One must bow to circumstances. Mu Wan Yun was keenly aware of her current situation, so she resigned herself to sorting the silk threads.
Mu Wan Yun wasn't the only one staying in the embroidery workshop all night. Many other palace maids from the Clothing Bureau were there as well, still working on the clothes for the Wei Family's eldest daughter.
Late that night, after Lin Siming left, the group of palace maids became much more relaxed.
A slightly plump palace maid pulled two steamed buns wrapped in a silk handkerchief from her sleeve. She tore off a small half and offered it to Mu Wan Yun.
"Here, take this. Get something in your stomach. We'll be busy all night."
Seeing the small piece of steamed bun before her, Mu Wan Yun looked at the palace maid gratefully and said, "Thank you, sister."
A young palace maid took the steamed bun Xiao Tang handed her and sighed. "Xiao Tang, you really have foresight. I thought we'd have it a lot easier after the new emperor's ascension and before the consort selection. Who knew this Wei Minlan would suddenly appear..."
"Shh..."
One of the older palace maids gestured for the one who had just complained to glance at Mu Wan Yun.
There was an outsider present, after all. One shouldn't speak ill of their masters.
The young Xiao Die walked up to Mu Wan Yun and said:
"You've eaten our steamed bun, so you're one of us now. If you dare breathe a single word of what was just said, we won't let you off!"
Mu Wan Yun said, "Rest assured, I won't tell anyone."
Xiao Die asked Mu Wan Yun, "What's your name? I'm Xiao Die. The one who gave you the bun is Xiao Tang, and these are Ru Yan and Rushui."
Mu Wan Yun continued to pull at the silk threads as she answered, "My name is Mu Wan Yun."
Xiao Die was slightly startled. "Your surname is Mu? Could you be related to the Duke Wei's Mansion?"
Mu Wan Yun nodded. "I am the second young lady of the Duke Wei's Mansion."
"Ah?" Xiao Tang nearly choked on her bun. "You're in trouble. Lin Siming used to serve Empress Wei, and she hates the Mu family the most. No wonder she made you sort threads the moment you arrived today..."
Mu Wan Yun sighed. 'I've never enjoyed any of the benefits of being part of the Mu Family.'
'After the Mu Family brought me back to Chang'an, I was used and schemed against. Now that the family has fallen, I'm still being dragged down with them.'
Mu Wan Yun sighed again and again as she sorted the threads.
Rushui also sighed. "Ru Yan, what kind of dress does Wei Minlan even want? She hasn't liked a single one..."
Ru Yan said slowly, "Five years ago, Wei Minlan was a noble lady of Chang'an, just as famous as Mu Wanruo."
"Later, the entire Wei Family was exiled to the border and faded into obscurity."
"Now that Wei Minlan is back in Chang'an, everyone is saying her beauty can't compare to Mu Wanruo's."
"Naturally, Wei Minlan wants to use Old Madam Wei's birthday banquet to make a dazzling impression, to let everyone in Chang'an know that she's in no way inferior to Mu Wanruo."
"The difficult part is that Mu Wanruo is already widely acclaimed as the greatest beauty in the land. It will be extremely hard for Wei Minlan to surpass her with just clothing."
Xiao Die asked, "Is Mu Wanruo really that beautiful?"
Ru Yan shook her head. "I've never seen Mu Wanruo; I've only heard the rumors. But since Wanyun and Mu Wanruo are sisters, she must know just how beautiful Mu Wanruo really is, right?"
Mu Wan Yun shook her head. "I haven't seen Mu Wanruo since I was a child."
'After returning to Chang'an this time, Mu Wanruo had eloped to escape her marriage, so there was even less chance of seeing her.'
Xiao Die studied Mu Wan Yun for a moment. "Sisters who have never even met?
"I heard from the palace maids who serve Lin Siming that you and Mu Wanruo look alike. You're already so beautiful, so Mu Wanruo must be even more so."
Rushui sighed. "Never mind who's beautiful and who isn't. When will these days ever end!
"If we keep pulling all-nighters like this and still fail in the end, we'll definitely be punished!"
After that, Mu Wan Yun quietly focused on sorting the threads in her hands.
In the dead of night, she was cold, sleepy, and hungry. The New Year had just passed, and the chill of early spring was still sharp.
There was no charcoal brazier in the embroidery workshop, and Mu Wan Yun was shivering uncontrollably.
Not far from the embroidery workshop, Lu Jingxing watched Mu Wan Yun sorting threads through the night. Seeing her suffer like this, he felt no sense of satisfaction whatsoever.
Lu Jingxing said to the eunuch Qiu Chi beside him, "Although the inner palace currently has no mistress, we cannot break the rules. Having them work in the embroidery workshop in the middle of the night... if a candle were accidentally knocked over, it would make Us seem unbenevolent."
Zhang Qiuchi finally understood His Majesty's intentions from this sentence. "I will go and have them rest at once."
Zhang Qiuchi acknowledged the order. 'His Majesty may resent her for divorcing him,' he thought, 'but I'm afraid he still has lingering feelings for Mu Wan Yun.'
'Otherwise, he wouldn't have made a special detour from the Imperial Study just to see her.'
Zhang Qiuchi went to the embroidery workshop and announced, "The palace has its rules. It is late. You are all to stop working for the night. Extinguish the lamps early, for fear of fire."
Hearing Zhang Qiuchi's words, Mu Wan Yun breathed a sigh of relief.
Xiao Tang asked Mu Wan Yun, "Did Lin Siming arrange a place for you to stay?"
Mu Wan Yun shook her head. "Not yet."
'The moment I arrived at the embroidery workshop, I was put to work sorting threads. No arrangements were made for my lodging or even a change of clothes.'
'Mu Wan Yun had no idea where she was supposed to go.'
Xiao Tang said, "Why don't you come back with me..."
Rushui grabbed Xiao Tang's hand. "Have you forgotten that Lin Miaoyi is in our room?"
Xiao Tang looked at Mu Wan Yun guiltily. "I'm so sorry. Why don't you go find Nanny Yang or Lin Siming? We have to go back first."
Of course, Mu Wan Yun couldn't possibly go looking for Lin Siming or the housekeeper this late at night. Her only option was to look at Zhang Qiuchi.
Zhang Qiuchi cleared his throat. "Come with me."
Mu Wan Yun followed Zhang Qiuchi outside and asked, "Has my husband's anger cooled? Is that why he sent you to help me?"
Zhang Qiuchi led Mu Wan Yun to Lu Jingxing and said, "Your Majesty, Lin Siming has not arranged lodging for Miss Mu..."
When Mu Wan Yun saw Lu Jingxing, she instantly forgot her sleepiness. She ran over, hugged his arm, and said joyfully:
"Husband, Husband, have you forgiven me? I was wrong. I regretted it the moment I signed the divorce papers. And besides, you deceived me too, didn't you? At most, it just cancels each other out, right?"
It was as the old saying goes: one must bow to circumstances.
Mu Wan Yun was truly starving. After marrying Lu Jingxing, she had never endured the pangs of hunger, not even in the dungeons of the Princess Mansion.
Her stomach had been growling ever since she left the embroidery workshop, and this time, there were no wild fruits to fill it.
'She had married Lu Jingxing back then just to get a full meal. Right now, seeing him was like seeing a giant, walking chicken leg.'
Mu Wan Yun rested her head on Lu Jingxing's arm. "I knew it. You talk tough, but you have a soft heart. You couldn't bear to see your little Yunyun suffer. You came to the embroidery workshop because you were worried about me, right?"
Lu Jingxing frowned. "Speak properly!"
Mu Wan Yun tenaciously hugged his waist. "You were worried about me!"
Lu Jingxing pried her hands off and said coolly, "Mu Wan Yun, stop dreaming! We are the master of all under Heaven. Why would We be unable to let go of a coarse village girl like you?
"We merely came to see your pathetic state today.
"Did you ever consider this outcome when you wrote Us that letter of divorce for the sake of the Mu Family!"
Mu Wan Yun said pitifully, "But I didn't write a letter of divorce. It was just an agreement for mutual separation."
Lu Jingxing snorted. "Is there a difference?"
Just as Mu Wan Yun was about to explain the difference, she was overcome by extreme hunger and dizziness and fainted on the spot.
Lu Jingxing looked down at the woman on the ground. "Get up. You're faking it again!"
'It wasn't the first or second time Mu Wan Yun had feigned fainting. Especially right after they were married, she would always pretend to pass out at night when her wheedling failed.'
Lu Jingxing crouched down and nudged Mu Wan Yun. When he realized she had truly passed out, he scooped her up into his arms and said to Zhang Qiuchi, "Summon the Imperial Physician."