The first thing Mo Huawen did when he returned to the Mo Manor was to visit Mo Xuemin"s Fuqing Garden angrily. He got the two servants to throw the clothes and cloth in their arms onto the table the moment he entered. He harrumphed coldly at Mo Xuemin who was seated at a corner doing embroidery. Then, he raised his robes and sat down.
"Father, why have you come to visit Min"er today? You came at just the right time. I made you a robe." Mo Xuemin seemed as if she did not realize Mo Huawen"s annoyance. She stood up gently and retrieved a grey long cotton robe from the couch beside her. The robe was folded neatly, and it looked as if she had put a lot of effort into it." Father, put this against yourself and see if the length and size are right. I"m afraid I didn"t do it well, and you won"t like it."
Mo Huawen was furious. He pushed the robe away and pointed at the clothes on the table and said angrily, "Do you like it when you give your younger sister your old clothes and unsuitable fabric?"
"Father." Mo Xuemin was stunned when she saw how angry Mo Huawen was. She looked at him incredulously as tears fell down her cheeks. She had just recovered from her illness and had become thin. She hugged the robe that Mo Huawen pushed away and knelt, sobbing, "Father, I don"t understand what you"re saying."
"These old clothing have stains on them, and you still keep giving them to your younger sister. Those colorful fabrics, how can your younger sister wear them? Min"er, I always thought you were sensible and that you are better than the other two. You are gracious, and you act like the eldest daughter of the family. But now...you have disappointed me greatly." Mo Huawen was disappointed. This was not the daughter he was proud of.
He did not know when she became so annoying!
Mo Xuemin"s heart skipped a bit when she looked at Mo Huawen. She knew that things were going pear-shaped. She scooted forward on her knees to Mo Huawen and then kowtowed loudly. She looked up tearfully and cried, "Father, how would Min"er do such a thing? I have always gotten along well with Third Sister. Furthermore, after what happened, I feel sorry towards you and my other younger sisters. I have already decided to repent before Buddha, so how would I try to fight with Third Sister?"
She sounded so sincere, and her pale face was filled with pain, and her words were drowned in sadness.
"Was I wrong?" Mo Huawen"s expression cooled and grew stern.
"Father, I just had that dress made, and I had originally wanted to wear it to the banquet. But how can I go to my current situation!" Mo Xuemin sobbed, almost unable to catch her breath. She pulled on Mo Huawen"s hand and trebled, "Father, you were the one who gave me that leather and I couldn"t bear to wear it. I used it to make clothes and have never worn it. Those two bolts of cloth are also plain colored. Third Sister likes plain clothes and is still grieving, how could I possibly send her such bright colored clothing?"
Mo Xuemin"s gaze had long landed on the two bolts of fabric and clothes. Her heart flopped, and she hated Auntie Fang to the guts. She was, indeed an ignorant concubine. She couldn"t bear to part with material goods even at a time like this and had changed out the clothes that she sent to Mo Xuetong as a gesture of goodwill. However, there was no use to hate her now. She might as well change the topic.
She cried, almost losing her voice.
Mo Xiu, who was kneeling beside her, received her gesture and hurried forward to help Mo Xuemin up. She cried as well, "Old Sir, First Miss gave Third Miss the best things she owned. First, Miss must have been framed by someone this time, how would she have the mood to dress up? She might as well give all the things that she usually could not bear to wear to Third Miss. But who knew that something would happen again? If she had known what would happen, she might as well not give Third Miss her things so that Third Miss would not be suspicious of her."
She was claiming that Mo Xuemin was innocent while also pus.h.i.+ng the blame onto Mo Xuetong as if Mo Xuetong was intentionally making things difficult for Mo Xuemin.
Mo Huawen looked displeased.
"Shut up. Mo Xiu. Third Sister is not someone like that. Someone must have changed out the clothes that I sent her. Father, please check for me. If you can"t find anything, I am willing to admit to this accusation." Mo Xuemin rebuked Mo Xiu and then spoke to her father in an aggrieved manner.
Mo Huawen grew suspicious when he saw how Mo Xuemin was behaving. He turned around to look at the two servants who followed him here and slapped the table forcefully. He said angrily, "Speak. Who changed out the clothes that First Miss sent to Third Miss?"
"Old Sir, it was Auntie, it was Auntie Fang." The two servants were shocked and knelt loudly, trembling.
It was Auntie Fang again. Mo Huawen shook in anger. He thought about how ignorant Auntie Fang was and how she ill-treated Tong"er and implicated her daughter. Then, he looked at Mo Xuemin who was kneeling before him, crying so much she could not speak, her face pale and looking frail. He was furious.
"Men, come and take these two servants out and give them ten beatings each." Mo Huawen bellowed angrily.
The two servants felt aggrieved. They had first been called by Mo Xiu to take the things to the Fu General Manor. However, they had not expected to be stopped by servants sent by Auntie Fang at the door. They thought that it was no big deal and that they would just be changing two bolts of fabric for another two. They did not expect to get into so much trouble. They were so frightened that they only knew how to kowtow.
Mo Huawen was furious. How would he care what the two servants thought? He stood up angrily and was going to go to Lihua Garden to find Auntie Fang.
"Father, don"t go. Min"er might have made a mistake on the matter. You can"t blame Auntie." Mo Xuemin tugged on Mo Huawen"s robe. She cried so much that her face had become pale as she took on the blame. She looked as if she was afraid that Mo Huawen would unleash his anger at Auntie Fang. Mo Huawen"s heart softened when he saw her.
She was after all a child that he had doted on for more than ten years. And he had seen for himself how Mo Xuemin was suffering on behalf of the useless concubine. Mo Huawen sighed to himself and sat down again. Then, he pulled her up while Mo Xiu quickly helped her.
"Min"er, I know that your mother is useless and has implicated you." Mo Huawen"s expression softened.
"She has given birth to me, and no matter what, she is my biological mother. A child would not reject his mother for being ugly. Auntie might be at fault, but I am willing to be punished on her behalf. Father, please don"t be angry at Auntie. Her health is poor..."
Mo Xuemin had played this hand beautifully. She had first mentioned that she did not mind Auntie Fang"s lowly status and then accepted the blame for everything. Then, she had said that she had done everything out of filial piety. Even Mo Huawen, who was furious, could not do anything about it. His daughter was still the demure, elegant, and gracious Min"er?
However, even though Mo Xuemin had made everything sound reasonable, and two servants could prove what she said, Mo Huawen would not believe in her blindly as he once did. He remained clear-headed and asked, looking at her deeply, "Min"er, you are a lady of the house. Even though Auntie Fang gave birth to you, you have to remember that your mother is the madam and that you should be filial to madam."
"Yes, Father. I was stupid and said the wrong thing because I was anxious." Mo Xuemin nodded and apologized, wiping her tears away with her handkerchief.
"Alright, rest well. You have just recovered, don"t make clothes." Mo Huawen stood up and walked out. Mo Xuemin sent him off to the door, holding on to Mo Xiu"s hand.
Mo Xuemin only returned to her room to sit when she saw Mo Huawen"s back disappearing at the door. She wrung her handkerchief, her features twisted in hate.
Mo Xiu stood to the side, trying her best to remain inconspicuous and not daring to say another word when she saw Mo Xuemin"s expression. She was afraid that she would annoy her mistress if she said something wrong. She would suffer then.
"Send someone to Auntie Fang"s to check." Mo Xuemin said coldly after a long while. "Tell her not to hide some things. If she does not say them now, even if she might have the chance to say them in the future, she has to first get Father"s love. She should say them while Uncle is here to speak up for her..."
Even though her father had wanted to go to see Auntie Fang, he would not have the time to do so. Her uncle, Lord Yu, had come early in the morning and had just met up with Auntie Fang. He must be waiting for her father in the study. Auntie Fang was the long lost daughter of the Yu family, and this was something her father and the Yu family had known about long ago. They did not have a chance to reveal it.
The Yu family was a n.o.ble and wealthy one. They naturally did not want their main daughter to become her father"s concubine. That was why they had kept the matter under wraps for so long. It was the right time to reveal it now. With her uncle giving the suggestions, her father would not be able to say anything even if he objected to it. Furthermore, her father had agreed to the matter privately when they first came to the capital.
"Yes." Mo Xiu hesitated and then could not bear it. "If Old Sir is angry with Auntie about this matter, then wouldn"t it ruin Auntie"s plans?"
"Her plans will never be able to catch up with that s.l.u.t"s change. Tell her to be more careful and don"t ruin my plans." Mo Xuemin laughed coldly. If she had not been so short-sighted, would she have to act like this in front of her father? It might not even pay off in the end.
If Auntie Fang had not acted secretly, what she had to do next would be much simpler.
She could only use her uncle to exert pressure on her father while trying to get rid of the sly little s.l.u.t that was Mo Xuetong as soon as possible. She did not expect Mo Xuetong to emerge unscathed from the palace and that her reputation would be ruined instead. How could Mo Xuemin not grit her teeth in anger?
In the study.
Yu Feng had already been waiting there for a long while. He had been in Cloud City with Mo Huawen for many years, and the two were considered good friends. That was how he had gotten Auntie Fang to be secretly acknowledged.
Yu Feng was a middle-aged man in his 40s. He was thin, and if one looked carefully, they would see that his slightly sharp chin was exactly like Auntie Fang"s. Auntie Fang was his blood sister. She had gone missing with their nursemaid when they were little on a trip out to the lantern festival. Yu Feng was happy to find his long lost sister.
"Lord Mo, I have been waiting for a long while. Why were you gone for so long? I thought that you had cut all contact with the Fu General Manor?" Yu Feng"s tone was sarcastic because he had waited for some time. He was angry as he thought about how his younger sister was still a concubine and that she was not doing as well as before.
"My third daughter is not well and is staying with her grandparents. I went to visit her, which was why I returned late. I hope that you will understand!" Mo Huawen suppressed the anger he felt. He knew that Yu Feng would not visit for no reason. As such, he smiled and went up to Yu Feng, smiling as he explained.
The two sat in their respective seats, and a servant served them tea.
They both took a few sips of tea and got down to business.
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