Chapter 324: We Will Never Speak of This Again

Chapter 324: We Will Never Speak of This Again

Tang Mingrui was generous and directly gifted Mo Hanyue a bolt of Shu brocade.

Mo’s matriarch was an observant person. Through these two gifts, she and He Zhiran both noticed something unusual.

Tang Mingrui had feelings for Mo Hanyue!

Of course, such precious gifts could not be accepted by the Mo family.

Although Tang Mingrui's Shu brocade was not accepted, his intentions were clear to everyone.

Not only did Mo’s matriarch see it, but He Zhiran and the sisters-in-law also noticed.

Tang Mingrui clearly wanted to give Mo Hanyue a gift, which is why he used this method.

The second sister-in-law, who couldn't keep secrets, approached the female members of the family after dinner and began chatting in front of her mother-in-law.

"Mother, have you noticed that Master Tang seems quite fond of Hanyue?"

Although Mo’s matriarch had been exiled to the Northwest, her deeply ingrained thoughts could not change overnight.

In her view, even if Tang Mingrui was excellent, he was still a merchant, while Meng Huaining was different—he came from a scholarly background, even if he didn’t hold an official position.

Comparing the two, she still preferred someone from a scholarly family.

Mo’s matriarch did not look down on Tang Mingrui; she just hoped that her daughter would marry a scholar if given a choice.

Of course, she did not want to be the kind of mother who made all decisions for her children. If Mo Hanyue disliked Meng Huaining and liked Tang Mingrui, she would support her daughter's choice.

Mo’s matriarch originally intended to discuss this with He Zhiran, but unexpectedly, the second daughter-in-law spoke up first.

She glanced at the blushing Mo Hanyue standing beside her and gently said, "Hanyue, didn’t you say your rabbit might give birth tonight?"

Mo Hanyue, having experienced some things, was no longer as childish as before.

She knew that discussing such matters was inappropriate for her.

However, she did not want to marry someone she did not like.

Before leaving, she whispered to Mo’s matriarch, "Mother, I do not have romantic feelings for Master Tang."

Since she spoke up, it saved Mo’s matriarch from asking.

Mo’s matriarch now understood her daughter's thoughts thoroughly.

Once Mo Hanyue left, Mo’s matriarch solemnly addressed her daughters-in-law, "I understand Hanyue’s situation. From now on, when Master Tang visits, treat him respectfully without any other intentions."

This statement clarified her stance, whether it was Mo Hanyue or herself who disapproved.

There were many female members in the family, all of whom were Mo Hanyue’s sisters-in-law, and they inevitably worried about the only unmarried niece.

It was better to let them know her stance early to prevent any misunderstandings.

He Zhiran was the most perceptive and immediately understood her mother-in-law’s meaning.

"Mother, rest assured, we will never speak of this again."

The other sisters-in-law nodded in agreement, indicating they would follow suit.

Only the second sister-in-law, who was somewhat naive, felt that rejecting Tang Mingrui might mean missing out on a good match.

After all, the Mo family was not what it once was. Although their lives were still comfortable, how many people would not mind their status as exiles?

"Mother, I think Master Tang is a good man. Why not consider him?"

Mo’s matriarch treated all nine daughters-in-law equally.

Except for the second daughter-in-law, who was stubborn and didn’t understand what others saw.

Thinking about her lack of tact, the old lady became angry.

She scolded, "If you don’t understand, ask the other sisters later."

The eldest sister-in-law quickly tugged at the second sister-in-law’s sleeve. "Second Sister, I’ll explain later."

The second sister-in-law nodded blankly. "Okay."

Now, the female members of the family understood their mother-in-law’s stance and tacitly avoided mentioning Tang Mingrui.

The next morning, Tang Mingrui arrived as usual to pick up goods.

Coincidentally, Meng Huaining also came to visit Mo Jiuye, arriving almost simultaneously.

Tang Mingrui, being a merchant, naturally bowed to the official.

Meng Huaining was unaware of Tang Mingrui’s intentions. He knew that Tang Mingrui had business dealings with the Mo family and was on good terms with them.

Therefore, he did not put on any airs in front of Tang Mingrui and was as casual as with the Mo family.

They were both welcomed into the courtyard by Mo Jiuye. Coincidentally, Mo Hanyue, wearing a veil and holding a hoe, was coming out with Yu'er and Lan'er, intending to tend to her medicinal fields.

Tang Mingrui, being a merchant, was more outgoing than Meng Huaining.

He greeted her, "Miss Mo, are you going to work in the fields?"

Seeing the upright Meng Huaining, Mo Hanyue felt elated and was about to greet him when Tang Mingrui approached her.

From the second sister-in-law’s words yesterday, she had learned of Tang Mingrui’s intentions.

Although she did not dislike Tang Mingrui, she felt no romantic affection for him.

Especially in front of the man she liked, Mo Hanyue found herself at a loss for a moment.

After all, she was a lady from a wealthy family, and her etiquette was not learned in vain.

She quickly composed herself and gave a slight bow to the two men standing side by side.

"Lord Meng, Lord Tang, good morning."

Meng Haining, seeing the girl he had been longing for, was overjoyed.

Just as he was about to return the greeting, he saw Tang Mingrui take out an exquisite little pouch from his robe.

Tang Mingrui stepped forward again and presented the pouch to Mo Hanyue.

"Miss Mo, these are ginseng seeds I found during my travels. Knowing your interest in planting medicinal herbs, I thought you might like to try growing them."

In truth, for He Zhiran, ginseng seeds were plentiful and of superior quality, being produced within her space.

The reason she had not given any to Mo Hanyue was mainly because ginseng has a long growth cycle, and it would be a while before any results could be seen.

Tang Mingrui was unaware of this; he only knew that Mo Hanyue enjoyed planting medicinal herbs and wanted to give her the best.

Seeing Tang Mingrui present something to Mo Hanyue upon arrival, Meng Haining felt a twinge of discomfort.

Just as he was pondering how to approach her, Mo Hanyue spoke up.

"Thank you, Lord Tang, but these ginseng seeds are too precious. I cannot accept them."

Cannot accept!

Yes, she must not accept anything from him.

Meng Haining felt a sense of relief when Mo Hanyue refused.

Undeterred, Tang Mingrui maintained the gesture of offering the pouch.

"This is not worth much; I just happened to come across them. Please accept them, Miss Mo!"

Mo Hanyue took a step back.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Tang, but I am just starting to learn about planting medicinal herbs. Such valuable items should not be wasted on me."