Chapter 109 - Concubine Liu’s Favor

It was said on Liu Yiyi’s invitation that the fourth prince’s side concubine Qin Yanyan would have her birthday in three days, so Liu Yiyi would like to invite the ladies from aristocratic families to enjoy the beauty of flowers in his mansion and celebrate Qin Yanyan’s birthday.

If Qingxue didn’t know that Liu Yiyi aimed at her, she would have thought that the emperor’s favored concubine sincerely liked her daughter-in-law so much as to make her happy, but if others knew that Liu Yiyi wanted Shi Qingxue to be the fourth prince’s wife, it would humiliate Qin Yanyan.

Shi Qingxue felt it laughable but didn’t want to join the fun.

Next day, she told someone to send a letter to the imperial palace and said that she was seriously ill, so she couldn’t disturb Qin Yanyan’s birthday party. Meanwhile she sent a proper gift to the fourth prince’s mansion.

After she did that for the sake of courtesy, Qingxue felt at ease and stayed at home to continue living in comfort.

But beyond her expectation, on Qin Yanyan’s birthday, Liu Yiyi’s maid in charge, Mammy Zhuo came with a royal doctor and said that Concubine Liu was worried about Lady Qingxue’s health, so she came to visit her as ordered.

Oh, she came to visit the patient as she said. But in fact, she came to check if it was true.

After the royal doctor checked on her, Shi Qingxue couldn’t pretend to be ill anymore. It happened that Shen Luo went back to the Mang Mountain, so the only one she could ask for help was not here.

Shi Qingxue was carried into the carriage by Liu Yiyi’s people. Mammy Zhuo didn’t give her a chance to send a message in private, as if she found that Qingxue would ask for help. She stayed with Qingxue all the way and said that it was Concubine Liu’s favor.

When the carriage reached the fourth prince’s mansion, Shi Qingxue saw Mo Junhao standing at the gate as soon as she got out. He welcomed her with a smile, “Qingxue, I haven’t seen you for a few days. How are you?”

Shi Qingxue put on a smile just to show her politeness. “Your Highness, thanks for your concern. I am well.”

While speaking, she planned to enter through the side door.

But Mo Junhao stopped her. “You are a respected guest. How can I let you enter my mansion through the side door with grievance? You certainly should go through the main gate.”

In Mo Country, being led in from which entrance could show the guest’s status, but it was a customary rule for the woman who was not a member of the royal family to go through the side door.

Shi Qingxue naturally wouldn’t be so foolish as to be used and said with a smile, “Before I came out, my mother warned me that I should follow the rules. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”

Mo Junhao just wanted to stay with Shi Qingxue. Seeing that she insisted, he laughed. “It’s just the gate. There are not so many rules. Since you want to go through the side door, I will go with you.”

Shi Qingxue was taken aback and thought she had misheard, but Mo Junhao grabbed her arm and went through the side door.

Mo Junhao paid much attention to status. He was a prince, and he could never enter through the side door no matter which family he visited, not to mention his mansion, but now because of her words, he went through the side door with her.

He did that just to please her.

Shi Qingxue suddenly remembered that in the previous life, before she married Mo Junhao, he had truly done many things he wouldn’t do at ordinary times “for her sake”, so she didn’t doubt his “love” for her.

It seemed that something happened again, but she was not moved. She just felt it was sarcastic, and his touch she was used to made her feel sick.

“Let me go. I can walk on my own,” Shi Qingxue said coldly and took back her hand.

Mo Junyang asked in a warm voice, “Why are you angry? Do you feel unwell?”

“Because I don’t want to see you!”

Shi Qingxue answered in secret but she couldn’t say that. Or she would be unreasonable.

“Nothing. I am a little tired and want to have a rest first. Please help yourself, Your Highness.” She pretended to be exhausted and walked to the nearest pavilion to have a seat, trying to avoid Mo Junhao.

But as soon as she sat down, Mo Junhao caught up with her and told someone to serve tea and fruits, as if he wanted to have a talk with her.

Shi Qingxue couldn’t help but goggle. “Your Highness, what do you mean? You have other guests, right? It would be unworthy if you neglect other respected guests.”

Mo Junhao responded quickly, “No matter how important they are, nobody can be compared with you. What’s more, Ms. Qin can take care of them, and I don’t need to worry. I just want to have tea and talk with you, so that such beautiful scenery won’t be a waste.”

Not until then did Shi Qingxue realize that the pavilion she selected randomly was the best place to watch the scenery in this mansion, with a nice view. In the previous life, she most liked to have a walk here, but now she just felt she was unlucky.

She didn’t want to pretend polite anymore in front of Mo Junhao and stood up. “Today is Lady Qin’s birthday. I have to say happy birthday to her, so I won’t disturb your enjoyment.”

Mo Junhao hurriedly grabbed her arm and looked displeased at last. “Is it so difficult to ask you to sit with me and have a cup of tea?”

Shi Qingxue didn’t say a word.

“Mo Junhao continued, “…Even if you hate me so much, you must remember what you promised to me on the way to the Qingluo Mountain. I saved your life… Now I ask you to drink tea and sit with me. Is it too much?”

He even mentioned that he had saved her life. No matter how unwilling Shi Qingxue was, she had to sit down again. “In that case, it is impolite to decline.”

Mo Junhao smiled and looked up at a maid, who quickly poured tea for them and then left respectfully.

“This is the new tribute, Longjing tea picked before Grain Rain, mid-April this year. My father gave some to me. Have a try.”

Shi Qingxue had no choice but to pick up the tea cup and take a sip. It really had a special smell, but it tasted weird. It was not like the new tea leaf.

Mo Junhao heard her description and there was panic flashing in his eyes, but soon he said, “Perhaps the people in the warehouse didn’t keep them well, so they are wet. I will punish those lazy guys.

If you don’t like it, I will tell someone to change the tea.”

“No, thanks.” Shi Qingxue refused in a hurry. What a joke. If they continued to talk about it, she wouldn’t need to go away.

She held up the tea cup and toasted to Mo Junhao, saying casually, “Your Highness, you helped me the other day, and I am greatly appreciated. With the tea, I am drinking a toast to you now.”

Then she drank up the tea.

Mo Junhao showed a satisfied smile and said skillfully, “You are welcome. Don’t be so formal. Here you are. Have a taste of these fruits. The servants picked them in the suburb recently. They are fresh.”

While speaking, he picked up a grape and gave it to Qingxue, seeming to feed her.

Shi Qingxue turned away to avoid him, but he still didn’t give up, so she had to reach out her hand to stop him. “Your Highness, thanks for your kindness. I can pick up some by myself.”

Mo Junhao conveniently grabbed her hand and said with a smile, “I just want to feed you. When we were young…”

Their hands were joined, which disgusted Shi Qingxue, but Mo Junhao grasped her and didn’t let her go. She was so angry that she couldn’t pretend anymore and wanted to offend him openly.

“Your Highness, what are you doing here?” A female voice came abruptly and stopped Shi Qingxue from speaking.

Qin Yanyan strode over and held Mo Junhao’s arm, forcefully making them farther away from each other. At the same time, she glared at Shi Qingxue and wanted to bite her.

Shi Qingxue didn’t get angry but almost shouted “Bravo!” to her. When she looked at Qin Yanyan, she couldn’t hide her smile. “Lady Qin, good day. Happy birthday to you.”

She said that sincerely, but in Qin Yanyan’s eyes, it was irony and showing off.

Qin Yanyan was so furious that she scowled and snorted regardless of Qingxue’s dignity. “Since you came to celebrate my birthday, why did you come so late? Didn’t you take me seriously? Is that the domestic discipline of the Shi Family?”

She attacked Qingxue in speech arrogantly.

But before Shi Qingxue retorted, Mo Junhao couldn’t bear to hear that and rebuked her coldly, “Yanyan, Qingxue is my respected guest. How can you act recklessly? Apologize to her.”

He was partial openly. Qin Yanyan couldn’t believe it, and even Shi Qingxue thought there was something wrong with Mo Junhao today. Prime Minister Qin’s power was clear. Even if he wanted to make her happy, he shouldn’t irritate Qin Yanyan. He embarrassed Qin Yanyan just to get close to Qingxue. Wasn’t he afraid that he would lose both of them?

“Your Highness!” Qin Yanyan shouted emotionally and was about to cry. “Even if you don’t care about me, you should consider the baby. Who the hell is Shi Qingxue? Does she deserve my apology?”

The word “baby” made everyone present change their expressions. They looked at Qin Yanyan’s belly and didn’t expect that she would drag up the news at the crucial time.

Seeing that the two were astonished, Qin Yanyan felt contented. She rushed into Mo Junhao’s arms in a spoilt manner and said sweetly, “The royal doctor checked a few days ago and said it is more than two months old. I didn’t spread the news for fear of any accident, but it is our bay. Don’t you want to touch it, Your Highness?”

She gently pulled Mo Junhao’s hand to put it on her belly and peeped at Qingxue, with obvious provocation.

Shi Qingxue’s expression was stiffened, but it wasn’t because of Qin Yanyan. She thought of something in the past and lost her interest in coping with the two. Then she turned to leave.

She didn’t notice if Mo Junhao called her later. She just felt disgusted and tired, and she even didn’t know what time it was.

She staggered ahead and was tripped by a stone before falling forward. She didn’t even have the energy to struggle but closed her eyes by instinct.

She didn’t bump or feel the pain as expected. A force dragged her behind and she rushed into warm arms. A deep and exasperated voice was beside her ear. “What are you doing? You don’t even look at the road when you are walking?”

It was Mo Junyang.

Tears soon filled Shi Qingxue’s eyes. In Mo Junyang’s reproach, she hugged his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, whispering with sobs, “Mo Junyang, Mo Junyang…”

She called again and again. In her voice, there were tiredness and pain, as well as helplessness and trust that she didn’t find.

Mo Junyang heard that but he was not relieved. He just felt heartbroken. Then he patted Shi Qingxue’s back and comforted her in a low voice, “Don’t cry. I am here. What happened? Tell me. No matter who bullied you, I will stand up for you.”

Anybody who didn’t know would think that Mo Junyang was lying, but Shi Qingxue was clear that this man was so capable. He didn’t take anybody or anything seriously. She felt relieved.

Even though she didn’t need help, she blurted out in Mo Junyang’s love, “Mo Junhao. He bullied me. You help me beat the shit out of him.”