Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 233 - 232. Noble Consort Liu brings disgrace upon herself
232. Noble Consort Liu Digs Her Own Grave
That evening, upon returning to her chamber, Ye Li was still pondering Princess Changle’s situation. Although Princess Changle was still a child in Ye Li’s eyes, she had indeed truly grown up. Despite her frequent provocations towards Noble Consort Liu, she was well aware of what to say and what not to say. Therefore, when Ye Li questioned her, she simply found a casual excuse to deflect the topic. Ye Li understood that despite her status as a princess, Changle was not truly free, so she didn’t press her further.
"What is Ah-Li thinking about?" Mo Xiuyao asked gently, placing his hands on Ye Li’s shoulders from behind. Ye Li glanced back at him and smiled faintly. "Nothing... I was just contemplating Princess Changle’s circumstances." For Great Chu to have a Noble Consort and a princess personally travel for the marriage of a Nanzhao princess was somewhat unconventional. Of course, it was even more unconventional for Noble Consort Liu to go rather than Princess Changle, but Ye Li was primarily concerned about Princess Changle and didn’t spare much thought for Noble Consort Liu. Mo Xiuyao sat down beside Ye Li, poured tea for them both, and asked, "What’s wrong with Changle?"
Ye Li said, "Don’t you find it odd that Mo Jingqi himself didn’t attend Princess Anxi’s wedding, but instead sent a Noble Consort and a princess?" While it was plausible for a princess to undertake diplomatic missions to other countries, it was decidedly unusual for a Noble Consort to do so alone.
Mo Xiuyao placed his teacup on the table, looked at Ye Li, and said, "Mo Jingqi... probably wants a marriage alliance."
"A marriage alliance?" Ye Li was taken aback. "Who is getting married? To whom?" Mo Xiuyao looked at her calmly without answering. Ye Li quickly understood and frowned. "Are you talking about Princess Changle?! But Nanzhao has no princes, nor any nobles of sufficient standing for the First Princess of Great Chu to marry."
The King of Nanzhao had no sons, nor even any living brothers or nephews. That was why Princess Anxi had become the Imperial Princess, the next Queen of Nanzhao. So, who was Princess Changle to marry through such an alliance? Mo Xiuyao stated calmly, "Although Nanzhao has no princes, it still has its King."
"You mean..." Ye Li was speechless, finally understanding why Princess Changle had looked so despondent when she had asked her about it.
Although Ye Li hadn’t met the King of Nanzhao during her time there, Princess Anxi was already twenty-five or twenty-six. The King of Nanzhao seemed to have had Princess Anxi when he was around twenty, which meant the King of Nanzhao was already approaching the age of fifty. If this was true, then compared to Princess Changle, Commandery Princess Ronghua, who had married the Crown Prince of Beirong, was truly fortunate. Furthermore, if two countries genuinely desired a marriage alliance, they should first exchange official letters. Then, the nobles and court ministers of both nations would discuss and arrange the wedding, followed by the other party sending an envoy to escort the bride. Only then would it be considered a formal marriage alliance. But now, sending Princess Changle directly to Nanzhao was tantamount to simply delivering her to the King of Nanzhao. In that case, even if a marriage did take place, the respect the Nanzhao people would show Princess Changle would be severely limited. What on earth is Mo Jingqi thinking?
"Mo Jingli has clandestine connections with the Saintess of the Southern Border and several tribes in the Nanjiang region. Princess Anxi has also maintained good relations with us, thanks to Young Master Qingchen. With Great Chu currently facing both internal strife and external threats, Mo Jingqi likely wishes to form an alliance with the King of Nanzhao," Mo Xiuyao said calmly.
"An alliance?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow. Mo Xiuyao smiled, pulled her into his embrace, rested his chin on her head, and said softly, "The current King of Nanzhao is ambitious but lacks talent. Years ago, when he rashly invaded Great Chu, this Prince repelled him, nearly leading to the destruction of his kingdom. Conversely, Princess Anxi has displayed exceptional political talent since childhood. At the tender age of fourteen, she was already assisting the King of Nanzhao in governing. Indeed, were it not for Princess Anxi, Nanzhao would not have recovered so quickly after that great war. Then there’s the Saintess of the Southern Border... while not possessing great political acumen, her schemes and methods, along with the people supporting her, are quite formidable. In the past, the King of Nanzhao used the Saintess of the Southern Border to counterbalance and suppress Princess Anxi. It’s said that in recent years, the conflict between Princess Anxi and the Saintess of the Southern Border has intensified, leaving the King of Nanzhao likely caught in a difficult position between them."
Ye Li understood; so this was a power struggle between an incompetent father and two capable daughters. She nodded and said, "I understand. After all, the King of Nanzhao is still the King. Even if he himself lacks ability, as long as he sits on that throne, he can contend with Princess Anxi and Shu Manlin. Given that Princess Anxi and Shu Manlin both have backers, the King of Nanzhao also intends to ally with Mo Jingqi of Great Chu? By the way... shouldn’t Shu Manlin have already retired from her position as Saintess to some holy sanctuary in the Southern Border to live out her days?"
Mo Xiuyao said indifferently, "Rules are made by people." Naturally, there are ways to break them. At least for now, Shu Manlin remains comfortably in her position as Saintess of the Southern Border, and what’s more, she possesses even greater freedom and power than before.
Ye Li sighed helplessly. Ultimately, this was all a power play among individuals like Mo Jingqi and the King of Nanzhao, with the innocent Princess Changle as the sole sacrifice.
Mo Xiuyao reached out, encircling Ye Li and pulling her into his arms. He gently patted her hand and whispered, "Is Ah-Li’s heart softening?"
Ye Li sighed. "Princess Changle is still a child."
Mo Xiuyao said, "There are no children in the imperial family. She knows what she must do."
Ye Li frowned, turned to look at him, and said, "Princess Changle asked me for a dagger."
Mo Xiuyao thought for a moment. "Give it to her."
Ye Li nodded and leaned back into Mo Xiuyao’s embrace. She couldn’t save Princess Changle. If it were merely about Princess Changle as an individual, Ye Li could simply have someone take her away and hide her. But the Hua Family, the Great Chu imperial family, the Empress, and the fates of countless others tied to Princess Changle were not something she could influence. Therefore, since she couldn’t save her... she would give her what she wanted.
"Xiuyao, in the future, I don’t want our children to be part of marriage alliances," Ye Li whispered, nestled in Mo Xiuyao’s arms.
Mo Xiuyao gently stroked her hair, his eyes filled with a soft warmth. "Our son won’t need to rely on marriage alliances for anything."
Hearing this, Ye Li couldn’t help but smile with relief. Yes, their son would not need to trade his marriage for any benefits. At this moment, Ye Li was immensely grateful to Mo Jingqi for having betrothed her to Mo Xiuyao. Not just for herself, but also for their child. "Xiuyao," she said, "have I ever told you that meeting you is the most joyful thing that has ever happened in my life?"
Mo Xiuyao looked down at her clear, beautiful eyes, his own gaze filled with ardent emotion. He lowered his head, his lips finding hers, fragrant and soft, caressing them tenderly. "No," he murmured, "you must say it every day from now on."
「The next day」
Not only did Mo Xiuyao’s party not leave Yonglin, but Prime Minister Liu and his contingent also remained. When they encountered each other again at the city’s finest tavern, Ye Li couldn’t help but raise a delicate eyebrow. Her gaze swept over Noble Consort Liu, who stood beside Princess Changle. Linking her arm through Mo Xiuyao’s, Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Are the Noble Consort and the Princess also out for a stroll? Why don’t I see Prime Minister Liu accompanying you?"
Noble Consort Liu silently watched the two of them standing shoulder to shoulder, Ye Li naturally holding Mo Xiuyao’s arm, while Mo Xiuyao showed no sign of rejection, looking down at Ye Li with a warmth in his eyes that he never displayed to others. Noble Consort Liu’s gaze darkened. "My father is unwell. Thank you for your concern, Miss Ye," she said coolly.
Ye Li had, of course, heard about Prime Minister Liu fainting on the spot from being cornered the previous day. When it came to getting under people’s skin, aside from Feng Zhiyao, there was Zhuo Jing in Prince Ding’s Mansion. Feng Zhiyao specialized in flagrant verbal assaults and expressions of contempt. Zhuo Jing, despite the stoic demeanor cultivated during his time as a shadow guard, his mind was anything but stoic. He was notoriously vengeful, and his occasional sharp-tongued remarks could easily wound people’s pride. Prime Minister Liu had managed to provoke both of them, not to mention Mo Xiuyao, an irresponsible master who never reined in his subordinates. Consequently, the Prime Minister had no recourse but to feign a collapse to make his exit. Claiming illness was likely just an excuse for being too ashamed to show his face, wasn’t it?
"Is that so." Ye Li had no interest in Prime Minister Liu’s actual condition, so she merely nodded and smiled. "Then I wish Prime Minister Liu a swift recovery. My husband and I are about to dine, so we won’t disturb the Noble Consort and the Princess any longer. Changle... I’ve prepared the gift you asked for. Shall I have someone deliver it to you later?" This Noble Consort Liu even made an issue of titles. Did she think calling her ’Miss Ye’ would make her any less Princess Consort Ding? 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
Princess Changle beamed. "Thank you, Princess Consort."
"Since neither of you has dined, why don’t you join us?" Noble Consort Liu stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Mo Xiuyao.
Mo Xiuyao ignored her, while Princess Changle frowned slightly. Although there weren’t many strangers around, this was still a public place. Her Imperial Father’s favorite consort was being far too indecorous! "Noble Consort Liu, Uncle Prince Ding and the Princess Consort are dining together. Why should we outsiders intrude? If you don’t wish to eat, let’s return to the inn."
Now Princess Changle finally understood why Noble Consort Liu, who usually treated her as if she were invisible, had insisted on dragging her out for a meal. She claimed to be worried the inn’s fare wouldn’t suit her palate, but throughout the journey, she’d never once shown concern for Princess Changle’s meals. If she hadn’t been so bored and restless at the inn, who would want to go out to eat with *her*? Facing that expression of feigned sanctity and inviolability was enough to make one lose their appetite! And now she had dragged her here to ’coincidentally’ encounter Uncle Prince Ding and the Princess Consort. If this were the palace and not out in public, Princess Changle would have long ago berated her for her shamelessness without a second thought! She had heard long ago that Noble Consort Liu harbored affection for Uncle Prince Ding, but she had never witnessed such brazenness as to insist on disturbing a married couple’s meal.
Noble Consort Liu, however, was unwilling to heed Princess Changle’s advice. Instead, she stared intently at Mo Xiuyao. "We are old acquaintances, are we not? Can you not even spare me a single meal?"
Mo Xiuyao frowned slightly. Just as Noble Consort Liu’s face began to light up with a smile, thinking he was finally relenting, Mo Xiuyao looked up and frowned. "This Prince is not acquainted with you." The smile that had just begun to bloom on Noble Consort Liu’s face froze instantly. Truthfully, Mo Xiuyao and Noble Consort Liu were hardly acquainted. In his youth, he was already betrothed and naturally wouldn’t look at other women. Even without a betrothal, he wouldn’t have liked the daughter of a family at odds with his father and elder brother. After Su Zuidie left, he secluded himself due to his injuries and illness, by which time Noble Consort Liu had already entered the Imperial Palace. After marrying Ye Li, he had eyes for no other woman. Therefore, he truly was not familiar with Noble Consort Liu.
Noble Consort Liu was clearly wounded by his claim of not being acquainted. Her beautiful face turned deathly pale. She gritted her teeth. "Am I... truly so beneath your notice?"
Ye Li frowned and tugged Mo Xiuyao’s sleeve. "I’m hungry. Let’s go in and eat first. Noble Consort, Princess Changle, why don’t you join us?" It wasn’t that Ye Li was being soft-hearted by inviting them; rather, although the spot where they stood wasn’t crowded, it was still a public area in the tavern where people came and went. Noble Consort Liu might not care about her own reputation, but Ye Li disliked hearing gossip about her husband and some other woman.
Mo Xiuyao nodded, took Ye Li’s hand, and led her into a private room they had reserved nearby. As they passed Noble Consort Liu, they heard her mutter through gritted teeth, "I don’t need your feigned kindness!"
Ye Li paused, turned back, and looked at her with a faintly mocking smile. "So, are you coming or not?"
Noble Consort Liu’s pale face flushed. She bit her lip and, after a moment, finally stepped forward and followed.
Mo Xiuyao had never possessed much in the way of hospitality. Of course, this couldn’t be blamed on him. Since childhood, wherever he went, others had always been the ones to warmly receive him. The number of people he would personally deign to entertain could be counted on one hand. Therefore, when Noble Consort Liu and Princess Changle entered a few steps later, Mo Xiuyao had already dismissed the waiter who was waiting to take their order. Unsurprisingly, all the dishes ordered were ones that he and Ye Li enjoyed. Ye Li, however, was quite close to Hua Tianxiang and thus knew some of Princess Changle’s preferences, so she added a few more dishes that Princess Changle enjoyed.
Thus, when the table was laden with food, Noble Consort Liu’s expression grew even darker. Ye Li looked at Noble Consort Liu across the table, whose expression was dark as she listlessly picked at a few pieces of green vegetables, and felt somewhat puzzled. Even if the dishes weren’t entirely to her taste, the tavern’s cooking couldn’t be *this* bad, could it?
Just as Ye Li was wondering, Mo Xiuyao had already placed some of her favorite dishes into her bowl and said softly, "The chef at this tavern is quite skilled. Try some..."
Ye Li lowered her head and tasted a bite, finding it indeed quite good. Although it couldn’t compare to the dedicated chefs of Prince Ding’s Mansion or the head chef of Ningxiang Pavilion, it was definitely far better than Ye Li’s own cooking. Ye Li wasn’t a picky eater; she could heartily enjoy even the simple home-style dishes she cooked herself, let alone food prepared with such skill. She also picked up a piece of deliciously prepared chicken for Mo Xiuyao, saying, "Try this, it’s very tasty."
Mo Xiuyao’s expression immediately softened. Although he frowned slightly at the chicken, he still lowered his head and ate the entire piece. Watching Mo Xiuyao eat earnestly, Ye Li smiled faintly and continued to place food in his bowl from time to time. Due to his injuries and illness over the past ten years, Mo Xiuyao’s diet was usually very plain, and he wasn’t fond of rich or oily foods. However, Ye Li believed that while eating more vegetables was good, a balanced intake of meat and vegetables was essential. Therefore, she would occasionally give Mo Xiuyao some meat dishes. Fortunately, although Mo Xiuyao didn’t particularly like these foods, he would always eat everything Ye Li gave him without a word. Over the years, this developed into a habit where Ye Li would serve him his food when they ate together in private. It had become such a habit that once, when Ye Li was preoccupied during a meal and forgot to put food in his bowl, she discovered later that Mo Xiuyao had already eaten more than half a bowl of plain white rice. His childishness left her utterly exasperated and amused.
"Uncle Prince Ding and the Princess Consort have such a wonderful relationship," Princess Changle remarked with a smile, her eyes full of envy as she watched the two of them. Although she had seen many married couples, including some who were exceedingly affectionate in public, Princess Changle still felt that the scene before her was so beautiful and enviable. In the palace, whenever her Imperial Father ate a dish, it had to be tested for poison countless times. Furthermore, palace maids and eunuchs had to taste it first before he would eat it with peace of mind. In such circumstances, which consort or child would dare to offer food to her Imperial Father? At least, in Changle’s memory, her Imperial Mother and Imperial Father had always eaten their own food separately.
Ye Li glanced at her and said, not unkindly, "What does a little girl like you know about good relationships? Your Uncle Prince Ding is terribly difficult to serve."
"Miss Ye, you know full well that His Highness dislikes those things. Why do you deliberately give them to him?" Noble Consort Liu, who had been sitting with a sullen face, suddenly spoke. Under everyone’s gaze, she placed some stir-fried bamboo shoots into Mo Xiuyao’s bowl and said with a faint smile, "I remember His Highness is particularly fond of bamboo shoots."
The room instantly fell silent, the atmosphere becoming heavy. Mo Xiuyao had just put down his chopsticks and was drinking the mushroom and ginseng chicken soup Ye Li had ladled for him. Seeing Noble Consort Liu unexpectedly place food into his bowl, his expression instantly darkened. He didn’t even want the half-finished soup anymore and flung the bowl straight at Noble Consort Liu.
Noble Consort Liu was not some frail, helpless woman. Seeing the soup bowl flying towards her, she immediately dodged to the side. Unfortunately, the table wasn’t large, and they weren’t far apart, so although she avoided a direct hit, half her shoulder was still drenched by the chicken soup. The exquisite white porcelain bowl struck the wall behind Noble Consort Liu and shattered with a CRASH.
"Prince Ding, you!" Noble Consort Liu never imagined Mo Xiuyao would treat her so directly and crudely. For a moment, her face turned deathly pale, and she was speechless.
Seeing Noble Consort Liu’s humiliated expression, Ye Li felt not a shred of sympathy. If not for wanting to avoid excessive impoliteness, Ye Li would have wanted to curse her outright: Do you have any shame at all?! The act of placing food into another’s bowl, not just in this era but even in her previous life, was something done only by those who were extremely close or shared a deep friendship. Ye Li truly couldn’t comprehend what on earth Noble Consort Liu was thinking.
"Get out!" Mo Xiuyao stared at Noble Consort Liu, his voice icy.
"You..." Noble Consort Liu bit her lip in mortification, gazing at Mo Xiuyao.
Mo Xiuyao remained unmoved. His next word was even more concise: "Leave!"
Ultimately, she was still a woman. Faced with Mo Xiuyao’s ruthless dismissal, Noble Consort Liu finally got up and rushed out of the private room. Mo Xiuyao looked with disgust at the bamboo shoots in his bowl and pushed it aside. Silently, Ye Li took the bowl of chicken soup she hadn’t yet touched from before her and placed it in front of him. "Drink a little more," she said softly.
Only then did Mo Xiuyao pick up the soup again and slowly take a couple of sips, his tightly knitted brows gradually relaxing.
Ye Li then took a fresh, unused bowl from the side, refilled it with rice for him, and then picked up her own chopsticks to continue eating.
Princess Changle watched them with a beaming smile. "I certainly know Uncle Prince Ding and the Princess Consort have a good relationship. Because even if the Princess Consort gives Uncle Prince Ding food he dislikes, he will eat all of it. But if someone else, even if they give Uncle Prince Ding his favorite dish, Uncle Prince Ding will smash the bowl. Princess Consort, am I right or not?"
What a precocious little imp! Ye Li pursed her lips, a smile playing on them.
