“Your Highness, Mo Xueqiong has to die given our current situation.” You Yuecheng said softly. A hint of viciousness flashed in his eyes. He lifted his arm and dropped it swiftly and viciously, acting out an execution.
“Mo Xueqiong was betrothed to me by Father in an awkward circumstance. If I were to kill her, would Father think that I’m hiding something?” Feng Yulei hesitated for a moment. Then, he paced around in frustration before sitting down in a huff on a chair by the side.
“I did not expect Consort Xuan to be so sly.”
It was obvious that Mo Xueqiong had fallen prey to Mo Xuetong’s plot today and he had been involved in it as well. He really could not tell that Feng Yuran had such a smart wife. She had managed to push King Yan’s Manor into a cesspool of trouble with just a few words. And the plot they had been very confident about had been completely ruined. Feng Yulei truly regretted listening to You Yuecheng.
“Your Highness, Consort Xuan has always been a crafty woman. However, we have dirt on her now. As long as we can prove that the scandal at the Fu General Manor is true, I don’t believe that she can continue being Consort Xuan.” You Yuecheng said, gritting his teeth. His cold and handsome face was marred by a hint of anger when he thought of Mo Xuetong.
“We still don’t know where to start regarding that. Let’s talk about what’s happening now.” Feng Yulei waved his hand impatiently. Sweat ran down his head due to his anxiousness. He picked up a fan on the table and started fanning himself. However, he felt very annoyed and he folded the fan roughly before throwing it on the ground. He felt frightened when he thought of how angry the Emperor would be when he heard of this.
“Your Highness, don’t worry about Mo Xueqiong. While she was betrothed to you by the Emperor and you can’t really kill her, and you have to seek permission from the Emperor in all things, there are some things that are not included in that. There are some things that not even the Emperor can do anything about.”
A sinister and cold look flashed in You Yuecheng’s eyes. His gaze cooled considerably.
“What’s the plan?” Feng Yulei’s eyes glittered. As long as they could get rid of Mo Xueqiong, there would not be any evidence of their failed plots.
“Mo Xueqiong is in trouble. She’s been caught when trying to elope with a man and then viciously killed the unborn child of the maid whom she gifted to you when trying to frame King Xuan’s Manor. She feels too embarrassed to face anyone else and tonight, she…” You Yuecheng answered slowly and methodically. He trailed off at the end but Feng Yulei understood what he was implying. Feng Yulei thought about it for a moment and could not help the delight that slowly spread on his face.
If Mo Xueqiong really died like that, they couldn’t really blame anyone for it. She was the one who took things too hard.
However, Feng Yulei felt reluctant when he thought of having to acknowledge the child in the maid’s belly. He did not know where the bastard child came from and did not want to acknowledge it at all.
“Your Highness, the child in the maid’s belly belongs to one of my guards. She still thinks it’s mine. No matter whose child it is, it doesn’t matter since it is already gone. So what if Your Highness acknowledges it? You just have to say that Mo Xueqiong had given the maid to you in order to lure you to her courtyard,” said You Yuecheng.
If the child conceived by a maid in King Yan’s Manor back courtyard did not belong to King Yan, then it would be really hard to explain where it came from. And if this led to other unnecessary issues, it would be even more troublesome.
“Alright, I will acknowledge it.” Feng Yulei said angrily. He understood that as well. He forced back the uncomfortable feeling back, feeling as if he had swallowed a fly. That child could not be explained, so he might as well acknowledge it lest more trouble should come out of it.
“Your Highness, we cannot just let Mo Xuetong off like that. I feel that she was the one who arranged for the horse carriage. Didn’t she come from the front courtyard? Let’s start from the horse carriage. I don’t believe that we can’t deal with a lass.” Having come to an agreement about Mo Xueqiong, You Yuecheng continued with a frown. His expression was dark, cold, and blood-thirsty.
He would not let the crafty woman off.
“I have already gotten someone to investigate. The horse carriage has already gone down the mountain.” Feng Yulei replied.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I saw that something was off earlier and got someone to wait at the entrance of the mountain. I got the person to follow the horse carriage. There should be news of it now.” A sharp glint flashed in You Yuecheng’s eyes. Mo Xuetong, he hoped that she would be just as lucky next time to escape from his hands safely.
King Yan was not in the mood to say anything else when he thought of the impending wrath from the Emperor. He leaned back into his seat and sighed loudly. He did not know what would happen next.
You Yuecheng hesitated for a moment. However, when he saw how exhausted King Yan was, he said softly, “Your Highness, don’t worry. Even though you are down on your luck now, there is hope as long as you are alive.”
“Alive? I’m about to die. What else is there to say!” King Yan closed his eyes tiredly; the corners of his eyes trembled almost imperceptibly.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. There will be someone out there to help you, so do not give up until the very end.” You Yuecheng suddenly said sharply, “Your Highness, do you know what will happen if the situation becomes irreparable?”
“We will die and our families will perish!” King Yan opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling dazedly.
“Since you know that, then I shall not say anything else. I hope that you will not lose your will to fight. No matter what, I and the others will always stand behind you.” You Yuecheng looked at King Yan intently. He knew that he had to give King Yan confidence right now.
“Yuecheng, don’t worry. I won’t give up.” King Yan sat up and lifted his head. His eyes had grown a little colder. This path was a path of no return and he was not someone who would give up so easily.
When Mo Xuetong left the temple with her servants, she did not inform the young man they helped. A servant returned in the afternoon and said that the young master’s family servant had arrived and brought medicine for the young master.
Since the young man’s family servant had come, there was no need for Mo Xuetong to see him again in private. Mo Xuetong boarded her horse carriage with Mo Ye and the others with Mo Feng protecting her in secret. They returned from Puguang Temple in two horse carriages. Mo Xuetong and her two personal maids sat in the first while the other servants sat in the second.
A pale and sickly-looking man sat in a pavilion on a mountain behind Puguang Temple. It was very warm, but he was wearing rather thick clothing. Yet, he did not look warm. Instead, he looked ill but that did not hide his natural nobleness.
His overly-long and narrow eyes had the charm similar to that of a woman when he stared at others. However, no one would think that he was a woman.
A person who looked like a maidservant stood beside him. She was very beautiful.
The young man had a thoughtful expression on his face as he looked at the two horse carriages that were disappearing from his sight. He looked away and picked up the tea on the table, taking a sip from it. He might have drunk it too quickly for he chocked and started coughing violently. The maid hurriedly patted his back in a familiar manner.
His coughing finally stopped. An unnatural red flush appeared on his pale face from the coughing and he picked up a handkerchief to wipe his lips.
“Your Highness, the wind is strong here. Go in and rest for a while.” The maidservant said softly.
The young man took a sip of his tea and stood up. He glanced at the entrance of Puguang Temple again with his long and narrow eyes before turning away to leave the pavilion. He asked, “Are they here?”
“Your Highness, our men are mostly here. But the people from the other faction… might have come after them to this place as well.” The maid answered after a moment of silence.
“Since they are here, they don’t have to think about going back. Go, get some men to meet with King Xuan from the Qin Kingdom in private.” The young man said lightly.
It was still not the right time for him to reveal himself. Yet, the other party was forcing him to make his move. It would be better if he could get in touch with a prince from the Great Qin and Feng Yuran, King Xuan, was his target.
“Yes. I will arrange it right now.” The maid replied.
The young man seemed a little out of breath after climbing a few steps. There was some sweat on his pale face as he stood and panted. Then, he said in an even gentler tone, “Go and find out more about this Third Miss from the Mo Manor.”
“Your Highness…” The maid looked up in confusion at her usually cold and distant master.
“She is my savior, I have to repay her for her help. If not for her, you all would not be able to see me again.” The young man stated casually as he continued walking. He had found out from a servant that the young lady who saved him was the Third Miss of the Mo Manor.
“Yes.” The maid nodded and did not dare to ask any more questions when she saw that he had no intention of continuing.
While the farce was happening at Puguang Temple, another was happening far away in the capital at King Chu’s Manor.
The assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, Lord Mo, rushed into King Chu’s Manor. He wanted to take his daughter away from that place. Second Consort Mo had only entered King Chu’s Manor less than two months ago. Feng Yuxuan was not in his manor while Ling Rui’er was currently visiting her elder brother at the Ding General Manor. There was no proper master or mistress in the manor, so the Second Consort was the most powerful person there and then. Furthermore, the person visiting was Second Consort Mo’s father.
Even though Ling Rui’er did not like Second Consort Mo, Second Consort Mo still had a proper place in the hierarchy. There were also some who sympathized with Second Consort Mo. They only made a token effort to block Lord Mo from entering the manor before he charged in. When he found Mo Yarui in the shed of the back courtyard, Lord Mo carried his daughter and rushed out of the manor without any hesitation.
He met Ling Rui’er at the entrance. She had rushed back hurriedly when she heard the news.
“Lord Mo, what’s the matter? Are you here to visit your daughter? The Second Consort is ill, you should have waited for her to get better.” A maid received Ling Rui’er’s hint and took a few steps forward to block Lord Mo with a fake smile on her face.
Lord Mo was furious when he thought of how his daughter had lied there, not knowing if she was dead or alive. Then, he glanced at the haughty Ling Rui’er in front of him who had her head lifted up high. He was not in the mood to care too much in his anger and reached out to slap the maid furiously.
He scolded loudly. “Useless maid. How dare you say things like that in front of me? Do you really think that nobody can deal with you?”
He directly walked past Ling Rui’er with a maid who carried his daughter, completely ignoring her existence.
Ling Rui’er stood there, dazed as she watched incredulously as Lord Mo brushed past her without even greeting her. He continued walking, righteous and proud, treating her as if she were invisible. Ling Rui’er was embarrassed and angry. She said angrily, “Lord Mo…”
However, she did not expect the man to ignore her and get onto his horse carriage. He left with his daughter, leaving Ling Rui’er behind. Ling Rui’er was so angry that her face was pale and her lips trembled. She pointed at Lord Mo’s back and yelled at him.
“My Lady, Lord Mo seems to be going to the palace. Do you want to go there as well?” A personal maid of Ling Rui’er reminded her softly. Judging by how angry Lord Mo was, he seemed to be going to lodge a complaint to the Emperor.
“Will I be afraid of going to the palace? The Empress Dowager and the Empress are both from the Ding General Manor. Will I be afraid of that man?” Even though Ling Rui’er was loud, she did not seem confident. She was furious when she thought of what happened. She was the legal consort but why did the slut get to have the first-born child before she even gave birth to the legal eldest son?
Ling Rui’er was already being kind by not taking Second Consort Mo’s life. Would a woman from the Ding General Manor have to take this lying down?
“My Lady, Second Consort was given to His Highness by His Majesty. She is also pregnant with His Highness’ child. If His Majesty were to find out what you did…” The maid trailed off softly. Even though King Chu did not say anything, the maid was not Ling Rui’er and could see the dissatisfaction in the King’s eyes.
No matter what, the child in the belly belonged to the royal family. Given that, Ling Rui’er had been very vicious. Other legal wives might be mean to concubines but they all did it secretly unlike Ling Rui’er who made a maid push Mo Yarui in public so that she would miscarry. Then, she did not allow a physician to see Mo Yarui and threw her into the shed because Mo Yarui had rebutted her.
This would be no small matter if others were to find out about it!
Ling Rui’er would get into deep trouble even though she was Consort Chu.
Upon hearing what the maid said, Ling Rui’er grew worried as well. She could not help but hate herself for being too kind. If she had beaten the slut to death, it would be useless even if others said anything about it. She would be able to blame it on Mo Yarui and others would not be able to say anything.
But now…
If this matter were really brought up in the palace, Ling Rui’er would be in trouble. Ling Rui’er paced around and then said, gritting her teeth, “Let’s go to the palace to see Her Majesty.”
Then, they got onto the horse carriage once more and headed straight for the palace.
