The couple exchanged glances and sighed, feeling that the Xu family was facing bad luck.
Just as they thought, Xu Minghui, after regaining consciousness and weighing the pros and cons, became even more dejected and fell ill the next day.
Every time Mu Fei touched the scratches on her face and thought of Wu Caiwei's perfect face, she was consumed by envy.
Wu Caiwei raised an eyebrow in surprise as she looked at the woman who had barged into her room. This was the first time she had entered in so long. If she guessed correctly, the servants must have tried to stop her, but given Mu Fei's reckless nature, she would have undoubtedly pushed through their obstruction. Indeed, the next moment, the maids and servants looked at her apologetically. Wu Caiwei waved her hand.
If it's a blessing, it can't be avoided; if it's a curse, it can't be escaped. Since the other party clearly intended to cause trouble, she couldn't keep hiding.
"This is the first time little sister has visited big sister's room. Truly, fortunes turn. Who would have thought that the one who entered the Mu family in such dire straits would now be doted on by Father? While I, the young lady who was once held in the palm of his hand and feared to melt in my mouth, am now ignored. It truly is one time after another." Mu Fei smiled brilliantly at her, speaking as if she were detached from the situation.
"This is called 'thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river.' In fact, you are quite fortunate compared to your personal maids. At least you were born a lady. Their fates are not in their own hands; their lives and deaths are controlled by others. Contentment leads to happiness."
"Is big sister teaching me how to behave from a position of victory?" Mu Fei smiled and took two steps forward. Before they knew it, the distance between them had shrunk considerably, making Wu Caiwei slightly uncomfortable.
Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly saw a flash of cold light and instinctively struck out. The next moment, she heard the sound of a hairpin hitting the floor.
"What do you want?" Wu Caiwei looked at her in shock.
"What do I want? So many eyes have seen this, are you asking the obvious? I want to ruin your face, make you even uglier than I am, and have you trampled under my feet forever, unable to rise again." Although the former Mu Fei was wicked in heart, she still cared about her reputation and knew how to conceal her actions. But in her current state, she knew that no amount of dignity and grace would help; her fate was sealed. So, she decided to go all out, dragging everyone down to hell with her.
Wu Caiwei couldn't be bothered to argue with her further and directly ordered someone to drag her out. Since she had already reached this state, both Master Mu and Madam Mu felt guilty towards her. Even if she were to complain, it would be a minor issue with no real consequence.
The priority now was to prevent the Xu family from easily breaking off the engagement. Although many doctors had attended to her when she first joined the Mu family, the Emperor had eventually sent an imperial physician. The actual outcome of the treatment was not widely known by most. Furthermore, Madam Mu was very protective of her daughter and kept a tight rein on the household, forbidding any news from spreading outside. Therefore, the news of her disfigurement had only spread within a small circle.
Most people's attention was focused on the imperial court. If at first they had adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards the Emperor's reprimands of the Crown Prince, now they were certain of the Emperor's displeasure. Almost every court session, he was scolded by the Emperor and lost more of his followers.
"Your Highness, we cannot endure this any longer. Our manpower is dwindling. You must make a decision, or you'll find yourself with no one to rely on when the time comes." His advisor looked at him with concern. They had initially believed that after following the Crown Prince for so many years, his position was extremely stable, and they would be able to retire with immense wealth and honor within two years. They never expected the Emperor to suddenly change his mind, catching them completely off guard. Sudancx.com
"Let me think about it again."
"How many times have you said that? If you had listened to us from the beginning, you wouldn't be in this situation." As soon as he spoke, some advisors who had had enough stood up, looked at him with disdain, and turned to leave. They were deeply disappointed in the Crown Prince. They had initially followed him because they believed he was the rightful heir, decisive, and capable of great achievements. Now, it seemed they needed to find a new master.
The Crown Prince watched them stir, tempted to follow their example. He closed his eyes and made a decision, "Alright, we'll do as you say."
The room immediately fell silent. After a while, someone asked uncertainly, "Your Highness isn't joking, are you?"
"I've thought it through. As you all said, even if I don't strive for it, the victor takes all. What if I fail to secure that position? My wife, my children, and I will not be spared. It's better to stake my life on this endeavor. What if I succeed?"
The others exchanged glances, finally convinced that the Crown Prince was serious. They quickly sat down and began discussing their strategy.
In the palace, discussions were also underway about the heir apparent. "Mama, what do you think of the Fifth Prince?"
"Your Majesty, when you ask me, you already have an idea in mind. Since you've asked, allow me to offer my humble opinion. The Fifth Prince is good at present, but people's hearts are fickle. Who knows what the future holds? After all, the Crown Prince was also very well-behaved when he first came before Your Majesty," a stern woman with white hair said to the Empress, chatting with her familiarly.
"Indeed, we have navigated the treacherous waters of the inner court for a lifetime, and we know that human hearts are the most susceptible to testing," the Empress sighed, regretting her past actions in her current situation.
Those who are remembered by the Emperor for a lifetime are never simple. In fact, the Empress had her own little schemes in the incident back then, but she never expected her small plan to lead to a lifetime of regret.
Actually, when danger loomed, she had already received news. To seize this opportunity to win the Emperor's heart, she had even put herself in harm's way, shielding the Emperor from a sword. As a result, she was accidentally shot in the abdomen, losing her ability to bear children.
If she had a child and supported him wholeheartedly, no matter what, they were mother and son. She wouldn't have had to constantly second-guess him like the Crown Prince.
Unfortunately, there are no "ifs" in life. The reality was that she was alone in the palace and still had to scheme for the Xu family.
"I heard that yesterday the Fifth Prince was ambushed while traveling. Fortunately, he had a skilled protector with him, and he escaped unharmed, sustaining only minor injuries."
"Fifth Prince's luck is quite good. I hope he can maintain it." The Empress's face finally showed a hint of a smile when the Fifth Prince was mentioned.
Although the two of them often pressured him, their closeness to the Fifth Prince had recently provoked some people. He had been experiencing assassinations of varying degrees as if it were an everyday occurrence.
At first, the Empress felt guilty about this. Later, she suddenly realized that the Fifth Prince also had ambitions, but he was very clever, trying to use her as an entry point.