Chapter 17: He Was Provoked

Without needing to build up any momentum, Lady Wang’s emotions erupted instantly.

"This was my sister personally running to the Liang family to speak up, regardless of her own dignity! If Mrs. Liang truly became unhappy and confronted my sister to her face, wasn't she only enduring it for our sake? I feel incredibly guilty about it, so how is it that when it comes to you, there is nothing but a pile of complaints? Fine! If you're unsatisfied, then forget it! Why don't you go out and find a match for Moyi yourself?!"

Mo Ruhai fell silent again.

"If it weren't for me begging my sister, if it weren't for Wenzhen's affection for her younger sister, how could Moyi have obtained this marriage? It was I who exhausted every effort to plan for this family! You, on whom nothing can be relied upon, can't even offer a single word of praise—only a heap of dissatisfaction?"

Watching his wife become increasingly agitated and continuously escalate her words, Mo Ruhai’s own anger rose: "You... why are you becoming more and more unreasonable? Liang You—you spent years preparing, intending for him to be for Mo Wen, isn't that right?! It was also you who saw someone better and gave up on him. Isn't that right?! If the matter didn't work out, fine. But to change people..."

Lady Wang immediately snatched the conversation back: "Even if the person was changed, Liang You was willing himself! He didn't pick through her; what else is there for Moyi to be picked on for?"

These words once again left Mo Ruhai stuck in the room.

*Hmph, that brat Liang You... his taste is actually quite decent!*

He instantly regretted it: *Sigh, really, things have already come to this. It would have been enough to acknowledge it and praise her once; why must I argue with her?*

*And I can never win the argument!*

Just as he was about to soften his stance, Lady Wang spoke again: "Hmph, Moyi... in terms of looks, talent, temperament, or how she conducts herself, in what single way can she compare to Mo Wen? To be able to marry Liang You is a blessing she earned in her past life!" She pointed her finger toward the heavens, as if Moyi had taken advantage of a great bargain.

Mo Ruhai swallowed his soft words back down and said coldly and harshly, "Indeed! They weren't born of the same mother, of course she can't compare!"

"What do you mean by that?!"

"My meaning is: even if you are biased, there must be a limit. I have never denied that Mo Wen has blossomed beautifully! But Moyi was not something you picked up in front of a temple gate!"

"What did I do to her? Did I deprive her of food or drink? Or did I mistreat her regarding her clothes and jewelry..."

At this point, Lady Wang paused.

In the family, when buying fabrics or jewelry, priority was always given to Mo Wen. Mo Qing didn't suffer losses because she could make a scene, but even she had to pick and choose ahead of Moyi.

Now that there was an eldest daughter-in-law, everything had to be prioritized for her as well.

Then there were the two daughters of the eldest branch; to maintain a relationship with Lady Zhuang, the gifts sent to them had to be of high quality.

As for Mo Yuan of the third branch... Liu Shi could be pretentious, and though she found things troublesome, she would still cater to her somewhat.

In the past, her husband had complained that the Mo family daughters were all placed at the front of the line, and whatever was left over was what Moyi received...

With Lady Wang's temperament, she wouldn't go so far as to call a deer a horse, so she changed her tune: "She is a second daughter; how can she compare to the eldest? Isn't it the same for every family? Don't you think about it—can the Mo family treat you the same as they treat your eldest brother? If they are the same, why did you stop progressing at the level of a Scholar?"

Seeing her drag up those old grievances again, Mo Ruhai was annoyed to death. Without a word, he stood up and left.

"Hey! What do you mean? Come back!"

But Mo Ruhai ignored her completely.

Lady Wang rushed to the door and pulled back the curtain to shout at his retreating back.

"Who am I doing this for? Whenever you go out, aren't you neat and dignified? The food, clothing, housing, and transportation for five children, their schooling, buying clothes and jewelry—where does the silver come from? I have done so much, yet you treat me like this... Call your son here!" The last sentence was directed at Lady Wang after she saw Nanny Wang standing by the door...

Mo Ruhai left the house, huffing with rage.

When he reached the front parlor, his eldest brother had not yet returned.

He called for his long-time attendant, Wang Qing, pointed at the two large chests on the floor, and instructed: "Find someone to carry these to the second daughter's courtyard. Wang Qing, you have been by my side for so many years; you should have some sense. Your indenture is held by the Madam. The Madam is very formidable, but in the end, she is a woman; she wouldn't dare truly provoke me! Weigh what you should and should not say! If you anger me, I will sell you to the West Mountain mines, and even your Madam won't be able to stop me!"

Mo Ruhai had always been gentle and elegant, speaking slowly with the air of a scholar.

It was extremely rare for him to be like this—face grim, eyes glaring, voice raised, with the veins in his neck bulging...

This frightened Wang Qing immensely. He was the son of Nanny Wang, Lady Wang's dowry maid, and was placed by the Madam by the Master's side to keep watch. If he stayed too long or too short, the Madam would call him in for questioning.

Especially after the Master returned from long business trips...

In truth, the Master had always been dutiful and had no secrets. He hadn't told the Madam anything unusual.

But... all these years, the Master had never treated him as one of his own.

One couldn't blame the Master; who would want to be watched like this? Especially these past two years, the Master and the second daughter were busy with something in secret...

It was obvious they didn't want him to know, and he truly didn't dare to pry, for fear that this master would truly lose his temper.

At this moment, his face was pale with fright as he hurriedly promised, "Rest assured, Master, I understand everything."

Mo Ruhai gave him a cold glance and turned to go to Moyi's room.

Originally, he had intended to wait until night when no one was around to quietly move the fabrics he had bought into his daughter's room.

Now, fueled by anger, he became somewhat reckless.

"Yiyi!!" he called from outside the door.

Moyi hurried to open the door herself. "Daddy! Come in quickly! Are you cold?"

Seeing his daughter's bright, smiling face, Mo Ruhai felt a sense of relief. But once he entered and saw his daughter's room, his mood soured again.

"Yiyi, making you live in a room like this, Daddy has failed you!"

"Daddy! What are you saying? If I didn't live here, how could your daughter work?"

Hearing this, Mo Ruhai became happy again.

Seeing that tea and snacks had already been prepared on the table, he felt his daughter was truly thoughtful and smiled, "Good Yiyi! This trip really opened my eyes! Oh right, thanks to the copper warming flask you prepared."

"Really? It actually came in handy?" Moyi's eyes sparkled as she looked at her father.

"How could it not?! Who could have imagined it would be so cold there? That kind of cold is different from ours.

When we go out, the north wind makes our faces cold, but as long as we dress warmly, we're fine. But the cold there... it's cold to the very bone, cold to the heart. No matter how much you wear, it's useless, and there's nowhere to hide! You can be roasting by a fire, yet your back is still freezing," he said, shivering with lingering fear.

Moyi giggled.

"If it weren't for holding that copper stove all day, Daddy might have actually met with misfortune."

"Daddy is being dramatic. If you hadn't brought a hand warmer, you could have bought one locally!"

"You think Daddy wouldn't know about buying things locally? But there has to be something for sale! The people there are used to it. Even in very particular households, they only light a charcoal brazier in the main hall. Ordinary people just freeze like that.

The windows aren't closed all year round! Everyone says it's not cold. But it froze us so much, it was... Luckily, you told Daddy to bring two, so one could be shared with Lord Chen. Otherwise, if a superior reached out his hand, could Daddy refuse? But if he gave it to him, Daddy would have frozen to death!"

Moyi laughed brightly, a far cry from her wooden, stiff demeanor in front of Lady Wang.

"Your Uncle Zhang even slept in the same bed as Daddy at night, and his feet..." He shook his head and chuckled at this, "Lord Chen said you were sensible and specifically asked Daddy to bring two bolts of fabric for you. As for that copper flask, leave it for your new friends there. Don't blame me, Yiyi!"

Thinking of Uncle Zhang's large feet, Moyi said with disdain, "Even if Daddy brought them back, your daughter wouldn't want them!"

Mo Ruhai laughed heartily.

At that moment, Wang Qing led people in to carry the items.

Moyi was surprised: "Dad, what is this?"

*Is this the template for a real married couple?*

*Regarding the "importance of speaking kindly."*

(End of Chapter)