Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 147

Chapter 147: Miss Mu Sends Ginger Tea Across a Thousand Li

After entering Yuexi territory, the bandits removed their face coverings. The one at their head was none other than Yu Heng, Yue Wang’s trusted retainer.

The other guards, who had also disguised themselves as bandits, stared curiously at the burlap sacks covered with oiled felt cloth on the carts. Some could not resist reaching out to squeeze them; others even leaned in to smell them. Unfortunately, there was not the slightest scent, leaving them unable to guess what was inside.

Yu Heng turned back and caught sight of their movements. He could not help giving a low rebuke. “Do not touch them recklessly. These contain the ginger tea Miss Mu sent over. Steward Cheng reminded me again and again that not even a little of it may be damaged.”

The others exchanged glances, their eyes brimming with curiosity. For Yu Heng to respectfully call someone “Miss,” her identity must be far from ordinary. Yet they had never seen His Highness grow close to any young lady.

Those who had been sent to handle this matter were all Yue Wang’s confidants, so they had fewer reservations when speaking.

“Which family’s young lady is this Miss Mu?”

Yu Heng swept him a glance, and the smile at the corner of his lips grew even more mysterious.

Receiving no answer, everyone felt as though claws were scratching at their hearts. Though they did not know what sort of tea this ginger tea was, they knew well enough how precious tea leaves were. Even the most ordinary tea, if it filled more than a dozen carts, would cost tens of thousands of taels of silver. Which young lady in the family could be so generous?

All the way back to Yue Wang’s Residence, their curiosity did not fade in the slightest.

After returning to the residence, Yu Heng first went to report. “Master, all the ginger tea Miss Mu sent has been escorted back.”

Yue Wang rose and went to the courtyard. There, he saw the guards unloading sack after sack.

Yu Heng picked up one sack and set it upright. Then, with great care, he opened its mouth for Yue Wang to inspect.

The guards, who had long been burning with curiosity, stretched their necks one after another to look. Once the sack was opened, they discovered another layer of waterproof, damp-proof felt cloth wrapped inside. When that felt cloth was removed, a rich fragrance immediately drifted out.

Everyone could not help inhaling deeply, delight filling their eyes. Yuexi had few edible resources to begin with, and even so, they still had to contend with raids and harassment from Beijiang (the Northern Frontier) and the Yunnu. Once winter came, life became even more strained. Even they, guards of Yue Wang’s Residence, did not have much oil in their bellies.

Now, after traveling for an entire day, the sudden fragrance of the ginger tea seemed to grow claws, drawing out rumbling sounds from their stomachs one after another.

Yue Wang reached out, took a little of the ginger tea, and rubbed it between his fingers. The light in his eyes remained cold and clear, yet another emotion seemed to flicker within it.

Steward Cheng had already prepared bowls. To help build Mu Yunyao’s reputation, he had brought no small number of them—basically one for every guard who had gone to escort the ginger tea.

“Your Highness, this ginger tea has finally arrived after such difficulty. How about we all taste it?” Though his mouth was asking for permission, his hands did not hesitate in the least. He had already taken a ladle and scooped some into the bowls.

Yue Wang gave a slight nod, and everyone present immediately broke into smiles.

Some of the more impatient ones saw Steward Cheng scoop the ginger tea into the bowls and simply grabbed a handful of the powdered mixture to put into their mouths. Their eyes widened in delight. “Delicious! This ginger tea is truly delicious!”

They had originally thought it was tea leaves. Who would have expected it to be pale yellow rice flour, with a little dried vegetable and diced meat mixed in? Even eaten dry like this, it filled the mouth with savory fragrance, delicate and delicious.

“This was sent all the way here by Miss Mu. If I had known you lot would behave like this, I simply would not have let you taste it!”

The moment Steward Cheng spoke, a chorus of wails rose at once.

“Do not say that, Steward Cheng. Look, we have not failed to show you filial respect on ordinary days. Just let us have a taste first. Is there not still a great deal of it?”

“Steward Cheng, who exactly is this Miss Mu you speak of?” They had already heard Yu Heng mention her once, and now Steward Cheng had brought her up again. It made them nearly die of curiosity.

“Do not pry blindly. When it is time for you to know, naturally you will know. Enough. This ginger tea is not meant to be eaten dry. I have already had people bring hot water. Each of you may go scoop some into your bowl and brew it.”

“Good! Many thanks, Steward Cheng.”

When food was mentioned, everyone temporarily suppressed their curiosity and hurried over with their bowls to add hot water.

After being brewed with hot water, the fragrance grew even richer. The dried ginger pieces and vegetables unfurled, releasing a thick aroma, while the diced meat remained especially chewy. Blowing aside the steam and taking one sip sent warmth through the whole body, leaving an endless aftertaste.

Steward Cheng brought a bowl over to Yue Wang. “Your Highness, would you like to taste some as well?”

Yue Wang shook his head and walked straight toward the carriage. After sweeping his gaze over it, he lifted aside a sack and took out an exquisite wooden box. A slip of paper had been pressed atop the box, written with the words: For His Highness Yue Wang to open personally.

Steward Cheng slurped his ginger tea while leaning over. Seeing the handwriting on the slip, his eyes filled with laughter. “Your Highness, it seems the contents of this box were specially prepared for you by Miss Mu. Will you not open it and have a look?”

Yue Wang glanced at the bowl in Steward Cheng’s hand. “Uncle Cheng, they have already started drinking their second bowl.”

Steward Cheng quickly turned back. Raising the ladle in his hand, he went over to strike at them. “You brats, put down your bowls! Hey—Yu Heng, I am speaking to you! Do not scoop so much. Your bowl is only so large. If you add that much powder, will it not turn into paste once you pour in water?”

While the courtyard was filled with noise and laughter, Yue Wang carried the wooden box back to his study. Upon opening it, he found a letter on top. The letter carefully explained how to prepare the ginger tea, how much to use, and how to store it. The instructions were extremely detailed. Yet after Yue Wang finished reading, his brows could not help but draw together slightly. Only when he opened the oiled paper and saw that the ginger tea inside was clearly different from the batch outside did his expression ease a little.

Steward Cheng considerately brought hot water, bowls, and utensils, then said nothing at all before retreating with a smiling face.

Yue Wang brewed a bowl of ginger tea. Merely smelling it, he felt that it was far more fragrant than the kind Yu Heng and the others were drinking outside. He glanced again at the wooden box, and at last his brows relaxed slightly. Taking his time, he drank the bowl of ginger tea with added vegetables and meat, then sat behind his desk and began writing a reply.

In Jiangnan, at Jinxiu Garden, Steward Qin stared dumbfounded at Yu Yi before him. “What did you say? Repeat what you just said.”

A bad premonition rose in Yu Yi’s heart, and he took two small steps backward. “Steward Qin, please do not be so agitated. Did you not say with your own mouth that I was to deliver the letters into His Highness’s hands? I delivered them to him, did I not?”

“I told you to personally deliver the letter to His Highness, but I never said both letters were for him!” Steward Qin wished he could grab Yu Yi and stomp on him twice. One of those letters had been meant for Old Cheng. In it, he had hinted at great length that Miss Mu had feelings for His Highness, all for the sake of urging Old Cheng to whisper more advice from the side and help bring His Highness and Miss Mu together. If His Highness saw it instead, what if it backfired?

Yu Yi felt that the look Steward Qin gave him was no different from one directed at a mortal enemy. He quickly retreated another two steps. “You cannot blame me for this. You did not write on the envelopes whom they were meant for. When I returned, Steward Cheng was right beside me and even asked about them. I saw that both envelopes were blank, so I gave them both to His Highness.”

“I… I did not write whom they were for?”

“That is right. Both envelopes were completely blank. You did not write a single word.” Yu Yi nodded with firm conviction.

Steward Qin froze for a moment, then swallowed. No wonder His Highness’s reply had contained only three words—I know now. So the root of the matter was here. Did 

His Highness knew that Miss Mu secretly admired him.

But in truth, all of that had been nonsense Steward Qin had made up himself.

What was he to do now?

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