Chapter 1262 Fifth Sister, Save Me!
The noise was so loud that even Shao Wanru couldn’t help looking over.
“Qiu Yue, go and see who it is!” Zhao Xiran ordered.
Qiu Yue answered and left. After a while, she came back with a few people. Seeing the leading person, Shao Wanru raised the corners of her mouth slightly. It was indeed an acquaintance: Mo Qiuyi.
Nowadays, Mo Qiuyi looked very different from how she looked in the Yuhui Nunnery. At that time, Mo Qiuyi was dressed in very ordinary clothes. As a woman living an ascetic life, she never put on make-up. Most of the time, she was simply dressed in garments worn by nuns in the Yuhui Nunnery. It was said that Mo Qiuyi had cultivated in the mountain longer than Shao Wanru. Except for that, she had no distinctive features worth mentioning.
Now, Mo Qiuyi seemed to have changed into another person. She wore luxurious clothes made of silk and brocade, always surrounded by many servant girls and old maids. At first glance, Shao Wanru could tell that this woman was living an excellent life. Besides, her face was covered with cosmetics. If Shao Wanru were not familiar with her, she wouldn’t recognize her.
She would soon marry into the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion, but she was still wandering outside like Infanta Yuan’an.
“Princess Chen?” Seeing Shao Wanru, Mo Qiuyi was startled. She had just seen a carriage parked aside but thought it must belong to another courtyard. There was no unique sign on the carriage. It was a little larger than regular ones but didn’t look conspicuous. She didn’t expect it to be Shao Wanru’s carriage.
She would not have come in if she had known that Shao Wanru was here.
Since she had already entered, it was not convenient for her to leave.
“Miss Mo!” Shao Wanru said with a gentle smile.
Qiu Yue stepped aside angrily. “What’s wrong with these people? As soon as the door was opened, they rushed in aggressively without any courtesy. A few strong old maids are with them. They are up to no good.”
They were no longer in the Marquis Xing’s Mansion. Followed by Zhao Xiran, Qiu Yue had tasted the bitterness of the world and knew they couldn’t do anything to them. Fortunately, Princess Chen came here today.
“Greetings, Princess Chen.” Mo Qiuyi stepped forward and bowed sideways in a well-behaved manner. Behind her, these servant girls and old maids also respectfully saluted Princess Chen.
Mo Qiuyi didn’t dare to take Shao Wanru lightly.
Once in the Yuhui Nunnery, she had clashed with Shao Wanru. Anyway, she dare not underestimate Shao Wanru.
Others thought Princess Chen was delicate. Since she looked young and beautiful, a lady looking like a tender flower must have been carefully protected and cherished. Such a woman was usually useless. Yet, Mo Qiuyi didn’t think so. Others didn’t know about the Yuhui Nunnery’s harsh environment, but she did. A woman who could survive in such a place couldn’t be simple.
Just like her, without other purposes, she wouldn’t have lived in such a place.
“Miss Mo?” Zhao Xiran didn’t know Mo Qiuyi. She looked her up and down and asked, “Which family is she from?”
It was no wonder that she didn’t know Mo Qiuyi. None of the high-status and noble ladies in the capital city knew her. Mo Qiuyi was not from an aristocratic family. For so many years, she lived in the mountain and only went out to socialize occasionally. Since she hadn’t yet married into the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion, she was still in the current circle of Young Madams from ordinary families and couldn’t reach Zhao Xiran’s social level.
“This is Commandery Prince Qing’s future legal wife.” Shao Wanru calmly introduced her to Zhao Xiran.
Zhao Xiran was smart enough to understand it at once. She looked at Mo Qiuyi narrowly. Though she would be Commandery Prince Qing’s wife in the future, she hadn’t yet married him. Thus, it was not impolite for Zhao Xiran to do so.
If it were in the past, Zhao Xiran would get up to receive her tactfully even if Mo Qiuyi had a lower status. However, Zhao Xiran was in no mood now. After all, she hadn’t yet managed to handle her family’s messy affairs. How could she think of buttering up Mo Qiuyi when she was so upset with the mess?
Moreover, at a glance, she knew this lady must be here to make trouble. How could Zhao Xiran be generous and kind to welcome someone looking for trouble here?
Mo Qiuyi looked a little sullen. All the Misses and Madams in her circle fawned over her when she attended different banquets during this period. Once she married Commandery Prince Qing, she could be considered one member of those aristocratic families. She would become far inferior to Misses and Madams from these ordinary families. These people would undoubtedly curry favor with her when having a chance to associate with her.
“First Young Madam Zhao, may I see Shao Jie’er?” Displeased, Mo Qiuyi raised her head and went straight to the point. “She is a Commandery Prince Qing’s concubine. Since your family has suffered great misfortune, Shao Jie’er must return to the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion, no matter what! Please forgive me for being so blunt, First Young Madam Zhao.”
“Go and ask Second Miss to come here!” Zhao Xiran was in no mood to care about Shao Jie’er, so she raised her hand and ordered.
Qiu Yue withdrew and soon came back with Shao Jie’er.
Shao Jie’er looked too thin and frail to stand a gust of wind. Never had she imagined that such a change would happen. She thought she could take the Marquis Xing’s Mansion as a shelter and be protected by her father. Unlucky for her, the Marquis Xing’s Mansion fell into turmoil a few days after her arrival. She was driven out with her brother and sister-in-law.
She had a hard time escaping from the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion and never intended to return. Because of this, she even dared to offend Commandery Prince Qing. But she had no idea what to do after so many things happened.
When Shao Wanru came in, she saw her through the window. However, she didn’t dare to see Shao Wanru and hid. Unexpectedly, not only Shao Wanru but also Mo Qiuyi came. Thus, she felt even more reluctant to come out.
But she had to meet them, for Mo Qiuyi came especially for her.
She came out timidly with a pale face. After giving a salute to Shao Wanru, she bowed to Mo Qiuyi.
Mo Qiuyi looked at Shao Jie’er and criticized her with a frown. “Shao Jie’er, His highness asked you to go back. As his concubine, how could you live outside? If anything happens to you in the future, others will make unpleasant remarks about him.”
They hadn’t seen each other for a few days, and Shao Jie’er didn’t look as charming as before. Was there any chance for her to outshine Princess Yuyan?
Shao Jie’er looked at Shao Wanru and Zhao Xiran, who remained silent beside them. Gritting her teeth resolutely, she said, “Miss Mo… I… I won’t go back!”
“You are His highness’s concubine. How dare you refuse to go back?” Mo Qiuyi flew into a rage and snapped, “Are you going to be an escaped concubine?”
When an ordinary family caught their escaped concubine, they would tattoo words on her face.
“Miss Mo, but I am not just a concubine. I… His highness has promised me the position as a consort.” Shao Jie’er screwed up her courage and said. Even at this time, she knew she could not let Mo Qiuyi make her an escaped concubine.
Her identity in the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion was indeed embarrassing. But Chu Qing had said that it was just a passing phase.
“Shao Jie’er, don’t you know your status? Can’t you remember your identity when entering the mansion? If you can become a consort, you are no longer an ordinary concubine now!” Mo Qiuyi sneered and said, “Come on, take Shao Jie’er back!”
Two rough-looking old maids came up to her, standing on each side.
“Sister Zhao, save me, please! I don’t want to return to the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion. I will be killed there. They couldn’t tolerate me back then, and now they hate me even more!” Shao Jie’er, dragged by two old maids, cried loudly and pleaded with Zhao Xiran not to let go of her. She didn’t dare to ask Shao Wanru for help.
Zhao Xiran’s eyebrows twitched slightly. No matter what Shao Jie’er had done, she was still her sister-in-law, the younger sister of Shao Hua’an. At this time, she couldn’t turn a blind eye to her.
“Miss Mo, please wait!” Zhao Xiran said.
“First Young Madam Zhao, what do you mean? Are you going to keep His highness’s concubine?” Mo Qiuyi looked up at Zhao Xiran and asked. She was afraid of Shao Wanru but not Zhao Xiran.
Zhao Xiran, the minister’s down-and-out daughter, was nothing.
“But you haven’t married into the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion, have you?” Zhao Xiran said and looked at Mo Qiuyi calmly. Only an aristocratic family could cultivate a woman in such an imposing manner. She looked no less intimidating than Mo Qiuyi.
Mo Qiuyi was stunned, and her expression changed slightly. “What do you mean by saying that?”
“Nothing. I want to ask about your wedding date. After all, you haven’t yet married Commandery Prince Qing and are still Miss Mo. If Commandery Prince Qing wants my second sister to go back, let him pick her up himself!” Zhao Xiran said, appearing calm and stable, but Mo Qiuyi’s face was overcast.
Indeed, she wasn’t Commandery Prince Qing’s legal wife, though she might be. From this point of view, Mo Qiuyi was not qualified to interfere in the affairs of Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion.
“Do you know what you’re talking about?” Mo Qiuyi’s face turned pale with humiliation, then vivid with anger. Though Shao Wanru nearby didn’t say anything or even look at her, she still felt under tremendous pressure. It made her feel even more ashamed and annoyed. It was okay that she couldn’t compare with Shao Wanru, but she was no inferior to Zhao Xiran!
“Miss Mo, I know very well what I’m doing, but you should also be responsible for your actions. The Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion has many people to handle their affairs. But Miss Mo, I don’t think you have the right to do this now!” Zhao Xiran said coldly.
She had a low opinion of Mo Qiuyi, who started throwing her weight around early before marrying the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion. Mo Qiuyi was not easy to deal with, and she could tell it with a glance.
She didn’t want to meddle in this matter at first, but now she had to do so because Mo Qiuyi provoked her.
Mo Qiuyi’s act was not perfectly justifiable.
“I… I…” It was true that Mo Qiuyi had no right to do that. Suddenly, she was ashamed into angry but managed to remain rational. Since Shao Wanru was here, she couldn’t resort to violence, no matter how furious she was. Mo Qiuyi had brought many helpers with her, for she had planned to take action if anyone disobeyed.
But now, she couldn’t do anything.
In the end, she suddenly stood up and sneered, “First Young Madam Zhao, take care of yourself. I’ll come back to take Second Miss Shao later.”
After some time, she would be Commandery Prince Qing’s legal wife. At that time, Zhao Xiran would have no reason to turn her down.
“Do as you please, Miss Mo!” Zhao Xiran said carelessly.
Seeing her like this, Mo Qiuyi became increasingly angry with pent-up hatred. She bowed to Shao Wanru and took her leave. Halfway, she looked back at Zhao Xiran with a threatening expression and left with a bunch of servants.
Of course, she would not give in.
After the large group of people left, the courtyard quieted down. Shao Wanru had been watching them quietly, neither intervening nor saying anything.
“Please save me, Fifth Sister.” With no outsiders around, Shao Jie’er bit her lip, suddenly pounced on Shao Wanru, and begged her as if she had made up her mind! Eldest Brother said that this would be her last chance!
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