Quiet days passed really quickly. Half a month went by in the blink of an eye. Nothing happened in the two weeks. It would be time for the Mo Manor family rites in a few days. The Mo Manor originated from a well-to-do family and was a family with a long history in the Qin Kingdom. Even though there were not any impressive officials among the main branch of descendants, they were well-known in their social circle. Mo Huawen was the eldest son of the main branch of the family. As such, he was in charge of the family rites.
Unlike the rites of other noble families. The head of the family had to invite the well-known and reputable intellectual to watch the rites with other noble intellectuals. All children from the main branch have to wear course clothing made especially for the family rites and kneel in the ancestral hall to pay their sincere respects to their ancestors and to their ancestors, filial piety.
Mo Xuetong was the only daughter of the main branch of the family. There was no one else to do it!
As such, Auntie Fang got someone to send Mo Xuetong her clothes for the familiy rites. It was a coarse, white dress and had a thin layer of fur on at collar and opening of the sleeves to ward off the chill.
"Miss, Auntie Fang is too careless. How could she send you clothes like that." Mother Xu flipped the clothing over and said angrily.
"What's wrong with the clothes?" Mo Xuetong flipped through the medical text in her hands and smiled.
"Auntie Fang sent the right set of clothing. It is fine in terms of style and looks thick as well. However, I discovered that the threads are coarse and on some parts, the threads are thick and pointy. It looks fine on the outside, but if you put it on, it will definitely hurt your skin. The rites will take a long time. You will definitely hurt all over if you put on something like this." Mother Xu followed Mo Xuetong into the room and muttered in annoyance. "We have not seen Auntie Fang in more than a year and she's gotten more and more vicious. She wants to kill our mistress!"
Then, she looked at Mo Xuetong worriedly. However, Mo Xuetong had a faint smile on her face.
Auntie Fang wanted to kill her? Of course not!
Auntie Fang did not have the guts to kill her outright. Mo Xuetong flipped through the clothing. The coarse white clothing was made especially for the family rites in order to showcase the purity of the family rite. nothing could be said even if the clothes were filled with threads. It was made from coarse cloth. Even if she mentioned it, others would think that she was being too delicate and kicking up a fuss.
There was a thread that was especially spikey as she ran her soft fingertips across the cloth. Those who did not think much about it would think that it was just that the treads were a little coarse. However, Mo Xuetong knew that there was a thread called "Heavenly Silkworm Needle" mixed in the coarse threads. This type of thread was not native to Qin and not many knew about it. She heard that in a far off area in the Yan Kingdom, there was a type of mysterious silkworm that could make such threads. Mo Xuetong had seen this on a magazine about bizarre things.
This type of thread was called "Heavenly Silkworm Needle". It was no different from ordinary threads, but when worn, it received a person's body warmth and after a long period of time, would become as sharp as needles. At first, it would be like a single needle, and then ten, and then tens of thousands. Who would be able to wear a shirt like that?
When one took it off, the clothes would be no different from clothes made of coarse cloth and examining the clothes would not result in anything. Auntie Fang had plotted well. If she put on a shirt like that and when tens of thousands of needles were poking at her, how could she sit down quietly? If she moved because of it, others would say that she was being unfilial, taking the family rites lightly and was being arrogant and impolite before the guests.
An accusation like that could ruin the life of a woman.
"Miss, look at this, how can you wear clothes like this? Auntie Fang is too much. Should we go and tell Old Sir?" Mother Xu asked her angrily. She was only mad that Auntie Fang had not gotten the servants to remove the threads thoroughly.
Mo Xuetong smiled lightly and shook her head. "Mother, it is fine. I'll just have to wear it for a while. It's not important."
"But, Miss..." Mother Xu was still worried.
"Mother, you can just prepare some thicker underclothes for me then. These threads will not be able to get through the underclothes."
Ordinary threads would not, but the "Heavenly Silkworm Needle" could.
Mother Xu thought about it and agreed. As such, she did not wait but pulled Mo Lan and Mo Yu out to make Mo Xuetong some thick underclothes.
On the morning of the second day, Mo Xuetong woke up early. It was the day of the family rites. Mo Lan sent her breakfast. It was a plate of cucumbers and a bowl of plain porridge. Today was the day of the family rites and they did not eat much. However, this was too little. Mo He placed the bowl of porridge on the table forcefully and said angrily, "Miss, the kitchens only gave us this much. They said that we can only eat these today."
It was such a small bowl of porridge. How would her mistress be full from eating this? Furthermore, her mistress would only be allowed to eat again later in the night. Her mistress' health was poor, how could she only subsist on a small bowl of porridge?
"It's alright. This is enough! It's already pretty good!" Mo Xuetong smiled lightly. She picked up her utensils and started to eat elegantly.
It was a small bowl of porridge and she finished it quickly. Mo Xuetong put down the bowl in her hands quietly and Mo Lan helped her to put on the plain coarse clothing. Her hair was not done up in an elegant manner but was scattered down her back, tied up with a light colored piece of cloth at the back of her head. This was the clothing worn by noble women in the Jin Dynasty and was very much suited for the Mo Family that had a tradition passed down from a thousand years ago.
Mo Xuetong arrived at the front hall wearing the coarse clothing. The Mo family did not have any sons in the main branch of the family. As such, she played a very important role as the only daughter of the main family. Her clothing today was very different from her usual clothes. Her robe had wide sleeves and was attractive in a unisex manner. Her long black hair was tied up loosely behind her waist. The loose robe was cinched up at her waist, showing how slender it was. The plain coarse clothing did not lessen her beauty but instead added on an otherworldly and natural beauty to her.
Mo Xuetong arrived at the hall and waited outside. As Mo Huawen did not have any sons in the main branch of the family, as his daughter, she had to take the position as the main son to await the guests. Mo Lan and Mo Yu waited behind her. Mo Lan put down the mat in her hands and Mo Xuetong knelt on it in accordance to ancient etiquette. Mo Yu helped her to arrange her skirts and then, the two knelt behind her respectfully.
Mo Huawen took guests in the morning. There was no food at noon and the family rites truly began in the afternoon. She needed to welcome the guests at the door in the morning and accompany her father in the family rites inside in the afternoon. There are some things that she could not do because she was the daughter of the main branch of the family. As such, she just had to follow behind Mo Huawen.
There were not many guests, but they were all famous. Mo Xuetong looked down as she knelt. She would bow deeply and respectfully along with Mo Lan and Mo Yu as each guest came. She would only get back up when the guests entered the hall. The pain from the coarse cloth on her went from one that came and went to a sharp piercing pain. This was especially when she got back up from a bow. The special "coarse threads" jabbed at her tender skin like needles.
The sharp pain caused sweat to appear on her forehead and her face gradually grew pale. Her fingers shook lightly and veins started appearing on her hands.
Mo Yu had been watching her mistress on the side and discovered that she was acting oddly. She emerged from her bow and was just about to speak when Mo Lan pulled her down to kneel again. Someone was here!
A white robe appeared in front of Mo Xuetong and she bowed down slowly and respectfully. The daughter of the main branch had to do that as a show of respect to the guest to show the sincerity of the host family.
The person wearing the white robe did not leave immediately like other guests but stopped in front of her. Someone reported, "Sir Bai is here!"
It was indeed Bai Yihao!
Mo Xuetong's prostrate body could not help but stiffen up. Even though she knew that Bai Yihao's presence would be helpful to her, she still felt nervous for some reason. She had a fear for Bai Yihao that she had brought with her from her past life. She felt that the innocent and distant handsome face was hiding a great darkness. It was something she could not touch. Even though she had been reborn, she was not willing to become a chesspiece and live through another tragedy.
She did not know why Bai Yihao's behavior in the Qin Kingdom would be different from how he behaved in the Yan Kingdom and she did not want to know why either. As such, she had made a fair exchange for his help the first time she met him to show that their relationship was one that was purely transactional. She was just a lady who could not bear his aspirations.
Bai Yihao stood in front of her, looking at her pale tender hands that were twitching slightly. His eyes flickered and he asked gently, "You look really tired, are you ill?"
Everyone in the hall who were chatting all turned around to look at Bai Yihao when he spoke. He drew attention wherever he went because of who he was.
The child of the main branch of the family who welcomed the guests had a different status on this day. Even if she were a daughter, she would be treated as the heir. As such, Mo Xuetong was considered the heir of the Mo family and it was normal even if the guest were to speak with her a little. However, Mo Xuetong had just returned to the Mo Family and did not know anyone. As such, the guests who entered did not speak with her.
"I'm not ill. Sir, please enter!" Mo Xuetong answered lightly as she knelt, unmoving. She glanced at the white robe through the side of her eyes. The white was piercingly bright. She knelt there quietly, making her waist look even more slender. She was like a blooming white lotus, and seemed even more beautiful in the dirt.
"Since you are not unwell, why are your fingers twitching, and why are you sweating and shaking?" He asked gently and laughed lightly. He used such a low tone and sounded like the moving streams in the mountains as he asked in concern. He was extremely mesmerizing in this moment.
Mo Huawen heard him from inside the hall. He greeted Bai Yihao with a bow and followed his gaze to look at Mo Xuetong's hand as she prostrated on the ground. Indeed, the veins on her slender hands were bulging and she was shaking slightly. It was obvious that she was trying to hold herself together. He asked hurriedly, "Tong'er, are you well? If you cannot bear it anymore, get Min'er to replace you. You go and rest!"
"Father, Tong'er is fine. I'm not unwell!" Mo Xuetong said, her head low as she stayed in her prostrate position. Her voice was calm and gentle. And if one did not look at her fingers which twitched occasionally, they would not discover that she was already at her limits.
Mo Yu, who was behind her, could not help but open her mouth. However, Mo Lan pulled her shirt forcefully and tugged her down again.
Even though it was a small action, Mo Huawen still saw it.
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