Too high to reach

Chapter 320 Stability is Hard to Come By
Wasn't he disappointed?
Mo Yi felt a little better. Then, blushing slightly, she thought: It's easier to forgive your own mistakes when you see others make them.

She sighed again: After severing ties with Mo Wen, she had finally reached this point with Mo Yuan as well.

When she was driven crazy by them while she was in her boudoir, she had thought that she would never see them again after she got married.

Unexpectedly, it has now been realized in a different form...

She was lost in thought, while Consort Feng wept bitterly, "Your Highness... please forgive me, it's really not what you say..."

“Feng Shi,” Li Jing’s tone suddenly became calm, “What else have you done that you need to confess to me? Think it over before you speak…”

Consort Feng's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at Li Jing.

The depth in his eyes was something she had never seen before...

"You've been by my side for several years, so there must be some affection between us. Regardless of how well you managed the household, you certainly worked hard for several years. Especially since you bore me my eldest son... Some mistakes, though unforgivable, can be punished leniently. Think carefully: are there mistakes, or are there none..."

Consort Feng's mind was in turmoil. What did he find out?
Could it be that Granny Zhao went over there and discovered the real cause of Yongle's death?

She immediately understood; that must be it...

No wonder Granny Zhao came to the manor to check the accounts the day after she returned. (She didn't even suspect Princess Zhou.)

That useless Wan Daoping! He traveled over a thousand miles and can't even handle this simple matter? I really overestimated him…

At the same time, I was filled with regret. Why did I have to do that?
It offers no direct benefit but could potentially lead to mistakes. A classic case of harming others without benefiting oneself...

I wish I could slap myself twice.

What should we do now?
However… she quickly analyzed: the fact that they used auditing methods instead of directly questioning me meant…

There is suspicion, but no evidence!
right! That's it!

I certainly can't admit to that! How could I possibly admit to something like that?

"Your Highness, I... I only made this one mistake. But I truly didn't mean to harm your interests. My interests are with yours! This was for the good of the Prince's Mansion! And for Shao-ge'er..."

She knelt, not daring to think too deeply, only sobbing and pleading, "Shao-ge is just a son of a concubine. In the future... he will have to work and start a family. Although you won't mistreat him, what mother doesn't pour her heart and soul into her son? Your Highness... all these things I've prepared will be handed over to the Prince's account. The management of the household will also be given to the Princess. From now on, I will only take care of Shao-ge and will do nothing else. Please forgive me..."

"Okay." Li Jing nodded.

I've already given them the opportunity...

"Go back first and await your fate. Zhao Hui, you know the family affairs best... take her over first, and also guide the Princess!"

Feng Liniang suddenly raised her tear-streaked face; her power as a housekeeper was truly gone.

Is that all? She was completely bewildered.

Meanwhile, Consort Feng's cousin and her husband were anxiously waiting for news at home.

Suddenly, someone from the Prince's residence arrived, and was quite polite: "His Highness requests that you two come over. There are some matters that need to be verified."

The couple exchanged a glance, feeling fear, yet daring not to disobey.

They got into the carriage and arrived at the Prince's Mansion.

They were received by Meng San.

Upon seeing Meng San, the two felt the hairs on the backs of their heads stand on end.

"Gentlemen." Meng San felt that he was putting on a kind and approachable demeanor today.

"When the household audited the accounts, a considerable amount of money was missing. Upon inquiry, our concubine said: 'You two have swindled all the money away.' Isn't that a bit unethical? You rely on our manor for your livelihood, how could you cheat us out of money?"

"Ah? This, sir, this is a miscarriage of justice..." the brother-in-law hurriedly protested. Meng San raised his hand to stop him. "I don't have time to beat around the bush with you. Now that this has happened, so much silver isn't something you can get away with with your wild explanations. There are two options. One, I'll beat you until you tell the truth. The other, I'll send you to the authorities on charges of fraud and theft. Which do you want?"

The couple was dumbfounded: they didn't want either of them, wasn't there a third option?

How could such a wonderful life come to such an abrupt end...?

……

Once Consort Feng returned to her courtyard, she was unable to step out of the gate again.

They have no shortage of food and drink, but information cannot get in or out. The same goes for people.

She manages the household affairs, calling someone in the morning to arrange the day's tasks and then calling someone in the evening to report back.

Sometimes, it wasn't particularly necessary, but she enjoyed the process.

Therefore, it wasn't very obvious on the day she was detained.

The next morning, the entire household faced the situation that Consort Feng was no longer the steward.

Her confidants, those she promoted, and those who followed her every word, all stood there trembling.

Granny Zhao sat in Changlan Pavilion.

Mo Yi also came, but she sat to the side listening.

As always, Granny Zhao remained calm and said to the key stewards, "Consort Feng has temporarily suspended her duties as steward for some reason. The Prince has handed it over to the Princess. However, the Princess is not yet very familiar with the affairs of the manor, so I will assist in managing them. For now, everyone should proceed as usual and continue with what needs to be done."

"Although I haven't been in charge of affairs in the manor for a few years, I can tell that most of you are still veterans. Most of the newly promoted ones are also servants of the household. So, I don't need to say more, do I?"

This is the Prince's residence. The true masters are the Prince and Princess. Please don't misunderstand.

Although she didn't look serious, everyone was nervous and nodded in agreement.

But in her heart, she was thinking, "Consort Feng is indeed Zhao Mama's personal disciple; their expressions are almost identical..."

"When I do things, I only look at the results, not the people. So, no matter who promoted them, as long as they work diligently, there's nothing to worry about. But if someone wants to take advantage of the chaos... just think about it, even Consort Feng herself is in trouble."

"No, Granny Zhao, we are all family following the Prince, and we only listen to the Prince."

"Yes, Granny Zhao, we don't do anything wicked or crooked. Our lives and fortunes belong to the Prince and the Princess..."

After everyone had expressed their loyalty, Granny Zhao nodded: "Yes. The Prince also instructed that anyone who knows anything that needs to be reported to him... can tell me, or they can tell our Princess Consort. If what they report helps the Prince's mansion avoid losses, the Prince will reward them."

Everyone agreed and went about their tasks.

Although that's what Granny Zhao said, many people still felt uneasy.

Half of them were promoted by Consort Feng and given very generous treatment.

Normally, Consort Feng was kind and gentle, rarely punishing anyone. So, to be honest, following her had its advantages.

After quickly finishing their tasks, the two or three close friends would huddle in a corner and discuss the matter, creating a rather unsettling atmosphere.

Granny Zhao told Mo Yi, "Through checking the accounts, we discovered that Consort Feng treats the people in her household quite well. Your Highness, in the capital, people are generally divided into ranks. The servants are treated according to the rank of the household. For example, the treatment between different princely mansions is roughly the same."

Even after years of living in separate residences, some old servants still keep in touch. They compare how much each servant receives. Except for a few who receive special rewards from their masters, such a large-scale increase is against the rules. But reducing it now wouldn't be appropriate either…”

Mo Yi thought to herself: She's being generous with other people's money. Anyway, it's not going to be used, and it can't just end up in her pocket.

She gave it away, and then the others offered it back as a token of their respect, ensuring the money was safely in their pockets...

Mo Yi smiled helplessly, "This is indeed a bit tricky..."