The people in the East House were determined to keep it a secret as Leng Yan would get married and move in. All people shut their mouths.
Not to mention the outsiders, few people in the mansion knew that Leng Yan would move to the East House in three days.
Some people knew it and remained mute as if their mouths were sealed as they were afraid that Shi Qingxue would find that they were gossiping.
Since Shi Junhe agreed to marry her, Leng Yan started to dream about being a happy concubine, but unexpectedly, after a few days, few people congratulated or flattered her. Even when she bumped into some people on the way, their bantering eyes seemed to take off her clothes as they would watch a play.
It embarrassed and depressed her.
However, after Mo Shujun promised Shi Junhe not to spread the news, she didn’t care and remained unmoved when she watched others laugh at Leng Yan.
Leng Yan finally couldn’t endure it and had an evil plan.
She intentionally came to Mo Shujun and pretended obedient, asking, “I have heard that Madam hasn’t returned from her parents’ home these days. I am going to marry the first master soon. If his wife is not present, the marriage would be unpresentable.
“If the news spreads, the people who know the truth would say that the first master doesn’t like to be in the limelight, so he didn’t inform Madam who has gone back to her parents’ home, but the ones who don’t know it might comment on Madam as she is jealous and can’t accept another woman.”
Mo Shujun was old with sharp eyes and found at a glance what Leng Yan wanted to do.
However, she didn’t expose this maid and still pretended ignorant, asking, “Oh? How do you think we should deal with this matter?”
“Madam has been in her patents’ mansion for a few days, and it’s improper to stay out all the time, so I suggest that we should send somebody to bring her back. Then when the first master and I get married, the mistress wouldn’t be absent, which doesn’t follow the rule.” Leng Yan shamelessly beat around the bush and at last spoke out her purpose.
In the beginning, hearing that Leng Yan would go to bring Dong Hui back from her parents’ home, Mo Shujun was stunned and thought, “Is this girl so sensible and obedient? Isn’t she afraid that it is a problem whether they would get married if Dong Hui returns to the mansion?”
But she looked Leng Yan up and down carefully. Till she saw the secret light in the maid’s eyes, she understood everything.
Nevertheless, she still pretended to be moved and cooperated with her. “It’s rare that you are so sensible and thoughtful, and I am relieved. Since you want to bring Dong back to witness your marriage, I will help you this time and personally go to her parents’ home with you to bring her back. Okay?”
Leng Yan was so frightened by Mo Shujun’s unexpected answer that she couldn’t make a sound to respond.
She guessed that the best result was that Mo Shujun agreed to send her to pick up Dong. Unexpectedly, the Princess Royal was willing to lower herself and go to the Dong family’s mansion.
Did Mo Shujun think of Dong Hui’s nice character suddenly and want to bring her back?
Leng Yan glanced at Mo Shujun in secret, to see that the old lady’s expression seemed to be painted on her face and she controlled it accurately. Leng Yan couldn’t see anything false.
However, as a result, Leng Yan suspected more.
She thought involuntarily, “As expected, she wants to watch a play and doesn’t think it is troublesome.”
Obviously, Mo Shujun wanted to watch the fight between Leng Yan and Dong Hui.
However, it happened to satisfy Leng Yan, so she kept silent obediently.
They had their own thoughts yet with the same goal, so they went to the Dong family’s mansion in a carriage in high spirits.
In the Dong family’s mansion, Dong Hui was being rebuked by her mother Ouyang Yuxin crossly.
“You came back home without telling us in advance. Do you think that you are unmarried and can do whatever you want lawlessly?” Ouyang Yuxin was from a military family and didn’t learn to be a noble lady but learnt from the soldiers who had loud voices.
She cursed without mercy and criticized Dong Hui as if she was worthless.
Dong Hui had tears in her eyes, feeling wronged and reluctant. She couldn’t help retorting, “What could I do except coming back home under the situation? Junhe suspected that I have an affair with another man. I tried so hard to explain to him, yet he refused to listen to me anyway. I…shall I still stay there and be humiliated by him?”
“It is your fault! I have warned you then that since you would marry into Duke Shi’s mansion, you should break up with Yan Lü. It’s better that you won’t see him forever, in case that somebody else comments on you. You agreed with me then, but look, what have you done these years?” Ouyang Yuxin cursed in a loud voice with disappointment.
Dong Hui shrank her neck yet still didn’t think that she should be denounced. She straightened her back and retorted harshly again, “I have said that nothing happened between Yan and me, and we have no secret relationship. That time we met at midnight just because he hadn’t seen me for a long time and he was afraid that somebody would comment. How would I know that somebody would see that? You don’t curse the women who gossiped but your innocent daughter?”
Till now, Dong Hui hadn’t realized it was wrong that she met Yan Lü in secret, and she still put the blame on the second madam and third madam who found that.
It seemed that as long as the second madam and third madam didn’t find it, the secret date of her and Yan Lü wouldn’t exist.
Ouyang Yuxin was furious and goggled because of Dong Hui’s weird statement yet could do nothing to her.
Fortunately, at the moment, a servant reported as the Princess Royal came to visit them.
The two women in the room were scared and looked at each other speechlessly for a long time.
Even when Shi Junhe would marry Dong Hui and the betrothal gifts were sent to the Dong family, Mo Shujun didn’t visit them as she thought that she was honorable.
However, even before the Dong family sent an invitation, Mo Shujun came in person unexpectedly.
Did the sun rise from the west?
Dong Hui didn’t like Mo Shujun and couldn’t help but frown. She asked with displeasure, “What is she doing here?”
Ouyang Yuxin pounded Dong Hui’s back and yelled at her crossly, “What nonsense are you talking about? You call her mother. Why don’t you go out and welcome her now?”
“I won’t. She dislikes me all the time and has told Junhe several times to divorce me so he can marry another wife. She has come now, and there must be nothing good. I have been back home. Why would I go out to be humiliated by her?” Dong Hui seemed to pin on the chair and refused to move.
Ouyang Yuxin was furious to blush because of her daughter’s stubbornness and wanted to beat and curse her again. Suddenly she had a brainwave and stopped her hand. Then she looked at Dong Hui joyfully. “I know why she came.”
Ouyang Yuxin was too excited, so she didn’t notice Dong Hui’s emotion. She just pulled Dong Hui to her cheerfully and analyzed. “Duke Shi must feel unwell because he knows that as the mistress, you are not at home, but he can’t lower himself to beg you to go back, so he asked Princess Royal to come.
“He thinks that as long as Princess Royal came, you would consider her dignity. No matter how mad you are at him, you would respect her.”
While speaking, the mother thought that it was true and nodded repeatedly, coming to a conclusion. “Girl, Princess Royal personally came to beg you to return home.”
“No way?” Dong Hui had fought against Mo Shujun for so many years and thought that she knew well about her mother-in-law. She didn’t think that Mo Shujun would do that for her.
However, Ouyang Yuxin’s explanation was “reasonable” indeed, which moved her inevitably.
“It must be like this. I won’t guess wrong! Why not get up now? Let’s go to the main hall and have a look now. Then we’ll know what is going on.” Ouyang Yuxin dragged Dong Hui and took her to the main hall.
Although Dong Hui was still unwilling, she anticipated Mo Shujun’s visit.
When they walked to the main hall, the servants had served tea to Mo Shujun.
Dong Hui hadn’t seen Mo Shujun for a long time and suddenly saw that she sat in the chair drinking tea peacefully and didn’t look distant as usual, so she felt less resentful.
Ouyang Yuxin winked at her from behind, so Dong Hui had no choice but to walk forward and bow to Mo Shujun, greeting respectfully, “Mother, nice to see you. How are you today?”
Mo Shujun rarely showed a pleasant smile to Dong Hui and answered casually, “I am fine. Hui, you have been staying out for a few days. Are you used to staying in your parents’ home?”
Dong Hui was about to reply yes, yet Ouyang Yuxin poked her waist and stopped her.
Ouyang Yuxin talked to Mo Shujun warmly. “Ms. Mo, you haven’t visited our family for a long time. We didn’t take good care of you. Please forgive us.”
Ouyang Yuxin wanted to get close to Mo Shujun, but Princess Royal was used to being called respectfully. She suddenly heard that the other party greeted her as a peer, so she frowned and her dignified face got tense again.
Seeing that, Dong Hui knew that her mother mentioned Mo Shujun’s taboo, so she pulled Ouyang Yuxin to stand behind her at once and said apologetically, “My mother is too happy to see you. If she offends you, please forgive her, Mother.”
Mo Shujun wouldn’t forgive her at ordinary times, and she might even go away.
Nevertheless, thinking of the purpose of her visit, she controlled herself and just responded indifferently, “It doesn’t matter.”
Dong Hui was surprised as Mo Shujun was so considerate, so she thought of Ouyang Yuxin’s analysis again and was expectant.
She looked at Mo Shujun and asked, “Mother, what brings you here this time?”
Mo Shujun took a sip of tea and then said unhurriedly, “I know that you have left home for a long time, so I specially came to ask if you have stopped feeling angry. Can you go back home with me?”
These were the most pleasant words out of Mo Shujun’s mouth that Dong Hui had ever heard.
Dong Hui had tears in her eyes instantly, and it seemed that all her grievance had gone because of Mo Shujun’s words.
As expected, Mo Shujun came to bring her back for Shi Junhe.
Although Dong Hui hoped to see Shi Junhe most, she was clear about his pride, so she wouldn’t refuse to go back to the Shi family before her husband lowered himself to beg her.
Even if Shi Junhe told two daughters to pick her up, she might be moved and go back home with them.
Now Shi Junhe had even asked Mo Shujun to come, and it was a great favor for Dong Hui.
Dong Hui was shocked in joy.
Seeing that Dong Hui remained unmoved, Ouyang Yuxin pushed her and reminded her in a low voice. “Say yes now! Don’t put on airs…”
“Yes, yes…” Dong Hui stuttered a reply.
She wanted to say something politely to show that she was not self-willed and it was not that she would go back home only after an elder came to ask her.
Unexpectedly, Mo Shujun put down the teacup and said slowly, “It’s great that you are willing to return home. I am worried who would take charge of Junhe’s marriage in three days if you refuse to go back.”
“What?” Ouyang Yuxin screamed and almost thought that she misheard.
She hurriedly turned to Dong Hui, to see that the latter was also stunned and even stiffened like a stone.
“Hui, Hui, are you okay? Don’t frighten me!” Ouyang Yuxin cautiously called Dong Hui twice, but there was no answer.
She was scared and didn’t have time to ask Mo Shujun what she meant by saying that. She instantly helped Dong Hui sit down and beat her daughter’s chest.
After quite a while, Dong Hui suddenly breathed in and came to her senses.
Then tears fell from her eyes.
Dong Hui looked at Mo Shujun in disbelief and asked, stressing each word, “What do you mean by saying that?”
Mo Shujun pretended to be surprised and asked in reply, “Didn’t Junhe tell you?”
Seeing that Dong Hui stared at her blankly in silence, she continued, “In three days, he would marry my maid Leng Yan. He agreed more than one month ago. I thought that he had told you, but this kid didn’t tell you something so important. He is too naughty. I will…”
“Ms. Mo!” Ouyang Yuxin finally couldn’t bear to hear that and shouted harshly, interrupting Mo Shujun’s sarcasm.