Su Muge ladled out the soy sauce chicken from the pot onto the plate. When she looked back, she saw Jinglan in a water-blue wide-sleeved robe without a belt standing at the door and looking at the chicken in her hand. He was so attracted that his eyes were both widened.
Su Muge walked to him with the steaming chicken. “Try it.”
“It smells so good.” Jinglan took over the soy sauce chicken and couldn’t wait to take a bite.
“Well, it’s so hot …”
Su Muge twitched her eyes; he just ate it so casually. Wasn’t he afraid that it had been poisoned?
Ali looked at her with a cool little face.
Just as Su Muge wanted to say that it was not poisonous, he reached out to her. “Where is mine?”
“…”
“There is another one in the pot.”
As soon as Su Muge finished her words, she felt a gust of wind in front of her. Before she could see what it was, Ali was already eating the chicken.
So quick!
After the two men were full, they finally had the mood to talk with her.
“He said you wanted to go down the mountain and go to the capital?” Ali looked at Su Muge.
Su Muge nodded. “Yes, I got lost in the mountain.”
“Are the people on the mountain looking for you?”
The people on the mountain?
They must be the people sent by Infanta Ceylon to catch her.
Seeing her silent, Ali wiped his hands with Jinglan’s sleeve.
Jinglan was displeased. “Ali!”
Ali ignored him. “I found those people quite annoying and knocked them unconscious. Your soy sauce chicken is very delicious. I’ll take you down the mountain.”
Anyway, she could finally go down the mountain. As for the identity of these two people, she wouldn’t inquire out of curiosity.
Su Muge knew she had better pretend that she hadn’t met them.
“That will be very nice of you.”
Hardly had Su Muge finished her words when she felt her waist caught and her body rose into the air. The scene in front of her began to flash by…
When she finally stood on the ground with her feet, she could see the gate of the capital when she looked up…
“Here you go.”
Su Muge turned around and found Ali had disappeared.
Su Muge entered the city before the gate was closed and hired a carriage to return to Su Mansion.
“Miss, you are finally back. I’ve been scared to death.”
As soon as she entered the back door, Su Muge saw Xinche waiting there, thinking that Cheng Ran and the children must have come.
“Here I am. What about Cheng Ran and the children? Where did Yueru settle them?”
“Cheng Ran said that he knew a more secret house and the rent was rather cheap. After the broker had arranged everything well, he brought the children in. They could no longer stay in the previous yard. He asked the aunts next door to help him pack up and transport secretly to their new house.”
Su Muge nodded, thinking that Cheng Ran had always been cautious.
“That’s good.”
“Sister Yueru was afraid that he didn’t have enough money and gave him 50 Liang.”
“Well, I see.”
After returning to Peachblossom Courtyard, Yueru and other maids were all worried about her and kept asking her condition. After replying to them one by one, Su Muge asked to prepare some hot water and took a comfortable bath.
“Miss, I’m afraid Infanta Ceylon won’t give in.” Yueru had witnessed the cruelty of Infanta Ceylon and was very worried.
“As long as Cheng Ran and the children are well-hidden, I’m not worried about anything else.” Cheng Ran and those children were her weaknesses. If Infanta Ceylon couldn’t catch her weaknesses, she wasn’t afraid of her at all. This was the capital after all. And she had been granted a marriage now; even if she didn’t want to marry Xia Houkun, the Emperor wouldn’t let his future daughter-in-law be hurt.
Moreover, King Dingxi wouldn’t stand by either, since Xia Houpo’s legs hadn’t recovered completely. Before Xia Houpo could stand up, he wouldn’t let any accident happen to her.
Infanta Ceylon must have concealed her move from King Dingxi this time; otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken her to a mountain outside the city.
Hearing her analysis, Yueru was much more relieved.
“Miss, it is said that His Majesty will offer sacrifice to Heaven and invite God’s will in three days.” Yueru wiped her hair gently with a handkerchief.
To offer sacrifice to Heaven and invite God’s will?
Su Muge had almost forgotten about it. “Okay.”
“There must be plenty of people watching the fun at that time.”
“Where is the ritual?”
“On the altar.”
Su Muge was not very interested in this matter, so she just took it as gossip.
After going through so many things today, Su Muge fell asleep after dinner.
It was a dreamless night.
…
On the other side, Xia Houmo’s group had entered a big town and they settled down there tonight.
As the night was getting darker, after most people had fallen asleep, Xia Houmo was ready to leave.
But as soon as he walked out of the room, he was stopped by a maid. “Your Royal Highness, the Emperor’s mother is unwell suddenly. Please take a look at her.”
Xia Houmo darkened his eyes. “Okay, I see.”
The Emperor’s mother had an old illness that would attack occasionally. If the situation was not good, it would sustain for a few days.
This night, Xia Houmo failed to leave.
…
When the sky was still gray, the gate of the capital had been opened.
A worn-out carriage slowly entered into the gate of the capital.
The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and a fat head popped out.
“Oh, the capital is so beautiful. Look at their clothes! They are all satin!” Wang fixed her eyes on the people walking on the street.
“Mother, let me see. I want to see too.” Suddenly, Wang was dragged in. When the curtain was lifted again, Wang’s eldest son Zhao Shun popped his head out.
Zhao Shun looked around with joy, thinking how wonderful it would be if he could live in such a place in the future.
Zhao Shun looked around for a while before retracting into the carriage. The carriage was crowded with the eldest Zhao’s family and the second Zhao’s family.
With a pale face, Zhang leaned in the corner weakly and stared at her two sons with resentment in her eyes.
After Su Muge left, her sons dared not treat her as before, and her legs were gradually getting better, so her life had become increasingly normal.
Although she complained that her sons were unfilial, they were her sons after all. And she had gradually forgotten the bygones.
However, she had never expected that these two sons would suddenly take her to the capital to see Zhao!
Although Zhang missed Zhao very much, she had never thought of going to see her. She promised Su Muge just to give herself a hope of living. She thought her two sons were just joking at first, but they were actually serious.
They said Zhao had become a madam in the capital, so they wanted to take Zhang to the capital to enjoy a happy life with Zhao. No matter how she refused, they insisted and even tied her with a rope!
“Aunt has really forgotten mother and has never thought of taking mother to enjoy a happy life with her. She’s really unfilial.” Zhang’s second daughter-in-law snorted.
“Yes, mother, your good daughter is really unfilial!”
As the sky was getting brighter, there were more and more pedestrians on the street.
Seeing the prosperity of the capital which was completely different from their small countryside, everyone had their own plans in mind.
The carriage stopped slowly outside the gate of Su Mansion. The Zhao family helped Zhang get off the carriage.
Wang couldn’t wait to knock at the door.
“Open the door. Open the door.”
The porter of Su Mansion opened the door. Seeing that it was a countrywoman, he put on a disdainful look. “How dare a countrywoman make trouble in front of Su Mansion?! Go away! Or I’ll you kick you out of here!” After finishing his words, he closed the door with a bang.
“How dare you look down upon me?! Open the door! Open the door! We are your Madam’s family. You have offended us now! We’ll let your Madam drive you out!”
The porter was bought by Su Mansion after they arrived in the capital, so he didn’t know the background of Su Mansion. He regarded them as troublemakers and ignored them.
Old Lady Su’s carriage slowly stopped outside Su Mansion.
Haitang got off the carriage and helped Old Lady Su get off.
She had been to the temple in the city to burn incense this morning and had just returned.
Seeing so many people standing outside the gate, Old Lady Su frowned slightly. “Who are those people? Why are they standing outside our mansion?”
“Don’t worry, Old Lady. I’ll let people ask.” Haitang said softly.
Before Old Lady Su’s people went over, Wang had caught sight of Old Lady Su.
“Look, it’s my daughter’s mother-in-law. Look at your silk satin dress. I can hardly recognize you. You look so noble!” Wang stared at Old Lady Su’s clothes greedily with her widened eyes.
“Who are you? How dare you be so rude to our Old Lady?!” A maid stepped forward and scolded.
Hearing Wang’s energetic voice, Old Lady Su was still a little puzzled. When she saw Zhang standing beside her, she recognized them and immediately frowned.
“They must be seeking gratuitous financial help!”
Since they had arrived, Zhang actually wanted to see Zhao and her two children. She could only step forward with a smile, “Old Lady Su, I haven’t seen you for years.”
Old Lady Su glanced at Zhang who had been emaciated and thin due to hard work and pouted. “It turns out to be Sister Zhang. Long time no see. And I can hardly recognize you. I thought you were a beggar on the street.”
Hearing Old Lady Su’s words, Zhang stiffened the smile on her face.
“You must be joking.”
Old Lady Su looked at Wang and others behind her. “Are you touring in the capital? That being the case, I won’t disturb you. Let’s go.”
Old Lady Su had no intention to invite them into the mansion!
“Old Lady Su, we’ve traveled thousands of miles to visit my aunt in the capital.”
Old Lady Su paused. “Well, then I’ll let her come out to see you.”
“Oh, Old Lady Su, you become a madam now and no longer care about your poor relatives. We’ve covered such a long distance to come here, but you don’t even invite us in. It’s so unreasonable!” Seeing that Old Lady Su ignored them, Wang began to make a scene like a shrew.
Hearing her loud voice, plenty of people on the street watched them curiously.
“Come on, everybody! Look how rude this family is! When my aunt entered this family at that time, they were …”
“Enough!” After staying in the capital for a while, Old Lady Su was not as cheeky as she was in the countryside.
Wang swayed her tubby body proudly.
Old Lady Su glared at her fiercely. “Let them in! Call your Madam to the front hall!”
