~ THE RETURN OF YUE WANG ~
It had been spring for some days now, and although she still feels a little bit cold, the temperature had finally picked up at the end, which makes the greenhouse feel a bit stuffy.
Mu Yunyao changed into a light set of clothes before entering the greenhouse. The flowers she had collected were cared for very well by Jin Qiao. She walked in front of a few peonies and took a pair of scissors to prune some unnecessary branches carefully. Then she carried a bronze pot and carefully sprayed water on it.
Jin Qiao helped to cultivate the soil and fertilize on one side:
“Miss, although it is already spring, the weather is still too cold. Can the peonies really blossom?”
“Look at it carefully. From the looks of it, a flower bud will appear within a few days.”
Jin Qiao was curious and ran to the greenhouse for the next few days. On the sixth day, she finally couldn’t resist the urge to run up to Mu Yunyao with a surprised expression on her face. “Miss, you’re right. The peony really has a flower bud sticking out of it, and it looks like the bud is not small. It will certainly look good when it comes out!”
Mu Yunyao couldn’t help but be happy. “Let’s go take a look.”
Liu Liang also followed in Mu Yunyao’s footsteps to Jin Xiu Garden. When he saw the peonies with tender flower buds on them in the flower room, he couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, “Mistress, are you going to give these peonies to the salt merchant’s leader, Wu Minzhi, when he celebrates his birthday?”
“Hmm, didn’t you find that Wu Minzhi likes plants and flowers according to the information you gathered?” I presume that he would also like the peonies that bloom at this time of the year. He must like it when I give these gifts to him.”
“Mistress. The salt merchant’s leader is a seasoned veteran. I’m afraid he won’t let go just because of a few flowers and plants …” After all, the salt matter was of great importance. If Wu Minzhi had easily opened his mouth, it would be too difficult to deal with it in the future.
“These peonies are just a stepping stone. It’s better to get some good impressions from them than to be always on guard. Besides, the flowers and plants they grew were not all for him.” His wife also likes flowers and plants very much. So she wants to raise some to give her as gifts.
Just as Jin Qiao was about to ask Mu Yunyao who else she wanted to gift to, she saw a tall figure walk in from outside.
That person was wearing dark clothes with auspicious clouds floating above his sleeves. His embroidered blue cloak lightly touched the ground, bringing with it an intense chill.
Mu Yunyao seemed to have sensed something and couldn’t help but turn her head to look. She met the deep gaze of Yue Wang. “Fourth Master?”
A flash of warmth passed through Yue Wang before he gently nodded and said, “I’m back.”
Jin Qiao and Liu Liang retreat, leaving only Mu Yunyao and Yue Wang facing each other from afar.
The surrounding flowers and plants around were full of life, especially the peony bush that Mu Yunyao was standing on. The flowers were budded and ready to bloom, and the colors were all there. She was dressed in a snow-white dress and held onto a flower bouquet, looking like a charming beauty.
Yue Wang looked at the peonies she was holding and said: “When the flowers bloom, may I have one? I also like flowers and plants very much.”
Mu Yunyao was stunned as she did not expect that Yue Wang was actually someone who loved flowers and plants. “As long as Fourth Master likes it, it naturally won’t be a problem.”
The corner of his lips curved imperceptibly as Yue Wang looked at the surrounding flowers and plants with interest. “Do you want to give it to the leader of the salt merchant, Wu Minzhi?”
Mu Yunyao wasn’t the least bit surprised that he knew of this news. “Mn, I heard that he’s also a person who loves flowers and plants, so that’s why I gave it to him.”
“As the leader of the salt merchant, although he is not as rich as a nation, the silver in his hands is like flowing water. Although flowers and plants blooming in the cold spring air are rare, it is not necessarily enough to catch his eyes.” People like Wu Min usually receive many gifts that are more precious than those offered to the Imperial Palace, and their vision had naturally fostered to the point of being wily and crafty.”
Mu Yunyao smiled and didn’t say anything. She continued to water the peony flower with the kettle, “It’s just asking for directions. It would be good if I could ask, but it wouldn’t be a shame if I couldn’t.”
The green leaves had droplets of water on them, and each one of them was like a scattered pearl. When they lightly touched her hands, they trembled as they slid down. Some of them even landed on her hands, emitting brilliant rays of light.
Yue Wang twisted his fingers lightly and couldn’t help but think back to when he had touched her neck. Warm as jade, smooth as creamy, it was extremely enchanting. The touch of these hands is definitely not worse than the neck.
Yue Wang’s gaze was too obvious, causing Mu Yunyao to furrow her brows slightly. “It must have been hard on Fourth Master coming all the way, so I’ll head back first. I won’t disturb you any longer.”
“Wait a minute.” Noticing that he had lost his composure, Yue Wang hurriedly said, “The last time I came back, I was in a hurry and didn’t have the time to prepare a New Year’s gift for you. Today, I want to make it up to you.”
“Didn’t Fourth Master already send us gifts?”
“That was for Madam Su. This time, it’s for you alone.”
Mu Yunyao didn’t know why, but she thought of the dozen or so ice lanterns that he sent over every night during the New Year. She couldn’t quite say anything to rejected him. “Fourth Master. There’s no need to trouble yourself.”
“Aren’t you curious about what I’ve brought for you?” As Yue Wang spoke, he walked to Mu Yunyao’s side. His tall body carried a strong sense of oppression, making Mu Yunyao seem even more petite and weak. Mu Yunyao stood on the spot, looking at the back of Yue Wang while she is frowning and tightening. Finally, she sighed and followed up. With salt tax there, she couldn’t make things awkward. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to bother himself.
Along the way to the study, Mu Yunyao’s face turned pale. She had been in too much of a hurry when she left the greenhouse, so she didn’t have time to change into a set of thick clothes. She only wore that thin white skirt, and the breeze made her body cold.
Yue Wang turned his head back to look at her, and his heart skipped a beat. He walked to her in long strides and took off his cloak to cover her body, “All this time, it was so cold. Why did you not make a sound just now?”
Because he was afraid that she would refuse, he did not look back along the way. Who would have thought that she would come over wearing such a thin and long skirt? If she gets cold again, what should he do? Yue Wang was tall and slender, his large cloak draped over Mu Yunyao’s shoulders, and many of them scattered on the ground. Mu Yunyao uncomfortably moved. The temperature of Yue Wang still remained on the cloak, which carried the chilly air of his body and transmitted it to her through her thin skirt, giving her the illusion of being hugged by Yue Wang and felt the trembling of her fingertips.
Seeing that Mu Yunyao’s cheeks were slightly red and her pale complexion had faded, Yue Wang let out a sigh of relief without leaving a trace of it, “Next time, you definitely can’t do this. Do you remember?”
“Yes, the study room is warm, so there’s no need for this cloak …” As Mu Yunyao spoke, she prepared to take off the cloak.
Yue Wang reached out his hands to pull the strap of his cloak and carefully help her fasten it. There was a slight crease between his eyebrows, and an undetectable rage in his words brought out: “Don’t try to be brave
Mu Yunyao pursed her lips and uneasily retreated, wanting to avoid Yue Wang’s hand. Unexpectedly, the cloak was too long, so the moment she stepped on it, she fell backward.
Yue Wang stretched out his hand and pulled her into his embrace. Mu Yunyao only felt a flash before her eyes, followed by the cold breath that belonged solely to Yue Wang entering her nose. Then, followed by a more obvious body temperature, which made her face suddenly flush red. She quickly lifted her cloak and retreated a few steps, “Yunyao is rude, please forgive me, Your Highness!”