With a small round face, Old Lady Li seemed to be at her forties or so. Because of her age, her cheeks had been drooping. With splendid jewels, she slightly lowered her eyelids but revealed the shrewdness of a merchant in her eyes.
Su Muge blew the tea leaves in the porcelain cup.
Seeing that Su Muge had no intention to speak, Old Lady Li said with a smile, “I’m sorry to visit you so suddenly today, Your Grace. In fact, I’m here today because I suddenly thought of something related to you many years ago. And I wanted to tell you during my trip to the capital.”
Su Muge originally thought she would directly talk about Wang Ziyu’s treatment, but she actually changed the topic. Su Muge was curious about what she would say.
Su Muge gently turned the tea in the cup. “I wonder what you are talking about, Old Lady Li?
Old Lady Li looked at Su Muge’s face and spoke slowly. “Perhaps…it’s about your birth, Your Grace.”
Su Mu paused with a flicker of amazement in her eyes and put the teacup down.
“I don’t understand. Please make it clear, Old Lady Li.”
Old Lady Li said with a smile, “I wonder if you have heard of Jinghong dance, Your Grace?”
Jinghong dance?
Su Muge quickly searched through her mind but couldn’t get any relevant memory.
She shook her head.
“Jinghong dance was created by Fairy Jinghong. Twenty years ago, she was a peerless beauty of the entire continent, attracting the noble and royal families of all countries.” Old Lady Li said quietly with an erratic expression as if she were immersed in her memory.
“Her Jinghong dance was performed on flowers. When I went to Xiliang Kingdom with My Lord, I was lucky to have seen it once. Until now, I have never seen such a beautiful woman like her for the past forty-two years. It’s not an exaggeration to say that she is a fairy. Nobody knows her origin. She is like a fairy falling from the sky. Later, I heard that she was taken away by the royal family of Xiliang Kingdom.”
As Old Lady Li was speaking, she slowly turned to look at Su Muge, as if she were looking for something on Su Muge’s face.
“One year later, I saw her again in my village. But this time, she was pregnant in coarse clothes. Even if she had blackened her face, I could recognize her at a glance.”
Su Muge put on a light smile on her lips. “I wonder if it has anything to do with me, Old Lady Li.”
Old Lady Li smiled. “Don’t worry, Your Grace. The village where I saw Fairy Jinghong was where Madam Su was living. If I hadn’t seen it wrong at the time, the one walking with Fairy Jinghong should be Madam Su who was pregnant.”
With a frozen smile, Su Muge narrowed her eyes slightly.
“So what?”
Old lady Li looked down at her hands and whispered, “I was shocked to see Fairy Jinghong there. I wanted to find out and sent someone to follow her in secret. One month later, it was discovered that Fairy Jinghong and Madam Su delivered a child in the mountain on the same day. An old peasant woman discovered them. My people dared not to get too close. They just vaguely heard from the peasant woman that one of their children… died.” The last word was spoken in a very low voice by Old Lady Li.
After that, Old Lady Li looked up at Su Muge. “Here, every woman giving birth to a child is like going to hell. Half of them can’t survive, while the others who are lucky enough to survive will easily fall sick, just like my eldest daughter-in-law. Since she gave birth to my eldest grandson last year, she has been quite unwell. I heard from Madam Duke Qing that you have excellent medical skills, Your Grace. I beg you to save my daughter-in-law, Your Grace.”
While speaking, Old Lady Li changed her face and knelt in front of Su Muge.
Looking at the glittering golden hairpin on her head, Su Muge felt dazzled.
“Your story is very interesting, but you can’t ask me to agree to your request with just a story, can you?”
Old Lady Li looked up, took out a purse, and raised it over her head. “After they left, my people found this on the ground. I’m afraid that Madam Su couldn’t own such a precious thing at the time.”
Su Muge took over the purse and opened it. Inside was a gray and black Dzi bead that was as big as a human eyeball. It was said that the Dzi bead was a divine thing created by the spirit of heaven and earth. It was invaluable. Even the Emperor might not be able to get one.
Even if Old Lady Li was telling a lie, she had been very sincere to take out such a precious Dzi bead.
Su Muge put the bead back into the purse and put it on the table.
“Old Lady Li, you don’t have to do so. Hurry to take a seat.”
Yueru stepped forward and held Old Lady Li up.
“I wonder where the eldest Madam Li is now?”
Hearing this, Old Lady Li thought Su Muge was agreeing to treat Wang Ziyu and couldn’t hide her joy on her face. “In Duke Qing Mansion, Your Grace.”
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll visit Duke Qing Mansion.”
Hearing this, Old Lady Li knelt down again. “Thank you, Your Grace. Thank you.”
After reaching her goal, Old Lady Li dared not to stay too long and left after a few words.
After sending her away, Yueru saw Su Muge staring at the Dzi bead in her hand. She had also heard Old Lady Li’s story. She felt incredible in her heart but dared not to show it on her face.
“Your Grace, I think Old Lady Li’s words incredible. I’m afraid she has made it up to cheat you.” Yueru said tentatively while observing Su Muge’s expression.
Su Muge looked at the Dzi bead in her hand. She had once read something about Dzi bead in a book.
The Dzi bead was called the eye of heaven by saints in ancient times. Whoever had distracting thoughts would have hallucinations after staring at it for a long time.
Therefore, she put it back in the purse after a glance at it just now.
There was a red string on this Dzi bead. The string had already become dark and hard, showing that it had been used for a year.
Su Muge held the string while staring straight at the Dzi bead.
The Dzi bead began to rotate slowly under the influence of her fingertips.
Su Muge gradually felt her sight blurred. She opened her eyes, trying to see everything in front of her. However, the harder she tried, the more blurred her sight became.
She closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar figure walking slowly towards her.
Su Muge moved her lips and called out in a soft voice. “Ye Lan? Is it you?”
Ye Lan’s face was getting closer and closer and more and more real. Su Muge reached out to touch him, but her wrist was suddenly held.
Feeling a tingling pain in the point between her thumb and forefinger, Su Muge suddenly woke up and looked at Xia Houmo with a cold face in surprise.
“Your, Your Royal Highness …”
Xia Houmo released her hand and stroked her face.
His warm palm made Su Muge gradually regain her consciousness. She looked at the surroundings and then looked at the Dzi bead in her palm.
She had an illusion just now!
“What happened just now?” Xia Houmo hugged her and asked gently.
“Your Royal Highness, this is a real Dzi bead.”
Su Muge spread her palm; the Dzi bead was lying quietly in her palm.
Xia Houmo darkened his eyes and threw the Dzi bead on the table.
“The old lady of the Li family gave it to you?”
Su Muge nodded and retold Xia Houmo the story briefly.
“Your Royal Highness, have you heard about Fairy Jinghong?”
Xia Houmo nodded. He was very young 20 years ago, but he had also heard some rumors about Fairy Jinghong when he was growing up.
However, as time went by, the woman who was famous across the whole continent had been gradually forgotten. Even Xia Hourui was one of the admirers of Fairy Jinghong.
However, as for the relationship between Su Muge and Fairy Jinghong, Xia Houmo hadn’t found any information.
In other words, nobody had ever thought of any relationship between them.
But… why did Old lady Li come to tell Su Muge the story? She really just wanted her to treat Wang Ziyu?
Su Muge said after a moment of silence, “I have promised her to go to Duke Qing Mansion tomorrow.”
Xia Houmo fixed her hair on her forehead. “Okay, let Wang Yi and Wang Nuo go with you.”
Su Muge nodded, considering that it would be more secure to be with people who had Kung Fu.
Xia Houmo accompanied Su Muge back to Bamboo Courtyard. After lunch, he left the mansion.
Outside the gate of the mansion, Xia Houmo mounted his horse.
“Donglin.”
“I’m here.”
“Find out when a person surnamed Ye has appeared around the Rani.”
“A person surnamed Ye?”
Donglin was a little stunned. Why would His Royal Highness check this for no reason? However, he dared not to ask more but just do as he said.
“And find out everything about Fairy Jinghong twenty years ago.
“Yes, I’ll go right away.”
Xia Houmo narrowed his eyes and looked forward. Su Muge would call the name in hallucination, showing the importance of that person in her heart!
Whether it was a man or a woman, he must know it!
After breakfast early the next morning, Su Muge went out after checking Qingyu’s situation.
Duke Qing Mansion was not far from Jin Mansion; there were only two streets in between. There were few pedestrians on the street in the morning. Su Muge arrived at the gate of Duke Qing Mansion in only one quarter.
Probably after getting Old Lady Li’s message, Madam Duke Qing had been waiting outside the gate early in the morning.
Seeing Su Muge get off her carriage, she stepped forward and greeted her.
“Your Grace, pay my respects to you.”
Wang Nuo helped Su Muge get off the carriage.
“Madam Duke Qing, don’t be over-courteous.” Su Muge looked up and found Old Lady Li standing behind Madam Duke Qing.
Seeing Su Muge’s calm face, Madam Duke Qing couldn’t help but feel surprised. She had been quite amazed and confused yesterday when she heard from Old lady Li that Su Muge had agreed to come over today. She was curious about how Old Lady Li made Su Muge agree to come. Wasn’t the status of a Madam Duke higher than a merchant?
No matter what she thought, Madam Duke Qing was always wearing a decent smile on her face while inviting Su Muge into Duke Qing Mansion.
“Madam, please take me directly to the eldest Madam Li’s yard.”
“Okay.”
