Only after Yelü Ye’s gaze disappeared behind her did Ye Li stop and furrow her brows. Over the past half year, she had gained a rough understanding of the political situations in various countries. This Yelü Ye might appear forthright and bold on the surface, but as the only prince among the Northern Rong King’s dozen sons who could rival Crown Prince Yelü Hong, he was certainly capable of ruthlessness. If unnecessary, Ye Li had no desire to provoke such a person.
“Your Highness, that person…” Qing Shuang asked worriedly, seeing Ye Li’s troubled expression.
Ye Li shook her head and said, “It’s nothing.” Qing Luan and Qing Shuang exchanged glances, both seeing the concern in each other’s eyes. While the Princess Consort walking ahead might not have noticed, they had both seen the look in that prince’s eyes. After some thought, Qing Luan said, “That prince is not a good person. Your Highness would do well to avoid him.”
Ye Li smiled faintly and said, “Silly girl, some people cannot be avoided simply because you wish to avoid them. Unless we do nothing at all. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”
“This servant was overthinking,” Qing Luan said with a smile. She had never seen the Princess Consort uncertain about anything; surely she already knew how to handle this. All Qing Luan needed to do was protect her mistress.
“Don’t overthink it. Let’s go to Feng Hua Lou,” Ye Li said with a light smile.
As soon as they stepped into Feng Hua Lou, the crisp sound of breaking porcelain made Ye Li pause. The manager of Feng Hua Lou, already quite familiar with the Prince Consort, hurriedly came forward with an ingratiating smile and said, “This humble one greets Your Highness. Please, come in.” Ye Li nodded, stepped inside, and asked, “Is everything alright?” The manager squeezed out a somewhat troubled smile and said, “Two distinguished guests had a small conflict. We apologize for disturbing Your Highness. Please, this way to the private room. A few days ago, the Prince sent someone saying he wanted some fine pearls. We were planning to send them to the Prince’s mansion these days, but unexpectedly Your Highness has come today.” As he spoke, he led the way to a private room on the other side.
Ye Li nodded indifferently. Those who appeared at Feng Hua Lou were either extremely wealthy or noble; conflicts between such people naturally couldn’t be treated like trivial matters of common folk that everyone could know about.
After entering the private room and sitting down, the manager personally brought several boxes of pearls to present to Ye Li. When she opened them to look, they were indeed exceptional pearls. Among them was a box of light purple pearls, containing only nineteen pieces, but remarkably, each was the size of a pigeon’s egg, identical in size, luster, and shape. When the box was opened, the light purple glow cast a mysterious radiance throughout the entire private room.
Ye Li asked in surprise, “Are these night-luminous pearls?” A single night-luminous pearl wasn’t particularly rare, but nineteen identical ones in size and color were extraordinary. The manager smiled rather proudly and said, “Your Highness is correct, these are indeed night-luminous pearls. One such pearl alone is priceless, not to mention a complete set. And these are of the rarest purple variety. I wonder if they meet Your Highness’s satisfaction?” Ye Li nodded and smiled, “The manager has indeed gone to great lengths.” Seeing Ye Li’s satisfaction, the manager became even more beaming. It was known that these pearls had indeed cost him a great deal of money and effort to acquire, but such treasures weren’t something everyone could afford. If sold separately, the value of the treasure would be greatly diminished. The Prince’s mansion lacked neither money nor influence and if the Princess Consort liked this box of night-luminous pearls, this business deal would set him up for at least half a year.
Thinking of this, the manager even more eagerly took out several design drawings for Ye Li to see, “Your Highness, please take a look. These are designs especially drawn up by Feng Hua Lou’s finest craftsmen for this box of pearls. I wonder if they meet Your Highness’s approval?” Ye Li looked at the designs, which were indeed exquisite jewelry pieces that, if made, would surely make all the noble ladies in the capital envious. However, Ye Li had no intention of turning them into wearable ornaments. While everyone naturally loved beautiful and dazzling things, wearing such luminous pearls as ornaments would make the wearer a living target in the dark. Though not very practical, they were still excellent for collecting or gift-giving. After some thought, Ye Li said to the manager, “I’ll take this box of pearls as well. I’ll have someone send over the designs later; the manager can have them made according to those. Also, please make several pieces of jewelry.” Though somewhat disappointed that Ye Li didn’t use his designs, the manager was still very pleased to see her select some pearl jewelry. These exceptional jewels were priceless treasures, hard to find and harder to sell. The Prince was indeed generous to his Princess Consort.
Having selected the jewelry, Ye Li was about to ask the manager if Feng Hua Lou had any fine jade when another sound of breaking porcelain came from nearby. Before Ye Li could speak, a woman’s cry of pain followed, clearly indicating someone had turned violent. “Manager, who exactly is next door?”
The manager’s expression darkened as he said quietly, “In response to Your Highness, it’s the Mu Yang Marquis’s heir and the young lady from Minister of Rites Sun’s family. Also… also Miss Yao Ji from Qing Cheng House. This humble one will ask them to leave immediately.”
Ye Li thought for a moment and raised her hand to stop him, standing up she said, “I know them all. I’ll go take a look.”
The manager dared not say more and hurriedly led Ye Li to the adjacent private room.
As soon as the door opened, everyone inside turned to look. Ye Li stood behind the manager, looking in at the scattered porcelain shards on the floor. A pretty young woman in yellow clothing was crying in Mu Yang’s arms, while beside them sat a middle-aged noblewoman with light makeup but a face full of anger. Yao Ji stood to one side in red clothing, her face deathly pale, with fallen teacups scattered at her feet. “What’s going on here?” Ye Li stepped inside and casually closed the door. Seeing Ye Li enter, Mu Yang’s expression shifted slightly as he helped the young woman leaning against him to sit up straighter, nodding to Ye Li, “Princess Consort.”
Suddenly interrupted, the middle-aged noblewoman glared toward the door, but upon seeing Ye Li’s face, she quickly suppressed her anger and rose with an ingratiating smile, “This humble one, Lady Sun, greets the Princess Consort.” Ye Li nodded and said coolly, “Pardon the interruption, Lady Sun.” She had no particular impression of this Lady Sun, who was the daughter-in-law of Minister of Rites Sun and whose husband was merely a fifth-rank official; naturally, they wouldn’t have occasion to speak at gatherings. Lady Sun also knew that when the Princess Consort apologized for the interruption, she was implying that their commotion had disturbed her. She quickly invited Ye Li to sit, smiling, “Your Highness jests. We fear we have disturbed you instead; please forgive us.”
Ye Li briefly observed this Lady Sun and Miss Sun beside Mu Yang. Though neither could be considered exceptionally beautiful, their scholarly upbringing gave them an elegant and graceful air that made them quite pleasant to look at, without the arrogance often seen in noble families. Miss Sun, noticing Ye Li’s scrutiny, blushed and quickly lowered her head, stepping behind Mu Yang.
Ye Li smiled faintly and looked at Mu Yang, saying, “Young Master Mu, what a coincidence. Are you here accompanying Miss Sun to select jewelry? I hadn’t met Miss Sun before, but seeing you both today, you truly make a perfect match. Don’t forget to send an invitation to myself and the Prince for the wedding, so we can share in your joy.” Miss Sun’s face turned crimson, and she quickly glanced at Ye Li before quietly grabbing Mu Yang’s sleeve. However, Mu Yang’s expression darkened slightly. He glanced at Yao Ji standing to the side and said quietly, “Your Highness jests. If Your Highness and the Prince could attend, it would certainly be the Mu Yang Marquis’s honor.”
Though his glance was subtle, it didn’t escape the notice of Lady Sun and Ye Li, who had been watching him closely. Lady Sun’s face immediately darkened, and she let out a light snort, saying, “We thank Your Highness for the kind words, but whether this wedding can proceed at all remains to be seen.”
“Mother…” Miss Sun called out in alarm at these words.
Ye Li seemed to ignore the scene before her, raising her eyebrows with a smile as she said, “What do you mean by that, Lady Sun? Though it’s not widely known in the capital that the Mu Yang Marquis’s family and the Sun family are old friends, surely you wouldn’t let a minor clash damage the relationship between the two families?”
Lady Sun naturally knew the marriage couldn’t be called off so easily. She cast a disdainful glance at Yao Ji before sighing to Ye Li, “I’m not afraid of Your Highness laughing at us, but we’ve heard about the Young Master’s relationship with this lady, despite rarely leaving our home. We could overlook it as a youthful indiscretion before, but now, before our daughter has even married into the family, the Young Master is already insisting on taking a concubine. Your Highness, our Sun family isn’t unreasonable—once our daughter marries, we wouldn’t forbid the Young Master from taking concubines. But this Yao Ji absolutely won’t do! She’s been entangled with the Young Master before marriage and with this reputation as the capital’s premier dancing girl. Forget about whether the Mu Yang Marquis’s family and the Sun family can bear such shame—if she’s allowed to enter the household, where would my poor daughter find her place?”
Ye Li sighed inwardly, wondering if these two were enemies in a past life. They had just parted last night, yet here they were meeting again today.
“Miss Yao Ji, how did you come to be here?” Ye Li asked softly.
Yao Ji’s face was pale, but her back was straight. Hearing Ye Li’s words, she gave a cold laugh and said, “Does Your Highness think Yao Ji has no right to visit Feng Hua Lou? Why don’t you ask why the Young Master and Miss Sun are here? Or does Your Highness think Yao Ji calculated this to deliberately court humiliation?” Ye Li was startled, looking at Yao Ji’s anger-filled eyes with some guilt. She couldn’t deny having harbored some suspicions about Yao Ji’s actions, but Yao Ji’s forthright response now proved that this encounter with Miss Sun at Feng Hua Lou was truly unrelated to her. If Yao Ji had arrived first, then this was either a coincidence or someone’s deliberate arrangement. “I apologize,” Ye Li said softly.
Yao Ji was stunned for a moment before letting out a derisive laugh, “Never mind, it’s nothing. People like us are naturally considered inferior, aren’t we? Since Princess Consort is here today, let’s speak plainly. I, Yao Ji, swear I will never enter the Mu Yang Marquis’s household as a concubine. Moreover, after last night… my reputation must be quite thoroughly spread through the capital by now, isn’t it? Even if the Sun family were to relent now, the Marquis would surely never agree, would he? Young Master, I dare not say we’re even for your protection and kindness—I’ll consider it a debt I owe you in this life, to be repaid if there’s a next life. But in this life, we shall have no more connection. Lady Sun, are you satisfied?”
Hearing Yao Ji’s words, Ye Li’s heart stirred, and she frowned but ultimately remained silent. Mu Yang looked helplessly at the beautiful woman before him who, despite her pale face, still wore that red dress that now seemed dimmed. His eyes flashed with pain and resignation. As the only male heir of his generation in the Mu Yang Marquis’s household, he bore the responsibility for the entire family’s rise or fall. Yet he couldn’t stop himself from being drawn to this beautiful and strong woman. He had underestimated both Yao Ji’s pride and the backlash from both the Marquis’s household and the Sun family, leading to this impossible situation. Today’s events were even more unexpected—he had merely been following his mother’s orders to accompany his fiancée and future mother-in-law shopping, ostensibly to nurture their relationship. He hadn’t expected to encounter Yao Ji, who had just finished buying jewelry, as they arrived at Feng Hua Lou. When Lady Sun suggested they come in to talk, though he felt uneasy, he still harbored some hope and didn’t stop it. But Yao Ji, though appearing seductive and passionate, had a stubborn temperament. After just a few words, she had inevitably angered Lady Sun, leading to the coincidental arrival of the Princess Consort.
“Yao Ji…” Looking at Yao Ji’s resolute face, Mu Yang couldn’t help stepping forward to stop her, but after just one step, his sleeve was caught. “Young Master…” Miss Sun’s pretty face was full of surprise and panic. Mu Yang’s heart instantly turned cold, and he immediately regained his composure. Miss Sun was already betrothed to him—if anything went wrong with this marriage, given the Sun family’s strict household rules, even if Miss Sun didn’t take her own life, she would likely spend the rest of her days in a nunnery. Thinking of this, Mu Yang found himself unable to take another step forward.
Ye Li watched from the side, shaking her head inwardly. Neither the Sun family nor the Mu family would accept Yao Ji, not because of her background in the entertainment quarter, but because she was too outstanding and because of Mu Yang’s feelings for her. As for Mu Yang, he wasn’t a bad person, nor was he particularly promiscuous, but he couldn’t resolve the current situation. If he were truly dissolute, he could marry Miss Sun and continue his dalliances outside—even without Yao Ji, with his status, he could surely find women just as beautiful. If he were ruthless enough, he could break off the engagement with Miss Sun—as the family’s only heir, even if the Marquis was unwilling, he would eventually have to yield.
Yao Ji lowered her enchanting eyes, concealing a bitter smile, and turned to Ye Li, saying, “Your Highness, thank you for saving my life last night. Yao Ji takes her leave.” Her cold gaze swept over the other three people in the room as she said flatly, “Yao Ji is but a woman from the entertainment quarter, not worth such trouble. I ask the Young Master and everyone else to please not disturb me again. Farewell.”
“Miss Yao Ji…” Miss Sun, standing beside Mu Yang, suddenly raised her head and called out to Yao Ji. When Yao Ji turned back, she glanced at Lady Sun before saying softly, “Miss Yao Ji, if the Young Master truly cares for you… after our marriage… then let the Young Master bring you into the household. I only ask that the Young Master give Lian’er and the Sun family some dignity.”
“Lian’er!” Lady Sun scolded in a low voice.
Mu Yang looked at the gentle, petite young woman before him in surprise, his eyes flashing with joy. He hadn’t expected her to be the first to relent.
Yao Ji let out a cold snort and turned to leave.
Such a dismissive attitude infuriated Lady Sun, who was already displeased. “How dare you! What kind of attitude is this?!” Yao Ji turned back with a contemptuous smile, saying, “I’ve already said I absolutely won’t enter the Mu Yang Marquis’s household. Could it be that Lady Sun and Miss Sun think I’m playing hard to get? Though I, Yao Ji, am from the entertainment quarter, I’m not that lowly. The Mu Yang Marquis’s household is too high for me to reach, nor do I wish to reach for it. I cannot accept Miss Sun’s generosity, so I won’t thank you.”
“Yao Ji, you…” Mu Yang frowned. He knew becoming a concubine would demean her, but it was the best compromise he could think of.
Yao Ji looked at him coldly, completely different from her usual gentle charm. Mu Yang sighed softly and said, “Yao Ji, can’t you make this compromise for me?”
The room fell silent for a long while before Yao Ji suddenly smiled faintly and asked, “Mu… my lord, do you even know my real name?”
Mu Yang was stunned, looking at her in confusion. Yao Ji shook her head and declared resolutely, waving her sleeve, “Unless you marry me properly as your primary wife, we shall never meet again in this life!”
“Marry you properly?” Lady Sun stared at Yao Ji and laughed mockingly, “Who do you think you are to demand a proper marriage into the Mu family? Even if the Young Master weren’t engaged today, you wouldn’t qualify. Lian’er’s willingness to accept you shows her magnanimity and would be your good fortune. Don’t fail to recognize your place and disgrace yourself.” Yao Ji replied proudly, “So what? If it can’t be done, Young Master, please leave. Or… do you also want to join them in watching me be humiliated?”
“Yao Ji, you!” Mu Yang frowned, his face showing anger and displeasure. When had Yao Ji, who was always gentle and understanding, ever been so unreasonable? Yao Ji seemed completely indifferent to his displeasure, casting a cold glance at Miss Sun standing to the side before saying disdainfully, “Lady Sun is right. I’ve been with you because I wanted to marry into the Mu Yang Marquis’s household as the Marquis’s wife. Since you can’t marry me, why are you even here? You expect me to bow my head and become a concubine to this little girl who can’t match me in looks or talent, who has nothing but a good family background? I, Yao Ji, am not so cheap. There are plenty of men who want me—surely one will be willing to make me their primary wife…”
“Enough!” Mu Yang’s face turned ashen as he took hold of Miss Sun, who was weeping from Yao Ji’s cutting words. He said to Lady Sun, “Mother-in-law, let’s go back.”
Lady Sun glanced at Yao Ji, nodded, and smiled at Ye Li, saying, “We’ve made a spectacle before Your Highness. This humble one takes her leave.”
Ye Li nodded, “No need to see you out. Take care, my lady.”
As the three left through the door, Mu Yang never once looked back at Yao Ji. Thus, he didn’t notice the trace of blood that slowly seeped from her pale lips. Once their footsteps had faded away, Yao Ji swayed and nearly collapsed. Qing Shuang and Qing Luan, who had just entered from outside, hurriedly rushed forward to support her to a nearby chair. After recovering somewhat, Yao Ji looked up at Ye Li with a smile and said, “Has Your Highness not had enough of the show?”
Ye Li shook her head and said softly, “Why did you do this? Is Mu Yang worth degrading yourself like this?”
Yao Ji froze for a moment before giving a bitter smile, “Love comes without reason… and runs deep. If I could choose…”
Ye Li waved her hand and smiled, “I understand, ‘once you’ve seen the sea, no other waters will do; after Mount Wu, all other clouds pale in comparison.’ That’s just the baseless lament of refined folk. If you were starving without food or clothes, you’d know all this talk of true love is empty. Common people spend their days struggling for necessities—are you saying they can’t live without romance?”
Yao Ji looked at her strangely and said, “Your Highness is still a descendant of the Xu family, the premier of the hundred flowers. How can your thoughts be so…”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Vulgar?”
Yao Ji remained silent, but her expression clearly showed her agreement. Ye Li smiled carelessly and said, “When I was young and still unmarried, I thought I would become Prince Li’s consort. Later, when Prince Li broke off the engagement, I thought it wasn’t such a big deal. At worst, I could find someone of lower status but good character and live a peaceful life. Then I was ordered to marry the Prince of Ding—could I defy the imperial order and risk both the Ye and Xu families?” Yao Ji naturally knew the circumstances of Ye Li’s entry into the Prince of Ding’s household. She had once pitied this Third Miss Ye, but who would have thought that in just a year, the Third Miss Ye would become the envied Princess Consort of Ding, while she would become the truly pitiful one. “What was Your Highness thinking at that time?”
“What could I think? Just try to make the best of things and live well afterward. Did you think I would be so distraught as to hang myself?” Ye Li raised an eyebrow at her. Yao Ji frowned, looking at Ye Li with disbelief, “Has Your Highness never longed for true love?” She knew all too well that she and Mu Yang could never have a future, but having seen all the coldness and warmth of human nature in the entertainment quarter, she couldn’t help but try to grasp any bit of warmth and sincerity she could find. She knew Mu Yang truly loved her, but his true love wasn’t enough for him to abandon his responsibilities. So, all she could give him in return was to let him marry in peace and never entangled with him again.
Ye Li sighed softly and said, “Alright, I shouldn’t mock you. But I believe… relationships need effort from both sides. If only one person gives everything, the relationship won’t last.”
“Mu Yang loves me, I know that. And I love him,” Yao Ji said heavily.
Ye Li rested her chin in her hand, looking at her, “Love is between two people, but you have three. You love him and he loves you, but what about Miss Sun? She’s the most innocent one in all this.”
Yao Ji bit her lip and glared at her, “You think that Miss Sun is so weak and innocent?”
Ye Li waved her hand and said, “This has nothing to do with whether she’s weak or not. She’s Mu Yang’s fiancée, and in this world, not every woman who gets her engagement broken off can be as unconcerned as I was. I’ve heard the Sun family’s rules are very strict—if Mu Yang breaks the engagement, Miss Sun would have no choice but to become a nun. So even if she’s putting on an act, it’s only to protect her legitimate position. Besides, she hasn’t committed any crimes. We might not like her, but we can’t say she’s wrong. Without this affair between you and Mu Yang, she could have been a genuinely gentle and refined young lady, married smoothly and happily, and become an ordinary wife and the proper mistress of the Mu Yang Marquis’s household. Do you think she’d be happy to suddenly learn before her marriage that her fiancé’s heart belongs to another? The fact that Miss Sun hasn’t made your lives miserable proves she’s not bad-natured.”
Hearing these words, Yao Ji asked bewilderedly, “So… was I wrong?”
Ye Li uncomfortably rubbed her nose, finding herself unable to say it was Yao Ji’s fault. Yao Ji and Mu Yang had known each other for at least seven or eight years, while Mu Yang’s engagement wasn’t even two months old. In terms of who came first, it certainly wasn’t Yao Ji’s fault, but now she was the only one who had to bear the consequences. “Well… I suppose it’s just fate playing tricks. Don’t take it too hard. You’re talented and beautiful, Yao Ji, and you have your wealth. If you look at it positively, you’ll live well. Who hasn’t met a few scoundrels in their youth?”
Hearing Ye Li describe Mu Yang as a scoundrel, Yao Ji glared at her disapprovingly. Ye Li smiled and said, “I know he’s not a bad person, I was just saying.”
Yao Ji couldn’t help but smile, showing her teeth, and said, “Though Your Highness’s words aren’t very pleasant to hear, I know you’re trying to comfort me. Yao Ji thank you. But… why would someone of Your Highness’s status especially come to comfort someone like me?”
“I’m not used to comforting people, so forgive me if I’ve said anything offensive,” Ye Li smiled apologetically. “As for status… since you’re Feng San’s friend, and I’m sort of Feng San’s friend too, I can’t just ignore this for Feng San’s sake, can I?” Yao Ji stood up and smiled, “Then thank you, Your Highness. I’ll take my leave.” Ye Li frowned, looking at her, and said, “You look very pale. Would you like to rest a while before leaving?”
Yao Ji shook her head and smiled, “It’s nothing, I’ve just been very tired these past few days. I’m planning to leave the capital to rest…” Before she could finish speaking, Yao Ji’s body went limp and she collapsed to the ground. Qing Luan, standing nearby, was quick to catch her and pull her back. Ye Li was also startled and called for Qing Shuang to fetch Qing Yu from outside to take a look. Soon, Qing Yu hurried in and checked Yao Ji’s pulse, then looked at Ye Li with an odd expression.
Ye Li anxiously said, “What’s wrong? Just say it directly.”
Qing Yu looked at the red-clad woman unconscious in the chair, then raised her eyes to Ye Li and said, “Slippery pulse—she’s three months pregnant. The fetus is probably disturbed, which is why…”
The words “disturbed fetus” exploded in Ye Li’s mind, making her dizzy, as if thunder was rolling overhead. So… had she just been trying to break up a child’s parents? Meddling in others’ affairs truly brings karmic retribution…
Although Qing Yu wasn’t a doctor, she still seriously examined Yao Ji following the principle of medical compassion. Her delicate brows were tightly furrowed as she said disapprovingly, “This lady… has been far too careless. To be so active while three months pregnant—it’s heaven’s blessing that the child has survived.”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow and said, “Maybe she didn’t know herself.”
Qing Yu rolled her eyes disapprovingly, “Not know about a three-month pregnancy? How foolish would one have to be? In a few more days it will start showing, impossible to hide!”
Ye Li nodded in understanding—ah, a big belly. She looked helplessly at the unconscious woman before her, wondering what to do now.
Meddling in others’ affairs…