Chapter 7: Mohs

The grandmother and granddaughter were talking when a maid announced that the lady of the house had arrived. Yueyao keenly sensed the coldness in the old lady's eyes. She was surprised and wondered if the old lady and the lady of the house were not on good terms.

As the curtain opened, Mrs. Mo walked in. She was dressed in a light pink dress, with a neat round bun, adorned with a honey-colored hairpin. Her fair complexion, slightly plump figure, round face, kind eyes, and gentle demeanor gave off a very friendly vibe.

Yueyao looked at Mrs. Mo in front of her. It seemed like just a moment ago she had seen Mrs. Mo in a grand red dress, looking down on everyone. Now, not only did she look much younger, but she also seemed so humble in front of her grandmother.

The lady of the house entered the room and respectfully greeted, "Mother, how are you feeling today?" Her expression and actions showed her concern, leaving no room for criticism.

Mrs. Mo noticed the old lady looking at Yueyao, who was looking at her at that moment. The emotions in their eyes were complex and indiscernible. Mrs. Mo felt strange, and in a soft voice, she asked, "Yueyao, what's wrong with you? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Yueyao suddenly came to her senses and quickly lowered her head to adjust her emotions. She dared not look directly at Mrs. Mo, fearing that her eyes might reveal hatred. At her age, where could this hatred come from? If she showed any hatred in her eyes, it would surely arouse suspicion and unnecessary trouble. She had seen people who spoke nonsense being burned alive before.

Seeing Yueyao's unusual behavior today, Mrs. Mo was very suspicious. However, Yueyao was sitting next to the old lady, so she didn't dare to ask too much.

The old lady, on the other hand, noticed Yueyao's recent behavior. She was puzzled but didn't show it on her face. Instead, she said, "In a few days, the nanny will come. You should tidy up the courtyard. This matter concerns the reputation of the family. If the girl is not well-educated, it will affect the family's reputation. Yueying is already twelve years old and cannot be delayed."

Yueyao saw Mrs. Mo's humble response and couldn't help but look at her grandmother again. She used to hear from her cousin how the grandmother was so harsh on Mrs. Mo, and how she supported Aunt Chen to compete with Mrs. Mo, disregarding the difference between the main wife and the concubine. Until her passing, the affairs of the house were firmly in the hands of her grandfather. Because of this, Aunt Chen had caused a lot of trouble for Mrs. Mo. But after the grandmother's passing and three years of mourning, Aunt Chen became pregnant, only to miscarry.

Yueyao used to think her grandmother was too much, elevating a concubine and suppressing the main wife. But now it seemed that things were not as simple as she had thought.

Seeing Yueyao's discomfort, Mrs. Mo kindly asked, "Yueyao, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?"

The use of "again" made the old lady frown.

Yueyao respectfully replied, "Thank you for your concern, Aunt. I'm feeling much better..."

Mrs. Mo wanted to hold Yueyao's hands to show her affection, but Yueyao instinctively took two steps back. Not only that, her inner fear and anxiety surfaced. To others, Mrs. Mo seemed like a ferocious beast.

Yueyao also knew that this situation was very bad, but this was her most genuine reaction. In her mind, Mrs. Mo was like a venomous scorpion, even more poisonous than one. Even if she had reason, she couldn't control her inner fear.

The old lady's eyes flashed with suspicion. What had Mrs. Mo done to Yueyao to make her so afraid? The old lady was old and knew her own body well. So now she turned a blind eye to the affairs of the inner courtyard. But now it seemed that there were many things she didn't know about. She couldn't help but worry.

Mrs. Mo's hands hung in the air, feeling bewildered. Although Yueyao had not treated her like her own mother, she had always been affectionate towards her in front of her grandmother. Now, she was so distant. But it was only for a moment. Mrs. Mo quickly composed herself and said with a smile, "What's wrong with you, child? Why are you so distant from your aunt?"

In that moment, Yueyao regained her composure. She didn't want to be suspected of being possessed. But her previous behavior had already raised suspicions, and she couldn't afford to make any more mistakes. However, she couldn't pretend to be affectionate with Mrs. Mo. She stood stiffly in place.

Seeing Yueyao's attitude, the old lady sighed slightly. She would rather Yueyao tell her everything than keep it all to herself.

Yueyao accompanied the old lady for a few more words and then said, "Grandmother, I'll go back to copy the scriptures." She didn't want to face her grandmother's doubts.

After Madam Lao left, she instructed someone to ask, "This child's attitude towards the eldest daughter-in-law is very strange. Go and ask the people in Lanxi Garden what has happened to this child in the past few days."

When Yueyao walked out, the rain had stopped. The post-rain summer day brought fresh and cool air, making one feel completely relaxed.

After returning to Lanxi Garden, Yueyao fell into a daze again.

Muqiu and Hualai didn't dare to disturb her. They instructed the maid to prepare the lunch for the young lady. The meals prepared for Yueyao were always special. Having been accustomed to the delicate dishes of Jiangnan, Yueyao was not used to the cuisine of the capital. For this reason, Madam Lao specifically instructed to take extra care of her daily life and diet.

Yueyao was no longer willing to engage in such unprofitable and reputation-damaging matters. "There's no need to prepare a separate lunch. I'll eat whatever everyone else is eating," she said. Over the years, she had become accustomed to the taste of the capital and had no problem with it.

Muqiu and Hualai exchanged glances. "Young lady, how can this be? You are not used to this kind of food," they said. They couldn't let her go without eating!

Yueyao said calmly, "I will get used to it. It will take some time, but I will eventually."

Muqiu caught Hualai's eye and went out to inform the kitchen staff. Hualai looked at her young lady and felt puzzled.

Ignoring everyone's doubts, Yueyao went to copy scriptures in the small Buddha hall. Change comes slowly, step by step. As long as the general direction is correct, minor issues are not a problem.

When Yueyao copied the scriptures, no one was allowed to enter, not even the maidservant grinding ink. Everything was done personally by Yueyao.

During lunch, the maid expressed her concern, "Young lady, Madam Lao is your aunt and also the mistress of the house. How could you treat her like that today?"

Yueyao's expression turned very cold, "I know my limits and don't need you to teach me." She said this without anger or disgust, only with calmness. But this calmness indicated estrangement, which was more terrifying than disgust or anger.

Madam Gu's face changed drastically. How could the young lady embarrass her like this? If last night could be attributed to a nightmare, then now, in a clear state of mind, she was being reprimanded. The maidservants around her lowered their heads. Madam Gu wanted to say something, but Yueyao got up and returned to her room.

Looking at the things in the room, Yueyao gazed at the ink painting hanging on the wall, and for some reason, her thoughts drifted back to her previous life. Even Mr. Wen said she had a talent for painting in her previous life. She devoted all her thoughts to calligraphy and painting, as well as the six arts. She neglected the skills of a woman, such as needlework, cooking, and managing a household.

The Mo family deliberately guided her to regard money as worthless, so she didn't bother much about it. As a result, she was a mess in needlework and cooking. She didn't even know how to sew clothes when she entered the nunnery. It was only after years of hard learning with the nunnery's people that she became somewhat skilled.

With the experience of her previous life, Yueyao was well aware that poetry, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were all useless. These things couldn't sustain a living. What a woman should learn are the skills of needlework, cooking, and managing a household. These are the fundamentals for survival in the world.

In her previous life, she gained the reputation of a talented woman through these skills. However, apart from bringing her envy and hatred from others, this reputation had no practical use. In this life, she didn't want to suffer the same losses as in her previous life. She would learn what a woman should learn.

After some thought, Yueyao shook her head. She couldn't give up painting and calligraphy. Perhaps she would still rely on these skills in the future.

Muqiu and Hualai, seeing the young lady nodding and shaking her head alternately, looked at each other but didn't speak. The young lady's willingness to think was better than copying scriptures non-stop every day. Every time they saw the young lady copying scriptures tirelessly, they were both frightened.

The two were pondering.

Yueyao had already snapped out of her contemplation and, recalling the recent incident, looked at the two maidservants. "Who told Madam Gu about what happened just now?" If it weren't for these two maidservants, Madam Gu wouldn't have received the news so quickly. Yueyao suspected that it was Muqiu who had spoken.

Muqiu stepped forward, "Young lady, Madam Gu asked me, so I told her."

Yueyao glanced at Muqiu, "In the future, without my consent, you don't need to answer anyone's questions." Muqiu was straightforward. If she was given an order, she would carry it out to the end. Now that Yueyao had spoken, Muqiu wouldn't say anything.

Muqiu was taken aback and was pinched by Hualai before saying, "Yes, young lady."

When Muqiu came out, she asked Hualai, "What's wrong with the young lady?" The young lady's words were clearly aimed at Madam Gu. Why did the young lady suddenly show such aversion to Madam Gu?

Hualai shook her head, "Whatever the young lady says, you just have to do it." Sometimes, Hualai felt helpless with Muqiu's honesty. Being too honest was just foolish.