Since this southern journey was meant partly for pleasure, Mo Xiuyao’s group was among the earliest to arrive for the wedding among the various nations’ guests. However, besides the frequent interactions between different tribes, there wasn’t much entertainment in the Nanzhao capital. Seeing that Princess Anxi’s wedding was still several days away, Mo Xiuyao took Ye Li to explore other parts of Nanzhao.
Having planned to slip away from other bothersome people to travel alone with Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao left the guesthouse with her before the third watch of the night. With Mo Xiuyao’s martial arts mastery, no one could detect them if he wished to avoid detection. So when others discovered the Duke and Duchess missing in the morning, they only found a note saying “Returning in a few days, don’t worry.” Understanding that the Duke had taken the Duchess sightseeing, and was unable to find any trace of them, everyone could only remain in the city and wait patiently. With the Duke and Duchess’s abilities, surely no one in Nanjiang could trouble them.
After leaving the Nanzhao capital, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li wandered without any particular destination. They would stop to appreciate any beautiful scenery they encountered, enjoying a rare moment of leisure in these past years.
This day, they caught two wild horses in a forest and, on impulse, decided to race. The newly caught horses weren’t very obedient – Ye Li’s mount galloped wildly through the forest while Mo Xiuyao, being more skilled at horsemanship, followed on his horse. Finally, when the wild horse had run its fill and began following Ye Li’s commands to slow down, Mo Xiuyao caught up from behind. His sharp eyes glared at Ye Li’s horse as if wanting to tear it to pieces.
Though wild in nature, the horse had some intelligence. Sensing Mo Xiuyao’s killing intent, it nervously stamped its feet in place, no longer daring to run wild. Ye Li jumped down from the horse’s back and laughed: “Don’t be angry. This horse isn’t fully tamed yet – if it were so obedient, it wouldn’t be worth much.” Though Mo Xiuyao knew that fine horses were often proud in nature, when it came to Li’er’s safety, even a precious horse meant nothing. If not for fear of hurting Li’er, he would have already struck down the wildly galloping horse with his sword earlier.
Seeing Mo Xiuyao’s gloomy expression as he stared at the wild horse, Ye Li couldn’t help but smile. She pulled him away from watching the poor nervous horse that looked like it wanted to bolt but didn’t dare. Looking around at the lush forest and grassland, the ground was covered with small wildflowers in pink, light blue, white, and pale yellow, stretching endlessly like an enormous green carpet decorated with fresh flowers.
“How beautiful! Xiuyao, where is this place?” Ye Li had never seen such fresh and natural beauty in either the Northwest or the Chu capital. Mo Xiuyao looked around, slightly frowning: “That spirited horse galloped for nearly two hours, and with our previous wandering, we should be five or six hundred li from the Nanzhao capital. This place… should be near the Nanjiang Holy Land.”
“Oh?” Ye Li was somewhat surprised. The Nanjiang Holy Land was mysterious even to many Nanjiang people, though the Duke’s mansion had investigated it years ago when planning to pacify Nanjiang, so perhaps it wasn’t too surprising.
Mo Xiuyao led Ye Li forward, saying: “Since we’re here, let’s take a look.” Ye Li frowned: “Isn’t it inappropriate to trespass in the Nanjiang Holy Land?” If the Nanzhao people learned that the Duke and Duchess had secretly entered their Holy Land, it would not only reflect poorly on them but also embarrass Princess Anxi. Mo Xiuyao said calmly: “It’s not trespassing if we’re not discovered. I promised Shen Yang I’d bring back some Dark Flowers of the Netherworld for him.”
Ye Li felt grateful toward Shen Yang, not only because he had given up his reputation as a divine doctor to stay at the Duke’s mansion for over a decade treating Mo Xiuyao’s poison, but also because Mo Xiaobao had been somewhat weak when born. His current lively state was largely thanks to Shen Yang. Hearing it was something Shen Yang wanted, Ye Li naturally agreed without hesitation, and besides, she was also curious about the so-called Nanjiang Holy Land.
Mo Xiuyao had potential as a special forces soldier, with such good direction sense that even Ye Li couldn’t help but envy. He led her unhesitatingly through the mountains and forests, taking less than two hours to reach the outskirts of the Nanjiang Holy Land. They skillfully avoided the outer guards and quickly reached the entrance to the Holy Land. Perhaps because no outsiders had invaded for centuries, the security wasn’t very strict, and they managed to slip in with minimal effort.
Upon entering, they were greeted by a vast sea of blood-red flowers. The pure, unadulterated red color had dyed nearly the entire valley crimson, creating an eerie and bloody scene.
“This is…” Ye Li frowned at the fiery red expanse before her. Mo Xiuyao’s expression remained calm as he said solemnly: “These are the Dark Flowers of the Netherworld.” Ye Li sighed softly: “I had heard the Dark Flower was Nanjiang’s sacred treasure and had planned to bring some back to see if they might help you. Fortunately, I didn’t waste the time.”
“Oh?” Mo Xiuyao asked puzzled, “You know these flowers?”
Ye Li said: “Growing in such large patches, they hardly seem like rare sacred objects. I know this flower by another name – Manjushaka, or the Spider Lily.” It was also known as the Red Spider Lily. If not for the Azure Falls Flower distracting her attention back then, Ye Li might have tried to break into the Nanjiang Holy Land to find the Dark Flower. If she had discovered then that the so-called Dark Flower was merely the unremarkable Red Spider Lily, she would have wanted to cry.
“Manjushaka, a Buddhist name, is one of the four heavenly flowers,” Mo Xiuyao said. Ye Li sat comfortably beside him, and after her eyes adjusted to the overwhelming red, it looked quite beautiful. She smiled softly: “Indeed it’s a Buddhist name. Legend says Manjushaka grows by the River of Forgetfulness in the underworld, the only scenery along the path to the netherworld.” Mo Xiuyao wasn’t well-versed in Buddhist scriptures and asked confused: “Why is it also called the Spider Lily?” Ye Li recited softly: “Flowers bloom without leaves, leaves grow without flowers. The Spider Lily blooms for a thousand years, falls for a thousand years, flowers and leaves never meeting. Love defies cause and effect, fate determines life and death…”
Mo Xiuyao listened with furrowed brows and said deeply: “I don’t like such words.”
Ye Li pursed her lips and smiled at him: “I don’t like them either. These flowers do have some antidote properties, though they’re poisonous themselves. But they’re not rare – it’s just that besides here, probably no one cultivates them on such a large scale anymore. Though not common in Jiangnan, you could probably find quite a few if you looked carefully. Should we gather some to take back to Master Shen?” Mo Xiuyao glanced at the sea of red below and said: “Since we’re here, let’s take some back. Later we can have someone gather some from Jiangnan to see if there’s any difference.” Ye Li nodded indifferently – with so many in the Holy Land, let alone taking a few plants, they probably wouldn’t notice even if someone took away a whole sack.
After gathering and storing several Spider Lilies, they continued deeper into the area. Strangely, there seemed to be fewer guards the deeper they went.
As they proceeded, the sea of red flowers gradually diminished, replaced by another type of flower – spherical, magnificent blooms in red, pink, white, blue, and yellow, so dazzling they made one forget their worries. But Ye Li’s eyes sharpened as she stared intently at the sea of flowers before them. Mo Xiuyao bent down and asked softly: “Li’er, what’s wrong?” Ye Li looked up, took out the Spider Lilies they had gathered to examine them, then pointed at the flower sea before them: “Xiuyao, we made a mistake. Those must be the real Dark Flowers.”
Mo Xiuyao was startled, “Why do you say that?” Ye Li said gravely: “I hope I’m wrong. If the Nanzhao people grow these flowers just for viewing, that’s fine. But if they have other uses…”
Mo Xiuyao asked: “What’s wrong with these flowers?” Ye Li said softly: “These flowers look extremely beautiful, but if used for evil purposes, the consequences would be unbearable. These flowers can be made into the most effective painkillers.” Mo Xiuyao asked puzzled: “Isn’t that good?” Currently, the various nations mainly use mafeisan for pain relief. But besides the complicated formula, the ingredients weren’t common. On the battlefield, usually, only high-ranking officers could use it, while ordinary soldiers had to endure the pain, often dying from it if they couldn’t bear it.
Ye Li shook her head: “Because it’s very easy to become addicted, and nearly impossible to quit. With long-term use, people become weak and withered, and if they stop using it, they experience maddening pain. You could say it’s the best drug for controlling puppets, more effective than any poison. Once this spreads, it wouldn’t be surprising if it destroyed an entire nation.”
Mo Xiuyao stared thoughtfully at the sea of flowers before them, and after a long while raised his head to smile faintly at Ye Li: “Though I don’t know how Li’er knows these things, I always trust Li’er. Let’s go inside and look.” Watching the white-haired man leading her forward by the hand, Ye Li’s heart skipped a beat. She had always been relatively unguarded with Mo Xiuyao. If at first, it was to test him, later it had simply become a habit. She had grown accustomed to Mo Xiuyao’s seemingly boundless tolerance – she had revealed many things she shouldn’t have known, but Mo Xiuyao had never questioned her, and sometimes even helped cover for her. Perhaps… she was beginning to understand what had always made Mo Xiuyao so uneasy.
Rounding the valley, they were still met with what seemed like an endless sea of flowers. After walking for a long time, they finally saw a magnificent palace at the valley’s end.
“Someone’s coming.” Mo Xiuyao pulled Ye Li into his embrace and ducked behind a pile of rocks. Sure enough, soon came the sound of approaching conversation. The voice was very familiar to both Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li: “Have you prepared what I asked for?”
The cold male voice came from nearby. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li exchanged glances as they looked at the man strolling over with several women in Nanjiang dress – Mo Jingli. Standing beside Mo Jingli was the enchanting Princess Qixia of Nanjiang. Mo Jingli had treated her very well these past years – though several years older than Ye Ying, she still looked charming and radiant.
Standing opposite them was an elderly lady in her fifties, holding a grotesque snake-headed staff. She smiled at Mo Jingli: “Prince Li need not worry. All our Holy Land’s healers have researched for many years and finally created the divine medicine you wanted. I guarantee the effects will exceed your expectations.”
Mo Jingli said coldly: “Is that so? Then I shall wait and see. I hope the Elder won’t disappoint me.”
The Elder smiled confidently: “Of course not. Since this is a cooperation, both sides must be satisfied. As long as Prince Li keeps his promise.” She called out, “Bring in the test subjects.”
Soon, several disheveled figures were dragged over. From Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li’s position, they couldn’t see clearly, but they could tell one was from the Central Plains by his build and features. His eyes were clouded and unfocused, his face sallow and body emaciated as if completely without strength. His expression was vacant, drooling like a natural-born idiot.
The Elder laughed: “What does Prince Li think? To ensure the medicine’s effectiveness, we specifically found several people from Da Chu as test subjects.” Mo Jingli carefully observed the test subjects, seeming quite satisfied as he asked: “Not bad. How long have they been given the medicine?” The Elder smiled: “Less than a month.” Mo Jingli was even more pleased: “Very good. I agree with what you proposed.” The Elder was even more satisfied: “Prince Li is indeed decisive. The Holy Maiden will be very grateful to Your Highness.”
Mo Jingli snorted lightly: “It’s just mutual benefit. Give me what I need – I must head to the Nanzhao capital.” The Elder didn’t hesitate, taking out two porcelain bottles and handing them to Mo Jingli: “This is three months’ worth, enough for Prince Li’s purposes. The medicine is extremely difficult to make. Our valley’s healers have only produced this much in all this time.” Mo Jingli put them away: “Thank you, Elder. I take my leave.” The Elder smiled: “I’ll have someone escort Prince Li from the valley.”
After Mo Jingli left with Princess Qixia, one of the women attending the Elder asked: “Elder, who does Prince Li want this medicine for?”
The Elder sneered: “Who else could it be for? These Central Plains people are invariably cruel-hearted, not even sparing their blood kin. Who knows what deep hatred exists between the Da Chu Emperor and Prince Li, for him to torture his brother so. You girls shouldn’t get too involved with Central Plains people – if they harm you one day, you won’t even have anywhere to cry.”
The women giggled: “We’re not afraid of those Central Plains people. We can have poisonous snakes bite them, or like Prince Li, give them some Worry-Free Powder to see if they’ll still behave.” The Elder walked into the palace while smilingly chiding the women.
Outside the hall, as the voices faded away, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li stood behind the rocks and turned their gaze to the beautiful flower sea. “Worry-Free Powder? Mo Jingli got it to use on Mo Jingqi?”
Ye Li sighed softly: “Mo Jingli’s move is truly poisonous. If Mo Jingqi falls for it, his life is essentially ruined. Look at those people just now – a month ago they were normal, healthy people.”
“What does Li’er want to do?” Mo Xiuyao asked quietly. Ye Li looked at the magnificent palace before them and said softly: “Let’s go in and look.” Mo Xiuyao nodded, picked up Ye Li, and with a light leap soared onto the palace roof. They landed without making a sound – even the guards outside didn’t hear anything. After they quietly landed, Ye Li frowned puzzledly: “The Nanjiang Holy Land should be one of the most heavily guarded places, why have we encountered so few guards along the way?” Mo Xiuyao thought for a moment: “The experts must be out right now.”
Ye Li’s mind stirred: “You mean the Nanzhao capital?”
Mo Xiuyao nodded: “If the secret of this so-called Nanjiang Holy Land is these Dark Flowers, then having expert guards isn’t that important. Even if someone broke into the valley, they might not figure out which is the real Dark Flower.” The Dark Flower is a legendary sacred treasure of Nanjiang. No one would think a sacred treasure would grow everywhere. And even if someone took a few plants, it wouldn’t greatly impact the Holy Land.
“It seems Shu Manlin and Tan Jizhi have big plans in the Nanzhao capital. We should head back soon, lest Brother and the others worry.” Leaning in Mo Xiuyao’s embrace waiting for a group of patrolling guards to pass, Ye Li whispered.
Seeing his beloved wife so concerned about Xu Qingchen, even knowing they were only like siblings, Mo Xiuyao couldn’t help feeling jealous, saying sourly: “Young Master Qingchen is peerless in wisdom, what’s there to worry about?”
Ye Li pinched him, saying helplessly: “What has Brother done to offend you? Don’t think I don’t know you deliberately misled Brother into thinking he likes men.” Mo Xiuyao snorted softly, muttering: “I was just telling the truth, yet Li’er blames me. Li’er favors him…”
When a man acts childish, he can be utterly shameless – this was what experience with Mo Xiuyao these past years had taught her. Ye Li rolled her eyes and simply ignored him, carefully moving forward.
“Distinguished guest, since you’ve come, why not show yourself?!” Suddenly an elderly voice came from within the palace. Ye Li’s heart cried out in alarm, but her body didn’t move an inch, even her breathing became notably slower. Mo Xiuyao silently moved to her side, shaking his head at her. Ye Li raised an eyebrow – they had hidden well along the way, and logically someone inside the palace shouldn’t be able to detect them, no matter how skilled.
After a moment of silence in the great hall, the elderly voice spoke again, now with some anger: “You dare intrude into our Nanjiang Holy Land, yet won’t show yourself – do you want me to come to invite you personally?”
From the opposite roof, a black shadow leaped down, laughing boldly: “I am Lei Tengfeng of Xilin. Please forgive my rudeness in disturbing you, Elder.”
The person in the hall snorted coldly: “So it’s the Crown Prince of Zhennan. I wondered who would be so bold as to intrude into our Nanjiang Holy Land.”
Lei Tengfeng laughed: “My intrusion was truly unavoidable – please forgive me, Elder. I have a matter to request of you, please grant me an audience.” A few years unseen, Lei Tengfeng became much more mature and steady than five years ago. His few words had already somewhat lessened the anger of the person in the hall: “The Crown Prince of Zhennan having a request of me is truly rare. Come in, let me hear…”
Lei Tengfeng smiled: “Naturally it’s a mutually beneficial matter. I wouldn’t dare let Elder suffer any loss.”
Ye Li leaned in Mo Xiuyao’s embrace, quietly pointing at the palace opposite and Lei Tengfeng in the courtyard. Mo Xiuyao nodded, and after seeing Lei Tengfeng enter, released Ye Li and with a light leap, landed silently as a wild goose on the main hall’s roof.