“Eldest Sister. Wait for us. I have to go to my courtyard for a while.” Mo Xuetong suddenly came out of the carriage while they were speaking with a pale complexion, supported by Mo Ye.
“Third Sister, what’s wrong with you?” Mo Xuemin frowned slightly and was rather unhappy.
“I don’t feel well. Grandmother got me some medicine last time and I want to go and get it. Otherwise, it’d be terrible if I feel ill later.” Mo Xuetong said apologetically as she leaned against Mo Ye weakly. Her pale face seemed a little grey and one look at her could tell you that she was not feeling well. “Eldest Sister, if you are in a hurry, then go along first. I will go with Fourth Sister.”
Mo Xueqiong was delighted and she immediately nodded and said, “Eldest Sister, you go ahead first if you are in a hurry!”
She would not allow that little slut, Mo Xuetong, to have the chance to be alone with the Duke’s son. At the family banquet, Sima Lingyun’s shock could not be hidden. Furthermore, Mo Xuetong had even shamed her yesterday. Part of the reason for her hesitation earlier was because she was thinking how to get back at Mo Xuetong.
“Then be quick. I will wait for you two.” Mo Xuemin was secretly annoyed. However, she still smiled brilliantly and spoke gently.
Mo Xuetong watched on coldly. She had already seen through everything. Mo Xuemin was trying to hurt her and was afraid that Mo Xueqiong would ruin things. That was why she had tried everything to stop her from going with them. However, she would not allow Mo Xuemin to get what she wanted!
The three of them all had their own thoughts. However, they appeared to get along well and had a good sisterly relationship.
They were quick and the three of them got onto the horse carriage again in half an hour.
The driver raised his whip and the carriage started to move! The three of them were immersed in their thoughts and did not speak. The air in the carriage seemed rather heavy.
Mo Xuemin was a little distracted and looked out of the window from time to time. Mo Xueqiong was also rather uneasy. She peered at herself in a mirror again and again. Mo Xuetong watched them with a faint smile on her lips.
They had not traveled for long when Mo Xuemin suddenly called for the carriage to stop as she looked out of the window.
“Sisters, I arranged to meet a few other ladies and they are right up in front. You two go ahead first and I will follow after.” Mo Xuemin pointed at a horse carriage on the side of the road and explained with a smile.
The horse carriages all had curtains that were slightly lifted. A beautiful face appeared at the window and Mo Xueqiong looked at it. She realized that she did not know the lady and nodded. Mo Xuetong naturally agreed! A hint of a cold smile flashed through her eyes. Mo Xuemin could not sit still indeed. She had escaped through this. If Mo Xueqiong had not come today, she would have been left alone.
Mo Xuemin left the carriage with Mo Xiu. The driver raised his whip again and they went on their separate ways.
Mo Xueqiong had never gotten along with Mo Xuetong. Now that only the two of them and their maids were left on the carriage, she did not have to pretend to get along. She harrumphed coldly and turned around. She lifted up the curtains and pretended to be looking at the scenery outside. Her right sleeve lifted while no one was paying attention. Some powder fell out and a strong scent spread from her into the air.
She would drug the slut and take off her outer clothing. Then, she would throw her into the plum blossom forest. She would see how the little slut would get married!
While she was thinking about this happily, she did not notice Mo Xuetong’s expression that had grown cold. Mo Ye moved, wanting to attack. Mo Xuetong held her hand and carefully moved to the window. There was wind here and it could blow away the dizzying scent in the air. Mo Xueqiong was so vicious. She had done nothing to Mo Xueqiong, and they had only argued. Yet, she was being so vicious.
If she had not been studying medicine recently, she would have fallen for her scheme.
The two of them were still immersed in their thoughts when suddenly, the carriage emitted a tearing sound. Everyone in the carriage could not help but fall forward. Mo Ye’s reaction was fast and she held on to Mo Xuetong which was why she had not gotten injured. On the other side, Mo Xueqiong and her maid fell down, messing up their hair and clothes.
“Misses, please get off the carriage. The carriage broke.” The driver said anxiously outside the carriage doors.
The carriage broke! Mo Xueqiong was extremely anxious. She scrambled off the carriage, not caring that she looked like a mess. She knew that if the drug in the carriage would be hard to disperse without an oncoming breeze. The longer they stayed in it, the more likely something would happen. Furthermore, there was something added to the drug. She did not dare to stay inside.
On the other side, Mo Xuetong put on her hat and veil and walked out of the carriage helped by Mo Ye.
The carriage had indeed broken. The front wheel had been cracked by a stone. It not only shook while it moved, it could barely move.
They looked around them. They were already outside the city and were on the main road. There were not any other horse carriages around them.
“Mo Xuetong, you really are an unlucky person. Something would happen wherever you go. If I had known, I would have gone with Eldest Sister and not stay on your unlucky carriage.” Mo Xueqiong stared at Mo Xuetong angrily, unleashing her anger on Mo Xuetong.
She could not calm down when she thought of how she might lose the chance to interact with Sima Lingyun.
“Slap…” There was a loud crack that interrupted Mo Xueqiong’s complains.
“Mo Xuetong, you slut. How dare you hit me…” Mo Xueqiong touched her swollen and painful face as she looked at Mo Xuetong incredulously.
“Slap…” Mo Xuetong slapped her again. Mo Xueqiong could not speak.
“Mo Xueqiong, these two slaps are considered light. You want to plot against me and try to drug me? I did not expect you to already be so vicious at such a young age. I will ask father to decide and we will see who he believes.” Mo Xuetong looked at her coldly. Her deep and dark eyes were filled with coldness. Mo Xueqiong felt really cold as Mo Xuetong looked at her.
How would she dare to let Mo Huawen find out about this!
“You can think about whether the words of an unloved concubine daughter like you or a main daughter would be taken seriously. I have been apart from father for some time. Do you all think that you can just step all over me? If you dare to speak nonsense again, I will destroy you here.” Mo Xuetong said darkly.
“How dare you. Father will not let you off if he finds out about this.” Mo Xueqiong felt that things were going pear-shaped. This was especially when she saw that her maid and the driver had both passed out. She realized only then, that other than Mo Xuetong and her maid, there was no one else. Mo Xuetong’s maid must have martial arts skill and she had knocked the two out.
The horse carriage stopped at the end of a main path. There was a forest on the side. Even though it was winter and there were not many leaves on the tree, one would not be able to see what was happening from afar unless they came closer. It was such a pity. She did not know why there wasn’t a single person there.
Mo Xueqiong became afraid then. She covered her face and held back her tears, crying, “Third Sister, I wasn’t trying to hurt you. Eldest Sister said that you were trying to steal the Duke’s son from me and she even said that the two of you have something on…”
“Oh, so you knew that Eldest Sister was trying to plot against me today?” Mo Xuetong asked gently. She reached out as if she was going to caress Mo Xueqiong’s face. Mo Xueqiong was so afraid that she backed away and said in a hurry, “I didn’t know. I only knew that Eldest Sister and you are going out to have fun with the Duke’s son! Third Sister, I really don’t know about anything.”
“Eldest Sister had plans with His Excellency? Didn’t you say that Eldest Sister had nothing to do with him? Furthermore, Eldest Sister had not left the manor in the last few days. When did she have the chance to secretly contact him?” Mo Xuetong’s hand remained in the air as she spoke coldly. “Did you help to pass on the message? Otherwise, how could Eldest Sister contact His Excellency!”
“Third Sister, I really did not contact him and we are not close. In the past, when he visited, he only came to see Eldest Sister and we would meet from time to time. How could I possibly speak with him in private.” Mo Xueqiong said that, and her expression suddenly changed. She said angrily, “It’s her. She is the one that has something on with His Excellency. So it’s her!”
Mo Xueqiong’s face grew ugly with rage and jealousy. She suddenly realized that Sima Lingyun had not treated her well all along before this. However, after the incident at the Repayment Temple, he had secretly sent someone to tell her that he liked her and wanted to marry her. Now that she thought about it, it was obvious that he was trying to help Mo Xuemin and cast the suspicion unto her to save Mo Xuemin.
To think that she had been so happy and even listened to Mo Xuemin’s explanation and disregarded her earlier suspicions! They had even plotted against Mo Xuetong together.
Her expression grew furious.
“Fourth Sister, look. Could that carriage be from the Duke’s manor? It seems like our Eldest Sister is trying to plot against us.” Mo Xuetong looked afar and glanced at Mo Ye as she spoke lightly.
Mo Ye approached the maid and the driver. She reached out and hit the back of their heads and the two of them slowly regained consciousness.
Mo Ye acted quickly and the two of them only felt slightly dizzy. The driver shook his head and climbed underneath the carriage to reexamine the wheel. The maid hurriedly helped Mo Xueqiong, who looked like a mess.
“Fourth Sister, do you want to enter the Duke’s manor before Eldest Sister?” Mo Xuetong’s clear eyes were extremely cold as she looked at the horse carriage that drove by slowly. The wide carriage indeed bore the sign of the Duke’s manor. The window was half open and she could vaguely make out Sima Lingyun’s face.
“I will listen to you!” Mo Xueqiong said, gritting her teeth. Her eyes slid from Mo Ye to the horse carriage. She had no other choice now!
Mo Xuetong had such a powerful maid with her. She was no match for her. She could see Mo Ye’s sharp eyes from where she stood. Mo Ye was staring at her. If she made a wrong move, Mo Ye might kill her. She was certain once more, that the Mo Xuetong in front of her was no longer the Mo Xuetong that she used to bully.
The horse carriage slowly came to a stop and Sima Lingyun got off with a small smile on his face. His wide green robes matched his handsome and elegant face. His robe was pulled straight and there was not a single crease on it. He had a gentle smile on his face. The sun shone on his face, making him look handsome.
“Misses, where are you two heading. Why have you stopped your carriage here?”
His eyes landed on Mo Xuetong’s face which was covered by a veil. He could still seem to see the beautiful smiling face through the veil. He could not stop the itch he felt in his heart. He did not even spare a glance at Mo Xueqiong who looked like a mess.
That smile, that beauty, coupled with his gentleness. That was how she had fallen in her past life. She thought that his smile was for her. Yet, she had not expected that he would smile like that at anyone. It was not more or less brilliant because of her.
However, she had been dazzled and was certain that he was the one for her. That was how she had ended up in her terrible situation.
A cold red glint flashed through her eyes. However, a smile appeared on her face immediately as she said, “We are going to the plum blossom forest. However, our wheel broke. It can’t move any more!”
“Going to the plum blossom forest? We are headed in the same direction. If you two don’t mind, you can take my carriage.” Sima Lingyun said gently. Just looking at his appearance would leave a good impression on girls. One look at Mo Xueqiong, who lowered her head shyly while twisting her handkerchief in her hands was proof.
“Many thanks, Your Excellency. Eldest Sister’s carriage would pass through here in a while. We had better wait.” Mo Xuetong said lightly.
“Third Sister, we don’t know when Eldest Sister will come. There aren’t any carriages on this path. Why don’t we take His Excellency’s carriage?” Mo Xueqiong could not help but say.
Sima Lingyun only looked at her then. He frowned to himself. Her hair was all messed up and her clothes were wrinkled. Standing beside Mo Xuetong, Mo Xueqiong seemed even plainer than usual. Furthermore, she was a noble lady, and yet, she looked like a mess but still behaved coyly. It made one feel annoyed.
“Fourth Miss is right. You do not know when first miss’ carriage will come by. Why don’t you get on my carriage first and go to see the plum blossoms while waiting for first miss.” Sima Lingyun replied Mo Xueqiong but was looking at Mo Xuetong. He had come today for Mo Xuetong and was not interested in the extra and brainless Mo Xueqiong.
He only thought of her as an additional nuisance and decided that he had to get rid of her later on.
