Chapter 17: She Lost her Jade Pendant
The Aloof Prince Pampers His Wild First Rate Consort (teaser only)
Chapter 17: She Lost her Jade Pendant
Within Ascending Blossoms Pavilion.
Mu Yunjin finished taking her bath, and lazily leaned against the headboard. Once in awhile, she drank a few sips of the white fungus congee that Zi Xiang had made for her.
“Miss, you were too incredible today. Fortunately, you threw that jewelry box out, otherwise, you would be charged with stealing and conspiring to murder.”
Zi Xiang thought of what had just happened in Blue Sky Pavilion, yet her heart still had lingering fears.
“Great Madam and Second Madam wanted to manipulate me to reach their own goals. How could I let them down? Mu Yiyang’s gambling is the truth. As long as Father investigates, he’ll find something. Tomorrow, Second Madam won’t be let off the hook.”
Zi Xiang nodded. Afterwards, she softly spoke, “Then what about Great Madam? With what happened today, I fear that Miss’s and Great Madam’s mutual feelings will be scarred again.”
“Feelings between a mother and daughter? When did we ever have feelings for each other?” Mu Yunjin coldly spoke, her pupils contracting.
She had yet to seek retribution from her enemies for what they had done to her. As for this pair of mother and daughter, she was only letting them off temporarily. One day, she would show them some her true colors.
This residence would no longer enjoy peace and quiet.
Zi Xiang heard this and slightly sighed. She didn’t mention the matter again. When she looked at the time, she began to help Mu Yunjin change her clothes.
After a moment, Zi Xiang made a noise of surprise, and grabbed Mu Yunjin’s clothes and carefully touched it all over……
“Miss, where did your personal jade pendant go? How come it’s gone?”
Mu Yunjin blanked. Her brows creased. Personal jade pendant? Did she have something like that?
After a pause, Mu Yunjin remembered. Indeed, she seemed to have a piece of moon-white jade. Her name was even carved onto the top.
With Zi Xiang’s reproach, she remembered that she had not seen this jade pendant for a few days.
“I don’t know either. Perhaps it got lost somewhere.” Mu Yunjin didn’t care too much about that jade pendant.
However, Zi Xiang began to panic, “Miss, that was your personal jade pendant that you have worn ever since you were a child. How can you just say it got lost?”
When ZI Xiang finished, she hurriedly walked to the candlestick and blew it out.
The bedroom that had been well lit immediately plunged into darkness.
“Zi Xiang, what are you doing?” Mu Yunjin blinked her eyes, the darkness stretching out in front of her. She couldn’t see anything.
“That jade pendant will emit light. In the dark night, it is especially obvious. By blowing out the candle, it’ll be easier to find it.” Zi Xiang said this as she crouched down, carefully searching for it.
Mu Yunjin sighed, and simply laid down, covering her head with the blanket.
She didn’t know how much time had gone by when the candle was relit. Zi Xiang’s face was depressed, “Miss, what happens if we’ve really lost that jade pendant? If it was taken by someone and sold, then we’ll be in trouble.”
“Forget about it. It’s only a jade pendant. Don’t dwell on it. You better go get some rest early.” Mu Yunjin turned over and yawned.
“Miss!” Zi Xiang suddenly amplified her voice, “That jade pendant was made out of a very rare white jade stone. Reportedly, it takes years before they can grind and polish a jade pendant out of it. It was made with extremely costly effort, not to mention, it even has your name carved on it.”
“How much is white jade stone worth?” Mu Yunjin asked.
“This servant is stupid, but when I was little, I heard Auntie Zhang saw that this jade pendant is so rare. It’s worth ten thousand gold pieces.”
Mu Yunjin immediately sat up, looking at Zi Xiang with astonishment, “Ten thousand gold pieces? This jade pendant is worth that much?”
Zi Xiang woodenly nodded.
“Zi Xiang, don’t joke around with me. How could I have such a valuable item on me? Auntie Zhang was definitely speaking nonsense. You better go, and rest early.”
After Zi Xiang left, Mu Yunjin extended her fingers and lightly cracked them, one by one, and murmured to herself, “Ten thousand gold pieces. Is it really that valuable?”
She stopped thinking about it and grabbed her head, trying to think fiercely about the last time she saw that jade pendant, but she couldn’t think of anything when her head was suddenly filled with Chu Li’s face.
“Hmph, how come that giant ice cube has come to mind again?”
---
The next day Mu Yunjin woke up super early, so that she could be conveniently available to confront Second Madam about the results of Mu Xiang's investigation.
But who knew that from morning till noon, no one came to Ascending Blossoms Pavilion to find her.
Only when Zi Xiang brought the dishes over for lunch did Mu Yunjin get some outside news.
“Miss, Second Madam and Second Master have been kicked out of the residence. The Master had also proclaimed that from now on, Second Master is no longer apart of the Mu family, and he also gave the divorce documents to Second Madam.”
“So, I’ve bet correctly?” Mu Yunjin slightly cocked her eyebrows. She didn’t really feel anything about the news.
Zi Xiang nodded. She looked around and then whispered into Mu Yunjin’s ear, “I heard Second Master excessively gambled outside, and owed a ton of money. He even secretly pawned one of Master’s private houses in Zhangzhou City. This morning, Master even took a few silver coins to the pawnshop to get the land back.
“This servant was just on the way back, and just happened to bump into Master. His face was ashen. With one look, I could tell he was furious.”
Mu Yunjin heard this, her eyes flashing with a smile. She could not help but smile and speak, “Say, after Mu Yiyang wakes up, will he charge back to the residence and testify that I kicked him and thus destroyed him?”
“Miss, who would believe that such a weak girl like you could kick Second Master to that extent?” Zi Xiang’s eyes flashed with a rarely seen slyness.
With this, Mu Yunjin was cheered, and she stretched her hand to poke Zi Xiang’s head, “You girl. If you were like this earlier, you would have made me happier!”
“All right, Miss eat up. Otherwise, the food will get cold.” Zi Xiang said this as she laughed and put the dishes she had gotten from the small kitchen onto the table.
From one glance, Mu Yunjin could tell it was the usual light congee with a few vegetables. Suddenly she had no appetite. She supported her head and slightly sighed, “Ever since I came here, I haven’t eaten any meat at all.”
“MIss, don’t be sad. After you marry into Sixth Prince’s residence, won’t it be easy to eat meat then?” Zi Xiang’s face was full of sincerity as she spoke.
Mu Yunjin heard this and did not know whether she should laugh or cry. Having this servant by her side was really her lucky fortune. Otherwise, no one would relieve her boredom.
After the simple meal, Mu Yunjin moved a chair and sat in front of the door, tanning in the sun. She slightly squinted her eyes, her whole face full of laziness.
While she was in a half awake, half sleepy mood, the sound of footsteps could be heard walking towards Ascending Blossoms Pavilion.
Mu Yunjin opened her eyes, waiting for the person to push the door and enter.
After a moment, the gate of Ascending Blossoms Pavilion was pushed open and Mu Xiang stood in the entrance before walking in, step by step.
“Father,” Mu Yunjin stood up, bowing to Mu Xiang.
Mu Xiang nodded. Seeing Mu Yunjin, his countenance seemed a bit unnatural. He looked all around, and then cleared his throat and said, “As of yesterday’s matter, we have already exposed the rock within the water [1].”
“Yunjin has heard of this news.” Mu Yunjin said.
“Well, I have wronged you.” Mu Xiang spoke somewhat unnaturally . After a pause, he added, “I have not visited this place in a long time, and I had no idea this place had already become so old.
“As of today, why don’t you first move to the empty place, Listening Blossoms Pavilion? I’ll order people to renovate this place. How about it?”
Mu Xiang’s sudden change in his manner made Mu Yunjin feel “overwhelmed by favor”, but since he had said it, she wouldn’t foolishly shirk the opportunity.
If she switched to a better place, she would be more comfortable, and maybe she could even eat some meat!
“Yunjin thanks Father for your kind intentions.” Mu Yunjin purposely acted humble, as a light smile formed.
“Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll get going first. In the future you will live in Listening Blossoms Pavilion. You may walk wherever you wish and you do not need to be confined as you were in this place.” When Mu Xiang finished, he walked out.
After Mu Xiang left, Zi Xiang was even more excited than Mu Yunjin, “Miss, this is too great! We finally don’t have to stay here any longer! You can also finally stop being confined. In the future, you’ll be this residence’s justifiable Third Miss and you won’t be bullied by anyone ever again.”
When Mu Yunjin heard this, she nodded and snapped her fingers, “Let’s be off to pack our things!”
“All right!”
---
Mu Yunjin had many things. She and Zi Xiang split it up into different rounds to move everything over.
But after going through the entire Ascending Blossoms Pavilion, Mu Yunjin hadn’t found her jade pendant, so she could only be certain that the jade pendant had been lost.
Her heart silently felt it was so unfortunate. But the joy from moving into a new Pavilion quickly made her throw the matter of the jade pendant beyond the topmost clouds.
She busied herself until dusk, until Mu Yunjin had finally arranged everything the way she wanted in Listening Blossoms Pavilion. She was just about to tell Zi Xiang to go prepare the evening meal, when she saw a servant come in.
“Third Miss, the Master has invited you to the antehall to eat together.”
“Antehall? Who will be there?” Mu Yunjin was a bit flabbergasted. This Mu Xiang had suddenly completely changed his nature.
First he let her move, and then he let her eat together with them.
“Great Madam and Fourth Miss as well as Third Madam and Fifth Miss,” the servant said.
Mu Yunjin nodded. After arranging her clothes casually, she walked towards the antehall.
When Mu Yunjin got to the antehall, everyone was already seated. The scar on Su Biqing’s face had become considerably lighter, and so she had naturally come to eat the meal.
Mu Lingzhu cast a glance at Mu Yunjin and then flicked her eyes away. Even though she was expressionless, the coldness in her eyes could not be underestimated.
Third Madam, Luo Ningyu, and Mu Xiarou sat together. The moment Mu Xiarou saw Mu Yunjin, she glared at her. It was only when Third Madam pinched Mu Xiarou’s thigh that Mu Xiarou could forcibly give Mu Yunjin a smile.
“Yunjin’s here. Sit down and let’s eat together.” Mu Xiang pointed to the empty seat opposite him.
Mu Yunjin nodded and boldly sat down. Plates full of chicken, duck, fish and meat sat in front of her. In these circumstances, she actually felt that these things could not compare to her light congee and little vegetable side dishes.
Mu Yunjin took the chopsticks, about to pick up her bowl, when someone helped her grab a piece of chicken neck. The chicken neck was practically all bones, with only scant meat.
“Elder sister, I’m really sorry for yesterday’s matter. Zhu’er will apologize to you now.” Mu Lingzhu smiled as she looked at Mu Yunjin.
Mu Yunjin glanced at the chicken neck and lifted her eyes to meet Mu Lingzhu’s eyes, revealing a harmless smile, “Thank you little Sister. However, I’ve gotten used to plainer food so you should still leave this for yourself.”
When she finished, she took the piece of chicken neck and used her chopsticks to fling it into Mu Lingzhu’s bowl.
Just when Mu Lingzhu wanted to start cursing and burst with anger, she saw that Mu Yunjin took a few bites of vegetables, and began to eat elegantly. She had already completely put her out of her mind.
Su Biqing had been observing Mu Yunjin for a while now, and felt that this daughter had changed somehow but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
It could be just a coincidence. Perhaps she was overthinking it.
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[1] exposed the rock within the water: exposed the truth amidst the lies
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Translated by tranzgeek the tired
Edited by Ely