Chapter 687: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 687: Two Imperial Edicts - Fortune and Misfortune Await (4)
Mo Yan steadied her emotions, gradually calming down. She nodded to Xiao Ruiyuan and reached out to take the edict from him.
The surrounding villagers, kneeling, looked on with envy, thinking that Mo Yan’s delight was a bit foolish. They laughed good-naturedly.
Being granted the title of "County Princess" by the Emperor was more prestigious than that of noble daughters from aristocratic families. Henceforth, when she went to the government office, even the governor of Jingzhao would treat her as a distinguished guest! In Da Chu, the Emperor’s direct daughters are called princesses, while the direct daughters of princes are called county princesses. For illegitimate daughters, if they win the favor of the Emperor, Empress Dowager, or Empress, they might be granted the title of county princess; otherwise, they remain ordinary royal family members without any official position.
The title of "County Princess" was added by the founding Emperor at the beginning of the dynasty, specifically for women who had made great contributions to the country and its people. Not only did they receive court salaries, but they also enjoyed the same honor as a direct daughter of a prince. In other words, a county princess held the same status as a county lord.
Moreover, being granted the title of county princess meant that her achievements would be recorded in history, a distinction even noble princesses could rarely attain. Over two hundred years, fewer than five women had been granted this title, highlighting how difficult it was for an ordinary woman to achieve such honor!
Facing the villagers' congratulations, Mo Yan smiled and thanked them but felt overwhelmed. She could already foresee the attention this title would attract, both curious and ill-intentioned. With many clever people in the world, she had willingly given the credit for the high-yield rice to Yan Junyu to avoid drawing attention and revealing her unusual circumstances.
If someone investigated the origins of the high-yield rice, how would she explain it? The more unclear the situation, the more it arouses curiosity. Over time, it was inevitable that people would notice, as her father and Grandpa Li had already done.
What worried her most was the Emperor’s attitude. Although she deserved the title of county princess for the high-yield rice, the Emperor's refusal to shift the credit to Yan Junyu or the Crown Prince to consolidate the latter’s position made her deeply suspect this "gift" was laced with a hidden agenda.
With pressing matters to address, Mo Yan set aside her concerns about the Emperor's intentions for now. She gave a generous red envelope to the proclamation eunuch and, with her father, politely sent him off. Then she had the officials and villagers assist in capturing the six individuals who had accused the Five Beasts of harming people, extorted her family, and were planning to flee.
Before Mo Yan could begin interrogating them, the six, intimidated by her status as county princess, confessed everything about the mastermind behind the plot.
When they revealed that the mastermind was Mo Yongxi, the crowd erupted in shock:
“Good heavens, it was Mo Yongxi who did this! She married into such a good family and still harbored ill will against the Mo family?”
“Haha, who knows what that woman was thinking? But now, she’s definitely hit a wall; Miss Yan is now a county princess!”
“Don’t be too happy too soon. Didn’t those six say that the malicious woman is allied with a noble young lady? That young lady has powerful connections; Miss Yan might not be able to handle her.”
“Indeed, that woman’s luck seems to be running out. This is going to be tricky…”
The villagers whispered among themselves, doubtful about the Mo family’s situation. The young lady from the Lin family had connections to the Emperor and the Empress, with a respected concubine (Lin Concubine, who had been cast aside in the palace), and even a prince.
Any one of these three powerful figures was beyond the Mo family’s reach. Moreover, the three were all from the same family, so it was unlikely they would use their influence to harm the Mo family. Instead, they might seize the opportunity to strike against them.
Upon learning of the connection to the Lin family, Mo Yan's expression darkened. Thanks to Chen Ji, she had gained considerable knowledge about the Lin family recently. The Lin family was formidable enough to make even the Emperor wary. Seeking justice from them now was akin to throwing stones at an iron wall; it would only lead to retaliation, as the villagers had speculated.
Nevertheless, she was curious about how Mo Yongxi had managed to get close to the Lin family’s young lady. The Lin family operated discreetly, while the Lin young lady was known for her participation in various literary events and was well-regarded in the capital. She was known for her lofty attitude and often looked down on other noble daughters.
How such a person became involved with Mo Yongxi was truly intriguing.
Seemingly sensing her curiosity, Xiao Ruiyuan advised, “Many powerful figures have failed to manage their subordinates, leading to their reputation being tarnished. Perhaps the Lin young lady is unaware of what Mo Yongxi has done.”
So, Mo Yongxi might be using the Lin family’s influence against her, but the Lin young lady might not be aware of it? Mo Yan understood immediately.
With this in mind, the next steps became clearer. Mo Yan had the six individuals tightly bound and personally wrote a complaint against Mo Yongxi, which she handed to the lead officer. After the officer respectfully accepted the complaint, he responded meaningfully, “Mo Yongxi has repeatedly acted against the county princess and her family. Although the county princess has previously overlooked this due to familial ties, this time, with her plotting to harm the Emperor’s own auspicious beasts and harboring malicious intent against the county princess and her family, the county princess can no longer tolerate it. I hope your lord will handle this impartially and not let such a malicious woman wreak havoc!”
The lead officer clasped his hands and said solemnly, “With all the evidence in hand, we will certainly punish the venomous woman who dares to harm the County Princess and the auspicious beasts severely. Please rest assured, County Princess.”
Even though the county princess had no real power, her status as the first county princess personally granted by the Emperor ensured that their superiors would not dare to be careless, even if the malicious woman had the support of the Lin family’s young lady…
If you enjoy our translations and would like to support us, please consider contributing on Patreon or Ko-fi. Your support helps us continue bringing you great content!
►►CLICK HERE FOR LISTS OF CHAPTERS◄◄
No comments: