Mo Xuetong glared at Bai Yihao’s retreating back until he disappeared completely. She only regained her calmness then. She lifted a corner of her skirt and entered Mo Huawen’s study. Mo Huawen was sitting in his study. He was smiling and seemed to be in a good mood. When he saw Mo Xuetong entering, he waved at her and gestured for her to approach.
What did Bai Yihao tell her father earlier to make him so happy?
Learning the Qin? She would not believe that, of course.
“Learning the Qin?” Mo Xuetong looked at Mo Huawen incredulously and with wide eyes and repeated that.
“That’s right. I did not expect Sir Bai to think that you have potential and would be good at the Qin. He came especially to invite Tong’er to learn the Qin. This is something unprecedented.” Mo Huawen laughed out loud and looked at his daughter’s dazed and adorable face. He could not help but reach out and touch her hair. He was in a very good mood.
Bai Yihao’s Qin classes were not something that anyone could attend if they wanted to. As a famous man in Qin Kingdom, Bai Yihao’s skill at the Qin was just as great as his medicinal skill. Even though he was amazing at medicine, this did not attract any attention from the girls. His skill at the Qin though, was something elegant, and the noble ladies in the capital all admired him for it.
The noble ladies all wished to study the Qin under Bai Yihao. However, Bai Yihao had never cared for this. As such, the ladies all pleaded with their fathers, but the officials had no way to ask the noble Bai Yihao to teach them. As such, they all got their wives to bring their daughters to plead with the Empress Dowager.
This annoyed Bai Yihao even more so, and in the end, having had his hand forced by the Empress Dowager, he decided to teach the noble ladies for a month in spring every year. However, he only taught a few of them. Those who wanted to learn from him had to first pass a test set by him. He would only teach them if they had talent.
They could only learn from him if he considered them talented. No matter what, this matter would increase their status by manyfold. Furthermore, being able to learn the Qin from Bai Yihao, who was ethereal and like a fairy, would make the other ladies envious of them. The ladies all attended Bai Yihao’s test, but only one in ten could pass it.
“Father, Tong’er’s musical skills are decent and I don’t need to learn it from Sir Bai. Furthermore, men and women should not be in close contact. It is not right for him to teach me the Qin personally.” Mo Xuetong pouted secretly. However, she kept a smile on her face as she objected to the idea.
“Relax, Sir Bai is noble and elegant. He is like the clouds in the sky. He teaches several girls, and they are all from noble families. They are all musical and everyone would think that this is something elegant. Even the Princess is learning the Qin from him. Sir Bai had never invited anyone to his class personally. You can get to know some noble ladies of the capital in his class. This is great. I have already agreed on your behalf. You will go to learn the Qin when the year starts. I will get you an instrument and everything you need.” Mo Huawen laughed happily, unable to hide his joy.
“This is a rare opportunity! Sir Bai is too kind! I will take you to Sir Bai’s and thank him personally!”
Mo Xuetong could not say anything else when she saw how happy Mo Huawen was. Furthermore, he had already agreed, and it would be hard to make any changes. Anyway, they still had to wait for Spring of next year, and that was still a month or two away. So many things could change then, so she would not defy her father right now. Furthermore, she understood Mo Huawen’s intentions and she was very touched.
It was true that he really cared for her. He was afraid that she would not be able to assimilate into the noble ladies’ social circle and that she would be ostracised by them. However, she had never experienced such deep love her father had for her in her past life.
“Yes, I will listen to you, Father.” She was not insistent on objecting. She poked out her tongue and smiled obediently.
“You naughty girl!” Mo Huawen’s heart softened when he saw how adorable and active his daughter was, and he scolded her with a smile.
“Father, look, this is a letter Second Uncle gave me to pass to you. He said that I had to give it to you when you are alone. I wonder what he was so secretive about. He won’t allow me to look and the seams of the letter are stuck so firmly.” Mo Xuetong laughed and changed the topic. She took out the letter Luo Bin gave her to Mo Huawen. She looked as if she was reluctant to give it to Mo Huawen and pouted her tiny lips.
Mo Huawen was startled. He took the letter and his expression grew slightly grave. However, he seemed as if he was afraid to let Mo Xuetong see it. He put the letter away casually and smiled at Mo Xuetong, saying, “Your grandmother is here. Remember to greet her later!”
Mo Xuetong discovered the trace of darkness deep down in his eyes. It was as if there was a flash of sadness through them. Even though he sat there with his back straight and tall, it made one feel as if he was old and wizened.
Was it because of the letter?
However, since Mo Huawen did not say anything, she could not ask about it.
“Grandmother is here? Did she come today?” She asked with a smile, changing the topic as what Mo Huawen did.
“She came last night, but she might only leave after the New Year. Go and see her since you just came back. Your cousin Xueyan is here too. The two of you can keep each other company. Go on.” Mo Huawen ordered with a smile. He was afraid that she might not recognize Mo Xueyan who had just come and mentioned it especially.
“Alright, Father, then I will take my leave now.” Mo Xuetong smiled and stood up. She had only taken a few steps when she suddenly turned around. Her smile faded and she scrunched up her nose unhappily at Mo Huawen, saying, “Father, it’s so cold and your study is really cold. Get the servants to make this place warmer, of I’ll be unhappy.”
Then, she looked at Mo Huawen adorably.
“Alright, I will get them to heat up the room.” Mo Huawen said with a smile. He watched his daughter leave the study with a satisfied and gentle smile. Then, he picked up the letter he had placed beside him earlier and opened it. He frowned as he read, his expression growing colder and colder.
Mo Lan had long been waiting at the eves. She handed Mo Xuetong a heated stove to hold and then carefully helped her onto the snow-covered ground. It had stopped snowing, and only a few stray snowflakes were still swirling in the air, on the branches, leaves and fake mountains. There was a light layer of snow by the lake banks. It made the lake look like it was wearing clothes of white jade.
Weather like this was common in the capital. The snow today was not heavy. Even though the snowflakes were considered large, but only a few stray snowflakes fell from time to time, in a short period of time. Even though it looked heavy, it could not make a thick layer of snow. But this was good, for the servants sweeping up the snow did not have to put in too much effort in cleaning up.
The gardens were covered with white snow. It gave a cold impression. Mo Xuetong trod on the path in the garden, thinking about her father’s calmness despite his smile, and the darkness in his eyes. Even though he was smiling on the surface, it did not reach his heart. What was in that letter? Why did her father’s expression change immediately after receiving her Second Uncle’s letter before he even opened it?
She did not know if her father and Second Uncle had any dealings with each other in her past life. She was focused only on her own pain then and did not notice anything else that happened around her. Now that she thought about it, she had not just missed out on a little. Why had her Second Uncle given her father a letter so secretively? And why did her father’s expression grow into one of nervousness, coldness and pain? It made her feel sad and cold.
Her father’s smile was forced then.
Why did her father, who had no dealings with her Second Uncle on surface, behave so? Was their relationship not as distant as she thought?
She had not cared about these matters in her past life. Even when she died, she did not feel that there was anything going on between her father and Second Uncle. The relationship between the Luo and Mo families grew icy cold especially after her father took Auntie Fang as his wife. Her First Uncle had even made things difficult for Mo Huawen at Mo Xuetong’s wedding. He placed her mother’s altar plaque at the highest spot while Auntie Fang could only hold back her tears as she stood at a lower spot and bowed. It had embarrassed her father greatly.
Mo Xuetong suddenly stopped.
There seemed to be a thread that tied the Mo and Luo manor together since her mother’s death.
Her mother’s death, her father’s sudden distaste for her. The fate of a few senior maids and the man in black in her mother’s room. The abandoned courtyard from which her mother’s room could be seen. Her Second Uncle’s letter, her father’s expression…
What was she missing!
She frowned and returned to her courtyard silently and sat down in her room. She called Mo He, who was kneeling beneath the eves. She did not say anything else but told her to go and think whether she wanted to stay or leave. It was up to her. Mo He returned to her room crying. A few maids wanted to speak on her behalf, but they did not say anything in the end when they saw Mo Xuetong’s cold expression.
After cleaning up, Mo Xuetong brought Mo Yu and Mo Ye to visit her Second Grandmother.
Her grandmother was not really Mo Huawen’s mother, but his Second Mother. She was Mo Huawen’s father’s concubine. It was said that the old madam was very capable. Mo Huawen and Mo Huayan’s father had died early, and his mother had died when he was really young.
The old madam had raised them with difficulty. She treated Mo Huawen just like how she treated her own son. Whatever Mo Huyan had, Mo Huawen had as well. The young Mo Huawen was very grateful for that. Later, Mo Huawen became a court official while Mo Huayan went into business. The old madam went to live with her biological son so she continued to stay in their old family home.
Even though they did not live together, Mo Huawen was still very grateful to the old madam. When he heard that Mo Huawen and his family might move into the capital after the New Year, he invited the old madam over early so that the whole family could celebrate the New Year together.
Mo Xuetong had only seen the old madam when she married Sima Lingyun. She was the one who had come up and taken the place as Mo Xuetong’s elder, laughing heartily as she moved her mother’s altar plaque away, to resolve the awkwardness. That was also how she stopped her father, who had then already become a second grade officer, from being embarrassed before everyone.
Mo Xuetong had seen Auntie Fang being pushed into a corner by her First Uncle, but she did not say anything. She only felt unhappy and thought that her First Uncle had embarrassed Auntie Fang. Mo Xuemin had even come up to her and told her about how sad Auntie Fang was. She said that Auntie Fang had raised her but she could not even take a seat during her wedding. Mo Xuetong had fought with her First Uncle because of this.
Now that she thought about it, she felt that her First Uncle had meant well. Even though he was reckless, he loved her mother very much. He was the only one who had thought of her mother and hoped that she could see Mo Xuetong’s bliss. However, she had not understood her First Uncle then and was mad at him for creating trouble.
She wondered if her mother would be sad when she saw how Mo Xuetong had grown distant from her mother’s family.
She arrived at the old madam’s courtyard. A servant went to report her arrival. However, the old madam sat in her seat and spoke to Mo Xuetong lukewarmly and told her to leave. When she left she heard joyful laughter coming from inside. It was her cousin, Mo Xueyan’s voice. She had made the old madam so happy she was laughing loudly.
After all, they were grandmother and granddaughter. This was understandable.
After returning to her courtyard, Mo Lan helped her to undo her cape and said, “Miss, Nanny Ming is here.”
“Why is she here?” Mo Xuetong asked in surprise. She had only sent someone to ask Nanny Ming but did not send for her.
“She said that Old Sir had ordered it. She was Madam’s nursemaid. It’s not right for her to stay alone in Cloud City in her old age.”
“Invite Nanny Ming over tomorrow. I have something to ask her.”
