Chapter 9: Adorable Baby Catches the Bad Guy!

Mu Yu hugged her knees, her small body huddled in the corner, secretly glancing at her father out of the corner of her eye. Her father's face was taut, harder than a rock by an ice cave.

"Father, why don't you like Brother Jinlong?" she couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Mu Fang didn't look at her, his gaze falling on the palace lanterns flashing past the window, his voice deep and muffled: "Little Yu'er, you can't easily trust the people in the palace."

"But he helped me chase away the bad guys who were bullying Sister Jia Ning!" Mu Yu puffed out her cheeks indignantly. "He even gave Sister Jia Ning candied hawthorns... uh, my candied hawthorns."

As she finished speaking, her voice trailed off, revealing a hint of heartache.

Mu Fang finally turned around, pulled his daughter's small body into his arms, and enveloped her in his large, warm hands. His throat bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to begin.

Are we supposed to tell a four-and-a-half-year-old child that the blood flowing through the veins of the boy she calls "Golden Dragon Brother" is both supreme nobility and the most deadly poison?

Was he going to tell her that her father, who had fought for half his life, was most afraid not of the swords and spears on the battlefield, but of the invisible dragon throne behind him?

He couldn't say anything.

"In short, stay away from His Highness Ninth Prince from now on." Mu Fang could only repeat dryly, "Father will protect you, you don't need anyone else."

Mu Yu gave a half-understanding "oh," buried her face in her father's broad chest, and felt calm as she smelled his familiar, masculine scent mixed with a faint smell of blood.

If Father doesn't like it, so be it. Anyway, the golden light on Brother Jinlong is real. I'll just secretly be good to him from now on!

The carriage sped along and soon returned to General Zhenguo's mansion.

However, the plaque at the entrance of the mansion had been replaced overnight with a brand new one that read "Duke of Protectorate's Mansion." The black background with gold lettering looked majestic and imposing under the lantern light.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, a group of people poured out of the mansion gate.

The one leading the group was Zhou, Mu Fang's sister-in-law, whose face was plastered with a fawning smile, like a chrysanthemum that had bloomed too brightly.

"Oh my! My Duke, my little princess! You've finally returned!" Madam Zhou rushed forward, trying to help Mu Fang and then hug Mu Yu. "Come in quickly, hot water and food are ready, we're just waiting for you two!"

Before her hand could even touch Mu Yu, it was subtly blocked by Mu Fang's tall figure.

Mu Yu hid behind her father, peeked out her little head, and made a face at Zhou Shi.

She hadn't forgotten that this very aunt had called her a "bastard" and her mother a "vixen" just a couple of days ago. A wicked woman! Just as wicked as Princess Jia Hui, who tried to push her into the water!

Zhou's smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned to normal. She rubbed her hands together, following behind Mu Fang, muttering to herself, "Look at this mansion, such a mess, it's all because the servants aren't doing their jobs properly. Tomorrow I'll clean it up properly and won't let these trivial matters offend the Duke's eyes!"

Mu Fang's older brother, Mu Cheng, was also standing beside him, looking awkward and ingratiating. He tried to speak several times, but swallowed his words under Mu Fang's cold profile.

Mu Fang ignored them completely, carrying his daughter straight through the front hall and back to the small courtyard where he and his deceased wife lived.

The courtyard remained the same, with an osmanthus tree and an old well. The only difference was that the gate had been wiped clean, and the moss on the stone steps had been removed.

Mu Fang put Mu Yu down, turned around and closed the courtyard gate, shutting out those hypocritical faces outside.

He walked to the altar in the main room, where the memorial tablets of his deceased wife and mother were placed. He knelt down straight down, without saying a word, his tall figure appearing somewhat desolate in the candlelight.

Mu Yu ran over and, imitating her father, knelt down on the prayer mat with a "plop".

"Father, do you miss Grandma?" she asked softly.

Mu Fang's body trembled slightly, and he slowly nodded. He had returned to the capital to attend his mother's funeral, but he never expected to be framed by the Crown Prince and narrowly escape death.

Although he has now been exonerated and holds a high position, his mother's death remains a thorn in his side.

“Your grandmother… passed away too suddenly.” Mu Fang’s voice was hoarse. “She was always in good health, how could this happen…”

Mu Yu looked at the memorial tablet engraved with "Mother Mu Li", and then tilted her head to think about the Zhou Shi she had seen at the gate of the mansion today.

Something clicked in her little head.

Her "Eye of Fortune" opened uncontrollably. When Zhou's fawning face appeared in her mind, a thick, almost tangible, greasy black mist instantly enveloped Zhou's figure!

The black mist was mixed with wisps of gray death energy, which she had seen on the evil Taoist priest Linglan who wanted to harm her grandfather, the emperor!

"Daddy!" Mu Yu exclaimed, grabbing Mu Fang's arm tightly with her little hands. "It's her! It's Auntie!"

Mu Fang was startled by his daughter's scream and quickly helped her up: "Xiao Yu'er, what's wrong?"

"She's the one who harmed Grandma!" Mu Yu's eyes reddened with anxiety as she pointed towards the courtyard gate. "I saw it! Auntie was covered in so much black mist! Just like that wicked Taoist priest! And she smelled terrible!"

Children's words, though innocent, struck Mu Fang like a thunderbolt.

He had always suspected foul play in his mother's death, but lacked any evidence. Now, Mu Yu's words were like a key, instantly unlocking the tightly locked door in his heart.

Could it really be that... it's hard to guard against a thief within the family?

Before he could recover from the shock, the butler's voice came from outside the courtyard.

"My lord, the Wendao Hall in the palace has sent a congratulatory gift, specifically for the young princess."

The Hall of Enlightenment?

Isn't that the residence of the Ninth Prince, Chu Chongjin?

Mu Fang's face instantly darkened. The warmth and trust that had just arisen were completely washed away by the words "Ninth Prince".

"I won't see them!" he said coldly. "Send the gifts back! Tell the messenger that the Duke of Protectorate's Mansion and the Hall of Hearing the Way have no dealings whatsoever!"

"Father, I want to see!" Mu Yu protested.

Upon hearing the word "gift," especially since it was from the palace, the little money-grubber's instincts immediately kicked in. Things from the palace must be shiny and delicious!

She broke free from her father's hand, ran to the courtyard gate, and unlatched the door.

Outside the door, a handsome young eunuch stood bowing, holding an exquisite sandalwood box in his hands.

Upon seeing Mu Yu, the young eunuch quickly bowed and said, "This servant greets Princess Mu."

Mu Yu's eyes were immediately glued to the box. The box was carved with intricate lotus scroll patterns, and several round pearls were inlaid in the corners—it looked quite interesting!

"Is this for me?" she asked, tilting her little face up.

"Your Highness, this is a gift from His Highness." The young eunuch respectfully handed over the box.

Mu Fang walked over with a sullen face, took the box from him, and weighed it in his hand; it wasn't heavy.

"Go back and tell your prince that the Duke's mansion does not accept items of unknown origin." His voice was icy cold.

The young eunuch didn't argue, but simply bowed again and said meekly, "Our Highness said that this is just an ordinary nine-linked ring puzzle, given to the young princess to amuse her. If the Duke doesn't like it, he can simply throw it away."

After saying that, he quietly withdrew.

Mu Fang held the box, feeling like it was burning hot.

"Daddy! Daddy! I want to play!" Mu Yu hugged his leg and started to whine and beg.

Mu Fang was at a loss with her, and with a sigh, he could only carry her back into the house. He carefully examined the wooden box, finding no hidden compartments or traces of poison, before handing it to his daughter.

Mu Yu was overjoyed, rolling around on the soft couch with the box in her arms.

She studied it for a long time and found that the box couldn't be opened at all; it seemed to be a single piece. Furious, she picked up the box and was about to smash it against the corner of the table.

"No!" Mu Fang stopped her quickly.

In the midst of this tug-of-war, Mu Yu's chubby little hand accidentally touched the stamen of one of the lotus flowers on the box.

There was a soft "click".

On the side of the box, an inconspicuous little hidden compartment pops open quietly.

There were no gold or silver jewelry, nor any delicate pastries inside, only a tightly rolled strip of paper lying quietly within.

Mu Fang's pupils suddenly contracted.

He held his breath, carefully took out the note, and slowly unfolded it.

There wasn't a single word written on the paper, only a drawing.

The painting depicts a woman handing a gold hairpin to a person dressed as a pharmacy clerk. On the clerk's counter lies a package wrapped in oiled paper with three small characters written on it: "Heartbreak Grass."

The woman's face was painted so realistically; it was indeed Zhou Shi!

Mu Fang recognized the gold hairpin in her hand at a glance. It was his mother's favorite hairpin, which he bought for her with his first paycheck from the army!

In the lower right corner of the painting, there is a small seal that reads "Zongzheng Temple".

This means that the events depicted in the painting have been verified by the Imperial Clan Court.

With a "buzz," Mu Fang felt all the blood rush to his head.

I see... I see!

Knowing that Zhou was short of money, her mother gave her her most cherished gold hairpin to pawn for cash. But this wicked woman used her mother's kindness to exchange for deadly poison!

Overwhelming anger and piercing grief instantly engulfed him.

He clutched the note tightly in his hand, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. He remembered what Xiao Yu'er had just said, and Zhou Shi's feigned crying at his mother's funeral.

It turned out that a most venomous snake had been lurking around him all along!

Mu Fang suddenly stood up.

The murderous aura he had just suppressed, honed amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, burst forth without reservation, causing the temperature in the entire room to drop to freezing point.

Mu Yu was startled by her father's appearance, and the lotus flower pastry she was holding in her mouth fell out.

"Father..."

Mu Fang took a deep breath, bent down, picked up his daughter, and kissed her on the forehead.

“Little Yu’er, don’t be afraid.” His voice was squeezed out from between his teeth. “Daddy is going to… catch a big rat.”

After saying that, he picked up his daughter and strode out of the yard.

In the front hall, Madam Zhou was shrilly scolding a maid over the placement of a plate of pastries. Mu Cheng sat to the side, sipping tea with a relaxed expression.

When Mu Fang appeared at the door, Zhou's voice stopped abruptly.

Looking at Mu Fang's gloomy face, which seemed to drip with water, and his cold, emotionless eyes, she felt a sudden jolt in her heart.

"Second...Second brother, you..."

Mu Fang ignored her and went straight to the main seat, placing Mu Yu on his lap.

He slowly opened his palm and placed the crumpled piece of paper on the table.

"Sister-in-law."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like two pieces of ice colliding, freezing Zhou's soul.

"Is that you in the painting?"