“They are just little girls who do not know better. Since you are all family, Consort Xuan, be the bigger person and forget about it.” Someone said with a laugh, trying to mediate the situation.
Everyone turned to see that there was a woman in her 20s standing beside the He sisters, who were looking very awkward. The woman had a smile on her beautiful face. Her face was round and pleasant looking.
She was the wife of the Minister of the Ministry of Works, Lian An. She had entered together with the He sisters, which was why the two managed to get into the Qin Manor.
Lian An’s wife had always had a good reputation amongst the other wives. She was always gentle and kind and was also the wife of a first-grade official. Mo Xuetong could not treat her like how she treated the He sisters.
Mo Xuetong’s eyes glittered colorfully and held out a hand to stop Mo Yu from speaking. A gentle smile appeared on her pale face as she greeted the woman softly. “Madam, you are too serious. I did not mean to do this but His Highness ordered me to do so.”
Madam Lian was stunned. She was going to persuade Mo Xuetong with words on how a woman should be virtuous and gracious. However, she did not expect this to be an order from King Xuan. She did not know what to do. King Xuan was known to all to be arrogant and was not someone who could be easily persuaded.
“So this was an order from His Highness. I was mistaken.” Madam Lian had no choice but to admit defeat.
“It is no big matter. Madam Lain, I am going to visit my grandaunt. I shall take my leave now.” Mo Xuetong smiled gently and walked further into the manor with her two maidservants. It was as if she were going to overlook what the He sisters did because of Madam Lian.
Mo Xuetong walked further in and met some of the madams and young ladies she knew. They all greeted her politely. She was no longer the girl child who was of no importance when she first came to the capital from Cloud City. No one dared to make her unhappy because of King Xuan, Feng Yuran. He was a man no one could control.
Old Madam Qin was in her courtyard. When she heard Mo Xuetong coming, she hurriedly went out with the help of her maids. She was about to curtsy when she saw Mo Xuetong. However, Mo Xuetong was one step faster. She held Old Madam Qin up and said with a smile, “Grandaunt, why are you so polite? Tong’er is still Tong’er. If you had not protected Tong’er then, I would have long been dead.”
Mo Xuetong was not entirely being polite. Back then, Auntie Fang had wanted to kill her. If Mdm Yu had not been wary of Old Madam Qin, she would have been more vicious.
Mo Xuetong’s words brought great comfort to Old Madam Qin. She pulled Mo Xuetong into her courtyard and they started to chat.
The banquet was set up shortly. Lord Qin got a servant to inform Old Madam Qin. Mdm Yu also finally appeared then.
She walked up to Mo Xuetong’s side with a derisive smile and invited her to the banquet.
Mo Xuetong chatted briefly with her politely before leaving with Old Madam Qin.
The banquet was set up in the parlor. The large parlor was sectioned out using screens and men and women were seated on different sides. This was the most common banquet set up used in the Great Qin. It would make the banquet seem bustling while also adhering to etiquette.
At the banquet, the He sisters attempted fearfully to speak with Mo Xuetong. However, they were blocked by Mo Ye and could not approach Mo Xuetong.
A maid walked through the other maids serving dishes and hurried up to Mdm Yu. She spoke briefly into Mdm Yu’s ear. Then, Mdm Yu stood up suddenly, appearing to be shocked. However, she smoothed her expression quickly and turned to look at Mo Xuetong. She exhaled softly when she saw that Mo Xuetong was smiling and chatting with Madam Lian who was seated beside her.
She nodded to the maid and then told Old Madam Qin that she was going off before bringing her servants out with her.
Mo Xuetong turned to look beside her silently. Mo Ye understood and followed Mdm Yu.
Mdm Yu returned shortly and Mo Yu returned to Mo Xuetong’s side. She said something to Mo Xuetong who nodded with a slight smile.
Then, after a short while, Mo Xuetong said that it was a little stuffy. She then led Mo Ye and Mo Lan out.
After a few turns, they walked toward the inside of the Qin Manor. They came to a desolate and run-down courtyard. From the outside, it looked like a place to put odds and ends.
Mo Xuetong did not hesitate to push the door open. She entered the courtyard and walked into a relatively clean room. The blue flower-patterned curtains were lowered. She heard a sharp and vicious voice from inside saying, “Eldest sister, did the little slut drink that cup of wine? Quick, bring her here. I will kill her with my own hands to avenge Min’er.”
Mo Xuetong smiled slightly and lifted the curtains. “Auntie Fang, I fear you are going to be disappointed. I did not drink that cup of wine. Auntie, do you feel upset? However, if you have the time, you’d best be sad for yourself.”
There was a bed in the room. On the bed laid Auntie Fang. She was so skinny she looked almost inhumane. There were strands of white hair on her head and her eyes were sunken in. Her gaze looked deep and dark as if she were in hell. They were also very cold.
There had not been any news of Auntie Fang since she left. She had hidden at Mdm Yu’s.
“Little slut. You hurt Min’er and the child in my belly. You hurt Yu’er. What more do you want?” Auntie Fang glared at Mo Xuetong when she saw Mo Xuetong entering. She gritted her teeth viciously and her eyes were filled with anger and hate.
“Auntie, are you reminding me that I have not yet removed the source of the problem?” Mo Xuetong stood in front of the bed with a faint smile. She tutted as she looked at Auntie Fang. “Auntie Fang, you killed my mother and tried to take my life. Do you think that my mother and I should be stepping stones for you and Mo Xuemin and that we should die?!”
Mo Xuetong’s smile turned cold. The cutting pain of her past life surged up her chest. She would never forget the tiny body of her child growing cold in her embrace. She would never forget the tragic scene of Mother Xu and Mo Yu dying in front of her eyes. And she would never forget how she struggled in the flames while Mo Xuemin and Sima Lingyun watched on with mocking smiles.
“You all should die. You all should die. My Min’er is the legitimate eldest daughter while Yu’er is the future master of the Mo Manor. Your mother occupied the place as the legal wife but did not birth any sons for old sir. She should die.” Auntie Fang said, growing agitated. She seemed mad as she panted loudly holding on to the bed. Her eyes were filled with hatred and jealousy.
“It is a pity, Auntie, that you are going to lose. Do you want to know how Mo Xuemin died? I heard that she did not have a single good day since she married into the Duke’s Manor. Sima Lingyun did not really treat her as a legal wife. Oh, speaking of the child in your belly. Auntie, do you know why Father did not even try to protect you that day?” Mo Xuetong smiled. Her smile was gentle and there was not a single hint of anger in it.
She pulled a chair from the side and sat down on it. She seemed as if she were ready for a long conversation.
“Wh… why?” Even though Auntie Fang knew that Mo Xuetong was not going to have anything good to say, she still could not help but ask. Mo Huawen had not treated her kindly at all that day. Even though it was her fault that she miscarried, he had not pitied the child in her belly at all. She still did not understand why.
“Auntie, did you pick up a piece of jade and place it in a pouch? I heard that it belonged to Sima Lingyun. Auntie, say, do you think Father will be happy when he sees how you treasure that piece of jade and then think about the child in your belly?” Mo Xuetong smiled faintly. Her voice grew sweeter and even more gentle. However, the sweetness and gentleness were accompanied by a cold sharp blade.
“It is such a pity for you, Auntie. You wanted to use the child in your belly to plot against me. However, even if I were the one who caused you to miscarry, Father would not punish me. Auntie, if you knew that, would you still use that child against me and plot against me?” Mo Xuetong asked almost innocently.
“You… you are, you are…” Auntie Fang spat hatefully as she pointed a shaky finger at Mo Xuetong. Her heart hurt when she thought of the child she miscarried. Every time she dreamt, she would feel self-reproach and her heart would feel pained. How would she hurt the child in her belly? It was her flesh and blood.
“Do you feel very much pained? If that child could be born, you might even really become the legal wife thanks to the child. It is a pity that I will not let you get what you want. Back then, Auntie tried to kill me again and again. But have you ever considered that I will retaliate?”
Mo Xuetong had been waiting for this day since she opened her eyes in this new life. She had been waiting for Auntie Fang and Mo Xuemin to fail and die. Back then, she had sworn to get revenge. She would make those who hurt her go to hell and suffer endless pain. She did not feel sorry at all when she looked at Auntie Fang right now.
“Mo Xuetong, you slut…” Auntie Fang wanted to get off the bed and tear Mo Xuetong apart. However, she did not have any strength at all and could only grit her teeth and yell at Mo Xuetong.
“Auntie Fang, do you feel weak when you yell at others? That’s right. Father is about to have a new legal son. Eldest Brother is just an illegitimate son birthed by a concubine. Furthermore, he has the burden of having a mother who is known to be evil and vicious. Eldest Brother’s life is ruined. Even if he were to get married in the future, he can only marry those girls from normal families. When he gets married. I will tell Father to get him to live outside. Then, Eldest Brother wouldn’t be able to freeload in the Mo Manor.” Mo Xuetong stood up with a smile.
“Auntie, I shan’t visit you again. I wonder if someone should inform Eldest Brother. I heard that he is here today as well. If he sees you in this state, would his heart hurt for you? If he does feel pity and fights with Father, Father might break his legs…”
Auntie Fang’s frenzied eyes flashed with pain when she heard that Mo Yufeng might be beaten. Her eyes were wide with anger and they were bloodshot as she glared at Mo Xuetong.
“Auntie, don’t glare at me. And don’t worry. Wait here. I will get Eldest Brother to come.” Mo Xuetong said with a smile before turning around to leave.
“Pft.” Auntie Fang was extremely agitated when she saw that Mo Xuetong was really going to leave. She could not help but vomit blood. Her body fell to the ground. She could not, could not allow Mo Yufeng to fight with Mo Huawen because of her. He was no longer Mo Huawen’s only son now. He was no longer the son that Mo Huawen used to dote on.
She could not allow Mo Yufeng to take this risk. She exhaled sharply and looked up. She pleaded. “Third Miss, he is also your eldest brother. The same blood flows in you. He is your family. Please… please let him off!”
They shared the same blood. They were family?
Mo Xuetong suddenly felt like laughing like a madwoman. She dug her fingers sharply into her hand to calm herself down. How could she forget that her family had been the ones to kill her in her past life? They killed her mother and then plotted to get their hands on her mother’s dowry. They disfigured her and even made her Mo Xuemin’s stepping stone. In the end, she could not even protect her child.
How would she dare to believe in family!
“Auntie, you think too highly of me. Didn’t you call me a little slut earlier? You wanted your eldest sister to hurt me once more. I wonder if I will survive if I had ended up in your hands? Auntie, I am very curious. I will ask Uncle to take a look earlier at how his good wife had hidden a vicious woman in his back courtyard behind his back. It is a pity that Mdm Yu will have to sacrifice her reputation for you. I wonder if Mdm Yu has ever considered her sons. If she gains a reputation as a vicious woman like you, Cousin Feng might not have a good ending either.”
