Too high to reach

Chapter 185 made her careless
The next morning, Consort Feng got up very early.

After washing and dressing, I arrived at the storeroom.

The servants took the list and left the warehouse. In the outer room, straw mats were laid on the floor, and on them were stacks of boxes of various sizes—these were the princess's homecoming gifts. They were just waiting to be checked, packed, and loaded onto the truck.

Consort Feng's eyes were slightly swollen, and her face was sullen.

A few days ago, the betrothal gifts for the Mo family were also packed up and carried out in the same way. After going around to the Mo family's residence, they were carried back, but once they entered the mansion, they went into the princess's private treasury and became her property.

Before me lay bolts of cloth, ginseng, deer antlers, a complete tea set and writing implements, and pastries just delivered by Fuxiangzhai…

This reminded her of the prince's kindness towards the princess yesterday...

Anger welled up within him. "Don't you know how to put the snacks on the table? Those are for eating! You think you're in charge of the warehouse? Is this how you manage it?" His voice was shrill, and his face was ashen.

She rarely got angry, so the servants quickly picked up the snack box and put it on the table.

Seeing how persistent she was, as if she wanted to punish the servants...

"Your Highness, Concubine..." Mama Song called out to her cautiously.

Yes, they used to just call her "Your Highness," but now that she's officially entered the household, she's become "Concubine."

"What is it?" Consort Feng asked impatiently.

Song's mother stepped forward and gestured for her to go outside.

Consort Feng came out angrily, "Speak!"

"Your Majesty... not only are you feeling uncomfortable, but we who serve you also feel indignant on your behalf. But now... is the most difficult time for you. We can't afford to make any mistakes, and we can't afford to lose face easily either."

A wave of grievance washed over Consort Feng. "Yesterday, Zhao Hui introduced Li Xiangling first, even Shao Ge'er had to step aside. The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children is laid out here, poor Shao Ge'er... How can I live with myself like this?"

Madam Song's face contorted with rage as she retorted indignantly, "But don't underestimate the Princess Consort. She may look like a young girl, but she's definitely cunning. Otherwise, with her looks and background, how could she have caught the Prince's eye? Look yesterday, when he asked you to continue managing the household, it was all done in a consultative tone with her..."

"We just got here, it's all so exciting. You can't confront her right now! Zhao Hui's watching us like a hawk, we can't give her any leverage. Once that's done… she'll be in big trouble!"

Consort Feng calmed down a bit and nodded gently.

"Hmph! What princess... Who knows what will happen in the future!" Madam Song rolled her eyes at the main courtyard again. "Right now, you have to coax her. Make sure she can't find any fault with you, make her careless, and once she understands, then you can think of how to deal with her. As long as you manage the household, there will be plenty of opportunities! You can't just rush in blindly."

Consort Feng nodded vigorously; she had taken his words to heart.

We must know ourselves and our enemy; we cannot be careless at the moment.

Thinking back to yesterday's meal, I deliberately walked next to the prince and talked to him, just to use my closeness to the prince and my status in the manor to disgust her...

In retrospect, it was hasty.

Arguing out of spite won't solve anything, and it might even bring me bad luck.

“You have the prince’s only son, but she has nothing! In the long run, you can’t just think about the present.”

"Understood." Consort Feng turned and went into the mansion. "Is everything ready?"

"Your Highness, all is ready!"

Consort Feng picked up the list, and the warehouse manager relayed it to her in detail.

"Alright, stop dawdling, pack it up and load it into the car!"

Several people packed the boxes and carried them out.

Two copies of the gift list were prepared, one written on red paper and sent to the Mo family along with the gifts.

The other copy was kept in the government's accounts.

Several servants carried the goods out, leaving only the storeroom manager.

Consort Feng instructed her, "Go and help lift it. There's porcelain in it, so don't break it."

The old woman in charge of the storehouse hurriedly followed.

Only Consort Feng and Mama Song were left in the storeroom.

Consort Feng first made two entries in the storeroom's ledger, and then added two lines to the record sheet. When Mama Song approached, Consort Feng whispered something to her.

Madam Song darted into the storeroom, grabbed a set of jewelry, then went to another large storeroom and took out two boxes of century-old wild ginseng. The two locked the storeroom and went straight back to Changhui Pavilion.

This one theft cost over a thousand taels of silver.

She had never really considered this idea before. Now, she had to take a two-pronged approach, just in case.

……

Mo Yi woke up very late, her whole body aching.

I turned to look around, but there was no one there.

Thinking about what happened last night, she blushed again and buried her head in the blanket.

"I never imagined that one day..."

Footsteps sounded as Li Jing returned from practicing his martial arts outside, looking refreshed.

Seeing Mo Yi, he didn't even show his face this time, but just smiled and said, "Get up quickly! I just saw them carrying the wedding car back home. I got the gift list. Take a look for yourself. If you want to add anything, you'd better hurry." After saying that, he went into the inner room to wash up.

Mo Yi glanced at him furtively, and once he went inside, she quickly put on her robe and got out of bed. Not wanting to wash up with him, she sat at the table, looking at the red sheet… so many?

Do you even need to add that?!
He rested his chin on his hand and sorted out his relationship with the Mohists.

The Mohist school has risen from an obscure little sect to its current state, and its upward trajectory is a major trend.

But how high they can go cannot depend solely on married daughters. I and Mo Wen have only opened the door; what happens next depends on themselves.

Based on my own analysis, it would be normal for my uncle to be promoted two or three more ranks, but it is probably unrealistic for him to enter the cabinet and become prime minister.

As for her father, she originally planned to wait until she had established herself in the Prince's mansion, or even had children, before securing him a stable and prestigious position. Then, she would support her elder brother after he passed the imperial examination.

My third uncle... based on my observations over the past few days, he seems too frivolous. He's always dressed up and going out socializing, probably bragging a lot. It's just that the family doesn't have much money... otherwise, he'd be a complete wastrel, and we'd have to be careful he doesn't cause trouble.

Alas, Mo Yuan's impetuousness is probably inherited from her third uncle and aunt.

"What are you thinking about?" A voice sounded in her ear, and Li Jing suddenly appeared behind her.

Mo Yi was startled: "You're all washed up?"

"Hmm..." Li Jing smiled faintly at her. Her hair was disheveled, her face flushed, and her robe was casually draped over her shoulders. Yet, her expression was serious, making her seem incongruous. He felt a little...

"Then I'll hurry up and wash up..." Mo Yi ran inside.

……

When the Mo family's son-in-law arrived, they cleaned the house and arranged flowers.

Seeing the flowers, Mo Ruhai thought of how his daughter used to carve daffodils for the New Year every year. This year… his heart ached, and he cried again.

His nose is all red now, and he's pacing outside the gate, waiting for the car to arrive.

Mo Fan wanted to make his second uncle laugh, so he followed behind him. When Mo Ruhai turned around and came back, he almost bumped into him.

"You brat, why are you always following me?!"

"Second Uncle, you've almost worn the soles of your shoes thin."

Mo Ruhai proudly raised his foot, "It's made of cowhide, how could it be worn thin so easily?"

Mo Fan looked him up and down. "Second Uncle, you're dressed far too frivolously these days. You're forty years old! You're an old man..."

"You!" Mo Ruhai went to beat him up.

Today, Mo Wen and Xu Ke, along with the two eldest daughters of the Mo family who had married out long ago, also returned with their husbands.

If you do the math, it's another big family.

In the living room, the brothers Mo Rushan and Mo Rusong, Mo Da, Xu Ke, and the sons-in-law of the two daughters of the Mo family were sitting and talking.

No one from the Wang family came today.

As everyone chatted, Xu Ke wore his usual standard smile, offering a brief answer when asked a question. Otherwise, he simply listened quietly to what others were saying.

Inside the house, Madam Wang asked Mowen, "How are things going with your son-in-law?"

“He treats me very well. My great-grandmother always calls me over to talk. My wife also takes me with her when she goes out. Everything is fine, so you can rest assured.”

But Wang was still a little worried about Mo Wen's appearance. "Then... do you have a share in the family affairs?" she asked cautiously.

Mo Wen grew impatient: "Didn't I tell you already? My mother-in-law said this morning that the eldest sister-in-law is in charge of the household! Part of it is still in my mother-in-law's hands, so it's not my turn. Stop asking! Now, I just need to manage my dowry well."

"What about the monthly allowance?" Wang Shi had no temper with her eldest daughter.

"This piece is in my possession, and my husband rarely asks me for money..."

"Of course! Your son-in-law is nothing like your father..."

"Fine!" Mo Wen was completely annoyed.

Wang had no choice but to change the subject, "Your dowry is being looked after by your uncle, so there's no rush. What's important now is that you give birth to a son!"

"Is this ever going to end?!" Mo Wen stood up and walked out.

A voice came from the doorway. "Coming! Coming!"

Mo Rushan quickly got up and walked out, and the others followed.

Several carriages were parked at the entrance, and four guards were on horseback. As soon as Li Jing got out of the carriage, he saw his father-in-law standing below.

As he got off the train, she called out "Your Highness" but her eyes were still looking back at the carriage.

Hongyan helped Moyi down...

"Yi Yi?" Mo Ruhai was unaware of how his daughter was doing at the Prince's mansion, and looked on with great caution.

"Father!" Mo Yi greeted her father with a big smile.

"Phew!" He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

(End of this chapter)