Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 121. Full Moon

121. Full Moon

As they left Zhangde Palace, the looks on the faces of the noble ladies as they regarded Ye Li became somewhat strange. Their expression carried a mixture of envy and jealousy, tainted with a touch of fear and schadenfreude. In the more than one hundred years since the founding of Great Chu, let alone a thousand years prior, no woman had ever dared to draw a sword in the palace and declare in front of the Empress Dowager and the Empress that she would kill any woman who wanted to become her husband’s concubine. Her audacity and courage naturally aroused the envy and jealousy of these high-born ladies, who themselves had to endure a multitude of wives and concubines in their own homes. At the same time, they all knew that Princess Consort Ding was probably destined to bear the infamy of being a jealous woman.

"Li’er." Just as Ye Li stepped outside the palace, Madam Xu was already waiting for her outside the hall.

Ye Li greeted her with a faint smile and called her, "Aunt." Looking at her, Madam Xu sighed softly and shook her head. "You, this girl..." Ye Li lowered her head and laughed. "Li’er has caused Aunt to lose face."

As Madam Xu walked her out holding her hand, she chuckled softly. "Do we of the Xu Family really care about these false reputations? As a woman, how can your Aunt not understand a woman’s heart? However, Prince Ding..." Li’er’s conduct today in the hall was quite brazen, but given her status as Princess Consort Ding, she would not actually incur any serious punishment. The so-called taking of wives and concubines is, when it comes down to it, a family matter, and as long as Prince Ding is willing to protect her, there would naturally be no problems. But if Prince Ding finds her behavior today displeasing, then Li’er’s future days might not be so easy. Ye Li blinked, looked at Madam Xu’s worried eyes, hugged Madam Xu’s arm and leaned in close to her, laughing. "Aunt, rest assured, I will be fine. When Aunt returns home, she must speak well of Li’er in front of Uncle; otherwise, Uncle will scold Li’er again." Madam Xu gently patted her and laughed softly. "You are too bold, girl, no wonder your uncle wants to discipline you. Just now in the hall, you scared me so much." Coming from a scholarly family, Madam Xu had never seen anyone swing swords and knives in front of her, and when Helian Huimin swung her blade towards Ye Li, if it weren’t for her usual cultivation and great effort at self-control, she would have probably screamed out loud.

"Li’er knows her mistake. She won’t do it again," Ye Li hugged Madam Xu’s arm playfully.

Just as they were walking out of the palace gate with Madam Xu, the curtain of the carriage from the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion was lifted, and a handsome young man in a moon-white robe stepped out of the carriage and looked at Ye Li at the palace gate with a smile. "Ah-Li."

Although the passing noble ladies could not stop and watch, they did see Prince Ding smilingly extending his hand to the Princess Consort. They couldn’t believe that Prince Ding didn’t know what had happened in the palace. It seemed that Prince Ding really only had the Princess Consort in his heart. Even if Princess Consort Ding made such an overbearing and willful declaration in the palace, which was almost a loss of face for Prince Ding, Prince Ding still showed her as much affection as before. Madam Xu led Ye Li forward to pay their respects, and Mo Xiuyao slightly turned sideways to let them pass, smiling. "Madam is Ah-Li’s Aunt; we’re all family, there is no need for formalities." Madam Xu laughed. "One cannot discard courtesy. Li’er is young and ignorant; I hope Your Highness will be understanding." Mo Xiuyao smiled at Ye Li and said, "Madam worries too much; Ah-Li is very good."

"Why are you here?" Ye Li asked in bewilderment.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled softly. "I heard rumors about how my wife brandished a sword and intimidated all sides in anger at Zhangde Palace. As your husband, shouldn’t I be worried for your safety?"

Unable to restrain herself, Ye Li rolled her eyes at him. Worried about my safety? That’s why you didn’t go into the palace to find me but instead waited outside the palace gate to stage this drama?

Madam Xu watched the interactions between the two, a sense of relief evident in her eyes. One glance was enough to confirm that Prince Ding truly didn’t mind Li’er’s actions inside the palace; he even seemed quite pleased. Bidding farewell to the couple with a smile, Madam Xu reassuredly went towards her carriage back home.

As Prince Ding’s carriage also left, the entrance of the palace gradually returned to calm. Not far under the city wall, Yelv Ye and Helian Huimin silently watched as the carriage from the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion disappeared into the distance. After a long silence, Helian Huimin unwillingly asked, "Cousin, are we just going to let it slide like this?" Yelv Ye swept a glance at her, his smile sardonic. "What else can you do? You can’t win over Prince Ding, nor can you deal with Prince Ding’s Mansion. Are you seriously thinking about being a maid in the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion? Remember what Mo Xiuyao did to Yelv Ping; do you think he’s lenient?" Remembering the foolishly persistent Prince Yelv Ping, Helian Huimin couldn’t help but shudder. She couldn’t bear to imagine how a man of sound body and mind could be tortured to the point of becoming an imbecile without any injury or poison involved. All the suffering Yelv Ping endured was merely a consequence of some ill-advised words at Mo Xiuyao’s wedding.

"Then... what should we do now?" Helian Huimin asked apprehensively.

Yelv Ye replied nonchalantly, "Of course, we are going to wait to welcome Princess Friendship and go back to Beirong."

"But me..." Helian Huimin started to protest, to which Yelv Ye simply replied, "The odds of successfully marrying you into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion were less than thirty percent to start with, depending largely on Princess Consort Ding. Now, I doubt there’s even a five percent chance left. You should just go back to Beirong and make peace with your future as the Crown Prince’s Secondary Consort."

Helian Huimin’s face changed dramatically. In panic, she said, "No... Cousin, the Crown Prince will kill me. Besides... word of what happened in Great Chu will surely reach Beirong. The Crown Prince will not want me..." In Beirong, the regulations and formalities were entirely different than in Great Chu. All concubines below the status of the Crown Prince’s Consort became secondary consorts, but they were all slaves to the Crown Prince’s Consort. If a woman was born of a noble family, it was bearable; but a girl of slave origin like her, even if she managed to become a secondary consort, would not be allowed to bear children or own property, and would have no freedom. Other than servicing the Crown Prince, their lives were no different from ordinary female slaves. Even if she were beaten to death, even her foster father, Helian Zhen, wouldn’t be able to object. Moreover, the Crown Prince and Yelv Ye’s faction had long-standing resentments. Women sent into the Crown Prince’s mansion by Yelv Ye would typically be cast out within half a month, and their miserable fate haunted Helian Huimin in her nightmares. This was why when Yelv Ye came to Great Chu for an arranged marriage, she desperately followed, and didn’t hesitate to agree when Yelv Ye proposed to send her to Prince Ding’s Mansion. Sometimes, she even thought that as long as she did not return to Beirong, even if she stayed in Great Chu as a maid, she would have a chance to rise with her abilities. Whereas in Beirong, death was likely the only future waiting for her.

"Don’t get any bad ideas. The Helian Family has raised you for so many years; we can’t just let that go to waste." Yelv Ye cast a dismissive glance at the silent Helian Huimin, saying, "Don’t worry, there are only a few people who have seen you. Princess Ronghua has never seen you. About your name, you can just change it. It’s not like my uncle’s adopted daughters are only you. Since you can’t deal with Prince Ding, then obediently accept your fate and go to the Crown Prince’s Mansion. I have given you a chance." Helian Huimin trembled at this, knowing all too well of Yelv Ye’s cruelty. She hastily replied, "I understand."

Yelv Ye sized her up for a moment, then satisfied, nodded and left. If not for Helian Huimin being the most talented among the women in his uncle’s manor, she would have no reason to live following the failure of this plan. Although Helian Huimin was clever, she paled in comparison to Princess Consort Ding. The information he collected in the capital these days showed that Princess Consort Ding not only came from a distinguished background and was capable in both literature and martial arts, but she had also reportedly led the Black Cloud Cavalry to defend a city in Yongzhou until Prince Ding’s reinforcement arrived. A woman who was capable of commanding the Black Cloud Cavalry...

Word of the cancellation of the marriage proposal between Beirong and the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, followed by the reputation of Princess Consort Ding as a fierce woman, spread throughout the capital overnight. No woman in the capital, even the wealthy or the noble, dared to provoke the woman who had fearlessly claimed before the Empress Dowager that she would eliminate anyone who dared set foot in the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion with sinister intents. What was even more alarming was that Prince Ding showed no anger at all at his consort’s declaration, but instead spent his free time strolling around the capital with his beloved wife. Their profound affection made it abundantly clear to others—any woman who dared to enter the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion with the intent of becoming a concubine and got killed by Princess Consort Ding, His Highness Prince Ding would unquestionably not intervene on their behalf. Amid the flood of rumors, some claimed Prince Ding valued his wife as his life while others suggested he was henpecked; regardless, none affected the two parties involved in the slightest. At this point, Ye Li could not care less about these rumors. When the full moon rose in the night sky, the anxiety that had been looming in her heart tightened even further.

Mo Xiuyao began to look increasingly unwell shortly after dinner. Ye Li hastily summoned Shen Yang, who after some pondering advised one single word: endure! Post-effects of using spider brake couldn’t be alleviated with any medicine, and one could only bear through it themselves.

"Ah-Li, you should go rest in the side chamber," Mo Xiuyao softly said, looking at Ye Li’s petrified expression. He didn’t want her to witness his disgrace and misery when the pain set in, nor did he want to frighten her. Ye Li sat calmly by his side and firmly said, "I’ll stay with you, don’t be afraid."

Don’t be afraid... Mo Xiuyao wanted to laugh, but also felt more like crying. After eight or nine years and countless brushes with death, he had so many times experienced pain so intense he lost the will to live. Yet, no one had ever asked if he was afraid. No matter the reputation of the Prince of Ding Kingdom, he was only human after all, once just an eighteen-year-old boy when he was first injured. Of course he had been afraid. Every time the venom-induced pain set in, he feared he wouldn’t wake up, feared the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion would fall into oblivion, feared no one would be able to avenge his brother, himself, and the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Mo Family Army. But he could not show his fear in front of anyone; all he could do was endure. Yet now, his Ah-Li, his wife, sat beside him and told him not to be afraid...

"Alright, I’m not afraid." Holding Ye Li’s hand, Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly.

Ye Li scarcely wished to recall how she and Mo Xiuyao had spent the day and night. Initially, Mo Xiuyao had been able to tolerate the pain while she stayed by his side, distracting him by talking. But after midnight, the pain suddenly escalated. Even Mo Xiuyao, who was well-known for his resilience, was in such agony that he couldn’t utter a word and was shaking uncontrollably. All painkillers and acupunctural techniques became completely ineffective. All Ye Li could do was watch as he tore off quilts and canopies from the bed in his agony.

Seeing Mo Xiuyao, always calm and elegant, succumb to such pain and vulnerability made Ye Li finally break into tears. Never before had she hated her helplessness more. Despite her proud words about staying with him through agonizing pain, in reality, apart from ensuring that he didn’t grievously injure himself, there was nothing else she could do.

A single night felt like an eternity for Ye Li. After long bouts of pain caused Mo Xiuyao to faint, all she could do was let him rest against her, being extra cautious not to touch him even slightly. She hoped he could catch a brief respite before the next wave of agony arrived. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

As expected, less than an hour later, Mo Xiuyao woke up again, confronting yet greater torment. He cycled through consciousness and unconsciousness from the excruciating pain, until it finally began to ease up close to midday the next day.

Chief Steward Mo and Shen Yang entered the room after midday, only to find it in complete disarray. Princess Consort Ding sat against the side of the bed, asleep with exhaustion showing on her face. Prince Ding lay with his head on his consort’s knees, sleeping somewhat uneasily himself. His injuries had been tended to. Seeing this scene, the two old men, whose combined ages neared a hundred, could not resist sighing melancholically. Shen Yang motioned to Chief Steward Mo to leave the room with him.

Having just endured a night of the full moon, Mo Xiuyao was once again bedridden. This put even more weight on Ye Li’s heart, as she was already worried about Xiuyao’s health.

"Ah-Li, what are you thinking about?" Mo Xiuyao asked, lying on the bed and smiling at Ye Li, who sat beside him, engrossed in a book.

Ye Li lifted her head to look at him and furrowed her brows. "With your physical condition, can you really travel those thousands of miles to Beirong?"

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "It’s only one night of pain each month, which is much better than before. If it had been last year, it might have indeed been impossible. But now, what’s stopping me since my body is not any different from a normal person’s?"

Ye Li shook her head. Having been with Mo Xiuyao throughout this time, she found the experience still quite shocking. Even with her professional training in endurance, dealing with such debilitating pain would be challenging, let alone for Mo Xiuyao whose health was already compromised. What frightened her more was that he had to endure such pain each month; the psychological impact of that alone could drive a person insane. Seeing Ye Li’s worried and pained expression, Mo Xiuyao let out a gentle smile and pulled her to his side, whispering, "I once thought I would be bedridden for life, but look at me now, don’t I seem perfectly fine? Even if I have to be in pain once each month, I don’t mind. Ah-Li, I want you to have a flawless husband, as only someone perfect would be worthy of my Ah-Li..." His slender fingers lightly touched Ye Li’s beautiful lips as he murmured.

Ye Li turned her head away, not bearing to look at the scars on his hand that hadn’t healed yet. She fought back her tears, asserting, "Even if your leg never heals, I will never abandon you." Compared to the so-called well-built, talented and exceptional young men, Ye Li was absolutely confident that Mo Xiuyao was far better than any of them. She had never believed that he needed to be a certain way to deserve her.

"I know, but I want Ah-Li to have the best of everything," Mo Xiuyao softly chuckled in reply.

Ye Li was taken aback for a moment before tears welled up in her eyes again, and she whispered, "What if this spoils me too much?"

Xiuyao pulled her into his arms. "As long as Ah-Li wants it, and as long as I have it, I will give it to you. If I don’t have it, I will fight to get it for you."