On the fifteenth day of Lunar August, it was the Mid-autumn Festival.
The Mo Country had just escaped from a great disaster, so the emperor was overjoyed.
Mo Xiangbin held a dinner party in the imperial garden and invited the noblemen and officials in the capital city to attend with their families.
Shi Qingxue did a brilliant feat for the colorful phenix’s case, and Mo Xiangbin specially invited her to join the party.
She enjoyed the glory and had to come.
However, she didn’t feel happy at all.
It was time for family reunion on the Mid-autumn Day, but Shi Junhe was told to lead the army personally to suppress the revolt in Yang City in the south and hadn’t returned home.
The celebration and cheerfulness in the courtyard of Duke Shi’s mansion were in sharp contrast to the silence of the first master’s family. How could Shi Qingxue be happy?
If it weren’t for Dong Hui feeling unwell, Shi Qingxue even wanted to go to see his father instead of attending such a boring party.
“Girl, you are a good talker with a silver tongue. Why don’t you want to contact others?” Dong Hui reached out her hand and poked her daughter’s forehead. She didn’t care about Qingxue’s complaint.
Shi Qingxue pouted and retorted, “How did you say that? Look, how close I am to Yuzhen, and the fourth lady of the Feng family, and Leng Jing…”
She mentioned all the ladies she contacted frequently to show that she wasn’t asocial.
Dong Hui frowned more and was disappointed at her passivity. “What’s the point of making friends with them? Haven’t you seen that the fourth prince has gained power recently? Your younger uncle tries hard to find a way to flatter him these days.
“Didn’t you keep a good relationship with him in the past? Why do you stay away from him now all of a sudden?”
“What’s his good point? Why would I keep a good relationship with him?” Shi Qingxue retorted subconsciously.
“Why? Didn’t you call him brother in the past? Even if you love…” Thinking that Shi Qingxue kept her distance from Mo Junyang obviously these days, Dong Hui didn’t mention his name.
But she spared no effort to make a match for Shi Qingxue and Mo Junhao.
In the past, Dong Hui didn’t like Mo Junhao because she was naïve and didn’t know the importance of power in hand. She thought that only depending on Shi Junhe’s love and guilt for her, she could be undefeatable in Duke Shi’s mansion.
But this large mansion was “women’s” world.
Shi Junhe was busy at work and would be on the battlefield everywhere all year round.
When something happened to her sometimes, wouldn’t her husband be powerless?
In the end, she had to depend on herself and her daughters who shared destiny with her.
Shi Qingxue couldn’t answer Dong Hui’s question as she didn’t know why she suddenly felt disgusted with Mo Junhao.
However, the fact was obvious, and she didn’t like Mo Junhao.
It seemed that every part of her body was rejecting a worm which looked gentle and harmless but was vicious indeed.
“Mother, stop. In the past, I was ignorant so I didn’t know about the distance between men and women and didn’t pay attention to it. Something like this won’t happen in the future.” Shi Qingxue stopped Dong Hui’s imagination.
She told her mother straightforwardly that it was impossible that she would be with Mo Junhao.
Dong Hui didn’t know what Shi Qingxue was thinking about and thought the girl was shy, so she said with a smile, “Stupid girl, what are you talking about? You and the fourth prince are distant relatives.
“It’s always good to keep in touch with the relatives. Haven’t you seen that your aunt always takes Baoyou to the fourth prince’s mansion recently? She must covet the position of his wife.”
Shi Qingxue looked down and didn’t give a response.
She felt unhappy.
Dong Hui didn’t realize it and talked endlessly. “In the past, your grandma always hoped to make a match for you and the fourth prince, so you should consider it. If you are…”
“Mother!” Shi Qingxue couldn’t help but interrupt Dong Hui.
Meeting Dong Hui’s astonished eyes, she didn’t avoid them and stressed each word. “Don’t bother about it. It’s impossible for me to marry Mo Junhao.”
She didn’t even address her mother respectfully as she didn’t want to hide her hate for Mo Junhao.
Dong Hui still wanted to persuade her, but she held back what she was going to say as she saw the impatience on her daughter’s face.
The mother knew best about her daughter. Shi Qingxue was tough and even Shi Junhe might be unable to persuade her if she made a decision, so it was useless to advise her.
Dong Hui had to say, “Forget it. Let’s stop talking about this matter. His Majesty will hold a dinner party tonight and your grandma, Baoning and all the third master’s family will attend. You can’t be naughty. Just join it. Do you hear me?”
Shi Qingxue lowered her head and answered powerlessly, “I see. Be careful at home. If there is something, just tell Mammy Zheng to do it. Protect the baby.”
Dong Hui was pregnant for less than three months. Moreover, she was at an advanced maternal age, in poor health. Even if she stayed at home every day, there was a risk that she might have a miscarriage.
Shi Qingxue would worry if Dong Hui was at home alone, but if she refused to join the party…
She didn’t need to think about it.
Shi Qingxue told Dong Hui to be careful for a long time. Dong Hui felt warm and meanwhile thought her daughter too wordy.
She pushed Shi Qingxue out and told Shi Baoning who was next to them, “Take her away at once. She is so wordy even before she gets married. Who would dare to marry her?”
“Mother!” Shi Qingxue called loudly with displeasure and thought that her kindness was wasted totally.
At the same time, Shi Baoning tried to hold back her laughter. She grabbed Shi Qingxue’s arm and stopped her from saying more. And she nodded at Dong Hui and promised, “Okay, I will take her away immediately, and she won’t annoy you.”
Shi Qingxue blushed with shyness as Shi Baoning echoed Dong Hui.
She knew that she might have talked much and didn’t like what she was normally, but it was because she was worried as Dong Hui was not in a good state these days.
However, these people didn’t thank her, so she got mad.
Qingxue walked into the carriage in a rage and found a seat in a corner, without giving a glance at Shi Baoning.
Seeing that, Shi Baoning couldn’t help but show a relieved smile.
It seemed great when Shi Qingxue was like this.
After Shi Qingxue lost temper for a while, the silent treatment couldn’t go on anymore. Anybody would be terrified when he was stared in this way. Then she turned to Shi Baoning.
She frowned and asked awkwardly, “Baoning, what’s wrong with you?”
Shi Baoning paused for a while and her dignified and kind face looked unnatural, but soon she controlled herself.
She showed Qingxue a gentle smile with love and replied casually, “Nothing. It’s just that I haven’t seen you lose temper since long ago, so I was in a daze.”
Shi Qingxue looked embarrassed and was open-mouthed.
She didn’t know how to reply and just turned away in embarrassment, murmuring, “I didn’t lose temper.”
Shi Baoning smiled and didn’t say more.
In fact, she didn’t speak out all that was on her mind.
After Shi Qingxue was poisoned, Shi Baoning could hardly remain calm but felt guilty.
She even thought that she would lose Shi Qingxue, her good sister. Not until then did she realize that her jealousy was insignificant, not worth mentioning when they faced death. Even though her sister was detoxified and recovered later, she didn’t dare to hope that Qingxue could live and joke with her like before, as if nothing had happened.
She got what was an extravagant hope to her all of a sudden, and no wonder she would show a doubtful expression.
Shi Qingxue didn’t know about anything. She was forced to attend the dinner party, so she wasn’t in the mood to chat with others.
She sat in her seat and felt bored while listening to music and watching the performance. Occasionally she looked at the colorful lanterns hung around.
She planned to avoid talking with others and kill time for the night.
“Qingxue, you seem to be bored. How about letting me enjoy the lanterns with you, so that we won’t waste the full moon and beautiful scenery tonight?” Mo Junhao walked to Shi Qingxue and invited her gracefully.
It seemed that he didn’t expect that Shi Qingxue might refuse him.
Did Shi Qingxue want to enjoy the lanterns with Mo Junhao?
Of course she didn’t want to!
She even found an excuse that she didn’t want to walk as her leg hurt.
Mo Junhao said first, “My father said that your contributions can’t go unnoticed as he could deal with the envoys from the three countries successfully this time, so he told me to keep you company. Even if you don’t like me, would you turn down my father?”
Shi Qingxue rolled her eyes secretly and thought, “You are so shameless as to mention Mo Xiangbin as an excuse. Can I refuse?”
She forced a smile and nodded indifferently. “Thanks, Your Highness.”
Mo Junhao seemed not to see Shi Qingxue’s displeasure and leaned to one side to make way for her. Then he even asked as if he was close to her, “Qingxue, you used to call me brother all the time, right? Why are you so distant now?”
“I don’t dare to cross the line,” Shi Qingxue answered impassively.
She didn’t want to get close to Mo Junhao at all.
Even if Mo Junhao was prepared to be cold-shouldered, he couldn’t help but stiffen.
After a moment, he smiled again but the expression on his face was twisted. “You have grown up and know how to keep away from men now.”
Shi Qingxue was speechless and thought, “If I don’t grow up, wouldn’t I be bullied by you and have nothing left?”
She ignored Mo Junhao and just stood up. She didn’t care what he was thinking about.
The servants made the colorful lanterns surround the dinner party and hung some on both sides of the path to the imperial garden.
The scene was dreamy and attractive.
Mo Junhao walked ahead and tried to walk on the path.
Shi Qingxue saw that it was silent in the front and then looked back at the people in the party who were chatting in twos and threes.
Nobody knew if all people intentionally kept away from the two, and it seemed that they made room for a young couple to date in secret.
Gee!
Shi Qingxue disdained them secretly but was confused.
She thought she had seen the scene before.
It seemed that it had happened in the past.
Shi Qingxue didn’t believe that Mo Junhao dared to do something to her under the people’s watchful eyes.
When she started walking on the path, she felt dizzy and hurriedly stopped.
She raised her hand to rub her forehead involuntarily and subconsciously looked back at the party.
“What’s wrong? Who are you trying to look for, Qingxue?”
Mo Junhao’s casual voice suddenly appeared in Shi Qingxue’s ears and they were close to each other in an instant.
Shi Qingxue felt uncomfortable and withdrew her hand. Then she stepped backward and walked away from Mo Junhao.
She asked indifferently, “Your Highness, don’t you want to enjoy the lanterns? Let’s go.”
She automatically ignored Mo Junhao’s questions.
Cruelness flashed in Mo Junhao’s sharp eyes, but he soon concealed it.
He smiled again and walked forward.
After he walked for only a few steps, he mentioned the old stories. “Qingxue, I remember that you liked bunnies most when you were a child. Once Elder Duke Shi personally made a bunny-shaped lantern, and you liked it very much after seeing it at that time. You hugged it and didn’t let it go. In the next few days after the Mid-autumn Festival, you brought that bunny-shaped lantern all the time, even to school and to bed.”
Even though Shi Qingxue didn’t like Mo Junhao, as he talked about what happened when she was a child, especially the good memories left by Shi Lei, she couldn’t help but smile faintly.
They were finally in harmony, and it was cheerful, full of laughter around.
At this time, a guard staggered into the party and shouted in a hurry, “Your Majesty, bad news! Bad news! The City Guardian Army was attacked when the soldiers were patrolling in the city, and the city gates were broken!”