Chapter 556: Nothing is Ever Absolute

Chapter 556: Nothing is Ever Absolute

Meng Huaining knew that the Mo Family brothers cared deeply for their sister, Mo Hanyue.

"Rest assured, my brothers, I promise to take good care of Hanyue and ensure she faces no hardship."

The Mo Family brothers surrounded Meng Huaining with their advice, while the local officials who had come to curry favor with the Prince of the West were left in shock.

It was one thing for the Mo family's ancestral graves to emit auspicious signs and be granted a title, but for Meng Huaining, the County Magistrate of Yuncheng who had always been their equal, to achieve such prominence was another matter entirely.

The Emperor himself had issued an edict calling him to the Imperial City, and to the position of Chief Minister no less...

The Prefect was already breaking into a cold sweat, his mind filled with the memory of Meng Huaining coming to him for help with funds.

He thought to himself, "This is it. Back then, I treated him with disdain. If I had known he would rise to such heights, I would have been willing to ruin myself financially to support him, let alone the mere few thousand taels he needed for grain seeds."

Indeed, Meng Huaining was not one to forget.

After exchanging greetings with his brothers-in-law, his gaze fell directly on the Prefect.

The sharpness of his stare made the Prefect tremble, and he immediately prostrated himself before Meng Huaining.

"Chief Minister, I was blind and ignorant back then. Please, Your Excellency, do not hold it against me. Spare me this once!"

The Mo Family brothers knew the reason for the Prefect's actions, but the County Magistrates who had accompanied him were completely baffled.

They exchanged glances, each wondering what the Prefect had done to offend Meng Huaining, to be so terrified upon learning of his new position.

Meng Huaining said with a cold sneer.

"You've made many mistakes. Later, I will compile the records and hand them over to the Prince of the West for judgment."

Although he had been appointed Chief Minister by the Emperor, he had no intention of overreaching his authority in Ninth Brother's territory.

At these words, the Prefect was so frightened he nearly wet himself, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for mercy.

Meng Huaining couldn't even bear to look at him.

Now, it was Mo Jiuya who faced a dilemma. He had originally intended to have Meng Huaining temporarily serve as Prefect to help manage the affairs of his fiefdom for a while. He hadn't expected Nan Yu to be in such a hurry, calling him to the Imperial City so quickly.

Meng Huaining had originally intended to assist Mo Jiuya for a period as well. He was well-acquainted with the Northwest, particularly during times of unrest, where the pacification of the people and their livelihoods were of utmost importance.

After a moment of thought, Meng Huaining suddenly remembered two people.

"Ninth Brother, Uncle Fang and Uncle Xie have both served as officials for many years. Especially Uncle Fang, who started as a County Magistrate. He definitely has the ability for this."

How could Mo Jiuya not know this?

However, Fang Chuanzhou and Xie Tianhai were still exiles by imperial decree. Without the Emperor's edict, they could not serve as officials, even within the fiefdom.

It seemed that before he left, there was one more thing he needed to do: have Xiao Bai deliver a letter to the Imperial City to Nan Yu, seeking a pardon for the Fang and Xie families.

Besides them, Hu Cong's case was undoubtedly a miscarriage of justice. It was only right for him to speak on his behalf.

Moreover, he believed that Nan Yu was an enlightened ruler. Upon receiving his letter, he would surely arrange for suitable officials to re-examine their cases and ultimately clear their names.

But for now, the fiefdom still needed a capable individual to oversee it.

This really stumped Mo Jiuya.

Meng Huaining had already anticipated this.

"Ninth Brother, there are no absolutes. Although the two uncles are in a special situation and cannot become officials, if they were to take on the role of estate managers, it would be perfectly legitimate!"

Meng Huaining's words were a wake-up call for Mo Jiuya.

"No wonder the new emperor considers him a capable minister; his mind is indeed sharp."

This was something Mo Jiuya had to admit.

Though born into an official family, his family was full of military officers, and he had never considered such minor issues, which led to his current predicament.

With a solution in mind, Mo Jiuya promptly sent for Fang Chuanzhou and Xie Tianhai.

In fact, there was no need to invite them, as Fang Chuanzhou and Xie Tianhai were already among the crowd watching the spectacle.

At that moment, the two were explaining the situation to the confused villagers.

"Did you see the golden 'king' character on Master Ninth's armor? That signifies he is a prince.

The golden characters on the generals' armor also signify high rank."

"Brother Xie, are you saying Mo Laojiu is now a prince?"

"No, wasn't the Mo family exiled by imperial decree? How could they become princes?"

"Don't call him Mo Laojiu anymore, from now on you must kneel and address him as 'Your Highness, the Prince'..."

Fang Chuanzhou and Xie Tianhai had just learned that Mo Jiuya had been enfeoffed as the Prince of the West that day. While happy for the Mo family, they also worried for their men.

War has always been a matter of life and death. The Mo family had finally reunited without losing anyone, but once they set out to battle, no one could guarantee they would return alive.

However, they believed that no matter what, the Mo family were true heroes. Living a peaceful rural life would waste their talents. Finally, the Mo family saw justice, and becoming the Prince of the West cleared their grievances.

Had the Mo Family brothers not been busy with so many local officials, the two would have already offered their congratulations.

Now, they didn't need to decide when to congratulate him, as Mo Jiuya had already invited them.

When they approached Mo Jiuya, they first congratulated him, then sincerely advised the Mo family men to be careful on the battlefield, treating them like juniors.

After some pleasantries, Mo Jiuya got straight to the point.

"Uncles, you’ve likely heard the emperor granted me the Northwest as my fief.

Managing this fief requires capable people. Though it might underutilize your talents, I still ask for your help."

Mo Jiuya’s sincere words gave the two ample respect.

"Your Highness, how do you intend for us to help manage the fief?" Fang Chuanzhou was willing from the bottom of his heart, but he was also aware of his status. Although he had thought of the same solution as Meng Huaining, he felt it was best for Mo Jiuya to say it.

"Later, I will write to the emperor, asking him to order a review of your records. Until your names are cleared, I can only ask you to endure some inconveniences."

Although Mo Jiuya did not explicitly state what these inconveniences would be, both men understood.

Xie Tianhai was the first to express his stance: "Your Highness, rest assured, even if I have to serve as the estate manager, I will have no complaints."

In the Great Shun Dynasty, official household stewards wielded significant power through their masters' influence.