Translator: Rize
Editor: Larkspur
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Chu Qingyuan met Chu Li's stern gaze she bit her lips and looked down. She knew better than, to be honest with her brother at this moment.
"I have not taken a liking to anyone, Sixth Sister-in-law and I are only talking casually." She desperately tried to salvage the situation, while trying to maintain her composure.
However, the hawk-eyed Chu Li looked at his little sister’s unnatural mien and instantly knew something was off. He recalled how the two were delightfully talking earlier. He knew she was lying. Still, he chose not to expose her lies, and faintly acknowledged in response.
The naïve little girl, who thought that she’d managed to fool her sharp brother, was very relieved. Even so, she was smart enough to know when not to push her luck. She didn’t linger on and took her leave immediately.
"Sixth Brother, I'm going back to the Palace," she said chirpily.
"En."
♚♚♚
Head buried deep under the quilt, Mu Yunjin is currently lying on the soft bed in her chambers. Still flushed, she tossed and turned lazily.
Xiaojiu, this dead child, how could she not stop babbling nonsense! Causing her to lose face, embarrassing her!
"Oh dear..."
Mu Yunjin sighed, then turned over and lay flat on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. She was unable to brush off the unease and kept huffing and puffing every now and then.
Soon after, a gentle knock sounded.
Mu Yunjin flinched, sat up on reflex, and wrinkled her forehead.
"Who is it?" she asked, gingerly.
"Young Miss, it's this servant."
When she heard the soft voice, Mu Yunjin relaxed and fell back on the bed again. "Come in!"
Zi Xiang pushed open the door and came in holding a letter in her hand. As she handed it over to the other, she said, "Aunt Zhang sent a letter."
"Aunt Zhang?"
With all that was going on, Mu Yunjin had completely forgotten about this person. She took the letter and sat up.
Upon reading, she put it down. Fortunately, it was just an ordinary letter sending regards. If it were a problematic matter, she was in no mood to deal with it.
“What did Aunt Zhang say?” Zi Xiang asked, curiously.
Mu Yunjin turned to look at her. "Just some greetings... prepare me writing materials, I should send a reply lest she is worried."
"Yes, Young Miss."
"En." Mu Yunjin nodded then paused, thinking of something. "Has Qingyuan returned home?"
Zi Xiang nodded. "Just returned."
"What about Chu Li?" Mu Yunjin asked again.
Zi Xiang smiled. "Liu Huangzi is sitting outside in the courtyard garden, do you want this servant to bring him?"
"What? He's out there?" Mu Yunjin couldn't help but raise her voice a few decibels before subconsciously covering her mouth. Her face wore a faint blush.
Feeling her cheeks heat up, Mu Yunjin inwardly scolded herself several times: previously she did not know that her face is this thin ah! Now, she can't even bear a little joke!
"Young Miss, what is wrong with you? Did you and His Highness have a disagreement?" Seeing the unnatural shift in her expression, Zi Xiang asked worriedly.
Mu Yunjin shook her head and waved a hand at Zi Xiang. She was in no mood to divulge her embarrassing moment, so she deftly diverted the topic.
"First, bring me writing materials, I will write a reply to Aunt Zhang."
Zi Xiang nodded and started to walk out the door before stopping as if remembering something. "I almost forgot, Young Miss, while doing laundry earlier, I found this thing."
Zi Xiang held out a red ribbon.
Mu Yunjin looked at it and saw that it was the ribbon on which she’d written the words 'We are all well.'. She reached for it.
Upon unfolding it, she didn't know if it was because it was crumpled and wrinkled or for some other reason, but all that remained was a smudge. The once-inked words were completely unreadable- it was a black mess.
Mu Yunjin held the red ribbon, before loosening her grip and letting it fall gently to the ground.
Zi Xiang also caught a glimpse of the black ink and thought that Mu Yunjin did not want it anymore. So she bent down and picked it up to throw away.
"Hey, wait!" Mu Yunjin called Zi Xiang and reached out her hand. "Give it to me."
Zi Xiang tilted her head and looked at Mu Yunjin in perplexion. Unable to make head nor tail of her strange behavior, without a word, she returned the ribbon.
Mu Yunjin smiled as she accepted the red ribbon and as soon as the other left, stuffed it into her bosom. Then she buried her head in her knees.
A moment later, a knock sounded again.
Mu Yunjin thought it was Zi Xiang with the writing materials.
"Come in."
The door was gently pushed open.
Mu Yunjin did not so much as lift her head at the sound of the door opening.
"You said that the Ancient Millennium Tree can live long? What if the tree suddenly died, what will happen to the many wishes that are hanging on it, will they be gone too?"
"Your little melon head is thinking strange things all day long." An indifferent voice came from the top of her head.
THAT gave her an inexplicable fright, she slowly looked up only to find Chu Li standing in front of her.
"You, how come you came?" She muttered.
"Don't tell benhuangzi that you are now shy?"
Chu Li revealed a teasing look, thinking of Mu Yunjin's red face as she ran away and seeing her now, not daring to look up. Ah, there is also a day that the fearless little fox will be thus!
"Chu Li!" Mu Yunjin gritted her teeth and glared at Chu Li as if she would spitfire. "Who is shy?"
Chu Li laughed as he saw her return to her fiery self. "It seems to be just like you."
"En?" Her brain did not react.
"Not resembling a woman is just like you."
Her orbs congealed, she held her head, all of a sudden hearing this comment, her face drooped down for a while.
"Are you scolding me?"
♚♚♚
Zi Xiang was still under the impression that Mu Yunjin was all alone in her chambers. So, writing materials in hand, she directly pushed the door open. Upon seeing Chu Li her eyes were a little terrified.
"This servant knows her wrong, asking His Highness and Huangzi Fei to please forgive me." When the words fell she was ready to go out.
"Know what's wrong? Hurry and come back, let me write a reply."
Mu Yunjin got off the bed, put on her shoes, and walked to the desk nearby.
Chu Li saw that she was going to write, and followed her to the table with great interest.
Zi Xiang helped her mistress grind ink. Then, she saw her draw a white paper and writing brush, dab a little ink on the feather pen and prepare to write a word. However, for some reason, Mu Yunjin was already sweating.
Mu Yunjin pursed her lips, the hand holding the brush was trembling as she slowly wrote the first word.
It has to be said that Mu Yunjin's handwriting is really ugly.
But after a time, just like one gained mastery over Kung fu, she had written a page full of words. Although Zi Xiang could not read these words, upon seeing Mu Yunjin's smooth actions she knew that her Young Miss knew how to write.
In the face of a Mu Yunjin who revealed things about herself bit by bit, he was long used to the unexpected, just that he’s unable to understand why all these years she’s let herself bear being called an idiot.
"Good." Mu Yunjin put down the brush and blew over the paper to dry the ink.
Zi Xiang took the letter and exclaimed. "Young Miss, when did you learn to write?"
"Hmm, it's been three years," Mu Yunjin randomly said as she got up and poured herself a cup of tea.
Chu Li’s lips curved into a faint arc. "Three years but your writing is still really ugly, only you can do it."
"....."
Mu Yunjin laid down the teacup and flexed her wrist where the Phoenix Tail Whip demurely sat.
"Chu Li, today, do you wish to fight with me to death?"
Chu Li spread out his hands to show that he was not in the least pressured.
His response immediately incensed her, she pursed her lips and sighed in her heart- am really no match for him...
♚♚♚
This evening, the dining table was especially harmonious.
Shen Momo and Ding Xian were leaning against the wall, waiting upon the pair of masters who were unhurriedly eating their food. Their faces, elegant and gentle; from time to time they would sneak a smile.
Shen Momo pulled Ding Xian's arm and whispered. "Previously, I heard Third Young Miss Mu would marry our Highness and therefore was worried for His Highness but now it seems I was worried for nothing."
Ding Xian nodded before he furtively hushed her and pointed at the two people in front.
Shen Momo immediately recomposed herself.
"Hey, why aren't you eating carrots? No wonder your eyes aren't getting better!"
Mu Yunjin observed that whenever Chu Li picked dishes to eat he would avoid the dish with carrots, she frowned. This bird blindness if not treated is not good, he will have to carry a lantern all his life, and I for one do not want to shoulder such a heavy burden of carrying a lantern!
Chu Li saw that Mu Yunjin was a little unhappy, his brows locked together, and glanced at the plate with carrots. Then, with hard-to-come-by obedience, he raised his chopstick and stretched his hand over to the plate.
"This is for your own good." Mu Yunjin purposely put a carrot dish in front of Chu Li.
As he chewed on the tasteless carrot, he gave her a sidelong glance. "Are you sure it's not because you don't want to hold the lantern?"
"......" Can he read my mind now!
Mu Yunjin pursed her lips and pulled the corners of her mouth.
Be that as it may, Chu Li still continued to eat carrots until he ate nearly half of them, the more he ate the more repulsive his face became.
"Young Miss, Young Miss….” Zi Xiang's flustered voice came from outside.
Mu Yunjin gulped down and unhurriedly asked, "What's the matter?"
"It's Fourth Young Miss... they said that she is dying. Rong Wangfei sent someone to tell Young Miss as her jiejie to go and see Fourth Young Miss."
Mu Yunjin remained unfazed.
"That is Rong Wangfu's matter, Mu Lingzhu catching an illness to the point of death... then let Rong Wangfei prepare for a funeral. I am not a fairy, will seeing her make her well?"
After a moment she added. "Besides, didn't we send the medicinal soup and medicine? Isn't it enough? This old witch surnamed Qin, does she think she can blackmail me again?" Mu Yunjin was already panting with rage.
Zi Xiang pursed her lips and shook her head. Her expression showed she was unable to comprehend.
"The person sent by Rong Wangfu is still outside, Young Miss, what should we say?" Zi Xiang timidly asked.
Mu Yunjin looked at Chu Li, indicating for him to decide.
Chu Li looked indifferent, apparently, he too was disinclined to care about this matter. "Depends on your own mood.”
As an afterthought, he said, “If there is something, remember to blow the whistle jade and summon the secret guards." Then, he walked out of the dining room.
Mu Yunjin bit her lip before looking towards Zi Xiang with a wave of a hand. "Let's go to Rong Wangfu. Mu Lingzhu is still a person from Xiangfu. Xiangfu and the General's Fu are in conflict, we cannot let them have the upper hand."
"Yes, Young Miss."
By the time she left the Fu, the sky was already dark and a cold night wind was blowing.
Sitting in the carriage, Mu Yunjin journeyed to Rong Wangfu. Afraid that Zi Xiang would get bullied outside by Rong Wangfu's people, she’d pulled her to sit together inside the carriage.
The carriage rocked and swayed along the way, Mu Yunjin felt that the dinner she had just had would soon make its way out. She glared at the Rong Wangfu's people for sending a dilapidated wagon.
This Rong Wangfei, Qin Shuning, is really not a good person!
A few moments later, the carriage stopped. Mu Yunjin got off and looked around. It was pitch black, all she could make out through the light on the lone lantern was a small door.
"Back door?" Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow and looked at the driver of the carriage.
The carriage driver met Mu Yunjin's chilling gaze and was scared witless. Trembling, and mustering the shred of lingering courage, he replied.
"Wangfu has an established rule, after evening meals, there should be no lanterns on the main doors. Wangfei is afraid to breach etiquette so she let me take Huangzi Fei through the back door. The back door is the only door that has light."
"Then, do I have to thank her?”
♚♚♚
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