Too high to reach

Chapter 278 First Taste of Bitterness
"what?!"

Mrs. Zhuang was stunned. "This...this kind of daughter-in-law?" She couldn't possibly handle her.

In her mind, the ideal daughter-in-law would be someone who: comes from a similar background to her own family; is the eldest daughter in her family; has a certain dowry; is sturdy; is capable; and has a gentle temperament.

As for looks, as long as they are decent-looking and not ugly, that's fine.

So... "Miss Zhou Jiu, how could a family like ours possibly marry her?"

However, no one knows a son better than his mother, and Zhuang suddenly remembered her son's foolish appearance that day...

Upon entering and seeing Miss Zhou, he was speechless and unable to take a step!
Could it be that he's taken a fancy to that girl?

Actually, it's not surprising that I was drawn to it... after all, it's so beautiful, it makes my heart race.

But... "Yiyi, why would Miss Zhou be interested in your second brother? What would she want from him!"

Mo Yi wasn't happy to hear that. "My second brother is a very good person! Don't be so self-deprecating!"

"Oh my goodness, he is your aunt's own son, how could she not think well of him? But, Miss Zhou, she looks like a pampered flower... she should marry into a noble family and become a lady. The day she came, what your aunt and sister-in-law were doing is what your future sister-in-law will be doing. Do you think she... can handle it?"

"What happened?" Mo Rushan asked.

Zhuang described it using gestures and analogies.

Mo Rushan pondered, "Before the princess's marriage, my uncle did inquire about the former princess. The Zhou family is refined and noble, quite different from families like ours. Moreover, I haven't heard much about this Master Zhou."

"You don't need to ask anymore. Miss Zhou's parents don't get along very well, so she wants to find someone who will treat her wholeheartedly. She's not picky about anything else. This marriage isn't really a good match for either of the two families. The only good thing is that the two of them like each other."

"Ah?" Mo Rushan and his wife exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

"Is that really so?!" Zhuang thought to herself, "Silly son, he really knows how to pick out good-looking people to like!"

"Uncle, Aunt, and Sister! Come on, come on, dinner's ready. It won't taste good if it gets cold," the chubby boy urged.

Mo Yi said directly, "His Highness thinks this marriage is acceptable. If we are willing, he will personally speak to him. Moreover, Miss Zhou Jiu has been taking care of the Princess, and His Highness is very grateful. He said he will prepare a dowry for her."

"...Since Your Highness has agreed, what else is there for us to choose from?" Mo Rushan made the decision.

When we arrived at the canteen, it was bustling with activity.

The prince was talking to Mo Ruhai and Mo Da;

Meng San and Wu Yong also sat down at the table;
While caring for her eldest grandson, Madam Wang was also disciplining Mo Qing. Perhaps she had finally realized Mo Qing's problems and was trying to change her rules. However, judging from Mo Qing's expression… she probably wouldn't listen.

When the chubby boy came back, he plopped down next to Liu Nian and mumbled something unintelligible.

The eldest son of the third uncle also leaned over to listen, and he became much more lively.

The eldest sister-in-law, Zhou, was directing the servants to serve the dishes.

Looking at the table again, there were lion's head meatballs, stewed fish, tofu with scallions, steamed eggs with fresh shrimp, eggplant with chili sauce, and a large bowl of spinach with wasabi.

There are also fried peanuts, salted eggs, preserved eggs, and other snacks to accompany drinks.

Once the Shaoxing wine is warmed up, the aroma spreads, instantly creating a pleasant atmosphere.

"Your Highness, would you like to have a couple of drinks?" Mo Rushan asked with a smile.

"Okay, let's have a couple of drinks." Li Jing replied with a smile. As soon as he picked up his chopsticks, the chubby boy and Liu Nian immediately started eating.

The lion's head meatballs, about the size of a child's fist, were round and plump, pink and tender. Simmered in chicken soup and garnished with greens, they looked so beautiful.

The first bite is sweet, tender, and juicy. Hmm? There are also bits of water chestnut inside.

Hmm... pork and water chestnuts are the perfect match!

Meng San ate with a beaming smile, looking smugly at Wu Yong, who dared to take his young master all over the place by himself...

You deserve to be punished!
……

Over the next few days, gifts from the palace kept pouring into the Crown Prince's residence, and those who came were all the Empress's most trusted confidants.

The Crown Prince is genuinely good to Mo Yuan.

He stayed in her room for several nights in a row. The Crown Princess recalled that she conceived this child while discussing Mo Yuan's arrival in the Crown Prince's household, and she truly felt... that she and Mo Yuan had some kind of destiny...

Therefore, we gave her extra face.

That day, I overheard my maid reporting, "That Madam Mo is truly energetic. Every morning after paying her respects to you, she strolls around the garden, chatting with everyone she meets. In the afternoon, she chats with the concubines and does chores. In the evening, she even comes to tell you jokes. And at night, I hear she always manages to make the Crown Prince laugh. She never stops all day! Her maids are also asking around about her."

The Crown Princess leaned back on the couch and chuckled, "She's just a girl from a humble family, entering the Crown Prince's residence with no one to rely on. It's normal for her to want to find out more and understand things so that she can live more securely... Although His Highness dotes on her now, how long can that dominance last?"

She sighed softly.

"Anyway, she can't go to the master's study, and as for other things... not only would she not find out anything, but even if she did, it wouldn't matter. She's lively, has a pleasant voice, and is the most interesting person in this family."

Moreover, her appearance and words on the day of the tea ceremony were so pleasing to me. Otherwise… if the master had really spoken up and allowed Consort Zhang to interfere in family affairs, that would have been a huge problem! Now, with Mo Yuan stirring things up, my life is much easier. Let her be! You all keep an eye on her, lest she suffer a great loss.”

Mo Yuan was unaware that the Crown Princess was fully aware of her actions. These past few days, she had been discreetly socializing throughout the palace.

Within a few days, everyone understood what had happened to the concubines, the wife, and the other concubines.

Moreover, the influential stewards and head maids, whether serving the Crown Princess or the concubines, all knew the truth.

Within just a few days, everyone in the manor knew that this Madam Mo was "sweet-faced and kind-hearted," even though she wasn't exactly wealthy.

But his smile was genuine, and he kept receiving tips.

Even if the maids and servants in the Crown Prince's residence have plenty of money, who would complain about having too much silver?

Nowadays, everyone, whether they are the first or second-class maids serving their master, or those who deliver meals, clean, or do laundry in the courtyard, respects and likes her.

If you want something to eat, you don't even need to tip; the kitchen will happily prepare it and deliver it to you.

There were also gifts from Mo Yi, which the Crown Prince's concubines greatly admired. They would talk about them for ages.

She smugly indulged in this for a few days, until finally, she fell into the hands of Consort Zhang.

Originally, Consort Zhang hadn't been able to pay attention to her these days. The Crown Princess's pregnancy made her extremely anxious, but she couldn't think of a good idea.

If the Crown Princess gives birth to a son... what will happen to me and my sons?
She knew a little about the Crown Prince's character; he seemed gentle and affectionate, but in reality, he was cold and ruthless.

What they value is power and stability.

Even if he wasn't that infatuated with the Crown Princess, he still treated her with the utmost respect. No matter how much she acted recklessly, relying on her son's status, she wouldn't cross that line. For example, the power to manage the household…

If she gives birth to another son... she'll be completely finished.

Just as I was feeling irritable, I ran into Mo Yuan, who was wandering around aimlessly in the garden.

A few days ago, Consort Zhang heard from her maid that this wretched woman was talking to the people in the courtyard... At the time, she was preoccupied and didn't have time to deal with her.

Seeing Mo Yuan's carefree demeanor, he felt a surge of anger.

First, he criticized Mo Yuan for being late in greeting him, and then, on the grounds that she had offended him, he punished Mo Yuan by making her kneel down.

It wasn't too late to greet her... but Mo Yuan sensed that the person she was greeting was not friendly and didn't want to provoke her, so she apologized.

But when she was forced to kneel as punishment, she refused, saying, "Your Highness, Mo Yuan also holds an imperial title. Although your rank is high, it doesn't mean you can punish Mo Yuan at will."

That is indeed the case, but Consort Zhang is just looking for trouble. Can you reason with her?

He was immediately enraged and ordered the people behind him to restrain Mo Yuan.

Mo Yuan never expected that this person would be so unreasonable and would start attacking right away.
Despite her struggles, she was forced to the ground by Consort Zhang's men.

Chunhua was shocked and quickly tried to protect her master, but she was pulled aside...

At this moment, the benefits of Mo Yuan's proactive efforts to build relationships became apparent. A maidservant saw this and ran to inform the Crown Princess.

Consort Zhang was just looking for trouble. The more she talked, the angrier she became. Finally, she pointed at Mo Yuan and said, "How dare she disrespect this Consort! Give her a few slaps."

A maidservant approached her. "Aunt Mo, do you remember me? You asked me that day, and I remember: my name is Haitang." With that, she slapped Mo Yuan across the face.

Mo Yuan was stunned...