"Then why not stay tonight? I can help you—ah!" QingWu smirked mischievously, but her words were cut off by a sudden sharp pain in her waist. Her eyes flared with anger. "Xiao Chenyuan, you're doing this on purpose!"
Xiao Chenyuan glanced at her coolly. "Although I trust you, precautions must still be taken. I fear being too close to you might drain my vitality."
QingWu pretended to bite him, but Xiao Chenyuan yanked the cloak over her head again and left without another word.
As the sound of the door closing echoed, QingWu pulled the cloak off and chuckled. "One day, I'll drain all your vitality!" she muttered with mock ferocity.
The Judgement's brush chimed in with a tsk. "Vitality is nothing compared to the delicious energy of his malice. Next time, linger longer—I barely had a chance to savor it!"
"Be grateful you got any scraps at all. Do you think you deserve a feast?" QingWu yawned, dismissing the conversation. "I'm going to sleep."
She slept until the sun was high in the sky. Only then did Lü Qiao and Hong Rui hear her stirring and enter the room to assist her with washing and breakfast.
After eating, QingWu went to see Mu Ying. As she approached the door, she smiled and said to Hong Rui, "Have the small kitchen prepare some easy-to-digest millet porridge. Also, summon Situ Jing for a consultation."
"Yes, my lady, but Sir Situ went out with the King today and hasn't returned yet."
QingWu nodded in understanding. Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door opened from within, revealing Mu Ying, who looked momentarily surprised before becoming visibly emotional upon seeing her.
"Your son has woken up?" QingWu asked with a smile.
"Yes." Mu Ying nodded, her face showing both relief and embarrassment. "Miss Hong Rui, the child seems a little hungry. Could you help to prepare some porridge?"
"Madam, you're too kind. My Queen has already given the order," Hong Rui replied, increasingly impressed by how prescient the Queen was—she hadn't even entered the room yet and she knew Mu Ying's son was awake. Mu Ying cast a grateful look at QingWu.
"I'll go in and check on the child," said QingWu.
Mu Ying stepped aside quickly. Inside, the boy lay on the bed. Though still weak, he now had some color in his cheeks, and his delicate features made him utterly adorable. His large, grape-like eyes darted around inquisitively, revealing his sharp and lively nature. When his gaze landed on QingWu, they sparkled with curiosity.
QingWu approached and lightly touched his brow, probing his condition. She adjusted his blanket and turned to Mu Ying. "He's doing well. A few more days of rest to replenish his vitality, and he'll be as lively as ever."
Mu Ying sighed with relief and expressed her gratitude once more.
"Thank you, beautiful auntie," the boy said sweetly.
QingWu pinched his cheek playfully. "Why not call me a beautiful elder sister instead?"
The boy blinked, his face full of affection. "Calling you auntie feels more closer. I had such a long dream, and there was a beautiful auntie in it who chased away all the monsters and saved me!"
QingWu smiled warmly. Taking out the Judgement's brush, she lightly dotted a "beauty mark" on the boy's brow. "From this day forward, may fortune follow and misfortune flee."
With that single stroke, she imbued the mark with blessings, using cinnabar to transfer a trace of good fortune into his soul. The mark, invisible to the eye, would ward off malice and bring prosperity—a special gift for her little nephew.
"Rest a bit longer. Once you're well enough to leave the bed, your beautiful auntie will take you kite flying," she said softly. The boy nodded obediently, his eyelids growing heavy. Soon, the "beauty mark" faded from his brow as he drifted into a peaceful sleep. Mu Ying, though intrigued by what had happened, chose not to ask immediately.
QingWu stood. "Madam Mu, would you care to join me for a chat in the courtyard?"
"Of course."
The courtyard's scenery was breathtaking. Lü Qiao brought over tea and pastries, and before Mu Ying could speak, QingWu said, "The cinnabar mark on the child's brow wards off evil and prevents misfortune. Since his soul once wandered along the boundary of life and death, he might be prone to encountering spirits in the future. The cinnabar will protect him."
"Thank you, Your Grace," Mu Ying said, her initial nervousness easing as she listened. Gratitude welled up in her heart.
"No need to thank me!" QingWu paused, then asked, "What are your plans going forward, Madam Mu?"
Without much hesitation, Mu Ying replied, "I plan to divorce with Wang Sheng."
Realizing her words were bold, she hesitated, feeling slightly awkward. Yet, inexplicably, she felt a deep sense of closeness toward QingWu, despite knowing she was the daughter of Yun Houxing. There should have been lingering resentment, but instead, there was nothing but trust—a strange and unexplainable feeling that had nothing to do with QingWu saving her son.
Before she could retract her statement, QingWu clasped her hand. "Divorce is the right choice! Hearing you say this puts me at ease."
Startled, Mu Ying felt a lump rise in her throat. "You support me, Your Grace?"
"Of course." QingWu raised her chin. "A scoundrel like him? Divorce is too lenient—you should throw him out and crush his bones for good measure!"
Mu Ying couldn't help but nod. Divorce felt too mild a response; in the past, she would have demanded his public disgrace and made him pay dearly. But now…
She looked at her frail, claw-like hands, bitterness creeping into her expression. She was no longer the woman she once was, her hands now incapable of even lifting a bow.
Noticing her expression, QingWu finally asked the question that had lingered in her mind. "I heard you were once a fierce general's daughter, skilled in archery and horsemanship before marriage. How did it come to this?"
Mu Ying's gaze darkened as she looked at QingWu, her expression a mixture of complexity and sorrow. Yet in QingWu's clear eyes, she saw only concern and sincerity.
Mu Ying thought to herself, though QingWu was Yun Houxing's daughter, perhaps she wasn't aware of the atrocities her father had committed against the Zhen Guo Marquis family and the Mu family.
"In the early years of my marriage to Wang Sheng, he treated me well—or rather, he was skilled at pretending. Once my family lost its standing and I had no relatives to rely on, his true nature was revealed. My drinking water was drugged, leaving me physically weak and mentally unclear."
"When Madam Zhou entered the household as his second wife, life became unbearable. Although I seemed insane all these years, I remember everything they did with complete clarity!"
Mu Ying's eyes burned with resentment as her fists clenched. "I thought even a beast wouldn't harm its own young and Yulang was Wang Sheng's son. But when he discovered that Madam Zhou had sent Yulang to be abandoned on the Shiying Mountain, not only did he refuse to intervene, but he also helped her cover up the evidence!"
A cold laugh escaped her lips. "They thought I was mad and spoke openly in my presence. I may have been insane, but every word they said is etched in my memory!"
No wonder when QingWu found her, she had been escaping from her home. Even in her madness, a mother's resolve gave her the strength to search for her child. A flicker of frost glinted in QingWu's gaze—her earlier "gut-wrenching feast" served to Wang Sheng at the Ministry of Revenue's mansion seemed far too merciful. A despicable man and a vile woman like them deserved far worse.
Determination flashed in Mu Ying's eyes. She stood and bowed deeply to QingWu. "Your Grace, I need to return to the Minister of Revenue's residence to retrieve something important. As it might help me secure a divorce from Wang Sheng. However, I will need to borrow some men from you."
QingWu had always known her cousin to be calculating and resourceful. If she had been in her right mind, how could she have been outmaneuvered by those two wretches? Even in her moments of lucidity, Mu Ying had clearly taken steps to protect herself.
"That's no trouble at all," QingWu readily agreed.
A gentle breeze rustled through the courtyard, casting shifting shadows among the trees. QingWu raised her eyes and suddenly arched an eyebrow. "Yingying-Sister, wait for a moment. I have a guest to meet. You can return to the Minister of Revenue's residence later or tomorrow—it won't be too late."
With that, she rose and headed inside her room.
"Isn't Your Grace going to meet a guest?" asked Lü Qiao, puzzled.
QingWu waved her hand dismissively. "It's already here."
A shiver ran through Lü Qiao, though it wasn't clear why.
Meanwhile, Mu Ying remained seated, stunned. The words QingWu had just uttered echoed in her mind: Yingying-Sister ...
Dazed, she instinctively glanced at the courtyard, its irises still yet to bloom. She murmured, "This… is the Yuanwei Courtyard, isn't it?"
Lü Qiao confirmed, "Madam Mu, have you been here at the Dread King's Manor before?"
Mu Ying hesitated before nodding, her expression conflicted. "Many years ago, I accompanied my younger cousin here."
"You mean the little young princess, QingWu, right?"
"Yes… Do you know her too, Lü Qiao?"
"Of course," Lü Qiao said with a grin. "Not just me, but also Hong Rui and Bai Sui the Elderly Attendant! Back then, it was the little young princess and the King who saved us from those human traffickers."
Mu Ying was astonished. "So it was you all."
Years ago, her cousin had been abducted by human traffickers during the Lantern Festival. She later escaped with a child in tow and encountered Xiao Chenyuan on the way. The pair stormed the traffickers' lair and rescued many children. Mu Ying vividly remembered that terrifying night.
Realizing they were old acquaintances, Mu Ying's attitude toward Lü Qiao warmed. Yet, the thought of her cousin, who had passed away so young, brought an ache to her heart. If only she were still alive…
"Don't worry, Madam Mu," whispered Lü Qiao. "You must have seen how special our Queen is yesterday. I won't say more, but she and Yun Houxing are nothing alike. You'll see for yourself over time."
Hearing about how QingWu had ended up marrying into the Dread King's Manor, Mu Ying was both shocked and furious, yet also relieved. The "important item" she needed from the Minister of Revenue's residence was indeed connected to Yun Houxing. Moments ago, she had been uneasy, but now she felt less burdened.
Back in her chambers, QingWu stared at the glowing orb floating before her with a hint of surprise. "You've regained your spirit so quickly? It seems the candle Xiao Chenyuan lit for you worked wonders."
The visitor was none other than the mountain spirit of Shiying Mountain.