33. Chapter 33: Slap in the Face

Xiaoxiao couldn't help but yell at him, "You're so annoying."

Seeing that someone dared to talk about him to his face, Mo Chuan was stunned for a moment, and he actually remembered a fearless little girl last year.

Mo Chuan's face turned cold instantly.

Xiaoxiao ignored him and lifted up his wheelchair. Since she had helped Brother Pei install a wheelchair before, she had a general idea of ​​how to fix it. She also found a replacement for the broken pillar. In just two or three moves, she put the wheelchair back together.

Mo Chuan had a cold face, sat up straight, and looked sinisterly in Xiaoxiao's direction with a strange and hard to read look in his eyes. It seemed as if he was wondering whether it would be better to strangle her to death or crush her head.

After noticing his gaze, Xiaoxiao looked at him and shuddered unconsciously. She was a little scared at first, but when she saw him sitting on the ground and unable to stand up, the fear in her heart mostly dissipated.

Xiaoxiao ignored him. After she finished fiddling with it, she placed the wheelchair in front of him. "It's on your right. You can get in."

Mo Chuan didn't even say thank you. He clapped his hands on the ground and slid into the wheelchair. He was actually quite handsome, unlike Pei Xiuhan's voluptuous beauty. He had a distinctly bright and clear appearance, with bright eyebrows and eyes, and an imposing bearing. It was a pity that he was blind and had a broken leg. Xiaoxiao thought this might be the reason for his erratic temper.

Seeing him go up, Xiaoxiao ignored him and turned to leave. She had just taken a few steps when she heard the man's sinister voice, "Little thing, are you here to celebrate the old woman's birthday? She's not dead yet?"

Xiaoxiao frowned, anger welling up in her heart. "Why are you so mean? She's in good health, but you don't look like you're having a good time."

After Xiaoxiao finished speaking, she met the man's cold gaze. Although he clearly couldn't see her, Xiaoxiao still instinctively felt danger. She ran away and didn't have the courage to look him in the eye.

Xiaoxiao ran all the way out of the bamboo forest before stopping. There was still no maid or servant nearby. Xiaoxiao had no choice but to choose a path at random and walked forward. After walking for nearly an incense stick of time, she finally saw a maid.

By the time she handed the menstrual pad to Mu Xi, it was already a quarter of an hour later. Mu Xi had been waiting for so long that the flowers had wilted. Meeting Xiao Xiao's apologetic gaze, he pouted and complained, "Why are you like a little snail?"

Xiaoxiao apologized again, "I was so stupid that I got lost."

Mu Xi said, "It's not your fault. The buildings of the Duke of Anguo's Mansion are difficult to identify. I got lost before and ran into a bamboo forest. I almost lost my life."

Xiaoxiao exclaimed, "Ah? You also saw that fierce man?"

More than just seeing it, Mu Xi was not a pushover. When she went to ask for directions and was yelled at, she put her hands on her hips and scolded the man, saying that he had no manners and didn't know how to treat guests, and was not a man at all.

Mo Chuan was not a good-tempered person, and he hated it most when someone naggled in his ear. When his rage surged, he simply pinched her neck. Mu Xi was nearly pinched unconscious by him, and she only managed to escape by biting his hand and pinching his balls.

Seeing Xiaoxiao also ran to the bamboo forest, Mu Xi suddenly became nervous, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Xiaoxiao shook her head, "I'm fine."

Seeing that Xiaoxiao was indeed fine, Mu Xi breathed a sigh of relief, "I had forgotten there was a fierce spirit in the mansion. If I had known earlier, I would have brought the maid with me when I left. Fortunately, you are okay."

Xiaoxiao was curious about his identity, "Who is he?"

Mu Xi said, "Didn't the old lady have five sons? He was the fifth son of the Duke of Anguo's mansion, the old lady's youngest son. Sadly, fifteen years ago, he became blind and his legs were broken. Strangely enough, even though it seemed he could be cured at the time, he refused to allow the imperial physician to come near him."

Xiaoxiao was a little surprised. Thinking of his dislike for the old lady, she felt that there seemed to be some huge secret hidden in it. "He looks very young, could he be very old?"

Mu Xi counted carefully on his fingers, "He's thirty this year, which is really old. He's already an old man, but he's still so fierce. No wonder he can't find a wife!"

Xiaoxiao was a little surprised. He looked to be in his twenties, but he was already thirty?! Thinking about how he had said that to her before she left, Xiaoxiao felt a little guilty, and suddenly felt like she had offended an elder.

Mu Xi took Xiao Xiao's arm, raised his chin slightly, and muttered, "Don't mention him, it's a spoiler!"

Xiaoxiao didn't mention it again. Mu Xi already knew the way and took her back to the greenhouse.

At noon, they stayed at the Anguo Mansion for a banquet. Xiaoxiao benefited from Mrs. Zhong's influence and sat very close to the old lady. Halfway through the meal, one of the maids came up to the old lady and said something. Xiaoxiao vaguely heard "Fifth Master".

She couldn't help but look up and caught a flash of sadness on the old lady's face, which seemed to be mixed with deep self-blame.

Xiaoxiao didn't dare to look at it any longer and quickly lowered her eyelashes.

Zhong was close by and heard a few words. She remembered that the people in the Anguo Mansion were always very secretive about Mo Chuan's affairs. Zhong tactfully did not ask any more questions. The old lady finally just sighed and said, "Let him be."

After the maid left, the old lady's mood was obviously not as good as before, and the smile on her face seemed a little forced.

Lady Anguogong smiled and smoothed things over, "The old lady is old and a little tired."

After she finished speaking, she said to the old lady, "Mom, please go back to your room and lie down. Your daughter-in-law is here. I will entertain everyone. There are no outsiders around."

Her speech was very beautiful, and the other ladies hurriedly persuaded the old lady to go back and rest. The old lady was indeed tired, so she agreed with a smile.

What follows is everything that is handled by the wife of Duke Anguo.

The eldest master of the Anguo Mansion had passed away fifteen years ago. The one who inherited the title now was the second master of the Anguo Mansion, and the one in charge of the household expenses was also the second wife. She had always been good at dealing with people, and the atmosphere at the banquet was always very warm.

Seeing that everyone was praising Xiaoxiao, Mo Shuang was a little unhappy. She was the only girl in the Anguo Mansion and had always been spoiled. Because her father inherited the title, her status also rose. In previous years, these ladies had praised her in various ways, but this year, Xiaoxiao suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

She had already sized up Xiaoxiao several times, and the more she looked at her, the more she disliked her. Meanwhile, another lady was praising Xiaoxiao to Mrs. Zhong, saying, "Seeing her today, I finally understand what it means to be well-read and elegant. This little girl's looks and temperament are truly first-rate."

Xiaoxiao lowered her eyebrows shyly, and Mrs. Zhong also praised the other party's daughter.

When Mo Shuang heard the woman's praise of Xiaoxiao, a flash of disdain flashed through her heart. She had also inquired about Xiaoxiao's news before, so she knew that Xiaoxiao was not a noble lady. Who could say that she was completely illiterate and could not even read a single word, yet she was full of poetry and books and was so elegant? She felt sick to her stomach just listening to it.

Seeing everyone praising Xiaoxiao non-stop, she felt a little annoyed and interrupted with a smile, "It's quite boring to keep chatting. Why don't we girls play a song for you ladies to liven up the atmosphere? Xiaoxiao's hands are long and beautiful, and they look perfect for playing the piano. Why don't we just let her perform a song for everyone first?"

As soon as she opened her mouth, there was a moment of peace at the table. Those who were smart could sense that she had come with ill intentions. After all, Xiaoxiao's identity had already been discovered. She was just from a small village and was brought back to the palace by the Regent because of her beauty. How could she know how to play the piano? Mo Shuang clearly wanted to embarrass Xiaoxiao.

The wife of Duke Anguo paused for a moment, glanced at her daughter calmly, a warning in her eyes.

Mo Shuang avoided her gaze and said with a smile, "What do you think, Sister Xiaoxiao?"

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xiaoxiao naturally couldn't refuse, so she agreed with a smile.

Zhong clenched the cup and glanced at the wife of Duke Anguo. The wife of Duke Anguo looked apologetic and obviously did not expect her daughter to do this.

She was also a little annoyed, thinking that she was spoiled too much, allowing her to be so careless and not consider the occasion. Xiaoxiao was not someone she could make things difficult for, but Xiaoxiao agreed anyway.

She has a headache.

As the maid went down to fetch the zither, Mu Xi spoke up. She played with the white jade cup in her hand and said nonchalantly, "What's the point of just playing the zither? Since Sister Shuang brought up this fun, there should be some excitement, right?"

Mu Xi has never been one to suffer any loss. When she was little, people often laughed at her for not having a mother. Those people all ended up in a bad way without exception, so now no one dares to bully her. Seeing that she actually spoke, Mo Shuang felt inexplicably nervous. She was actually three months older than Mu Wen, but she still felt a little jealous of her.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she was not standing up for Xiaoxiao. It was just a prize, couldn't she afford it?

She remembered that among all the noble ladies in the capital, Zhong Yan was the best at playing the zither. Zhong Yan didn't come today at all. Her marriage had already been decided, and she was preparing for the wedding at home.

Aside from Zhong Yan, the others' skills weren't much different, so it was hard to say who would win. Mo Shuang, believing she played the piano well, held a strong chance of winning. She smiled and said, "I just got a brand new headpiece the other day. Why not use it as a prize?"

Her headgear was worth at least one hundred taels of silver, definitely enough to be used as a prize. But unexpectedly, Mu Xi smiled strangely, as if mocking her stinginess. Mo Shuang pursed her lips and asked, "Sister Xi, could it be that you have other ideas?"

Mu Xi held up his chin and smiled, "Today is the old lady's birthday after all, so a set of headgear is a bit embarrassing. Since we're competing, why not try something bigger? You just got a guzheng, how about using it as a prize?"

Mo Shuang's guzheng was made by Master Nanchu himself. It was worth a fortune. Her father had finally begged for it for her. She had only had it for three months and it was not new to her yet. How could she be willing to use it as a prize? Upon hearing this, her face turned a little ugly.

Everyone naturally noticed the confrontation between the two, but no one spoke up to persuade them. Didn't they see that Mrs. Zhong didn't say anything, and Mu Xi clearly wanted to stand up for Xiaoxiao.

Everyone was enjoying the show.

Lady Anguo frowned and winked at her daughter, but Mo Shuang didn't even look at her.

Mu Xi smiled and said, "Sister Shuang, are you reluctant? So you have so little confidence in yourself that you think you'll lose before the competition even starts?"

Mo Shuang couldn't stand the provocation at all. Her face immediately turned cold and she asked the maid to bring out her guzheng.

After the prize was brought up, Mu Xi smiled and said, "Since there's a prize, it's like we're all competing. In that case, why don't we all play the same piece? That way it'll be easier to tell who's better. Let the ladies be the judges. What do you think?"

Everyone agreed. Mu Xi looked at Mo Shuang with a smile and said, "Then let Sister Shuang choose one. Xiaoxiao doesn't know many songs. She's only learned ten so far. Why don't you pick one? We'll all play that one then."

Mu Xi recited ten songs one by one. The first nine were introductory songs, but the last one was very difficult and required a lot of skill. Mo Shuang had to study for several months before she could barely listen to it. It was only now that she had mastered it.

Her main purpose was to embarrass Xiaoxiao. Seeing that the last piece was difficult, she immediately chose the most difficult one. "The others are too easy and boring in comparison. Since Xiaoxiao has also learned this one, let's play this one."

Mu Xi glanced at her with a half-smile and nodded. She had delicate features and was actually very pretty and lovely judging by her appearance and temperament. But for some reason, every time she smiled, she seemed to have some ill intentions, which made people feel a chill down their spine.

Mo Shuang had a bad feeling, but when she realized her purpose was just to embarrass Xiaoxiao, she managed to calm down. Xiaoxiao had only been learning for a year, and it would probably take another year just to get started with the guqin.

This piece of music is so difficult, she doesn't believe that Xiaoxiao can play it well.

After hearing the name of the song, Mu Wen looked at Mo Shuang with sympathy. She finally understood why the nanny didn't let her provoke Mu Xi. This girl was a heartless person. It seemed that Mo Shuang's guzheng would definitely not be kept.

Others don't know how good Xiaoxiao's piano skills are, but she and Mu Wen know it. This girl is a little monster. Not only is her learning ability terrifyingly strong, but she also has a strong understanding. Among so many subjects, the ones she is best at are musical instruments and Chinese studies.

Xiaoxiao played this piece of music countless times, and even the teacher praised it highly.

Seeing that Mu Wen and Mu Xi were not worried at all, Mrs. Zhong breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiaoxiao had no idea how terrifying her talent was. She only remembered her teacher's teachings. When she sat down in front of the guqin, Xiaoxiao ignored all the external sounds. She simply tested the sound and then started playing without distraction.

A pleasant sound suddenly leaped out from her fingertips, and she led everyone through the mountains, waded through streams, and danced freely on the spring lawn.

After a moment, the sound of the piano suddenly changed. The north wind came howling, and the houses collapsed in an instant. It seemed that thousands of troops were galloping between heaven and earth, destroying the peace. Suddenly, there were cries of killing and wailing everywhere, like weeping and complaining. Her fingers moved faster and faster, almost invisible, and the sound of the piano became more and more passionate.

Everyone's heart tightened when they heard this, as if they felt the boundless sorrow and helplessness of the separation of life and death.

Even when the music stopped, everyone was still in a daze, and many ladies even shed tears. This song was written about war, and young girls could neither feel the cruelty of war nor appreciate the artistic conception of the song. Few people could play it well. Even if they were skilled in the technique, the emotions were not there. Xiaoxiao's playing was completely different.

Not only was her fingering skillful, but the artistic conception of the music was also beyond the reach of ordinary people. When the song was finished, Xiaoxiao also shed tears.

Every time she played this piece, she would cry and couldn't control herself at all. After playing, Xiaoxiao sat there in a daze for a long time until the thunderous applause rang out. Then she came to her senses and realized that she was in a competition.

She bowed to everyone without saying a word and left the stage in silence, still immersed in an unspeakable sadness. She missed her brother again. Not only her brother, but she couldn't stop feeling sad when she thought of the thousands of people who died on the battlefield.

Originally, when people praised her, most of the praise focused on her appearance. Although they praised her verbally, many people, like Mo Shuang, believed that she had no talent at all and relied solely on her looks. She was just lucky to have a pretty face. Some people even looked down on her from the bottom of their hearts, thinking that without the Regent, she was nothing.

Nowadays, no one dares to think so, and many ladies are sincerely applauding her.

Mu Xi curled her lips and clapped her hands vigorously. She was shocked the first time she heard Xiaoxiao play this song. At this moment, seeing everyone's astonished eyes, Mu Xi was very proud of Xiaoxiao.

When the applause died down, Mu Xi said with a smile, "Xiao Xiao played so well. I admit defeat and will not go on stage."

Mu Wen also said: "I admit defeat too."

Then several ladies admitted defeat, and no one wanted to compete. They knew that even if they could beat Xiaoxiao in terms of skills, they could not win in terms of artistic conception. Xiaoxiao's piano playing was full of strong emotions and could easily resonate with everyone.

Mo Shuang's face was horrified. She had never expected that the competition that had embarrassed Xiao Xiao would become her chance to become famous! She had only been learning for a year! How could she play such a beautiful piece after only a year? She had to be faking it, right?

She bit her lip and stared at Xiaoxiao. Even though she thought Xiaoxiao played the guzheng really well, she was unwilling to give it to anyone else.

She finally stood up and decided to give it a try. Her grandmother liked this piece of music very much. She had learned it for a long time and was quite good at it. She just had to put in the emotion like Xiaoxiao.

After she sat down, she took a deep breath, concentrating on learning from Xiaoxiao. However, when she started playing, she was in a panic and even made a few mistakes. Mu Xi couldn't help but cover her lips and laughed.

When she laughed, others couldn't help laughing either. Another noble lady started laughing. After hearing everyone's laughter, Mo Shuang couldn't hold it in any longer. She stood up crying and ran away.

Mrs. Zhong then glared at Mu Xi and said, "Xi'er, don't be rude!"

Mu Xi quickly apologized, "Aunt, it's Xi'er's fault. I know I was wrong. I wasn't making fun of Sister Shuang. It just suddenly occurred to me that I was also in a rush when I played this piece. Madam Guogong, please forgive me."

Although Lady Anguo was annoyed with her, she also knew the girl's personality. It was Mo Shuang who started it all, so Mu Xi and the others couldn't be blamed. She smiled and said, "Why should you apologize? I've spoiled this girl, and she's become even more willful. It's good for her to suffer a setback. She'll learn from her mistakes and grow up. It will be a blessing in disguise."

She immediately asked her maid to give the guzheng to Xiaoxiao.

Xiaoxiao didn't dare to accept it and quickly refused, "This is too expensive, I can't accept it. I just wanted to entertain everyone, so I made a fool of myself. Madam, please take back the bet."

Mrs. Zhong also said, "I remember Shuang'er really liked this guzheng. Madam, you should take it back. It's just a play between children, don't take it seriously."

The prize had already been promised, so how could it be taken back? Lady Anguo forced the maid to place the guzheng in front of Xiaoxiao.

Even when she got on the carriage, Xiaoxiao was still a little dizzy. This priceless guzheng actually became hers?

Mu Xi and Mu Wen were both very happy, especially Mu Wen, who finally felt that Mu Xi had done a good thing. Zhong also had a smile on her face and was very proud of Xiaoxiao. She had never heard Xiaoxiao play the piano before and was very worried at first, but after hearing it, she was really amazed.

Xiaoxiao naturally knew that all this was thanks to Mu Xi. She handed the guzheng to Mu Xi and said with a smile: "Today is all thanks to Sister Xi. I give it to you."

Mu Xi refused to take it. She didn't like the guzheng. "You won it, so it's yours. If you really don't want it, just sell it. It's worth a lot of money."

Even when she returned to Prince Yan's Mansion with the guzheng in her arms, Xiaoxiao still felt it was unreal. She knew that the guzheng was very valuable, and because she knew this, she found it a little unbelievable. How could she have become a wealthy woman all of a sudden?

The news of the Duke of Anguo's Mansion soon spread throughout the capital. On the third day, Pei Xiuhan also learned about it.

In the past two days, he has been deliberately avoiding Xiaoxiao, fearing that the little girl would feel uncomfortable, and also afraid that he would feel uncomfortable. After all, the place he touched was really awkward. If it were another little girl, she might have cursed on the spot, but she was so stupid that she didn't even complain.

Even though he did it unintentionally, Pei Xiu Han felt a little uncomfortable. He thought that he would wait for a few days until both of them had forgotten about the matter before seeing her again. However, he unexpectedly learned that the little girl was almost bullied during the banquet.

Pei Xiuhan frowned and came to Xiaoxiao's place that night. When he arrived, the sun had just set and the fiery red sunset enveloped the entire courtyard.

Xiaoxiao was still copying books. She didn't notice that Pei Xiuhan was avoiding her. After all, in her impression, Brother Pei was always very busy. She had even forgotten the embarrassment of that day. The only thing she remembered was Brother Pei's indifferent reaction. She was somewhat frustrated.

The book she had on hand would be copied in three or four days. She felt happy when she thought that she would be able to buy the dagger in a few days. When Pei Xiuhan came over, she stood up happily with a smile in her eyes, "Brother, why are you back so early today?"

Seeing that she didn't take what happened that day to heart at all, Pei Xiuhan felt relieved. "Come and see your spoils."

Xiaoxiao curled her lips and led him to the guzheng. Although this guzheng was precious, the one that Brother Pei gave her was equally precious. Xiaoxiao showed him around and said with a smile, "I like the one Brother Pei gave her better."

Pei Xiuhan knocked on her head and asked in a low voice, "Why didn't you tell me about this? Luckily you won. If you lost, would you have hidden away and cried?"

Xiaoxiao thought about it, her fair and tender face unconsciously tensed up, and she shook her head seriously, "My skills are not as good as others, I can practice more. I won't cry because of this."

There was a hint of smile in Pei Xiuhan's eyes. The little girl was indeed very strong.

He has been on the battlefield more than once and killed countless people. In the court, he has also used many means in secret to eliminate his opponents. What he is best at is killing and harming people, but now he has unconsciously added one more thing.

He patted the little girl's head and whispered soothingly, "Next time you're wronged, remember to tell your brother. Don't keep it to yourself, okay?"

Xiaoxiao felt warm in her heart, and her eyes were a little sore, "Brother, why are you so nice?"

Pei Xiuhan sneered, leaning on the desk and flicking her head with his finger. "Brother has many good qualities, this is just the beginning."

Xiaoxiao couldn't help laughing and asked tentatively, "Then why is no one willing to marry you?"