Chapter 1501 - 317, Sending Off (first watch of the night)
Yao Hanai, who had been dragged back to Yao Mansion, was locked in the ancestral hall to reflect on her behavior, without even seeing her parents’ faces. Despite the seemingly settled nature of the matter, as Yao Hanai’s birth mother, Lady Meng naturally knew her daughter best. She instantly summoned Mo Zhu to come over and questioned him in front of Yao Shijiang about who the man really was.
Fearing consequences, Mo Zhu dared not hide anything and detailed the entire account of Yao Hanai’s meeting with Second Prince Zhao Hongsheng.
Upon hearing that the man was none other than Second Prince Zhao Hongsheng, Yao Shijiang trembled thrice in shock. His vision blurred, and he nearly fainted.
Lady Meng, however, was disbelieving; how could she not know her own daughter? That girl detested those men in the Capital city with multiple wives and concubines, always dreaming of finding a man who would not take concubines. Speaking of which, it was unclear to what extent she truly loved Xia Zheng, even to her own mother.
Regardless, it was certain that Yao Hanai would never willingly be involved with the Second Prince. Every ludicrous rumor outside was absolutely false. She was no covert romantic—she had been framed.
Hearing Lady Meng’s question, Mo Zhu appeared briefly panicked, but quickly masked it well, insisting stubbornly that Yao Hanai and Second Prince Zhao Hongsheng were genuinely in love.
"Enough! Now that things have come to this, there’s no use talking about it! Lock up that vile creature this instant! I don’t want to see that scoundrel for the rest of my life!"
Yao Shijiang flung his sleeves in a rage and stormed out of the room.
Lady Meng wavered, murmuring "How could this be," before collapsing weakly into the chair.
Mo Zhu glanced at Lady Meng, and seeing that they were alone in the room, cautiously approached and whispered, "Madam, now that things have come to this, it doesn’t matter whether the young miss actually harbors feelings for the Second Prince—we can’t change anything. Madam, for the sake of the young miss’s reputation, it’s best to make plans early."