Mo Xueyan turned to leave Mo Xueqiong and took another road.

After a few steps, she heard Mo Xuecai calling. “Cousin, wait for me.”

Mo Xueyan didn’t look pleased and turned around to ask, “Why are you following me?”

Mo Xuecai was startled. Knitting her brows, she couldn’t figure out why her cousin asked so.

“The royal palace is so big and we like different things. Fourth Sister likes to hang out there and I want to be here alone. Can’t you find a place on your own to amuse yourself?” Mo Xueyan sounded displeased.

“This is the royal palace and I don’t dare to wander alone.” Mo Xuecai looked down, fidgeted, and murmured.

“If you don’t want to go astray, you should follow the crowd. Look, you should hang out with the group of young misses over there. With your status, you’ll benefit from befriending them.” Mo Xueyan pointed, which was where they had been just now. Some misses and masters were chatting in groups of three or five.

“But I don’t know them…” Mo Xuecai sounded timid.

Mo Xueyan snorted and stonily said, “Can’t you offer to introduce yourself to them?” She flung her sleeve and impatiently turned around to leave.

She didn’t want to stay with the redneck Mo Xuecai, who acted awkwardly and would only make people think poorly of her. Once in a blue moon, she got a chance to go out of the manor.

…

At the turn in front of her, Mo Xueyan saw a passing handsome and tall figure. She clenched her handkerchief and her eyes lit up. Her heart was racing.

Though the figure passed by quickly, she recognized him. He was the heir of Ming General. Last time when You Yuecheng brought Li Youmo to Mo Manor and got into a fight with Mo Xuemin, she was hiding aside and saw the whole thing. At that time, she had fallen for this young heir who looked both distant and elegant.

If things hadn’t gone wrong and out of control, she would have rushed out on the spot back then.

He was walking fast and no one accompanied him. Did something happen to him?

Mo Xueyan felt both curious and excited. She followed the man closely and soon forgot about Mo Xuecai.

You Yuecheng was wearing a pale golden robe and looked cold. He looked around and found no one, then he entered a yard on his left. Mo Xueyan had never been in the royal palace, so she naturally didn’t know here, only servants lived in such a normal residence. That being said, judging from the appearance of the door, she could also tell no masters or consorts would live here.

Why did the heir of Ming General come to such a place?

With his status, he should show up in spacious and glamorous palaces. Mo Xueyan felt suspicious.

Watching him enter, she faltered and then followed. Just as she lifted her dress to walk to the door, she heard a cold voice ring. “What do you want?”

She trembled at the voice and nearly fell! She opened her mouth and was about to explain for herself. However, she heard a snicker ring again. “Yuecheng, relax. I won’t do anything to your sister. Think about it, it won’t benefit me or you in any way.”

The voice rang from the right side room, and it was a man’s voice, which aroused Mo Xueyan’s curiosity even more.

The heir of Ming General should secretly go here to meet a man. It was really strange.

Tiptoeing along with the wall, she snuck to the side room.

You Yuecheng, who appeared faintly fierce, looked at King Yan, Feng Yulei, and said, “Your Highness, you like Second Miss Ling and you will absolutely dote on her. Though my sister is pretty, she can’t compete with Second Miss Ling over your love. So, Your Highness might as well change your suggestion.”

Feng Yulei smiled, “Yuecheng, how can you think like that? A beauty is hard to get and it’s even harder to get a country. If you really choose the beauty over the country, you can just ask the Empress to grant you a marriage right now. As long as I say she’s mine publicly, Ling Fengyan can’t marry anyone else even if she wants to. Even Elder Brother can’t have her anymore. Otherwise, if Father knows it, he’ll think the elder brother is fighting his younger brother over a woman.”

“If you help me now, you’ll surely be in my cabinet in the future. And how will I treat your sister shabbily? I don’t deny that I like Ling Fengyan, but I’m not sure if she’ll marry me in the end or have a proper title even if she’s with me. But I can tell you this today, if I marry your sister now, she’ll be my main consort. No matter what will happen, she’ll still be my main wife.”

Feng Yulei frankly told You Yuecheng and at the same time promised him. Feng Yulei laid his cards on the table to show his sincerity for cooperation. “No one will threaten her position, not even Ling Fengyan.”

He didn’t deny his feelings for Ling Fengyan and also said it would be best if he could marry Ling Fengyan. However, if that didn’t work out, he would definitely choose the country over beauty. Besides, if You Yue’e could keep her position in the central palace, there’s no way Feng Yulei would give up on her for Ling Fengyan.

It was a promise for You Yuecheng, and also for Mingguo Manor.

You Yuecheng raised his cold lips. Of course, he knew the Empress and King Yan were holding out an olive branch; if he agreed, Mingguo Manor would officially belong to King Yan’s team.

“Your sister is pretty and adorable, and I’ve long set my heart on her. If I can have her as my main consort, I’ll care for her very much. If she has children in the future, they’ll also be superior to my other kids.” Seeing You Yuecheng not responding, Feng Yulei added on his bargaining chips.

It meant that if he obtained supremacy in the future, he would definitely make her son the crown prince. In Four Great Manors, Ding General Manor had the greatest power just because he came from the empress’s family and was very close to the emperor’s family.

You Yuecheng hesitated but still stonily answered. “Will Her Highness agree?” A light flashed through his eyes. Something must be discussed.

“Mother will surely agree. She always said she liked your sister and praised your sister as being gentle and graceful. If your sister moves into the central palace, she must…” Feng Yulei stood up, walked to You Yuecheng, and solemnly patted on his shoulder, saying, “Rest assured, I will never let your sister down.”

You Yuecheng looked up to say. “I hope you do keep your promise.”

Feng Yulei looked at You Yuecheng and sincerely said, “Don’t worry. If I break my promise, I’ll receive punishment from heaven.”

It was almost like an oath. When Feng Yulei did that, You Yuecheng felt pretty satisfied. Anyway, if his sister’s belly wasn’t a disappointing one, and if she could give birth to the first son in the manor, in the future, even if Ling Fengyan had children for Feng Yulei, Ling Fengyan had already lost the chance. Moreover, he didn’t think Mingguo Manor, which he would be in charge of, would be worse than Ding General Manor. With his help for his sister, Feng Yulei didn’t dare to mistreat his sister.

The two discussed and then the matter was deemed settle. Therefore, they dropped the topic right away.

Feng Yulei picked the teapot on the table and poured a cup of tea for You Yuecheng. He smilingly pushed the teacup to the latter and suggested. “Yuecheng, Princess Anping is in favor of Princess Royal right now. You’ll benefit a lot if you marry her.”

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor all doted on Princess Royal. She lost her husband young and didn’t have any children. Now, she got such a beautiful daughter so she must want to give the best to the newly-adopted daughter. People heard that, to dress Mo Xuetong up, Princess Royal had sent all the glamorous accessories to Mo Manor before, and Mo Xuetong wore them on the day of the promotion ceremony. People could see that how much Princess Royal valued and appreciated Mo Xuetong.

Now, this kind of appreciation was something worth fighting for in any party’s eye.

“Why don’t you make her your consort?” You Yuecheng frowned. He sounded cold and there’s more grimness in his eyes.

Hearing that, Feng Yulei chuckled, lifted up his teacup and sipped at the tea. “Since I’ve chosen your sister as my main consort, I can’t make any other woman superior to her. And, Princess Royal also wants it too. Only when you marry Princess Anping, will Princess Royal stand by my side.”

Being a main consort, the woman would be superior to all the other concubines in the manor. If other concubines’ status were higher than the main consort, the harem would get in chaos. Furthermore, Princess Royal newly adopted her. As a princess, she could never be someone’s concubine. Feng Yulei could only have her as his main consort, which was naturally not included in the Empress’s agreement.

Somehow, an innocent-looking and charming face popped into You Yuecheng’s head and he felt somewhat restless. He snorted. “A conceited girl. Don’t you take her too seriously.”

“I don’t know if I’m taking her too seriously, but I do know someone thinks highly of her. If you don’t really want her, the flower-like beauty will fall into someone else’s hands.” Noticing You Yuecheng’s unusual anxiety, Feng Yulei couldn’t help but put on a half smile.

You Yuecheng involuntarily asked, “Who is it?”

“I heard my good Eighth brother had met Third Miss Mo back then in the streets. He was amazed by her and was said to have blocked her in a bookstore for more than two hours. I guess he really likes her. You know, Old Eight has been rakish and how will he let go of such a charming beauty? That day, in Princess Royal’s manor, I saw her too. Such a beauty really belongs to the world and is rarely seen in the mortals’ world!”

Feng Yulei lifted his teacup and drank the warm tea. He faintly smiled and said, “If you are slower, the beauty might belong to others.”

You Yuecheng never liked Mo Xuetong. In the past, he felt so because of Mo Xuemin’s words. Later, he found they just couldn’t see eye to eye with each other. For no reason, he found the girl annoying. Moreover, he even thought the girl vicious and cruel. She was really not a girl to get close to, therefore, he decided to never meet her again.

However, right now, realizing King Xuan, Feng Yuran, wanted to marry her, he felt a fit of anger surging inside him. He didn’t know where the hate came from and grimness flashed through his eyes. He coolly said, “I don’t know what she’s up to. But there’s no way she can move into King Xuan’s manor and become King Xuan’s main consort!”

That woman just wanted to climb up. She used some despicable means to hook up with King Xuan. Now, You Yuecheng secretly decided that he could never grant her wish.

“What’s your idea?” asked Feng Yulei, “Though Old Eight doesn’t want that position, if Father likes him and he gets the favor of Princess Royal, things will get a little tricky.”

You Yuecheng rose and looked at the other. They both saw a deeper meaning in each other’s eyes. His eyes instantly grew sharp and he nodded. “Since she matters to both of us, I’ll marry her if that’s what you want.”

Feng Yulei cocked an eyebrow and snickered. “I’m afraid Sir Mo won’t necessarily agree on it. I heard Princess Anping was still in mourning and didn’t accept a proposal.”

Fierceness flashed through You Yuecheng’s eyes. Now, he was the deputy commander of the imperial guards. Though he couldn’t use some of the files, he could read them. Now, on his desk, he had a file on Mo Huawen’s. Among them, he learned some secrets he only recently knew. He might as well make use of that. “Sometimes, he must accept something.”

“Well, then it’s settled. I’ll leave first.” Looking at the time, Feng Yulei knew he couldn’t linger anymore. There were too many people in the royal palace and it was not a good place to talk. After he made things official with You Yue’e, he could openly enter Mingguo Manor to discuss business.

Hearing footsteps, Mo Xueyan shrank her neck and awkwardly crouched under the windows. She couldn’t move and a potted plant happened to hide her shape. Just now, she didn’t dare to walk near in case they found her. Now, her face even paled with fear.

Though inexperienced to the outside world, Mo Xueyan still knew they were conspiring. If she was found, she would definitely die.

Hearing the footsteps fade away and the long silence out there, Mo Xueyan felt relieved and slowly stuck her head out from behind the flower rack to see if they were really gone. However, just as she showed her face, she saw a pair of cold and fierce eyes. She was so shocked that she stepped back and couldn’t help crying out.

However, the scream didn’t make it out of her throat. Mo Xueyan only felt a fatal large hand at her throat. With life-threatening suffocation, all the air in her chest was squeezed out. She fiercely kicked and bit. Nonetheless, she couldn’t fight You Yuecheng or see anything and completely blacked out.

In her last memory, she remembered hearing You Yuecheng’s cold voice. “You’re courting death!”