Reborn: Femme Fatale First Daughter
chapter-190

Mo Xueqiong stood at the entrance of Qingwei Garden, glaring at Mo Xuetong. Her face was as cold as steel and her chest rose and fell heavily.

“Mo Xuetong, you’re too vicious. What does my business with His Excellency have to do with you? Were you so jealous that you had to ruin my marriage?”

Her two maids, Mo Yan and Mo Jiao, hurried from behind and hugged her tightly.

“Miss, Miss, you must not listen to those slanderous talk. They might not be true,” they urged.

“How could it not be true? If not for her, would Father have locked me up in that faraway courtyard? Would Father have kept me from finding out about what happened at Duke Zhenguo’s manor? I am his daughter too! How could he treat me like this for her sake?!” Mo Xueqiong looked as if she wanted to lunge at Mo Xuetong and bite her.

“Fourth Sister, come in and say whatever it is you want to. It is the first day of the new year and Father is in a bad mood. Don’t make him angry.” Mo Xuetong said lightly.

She turned around. Ignoring Mo Xueqiong and entering the room by herself. It was the first day of the new year and if the two sisters were to fight at the door, it would just be another embarrassment to the Mo Manor.

“I shall come in if you want me to. Why should I be afraid of you?” Mo Xueqiong had sobered up then. She saw several people trying to eavesdrop nearby and huffed, then followed Mo Xuetong inside. She had come here in the heat of anger. Now that she’d had a moment to think, she felt a bit less rash.

Now that they were alone, she did not know how to start. Instead, she just glared at Mo Xuetong silently

“Fourth Sister, please sit down. It is the new year and I do not know how I have offended you. I’ve been sick for the past few days and don’t know what’s happened outside the manor. I have no idea what happened at Duke Zhenguo’s manor to make you so angry.” Mo Xuetong sat down and ordered Mo Yu to pour them tea.

“You don’t know what happened outside the manor?” Mo Xueqiong was shocked.

“I’ve been sick for the past two days and Father asked me to rest well. I don’t know what happened outside the manor. Did what happen to you have something to do with me?” Since someone was trying to sow discord behind Mo Xueqiong’s back, she would watch quietly before making any judgment.

“Mo Xuetong, don’t try to deny it. You intentionally spread rumors that Eldest Sister did something with His Excellency. You said that he tried to rape Eldest Sister. How is that possible? Eldest Sister has always had a good relationship with His Excellency. How would something like this happen? How dare you say you don’t know anything?” Mo Xueqiong was furious. She did not care what she was saying at all.

“I spread rumors? Fourth Sister, did you see it yourself? Or did you hear someone in my Qingwei Garden say something?” Mo Xuetong answered casually. She raised her eyebrows. “As for what you said, I do know some things about it. My Second Uncle sent someone to tell me to stay far away from Duke Zhenguo’s manor. They are now involved in a criminal case and it will probably not end well. Eldest Sister’s reputation is besmirched. But could the attempted rape committed by the Marquess be something that I can talk nonsense about?”

“His Excellency Sima was arrested?” Mo Xueqiong was shocked that it was so serious. Her anger disappeared completely. Her legs lost their strength and she sat down.

“Are you speaking the truth?” she asked hurriedly.

“Fourth Sister, would Second Uncle speak nonsense? Since he has warned me, I will also warn you. If you rush over to Father’s right now, you will only incur his wrath. You might as well wait quietly. No matter what happens to Duke Zhenguo’s manor, Father will not have you suffer.” Mo Xuetong said lightly.

Mo Xueqiong knew who Mo Xuetong’s Second Uncle was, of course. As such, she also knew that Mo Xuetong was telling the truth. If Mo Xuetong was telling the truth, then this incident would definitely not end well. Mo Xueyan was wrong when she said that the matter would be over as long as Mo Xuetong told the public what happened.

If this was true, and if Sima Lingyun really tried to rape Eldest Sister… Then it was impossible to have any relationship between them anymore…

Father would definitely not allow them to be together. However, her reputation was already ruined. If she did not marry him, who else could she marry…

No, no, it wasn’t possible!

She was going to ask Eldest Sister what happened between the two of them. Why were they together? Her Elder Sister had sworn that she would never get together with Marquess Sima in the future. Why were the two of them always involved in something together? And now, something like this happened…

Mo Xueqiong stood up anxiously, ignoring Mo Xuetong.

“Fourth Sister, let me caution you, don’t look for Eldest Sister now. She has been locked up by Father. If you make trouble, Father will get angry.” Mo Xuetong’s voice could be heard from behind.

“Don’t get involved,” Mo Xueqiong replied. “Worry about yourself.”

Then, she lifted the curtains and left, her two maids hurrying behind her.

“Miss, did First Miss cause this?” Mo Yu asked.

She picked up the tea set and began to rearrange the dishes. Fourth Miss had always been unreasonable, using cruel words before she used her brain. It was the first day of the new year, and she had charged into the legal daughter’s courtyard. That alone was very impolite, but she had done it without thinking twice.

It was a very unlucky way to start the first morning of the new year!

“Eldest Sister hates me the most. However, she would never do something so obvious. Furthermore, she was implicated in it. Whoever put this in motion wants to create chaos in the manor.” Mo Xuetong sat by the table and took a sip of porridge. Her expression looked thoughtful.

This was too simple. Mo Xuemin would not do something like this. However, who could it be if it was not Mo Xuemin?

“If there is chaos in the manor, how does it benefit outsiders? At most, they can just say that we do not have a matriarch in the manor.” Mo Yu pursed her lips unhappily. Who was so bored they’d intentionally create chaos in someone else’s family as they watched the show?

That gave Mo Xuetong an idea. A smile appeared on her lips. Who else would be so free to sow discord? It seemed like there was someone who felt uneasy staying in the manor and eating the manor’s food.

After Mo Xuetong had her porridge, she brought Mo Ye and Mo Yu to the old madam’s courtyard to greet her.

After the fuss last night, Mo Xuetong would be expected to show concern over her grandmother who had “fainted”.

The Old Madam might be in a bad mood, or might be ashamed to meet others because of what happened to Lan Xinru. When Mo Xuetong called on her, she was coldly asked to leave and ended up returning to Qingwei Garden.

The next few days were calm. The Old Madam of General Fu’s Manor sent Xu Yan over to take care of Mo Xuetong for a few days.

Ever since Xu Yan moved into Mo Xuetong’s Qingwei Garden, Mo Huawen visited less often. Fortunately, Xu Yan was aware of etiquette. She would hide in her room every time she saw Mo Huawen coming, but there were a few times they could not avoid meeting. Xu Yan would curtsy with a blush every time and return to her room.

On the fourth day of the new year, Xu Yan returned home. The fifth day of the new year was meant to be spent at home. After that, they were free to visit relatives.

The Mingguo Manor banquet was on the sixth day of the new year. Mo Xuetong’s hand was injured and she did not wish to attend the crowded banquet. Thankfully, Mo Huawen refused Mingguo Manor’s invitation. After everything that happened to Mo Manor, he was in no mood to go out and entertain. He thought of what happened to his daughters. It was impossible for them to consider marriage now.

The other two were only thirteen years old. It was an awkward age, and if they went out at a time like this, he would only end up being gossiped about. Since Mo Xuetong had refused to go, it worked out well.

Mo Xuetong went to Mo Huawen’s study again before she went to bed.

She made Mo Huawen a cup of oolong tea, something he drank often, and put it on his desk. Then, she took away the paper in his hand.

“Father,” she told him, “don’t tire yourself out. Let the two aunties take charge of what happens in the inner courtyard. Our relatives will definitely understand given what happened to our family…”

It would be fine if they were regular relatives. But how could they go out and entertain those from wealthy and powerful families!

Mo Huawen was extremely stressed. In the past, he could still put Auntie Fang in charge. Furthermore, his position then did not require him to entertain those of very high ranks. But the situation now was different. He was a third-grade official but did not even have a legal wife. He recalled what the Old Madam told him the other day. There was no matriarch in the family. There wasn’t even anyone who could take the children out to entertain the guests.

“Tong’er, if Father marries another woman, would you…” Mo Huawen coughed. He looked at Mo Xuetong somewhat awkwardly. The Old Madam had taken his hand last night and told him that he had to do this sooner or later. The manor was so big and they needed a mistress.

“Father, you must remarry, or you will not have any legal sons. Furthermore, someone has to take charge of Eldest Brother’s and Eldest Sister’s marriages. Otherwise, you will be doing everything out there alone and be even more tired out by household matters,” Mo Xuetong replied, blinking her bright, lively eyes.

Mo Huawen could finally rest assured when he saw his daughter’s delicate face. Ever since the incident with Lan Xinru, the Old Madam’s cries and complaints had gotten to him. He would still have to remarry to have someone take care of his children. Furthermore, Auntie Fang’s son was a good-for-nothing. He needed a legal son to inherit the family business so his three daughters would be protected in whatever family they married into.

“Tong’er…” He reached out to tousle Mo Xuetong’s dark hair. This daughter was the most caring and obedient of his children.

“But Father, I have a condition. You have to promise me, or I will not agree to having a new mother and will be angry at you.” Mo Xuetong poked out her tongue and pouted, pretending to be angry.

“Alright, Tong’er, tell me and I will definitely agree.” Mo Huawen’s couldn’t help but agree, heart softening as he looked at the adorable child.

“Father, the new mother you marry has to treat me well. She has to like me. Oh, and she must dote on me in the future like how you dote on me. Is that alright?” Mo Xuetong tugged on Mo Huawen’s sleeves cutely and said, “Father, if you don’t agree, I won’t agree to let you remarry.”

“Alright, alright, alright. I will definitely marry a woman who will treat you well and who likes you.” Mo Huawen sighed at how close Mo Xuetong was to him now. He remembered how alert and distant she was when she first came. She was totally different from how she was now. He definitely had to marry a woman who would treat his Tong’er well. She must not be like Auntie Fang, whose behavior was different when in public and in private.

However, Mo Huawen started to worry again when Mo Xuetong left. He was a man who worked outside and would not know if the girl was truly gentle or pretending to be kind. If she was like Auntie Fang and only pretended to treat Tong’er well, what was he to do?

If seemed like he had to plan this slowly and tread carefully.