Chapter 196 Breaking News. The Imperial Consort Selection
There was a hotpot in the center of the table because it was the winter. There were also some fruits such as mandarins.
The maids peeled the mandarins and served them to their mistresses.
Chen Ya’er turned around and smiled at Ling Rui’er. “Elder Sister Ling, why isn’t Second Miss Ling here today? I heard that Her Majesty dotes on her the most. I heard that she treats Second Miss Ling even better than First Miss Ling?”
“Her Majesty, my aunt, naturally dotes on my elder sister more than First Sister. How could First Sister’s character and beauty compare to my elder sister’s? My aunt has always liked my elder sister since she was young. I went to the palace to visit my aunt with my elder sisters some time ago. My aunt even gave my eldest sister and a pair of really exquisite earrings. Only my sister received earrings and a pair of jade bangles.” Ling Rui’er glanced at Mo Xuetong with satisfaction.
“Ling Mingyan is the legal daughter of Duke Ding’s First Wife. Ling Fengyan and Ling Rui’er are legal daughters of the duke’s second wife. They usually do not get along.” Luo Mingzhu said to Mo Xuetong softly as she passed a golden mandarin to the maid behind her.
No wonder the way she addressed them was so complicated. Their relationship was very different!
Mo Xuetong accepted a slice of mandarin Mo Yu passed her. She placed it to the side. She did not like eating mandarins, so she gestured at Mo Yu to stop peeling them.
Chen Ya’er said enviously. “Miss Ling, I met your sister at the Empress Dowager’s banquet. She is beautiful and poised. It’s great to have an elder sister like that!”
Ling Rui’er grew even more pleased and she glanced at Mo Xuetong. Then, she said loudly, “That’s right. Having an elder sister like this is definitely something to be proud of. If I have an elder sister who is immoral, I would be too embarrassed to leave the house.”
She was talking about Mo Xuemin!
“Younger Sister Ling, are you talking about First Miss Mo?” You Yue’e said meaningfully.
The incident had already become a big deal. Even though a few days had passed, it still had not died down. One of the parties involved was the Marquess of Zhengguo while the other was the famous talented daughter of the Mo Family. Furthermore, it was a scandal. Even though Mo Xuemin had appeared to be protecting herself, the reputation of a woman was very important. Mo Xuemin’s reputation was considered to have been ruined. If she did not marry Sima Lingyun, she could only become a nun.
“I heard that First Miss Mo used to be a gentle, elegant, beautiful and talented woman. She used to be publicly acknowledged to be a beauty. However, her reputation has gone downhill since Third Miss Mo entered the capital!” Ling Rui’er said with a laugh.
She was implying that Mo Xuemin’s current predicament was caused by Mo Xuetong.
They were going to gang up against her!
Mo Xuetong smiled lightly and replied, “It can be seen from here that the so-called beauty and talent is not really so. One must not believe in rumors so easily.”
Ling Rui’er had only been flaunting about how her elder sister was the most beautiful woman in the capital. This statement from Mo Xuetong was like a slap to her face! Her expression changed immediately and she said furiously, “Third Miss Mo, what do you mean?”
“Miss Ling, I am saying whatever it is you mean.” Mo Xuetong said lightly. Her eyes were as clear as water and showed no signs of relenting. If she were to endure being bullied, she would not need to attend any gathering with the noble ladies of the capital in the future. She would forever be a joke to them.
People were like this. If they accepted being bullied, others would come and continue bullying them! If she did not teach the first person who bullied her a lesson, trouble would come one after another in the future. She was not willing to appear weak before the socialites of the capital here today.
“Third Miss Mo, is whatever that happened to your sister something worthy of praise! Younger Sister Ling, do not be angry. Your elder sister did not embarrass you and there is no need to be angry at someone who does not matter.” You Yue’e laughed coldly. She appeared to be trying to helping Ling Rui’er out.
Luo Mingzhu said coldly, having finally found an opportunity to speak. “Second Miss Ling was a great help to the Ding General Manor. I heard that she was out drinking with the two Princes on New Year’s Eve. There are so many royals out there. It must be hard to choose from!”
Not only did Ling Rui’er’s expression change significantly, but You Yue’e also flushed brightly too. Ling Fengyan’s encounter with the two princes on New Year’s Eve was no secret to the other noble families. Everyone knew what that meant, but nobody said anything about it. Duke Ding was laughed at because of Ling Fengyan, and Ling Fengyan’s reputation was also damaged.
Even though Mo Xuemin’s reputation had been damaged, she had fought hard against Sima Lingyun. Ling Fengyan, however, flirted with the two princes. She was not any nobler than Mo Xuemin.
If one were to really consider that, none of them could speak bad about the other…
“Alright, alright, since we have all come together today, let’s not talk about anything that would damage our relationships. First Miss Mo is really pitiful. Who would want something like that to happen! Second Miss Ling is both beautiful and talented and would naturally have many admirers. That is not something that we can talk about. Look, everyone’s in a bad mood because of this talk. Let’s talk about something happier. Sisters, look at the pins that I brought here today. What do you all think?” Wang Xiuxiu tried to appease everyone. She smiled and clapped her hands.
One of the two maids who followed her around cleaned up the cutlery before her. She took out a clean handkerchief and laid it on the table. The other maid brought out an exquisite jewelry box and placed it on top of the handkerchief.
Wang Xiuxiu smiled and opened the box. There were a few smaller jewelry boxes inside the big box. She stood up and laid out the boxes. There were seven of them.
“Elder Sister, your things are so exquisite. Are these a set?” Shen Qianxiu stood up and smiled with her hands covering her mouth.
“Of course. They are a set. I have put in much effort to get people to make them. There are no others like these. I hope that you all will like it.” Wang Xiuxiu opened the boxes. There were slender gold pins in the box. The pins had different flowers on top. There were moutan peonies, Chinese peonies, orchids, plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, lilies, and flowering apple blossoms. They all looked different but were all beautiful.
There was a green-colored gem that made up the branch of the flowers. It was beautiful and exquisite.
Their eyes all lit up.
“That’s such a beautiful flower pin. Did you draw the flowers?” Chen Ya’er praised as she picked up the orchid hairpin and examined it.
“That’s right. I had to pick out the flowers and make the pattern to make us a matching set. It took me a good two weeks. What do you all think? Pick one if you like them. Take it as a new year gift from me.” Wang Xiuxiu’s voice was crystal clear and rhythmic. It was like a bell and was pleasing to the ear.
Her approach really did not seem like something a girl who was just about 16 would do!
Everyone in the room stood up and looked at the hairpins. Only Mo Xuetong sat to the side with a smile. She was not cold, but not enthusiastic as well.
“Younger Sister Mo, come and pick one as well. I heard Younger Sister Luo mentioned that she had an intelligent and beautiful cousin, so I counted you in as well. Quick, come and take a look and pick one.” Wang Xiuxiu waved her over-enthusiastically when she saw Mo Xuetong sitting there.
Mo Xuetong could not behave too coldly at Wang Xiuxiu’s enthusiasm. She stood up to look at the hairpins. There were only three pins left on the table.
“Cousin Tong, this one suits you very well.” Luo Mingzhu picked up the orchid hairpin and passed it to Mo Xuetong. The flower was small and delicate. It did not appeal to the other ladies, so it had not been picked. However, Luo Mingzhu knew that Mo Xuetong had always preferred more unadorned things.
“Many thanks, Miss Wang. However, I have not done anything to deserve this…” Mo Xuetong did not want to accept Wang Xiuxiu’s “good intentions”. She did not know what happened to Wang Xiuxiu and it was her first time meeting them. How could she accept such an expensive gift? The green leaves on the hairpin were made of good quality jade. The hairpin was at least several hundred taels of silver. She did not think that she and Wang Xiuxiu were so close that they could gift each other such expensive gifts.
“Cousin Tong, don’t worry. Elder Sister Wang has always been generous. I only mentioned you to her and she immediately included you. She insisted that you come along. If you feel bad about it, Elder Sister Wang’s birthday is approaching. We can celebrate her birthday then.” Luo Mingzhu smiled and wiped her face with a handkerchief.
It was obvious that she was close to Wang Xiuxiu!
“Younger Sister Mo, don’t think that I am being at a disadvantage here. All of you have to come to my birthday celebration. And don’t forget to bring a gift.” Wang Xiuxiu sat down and picked the Chinese apple blossom hairpin for Luo Mingzhu. She placed the last chrysanthemum hairpin into the accessory box and told the maids to set out the food again.
Since she had already said that, Mo Xuetong would seem unreasonable if she refused again.
She thanked Wang Xiuxiu graciously, took the box that she was given and handed it to Mo Yu to keep.
The maids stroked the fire and added more vegetable and meat into the broth. The scent of meat permeated the room, whetting their appetites.
“Younger Sister Tong, your elder sister is really unlucky. I did not expect Marquess Sima to be such a person. He looked like a gentleman. It is such a pity. Your elder sister is beautiful and talented and, just like that… I wonder how your father will handle this matter?” Wang Xiuxiu sat down and suddenly started to chat with Mo Xuetong. They were not sitting next to each other. Shen Qianxiu was sitting between them.
“I am not very sure about Elder Sister’s matter. I do not dare to question my father’s decision.” Mo Xuetong smiled and put down her chopsticks.
Children should not discuss their elders. And it was a little too much of them to talk about such private matters as daughters of their respective manors. Mo Xuetong did not feel that she was so close to Wang Xiuxiu that she could ignore etiquette and talk about such private matters.
“I heard that Marquess Zhenguo had been brought to the Ministry of Justice and has not been released until now. I fear that things would be hard to deal with now.” Wang Xiuxiu said with a smile.
One of them was nobility and the descendant of someone who had built the nation. Meanwhile, the other was a new and uprising official who was on his way up the ladder! If the matter were to really be made known to all, it would be an embarrassment to the Great Qin. As such, the matter had not been resolved up till now. It all depended on how the Mo Family reacted to this. However, this was between the Mo Manor and the Duke Zhenguo’s manor. Mo Xuetong felt that it had nothing to do with anyone else present here.
To speak up on behalf of Sima Lingyun?
That was impossible. Mo Xuetong was Sima Lingyun’s legal wife in her past life. She knew clearly that Sima Lingyun did not have anything to do with the noble girls present here! If Sima Lingyun had the help of these girls, he would not have to marry her. He would have already succeeded in the imperial court!
Of course, Mo Xuetong would not think that the intelligent Wang Xiuxiu had gathered them together just for the sake of a gathering!
“Elder Sister Wang, why are we talking about such matters? We had better just talk about what girls usually talk about. All those bloody matters are really creepy!” Cheng Ya’er said with a naughty smile.
“That’s right. Elder Sister Wang, you’d better talk about the rumors in the palace. Things like what color the imperial consorts are wearing so that we can learn from them.” Shen Qianxiu said with a smile.
“If we are to talk about what happens in the palace, Younger Sister Ling is the one who is most familiar with what happens there. She would see the imperial consorts from time to time when she goes to the palace. We have to ask Younger Sister Ling about the imperial consorts’ dressing and make-up!” Wang Xiuxiu hid her smile with a handkerchief.
Ling Rui’er lifted her face proudly when she heard her name being mentioned. She said, “The newest gossip in the palace right now is about the consort selection. My aunt said that the selection is about to begin.”