“Mother, I saw Elder brother and someone of the Yu family on the streets earlier.” Mo Xuetong went straight to the point. “Doesn’t Elder brother need to study these days?”
Mo Huawen had asked Mo Yufeng to take the last imperial exam, and naturally, he didn’t pa.s.s it in the end. Fortunately, his family members knew that he was likely to fail and did not hold out much hope for him.
“Isn’t he in the yard? Why did he sneak out again?” Xu Yan frowned and answered uncertainly, who had never had a good impression of Mo Yufeng. Even though she had never skimped him, she usually did not want to interfere in his matters. As such, Xu Yan did not ask much about his situation.
Mo Xuetong keenly grasped the meaning of her words and continued to ask, “Secretly?”
“Yeah.” Xu Yan gave a sigh. “After the exam, he had gone out to meet a few friends. He even met one of them in a brothel and your father happened to see him, who sent servants to take him back. From then on, he quietly stayed at home. When those bad friends came to see him, they were driven away by the guards.”
“Then he became reckless again. Once when your father was not at home, someone somehow sent him a message. At that time, he sneaked out from the back door, but he came soon back, only about an hour. I saw that he didn’t cause any trouble. It was said that he just strolled on the street and drank tea for a while, so I didn’t take it as a big deal and didn’t tell your father.”
Mo Xuetong thought for a while and said softly, “Mother, you have to be careful about it. You’d better not hide it from father.”
Xu Yan did not understand Mo Yufeng, but it was impossible for her to not understand him. In her past life, Auntie Fang and her daughter had been so cruel to her. Without Mo Yufeng backing them up, how could the two of them have dealt with her so openly? How could they be able to gain a firm foothold in the Mo family?
When she was just reborn, she was just suspicious of him. But now, she could basically be sure that in the tragedy of her last life, Mo Yufeng had been helping her enemies. If it weren’t for him, how could Mo Xuemin, who was still a n.o.ble lady at that time with a gentle reputation, have ganged up with Lan Xinru, Sima Lingyun’s mistress?
Sima Lingyun was the main reason for what happened in Fu General Manor, but what about Mo Yufeng? If he had not entered the manor with Sima Lingyun, and if he had not led the way for the latter, no one in Fu General Manor would have discovered that Sima Lingyun had taken something away. The pot of flowers was not a small object that could be taken away so easily.
If she remembered correctly, Mo Yufeng and Sima Lingyun had gone to the manor together at that time.
In her past life, there had been traces of Mo Yufeng everywhere in her tragical life. In this life, how could Mo Yufeng not do something? Mo Xuetong was certain that something bad would happen when Mo Yufeng was with Yu Feng recently. As such, she had especially reminded Xu Yan so that she would not fall into the trap.
Xu Yan was also very cautious so she immediately understood what Mo Xuetong meant. A hint of anger flashed in her eyes. “Is he up to something outside again?”
What did Mo Yufeng want to do? Of course, he wanted the property of the Mo Manor and the biggest enemy was either Mo Xuetong or Xu Yan. Xu Yan had thought that he was at least Mo Huawen’s eldest son, and she did not care about how cold he was every time he saw her. But now, she was a little angry.
“A few days ago, your father wanted to arrange an engagement for him, but I thought that the girl had an unruly reputation. So I asked your father to not decide now. Since he’s so restless now, I’ll tell your father to arrange the engagement for him. An unruly girl is better than a girl who is unable to control him and let him keep making trouble outside.”
She was going to use the marriage to drag Mo Yufeng down. Mo Xuetong nodded secretly, whose stepmother was not someone who knew nothing, which would be best. It could prevent him from causing trouble for the Mo Manor and implicating someone he could not offend. The situation in the capital was changing rapidly. People attacked secretly. Things had gotten heated up. Mo Xuetong did not want someone to take advantage of Mo Yufeng at this time, which would implicate the Mo Manor.
Thinking about it, Mo Xuetong found that it made sense. If Mo Yufeng wanted to deal with her now, he was not strong enough at all. Ordinary people would never do something like hitting a rock with an egg. Although Mo Yufeng was not smart, he was still a normal person. However, judging from the ending of Auntie Fang and Mo Xuemin, it was obvious that he was not able to defeat her.
That was why it was said that Mo Yufeng had been in low spirits some time ago!
Then what was going on these days? What made him regain his spirit? Even Yu Feng, who had lost his backer, looked exalted just now. Consort Yu had just fallen and Yu Feng’s performance was very intriguing. Did it mean that Yu Feng had a new master?
Besides, this master had a high status, at least as powerful as Feng Yuran!
As Mo Xuetong thought in this way, the answer was obvious.
After she chatted with Xu Yan for a few more minutes, they heard that Mo Huawen had returned to the manor. When her father learned that she was back, he asked her to go to the study to meet him. So Mo Xuetong got up and went to the front yard.
When she arrived at the study and sat down, Mo Huawen asked about Mo Xuetong’s illness and asked her to take some precious medicinal herbs that he had collected when she returned. Then, the two started to come to the point. Unlike Xu Yan, Mo Huawen, as the lord mayor, was more sensitive to the situation in the capital. Furthermore, it was related to his favorite daughter. Thus, even though he had not joined any force, he still paid attention to the development of various forces.
Mo Xuetong sat down in front of Mo Huawen’s desk and asked with a serious look, “Father, have you heard any news from the Southern Barbarian Lands recently?”
Hu Qianyue was seriously ill this time and had relapsed. She had recovered a little a few days ago and it was said that she had gotten worse this time. Even though Mo Xuetong knew that Hu Qianyue had made herself ill on purpose, she had felt helpless as the girl ignored her health in order to stay in King Xuan’s Manor. However, after Feng Yuran had spoken to her, Mo Xuetong calmed down.
“Not yet. I heard that there are signs of chaos among the various forces in the Southern Barbarian Lands recently. Tong’er, you can’t keep the person called Hu Qianyue in your manor.” Even though Mo Huawen did not know exactly what was going on, he had been an official for many years and was very sensitive. It was said that most of the unusual movements in the Southern Barbarian Lands are because of Hu Qianyue’s father.
General Hu, who took charge of military power, did not seem to be a man who was willing to marry his only daughter into another country.
“Father, don’t worry. There’s no hurry. His Highness has his own plans. As for Elder brother…” Mo Xuetong pondered for a moment, but she still told her father the truth. “Father, you have to pay more attention to Elder brother. You’d better not let him go out in the near future. When I came here, I saw him with the person of the Yu family.”
No matter how disappointing Mo Yufeng was, he was still Mo Huawen’s only son who held a certain position in their father’s heart. However, if she did not tell Mo Huawen, it might lead to even greater trouble! She hoped that Mo Huawen would be able to see through Mo Yufeng so that he would not be implicated in the future. They were father and son, and Mo Huawen might implicate in what Mo Yufeng had done. It would be hard to explain then.
“He was with Yu Feng?” Mo Huawen’s expression changed. He was not Xu Yan and he immediately knew what was going on. He was so angry that his face darkened and the veins on his forehead stood out. He was growing more and more disappointed with his son. He only hoped that Xu Yan could give birth to a son for him so that the boy could be his heir.
“The two of them pretended to be pa.s.sing by. It seems that they are very skilled in it. It is obviously not the first time they have met secretly.” Mo Xuetong thought about it and then reminded him, “When Elder brother left, there was an old maidservant behind him. She was not from our manor. Judging from her clothes, she did not look like a servant of an ordinary family.”
“As soon as he comes back later, I will order him to stay at home. I have planned to arrange an engagement for him these days, so the rooms and yards need to be decorated. I will ask him to stay at home and decorate them by himself,” Mo Huawen uttered with a livid face. Although he was not very satisfied with the girl, at least it was the best one at the moment.
Furthermore, with Mo Yufeng’s status, if he did not have a younger sister who was Consort Xuan, the other party might not be willing to accept it. However, since the young lady was known for being unruly, he wanted to see other girls. But now Mo Huawen felt that the fiercer she was, the better it was. Only a fierce girl could suppress Mo Yufeng so that he would not go out all day long and cause trouble for his family.
Mo Xuetong was confused when she heard what Mo Huawen said. She blinked her watery eyes and asked hesitantly, “Shouldn’t my mother… be in charge of this kind of thing?”
When a young man was getting married, his mother should arrange the wedding and decorate the bridal chamber. However, her father was going to ask Mo Yufeng to do it. Mo Xuetong gloated and she could not help but speak of other people’s thoughts. If something like this were to happen, it would definitely be discussed. She wanted to know what her father would reply.
“Your mother is going to give birth. With such a baby b.u.mp, she has no energy. If something bad happens to her, who could be responsible for it? Besides, this bridal chamber is originally his own room in the future. He is the only one who knows what he wants and doesn’t want. Shouldn’t he be responsible for the decoration of the room and yard?”
Mo Huawen answered while glaring at Mo Xuetong.
This made sense. Even though it was a little far-fetched, there was nothing wrong with keeping Mo Yufeng in the yard to decorate the bridal chamber. Xu Yan was really pregnant and could not afford to get hurt. Thinking of this, Mo Xuetong became steady. Then she told Mo Huawen a few words. It was estimated that Xu Yan was going to give birth in a few days, so she did not want something to happen at that time.
“Father, it’s best to do with some people in the inner courtyard first. I remember that you didn’t allow Elder brother to go out, but someone still secretly sent messages to him…”
Before Mo Xuetong finished her words, Mo Huawen understood all. He nodded immediately. The inner courtyard really needed cleaning up. Originally, Xu Yan was supposed to be in charge of it. However, she was unable to take care of herself and her body was getting heavier and heavier. Furthermore, she was a young stepmother, and it was a little inconvenient for her to deal with a concubine’s son who had grown up.
“And, father, pay attention to Auntie Qing as well. Wasn’t she involved in Elder brother’s matter before?” Auntie Qing treated Mo Yufeng as her own son, so Mo Xuetong did not believe that she knew nothing about what he was doing. Mo Xuetong even had a guess that Auntie Qing might have something to do with Mo Yufeng sneaking out.
She always had a feeling that Auntie Qing was smart.
Mo Xuetong had already sent someone to investigate Auntie Qing. She had become her father’s concubine in Cloud City. It was said that she was the daughter of a businessman. Once a time when she went to a temple to pray, she encountered robbers. Fortunately, Mo Huawen met it and saved her. Her family was extremely grateful. When they found out that Mo Xuetong’s mother was looking for someone to be her father’s concubine, they recommended their daughter to her and then she became a concubine.
Although the daughter of a businessman might not be able to marry into an official’s family, at least it was not hard for her to be someone’s legal wife. However, she didn’t become a legal wife. Did she really fall in love with Mo Huawen at first sight?
A hero saved a beauty, and then the beauty insisted on marrying the hero. Mo Xuetong didn’t think it Auntie Qing’s character.
