The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 79 - 78
Chapter 78
Mu Manor, Qingzhou Region.
Behind a large wooden table sat a delicate young girl reading reports that had been sent regarding various news. Her small face remained expressionless, her calm eyes betraying nothing. She read each page slowly, without rushing. Su Su, who entered the room with an envelope in hand, stepped forward and placed the letter on the table before her mistress, saying,
"Miss, it’s a letter from Duan Wang Palace."
"Duan Wang Palace?"
Mu Yingying looked away from the report in her hand and raised her eyebrows in slight surprise. As she saw the handwriting on the envelope, a smile immediately spread across her face. It was a letter from Meng Liting, after all.
She placed the report down on the table and picked up the envelope to read its contents. Meng Liting invited Mu Yingying to visit the commercial district the next day before she had to return to the Imperial Academy in three days. Once the academy resumed, Meng Liting likely wouldn’t have much free time.
Mu Yingying smiled slightly and picked up a brush to write a reply on a piece of paper. After the ink dried, she folded the paper and placed it in an envelope, handing it to Su Su to deliver to Duan Wang Palace.
"Please send this to Duan Wang Palace, Su Su," the young girl said with a cheerful smile.
In truth, she had grown tired of staying within the residence lately, so she took this opportunity to accept Meng Liting’s invitation to go out the next day. After all, she intended to explore the capital once more.
"Yes, Miss," Su Su replied, placing the envelope in her sleeve before reporting further. "Oh, right, Miss. This morning, our informant at the Cheng family sent news that a few days ago, the eldest young miss of the Su family met with the eldest young miss of the Cheng family at Cheng Manor."
"The eldest young miss of the Su family?"
Mu Yingying couldn’t help but be surprised. She had heard of Su Baimiao in her previous life. With her status, birth, and beauty surpassing any other woman, Su Baimiao had become the number one lady in the land, almost like a goddess. From what she had heard, Su Baimiao was a gentle-hearted woman, adored by all who saw her, and everyone wanted to cherish her. She was like a perfect white lotus...
But why would this white lotus lower herself to associate with someone like Cheng Fuyuan, a lotus stuck in the mud?
In both her past and current life, there seemed to be no connection between the two. So why had Su Baimiao visited Cheng Fuyuan at her residence in person?
"Do you know why she went to meet Cheng Fuyuan at the residence?" Mu Yingying asked, raising her eyebrows, a strange premonition stirring within her.
"Our informant only mentioned that Eldest Young Miss Su waited a long time to meet Eldest Young Miss Cheng, but in the end, Eldest Young Miss Cheng never came out to see her. Finally, Eldest Young Miss Su went into Eldest Young Miss Cheng’s bedroom herself. They closed the door and talked for a long time. No one knows what they discussed before Eldest Young Miss Su left the manor,"
Su Su paused briefly before continuing, "From our informant’s report, I think this matter seems quite unusual, so I had someone investigate further. It turns out that the two had never met before and had no prior interactions at all. It was as if Eldest Young Miss Su suddenly decided to visit Eldest Young Miss Cheng out of the blue."
Mu Yingying pondered quietly. How could two people who had never known each other suddenly meet at the manor? Not only that, but one was like white and the other black, women who were completely opposite in nature. What could they possibly have to discuss?
Thud, thud, thud.
She tapped her fingers on the table surface rhythmically. Her big, round eyes shone like fine pearls beneath the ocean, gleaming with mysterious light. She turned and gave an order to Su Su in a calm voice,
"Send our people to keep an eye on Su Baimiao and increase surveillance on Cheng Fuyuan. Whatever they do or wherever they go, I must know everything..."
"Yes, Miss," Su Su responded quickly before turning to leave the room to carry out the orders immediately. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
When Mu Yingying was left alone in the room, she narrowed her eyes slightly, contemplating something. Some might think she was overly paranoid, but she trusted her instincts and was sure that something was not right. Sending people to monitor them was a precaution to avoid future troubles...
At dawn the next day, Mu Yingying got up and dressed as usual, though she chose attire more fitting for her status rather than the simple clothes she wore at the manor. Today’s outfit was a lovely, light pink, suitable for a ten-year-old girl. Her long hair was styled into two bun-like knots on either side of her head, tied with silk ribbons with long, flowing ends. Although Mu Yingying didn’t care much about fashion, she understood the need to dress appropriately, especially since she was going out with Meng Liting, who held the rank of a lady. It was only proper to dress in accordance with the other’s status.
When the carriage from Duan Wang Palace arrived at the manor’s gate, Mu Yingying took Su Su and boarded the carriage to go out. Meng Liting took the young girl to various shops, including clothing stores, jewelry stores, and several famous restaurants, like a true guide showing Mu Yingying around the capital’s commercial district.
The two enjoyed their time together until the afternoon. The carriage bearing the crest of Duan Wang Palace came to a stop in front of the Ma Jun Tea House, where Mu Yingying and Meng Liting alighted and entered the establishment.
Today, they had been out and about for quite some time and were rather tired, so they decided to find a place to sit and relax. Ma Jun Tea House was an excellent choice, and both of them agreed to go there without hesitation. As Mu Yingying and Meng Liting were about to turn towards an empty private room, a group of young women approached and greeted them warmly, blocking their way. Then, a gentle voice called out,
"Greetings, Miss Fei Yang. I never expected to meet you here."
Meng Liting turned to look at the owner of the voice and recognized her as the eldest young miss of the Su family. She smiled warmly and replied, "Eldest Young Miss Su, what a coincidence..."
"It truly is a coincidence," Su Baimiao replied with a smile, glancing at the small figure beside Meng Liting before speaking gently, "This young miss must be the seventh young miss of the Mu family, correct?"
"Yes," Mu Yingying greeted the beauty in front of her and lowered her eyes, surprised to encounter Su Baimiao so soon.
Standing beside Su Baimiao, Jiao Fangniang’s eyes immediately sparkled and stepped closer to Mu Yingying, engaging her in conversation with a bright smile, "So, you are the youngest sister of Master Mu and Eldest Young Miss Mu."
"How is Eldest Young Miss Mu doing these days? I haven’t had the chance to thank her and Master Mu for their help last time."
"Oh...she’s doing well," Mu Yingying replied with the innocent face of an ordinary ten-year-old, quickly adapting to the situation.
"That’s good to hear. I’ll have to visit your sister sometime," Jiao Fangniang said sincerely. Since the incident at the river, she had grown fond of Mu Qingxuan but had never had the chance to see her again.
Wan Ningtong observed her friend’s enthusiasm and chuckled softly, "Fangniang, let’s continue our conversation inside. We’re blocking the way here."
"You’re right!"
Jiao Fangniang nodded in agreement. Su Baimiao, her face still gentle and unchanged, invited them, "If you don’t mind, we would like to invite you both to join us for tea in our room."
"Well..." Meng Liting looked at Mu Yingying for her opinion. When the young girl nodded, she accepted the invitation. "Sure, having more people will make the atmosphere much livelier."
Once they had agreed, the five of them walked into a private room, leaving their servants to wait outside. Only the young misses sat inside, chatting casually.
"I heard that the Seventh Young Miss has just arrived in the capital. Have you encountered any difficulties or are there still things you’re not familiar with in the capital? If there are, you can always tell me. I’d be happy to help," Su Baimiao said with a slight smile, her eyes full of genuine affection and tenderness as she looked at the small figure. Since the other party was Master Mu’s younger sister, she thought it best to be kind to this young girl to foster a relationship with Master Mu in the future.
"Thank you, but I’m starting to get used to it now. My eldest brother often took me out to explore," Mu Yingying replied cheerfully, her small face breaking into an adorable wide smile, her big, round eyes shining with innocence like a pure, little rabbit.
"And how about you, Lady? How have you been? The Imperial Academy is about to start soon. Are you ready?"
Su Baimiao turned to ask the other beauty, her face still gentle, though her eyes briefly showed a cold glint.
Mu Yingying, who was sipping her tea, furrowed her brows slightly. The unusual look in Su Baimiao’s eyes, though fleeting, was clearly seen by Mu Yingying. A mocking smile appeared briefly at the corner of her mouth.
It seemed...this white lotus wasn’t as pure as it seemed!
"I’m ready now, but if possible, I would prefer that the start of classes wasn’t so soon. I’d still like to rest," Meng Liting said with a laugh, causing the others in the room to laugh as well. The atmosphere was quite relaxed.
"This upcoming term, I’ve heard the Imperial Academy will host the Four Arts Competition, held every three years. It seems the capital is in for some big excitement," Wan Ningtong said cheerfully, sipping her tea.
"I wonder who will take first place this time?"
Jiao Fangniang shrugged a few times before taking a small bite of a snack, her expression indifferent to the competition. However, Wan Ningtong had a completely different perspective. She lowered her eyes slightly, pondering the upcoming event.
This year, she would be the first place in the competition!
If Wan Ningtong could secure first place, it would significantly bolster her standing, making her a perfect candidate for the position of the Empress!
Her father had once said that when the competition was over and she had secured first place, he and his allies would seize the opportunity to submit a petition urging for Wan Ningtong to marry His Majesty and become the phoenix on the throne!
This had always been her dream, and soon...
Very soon, she would achieve it!
On the other hand, Su Baimiao had her own ambitions for this event. If she could showcase her skills and talents, it would cement her reputation as the number one lady in the land, unmatched even by Meng Liting. Moreover, if her plans succeeded...Meng Liting would surely be doomed!
Then, she would have no rivals left to contend with!
Su Baimiao secretly smiled coldly to herself, casting a fleeting malicious glance at Meng Liting before reverting to her usual gentle expression. Little did she know that all her actions were being keenly observed by Mu Yingying.
Throughout the conversation among the misses, Mu Yingying occasionally joined in, often adopting an innocent demeanor as if she were a child who didn’t quite understand the adults’ conversation. She sat sipping tea and eating snacks while discreetly observing everyone’s behavior and character. Mu Yingying was beginning to discern the personalities of the others, particularly the white lotus, Su Baimiao...
The gentle and kind demeanor that Su Baimiao displayed was eerily familiar. After careful observation, Mu Yingying finally realized that Su Baimiao’s facade was very much like that of Mu Luofei in her previous life. The gentle face, the friendly smile, the caring words, and the seemingly kind expressions were all a facade!
Had it not been for the occasional cold and malicious glances that Su Baimiao failed to hide, Mu Yingying might have fallen into the same trap as everyone else, believing Su Baimiao to be a true white lotus. But her past experiences and the inconsistencies she noticed made her quite certain that Su Baimiao was no different from Mu Luofei!
Moreover, it seemed that Su Baimiao harbored considerable dissatisfaction towards Meng Liting. The malicious glint in her eyes earlier had caused Mu Yingying to frown.
That look was identical to Mu Luofei’s, the look of a venomous snake planning to cunningly harm its prey. If one wasn’t careful, they could easily make a mistake and end their life!
But what reason did Su Baimiao have to be displeased with Meng Liting?
Mu Yingying, while eating her snacks, pondered the connection between the incidents. No one noticed her abnormal behavior, seeing only a young girl happily eating her treats.
Her big, round eyes frequently glanced between Su Baimiao and Meng Liting. Soon, something suddenly clicked in her mind. Although she didn’t know exactly why Su Baimiao was displeased with Meng Liting, she was quite certain that Su Baimiao had no good intentions towards Meng Liting. From the report yesterday stating that Su Baimiao had visited Cheng Fuyuan at the manor despite not knowing each other before, Mu Yingying could now roughly guess the reason...
It was widely known in the capital that Cheng Fuyuan was an enemy of Meng Liting. If Su Baimiao truly had a grudge against Meng Liting, it wouldn’t be surprising that she would approach Cheng Fuyuan, Meng Liting’s enemy.
Because the enemy of my enemy was my friend!
Mu Yingying’s intuition warned her that the two must be plotting something, with their target being Meng Liting!
The fog in her mind began to clear, revealing the truth. Mu Yingying glanced at Su Baimiao’s gentle face as she conversed with Meng Liting. A mysterious smile appeared on her small face, and her big, round eyes sparkled with mischievous glee, like that of a little demon. However, no one in the room noticed any of this.
Even though it was all just speculation, the only thing she needed to do now was to find evidence to confirm it!
If the two women were indeed collaborating on a nefarious plan against Meng Liting, with Su Baimiao’s cunning, Cheng Fuyuan would surely be used just like Mu Luofei had used others in the past!
And if these two wanted to stir up trouble...then she would play along!
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