The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 99 - 98

Chapter 98

Mu Yingying walked over and selected five or six more pieces of accessories to take back as gifts for the servants in her quarters. After all, the maids had been working with her for a long time, and it was only appropriate to reward them.

While she was choosing the accessories, her eyes caught sight of a pair of white jade bracelets with exquisite floral carvings on the smooth jade surface. As she touched the smooth jade with her fingertips, she could feel its coolness. It was of fine quality.

Mu Yingying picked up the white jade bracelets and looked at a small figure nearby. This person had acted as though she was invisible from the beginning, not saying a word and standing with her head down as if she was conscious of her low status.

"Fifth Sister...this pair of white jade bracelets seems to be of good quality. They would suit your fair, pinkish skin very well."

Mu Jie flinched slightly upon hearing her name. She looked up at her half-sister with surprise before turning to glance at the white jade bracelets in her hand.

"I...I don’t deserve them, Seventh Sister. You should buy them for yourself," Mu Jie quickly refused without hesitation.

She had come to the festival because of their grandmother’s orders and had no intention of spending money to buy anything. She didn’t even have the money to spend on such beautiful adornments, as the monthly allowance she received was barely enough to survive.

"Fifth Sister, consider this as a belated birthday gift from me."

Mu Yingying understood her sister’s hardships, so she didn’t give Mu Jie a chance to refuse again. She quickly paid the vendor over a hundred taels of silver and walked over to put the white jade bracelets on Mu Jie herself.

"Th...This."

Mu Jie looked at the two jade bracelets on her wrists with confusion. If she kept these bracelets, she could sell them in the future if she ever faced financial difficulties. However, the sudden kindness from her half-sister left her bewildered. As far as she could remember, they had never been close.

Why was she doing this...

Mu Yingying noticed the confusion on her half-sister’s face and smiled slightly. She handed all the accessories she had chosen for the servants to Su Su for safekeeping and then returned to her sister’s side.

The reason for her kindness towards Mu Jie wasn’t complicated. In her previous life, there was a time when Mu Yingying and Mu Qingxuan were falsely accused of poisoning Mu Luofei. During the investigation, Mu Jie was the only one who spoke the truth, testifying that Mu Qingxuan had been locked in the back quarters the whole time and couldn’t have had the opportunity to poison anyone.

Even though Mu Jie later retracted her statement, claiming she couldn’t remember, Mu Yingying understood the difficulties Mu Jie faced at the time. After Mu Jie spoke the truth, it was likely that she was threatened by Bai Lijun and Mu Luofei, which eventually forced her into silence.

Mu Jie had been the fifth young miss of the Mu family, losing her mother at a young age and living with a wet nurse. She was often bullied by her siblings and servants, making it seem like a normal occurrence. This led Mu Jie to become someone who seldom spoke up and always behaved humbly to survive.

Therefore, Mu Yingying did not hold any grudges about Mu Jie’s later retraction because, initially, Mu Jie had good intentions and dared to speak the truth to help them. To Mu Yingying, Mu Jie did not bear any grudge against her and had even shown a bit of kindness. Hence, Mu Yingying chose to be kind to her this time...

Mu Qingxuan, understanding this fact well, did not object or find fault with her sister’s actions. She patted Mu Yingying’s head affectionately and then gave Mu Jie a gentle smile.

Mu An Yue, seeing that Mu Jie received the white jade bracelets, frowned deeply. She had initially eyed those bracelets but couldn’t afford them due to their high price, so she had to choose something else. She hadn’t expected Mu Yingying to buy them for Mu Jie.

"Aiyo! Seventh Sister, you spend money so ‘extravagantly.’ Over a hundred taels of silver were spent just like that. You must be quite the ‘spendthrift,’" Mu An Yue said ironically, unable to contain her frustration.

"Of course, I spend money ‘extravagantly.’ Eldest Brother himself gives me money and tells me to spend ‘extravagantly’ because we ‘have plenty’ to be ‘lavish’ with,"

Mu Yingying replied with a broad smile, her big, round eyes sparkled like an innocent child. However, her words were a sharp retort that left Mu An Yue speechless.

The concubines and young misses in other quarters received a monthly allowance, but it was a meager amount as per the rules. This limitation meant that Mu An Yue couldn’t spend money as freely as she liked, and even Xie Yang couldn’t afford to spend extravagantly.

Mu Yingying’s response was a direct reminder that she was wealthy and could spend extravagantly without any worries!

Gnash~

Mu An Yue gritted her teeth to suppress her anger. She might have lashed out at the servants in her quarters or Mu Tingge, but she knew better than to cause trouble with Mu Yingying. She had to swallow her anger and let the matter pass.

"Let’s continue our stroll," Mu Qingxuan said with a light laugh, clearly in a good mood. Her usually cold peach blossom eyes now showed a hint of pleasure that she didn’t bother to hide.

Her Ying’er truly had a talent for riling people up!

Hearing this, everyone from the Mu family followed Mu Qingxuan to the front. Along the way, they occasionally stopped to buy things of interest. After walking for a while, Mu Yingying spotted a familiar figure from the third-floor window of a luxurious restaurant not far from where they were.

Because Mu Yingying had been practicing martial arts since childhood, her sensory perception was much sharper than that of ordinary people. Even though the restaurant was about ten blocks away, she could clearly see the scene ahead. The figure in the window on the third floor—it was none other than her father.

Recently, it was said that Mu Cui Ming often went out drinking and discussing matters with other officials. He would leave early in the morning and not return until late at night. Today, he had also gone out since dawn, despite knowing there was a festival tonight, yet he still hadn’t come home to be with his family. There must be something interesting going on.

"Eldest Sister, I want to get something to eat at the restaurant ahead," Mu Yingying said, tugging at her sister’s sleeve with a pleading tone. Mu Qingxuan’s heart immediately softened and nodded in agreement before turning to the others.

"I’ll take Ying’er to the restaurant ahead. Does anyone want to join us?"

They looked at each other briefly before Xie Yang responded on behalf of the group, "Eldest Young Miss, you and Seventh Young Miss go ahead. We’ve already eaten quite a bit, so we’ll continue enjoying the festival here."

"Then let’s split up here. We’ll meet back at the carriage at the Hai hour[1]," Mu Qingxuan arranged a time for everyone to regroup before separating. The remaining members of the Mu family continued enjoying the festival while Mu Qingxuan and Mu Yingying headed towards their destination.

As the two sisters entered the restaurant, a staff member led them to the third floor as per Mu Yingying’s request. Soon, they were brought to a private room on the third floor and ordered five or six of the restaurant’s famous dishes.

"The food here looks quite appetizing." Mu Yingying scanned the dishes before her admiringly. Just the sight of the food made her mouth water, eager to try them.

As expected from the number one restaurant in the capital!

"Then let’s eat," Mu Qingxuan picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece of pork in Mu Yingying’s bowl before adding a bit of each dish to her sister’s bowl.

Knock, knock.

Before Mu Qingxuan could serve herself, there was a knock on the door. When the door opened, a thin man entered, bowing slightly and speaking in a high-pitched voice.

"Greetings, Eldest Young Miss Mu. My master has sent me to invite you to dine with him."

Mu Qingxuan stared at the man in front of her, frowning deeply. Her eyes twitched slightly; she knew immediately who the master he referred to was, as the man before her was the eunuch and close attendant of the Emperor!

So, the master referred to must be the Emperor!

She never expected to meet him here...

"I’m having a meal with my sister; I can’t meet your master," Mu Qingxuan rejected bluntly. She was spending time with her sister, and he thought he could summon her whenever he pleased?

Dream on!

"My master said that to avoid inconveniencing you, he will come to dine with you here," the eunuch replied with a slight smile. However, this statement made Mu Qingxuan’s eyebrows twitch a few times.

"I said I wasn’t availa..."

Crunch!

Before Mu Qingxuan could finish her sentence, there was a crunching sound. When she looked toward the source, she saw Mu Yingying biting into a crispy nut. Noticing the two pairs of eyes on her, Mu Yingying looked up with the remaining half of the nut still in her mouth.

Crunch!

Mu Yingying bit the rest of the nut, chewed it thoroughly, and swallowed. Her big, round eyes looked at the two with an innocent expression. "These crispy nuts are true to their name, very crispy and delicious..."

"Now that the food is ordered, it would be a shame not to eat it. But if we have more people, there might not be enough food," Mu Yingying picked up another crispy nut and savored it with closed eyes. "So, Sister, you should go dine with your guest. I’ll handle the food here."

"How can that be? I came with you; I can’t leave you alone,"

Mu Qingxuan insisted on refusing, knowing her sister was trying to end the argument. However, she didn’t want to leave her sister alone. Bringing Ying’er along might make the atmosphere uncomfortable and ruin Ying’er’s meal.

"Sister, go ahead. I came to this restaurant with a purpose. You can rest assured. Besides, if anything happens, I can always come to you. After all, you’re just in the next room..." Mu Yingying said with a playful smile, winking at her sister.

Mu Qingxuan understood her sister’s implication immediately. So Ying’er had another purpose for coming here besides eating. With that understanding, she felt more at ease. Perhaps her absence would make it easier for Ying’er to achieve her goal.

"Alright, if you need anything, come find me," Mu Qingxuan nodded to Mu Yingying before following the eunuch out of the room.

Before closing the door, the eunuch glanced at the seventh young miss of the Mu family. He wondered how she knew that the Emperor’s room was next door, even though he hadn’t mentioned it.

It seemed none of the young misses of the Mu family were ordinary...

Seeing the room was now empty, Mu Yingying waved to Su Su to come closer. "Su Su, go tell our people outside to spy on the room by the window. I want to know what Father is discussing."

"Yes, Miss," Su Su replied immediately, turning to leave the room to carry out her orders.

While waiting for her informant to return, Mu Yingying picked up her chopsticks and began eating again. Although the food before her was truly delicious, deep down, Mu Yingying found herself craving the taste of longevity noodles...

Private Room by the Window

In a private room on the third floor by the window, a group of more than ten men sat around a table, eating and discussing something important. If someone from the royal court were to see this, they would certainly recognize some of the men present as notable figures. Seven of the ten were high-ranking court officials, while the other three were prominent wealthy merchants in the capital.

"Over the past few days, we’ve finally reached a conclusion. Soon, we will be prosperous and thriving!"

One official declared, raising his wine cup in a toast to everyone present. The others followed suit, lifting their cups to accept the blessing and signify their agreement to partner in this business venture.

"In that case, let’s sign the contract. We can bring the investment funds in three days," another official suggested, producing a contract that had been drafted earlier that day for everyone in the room to sign.

When the document reached Mu Cui Ming, he read through its details briefly before signing it without hesitation. For the past few days, he had been meeting with these men almost daily to discuss this business venture. Now confident that it would yield substantial profits, Mu Cui Ming decided to sign the contract at last.

"Congratulations, Master Mu, on becoming the head of this enterprise. Your Mu family is sure to prosper greatly. Perhaps it will even become a wealthy family that others will envy,"

One of the officials toasted Mu Cui Ming, offering words of praise. Mu Cui Ming joined in the laughter without denying the flattery. In this business venture, Mu Cui Ming decided to contribute the most significant investment to secure the role of the head of this enterprise, which entitled him to the largest share of the profits.

The profits he anticipated would not only solve the Mu family’s previous financial troubles but also provide a substantial fund for the family!

"This venture is thanks to everyone’s cooperation. May our enterprise thrive!" Mu Cui Ming said with a broad smile. He was in the highest of spirits, feeling like fortune was in his hands. Imagining the substantial wealth that would flow in the future, his smile grew even wider at the thought.

"In three days, let’s bring our investments and meet again. Cheers!"

At the signal from one of the three wealthy merchants, everyone raised their cups for another round of drinks. As they drank, Mu Cui Ming began thinking about how to gather the large sum needed for this investment.

The Mu family’s funds were nearly depleted, with only fifty thousand taels of gold left in their treasury. This was their last reserve. However, according to the agreement, Mu Cui Ming, as the principal investor and would receive the biggest dividend, was required to contribute a total of one hundred thousand taels of gold!

If he calculated correctly, besides the money in the central treasury, if he included the dowry set aside for his children, his mother’s old dowry, sold valuable possessions in the manor, and sold all the shops and lands he owned, he should be able to gather one hundred thousand taels of gold.

Upon returning, he must quickly and quietly manage this matter so that no one in the manor becomes aware of it, or else there could be trouble...

...

..

.

Meanwhile, Mu Yingying, having finished her meal, ordered some dessert. When her informant returned with a detailed report, Mu Yingying immediately burst into loud, derisive laughter, causing the listeners to shiver with goosebumps.

"My father is such a grand fool!"

Mu Yingying shook her head slightly in exasperation at her father’s stupidity. Not only was Mu Cui Ming gullible and foolish, but he was also the kind of person who didn’t know his own limitations. Despite knowing that he had only a small amount of money, he planned to sell everything he owned to gather a large sum for an investment in a business that had not yet yielded any returns.

Investing always carries risks. If one had enough money to not be troubled even if the investment failed, then taking the risk was feasible. However, Mu Cui Ming, who only had his last bit of money, planned to invest it all. If the risk led to a loss, wouldn’t that mean the Mu family would be utterly ruined?

Mu Yingying traced her fingertip along the rim of her teacup, pondering deeply. Even though her father was indeed foolish, such a significant matter must have involved someone manipulating him. How could a group of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants suddenly come together to invite her father to join such an investment?

Moreover, it was extremely rare for multiple high-ranking officials to collaborate in this manner. To avoid disputes over profit shares, each usually raised funds and invested in businesses individually. Why would they gather so many people to invest together in such a complicated manner?

Based on her past business experience, Mu Yingying found this venture highly suspicious.

It seemed her father had become a pawn in someone else’s game...

However, Mu Yingying had no intention of intervening. If her father caused the trouble, he should deal with the consequences himself!

"Send someone to investigate everyone in that room, including the details of this business venture," Mu Yingying ordered her informant, her big, round eyes flickering with a strange light.

She had a strong premonition that this unfolding drama would be quite entertaining!

To be continued in Volume 4

[1] Hai hour starts from 9:00 to 10:59 PM.

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