This was too much. How dare they make a fuss at his study. The anger that Mo Huawen felt toward Auntie Fang erupted. The veins on his forehead twitched and he bellowed, “Drag them away and have them beaten 30 times each. Throw them out of Mo Manor together with their family.” This was outrageous. Auntie Fang really thought of herself as the matriarch of the family. How dare she challenge his power!
How did he not see this in the slut? He had thought she was virtuous and even left Tong’er in Cloud City because of her. Mo Huawen felt even worse when he thought about how Tong’er had almost lost her life. When he saw how his daughter looked at him with concern in her tearful eyes, he grew even angrier at Auntie Fang.
“Old… Old Sir!” The servant paused.
Thirty beatings would kill someone. And even if they did not die, they would become disabled. Furthermore, he wanted to throw them and their family out of the manor.
“Go!” Mo Huawen yelled angrily.
“Yes!” The servant was frightened by his sharp and cold tones. He had never seen Mo Huawen so angry before. He did not hesitate longer and turned to run outside!
“Father, don’t be angry! The matters of the back courtyard…”Mo Xuetong looked worried as she saw Mo Huawen fuming. She went up and pulled on his sleeves, saying, “Auntie Fang…”
“Don’t mention her. Tong’er, you just have to focus on recuperating. I will deal with the other matters.” Mo Huawen felt annoyed even just hearing Auntie Fang’s name.
“Yes!” Mo Xuetong nodded obediently and changed the topic, “Father, I want to visit grandfather’s in a few days. Can you send me there? I want to go with you.”
Mo Huawen had been stopped outside the city gates by his brother-in-law when he returned. And ever since then, the relationship between the Mo Manor and the General Manor had become slightly cold. Other than sending gifts during the holidays, he had never visited them since he returned to the capital more than a year ago. When he saw how his daughter was looking at him with her clear and innocent eyes, looking very reliant on him, his heart softened. He did not reject her and nodded subconsciously.
Mo Xuetong looked exhilarated when she saw that. An adorable smile appeared on her lips and she said sweetly, “Thank you, Father! Don’t forget it then!”
“I won’t forget. Tong’er rest well in your courtyard. You can only go to your grandparents’ to learn etiquette when your leg injury has healed. Otherwise, your grandmother would be worried! She would blame me then!” Mo Huawen tousled Mo Xuetong’s hair in a good mood. He made a rare joke in the face of his daughter’s brilliant smile.
Tong’er was such an easy child to please. He just had to accompany her to her grandparents’ and she would smile so happily. Mo Huawen felt extremely guilty when he thought of how he had abandoned such an obedient and gentle child at Cloud City and not ask about her for more than a year. He secretly swore that he would not let the child suffer again in the future.
His eyes grew even more gentle as he looked at Mo Xuetong.
“Yes, Father. Tong’er will definitely listen to you. I will get better and be filial to you. Father, did the steward come to look for you? He’s been standing there for a long while. I saw him earlier, but if you didn’t agree I wouldn’t have told you.” Mo Xuetong pointed at the main steward who was standing under the tree. She smiled naughtily.
A weight in Mo Huawen’s heart fell away as he looked at her sly and satisfied look. Their daughter was so adorable, how would she do something so vicious? He reached out again to pat her head. Then, he said with a smile, “Tong’er, you’re threatening your father!”
“Anyway, since you have agreed, you mustn’t go back on your word.” Mo Xuetong’s eyes shone with happiness.
“Alright, I won’t. I will definitely accompany Tong’er to your grandparents’.”Mo Huawen was in a good mood, and he felt all his anger leaving him.
“Then Tong’er shall leave now since Father is busy.”
“Go, go!” Mo Huawen smiled and waved his hand. He turned to order Mo Yu to hold Mo Xuetong carefully and then left the garden with the steward.
In the three days that followed, Mo Xuetong hid in Qingwei Garden to recuperate. However, the happenings of the Mo Manor still reached her years.
First, two maidservants were given a thrashing and their families were all sold. No one dared to trouble Mo Huawen again with inconsequential matters. Then, Auntie Mo sold the two maids who spread the news about Mo Xuemin’s injuries. The two maids were both from Auntie Fang’s Lihua Garden.
Mo Xuemin was careful and would not allow anyone to get anything on her.
Mo He brought Mo Xuetong a letter with a smile on her face early in the morning. She said, “Miss, the General Manor sent this letter just now!”
It was a letter from her maternal grandmother. Mo Xuetong smiled and opened the letter. She said,” Did you ask how Grandmother is feeling?”
“I asked, the person said that all is fine with the Old Madam. She even started eating more since you came back to the capital.” Mo He answered.
“Let’s go to the General Manor in a few days. Pack some clothes for me later. Don’t bring the dressier ones. Remember to bring my medical texts.” Mo Xuetong replied casually. Her attention was focused on the letter in her hands.
“Miss, don’t worry. Mo Lan already packed your things. They are all in the wicker case…”
Mo Xuetong’s expression changed when she read the letter in her hands. She folded the letter and asked, “Did anyone tell us about the flower appreciation banquet?”
“Flower appreciation banquet?” Mo He thought about it and shook her head in a loss. She frowned and could not remember. Even though she went out for news occasionally, no one mentioned anything about the flower appreciation banquet. She did not know which family was hosting it and why her mistress cared so much about it.
Mo Xuetong clutched the letter in her hands, her eyes frigid.
Only children from the main branch of officials fifth grade and above were invited to the flower appreciation banquet in the palace. The children in each manor would all receive an invitation. In her past life, she had been disfigured shortly after returning to the capital. She had worn a veil and attended the banquet. However, that was the beginning of her shame.
What happened at the banquet flitted through her mind as if it were a dream. She could still remember clearly the details. She covered her head helplessly and in fear in the pandemonium. Everyone pointed at and talked about her. Even though Mo Lan was holding her arm, she could not stop the sword that was other’s tongues. She had been terribly hurt that time and her pride had been completely destroyed. She became fearful from then on and did not dare to appear before others.
That cup of water had been poured onto her veil. Mo Xuemin hurried to help her wipe it and had pulled it off in her hurry. The laughter of the crowd was like the scent of rotting meat, making one want to vomit.
Now that she thought about it, it had Mo Xuemin’s work written all over it.
However, Mo Xuetong wanted to know the most was how did she enter the palace? There was only one daughter from the main branch in the Mo Manor. The palace would not send two invites. So how did she get in? Even if Mo Xuetong had wanted her to accompany her, the guards at the palace gates would not allow her to enter! A thought flashed through her mind quickly, but she could not grasp it.
Mo Xuemin had been the one to bring her the invite in her past life. She had told Mo Xuetong warmly that the flower appreciation banquet was for highly regarded officials and she had to attend. Mo Xuetong had been disfigured and was in no mood to attend, but Mo Xuemin had told her gently that she would enter the palace with her to help her. They would just be there for a while and nothing would happen.
After that, her spirit had been completely destroyed by the incident.
Accident, how could it be an accident… If she still thought that that was an accident, the two lives that she now had lived would be considered a waste!
Mo Xuetong stood up and walked up to the window slowly. She pushed it open and looked at the sky outside. The weather had gotten better. It had rained for several days and even the skies looked clearer and cleaner. However, she could not see the clarity of the human heart and only felt stuffy.
“Mo He, send someone to ask Auntie Mo how the tailoring of my clothing for the flower appreciation banquet is going.” Mo Xuetong said gently as she looked down with a faint smile on her lips. Her facial expression calmed down and she walked to the couch and sat down.
In her past life, Mo Xuemin had sent the invite personally because she had been disfigured. She had not received any news in this life. Did Mo Xuemin take her invite?
“Miss, when did you ask Auntie Mo to make you clothing?” Mo He asked in surprise. She had never heard her mistress mentioning it.
“Miss, let me go. I am looking for Auntie Mo to get some needle and thread. We don’t have any more color threads and you would need more silk threads for embroidery.” Mo Lan lifted the curtains and entered. She smiled and gestured for Mo He to leave with her. Mo He followed obediently.
Mo Xuetong was left inside the room. She sat there quietly and looked at the letter on the table with a cold smile on her lips. She was the daughter of the main branch of the family, and yet, Mo Xuemin had dared to take her invite. She must definitely have backing. The flower appreciation banquet was tomorrow. If Mo Xuemin wanted to attend it, she would definitely have had new clothing made.
In her past life, Mo Xuemin would always secretly get people to make the most luxurious and novel clothing whenever she attended a grand banquet. There were many times Mo Xuemin’s maid, Mo Jin, would come to ask her for accessories her mother left behind to match her clothing. Of course, she never did return any of the accessories.
The two were now considered enemies in this life. Mo Xuemin would naturally not do something like this that would ruin her reputation. However, her desire for beautiful clothing would not fade. The clothes were definitely in the hands of the seamstress being carefully sewn. Auntie Fang was in charge of the household matters some time ago and only a few of her confidant knew of this.
Things were different now. Auntie Mo was now in charge of clothing and accessories. These things could not be hidden. Mo Xuemin would definitely not think that Auntie Fang would fall so quickly.
Now that she was asking for her clothing for the flower appreciation banquet from Auntie Mo, Auntie Mo would definitely not be able to retrieve it. She had not been managing the household’s wardrobe for long and would not dare to take such responsibility. As such, she would definitely tell Father. When the matter blows up, Mo Xuemin would not be able to go to the flower appreciation banquet secretly.
So what if Auntie Fang was capable in the past? Her close servants had been removed from her. They were either beaten to death or were disabled, otherwise, they had been sold. Who would dare to go against her father’s orders? Furthermore, she was now shut in Lihua Garden. She would definitely think of some other way out because of the incidents that had happened in the past.
If she dared to interfere, Father would only hate her more. Auntie Fang would definitely admit defeat if Mo Xuemin was around!
In her past life, Auntie Fang had gained her father’s trust by tricking him over and over again!
She knew how to pretend to be weak as well!
