Too high to reach

Chapter 414 Extra: The Order of Respect

The canal transport system was a stepping stone for Li Jing's grandson's succession to the throne.

Xu Ke returned with his achievements, and he immediately handed Xu Ke over to the Crown Prince, which was one of the first things he did after the Crown Prince returned to court.

However, this matter has only just opened up the situation and yielded some initial gains.

We can't just give up; Xu Ke still has to keep going.

With enormous profits come enormous dangers.

Putting it aside, among the group of people Xu Ke went with, his outcome was the best.

So, the uncle and nephew discussed it and promised Xu Ke the title of Earl, to be passed down for three generations. In other words, as Li Jing said, he could "establish his own household".

With fame, power, and tangible benefits, Xu Ke completely shed the almost devastating damage brought on by his youthful arrogance and got back on track.

"Yi Yi!" Madam Wang rushed to the Qi Prince's residence in a great hurry.

As soon as Mo Yi heard her mother's loud voice, she knew what she was there for.

"Mother is here?" she said softly, trying to slow her pace. "Mother, please sit down. Brew a pot of the tea that the Prince just brought back..." She put down the account book in her hand and instructed the person next to her.

"Yiyi! Mother isn't thirsty... Don't bother! Hey, do you know Xu Ke is back?!"

"Yes. I heard it from the prince."

"So you haven't seen him yet?"

"Hmm, I didn't see him!"

"Oh dear..." Wang's face fell, incredulous. "You have no idea what he looks like now! He's absolutely terrifying! Even his mother wouldn't recognize him. Yi Yi..."

Every time she thought about it, Wang felt immense regret, beating her chest and stamping her feet, "How could such a perfectly good marriage have turned out like this?"

Wiping away tears, pouting, and feeling incredibly wronged, she said, "You have no idea... how much I regret it... Why did I marry Wenwen off to him? Liang You was such a good person... Why did I choose Xu Ke instead?"

In that case, whenever she gets emotional, she'll repeat herself while crying...

Mo Yi shook her head inwardly. Her father was right. This was really how her life would turn out.

So she smiled and said, "Mother...isn't it because Xu Ke's family background is better and he's more handsome that you didn't choose Liang You but chose him?"

"!" Wang glared at Mo Yi, but dared not argue with her anymore. After a long while, she said indignantly, "But Xu Ke wasn't like this back then! Wouldn't it have been better to follow the proper path of taking exams and becoming an official? He was gone for several years. People who didn't know better would have thought he had committed a crime and been exiled! He was disfigured, with such a big scar on his face!"

She exaggeratedly gestured to show the size, exclaiming, "My eyes almost went blind!"

Mo Yi was dismayed to discover that the flattery, admiration, ingratiation, humility, and genuine yet fake smiles her mother used to show when facing Xu Ke in her early years had completely disappeared.

“Just tell me: what good did Wenwen get from being with him? The family didn't help at all, and she even miscarried for no reason… She finally got pregnant again, and then he left without a word, leaving Wenwen all alone at home. My God…” she sobbed, “My Wenwen… how lonely, how heartbroken, how desperate she was? She didn't even get to see him one last time before she left! This man is absolutely heartless! He never treated Wenwen like his wife!”

She wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, "Poor Wenwen, such a good girl... Even Mo Yuan is so lucky, why is it Wenwen who is so unlucky..."

"Mother! What's the point of you complaining about this?" Mo Yi asked impatiently.

"You're still my daughter, no matter what. I'm telling you what's on my mind... Why are you behaving like this?!"

Mo Yi shook her head and remained silent.

"He came yesterday and scared Kang Ge'er to tears... Really... It would have been better if he hadn't come back!" Wang Shi blurted out again.

"Mother, Kang'er is over three years old. He doesn't show any affection to his own father and even cries. Do you think this is a good thing?"

"He's so scary, even adults are afraid of him. It's not normal for Kang'er, a little child, to cry."

"Ha, every time I come home, I've never seen him not cry... Mother! Is this how you raise a daughter?"

"Tch! I raised all of you. Am I incompetent at raising children?" Wang retorted, sticking out her neck.

"You came here just to argue with me about this?"

Wang stared at Mo Yi for a long time before saying, "Yi Yi, Xu Ke wants to take Kang Ge'er back to the Xu family! Yi Yi... Kang'er, I raised him myself, changing his diapers and feeding him. He was premature and weak. It wasn't easy raising him to this day."

From the moment I was born until now, Xu Ke has never cared about me, and now she just wants to take me away? There's no such thing as a free lunch!

"When Kang-ge was born prematurely, it was I who arranged for him to stay with the Mo family so he could receive better care," Mo Yi reasoned with her again. "Xu Ke has been out of touch with us all these years, he hasn't cared at all. But the two Madam Xus haven't mistreated Kang-ge, have they? The gifts they've given him are more than he can use up by the time he gets married. And they still come to visit him frequently. Mother, that's enough. Kang-ge is about to start his education, what's wrong with letting him go back to the Xu family? Do you want him to change his surname to Mo?"

"..." Madam Wang often said things like that. But it was just talk; how could she possibly change her surname? "No! How could I think that? Kang-ge'er is Xu Ke's eldest son!"

"Yes, it still is!"

“But you want me to take care of him while he stays at the Mo family. Although he’s recovered well now, he was still premature. Besides… once Xu Ke comes back, the Xu family will definitely make him remarry. Are you willing to let Kang Ge’er live under his stepmother’s thumb?!”

"Of course I wouldn't want to leave! But I would be willing to live with my great-grandmother and grandmother!"

"...How could the two Madam Xus possibly have time to take care of a small child with all their busy schedules every day?"

“Mother, there’s something I haven’t announced yet. I’m telling you, but please don’t spread it around. Xu Ke hasn’t worked for nothing all these years; he might very well get a title… Do you know what that means?”

"Huh?! You mean it?" Wang's eyes lit up.

"Yes, it can be passed down for three generations. If Kang Ge'er is not allowed to get close to him, when he inherits the title, will he think of Kang Ge'er?"

"Oh my... this... Xu Ke, he's really capable! Mother was right about him!" Madam Wang smiled through her tears.

After finally getting rid of her mother, Granny Zhao returned.

"Your Majesty, I have returned."

"Thank you for your hard work. Is Anian home?"

These days, Mo Yi plans to transfer a portion of his assets to the Crown Prince. This includes Empress Zhao's dowry and the assets left by the late Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince has established his own residence and has his own home.

The industries and personnel were all to be transferred. This included people like Granny Zhao.

Apart from Qizhenlou and other establishments personally managed by Mo Yi, the rest were assigned to the Crown Prince. These same people will continue to manage them, and once the Crown Prince is settled, he can handle them according to his own wishes.

The Crown Prince's residence is still the same, but it has been renovated and has undergone considerable changes.

Granny Zhao is putting things in, recording them in the inventory...

"I had arranged with His Highness to discuss matters at home today. However, His Highness was tied up with affairs of the palace and was unable to return..."

"Is it with the Emperor?" Mo Yi asked. "Yesterday, the Prince came back and said that things aren't looking so good again."

“Yes, Your Majesty…” Granny Zhao hesitated, then stopped herself.

"what happened?"

"I've gone down today... guess who's there?" Granny Zhao asked with a mysterious yet amusing expression.

Looking at her expression... Mo Yi suddenly smiled, "Mrs. Liu, isn't she?"

"Ah? Your Majesty...you? How did you know?"

Mo Yi tossed the account book onto the table and said, "The first time I saw Madam Hu and Anian together was when we visited the Liu family. Ha! Madam Hu's attitude, her tone..."

Now that we see each other again, I finally understand what it means to be arrogant at first and obsequious at second! I heard the other day that whenever Madam Hu goes out, she talks about Anian constantly. Anyone who didn't know better would think she was treating her so well!

"That's not surprising," Zhao Mama sighed. "People are like that, always looking out for themselves and currying favor with the powerful and stepping on the weak. She originally thought Anian was Lord Liu's mistress. Now she's become a meritorious person in raising and caring for the Crown Prince. But... she's still with Liu Siwan!"

Mo Yi was surprised. "Liu Siwan is getting married in less than two months, and she's going out with her mother? Does she go often?"

“I’ve seen them before. I made a special inquiry today, and my subordinates said that the Liu family often sends things over and helps with the tidying up. Liu Siwan also goes there... and has even run into the Crown Prince a few times. They’ve eaten together... The Crown Prince has quite a bit of affection for Liu Siwan.”

Mo Yi frowned.

"Back then, His Highness was taken away by the nanny next to Madam Hu and got lost. He was taken away by human traffickers. It was Liu Siwan who first discovered him... and it was she who had someone notify Lord Liu. So the rescue was timely... You could say that she did the Crown Prince a favor."

"This merit only offsets her mother's sins!" Mo Yi said dismissively. "If they had truly lost or ruined her, could the Liu family withstand the Prince's wrath?"

Zhao Mama nodded. "Your Highness has had a tough time! Back then, he repeatedly told his subordinates that his elder brother and sister treated him very well. When Madam Hu made things difficult for him, Liu Siwan always stood up for him. So, Your Highness truly cares about her."

With a long sigh, Mo Yi said, "Actually, according to this fate, if Liu Siwan wasn't engaged and Anian became her wife, apart from Hu Shi being a little awkward, everything else... would actually be quite good. But her engagement has already been arranged, and she's about to get married. If they have any other ideas, that would be too malicious."

"Yes. I'm a little worried too. Before, Miss Liu and Young Master Zheng were inseparable. But when they went to the Crown Prince's residence, Young Master Zheng didn't come along. On the contrary, that girl named Hu Hua'er is like a ripe peach... always there!"

"This matter... is not to be underestimated. We mustn't tarnish Anian's reputation... Call Meng San here!" she instructed.

(End of this chapter)