Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 147. Su Zuidie

147. Su Zuidie

In Xinyang City

Ye Li sat leisurely beside Mo Xiuyao, her eyebrows raised with interest as she looked at a secret letter she had just received. Mo Xiuyao looked up, saw her intrigued expression, and asked curiously, "Have you received some interesting news again?"

Ye Li handed the secret letter to him, saying, "A noble has left the Xiling palace. I suspect they have reached the Xiling camp by now."

Mo Xiuyao frowned slightly. "A noble from the palace?" Besides the Xiling Emperor, the only others in the Xiling palace who could be called ’noble’ were the imperial consorts and princesses. After a moment of thought, Mo Xiuyao asked, "Bai Long?"

"Your Highness is wise," Ye Li praised without hesitation. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Mo Xiuyao read the letter, then looked up at Ye Li and said, "I didn’t even know Ah-Li had such talented people in Xiling. Information from Xiling is hard to come by these days." Ever since Han Mingyue had gone to Xiling, Prince Ding’s Mansion had found its agents’ activities there severely restricted. After all, Han Mingyue specialized in intelligence and understood King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion quite well. "Is Darky Two currently in Xiling?"

Ye Li nodded. "Among Zhuo Jing and the others, Darky Two is the most suitable for intelligence work. Su Zuidie... I mean, Bai Long’s arrival in Great Chu was highly secretive. The fact that he managed to uncover this information so quickly shows that our intelligence network in Xiling is beginning to take shape. But..." Thinking of something, Ye Li’s brows furrowed. Her initial reason for sending Darky Two to Xiling wasn’t to establish an intelligence network, but to find the Bilo flower and the Fire Lotus. Unfortunately, there was still no news of the Bilo flower, and the Fire Lotus... wouldn’t be available until June or July of next year.

Mo Xiuyao only needed a moment’s thought to understand Ye Li’s original purpose in sending Darky Two to Xiling. He comfortingly patted the back of Ye Li’s hand and said softly, "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine."

Ye Li nodded with a smile. There was no use fretting over problems that couldn’t be resolved in a moment. Smiling faintly, an eerie smile touched Ye Li’s lips. "Your Highness, do you think we’ll get to witness the famed grace of the ’number one beauty’ this time?"

Mo Xiuyao gave a somewhat helpless smile and raised an eyebrow. "What if we do? What if we don’t?"

Ye Li chuckled. "Doesn’t Your Highness have a tender heart for beautiful women?"

Mo Xiuyao looked at her, his eyes filled with endless gentleness and affection. "In my eyes, my dear wife, you are the only true beauty."

Ye Li couldn’t help but twitch her lips, dismissing his cost-free sweet talk.

Since they had received the news beforehand, their actual meeting naturally didn’t involve the strong emotional fluctuations—like excitement or anger—that some might have imagined. Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao sat calmly in the flower hall, observing the breathtaking woman who had just been brought in. It had to be said, there was still a significant difference between a portrait and the real person. Even though Ye Li had thought the portrait was beautiful enough, the woman before her was even more enchantingly captivating than the ethereally beautiful woman in the painting.

With a slight curve of her lips, Ye Li turned her head to look at Mo Xiuyao beside her. As if on the same wavelength, Mo Xiuyao also turned his head and gave her a faint smile. Ye Li pursed her lips and turned her head away.

Below, Su Zuidie looked at the two people on the dais, who seemed oblivious to anyone else, and felt greatly vexed. She had envisioned many scenarios for her reunion with Mo Xiuyao. Perhaps joy, perhaps angry mockery, but she had never imagined Mo Xiuyao would completely ignore her. For an unparalleled beauty, this was an absolute humiliation.

"Xiuyao..." Suppressing her anger, Su Zuidie called out softly. Her eyes, like autumn pools, brimmed with unshed tears. She looked pitifully at the pair, her gaze carrying a hint of elusive resentment, as if tears might fall at any moment.

Even Ye Li had to inwardly praise her excellent acting. But this Su Zuidie, after all, was someone who had known Mo Xiuyao since childhood. Could it be she knew nothing at all about the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion? Did she actually think such a meeting could have any impact on Mo Xiuyao?

And so, the current scene unfolded: a peerless beauty, a rare sight in the world, stood grievingly and sorrowfully before them, gazing at the Prince of Ding Kingdom—who was calmly sipping his tea on the dais—as if he were a heartless, unfaithful man. With Ye Li sitting to one side enjoying the spectacle, any outsider walking in would likely mistake it for a melodrama: a fickle man flirts with a beauty, abandons her, and is then confronted. Thinking of this, Ye Li couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Both Mo Xiuyao and Su Zuidie turned their gazes towards her. Ye Li cleared her throat, sat up straighter, and tried to appear hospitable. "Um... Noble Consort Bai, you’ve come a long way. Please, have a seat."

The title ’Noble Consort Bai’ made Su Zuidie’s expression shift slightly. She withdrew the gaze full of unspoken words she had fixed on Mo Xiuyao and looked at Ye Li, asking softly, "And you must be Princess Consort Ding?"

Ye Li couldn’t resist rubbing her arms, which had suddenly broken out in goosebumps. What’s with that look, as if I’ve wronged her somehow?

Before Ye Li could speak, Su Zuidie had already stepped forward, curtsying gracefully. "Princess Consort, you’ve worked hard taking care of Xiuyao. Zuidie offers her deepest thanks."

This time, Ye Li truly lost her composure. She had wondered what kind of kingdom-toppling beauty this Su Zuidie was. Although she trusted Mo Xiuyao’s feelings for her deep down, there was still a tiny flicker of apprehension. But what was happening now? Was Su Zuidie actually unhinged? Since Su Zuidie had already addressed her as Princess Consort Ding, did she, an outsider, really need to thank Ye Li for taking care of Mo Xiuyao?

She shot Mo Xiuyao a displeased look. What’s with your former fiancée? Is something wrong with her head?

Mo Xiuyao just smiled back indifferently. How would I know? It’s been many years since I last saw her; she wasn’t like this before. Really, Father’s judgment wasn’t usually this poor!

Clearing her throat lightly, Ye Li lowered her head to sip her tea, then composed her expression and said to Su Zuidie with a warm smile, "Noble Consort Bai, you’re being too serious. The Prince and I are husband and wife; taking care of him is my duty. Besides, I am still young and inexperienced; usually, it’s the Prince who takes care of me more often. So... there’s no need for your thanks, Noble Consort, is there?"

Su Zuidie’s smile froze. Looking up at Ye Li’s ambiguous, almost-smile, she suddenly recalled the Southern Garrison Prince’s earlier warning: "Princess Consort Ding is not an easy person to deal with. If you look down on her, it will only bring great trouble upon yourself."

The Princess Consort Ding before her was inferior to herself in looks, disposition, and talent, yet she had received such high praise from the Southern Garrison Prince. This instinctively sparked defiance and hostility in Su Zuidie’s heart. That was why she had deliberately ignored Ye Li initially, only turning her attention—and her barbs—towards Ye Li when she realized Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t notice her at all. But just a brief verbal exchange had left her speechless.

"Xiuyao... Have you been well these years?" Su Zuidie turned her gaze back to Mo Xiuyao. Princess Consort Ding was not as easy to handle as she had imagined.

Mo Xiuyao frowned slightly, calmly sipping his tea. "Not bad. Why are you here?"

Su Zuidie lightly bit her cherry lip, gazing at him with aggrieved, tear-reddened eyes. "Do you... still hate me? I know you blame me... I wanted to come back to see you many times, to beg for your forgiveness. But... but I was scared... SOB... SOB..." Before she could finish, pearl-like tears streamed down her face, creating a poignant image of a beauty in sorrow, enough to stir any heart. Unfortunately for her, the two people present were no ordinary individuals.

Ye Li suppressed an itch in her throat and said, "Noble Consort Bai, what our Prince wishes to know is why *you* are here."

"I... I snuck out." Su Zuidie quickly glanced at Mo Xiuyao, a blush rising on her peerlessly beautiful face. "I knew Xiling and Great Chu were at war, and I knew you, Xiuyao, would definitely be here. No matter what... I am still a person of Great Chu. I can’t go back. If I’m captured and taken back, the Emperor and the Southern Garrison Prince will never spare me... Xiuyao... please don’t send me away..."

Ye Li silently looked up at the ceiling. So that’s it, she thought. This Su Zuidie is trying to play us for fools.

Ye Li casually raised an eyebrow. Since Su Zuidie enjoys these games, I might as well play along, she thought. "Noble Consort Bai, is Young Master Mingyue in Xiling?"

Su Zuidie glanced at her. She didn’t want to answer. However, seeing Mo Xiuyao also looking her way, she had to reply softly, "It’s been a long time since I last saw Young Master Han."

Ye Li said, "Speaking of which... Han Mingyue betrayed his country and defected to the enemy; his crimes deserve death. But the man is quite cunning, and for the moment, neither His Highness nor I can find him. I wonder if Noble Consort Bai could perhaps invite him back to Great Chu?"

Su Zuidie frowned at Ye Li, clearly displeased. "I don’t know where he is. I haven’t seen him in a very long time. Truly, Xiuyao, I wouldn’t lie to you."

Mo Xiuyao showed no reaction.

Ye Li said with a beaming smile, "It doesn’t matter if you don’t know. As long as Noble Consort Bai is here, we shouldn’t worry about Young Master Mingyue not showing up. Your Highness, don’t you agree?"

Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Ah-Li is absolutely right. This Prince happens to have a score to settle with Han Mingyue. Noble Consort Bai will be in Ah-Li’s hands."

Hearing this, Su Zuidie was clearly devastated. She clutched her chest, looking mournfully at Mo Xiuyao. "Xiuyao... you really do still hate me. You’re using me to catch Young Master Han?"

Ye Li leisurely admired her slender fingers, then smiled faintly at Su Zuidie. "Noble Consort Bai, didn’t you come here to seek our Prince’s forgiveness?"

Su Zuidie hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Ye Li clapped her hands cheerfully. "That’s wonderful! As long as Noble Consort Bai helps us capture Young Master Mingyue, our Prince will surely believe in your sincerity. Your Highness, wouldn’t you agree?"

Looking gently at Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao said softly, "Ah-Li is right."

Clearly, Mo Xiuyao’s gentle demeanor was even harder for Su Zuidie to accept. She stared blankly at the two of them, momentarily speechless. Ye Li didn’t give her a chance to refuse, laughing as she said, "So, Noble Consort Bai agrees! That’s excellent. In that case, Noble Consort Bai, please make yourself comfortable here. Rest assured, while you reside in Xinyang City, I guarantee that no one from the Xiling Emperor or the Southern Garrison Prince will be able to touch a single hair on your head." Of course, she could forget about trying to pass any messages.

Su Zuidie was stunned for only an instant before the matter was decided amidst Ye Li’s laughter, leaving her utterly unable to object.

Having achieved her goal, Ye Li was in high spirits. She summoned someone to escort Su Zuidie to her quarters to rest, giving strict instructions to ensure Noble Consort Bai’s safety.

Watching Su Zuidie depart reluctantly, the smile on Ye Li’s face gradually faded. She frowned. "What exactly is the Southern Garrison Prince up to?" Su Zuidie might be a fabulous actress, but she could never deceive Mo Xiuyao, who knew her true colors. If the Southern Garrison Prince intended her as a spy to infiltrate Xinyang City, Su Zuidie was clearly unqualified. Ye Li had hundreds of ways to prevent her from relaying even half a word to anyone.

Mo Xiuyao’s expression also turned serious. "The Southern Garrison Prince of Xiling would never resort to such an obviously useless tactic. Ah-Li, order our people to keep a close watch on any movements in the Xiling main camp."

Ye Li nodded. "Are you saying Su Zuidie is just a pawn to divert our attention, and the Southern Garrison Prince has other plans?"

Mo Xiuyao nodded. If he wanted a spy, the Southern Garrison Prince wouldn’t choose Su Zuidie; she was far too conspicuous. And if he intended to use Su Zuidie in a honey trap, it would be a rather crude tactic.

"I understand. I’ll have our people monitor the Xiling main camp and the Southern Garrison Prince’s movements."