Mother Xu steeled herself as she spread the news to Mo Xueqiong's courtyard. It was no secret in the manor that Fourth Miss had always been interested in the duke's son. Now she seemed to be trying to drag her sister into trouble. Mother Xu would not forget how Fourth Miss and First Miss had joined hands to make her mistress unhappy.Mo Xuetong smiled at Mother Xu."Mother Xu, come find me after a while." Mother Xu smiled. Even with Fourth Miss around, her mistress would come out clean. The gracious First Miss was about to get herself in trouble.Mo Xuetong brought her servants to Mo Huawen's study. The study wasn't far, only two doors. The servant outside saw her approaching and had already informed Mo Huawen. When she reached the doors, she was immediately welcomed into the study.Mo Huawen put down the documents in his hands and smiled."Tong'er, you don't need to be so polite. Come and sit. How's your grandmother?" Mo Xuetong greeted h

It was a silent night. The moon was beautiful. The lights in Qingwei Garden were lit.Mo Xuetong leaned against the couch and watched as Mo Lan packed up her clothes for their journey tomorrow.The room was so quiet she could hear the candle flickering, sound suddenly disruptive in the dead silence of the night.Mo Lan could no longer hold in her worries."Miss, are we really going to the Temple of Atonement tomorrow? Auntie Fang went to tell your father for a reason. She must be up to something." "Eldest Sister has devised such an excellent excuse. I would look unfilial if I didn't go. Even father has agreed, so how can I not go?" Mo Xuetong tapped her long slender fingers on the couch thoughtlessly. She was thinking about the past few days.Mo Xuemin had fallen into her traps again and again since she returned to the capital. How could Mo Xuemin and Auntie Fang be willing to take that lying down? She didn't know when Mo Xuetong and Sima Lingyun

After dinner, Mo Xuetong was told her presence was requested in the hall beside the meditation garden, alone. The night was dark enough to make it hard to see who approached her, but it looked like a guard. They gave Mo Lan a sheet of paper with the same symbol. The paper seemed brittle and old.Mo Lan had not wanted to let Mo Xuetong go alone, but Mo Xuetong was insistant. She couldn't risk offending whoever she was meeting. She needed those guards. Mo Yu dragged Shuang Ye and Qiu Ling back to Mo Xuetong's rooms to work on their embroidery.Mo Xuetong walked the quiet path alone. In both her lives, she had always been hidden in the back courtyards. She had never gone out secretly to meet anyone in the dark night. She looked calm, but her fingers were clenched tightly and her hands were cold.The Buddhist hall was not too far away. It cast enough light to keep Mo Xuetong from getting lost, but there was no moonlight to light her way tonight. Silence filled the medi

Mo Xuetong's illness raged. She had a fever that night and was dazed from it. Her health had always been poor. When they had been in Cloud City, she had stayed behind because of her ill health. She had also been so ill that she could not get up. Even though she had recuperated and had gotten better at the Qin Manor, her health was still weaker than others. She could not bear being submerged in cold water at the beginning of winter. When the maids hurried to help her change and lie down, she fell unconscious. She only felt her body burning and her entire being felt like a fish being grilled on a stove. Even though she was unconscious, she still felt terrible and felt like dying. She felt as if she could not breathe. After some time, there was a sense of coldness that came from her forehead which allowed her burning body to regain some consciousness. She called out softly subconsciously, "Water, water." Someone came immediately to help her out

There were four or five noble looking young men who hurried through the courtyard doors. They each brought their own servant and blocked the space at the entrance. "Where are you rascals from? How dare you speak like that to my mistress?" Mo Jin saw that the situation was taking a turn for the worse and hurried to stand in front of Mo Xuemin. "If we are rascals, then your mistress is no virtuous woman. Didn't they say that noble young ladies shouldn't leave their rooms or their doors? Oh, so are the rules in the Mo Manor different? She can even come out to meet a man in secret!" The man standing right in front was Brother Ling and he glanced at Mo Xuetong in disdain. "Nonsense. My First Miss has something to ask His Excellency. Furthermore, First Miss has observed etiquette and not entered the room." Mo Jin defended her loudly. "Your First Miss is really close with the Zhenguo Duke's son. She sent a pouch when we were drinking