Chapter 18
Luo Cheng was a general who had been guarding the borders all this while. He left his family in the capital and only Luo Wenyou and Luo Wenchi accompanied him. They studied martial arts as well, so they stayed at the borders with him. They rarely returned home.
Mo Huawen had stayed in Cloud City all this while and was not close with the general’s family. In her last life, Mo Xuetong had not even seen her cousin when she entered the capital. Firstly, it was because she was older, and secondly, Mo Xuetong had been disfigured and felt inferior because of that. She did not even meet her closest relatives and friends. She would only receive a present from this cousin of hers on her birthday every year. The presents kept arriving even when the General Manor became destitute.
She bowed deeply to Luo Wenyou when she saw her cousin standing tall at the doorway with crystal clear eyes. Her heart twinged. She was grateful that he had not given up on her in her past life even when everyone had, and was thankful that it seemed that he still loved her as much in this life.
Luo Wenyou was surprised when he saw the gentle and elegant young woman.
"Younger sister Tong is so pretty. Uncle, you’re too much, how could you bear to leave such a beautiful daughter in Cloud City?" Luo Mingzhu said as she took a few steps forward and then sized up Mo Xuetong with a smile.
"Eldest cousin, second cousin!" Mo Xuetong curtseyed deeply again.
Luo Wenyou regained his wits and said with a laugh, "Younger sister Tong, there’s no need to be so polite amongst siblings. Your clothes are too thin, you’ve got to take care of your health!"
Her weak constitution made others dote on her for some reason. Luo Wenyou’s expression darkened when he recalled that his aunt used to be like that too, and then, had died young.
"Alright, alright. You rarely come, why do you mention this the moment you meet? Even though your younger sister’s health is poor, but her foundation is not bad." The old madam interrupted when she saw the film of tears in Mo Xuetong’s eyes.
"Grandmother is right. Since Younger sister Tong has come to the capital, then we should help to regulate her heath. Grandmother, I have just received some precious medicinal herbs. I wanted to send them to you, it looks like Younger sister Tong will get a share too, so I can be at ease." Luo Wenyou smiled serenely and sat on a carved seat.
"Oh, you. You can’t just eat medicine randomly. We don’t know how your younger sister’s constitution is like. We have to get her a checkup first." The old madam was in a good mood when she saw ho concerned Luo Wenyou was for Mo Xuetong. Then, she glanced at Mo Xuetong, who was by her side. They looked exactly like Cheng’er and Xia’er in the past. The old madam could not help but feel sad and happy at the same time.
Mo Xuetong knew that the old madam was thinking about her mother, who had passed away young, when she saw the sad expression on her face when she looked at Luo Wenyou and herself. She hurried to wrangle her hand out of Luo Mingzhu’s grasp and went to pull on the old madam’s hands. She said coyly, "Eldest brother is so concerned for me, how can grandmother not be happy. He must have already considered this and won’t let Tong’er eat any medicine randomly."
She had heard that her Eldest cousin was very intelligent. He would never do anything unprepared.
Indeed, Luo Wenyou gave her an appreciative glance and answered with a smile, "Grandmother, You’er has considered all of this and I’ve even called for a famous physician. I’ve called in a lot of favors to invite him. I even gave away the memoirs of Benyan that you gave me that time. My heart is still aching. Grandmother has got to remember to give me another one next time."
"This child is so stingy. Your heart is aching just after using some little thing of yours for your younger sister." The old madam laughed out loud for it was rare to see her grandson looking as if his heart was aching.
"That’s something that
"Alright, alright. I’ll think of you first when I have something good in the future! What kind of person have you invited? They even want our things?" The old madam smiled widely when she looked at her grandson acting so coy. The sad atmosphere lightened.
"Grandmother, the person that big brother invited is great. It’s Sir Bai. He invited him specially to take a look at you and younger sister Tong. He’s going to use the medicinal herbs that big brother sent people to look for especially to regulate the health of grandmother and younger sister Tong while its still autumn." Luo Minzhu said with a smile. She was so excited her eyes were sparkling.
"His Highness, Sir Bai?" Even the old madam was surprised, and she asked in confusion, "How did you manage to invite him?"
Everyone turned to look at Luo Wenyou. Sir Bai was not an ordinary person, nor the son of an ordinary man!
He was the crown prince of Yan, Bai Yihao! Mo Xuetong could not help but shudder, a hint of wariness appearing in her eyes. Even in her past life, when Mo Xuetong had remained in seclusion, she had known about the crown prince of Yan Kingdom. He was simply too famous and was a shocking character.
It was said that the crown prince was different from the other royal princes. He was not only handsome, but his bloodline was also impeccable as well. He was not only the crown prince of Yan, his mother was also the princess of Qin. Even though he came as a hostage of Qin, but because of his status, he was not imprisoned, but was allowed to come and go freely.
He walked around the capital in floating white clothes and lived as he pleased. He was almost like a deity. He did not hang out with military or government officials, but with scholars. They were casual and lived the way they wanted and were elegant and graceful.
However, Mo Xuetong knew that the crown prince returned to the Yan Kingdom afterward. He betrayed the military one night and ordered to kill hundreds and thousands of slaves. Then, he quickly took control of the Yan Kingdom.
Would a person like this really be as innocent as slow and be like a noble deity that walks in the night?
"Grandmother, you’re looking down on your grandson. Even though I’m not the greatest scholar of my time, but I’m still a scholar. I met His Highness a month ago and you were feeling poorly then. I also heard that younger sister Tong would be coming today, so I invited him to take a look at you two." Luo Wenyou said that lightly with a smile.
Mo Xuetong knew that things were not so simple. Even though Bai Yihao was known to be laid-back and gentle, he did not make friends easily. Because of his noble status, he never bent backward for power. He was also handsome and it was hard for a regular person to get to know him well. It was rumored that his medicinal skills were very advanced and he had once brought the dying Empress Dowager back from the brink of death.
Three years ago, the Empress Dowager had fallen seriously ill and no doctors could cure her. Bai Yihao, who had just arrived in the Qin Kingdom had not even had time to change before he entered the room in a flurry of white to cure the dying Empress Dowager. This incident had caused a furore in the Qin Kingdom and Bai Yihao’s handsome appearance had resulted in many looking at him in awe.
After that, Bai Yihao dedicated himself to nature and no longer cared about matters of the world. He rarely interacted with nobility and instead, interacted with scholars, and was praised for it. He became the idol of many young girls. He once traveled down a street and many girls came up to him with flowers, causing a commotion.
How could Luo Mingzhu not be excited when such an interesting character was coming to the manor?
"Then why have you not invited him?" Old Madam Xu was growing anxious as well. She was afraid of offending him!
The two maids backed away and pulled up the door curtains with excitement. Luo Wenyou went out to invite the man in personally. Mi Xuetong, however, hid behind the screen with the reluctant Luo Mingzhu.
The maids had already laid down the brocade stool for them. They had just taken a seat when they heard a voice coming from the outside. A clear and mellow voice came slowly from the door. His voice was enough to make a person drunk even before meeting him.
Through the plain colored screen made of gauze, Mo Xuetong first saw her eldest cousin walking in. He moved out of the way and a handsome young man appeared behind him like a colorful ray of light. The room, which had been noisy earlier, fell silent.
At the age of seventeen or eighteen, the boy’s beauty could not be described in words. Even Mo Xuetong, whose heart had been jaded, could not help but beat faster. Most importantly, there was a mysterious quality of carefreeness in his eyes that matched his white clothes. They were both pure white, like the ice and snow on top of Tianshan Mountain and reflected the brilliance of stars and moons.
Such as a fallen fairy, the young man was as beautiful as a piece of jade. His beauty was beyond imagination.
Outside, Bai Yihao greeted the old madam with gentleness and elegance, without formality. He put his fingers on the old madam’s wrist, closed his eyes and diagnosed her. He did not say much as he sat to the side and wrote a prescription.
"Miss, Old Madam is asking you to go out." A maid went behind the screen, passing on a message from the old madam.
On the other side, Luo Mingzhu looked at her pleadingly. She pointed outside and indicated that she would like to go out as well. It was a rare opportunity to have a close look at this world-famous handsome man. Luo Mingzhu had long wanted to go out but she was imprisoned by the old madam and felt aggrieved about it. How would she give up the opportunity when Mo Xuetong was about to go out? She pulled on Mo Xuetong’s sleeve and refused to let go.
She would not let Mo Xuetong go out if she could not go either!
"Could you ask Grandmother to remove the screen?" Mo Xuetong looked at the maid awkwardly, tugging on her sleeve and showing the maid.
"This…" The maid was put in a tough spot as well. She knew what her second young miss was thinking about when she saw how the young woman was holding on to Mo Xuetong. However, the noble families placed importance on separating men and women.
"Go and tell Grandmother that Sir Bai is a gentleman and is like a diety that everyone looks up to. No matter men or women, he is admired by everyone!" Mo Xuetong smiled gently and said to the helpless maid!
A smile appeared on Bai Yihao’s lips as he sat on the outside prescribing medicine. He glanced at the screen and continued his work.
The maid did not know what to do. She turned around and suddenly heard the old madam say, "Remove the screen and invite the two ladies!"
"Yes!" A few maids moved quickly to remove the screen!