Mu老爷 nodded in agreement without a word this time. It wasn't that his second daughter was particularly important to him, but rather that she had already taken one step into the Xu family's door. Inviting imperial physicians to treat her would show how much he valued this marriage with the Xu family. It would also give the Empress a clearer understanding of his daughter's condition, allowing her to decide whether to annul the engagement or proceed.
The Emperor, being very concerned about matters involving the Empress, immediately dispatched the Head Physician of the Imperial Hospital to accompany them.
When they returned, Mu Fei was already very quiet. Exhausted from a night of struggling, she had fallen fast asleep.
The Head Physician of the Imperial Hospital, though experienced, was shocked by the horrific state of Mu Fei's face. He understood how crucial appearance was for a woman about to be married. However, his medical skills were limited, and he could only prescribe remedies to help repair her skin and slightly fade the scars.
"Head Physician, how did my daughter suddenly end up in this condition?" Mu老爷 cautiously inquired, stepping forward.
The Head Physician was a reclusive master, and the Emperor had helped him immensely, causing him to reluctantly serve in the palace. He wouldn't be dispatched for trivial matters. Hearing Mu老爷's question, he hesitated and spoke with reservation, "She is suffering from pollen allergies."
"My daughter has loved tending to flowers and plants since she was little. I've never heard of her being allergic to pollen. Could there be some misunderstanding?" Mu老爷 raised an eyebrow in surprise. He knew his question was somewhat inappropriate but felt an inexplicable unease. With a hint of apology, he produced a purse filled with silver notes and slipped it into the Head Physician's sleeve.
Seeing the other man's obsequious expression, the Head Physician sighed inwardly. Although he had no desire for money, he knew that if he refused it today, Mu老爷 would be consumed by worry, fearing he had offended him. Reluctantly accepting it, he offered a cryptic clue, "This type of flower is uncommon, and the environment in the capital is not conducive to its growth. However, it is also a medicinal ingredient. Dried flowers are available in pharmacies. When processed by someone knowledgeable and applied to a person, it can result in the situation your daughter is currently in."
As he spoke, he walked over to a nearby bookshelf, carefully retrieved a fragment of a petal from a book, and placed it before Mu老爷.
Mu老爷 had not considered this possibility at all. With the Head Physician's explanation and the petal as evidence, he finally believed the Head Physician's words to be true.
But how could these petals have appeared in his daughter's room? He immediately summoned the maids attending her and interrogated them one by one. However, they all looked at him with bewildered expressions.
The more this was the case, the more insecure Mu老爷 felt. He sensed an invisible hand hovering over the Mu estate, ready to punish its inhabitants at any moment.
The mistress and her maid were working on embroidery in their room when a group of people suddenly barged in and began searching the room without a word.
"What do you mean,嬷嬷? Such a grand display. Does my young lady steal things from the estate? Wouldn't that be a laughing matter if it got out?" Yan'er glared at her, her face displeased. In her mind, only the Madam would dare to confront her young lady and search their room so abruptly.
"Miss Yan'er, please don't be angry. I am here on the Master's orders to search. It's not just the eldest young lady's room; we will search the rooms of the second young lady, the Master, and the Madam. This search is not targeting anyone specifically." Having managed the inner chambers for decades, the 嬷嬷 knew Yan'er had misunderstood and quickly explained.
"Has something been lost from the estate? Why such a thorough search?" Yan'er was now surprised and a little curious.
"We are merely following orders. The Master has instructed us to keep this confidential. We apologize for any inconvenience, eldest young lady." The 嬷嬷 looked at Yan'er with a troubled expression.
Yan'er immediately apologized for her rudeness and told them to proceed with the search. Soon, they left, having found nothing.
"Miss, what do you think they were searching for?" After seeing them out, Yan'er closed the door and leaned closer to her young lady, her curiosity piqued. She felt her own little head couldn't figure it out, but her young lady was intelligent and surely could.
"How could I possibly guess that?" Wu Caiwei smiled and shook her head, indicating she couldn't help.
Seeing the little maid's distressed expression, Wu Caiwei kept to herself that perhaps her actions last night had alerted someone. She had thought she had been discreet, but there was always someone more cunning. She realized someone could see through her methods, but she was in the dark, and they were in the light. She didn't know who had struck her. She would have to be more careful in the future.
Mu Fei, who had woken up, looked at her face and let out a deafening scream. She had always prided herself on her beauty, only to have it destroyed overnight. She was overcome with despair.
She then did the craziest thing of her life: she grabbed a stool and smashed the mirror into pieces. The maids, seeing her frenzied state, instinctively retreated. If her young lady had been frightening before, today she seemed ready to drag others down with her.
Madame Mu, who had been worried about her daughter, rushed over upon hearing she had woken up. Seeing her in such a state, tears flowed again. She rushed forward, embraced her, and cried, "My ill-fated daughter, try to be strong. As long as there is life, there is hope." Su Dan Novel Network
"Mother, my life is ruined." Seeing her loving mother, Mu Fei still had some semblance of rationality. However, she hadn't seen her father at all. She let out a cold snort, thinking that now that she was no longer of any use, she had been abandoned.
"At worst, Mother will support you for the rest of your life. Don't worry, with Mother here, no one will dare to bully you." Madame Mu patted her back, trying to comfort her.
"Mother, you are so good to me."
"Silly child, you are my daughter. Who else would I be good to?"
...
Elsewhere in the capital, Xu Minghui laughed heartily upon hearing about her disfigurement. "Retribution! It's all retribution! Mu Fei played me for a fool, and what happened? She's disfigured by a mere pollen allergy. Let's see what face she has to appear before others from now on."
Madame Xu frowned even more as she watched her son's glee. Her son had been frustrated lately and was now releasing his pent-up emotions upon hearing this news. However, once he calmed down, he would realize this situation was even more troublesome for them. Previously, they had no choice but to marry her. Now, they were in a dilemma.
If they didn't marry her, their son had already ruined her reputation, and now she was disfigured. Wasn't this forcing her to her death? If Mu Fei were fine, it would be one thing, but if anything happened to her, their Xu family would be drowned in public scorn and would never be able to hold their heads up in front of the Mu family again. With the slightest misstep, others would bring this up. But if they married her, they felt incredibly resentful.