In the Xia Courtyard where Princess Qixia resided within the Li Prince’s Manor, she reclined contentedly on a noble consort’s chair, pretending to doze. These days, she had been severely oppressed by Dong Fangyou. Although she had the Li Prince’s protection, he couldn’t accompany her at all times, nor would he punish Dong Fangyou who controlled all of Cangmang Mountain’s forces. Thus, her days had truly been filled with grievance. Today, she had finally seized an opportunity to make serious accusations against her rival before the Li Prince.

Compared to Ye Ying who had long fallen from favor, although Princess Qixia lacked an official title, she had maintained the prince’s favor throughout these years. Mo Jingli kept few secrets from her, so Princess Qixia had known about his sending people to intercept Master Qingchen. Though she hadn’t thought much of Mo Jingli’s actions – she knew how formidable Xu Qingchen was, and sure enough, the men returned empty-handed. Originally it wasn’t an important matter, but yesterday when she accidentally overheard two maids chatting, a thought suddenly struck her, and she pinned the blame on Dong Fangyou. As for whether it was true or not, who cared? As long as the story made sense and the Li Prince believed it, wasn’t that enough?

Just looking at the Li Prince’s expression when he left her quarters and his hurried rush to the study showed that early this morning he had gone to Dong Fangyou’s place to severely berate her, proving he still deeply believed her words.

“You worthless woman, how leisurely you seem!” Dong Fangyou’s voice suddenly rang out from the doorway. The coldness in her tone made Princess Qixia shudder involuntarily. She abruptly stood up and glared at Dong Fangyou who entered with her people, demanding, “What are you doing here?”

Dong Fangyou stepped into the hall, walking up to Princess Qixia and looking down at her imperiously.

“Slap!” Just as Princess Qixia grew impatient under her gaze and was about to fly into a rage, Dong Fangyou suddenly raised her hand and delivered a swift, vengeful slap across Princess Qixia’s face. When men strike women, they usually hold back their strength, but when women hit women, they often use full force. Dong Fangyou was also a martial artist – with this slap, Princess Qixia’s face was instantly struck to one side, her fair cheek immediately showing several red and swollen finger marks. A trace of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, dripping onto her clothes.

“You…” Princess Qixia was somewhat dazed by this sudden slap. She hadn’t expected Dong Fangyou to strike without any warning. Clutching her stinging, painful cheek, Princess Qixia’s eyes nearly shot fire, “Dong Fangyou, you dare to hit me!”

Dong Fangyou sneered disdainfully, “Yes, I hit you – so what? Who do you think you are? Nothing but a concubine without even an official title. No, you don’t even qualify as a concubine – at most, you’re just a bedchamber maid.” Princess Qixia, originally of royal princess status, had fallen to such an awkward position – this was already a hidden pain in her heart. Yet Dong Fangyou ruthlessly mocked her with it. Princess Qixia laughed in extreme anger, covering her face while giving Dong Fangyou an equally contemptuous smile, “So what if I have no official title? At least the Li Prince favors me. Unlike some people who throw themselves at men who don’t want them, and now have to resort to kidnapping. Could it be you’ve gone mad with desire for men, wanting to force yourself on Master Qingchen?”

“So it was you who spread these lies to Mo Jingli!” Dong Fangyou said through gritted teeth.

Princess Qixia replied smugly, “Yes, I said it – so what? If you dare to do it, don’t be afraid of people talking about it. You’ve truly disgraced us women. If you’re afraid no one will have you, why not settle for those dogs by your side? Don’t shamelessly go sullying Master Qingchen. Perhaps Master Qingchen would rather die than endure a woman like you.”

If Dong Fangyou spoke without mercy, Princess Qixia certainly didn’t show any courtesy either. Both women mercilessly jabbed at each other’s pain points. A sinister smile spread across Dong Fangyou’s beautiful face as she coldly regarded Princess Qixia, “The Li Prince favors you? Good… Let this lady see just how much Mo Jingli favors you. Come here, drag her out, and strip her clothes!”

“Dong Fangyou, you wouldn’t dare!” Princess Qixia’s expression changed drastically as she glared viciously at Dong Fangyou.

The people beside Dong Fangyou were also startled, looking at her hesitantly. Although they were Dong Fangyou’s people, the Li Prince was still the master of this Regent Prince’s Manor, and Princess Qixia was Mo Jingli’s woman after all.

“Watch if I dare or not! Hurry up and go.” Princess Qixia sneered, “Go invite the Li Prince here, tell him this lady has matters to discuss with him.” The subordinates had no choice but to follow orders and went to invite Mo Jingli. The other two grabbed Princess Qixia from both sides, dragging her to the courtyard and beginning to tear at her clothes. Princess Qixia was no delicate weakling – she brandished her whip and began fighting back. But her martial arts weren’t enough to keep herself safe, and after a few exchanges, she was subdued.

Dong Fangyou had followed them out, coldly watching Princess Qixia’s helpless state. She sneered, “What are you standing there for? Strip her clothes and whip her hard with that whip!”

Soon, Princess Qixia was stripped to only a thin undergarment. The weather in the ninth month of the southern calendar was no longer warm, and Princess Qixia shivered from the sudden chill in her thin undergarments. But this was nothing compared to the pain of the whip cutting through the air and striking her body. With the first lash, Princess Qixia couldn’t help but scream in agony, falling to the ground. The subsequent continuous lashes left her nowhere to hide. This wretched, screaming woman bore no resemblance to her former arrogant self who had proudly brandished her whip at others when she first arrived in Chu capital.

“Dong Fangyou, what are you doing?” An angry roar came from the courtyard gate as Mo Jingli rushed in with Ye Ying. Seeing the scene before him, his face darkened with rage, assuming that because he had berated Dong Fangyou this morning, she was now venting her anger on Princess Qixia. Of course, this was indeed the case.

However, Dong Fangyou showed no concern for Mo Jingli’s anger, smiling provocatively, “Don’t you see what I’m doing? What’s wrong? As the Regent Prince’s wife, do I need to ask your permission to discipline a woman who doesn’t even qualify as a concubine?”

Mo Jingli said coldly, “I told you this morning, you don’t need to manage the affairs of the prince’s manor.”

Mo Jingli had arrived these few moments too late – Princess Qixia had already endured six or seven lashes, and her undergarment was torn. Seeing Mo Jingli was like seeing a lifeline – she immediately threw herself into his embrace, “My lord, wuu wuu… My lord, you must seek justice for Xia’er. Wuu wuu… Dong Fangyou is too cruel. Xia’er hurts so much…”

Seeing Princess Qixia covered in injuries, Mo Jingli’s expression grew even darker. Ye Ying, standing beside him, reminded him, “My lord, we should call a physician to examine Princess Qixia first.” Mo Jingli gave Ye Ying an appreciative look before turning to command, “Quickly summon a physician.”

“Not allowed!” Dong Fangyou’s voice rang out from behind.

“How dare you! I make the decisions in the Li Prince’s Manor, it’s not your place to decide.” Mo Jingli said coldly. Dong Fangyou tilted her head to look at him, suddenly breaking into a low laugh. She looked at Mo Jingli with an ambiguous smile, “My lord, although Cangmang Mountain’s forces have been largely decimated by Xiling and Prince Ding’s Manor, we still retain three-tenths of our power.”

Mo Jingli responded indifferently, “I know. Don’t tell me you intend to threaten me with Cangmang Mountain’s forces?” In the past, Mo Jingli might have truly been afraid, but now with only three-tenths of their former power, they might cause him some trouble but weren’t enough to frighten him.

Dong Fangyou smiled and glanced at Princess Qixia. The princess, still in Mo Jingli’s embrace, shuddered at that glance, the last trace of color draining from her face. Then Dong Fangyou said with a smile, “Of course not. I just want to tell the Li Prince… actually, Cangmang Mountain still has some people in Prince Ding’s Manor. I can give them to you – would you like that?”

Mo Jingli’s eyes contracted, his sharp gaze piercing Dong Fangyou. Prince Ding’s Manor was famously well-guarded – many had tried to plant spies there, but those who managed to get in either vanished without a trace or were kept at the periphery, never gaining any useful information. Dong Fangyou ignored Mo Jingli’s gaze, raising an eyebrow as she smiled, “Don’t be so surprised. Cangmang Mountain has centuries of accumulated resources, naturally, we have some secrets unknown to others. Although these aren’t important people, if used well, they could produce unexpected results.”

Mo Jingli said coldly, “What do you want?”

Dong Fangyou pointed at Princess Qixia, “Her. I want you to hand her over to me for punishment.”

Mo Jingli wanted to refuse outright, but when he opened his mouth, no words came out. Princess Qixia frantically grabbed his robe, “My lord… Brother Jingli, that woman will kill me!”

Dong Fangyou mockingly looked at Mo Jingli, seemingly certain he wouldn’t refuse. She took a paper slip from her sleeve, “To show my sincerity, my lord can first see if my price is worth it?”

Mo Jingli accepted the slip with a dark expression, read it, and tucked it into his sleeve. Princess Qixia’s eyes suddenly widened, “Brother Jingli…” Seeing Dong Fangyou’s sinister smile, Princess Qixia clutched Mo Jingli’s sleeve in terror, seemingly unable to believe he would truly hand her over to Dong Fangyou. Dong Fangyou smiled triumphantly and ordered her people, “Drag her back and continue whipping!”

The two servants exchanged glances before stepping forward to drag Princess Qixia back to the center of the courtyard. Princess Qixia knew that falling into Dong Fangyou’s hands meant certain death, so she desperately clutched Mo Jingli’s sleeve, “Brother Jingli, save me… no… my lord, save me…”

Mo Jingli silently looked at the woman before him, her face full of terror and despair. Princess Qixia had accompanied him for ten years, abandoning her royal princess status to stay with him without title or position. To say there were no feelings at all would be a lie – though he didn’t love her, ten years of companionship wasn’t false. However…

Finally, Mo Jingli simply remained silent as he pulled Princess Qixia’s fingers from his sleeve. Watching those delicate jade fingers being pried away one by one, the last light in Princess Qixia’s eyes gradually faded.

In the end, Princess Qixia was dragged to the center of the courtyard. The crack of the whip accompanied by a woman’s agonized screams made even people passing outside the courtyard tremble in fear.

“Ah ah… save me… my lord, Brother Jingli… No, it hurts so much… ah!” Princess Qixia writhed in pain on the ground, soon beaten until she was covered in blood and barely breathing, “My lord… why… why… save me…”

“No one can save you.” Dong Fangyou sneered, “Didn’t you say your prince favored you? It seems he prefers what I gave him instead. His favor for you isn’t worth even a piece of paper.”

Hearing Dong Fangyou’s merciless mockery, Princess Qixia felt her mind growing hazy. Beyond the searing pain, memories of the past dozen years slowly surfaced. Meeting Mo Jingli’s dark eyes again, Princess Qixia suddenly felt like laughing. There wasn’t a trace of emotion or pity in Mo Jingli’s eyes. What had she been doing all these years?

“Heh heh… haha…” Princess Qixia began to laugh softly, suddenly raising her head with tears streaming down her face, “Brother Jingli, what a heart of iron you have…”

“Crack!” Another lash came down, making Princess Qixia convulse in pain, yet she couldn’t stop laughing, “Heh heh… wu… Imperial Sister… Imperial Sister… Xia’er was wrong…”

Watching Princess Qixia’s miserable state, Ye Ying, standing behind Mo Jingli, suddenly felt chilled to the bone despite wearing a warm peacock-feather cloak. She couldn’t help stepping back, looking at the tall, handsome man before her, wanting to keep her distance from him.

Mo Jingli silently watched Princess Qixia’s dying state, finally turning away with darkened eyes. Seeing him leave, Ye Ying wanted to follow but suddenly feared the thought of being alone with Mo Jingli. Her legs wouldn’t move, leaving her frozen, staring at the scene before her.

Watching Mo Jingli leave, Dong Fangyou snorted lightly and signaled her people to stop. She walked leisurely to Princess Qixia, smiling as she looked down at her, “How about now? Do you still think Mo Jingli favors you? You dare to be impudent before me – who do you think you are? This lady will ensure you die with open eyes.”

Princess Qixia raised her head, her reddened eyes full of venom, “Dong Fangyou, Master Qingchen will never even glance at you in this lifetime! You twisted madwoman, you unwanted, ruined flower – Master Qingchen would rather love a village girl than look at trash like you. I curse you to never obtain what you desire, life after life…”

“Beat her to death! This lady will surely end up with Master Qingchen, but unfortunately, you won’t live to see that day!” Dong Fangyou’s beautiful face darkened as she commanded sharply.

The whips cracked again, and Princess Qixia’s cursing gradually fell silent. “My lady, she’s dead.”

Dong Fangyou looked with disgust at the barely recognizable body on the ground, “Throw her in the wasteland burial ground, don’t bury her – I want wild dogs to eat her corpse!” Everyone in the courtyard shuddered, and even Dong Fangyou’s people couldn’t hide their shock and horror in their eyes. Though Cangmang Mountain’s past leaders were never known for being soft-hearted – indeed, one couldn’t control such a large force while being merciful – there had never been someone so violent and vicious. This woman… was she truly still that clever, innocent young mistress from Cangmang Mountain?

Ignoring everyone, Dong Fangyou snorted coldly and walked out, stopping beside Ye Ying to say quietly, “You’d better behave yourself too. Otherwise, that worthless woman will be your example.”

Ye Ying stumbled back several steps in fear, falling awkwardly to the ground. She bit her lip and nodded repeatedly in terror. Dong Fangyou sneered dismissively, “How useless. Are you Ye Li’s sister? Tell me, do you think Master Qingchen will like me?”

If Master Qingchen could like you, wouldn’t he have to be blind and deaf?

But facing Dong Fangyou, even with ten times more courage, Ye Ying wouldn’t dare say this. She could only nod vigorously. Dong Fangyou ignored her response, nodding with satisfaction before leaving.

Watching Princess Qixia being carried away without any care, Ye Ying felt too weak to stand. She had fought with Princess Qixia for over a decade, originally thinking that in this life, the woman she envied most was Ye Li and the woman she hated most was Princess Qixia. Yet unexpectedly… this woman who had made her miserable for ten years was just… dead?

“Help… help me back to my room…” Not daring to linger, Ye Ying said weakly. A steady pair of hands helped her up from behind – a plain-looking maid in Li Prince Manor uniform carefully supported Ye Ying, whispering in her ear, “Fourth Miss need not fear, Dong Fangyou cannot harm you.”

Ye Ying nodded, “Let’s go back first…” Today’s events shocked Ye Ying deeply. Not just because of Dong Fangyou’s cruelty, but more because of Mo Jingli’s heartlessness. If Mo Jingli could be so ruthless to Princess Qixia whom he had favored for ten years, then for herself who had long fallen from grace… Ye Ying shuddered, leaning on the supporting maid as she stumbled back to her courtyard.

At a wasteland burial ground outside Nanjing city, a bloodied corpse wrapped in a straw mat was carelessly thrown among the graves. In the cold burial ground, only the occasional crow’s call made the atmosphere particularly eerie and frightening.

After a long while, a dark figure appeared in the burial ground. He crouched down by the corpse to examine it, checking the pulse and breathing of the mutilated body, then shook his head and clicked his tongue in admiration, “Skilled technique.” He placed a pill in her mouth, not minding her bloodied state, and hoisted her onto his shoulder, saying flatly, “If you can survive this, it’s your lucky fate. If you die, at least you won’t be left exposed in the wilderness…” With these words, the man casually disappeared from the burial ground with the corpse on his shoulder.

In a small courtyard in the city, as lamps were being lit, Ye Li sat reading a document by lamplight when Wei Lin entered, “My lady.”

Ye Li put down the document, nodding, “How is she?”

Wei Lin frowned, “Not good. Though her injuries aren’t fatal, she’s developed a high fever since this morning. We can’t find doctors as skilled as Master Shen Yang or Doctor Lin in Nanjing City. If the fever doesn’t break, I’m afraid she won’t survive.”

Ye Li said calmly, “We can only do our best and leave the rest to fate. Have someone wipe her down with strong alcohol, see if that helps reduce the fever.” Wei Lin nodded, asking puzzled, “That woman isn’t a good person either, why does my lady bother saving her?”

Ye Li smiled faintly, “In this matter, she was caught in trouble through no fault of her own. Moreover, while Princess Qixia is indeed annoying, she doesn’t deserve death. Also… she is still the South Zhao Queen’s younger sister. If I weren’t in Nanjing City, it would be different, but since I am here, I should make some effort out of respect for the South Zhao Queen.”

Wei Lin finally understood, nodding, “I understand now.” Regardless, since my lady saved Princess Qixia, the South Zhao Queen would owe this favor.

“Any movement from the Li Prince Manor?” Ye Li asked.

Wei Lin shook his head, “Nothing yet. The Li Prince and Dong Fangyou are on very bad terms – he’s forbidden her from interfering in manor affairs. Also, about Cangmang Mountain’s spies in our Prince Ding Manor, Dong Fangyou gave that list to Mo Jingli. However… the Li Prince’s wife might know something, as she was standing beside Mo Jingli when he read the list, though we’re not sure if she saw it. She’s been too frightened these past few days to speak.”

Ye Li nodded, “She’s still a sheltered lady after all – give her a few days. Have our people investigate quickly. Ye Ying isn’t a trained spy; in that situation, she might not have paid attention to the list. Also, send word to Uncle and Xiuyao, and let them be on guard. You may go.”

Wei Lin responded, “I take my leave.”

Ye Li’s actions in Nanjing weren’t particularly low-key. She had many matters to attend to, and being too secretive would only arouse more suspicion. The Chu family was once a famous scholarly family in Great Chu, so naturally when a Chu family young master arrived in Nanjing, people would come to pay their respects. Ye Li delegated all these visits to her subordinates, and others merely thought this scholarly young master was arrogant, which didn’t surprise them. Most young masters from noble families had their quirks.

“Young Master, the Muyang Marquis Manor has sent an invitation,” Zhuo Jing announced quietly at the study door, holding a card.

Ye Li emerged from her thoughts, raising an eyebrow to ask, “What kind of invitation?”

Zhuo Jing explained, “In three days, Nanjing will hold its annual chrysanthemum viewing party. The Muyang Marquis Manor has sent an invitation.” Ye Li smiled wryly, “Decline it – how can I have the mood for chrysanthemum viewing now?” Zhuo Jing said softly, “Yaoji sent word that He Lianzhen arrived in Nanjing last night. Both Mo Jingli and He Lianzhen might attend the chrysanthemum viewing in three days, so I wanted to ask if you’d like to go.”

Hearing this, a cold glint flashed through Ye Li’s eyes, “He Lianzhen… In that case, let’s go take a look.” Zhuo Jing nodded, “Yes, I’ll make preparations immediately.”

The weather in the south was warmer than the north, though at this time only chrysanthemums were worth seeing. This chrysanthemum viewing party could be called one of Nanjing’s great autumn and early winter events. Everyone from noble young masters to distinguished young ladies had received invitations. Even common citizens could visit the city’s chrysanthemum markets and buy a few pots to decorate their homes.

Early in the morning, Ye Li arrived at the viewing party venue with Wei Lin and Zhuo Jing in light disguise. This was one of the Li Prince Manor’s largest separate courts in Nanjing. Upon entering with their invitation, they saw various chrysanthemums competing in beauty, making the courtyard less desolate than autumn usually would be, instead full of colorful prosperity.

What surprised Ye Li was that this chrysanthemum party was being managed by Ye Ying rather than Dong Fangyou, who usually controlled the Li Prince Manor. Perhaps still terrified by Dong Fangyou, even after several days, Ye Ying’s complexion remained poor. Dong Fangyou sat to one side with an indifferent expression, seeming somewhat distracted. The noble ladies and young women of Nanjing had clearly grown accustomed to Dong Fangyou’s manner and didn’t seek uncomfortable interactions with her, instead gathering around Ye Ying to exchange greetings and conversation.

Ye Li found a position neither too far nor too close, sipping light chrysanthemum wine while smiling and seemingly carelessly admiring the flowers, but keeping close watch on Ye Ying’s situation.

Wei Lin spoke quietly beside Ye Li, “Since marrying into the Li Prince Manor, Dong Fangyou has never been good at social occasions. She offended many people at first, though with Mo Jingli and Dong Hui’s protection, no one dared do anything to her. Afterward, many manor affairs were still handled by Princess Qixia and Consort Xianzhao. Now that Princess Qixia is dead and Consort Xianzhao is reportedly bedridden from anger, they had Noble Consort Rong take charge.”

Ye Li raised an eyebrow, looking at Dong Fangyou from afar, “Don’t you think she’s changed quite a bit?”

Zhuo Jing nodded, “Indeed, she’s changed significantly.” The former Dong Fangyou gave an impression of self-importance while actually understanding nothing, but now, even sitting there saying and doing nothing, she still gave people a chilling feeling. One could tell just by how the other ladies all avoided her to crowd around Ye Ying. Ye Ying was more afraid – if she could, she would probably have run away already, not wanting to spend a moment in Dong Fangyou’s presence.

“It hasn’t even been half a year, yet this woman has changed so much,” Wei Lin said incredulously. It wasn’t that people couldn’t change, but Dong Fangyou’s transformation could be called a complete reversal to the opposite extreme. One would have to be quite disturbed to change so dramatically so suddenly.

Ye Li sighed slightly, “The power of love… how can we outsiders understand it clearly?”

“Mo Jingli has arrived…” Zhuo Jing said quietly.

Ye Li looked up to see Mo Jingli approaching grandly, surrounded by guards. Walking beside him was a man in his fifties wearing Central Plains clothing but with features different from Central Plains people. Although Ye Li had never actually met He Lianzhen, she understood that this man walking with Mo Jingli must certainly be him. Looking at the expressions on their faces, it was clear that even if their alliance wasn’t fully settled, it must be close.

Ye Li frowned slightly. Although Mo Xiuyao ambitiously wanted to capture all three allied armies in one sweep, Ye Li found it somewhat risky. Even when she arrived in Jiangnan, she had been considering whether to sabotage this alliance. In the end, though, based on her trust in Mo Xiuyao, she suppressed this thought.

While Ye Li watched Mo Jingli’s group, Mo Jingli naturally also noticed Ye Li’s trio. Though Ye Li in white robes was shorter than Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin standing behind her, her bearing and presence far surpassed the two. Such a refined young master, if seen once, would not be forgotten. Mo Jingli looked over and frowned, asking, “Who is that?”

The guards beside Mo Jingli were ordinary guards – how would they know the identity of a young master they’d never met? One of them apologized quietly and left to investigate Ye Li’s identity.

Ye Li had confidence in her disguise. Seeing Mo Jingli scrutinizing her, she didn’t avoid his gaze. Instead, she stepped forward naturally, clasping hands in greeting with a smile, “Chu Junwei of Yun Province pays respects to the Regent Prince.”

Hearing the words “Yun Province,” Mo Jingli couldn’t help but frown. When people mentioned Yun Province, their first thought wasn’t its natural treasures or wealth rivaling Jiangnan, but rather the Xu family of Yun Province. Though Mo Jingli didn’t know who Chu Junwei was, he remembered that the Xu family’s primary madam came from the Chu family, and Chu was also a major surname and prestigious clan in Yun Province. He raised an eyebrow, asking, “So it’s Young Master Chu. How are you related to the Xu family’s eldest young master?”

Ye Li smiled, “Your Highness is too kind. The father of the Xu family’s primary madam and my grandfather were cousins. By that count, I could barely call the Xu family’s eldest young master a cousin.” This relationship, though it didn’t sound distant, wasn’t particularly close either. The Xu family didn’t have many members, but the Chu family was an extremely large clan in Yun Province, with main and branch families, primary and secondary lines adding up to several hundred if not a thousand members. Moreover, the Xu family’s primary madam had no full siblings, and after marrying into the Xu family, her relationship with the Chu family wasn’t particularly close. So, Chu Junwei’s claimed connection to the Xu family was somewhat tenuous.

Mo Jingli nodded, studying Ye Li and dismissing that vague sense of familiarity. Being related to Madam Xu’s family, some resemblance to Xu Qingchen wasn’t surprising. “The Chu family has lived in Yun Province for generations. What brings Young Master Chu to Jiangnan?”

Ye Li lowered her eyes, her smile turning bitter as she spoke softly, “Though I’m a legitimate son, I’m from a branch family, and nowadays in Yun Province…” She shook her head, seemingly sighing, “There’s not much point in my staying in Yun Province. So I thought to come see Jiangnan. Consider it traveling to broaden my horizons. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.” Mo Jingli observed him for quite a while but noticed nothing amiss, finally nodding, “In that case, I hope Young Master Chu enjoys yourself. The Chu family is also a prestigious Great Chu family. If you’re interested in staying in Nanjing to serve Great Chu, come to the Regent Prince’s Manor in a few days, and we can discuss further?”

Ye Li was startled, not expecting Mo Jingli to show interest in recruiting her. Though whether he was interested in Chu Junwei himself or the Chu family behind him was debatable. Although she had no intention of becoming an official, Ye Li still acted honored, clasping hands, “Thank you, Your Highness. I will certainly visit in a few days.”

With He Lianzhen present, Mo Jingli naturally couldn’t focus on Ye Li for too long. He nodded and continued walking through the garden with He Lianzhen. He Lianzhen, however, looked back at the three with some confusion, smiling as he asked, “That Young Master Chu seems quite extraordinary. I didn’t expect Great Chu to have such a refined figure besides the Xu family’s divine young master.”

Mo Jingli had no interest in discussing further, smiling faintly, “The Chu family is a prestigious Great Chu family that has produced many brilliant figures throughout generations. How could Great Chu have only the Xu family’s young master as outstanding?”

He Lianzhen smiled silently, looking back once more. Seeing that handsome young master also watching him with a faint smile, he suddenly felt inexplicably uneasy. When he looked again, he saw that Young Master Chu had already left with his two guards in another direction.

In the chrysanthemum-filled garden, at its center stood a pavilion open on all four sides. On the second floor, Mo Jingli and He Lianzhen sat facing each other. He Lianzhen took a sip of chrysanthemum wine and frowned, “Your Central Plains wine, though fragrant, lacks real strength.” The Northern Rong people preferred strong spirits; naturally, they wouldn’t appreciate mild wines like chrysanthemum wine.

Mo Jingli wasn’t bothered, his expression calmed as he sipped the fine wine, smiling, “Strong spirits have their merits, but chrysanthemum wine has its charm. This wine needs to be savored.” Though both sides had reached an internal consensus about their alliance, they still privately held some contempt for each other. The Northern Rong looked down on the Central Plains people’s affected manners, while the Central Plains people equally disdained the Northern Rong’s barbaric ways.

He Lianzhen put down his wine cup, frowning as he looked at Mo Jingli, “About my previous proposal, has the Li Prince considered it?” Mo Jingli remained silent in contemplation. It wasn’t that he was deliberately trying to test He Lianzhen’s patience – He Lianzhen’s proposal naturally had its appealing aspects, but deciding to engage in a full-scale war with Prince Ding Manor wasn’t an easy decision. Even now, with Mo Jingli firmly controlling all of Jiangnan, he couldn’t guarantee how many court officials would support him if he went to war with Prince Ding Manor.

Seeing Mo Jingli’s hesitation, He Lianzhen knew that Mo Jingli wasn’t uninterested, but rather that the bait wasn’t enticing enough. Given Mo Jingli’s nature, if the benefits were sufficient, he wouldn’t care whether he was opposing Prince Ding Manor or the heavens themselves.

After a moment of silence, He Lianzhen said solemnly, “Li Prince, to be frank, before coming to Nanjing, I met once with the Zhennan Prince of Xiling.” Mo Jingli started, narrowing his eyes at He Lianzhen, “What does General He mean?”

He Lianzhen smiled, “This time, I sincerely wish to ally with the Li Prince and the Zhennan Prince. Moreover, I’ve already convinced the Zhennan Prince – as long as the Li Prince agrees to ally and deploy troops, the Zhennan Prince is willing to give up some benefits…”

Hearing this, Mo Jingli’s eyes flickered. His expression didn’t change, instead let out a cold laugh, “Sincere alliance? More likely the Northern Rong can’t withstand the Prince Ding Manor’s attacks anymore, right?” A flash of anger crossed He Lianzhen’s eyes but was instantly suppressed as he stared at Mo Jingli, “It’s true that we’re currently at a slight disadvantage against Prince Ding Manor, but to say we can’t withstand it is an overstatement. Our Northern Rong has strong troops and horses, with nearly a million soldiers still within Great Chu’s borders. Reinforcements from the Northern Rong homeland can arrive at any time. Moreover… what benefit would the Li Prince gain from our defeat?”

Mo Jingli’s expression grew very ugly. If the Northern Rong were driven out of the north by Mo Xiuyao, the Prince Ding Manor’s power would only grow stronger. Furthermore, the Prince Ding Manor’s occupation of the entire northern region would become legitimate. After all, the Prince Ding Manor had already severed ties with Great Chu. Great Chu had lost the north to the Northern Rong and the Northern Border, then the Prince Ding Manor pacified the Northern Border and drove out the Northern Rong. These territories naturally had nothing to do with Great Chu or Mo Jingli anymore.

After a long silence, Mo Jingli said gravely, “Allying with the Northern Rong and Xiling – no one in the Great Chu court would agree.” This was Mo Jingli’s greatest concern. Xiling and the Northern Rong had occupied Great Chu’s territory – instead of expelling the invaders and restoring their land, forming an alliance with the Northern Rong and Xiling against the Mo family army would surely draw criticism.

He Lianzhen laughed heartily, “Such minor matters surely won’t stop the Li Prince. It just depends on whether the Li Prince truly wants to defeat Mo Xiuyao and destroy the Prince Ding Manor.”

Mo Jingli remained silent, though his mind was racing. He naturally wanted to defeat Mo Xiuyao – since childhood, he had dreamed of crushing Mo Xiuyao under his feet. Even though his current status and position were no less than Mo Xiuyao’s, he still felt somehow inferior in Mo Xiuyao’s presence. So he always yearned for the day he could truly trample Mo Xiuyao underfoot, to take back everything that should have belonged to him.

If the Northern Rong were truly defeated by Mo Xiuyao, and with Lei Zhenting getting old and Lei Tengfeng seemingly no match for Mo Xiuyao, Xiling would likely fall to Mo Xiuyao as soon as Lei Zhenting passed. By then, standing alone, he would never have a chance to turn the tables… But now, if the three allied armies advanced together with their forces, even with Mo Xiuyao’s heaven-defying abilities, he absolutely couldn’t resist two to three million troops from three countries simultaneously. The odds of victory would be quite high.

He Lianzhen watched Mo Jingli’s alternating hesitation and internal struggle with a smile, saying, “The Zhennan Prince has already promised. As long as the Li Prince agrees to deploy troops, he will immediately withdraw his forces from Guangling City and the four northern provinces. This shows sincerity to the Li Prince and allows your troops safe passage. What does the Li Prince think?”

Mo Jingli gripped his wine cup tightly, not even noticing when the fragrant chrysanthemum wine spilled onto his hand.

“Why does the Li Prince hesitate so? Once you three defeat the Prince Ding Manor, Great Chu can return to the Chu capital, and everything Your Highness has lost will return, perhaps even more,” He Lianzhen stared intently at Mo Jingli, continuing to speak.

Mo Jingli gritted his teeth, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes as he said gravely, “Very well, I agree with General He’s proposal. Great Chu… will march north soon!”

He Lianzhen was overjoyed, no longer minding the bland chrysanthemum wine as he raised his cup with a smile, “In that case, let’s toast to our armies’ success and destruction of the Mo family army!” Mo Jingli remained silent, only throwing back his head to drain his cup in one fierce gulp. Seeing his manner, He Lianzhen finally broke into loud laughter.

In the garden, among the chrysanthemums of various colors and poses, countless young nobles and talented individuals were composing poetry and engaging in cheerful conversation. Ye Li wrote a poem about chrysanthemums on fine paper:

“West wind whistles through the courtyard full,

Cold fragrance keeps butterflies at bay.

If I were the Green Emperor in years to come,

I’d let peach blossoms bloom alongside today.”

As she finished the final stroke, He Lianzhen’s satisfied laughter reached her ears. Ye Li set down her brush and smiled faintly, “It seems the deal is done.”