Mu Qingya gently pushed Mu Rouxuan back slightly, her gaze filled with affection. “My child, what happened exactly? Take a deep breath and tell Mother.”
Mu Rouxuan, oblivious to any peculiarities, continued to cling tightly to her mother, sobbing, “Mother, Mother.”
The journey had been arduous for her.
Initially, her sole intention had been to return and visit her mother, to confide in her and share her thoughts. Yet, when she passed by the North Wangda Forest, an unexpected twist occurred. The teleportation talisman matrix had deposited her inside the North Wangda Forest, forcing her to fight her way out, contending with the surrounding beasts.
She had expended nearly all of the talismans in her possession, only managing to traverse 500 meters from the Imperial Academy to the capital’s outskirts. The grievance and desolation she felt had transformed into an instant surge of sadness upon spotting Mu Qingya. All she yearned for was to nestle in her mother’s arms and seek solace.
Mu Qingya’s countenance momentarily froze. She held her right hand aloft for a considerable duration before gently resting it on her daughter’s shoulder. With a reassuring smile, she spoke, “Xuan’er, what’s troubling you? This isn’t your usual self.”
“Please, don’t cry. Our top priority is to locate your younger sister now.” Mu Qingya again gently pushed her daughter away, her gaze still brimming with affection. “When your sister departed the capital this afternoon, she was ambushed by a group of unidentified sacrificial soldiers. Her whereabouts remain unknown…”
“She’s… dead?” Mu Rouxuan suddenly shrieked, her unusual reaction prompting a furrow in Mu Qingya’s brow.
A hint of annoyance flickered briefly within her. She shook her head and reassured, “Qiaoqiao is under divine protection. She will surely be safe.”
Mu Rouxuan instinctively clenched her fists. “Mom, I-I need to tell you something.”
“Something must have transpired for you to return from the Imperial Academy so suddenly. However, there’s no need to rush. Let’s prioritize locating your sister first…”
“Younger Sister, Younger Sister, Younger Sister! I don’t even have a Younger Sister!” Mu
Rouxuan’s face abruptly twisted, and she could no longer contain herself. “Mom, have you forgotten? I’m the one who came into this world from your womb! That supposed ‘Younger Sister’ has nothing to do with us!”
Mu Qingya gazed at her daughter in shock. “What are you saying? How can you speak like that?”
“Isn’t it the truth? She’s merely an abandoned child, unwanted by anyone. She has no father to vouch for her and no mother to love her! Mom, why are you ingratiating yourself with her? Is it because she’s different now, the Crown Prince Consort of the Divine Province?”
Slap! Mu Qingya’s right hand trembled as she stared in astonishment at her disheveled daughter.
She couldn’t fathom that such words could come from her own flesh and blood.
Was her daughter ensnared by inner turmoil?
Why would she utter such things?
Mu Rouxuan, too, couldn’t believe that her mother had actually struck her in defense of someone else’s child.
She cried out, “Mom! Am I not your biological daughter? Why do you only seek to protect her and disregard your own daughter’s welfare?”
“For her sake, you would strike me like this!”
“Are you still my Mother?” Mu Rouxuan glared at Mu Qingya and fled toward the Mu Estate.
“Assertive young lady! Assertive young lady!” Elderly maid Qiu called out after her.
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