Too high to reach

Chapter 315 Impartiality

Mo Yi was looking through the things in her hands.

Beside her, Granny Zhao briefly explained the trip to Li Jing.

It also mentioned people it met on the street.

Li Jing sipped his tea and listened silently, his gaze fixed on his wife.

Seeing her looking thoughtful as she stared at the several notebooks in her hand...

Then he realized that he understood his wife quite well, and her expression... meant that she had discovered a problem.

"Your Highness?" he called softly.

Mo Yi regained his senses and said, "Your Highness."

Is there anything wrong with what you're holding?

Upon hearing this, Granny Zhao also turned to look at Mo Yi.

“This…” Mo Yi hesitated.

“There are no outsiders here, so please speak freely,” Li Jing said.

"I do have some ideas, but I'm not sure if they're right. Besides, bringing this up now... is probably a bit inappropriate."

Zhao Mama said gently, "Your Highness, please don't stand on ceremony. Tell me, and perhaps I can answer some of your questions."

Mo Yi nodded and pointed to the open notebook, saying, "Several thick notebooks, starting from when Yongle left the capital, very detailed. I wouldn't say it was every day, but he wrote down the more important things about Yongle. Several times when he was sick, especially at the end... It seems that Wan Daoping really cared about Yongle and was very attentive."

If he were Yongle's personal maid, this would be understandable... but he was going to take up his post. Although he had reached a very high position in the Prince's residence, it wasn't an official appointment.

He'll have many things to consider along the way, and there are people he needs to visit and meet. So, I feel this is a bit too deliberate, like…it was written specifically for you.”

After listening, Granny Zhao thought for a moment, "Could it be... because he wants to become an official, and Yongle is accompanying him on his post despite her illness? And he also knows how much Yongle's father and I dote on her. So, he's being meticulous in everything he does, just in case something unexpected happens and he can't explain it to us?"

Mo Yi nodded, "Yes, that's possible. I'm an outsider, so I don't have the motherly mentality. But I can offer an unbiased analysis: Wan Daoping did indeed receive great favors from the Zhao family. But as far as I know, over the years, he has treated Yongle and his children very well. In this respect, the Zhao family benefited while supporting him."

Moreover, he himself is shrewd and capable, acts with magnanimity, and has managed the household without any major oversights over the years. Even the Prince acknowledges this. Furthermore, while his appointment to officialdom is indeed for his own wishes, isn't it also for the future of his wife and children?

All of the above does not mean that his current success is entirely due to the Zhao family. If it were me, I would have a clear conscience.

Yongle could have chosen not to go to his post. It was not uncommon for wives to stay at home while their husbands served in other provinces. But Yongle loved her husband and was willing to go.

While Yongle's death is heartbreaking, if it's only for this reason, there's nothing to blame Wan Daoping for. Therefore, I think his meticulousness was overly deliberate.

Li Jing nodded slightly...

Mo Yi handed over a few books, which Zhao Mama took. She looked at the contents but couldn't concentrate on thinking.

“There’s something else…” Mo Yi said, “A few days ago, I heard from Steward Zhao that after he was chosen to take over Wan Daoping’s business, Wan Daoping asked him to…” She glanced at Li Jing, somewhat amused, as he mentioned Consort Feng again…

Anyone who didn't know better would think I was deliberately targeting her.

"I had a formal meeting with Consort Feng's cousin-in-law. Many of the purchases for the front and back courtyards of the Prince's mansion are handled through this person."

Granny Zhao nodded: "I know a little about this. I've also done spot checks, and there's nothing seriously wrong with his goods and prices."

"That's what Butler Zhao said too. We've eaten together a few times. Once, his brother-in-law brought a woman with him. Butler Zhao was immediately captivated by her beauty and was very interested in her."

Li Jing wasn't surprised by this. He himself had received countless gifts. However, he was impatient with them and simply rearranged them all.

It was common for officials to exchange beautiful women, both in the capital and elsewhere. But Granny Zhao immediately overthought things.

If this person would do something like this to Xiao Zhao, what about Wan Daoping?
They've been working together for so many years, have they never accepted bribes?

Mo Yi added, "I think there's a lot to consider when choosing a woman to accompany you. From what I've seen, Xiao Zhao is quite composed, and you can't say he's unsophisticated. But he... in his own words, he was completely smitten at the time, and after meeting her once, he wanted to see her again."

He even considered keeping her by his side. But being afraid of his wife... he played a trick on her, making up a story about someone else and trying to get information out of her.

But his wife immediately concluded that the person being referred to was Wan Daoping, and berated him, saying, "Wan Daoping is an ungrateful and heartless man... and he even said he would complain to you."

After saying that, Mo Yi looked at Granny Zhao.

Granny Zhao's expression changed. "Why would you say that?"

"Butler Zhao only mentioned it briefly."

Granny Zhao said anxiously, "But...Your Highness, it's like this: Yongle has been in poor health since childhood and has an ordinary appearance. We feel sorry for her and haven't let her learn any skills."

When Wan Daoping was young, he was truly handsome, refined, and exceptionally talented. However, burdened by his family, he lived a miserable life. Yongle took a liking to him at first sight... Later, when discussing marriage, we also felt that Yongle was somewhat unworthy of him, so we talked to him: if you marry Yongle, just treat her like a younger sister and respect her as your principal wife.

Yongle was physically weak and unable to have children, so we will not prevent him from taking concubines and having children. Any children born from such concubines can be raised by Yongle as his legitimate heir.

Although Yongle later had a son and a daughter, over the years, both her father and brother had asked Wan Daoping if he wanted to take a concubine… but he said he didn’t want one…

At this point, Granny Zhao suddenly paused, "Yes, he doesn't want concubines..."

But what if... he wants a respectable legal wife?
Now that he's considered the top official there, social interactions between his wives are inevitable.

Then consider Yongle, who was originally of average appearance, and with illness and childbirth... he looked about ten years older than Wan Daoping...

When he saw Wan Daoping this time, although he could not hide his grief, his refined and scholarly demeanor was still unmistakable.

Thinking of this, she hurriedly went to the door and called out, "Zhao You, go to Tongluo Hutong and invite your Aunt Cui here, be quick!"

He then turned to Li Jing and said, "Your Highness, would you like to have some food at home?"

Li Jing nodded. "Alright. There's something else... let the Princess speak."

……

Princess Yu'an, recuperating at home, was bored, frustrated, in pain, and angry. She lost several pounds and looked quite unrecognizable.

Although she was surrounded by a group of people who were carefully serving her, she felt lonely and helpless, with no one to care for her.

Gradually, Xu Ke's image became clearer and clearer before my eyes.

She's always been a bit stubborn, and once she's made up her mind about something, that's all she'll ever be...

So she sent someone to find Xu Ke, wrote him a letter, and told him about her pain and longing, asking him to come see her.

When Xu Ke saw who gave it to him, he was so angry that he laughed instead of laughing. How could there be such shameless people in the world!
If someone ignores you or refuses your letter, just turn around and leave.

Every day after I finish my shift, I go straight home. My facial injuries haven't healed yet, and I don't go out for social events.

Mo Wen stayed at home, taking good care of him, playing the piano for him, and cooking him some dishes.

His heart softened considerably. The two of them were actually enjoying the most harmonious time since their marriage.

The princess called him several times, but he ignored her completely. Inside the princess's room, things were broken and scattered everywhere…