Stepping out of the room, Mo Yi looked around and realized this was where the servants lived. No wonder the room was so simple and plain. The purple clay teapot set must have been brought by some kindhearted maid.
Tsk, she really is my little sister. Torturing her brother is as easy as eating and drinking tea.
Despite his complaints, Mo Yi dragged his numb legs and followed Mo Luo Xue.
As he left the courtyard, Mo Yi formally stepped into Mo Luo Xue’s mansion. He took a deep breath as he gazed at the luxurious decor and the artificial lake that rivaled West Lake’s beauty in his previous life. The mansion was as big as a small park in his old city. He couldn’t help but sigh once more. Feudalism was truly about the strong preying on the weak, exploiting the blood and sweat of the working people to achieve luxury and leisure.
Mo Yi crossed the artificial lake and took a quick glance. A finely crafted stone bridge spanned the lake, with a dark green bamboo pavilion built in the middle. A guqin rested in the pavilion, next to a red sandalwood table with a chessboard placed on it. A cup of steaming tea was placed on the board, with a scroll of books beside it.
This must be where Mo Luo Xue usually relaxes. Rumors about the eldest daughter of the Mo family being skilled in all arts, from music and chess to calligraphy and painting, were true. The title of "heaven’s darling" rightfully belonged to her. As he walked, Mo Yi lowered his head and looked at his reflection in the clear lake water. The title "First Scoundrel" paired with "heaven's darling" shouldn’t be too bad... probably.
After circling the artificial lake and soaking up some sun, Mo Yi felt refreshed. It was noon, and the autumn sunlight wasn’t too hot, just the right temperature. It dispelled the chill in Mo Yi’s body, bringing warmth and comfort. Breathing in the fresh air devoid of PM2.5 felt like being in a fairyland.
Thinking back to his own rundown courtyard, a wave of melancholy washed over Mo Yi. After all, he was the first son of the Mo family in line for inheritance. Why was the gap between people so vast?
It was those three damn scoundrels who were making his life miserable, making him lose his appetite and sleep. Mo Yi subconsciously blamed those three unseen protagonists.
As Mo Yi was lost in thought, Mo Luo Xue stopped. They had arrived.
Before them stood a modest, single-story house. Compared to the grand courtyard, this place felt much more down-to-earth. The simple, unpretentious wood and craftsmanship, every detail reflected Mo Luo Xue’s simplicity and humility. Truly an example of someone who was proud yet modest, remembering their roots.
Mo Yi touched the pillar next to him, feeling a wave of respect. This was the true eldest daughter of the Mo family, holding a high position yet showing her dedication to the people.
Mo Luo Xue pushed open the door and glanced at Mo Yi, who was touching the pillar. “Watch your claws. That’s thousand-year-old red wood transported from Kunlun Mountain, crafted by master craftsmen chosen from all over the land. Each piece is worth millions. If you damage it, you’ll answer for it.”
Damn it! Where’s the simplicity and humility? Mo Yi’s hand froze.
Entering the house, the first thing he saw was a long yellow rosewood table against the wall, laid with various sacrificial items, such as fruit platters, incense burners, and candles. Next to the table was a bronze brazier filled with ashes. Mo Yi noticed that the ashes were perfectly clean, wondering what Mo Luo Xue used to burn them.
What caught Mo Yi’s attention most was the ink painting hanging on the wall. It wasn’t particularly outstanding.
Mo Yi saw Mo Luo Xue stop in front of the table and raised his head to look at the painting, holding his breath.
The painting was done with a fine brush, its overall style delicate, with black and white colors.
The painting depicted a towering, breathtakingly steep mountain. On the cliff, a figure dressed in white robes bowed to the sky, with a soaring eagle circling above him. A sense of proud isolation emanated from the image.
Borrow from the heavens… another five hundred years!
Mo Yi felt a jolt in his heart. This was… the path to becoming a celestial being? Unwavering, rising against the current!
He stared intently at the ink painting, scanning it up and down as if trying to copy it into his mind. The soaring, transcendent energy etched itself into his heart, as if something was brewing in his mind, about to break free.
The silence and scrutiny lasted five minutes. Mo Yi stood with his hands behind his back, observing the ink painting with an expressionless face, his eyes reflecting reverence and expectation for celestial beings, as well as admiration and awe for the painting.
Mo Luo Xue frowned, uncertainty flashing in her eyes.
‘Damn it, I can’t let this girl know I haven’t understood anything. ’ Mo Yi was sweating profusely. He felt like he was about to try to act cool but get caught in the act. He hadn’t actually understood anything about this painting filled with celestial vibes. After staring at it for a minute, he was completely lost. He couldn’t see any path to becoming a celestial being, but he did notice a suspicious yellow stain that looked like oil. Now, the only thing keeping him standing tall with a dignified expression was his last bit of pride as a “brother.”
Mo Luo Xue approached without expression, pushed aside the table with one hand, and grabbed the “celestial” scroll, crumpling it into a ball and tossing it into the brazier. The brazier, still warm, reignited. Hot flames danced within it, quickly turning the ink painting into perfect ashes.
Mo Yi stared blankly as the painting was burned to ash. Damn it, he finally knew how those beautiful, clean ashes got there.
Mo Luo Xue turned, snorted at Mo Yi, seemingly scorning his taste.
‘Go ahead and scorn my taste, little missy. Just don’t figure out that I considered this crap “celestial.” ’ Mo Yi desperately wanted to cover his face, but he managed to put on an expression of regret and sorrow.
Behind the ink painting was a snow-white wall. Mo Luo Xue stood in front of it, tapping it with her hand and pushing hard. A rectangular brick sunk inward.
After two or three seconds, a black crack appeared in the snow-white wall. With a low rumble, the wall split open from the center, revealing a passageway about two meters high and wide!
“….!!” Mo Yi was dumbfounded and at a loss.
This, this, this, was that legendary secret room? So cool, so coveted! If Mo Luo Xue had looked closely, she would have seen stars in Mo Yi’s eyes. Every man wanted a secret room to hide his private money, his dirty books, or maybe a mistress. Mo Yi was no exception. He never thought his own sister actually had a secret room!
Following Mo Luo Xue into the secret room, Mo Yi realized the passage led to the ground level. At their feet was a set of stairs that stretched as far as the eye could see, leading into the dark depths. The walls, lined with stone bricks, were filled with torches, illuminating the space brightly.
Mo Yi followed Mo Luo Xue down the stairs. The secret room door closed automatically with a “bang.”
Mo Yi subconsciously clasped his hands together, keeping a distance of three to four steps from Mo Luo Xue, not too close, not too far. He was mainly afraid that Mo Luo Xue would turn around, draw her sword, and chop him into pieces. If he ended up rotting in this secret passage, no one would ever know. He was the one who would save the Mo family from ruin! How could he be taken down in a place like this!