Chapter 23: Suspicions without evidence (1/2)

Ever since childhood, Mu Liuyue had been the precious treasure of General Mu’s house. She was also best friends with Princess Changping and was doted on by the empress and empress dowager. Although she was only a simple young Miss, the capital called her Princess Changping the Second. Even the imperial concubines had to make allowances for her.

What kind of person was this Han Yunxi?!

Just a Qin Wangfei with the title and no power to back it up. She couldn’t even be compared with a servant of the Qin household, but she really thought something of herself. Would she stay put just because she was told to? Han Yunxi didn’t seem to have heard at all. Mu Liuyue’s temper flared as she hurried to catch up, a hand grabbing Han Yunxi. There was no telling if she meant it, but her long nails dug painfully into the other woman’s flesh.

“Did you manage to wake my brother?” Mu Liuyue asked insufferably.

General Mu came out the door, voice cold as he saw the scene. “Liuyue, let her go. Your brother will wake up very soon.”

“So you’re saying he still hasn’t woken up?” Mu Liuyue found it inconceivable. “Father, you really believe her?”

Han Yunxi really felt pained by the dragging fingernails and looked back with a ruthless pair of phoenix-shaped eyes. “Let me go!”

“No! She can’t leave until my brother wakes up!” Mu Liuyue refused to release her. Instead, Han Yunxi reached out to pinch two acupoints on Mu Liuyue’s wrist, immediately causing her hand to go limp so she could ruthlessly shake her off.

“You don’t have the right to restrict this wangfei’s freedom!” She left as soon as she finished speaking. Mu Liuyue was thrown to the ground. Furious, she got up and prepared to give chase, but General Mu held her back.

“Enough! She wouldn’t dare tell lies.”

Mu Liuyue wasn’t content at all. She wasn’t satisfied that Han Yunxi had left before her brother had woken up, or that the woman had acted like the Qin Wangfei despite that she was. She ran forward a few steps to yell after her, “Han Yunxi, I’m warning you! If my brother doesn’t wake up, I definitely won’t forgive you! Neither will Princess Changping!”

Princess Changping…

This princess was the pearl in the empress and empress dowager’s palm. Her personality was a hundred times more spoiled that Mu Liuyue, and she’d stuck to Mu Qingwu’s side ever since she was young. More or less, she and Mu Qingwu could be considered fresh green plums and horse under bamboo, a man and woman who had affections for each other since childhood[1]. Everyone in the royal family knew of her aspirations to marry Mu Qingwu one day. Too bad the empress and emperor objected to the match, so they hadn’t moved to sanction the marriage.

If she found out that Mu Qingwu was in trouble, Heavens only knew what would happen next!

Han Yunxi heard Mu Liuyue’s warning, but she didn’t take it to heart. Who cared about this Princess Changping or Duanping[2]? She’d never failed in the medical field before, and when it came to poisons, the detox system wouldn’t make a mistake either. After expunging the poison, she’d scanned him again to ascertain that Mu Qingwu’s poison had diminished to a point where it wouldn’t hurt his health. His temperature had started to drop as well, so he’d probably recover consciousness soon.

As long as Mu Qingwu woke up, it’d prove that she had held no murderous intentions. Even the Jade Emperor and Lao Zi[3] wouldn’t be able to do anything to her then! As she left the gates of the general’s house, Han Yunxi gave a long sigh, finally free of this troublesome business. On the carriage ride home, she treated the whip injury again, minimizing its bindings while covering up the wound with a tied handkerchief to hide it from view. She still had to see Grand Concubine Yi and report on the proceedings at court. Yet as soon as she entered the gates, she was told that the grand imperial concubine had left for her western estate and wouldn’t return for a few days.

Did she want to avoid the house that Murong Wanru had dirtied? Thinking of this, Han Yunxi couldn’t help but snort with laughter.

Perfect. Without Grand Concubine Yi at home, her life would be easier. When a new official took office, they applied strict new measures for everyone to follow, but it was far harder for one to attend to a new mother-in-law. Han Yunxi could admit that she wasn’t a good daughter-in-law, so it’d be best if her esteemed elder never came back.

When Murong Wanru went out the door, the first thing she saw was Han Yunxi laughing, causing her to break out in anger. After this woman left with the Duke of Qin, Grand Concubine Yi had hurried away too, leaving orders for the steward to replace everything in the rooms and renovate the entire place. She’d given her such a cold shoulder! Murong Wanru had sat in her own filth and yelled until her voice turned hoarse, but no one had paid her any attention. Crestfallen, she’d been forced to walk out on her own and run all the way back to her rooms. When news of her diarrhea spread to all the household help, none of them dared to laugh in her face. But Murong Wanru was sure they were all laughing behind her back.

So vexing, so frustrating! Just thinking of it made her want to cry and seeing Han Yunxi only made her angrier. She didn’t know that Han Yunxi’s poison skills were so refined so thought that she’d used the wrong poison instead. In any case, everything was this woman’s fault! Seeing Han Yunxi look her way, Murong Wanru finally hid her temper.

“Mufei went to rest at a different house and won’t be back for several days. If sister-in-law misses mufei, I can take you to see her anytime. If sister-in-law wishes to eat anything, you can tell me as well. I’ll tell the kitchens to prepare it for you.”

She’d take her there? She’d tell the kitchens? Han Yunxi plastered a smile on her face that wasn’t a smile at all. Why did this woman sound like she owned the place every time she talked to her? It made her seem like a guest instead of the family’s new daughter-in-law.

Murong Wanru walked down the steps to ask, “Sister-in-law, where is my elder brother?” With such a tone, she made it sound as if Long Feiye belonged to her and had no relations with Han Yunxi.

“He didn’t come back with me. I don’t know where he’s gone, either.” When facing someone she disliked, Han Yunxi didn’t want to speak one extra word. She was already taking large strides towards the main courtyard. Murong Wanru actually caught up with her running steps, intimately taking Han Yunxi’s hand.

“Sister-in-law, did my brother last night, with you, really…”

Han Yunxi stopped walking and worked her hand free, raising an eyebrow. “Real? Fake? Do you have any objections?”

Murong Wanru was all astonishment as she hastily grabbed Han Yunxi’s hand again. “Sister-in-law, what are you saying? Have you misunderstood? Although my elder brother wasn’t happy to wed you, you still entered through our gates. I understand my brother’s type best, so I’m only asking for your sake. If he’s treating you coldly, tell me and I’ll back you up.”

Faker. For her to pretend like this even without anyone watching truly made her an exceptional white lotus[4].

“I was just joking. Why are you so nervous?” Han Yunxi teased.

“Sister-in-law, you can’t make casual jokes like these, you’ll scare me! I haven’t even had time to be happy for your sake! I’m hoping for the day when you’ll carry a little son for elder brother in your stomach,” Murong Wanru explained in a rush.

“Is that so? Heheh, I’m hoping for the day when you’ll marry a good husband and have children of your own. You care for me so much that I’ll definitely take great pains to arrange your marriage well,” Han Yunxi smiled, jabbing Murong Wanru’s weak point with one sentence. Seeing the latter’s face turn rigid greatly improved her mood. “Don’t worry. When your brother returns, I’ll talk to him about it.” An elder brother could hold the power of a father in a household, especially for a man like Long Feiye.