“Even though your father loves your mother deeply, look at how the situation is right now. This home is not like a home anymore. All the Mo daughters have had their reputations ruined. Min’er, lass, don’t wait for Auntie Fang. She is a vicious woman and even if your father agrees, I will not. She has plotted against the main daughter and killed the child in her womb. Your father has been kind not to drown her.” The Old Madam’s expression darkened when she heard Mo Xuemin’s evasion.
She was so direct Mo Xuemin could not accept it. A flash of viciousness passed her eyes and her teeth ground against each other. She bit her lips and lowered her head, hiding the poison in her eyes. She only lifted her head moments later and said softly, “Min’er will listen to Grandmother!”
The situation was not in her favor and she did not have the chance to speak at all right now. Furthermore, her father would be the one to decide whether he was agreeable or not, it did not matter whether she agreed to it beforehand or not! No daughter can decide on behalf of her father whether he could marry someone or not. The Old Madam was going to leave after the new year. What could she do even if her father did not agree!
“Tong’er, what do you think?” The Old Madam’s expression cleared when she saw that Mo Xuemin was not going to object again. She gestured for Mo Xuetong to sit beside her and took her hand with a smile. “Tong’er, do you remember Aunt Xinru? She used to play with you when you were younger. She got along well with your mother when she was still alive. Look, this is a gift she asked me to bring you.”
The nanny beside her had already brought out an exquisitely carved box and placed it in front of Mo Xuetong. One did not have to open it to know that it was expensive.
“Aunt Xinru is biased. Why didn’t she give me anything? Let me see what it is.” Mo Xueyan reached out to open the box before Mo Xuetong even touched it.
There was a set of opals and pearls accessories, from hairpins to earrings. And they were all beautiful.
“Grandmother, they are so pretty. I want them too. I have never seen such beautiful accessories!” Mo Xueyan pouted, tugging on the Old Madam’s shirt, looking very envious.
“Your Aunt Xinru had spent much effort to pick this out for your younger sister. There is no other like this. Yan’er, be good. I will help you to ask her when I see her again if she still has any more jewels and make you some accessories.” The Old Madam patted Mo Xueyan’s head with satisfaction. This set of jewelry was so precious, how could there be more? She could not hide her pleased expression as she turned to look at Mo Xuetong.
Lan Xinru? It was her. No wonder the Old Madam was behaving so oddly today. It was because of her!
Mo Xuetong laughed coldly to herself. This world was really busy. There were so many incidents, and they were all people she knew. How could she not know that woman, Lan Xinru! In her past life, the woman had not managed to become her father’s woman, but had become Sima Lingyun’s mistress. She had Sima Lingyun had already gotten together before Mo Xuetong married him.
When did she find out in her past life? It was after she miscarried for the first time. Someone told her that Lan Xinru was Sima Lingyun’s mistress after that. Of course, someone must have intentionally released the news to her. Her status at the Duke’s Manor then meant that none of the maids or servants were loyal to her.
She had brought Mo Yu and Mo He with her when she charged there angrily, but then, was shamed by Lan Xinru. The woman had not only pushed her out of the door, but she had also poured several basins of water over her. It was winter then and she had only brought two maids with her. They were all drenched and she fell gravely ill because of that incident.
Sima Lingyun stayed in her room for an entire night because of that. It looked like his heart broke, but in fact, he had told her again and again not to tell anyone about this. He said that it would reflect badly on her father. After all, one of them was his cousin and the other, his son-in-law. No matter how one looked at it, it would be an embarrassment to her father.
Sima Lingyun had even assured her that he would not go to Lan Xinru again and that he would quickly deal with that woman.
She had trusted him so much then and was touched that he was being considerate towards her and her father. She had not expected that he was just lying to her and was afraid that if she told anyone about it, it would be damaging to him.
But Sima Lingyun was not to be trusted.
When she had been poisoned, the figure that flashed past outside was obviously Lan Xinru. She recalled that Lan Xinru’s family used to own a medicinal shop. She had heard that she was very talented in medicine. It seems like she was the one who had concocted the poison that had killed her. When she thought of how she saw Mo Xuemin’s back in Lan Xinru’s courtyard, she found herself covered in cold sweat in the middle of winter. She was certain that Mo Xuemin was involved in the matter. Back then, she had thought that she had seen wrongly. Now that she thought about it, she knew that the two evil and vicious people had long been in cahoots with each other.
A flash of anger appeared in her eyes. In this life, Lan Xinru wanted to become her father’s main wife and Mo Xuemin was determined to help Auntie Fang become the main wife. She wondered if the two can still work together. Lan Xinru was not young anymore. She should be about 20 years old. Mo Xuetong wondered if she was still hanging out with Sima Lingyun and whether the Old Madam would still force her father to marry Lan Xinru if she knew that her niece had been having a dalliance with another man.
“Thank you, Grandmother, and please thank Aunt Xinru for me. Grandmother, where is Aunt Xinru now?” Mo Xuetong cocked her head slightly and accepted the box, pretending to be delighted. Her gaze swept upon Mo Xuemin, whose expression was dark, and her smile grew even sweeter and more innocent, making her more lovable.
The Old Madam smiled with satisfaction. Mo Xuetong was just a girl whose mother was dead. Could she stop her father from remarrying? She had become so obedient after receiving a gift.
“Aunt was going to come to the capital with us, but then something happened at home, so she was held back for a while. She will be coming soon. Third Sister, since you like Aunt so much, why don’t we let her stay at your Qingwei Garden when she comes!” Mo Xueyan answered swiftly.
Stay in her Qingwei Garden! The Old Madam had really planned well.
If Lan Xinru were to stay in Qingwei Garden even before Mo Huawen married her, others would feel that the Mo Manor valued her greatly. If they allowed her to stay in the main daughter’s courtyard and welcomed her in especially, the meaning behind it was not simple. And her father visited her from time to time. If Lan Xinru stayed at her place, it would be convenient for her to see Mo Xuetong’s father and then hook up with him.
So this was why the Old Madam had talked about her father’s marriage to her for and also the reason why the Old Madam had gifted her with this set of accessories. She said that Lan Xinru had gifted them to Mo Xuetong, but Mo Xuetong had checked on the Lan family’s background in her past life. The family had already fallen and would not have the money to gift this set of accessories to someone else.
Furthermore, why had the Old Madam not gifted it to her on the day she arrived but only after something like this had happened to the Mo family. The Old Madam had thought of giving her this set of accessories so that she would feel indebted. According to her character in her past life, she would definitely allow Lan Xiru to move in and try her best to please her.
The Old Madam wished to plot in this life, but she can’t!
She had already chosen her father’s second wife. The gentle Aunt Xu Yan from her maternal grandmother’s family was the most suitable! Didn’t Lan Xinru like being a mistress? She could be Sima Lingyun’s mistress again in this life! She would package her and Mo Xuemin and send them to Sima Lingyun. She would fight poison with poison. The women in Sima Lingyun’s back courtyard were all vicious women. She would see who was the most vicious then.
“Grandmother, it would be best if Aunt Xinru is willing to stay at Tong’er’s. But Father said that he would not allow any outsiders to stay in Tong’er’s Qingwei Garden even if no one else is staying there. It is a promise he gave Mother and everyone in the manor knows about it. Eldest Sister, what do you say?” Mo Xuetong looked at the Old Madam and answered awkwardly. She pushed the box of opals back to the Old Madam, looking awkward, as if she should not accept the gift since she could not help.
“That’s right. Grandmother, Qingwei Garden had been kept empty even when Third Sister stayed in Cloud City. Fourth Sister tried to think of ways to move in but only stopped after Father gave her a beating. Back then, Father told everyone in the manor that Qingwei Garden was the courtyard of the main daughter and not anyone can stay there.” There was cold derision in Mo Xuemin’s eyes as she answered the Old Madam respectfully.
Mo Huawen would not allow his own daughter to stay in Qingwei Garden, so what right did an outsider have to stay there? She was just some random person! Mo Xuemin did not hesitate to side with Mo Xuetong as she would not allow Lan Xinru to enter the Mo Manor and become its Madam.
They were not agreeable then!
The Old Madam’s expression turned grave.
Mo Lan moved towards the exit silently. After exiting the room, she waved at Mo Ye, who was standing outside. She returned to the room again after speaking with Mo Ye softly.
“Eldest Sister, that’s not right. How could Aunt Xinru be just anyone? She is your Aunt! It’s not against etiquette for her to stay in Third Sister’s Qingwei Garden! Furthermore, Grandmother is here, what would Uncle say about it?” Mo Xueyan’s eyes glowed as she found the flaw in Mo Xuemin’s argument and pointed it out.
She was here today to help her grandmother. She would say the things that her grandmother could not. Her Aunt Xinru had promised her that she could choose a few sets of accessories from the Mo manor storeroom if she became the matriarch of the Mo family, and would gift her with ten sets of dowry when she gets married. When she thought of that, she naturally became rather forceful. She did not believe that the two Mo sisters would say anything to directly object the match in front of their grandmother.
Even though Mo Xuemin was intelligent, she was just a concubine’s daughter and had made such a huge mistake earlier!
Mo Xuetong might be a main daughter, but she was a coward and was ignorant. She was no match for herself!
Mo Xueyan was confident that she would get the accessories and dowry from the Mo Manor.
Which was why she was being so forceful in getting the two to express their stance! If they did not say anything, they would be considered unfilial. Mo Xuemin was so furious she gritted her teeth. Auntie Fang had only lost power two days ago and now, Mo Xuemin was trying to sponge off them. She was pushing her luck!
“Miss, Miss, Third Miss!” The soft voice of a maid could be heard on the other side of the curtain.
“What’s the matter?” Mo Xuetong could recognize Mo Ye’s voice. A faint smile appeared on her lips and she ignored Mo Xueyan.
“The Old Madam of the General’s Manor sends word. She says that your Aunt, that is, the Duchess of Xiangyang is here at the General’s Manor. She heard that you are in the capital and told me to invite you over!”
The room fell silent with just that statement. The Old Madam opened her mouth but did not speak. Mo Xueyan’s face flushed as if someone had hit her! Mo Xuemin smiled mockingly by the side.
Aunt? That person was a real aunt! She was powerful and was from the General’s Manor! How could the Old Madam’s niece be considered an aunt as well! She was the daughter from a fallen family who was the niece of the Old Madam, who wasn’t even related to them. They called her aunt out of courtesy but did she really think she was someone!
