Before Su Muge could answer, Nangong Ningxin directly pulled her to the dressing table and let her sit down.
Nangong Ningxin looked at Su Muge in the mirror with a kind smile. âSister Su, you are so beautiful. â
If Nangong Ningxin hadnât deliberately put her face beside hers, she would have really believed her.
Su Muge was wearing a pair of mutton-fat jade water-drop earrings today. The color was similar to the pair of pearl earrings and was more suitable for her clothes.
But she had already refused her once, so it would be too improper to refuse her again.
After putting them on, Nangong Ningxin led Su Muge to the Emperorâs mother. âYour Grace, have a look. Is it pretty?â
The Emperorâs mother looked up with a smile and nodded. âYes, very pretty and suitable. Sit down and talk with me.â
Su Muge had to sit next to the Emperorâs mother.
âIâve been really weak lately. Can you find something wrong with me?â The Emperorâs mother reached out to gently hold her hand and said with a weak sound.
âLet me check your pulse, Your Grace.â
âOkay.â
This time, the Emperorâs mother directly stretched out her hand to Su Muge.
And Su Muge directly took her pulse.
As she expected, the pulse of the Emperorâs mother was much weaker than before. Moreover, she had an extremely hyperactive heart-fire. She must have made great efforts to sit here and talk to her calmly now.
âYour Grace, you have a hyperactive heart-fire, so you canât sleep well at night. Let the imperial doctors prescribe some medicine for you to reduce internal heat.â
Nangong Ningxin poured Su Muge a cup of tea. âSister Su, drink some hot tea.â
Su Muge reached out to take it over, but before she could touch the teacup, Nangong Ningxin suddenly released her hand and the teacup dropped down and broke up.
âAh! Sister Su, Iâm sorry, Iâm sorry, I didnât hold the teacup firmly. Have you got scalded?â
âYour Grace, the King of Jin ... His Royal Highness ...â Before the palace maid could finish her word, Xia Houmo with a cold air had already entered the room. He fixed his dark eyes on Su Muge and pulled her up from the couch without taking a look at Nangong Ningxin who was kneeling on the ground.
âHave you been injured?â
The sudden appearance of Xia Houmo made Su Muge slightly surprised, wondering if Nangong Ningxin had a superpower to see Xia Houmoâs coming from far away.
âIâm okay. Miss Nangong, are you okay?â Didnât you feel very awkward to be ignored completely?
Nangong Ningxin raised her red eyes, which looked so pitiful. She seemed to be afraid of being discovered and hid her hands behind her back while replying with sobs, âYes, Iâm okay. Iâm fine.â
The Emperorâs mother straightened up and pulled her up from the ground. âReach out your hand and let me have a look!â
Nangong Ningxin refused at first, but finally, under the pressure of the Emperorâs mother, she stretched out her hand carefully.
Her fair hand was full of blood.
The Emperorâs mother immediately put on a sullen face. âGo to find the imperial doctor!â
âYour Grace, if there is nothing else, please excuse our departure.â Xia Houmo spoke in a low voice.
âYou have just arrived. I canât keep you here for a moment now?â The Emperorâs motherâs look was even sterner.
âMiss Nangong is injured, so, itâs a little inconvenient for me to be here.â Xia Houmo kept his countenance.
Su Muge lowered her eyes and kept silent.
âHuh, your wife has injured Ningxin deliberately. Shouldnât you give me an explanation?â
Nangong Ningxin looked at Xia Houmo in a panic. âYour Grace, no, it was my fault. I didnât hold the teacup firmly and accidentally dropped it. It had nothing to do with Sister Su.â
âI have clearly seen that she released her hand intentionally!â
âYour Grace, I didnât even touch the teacup.â
âHuh, Ningxin is so kind to pour a cup of tea for you, but you deliberately hurt her. Iâm so disappointed with you!â
âYour Grace, it really has nothing to do with Sister Su. I, I...â Nangong Ningxin was so anxious that she burst into tears. She was talking to the Emperorâs mother, but her eyes were fixed on Xia Houmo.
Su Muge rolled her eyes secretly.
âI believe in my wife.â Xia Houmoâs words blocked everyoneâs mouth.
Nangong Ningxin choked and revealed a flicker of darkness in her eyes.
The face of the Emperorâs mother was even sterner.
âYou mean I have wronged her?â
âMaybe you have seen it wrong, Your Grace.â
âYou!â
The Emperorâs mother was so angry that her chest was going up and down.
âI, Iâm so disappointed at you!â
âYour Grace, the imperial doctor is here.â
âHurry up, let him in.â
The imperial doctor hurriedly in with a medical kit and dressed the wound for Nangong Ningxin.
âNingxin used to serve me before. Now that her hand is injured, you stay and serve me!â The Emperorâs mother glanced at Su Muge faintly.
How could she make a newly married wife separate from her husband?
âYour Grace, Sister Su has just been married to brother mo. How can she stay here? Iâm fine. I can serve you well.â Nangong Ningxin said hurriedly.
The Emperorâs mother sneered. âYou canât come to serve me just after you get married? What can you do as my granddaughter-in-law?!â
âIâm unwell and need her to take care of me. Your Grace, if your maids are not enough, I will inform eldest brother and second brother. They will send more people to serve you.â
âYou!â The Emperorâs mother rolled her eyes and passed out.
Fortunately, the imperial doctor was beside and stepped forward to see her in time.
Xia Houmo looked at everything indifferently and led Su Muge out of Huaxi Palace.
âYour Royal Highness, is it okay for us to leave like this?â
âDo you want to stay?â Xia Houmo raised his eyebrows.
Su Muge shook her head. How could she be willing to stay?
The two walked to the palace gate. Just as they were about to get on the carriage, Xia Houkun approached them.
Xia Houkun glanced at their clenched hands with dark eyes.
âYour relationship is really good. I heard that ninth sister-in-law was seriously injured on the wedding day and Jingwen was very worried. Now it seems that ninth sister-in-law is recovering very well.â
âThanks to the care of Your Royal Highness, I have recovered much faster.â
Xia Houmo patted Su Mugeâs hand, hinting her to get in the carriage first. Su Muge nodded gently, and Yueru helped her into the carriage. After the curtains were put down, her sight was blocked.
âIt seems that ninth brother likes abandoned things.â Xia Houkun clenched his fists in his sleeves.
Xia Houmo glanced at him coldly. âYou know better than anyone else if it is something you abandoned or you couldnât get, second brother.â
After finishing his words, Xia Houmo turned around and got on the carriage.
Su Muge only felt a flash of light before she was embraced into strong arms.
Su Muge didnât struggle. She must learn to adapt to her new life slowly.
Her docility made Xia Houmo much delighted. He lowered his head and pressed his face to her neck. Su Muge was suddenly frozen and shrunk her neck.
âCold?â
âYes.â
âIâll take you to a place.â
The carriage swayed across the street, got through the city gate, and finally stopped in the suburb.
The suburb was colder than the city. Xia Houmo helped her out of the carriage, held her up the horse, and wrapped her in his cloak tightly, fearing that she would feel cold.
Su Muge shrank her entire face in his cloak, only exposing her eyes.
âYour Royal Highness, where are we going?â
âYouâll know soon.â
Xia Houmo rode the horse and stopped after a quarter.
Then Su Muge was held down from the horse.
Su Muge opened her eyes and was instantly attracted by the sight in front of her.
There was an endless plum forest with plum blossoms of various colors, which was so beautiful and breath-taking.
Su Muge walked over, stood in the forest, and looked back at Xia Houmo.
At that moment, Xia Houmo thought she was the most beautiful scenery in this world.
Seeing the endless plum blossom, Su Muge became romantic instantly.
âYour Royal Highness, how do you know this place?â
Xia Houmo stepped forward and flicked the snow from her hair. âMany years ago, someone planted these plum trees here, saying that he would be buried here after his death.â
Su Muge frowned slightly, and Xia Houmo stepped into the plum forest.
Su Muge followed behind him.
Xia Houmo stopped in front of a small bulging hill, squatted down, and reached out to flick the snow on the ground. And then a tombstone appeared on the ground, but there was nothing on it.
âIs that man buried here?â
âYes.â
âHe is a friend of yours, Your Royal Highness?â Su Muge asked tentatively.
Xia Houmo looked at the empty tombstone for a long time without saying a word. âKind of.â
Xia Houmo stood up and looked at the plum forest. âItâs a person who has helped me.â
Su Muge looked at Xia Houmo and found his eyes faintly wet. This was the first time for her to see Xia Houmo so sentimental.
But soon, Xia Houmo withdrew all his emotions and restored his usual indifferent look.
âLetâs propose a toast to him.â Xia Houmo took out a hip flask. âHe liked alcohol and plum wine was his favorite.â
Su Muge took over the hip flask, sprinkled the wine in front of the tombstone, and worshipped.
âLetâs go.â Xia Houmo took her hand and led her out of the plum forest.
After returning to the city, Xia Houmo had something else to do and asked Donglin to send her back to the mansion.
Although Su Muge recovered well, she hadnât fully recovered. After a long trip, she was so tired that she fell asleep soon. When she woke up, it was still bright outside.
Su Muge got up and felt a bit dizzy.
âYour Grace, you are finally awake.â Yueru heard the movement and pushed in.
âHow long have I slept?â
âYou have been asleep since you came back yesterday.â
Su Muge was a little surprised. âIâve slept for so long.â
âHis Royal Highness was worried about you and asked doctor Gui to see you. Hearing that you were asleep, he was finally relieved.â
Doctor Gui... His name didnât seem to be a doctorâs name but a devilâs.
âYour Grace, hurry to eat something. You must have been hungry after a long sleep.â
âOkay.â
Su Muge sat at the table to have breakfast. However, she might have slept for so long that she had no appetite at all and asked them to take the food away after eating little things.
âYueru, you may all go out. I want to lie down for a while.â
âYes.â