In Xinyang City
Ye Li sat leisurely beside Mo Xiuyao, raising an eyebrow with interest as she looked at the secret letter she had just received. Mo Xiuyao happened to glance up and see her intrigued expression, asking curiously, “More interesting news?” Ye Li handed him the letter, saying, “A noble has left the Western Ling Imperial Palace and should have reached the Western Ling army camp by now.” Mo Xiuyao frowned slightly, “A noble from the palace?” Besides the Western Ling Emperor, only imperial consorts and princesses could be considered nobles in the Western Ling palace. After pondering for a moment, Mo Xiuyao asked, “Bai Rong?”
“Your Highness is most astute,” Ye Li praised generously.
Mo Xiuyao lowered his head to read through the letter once, then looked up at Ye Li, “I had no idea that A’Li had such talented agents in Western Ling. Information from there isn’t easy to come by these days.” Ever since Han Mingyue went to Western Ling, Prince Ding’s manor had felt their spy network’s activities there becoming restricted at every turn. After all, Han Mingyue was an expert in intelligence work and knew Prince Ding’s operations well enough. “Is Dark Two currently in Western Ling?” Ye Li nodded, “Among Zhuo Jing and the others, Dark Two is most suited for intelligence work. Su Mei… Bai Rong’s journey to Da Chu was extremely secretive. That he could discover it so quickly shows our intelligence network there is taking shape. However…” Thinking of something, Ye Li’s brow furrowed. Her original intention in sending Dark Two to Western Ling wasn’t to establish an intelligence network but for the Bifallflower and Fierce Fire Lotus. Unfortunately, there was still no news of the Bifallflower, and as for the Fierce Fire Lotus… they would have to wait until June or July next year.
Mo Xiuyao only needed to think briefly to understand Ye Li’s original purpose in dispatching Dark Two to Western Ling. He comfortingly patted the back of her hand and said softly, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
Ye Li smiled and nodded. There was no use worrying about problems that couldn’t be solved immediately. With a grin, a hint of mischief curved her lips, “Your Highness, do you think we’ll get to see the famous First Beauty’s grace this time?” Mo Xiuyao smiled somewhat helplessly and raised an eyebrow, asking, “What if we do? What if we don’t?” Ye Li laughed, “Won’t Your Highness show some tender concern for such a beauty?” Mo Xiuyao gazed at her with endless tenderness and love in his eyes, “In your husband’s eyes, only you are a precious jade.” Ye Li couldn’t help but twitch her mouth, tossing aside his freely given sweet words.
Having received the news early, when they met, there naturally wouldn’t be any strong emotional reactions like excitement, joy, or anger that some might have imagined. Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao sat calmly in the flower hall, watching the stunning beauty who had just been brought up. One had to admit that seeing someone in person differed considerably from their portrait. Even though Ye Li thought the original portrait had been beautiful enough, the woman before them possessed even more alluring charm than the ethereally beautiful woman in the painting. Slightly curving her lips, Ye Li turned to look at Mo Xiuyao beside her. As if their hearts were connected, Mo Xiuyao had also turned his head to give her a faint smile. Ye Li pursed her lips and turned away.
Below the dais, Su Meidie watched the two people above who seemed to see no one else, feeling deeply annoyed. She had imagined many scenarios for her reunion with Mo Xiuyao. There might have been joy, or anger and mockery, but she had never imagined Mo Xiuyao would simply ignore her. For a stunning beauty, this was an absolute humiliation.
“Xiuyao…” Suppressing her anger, Su Meidie called out softly. Her autumn pool eyes brimmed with tears as she gazed pitifully at the pair, her gaze carrying a subtle hint of reproach as if tears might fall at any moment.
Even Ye Li had to mentally applaud her acting skills. However, as someone who had known Mo Xiuyao since childhood, shouldn’t Su Meidie understand Prince Ding’s manor better? How could she think such a meeting would impact Mo Xiuyao? And so the current scene unfolded: a rare beauty of the world standing forlornly before the hall, gazing at the calmly tea-drinking Prince Ding as if looking at a heartless, unfaithful man. Add to that Ye Li sitting to the side watching the show, and any outsider might mistake this for a scene where a fickle man who had dallied with beauty outside and abandoned her was being confronted. Thinking of this, Ye Li couldn’t help but laugh quietly. Both Mo Xiuyao and Su Meidie turned to look at her. Ye Li coughed lightly, sat up straight, and tried her best to appear hospitable, “Well… Noble Consort Bai, you’ve come from afar, please sit.”
The title “Noble Consort Bai” caused Su Meidie’s expression to change slightly. She withdrew her reproachful gaze from Mo Xiuyao and turned to Ye Li, saying softly, “Is this the Princess Consort of Prince Ding?”
Ye Li couldn’t help but rub her goosebump-covered arms. What was with that look as if she had wronged her? Before Ye Li could speak, Su Meidie had already stepped forward and curtsied gracefully to Ye Li, “Thank you, Princess Consort, for taking care of Xiuyao. Meidie pays her respects.”
This time Ye Li was thoroughly unsettled. She had wondered what kind of nation-toppling beauty Su Meidie would be, and although she believed in Mo Xiuyao’s feelings for her, she had still worried a bit. But what was happening now? Was Su Meidie mentally unstable? Since she had already addressed her as Princess Consort of Prince Ding, why would an outsider need to thank her for taking care of Mo Xiuyao? She shot Mo Xiuyao a displeased sideways glance: What’s wrong with your former fiancée? Has she lost her mind? Mo Xiuyao smiled at her indifferently: How would I know? Haven’t seen her in many years, she wasn’t like this before. Father’s judgment couldn’t have been that poor!
Coughing lightly, Ye Li took a sip of tea before adjusting her expression to smile kindly at Su Meidie, “Noble Consort Bai’s words are too heavy. As husband and wife, caring for His Highness is my duty. Besides, I was young and ignorant, and usually, it’s His Highness who takes care of me more. This… there’s no need for Noble Consort Bai’s thanks, right?” Su Meidie’s smile froze, and looking up to see Ye Li’s meaningful expression, she suddenly recalled the Southern Marquis’s warning: “The Princess Consort of Prince Ding is not one to be trifled with. Underestimating her will only bring you great trouble.” The Princess Consort before her was inferior to herself in beauty, temperament, and talent, yet she had earned such praise from the Southern Marquis, causing Su Meidie to instinctively feel a sense of defiance and hostility. So she had deliberately ignored Ye Li at first, only turning her attention to her after discovering Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t notice her. But just two exchanges of words left her speechless.
“Xiuyao… have you been well these years?” Finding that the Princess Consort wasn’t as easy to deal with as she had imagined, Su Meidie turned her attention back to Mo Xiuyao.
Mo Xiuyao frowned slightly, calmly drinking his tea as he said, “Not bad. Why are you here?”
Su Meidie bit her cherry lips lightly, her watery eyes reddening as she looked at him pitifully, “Do you… do you still hate me? I know you blame me… Several times I wanted to come back to see you, to beg your forgiveness. But… but I didn’t dare… *sob sob*…” Before she finished speaking, pearl-like tears had already fallen, creating a beautifully sorrowful scene of “pear blossoms in the rain” that would stir anyone’s heart. Unfortunately, neither person present was ordinary. Ye Li suppressed her itching throat and spoke, “Noble Consort Bai, our Prince was asking why you are here.”
“I… I ran away,” Su Meidie quickly glanced at Mo Xiuyao, her beautiful face flushing, “I knew Western Ling and Da Chu were at war, and I knew you would be here, Xiuyao. No matter what… I’m still a Da Chu person, I can’t go back anymore. If I’m caught and taken back, His Majesty and the Southern Marquis definitely won’t spare me… Xiuyao… please don’t send me away…” Ye Li silently gazed skyward. She understood now – this Su Meidie just wanted to play them for fools.
Ye Li raised an eyebrow slightly. Since Su Meidie wanted to play, they might as well play along. “Noble Consort Bai, is Master Mingyue in Western Ling?”
Su Meidie glanced at her, initially not wanting to answer. But seeing Mo Xiuyao also looking at her, she had to say softly, “I haven’t seen Master Han in a long time.”
Ye Li said, “Speaking of which… Han Mingyue betrayed his country and turned traitor, a crime punishable by death. But this person is too cunning, and neither I nor His Highness can find him for now. I wonder if Noble Consort Bai could invite him back to Da Chu?” Su Meidie looked at Ye Li with some displeasure and frowned, “I don’t know where he is, I haven’t seen him in a long time. Xiuyao, I wouldn’t lie to you.” Mo Xiuyao showed no reaction to this, while Ye Li smiled and said, “It’s alright if you don’t know. With Noble Consort Bai here, Master Mingyue should have no reason not to visit. Your Highness, don’t you agree?”
Mo Xiuyao nodded, “A’Li speaks truly. I have some accounts to settle with Han Mingyue. I’ll leave Noble Consort Bai to A’Li.”
Hearing this, Su Meidie was deeply hurt, clutching her chest and gazing reproachfully at Mo Xiuyao, “Xiuyao… you do still hate me. You want to use me to catch Master Han?”
Ye Li leisurely admired her slender fingers while smiling at Su Meidie, “Didn’t Noble Consort Bai come to seek our Prince’s forgiveness?”
Su Meidie hesitated but still nodded. Ye Li clapped her hands cheerfully, “That’s wonderful! If Noble Consort Bai helps us catch Master Mingyue, our Prince will surely believe in Noble Consort Bai’s sincerity. Your Highness, isn’t that right?” Mo Xiuyao gazed at Ye Li with tender eyes, saying softly, “A’Li speaks truly.” Such a tender Mo Xiuyao made it even harder for Su Meidie to accept. She stared somewhat dazedly at the couple before her, momentarily speechless. Ye Li didn’t give her a chance to refuse, saying with a smile, “So Noble Consort Bai agrees, that’s wonderful. In that case, please make yourself at home. Staying in Xinyang City, I guarantee that neither Western Ling’s Emperor nor the Southern Marquis’s people will be able to touch a single hair on the Noble Consort’s head.” Of course, hoping to pass messages would be even more unrealistic.
Su Meidie was only stunned for a moment, but in Ye Li’s laughter, the matter was settled in a way she couldn’t refute.
Having achieved her goal, Ye Li was in a good mood as she called someone to take Su Meidie to rest, instructing them to ensure Noble Consort Bai’s safety.
Watching Su Meidie leave unwillingly, the smile gradually faded from Ye Li’s face. She frowned and said, “What exactly is the Southern Marquis planning?” Though Su Meidie might be good at acting, she could never fool Mo Xiuyao who knew her background. If she was meant to be a spy infiltrating Xinyang City, Su Meidie was unqualified. Ye Li had hundreds of ways to prevent her from passing even half a word to anyone.
Mo Xiuyao’s face also darkened, “The Southern Marquis of Western Ling would never use such a useless method. A’Li, have people watch the movements in the Western Ling army camp.” Ye Li nodded, “You mean Su Meidie is just a piece to distract our attention, and the Southern Marquis has other plans?”
Mo Xiuyao nodded. If the Southern Marquis wanted a spy, he wouldn’t choose Su Meidie – she was too eye-catching. If he wanted to use Su Meidie’s beauty as a trap, it would be beneath him.
“I understand. I’ll have people watch the Western Ling army camp and the Southern Marquis’s movements.”