Chapter 300: Where to move house? (1/2)

Chapter 300: Where to move house? Original and most updated translations are from volare. If read elsewhere, this chapter has been stolen. Please stop supporting theft.

Mu Yingdong’s main goal this time was to recover Mu Linger. His other reason was to sound out why Han Yunxi was investigating Mu Xin’s business. Although he had no idea that Mute Granny had already fallen off a cliff, he was still a shrewd old fox. He could tell that Han Yunxi didn’t really have intentions of letting Mute Granny go. He had been waiting for her to bring up Mute Granny the entire time, but instead she asked him to trade in two treasures for one person instead.

If Han Yunxi wasn’t going to mention her, then he’d do it himself.

“Qin Wangfei, the agreement was to trade one treasure per person. An upright person should be trustworthy.” Han Yunxi must have wanted both treasures because she liked them both very much. As long as she did, it wouldn’t matter what Long Feiye wanted. Thus, Mu Yingdong dared to whet her appetite. Leaving aside the entrance token to the Mu Clan’s medicine warehouse, there was the Medicine Fan, an item sought after by people all over the world. Tianning’s Empress Dowager had suffered from insomnia ever since she was young. 20 years ago, the Head Imperial Physician of the Imperial Physician Courtyard–none other than Gu Beiyue’s grandfather–had written a prescription for her condition. But there was only one item on the list: a Medicine Fan. The imperial house of Tianning had offered 100,000 taels to buy the item, but it had never been found.

If not for Mu Linger’s sake, Mu Yingdong would never bear to part with this treasure.

When Han Yunxi still didn’t speak, Mu Yingdong hastened to add, “Esteemed wangfei, the Mu Clan’s entrance token can be used to exchange for Linger, while the Medicine Fan can be traded for Mute Granny.”

Han Yunxi laughed. “Mu Clan Head, His Highness Duke of Qin only agreed to see your two treasures. He never promised to trade anyone for them. If you want Mu Linger to go back, then leave these two treasures here. Otherwise, you might as well take those things home.”

Mu Yingdong never expected Han Yunxi’s attitude to shift so quickly. He couldn’t help but ask, “Then what about Mute Granny?”

Hearing this, Han Yunxi was even more convinced that he had nothing to do with that troupe of assassins. “I wouldn’t trade Mute Granny for a thousand pieces of gold. It looks like we can’t trade with the Mu Clan Head in good faith. In that case, I ask that you please leave,” Han Yunxi said coldly.

He was clearly desperate, but he’d been painted as someone without good faith instead. Mu Yingdong was so angry that he almost spat up blood. If he knew things would end up like this, he wouldn’t have brought these things here. Right now, the only thing worth rejoicing over was the fact that the granny was an illiterate deaf-mute who wouldn’t be able to reveal a thing.

“Fine, then I’ll just trade them for Linger. Where is she?” Mu Yingdong finally felt somewhat refreshed. Han Yunxi glanced at Long Feiye next. Actually, it was his call whether they’d release the girl. Long Feiye assumed that Han Yunxi was only fooling around with Mu Yingdong, but he never expected that she wanted to release Mu Linger for real.

He only said mildly, “You’ve thought it over?”

Han Yunxi immediately nodded her head. Though they’d let Mu Yingdong come so she could ask about Mute Granny, she also wanted to let Mu Linger go. She couldn’t help but think that a blunt, outspokenly stubborn personality like hers couldn’t harbor a truly vicious heart. Pushing was probably a momentary impulse. Moreover, Mu Linger had suffered enough in solitary confinement for a month. It’d be useless to keep her around since they couldn’t really kill her. Why not trade her for some treasures to play with instead?

When Long Feiye saw Han Yunxi nod, he made no further comments. Immediately, he placed an order for Chu Xifeng to bring out Mu Linger. Han Yunxi shot him a grateful look, which he took with quiet coolness. Mu Yingdong witnessed the entire exchange with a bewildered heart. Here was a husband and wife pair who weren’t strangers, but who weren’t intimate, either. Their looks and aura matched, but there still seemed to be something missing between the two. After all, they’d been married for close to a year. They weren’t some pair of newlyweds who’d just formed a bond.

Soon enough, Mu Linger arrived. A month of solitary confinement in darkness had made her skinnier all over and especially wan and sallow. Han Yunxi thought she’d cry at the sight of Mu Yingdong, because Mu Linger had certainly sobbed enough in the presence of Gu Qishao to be a typical crybaby. But she didn’t shed a single tear, much less act like a spoiled child. Standing straight, she took large strides to Mu Yingdong’s side with an icy expression, looking nothing like a hostage.

By contrast, Mu Yingdong was the anxious one who examined her from head to toe. After making sure she was only skinnier, and not injured, he set his cares at rest. “Girl, didn’t you go to Medical City? How did you go missing? His Highness Duke of Qin said you tried to murder Qin Wangfei, is this true?”

Now that he’d gotten her back, Mu Yingdong didn’t want to let the matter drop just like that. There had to be some form of explanation. This was the perfect chance for a counterattack, but Mu Linger simply replied, “I got lost and ran into some robbers. It was Qin Wangfei who saved me, but I repaid kindness with enmity by pushing her towards the thieves.”

At these words, Mu Yingdong narrowly slapped his daughter right then and there. He might dote on her, but he was still beside himself with rage! How could she speak so boldly when Long Feiye and Han Yunxi were right there? Wasn’t she afraid of losing face?

Long Feiye and Han Yunxi were caught by surprise as well. Not only did this girl hide the facts of the Sky Pit, she even admitted that she’d repaid goodness with evil. Leaving aside her terrible attitude, she still had a sense of propriety!

Mu Yingdong wore a face full of doubts as he scolded her on site. “Why would you repay kindness with enmity for no reason at all? How did father usually teach you?”

“I just…didn’t like the sight of her!” Mu Linger shot Han Yunxi a glance before turning proudly to leave, completely ignoring Mu Yingdong.

As a wealthy young Miss of an established family, she’d cast aside all her upbringing, bearing, and manners. Even Mu Yingdong couldn’t bear to look at the sight. When he saw the expression of loathing on Long Feiye’s face, then the suppressed smile on Han Yunxi’s, he only felt too embarrassed to talk. In the end, he bid his farewell and left.

Once he was gone, Han Yunxi burst out into laughter. Even though she’d been looked down on, she still felt quite merry. “Mu Linger, this girl! She’s actually pretty cute.”

Cute?

A word like that didn’t even exist in Long Feiye’s dictionary. He glanced coldly at Han Yunxi before cutting to the heart of the matter with a single sentence. “Keep your distance from Gu Qishao. If your lordship sees you mixed up with him again, your lordship will break his legs!”

He should tell that to Gu Qishao. Threatening to break his legs has nothing to do with me. Han Yunxi took the two treasures and was nearly out the door when Long Feiye called after her.

“Han Yunxi.”