“Rui’er, what are you saying?” Ling Fengyan pulled her back and said to Mo Xuetong apologetically, “Rui’er is mistaken. Please forgive her, Princess.”
There were so many people and Ling Rui’er looked so angry and wronged. If Mo Xuetong did not find out what was wrong, she would have been wronged. There were many who looked at Mo Xuetong curiously and their attention was on the ruby hairpin in her hair.
“It is really Second Miss Ling’s hairpin. She said that she lost it earlier, so it…”
“I heard that the Princess Royal gave her many pieces of jewelry. Why did she take what belongs to others?”
“No one can have enough beautiful accessories. This is the newest style that has to be specially ordered. You can’t buy it even if you have money. It was long gone when I went to the shop.”…
Everyone chattered on. Suddenly, a dismissive voice sounded, “She’s a mighty princess and has seen all kinds of precious jewelry. Why would she steal an ordinary hairpin and wear it so openly on her hair? Furthermore, I heard that Princess Anping has never been to the Ding General Manor. Did she jump over walls in the middle of the night or what?”
If someone had gone into Ling Fengyan’s room in the middle of the night, it would tarnish her reputation.
Everyone could not help but look at Ling Fengyan suspiciously. She was about to become King Chu’s consort and something like that should not happen.
Ling Fengyan did not expect that someone would speak up for Mo Xuetong at a time like this and that the person would so smartly turn everyone’s attention from Mo Xuetong to her. She looked up and saw Li Youmo who was leaning against a tree and watching the show. A hint of cold viciousness flashed through his eyes. She tugged on Ling Rui’er’s sleeve to give her a signal.
“Second Sister was wearing this hairpin this morning and she lost it after coming to the palace. I wonder where Her Highness got the hairpin.” Ling Rui’er received the massage and attacked relentlessly.
Mo Xuetong smiled lightly and did not attempt to hide from the suspicious gazes cast upon her. She lifted her brows and said lightly, “Third Miss Ling, I fear you must have been mistaken. Her Highness Consort Yu gave me the hairpin when I came to the palace. When did this become Second Miss Ling’s?”
“Your Highness, I fear you must have been mistaken. When we spoke, I only mentioned about some matters in the palace. When did I give you this hairpin? And why would I give you a hairpin?” Consort Yu’s voice wafted from behind. The crowd parted. Consort Yu suddenly appeared, her face stern and righteous.
Yu Mingyong’s matter was not something that anyone spoke of. If it were to be revealed, it would be bad for both the Mo Manor and Yu Mingyong. Yet, it would damage the reputation of the Mo daughters more. Consort Yu was certain that Mo Xuetong would not dare to say anything about Yu Mingyong in front of everyone.
“Your Highness, you were the one who gave the hairpin to my mistress. Why are you saying that?” Mo Ye said angrily, emerging from behind Mo Xuetong.
“When did I say that? I am a consort. When is it your turn as a servant to question me? I wouldn’t have given the hairpin to the princess for no reason, would I? Princess, tell us, why have I given you the hairpin?” Consort Yu yelled coldly. She turned to look at Mo Xuetong with a hint of pleased smile on her lips.
There was a flash of darkness in Mo Xuetong’s eyes. Her mocking gaze turned from Ling Fengyan to Consort Yu. What had she done for King Ning and King Yan’s factions to work together against her?
“Or perhaps Your Highness made a mistake? Perhaps someone really gifted it to you. The hairpin might really belong to Her Highness.” Ling Fengyan said. It sounded as if she were trying to make excuses for Mo Xuetong but actually, she had already determined that Mo Xuetong was in the wrong. It might not be Mo Xuetong’s mistake, but it was most likely her mistake. They could already be sure that Mo Xuetong had stolen the hairpin.
Mo Xuetong had not had many interactions with Ling Fengyan. She really did not know how she had offended the most beautiful woman of Qin. Mo Xuetong saw that Ling Fengyan’s gentle eyes were hiding an almost imperceptible hint of satisfaction. She felt that it was funny. If not for all her fights with Mo Xuemin, she would not have noticed that.
This was yet another woman like Mo Xuemin who hid her viciousness and ruthlessness under a veneer of gentleness.
“Second Sister, I can’t be wrong. Someone’s hairpin is on her head. Furthermore, you had a set made, what use would it be if she took a hairpin?” Ling Rui’er said angrily. She took a jewelry box from the maid behind Ling Fengyan. She opened the box containing the ruby jewelry set and showed it to everyone.
Other than a missing hairpin, the others were all similar!
Ling Rui’er picked up another hairpin and stared at Mo Xuetong, saying, “Princess Anping, look at this carefully. This pin and the one on your head are a pair. How did it become yours? If you say that it is yours, then take out your set. I remember that the best products from the shop are matching jewelry pairs.”
Everyone was convinced when they saw how detailed Ling Rui’er was. Their gazes landed on the pin that Ling Rui’er was holding and to Mo Xuetong’s hair. When they compared it carefully, it was indeed the same style and ruby. Even the degree of the shine of the ruby when shone upon by the sun was the same. What else could they be if not a set?
“Your Highness, how are you going to explain this?” Ling Rui’er said, pleased.
Mo Xuetong smiled lightly and pulled out the pin on her hair. She raised it up beside Ling Rui’er’s pin and put the two pins together. They could see the two pins clearly. “Third Miss Ling, do you think I need to explain? I ask that you retract your statement. Libel is a much more serious crime than theft. It also tarnishes the reputation of the royal family. Third Miss Ling, are you sure you can bear responsibility for this?”
The two hairpins glittered under the sunlight. The rubies shone brilliantly.
Ling Fengyan felt that something was not right when she saw how calm Mo Xuetong was! She was just about to say something to get Ling Rui’er to back off.
However, there was a loud commotion just before she could say anything.
Li Youmo’s voice was the loudest. “The Ding General Manor’s eyes are really sharp. They can’t even see such a big difference. Look, Princess Anping’s hairpin has two raised flower stems. Why does Miss Ling think that it belongs to them? I have to watch my jade pendant carefully the next time I go out. I don’t know when someone will frame me for sneaking into their rooms. My father would kill me.”
Then, he scrunched up fearfully as if he had been afraid he’d really be beaten to death.
How dare he say something like that given his reputation? Ling Fengyan and Ling Rui’er were both angry and embarrassed. Their faces were flushed. Li Youmo was a licentious man and was known throughout the city to be a wealthy playboy. He never had anything good to say. His words made it sound as if the rooms of the Ding General Manor daughters were like brothels that he could come and go as he pleased.
“Li Youmo…” Li Youmo was here to make trouble. Ling Rui’er was furious!
“Oh, it’s really different.
“Look, did I see wrongly? Her Highness’ hairpin has two more dots, they really look like flower stems.”
“It’s different.”
“It’s really different!”…
“Second Miss Ling, Third Miss Ling, are you still sure that I took your hairpin?” Mo Xuetong asked unhurriedly.
Everyone already saw that the two pins were similar. However, there were two slight flower stems on Mo Xuetong’s hairpin. Other than that, the two pins were practically the same.
Ling Fengyan flushed and paled. The situation had changed too quickly. She had gotten Ling Rui’er to force Mo Xuetong to reply earlier but there was no need for her to reply to Mo Xuetong’s question now. Everyone could see that Mo Xuetong’s hairpin was not hers.
Mo Ye took out a jewelry box and opened it, revealing a set of ruby head accessories. Other than the hairpin in Mo Xuetong’s hair, the others were all inside. She said, “Third Miss Ling, this is an entire set. Could it be that my mistress snuck into your manor? The Princess Royal gave my mistress so many accessories. Would my mistress be a thief and go over the Ding General Manor’s walls! Or did someone steal it and gave it to my mistress?”
Ling Rui’er flushed bright red when she heard that and she was rendered speechless. She stuttered and then turned to look at Consort Yu while stomping her foot angrily. Didn’t Consort Yu say that she had put the hairpin on Mo Xuetong’s head? It was a matter that they had confidence in. Why had it become so?
Consort Yu was shocked as well. She looked at the hairpin carefully. It was not the one she had given Mo Xuetong. She turned to look at Mo Xuetong bewilderedly as if she thought it was impossible. How did Mo Xuetong swap out the hairpins? She had helped Mo Xuetong to put the hairpin in her hair. Why was the hairpin different?
“Princess, did Consort Yu give you that earlier? Just now when I approached, the hairpin that Consort Yu helped you to put in your hair certainly blinded us. It glimmered under the sunlight. It is really different.” Li Youmo said with a laugh, successfully directing everyone’s attention to Consort Yu.
Earlier, Consort Yu had denied that she had given Mo Xuetong a hairpin and had forced her to say the reason why she had done so. Now that Li Youmo brought up the matter, everyone turned to look at Consort Yu suspiciously.
Mo Xuetong had once taken put the hairpin against the sunlight earlier but she had not done it for too long. Consort Yu did not expect that the ruby would reflect the sunlight and attract the attention of those standing not far away. Her eyes immediately widened and she felt a little awkward. She was about to say something to defend herself.
“Sir Li, you might have been mistaken. Her Highness Consort Yu said she did not give me any hairpin, so of course she didn’t. What Third Miss Ling was so certain about earlier has changed, so what Her Highness said earlier must not count as well.” Mo Xuetong said with a smile. Then, she slid the hairpin back into the air, looking as if she wanted to appease everyone.
She sounded as if she were trying to defend Consort Yu. However, because she was the one who said it, it made her seem magnanimous and even if Consort Yu wanted to defend herself, she could not do so. It felt as if she were punching a soft pillow, and that it was entirely futile. She had forced Mo Xuetong to speak up earlier, and there was now eyewitness that saw her giving Mo Xuetong the hairpin. It made others suspicious of her intention.
Consort Yu did not have many family members but got closer to the Yu family some time ago. What happened to Auntie Fang had spread throughout the city. It was said that she had tried to hurt the legitimate daughter of the Fu General Manor. That daughter was Princess Anping. The others could not help but be suspicious that Consort Yu was intentionally trying to frame Mo Xuetong.
She was indeed a vicious woman.
Some people backed away without a sound, trying to distance themselves from Consort Yu.
Consort Yu was so angry she almost fainted. She did not expect Mo Xuetong to be so smart. Even though Mo Xuetong had not questioned her and had instead foiled the plot herself and defended Consort Yu, Consort Yu now could not defend herself. Mo Xuetong had not said anything and if she did, others would grow even more suspicious of her.
She clutched onto the hand of the palace maid beside her tightly. The palace maid paled and shook as she looked at the ground.
Ling Fengyan immediately looked at Mo Xuetong with a gentle smile when she saw everyone’s attention on Consort Yu. She said apologetically, “Your Highness, it is my Third Sister who saw wrongly. It is because the two hairpins look so similar. Even I was mistaken. Please forgive us.”
She had tried to apologize simply for framing someone for theft. Furthermore, she did not seem apologetic for after all, it was a simple misunderstanding because the two hairpins were so similar.
If she had not seen the Fifth Princess’ ruby head accessories by coincidence, she would have fallen into their trap today. It was obviously a trap set for her. Otherwise, even if the hairpins did look similar, they would not need to put on such a big show as if they were afraid that others would not find out.
There was a light smile on Mo Xuetong’s lips as she said, “Second Miss Ling, you are too polite. Since I did not steal anything, I did not have to worry. However, since Second Miss Ling’s hairpin is indeed missing, and there are so many people present, why don’t we check? It might appear now.” Mo Xuetong smiled lightly.
They were going to conduct a body search with so many people present?
Everyone present quietened down and looked at Ling Fengyan.
