111 Chapter 111
◎Desire◎
Gui'er rushed over and grabbed Cheng Mu, asking, "Are you okay?"
I hit my arms and legs in the carriage and fell to the ground. Although I was protected, I was still hurt.
Cheng Mu shook her head, her face pale, and tidied up her messy hair and wet clothes.
"What's going on!" Gui'er roared at Master An.
Escort Master An didn't care about this. "I, I'll go chase Ma He!"
Gui'er helped Cheng Mu up the hill. Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi also ran over, tears streaming down their faces. "Mom! That was so thrilling! We were so scared!"
Cheng Mu: "I was also very scared."
The carriage tumbled down the steep slope ahead, dragging the horses along. Rong Zhaohua also jumped onto her horse at a convenient spot, her horse running so fast that only a shadow could be seen.
Gui'er was annoyed: "Why did the horse get frightened all of a sudden?"
They walked forward slowly, and soon someone caught up with them.
"Wanli?" Gui'er was surprised: "When did you come?"
Wan Li was filled with shame, "Madam Cheng..."
Cheng Mu's face turned cold. "This isn't the place to talk. Let's talk about it when we get back."
The group walked home and it was more than an hour later when they got home.
Mu Yun was already waiting for them at home. Seeing that they all looked listless and exhausted, he asked, "What happened?"
Cheng Mu called the mute woman to fetch hot water so that Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi could wash their hands and faces and soak their feet, and also get some food.
"Wanli, come with me to the study. Gui'er should go and wash up too." On the way, she and Wanli took turns carrying Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi, and sweat dripped through their clothes.
"No, I want to listen too."
As soon as they entered the study, Cheng Mu and Gui'er couldn't wait to sit down, while Wanli stood with his head down.
Mu Yun silently glanced at the two people who were sitting there with little energy, poured tea for Cheng Mu and Gui Er, sat down as well, and said to Wan Li with a serious face, "Tell me, what happened?"
Wanli had received Mu Yun's order to protect Madam Cheng, so it was impossible for him to not go with Madam Cheng to the faraway Wufu Temple. Moreover, before Mu Yun left, he repeatedly told him to be careful of the young ladies from Rongchang Escort Agency. He was just pretending not to follow them, but in fact he was following behind them all the time.
When they arrived at Wufu Temple to burn incense and worship the gods, they didn't find anything unusual. When Rong Zhaohua left first, she followed him and saw the young lady from Rongchang Escort Agency stuffing wheat into the ears of the horse pulling the carriage. Madam Cheng and the children would ride in the carriage, and if the horse was frightened, Madam Cheng and the children would be in danger.
"At that time, Madam Cheng was talking to a group of people on the steps, and Madam Rong was looking over there. I switched the two horses, thinking she would have to bear the consequences. The timing was perfect. Madam Gui got off the carriage, holding the Sixth Young Lady and the Seventh Young Master. Before Madam Rong got off the horse, I threw a hidden weapon at her. Who would have thought that the horse pulling the carriage was frightened by it, putting Madam Cheng in danger..."
Gui Er slammed the table: "Rong Zhaohua! Why would she do this?!"
Wanli boldly said: "It seems to give Master An a chance to be a hero and save the beauty."
Gui'er thought for a moment, "No wonder she asked Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi to go riding too, just to leave Madam Cheng alone in the carriage!"
Cheng Mu blushed. No wonder she felt that Escort An looked at her differently. Her premonitions were usually correct.
Gui'er gritted her teeth, "That Escort An isn't a good guy either. He's rolling around on the ground with you in his arms! Who knows what dirty thoughts he might have!"
"Zhao Guier!" Mu Yun shouted, "This is all because of you!"
Yes, there would be nothing wrong if we didn’t go to Wufu Temple. Madam Cheng just didn’t want to go at that time, and it was her who instigated us.
But Gui'er could admit it herself, and she refused to accept Mu Yun's words, "It's all because of you! If you, Master Mu Yun, don't attract bees and butterflies, then why would Rong Zhaohua shamelessly resort to such a despicable move?"
"Stop talking nonsense!" Mu Yun was wary of Rong Zhaohua because she was from Rongchang, a fellow company.
"Every word I said is true, and Madam Cheng knows it!"
Cheng Xi stopped them, "Stop arguing, let's all go away!"
Gui Er glared at Mu Yun angrily. At first, neither of them moved, until Cheng Mu urged them, "Disperse!"
Gui'er went out first, and Wanli followed Muyun out. Muyun told him, "Go check on that escort master An."
When he arrived at the gatehouse, he told the copper egg that Li Yan had brought, "Tell Jin Xiong to go to Rongchang and tell them I'll go visit their chief escort."
Mu Yun went back to his room to get some medicinal oil for bruises and injuries, then went to the kitchen to get a bucket of hot water and brought it to Cheng Mi's room.
"You've come such a long way. Soak your feet. If you have any bumps or scrapes, apply some medicated oil. If you can't reach something, ask the mute woman to help."
"I'm fine." Cheng Mu was too tired to move. Walking in winter was more tiring than at other times, especially since she had been bumped.
Mu Yun said nothing, took out the wooden basin she used, poured water into it, and squatted down.
Cheng Xi stepped back cautiously, "What are you doing?"
Mu Yun looked up at her, his narrow and beautiful eyes as deep as the abyss.
"You don't have to suffer yourself for what Escort An did."
The vigilance on Cheng Mu's face disappeared, and her bright eyes flickered slightly.
She is not a real ancient person. Would she die if she rolled around in a man's arms for a few rounds?
In Rongchang Escort Agency, outside the study west of the meeting hall, Rong Chong stuck his butt out and put his ear close to the wall, listening to the noise inside.
"... Two fine horses were lost! What? Not much silver? Is this just a matter of a few dozen taels? You did such a thing and you still think you're right..."
Every time a tea bowl banged inside, he would shudder, his face would turn pale, and then he would burst into laughter.
The passing escort shook his head.
After a long time, Rong Zhaohua came out with his hand covering his forehead, and Rong Chong followed him immediately.
"Did Daddy give you a break? Did he ask you to pay me back? Do you still remember that you owe me money?"
"Get out of here!" Rong Zhaohua yelled angrily.
Rong Chong wasn't afraid of her now. In his eyes, she was a fallen tiger. Daring to bully him would be a crime of the highest order. "Then I'll go tell Dad that you asked me to hit that kid on purpose to get close to him!"
"Come back!" Rong Zhaohua looked around, made sure there was no one around, grabbed the man and gave him a good spanking. "If I don't show my power, you'll think I'm a sick cat!"
In Rong Zhaohua's eyes, having too much debt is not a worry.
Rong Chong kicked around and begged for mercy.
"Go ahead and tell me if you have the guts!" After withdrawing his hand, Rong Zhaohua was panting.
Rong Chong opened his mouth and burst into tears.
Rong Zhaohua ordered him, "Let Master An come to me."
Rong Zhaohua waited for two hours before he saw An Cui.
He was injured, with a large bruise visible on his face. Rong Zhaohua was shocked, "Did my father beat you?"
"It's not the chief escort." An Cui was dejected. "It's Master Mu Yun from Wuwei."
Rong Zhaohua couldn't believe it. "He did it himself?"
"Today's incident has been thoroughly seen through by his men. He's talking to the head escort commander right now, and judging by his appearance, he's definitely not going to let this go."
Rong Zhaohua was irritated, "I'm doing this for your own good. You're also interested in Madam Cheng, aren't you?"
"I dare not even think about it."
"Useless thing!"
That night, Cheng Mu had a dream and looked very unhappy when she woke up.
My whole body aches, as if it's falling apart. I actually had this kind of dream.
Spring is still far away.
It was just getting light, but the room was still dark. She lit the lamp, grabbed the clothes she was wearing yesterday, and patched up the two torn spots on her head.
Mu Yunqi was practicing in the morning. The light from the house opposite shone through the window, casting a beautiful figure with her head down. He stared at it in a daze for a long time.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the La Festival was to be held, so the mute woman got up even earlier, fried two kinds of fresh vegetables, and prepared the sacrificial offerings from the meat that Mu Yun and his friends had brought back yesterday.
After getting up early and washing your face and hands, you should first offer sacrifices to heaven, then worship the eight gods of harvest and the five gods of the household.
The mute woman prepared another sacrifice and took Cheng Mu to a secluded place to let her worship.
After worshipping so many gods in the morning, Cheng Mu didn't know which gods she had missed.
The mute woman gestured to her.
It turns out that she is the original body's biological mother, the poor concubine who was tortured and killed by the male and female protagonists of the original book.
The mute woman kept gesturing, hot tears rolling out of her slightly cloudy eyes.
Cheng Mu didn't know whether her guess was right or not. She said that they were the ones who cleaned up the concubine before she was buried. After the Cheng family buried her hastily, they cut off the tongues of the people they cleaned up and sold them.
When reading a book, she always stands on the protagonist's side. It is satisfying to see the bad guys not have a good ending. Once the bad guys are in trouble, the feeling is very complicated. They are all real people who exist or have existed, and she will also feel sympathy and heartache.
Pour a glass of wine, light a stick of incense, and hope she goes to a good place.
Kai Xinyan was not around all morning, and in the afternoon, Xu Xiuying and Badou came.
Xiaoliu just came back from the street, and Guier took her outside to buy medicine because Xiaoqi was shocked by the sudden change of temperature yesterday and caught a cold, and was ill.
"You guys walked here alive this morning?"
Cheng Mu took out a handkerchief and wiped Badou's sweat, "Don't be like Xiaoqi, who got sick and suffered."
"No, they came here in the Zhao family's ox cart. They went to the city to buy some things and separated after entering the city. Badou was anxious to see Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi, so he ran all the way here. He's out and about all day, so he's fine."
Xu Xiuying took off the bag and Huaihua took it. She glanced at it and asked with a smile, "Is there a new member in the family?"
"This is Huaihua. There is also a mute woman. I will introduce them to you later." Cheng Mu asked Huaihua to make tea.
Gui'er put the medicine in the kitchen and came back. Xu Xiuying saw that she was standing straight and walking steadily, so she asked, "Are you feeling better?"
Guier nodded, "Not bad."
Xiaoliu asked Badou to go see Xiaoqi, and Badou couldn't wait. The adults agreed, "Go ahead, it's been a while."
Cheng Wei reminded: "Keep your distance, don't get too close."
Xu Xiuying waved her hand, "It's okay."
Cheng Mu said, "The medicine will be ready soon. Let them all drink a bowl."
"Let them have their fun. Today is the day for the gods' sacrifice. Look what I brought you." Xu Xiuying opened the bundle she had brought with her. Inside was a long coat. It was a brand new indigo satin coat, like a small quilt.
As soon as she started to use it, Cheng Mu grinned, "What's in here? It's light and airy."
It's definitely not cotton.
Gui'er couldn't help but pinch it. She squeezed it tightly, only to find a tiny bit. When she let go, it quickly became fluffy again. She also asked, "What's inside?"
"Goose down." Xu Xiuying unfolded it. "Put it on and see if it fits."
"You made it so big, and it's not pinched at the waist, how can it fit?" Gui'er didn't understand.
Cheng Mu wrapped it around her body. It was light and warm. She sniffed it and exclaimed in surprise, "There's not even a smell."
Xu Xiuying said proudly: "Of course, I soaked it in boiling water, scrubbed it many times, and then steamed and dried it. I took great care of it."
Gui'er raised an eyebrow. "Those geese raised in Songzhuang?"
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