64 Chapter 64
◎Mu Yun is back◎
The night was already quite chilly. As soon as I came out in my single-layer pajamas, I shivered. "It's so cold."
After hesitating for a moment, I decided to give up. I didn’t want to go back and put on my coat.
Quick victory.
It was very quiet at night; the animals in the barn next door were asleep, and there was no other sound.
The clear water rushes against the rocks, gently and continuously, like a gurgling whisper that can easily touch the heartstrings.
The night was like a ball of solidified black ink. Cheng Mu scooped up water to wash the stone surface that had just been wet, and suddenly he sighed.
She thought the night was too dark and she couldn't see anything clearly. After she came out, she accidentally looked behind her and gasped.
There is a figure!
Just as she was about to open her mouth to shout, a figure like a ghost suddenly approached her and covered her mouth.
“Woo…”
Her back rested against a strong chest, the hand covering her mouth was wet, and the breath from above hit her head.
This is a man!
Cheng Mu couldn't scream and struggled desperately, waving her hands and scratching around randomly, grabbing onto whatever she touched.
The man covered her mouth with one hand, restrained her restless hands with the other, and held her restless body, but withdrew his lower body far away.
Cheng Mu was extremely desperate. Her legs could still move. She raised her foot and kicked backwards, but before she could knock anyone down, she suddenly felt a pain in her neck and lost consciousness.
She finally calmed down and lay softly in the man's arms.
The man took a few deep breaths, his heart pounding like a drum. He just held her in his arms quietly, standing for a moment before he softly said, "Sister-in-law, it's me."
I rested my chin on her hair and took a deep breath of the fragrance in her arms, which was still the warm and sweet fragrance that I had been dreaming about.
"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry." It would have been fine if he had just shown up, but he lost his mind when he heard that she was going to the toilet.
He turned the person around, picked him up horizontally, and walked into the side room.
There was still some warmth left on the kang, so Cheng Mu was laid down and covered with a thin blanket.
There was no one else in the room, so Mu Yun asked softly, "Sister-in-law, where are Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi?"
Knowing there will be no answer.
He had just returned home and listened to the breathing of the people sleeping at home. He deduced that there was only one person in each of the left and right wing rooms.
He had originally planned to return the next day, but he was so eager to go home that after eating, he pretended to sleep in his room, then he took his horse and galloped towards Zhaojia Village.
Even if it was the middle of the night, even if everyone was asleep, he would just take a quiet look at it.
When I entered the house from the back door, the whole yard was filled with the smell of alcohol, which made me thirsty.
After groping around, he found an opened jar of wine and couldn't wait to scoop a bowl.
It feels so good to ride a horse in the middle of the night and drink such a big bowl of wine.
I was planning to quietly rinse the bowl by the well, but suddenly the door hinge made a creaking sound and the family members got up.
He held his breath and remained motionless.
He listened to the voice and recognized the shadow as Cheng Mu, and became excited for no reason.
Did she sense it as soon as she entered the door?
Maybe he was just imagining things. Cheng Mi was definitely not here to greet him. Getting up at this time meant getting up to go to the bathroom.
She walked towards him, stepping on his heart step by step.
Cheng Mu suddenly woke up.
It was just dawn outside and chickens from other houses in the village were crowing.
She sat up suddenly, looking at where she was and the quilt covering her.
She was very sure that last night was not a dream.
Xu Xiuying was yawning as she boiled water in the kitchen. Cheng Mu hurried over and asked, "Did you hear any noise at home last night?"
Xu Xiuying asked, "What's going on?"
Cheng Mu asked, "Didn't you hear anything?"
Xu Xiuying asked, "What noise did you hear?"
Forget it, Cheng Mu said: "Check if there is anything missing from the house."
The two of them checked around in a panic, but nothing was missing.
Xu Xiuying asked, "Why is this bowl next to the well?"
Other than that, nothing has changed.
Cheng Mu was standing at the place where she looked back after leaving the toilet last night. Could it be that the thief she saw last night was drinking water by the well?
No, no, no, what kind of thief would go to someone else's house to drink water? Since he didn't come for money or property, could it be that -
Poisoning? !
Cheng Xi's face turned pale. "Sister Xiuying, did you use the well water this morning?"
"No, the water on the stove is from the water tank. What's wrong?"
Cheng Mu snatched the bowl from her hand, squeezed out some well water and filled it up, "Don't drink the water yet, don't use it either."
Carrying the bowl of water, she came to the barn. Who should she give it to, the chickens or the sheep?
Different animals have different reaction times, so she pours it into their troughs.
A few chickens and sheep came over quickly to drink water, and Cheng Mu waited there quietly.
After Xu Xiuying ladled the boiling water into the wooden basin, she came over to observe with Cheng Xi. "What's the reaction?"
After half an hour, the chickens and sheep were still alive and kicking, with no signs of poisoning.
Xu Xiuying asked, "Can I wash up now? The water is cold."
Gui'er also got up, lay down by the well, and drank several mouthfuls of water.
Cheng Mi and Xu Xiuying just came in and saw it, but were too late to stop it.
Gui'er was puzzled: "Poison? Who?"
Cheng Mu asked her, "Didn't you hear anything last night?"
"I..." Gui'er was speechless and didn't reply until the rooster crowed.
Xu Xiuying didn't think it was possible that someone had poisoned Madam Cheng. Madam Cheng was respected in this area, kind, and had no enemies. Who would poison her? But she couldn't help but scare Gui'er, "You! You failed to protect Madam Cheng. You can only atone by testing the poison yourself. Watch your body carefully."
They waited in silence for another half an hour. Xu Xiuying's water was completely cold, and Jiyang and Guier were both fine.
Cheng Mu was worried: "Forget it, maybe I'm overthinking it."
She thought about what happened last night over and over again, even checking under her fingernails, but there was no trace.
She was wearing thin clothes last night. What did the man do after knocking her unconscious?
This was something she pondered quietly in her mind. There was nothing unusual between her legs, and no marks on her body, so she should not have been violated.
It's really puzzling that the thieves appeared here.
At noon, when they rode back from the nursery, a large crowd gathered in front of their house.
"Madam Cheng, Madam Cheng," the villagers came running to announce, "Your Mu Yun is back!"
Mu Yun is back.
How long had this child been gone? Dynasties had changed. It had only been two years, yet Cheng Mu felt as if it had been a lifetime ago.
She used to be very dependent on Mu Yun, but after losing this capable assistant, she gradually got used to other people and slowly started to go out.
"He still remembers to come back!" Gui'er complained bluntly from behind.
There were crowds of people in front, so Cheng Mu did not urge her horse to speed up. Sitting on the horse, her line of sight was slightly higher, and she could see several soldiers in armor and many boxes. She recognized Qi Bo at a glance.
Which one is Mu Yun?
"Mrs. Cheng is back." The crowd shouted and automatically made way for her horse.
The horse moved forward slowly, and facing her, the young man standing in the front was tall and strong, with a burning gaze.
"Sister-in-law, Mu Yun is back."
He is...Mu Yun?
Cheng Mu was puzzled. He had grown taller and was the tallest among the soldiers. The blows he had suffered on the battlefield had made his body thicker and broader. He looked like a heroic young man. His voice had also changed. Wasn't he a man?
If you look closely, you can still see his former divine appearance, but Mu Yun... is he a male?
Cheng Mu's eyes were focused on his neck. He tilted his head slightly, and his very obvious Adam's apple moved slightly.
Cheng Mu's expression was cold and her eyebrows were slightly furrowed. Seeing that she was not surprised and did not say anything, the crowd gradually quieted down.
Mu Yun raised his hand and touched his neck. Her nails had left several bloody marks on it last night. For a moment, he thought she had discovered him and felt a little guilty.
Qi Bo stepped forward and reported, "Madam Cheng, the young master has made great progress. The emperor personally summoned him and appointed him a sixth-rank lieutenant. The young master did not want to be promoted or rewarded, and only wanted to return home to give birth. The emperor rewarded him with gold, jade and silk, and sent troops to escort him back home."
Cheng Mu dismounted and nodded calmly: "I'm glad you're back."
As she passed by Mu Yun, she said to the soldiers, "You have all had a hard time on this journey. Please come in and have a cup of tea."
Having met her last night, Mu Yun managed to hold himself together. Her reaction, however, made him a little uneasy. He touched his nose and met Gui'er's gaze.
Gui'er sat upright on the horse with an arrogant look on his face: "Sixth-rank captain." His tone sounded a bit sarcastic.
"Master Muyun." Xiuying was the most enthusiastic towards him. Not only did she dismount and salute, she also took his arm and said, "Come in quickly. It's been a long time since we last met. You've grown into such a spirited young man!"
The crowd was talking about it. Some time ago, Madam Cheng was awarded the title of seventh-rank lady, and today, Master Mu Yun was promoted to the sixth-rank captain. It was really good news brought by the autumn wind, and the whole family was honored.
"He didn't want a sixth-rank official, and now he's just an ordinary citizen."
"That's after seeing the emperor."
"The Emperor offered him an official position but he wouldn't do it. Is this kid stupid? Going back to his hometown and farming for food is so tiring!"
"Didn't you see how many boxes and crates the emperor gave as a reward? They are all gold, silver, and jewelry. There's nothing wrong with living a peaceful and stable life as a wealthy man."
"You women are so ignorant!"
…
Guier came out and told everyone that they would come for the banquet in ten days, and the crowd then dispersed with a commotion.
The house was already full of things needed for the banquet, and there was no place to put the boxes and baskets that Mu Yun brought back. The granary on the hill behind was full of grain, and the house was also full of corn cobs.
Cheng Mu could only have the boxes and crates moved to the room where she lived and stacked them up.
After sending off the escorting soldiers, Xu Xiuying still had to go to the nursery base to work, and Cheng Mu asked Guier to go with her.
Only Qi Bo, Mu Yun and she were left at home.
Seeing that she had a sullen expression, Qi Bo asked, "Madam Cheng, are you still upset about Master Yun joining the army without telling her?"
Now that it's been brought to light, Cheng Mu might as well let out the anger she's harbored. "At the time, Mu Yun was young and didn't know the dangers of the battlefield. Uncle Qi, you've been through half your life, and you didn't know how to dissuade him? Instead, you let him play around."
"Auntie, at that time I was only thinking about—"
Mu Yun explained, but Cheng Mu gave him a look and he shut up angrily.
Qi Bo explained, "Young Master Yun is going to join the army for training. He's not unaware of the dangers of the battlefield, so he insisted on sending me away. Even though his master is watching over me, I'm still worried, so I'm determined to follow him even if it means risking my old bones."
Qi Bo also comforted Mu Yun, "Madam Cheng is angry because she really treats you as a family member."
Mu Yun was delighted in his heart, but he tried to remain calm on the surface. "Uncle Qi, I know."
Cheng Mu was still angry, and this time she asked Mu Yun directly, "Didn't you go south to quell the rebellion to earn a fortune? Why didn't you take up the official position and just come back like this?"
"The emperor appointed me to Fujian. It's a long way away. I don't know when I can go home. I really miss it..." Mu Yun blocked the words that were about to burst out of his mouth. After taking a breath, he changed his words: "Home. Xiaoliu, Xiaoqi and my sister-in-law."
Cheng Mu laughed coldly, "You've become a captain, but you still have the mentality of a child? You don't want to be an official anymore because you miss home. How many people want this opportunity but can't get it."
"I gave up my official position and came back to see my sister-in-law. Isn't my sister-in-law happy?"
Mu Yun looked up at him, her eyelashes thick and long, her tone cautious and a little aggrieved. Cheng Mu was slightly absent-minded, and a little numbness rose in her heart.
She was startled and quickly grasped the inexplicable numbness. Why did she have this feeling?
Is it because a handsome and powerful man is begging for mercy from her?
Handsome and powerful? A man? But he is Mu Yun!
Cheng Mu rolled her eyes at him coldly and turned away. "This is your own choice. I don't care whether I'm happy or not. Uncle Qi, please go to the hill behind and get some corn to grind. If the cornmeal is gone, then kill a chicken and we'll have chicken stewed in an iron pot with corn cakes for dinner."
Qi Bo left. Mu Yun lowered his eyes, a smile playing on his lips.
"It's all your choice, I have no right to interfere. Do you know what makes me most angry?" Cheng Mu suddenly turned around again. Mu Yun quickly suppressed his smile and listened attentively with his hands lowered.
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