Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 378 - 377. The Last Strike, Death of Ye Ying

377. The Death Blow, The Death of Ye Ying

Ye Ying seemed to have accepted her fate, no longer begging Mo Jingli to spare Mo Suyun. Mo Jingli also paid her no mind; deep down, he had some contempt for Ye Ying. From his sympathy and love for Ye Ying a decade ago, to the point where he gave up the marriage granted by the late emperor that brought him the resentment of the Xu family. Though there were some political reasons, one could not ignore Mo Jingli’s genuine affection for Ye Ying at the time. But now, ten years later, he was indifferent, disdainful, and repulsed by her—a stark contrast.

Especially when compared to Ye Li, Mo Jingli felt more justified in despising Ye Ying. Weak, incompetent, selfish, foolish. Many times, Mo Jingli would question whether he had been bewitched back then to think Ye Ying was more suited than Ye Li to be Princess Consort Li. Even if Ye Li had been known as a lady with no assets to bring to a marriage, Mo Jingli felt that Ye Li would never have been more foolish than the current Ye Ying. Hence, Mo Jingli didn’t trouble to dispose of Ye Ying, nor did he expect any significant action from her. He even eased her restrictions due to her compliance. After all, having just lost a princess consort, it wouldn’t be a good look for another one to get into trouble. But he forgot that underestimating a woman can sometimes come with a hefty price.

And so, having just removed a few ’nails’ that Prince Ding’s Mansion had inserted in Jiangnan, a high-spirited Mo Jingli naturally forgot the possibility that Mo Suyun could be his son. He went on confidently preparing for the most glorious time of his life that was soon to come.

Although Ye Ying had gained some freedom, she was not allowed to leave the mansion, and the attendants around her were all from Mo Jingli’s side. Ye Ying seemed to have given up her previous madness and persistence, only pleading with Mo Jingli to allow her occasional visits to Mo Suyun. Mo Jingli, ostensibly feeling a bit of guilt for this son, agreed to Ye Ying’s request in the end.

On that day, as she had for the past couple of days, Ye Ying visited Mo Suyun’s temporary residence with a soup she had personally made. Just as the imperial physician was diagnosing Mo Suyun, Grand Consort Wise Zhao had also come to take care of him. She had been feeling much better these past few days. Without entering the room, Ye Ying heard Grand Consort Wise Zhao’s voice and paused. She heard Grand Consort Wise Zhao ask, "What’s the condition of His Majesty’s health?"

The physician was in deep thought for a moment before answering, "To report to the Grand Consort, I find it strange that His Majesty’s health seems to have improved somewhat." Upon hearing this, Ye Ying’s heart trembled, and her slender fingers unconsciously clenched the lunch box in her hand.

After a moment of silence in the room, the Grand Consort asked, "Is it because of the princess consort...?"

"It shouldn’t be. I checked the soup the princess consort brought over. It’s just ordinary soup. Not to mention curing His Majesty’s illness, even the nourishing effect of it is probably very limited." The physician denied the Grand Consort’s conjecture.

After hesitating for a while, the Grand Consort ended up asking, "So, in your opinion, His Majesty’s health now..."

The physician replied in a low voice, "To answer the Grand Consort, although His Majesty’s health has somewhat improved, recovery is nigh impossible. If taken great care of, perhaps he can prolong his life for a few more years. Otherwise... but at this time..." The physician felt awkward. Being loyal to Prince Li and the Grand Consort, he understood their intentions. However, considering the current state of the Emperor, he wouldn’t live long, but dragging on for a year or so shouldn’t be a problem. Unless severe medicine were to be administered... Upon this thought, the physician felt a shudder and did not dare to think further. There are things that a master can think of, but as a subordinate, he must not think too much about it.

After a while, Grand Consort Wise Zhao sighed, "Forget it, I’ll discuss it with Prince Li."

Ye Ying, standing outside the room, clenched the lunch box in her hand, her drooping eyes carrying a venomous gaze. That old woman... From the day she walked into the house, that old woman had been tormenting her, and now she was discussing these things in front of her child. Even if Suyun couldn’t understand it... Even if...

She gritted her teeth. Ye Ying concealed the hate on her face and walked into the room.

Seeing her, Grand Consort Wise Zhao frowned. "When did you get here?"

Ye Ying blinked, confused. "I came to see His Majesty. Does the Grand Consort need something?" Grand Consort Wise Zhao eyed Ye Ying suspiciously. Now that Ye Ying had recognized Mo Suyun’s identity, she would definitely not leave him alone. After observing for a while, only to see Ye Ying’s calm and respectful demeanor, she said, "Nothing. Since you’re here, stay with His Majesty. I am a bit tired; I will go rest first."

Ye Ying respectfully replied, "I’ll see you off, Grand Consort."

Having bid farewell to Grand Consort Wise Zhao, the imperial physician also packed up his things and took his leave. Sitting by the bed, Ye Ying looked at the child lying on the bed with a blank expression and felt her nose tingling as she fought back tears.

"S... Your Majesty, I brought your favorite chicken soup for you. Would you like to have some?" Ye Ying said gently.

Mo Suyun looked at Ye Ying, his eyes flickered, and suddenly he said, "You are Princess Consort Li..."

Ye Ying’s heart leaped with joy. Mo Suyun had been so ill a few days earlier that he couldn’t even recognize people. He had only stared blankly. Unexpectedly, he recognized her today, proving that the imperial physician was right; his condition had significantly improved.

Ye Ying carefully propped him up against the pillow, offering the chicken soup to his lips, and asked softly, "Is there anything you want, Your Majesty? I’ll have someone go buy it for you."

Mo Suyun blinked, hesitated a little, and whispered, "I want big brother in white and pretty sister."

Ye Ying was taken aback. Mo Suyun was yet to fully recover from his severe illness, and she almost didn’t hear what he said. Assuming she didn’t understand, Mo Suyun gestured toward the arm that was still covered in scabs and said, "Brother." Then he took out a tiny brown pill from an inconspicuous bag and said, "Sister."

Ye Ying’s heart skipped a beat as she cast a cautious glance around. Although the room was attended by palace maids and eunuchs, they all stayed in the outer chamber. What was happening behind the screen and curtain was still hidden. Ye Ying naturally didn’t know that the sister Mo Suyun referred to was Yunge; she just assumed it was Ye Li dressed as a woman. She whispered, "Did sister give it to you?"

Mo Suyun slowly nodded. "Brother said I can’t tell others. But I can tell the Princess Consort." This brother, however, turned out to be Qin Feng.

Ye Ying carefully hid the little bag for him, looked lovingly at the somewhat confused Mo Suyun, and said softly, "Don’t worry. Whatever you love, I’ll find it for you."

"What does His Majesty like that you have to find for him?" Mo Jingli’s voice came from the doorway.

Ye Ying’s heart jumped; she quickly stood up and forced a smile, saying, "His Majesty wants to eat honey-roasted chicken. I heard that the Deyue Pavilion in the east of the city makes it splendidly. So I was going to have someone buy it for His Majesty."

Mo Jingli gave them a glance, nonchalantly saying, "Really?"

Ye Ying nervously clenched her fingers inside her sleeve, worrying that Mo Suyun might spill the beans. But she saw Mo Suyun cast a fearful glance at Mo Jingli. His little body shrank inwards, but he didn’t utter a word.

Mo Jingli had long gotten used to such situations. Whenever Mo Suyun saw him in the past few years, he had always acted like this. But now their identities were different. What used to bother him now stirred complex, indescribable feelings and dissatisfaction. How could such a timid and scared child be his, Mo Jingli’s?!

Indifferently, Mo Jingli looked away and said, "If His Majesty likes it, I’ll send someone to invite the chef from Deyue Pavilion to our mansion to prepare it specifically for him." Ye Ying nodded and said softly, "As you say, my Prince."

Pleased, Mo Jingli nodded and glanced at the half-finished chicken soup. "Let His Majesty rest well. I’ll escort you back to your room."

"Yes." Ye Ying reluctantly glanced one more time at Mo Suyun, who seemed to have lost himself again in a daze, then turned and left with Mo Jingli. As soon as they were out of Mo Suyun’s courtyard, someone hurriedly approached and reported, "Your Highness, Madam Yang from the side court has sent word. She is one and a half months pregnant."

"What?" Mo Jingli was taken aback, immediately filled with joy. He paid no heed to accompanying Ye Ying back and laughed heartily, "Excellent! A great reward for her. Issue my edict, promoting Ms. Zhao to the position of Secondary Consort."

"Yes, Your Highness. Congratulations, Your Highness." The messenger appeared equally happy. After all, this was the only heir in Prince Li’s Mansion at the moment, and a great cause for joy for the Prince. Mo Jingli waved his hand and said, "Never mind, I will go and see her myself." With those words, as if forgetting about Ye Ying beside him, he strode toward the side court.

At the gate, Ye Ying turned back to look at the courtyard door, then silently headed toward her own courtyard.

In a nondescript manor in Nanjing City, Xu Qingchen and Ye Li were playing chess in the courtyard. Yunge curiously watched their intense game, her eyes filled with admiration and respect as she looked at Ye Li. Ye Li smiled helplessly at the young girl’s fascination and shook her head. Yunge didn’t understand chess and only saw Xu Qingchen being driven into a corner by her. She didn’t realize that most often when facing Xu Qingchen, she was the one who ended up losing. No matter how methodically she planned her moves, it was of no use. So, she decided to play quickly and aggressively.

"Young Master Qingchen, Your Highness." Qin Feng, dressed in unassuming clothing, appeared in the courtyard and bowed.

Xu Qingchen, stopping his move mid-air, laughed seeing Qin Feng’s attire. "Commander Qin, you really do blend in well. If I were to bump into you in the streets, I may not recognize you." Xu Qingchen wasn’t exaggerating. Qin Feng normally projected an imposing air that discouraged frivolity. However, in these plain clothes, and with his demeanor toned down, even his handsome face seemed ordinary. He could easily blend into a crowd without attracting any attention. Such individuals serve well as secret guards, spies, and assassins.

Qin Feng smiled faintly and replied, "You flatter me, Young Master."

Ye Li raised her eyebrows and said with a smile, "You’ve been driven to this point? Seems like Mo Jingli is indeed aggravated."

Qin Feng replied, "Although there hasn’t been much chaos on the surface in Nanjing City these days, there have been tight checks in the dark. After Mo Jingli overturned a few of our bases and caught people who knew nothing, he seems to be reluctant to give up."

Ye Li nodded approvingly and said, "It seems that Ye Ying hasn’t completely lost her wits; she hasn’t revealed the whereabouts of Yaoji."

Telling Ye Ying about Mo Suyun’s identity was indeed a risky move. But if Mo Suyun was to become the cause of Ye Ying and Mo Jingli’s downfall, Ye Li wouldn’t be able to live with herself. After all...she was also a mother of three children. Thoughts of her own adorable, mischievous Mo Xiaobao in Licheng and her twin babies, who were not yet a year old and left at home, often softened her heart. Even though she didn’t believe in superstitions, she still preferred some peace of mind. As her grandfather would say, it’s not so much about karma as it is about maintaining moral integrity. Harsh strategies could weigh on one’s conscience.

Fortunately, Ye Ying did not disappoint her. If Ye Ying had revealed Yaoji, it would have been akin to destroying Prince Ding’s Mansion’s information channels in Nanjing City. At that point, even she would have been out of options. Surely, Prince Ding’s Mansion couldn’t storm into Prince Li’s Mansion, could they?

"What’s happening at Prince Li’s Mansion?" Ye Li asked.

Qin Feng replied, "Mo Jingli and Grand Consort Wise Zhao have learned that Mo Suyun won’t die soon. They are hesitating whether to take drastic measures." He visibly frowned at this point, his disdain for Mo Jingli obvious. Even beasts don’t eat their young, let alone a child who knows nothing. If Mo Jingli were to proceed, he would be the lowest of the low.

Ye Li frowned slightly and turned to Xu Qingchen. "Big brother, what do you think Mo Jingli will decide?"

Xu Qingchen sighed softly and placed down a chess piece. "Has anyone in Prince Li’s Mansion fallen pregnant?"

Qin Feng was taken aback. "How did you know, Young Master? News has just come that Secondary Consort Zhao of Prince Li’s Mansion is pregnant, around a month and a half." Xu Qingchen didn’t answer Ye Li’s question, but merely said, "Li’er, if you want to save Mo Suyun, do it soon."

"What do you mean, big brother?" Ye Li was puzzled. Although she never thought Mo Jingli would give up the throne for his son, she never expected Mo Jingli would kill Mo Suyun either after knowing the truth. After all, though it might be troublesome, there was always a way out, wasn’t there? Xu Qingchen calmly said, "If it’s just Mo Jingli, he may not necessarily kill Mo Suyun. But I’m afraid... there are others who want to kill Mo Suyun upon knowing the truth. And the news of a descendant happening to be spread at this time is definitely not a good thing for Mo Suyun."

Ye Li sighed deeply and said, "That’s enough, I’ll visit Prince Li’s Mansion personally tonight."

Qin Feng was somewhat worried and said, "Princess Consort, if there’s something you need, just command us. Why should you risk it yourself?"

Ye Li shook her head and said, "Ye Ying won’t trust any of you. I’m more reassured if I go."

In the quiet of the night, Ye Ying was unable to sleep, pacing anxiously in her room like a caged beast. Now she finally understood how powerless she was without the secret support of Prince Ding’s Mansion. With a single command from Mo Jingli, she couldn’t mobilize anyone in the Mansion, let alone pass any messages outside.

She wasn’t exceptionally intelligent, but these days she had learned a lot. Now that Mo Jingli’s concubine was expecting a child, her son’s survival seemed even less likely. However, she was now helpless, unable to do anything to Zhao. No, she didn’t want to harm anyone now. She just hoped her son would survive.

"Fourth sister." Ye Li’s voice came softly in the quiet of the night, and Ye Ying jumped in fright. She turned around abruptly and saw Ye Li dressed in black not far behind her. Beside Ye Li were Qin Feng, Wei Lin, and a little girl she had never met.

Yunge curiously stuck her head out, took a look at Ye Ying, then looked back at Ye Li. Originally, they weren’t planning to bring Yunge tonight, but she insisted on coming to see her sick little brother, so Ye Li agreed to bring her along. After all, her martial arts skills were remarkably good; self-protection would not be a problem.

Yunge blinked her eyes, somewhat puzzled. Why doesn’t the little sister of Sister Li look like her?

"Third sister!" Ye Ying had never been so excited to see Ye Li before. She practically threw herself at Ye Li, collapsing onto her knees. "Third sister, please save Suyun. I beg you... I’ll do whatever you ask."

Ye Li sighed and pulled her up, saying, "If you knew what would happen today, why did you act as you did?" Ye Ying was overwhelmed by shame—it was all because of her suspicion and jealousy of Ye Li that she insisted on knowing her child’s whereabouts first. Now it had come to this point, and she still needed Ye Li to rescue her. "Ying’er knows she was wrong, Third sister, please save Suyun. From now on, whatever you say, Ying’er won’t question you anymore. Please, for the sake of our father, save Suyun."

"Enough." Ye Li interrupted her blabbering and nodded. "I’m taking Mo Suyun out of here. Do you want to come with us?"

Ye Ying was silent.

Regardless of Ye Ying’s thoughts, Ye Li had some sympathy for Mo Suyun, but not for Ye Ying. She simply said, "Think carefully. Once Mo Suyun disappears from Prince Li’s Mansion, regardless of whether it’s related to you or not, Mo Jingli will never let you off."

After a long silence, Ye Ying finally shook her head. "No, I won’t leave. Third Sister, I know... it was my fault in the past. I only ask you one thing: please send Suyun to our parents, ask them to take care of him for the sake of their unfilial daughter. I know... his body has been completely ruined by Mo Jingli and that poisonous woman, Grand Consort Wise Zhao. Let him live as long as he can... I just hope he can suffer less and live a few peaceful years. This way his existence in this world will not be in vain."

"What are you planning to do?" Ye Li frowned.

Ye Ying gave a faint smile and said, "Are you worrying about me, Third Sister? Don’t worry... I won’t act recklessly." Ye Li stayed silent for a moment and then nodded. "As you wish."

Ye Ying took a deep breath and said, "Let’s go. Let me take one last look at him. You... take him away."

As Ye Ying left her courtyard, Ye Li and the others naturally stayed hidden. After so many years, Prince Li’s Mansion finally had a joyful occasion again, and the whole mansion was filled with laughter. It was clear that Mo Jingli was hosting a banquet, making Ye Ying’s quiet courtyard seem especially desolate.

She walked into Mo Suyun’s courtyard and entered the room only to find it empty. Where was everyone? Ye Ying anxiously shouted, "Someone!" Soon, someone came in and paused when they saw Ye Ying. "Princess Consort?"

"Where is His Majesty?" Ye Ying snapped.

"His Majesty... His Majesty was invited by the Prince to the banquet."

"Nonsense!" Ye Ying retorted. "His Majesty is seriously ill, how could he attend any banquet?" Seeing Ye Ying’s furiously red eyes, the maid was frightened and quickly said, "It’s true... His Majesty was carried there." Ye Ying felt a surge of fear and without bothering to engage the maid any further, she rushed out of the courtyard towards the hall where Mo Jingli was holding the banquet.

The hall at that moment was filled with music and dance. Mo Jingli sat at the head of the table, drinking heartily. Naturally, the newly pregnant Secondary Consort Zhao sat beside him. On his right sat Grand Consort Wise Zhao. On his left, Mo Suyun sat alone, staring blankly, neither watching the performance nor touching the food. It was as if he was unaware of everything around him.

Sitting below were Mo Jingli’s confidants. Mu Yang, with Yaoji by his side, also sat in the hall. A few days ago, Mu Yang had spoken up for Chu Junwei. Since Chu Junwei went missing, Mu Yang was fiercely reprimanded by Mo Jingli. Therefore, today he kept a low profile. But observing Prince Li’s demeanor, Mu Yang knew that Prince Li would soon get what he wanted. Then, the Marquis Muyang’s Mansion, with its dragon-serving merit, would no longer be shadowed by Li’s grudge over minor matters.

Yaoji glanced at the absent-minded Mo Suyun on the throne, a trace of subtle concern flashing in her eyes.

"Congratulations to the Prince on the birth of a son." The crowd below raised their cups in congratulations.

Mo Jingli nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you for your kind words; let us all have a drink together."

Suddenly, Secondary Consort Zhao sitting next to Mo Jingli laughed. "His Majesty hasn’t eaten anything all night. Although His Majesty is too young to drink alcohol, drinking some fruit juice should be fine. Why don’t we ask His Majesty to have a toast with us all?"

Grand Consort Wise Zhao gave Secondary Consort Zhao a glance, then nodded approvingly. "Secondary Consort Zhao has a point. We are all having fun, and we have neglected His Majesty. Are the attendants sleeping? Why hasn’t anyone brought juice for His Majesty?"

The eunuch standing behind Mo Suyun didn’t dare to respond. He came forward and filled up a cup from the jug of juice in front of Mo Suyun.

A gentle smile spread across Secondary Consort Zhao’s beautiful lips as she looked at Mo Suyun with a smile. "As the Prince’s child grows within me, wouldn’t His Majesty be happy for the Prince and me?" Mo Suyun’s eyes momentarily flickered, but he didn’t respond. He only looked at Mo Jingli sitting next to Secondary Consort Zhao, his eyes still full of fear.

Mo Jingli spoke blandly, "Since Secondary Consort has said this, Your Majesty, drink a toast to congratulate her."

All the people present echoed in agreement. Yaoji sat next to Mu Yang with a perfect smile playing on her lips, looking even more beautiful and eye-catching than the young and gentle Secondary Consort Zhao in the hall. However, an ironic chuckle crossed her heart as she watched this absurd scene. When she glanced towards the man beside her, her heart was filled with nothing but deep disappointment and indifference. Even a woman like Yaoji could guess that the so-called fruit juice is unlikely to be as simple as it seems; how could Mu Yang not know?

After all, Mo Suyun was still the Emperor. The ministers of this hall were forcing a king to toast and congratulate an unannounced secondary consort of a Prince’s Mansion. Marquis Muyang’s Mansion has always been a military household, but today’s Mu Yang... is more adept at fawning and power struggle than any civil servant. As someone who couldn’t make remonstrations or engage in warfare, Mu Yang had utterly broken away from his past self: a free-spirited young man with an iron-clad spirit from years ago.

Seeing Mo Suyun remained unmoved, Mo Jingli’s face darkened slightly, and he ordered, "Serve His Majesty a drink."

The eunuch next to him had no choice but to pick up the wine cup and put it to Mo Suyun’s lips.

"Mo Jingli, how dare you!" Outside the hall, a sharp voice suddenly sounded. In an instant, even the background music stopped. Ye Ying’s voice echoed in the hall, sounding exceptionally loud.

Everyone turned their heads and saw Ye Ying walking briskly in from outside, her expression cold as frost. She had hardly caught her breath as she entered the hall, which showed that she had run all the way here. As soon as Ye Ying broke in, she rushed to the hall and knocked over the wine cup that was handed to Mo Suyun. The rich aroma of wine filled the room immediately. Ye Ying’s expression was stern. "Mo Jingli, you are so vicious!"

Mo Jingli was stunned by this sudden change. After regaining his composure, he frowned unhappily and said, "What wild nonsense are you spouting now? Get down from here!"

"I’m spouting nonsense? Mo Jingli, you..." Ye Ying was so angry her face turned green. She was about to expose Mo Jingli’s plot right away, but she was swiftly pulled away by Secondary Consort Zhao, who had suddenly come forward. Secondary Consort Zhao smiled serenely. "Princess Consort, what are you doing? His Majesty refused to eat or drink anything all night. I was worried that he was hungry and thirsty, so I just asked him to drink a glass of juice to moisten his throat."

Ye Ying stared at her and asked, "Oh? It was you who asked him to drink?"

Secondary Consort Zhao felt a bit uneasy under her chilling gaze. Her smile became somewhat stiff. "Indeed."

Ye Ying sneered and said, "In that case, why don’t you take a sip too?" Secondary Consort Zhao’s smile froze; she quickly took a step back and said with a smile, "Thank you for your kindness, Princess Consort, but I don’t like fruit juices." That was out of the question; how could she drink such a thing now? Her body was quite precious at the moment.

Ye Ying arrogantly said, "I haven’t asked if you like it or not; I am simply asking you to drink it. Surely you’re not suggesting that if you drink a cup of juice, you will lose what’s in your belly?"

"Ye Ying, how dare you!" Mo Jingli was furious. He was over thirty years old and childless. Naturally, he held great expectations for Secondary Consort Zhao’s unborn child. He simply could not accommodate Ye Ying’s absurdities.

Ye Ying squeezed out a bitter smile. "What about my child... Isn’t Suyun your son? For the throne, you actually want to kill your own son? Mo Jingli, you are not human!"

"You’re mad!" Mo Jingli gritted his teeth. "Someone, drag this woman down for me!"

"You dare! Mo Jingli, if you harm my son, even if I were to become a ghost, I won’t let you off!" Ye Ying screamed hysterically. Yet, she was destined to be disappointed. Those in the hall were the most loyal subordinates of Mo Jingli. They all wished to usurp the throne for their own gains. Even if Mo Suyun was Mo Jingli’s father and not his son, they would not blink an eye. Although they were all shocked by this sudden revelation, everyone was considering damage control. They also wondered how to make Prince Li not hold them accountable for knowing this secret. None came forward to seek justice for the mother and son.

"Take her down," Mo Jingli said in a deep voice.

Seemingly lost in thought, Ye Ying, held captive by the palace guards, abruptly ceased her struggle, looking intently at Mo Jingli. "Prince," she said, "there’s something else I want to share."

Fixing her with a detached gaze, Mo Jingli obviously had no intention of hearing another word. Ye Ying, smirking, countered, "Even if it concerns Prince Ding’s Mansion, you won’t listen?"

Mo Jingli glared skeptically at Ye Ying, uncertain of just how long she had been associated with Prince Ding’s Mansion. He also couldn’t be sure whether she really had any confidential information about the mansion.

After prolonged silence, Mo Jingli ordered his men, "Bring her here."

The palace guards released Ye Ying, who rather than approach Mo Jingli, turned to Mo Suyun, gently caressing his thin face, murmuring, "Suyun, I’m sorry... Your mother apologizes. Will you promise to obey your older siblings?"

Mo Suyun blinked in confusion, unable to comprehend why this kind Princess Consort Ye Ying would identify herself as his mother. His mother was clearly in the palace, and while she often ignored him, surely he didn’t just change mothers like that. And besides... Watching the ominously dark expression on Mo Jingli’s face, Mo Suyun couldn’t help but retreat.

Seeing her son visibly frightened, Ye Ying shook her head sorrowfully. As she walked towards Mo Jingli, she saw the still handsome and appealing man before her. Despairingly, she asked, "Have you ever felt any mercy?"

With cold indifference, Mo Jingli rebuked, "I don’t want to hear nonsensical notions. Spit it out."

Helplessly smiling, Ye Ying leaned in to whisper, "I intended to say... my third sister has arrived in Nanjing City." Ye Ying rarely addressed Ye Li as her third sister, typically referring to her by name in Mo Jingli’s presence, causing him to momentarily pause before acknowledging her sudden news. "What did you say?!"

Ye Ying laughed delightedly, her pallid, thin face momentarily brightened. "I said, my third sister... Princess Consort Ding, is currently at Prince Li’s Mansion. Didn’t you know?"

"Be careful, Prince!" Amid Mo Jingli’s shock, a panicked cry rang out. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach, reflexively pushing Ye Ying away. Despite the severity of the sudden injury, the force he exerted wasn’t enough to cause a fatal blow. Still, Ye Ying instinctively coughed up blood, falling at the feet of Secondary Consort Zhao.

Seemingly unaffected by her injuries, as if numb to the pain, Ye Ying grabbed the legs of Secondary Consort Zhao. Their bodies entangled, they tumbled down the stairs from the elevated hall. After landing, the blood from Ye Ying’s mouth flowed even more rapidly. Secondary Consort Zhao screamed in distress, a puddle of red quickly forming beneath her.

"Wretch!" Mo Jingli exclaimed in a mixture of shock and fury. Clutching his bleeding wound, he resumed his seat, his eyes seething with unabated murderous intent towards Ye Ying.

"Li’er...quickly! Call the royal physician!" Grand Consort Wise Zhao rushed forth to support Mo Jingli, ordering, "What are you waiting for? Help Secondary Consort Zhao... The child... the child..." Everyone’s gaze fell on the wailing Secondary Consort Zhao. Clearly, her one-and-a-half-month unborn child could not be saved. Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events; who could have imagined the hitherto inconspicuous Princess Consort Li causing such a sensational stir. In a blink of an eye, both Prince Li and Secondary Consort Zhao were injured, and the unborn child of Secondary Consort Zhao was lost.

As he sat, enduring the severe pain, Mo Jingli kept his eyes fixed on Ye Ying. Seeing the defiant smile on her face, his anger intensified. Having always disregarded Ye Ying and always preferring Ye Li, he viewed Ye Ying as unintelligent, selfish, and cowardly—someone who would never strive for greatness. It shocked him to admit that this very Ye Ying had dealt him the greatest blow. He could say that he had never suffered such a major setback all his life, all because of Ye Ying.

Perhaps because of the waves of pain coursing through his abdomen, or perhaps stimulated by the tragic loss of his unborn child, Mo Jingli fixed a brutal gaze on Ye Ying.

"Ye Ying, I will make your life hell! You want to save Mo Suyun? Hmm?" Standing up abruptly, unmindful of his injuries, he swiftly seized Mo Suyun. Mo Suyun, previously dazed by the traumatic scene, was now being held by the man he feared the most, and he couldn’t help but burst into tears.

Ye Ying’s face changed dramatically. "Mo Jingli, you are inhuman!"

Mo Jingli sneered, "I’ll show you what inhuman is!" As he finished speaking, he actually threw Mo Suyun off the high platform in front of everyone. Secondary Consort Zhao had tumbled down the steps and immediately miscarried. Not to mention Mo Suyun, such a weak child being tossed into the air by Mo Jingli and then dropping down. If he really fell, the child would be dead.

A black figure swooped in from outside the hall, hanging in midair just in time to catch Mo Suyun. Mo Suyun was initially crying loudly, but when Mo Jingli threw him like this, he suddenly choked on his cries, and his little face turned pale.

As a stranger broke into the hall, everyone was startled. Looking closely, it turned out to be a completely unfamiliar young girl. Even though she wore black night traveler’s clothing, her delicate facial expression was full of anger. Her bright big eyes seemed to shoot fire at Mo Jingli.

"Little Yun, don’t be afraid... have some sugar..." Yunge carefully put Mo Suyun on the ground, took out a prepared pill from her sleeve, and put it into Mo Suyun’s mouth. After hastily taking his pulse to make sure there was no major issue for the time being, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Standing up, she glared at Mo Jingli. "How can you be so cruel? Little Yun is so young; do you know that you almost killed him?"

Mo Jingli had just thrown Mo Suyun out, pulling his own abdominal injury, so he sat down again. Looking at Yunge standing in the hall, he said coldly, "Who are you? Who is your accomplice? You dare to barge into Prince Li’s Mansion at night!" This girl broke in through the main door, but no guard came to report. Either this girl was so skilled in martial arts that she avoided all the guards, or someone outside had served as her cover and taken care of the guards.

Yunge blinked, displeased. "I do not know you, and daddy said not to tell strangers my name."

Everyone felt awkward; even though Prince Li’s question was normal, this young girl’s response made it seem as if Prince Li was a wastrel harassing an innocent woman.

"Miss, what Prince Li means is, how did you end up here?" Yaoji gave a light cough and said with a smile.

It was only then that Yunge realized what was being asked, and she smiled at Yaoji. "Sister, you’re really pretty. I came with Sister Li."

"Sister Li?!"

All present were startled. Although Ye Ying had mentioned earlier that Ye Li had arrived, the sudden change made everyone believe that Ye Ying was just bluffing in order to assassinate Mo Jingli. They hadn’t expected that Ye Li had actually come to Jiangnan and had even quietly entered Prince Li’s Mansion. This subsequently gave Mo Jingli’s trusted aides a sense of cold. If the people from Prince Ding’s Mansion could so easily enter Prince Li’s Mansion despite a city-wide curfew, then taking their lives would be as easy as turning over a hand.

"Ye Li?! I command you to come out!" Mo Jingli shouted furiously.

Outside the door, Ye Li sighed regretfully. She walked in with Qin Feng and a few others. As soon as he saw Ye Li in her black robe, looking calm and composed, Mo Jingli’s eyes became bloodshot in anger. Ye Li mildly interrupted his rage. "Your Highness should tend to your injuries first. Your Secondary Consort is also waiting for a doctor." Secondary Consort Zhao had already been helped into a chair. Even without a doctor, she knew she couldn’t save her baby. She hated Ye Ying even more. "Your Highness... you must seek justice for your servant and our child..."

Ye Li glanced at her. "Heaven punishes those who do evil, but if you bring misfortune on yourself, that’s your own making." They didn’t come in, but they still heard everything from outside. If Secondary Consort Zhao hadn’t been so proud, inciting Mo Jingli to hurt Mo Suyun, she wouldn’t have ended up being pulled down by Ye Ying from the hall and miscarried. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"You... even if you are Princess Consort Ding, this is still Prince Li’s Mansion’s business! Don’t you think Princess Consort Ding is overstepping her bounds?" Secondary Consort Zhao glared at Ye Li with resentment. Since entering Prince Li’s Mansion, she had been living in fear every day. First, she had to serve Grand Consort Wise Zhao, then she was constantly troubled by Princess Qixia. Later, there was the more difficult Dongfang You, and she had to walk on eggshells. Now that she finally grabbed some power, she couldn’t help but feel a little triumphant. But now, all her efforts were in vain.

"Wooo... Your Majesty, your servant is wrongly accused. Have pity on your servant and this unborn child ..."

"Your injury is not serious; you won’t die." Seeing her crying bitterly, Yunge, who was squatting to one side checking Ye Ying’s injury, raised her head and said, "And, if you care about your child, why did you harm Little Yun? After drinking the wine mixed with poison, he can’t be saved anymore." Zhao Secondary Consort’s heartbreaking cry was interrupted by Yunge, which suddenly made her seem hilarious. With her mouth opened wide and tears still hanging on her face, her originally beautiful face was twisted and ugly, turning purple and then green.

The Imperial Physician finally arrived, and Ye Li and the others were not in any hurry to leave. Mo Jingli was helped inside to receive treatment for his wounds, whilst Grand Consort Wise Zhao remained in the hall, staring at Ye Li with a complex and inscrutable expression. The ministers below were inwardly groaning. Although they all knew that Prince Li wanted to kill the Emperor, and none of them had any objections, this was different. Knowing that the Emperor was actually Prince Li’s son, and that Prince Li had personally wanted to throw the Emperor to his death, was a whole different matter. They feared that from this point on, Prince Li would be suspicious of them all.

"Princess Consort Ding, why are you here?" Grand Consort Wise Zhao looked at Ye Li as she spoke.

With a smile, Ye Li responded, "Your Highness, I apologize for my audacity. My brother, Young Master Qingchen, has vanished in the south some days ago, and I came here to search for him. I also happened to hear... that my younger sister was being abused in Prince Li’s Mansion, so I couldn’t help but investigate. I didn’t expect..."

Grand Consort Wise Zhao choked momentarily. It was an indisputable fact that Ye Ying was Ye Li’s half-sister. Regardless of their private relationship, as long as Ye Li claimed to visit her mistreated sister, no one would object, but rather, praise Princess Consort Ding for her sisterly love. They wanted to deny the mistreatment of Ye Ying, but given Ye Ying’s current pitiful state, anyone would believe that she was indeed abused in Prince Li’s Mansion.

With a cold humph, Grand Consort Wise Zhao said, "Abuse? Ye Ying attempted to assassinate the Prince, a crime warranting execution."

Ye Li smiled and said, "Oh? In that case... what crime should be charged for Prince Li attempting to kill the Emperor in court?"

Qin Feng, behind her, answered, "Such a crime warrants the extermination of nine generations of his family."

Ye Li shook her head with a laugh and said, "The Emperor and the imperial relatives should be counted within those nine generations of Prince Li, so they certainly cannot be exterminated. However, he won’t be able to escape the punishment of extermination of his whole family, right?" Puzzled, Yunge asked, "Didn’t they say Prince Li is Little Yun’s daddy just now?"

Approvingly, Ye Li patted Yunge on her little head and laughed. "Yes, so that means the bloodline of the royal family is confused, right? Prince Li presented his own son as the son of the late Emperor and bestowed him the throne. What crime should he be charged with, Grand Consort Wise Zhao?"

Grand Consort Wise Zhao had no response. How could Mo Jingli present his own son as the son of the late Emperor? It was clearly the late Emperor who took Mo Jingli’s newborn son and raised him as an imperial prince. But who would believe this? The late Emperor had a fair number of sons; moreover, he bequeathed the throne to this child.

After a long pause and finding no words to retort, finally, Grand Consort Wise Zhao just said coldly, "This is the affair of our Great Chu, and seems to have nothing to do with Princess Consort Ding."

Ye Li wasn’t worried; she pointed at Ye Ying on the ground and said, "If this is my Fourth Sister’s child, does Your Highness still believe that this has nothing to do with me? Or, does Your Highness believe that I and Prince Ding’s Mansion are easy to bully?!"

"Preposterous!" Unable to win the verbal dispute against Ye Li, Grand Consort Wise Zhao angrily flicked her sleeves and sat on one side, no longer speaking. Ye Li squatted down next to Ye Ying and asked softly, "How is she?"

Yunge shook her head sadly. Ye Ying was severely injured internally, and her meridians were broken due to Mo Jingli’s palm strike. Furthermore, she fell from the steps, which exacerbated her internal injuries. Even the best internal injury medicine could only delay the inevitable.

Ye Ying leaned against Yunge and, with considerable effort, stretched her hand towards Mo Suyun. Seeing the bloodstains on her clothes and the blood occasionally trickling from her lips, Mo Suyun was too afraid to step forward. Ye Li sighed, walked over, and pulled Mo Suyun over, whispering, "Suyun, go to her. She won’t hurt you."

Mo Suyun seemed to instinctively trust Ye Li. After hesitating and looking at Ye Li, he finally stepped forward slowly toward Ye Ying. Ye Ying smiled at Mo Suyun as her eyes welled up with tears. "Suyun, all this is your mother’s fault. If your mother hadn’t become greedy, you wouldn’t have been so ill. Cough, cough... From now on, follow your aunt. She will... she will take good care of you. From now on, you won’t have to live in fear anymore. You must live well... You must survive... Third Sister..."

Ye Li walked over to her, sighed, and said, "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

Ye Ying chuckled and said, "I am not upset... Mo Jingli doesn’t want my Suyun. Then he should not have children in his lifetime, ha ha ... The late Emperor actually did a good thing. Mo Jingli deserves to be childless! My Third Sister, I was ignorant back then... please, don’t blame me. Please... take good care of Suyun..."

Ye Li paused before nodding and replied, "Rest assured, I will take care of the child. Mr. Shen Yang is also in Licheng. Maybe he could cure him in the future." Ye Ying nodded with tearful eyes, laughed, and said, "My Third Sister, actually I’ve always known that... you are a good person. It’s just... it’s just that I’ve always been jealous of you... Is it true that only a good person can have happiness? I really envy you... In my next life, I will surely be a good person too."

Ye Li remained silent. Compared to many people, selfish and weak Ye Ying is really not a bad person. At least she has never really harmed anyone, although it may be because she hasn’t had the power to do so.

"Ye Ying, you shameless woman, I’ll kill you!" As the conversation was going on, Mo Jingli suddenly rushed out, his distorted, darkened expression as terrifying as a demon. The previously chatty Mo Suyun was instantly scared and rushed into Ye Li’s arms.

Mo Jingli grabbed Ye Ying’s clothes and tried to pull her up. The ignored young girl Yunge, standing beside them, was immediately angered. Unable to cure the first patient after leaving the mountain and unable to save the second one, Yunge was not feeling well herself. But this Prince Li before her was dragging an almost breathless person around as if they were a sack. "Let go of her now!"

Angry, Yunge slapped him without hesitation. Mo Jingli found that he was not as strong as Yunge and immediately put Ye Ying in front of him without hesitation. Luckily, Yunge was usually calm and didn’t put her full force behind her slap. She managed to pull back in time. She glared at Mo Jingli, "Shameless! Evil! Jerk! Scumbag!"

Ye Li’s lips twitched, wondering who had spoiled Yunge in these past few days.

Ye Ying didn’t care about her current situation and foolishly stared at Mo Jingli with a faint smile. "Your Highness, do you like the gift Ying’er gave you?"

"Whore! Give me the antidote!" Mo Jingli said coldly.

Ye Ying raised the knife in her other hand with some difficulty and laughed hard. "The antidote... I ate it. Your Highness, do you know how much effort I took to get this prescription? Originally, I did not plan to use it so soon, but I was prepared. In Licheng... After finding out that you had got the antidote, I tried to obtain this medicine. I have been soaking this dagger in the medicine since this morning, and then... ha ha, before I came in, I ate the antidote."

"Whore, I’ll kill you!" Mo Jingli clutched Ye Ying’s neck tightly. He had really underestimated Ye Ying, who had started plotting so long ago. Holding Mo Suyun, Ye Ying struggled to turn her head and stabbed Mo Jingli with the knife. This knife was not intended to harm him. Suddenly being attacked, Mo Jingli threw Ye Ying away. Ye Ying didn’t care and raised her head to look at Mo Suyun. "Suyun, leave with your auntie... or he will kill you..."

Seeing more and more blood coming out from Ye Ying’s lips, everyone fell silent. They watched in silence as the woman lying in a pool of blood gradually lost her breath.

"Mother..." In the quiet palace, suddenly a child’s weak voice rang out. Yunge, standing next to Ye Li, suddenly covered her eyes and began to sob quietly.

Yaoji, sitting next to Mu Yang, lowered her head and quietly wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye. Her bright eyes became even more determined.

Ye Li handed Mo Suyun to Wei Lin behind her and lightly said, "Yunge, it’s time for us to leave."

Yunge nodded silently as she wiped her nose. She walked forward, pulling at Ye Li’s robe before following her out. "Would Prince Li take care of Fourth Sister’s remains?" Ye Li turned to ask Mo Jingli.

"Dispose?" Mo Jingli showed a twisted and strange smile. "I want to crush her bones and scatter her ashes!"

"Do as you wish." Ye Li had no intention of letting Ye Ying get a peaceful burial. Ideally, they could have carried her body out, but there was no way they could do that now. "I will praise the benevolence of Prince Li, who had his wife’s body crushed and incinerated after her death, on your behalf. I’m sure the people of Jiangnan will admire Prince Li’s generosity."

"Ye Li, you stop right there!" Mo Jingli yelled in anger. "Leave Mo Suyun with me."

"Not a chance!" Before Ye Li could respond, Yunge said indignantly, "His mother has entrusted him to Sister Li. Moreover, if you hadn’t wanted to kill him, Princess Consort Li wouldn’t have died."

"He is the emperor of Great Chu." Mo Jingli gritted his teeth. He might be his only son from now on. The blow Ye Ying delivered in her last moments was truly devastating; after being fatally poisoned twice, the imperial physicians confirmed that even if an antidote was found, his chances of fathering a child in the future were slim.

Turning around, Ye Li spoke calmly, "Doesn’t Prince Li want to eradicate this child and have him ascend to the throne? Then as a concession, I will take this child with me and henceforth, he will no longer be of the Mo family. Just as Prince Li hopes, Mo Suyun is no more."

"No," Mo Jingli refused outright.

Ye Li seemed unfazed. "Well then... Mo Suyun remains the emperor... but before his birth, his mother entrusted him to me. Therefore, I and Prince Ding’s Mansion must assure that his imperial status is more than mere titles." This implied that Prince Ding’s Mansion would interfere in the politics of Great Chu entirely. Not only would Mo Jingli refuse to let Prince Ding’s Mansion meddle in Great Chu again, even if he agreed, Mo Suyun was completely stupefied, but not truly foolish. If he were truly foolish, he wouldn’t have called out ’mother’ earlier. Once he grows up, he will definitely not side with his father, Mo Jingli.

Ye Li looked at him and said, "When you want both the fish and the bear paw, you can’t have both. Prince Li should think clearly."

Mo Jingli gloomily warned, "What if I want both of you to stay?" Ye Li smiled lightly. "Well, it depends on whether Prince Li has the power for it. Even if Prince Li keeps all of us, he must make sure that no one leaks tonight’s incident. Prince Li killing his son and slaying an emperor, and Princess Consort heroically sacrificing her life—that’s quite a drama."

Mo Jingli, already severely injured, now experienced a wave of anger that nearly made him faint. People beside him quickly supported him and made him sit down on a chair. Leaning on the armrest, Mo Jingli suppressed his rage, took a deep breath, and looking at Ye Li sternly said, "Ye Li, you are bold."

"You’re more so, Prince," Ye Li retorted with composure.

Seeing that Mo Jingli wasn’t feeling well, Grand Consort Wise Zhao quickly said, "Princess Consort Ding, put down His Majesty, and I assure you all will safely leave Jiangnan."

Qin Feng on the side scoffed. "Do we need your assurance? Nanjing City is just a place we come and go as we please; what can you do to us?" Grand Consort Wise Zhao’s face darkened; before she could say anything, Ye Li preempted and said casually, "As always, I do as I’ve promised. Since I have promised my Fourth Sister to take care of the child, I will certainly take him away. Grand Consort Wise Zhao can decide whether it’s better for us to slip away quietly or to fight our way out of Prince Li’s Mansion."

"Do you think the few of you can do it?" Grand Consort Wise Zhao sneered.

Ye Li smiled subtly. "Do you think you have many people? Why doesn’t Grand Consort Wise Zhao try calling the guards to see." Grand Consort Wise Zhao didn’t say anything. If Ye Li dared say these words, there probably weren’t many guards left who could move in Prince Li’s Mansion.

"Prince Li, what do you think?" Ye Li asked.

"Get out!" Mo Jingli finally burst out yelling.

Ye Li didn’t care for his words and, taking everyone with her, openly walked out.

The atmosphere in the great hall was so oppressive and silent that one could seemingly hear a pin drop. All present kept their eyes and minds focused, and only the pounding of their own hearts could be heard. Mo Jingli sat in the hall, gasping for breath, his eyes wild like a beast selecting his next prey.

What had initially been a banquet intended to flatter their future lord turned into a bloody and violent palace drama, leaving everyone in absolute horror. Everyone silently thanked their fortune, hoping that with so many witnesses, the prince wouldn’t dare to order all of them to be silenced. The saying ’the law does not punish the many’ did make some sense after all.

"Prince, shortly after leaving the mansion, Princess Consort Ding and her party disappeared," someone reported from outside the door after some time.

"A bunch of useless creatures! Get out, all of you, get out!" Mo Jingli roared.

Seeing no better time to leave, the guests hastily stood up to bid farewell to Mo Jingli and Grand Consort Wise Zhao, rushing out.

"Li’er..." Grand Consort Wise Zhao softly called out to Mo Jingli, glancing at him.

"Go! All of you, get out!" Mo Jingli yelled, not even bothering to look at the people before him.

In the small courtyard where Ye Li and the others were staying temporarily, Xu Qingchen smirked at the child in Wei Lin’s arms. "So Mo Jingli figured out your identity?" Ye Li reluctantly responded with a wry smile, "It doesn’t matter; he doesn’t have the time to deal with us now. However, big brother, we’ve arranged everything necessary in Nanjing, so we should leave." Staying any longer in the city might be taken as a provocation. What if Mo Jingli acted impulsively and decided to pull them all down with him?

"Mo Jingli doesn’t strike me as the impulsive type," Xu Qingchen stated. He wasn’t referring to Mo Jingli’s calm demeanor, but rather Mo Jingli’s deep attachment to his glamorous power and privileges. Those who hold such attachments seldom act recklessly.

"He might have the impulse now." Any man in Mo Jingli’s situation could act out of desperation. If he hadn’t gained anything from the start, it would be different, but now, the poison had been cured and he had a child. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he lost the child, got poisoned again, and even his last hope then had been extinguished. Ye Ying’s final actions were indeed eye-opening.

Xu Qingchen sighed lightly and turned to Mo Suyun, who was lying motionless in Wei Lin’s arms. "What do you plan to do with the child now that Ye Ying is dead? After all, he is the Emperor of Great Chu, and it’s inappropriate to keep him in Prince Ding’s Mansion."

"Ye Ying wished for us to send the child back to my father, as he is, after all, their grandson. With my father and Prince Ding’s Mansion looking after him in Licheng, he should be fine there. Regardless...it should be better than remaining in Nanjing as a puppet emperor, right?" Ye Li replied.

Xu Qingchen nodded and said, "Very well, head north first thing tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, Ye Li was taken aback. "Big brother, you still have business to take care of?"

"I must help Yunge to find someone," Xu Qingchen replied. Ye Li furrowed her brows and thought for a moment before saying, "Why don’t you simply give orders to find them instead? Is it really that difficult to locate this person?" Xu Qingchen shook his head and smiled. "No, it’s not difficult to find them. I know where they live. But, I need to take Yunge on this trip." Ye Li looked at Xu Qingchen in worry before finally saying, "Why don’t we wait for a couple of days and then we can leave with you?"

Ye Li truly did not feel comfortable leaving Xu Qingchen and Yunge in Nanjing City. Xu Qingchen was incapable of defending himself, and while Yunge was a capable martial artist, she was merely a naive young girl. What if something happened to them?

Observing Ye Li’s undisguised worry, Xu Qingchen laughed helplessly. "Li’er, this incident was truly just an accident. Prince Ding must be extremely anxious waiting for you, so you should return as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would complain about my incompetence so much that it made you stay in Jiangnan all this time."

However, Ye Li stubbornly ignored Xu Qingchen, saying, "I’ll stay one more day. After all, I still have some unfinished matters to attend to, so there’s no hurry." Unable to persuade Ye Li, Xu Qingchen could only plan to take Yunge with him early the next morning. Although Ye Li was worried about him being alone in Nanjing City, he was also concerned about Ye Li’s safety. Ultimately, Nanjing City was not their territory.

"Princess Consort... Young Master Qingchen, Miss Yunge and the lady in the backyard are fighting." A guard hurried in, breaking the news with a distressed expression. Ye Li and Xu Qingchen were both slightly astonished. Xu Qingchen immediately stood up, while Ye Li was not particularly bothered, knowing well that even with her martial arts restricted, Dongfang You still wouldn’t outmatch Yunge.

"Dongfang You has lost her ability to fight; how could she be causing such a stir?" Ye Li was curious.

The guard grimaced, explaining, "Following your command, Your Highness, they did not use martial arts."

"Then how can they fight each other?"

"You’ll understand if you go and have a look yourself, Your Highness," the guard replied.

Fighting did not necessarily require martial arts. After all, the majority of people in this world weren’t skilled in martial arts, but that did not mean they did not fight. Therefore, when Ye Li and Xu Qingchen arrived at the scene, they were taken aback. Xu Qingchen rubbed his forehead involuntarily, shouting, "Yunge!"

Hearing Xu Qingchen’s voice, Yunge paused. Nevertheless, Dongfang You seized that opportunity to scratch at Yunge’s delicate face. If she succeeded, even though Dongfang You was powerless at the moment, Yunge’s beautiful face would be disfigured for several months. However, just because Dongfang You was powerless did not mean that Yunge was. She merely tilted her head back and firmly grabbed Dongfang You’s hand, pleading, "Can we stop fighting now?"

Dongfang You let out a cold smirk, noting, "You can drop dead."

Kicking away Dongfang You’s approaching hand, Yunge released her acupuncture points and leaped up from the ground. She ran towards Xu Qingchen, asking, "Xu Qingchen, Sister Li, how come you’re here?" Ye Li raised her eyebrows at her with a silent smile. Xu Qingchen observed her. "Who told you to engage in a fight?"

Though Xu Qingchen’s voice was as gentle as usual, somehow Yunge felt a cold breeze on her scalp. She couldn’t help but shrug and inch closer to Ye Li. A calm Xu Qingchen compared to her deceased father who had been dead for three or four years was still more intimidating. So there was reason why the Xu brothers feared Eldest Young Master Xu. Eldest Young Master Xu possessed a natural dignity as a teacher.

"Um... I... I was wrong." Yunge lowered her head in feigned regret.

Ye Li was amused as she glanced at the two of them and then at Dongfang You, who was still immobilized. Smiling faintly, she asked, "What brought Yunge here in the first place?" This courtyard was the most secluded and furthest back in the mansion. People hardly visited it without a reason. Yunge pouted, "I just wanted to pick some flowers for Little Yun."

As it turned out, there were two late-blooming Begonia flowers in the courtyard where Dongfang You was staying. Yunge thought that giving Mo Suyun something fun to play with would cheer him up, given that he had been a bit stunned in recent times. However, being a girl who grew up in the mountains and not knowing what else to offer, her first choice naturally was flowers. Thus, she had searched the entire mansion before she finally found two nicely blooming Begonia flowers. However, she didn’t expect her action to disturb Dongfang You, who was under house arrest in the courtyard. Furthermore, Dongfang You had heard of this lady brought by Young Master Qingchen from the mansion’s people, and immediately started a fight upon seeing her. If Dongfang You hadn’t been deprived of her power, she might have used lethal force.

Xu Qingchen handed a white handkerchief to her, saying, "You know martial arts; was it necessary for you to roll around on the ground?"

Yunge hung her head down and kicked a small dust cloud, drawing circles on the ground with her toes. She thought that Dongfang You didn’t know martial arts. For a martial artist, it was unethical to bully an ordinary person who did not have the same skills.

With the appearance of Xu Qingchen, Dongfang You stopped staring at Yunge. Instead, her attention was now wholly placed on Xu Qingchen. Ever since she was captured by Ye Li and brought back, this was the first time she had seen Xu Qingchen. Despite Ye Li not locking her up in the dungeon, whenever Dongfang You attempted to move out of the small courtyard, she was immediately stopped. Moreover, no amount of schemes worked on those guards. Even if she threatened to set the house on fire, not one of them would bat an eye. The message was clear: if she wanted to burn herself to death, she was free to do so. Of course, Dongfang You didn’t want to perish in a fire, and so she had to put up with it. Now that she could see Xu Qingchen in person, Dongfang You certainly had no mood to quarrel with Yunge anymore.

Yunge, out of curiosity, glanced at Xu Qingchen and then at Dongfang You, and instinctively leaned more towards Ye Li. The woman’s gaze on Xu Qingchen was too weird; Yunge felt the hair on her skin standing upright.

"Young Master Qingchen, how are you?" Dongfang You asked softly. The soft words coming out of her stiff body due to her acupoints being pressed were extremely disturbing. Xu Qingchen glanced lightly at Dongfang You and turned his attention to Yunge beside Ye Li, saying, "Shouldn’t you go and change your clothes? Then copy the article I taught you yesterday ten times and give it to me tomorrow."

"What?" Yunge’s face fell immediately. "Xu Qingchen, I will not..."

"Fifteen articles," Xu Qingchen’s tone was flat.

Yunge stared blankly at Xu Qingchen, and finally relented, "I’ll go write it now." She glanced warily at Xu Qingchen, and sensing that his mood was not good, whispered, "Can I plant a few flowers before I go?"

Xu Qingchen nodded slightly. Yunge eagerly planted a few flowers and ran out like a runaway horse, as if hesitating would result in Xu Qingchen adding another ten or twenty articles. Watching her fading silhouette, Ye Li couldn’t help smiling. She said, "Brother, you are being too strict with Yunge. Look at how scared she is. After all, she did save your life."

Xu Qingchen glanced lightly at Ye Li, saying, "She is not young anymore. Before, she lived alone on the mountain. Her father probably did not teach her a lot of things she should know when he was alive."

Ye Li got the sense of it and nodded, saying, "You’re right, she is not young anymore; she should be married. If she goes back with us, please ask our aunt to teach her properly." Xu Qingchen shrugged. "I’m afraid she wouldn’t want to go with us. By then..." If she were taken into a prominent household, perhaps Yunge, who grew up in the countryside, would be devoured till there was nothing left. Ye Li, with a pleasing smile, said, "Brother, I am sure you can make her come back with us..."

It seemed that Xu Qingchen didn’t hear what she said; he was walking towards the door.

Ye Li swept a cold gaze at Dongfang You who was sitting on the ground. "Miss Dongfang, even as a prisoner, you don’t know the importance of behaving properly?" Dongfang You, who was distractedly watching Xu Qingchen’s departing figure, finally turned to face Ye Li, scowling at her and saying, "Who is that girl?"

Ye Li raised her eyebrows and laughed. "Miss Dongfang, if you didn’t know who Yunge is, how come you ended up fighting with her?"

Dongfang You yelled out, "No way! How can that ignorant, wild girl be worthy of Young Master Qingchen? You are fooling me... Ye Li, what did I do to offend you that you are trying to break Qingchen and me apart?" Ye Li looked at the sky and rolled her eyes. This Dongfang You was paranoid! "Miss Dongfang, what do you mean by accusing me of breaking you and Qingchen apart? Has my brother ever given you a proper look?" She felt deeply wronged. She had been so considerate towards her brother’s marriage and had never been picky, the perfect little sister, the best companion a sister-in-law could wish for.

"It must be your doing. Otherwise, Young Master Qingchen wouldn’t dislike me!" Dongfang You said spitefully.

"Miss Dongfang, you’re overthinking," Ye Li said calmly. "Take a look at how my brother treats Yunge, and how he treats you. Don’t tell me you’re unclear about what kind of girl my brother likes?"

Dongfang You glared fiercely at Ye Li. Ye Li blinked and smiled faintly. "Miss Dongfang, instead of thinking about these groundless things, why don’t you ponder on how much time you have left to live?"

"You want to kill me?" Dongfang You looked at Ye Li coldly and said disdainfully. Ye Li shook her head. "I have no intention of killing you. In fact, I plan to let you go."

"Do you think I would believe that?" Dongfang You sneered. Ye Li sincerely responded, "It’s the truth; I indeed plan to let you go. Moreover... I will send you back to your original subordinates from Cangmang Mountain. Along with the evidence of your plot against Dongfang Hui." Upon hearing Ye Li’s words, Dongfang You’s face suddenly turned pale. Plotting against Dongfang Hui was the only deed she committed in her life that her conscience couldn’t shake off. Likewise, it was something that would undoubtedly cost her her life if made known.

Although the forces on Cangmang Mountain had been decimated to one-tenth of their former strength, there were still many loyal to it. These people were loyal to her simply because she was the young master of Cangmang Mountain. She was also the successor Dongfang Hui herself had cultivated. Once they found out that she had killed Dongfang Hui, these people would likely turn against her in revenge for Dongfang Hui. Dongfang You had enough self-awareness to recognize this. She knew she could not compare to Dongfang Hui’s prestige, built over decades, in just a few months.

Looking at Dongfang You’s bleak expression, Ye Li felt not a shred of sympathy for her. To Ye Li, Dongfang Hui was an enemy, but to Dongfang You, Dongfang Hui was her mentor, her mother, her savior. Had it not been for Dongfang Hui, Dongfang You would have been long dead, let alone be able to pride herself on being proficient in music, chess, literature, martial arts, and medicine now, claiming herself as the only one worthy of Young Master Qingchen. Even if Dongfang Hui had wronged everyone in the world, she never wronged Dongfang You. However, Dongfang You betrayed her mentor and even arranged for her assassination solely because Dongfang Hui stood in the way of her so-called perfect match. She was no better than a beast. Even if Xu Qingchen were to fancy her, which he definitely wouldn’t, she would have to be brought down. Of course, Young Master Qingchen had much sharper discernment than Ye Li.

Originally, Ye Li hadn’t decided how to deal with Dongfang You. It was uninteresting to keep such a person around, but equally boring to kill her. Conveniently, a lot of the forces from Cangmang Mountain hiding in the dark were difficult to unearth. Once Ye Li revealed the truth behind Dongfang Hui’s death, several groups would come forward. These included those loyal to Dongfang Hui, those who harbored misgivings about Dongfang You, and those with concealed ambitions to establish their own factions.

So, Ye Li naturally would not object to gaining some benefits from using Dongfang You. Of course, this must ensure that Dongfang You will definitely not survive, as Dongfang You’s obsession with Xu Qingchen had become twisted. If she were to escape again, Ye Li could not guarantee what she would do next.

Intending to head north as soon as possible, Xu Qingchen didn’t want to delay; he brought Yunge to visit Marquis Muyang’s Mansion the next morning. When they received the news that Young Master Qingchen had come to visit, Marquis Muyang and his son Mu Yang looked uneasy. In the past, they would have welcomed a visit from Young Master Qingchen with open arms. But now... Prince Li had just been treacherously deceived by Prince Ding’s Mansion, although strictly speaking, it was not Prince Ding’s Mansion’s fault. However, no one in power would refrain from venting their anger. The fact that Prince Li didn’t send anyone to harm Princess Consort Ding and Young Master Qingchen at this time was because he wasn’t confident in capturing them all, not because he didn’t want to. Isn’t their overly close association with Young Master Qingchen just begging to be a scapegoat for Prince Li?

However, Young Master Qingchen isn’t someone they can choose to see or not see at will. With a man of Xu Qingchen’s reputation and status, you might not always see him when you want to, but when he wants to see you, you absolutely can’t refuse.

"Young Master Qingchen, Young Master Qingchen has traveled a long way, and I have truly been impolite in not meeting you halfway to receive you." The elderly Marquis Muyang, followed by his son and other members of the Mu family, all smiling brightly, greeted Xu Qingchen. Xu Qingchen quickly glanced at the multitude of people who stood behind Marquis Muyang, the smile on his face fading. As the saying goes, Marquis Muyang has been a trusted confidant of Mo Jingqi. Although Mo Jingqi was now all but dead and his family scattered, the house of Marquis Muyang was still wealthy and powerful, even more so than before. Indeed, he is a rare strategist among military officers.

Looking at Yunge with a slight frown, Xu Qingchen was unsure whether leaving Yunge at Marquis Muyang’s Mansion was truly a good idea. Even though Yaoji was there, Yaoji had crucial responsibilities and couldn’t possibly take care of a child unfamiliar with the world at all times. Besides... how much longer would Marquis Muyang’s Mansion last?

Yunge, standing beside Xu Qingchen, looked at the elderly man who spoke to Xu Qingchen, a bit baffled. If he thought he was lacking in meeting his guest halfway, why didn’t he simply go out to greet him? Regardless of how old he is, it doesn’t matter if he fails to greet his guests. Yunge furrowed her brows, and she didn’t know why, but she spontaneously felt a bit of disliking towards this old man who smiled brightly when looking at Xu Qingchen.

The elderly Marquis Muyang naturally noticed the young girl standing beside Xu Qingchen and found it strange. Young Master Qingchen was traditionally known to be uninterested in women. Despite being in his prime, he was still unmarried. He pondered what this beautiful young girl was doing with him.

Both Mu Yang and Yaoji had met Yunge before; Yaoji had a liking for this young girl who was highly skilled in martial arts and simple-minded. She smiled and nodded at her. Yunge blinked her eyes and smiled sweetly back at Yaoji. Even though Yunge was quite displeased with the people at last night’s feast, she did not hold grudges. Moreover, what had happened last night didn’t actually have anything to do with them; it was all Prince Li’s fault!

"Yaoji, do you know this young girl?" Standing beside Mu Yang and shoulder to shoulder with Yaoji was Marchioness Muyang, who suddenly asked in a sharp voice when she saw the two of them. The elderly Marquis Muyang frowned, displeased with his daughter-in-law’s rudeness, but his gaze was also drawn to Yaoji.

Mu Yang gave his wife a sharp look, then made an excuse. "Father, we saw this young girl at Prince Li’s Mansion last night."

"Prince Li’s Mansion?" The elderly Marquis Muyang frowned; when Mu Yang vaguely spoke about what had happened at Prince Li’s Mansion last night, as a servant, he should understand that some things should not even be said to his closest relatives. While Marquis Muyang did not know what exactly happened at Prince Li’s Mansion last night, from this morning’s news of His Majesty’s critical illness and Princess Consort Li’s death, it was certainly not a trivial matter.

The elderly Marquis Muyang glanced at Xu Qingchen warily and said in a deep voice, "I wonder what brings Young Master Qingchen to visit today?"

Xu Qingchen replied with a faint smile, "Does Marquis Muyang intend to discuss things with me here?"

Given the choice, the elderly Marquis Muyang would indeed prefer to conduct the conversation here. However, he was also aware this wasn’t an appropriate place to talk. Awkwardly, he gave a brief smile and gestured to Young Master Qingchen, "Please, let’s continue this inside."

After settling down in the main hall, Yunge dutifully seated herself below Xu Qingchen, her quiet and obedient demeanor completely contrasted with her animated display of righteous indignation from the previous night.

After tea was served, Mu Yang asked, "Young Master Qingchen, may I ask who this lady might be...?"

Xu Qingchen put down his teacup, glanced at Yunge and said plainly, "I wonder if Marquis Muyang remembers a doctor by the name of Shen Fengru?"

"Shen Fengru?" Mu Yang frowned in confusion, looking towards his parents above him. The elderly Marquis Muyang’s face slightly changed; quickly glancing at Yunge sitting next to Xu Qingchen, he spoke gravely, "That name doesn’t ring a bell. Is there a reason why Young Master Qingchen is asking?"

Xu Qingchen continued, "In that case, about three or four years ago, it’s likely that Marquis Muyang didn’t receive a letter written by this particular Mr. Shen." The elder Marquis’s face regained its composure; he nodded. "Indeed, I did not receive any letter."

"Since that’s the case, I’ll take my leave." Xu Qingchen’s expression slightly darkened; he didn’t expend any more words. Rising from the seat, he told Yunge, "Yunge, let’s depart."

"Huh?" A puzzled Yunge looked at Xu Qingchen, uncertain why his mood had suddenly soured. However, she knew that when Xu Qingchen was upset, she would somehow always bear the brunt of it. Thus, she quickly stood up, hesitating a bit before asking, "But didn’t you say you would help me find someone? Is it... because we can’t find them? It’s okay, there’s no need to be in a rush..."

Xu Qingchen gave a faint smile, looking at Yunge he said, "There’s no longer anyone to find; the person your father arranged for you can’t come for you anymore."

"Wh... why?" Yunge asked perplexedly.

"Their entire family is already dead." Xu Qingchen walked out without looking back, completely missing the sudden change in the elderly Marquis Muyang’s face turning an unsightly shade as if he’d swallowed a fly.

They had never seen Xu Qingchen act so rudely before, and Yunge, feeling somewhat guilty, bowed to the visibly incensed Marquis Muyang. She hastily followed after, saying, "Xu Qingchen, don’t be upset. It’s not their fault that they are long dead; I can manage on my own..."

"Don’t worry, from now on you’ll go with me to Licheng. Surely Prince Ding’s Mansion can afford to provide for one young girl?" Xu Qingchen’s voice casually drifted back, carrying an undertone of contentment.

"I’m not a little girl! So... do I need to pay respects at their graves? It’s just... my father said I need to pay my respects on their death anniversaries for the first three years, if not he’ll be angry..."

"No need to do that; we’ll pay our respects when they’re all dead," Xu Qingchen replied indifferently.

"But didn’t you say they’re already all dead?" Yunge glared at him.

"I said it’s not needed, do you understand?" Xu Qingchen stopped in his tracks and looked at Yunge with a gentle smile. Instantly, Yunge shrank back, lowering her head as she whispered, "I understand..." Xu Qingchen seemed to be getting more and more fierce. Wooo...