Chapter 215: Mo Sisters
Her eyes swept across the hall. Besides Master Mo and a few Elders, there were only two pretty girls, who were received by Butler Mo.
What surprised Mo Qianxue somewhat were the three Mo Lords who, might either still be in their sleeps or distracted, were actually not here to welcome their holly master.
The two girls looked fourteen or fifteen years old, one older than the other.
Judging from their dresses, expressions and manners, Mo Qianxue could tell that they couldn’t be one of those servant girls.
Master Mo’s ambitious intention was obvious by bringing over on his visit unmarried women who had just turned adults at this timing! Mo Qianxue sneered inwardly. There we go.
Giving them a smile, Mo Qianxue paced over to the main seat taken by Master Mo, saying seriously, “Visitors are guests, so master Mo and elders, please take the seats where you should be seated.”
Putting on airs in the Founder Mansion? Check how much you get first.
The first time, she had allowed him to take the main seat out of courtesies and also because everything was unclear upon her recent arrival in the capital.
On the surface, her identity was the lady of the Founder Mansion, but she was still a daughter of the Mo family. Tianqi Dynasty attached great significance to rituals and filial piety. Once she was in the capital, she had been supposed to follow the rules to visit the elders and greet them. Therefore, it was reasonable the elders had taken the main seats when she didn’t and the elders came to blame her.
However, things were different now.
Moreover, the thing was she had greeted with grand etiquette last time they met. Hence, now, not on a special occasion like festivals or ceremonies, it wasn’t necessary for her, given her current identity, to show excessive politeness to them every time she saw them.
Her words turned Master Mo’s face dark in sullenness.
The First Elder patted on the table and shouted, “How dare you! … How dare you, a Mo daughter, to be so rude to our master! Kneel down!”
The Second Elder dropped the teacup in his hand heavily on the table, “Mo Qianxue! This is sinful disrespect!”
Hearing the reprimand and noises made by the teacup, Mo Qianxue didn’t even blink, “Here is the Founder Mansion instead of Mo Mansion. We’ve had the rules since ancient times: The national rules come before family rules. Everyone should take his own position without crossing the lines…”
Just on the account of this rule that Mo Tianfang, the Founder, though a member of the Mo family, had dared to never respect Master Mo. As this rule pointed out by Mo Qianxue, Master Mo’s face was darker.
However, even if Mo Qianxue was disrespectful towards him, he was after all the Founder entitled by the Emperor, a general commander with great military power. But why should he put up with a girl who was going to marry?
“Kneel down!”
Ha! He was worthy of that?! How absurd that it was them who came to ask something from her that they should be putting on airs! Were they too arrogant to forget their surname? But for the fear of bringing unnecessary troubles to Ning Shaoqing, Mo Qianxue would kick them out right now.
Ignoring the senseless people, she smirked with contempt, “If this is the case, I’ve nothing to talk with you. Butler Mo, walk the guests out.” Master Mo’s face changed again.
He could do nothing to her if this girl just didn’t respect him, because of her identity as a confirmed Madam Ning as well as the Lady of Founder Mansion. As long as she didn’t yield, there was no way for him to punish her.
The Ning family wasn’t to be messed up with! Until this day, he still had to bear with it.
Finally, Master Mo made some words, “Stop that! Take your seat and let’s talk.”
The first sentenced was said to either the elders or Mo Qianxue, but surely the second sentence was said to Mo Qianxue.
She was the only one in the hall standing. The two girls were also standing but not in the center but behind the First Elder.
She couldn’t let the old things develop such bad habit! Otherwise, he would put on airs again and again. The habit must be cured once and for all!
Mo Qianxue glanced at him, eyes sharp like blade with self-evident warning. Without a word, she turned away to leave again.
The elders, dumbfounded, wanted to do that again but didn’t dare to. Just now the warning glance from the girl in training suit carried the same killing and overbearing manner as Mo Tianfang.
The elders exchanged a look and all shifted their eyes to Master Mo.
“Wait!”
Master Mo gave in and retreated from the main seat.
His eyes lingering on the seat, he turned, in silent anger, to walk to the second seat which had been taken by the First Elder.
In fact, before, when Mo Tianfang was still in the Mansion, Master Mo had never sit on the main chair.
Needless to be given orders, nanny Mo already took out a cloth and wiped the chair and table inside and out.
Chuyi was also clever and took away the teacup used by Master Mo and served a new one.
Butler Mo stroked his beard and smiled, gratified.
This was sheer insult! Master Mo almost flew into a fury but couldn’t find any words to retort.
The table and chair were gleaming with refreshment. Mo Qianxue gracefully paced over and sat down, resting her arms on the handles, “What can I help you, Master Mo?”
Master Mo’s intention of beating around the bush was ground out, and he coughed a little, “The Emperor has arranged you a marriage. After the anniversary of your parents’ decease, it’ll be the wedding. Once you move out, the Founder Mansion will be empty. And without people, your parents’ souls will feel lonely. Therefore, the clan believes you should acquire a son for your father so as to fulfill your duty of a filial daughter.”
The First Elder Mo smiled hypocritically, “We used to think that you were planning to marry a man in the Mansion and have children surnamed Mo. Therefore, the clan didn’t say anything, but now…”
The Second Elder echoed, “They are right. The Ning clan is the biggest clan in the world. You, as the madam, will have children born with ranks. The dukedom to you is already insignificant…”
Insignificant? What a tone! The dukedom was the first rank, while the legal children born in a super family merely ranked fifth if they didn’t make special contribution to the country.
After all, these were meaningless things that she and Ning Shaoqing never cared. However, even if they didn’t care, they never wanted to give the dukedom to these disgusting people.
Mo Qianxue said coldly, “Don’t let this matter bother you. At regular intervals, I’ll go back to the Mansion and offer incense to father and mother. There will certainly be people managing everything well in the mansion.”
Her reply didn’t surprise Master Mo and the Elders. They never expected her to agree easily.
Master Mo forced a laugh, “It’s good to see Qianxue is so filial…”
The three Mo brothers were here. Obviously, they didn’t aim at it and only used it as a prelude. Mo Qianxue looked down, took up the teacup, wiping away tea leaves with the lid, and asked directly, “Anything else?”
The First Elder smiled and pointed at the two girls behind him, as if the previous embarrassment had never appeared, “You two, come to greet Lady Mo Qianxue.”
The two girls walked forward and curtsied, “I’m Bingrui/ Bingrong. Nice to meet you, sister Qianxue.”
Master Mo looked very satisfied, “Both of them were legal daughters of the Mo family and excel at both appearance and characters. You’re turning an adult and getting married. It will be inappropriate for you to have no sisters around to assist you.”
There we go. Mo Qianxue wiped the tea leaves to the side and took a sip.
“Mother only gave birth to me. I didn’t have sisters before and will never have in the future.”
Elder Mo made a pun, and so did Mo Qianxue. Sisters also meant concubines.
Master Mo hit the ceiling again, more furious than giving out the seat, “How dare you! How quick you’ve learned your mother’s unvirtuous unsparing behaviors! I don’t care how the Feng family teaches its daughters, but the Mo daughters can’t be laughed at and pointed fingers by others.”
He had known that this girl wouldn’t yield easily and didn’t prepare to let her agree at once. After the scolding, Master Mo looked to the Elders.
The First Elder said, “Don’t be mad, master. Let’s not talk about future too soon. Just let them live in the mansion and then consider the future after Qianxue get married. Otherwise, the Mo family will be distained.”
The Second Elder added, “Don’t be mad, master. Mo Qianxue is still young and doesn’t know how things work in a big mansion. Later, just let the aunts come over and teach her.”
The Third Elder said, “Your Puberty Ritual isn’t a trifle. There will be loads of people coming. You’ll at least need a few sisters to help you receive the guests…”
Let them help receive the guests? She was afraid they would only gave eyes to Ning Shaoqing and seek for an opportunity to be taken as concubines.
Clearly the elders were playing carrots and sticks. Mo Qianxue snorted.
However, she was very bored recently. It would be fun to watch the girls making a scene of themselves. If they dared to do anything unruly, she could just set them up as bad examples.
“It’s okay if they want to live here. Anyway, there are plenty of empty courtyards staying idle in the Mansion.”