Ye Ying seemed to have accepted her fate, no longer crying and begging Mo Jingli to spare Mo Suyun. Mo Jingli paid her no more attention, harboring contempt for her in his heart. Ten years ago, Mo Jingli’s compassion for Ye Ying had led him to decline the marriage arranged by the previous emperor, incurring the Xu family’s hatred. Though political reasons played a part, Mo Jingli’s genuine fondness for Ye Ying at the time couldn’t be ignored. The stark contrast between that affection and his current coldness, contempt, and disgust truly showed how much things had changed.
Especially when compared to Ye Li, Mo Jingli felt even more justified in his contempt for Ye Ying. Weak, incompetent, selfish, foolish—Mo Jingli often wondered if he had been bewitched to think Ye Ying would make a better Prince Li’s consort than Ye Li. Even when Ye Li bore the title of the “worthless young lady,” Mo Jingli believed that the version of Ye Li could never be as foolish as the current Ye Ying. Thus, Mo Jingli didn’t think Ye Ying was capable of anything earth-shattering and wasn’t in a hurry to deal with her. He even loosened some restrictions on her due to her compliance—after all, with one consort already missing from Prince Li’s mansion, it wouldn’t look good if something happened to the remaining one. But he forgot that underestimating women sometimes comes with an extremely heavy price.
After successfully removing several of Prince Ding’s agents from Jiangnan, a self-satisfied Mo Jingli naturally forgot about the possibility of Mo Suyun being his son. He continued confidently preparing for what he believed would be the most glorious period of his life.
Though Ye Ying gained some freedom, she was still restricted from leaving the mansion. Her servants were all replaced with Mo Jingli’s people. She appeared to have abandoned her previous madness and persistence, only seeking Mo Jingli’s permission to occasionally visit Mo Suyun. Mo Jingli, not entirely without guilt toward this son, eventually agreed to Ye Ying’s request.
On this day, like the previous two days, Ye Ying brought personally prepared soup to Mo Suyun’s temporary residence. The Imperial Physician was checking Mo Suyun’s pulse, and Noble Consort Xianzhao, whose health had improved in recent days, often came personally to care for Mo Suyun. Before entering, Ye Ying heard Noble Consort Xianzhao’s voice and stopped in her tracks. Inside, Noble Consort Xianzhao asked, “Imperial Physician, how is His Majesty’s condition?”
The Imperial Physician pondered before answering, “Your Grace, I find it somewhat strange, but His Majesty’s condition seems to have improved slightly.” Hearing this, Ye Ying’s heart stirred, her delicate fingers unconsciously gripping the food box tightly.
After a moment of silence inside, Noble Consort Xianzhao asked, “Could it be because of the Princess Consort…”
“Unlikely. I’ve examined the soup the Princess Consort brings—they’re all ordinary broths. Let alone treating His Majesty’s illness, even their nourishing effects are quite limited,” the Imperial Physician dismissed Noble Consort Xianzhao’s speculation.
Noble Consort Xianzhao hesitated before finally asking, “Then in your opinion, His Majesty’s current condition…”
The Imperial Physician lowered his voice, “Your Grace, though His Majesty’s condition has improved slightly, recovery remains extremely difficult. With utmost care and careful nurturing, he might live a few more years. Otherwise… but for now…” The physician appeared troubled. As a confidant of Prince Li and the Noble Consort, he naturally understood their intentions. But given the Emperor’s current condition, though he wouldn’t live long, lasting another year or so wouldn’t be a problem. Unless heavy medication was used… At this thought, the physician shuddered and dared not think further. Some thoughts were permissible for the masters but not for their servants.
Noble Consort Xianzhao remained silent for a while before sighing, “Very well, I’ll discuss it further with Prince Li.”
Outside the door, Ye Ying clutched the food box tightly, her downcast eyes seemingly filled with venom. That old woman… that old woman had been tormenting her since she entered the household, and now she dared discuss such matters in front of her son. Even if Suyun might not understand… even if…
Gritting her teeth, Ye Ying concealed the hatred on her face and stepped into the room.
Noble Consort Xianzhao frowned, asking, “When did you arrive?”
Ye Ying blinked, responding puzzled, “Your daughter-in-law came to see His Majesty. Does Your Grace have any matters to attend to?” Noble Consort Xianzhao studied Ye Ying suspiciously—since Ye Ying had accepted Mo Suyun’s identity, she certainly wouldn’t remain indifferent to him. After observing her calm and respectful demeanor for a long while, she finally said, “Nothing. Since you’re here, keep His Majesty company. I’m feeling tired and will retire to rest.”
Ye Ying respectfully replied, “I’ll see Your Grace out.”
After Noble Consort Xianzhao left, the Imperial Physician also packed up and took his leave. Ye Ying sat by the bed, looking at the confused child lying there, feeling her nose tingle as she nearly burst into tears.
“Su… Your Majesty, I brought your favorite chicken soup. Would you like some?” Ye Ying asked gently.
Mo Suyun’s eyes moved as he looked at Ye Ying, suddenly speaking, “You are Prince Li’s consort…”
Ye Ying’s heart leaped with joy. Two days ago, Mo Suyun had been so ill he couldn’t recognize anyone, just sitting there in a daze. She hadn’t expected him to recognize her today—it seemed the Imperial Physician was right, he had indeed improved considerably.
Ye Ying carefully helped him sit up against the pillows, bringing the chicken soup to his lips while gently asking, “Does Your Majesty want anything? I can have someone buy it for you.”
Mo Suyun blinked, hesitating before saying softly, “I want Big Brother in white and the pretty Sister.”
Ye Ying was startled—Mo Suyun was still recovering from serious illness, and had she not been sitting close, she might not have heard him at all. Mo Suyun, thinking she didn’t understand, pointed to his not-yet-healed arm and said, “Brother.” Then he took out a small brown pill from an inconspicuous pouch nearby and said, “Sister.”
Ye Ying’s heart trembled slightly as she cautiously glanced around. Though palace maids and eunuchs were serving in the room, they were all in the outer chamber. The screens and curtains blocked their view. Ye Ying didn’t know that the sister Mo Suyun referred to was Yun Ge, assuming it was Ye Li in women’s clothing. She whispered, “Did Sister give this to you?”
Mo Suyun slowly nodded, “Brother said not to tell others. Princess Consort is okay.” This brother he referred to was Qin Feng.
Ye Ying carefully helped him hide the pouch, looking lovingly at Mo Suyun’s somewhat bewildered expression, saying softly, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you find whatever you like.”
“What does His Majesty like that you need to find?” Mo Jingli’s voice came from the doorway.
Ye Ying’s heart jumped in alarm. She quickly stood up, forcing a smile, “His Majesty said he wanted honey-glazed chicken. I heard the Moon-Getting Pavilion in the east of the city makes excellent honey-glazed chicken, so I offered to have someone buy it for His Majesty.”
Mo Jingli remained noncommittal, glancing at both of them, “Is that so?”
Ye Ying carefully gripped her fingers inside her sleeve, worried that Mo Suyun might let something slip. But Mo Suyun just fearfully glanced at Mo Jingli, his small body shrinking back without saying a word.
Mo Jingli was used to such behavior. For the past two years, Mo Suyun had always acted this way around him. Previously, seeing this had brought satisfaction and disgust, but now it stirred complex, indescribable feelings and faint anger. Such weakness and timidity—how could this be his, Mo Jingli’s, child?!
Looking away indifferently, Mo Jingli said, “If His Majesty enjoys it, I’ll have someone invite the chef from Moon-Getting Pavilion to cook specially for His Majesty here.” Ye Ying nodded, saying softly, “Whatever my lord decides.”
Mo Jingli nodded with satisfaction, glancing at the half-finished chicken soup, “Let His Majesty rest well. I’ll escort you back to your chambers.”
“Yes,” Ye Ying replied, casting a reluctant glance at Mo Suyun, who seemed to be spacing out again, before following Mo Jingli out. Just as they left Mo Suyun’s courtyard, someone hurried over, reporting, “My lord, Lady Yang from the side courtyard just sent word that she is with child, about one and a half months along.”
“What?” Mo Jingli was stunned, then overjoyed. No longer thinking about accompanying Ye Ying back, he laughed heartily, “Excellent! Grant a generous reward. By my order, promote Zhao to Side Consort.”
“Yes, my lord. Congratulations!” The messenger also looked delighted. After all, this was currently the only offspring in Prince Li’s mansion, and the prince’s great joy would surely mean generous rewards. Mo Jingli waved his hand, “Very well, I should go see for myself.” With that, seemingly forgetting about Ye Ying beside him, he strode toward the side courtyard.
At the entrance, Ye Ying looked back at the courtyard gate. Lowering her eyes, she silently walked back to her courtyard.
In an inconspicuous courtyard in Nanjing, Xu Qingchen and Ye Li sat playing chess, while Yun Ge watched curiously from the side, her eyes full of admiration and respect for Ye Li. Ye Li shook her head helplessly at the young girl’s expression. Yun Ge didn’t understand chess, only seeing that Ye Li was forcing Xu Qingchen to retreat step by step, not knowing that against Xu Qingchen, she usually lost no matter how carefully she planned her moves. When facing Xu Qingchen, no amount of careful planning helped, so she might as well play quickly for the thrill of it.
“Young Master Qing, Princess Consort.” Qin Feng, dressed in inconspicuous cloth garments, appeared in the courtyard and bowed.
Xu Qingchen paused with his chess piece, looking at Qin Feng’s attire, and smiled, “Commander Qin truly embodies whatever role he plays. Even if we met on the street, I might not recognize you.” Xu Qingchen spoke truly—though Qin Feng usually carried himself with an imposing presence that few dared to take lightly, now dressed in these plain clothes with his aura concealed, even his originally handsome face appeared ordinary. Blending into a crowd, he likely wouldn’t attract any attention. Such a person was not only suitable as a guard but even more so as a spy or assassin.
Qin Feng smiled faintly, “You’re too kind, Young Master.”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled, “For you to dress like this, it seems Mo Jingli is truly angry?”
Qin Feng replied, “Though the surface appears calm these days in Nanjing, investigations continue intensely in secret. After Mo Jingli uncovered several bases and only captured people who knew nothing, he’s probably feeling frustrated.”
Ye Li nodded with satisfaction, “It seems Ye Ying hasn’t completely lost her sense, not revealing Yao Ji.”
Telling Ye Ying about Mo Suyun’s identity had been a risky move, but if they truly used Mo Suyun to destroy Mo Jingli and Ye Ying, Ye Li couldn’t face her conscience. After all… she too was a mother of three children. Just thinking of the lovable and mischievous Mo Xiaobao in Li City and the pair of twins not yet a year old left at home, Ye Li’s heart softened. Though she didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits, she still hoped for peace of mind. In her grandfather’s words, it wasn’t about supernatural retribution—scholars traditionally didn’t speak of strange powers or supernatural forces. However, extremely vicious methods still violated natural order.
Fortunately, Ye Ying hadn’t disappointed her. If Ye Ying had revealed Yao Ji, Prince Ding’s information network in Nanjing would have been largely destroyed. At that point, even she would have been helpless—Prince Ding’s forces couldn’t exactly storm Prince Li’s mansion.
“Any movement in Prince Li’s mansion?” Ye Li asked.
Qin Feng replied, “Mo Jingli and Noble Consort Xianzhao now know that Mo Suyun won’t die anytime soon. They’re debating whether to use stronger poison.” At this point, Qin Feng couldn’t help but frown, his contempt for Mo Jingli evident. Even tigers don’t eat their cubs, let alone an innocent child who understands nothing. If Mo Jingli did this, he could hardly be considered human anymore.
Ye Li frowned slightly, turning to Xu Qingchen and asking, “Brother, what decision do you think Mo Jingli will make?”
Xu Qingchen sighed softly, slowly placing down a chess piece, “Is someone pregnant in Prince Li’s mansion?”
Qin Feng started, “How did Young Master know? News just came that Prince Li’s Side Consort Zhao is with child, about one and a half months along.” Xu Qingchen didn’t answer Ye Li’s question, only saying, “If you want to save Mo Suyun, Li’er, do it quickly.”
“What do you mean, Brother?” Ye Li was surprised. Though she never expected Mo Jingli to give up the throne for his son, she had never thought he would kill Mo Suyun after learning the truth. After all, though troublesome, wasn’t there still a way to resolve this? Xu Qingchen spoke calmly, “If it were just Mo Jingli alone, he might not kill Mo Suyun, but I fear… someone else truly wants Mo Suyun dead. The timing of this pregnancy news is not good for Mo Suyun.”
Ye Li sighed deeply, “Very well, I’ll go to Prince Li’s mansion tonight myself.”
Qin Feng worried, “Princess Consort, if you have any instructions, we can handle them. Why risk yourself?”
Ye Li shook her head, “Ye Ying won’t trust you. I’ll feel more at ease going myself.”
In the deep of night, Ye Ying still couldn’t sleep, pacing restlessly in her room like a caged beast. Only now did she truly understand how helpless she was without Prince Ding’s secret support. At Mo Jingli’s command, she couldn’t even mobilize a single person in the mansion, let alone try to send any messages out.
Though not exceptionally clever, she had learned much these days. With Mo Jingli’s concubine pregnant, her son had even less chance of survival. But now, she couldn’t even manage to kill that Zhao woman. No, she didn’t want to kill anyone anymore. She just wanted her son to live safely and peacefully.
“Fourth Sister.” Ye Li’s voice drifted softly through the quiet night, startling Ye Ying. She turned suddenly to see Ye Li standing not far behind her, dressed in black fitted clothes. Beside Ye Li were Qin Feng and Wei Lin, along with a young girl she had never seen before.
Yun Ge curiously peeked at Ye Ying, then looked back at Ye Li. Originally, they hadn’t planned to bring Yun Ge tonight, but she had insisted on seeing the sick little brother, and Ye Li couldn’t refuse. Besides, Yun Ge’s martial arts were quite good—at least self-defense wouldn’t be a problem.
Yun Ge blinked, puzzled. How come Sister Li’s sister looked nothing like her?
“Third Sister!” Ye Ying had never been so excited to see Ye Li. She almost immediately rushed to Ye Li’s front, her legs weakening as she knelt, “Third Sister, please save Suyun. Please… I’ll do anything you want.”
Ye Li sighed faintly, reaching out to help her up, “If you knew this day would come, why did you act as you did before?” Ye Ying felt unspeakably ashamed. It was all because of her pettiness and suspicion, fearing Ye Li would trick her, that she had insisted Ye Li tell her the child’s whereabouts first. Now in this predicament, she still had to ask Ye Li for help, “I know I was wrong, Third Sister. Please save Suyun. From now on, whatever Third Sister says, I will never doubt you again. Please, for Father’s sake, save Suyun.”
“Enough.” Ye Li cut off her rambling words, nodding, “I want to take Mo Suyun away from here. Do you want to leave too?”
Ye Ying remained silent.
Ye Li didn’t care what she was thinking—she felt some sympathy for Mo Suyun but none for Ye Ying. She spoke indifferently, “Think carefully. Once Mo Suyun disappears from Prince Li’s mansion, whether you’re involved or not, Mo Jingli will never spare you.”
After a long silence, Ye Ying finally shook her head, “No, I won’t leave. Third Sister, I know… I wronged you before. I only ask one thing—help me send Suyun to our parents, and ask them to look after him for the sake of their unfilial daughter. I know… his body has been completely ruined by Mo Jingli and that poisonous woman Noble Consort Xianzhao. However long he can live, let him live… I only hope he suffers less and lives peacefully for a few years. Then his time in this world won’t have been completely wasted.”
“What are you planning to do?” Ye Li frowned.
Ye Ying smiled faintly, “Is Third Sister worried about me? Don’t worry… I won’t do anything rash.” Ye Li was silent for a moment, then nodded, “As you wish.”
Ye Ying took a deep breath, “Let’s go, let me see him one last time. You… take him away.”
When Ye Ying left her courtyard, Ye Li and the others naturally remained hidden in the shadows. After so many years, Prince Li’s mansion finally had joyous news, and the entire estate was filled with laughter. Mo Jingli was hosting guests, making Ye Ying’s quiet courtyard seem particularly desolate in contrast.
Walking into Mo Suyun’s courtyard and entering his room, they found it empty—where was everyone? Ye Ying’s heart raced as she quickly called out, “Someone come here!” Soon someone entered, surprised to see Ye Ying, “Princess Consort?”
“Where is His Majesty?” Ye Ying demanded angrily.
“His Majesty… His Majesty was invited by my lord to attend the banquet.”
“Nonsense!” Ye Ying said, “His Majesty is seriously ill, how could he attend any banquet?” The maid, seeing Ye Ying’s eyes red with anger, jumped in fright and hurriedly said, “It’s true… His Majesty was carried there.” Ye Ying’s heart lurched with anxiety. Not bothering the maid anymore, she rushed out of the courtyard toward the main hall where Mo Jingli was hosting the banquet.
At this time, the main hall was filled with music and dancing. Mo Jingli sat in the main seat, drinking heartily, with the newly promoted pregnant Side Consort Zhao beside him. Noble Consort Xianzhao sat on his right, while on the left, Mo Suyun sat alone in a chair, neither watching the performances below nor eating anything on the table. He seemed unaware of everything around him.
Those seated below were naturally all Mo Jingli’s trusted confidants. Mu Yang sat with Yao Ji in the hall. A few days ago, Mu Yang had spoken for Chu Junwei, but now Chu Junwei had vanished, and Mu Yang had been severely scolded by Mo Jingli. Thus, he appeared rather low-key today, though seeing Prince Li’s expression, Mu Yang knew the prince would likely soon achieve his wishes. When that time came, the Mu Yang Marquis Manor, having contributed to his rise to power, would surely not be held in contempt by Prince Li over such small matters.
Yao Ji glanced at the dazed Mo Suyun on the dais, a hint of subtle worry crossing her eyes.
“Congratulations to my lord on expecting a noble son,” the crowd below raised their cups in celebration.
Mo Jingli nodded with satisfaction, “Thank you all for your kind wishes, let us all drink together.”
Side Consort Zhao, sitting beside Mo Jingli, suddenly smiled, “His Majesty hasn’t eaten anything all evening. Though His Majesty is too young for wine, surely some fruit juice would be fine. Why not have His Majesty drink with everyone?”
Noble Consort Xianzhao looked at Side Consort Zhao, nodding approvingly, “Side Consort Zhao speaks well. We’ve all been talking and laughing while neglecting His Majesty. Why haven’t you poured fruit juice for His Majesty? What kind of service is this?”
The eunuch standing behind Mo Suyun didn’t dare delay, stepping forward to take the wine vessel in front of Mo Suyun and pour him a cup.
Side Consort Zhao’s beautiful lips curved in a gentle smile as she looked at Mo Suyun, “This concubine is carrying my lord’s child. Isn’t Your Majesty happy for this concubine and my lord?” Mo Suyun’s eyes moved slightly, but he didn’t speak. He only looked at Mo Jingli sitting beside Side Consort Zhao, his eyes still showing fear.
Mo Jingli spoke indifferently, “Since the Side Consort has said so, Your Majesty, drink a cup to congratulate her.”
The crowd below all joined in agreement. Yao Ji sat beside Mu Yang, wearing a perfect smile, even more beautiful and striking than the young and gentle Side Consort Zhao on the dais. But as she coldly watched this absurd scene, she laughed inwardly with contempt, and when she looked at the man beside her, her heart filled with deep disappointment and coldness. If even a woman like Yao Ji could guess that the so-called fruit juice was surely not so simple, how could Mu Yang not know?
Moreover, Mo Suyun was still emperor after all, yet a hall full of officials was forcing a sovereign to drink in celebration of a prince’s unofficial side consort’s pregnancy. The Mu Yang Marquis Manor had been a military family for generations, but now Mu Yang… was even more sycophantic than civil officials, concerned only with power and influence. While scholars died for their principles and warriors died in battle, Mu Yang could do neither. Many years ago, he had ceased to be the carefree yet principled young man she once knew.
Seeing Mo Suyun not moving, Mo Jingli’s face darkened slightly, “Help His Majesty drink.”
The nearby eunuch had no choice but to take the cup himself and bring it to Mo Suyun’s lips.
“Mo Jingli, how dare you!” From outside the hall, a sharp voice suddenly rang out. In an instant, even the music stopped. Ye Ying’s voice echoed in the great hall, sounding particularly loud.
Everyone turned to look, seeing Ye Ying stride in quickly from outside, her expression frost-like. Still breathing heavily as she entered the hall, she had run all the way there. As soon as Ye Ying rushed in, she immediately ran to the dais and knocked away the cup being offered to Mo Suyun. The strong smell of alcohol immediately spread through the air, and Ye Ying’s expression turned tragic, “Mo Jingli, how vicious you are!”
Mo Jingli was stunned by this sudden change, and after recovering, he frowned in displeasure, “What are you making a scene about now? Get down from there immediately!”
“I’m making a scene? Mo Jingli, you…” Ye Ying was so angry her face turned blue. She was about to expose Mo Jingli’s plot when Side Consort Zhao suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her. Side Consort Zhao smiled gently, “Sister Princess Consort, what are you doing? His Majesty hasn’t eaten or drunk anything all evening. I was just worried he might be hungry and thirsty, so I only asked him to drink some fruit juice to wet his throat.”
Ye Ying stared at her steadily, “Oh? You asked him to drink it?”
Side Consort Zhao felt uncomfortable under her somewhat creepy gaze, her smile becoming stiff, “That’s right.”
Ye Ying laughed coldly, “In that case, you drink some too.” Side Consort Zhao’s smile froze, and she quickly stepped back, saying with a smile, “Thank you for your kindness, Sister Princess Consort, but this concubine doesn’t like fruit juice.” As if she could drink such things now—her body was precious at this moment.
Ye Ying said haughtily, “This Princess Consort didn’t ask if you like it or not. This Princess Consort bestows it upon you to drink. Surely, drinking a cup of fruit juice won’t harm what’s in your belly?”
“Ye Ying, how dare you!” Mo Jingli was furious. Already past thirty without any children, he naturally had high hopes for Side Consort Zhao’s child, how could he tolerate Ye Ying speaking so recklessly?
Ye Ying forced a tragic smile, saying, “Her child can’t be spoken of, but what about my child… isn’t Suyun your son? For the throne, you would even try to kill your son? Mo Jingli, you’re not human!”
“You’re mad!” Mo Jingli said through gritted teeth, “Someone, take this woman away!”
“You dare! Mo Jingli, if you harm my son, I’ll haunt you even as a ghost!” Ye Ying screamed in anguish. But she was destined to be disappointed. The people seated below were all Mo Jingli’s most trusted confidants, all hoping for rewards when Mo Jingli ascended to power. Whether Mo Suyun was Mo Jingli’s son or even his father wouldn’t make them blink an eye. Though all were stunned by this sudden revelation, everyone was only thinking about how to handle the aftermath, how to ensure Prince Li wouldn’t hold it against them for knowing such a secret, rather than seeking justice for the mother and son.
“Take her away,” Mo Jingli commanded grimly.
Something suddenly occurred to Ye Ying, and she stopped struggling against the guards who held her, staring steadily at Mo Jingli. “My lord, I have one more thing to tell you.”
Mo Jingli stared at her coldly, clearly not intending to listen to anything more. Ye Ying smiled at him sweetly, “It’s about Prince Ding’s manor. Does my lord not wish to hear that either?”
Mo Jingli narrowed his eyes at Ye Ying. He couldn’t be certain how long she had been colluding with Prince Ding’s manor, nor could he be sure whether she truly knew any of their secrets.
After a long moment, Mo Jingli finally said, “Let her come forward.”
The guards released Ye Ying, but instead of rushing to Mo Jingli, she turned and walked to Mo Suyun. She gently touched his thin face and said softly, “Suyun, I’m sorry… Mother is sorry. Will you be good and listen to your brother and sister from now on?”
Mo Suyun blinked in confusion. He didn’t understand why this kind of Prince Li’s consort was claiming to be his mother. His mother was in the palace, and even though she often ignored him, he couldn’t suddenly have a different mother. Moreover… looking at Mo Jingli’s dark expression nearby, Mo Suyun couldn’t help but shrink back.
Seeing her son’s terrified demeanor, Ye Ying shook her head bitterly. She turned and walked slowly to Mo Jingli, looking at his still handsome face full of mature male charm, and asked tragically, “Did you… never feel even a moment of softness in your heart?”
Mo Jingli frowned coldly, “I don’t want to hear your nonsense. What do you want to say?”
Ye Ying smiled helplessly and moved closer to Mo Jingli, whispering, “What I want to tell you is… my Third Sister has already arrived in Nanjing.” Ye Ying rarely sincerely called Ye Li “Third Sister,” usually calling her by name in front of Mo Jingli. So this “Third Sister” made Mo Jingli’s mind pause for a moment before he reacted, “What did you say?!”
Ye Ying smiled with particular pleasure, even her pale, thin face seeming to gain some radiance for a moment. She looked at Mo Jingli and giggled, “I said, my Third Sister… Prince Ding’s consort is right here in Prince Li’s mansion. Didn’t you know?”
“My lord, be careful!” In the moment of Mo Jingli’s shock, a terrified cry rang out beside him. Mo Jingli felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and reflexively struck Ye Ying away with his palm. Though Mo Jingli’s sudden injury meant the force wasn’t lethal, Ye Ying still coughed up blood, falling right at Side Consort Zhao’s feet.
Ye Ying seemed completely indifferent to her injuries, as if she couldn’t feel any pain. She grabbed Side Consort Zhao’s legs, and the two women tumbled down the steps of the great hall together. As they rolled down the steps, more blood flowed from Ye Ying’s lips, while Side Consort Zhao screamed, her lower body immediately stained red.
“Wretch!” Mo Jingli was both shocked and enraged. He clutched his bleeding abdomen wound and sat back in his chair, his eyes filled with undisguised killing intent as he glared at Ye Ying.
“Li’er… Quick! Call the Imperial Physician!” Noble Consort Xianzhao hurried forward to support Mo Jingli while commanding sharply, “Hurry and help the Side Consort up, the child… the child…” Everyone’s gaze fell on Side Consort Zhao lying on the ground moaning—clearly, the child of barely one and a half months could not be saved. Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events. Who could have imagined that the usually quiet and unremarkable Prince Li’s consort would suddenly take such shocking action? In an instant, she had wounded both Prince Li and Side Consort Zhao and killed the child in Side Consort Zhao’s womb.
Mo Jingli sat in his chair, enduring the intense pain as he stared at Ye Ying below. Seeing the provocative smile on her face made his anger grow even stronger. He had always dismissed Ye Ying, thinking that compared to Ye Li, she was not just foolish but selfish and cowardly—someone who could never accomplish anything significant. But he never imagined that it would be someone like Ye Ying who would wound him most grievously. In his entire life, Mo Jingli had never suffered such a great loss, and it was all thanks to Ye Ying.
Perhaps it was the waves of pain from his abdomen making Mo Jingli irritable, or perhaps it was the shock of having and then suddenly losing a child. Mo Jingli glared viciously at Ye Ying, his eyes blazing with cruelty.
“Ye Ying, I’ll make you wish you were dead! You want to save Mo Suyun? Hmm?” Mo Jingli stood up, ignoring his wound as he strode forward and grabbed Mo Suyun. Mo Suyun was already terrified by the scene before him, and being suddenly grabbed by the person he feared most, he immediately burst into loud tears.
Ye Ying’s face changed, “Mo Jingli, you’re not human!”
Mo Jingli smiled viciously, “I’ll show you what it means to not be human!” With that, he threw Mo Suyun down from the great hall in front of everyone. Side Consort Yang had miscarried just from rolling down the steps. How much worse would it be for a weak child like Mo Suyun to be thrown through the air and crash down? If he hit the ground, the child would surely die.
A black figure flashed in from outside the hall, leaping through the air to catch Mo Suyun. Mo Suyun had been wailing loudly, but being thrown by Mo Jingli made his cries catch in his throat, unable to cry out, his little face turning blue.
Everyone was startled by the sudden intruder. Looking closely, they saw it was an unfamiliar young girl. Though dressed in black night-walking clothes, the girl’s delicate face was full of anger, her bright large eyes glaring at Mo Jingli as if they might shoot fire at any moment.
“Little Cloud, be good, don’t be afraid… have some candy…” Yun Ge carefully set Mo Suyun down and took out a pill she had prepared earlier from her sleeve, putting it in Mo Suyun’s mouth. She frantically checked his pulse to confirm there was no immediate danger before breathing a sigh of relief. Standing up, she glared at Mo Jingli, “How can you be so vicious? Little Cloud is just a child, you nearly killed him by throwing him, don’t you know?”
Mo Jingli had just thrown Mo Suyun away, aggravating his abdominal wound, and had to sit back down. He looked coldly at Yun Ge standing in the hall, “Who are you? Who are your accomplices, daring to break into Prince Li’s mansion at night!” This girl had come through the main gate, yet no guard had come to report. Either this girl’s martial arts were so advanced she avoided all the guards’ notice, or someone outside had dealt with the guards for her.
Yun Ge blinked and said unhappily, “I don’t even know you. Father said not to tell strangers my name.”
Everyone felt awkward—though Prince Li’s question was perfectly normal when the young girl put it that way, it made the prince sound like some lecher harassing a respectable woman.
“Miss, Prince Li means to ask how you came to be here?” Yao Ji coughed lightly and asked with a smile.
Yun Ge suddenly understood and smiled sweetly at Yao Ji, “Big Sister, you’re so beautiful. I came with Sister Li.”
“Sister Li?!”
Everyone present was shocked. Though Ye Ying had mentioned earlier that Ye Li had arrived, the subsequent chaos had led everyone to assume it was just a ruse by Ye Ying to assassinate Mo Jingli. They hadn’t expected that Ye Li had truly come to Jiangnan and had even silently entered Prince Li’s mansion. This also chilled the hearts of Mo Jingli’s confidants. If Prince Ding’s people could enter Prince Li’s mansion so easily despite the city being under martial law, taking their lives would naturally be just as simple.
“Ye Li?! Show yourself!” Mo Jingli roared.
From outside, Ye Li sighed somewhat regretfully. She walked in with Qin Feng and the others. Seeing Ye Li in black clothes with her composed demeanor, Mo Jingli’s eyes immediately filled with blood from anger. Ye Li calmly interrupted his rage, “Prince Li should tend to his wound first. Your Side Consort is also waiting for the physician.” Side Consort Zhao had been helped to sit in a chair to the side. Even without the physician’s arrival, she knew this child couldn’t be saved. She hated Ye Ying even more, “My lord… you must avenge this concubine and our child…”
Ye Li glanced at her, “Heaven’s vengeance may be forgiven, but self-inflicted calamity cannot be survived.” Though they hadn’t been inside, they had heard everything clearly from outside. If Side Consort Zhao hadn’t been so proud and provoked Mo Jingli to harm Mo Suyun, she wouldn’t have ended up being pulled down from the hall by Ye Ying and miscarrying.
“You… even if you are Prince Ding’s consort, this is Prince Li’s mansion’s business! Doesn’t Prince Ding’s consort think she’s overstepping?” Side Consort Zhao glared at Ye Li hatefully. Since entering Prince Li’s mansion, she hadn’t had a single peaceful day. First serving Noble Consort Xianzhao, then constantly being troubled by Princess Qixia. Later there was an even more difficult Dong Fangyou to deal with, forcing her to live cautiously with her tail between her legs. Now that she had finally gained some status, she couldn’t help feeling proud. But now all her efforts had come to nothing.
“Wuu wuu… my lord, this concubine has been wronged. Pity this concubine and our unborn child…”
“Your injuries aren’t serious, you won’t die,” said Yun Ge, who was examining Ye Ying’s injuries, looking up at her pitiful crying. “Besides, if you care so much about your child, why did you try to harm Little Cloud? With his weak body, if he had drunk that poisoned wine, he could never have been saved.” Side Consort Zhao’s tragic crying was suddenly made to look quite ridiculous by Yun Ge’s interruption. Her mouth gaped, tears still hanging on her face, her once beautiful features now twisted and alternating between blue and purple.
The Imperial Physician finally arrived, and Ye Li’s group wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Mo Jingli was helped inside to have his wound bandaged, while Noble Consort Xianzhao remained in the hall watching Ye Li with a complex, indecipherable expression. The officials below were secretly lamenting—though everyone knew Prince Li wanted to kill the Emperor and had no objections, knowing the Emperor was Prince Li’s son, and that Prince Li had even tried to throw him to his death, was another matter entirely. From now on, Prince Li would surely have reservations about all of them.
“Prince Ding’s consort, how did you come to be here?” Noble Consort Xianzhao stared at Ye Li.
Ye Li smiled, “I beg the Noble Consort’s forgiveness for my presumption. My brother, Young Master Qingchen, disappeared in the south some days ago, and I came specifically to search for him. By chance, I also heard… my younger sister was being mistreated in Prince Li’s mansion, so I couldn’t help but come to investigate. Unexpectedly…”
Noble Consort Xianzhao choked—it was an undisputed fact that Ye Ying was Ye Li’s half-sister. Regardless of their private relationship, when Ye Li said she came to visit her wronged sister, no one could object, and instead had to praise Prince Ding’s consort for her sisterly love. They wanted to say they hadn’t mistreated Ye Ying, but seeing her current pitiful state, anyone would believe she had truly been abused by Prince Li’s mansion.
Noble Consort Xianzhao snorted coldly, “Mistreated? Ye Ying attempted to assassinate the prince—her crime deserves death.”
Ye Li smiled faintly, “Oh? Then… what crime does Prince Li deserve for trying to throw the Emperor to his death in court?”
From behind, Qin Feng answered, “Execution of nine generations of family.”
Ye Li shook her head and smiled, “The Emperor and royal clan members are included in Prince Li’s nine generations, so nine generations cannot be executed. However, executing the entire household should be unavoidable, right?” Yun Ge asked in confusion, “Didn’t they just say Prince Li is Little Cloud’s father?”
Ye Li smiled approvingly, patting Yun Ge’s head, “Yes, and isn’t that confusing the royal bloodline? What punishment does Prince Li deserve for passing off his son as the Late Emperor’s heir to the throne, Noble Consort?”
Noble Consort Xianzhao was speechless. How could she explain that it wasn’t Mo Jingli pretending his son was the Late Emperor’s, but rather the Late Emperor who had taken Mo Jingli’s newborn son and raised him as a royal prince? But who would believe such a story? The Late Emperor had no shortage of sons, and he had passed the throne to this child in the end.
After a long silence, Dowager Consort Xianzhao could only say coldly, “This is the business of our Great Chu, it seems unrelated to the Princess Consort of Ding.”
Ye Li remained unhurried, pointing at Ye Ying on the ground, “If this is my fourth sister’s child, does the Dowager Consort still think this is unrelated to me? Or does the Dowager Consort think the Prince Consort’s mansion of Ding is easy to bully?!”
“Twisting words!” Unable to win the verbal sparring with Ye Li, Dowager Consort Xianzhao flicked her sleeve and sat to the side, refusing to speak further. Ye Li crouched beside Ye Ying and asked softly, “How is she?”
Yun Ge shook her head sadly. Ye Ying had suffered severe internal injuries and broken meridians from Mo Jingli’s strike, and falling down the stairs had only worsened her condition. Even the best medicine for internal injuries would only delay the inevitable.
Ye Ying, leaning in Yun Ge’s arms, struggled to reach out toward Mo Suyun. Seeing the blood on her clothes and the blood trickling from her lips, Mo Suyun was too frightened to approach. Ye Li sighed, stepped forward to pull Mo Suyun over, and said softly, “Suyun, go see her. She won’t hurt you.”
Mo Suyun seemed to have an almost instinctive trust in Ye Li. After hesitating and glancing at Ye Li, he finally moved his feet slowly toward Ye Ying. Ye Ying smiled at Mo Suyun with tears continuously rolling down her face. “Suyun, it’s all Mother’s fault. If Mother hadn’t been greedy, you wouldn’t have become so ill. *cough cough*… From now on, be good and stay with your aunt. She will… she will take good care of you. In the future, you won’t have to live in fear anymore. Live well… live well… Third Sister…”
Ye Li walked up to her and sighed, “Why put yourself through this?”
Ye Ying laughed weakly, “I’m not sad… Mo Jingli doesn’t want our Suyun, right? Then he shall never have children in this life, hehe… The late emperor did one good thing – someone like Mo Jingli deserves to die without descendants! Third Sister, I was foolish back then… please, don’t blame me. Please… take good care of Suyun…”
Ye Li remained silent for a moment before nodding, “Rest assured, I will take good care of this child. Master Shen Yang is also in Li City, and perhaps he can cure his illness in the future.” Ye Ying nodded, smiling through tears, “Third Sister, I’ve always known that you… you’re a good person. I just… I’ve always been so jealous of you… Is it true that only good people can find happiness? I envy you… In my next life, I will be a good person too.”
Ye Li remained speechless. Compared to many others, the somewhat selfish and weak Ye Ying could hardly be considered a bad person. At least she had never truly harmed anyone, though perhaps only because she could not do so.
“Ye Ying, you bitch, I’ll kill you!” As they were talking, Mo Jingli suddenly rushed out from inside, his face iron-grey and twisted like a demon. Mo Suyun, who had been talking with Ye Ying moments ago, immediately fled frightened into Ye Li’s arms.
Mo Jingli grabbed Ye Ying’s collar, trying to pull her up. Young Yun Ge, who had been ignored until now, suddenly became furious. Unable to cure her first patient since leaving the mountain and now unable to save a second injured person, Yun Ge was already in a foul mood. But now this Prince Li was manhandling someone who barely had breath left like a sack in front of her. “Let go of her!”
In her anger, Yun Ge struck out with her palm without hesitation. Mo Jingli, realizing he was no match for this young girl, immediately and unhesitatingly used Ye Ying as a shield. Fortunately, Yun Ge was peaceful by nature, and even in her great anger, she hadn’t used her full strength in the strike, allowing her to pull back in time. She glared at Mo Jingli, “Shameless! Evil! Bastard! Scum!”
Ye Li’s mouth twitched as she silently wondered who had been teaching young Yun Ge such words lately.
Ye Ying, no longer concerned about her condition, stared at Mo Jingli with a faint smile and said dreamily, “Your Highness, do you like the gift Ying’er has prepared for you?”
“Bitch! Give me the antidote!” Mo Jingli said coldly.
Ye Ying lifted the dagger she had been holding in her other hand with effort and smiled, “The antidote… I ate it. Your Highness, do you know how much effort it took me to obtain this poison? Originally, I hadn’t planned to use it on you so soon, but I had prepared it long ago. In Li City… after learning you had obtained the antidote, I found a way to prepare this poison. Since this morning, I’ve been soaking this dagger in the poison, and then… hehe, before coming in just now, I took the antidote myself.”
“You bitch, I’ll kill you!” Mo Jingli squeezed Ye Ying’s throat tightly. He had truly underestimated this woman, who had been plotting since so long ago. Ye Ying turned her head with difficulty to look at Mo Suyun hiding in Ye Li’s arms, raised her hand, and stabbed Mo Jingli. This strike wasn’t meant to hurt him; after the stab, Mo Jingli threw Ye Ying aside. Ye Ying didn’t mind, looking up at Mo Suyun, “Suyun, leave with your aunt… otherwise… otherwise he will kill you…”
Everyone fell silent as they watched more and more blood flow from Ye Ying’s lips, watching the woman lying in a pool of blood gradually lose her life.
“Mother…” In the quiet palace, a weak child’s voice suddenly rang out. Yun Ge, standing beside Ye Li, suddenly covered her eyes and began crying silently.
Yao Ji, sitting beside Mu Yang, lowered her head and inconspicuously wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye, her bright eyes growing even more determined.
Ye Li handed Mo Suyun to Wei Lin behind her and said calmly, “Yun Ge, it’s time for us to leave.”
Yun Ge silently sniffled and walked over to hold onto Ye Li’s clothes, following beside her as they walked out. “Regarding Fourth Sister’s remains, I assume Prince Li will arrange them properly?” Ye Li turned back to look at Mo Jingli and asked.
“Arrange?” Mo Jingli revealed a twisted, strange smile, “This prince will grind her bones to dust!”
“Do as you please.” Ye Li had no thoughts about proper burial. While it would be good to take Ye Ying’s body away, they simply had no way to do so now. “I will make sure to spread the word of Your Highness’s great kindness in grinding Princess Consort Li’s bones to dust after her death. Surely the people of Jiangnan will be deeply moved by Prince Li’s profound virtue.”
“Ye Li, stop right there!” Mo Jingli roared, “Leave Mo Suyun here!”
“No way!” Before Ye Li could speak, Yun Ge said hatefully, “Little Yun’s mother already entrusted him to Sister Li. And if it weren’t for you trying to kill Little Yun, how would Princess Consort Li have died?”
“He is Great Chu’s emperor.” Mo Jingli said through gritted teeth. And he might be his only son from now on. Ye Ying’s final strike had dealt Mo Jingli an enormous blow – after being poisoned twice so severely, the imperial physicians had said that even if he found the antidote, his chances of having children in the future were extremely slim.
Ye Li turned around and said calmly, “Doesn’t Prince Li want to eliminate this child to ascend the throne? Then in exchange, I will take this child away, and from now on, he will no longer be a descendant of the Mo family. Just as Prince Li wished, Mo Suyun has passed away.”
“Impossible.” Mo Jingli flatly refused.
Ye Li remained unfazed, “Then… Mo Suyun is still emperor… but his birth mother entrusted him to me before her death. So I and the Prince of Ding’s mansion must ensure he becomes emperor in name and reality.” The implication was that the Prince of Ding’s mansion would fully involve itself in Great Chu’s politics. Not only would Mo Jingli refuse to let the Prince of Ding’s mansion meddle in Great Chu again, but even if he agreed, Mo Suyun’s current dazed state wasn’t true foolishness. If he were truly foolish, he wouldn’t have called out “Mother” just now. When he grows up, he will not side with Mo Jingli, his father.
Ye Li looked at him and said, “You can’t have both fish and bear’s paw, Prince Li should consider carefully.”
Mo Jingli said darkly, “What if I insist on keeping you all here?” Ye Li smiled faintly, “That depends on whether Prince Li has the ability. Even if Prince Li manages to keep all of us here, you’d better ensure no one else spreads word of tonight’s events. Prince Li killing his son and attempting to usurp the throne, while the Princess Consort died righteously – what a fine drama indeed.”
Mo Jingli was already severely injured, and now with his anger surging, his vision darkened and he nearly collapsed. Those nearby quickly helped him to sit in a chair. Mo Jingli gripped the armrest, forcefully suppressing the rage in his heart, took a deep breath, and stared at Ye Li, saying in a deep voice, “Ye Li, well played.”
“Not as well as Prince Li,” Ye Li calmly retorted.
Seeing Mo Jingli’s weakened state, Dowager Consort Xianzhao quickly spoke up, “Princess Consort of Ding, put down the emperor, and this consort guarantees your safe departure from Jiangnan.”
Qin Feng beside them gave a disdainful laugh and said, “Do we need your guarantee? We come and go from Nanjing as we please – what can you do to us?” Dowager Consort Xianzhao’s face darkened, but Ye Li spoke first, saying leisurely, “I always keep my word. Since I promised Fourth Sister to care for the child, I must take him away. The Dowager Consort can see whether it’s better for us to leave quietly or to fight our way out of Prince Li’s mansion.”
“Just with the few of you?” Dowager Consort Xianzhao said with a cold smile.
Ye Li smiled and said, “Do you have many people? Why doesn’t the Dowager Consort try calling for guards to see?” The Dowager Consort didn’t respond; if Ye Li dared to speak this way, it likely meant there were few guards left in Prince Li’s mansion who could still move.
“Prince Li, what do you think?” Ye Li asked.
“Get out!” Mo Jingli finally roared in anger.
Ye Li paid no mind to his words, waving her hand and leading everyone out openly and dignifiedly.
In the great hall, the atmosphere was so heavy and silent that one could hear a pin drop. Everyone kept their eyes down, hearing only their hearts pounding. Mo Jingli sat in the great hall, breathing heavily, his gaze as fierce as a beast ready to devour its prey.
What was meant to be a gathering to curry favor with their future master and celebrate had turned into a bloody, brutal royal family drama, how could those present not be terrified? They could only secretly take comfort in the fact that with so many witnesses… surely the Prince wouldn’t silence them all. The saying “the law cannot punish everyone” certainly had some truth to it.
“Reporting to Your Highness, the Princess Consort of Ding’s group disappeared shortly after leaving the mansion,” someone reported from outside after a long while.
“Useless lot! All of you get out! Get out!” Mo Jingli roared.
When better to leave than now? The crowd hurriedly rose to bid farewell to Mo Jingli and Dowager Consort Xianzhao, rushing out quickly.
“Li’er…” Dowager Consort Xianzhao looked at Mo Jingli and called out softly.
“Get out! All of you get out!” Mo Jingli didn’t even look at those before him as he raged.
In the small courtyard where Ye Li’s group was temporarily staying, Xu Qingchen looked at the child in Wei Lin’s arms and raised an eyebrow, saying, “Mo Jingli discovered his identity?” Ye Li smiled bitterly and helplessly, “It doesn’t matter, he has no time to deal with us now. However, Brother, we’ve mostly finished our business in Nanjing, we should head back.” Although Mo Jingli might not dare to move against them for now, staying in the city too long would seem provocative. Who knows if Mo Jingli might act rashly in a moment of desperation?
“Mo Jingli doesn’t seem like someone who would act so impulsively,” Xu Qingchen said. Not because Mo Jingli’s temperament was particularly steady, but because he was too attached to his power and glory. People with such attachments rarely act without regard for consequences.
“He might very well be now.” Any man in Mo Jingli’s situation might act desperately. If he had never had it to begin with, that would be one thing, but now his poison had been cured, and he had finally had a child. Yet in the blink of an eye, the child was gone, he was poisoned again and likely had lost all hope for the future. One had to admit, that Ye Ying’s final move was truly impressive.
Xu Qingchen sighed softly, glancing at Mo Suyun who lay motionless in Wei Lin’s arms, “With Ye Ying dead, what are your plans for this child? He is, after all, Great Chu’s emperor – it’s not appropriate to raise him in the Prince of Ding’s mansion.”
Ye Li said, “Ye Ying hoped we would send the child back to my father’s place. He is their grandson after all, and with the Prince of Ding’s mansion watching over him in Li City, he should be fine. In any case… it’s better than staying in Nanjing as a puppet emperor.”
Xu Qingchen nodded, “Very well, you should head north first thing tomorrow morning.”
Hearing this, Ye Li was startled, “Brother, do you still have business here?”
Xu Qingchen said, “I still need to help Yun Ge find someone.” Ye Li frowned and thought for a moment before saying, “Couldn’t you just give orders to search for whoever it is, Brother? Is it that difficult to find them?” Xu Qingchen shook his head and smiled, “It’s not difficult, I know where they live. But I need to take Yun Ge there personally.” Ye Li looked at Xu Qingchen with concern, still saying, “Why don’t we wait a couple more days and return together?”
Ye Li really couldn’t feel at ease leaving Xu Qingchen and Yun Ge in Nanjing. Xu Qingchen had no martial arts skills, and while Yun Ge’s kung fu wasn’t weak, she was an inexperienced young girl. What if something happened to Brother?
Seeing Ye Li’s unconcealed worry, Xu Qingchen smiled helplessly, “Li’er, this time was truly just an accident. The Prince of Ding must be anxious by now, you should hurry back. Otherwise, he’ll blame me again for being incompetent and causing you to stay in Jiangnan for so long.”
But Ye Li firmly refused to listen to Xu Qingchen, “I’ll stay one more day. There are still some unfinished matters anyway, so there’s no rush for a day or two.” Unable to persuade Ye Li, Xu Qingchen could only plan to take Yun Ge to find the person early tomorrow morning. If Ye Li was worried about him staying alone in Nanjing, he was equally concerned for Ye Li’s safety. After all, Nanjing was not their territory.
“Princess Consort… Master Qingchen, Miss Yun Ge is fighting with the young lady in the back courtyard,” a guard flew in with a troubled expression to report. Both Ye Li and Xu Qingchen were startled. Xu Qingchen immediately stood up, though Ye Li wasn’t particularly worried – even if Dong Fangyou still had her internal energy, she might not be able to get the better of Yun Ge.
“Dong Fangyou has no internal energy left, how can she still cause trouble?” Ye Li asked curiously.
The guard replied with a worried expression, “In response to Princess Consort, they aren’t using martial arts.”
“If not martial arts, then how are they fighting?”
“Princess Consort should see for yourself,” the guard said.
Fighting naturally isn’t limited to martial arts, as most people in the world don’t know martial arts, but that doesn’t mean they don’t fight. So when Ye Li and Xu Qingchen saw the two people rolling around on the ground in the courtyard, they were dumbfounded. Xu Qingchen couldn’t help but rub his forehead and called out, “Yun Ge.”
Hearing Xu Qingchen’s voice, Yun Ge paused for a moment. But in that pause, Dong Fangyou grabbed for her beautiful face. Even without internal energy, if this scratch connected, Yun Ge’s pretty face would be marred for several months. However, while Dong Fangyou had no internal energy, that didn’t mean Yun Ge didn’t. So she just threw her head back, one hand firmly gripping Dong Fangyou’s claws, “No more fighting, okay? Let’s stop.”
Dong Fangyou gave a cold laugh, “Go to hell.”
Yun Ge made a bitter face, deflected Dong Fangyou’s other incoming hand, quickly sealed her pressure points, and leaped up from the ground, running to Xu Qingchen’s side, “Qingchen, Sister Li, why are you here?” Ye Li raised her eyebrows at her, smiling without speaking. Xu Qingchen looked at her, “Who told you to fight with people?”
Although Xu Qingchen’s voice remained as elegant as ever, Yun Ge inexplicably felt a chill on her head. She couldn’t help but shrink her neck and move closer to Ye Li. She felt that this Xu Qingchen looking at her so calmly was even scarier than her father who had passed away three or four years ago. No wonder all the Xu brothers were afraid of Master Xu – he naturally possessed a teacher’s authority.
“Well… I… I was wrong.” Yun Ge hung her head dejectedly and admitted her mistake.
Ye Li smiled at the two of them, then glanced at Dong Fangyou who was immobilized to the side, and said with a faint smile, “How did Yun Ge end up here?” This courtyard was the innermost and most secluded in the mansion. Most people wouldn’t find their way here without reason. Yun Ge made a bitter face and said, “I just wanted to pick some flowers for Little Yun.”
It turned out that in Dong Fangyou’s courtyard, there were two late-blooming begonias. Yun Ge thought that since Mo Suyun was traumatized and somewhat dazed, perhaps giving him something fun might help. But having grown up in the mountains, the young girl didn’t know what to give, and her first choice was naturally flowers and plants. So she ran through the entire mansion before finding these two nicely blooming begonias. However, she unexpectedly disturbed Dong Fangyou who was under house arrest in the courtyard. As it happened, Dong Fangyou had heard the mansion’s people mention this girl that Master Qingchen had personally brought back. So upon meeting, they started fighting without ceremony – if Dong Fangyou hadn’t had her internal energy sealed, she might have gone straight for killing moves.
Xu Qingchen handed over a white handkerchief, saying, “Don’t you know martial arts? Why did you need to roll around on the ground with someone?”
Yun Ge lowered her head, drawing circles on the ground with her foot. She had thought Dong Fangyou didn’t know martial arts, and naturally, those who practice martial arts shouldn’t bully ordinary people who don’t.
After seeing Xu Qingchen, Dong Fangyou stopped glaring daggers at Yun Ge. Instead, she gazed at Xu Qingchen in a daze. Since being captured by Ye Li, she hadn’t seen Xu Qingchen once. Although Ye Li hadn’t thrown her in the dungeon, she would be immediately stopped if she tried to leave the small courtyard. And none of her schemes worked – even when she threatened to burn down the house, those people didn’t even blink. The message was clear: if she wanted to burn herself to death, go ahead and light the fire. Of course, Dong Fangyou didn’t want to burn herself to death, so she could only endure silently. Now finally seeing Xu Qingchen in person, how could she still care about settling scores with Yun Ge?
Yun Ge curiously looked between Xu Qingchen and Dong Fangyou, unconsciously moving closer to Ye Li again. She felt there was something very strange about the way this woman looked at Xu Qingchen – it made her hair stand on end.
“Master Qingchen, how are you?” Dong Fangyou asked softly, completely disregarding how awkward it was to speak such tender words while her pressure points were sealed and her body was rigid. Xu Qingchen gave Dong Fangyou a bland look before turning his gaze to Yun Ge beside Ye Li, saying, “Why haven’t you gone back to change clothes? Then copy the text I taught you yesterday ten times, due tomorrow morning.”
“What?” Yun Ge’s face fell immediately, “Qingchen, I don’t want to…”
“Fifteen times,” Xu Qingchen said blandly.
Yun Ge stared at Xu Qingchen blankly, opened and closed her mouth before finally saying, “I’ll go write it now.” Carefully glancing at Xu Qingchen, perhaps sensing his mood wasn’t good, Yun Ge asked in a small voice, “Can I pick a few flowers before I go?”
Xu Qingchen nodded slightly, and only then did Yun Ge fly up to the branches to pick a few flowers before rushing out like a gust of wind, as if any delay might result in Xu Qingchen adding another ten or twenty repetitions. Watching her departing figure, Ye Li couldn’t help but smile, saying, “Brother, you’re being too strict with Yun Ge. Look how scared she is – after all, Yun Ge did save your life.”
Xu Qingchen gave Ye Li a bland look and said, “She’s not young anymore. Living alone in the mountains before, when her father was alive, he probably didn’t teach her many things he should have.”
Ye Li suddenly understood, nodding, “That’s true, fifteen is not young anymore, she’s of marriageable age. If she comes back with us, we can ask Sister-in-law to teach her properly.” Xu Qingchen neither agreed nor disagreed, saying blandly, “She probably won’t come with us, at that time…” In a noble household, wouldn’t Yun Ge’s country-raised nature be completely worn away? Ye Li smiled brightly and said, “Brother must have a way to get her to come back with us…”
Xu Qingchen seemed not to hear her words as he turned and walked toward the door.
Ye Li coldly glanced at Dong Fangyou sitting on the ground and said, “Miss Dong, even as a prisoner, don’t you understand how to behave properly?” Dong Fangyou finally withdrew her gaze from Xu Qingchen’s departing figure and glared hatefully at Ye Li, “Who is that girl?”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled, “If Miss Dong didn’t know who Yun Ge was, why did you fight with her?”
Dong Fangyou shrieked, “This is impossible! How could that ignorant country girl be worthy of Master Qingchen? You’re deceiving me… Ye Li, what did I do to offend you, that you must separate Master Qingchen and me?” Ye Li rolled her eyes toward the sky – Dong Fangyou had completely lost her mind with these delusions. “Miss Dong, what do you mean by me separating you and Master Qingchen? Have you seen my brother give you even a single proper glance?” Ye Li felt extremely wronged. She was a good sister who had worried endlessly about her brother’s lifelong happiness, never picky or choosy, the most agreeable sister-in-law in the world.
“It must be you interfering, otherwise Master Qingchen would like me!” Dong Fangyou said hatefully.
“Miss Dong, you’re overthinking,” Ye Li said calmly. “Look at how my brother treats Yun Ge, then look at how he treats you. Isn’t it clear what kind of young lady my brother likes?”
Dong Fangyou glared fiercely at Ye Li. Ye Li blinked and smiled faintly, “Miss Dong, rather than thinking about these baseless matters, you’d better think about how many days you have left to live.”
“You want to kill me?” Dong Fangyou looked at her coldly, speaking with disdain. Ye Li shook her head, “I don’t plan to kill you. I plan to release you.”
“You think I’ll believe that?” Dong Fangyou laughed coldly. Ye Li said sincerely, “It’s true, I plan to release you. And… I’ll send you back to your original subordinates at Cangmang Mountain. Along with the evidence of your plot against Dong Hui.” Hearing Ye Li’s words, Dong Fangyou’s face instantly turned deathly pale. Plotting against Dong Hui was the only thing she had done in her life that her conscience could never escape from. Similarly, it was also something that would certainly cost her life if it became known.
Although Cangmang Mountain’s power had dwindled to barely a tenth of what it once was, there were still many people fiercely loyal to it. These people were loyal to her only because she was Cangmang Mountain’s young master, the heir personally groomed by Dong Hui. Once people learned that she had caused Dong Hui’s death, those people would immediately turn against her to avenge Dong Hui. Dong Fangyou was self-aware enough to know this – how could her mere few months compare to Dong Hui’s decades of prestige?
Looking at Dong Fangyou’s ashen expression, Ye Li felt not even a hint of sympathy or pity. To her, Dong Hui had been an enemy, but to Dong Fangyou, Dong Hui had been her teacher, mother, and savior. If not for Dong Hui, Dong Fangyou would have died long ago, let alone now claiming to excel in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, martial arts, and medicine, considering herself the only one in heaven or earth worthy of Master Qingchen. Even if Dong Hui had wronged everyone else in the world, she had never wronged Dong Fangyou. Yet just because Dong Hui had obstructed her so-called good match, she betrayed her teacher and even sent people to assassinate her. She was no different from a beast – not only would Xu Qingchen never be interested in such a person, but even if he were, Ye Li would have to eliminate her. Of course, Master Qingchen’s judgment was far sharper than Ye Li’s.
Originally, Ye Li hadn’t decided how to deal with Dong Fangyou – keeping such a person around was irritating, but killing her seemed pointless. Conveniently, many of Cangmang Mountain’s hidden forces were difficult to dig out. Once Ye Li revealed the truth about Dong Hui’s death, those loyal to Dong Hui, those harboring ill intentions toward Dong Fangyou, and those with hidden ambitions to establish their power would all come forward.
Therefore, Ye Li naturally didn’t object to trading Dong Fangyou for some benefits. Of course, this required ensuring Dong Fangyou would not survive – her obsession with Xu Qingchen had already become twisted, and if she were to escape again, Ye Li couldn’t guarantee what else she might do.
Because they planned to head north quickly, Xu Qingchen didn’t delay further, taking Yun Ge to visit the Muyang Marquis’s mansion early the next morning. Upon hearing that Master Qingchen had come to visit, both father and son’s expressions immediately turned ugly. Usually, they would have warmly welcomed Master Qingchen’s visit. But now… Prince Li had just been thoroughly tricked by the Prince of Ding’s mansion, though this wasn’t the Prince of Ding’s fault. But no person in power doesn’t misdirect their anger, and while Prince Li hadn’t sent people after the Princess Consort of Ding and Master Qingchen yet, that was because he couldn’t ensure capturing them all at once, not because he didn’t want to. Now, if they associated too closely with Master Qingchen, wouldn’t they be asking to become Prince Li’s outlet for anger?
However, Master Qingchen wasn’t someone they could choose to see or not see at will. At Xu Qingchen’s level of fame and status, you might not be able to see him when you wanted to, but when he wanted to see you, you absolutely couldn’t refuse.
“Master Qingchen, Master Qingchen has come from afar, this old one’s failure to welcome you properly is truly discourteous,” the old Marquis of Muyang led the Mu family members forward to welcome him, his face full of smiles as he addressed Xu Qingchen. Xu Qingchen smiled faintly as he glanced at the group of people behind the Marquis of Muyang. It was said that the Marquis of Muyang was Mo Jingqi’s trusted aide, and now although Mo Jingqi could be said to have died in disgrace with his family ruined, the Marquis of Muyang’s family remained wealthy and prestigious, perhaps even more so than before. He was truly a rare military official skilled at managing affairs.
Slightly frowning as he looked at Yun Ge, Xu Qingchen wasn’t certain if leaving Yun Ge at the Marquis of Muyang’s mansion was a good idea. Even with Yao Ji there, she had important duties – how could she always watch over an inexperienced child? Moreover… how much longer could the Marquis of Muyang’s mansion last?
Yun Ge followed beside Xu Qingchen, looking somewhat strangely at the elderly man speaking with him. If he felt he had failed to welcome them properly, why didn’t he just go out to greet them? Though given his age, not greeting them wasn’t an issue. Yun Ge frowned slightly, not knowing why, but instinctively disliking this elderly master who smiled so kindly at Xu Qingchen.
The old Marquis of Muyang naturally also noticed the young lady standing beside Xu Qingchen and was somewhat surprised since Master Qingchen was famous for his indifference to women. Already past thirty but still unmarried, how had he come to be accompanied by a beautiful young lady?
Mu Yang and Yao Ji had naturally both met Yun Ge before. Yao Ji was quite fond of this martially skilled but pure-hearted young lady and smiled at her with a nod. Yun Ge blinked and returned a sweet smile to Yao Ji. Although Yun Ge quite disliked those people from last night’s banquet, she didn’t hold grudges strongly. Besides, last night’s events weren’t their fault – it was all because of that heartless Prince Li!
“Yao Ji knows this young lady?” The Marchioness of Muyang, standing behind Mu Yang alongside Yao Ji, suddenly asked in a sharp voice, watching their interaction. The old Marquis frowned, displeased with his daughter-in-law’s rudeness, but his gaze also swept toward Yao Ji.
Mu Yang glared at his wife and explained, “Father, we met this young lady at Prince Li’s mansion last night.”
“Prince Li’s mansion?” The old Marquis frowned. Mu Yang had only vaguely mentioned two sentences about what happened at Prince Li’s mansion last night – as officials, they naturally needed to understand which matters could be spoken of and which couldn’t be mentioned even to their closest family. Though the old Marquis didn’t know exactly what had happened at Prince Li’s mansion last night, judging from this morning’s news about the Emperor being gravely ill and Princess Consort Li’s death, it was likely no small matter.
The old Marquis cautiously glanced at Xu Qingchen and asked in a deep voice, “May I ask what brings Master Qingchen to visit?”
Xu Qingchen smiled faintly, “Does the Marquis plan to discuss matters with me here?”
If possible, the old Marquis indeed hoped to talk right there. But he also understood this wasn’t the place for conversation. Laughing somewhat awkwardly, he stepped aside and said, “Master, please come inside.”
After entering and settling in the main hall, Yun Ge sat properly below Xu Qingchen. Quiet and well-behaved, completely unlike her innocent and lively self from last night when she had been filled with righteous indignation over others’ affairs.
After tea was served, Mu Yang asked, “Master Qingchen, may I ask who this young lady is…”
Xu Qingchen set down his teacup, glanced at Yun Ge, and said calmly, “Does the Marquis remember a doctor called Shen Fenru?”
“Shen Fenru?” Mu Yang frowned in confusion, looking toward his parents. The old Marquis’s expression changed slightly as he quickly glanced at Yun Ge sitting beside Xu Qingchen, saying in a deep voice, “This old one has never heard of him. Why does Master Qingchen ask?”
Xu Qingchen said, “Then, I suppose about three to four years ago, the Marquis also didn’t receive a letter from this Master Shen.” The old Marquis’s expression had already returned to composure as he nodded, “Indeed, I never received such a letter.”
“In that case, I shall take my leave.” Xu Qingchen’s face darkened slightly, and he said no more. Standing up, he said to Yun Ge, “Yun Ge, let’s go.”
“Hm?” Yun Ge looked at Xu Qingchen in confusion, not quite understanding why he was suddenly unhappy again. However, when Xu Qingchen was unhappy, she was usually the one who suffered, so she quickly stood up and walked to his side, hesitating before asking, “But, didn’t you say you’d help me find someone? Is… is there no one to find? It’s alright, there’s no rush…”
Xu Qingchen smiled faintly, looking at Yun Ge, “No need to look anymore. The people your father arranged to receive you can’t come.”
“Why… why not?” Yun Ge didn’t understand.
“Their entire family is dead.” Xu Qingchen walked out without looking back, completely missing how the old Marquis’s face instantly turned as ugly as if he’d swallowed a fly.
Mu Yang, who had never seen Xu Qingchen so discourteous, watched as Yun Ge, feeling somewhat guilty, nodded at the Marquis whose face had turned blue with anger, and hurried after Xu Qingchen, “Qingchen, don’t be angry. It’s not their fault if they died long ago, I can manage on my own…”
“Don’t worry, from now on you’ll come with me to Li City. You don’t think the Prince of Ding’s mansion can’t afford to support one little girl?” Xu Qingchen’s voice drifted back, already carrying a trace of pleasant amusement.
“I’m not a little girl! Then… should I… go sweep the graves? It’s just… my father said for the first three years I need to visit his grave on each death anniversary and Qingming Festival, or he’ll be angry.”
“No need, we’ll wait until they’re all dead to die once and for all,” Xu Qingchen said blandly.
“But didn’t you say they were already all dead?” Yun Ge glared at him angrily.
“I said no need, understand?” Xu Qingchen stopped and looked at Yun Ge with a gentle smile. Yun Ge immediately shrank her little head, hanging it low as she said softly, “I understand…” Qingchen was getting scarier and scarier. Wuwu…