Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 101. Princess Changle
101. Princess Changle
Just as the day began, Ye Li received a summons from Her Highness Empress in the palace. She was actually quite impressed with Mo Jingqi’s restraint, considering the emperor had not questioned her as soon as they returned to the Capital City. Now, given Ye Li’s status, there were few people in the Capital who could summon her—only His Majesty, the Empress, and the Empress Dowager. However, considering the Empress Dowager was practically under house arrest by Mo Jingqi lately, and how things had gone awry the last time Ye Li visited the palace, it was likely Prince Ding had the authority to refuse the emperor’s summons for Princess Consort Ding. Thus, Her Highness Empress might have extended the invitation instead.
The Empress invited Ye Li to the palace for a flower-viewing event. She had heard that the Begonia flowers in the imperial garden were in peak bloom, so she used this opportunity to welcome Princess Consort Ding and ordered the noblewomen of the Capital’s royal families to attend. Seeing the vibrant blooms in the imperial garden, Ye Li vaguely remembered that the annual flower festival had already passed this year. She couldn’t help but chuckle. Being so busy with external matters these days, how could I remember all these events that the noble ladies in the Capital yearn for? With Ye Li off to the palace, Mo Xiuyao ignored whether he had been invited by the Empress or not and simply followed her. His presence alone eloquently demonstrated his distrust of the imperial family. However much Mo Jingqi seethed, he could say nothing. After all, the matter of Princess Consort Ding’s disappearance remained unresolved.
"Prince Ding, there’s no chance your Princess Consort will get lost in my palace. Are you suggesting you don’t trust me?" Empress Hua chuckled as she saw them approaching together. A sigh and a hint of envy filled her eyes as she looked at Ye Li, and she couldn’t resist teasing them. The Mo Family and the Hua Family had always been close, and Mo Xiuyao showed no resentment towards the Empress. He smiled lightly. "Ah-Li has always disliked crowds, and without any elders at home to guide her, she may be unfamiliar with many customs. Since I have nothing to do today, I decided to accompany her. Please forgive us, Your Highness." His open affection in public made Ye Li feel a bit out of place, and she glanced at Mo Xiuyao. However, his demeanor remained calm and gentle as always, drawing sighs of admiration from the ladies present and adding to the envy and jealousy directed at Ye Li. She clearly saw the malicious mirth in Hua Tianxiang’s eyes, who stood beside the Empress, and couldn’t help glowering at her inwardly.
"It graces our presence to have Prince Ding join us. However, most of the guests today are women. I fear your presence might make them uncomfortable," the Empress teased him with a smile. "So, Prince Ding, why don’t you venture elsewhere and leave us to our flower-viewing feast?"
Seated off to the side, Princess Zhaoyang also chimed in with a laugh, "Her Highness Empress is right. Years ago, when the Second Young Master of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion appeared, half the girls in the Capital City lost their minds. Xiuyao, it may be best not to stay here and attract attention. With the Empress and I here, you need not worry for your Princess Consort’s safety, right?" Princess Zhaoyang, usually somewhat aloof, seemed to be in a good mood today and even joked around. Her words, however, made the young ladies present blush and lower their gazes, unable to meet the imposing figure standing before the Empress.
Observing the various reactions from the crowd, Ye Li couldn’t help but smile inwardly and whispered to Mo Xiuyao, "Prince, if you have something to do, please go ahead. I’ll be fine."
Mo Xiuyao nodded and whispered back, "I’ll go see His Majesty first, and we will return to the mansion together later."
Ye Li nodded. Only then did Mo Xiuyao excuse himself from the Empress and the Eldest Princess before leaving. Hua Tianxiang, at the Empress’s side, winked suggestively at Ye Li. Such public displays of affection were bound to stir envy...
After the attention-grabbing Mo Xiuyao left, Ye Li took the first empty seat below the Empress. Opposite her, the cordial Princess Zhaoyang greeted her with a smile, but Princess Zhaoren and Commandery Princess Ronghua by her side were not as friendly. Ye Li felt a bit helpless in this situation. Although she bore no ill will towards Commandery Princess Ronghua, the Commandery Princess seemed to hold Ye Li in great disdain. When Ye Ying was around, most of Commandery Princess Ronghua’s attention was focused on her. But now, with Ye Ying gone, Commandery Princess Ronghua had evidently turned her attention back to Ye Li. Seeing the utter disdain in her eyes, Ye Li couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. Does this Commandery Princess Ronghua even realize that a large part of her future might very well be in my hands?
"Consort Yun and Wang Zhaorong have arrived!" The Empress was about to speak when a somewhat shrill announcement from a palace attendant interrupted her. She involuntarily furrowed her brows, clearly not pleased by the new arrivals.
Before long, two women in splendid attire slowly approached. The one in the lead was a coquettish beauty with an alluringly petite figure, a hint of charm evident in her brow. The woman accompanying her was merely comely, yet her elongated, phoenix-like eyes somehow suggested a seductive allure. The pair stepped forward and bowed gracefully. "This concubine offers her respects to Her Highness Empress."
Both were the emperor’s favored concubines, with Consort Yun ranking among the four highest imperial consorts. Aside from Ye Li and the two princesses, everyone present had to stand to pay their respects. The Empress glanced at them, her voice indifferent as she said, "You may rise. What brings Consort Yun and Wang Zhaorong here today?"
Consort Yun replied with a laugh, "This concubine apologizes if her presence has disturbed Your Highness’s tranquil gathering. It’s just that... this concubine and Sister Wang heard that Princess Consort Ding is also present today. We have long admired Princess Consort Ding’s reputation and, having finally gotten this opportunity, we requested His Majesty’s approval to come and meet her." Her words were delivered with an air of innocent frankness, yet they subtly informed everyone that she had come with the emperor’s permission and specifically to see Princess Consort Ding. Ordinarily, when the Empress summoned court ladies, no one could attend without an invitation, not even an imperial concubine. Her statement thus both exonerated her from the charge of disrespecting the Empress and highlighted the emperor’s favor towards her.
"I am honored by your visit, Consort Yun," Ye Li said with a faint smile, though she showed no intention of rising to return the courtesy. The Yun Family and the Wang Family were Mo Jingqi’s staunchest supporters. Since the Empress did not have Mo Jingqi’s trust and Noble Consort Liu was cold and aloof, Mo Jingqi had naturally dispatched Consort Yun to probe Ye Li.
Consort Yun paused, turning her head to appraise Ye Li, who sat to the side. Most women harbor some hostility towards those more outstanding than themselves. Previously, Consort Yun had not been in high favor and thus had not met Princess Consort Ding. Yet, in recent days, she had heard many stories about the latter. The Yun Family, loyal to the emperor, had gained favor when the emperor cast aside the Ye Family, subsequently heaping affection upon them and Consort Yun herself. While Consort Yun hadn’t yet become bold enough to provoke the Empress and Noble Consort Liu, she had begun to look down on others. She naturally paid extra attention to Ye Li, whom the emperor seemed to greatly fear.
Initially expecting to meet someone as dignified as the Empress or as unapproachably beautiful as Noble Consort Liu, Consort Yun instead saw a woman seated to the Empress’s right. She wore a light green dress with a silver peony pattern, her jet-black hair loosely tied and adorned with a pair of pearl-tasseled hairpins. Compared to the other noblewomen present, with their elaborate attire and exquisite makeup, she exuded an air of understated elegance and casualness. It seemed difficult to connect her with the woman rumored to command two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry and garrison Biancheng City. It was even harder to imagine that Prince Ding, as rumored, was deeply in love with this Princess Consort. Consort Yun had seen Su Zuidie before; while the current Princess Consort Ding was beautiful, she seemed somewhat lacking compared to the peerless beauty of Su Zuidie.
"Is this Princess Consort Ding? Your Highness Empress, could this concubine sit with Princess Consort Ding? This concubine has long admired her graceful demeanor and wishes to chat with the Princess Consort." Suppressing her doubts, Consort Yun smiled sweetly, making it impossible to refuse her request.
The Empress looked at her, speaking dismissively, "If that is the case, you and Wang Zhaorong may sit beside Princess Consort Ding."
Consort Yun’s gaze flickered slightly, but her face still radiated joy as she responded. Taking Wang Zhaorong’s hand, she sat down in a place near Ye Li. Though she resented sitting in a position subordinate to Ye Li, she knew that Princess Consort Ding would not yield her seat. Or rather, even if Princess Consort Ding did offer to give up her seat, Consort Yun might not dare to accept it.
Gatherings of noble ladies usually followed a similar pattern, though today, many of them were preoccupied with other matters. Once most had arrived, the Empress herself rose to lead them to the imperial garden to admire the flowers. The garden was indeed a riot of color, with countless flowers vying for beauty. Even though it was early summer, the scenery was no less splendid than in spring. The noble ladies sat in small groups, chatting and admiring the flowers, with Ye Li and others of high rank naturally accompanying the Empress. After a stroll around the garden, the Empress led everyone to a pavilion to rest. Only then did she smile and ask, "Princess Consort Ding, you seldom come to the palace. What do you think of the scenery here?"
Ye Li smiled and replied, "It is undoubtedly a manifestation of wealth and grandeur, like a fairyland."
The Empress gave her a sideways glance. "Now you’re speaking such pleasantries to me as well. Wealth and grandeur, that is true. But like a fairyland... which fairyland would look like this?" There was a slight hint of annoyance and world-weariness in her tone as she shook her head and added with a smile, "In my opinion, it’s far better to let nature take its course. The palace gardens are undeniably exquisite, but with these clusters arranged here and there, it all becomes somewhat overwhelming. I have been to Prince Ding’s Mansion; I imagine it must be very much to your liking, Princess Consort?"
Prince Ding’s Mansion covered a large area but was furnished in a comfortable and elegant style that Ye Li very much enjoyed. Princess Zhaoyang nodded in agreement and laughed, "Her Highness Empress is right. When I was young, I too loved visiting Prince Ding’s Mansion and always found it hard to leave."
Ye Li responded with a light smile, "Your Highness and Princess are too kind. Prince Ding’s Mansion has been home to military men for generations, so it is inevitably a bit unrefined. My Prince and I are not fond of bustling places; we simply prefer its tranquility."
Seated beside Ye Li, Consort Yun said curiously, "I have heard from His Majesty that Princess Consort Ding once commanded an army in Yongzhou and assisted the defenders in Yonglin, successfully thwarting Prince Li’s rebel army and ensuring the safety of Broken Snow Pass. Princess Consort Ding, could you tell us about it? I also heard that you are a formidable martial artist; no wonder you were able to frighten Princess Xiling into a state of hysteria with just a single arrow last year."
Ye Li responded with a gentle smile, "Consort Yun, you’re jesting. My Prince was just worried for my safety and taught me a few basic martial arts moves. The ones who defended Yonglin were the border soldiers; the credit doesn’t belong to me."
Wang Zhaorong chimed in, "Princess Consort Ding is too modest. I have also heard His Majesty speak of it. His Majesty said that if it weren’t for Princess Consort Ding’s contributions, Broken Snow Pass would likely have fallen long ago. Princess Consort Ding’s contribution is indeed beneficial to the land of Great Chu. It’s a pity that we, who have been nestled in the deep palace for so long, haven’t been able to contribute to Great Chu like Princess Consort Ding. It is indeed a lifetime regret."
"Oh? Does Wang Zhaorong also wish to contribute to Great Chu? Why don’t I ask Father Emperor to send you to the frontier to contribute to Great Chu? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? If Wang Zhaorong shows such loyalty to Great Chu, Father Emperor will certainly be very pleased." A clear, bright voice rang out from outside the pavilion. Everyone turned to see Princess Changle in a pink dress, her bright eyes brimming with laughter as she teased Wang Zhaorong.
Wang Zhaorong managed a forced smile. "Princess, you’re joking. This concubine... wouldn’t even have the strength to truss a chicken..." Even though she was favored and her family had gained influence, Wang Zhaorong still didn’t dare to provoke Princess Changle. Princess Changle was the Empress’s only daughter and the sole legitimate offspring of the entire Great Chu imperial family. Mo Jingqi, despite his lack of affection for the Empress, still respected her and deeply doted on this pure and lovable princess. If Princess Changle really ran into the imperial study and made a scene, Wang Zhaorong would be in serious trouble.
Princess Changle rolled her eyes dismissively, glanced at her, and said, "Then stop your pointless rambling. I thought you might be too embarrassed to ask Father yourself. It just so happens that Uncle Prince Ding is in the royal study as well, so I’ll go plead to Father on your behalf. Perhaps Father will agree, considering your loyalty."
"Changle, stop this nonsense!" The Empress frowned, disapproving of Princess Changle’s indecorous behavior.
Princess Changle, cheeky as ever, made a face, then stepped into the pavilion and greeted properly, "Daughter pays her respects to Mother. Greetings to Princess Consort Ding and my two aunts."
Princess Zhaoyang reached out to Princess Changle, laughing. "It’s been a long time, young princess. You’ve grown up so much."
Ye Li smiled and nodded. Indeed, in the year since she had last seen Princess Changle outside Yaohua Palace, the princess had grown considerably. At least she no longer looked like she would scramble into bushes. Princess Changle apparently still remembered Ye Li; nestled in Princess Zhaoyang’s arms, she winked at her. Ye Li paused for a moment and returned a faint smile.
Consort Yun chuckled, looking at Changle still playfully nestled in Princess Zhaoyang’s arms. "Princess, we were just about to hear the Princess Consort talk about leading troops in battle at the border. Don’t you want to listen?"
Princess Changle rolled her eyes, her smile bright. "I am a lady; I don’t pry into others’ private affairs. It’s only those bad women who scheme and spend all their time trying to dig up other people’s secrets. Isn’t that right, Consort Yun?"
The cordial smile on Consort Yun’s face stiffened. She forced a laugh. "Of course, the princess is a lady."
Princess Changle snorted lightly, then turned to the Empress and asked, "Mother Consort, may I invite Princess Consort Ding and my cousin to play with me?"
The Empress smiled lightly. "That depends on whether Princess Consort Ding has time to play with you. You’re not a little girl anymore; what will people think if you’re always pestering others to play?"
Princess Changle laughed. "I like Princess Consort Ding!"
The Empress turned to Ye Li and chuckled. "This girl of mine is still rather thoughtless. Please don’t mind her, Princess Consort."
Ye Li smiled. "Not at all. The princess is pure and endearing. It is my honor that she likes me. Where does Your Highness wish to take me?"
Princess Changle cheerfully left Princess Zhaoyang’s arms, grabbed Ye Li with one hand and Hua Tianxiang with the other, and started running off. "Come with me!" Ye Li, being agile, had no trouble, but Hua Tianxiang stumbled and teetered as Princess Changle pulled her along. The Empress, with a helpless sigh, ordered her attendants to follow them and keep an eye on them.
Princess Changle led the two of them on a winding path through the imperial garden before finally stopping behind a rockery in the Northwest corner. She glanced back to confirm the palace attendants hadn’t followed. Relieved, she then frowned slightly and complained softly, "Those people are so annoying; they follow us everywhere."
Ye Li laughed. "They are only following the Empress’s and the Emperor’s orders. They might be punished if they can’t find you."
Princess Changle waved her hand. "Don’t worry, my mother is a good person; she wouldn’t punish the palace staff randomly. But those people are annoying. They like to tell my father and the other consorts what I say. I don’t like them. Come with me."
Princess Changle climbed up the rockery with great excitement, turning back to say to the two behind her, "This place is huge! If we climb up, they won’t be able to find us."
Ye Li glanced at the cluster of rockeries; it was indeed quite large. If they hid inside, it would be difficult to find them without a thorough search. But... "Princess, why are we climbing up here?"
Princess Changle glanced back at her, touched her hair bun adorned with pearl strings, and said, "Uncle Prince Ding said some bad women made you upset, and he asked me to find a place to hide you. He’ll come to get you soon. Um... Cousin Tianxiang also has something to tell you, doesn’t she?"
Ye Li was exasperated. Hide me? She’d bet Mo Xiuyao definitely hadn’t told Princess Changle that. She glanced at Hua Tianxiang, who looked equally surprised.
Princess Changle snorted lightly, turned, and continued to climb. "Father Emperor wants to send Cousin Tianxiang to marry into Beirong. I asked my nanny, and she said Beirong is a terrible place. The people are rude and barbarous, it’s freezing cold, and there’s no good food! I went to ask Uncle Prince Ding, and he said Princess Consort Ding has the final say in this. So, now we can talk! Come on up!"
Left with no choice, the two followed her. Halfway up the rockery, there was indeed a secluded spot, and its tranquility suggested it was a frequent hiding place for someone. Sitting on the rockery, Ye Li smiled. "So, Princess, you want to ask me not to let Tianxiang marry into Beirong?"
Princess Changle stared at her with anticipation. "Would you agree?"
Ye Li smiled gently. "What benefits would I get if I agreed?"
Princess Changle thought for a moment. "I can give you all my treasures! I have many treasures, you know. Father Emperor gave them to me, and Mother said they’re very valuable. Would that be enough?"
"Changle..." Hua Tianxiang’s eyes were slightly red. Of course, she didn’t want to marry into Beirong either. But she, her parents, and her grandparents all knew that even if the Emperor said Princess Consort Ding had full responsibility, if he truly wanted her for a marriage alliance, even Li’er couldn’t stop it. He just wanted Prince Ding’s Mansion to bear the blame for offending the Hua Mansion. That’s why neither her grandparents nor she herself had ever planned to speak to Li’er about it, merely to spare her unnecessary trouble.
"Why doesn’t the princess want Tianxiang to enter a marriage alliance?"
Princess Changle bit her lip, looked at the two, and hesitated for a while before speaking tentatively, "Mother said... it should be a princess who enters a marriage alliance. But we don’t have a suitable princess right now, that’s why they want to select someone else to do it. Mother said these... are all royal affairs. I... I’m still a child; otherwise, I could go for the marriage alliance myself... If Tianxiang goes, Grandmother, Uncle, and Aunt will be sad. My aunt even cried in front of Mother..." Princess Changle’s words were disjointed, but both of them understood. Princess Changle believed Tianxiang was going to suffer in her place, which was why she so eagerly sought Ye Li’s help. After finishing, Princess Changle looked at her expectantly. "Princess Consort Ding, can you please not let my cousin enter the marriage alliance?"
Ye Li smiled faintly and nodded. "I can, and I promise you."
