The Lady’s Sickly Husband

It was early summer. Peach blossoms were in full bloom, but the person who accompanied her to appreciate the scenery was missing.

In the midnight, the moon was full.

To moon tonight seemed to be more beautiful than ever, in a mysterious, sorrowful and heartbreaking way.

By moonlight, she stumbled all the way into the depth of the mountain along the river. Although they were injured and exhausted, they didn’t dare to waste a second of time or stay separated, only following Mo Qianxue while searching around.

The deeper they reached, the more peach blossoms there were. They danced in the air, falling like a shower of fine rain dropping onto people’s faces and shoulders, filling her heart with hatred.

“Shaoqing, Shaoqing. Where are you?”

Mo Qianxue kept calling, but no matter how hard she called, his figure was nowhere to be found. Neither did they find the shadow guard.

After a night of vain searching, Mo Qianxue sat on a rock, replaying in her mind every bit of time spending together with Ning Shaoqing.

Ning Shaoqing was a person who would make preparation for every possible result. Except for having been cheated by the bitchy mother and son, he had never, as she observed, been taken advantaged of in other aspects.

Thinking of what Ning Shaoqing had said in the morning, “Stupid girl. If I’m gone, you must live on. You must live a better life, for me.”

A glimmer of hope rose in her heart. Had he made a plain beforehand?

But why didn’t he tell her and let her worry?

At the crack of dawn, morning sunrays broke through.

Nanny Mo said cautiously, “Lady, in my humble view, let’s leave for the capital first. Lord is a good man blessed by heaven. Probably he arrives at the capital earlier than us.”

Mo Qianxue said nothing.

Awu persuaded, “Right, lady. We’ve decided earlier that we’ll go separate ways after this river.” He and Asan didn’t believe at all that their lord could be washed away by the river.

“It’s lady Mo.” Asan scolded Awu. They were officially given to Mo Qianxue by Ning Shaoqing. When Mo Qianxue got back to the Founder mansion, certainly they should call her lady Mo.

Seeing that these two men calmly persuaded her, Mo Qianxue was surer about her guess.

If anything really happened to Ning Shaoqing, these two loyal men must be unbearably anxious.

Was there…a reason that it couldn’t be told to her?

She calmed down, wiped out her tears. No matter what it was, she forgave him. She only hoped that he was well. She would rather him lying to her for a reason than him encountering misfortune.

The series of attacks and incidents didn’t crack her down but instead intrigued the unyieldingness rooted in her bones and the passion to set her horizon on the whole world. At the beginning, she, a village girl knowing nobody and having no money at all, had relied exactly on this kind of passion to start from scratch and built up her own company in a few years, able to afford a house and a car of her own.

After this day, no matter what the future would be like, she wouldn’t regard the life when she had just come as a real life or to view herself as the ultimate goal of life.

What she wanted to become was a superior.

In this cannibalistic world, only a superior could obtain peace and happiness.

**

In the thriving capital city of the prosperous country, there were tiny and clean streets, exquisitely designed buildings and clamoring markets. There were the most talented scholars, most charming showgirls, the bravest general, the noblest ladies, the most delicious wine and food.

Here, one could find the best thing in the Tianqi dynasty. There seemed to store everything people ever wanted.

Ning Shaoqing had told her the scenes of the capital on the way to kill time. Mo Qianxue had also imagined for numerous times what it might be like. But when she saw it with her eyes, she was still astonished by its majesty and grandeur.

When they walked out of the mountain, hidden guard that Ning Shaoqing had arranged led her into the carriage where clothes and necessities were prepared.

The hidden guards didn’t ask why Ning Shaoqing wasn’t among them and only delivered the horse carriage to Asan and Awu, telling her that lord had ordered them to stay with lady ever since and that they now belonged to lady.

Mo Qianxue asked them where Ning Shaoqing was, they only shook their head and replied that the carriage had been prepared many days ago after a letter had sent to them. Mo Qianxue then asked their names, but they only said that they were hidden guards with numbers not names and waited for Mo Qianxue to name them.

The attitude of these two people made Mo Qianxue more settled and surer about her guess.

He…must be alive. But why didn’t he come to see her and tell her that he was fine?

Were they really minding their own businesses after returning to the capital? The only thing she could do was to stay at the Founder mansion and wait for his sedan chair?

She was a little worried and at the same time couldn’t help complaining.

However, this wasn’t the time to complain. She must go all out to tackle with what was going to happen later. After naming the two men respectively as Mo Yan and Mo Xing, Mo Qianxue and nanny went to clean themselves in the carriage and ordered to leave for the capital at once. Collecting her thought and fighting back all kinds of possibilities, Mo Qianxue lifted up a corner of the curtain to glance outwards.

By her estimate, the road they were taking was around fifteen feet in width which could fit eighteen cars to travel at the same time. The road was divided into three parts by ditches, so that the middle one was around seven feet in width and could fit four cars, while the other two were four feet in width and could fit two cars.

The middle one was official road that was only available to the royal family, higher-level noble families and nobilities. The other two on the sides were for ordinary officials and folks.

Certainly, her carriage took the middle official road. She, the legal daughter of the Founder, was a noble lady and of course eligible to take the official road.

Not only was she eligible, she also let Mo Yan and Mo Xing to clear the way in front of the carriage, “The Founder’s daughter is back.”

She must go back with a fanfare, because as long as she reached the capital, those people would be wary in conducting further filthy schemes.

Greeting her eyes were exquisite buildings in rows high or low, the roofs of which connecting together seemed to reach the end of the sky. On both sides of the road planted various dense leafy trees such as Chinese scholar trees, pines, cypresses, elms, and so on. The thriving lush trees added a touch of softness to this capital city.

When people heard the announcement by Mo Yan and Mo Xing, they started heated discussion.

“Isn’t the Founder’s daughter died in an accident and buried together with her father?”

“No, I heart she was missing; even the Emperor had sent people to look for her.”

“There is going to be a nice drama. The Mo family won’t let this end easily.”

“Haha, these won’t be known to us folks. Go back home. I’m afraid the weather in the capital is going to change again.”

Soon after the carriage wandered down the street, it stopped in front of a mansion. Nanny Mo’s expression changed immediately to become dignified and solemn, and the soft light flowing in her eyes were completely disappeared.

Chuyi and Shiwu jumped off their horses, lifting up the door curtain and held Mo Qianxue to get off.

There seemed to be no difference between this mansion and an ordinary man. The door plaque was carved with ‘Founder Mansion’.

Through these austere and low-profiled characters, Mo Qianxue seemed to have seen the tough sculpted profile of Mo Tianfang’s face.

That was an upright, loyal and loving man who treated his loved one with full love and turned a cold face to the enemies.

Nanny Mo patted the knocker and then quickly retreated to the left front of Mo Qianxue and stood slightly bowed. Chiyi and Shiwu stood behind her solemnly.

The door opened silently, and an old man with a long goatee glanced at Mo Qianxue.

**

In the Mo mansion. Master Mo was drinking tea with a sullen face in the study. Two old men rushed in.

The two old men hastily said before the tea was served, “Master, that girl really came back with a fanfare.”

Master Mo raised his eyebrows, “With a fanfare? A stupid girl who had no idea of the world.” Seeing master Mo didn’t worry, the other old man hurriedly said again, “Hasn’t everything arranged? Why is she still back?”

Master Mo seemed to have known that Mo Qianxue would be back, taking a sip of tea, “There is one reason why she could return safe and sound, that is the people we arranged had all been cleared on the way. I suppose this time the Feng family has cost a lot on it.”

Th anxious old men was no other people but the two elders of the Mo family, first elder Mo and second elder Mo. The three lords now living in the Founder mansion included the son of master Mo and the grandsons of these two elders.

Now Mo Qianxue’s returning meant that the duke title would have nothing to do with them. How could they not be anxious?

The first elder asked, “Can it be a fake one?”

Master Mo pondered for a moment and said, “Not likely. The Feng family wouldn’t have lied over such a huge matter.”

The second elder asked, “Then…what to do?”

“Don’t panic!” Master Mo threw the teacup heavily on the take, putting on a vicious and sly face, snorting, “Let’s see whether she could survive today…”

The smile was gloomy and horrible.

**

The old man with a long goatee looked at Mo Qianxue, so excited that he hurriedly kneeled and kowtowed, “Lady!”

On the way back, she had known from nanny that the butler was an old man with a long goatee. Having served the Founder for many years, he was more or less respected by others.

Although the three lords had taken back the managing power of the butler as soon as they moved to the mansion, in fact most of the power remained in the hand of the butler.

Unexpectedly, only in a dozen days after nanny left, he was driven here to guard the gate? Was it because he was useless or was it a disguise?

Mo Qianxue was confused but looked stern, slightly waving her hand, “Please stand up, butler.”

The tailor makes the man!

She now wore a three-ringed bun with a white jade plum blossom hairpin in it. The black hair flowed down along her shoulders. She was in a white pleated skirt embroidered with blue plums, two green jade bracelets on her wrists, emanating an air of nobility because every piece on her was both understated and expensive.

This morning, Mo Qianxue had put on the clothes that Ning Shaoqing had prepared for her. They were both low-key and luxurious.

Even the white jade plum blossom hairpin couldn’t be underestimated. It was made by an entire piece of jade, emitting soft light. It was even more rare in that when it was glanced against the sunlight, reddish but natural dots could be observed, as if there were really plum blossoms on it.

Mo Qianxue had seen a lot but she had never seen such a quality jade, with natural plum color and shape. When nanny Mo held it in her hand, she kept praising the jade and claimed that it must be a piece of priceless treasure.

A flash of awe flicker in the eyes of the butler. He quickly stood straight and opened the gate, yelling inwards, “Lady is at. Everybody comes out to greet lady!”

No matter what the people in the mansion was doing or thinking, when the sole owner of the mansion came back, they must come out to greet her.

Mo Qianxue raised her hand to her belly, head slightly raised, putting on a cold and proud face, standing at outside the gate. She was waiting, until everybody stood obediently on the sides of the gate to greet her.

If she wanted to loudly announce a war against the Mos, she mustn’t silently go back to her mansion or miss out this opportunity.

An opportunity to build her authority!

She knew nothing about the mansion. Although nanny was loyal, she couldn’t totally believe her own judgment.

A person’s character is written on his/her face, so this was an excellent opportunity to screen over everybody in this mansion.

After only a while, on the two sides along the gate stood two rows of people. With the leading of the butler, they shouted in unison, “We respectfully welcome lady coming back…”

Only then did Mo Qianxue take a step forward to enter the mansion from the main gate, seemingly looking to the front but in fact having screened all of their attitudes. The people standing here, servants, men and women, were altogether nearly sixty as well twenty guards.

Some of them looked waiting to watch a drama, others looked indifferent, still others were disdainful. Only less then one third of them were truly respectful.

In contrast, the guards’ attitude made Mo Qianxue more rest assured. They stood on one kneel, face cold but respectful, shouting quaking words of greetings in unison.

After observing these people’s countenances, she gave a look to Shiwu while glimpsing at a servant girl who put on a disdainful face but at the same time stared greedily at Mo Qianxue’s luxurious clothes.

The thing Shiwu hated most was others showing disrespect to Mo Qianxue, so she stepped forward and directly slapped the girl in the face, “Bitch, where are you staring?”

“Why did you hit me?” The servant girl was smacked suddenly, thought Shiwu was only an ordinary servant, and certainly was unpleased, lifting her arm to hit back.

So unruly! Judging from the girl’s clothing of the first-level servant girl, Mo Qianxue concluded that since there wasn’t a lady or madam in the mansion, she must be favored by one of the lords.

The girl believed that once she climbed onto the bed of a lord, probably in the future, she would become a half owner of the Founder mansion…

What a shame that she made the wrong plan! The raising arm was firmly grabbed by Shiwu who instantly slapped her again. The girl cursed, “Who are you bitch? How dare you!”

Shiwu was about to lecture her when Mo Qianxue raised her hand and stopped Shiwu, smiling coldly, “What are you going to do with her even if she hit you? You’re merely a servant girl in my mansion but acted so disrespectfully… What punishment do you want?”

The words were uttered in a light tone, but the overbearing pressure turned the girl’s face pale.

“I didn’t mean that…”

Mo Qianxue didn’t allow her to argue and ordered loudly, “Butler, how should we punish a disrespectful servant?”

The butler took a step forward and replied, “The light punishment is slapping in the face; the heavy punishment is hitting with huge sticks twenty times and then driving away.”

Mo Qianxue became less autocratic and said calmly, “Then let’s use the latter one. Then get an agent to sell her out. Our mansion doesn’t deserve such an arrogant servant girl.”

The butler nodded and accepted the order, asking two men to pull the girl away. These two men were among the group who had greeted Mo Qianxue with due respect. It seemed that the butler still had his own people in the mansion.

This act was a tryout to test these people’s attitudes to her and also to test whether the butler was able to manage the domestic affairs of this mansion.

After this, the others unconsciously bowed lower and looked more respectful.

As the saying goes, tough methods must be used in a chaotic situation! Mo Qianxue sneered. It seemed that this method really worked out.

Seeing that Mo Qianxue meant it, the girl struggled and screamed arrogantly, “You can’t sell me; I belong to lord Hua…”

Nanny Mo smacked her again at once, “How dare you! Call her lady!” A servant of the Founder mansion should threaten the lady and claim to belong to a so-called lord Hua…

The butler’s expression changed too and scolded, “Clog her mouth and take her away. All of you, listen, lord Hua is a guest, and lady is the real host of the mansion. Anyone dared to offend lady or make mistakes in serving her, that girl is your example.”

The butler was indeed brilliant to understand her so quick. Nice! Mo Qianxue praised to herself but didn’t display it on her face. She waved her sleeve and walked forward, and the butler hurriedly catch up after telling others how to deal with the girl.

While walking, Mo Qianxue told the butler, “Butler, call in every person who holds a position in the mansion to convene in the yard of my place within an hour.

We must streamline the domestic affairs that happened in the past year.”

“Yes, lady.” The butler replied and led the way.