Reborn: Femme Fatale First Daughter

Her clothes had not been dirtied at the banquet, so why did she change? Even though girls from wealthy families would prepare an extra set of clothes when they go out, the extra set would not be as appropriate as the one she wore. A lady would not change into her extra set of clothing under usual circumstances unless there was something else going on.

And Ling Fengyan’s incident had happened then. What a coincidence!

Everything changed in that instance. Mo Xuetong had become the most likely suspect for Ling Fengyan’s murder.

“Consort Ning, I do not know what reason I had to kill Consort Yan. My husband is just a leisurely prince. Why would I have to do something like that!” Mo Xuetong calmed down as everyone focused on her. Her clear eyes were as black as ink as she looked at Wang Yueyue who looked pleased.

“I heard that Consort Xuan had once had an argument with Consort Yu and Consort Yan in the palace. Someone framed Consort Xuan then and Consort Yan was implicated. As for what happened exactly, I’m not too sure either.” Feng Yuzhen looked as if he was deep in thought as he brought up some of his suspicions.

Consort Yu had been punished for the matter and Ling Rui’er had been grounded. Rumors started to spread that Ling Fengyan, the most beautiful woman of the capital, was a fake. She pretended to be gentle but was actually evil and vicious. The enmity between the two started then.

Even though Feng Yuzhen stated that he was uncertain what happened, he had laid out the motive Mo Xuetong had to kill Ling Fengyan.

The time was right, and she had the motive and also behaved oddly by changing her clothes. Furthermore, Ling Fengyan had mentioned that she felt unwell. All of this pointed to Mo Xuetong being the culprit. Even Princess Royal looked at Mo Xuetong with a hint of coldness in her eyes. It was the perfect plan and Feng Yuzhen managed to lead everyone into suspecting Mo Xuetong.

“Your Highness, this is no small matter. Consort Xuan had almost lost her reputation. She would have been driven to her wit’s end if what she was accused with that day had been proven true. It is right for her to be angry. However, her behavior today is truly... Consort Xuan is very young and there are some things that she had not considered thoroughly.” Wang Yueyue took the opportunity to speak up when she saw that everyone was looking at Mo Xuetong suspiciously.

Even though she had not accused Mo Xuetong directly, it made it seem as if what Mo Xuetong had done could be excused. It also hinted that Mo Xuetong was behind the vicious killing of Ling Fengyan.

If it was really Mo Xuetong... The Princess Royal’s eyes darkened.

Feng Yuxuan glanced at Wang Yueyue and then at Feng Yuzhen. Finally, he looked at Mo Xuetong and paused. Moments later, he turned around and waved his hand. A man by his side went out. Soon, an imperial physician appeared at the door who walked up to Ling Fengyan and started examining her silently.

“Consort Ning’s maid has really sharp eyes. She even managed to see whether my consort changed or not. Then should we inform King Ning’s manor every time I change my clothes? King Ning is even more impressive. You were at the capital of Yan but you know the little matters of what happened between women in the Qin palace.” Feng Yuran suddenly said lazily. His handsome eyes were clear and dark. His sharp features were handsome and charming.

Feng Yuzhen was shocked and he paled. He suddenly looked at this cousin of his he had always looked down on. Feng Yuran’s words were not just a statement made in a moment of pique. He was truly sharp and managed to point out the heart of the matter! Everyone knew that he was in the Yan Kingdom then, so how would he know of a tiny incident in the Qin palace so well? He would not have unless he was in the palace or if he had arranged for spies to be in the palace.

No matter which of the above possibilities, they would both arouse Emperor Zongwen’s suspicions!

Feng Yuzhen could feel that he was in danger. Emperor Zongwen had not dealt with him only because he did not have the opportunity to! He would not allow what happened today to become an excuse for Emperor Zongwen to punish him.

He laughed in a forced manner and said, “Eighth brother, you must be joking. Your sister-in-law told me about it after the matter happened. She even defended you then.”

He did not forget to drag Mo Xuetong down with him even as he tried to defend himself.

Feng Yuran ignored him as he looked at Wang Yueyue’s side with a vague smile.

Everyone followed his gaze and saw the maidservant whose screams had aroused their suspicions standing beside Wang Yueyue.

“Eighth brother changed clothes as well.” Feng Yuxuan said lightly, a hint of darkness clouding his eyes. He was an intelligent man and he felt rage welling up inside him. If there were not anyone beside him, he would have gone up to kick Ling Fengyan already. Ling Fengyan was a slut who had ruined his plans even after her death. He wanted to drag King Ning down with him but the slut had ignored his instructions and intentionally made it seem as if Mo Xuetong was involved instead.

When he heard what Feng Yuran implied, he quickly followed up with what Feng Yuran wanted him to say.

Feng Yuran was just an idle prince who was very arrogant. When Feng Yuxuan became the emperor, it would do good to his reputation to continue supporting Feng Yuran. King Ning, Feng Yuzhen, however, would never be of any help to him and would instead be a hindrance.

Everyone turned to look at Feng Yuran. Indeed, the clothes he was wearing were not the ones he wore when he entered the manor.

The hint of darkness in Feng Yuxuan did not escape Mo Xuetong. She lowered her head to hide the coldness in her eyes. She was even more certain of her earlier thoughts. Feng Yuxuan and Ling Fengyan had plotted this matter together. And it seemed like they had intended to blame Feng Yuzhen for it and get rid of him completely. However, what Feng Yuxuan did not expect was that Ling Fengyan would disregard his instructions and try to drag Mo Xuetong down instead.

She would not forget how Ling Fengyan had looked at her with eyes filled with venomous hate!

She also did not know how she had offended Ling Fengyan for Ling Fengyan to try to blame her for her death!

Ling Fengyan’s odd pulse showed that she had been poisoned long ago. She was just missing another poison that would trigger her death. No matter where she was, as long as a hint of the poison was triggered, Ling Fengyan would die. She did not understand what Feng Yuxuan did to force Ling Fengyan to walk to her death and to frame Feng Yuzhen for it.

It was a pity that Ling Fengyan had other plans to frame Mo Xuetong for her death. This complicated the matter and also plunged Mo Xuetong into danger. If Mo Xuetong could not absolve herself suspicion, she would die together with Ling Fengyan. However, Ling Fengyan’s plots and Wang Yueyue dragging the matter out, as well as Feng Yuxuan’s plans would all fail.

A sinister smile appeared by her lips. Someone was trying to frame her. She would not just stand there and allow it to happen. Even though Feng Yuzhen had worked together with Ling Fengyan this time, his plans were different from Feng Yuxuan’s. Furthermore, there was still Feng Yuran. She would win for sure this time. She definitely would!

No matter why Ling Fengyan walked to death by her own accord, she must not have done it willingly. She had not managed to outwit Feng Yuxuan when she was alive and thus would be unable to veer Feng Yuxuan’s plan in her death. Furthermore, Feng Yuran had already made plans for Mo Xuetong. She would not lose even if Feng Yuzhen and Wang Yueyue refused to let her off!

“Consort Ning’s maidservant has really sharp eyes and is really concerned about me. This set of clothes is really similar to the set I wore earlier. Only those who are close to me would be able to differentiate them. I did not know that Consort Ning’s servant had been keeping an eye on me. Or did Consort Ning already know that I was going to change?” Mo Xuetong looked up with a hint of confusion flashing through her eyes. She looked at Wang Yueyue in surprise, as if wondering how Wang Yueyue was so sure about her change of clothes.

She implied that Wang Yueyue had planned this and intentionally led everyone to focus on Mo Xuetong. When Wang Yueyue saw how everyone looked at her suspiciously, she hurriedly opened her mouth and tried to explain. However, Feng Yuran interrupted her.

“My consort and I rested for a while and changed. How did that make her my royal sister-in-law’s murderer? I wonder if King Ning has a very rich imagination or if she intentionally cast suspicion on my consort.” Feng Yuran’s smile was as sharp as a sword as he spoke coldly.

His eyes were extremely cold and sharp as he stared at Wang Yueyue. Wang Yueyue could not help but lower her head and shrink back fearfully.

“Eighth brother. Yueyue and Consort Yan were as close as sisters and they have never fought. It’s impossible that she would do something like that.” Feng Yuzhen immediately said.

“King Ning is implying that I am suspected of killing Consort Yan since there is bad blood between us and we are not close. I wonder how I managed to poison Consort Yan!” Mo Xuetong’s gaze did not change. She held the hand Feng Yuran extended to her and could sense the warmth coming from it.

Since Feng Yuzhen insisted that there was bad blood between her and Ling Fengyan, then why would the two of them be so close and not take anything else into consideration?

Feng Yuzhen’s expression darkened when he heard that and he could not come up with a retort.

“Your Highness, Her Lady was not killed by a poison she ingested. Someone had intentionally given her a poison and only a tiny amount entered her throat. It would not have killed her. There is some transparent salve on the lady’s sleeve. This salve, coupled with the incense in the parlor can cause death. Any ordinary person would only fall unconscious. However, the lady is weak and the poison went to her heart and caused death.”

The imperial physician stood up and reported to Feng Yuxuan.

She had not been killed by ingesting poison. There was salve on her sleeve and the incense?

A kneeling maid stood up suddenly. Her dazed gaze spun and then landed on Wang Yueyue. She leaped at the woman and screamed hysterically, “It’s you, it’s you. You were the one who lit the incense earlier. You said that the incense was bad and changed it intentionally. You were the one who killed the consort.”

The servants around Wang Yueyue did not react in time to catch her when the maid leaped at her like a mad beast. The maidservant jumped onto Wang Yueyue heavily. Wang Yueyue screamed pathetically and the servants around her immediately came to their senses and tried to pull the maidservant away!

The maidservant struggled frantically but could not escape from the grasps they had on her. She could only scream at Wang Yueyue, saying, “It’s you, it’s you! You were the one who killed the consort. You changed the incense and you were the one who put the transparent salve on the consort.”

“My Lady, oh, Her Lady is bleeding. What should we do? Come quickly to hold the lady.” Even louder screaming ensued as the servants around Wang Yueyue grew flustered. Wang Yueyue, who was lying on the ground was bleeding slowly, staining her light-colored skirts red.

“Child, my child. Save my child!” Wang Yueyue clutched her stomach and screamed. Her eyes were wide with panic as she searched through the crowd for Feng Yuzhen’s face. She screamed in fear as she felt the child in her belly dying. It was her child. Didn’t they say just had to pretend to suffer? Didn’t they say she just had to set up Ling Fengyan and Mo Xuetong?!

Why had things come to this!

It was almost as if she had lost all her strength as she laid on the ground weakly. She could not stop crying bitterly!

It was over, it was all over. Her child was gone!