He was the honorable and noble eighth prince, King Xuan!
Mo Xuetong scolded him in her heart but could not scold him out loud. She glared at Feng Yuran angrily and in an aggrieved manner, reigning in her temper as she gritted her teeth.
"Oh, that's more like it." Feng Yuran was satisfied, especially when he saw the aggrievedness in her eyes. Laughter flashed through his eyes and he picked up his teacup and took a sip. He said, "I will reward you today and allow you to admire the blossoms from here. Remember that you owe me yet another one."
"Yes!" Mo Xuetong was speechless and the veins on her forehead twitched. She forced herself to turn away and looked at Feng Yuran's handsome face. She was afraid that she could not control herself and would slap him.
She turned around angrily to look at the forest. She did not want to see his handsome but irritating face.
However, she did not expect that a closer look would be so different.
It was one feeling to admire the plum blossoms from among them, but admiring them from where she was now was yet another experience.
This was indeed the best spot to admire plum blossoms. She looked across below at the flowers on the branches. There were flowers on the verge of blossoming and flowers in full blossom. There were flowers hidden in the middle of the branches. There were traces of snow on each branch. It did not look sad, but made it feel as if the blossom had grown out of the snow.
There were people who appeared in the forest from time to time in groups of three to five or four to six. They stood in the forest leisurely. Their elegant and colorful clothing dotting the plum blossom forest, making it seem even more lively. This was something that could not be observed from inside the forest.
One did not know how the plum blossom forest truly looked like when they were inside it!
The proud plum blossom forest seemed even more beautiful, like a girl clothed in white. She should have flown into the heavens, but had entered the mortal realm, stopping in a patch of snow that was as clean as her. She was as beautiful as a flower, second to none.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Feng Yuran said lightly from behind her. Mo Xuetong felt that he sounded sad for some reason.
"It is very beautiful." She no longer fought with him. She had calmed down looking at the beautiful scenery. She felt that only the plum blossom forest existed in the world.
"So what if it is beautiful? The most beautiful King Jin manor no longer exists, but this plum blossom forest still remained. It is just like human beings. What is the point of missing the past if a person is no longer around?" His tone was filled with sarcasm and his aura turned cold and gloomy.
"You are wrong, Your Highness. Even if a person is no longer around, as long as you think of him, then it would be as if that person was rebirthed in your heart. If that person in heaven knows, he would be happy as well. Just like this plum blossom forest. It is said that King Jin's wife loved this forest the most. Even though she is no longer around, every time someone mentions this forest, they would think of that stunning beauty walking through the flowers. Is this not another form of eternal life?" Mo Xuetong turned around and looked quietly at Feng Yuran, who had turned cold and dark.
"It is better not to have this kind of eternal life..." Feng Yuran laid back onto the couch. Mo Xuetong could not see his expression from where she was standing. She could only see his flawless side profile. However, Mo Xuetong could sense that he was sad and lonely.
What did he mean? Was he talking about his mother? She heard that his mother was the woman Emperor Zongwen doted on the most, just like how he was the son Emperor Zongwen doted on the most now. Was there still anything he was dissatisfied with?
"This sort of eternal life is still eternal life. It is more eternal than life that fades away. A person would grow older and die. But the eternal life in one's heart would be forever happy. As long as the person who misses her does not die, then she would be forever alive. Your Highness, do you think that this form of eternal life is not eternal life?" Mo Xuetong was suddenly unwilling to see Feng Yuran be depressed. King Xuan should be lively and energetic!
Feng Yuran was startled and he turned around to look at her until she grew uneasy. She did not know what she had said wrong. Did she annoy him again? Feng Yuran was silent and gloomy. Was he still that lively King Xuan!
"Why are you comforting me suddenly. Do I look very sad?" Feng Yuran suddenly smiled charmingly. He raised his brows and had a teasing smile on his lips. The coldness in his eyes disappeared with the wind and he did not seem as sad as before and instead was like a teenager again.
"I do not dare. I was just speaking facts." Mo Xuetong answered carefully. King Xuan was lively again and was naturally dangerous. She could not help but laugh to herself. King Xuan did not seem like he was in a bad mood at all. The smile on his lips was just as dangerous and sly as before.
"Alright, then you can talk facts here. I still have something on and shall leave now. You can have the fruits and whatever here. Remember that you have received kindness from me again. Your debt of gratitude is getting larger and larger." Feng Yuran suddenly stood up and dusted his robes. He left but stopped when he passed Mo Xuetong and saw that she had already stood up and was curtsying politely.
He said coldly, "Mo Xuetong, if there's nothing on, stop hanging out with that Sima fellow. Even if you cannot become a gentlewoman, at least pretend to be one. Are you dumb to come to admire the blossoms with a man! Don't let me find you entangled with another man, or I won't spare you."
Then, he brought Feng Yue with him and walked down the fake mountain without even turning around. He entered King Jin's old manor under Mo Xuetong's surprised gaze. Then... then nothing happened and he disappeared!
What did he mean? Mo Xuetong was furious after the shock passed.
What pretend to be a gentlewoman, what being entangled with another man and what spare her. Even if she was entangled with another man, it had nothing to do with him! Pft! Furthermore, what was he even talking about, and with another man? Did Feng Yuran know what he was talking about? If this were to spread, she would be ruined!
Even though no one heard him, it was still infuriating!
This person was extremely annoying!
He had brought her here but had abandoned her here. She could not go anywhere and there was no one to ask for help. It was the middle of the day and she could not reveal that Mo Ye knew martial arts. Fortunately, Mo Xuetong believed that if there was a will, there was a way. She left the fake mountain with Mo Ye and they walked for a long while following the wall before finding a door in the corner. It was slightly hidden and tilted and there was a large lock on it.
Mo Ye went to break the lock.
They entered the plum blossom forest following the wall. Mo Xuetong walked towards the edge of the forest. She estimated the time. Mo Xuemin had indeed acted. Mo Xueqiong and Sima Lingyun had already been discovered. She had looked at that spot when she was in the pavilion earlier. The horse carriage had disappeared. If something that resulted in them being shamed had happened, Sima Lingyun would naturally be embarrassed to stay.
Two madams walked past her, discussing the matter softly, occasionally laughing mockingly.
"Was it really a young lady from the Mo family in the carriage with the Duke's son?"
"That's right. They were hugging each other. Tsk... he usually looks so gentle and elegant, why would something like this happen..."
"It's such a disgrace, such a disgrace! I wonder which young lady of the Mo family it is?"
"Who else could it be? It definitely can't be the first miss of the Mo family. I heard that she saw the scene and fainted."
"Only the first miss of the Mo family is decent. She is talented and beautiful. The others are really lackluster."
...
"Miss..." Mo Ye was loyal to Mo Xuetong and she paled when she heard that. The ladies were talking about Sima Lingyun and a young lady from the Mo family. Her mistress had come with His Excellency earlier. Even though it was Mo Xueqiong who had been entangled with His Excellency, but others did not know. They all only knew that it was not Mo Xuemin who had been involved in the matter.
Mo Xuemin was indeed smart. She still had a backup plan even at this stage. She was going to implicate Mo Xuetong using Mo Xueqiong!
She was going to make it seem as if the one inside the carriage with Sima Lingyun was her so that she could not do anything about it!
"Madam, could I ask what happened to the Mo family?" Mo Xuetong reached out and stopped Mo Yu from speaking. She hurried towards the chatting madams. However, she stumbled and almost fell because she was in a hurry. If Mo Yu had not quickly helped her, she would have knocked into the lady in front of her.
"Who are you?" The woman looked at her 30s. She was wearing a red cotton dress. She had thick lashes and her smile was noble and gracious. Even though they were chatting in private, they had not lowered their voices. It was as if they were chatting about the weather and they had four maids following behind them.
"I am the third daughter of the Mo family. Could I please ask what happened to my family?" Mo Yu helped Mo Xuetong over. Her face was as pale as snow but she still curtsied politely. However, she could not control herself as her body shook. Her clear eyes were filled with fragility as she pleaded. She bit her lips lightly and seemed extremely anxious and lovely!
"Third Young Miss Mo, are you the Third Young Miss Mo who have just come to the capital?" The woman in red sized Mo Xuetong up. There was a flash of surprise in her eyes. Didn't they say that Third Young Miss Mo was rude and arrogant? Could a lady who remained calm in such a situation be like that?
"Madam, that is me. Could you please tell me what happened?" Mo Xuetong asked anxiously as if she had not heard the implications in the woman's tone.
Her lively eyes clouded over slightly with anxiety. Even though she was anxious to find out what happened, she did not mind even when others were rude.
The lady in red seemed to have sensed that she was being rude with her words. However, when she saw that Mo Xuetong did not seem to mind and continued to ask what happened, a hint of admiration appeared in her eyes. She nodded and smiled, saying, "Did your Fourth Sister come to admire the plum blossoms with Sir Sima of the Duke's manor today? It was a terrible scene earlier. The two of them did not get off the carriage to admire the blossoms but were hugging in the carriage. I fear the matter has gone to your manor. You had better go back and take a look."
Even though the madam in red was curious she did not intend to let Mo Xuetong answer. Her words were filled with meaning. Even though she was very direct, it made one feel that she was a straightforward person. Mo Xuetong's eyes filled with tears and her teary gaze landed on her wrist.
She wore a phoenix jade bangle on her pale wrist. The phoenix head was bright green. Then, her gaze turned to the four maids behind her. The four maids were all good looking and they seemed sharper than regular maids. Even though they lowered their heads from time to time and were no different from other servants, they did not seem as gentle as other maids when they looked up.