Chapter 416 - A Meeting with Consort Zhao (2/2)

The servants served tea. Mo Xuetong held her teacup but did not drink from it. She pondered about how to reply to Consort Zhao appropriately.

Consort Zhao, however, seemed to change the topic quickly. She put down the handkerchief and looked at Mo Xuetong. She said, “Tong’er, why aren’t you drinking tea? This is the new tea that His Majesty just granted. I heard that there is only about 1 kilogram of this tea leaf in the palace. I have quite a bit though.”

Mo Xuetong put down the tea and leaned forward respectfully. “Your Lady’s tea is very good. However, I had breakfast earlier and can’t drink it now. I have wasted good tea here.”

“It’s alright, take some back with you when you go back. I don’t usually drink tea anyway, it’d be a waste of this good tea. Yuran likes to drink tea. It’d be good if he can have a cup after dinner when he is resting.” Consort Zhao casually insinuated that they were closer than they were and even called Feng Yuran by his name intimately.

Indeed, Mo Xuetong only declined a little before accepting the tea.

“Tong’er, you are dressed so simply. You are already Consort Xuan, why are you dressed so simply? Those not in the know will think that Yuran is mistreating you.” Consort Zhao said, half-teasingly. She glanced at Mo Xuetong and her gaze stopped at Mo Xuetong’s hair. Then, she said to the palace maid behind her, “Go inside and bring that pearl phoenix hairpin with sapphires and wear it for Consort Xuan.”

“Yes.” The palace maid replied and went into the room. She emerged quickly with a beautiful hairpin. The blue top was the phoenix’s beautiful head feathers. It was also littered with tiny precious stones. There were also three long lines of pearls dangling from it. The phoenix’s eyes were made of rubies and seemed alive. It was beautiful.

One could tell from a glance that it was a very expensive and precious accessory!

Caichun took the hairpin and was about to put it in Mo Xuetong’s hair.

Mo Xuetong dodged awkwardly. Mo Ye went up and stood in front of Caichun, blocking Caichun’s hand.

“Do you think that the things here in my palace are no good?” Consort Zhao asked with a smile.

Mo Lan knelt down and replied, “Consort Zhao, please do not blame my lady. Our Lady is still in mourning and cannot wear such gorgeous things. We have disappointed you.”

“Oh, so that’s why. Caichun, let Consort Xuan take the hairpin back with her. Take it as a gift for our first meeting. I did not know about this and have disturbed Consort Xuan.” Consort Zhao said with a careless smile.

Caichun delivered the pin to Mo Ye and stepped backward respectfully. She stood behind Consort Zhao as if she had not been the one to behave rudely earlier.

“Many thanks for your understanding, Consort Zhao!” Mo Xuetong looked up, touched.

“Elder Sister is no longer around. There are only two of us women now. What’s there to not understand?” Consort Zhao behaved with even more familiarity. “If you are free in the future, come and visit me often. Only you all are my blood-related relatives. I wanted to see Yuran all these years. I did not think that he would already be married the next time I saw him. It reminds me of my ill-fated elder sister and I feel so sad about that.”

“His Highness also misses you. I heard that Consort Zhao and Consort Xian were as close as sisters. I was touched even when His Highness told me about it.” A trace of sadness appeared on Mo Xuetong’s beautiful face as she spoke softly. Her voice had the charm of a young girl. It was as if she were unaware of what was happening in the world and this suited her current age.

She also seemed as if she did not know how to please Consort Zhao.

Consort Zhao was secretly delighted when she heard that Feng Yuran mentioned how close she and Consort Xian were as well as when saw how Mo Xuetong was behaving. She touched her turquoise bangle and smiled at Mo Xuetong. “Biological sisters cannot be compared to other people. The blood that flows through us cannot be changed. How can we not be close? That is why if there is a family member who marries into the manor, that manor would be more powerful than the others.”

So that was what Consort Zhao wanted. This meant that she was in a hurry to bring someone in…

Mo Xuetong frowned slightly. Deep down inside, she thought it was funny even though she did not show it. She appeared not to have understood. She opened her lively and clear eyes wide open and looked at Consort Zhao confusedly. It was as if she did not know what Consort Zhao meant.

She blinked and appeared to comply with Consort Zhao obediently even though she did not know what was going on. She said, “That’s right. If a family member is to enter the manor, they can take care of each other.”

Consort Zhao smiled and nodded. “You are indeed a wife who cares for her husband. I heard that Yuran used to be a great philanderer. Tong’er, you have to watch him carefully and must not allow him to go out and flirt with girls anymore. He is a prince and is the prince whom His Majesty dotes on the most. He can have any woman he wants but he still goes out to create trouble. He might ruin the reputation of the royal family and draw the ire of His Majesty.”

She sounded as if she was on Mo Xuetong’s side. However, she also blamed Mo Xuetong for not being generous enough, sounding as if Mo Xuetong was making decisions for Feng Yuran.

“My Lady, did… did something happen to His Highness outside?” Mo Xuetong looked frightened and stood up suddenly. She looked at Consort Zhao tearfully while Mo Lan hurried forward to hold her.

“It’s nothing big…” Consort Zhao appeared to want to speak but stopped. She flicked her handkerchief and frowned.

“My Lady, please tell me!” Mo Xuetong’s face was pale with fright. The tears that gathered at the corners of her eyes seemed about to fall. She sniffled and her lips trembled. She said, “Please tell me what happened to His Highness!”

Consort Zhao had tried to be mysterious and appeared to be talking about something else other than what was on the surface. Mo Xuetong knew what Consort Zhao was going to tell her. However, she would make it so that Consort Zhao could say whatever she wanted!

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