Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 151. Shocking News

151. Shocking News

After bidding farewell to Marquis South, the Heir of South Marquis emerged from the house, tears streaming down his face. Zhuo Jing and Lin Han trailed behind him, their expressions helpless. If they hadn’t restrained the Heir of South Marquis, he would have rushed out much earlier. Seeing the Heir of South Marquis charge towards the exit, Ye Li stood up and asked, "Where are you going?"

The Heir of South Marquis paused; Zhuo Jing and Lin Han had already blocked his path, one to his left and the other to his right. The Heir of South Marquis turned back and said, "As a son and as a husband, how can I watch my parents, wife, and children be wrongfully imprisoned? Moreover, this all began because of me." Ye Li walked up to him and said calmly, "What use is there in you rushing out now? Other than adding one more person to be thrown into the sky prison and sent to the execution ground? Or do you intend to plead before His Majesty? Do you think His Majesty will grant you that opportunity?" The Heir of South Marquis covered his face in anguish. Of course, he understood what Ye Li was saying. But right now, apart from accompanying his father back to the Capital City and facing all this with his family, what else could he do?

"It’s not necessarily a hopeless situation for Marquis South," Mo Xiuyao remarked, observing them with a slight frown.

The Heir of South Marquis looked hopefully towards Mo Xiuyao, who responded with a furrowed brow, "State Duke Hua possesses the enigmatic scrolls granted by Emperor Ancestor to the Hua Family. Even for a capital crime, they could save one from execution."

"But..." hesitated the Heir of South Marquis. He had heard of the enigmatic scrolls, but in the current dynasty, only the Hua Family, who had once saved Emperor Ancestor’s life, had been bestowed such a thing. Even the Ding Kingdom, which had defended the nation for generations, did not possess them. However, would such a valuable item truly be in State Duke Hua’s Mansion? Mo Xiuyao cast his eyes down and said, "State Duke Hua will surely not be stingy with material possessions. I am only afraid..." He feared Mo Jingqi was determined to take Marquis South’s life; even if the enigmatic scrolls saved him, he would likely not escape death. Ye Li, who had evidently considered Mo Xiuyao’s concerns as well, nodded slightly. She turned her head to Lin Han and said, "Send a message to Mo Hua. Do your utmost to protect Marquis South."

The Heir of South Marquis gradually calmed down and bowed to them. "Fu Zhao thanks Your Highness and Princess Consort."

Ye Li shook her head. "Heir, there is no need for such formalities." The Heir of South Marquis gave a bitter smile. "My humble name is Junfei. From now on, Your Highness and Princess Consort, please just call me by my name. What kind of Heir am I now?"

"Your Highness, Princess Consort, Lord Zhou left a letter for the Princess Consort just now," a guard outside reported, presenting a sealed envelope. Ye Li raised an eyebrow, took the letter with some surprise, and examined it. Finding nothing amiss, she asked, "Lord Zhou?" The guard nodded. "Just before leaving, Lord Zhou privately handed this letter to my subordinate, asking him to pass it on to Your Highness and the Princess Consort." Mo Xiuyao frowned. "Does Ah-Li know Zhou Yu?" The moment Zhou Yu had entered, Ye Li’s expression had shown a flicker of surprise. Though fleeting, Mo Xiuyao, who was always attentive to her, had noticed it. Ye Li shook her head. "He should be one of the scholars from this year’s imperial examination. I met him once last year." Ye Li’s memory, while not photographic, was quite good. She recognized Zhou Yu as soon as he began to speak; he was the scholar who had sold paintings at Shende Pavilion last year. Unexpectedly, not only had he passed the examination, but he had also become the chief clerk of the Ministry of Criminal Justice. Though his official rank was low, it was a position of actual authority. As long as his abilities and luck weren’t too poor, he should have a promising future.

Opening the letter, Ye Li’s face quickly turned pale as she read its contents. She silently handed the letter to Mo Xiuyao. As he read it, his already grim expression instantly darkened. He slammed his hand on the table and ordered in a stern voice, "Men! Immediately bring back Marquis South! Anyone who dares to obstruct will be killed without mercy!" Zhuo Jing and Lin Han’s expressions turned grim; they acknowledged the order with a sharp "Yes!" and hurried out. Fu Zhao, realizing something was amiss, his face changing color dramatically, also rushed out after Zhuo Jing and Lin Han.

Only Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li remained in the hall, and the atmosphere grew even heavier. Seeing Mo Xiuyao’s somber face, Ye Li said little, silently sitting to one side and watching him. After a long while, Mo Xiuyao seemed to emerge from his extreme anger, a hint of fatigue and helplessness touching his brow. Picking up the letter from the table again, Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li and lamented with a bitter smile, "Ah-Li, I’m so tired."

Ye Li silently leaned against his shoulder, gently patting it. Mo Xiuyao extended an arm to hold her, drawing in the faint warmth from her body. Yet, it could not dispel the chill rising from the depths of his heart. Seeing the familiar handwriting on the letter, has the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion truly been resented to such an extent? And Your Majesty... by acting like this, do you not fear that Great Chu’s lands will be ruined because of it?

The letter was not from Zhou Yu, but from Old State Duke Hua. No one knew under what circumstances he had been forced to ask Zhou Yu, a minor official who had been in service for merely half a year, to deliver this letter. The situation described in the letter was truly chilling. Mo Jingqi had agreed to cede the lands of three prefectures and eleven cities in the Northwest to Xiling in exchange for Xiling joining forces with internal and external collaborators to annihilate the entire Mo Family Army. Mo Jingli, entrenched in the south, and the Nanzhao Kingdom were also involved in this operation. This meant it was highly possible that Nanzhao had already sent troops into Broken Snow Pass.

"Mo Jingqi has gone mad," Ye Li whispered softly. Using the forces of three kingdoms to target the Mo Family Army might work. But did Mo Jingqi ever consider that once the Mo Family Army was annihilated, would Xiling and Nanzhao really retreat as agreed? What difference was there between this and asking someone to spit out meat they had already put in their mouth? Mo Xiuyao said gravely, "He is indeed a madman. Ah-Li, it seems you have married a husband who is perpetually beset by troubles." Ye Li could only offer a helpless smile. "It’s too late to realize that now."

Marquis South and the others returned swiftly. By the time Zhuo Jing and Lin Han intercepted them, the party had barely stepped beyond the city gates. They were back at the Governor’s Mansion in no more than a quarter of an hour. Wang Jingchuan looked terrible and said in a strained voice, "His Highness Prince Ding, what is the meaning of this?" Marquis South also looked at Mo Xiuyao with confusion, though he understood Prince Ding would not have them intercepted without reason. Mo Xiuyao stared coldly at Wang Jingchuan and asked indifferently, "Is there something Lord Wang has forgotten to tell this Prince?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Jingchuan’s heart chilled. For some reason, he suddenly felt that Prince Ding, now calm and indifferent, was more terrifying than the Prince Ding who had deliberately exuded pressure earlier. With a forced laugh, he said, "What does His Highness mean? Please forgive my incompetence."

Mo Xiuyao sneered, "Such incompetence. This Prince was unaware the Emperor would dispatch such an incompetent person to the Northwest. Since Lord Wang does not remember, allow this Prince to remind you. For instance... the matter of secretly executing Marquis South on the way back to the Capital City. Surely Lord Wang hasn’t forgotten that? Hmm?" Wang Jingchuan’s eyes widened in shock. This secret decree was something he had personally received from the Emperor just moments before leaving the Capital City. It could be said that apart from himself, only the Emperor knew of it. Wang Jingchuan simply couldn’t understand how the King of Ding Kingdom’s spies, even if they had heavenly abilities, could have obtained such top-secret information. Hearing Mo Xiuyao’s words, Marquis South was stunned, then gave a bitter laugh. Fu Zhao, standing behind him, his eyes looking as if they would split with rage, and if Lin Han hadn’t been restraining him, he likely would have rushed over to tear Wang Jingchuan apart.

Wang Jingchuan knew that, having fallen into Prince Ding’s hands, there was no escape. His body went limp, and he knelt on the ground. "Your Highness, please forgive me! This humble official was merely following orders. I beg Your Highness to spare my life!"

Mo Xiuyao didn’t even bother to glance at him again. Ye Li waved her hand. "Take him away."

Wang Jingchuan was quickly dragged away by two guards. Only then did Ye Li turn to Zhou Yu, who stood quietly to one side. She smiled faintly and asked, "Lord Zhou, are you not afraid?"

Zhou Yu was composed and bowed. "This humble official believes the Princess Consort is not one to kill the innocent indiscriminately." Ye Li smiled lightly and nodded. "This matter required thanking Lord Zhou. However, Lord Zhou’s actions... I’m afraid it will be difficult to account for them upon returning to the Capital City." The news of the Emperor’s transactions with Xiling was sent by State Duke Hua through Zhou Yu. However, Zhou Yu himself had added the information about Marquis South based on his own deductions. Wang Jingchuan believed the information was secret, unaware that Zhou Yu, having been by his side for days, had deduced the Emperor’s intentions for Marquis South’s family merely from his usual conduct and demeanor. Zhou Yu paused for a moment and replied, "Last year, thanks to the Princess Consort’s assistance, this humble official was able to promptly raise the silver to hire a doctor for my ailing mother. A few days ago, my mother passed away peacefully at the end of her life. This humble official should have requested leave to observe mourning for my mother but was instead assigned to accompany Lord Wang here to the Northwest. It seems this was a fortuitous coincidence, allowing this humble official to repay the Princess Consort’s great kindness. This humble official is now alone in the world and has no scruples."

Mo Xiuyao appeared thoughtful. He nodded and said, "In that case, Lord Zhou, would you be willing to relinquish your official post and temporarily remain in the Northwest?"

Zhou Yu was taken aback. He was not afraid of death, but he was not seeking it either. Prince Ding’s action was clearly intended to protect him. He glanced at Ye Li, who was sitting to one side, smiling at him, and quickly made his decision. "Many thanks to His Highness for offering refuge."

"What should we do about Marquis South and Lord Wang? Does Your Highness have any ideas?" Ye Li asked with a smile.

Mo Xiuyao laughed. "For Ah-Li to ask this, she must already have an idea."

Ye Li grinned. "The Northwest is rife with warfare. The Xiling people are committing atrocities everywhere. It would not be surprising if Lord Wang’s party unfortunately encountered bandits or Xiling soldiers and were entirely wiped out. What does Your Highness think?" Mo Xiuyao praised, "What Ah-Li says is absolutely right." Marquis South stepped forward and bowed in gratitude. "Many thanks to Your Highness and the Princess Consort." Ye Li shook her head. "Marquis, please rest assured and stay here for now. It’s just that you will be inconvenienced for some time. As for Marquis South’s Mansion..." Marquis South managed a desolate smile. "Let fate decide. I only hope that when His Majesty hears of my son and I perishing, he might show mercy and spare our family, young and old."

After settling Marquis South and his son, Lin Han was tasked with staging the scene of Wang Jingchuan’s party meeting their demise. Although Marquis South, his son, and Zhou Yu were fabricated casualties, Wang Jingchuan, at least, was genuine. Lin Han was an expert in disguise trained by Ye Li herself. He would naturally not leave any suspicious flaws at the scene. Nevertheless, Marquis South and his son would undoubtedly have to live under assumed names for a short period. These matters were relatively minor for now, as Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao’s full attention was focused on the secret letter delivered by Old State Duke Hua.

Upon receiving the news, even Feng Zhiyao, who usually appeared indifferent, was filled with rage. He was about to jump up from his chair and lead his troops back to the Capital City, but Mo Xiuyao stopped him. Feng Zhiyao said with a grim face, "We have already reached such a critical point. Does Your Highness still want to protect Mo Jingqi? And protect Great Chu? Mo Jingqi himself doesn’t care about this land! Why should we concern ourselves with it?" Mo Xiuyao’s expression was indifferent, his voice solemn. "What this Prince has always protected is not Mo Jingqi. And what the Mo Family Army protects is not the vast territory of Great Chu. It is... the common people living on this land. Third Feng, if we break ties with Mo Jingqi at this point, never mind Xiling, Nanzhao, and Beirong; Great Chu itself will erupt in conflict, with beacons of war burning everywhere."

Feng Zhiyao coldly retorted, "So what do we do now? Even if we say nothing, will Mo Jingqi let this go? If we are fighting Xiling on the front lines, can Your Highness guarantee he won’t stab us in the back?" Mo Xiuyao was silent. He could not guarantee it. Mo Jingqi’s ability to sign such an agreement with Xiling showed he was already prepared to stab the Mo Family Army in the back at any moment. But right now... A pair of warm, gentle hands softly took his. Mo Xiuyao looked up to meet Ye Li’s smiling eyes. Ye Li looked at the unprecedentedly furious Feng Zhiyao and said, "It’s right not to make it public now; we have no evidence. The forces Mo Jingqi has cultivated over these years are not few. The Mo Family Army has a total of only seven hundred thousand soldiers. Third Feng, do you remember how many troops Great Chu has in all?"

Feng Zhiyao was taken aback and gradually calmed down. He pondered for a moment and said, "Over two million. And... Mo Jingqi is the Emperor; there might even be armies we don’t know about existing in secret."

Ye Li nodded. "Once we tear away all pretense of cordiality, the common people will still tend to believe the imperial family more often than not. Even if all the common people believe us... it would be advantageous in the long run, but there’s no benefit in the short term. And we would very likely have to face over two million troops simultaneously. The Mo Family Army... however valiant and skilled in battle, cannot gain the upper hand against so many armies." Feng Zhiyao said, unconvinced, "So we just have to endure it?"

Ye Li shook her head. "It’s not that we just endure it. It’s that we need time."

Feng Zhiyao was silent for a long time, then said, "I understand. But Your Highness, Princess Consort, I need to return to the Capital City."

Mo Xiuyao frowned. "What could you accomplish by returning to the Capital City?"

Feng Zhiyao gave a bitter smile. "Your Highness, this news hasn’t even reached the secret guards in the Capital City yet. You and I both know clearly where this news came from. I am worried..." Mo Xiuyao said, "Your return would put her in greater danger. Third Feng, you have never been one who can exercise forbearance." Feng Zhiyao, looking dejected, admitted, "That’s right... If Your Highness hadn’t stopped me all these years, I..." Mo Xiuyao looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Are you blaming me?" Feng Zhiyao shook his head with a bitter smile. "No, I know... no matter what I do, she won’t leave with me. Your Highness... you saved both our lives." Mo Xiuyao said, "Remain calm here in the Northwest. This Prince promises that even if everyone in the Capital of Great Chu perishes, she will live." Feng Zhiyao abruptly looked up, his gaze shining brightly at Mo Xiuyao. "Your Highness, have you made arrangements..."

Mo Xiuyao answered, "We can be considered to have grown up together, and besides, she has helped the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion considerably over the years. How could this Prince disregard her life or death?"

Relief flickered in Feng Zhiyao’s eyes. He sat back down. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Mo Xiuyao said indifferently, "This Prince is not doing it for you."

Feng Zhiyao chuckled. "I know. I thank Your Highness on my own behalf."