“Mother Consort, do you truly not recognize us?”

Noble Consort Liu’s body trembled as she snapped, “What nonsense are you speaking? I don’t know you! Leave at once!”

Princess Zhenning closed her eyes briefly, her voice low, “Have you never felt any guilt…”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Noble Consort Liu forced herself to remain composed, waving to summon the guards outside. “Guards! Drive them out, and don’t let them enter again!”

“You—!” Princess Zhenning jumped up suddenly but was held back by Mo Xiaoyun. Mo Xiaoyun restrained the princess who wanted to lunge forward, saying in a deep voice, “Sister, let’s go back first.” Princess Zhenning was dragged away by Mo Xiaoyun, but her gaze remained fixed intensely on Noble Consort Liu until they disappeared from the doorway. Once they were gone, Noble Consort Liu seemed to lose all strength, collapsing into her chair.

Princess Ronghua observed her leisurely, saying with a faint smile, “Why be so heartless? The Northern Rong royal family wouldn’t mind if you had two children. The Northern Rong isn’t as rigid with rules as we are. Besides, at your age… surely you don’t expect people to believe you’re still a maiden?”

“Ronghua!” Noble Consort Liu glared at her fiercely.

Princess Ronghua stood up, smiling carelessly, “Since Prince Changxing and Princess Zhenning must have mistaken you for someone else, I’ll take my leave then, my future seventh sister-in-law. Though… will seventh brother marry you?” As Princess Ronghua’s laughter faded from the hall, Noble Consort Liu’s expression grew darker. Her hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tightly, her long nails drawing blood from her palm without her notice.

Why should she feel guilty? Everything she had done was to survive, to take revenge! Who knew how much she had suffered? Compared to what she endured before meeting Yelü Ye, what right did they have to judge her? What was there to feel guilty about? Others thought Yelü Ye was merely captivated by her beauty, and devoted to her completely. But if Yelü Ye was truly devoted, why hadn’t he married her all this time? No matter… as long as Yelü Ye still needed her, she could manipulate the Northern Rong people. She would make Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li pay the price they deserved!

Time flew, and soon it was Master Qingyun’s birthday. The entire Li City was decorated festively, even more lively than during the New Year. In recent years, with the Determined Prince’s effective governance of the Northwest, the influence of the Xu family and Lishan Academy in the region has gradually increased. Countless commoners in the Northwest had received kindness from Xu Qingchen and others. Moreover, Master Qingyun was the Determined Prince Consort’s great-grandfather—naturally, the citizens of Li City celebrated his birthday more enthusiastically than any festival.

As Li City had expanded over the years, following the example of the Nanzhao royal city, a vast square had been built not far from the Determined Prince’s mansion. Behind the square stood a grand viewing tower. During festivals, the citizens of Li City gathered here to celebrate. While this was the first time a banquet had been held here, it allowed the common people to enjoy the royal feast up close. Though this posed significant security challenges, the Determined Prince’s manor’s secret guards were more than capable of handling it.

As the lanterns were first lit, the entire square was brilliantly decorated. Countless magnificent fireworks bloomed in the sky, drawing cheers from the crowd below. Citizens from throughout the city emerged from their homes to gather in the square and admire the rare and beautiful fireworks.

The viewing tower’s spacious levels could accommodate over a thousand people for the banquet. This place had been designed specifically for large-scale gatherings, as the Determined Prince’s mansion wasn’t particularly large, and Li City itself wasn’t suitable as a true capital. Building a temporary palace here would have been wasteful of resources and burdensome to the people. Building just this square and viewing tower not only provided a place for common people to enjoy themselves daily and gather during festivals but also solved the problem of the Determined Prince’s mansion being unable to host large banquets—after all, they couldn’t hold every banquet on the city wall, could they?

The viewing tower was designed with two wings extending forward in a semicircle. Every seat offered a full view of the square, with three tiers arranged in steps, allowing all banquet guests to see the hosts at the top. This was originally suggested briefly by Ye Li but was ultimately designed by Xu Hongyan. For the past two years, many of the Determined Prince’s annual banquets had been held here, symbolizing their unity with the common people.

At the highest point in the center of the tower hung an enormous character for “longevity” in gold on a red background. Upon closer inspection, one would discover this character was composed of numerous smaller “longevity” characters in various styles. The elegant yet dignified calligraphy was Young Master Qingchen’s work.

Tonight, the highest seat wasn’t occupied by Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, but by Master Qingyun, whose white hair and beard gave him the appearance of an immortal. Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao sat to his right, while slightly below on the left sat Xu Hongyu, Xu Hongyan, and several members of the Xu family with their spouses. Below them were the noble guests from various countries who had come to offer birthday wishes, along with the civil and military officials of the Determined Prince’s manor. Such an arrangement made the Xu family’s current status in the Determined Prince’s manor clear to all present.

At the start of the banquet, Ye Li and Xu Qingyan helped Master Qingyun to his seat before she took her place beside Mo Xiuyao. After all guests were seated, an area was cleared in the square below where hundreds of women in colorful clothing danced with bright lanterns to melodious music. Such a grand spectacle was far more magnificent than the traditional palace banquets people were accustomed to. Many citizens who had gathered to watch the fireworks were treated to this spectacular sight as well.

Mo Xiaobao sat between Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao, watching the grand scene with curiosity. Though he was the young heir of the Determined Prince’s manor and had been exposed to all manner of important figures and occasions since childhood, rather than being kept sheltered by Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, such unprecedented grandeur was still a first for him. The nobles from various countries also noticed the black-clad child sitting between the Determined Prince and his consort. Despite his young age, his exceptional beauty was already evident, and his large dark eyes observed the crowd below with curiosity, showing no fear. This child was the Determined Prince’s eldest son, personally named Yuzhen by Master Qingyun. Not to mention that the Determined Prince and his consort had just received a pair of twins—just looking at this child before them exceeded many of those present by far.

For the Determined Prince’s heir to show such presence and composure at such a young age was enough to make the manor proud.

While songs and dances continued below, the guests in the viewing tower weren’t idle. While admiring the rare and magnificent performances, they chatted with those seated nearby and came forward one by one to present their birthday gifts to Master Qingyun. Perhaps learning from Yelü Ye’s lesson at Mo Xiaobao’s full-month celebration, this time the gifts were all quite appropriate. The guests brought festive and suitable birthday presents. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li were quite pleased with this, as they had prepared this banquet to celebrate Master Qingyun’s birthday and naturally didn’t want any incidents to spoil the old man’s happiness. Even Mo Xiaobao personally presented a longevity painting he had created. Though Mo Xiaobao wasn’t yet eight years old, his studies under Master Qingyun’s guidance these past two years had been excellent, and his handwriting was quite presentable, bringing great joy to Master Qingyun.

Master Qingyun was after all advanced in years, and after receiving everyone’s birthday wishes, he only sat for a while longer before retiring to rest. After Master Qingyun left, Ye Li finally relaxed slightly. Though inviting so many people to celebrate his birthday was indeed grand, these people weren’t easy to deal with. If anything happened in front of her great-grandfather, it would only make the old man unhappy. So, seeing that the banquet had proceeded smoothly until Master Qingyun’s departure, Ye Li’s mood improved considerably. As for any trouble others might try to cause afterward, the Determined Prince’s manor wasn’t afraid.

Mo Xiuyao looked down at the smile on Ye Li’s lips and took her delicate hand, saying softly with a laugh, “No matter how much those people might want to cause trouble, they at least have enough sense not to do so at Great-grandfather’s birthday banquet.” Ye Li nodded with a smile, saying, “I know, but I’m still worried. Now that Great-grandfather has gone to rest, it doesn’t matter.” Though she understood, that there were always people who liked to cause trouble at such times. For Ye Li, nothing today was more important than Master Qingyun’s mood.

After the elderly birthday celebrant left, the guests became much more relaxed. Truly, in front of someone like Master Qingyun, the world’s foremost scholar, even these nobles from various countries couldn’t help feeling somewhat constrained. Soon, the atmosphere in the viewing tower grew livelier. Sitting below, Lei Zhenting casually drank fine wine while observing Ye Li, who sat beside Mo Xiuyao carefully wiping Mo Xiaobao’s mouth. Under the bright candlelight, the gentle smile on her lips appeared particularly tender and enchanting.

Lei Zhenting’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze swept over Mo Xiuyao.

“I hear the Determined Prince and his consort were blessed with dragon-phoenix twins last month. Such joyous news—this king hasn’t yet offered congratulations.” Lei Zhenting suddenly spoke. His voice wasn’t loud, but carried by his internal energy, it easily reached throughout the viewing tower. The seated guests also suddenly realized this and offered their congratulations to Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li one after another. Mo Xiuyao raised his cup with a faint smile, saying, “This prince thanks the Western Ling Garrison South King and everyone else.”

Lei Zhenting smiled, “For such a joyous occasion, how could I not bring gifts? This king has prepared a grand gift for the Determined Prince, and I hope the Prince won’t refuse it. It also demonstrates the deep friendship between our two countries.”

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow, giving Lei Zhenting a questioning look. He didn’t believe Lei Zhenting would sincerely give him a gift for the twins, not after he had recently killed his grandchildren.

Lei Zhenting smiled, “This gift took my people quite some time to find, and it’s priceless.” Mo Xiuyao slightly pursed his lips, “If it’s too precious, the Garrison South King can keep it for himself.” Lei Zhenting laughed, “Such a treasure is only worthy of the Determined Prince. It would be wasted on me. Bring it in…” Soon, several Western Ling guards carried in a tall box. They gently placed the wooden box on the ground and respectfully stood aside awaiting orders.

Rather than a box, it was more like an exquisitely carved wooden cabinet. Everyone’s attention naturally focused on the carved sandalwood cabinet in the hall, wondering what gift the Garrison South King had brought for the Determined Prince that required such a ceremony. Seeing everyone’s reaction, the Garrison South King smiled with satisfaction, “Open it.”

A guard stepped forward, and as the cabinet was opened from above, a faint fragrance immediately filled the viewing tower.

Everyone gasped in surprise—where the wooden cabinet had stood, a young woman in white was kneeling. She appeared no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, and her beauty, while notable, wasn’t particularly extraordinary. Among those present, including the Determined Prince Consort, at least four or five women surpassed her in looks. Yet she possessed a strange magnetism that drew the guests’ attention. Every aspect of her seemed precisely perfect, to the point where even her less-than-extraordinary features appeared flawless—as if a more beautiful face would have somehow diminished her unique presence.

The woman wore simple white garments, her hair falling loosely. She wore no ornaments or makeup, and even her beautiful eyes were calm and unperturbed. Yet anyone who met her gaze found their heart pounding uncontrollably.

“Garrison South King, what is the meaning of this?” Before Mo Xiuyao could speak, Xu Hongyan’s face had already darkened. If nothing else, today was Master Qingyun’s birthday, and for Lei Zhenting to present a beautiful young woman to the Determined Prince was quite inappropriate. Lei Zhenting appeared unconcerned, smiling at Xu Hongyan, “I know it’s Master Qingyun’s birthday, and this may seem somewhat improper. However, I only recently acquired this treasure and had it rushed to Li City. I wanted to present it to the Determined Prince immediately, after all… keeping such a treasure in my possession would be rather… tempting…” Lei Zhenting gave Xu Hongyan a knowing smile and nod.

Mo Xiuyao looked down at the woman in white, raising an eyebrow, “What exactly does the Garrison South King mean by this?”

Lei Zhenting smiled, “The Determined Prince and his consort have been married for nearly a decade, yet the manor hasn’t taken a single consort or concubine. I understand well that with such an extraordinary woman as his consort, the Prince would naturally find ordinary beauties beneath his notice. That’s why I present this woman—surely she is worthy to match the Determined Prince.” Though many dismissed Lei Zhenting’s words, as the Determined Prince Consort was indeed an unparalleled woman whose beauty certainly didn’t lose to the woman in white, they couldn’t find any fault with the white-clad woman either. Upon reflection, while the Determined Prince Consort was his primary wife, having a few more beautiful consorts and concubines could only add to his prestige. With this thought, not only did they accept the white-clad woman, but many began harboring other thoughts—except, of course, for the Western Ling Emperor’s envoy, who kept his head down, staring at his wine as if it had suddenly turned into nectar.

Until Lei Zhenting mentioned it, those present hadn’t noticed that in all these years, the Determined Prince hadn’t taken a single concubine—the entire manor knew only of the Determined Prince Consort. Though she was an extraordinary woman without equal, to the nobles of this male-dominated world, the Determined Prince’s behavior was utterly incomprehensible. Not just the nobles from other countries, but even many under the Determined Prince’s command began to harbor disapproving thoughts. This wasn’t because they had any objection to Ye Li, but rather because of the age-old principle of multiple wives and concubines. Moreover, as the master of the Determined Prince’s manor and someone many believed destined for the throne, Mo Xiuyao absolutely couldn’t focus his attention on just one woman.

Seeing many people’s expressions of approval and envy, Lei Zhenting smiled with satisfaction, looking up at Ye Li sitting beside Mo Xiuyao. Ye Li’s expression remained as calm as ever, even maintaining a faint smile.

On another side, anger flashed in Xu Qingyan’s eyes as he began to stand, but Xu Qingbai beside him held him down. Xu Qingyan angrily whispered, “Fourth Brother, what are you doing!” Xu Qingbai glanced at Mo Xiuyao’s calm expression and said, “This is between the Determined Prince and Li’er.” The Xu family wouldn’t demand that Mo Xiuyao have only Ye Li for life—in such matters, without a personal willingness to persist, even the strongest promises were merely empty words. All the Xu family could do was unconditionally support Li’er in whatever choice she made after Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li made their decisions.

“Worthy?” Mo Xiuyao’s cool voice echoed through the viewing tower, the silence within contrasting sharply with the festivities outside. “How is it that this prince fails to see how this woman compares to my consort?” Lei Zhenting smiled confidently, “The Princess Consort is certainly an extraordinary woman rarely seen in this world, but this one is no less remarkable. I can guarantee that her martial arts, talents, and abilities, even including medicine and various studies, are all outstanding among women in the world. If my lord doesn’t believe it, why not ask the Princess Consort to come down and test her skills?”

“Outrageous!” Mo Xiuyao thundered, and a white shadow flashed through the air, drawing gasps from the crowd. Somehow Mo Xiuyao had already reached the white-clad woman, mercilessly striking down at her crown. Just as everyone thought she would perish, the woman suddenly looked up, blocking upward with her hand, somehow managing to stop Mo Xiuyao’s strike. Mo Xiuyao snorted softly, changing his palm strike to a claw attack aimed at her shoulder. This time the woman in white didn’t meet force with force but leaped backward to evade. Mo Xiuyao’s claw strike missed her and struck the wooden cabinet beside her, tearing a hole through it. It was clear that if that claw had caught her left shoulder, it would have been shattered.

After two unsuccessful moves, Mo Xiuyao didn’t pursue further. He swept his sleeve and returned to his original seat. However, the force from his sleeve movement shot toward the woman in white. Having just narrowly avoided one attack and barely regained her footing, she couldn’t dodge this one and had to block it head-on. She only stepped back once, her expression barely changing as she silently stood beside Lei Zhenting.

Mo Xiuyao stood above, looking down at Lei Zhenting and the woman in white, saying calmly, “To withstand three of my moves without defeat shows some skill.” In truth, this was more than just “some skill”—those three moves had used at least eighty percent of Mo Xiuyao’s power, and for the woman in white to handle them without changing expression proved her techniques, reactions, and internal power were all exceptional. She would rank highly even among martial artists, and most importantly, she appeared no more than sixteen years old. Such power was comparable to Mo Xiuyao himself at that age.

Lei Zhenting showed no surprise, smiling as he said, “I told you I would satisfy the Determined Prince.”

Mo Xiuyao looked at him with a mocking cold smile, “Who said that if this prince is satisfied, he must accept her? Considering she has some real skill, this prince won’t pursue the offense of this impropriety. Return to wherever you came from!” At these words, the crowd erupted in whispers, and even the usually expressionless woman in white changed color slightly. For the Determined Prince to reject such a beauty without hesitation seemed like wasting heaven’s gifts to many present. After all, no one was forcing him to choose between the beauty and the Determined Prince Consort. Wasn’t having multiple wives and concubines like E Huang and Nü Ying every man’s dream?

Lei Zhenting frowned slightly, looking at Mo Xiuyao with apparent difficulty, “Does the Determined Prince truly wish to refuse?”

Mo Xiuyao answered with a cold smile and silence. Lei Zhenting seemed somewhat helpless, sighing, “Does the Determined Prince know where she comes from?”

Mo Xiuyao said, “I said, return to wherever she came from.”

“She comes from Cangmang Mountain.” Lei Zhenting’s words were like a drop of water in boiling oil, instantly causing an uproar in the viewing tower. Cangmang Mountain wasn’t unfamiliar to the people of Da Chu—it was one of the main peaks among the mountains in the south-central region of Da Chu, currently under Lei Zhenting’s control. But people’s familiarity with it wasn’t due to its scenic beauty or any divine manifestations. Cangmang Mountain was hidden among countless peaks, surrounded by similar-looking mountains. Without a guide who knew the way, one could hardly identify which was Cangmang Mountain and might easily get lost in the deep mountains.

Legend had it that an isolated clan lived on Cangmang Mountain. Its members were versed in astronomy, geography, medicine, divination, and astrology. The men possessed talents to govern heaven and earth, while the women had the wisdom to assist rulers and support the state. Every sixty years, one heir would descend the mountain to gain experience. But this clan had more women than men, and for hundreds of years, there had been few reports of male members. The women who came down for experience all possessed extraordinary wisdom. The most famous among them were the Empress of the previous dynasty’s revival emperor, the consort of Da Chu’s second monarch, and sixty years ago, the Western Ling Queen—Lei Zhenting’s late grandmother. It was said that the Xu family’s ancestors had also married a woman from Cangmang Mountain, though the Xu family had never acknowledged this. However, because three empresses had emerged in just a few hundred years, and their appearances had all brought prosperity to their dynasties, Cangmang Mountain had developed a mysterious connection with imperial succession. Now, this white-clad young woman had chosen the Determined Prince—could it mean… The seated guests’ gazes toward Mo Xiuyao changed somewhat.

Lei Zhenting smiled, “Now does the Determined Prince understand? It’s not that I wish to cause trouble between the Prince and his consort, it’s just that…”

Everyone understood somewhat. This matter naturally wasn’t something Lei Zhenting could decide—if he could, even if he couldn’t marry this white-clad woman himself, he could have had his son marry her. Why would he benefit his enemy? Everyone unconsciously looked toward the Determined Prince—would he who had just adamantly ordered her to return where she came from maintain such determination when faced with a woman of such origins?

The viewing tower remained silent for a long while. Just as many thought the Determined Prince would agree, his voice rang out coldly across the hall: “Get out.”