Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 239 - 238. Chaotic Wedding Night

238. A Chaotic Wedding Night

The wedding ceremony in Nanzhao was vastly different from that of the Central Plains. The wedding of Princess Anxi and Pu’a took place in the square in front of the royal palace. Not only were nobles from the Southern Border and envoys from various countries present, but ordinary citizens of Nanzhao also gathered in the vast square, singing and dancing to celebrate the princess’s grand wedding.

Though the Northwest was small and not even considered a true country, Nanzhao still arranged for Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li to be seated in positions closest to the King of Nanzhao and the newlyweds. Even the envoys from Great Chu and Xiling had to sit behind them. Although this irritated Prime Minister Liu, he was not a rash man and naturally wouldn’t directly confront Mo Xiuyao over such an issue. Lei Tengfeng still looked unhappy, his sword-like brows tightly furrowed. Apparently, the mishap on the road where the medicinal herbs he had just acquired were lost had deeply troubled him. Unfortunately, this time, the Southern Garrison Prince, to let his son gain experience, had not accompanied him, leaving Lei Tengfeng without anyone to consult even when he needed to.

Princess Anxi, dressed in a snow-white gown embroidered with exquisite blue patterns, sat beside the groom. The usually heroic-looking woman seemed to have gained an extra touch of limpid and dazzling beauty.

Shu Manlin, in the yellow silk clothes of a saintess and with delicate makeup, sat beside the King of Nanzhao with a faint smile. She seemed even more dazzling than the bride. Indeed, if not for the presence of the even more stunning and aloof Noble Consort Liu, most gazes would likely have fallen upon her.

Feng Zhiyao sat behind Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao. After looking at the female guests present, he joked, "Oh my, Princess Consort, it seems you’ve been outshone."

Ye Li smiled faintly without responding. She had no intention of competing for the limelight with the bride. Mo Xiuyao lowered his head to look at his wife beside him. She was dressed in pale blue silk clothes, her hair styled in a simple and elegant bun, secured by two jade hairpins. Under the moonlight and lamplight, her eyes seemed to sparkle, making her appear even more graceful and captivating. "In my eyes, Ah-Li is the most beautiful."

Ye Li smiled warmly at him. "Prince Ding, no matter how sweet your words, I won’t forget you have a close female friend eagerly waiting for you."

Mo Xiuyao had naturally noticed certain gazes. He scoffed, "If Ah-Li doesn’t like it, I can have someone gouge out those eyeballs."

"What would I want eyeballs for? To eat?" Ye Li rolled her eyes.

Mo Xiuyao considered it seriously. "They wouldn’t taste good. Let’s feed them to Mo Xiaobao."

Ye Li was utterly speechless. So, things that don’t taste good should be fed to Mo Xiaobao? Was Mo Xiaobao really picked up from the streets by him?

She shot Mo Xiuyao an angry glare. "Not Mo Xiaobao. How about we feed them to Dabao?" Mo Xiuyao understood in a blink who Ye Li meant by Dabao and frowned. "No."

Behind them, Feng Zhiyao was sweating profusely. Just how meddlesome could he be? And how could the two in front go so far off-topic? Please, can you not discuss such gruesome topics at someone else’s wedding? If Princess Anxi’s marriage turns out unhappily in the future, it will definitely be your fault!

"Princess Consort... it appears Princess Changle hasn’t shown up." Finally, Feng Zhiyao, unable to bear the increasingly gruesome conversation before him, spoke up. Ye Li looked towards the table of the Great Chu envoys. Indeed, Princess Anxi was not there. However, she did notice Noble Consort Liu, who had been staring fixedly at Mo Xiuyao, reveal a strange smile. Ye Li frowned in thought, then turned to Feng Zhiyao and quietly whispered a few instructions. Feng Zhiyao’s expression changed slightly. He then took advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention to slip quietly out of the square.

Feng Zhiyao’s quiet exit didn’t affect anyone. Mo Xiuyao was still chatting and laughing softly with Ye Li. Although neither intended to compete with the newlyweds for attention, the number of gazes on them didn’t decrease at all. Mo Xiuyao casually glanced opposite, just in time to see Mo Jingli staring blankly at Ye Li, and Lei Tengfeng’s thoughtful expression. A cold light flashed in his eyes. He snorted lightly and shot Mo Jingli a mocking smile.

Mo Jingli naturally saw Mo Xiuyao’s mocking smile. Yet, he felt no embarrassment at being caught ogling another man’s wife. Instead, he stared back at Mo Xiuyao defiantly. Mo Xiuyao raised his wine cup slightly, silently toasting, "Wish you all the best."

Although Mo Jingli had always found Mo Xiuyao disagreeable, he still paid close attention to his every move. He naturally understood the meaning behind Mo Xiuyao’s toast. Initially, he hadn’t thought much of it, but upon seeing Mo Xiuyao’s half-smile, a shiver ran down his spine. He felt as if Mo Xiuyao had seen through some secret of his. This sensation, as if his most hidden matter was known to his enemy, made Mo Jingli extremely uncomfortable. Naturally, he lost all interest in looking at Ye Li.

After the King of Nanzhao personally conducted the wedding ceremony for Princess Anxi and Pu’a, he returned to the palace early. The entire square then truly transformed into an ocean of joy. Everyone, including Princess Anxi and her new husband, sang and danced with great delight. Amidst this joy, Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao sat in an inconspicuous corner, watching everything. "Although Nanzhao weddings are less formal than those in the Central Plains, they are livelier," Ye Li laughed softly.

Mo Xiuyao watched the people below, singing, laughing, and dancing with keen interest. He asked Ye Li, "Ah-Li, shall we join them?" Ye Li glanced at him casually. "You may go if you wish, but I can’t dance." Mo Xiuyao looked slightly regretful but quickly brightened. "Never mind then. I wouldn’t want Ah-Li dancing in front of others anyway."

"Princess Consort..." Zhuo Jing appeared behind them, whispering something in Ye Li’s ear.

Ye Li frowned, looked up at Mo Xiuyao, and said, "Something has happened to Princess Changle. Let’s go."

Although Mo Xiuyao wasn’t very familiar with Princess Changle, she was Empress Hua’s biological daughter. Moreover, Mo Xiuyao had a rather good impression of the young girl, who was completely different from her emperor father. He nodded and reached to lead Ye Li away, but a voice from behind stopped him. "My Lord, are you leaving so soon?"

Noble Consort Liu had approached at some point. Even amidst the lamp-lit, bustling crowd, she stood out. Dressed entirely in white, she was as stunning as cold mountain snow—breathtaking yet unapproachable.

Mo Xiuyao frowned and said indifferently, "What concern is it of yours?"

Noble Consort Liu gave a faint smile. "All the envoys from various kingdoms are still here. Wouldn’t it be disrespectful for Prince Ding to leave early?" The three of them were already the center of everyone’s attention. After just a few words, the gazes of Mo Jingli, Lei Tengfeng, and others had already swept over.

Ye Li knitted her brows, glanced at Mo Xiuyao, and said, "Noble Consort Liu is right. In that case, My Lord... you don’t need to accompany me back. I can go on my own." It wasn’t just Princess Changle’s situation; Princess Anxi also needed someone to keep an eye on things here.

Mo Xiuyao hesitated for a moment, already understanding Ye Li’s meaning. Still, he feigned concern. "Can you manage alone?"

Ye Li nodded with a faint smile. Noble Consort Liu looked at Ye Li suspiciously. "What’s wrong, Miss Ye?" Ye Li replied calmly, "There are too many people tonight, and I’m feeling a bit unwell. Thank you for your concern, Noble Consort Liu."

"Is that so?" Noble Consort Liu was noncommittal. However, Ye Li leaving alone was clearly very pleasing to her, and she rarely softened her expression towards Ye Li. "Then Miss Ye should go back and rest early." Ye Li couldn’t be bothered with this irrational woman. She nodded to Mo Xiuyao and left the square with Zhuo Jing.

As soon as she returned to the inn and entered the courtyard, Feng Zhiyao hurried out to meet her, his expression somewhat grim. "Princess Consort."

"What happened to Princess Changle?" Ye Li asked. Feng Zhiyao’s face was somber. "Princess Changle has been taken to the royal palace."

Ye Li frowned. "When did this happen?" Feng Zhiyao replied, "It was while we were at the wedding banquet. I returned a step too late; Princess Changle had already been sent into the palace."

With the spies Prince Ding’s Mansion had placed in the Nanzhao Royal Palace, it might have been possible to retrieve Princess Changle. However, the cost would inevitably be the exposure of those spies, and the series of troubles after rescuing Princess Changle was not something Feng Zhiyao could decide. Ye Li pondered for a moment. "The King of Nanzhao just returned to the palace. According to Nanzhao customs... if we enter the palace now, we might still be in time!" A glimmer of light flashed in Feng Zhiyao’s eyes. "Thank you, Princess Consort!"

Not many people had accompanied them to Nanzhao. However, for Ye Li to enter the Nanzhao Royal Palace, Feng Zhiyao, Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, and two Qilin were sufficient. The group bypassed the noisy square in front of the royal palace and, without alerting any palace guards, infiltrated the palace. Feng Zhiyao had already ascertained that Princess Changle was taken directly to the King of Nanzhao’s bedchamber. So, upon entering the palace, they headed straight there. Just as they reached the outer area of the bedchamber, they heard a commotion from within. "Assassins!"

Feng Zhiyao was startled. "Have we been discovered?" Qin Feng shook his head, pressing down on Feng Zhiyao, who was about to draw his sword. "The Nanzhao Royal Palace’s defenses aren’t that formidable."

Except for Feng Zhiyao, the others were all top-tier masters of stealth. As long as they remained cautious, the Nanzhao Royal Palace guards would be incapable of discovering them.

Sure enough, the guards who rushed over at the sound didn’t even glance in their direction. They all charged into the bedchamber, and immediately, the sounds of clashing weapons and fighting erupted from within. Ye Li gestured to those behind her. The two Qilin, Zhuo Jing, and Lin Han split into two teams and sped towards the palace building from the left and right. Soon, four dark figures appeared on the roof of the bedchamber. One of them signaled towards Ye Li’s group. Before Feng Zhiyao could react, Qin Feng grabbed him and flew towards the roof of the opposite palace building.

By the time he stood firm, the four figures had vanished. Feng Zhiyao said helplessly, "Brother Qin, my lightness skill is quite good. Also, what did those hand signals mean just now?" Although Feng Zhiyao had some contact with the Qilin, he still didn’t quite understand their methods. Qin Feng replied indifferently, "Sign language. The Princess Consort ordered them to form two groups and scout ahead in a staggered formation. They said it’s safe here."

Feng Zhiyao snorted. "Why bother with such complications? Experts just charge straight in. If we’re rushing to save someone like this, the citron daylily will be cold by the time we get there." Qin Feng glanced at him. "That’s why experts die quickly. The Princess Consort says that while sacrifices are often unavoidable, the lives of ordinary soldiers are still lives. Even if unavoidable, casualties should be minimized as much as possible." Feng Zhiyao was taken aback and silently rubbed his nose.

Soon, a dark figure reappeared under the eaves inside, making a very brief hand signal. Qin Feng stood up. "Quick, let’s go. Those inside aren’t assassins. They must also be here to rescue Princess Changle."

When the two of them reached the front of the innermost hall of the bedchamber, a chaotic battle was raging. Feng Zhiyao looked around but couldn’t see where the four Qilin and guards were hidden. Ye Li appeared beside them without them noticing. "Are those below from the Hua Family?" Feng Zhiyao’s expression was stirred. He stared intently at the people engaged in fierce combat below. "They should be. Besides the Hua Family, I can’t think of anyone else who would come to save Princess Changle. But... why did they wait until now to rescue her? Surely, rescuing her on the road would have been far easier than in the Nanzhao Royal Palace?"

"There must be a reason they could only attempt the rescue inside the Nanzhao Royal Palace," Ye Li said. "Let’s go in and check on Princess Changle. Qin Feng, you watch here." Qin Feng nodded. "Rest assured, Princess Consort."

Evading the notice of so many guards before the hall to enter the bedchamber would not be easy, so Ye Li didn’t attempt it that way. Instead, she moved with Feng Zhiyao across the rooftop. After reaching a suitable spot and settling down, she pointed below. "This is the King of Nanzhao’s bedchamber."

Ye Li swiftly removed the glazed tiles from the roof without making the slightest sound. Soon, everything within the hall came into their view. Ye Li had chosen an excellent position; looking down from above, they could see most of the room. Because the roof beams obstructed the view from below, unless someone walked directly under the opening, it would be very difficult for them to notice a hole in their roof. Feng Zhiyao watched as Ye Li descended through the opening and landed silently on a roof beam. The people in the room remained completely oblivious.

The King of Nanzhao glared at Princess Changle, who sat on a soft couch not far away. His eyes flashed with lecherous desire and sinister anger. This is Great Chu’s Eldest Imperial Princess. Though young, she’s already a little beauty. In a few more years, she’ll surely surpass my own daughter, Princess Qixia, once hailed as Nanzhao’s foremost beauty. Normally, I could never hope to marry such a princess. Great Chu rarely sends princesses for political marriages, especially not an Eldest Imperial Princess. Though I don’t know why the Emperor of Great Chu would send his most esteemed princess to me like this, I’m extremely satisfied with this gift.

Princess Changle sat on the couch, nervously staring at the tightly closed hall door, her hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tightly. The King of Nanzhao stared at her fixedly, paying no mind to the assassins outside the hall. His gaze, filled with undisguised lust, roamed over Princess Changle’s beautiful face as he said, "What a little beauty you are. The princesses of Great Chu are indeed different. You needn’t worry about the assassins outside. Forget a mere dozen or so; even ten times that number wouldn’t escape the Nanzhao Royal Palace alive."

Princess Changle trembled. Looking at the door with terror, a trace of anxiety finally appeared on her face. Seeing her change of expression only made the King of Nanzhao more pleased. "Haha... my little beauty, just be good and submit to me. If you’re obedient, I can grant those people outside an intact corpse."

Princess Changle gritted her teeth, abruptly rose, and rushed towards the door. How could the King of Nanzhao let her escape? He reached out and seized her arm tightly. "Little beauty, what’s your hurry... haha..." Princess Changle struggled frantically, but how could a delicate young girl be his match? The arm he held was immobilized, and her face contorted in pain. She stopped trying to flee and cried out, "Whoever is out there, I don’t want your rescue! Go, quickly!"

Those fighting outside the hall clearly heard her. Someone immediately shouted, "Princess, your subjects will definitely rescue you!"

"All of you, go! This princess does not want you to save me!" Tears streamed from Princess Changle’s clear, bright eyes as she cried out sharply. Seeing the King of Nanzhao’s triumphant, savage grin and his approaching face, a look of resolute determination flashed across Princess Changle’s delicate face.

Princess Changle suddenly raised her still-free right hand. A cold glint flashed from her sleeve. She now held a gleaming dagger and, without hesitation, stabbed it towards the King of Nanzhao’s hand that clutched her. How could the King of Nanzhao let her stab him? He immediately released his grip, causing Princess Changle’s strike to meet only air.

Never expecting this seemingly delicate girl to be so bold, the King of Nanzhao, enraged and humiliated, swung a slap across her face. Princess Changle was sent sprawling to the ground, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of her lips.

Princess Changle fell to the ground. She raised her head and looked coldly at the King of Nanzhao. There was no fear on her face, only the proud defiance of a noble princess and contempt for him. "You are not worthy of humiliating this princess!"

With that, Princess Changle unhesitatingly raised the dagger and thrust it towards her own chest.

WHOOSH— A green light shot down from the rafters, unerringly striking the dagger in Princess Changle’s hand. The immense force knocked the dagger away at an angle. Simultaneously, a jade-green hairpin embedded itself in a nearby pillar beside Princess Changle.

The King of Nanzhao stared in astonishment at this sudden turn of events and looked up towards the rafters. He saw Ye Li, dressed in pale blue clothes, sitting casually on a beam, smiling and nodding at him. The King of Nanzhao, momentarily stunned, recovered and was about to shout for guards when a pale blue shadow flashed before him. Ye Li was already in front of him, a dagger held unhesitatingly to his throat.

Ye Li looked helplessly at Princess Changle and said, "You strike fiercely, girl. That blow would have sent you straight to the King of Hell without even a chance to gasp."

"P...Princess Consort..." Princess Changle stammered, staring at Ye Li, clearly unable to comprehend why she would appear here.

The King of Nanzhao said in a deep voice, "Princess Consort Ding, what is the meaning of this?"

Ye Li replied with a helpless sigh, "It was a moment of urgency, truly unavoidable. Please forgive me, King of Nanzhao." Indeed, Ye Li felt truly helpless. Since she couldn’t kill the King of Nanzhao, she hadn’t planned to reveal herself to him. She had been considering how to discreetly knock him out and take Princess Changle away. Who knew that before she could act, this scene would unfold below? For Princess Changle’s life, Ye Li had no choice but to knock the dagger from her hand, exposing herself in the process.