Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 105

~ THEN LET’S TEST YOUR DEPTHS ~

Back at Ni Yun Fang, Su Qing didn’t notice anything off about Mu Yunyao. She was too busy being excited, listening eagerly as Mu Yunyao described receiving the imperial edict.

“Yao’er, His Majesty rewarded you with so many things. When will they be delivered?”

“It’s already late today, so probably not tonight,” Mu Yunyao replied smoothly. “They should arrive early tomorrow. Don’t worry, Mother. No one would dare skim imperial rewards.”

“Good, good!” Su Qing paced back and forth in excitement for a long while, then took Si Qin and the others to continue arranging the room where the imperial rewards would be set up.

The moment Su Qing left, the smile on Mu Yunyao’s face vanished.

Jin Lan brought in tea and pastries and asked carefully, “Miss, you really don’t look well. Should this servant call a physician?”

“I’m fine. You all can go.”

When the room finally fell silent, Mu Yunyao opened her palm and studied the wound there.

The instant she’d seen Su Qingwu at the Governor’s Residence, she’d already prepared for the worst.

She was afraid Su Qingwu had come for that Splendid Rivers and Mountains embroidered screen. Even more, she feared he would demand embroidery on the spot to test her.

That was why, while she knelt during the reading of the edict, she’d secretly used the gold needle she always carried to slice her own palm. Luckily, the edict had been long, and everyone had stayed kneeling. She’d had enough time to treat the cut so it wouldn’t look freshly made.

Even so, it hadn’t helped much.

Worse, she hadn’t fully controlled her emotions earlier. She’d still given Su Qingwu reason to be suspicious. Su Qingwu was the Su family’s prized heir, a prodigy so sharp even the Emperor praised him without restraint.

Mu Yunyao frowned.

On Jinling Bridge, he’d deliberately brought up the person who embroidered the Splendid Rivers and Mountains screen. That had been probing, plain as day. When she sidestepped it, he definitely wouldn’t let it go. He would come back with another move.

And if he dug up the truth about her and her mother’s background, things would get ugly.

“Better to strike first…” Mu Yunyao murmured. She propped her temple with one hand, thoughts spinning rapidly. In the end, her lips curved slightly.

“The winter cicada loves emerald grass, the crying phoenix perches on Qingwu. Since we’ve run into each other, then let’s test your depth early. Sooner or later, we’re going to clash anyway.”

The next morning, Mu Yunyao and Su Qing were already dressed and waiting downstairs. Half an hour later, Jin Lan came running in with a bright smile.

“Miss, His Majesty’s rewards have arrived!”

Su Qing couldn’t help tightening her grip on Mu Yunyao’s hand. “Yao’er…”

Mu Yunyao patted her gently, smiling warmly and steadily. “Mother, don’t get too excited. Those rewards aren’t going anywhere.”

Then a familiar voice spoke from outside.

“Miss Mu, the imperial rewards have been delivered.”

Mu Yunyao looked up, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

Su Qingwu.

He was personally here.

Su Qingwu glanced at the plaque above Ni Yun Fang, and a spark of admiration flashed in his eyes. What bold, powerful calligraphy.

“Greetings, Lord Su,” Mu Yunyao said.

She hadn’t expected him to come himself, but the moment she did, it made sense. He was still testing her.

Fine.

If he wanted to play, she’d play.

Mu Yunyao and Su Qing led everyone in Ni Yun Fang in kneeling to thank the Emperor for his grace. After the formalities, the rewards were carried inside.

Su Qingwu looked around with clear interest. His gaze lingered especially on two basins of water lilies in the hall. Green leaves, pink blossoms, and golden-red koi weaving through the water made the whole scene vivid and lively.

Since she’d already decided to cross blades with him, Mu Yunyao stopped avoiding him.

“Lord Su seems to like those water lilies. If you want them, I can gift them to you as thanks.”

“They’re cared for so meticulously, they must be precious to you.” Su Qingwu smiled faintly. “A gentleman doesn’t take what others love. Forget it.”

“I don’t actually like them,” Mu Yunyao said blandly. “I only keep them because certain madams like lotus flowers.”

Su Qingwu was genuinely surprised. Lotus flowers, especially water lilies, were beloved by most women. Even if someone disliked them, they rarely said it so bluntly.

“Then what does Miss Mu like?”

Mu Yunyao smiled sweetly. “I run an embroidery workshop. Of course I like silver.”

She knew exactly what kind of man Su Qingwu was. Proud, aloof, and obsessed with “refinement.” Saying she loved money so openly would definitely grate on him.

Sure enough, his expression didn’t change, but a trace of displeasure flickered through his eyes.

“Miss Mu is… refreshingly direct,” Su Qingwu said, studying her.

The girl before him had skin like snow and lips like crimson. Her brows and eyes were delicate, her smile bright, and now and then a lively spark flashed through her gaze. If he hadn’t caught that brief frown earlier, he might have believed she truly welcomed him.

“If you can’t even say what you want, and spend every day groveling and scheming, that’s suffocating.” Mu Yunyao’s smile stayed pure, but the words carried quiet barbs. “Besides, who doesn’t like silver? Don’t you agree, Lord Su?”

Su Qingwu’s gaze swept her face again.

Now he was certain. Mu Yunyao did have hostility toward him.

The question was why.

“I’ve just arrived in Jingling and want to look around,” Su Qingwu said casually. “But I don’t know the roads. Could Miss Mu point the way?”

Mu Yunyao sighed as if troubled. “Lord Su is making things difficult. I may be common-born, but Mother raised me strictly. I’m a young girl. If I go out alone with you, I’ll come back with my reputation in pieces.”

Su Qingwu paused, then a hint of amusement rose in his eyes.

“That’s my oversight. I was too abrupt.” He added, “But you haven’t even had your coming-of-age ceremony yet, and I have attendants with me. It shouldn’t cause trouble, should it?”

Of course it wouldn’t. Mu Yunyao was only doing this to annoy him.

Years later, Su Qingwu would be praised across the capital as the model of etiquette, the standard everyone in Xiling copied. If word got out that he’d invited a young lady out so carelessly, she’d love to see what his face looked like.

“You’re right. I was overthinking,” Mu Yunyao said smoothly. “Then I’ll tell Mother and accompany Lord Su for a walk.”

Su Qingwu nodded, watching her head upstairs. The smile in his eyes faded, replaced by a thin, cool sheen.

Mu Yunyao informed Su Qing, then deliberately took her time changing clothes. Only then did she come back down with Jin Lan and Jin Qiao.

Su Qingwu sat at the table, eyes drifting toward the street outside, watching the flow of passing people. His smile was faint, polite, and distant.

Mu Yunyao put on an apologetic expression. “Lord Su, sorry to keep you waiting. It’s my mistake. I even forgot to have my maids serve you tea. This…”

“No matter,” Su Qingwu said calmly.

He was already displeased, but his temperament wouldn’t allow him to show it. Yet when he looked up and saw Mu Yunyao after she’d changed, he froze for an instant. A flash of astonishment crossed his eyes, and his irritation melted without him noticing.

She wore a pale blue-green gauze top patterned with antique smoke motifs, paired with a pleated moon-white skirt. A pearl hairpin with cloud-shaped feet decorated her hair, matched with tiny floral forehead ornaments. When she smiled, it was like a hundred flowers blooming at once.

So young, and already this much presence.

If she reached her coming-of-age and fully matured… what kind of beauty would she become?

Su Qingwu pressed down the ripple in his gaze and stood. “Then let’s go.”

Mu Yunyao led the way.

As they walked, many women greeted Mu Yunyao warmly. Their attitudes were intimate and grateful. After all, their embroidery techniques came from her. Even without a formal master-disciple title, the respect was real.

Mu Yunyao returned each greeting patiently. From time to time, she even stopped to admire embroidery on street stalls, looking relaxed and completely at ease.

Su Qingwu followed behind at an unhurried pace. If anything, it looked like he was the one accompanying her.

Only after wandering for quite a while did Mu Yunyao seem to “remember” he was there. She picked up a piece of embroidery and asked casually, “Lord Su, what do you think of this sweat cloth?”

It was clearly a man’s item, with a cluster of orchids stitched into one corner, vivid and lifelike.

Su Qingwu glanced at it. “After seeing Miss Mu’s embroidery, this one feels… ordinary.”

Edited by Little Kitty on 07/06/20

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