Mo Yarui suddenly fainted. Even though she woke up and claimed that it was not a big deal, she had just suffered from heatstroke due to physical weakness, and she just needed to be more careful. But Feng Yuxuan decided not to stay any longer and took his leave to Feng Yuran. When leaving, he repeatedly told Feng Yuran not to use the excuse of feeling unwell tomorrow. Otherwise, the Emperor would really get angry.
Feng Yuran sent Feng Yuxuan off at the door while promising that he would attend the banquet properly tomorrow and would definitely not be lazy.
Mo Xuetong had already changed into a light green skirt by the time Feng Yuran returned. She walked out of the room and saw Feng Yuran enter, she took the handkerchief in her maidservant’s hands and pulled his clothes, gesturing him to lower his head, and wiped his sweat carefully with the handkerchief.
After all, it was in summer. There was still a long distance to make a return from here the manor’s gate. And Feng Yuran was easy to feel hot. Just after a while, his forehead started to sweat.
The maidservants in the room had all left at this sight.
Smiling, Feng Yuran watched Mo Xuetong prop up her feet and wipe the sweat off his forehead carefully. Her fragrant body leaned into his embrace and her eyes gleamed crystal clear like dripping water. He reached out to put his arms around Mo Xuetong and sat on the chair beside in spite of her struggle. He took a deep breath on her neck, closed his eyes, and muttered, “Tong’er’s fragrance is still the best.”
“You’re not serious again.” Mo Xuetong pouted her pink lips and nudged him. Seeing that he was still ignoring her, she reached out to tug at his ear. “I’m talking about something serious with you.”
“Speak.” Feng Yuran said lazily. He opened his eyes and turned to look at her, only to meet her eyes opening wide full of unhappiness. He straightened up immediately and patted her back, showing that he was very serious and listened intently. Then, he gave a gentle smile, raised his eyebrows, and asked, “Tong’er, do you want to know the story about the exquisite South Pearl necklace?”
Mo Xuetong leaned against Feng Yuran, curled up the corners of her lips slightly, and asked, “Where did you get that necklace?”
Her beautiful eyes glowed with a hint of wisdom. She looked as elegant and pure as a beautiful flower, but more with prudence and cleverness that other women did not have, which cast a faraway streak on her as if she were wreathed in the fog. Feng Yuran tilted his head and looked at her with gentleness and love full of his eyes. His red lips curled up, and he looked at her with a faint smile and asked, “Tong’er, how did you know about this necklace?”
She did not know how to answer that. She could not say that she had heard about it in her past life. So she simply tugged on Feng Yuran’s sleeve and shook it in a cute manner. “It doesn’t matter how I know it. Tell me first if there’s something wrong with this necklace, and you happen to know it as well.”
More happiness appeared on Feng Yuran’s eyebrows when he saw the look of trust in her enchanting eyes. He looked at her with a soft smile on his handsome face and said, “The string of necklace was sent from the Southern Barbarian Lands, which was planned to present to Father. I received it several days ago. But because something wrong happened to the crown prince of the Southern Barbarian Lands, I haven’t presented till now and decided to wait a few days. But I don’t expect that someone has cast a greedy eye on it.”
Lazy as his voice was, there was a hint of coldness at the corners of his eyes. Viciousness spurted out from his eyes, making his handsome face look bloodthirsty like an Asura. Feng Yuran thought, his eldest brother did extend his hands too long. No sooner had the news come than the eldest brother reacted to it, trying to instigate Tong’er to open the box. It was rather malicious.
Mo Xuetong rolled the falling arm veil to her wrist, blinked her watery eyes, and smiled at Feng Yuran. “King Chu intentionally mentioned this string of top quality necklace in front of me to arouse my curiosity. He wanted me to open the box. Could it be that there is something terrible in the box, so it cannot be opened?”
In her past life, Mo Xuetong had been kept in the back courtyard. Therefore, even though the event had shaken the court, Mo Xuetong only knew little about it—that one of Emperor Zongwen’s favorite concubines had died an unnatural death, and many people in the concubine’s palace had also died a terrible death. The bottom of the disaster had been the necklace that the Empress had bestowed. All the arrows had been aimed at the Empress. The Emperor had detested the Empress so much that he almost had abandoned her.
But Mo Xuetong did not know the specific reasons in it. She had pondered about it for a long time in the pavilion, thinking that it must have something to do with the box. Otherwise, since the box had been presented from the Southern Barbarian Lands, why did nothing happen to the Empress after she seeing it, but the misfortune happened to the favored concubine after the box was bestowed to her? The items from the Southern Barbarian Lands were weird, so it was a must to be wary of it.
Feng Yuran held Mo Xuetong with one hand and supported himself on the table with the other. The purple sleeves embroidered with the pattern of Mandillo by golden and red threads fell from his elbow, which made him look even more handsome and fabulous. He curled up his vermilion lips a bit with charm on his face and joy in his eyes, and listened to Mo Xuetong’s detailed analysis.
His eyes gleamed shiningly.
“That box was sent by the Southern Barbarian Lands, and it’s covered with its national seal. Once it’s opened, the seal will definitely be different. Furthermore, I’ve long heard that the box is called Duo La in the Southern Barbarian Lands. In its language, Duo La is the meaning of disaster, which means that this set of so-called national treasure is a curse. However, since it’s always been placed in front of the temple altar of the Southern Barbarian Lands, fewer and fewer people know its true meaning.”
“Then what are you going to do? Do you want to give this box? What if something goes wrong by giving it?”
Feng Yuran could not bear to see Mo Xuetong frowning, and he reached out to gently stroke her furrowed brows and explained softly to her. When he saw that Mo Xuetong’s brows were smoothed out, he reached out and held Mo Xuetong’s tender fingers in his hand. Then, he placed them by his lips and kissed softly. Then, he looked up with his lively eyes. Mo Xuetong’s heart beat faster when she saw that. She could not help but curse that the man’s appearance was too attractive.
Even though she had been married to him for so long, she would still be tempted by his glamour he showed inadvertently.
Feng Yuran was satisfied to receive a trace of infatuation from Mo Xuetong’s eyes. He held Mo Xuetong’s hand and stroked it gently against his cheek to enjoy the soft skin on her palm with satisfaction and said smilingly, “Don’t worry. You don’t have to worry about it. No matter what the Southern Barbarian Lands and Feng Yuxuan gang against me, I will be fine. There are some things that not only he knows, but I know too.”
He caressed her palm softly, and it felt as if a trickle followed her blood vessels to extend to her arms and legs. Mo Xuetong’s eyes gleamed. Although her eyes were blurry, her thoughts were still clear. She said, “Does Feng Yuxuan have contact with the third prince of the Southern Barbarian Lands? So could it be that Feng Yuxuan has something to do with the disappearance of the Prince?”
“It’s alright. I have prepared all these well. Don’t worry.” Feng Yuran comforted her. Then, he held her hand closer and gave kisses to it.
Mo Xuetong felt crispy from his kiss, her eyes rippling slightly. She raised her beautiful brow charmingly and said in a pretty manner, “I don’t want to meddle in those things, and I am unable to do. Anyway, I have you. But as for the matter about the two women of the Lian’s Manor, you should not interfere in it. After all, it’s the matter of the back courtyard. You are a prince. If you pay too much attention to it, it won’t be good.”
Feng Yuran knew what she was talking about and understood that it was inappropriate for him to interfere in the matter. On the one hand, it was true that with his status, he should not interfere with the matters of those maidservants. On the other hand, he understood that if he meddled too much in it, it would definitely attract the Emperor’s attention, which might make the Emperor think Tong’er was a jealous woman. As such, if anything bad happened in Feng Yuran’s manor in the future, the Emperor would place all the blame on Tong’er.
However, he was still worried about leaving the whole matter to Tong’er to handle.
Seeing that he was still hesitating, Mo Xuetong’s beautiful watery eyes were filled with grievance and hurt. “You don’t trust me that much? Furthermore, I’m not acting alone. Haven’t all your men helped me get things done? What I need to do is to take a reaction when necessary. Or you also think that I can’t do it, so you don’t believe me?”
After she finished the words, her eyes moistened faintly, as if she was about to cry. The sight made Feng Yuran’s heart ache, and he reached out to hug her tightly and said with a sigh, “Alright, I listen to you. I believe you, of course. But if something bad happens, you cannot confront the tough with toughness. Remember, you have me behind at any time. As long as you need me, I will be your most loyal backing.”
He did not speak loudly. Instead, his lazy voice sounded unwittingly enticing, which tickled Mo Xuetong’s heart like a feather brush, but also made her nose twitch, as if something was about to drip down from her eyes. She bit her lips slightly. A little painful, but it made her clearly sense that he really cared about her.
The softness in her heart almost overflowed, and the warmth made her almost shiver. She reached out her hand and subconsciously held his thin and strong body, burying her head deep in his arms. Feeling his strong heartbeat, she almost drowned herself in his tenderness.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling bad? I will get the doctor to check on you. Did you have a heatstroke right now?” Feng Yuran immediately picked her up.
Mo Xuetong felt well recently. Although the poison in her body was not neutralized, her health did improve a lot than before through the recuperation these days. Her feeling well made Feng Yuran remember the thing about Mo Yarui immediately, and he thought to himself if Tong’er also had a heatstroke. Since Tong’er was delicate, she was not as strong as others.
Mo Xuetong was almost moved to tears, but seeing him so nervous, she felt sweet, bitter, and funny in her heart. As such, she rubbed her small face against his chest and said softly, “I’m fine but just a little tired.”
She was not really sick at this time. If the imperial physician did come, people would laugh at her without a doubt.
Feng Yuran paused for a moment before understanding what was going on. A hint of a smile appeared in his eyes as he carried her into the room. He placed her lightly on the couch and said gently, “Have a good rest. Don’t tire yourself out. I can hand over the matters regarding the two maidservants to you, but don’t be too tired. If you don’t listen to me, I don’t mind dealing with the matter myself.”
Mo Xuetong poked out her small face from his chest, pouted her pink lips, and promised him again. “Rest assured. I won’t be tired. Furthermore, I will settle the matter. Don’t worry.”
Only she knew how busy Feng Yuran was. Although he always looked occupied with nothing, only Mo Xuetong knew that he had often discussed matters until late into the night and had only slept a few hours at midnight. As his wife, how could she not help him settle some simple matters? Furthermore, she was more willing to settle the matters of the He family.
The matter in her past life was what she was most worried about. Would the He family and the Southern Barbarian Lands be Feng Yuran’s unavoidable hurdles? But whether it was or not, Mo Xuetong thought since her heart had been set on him, she would stand with him and confront any difficulty in any case.
Feng Yuran rested his chin on his hand and looked at Mo Xuetong with a gentle smile. His dark eyes glowed brightly. How could he not understand Mo Xuetong’s words? There was a soft and translucent light in his eyes like water. He kissed her gently on her face and lips as if treating her like the most precious treasure in the world…
