Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 123

Chapter 123: Pressing for Yue Wang’s True Identity

Jin Lan and Jin Qiao naturally recognized Su Qingwu as well. After a brief moment of panic, they hurried forward to pay their respects, then quickly helped Mu Yunyao down from the osmanthus tree.

Mu Yunyao straightened her skirt. A trace of just the right amount of confusion appeared on her face.

“Greetings, Lord Su. Did you not already return to the Capital? Why have you suddenly appeared in Jinxiu Garden?”

“Miss Mu need not be so courteous. This time, I came to escort the two pieces of calligraphy His Majesty has bestowed upon you.”

Hearing this, Mu Yunyao was overjoyed. The delight in her clear eyes seemed almost about to overflow.

“His Majesty truly bestowed calligraphy upon me? That is wonderful! Lord Su, did you just say two pieces?”

“Yes. Niyun Pavilion and Buxian Tower. Should Miss Mu not have guessed this long ago?”

Su Qingwu studied Mu Yunyao closely. Thinking of all the methods she had used before, the emotions in his heart churned. He treated her so differently. Had that, too, been part of her calculations?

Mu Yunyao ignored the cold mockery in his words. Her smile remained brilliant.

“How would I dare casually speculate on His Majesty’s sacred intentions? Could Lord Su have guessed it in advance?”

“How could I?”

Speculating on His Majesty’s intentions was a grave offense. Naturally, he would not admit to such a thing.

“Then is that not exactly so? Lord Su is someone His Majesty values, yet even you could not think of it. How could I possibly have thought of it?”

Mu Yunyao was in an excellent mood at present, so she lazily tossed this reply back at Su Qingwu. Seeing that he did not speak, she also lost interest in continuing to mock him.

“May I ask where His Majesty’s bestowed calligraphy is now? Do I need to set up an incense altar and receive it immediately?”

“The Imperial Guards have already escorted the calligraphy to Governor Zhang’s Residence. It is already late today. I imagine Governor Zhang will send someone to inform you tomorrow.”

Mu Yunyao’s smile grew even brighter.

“Tomorrow just happens to be the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the Mid-Autumn Festival. This can truly be called double happiness. Jin Lan, Jin Qiao, the two of you help me pick osmanthus flowers and send them to Mother. I must go find Shopkeeper Qin and discuss with him how we should celebrate tomorrow.

“This osmanthus grove has not yet been opened to guests. If Lord Su wishes to drink tea, please go elsewhere. Do you need me to call a tea attendant to receive you?”

“There is no need. I should also leave.”

“Respectfully sending off Lord Su.”

Seeing Su Qingwu leave directly after speaking, Mu Yunyao returned with a heart full of joy to share the news with Mother.

After leaving Jinxiu Garden, Su Qingwu’s attendant quickly followed.

“My lord, Governor Zhang knows you have arrived and specially sent someone to invite you to attend a banquet.”

“Decline it for me. Say that I am weary from the long journey and feel unwell. We will speak of it tomorrow.”

Su Qingwu’s voice was low.

“Yes, my lord.”

Su Qingwu was about to mount his horse when he suddenly discovered that he was still holding that branch of osmanthus.

The leaves were vivid green, and the flowers were abundant. The small pale-yellow blossoms crowded together in clusters, looking especially endearing.

“My lord?”

Seeing Su Qingwu freeze, the attendant could not help reminding him.

Su Qingwu’s brows moved slightly. He looked deeply at the osmanthus branch, then casually threw it to the ground. After that, he mounted his horse and left as swiftly as wind and lightning.

Although Su Qingwu’s arrival had made Mu Yunyao somewhat unhappy, the thought of the two imperially bestowed signboards immediately pushed that small displeasure to the back of her mind.

“Mother, our signboards have arrived.”

“Signboards? You mean His Majesty’s bestowed calligraphy has arrived?”

Su Qing was overjoyed.

“Yes. Niyun Pavilion and Buxian Tower both have one. Tomorrow, we can retrieve them from Governor Zhang’s Residence.”

Su Qing’s face was full of smiles. In her excitement, she could not stop pacing back and forth in the room.

“That is wonderful. Truly wonderful! Tomorrow happens to be Mid-Autumn as well. We must celebrate properly.”

“Mm. Right, I also need to tell Shopkeeper Qin this good news. He has been looking forward to it for a long time too.”

“Good, hurry and go. Shopkeeper Qin is alone and has no family here in Jingling City. And those children at Buxian Tower have truly worked hard during this period. Tomorrow, why not celebrate together?”

As Su Qing spoke, she became somewhat nervous, afraid that the suggestion she had made was too sudden or troublesome. The more she spoke, the softer her voice became.

Mu Yunyao, however, supported it wholeheartedly.

“Mother is still the most thoughtful. These days, I have been so busy that I nearly forgot Mid-Autumn altogether. Fortunately, Mother reminded me. Then let Si Qin and the others help you prepare. Tomorrow, Buxian Tower will close early, and we will all eat a reunion meal together.”

“Good. Then Mother will go prepare.”

Seeing her suggestion affirmed, Su Qing was extremely happy. She quickly called Si Qin and the others to go make preparations. Food for so many people would take quite some effort.

When Steward Qin heard Mu Yunyao speak of the calligraphy, he smiled so widely that his teeth showed.

“This is truly wonderful!”

With this golden signboard, who would still dare investigate Buxian Tower? As long as they managed things well, His Highness could use Buxian Tower to spread his eyes and ears throughout Jiangnan. Soon, he would be able to complete the great plan in his heart and return to the Capital as early as possible.

“I will write to Fourth Master right now and tell him. He will certainly be extremely pleased.”

“Fourth Master is far away. I fear it will take a long time for the letter to be delivered?”

Mu Yunyao asked as though unintentionally.

“Yes. To send it to Yuexi will take half a month.”

After Steward Qin finished speaking, his whole body abruptly froze in place.

“Ahem… Master has gone to Yuexi during this period to discuss some business, so the letter must be sent there…”

Only, the more he explained, the more it carried the taste of trying to cover things up.

Mu Yunyao looked at Steward Qin and smiled without speaking.

“Yuexi is a bitterly cold border region. The terrain is high, and mountains stretch everywhere. On some mountains, the snow does not melt all year round. Even grass finds it extremely difficult to grow there. I wonder what sort of business there is to do?”

“As for Master’s matters, I am not very clear either…”

“Steward Qin, now that Buxian Tower has a golden signboard bestowed by His Majesty, it will only grow larger and better in the future. But if I do not know Fourth Master’s true identity, it will be difficult to avoid doing things that do not accord with his intentions. If this continues for long, it will truly be unfavorable to Buxian Tower’s development.”

“Miss is not unaware, is she? Fourth Master is from Xiling in the Capital. His ancestors held office, and he also controls quite a few businesses…”

“But I asked Lord Su, and he said there is no Ning family in the Capital whose business is particularly large.”

“Su… Su Qingwu? He serves as an official in court. He may not know everything about the situation in Xiling…”

“It just so happens that the one escorting His Majesty’s calligraphy to Jingling City this time is also him. If Steward Qin does not tell me the truth, then I will draw a portrait and entrust Lord Su to investigate it for me.”

“No. Absolutely not!”

Some time ago, His Highness had returned to the Capital to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday. Su Qingwu had seen him before. If Mu Yunyao brought a portrait to ask him, things would become disastrous.

“Since Steward Qin will not let me investigate, then you should tell me yourself.”

Looking at Mu Yunyao’s certain expression, Steward Qin smiled somewhat helplessly.

“Miss is intelligent. I imagine you have already guessed something?”

Since Mu Yunyao had decided to expose Yue Wang’s identity, she did not plan to keep circling around the matter. Hearing Steward Qin ask this, she nodded.

“Fourth Master has extraordinary bearing. He also uses Ning as his surname and ranks fourth. Added to that, you just said he is in Yuexi. I made a bold guess. Could Fourth Master be His Highness Yue Wang?”

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