Chapter 118: Nanny, I’ve Fallen For A Young Lady
Capital City, Dingguo Duke’s Mansion.
In the spacious main hall, the family was gathered around a huge round dining table eating dinner.
Seated at the head was a stern-faced, slightly portly middle-aged man, none other than Dingguo Duke Mo Qilan. To his lower right sat the current Duke’s Wife, a graceful and elegant beauty, while on the other side sat Mo Ziyuan with an expressionless face.
Seated to the beautiful woman’s lower right were her son and daughter, Mo Zichen and Mo Lanzhi.
The meal on the table was sumptuous, but the diners’ expressions were not particularly pleasant.
“Mo Ziyuan, your mother mentioned that marriage alliance, and Father thinks it’s very good. The legitimate daughter of Ding’an Marquis is knowledgeable and refined, with no lack of beauty; she’s more than worthy of you. Tomorrow, Father will take you to Ding’an Marquis’s Mansion to pay a visit.” Mo Qilan picked up some food with his chopsticks and placed it on the plate in front of him, then looked at Mo Ziyuan and said.
“Tomorrow Crown Prince has business with son, so I fear I cannot accompany you. Moreover, son has no desire to marry yet at present; please have Father decline Ding’an Marquis!” Mo Ziyuan set down his chopsticks and looked straight at Mo Qilan as he spoke.
“Crown Prince?” A flicker of doubt passed through Mo Qilan’s eyes. Setting aside the matter of Ding’an Marquis, he asked, “Didn’t you just return from His Highness’s side? Why must you go again tomorrow?”
“His Highness has His Highness’s considerations.”
“You!” As soon as Mo Qilan saw Mo Ziyuan’s face, which increasingly resembled his late wife, he felt vexed. He always felt a sense of anger he couldn’t vent, and he couldn’t help but say angrily.
“Master, the Heir has only just returned; speak nicely if you have words for him!” The Duke’s Wife dabbed the corner of her lips with a handkerchief and spoke up.
“Hmph! This rebellious son—does he look like someone I can speak nicely to?” Mo Qilan snorted coldly, so angry that he slammed his chopsticks onto the table.
“The Heir is still young and doesn’t understand things. Master, you can teach him slowly and he’ll come around. If you come at him with a head-on scolding like that, even I wouldn’t be happy!” The Duke’s Wife advised gently again.
Mo Ziyuan stood up and straightened his robes. “Father, Mother, please eat slowly. Son will take his leave first; the matters assigned by His Highness are not yet finished.” Without so much as a glance at Mo Qilan’s face, which had turned iron-blue with anger, he turned and strode away.
“Look at him, just look! Where do I even exist in his eyes as his father!” Mo Qilan trembled with rage, pointing at Mo Ziyuan’s retreating back and shouting.
“Master, calm your anger. The Heir has business to attend to; he wasn’t deliberately giving you a bad face.” The Duke’s Wife quickly stood and went to Mo Qilan’s side to soothe his chest. In a place he couldn’t see, the curve of her lips couldn’t be suppressed at all.
“Yes, Father, Big Brother is so capable and deeply trusted by Crown Prince. In the future, son and sister will still have to rely on Big Brother, so Father, don’t be angry with him.” Mo Zichen also joined in the persuasion.
“Hmph, Big Brother went too far. Father was clearly thinking of what’s best for him. Sister Ziyun is both beautiful and talented; what more could he be dissatisfied with? To actually use Crown Prince’s name to refuse a visit and say he doesn’t want to marry—it’s utterly unreasonable!” Mo Lanzhi pouted her little mouth, expressing her dissatisfaction.
“Lanzhi, listen to what you’re saying—is that the sort of thing a young lady should say? Shut your mouth this instant!” The Duke’s Wife softly scolded her daughter.
Mo Lanzhi’s eyes reddened at her words, and she turned her head to look at Mo Qilan. “Father~”
“Enough, why are you scolding Lanzhi? She didn’t say anything wrong. That rebellious son is just ungrateful. If not for His Majesty’s decree back then, I······” Over these years, Mo Qilan had deeply resented himself for not holding firm and not establishing Mo Ziyuan as Heir.
“Master, we mother and son have no intention of contending for the Heir’s position. If the Heir overhears you saying this and misunderstands, what then?” The Duke’s Wife anxiously covered Mo Qilan’s mouth with the hand holding her handkerchief, then seemed to suddenly realize it was inappropriate and quickly removed her hand. Her still-charming face was flushed red.
Mo Zichen and Mo Lanzhi exchanged a glance, both seeing the amusement in each other’s eyes. They shared a look, then both stood and bowed. “Father, Mother, we’ve finished eating and will take our leave.”
Over these years, Mo Qilan had come to adore his wife’s gentle thoughtfulness. He waved a hand at the pair of children. “Alright, if you’re done eating, go on back!”
The mansion guards standing watch in the courtyard each kept their eyes on their noses and noses to their hearts, standing ramrod straight, their inner thoughts unknowable.
Upon returning to his own courtyard, Mo Ziyuan irritably dismissed the servant who had followed him into the room to serve, then buried himself under the quilt and began missing Lin Xin far away in Willow Forest Village. “Xin’er, what are you doing right now?”
“Knock knock knock.” Three rhythmic knocks sounded at the door. Mo Ziyuan reluctantly struggled out from under the quilt, scowling as he walked to the door and opened it. There stood Zhang Momo, who had raised him since childhood, holding a tray outside the room door. On the tray was a bowl of chicken noodle soup wafting a rich aroma.
“Zhang Momo, it’s so late and you still haven’t rested—you even cooked noodles for me!” Mo Ziyuan took the tray and said to the old wet nurse whose face was etched with the traces of years.
“Momo knew the Heir surely didn’t eat his fill out front, so she cooked this bowl of noodles. The Heir has loved Momo’s noodles since he was little!” Zhang Momo followed him into the room, gazing at him fondly as he shoveled the noodles into his mouth big bites at a time.
“Yes! Zhang Momo’s chicken noodles are the most fragrant.” Mo Ziyuan said as he ate.
“Did that vixen trip you up again in front of your father?” Once he had almost finished eating, Zhang Momo finally asked.
“Whatever she did, I just ignore her. Anyway, she can’t take this Heir’s position.” Mo Ziyuan waved his hand dismissively, unconcerned.
“Alas! Young Lady passed too early. Otherwise, how could the Heir have to endure this sort of grievance!” Zhang Momo’s eyes reddened at the thought of her own young lady who had passed early.
“Momo, don’t be sad. Mother went to enjoy blessings; you should be happy for her. Besides, I don’t feel aggrieved at all!” Mo Ziyuan comforted Zhang Momo, then after a moment’s thought added, “Momo, I’ve fallen for a young lady.”
“Really? Which family’s young lady is it?” Zhang Momo perked up at once, no longer crying. She wiped her face with a handkerchief and looked at him eagerly with bright eyes.
“She······ isn’t from a noble family. I met her while out on official business. She’s a very good young lady, very capable, and she even saved my life.” Speaking of Lin Xin, Mo Ziyuan’s eyes shone, warming Zhang Momo’s heart—this child finally had someone he wanted to spend his life with.
“If she’s not from a noble family, so what? What’s so great about noble young ladies? If you marry one like a vixen, that’ll be more than enough headache for you!” Zhang Momo said.
“Really? Is that truly how you feel, Momo?” Mo Ziyuan’s eyes brightened even more. In this world, there weren’t many people he cared about, and Zhang Momo was absolutely one of them. Though she was just the wet nurse who had served him since childhood, in his heart her weight far exceeded that of the Duke’s Wife.
“Of course. Whatever the Heir likes is absolutely right.” Zhang Momo said with a smile. The main reason she said this was because she could see Mo Ziyuan’s feelings for that young lady. This child had suffered enough; now that he finally had someone to cherish, no matter who she was, she would approve.
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