Chapter 473 - A Fight and How Concubine Qin Thinks of Mo Xuemin (2/2)

These women were not proper consorts or even second consorts whose names would be written into the royal genealogy. It would not matter if Mo Xuetong kicked them out of not. Mo Yu and the other servants who were standing behind Mo Xuetong all felt surprised. They all secretly thought that these concubines were really difficult to deal with. They all tried to force Consort Xuan’s hand through their mean and sharp words. These people came in all shapes and sizes and were all so demanding. If Consort Xuan had been anyone else, she would have already been intimidated by them.

It was a pity that the person they were up against today was their Lady. As such, they would not be able to get anything off Mo Xuetong.

Concubine Lian felt upset when she heard what Concubine Ming said. Her tears rolled down her cheeks as if they were free of charge. She wiped her tears and said helplessly, “My Lady, my sisters are right. It is normal for you to want to save a little on the expenditure since you’re starting to take charge of the back courtyard. However, I have always been poor in health. If His Highness had not worried about my health and allowed me to take ginseng and other expensive herbs, I wouldn’t be able to see you today. These… these are all expensive things. If My Lady, My Lady really wants to give us an allowance of a bed servant, I, I…”

She could not continue any longer and started to sob.

She meant that if Mo Xuetong gave her the monthly allowance of a bed servant, she would have no money to treat her illness. The only path forward for her would be death.

Mo Lan, who was standing behind Mo Xuetong, could not help but frown. She thought to herself that these concubines were all too ambitious. They were all deliberately trying to cause trouble. If they embarra.s.sed Consort Xuan today, they would be able to bargain in the future. Furthermore, if they all wailed and cried and threatened to kill themselves, Her Ladys.h.i.+p would not be able to get anything done.

Mo Xuetong picked up a porcelain teacup. She stroked away the froth on the surface of the liquid with the cap of the cup as if she had not heard anything the concubines had said. She took a slow sip and then put the cup down. Once the concubines were done speaking, the parlor fell eerily quiet. Then, Mo Xuetong smiled and looked at the concubines. She said, “What if I insist? Are you all going to rebel?”

This sounded very serious and Mo Xuetong was even trying to oppress the other women with her position. In just a statement, she managed to impress this upon them. She was Consort Xuan and she wanted to do this. What could they do?

The concubines who had spoken the loudest earlier immediately paled. Then, they flushed and looked at Mo Xuetong in shock. They did not understand why Mo Xuetong had suddenly become so hostile when she had been so easy-going earlier. Was she a shrewd person? But she didn’t look like it. That elegant and beautiful face of hers made her look more like a fairy who did not care about matters of the mortal world. However, how did she know how to play the game?

Then, Mo Xuetong continued, “Even though I am young, I know the rules of the King’s Manor. Makeup and accessories are all allocated based on one’s rank. You all don’t need to spend money on that. The clothes will be made every season by the manor. After I take charge of the back courtyard, I will not mistreat you all. How is five taels of silver insufficient for you?”

King Xuan’s Manor was considered to be generous by giving a bed servant five taels of silver. Some official concubines from other families would only get this much.

Concubine Yun and a few others paled when they heard that. They were speechless.

“As for Concubine Lian, you do not have to worry. I have already asked the manor’s physician and he said that it is because your health had been poor since childhood. You just have to be a little more careful. You should not take too much medicine or herbs as they will be bad for you. Medicine is still poison in the end and you will fall ill even if you are not if you consume them. Concubine Lian should take less of these herbs.”

Concubine Lian’s health was not much of an issue. She just pretended to be sickly to vie for attention. She just wanted Feng Yuran to be good to her. Now that Mo Xuetong had revealed that, she did not dare to say anything else. Instead, she just did her best to start coughing, pretending to be ill to show how ill she was.

She secretly glanced at a person in the corner, hinting that the person could come out now. If that person did not step out, they would not be able to stop Consort Xuan.

A cold harrumph came from the corner. “My Lady, your eldest legitimate sister is an educated and elegant person. She is kind and gentle and is sincere to all. She is also a famous talented woman of the capital. She is considered to be a famous young lady. Why are you completely different from First Miss Mo? You are so harsh on us. I am the legitimate daughter of a duke; am I not worthy of being a consort?”

A young woman emerged from behind the other concubines. She was elegant and beautiful. There was a hint of arrogance on her face and one could tell by just a look that she was not from an ordinary family. She was Concubine Qin whom Feng Yuran had gotten when he made trouble outside the manor back then. Mo Xuetong immediately knew where she was from.

Speaking of this Concubine Qin, she was Duke Wanping’s daughter. No matter in terms of status or rank, she was much n.o.bler than Mo Xuetong. She was n.o.bility and her status and rank were both very high. It was said that Concubine Qin was beautiful and quite a scholar. She used to be close friends with the Fifth Princess and could be said to be a darling of G.o.d.

This woman had mocked Feng Yuran brashly at a banquet. The young and haughty Feng Yuran had thrown the girl into a lake in a fit of anger. Then, he pulled her to sh.o.r.e after she was frightened to death. It might have been because she was soaked in the lake for quite some time. The coat was torn off by Feng Yuran just like that.

More than one person had witnessed that. Emperor Zongwen gave Feng Yuran a dressing down and then allowed Duke Wanping to send Concubine Qin to Feng Yuran’s King Xuan’s Manor in a little sedan chair. The concubines in the manor were all unofficial and they were told that the concubines would be given official t.i.tles once there was a legal consort in the manor.

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