65. Ode to the Lord of the Mo Clan in Great Capital

In the eastern market of Yizhou, there was a street dedicated to ink pellets, and the best location belonged to the Little Mo Family’s Ink Workshop. Situated at the head of the eastern market, its eaves soared toward the sky, with sculpted mythical beasts roaring upwards, and a grand vermilion six-paneled carved door exuding a sense of imposing splendor.

At this moment, in front of the Little Mo Ink Workshop, a stage had been erected overnight, draped in red silk that blazed brilliantly beneath the harsh white sunlight. Upon the stage stood a master of ceremonies, with a maidservant at his side holding a tray, on which rested an ink pellet. Behind him, a dozen or more maidservants stood in waiting, each with a similar bearing.

Around the stage, tables had been prepared, offering fruits and tea. The families who had attended the Gu Family auction yesterday now sat in small, composed groups. With only a single night’s passage, the Little Mo Family had launched their own auction, and the direction of the wind had changed entirely.

Nurse Ku pushed Gu Fei to a spot not far away, taking in the scene before them. Her pale face remained expressionless, but in the depths of her obsidian eyes floated shards of icy indifference, as dark and unfathomable as a midnight lake.

Leaning against the door, Mo Yuhua had noticed Gu Fei the moment she arrived. Yet he made no move to approach, instead adopting an even lazier posture, his eyes narrowing with an inscrutable, flickering light. Under the shade of his lashes, he inspected her intently.

Ten years had passed; though the world had changed, as he studied her closely, he realized that her eyes were still as round and lustrous as jade. Her unfamiliar features bore traces of the once-familiar, and when his gaze fell upon her legs, his eyes darkened, betraying no discernible emotion.

Just then, Nurse Ku bent down to whisper in Gu Fei’s ear, "Miss, shall I sneak inside and fetch back Gu Zhong?"

Gu Fei shook her head, lips pressed into a thin line. Without blinking, she stared at the ink pellet in the maid’s hands, standing by the master of ceremonies. Perhaps to ensure everyone could see clearly, the master of ceremonies, while speaking, took the ink pellet from the tray and placed it on a pillar at the center of the stage.

The pillar’s slanted surface was angled perfectly for the audience to view its details. The ink pellet, smaller than a palm, was round, painted with golden designs of sacred wheels and ritual implements, gleaming brilliantly—clocks, cauldrons, rotating golden wheels—each depicted with solemn magnificence.

“Please observe carefully, everyone. This ink pellet is named the Marvelous Aspect Ink Wheel. Its form is round, light, and thin, with exquisite gold-painted patterns, a true masterpiece among ink pellets. Most rare of all, now look at the back…” The master of ceremonies, his face flushed with excitement, flipped the pellet and displayed it for all.

Gu Fei’s sharp eyes took in the details: the reverse side was inscribed with seven characters, "Made by Qingge of the Mo Clan in Great Capital," stamped in cinnabar, the color as vivid as blood in her eyes.

“‘Made by Qingge of the Mo Clan in Great Capital’—you see correctly. This ink pellet was crafted by Mo Qingge, famed as the First Beauty of Great Yin, of the capital’s Mo family. Both resplendent and elegant, only a direct descendant of a century-old ink-making family could create such a piece. Rumor has it our Great Yin’s famed beauty possesses not only unrivaled looks, but also a genius talent for ink-making. This pellet came into the Little Mo Family’s possession only recently, by a stroke of fortune…” The master of ceremonies continued, but Gu Fei no longer heard him.

She gripped the wheelchair’s armrest so tightly her palm ached, but she did not notice; her gaze was fixed solely on the ink pellet. The master’s words, full of praise, echoed endlessly in her mind, reverberating until they became a cacophony of ridicule—a relentless taunt at her own failure.

“Miss!” Nurse Ku called out, her hand pressing anxiously on Gu Fei’s shoulder, worry etched across her features.

Gu Fei started, as if waking from a spell. She flexed her stiff fingers, feeling pain in her joints. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and opened them again, her expression now cold as frost. “I’m fine.”

After a brief pause, her fingers brushed unconsciously over her knees beneath her skirt. She commanded, “Find out where this ink pellet of the Little Mo Family truly came from.”

Nurse Ku gathered her composure, and seeing that Gu Fei had calmed, withdrew her hand. “Don’t worry, miss. I will get to the bottom of this.”

Gu Fei suppressed the turmoil within her, watching coldly as those gathered, upon hearing the pellet had come from the Great Capital’s Mo family, began frantically bidding. The atmosphere grew feverish.

Seeing the escalating bids, Gu Fei lost interest. She already understood that the Little Mo Family’s auction was directed at the Gu family. No doubt, it had been orchestrated by Gu Zhong seeking out Mo Yan. This unexpected move had disrupted her plans to use the auction to gather liquid funds, but it wasn’t a total loss. She would simply have to rearrange her strategies.

This time, Gu Zhong’s defiance left her with no choice but to seize control by force. Originally, out of gratitude for the Gu family’s shelter, she had chosen to confront Gu Zhong gently. She had not expected that some people, when treated with kindness, would only push further. It seemed some lessons required the hard edge of a slap to be learned.

Accustomed to reading faces, Nurse Ku recognized that Gu Fei had lost interest and began to turn the wheelchair away.

Mo Yuhua, who had not approached before, now made his move. Twirling his folding fan, he strode forward and blocked Gu Fei’s path.

Nurse Ku’s grip on the wheelchair tightened, a flash of vigilance beneath her drooping eyelids.

Mo Yuhua appeared unconcerned. Glancing around—this corner was sparsely populated—he smiled, “Ah Fei, since you’re here, why not come inside and sit for a while?”

Gu Fei lifted her eyes, her brows knitting slightly. She was uncertain of Mo Yuhua’s intentions; ever since his last visit to Qingmo Court, his words had left her unsettled, and now, his gaze made her feel vaguely uneasy.

“Just passing by, nothing more. I wouldn’t want to disturb you, Young Master Mo,” she replied, her tone polite yet distant.

Hearing her formal address, a trace of displeasure flickered in Mo Yuhua’s heart, though his face betrayed nothing. Instead, he smiled more broadly. “Ah Fei, why so formal? We’ll be family in the future—just call me Brother Yuhua.”

Gu Fei’s frown deepened. The words “family in the future” grated on her nerves.

She turned her lips in slight disdain. “Courtesy must be observed. If you have nothing further, I’ll take my leave.”

With that, she signaled Nurse Ku to go, giving Mo Yuhua no chance to respond.

Yet Mo Yuhua stepped aside to block her, bending forward, his smile unwavering as he enunciated clearly, “Ah Fei, do you truly not know where the Little Mo Family’s auctioned ink pellet came from?”

A jolt ran through Gu Fei’s heart, her gaze growing shadowed. After a fleeting moment’s thought, she replied carelessly, “Didn’t the master of ceremonies say? The ink pellet is from the Mo family of the Great Capital. Although the Little Mo Family shares blood with them, it’s been decades. Now that you’ve reconnected, it seems you’ve found yourself a fine tree to rest beneath.”

Her almond eyes lifted with a hint of mischief, her small chin tilted in a half-smile.

Mo Yuhua faltered, for in that instant, the Gu Fei before him overlapped with the little girl from a decade ago—the same starlit black eyes, the same proud, smiling chin. He reached out in a daze—

But Gu Fei turned her head, evading him, her smile replaced by a steely edge. “Young Master Mo…”

Mo Yuhua quickly recovered, his wrist turning as he patted her shoulder. Looking into her eyes, his voice ambiguous, he asked, “Ah Fei, do you also need a sturdy tree to shelter beneath?”