Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 373 - 372. Dongfang You was Captured

372. Capture of Dongfang You

"Young Master Qingchen’s whereabouts are no concern for Miss Dongfang’s people. Princess Consort Li, perhaps you would speak with my master first?" A jovial male voice suddenly echoed from a nearby slope.

Upon hearing this, everyone in front of the small house changed expressions. The house seemed inconspicuous, but it was guarded by numerous mechanical traps on the way. They might not hurt anyone, but anyone inside the house would know right away if they were triggered. Yet, this man had managed to reach them without alerting anyone.

"Who’s there?" Dongfang You turned abruptly to see a male figure in black, leisurely leaning against a tree on a slope not far away. After a brief moment of contemplation, she remembered who he was. He’s from Prince Ding’s Mansion!

Though she didn’t know the man’s name or status, Dongfang You remembered seeing him at Princess Consort Ding’s side. It never occurred to her that while she was cautiously guarding against Prince Ding’s Mansion, one of Ye Li’s trusted aides had already silently followed her.

The man in black greeted with a smile, "Zhuo Jing of Prince Ding’s Mansion pays his respects to Miss Dongfang."

Without revealing any emotions, Dongfang You asked, "What’s your purpose here? Surely, you’re not the only one from Prince Ding’s Mansion, are you?"

Zhuo Jing said, "My purpose here is the same as Miss Dongfang’s. My master invites Miss Dongfang for a discussion." Dongfang You’s façade changed slightly, and she asked, "Did Ye Li come as well?" Zhuo Jing simply responded with an enigmatic smile. Dongfang You’s mind raced. She realized the situation had become disadvantageous for her. The last time she attempted to capture Xu Qingchen, about seventy to eighty percent of the people she and Mo Jingli had dispatched were lost. This demonstrated the formidable strength of Prince Ding’s guards, not to mention Ye Li was personally in charge of Qilin, the elite force of Prince Ding’s Mansion.

"I’m afraid I don’t have time for a chat with Princess Consort Ding. If she has anything important, she can swing by Prince Li’s Mansion," Dongfang You responded coolly.

Zhuo Jing didn’t bother arguing; he simply signaled with a silent smile. In an instant, countless black-clad figures emerged soundlessly, enveloping the slopes around the cottage. Trained adeptly, they effectively blocked all possible exits, making escape impossible.

Dongfang You realized that without a fight, there was no escaping from Prince Ding’s Mansion. She lunged straight towards Zhuo Jing without any further ado. Seeing her make a move, her followers did the same, thereby initiating a chaotic forest battle.

Zhuo Jing watched Dongfang You charge at him with amusement, unconcernedly drawing his sword to counter. Although Dongfang You’s martial arts skills might be superior, Zhuo Jing was not afraid of her. It didn’t take long before they engaged in a melee.

On a nearby hill, Ye Li and Wei Lin were spectating the battle from above. Though Dongfang You and her followers were noteworthy martial artists, they were vastly outnumbered. This place was kept well hidden by Dongfang You to serve as her sanctuary; naturally, there weren’t many people stationed there. In just a short while, her followers had been overpowered.

"Princess Consort, Dongfang You’s martial arts skills are indeed commendable. If her mind were sharper, she would be a true genius," Wei Lin couldn’t help but praise. It is more challenging for women to master martial arts compared to men. Yet, at the tender age of only sixteen or seventeen, she possessed such profound skills. Her talent was on par with that of a young Mo Xiuyao. Given time, she might even match Mo Xiuyao as a martial arts prodigy and become the first woman to ever be recognized as the greatest martial artist of all time.

Watching Dongfang You deftly engaging with Zhuo Jing, and even managing to fight him to a standstill, Ye Li couldn’t help but agree, "Being Cangmang Mountain’s successor, she is truly a rare talent." Dongfang You’s talent extended way beyond martial arts – she was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, dance, astrology, medicine, and divination. Ye Li readily admitted she could never match such wide-reaching aptitude. Unfortunately, a genius’s mindset is often beyond an ordinary person’s understanding, and Dongfang You’s ideology was clearly unacceptable to most.

"Should I help?" Wei Lin asked. It wasn’t that Zhuo Jing couldn’t handle Dongfang You. Despite Dongfang You’s genius, she lacked experience, which put her at a disadvantage against battle-hardened combatants like Ren Qining. Zhuo Jing had had multiple opportunities to kill Dongfang You during their fight, but capturing her was proving difficult.

"No need," Ye Li shook her head with a soft smile. "She can’t escape. Let’s go down too."

Dongfang You found herself with no way out. However, the final blow did not come from Zhuo Jing or the men from Prince Ding’s Mansion, but from one of her own guards who had been by her side all along. When all of Dongfang You’s subordinates had been captured, leaving only one guard by her side, that guard lunged forward to block Zhuo Jing’s sword for her. Dongfang You, thinking she had found an opportunity to escape, was about to seize it. However, what awaited her instead were two swords. She managed to dodge Zhuo Jing’s blade, which only grazed her clothes, but the sudden attack from the young man—one she had never guarded against—critically injured her.

Clutching her chest, Dongfang You glared at the young man standing next to Zhuo Jing, her eyes filled with hatred as understanding dawned. "So, you’re from Prince Ding’s Mansion?!"

Zhuo Jing laughed. "When Cangmang Mountain can infiltrate Prince Ding’s Mansion, how could Prince Ding’s Mansion not infiltrate Cangmang Mountain?"

Ultimately, her lack of experience showed. Even though Dongfang You possessed martial arts skills that ranked among the best in the world, she was still at the mercy of others. When she saw Ye Li casually walking over with Wei Lin, the anger in Dongfang You’s eyes intensified. "Ye Li, it really was you!"

Ye Li gave a slight smile, saying, "Originally, I had no desire to appear here, but Miss Dongfang forced my hand. Now that we’re here, why don’t we sit down inside?" At this point, Dongfang You had no room to argue. Her martial arts skills had been restrained, and she was forced to follow Ye Li into the small wooden house nearby.

The small wooden house was surprisingly elaborate inside. With the methods of Prince Ding’s Mansion, they would surely get these people to talk. Especially after witnessing Dongfang You casually kill one of her own accomplices, these individuals couldn’t help feeling a sense of shared vulnerability. Compared to Dongfang You, who was now temperamental, erratic, and ruthless, the Princess Consort Ding in white, with her warm smile, seemed exceptionally affable.

In less than ten minutes, Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin obtained the location of the secret tunnel entrance from those people. Leading the way with Dongfang You in tow, they walked for nearly an hour before finally emerging into daylight. This place turned out to be a deep valley surrounded on all sides by cliff walls. Although Ye Li had somewhat anticipated this location based on the terrain and route of the secret tunnel, she couldn’t help furrowing her brows when she actually saw it. It would be difficult even for her to leave such a place without alerting anyone, let alone Xu Qingchen, who knew no martial arts. How on earth did my elder brother disappear from this place?

"When did Young Master Qingchen disappear?" Ye Li asked casually as she sat in a simple pavilion in the middle of the valley. She surveyed the surroundings; the pavilion was simply furnished but lacked no necessities. There was a half-read ancient book on the table, and Xu Qingchen’s room was clean and tidy, showing no signs of intrusion or abduction.

The men and women exchanged looks, and one stepped forward. "Princess Consort, Young Master Qingchen... disappeared two days ago."

"Two days ago?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "If Young Master Qingchen disappeared two days ago, why didn’t you report it to Miss Dongfang? Did you also send people to search for him?" The man responded with a bitter smile, "We did send people searching immediately, but we couldn’t find him anywhere—not inside or outside the valley, or up or down the mountain. The Young Master ordered us to keep an eye on Young Master Qingchen. Now that he has disappeared..."

Ye Li understood these people’s reasoning. Having been around Dongfang You for a while, they were undoubtedly aware of her methods. Princess Qixia was nearly beaten to death by Dongfang You just for a few mocking words; their own fate for losing Xu Qingchen would be far worse. They could only stall, hoping to find him before Dongfang You arrived, one day at a time.

Ye Li glanced at Dongfang You, who was sitting rigidly to the side. In such a short time, Dongfang You has become a master who instills such fear in her subordinates. Truly unexpected. However, now that I’ve captured her, that hardly matters. Cangmang Mountain, a thorn in the side of the various nations for centuries, must be completely uprooted sooner or later.

"Aside from the secret tunnel, is there another way out of this valley?" Ye Li asked.

Everyone shook their heads in succession. The leading man gave a bitter smile. "Princess Consort, even if there were another way out, it wouldn’t be a route Young Master Qingchen could take. Even if we were to climb out from these cliffs—look at them, four precipitous cliffs, each nearly a thousand feet high and as if cut by a knife—not only someone like Young Master Qingchen who knows no martial arts, even for us..." Ye Li nodded, understanding that without proper tools, even she herself couldn’t climb such cliffs.

"What was Young Master Qingchen doing before he disappeared?"

"Because the Young Master ordered us not to neglect Young Master Qingchen, he was allowed to do whatever he pleased as long as he didn’t try to escape. We were watching that day; Young Master Qingchen had been very quiet, just reading books and playing the zither as he did daily. So we didn’t pay much attention. Every day at that time, Young Master Qingchen would sit on the hillside outside the small building to read."

Ye Li stood up and said, "Show me."

Now, their lives were in Ye Li’s hands; they wouldn’t dare to go against her. Besides, if it weren’t for Ye Li’s sudden appearance, they might have ended up like the first unfortunate soul, killed by Dongfang You’s wrath. Hence, in a way, the Princess Consort had saved their lives. Furthermore, from any perspective, pledging allegiance to Prince Ding’s Mansion was much more promising than continuing to follow the already declining Cangmang Mountain.

Ye Li smiled as she glanced at Dongfang You. Dongfang You unflinchingly glared back at Ye Li, her gaze deadly as if laced with poison. Ye Li furrowed her eyebrows, speaking casually, "Miss Dongfang, I’ll have to trouble you to wait here a little longer."

Dongfang You glared at her, retorting, "I’m going to look for Qingchen."

Ye Li frowned. "My elder brother wouldn’t want to see you. Haven’t you hurt him enough?" Dongfang You replied angrily, "I didn’t harm Qingchen! I just... I just..." Ye Li waved her hand dismissively. "I don’t want to hear your ’I just...’. Will you sit here quietly or not?"

Dongfang You defiantly glared at her. "What if I don’t? You can tie me up if you have the guts."

Ye Li curled the corner of her lips into a slight smirk. "If that’s the case..." With a swift move, she landed a chop of her hand on Dongfang You’s neck. Dongfang You’s eyes closed, and she collapsed to the ground. "Wei Lin."

Wei Lin looked at Ye Li with admiration, nodding and chuckling. "Princess Consort, rest assured, we’ll make sure she doesn’t get up to any mischief." Prince Ding’s Mansion had plenty of methods and medicines to block a person’s internal strength, ensuring that even if Dongfang You woke up, she would be too weak to move.

Having dealt with Dongfang You, the group, led by Dongfang You’s captured guards, went to the spot where Xu Qingchen had disappeared. It was indeed the most picturesque location in the valley. There, on the ground, lay a smooth stone, distinguishing it from the other weathered stones in the area. This rock seemed carefully maintained, as though it was frequently sat upon or wiped clean. Ye Li took a seat on the rock and looked around, asking, "Where is the book my brother was reading that day?"

The others glanced at one another, taking a while to answer, "It seems... it disappeared along with Young Master Qingchen." Young Master Qingchen’s disappearance had long since thrown everyone into a panic; no one had time to worry about an insignificant book. Now they recalled that Young Master Qingchen had indeed been carrying a book when he left. But they hadn’t seen the book near where he had disappeared afterward, indicating that Young Master Qingchen had taken it with him when he left.

Zhuo Jing whispered to Ye Li beside him, "It seems that Young Master Qingchen probably left of his own free will, doesn’t it? If he had been forced by someone, he wouldn’t have had the presence of mind to take a book with him. And if he had been carried away unconscious, it’s even less likely. Surely no one kidnapping him would be so taken with an old book that they would pick it up and carry it away?"

Ye Li pondered for a while before finally pointing to the cliff nearby. "Go up and take a look." Afterward, she pointed to a lake not too far away. "Go down and take a look." Immediately, a few black-garbed bodyguards approached the cliff and began to climb it. Meanwhile, two guards skilled in swimming slipped into the water and descended silently.

"Princess Consort, Young Master Qingchen cannot possibly have..." The guards who had been watching over Xu Qingchen, assuming Ye Li thought he had fallen into the lake, rushed to advise her. If Young Master Qingchen had fallen into this lake, his body should have surfaced after two days.

Ye Li dismissed them with a wave of her hand, indicating they need not say more.

Before long, the guards who had climbed up the cliff returned. "Princess Consort, there are indeed human footprints on the mountain. However... Young Master Qingchen must not have climbed up from this cliff." It would take a great deal of time and effort to climb such a high cliff with a person unskilled in martial arts. Moreover, the risk of being spotted by those below was too high. Further, not the slightest trace remained on the stone wall or the cliff face. Unless their qinggong was so profound they could carry Young Master Qingchen, fly up the cliff in one go without any leverage, and still have energy to spare to fly much farther. But even the Prince himself would likely be incapable of such a feat.

Ye Li sighed lightly. She hadn’t really held much hope in the first place. Waving her hand to dismiss the guards, she silently watched the gently rippling lake water.

After a long while, one of the guards who had descended into the lake finally resurfaced. "Princess Consort, there is a deep cavern at the bottom of the lake. I suspect it may lead outside." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Wei Lin frowned. "But even if that’s the case, how could Young Master Qingchen have gotten out that way?" Judging by the two guards’ appearance, they had clearly resurfaced only when they were about to run out of air. Given Young Master Qingchen’s constitution, he definitely couldn’t hold his breath longer than Prince Ding’s Mansion’s guards. Besides... does Qingchen even know how to swim?

Ye Li’s brow smoothed slightly. "My brother obviously didn’t leave on his own."

"You mean, someone took Young Master Qingchen away?" Zhuo Jing asked. One of the guards still in the lake held up a jade pendant. "Princess Consort, we found this at the bottom of the lake."

Wei Lin stepped forward to receive it; it was indeed Xu Qingchen’s customary jade ornament. The silk cord attached to it had not snapped, yet the jade pendant had been found in the lake, clearly left there deliberately. Holding the jade pendant, Ye Li contemplated for a moment before asking, "Can you get through?"

"Your subordinate is incompetent. I swam a great distance but still couldn’t find the exit. Moreover, this is a mountainous area; even if there is an exit, it’s likely very far, or there’s no telling where it leads," the guard apologized.

Ye Li waved her hand. "You’re not to blame. Get out of the water now. Wei Lin, send someone to covertly scout the surrounding area within five miles. Make sure you note down all pools, rivers, and lakes. Zhuo Jing, see if we have anyone from a coastal region in our group who can stay underwater for a long time, and have them try again from here."

"We obey," responded the two in unison.

Having thought that they had news of Xu Qingchen, it turned out to be a false hope. Even so, at least they now had definite confirmation of Xu Qingchen’s presence there. Although worried about Qingchen’s safety, Ye Li had to return to Nanjing City first.

At this point, Nanjing City was in turmoil due to the sudden disappearance of Dongfang You, with people sent by Prince Li’s Mansion searching everywhere. Ye Li, Zhuo Jing, and Wei Lin, all in disguise, strolled leisurely along the main streets. Meanwhile, Dongfang You had been returned to Chu Mansion within the city. Ye Li didn’t plan to play her Dongfang You chess piece for now, as startling the snake in the grass was never a good strategy. Once Mo Jingli left Nanjing, Dongfang You and Cangmang Mountain would serve a much larger purpose.

Dongfang You was brought back to Chu Mansion in a box. Mo Jingli, who was frantically looking for Dongfang You, would never have imagined that she had been unsuspectingly carried in a box back to Nanjing like a transported piece of goods. Whether it was forgetfulness or not, when Ye Li returned to Chu Mansion, Dongfang You was still locked inside the box, unreleased.

When the lid was opened, Dongfang You was already awake. Unfortunately, after having her acupoints sealed and being drugged, her mobility was no better than that of a one-year-old child. So even though she was awake, she could only helplessly curl up in the box and wait for someone to free her. Apart from her unrequited love for Xu Qingchen and being forced to marry Mo Jingli, Dongfang You had never faced much hardship in her life, let alone such treatment. So when the box was opened, Wei Lin felt Dongfang You’s piercing gaze on him.

Wei Lin shrugged his shoulders, carelessly picking Dongfang You up with one hand and throwing her onto the chair next to him. Dongfang You glared resentfully at the figure seated in the position of authority. However, on seeing the gracious young man in that position, she couldn’t help but startle. "Is that you?!"

Ye Li smiled faintly and nodded. "Miss Dongfang, I apologize for the inconvenience."

He looked like Chu Junwei, but sounded like Ye Li. Dongfang You’s face immediately turned sour. She said through gritted teeth, "Ye Li, it’s you! You dare..." The Young Master Chu who had made such a good impression on her at the chrysanthemum appreciation gathering was actually Ye Li in disguise! This was far more humiliating than anything else. But she had no time to dwell on Ye Li’s deception and hurriedly asked, "Where is Young Master Qingchen?"

Ye Li shook her head helplessly. Dongfang You’s feelings for Xu Qingchen were deep; however, she had taken the wrong approach, and Xu Qingchen had no feelings for her. Mutual love could never be achieved by just one person. If Dongfang You merely wanted to silently love Xu Qingchen without bothering anyone else, Ye Li wouldn’t mock her feelings. But if she kept desperately clinging to him even after his stern rejection, then her actions were too coercive.

"Prince Ding’s Mansion will deal with my elder brother’s affairs. Miss Dongfang, if you have time, you should consider your own situation," Ye Li calmly said.

"I want to see Young Master Qingchen!" Dongfang You shrieked.

Ye Li frowned. "We have not yet found my elder brother."

"I want to see Young Master Qingchen!" It seemed as if Dongfang You hadn’t heard Ye Li’s words and continued to scream. Ye Li helplessly sighed. "There’s no point in discussing this further. Please, Miss Dongfang, go and rest."

"Ye Li! I want to see Young Master Qingchen!" Dongfang You glared at Ye Li, as if Ye Li were some wicked woman trying to break up a pair of lovers. Ye Li looked at her, her gaze deep. "Miss Dongfang, have you thought about Madam Dongfang these days?" Dongfang You was taken aback, her face immediately turning pale.

Ye Li waved her hand, signaling others to take her away.

Perhaps because Ye Li had suddenly brought up Dongfang Hui, Dongfang You seemed to have lost her soul and was led away.

"Princess Consort, it’s unexpected. You brought back such an important person during your trip." At the door, Yaoji stood grinning at Ye Li. Ye Li raised her eyebrows slightly. "What are you doing here?"

Yaoji laughed. "Prince Li is out searching for someone everywhere; I knew something big must have happened. But I didn’t expect that it was Princess Consort Li who had gone missing." Ye Li was somewhat curious. "Didn’t Mo Jingli make this a public matter?"

Yaoji laughed behind her hand. "I bet Mo Jingli assumes that Dongfang You ran away with Young Master Qingchen, so why would he publicize it and embarrass himself? He probably never imagined that the Princess Consort Regent he’s been searching for is here, not far from Prince Li’s Mansion. By the way, any news about Young Master Qingchen?"

Ye Li frowned slightly and shook her head. Yaoji sighed softly. "You don’t need to worry, Princess Consort. Young Master Qingchen is a person of good fortune and should be fine. By the way, I’m here on an actual business matter."

Ye Li looked at her smilingly. Yaoji waved the note in her hand and said, "Prince Li is planning a campaign, but the funds are somewhat lacking. So, he plans to host a banquet for the city’s dignitaries and wealthy merchants to ask them for loans."

Ye Li was taken aback, and after a moment, asked, "So, Mo Jingli plans to borrow money from me to attack the Mo Family Army?"

Yaoji laughed. "Who else can he turn to if not the prestigious Chu Family of the Great Chu?"