Chapter 84: Mo Lan
After Mo Ying’s father married his second wife, she was unable to conceive a male child.
And so her only child was "Mo Lan," devious and wicked like her mother, though she mostly showed her wickedness towards the maids and servants.
When she turned 20, she was to get married to a minister’s son. On the day of the wedding, everything started well, but after they had gotten married and the wedding was about to end, Mo Ying, together with Head Persecutor Han, crashed the wedding, revealing her newlywed husband as a traitor to the emperor.
He was arrested and stripped of his noble name.
Considering the fact that Mo Lan had just married into his family, she was saved, and her title remained.
Though unfortunately for her, her reputation was ruined.
No man wanted to marry her again after that event. The only men who came were those who had already married, wanting her as a concubine instead of a main wife.
She didn’t want to marry and become a concubine like her mother, so she refused to get married and had been single for the past eight years now.
Her own husband was beheaded in front of her, causing her to hate Mo Shen for ruining her life, even though he never intended to.
---
Seated on her chair, Mo Lan idly picked at a bowl of almond nuts, her free hand resting against her cheek.
The room was dimly lit, the flicker of the lantern casting soft shadows across her face. Two maids attended to her, one kneading her shoulders gently, the other reading from a book in a quiet, steady voice.
The calm was broken by a commotion outside her door.
"Y-you can’t go in, Young Master! Young Miss said she doesn’t want to be disturbed!" one of the servants protested.
A sharp noise followed, someone being shoved aside.
The door flew open.
Mo Lan’s hand froze mid-air, an almond slipping from her fingers. The maids quickly stepped back, bowing their heads.
Mo Ying stood at the entrance, his expression cold, his breathing heavy as if he’d come in anger.
Mo Lan slowly turned her head toward him, her voice low and steady.
"Mo Shen," she said, eyes narrowing. "What audacity do you have to enter my room at this hour?"
"The same audacity you had that gave you the mind to bring Lin Xu here!" he shouted, his tone of voice scary.
Waving her hands, Mo Lan dismissed the maids around her, leaving only she and Mo Ying alone.
Seating properly, that one sly smile appeared on Mo Lan’s face once again.
"Oh? So it seems you didn’t like the surprise I gave you, brother. Well, that’s too sad... after all, I did put so much effort into it."
"You!" He walked towards her, pointing his finger.
He warned, "I have tolerated you and your mother enough... You can do whatever you want to me, but don’t even think I would ever let you have your way with Lin Xu. Keep her out of all of this... unless I will—"
She cut him off, "Do what?! Exactly what can you do, Mo Shen?!"
She stood up, looking him straight in the eyes, her expression fierce.
"What can you ever do? You can never protect anyone when you couldn’t even protect your own mother."
"MO LAN!"
"WHAT?! DON’T SHOUT AT ME! Just because you are now the general doesn’t mean you have any power. Mother has this entire house wrapped around her little finger... the only reason you even have a single authority here is because of that stupid general’s title."
"Hahahahah..." Mo Ying broke into laughter, "Even though I have no power, I can still ruin you if I wanted to..."
Immediately he said those words, Mo Lan’s expression changed again. "What do you mean?"
Mo Ying’s smirk deepened as he stepped closer until his shadow stretched across her.
"What do I mean?" he said quietly, his voice a blade beneath the calm. "I mean that if His Majesty’s daughter, your lover’s wife, were to find out you’ve been sneaking around with her husband..." His lips curved cruelly. "She wouldn’t just humiliate you, Mo Lan. She’d destroy you."
Mo Lan’s eyes flickered, her poise cracking for a split second. "You—you don’t know what you’re talking about."
"Oh, I know exactly what I’m talking about."
He reached into his robe and tossed something onto the table. It landed with a dull thud, a silken handkerchief embroidered with the royal crest and faint traces of perfume.
Her heart sank instantly.
"Recognize it?" Mo Ying asked, his tone sharp. "He dropped it the last time he snuck out of your courtyard."
Mo Lan’s lips parted, but no sound came out. Her throat felt dry.
"You’re reckless," he continued, his eyes narrowing. "Having an affair with a married man, and not just anyone, but the Emperor’s son-in-law. If the Princess finds out, do you really think you’ll survive her wrath? She won’t stop until you’re dragged through the streets in shame."
Her hand clenched tightly against her robes. "You’re bluffing," she said, though her voice wavered.
Mo Ying let out a low laugh. "Bluffing? I have witnesses, letters, even gifts he sent you. You may be clever, sister, but you’ve grown far too comfortable in your lies."
"You may hate me for ruining your wedding, but that doesn’t mean you have the right to try and hurt my woman."
He turned slightly, heading for the door. "Consider this your warning. Keep Lin Xu out of your petty games... or I’ll make sure that every secret you’ve buried finds its way to the palace."
The door closed behind him with a sharp click, leaving Mo Lan standing still, her nails digging into her palms. Her breathing quickened, fury and fear twisting together in her chest.
Slowly, her lips curved into a cold, trembling smile.
"Mo Shen!" she whispered, eyes dark with hatred. "You’ll regret this."
---
Soon the day of the wedding arrived, and it was indeed a lavish one.
Different noble families all around the empire attended. Even the Crown Prince had attended.
The Mo residence was full and packed. Everyone was smiling ear to ear except the groom.
Entering into Mo Ying’s room was a tall man dressed in the most flawless robe you could ever see.
He had an amusing smirk on his face, and upon seeing him, Mo Ying grinned widely.
"It has been a while, Your Highness," Mo Ying brought out his hand, bowing.
"C’mon, when we are alone, I want all the formalities to drop! How have you been, brother?" The Crown Prince pulled Mo Ying in for a side hug.
They both sighed, and Han, together with the Crown’s right-hand man, exited the room to guard the outside door, leaving the two alone to talk.
Immediately they stepped out, the Crown Prince’s expression changed into a serious one.
"I am aware that this marriage is being done unwillingly, but I reassure you, brother, I will make sure they don’t win. Soon the rebels will strike, then you will have to step up. If you are able to win against them, the emperor will have no other choice but to respect and acknowledge you and your mother and sister... They won’t have a chance."
"I never knew there would be a day when I would have to stoop so low just like my father and marry a woman whom I don’t love just to maintain my title."
"Welcome to my world."
Mo Ying laughed as the Crown Prince laughed along.
"I have to become powerful, powerful enough to have and protect the people I love," he muttered, facing the wall.
His mind wandered about Lin Xu and the kids. He wanted to hold her so much. She was in front of him, but he couldn’t even do that.
He could only watch and leave without being able to hold her the way he wanted.
---
Back at the Wu Village, Zushi and Yan Mei stood beside the counter as their eyes didn’t leave Lin Xu, who walked from one place to another.
"Has she really been like this all morning?" Zushi asked, shaking her head slightly.
"She has been acting like this all day. Anytime she’s stressed or paranoid, she works nonstop, even doing things she isn’t supposed to be doing."
"Mo Ying! That bastard! How dare he... argh! Even if he doesn’t like her, why send someone to even bring her there? Now she’s aware of his marriage to that princess, and our poor Lin Xu is here all alone," Zushi pouted.
"After we returned that day, Lin Xu didn’t even speak to me... Anytime I tried mentioning Mo Ying, that’s when she remembered she hadn’t done something and would leave me hanging. She won’t feel better until she’s finally freed her heart."
Yan Mei continued, "I know there is a lot she wants to say and let out... but she’s trying to hold it all in—so typical of her."
"I wonder what is next for the two of them... is this how their story ends? Or is this just a stupid cliffhanger?!"