Chapter 53 - The “First Bucket of Gold”
Chapter 53 The “First Bucket of Gold”
“Boohoo …”
The sound of a baby’s cry came into the room, gradually waking up Su Muge.
Opening her eyes, she saw the half new blue bed-curtain and raised a slight smile.
Inexplicably, this small courtyard made her feel a sense of belonging.
She turned over and got up. On hearing the sound, Yueru pushed in with the washing basins.
“Miss, you finally wake up. I thought you were going to sleep until noon.”
Su Muge squinted at her. “Naughty girl, you have learned to make fun of me.”
Su Muge sat in front of her dressing mirror. Looking at the striking birthmark on her eyes, she smiled with self-mockery.
Having been in disguise for so long, she felt a little strange to suddenly see her own face.
Having seen Su Muge staring at the mirror absent-mindedly, Yueru thought she was concerned about the birthmark on her face.
“Miss, how about putting some of your hair down to cover it?”
Su Muge shook her head. “Will it disappear if it’s covered?”
“Miss, sister Yuxiang from Madam’s yard delivered a message for you, asking you to go there and have breakfast with Madam,” Xinlan said outside.
It was not surprising that An would ask her to come over. “Okay, I’ll be there. Tell my mother, I won’t have breakfast at her place.”
“Yes.”
After putting on a clean dress with the help of Yueru, Su Muge went to Flowery Brook Courtyard.
On arriving at the gate of Flowery Brook Courtyard, the guarding maid led her in.
An was sitting in the room and seemed to be a little impatient. Only when she saw Su Muge coming in did she relieve her nerve.
“Madam, the eldest Miss is here,” Yuxiang reported outside.
“Let the eldest Miss in.”
The curtain lifted, Su Muge walked in, lowering her eyes.
An found Su Muge intact, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
“Madam.”
An hid her feelings and put a smile on her face. “Muge is here. Come and sit.”
Su Muge sat on her right, and the maids came in with fine dishes for breakfast.
An gave a glance at Li Mama, who knowingly led all the maids out.
“Muge, you must be hungry. Let’s have breakfast.”
Su Muge didn’t decline her offer out of humility. Knowing that An did not need to poison the food at this time, she picked up the chopsticks and enjoyed the meal leisurely.
For many times, An wanted to talk; but seeing Su Muge with no intention to stop eating at all, she held her words right back.
She must say that An was so good at enjoying life. Every dish on this table was exquisite and delicious.
Seeing Su Muge finally put the chopsticks down, An smiled and said, “Are you full or not? You must have suffered a lot outside these days.”
Su Muge took up the teacup to gargle and then said, “Madam, you must have known that father has already arrived in Zhou County. Haven’t you?”
An blinked uncomfortably and nodded.
“Then, do you know when father arrived in Zhou County?”
An frowned slightly, wondering Su Muge’s purpose of asking this question.
When Li Mama sent someone to Zhou County for inspection, it was reported that Su Lun had already been there. As for when he arrived, she just needed to order someone to find out. But what did Su Mugo mean by specifically asking her this question?
“Where have you been these days? Did you see your father?” An didn’t want to go around in circles anymore and asked directly.
“I’ve been in Zhou County. It was my father who had someone send me back.”
“Is your father okay?” An subconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
“He is fine.”
“Then where was he these days of disappearance?”
Su Muge hung up her lips. “Madam, it’s better to wait for my father to come back, and you can ask him yourself. It’s getting late. You must have to deal with general affairs. Excuse me.”
Su Muge stood up and left her room before An could speak again.
An watched the slightly rippling curtain, her eyes darkened.
Li Mama came in and asked the maids to clean up the table. After the maids were done, she closed the door and walked to An.
“Madam, what did the eldest Miss say?”
An shook her head. “She was mysterious and talked nonsense. She must have reserved something to herself.”
“Why not ask her directly, Madam?”
An glimpsed at Li Mama. “Mama, she wasn’t the witless young girl allowing anyone to tread on her neck. I couldn’t help feeling that she had become weird after a narrow escape from death … ”
After returning to Peachblossom Courtyard, Su Muge called Yueru over.
“What can I help you, Miss?”
“Have you sent the letter to the eldest Master Meng when I left?”
Yueru nodded and lowered her voice, “Miss, don’t worry, I have sent the letter to him. The eldest Master Meng also said, if Miss has a letter for him in the future, I can go to the tea house on West City Street and give the letter to the shopkeeper.”
“Okay.” Su Muge nodded, took out another letter, and handed it to her.
“Miss, this is …” Yueru looked at the letter curiously.
“Do as he said, send it to the tea house.”
Holding the letter, Yueru nodded. “Yes, I’ll go right now.”
After Yue Ru left, Su Muge went to Zhao’s room and played with little Wenmo, who just woke up.
“Mother, Mo’er looks really like you. He is so pretty.” Little Wenmo’s eyes and brows looked very similar to Zhao’s. It seemed like he would become a gentle and handsome boy when he grew up.
As if knowing that Su Muge was praising him, the little guy turned his big eyes and looked at Su Muge.
“I don’t know how your father is in Zhou County,” Zhao was embroidering the underwear for Su Muge, muttering in a low voice.
Su Lun owed a lot to Zhao; after marrying An, he had never cared about Zhao and her daughter.
However, Zhao still regarded him as her husband. The concept of following the husband after the marriage had been deeply ingrained in Zhao’s mind, which could not be easily shaken by a few words.
Su Muge looked at Zhao’s profile while gently pinching little Wenmo’s tiny hands.
It was not impossible for her to escape from Su Mansion, and she had also thought of taking Zhao with her. But eventually, she would still respect her mother’s opinions.
“Madam said that he is fine in Zhou County.”
On hearing that, a faint smile seemed to appear on Zhao’s face.
“Really? Well, that’s good. After all, he is your father. A child without a father will be looked down upon ultimately …”
…
In Meng Mansion.
Meng Xiuwen was sitting in the room, holding a letter in a trance.
“Master?” His page boy Wuming found him sitting still, then called him gently.
The eldest Master had been in that position since he read the letter.
Meng Xiuwen came to his senses and put the letter away.
“Have you got everything done?”
The page boy answered quickly, “Master, please rest assured. All is done.”
“OK.” Meng Xiuwen stood up and went to Meng Changde’s study.
Seeing Meng Xiuwen coming over, the guarding page boy hurried in to report and returned soon.
“The eldest Master, please come in.”
Meng Changde was a Confucian. There were several large bookshelves in his study, and he liked to stay here in his spare time.
“Father.”
Standing in front of the bookshelf, Meng Changde looked up from the book, glanced at Meng Xiuwen, and said gently, “Come to have a seat.”
Meng Xiuwen walked to the chair aside and sat down.
Meng Changde put down the book he was holding and laughed. “You have always known that I don’t like to be disturbed while reading. Why are you here today?”
“Father, I have something to discuss with you.”
Meng Changde was curious to see Meng Xiuwen’s solemn look. “Oh? Tell me. What’s up?”
It turned out that, before Su Muge went to Zhou County, she had written to Meng Xiuwen and asked him to prepare some medicinal materials needed after the disaster. After all, it would do no harm but good to the Meng family, whether to make a fortune or to win appreciation from the Emperor.
“You mean the eldest Miss Su has told you to be prepared?” Meng Changde was surprised. Those who had been in the officialdom for so many years might know some of the key points. But how could she know so much as a young girl who had been kept indoors?
“Father, the medicine has already been prepared. I just sent someone to inquire, and they found that the price of the medicine had increased a lot.” Meng Xiuwen was quite surprised when he first received Su Muge’s letter.
He thought she wrote him a letter to … to express her affection, however…
Thinking of this, Meng Xiuwen couldn’t help laughing at himself.
“Did she say what she was going to do?” Su Muge had rescued Old Lady Meng before, but afterward, the Meng family refused to let her come for treatment. Anyway, it was Meng’s family being in the wrong, and Su Muge should be angry with them.
Meng Xiuwen really couldn’t figure out what Su Muge was up to!
“No.” Su Muge sent him a message again today, saying that the batch of medicinal materials could be put in use now. He was really curious about how she got to know so much?
“Father, what do you think we should do?” Now the batch of medicines would make them a fortune if they resold them.
Meng Changde meditated for a while, remembering the message sent to him yesterday, reading that Zhou County needed plenty of medicinal materials. What a coincidence.
“Sell it to Zhou County at the previous price.” If they sent the batch of medicines for free, he would win the Emperor’s appreciation. After all, the Meng family was certainly able to afford it.
However, he had always disliked being high-profile; he would rather give up the thought.
“Yes.” Meng Xiuwen also felt it more appropriate to do so.
“As for the Su family, it’s up to you.”
“Yes.”
After leaving the study, Meng Xiuwen kept contemplating on his way back to his courtyard.
Su Muge might have done so with good intentions for the Meng family. When Meng Xiuwen thought of her large and bright eyes, his heartbeat inexplicably accelerated.
“Wuming.”
Wuming walked into the room.
“What’s your command, Master?”
Meng Xiuwen handed him a letter. “Take it. Be sure to send it to the eldest Miss Su.”
Wuming took the letter with a grin. “Master, rest assured. I’ll give it to Miss Su.”
As soon as Su Muge finished exercising in the yard, she received the letter from Meng Xiuwen.
Su Muge leaned on the couch and opened the letter. Upon reading the letter, her eyes brightened up.
Yueru, standing by, saw the change of Su Muge’s expression. She was puzzled.
There were two pieces of paper in the envelope. One was a reply from Meng Xiuwen to thank her.
The other … was a banknote worthy of 500 Liang!
This was the “first bucket of gold” she earned after traveling back to ancient times!