Chapter 244: I Need to Apologize to Her

But since they didn't come looking for Mu Yuanzhi and them, Lady Deng didn't know who to look for either.

Ling'er and Nian'er are both here!

Just thinking about her two sons, Lady Deng grew even more anxious.

I don't know how they are; after so long, there's been no news at all!

Lady Deng still wanted to go pester them, but the Qilin threatened: "If you don't leave, I'll have you thrown into prison!"

Hearing that, Lady Deng immediately pulled her hand back, not daring to pester them further.

"Zhi'er, even if you don't want to see Mother, at least let Mother see your two brothers!"

Mu Yuanzhi smirked at Lady Deng: "The captives are naturally in prison; if you want to see them, I can make it happen for you."

Although she had braced herself, hearing that her two sons must have suffered terribly, Lady Deng's heart lurched; she pursed her lips, said nothing, and could only watch them leave helplessly.

Lady Deng bit her lower lip resentfully; having been driven out of the palace gates by the ruthless Emperor, with nowhere to go, she finally struggled over mountains and rivers to reach Xiang City, intending to seek refuge with the Crown Prince, only to learn upon arrival that the Crown Prince had already withdrawn his troops and was no longer in Xiang City.

Where should she go?!

At the moment Lady Deng had nowhere left to turn, she suddenly saw, at the street corner, a face faintly visible through the fluttering curtain of a carriage.

Xi'er?!

It's Xi'er!

Lady Deng, who should now be called Madame Deng, summoned all her strength and chased after her, shouting: "Xi'er!"

Great, it's Xi'er!

She's saved!

Seeing her daughter after so many days apart, Madame Deng's heart was filled with mixed emotions; she had thought she would never see her precious daughter again in this life, but little did she know that heaven rewards the diligent—no matter what, she would always be able to meet her beloved child.

The carriage before her looked valuable; Madame Deng reckoned that if her daughter was doing well now, she could help her out, and when they reunited with the sons, she could make a comeback.

Even if the Emperor had cruelly expelled her, her two sons were still imperial princes, destined to be made princes, and they would surely help her regain wealth and honor.

"Xi'er! Wait for Mother!"

Madame Deng raised her voice and shouted.

Strange, she shouted so loudly—why couldn't Xi'er hear her?

Could she have mistaken the person?

Impossible—it's clearly her Xi'er; she wouldn't mistake her!

Just as the carriage reached the corner of a deserted lane, someone suddenly leapt out, eyeing the pursuing Madame Deng warily: "Don't chase any further, or your life won't be spared!"

That person wore a mask, their voice indeterminate between male and female, and Madame Deng was frightened to the point of trembling.

She was a sheltered noblewoman, knowing nothing of the dangers of the jianghu; this fright made her legs go weak, but she knew her daughter was in the carriage, so she could not retreat.

"Sir, have you misunderstood? I am Xi'er's mother; my daughter is in the carriage."

Although she had always been lofty, since being demoted to Lady Deng and enduring many twists, Madame Deng had long learned to lower herself.

"No misunderstanding—you're causing a scene, your shouting has let the whole city know, and Mu Yuanzhi and them will find out."

The masked person's words made Madame Deng realize she hadn't mistaken the person—her daughter was indeed in the carriage—but why wouldn't she come out to see her, and why let this person intimidate her mother?

Has Xi'er been threatened?

"Who are you? Do you know who I am? Don't even think about threatening my daughter!"

Madame Deng summoned the aura she once had as a Virtuous Consort, trying to intimidate the ignorant masked person before her.

Yet the masked person remained unmoved, instead drawing their sword: "I see you won't shed tears until you see the coffin."

A flash of cold light made Madame Deng retreat, shouting as she backed away: "Xi'er, don't be afraid! Mother will surely save you! Mother will go right away to find your two brothers—they're imperial princes! This evil scoundrel wouldn't dare harm you!"

At that moment, another person stepped down from the carriage, and Madame Deng rejoiced: "Xi'er!"

"Go away! Don't come here causing trouble!" Pei Yunxi was as frail as a paper figure, seeming ready to topple at a breath; her complexion was pallid, her eyes sunken, she looked utterly exhausted.

Her features, once lovely and charming, now looked hollow and sickly, yet the malice hidden in her eyes was exactly the same as before.

She used to conceal it well; now she no longer bothers.

"What are you saying, Xi'er? Why is your complexion so awful? Have they kidnapped you? Don't be afraid—Mother will save you!"

"Save me?" Pei Yunxi sounded as if she'd heard an Arabian tale: "Mother, you're utterly useless—once a lofty Virtuous Consort, now reduced to the streets, living worse than a dog? When I was demoted and nearly died, what help were you? Don't come causing trouble now; do you really want to block the hard-won path I've finally found?!"

At the end, Pei Yunxi raised her voice, clearly impatient.

Madame Deng stared wide-eyed in disbelief, continually stepping back.

This isn't her Xi'er—who is this person wearing her daughter's face?!

How could her Xi'er possibly speak to her like this?

Her Xi'er was so obedient, so understanding, so filial!

The masked person gripped their sword and said gloomily: "Or I could just take care of her?"

Madame Deng staggered and fell to the ground.

"We have no time to worry about her life or death—let's go, before Mu Yuanzhi's people notice." Pei Yunxi said this and then returned to the carriage, giving Madame Deng not a spare glance.

The masked person sheathed their sword, threatened Madame Deng a few more times, then left.

Only after the carriage had gone far did Madame Deng realize she was drenched in cold sweat.

She was both panicked and lost, sitting there dazed for a long time.

The daughter she had loved with all her heart now seemed not to care whether she lived or died!

Why? Why did this happen?

Was all that obedience and thoughtfulness just a pretense? Or is it that when disaster strikes, everyone just scatters?

Madame Deng gazed blankly at the sky.

She felt that her decades of life had been wasted, utterly helpless—being driven out of the imperial palace had never left her feeling this helpless.

An innocent, bright face unbidden flashed through her mind—a face that had long been blurred, now suddenly crystal clear.

Zhi'er…

Madame Deng ah, she burst into tears, she didn't know why she was crying, she just cried loudly, her wailing deafening.

It turns out the white-eyed wolf is Pei Yunxi!

Why would she leave Zhi'er alone and go raise another white-eyed wolf?!

Obviously, Zhi'er is the one who has had a deep mother-daughter bond with her for over ten years…

Madame Deng stumbled to her feet, scenes flashing through her mind like a revolving lantern— the little moments she shared with Mu Yuanzhi, from Mu Yuanzhi's infancy, to babbling, to learning to walk, run, and jump.

All the warmth was like flowers in the mirror, moon in the water— illusory and elusive, yet fragmented.

Zhi'er…

"I have to go find Zhi'er, I have to apologize to her…… I have to have a good talk with her……"