Too high to reach

Chapter 283 They don't understand her
Zhou Jiu and the Mo family have settled their matter privately.

Next, we need to ask a matchmaker to go through the formalities.

"Xiangxiang has met that person a few times; he's the one who gave us the cactus." Zhou Jiu's voice was gentle, and you could tell she was very satisfied.

But Li Xiangling, sitting opposite her, had a stern face and lowered her eyes, saying, "That person is nothing special! Ninth Aunt, why did you agree? Did the Princess bewitch you?"

“Xiangxiang…” Zhou Jiu chuckled, “No.”

"What do you mean, 'no'? I know everything! It was the Princess who persuaded Father, and only then did Father help with the arrangements," Li Xiangling said angrily. "That man, from head to toe, is no match for you. Besides, Xiangxiang clearly doesn't like them..."

Although she didn't exactly dislike her stepmother, Moe.

But Ninth Aunt was originally supposed to be her own mother, marrying a man like her father.

Even if it doesn't work out, you shouldn't marry someone like that, right?

No wonder that man always sidled up to Aunt Jiu. He was the one who caught her when she was about to fall... And then I remember him holding a few cacti and grinning like an idiot... I get angry!

"Xiangxiang... Ninth Aunt, I just want a peaceful life. My husband doesn't need to be outstanding, as long as he's gentle, has no bad habits, and treats me well. I don't need to guess his likes and dislikes or his thoughts, and I don't need to deal with concubines and illegitimate children. He won't look down on me for my meager dowry or my lack of experience in managing the household..."

"Ninth Aunt, Xiangxiang will talk to Father about your dowry. Father once said that everything Mother left behind is mine. I am Father's eldest daughter, how could I worry about money? I can give it to you!"

Zhou Jiu, holding Li Xiangling's hand, was deeply moved. "Thank you so much, Xiangxiang! Given your age and status, you should be a proud, pampered princess, oblivious to worldly matters. But... I let you know all this far too soon. It's all my fault, Aunt Jiu..."

Li Xiangling, however, disagreed: "I lost my mother when I was young, so naturally I'm different from other girls, and that's nothing. But Xiangxiang hopes that Aunt Jiu can live a good life. That person... is so foolish. And she even sent that broken pot of flowers... they're all dead."

Zhou Jiu smiled.

That smile made her incomparably beautiful: "Actually, I was thinking of waiting another two years, until you're a bit older, before talking about marriage. I was worried that the princess might not treat you well after she comes into the family. Although I'm just a nobody, I can see things clearly enough not to let your stepmother fool you."

Now it seems that although the princess is young and doesn't treat you with the same meticulous care and attention as a biological mother, she is pure of heart and undemanding. For your personality, this distance is actually better.

"Yes, it's good," Li Xiangling said.

Zhou Jiu smiled again: "The princess and this brother have a good relationship. If I treat her brother well, she will treat you well in return."

"Ninth Aunt, you don't need to worry about me. I have my father!"

"Yes. I went to the Mo family and met Madam Mo. She's a very down-to-earth person, not very talkative, but very conscientious. Unlike the wealthy ladies we've met before. Nor does she seem like a wicked mother-in-law..."

“Auntie, aren’t you shy…” Li Xiangling said, rubbing her face.

The two of them laughed together again.

“My mother doesn’t approve of this marriage. She’s sent people to look for someone in the second gate several times already…” Zhou Jiu’s face changed when he talked about his mother.

She knew her mother's plan: she hoped her daughter would use her looks to climb the social ladder, so that she could hold her head high at home.

"She must be so disappointed with this marriage..." She went home in fear.

Li Xiangling was close to her and knew that Mrs. Zhou always had a sinister look in her eyes, so he was quite afraid of her...

Fortunately, her father returned, and she went back to her own home.

Although I don't like the princess, we get along quite well now. We talk things out when there's something to discuss, and otherwise, she doesn't bother me...

How can you expect a stepmother to be the same as your biological mother?

"Ninth Aunt, stay here with me until you get married!"

“Okay…” Zhou Jiu sighed. With so many things to do before getting married, she definitely had to go back to the Zhou family.

But once I go back, I don't know what will happen...

After Zhou Jiu left, Li Xiangling's head maid, who was already sixteen or seventeen years old, complained to her, "Princess, in my opinion, Ninth Miss is really silly."

"Hmph." Li Xiangling snorted.

"Look, even the princess knows to marry into the royal family from the Mo family. Aren't people always trying to climb the social ladder? Why is it that when it comes to Ninth Miss, they want her to marry into the Mo family? Back then, the Zhou family wanted Ninth Miss to be the princess."

Even if that didn't work out, things shouldn't be so drastically different! Second Master Mo is neither good at literature nor martial arts. He doesn't even have an official rank! He'll probably never even earn a title of nobility in his lifetime. What kind of life will Ninth Miss have then?

Li Xiangling frowned slightly, feeling that this made sense.

"You are a princess, what kind of occasions do you go to? Those places, what about Madam Mo... would she even be able to go there? Even with your help, wouldn't she feel embarrassed in front of so many noble ladies?"

Li Xiangling was just a young girl, how could she have thought of so much? She only felt that Ninth Aunt was beautiful and kind, and that the Mo family was not worthy of her.

Now that I hear it, it really is true... "Go and call Aunt Jiu, I'll talk to her again."

"Things have come to this, there's probably no point in saying anything now," the maid said, packing her things.

"She's a cunning person; she's already set up this scheme. Otherwise, why would Ninth Miss acknowledge Second Master Mo? Hmph, what a cunning woman... she's outsmarted us all. It's strange, though, that the Prince listens to her."

Li Xiangling remained silent, sitting there brooding.

"Your Highness!" As soon as Mama Song entered, she whispered in Consort Feng's ear, "They said that the Princess's father brought someone with him. The Prince and Mr. Yang met with him in the front study. It must be official business."

"Official business? Why would you call her for official business? And why did you also call Consort Tian?" Consort Feng wondered.

"When Consort Tian returned home, she wrote a letter. I heard it was for her brother."

This feeling—that both the princess and Consort Tian can participate, but I'm the only one excluded—is absolutely awful.

"Have someone keep an eye on things! Go up ahead and have someone ask Zhou Dong if he knows anything about it."

"Yes. Also, the princess's maidservant sent word that the princess is dissatisfied with the princess consort because of Miss Zhou's marriage."

"Hmm. Well done. Reward her later... This Zhou Jiu is really something else. Not just her, but the Zhou family and the Prince are too! With such good looks, she'd be a great asset to any family she marries into. Mo Yi is truly heartless, actually sending her to marry into the Mo family..."

"Indeed! Such a lovely girl, she could easily be a princess! And yet she married into such a family!"

Consort Feng found these words unpleasant and glared at Mama Song.

Mrs. Song realized she had said something wrong and shrank back.

That's why I said: Mo Yi is ruthless!

"Why don't we spread this around and ruin her reputation!"

“What’s the use? It was the prince who did it. What rumors can hurt her? Look, the prince has even taken part of Princess Zhou’s dowry… Such a wise and powerful man, yet he’s being held in the hands of a mere girl. It’s infuriating! Sooner or later, I’ll get him back…” Consort Feng could only freely express her malice when she was in front of Mama Song.

……

Mo Yuan had the opportunity to leave the manor freely, so she took a carriage, accompanied by her maid and guards, and went back to her parents' home!
Finally, she achieved it all on her own, without relying on Mo Yi's influence.

However... there are indeed gains and losses.

When she saw Liu, her eyes were still red for a while.

How could Mrs. Liu know that her daughter had been wronged? She thought her daughter was just excited to see her and started asking her all sorts of questions…

Mo Yuan recounted her life in the Crown Prince's residence and her experience entering the palace.

After being excited for a while, Liu finally mentioned, "Oh dear, I almost forgot, Mo Fan is engaged!"

"Huh? With whom?"

"It's the prince's sister-in-law, Miss Zhou!"

"It really worked out?!" Mo Yuan was quite pleased to hear this. "Miss Zhou is very nice, and she has a good relationship with my daughter. I was just saying..."

She promised to take Zhou Jiu back to the Mo family to investigate, but then forgot about her because of the matter of entering the Crown Prince's residence.

"Oh my, that's wonderful! Second Brother must be overjoyed to have found such a marriage."

"Of course it's good! The Prince's former in-laws are such a high-ranking family. That silly boy Mo Fan... he's just lucky." Madam Liu curled her lips, sounding rather sour. "Oh, and the Song family has returned."

"Who?" Mo Yuan wasn't too concerned about what was happening at home.

"They're your second uncle's servants... Both brothers help Mo Yi run the shop. Our land has been rented out... The rent isn't low. Your father brought back a portion of our land. I'll bring it to you later!"

"No need! Mother, I have plenty of money. You keep it for yourself, don't let my father squander it!"

"That's fine, Mother will keep it for you. I heard that your second uncle took Song Jiayou to the Prince's mansion, and the Prince even met with him."

"Oh? Why?!"

"It's probably about the land, but Mother doesn't know the specifics."

Although Mo Yuan found it strange, she didn't take it seriously.

……

Consort Tian, ​​after exchanging letters with her brothers in the capital, ran to Mo Yi and said, "It seems that the prince is a bit tense over there. It's not advisable to go down and investigate rashly, otherwise we might alert the enemy."

If a stranger inquires, it will arouse suspicion, and there might even be danger. My second brother used to work in that area. I sent someone with silver and a letter to find an acquaintance from back then, under the pretense of investing in a business, to scout out their intentions first.

Mo Yi nodded: "Being cautious is the right thing to do..."

As they were talking, suddenly, Ermen led Qiu Hong in.

Qiu Hong's eyes were red and she cried as she entered the room: "Your Majesty..."

"They're your second uncle's servants... the two brothers help Mo Yi run the shop. Our land has been rented out... the rent isn't low, and your father brought back a portion of our land. Mom will pack it for you in a bit!"

"No need! Mother, I have plenty of money. You keep it for yourself, don't let my father squander it!"

—From this perspective, Mo Yuan is still stronger than Mo Wen.