After that day, Mu Yanming seemed to be extremely idle. He stayed in the mansion every day, not stepping out of the gate, acting like a housebound wife.
This made Mo Qinghuan have to be furtive when preparing a birthday surprise for him.
One day, Mo Qinghuan just couldn't bear it anymore. She wanted to decorate the Yangyang Hall, but he just sat there reading. If she couldn't get him out of the way, how could she prepare the birthday surprise...
She stood in the yard, chin in hand, thinking for quite a while. Finally, she came up with a good idea.
She rushed into the room excitedly.
"Mu Yanming, I've just thought of something, something really important!"
Mu Yanming put down his book and looked up at her.
His tone was rather flat. "What is it?"
She walked around the desk and pulled him up. "I remembered where I buried the key!"
Sure enough, a glint suddenly appeared in Mu Yanming's otherwise calm eyes.
"Where?"
He grabbed Mo Qinghuan's arm, unable to hide his excitement.
Seeing his reaction, Mo Qinghuan suddenly felt a twinge of guilt for no reason.
"It's right under the ginkgo tree in my yard. Go and dig it up with your men."
Mu Yanming took her hand. "Come on, come with me."
— If I go with you, how can I prepare the surprise!
She quickly pulled her hand back, avoiding his gaze. "You go by yourself. I'm not feeling well, so I won't go with you."
Mu Yanming nodded. "Alright, I'll go alone."
He quickly left the Yangyang Hall. But after he stepped out of the Regent's Mansion, his steps slowed down.
Then he turned into the alley beside the east wall of the Regent's Mansion.
Bai Ke asked in confusion, "My lord, aren't we going to the General's Mansion?"
Mu Yanming gave Bai Ke a sidelong glance. "Do you really think she remembered where the key was buried?"
— Didn't you believe her just now...
"I just want to see what she's up to that she'd even use the key as a pretext to get me out of the way."
By the time Bai Ke realized what was going on, Mu Yanming was already lying on the wall.
Looking at his lord's back, Bai Ke suddenly thought the scene was a bit strange!
The Regent lying on the wall of his own mansion, peeping on his own princess...
— Extremely strange!
After getting Mu Yanming out of the way, Lu Zixiu climbed in over the west wall.
They had discussed it beforehand. Dan'er and Shuang'er were in charge of cutting window decorations, while Lu Zixiu was responsible for decorating all around.
As for her...
She would steam a big birthday bun herself to celebrate his birthday.
But when Mu Yanming saw Lu Zixiu step into the Yangyang Hall, his eyes darkened.
Bai Ke saw his lord's face turn black instantly and bit his lip to hold back his laughter, almost choking.
"Lu Zixiu, hurry up. If you dawdle, Mu Yanming will be back soon."
Mo Qinghuan's voice came. Mu Yanming felt his breathing slow down.
After Lu Zixiu went into the room, Mo Qinghuan ran over and closed the door.
— Being so cautious. Is she afraid I'll find out?
"Hey, Lu Zixiu, be gentle."
"Yes, Princess. I'm already being very gentle."
Listening to their voices, Mu Yanming's brow furrowed with frost. At this moment, he closed his eyes, wishing he could close his ears too.
He didn't know whether he should go in and expose them on the spot or just turn a blind eye...
There seemed to be two voices struggling in his heart. To go or not to go was like two little people shouting in his mind, leaving him unable to make a decision.
Just as he was in a tangle, their voices rang out again.
"Hey hey hey, a bit to the left! No, no, a bit more to the right."
"Princess, don't just give orders. Why don't you do it yourself?"
"Alright alright, I'll do it myself."
A bang went off in Mu Yanming's head. He covered his chest and suddenly felt a sweet, coppery taste in his throat. A trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
Bai Ke knew something was wrong.
— This has made the lord so angry that he's got internal injuries!
"My lord, are you alright?"
Mu Yanming lightly jumped down from the wall, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said, "Bai Ke, go back to the mansion first and guard the Yangyang Hall. Don't let anyone disturb them."
He suppressed his anger. "Remember, no matter what happens, don't let anyone in."
"My lord, things aren't what you think. You'd better go back and take a look."
Seeing Mu Yanming's state, Bai Ke knew this had gone too far and quickly tried to persuade him.
But at this moment, Mu Yanming wouldn't listen to a single word. He just covered his chest and walked forward aimlessly. It seemed that at this moment, he didn't know where he should go.
Bai Ke stepped forward and grabbed him. "My lord, you'd better go back. Besides, you're still injured."
Mu Yanming sighed.
— The injuries on his body were nothing. The injury in his heart was the most fatal!
"Go back and guard."
Seeing his lord's gloomy face, Bai Ke didn't dare to disobey his order and had to turn around and head towards the mansion alone.
He quickened his pace and walked quickly towards the mansion.
The moment he pushed open the door of the Yangyang Hall, he was stunned by what he saw.
"Princess, this is just too..."
Mo Qinghuan thought Bai Ke was going to praise her and looked at him expectantly.
"How about it? Will Mu Yanming like it?"
"Too gaudy, isn't it?"
Mo Qinghuan thought she had misheard. "What did you say?"
"My dear princess, don't worry about what this subordinate said. You'd better go and check on the lord."
"What's wrong with him? Oh right, weren't you guys going to the General's Mansion to dig for the key?"
Mo Qinghuan looked at Bai Ke in confusion. Bai Ke pushed her out. "Let this subordinate explain on the way, alright?"
Just like that, Mo Qinghuan was pushed out of the Regent's Mansion.
"Let go of me. I can walk by myself. This pulling and tugging looks so improper. People who don't know might think I've been kicked out by your lord!"
Bai Ke was even more helpless upon hearing this. "The lord didn't even expose you after he thought you'd done such a thing. Instead, he sent me to guard and prevent others from finding out. How could he kick you out?"
Hearing Bai Ke muttering to himself, Mo Qinghuan questioned, "Bai Ke, what are you talking about? What did I do? Where's your lord?"
Bai Ke told Mo Qinghuan the whole story. Mo Qinghuan almost laughed herself into a fit.
But after she heard that Mu Yanming had endured so much that he got internal injuries, she immediately stopped smiling.
"Are you crazy? Didn't we agree before to work together to get him out of the way so that I could decorate for his birthday? Why did you let him come back and spy?"
She punched Bai Ke angrily. "Hurry up and find your lord!"
She walked straight in the direction Bai Ke pointed. After walking about a mile, she saw Mu Yanming's figure.
He was standing on the bridge, looking at the boats passing by below.
Dressed in black, he looked extremely lonely.
She slowly walked up from under the bridge. Just as she stepped onto the first step, someone suddenly patted her on the shoulder from behind.