emphasized the last two words.

Mu Yunqing: "..."

Shen Chenxi laughed and said, "Why is Lord Mu silent now? Could it be that I hit the nail on the head?"

"Those who serve as officials must naturally serve the country and its people. Since it is their duty, why talk about moderation?" Mu Yunqing slowly countered.

"Lord Mu's mouth is so sharp," he said, "Even if I had ten more, I still couldn't argue with it."

“Then there’s no need to say anything more,” Mu Yunqing said earnestly. “Lord Shen, we need to settle the matter at the Zhang residence first.”

“That’s for sure,” Shen Chenxi said. “The old man is from the Zhang family after all. He knows Zhang Xunyu’s actions all too well. With his help, we will definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort.”

"It seems that Lord Shen has the upper hand?"

"You flatter me, Lord Mu," he said with a smile. "It was just a small trick. However, I still need your cooperation on this matter."

"What do you need me to do?"

Shen Chenxi took out a letter from his bosom and instructed, "Lord Mu, I will be spreading the word in the city these next few days. When the time is right, give this letter to Prime Minister Mu, and she will understand."

"Prime Minister Mu?" Mu Yunqing looked at him in confusion: "What does this have to do with her?"

"You'll find out then," Shen Chenxi said. "It's getting late, Lord Mu, you should go back and rest early. I still have matters to attend to at my residence, so I won't see you off any longer."

Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Mu Yunqing nodded and said, "In that case, I will not bother you any longer. Farewell."

_

three days later

News of the Zhang residence spread like wildfire, and Mu Yunqing went to the Prime Minister's residence to deliver a message as planned.

As I passed by the kitchen, I saw Xiangqin carrying breakfast toward Fanglan Garden. After walking a few steps, I saw her stop.

Upon closer inspection, it looks like they're administering drugs?

Xiangqin is Muyan's personal maid, and she has always been loyal. She would never do such a thing.

But people's hearts are unpredictable, so we must be wary. Mu Yunqing became suspicious and followed Xiangqin all the way.

_

Fanglan Garden

Xiangqin placed breakfast on the table and turned to help Muyan out of bed: "Master, it's time to eat."

Mu Yan agreed and was about to pick up the bowl to drink the porridge when a dart shattered the porcelain bowl, leaving only a fragment in her hand.

Mu Yan was stunned for a moment. When she saw Mu Yunqing reach out to snatch the bowl from her hand, she quickly drank the porridge from the broken piece in one gulp.

"Spit it out!" Mu Yunqing was anxious and reached out to pry open Mu Yan's mouth, but she dodged him.

"Lord Mu," Mu Yan said helplessly, "where is your manners...?"

"What time is it for etiquette? Don't you know there's something wrong with this porridge?"

“I know,” Mu Yan coughed a few times, “but I only drank one sip, I won’t die.”

"Knowing you still drank," Mu Yunqing helped her to a chair and said coldly, "Are you so eager to die that you think you're lucky enough to have a long life like a cat or dog?"

Mu Yan rolled her eyes at him and waved her hand, saying, "Don't worry, it's just a little poison, you won't die."

"You said you wouldn't die, but there was clearly something poisoned in the porridge." Mu Yunqing was furious at Mu Yan's nonchalant attitude. "Why did you do this?"

Mu Yan said, "Could you please let me hear what I have to say first... cough cough, I've run into some trouble lately and have no choice but to do this. But... since you're here, could you help me put on a show later?"

"Acting? What time is it, and you're still thinking about acting?" Mu Yunqing was about to retort when she suddenly heard footsteps outside.

Mu Yan coldly said, "Kneel down!"

Before he could react, Mu Yan forced him to kneel on the ground, followed by the sound of a porcelain bowl shattering on the floor.

Mu Yunyan and the others rushed over upon hearing the noise, only to find the room in a mess. Mu Yan was sitting in a chair, her face pale, clutching her abdomen in pain.

"Ayan!" Mu Yunyan's heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward to pull him into her arms. "What happened?"

Mu Yan said weakly, "Mother... I only drank a mouthful of plain porridge today, and my stomach started to hurt. I don't know why."

"Are you talking about this bowl of white porridge on the ground?"

"Yes."

"How could a bowl of plain porridge cause such severe stomach pain?" Mu Xi questioned. "Could it be that Third Sister ate something else?"

Mu Yan replied, "Big sister has reminded me... The medicine I've been taking these past few days has indeed been a bit mixed up..." Before she could finish speaking, she fainted from the pain.

"Where's the doctor! Quickly, go and fetch a doctor!" Mu Yunyan helped the person to the bed, turned to Xiangqin, and asked, "What medicine has Ayan been taking these past few days?"

"Reporting to you, my lord," Xiangqin said, "the medicine I'm drinking is the one the doctor prescribed a few days ago, and also..."

"What else?"

Xiangqin replied to Muyan's instructions, "There's also the tonic that the young lady sent. Perhaps the two medicines are incompatible, which is why I have such a bad stomachache."

"A tonic? Xi'er," Mu Yunyan said in a deep voice, "What's going on?"

Mu Xi immediately knelt down, "Mother, the medicine I sent was just ordinary tonic, it would never cause Third Sister to suffer from abdominal pain."

Mu Yunyan helped her up and said softly, "There's no need to kneel. I was just asking. You three sisters have been harmonious since childhood, so you certainly wouldn't harm each other."

Mu Xi nodded in agreement, her face showing a hint of grievance.

Mu Xue comforted her softly, "Mu Yan is already delicate and frail. Now that she's sick, it's her own fault. There's no need to be sad over someone like that."

Mu Xi shook her head, feigning self-reproach, and said, "It's my fault for being ignorant of pharmacology. I was only hoping that my third sister would recover soon, and I completely forgot about the incompatibilities of different medicines."

"This isn't your fault, it's all her fault for being stupid," Mu Xue mocked. "She studies medicine every day, how could she not know about the incompatibilities of medicines? I think she did it on purpose! She deliberately wanted to attract attention!"

"Shut up!" Mu Yunyan said coldly, "Isn't it chaotic enough already?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Xi quickly lowered her head.

Before long, the doctor rushed over and took Mu Yan's pulse.

"How is she?" Mu Yunyan asked.

The doctor bowed and said, "The Third Miss's body is severely weakened. The two medicines clashed and triggered her old ailment, which is why she has been suffering from abdominal pain. Furthermore, she has a weak spleen and stomach, and she is also seriously injured. She should no longer have breakfast like white porridge, but instead eat dry food to benefit her spleen and stomach."

"Alright, I'll have someone take care of that." Mu Yunyan pressed on, "Then, will you continue taking the medicine you prescribed earlier?"

"Don't rush to give her the medicine," the doctor said seriously. "The Third Miss's spleen and stomach are damaged, and she also suffers from a pre-existing condition. The medicine is toxic and will only make her feel worse. I see that her injuries are also quite severe. Continue applying the ointment. Remember to stop all medications, whether they are tonics or wound medicines, and don't give them to her."

The doctor placed the ointment on the table and said, "This is a new medicine I developed these past few days. Apply it together with the previous ointment, and it will help you recover faster."

"Thank you, doctor."

"You're too kind, sir. It's what I should do," the doctor said, pulling the blanket up for Mu Yan. He continued, "The Third Miss has fainted for now, but she will wake up later. She needs to rest quietly, so please don't disturb her."

Mu Yunyan nodded and said, "Alright, I'll take the people out now." After saying that, she left with Mu Xi and Mu Xue.

After the group left, Xiangqin slipped a few taels of silver into the doctor's hand and whispered, "Thank you for your trouble."

"It is a doctor's duty to save lives," the doctor said. "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

"I'll see you off," Xiangqin said.

The doctor responded and, led by Xiangqin, walked outside.

The door closed, and Mu Yan sat up from the couch with a swift movement, looking down at Mu Yunqing: "Still kneeling?"

Mu Yunqing looked up at the person in front of her. Just a moment ago, she had been suffering from severe abdominal pain, but now she seemed to be perfectly fine.

Long time no see, and you've become so much more cunning than before.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Mu Yan felt uneasy under his gaze and couldn't help but ask, "Is there something dirty on my face?"

“No,” Mu Yunqing patted his clothes and looked at her with a half-smile: “Miss Mu San put on a good show, actually fooling everyone.”

"Really?" Mu Yan shrugged, saying casually, "I have a feeling that some people didn't believe it from the very beginning."

"You mean Mu Xi?"

"I mean you."

Mu Yunqing straightened up and said, "When have I ever not believed you?"

“When I said I wouldn’t die, you didn’t believe me,” Mu Yan said. “And when I told you to kneel down, you stood so straight, that was also because you didn’t believe me.”

"I was..."

“You don’t need to explain,” Mu Yan interrupted. “Eight out of ten things you say are things I don’t want to hear.” She clutched her chest and added, “You heard it yourself. My spleen and stomach are damaged, and I have a chronic illness. My body is too weak to hear what you’re saying.”

"Since I met you, have I ever said a single bad word about you?"

Mu Yan shook her head.

"Then you..." Mu Yunqing sighed, "Fine, I won't argue with you. You told me you've encountered some trouble, what is it?"

"It's alright now," Mu Yan replied, "I just took care of it. Pretty impressive, right?"

Mu Yunqing scoffed, "The solution you're talking about is a damaged spleen and stomach, or a pre-existing condition?"

“Yes,” Mu Yan poured herself a cup of tea and smiled, “They’re trying every trick in the book to make things difficult for me. If I don’t pretend to be weak, how can I live up to their good intentions?”

She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes at all.

"Does the injury on your side still hurt?" he asked.

Mu Yan paused in her teacup, seemingly surprised by his question, and countered, "Is Lord Mu simply offering his perfunctory greetings?"