Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 7

“Sister, we’re here.”

Xiao Fuguang stood in front of Ruibao Pavilion, glanced sideways at Xiao Wangshu, and continued, “Actually, Mother also has two shops for clothes and jewelry, but their revenue is average, just enough to pay the servants.”

“Is that so?” Xiao Wangshu raised the corner of her eye, smiling meaningfully. “Then when I have some free time, I’ll ask Mother to send someone to take me for a look.”

Xiao Fuguang smiled as well. “It seems Sister is determined to take over Mother’s shops.”

But being focused on running the shops is better than being fixated on outsiders. Whether they profit or lose, the family doesn’t really need the income from those two shops.

“Is this the younger sister from the Xiao Family?”

A lively voice called out from not far away. Xiao Wangshu and Xiao Fuguang turned in response.

They saw a young lady walking over with delicate steps, approaching Xiao Wangshu and Xiao Fuguang, and giving a slight curtsy in greeting.

“I wasn’t mistaken, it really is the younger sister from the Xiao Family. Fourth Sister Xiao, Eighth Younger Brother, what brings you to my Ruibao Pavilion today? Such rare guests, please come in and rest your feet.”

Mu Xiaoxiao wore a light green wide-skirted dress. As she moved, the gold-threaded beaded hairpin in her hair swayed gently, and the round white pearls hanging from it made her look even more pure and fresh.

If Xiao Wangshu’s features gave an impression of fiery beauty and arrogance, then Mu Xiaoxiao’s was a completely different kind of clarity and gentleness.

Xiao Wangshu held a faint smile at her lips, returning the curtsy, “Fifth Miss Mu, what a coincidence. It’s been some days since we parted at Mu Mansion.”

Xiao Fuguang glanced at Xiao Wangshu, then followed his sister’s lead, cupping his hands in greeting to Mu Xiaoxiao, “Fifth Miss Mu.”

Mu Xiaoxiao smiled gently, her clear apricot eyes full of apology as she spoke to Xiao Wangshu, “On the day of the Lotus Viewing Banquet, I truly don’t know how Fourth Sister Xiao fell into the water. It was really our Mu Mansion’s poor hospitality. Today, Fourth Sister Xiao must pick out some nice jewelry-please don’t be shy, let us express our apologies.”

“Fifth Miss Mu, you’re too polite. I actually don’t know how I ended up in the water myself. Usually my steps are steady, but that day at the banquet, I fell into the pond.”

Xiao Wangshu’s lips curled upward, her eyes unchanged.

Her words were half in jest, half serious. Xiao Fuguang stood quietly by, watching Mu Xiaoxiao’s reaction without interrupting.

“Well…” Mu Xiaoxiao was clearly taken aback by this, hesitating for a moment before asking, “Then does Fourth Sister Xiao remember who was nearby at the time?”

“Wait, let me think.” Xiao Wangshu suddenly smiled, then said, “Why don’t we go inside and think while we look around?”

“Oh! Yes, yes, that’s a good idea.” Mu Xiaoxiao raised her hand toward the entrance of Ruibao Pavilion. “It was my oversight. Please, both of you, come in.”

After saying this, she turned and instructed inside the shop, “Manager Li, brew some good tea for our honored guests.”

The manager of Ruibao Pavilion bent over repeatedly, responding “Yes,” and went off with the shop assistant to prepare tea.

Xiao Wangshu followed Mu Xiaoxiao inside, discreetly surveying the decor of Ruibao Pavilion, then glanced at the goods displayed on the counters.

They were indeed of high quality, worthy of the detailed descriptions in the book about Fifth Miss Mu.

“These are all small accessories from Jiangnan folk artisans. Compared to the rare jewels in the Chancellor’s Mansion, they’re certainly inferior. Is there anything here that catches Fourth Sister Xiao’s eye?”

Mu Xiaoxiao’s voice was soft and her manner humble, like a cloud that might scatter at a slightly stronger tone.

Moreover, her attitude toward Xiao Wangshu and Xiao Fuguang was so friendly that it didn’t seem like children of political rivals meeting, but rather childhood friends reuniting after a long time.

Xiao Wangshu picked up a filigree beaded lotus hairpin, fiddled with the jade beads on it, and said amiably, “Fifth Miss Mu, everything here is especially exquisite. I think they’re all quite nice.”
Mu Xiaoxiao smoothly picked up the conversation from the side: “As long as Fourth Miss Xiao doesn’t mind, you can take everything here back with you.”

Xiao Wangshu smiled. “I appreciate Fifth Miss Mu’s kindness, but there’s no need to take everything.”

After all, these were just some pieces of jewelry, nothing particularly valuable.

If she really took everything, it would look too greedy. How would people in the Capital view the young ladies of the Xiao Mansion, or the entire Xiao Mansion itself?

“Then let’s see which ones catch your eye, and we’ll pick out the best for you,” Mu Xiaoxiao said, beckoning to the shop assistants inside the store.

The assistants immediately understood, went upstairs, and brought down the finest items, laying them out before Xiao Wangshu for her to choose from.

Xiao Wangshu glanced at the items on the trays, picking through them as she spoke: “I remember that on the day of the banquet, it was very hot. I took two maids with me to the pondside to cool off, and sent them off midway to fetch some tea and pastries.”

Mu Xiaoxiao asked in a low voice, “And then?”

“And then?” Xiao Wangshu chuckled softly and continued, “Then someone pushed me from behind, and when I woke up, I was already lying in the Chancellor’s Mansion.”

“Sister!?” Xiao Fuguang, standing nearby, widened his eyes in shock.

Such an important matter-why hadn’t his sister mentioned it at home?

“How could that be?” Mu Xiaoxiao raised her hand to cover her mouth, her round apricot eyes filled with shock and fear.

After a moment, she lowered her hand, her voice trembling as she asked, “Is it true?”

Xiao Wangshu nodded calmly. “Of course it’s true. Why would I lie to you about something like this?”

Xiao Wangshu lowered her gaze, as if recalling the events, and then spoke slowly: “After I fell into the water, I vaguely saw that the person was wearing a dress of blue and white. The figure was slender, so it should have been a woman. The force she used to push me wasn’t strong; it was just that I was standing too close to the edge of the pond and fell in.”

“A woman in blue and white?” Mu Xiaoxiao looked around the shop, growing even more flustered.

“Blue and white are popular colors in summer. Not to mention, my shop is full of blue and white dresses. At the banquet that day, there were quite a few young ladies and maids wearing those colors as well.”

This meant that, based on the few details Xiao Wangshu remembered, it would be difficult to identify the culprit.

Xiao Wangshu nodded, then looked around as well.

As she looked, she suddenly pointed.

“That one.”

Mu Xiaoxiao was stunned. “What?”

“I mean that dress-it looks very much like what that person was wearing,” Xiao Wangshu explained.

Mu Xiaoxiao followed her gaze, growing even more alarmed as she looked from the dress to Xiao Wangshu, as if she wanted to say something but didn’t dare.

“Fifth Miss Mu, did something come to mind?” Xiao Fuguang asked.

Mu Xiaoxiao looked troubled, but finally answered, “A few days ago, Third Miss Pan Jin from the Minister of Works’ family bought a similar dress from my shop.”

Xiao Wangshu nodded slightly, then asked, “Pan Jin-if I remember correctly, she was also wearing a blue and white dress at the banquet that day, wasn’t she?”

Mu Xiaoxiao hesitated, but after thinking for a moment, she finally nodded.

Xiao Wangshu was asking with such certainty-she must have seen Pan Jin, or at least Pan Jin’s back, when she fell into the water. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so sure about the blue and white dress.

Since Xiao Wangshu had already asked so directly, dodging the question would make it seem like she was covering for Pan Jin.

Pan Jin was just the daughter of a Minister of Works, not someone worth protecting.

Besides, even if Pan Jin was exposed, it wouldn’t implicate her. She had only sent a maid to chat with Pan Jin for a bit.

If Pan Jin acted out of jealousy and harmed someone, what did that have to do with her?