After Nanny Zhong returned, she reported to Lin Siming how Mu Wan Yun had been summoned by His Majesty to change his clothes, and how she had come out looking utterly dejected.
Lin Siming scoffed at the news. "Keep a close eye on her. His Majesty is the man who exterminated her entire clan and killed her father and brother, yet she still tries to seduce him. It just shows what a despicable character she has."
Nanny Zhong assented.
「In the blink of an eye, it was time to deliver the clothes to Wei Minlan at the Wei family estate.」
Mu Wan Yun followed Lin Siming, passing through several checkpoints before they were finally able to leave the palace. Even though their visitor was merely a Chief of Clothing from the Palace Bureau, Lady Wei was exceedingly polite, opening the main gates to welcome them personally.
The moment Wei Minlan saw Mu Wan Yun, her eyes widened. "Wanruo, how are you still alive!"
Lady Wei was also startled when she saw Mu Wan Yun's face. "No, she isn't Wanruo!"
Mu Wanruo had been born the legitimate daughter of the Duke Wei Mansion, as her aunt, Mrs. Mu, was a favored Imperial Concubine at the time.
Mu Wanruo had often visited the palace, and upon reaching womanhood, she was hailed as the greatest beauty in the world.
Although these two women had identical faces, their auras were worlds apart.
Mu Wan Yun curtsied. "This servant, Mu Wan Yun, pays her respects to Lady Wei and Miss Wei."
Wei Minlan looked Mu Wan Yun up and down. "Your surname is also Mu? Are you from the Mu Family…?"
Mu Wan Yun replied, "I am the second-born illegitimate daughter of the Mu Family."
Lady Wei glanced at Mu Wan Yun and sighed. "That's right, she died long ago. How could she possibly be alive? Please, ladies, come inside."
Watching the expressions on Lady Wei and Wei Minlan's faces, Mu Wan Yun could tell they were clearly acquainted with Mu Wanruo. 'Aren't the Mu and Wei families supposed to share a blood feud?'
'It seems the plan Ru Yan suggested to Lin Siming is useless now.'
Mu Wan Yun wanted to warn Lin Siming, but she hadn't had a single opportunity to speak the entire way there.
Lin Siming entered and hung the newly tailored robes on a rack.
As usual, Wei Minlan was not satisfied with the clothes. "This is hideous. Is this the best the Clothing Bureau can do these days?"
Lin Siming whispered, "Miss Wei, this garment is difficult to wear. It would be best to have a palace maid from the Clothing Bureau stay by your side during the banquet. If anything is amiss with the outfit, she can alter it for you.
"Why not have Mu Wan Yun attend to you then? A country girl like her will surely serve as a foil to make you, Miss, stand out even more…"
Wei Minlan glanced at the downcast Mu Wan Yun. "What do you take me for? If I were to compare myself to anyone, it would be Mu Wanruo herself. What is *she*? Do I need *her* to make me look good?"
Wei Minlan wasn't a fool; she saw through Lin Siming's ploy in an instant.
Lin Siming shot a vicious glare at Mu Wan Yun, silently cursing Ru Yan.
Mu Wan Yun lowered her head and took the blame. "Miss Wei, I was wrong to judge a noble person by my own petty standards. I beg you to punish me."
Seeing Mu Wan Yun's meek appearance, Wei Minlan grew even more incensed. "To think you have a face identical to Mu Wanruo's, yet you are so contemptible. To think I would do something so disgusting…"
'This is awful,' Mu Wan Yun lamented internally. 'This was all Lin Siming and Ru Yan's idea.'
But she couldn't expose them now. She could only bear the blame herself.
Mu Wan Yun could only kneel and admit her mistake. "I know I was wrong. Please punish me, Miss Wei."
Wei Minlan glanced at her own red-painted nails. "I'm not from the palace, so I have no authority to punish you. Lin Siming, you decide on the punishment."
Lin Siming said, "Rest assured, Miss Wei. I will send her to Wang Sizheng at the Supervision Bureau to be punished with ten strokes of the plank."
Wei Minlan said, "You may all leave."
Hearing "ten strokes," Mu Wan Yun felt like crying but had no tears to shed.
'I thought leaving Yangzhou was the start of a better life. I wonder if I'm just not fated to get along with Chang'an.'
'I thought I could earn some credit and please Lin Siming this time, but instead, I'm getting ten strokes.'
'If I could do it all over again, I would never have agreed to return to Chang'an with Mu Qingyun.'
"Wanruo."
Just as Mu Wan Yun was dejectedly following Lin Siming to receive her punishment, she heard the slurred voice of a drunken man.
She saw a man with a stubbled face, his hair disheveled, and his robes in disarray.
Upon seeing Mu Wan Yun, he ran over and pulled her into an embrace.
Terrified, Mu Wan Yun shoved him away repeatedly, hiding behind Lin Siming. Trembling, she asked, "Lin Siming, how can the Wei Family have such a lecher?"
Lin Siming replied, "Nonsense. That is the Heir of Wei."
Wei Mingsang gazed at Mu Wan Yun, tears welling in his bloodshot eyes. "Wanruo, you're alive! It's so good that you're alive! I'm sorry, I failed to protect you. It's so wonderful that you're alive!"
"Brother, you've got the wrong person! She's Wanruo's illegitimate younger sister, raised in the countryside in Yangzhou. Wanruo is dead! She's never coming back! Can you please sober up?"
Hearing the commotion, Wei Minlan rushed out to explain.
Wei Mingsang staggered a couple of steps and walked up to Mu Wan Yun.
Mu Wan Yun trembled, trying to hide behind Lin Siming, but Lin Siming had no intention of protecting her and simply stepped aside.
Wei Mingsang reached out and gripped Mu Wan Yun's hand tightly, preventing her from escaping.
With his other hand, Wei Mingsang grabbed at the collar of her robes. It was late winter, verging on early spring, and the palace maids' uniforms still had thick, overlapping collars.
As he yanked on it, a frigid gust of wind bit at Mu Wan Yun's neck.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
A furious voice erupted from the courtyard gate.
Mu Wan Yun looked over and saw it was Lu Jingxing. Feeling utterly wronged, she wrenched her hand free from Wei Mingsang's grasp and ran to Lu Jingxing, about to lodge a complaint. "Hus—"
Before the word was fully out, she saw the killing intent in Lu Jingxing's eyes.
'Right. That was a word I couldn't say so easily.'
'If word ever got out that I was the one who divorced him, Lu Jingxing would be utterly humiliated. He'd probably kill me in a fit of rage!'
"Your Majesty, the Heir of Wei was bullying me! You must seek justice on my behalf!"
Lu Jingxing frowned, looking at the disheveled Wei Mingsang. "Mingsang, this is a palace maid. She is not a woman you can publicly harass."
The sight of Lu Jingxing sobered Wei Mingsang up a little. He clasped his hands in a salute. "I was reckless. My sincerest apologies to this lady."
Lu Jingxing glanced at the frightened Mu Wan Yun. "Return to the palace."
Mu Wan Yun looked up at Lu Jingxing, then had no choice but to follow Lin Siming onto the carriage returning to the palace.
Before the carriage could move, Wei Minlan called out to them, speaking to Mu Wan Yun.
"What happened just now was my brother's fault. He was hit very hard by Wanruo's death.
"Lin Siming, don't have her beaten for now. Just let her make an outfit for me instead."
Mu Wan Yun pointed to herself. "Me?"
Wei Minlan nodded. "It's true that I'm picky about my clothes because I want to make a name for myself, but I have no desire to outshine Sister Wanruo.
"After five years at the border, my skin has darkened quite a bit. I know many people in Chang'an laugh at me behind my back.
"I also know the rumors about me in the palace aren't good. Among the palace maids, you're just the nail that sticks up.
"The more ornate and brightly colored the clothes, the worse they look on me. If you can make a suitable outfit, the beating will be waived. If you can't…"
Mu Wan Yun smiled at Wei Minlan. "Don't worry, Miss Wei. I will definitely make you a fine outfit."