Su Mu’s eyes were clear, as if she had just woken up. She removed Tao’er’s hand from her body and slowly sat up. She put on a black cloak and took out a cold dagger from under the bed. She gripped her dagger tightly and left the room.
In the dead of the night, her footsteps were extremely soft.
The moonlight landed on her expressionless face, making her look like a statue. Her skirt rustled across the floor under the porch, and the small sounds were quickly swallowed by the night wind.
She walked around the corridor to the upper room. She looked at the closed door and took out her dagger from her sheath. The cold light reflected in her eyes.
She inserted the dagger into the crack of the door and began to pry open the latch bit by bit. At this moment, Fu Ling, who was lying on the embroidered bed, was finally “troubled” awake. This embroidered bed was enough for ordinary maidservants to sleep on, but it was too short for her. She stretched out her leg and poked the wall. She raised her arm and touched the bed wall.
Fu Ling planned to use the toilet. She did not hear the commotion outside the door, but the person outside heard her.
The sound of her striding was obvious.
Fu Ling was muscular and simple-minded. She was a good-for-nothing. She was the easiest to fool, but she was also the hardest to fool because nothing she said would make sense.
Su Mu coldly retracted her dagger and returned to her room.
… .
At dawn, Yu Wan was woken up by the biological clock in her body. When she woke up, she realized that Yan Jiuchao was not around. Only then did she remember that he had gone out last night.
The guard who came to report did not specify what it was about. She guessed that it was probably related to the envoy from Nanzhao.
Not long after Yu Wan woke up, the three little fellows also woke up. Yu Wan put on their clothes for them, and the three of them climbed out of bed. They first went to the ear room to wash up, then obediently ate breakfast.
Yu Wan looked at them who were full and felt satisfied. She patted their little heads and said, “I won’t go to class today. Shall I bring you out to play?”
The three little fellows’ eyes lit up.
Yu Wan took in their reactions and thought to herself that her decision was indeed right. She was too busy studying and had neglected to nurture her relationship with them. She would take leave from Nanny Wan and spend more time with them in the future.
Yu Wan smiled and asked, “Do you want to go?”
The three of them lowered their heads, a trace of conflict flashing across their faces.
They clearly wanted to go, but they were so hesitant… Was it because of Su Mu?
… .
The news of Su Mu being sent to the Zhuyue Pavilion quickly spread. Everyone could not help but be surprised. Such a smart girl, yet she was actually sent to the Zhuyue Pavilion instead of staying by Young Madam’s side?
To put it nicely, the Zhuyue Pavilion was Young Master Yu’s courtyard, but who didn’t know that Young Master Yu stayed in the Directorate and would only return once every eight hundred years? What future could she have there? It was no different from being sidelined.
“How did this happen?” Ban Xia looked at Su Mu in confusion. “Didn’t Young Madam call you over last night to reward you, why would she punish you?”
Su Mu quietly packed her things and said, “I’m not being punished. Madam praised me for my dexterity and asked me to take care of the flowerbed in Zhuyue Pavilion.”
“Don’t we have flowerbeds in the Qingfeng Courtyard? Besides, what will happen to the little masters if you leave?” Even Ban Xia could tell that this wasn’t sincere praise. “Did you say something wrong last night?”
Su Mu whispered, “I don’t know either.”
Zi Su hesitated. There were some things that she should not discuss. Soon, Tao’er and Li’er came over.
Originally, after the incident with Zi Su, the two of them, like Ban Xia, thought that Yu Wan would reward Su Mu and might promote Su Mu to be the second-class maidservant. Who knew that Su Mu would be demoted overnight?
“Young… Young Madam, does she… not like Su Mu?” Tao’er was the youngest, and she was also the most outspoken. She accidentally said what was on her mind. As for why she didn’t like her, everyone had a faint guess in their hearts—Su Mu was too good at pleasing the little masters, and she might even please the Young Master in the future. Young Madam couldn’t tolerate sand in her eyes.
If Su Mu really had such thoughts, everyone would probably think that she was asking for it. However, Su Mu was simple, kind, upright, and generous. No one believed that she would deliberately seduce the little masters and Young Master.
In the end, Yu Wan did not bring the little fellows out. Instead, she packed her things and went to Nanny Wan’s class at Lanfang Pavilion. Halfway there, she bumped into Uncle Wan, who was waiting for her by the roadside.
Uncle Wan’s expression was a little complicated. He bowed and said, “Young Madam.”
Yu Wan looked around and asked him, “Uncle Wan, did you specially wait for me here?”
