Reborn: Femme Fatale First Daughter
chapter-43

The moment she said that, it immediately erased the suspicion that she was trying to frame her younger sister that Ling Mingyan had implied.

Those who were a little suspicious before could not help but praise Mo Xuemin for being gentle and gracious. She was an outstanding woman unlike Ling Mingyan who was arrogant, rude and spoke without thinking.

Many ignored what Ling Mingyan said about Mo Xuemin. With Ling Mingyan’s reputation, people naturally believed in First Miss Mo who had always been polite and talented. Compared to the dumb, arrogant and rude Ling Mingyan, Mo Xuemin who was always gentle and smiling was much more well-liked.

“I heard that that third sister of yours is rude and arrogant. She knocked into someone the moment she got into the city gates. There are so many people at the city gates, but she didn’t even care about them and rushed in. Is this the behavior a noble young woman should display?” Ling Mingyan had always had a good relationship with Mo Xuemin privately. She could not help but glare and speak to her angrily when Mo Xuemin rebutted her.

She was the one who had said that earlier. Why did she suddenly change her tune!

Speeding on the horse and knocking down someone the moment she entered the city gates? If she dared she be so audacious just upon her arrival in the capital, how would she behave in the future? There were many who frowned and began to size up Mo Xuetong.

“Miss Ling, don’t speak nonsense. What my sister did is not what you imagined…there are other things involved.” Mo Xuemin explained weakly. She looked a little guilty and her voice lowered subconsciously. It was obvious that she was guilty and found it hard to explain. Everyone would feel that she was feeling guilty on behalf of Mo Xuetong. could it be that something like that had really happened?

“Why other matters are involved? If she had not knocked down someone with her horse in arrogance, what are you feeling guilty about?” Ling Mingyan said loudly with satisfaction.

“Miss Ling, I don’t mean that…” It sounded as if she was hiding something!

If Ling Mingyan was accusing Mo Xuetong, then Mo Xuemin was making the matter even worse.

Mo Xuemin indeed did not let go of any chance to smear her reputation.

There was a sharp glint in Mo Xuetong’s eyes which disappeared in a flash. She looked up and looked at Mo Xuemin, looking as if she were wronged. “It was obvious that someone was trying to frame me then. After that, those two people even ran away. After we returned home, Auntie also said that she did not send a carriage for me. You were there too, Eldest Sister, and you saw everything. Do you think that is not sufficient to prove my innocence?”

She was a beautiful girl, and her eyes were deep and filled with the unknown. She bit her lips and looked at Mo Xuemin, soft and weak. She did not seem to believe that her dear older sister would collude with an outsider to slander her. The paleness of her lips and face made her seem fragile and pitiful. She was so fragile it made others pity her.

You Yuecheng, who was standing on one side could not help but look at the beautiful and fragile little face. His eyes were dark and deep.

Mo Xuemin paused and looked at Mo Xuemin who looked like she had been terribly wronged. She was so angry she wanted to vomit blood. She had wanted to pretend to look pitiful but Mo Xuetong had done it first. If she did it, it would look very fake. Furthermore, the fragile sufferance that Mo Xuetong could portray with her deep eyes and innocent, beautiful face was something that she could not fake.

She looked at how everyone was looking at them. There were quite a few who believed Mo Xuetong.

She had to temper down on her jealousy and smiled. She explained, “I’m sorry third sister. I came too late that day, so I couldn’t explain clearly. But I believe that you will definitely not do something like that.”

She did not come to defend Mo Xuetong, and she must not defend her. The little slut that was Mo Xuetong was going to get it! She’s going to see how Mo Xuetong is going to explain the matter clearly!

“First Miss Mo understood what happened that day, how can you not explain clearly?” It was a lazy voice that came from behind the crowd. The crowd parted and a handsome face appeared. He had slanted eyes and long, pale fingers. His lips were ruby red and moist. He sat under an osmanthus tree, wearing luxurious purple robes embroidered with dragons. He looked noble and wild.

Such beauty and such charisma, coupled with his gentle and emotion-filled eyes made everyone he looked at blush and their heart beat faster. They felt that they had fallen for him and would not mind even if the world ended then and there.

It was him? Mo Xuetong’s eyes narrowed and her breath hitched. Her throat felt dry.

“His Highness, King Xuan, arrives.” A eunuch said loudly. Everyone bowed.

Mo Xuetong followed the crowd and bowed. However, she could not hide the shock and fear in her eyes. She finally recalled who he was. He was King Xuan, Feng Yuran. He was the eighth prince and was crowned a king not long after he was born. He was weak and sickly as a child and was born to a concubine of Emperor Zongwen who had died early. He was young and could not accept the death of his mother and had almost died.

He was later saved by an erudite and later followed him into the mountains to practice cultivation. He only returned when he was 16! He was doted on by Emperor Zongwen and was a ladies’ man. He had all kinds of beauty in his courtyard. Unlike the other two princes, he spent most of his time on women.

However, what truly shocked and frightened Mo Xuetong was what King Xuan had done afterwards. It was something that had shocked the world. He killed all his maternal family in front of Emperor Zongwen. Blood had flowed through the great hall. Emperor Zongwen had shielded him and even killed the officials King Xuan had said were guilty.

No one dared to raise any objections in the face of death, and there were no other objections in court.

Then, King Xuan who had always been interested in women said that he would lead the troops personally into the desolated lands of the south.

Mo Xuetong did not know what happened after that. King Xuan was still fighting with the southern barbarians when she set fire to Sima Lingyun and Mo Xuemin’s wedding.

But no matter how King Xuan had ended up, Mo Xuetong knew that the man in front of her was definitely not just handsome and harmless. In his charming smile, was something dangerous. He was like a beautiful painting, but no one knew the dangerous waters that brewed within…

Mo Xuemin was shocked as well when she heard that it was King Xuan. She immediately bowed gracefully and said, “Xuemin does not know how to protect her younger sister. I had gone too late.” She looked as if she wanted to say more, but sighed. It was obvious that she was trying to portray an image of a good older sister protecting her younger sister and as such, could not say some things.

An odd look flashed through You Yuecheng’s eyes. He had seen everything that happened clearly that day. They had seen the entire incident then.

“It is inconvenient for First Miss Mo to speak. When I entered the capital, someone claimed to have been knocked down and injured. However, I did not see any injuries. This is fun, since I am free today, I invite everyone to play!” Feng Yuran clapped his hands and two eunuchs brought out a man.

King Xuan had been settling some matters for the emperor in Cloud City some time back. Everyone knew that King Xuan had left the city after the case concluded. He had encountered someone who claimed to have been knocked down when he returned to the capital and earlier, Ling Mingyan had said that Third Miss Mo had knocked someone down. Could they be talking about the same person? Everyone had the same suspicion and they looked at Mo Xuemin and Mo Xuetong.

Mo Xuemin’s face paled when she saw the man. Her fingers clenched tightly under her sleeves. How could she not recognize this person? It was the old man who had been knocked down at the city gates. It was someone Auntie Fang had sent. She had gotten Auntie Fang to search for the man after the incident but they could not find him. They thought that he had been cowardly and frightened and had left the city. They considered the matter closed, but who would have thought that he had ended up in King Xuan’s hands. How could Mo Xuemin not be afraid!

Everyone was shocked and they started to look at Mo Xuemin doubtfully when they saw that the old man had been brought in uninjured. Mo Xuemin had not helped to explain things for Mo Xuetong earlier, and had indirectly proven that her own sister had been in the wrong. Could it be that the talented and gracious First Miss Mo was being kind and had intentionally lied?

“Third Miss Mo, do you wish to hear what this person has to say?” Feng Yuran’s eyes were dark and looked as if they were swirling pools of water. His long narrow eyes turned up. Even though he had spoken to Mo Xuetong, he was looking at Mo Xuemin warmly and attentively. His voice was silky and Mo Xuemin froze…He was obviously mocking and making jibes at her.

However, what she could not see was the sudden flash of bloodthirstiness and coldness that flashed suddenly in the superficial mockery before he resumed his usual flirtatious behavior.

Mo Xuemin knew that things were going pear-shaped. She could only grit her teeth and continue with a warm smile. She curtsied at Feng Yuran and said, “Many thanks for your help to my third sister, King Xuan. It is I who did not see things clearly and completely. I couldn’t help my sister voice her grievances!”

Her voice was slightly loud and everyone around her could hear it without making it seem intentional.

Everyone focused on Mo Xuemin. They looked at her gentle smile and her gracious actions. She did not look ashamed as if she had been exposed. They all could not help but guess that she really had not seen the incident clearly and as such did not dare to defend her sister. She was thanking the person who had come to prove her sister’s innocence! If this was true, then she was truly a gracious and respectful and gentle older sister.

“The rules in the Mo Manor is indeed different. A concubine’s daughter can answer on behalf of a main daughter. This is truly shocking.” Feng Yuran’s handsome face and eyes suddenly turned cold. The entire garden filled with blooming flowers earlier felt as if it was a frozen land. His mocking was even more evident.

“How dare you, you are a mere concubine’s daughter, how dare you answer His Highness. Kneel down!” A eunuch said loudly with a smirk.

Mo Xuemn was shocked and frightened. She shivered and knelt down heavily.

Nobody came up and they all took a few steps back. King Xuan, whose moods swung widely, was someone they could not offend. Even Ling Mingyan hid among the crowd and did not dare to say anything. Everything quietened down and the tension in the air could almost be heard.

Mo Xuetong suddenly took a step forward and curtsied to Feng Yuran. She said, “King Xuan, please forgive her. We have always been close and are used to behaving like this at home. Eldest Sister even picked me up at the city gates and foiled someone’s plot against me. She was excited and fought to speak when you mentioned the incident…You are benevolent and kind. Please, be forgive my eldest sister this time.”

Many had heard that First Miss Mo had gone out to the countryside with her friends then and had to stop because she met her sister at the city gates. Something like that had happened to her sister, but she had not defended her sister and even fought to answer King Xuan. It was obvious she was afraid that something might be revealed and she had been disrespectful to her younger sister who was the main daughter. Those present were all children from the main branch of the family. They despised children of concubines who did not know their place.

No wonder King Xuan was angry. Did she think everyone was dumb?

First Miss Mo’s usual gentleness and graciousness must all be fake!

And the third miss who was rumored to be rude and arrogant, ugly with an odd temperament, was the one who truly cared about the bigger situation. She pleaded for her elder sister. Her higher status was obviously evident. She was indeed the main daughter of the Mo Manor. She was still trying to help to get Mo Xuemin out of trouble now. It was completely different from how Mo Xuemin had tried to cast suspicion on her own younger sister.

She had the big picture in mind and knew when to do things!

The main daughter was indeed the main daughter!

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