Everyone in the Mo Manor was startled early in the morning!
It was said that a huge fuss was made over the matter. There was a thief in the manor last night who had entered Auntie Fang’s Lihua Garden and almost hurt Auntie Fang. Then, Old Sir had brought servants and rushed over to the garden and chased the thief away. However, for some reason, Old Sir had been so angry he dealt with a few of the maids and servants who served Auntie Fang. It was said that it was because they had not done a good job.
There were a few people who had guessed that it would not be a major problem for Auntie Fang to become the main wife since Old Sir liked her so much.
However, it did not seem like it now. Old Sir had ruthlessly dealt with the people serving Auntie Fang and sent her some people who did not look like servants. Instead, they looked more like guards. The new people did not look friendly and they were all tough and looked like they were not to be trifled with.
As Auntie Fang’s daughter, Mo Xuemin was truly perplexed by the incident at Lihua Garden. On the other hand, she also wanted to pretend to be filial and show how gentle and gracious she was in front of other people. As such, she hurried towards Lihua Garden after receiving the news. She even met Mo Xueqiong on the way there.
Mo Xueqiong had kept a low profile ever since the falling out with Mo Xuemin. Even though the incident with the Duke’s manor had come to an end, she felt more and more dissatisfied as time passed. She felt that she would have been a main wife if she had not become Mo Xuemin’s scapegoat. She would not have become a concubine.
As such, both her tone and attitude were bad when she met Mo Xuemin and even made a few sarcastic jibes at her.
Mo Xuemin was not in the mood to waste time with the idiot and only exchanged a few distant sentences with her before heading to Lihua Garden. When she arrived at Lihua Garden, she found that it was very much different. The two female servants guarding the door were now very large with wide shoulders and hulking figures. There were even two more nannies down the hallway. Even though Nanny Li, Gui Yue, and Gui Hua were still around, they all looked fearful.
It seemed unbecoming.
When she entered, Auntie Fang was still lying in bed. Her hair was all over the place and her eyes were red and swollen when Gui Yue helped her up. It was evident that she had been crying and had not slept well.
“Auntie, what’s wrong? Why are you so worried? You are still pregnant with father’s child, so why are you so uncaring?” Mo Xuemin sat by the bed and looked gentle and concerned.
“It is not that I do not care, but your father does not.” Auntie Fang’s face was pale and she retorted angrily while crying.
She still did not know what happened. Mo Huawen had charged through her door angrily last night and searched the entire place. He had not even let the bed go and in the end, he had even taken the pouch with the seal. Then, he had left without saying a single word. He brought along two second-class maids and a managing nanny with him when he left.
Then, he sent a few thick-waisted female servants over in the middle of the night. It made one feel unsettled no matter how they looked at it.
Especially the two women standing under the eaves. They only said that they were sent there by old sir and had given Nanny Li, Gui Hua, and Gui Yue a dressing down. Auntie Fang was furious and could not sleep well. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt and the more upset she was. She cried sadly and did not rest well at all.
When she heard Mo Xuemin’s question, she answered hoarsely and irritatedly.
“A thief has entered the manor and father barged in only because he was worried. Auntie, why don’t you wear more clothes while sleeping? It’s late in winter and you’re not worried about getting sick.” Mo Xuemin had found out from another channel that Auntie Fang was dressed scantily when her father had barged in after the thief. It was very inappropriate. She thought Mo Huawen was angry because of this and did not give it much thought. She only felt that Auntie Fang was being rather frivolous.
She was already pregnant but was still thinking about other things. How could others not look down on her!
She was after all a concubine and was ignorant and classless! She truly despised Auntie Fang! However, she still maintained an expression of faint concern on the surface. After all, she still needed Auntie Fang right now. Or perhaps, she should say, she needed the child Auntie Fang was carrying.
Her words made Auntie Fang flush and annoyed. She said angrily to Mo Xuemin, “Is this something a daughter should say to her mother? Everyone wears less clothing when they sleep at night. It is more comfortable and one would not be exposed easily. How has it annoyed your father and you?”
“Auntie, don’t be angry. Min’er is just saying what she has to. Since the situation has already become like this, your plans should be different from before! You have already been given a chance.” Mo Xuemin seemed gracious but was actually asking about the suggestion she had given previously. Auntie Fang could not do anything to Mo Xuetong and could only use the child in her belly to seek what she desired.
Auntie Fang shivered and covered her stomach subconsciously. She had not slept the entire night and her face was pale and sickly. Her lips trembled slightly and she could not say the vicious words. After all, it was still her child and she really could not bear to lose it.
“Auntie, sleep again later and rest well. Don’t make me and father worry. What happened yesterday is already in the past. You have to look forward. The futures of Elder Brother and I are all in your hands. Nothing must happen to you!” Mo Xuemin covered her face with a handkerchief and looked to be very sad. However, she warned Auntie Fang with her icy cold eyes.
If she wanted this child, she would lose Mo Xuemin and Mo Yufeng. She would leave it up to Auntie Fang!
“Alright, up to you!” Auntie Fang replied through gritted teeth.
Auntie Fang thought about it the entire night and decided to give up the child in her belly. She had only suffered so badly yesterday because she was a concubine. Min’er was right. She could still have children in the future. But if she did not become the main wife and Mo Huawen married another, she, Min’er, and Feng’er would become a sting in someone else’s eye and flesh.
Furthermore, she felt resentful. All her years of planning were almost successful. But in the end, she realized that someone else was reaping the fruit of her labor. It was the thing she could not accept the most. She had been hesitant earlier because she truly could not bear to lose the child. However, it was just a child, she could afford to lose it for her future status.
She was even thinking that Mo Huawen would definitely feel bad and guilty if she lost the child. It would get rid of the affection Mo Huawen has for Mo Xuetong as well. It was killing two birds with one stone, so why not.
Mo Xuemin already knew that Auntie Fang would agree. She was selfish and vicious and all the things she had done previously was just an act on her part. She had never liked Auntie Fang and felt that she was a lowly concubine who was dragging her down. Now that she had achieved her goal, she did not stay for long either. She slipped a note into Auntie Fang’s hand while she helped her to adjust her blanket.
Her father had arranged for servants to guard this place, which meant that he was annoyed with Auntie Fang. She did not wish to earn Mo Huawen’s ire at this time. Disregarding what happened previously, while her father had not blamed her for it, he had not liked it when she visited Mo Huawen and was implicated for no reason. He had not visited her over the past few days.
How would she go against her father at this point in time for a concubine?
As such, she returned to her own courtyard without saying much to Auntie Fang.
In Qingwei Garden.
Mo Xuetong was truly ill.
She had already applied medicine on her wound and it was already healing. However, it had triggered an illness. Her body felt hot and cold and she laid in bed, unable to get up. Even if she got off from bed occasionally, she was also weak. She checked through even the dregs of the medicine sent to her but could not discover where the problem was. She was ill and weak but still went to greet the old madam. She did not leave her room to walk around at other times and only stayed in Qingwei Garden.
Without Mo Xuemin and Mo Xueqiong to disturb her, her days were considered peaceful.
“Mo Ye, where did you get this incense? Is it different from the usual ones?” Mo Xuetong put down the handkerchief in her hand and looked at Mo Ye, who had just entered, covered in snow. The weather was bad lately and would snow from time to time. The snowflakes landed on a person, large and distinct. The snow was melted by the warm air when Mo Ye entered.
Mo Ye patted off the snow from herself and brought the incense in her hand to Mo Xuetong, handing it to her. She said softly, “Miss, His Highness said that there is a problem with this incense.”
This was the only possibility that Mo Xuetong had thought of, which was why she had sent Mo Ye to Feng Yuran to get him to help take a look.
“Is it poisonous?” Mo Xuetong took the incense and looked at it. The incense was of average length and was not much different from the ones she usually used. Even the scent was very refreshing and was the type of incense she liked. It was cold in winter but the room was warm. She very much liked this type of faint fragrance and had always been using it.
“His Highness said that there is a fragrance in this that would interact with a medication that you are taking. It would make you drowsy, but would otherwise not harm you. However, there is also musk in this.” Mo Ye stood in front of her with her back to her. She was focused on the yard and only replied softly when she heard that there were people talking in the yard and no one was paying attention to them.
It would not harm her, so why have they given it to her? She did not believe that Mo Xuemin would do something that was so useless. Furthermore, there was also the scent of musk that was useless to her. The only use of that substance would probably hurt only that vicious Auntie Fang. But Auntie Fang would not go to her room.
What did Mo Xuemin plan to do! Mo Xuetong looked down, blinking her lively eyes. She could not understand right then and only felt that Mo Xuemin would not do something in vain. There must be a connection in here somewhere!
“Miss, will you still light the incense?”
“Yes!” Why not, since someone had already schemed, she would let them continue with it.
Fortunately, Mo Xuetong’s symptom of weakness disappeared after a few days. Mother Xu and the others could relax. However, Mo Xuetong was still wary and even went to the General’s Manor to invite Luo Wenyou over. Luo Wenyou brought with him many herbs because she was ill. The amount of herbs he brought filled up an entire carriage, making Mo Xueqiong harrumphed coldly several times when she saw it in the yard. She turned her back to them and returned to her carriage.
The days passed peacefully and it would be new year’s eve tonight! Auntie Mo and Auntie Qing who were in charge of matters in the manor were very busy over the past few days. It was the first major event since they started to work together to take charge of the household and they must not let others look down on them.
Auntie Fang had been very quiet recently too and had been very obedient. She would usually go to the old madam’s and greet her before walking around in her own courtyard. However, she had not gone against Auntie Mo and Auntie Qing again. It was as if she had truly given up the helm of the household to the two and was concentrating on the baby. Even the servants from her courtyard are more polite.
However, many could see that Mo Huawen seemed to be really annoyed with Auntie Fang for some reason. He had not gone to Lihua Garden again after that day. The servants in the outside courtyard gossiped that the usually prudent old sir had gotten drunk in his study last night and had vomited badly. He had not woken up the next day and only returned to normal after sleeping for a day and a night.
Even so, he had not stepped into Lihua Garden again!
