Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 102

Chapter 102: Niyun Pavilion Catches Fire

“Madam went out today to purchase silk threads. On the way back, a child suddenly rushed in front of the carriage and even threw a string of firecrackers toward the horses.”

“A child?”

“Yes. This servant went forward to ask. He was only the child of an ordinary farming household. His parents rushed over and kept kowtowing as they admitted fault, so Madam did not pursue the matter further.”

Mu Yunyao’s brows moved slightly.

Leaving aside why that child had suddenly rushed in front of the carriage, the firecrackers alone were enough to arouse suspicion. Though Jiangnan was wealthy, among ordinary commoners, who would let a child play with firecrackers when it was neither New Year nor a festival?

Seeing that she was still deeply worried, Su Qing spoke to comfort her. “Mother only twisted her ankle by accident. It is nothing serious.”

Mu Yunyao hurriedly crouched down and helped Su Qing examine her ankle. Seeing that it was only slightly red and swollen, she finally released a breath of relief.

“Mother, for these next two days, try not to go out unless necessary. I fear this matter is not so simple.”

“Very well.”

Liu Liang was not at her side, and Mu Yunyao had not yet come to fully trust Si Qin and the others. Thus, she could only suppress the matter in her heart for the time being and instruct everyone in Niyun Pavilion to be especially careful.

That night, she suddenly woke from sleep.

A faint scorched smell drifted through the air.

She threw on her clothes and rushed outside, calling Jin Lan and the others awake as she went. By the time she reached the lower floor, firelight was already flickering before her eyes.

Jin Lan and the others had long since received Mu Yunyao’s warning, so they were still able to remain steady. They took up basins of water and swiftly extinguished the flames.

The fire was not large. It had only caught on the curtains, blackening a patch of the wall with smoke.

Mu Yunyao’s brows drew tightly together, and a chill spread through her heart.

These past two days, she had been especially cautious. She had reminded Jin Lan and the others to take all easily flammable fabrics and silk threads and place them in their rooms for careful storage. She had feared precisely that someone would be unable to resist setting fire to Niyun Pavilion. She had not expected that she would truly guess correctly.

Jin Lan and the others did not dare make a sound.

It was Su Qing, supporting herself on the stairs as she limped down step by step, who finally broke through Mu Yunyao’s thoughts.

“Mother, it is only a small matter and nothing serious. Why have you come downstairs?”

When Su Qing saw the burned curtain and the water stains on the floor, she could not help pressing a hand to her chest.

“Yao’er, these people’s methods are far too vicious.”

“Mother, rest assured. In another two days, I will make them repay each matter, one by one.”

Mu Yunyao’s voice was cold and clear. Her dark eyes were fathomless, as though they had gathered all the surrounding light into their depths.

Hearing her speak this way, Su Qing could not help growing worried again.

“Yao’er, you must not be too impulsive. Fortunately, the fire did not truly spread.”

“Mother, rest assured. I know where to draw the line.”

When Madam Jin learned what had happened at Niyun Pavilion, she made a special trip over.

“Yunyao, nothing serious happened, did it?”

Mu Yunyao hurried forward to greet her. “Greetings, Madam. I have caused you worry. Fortunately, we discovered it in time. Only a bit of the curtain was burned. After a little tidying, all will be well.”

Madam Jin’s brows were tightly furrowed. “And your mother? Is her injury serious?”

“She only twisted her ankle. It is nothing serious.”

As Mu Yunyao spoke, she guided Madam Jin to a seat and had Jin Lan serve fruit tea.

“Madam is carrying a child, so please have some fruit tea.”

Madam Jin’s expression eased slightly. “Seeing that you are able to remain so steady, I can feel at ease. It is only these two days. Once these two days pass, all will be well.”

Mu Yunyao nodded. “It is only because I have kept Madam’s words in mind that I am able to remain this calm.”

She was not one to suffer losses quietly. Those people had injured Su Qing, and this debt naturally had to be settled. It was only that such words could not be spoken to Madam Jin.

“For these two days, I will send more people to guard the surroundings of Niyun Pavilion. You must all be more alert as well. At present, there is no better method.”

The people she had sent had not noticed anyone suspicious approaching Niyun Pavilion at all. Without evidence, everything was in vain.

“Many thanks, Madam.”

After seeing Madam Jin off, Mu Yunyao leaned back in her chair and carefully considered the matter.

After thinking for a while, she suddenly rose and returned upstairs. Then she took up a brush and paper to write a letter to Yue Wang.

Yue Wang, after all, owned thirty percent of Niyun Pavilion. Now that trouble had occurred here again and again, and it had nearly been reduced to ashes by someone’s hand, she naturally had to inform Yue Wang of it.

Aside from that, she ought also to send some silver along. Only after seeing real gold and silver would Yue Wang pay even greater attention.

Yuexi was a bitterly cold place. She had heard that even the military pay there was insufficient. In that case, this time, she would send over a little more silver. Later, slowly and bit by bit, she could recover it.

Steward Qin was somewhat surprised to see Mu Yunyao. At this moment, her face was filled with weariness, and there was even a faint pallor beneath it.

“Steward Qin, I have a letter and some things I wish to send to Fourth Master. May I ask if it would be convenient?”

“Naturally, it is convenient. Miss, what has happened?”

Mu Yunyao gave a bitter smile. “It is nothing much. Only, many things have happened at Niyun Pavilion recently. Last night, someone tried to set fire to the pavilion. Fortunately, we discovered it in time, so there was no real loss.”

“There was actually such a thing?”

Steward Qin’s gaze sharpened.

Regardless of whether Mu Yunyao and His Highness could truly come to anything in the future, at present, she was helping prepare the tea house and allowing His Highness to openly plant eyes and ears in Jiangnan. He could not simply watch as she was bullied.

“Miss Mu, do not be anxious. I will have people investigate as soon as possible. If we discover any news, I will certainly inform Miss at once.”

Mu Yunyao released a breath of relief. “Many thanks, Steward Qin.”

The next two days passed peacefully, without wind or waves. Su Qing’s heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally eased slightly.

On the third day, Mu Yunyao was called early to the Cao family’s Residence by Madam Jin.

“Yunyao, we have already received definite news. Today, His Majesty’s rewards will be delivered. Governor Zhang has already led the officials to receive them. In a while, we must also go to the Governor’s Residence. Tidy yourself once more. You must not allow the slightest breach of etiquette.”

Mu Yunyao knew Madam Jin meant well. She followed Yin Hong into the inner room and faced the mirror, adjusting the appearance she had already examined who knew how many times. Her face carried a touch of delighted eagerness, yet in her heart, there were no great waves.

For the sake of this day, she had worked hard for a long time.

Now that her wish had been fulfilled, she only felt that it was as it should be. She did not feel the fear or excitement she had imagined.

Outside Jingling City, a procession of a hundred men escorted two carriages of goods swiftly into the city.

The officials had long been waiting at the city gates. The streets had also been placed under strict control, with no commoners moving about.

Governor Zhang stood at the head of the officials. Seeing the procession come to a stop, he hurried forward.

“Lord Su, you have traveled a long road. You must have worked hard.”

“Greetings, Lord Zhang. This lowly official has received His Majesty’s grace and has had the honor of escorting His Majesty’s rewards. It has been a pleasure rather than a hardship.”

A young man dressed in light armor dismounted and returned Governor Zhang’s greeting.

His face was fair as carved jade, and his figure was tall and upright. His pair of phoenix eyes seemed filled with stars. Though he wore armor dust-stained from the journey, he still gave others the impression of a jade tree among jeweled branches, outstanding, refined, and impossible to overlook.

Standing among the ranks of officials, Cao Yunnian studied the young man and sighed inwardly.

As expected, one raised by the Su family was not ordinary. At only twenty years old, he had been specially promoted by His Majesty to a First-Class Imperial Guard. Even a task as important as escorting imperial rewards had been entrusted to him.

Unlike himself. He had struggled and tumbled through officialdom for ten years, and only now had he just managed to become a lower fourth-rank official. Truly, people could not be compared.

Governor Zhang led the young man and the imperial rewards all the way to the Governor’s Residence. The other officials accompanied them at the side with eager smiles, though their eyes could not help drifting again and again toward the two carriages.

Edited by Little Kitty on 05/06/20

↞ Previous│❀ Table of Contents ❀ │ Next ↠