Chapter 173 - Resentment. The Chaos Starts Again. (1/2)

“I, I…” Ling Fengyan hid her annoyance and shame hurriedly when she saw the anger on the Princess’ face. Her eyes reddened and she cried delicately as she knelt on the ground, “I heard that there were other young ladies who have come to greet the Princess, so I came as well. I did not know that I behaved rashly.”

The other young lady she was talking about was Mo Xuetong. Mo Xuetong was the daughter of a third-grade official. Young ladies from n.o.ble and wealthy families like Ling Fengyan spurned her. As such, she was mentioned at this time by Ling Fengyan, who was feeling resentful.

Since Mo Xuetong could come, why couldn’t she? She was instructed to be here by the Empress. If the Princess mocked her again, it would mean that she was going against the Empress. The back of the palace was still governed by the Empress. Even though she did not have any sons, she still held the position and the status that came with it. No matter which Prince take the throne in the future, she would still be considered their legal mother and the Empress Dowager. n.o.body could deny that.

However, if the Princess allowed Ling Fengyan to stay, should there be rumors circulating in the back of the palace regarding Ling Fengyan and Feng Yuxuan, what transpired today would definitely be mentioned. The two of them had accompanied the Princess and they had chatted all night. This meant that they are acknowledging the relations.h.i.+p between Ling Fengyan and Feng Yuxuan! This also meant allowing the Empress to extend her reach into Mingzhu Palace. The Princess could not accept that.

Chasing Ling Fengyan away meant going against the Empress. If she did not chase Ling Fengyan away, it meant agreeing to the Empress’ interference. It also meant surrendering to the Ding General Manor.

Mo Xuetong sighed to herself. The people in the palace were all not simple. The Empress played a mean hand of chess!

But she could not do anything. She could only wait silently as others picked the game apart. She looked at Feng Yuran who sat there calmly and knew that he had a plan. As such, she lowered her head and looked at her toes silently.

Ling Fengyan realized that all was silent after she spoke and felt confident. Then, she thought of how the Princess used to be arrogant and overbearing and she could not help but start to fear. Sweat started to appear at her forehead. She bent down and did not dare to say anything else.

Feng Yuran stood up suddenly and walked up to the window. It had started to snow lightly. A red plum tree stood outside the palace in the snow. Its long branches with a stark difference in the pure white snow made the sky looked even more colorful and beautiful.

He looked at the scene outside and then turned around to smile at Mo Xuetong seductively. He said, “Third Miss Mo, it is getting late. Aunt is busy here. You are a girl, so you don’t need to stay in the palace. The lantern festival is about over and I am going to return to my manor. I shall send you home on the way back.”

He had said that really casually, breaking the tense atmosphere in the room. He did not ask Mo Xuetong if she had any opinions. Instead, he turned and smiled at the Princess. “Aunt, have pity on your nephew. Look, it’s snowing again. I might as well return to my manor, get warm and have some hot wine. I will definitely bring you a New Year’s gift that you like tomorrow.”

“Oh you, don’t forget to bid your father goodbye before you leave the palace later or he will think that you are still in the palace. I don’t need anything from you. Just give me that red coral tree tomorrow. Don’t bring those mediocre things here.” A smile appeared on the Princess’ somber face.

“How would I dare? Aunt, you just wait. If I don’t send you that red coral tree, then you can trash up my manor.” Feng Yuran said with a smile in his eyes. Then, he bid Feng Yuxuan farewell. Mo Xuetong took the opportunity to bid the Princess and Feng Yuxuan farewell as well.

This was for the best. As long as she left, Ling Fengyan could not use her as an excuse to stay. Furthermore, if King Chu was not interested, he would leave as well. The Princess had nothing to do with everything else!

That devilish man was not simple indeed. He had ruined the Empress’ plan with just a few words. Mo Xuetong could not help but admire him. He was indeed different from the playboy prince who was good for nothing that everyone thought he was. He was a treacherous man!

He had dealt with the stalemate with just a few words.

The lanterns lit up the dark as white snowflakes fell from the skies. It brought an additional beauty to the lantern festival in the palace. The snowflakes drifted as skirts swayed. The young men were handsome and the young ladies, beautiful. The young people were easily pleased and were in good spirits which were further enhanced by the beautiful scenery.

The incident between Marquess Zhenguo, Sima Lingyun, and Mo Xuemin, the eldest daughter of the Mo family, had long disappeared in the beautiful snow. No one remembered that Mo Xuemin had been sent out of the palace early on and that Sima Lingyun had been reprimanded by the Emperor. The Dukes.h.i.+p that he had been about to get his hands on was now put on hold indefinitely. Sima Lingyun was still the Marquess of Zhenguo.

He had behaved improperly in the palace and had annoyed the Emperor. Even the other officials felt that he was flighty. A few of them had agreed in private to speak up for Sima Lingyun when the Emperor mentioned him so that he could take the dukes.h.i.+p.

However, the Emperor had been in a bad mood even before he spoke. They did not dare to say anything else. Emperor Zongwen was a powerful ruler. There were no other dissensions in court since he a.s.sumed his position. Great Qin was considered orderly and he was a fair ruler. The families of those who helped to establish the nation remained t.i.tled so that their descendants could be taken care of.

The descendants of these lords were already in straitened circ.u.mstances. They were no longer the legendary figures they once were and now depended on the court for money. The Duke’s Manor was a representation of these people. Sima Lingyun was determined to make the Duke’s Manor rise again, which was why he became interested in the Mo Manor and wanted to marry their legal daughter. This was how he could become related to the General’s Manor.

Due to Emperor Zongwen’s power, only the Four Great Manors in the Great Qin retained actual power amongst those who helped to build the nation. This power was one that not even the Emperor could underestimate. If he received the help of General Manor, it would not be an issue for the Duke’s Manor to rise again. However, Sima Lingyun did not expect something like this to happen in the palace.

First, his sister had gotten into an argument with Mo Xuemin and the matter had even been escalated to the Empress. Then, what happened at Qingfang Pavilion was something that he could not explain no matter how much he tried. Coupled with what happened the last time, his relations.h.i.+p with Mo Xuemin had become really complicated. However, she was just a concubine’s daughter and he was not interested in her.