Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 186. Taking You Home (Part 1)
186. Taking You Home (Part I)
"Prince, Commander Qin requests an audience!" the guard outside the study respectfully informed.
In the study, Mo Xiuyao, who had been resting his eyes, suddenly opened them. There was no trace of drowsiness in them. He said calmly, "Let him in."
Soon, Qin Feng, with Mo Hua in tow, rushed in, their faces still brimming with uncontainable excitement. Mo Xiuyao had always been indulgent towards those around Ye Li; otherwise, with his current temper, God knows where Han Mingxi would be now. Hence, he did not care much for Qin Feng’s impertinence and asked with a frown, "What’s the urgency?" Unable to contain his excitement, Qin Feng exclaimed, "Prince, we have news of the Princess Consort!"
Mo Xiuyao was stunned, staring blankly at the candlelight in front of him as if he had no idea what Qin Feng had just said. Observing his confusion, Qin Feng repeated anxiously, "Prince, we have news of the Princess Consort!"
Mo Xiuyao then snapped back to his senses. His half-closed eyes moved slightly as he calmly said, "Explain clearly." Qin Feng could not understand Mo Xiuyao’s indifference, but Mo Hua, standing behind him, clearly saw the Prince’s tightly clenched fingers on the table trembling. Mo Hua quickly stepped forward to share all the details. After being interrogated by Qin Feng, Su Zuidie had not confessed everything, but Qin Feng had obtained enough information about Tan Jizhi. Hence, Tan Jizhi’s hideouts in the Northwest naturally came under surveillance. They never expected that the Princess Consort would fall into Tan Jizhi’s hands, be spotted in a small town not too far from Ruyang, and successfully send them a secret message.
Mo Xiuyao took the piece of paper with the medical prescription on it; the deciphered code was scribbled in one corner by Qin Feng. The message was composed of some strange symbols forming two lines of text. Mo Xiuyao had seen some of them in Qilin’s files but had never studied them closely, so he turned to Qin Feng. Qin Feng finally managed to calm down, but his eyes were still gleaming sharply. "The Princess Consort said she is safe and sound, and she asked the Prince not to worry."
"Safe... Don’t worry..." Mo Xiuyao leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. After a long while, he got up and ordered, "Give the command to immediately depart to bring the Princess Consort home."
"Prince!" Mo Hua stepped forward to block Mo Xiuyao’s path, looking at him disapprovingly. "Prince, it would be better for you to stay in Ruyang. It’s the fifteenth day of the month..." Remembering that it was the day of the full moon and the Prince couldn’t move around freely, Qin Feng also quickly agreed, "Commander Mo is right, Prince. I volunteer to go and bring the Princess Consort back!" Mo Hua stepped forward. "I would like to volunteer as well!"
Mo Xiuyao waved his hand, his voice deep. "Enough, I know what I am doing. Give the order to depart in fifteen minutes. Qin Feng, you take your men and accompany me."
Although they were worried about Mo Xiuyao’s health, the news of Ye Li’s safety brought too much joy. After hesitating for a moment, Qin Feng responded and turned to leave. Outside the door, Zhuo Jing and others who had received the news were already rushing over. Seeing Qin Feng come out, they immediately approached him. Qin Feng just nodded at the three of them and rushed off to make arrangements. Zhuo Jing and the others were taken aback, their eyes bursting with surprised joy. Lin Han’s eyes reddened uncontrollably with emotion, but he did not mind; his face was full of a joy he had not felt in a long while.
Ye Li woke up early in the morning and the first thing she did was tidy herself. In fact, she had not slept well the whole night. Since Doctor Lin was taken away by Tan Jizhi, she had not heard from him again. Although she had only known Tan Jizhi for a few days, it was enough for Ye Li to understand how ruthless this man was, which made her worry about the old man who had once saved her and her child’s lives. After sitting in the flower hall for a while, Tan Jizhi walked in, escorted by Shu Manlin. Seeing Ye Li looking somewhat tired, he laughed and said, "Didn’t Princess Consort Ding sleep well last night? We are about to leave Ruyang. Is the Princess Consort reluctant to leave?" Ye Li frowned and asked, "How is Doctor Lin?"
Tan Jizhi looked somewhat surprised. He looked Ye Li up and down, laughing. "So the Princess Consort is worried about him? Don’t tell me, you have truly developed a so-called teacher-student relationship with my father?"
Ye Li calmly looked at him and said, "Although it has not been long, it is true that Doctor Lin taught me medicine. What’s wrong with having a teacher-student relationship?"
Tan Jizhi looked at Ye Li’s expression with a strange and mocking implication, raised an eyebrow, and laughed. "To speak of it, the Princess Consort does not seem like a member of the imperial family. Now that she can hardly protect herself, the Princess Consort is indeed able to spare her feelings for a relative stranger." Ye Li responded with a calm and cold smile, "Lord Tan, who could abandon the kindness of over twenty years of nurturing without batting an eye, is indeed more like a member of the imperial family. Truly worthy of being a descendant of the previous dynasty." Ye Li’s pointed remark struck a nerve in Tan Jizhi. His expression turned unsightly, and he coldly said, "Since the Princess Consort is ready, let’s set off."
"As Lord Tan wishes," Ye Li responded indifferently.
Upon leaving the inn, even though it was just Ye Li, Tan Jizhi, Shu Manlin, and three or four servants, Ye Li astutely felt hidden gazes following them. Although she had been confined within the courtyard for days and could not venture out, Ye Li had already roughly estimated that at least ten people were hiding in the innermost courtyard where she and Doctor Lin stayed, not to mention other places. If the hidden guards rush in anxiously, it would be disadvantageous in such a small yard. Standing outside the inn, Ye Li looked back at the deserted, rundown inn. However, she still did not see any sign of Doctor Lin. Tan Jizhi still hasn’t obtained the treasure he desired, so he shouldn’t kill Doctor Lin. Ye Li could only hope for the best.
Mo Family Army soldiers were indeed patrolling the small town occasionally, always in pairs, looking more like a patrol than as if they were searching for someone. Tan Jizhi naturally noticed this situation as well. He frowned and motioned for Shu Manlin to assist Ye Li into the carriage parked by the roadside. After a while, the slow-moving carriage started heading out of town.
Shu Manlin sat opposite Ye Li, looking at her with a hostile expression. Although Shu Manlin had previously come to the small courtyard to provoke Ye Li, Doctor Lin was always present; this was actually the first time the two women were alone. Ye Li calmly looked at the beautiful woman across from her, offering a slight smile. Shu Manlin scoffed disdainfully, her coquettish eyes narrowed as she asked sharply, "Do you know who I am?"
Ye Li cast her eyes downwards. I don’t want to know who you are at all. "Miss Lin, how would I know if you don’t know who you are?"
Shu Manlin arrogantly glanced at her and said, "You don’t need to play innocent. I know you guessed my identity long ago. Princess Consort Ding, when we were in Nanzhao, you deceived me and that fool Anxi by using the identity of Xu Qingchen’s fiancée. Do you think I wouldn’t guard against you?" Ye Li raised her eyes to look at her, smiled, and said, "So... what does the Holy Woman have to teach me?" Compared to the young yet competent Princess Anxi, Ye Li really could not see what qualifications Shu Manlin had to call someone else a fool. True fools always presume that others are fools too, right?
"You know what I want to say. If you’re smart, keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude!" Shu Manlin threatened in a deep voice.
Ye Li raised an eyebrow. Of course, she understood what Shu Manlin meant. So, she’s hooking up with Big Brother behind Tan Jizhi’s back, right? However, the fact that Shu Manlin was afraid of Tan Jizhi surprised Ye Li. After all, in anyone’s eyes, Tan Jizhi was nothing more than a mere attendant at court, albeit a descendant of the previous imperial family. He had no money, no power, and no supporters. But Shu Manlin is the Holy Woman of the Southern Border; her status and power are almost on par with the Eldest Princess of the Southern Border, and she has the covert support of the King of Nanzhao and Mo Jingli. Even if they are colluding, it normally would be Tan Jizhi giving in to Shu Manlin. It seems she had truly underestimated him before due to his performance at the Imperial Tomb.
Tilting her head in thought, Ye Li said with a smile, "The Holy Woman should know that I am not the kind to gossip."
Shu Manlin scoffed coldly and said, "You’d better be sensible. Otherwise, this maiden has ways to make you shut your mouth."
Ye Li looked quietly at Shu Manlin, a cold smile appearing on her lips. "Holy Woman... your words are displeasing to this consort... Now... do you dare to kill me? No, do you dare to lay a hand on me now?" Shu Manlin’s pretty face sank. Indeed, over the past few days, Tan Jizhi had repeatedly warned her not to harm Ye Li in the slightest. She was discontented, yet she was not a woman who did not understand the bigger picture. Since they had not acquired the treasure of the former dynasty, the importance of Princess Consort Ding as a bargaining chip had become increasingly evident. Now, they not only could not harm Ye Li, but they must also protect her. As long as they could safely escort Ye Li out of the Mo Family Army’s area of influence, they would possess two chips that could threaten Mo Xiuyao at any time.
"Ye Li, don’t be too smug! One day..." Shu Manlin gnashed her teeth and muttered. Eventually, the bargaining chip will lose its effectiveness. After that, she can torment the woman before her however she wants. Thinking about Ye Li causing a huge commotion in Nanzhao last year and her actions at the Broken Snow Pass, which nearly wiped their original plan clean... Whenever she thought about that, Shu Manlin yearned to skin her alive. Not to mention that Ye Li was also Xu Qingchen’s cousin.
Ye Li, leaning on her hand, calmly reminded her, "Holy Woman, shouldn’t you be more worried about the present? Who knows what the future holds? Of course, if you don’t care, I also don’t mind occasionally gossiping with Lord Tan about... mmm, let’s say, the untold stories of the Holy Woman of the Southern Border and Young Master Qingchen?" Shu Manlin turned blue with anger, raising her hand to slap Ye Li’s face, but Ye Li was quicker. "OH, MY?!"
Outside the carriage, Tan Jizhi, on his horse, quickly rode up a few paces. Leaning over to lift the curtain from the side of the carriage, he saw Shu Manlin’s raised hand. He frowned displeasedly and said, "Lin’er, what are you doing? I told you, you must not be rude to the Princess Consort." Shu Manlin resentfully lowered her hand and glowered at Ye Li, muttering, "I understand." Tan Jizhi looked at the two uneasily, advising, "We’re about to leave town. Don’t make a fuss." Then, he let down the curtain. Ye Li gave Shu Manlin a smug smile, prompting Shu Manlin to grit her teeth and say, "Just you wait, Ye Li!"
The carriage was stopped at the exit of the small town. Fortunately, those who intercepted and checked at the intersection were not the Mo Family Army but regular runners from the governmental office, which made Tan Jizhi sigh in relief.
"Who’s in the carriage? Dismount!" a governmental office runner outside the carriage ordered.
Tan Jizhi, his face disguised as that of a simple and honest scholar, stepped forward and said, "Officer... what’s the matter?" A governmental office runner, knocking on the carriage door, said, "By superior orders, we’re searching for spies entering the Northwest. All outsiders will be checked. Let the people inside come out!" Tan Jizhi said with a troubled face, "Please understand, Officer. My wife is seven months pregnant and it’s inconvenient for her. Please have mercy on us..." While talking, he discreetly presented two silver ingots, perfectly playing the part of a timid scholar.
Having accepted the bribe, the governmental office runners looked at each other. One said, "Not getting off the carriage is fine. Just lift the curtain so we can take a look." Without waiting for Tan Jizhi’s consent, he forcefully lifted the curtain. In the carriage sat two young women. One, with her hair in a matronly style, was clearly heavily pregnant. The other woman, in blue clothing, was strikingly beautiful and offered him a faint smile. The governmental office runner froze, murmuring to himself, "Such good fortune! To find such a beauty in this rural place..."
Tan Jizhi carefully smiled and said, "Officer, can we go now?"
With reluctance, the governmental office runner took one last look inside the carriage, then let down the curtain and waved his hand. "Go, go."
"Thank you, Officer! Thank you!" Tan Jizhi said cheerfully, hastily waving his hand to urge the coachman to drive out of town.
Only after the carriage was out of sight did the governmental office runners outside town drop their pretense of arrogance. One asked, "How was it? Did you see clearly?" The runner who had checked under the curtain frowned and answered, "It’s the Princess Consort. She said that they are outnumbered and there are people from the Southern Border. She asked us to remain calm and not act rashly."
"Damn it! To see the Princess Consort pass by right in front of us..." the man nearby cursed under his breath.
His companion patted his shoulder and said, "Now that we’ve spotted them, do they think they can just take the Princess Consort and leave the Northwest? This is indeed not the right place to make a move. The Princess Consort is pregnant and her movements are restricted. That woman in the carriage is no pushover either. What if the Princess Consort is unintentionally hurt?"
As they left the small town, Tan Jizhi felt noticeably uneasy. He ordered the carriage to speed up and not stop en route to Feihong Pass. According to his plan, there should not have been any issues. He had been operating undercover between Great Chu and Nanzhao for nearly a decade without drawing the attention of any aristocrats, including Prince Ding’s Mansion. Moreover, he had not entered the Northwest via Feihong Pass, so theoretically, he should not have caught Mo Xiuyao’s attention. However, the sudden appearance of patrol troops in the small town gave him the uneasy feeling that he was losing control somewhere. Puzzled, he suddenly thought of someone. A chill ran down his spine—he could only hope that woman would not be so foolish as to reveal everything about him. A trace of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. She should know that once she divulged everything, death would be her only way out. Mo Xiuyao would surely have her sliced into a thousand pieces...
"Jizhi, can we take a break? I’m tired..." Shu Manlin pulled back the curtain of the carriage, looking rather pale. She had been pampered since childhood and could not bear the discomfort of the bumpy carriage ride; she had had enough. Coupled with Ye Li’s frequent sarcastic comments during the journey, Shu Manlin, who had been tolerating it for a long time, finally broke down. Looking at her pallid face, Tan Jizhi also remembered Ye Li’s pregnancy, which could not withstand too much jostling. After a moment of hesitation, he finally nodded and said, "We’ll rest for one hour."
Shu Manlin happily exclaimed, "Jizhi, you’re so good to me!" and jumped down from the carriage to stretch her limbs. Tan Jizhi arched an eyebrow and asked Ye Li, who remained inside the carriage, "Princess Consort, do you want to get out and move around?" Ye Li, looking a little pale, and her lack of sleep made her appear even more exhausted. She shook her head and said, "Since we are stopping, let me sleep for a bit. Don’t disturb me." Tan Jizhi did not mind at all; of course, he preferred Ye Li to cause as little trouble as possible. Before he could say anything else, Shu Manlin had already pulled him towards the base of a tree. "Jizhi, let’s go over there and rest for a bit. It’s so hot! I’m so tired..." Tan Jizhi was clearly very patient with her. He said softly, "In that case, lean on me and take a nap."
"Jizhi, you’re the best!"
In the afternoon forest, horses quietly grazed on grass. Under the shade of the trees, a handsome couple leaned against each other, resting. It was a serene and peaceful scene.
Tan Jizhi suddenly lifted his head when he realized something was amiss. Shockingly, he discovered the forest was unnaturally quiet. He did not know when, but a man in green robes had appeared at the foot of a tree not far away. His hair was like dark clouds, and the silver dragon patterns on his green robes shimmered luxuriously under the slanting sunlight. The man had a slim figure and an elegant face, partly hidden behind a silver-white half-mask, which nonetheless could not conceal his sickly pale complexion. However, even though he was just standing there, merely lifting his face to look in their direction, the natural, noble aura of a prince he exuded made others feel instinctively inadequate. But what made Tan Jizhi’s heart turn cold at that moment was that all the guards in the forest, including those on alert nearby, seemed completely oblivious to the man’s existence, as if the overwhelming pressure he felt was merely a figment of his imagination.
"Mo Xiuyao!" Tan Jizhi said heavily. Disregarding the pressure on him, he lunged with all his might towards the nearby carriage.
The guards nearby seemed to have only just noticed the strange man in the forest. They quickly drew their weapons and rushed towards him.
Under the tree, the man in green robes frowned slightly, clearly displeased with the situation. He stepped forward, moving like a flowing cloud through the guards. As his wide sleeves billowed, they flashed with an eerie blood-red light. Then he, too, headed towards the carriage. He stood farther from the carriage than Tan Jizhi and his movements seemed slower, yet he did not arrive much later. Just as Tan Jizhi reached to grab the carriage curtain, a flash of silver light—a cold, silvery gleam—slashed towards the hand he had extended.
Tan Jizhi gritted his teeth. "Mo Xiuyao!"
At this moment, he had no time to think why Mo Xiuyao would appear here; his only thought was that he must defeat the man before him. However, this was incredibly difficult. Mo Xiuyao was renowned as one of the Four Great Experts of the martial world. With Mu Qingcang having been gone for a long time, Mo Xiuyao was considered the true number one martial artist in Great Chu.
His first attack having failed, Tan Jizhi leaped back quickly and roared, "Release the arrows!"
The forest remained quiet; there was no sound of arrows whistling through the air as he had expected. Tan Jizhi’s expression changed as he stared intently at the man in green robes before him.
But he saw that Mo Xiuyao paid him no attention at all. Mo Xiuyao turned and lifted the curtain of the carriage behind him. Looking at the woman inside, he smiled with gentle warmth and said, "Ah-Li, I have come to take you home."
