Too high to reach

Chapter 142 Staying True to One's Profession
The two Mo sisters were chatting with the two Zhao sisters.

Zhao Yunkai looked at Mo Yi with sympathy: "Miss Mo, I admire you, but I also feel sorry for you."

"What do you mean?" Before Mo Yi could ask, Mo Yuan asked on her behalf.

“My cousin… I’ve never seen him smile from childhood to adulthood. We’re so close, yet my sister and I… the only things we’ve ever said to him, including greetings like ‘Hello, cousin!’ ‘Happy New Year!’…” Zhao Yun counted on her fingers, “and all of those kinds of greetings, all together, don’t even amount to twenty sentences! I’m talking about conversations, including what he said!”

Zhao Yunqing nodded: "We're all afraid of him..."

"Really?" Mo Yi was a little confused.

Although King Qi was indeed a bit serious, spoke less, and was a bit blunt, he was otherwise alright.

Mo Yuan suddenly remembered that when she greeted him, he hadn't said a word.

"I understand, I understand!" Mo Yuan nodded immediately. "This is hilarious. You guys don't know, do you? The two of us..." She hugged Mo Yi's arm.

Mo Yi sat upright and motionless.

"We've lived in the same courtyard since we were little, and we even ate dinner together every night. But thinking about it, it's only recently that we've started talking more. And it's mostly me talking and her listening. My second aunt calls her a 'silent gourd'!"

"Oh dear, what will happen if they all get together?"

“Yes, there wasn’t a sound at all, was there? What if my cousin wants some tea?” Zhao Yun raised his eyebrows and turned his eyes with amusement.

Everyone burst into laughter.

There's more to Zhao Yunqing than that. Someone asked before: Since neither she nor Yun Kai are married, why don't they become cousins ​​and get married to each other?!
It scared them both...

Thankfully, the whole family shook their heads...

Thinking about it makes me laugh so hard I almost fall over.

"Miss Mo, His Highness requests your presence."

"Go quickly, come back and tell us what your cousin said," Zhao Yunqing said.

Mo Yi blushed slightly, got up and left.

Mo Yuan genuinely liked these two girls; they were completely unpretentious and their way of speaking suited her.

He was also very kind to her...

"Hey, Mo Yuan, you know... your sister got married and now she has two concubines who are so old, and they already have three children... isn't that awkward!"

"Oh, it's not that my cousin is bad. Marrying my cousin is a great honor for the Mo family! It's not that Xiangxiang and the others are bad either, the children are all very nice. It's just..." She leaned close to Mo Yuan's ear: "...acting like a mother right after entering the family..."

The Zhao sisters grinned, their faces showing the bitterness of eating green plums.

What they really thought was: I'm not willing to do that.

No matter how good my cousin is, he's not happy!

"A kindred spirit! This is what I've always wanted to talk about!" Mo Yuan clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes practically sparkling as she talked about these things.

……

Mo Yi followed the maid into the small house, where Li Jing was drinking tea.

"Your Majesty!"

"sit down."

Mo Yi sat down and asked, "Did Your Highness's trip go smoothly?"

"Thank goodness. At least we arrived in time."

"That's good." After a pause when no one spoke, Mo Yi started the conversation: "The old lady is really healthy, and what's even more remarkable is that her eyes are bright and her mind is sharp."

"Yes, she can remember a lot of things, better than most young people."

The two remained silent for a while.

Li Jing took the initiative, saying, "This time, there was an accident at the mine that resulted in a death. But the compensation was withheld by the higher-ups, so some people started a protest. There's probably been some kind of withholding on a regular basis. So this protest almost escalated into a full-blown conflict."

"Is that also one of your businesses?"

“I own shares. I only invested money, so I don’t need to worry about it on a daily basis. At the end of the year, I check the accounts and distribute dividends. But if something like this happens, I’ll have to step in!”

"You own quite a few businesses. You have a teahouse and a rare treasure pavilion."

"Yes. There are quite a few industries, but there are also many places where money is needed. You're just a young girl, you probably don't know how much money it costs to maintain an army!" He shook his head with a smile.

"Isn't that paid for by the imperial court?"

"It's quite complicated and varies by attribute. There are different considerations depending on the time of war, peacetime, locality, county, prefecture, and the level of equipment. Just looking at the imperial court, peacetime simply means not going hungry."

"This is indeed too complicated."

Li Jing smiled: "How were your lessons with Granny Zhao?"

"It went fairly smoothly. I don't know if Granny told you, but Mo Yi and her father started a small business."

"Oh? You can do this too?" Li Jing was surprised.

"I've been doing this for over two years. I recently moved to a new shop, and I was busy renting a place and setting up the shop for quite a while. Granny Zhao has been very kind to me."

"What shop?"

"It's for selling jewelry and pendants for young ladies. There are jade, amber, agate, and the like. They're all small items... Most of them are handmade. My father found the materials. I drew most of the designs. Then I hired craftsmen to make them, and rented a shop to sell them." Li Jing looked at her, thinking, "This little girl has such talent?"
Mo Yi thought the prince was a little bothered, "Your Highness, once the business is stable, we will be able to find a good master to take over, and I won't have to do it myself."

"It's alright. It's just a bit surprising. How old were you two years ago to be able to do something like this?"

"It's probably because I like it."

"Can I help you with anything?"

"It's just a small business, how could we waste our talents? We can manage... However, Your Highness, there is actually something I'd like to ask you..."

"Tell me."

"Then I'll tell you. Please don't blame me if it's not suitable."

"Go ahead."

"Here's the thing: My uncle's son, named Mo Fan, is eighteen years old and still in school. But my uncle says his grades aren't great. However, he's a very good person and meticulous in his work. You see..."

……

Consort Feng watched as Zhao Mama left.

A cold smile appeared on his lips.

And you're trying to lecture me like that?!
You keep saying it's for the prince, but do you even believe that yourself?
The whole family clung to the prince for food, and they even arranged their grandson's future.

Otherwise, would your sickly daughter have married such a capable man?
Thinking of the butler, Wan Daoping… although that matter has been accomplished, it seems that it has only served to vent his anger, and its other effects have not yet been apparent.

Wan Daoping has risen from humble beginnings, entering the mansion with only a single set of clothes to his current position; he is a man of considerable ability.

If he dares to support people, he can definitely control them!
Even if it's exposed now, it's just that men are attracted to beautiful women! Zhao Hui's daughter is of average appearance and frail health, while her son-in-law is full of vigor and ambition; she might even feel indebted to him.

They might just take it back without harming Zhao Hui at all.

This fish needs to be well cared for. It will only be interesting when it tries to jump out of the pond.

But what about Mo Yi?

Don't rush, don't rush... I was able to go with the flow last time, so I'm sure I can do it this time too!

"Your Majesty?" Mama Song has arrived.

"Where is Shao-ge?"

"He's playing with the young masters of the Zhao family! I just saw the Prince call that girl from the Mo family over to talk. Just the two of them, alone..."

Consort Feng suddenly felt somewhat disheartened again...

"Your Highness, our First Madam invites you to dine with us."

The Zhao family's restaurant is very large, with seven or eight large round tables, and there's still room to spare.

The matriarch sat in the main seat, with Li Jing and Li Chang, and the Zhao brothers, on her left.

To her right are her eldest grandson's wife and Mo Yi.

Yes, Moy went to the head table...

Zhao Yunqing and her sisters, along with Mo Yuan and her sisters, sat at one table.

The two concubines sat at a table with the other wives of the Zhao family.

After everyone took their seats, soldiers carried in several boxes, which were not large but heavy.

The old lady said, "Everyone is celebrating my birthday today, and I'm very happy. I specially commissioned Qingyuan Gold Shop to make some trinkets. One for everyone, adults and children alike!"

The soldiers carried her, and the old lady's maid began to distribute the gifts.

"My goodness, Madam, how much gold is this? You're going to spend too much!"

"I'm so old, why would I keep all that wealth? We don't care about those frivolous things. It's all about gold!"

Everyone laughed again...

When Mo Yi received it, it was a little golden pig.

The old lady was probably born in the Year of the Pig.

The gold is of exceptionally high quality, gleaming brightly. However, the design is somewhat rough, and the shape lacks vibrancy.

I remember seeing a diagram of twelve attributes in this book. I don't know who made it, but each one was quite adorable.

Wouldn't it be even more interesting if it were made like that?
I'll draw it when I have time, and see if I can find a stonemason to make a mold...

"Grandma's idea is really novel..." she affirmed.

The old lady actually heard this and was very pleased with herself: "Though I'm old, my mind is still very sharp!"

Granny Zhao shook her head. This girl, she never strayed from her profession; she was probably thinking about her business again…

Yesterday, another old reader returned. Thank you for remembering me.

I will try my best.

(End of this chapter)