Mo Xueqiong saw that there was no way to hide the issue. She blurted out the truth while crying.
Mo Xueqiong had seen Mo Xuemin making tea for Sima Lingyun when she went to Mo Xuetong’s courtyard. The two seemed to be behaving intimately, so Mo Xuetong immediately felt jealous.
She went up and questioned Mo Xuemin without knowing anything about the situation and even pushed Mo Xuemin. Then, the two had fallen to the ground and…
Mo Huawen was so angry he was spewing smoke. He had always known how unruly his fourth daughter was. However, he had not expected his eldest daughter to behave like this as well. She had brought a man into her younger sister’s courtyard and even behaved intimately with the man. Did she still want her reputation?
“Go. Go back to your courtyards. Copy the Classics for Women 30 times. You’re not allowed to leave your courtyards unless you finish copying. Your maids will each be beaten 10 times. You can’t even look after your mistresses well. What use do you have?” Mo Huawen gritted his teeth and said angrily.
The maids and servants following Mo Xueqiong and Mo Xuemin were all so frightened they knelt down.
“Father, can you spare them? They had nothing to do with this matter.” Mo Xuemin kowtowed. Her tone was full of pity, and even Mo Xueqiong’s servants looked at her gratefully.
Mo Xuemin really did not let go of a single chance to make herself look gracious!
“Father, please do as eldest sister ask and let them off. Eldest sister has always been kind and cannot bear to see others get hurt.” Mo Xuetong to tug on Mo Huawen’s sleeves and said so softly.
She sounded as if she was defending Mo Xuemin.
Except, it just made Mo Huawen even angrier!
She had always been kind and knowledgable of etiquette. But it did not seem so today! Mo Huawen glared at her angrily and said, “Ten more strikes to everyone!”
Everyone looked at Mo Xuemin angrily.
Mo Xuetong, that wench, was stirring up trouble!
Mo Xuemin knelt and fisted her hands. Her long fingernails dug into her palms and a vicious look flashed through her eyes. However, a docile smile appeared on her face and she said, “Yes, Father. Min’er was wrong this time. Please forgive me. I will immediately wash my clothes and light incense and copy the Classics of Women 50 times. I won’t make the same mistake again.”
Mo Huawen was slightly more appeased when he saw her good attitude, the regret in her eyes and how she accepted the punishment gracefully. However, his eyes darkened when he thought of how he suspected her of ruining her sister’s reputation. He waved his hand impatiently for her to go away.
Mo Xueqiong still wanted to say something. However, Mo Yan held her back, and she stomped her feet reluctantly before leaving.
Once everyone had left, Mo Huawen comforted Mo Xuetong and left Qingwei Garden as well.
Once the courtyard had been cleaned up, Mo Lan made Mo Xuetong another cup of tea. She told Mo Xuetong what happened in detail. Mother Xu passed by Mo Xueqiong’s courtyard when she was running hastily to the study. Mo Yan came out to ask her why she was hurrying.
Mother Xu said that Eldest Miss was with His Excellency in Third Miss’s courtyard and that the two had been waiting for more than four hours.
Mo Xueqiong had always been interested in Sima Lingyun. Mo Xuemin had once promised her privately that there was nothing going on between her and Sima Lingyun. However, the two were in the inner courtyard together for almost four hours. Mo Xueqiong could not bear it and immediately barged into Qingwei Garden angrily and then, whatever happened after that happened.
With such an unruly and jealous Mo Xueqiong around, no matter how highly Mo Xuemin tried to put herself, she would be dragged into trouble anyway.
“Miss, why did you not say that First miss was the one who told His Excellency about you having the music manuscript?” Mo He asked curiously as she gave her a scented towel for her to clean her hands.
She had been standing outside the door earlier and heard everything clearly.
“If eldest sister doesn’t acknowledge that and if Sima Lingyun didn’t say that, then who could pin the evidence on her? It would only make Father unhappy. This is good. Having no evidence is the best evidence.” Mo Xuetong smiled lightly. She took a sip of tea and placed the cup on the table. She looked at the pot of flowers that Mo Lan placed at the window leisurely.
She did not have any evidence. But there were not more than four people in the manor who knew about her having the manuscript. And only Auntie Fang, who had waited on her mother knew about it. How would anyone else know? Her father had been dealing with politics and was very experienced. He had shone amongst hundreds of officials. He naturally knew what was happening.
Mo He did not understand. She thought about it for a while before her eyes brightened.
Mo Lan put down the vase in her hands and went up to nudge her with a smile. “Quick go and get miss’s luggage from the carriage. Old madam gave miss a lot of good things.”
“Oh, right. Miss, I’ll get them from the carriage immediately.” Mo He smacked herself on her head and turned to run out.
In Auntie Fang’s Lihua Garden.
Aunt Fang grabbed a porcelain decoration angrily and threw it at her feet. “How did that little bitch get into a fight with first miss?” she said angrily. She was not at the inner residence just now and heard nanny Li talking about Mo Xuemin’s punishment when she returned. She was so angry that she wanted to find Mo Huawen but was held back by nanny Li.
“Fourth miss only ran to Qingwei Garden when she heard that first miss had gone to Qingwei Garden.” Nanny Li’s men had already made an inquiry and she immediately told Auntie Fang the whole story.
Aunt Fang slowly calmed down and looked at the empty door. There was a cold light in her eyes. After a while, she suddenly asked, “Did the little slut find out about something?”
“No, Third miss was not there at that time. It was impossible for her to know what happened in the courtyard.” Nanny Li was Auntie Fang’s confidant. She knew that Auntie Fang was talking about Mo Xuetong.
“Then why, why does the little slut feel different when she returned this time…” She had gotten the upper hand at every opportunity. First at the city gates and then, Min’er had become disliked. Then, the reveal of her “injury” causing her to be rebuked. Even the calm Min’er had fallen in her hands. She felt that it was highly suspicious.
“Auntie, you’re thinking too much. She’s just an orphan who lost her mother. She does not have the courage to fight with Auntie and First Miss. She would at the most be able to do well a few times thanks to the Fuguo’s. How would she have the ability to plot against you and First miss? She’s just lucky. Nanny Li despised Mo Xuetong. She saw that Mo Xuetong had not become powerful after entering the manor and had forgotten the shame she had endured back then. She thought that Mo Xuetong had been strong then because there were people from the Fuguo’s present then.
“Hurmph, that’s right. Let the little slut have it good for a few days. Have you sent people to His Excellency’s?” Auntie Fang smiled sinisterly.
“I got someone to follow after him when he left. He guaranteed that nothing will go wrong on his side and a misstep like today will not happen again.” Nanny Li said with satisfaction. Auntie’s plans had already been set in motion. The matter today was only to plant an idea in old sir’s mind. When the incident finally happened, old sir would deal with things how Auntie Fang wanted.
However, they did not expect a misstep to occur today, causing First miss to be punished as well.
However, as long as Auntie Fang’s plot succeeded, Third miss would be responsible for everything and First miss would be alright.
“Little slut, we’ll see how many more days she can go.” Auntie Fang laughed shrilly. She pointed to her left and said viciously, “We have to let the little slut suffer as well. How dare she fight with Min’er and ruin her plans. Get someone to get Auntie Qing to do more about it so that she won’t teach that little slut to be so stupid.
“Yes, I will get someone to do it tomorrow.” Nanny Li understood immediately and laughed menacingly.
The next day, Mo Xuetong cooked and asked Mo He to put them in a lunchbox to send to Mo Huawen’s study. She knew that Mo Huawen had not returned to the inner house yesterday night and had stayed in his study. It was about time he got off from court.
In her last life, she had been in love with Sima Lingyun, so she remembered clearly what time he got off from court.
Indeed, Mo Huawen did not return to the inner house after court. He changed into casual clothing and sat behind his desk with a frown to settle matters. When he saw Mo Xuetong’s sweet smiling face at the door, his expression softened.
He sat down and watched quietly as Mo Xuetong took out several dishes. Her beautiful face was very similar to Luo Xia’s. It was as if she was looking at Luo Xia. Luo Xia had once made him porridge and dishes, placing them on his desk gently. But now…
“Father, you can eat the porridge now. You haven’t had breakfast yet. I heard about it. I don’t care, you have to give me face and try the dishes I cooked!” Mo Xuetong turned around and said sweetly.
“Alright, alright. Father will definitely try what Tong’er cooked.” Mo Huawen nodded, his eyes filling with tears.
“Quick, try them, Father.” Mo Xuetong said sweetly and stuffed a pair of chopsticks into Mo Huawen’s hands.
“Third miss is really filial. I have come too late.” A coy voice could be heard from the door, interrupting the heart-warming moment between father and daughter. Mo Xuetong looked up and saw Auntie Fang walking in with a handkerchief in her hand. Nanny Li was also holding a food basket behind her. It was evident that she was here to send breakfast to Mo Huawen.
“Why have you come?” Mo Huawen’s expression turned cold immediately. How could he be happy when he thought of the stupid things Mo Xuemin did yesterday when he saw Auntie Fang.
“I heard that you have not eaten anything after coming back from court. So I went to the kitchen especially to make you some food. I didn’t expect Third miss to be so considerate to have prepared food so early. Old sir, Third miss is so filial, you are blessed.” Auntie Fang praised sincerely.
Mo Huawen’s expression softened at her words and he said indifferently, “Since you are here, sit down and let’s eat together.”
No matter what, she was still considered Mo Xuetong’s elder and was in charge of the courtyards. He could not disrespect her in front of her juniors. Even though he was angry when he thought of how he had tricked her, he could not be angry when he thought of how she had worked hard over household matters.
Mo Xuetong, of course, did not believe that Auntie Fang was praising her sincerely. However, she still smiled and stood up, inviting Auntie Fang to take a seat.
“Tong’er is naturally filial. If Min’er is like her, then I wouldn’t have to worry as much.” Mo Huawen said coldly and drank his porridge.
“Old sir, I came here today to submit Min’er’s copies of the Classics of Women. One more thing, Min’er asks that old sir doesn’t blame her. She can’t be filial to old sir for now and asks Third miss to do so on her behalf.” Auntie Fang smiled and took out a wad of Classics. The neat and tidy characters showed how hard the person writing it had tried.
There were ten sheets in that bundle. According to regular speeds, Mo Xuemin would not be able to copy ten sheets unless she did not sleep and copied throughout the night.
Mo Huawen fell silent and asked after a while, “What else does she need to do?”
“Min’er wanted to go to the Repayment temple outside the city to pray for Madam. She was going to go tomorrow, but even if she doesn’t eat and sleep, she won’t be able to finish copying 30 sheets…She would like to know if Third miss can go on behalf of her.” Auntie Fang asked awkwardly.
Indeed, they were waiting for her here! Mo Xuetong laughed coldly to herself.
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