Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Mu Yan Delivers Cherries
Vermilion Bird respectfully said, "Master... my Family Head wishes to visit the young lady."
Vermilion Bird’s lip corner twitched, he almost called out the word ’Madam’ just now.
Do not slap a smiling face, Zhan Lan smiled and nodded, "Please come in!"
Liu Xi came to open the door upon hearing the noise.
"Lord Mu, won’t you come in?" Zhan Lan walked in and looked back towards the direction of the carriage.
Mu Yan’s thumb pressed on his curled-up index finger, his palms were sweaty.
He alighted from the sedan and followed Zhan Lan into the main house with his eyes downcast.
Liu Xi went to make tea, Zhan Lan sat next to Mu Yan and said, "Does Lord Mu have business here today?"
Mu Yan raised his eyes towards Zhan Lan, their eyes met, and the images of last night suddenly surged into her mind. Zhan Lan’s heartbeat quickened a bit, but in a flash, she regained her composure.
Mu Yan’s heart beat like thunder, looking at Zhan Lan’s indifferent demeanor, he wondered: Does this woman not feel that there’s something ambiguous between them?
After all, with what happened last night, according to Nanjin’s customs, he was supposed to take responsibility for Zhan Lan.
Suddenly, Little Black rushed in, standing with his tail erect, showing his teeth and making a woo-woo warning sound towards Mu Yan.
Mu Yan looked at Little Black, with a warning look in his eyes, he gently muttered, "Shut up!" 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝒸ℴ𝓶
Little Black whimpered, coiled its tail, and stepped back a few steps, squatting at the door, cautiously watching Mu Yan.
But it dared not approach any further.
Zhan Lan exclaimed, "Wow, bloodline suppression!"
Apart from Mu Yan, she had not seen Little Black afraid of anyone.
Mu Yan looked displeased, what bloodline suppression, he is not a dog.
A moment later, he stroked his fingers and said, "Last night, that..."
Zhan Lan saw him hesitant to speak, so it turned out that even Mu Yan had his moments of tongue-tied.
Zhan Lan calmly said, "Oh, right, thank you, Lord Mu, for saving my life last night."
She took out a stack of silver notes from her bosom, "Here’s a hundred thousand Silver, Lord Mu, don’t think it’s too little, I will add more once I have more Silver."
Mu Yan coldly watched the silver note in Zhan Lan’s hands, how could this woman calculate everything so clearly with him?
Wasn’t she the least bit uncomfortable on her face, and was it only him who had a restless night?
Zhan Lan, this heartless woman, did not even realize he treated her differently?
Mu Yan’s mood instantly fell, sweeping away the prior panic.
"Is a kiss from this Seal Keeper only worth a hundred thousand Silver?" Mu Yan became cynical, edged closer to Zhan Lan and said, "Then how about I offer a million Gold for one night with Miss Zhan?"
Mu Yan’s eyes carried seven parts of ardor and three parts of provocation.
Zhan Lan frowned at Mu Yan, smiled calmly, "Seal Keeper can have whichever woman he wants, no need to joke here."
After finishing speaking, she with a gesture of seeing off guests, stuffed the hundred thousand Silver into Mu Yan’s hand.
"Lord Mu, I won’t see you out."
Mu Yan held the hundred thousand Silver from Zhan Lan, returned it to the table.
At that moment, Vermilion Bird walked in carrying a beautifully woven basket, seeing that both their expressions were not good, he didn’t know whether to advance or retreat.
Mu Yan coldly said, "Put down the stuff, we are leaving!"
Vermilion Bird hastily placed the basket down and immediately followed Mu Yan.
Zhan Lan quizzically lifted the lid, glanced at the contents of the basket.
It was a basket of red, plump cherries, clearly gifts from the palace.
What does Mu Yan mean by this?
"Lord Mu..." Zhan Lan hurried after him.
Mu Yan did not turn back, but simply said, "This Seal Keeper just doesn’t like to eat them, Miss Zhan need not overthink."
After saying that, he boarded the carriage and left without turning his head.
Vermilion Bird also sensed the oppression and chill emanating from Mu Yan, and he dared not speak another word all the way.
Zhan Lan returned to the room and, seeing the big basket of cherries, suddenly didn’t know what to say.
Could Mu Yan possibly love her?
This feeling grew stronger and stronger.
But how did Mu Yan know she loved to eat cherries?
Moreover, these were bestowed by His Majesty, extremely precious. The Zhan Family had also received such a gift before, but with so many in the Zhan Family, the cherries were divided, and each person received only a little.
Thus, the sensible her simply claimed she didn’t like them.
Now, there was a whole basket of big cherries in front of her.
She looked at the silver note of a hundred thousand on the table, which Shen Shan had just delivered two days ago as dividends.
Now she had silver, and cherries could be bought from hundreds of miles away by spending a great sum and sending a fast horse into the mountains.
However, these cherries were sent by Mu Yan, and they were the largest basket of cherries she had ever received in her life.
Even in her previous life as an empress, she had never truly enjoyed life.
If she pretentiously sent this basket of cherries back to Mu Residence, considering Mu Yan’s temperament, he probably wouldn’t like having his gift returned, and these cherries might just end up wasted.
Zhan Lan felt reflective; a treacherous official actually didn’t like silver notes. Since Mu Yan disliked silver notes, she should prepare a gift he would like and send it to him.
That would be better than continually owing him favors.
Zhan Lan popped a cherry into her mouth, the sweet juice instantly making her blissfully squint her eyes.
At the same time, the detained Zhan Xuerou also received half a basket of cherries, Qiuyue excitedly said, "Ah, Miss, General Zhan remembered you love cherries and personally had them delivered. These are bestowed by His Majesty!"
Meng Ling also said with a smile, "Miss, General Zhan really cherishes you. This is my first time seeing cherries!"
Zhan Xuerou, with a face full of pride, picked up a cherry, lifting it and exclaimed, "Cherries are indeed wonderful!"
She remembered as a child, Zhan Lan was curious about the taste of cherries. To show her own superiority, she gave one to her.
The expression Zhan Lan had when eating that cherry, she could never forget.
Zhan Xuerou reveled in this sense of superiority; the less Zhan Lan had, the happier she was!
Who made her the one always in the spotlight in the Zhan Family!
She heard that His Majesty personally rewarded Zhan Lan with a first-class Token!
Zhan Xuerou clenched her back teeth and then, looking at the half-basket of cherries, said, "Qiuyue, take a few cherries to Zhan Lan, say they are from me."
"Yes, Miss!" Qiuyue bowed.
Qiuyue brought a dozen cherries in an exquisite box to Zhan Lan.
Seeing these few cherries, Zhan Lan smiled.
Zhan Xuerou, still liking to make people suffer.
Qiuyue nodded and said, "Miss Zhan Lan, don’t be angry, she did that on purpose..."
Zhan Lan laughed, "Why should I be angry? I have an entire basket of cherries, more than I can even eat!"
Only then did Qiuyue notice the basket of cherries on Zhan Lan’s table. She was surprised, wondering who had sent them to Miss Zhan Lan.
Turns out, with an entire basket of cherries, why would Miss Zhan Lan care about these few!
She nodded and said, "Miss Zhan Lan, Meng Ling recently took a letter for the third lady from outside the residence, and she was so happy to see it!"
"I understand. Keep a good watch on her," Zhan Lan instructed while pushing the box of cherries back to Qiuyue, "Take it back, you know what to say."
"Yes!" Qiuyue took the box back to Zhan Xuerou.
Seeing Qiuyue return with the cherries untouched, Zhan Xuerou, infuriated, knocked the box over, scattering cherries everywhere.
"What do you mean she has a full basket of cherries!" Zhan Xuerou trembled with rage.
"Yes, Miss, I don’t know if it was the Lord who gave them to her," Qiuyue said, feigning anger.
Zhan Xuerou angrily crushed a cherry in her hand, the blood-red juice staining her fingers as she bitterly said, "I don’t believe it!"
She refused to believe Beicang would favor Zhan Lan so much. Those cherries must have been sent by someone else!
...
After delivering the cherries, Mu Yan returned to his residence, still displeased.
Vermilion Bird secretly shook his head, thinking the master’s journey to win his wife was incredibly long...
Not far away, a servant respectfully approached, pointing to several large boxes nearby and respectfully said, "Master, these are the thank you gifts sent from the General Mansion."