Mo Jiuye continued to walk ahead of Fe Nanyu and his group, neither too close nor too far. He pondered over their recent conversation.
Normally, the task of preparing gifts could be entrusted to the steward of the mansion.
To Mo Jiuye's surprise, Nan Qi had asked Fe Nanyu to personally handle the preparations. If one applied a little bit of thinking, this matter would appear suspicious.
Mo Jiuye knew Nan Qi quite well. He wasn't an upright gentleman. When Mo Jiuye served as his tutor, Nan Qi didn't even bother to study properly unless he could outperform Mo Jiuye.
Mo Jiuye had always played his part as a courtier, deliberately underperforming in his exams to allow Nan Qi to feel superior.
Now, with the presence of the outstanding Fe Nanyu by his side, it would be difficult for Nan Qi not to feel threatened if Fe Nanyu didn't restrain his brilliance.
It seemed that Fe Nanyu was walking on thin ice these days.
However, Mo Jiuye couldn't understand Fe Nanyu's intentions. Since Fe Mama was already a witness, why didn't they reveal the truth and restore Fe Nanyu's true identity as a prince?
Of course, these were just Mo Jiuye's thoughts. He couldn't involve himself in these power struggles.
Furthermore, Fe Nanyu seemed to be doing well at the moment, but who knew what he would become if he were to ascend to that position?
Although Mo Jiuye didn't want to interact too much with Fe Nanyu, he heard that the Ninth Prince would be celebrating his birthday soon, probably in the near future.
If Mo Jiuye could infiltrate the Ninth Prince's mansion through Fe Nanyu, wouldn't it be safer than his brothers risking their lives to deliver a message to Xiao Bai?
After careful consideration, Mo Jiuye decided to pay a visit to the Fe mansion in the evening and meet Fe Nanyu.
Setting aside the uncertainties of Fe Nanyu's future, finding Mr. Si Meng was the most important thing for now.
With his mind made up, Mo Jiuye no longer hesitated. He quickened his pace and headed straight towards the Ninth Prince's mansion.
Even though the Ninth Prince was no longer favored by Emperor Shunwu, he still held the title of a prince. Therefore, his mansion was quite luxurious and not far from the palace.
When Mo Jiuye used to attend court, he would pass by there.
He initially intended to go directly to the Ninth Prince's mansion, but unexpectedly, another incident occurred on the way.
A group of people on horseback approached from the direction of the palace, led by a eunuch who held a yellow imperial edict high in his hand. They were coming at full speed.
Judging by the smirk on the eunuch's lips, it was clear that something good was about to happen to someone.
Behind the group of people on horseback, there were numerous commoners following on foot.
Although the eunuch rode on horseback while the commoners walked, it didn't take long for them to fall far behind.
Despite this, the onlookers among the commoners remained undeterred and continued to move in the direction of the eunuch, whispering among themselves.
"I heard that the Emperor has arranged a marriage between Princess Yu and the eldest son of Minister Hao's family. Those people must be going to deliver the imperial edict to Minister Hao's residence."
Upon hearing Minister Hao's name, Mo Jiuye immediately halted his steps.
Minister Hao was his father-in-law.
The eldest son of Minister Hao's family was his own dear elder brother-in-law.
Although his wife rarely mentioned her family, the fact that his father-in-law and mother-in-law risked pursuit and gave chase to the exiled convoy to provide Ran Ran with money clearly showed that they cared deeply for Ran Ran.
Since it concerned his father-in-law's family, it was necessary for him to take a look.
Speaking of Princess Yu, Mo Jiuye was not unfamiliar with her.
She was the youngest daughter of the Ninth Prince's family and had been showered with endless love and favors since childhood.
The only headache was that Princess Yu was arrogant and haughty. Everyone in the capital knew that she was insolent and didn't care about anyone except the Emperor's children.
Although the Ninth Prince usually kept a low profile, he made an exception for his daughter. Not only did he not stop Princess Yu from causing trouble, but he also always stepped in to help her out whenever she got into trouble.
It could be said that the Ninth Prince appeared in public the most when he was dealing with his daughter's affairs.
A woman as domineering and arrogant as her marrying his eldest nephew, Minister Hao's family would probably have no peaceful days in the future...
Mo Jiuye didn't know why Emperor Shunwu would arrange a marriage between these two individuals with such disparate backgrounds.
To figure out the situation, he mingled in the crowd that went to watch the commotion and approached someone to inquire.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you happen to know how the marriage between Princess Yu and Eldest Young Master He came about?"
Surprisingly, Mo Jiuye asked the right person.
The man had a natural inclination for gossip and happened to have some knowledge about the matter. When he saw someone asking, he immediately felt a sense of superiority and explained quietly as they walked:
"Eldest Young Master He of Minister Hao's family just passed the imperial examination and was parading through the streets when Princess Yu saw him.
Everyone in the capital knows that Princess Yu likes handsome and refined men, and Eldest Young Master He resembled Pan An, catching Princess Yu's eye at first glance.
The Ninth Prince's love for Princess Yu is well-known throughout the capital. If she wants the stars, the Ninth Prince would never deny her the moon.
Since Princess Yu took a liking to Eldest Young Master He, the Ninth Prince will find a way to make it happen."
As he spoke, the man shook his head and sighed:
"It's a pity, Eldest Young Master He is so outstanding. The latter half of his life might be difficult..."
Mo Jiuye understood the reason and couldn't help but worry for his eldest nephew.
Marrying Princess Yu was like marrying an ancestor. Minister Hao's family would probably have a tough time ahead.
At the same time, he thought of He Zhiran.
If she were in the capital and encountered such a situation at home, what would she do?
Based on his understanding of his wife, He Zhiran would definitely find a way to stop this marriage. Even if it was an imperial decree, it wouldn't be acceptable.
Since he stumbled upon this matter, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
Of course, he was also aware that he currently couldn't prevent the imperial decree from being issued.
After all, it was only a marriage decree, and Princess Yu wouldn't immediately become part of the family. He still had time to resolve this matter.
Lost in thought, Mo Jiuye arrived at Minister Hao's residence before the commoners did.
At this moment, the gates of the residence were wide open, with horses parked to the side.
Two young servants knelt in front of the gate, facing the courtyard.
Mo Jiuye knew that at this point, the imperial messenger had already begun reading the imperial decree.
He had arrived relatively quickly, and there weren't many onlookers in front of Minister Hao's residence. He easily found a good spot to stand where he had a clear view.
There was a stone wall blocking the view outside the gate, but it didn't hinder Mo Jiuye's hearing.
He could hear the eunuch inside saying, "Congratulations, Young Master He, receive the imperial decree!"
According to reason, receiving a marriage decree is a joyous occasion for high-ranking officials, but Mo Jiuye couldn't detect any hint of joy in his eldest uncle's tone.
"I humbly thank the Emperor for his grace."
The tone was so uncomfortable and repressed, as if his father-in-law's family was deeply disappointed with this marriage arrangement.
The official delivering the decree knew full well that this was not a favorable match, but as a servant of the Emperor, he had to stand in the Emperor's position. Even though he sympathized with Minister Hao's family in his heart, he couldn't show it.
