Something had indeed happened at the back courtyard. A few maids went to check up on Shuang Ye when she did not wake up. However, when they pushed the door open, they saw a figure in white suspended in the air. They screamed and ran outside. A few of the braver older servants came to undo the ropes but Shuang Ye had long died and her body had stiffened.
Mother Xu sent someone to report it to Mo Huawen.
Someone had died in the manor, inside Mo Xuetong's Qingwei Garden. This maid was also the one Mo Huawen was looking for. His expression changed immediately and he stood up silently.
"Old Sir, we discovered this on Shuang Ye." The maidservant gave him a letter shakily.
Mo Huawen opened it with a grave expression. When he read it, his expression grew darker and darker.
Shuang Ye was dead? Mo Xuetong was shocked. She did not believe that Shuang Ye had committed suicide. She glanced at Mo Xuemin at the side and indeed, saw a trace of satisfaction in her eyes. Did Mo Xuemin do it? How did she manage to extend her reach into Qingwei Garden? Was she missing something?
"Shuang Ye committed suicide. Go and inform her family to come and get her." Mo Huawen read the letter, waved his hand and ordered the maidservant to leave.
"Yes." The maidservant left hurriedly.
"Father, Shuang Ye killed herself in my courtyard. Why..." Mo Xuetong looked up in shock.
"It's alright. It has nothing to do with you. She knew that she has done something disgraceful and was afraid that she would be punished." Mo Huawen stroked Mo Xuetong's hair dotingly. His expression was grave. How could it be so coincidental?
"Father, then, my thing...won't there be no proof then?" Mo Xuemin sat by the side and flicked her handkerchief, starting to tear up again. She naturally knew that she had to pretend to be completely wronged and fought to speak before Mo Xuetong. She was afraid that Mo Xuetong would ruin her plans again.
"Min'er, don't go out during this period. Stay at home and read some teachings for ladies." Mo Huawen finally believed Mo Xuemin when he saw how sad and helpless she was. He comforted her. The only person who could prove Min'er's innocence was dead. Mo Huawen could only hope that the negative rumors would disappear by themselves after some time. Fortunately, Sima Lingyun had no evidence against Min'er.
"Yes, Fater." Mo Xuemin wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. She looked at Mo Xuetong smugly.
Mo Xuetong smiled coldly to herself. Did Mo Xuemin think she will get through this just like this? She turned around and said to Mo Huawen gently,
"Father, Shuang Ye was a third class maid by Auntie's side at first. She's only been in my Qingwei Garden a few days. There are still many things of hers at Auntie's Lihua Garden. Get people to give those things to her as well. She's quite pitiful!" Mo Xuetong looked sorrowful. "Even though she's been with me for only a few days, we were still master and servant for a while."
She was saying that Shuang Ye's mistress was likely to be Auntie Fang!
Mo Xuemin knew that things were going pear-shaped. Her smug expression froze and her face paled. She had only wanted to get herself out of the situation but did not expect Mo Xuetong to use Shuang Ye's identity to place the blame on Auntie Fang.
"Min'er, is the third class maid from Auntie Fang's side?" Mo Huawen did not notice Mo Xuemin's odd behavior. His expression had cooled.
A third class maid was only responsible for cleaning in her own courtyard. How did Sima Lingyun get to know her? Unless Sima Lingyun had visited Auntie Fang's Lihua Garden. But why would a Duke's son go to a concubine's courtyard? There was something suspicious there...
"Father, even though Shuang Ye is a maid, but because she was not born in this family but outside, she would leave occasionally..." Mo Xuemin answered hurriedly. This was the only plausible reason Mo Xuemin could think of right now. In such a situation, how could she answer her father's questions? Could she say that Shuang Ye and Sima Lingyun were brought together in Auntie Fang's courtyard?
Mo Xuemin knew that she should explain the situation gracefully and in a poised manner so that Mo Huawen would believe her. However, she could not explain clearly and only said that Shuang Ye had nothing to do with Sima Lingyun. She could not do that. That would only implicate herself and she had just extricated herself from the situation with much difficulty. She had to continue to get Mo Huawen's love, so she had to continue to maintain her appearance of being graceful and intelligent.
"Father, Shuang Ye's incident definitely has nothing to do with Auntie. Auntie has been in charge of the inner courtyard for so many years. How can something like this happen? Eldest Sister, don't you think so?" Mo Xuetong looked at Mo Xuemin, seeking her agreement.
Mo Xuemin was still smiling gently, but deep down inside, she wanted to grit her teeth hatefully. The opportunity she had painstakingly crafted had been before it had even started. Then, she had been implicated in a scandal regarding her reputation. Finally, Shuang Ye had died after much difficulties. But then, she realized that things were not going as planned. Auntie Fang was Mo Xuetong's final goal.
Did being in charge of the inner courtyard mean that Auntie Fang could have something to do with Sima Lingyun without allowing Mo Huawen to discover it? Mo Xuetong was too vicious!
The two of them had already fallen out because of what happened at the Repayment Temple. Mo Xuemin wanted to tear off Mo Xuetong's mouth when she saw how she pretended to be concerned and kept mentioning Auntie Fang. This time, Mo Xuetong had even asked her about the matter. How should she answer the question?
His concubine who had been in charge of the inner courtyard could possibly be in a relationship with another man. Any man would not be able to bear it. Mo Huawen would also be furious even if there was not any evidence.
"Alright, both of you, go back. I still have things to do." Mo Huawen felt anger surge up his chest that almost exploded at his two daughters. He was no longer suspicious at Mo Xuemin but was now suspicious of Auntie Fang. This was partly because Mo Xuemin's reputation had always been good, and also because he felt that Auntie Fang was the most likely person to have a relationship with a man if someone in the manor was doing that.
The two girls did not dare to say much and left the study when they saw Mo Huawen's grave expression and knew that he was not in a good mood.
"Third Sister, Shuang Ye died in Qingwei Garden. Did you know nothing at all about it?" Mo Xuemin stood under a tree and looked at Mo Xuetong coldly after they left the study. Her eyes were filled with hatred that could not be hidden. No matter how stupid Auntie Fang was, she was still her birth mother. The damage to her would not be small if bad rumors were to be spread.
"Eldest Sister, do you mean that I had something to do with Shuang Ye's death? Does she also have something on me?" There was no one else there and their two maids were a distance away. Mo Xuetong smiled coyly, her eyes filled with laughter as she said the word 'also'.
The smile looked like a challenge to Mo Xuemin. She was enraged. There was no one else here and she did not need to pretend. She glared at Mo Xuetong viciously and smiled coldly, "Third Sister, you're really sly. I've underestimated you."
"Eldest Sister, I really admire you. Qingwei Garden of mine is really not safe. If I have time, I have to report to father. I have to ward against many in the entire Mo Manor." The sun shone on Mo Xuetong's face. Her beautiful face looked clean and radiant. She smiled gently and looked like a blossoming flower more beautiful than the flowers in the garden.
Then, she curtsied slightly to Mo Xuemin and brought her maid out of the garden.
Behind her, Mo Xuemin's hands which were hidden under her sleeves balled up tightly. She could only remain calm as she hurt herself and not go up to hit Mo Xuetong.
She could not let this matter implicate herself. If her father finds out that she had plotted against Mo Xuetong, all her years of efforts would be in vain. She could not lose. She definitely must not lose.
The Ming Kingdom's Duke Manor would not want to welcome a woman whose reputation was in shreds. As such, Auntie Fang had to take the blame for this.
She comforted herself. Once she had the chance to marry into the Ming Kingdom's Duke family, and marry You Yuecheng, Auntie Fang could get all the riches she desired. She would make up to her in the future. Her fists relaxed slightly as she thought of that. It was not that she did not want to save her mother. She trusted that Auntie Fang would be able to settle the matter.
She had underestimated Mo Xuetong. She had not expected her to be so sly! She was more vicious than she imagined. She had implicated Auntie Fang and Mo Xuemin could not even say anything.
"First Miss, shall we go to Lihua Garden?" Mo Jin took a few steps up to Mo Xuemin and asked cautiously.
"Return to Fuqing Garden." Mo Xuemin said coldly. She wrung the handkerchief in her hands and stomped off. How could she go to Lihua Garden now to inform Auntie Fang who did not know anything? Her father would go to Lihua Garden immediately.
She could not go. If Mo Huawen got angry at Auntie Fang, should she plead on her behalf or not!
If she did not, others would say that she was an unfeeling daughter who was vicious and uncaring. She would abandon her own mother. Everyone would look down on her. If she pleaded for her mother, how would her father see her? Would she still be able to retain her gracious and poised image? The entire matter was plotted by that little slut Mo Xuetong. She would fall in her plot no matter what she did.
What was even more annoying was that she could not do anything even though she knew about it. This was something Mo Xuemin had never dealt with. She could not explain anything and everything she did would be wrong.
If she did not bear this small matter, she would spoil the bigger plan. She must not ruin her future because she could not hold her anger at this moment.
Doing nothing now would be doing something!
They returned to their own courtyards while Mo Huawen brought people with him as he charged into Auntie Fang's Lihua Garden angrily.
Nobody from Lihua Garden spoke about what happened that night.
What was made known was that there were sounds of porcelain shattering not long after Mo Huawen entered. And not long later, the crying and screaming were heard. Then, Old Sir left Lihua Garden without even looking back. Everyone knew that he was furious. He had never been so angry since Auntie Fang entered the manor.
The servants were all fearful!
In the days that followed, even though Auntie Fang was still in charge of the matters of the inner courtyard, they heard that she was seriously ill and did not leave her courtyard at all. Most of the matters were directed by Nanny Li. Everyone was fearful as they entered and left Lihua Garden. The courtyard was permeated with the smell of medicine. Mo Huawen had never once visited and only went to Auntie Qing and Auntie Mo's.
Mo Xuetong spent the few days comfortably. Her health had recovered very well for some reason. In the past, if she had been soaked in cold water, she would have been sick for more than a month. However, she had recovered in a few days. Even though she could not compare her healing rate to Mo He and the others, she was fine and only needed to recuperate for a while.
The weather was good and the sun was bright. Mother Xu brought Mo Lan, Mo He and a few older and younger maids to clean Mo Xuetong's room from inside out. She especially asked Mo Yu to accompany Mo Xuetong to stay under the tree in the yard to get some sun. They would officially enter winter in the next few days and it would be inconvenient to clean too much then.
Mo Xuetong laid against the back of the chair lazily. She was focused on reading her book.
It was a medical book she found in her mother's possession. In her past life, she had been poisoned and could not get pregnant. She was forced to allow Sima Lingyun to marry his cousin. Then, even when she had gotten pregnant, she had not been able to keep the child. She only began to secretly study medical books after she had Yu'er. Mother Xu and the others were very careful with what she ate and she managed to keep Yu'er. However, Mo Xuetong had given her poisoned wine and her child had died of unnatural causes.
Even though she did not die because of the poisoned wine Mo Xuemin and Sima Lingyun gave her, she did not have the strength to flee either. She burned down the wedding hall in revenge for herself and Yu'er...
She swore when she started this life over again that she would not allow anyone to poison her again in this life!
"Miss, look at this!" Mo Lan hurried out from the room. She took out something carefully from her chest and placed it in Mo Xuetong's hand. She said softly, "I found this in the luggage. It is definitely not ours."
It was a seal. It was a small seal!
It was Sima Lingyun's Son of the Duke's Manor's seal!
Mo Xuetong's eyes turned cold. She recognized the seal, of course. It was an object Sima Lingyun brought with him everywhere he went. Even in her past life, he had only allowed her to look at it but had never gifted it to her. And when she died, she found it hanging on Mo Xuemin's neck.
Her mind whirled and she thought things through carefully. She immediately understood that this was what Shuang Ye had brought to her room from Sima Lingyun as evidence that she was in a relationship with Sima Lingyun.
Her heart chilled and she quickly came up with a plan. Since fingers had already been pointed, she might as well set fire to the mess so that the fire would burn even stronger!
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