Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 143

Chapter 143: The Unusual Yue Wang 

Inside Yue Wang’s residence, Eunuch Cheng carried a tray of food into the study.

“Your Highness…”

Behind the desk, Yue Wang was just about to set brush to paper. At the sound of Eunuch Cheng’s voice, his fingers tightened, and the brush snapped in two with a crisp crack.

Eunuch Cheng looked up in puzzlement.

“Your Highness, you have been sitting in the study all day. It is time to eat something.”

“I know.”

Yue Wang casually tossed the broken brush aside and, with a trace of impatience, covered up the letter Steward Qin had sent.

Eunuch Cheng studied him. Though Yue Wang’s brow was no longer furrowed, his expression seemed even more complex than before—there was agitation, unease, and even a faint thread of pleasure in it. Just what had Old Qin written in that letter to bring out such an expression in him?

“Your Highness, I see unrest in your expression. Did Old Qin write something troublesome in his letter?”

Yue Wang had just picked up a fresh brush, but at those words, there came another sharp crack in his hand. Without expression, he threw aside the broken brush.

“This batch of brushes is of wretched quality. Later, dock the buyer one month’s wages. Set the food down and go rest, Uncle Cheng.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After leaving the study, Eunuch Cheng faithfully passed on Yue Wang’s words.

Yu Heng’s eyes widened at once.

“When I first bought that batch of brushes back, did His Highness not even praise them for writing smoothly? How has it now become a matter of docking wages?” Things had only just begun to feel a little easier; he had hoped to save up some silver for a future wife.

Eunuch Cheng gave a snort.

“When His Highness says they are good, then they are good. When His Highness says they are no good, then they are certainly no good. Why so many questions? You should learn a thing or two from that boy Yu Yi—see how capable he is.”

“Eunuch Cheng, did you not only the other day say that Yu Yi was wasting grain?”

“When did I ever say that? I was obviously talking about you!”

With that, Eunuch Cheng tucked his hands behind his back and strolled toward his own room. Yet as he recalled the expression on Yue Wang’s face just now, his own face bloomed into a smile like a flower.

There was hope. This matter truly looked as though it had hope!

He ought to start putting the residence in order. Perhaps before too long, there would be a mistress of the house. And speaking of a mistress, that Miss Mu still seemed rather young. But that was all right; bring her home first and let her grow up afterwards.

The next morning, Yue Wang summoned Yu Heng and Yu Yi.

“These two letters—one is for Steward Qin, the other is for… Miss Mu Yunyao. Yu Yi, you must deliver them quickly.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Yue Wang nodded. His gaze drifted toward the letter meant for Mu Yunyao. It lingered there a long time before he finally spoke again.

“Yu Heng, at once send men to wait at the border between Yuexi and Yuxi City. When they see the merchant caravan carrying my token and transporting tea to Yuxi City, they are to escort it safely into Yuexi.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Yu Heng obeyed, though inwardly he was full of confusion. “What is Steward Qin sending tea for?” In Yuexi, there was little enough to eat already, and the soldiers under Yue Wang had hardly any oil or fat in their bellies. Wouldn’t tea only make them hungrier? Grain would be far more useful.

Yue Wang’s brow tightened, and his cold gaze swept over Yu Heng.

“What is wrong with sending tea? I think sending tea is very good.”

Yu Heng froze and immediately bowed.

“Yes, Your Highness. This subordinate also thinks it is very good.”

Only then did Yue Wang nod, and some of the chill in his expression faded.

“You may go.”

“Yes.”

After everyone had withdrawn, Yue Wang carefully tucked Steward Qin’s letter into a drawer beneath the desk.

Liu Liang’s men worked with remarkable speed. Since it was the end of the eighth month, the autumn harvest had just concluded, grain was plentiful, and prices were low. It did not take long for all the grain Mu Yunyao had ordered to be bought and transported to the estate Steward Qin had mentioned.

Looking at sack after sack of grain filling the storehouse, Steward Qin felt heat rising in his chest. For so long, they had cautiously taken root in Jiangnan, careful in every movement for fear of attracting unwanted notice. They had not even dared transport grain openly into Yuexi. Yet now Mu Yunyao had done the thing boldly under the pretext of buying fresh leaves for tea processing—and not a single probing eye had taken notice.

When Mu Yunyao stepped down from her carriage and looked over the scenery around the estate, disappointment rose at once in her heart. She had thought the place might be as beautiful as Jinxiu Garden, but upon arrival, found it surrounded by broad fields, with only a few simple courtyards making up the estate. It was painfully plain.

Steward Qin, hearing she had arrived, quickly came out to meet her with the others.

“Greetings, Miss Mu.”

“There is no need for ceremony, Steward Qin. Has all the grain been delivered in full?”

“It has all been checked carefully. There are no problems.”

“Good. Then let us begin.”

From grinding the grain into flour to drying the greens and ginger, Mu Yunyao watched everything closely. She then went over the points requiring attention with those responsible for the stir-frying. After seeing that the ginger tea was nearly ready and confirming there were no problems, she finally went with Steward Qin to rest in one of the nearby rooms.

“Miss has been put to great trouble, making this trip personally.”

From start to finish, nearly two hours had passed. Steward Qin himself had only stood to one side watching, yet even he felt tired. Still less could a young girl like Mu Yunyao be expected not to feel it.

“It is no trouble. If this sort of ginger tea is not prepared properly, it spoils easily, so it is better that I watch over it once myself and put my mind at ease. From now on, you must be particularly careful. Never rush for speed and lose the greater good for the lesser.”

Steward Qin nodded repeatedly.

“Please rest assured, Miss. I will see that they are strictly supervised.”

Mu Yunyao came back twice more after that to inspect the batches of ginger tea that had been prepared. Once she saw there were no issues, she felt at ease and returned her attention to the business of Ni Yun Fang and Bu Xian Lou.

Since all the newly designed garments had already been ordered in advance, Mu Yunyao instructed the embroiderers to begin work at once. Now, with so many helping hands, twenty sets of clothing were completed in only a few dozen days. Only the two sets intended for the Governor’s Wife and Madam Jin still had to be made by Mu Yunyao’s own hands. Fortunately, she worked extremely fast, and they did not take long.

No sooner had those finished garments been sent out than Madam Jin dispatched Yin Hong with a message: the newest batch of learners had all arrived, and the embroiderers from Caiyue Pavilion had naturally been mixed in among them.

Mu Yunyao made no special distinction. As before, she let those apprentices who had first studied under her go and teach the newcomers. To her surprise, Ding Yuelan actually volunteered to go and instruct the arriving embroiderers in the techniques herself.

After some thought, Mu Yunyao agreed gladly. Even so, she still worried that Ding Yuelan might be troubled by gossip and malicious talk, so she offered a pointed reminder.

“Madam, all those people have come only to learn embroidery techniques. If any among them are foolish or disrespectful, simply drive them out. There is no need to anger yourself over them.”

Ding Yuelan naturally understood her meaning, and her heart was deeply moved.

“Thank you, Miss. In truth, perhaps it is just as well to hear certain things. If one hears them often enough, one grows numb to them. Then there is nothing left to mind.”

Seeing the faint smile on Ding Yuelan’s face, Mu Yunyao felt only regret. The Madam Ding of old, bright and blazing like fire, would likely never return. Whether she had been destroyed in those flames or would be reborn through them depended entirely on her own choice.

Mu Yunyao could only hope with all sincerity that Ding Yuelan would choose the latter.

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