Too high to reach

Chapter 416 Extra: Love at First Sight
The banquet was in full swing when Madam Hu arrived.

"Your Majesty." She bowed to Mo Yi.

“Madam Liu.” Mo Yi looked at the Crown Prince’s “foster mother”, whose attire today appeared both solemn and precious.

I remember the last time I saw her, I admired her light blue silk robe for quite a while! But today, the purse that Mrs. Hu is wearing at her waist is a new product from my shop... This flattery is a bit too subtle.

“This is…” she said, looking at the woman next to Madam Hu.

"Your Majesty, this is my daughter-in-law, Zhu. Quickly greet Your Majesty!" Madam Hu turned her head and whispered the order.

Madam Zhu quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Hey, look at my memory!" Mo Yi laughed, "You met her once after your wedding... and you've already forgotten..."

"Your Majesty has a very good memory!" Madam Zhu said with a smile. "It is I: I entered the household, became pregnant, gave birth, and in one breath... I haven't been able to come out to socialize, and I've also gained some weight... So, it's normal that Your Majesty didn't recognize me at first."

Judging from Zhu's silent and unsmiling demeanor, she must be a thoughtful and straightforward person.

"When the baby boy turned one month old, Her Majesty even had Zhao Mama deliver a gold lock to him!"

“Yes, yes! Now that you mention it, I remember everything! You are a blessed person…” After praising her, Mo Yi turned to ask Madam Hu, “Madam Liu, did Siwan not come today?”

"Yes, she didn't come," Mrs. Hu said with a smile.

"The wedding is less than two months away, so there must be a lot to do," Mo Yi said.

A strange expression flashed across Madam Hu's face, but she quickly regained her smile. "Yes..."

"Your Majesty, there are so many young ladies here today..." Madam Zhu had clearly seen her sisters.

“There are quite a few. See if you know any of your girlfriends, let’s go chat!” Mo Yi said.

Zhu turned to Hu and said, "Go ahead, I'll keep the Empress company for a while!" Hu instructed.

"Your Majesty, is this a fortune telling for the Crown Prince?" Madam Hu asked quietly.

"It's not quite a meeting yet... I just want to get a general impression first. The Prince told me to get engaged, but I still hope that Anian can find someone who suits her heart... I talked to him about it today, but I don't know if he has time to come... He really is at the age where he should get engaged. If you have someone suitable, Madam, you can also tell him. After all, I've raised him for more than ten years, so I should know him better."

"Yes. Then I'll keep an eye out for it too..." Mrs. Hu's feelings were complicated, her hands clenched tightly.

The allure of her goal made her want to charge forward regardless of everything. But when it came to actually implementing it, she found herself at a loss for where to begin, and it was fraught with uncertainty.

If you destroy everything you have now without considering the consequences, you won't get what you want...

How could they possibly bear the consequences?
Now, facing this princess who came from a commoner background, she felt both apprehensive and anxious.

If only I had gotten closer to her back then.

I had thought about what way to win her over... but then I thought again, this princess doesn't even care about the position of empress, and she had no objection when her husband gave the throne to his nephew.

What could possibly move her?
She breathed a sigh of relief. "You've thought this through very well. Speaking of which, Anian's life has been full of hardships. The fact that he can be so cheerful now is partly due to inheriting the late Crown Prince's character, and partly due to the kindness of those around him. I also hope that he can find a wife who is compatible with him and truly treats him well."

“Madam is right,” Mo Yi chuckled to himself.

In the meantime, several more groups came over to greet and speak with Mo Yi.

Everyone was very polite to the Crown Prince's foster mother who was standing next to the Princess.

"Seventh Sister-in-law!" Zhao Yunqing arrived with several people.

After exchanging greetings, Zhao Yunqing grinned and pointed to the girl next to her, "Seventh Sister-in-law, you haven't met her before, have you?"

Mo Yi turned to look at the girl next to her. She had thick hair, simply tied back, and wore a hairpin made of several large, round pearls. It was clearly not an ordinary item. But apart from that, there were no other embellishments.

The clothes were cut with simple lines, which accentuated her good figure... especially her height, which was a fist taller than the girls present... She also had a particularly good complexion, and her eyes were bright and piercing.

Her back was straight, her shoulders open, and she stood tall. Yet, it wasn't the kind of deliberate poise that comes from a well-bred lady being taught by a nanny...

Instead... he exudes a heroic spirit and a free and easy manner.

As for her looks, to be honest, she was only considered decent-looking, not as good-looking as most of the girls present.

But her confident and radiant demeanor far surpassed that of the others.

"Who is she?" Mo Yi asked, puzzled. She had never seen her before.

"This is the great-eldest granddaughter of the late Duke Pingguo! Fan Hongying..."

"Fan Hongying greets Your Majesty!" The girl bowed, her movements clean and graceful.
"Please, no need for formalities! Miss Fan, this is truly the first time I've met you!"

Zhao Yunqing said, "Hongying lived in Beijing until she was seven years old, and we were good friends. After she turned seven, she went to Qingzhou to be with her great-grandfather and stayed there ever since. I am a year older than her."

"Oh. What a spirited girl! How long have you been back?" Mo Yi asked.

"Your Majesty, I returned three days ago to report to my brother. I also wanted to take this opportunity to see my childhood sisters!" She smiled at Zhao Yunqing.

"I'll be going back next month!" When Madam Hu saw her, she secretly thought to herself: She wants a piece of the pie no matter what kind of woman she is!

Then I heard her say something like, "I'll go back next month." Was she doing it unintentionally?
Mo Yi had a very good first impression of this Miss Fan, so he began to observe her closely.

Her skin wasn't as fair and delicate as that of the noble ladies of the capital; it was a darker shade. So when she smiled, her perfectly aligned teeth appeared exceptionally white.

And... that smile was like sunlight shining on newly ripened rice.

It gives people a sense of satisfaction and joy.

This inherent carefree spirit is somewhat reminiscent of the East…

Mo Yi grew increasingly satisfied with the sight of her. This was the kind of woman she had always wanted to be, but had never been able to become...

Zhao Yunqing smiled slyly: "Seventh Sister-in-law probably doesn't know, but my sister Hongying is a clerk, accountant, cook, and a master at making money in the Qingzhou army! She's skilled in horseback riding and archery, and she's good at everything..."

"Your Majesty, Sister Yunqing is just bragging..." Fan Hongying said with a smile.

“I’m telling the truth! Seventh Sister-in-law, Hongying’s grandfather, father, uncles, and aunts all sacrificed their lives in the Battle of Yanzhou. She and her brothers were raised by the Duke of Pingguo himself. Over the years, Hongying has been in charge of the logistics there. She’s also an excellent cook and takes very good care of the Duke of Pingguo. Father wrote to say that the old man is eighty years old and can still ride a horse and take up a gun!”

"That's amazing!" Mo Yi nodded in approval.

"Your Majesty..." When someone mentioned her great-grandfather, Fan Hongying felt proud: "He was indeed able to mount a horse and wield a spear, and he was also very clear-headed and had a particularly witty way of speaking!"

The Prince had mentioned the deeds of the Duke of Pingguo's family to Mo Yi before... To protect their home and country, all the young descendants of the family had joined the cause. The old Duke, upholding the family's honor, even brought out several of his great-grandsons!

"I'm extremely satisfied with this choice!" Mo Yi rubbed the goosebumps on her arm... The only drawback is: her appearance is somewhat ordinary; I wonder if Anian...

"Your Majesty! The Crown Prince has arrived!"

Just as she thought of this, a servant reported back. She turned her head and couldn't help but sigh: It really is the Crown Prince!

Look at this entourage, more than twenty people came in at once.

Ahead were the eunuchs, behind were the guards, and the Crown Prince walked in the middle, surrounded by his companions. Look… Mo Bao is following along with a grin!
Mo Yi then realized that it was time for her younger brother to get married!

I've forgotten all about it!

"Aunt!" The Crown Prince smiled and gave Mo Yi a deep bow, then greeted Zhao Yunqing. Finally, he nodded to Madam Liu: "Madam."

Madam Hu quickly smiled and bowed, her attitude becoming very amiable, a stark contrast to her past demeanor.

"Did Your Highness come with you?" Mo Yi asked.

"Uncle is still busy! That's why I had time to come over. I have to go back soon..." He pouted at Mo Yi...

"Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

"I..." The Crown Prince turned to Mo Bao, who nodded slightly in agreement: You can have some!

"I'm not hungry yet!" he said decisively.

Mo Yi turned to look at Mo Bao, "Mo Bao, you've only been back for a month, and you've gained at least ten pounds, haven't you?" The handsome young man who was back then is almost gone again.

"It's alright..." Mo Bao thought to herself, annoyed that the Crown Prince wouldn't agree to eat.

Everyone laughed.

"What is Auntie saying? She looks very happy..." the Crown Prince asked.

"We're getting to know this young lady, Fan Hongying... You probably haven't met her before, have you?"

The Crown Prince turned to Fan Hongying, his ears turning red. “I’ve met you before, Miss Fan. This is our third meeting.”

Wow, that tone of voice... there's a story behind it! Mo Yi got excited.

Mo Bao nodded in agreement...

"Really? Where did you meet them?" Mo Yi's heart skipped a beat.

"The first time... was on the way to Qingzhou. Our horses were galloping when suddenly a group of people appeared beside us. The first one was Miss Fan. Black horse, red dress, like an arrow, she overtook us in the blink of an eye..."

He spoke softly, his eyes shining as he looked at Fan Hongying.

"The second time was at the Duke of Pingguo's residence in Qingzhou. The old Duke hosted a banquet, and I saw Miss Fan and her brothers again..."

"Mmm, Miss Fan's roasted camel...it's truly a delicacy..." Mo Bao shook his head and sighed, savoring the taste in a daze...

"Now, this is our third meeting. Miss Fan... It's a pleasure to meet you!" The Crown Prince bowed slightly.

This grandson of the crown prince, who is usually quite thick-skinned, actually blushed slightly...

(End of this chapter)