Edited by: Larkspur
For the next two days, Mu Yunjin recuperated in her room. Every so often, she’d cudgel her brains to think of a ruse to divulge to the world that Chu Qingqiang and Flower Moon House were in cahoots. Since Chu Qingqiang dared to scheme against her, she’d to think of a befitting ramification.
"Xiaojie, it's time to take the medicine." Zi Xiang entered the room with a bowl of medicinal soup.
Looking at the steaming herbal medicine, Mu Yunjin turned blasé. As if the recent ordeal wasn’t tormenting enough, she’d to suffer this bitter Chinese medicine. After she forced it down, Zi Xiang handed her some honey preserves.
"Xiaojie, I heard that Rong Wangfei and Qin Xiaojie, those women were here to pay you a visit, and in passing give you an account of what happened."
"Be wary of sweet talkers bearing gifts, they are sure to harbour ill-intentions. Tell them I am feeling unwell, I won't be seeing them." Mu Yunjin chewed on the honey preserves and readily refused.
Zi Xiang broke into a smile, "His Highness over there has already conveyed that xiaojie's body should not be stressed and shall not meet anyone."
"En." Mu Yunjin nodded in satisfaction.
She gossiped with Zi Xiang for a while before a knock and Shen Momo's voice sounded from the other side, "Huangzifei, it's nubi."
"What's the matter?" Mu Yunjin lazily asked.
"Rong Wang, Rong Wangfei as well as Qin Xiaojie are here to pay you a visit. Although His Highness ordered for you not to see anyone, His Highness is not here at the moment. These big people, nubi is unable to withstand them if provoked." Shen Momo said embarrassedly from outside the door.
Mu Yunjin pursed her lips in disapproval, "Then let them go back."
"Nubi has already told them but Rong Wangfei said that Huangzifei fell into the water because she did not arrange properly. If she cannot apologize personally to Huangzifei then her conscience will not be at peace."
"It's good if her conscience won't be at peace." Mu Yunjin sneered then got up to put on her shoes.
Zi Xiang immediately stopped her and frowned, "Xiaojie, you are going to see them? That day, they were so capricious, they abandoned you and ran away......"
"It's alright, they have brought Rong Wangye. They’ve come prepared. If I don't see them today, tomorrow, this will be fodder for the whole Butterfly Flower City’s scuttlebutt." She wore her shoes and let Zi Xiang fix her hair.
Moments later, Mu Yunjin walked out of the door.
..........
Rong Wang, Rong Wangfei and Qin Xiaojie, were seated in the anteroom. When Mu Yunjin walked in, she didn't pay her respects to Rong Wang and Rong Wangfei but directly took the host's seat and cast an apathetic gaze across the people present.
Rong Wang saw this but didn’t get angry, instead spoke after a dry laugh, "Little niece-in-law, Wang Shu heard you fell into the water and fainted. Is your body okay?"
"Already in good health." Mu Yunjin drank Zi Xiang's infused flower tea to moisten her throat.
Rong Wangfei looked at Mu Yunjin and noticed that although her complexion was still a little pale, her voice didn’t sound weak. She concluded that there were no major problems.
She frowned and lowered her eyes; her face showed a trace of remorse, "Little niece-in-law, benfei especially came today to recompense for what happened. That day, benfei did not discipline Mu cefei."
"Yes, Yunjin saosao, si meimei really overestimated her own abilities. Jumping into the lake to commit suicide, truly reckless. Fortunately, nothing serious happened, otherwise, Muyue wouldn’t have been able to take it." Qin Muyue chimed in with a shallow smile, her eyes didn’t betray any hidden meaning.
(TL: Suicide is NOT an exaggerated thing, nor is it reckless! People should not take suicide attempts lightly nor is it something to be ignored! People who have attempted or even thought of it NEED help! Reach out to such people and don't imitate this Muyue and Shuning! I don't like Lingzhu but she does not need to be criticized like this especially when her behavior was caused by these pretentious people!)
Seeing these people throw mud at Mu Lingzhu, Mu Yunjin let out a heavy sigh; her fingers drummed the side of the table, but she didn’t deign to speak.
The atmosphere inside the hall gradually waned to an impasse.
"His Highness is back!" Shen Momo who was keeping watch outside, stirred the silence.
Huangzifei was dealing with three big guns, it really made her sweat!
Chu Li stepped into the anteroom. When he saw a pale-faced Mu Yunjin sitting on the host’s chair wearing thin clothes, he frowned. He shot a cursory glance at the assembled trio.
"Li gege..." Qin Muyue excitedly stood up.
Unexpectedly, Chu Li treated her as air and walked directly over to Mu Yunjin, his gaze gradually deepening, "Why did you come out?"
"I..."
When she saw Chu Li's profound gaze, she opened and closed her mouth, not knowing what to say.
"Li'er, your Wang shen wanted to come and visit niece-in-law, to account for what happened. A few days ago, niece-in-law encountered danger, it's a great misfortune, ah!" Rong Wang Chu Zhen explained to Chu Li.
Chu Li sounded a faint ‘hmm’ and glanced at Rong Wang. "If you’ve already offered reparation, then Wang shu should go back now. Yunjin still needs to rest."
"Yes, yes, yes, we were originally preparing to leave." Rong Wang nodded and cursed in his heart on being scolded like a child. This Chu Li, although a junior, never shows propriety, always behaving as if he is my elder!
At the side, Qin Muyue bit her lip. She’d watched Chu Li from the moment he’d entered. He was full of nothing but deep concern towards Mu Yunjin. Her eyes flashed with jealousy.
Rong Wangfei noticed Qin Muyue and shook her head.
"Then, we'll go back first, little niece-in-law. Wang shu specially brought you a small box of a thousand-year ginseng to supplement your body." Rong Wang spoke smilingly as got up.
Mu Yunjin nodded and smiled, "Wang shu took a lot of trouble."
"We are all one family, it is only as it should be." Rong Wang replied, and then held Rong Wangfei as the two walked out.
Qin Muyue took a few steps forward, then paused and turned around, "Li gege, in a few days we should try again that black......"
"No need, you go back first." Chu Li coldly cut her off.
Qin Muyue stared blankly. She smiled mockingly but did not say anything as she turned around and left with large strides.
Seeing the anteroom recover its tranquility, Mu Yunjin sighed and lazily leaned on her chair.
"Is your body feeling well?" Chu Li saw her recline and frowned, somewhat displeased.
"More or less. There is nothing really wrong as such." Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow and looked towards Chu Li.
Chu Li ‘hmmed’ and looked at the time. "You should continue to rest for two more days, then benhuangzi will take you to River Moon City."
"Why go to River Moon City again?" Mu Yunjin gave a somewhat exaggerated reaction. She really had no good feelings towards River Moon City.
"When the time comes, you'll know." Chu Li said by way of answer, then walked towards the back garden.
Mu Yunjin curled her lips and chided at Chu Li's departing back. Every time, he is like this! Mysterious and secretive, speaking only a few words, making my heart itch.
What a weirdo!
......
Two days later, a black carriage left for River Moon City.
The journey to River Moon City was neither long nor short. Mu Yunjin was in discomfort, so Chu Li asked her to lie down in the carriage. Ideally, in such a scenario, lying down was less boring than sitting idle!
Mu Yunjin lay on a cushion, her head resting on her hands. She looked at the shaking carriage roof before turning sideways, "Now, can you tell me what we're going to do in River Moon City?"
"The Black Lotus has bloomed, need you to try it." Chu Li swept a glance at Mu Yunjin.
"You want to try my blood? Are you sure it's going to work?" Mu Yunjin was surprised.
Qin Muyue’s the Phoenix daughter and her blood didn’t work. How could Mu Yunjin's ordinary blood be a catalyst to awaken the mystery of the Black Lotus Flower?
Chu Li narrowed his eyes, his gaze gradually deepened, "How did you know that it needs your blood?"
".........."
Mu Yunjin’s mind drew a blank. She pursed her lips, and inwardly scolded herself for the slip up.
Seeing a reticent Mu Yunjin, Chu Li couldn't help but think back to that night when the Black Lotus had bloomed. He had sensed a presence outside the cave.
His cool voice resonated in the carriage, "That night, the person outside the cave… was really you."
Mu Yunjin was aflutter. She propped herself up and looked at Chu Li, "I didn't eavesdrop deliberately...I had a matter to discuss with you and chanced upon it."
Seeing her stirred up and reason with conviction, Chu Li pulled the corners of his mouth, moved his eyes away and remained mum.
Since he didn’t pursue the matter, Mu Yunjin laid back down, and closed her eyes.
After two shichen, the carriage stopped at the foot of the mountain, Mu Yunjin stepped out of the carriage and looked around at the mountain.
"Does this mountain have a name?"
"None." Chu Li shook his head.
"It's a pity." Mu Yunjin twitched her lips.
Chu Li raised an eyebrow, looking at her faintly smiled. "If you think it's a pity, then you should think of a name for this mountain."
Mu Yunjin shrugged, "I don't feel like choosing." She didn’t dawdle and walked onwards.
Chu Li had long stopped being surprised at Mu Yunjin's 'inscrutable behavior and enigmatic thought process'. He smiled helplessly and headed to the mountain as well.
Ding Xian followed closely. He looked at the two figures walking shoulder to shoulder and thought to himself. Truly, everyone has a weakness, ah. Seldom is His Highness astounded.
Mu Yunjin had walked several steps before she felt her lower limbs go soft, and a back full of cold sweat. She felt both hot and cold under the glaring sun. She felt a little unwell.
Tch, this body is so delicate!
"I can't walk… I want to rest." Mu Yunjin waved her hand at Chu Li, as sat under the shade of a tree. She pulled out a silk handkerchief and wiped the sweat on her forehead.
Unexpectedly, Chu Li followed her and leaned under the shade of the tree as well. He noticed her face was unusually pale, she's sweating profusely, and her body trembled slightly.
"Are you feeling unwell?" He leaned over and reached out to feel her forehead.
There was no sign of fever.
"It is just too hot, perhaps it’s a sunstroke." Mu Yunjin said slowly.
Ding Xian looked over Mu Yunjin’s body for symptoms, before turning to Chu Li, "It would be better for this subordinate to carry huangzifei to the cave. That place is nice and cold and can prevent sunstroke."
"No need."
Ding Xian assumed Chu Li would just let Mu Yunjin rest under the shade of the tree. But nary a second had passed, when Chu Li picked Mu Yunjin up.
Ding Xian was stupefied as he took in the scene. He slapped his head and rubbed his eyes thinking he was mistaken. But there really was no mistake.
His Highness is going to carry a woman......
Ah, today is, probably, the end of the world!
(TL: I think that Mu Yunjin is being carried on Chu Li's back and not princess carry. More like a Korean or Chinese Drama 'carry me on your back' moment! Ding Xian cracks me up with his end of the world comment! XD)
(ED: She’s a princess and he will carry. It’s ‘princess carry’. Dear, TL honesty isn’t the best policy especially when Chu Li already has a strong hate following.)
(TL: Oh! Your right dear Editor, It is really a 'Princess carry'... I am enlightened! We'll find out on the next chapter if the world is really ending because of Chu Li's 'Princess Carry' XD)
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