However, no one expected Ling Rui’er to create such massive trouble and smashed the medical box of the lead imperial physician from the imperial hospital. Moreover, there was a single pill of medication within the medical box for the Emperor to consume. She was indeed digging her own grave by being so arrogant in the Empress’ palace, which made Feng Yuxuan extremely disappointed in Ling Rui’er.
“Why can’t this idiotic woman be more reserved? How dare she ask him to beg for her forgiveness in front of the Emperor? This good idea was probably given to her by his good aunt, the Empress. An idiot, truly idiotic!”
However, Ling Rui’er was Ling Rui’er and Duke Ding was not like her. He would be able to see through her. Since Ling Rui’er returned to Ding General Manor, they could add fuel to the fire, which was the plan of his official.
“Any good ideas?” Feng Yuxuan caressed his head and asked, frowning.
“Your Highness, please allow me to think further.” The official was a little embarrassed. He only had a brief idea of the plan but have not linked all the steps up together, and was unable to propose a better idea. Just now, he was anxious to prove himself and push the matter to Ding General Manor instead. However, he had no idea how he could carry out that plan.
Seeing the sheepish attitude of the official, Feng Yuxuan was a little frustrated. He waved his hand to signal for his retreat. Then, he turned around and walked in circles within the room, like a trapped beast. After a while, he finally returned to the front of the table and pondered for a while before lifting his brush and writing again. The room was extremely quiet, with no human noises other than the training of soldiers far away…
“Come.” Feng Yuxuan placed down his brush and checked the letter again before raising his voice.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Outside, the guards guarding hurried in.
Feng Yuxuan placed the two letters he wrote into two separate envelopes before passing to the guard. “Send the small envelope secretly to Ding General Manor and place it in front of Ling Rui’er’s bed. Send the large one to the imperial palace, for my mother.”
This matter could not be settled by Ling Rui’er alone, and he had no intention to use his final plan. Now that he was trapped in the military camp, unable to go out and communicate, he would want his mother to monitor Ling Rui’er lest she should create more troubles.
“Yes.” The guard nodded and was about to retreat.
“Wait.”
Feng Yuxuan nodded and touched his forehead before ordering the guard once more. “Go to Qin Manor after you finish your errands and see if Young Master Qin was around. Just send him my concern.”
Qin Yufeng was going to participate in exams and had not appeared before him for a long while. Feng Yuxuan found that there had been lesser and lesser capable individuals by his side, and he naturally should show his concern since he was sending his guards out.
“Yes!” The guard nodded and paused to see if Feng Yuxuan had any other orders before retreating respectfully.
“Is His Highness really suffering in the military camp now?” Ling Rui’er wiped tears off her face and asked the servant who sneaked in with care and concern, lowering her voice. Once she thought about how Feng Yuxuan ate and lived with those from the lower class, Ling Rui’er felt that she had done him a great injustice.
Even though he loved her so much, she lamented herself for not even guarding her position of consort, even bringing that much trouble to him.
“His Highness said that he isn’t suffering. Once he thought about how Her Lady was suffering outside, he became miserable and said that he’d rather suffer instead of a weak woman like you. If not for the fact that His Highness was forced to remain in camp, he would never allow you to suffer so much.”
Such words touched Ling Rui’er again. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about how Feng Yuxuan treated her the best. Remembering when she first appeared, Father and Uncle both seemed to dislike her for her stupidity, she became even more upset. These few days, even the nannies seemed to neglect her for losing the position of Consort Chu.
She held the envelope to his chest and sniffed it. After being in deep and painful thought, she suppressed his voice and said, “Go back and tell His Highness that I will listen to all his plan. Tell him that there is no need to miss me lest he should get tricked by others.”
She felt extremely touched as she caressed the letter in her hand lovingly. She told herself not to act rashly and not make him troubled again. She finally realized that he was sent unreasonably to the military camp by the Emperor because he was tricked. What happened afterward was all because of the plans of her aunt, the Empress.
No wonder she was originally merely punished by the Emperor to kneel until the Empress arrived and brought her down. Remembering what happened in the Empress’ palace, she was extremely hurt and her heart was filled with hatred. When the guard left, she thought to herself that the aunt she treated with dedication and love used her to deal with Feng Yuxuan. She would never let her get away with that.
After having a long night’s chat with Feng Yuran, Mo Xuetong slept all the way until the next morning. Raising her head, she realized that Feng Yuran was not there already. She knew that he was settling his affairs at Jinwei Pavilion and hence drank the tea that Mo Yu passed her before getting up. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she was about to do her make-up when someone outside reported. “Concubine Qin is here.”
“Let her get lost.” Mo Yu gritted her teeth and was about to charge outside.
“Let her come in.” Mo Xuetong replied calmly as a cold smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. Concubine Qin came ferociously and it was uncertain whether she saw too highly or too lowly of Mo Xuetong.
She came forth to provoke Mo Xuetong the day after her being promoted to a concubine.
Concubine Qin was brought in. Her teary eyes were unlike the normal elegant and confident Lady Qin. She came to the front door of Mo Xuetong’s room and was blocked before she got a chance to speak. Through the curtains, she saw Mo Xuetong sitting in front of the dressing table, crying while holding a handkerchief. “My Lady, what happened yesterday was my fault. Please do not be angry at His Highness. This matter had nothing to do with His Highness and you should blame me instead of His Highness. I am here to apologize to My Lady.”
Mo Xuetong took a flowery hairpin from her jewelry box and shone it under the sunlight. Then, she passed it to Mo Lan mischievously. “Look, is this suitable for me?”
Receiving it, Mo Lan gauged it with her hands as she complimented it, smiling. “This hairpin is perfect for My Lady. With the flowery pearls dangling by your hair, you look even more charming. I’m sure His Highness will love this.”
“Bad lass, stop mocking me!” Mo Xuetong complained coyly as she glanced at Mo Lan through the mirror.
“How can this be not beautiful since His Highness gifted it to you? Last time, when His Highness brought this over, I remember My Lady saying that it was merely ordinary. However, I am sure you loved it!” Mo Yu teased her as well as she brought another pair of matching earrings over to pass to Mo Lan. Mo Lan then hung them on Mo Xuetong’s ears familiarly.
Seeing that everyone ignored her, Concubine Qin seemed to be a little embarrassed and was about to run away. However, she told herself to endure further through this and not to be as arrogant as before. She should pull His Highness to her side while he still had feelings for her. Hence, she decided to not create more drama.
“My Lady…” She opened her mouth again.
“Yo, isn’t this the new Concubine Qin? Why are you finding My Lady?” the curtain was lifted and Mo Yu walked out and asked impolitely, “aren’t you an aristocratic lady? How dare you be so rude after being promoted to a concubine?”
The question made Concubine Qin’s face turn red with anger as she was about to vomit blood out of frustration. However, she knew that she was holding a lower status and forced out a smile to explain. “I am here to apologize to My Lady for fear that My Lady argues with His Highness due to my mistake.”
“Since when did My Lady argue with His Highness? Also, what does that have to do with Concubine Qin? Is there a need for you to apologize?”
“I…” Concubine Qin was unable to speak a single word to rebut. She didn’t expect Mo Xuetong’s servants to be so brutal. Not only did they disallow her from entering the room, but they also chided her personally.
She inevitably felt annoyed as she got scolded by a servant. However, she suppressed that frustration and forced out another smile. “I am… I am only here to explain to My Lady on what happened yesterday.”
“There is no need. My Lady is busy now and has no time to care about all these pointless gossips. Just let it be. Concubine Qin, you may leave now.” Mo Yu said coldly.
Pointless gossips. The choice of words made Concubine Qin truly want to vomit blood out of anger. She grabbed her sleeves tight with her hands and her expressions froze, spending a long while before she relaxed from the mocking gaze of Mo Yu. She suddenly kneeled in front of the door and shouted at Mo Xuetong, who was inside the curtain. “My Lady, I truly did not do that on purpose. I did not know why His Highness wanted me promoted to a concubine. My Lady, perhaps His Highness had no feelings for me but he merely had me promoted since there were few concubines in this manor, which was detrimental to My Lady’s reputation.”
Mo Yu trembled in anger as she knew that the intention of this proclamation in front of numerous nannies and servants was to spread the idea that Her Lady was jealous. Immediately, she walked forth, placing her hands on her waists and chided angrily. “Concubine Qin, it looks like you are here to be rude create trouble for My Lady just so that people in the manor will misunderstand My Lady. Since that is the case, you can continue to kneel here and bow your head on the ground. You can only stop when My Lady is no longer angry.”
She could only stop when Mo Xuetong was no longer angry. If Mo Xuetong never stopped her, she would die here knocking her head. Concubine Qin shivered out of fear and cried out loud. “My Lady, listen to me, I am really not…”
Before she could even finish her words, Mo Yu’s brows were lifted in anger. She raised her head and slapped Concubine Qin harshly, making her dizzy. The slap made her fall onto the ground, stunned and bewildered as she looked at Mo Yu, with her hand on her face.
“Concubine Qin, as a new concubine, you are just a servant in the eyes of My Lady and your life is at her command. I don’t know who gave you the courage to come here and create trouble for My Lady. Do you really think she can be so easily bullied? Go out and take a look. Even if any other concubines out of the imperial family dare to create trouble like this, they will be dragged out to be beaten to death.”
Mo Yu stared directly at Concubine Qin and said coldly.
Concubine Qin was still engulfed in the shock of being beaten as she felt the fiery pain on her face. Ever since she was young, she had never been beaten as she had always been the high and mighty eldest proper daughter. Even when she entered King Xuan’s Manor, the nanny in-charge had always respected her and never dared to disagree with her. She never expected that she would be beaten by a servant today.
