Mo Ye moved quickly and flipped over the doors. Then, she moved the door aside from the inside. Mo Xuetong brought Mo Lan through the door that Mo Ye opened and entered.
Standing inside, she could see that the twisting path leading to the door inside was filled with weeds and pebbles. It looked extremely desolated. Mo Ye used her foot to move the weeds away and Mo Xuetong followed the path. There was an inexplicable feeling in her heart.
There were two entrances to the yard. The first lead to the main house. They pushed open the somewhat wrecked doors. There was a creak. The house was empty.
“Miss, I will go and clean up first before you come in.” Mo Lan stood in front of Mo Xuetong worriedly. Even though she did not know where they were, she could see the wariness in Mo Xuetong’s eyes. She knew that her mistress valued this place very much. As such, she did not stop her mistress from entering. However, she was still worried.
“It’s alright. I’ll just look around. Mother used to stay here…” Mo Xuetong’s gaze landed on the wide desk through the torn curtains. A few scattered memories returned to her. She pushed Mo Lan away and stepped into the dusty house determinedly.
There were a few books scattered on the desk. They were slightly messy. She walked past a screen. The characters on the screen could still be seen clearly. There were a few large characters that had been written forcefully and there were also some pictures drawn by women. There was nothing eye-catching. She walked in and there was a small couch. The side of the couch that was placed against the window was considered clean.
Mo Xuetong walked up to the couch and looked through the average-sized window. From the window, she could see a brick wall with blue tiles in the distance and also the corner of a window on the wall.
There was nothing else that caught her eye.
“Miss, let’s go back. Old Madam might be looking for you.” Mo Lan said uneasily. She felt that there was something weird about this place.
“It’s alright, let’s look around some more before leaving.” Mo Xuetong said softly. She turned around to continue walking. Mo Ye who had been following her went to the window with a flash.
“Miss, that’s Mo Yu at the window over there.” Mo Ye said suddenly as she looked out of the window.
“Mo Yu? You can see our courtyard from here?” Mo Xuetong stopped suddenly, startled. She turned around in surprise.
“Yes, I saw Mo Yu walking by that window over there just now.” Mo Ye looked carefully and answered in affirmative.
Mo Lan turned around as well to look out of the window. While her eyesight was not as good as Mo Ye’s, but she grew up together with Mo Yu. She was certain that it was Mo Yu just by looking at her figure. She nodded and said, “That’s indeed Mo Yu. I didn’t realize there was such a courtyard behind ours. I used to think there was nothing else behind Madam’s courtyard.”
Mo Xuetong had a sudden thought when she heard that. She was staying in Luo Xia’s courtyard right now and had once looked out from her window when she was bored. However, she had never discovered such a courtyard. The furthest thing she saw from her window was the Old Madam’s tall courtyard walls.
What was this mysterious courtyard doing here!
Mo Xuetong examined the courtyard carefully in confusion. However, she did not discover anything.
They walked around the courtyard and did not discover anything. As such, they returned to their courtyard.
They met a servant the Old Madam had sent to invite Mo Xuetong over when they reached their courtyard.
Mo Xuetong straightened her clothes and went straight to the Old Madam’s place. She only discovered when she entered that Old Madam Xu had hired a few etiquette nannies. The two nannies were from the palace and she heard that they were highly regarded in the palace. It was difficult even for noble families to hire them. Old Madam Xu told Luo Mingzhu and Mo Xuetong to greet them.
The thinner one was Nanny Han while the plump one was called Nanny Li. Luo Mingzhu would be taught by the thin and strict Nanny Han while Mo Xuetong would be taught by the friendly Nanny Li. After greeting them, Luo Mingzhu brought Nanny Han with her and Mo Xuetong brought Nanny Li with her back to their respective courtyards.
In the next month, they would mainly be taught various etiquette and palace rules. The Fu General family were a noble family and would definitely have encounters with the royal family. Even though Mo Xuetong was the daughter of an insignificant court official, but as a granddaughter of the Fu General family, she had to have a good disposition as well.
Earlier, Old Madam Xu saw how dazed and cowardly Mo Xuetong had behaved and felt sad. If Xia’er was still around, how would she allow her daughter to be groomed to be so weak and cowardly? She did not look like a noble lady at all and was even worse than some maids. When she thought about this, Old Madam Xu grew even more dissatisfied with Mo Huawen. Mo Xuetong was the main daughter, but he had left her in Cloud City, which was a small place. He had not even taught her etiquette well.
“Old Madam, don’t be angry. While Miss Mo looks weak, she has her own mind. She is just slightly weaker on etiquette because she stayed in Cloud City for too long and no one taught her. It’s not as if she can’t get any better.” Nanny Shen poured Old Madam Xu a cup of tea and comforted her when she saw Old Madam Xu’s angry expression.
“How can I not be angry. She’s a noble lady, but she has been brought up to be so cowardly. Even the maids in the manor are braver than her. She looked so fearful when she saw someone from the palace. She was not dignified or gracious like a noble lady. Her father had failed in his duties.” Old Madam Xu took a sip of the tea and sighed with a frown. The child was had not even moved at all and seemed even more stiff than usual. One look at her and they would know that she was petty and ungraceful.
“Don’t worry, Old Madam. I think that Miss Mo had done it intentionally!” Nanny Shen had accompanied Mo Xuetong back to the capital and she had observed her throughout the journey. While Mo Xuetong was rumored to be cowardly, she felt that Mo Xetong was dignified and gracious and was also very smart. Auntie Fang’s nanny had behaved herself partially because she was there and also because she was afraid of Mo Xuetong. That was why their trip to the capital was considered peaceful.
The incident at the capital gates had solidified Nanny Shen’s thoughts about Mo Xuetong. She felt that a talent like Miss Mo did not need to be taught at all. However, her behavior this morning was completely different from her usual behavior. Was it really because she was flustered from meeting someone from the palace? Why was she not flustered when she saw the duke’s son and the other noble ladies at the city gate that day then?
“Tong’er did it intentionally?” Old Madam Xu frowned and looked up in confusion.
“Old Madam, think about it, how smart is Miss Mo usually. How could she be so dazed just because she saw someone from the palace? She had done it intentionally. I think she’s trying to make that eunuch think that she’s dumb.” Even though Nanny Shen was not certain whether Mo Xuetong had done it intentionally, she spoke even more excitedly as if the matter were true when she saw the Old Madam looking slightly happier.
Even she started to believe it and she helped the Old Madam to sit on the couch at the side of the room. She helped her to put a few cushions behind her so she could lay down. The Old Madam’s health was poor and could not sit for too long. She usually laid down to rest. When she heard that something had happened to her daughter, she had not even had time to go over before she fell ill.
“That’s true. Tong’er has always been a smart one. The intentions of the palace were unclear this time. She might really have done that intentionally.” Old Madam Xu was tickled when she said that. She thought back to how she had wondered why Tong’er’s dazed expression was so weird when Eunuch Liu was around. When she heard Nanny Shen’s analysis, she felt that it was reasonable and she could not help but scold with a smile. “That sly girl. She’s really audacious to even dare to trick her grandmother.”
“You are the one who spoiled her. I think you shouldn’t scold Miss Mo and should scold yourself first. You have spoilt her so. Fortunately, she is filial. She’s so smart, she’s even smarter than Young Miss.” Nanny Shen had watched Luo Xia grow up and when she mentioned Luo Xia, she could not help but tear up. She quickly turned away to wipe her tears away.
She turned around and slapped her face lightly, scolding herself. “Look at this mouth, I’ve been speaking nonsense again. Miss Mo is very smart and Young Miss would definitely be very happy if she knew. With your care, even if Young Miss is no longer around, she would feel at ease.”
Old Madam Xu saw Nanny Shen’s actions and knew that she was worried that she would feel upset when she thought about her daughter. She did not say anything but smiled sadly. She scolded, “You old thing.” Then, she did not say anything else.
The room was filled with an air of sadness.
After a while, Old Madam Xu’s expression grew grim. She gestured for Nanny Shen to shut the doors and said, “Tong’er must have sensed something. I don’t know why the Empress is son interested in her.”
The person she had sent out to get news earlier had returned to report that there were two types of people that the Empress had gifted things to today. One was to main daughters, the ladies of noble families like Luo Mingzhu. The other gifts were to daughters of fifth or sixth-grade officials who did not rank too highly or lowly. They were just like Tong’er, and there were two who were even concubine’s daughters. Furthermore, with the news from the palace, Old Madam Xu could not help but think too much.
“Miss Mo is only 13 and is still a little girl. Even if the palace has their eyes on her, they won’t…” Nanny Shen knew what the Old Madam was thinking.
“Oh, Tong’er hasn’t had her period yet?” The Old Madam asked in surprise.
“I was close with the nanny that accompanied Miss Mo on our journey here. The nanny knows that Old Madam doted on Miss Mo a lot and told me this privately. She said that Miss Mo’s health was poor and had been injured which is why she still hasn’t…” Nanny Shen said carefully. She had been meaning to tell Old Madam Xu about it but had not the time to do so.
Noble ladies ate and lived well. They were usually mature by the time they were 13.
“No wonder Tong’er is so skinny. Damn the Mo Manor, to raise a child like that and allow the concubine’s daughter to run wild. She even dragged down Tong’er’s reputation. Why was I so blind to allow Xia’er to marry him then!” Old Madam Xu was so angry she hit the floor with her dragon-head cane forcefully. She was mad at Mo Huawen.
“Old Madam, don’t be angry. Fortunately, Miss Mo is now in the capital. She is only just 13. There are many immature 13-year-old girls out there. In the end, they are all healthy and got married and have children. It is not too late to help her body adjust now.” Nanny Shen comforted her. She took the dragon-head cane from the Old Madam and laid it to the side.
“Go, tell the kitchen to be more careful with Tong’er’s meals. Make her anything she likes and don’t be afraid of trouble or spending money. Her health has always been poor and she has to nourish herself so she won’t be like Xia’er and at such a young age…” The Old Madam’s voice cracked.
“Old Madam, don’t worry. I have already told them this morning. I even asked Second Young Sir to find a way to get some medicine from the outside to help improve Miss Mo’s health.” Nanny Shen said with a smile.
“I’m glad you’re here. Otherwise, how could I live on then… It’s been hard on you all these years.” Nanny Shen had accompanied the Old Madam when she married into the family. They were extremely close and their relationship was unlike any other. The Old Madam heaved a sigh of relief when she heard that everything had been arranged.
“Miss, what are you saying? It is my good fortune to be able to serve you.” Nanny Shen could not help but call the Old Madam by the name she used to call her when she thought of the past. She could not help but cry then.
The room was very silent. The Old Madam finally forced down her sadness after a while. She said sharply, “Since the Empress has such thoughts, she would not let Tong’er off easily. Fortunately, that sister of hers had done something like that. We might as well make a larger mess of it. It is a small matter if her reputation becomes slightly damaged. If she were to really be sent to the palace, she would become a powerless beauty. A ruined reputation is the lesser of two evils.”
“Old Madam, you mean…” Nanny Shen immediately wiped away her tears and looked serious now that they were talking business.
“Yes. Get Second Sir here and tell him I am looking for him.” The Old Madam said grimly. The Empress wanting to rule the ladies in the palace had nothing to do with General Manor. However, if she used Tong’er as a chess piece, General Manor was not to be easily trifled with either.
