Chapter 315 - The Difference (1/2)

On the eve of the Spring Festival in the forty-second year after the Mo Dynasty was established, Mo Xiangbin held a banquet and invited all the royal family members and noblemen to gather in the imperial palace.

As Shi Qingxue guessed, both King Rui’s family and Duke Shi’s family received the invitation.

Before the evening that day, Mo Junyang got things ready and prepared to go out.

As soon as he walked out of the Love Xue House, he happened to meet Mo Xiangrui and Qi Zhengdao.

Mo Xiangrui asked in surprise, “It’s still early. Where are you going, Junyang?”

Qi Zhengdao walked over and saluted him, greeting clumsily, “Your Excellency…Nice to see you.”

Although Mo Xiangrui had approved of his identity, it was difficult to be a king’s son, and he had to be approved by the royal family openly.

So Qi Zhengdao enjoyed the treatment as a respected guest in the mansion, and he could only call Mo Xiangrui Your Highness and Mo Junyang Your Excellency.

Mo Junyang nodded slightly and then ignored the boy.

He answered Mo Xiangrui, “I am going to pick up Qingxue in Duke Shi’s mansion first, which is farther away from the imperial palace, so I need to make preparations earlier.”

Mo Xiangrui stared at his son and stayed speechless for a long time.

He had known that Mo Junyang paid attention to Shi Qingxue wholeheartedly, yet when he saw the young man’s action, he couldn’t help but joke, “Others say that I have a son, but I know that a son is the same as a daughter.”

He laughed at Mo Junyang as the latter stayed in Duke Shi’s mansion all day long and was like a daughter who was going to get married and become a member of another family.

Mo Junyang was calm. He ignored Qi Zhengdao who looked him up and down, accepting Mo Xiangrui’s ridicule. Then he asked, “Father, do you have anything to tell me? If not, I am going to Duke Shi’s mansion now.”

After his son asked, Mo Xiangrui’s smile faded, and he looked embarrassed.

He paused for a moment and then thought that it was improper that he was timid in front of his son, so he hesitated for a while and then stated, “In fact, it’s no big deal. I want to ask if you are free to take Zhengdao into the imperial palace to enrich his experience at the banquet tonight.”

After hearing that, even Mo Junyang couldn’t help but feel surprised.

He hadn’t expected that Mo Xiangrui would support Qi Zhengdao to this level in only two days.

Mo Xiangrui asked Mo Junyang to take Qi Zhengdao to attend the banquet in the imperial palace, and he just wanted to announce Qi Zhengdao’s identity in another way.

This was a sign of letting Qi Zhengdao return to his ancestors, and he tried to lay a foundation for the boy to stay in the capital and at the imperial court in the future.

Mo Junyang saw that Qi Zhengdao looked happy at once and showed his emotions but soon controlled himself and lowered his head, pretending to be respectful.

He saw everything yet only kept his composure and replied, “I am afraid that I can’t fulfill your wish, Father.”

“Wh…why?” Mo Xiangrui knew that his request would make things difficult for Mo Junyang and even had prepared to talk about this matter with his son regardless of his identity, but he hadn’t expected that Mo Junyang would refuse so directly.

As a result, he didn’t know what to say.

Qi Zhengdao was stunned to hear Mo Junyang’s rejection.

Wasn’t Mo Junyang King Rui’s son? How could a son refuse to follow his father’s order?

Seeing that Mo Xiangrui stayed silent for a long time, he got anxious and couldn’t control himself but interrupted, “I know that I am lowly and the royal family members will look down upon me. His Excellency may have a breach of etiquette if he takes me into the imperial palace. Since he is unwilling to, please don’t force him, Your Highness.”

His words thoroughly showed that a concubine’s son felt grieved and couldn’t win his legitimate brother’s love.

If Qi Zhengdao were from an ordinary family, his performance would naturally be praiseworthy.

However, it was unpresentable in the royal family.

Didn’t he want to make Mo Xiangrui feel pity for him after he showed that he was weak and then make concessions in order to gain advantages, forcing Mo Junyang to take him into the imperial palace?

All people present were sophisticated and immediately understood Qi Zhengdao’s hidden meaning.

Mo Junyang certainly wouldn’t be irritated by Qi Zhengdao’s words. He just smiled faintly and stared at Mo Xiangrui till his old face turned red.

Then he responded unhurriedly, “I will accompany Qingxue at the banquet in the imperial palace tonight, so I can’t finish this job, Father.”

This reason…really made people have a complex feeling.

Mo Xiangrui looked at Mo Junyang hesitantly and wanted to speak when the young man continued, “I know that you want to approve of my younger brother’s identity. In this case, it’s better that you take him into the imperial palace, and then it will be more official.”

He clearly approved of Mo Xiangrui recognizing Qi Zhengdao. It was good news for King Rui who was at a loss for how to tell his beloved son and Qi Zhengdao who wanted to return to his ancestors.

Qi Zhengdao was so happy that he got dizzy after hearing Mo Junyang’s words “younger brother”, so he called, “Big brother.”

It seemed that he was already the second young master in King Rui’s mansion.

“How dare you!” Mo Xiangrui shouted in a braying voice and glared at Qi Zhengdao, rebuking, “Junyang is the first legitimate son and the heir titled by His Majesty in person. How can you cross the line?”