“Tong’er, does the medicine work? Does your hand still hurt?” Feng Yuran gently applied the medication on Mo Xuetong’s hand under the candlelight. There was a flash of dark purple light in his clear, sparkling eyes as he looked at her red and swollen hands that had traces of blood on them.
The extremely careful expression was out of place on Feng Yuran’s face. However, Mo Xuetong felt warm and toasty for some reason. Even the injury on her hands did not hurt as much. She nodded subconsciously and then shook her head. She looked at Feng Yuran, whose beautiful phoenix-eyes were widened and was looking a little lost. Then, she laughed.
How could this man be so nervous and adorable? He was not at all arrogant as rumors said he was. He was just a handsome child-like youth.
“Your hands have been so badly damaged. How can you still smile? Next time something like this happens, think of a way to get rid of the other person. Don’t let yourself be tortured.” Feng Yuran pinched her wrist lightly with some dissatisfaction. He raised his eyebrows and wrapped her wound with a bandage carefully.
Mo Xuetong knew that he was talking about Mo Xuemin. She blinked her clear and lively eyes and stopped laughing. “Will You Yuecheng think that someone had tried to foil his plot?”
It was Feng Yuran’s idea to tie You Yuelian and Mo Xuemin up together and leave them at the entrance of Duke Zhenguo’s Manor. Even though Mo Xuetong did not say anything, she still felt rather avenged by it. It was impossible for her to forget the immense pain when Mo Xuemin had plunged her hairpin through her fingers. She had held on to the frame of the carriage for dear life so that she could survive.
In her past life, she had burned to death in fiery flames. She had rolled and screamed in pain in the fire, her skin and flesh had burned… Mo Xuemin watched with satisfaction and she had pulled Sima Lingyun along with her and mocked Mo Xuetong as she struggled in the fire. It was as if she were watching a show, watching herself die in those flames.
In this life, Mo Xuemin had tried to ruin her reputation multiple times and then, she had wanted to take Mo Xuetong’s life!
She felt that no matter what form of revenge she took, it was not enough!
It was said that blood debts had to be paid in blood. How could just a simple blood debt describe the relationship she had with Mo Xuemin!
She had lost everything now. Mo Xuemin had also gotten to experience what it felt like to lose everything.
In her past life, Mo Xuemin and Sima Lingyun had worked together to kill her. They had built a path toward success on her dead body. In this life, the two would never imagine that they would become the victims. Mo Xuemin had attempted to kill the Duchess of Zhenguo and had been displayed to all outside the manor, unkempt and with another man. As long as Sima Lingyun was a man, he would not take this lying down…
One could imagine what awaited Mo Xuemin! Sima Lingyun only appeared to be gentle but was a vicious person beneath all that. He would not go easy on her.
Previously, when Mo Xuetong thought of the tragedy that awaited Mo Xuemin, she felt appeased. But now, she was a little worried. Feng Yuran had truly offended the Empress’ faction this time. Even though he had some power, it was difficult to say who would win if he were to go against the Empress. Furthermore, there was still King Chu and King Ning who were watching predatorily by the sidelines.
“Relax. You Yuecheng will not be able to find anything. I am just known to be a wild and licentious prince without any power.” Feng Yuran smiled when he saw that Mo Xuetong was worried about him. He helped Mo Xuetong to bandage her wounds and then wiped his hands with a handkerchief. He smiled beautifully and then laid back lazily against Mo Xuetong’s bed and played with the tassels on the bed.
“There is no evidence that Second Young Master You and Mo Xuemin had an affair. If anyone were to find out that they were framed, others would take notice.” Mo Xuetong said uneasily. She did not realize that Feng Yuran was lying against her headboard inappropriately. She reached out to kick him to get his attention.
If one incident was false, then everything else would not be true. If someone were to find out that the Second Young Master of Mingguo Manor and Mo Xuemin were framed, then the same could be applied to what happened to King Yan. If the Emperor were to think about it, he would think that Feng Yuran might have deliberately defamed Feng Yulei. Feng Yuran might be punished if the Empress were to tack on anything then.
Mo Xuetong would never forget how Feng Yuran had gone far away to the lands of the northern barbarians in her past life. If he had not truly given up, why would a young and promising prince be so ruthless and heartless? What had made him like that? Mo Xuetong did not have an idea right now, but she felt like she wanted to fold him in her arms and protect him. She did not want him to take the same path as he did in his past life.
And because of this, she was especially sensitive to what happened in the palace. She would think about it deeply whenever she was free. She was afraid that she would implicate Feng Yuran if she were not careful and the tragedy in her past life would happen.
Feng Yuran smiled when he saw the nervousness in her lively eyes and the pout on her lips. She looked very uneasy. He sat up and reached out to ruffle her hair gently. He said, “Rest assured, Second Young Master You went to the Repayment Temple yesterday. Furthermore, there were people who saw what happened to you all and that Second Young Master You had once been there and left with the injured Mo Xuemin.”
You Yuelian being there on that path was already a confirmed thing.
Mo Xuetong did not say anything when she returned home about how Mo Xuemin and Mo Xueqiong wanted to kill her. Yet, this did not mean that she would let them off. She just did not want her father to be sad. He had three daughters and two of them wanted to kill the other. In any way, this would be an immense blow to a father.
While her father was displeased with the two of them, he would still be sad about it.
It would be a mistake to be hasty. She would use her own methods to exact revenge.
“The Empress Dowager kept asking the Old Madam of Fu General Manor to visit the palace recently. Did you know that?” Feng Yuran reminded her with a smile, directing her attention somewhere else. There was a flash of coldness in his eyes. The matter had already passed, and nothing else would come out of it.
“What does the Empress Dowager want?” Mo Xuetong’s mind whirled and understood that there was definitely something lurking underneath. She questioned Feng Yuran anxiously. She knew what kind of person the Empress Dowager was. She would not do anything if it did not benefit her. And she would not ask Mo Xuetong’s grandmother to enter the palace if it did not benefit her either. Mo Xuetong did not know what happened and she felt threatened.
“The Empress Dowager’s desires have something to do with King Ning.” Feng Yuran’s eyes shone with devilish coldness.
Something to do with King Ning? What did King Ning, Feng Yuzhen, have anything to do with her maternal family? Her uncle might be able to get military support for King Ning. That’s not right. Her First Uncle was very loyal, why would he stand on King Ning’s side in private? So what if the Empress Dowager hinted at it again and again? Furthermore, the Empress Dowager would not dare to openly seek support for King Ning.
Emperor Zongwen was on the throne right now and in the future, only the three sons of Emperor Zongwen would have a chance at the throne. No matter what would happen, King Ning, Feng Yuzhen, would never have the opportunity. If he wanted to become the Emperor, his only chance would be to rebel. The Empress Dowager would not let anyone catch on their weakness unless she was absolutely sure that Mo Xuetong’s maternal family would not divulge this information.
Why was the Empress Dowager certain that her uncle would definitely support King Ning? Why did she think that he would protect King Ning who did not even have a likely chance at the throne and not the three official princes?
Mo Xuetong could not understand. She looked at Feng Yuran with her lively eyes and tugged at Feng Yuran with her tightly wrapped hands with a pleading look on her face. In her past life, her activities had been restricted to the back courtyard. She did not know much about politics.
Feng Yuran looked at the pleading look in her eyes. Her beautiful eyes sparkled like clear waters and her long lashes cast a shadow on her cheeks. They looked like resting butterflies. He could not help but reach out to touch her snow-white skin gently. She curled backward and looked up in shock. However, she only just curled back a little and glared at him. She was not threatening at all. He felt an itch in his heart and felt happy.
“Don’t you have a cousin!” He smiled gently and reached out to cup her chin. She pushed him away. He looked at her tightly-wrapped hands and did not dare to tease her again. He stood up and picked up Mo Xuetong’s cup. He poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip before turning to glance at her with a smile.
Mo Xuetong’s heart tightened and her lips parted slightly. She had a sudden epiphany.
“The Empress Dowager wants King Ning to marry my cousin?” She stuttered with difficulty, a pained expression on her face.
So that was what the Empress Dowager was planning. As long as King Ning married her cousin, Fu General Manor would be considered to be on King Ning, Feng Yuzhen’s side. Then, as Luo Mingzhu’s maternal family, Fu General Manor would be branded with King Ning’s name no matter what Feng Yuzhen wanted to do. Even if they did not support him, they would be thought to be of the same faction. In that case, her uncles would not have a choice!
When Mo Xuetong thought of how King Ning, Feng Yuzhen, would rebel in the end, and at the current situation, she did not see any chance of Feng Yuzhen succeeding. Disregarding how Emperor Zongwen would react, Mo Xuetong knew just by looking at Feng Yuran that Feng Yuzhen’s every step was being watched. While Feng Yuran seemed to be wild and unrestrained on the surface, he was a deep one with many hidden ideas. If he wanted to go against Feng Yuzhen, Feng Yuzhen had no chance of winning at all.
Then, Feng Yuzhen would drag Fu General Manor down with him.
When she thought of that, she could not help the sweat that beaded on her forehead. No, she would not let Fu General Manor fall like that. She had to stop her cousin from marrying King Ning.
“Even if King Ning were to return immediately, it would take more than ten days!” Feng Yuran looked at her silently for a while. Then, he approached her again and comforted her gently, sitting by her side.
Mo Xuetong looked up at him. This man was really smart, he saw through her worries again! He was telling her that he still had time. If the Empress Dowager wanted to bestow a marriage, it had to be done after King Ning returned. The two of them knew that King Ning was already by the Empress Dowager’s side. However, no one could speak about it. As such, King Ning had to enter the palace quickly after ten days.
That was when it would be a good time to bestow a marriage!
If it was any earlier, the Emperor would get suspicious. The Empress Dowager was a sly and crafty woman and she would not do that. She would find an opportunity to raise the matter of the marriage with the Emperor so that he would have no choice but to agree.
As such, they still had ten days. Fu General Manor still had a chance.
“Don’t worry too much, let nature take its course. Tell your grandmother and she will definitely have plans. You do not have to be so anxious to take charge. She is not useless after experiencing so much. You worry too much.” Feng Yuran reached out to hold her hands lightly. He helped her to lie down and covered her with blankets.
He looked at her pale face and could not help but look at her hands. There was a hint of cold, blood-thirsty anger in his handsome eyes. The smile on his lips turned sinister without him noticing.
That’s right, she still had her grandmother! Mo Xuetong blinked and a smile appeared on her pale face. Her grandmother would definitely have a good idea that could help Fu General Manor evade this trouble.
“Alright, be good and go to sleep. Everything will be fine when you wake up tomorrow.” Feng Yuran patted her head affectionately.
Mo Xuetong nodded and closed her eyes. Everything that happened in the afternoon was like a nightmare and she still felt terrified when she thought about it. However, with his hands holding her arms, the warm touch made her feel assured. She recalled that she would be marrying him in her drowsiness and that she would share his bed in the future. A shy smile appeared on her face as she dreamt.
Feng Yuran waited for Mo Xuetong to fall asleep. He looked the beautiful smile on her face in the darkness for a long time before he left reluctantly.
There were some things that he had to deal with right now. He had to do things even more neatly at night to lure them into King Chu’s manor.
