Mo Xuetong did not expect to meet Mo Yarui the moment she stepped out of the hall doors. A happy smile appeared on Mo Yarui’s face as she saw Mo Xuetong coming out. She hurried over and curtsied to Mo Xuetong. “Greetings, Consort Xuan.”

“Forego formalities, Second Consort Mo.” Mo Xuetong took a few steps forward and held Mo Yarui’s hand warmly. She had a good impression of Mo Yarui. On the one hand, she felt pity for her. Ling Rui’er was aggressive and Feng Yuxuan was a man who took interest first. If it weren’t for Assistant Minister Mo, she would have died without even knowing the reason. On the other hand, Mo Xuetong liked her temperament very much.

“Why are you still here at this time?” There was no shade where Mo Yarui had stood just now. Although it was between pillars, it was still extremely hot. Mo Yarui had a heatstroke before, so she must be very weak. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Never mind. I just stood for a while. I saw you enter the hall, so I just waited here to say thank you. Sorry to trouble you the other day,” Mo Yarui explained with a smile on her face, but she secretly squeezed Mo Xuetong’s hand. Mo Xuetong understood and the two walked toward the shady path while talking.

Several palace maids and eunuchs at the door of the Tianfeng Palace looked at the two of them, but they did not care and continued to do their own work.

The two of them walked into a shady path with their maidservants. Mo Yarui looked around and as she found there was no one around, she let go of Mo Xuetong’s hand, took out a note, and handed it to Mo Xuetong. Then, she pointed at a pavilion not far away and said, “Consort Xuan, how about we go there and rest for a while? I’m a little tired from standing earlier.”

Mo Xuetong flipped her hand and the note landed in her long sleeve silently. She nodded with a smile. Even though she appeared warm and gentle, her inky eyes were cold with a glint of sharp light. She had already seen a line of words on the note just now. It was written to Ling Rui’er. She did not expect that there were so many people who had plotted against her in the palace today.

Mo Yarui was a cautious person. Although there were dense trees and they didn’t see others, it was possible that someone was hiding in the shade of the trees. It was not safe to talk here. Although there was a big tree around the pavilion over there, there was only one. If someone appeared around, they would definitely see them clearly, but at the same time, people could see clearly when Mo Yarui gave Mo Xuetong the note.

Therefore, it was an extremely clever way for Mo Yarui to deliver the note in a place that was not suitable for talking and to speak in a place that was not suitable for delivering a note.

Mo Xuetong smiled and still held Mo Yarui’s hand. They walked to the pavilion intimately.

The pavilion was empty, perhaps because it was a little closer to the Empress’ Tianfeng Palace. It could be said that it was right under the Empress’ noses, so no one rested here at all. It was almost autumn. There were occasional gusts of wind that caused the curtains to fall. It looked extremely cool.

The two sat on the stone stools in the pavilion. Mo Ye and Mei Yu stood by the side. They looked as if they were standing respectfully, but in actuality, they were both on guard. Especially since Mo Ye’s hearing and eyesight were both very good, she had taken note of a large area.

“Where did you get this, Second Consort Mo?” Mo Xuetong did not point at anything but Mo Yarui understood. She twisted her handkerchief a few times and looked up at Mo Xuetong, replying, “I stole it from Ling Rui’er.”

Since she had already decided to reveal this message to Mo Xuetong, it meant that she wanted to seek refuge with Mo Xuetong. No matter how simple she was, she was clear that she was in a difficult situation at King Chu’s Manor. Even though Ling Rui’er was nice to her on the surface, everyone could see that she hated Mo Yarui to the core.

Even though Ling Rui’er was still Consort Chu after the last incident, she had caused such a huge incident and the Ding General Manor had lost its face. Ling Rui’er had come to apologize personally and that was the end of the matter. Ling Rui’er was proud and arrogant, so how could she bear it? Even though Mo Yarui was gentle, she was not stupid.

She did not dare to beg too much from Feng Yuxuan. After all, Ling Rui’er had a special status. For the sake of the Empress and Empress Dowager, Feng Yuxuan could not embarrass her. He might be angry but didn’t dare to speak out about what happened last time!

“Yesterday evening, Mei Yu told me that someone from the palace came and gave Consort Chu some clothes and accessories. It was the first reward after that incident, so I asked people to keep an eye on her. After the people from the palace left, I went to greet Consort Chu with Mei Yu. As soon as I got there and sat down, His Highness happened to come over and talk with Consort Chu. I waited beside a small table and saw the note in the table’s hidden compartment. Then after I went back, I copied the words in the note in the same font.”

It meant that the note she was holding was not the Empress’ original manuscript! Mo Xuetong thought about it and understood immediately. She also understood that Mo Yarui was being cautious. If the note had really lost, Ling Rui’er would definitely not spare her.

“I have learned writing before. Although I can’t write exactly the same as the original one, it’s almost like the original.” Mo Yarui smiled.

Mo Xuetong knew that Mo Yarui had taken a great risk even though she faked the note. She said gratefully, “Many thanks, Second Consort Mo.”

“Consort Xuan, you don’t have to be so polite. If you hadn’t saved me, I would have died last time. I wouldn’t have been alive now.” Mo Yarui stood up and gave a respectful bow to Mo Xuetong. Since Feng Yuxuan was there that day, she couldn’t say anything more, so she expressed her gratitude sincerely at this moment.

“Second Consort Mo, you really don’t have to be so polite. Look, King Chu has thanked me yesterday and even gave me such a big gift. It seems that he values you very much. This is the first time I’ve seen a head accessory of the South Pearl. It’s so exquisite. I really like it. Please thank King Chu for me,” Mo Xuetong said with a smile as if she had inadvertently mentioned the South Pearl head accessory.

Mo Yarui was visibly moved. How could she not realize Mo Xuetong’s intentions? She knew that Mo Xuetong was trying to help her. If anyone saw that she had spoken to Mo Xuetong for a while, they could use Feng Yuxuan as a shield. She felt that Consort Xuan was so intelligent and nice. She could see her current situation at King Chu’s Manor from what she said. Furthermore, she had even thought of a way out for her.

Mo Yarui felt even more grateful to Mo Xuetong.

The two chatted for a while and then Mo Yarui walked to another path with Mei Yu. Mo Xuetong sat in the pavilion and rubbed her forehead. She did not say anything and frowned slightly. Her tender white fingers touched her forehead again and again.

Suddenly, she stood up and brought Mo Ye into the garden. Time passed while they had fun. The banquet was about to begin.

The banquet today was like a blind date. The imperial garden was very ornamental. The noble young masters did not avoid female guests. Even though they looked as if they were chatting, they could not help but observe the young ladies. There were even a few young masters who had taken the initiative to chat up with the young ladies they liked.

In normal times, it was not appropriate to do it, but there was nothing wrong with it today.

“Oh, isn’t this Consort Xuan? Why did you get chased out by Her Majesty in such a short while? Did you offend the consorts in the hall?” Ling Rui’er was always the one who did not meet the right time. She seemed to regard Mo Xuetong as an enemy. When she saw Mo Xuetong, she immediately raised her voice and mocked her.

“Consort Chu, you’re mistaken. Her Majesty is magnanimous. How would she do something like that?” Mo Xuetong smiled lightly. She did not intend to talk to Ling Rui’er.

However, Ling Rui’er did not intend to let her go. She could not help but grow angry when she saw that Mo Xuetong did not even look at her. As such, she reached out to stop Mo Xuetong.

“What’s wrong, Consort Chu?” Mo Xuetong stopped and grabbed Mo Ye, who was about to stand in front of her. The smile on her face faded as she asked coldly. She wanted to see how Ling Rui’er behaved in front of so many people. As much as Ling Rui’er obeyed the Empress now, she would soon hate her.

However, who would Duke Ding help, his niece or younger sister?

“Yes. Consort Xuan, I just wanted to ask you when you would return King Chu’s South Pearl head accessory to me.” Ling Rui’er raised her head and asked righteously. When she thought of the South Pearl head accessory she liked was given Mo Xuetong, Ling Rui’er felt jealousy and hatred in her heart.

“Bitch! How dare you seduce King Chu? You’re really a slut.” Even if she told herself not to be rude, her eyes were still filled with anger as she glared at Mo Xuetong viciously.

Hearing Ling Rui’er’s words, everyone could not help but be shocked. This was the first time they knew that King Chu had sent a head accessory to Consort Xuan. What did this mean? Was there any relationship between the two of them? They did not expect that Consort Xuan would act like this with her innocent appearance.

This was an affair with a man. Furthermore, the man was her husband’s eldest brother on the surface. This was a simple royal scandal. No one expected Ling Rui’er to be so hot-headed as to dare to say something like that. However, everyone looked at Mo Xuetong suspiciously when they saw how self-righteous Ling Rui’er looked.

“Oh, I did not expect Consort Xuan to be such a woman. I heard Cousin Chu say that the head accessory was very precious. It turned out that it was for Consort Xuan. I wonder if King Xuan knows about it.” Su Mei’er was Feng Yuxuan’s younger cousin and had a crush on Feng Yuxuan. However, she had not been able to marry Feng Yuxuan and that left a grudge in her heart. She had heard her aunt, Consort Su, talk about the South Pearl head accessory and wanted to get it. But she did not expect Mo Xuetong to get it. Immediately, she supported Ling Rui’er and mocked Mo Xuetong.

Upon hearing Su Mei’er’s words, everyone looked at Mo Xuetong with more and more contempt in their eyes. It appeared to be true.

Mo Xuetong was expressionless. She took a dignified expression, looked around the crowd, and finally fixed her gaze on the arrogant Ling Rui’er. Then she said lightly, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Consort Chu. Are you here to ask for the head accessory that King Chu gave to King Xuan? Then you have to ask our His Highness for it. He has already given it to the Empress Dowager. It should be in the Empress Dowager’s palace right now. With your status as Consort Chu, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to get it back.”

Everyone looked at Ling Rui’er in shock after Mo Xuetong said that. They understood that King Chu had given it to King Xuan, and later King Xuan had given the head accessory to the Empress Dowager. Ling Rui’er didn’t want to give this set of head accessory to others and wanted it back from King Xuan’s Manor. She was too petty. As legitimate daughters and wives, they had never seen anything like this before.

Only the concubines and servants from humble families would do something like that.

They did not expect Consort Chu who was from the noble Ding General Manor to do something like that. It was too embarrassing. Then everyone wondered, “Is the Ding General Manor no longer as glorious as before? Does it just look good on the outside while a mess inside? Ling Rui’er did not even care about her decency as a legitimate daughter for the sake of a head accessory.”

Everyone was completely convinced of Mo Xuetong’s words this time. Who would dare lie that the South Pearl head accessory been delivered to the Empress Dowager?