Chapter 115: Don’t Beat Around the Bush When Talking to Me

Chapter 115: Don't Beat Around the Bush When Talking to Me

As the Fang and Xie families enjoyed the delectable fruits, they didn't forget to express their gratitude.

Especially Xie Lin, with her sweet tongue, she smiled at He Zhiran and said, "Thank you, Auntie. When your family has a little brother, Lin'er will definitely bring him along to play."

Upon hearing Xie Lin's words, everyone present burst into laughter. Some even began teasing He Zhiran, asking if there were any signs of a baby on the way.

Initially, He Zhiran hadn't thought much of Xie Lin's innocent remark. However, when the adults joined in the teasing, she blushed deeply.

Mo Jiuya, standing not far away, observed this scene thoughtfully.

He imagined that their child, if they had one, would be incredibly beautiful. The image of their entire family gathered around the little one, all playing together, filled him with joy.

Mo Jiuya's thoughts drifted further, involuntarily conjuring countless scenes of him and He Zhiran surrounded by their grandchildren...

He Zhiran's blush was fleeting, and to hide her awkwardness, she joined the group casually, engaging in laughter and chatter.

From a distance, He Zhiyuan watched their harmonious interaction, feeling immense regret that could almost turn his intestines green.

If he had known earlier, he would have followed the example of the Xie and Fang families to win over Mo Jiuya.

Then, wouldn't his own He family have also been able to enjoy such delectable fruits?

At this thought, He Zhiyuan actually followed his heart and approached Mo Jiuya.

Mo Jiuya glanced at him but showed no intention of starting a conversation.

He Zhiyuan had anticipated that, even if he took the initiative, Mo Jiuya would at least ask, "What brings you here?"

Yet, he didn't.

He Zhiyuan's visit was impulsive, and now faced with this situation, he found himself in a dilemma, unsure whether to stay or leave without saying a word.

After a moment of contemplation, He Zhiyuan steeled himself and spoke up.

"Mr. Mo... Mo Jiuya." This was a title that had suddenly occurred to him, and he felt it was more appropriate.

Mo Jiuya raised an eyebrow but remained silent, simply gesturing for him to continue.

He Zhiyuan appeared somewhat enigmatic, looking around furtively before whispering,

"In fact, regarding the incident where I failed to deliver the supplies to the border in time back then, I was acting under someone else's orders."

Mo Jiuya was already aware of this even if He Zhiyuan didn't mention it. However, in front of He Zhiyuan, he deliberately pretended to be ignorant, wanting to see what game the other man was playing.

"It seems Lord He is preparing to betray your master?" Mo Jiuya's tone was cold, laced with a mocking undertone that was unmistakable.

These words were indeed humiliating for He Zhiyuan to hear, but there was no turning back now. Having started, he had no intention of hiding any longer.

His reconciliation with Mo Jiuya would depend on this move.

With this in mind, He Zhiyuan grew solemn.

"Mr. Mo might not have imagined that the one who instructed me to seize the provisions back then was none other than Second Prince, Prince Rui."

Upon hearing this, Mo Jiuya's gaze instantly turned profound.

"You're saying it was Nan Rui?"

He Zhiyuan nodded. "Indeed, it was Prince Rui."

This revelation was entirely different from what Mo Jiuya had previously suspected.

At that time, he knew for certain that someone had been pulling the strings behind He Zhiyuan's withholding of the border supplies. However, they had guessed it to be Nan Heng.

Back then, the political landscape was already clear. Nan Heng, born of the Empress Dowager, was the legitimate eldest son of Emperor Shunwu. Although his abilities were somewhat lacking, his rightful birth gave him an advantage. Half of the court officials supported his ascension to the throne.

Nan Qi, on the other hand, was the son of Consort Yuan and ranked just below Nan Heng in status.

Nonetheless, Nan Qi's exceptional actions won him the support of many courtiers.

Thus, the courtiers were roughly divided into two factions, one supporting Nan Heng as the crown prince, while the other advocated for Nan Qi's position.

As for He Zhiyuan's mention of Nan Rui, his birth mother was not favored by the Shunwu Emperor, and the son himself was also disliked. As a result, he had never held much significance in public since childhood.

He usually displayed an apparent disinterest in political affairs, spending his days with scholars and connoisseurs, indulging in poetry and painting.

If what He Zhiyuan said was true, Mo Jiuya found it hard to comprehend why Nan Rui would act in such a manner.

To verify if there was any exaggeration or deception in He Zhiyuan's words, he probed further, "I hold no grudge against him. Why would he do this?"

His words piqued Mo Jiuya's interest, and He Zhiyuan instantly transformed his expression.

He chuckled deviously and spoke with more confidence, "Mr. Mo is a wise man, so you must understand the reason behind me sharing all this with you."

Observing He Zhiyuan's despicable demeanor, Mo Jiuya felt a strong urge to strike him. However, for the sake of extracting useful information, he clenched and then released his fists, suppressing his anger.

"I'm merely a warrior, unversed in the intricacies of courtly intrigue. Minister He, when you speak with me, there's no need to beat around the bush."

He had expected that this would prompt Mo Jiuya to immediately change his attitude and seek favor.

Yet, the outcome was entirely different from what he imagined. Not only did Mo Jiuya not show any attempt to ingratiate himself, but he even intimidated He Zhiyuan.

Upon seeing Mo Jiuya's icy gaze, He Zhiyuan involuntarily shivered.

He began to fear that if he didn't divulge everything he knew today, Mo Jiuya might resort to forceful means to compel him to comply.

He didn't dare to imagine what kind of measures Mo Jiuya would employ. Given his decisive ruthlessness on the battlefield, He Zhiyuan knew he wouldn't have an easy time.

In the end, he realized, he had no choice but to...

Understanding this, He Zhiyuan decided not to dwell on the potential consequences. He couldn't believe that Mo Jiuya would be ungrateful after revealing such a significant secret.

"Prince Rui's public facade of poetic compositions and paintings is just a pretense. His true aim is to lull Prince Heng and Prince Qi into a false sense of security, believing he won't hinder their paths to the throne.

Unknown to them, Prince Rui has already secretly garnered the support of many court officials. On the surface, these officials still appear loyal to either Prince Heng or Prince Qi, but in reality, they work for Prince Rui."

Back then, he instructed me to seize the provisions destined for the border, all in an effort to incite suspicion between Prince Qi and Prince Heng, thereby driving them into a confrontational stance.

As it turned out, Prince Rui's conjectures were accurate. Prince Qi's men submitted multiple memorials impeaching Prince Heng, escalating their conflict to a point of no reconciliation. They even began secretly undermining each other."

At this moment, Mo Jiuya was still unable to discern the truth from He Zhiyuan's words.

However, what he said made sense and was plausible.

"What benefit did Prince Rui promise you to gain your loyalty?"

This question was crucial. If He Zhiyuan's answer was reasonable, Mo Jiuya's entire understanding of the past would be overturned.

"Mr. Mo, I must confess that I have an illegitimate daughter named He Meiyu. Since childhood, she has been raised outside our family. Meiyu is talented and intelligent. She happened to meet Prince Rui at a poetry gathering, and the two developed a mutual affection. Upon learning her identity, Prince Rui personally sought my approval for their marriage.

He promised Meiyu the position of his principal wife. I considered that regardless of whether Prince Rui had ulterior motives, he was still a prince. For my little illegitimate daughter to become his principal wife would be a blessing in three lifetimes.

Upon my agreement, Prince Rui proposed another condition. Once Meiyu enters his household, she will assume a new identity, severing any apparent connection between her and me. His intention was to avoid any accusations of forming factions for personal gain."

Two months later, Prince Ruì, as promised, took Mei Yu as his bride. Despite her beauty, her status remained that of a daughter from a wealthy merchant family."