Reborn: Femme Fatale First Daughter
chapter-166

Consort Yu had been in the palace for five or six years. While there was not much news about her in the previous years, she had won the affections of Emperor Zongwen in the past two years. The usually cold, empty Caiwei Palace became a place Emperor Zongwen frequented the most. Lady Yu quickly became Consort Yu, jumping several ranks in one go.

Being an imperial consort in Great Qin was a great dividing line. Imperial consorts could continue to stay in the palace and be supported by the new emperor even after the current emperor passes. If they had any sons, they could leave with their sons and travel to their lands freely. Once one became an imperial consort, their path would be bright than that of a mere lady.

Consort Yu had jumped through ten ranks in two years and was very much doted on by the emperor. However, she had not managed to have any children. She was very fond of her younger brother, though, and thought of him often. As such, young master Yu Mingyong’s playboy nature was not due to his parents spoiling him, but because of his elder sister.

Yu Mingyong’s position in court was not high, but he had an elder sister who was a favorite of the emperor, and as such, he had been given an invitation to this banquet. The emperor naturally did not care about insignificant matters like this, those who worked for him knew the value of doing a favor for Consort Yu.

In truth, Yu Mingyong did not want to attend the banquet. Being around the emperor would mean all kinds of restrictions, and he’d have to be on his best behavior. But his sister had told him to go, and he couldn’t refuse. He needed her, and it wasn’t worth it to make her angry.

Yu Mingyong was given a seat with the other noble young masters. He was seated considerably forward due to his status as Consort Yu’s brother. However, some of the other young masters looked down on him, because he refused to act like a gentleman. While they wouldn’t go so far as to insult him directly, they avoided sitting or speaking with him whenever possible.

He actively sought out people to speak with but was ignored. Then he realized that being at Qingxiang House was better than being at the banquet. He could not move or eat as he wished, and he even had to pay attention to the moods of the three princes. It was very boring. He had long regretted coming here by his elder sister’s order.

As such, he started drinking alone. Yu Mingyong could usually hold his liquor well, but he had been in a bad mood and guzzled his alcohol, completely losing count of the bottles. But no matter how much he drank, no one cared about him. He was in a terrible mood. Everyone catered to him usually, and he rarely had to be subservient.

He left the island with the others after the banquet. He couldn’t go anywhere alone. Even though he saw some beauties, he knew that they were not the prostitutes that he usually played with. If anything were to happen, not even his elder sister could help him. As such, he walked around and grew more and more bored.

In the end, he found a place to rest. He was feeling tipsy from the alcohol and found a couch to nap on. He planned to wake up and leave the palace after the banquet. He thought about the actress he fought for yesterday. Her skin was so smooth…

In his dreams, he was entangled with the actress; they were so passionate, they could not bear to leave each other.

Later, Yu Mingyong had been woken as his face was doused with cold water. He sat up in shock, and a bottle was placed in his hands. He could not open his eyes, and there was a sudden pressure on his hand as he was knocked back onto the couch.

When he’d gotten up, he shook the water off his hand vigorously. He had only just opened his eyes when two people rushed in from outside and held him down.

Yu Mingyong felt angry when he recalled that. He was spoiled and always got his way. The three princes were not present here – there was no one he was afraid of!

When he saw his nemesis, Li Youmo, he pointed at him without even trying to find out what exactly was happening. The two had always been at loggerheads. If they were not fighting over an actress, they would be fighting for a courtesan. Yu Mingyong had always felt that it was intentional on Li Youmo’s part. Nine out of ten times he had any competition for a woman, it was Li Youmo.

Without a doubt, this whole scenario had been set up by Li Youmo, as well. And it didn’t take much convincing for Yu Mingyong to unleash his anger on him.

“I’m trying to do you in secretly?” Li Youmo pointed at himself in shock as he looked at Yu Mingyong with wide, innocent eyes.. He pulled Yu Mingyong out of the room and pointed to Mo Xuemin who was lying on the ground. She had regained consciousness after being helped up by two maids who were holding her up. He said, “Young Master Yu, this is the person who framed you. I have nothing to do with what happened today. I am just here to watch the show and have not done any scheming. I am just another spectator and won’t make a difference.”

Li Youmo even winked at Yu Mingyong after he said that. It was as if he were implying that Yu Mingyong would understand his intentions.

Yu Mingyong was so angry he gritted his teeth. While he was a playboy, he knew that everyone present today were powerful people – nobility, third-grade officials, and above. Furthermore, they were in the palace; he must not get into trouble today. His sister had reminded him over and over again that she would send him a few beautiful palace maids tomorrow if he behaved himself.

Even the princes would act carefully when they were in the palace. It did not matter if he bullied others and flaunted their powers outside the palace, usually. If he were to cause trouble here, he might even lose his life. As such, he glared viciously at Mo Xuemin, the cause of all this trouble. If not for this woman, he would still be sleeping soundly inside and would not have offended anyone!

Mo Xuemin got up with the help of Mo Xiu and a maid dressed in yellow whom she did not know. Mo Xiu placed a handkerchief over her forehead. The cut itself wasn’t big, but the amount of blood on her face made her injuries look serious.

Mo Xiu did not have time to wipe the blood off her face and could only press the handkerchief against the wound to stop the bleeding.

“You are the one who called out for help. I wonder why you are screaming so. Could it be that I, a drunk, have done something to you?” Yu Mingyong narrowed his eyes. His tone was filled with disdain. He could hear what the crowd was saying clearly and knew that the woman was First Miss Mo. He didn’t know her family, but he did know that he was very angry, and she was the cause of it.

How had he offended this woman for no rhyme or reason! Everyone was here to watch the scene that she had created! He had only somewhat understood what happened, so how could he bring himself to speak to Mo Xuemin nicely?

Mo Xuemin’s face flushed red when she heard that. Her face was covered in blood, and he could not see her usual elegance. Yu Mingyong was a rough man who had at of saying things that could be easily misinterpreted.

Mo Xuemin would not speak with someone like him usually, but it was impossible now. He would not allow the man to besmirch her reputation before so many people.

She trembled fearfully as she held on to Mo Xiu and backed away fearfully. If Mo Xiu had not caught her quickly enough, her legs would have given out and she would have fallen.

The crowd could not bear to watch any longer when they saw how frightened she was.

“First Miss Mo, he will not do anything to you in front of so many people. Even if he wants to kill you, we are in the palace. This is not a place where he can do anything he wants. Just tell us why Yu Mingyong wants to kill you!”

“First Miss Mo, did you see him doing something illegal? Is that why he wants to silence you?”

“Miss Mo, do not be afraid. We are in the palace and he cannot behave as he wishes. No matter how favored Consort Yu is, she cannot hoodwink the public. He would not dare to do anything in front of so many people.”

Everyone had something to say. While Mo Xuemin did not look up, Yu Mingyong was enraged by their words. He had never been so angry before. He had not done anything and had only just been lying down on the couch to rest for a while, and now he had become someone who had done something illegal. When he saw Li Youmo standing by the side with a vague smile, watching him as he was being embarrassed, he felt anger welling up inside him. He could not hold back any longer.

He smiled at Mo Xuemin exaggeratedly. His words grew more and more unpleasant. “You must be First Miss Mo. Everyone had taken part in this willingly. You sounded like you were enjoying yourself earlier! You kept sticking to me. Why are you saying something else now? If I had known that something like this would happen, I wouldn’t have come! First Miss Mo, you can’t be thinking of pinning all the blame on me, are you!”

Most young masters would not say something so shameless in publicc, and those present today were all sons and daughters of officials who were at least grade three and above. Even though Li Youmo was a scoundrel whom Mo Xuemin turned her nose up at, he, at least, would not say something so trashy in front of others.

No matter how much Mo Xuemin hated to speak with Yu Mingyong, she had no choice but to respond.

As such, even though she was speechless at Yu Mingyong’s ridiculous words, she looked up, and her hand pressed against Mo Xiu’s forcefully. If she did not speak up, her good reputation would be ruined. The situation right now would not allow her to stay silent.

“Sir, I don’t know what you are doing here, and I don’t understand who you’re trying to protect. Someone asked me to meet them here, or I would not have come. I did not know the way, so I have only just arrived. I did not see anything, and finding you was unintentional.” Mo Xuemin lifted her soft and pale face, looking at Yu Mingyong in tears. She had to rearrange her thoughts against a rough man like him. She knew that a show of weakness was her only option!

She would be as weak and helpless as Yu Mingyong was fierce and impolite! Comparing the two, who would believe that she was involved with the rude and arrogant Yu Mingyong?

Furthermore, Yu Mingyong had changed his statement, so it made him seem less credible! She was betting that Yu Mingyong did not know what had happened, which was why he kept changing his story. The more confusing his statements were, the better!

“If you didn’t see anything, why did you say that I was a murderer? Is this what an educated young lady should say? Who have I killed? Or are you making things up? You are a noble lady, and you did not bring your servants along and came alone. Why so secretive? Were you meeting someone? But you didn’t expect me to be sleeping there and you were afraid that you would be discovered, which is why you created such a scene,” Yu Mingyong said with a laugh. He truly did not like her. Mo Xuemin’s delicateness was coupled with a face that was covered in blood. She did not look appealing at all.

Li Youmo waved his fan casually. The smile on his face grew even wider, as he said in a mocking tone, “What happened exactly? Miss Mo meant that you were meeting someone in private here and she saw you, which is why you want to silence her. It can’t be! How dare you be so audacious even in the palace? Were you meeting a palace maid or something… that’s a serious offense that could get you killed.”

Yu Mingyong was a rash man, but he knew his limits. If his opponent was someone like Li Youmo, he could not be rash. Anyone who was not completely stupid would learn this, as did Yu Mingyong.