There were so many young ladies and masters present. Not only was the crown prince of Yan Kingdom present, so was the First Prince of Yan Kingdom, the Mind Duke’s son, and the son of the Military Minister… All of these people were not to be trifled with. Even the noble prince of Yan Kingdom was involved in the disappearance of a mere hairpin. The Ding General Manor would gain many enemies because of this. Ling Fengyan would not do something so stupid, and she would not dare to either.
However, she was already forced into a corner. If she did not check, then Ling Rui’er trying to force Mo Xuetong into a corner would look suspicious. Were they just targeting Princess Anping?
“It is just a mere hairpin. Forget it!” Ling Fengyan said with a smile. Her eyes darkened.
“Second Miss Ling is wrong. All the young ladies here are either wealthy or noble. None of them can take this blow to their reputation. Since Second Miss Ling’s hairpin has really gone missing, it is best to check carefully lest the young masters and ladies present here be pointed at by others after this. It is not very meaningful, is it? Second Miss Ling, please prove our innocence.” Mo Xuetong said with a slight smile. Her smile was as gentle was flowing waters. She seemed even more innocent than Ling Fengyan and her eyes were like pools of water in autumn. It was as if she was truly being considerate towards everyone present.
Bai Yihao’s beautiful lips curled upwards.
Ling Fengyan was forced into a corner and could not speak. Behind her, Ling Rui’er grew anxious. She pushed Ling Fengyan aside and said, “It is just a hairpin. The Ding General Manor can afford to lose it. Your Highness…”
Before she could finish her sentence, something suddenly fell from her sleeve and onto the ground. It shone a brilliant red and there was a golden flash beneath that. The red was brilliant and the yellow was stunning.
“It is a hairpin!”
“It’s Second Miss Ling’s hairpin. Why is it with Third Miss Ling?”
“Didn’t they say they lost it? Was it intentional?” Someone had a sudden epiphany and looked at the hairpin in Ling Rui’er’s hand and then at the hairpin on the ground. “They are obviously a pair!”
Ling Rui’er was completely shocked. She stared at the hairpin on the ground and then at the hairpin in her hand.
“Third Miss Ling, the hairpin is obviously with you. Why did you keep pressing Her Highness and insisted that she took it? Did you guys hide it intentionally to frame Her Highness?” Mo Ye’s reaction was quick as well and she pointed at the hairpin on the ground. She said to Ling Rui’er, “No wonder you kept refusing when Her Highness asked you all to check. So…”
“Framing a royal princess is as good as framing the royal family. Second Miss Ling, Third Miss Ling. The two of you are gutsy!” There was an odd and loud mocking laughter. It was from Li Youmo.
Ling Fengyan was so embarrassed that she could not say anything when she saw the hairpin on the ground. She flushed and paled. Even though she was usually wittier than most, she could not say anything right now.
Ling Rui’er was even more shocked. She looked down at the hairpin that seemed to be mocking her and listened to the sarcastic jibes made at her. Then, she looked up to see the look of disdains the other young ladies gave her. She quickly paled and then glanced at Mo Xuetong’s smiling face. She turned to look at Consort Yu and suddenly raised her hand and said urgently, “Consort Yu, it’s you, right?”
She thought of how Consort Yu had taken the hairpin and said that she was going to frame Mo Xuetong with it. Then, the hairpin had appeared in her sleeve for no reason and she had been caught by many. Ling Rui’er could not control her anger and she pointed at Consort Yu.
“I, I didn’t…” Consort Yu was panicking as well. She clearly remembered putting the hairpin in Mo Xuetong’s hair. Why was it different now? And now, Ling Rui’er had another hairpin. She looked up at Mo Xuetong. The smile on Mo Xuetong’s innocent face seemed to hold a hint of mocking.
“How can it not be you? You…” Ling Rui’er had lost all her wits after being aggravated. She glared at Consort Yu and spoke hatefully, refusing to back down.
Ling Fengyan saw that the situation was not right and she quickly pulled Ling Rui’er back. Ling Rui’er stumbled backward and almost fell.
“I’m sorry everyone. My third sister and I made a mistake today. We searched for the hairpin but did not find it earlier and my third sister thought we lost it. That was why… I did not expect that the hairpin to have been caught in my third sister’s sleeve. It is a misunderstanding.” Then, she curtsied to everyone with an apologetic expression.
“Forget it since it was a misunderstanding. It is just a hairpin and was no big deal anyway.” You Yuecheng said lightly after he took a step forward. He wanted to watch the show from the side but did not expect the sly girl to escape like that. The two young ladies from the Ling family had fallen into the trap instead.
As someone from the Third Prince’s faction, he was naturally on the Ding General Manor’s side. He would of course step out to diffuse the situation.
“His Excellency is right. It is just a small matter. The Fifth Princess’ banquet is about to start. Let’s go together.” Bai Yichen also smiled and helped to diffuse the situation. He was going to marry the Fifth Princess and must not be on bad terms with the Empress’ family. It was not difficult for him to do them a favor this time.
“Since the matter has been resolved, I will take my leave.” Mo Xuetong said lightly. She looked at Consort Yu and Ling Fengyan with a deep silent gaze. There was an ambiguous smile on her lips that was very misleading.
Everyone present who was smart enough knew that Ling Fengyan and Ling Rui’er had tried to frame Mo Xuetong. Consort Yu had of course given Princess Anping the hairpin. Everyone said that Ling Fengyan was beautiful and gentle while Consort Yu was known to be virtuous. It seemed that that was all false.
Everyone sighed once more. Rumors were really not to be believed.
The two of them were obviously plotting and were vicious. They even dared to plot against a princess. It would do them well to stay far away from the two women. One would not know when they would be the ones they plotted against and one wouldn’t even know how one died.
“Since the matter has been made clear, then let’s go together.” Bai Yihao looked at Mo Xuetong with his beautiful eyes, expressing his concern.
“Many thanks, Sir Bai, for your kind intentions. But I suddenly remembered that the present mother meant to give Fifth Princess is in Mingzhu Palace. I have to go and retrieve it.” Mo Xuetong refused decisively with a smile. Then, she curtsied and left in a different direction with Mo Ye.
Ling Fengyan seemed gentle on the surface but was a vicious woman. Mo Xuetong felt slightly confident going against her. However, against Bai Yihao, who was ruthless, Mo Xuetong knew she was no match for him. The only thing she could do was try to stay as far away from him as possible. In this way, she would not inadvertently become one of his chess pieces.
Just like what happened earlier, given Bai Yihao’s intelligence, how could he not tell what happened? Instead, he stood by the side and watched on. If she was not capable enough to escape the plot, he would not give her any help at all. That was because after what happened earlier, she would not hold the First Prince of Yan’s attention anymore. How could a woman of poor moral character be any match for the Fifth Princess?
She had only just managed to extricate herself from the situation and he was trying to be close with her again. She had her guard up against him.
“Fifth Brother, Princess Anping seemed not too pleased with you?” Bai Yichen could clearly see the annoyance and distant expression on Mo Xuetong so he naturally brought it up to mock Bai Yihao.
Bai Yihao continued to smile gently. He took a step forward and smiled lightly, saying, “She’s a girl who had been framed. Of course, she can’t keep it off her expression. Someone was able to put the hairpin in Third Miss Ling’s sleeve. All the experts in the palace are being used against women now.”
Consort Yu’s expression froze when she heard that. Her lips trembled and her face paled. Yet, she could not say anything.
Bai Yihao was clearly implying that she was the one who had secretly plotted the whole thing. The matter had started because she had given Mo Xuetong the hairpin but refused to admit it. She was the main instigator of the whole thing. However, Consort Yu could not say anything and she couldn’t even defend herself.
Bai Yihao was not any other man. Given his status and how he had said that, it was certain that he had already seen through everything. Even though he had not said anything earlier, everyone knew he had been watching. Now that he said something like that Consort Yu felt her entire body feeling week and she could not take another step.
The experts in the palace. How could an insignificant consort like her have the right to have experts in the palace? That meant that she had them secretly. As for why she had to have experts… Given Emperor Zongwen’s character, he would not really dote on her that much. When Consort Yu thought back to what her little brother had done and how Emperor Zongwen had berated her and gave her the shoulder, as well as how the other consorts spoke to her coldly, Consort Yu felt her heart sinking.
If someone else were to talk about this, the other consorts who had never liked her would strike her when she was already down. Secretly having experts in the palace was a death sentence. It would cause her entire family to be beheaded…
She continued this line of thought… Consort Yu did not dare to continue thinking. Her limbs were cold and sweat beaded on her forehead. She ignored what the Ling sisters were saying and hurried toward the palace with her palace maids. She had to tell His Majesty about what happened before anyone else did. She had to make things clear, otherwise…
Being able to have Emperor Zongwen’s affections while hanging around the Empress Dowager meant that Consort Yu was not a simple person!
“Second Sister, look, she is indeed feeling guilty.” Ling Rui’er was just about to pull Consort Yu back and ask her to explain herself. However, Consort Yu had hurried to the palace without saying anything else. Ling Rui’er was so angry she stomped her feet.
“Rui’er, that’s enough!” The crowd had already left. Ling Fengyan’s expression cooled and she said angrily, “Have you not made enough trouble today? Who do you think you are to meddle in the business of the consorts of the palace? Should Consort Yu tell you where she wants to go?!”
“But she…” Ling Rui’er said, feeling aggrieved.
“Shut up!” Ling Fengyan was so angry she was trembling. She reached out and slapped Ling Rui’er in the face forcefully.
“Second Sister, you…” Ling Rui’er did not expect her Second Sister who always doted on her to hit her like that. She put her hand on her face and her eyes turned red.
“Do you know where we are? We are in the palace. It is where the Emperor and his consorts live! Who are you? You are the young miss of the Ding General Manor. You are just the daughter of a subordinate. What rights do you have to rebuke a consort and meddle in her affairs? If you don’t wish to live anymore, don’t drag me down with you.” Ling Fengyan gritted her teeth and scolded her softly and angrily.
She was truly angry. This was actually no big deal. As long as they admit that they were wrong, what could Mo Xuetong do? At most, they just had to apologize. However, Ling Rui’er words had implicated Consort Yu. Coupled with what happened to Consort Yu earlier, this matter became a joined plot on theirs and Consort Yu’s part. They looked like they had worked together to frame Mo Xuetong.
This almost caused trouble they could not deal with!
Consort Yu might be punished but would they be any better off being known as Consort Yu’s fellow plotters?! She was about to marry King Chu. If something like that happened, she might not be able to marry King Chu. Ling Fengyan would not be contented with that.
As such, even though Ling Fengyan had always been composed, she could not keep the gentleness on her face. She said viciously, “Don’t embarrass yourself here today. Go home!”
Then, she turned around to say to Ling Rui’er’s maid coldly, “Go, and take Third Miss home. She is sick.”
“Yes!” The two maids did not dare to say anything else. They half helped and half pulled Ling Rui’er home. Ling Rui’er’s eyes were red and she held a hand to her face.
Ling Fengyan composed herself when she saw Ling Rui’er being taken away. An elegant smile appeared on her face once more. She sat behind the ancient Qin and waved her hand, gently caressing the Qin. Immediately, a soulful tune sounded. The girl beneath the tree was once more beautiful and elegant, overshadowing the beautiful peach blossoms on the tree.
Mo Xuetong remained unscathed after what happened. Given the Fifth Princess’ character, she would not be able to bear this and would make trouble for Mo Xuetong again. If she went over now, she would become the Fifth Princess’ weapon. However, the Fifth Princess can’t use the Ding General Manor as she pleased. The Fifth Princess wanted to take a back seat and have Rui’er act but she had to be capable of that first.
A princess who was about to be married out of the kingdom was not as valuable as someone who was about to become a consort. So what if she was born into the royal family? One had to marry well!
