Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 118. Helian Huimin

118. Helian Huimin

After seeing off Commandery Princess Ronghua, Ye Li finalized the training plan she had been preparing and handed it to Qin Feng. The next morning, she went to bid farewell to the Eldest Princess, ready to return to the Capital City. The Eldest Princess looked at Ye Li with a meaningful smile. "It’s time you went back," she said. "Having a distinguished Princess Consort of the King of Ding Kingdom like you stay with a doddering old woman like me on the outskirts of the city is quite out of place. Besides, it must be inconvenient at Prince Ding’s Mansion without his princess consort there to assist." On hearing the Eldest Princess’s words, Ye Li paused, feeling increasingly that something she was unaware of was happening in the Capital City. After bidding the Eldest Princess farewell, she walked out the door to find Qin Feng waiting. Ye Li glanced at him with a teasing look. "Has something happened in the Capital City that I don’t know about?"

Qin Feng’s expression stiffened for a moment before he forced a smile. "If there were any important matter, who would dare not report it to the Princess Consort?"

Ye Li squinted, tilting her head to look at him and chuckling, "So, it’s something not too important, then? Tell me about it."

Seeing Ye Li turn to leave, Qin Feng hurriedly jogged to keep up, saying, "Actually, it’s nothing major. It’s just that... a few days ago, the Beirong envoys for the marriage alliance arrived in the Capital City. Prince Yelv submitted a memorial to the Emperor, stating that since our two nations are allied through marriage, there should be an exchange of brides and grooms to demonstrate the friendship between us." Ye Li turned to look at him, her voice cool. "So, this time, it’s a Beirong princess who has come? And they want the Prince to marry her? Again? Does the Emperor treat the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion as a dumping ground for any random person?" Qin Feng shrank his neck slightly. Is the Princess Consort actually jealous? The Prince will surely be delighted to hear that, won’t he? Seeing Ye Li’s expression, Qin Feng quickly explained, "Not a Princess of Beirong... It’s Helian Huimin, the adopted daughter of Beirong’s General Flying Cavalry Helian Zhen."

Ye Li’s lips twitched. Helian Zhen’s adopted daughter... Everyone knew the enmity between Helian Zhen and the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion ran as deep as the sea. And this adopted daughter... It seems the other party is indeed very confident to dare come to Great Chu with such an identity. "Why wasn’t I informed?"

"Princess Consort, please calm your anger." Qin Feng quickly tried to placate her. Ye Li glanced at him coolly, and Qin Feng recalled that the Princess Consort disliked her subordinates uttering such perfunctory apologies. He hastily explained, "It was the Prince’s directive. The Prince said that since the Princess Consort was away and had other matters to attend to, he didn’t want to trouble you with such a trivial thing. He doesn’t take a mere Beirong woman to heart." Ye Li nodded slightly, accepting his explanation, then asked, "If that’s the case, why is it known throughout the entire city?" It was one thing for Commandery Princess Ronghua, who was always in the Capital City, to know. But for even the Eldest Princess, who lived in seclusion outside the city, to be aware of it meant the news had undeniably spread far and wide. Qin Feng said, "The Emperor and the Empress Dowager mentioned that you and the Prince have been married for over a year, yet there’s been no... ’news’ from the Princess Consort. So, they approved Prince Yelv’s request, saying it was to help the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion propagate its lineage." After speaking, Qin Feng carefully peeked at Ye Li; this was the true reason they hadn’t dared to inform the Princess Consort.

"What a fine way to ’propagate the lineage!’" Ye Li sneered. "Taking a Beirong woman into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion to propagate its lineage? Return to the city!" She held no ethnic prejudice, but even if she truly couldn’t conceive, neither the citizens of Great Chu nor the Mo Family Army would ever accept a future Prince Ding having Beirong blood in his veins. This was purely a political matter. Mo Jingqi really has a fine scheme. Does he take everyone in the world for fools?

Even before returning to Prince Ding’s Mansion, Ye Li had heard numerous rumors about Prince Ding and Helian Huimin along the way. Many of them mentioned that Princess Consort Ding had been married for over a year without becoming pregnant, yet she refused to allow Prince Ding to take a Secondary Consort, painting her as jealous and unvirtuous. As soon as she entered Prince Ding’s Mansion, Steward-in-Chief Mo hurried over to request Ye Li’s presence in the main hall. Ye Li raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Steward-in-Chief Mo explained, "Prince Yelv and Miss Helian are visiting. The Prince is currently speaking with them in the main hall. As the Mistress of House of Prince Ding’s Mansion, it is natural for you to receive the guests." Ye Li looked at Steward-in-Chief Mo with amusement, chuckling. "Does Uncle Mo have anything to say about the rumors outside?" Although those wild speculations annoyed Ye Li, one point was indeed accurate: she had not conceived in the year since her marriage and had absolutely no intention of allowing Mo Xiuyao to take a concubine. In the eyes of people of this era, this was indeed considered jealous and unvirtuous.

Steward-in-Chief Mo stated calmly, "It is not the place of subordinates to criticize the master’s affairs. Besides... a good half of the rumors out there were spread by the Prince himself."

"Hmm? What is the Prince trying to do?" Ye Li was somewhat surprised. Upon reflection, however, it made sense. In just a few days, the rumors had permeated the entire Capital City, even intensifying. If Prince Ding’s Mansion had intervened, it wouldn’t have become so rampant. It seemed Mo Xiuyao had not only failed to quell these rumors but was actually fanning the flames from behind the scenes.

Steward-in-Chief Mo continued, "The Prince said that when the Princess Consort returns, you will naturally understand his intentions. Princess Consort, now..."

Ye Li smiled radiantly. "Since they have come to our door personally, how could this Princess refuse to see them?"

Just as she approached the entrance to the main hall, a clear, girlish voice drifted from within, "Prince, I wonder if Huimin might have the honor of meeting the Princess Consort?"

Mo Xiuyao’s voice was as calm and gentle as ever. "Ah-Li has gone out of the city to visit my Imperial Aunt. I’m afraid she won’t have the opportunity to meet Miss Helian."

"Prince, you jest. How could there be no opportunity? Once Huimin marries into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, she and the Princess Consort will be as sisters. There will naturally be opportunities to meet." Prince Yelv Ye laughed heartily. "Huimin, you needn’t be anxious. Princess Consort Ding is gentle and refined, a model among the women of Great Chu. She certainly won’t make things difficult for you."

"Cousin, you are right. Huimin has long admired the Princess Consort’s esteemed name and was momentarily impatient. I hope the Prince doesn’t mind my forwardness," Helian Huimin said with a crisp laugh, her words poised and gracious, without a trace of the shyness or panic Great Chu maidens typically displayed when discussing their own marriages.

"Marry into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion?" Mo Xiuyao inquired doubtfully. "The King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion has no collateral branches. My father and elder brothers passed away many years ago. With which deceased elder of my household, Miss Helian, do you have a marriage contract?"

"PFFT..." Ye Li couldn’t help but let out a stifled laugh. With rumors swirling so wildly, Mo Xiuyao’s pretense of ignorance is a bit too theatrical. Clearing her throat lightly, Ye Li stepped into the hall.

Seeing Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao appeared genuinely pleased. He promptly rose, took her hand, and smiled, "Ah-Li, you’re finally back! Are you no longer angry with your husband? Have you forgiven me?"

Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Does the Prince think he did something wrong?" Secretly, she reached out and pinched Mo Xiuyao hard. Yelv Ye, whose back was to Helian Huimin, shot Mo Xiuyao a look that clearly asked: What on earth are you playing at? Ye Li’s pinch was definitely not light. Mo Xiuyao stiffened, his face falling. "Ah-Li, are you still angry?" he cooed. "I know, I know I was wrong. Whatever my wife says is wrong, is wrong. Even if the entire world says it’s right, then they are wrong. My dear, please sit."

His handsome face, half-covered by an icy mask, combined with his renown as the Prince of Ding Kingdom, made this display of a husband placating his wife—so common in ordinary households—appear exceptionally bizarre to outsiders. Helian Huimin and Yelv Ye couldn’t help but exchange astonished glances. They found it hard to believe that Prince Ding would actually put on such an act in front of others.

Yelv Ye raised an eyebrow with interest and smiled at Ye Li. "Princess Consort, it has been many days. Your elegance remains undiminished."

Ye Li nodded with a smile. "Prince Yelv is too kind. And this young lady is...?"

Without waiting for Yelv Ye to introduce her, Helian Huimin rose and performed a Great Chu curtsy towards Ye Li, smiling. "Little sister Helian Huimin greets Elder Sister Princess Consort."

Ye Li frowned slightly and sidestepped the curtsy, smiling. "Miss Helian may simply address me as Princess Consort. If I recall correctly, Miss Helian should be a few years my senior. The address of ’Elder Sister’ is one I dare not accept." Only then did Ye Li get a clear look at Helian Huimin. Being from Beirong, Helian Huimin was considerably taller than most Great Chu women. However, her figure was graceful and well-proportioned, showing none of the sturdiness one might expect from Beirong women. On the contrary, her features were quite delicate, possessing a refined beauty akin to that of Great Chu’s renowned belles. Dressed in a peach-pink Beirong noblewoman’s attire, her smiling eyes exuded an air of spirited heroism. She bore some resemblance to Murong Ting, but a single glance told Ye Li that this Helian Huimin was entirely different from the guileless Murong Ting. Her outward cheerfulness and candor were merely a facade. Just from those pretty eyes, which remained intently fixed on Ye Li’s face, Ye Li knew that this artless act was simply a cover Helian Huimin used while she was still unsure of Ye Li’s measure.

Hearing Ye Li’s words, Helian Huimin paused for a moment, then quickly recovered, smiling. "Elder Sister Princess Consort, you may not be aware, but Huimin has already received the Emperor of Great Chu’s decree to marry into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion soon. While I don’t know Great Chu customs, in Beirong, the one who enters the family first is considered senior. So, it is proper for me to call you Elder Sister."

Ye Li pondered for a moment, then turned to Mo Xiuyao. "Prince, congratulations. His Majesty has personally bestowed a beauty upon you. Is the Prince pleased?"

Mo Xiuyao hastily shook his head. "My dear, you misunderstand. I have never received any decree for an arranged marriage. Just now, I was wondering if Miss Helian perhaps had a marriage contract with my late father or elder brother. If so... although my father and elder brother passed away long ago, the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion can still arrange a posthumous wedding. It would just trouble you to oversee it, my dear. I wonder... would Miss Helian be my secondary mother consort, or... my sister-in-law?"

At these words, even the usually composed Yelv Ye couldn’t stop his expression from contorting. Helian Huimin, though Beirong women were less concerned with trifles, couldn’t help her face from darkening at being so openly mocked by the man she considered her fiancé. What do you mean you never received a decree for an arranged marriage? The Emperor decreed the marriage on the spot; there wasn’t even time to write an edict. Consequently, Mo Xiuyao simply swaggered off, showing no intention of giving face to the Emperor or Beirong. Afterwards, he directly had the person delivering the imperial edict barred from entry. Naturally, no edict of marriage was ever received. Ye Li raised her clear eyes slightly. "Is that really so?"

Mo Xiuyao said gravely, "My heart for Ah-Li is as clear as day; there is absolutely no falsehood in my words. If I disregard all honor and marry Miss Helian, may I be struck by lightning and die without issue!" Anyway, he had absolutely no intention of marrying Helian Huimin, so making such an oath was effortless.

Hearing this, Ye Li’s expression softened somewhat. She said gently, "I believe you. Why make such a dreadful oath? If that’s the case, I’ll have someone prepare for the wedding later. But... is it for Father or Elder Brother? Should we ask Eldest Sister-in-Law to return for this?" Don’t accuse her of ruining Helian Huimin’s reputation; Beirong people weren’t overly concerned about such things. Besides, she had no intention of being polite to a woman trying to steal her man.

Mo Xiuyao was clearly very pleased with Ye Li’s cooperation. He turned to look at Yelv Ye, who was seated to the side, pointedly leaving it to him to clarify whether Helian Huimin was to marry the King of Ding Kingdom from the generation before last, or the last one. Yelv Ye’s face was ashen. Mo Xiuyao had equated marrying Helian Huimin with matters of honor and shame, clearly determined to foist her off onto someone already deceased. If Yelv Ye actually complied, they would truly have suffered a double loss—the bride and their leverage. Sneering, Yelv Ye said, "Prince Ding, I trust you understand my intentions and those of the Emperor of Great Chu. For you to pester and obstruct like this, is it not a breach of decorum?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Mo Xiuyao looked even more aggrieved than him, sighing softly. "Prince, you may not be aware, but there is an ancestral decree in my family: we must never marry a foreign woman into our main line. Otherwise, one is unworthy to be a descendant of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. However, for the sake of friendship between our two nations, my late father and elder brother, having passed on, are not bound by the rules of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. Isn’t this a perfect solution for both sides?"

A perfect solution, my foot! Yelv Ye cursed inwardly.

"Prince, Huimin admires you with all her heart. Why do you humiliate me so?" Helian Huimin rose, looking at Mo Xiuyao with a mournful expression.

Mo Xiuyao said indifferently, "I have no intention of humiliating Miss Helian."

Helian Huimin said, "If that is the case, why do you repeatedly refuse? Our marriage was decreed by the Emperor of Great Chu; it is perfectly legitimate. Although I, Helian Huimin, am not of royal birth, I am a Beirong noblewoman, educated in letters and martial arts since childhood. I trust I will not bring dishonor to the Prince."

Mo Xiuyao looked at Helian Huimin, then lowered his gaze to Ye Li, who sat beside him, and said softly, "In this life, marrying Ah-Li alone is enough for me. By your actions, Miss Helian, where do you intend to place my beloved consort?"

The three people in the hall were all taken aback. Helian Huimin looked at Ye Li with a complex expression and said, "Prince, for the Princess Consort’s sake, are you going to disregard even Great Chu?"

Ye Li frowned, looking at Helian Huimin. "What does Miss Helian mean by that? Surely you’re not suggesting that if our Prince doesn’t marry Miss Helian, Beirong will declare war on our country?"

Helian Huimin naturally wouldn’t be foolish enough to affirm such a statement. She merely looked at Mo Xiuyao and said, "I hear the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion has always been loyal to the court. Can it be that for Princess Consort Ding’s sake, the Prince intends to defy an imperial decree? Aren’t you afraid the court officials will deem the Princess Consort a woman who brings calamity to the nation?"

Mo Xiuyao’s expression darkened slightly, and it seemed he had finally dropped the playful facade. He looked calmly at Helian Huimin and said, "Miss Helian, listening to your eloquence, you sound less like a Beirong native and more like one of our own articulate people from Great Chu. Miss Helian, I wish to ask you only one question."

Helian Huimin was startled. Although she couldn’t quite understand why Prince Ding, who had been so affable towards her regardless of what she said just two days ago, had suddenly become angry, she still nodded. "Prince, please ask."

At the side, Yelv Ye frowned, watching Mo Xiuyao with some vigilance. He had a feeling that whatever Mo Xiuyao was about to say wouldn’t be pleasant.

Mo Xiuyao fixed his cool gaze on Helian Huimin’s beautiful face, staring until she blushed and averted her eyes. Only then did he calmly utter, "Miss Helian, is it that you’re unable to marry anyone else?"