Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 106. The Seventh Prince of Beirong
106. The Seventh Prince of Beirong
On stage, Miss Yaoji held a colorful embroidered ball. Smiling, she gazed at the men below. All of them were fixated on the ball. The one who caught it would spend a night with the most famous dancer in Capital City. This was a titanic temptation for ordinary men who could only dream of catching a glimpse of Yaoji. Yaoji’s gaze fell on Ye Li; she raised an eyebrow in a playful grin. Ye Li frowned. Something isn’t quite right. Before she could figure it out, Yaoji threw the embroidered ball in her direction. The crowd gasped. Those far from the action could only curse in frustration, but those closer were totally focused on the airborne ball, raising their hands high to catch this unexpected blessing.
As soon as Yaoji raised her hand, Ye Li understood where she intended to throw the ball. Of course, Yaoji did not mean to throw it to her, but to Mo Xiuyao, who was standing behind her. After letting go of the embroidered ball, Yaoji raised an eyebrow at her again, moving her lips wordlessly. Despite the silence, Ye Li, adept at lip-reading, caught the words. She mouthed, "Wanna bet if he’ll catch it?" Ye Li cursed inwardly, turning back to pull Mo Xiuyao aside. Normally, with their agility, dodging a small embroidered ball would be no problem. But now they were surrounded by the crowd, with no room to move, let alone evade it. Looking down at Ye Li, who was tugging at his clothing, Mo Xiuyao chuckled. He raised his hand and, with a light slap, sent the ball flying in another direction.
Following the change in the ball’s direction, the crowd swarmed to where it was headed. Mo Xiuyao held Ye Li in his arms to protect her from the pressing crowd, while playfully questioning her, "Ah-Li, were you worried just now?" Ye Li humphed and looked back at the stage. Seeing her ball slapped away, Yaoji showed no disappointment. Instead, she smiled even more alluringly at Ye Li and mouthed with a smile, "Congratulations." Ye Li nodded slightly, accepting her congratulations.
The colorful embroidered ball was snatched and passed among the crowd. Often, before one person could secure it, the ball was slapped away or grabbed by someone else. The fierce contest for the ball was breathtaking. However, no matter how many people scrambled for this small ball, the fight could not last forever. Just when a burly man, towering above the others, reached out to catch the ball, a striking figure leaped over the shoulders of the crowd, kicked the man’s hand away, and sent the ball back onto the stage to the woman standing there.
Amidst the disappointed cries from the crowd, a swift figure quickly dashed onto the stage and caught the ball before it could reach Yaoji. Standing next to Yaoji, the man in the brown brocade suit was suave and handsome, more rugged and hearty compared to men from Great Chu. But the sharp light in his seemingly smiling eyes revealed he was no simple-minded martial artist. The man casually played with the embroidered ball in his hand and chuckled at the man in the crowd, "Since this gentleman doesn’t fancy Miss Yaoji, you could have just stood aside and watched. It’s quite rude to kick her ball back. They all say Great Chu is the land of etiquette and poetry; your behavior is too... abrupt for a fair lady."
The man in the crowd was none other than Heir Mu Yang from Marquis Muyang’s Mansion. With a stern face, he leaped onto the stage without a word and launched an attack at the man in brown. The latter, apparently well-prepared, effortlessly sidestepped the assault. The two commenced fighting on the stage, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd. Since they couldn’t win the beauty’s favor, watching a good fight seemed a fair compromise. Common folk possess little, so they don’t easily become overly fixated.
Ye Li leaned in Mo Xiuyao’s arms, curiously inspecting the man fighting Mu Yang on stage. Judging by his appearance alone, he’s definitely not from Great Chu. Is he... from Beirong? Ye Li didn’t have a good impression of Beirong people. The last time, during her grand wedding the previous year, the thirteenth prince of Beirong had left her with a terrible impression. This one, however, seems to be in quite high spirits, coming to such a place for amusement. Mo Xiuyao chuckled, "I heard news that the Beirong bridal escort party arrived in Great Chu early, but I didn’t expect him to reach Capital City so quickly." Ye Li raised an eyebrow and looked back at him. "Do you know him?"
"Yelv Ye, the Seventh Prince of Beirong," Mo Xiuyao replied solemnly. "I’m afraid Mu Yang is no match for him."
Ye Li nodded slightly. In just a few moves, she too could see it. Mu Yang’s martial arts skills were indeed impressive, but they paled in comparison to Yelv Ye’s, which were clearly forged on the battlefield. This was not Mu Yang’s fault. In Great Chu, while martial arts were esteemed, so was academia, and aristocratic families often encouraged their children to pursue civil careers rather than enter the battlefield. After all, the battlefield was a dangerous place where one might lose their life at any moment. For a young man like Mu Yang to achieve such proficiency in both literature and martial arts was exceptional. But Beirong was different. Despite the influence of Central Plains culture, their people still revered bravery and strength. As one of the King of Beirong’s most capable sons, Yelv Ye had forged his martial prowess through life-and-death struggles on the battlefield from his early teens.
After a hundred moves, Mu Yang began to lose ground. Yelv Ye, on the other hand, seemed to grow more energetic as the fight wore on, his relentless attacks pushing Mu Yang further and further back. Ye Li glanced at Mo Xiuyao and couldn’t help but frown. She didn’t want Mo Xiuyao to go on stage; regardless of who won, it would inevitably cause a stir. But similarly, neither she nor Mo Xiuyao could just watch Mu Yang get injured by Yelv Ye. Yaoji, who had seemed somewhat distracted earlier, snapped back to attention when she saw Mu Yang close to losing. She exclaimed in exasperation, "Who asked you to meddle! What business is it of yours how I throw my embroidered ball?!"
Yelv Ye laughed aloud and said, "Miss Yaoji is correct. Heir Mu, since you kicked the embroidered ball back, what is the meaning of this now?"
Mu Yang glanced at Yaoji but remained silent, continuing to fend off Yelv Ye’s relentless onslaught. Even those on the sidelines who weren’t well-versed in martial arts could see he was struggling. Yelv Ye snorted coldly, seemingly losing patience. "Since Heir Mu has nothing to say, then don’t prevent me from winning the lady’s favor. Out of my way!" With a low shout, Yelv Ye threw a palm strike at Mu Yang’s chest. This attack was mighty, clearly containing the power to split rocks. Yaoji, standing nearby, couldn’t help but cover her mouth and scream, "No!" The platform was small, and Yaoji was close to the two men. Seeing Mu Yang in peril, she held nothing back and threw herself between them. She had trained in martial arts since childhood, and her agility was no less than that of an ordinary martial artist. In her desperation, this full-force lunge actually managed to place her between Mu Yang and Yelv Ye. It looked as though Yelv Ye’s palm strike was about to land on Yaoji.
The audience below couldn’t bear to watch and closed their eyes. The platform was already in shambles from the two men’s earlier confrontation. If this palm strike hit Yaoji, the delicate beauty would surely perish immediately.
SWISH— A glow swiftly flashed past. Yelv Ye felt a glint of light in his vision and quickly retracted his palm force, swiftly retreating several steps to steady himself. A pale-faced Yaoji fell into Mu Yang’s arms. She had closed her eyes, expecting death, but found that the palm strike had not hit her. Looking up, she saw Mu Yang’s eyes filled with worry and anger. Thinking about their current situation, her heart sank. She then stood up, pushing Mu Yang away.
Yelv Ye stood with his hands behind his back, glancing at the pearl flower hairpin stuck in a nearby pillar. It was a simple silver and pearl hairpin, but the fact that it was embedded three inches into the wood, leaving only the pearl flower visible, revealed the thrower’s considerable strength. If I hadn’t retracted my force in time, that hairpin would have pierced my wrist, Yelv Ye believed. Turning to look at the hairpin’s origin, he saw a young man and woman clad in understated, elegant clothes. The woman possessed a delicate beauty, with an air of magnanimity and noble bearing unlike typical Great Chu women. The man, his face masked, wore a moon-white robe that set him off like a bright moon, his refined elegance truly extraordinary. Raising an eyebrow, Yelv Ye chuckled. "The gentleman already has a beauty in his arms. Could it be he’s also interested in Miss Yaoji?"
Mo Xiuyao responded with a faint smile, "Prince Yelv is joking. My wife is naturally kind-hearted and cannot stand violence. It doesn’t matter if the Prince loses control in the heat of the moment, but if my wife gets frightened, it would be unfortunate." Hearing this, Mu Yang, somewhat surprised, turned and noticed Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li in the crowd. He nodded subtly, not revealing their identities. Surprised to have his identity exposed, Yelv Ye squinted at Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li. After a long pause, he finally chuckled, "So it’s... I didn’t expect to meet the Prince and Princess Consort here. What a pleasant surprise." Mo Xiuyao replied indifferently, "Neither did I expect to meet Prince Yelv in such a place." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Yelv Ye responded with only a chuckle, skillfully dodging Mo Xiuyao’s query about his unauthorized entry into the Capital of Great Chu. He pointed at Yaoji and said, "Since the Prince isn’t planning to pursue Miss Yaoji, does that mean she still belongs to me?"
"You wish!" Mu Yang said in a deep voice, stepping forward to shield Yaoji. Yelv Ye sneered disdainfully, looking at Mu Yang with a mocking expression. "Heir Mu, why not ask Miss Yaoji’s opinion? Perhaps Miss Yaoji would prefer to choose the stronger one?" Yaoji silently stepped out from behind Mu Yang and walked to Yelv Ye’s side under Mu Yang’s astonished gaze. "Yaoji! You..."
Yaoji gave a faint smile, but her expression was somewhat bitter. She softly said, "The rules today were set by Yaoji herself, so Yaoji naturally has to abide by them. Thank you, Heir Mu, for taking the trouble to come; it also serves to conclude our acquaintance of these past years. Please go back, Heir Mu."
Mu Yang stared at her enchanting face, unable to utter a word for a long time. The smile on Yaoji’s face gradually stiffened. Finally, she turned around, no longer facing him. By then, it was late, nearly curfew. Seeing the show was over, the disappointed crowd began to leave. Yelv Ye looked down at Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao and smiled. "Prince, Princess Consort, meeting today must be fate. Why not find a place for some drinks and conversation?"
Mo Xiuyao, holding Ye Li’s hand, walked over and said with a light smile, "Prince Yelv, with a beauty in your arms, are you still in the mood to reminisce with me?"
A sharp light flashed in Yelv Ye’s eyes, and he laughed. "My incompetent younger brother offended the Prince last year. Fortunately, the Prince was generous and let him return safely to Beirong. I was hoping to personally thank the Prince." Mo Xiuyao nodded generously. "Guests are always welcome. I am not an unreasonable person. This small incident is nothing Prince Yelv needs to keep in mind." Mo Xiuyao felt not the slightest guilt for making the already foolish Yelv Ping even more foolish. In fact, being able to let him return alive made Mo Xiuyao feel that his efforts at self-cultivation over the years had indeed paid off. Yelv Ye felt a lump in his throat, wishing he could just slap Mo Xiuyao to death. If Mo Xiuyao had killed Yelv Ping outright, he might not have been so angry. But instead, Mo Xiuyao had sent Yelv Ping to his greatest enemy, the Crown Prince. Not only that, but he had also let someone reveal this information to him. Worried that Yelv Ping might disclose secrets to the Crown Prince, Yelv Ye had to go to great lengths to retrieve him. Who knew the one he rescued would be an idiot who knew nothing. Of course, he firmly believed Mo Xiuyao had thoroughly extracted everything Yelv Ping knew before making him a fool. Even half a person from the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion remaining in this world is a scourge. Father truly did not deceive me.
"Is this Princess Consort Ding?" Knowing he couldn’t win a verbal spar against Mo Xiuyao, Yelv Ye didn’t make things difficult for himself. He turned his attention to Ye Li with a brisk change of tactic. "I am Yelv Ye, the Seventh Prince of Beirong. A pleasure to meet you, Princess Consort."
Ye Li stood beside Mo Xiuyao and said with a gentle smile, "A pleasure to meet you, Prince Yelv."
Yelv Ye looked at Ye Li somewhat boldly. "On the way to the Capital of Great Chu, I heard the Princess Consort is as brave as any man. I originally thought... but you turned out to be such a delicately beautiful woman? Prince Ding is truly fortunate." Mo Xiuyao’s eyes darkened; a hint of dangerous energy flashed and vanished. He then smiled at Yelv Ye. "Prince Yelv, you flatter me. This isn’t the place to talk. Prince Yelv, would you care to visit my humble abode for a short while?" He glanced below the stage. It was barely a quarter of an hour until curfew, and the crowd on the street had already dispersed. Only a few of them remained on the festively decorated stage, looking somewhat strange and eerie.
Yelv Ye laughed, showing no signs of discomfort. "I would be honored by Prince Ding’s invitation, but it’s already late. It would be inappropriate to visit the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion now. I will certainly visit you and the Princess Consort personally another day." Yelv Ye believed that anyone with a sound mind would not make the decision to pay a short visit to Prince Ding’s Mansion at this time. Seeing him decline, Mo Xiuyao didn’t insist. "In that case, Ah-Li and I will take our leave. Prince Yelv and Heir Mu..."
Yelv Ye chuckled. "I also need to return to the inn. As for Miss Yaoji, what happened just now was merely a joke. I hope Miss Yaoji and Heir Mu don’t mind." Apparently not expecting him to relent so easily, Mu Yang was taken aback. Yaoji also looked at Yelv Ye in surprise. But Yelv Ye simply brushed it off nonchalantly, waving his hand. "I saw that Heir Mu’s skills were outstanding and felt an itch to test them. I hope you will all forgive my offense."
Since he had spoken thus, Mu Yang naturally wouldn’t pursue the matter. He nodded. "Prince Yelv’s skills are superior. I was no match."
Yelv Ye raised an eyebrow, about to speak, when a glimmer of cold light flashed from the street corner, and several men in black lunged at them. Yelv Ye tilted his head, dodging an incoming blade, and casually swatted an assassin away. He then turned and laughed at Mo Xiuyao. "Prince, it seems the nights in the Capital of Great Chu are indeed very dangerous." With one arm around Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao’s other hand gripped an assassin’s wrist. With a slight exertion of force, the crisp sound of breaking bone echoed in the night. "Perhaps it’s because visitors have come from afar? After all, as I recall, the nights in Capital City were previously very peaceful," he retorted. Yelv Ye laughed loudly but didn’t contradict him.
On the other side, Mu Yang protected Yaoji while fending off attackers. Yaoji seemed a bit stiff. Although she didn’t want Mu Yang to touch her again, she also knew this was not the time to be willful. She allowed Mu Yang to hold her without struggle. The look on her face, however, was one of gloom and sorrow, overshadowing any fear of the assassins.
The assailants quickly realized the three men were skilled fighters. But as Mo Xiuyao and Mu Yang each defended a woman, only Yelv Ye, unencumbered, was free to attack wholeheartedly. The assassins exchanged glances and turned to besiege Mo Xiuyao and Mu Yang. As long as these two men were dealt with, the remaining one would naturally be easy to handle. Yelv Ye, finding himself sidelined, shrugged, glanced at Mo Xiuyao who was handling the situation with ease, then charged towards the group assaulting Mu Yang.
Ye Li felt somewhat helpless in Mo Xiuyao’s protective embrace. Although she knew Mo Xiuyao could easily handle the assassins, being held like this made her uncomfortable. However, Mo Xiuyao’s arm, firm around her waist, told her he had no intention of letting go. With a sigh of resignation, Ye Li carefully watched the surrounding assassins, just in case.
She didn’t know who these assassins were; they didn’t seem particularly skilled. Being idle and bored, unable to lend a hand, Ye Li thought with some disinterest. Since marrying into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, she had certainly encountered many assassins. In her eyes, these assassins were mediocre at best. Seeing the three men deal with them almost effortlessly, Ye Li frowned slightly. These men, called assassins, seemed more like actors performing a play for someone. Never mind these three men being present; there were also the hidden guards of Prince Ding’s Mansion, and Yelv Ye, when out and about, couldn’t possibly be without his own guards. Any single one of these three men was more than these few assassins could handle.
"Watch out!" As Yelv Ye took down the last assassin over there, Yaoji immediately pushed Mu Yang away, retreating a significant distance. Mu Yang looked at Yaoji, who was now far from him, with a bitter smile, then turned to thank Yelv Ye. However, a straggler, one who had slipped through the net, seized the opportunity to launch a hidden weapon at Yaoji. Ye Li cried out in alarm, snatched a jade pendant from Mo Xiuyao’s waist, and threw it. CLINK! The hidden weapon was sent flying, and the jade pendant fell to the ground, shattering into several pieces.
