This person was so hateful! Mo Xuetong rushed out of the door heatedly. She discovered that there was not a single person outside. Mo He wasn’t here? She thought about it and realized that if Mo He were present, how could he have gotten close to her without her knowing.
She fumed, lifted her skirts and walked past two doors. Just as she turned to avoid the door, she felt as if someone was staring at her. She felt really uneasy. Fortunately, she had only taken a few steps forward when she bumped into Mo He who was hurrying back. Mo He said that she tripped when she went to get water. She had spilled the water and gotten her clothes wet. A maid at the Clothes Pavilion had gotten her a change of clothes.
This was such a coincidence. Mo Xuetong fumed silently. However, she pretended not to mind. She did not want anyone to find out about her and Feng Yuran speaking in the booth. Luo Mingzhu had returned as well, pulling on Mo Xuetong asking her to go try on some clothes. Then, they went downstairs to find a suitable cloth for the Old Madam’s headscarf.
When she went downstairs, Mo Xuetong saw that Yun Yiqiu was still there. Yun Yiqiu’s eyes flickered when she saw them coming down. She smiled at Mo Xuetong in a friendly manner. Her smile was gentle and she friendly. She seemed to be a likable person, coupled with her pretty face. However, the fake demure smile could not stir up an ounce of pity in Mo Xuetong.
“Cousin, who is that? Do you know her?” Luo Mingzhu nudged Mo Xuetong’s arm curiously.
Mo Xuetong’s gaze landed on Yun Yiqiu’s face. Who would have thought that this seemingly weak woman would be so vicious? What was she doing now? Was she trying to get into Mo Xuetong’s good books as she had in her past life?
This meant that Sima Lingyun had already told her that he would marry Mo Xuetong. Why was Sima Lingyun so confident? Mo Xuetong felt wary.
There was a vague smile on her lips as she sized up Yun Yiqiu. Yun Yiqiu saw her looking and smiled, looking as if she was about to say something. However, Mo Xuetong turned around as if she had not seen Yun Yiqiu and said to Luo Mingzhu lightly, “I don’t know her!”
Yun Yiqiu’s smile froze on her face.
“You don’t know her and yet she is smiling at you so warmly, trying to ingratiate herself to you. One look and you know she is not from a good family.” Luo Mingzhu was born to the Fu General Manor and had never liked people who smiled at others ingratiatingly. When she thought about how her father’s concubines always smiled in such a manner, she harrumphed and gave Yun Yiqiu a passing glance, raising her voice intentionally.
Even though there were quite a few people in the hall, they were mostly women and spoke softly. Luo Mingzhu’s loud voice attracted everyone’s attention. They followed her gaze and looked at Yun Yiqiu, who did not know what to do because she had suddenly become the center of attention.
There were many types of gazes upon her. Some looked at her with disdain, realization. Some gave her the side-eye while others looked at her proudly…
“She doesn’t seem like she’s from a good family. Could she be a maid? Look at how she’s trying to ingratiate herself!”
“She’s not a maid, there’s a maid behind her. Could she be someone’s concubine?”
“That’s not right. Her hair is not in the hairstyle of a married woman.”
“If she is not a concubine or a maid, could she be a girl from the brothels?”
“That’s possible. She looks like it. She looks like some of the girls I saw the last time I passed by a brothel. They always look at others in that manner I can’t describe. Look, just like how she looks right now. I heard that men like this kind of look the most.”
“How can someone like that come here. How unlucky. I didn’t check the almanac this morning before leaving the house.”
“That’s right. Better stay away from her or we will get tainted by her aura.”
…
Of the women here about 80 percent of the women had husbands who had concubines or other women outside. They hated such women the most. This kind of women served men carefully and looked pitiful. Their husbands’ hearts had been stolen by them. They would naturally take the opportunity to criticize women like them. There were a few who had brought their husband’s concubines with them and they could scold them to their heart’s content. Yun Yiqiu was so angry at the comments she wanted to die.
Yun Yiqiu wanted to scream out loud, her face paled. The criticism grew harsher and harsher. Her eyes filled with tears as she bit her lips. She did not dare to say anything. Her maid helped her to squeeze out of the crowd. There was a wave of laughter behind her and she was so angry that her hand and body shook. She breathed harshly and gritted her teeth so much she could almost taste the blood.
She blamed Mo Xuetong completely for this.
She gritted her teeth. It was Third Miss Mo who had shamed her today. She would make sure Mo Xuetong received the same shame a thousand, no, ten thousand fold!
Once Third Miss Mo marries into the Sima family, she would not allow her to have a peaceful day! Her cousin loved her and she did not believe that she would not be able to defeat Third Miss Mo. She just had a better family background but was weaker in all aspects. She was not even as beautiful as Yun Yiqiu. She was sure of that.
She had stayed especially to get to know Mo Xuetong and become friends with her. She would then be able to get a better grasp on Mo Xuetong once she marries into the Sima family.
As such, she told Sima Lingyun that she wanted to pick out some cloth to make him clothes and told him to return first.
When she thought how Third Miss Mo had pushed her into the sea of rumors by saying that she did not know her, Yun Yiqiu started to feel anger and hatred towards Mo Xuetong. She thought that she would definitely make Mo Xuetong feel the shame she felt today.
While she was feeling angry by herself, Mo Xuetong saw how Yun Yiqiu stumbled away in shame with the help of her maid. There was a faint smile on her lips. She knew that Yun Yiqiu hated her right now. But what has it to do with her? Anyway, she definitely would not marry Sima Lingyun in her life. His concubine has nothing to do with her.
There were so many people on the hall, there would definitely be someone who had dealings with the Duke’s manor. It was just a matter of time before the Duke’s manor heard of it. She wondered how the Duchess would look like when she realizes that her niece had embarrassed the Duke’s manor.
In her past life, Mo Xuetong had experienced first hand how mean the Duchess was. She was not a kind person. She watched on as her grandson died and had left just like that. She did not give the child even a coffin and said that the child was still young and did not even have a name. She said that the child could not be buried in the Sima ancestral plot and could just be buried anywhere else.
Such a cold and unfeeling person can only belong to the Sima family.
She was sad and her heart ached as she thought of how she had hugged Yu’er’s cold body. She shook, standing at the stairwell, and if Mo He had not caught her quickly, she would have fallen down.
“Cousin, what’s the matter? Are you unwell?” Luo Mingzhu asked anxiously as she sensed that something was not right with Mo Xuetong.
“I’m alright, I was just a little dizzy.” Mo Xuetong sighed and hid the piercing pain in her heart. She looked up and smiled gently. Her pale face was hidden behind a veil and no one could see it clearly. Luo Mingzhu was a careless sort, and so was Mo He. Luo Mingzhu’s maid did not pay attention to Mo Xuetong, and as such, no one heard the tiniest tremor in her words. The pain was like a knife stabbing through her heart.
Sima Lingyun’s Duke’s manor was a dangerous place by itself. Those living there had venomous hearts, or they would not be able to survive. However, she thought that they were all kind and tried her best to please the Duchess and then got Sima Lingyun to marry Yun Yiqiu In the end, she even got Mo Xuemin to enter the manor to help her.
This was how she had brought in all the evil wolves. And how could she live, surrounded by these wolves?
That was why Yu’er had died, and how she, the loyal Mother Xu, Mo Lan, Mo Yu, and Mo He had died! She lowered her gaze, hiding the coldness in them. There was cause and effect. This was so in her past life. She would not take the same path again in this life. She would not let everyone die in vain. So many lives, so much blood. She would seek repatriation for all of them.
“Are you truly alright?” Luo Mingzhu reached out to hold her hand and found that it was very cold. It was as if she was holding ice and she asked worriedly, “Why is your hand so cold? We had better return home and get a physician. Grandmother would blame me if you really catch a cold.”
“I’m fine. I’ll pick a few bolts of cloth for aunt. She gave me some to make clothes yesterday and they are all really good. She must have picked them out really carefully and I mustn’t take advantage of her.” Mo Xuetong smiled and removed her hand from Luo Mingzhu’s grasp. She was not used to someone holding her hand so warmly.
In her past life, she had reached out so easily and trusted that others would hold her hand. And that was why she had died so miserably. She would not trust easily this life. Even though she could sense how good Luo Mingzhu was her, she did not dare to trust her fully!
As such, she was wary of everyone now!
She did not dare to trust Luo Mingzhu fully and did not dare to leave herself in her hands.
She had been so badly hurt that when she dreamed at night, it was still in that burning room. She could still smell the acrid smoke and the sensation of not being able to breathe. All these reminded her of revenge. That she had to seek revenge. And she was sad to realize that she could not find anyone to trust because of this.
“That’s true. I shall pick some out for aunt. She rarely goes out after moving in. Those bolts of cloth must have been there for quite a while. I will pick out some new styles of her.” Luo Mingzhu was rather receptive towards the aunt who had been staying in her house. Xu Yan got along with others well and would occasionally send her trinkets for her to play. They were all quality goods.
The Xu family had since fallen, leaving behind their only daughter. Even though she was spoilt, she had no choice but to move into the Luo family since her parents’ death. Xu Yan was slightly older than the usual young noble ladies. As such, she seemed more trustworthy so much that even Old Madam Xu praised her for it. Old Madam Xu said that anyone who married her niece would not have to worry about their inner courtyard.
Mo Xuetong saw that Luo Mingzhu was also interested in picking out a few fabrics and suddenly pulled her aside and whispered into her ear. Luo Mingzhu was shocked and asked her with widened eyes, “Really?”
“Hush.” Mo Xuetong glared at her and gestured for her to lower her volume. She had made Yun Yiqiu the center of attention earlier because of her loud voice. She did not want to become the center of attention as well.
Luo Mingzhu reacted quickly and reached out to clasp her hand over her mouth. She looked left and right and saw that everyone was focused on picking out fabric before she turned to look at Mo Xuetong incredulously, “Are you serious?”
“Of course.” Mo Xuetong smiled and then glanced at Luo Mingzhu. She knew that Luo Mingzzhu wanted to hear her explanation but was pretending not to care but still could not hold back.
“Will it work?” They had reached the bottom of the stairs and there were fewer people paying attention to them. She asked softly, her eyes glittering and one look at her could tell that she was eager for gossip.
“Why not. Just watch!” Mo Xuetong smiled and nodded confidently.
“Alright, then remember to get me the next time uncle comes. If Aunt is really interested in him, I will help to ask Grandmother on their behalf!” Luo Mingzhu was excited.
Get Luo Mingzhu to come and watch? That would mean that everyone in the manor would find out about it. As such, Mo Xuetong shook her head and said anxiously, “You’d better not come. It would not be suitable for you to rush over especially when my father comes. And if you come and watch, you might ruin things.”
“You won’t let me watch?” Luo Mingzhu asked anxiously.
“No!” A determined tone that did not match Mo Xuetong’s delicate face could be heard.
“You really won’t?” Luo Mingzhu was angry and she glared at Mo Xuetong.
“I won’t!” Mo Xuetong smiled lightly.
“Sigh…I’m sad. You have to tell me first if it really happens.” Luo Mingzhu was angry when she saw how Mo Xuetong behaved but there was nothing she could do but to make sure she was the first person to find out if it really happens.
Mo Xuetong could only agree when she saw how excited Luo Mingzhu was.
Luo Mingzhu perked up when she received Mo Xuetong’s promise. She dragged Mo Xuetong into the hall to pick fabric suitable for old people. They intended to make her a headscarf since it was getting cold and her health was poor. Since her old headscarves were getting worn, they might as well make her a new and thicker one.
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