His entire family perished in battle; he rose from the ashes to conquer the world.

"Even as the current emperor, he still earns a reputation that will be condemned for eternity."

For a moment, the hall fell silent as everyone pondered the meaning behind the words.

Mu Yuan was right. Although the emperor possessed all the wealth of the empire and his words were law, no one dared to disobey him. However, the ancestral precepts and regulations of the imperial ancestors still weighed heavily on the heads of every emperor, without exception.

Anyone who dares to openly disobey will be labeled a "tyrant" or "unfilial," a reputation no one can bear.

"Secondly, the southwestern border is constantly threatened by enemy states. How can we suddenly uproot the entire military and political leadership? This would give the enemy an opportunity to take advantage of us, and if things go wrong, it could even bring chaos to the whole world."

"Therefore, the transfer of military power is a major national event that must be handled with utmost care. It requires an imperial edict, a written document from the Ministry of War, and even explicit orders and pronouncements from the Privy Council, the Ministry of Rites, and other central government bodies."

"This whole series of events, if not known throughout the country, has at least caused quite a stir."

"But nowadays, as the saying goes, 'where there's smoke, there's fire'..."

At this point, Mu Yuan paused and glanced at his seven sisters-in-law who were deep in thought.

After a moment, Tuoba Yue couldn't help but ask, "According to you, then why did Prince Ning come to my Mu Prince's residence to provoke me?"

Upon hearing this, all the women's eyes immediately turned to Mu Yuan.

They were genuinely baffled. Why would Prince Ning risk the wrath of the world and come here to cause trouble? Just to humiliate them and vent his anger?

"They think the Mu family has no one to rely on and harbor malicious intentions."

Mu Yuan suddenly turned around, his gaze falling on the seven coffins deep in the hall. The seven black coffins, illuminated by candlelight, emitted a cold light, revealing the terrifying darkness of death.

"My father and brothers are all dead. They are certain that no one in my Mu family will stand up for me, so they are even more arrogant and ruthless. They do this because if my Mu family shows any weakness at this time, they will have an opportunity to take advantage of us."

"In that case, people will think that the Mu family has no successor and is unable to shoulder the great responsibility of guarding the southwest. Naturally, for the sake of stabilizing the border, it is not impossible to choose another person. It would also be easier to calm the public outcry. After all, the ancestral laws can be adapted in times of emergency."

"Is that so..." Fourth Sister-in-law Jiang Zhiruo's beautiful eyes gleamed with a strange light as she spoke involuntarily.

"In that case, the Mu family must defy this imperial decree!"

Mu Yuan's voice was strong and clear.

"Only by openly defying the imperial decree and letting the whole world see that the Mu family has not been defeated will people in the court re-examine the ancestral laws and re-weigh their weight."

Yes, let the world see that the Mu family still has the courage and wisdom. So why should they disobey the laws of their ancestors and the late emperor's last will and testament?!

At this moment, some of the women, especially the more intelligent ones, also figured out the key to the matter.

The Prince of Ning's arrogant arrival was intended to completely overwhelm the Prince of Mu's residence, thereby legitimizing his seizure of military power.

At the crucial moment, thanks to Mu Yuan, the only male member of the Prince's mansion, he stepped forward. This made the Prince of Ning realize that Mu Yuan was not the useless coward he was rumored to be, and he had no choice but to temporarily retreat.

"Of course, Prince Ning has not truly given up hope. After all, my Mu family has just suffered a great calamity. If we cannot rally the morale of our troops and the people in time, the consequences will still be unpredictable."

"But no matter what, at least during the hundred days of mourning for his father and brothers, Liang wouldn't dare to openly offend them."

It's important to understand that Prince Ning isn't a fool; once he's figured it out, he certainly won't openly reveal it again.

Changing the subject, Mu Yuan turned around and bowed deeply to Old Madam Mu.

"Grandma, how do you feel?"

Even though Old Madam Mu had experienced decades of ups and downs and was used to great storms, she was still stunned and speechless by Mu Yuan's eloquent speech.

Grandson is right!

Previously, when Old Madam Mu stood up without hesitation and confronted Prince Ning and others, wasn't that the same idea?

However, ultimately, it is the men in the family who need to stand up for themselves to win over the people.

To her utter surprise, Mu Yuan was far more outstanding than she had imagined.

Old Madam Mu nodded with satisfaction:

"Yuan'er, you stay. Everyone else, you may leave."

Upon hearing this, the seven sisters-in-law seemed to wake from a dream, looking at Mu Yuan with shocked and unfamiliar eyes.

The once timid and insignificant brother-in-law is now courageous and resourceful, almost as if he could turn the tide.

But no matter what they said, they still couldn't accept the absurd demand that they all marry her.

Neither worldly ethics nor emotional considerations can accept it.

Fourth Sister-in-law Jiang Zhiruo frowned, as if she wanted to say something, but was immediately pulled by her eldest sister-in-law Qin Hongxiu beside her.

"You may all leave now. Think it over carefully," Old Madam Mu said calmly.

The goddesses left with complicated expressions. When only the grandmother and grandson remained in the hall, Old Madam Mu stared intently at Mu Yuan.

"What you just said was very good."

"Now tell Grandma, what do you think about you taking on the responsibility for seven families?"

Mu Yuan bowed respectfully and said, "Please enlighten me, Grandma."

Previously, when he had just transmigrated, he had shown off his skills to impress everyone. Now, facing his own grandmother, there was no need to be so smug.

Old Madam Mu was somewhat surprised, but she quickly put aside her distracting thoughts and began to speak to herself.

"You have potential, Grandma can see that."

"Your seven sisters-in-law are all extremely ambitious. If it weren't for the frequent upheavals in the family, they would probably have caused a huge uproar long ago. You must not have any idea that you can enjoy the blessings of having multiple wives."

"I wouldn't dare."

"You must make them do it willingly." Mu Laojun paced slowly in the dimly lit hall, his iron staff rhythmically striking the stone slabs, producing a crisp sound.

"And that depends on your abilities. There are too many suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of your father and brothers these past few years. A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be felled if it stands out. Whether in the imperial court or in the martial world, there are plenty of people lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to pounce and take a bite out of you."

"If the Mu family doesn't have a decent heir, a storm is just around the corner."

Old Madam Mu came up to Mu Yuan and gently patted his shoulder.

"Before, with your father and brothers around, Grandma never placed heavy burdens on your shoulders, but now, within a hundred days, you must grow up..."

At this point, Old Madam Mu asked one last question.

"Do you know why I'm asking you to take on seven households by yourself?"

"To unite people's hearts is also to tell outsiders that the Mu family still exists."

Mu Yuan said solemnly.

The seven sisters-in-law were not only beautiful, but each had an extraordinary background.

Take Qin Hongxiu, the eldest sister-in-law, for example. She is the daughter of the Duke of Daqian. Her Qin family has deep roots and great influence in the court.

Fourth Sister-in-law Jiang Zhiruo's family, the Jiang family, is the richest family in Jiangnan, with wealth comparable to that of a country, and their social influence is self-evident.