With words coming out from An in front of such a big crowd, it implied the fact that Su Muge did get off the carriage on her way.
Old Lady Meng did not help Su Muge this time.
There was coldness in her eyes when Su Muge looked down, and then it turned into hatred when she raised her eyes to face An.
“Well, so it was not Madam that had arranged those sly servants to leave me alone off the carriage?” Her voice was not loud, but enough for all the people presented to hear clearly.
Although shocked inside and grabbed her handkerchief with much strength intuitively, An appeared calm with her breath eased when thinking of the servants would no doubt listen to her command.
“Muge, how, how could you think your father as such a person? The bodyguards were all selected by him in person, and how could they hurt you?”
An was not that stupid, so she didn’t mention a word about the maids she had arranged but only the bodyguards that Su Lun had sent. Su Muge had seen all these tricks through.
As for An, she had already failed the battle with Su Muge when she let it go public.
Su Muge stared at the eyes of An, fearless. It made An step backwards unconsciously with her dour look.
“I got off the carriage only wanted to get some fresh air. How could I know the evil servants left me right there? If it were not those nice neighbors in my grandma’s village that had saved me, I would probably die nowhere!”
“That’s impossible. The servants said you ran away with somebody!”
Su Muge looked at An with another cold glance.
“Such words filled with contempt must have been the excuses of the servants to excuse themselves from punishment. How can you believe them, Madam?”
“I…”
“Madam, are you too busy to tell right from wrong?”
Before An could answer, a strict voice of scolding came from her back. It was Su Lun, and his face was darkened with anger.
“My Lord…”
He didn’t look at An, but walked straightly towards Old Lady Meng. He made a bow to her with his hands folded in front.
“I sincerely apologize for my daughter’s rudeness, could you please kindly forgive her?” Su Lun glanced at Su Muge indifferently after those words.
“I was told that you had been taking care of Muge throughout the trip. I shall take her to your mansion to thank you in person the other day. Muge, you must be tired after such a long trip. Go back to the mansion and have some rest.”
Su Muge understood that Su Lun wanted to end this drama as soon as possible. It should never be spread out in the first place!
But it was not the appropriate time for her to fight back against Su Lun since she had nothing else but only her weak mother and a new-born brother.
“Yes, father.”
Su Muge turned aside and bowed to Old Lady Meng. The old lady nodded.
“Go home then.”
Su Muge ignored An, who was collecting herself together from anger and pain, and entered the mansion.
“I am also tired. Jiang, help me back home.”
Madam Meng and Madam Meng Jiang held Old Lady Meng obediently. “Yes.”
Seeing Old Lady Meng and Madam Meng leaving, An was supposed to persuade them to stay out of politeness. However, with what Old Lady Meng had done and said, those words were stuck in her throat without coming out.
“Madam Su, it’s getting late and it’s not convenient for us to stay any longer. We shall leave now.”
After Old Lady Meng left, those who came to seek connections with the Su family in name of Su Jingwen’s birthday also left. It was easy to tell that An was not in the mood of treating guests at the moment.
Though many strange looks received along her way, Su Muge returned to the Peach Blossom Courtyard without looking aside.
Peach Blossom Courtyard had been the quietest place in the Su mansion. Even if with such noises and liveliness in the front yard, it still felt remote here in this courtyard.
Meihua was carrying a basin of water out when Su Muge walked straight into the Peach Blossom Courtyard, and she paused in shock.
“Eldest, Eldest Miss?”
Su Muge nodded to her with a smile.
“Yes, it’s me.”
A pleasant look spread out over Meihua’s face. “It’s true that the eldest Miss is back!”
After bowing with a courtesy to Su Muge, Meihua turned back to the room of Zhao.
Su Muge walked up and heard the voice of Zhao in a hurry. “Mumu is back?”
When Su Muge stepped into the room, she saw Zhao was going to get down her bed with the help of Meihua.
“Mumu, finally, you are back.”
Su Muge kept walking to her bed, took her hands and sat down.
“Mom, don’t cry. I’m back. You are still in the month of confinement and watch out your body.”
It seemed that Zhao had lost some weight after she had left.
“It’s good to see you again. Now that you’re back, I don’t need to worry about you. How about…your grandma?”
“Mom, ease your mind. My grandma is fine and she’ll be recovered in a few days.”
Zhao was not expecting this.
She had been preparing for her mother’s death and funeral during Su Muge’s absence. So it was like words of comfort when Su Muge said so.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course! Grandma even said she would come and visit us when she felt better.”
“Really?”
Zhao had never seen her mother, Zhang, since they last met many years ago with Su Muge as an infant. Hearing that Zhang was coming back to visit her, she became cheerful. But soon, she felt upset again with worries thinking of her current situation.
Su Muge said no more, only asked Meihua to take good care of her mother, and went back to her own room.
Yueru carried a cup of hot tea into the room, with happiness glowing on her face.
“Eldest Miss, you’ve finally come back.”
“How was everything going in the mansion?”
“After you left, Madam An had been sending someone here every day to report to your mother about the new-born Master, and your mother would not eat after she heard about it…”
Su Muge rubbed between her eyebrows after hearing this.
It was part of her fault. She had never been a mother before so that she couldn’t understand the sorrow of a mother when she was parted with her child. She only thought that it would be much better for an infant to grow up in a better material environment.
She stood up and soothed her dress even if there was no crease.
“Eldest Miss, you are going to…”
“It has been a long time since I last saw my brother. I want to go and visit him. It’s the second Miss’s birthday today. Take one of the best handkerchiefs you have sewed with you.”
Yueru nodded and followed the instruction though she was a little confused.
Su Muge went directly to the Flowery Brook Courtyard, where An lived. An was still outside seeing the visitors out, and there were only two or three maids left in the courtyard.
Su Muge was stopped by an old maid before she could make her step into the courtyard.
The old maid scolded Su Muge, who had a veil. “You wild girl without manners! Don’t you know that it’s not allowed to enter the Madam’s courtyard?”
“Shut up! How dare to speak to the eldest Miss like this!” Yueru glared at the old maid in a somewhat imposing manner.
“Eldest Miss?” The old maid who was in charge of guarding the courtyard gate looked at Su Muge suspiciously. Apparently, news of the front yard had not reached here yet.
It was only a few days ago when An told everybody that Su Muge was not actually getting her treatment in the village, but had ran away with a man. So how could she possibly show up right here?
Su Muge didn’t bother to explain to her, just pushed her away and went in.
“You! How dare you intrude into Madam’s courtyard like this? You bold girl!” It seemed that Su Muge had pushed her without effort, and yet she was already aside after that push. Experiencing so, there was something else in the old maid eyes that was looking at Su Muge.
Su Muge ignored her and went in directly.
“Go and find out which room Young Master is in.”
“Yes.”
Su Muge looked around the Flowery Brook Courtyard. It was three times the size of the Peach Blossom Courtyard where she lived, and there were exotic flowers and rare herbs everywhere.
Just then, she heard the noise of a baby crying from the room on the far right. She swiftly turned her feet and walked towards it.
“Who on earth are you? How dare you come and take Young Master away!”
As soon as she approached the door, a shrill voice came to her. She frowned and entered the room.
A girl in her twenties with a round face were casting her eyes on Yueru with hostility, with a child in her arms.
After Su Muge entered the room, she appeared with more alert.
“I’m the eldest Miss of this mansion and I come here to visit my brother.”
“Eldest Miss?”
The round-faced girl, Sun, was the wet nurse of Young Master, Su Wenmo. An sent her here to look after the baby. When she heard about Su Muge’s identity, her light eyebrows frowned.
“Give my brother to me.” Su Muge reached out both of her hands as the girl did not move.
“The, the body of Eldest Miss should be treated as priceless treasure. The baby is too heavy, and I’m afraid, afraid that you may get tired…”
Su Muge sneered. “He is my brother. How am I supposed to be afraid of getting tired from carrying him? Give him to me!”
Nobody could refuse such a piercingly cold and firm voice. Sun even shook a bit and gave her the baby with tremble.
The baby would soon be one month old. His eyes were open and he looked strong and lovely just as his mother.
It seemed that little Wenmo knew he was now in the arms of his sister. He looked at her with eyes widened in curiosity.
Su Muge gently poked his face and smiled. She took him in her arms, turned aside and was about to leave.
Sun was in a panic and was afraid that the baby would be taken away. She went forward to try to stop Su Muge.
“Eldest Miss, where are you taking Young Master?”
Su Muge paused. “Well, why should I report to you?”
“But, but Madam has said…”
“Look what a great temper the eldest Miss has! Where did you get the gut to fool around in my courtyard?”
An stood in the courtyard, with her chest moving up and down from her deep breath caused by the anger. Her eyes were fixed on Su Muge as if they were glued on her.
Su Muge looked down and pulled the quilt around little Wenmo. She then raised her eyes towards An.
“Madam, you came back just in time. I really wanted to thank you for you meticulous care for my younger brother these days. It was my fault to bother you for such a long time. After all, you are not his real mother. I’ll take him back so as not to cause you more trouble.”
An’s eyes were in a line, and her fingertips were trembling with anger.
How dare that this little bitch satirized her of not having her own son!
“It was you who asked Young Master to be raised up here. If you want to take the baby back, I doubt the Lord would agree!”
Although An had long wanted to throw Su Wenmo out, she would rather keep this little bastard to see more of that half-dead and worrying face of Zhao.
“I’ll explain it to my father.”
An took one step forward and stopped her. She went close to Su Muge, said in a low voice with her teeth grinding, “Do you really think you can take him away so easily when you are right now in my place?!”
Su Muge glimpsed at An with indifference. “If I take him away. What are you going to do? Since Old Lady Meng has bring me back, don’t you think she has already known about your evil doings? Let me have a guess. My father would never want to offend Lord Meng, right?”
There were both fear and astonishment in An’s eyes which were setting on Su Muge.
“You, you…”
Su Muge smiled gently, yet with mockery.
“Madam, you should know that you’ll pay for what you’ve got. This, is only the start!”
