The Counterfeit Madam Hou Chapter 7

*Unedited

It is the 5th of May today, the day of the Dragon Boat Festival. Sitting by herself in the inner hall of the loft where it is cooler, Liu Qinghuan have no appet.i.te despite a table full of food is right next to her. She simply stares out of the window, seemingly in a daze.

Xue Mu walks up to the loft and sits next to her.

” Qing Qing. ”

He suddenly calls out, almost causing Liu Qinghuan to throw her folding fan out the window in shock. Seeing her like this, Xue Mu can’t help but laugh.

” Today’s the Dragon Boat Festival, why didn’t you go to see the race? ”

Liu Qinghuan looks at him.

” It’s too hot to feel like moving. ”

She then grumbles further.

” Summer’s the worst. ”

Hearing her said that, Xue Mu ask.

” Qing Qing don’t like the summer? ”
” No. ”

She then returns the question back to Xue Mu.

” What about you? ”
” I hate the winter. ”

The winter? Liu Qinghuan lifts her eyebrow. Winter in Chang-An is not that cold and when compared to Chang-An’s summer, a lot cuter too. She blinks and asks again.

” So which season do you like the best? ”

Xue Mu looks at her, before smiling.

” Also winter. ”

On the winter of the twenty-second year of Tian Zheng, he met Liu Qinghuan for the first time.

That year he was six and she, three.

As during that period of time his father was often not around, the Madam of the Liu Family, afraid that his mother would be lonely by herself, often invited her over to the Liu Mansion. That day, after a heavy snowfall and listening to them gossiping for half the day, Xue Mu could no longer stand it and sneaked off to the yard to play.

After that heavy snowfall, the entire backyard was whitewashed and this being his first time over at the Liu Mansion, he don’t recognized the way at all. The only thing he could do was to follow the sounds of children’s laughter.

In the yard, there were three children in the midst of s...o...b..ll fight. It was already an unbalanced teaming considering the three of them were separated into 2 groups, not to mention that the other team consisted of a six-seven year old child and were currently overpowering the little dumpling.

The little dumpling stumbled on her own feet and fell onto the ground, before starting to cry.

” Older Sister and Second Sister is bullying me! I am going to tell mother! “

She kept saying she was going to look for her mother yet she continued to lay there, not moving.

*Splat!*

A s...o...b..ll crashed onto her head perfectly as the snow flew everywhere. The suddenness of it all broke the little dumpling’s cries as she sat there in a daze until she saw a little child the same age as her clapping her hands in joy before she burst out in tears.

” WAHHHHHHHH——–!!!! “

It was ear-spitting.

Xue Mu was incensed, how can they bully someone like that?!

He walked over to the little dumpling and helped her up. Looking at her tear and snot-filled face, he tried to consoled her.

” Don’t cry, little dumpling, I’ll help you. “

Facing the two who were still surprised at who this beautiful kid who came out of nowhere was, he had already gathered two large s...o...b..a.l.l.s and threw it straight at them.

*Splat splat*

The s...o...b..a.l.l.s then burst out all over their clothes.

” Hahahaha!! Second Sister look so funny! “

As though forgotten about her pain, the little dumpling started clapping her hands at Xue Mu.

The mentioned Second Sister went red in the face as she quickly gathered up a s...o...b..ll and just threw it straight at Xue Mu’s face. Although Xue Mu was only six, he had been learning martial arts with his father. He might not be able hold his grounds in the battlefield but avoiding a s...o...b..ll was more than enough.

See that her first attempt failed, Second Sister bend down to began gathering another s...o...b..ll. But before she can even finished gathering her s...o...b..ll, Xue Mu’s s...o...b..ll came flying over.

In the end, the two sisters were unable to defeat Xue Mu and were finally beaten to tears.

The crying noises in the yard attracted the adults and when Madam Liu saw her precious daughters crying, she hurriedly went to ask what happened. Second Sister began telling her embellished story and Madam Ning pulled Xue Mu over, scolding him.

” How can you, a boy, bully girls like them? “

Xue Mu pouted.

” They are the ones who bullied the little dumpling first. “

Little dumpling immediately went over, complaining to her mother as well.

” Mother, look! My forehead even swelled up! Second Sister did this! “

Madam Liu was not sure to laugh or to cry at this situation, these three girls sure were a handful!

When it came to the time Xue Mu was about to head home, he turned and saw the little who was like a ball in his eyes. He tugged on his mother’s sleeve and said.

” Mother, I like that little dumpling. “

As if having heard what he just said, the little dumpling waved her hands at him all of a sudden as she shouted.

” I’m not called little dumpling! My name is Liu Qinghuan—-! “

” Marquise? ”

Liu Qinghuan waves her slender fingers in front of Xue Mu’s eyes. Why does this person goes into a daze all of a sudden in the middle of their chat?

Xue Mu snap out of his thoughts, a smile hanging on his lips. He grabs Liu Qinghuan’s hands and ask.

” Do you still remember the day we met? ”

Liu Qinghuan ” ……. ”

Why would he spring a test all of a sudden…. If she answers no, would she be killed with a punch just like General Speed?

Seeing her staying silent, Xue Mu lowers his gaze and takes out a five-colored longevity band and smiles at Liu Qinghuan.

” Qing Qing, let me put this on you, okay? ”

The longevity band is something people love wearing on the Dragon Boat Festival. It prevents the unnatural as well as a prayer for a long life. Liu Qinghuan looks at Xue Mu tying the long long five-colored band on her wrist, the glow in her eyes dampening.

Xue Mu looks satisfied with his work after tying the band and Liu Qinghuan raises her head to look at him.

” I am suppose to be the one tying the longevity band on the Marquise. ”
” It’s the same. ”

Xue Mu said, smiling. He accompanied Liu Qinghuan for a little while longer, before Nian Tang reports that the Emperor has summon for him.

As today is the Dragon Boat Festival, different governors has offer various tributes to the Emperor. Silk, food and many more. The Emperor summon Xue Mu over to shift through all the tributes as well as taking the chance to give some to him. When he was finish with it and has return to mansion, Nuo Yan was waiting outside.

Servants are helping to move all the items granted by the Emperor inside as Xue Mu look over to Nuo Yan.

” Your matter? ”
” Tang Zhibo request for a meeting. ”

Xue Mu’s eyes narrows. Tang Zhibo.

” Did he say anything? ”
” He said he visited because of the festival. ”
” Ha. ”

Xue Mu smirk.

” Where is he? ”
” As Master is not in at the moment, I send him away. He might come again later. ”

Xue Mu thinks about it for a bit.

” Qing Qing? ”
” Madam haven’t left the loft. ”

Xue Mu said nothing more as he enters the mansion. Not after a while, someone comes in reporting that Tang Zhibo is asking to visit.

Xue Mu let someone guide him into the main hall where Nuo Yan and Peng Peng stand by the side. Tang Zhibo exudes elegance yet have the aura of a businessman, unlike that of a scholar. However Xue Mu could see that he knows martial arts, and not at a beginner level.

Since it is said to be a visit, of course one can never come empty-handed. The servants behind Tang Zhibo is carrying quite a bit of stuff in, most of which is wine. Looking at the seated Xue Mu, Tang Zhibo smiles.

” I have heard that the Marquise loves wine. These are all gathered from various places, including the ‘Spirited Brew’ from Ling Nan that I went to collect myself. I hope you will like it. ”
” We are but light acquaintances, I can’t accept such lavish gifts. ”

Any other person would have left disappointed at Xue Mu’s rejection but Tang Zhibo is not any other person. His skin is thick enough.

” These are just a few jars of wine, nothing lavish about it at all. ”

He looks at Xue Mu, smiling.

” Oh yes, how is Madam (Liu Qinghuan) doing recently? ”