Since she transported to the present from past, it had been Mary’s first time to reach the forecourt through the normal pathway.
The manor was granted by the emperor as a sign of cherishing the king’s lifelong friendship with Ralph Debeur, also known as Lord Regent. The decree made by the emperor had allowed Lord Regent to construct a manor with the identity and standard of the royal family. Hence, the manor of Lord Regent was particularly similar to the one of the royal family, like a mini royal palace.
Passing through the Moon Gate, Mary arrived at the forecourt from the backcourt. They walked past a few cloisters and a narrow lane, and finally reached Ralph Debeur’s study hall – the Oakley Hall. Amber signified Mary to stop while she went and communicated with the maiden in front of the door.
The maiden who was on duty took a glimpse at Mary and went inside the hall to notify Lord Regent. After some time, she came out and with a neither friendly nor hostile voice, said, “Your Highness, his Majesty invites you to proceed inside.” Her tone might lack enthusiasm, but she addressed her humbly and her attitude was both respectful and cautious.
Mary was a bit shocked. Could it be that Lord Regent was actually kind to her? It was probably due to her false belief in the side consort’s words in the past. Mary planned to do something bad using her amity with the lord.
Amber and the maiden opened up the door curtains from each side. The moment Mary stepped into the hall, a bawl came from the inside. “Bow to me, you foul thing!”
Although Mary was an agent in her previous life, she was still stupefied by the thunderous bawl. It was true that this lord did have something to be admittedly proud of.
Mary bowed down obediently and greeted Ralph Debeur. “Daughter Mary greets her father.” Lifting her head, she saw the side consort sitting beside him, wiping her tears with a handkerchief. She then also greeted her, “Daughter Mary greets her mother.”
Ralph Debeur had not seen Mary for a long time, he found her dull-witted daughter looking different. Mary used to be chubby and had a face swollen like a pig, but now she looked delicate and pretty. Just like…that person. Ralph felt a pain in his heart and lowered his head.
The side consort almost crushed her silver teeth seeing Mary’s obedient look. God knows who had cured this slut’s dumbness.
Ralph did not say a word nor allowed Mary to stand up, therefore Mary continued to bow, humbly and not making a noise.
When the joss stick was burnt close to halfway, Ralph cleared his throat and spoke with a cold voice, “You foul thing, do you know what you had done wrong?”
Mary, confused, said, “Father, what do you refer to? Mary was staying in her room as usual and did not go anywhere. Hence Mary had no idea what she had done wrong.”
“You foul…! Stop quibbling with me!”
Ralph was outraged; he slammed a thick marriage letter on her face. Ralph learnt martial art and had fought in wars in the past; therefore it was easy to predict how strong his arm would be. But still, he was a father so he did not use all his strength. He thought Mary would dodge from the hit at first, but she did not, continued to bow instead. A red mark appeared on her face.
Mary bore with the pain on her face, took the letter up calmly, and dropped it deliberately. Acting dumb, she asked, “Father, why do you give this to Mary? You know Mary couldn’t read.”
When she was transported here from the past, Daisy told her the manor had hired a teacher for the lord’s daughters, yet the side consort used Mary’s mentality problem as an excuse to forbid her from joining the class. Consequently, she appeared as an illiterate fool in front of other people’s eyes.
Stunned, Ralph paused and continued, “Haven’t you gone to classes with your sisters?”
With an upset look, Mary said, “Mother did not allow Mary to attend classes with her sisters.”
Ralph’s face did not look good instantly; he turned facing the side consort and asked coldly, “Why didn’t you let Mary attend classes?”
The side consort did not expect Mary to diverge the trouble towards her. Slightly panicked by Ralph’s question, she replied, “Your Majesty, do hear my explanation out. Mary was sick back then, and I was worried her illness would recur and cause trouble on the teacher.”
Thinking that her words made sense, Ralph was appeased and fell into silence.
Afraid that Ralph would change his attitude, Mary quickly said with an upset voice once again, “If so why didn’t father and mother find treatment for Mary? Last time when Mary was playing outside with Daisy, an old man expressed sympathy towards Mary and gave me a bowl of decoction. Mary felt clearheaded after drinking it. That old man also told me that I did not have any illness, instead, I was poisoned, which could be cured by antidotes.”
Mary finished her speech smoothly and clearly. She looked on with cold indifference. Lord regent was not really in favor with the side consort, he could have promoted her as his wife after all these years. If that was true, it would be reasonable that they shared the same position in front of Lord regent and she of course should cherish this opportunity.
As Mary expected, Ralph, although did not treat her as well as he should be, could not see his own daughter, the daughter from his formal wife, being bullied.
“What’s going on? I’ve let you taking charge of the household, and this is how you do it? Since Mary was ill, why didn’t you seek for doctors to treat her?”
Seeing Ralph outraged, the side consort stood up immediately, tears dropped like pearls onto the ground, “Your Majesty, I got no choice!”
“Do you think I will buy it?”
The side consort squeezed her tears, while cursing Mary in her heart, “I’ve asked a lot of doctors to come and treat Mary’s illness, but all to no avail. Mary did not have a clear mind, how could she know that I’ve not sought treatment for her? Your Majesty, please do not listen solely to her one-sided statement!”
Ralph had long been in wars and was not a fool. He was able to tell something from her behavior.
“You’ve sought for treatment? Which doctors did you hire? After all these years and after all these many doctors, still no one can treat her while a random old man can? With only a single bowl of decoction?”
Still wanted to defend for herself, the side consort said, “Maybe it’s because of Mary’s luck to have met an extraordinary highly-skilled doctor?”
“Highly-skilled?” Ralph sneered, “Since you’ve hired so many doctors but still wasn’t able to treat Mary, why not inform me earlier so I can pick up a ‘highly-skilled’ doctor from the royal manor?”
The side consort said with a pitiful voice, “I did not think of that, but either did your Majesty!”
“What!” It was true that Ralph did not fulfill his duty as a father towards Mary, but having this fact being told out loud by someone else was a different story.
Cutting his raw nerve in front of Mary, Ralph went to rage from shame, giving her a hard slap on the face. Her face swelled instantly.
Covering her cheek, she stared at Ralph’s hand, which is still in the air, in disbelief. Trembling, she was frightened, “Your Majesty, you hit me!”
Adding fuel to fire, Mary spoke lightly, “Father, it’s actually not mother’s fault. That old man had mentioned, it was not illness that caused Mary’s stupidity, but poison. How could mother know someone was trying to poison Mary?”
The disclosure aggravated Ralph’s anger even more. He pointed at the side consort, chastised, “Get it? I worked from day to night in the royal manor. Though you’re just a side consort, I still let you take care of the manor and handle all the stuff. And look what you have done? You dare letting people poison my own daughter? Even under the manor’s tight security? What were you doing?”
The side consort wanted to speak up for herself but was given a kick by Ralph. “What else do you have to say? Are you going to tell me that it was Mary who poisoned herself?”
Seeing the side consort dare not speak a word, Ralph gave a few scornful laughs and shouted, “Alva!”
The maiden who opened the door curtain for Mary just now walked inside with her head low, “Yes, your Majesty.”
“Tell Granny Gordy that I want her to find out who’s the culprit that poisoned Mary!”
A gasp was heard right after that in the hall. Looking up, Mary found that the face of the side consort had gone pale and there was a trace of uncertainty in Alva’s face.
“Your Majesty, you need me to inform Granny Gordy regarding this matter?”
Ralph glared at her and snorted, “What, are you deaf?”
Alva kneeled down almost immediately, “Alva was sorry! Your Majesty, please calm down. Alva will go and notify Granny Gordy right now.”
Who was this Granny Gordy and why were Alva and the side consort so afraid of her? Mary prostrated herself on the ground: The information she got was far from enough. She was an agent in her previous life and there can never be too much information. Incomplete information would’ve cost her life.
Ralph calmed down his anger and he helped Mary up, with a gentle voice, he said, “You can go back to your room now, Mary.”
Mary held the marriage letter in her hand, pretending to be puzzled, asked, “Father, what to do with this?”
Ralph stared at Mary’s gorgeous beauty for a while, and sighed, “Your mother said it was you who meddled with the name on the marriage letter, but how could it be you when you can’t even recognize a single word? Go back and attend classes with your sisters tomorrow. The daughter of Ralph Debeur must not be a good-for-nothing.” After all, her biological mother was a wise and intelligent woman.
Mary humbly greeted Ralph. Noticing the side consort on floor, she decided to play the game out and curtsied to her as a gesture of farewell. Ralph’s satisfaction towards Mary grew even more on witnessing her manner.
It was still Amber who sent her back to her room. Seeing Mary returned, intact and alive, Daisy murmured lines of sutra. But seeing the red mark on her face, she cried. “My lady, did his Majesty punish you again?”
Looking at her feeling amused, Mary said, “Come on don’t be a crybaby. I’m alright. Tidy up and get me the oldest and the most worn-out clothes, I need them for my classes tomorrow.”
Knowing that Mary was going to attend classes with the other mistresses, Daisy was no less happy than anybody else, but was concerned when Mary wanted to put on the oldest and most worn-out clothes. She bit her lip and asked, “My lady, why can’t you wear dazzling clothes like anyone else?”
“Don’t ask. I have my own plan.”
Daisy knew her lady had had a mind of her own ever since she woke up from the coma. Therefore, she kept a silent mouth and went to open Mary’s closet.