Chapter 97: The Bedchamber

Chapter 97

The Bedchamber

Mu Rongying returned to the main hall where Kang Wang was still waiting. Chunmei did not follow her inside, uncertain whether Kang Wang had anything to discuss privately with her young miss.

Seeing Mu Rongying’s awkward gait, Kang Wang frowned and quickly rose to support her.

"Thank you, Your Highness, but I’m fine."

"So stubborn. Are you waiting to fall before asking for help?"

Kang Wang scolded her again. Mu Rongying pursed her lips. He was a Wang, how could she dare to trouble him to assist her? Once she was seated properly, she bowed her head and kowtowed in front of Kang Wang, saying,

"I, Mu Rongying, will forever remember your kindness, Your Highness. If not for you, I would not have regained my freedom. In the future, should you desire anything, even if it means sacrificing my life, I would gladly do so."

Kang Wang merely lowered his eyes, gazing at her delicate figure bowed to the floor, her long, silky hair cascading down her back like a curtain of ink. His clean, slender fingers tapped lightly on the table. He spoke as though indifferent, though there was a hint of shyness in his eyes. Playing the role of the hero saving beauty was not without its pride.

"What could I possibly lack? I have no need for your life."

His words implied that she needn’t feel indebted to him—he had helped her without expecting anything in return, only asking her to accept his goodwill. However, Mu Rongying misunderstood, thinking he was rejecting her offer. Feeling humbled, she said softly,

"In that case...may I take my leave from Your Highness?"

Kang Wang’s brows furrowed tightly, and his tone carried a hint of displeasure as he responded,

"Where do you plan to go?"

Mu Rongying straightened herself but kept her head bowed as she replied,

"I was planning to work with the Young Furen, Your Highness. Now that I’ve regained my freedom, I thought to start afresh by learning the trade from her and eventually building my own livelihood."

Upon hearing this, Kang Wang grew even angrier. Did she really think he couldn’t provide for one woman? The thought made him want to grab her and shake some sense into her. Right now, she had no family ties left, and her third uncle had left her here, believing she was under his protection—not to have her run off to play shopkeeper. Irritated, his voice came out quite stern.

"No! This is not the right time. General Song rarely gets the chance to visit his family, and going now would only disturb their private time."

Mu Rongying, startled by his anger, looked down in dismay, her beautiful face wilting like a flower. Seeing her reaction, Kang Wang’s heart softened, and his tone became gentler.

"You have nothing to worry about staying here. Your third uncle entrusted you to me. How could the Wang’s palace not be able to take care of one woman? Stay as long as you like—there’s no need for you to struggle."

Oh...So, this was the promise Kang Wang made to her third uncle. He had agreed to let her stay in the palace for as long as she wished... How kind and generous Kang Wang was. Mu Rongying believed that the condition must be this. She felt even more grateful to him, and the gloom from earlier quickly faded. Hence, she decided not to be overly polite; until General Song returned to the border, she would stay in the palace for now.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I have troubled you enough for today. May I take my leave now?"

"Wait! Where do you think you’re going?"

"Back to the guest quarters,"

Mu Rongying replied, looking puzzled. If she didn’t return to her lodging, where else could she go? Kang Wang sighed.

"Your third uncle just left, and you already want to go back to the guest quarters? Aren’t you worried that word might get out and cause suspicion? My palace could have spies from opposing factions. You can’t afford to be careless about such matters."

Kang Wang said with a serious tone, and Mu Rongying was convinced.

"I was wrong, Your Highness,"

She quickly apologized, bowing her head. Kang Wang propped his chin on his hand, looking away and saying casually, yet with an air that was undeniably captivating.

"Go wait for me at my quarters. From now on, stay there."

Mu Rongying agreed, still somewhat confused. Her third uncle had only just arrived in Huangjing and left immediately after handling matters. How could there be time for spies in Kang Wang’s palace? Why was she being asked to remain in the bedchamber even after her uncle had left? However, Kang Wang seemed to be in a bad mood, showing signs of displeasure multiple times that day, so Mu Rongying decided not to press further.

"Your Highness, now that everything is settled, I still owe my gratitude to someone. May I ask for permission to visit the Young Furen and thank her in person?"

At the mention of the Young Furen, Kang Wang’s expression softened, and his tone became noticeably more pleasant.

"Of course. I’ll take you there tomorrow. For now, go and rest."

Mu Rongying thanked him and took her leave. Upon returning to Kang Wang’s quarters, the maid led her into the bedchamber. Mu Rongying, surprised, said,

"This is His Highness’s bedchamber. Please take me to another room to rest."

Last night, she hadn’t noticed much, but now she had the chance to take a closer look. The room was tastefully decorated in a simple yet elegant style. When she glanced toward the bed, her cheeks flushed red. The bedding had been replaced with clean, fresh linens, and there was no trace of the disarray from the night before.

"His Highness has ordered that you stay here, Miss,"

The maid confirmed. She chose to ignore Mu Rongying’s objections and followed Kang Wang’s orders. Hearing this, Mu Rongying didn’t argue further. She had Chunmei help her change into more comfortable clothes before lying down to rest. After barely sleeping the previous night and with her body still aching, she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

Chunmei sat by the bedside, keeping watch. Her mind was occupied with thoughts of the conversation she had had with the Momo who accompanied Mu Shen. The Momo was an old servant of the Mu family and was well-informed about the family’s affairs. Chunmei took the opportunity to inquire about her own origins.

"You don’t remember anything at all?"

The Momo asked, surprised.

"When I first arrived, I became seriously ill. After recovering, I couldn’t remember anything. Someone once told me I resembled his younger sister. I just wanted to ask to be sure, in case I still have any family left."

Chunmei explained. The Momo, fond of the young and sweet-faced girl, shared everything she knew without holding back.

"I don’t know if you still have any relatives left or not, but when you first arrived at the manor, I heard that both your parents had passed away. Your father was one of the patriarch’s guards. At the time, the patriarch’s carriage was ambushed, and many of the guards lost their lives. Your father was among them. When your mother heard the news, she fell ill and passed away soon after. You were just a little girl, with no other relatives, so the patriarch took you in to serve closely with the young miss."Chunmei couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment upon hearing this. So, she had a clear origin after all, and she wasn’t the long-lost sister of Wang Dongpo. She remembered his sorrowful expression as he told her about his family, and she couldn’t help but feel pity for him. She had hoped to be the sister he had longed for, but now that the truth had come to light, she would have to tell him the facts.