Chapter One
When Mo Jin’er was pressed to kneel on the ground by the servants, she could vaguely see the figures inside through the pearl curtain.
A figure was sitting in the main seat, beside him was her father and her nominal mother, who was apologizing with a smile and scolding her at the same time.
“Little General, it’s our fault for not disciplining her properly. Jin’er made such a mistake, and we are truly sorry. But Jin’er has never had a mother since she was a child. Little General, please spare our Jin’er’s life…”
Mo Jin’er’s nominal mother, also her stepmother, seemed to be pleading for her.
But Mo Jin’er couldn’t hear clearly. The pain in her legs was piercing, making her eyes moisten. She bit her lip and barely managed to stay upright.
But she knew, in this grand mansion of the Marquis, no one truly cared about her. After all, she was pushed out this time to take the blame for her elder sister Mo Miaor.
Yesterday was the Hundred Flowers Festival, hosted by the Princess’s mansion. Many noble ladies attended, including the Marquis’s mansion. Mo Miaor, her elder sister, out of jealousy towards the princess, Huafu Baozhu, secretly scratched her face.
It was discovered later and traced back to the Marquis’s mansion, so General Xiaojun Ling’an Che came to investigate.
And in the capital city, who didn’t know that Princess Baozhu was the darling of Ling’an Che’s heart? Anyone who dared to harm her was undoubtedly seeking death.
Although the Mo family was a Marquis’s mansion, it had long been declining, only having a reputation to speak of. On the other hand, Ling’s family was highly respected due to their military achievements. Ling’an Che, despite being barely in his twenties, already had the title of a war god and enjoyed the Emperor’s trust and favor.
Even if he directly killed Mo Miaor, no one would dare to say anything.
In such a situation, Mo Jin’er was pushed out.
She was a commoner, living in the back courtyard of the Mo mansion in obscurity for sixteen years. She never expected to be implicated for a crime she didn’t commit.
She knew how serious this charge was. If a woman’s appearance was ruined, not to mention a noble princess…
Mo Jin’er’s knees were in excruciating pain, but she suddenly heard a sneer from the figure on the main seat, with a magnetic yet slightly chilling voice.
Then, the pearl curtain in front of her was pulled open by a servant, and the figure on the main seat lazily raised his eyes, landing on the slender figure kneeling on the ground.
The girl lowered her head slightly, seeming unable to kneel steadily. With one hand supporting herself on the ground, she tied up her simple hair bun and wore a delicate pink shirt. Her body seemed to be trembling slightly, looking quite distressed and fearful.
And Mo Jin’er was indeed afraid, but more than that, she felt wronged and extremely anxious. She bit her lip lightly, unable to even look up at them, her nose tingling with sourness, tears swirling in her eyes.
Everyone knew that her elder sister Mo Miaor liked Ling’an Che, and it was because of jealousy towards Princess Baozhu that she scratched the princess’s face…
No one knew that Mo Jin’er also liked Ling’an Che. Two years ago, when she came of age, she sneaked out of the mansion once and happened to encounter Ling’an Che, the noble youth who was both arrogant and gentle.
Mo Jin’er lived a worse life than a servant in the Marquis’s mansion, but she was content. She dressed shabbily, with clothes that were old and ill-fitting. But today, being pushed out to take the blame, she was dressed in luxurious silk and satin.
“Only one Miss from the Marquis’s mansion attended yesterday’s Hundred Flowers Festival, right?” Ling’an Che’s eyes, seemingly smiling but indifferent, swept over Mo Jin’er below, as if he were bored and asked casually.
And Mo Jin’er, following his question, tightened her heart. Yes, how could he be deceived so easily…
As long as he spared her this time, even if she took her grandmother out of the mansion, it would be fine…
“General, this child Jin’er actually enjoys such occasions the most on ordinary days. Although she is a commoner, we have spoiled her a bit. So she begged her sister to take her along, and her sister took her there, letting her pretend to be a maid…” Her stepmother immediately said with a smile.
“Jin’er, why don’t you apologize to General Xiaojun sincerely for your mistake!” Her stepmother’s gaze turned sharp as she looked down at Mo Jin’er, with a hint of warning.
And Mo Jin’er clenched her fingers, lowered her head, her nose red. She silently repeated in her heart a thousand times, “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me…”
So, even if she had to apologize, even if it was fake, she couldn’t do it.
All she could do now was bite her lip and not let herself cry.
Her birth mother was a singer who had died long ago, and the one who raised her was an old woman in the mansion. She already regarded the old woman as her grandmother. As for her stepmother, they used the elderly grandmother to threaten her…
“Why should I apologize to him? Go and apologize sincerely in front of Miss Zhu, that’s what you should do.” Ling’an Che’s voice showed no joy or anger as he stood up.
He was tall and handsome, looking elegant and beautiful, but standing up, he exuded an oppressive aura.
Suddenly, he walked to Mo Jin’er’s side, his feet in cloud-patterned boots pressing lightly against Mo Jin’er’s small face.
After Mo Jin’er was pressed to kneel on the ground by the servants, her knees had been in pain, and the servant behind her was still pressing down on one of her legs. She was almost in pain to the point of collapsing to the ground.
Despite living in the Marquis’s mansion for over ten years, she had never experienced such great suffering. Her chin, sore from being lifted by his toe, revealed a beautiful face. Her black and white eyes were misty, and as her face was lifted, tears flowed uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes. She choked lightly, unable to even see the person in front of her clearly.
It’s too painful… her legs, her knees, were they going to break…
Ling’an Che saw her face, and the corners of his eyebrows raised slightly, tainted with a hint of evil. He didn’t say anything more and just left Mo Jin’er’s side.
And the steward behind Ling’an Che smiled and said to her father and stepmother, “Master, Miss Jin’er, we will take her away.”
… Take her away? What does that mean?
Mo Jin’er collapsed on the ground, tears blurred her eyes, and she looked at her stepmother and father, choking, “My grandmother, take good care of her…”
Her stepmother glared at her, but still had a motherly look on her face. “Jin’er, when you go, don’t throw a tantrum. Apologize sincerely to the Princess…”
Mo Jin’er had seen Princess Baozhu before. She was indeed a beautiful woman with a round and jade-like appearance, standing there with a sweet smile that could brighten anyone’s mood. But now that her appearance was ruined, Ling’an Che was going to hold her accountable…
Her heart was restless, and Mo Jin’er looked outside the carriage.
Ling’an Che had left the Marquis’s mansion first, riding his horse. After Mo Jin’er was taken away by the servant, she felt nervous and uneasy.
They arrived at the General’s mansion quickly, and when she was brought before Princess Baozhu, she was still changing her dressing. There was a long cut on her cheek, but Princess Baozhu blinked her eyes, seemingly not saddened by her disfigured appearance.
Finally, she noticed Mo Jin’er.
Mo Jin’er stood there, not knowing how to react.
Princess Baozhu smiled sweetly at her, but was stopped by the maid who had bumped into Mo Jin’er yesterday. “Miss, this woman is the bad woman who disfigured you. Why are you smiling at her…”
Princess Baozhu seemed puzzled, as if she were a few years younger than normal people…
She didn’t hold grudges at all… and even brought her some pastries to eat.
Mo Jin’er was slightly stunned.
Then the maid angrily said, “Our Miss is so kind, why did you hurt our Miss? She… she…”
As she spoke, the maid’s eyes seemed to turn red.
And Mo Jin’er finally understood. Princess Baozhu turned out to be mentally handicapped. She had been overly protected by the General’s mansion before, and as long as she didn’t speak, she would appear to be a normal beautiful girl.
Her elder sister… was indeed too much.
At night, under the cold moonlight, in the corridor, Mo Jin’er was about to return to her room. Her injured knee had been treated with a medicine given by Princess Baozhu, and it had improved a lot, but she still didn’t dare to walk too fast.
As she walked, Mo Jin’er heard some strange noises. When she realized what was happening, she had already seen Ling’an Che holding a blood-stained long sword in the garden.
There was a body under his feet, his eyes deep and cold. He slowly looked up at her.
Mo Jin’er was scared stiff, her breath stuck, and her steps couldn’t move.
But Ling’an Che slightly raised the corners of his lips, stepping towards her.
