Not long after, Steward Du hurriedly returned. "Your Majesty, the eldest and third young ladies of the Yue family are performing their talents and cannot come over. However, the eldest young lady, Yue Chuqing, said that she does have a younger sister named Yue Qingmo. Yue Qingmo is the future Yue Maiden of Full Moon Manor and cannot marry outside the manor. Moreover, without the permission of the six elders, she cannot even leave Full Moon Manor. Therefore, they suspect that the woman below is an imposter."
These words, spoken once, caused a great stir.
Qingmo frowned deeply. No matter how bad their relationship was, the three sisters were still siblings from the same mother. It was one thing for Yuechu Qing and Yue Surong not to want to see her, but why insist that she wasn't the Second Miss Yue? Did they really want to kill her in this situation?
Before she could even compose herself, the Phoenix Emperor coldly ordered, "Throw this woman, who has committed treason and audacity, into the Heavenly Prison and hand her over to the Minister of Justice for rigorous interrogation..."
Chapter 008: This woman is impure
Guards immediately stepped forward to take her away.
Qingmo stood still, but suddenly laughed. However, the laugh was not joyful at all; instead, it was full of sorrow and desolation.
In this life, she had long known that she had no one to rely on, but she had always refused to face reality. Now, her so-called sisters had suddenly dealt her a blow, enough to wake her up. In a flash, she suppressed the sorrow that she shouldn't have felt, her thoughts racing, and after a moment she slowly said, "Your Majesty is wise, I have another way to prove my identity."
The Phoenix Emperor waved his hand, and the guards stepped aside. He stepped down from his high seat, his majestic and deep voice exuding immense pressure, "Since there is another way, why didn't you report it earlier? Did you intend to play tricks on me?"
Qingmo knelt on the ground, "This subject dares not. This method is not appropriate, and I dare not use it lightly unless absolutely necessary. That is why I did not inform you just now."
"Then rise and give your reply."
Qingmo stood up. "Your Majesty, I need a pair of scissors."
The atmosphere in the hall was somewhat somber. The scissors were presented, and the guards protected the Empress behind them. Feng Luochuan stared intently at her, wanting to see how she would fight for her own survival.
Brushing aside her cloud-like black hair, Qingmo's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, she lifted the collar of her robe, and with a snap, the sound of brocade tearing rang out. All the guards lowered their heads, while the Phoenix Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze unreadable.
From the tear in the garment, a small section of snow-white arm was revealed, and a phoenix with outstretched wings danced in the full moon. Although the phoenix was small, it was depicted with extraordinary realism, its long feathers were colorful, and its pair of fiery red eyes were proudly raised, burning everyone's eyes.
The moon invites the phoenix to dance; this is the totem of the Moon Spirit Clan.
For a moment, the hall was eerily quiet. The Phoenix Emperor looked solemn and stared motionlessly at the totem on his arm, seemingly lost in some kind of memory.
“Uncle,” Feng Luochuan suddenly spoke, glancing at Qingmo before kneeling on the ground with a serious expression, “This woman is impure. There is a bite mark on her neck, not very obvious, but it was clearly inflicted recently. Even if she is Miss Yue Er, I’m afraid…”
Qingmo froze, her heart pounding. Oh no! She had miscalculated despite all her plans. If she couldn't find a good excuse today, even a miracle couldn't save her.
The people of Fengyue have strict morals. If an unmarried woman is caught having an affair with a man, she will be drowned in a pig cage. She had already committed a major taboo by exposing her shoulders in public, and if she were also accused of having an affair, she would probably be sentenced to death by several charges.
Yesterday, Feng Chenmu bit her. With her medical skills, a proper treatment would have made the mark invisible. However, she had been busy all night with Tianzhen and Lanman, and hadn't even had time to sleep, so how could she have properly treated the wound? This morning, she used a skin-restoring ointment and applied a thick layer of powder, so the bite mark shouldn't have been visible. It's probably because the collar of her clothes was too high, rubbing off the foundation. She had considered this when she cut her clothes, so she cut the collar a little off-center, but unexpectedly, someone with sharp eyes still noticed it.
The atmosphere in the hall was extremely oppressive, and the guards' heads were practically hanging to the ground.
The Phoenix Emperor sat on the dragon throne, his sharp, icy eyes fixed on her. "Yue Qingmo, what do you have to say?"
Qingmo lowered her eyes slightly, her thin lips pressed tightly together, her brain cells racing, but unfortunately, she couldn't find a reasonable explanation for the moment. When she raised her head again, her eyes had regained their clarity and determination, and she said calmly, "This subject has nothing to say."
"Take him away..."
The Phoenix Emperor seemed tired; even his voice, as he issued the orders, sounded weary.
"Wait, Father, the mark on my sister's neck is from my bite." A warm voice interrupted at the right time. Qingmo couldn't help but turn around. Feng Chenhao's lips curled up, and his eyes and brows were full of smiles as he looked at her gently.
Her heart skipped a beat. Qingmo carefully examined Feng Chenhao. Today he was wearing a green robe, his jet-black hair was tied up with a matching ribbon, and his clean face was surprisingly handsome and charming. You couldn't tell he was a fool at all.
"Hao'er, why are you here? Where is Aunt Fang? Why isn't she with you?" The Phoenix Emperor glanced around and, seeing that he was indeed alone, his face darkened. "Someone, take Prince An to the backyard to rest."
"No, I won't go! I'm not stupid! Father Emperor has people following me every day, and now he doesn't even listen to what I say!" Feng Chenhao slammed down on the ground in a huff. Chief Steward Du, terrified, tried to pull him away, but Feng Chenhao threw a tantrum, rolling around on the ground like a child, "No, I won't go! Waaah... You're all bullying me! Those who bully me will all fall into the latrine..."
What? Qingmo was both amused and exasperated. Feng Chenhao was perfectly fine just now, looking no different from a normal person. How come he's like this now? She glanced at the Emperor without showing any emotion, only to see that his face was now clouded with gloom, the calm before the storm.
"Your Highness, it's late autumn, and the air on the ground is chilly. Please get up." Qingmo slowly walked over, intending to help him up.
Feng Chenhao stared intently at her, his dark, abyss-like eyes shimmering with tears, and reached out his hand to her. Qing Mo grasped his hand, and he smiled, revealing a smile that could topple empires. Suddenly, he leaped up and tackled her to the ground, pinning her hands down and biting her neck hard.
A gasp rang out, and everyone stared in disbelief.
Qingmo's eyes widened in disbelief. She never dreamed that Feng Chenhao would suddenly pounce on her and bite her. It took her a while to realize that the position was ambiguous. She hurriedly tried to get up, but found that Feng Chenhao was looking at her seriously, his eyes clear and pure, without a trace of evil.
“Sister, your blood is sweet,” he said, staring with innocent eyes. He stuck out his tongue and swallowed the blood from the corner of his mouth. His bloodthirsty appearance was somewhat sinister.
"Go and pull Prince An up..." The Phoenix Emperor's face was gloomy, and his tone was displeased.
Before the guards could approach, Feng Chenhao had already gotten up on his own and even gentlemanly helped Qingmo up as well. Standing up, he looked at the Emperor with a serious expression and said, "Father, yesterday Brother Luochuan hung me from a tree saying he was going to feed me to the fish. Sister saved me, but I was terrified by him and afraid she was a bad person, so I bit her, just like what happened. If you don't believe me, I'll demonstrate it for you again." He then gave Feng Luochuan a fearful look.
"Luo Chuan, is this true?" Phoenix asked in a low voice, looking coldly at Feng Luo Chuan.
With a thud, Feng Luochuan knelt on the ground. "Uncle, Luochuan was just joking with Brother Chenhao. I didn't really mean to feed him to the fish. Please... Uncle... understand." Feng Luochuan was terrified. His arrogant and unrestrained manner was completely gone, and he even trembled as he spoke.
Qingmo stood silently to the side. This incident clearly showed how much the Phoenix Emperor doted on his foolish son. Thanks to his help today, she had finally escaped death. Unfortunately, before the old problems were resolved, new ones arose. So many people in the hall had witnessed Prince An biting her; if word got out, not only would her reputation be ruined, but the gossip in Fengdu would be enough to give her a headache. And she was utterly innocent.
Her sleeve twitched, and she tilted her head to look. She saw Feng Chenhao playing with her sleeve, and when he saw her looking over, he immediately beamed.
Qingmo looked at his innocent smile, her lips twitched, and she made a face at him, but then she heard the Phoenix Emperor suddenly ask sharply, "Yue Qingmo, were the teeth marks on your neck really bitten by Hao'er?"
Chapter 009: Appreciating Dance and Discussing Music
The authoritative voice, like a sharp sword piercing the empty air, pressed down on her with overwhelming force. It seemed the Phoenix Emperor did not believe Feng Chenhao's words. Qingmo dared not underestimate him and solemnly said, "Your Majesty, this humble woman did indeed ride in the same carriage with Prince An yesterday..."
"Prince Ping has arrived..." Before the words could be finished, a eunuch's shrill voice came from outside the hall, followed by the sound of footsteps with a hammer and a cane approaching. Qingmo was immediately stunned. Feng Chenmu had arrived. What...what was he doing here?
"Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!" Feng Chenmu greeted respectfully, his eyes fixed straight ahead.
The Phoenix Emperor waved his hand casually, "Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Feng Chenmu respectfully stepped aside.
The atmosphere was somewhat strange. Although Qingmo kept her head down, she still vaguely sensed that something was amiss. Feng Chenhao addressed him as "Father," while Feng Chenmu addressed him as "Your Majesty." While the titles were merely appellations, they were enough to pinpoint the core issue. It seemed that Feng Chenmu and the Emperor weren't close, and the Emperor seemed overly cold towards his son. Could it be because of Feng Chenmu's birth mother? Her gossipy mind wandered...
"Yue Qingmo, you said outside Qiongfang Garden that you could cure the old ailments of Prince An and Prince Ping. Is that true?"
A powerful statement brought Qingmo back to her senses. She leaned forward, lowering her head even further, and said, "Your Majesty, as long as the necessary rare medicinal herbs are available, I can cure you."
"Alright, Xiao Duzi, go and invite Miss Yue and Miss Yue San here." The Phoenix Emperor paused. "Yue Qingmo, although you are a maiden of Full Moon Manor, now that you have come to Qiongfang Garden, your previous identity is no longer valid. Today you are participating in the concubine selection competition. I will give you a chance. If your medical skills are superior to those of the two Miss Yue, I will arrange a marriage for you. Otherwise, you will have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, and I will throw you into the Heavenly Prison and execute you in the autumn."
The deep, regal tone, carrying the unique majesty of an emperor, reached her ears word by word. Qingmo's hand trembled slightly within her sleeve, a chill creeping up her arm. The Phoenix Emperor didn't pursue the bite mark on her neck any further, likely related to Feng Chenhao, but he certainly wouldn't let her off the hook. Full Moon Manor's medical skills were unparalleled; frankly, she wasn't entirely confident in her ability to compete with Yuechu Qing in medicine, she could only fight to the death.
"Did you hear me clearly?" Seeing that she didn't answer, the Phoenix Emperor pressed her for an answer.
"Your subject understands." Qingmo lowered her head, appearing humble, but at this moment, she subconsciously straightened her back. Once her wet nurse was healed, she vowed never to wrong herself like this again.
"Your humble servants, Yuechuqing and Yuesurong, greet Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!" Soft and melodious voices, like nightingales singing in a valley, accompanied the two beauties, one in pink and the other in white, as they gracefully approached. Some people's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"In the North, there is a beautiful woman, aloof and independent. One glance could topple a city, a second glance could topple a nation. The two Miss Yue are truly celestial beings, possessing unparalleled beauty." Feng Luochuan's gaze followed Yue Chuqing closely, filled with praise.
"Your Highness is too kind. I am unworthy of such praise." Yuechu Qing smiled slightly at him, her eyes glancing coldly at Qingmo out of the corner of her eye. She said with an air of seriousness, "The Moon Spirit Clan uses the moon as their totem and absorbs the essence of the sun and moon. Their women are beautiful generation after generation. I am just an ordinary person among them and am really nothing special."
"I've heard that Miss Chuqing is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and is also a skilled physician. If she's considered mediocre, then some people at Full Moon Manor are truly despicable and repulsive." Feng Luochuan's gaze was fixed on Chuqing Yue, his words carrying a hidden meaning.
Everyone present could hear the obvious sarcasm. Qingmo snorted coldly, too lazy to pay attention to him, but then heard Feng Chenhao point at Yuechu Qing and ask in a daze, "Brother Luochuan, did you just say that this sister is ugly? Chenhao thinks this sister is not particularly ugly, only a little bit uglier than Eunuch Du."
"Pfft..." Someone laughed, it was Prince Ping who had been sitting silently to the side.
At the beginning of the month, Qing's face changed from red to white, then from white to green, a sight comparable to the national art of face-changing. Unfortunately, she couldn't say anything, because everyone knew that Prince An was a fool. If she were to argue with a fool, wouldn't she appear petty?
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Du Haide quickly tried to smooth things over, "Your Highness is too kind. Miss Chuqing is so beautiful, how could this servant possibly compare? I cannot... I cannot..."
Feng Chenhao blinked his innocent and pure eyes, "Of course it can't compare. My sister is ugly, so I won't compare myself to others."
Qingmo suppressed a laugh. Yuechu Qing's appearance was not as good as Yue Surong's. She had diligently practiced the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and had finally earned a reputation for being both talented and beautiful, but it had all been ruined in one fell swoop. At this moment, Yuechu Qing must be gritting her teeth in anger, but she still had to put on a smile and pretend to be polite. This time, she was determined to suffer this injustice in silence.
"Luo Chuan, prepare the items for the competition." The Phoenix Emperor watched the silent battle without showing any emotion on his face, but coldly ordered Feng Luo Chuan to move the venue.
Before long, the group arrived at a garden, where there were three tables separated by screens, with pen holders and inkstones on the tables.
The old emperor sat on the stage, and Feng Luochuan announced the competition rules. The three Yue sisters each stood in front of a table, separated by a thick screen so they could not see each other. They were not allowed to speak during the competition. During the competition, they wrote down their diagnoses on paper and presented them to the emperor.
Due to the terrain, the Phoenix Emperor and his party could clearly see the actions of the person behind the screen, but the person behind the screen could only see the person on the stage, so the competition rules seemed to have no drawbacks.
Qingmo was the first to step into the small square in the middle, and Yuechuqing and Yuesurong had to step into the squares on either side. With a command, the competition officially began.
As the pipa music began, a bewitching dancer in a colorful gown gracefully floated onto the stage. With light, flowing sleeves, she moved her supple, boneless body to the melody. The cloud-like sleeves entwined her lotus-like arms, and under her enchanting dance, they seemed to come alive, sometimes forming circles, sometimes scattering colorful petals, sometimes bending at the waist, sometimes falling to the ground, her whole being like a butterfly fluttering among flowers. Suddenly, the melody grew brighter and more cheerful, and the dancer moved faster and faster, her entire body beginning to spin. The layers of flowing sleeves, like paint spreading and blooming on flowers, blended and blossomed layer by layer, the colorful skirt spreading out, resembling a budding rose, leaving a lasting impression.
After the music ended, Du Haide stood on the high platform and announced loudly, "The first challenge is to identify the medicine by its fragrance. Please have the three Miss Yue write down the names of the medicines whose fragrance you smelled in the third section of the second part of 'Cloud Dress and Rainbow Pavilion'."
Qingmo paused, thinking, "Damn it, that old fox, the Phoenix Emperor, if we're going to compare medical skills, let's just compare medical skills. Why do we have to argue about music?"
For Yue Yueqing and Yue Surong, appreciating dance and identifying music might be nothing special, as they had been exposed to it since childhood. However, Yue Qingmo was completely clueless. Her so-called father, Yue Qingyang, had been exceptionally strict with her since childhood. After surviving the Ice Palace at the age of three, she had been forced to practice martial arts and medicine day and night for twelve years using various methods. Therefore, she was far superior to Yue Yueqing and Yue Surong in martial arts, poisons, and secret rituals. However, she was completely ignorant of refined arts like music, chess, painting, and dance. How could she possibly discern the second and third sections of the "Cloud Garment and Rainbow Dance"? Since she couldn't even figure that out, she naturally couldn't write down the names of the medicines. At that moment, her scalp tingled, and she was somewhat at a loss.
Seeing that she hadn't made a move, Du Haide asked from the stage, "Miss Yue, why are you so slow to write? If you don't write soon, you'll have lost the first round."
Chapter 10: A Gamble with Life
She lost the first round, but it wasn't just the competition she lost; it was... her life.
Qingmo remained silent for a moment. What should she do now? Who could tell her? If she didn't answer this question, she would surely lose, and her own life would be in danger, let alone saving her wet nurse. If she did answer, she would have to write down all the medicinal herbs she smelled, but there was no guarantee that she could pass this test. Neither method was suitable. She had to think of a compromise.
Looking up, she saw several people on the high seat with different expressions, each holding a cup of tea. They didn't look at her. Only Feng Chenmu saw her looking over and his eyes suddenly lit up with an indescribable gleam. His eyes clearly wanted to say something but didn't. He glanced at her meaningfully, picked up his porcelain cup, and took a sip.
What does that mean? Is he trying to give her some kind of hint? Qingmo was puzzled. After a moment, she picked up her brush and wrote down a few names of medicines on the Xuan paper, then held it up.
The Phoenix Emperor lifted his gaze from his teacup, glancing at the ordinary-looking woman behind the screen. His thick brows furrowed slightly, and his lips twitched as if he were about to announce the result. But then he noticed a few words beneath the paper she held. His solemn expression shifted several times, and suddenly he smiled…
Having served the Phoenix Emperor for many years, Du Haide naturally knew what this smile meant, signaling that the three of them had entered the second stage.
Upon hearing the result, Qingmo breathed a sigh of relief and quickly cast a grateful glance at Feng Chenmu, only to find that he had already left his seat. A sense of loss suddenly welled up in her heart.
Just now, she suddenly remembered all the kindness her wet nurse had shown her in the past, yet now she was lost in a delirious dream of unrequited love, unable to save her despite decades of medical training, and constantly at the mercy of others. She was overwhelmed with bitterness. Inadvertently, she looked up and met Feng Chenmu's dark, inky eyes. He stared at her intently, picked up his teacup, but spilled tea on his sleeve. She scoffed, intending to mock him for not being able to hold a cup properly, but then she noticed a purple kite embroidered on his sleeve, and suddenly everything became clear.