“Yes, go. Be careful in the palace.” Mo Huawen waved his hand and got onto his horse. Then, he turned around to say to Mo Xuetong, “Tong’er, you don’t need to pick any clothes or accessories. You just have to clean up a little. Things are different in the palace compared to at home. Even though you can’t do everything that you want, don’t make the Mo Manor look weak.”

Mo Xuetong was still in the mourning period and could not dress up too fancily. Mo Huawen considered Tong’er’s character and how she was fearful sometimes and was worried that she might be bullied. That was why he had taken care to tell her that worriedly.

“Yes, rest assured, Father. Eldest Sister would be there too. Even if Tong’er doesn’t know anything, or doesn’t understand anything, Eldest Sister would definitely help me, right, Eldest Sister?” Mo Xuetong smiled at Mo Xuemin sweetly.

She already understood!

What happened earlier was a plot for Mo Xuemin to enter the palace!

Mo Xuemin wanted to enter the palace like that. It was indeed a good method that would not make their father annoyed at her for leaving the manor by herself, and would also make him feel as if he owed her. In this simple move, their father had to agree to let her attend the banquet. No matter how one looked at it, Mo Xuemin had done this perfectly.

However, how did she contact King Chu? Mo Xuemin had ended up in King Chu’s hands at the last banquet. If King Chu had pitied her just one bit, Mo Xuemin would not have ended up in that state. Up until now, she still did not know if King Chu’s actions today were just a coincidence or something else. But no matter what, this was not something a girl who rarely left her house could possibly do. This was such an exquisitely crafted plan that Mo Xuemin could not possibly come up with no matter how sly she was.

Was it Qin Yufeng? Did he have something to do with this?

Mo Xuetong’s hands, which were hidden in her sleeves, could not help but clench tightly.

Ever since she returned to the capital, Qin Yufeng rarely visited the Mos because the Qins had moved to the capital as well. Even if he visited, he would visit her father, or chat with Mo Yufeng. He rarely entered the inner courtyard and seemed like the perfect gentleman who adhered to customs.

However, just because he did not appear did not mean that Mo Xuetong was not wary of him!

Or perhaps, she remembered her past life too clearly. The figure standing behind Mo Xuemin made her feel terrified and suffocated. Every time Qin Yufeng appeared in the Mo Manor, Mo Xuetong would watch him closely and find out his schedule. Sometimes, she would ponder upon and dissect a certain statement that he made. However, he did not seem to have acted since her arrival in the capital.

It had always been Mo Xuemin and Auntie Fang who had done the scheming. But now, it felt different. This simple and effective method was definitely not thought up by Mo Xuemin. Did he act because he could not bear it any longer? Why was he doing this? If he did not like Mo Xuemin that way, why was he helping her? What did he want?

Or perhaps Mo Xuemin could help him get something?

All the questions weighed down on her and she felt as if she could not breathe. She felt as if there was a large, endless, dark sea in front of her. There was a massive wave that rose into the sky and she was but just a tiny boat that had been abandoned in the waves. She did not know where the end was and did not know when the eternal darkness would come.

“Miss, Miss!” Mo Ye practiced martial arts and was the first to notice that something was wrong with Mo Xuetong. She reached out to hold her hand and realized that Mo Xuetong’s hand was clenched tightly into a fist and that her hands were slick with cold sweat. She called out softly and worriedly while pushing Qi into Mo Xuetong.

“What’s wrong with Third Sister? Are you feeling unwell? Why don’t we go in front and sit down for a rest?” Mo Xuemin’s concerned voice rang gently. She looked up and her eyes were filled with sincerity. Before others, Mo Xuemin always portrayed herself to be a good elder sister.

Mo Xuetong took a deep breath and released her tightly clenched hand. She patted Mo Ye and indicated that she was fine. She looked up with a slight curl on her lips as she smiled gently. “I’ve embarrassed myself in front of Elder Sister. I was feeling a little dizzy earlier because I was startled by the horse. I’m much better now. Then let’s go take a look together. I will help you to pick a beautiful dress and some pretty accessories. Elder Sister, you are so attractive and talented, you will definitely outshine all the other ladies who turn up.”

Mo Xuemin knew that she should behave the same as usual and smiled kindly and beautifully. However, she could not really do that. Mo Xuetong’s words had caused her expression to stiffen involuntarily. She had been asking after Mo Xuetong in concern about whether she wanted to rest, but Mo Xuetong had made it seem like she had mentioned that because she wanted to pick out beautiful clothes and accessories to attend the banquet. However, she could not defend herself, for everyone had heard what King Chu said earlier.

Her father’s intentions were also clear. She was the only one who could choose clothes and accessories. Even so, she could not really say that, could she! When had her cowardly and useless third sister become so strong? Mo Xuetong had almost made it impossible for her to turn the tide around.

A vicious look flashed in her eyes. Mo Xuetong would be ruined shortly. Then, she would be able to stomp on her as her heart desired. As such, what she had to do now was to endure!

There were many articles of clothing in the clothing shop. Furthermore, it was the most famous clothing shop in the capital and the clothes on the top-most level could make any girl excited. Even though Mo Xuemin wanted to pick a luxurious but elegant dress under the company of the servant, she could not help but pick a luxurious dress that she liked the most.

All women could not control their desire to steal the spotlight with their dressing. Furthermore, her goal today was to attract the attention of everyone present. She did not like Li Youmo, but according to her father’s will, after the furor over the incident calmed down after some time, the Li and Mo manor would start preparing their marriage.

Mo Xuemin had always been a proud person. She felt that she was talented and beautiful, so how would she be interested in Li Youmo, who had the worst reputation in the capital? So what if he was the main son of a minister? He was a playboy, so how could she like him? She did not feel anything but disgust and disdain for him, and now, she feared him a little as well.

Yes, she had heard people saying that Li Youmo was an arrogant and annoying person in the past. After Li Youmo had slapped her brazenly, she grew more afraid that he would behave shamelessly and unscrupulously. The noble sons of the capital were all gentlemen. They were praised for being elegant and gentle and would never hit a woman. However, that person was so arrogant that he dared to hit Mo Xuemin in the Mo Manor.

When Mo Xuemin thought about marrying a man like this, she felt that she might be better off dead instead!

She refused to marry Li Youmo.

As such, she did not wish to be hasty at the banquet today. She had to appear at the banquet and be seen by everyone. She had to win the attention of everyone with her graciousness and remove all the negativity surrounding her while attracting the noblemen, or perhaps, King Yan.

Of course, she also had another goal!

She picked a pink jacket with buttons running down her front. It was paired with a rose-red dress with golden threads that had a long tail. Even though there was an outer jacket, it cinched at her slender waist. There was a marble flower hairpin in her hair that had a pink crystal center and she wore large colored pearls of the size of a fingertip on her ears. She was stunning after she dressed up.

Coupled with her soft and lovely expression, she was beautiful and stunning.

Mo Xuemin immediately attracted the attention of many when she appeared at the banquet. She had been stopped from attending banquets because of all the scandals she had been in. However, some of the noble ladies who had just arrived in the city did not know her and was stunned by her beautiful and attractive get-up. They tried to find out secretly who the stunning beauty was.

When they heard that she was the famous First Miss Mo, they could not help but exclaim in shock.

That beauty, that grace, she was indeed worthy of being called the gentlewoman of the noble ladies. Some of the ladies whom she knew gathered around her and started chatting with smiles on their faces because they had not seen each other in a long while.

Mo Xuetong had long been spotted by Luo Mingzhu when she first entered the palace gates. Luo Mingzhu pulled her away because she did not want to pretend to be close to Mo Xuemin. Mo Xuetong intentionally walked beside Luo Mingzhu.

Even though Mo Xuetong had brought two maids, she could only bring one through the palace gates with her. Because she was afraid that something might happen in the palace, Mo Xuetong intentionally kept Mo Ye, who was versed in martial arts, with her and asked Mo Yu to wait outside.

Before the banquet, was the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration. There was also a lantern festival after the banquet.

Those who could personally meet the Empress Dowager and send their good wishes were all prominent officials and their families, as well as the royal family, those from the Ding General Manor, and some others. Mo Huawen was a third-grade official and was no match for these people. As such, Mo Xuetong had never had the fortune to meet the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager was from the Ding General Manor and was the current Duke Ding’s aunt. However, she had not interfered in official matters in many years. She had a son and a daughter. It was a pity that her eldest son died at a young age, leaving behind a grandson who inherited his father’s title. He was a hostage in Yan Kingdom while her only daughter had married a man from Yan. She was the mother of the Yan crown prince, Bai Yihao.

That was why the Empress Dowager doted so much on her grandson.

From what the madam and ladies who came from the Empress Dowager’s place said, Sir Bai’s gift was the one the Empress Dowager was most pleased with. They heard that the Empress Dowager had been searching for that music score for a long time. Ling Fengyan had won the praise of many with a beautiful dance. The person who had surprised everyone most was King Xuan, Feng Yuran. He had gifted the Empress Dowager a nine-fold screen that could be disassembled into 81 smaller screens. It was very interesting…

Just like what happened in her past life, Ling Fengyan was pushed onto the stage on the Empress Dowager’s birthday. The Great Qin’s greatest beauty was known to all then, to be from the Ding General Manor. Those who remembered what happened in the past would discover that the Empress had beaten everyone back then because of her beauty and became a candidate for the Empress spot.

If things remained the same, and Ling Fengyan became the Empress, was the Ding General Manor intending to continue the myth that all future Empresses would definitely come from the Ling family?

However, things now were slightly different from 20 years ago. Back then, Emperor Zongwen was already the true crown prince. He would make the Ding General Manor’s lady the Empress just to give the Empress Dowager face. But now, Emperor Zongwen had three princes who were of age. Other than Feng Yuran whom others did not think well of, no one was certain who among the other two princes would become Emperor.

So what made the Ling family certain that their most beautiful daughter would be able to take that spot?

Could it be that the Emperor intended to announce the Crown Prince today?

This thought made everyone even more careful when they spoke. They would rather stay in the middle ground than bet on anyone. If anything went wrong, it would implicate their entire clan.

Who would become the Crown Prince!