9 Chapter 9: Performing Opera

"Since you're now well, you should just stay inside the mansion from now on. That way, there won't be anyone to gossip about you anymore." Madam Mo said commandingly, asserting her authority as the matriarch.

Ziwan had a rough understanding of the situation at home. "Brother, I seemed to remember that our grandmother has already passed away?" she asked him, grinning and using sign language.

"Uh… this?" Mo Qingyun was at a loss for words. Did he have to tell his sister that this grandmother of theirs had nothing to do with them at all?

"Xueyan, you tell me." Failing to get an answer from Mo Qingyun, Ziwan tenaciously turned to Xueyan.

Xueyan, being put on the spot, gave a little startle. She was also having a hard time answering this question.

Ziwan promptly moved her expectant gaze onto Nanny Xia. Nanny Xia smugly thought to herself that Ziwan was still reliant on her for anything, and that she was the most trusted person in Ziwan's life. However, she was having trouble coming up with a tactful explanation to this, "The madam passed away early due to her fate, this lady is your grandaunt," she carefully chose her words.

But this comment made the old lady standing beside them grimace in displeasure. Their legitimate mistress had long since passed away, so what if she was a grandaunt? Just because her son had been elevated to the position of assist professor, did it not also mean she was entitled to luxuries and good food her son provided? Throughout her life, what she detested most was people denigrating her status. She glared furiously at Nanny Xia.

"However, the old lady has devoted a lot of effort to our Mo Manor. Ever since you fell into the water, she has come to visit you several times." Nanny Xia continued unabashedly, though with an apologetic expression. The old lady and second lady seemed a little pacified after hearing her explanation.

"So she is a concubine's child, no wonder all of them can't hold their stature properly. They all pretend to be nouveau riche." Ziwan pretended to understand suddenly, exaggerating her amazement. "Since she is of low birth, we should tell father and the others to turn their noses at them in the future. We, being the main household, can't be led astray, providing others with a mockery."

Unlike those from the Qin Manor, these people were, more or less, able to understand Ziwan's sign language, developed over the years for misunderstandings and instigations. This statement of hers made all the faces of the second household exasperatedly dark, even Nanny Xia was taken aback.

Mo Qingyun saw Madam Mo, Second Lady, and the sulking cousin of theirs covered in gold and silver, did they really not look like the nouveau riche? They had ostentatious jewelry all over them blinding the eyes of the onlookers. Ziwan was really blunt in her remarks. He couldn't help but laugh at their embarrassment.

Despite being in a rage, Madam Mo and the others could do nothing about it. Who could blame Ziwan for losing her memory? Trying to reason with an amnesiac, if word gets out, it would only lead to their embarrassment. So, they were all panting heavily, trying to come up with some defamatory criticisms towards Ziwan.

Unfortunately, Ziwan did not provide them with an opportunity, "I never knew that a concubine could command the main household. How laughable! Brother, the next time these servants dare to act so disrespectful, kick them out before reporting them to the officials." Ziwan spoke words shocking and alluring.

The trio, Madam Mo and all, frantically felt as if thunder had struck down on them. Ziwan had always been gloomy and thus not likable by them. But under normal circumstances, they could still tolerably live with her knowing she occasionally did worry about the Mo family. But after losing her memory, she had become extremely intolerable, making them feel like breaking her sign-making hands. If Mo Ziwan could speak, wouldn't she tend to destroy everyone with her words?

"You can all leave now. Nanny Xia, drive these annoying people away, and from now on, I don't want to see them again." Lastly, she turned her head and ordered Nanny Xia, mastering her performance of arrogance to the highest degree. The previous Mo Ziwan might be bullied, but that didn't mean the current one could be. Since she had lost her memory, let them start anew – getting to know a reborn Mo Ziwan.

Nanny Xia grimaced as if she had stepped on feces, invoked a terrible expression, stiff and not knowing how to respond.

"Why can't dogs bite dogs?" Ziwan sneered inwardly, sitting on the sidelines enjoying the spectacle, "Why isn't Nanny Xia moving?" she continued adding fuel to the fire from behind.

"Enough, Mo Ziwan. I am your elder. Is this how you treat your elders? If this gets out, do you, as a young girl, still have a face?" Madam Mo, unable to suppress her rage, exploded at Ziwan.

"You disrespectful girl! Madam Mo has wasted her efforts on you. No matter how one sees it, Madam Mo is still an elder of Mo Manor. Is this how you speak?" the second lady too, reared up and started shouting.

"No wonder you were ridiculed by everyone the other day with such a demeanor," Mo Hanyan, someone who could say anything, always found Mo Ziwan unlikable. If not for the protection provided by Mo Manor and Qin Manor, who would Mo Ziwan have been?

"Whatever Ziwan says, goes. Do you all really think you're the masters of Mo Manor? You're still bastard breeds after all, no matter where you go, you can't hold any reputation." Mo Qingyun would never allow them to bully Ziwan. Especially after hearing Mo Hanyan's words, he was inflamed with heightened anger. Ziwan had finally calmed her emotions. These irrelevant people were here just to instigate some trouble. As before, her family's only exposure to them was due to a seeming resemblance between Ziwan and the others. Now that Ziwan had grown to despise them, who did they think they were compared to the Mo family?

"You can all show them the door." Ziwan wanted to gauge the loyalty of her maids in the courtyard. These annoying people were good stimulation.

Nanny Xia and Xueying looked at Ziwan in surprise, seemingly not believing what she was "saying".

Xueyuan and Xueyan were tired of these people a long time ago, obviously bullying the Miss under the guise of words, pretending to be lavish and glamorous. But because Miss Ziwan trusted Nanny Xia and her daughter Xueying particularly, their words would only cause miss to be unhappy. So, in usual cases, all they could do was find ways to protect Miss, but could only watch in silence as these hypocritical people verbally bullied their Miss under the guise of care and concern.

Now the Miss knew how to protect herself, Xueyuan and Xueyan were overjoyed. Having received Ziwan's orders, they acted promptly. Using the feather-dusters in their hands, they started lashing out at Second Lady, Madam Mo and Mo Hanyan.

Having assumed no one would dare disrespect them, Madam Mo, Second Lady, and Mo Hanyan were unprepared. They got beaten up several times with the feather-dusters.

Having been pampered all their lives, Madam Mo, Second Lady, and Mo Hanyan had never been through such torment. Xueyuan and Xueyan, driven by anger, exerted all their strength, causing them to scream in pain. "Are they trying to kill us? Quick, stop them. These saucy girls, none of them should be spared, they should all be sold into brothels." Second Lady shouted venomously.

The old maids and young maids who had accompanied them rushed up to stop Xueyuan and Xueyan, aiming to grab the feather-dusters from their hands. The young maids from the courtyard also came over when they heard the commotion but only one came up to help, the rest of the second and third-rate maids stood on the sides in silence, shrinking their heads.