Your Highness, please stop chasing me.

Chapter 12 Marrying into the Royal Family

Watching Mu Hu walk away quickly, Mu Xue stared blankly at Kang Mama standing in the distance.

Seeing Mu Xue's bewildered expression, Kang Mama couldn't help but laugh. She walked to Mu Xue's side and smoothed her long, black hair: "My lady, anyone would find it unbelievable to hear about how to kill their father's concubine."

"What you say is true, so, should I be more tactful next time?" Mu Xue asked, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Hehe, my lady, you're so cute!" Granny Kang smiled and ruffled Mu Xue's hair.

Mu Xue looked at Kang Mama speechlessly, wondering if Kang Mama would think that she was doing a good job if she killed someone right now.

Inside the Jingci Nunnery on Cangnan Mountain, the moon rises above the branches.

After a day of feeling cooped up in the carriage, Mu Jiaojiao finally gained her freedom and couldn't wait to run to Aunt An's room.

"Mother, do you think the Jiang family's matter will work out?" Mu Jiaojiao asked excitedly.

“It won’t work.” Aunt An took a sip of tea, then put it down with a look of disdain.

"Huh? Then why did Brother Mo pull this stunt?" Mu Jiaojiao asked, somewhat disappointed.

"It's a test, and also to lay the groundwork for annulmenting the engagement." Aunt An tapped Mu Jiaojiao's forehead with her finger.

"Mother, does this mean Brother Mo is going to abandon Mu Xue and choose us?" Mu Jiaojiao had always been concerned about the plans of Prince Jing and his son regarding the Mu family. Putting everything else aside, Mo Shijie was one of the four great talents of the Southern Jade Kingdom. While not as outstanding as the four young masters of other kingdoms, he was still quite capable.

"This whole affair is also Miss Jiang's fault. Who told her to provoke that wretched girl Mu Xue a few days ago? Even if she gets away this time, her reputation is definitely ruined. What everyone says will eventually become true." Aunt An instructed Mu Jiaojiao.

"Mu Xue isn't mentally impaired anymore, but she only has one old woman, Granny Kang, by her side. That old hag is also a simpleton, otherwise how could Mu Xue have been so easily manipulated by us all these years?" Aunt An said smugly.

"Mother, since it's just Kang Momo, why should we worry so much? We can just find someone to kill that little bitch Mu Xue," Mu Jiaojiao said dismissively.

Aunt An shook her head and said earnestly, "You're still short-sighted and don't see the whole picture. Even though I've managed things so well all these years, we still have guards in our mansion who are loyal to the Duke's mansion. They might cause us some minor trouble, and those men don't understand these things between women, but when lives are truly in danger, they won't stand idly by. I can't bribe or coerce those people. That girl must also have people left by your father to protect her. Don't let her fool you because she was mentally challenged back then; she's still the child of that bastard Shen Wan. Your father won't abandon her. We can only let her bring about her own destruction; otherwise, my daughter and I will suffer the same fate."

"Mother, Jiaojiao understands." Mu Jiaojiao had come to understand what Aunt An had done all these years, and she nodded seriously.

"Jiaojiao, you are my only child, and I will make the best arrangements for you." What Aunt An has always wanted is the position of the principal wife.

"Mother, as long as I can marry Brother Mo, isn't that the best arrangement for me?" Mu Jiaojiao said shyly.

"Jiaojiao, once your father returns to the capital to report, I'm afraid we'll have to go back to the Duke's mansion in the capital," Aunt An said.

Then, she took Mu Jiaojiao's hand and continued, "Jiaojiao, while the Prince of Jing's heir is indeed of noble status, you are also a young lady of the Duke's mansion. Once Mu Xue disappears, you will rightfully be the only eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Think long-term. When we go to the capital, it's not impossible for you to marry into the royal family." Aunt An said mysteriously.

"But Mother, Jiaojiao loves Brother Mo and wants to marry him. He's very good to me," Mu Jiaojiao said shyly, not understanding what Aunt An meant.

"The Prince Jing's heir is good to you because you are valuable. Now he has sent someone to kill Jiang Xirou and frame Mu Xue. This is the choice made by the Prince Jing's mansion. If there is a more valuable woman, would he still be good to you? The Prince Jing's heir is not indispensable to you. Don't forget, the Princess Jing is that bitch Shen Wan's best friend." Aunt An advised Mu Jiaojiao.

"I understand what Mother said. I will follow Mother's arrangements." Mu Jiaojiao was also somewhat tempted. If she could become an imperial concubine, her status would be much more noble than that of a mere princess consort.

Aunt An didn't say much, saying that everything would be clear after they returned to the capital.

The two were still inside the house, dreaming about life in the capital, unaware that a dark figure on the roof had overheard their entire conversation.

Seeing that there was nothing important, the dark figure leaped up, landed silently, and disappeared into the endless night.

As the night deepened and the dew grew heavy, candlelight flickered in the Feather Moon Garden, casting the slender figure of a woman on the window, dreamlike and ethereal.

"Master," Mu Hu called softly from outside the door.

A moment later, the door creaked open from the inside: "Come in," a bright and soft female voice called out.

Mu Hu brushed off the dust that had accidentally gotten on his clothes while rushing through the doorway and stepped into the study.

"Master, as you predicted, Aunt An and the Sixth Miss were not in a hurry to travel, and they only arrived at Jingci Nunnery after dark. I also heard that the Jiang family's young lady was murdered by someone hired by the Prince of Jing's heir." Mu Hu said methodically.

“This must have been done by one of the two people,” Mu Xue said, not without surprise.

"Why is Master so certain that it was Prince Jing and Concubine An who did it?" Mu Hu asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Ah Hu, have you heard that I am engaged to Prince Jing's son?" Mu Xue asked, though her tone was certain.

Everyone knew about Mu Xue's marriage to the heir of the Jing Prince's mansion. It's just that the original owner of this body was a mentally challenged young lady, and no one would have thought that the prestigious Jing Prince's mansion would marry a fool as his heir's wife.

"I've heard of it, but I've heard..." Mu Hu recalled what Mo Shijie had said and was unsure whether he should speak.

"Speak freely," Mu Xue said, unconcerned.

"It was my fault for being so dense. Young Master Mo once said that he wanted to break off the engagement, but this marriage was originally proposed by Prince Jing's mansion and agreed to by Princess Shengping. It was a beautiful story back then, but later, Miss..." Mu Hu awkwardly touched his nose.

Mu Xue: Hehe, thank you.

"Later, my mother passed away, and I became mentally impaired. The Jing Prince's Mansion couldn't break the contract at that time, so it's been dragging on until now. Although the Princess Consort of Jing was my mother's close friend, my mother is no longer here. Who can guarantee what she's been thinking all these years?" Mu Xue continued, picking up where Mu Hu left off. "My mother left me, her daughter, alive, and I was still engaged to the Jing Prince's Mansion, but this Princess Consort of Jing has never visited me even once. This shows the attitude of the Jing Prince's Mansion."

"Yes, it seems like Prince Mo is trying to frame you, but it's hard to say whether Prince Jing is involved." Mu Hu hesitated for a moment, then continued, "I also heard that Aunt An had an agreement with someone in Prince Jing's household back then, but she didn't say it explicitly. I also couldn't think of anyone who would harm a child. However, today, from what Aunt An said, it seems she wants the Sixth Miss to marry into the royal family. Judging from her tone, she has a plan." Mu Hu shared his analysis with Mu Xue.

"The Jiang family's matter has been reported to the authorities. Now it's up to them to investigate. They want to cause trouble in the residence of the Duke's heir. They should ask around the Jiang family. This Mr. Jiang probably knows something." Mu Xue thought for a moment and then said, "Now, it seems that the Prince Jing's Mansion is going to break ties with us. I'm afraid the Prince Jing's Mansion will use this Jiang family matter to smear me and damage the reputation of my Mu family."

"Master, should I send a message to the general?" Mu Hu asked.

"Let's not disturb Father Commander for now. They should have already set off, and even if we send a letter now, it might not reach them. It's faster if we handle it ourselves," Mu Xue rejected Mu Hu's suggestion.