The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 106 - 105

Chapter 105

After feeding Nanny Fang and giving her medicine, Mu Jie let her sleep and rest. She then got up and walked out of the room.

"Miss, please go and rest. Leave the rest to me. You’ve become quite gaunt these past few days," Lu Xin advised with concern, noticing the dark circles under her mistress’s eyes from many sleepless nights. Her heart felt heavy with worry.

Mu Jie shook her head and replied, "No, I’m still fine."

"But, miss..."

"No buts, Lu Xin," Mu Jie raised her hand to stop her and continued, "I have something for you to do."

Lu Xin raised her eyebrows in curiosity. When she saw her mistress motion for her to come closer, she quickly leaned in. The two whispered for a while before Mu Jie moved back.

"Do you remember what I said?"

"Yes, I do," Lu Xin replied softly, though her eyes showed confusion as she recalled the instructions given by her mistress moments ago.

"Why would you..."

"Don’t ask, Lu Xin. Just follow my orders. Be careful. When you go out, make sure no one sees you," Mu Jie immediately stopped her servant’s curiosity, her tone serious as she reminded. Her small face showed slight concern for the servant’s safety.

"Yes, Miss," Lu Xin nodded obediently, quickly shaking off her curiosity. She turned and walked out the other way to carry out her orders immediately.

Zhuiping Residence

Since the three siblings of the Mu family moved to Zhuiping Residence, each day had passed peacefully and uneventfully. Today was no different. The sound of laughter and conversation from the two sisters continued to echo from inside the residence. Since today was a designated holiday by the Imperial Academy, Mu Qingxuan didn’t have to attend her studies. The two sisters spent their time discussing various matters comfortably.

"The Blood Spirit Grass arrived yesterday. I’ll prepare the Restore Lunar Elixir you need tonight," Mu Qingxuan said with a slight smile. Seeing her sister’s face light up with joy, she couldn’t help but smile a little herself.

"Great!"

Mu Yingying’s face lit up with a broad smile unknowingly. Finally, the crucial herb they had been searching for so long was in their possession. With this, the Restore Lunar Elixir she had been waiting for could finally be made.

The Restore Lunar Elixir was a rare and valuable potion that could heal all kinds of scars, whether severe or minor, restoring damaged skin to its original state. After arriving in the capital, Mu Yingying had discussed with her elder sister ways to treat the scars on Lu Jiu’s face.

Although Mu Qingxuan could concoct the Restore Lunar Elixir for healing scars that Mu Yingying wanted, several key herbal ingredients were missing. Consequently, they had spent a considerable amount of time searching for these herbs.

Finally, the last needed herb had been obtained, allowing Mu Qingxuan to prepare the Restore Lunar Elixir for her younger sister. This was the reason why Mu Yingying was greatly delighted upon hearing the news.

Though Mu Yingying had been busy handling various matters, she had never forgotten her promise to Lu Jiu to heal the scars on his face that served as a constant reminder of past traumas.

As soon as she received the Restore Lunar Elixir, she would immediately send it to Lu Jiu!

Even though Mu Yingying didn’t know Lu Jiu’s location because he had never told her and she didn’t want to ask, she was ready to listen if he ever chose to share. Nonetheless, she could send the elixir through his intermediaries who often facilitated their communication.

Just thinking about receiving the Restore Lunar Elixir soon made Mu Yingying slightly excited, her big, round eyes gleaming with a faint smile.

"Then I must trouble you, Eldest Sister,"

Mu Yingying said cheerfully, appearing noticeably livelier, making those watching her smile with affection.

"Trouble? Nonsense," Mu Qingxuan laughed softly, her peach blossom eyes full of warmth and gentleness as she looked at the small figure before her.

As long as Ying’er asked, she was willing to give everything she had to her younger sister!

"By the way, I heard that the big competition is approaching. What are your plans, Sister?" Mu Yingying asked with curiosity, having contained her joy.

Mu Qingxuan thought for a moment before responding, "This competition doesn’t interest me at all..."

While the two sisters were chatting, a figure entered the room to report something to their mistress.

"Miss, a servant from the Mu family manor named Lu Xin, a servant of the Fifth Young Miss, has come to see you."

"Lu Xin?"

Mu Qingxuan repeated the name of the unexpected guest, trying to recall it from her memory, but she couldn’t remember who it was. She concluded that she didn’t know the person asking to meet them. When she turned to seek her younger sister’s opinion, she found a similarly puzzled expression.

A servant of Mu Jie?

Mu Yingying lowered her gaze slightly, pondering quietly. If she remembered correctly, they and Mu Jie had never visited each other, except for the time she had given Mu Jie a bracelet during a festival. However, that alone didn’t seem reason enough for Mu Jie to send a servant to request a meeting.

What could it be about then?

"Shall we meet her or not?"

Mu Qingxuan asked calmly. Since she didn’t know the person requesting the meeting, there was no necessity for her to meet them. However, for Ying’er, it might be different.

Mu Yingying nodded once. "Since they’ve come all this way, we should at least see what they have to say."

Mu Qingxuan nodded in response and signaled the servant in front of her to bring the guest in. While waiting for the servant named Lu Xin to enter, Mu Qingxuan poured tea for herself and her sister.

Shortly, Lu Xin was escorted into the hall of the quarters by the servant of Zhuiping Residence. Upon seeing the two young misses waiting, she quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Eldest Young Miss and Seventh Young Miss. I am Lu Xin, a servant of the Fifth Young Miss."

"Mm."

Mu Qingxuan responded briefly, causing Lu Xin to force a smile, her face momentarily freezing as she struggled to find the next words.

"You are the servant of Fifth Sister. So, it must be at her behest that you’ve come to see us," Mu Yingying said with a mysterious smile, quickly dissipating the earlier tension.

"Yes...indeed."

Lu Xin nodded rapidly and continued, "I am here to convey a message from the Fifth Young Miss to you, Eldest Young Miss and Seventh Young Miss."

"Hmm?"

Mu Yingying tilted her head slightly, showing a curious expression. Her big, round eyes sparkled with a strange light, making it hard to read her thoughts. However, this demeanor also made her look quite endearing.

"The Fifth Young Miss asked me to inform you that this evening, the Master will send someone to invite the Eldest Young Miss on an errand outside. This errand is to meet with Shin Wang,"

Lu Xin conveyed Mu Jie’s message precisely without leaving anything out. The sentence was short yet concise and pertinent.

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingxuan immediately frowned. Just the mention of Shin Wang made her stomach churn. However, before she could say anything, Mu Yingying spoke first.

"This doesn’t seem like a particularly important matter. Why would Fifth Sister send you to inform us about it?"

"This matter...Fifth Young Miss said it involves Eldest Young Miss, so she should know in advance to prepare," Lu Xin replied, repeating Mu Jie’s instructions.

"Why would Eldest Sister need to prepare? Father would send someone to inform her in advance anyway," Mu Yingying asked further.

Her small face was always adorned with a faint smile that made her seem like an innocent child who asked with curiosity. However, her eyes held a coldness that sent shivers down Lu Xin’s spine.

"Fifth Young Miss said that the Master ordered someone to use another pretext to invite Eldest Young Miss outside, implying he doesn’t want Eldest Young Miss to know the truth. Therefore, it can’t be considered a good thing, and it was deemed appropriate to inform Eldest Young Miss beforehand,"

Lu Xin continued to repeat Mu Jie’s words. She was puzzled by how her young miss seemed to anticipate every question, giving her precise instructions for this conversation.

"So, that’s how it is..."

Mu Yingying nodded once, leaning back in her chair with a relaxed demeanor. The coldness in her eyes quickly faded, replaced by a mischievous glint.

"But I still don’t understand why Fifth Sister would be so ’considerate’?"

"Uh..." Lu Xin hadn’t anticipated this question, and her mistress hadn’t prepared her for it.

She hesitated for a long moment before deciding to tell the truth. "In truth, it was because of the white jade bracelet that you gave Fifth Young Miss during the last festival. During a crisis, she sold it for money to get through the situation."

"A few days ago, Nanny Fang fell seriously ill. The little money received each month was barely enough for survival, leaving nothing for emergencies. The people in the household ignored Fifth Young Miss’s well-being. Out of filial piety and desperation, Fifth Young Miss instructed me to sell the bracelet to buy medicine and food to sustain Nanny Fang and ourselves."

"Therefore, upon inadvertently learning about Eldest Young Miss’s situation, Fifth Young Miss ordered me to inform you as a way of repaying the kindness shown by giving her the white jade bracelet."

As she spoke, Lu Xin’s eyes reddened uncontrollably. Words flowed out like a stream, driven by the frustration and injustice she had endured for so long. Given the chance to voice these grievances, she couldn’t stop herself from pouring it all out.

Mu Yingying and Mu Qingxuan exchanged glances, both pondering the situation. After Lu Xin finished explaining, Mu Qingxuan turned to wave to Xiao Chun, standing in the corner, signaling her to fetch something from inside the quarters.

"Alright, I understand,"

Mu Qingxuan said calmly, her earlier cold expression softened with a hint of compassion. Her eyes showed empathy like a person who had gone through a similar experience, so she could understand the struggles Lu Xin described.

"Take this back to Fifth Sister as a token of our gratitude for today," Mu Qingxuan said, signaling Xiao Chun to bring the embroidered pouch from inside the room to Lu Xin.

When Lu Xin received the embroidered pouch, she felt the weight of something contained inside. As she was about to open it, she was stopped.

"Open it once you leave."

"Thank you, Eldest Young Miss." Lu Xin bowed deeply before being escorted out of the manor by Xiao Chun.

Once she had walked far from Zhuiping Residence for some distance, Lu Xin opened the embroidered pouch. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of dozens of gold ingots inside. She was utterly shocked by the sight.

Her hands, holding the embroidered pouch, shook with a mix of excitement and nervousness. She had never had a chance to hold dozens of taels of gold in her hands like this. She quickly closed the pouch and carefully hid it inside her clothes and hurried back to the Mu manor to deliver the gift to her mistress.

With this money, the Fifth Young Miss and they wouldn’t have to suffer anymore!

After Lu Xin left, Mu Yingying took a sip of tea, a sly smile playing on her lips. Mu Qingxuan silently reflected on the events that had just transpired.

"She’s...not bad at all,"

Mu Yingying remarked with a smile. She set her teacup down and continued, "Originally, Mu Jie could have ignored us like she always did. But this time, she chose to warn us to express her gratitude for the bracelet. Moreover, she didn’t ask for anything in return, showing that she wasn’t trying to curry favor with us for her own benefit."

"If it weren’t for that bracelet, Mu Jie wouldn’t have cared about us either. She’s really not bad,"

Mu Yingying praised sincerely. The Mu manor was like a tiger’s den, molding its descendants into selfish individuals. If they weren’t indifferent due to seeing no benefit, they would try to flatter those who could help them achieve their ambitions.

But Mu Jie was different. Mu Yingying had long been aware of Mu Jie’s difficult life. However, they had always lived separately, with no reason to help each other, and Mu Jie had never sought opportunities to approach her for personal gain either.

According to monthly reports from her informants, Mu Jie had been living a life of invisibility. Since the Mu family didn’t value her, she didn’t seek attention, preferring to remain unnoticed to avoid potential trouble.

Others might see Mu Jie’s life as pitiful—being a Mu family granddaughter but living no better than a servant. However, Mu Yingying saw it differently. In her view, Mu Jie was living cautiously, which was wise given her lack of maternal support and power. Drawing attention to herself would only make her a target for attacks.

Though this invisible existence brought hardships, at least Mu Jie managed to survive...

If Mu Jie had previously chosen to voice her grievances and demand justice within the family, given the temperament of her siblings, she would have likely been bullied to the point where she couldn’t have survived!

Therefore, in Mu Yingying’s eyes, this half-sister was quite intelligent. She knew when to retreat to preserve her own little life, waiting for the day she could marry out of the Mu manor. That would be the day she would truly gain her freedom.

Besides Mu Jie’s intelligence in managing her behavior, another aspect that caught Mu Yingying’s attention and admiration was her sense of morality. Considering the hardships Mu Jie had faced and the environment in the Mu manor that had shaped her, Mu Yingying wouldn’t have been surprised if Mu Jie had become heartless.

However, today’s incident proved that Mu Jie was not without compassion. She had enough integrity to repay those who had shown her kindness. This quality was exceptionally rare among the Mu family members.

For this reason, Mu Yingying didn’t hesitate to praise her openly and even felt a growing sense of fondness towards her.

Mu Jie truly was an admirable young woman...

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