“Miss, what’s wrong with you?” Seeing the embarrassed Su Muge and Yueru outside the door, Cheng Ran was stunned and hurriedly stepped aside to let them enter.
In the courtyard, twenty children were sitting in rows and were absorbed in practicing calligraphy.
Seeing Su Muge, they put down their pens and stood up to salute her.
“Miss, pay my respects to you.”
Su Muge looked around and nodded. “Let’s continue practicing calligraphy.”
“Yes.”
Cheng Ran led Su Muge into the room.
“Cheng Ran, get some medicine. The eldest Miss is injured.” Yueru said anxiously.
Without much questioning, Cheng Ran turned to the next room to get the spare medicine and went to the kitchen to get a basin of hot water.
After applying the medicine to her wounds, Yueru gave Cheng Ran some money and asked him to go to the street to buy a dress for Su Muge.
“How did you get hurt, Miss?” Seeing Su Muge in a bad mood, Cheng Ran asked out of concern.
“We met a savage Infanta on the way. She not only nearly hit me but also wanted to kill us. Miss was injured while protecting me.” Yueru said guiltily with red eyes.
“A savage Infanta … you met Infanta Ceylon?”
Su Muge raised her eyebrows slightly. “How do you know?”
“Miss, don’t blame me. Since I began to serve you, I’ve specially made friends with various people. Although these people are not so decent, they are very well-informed sometimes. And I’ve heard from them that Infanta Ceylon has returned to the capital.”
In this era of difficult communication, it was also an advantage to grasp the most effective news in the shortest time. “You are doing the right thing.”
Seeing that Su Muge didn’t blame him, Cheng Ran was relieved.
“Since that Infanta Ceylon is back, what about King Dingxi?”
“Those people said that although there was no news that King Dingxi had returned to the capital, Infanta Ceylon wouldn’t appear for no reason, so King Dingxi might have been on his way to the capital or already in the capital!” Cheng Ran gradually lowered his voice.
At the thought of her encounter at the hunting field, Su Muge clenched her hands secretly.
“Miss, Infanta Ceylon is vengeful. It is said that on the fiefdom of King Dingxi, whoever has offended her can’t survive. So you’d better stay in Su Mansion these days.” Since the capital was quite large after all, Infanta Ceylon couldn’t find Su Muge easily without knowing her identity.
Su Muge nodded. Seeing the fierceness of Infanta Ceylon today, she was quite sure that Infanta Ceylon wouldn’t let her go easily once she had found her.
Because King Dingxi had gone to the fiefdom early on, his mansion in the capital had already been given to others by the Emperor. Therefore, Infanta Ceylon could only live in the palace after returning to the capital.
Infanta Ceylon arrived in the capital three days ago, but she claimed to arrive today. After all, it would be disrespectful for the Emperor if she didn’t immediately go to the palace to greet the Emperor upon arriving.
In Yangyi Palace, the Imperial Palace.
Eunuch Yi walked into the hall and whispered, “Your Majesty, Infanta Ceylon asks to see you.”
Xia Hourui in a bright yellow dragon robe was sitting at the desk in his chamber and reading the letters on the table. Hearing this, he didn’t raise his head. “She is alone?”
“Yes.”
Xia Hourui raised the corner of his lips, but he was not smiling. “Let her in.”
“Yes.”
“Let Infanta Ceylon in.”
Infanta Ceylon was led outside Yangyi Palace by palace people. She had changed her neat riding suit into a light-yellow long dress.
“Infanta Ceylon is here.”
Eunuch Yi bowed slightly. “Infanta Ceylon, come in please.”
Infanta Ceylon raised her chin and walked in.
“Your Majesty, long may you reign.”
Xia Hourui stood in the hall with his hands on his back. “Get up.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
After Infanta Ceylon got up, she raised her eyes to look at Xia Hourui in the dragon robe up and down.
She had been in the fiefdom with King Dingxi all year round and she rarely returned to the capital. So she could rarely see Xia Hourui.
“Long time no see. Uncle, you are still so young.” Infanta Ceylon looked at Xia Hourui with a smile, appearing to be not afraid of him at all.
Looking at her face which was quite similar to that of King Dingxi, Xia Hourui narrowed his eyes slightly, seeming to be smiling.
“You are so sweet, unlike your old stubborn father.”
“Uncle, you’re right. Father’s temper was so bad that I don’t like to talk to him either.”
Xia Hourui went to his dragon throne and sat down. “Does your father know that you enter the capital alone?”
Infanta Ceylon revealed a profound expression in a blink of an eye but soon reproduced a smile when she looked up. “Uncle, please help your niece. I run out this time because my father wants me to marry a nerd. The nerd only knows reading books like a fool. I don’t like to marry him.”
“Oh? Your marriage is truly decided by your parents. How can you disobey?”
“Uncle, please let me hide in the capital.” Infanta Ceylon looked at Xia Hourui with pleading eyes.
Xia Hourui sighed helplessly. “Well, well, since you haven’t come to the capital for a while, just take this opportunity to have fun here for a few days. I’ll dispatch people to send you back later.”
“Really? Thank you, Uncle. There are so many interesting things in the capital. I can’t wait to go out and see now.”
Xia Hourui waved his hand. “Go, go, since you have to be in the capital for a few days anyway, you can go to greet Concubine Dowager Ma later.”
King Dingxi was born by Concubine Dowager Ma, who was Infanta Ceylon’s grandmother.
“Yes, I’ll see Concubine Dowager Ma tomorrow. And I’ll stop disturbing you now. Please excuse my retreat.”
“Okay. If there is any need, just come and tell me.”
“Yes.”
Infanta Ceylon bowed and left Yangyi Palace.
As soon as her figure disappeared outside the gate, the gentle smile on Xia Hourui’s face gradually disappeared.
“Watch on her.”
“Yes.”
As soon as Infanta Ceylon came out of the palace, her once smiley eyes immediately revealed her rage.
“Have you found them?”
Her guard stepped forward in embarrassment. “Your Grace, we are still searching.”
“Snap!”
The guard was slapped heavily.
“Useless things! With so many people on the street, I don’t believe we cannot find them. Whoever can provide the information of the two untouchables will be rewarded. Seeing money, those menial civilians will be as good as dogs.”
“Yes, I’ll go right away.”
…
“Miss, the eldest Madam is waiting for you in the main hall.”
As soon as Su Muge returned to Su Mansion, Xinlan hurried forward and said.
“Do you know what the matter is?”
“I heard Madam Minister was here.”
Madam An was here…
“I see.”
Xinche helped Su Muge change her dress and comb her hair before holding her to the main hall.
In the main hall, Old Lady Su was sitting on the left-hand seat, Zhao was standing beside her, and Madam An was sitting on the guest seat.
The room was rather quiet. Madam An was drinking tea leisurely. Old Lady Su was squinting as if she was asleep. Zhao was the most uncomfortable. Although she was obtuse sometimes, she was not silly. She could clearly sense the cold eyes of Madam An from time to time.
“Old Lady, the eldest Miss is here.”
Hearing this, Old Lady Su slightly opened her eyes.
“Come in.”
Su Muge walked into the main hall and bowed slightly to salute.
Madam An put down the teacup in her hand and looked at Su Muge.
Madam An’s eyes were so sharp that Su Muge couldn’t ignore her.
“The girl has grown up in a flash. She looks so smart.” Madam An said with a gentle and dignified smile. The daughter was said to be more similar to her father, but Su Muge felt that An looked more similar to Madam An; their camouflaged lips were exactly the same.
“Thanks for your compliment, Madam An.”
Old Lady Su glared at Su Muge with a little dissatisfaction. “Where did you go today? You are still an unmarried little girl, how can you run about all day?”
It turned out that Madam An came to see Su Muge, and Old Lady Su sent people to find her but failed. Therefore, Old Lady Su was a little annoyed. She was quite conservative, believing that women should always stay at home to serve men and children.
“Mother, Muge is just a little playful…” How could Zhao bear Su Muge being blamed by Old Lady Su?
“Huh, how old is she? How can she still be playful? When I was at her age, I had given birth to her father! You are also to blame. As a mother, how can you indulge your daughter?!” Old Lady Su said the last sentence with a very stern tone, which made Madam An’s face a bit stiffened.
How dared this old woman make oblique accusations in front of her?!
Madam An was very annoyed in her heart, but she kept her countenance as if she couldn’t understand Old Lady Su’s words.
Old Lady Su snorted softly. She was indeed referring to Madam An, and she was also scolding Su Muge and Zhao.
Old Lady Su opposed Su Lun against marrying An at that time. She didn’t think Su Lun was marrying a wife of a higher social position; on the contrary, she felt quite dishonored. She believed that her son’s success was due to her good education and Su Lun’s hard work, instead of An’s family background.
However, the existence of An would always make people connect Su Lun’s success with An’s family status!
That was why she gave Zhao money to go to the capital and find Su Lun as soon as she learned that Su Lun was going to marry An!
So Old Lady Su would certainly not be kind to Madam An.
Madam An was an outsider, after all, so Zhao had to reply, “Mother, you are right. I’ll discipline her more strictly.”
Hearing this, Old Lady Su was satisfied. “Madam An, what can we do for you?”
Madam An increasingly felt Old Lady Su vulgar; she didn’t even know basic disguise. “I heard that my daughter went to the temple to fast and pray for Old Lady Su a few days ago; her filial piety really impressed me. The birthday of My Lord is around the corner, so it’s time for her to go home to celebrate her father’s birthday.”
