Chapter 311 An Odd Marriage Agreement
Mo Xuetong did not know how she managed to leave as the Princess Royal nagged kindly. She did not know how she managed to refuse Bai Yihao’s smiling sendoff at the main entrance either. She was all out of sorts. She did not know how she got onto the horse carriage, how she returned to the manor, or how she entered her courtyard. She was staring into space in a daze on the couch.
“Miss, Miss…” Mo Yu hurriedly tried to reach out to shake Mo Xuetong when she saw how out of sorts she was.
Mo Lan reached out to stop her. She made a cup of tea for Mo Xuetong and stuffed it into her icy cold hands. The warmth in Mo Xuetong’s hands eased the shock she felt and she subconsciously returned back to reality. She looked up and looked at the flickering light in front of her. She looked at the familiar surroundings around her and that was when she realized she was home.
“Miss, why don’t you have dinner before you start thinking about this matter. You’ve been busy all afternoon, you must be tired!” Mo Lan did not know what happened to Mo Xuetong. Mo Xuetong’s personal maids have not changed how they addressed her. They still called her “miss” when there was no one else around.
Mo Lan had been waiting outside the door and saw Bai Yihao walking in. She was going to report the man’s arrival to Mo Xuetong, but Bai Yihao had made her go to pour them tea. The courtyard was really empty and there was not any fire nor food. They did not even have a cup of hot tea. Mo Lan had no choice but to go out and search for tea. When she came back with the tea, and even before she could enter the door, she heard her mistress’ quick and soft cry.
Mo Lan knew that her mistress was a calm and composed person. If Mo Xuetong were to make a startled sound, it must definitely be something shocking.
She hurriedly lifted the curtains and entered!
Except what she saw made her turn away and she hurriedly lowered her head.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman were hugging each other in front of the window. His handsomeness and perfection complimented her beauty and gentleness. What a shocking feeling! However, she saw her mistress pushing Bai Yihao away quickly the next moment. It was as if Mo Xuetong had seen a ghost. She was extremely shocked and she took two steps back. If Bai Yihao had not reached out to hold her, she would have fallen.
Mo Lan reacted then. She immediately went forward to hold Mo Xuetong. After that, Mo Xuetong did not say a single word and seemed afraid to look at Bai Yihao. She pushed his hand away anxiously as if she had suffered an enormous blow. Her face was as pale as snow and she left for the Princess Royal’s courtyard hurriedly with Mo Lan.
“Mo Lan, go and get Nanny Ming here! Mo Yu, get someone to set the table.” Mo Xuetong exhaled a breath of cold air and said as she blinked. Her eyes had regained her usual composure. Her icy cold fingers shook beneath her sleeve without a hint of warmth in them. She had not gotten over what happened yet.
The news was too shocking!
“Yes, I will get Nanny Ming right now.” Mo Lan answered. Then, she got Mo Yu to arrange the dishes she brought over and went out to seek for Nanny Ming.
Mo Xuetong did not have much of an appetite. She got the servants to take the food away after a few bites. Nanny Ming had arrived then and He Xia was with her.
When they entered, the two knelt down before Mo Xuetong could ask anything.
“Nanny Ming, did you really not know anything about my marriage?” Mo Xuetong sat there, her eyes dark and deep. One could not tell whether she was pleased or angry and she seemed calm and composed.
“Miss, I…” Nanny Ming uttered awkwardly.
“Forget it if it is difficult for you to say. Mother has already passed away and Nanny Ming cannot help me at all here. You might as well return to Cloud City. At least if anything happens to me, it will not implicate you. This will appease my mother in heaven.” Mo Xuetong said darkly, her eyes completely calm. However, her face was pale.
She had said this viciously and heartlessly. She would not compromise at all!
“Miss!” Nanny Ming was extremely shocked and she appeared to be very flustered. She took two steps forward and hugged Mo Xuetong’s knee. She looked up with a terribly sad expression and said, “Miss, I did not mean to hide it from you but Madam would not allow me to say. Madam told me to swear on your life that I must not tell you anything unimportant unless it’s truly necessary or it’d endanger your life.”
“What did Mother say?” Mo Xuetong bit her lips and buried the sadness she felt in her heart. Blood rushed up to her chest and she pinched her handkerchief tightly to hide the bloody taste in her throat.
“Madam said that I can only say something if Miss were to find out something and ask about it. If you never ever ask about it, then I won’t say anything even if I were to die. Otherwise, Miss will… the promise… no, I, I hid it intentionally from you…” Tears slid down Nanny Ming’s cheeks as she looked at Mo Xuetong’s pale face and thought of how sad and determined Madam was before her death. She cried even harder.
Madam had forced Nanny Ming to swear on her death bed and swear on Mo Xuetong’s life. She had kept the secrets and did not dare to say anything. If Mo Xuetong did not ask her about it, she would let it rot in her forever. She would never bring it up. Madam had said that it was not good to tell Mo Xuetong about all that. Since Madam had thought that, she must have had her reasons. Furthermore, that day, Madam had coughed up blood while telling her that. It was a scene that made Nanny Ming’s heart hurt as if it had been torn apart even when she thought about it now.
She had brought Madam up like her own daughter. How could she watch on as Madam struggled and stared at her with wide eyes, pleading her to agree?
“Did Mother tell you that if you go back on the promise, I will die a terrible death?” Mo Xuetong could hear that her voice was calm and indifferent. There was not a hint of a ripple in her voice. She was like a stranger and she could smile even though she was saying something so vicious. However, her smile was not just cold but it was also sharp and vicious!
“Miss…” Nanny Ming kowtowed furiously. She hit her head hard on the ground guiltily as if she couldn’t feel the pain. Blood and bruises immediately showed up on her forehead, but she continued kowtowing forcefully as if she could not feel the pain…
It was as if this had been the only way to ease the ache in her heart slightly.
Mo Xuetong’s wits felt as if they have been torn apart when she saw the fresh blood. All the hatred and despondency that could not be vanished turned into pain as she looked at the thick red blood. It tore through her and wrecked her heart. She felt as if she were being torn apart!
She suddenly felt like laughing. “Die a terrible death!” She truly had died a terrible death.
Didn’t she die a terrible death in her past life?! Everything turned dark in front of her and her vision blurred…
“Miss, Miss, what’s wrong?” Mo Lan was the first to realize that something was wrong. She immediately held Mo Xuetong’s hand and realized that it was very cold. She clutched it tightly and blood flowed from her palms. However, she continued to clench her fist tightly.
“Miss, let go.” Mo Ye held Mo Xuetong’s hand forcefully to stop her from hurting herself. However, she did not dare to use too much strength. Mo Xuetong’s fingers were stiff and straight and if Mo Lan were to use direct force on them, they might break.
“What are we to do? What are we to do?” Mo Yu paced around worriedly. She held Nanny Ming back and then jumped on the spot saying, “Nanny Ming, what are you hiding from Miss? Just tell her everything, look, you are making her so anxious.”
Nanny Ming realized that something was wrong with Mo Xuetong. Mo Xuetong was dazed. Nanny Ming did not even bother wiping the blood from her forehead and she quickly got up with the help of Mo Yu. She said beside Mo Xuetong, “Miss, Miss, wake up, wake up!”
“Quick, help Miss to the couch.”
“I, I’ll get water…”
The servants hurried around and helped Mo Xuetong to the couch and patted her back gently. Mo Xuetong sighed after drinking the tea Mo Yu brought her. She slowly regained some clarity in her eyes, but they remained cold.
“Miss, ask me. As long as you can ask me the questions, I will definitely answer you. If you can ask it, then I have not gone against my promise. Nothing will happen to you, Miss.” Nanny Ming cried hurriedly. She carefully wiped off the sweat on Mo Xuetong’s forehead, ignoring the fact that the blood had trickled down her forehead and onto her shirt.
“Nanny, wipe the blood off your face and tell me about my marriage.” Mo Xuetong was aggravated by the blood she saw and quickly regained her wits. She breathed out slowly.
“Yes, as long as you can ask me the question, I will not lie if I know the answer.” Nanny Ming answered hurriedly. Her heart truly hurt for Mo Xuetong. When she saw that Mo Xuetong looked slightly better, she immediately took the handkerchief Mo Lan handed her and wiped her hands quickly.
Ever since Madam passed away, Miss’ life had been difficult. Nanny Ming saw this and knew. But she did not dare to say certain things if Miss did not ask her. Madam’s words reverberated in her mind and she did not dare to disobey. Especially since Madam had pointed at a bronze buddha and made her swear. The buddha’s expression was ferocious and with the blood on Madam’s lips, Nanny Ming still felt frightened and anxious when she thought about it now.
Now that she thought about it, she wondered why Madam was so heartless. Why did Madam not allow her to say anything and made her swear such an oath?
“Who am I engaged to?” Mo Xuetong stared at Nanny Ming; she could not help but tremble.
“Madam engaged you to a young master from Yan. She did not allow me to stay by her side and I could not hear clearly. I only know that the young man is from the Yan palace. It seems that the young master’s status is noble, or maybe he is a prince. Madam told me later that it was unlikely that everyone in the Yan palace would survive.” Nanny Ming recounted.
She had seen clearly the first time the woman entered. Even though she was dressed ordinarily, one can tell with just a glance that she was of noble status. Nanny Ming glanced at her, and the person exuded a faint coldness. It pierced through Nanny Ming’s heart and she quickly lowered her head, not daring to look again. Later, Madam had asked her to stand outside and not allow anyone to enter. She heard the words “Yan Kingdom” and “palace” several times.
She did not hear anything else!
After she sent the visiting Madam off, Madam told her that she had settled Miss’ marriage. The elegant bangle that was the color of water was the engagement gift…
“Does Father know about this?”
“Old Sir does not know about this. Old Sir looked at the bangle and told Madam to keep it. Madam told Old Sir that this is not for certain. She said that if they do not come before you turn 15, you can marry anyone you want after you are grown. That family agreed to this as well. There is also an engagement agreement that has this stated on it too.” Nanny Ming recounted.
“Why did Mother agree to something so weird?” Mo Xuetong said lightly. However, her eyes were icy cold and her finger shook, beyond her control.
This matter was very unreasonable.
“I do not know why Madam would agree to such a disadvantageous condition. I asked her later on, but she just smiled lightly at me and did not say anything. The Madam came only a few more times and then never appeared in Cloud City again,” said Nanny Ming.
“When did this happen?” Mo Xuetong could not remember this at all. It must have happened before she had any awareness.
“Miss, you were just born then and was not even a year old. The Madam appeared then and then visited a few times surreptitiously. Then, the engagement was set and she disappeared.” The matter had been very weird and Nanny Ming had asked about it more than once. However, Madam had kept mum about the matter. Even though Nanny Ming was her nursemaid, she had never said anything to Nanny Ming.
Mo Xuetong had only just turned one. Her father did not know anything. A noble Madam. A few secret letters and her mother decided on her marriage. It sounded like a noble marriage but she was just the daughter of a fifth-grade official. What did the noble Madam see in her…?
It was said to be a marriage, but Mo Xuetong thought it resembled an agreement more, or even a threat. If they did not come to marry her before she turned 15, she could marry someone else. Yet, in her past life, she had never heard anyone say anything about this even though she was close to 20 years old. No matter it was her father or mother, no one mentioned about this marriage.
This marriage was not a true engagement. It was like a contract! A contract with her mother! Since her mother had passed away, then the contract no longer existed. Was that why she had never heard of it in her past life?
“Did Mother say what I should do if they fulfill the agreement?” Mo Xuetong asked coldly. She sat up, propping herself up with the cushion and looked up at Nanny Ming.
Nanny Ming answered everything Mo Xuetong wanted to know. Since Miss already knew the matter, then it did not count as her going against the oath and mentioning it on her own accord. She replied, “Madam said that it was unlikely. Firstly, your status does not befit them. It was said that the person is extremely noble, so your status does not befit him. Then, she said that if they come to marry you one day, it means that they truly want to marry you. You will not be at a disadvantage even if you’re to marry him.”
A contract. It was a single-sided contract!
Mo Xuetong felt exhausted. There was great pressure on her chest. She could not breathe. What was it that made her mother use her only daughter to force Nanny Ming into an oath? She did not know anything at all in her past life and had died a terrible death. She had turned into ashes in that fire. How could a mother be so vicious!
Her heart hurt so much she could not breathe. It tore at the wounds she had ignored and she could not help but curl in at the pain.
She could not ask anything else! The sharp pain in her palms told her that this was real and what was most real was that Bai Yihao, the person she did not want to do anything with the most was the owner of this contract. Without him releasing her from the contract, she had no right to make her own decision about this marriage agreement.
Her mother, whom she respected the most, had granted the right of hers to someone else on behalf of her…