Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 161

Chapter 161: Yue Wang, Who Would Never Think to Prepare a New Year’s Gift

When Mu Yunyao returned home, the dumplings in her bowl might as well have been wax. Seeing her pick at them without appetite, Su Qing’s heart could not help but tighten with worry.

“Yao’er, did things go badly between you and that Fourth Master Ning? Or does he intend to take Jinxiu Garden back?”

Mu Yunyao came back to herself at once. Catching the crease between Su Qing’s brows, she hurried to soothe her. “Nothing of the sort. Jinxiu Garden is flourishing now and earning him a great deal of silver. Why would he suddenly take it back?”

“Then why does Mother feel that something is weighing on your mind? Before Fourth Master Ning arrived, you were still happily playing on the ice with Jin Lan and the others. But after seeing him, you have looked as though your thoughts are tied in knots. Tell Mother the truth. Even if there truly is some difficulty, we are mother and daughter—we should face it together.”

At the sight of Su Qing’s anxious expression, the impulse rose in Mu Yunyao to tell her Yue Wang’s true identity. Yet she knew Su Qing’s temperament all too well. If her mother learned who he really was, even the smallest gesture might betray it, and that would only make matters worse.

“Don’t worry, Mother. It has nothing to do with Fourth Master Ning. I was simply thinking of the New Year tribute that was sent to the capital. Tomorrow, at the New Year’s Eve banquet, His Majesty will see it. I cannot help wondering whether it will please him.”

Seeing that her expression held no obvious falsehood, Su Qing’s smile returned. “Rest easy. Mother watched you embroider that tribute stitch by stitch. There was not the slightest flaw in it. The Emperor will certainly like it.”

Mu Yunyao nodded and let out a quiet breath, as though something in her chest had eased. “That is good. With Mother saying so, I can finally set my mind at rest.”

“I truly thought it was something grave. So even you, little girl, can be troubled by gain and loss like this.” In the past, Yao’er always carried herself as though everything lay already within her grasp. To see her caught in such a small knot of worry only made her seem all the more tender.

“It is a matter of consequence. Of course I cannot help but worry.”

“But the matter is already settled. Worrying now will not change anything. Why torment yourself for no reason?”

Mu Yunyao paused. Turning Su Qing’s words over in her mind, she slowly felt that great stone hanging in her heart sink back to earth.

Whatever purpose had brought Yue Wang here, he was already here. Her background could not be changed. If he had truly discovered something, she would simply find a way to remedy it when the time came. Why should she borrow worry from the future and spoil the New Year before it had even arrived?

“Yes, I understand now. Thank you for your guidance, Mother.”

Su Qing reached out and tapped her lightly between the brows. “Now that you understand, cheer up for Mother’s sake. It is the New Year—no long face is allowed. Otherwise, the whole coming year will be filled with endless cares.”

Mu Yunyao rose and gave a proper little bow with exaggerated solemnity. “Yes. Your daughter will respectfully obey Mother’s instruction.”

Once that burden had been set aside, Mu Yunyao simply cast Yue Wang to the back of her mind. When she woke again, New Year’s Eve had already arrived.

The moment she rose, she sensed a world of whiteness outside the window. Pushing it open, she saw that the courtyard lay buried beneath a thick layer of snow; the branches, too, were laden with white. When the wind stirred, snow drifted down in soft flurries, like a rain of pear blossoms, and the line slipped from her lips almost of its own accord: “As though the spring wind had come in a single night, and ten thousand trees had burst into pear blossoms…”

Jin Qiao came in carrying a basin of water, with Jin Lan just behind her. Hearing Mu Yunyao recite those lines, she blinked in puzzlement. “Miss, not long after you went to bed last night, the snow began to fall. It snowed all through the night and only just stopped. In weather this cold, where would there be any pear blossoms to admire?”

Mu Yunyao pointed out the window and turned to her with a smile. “Look at those trees. Do they not resemble pear trees in bloom?”

Jin Qiao craned her neck to look. “Now that Miss says it, they truly do! Ah—so that is what you meant. I heard ‘spring wind’ and ‘pear blossoms’ and thought you were talking about spring scenery.”

Mu Yunyao smiled faintly, the sight of the courtyard snow already stirring her interest. “Call Jin Pei and the others in a while. How about we build a snowman in the yard?”

“What a lovely idea! It is rare enough to see snow this heavy in Jiangnan. This servant will help too.”

“Mm. Then let us build it in the front courtyard. Tonight, when we come out to set off firecrackers and watch the fireworks, a snowman there will suit the occasion nicely.”

“Very well. We will do exactly as Miss says.”

After breakfast, Mu Yunyao informed Su Qing and then swept toward the front courtyard with a whole procession in tow. Shovels, dustpans, and brooms were brought out, and soon the snow was being piled high.

Nan’er, A’Mao, and Li’er were bundled up so roundly that they looked like little balls rolling through the snow. They ran back and forth to help, and whenever one of them slipped and tumbled into the drifts, they simply scrambled up again and left a trail of bright laughter behind them.

Mu Yunyao had wanted to lend a hand as well, but Jin Lan and Jin Qiao stopped her, fitted thick gloves onto her hands, and stationed her at the side as commander. At first, she directed them with lively enthusiasm. Later, seeing that, without her interference, Jin Lan and the others actually worked faster, she could only nudge the snow with the tip of her shoe in boredom.

Not far away, Nan’er and A’Mao were chasing one another and pelting each other with snowballs. Watching them, Mu Yunyao bent down and packed one together as well. A mischievous gleam flashed through her eyes as she flung it toward Jin Lan. Unfortunately, the winter clothes on her body were so thick that she misjudged the throw. The snowball sailed high over Jin Lan’s head and shot straight out beyond her.

Steward Qin had just entered the Su Residence together with Yue Wang. The moment he stepped into the front courtyard and saw everyone gathered around building a snowman, a sigh of fond amusement rose from him. “It has been many years since this old servant saw such a lively scene.”

Yue Wang’s gaze, however, passed through the crowd and settled on Mu Yunyao. She wore a snow-white cloak, her hair dark as ink, her eyes bright as stars. Bending to shape a snowball, she smiled with a sly curve to her lips. The sight called to his mind the snow foxes of the Beijiang (the Northern Frontier) ice fields. It was said those foxes were creatures of rare spirit; if one cultivated itself to perfection, it could take human form and beguile all beneath heaven. If there were any truth in such tales, then a snow fox turned mortal would likely look very much as Mu Yunyao did now.

He was still caught in that thought when he saw the snowball she had made come flying toward him. Her smile shone brighter than the surrounding ice and snow, and his hand lifted of its own accord to catch it. The snow began to melt in his palm, leaving behind a chill that bit to the bone, yet as he watched her smile, a faint warmth stirred beneath his ribs instead.

Only when the snowball landed in Yue Wang’s hand did Mu Yunyao realize what had happened, and even she was briefly startled. She hurried forward to salute. “Greetings, Fourth Master Ning.”

Yue Wang came back to himself. The snowball in his hand had already half-melted, and seeing her gaze fixed upon it, he extended his arm and offered it over. “Here.”

Mu Yunyao hurriedly tugged off her gloves and moved to take it, only to see Yue Wang withdraw his hand. A slight crease gathered between his brows, the silent disapproval plain enough. “The weather is cold. When playing with snow, do not court the chill.”

Mu Yunyao stood still for a moment. Following the direction of his gaze to the rabbit-fur gloves in her arms, she stiffly put them back on and only then stepped forward to receive the snowball with both hands.

The line between Yue Wang’s brows eased. Seeing her lift both fur-covered hands together to cup the snowball, he thought to himself that she resembled a little calico cat more than a snow fox. Snow foxes were famed for their cunning; they would never foolishly reach out barehanded to catch a lump of snow.

At the side, Steward Qin was smiling so broadly that he could scarcely close his mouth, and the thought had already drifted through him that perhaps in another two years’ time, he might be serving a little master.

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