“I went to see Consort Zhao and was about to return to the manor.” Even though she did not like Feng Yuxuan, she still had to be polite. Mo Xuetong got up gracefully and replied. She lowered her long lashes to hide the coldness in her eyes. Feng Yuxuan had harmed her more than once and was still trying to trick her with his gentle exterior. It was a pity that she was not a stupid woman who could not learn from her mistakes.
“I am about to leave the palace as well. Let’s leave together!” Feng Yuxuan said softly.
“King Chu, please go ahead first. His Highness is still waiting for me in the palace. He asked me to wait in the gardens first and will leave with me once he is done.” Mo Xuetong’s voice was gentle and dulcet. Men and women should not be alone together. There was more than enough gossip in the palace. He was her husband’s brother while she was his brother’s wife. It was inappropriate for the two of them to travel together. Furthermore, Mo Xuetong did not think there was a need to go with Feng Yuxuan.
Ever since Feng Yuxuan plotted against Mo Xuetong, the two of them were on different sides.
“Eighth Brother has already left the palace. Does Consort Xuan not know?” Feng Yuxuan smiled softly. There was a glint of sharpness in his gentle eyes.
“He has something on and has left for a while. He will come to pick me up in the garden afterward.” Mo Xuetong covered her mouth and smiled lightly. Was he testing her? It was a pity, no matter whether Feng Yuran was in the palace or not, he would definitely pick her up once he found out that she was in the palace. As such, this lie would become truth later.
Feng Yuxuan smiled and moved forward without saying anything else. It meant that their conversation was over. Mo Xuetong smiled as well. She turned slightly and curtsied, maintaining the elegance that a consort had. The distance between the two was completely appropriate in terms of the royal family rules. There was not a hint of impoliteness.
Mo Xuetong did not really stay in the royal gardens to wait for Feng Yuran because she ran into him on her way there. He had rushed over, and when he saw that Mo Xuetong was fine, they left the palace together.
They returned to the palace and sat down. Before they could drink a sip of tea, Consort Zhao’s gifts arrived.
The eunuch who was delivering the gifts smiled even more respectfully when he saw that Feng Yuran was around. He put down the gifts and buttered up to Feng Yuran, “King Xuan, Your Highness, this is the tea Consort Xuan asked from Consort Zhao. There’s not much in the palace and His Majesty gave it to Our Lady. She sent it all here. Your Highness, shall I leave this in your study or should I leave it at Consort Xuan’s for you to drink it there later?”
The little eunuch was too smart for his own good and dared to make decisions for Feng Yuran. He said that Mo Xuetong had intentionally asked for the tea leaves. Anyone would give it to her because of who she was. It was not right if he did not put it at her courtyard. Mo Xuetong looked at the eunuch quietly. Her eyes flashed as she looked at the tea canister that the eunuch was holding carefully. The look in her eyes grew turbulent.
“Someone, come and put this at Consort Xuan’s.” Feng Yuran smiled lazily and waved his hand. “Tell Consort Zhao that I like it very much! Thank you, Consort Zhao.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Consort Zhao told me to say that you are welcome. You are family and there is no need to be so polite. I hope that Your Highness can visit Consort Zhao when you are free. She is alone in the palace after all and doesn’t have any family. You are her only kin.” The little eunuch was glib.
He not only spoke of Consort Zhao’s kind intentions toward Feng Yuran, he even pointed out the aunt and nephew relationship between the two. A hint of sarcasm appeared in Mo Xuetong’s eyes. This Consort Zhao did not let go of any chance to get closer to Feng Yuran.
“Alright, then please thank Consort Zhao on behalf of me. She is my aunt; how could I forget her?” Feng Yuran’s smile grew even more brilliant. The charming smile lit up his handsome face. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, seeming a little impatient. Everyone knew how arrogant he was. The little eunuch knew that it was time to leave. He knew that more haste, less speed.
“Yes, yes, yes. I will let the lady know.” The little eunuch placed the tea leaves in Mo Lan’s hand. Then, he bowed deeply and led the palace maids who had sent the gifts here away.
“Do you want to return to my courtyard together and see the gifts from Consort Zhao?” Mo Xuetong smiled gently and said meaningfully. Her gaze landed on the tea leaves in Mo Lan’s hand.
“Yes, of course, I have to take a good look at Consort Zhao’s goodwill.” Feng Yuran said. His expression was unreadable. He looked to the side, his eyes flashing.
“Your Highness, Minister Lian is here. He wants to ask you about the repairs to Qiming Pavilion.” A eunuch reported.
Qiming Pavilion was where a lot of lost classics were stored. Paintings of the previous Emperors of Qin were all stored there. This needed a lot of attention. Previously, the Ministry of Industry suggested that Qiming Pavilion should be rebuilt and that the roof should be repaired so that the precious paintings and books inside would not be damaged in wet weather.
Emperor Zongwen had handed this matter to Feng Yuran. It was understandable that the minister of the Ministry of Industry, Lian An, had come to find Feng Yuran to discuss this matter.
“Minister Lian is here only now?” Feng Yuran asked lazily as he tapped his fingers on the table.
“Yes, the minister just got off his carriage. He looks like he is in a rush.” The eunuch replied.
“Since Minister Lian is in such a hurry, I shall see what the rush is about.” Feng Yuran’s lips lifted slightly into a smile. He narrowed his eyes slightly and stood up lazily. Then, he said to Mo Xuetong, “Go in first. I will see what happened to the hurrying minister. Don’t drink the tea first. Wait for me to drink it together.”
Mo Xuetong did not say anything. She smiled and nodded. Then, she brought the servants to her courtyard.
After a long while, she heard that the prince and Minister Lian left in a hurry. They did not even have lunch in the manor. Mo Xuetong did not wait for Feng Yuran. She got the servants to prepare a light lunch and had a little food. She drank her medicine and took a nap.
When she woke up, she saw a hazy figure beside her. It was Feng Yuran. She did not know what time he came back. He was lying beside her on his side, playing with her long hair. The long hair landed on her face. It was soft and itchy.
“Did the minister leave?” Mo Xuetong yawned lazily and pushed away his naughty hands.
Feng Yuran’s voice grew gentle subconsciously as he looked at Mo Xuetong’s beautiful face. He smiled and said, “There was a collapse at Qiming Pavilion. The Ministry of Industry said that the roof is too old and has not been fixed in a long while. Some of the treasures have to be moved. Lian An came to invite me to watch the works being done.”
The portraits of the past Emperors and ancient classics being moved had to be watched by someone of status. Lian An knew that he was not powerful enough and that he should invite Feng Yuran to be present. However, it was such a coincidence.
“This Minister Lian is an intelligent man!” Mo Xuetong said with a smile. The man knew to invite Feng Yuran to witness the move. Even if there were portraits or classics that go missing in the future, the blame can be pushed on to Feng Yuran. He was a smart man.
Feng Yuran reached out to embrace her. He replied, “If he is not smart, he would not be able to become a minister in his 30s. He is the youngest minister of the six ministries.”
“Oh, this Minister Lian is so young. Was he the number one scholar? Or was he from a noble family?” Mo Xuetong asked curiously. All the ministers were very old. Being able to become a minister while still in one’s 30s was not easy. If he were not from a noble family, then only a young scholar would be given such an important task by the Emperor.
“Minister Lian is not a number one scholar nor is he from a noble family. He is just the son of a rich merchant family in Jiangnan.” Feng Yuran’s eyes suddenly sparkled as he answered with a smile.
“Oh, to think that there is such a thing. This minister is not simple.” Mo Xuetong blinked her lively eyes as she spoke meaningfully. She suddenly looked up and asked, “Consort Zhao is from the He family. However, I looked at the He sisters, and the only resemblance is in their eyes.”
If they really wanted to talk about family resemblances, He Yufen and Consort Zhao did not look alike at all. He Yuxiu, on the other hand, had eyes that were somewhat similar to Consort Zhao’s.
Furthermore, even though the He sisters were beautiful, they were only above average. Their beauty could not compare to Consort Zhao’s. Feng Yuran also said that Consort Zhao resembled her mother, Consort Xian a lot. That did not make sense.
They were blood-related but did not look alike. However, Consort Zhao and Consort Xian, who were not related, looked very similar.
“I don’t know where the He family found a woman who looks so much like my mother.” Feng Yuran harrumphed coldly. A flash of sharpness glinted in his eyes.
“Do you want to look at Consort Zhao’s things? Like those tea leaves that I supposedly asked for to please you and got after much difficulty?” Mo Xuetong’s eyes glowed and she changed the topic. She did not want Feng Yuran to sense her intentions. She had to find out the truth before he did.
Then, she was about to get up. However, she had only just got up when she shook and fell backward onto Feng Yuran. Fortunately, he moved fast and caught her. He said, “Tong’er, do you miss me?” Seeing Mo Xuetong so reliant on him, he smiled so hard that his charming eyes were practically a line.
Mo Xuetong pouted and pushed him away. She pointed at her skirts pitifully to say that he was lying on her clothes.
Feng Yuran looked at where she was gesturing but did not move. Instead, he hugged her even tighter and with even more strength. Then, he let go and pulled her up. The two of them straightened out their clothes before going to see the tea leaves that Consort Zhao gave them.
The tea leaves were placed in a box. When they opened it, a light fragrance permeated the air. It was indeed good tea.
Feng Yuran looked at it carefully and then put the tea leaves down. He called out to the servants outside, “Come in.”
“Yes, I am here.” The eunuch guarding outside entered immediately upon hearing Feng Yuran’s summons.
“Take this and check what is inside.” Feng Yuran said lightly.
“Yes.” The eunuch picked up the box and left respectfully.
“What do you suspect is inside?” Mo Xuetong raised her eyebrows and smiled, glancing at Feng Yuran from the corners of her eyes.
Feng Yuran pulled Mo Xuetong to the windows and opened the windows even wider, allowing the wind to enter. It also blew away the light fragrance of the tea leaves. He said, “Don’t bring these unsafe things in in the future. Who knows what’s inside?”
“What do you think is inside?” Mo Xuetong asked with a sweet smile when she heard the concern in his voice.
“It has to be something that will harm us. I did not expect Consort Zhao to not be able to bear it so soon after she was released. She’s been locked up deep in the palace for so many years and lived a lonely life for so many years. It did not make her any smarter.” Feng Yuran smirked. There was a sinister glint in his eyes. He sat down and pulled Mo Xuetong into his embrace.
Mo Xuetong smiled lightly. She poked out her tongue cheekily and said, “Consort Zhao is really your aunt. She is so considerate of you and even hinted that I should bring your cousin into the manor. The He family seems to be informed. Otherwise, they would not have changed Yu Mingyong’s bride to He Yuxiu. I did not expect the He family to become so powerful so soon after arriving at the capital. They even plotted against Yu Mingyong.”
No family would agree to a change in the bride right before the wedding. However, the Yu family had agreed because Yu Mingyong had been found in a compromising situation. The He family found out about it coincidentally. It was already good that they did not break off the engagement. The He family only changed the bride. There was no clash and some might even feel that the He family was too kind.
The He family had plotted well. They could butter up the pregnant Consort Yu while also exchanging for Her Yufen so that they could prepare her to be sent to King Xuan’s Manor.
King Xuan’s Manor was not any other manor. He Yuxiu, whose reputation was ruined, was a useless chess piece. However, she would become useful again after marrying Yu Mingyong.
“If Consort Zhao does this again, tell her that I don’t like He Yufen.” Feng Yuran suddenly smiled. He looked at Mo Xuetong’s pouty lips and kissed it. Then, he turned to bite her ears gently and said, “Don’t worry. No matter who says anything like this, just push it all to me. Can they force me to like or not like someone?”
Mo Xuetong flushed and pushed him away with her hand. She said cutely, “Go tell her that yourself.”
