"Today is Lin Sheng's 18th birthday. I'm very glad that all of you are here to celebrate it with her. Please make yourselves at home and enjoy yourselves to the fullest. Let's not stop until we're drunk!"
The exalted matriarch, sitting high above, raised her wine cup. All the people below raised their cups in celebration. Tang Youyou just stood in an unnoticeable corner, watching coldly. These people were probably the people in power of the branch sects hidden in various countries. Each of them had enough influence to overthrow a dynasty. This was the strength of the Mo Clan.
"Why hasn't Lin Sheng come yet?" the matriarch asked Mo Lingxuan beside her. The birthday girl's long absence was bound to arouse suspicion.
"She's used to being free and easy. She said she wanted to take a good stroll around the manor. I've sent someone to look for her. She should be here soon."
Mo Lingxuan was quite proper in front of the matriarch, not as presumptuous as when he was with Tang Youyou. It was quite interesting to see him so well - behaved.
"Sheng'er has been wandering outside for a long time, and her personality has become much more active. After you get married, you should make her rein in her wild ways. Otherwise, how can she take over my position in the future?"
Mo Lingxuan lifted the corner of his mouth. "Yes, but now Sheng'er has seen a lot of the world and is no longer as rash as before."
"You always protect her. But why did you change your personal servant today? He looks a bit familiar."
"Didn't you meet all the new servants one by one before? The previous one was not quick - witted enough, so I've sent him to do other things. This one is quite dexterous."
Although Tang Youyou was standing far away, she could still faintly hear their conversation. Mo Lingxuan addressed his fiancée so intimately. It seemed that he had feelings for her. She really didn't know what good it was for him to keep her.
"Aunt!"
A clear voice came from outside the hall. One could hear the voice before seeing the person. This crisp and melodious voice must belong to an outstanding and free - spirited woman.
Tang Youyou looked up towards the door. The person coming was wearing a light yellow cloak. Her smooth black hair fluttered in the wind. The sky - blue jewelry on her ears swayed with her steps. Her bright smile was like a warm sun in winter. Just one look made people feel in a good mood.
"Oh, you're here. Come quickly and let aunt have a good look at you."
Lin Sheng stepped forward briskly and was pulled by the matriarch to be sized up. "Sheng'er has been waiting for aunt to come back. I thought I could see aunt as soon as she came back, but unfortunately, our schedules just missed each other."
"I have a lot of affairs to deal with. If you could share my worries earlier, why would you have to worry about not seeing me?"
Hearing this, Lin Sheng pouted. Her voice was sweet. "Sheng'er doesn't want to. Sheng'er's wish is to be a carefree person. I don't want to be bothered by these trivial matters all day long."
After saying that, Lin Sheng caught Mo Lingxuan's eye and showed a shy look unique to a young girl, but then she pretended to be calm.
"With Lingxuan here, let him handle these trivial matters."
"You little girl. In the future, the two of you will have to manage the affairs of the manor together. You can't always just want to play."
Tang Youyou saw Lin Sheng sitting down beside Mo Lingxuan. The two of them were whispering to each other. She didn't know what they were talking about. She only saw him showing a rare smile from time to time, which was very much like that of the old acquaintance she hadn't seen for a long time.
The music was resounding in the hall, and there were beautiful women everywhere. Tang Youyou's thoughts had already flown outside the hall. She didn't notice at all that someone was staring directly at her.
When the banquet was over, she was extremely tired. Although she hadn't done anything, just standing there made her feel physically and mentally exhausted.
Taking advantage of the chaotic crowd, she ran out first. Unexpectedly, she bumped into Miss Lin.
"Are you the new servant selected by Lingxuan?"
She didn't expect Miss Lin to take the initiative to talk to her, but this was a good opportunity.
"Yes."
"I heard that there's a woman of unknown origin living in Lingxuan's courtyard. Do you know about this?"
Tang Youyou thought, "This woman is right in front of you."
"Well, it's not allowed for servants to discuss the master's affairs privately."
Lin Sheng didn't make things difficult for her. She just asked a few simple questions and then let her go. But Tang Youyou couldn't just waste this opportunity.
"However, I've heard some rumors."
Seeing that Lin Sheng was interested, she stepped forward and lowered her voice. "I heard that this woman is not willing. She's already a married woman. She keeps talking about her husband in the room every day and begs the exalted one to let her go."
Lin Sheng looked at her suspiciously. "Is this really true?"
"I don't know if it's true or false. I heard it from others."
At this time, Lin Sheng's face became a bit serious. Tang Youyou thought she was almost hooked, so she continued, "The woman's husband was arrested and put into prison for stealing something from the manor. This woman sneaked into the manor secretly to rescue her husband. Her husband escaped, but she was caught by the exalted one."
The more Lin Sheng listened, the worse her face became. "There's such a thing? I didn't expect Lingxuan to be such a person. He's become so despicable after not seeing him for so many years."
"These are just rumors I heard. I don't know if they're true or false, miss. Just listen to them casually. Don't take them seriously." Tang Youyou showed a momentary sly look. After returning to Suiyu Hall and changing into her original clothes, she waited for Miss Lin to come.
In the evening, the room was brightly lit. Tang Youyou was sipping tea leisurely. Hearing the movement outside, she immediately pretended to be a woman in deep - seated sorrow.
Lin Sheng pushed the door open and saw a graceful woman sitting in the room, with tearful eyes looking at the moon outside the window and a sad face.
"I didn't expect there really was such a person. What's your name?"
Seeing someone come in, Tang Youyou immediately got up and saluted. She also wiped the tears that were about to fall with her sleeve. She lowered her eyes, and her voice was a bit low.
"My name is Tang Youyou. Are you here to let me out, miss?"
Tang Youyou opened her big eyes, eager to be freed, and stepped closer. "Please let me go. I have a baby in the cradle at home who can't do without me. Please let me go down the mountain."
As she was speaking, Tang Youyou was in floods of tears and almost knelt on the ground. Lin Sheng quickly reached out to help her up. She sized her up carefully. She was really a beauty. One couldn't tell at all that she was already a mother. No wonder Mo Lingxuan had hidden her away.
"Don't cry. I'll figure out a way about this. Just wait for me for some time."
Seeing that Lin Sheng agreed, Tang Youyou was so grateful that she was about to kneel down to her. Lin Sheng grabbed her. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for myself. I don't want my husband to still be thinking about someone else after we get married."
Tang Youyou nodded repeatedly. Her gratitude was beyond words. "Thank you, miss. But the exalted one has been keeping me imprisoned here all day and doesn't allow me to take a single step out of the room. I wonder if you have any way to let me go down the mountain?"