Mo Yan suddenly let go just as she was being pulled down. Then, she turned around and yelled loudly to the horse carriage, “Third Miss, Fourth Miss, go quickly, quick…”
With her loud cries and the commotion made by a large group of people with many maids blocking the way, the other worshipers at Puguang Temple were all drawn to the scene. In just a few minutes, a large group of servants gathered behind together with some noble ladies. A few of them knew You Yue’e and knew that this was a matter of King Yan’s Manor. They did not know what was happening though and as such decided to stand there to watch the show.
There were people who started making assumptions when they heard what Mo Yan was yelling.
Consort Xuan and King Xuan’s Second Consort were inside the carriage. What was happening?
“Consort Xuan, please get off the horse carriage and tell me what’s going on. Second Consort Mo is a Second Consort of King Yan’s Manor. You are the noble Consort Xuan. Are you thinking of running away with the Second Consort of King Yan’s Manor?” You Yue’e said angrily. She was so angry that her expression was dark and cold and she pushed everyone aside to stand in front of the horse carriage.
Consort Xuan was inside the horse carriage? And she wanted to run away with King Yan’s Second Consort? One had to know that the Second Consort of a King was also someone who would be written in the royal family archives. Mo Xuetong dared to allow a member of the royal family to run away. That was a grave crime. The noble ladies watching the show immediately started talking amongst themselves.
“Third Miss, please, please go quickly. Take Fourth Miss far far away. You were right. The King’s Manor is a place where people are eaten. I, I can’t go with you and Fourth Miss anymore.” It was quiet inside the horse carriage. Mo Yan was pulled back and started crying even louder. She was secretly hateful that the two tough-looking maids did not hold back at all. They dragged her backward forcefully and even pinched her viciously several times. She was in so much pain that her screams grew even louder.
What Mo Yan said was even more shocking. Consort Xuan had secretly encouraged King Yan’s Second Consort to leave. This was a grave matter!
“Consort Xuan, explain yourself. How have I offended you for you to take away my concubine even at the risk of ruining your reputation?” Feng Yulei finally appeared behind the door. His usually handsome face appeared dark with anger at this moment. Even though he was now being locked up in his manor, he was still a descendant of the royal family. No one dared to treat him badly.
The crowd could not help but part for him!
King Yan had finally appeared!
A concubine running away now involved two princes. If Consort Xuan had really done this, it would not just be an ordinary case of a concubine running away. It would be a kidnapping of a prince’s woman. Even though Mo Xuetong was Consort Xuan, she would not be able to get away with this. If she were unfortunate, the Emperor might throw her out of the royal family and she might be forced to be divorced by King Xuan.
Mo Xuetong was about to be involved in this scandal. Inside the carriage, Mo Xueqiong was very pleased. She lifted the curtains gently and listened carefully to what was happening. She was going to pick the best time to rush out to achieve the best effect. Mo Xuetong would not be able to get out of this now. She wouldn’t be able to save her own life, much less her title of Consort Xuan.
“Your Highness, Your Highness… I, I…” Mo Yan seemed to be really frightened out of her wits as she stared at Feng Yulei. She trembled violently as if she was had suffered from extreme shock. She was incoherent and appeared to be guilty, which made it seem like Mo Xuetong was really in the horse carriage.
Everyone could not help but look at the horse carriage. A few madams shook their heads and felt bad for Consort Xuan secretly. Why would she do something like this so rashly!
If this matter were brought up to the Emperor, it would not end well. They had already heard that Consort Xuan was not even 15. She was still young and insensible!
“Consort Xuan, how are you going to explain this?” Feng Yulei put his hands behind his back and walked up to the carriage. His expression was stony with anger and his eyes were cold as he yelled angrily.
This was the best time to get off the horse carriage. Mo Xueqiong was delighted and she reached out to open the curtains. Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind her and tugged at her clothes. The person mumbled something as if telling her not to get off. Was Mo Xuetong afraid? This made Mo Xueqiong even happier.
She pushed the somewhat weak hand away and rushed out of the carriage. She smirked while mumbling to herself, “Mo Xuetong, it’s too late! Just wait to die!”
The curtains were torn open forcefully and Mo Xueqiong crawled out of the carriage sadly and fearfully. The bag she held in her hand split open. Before she could even stand still, her legs gave way beneath her and she knelt in front of Feng Yulei. Her eyes were filled with panic as she looked at him. She cried loudly, “Your Highness, Your Highness, it’s all my fault. It has nothing to do with Third Sister. She just wanted to help me. I have been disfigured and I don’t want to embarrass you.”
Then, she looked down and started to cry pitifully. She appeared to be taking full responsibility for the incident and admitted to trying to leave bravely. Mo Xuetong, who was hiding in the horse carriage became the focus of everyone’s scolding. Was there a need to hide at this stage? She might as well be more gracious and come forward to explain what happened. She might even get a pardon from King Yan.
“Mo Xueqiong, do you know what crime running away is?” Feng Yulei said coldly.
“I… I… I, do.” Mo Xueqiong stuttered because she was afraid. She leaned forward on the ground and started to cry loudly.
The law of the Qin dynasty punished concubines who ran away. Concubines who ran away from wealthy families could be beaten to death. And if this happened in the royal family, not only would the concubine be put to death, her family would also be trailed for her crimes.
“Since you know what crime you have committed, Men, come and take Second Consort Mo away. She will be beaten to death later.” You Yue’e said with a frigid expression on her face.
A few maids came forward to drag Mo Xueqiong away. Mo Yan, who was waiting by the side saw this and immediately started crying loudly. She ran over and hugged Mo Xueqiong, not allowing them to take her away. She cried as she pleaded with the person in the carriage, “Third Miss, save our mistress. You said that you would help our mistress if she leaves King Yan’s Manor. Say something. Our mistress is your younger sister. If you didn’t say something like that, would our mistress get the idea to run away? Third Miss, save our mistress!”
She cried sorrowfully and pitifully while holding on to Mo Xueqiong, who was crying so hard she could not speak. Mo Yan cried and pleaded with the person in the carriage.
This shifted the blame from Mo Xueqiong to Mo Xuetong. When one coupled it with what was implied, one could see that Mo Yan was trying to say that Mo Xueqiong had only done something like this because of Mo Xuetong’s enticement. Mo Xuetong was the one who instigated this while Mo Xueqiong had been lied to by her.
What was Consort Xuan up to? She had intentionally tried to take King Yan’s concubine away. This did not make sense! Everyone felt doubtful.
“Your Highness, are these secret documents and official documents of the King’s Manor inside this bundle?” A guard said loudly as he suddenly approached and pointed at the bundle on the floor.
The secret documents of the King’s Manor detailed the income from their lands and houses. The Emperor gave each prince their own income and the total amount was listed on the books, handled by the internal matters department of each manor. The internal wealth management of a manor was not revealed to outsiders and the official documents were not to be given to outsiders.
Shouldn’t a concubine who was trying to escape bring money with her? Why did she bring the account books and secret documents of the King’s Manor with her?
Everyone’s expression changed!
Consort Xuan had encouraged her sister to run away and told her to bring the secret documents of the King’s Manor before she left. This indicated that this was not just a simple case of a concubine running away. Furthermore, this involved the royal family. The fight between the princes had resulted in King Yan being locked up in his manor. And now, the secrets of King Yan’s Manor was found to be leaked.
Did this mean that to the other princes, King Yan’s Manor was a defenseless place that anyone could enter and do as they wished?
If they thought even more about this, it was rumored that King Yan’s Manor was disdained by the Emperor because it had something to do with the women of the palace. Did King Yan really not do anything but was framed? They looked at the Second Consort who was said to be involved then. She listened to everything her elder sister said. There might be some secret in all of this and someone might have been wronged.
They looked at Mo Xueqiong who was sobbing silently on the ground. Then, they looked at Mo Yan who was holding Mo Xueqiong in a death grip, looking like a loyal servant. They also looked at Mo Jiao, who was crying fearfully at the side. They did not look like they were capable of anything. How would they be able to do something like running away and taking secret documents with them?
“Consort Xuan, please get off the horse carriage!” Feng Yulei’s expression was sharp with fury. He could not hide the anger on his face. He took the books that the guard handed him. After flipping through them, he threw them at the guards and glared at the horse carriage.
“Third Sister… I… His Highness, it was all my fault. Third Sister has nothing to do with this… She, she only wanted to help me. These books… I picked them up somewhere by accident…” Mo Xueqiong cried loudly.
“Fourth Miss, why are you still protecting Third Miss at a time like this… You, you’re going to be beaten to death! Third Miss, Third Miss, save Fourth Miss… She, She’s only done this because of you. If not for what you said, she wouldn’t have done something like this… Third Miss, Third Miss…”
Mo Yan cried loudly and stood up. She ran to the front of the horse carriage and knelt down, kowtowing forcefully and pleading with Mo Xuetong.
“Mo Yan, what happened here. Why do you keep mentioning My Lady?” A clear voice could be heard from behind the crowd. Everyone turned to look behind but there was a large crowd of servants. In the middle, stood a beautiful young girl who was about 13 or 14.
There was a hint of surprise on her soft and bouncy face. She looked up slightly with her lively eyes and frowned at the crowd, seeming as if she did not know what happened.
“Consort Xuan, it’s Consort Xuan.”
“It really is Consort Xuan.”
“Didn’t they say Consort Xuan is on the horse carriage? Why is she here?” Those who recognized Mo Xuetong were surprised and slowly backed away to make way for her.
Everyone watched as Mo Xuetong approached, helped along by her maid. They were all stunned. Wasn’t Mo Xuetong inside the carriage?
Feng Yulei narrowed his eyes as he watched Mo Xuetong approach slowly. He did not speak but his expression immediately grew ugly.
Mo Xueqiong paled and she could not pretend to cry any longer. She looked at Mo Xuetong in shock and then looked at the horse carriage. If Mo Xuetong was here, who was the person inside?
Mo Yan’s loud wailing stopped as well. She did not know whether to cry or laugh. She looked up, not crying any longer, and stared as Mo Xuetong made her way toward them.
“Greetings, King Yan, Consort Yan.” Mo Xuetong went forward and looked straight into Feng Yulei’s dark eyes. She curtsied deeply to him and You Yue’e. She was Feng Yulei’s sister-in-law, and they must follow etiquette no matter what.
“Men, drag the person in the horse carriage down.” This was completely different from what they planned. You Yue’e could not stop the muscles on her face from twitching. She turned to yell at the guards behind her.
