Chapter 12: Seizing Power and Establishing Authority

The old lady had not expected Mu Qi's grip to be so powerful; she failed to react instantly, and by the time she did, she slumped to the ground in a heap, wailing loudly: "I can't live anymore, I can't live anymore! The Mu family has produced such a rebellious daughter; Heaven wants to destroy our Mu clan! Heavens, have mercy, quickly take this rebellious girl away so she doesn't stay to ruin the Mu family!"

Mu Qi had not intended to use such heavy medicine, but the old lady's voice was truly too noisy. Rubbing her ears, she smiled and said, "Rest assured, old lady, Heaven has eyes. If it decides to take me, it will certainly take you first."

The old lady gasped for breath in fury, and suddenly, her vision went black as she fainted.

Just as the courtyard had fallen silent, another voice broke the peace: "Mu Qi! Mu Qi! Get your ass out here!" The man's voice was full of vigor, carrying from the entrance in the distance.

Mu Qi patted the non-existent dust off her clothes. Mu Mingchong was back; the Marquis of Anding's manor was about to get lively. She had been worrying about not finding anyone just now, but now that he had rolled back himself, things would be easy to handle. The manor had been in a state of chaos for over a decade; this was the perfect time to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new before the year ended.

Indeed, the man speaking was Mu Qi's eldest uncle, Mu Mingchong, the eldest brother of the Marquis of Anding. Hearing that her man had returned, Leng Rumei swept away her despondency and scrambled up from the ground, running outside.

A moment later, a thunderous roar of rage could be heard: "Stop! Stop right there, damn you!"

"Hit her! Hit her to death!" Mu Qi's nimble female voice carried an air of majesty.

Mu Mingchong was in a violent rage. Having acted as the master of the house for over a decade, he had long since considered himself the Marquis of Anding, and his aura was imposing: "Mu Qi, you孽障 (wicked creature)! See if I don't teach you a lesson today!" Mu Mingchong had already learned of yesterday's events from the servants, and combined with his wife's recent weeping, he was already itching to kill. He strode toward Mu Qi and reached out to strike.

At that moment, Mu Sang quickly stepped in front of Mu Qi, grabbing Mu Mingchong's hand with one hand: "How dare you! The legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Anding, personally titled by the Emperor, is not someone you can lay a hand on."

Mu Mingchong had not expected Mu Sang to stand up, let alone grab his hand—not only did he grab it, but his strength was so great that Mu Mingchong could not move an inch. Thinking of the many servants watching him, he felt both humiliated and anxious: "Mu Sang, what kind of nobody do you think you are? Out of respect for my acquaintance with my brother, get back to the manor immediately, or don't blame me for being unkind."

Mu Mingchong had previously demanded his wife drive Mu Sang away because he was an obstacle in the manor. Years had passed, and he had long forgotten Mu Sang; seeing him appear now, he instantly regretted not having dealt with him permanently back then.

"Mu Sang is currently the steward of the Marquis's manor. Who dares to drive him away?" Mu Qi had no fear of a mere Mu Mingchong. She stepped out from behind Mu Sang, meeting Mu Mingchong's predatory gaze.

Mu Mingchong often failed to return to the manor. Since Leng Rumei refused to take concubines for him, he kept several women outside. He was rarely home, and he couldn't even remember how long it had been since he had seen this niece.

In his memory, this niece would hide far away from him like a mouse seeing a cat. He had never taken this minor character to heart, but facing her now, he realized this timid niece had somehow become this imposing at some unknown point.

"Father, it hurts so much." Just as Mu Mingchong was dazed, Mu Xiaoqing perfectly added fuel to the fire. The wound that had been covered was torn open again, and blood flowed incessantly.

Mu Mingchong was startled to see his daughter's face covered in blood: "Qing'er, why are you bleeding so much? Who? Who hit you? Daddy will kill them!"

Although Mu Mingchong had many children, including several concubine-born daughters outside, he doted most on the legitimate Mu Xiaoqing. For no other reason than the fact that this daughter was to be married into a high-ranking family; if luck was on her side, she might even marry a Prince or a Heir, which could potentially raise his official rank by two levels.

Seeing his daughter's bloodied face, Mu Mingchong's heart throbbed with anxiety. *Good heavens, please don't let her face be disfigured.*

Mu Xiaoqing had been pampered by her parents and grandmother for over a decade, remaining arrogant and domineering. Whenever she was unhappy, she would go and torment Mu Qi. She had repeated this cycle since she was old enough to remember. Making Mu Qi go hungry or wear rags was common, and physical abuse or intimidation was a daily occurrence. Every time Mu Xiaoqing returned from a banquet with her mother, her bullying of Mu Qi became even more vicious.

This was because, every time, there were noble ladies who would say in front of her with looks of pity: "Is this the Sixth Miss of the Marquis of Anding? Look at her features; she truly has the potential of a beauty. It's just a pity she isn't the Marquis's legitimate daughter. Her looks and figure are excellent, but her status is always a bit lacking."

Whenever Mu Xiaoqing heard these words, she felt both anger and resentment—angry that she wasn't the Marquis's biological daughter, and resentful that that useless Mu Qi always managed to overshadow her at critical moments.

Every time she returned feeling slighted, Mu Xiaoqing would find Mu Qi and give her a beating to vent her frustration. Whenever she saw Mu Qi beaten to the ground, kneeling and begging for mercy, Mu Xiaoqing's twisted heart would swell with triumph. *So what if she's the Marquis's legitimate daughter? She's still being trampled under my feet.*

Having grown accustomed to bullying someone, Mu Xiaoqing never imagined there would be a day when Mu Qi would fight back. From yesterday until just now, they had been the ones losing; it was only after being struck just now that she truly realized this woman, Mu Qi, was insane.

The pain in her forehead was sharp and clear. Touching her face, her hand came away covered in blood, making Mu Xiaoqing feel dizzy. However, she forced herself not to faint. Her father was back; her greatest supporter was back. She wanted to watch how Mu Qi would be dragged into the mud bit by bit by her father.

She glanced at Mu Qi and, seeing her gaze was truly terrifying, remembered the pain of being struck. Mu Xiaoqing shrank fearfully behind Mu Mingchong and wailed aggrievedly: "It was her! Father, she not only hit Uncle, but she also pushed Mother and talked back to Grandmother! The wound on Qing'er's forehead was also caused by her smashing it with a cup! Father, my face is ruined! I can't show my face to anyone!"

As Mu Xiaoqing cried, she kept looking toward Mu Qi. Seeing Mu Qi staring straight at her, she fearfully turned her face away. Mu Xiaoqing had never imagined that one day she would be afraid of someone she had bullied for over a decade.

Hearing Mu Xiaoqing's accusations, Mu Mingchong's eyes looked ready to devour someone, and the veins on his hands bulged: "Mu Qi, what else do you have to say? Someone, come and seize this unfilial, demonic girl!"

Mu Qi let out a light laugh after hearing him: "Eldest Uncle, do you really think you are the Marquis of Anding? This manor still has me, the legitimate daughter. It is not your turn, a member of a branch family, to interfere."

Having said that, she spoke to the gathered servants and slaves: "Listen to me, everyone. I will only say this once: the only master of this manor is I, the Eldest Miss, Mu Qi. If there are any more blind fools who recognize someone else as their master, do not blame this Miss for being ruthless."

As Mu Qi's words fell, the watching servants looked at one another, momentarily unsure of how to choose. It was true that the Eldest Miss was the Marquis's legitimate daughter, but for the past ten-plus years, the Eldest Master had been the head of the household. If the Eldest Miss failed to seize power and they had already recognized her as their mistress, given the personalities of the Eldest Master and his wife, being sold off would be the least of their worries; being beaten to death with a staff was a very real possibility.