Too high to reach

Chapter 330 Human Nature

Aunt Mei was working under the lamp.

Seeing the prince and princess enter, she was taken aback and quickly stood up to greet them: "Your Highness, Your Highness."

Li Jing hummed in agreement and sat down.

Mo Yi said softly, "It's too dark, so don't do any work at night."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness." Aunt Mei smiled slightly. "I made some small garments for the Prince and Your Highness. They don't need embroidery, so they're not too hard on the eyes."

"And what about mine?" Mo Yi reached out, and Aunt Mei quickly took one over.

Mo Yi observed that Aunt Mei seemed much more cheerful than before. She carefully examined the object in her hand, "Aunt Mei did a really good job."

"I also made some socks. If Your Majesty doesn't mind, I'll send them to you tomorrow."

"How could I complain? I just don't want you to work so hard."

"I am not tired."

Li Jing asked, "Amei, before, I was often away from the manor and neglected many things. That's why Feng Liniang acted so recklessly. Did she also bully you?"

Aunt Mei's smile vanished, and tears immediately streamed down her face.

Mo Yi came over and gently patted her, "If you have any grievances, just tell the Prince. I only made the connection because I noticed that your complexion has improved significantly recently."

Aunt Mei choked up, "Thank you, Your Highness. Your Highness, my pregnancy was caused by Feng Liniang! But at the time, neither you nor Granny Zhao were there... I almost lost my life. I felt something was wrong, but I was powerless to verify it. When Granny Zhao came, I told her about it. She investigated secretly, but there was no witness testimony or physical evidence."

She spoke while crying, looking very pitiful, "Your Highness and Your Majesty have no idea... Before, Feng Liniang and I were very close. I had trouble with my period, and every time I came, I was in terrible pain. Every time, she would take care of me, making a hot water bottle and boiling brown sugar water."

She even asked me for help when she encountered problems managing the household. We looked after each other and talked about everything... I got pregnant, and she was happy for me. But I never expected that at the crucial moment, she would stab me in the back.

Li Jing sighed softly; he never imagined it would turn out this way.

Mo Yi, however, felt that she had been wary of Feng Liniang ever since she met her.

Am I being too sensitive, or are they just too stupid?

Considering the past relationship between Feng Liniang and Aunt Mei, it seems that everything has gone smoothly for her, and she's become arrogant. She doesn't even respect Granny Zhao anymore!

She shook her head inwardly; this was her true nature.

"Don't cry. As the saying goes, those who do many evil deeds will surely perish. She got what she deserved."

Aunt Mei nodded: "Your Majesty is right."

“When I told the Prince that I wanted to find a foster mother for Shao Ge, you were the first person he thought of…”

Aunt Mei looked up at them.

"But now, I have two concerns. One is that Shao-ge'er's birth mother is the one who ruined your life. How can you not feel hatred when you see her?"

Aunt Mei lowered her eyes again. Yes, how could she not hate?
She had no choice before, but now...

"...Aunt Mei, the one who did evil was Feng Liniang. Shao Ge'er had no choice. Most importantly, he is also the prince's son."

Aunt Mei's heart suddenly pounded... These past few days, she had been hanging around Mo Yi, intending to take care of Shao Ge'er. And while she wouldn't really kill him, couldn't she at least scare him? Couldn't she at least spoil him?

Her hatred was awakened by Mo Yi at this moment.

Yes, he is also a prince's son.

The prince was the only person she still cared about in this world.

She couldn't let the prince down...

"I... Your Highness, I do have hatred, but I will not vent it on innocent children."

Li Jing nodded: "I believe you. Although Feng Liniang has been in charge of the household affairs these past few years, you have also been in the mansion for many years. If you want to make things difficult for her, or make a move against Shao Ge'er, it is not entirely impossible."

Mo Yi nodded: "Your suffering is not vented outwards, but consumed internally. This shows that your temperament is different from Feng Liniang's."

Aunt Mei cried again with emotion.

After waiting for her to cry for a while, Mo Yi said, "When Shao Ge starts school, he will go to an outside academy. Until he comes of age, he will probably only be able to come back once a year. If you entrust him to your care and raise him carefully for two years, only to have him leave your side again, that feeling will probably not be pleasant."

"I hadn't thought of what Your Majesty was saying before..." said Concubine Mei.

"You seem to be in much better spirits now. If you'd like, you could help me with some of the housework..."

"Me? May I do?" Aunt Mei's eyes lit up.

Feng Liniang kept everything under her control, always busy. Mo Yi also had many things to do outside, and besides, she hadn't had children yet, so she was still very busy and didn't want to be tied down by household chores.

“Of course!” she smiled.

Li Jing nodded: "You know the family best. But your most important thing is to take good care of your health."

This moved Aunt Mei so much that she immediately knelt down, saying, "This concubine will definitely assist Your Highness in managing the household well, so that the Prince will have no worries."

After comforting Aunt Mei, the two came out.

Li Jing thought for a moment: "And those two, find an opportunity to ask them. Do you want to stay in the manor, or are you willing to help you manage the household, or... if they want to leave the manor, I will make arrangements for them to fake their deaths, change their identities, and be given some money to settle down..."

Mo Yiyi stood beside him, saying, "In that case... ever since I entered the manor, your concubines and mistresses have either been imprisoned or died. There are fewer and fewer of them. I'm afraid people outside will say that I'm just jealous!"

"Are you jealous?" Li Jing took her hand.

Mo Yi thought for a moment, "To be honest, although... it's not in line with the status of a princess, or even with the norms for women, I really am jealous!"

"Yes. I am too..." Li Jing replied in a serious tone.

Then, the two of them burst into laughter, and upon entering the room, they found Li Xiangling sitting and watching them...

Li Jing blushed as he looked at the princess's hand he was holding and quickly let go.

"Xiangxiang, what brings you here?"

Looking at the loving couple, Li Xiangling couldn't describe her feelings.

He simply rose and bowed expressionlessly.

She came to talk about Zhou Jiu's dowry.

Although young, she was quite resourceful. She knew that, given her circumstances, Aunt Jiu would never ask her for anything.

But what does money mean to her?

She has worn countless clothes and shoes that were too small before she could even wear them. Her cousins ​​all wore her clothes.

"Father, today, Consort Mo mentioned her dowry. I had some thoughts about it when I returned home..."

She then explained the Zhou family's situation and her own thoughts.

Li Jing was quite surprised, "This... what did your ninth aunt say?"

“My ninth aunt disagrees, so I came to find my father.”

Li Jing then turned to Mo Yi: "What do you think?"

"Your Highness, A-Jiu is marrying into the Mo family, and I am a member of the Mo family, and I am also very close to my second brother. Of course, I am delighted to see that Miss Jiu has such a large dowry!" she said with a smile.

Even Li Xiangling, who always had a stern face, started to laugh.

“But, Xiangxiang, you are too young and don’t know how to properly use the dowry left by your mother. It’s one thing that you are close to Aunt Jiu and want her to live a decent life. But it’s another matter how to deal with the property left by your mother…” Mo Yi said sincerely.

Li Jing nodded: "Xiangxiang, first of all, Aunt Jiu has taken care of you for many years, and you care about her and are willing to do anything for her. That's called being loyal and righteous. I am very pleased that you can do this at such a young age. Your sense of responsibility and methods are truly worthy of being my eldest daughter!"

Li Xiangling's eyes reddened slightly upon hearing this. This was the longest sentence her father had ever spoken to her in her memory.

This is also the greatest praise and affirmation.

I did nothing wrong.

"Actually, your father had considered this before. He wanted to allocate a portion of your mother's dowry to your ninth aunt. When you grow up, your father will arrange a more suitable property for you. He will ensure that when you get married, your dowry will be magnificent."

Mo Yi smiled...

"However, that was unexpected. Your mother, Consort Mo, has reorganized this document, so it would be more troublesome to redo it now. It would be better if your father gave some more to your Ninth Aunt. She has taken care of you for many years and married into the Mo family. No matter what, your father would not mistreat her."

Li Xiangling nodded: "I understand, I know you won't mistreat Ninth Aunt, but I still want to do my part. It's also on behalf of my mother... to thank her for taking care of me all these years."

Li Jing and Mo Yi looked at each other, both puzzled: How could this usually quiet and reserved girl, who was unwilling to get close to others, be so sensible?

"Alright. Father promises you."

Mo Yi said, "Xiangxiang, you're doing very well right now. But... you really don't need to be so sensible. Your mother was just your age once, so I understand a young girl's feelings best. It's just that, due to our family's circumstances, there are many things I can't do."

But you're different... You can live a very carefree life, for example... swinging on swings all day, flying kites, raising cats, dogs, ducks, and rabbits... You can even go horseback riding..."

She became somewhat emotional as she recalled the life she had longed for but never had the chance to experience.

Li Jing understood and gently patted her arm...