Chapter 42: Secretly Making Moves

  A eunuch from the palace, holding a yellow imperial edict, stepped into the Mu residence, followed by several palace maids in pink dresses, who walked in with a gentle swaying motion.

  Here, Mu Zong Pei wore a neat and tidy second-grade military uniform, stepped out in big strides, with a smile on his face, and hurriedly welcomed him, cupping his hands: "Lord Liu, it's early, and you're troubling yourself to come out of the palace."

  That eunuch was Ling Emperor's inner attendant, and all the officials in the court, from top to bottom, had to show a few points of respect when they saw him. At this time, his face wore a faint smile, and his delicate eyes on his pale face carried the unique arrogance of palace people. "We will do our best to expedite matters for Your Majesty."

  "Yes, I don't know what Your Majesty's sacred intention is?" Mu Zong Pei Chen asked sincerely.

  Liu Gonggong smiled faintly and said, "General Mu, this imperial edict is issued to Miss Mu, it must be received by her in person."

  Mu Zongpei's face changed slightly, and he thought to himself what kind of decree Ling Emperor had issued, still needing Mu Qingge to come and welcome in person. He smiled and said: "Alright, please have a cup of tea in the hall and wait for a moment."

  "General Mu, please," said Liu Gonggong politely, following him into the great hall.

  ……

  Daybreak, the sky's light shines into the small courtyard, casting a layer of pale golden clothing, the fragrance brought by the flowers makes the small courtyard even more resplendent.

  Qing Song tidied up her clothes and was about to go out. In the middle of the night, Ping Er woke up and both her body and spirit were much better. Now she went out to buy some nourishing food for Ping Er.

  "Big sister, big sister..." There was a hurried voice outside the courtyard, and the slightly chubby figure of Liang Guan's wife appeared in front of the small courtyard gate.

  "What's wrong?" Qing Ge gave him a faint glance and walked out of the courtyard gate.

  Li Guan's family was so anxious that they couldn't even catch their breath. He hastily said: "Your Majesty has issued a sacred decree... and wants you to receive it?"

  An imperial edict? What kind of imperial edict could Lingdi issue. She thought for a moment, and since she had arrived in this era, she naturally got used to everything here, nodded immediately, and followed Liang Guanjia away.

  ……

  The grand hall of the mansion, sunlight poured in like water on the glazed tile roof, refracting dazzling rays.

  In the main hall, Zhuo Zhengpei and Liu Gonggong were chatting warmly in the central position.

  "Master, the young lady has arrived..."

  Mr. Liu held his tea and slowly sipped a few mouthfuls, hearing the sound, a young girl stepped forward in the front hall, his hand holding the teacup paused, the tea leaves rippling in the cup.

  The girl in the black dress stepped in casually, like a green lotus swaying in the wind, elegant and ethereal. It seemed as if this vast and boundless world was her own territory. On her jade-like face, a pair of eyes shone bright and clear, like water and stars. At first glance, it seemed as though one could see the black crystal-like pupils in the depths of a clear lake; but upon closer inspection, they appeared to be black pearls hidden deep within the ocean, distant and untouchable.

  Is this elegant and refined woman, as beautiful as a sunny day, really Mu Qingge, the young mistress of the Mu family?

  Where is the place with the most beautiful women in the world? Naturally, it's inside the imperial palace. He has been in the palace for over ten years and has never seen a woman like this before. How can such a person be produced? How can there be such an extraordinary woman in the world?

  No wonder Your Majesty took a liking to her at first sight, but the Crown Prince's son actually looked down on such a woman and even wrote a divorce letter, which made Your Majesty furious last night.

  "Mr. Liu, this is my little daughter."

  Mu Zongpei's introduction suddenly awakened Liu Gonggong from his daze, and he put down the teacup in his hand, stood up with a swish of his robes, picked up the golden imperial edict on the table, unfolded it, cleared his throat, and began to read clearly:

  "Imperial Decree! By the Emperor's Order, it is decreed that the original engagement between the Imperial Grandson Yu Chen and Miss Mu Qingge of the Mu Manor is hereby annulled. The celestial observations by the Heavenly Envoy have revealed that their birth dates are incompatible, and their astrological paths are in conflict. I am deeply grieved, but cannot force a union that is not meant to be.

  By special decree, the engagement is dissolved, and both parties are free to seek other suitable matches. Furthermore, I am pleased with Miss Mu Qingge's talent, beauty, and virtuous character, and hereby bestow upon her: 20 bolts of Lingnan Xiangyun silk, 5 boxes of women's clothing, 20 gold, silver, and jade hairpins.

  I invite her to attend a grand banquet in the palace five days from now. Let this be known!"

  "Thank you, Your Majesty." Qing Ge stepped forward and received the imperial edict.

  Liu Gonggong nodded slightly and followed the palace maid who slowly came forward, opening the red cloth in her hand one by one. Suddenly, a brilliant light burst forth in all directions in the great hall.

  The maidservants in the hall all showed envy and jealousy on their faces, not to mention those exquisite and luxurious clothes, jewelry, and delicate hairstyles. Just one piece of Lingnan Xiangyun silk was enough to make people envious. As a woman who loved beauty, she had heard that Lingnan Xiangyun silk was extremely rare, exclusively supplied to the imperial family, light as if it were nothing, with a unique fragrance, making women look even more elegant and refined when they wore it. The scent lingered for a long time wherever they passed by. Usually, such gifts were bestowed upon the wives of high-ranking officials or palace consorts, but this time, it was given to the daughter of an official, which broke with precedent.

  She lightly swept through the numerous rewards, her face expressionless, but as for these things, she was more concerned about the contents of this imperial edict.

  It seems that Ling Tian has a special treatment for the Mu family, just because she is the daughter of the Mu family. She can even find an astrological reason to issue a decree and cancel the engagement, so from now on, she will no longer be a divorced woman... However, there's still the grand banquet in five days... She has no choice but to attend.

  Mu Zongpei looked at Qingge's changing complexion, her eyes sinking again and again, that gloomy gaze frightening people. She turned to Liu Gonggong with a smile, "Thanks for your hard work, Liu Gonggong."

  Liu Gonggong immediately smiled and said, "It's nothing, Your Majesty admiring the general's daughter is a good thing. Five days later, General, you must let her attend the grand banquet."

  "Definitely, definitely!" Mu Zongpei responded vaguely, but his mind was racing with other thoughts.

  ……

  Tianyue City, the grand Kyoto, is thriving and prosperous. Although it's still morning, the streets are bustling with people coming and going, the hawkers' cries rising and falling in succession. Decorated differently, large and small horse-drawn carriages shuttle back and forth on the wide streets, amidst a gentle breeze.

  Qing Ge stood on the street and thought for a moment, remembering that Ping'er had once said she wanted to eat "Wangyun Building's" Zi Su crystal dumplings, so she walked quickly towards Food Street.

  Wangyun Building, a three-story building with flying eaves and carved pavilions, the gold-plated big characters on the signboard that show its grade, the facade is decorated in a simple and elegant way, leaving a large parking lot in front of it, which perfectly outlines the unique taste of Mingfeng Building. Among the surrounding shops, it stands out like a crane among chickens, tall and dazzling.

  Qing Ge walked up to the counter, "Shopkeeper, a package of purple perilla crystal dumplings."

  The shopkeeper, who had been lowering his head to look at the menu, raised it and saw that the girl in front of him had a deep and mysterious gaze, her face was elegant and refined, with an innate nobility that made people unable to move their eyes away. Her soft voice was like the clear spring water from the snowy mountains, this is much more beautiful than the eldest daughter of the Dong family.

  He was slightly stunned for a moment before regaining his composure, and with a smile all over his face said: "Miss, this purple perilla crystal dumpling is our store's signature dish. The first batch has already been sold out, the second batch is currently being steamed on the stove. Would you like to go upstairs and wait for a bit? It'll be ready soon."

  "Alright, two more of your signature desserts."

  "Alright." The shopkeeper replied happily.

  After Dai Qingge went upstairs, the diners below began to discuss in a flurry, "Who was that just now..."

  "I don't know, I've never seen it before..."

  "I know, I saw her last time at Han Yun Xuan, she's the eldest miss of the Mu family!"

  "Hey, isn't that the one who was let go by the Emperor's grandson? He's so handsome, it's a pity he was let go! Indeed, he's of royal blood! Tsk tsk!"

  "What are you taking a break for? Didn't you see that time at Han Yun Xuan's place? Marquis' daughter Mei was not some kind of useless person, she immediately took down He Da Xiaojie's hidden guards!"

  "Yes, He Dajie thought she could bully others, saying something about streaking, but in the end she lost and didn't want to pay up, and even barked like a dog..."

  "Really? Haha, I'm dying of laughter, learning dog barks, the number one beauty learns dog barks..."

  Everyone's discussion was heated, completely unaware that their voices had flown into a small room behind the hall, where the person inside grew darker and darker, with a hint of cold light.

  The second floor is similar to the first floor, but a bit quieter and more spacious. I found a spot by the window, sat down quietly, poured myself a cup of tea, and gazed out at the distant mountains and rivers with a far-off look in my eyes.

  Just after taking a sip of tea, the second floor, which had been filled with voices, suddenly fell silent. Qing Ge turned around to look and saw Qian Ye Li shaking a white silk fan with golden decorations, smiling as he came down from the third floor.

  He wore a light-colored silk robe, with a white shirt over it, and a sky-blue belt around his waist. His whole body was in plain colors, his face was like jade, his eyebrows were clear and bright, his eyes seemed to hold autumn waves, and he looked elegant and refined, like a noble young master of the mundane world.

  Except for still using three peacock feathers to hold up her hairpins, she looked completely different from the first time I saw her in a peony-patterned robe.

  He also saw Qingge sitting by the window, walking slowly over, his light blue silk robe fluttering with each step like flowing water. A pair of enchanting eyes smiled at Qingge as he politely asked, "Qingge, we really are fated... May I ask, may I sit here?"

  Who is MuMu? What kind of title is this!

  "Not allowed." Qing Ge withdrew her gaze and replied in a cold, crisp voice.

  Qian Ye Lian Yi swung her sleeves and sat down opposite Qing Ge with a smile, "Then I'll just have to obey." The flower-like servant behind him rolled his eyes and muttered, "Master, you'd be better off not asking at all."

  Qing Ge's eyes were cold as she stared at Qian Ye Li, who was sitting uninvited with an air of nonchalance. Her gaze flickered with a hint of darkness - why did this person keep appearing before her, twice, thrice? Was it really just coincidence?

  Qian Ye Lian met the gaze of Qing Ge's scrutiny, her lips curled up in a shallow smile, and her enchanting eyes gleamed with a hint of melancholy. Suddenly, she gently pressed a white fan against her forehead and sighed: "Why is Mu Mu so cold to me?" Her tone was filled with resentment, evoking sympathy from those who heard it.

  "It's because you're not likable." Qing Ge's mouth curved into a cold and dazzling arc, like fireworks.

  "Miss, your dessert." The shopkeeper quickly ran over, carrying two boxes of desserts and carefully brought them over. He opened the desserts and refilled the teapot with water, looking at Qing Ge and saying: "Miss, try this dessert, it's very delicious and also our store's signature dish."

  Qing Ge looked at the pastries on the table, the light yellow dan huang su was emitting a tempting fragrance, smelling it... wasn't bad either.

  "Hmm, it's quite fragrant...". Picking up a piece and putting it in his mouth, his eyes sparkled with amusement as he said to Senya Kiyori across from him: "You have one too, the flavor is pretty good."

  "Since the beautiful woman has invited me, I must give it a try." Qian Ye's smile was so captivating that it shook people's souls.

  Suddenly, a girl came running up, her face was black with dirt, her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were tattered. Her whole body emitted a strange smell. She ran very fast in front, and the people chasing behind her shouted: "You crazy girl, who let you in..."

  The beggar girl came up, looking around wildly, shouting: "I'm starving to death...!" Seeing the egg yolk pastry on Qing Ge's table, her dark face lit up with a pair of big and bright eyes. She pushed aside the shop assistant standing beside the table, snatched the pastries from the table and stuffed them into her mouth, eating while stuffing more: "Mmm... I love eating egg yolk pastry the most... it's so delicious..."

  The shopkeeper, who was sitting on the ground, saw that she had eaten all the egg tarts and, ignoring his sore buttocks, quickly stood up, stretched out his hand to push her, but felt that the beggar girl's body had a strong stench. He took a deep breath, suppressed his disgust, and pushed the beggar girl away, scolding: "Where did this crazy woman come from... she actually ate all of these egg tarts..."

  The beggar girl was pushed to the ground by him, but she didn't care at all. She continued to lick the remaining stains on her dirty black fingers, with a look that seemed like she hadn't eaten enough yet.

  Qing Ge glanced at the plate of pastries on the table, her eyes thoughtful as she gazed at the girl sitting on the ground. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a handful of loose silver coins, placing them on the table. "Don't push it," she said to the shopkeeper, "this plate of pastries is on me for her."

  The shopkeeper looked at the girl, then at Qingge, his eyebrows furrowed tightly. He took the silver and glared fiercely at the beggar girl before running downstairs.

  "Night King, eat slowly, I'm leaving." Qing Ge stood up and walked downstairs. The beggar girl watched her leave, then quickly got up and followed her.

  "Walk slowly, Miao Miao!" Qian Ye Li shook her fan and smiled as Qing Ge's figure disappeared from view. The lightheartedness in her eyes was replaced by a sharp glint, and she asked softly, "Yuè Miào, how is your contact with the Dark Ghost?"

  The moon's pale light cast down, and the report was delivered: "The Dark Ghost reported yesterday that he discovered an unusual phenomenon in the night, but he couldn't track it for even a moment before being interrupted by another force."

  "Tell him to keep chasing." Qian Ye Li gazed at the crowd coming and going from the building, shaking a white silk golden fan, the smile at the corner of her mouth becoming unfathomably deep, the crystal-colored eyes hiding a cold glint.

  A black-clad girl with a cold gaze and an extraordinary temperament walked down the street, carrying a box of snacks, followed closely by a beggar with a dirty face.

  "Miss, take me with you!" The beggar girl looked at Qing Ge with hopeful eyes.

  Qing Ge narrowed her eyes and said, "Why do you think I would accept you?"

  The girl immediately opened her eyes wide and said very reasonably: "Because you are a good person! I ate your egg yolk pastry, you didn't hit me, didn't drive me away, and even helped me with the money!"

  Good person?

  She was never a good person. Her deep eyes gazed at the girl in front of her, and Qing Ge added some interest, asking: "Do you feel a little dizzy now?"

  "No way, how can I be dizzy? I just ate my fill and I'm absolutely not dizzy!" The girl smiled as if recalling something pleasant, her skin was dark and shiny, but her teeth were very white.

  "Very well," Qing Ge suddenly smiled, like a hundred flowers blooming on the endless ice field, enchanting and beautiful. "Tell me, what makes you worthy of being taken in by me?"

  The beggar girl suddenly jumped up, "I know a lot of things, washing clothes, stealing things...... Oh, and fighting too. Ordinary people can't beat me. Miss, watch this..."

  The girl ran to the wall and took a deep breath, then punched the wall with great force. The thick wall shook violently, and several layers of dust fell off.

  She withdrew her hand and pointed at the wall face, shouting: "Miss, look!"

  A small fist-sized hole on the light gray wall, with fine cracks next to it. Looking at the girl's hand again, there was no redness or broken skin at all.

  It turns out that the bluish-gray walls are all made of large stones, built with mud and plaster, and are many times more solid than red bricks. Even if someone with martial arts skills could do it, she was small and delicate, and with one punch, she actually left a mark on the wall.

  The beggar girl didn't have a bit of internal strength, that was innate divine power. Qing Ge's eyes sparkled, she really needed someone by her side now, Ping Er was too naive and didn't have defensive martial arts, while this girl looked naive, with sharp lights in her big eyes, after being a beggar for so long, observing words and expressions was her forte, and she also had that innate divine power, staying by her side was much more suitable than Ping Er.

  "Alright, follow me from now on." Qing Ge turned around and walked ahead, the beggar girl immediately clapped her hands excitedly and said: "Miss, I knew you were the best! My name is Luo Xing, Miss can call me Xing Er."

  "Uh-huh."

  "Miss, where are we going now? Back to the mansion?" Luo Xing followed behind, her whole body reeking of a sour smell that made passersby frown and avoid her, but she herself didn't care in the slightest.

  Standing still in front of a pharmacy, Qing Ge's eyes flashed with a faint light, and she replied, "Buy some good stuff."

  Just now, someone sent her an egg yolk pastry with added ingredients on the Wangjiang Building. Although it was only a common medicinal material that was added, if there is another thing mixed in within the next few days, it will immediately become highly toxic.

  Since that person was so determined to frame her, on that day, she naturally wanted to return the favor, "reciprocity" was the style of Mo Qing Ge.

  Digression

  Thank you dear wz999 for the shiny diamond... (*^__^*) Hehe, this star is a new character...