Chapter 441 - The Painting of King Jins Three Princesses (1/2)

That single statement confused the two of them. Fortunately, they did not have to understand. The message just had to reach them.

Mo Xuetong and Luo Mingzhu arrived at a pavilion near the fake rock mountains. A maidservant served them tea and went to stand far away, leaving the two to chat over their drinks.

“Cousin Tong, did Ling Rui’er try to set you up in the palace the other day?” Luo Mingzhu frowned and asked about the incident that everyone was talking about that. She had been invited that day as well. However, Li Youmo’s mother had fallen ill, so Luo Mingzhu stayed home to take care of her instead. After that, she heard the madams and young ladies whom she was close to mentioning that thrilling scene. She had been so frightened sweat trickled down her back. She immediately felt that it was Ling Rui’er who wanted to plot against Mo Xuetong.

That was why she sounded so mean. She had never gotten along with Ling Rui’er in the first place.

“Forget it, it’s not a big matter. Anyway, she didn’t manage to get me into trouble. Instead, she got someone else into trouble. I am not the only one who bears a grudge against her now.” Mo Xuetong wiped the liquid on her lips and said with an uncaring smile.

The He family had two powerful backers, Consort Yu and Consort Zhao. After what happened, they were thoroughly embarra.s.sed. The two were not simple characters to deal with. It was said that Consort Yu knelt in front of Emperor Zongwen that day in his study, heavily pregnant, and pleaded with the Emperor. She was even more troubled by the matter than Consort Zhao was when it was Consort Zhao’s nieces who were in trouble. The Emperor was touched by Consort Yu’s kindness and even prepared gifts for her. In comparison, Consort Zhao, who had arrived after Consort Yu, did not receive any gifts from the Emperor.

Everyone in the palace wondered if Consort Yu was going to become even more powerful because of the child she was carrying.

However, no matter which consort it was, they were both closely related to He Yuxiu. Even if it was a game of chess, one had to see who was the one moving the chess pieces!

“That’s right. Ling Rui’er must have offended many people.” Luo Mingzhu said with a smile, having understood what Mo Xuetong said immediately.

The incident had happened at Cining Palace. It was the Empress Dowager who had been embarra.s.sed. No wonder she had been so angry she had gotten ill. The girl was her grandniece. It was not right for her to punish her, but neither could she just let her off. The Empress Dowager was furious, how could she not fall ill? The Empress Dowager had once plotted against Mo Xuetong’s and Luo Mingzhu’s marriages, so Luo Mingzhu did not like her much.

“Second Cousin, where is that place? Why have I never seen it before?” Mo Xuetong suddenly pointed at a garden beyond the fake mountains and asked curiously.

“Where?” Luo Mingzhu could not see what Mo Xuetong was pointing at from where she was sitting. She stood up and saw the inconspicuous garden. If they had not been standing so high up and facing that direction, they would not have seen it. “Oh, that’s the courtyard behind Aunt’s. It’s been left empty for a long while.”

Mo Xuetong was very interested in the abandoned garden. However, she did not show it. She asked curiously, “It is a nice garden, but why did you all abandon it? It would be nice if it was touched up and some things were placed in it. Or someone could move in. It looks quite s.p.a.cious.”

There were three main rooms and a few wing rooms on the sides. Even though it was not considered a large courtyard, it was more than enough for several people.

“I heard…” Luo Mingzhu hesitated before continuing softly, “Grandmother said that that is not an auspicious place. Someone once hung themselves there. That’s why it’s been locked up for so many years.”

It was not really anything special for people to die in homes. After all, it was a large family that had been around for several centuries. If every house and even the adjoining courtyards were all locked up, there would not be many courtyards left available in the Fu General Manor. Mo Xuetong thought that this was very suspicious. The Old Madam was not a superst.i.tious person.

She had brought Luo Mingzhu to the fake mountains just to find out information about the courtyard. She could not find out anything from her grandmother, so it seemed that her grandmother did not intend to tell her anything. In her past life, after the fall of the Fu General Manor, her grandmother had not left her any message as well on her deathbed. It meant that her maternal grandmother did not intend to tell her the truth at all.

Her eldest cousin was a man and might not notice such details. As such, her second cousin was the person who was most likely to know something about it. Mo Xuetong had always suspected that the room right across her mother’s had once been where Consort Jin stayed after fleeing for her life. It was a secluded spot and Consort Jin would be able to see Mo Xuetong’s mother from there clearly.

She had these thoughts in the past, but they grew even stronger in recent days.

Ever since Qin Yufeng gave her the painting, she had examined it thoroughly. Her mother’s face was especially clear in the painting. She could clearly see the intricate expressions on her mother’s face. It was impossible to paint something like that if one had not seen her mother up close in real life. The other two girls should be Princess Royal and Bai Yihao’s Mother.

Their features were not as clear.

The Princess Royal’s side profile was very clear but only the back of Bai Yihao’s mother could be seen. The three princesses of King Jin’s Manor appearing in a single painting was no coincidence for sure. But who would put in so much effort to paint this? What did it mean? And why was it not with Mo Xuetong’s Mother, Princess Royal, or with Bai Yihao? Instead, why was it at the Qin Manor, which had nothing to do with the three women at all? Was there something going on?

Mo Xuetong had specially visited her maternal grandmother today to find out what was up with that abandoned courtyard.

She had intentionally dragged Luo Mingzhu out to chat and had brought up the matter. However, she had received a ridiculous answer.

“Second Cousin, it is such a waste to leave such a big courtyard empty.” Mo Xuetong said, pretending to be curious.

“That is not a good place.” Luo Mingzhu looked around her. She made a move to speak but then stopped herself.

“What’s wrong with that place? It’s just that someone died in there. Isn’t it a waste to empty out and lock up a courtyard? I will tell Second Uncle that that is a good place to study in. First Cousin’s study can be placed there and flowers can be planted there as well. It’s so quiet anyway. It would be a good place to cool down in the summer after we decorate it a little.”

Mo Xuetong looked very excited and seemed as if she were going to speak with Luo Bin right there and then. However, she looked at Luo Mingzhu closely.

“Cousin Tong, don’t go. That’s not a good courtyard!” Luo Mingzhu said softly. She thought that Mo Xuetong really was going to head straight to the courtyard. She reached out to pull Mo Xuetong back into her seat at the table.