Chapter 259 - Scrambling for the Chance to Attend the Palace Banquet; the Old Madam Made Another Evil Plan (2/2)

The Old Madam didn’t know what had happened, but upon hearing that Mo Xueyan was crying, she quickly had her ushered in.

As Mo Xueyan entered, she threw herself into the Old Madam’s arms and cried before she could speak. As a result, she cried so hard that she could not stop or explain what she cried for. The Old Madam was so anxious that she hugged her and called her “darling”, feeling sorry for her. Finally, the maid who came with Mo Xueyan told her why Mo Xueyan was crying—all the three girls of the Mo Manor were going to the palace banquet.

“Grandma, grandma, I want to go to the palace banquet too. I want to go to the palace banquet. It is said that not only the First Prince from the Yan Kingdom but also King Chu, King Yan, and King Xuan will attend the banquet. Many young n.o.blemen and royalty will also be there. Grandma, as long as an official is at grade five and above, his children can be there. Uncle now is at grade three, why can’t he take me to the banquet?”

Mo Xueyan’s face was tearful and pathetic. She tugged at the Old Madam’s sleeve and kept crying.

It almost killed the Old Madam. The Old Madam patted her chest and a.s.sured Mo Xueyan that she would ask Mo Huawen to take Mo Xueyan to the party. This promise delighted Mo Xueyan. She dried her eyes and went back to her yard.

When she returned, satisfied, the Old Madam immediately sent a maid to Mo Huawen to talk about it. She thought it was a shoo-in. In her opinion, it was the same thing for Mo Huawen to take three children and four children to the palace banquet. With Mo Huawen’s current position, it was not a big deal.

But to her disappointment, the old maid she had sent came back very soon in dismay, saying that the eldest sir had said that he had only three places and that he must not take one more.

It had a point. Everyone knew that he had three daughters, so he had only three invitations from the palace, though, in fact, he did not want to accept any of them. But invitations had been sent from the palace, and he could only bring them back. It was not a good thing, and he was upset about it now.

The thought that Tong’er might be selected by the First Prince of the Yan Kingdom at the banquet made him feel like he was on fire.

Mo Huawen was sitting in his study, worried and unable to sleep. When he learned that her troublesome and insolent niece wanted to go to the palace banquet from the maid sent by the Old Madam, he immediately refused in anger. The imperial palace was not the same as outside. If she did anything disrespectful, her life might be in danger.

He was upset with the Old Madam now, but Mo Xueyan was still his niece. He would not trifle with such a matter of life.

The longer he was an official in the capital, the more thoroughly he saw things. He had thought about what Mo Xuetong had thought. Although he did not understand the twists and turns, he knew there was more to it than what he saw. Mo Xueyan was a skittish girl. If she lost her life, the whole Mo family might be dragged down.

It was never a good idea to take Mo Xueyan to the palace banquet.

He had no idea that his refusal would nearly kill one of his daughters.

When the Old Madam heard that Mo Huawen had rejected her offer without considering it, she almost went off the deep end. She took her dress by the bed and wanted to go to Mo Huawen. She was going to do what she had promised her granddaughter today.

But her old nanny took hold of her, and after much persuasion, she ceased.

“How could I be reconciled to this? His own daughters are going to marry into respectable families. Look at his eldest daughter. She has as bad a reputation as a woman who runs off with a man. But she could marry into the Duke’s Manor. How much incense sticks did her wicked mother burn? It was because of the good reputation she had left at parties.”

“After what she had done, she was still on the banquet list. This is unreasonable.” The Old Madam’s face was livid with anger. The thought of her granddaughter being as pure as a white swan made her feel more and more indignant. Mo Huawen was so biased! Did he really think of her as someone who knew nothing about anything?

“Old Madam, don’t get angry yet. We still have a chance. Calm yourself first. There are still three days to go. We only need to let one of the three ladies of the Mo Manor to give up a place.” The nanny smiled and soothed the Old Madam.

“Those girls are ill-bred. How could they be willing to do such a thing? They are probably beside themselves with joy. If I ask them for a place, G.o.d knows how they would insult Yan’er,” the Old Madam uttered with a sneer. Of course, she had thought about the idea, but she knew it wouldn’t work.

Besides, Mo Huawen would not agree if they were unwilling to give up their place to Mo Xueyan.

As a result, it would be a waste of effort.

“What if one of them was willing to give up the place? Then the second miss can go,” whispered the nanny. Her coa.r.s.e voice was cold in the darkness and strangely frightening.

The Old Madam froze for a moment, not understanding what she meant. She rolled her eyes and thought for a moment, but still did not figure it out.

The old nanny got up, went to the door of the inner room, and listened before she opened it. The outer room was quiet, and most of the young and old maids were asleep. The yard sounded quiet, too. Even the gate was locked. There was the beating of watchman’s clapper in the distance.

“Bang, bang, boom!!” It was already nine o’clock at night.

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