Chapter 407 - 406: Urgent Summons (Monthly Pass 240+)

Chapter 407: Chapter 406: Urgent Summons (Monthly Pass 240+)

Du Yunluo saw exhaustion on Mu Lianxiao’s face.

Calculating the days, he seems to have just arrived at Shanyu Pass and then set out back to Xuancheng.

After handing Brother Yan over to Peng’s house, Du Yunluo followed Mu Lianxiao into the inner room and asked, "What happened?"

Mu Lianxiao drank deeply from the teapot, wiped his mouth, and said, "The Holy Emperor wants me to return to the Capital."

Du Yunluo’s breath stalled.

Return to the Capital...

Suddenly, she felt a wave of panic. Once the sound of water came from the clean room, Du Yunluo’s emotions gradually settled down.

She laughed at herself, she was too paranoid.

Mu Lianxiao went back and forth to the Capital under the royal command. If anything happened along the way, the Holy Emperor would be furious and certainly investigate thoroughly.

Accidents on official roads aren’t like battlefields; they can’t be easily covered up.

If thoroughly investigated, who knows what might be uncovered.

Mu Yuanmou wouldn’t take such a huge risk given his cautious nature.

After freshening up, Mu Lianxiao seemed more energetic, changed into clean clothes, and sat on the Eight Immortals Chair, beckoning Du Yunluo over.

Having suffered losses before, Du Yunluo looked at him with pursed lips.

"Yunluo," Mu Lianxiao said with a mix of tears and laughter, "Come over and let me hold you for a while, just for a while."

Du Yunluo moved in front of Mu Lianxiao and was pulled by him to sit on his lap.

Mu Lianxiao held her tightly without any other actions, just buried his head in her neck, just like he said, holding her.

It’s exhaustion, isn’t it?

Du Yunluo turned her arms to hold Mu Lianxiao back, feeling deeply concerned.

The two held each other quietly, neither speaking, leaving the room peaceful.

Mu Lianxiao’s breathing gradually became smooth and long, Du Yunluo sighed inwardly as he actually fell asleep while holding her.

He had been rushing the past few days and probably hadn’t rested well.

However, although Mu Lianxiao fell asleep, his grip on Du Yunluo’s hand didn’t relax in the slightest, making Du Yunluo afraid to move for fear of waking him.

Mu Lianxiao didn’t sleep for long; he awoke with a slight shock and shook his head gently.

Du Yunluo quickly pressed his forehead, "Are you leaving today, or can you wait until tomorrow? If there’s no rush, can you sleep a bit now?"

Mu Lianxiao closed his eyes, the gentle pressing on his forehead feeling extremely comfortable, leading him to let out a light sigh, "I’ll leave tomorrow. There are still things to do. I’ll sleep at night. Yunluo, you smell so good. I fell asleep just by smelling you."

Du Yunluo paused, sniffing lightly, feeling annoyed at him still teasing her despite his exhaustion.

The Western clock chimed the hour, and Mu Lianxiao opened his eyes, "Where is Brother Yan?"

Du Yunluo stood up with a smile and asked Lady Peng to bring Brother Yan over.

Mu Lianxiao kissed Brother Yan twice and played with him for a while. Seeing his son’s joyful smile dissipated much of his fatigue.

"I’m going to visit the Liu Family." Handing his son back to Du Yunluo, Mu Lianxiao got up and tidied his clothes.

Du Yunluo pursed her lips and replied.

Mu Lianxiao didn’t go into detail, and Du Yunluo knew he was visiting the Liu Family regarding Jia De.

After hearing about this escort master, Du Yunluo checked the Liu Family’s background at the government office; steward Du Huarang’s assistant checked the household records, confirming the Liu Family in fact moved from Jiangnan and had nothing suspicious.

Lindong and Jiangnan are thousands of miles apart, and further investigation into the Liu Family’s details isn’t something that could be concluded in a month or two.

Mu Lianxiao didn’t return until after dinner, he had drank some wine, his face slightly flushed.

Du Yunluo had sobering soup prepared and asked him gently, "Was Mr. Liu able to drink more than you?"

"No way!" Mu Lianxiao’s eyes held a smile, bright as though with starlight. "Being unable to drink more is how I got away."

Du Yunluo giggled, then seriously asked him, "Is Jia De really a suitable guide?"

"He’s staying in Xuancheng for three or four more months. I’ll ask more about him when I return to the Capital." Mu Lianxiao clasped Du Yunluo’s hand with intertwined fingers, "Don’t worry. My horse is fast; going back and forth only takes about twenty days."

Du Yunluo smiled gently, knowing even without much concept of distance that the Capital and Xuancheng are indeed far apart, even if the official roads are easier in spring, traveling in only twenty days means it must be fast-paced.

Seeing Du Yunluo looking concerned, Mu Lianxiao smiled.

"I’ll know Brother Yan’s name before you do. Maybe the letter from the Capital won’t have arrived by the time I return."

Du Yunluo teased him, softly saying, "Then I’ll wait for you to come back and tell me Brother Yan’s name."

Mu Lianxiao, tired, finished the sobering soup, and thus they blew out the lights and rested.

Early the next morning, Mu Lianxiao set off for the Capital, and Du Yunluo wrote a family letter for him to deliver.

During the Qingming season, Mu Lianxiao was halfway on the journey when two spring rains fell lightly. Fortunately, the path wasn’t muddy, and the rain didn’t delay the journey.

Back at Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, Mu Lianxiao sent someone to report to the inner courtyard and went to freshen up in the outer courtyard before proceeding to the palace.

Mrs. Zhou was leaning on the couch, flipping through account books. When the staff came to report, she was both surprised and delighted, "The Princely Heir is back?"

"A letter from Yun Qi came in the front, ma’am. It can’t be wrong. I heard the Holy Emperor urgently summoned him, so he hurried back to the Capital."

Mrs. Zhou’s face was full of smiles.

After putting down the account book, she asked Nanny Su to help her change clothes and style her hair. Looking in the mirror, Mrs. Zhou said, "Apply more rouge so I’ll look better."

Nanny Su’s throat felt choked.

Lianxiao and his wife are both in Lindong; Madam doesn’t want them to worry, so she’s determined to look good.

Mrs. Zhou tidied herself and quickly went to Baijie Hall.

Madam Wu also received the news, anxiously waiting, "It’s been over a year since I saw Lianxiao, I really miss him."

The Beauty Hammer in Banqiao’s hand gently tapped Madam Wu’s legs as she laughed and said, "Old Madam misses Brother Yan even more."

"You’re clever!" Madam Wu laughed.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted while waiting until the sun shifted westward before the report came forward, saying Mu Lianxiao had returned to the mansion.

When Mu Lianxiao lifted the curtain and came in, Mrs. Zhou’s eyes suddenly grew a bit wet at the sight of her long-absent son, but she quickly covered it up.

Choosing his words carefully, Mu Lianxiao bowed before Madam Wu and Mrs. Zhou, then sat down beside the Arhat Bed.

"Let grandmother have a look," Madam Wu held Mu Lianxiao’s hand, carefully examined him, pursed her lips, and said, "You must be exhausted from the journey."

Mu Lianxiao smiled, "The Holy Emperor urgently called for me, so I rushed."

"Because of the Shanyu Pass matter?" Madam Wu asked.

The Changping Marquis Mansion situation couldn’t be mentioned, so Mu Lianxiao agreed with Madam Wu, then changed the subject, "What name was given to Brother Yan? The Holy Emperor asked me in the palace, but I couldn’t answer. The Empress Dowager also asked and, along with the Imperial Consort and Princess Rui, bestowed gifts to Brother Yan."

The palace’s gifts show the palace’s favor towards Mu Lianxiao.

Madam Wu was extremely happy, spreading her hands to show Mu Lianxiao, "Brother Yan, Mu Lingyan."