Too high to reach

Chapter 207 No Need to Ask Me
When Li Jing and Mo Yi got out of the car, a group of people were waiting at the door.

Xu Ke was also in the crowd.

There's nothing we can do about it; he's the emperor's son, and for him to condescend to come is a huge show of respect to the Mohists.

"No need for formalities among family, let's go inside and talk!" Li Jing said in a deep voice as soon as he got out of the car and saw a large crowd of people.

He turned around and gave Mo Yi a slight helping hand.

“Father!” Mo Yi spotted her father, who was squeezed at the front.

"Hey!" Mo Ruhai, dressed in a dark blue silk robe with a jade pendant at his waist, exuded an air of elegance. "Yi Yi, Your Highness! Come inside quickly, it's cold outside..."

Mo Rushan and the others, seeing the interaction between the prince and Mo Yi, found it inexplicably pleasing to the eye. They finally felt relieved: this girl seemed to get along very well with the prince.

What a talent!

Xiangye got off the car carrying a large bag, and the servants of the Mo family greeted her with envy.

Now, Xiangye is also a member of the Prince's Palace.

A hint of smugness lingered on her smug little face as she looked around, wondering to herself: After living in the Mo family for so many years, I only just realized today that the Mo family's houses are so dilapidated...

Oh dear, if I really come back to this place from the Prince's mansion... I won't be able to get used to living here anymore!

After everyone was seated and exchanged a few pleasantries, Mo Yi gave the children red envelopes.

Mo Qing and Mo Bao led a group of little brats, including their eldest nephew who was being held in their arms, each carrying a heavy little bag. Mo Qing, who was usually a bit reckless, didn't dare to act presumptuously in front of the prince. As soon as he got his hands on the bag, he sneaked out to count it.

Then the men stayed to talk, while the women went to the dining room.

A group of people surrounded Mo Yi, asking her about her visit to the palace yesterday.

Having no other choice, Mo Yi had to describe who was present, what they were dressed for, what they said, the restaurant and drinks, the song and dance arrangements, and so on.

In the end, she didn't even have enough breath left.

"Alright, alright! Let her catch her breath..." Mo Yuan pulled Mo Yi away.

Yes, Mo Yuan is perceptive; she knows how to get herself out of a predicament.

Unexpectedly, Mo Yuan asked quietly, "Your Highness, when am I going to Prince Qi's residence? You promised me."

"..." Mo Yi looked at her, feeling rather helpless.

"How about this, we'll go to the Zhou family to pick up Xiangxiang in a bit. If Miss Zhou Jiu comes back with us, I'll send someone to fetch you."

"Okay!" Mo Yuan smiled, her eyes crinkling.

"Huh? Aren't you going back to the Liu family with your third aunt?"

"My mother is going back this afternoon. If you come to pick me up, I won't go to the Liu family's house!"

Mo Yi shook her head; she didn't have a good solution for Mo Yuan either.

"Miss Zhou Jiu will be staying at the Prince's residence for a while. When you go, you'll stay with her. If she goes out in the next couple of days, she'll take you with her. Is that enough?"

"Enough, enough, my dear Your Majesty... Don't worry, I promise I won't quarrel with Miss Zhou Jiu."

"Why are you two arguing all of a sudden? The important thing is, don't mess with Xiangxiang. That girl lost her mother early, she's sensitive and proud, and the prince dotes on her a lot. If you offend her, you can forget about going there again."

"Why would I provoke a little girl?"

"Don't be in such a hurry. I haven't told the Prince about this yet. If Miss Zhou Jiu doesn't go today... then we'll postpone it for another two days."

"No, please..." Mo Yuan pleaded.

"Don't you think about me at all? We just got married, and I haven't even settled in yet, and you're already bringing my unmarried sister from my parents' family to live with us? What kind of talk is that?"

"Tch! As long as the prince agrees, I don't care what others say."

"...Then wait for news." She then saw her father had slipped out to find her. "I'm going to talk to Father!"

Mo Ruhai looked at Mo Yi with eyes full of doting affection.

"Father, you seem younger than before?" Mo Yi asked curiously. "Really?" Mo Ruhai replied, embarrassed.

This year has been all good for him. Even his most annoying wife has rarely bothered him. He's busy all day, showered with compliments from relatives and friends, and is always a guest of honor at everyone's gatherings.

A cheerful mood not only makes one look younger, but also cultivates a more refined demeanor.

However, the way he looked at Mo Yi was still that of a kind old father.

"Yi Yi, is the Prince treating you well?"

"Father, please rest assured, he treats me very well. Everything is fine with me at the Prince's residence. When I went to the palace yesterday..."

She recounted in detail everyone's reactions to her taking the items, adding, "And my daughter has some new ideas. We'll start working on them after the New Year."

"That's good, that's good!" Mo Ruhai nodded repeatedly. "However... daughter. The prince has been fighting on the frontier for many years, and he must have suffered a lot. You should take good care of him in your daily life."

You can't just focus on work and making money and ignore his feelings. Actually, men and women are the same; they both crave the love and care of their loved ones. If you unintentionally hurt him, it's very difficult to make amends later.

There is an age gap between you and the Prince. What your father sees as a young girl, the Prince sees as the matriarch, a princess to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Therefore, you must be considerate of him.

Actually, he also wanted to say: You're still young, don't rush to have children.

But these words should have come from a mother...

“Father, you’re quite the charmer!” Mo Yi teased him.

Mo Ruhai lowered his head shyly, "Father just said what he was thinking. You still need to figure it out yourself after listening."

"Yes."

After everyone had chatted animatedly for a while, Mrs. Zhuang invited them to the dining room.

Li Jing left Mo Rushan to speak.

"His Majesty is preparing to reform the salt tax system. This matter is very likely to be spearheaded by Grand Secretary Liu. Although Grand Secretary Liu has traveled extensively and accomplished many practical tasks, his experience in salt affairs is probably limited. I wonder if Lord Mo would like to join in?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Rushan became very excited. "Your Highness, to tell you the truth, I haven't done anything particularly useful over the years. However, when it comes to the salt tax system, I probably know more about it than those officials in charge."

In particular, I meticulously studied the tax systems of each dynasty during the compilation process. While I wouldn't say I know them by heart, I can certainly answer any question. Furthermore, I've read analyses of the merits and demerits of these tax systems by later generations. I may not be able to lead this project, but I'm perfectly capable of asking questions or offering suggestions to my superiors!

"Hmm, if that's the case, I can secretly recommend a couple of people later. Leading the way isn't enough, but doing some practical work is always possible."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Mo Rushan rose to express his gratitude. "This is a great promotion!"

He was incredibly excited. If he performed well and gained the Grand Secretary's favor, his future would be bright...

After they finished talking, they went to the dining room, which was bustling with activity, just like a restaurant outside...

Xu Ke sat between his sons-in-law, shaking his head and laughing. At his family's meals, there wasn't even any food that made a crunchy sound when you chewed it…

"Brother-in-law Xu, this wine was just a gift from my good friend (Zhang Debao) two years ago. It's a 20-year-old Shaoxing wine from Kuaiji Mountain! I just warmed it with pickled plums and ginger shreds. It's truly wonderful!"

Seeing Xu Ke sitting quietly, Mo Fan tried to strike up a conversation with him again.

"Really? That's good wine, we must have a couple more drinks!" Xu Ke said with a smile.

Everyone enjoyed the meal and drinks to the fullest and left satisfied.

On the way back, Mo Yi said, "Your Highness, shall we bring Miss Zhou Jiu back to the manor later as well?"

Slightly tipsy, Li Jing looked at Mo Yi and said, "There's something... The Zhou family once wanted Zhou Jiu to help me remarry. I didn't agree. I'm telling you now so you won't misunderstand in the future. It will also help me maintain proper boundaries when interacting with Zhou Jiu."

"I knew a little about it beforehand. I wanted Miss Zhou Jiu to come to our house because of Xiangxiang. A young girl won't be lonely if she doesn't have someone to serve her. I wanted to keep her company, but it seems she's not quite willing to let me get close."

"Miss Zhou Jiu's affair with you didn't work out, and she's not having an easy time at home. So, let her come and keep Xiangxiang company. You're busy, and I'll be busy after the New Year too. It's good that they keep each other company."

“Zhou Jiu is not young anymore, how long can he stay with Xiangxiang? However… you can arrange the affairs of the inner quarters. If you have any questions, you can ask Granny Zhao.”

"Yes. Your Highness, and my fourth sister... She helped me a lot when we were still young. Now that I've married into the Prince's household, she's always wanted to come and see me. I was thinking... if Miss Zhou Jiu comes, why not bring my sister along too? The two girls can keep each other company, so it won't be awkward. We can send her back after the New Year..."

Li Jing chuckled and shook her head, "You don't need to ask me about these things, just handle them yourself!"