~ SU QINGWU ~
In the Governor’s residence, the Governor’s wife welcomed Lady Jin and Mu Yunyao with a face full of smiles. “Why are the two of you here so late? If you don’t come soon, I’d have sent someone to invite you. Don’t be so polite. Let’s get up and come in.”
After a few pleasantries between the Governor’s wife and Lady Jin, their gazes landed on Mu Yunyao. Compared to the two previous meetings with the Governor’s wife, her stare was even more intimate this time. “I’ve been busy these days and haven’t had the time to sit at Ni Yun Fang. Why does Miss Mu look so much thinner?”
A well-behaved smile appeared on Mu Yunyao’s face, “Sorry for troubling you, Madam. My appetite wasn’t good, so I ate a little less.”
“You need to pay more attention at such a young age. The medicinal food cooked by my family’s chef is not bad. In a while, someone will stew a cup for you to bring over.”
“How dare I?” Mu Yunyao exclaimed, hurriedly standing up, overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.
“I like you when I look at you. Why do you need to be scared? When you leave, I’ll get someone to copy down the prescription to take with you. You can make some for me every day when you get back.”
Mu Yunyao hurriedly curtsied and bowed. “Thank you, Madam. I’ll stew it every day.” Her eyes were bright, and her tone was so sincere. The Governor’s wife wanted to befriend her, so she naturally could not refuse.
The Governor’s wife and Lady Jin were absent-minded and looked into the entrance occasionally. About an hour later, a maid hastily ran in. “Reporting to Madam, His Majesty’s reward has arrived. Master has sent word to invite you, Lady Jin, and Miss Mu to the front courtyard to receive the decree.”
“Alright, we’ll go right now.” The Governor’s wife hurriedly stood up, her face radiant. “Hurry, hurry. The two of you are the main subject.”
Lady Jin did not continue to be polite and followed the Governor’s wife out of the courtyard.
In front of the front yard’s main hall, they had prepared an incense table and other items in advance.
Governor Zhang and the other officials stood respectfully at the side of the incense table according to their respective grades/ranks. On the incense table was a bright yellow imperial decree, emitting a majestic radiance in the sunlight.
Mu Yunyao followed Lady Jin to the front courtyard. She lowered her eyes slightly to look at the ground. Her eyes were calm, but fear filled her expression. Governor Zhang said, “Lord Su, everyone’s here. We can announce His Majesty’s decree now.”
Hearing the word Su, Mu Yunyao’s forehead twitched, and she subconsciously looked up. When she looked up, her entire body seemed struck by lightning, and she suddenly froze.
Next to the incense burner stood a young man. He wore light armor, and his facial features were as pretty as a painting. His phoenix eyes were shining with a bright light, and he looked like a towering pine tree. His entire body was proud and unyielding.
Mu Yunyao looked at him as hatred raged within her heart. It surged into her eyes, causing those black pupils to freeze like a thousand feet of ice, without a trace of warmth or light to be seen: Su Qingwu, it’s Su Qingwu!
Su Qingwu held the imperial decree in both hands as he waited for the others to pay their respects. Suddenly, he felt an exceptionally sharp gaze land on himself. He immediately raised his eyes to look, only to see the kneeling people and not notice anything unusual.
“Emperor’s decree, Jingling City....”
Mu Yunyao followed the crowd and kneeled on the ground. Both of her hands intersected and touched her forehead to the ground. Her body language was the most respectful I’ve ever seen, but the hatred in her heart was like a giant wave crashing into the sky.
Su Qingwu is the Su family’s most proud first-rate grandson. He had been promoted to a first-rate Imperial Guard at the age of twenty. Even the princes and grandsons of the royal family had to praise Su Qingwu as a rare sight.
In her previous life, to take revenge on her sister, she used some means to climb onto Jin Wang’s bed. This Young Master, praised by the world, had kicked her in the chest, causing her to spit out three mouthfuls of blood. She always remembered the look in his eyes at that time. It was scornful, like looking at a lump of mud on the ground. Afterward, she entered Jin Wang’s residence and became a concubine. Jin Wang copied a hundred Buddhist scriptures to please the Emperor and prayed for the Emperor’s happiness. She accompanied Jin Wang to the temple and imitated his handwriting to help him copy the scriptures.
She became pregnant in April and bled after she got ten strokes. She had lost her child the night before when she went back home.
“Mu Yunyao, with a kind and fair heart, bestowed a pair of jade Ruyi*, ten pieces of brocade, and a hundred gold taels.”
Jade Ruyi*
The imperial edict read about a quarter of an hour before it finished.
Mu Yunyao retracted the hatred in her heart and did her best to recover her composure as she followed the crowd to pay respects and express her gratitude.
Governor Zhang got up and took the imperial decree, then invited Su Qingwu to the banquet with a face full of smiles: “Lord Su, you have come from afar. I have prepared a thin wine for you and the other guards to welcome you.”
Even if Su Qingwu couldn’t be considered a favored person in front of the Emperor just because he was born into the Su family, no one dared to look down on him. Furthermore, he was only twenty, so his future was bright and promising.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Governor Zhang.”
“Quick, invite him in.”
Su Qingwu stood in the same spot, looking toward Mu Yunyao’s direction, saying, “Speaking of which, this official has a private matter. I wonder if Miss Mu, who spread the embroidery needle technique to Jingling City, is here?”
Hatred surged from Mu Yunyao’s heart, which had just calmed down a moment ago. She fiercely gripped her palms and tried to appear calm and tranquil.
Seeing that everyone’s gaze was on her, she walked step by step toward Su Qingwu. With every step she took, the hostility in her heart grew intense, but her expression was the exact opposite as she smiled gently: “Mu Yunyao greets Lord Su.”
Seeing Mu Yunyao, a hint of surprise flashed across Su Qingwu’s eyes. He never thought that Mu Yunyao was so young. She had an apricot-colored dress with a skirt embroidered with lotus pond moonlight. At this moment, she was gracefully standing there like a slim and graceful lotus bud. Her entire body carried a delicate and pretty appearance as if the spirit of Jiangnan gathered within her.
Su Qingwu quickly retracted the strange feeling in his heart, and he warmly said, “Miss Mu, you no need be so courteous. I’ve heard that Miss Mu’s embroidery skills are incomparable. I wonder if I could get a screen from Miss Mu’s hands to give to my grandmother as a birthday present.”
“I shouldn’t have refused Lord Su’s request, but I haven’t been able to do anything about it lately. I’m going to disappoint you.”
“Why is that?” Su Qingwu sized up Mu Yunyao. She kept her eyes down the entire time and her long, thin eyelashes like two small fans. When the sunlight shone, it was as if a rainbow of colors was shining, and at such a young age, it made the rejection in his heart feel much less displeased.
Mu Yunyao stretched out her hand, and a blood mark appeared on her palm. Her white jade-like skin was exceptionally calm. “I injured my hand a while ago. Please forgive me, Lord Su.”
“So that’s how it is. I’ve been rude. It’s such a pity...”
Mu Yunyao bent her knees to pay her respects before retreating behind Lady Jin, slightly lowering her head and remaining silent. Su Qingwu swept a glance at her again, and after withdrawing his gaze, his brows moved a bit. He didn’t know why, but when he looked at Mu Yunyao just now, there was a dreadful feeling of unfamiliarity that made him unable to stop himself from paying attention.
*Ru Yi means “as you wish.” The additional meaning of Ru Yi is that of good luck and protection, with a reputation for helping its owner find an obvious way to fulfill his path or destiny.
Thanks for the chapter! Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteThankyou, hanamooi-san 💞
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