Chapter Sixty-Five: Stunning Beauty

Since Mu Lian, as the concubine of the Prince of Ruyang, had placed the memorial tablets of her illegitimate daughter and her aunt in the Mu family ancestral hall, and now that her wish had been fulfilled, she no longer needed to use the identity of the illegitimate daughter of the Mu family. When Madam Mu learned the truth, she was filled with fear, relief, and a lingering dread. Who could have imagined that the seemingly timid illegitimate daughter was actually a ruthless and murderous female demon of the Judicial Office? Thank goodness, thank goodness this formidable figure had left the Mu family.

Therefore, Madam Mu kept quiet about it, only claiming to the outside world that the young concubine's daughter, because she was not favored by the Prince of Ruyang, suffered from a long-term illness and died as a result of the Ruyang Prince's downfall. Furthermore, Sun Wenbin had obtained a secret medicine from the Western Regions, which cured his "impotence," allowing him to display his prowess only towards Mu Yanyan. Now that Mu Yanyan was three months pregnant, with joyous news for the Mu family, no one paid any attention to the "deceased" young concubine's daughter. Thus, Mu Lian could rightfully return to the real Mu family and become the true eldest daughter of the Mu family again.

For the first few days, the Mu residence was deserted. Former colleagues in the court, and even those officials who had been "invited" to the Judicial Office for "tea" but managed to escape unscathed, mostly adopted a wait-and-see attitude, wondering what this "female demon" with her claws removed intended to do, and even more afraid of the Empress's unspoken attitude. However, when Mu Lian appeared in her true form for the first time at a banquet hosted by several highly respected senior officials in Qujiang, all the speculation and fear transformed into an uncontrollable astonishment and commotion the moment they saw her in person.

The head of the Judicial Court, the ruthless and cunning Mu Lian, is feared by all for her cold-blooded methods and unpredictable schemes. Everyone assumes that behind that mask lies a face twisted and sinister from years of immersion in conspiracies and intrigues. Who would have thought that when the silver instrument falls, it reveals a face of unparalleled beauty?

Her eyebrows were naturally dark, her lips naturally red, her skin as white as snow, her complexion as beautiful as a flower. Her eyes, as they moved, possessed both the gentle grace of a misty Jiangnan landscape and a subtle, sharp detachment honed by hardship and life-or-death experiences. She wore no elaborate adornment, only a simple, elegant moon-white dress, her long, dark hair simply tied up with a white jade hairpin, yet she already outshone the peony garden in its vibrant competition. Her beauty was not merely feminine, but carried a contradictory quality of brokenness and resilience, like a snow lotus blooming on a precipice, inspiring both tenderness and a reluctance to defile her.

"The Mu family of Luoyang, to think they possess such a gem..." A voice murmured absentmindedly during the banquet, echoing the sentiments of everyone present. The Mu family of Luoyang was once a prominent clan, renowned for its daughter's beauty and talent. However, a sudden upheaval led to the family's decline, and their only daughter vanished without a trace. When the surname was first heard, only the cold, ruthless "Silver-Faced Yama" under the Empress's command remained in the memory; naturally, no one connected the two. Now that the truth was revealed, the unparalleled brilliance, long concealed by bloodshed and power struggles, shone forth like light emerging from the ashes, suddenly illuminating the entire capital.

Since the Qujiang Banquet that day, the news that "the Mu family has a daughter of unparalleled beauty" spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the capital at an astonishing speed. People were suddenly struck by the fact that the head of the Judicial Office, who had once made the court tremble, was actually a noblewoman from a high-ranking family, and a beautiful, unmarried woman in the prime of her life.

As a result, the Mu residence, which was originally deserted, became bustling with activity almost overnight.

First came ladies from prominent families who had old ties with the Mu family, who came under the guise of visiting the daughter of an old friend. Their words were full of sighs and pity, but their eyes kept lingering on Mu Lian's face and body, trying to find out her future plans. Then, matchmakers from all walks of life began to appear, practically wearing down the newly built threshold of the Mu residence.

Proposals and portraits poured in like snowflakes, piling up on Mu Lian's desk. From princes and meritorious nobles to newly appointed scholars and promising young talents, everyone desired to take this thorny, stunning rose into their arms. Some said it was because Mu Lian's beauty was simply too striking; others privately speculated that marrying her would, to some extent, establish a connection with the Empress's former sharpest blade—the risks remained, but the potential benefits might far outweigh them. Moreover, who could guarantee that the Empress's "letting go" of this former subordinate wasn't another form of "imprisonment" or "protection"? Marrying her might offer a glimpse into the Empress's intentions.

Faced with this sudden "grand occasion," Mu Lian remained unusually calm, even somewhat indifferent. Most of the time, she kept to herself, leaving the affairs of the household to be handled by her capable old servants and a few others like Meng Yuan and Meng Luan. On the rare occasions when she had to go out, whether to a temple to offer incense or to an unavoidable poetry gathering, she always appeared with her true self, composed and elegant, seemingly oblivious to the gazes that were either amazed, inquisitive, or still filled with fear.

On this day, a powerful prince sent a well-known eunuch from the palace to express his goodwill. The eunuch's words were earnest, and the betrothal gifts were generous. The old steward, holding the gift list, came to the study in the back garden with a worried expression.

Mu Lian stood by the window, toying with a warm, smooth jade pendant in her hand. It was a gift from her mother when she was young, and after several changes of ownership, it had finally returned to her. Outside the window, several late-blooming magnolias stood gracefully, their subtle fragrance wafting in the air.

"Young Miss, this is the seventh house this month. Or... have we rejected them all?" the old butler asked softly. He had watched his young mistress grow from a naive girl into a cold-faced head of the household, and now that she had shed her burdens and revealed her true colors, he was filled with mixed emotions.

Mu Lian did not turn around, her gaze lingering on the flowering trees in front of the courtyard. After a long while, she spoke softly, her voice devoid of emotion: "Go back to your families. Tell them that Mu Lian bears a heavy responsibility for her family. Although she has avenged her great enemy, her mind is not at peace. Moreover, she has been idle for too long and is afraid that she is not suitable for a high-ranking family. She can only disappoint you all."

The old steward was about to leave when Mu Lian called him back and added, "From now on, unless His Majesty summons you or it involves matters from the Mu family's past, all visiting cards and invitations need not be reported."

"Yes." The butler understood that the young lady was trying to completely withdraw from these power struggles.

As the study fell silent again, Mu Lian slowly raised her hand, her fingertips gently tracing her smooth cheek. Without the mask, the sunlight felt warm and real against her skin. She recalled the Empress's final sigh in the imperial study that day, and the words, "As A-Lian wishes." She knew that the Empress's decision to let her go, besides the lingering affection of the past, was also a deeper form of control. Allowing her to reappear in the world in such a dazzling manner, attracting all eyes, was itself a way of placing her under invisible surveillance. Of those suitors, how many were truly captivated by her beauty, how many had ulterior motives, or even… were the Empress's spies?

Mu Lian slightly curved her lips into a smile that was both mocking and relieved. In any case, she was no longer a knife that could only be hidden in the shadows. Now, Mu Lian was simply Mu Lian. Even though the road ahead was still shrouded in mist, even though this "beauty's reputation" held new whirlpools, at least she could breathe the air of freedom and live in her own name.

As for the suitors who thronged her door... she turned and looked out at the clear sky. What did the affairs of the capital have to do with her? What she sought was never a beautiful marriage, but a life free and unfettered.