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

Shen Chenxi sat in front of the desk, resting his chin on his hand, and looked out the window.

Several branches of white plum blossoms bloomed, releasing a delicate fragrance. Sunlight streamed down the branches, illuminating the white robe she wore.

With a slight turn of her head, she saw Mu Yunqing playing with a cat in the corridor. He moved the medicine bowl forward a few steps, and Tuanzi shook her head and walked away.

Shen Chenxi couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Even cats dislike this medicine, so it must be incredibly bitter."

"If Lord Shen is curious, he may wish to try it himself."

“No need,” Shen Chenxi said. “If you can tell by smell, why do you need to taste it yourself?”

That made sense, and Mu Yunqing couldn't refute it. Zhao Siheng's medicine smelled bad, tasted bitter, and even after finally swallowing it, it burned his throat terribly.

He put down the medicine bowl and slowly walked towards Shen Chenxi. "Lord Shen seems quite leisurely today, even having the mind to watch me feed the cat."

Shen Chenxi snorted lightly, "It's quite amusing that Lord Mu, despite his sickly appearance, still finds time to amuse himself by playing with the cat."

Mu Yunqing frowned slightly, seemingly displeased. "I don't know when my eyes will get better, so I can only try to pass the time by doing something interesting."

A servant rushed over and whispered a few words to Shen Chenxi. Shen Chenxi's expression changed slightly, and he said in a low voice, "I understand, you can go now."

Hearing the commotion, Mu Yunqing asked, "Has something happened?"

Shen Chenxi glanced at him and said indifferently, "It's just some trivial matters in the manor. Someone is being restless."

Mu Yunqing smiled slightly, "There are always trivial and complicated things in this deep mansion. I'm afraid Lord Shen will have to put in some effort."

Shen Chenxi stood up, straightened his clothes, and said, "Lord Mu, please take good care of your health and don't worry about other people's affairs." After saying that, he quickly left.

_

Shen Mansion Pavilion

As soon as Shen Chenxi entered, he saw an old man drying vegetables. The vegetables were washed clean and neatly arranged in front of the door.

Shen Chenxi was a clean freak, a fact known to everyone in the manor. The servants were extremely meticulous in their daily cleaning and tidying, afraid that even the slightest imperfection would displease him.

If he is unhappy, those of them who are servants will have an even worse time.

But today was different from usual. Upon seeing this situation, Shen Chenxi only frowned slightly.

The two maids standing nearby, holding brooms, dared not step forward. Seeing their young master arrive, they hurriedly called out, "Young master, this old man is so stubborn! We've already told him not to, but he insists on drying his clothes in the sun, and we can't stop him!"

"Shut up, you mustn't be rude to the master." Shen Chenxi scolded him, then stepped forward to greet the old man: "I am late, I have frightened you, sir."

The old man snorted and glanced at the two maids. Shen Chenxi understood and waved for them to leave.

"Sir, what happened today..."

"I don't want it to happen again."

"Don't worry, this will never happen again," Shen Chenxi said, glancing down at the vegetables on the ground. "But I wonder... what is the meaning behind your actions, sir?"

The old man pointed at the vegetables on the ground and scoffed, "So straightforward, and you still can't understand?"

Shen Chenxi's expression stiffened, and he said respectfully, "I understand. The old gentleman is right."

"A lesson?" The old man reclined in his rocking chair and said coldly, "You don't seem like the type to be taught a lesson. Why didn't you follow my advice regarding the Zhang family's affairs?"

"Sir, Zhang Xunyu cannot be allowed to live."

"I know she can't be kept alive, but do you know how much trouble your actions will cause?" the old man said in a deep voice. "The Zhang family is a complex web of power. If she dies, everything will come to light, and the forces behind her will certainly not let it go. How will you deal with yourself when you confront them head-on?"

"With all this involved, do you think they can get away unscathed?" Shen Chenxi said, "They worked under Zhang Xunyu, so they all have some blood on their hands. Once they have blood on their hands, they can't escape responsibility. If His Majesty investigates, none of them will be able to get away with it."

The old man sat up straight, his eyes piercing. “Her Majesty’s thoughts are unpredictable now. How can you be sure she will investigate to the end? If she stops halfway, those forces will retaliate, and your Shen family will be the first to suffer.”

Shen Chenxi was silent for a moment before replying, "I have considered the risks, but my Shen family is not entirely unprepared. Furthermore, Zhang Xunyu holds a high position in the court, and if she makes a mistake, His Majesty will not easily close the case."

"That's enough," the old man said, closing his eyes. "It's good that you have a plan in mind. You may leave now."

"Yes."

_

That night.

In the east courtyard, looking through the window, a group of servants were sleeping soundly on the shared sleeping platform.

Winter snow is cold. Even wrapped in a quilt and with a charcoal brazier burning, you will still feel cold.

The servant sleeping on the second bunk was shivering with cold. He looked up and saw that the window directly opposite the door was wide open.

"Who the hell opened the window in the freezing cold?" he muttered, stomping on his shoes as he got up to close the window.

The moment my hand touched the windowsill, I was pulled out of the window.

The servant was so frightened that he was about to shout, but a cold hand covered his mouth.

By the faint moonlight, he could see that the person in front of him was none other than the Third Miss who had been smiling at him during the day.

"Shh, don't make a sound," Mu Yan whispered.

The servant nodded in fear. Mu Yan dragged him to a secluded corner.

She asked, "Do you know what it feels like to be hit on the body with a paddle?"

The servant shook his head, trembling.

Mu Yan's eyes sharpened, but she still smiled and said, "It seems you don't know, but that's alright, I'll let you know."

She covered the servant's mouth tightly with one hand, and with the other hand she gripped the knife and plunged it into the servant's palm, slashing downwards forcefully: "Does it hurt? Xiangqin felt the same pain back then."

The servant's eyes widened, and he let out a painful whimper. He struggled violently, kicking his legs wildly on the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Mu Yan's expression was cold as she continued her work, twisting her wrist to slice the blade horizontally deep into the flesh, then forcefully lifting it upwards. With a cracking sound, accompanied by the faint sound of tearing muscle and bone, the servant's hand was severed.

Blood splattered, splashing onto the hem of Mu Yan's white skirt like specks of red plum blossoms. The servant fainted from the pain, and Mu Yan released her grip, letting the severed hand and the blood-stained knife fall to the ground together.

She took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the bloodstains from her face, her eyes filled with ruthlessness: "When you did it, you should have known this day would come."

_

Qichun Garden

It rained last night.

Petals fell along the low wall, covering the ground. The red plum blossoms, like fire, added a touch of joy to the courtyard.

Mu Xi sat at the table, raising her hand to tease the birds in the cage.

"Your Highness, your beauty porridge is ready," a maidservant called softly from the side.

"Bring it here."

"Yes."

Mu Xi took the drink but only drank one sip before spitting it all out. Seeing this, the maid quickly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe her mouth. "Master, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Who cooked this porridge today?"

"As usual, I cooked it myself. Master... is there something wrong with the porridge?"

"So, you know there's something wrong with the porridge?" Mu Xi shoved the porridge aside and grabbed the maid by the neck. "Did Mu Yan send you to harm me?"

“Master…this servant would never dare to harm you,” the maid struggled desperately to explain. “This servant truly does not know what is wrong with this porridge. From selecting the ingredients to cooking it, I did everything myself. If this servant truly wanted to harm you, why would I have waited until today!”

Mu Xi snorted coldly and released her hand: "Then why is this porridge so sour and unpalatable today?"

"Sour?" the maid asked in confusion. "This porridge is sweet, how could it be sour!"

"Are you trying to say that I'm wronging you?"

"This servant dares not..." She paused, then added, "Master! This servant understands, it must be a problem with the water."

Mu Xi retorted sharply, "What could be wrong with the water? Do you think I'm a fool?"

The maid knelt down with a thud. "My lady, please calm down. It rained in Qichun Garden yesterday, and there were many fallen leaves and withered flowers where I fetched water. They must have gotten mixed in and spoiled the taste. It was definitely not intentional."

Mu Xi frowned deeply. "Really?"

The maid nodded repeatedly, "I guarantee it with my life."

Mu Xi then calmed down and said, "Go and cook another bowl."

The maidservant hurriedly withdrew and started cooking porridge again. Mu Xi leaned back in her chair, still vaguely feeling that something was wrong.

As I was deep in thought, a commotion came from outside the door.

"What's all the noise about!" Mu Xi shouted angrily.

The maid stammered, "Master... a severed hand was pulled out of the well!"

"A severed hand?" Mu Xi suppressed her nausea and said to the maid with feigned composure, "Take me to see it."

When they arrived at the well, the servants all lowered their heads and dared not speak.

Mu Xi looked at the severed hand, and her stomach churned. The hand was white from being soaked in water, and a jade ring was clearly visible on the finger.

Jade ring, jade ring...

She suddenly remembered that this jade ring was the one she had given to Mu Yan years ago.

Mu Yan was warning her.

The maid asked, "Master, shall we report this to the police?"

“No need,” Mu Xi turned her back and instructed, “Have someone take care of this hand. This matter must not be made public, and Mother must not know about it.”

_

Green Bamboo Garden

Xiao Jiang paced back and forth in the room, sometimes tidying up things, and sometimes running over to serve food to Mu Yunqing.

"Young Master Mu, please eat more." Xiao Jiang looked pained. "If we eat this meal, I'm afraid we won't have another one."

Mu Yunqing paused, her hand holding the chopsticks still. "You're leaving?"

"It's not me, it's us." Xiao Jiang said earnestly, "Young Master Mu, we all have to leave, the sooner the better!"

"Why are you leaving?"

"Oh dear, how should I tell you this..." Xiao Jiang was extremely anxious. He couldn't very well tell him that he had originally planned to run away that night, but felt guilty about it, so he waited here all night.

"You might as well speak your mind," Mu Yunqing said. "My courtyard is quiet and secluded, and no outsiders usually come here."

Xiao Jiang was half-believing and half-doubting. He looked around before saying, "Young Master Mu, you might not believe it, but last night when I went out to relieve myself, I saw..."

"what did you see?"

"When I saw the Third Miss, she...she dismembered a corpse into eight pieces," Xiao Jiang said in horror. "You didn't see it, the ground was covered in blood, all white flesh! I was almost scared to death. I covered my mouth and dared not make a sound, trying to pretend I didn't see anything, but the Third Miss appeared in front of me in a flash!"

“She was covered in blood and holding up a dark, lumpy thing. She asked me if I wanted to eat it! I was terrified and tried to back away as fast as I could, but for every step I took back, the Third Miss took a step forward.”

"I was so scared I didn't dare move, and then the Third Miss asked me—"

"What are you talking about?" Mu Yan asked.

Xiao Jiang turned around abruptly, her face turning pale with fright. "Third Miss...Third Miss!"

"Why are you so frightened?" Mu Yan stopped in front of him, looked down at him, and spoke gently.

"No," Xiao Jiang said, trying to appear calm. "I'm just happy. Miss San... it's so rare for you to come here. I'm so happy." As she spoke, tears began to fall.

He doesn't want to die!

He toiled like a beast of burden his whole life, never enjoying a single good day. He never married, never had children, and wasn't even a complete person.

How could he die? He doesn't want to die young!

It doesn't look good at all when it's engraved on a tombstone.

"If you're happy, why are you crying?" Mu Yan handed him a handkerchief, but he didn't dare to reach out and take it.

"Third Miss..."

"Wipe it off," Mu Yan said softly, handing him a handkerchief. "You won't look good if you cry and it gets all smudged."

But when Xiao Jiang heard these words, they became: "If you cry your eyes out, it'll be harder to kill you."

Xiao Jiang's legs went weak, and he staggered toward Mu Yunqing, crying, "Young Master Mu, save me! Young Master, save me!"

Mu Yan walked to his side, grabbed him, and laughed, "He can't save you. He's barely able to save himself."

Mu Yunqing said calmly, "Third Miss's actions are probably inappropriate. Xiao Jiang has not done anything wrong."

Mu Yan sneered, "He saw something he shouldn't have seen, so he has to die."

Mu Yunqing slowly stood up, shielding Xiao Jiang behind her: "If Miss San insists on doing this, I'm afraid she will be branded as cruel and bloodthirsty in the future."

"My reputation is already ruined," Mu Yan said. "Even if another life is lost, it won't make a difference."

Xiao Jiang pleaded, "Third Miss, please don't kill me! I promise I won't say a word!"

What if you did tell me?

"If I dare to utter a single... no, even half a word!" he said earnestly, "Xiao Jiang will be at your disposal!"

Mu Yan turned her head and said, "Did Lord Mu hear that clearly? He said that if he dares to utter a single word, he can do whatever he wants with me."

"Listen clearly."

"That's good then," Mu Yan waved her hand and said, "You can go out now. I have something to say to Lord Mu."

Xiao Jiang was overjoyed and ran out in a flash. But once outside, he felt like he wasn't human; Young Master Mu had just been protecting him, while he had only cared about himself.

But going back is impossible.

I only beg the Third Miss to spare his life, considering how handsome Young Master Mu is.

"Why did you deliberately scare him?" Mu Yunqing asked.

Mu Yan circled behind him, her tone somewhat distant: "Lord Mu, are you standing up for him?"

"No, not really," Mu Yunqing said, "I'm just a little curious."

Mu Yan pressed the dagger against Mu Yunqing's throat and said, "Lord Mu's expression doesn't seem like curiosity, it's more like disbelief."

"There's nothing unbelievable about it; it's just human nature. If it were me, I would also deal with the person who caused the trouble."

Mu Yan was taken aback, and then she heard him say, "Mu Yan, this isn't the first time I've seen you kill someone."

Mu Yan's eyes turned cold, and she said in a deep voice, "Then you are even less likely to be allowed to live."

Upon hearing this, Mu Yunqing simply smiled and replied, "If you really wanted to kill me, you wouldn't have left the dagger here."

Mu Yan sheathed the dagger and said calmly, "I really don't want to kill you, but you have to do me a favor."

He said, "Miss Mu's ability to kill is growing day by day, but she can't learn the attitude of asking for favors at all."

“I’m not asking you for anything,” Mu Yan said, “it’s you who has to help me.”

"help you with what?"

“I’ve finished the bottle of medicine you gave me earlier. It’s working quite well. Could you find me another bottle?” She placed the silver on the table and said, “I won’t take advantage of you. I’ll pay for the medicine as usual. Once you find it, just give it to Xiangqin.”

Mu Yunqing: "..."