Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 128: The Shocking Secret

128. The Shocking Secret

One day, an entirely unexpected guest showed up at Marquis Muyang’s Mansion. Marquis Muyang, on hearing the butler’s report, was momentarily stunned, his face quickly hardening. Mu Yang, standing beside him, his usually handsome countenance appearing somewhat haggard, had concern etched on his face. His wedding was just days away, but his young face bore no trace of happiness. Seeing his father’s rigid and desolate expression, the previously somewhat resentful Mu Yang softened considerably, asking in a deep voice, "Father, what’s wrong?"

Marquis Muyang looked at him and mustered a forced smile. "Nothing... Father is about to meet Princess Consort Ding."

Mu Yang furrowed his brows. Noting his father’s pallor, he suggested, "Father, perhaps it would be better if I accompanied you to meet Princess Consort Ding? After all, I have met her a few times." Marquis Muyang hesitated, touched by his son’s obvious concern, then shook his head. "There’s no need. Princess Consort Ding probably has some official matters to discuss with me. I will go meet her."

Within the study of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion, Ye Li stood with her hands behind her back, leisurely admiring a famous painting on the wall. Zhuo Jing stood respectfully to one side, hands clasped. As Marquis Muyang pushed the door open and entered, he was momentarily taken aback by the somewhat slender figure standing with her back to him. He quickly recovered, cupped his hands in a salute, and greeted, "It is an honor to see Princess Consort Ding."

Ye Li turned around with a smile and said, "Marquis, there is no need for formalities. I apologize for intruding on your peace with my unannounced visit. Please forgive me, Marquis." Ye Li’s faint voice was very pleasant, but the word ’peace’ seemed to be deliberately emphasized. These two words struck Marquis Muyang like a thunderbolt, causing his heart to lurch. He forced a laugh and said, "Princess Consort Ding, you jest. The arrival of Princess Consort Ding brings honor to Marquis Muyang’s Mansion. Princess Consort, please take a seat." Ye Li, without ceremony, sat down opposite Marquis Muyang. After a servant girl had served tea, Marquis Muyang glanced between Ye Li and Zhuo Jing, who stood behind her, then hesitated and asked, "This gentleman is..."

"Marquis, please do not stand on ceremony. This subordinate is merely a servant of Princess Consort Ding," Zhuo Jing said calmly.

Although Zhuo Jing referred to himself as a servant, Marquis Muyang dared not truly regard him as an ordinary one. While no one knew Zhuo Jing’s original identity or background, for the past two months, most of Princess Consort Ding’s affairs had been handled by Zhuo Jing and Lin Han. It could be said that these two were unequivocally Princess Consort Ding’s personal confidants.

Ye Li smiled at Zhuo Jing and said, "Zhuo Jing, sit down and speak. When I converse with the Marquis shortly, surely you wouldn’t want the Marquis and me to keep looking up at you, would you?"

Zhuo Jing said, "I wouldn’t dare," but still took a seat at the lowest-ranking spot.

The study seemed to return to tranquility as the three of them quietly drank their tea, as if in a contest of patience. Marquis Muyang’s gaze drifted intermittently towards Ye Li and Zhuo Jing. Though his face remained wreathed in smiles, his heart was secretly bitter. No wonder His Majesty is so wary of Princess Consort Ding. For Princess Consort Ding to possess such an aura at such a young age, her future would surely be limitless.

After a long while, Marquis Muyang sighed softly, looked at Ye Li, and said, "Princess Consort Ding, to what do I owe the honor of your visit? Do you have any guidance for me?"

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Guidance? I wouldn’t dare. I am actually here on someone’s behalf to inquire about a matter with the Marquis."

Marquis Muyang set down his teacup. "Princess Consort, please speak freely. This Marquis will certainly tell you everything I know."

Ye Li gave a slight smile. "Then, many thanks to the Marquis. I have been entrusted by someone merely to ask the Marquis a question: Does the Marquis remember a person named Mu Qingcang?"

Marquis Muyang’s hand trembled, nearly knocking over the teacup beside him, but he quickly steadied it. Zhuo Jing, sitting to one side, raised an eyebrow. He clearly saw Marquis Muyang’s hand, hanging by his side, clench tightly twice. Evidently, he was forcing himself to calm down. Marquis Muyang forced a smile. "This Marquis naturally knows of him. Mu Qingcang is known as the number one expert in Great Chu, his ranking in the world even above His Highness Prince Ding. Who in the world wouldn’t know of him?"

Ye Li lowered her head to sip her tea, a faint smile on her lips. "The Marquis is correct. Speaking of which, Mu Qingcang and the Marquis share the same surname. I wonder if the Marquis knows him personally?"

Marquis Muyang fell silent for a moment, then finally said in a deep voice, "Although I have long admired his great name, it is regrettable that I have not had the honor of meeting him."

"Marquis, do you truly not know Mu Qingcang?" Zhuo Jing suddenly asked.

Marquis Muyang frowned and said with some displeasure, "Mister Zhuo, what is the meaning of this? Are you perhaps suspecting this Marquis of lying?"

Zhuo Jing’s sharp brows twitched slightly, but he didn’t reply, seemingly tacitly agreeing with Marquis Muyang’s words. Seeing Marquis Muyang about to lose his temper, Ye Li chuckled lightly, placed her teacup down, and said, "Marquis, please don’t be upset. It’s just that a few days ago, we captured an assassin in our mansion. He claimed to be Mu Qingcang and also an old acquaintance of the Marquis. That’s why I took the liberty of coming to ask the Marquis. If the Marquis truly doesn’t know him, then let it be. He’s just an assassin, after all. Since he has fallen into the hands of King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, it’s not as if he can cause any major trouble, can he?"

Marquis Muyang frowned and said, "An assassin? But the assassins Prince Ding’s Mansion handed over to the Ministry of Criminal Justice didn’t include..." Halfway through his sentence, Marquis Muyang stopped himself. The significance of the assassins Prince Ding’s Mansion handed over to the Ministry of Criminal Justice was actually something everyone was well aware of, just as everyone knew that Prince Ding’s Mansion was aware of the identities of the masterminds behind the various assassins but had never made them public. It was an unspoken secret among everyone that Prince Ding’s Mansion had undoubtedly kept more assassins with more important identities. It was just that the battle at King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion that night had truly left the various groups involved quite shaken. For a short period, it was unlikely anyone would have the courage to attempt a prison break at King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion.

Ye Li, with an apologetic look, smiled at Marquis Muyang and said, "Since the Marquis is unaware, I have disturbed you. I still have many matters to attend to at my mansion, so I shall take my leave now."

Marquis Muyang, feeling anxious, blurted out, "How does Princess Consort Ding intend to deal with that Mu Qingcang?"

A very faint, cool smile touched Ye Li’s lips. "He’s merely an assassin. Killing him is the simple solution."

Marquis Muyang felt a chill in his heart but watched helplessly as Ye Li rose and walked out with Zhuo Jing. Zhuo Jing, following Ye Li, reached the doorway, then suddenly turned back to look at the still dazed Marquis Muyang and said, "Princess Consort Ding has already decided to execute all the assassins tonight as a tribute to the soldiers who sacrificed themselves defending Prince Ding’s Mansion this time. If the Marquis wishes to see someone, it would be best to hurry."

Marquis Muyang forced a smile. "Mister Zhuo, you jest. This Marquis has no one I wish to see." Zhuo Jing gave an indifferent nod and turned to follow Ye Li.

It was only when their footsteps had completely faded down the corridor that Marquis Muyang, who had been rigidly maintaining the posture of seeing off his guests, suddenly seemed to lose all his strength and collapsed back into his chair. His aged yet sharp eyes flashed with a hint of fatigue and guilt, and even more so, a kind of desperate firmness and resolve.

"Father." Mu Yang appeared at the doorway at some point, his expression complex as he looked at his father, who rarely showed such dejection. "Father, did Princess Consort Ding say something that put you in a difficult position?"

Waving his hand, Marquis Muyang smiled and said, "It’s nothing. Yang’er, you are about to get married; don’t concern yourself with these matters for now. Father will naturally handle these trivial affairs properly. All you need to do is be a good bridegroom."

Mu Yang frowned, looking at Marquis Muyang, and said in a deep voice, "Father, your son is also a descendant of the Mu Family. Is there anything you cannot tell your son?"

Marquis Muyang said, "There really is nothing. Yang’er, you’re overthinking things."

Mu Yang said, "Your son is not a fool. Father, what connection does the matter of the assassins at Prince Ding’s Mansion that night really have with our mansion? Otherwise, why would Princess Consort Ding..."

"Silence!" Marquis Muyang suddenly roared, his eyes fiercely fixed on Mu Yang, his expression grim. "You remember this clearly: the events at Prince Ding’s Mansion have no connection whatsoever with our Mu Family!"

This reaction itself already revealed the problem. Mu Yang, looking somewhat troubledly at his father, sighed and said, "Father, do you know what you are doing?"

Marquis Muyang was stunned, then lowered his gaze and said, "Father is doing this for the generational prosperity of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion. Yang’er, you can rest assured, nothing will happen. You may leave now." Mu Yang still wanted to say more, but seeing his father’s expression, he finally swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and quietly withdrew from the study.

Back at King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, Ye Li turned to look at Zhuo Jing, who was following behind her, and said faintly, "Are you satisfied with this outcome?"

Zhuo Jing remained silent for a long moment, then suddenly raised a hand to his face. He peeled off a thin leather mask, revealing a weathered and sorrowful face beneath. Actually, Mu Qingcang’s disguise was not very similar to Zhuo Jing himself. However, not many people had ever seen Zhuo Jing; at least, Marquis Muyang had never seen him. Moreover, Zhuo Jing always preferred to maintain an expressionless facade in front of outsiders, so even Marquis Muyang hadn’t noticed anything amiss with the stiff-faced ’Zhuo Jing’ (Mu Qingcang). Mu Qingcang lowered his head and said indifferently, "I accept my defeat."

Ye Li showed no hint of triumph, merely saying, "It was merely a transaction. Now, tell me the information you know."

"Aren’t you afraid I’ll go back on my word?"

Ye Li sneered, "If you go back on your word, I will kill Marquis Muyang!"

Mu Qingcang closed his eyes wearily and said, "I understand. I will tell you what I know. Ask away."

Ye Li put away the smile on her face, looked solemnly at the man before her, and asked in a deep voice, "How did the former Prince Ding, Mo Xiuwen, die?"

Mu Qingcang was startled, not expecting her to ask such a question right away. However, he was straightforward and replied calmly, "I killed him."

Ye Li raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Mu Qingcang said, "Back then, I was under orders to go to the border where the war with Beirong was taking place. I put poison in Mo Xiuwen’s water, creating the facade that he died of illness."

Ye Li stared at him coldly and sneered, "Mr. Mu, you truly dare to say anything."

Mu Qingcang said unconcernedly, "Since I have made a promise to Princess Consort Ding, I will naturally honor it. If Princess Consort Ding feels she dares not listen, then just consider it unsaid."

Ye Li snorted lightly and said, "Mr. Mu, you say one thing and leave another unsaid. Naturally, I wouldn’t dare to listen."

Mu Qingcang lowered his gaze. "With Princess Consort Ding’s intelligence and wisdom, does the other half still need me to explain in detail?"

Ye Li closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Very well. I will not ask Mr. Mu about the mastermind. Please, Mr. Mu, tell me everything you know. Also... I do not guarantee Mr. Mu’s safety."

Mu Qingcang said indifferently, "It doesn’t matter. Now that things have come to this, life or death makes no difference to me anymore."