At first, Mo Qinghuan was unaware that someone was following her. But when she was looking at rouge on the street, she spotted the tracker in the mirror. So she quickened her pace and made her way into an alley. Before the person arrived, she grabbed a stick and hid in a corner.
The tracker realized he had lost sight of her and rushed forward, looking around. But there was no sign of Mo Qinghuan. Just then, Mo Qinghuan behind him swung the stick hard. The person let out an “ah” sound and covered his neck, collapsing to the ground.
When she saw that it was Ning Yao's face, she sneered. A plan flashed through her mind in an instant. Then she quickly returned to the General's Mansion.
“Greetings, Princess.”
Mo Qinghuan saw that it was Hongguo, the maid who served in Mo Yao's courtyard.
“Hongguo, if you see Young Master Ning coming later, remember to invite Second Miss here.”
Hongguo stared blankly at the eldest miss, whose personality was so different from before, and nodded.
Mo Qinghuan patted Hongguo's head in satisfaction. “Good girl.”
Then she went back to her room, took out some embroidery tools and put them on the table, waiting for the show to begin.
About half an hour later, Ning Yao entered, covering his neck. His eyes on Mo Qinghuan were filled with a hint of curiosity.
“Yao Lang, you're here.”
Mo Qinghuan greeted him with a smile and offered him a cup of cold tea.
Ning Yao took the tea and put it aside. He held Mo Qinghuan's hand, looking affectionate.
“Huan'er, what happened in the palace today should be enough to show my true feelings for you!”
He looked excited, as if he was eagerly waiting for Mo Qinghuan's praise.
But Mo Qinghuan sneered coldly. She raised her eyebrows and looked out of the window, where a figure was faintly visible.
Then she pretended to be surprised. “What! You... you deliberately planned that incident in the palace!”
“Why did you do that? You know Mo Yao likes you. But you made her be betrothed to that playboy. Do you know how sad she is!”
Ning Yao's face changed. His tone was full of disgust. “She likes me, but I don't like her!” Then he changed his expression to a flattering one. He held Mo Qinghuan's hand and placed it on his chest. “You're the only one in my heart. I did all this for you. It's better for her to get married earlier. Then she won't have a chance to bully you anymore.”
Before Mo Qinghuan could say anything, Mo Yao rushed in, shouting abuse. She stood in front of Ning Yao. “Good for you, Ning Yao. You're really two - faced. I never thought you were such a good actor!”
Mo Yao was so angry that she was trembling all over, but there was not a trace of fear on Ning Yao's face.
“No matter how good my acting is, it can't compare to yours. On the surface, you seem to be so kind to Huan'er like a real sister, but what have you done behind her back! Saying you're as vicious as a snake and scorpion is an insult to snakes and scorpions.”
Mo Qinghuan was playing with her nails, watching with great interest as the two of them exposed each other's faults.
Hearing Ning Yao's words, Mo Yao bit her lips tightly in anger. She raised her hand and slapped Ning Yao. Ning Yao licked his lips on the side that was slapped.
With a ferocious look on his face, he stepped closer to Mo Yao step by step. “I'm warning you. You'd better get married obediently and don't cause any trouble! Otherwise...”
“Otherwise what? Ning Yao, do you think you can be fearless just because you've got this so - called princess? I'm telling you, she won't protect you, and she can't protect you!”
“Which of the things I did in the past didn't have your help? Moreover, many of them were your ideas...” Before she could finish, Ning Yao raised his hand and slapped Mo Yao hard, knocking her to the ground. It was obvious how hard he had hit.
“If you keep spitting out false accusations, I'll tell the whole world that you're no longer a virgin! Let's see who will dare to marry you then!”
Ning Yao gritted his teeth and threatened Mo Yao, afraid that she would say something unfavorable to him.
Mo Yao covered half of her face and slumped on the ground. Tears ran down her cheeks. She stared at Ning Yao viciously. “I'm no longer a virgin! Hahaha. You're impotent. I've endured you for so long, and now you say I'm no longer a virgin! I'll fight you.”
Hearing this, Ning Yao was so angry that his eyes were bloodshot. He stared at Mo Yao fiercely. How dare she insult him! If it weren't in the General's Mansion, he would have killed her.
Mo Qinghuan watched the show with a cold face, never expecting to hear such explosive news.
Suddenly, Mo Yao got up, grabbed the scissors from the embroidery box on the table, and stabbed at Ning Yao.
Unfortunately, the difference in strength was too great. Ning Yao grabbed her hand, snatched the scissors, and pushed her to the ground.
Just then, Lady Lan came in, supported by Cuier. There were six or seven servants following behind, each holding a thick wooden stick.
With someone to rely on, Mo Yao rushed in front of Lady Lan and cried out of breath.
“Mother, he hit me! He even wanted to kill me!” She pointed at the scissors in Ning Yao's hand.
Lady Lan gave Mo Qinghuan a cold look. “It's you, isn't it? You instigated him to beat Yaoyao, right!”
Mo Qinghuan raised her eyebrows and smiled. “What does it matter if I instigated it or not? Anyway, they've fought. I didn't dare to stop them. If I got hurt, how innocent I would be.”
Lady Lan was already ill. Seeing Mo Qinghuan's arrogant look, she was so angry that she trembled all over.
“Someone, beat this ungrateful boy severely and then throw him out of the mansion.”
Mo Qinghuan propped her head up with one hand, lazily watching everything and even yawning.
Several people came up to drag Ning Yao away. Ning Yao turned to look at Mo Qinghuan. “Huan'er, Huan'er! You won't just stand by and watch, will you?”
Mo Qinghuan gave him a cold look and shook her head as if wronged. “Yao Lang, I really want to help you, but you know, I have no say in the General's Mansion.”
Mo Yao snorted. “At least you know your place!”
Ning Yao was dragged out. Mo Qinghuan closed the door as if she was scared.
But what she was thinking was that she didn't want to be disturbed by his pig - like howls later.
Lady Lan gave the closed door a fierce look.
The sticks rained down on Ning Yao. He curled up on the ground, covering his head and rolling.
Mo Yao still felt a bit heart - broken. She pulled Lady Lan's sleeve.
Lady Lan waved her hand impatiently. “Alright, alright. Stop hitting. Throw him out of the mansion!”
Six or seven people carried Ning Yao and threw him at the gate of the General's Mansion.
Passers - by stopped to watch. He covered his face and fled in a hurry.
In his heart, he secretly hated Mo Yao.
...
One day later, Mo Yao's story spread like wildfire in the capital and was known to everyone.
On this day, as soon as Mo Qinghuan got up, she heard that an imperial edict was being read in the front hall.
It turned out that the imperial censor had heard the rumors and reported the matter to the emperor, shouting that he wanted to break off the engagement. And now, the imperial edict for breaking off the engagement had arrived.
Mo Qinghuan sneered. It was just self - inflicted retribution!
After Ning Yao left the General's Mansion, Mo Qinghuan's life became much more peaceful. When she was bored, she would go for a stroll on the street. She even had to thank the Duchess of the State for those five thousand taels of silver.
She passed by the slave market. Her eyes fell on two girls, who looked about sixteen or seventeen years old, locked in a cage on the high platform.
One of the girls saw her looking this way and quickly waved at her.