Novel Full Chapter 55 - Here Came the Threat
Chapter 55 Here Came the Threat
Unwilling as she was, Su Muge decided to attend the welcome dinner for the sake of Zhao.
However, Zhao was unwilling to attend. Su Muge knew that Zhao was afraid that An and Su Lun would be angry. After all, Su Lun had told her that her appearance would make him lose face in front of the public due to her inferior status.
Su Muge asked Hongmei and others to retreat and sat down with Zhao.
“Mother, are you going to hide forever?”
Zhao didn’t dare to look at Su Muge; actually, she knew exactly what Su Muge wanted to say.
Su Wenmo would grow up one day, so she couldn’t hide the real identity of his mother from others forever.
But…
As Su Lun said, her status was so inferior that it would only make others laugh at her two children.
Su Muge knew exactly what she was thinking. But she didn’t intend to allow her to shrink back. One must learn to become stronger.
“Mother, if you are unwilling to go, I won’t force you. But I hope you can decide on the marriage for Wenmo and me in the future.”
Having heard this, Zhao was shocked and looked at Su Muge at a loss. Who didn’t want to help his or her children in choosing a better future?
After a moment of silence, A determined look gradually appeared on Zhao’s face. She looked at Su Muge and nodded. “My dear Mumu, I’ll go with you.”
Su Muge smiled in relief and called Hongmei in to help Zhao dress up.
When the sun was setting, people in the front yard came to inform them that the dinner was about to begin.
“I didn’t expect that My Lord should send someone to inform our Madam and Miss.” Yueru was surprised, feeling that Su Muge’s effort of taking the risk to find Su Lun was not made in vain.
Soon, Su Muge held Zhao to the front yard.
Su Muge had never expected so many people in Welcoming Hall in the front yard.
Xia Houkun, who took the first left-hand seat, Meng Changde and his son, whom she hadn’t seen for a long time, and some officials subordinate to Su Lun, as well as members of famous aristocratic families in Shunyang prefecture, were all present.
As soon as Su Muge entered with Zhao, she felt several eyes fixed on her. She stayed calm and stepped forward to salute. With her face half-covered by her hair, she didn’t arouse much attention from Xia Houkun.
Despite an open folk custom in the Chu, men and women were not allowed to share a table at such a small banquet. Female guests would be separated from males by screens.
Entering the women’s guest area, Su Muge found that seats of three to four tables were already taken. It seemed that the charm of this Second Prince was extraordinary.
As the hostesses of Su Mansion, Su Muge and her mother certainly had to join the table of An.
An was talking to some official wives she had befriended with. Turning around, she saw Su Muge coming over with Zhao, and her smile suddenly froze on her face.
Following An’s sight, many people turned around and looked at Su Muge and her mother.
Zhao became uneasy instantly. After so many years spent with Su Lun, this was the first time she had faced such an occasion!
“Mother, don’t be scared. They’re just looking at us. We’re fine,” Su Muge comforted her in a low and soft voice and clenched Zhao’s hand tightly, making Zhao’s tension deep down in her heart slightly eased.
“These two ladies are …” Some madams who came to Su Mansion for the first time asked in confusion.
Su Jingwen, who was talking to several of her good friends, suddenly caught sight of Su Muge, with her eyes instantly widened.
“You stupid slaves! Why did you let such degraded people attend this banquet? Do you know the responsibility you will take if Second Prince is offended by them? !”
Su Jingwen’s voice was not loud but was enough for the female guests to hear clearly.
An didn’t want Su Jingwen to get the reputation of excluding sisters in front of others, so she said smilingly, “Wen’er, don’t be rude. Hurry to apologize to your elder sister!” After that, she turned to Zhao. “Sister, I thought you wouldn’t come due to your discomfort. Someone take the eldest Madam and the eldest Miss to their seats.”
An seemed to be polite, but she was actually showing everyone that she was the mistress of Su Mansion!
Su Jingwen had suffered a loss from Su Muge, but this time she would not be so stupid to let it happen again.
“Thank you, Madam.” Su Muge didn’t care about the sight of scrutiny or disdain from those people and helped Zhao sit down.
“Humph!”
Having gotten an eye warning from Anshi, Su Jingwen didn’t dare to make trouble anymore. In addition, now that there was only a wall between Second Prince and the ladies, she did not want Su Muge to attract his attention.
Now that all guests were present, Su Lun ordered the maids to start serving the meal.
“My Lord, there is a Lord Xia outside …”
Before Su Lun could speak, the housekeeper hurriedly whispered to him.
On hearing this, Su Lun was stunned. The King of Jin had taken a separate way when they returned to Shunyang prefecture. How could he come to Su Mansion at this time?
No matter it was true or not, Su Lun didn’t dare to hesitate and hurriedly stood up to meet him. However, before he could stand up, a tall and straight figure appeared outside the Welcoming Hall.
Xia Houkun watched Xia Houmo walking in; his eyes narrowed slightly.
Su Lun, startled, hurriedly stood up and stepped forward. “Nice to see you, Lord Xia.”
Since Xia Houkun called Xia Houmo “Lord Xia”, Su Lun, of course, could only pretend to be ignorant and continued to call him like this.
The guests were surprised to see Su Lun’s panicky face and kneeling of worship. Those of lower positions than Su Lun followed him to kneel; others from imperial families and patriarchal clans also stood up and watched Xia Houmo walking in, but they didn’t salute immediately.
Behind the screen, on hearing the words of “Lord Xia”, Su Muge looked towards the screen in a trance with her body stiffening slightly.
Why did Xia Houmo, a prince guarding the Yanxia pass, come to Su Mansion?
Still feeling dazed, Su Muge felt a sharp sight fixed on her. Looking around, she found all the female guests were attracted to the other side of the screen; no one would look at her at this time!
“Mumu, are you feeling alright?” Zhao sitting next to Su Muge found something wrong with her.
Su Muge came to her sense, resumed her expression, and replied calmly, “Nothing. I may be a little hungry.”
Looking at her thin little face pitifully and lovingly, Zhao said, “Just wait for another moment. The banquet will start soon.”
Su Muge smiled. Anyway, Zhao had relaxed a lot now.
“Get up.” Xia Houmo, wearing an indifferent expression, went directly to the first right-hand seat to Xia Houkun and sat down.
As Xia Houkun’s younger brother, it was plausible that he took this seat.
“Why are you here again, Lord Xia?”
Xia Houmo lifted his robe, sat down, poured a glass of wine and drank it off. “I have finished my work.”
All guests, looking at each other, were wondering about the identity of this Lord. How could he be so disrespectful to Second Prince, and Second Prince also seemed to be careless about his behavior!
“I thank Lord Su for preparing this banquet for all the Lords today, and I am honored to tag along thanks to you all.” Hardly had Zhou County suffered from a flood when Shunyang prefecture set up a banquet for Xia Hokun’s arrival, which would be disastrous if it were known by the Emperor.
Therefore, Xia Houkun could only disassociate himself from this banquet by reiterating that other officials were the main guests while he was just a diner.
Su Lun, of course, understood what Xia Houkun meant. “Yes, yes, let’s start the banquet.”
The maids went in with delicious dishes.
Su Muge picked up the chopsticks and enjoyed the dishes. If she had known that Xia Houmo would come, she would never have appeared!
While Su Muge was absorbed in enjoying the meal, other female guests had all their attention on the males’ guest area.
It sounded like another high-ranking Lord had come. They were all wondering his age and his marital status, including An.
It was the first time that Zhao had encountered such an occasion. As a result, she hardly had any appetite and simply helped Su Muge have a big meal.
Having kept eating absent-mindedly, Su Muge had too much without notice!
“Ah!”
After having a cup of tea, Su Muge felt a little uncomfortable.
“What’s wrong, Mumu?”
“Never mind. I’m going to the washroom. Mother, if you feel bored, ask Meihua to send you back in advance.”
Zhao nodded. “Okay.”
Su Muge got up and went out of the Welcoming hall.
“Miss, what’s up?” Yueru, who was waiting outside, saw Su Muge coming out and greeted her.
“Nothing. Go and have dinner with other maids. I’m just going to the washroom; you don’t have to follow me.”
Yueru found nothing wrong with Su Muge, so she did not insist.
After walking all the way to the small garden of Su Mansion, Su Muge began to feel more comfortable. She really had been stuffed too much.
“Miss Su, what a coincidence.” Just as Su Muge intended to find a cool place for a rest, a familiar voice came from behind.
Su Muge looked back and found Meng Xiuwen, who had given her a banknote worthy of 500 Liang.
Today, Meng Xiuwen was wearing a light blue robe, with a jade belt tightened around his waist, revealing his tall and straight figure while a white jade headwear on his hair appearing shinier in the moonlight.
“It turns out to be the eldest Master Meng.”
After drinking two glasses of wine at the banquet, Meng Xiuwen felt a little stuffy and went out for a walk. Unexpectedly, he met Su Muge and felt inexplicably happy.
“Thank you so much, Miss Su.”
Su Muge raised her eyebrows and replied carelessly, “No need to thank me. Your banknote of 500 Liang is enough to convey your sincere gratitude.”
Meng Xiuwen chocked for a moment, taking the reply as Su Muge being angry to be “humiliated” with his money.
If Su Muge knew his thoughts, she would yell to ask for more “humiliation”!
“Miss Su, by sending you the banknote, I mean nothing but gratitude.”
Su Muge nodded. “I know, neither did I say that you mean something else. Don’t think too much, Master Meng. It has been a while since I came out. I should go back now. Goodbye.”
“Miss Su, you …”
Watching Su Muge leaving, Meng Xiuwen was a little anxious but didn’t know what he should say!
Su Muge paused and turned around to look at him. “Anything else, Master Meng?”
Humming, Meng Xiuwen couldn’t speak out his innermost thoughts and feelings due to the education he had been receiving over the years.
“I …”
Su Muge found it a little funny to see his embarrassed look. Given that he looked young, Su Muge suddenly had a feeling that she was teasing a teenager.
“If there is nothing else, please excuse me.”
Watching her leave, Meng Xiuwen clenched his fists and couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
In a pleasant mood, Su Muge was on her way back, passing the corridor. However, as soon as she walked through the Moon Arch, she ran into a hard “wall”…