Chapter 76: Chapter 76
"Even in front of your father, you both still fight like fools! HAVE YOU BOTH NO RESPECT FOR YOUR DEAD FATHER!?"
They both turned around only to find Madame Mo standing there, dressed in a long white mourning robe. Behind her stood a few servants, their heads lowered respectfully.
Her face was stern, a deep frown carved across her features as she glared at the two siblings. The air instantly grew heavy, and even Mo Lan, who had moments ago been shouting, quietly lowered her gaze.
Madame Mo took slow, graceful steps forward, the sound of her wooden slippers echoing softly through the hall. Her eyes swept from Mo Lan to Mo Ying, sharp and cold.
"Your father’s body isn’t even cold yet, and this is how you choose to behave?" she said icily. "Arguing like commoners in the mourning hall, how utterly disgraceful."
Mo Ying’s jaw clenched as he straightened his posture, trying to hold his composure, while Mo Lan bit her lip, pretending to look remorseful.
Facing Mo Ying, Madame Mo said in a low and authoritative tone, "Mo Shen, you’ve returned? Follow me!"
She turned around and left without waiting for his response. Mo Ying sighed, facing Fuhan he muttered, "I’ll be back."
And with that he left, leaving Mo Lan and Fuhan alone in the ancestral hall.
..
He followed Madame Mo until she entered her chambers, walking towards a wooden chair made especially for her.
Gently, with the help of her handmaiden, she took her seat while Mo Ying just stood, his expression as cold as usual.
"So you finally succeeded in killing the old man, huh?" Mo Ying broke the silence as his words caused the maids to pause slightly at what they were doing.
Waving her hand, Madame Mo dismissed them all, leaving only her and Mo Ying alone in the room.
"You should know by now that your words don’t easily trigger me... Mo Shen." She took a sip of tea, relaxing calmly.
"Someone!" she called out as a maid stepped in. "Yes, Madame?"
"Go get it," she instructed, and the maid nodded and did as she was told.
Moments later she brought a small scroll and handed it over to Mo Ying.
"That will be your activities for the next month. You ascending the general’s lineage will need a ceremony and that will hold in a week’s time... and immediately after that is your engagement!"
"What?" Mo Ying said, his voice full of confusion as he stared at the scroll. On it was the picture of an unfamiliar woman dressed in different attire.
"What the heck did you just say?" he asked, his tone a little bit frightening but not enough to frighten the middle-aged woman.
"You heard me loud and clear, Mo Shen... you’re getting married to the hostage princess San and your wedding with her will take place in five days’ time."
Mo Ying’s eyes darkened as he walked closer to her; his words had never been this sharp.
"Who the heck do you think you are to dictate who I get married to? You must have really lost it."
She burst out in a slow laughter.
"Yes, I have lost it actually... After all, being in this family for more than thirty years could make anyone lose their sanity... but concerning your marriage... It remains; you will marry hostage princess San and that is the order given by the emperor himself. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT OR POWER TO DISOBEY!"
She stood up from her chair as she walked closer to him. "Except if you want your position as the next general to be given to someone else, then feel free to refuse this marriage." A slight smirk formed on her lips as she circled Mo Ying slowly.
"If my position as the general depends on a woman, then I’m not worth that seat," he said as he turned around, ready to leave, but Madame Mo’s next words stopped him midway.
"You wouldn’t want it for a hostage princess, but you would surely want it for a single mother, huh?"
Upon hearing her words, he turned around, his fist tightening. "How did you know about her?"
"I’ve always known about her... since the day she saved you and took you in. Or what ?Do you think I’m as stupid as your father and not keeping tabs on you? After all, don’t blame me; if not for that personal guard of yours, I wouldn’t know a thing... Hahahahahaha."
She walked back to her chair as Mo Ying turned to face her.
"If you lay a single finger on her, I promise you I will kill you."
"Kill me? Hahahahahaha... You can try, but trust me, once I take my last breath so will that of that woman and her three pests."
"Oh Mo Shen, you had so much fun playing husband and father, huh? Well, playtime is over... I will not stand and watch another family take the general’s token; it belongs to our family and our family alone so get your acts back together. And that woman?"
She continued, "Even if you do marry Princess San it doesn’t mean you can’t stop marrying her... you can take her in as your concubine or mistress after all, didn’t your father do the same... He married your wretched mother as his wife for political reasons then years later married me... You can follow his lead, can’t you, Mo Ying."
"Don’t you dare call me by that name! You have no right to call me that, don’t even try to," Mo Ying shouted.
"Ah! Sorry, sorry, I completely forgot. That was the special name given to you by your dear mother. Aww, such a pity."
Turning around, Mo Ying made his way out, but before he left, he said one last thing, "I will wed Princess San but if you dare to lay a single hand on Lin Xu, I’ll forget every little respect I have left for you and murder you and your daughter right here..."