Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 235 - 234. First Meeting with the King of Nanzhao
234. First Meeting with the King of Nanzhao
Having seen off Princess Anxi, Xu Qingchen turned back and looked at Ye Li. With sincerity in his voice, he said, "Li’er, your elder brother is very grateful to you." Xu Qingchen understood why Ye Li had spent so much effort talking to Princess Anxi. Her personal relationship with Princess Anxi did not necessitate such a gesture.
What Ye Li wished for was for Princess Anxi to let go and prevent her love from turning into hatred towards Xu Qingchen. If it were a common woman, it would not matter, but Princess Anxi, as the Eldest Princess of a kingdom, wielded immense power. If she truly became fixated, she could undoubtedly cause Xu Qingchen considerable trouble. Moreover, although Xu Qingchen did not harbor romantic feelings for Princess Anxi, he genuinely considered her a friend. It would be a regret if this situation tainted their friendship.
Ye Li rolled her eyes and said dismissively, "No need to thank me. Since you’re indifferent to that girl, you should provoke her less. I can’t always be there to ward off love interests for you." Upon saying this, Ye Li was gratified that she was already married to Mo Xiuyao and that she and Mo Xiuyao were widely recognized as a loving couple. Every time she accompanied Xu Qingchen, she would be glared at by countless young women who, unaware of the truth, admired Eldest Young Master Xu. Remembering the time she fooled Princess Anxi into thinking that she was Xu Qingchen’s fiancée, Ye Li couldn’t help but feel fortunate that she had encountered Princess Anxi; if it had been another woman, she might have directly drawn a knife and attacked her.
Touching his nose apologetically, Xu Qingchen was at a loss for words. He’d never intentionally tried to entice any woman, nor did he consider himself above anyone else. Rather, he just hadn’t felt any romantically-inclined sentiments towards anyone.
"Ah-Li, I told you long ago that your elder brother wouldn’t fall for any girl," Mo Xiuyao emerged from within, wrapping an arm around Ye Li’s waist and pulling her close with a smile.
Ye Li immediately remembered Mo Xiuyao’s earlier suggestion about Xu Qingchen’s sexual orientation, and her face stiffened. Glancing at Xu Qingchen, who showed no signs of a rebuttal, her heart sank. She didn’t discriminate against homosexuality, but she wasn’t prepared to believe that her own elder brother could be gay. Furthermore... how was she going to explain this to her eldest maternal uncle and aunt?
Seeing the gloom on Ye Li’s face and assuming it was about his own situation, Xu Qingchen quickly said, "Li’er, don’t be mad. It’s not like your elder brother chose to..."
Seeing Xu Qingchen’s rare worried state, Ye Li’s heart skipped a beat. True, Xu Qingchen hadn’t chosen to be gay and must have been unwilling to reveal it. As renowned as Young Master Qingchen was, being gay would tarnish his reputation if word got out... "I understand, brother. Don’t worry. I won’t ask about it anymore." Xu Qingchen was touched by his sister’s understanding but couldn’t quite place why her gaze, filled with understanding, sympathy, and comfort, seemed strange.
"Everyone must be tired from days of traveling. Elder brother, I’m going to take Ah-Li back to our room to rest," Mo Xiuyao said leisurely.
Xu Qingchen waved them off. He ruminated about their conversation and only realized the source of his discomfort after replaying it in his mind. His poised and refined image cracked, his face turning ashen, nearly frightening Zhuo Jing and Lin Han, who were just about to leave the courtyard. "Mo Xiuyao!" he finally thundered.
What did it mean to say that he wouldn’t fall for any girl? That bastard Mo Xiuyao was insinuating to Li’er that he wasn’t interested in women! Combined with Li’er’s increasingly strange gazes at him these past few days, Xu Qingchen finally understood the cause and reason. Recalling Mo Xiuyao’s mocking, half-smile expression as he left, Young Master Qingchen couldn’t help but grit his teeth. Mo Xiuyao, you just wait!
Once back in their temporary residence, Ye Li, driven by curiosity, asked, "Who is the man from the tribe that Princess Anxi is to wed? He seems to be of high esteem as both you and elder brother know their language." Mo Xiuyao nodded and explained, "He is from the Bai Wolf tribe, located in the southwesternmost part of the Southern Border. They are mountain dwellers who’ve grown up amongst fierce beasts and venomous insects. Almost every man in the tribe is a top-notch hunter and archer. Additionally, like most natives of the Southern Border, they’re skilled in handling venomous insects, perhaps even more so. A few in our army learned this language when we planned to pacify the Southern Border. I learned it during my free time over those years."
As she poured herself a cup of tea, Ye Li pondered, "So Princess Anxi chose to marry at this time to gain the support of the Bai Wolf tribe?"
Mo Xiuyao nodded and sat across from Ye Li. They had naturally investigated Princess Anxi’s marriage before traveling to the Southern Border, and Mo Xiuyao said, "The current political situation in the Southern Border is very unfavorable to Princess Anxi. She needs the support of other tribes in the Southern Border. When elder brother was in the south previously, things were going somewhat smoothly. However, in the past few years, while elder brother has been busy in the Northwest, it must’ve been difficult for Princess Anxi to handle her father, Shu Manlin, Tan Jizhi, and the various tribal leaders by herself."
"So..." Ye Li, slightly frowning, voiced her concern. While their relationship with Princess Anxi suggested they should help her, from the perspective of realistic stability between nations, a chaotic Southern Border was to their advantage.
"We should try our best not to get involved," Xu Qingchen’s voice drifted in from outside. The sophisticated Young Master Qingchen, having recovered his refined and gentle demeanor, walked in, only squinting slightly when he saw Mo Xiuyao. He said to Ye Li, "Being friends with Princess Anxi and interfering in the internal affairs of another country are two different matters. Before, I helped her as a friend, but now our every action represents the stance of the Northwest. Thus, we cannot afford to make a mistake." Ye Li nodded, then asked with some worry, "Will this put elder brother in a difficult situation?"
Xu Qingchen shook his head and said, "Princess Anxi knows her limits."
Ye Li pondered for a moment, then said, "Honestly, Princess Anxi may possess natural talent for governing a nation, but when it comes to political maneuvering, I fear she’s no match for her rivals. If we remain on the sidelines while Princess Anxi falls, and the Southern Border falls into Shu Manlin’s hands, it won’t bode well for the Northwest either."
Xu Qingchen was silent for a moment, then said, "I’ll talk to Princess Anxi later. We can discreetly provide some assistance, but we cannot openly side with anyone. What happens in the Southern Border is none of our business." Ye Li nodded, saying, "I understand." Looking at Xu Qingchen’s calm and elegant demeanor, she sighed inwardly. Her elder brother could sometimes be so rational to the point of seeming cold-hearted. Perhaps, in her brother’s heart, Princess Anxi, though a friend, was ultimately less important than family. After all, the Northwest was their home.
As guests from afar, Ye Li and her party paid their respects to the King of Nanzhao the following morning. As before, they were accompanied into the palace by Princess Anxi. Having met and spoken to them the previous day, Pu’a was much more familiar and friendly this time around. The young man also readily greeted them in his native language. This was not Ye Li’s first visit to Nanzhao, but it was her first time meeting the King of Nanzhao. Dressed in Nanzhao’s unique, elaborately embroidered silk robe, the king looked absolutely resplendent. He wore a magnificent crown crafted from gold inlaid with emeralds and jeweled tassels, his dazzling appearance almost blinding. The palace too was filled with a grandeur very different from the Central Plains.
"Prince Ding and Princess Consort Ding have traveled a long way. This King offers his formal welcome," said the King of Nanzhao, seated on his throne, his voice filled with hearty laughter. However, there was no hint of welcome in his gaze at Mo Xiuyao. The King of Nanzhao spoke the Central Plains language exceptionally well, albeit with a slight Nanzhao accent, a common trait among many Nanzhao people which did not impede comprehension. Mo Xiuyao responded with a polite smile, cupping his hands in return greeting, and said, "With the upcoming wedding of your Eldest Princess, I, along with the Princess Consort, are here to offer congratulations to the King of Nanzhao and the princess. We also wish the King of Nanzhao an early arrival of your royal grandchild."
The King of Nanzhao’s face stiffened. Although Mo Xiuyao’s congratulatory wishes were seemingly unproblematic, wishing him an early noble grandchild, to the King of Nanzhao’s ears, sounded as though he was taunting the king for not having a son, despite being under fifty.
"Even His Highness Prince Ding has traveled all this way; the Eldest Princess must be truly honored. It’s truly enviable." Just when the atmosphere in the palace was slightly tense, a charming feminine voice rang out from a side hall. Glancing over, they saw Shu Manlin, dressed in the lavish yellow attire of the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border, gracefully approaching. However, her face was not adorned with the mask that the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border was traditionally supposed to wear when meeting outsiders. The other Nanzhao people in the hall seemed accustomed to this.
Mo Xiuyao’s gaze slowly drifted over Shu Manlin. With a slightly knitted brow, he asked, "King of Nanzhao, who might this be?"
The King of Nanzhao laughed heartily, looking affectionately at Shu Manlin, he said, "If Prince Ding does not know, this is Shu Manlin, the Holy Maiden of our Nanzhao Kingdom." Mo Xiuyao’s brow furrowed further as he calmly replied, "I was under the impression that the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border must be no older than twenty-five and is not allowed to meet outsiders. Is that merely a rumor?" A flicker of indignation crossed Shu Manlin’s face. Was Mo Xiuyao implying that she looked older than twenty-five? But having been imprisoned by Mo Xiuyao for over half a year, she was somewhat wary of him. Even now, in front of all these people, she did not want to provoke him. Instead, she looked at the King of Nanzhao with pleading eyes.
At least on the surface, the King of Nanzhao appeared to be more partial towards Shu Manlin than to Princess Anxi, who was also his Eldest Princess. Seeing Shu Manlin’s plea for help, the King of Nanzhao immediately intervened, "Prince Ding may not know, the Holy Maiden is the great savior of our Nanzhao. Therefore, after discussion with the tribal chiefs, it was decided that Shu Manlin will be the lifelong Holy Maiden of Nanzhao."
Ye Li glanced at Shu Manlin’s slightly triumphant face and chuckled inwardly. She was unsure if Shu Manlin was the savior of Nanzhao, but considering her relationship with Tan Jizhi, they seemed more like a catastrophe to Nanzhao. Her ability to convince so many tribal chiefs of Nanzhao to agree to Shu Manlin not adhering to the rules that the Southern Border had followed for hundreds of years suggested their influence in the Southern Border was not to be underestimated now. It’s no wonder Princess Anxi chose this time to marry Pu’a—Pu’a’s tribe is also a very powerful tribe in the Southern Border—and with the added support of the princess’s maternal grandfather’s tribe, they could barely hold their own against Shu Manlin and Tan Jizhi.
Mo Xiuyao seemed uninterested and nodded noncommittally, causing a flash of annoyance in Shu Manlin’s eyes as she turned her attention to Xu Qingchen. After a slight pause, Shu Manlin stepped forward and said softly with a smile, "Is this the renowned Young Master Qingchen of Great Chu? It’s a pleasure to meet you. Shu Manlin pays her respects." Princess Anxi watched her coldly and sneered, "You’ve met Qingchen before, why put on such a charade?" This woman had trapped Qingchen in the Nanzhao underground palace for many days, yet now she feigned a first meeting—truly disgusting! Shu Manlin looked at Princess Anxi, blinked innocently, and asked, "Princess, what are you implying? When have I met Young Master Qingchen? On the contrary, I heard Princess Anxi and Young Master Qingchen are very close friends." Shu Manlin emphasized the words "very close," her voice apparently full of jealousy and bitterness, as if intentionally stirring things up. The fact that she spoke in the Nanzhao language and deliberately glanced at Pu’a, who was standing by Princess Anxi, made her intentions even more obvious.
A flicker of sharp light flashed in Princess Anxi’s eyes; she looked at Shu Manlin coldly and said, "So what if Young Master Qingchen and I are friends? As the esteemed Eldest Princess of Nanzhao, am I not allowed to make friends? Some people, however, have been cavorting with Prince Li of Great Chu for many years. At that time, they hadn’t received any special privileges from the tribes of the Southern Border, had they?" Being publicly rebuked by Princess Anxi in front of so many people, even the brazen Shu Manlin couldn’t help but blush. "You!" Princess Anxi scoffed disdainfully, "What? Is the Holy Maiden going to deny knowing Prince Li of Great Chu?" Evidently, Princess Anxi had evidence that Shu Manlin had known Mo Jingli long ago, putting Shu Manlin in a difficult position. Denying it could trigger Princess Anxi to reveal proof of her acquaintance with Prince Li, while admitting it would be even worse. If others learned that she had met with an outsider male many years ago, it would be highly disadvantageous for her.
"That’s enough, Xi’er. What’s the point of saying these things in front of guests?" The King of Nanzhao suddenly spoke, frowning at Princess Anxi. His tone was noticeably reproachful.
Princess Anxi was taken aback and finally bowed her head dejectedly.
Ye Li, with a smile, watched a flicker of triumph pass over Shu Manlin’s face, and then chuckled softly, "Speaking of which...I seem to find the Holy Maiden somehow familiar." Shu Manlin looked at Ye Li in surprise, her eyes full of anxiety and blame, seemingly reprimanding Ye Li for her betrayal. Ye Li faintly smiled, pondered carefully, and then said, "I must be mistaken. About five years ago, when my child was one month old, I seem to recall seeing a girl who bore a striking resemblance to the Holy Maiden traveling in the Northwest with a man. However, the man was not Prince Li of Great Chu. Perhaps it was a case of mistaken identity."
Frightened by Ye Li’s words, Shu Manlin realized she was being toyed with. Resentful, yet she did not dare to lose her composure in everyone’s presence. With no other choice, she swallowed her anger, forced a smile, and said, "It’s good that the Princess Consort has recognized it. I have never been to the Northwest."
Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Oh? Is that so? It’s just that I’ve never seen two people look so alike. Holy Maiden, please don’t take offense."
