Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 241 - 240. Night of the Royal City
240. A Night in the Royal City
Watching Ye Li emerge, Feng Zhiyao stopped dodging and stepped out from under the eaves. Over the years, Ye Li had somewhat deduced who held Feng Zhiyao’s affections. Seeing Feng Zhiyao’s usual carefree and unrestrained demeanor, she could only sigh inwardly at fate’s playful ways. In Ye Li’s view, although Feng Zhiyao was a few years younger than Empress Hua, compared to Mo Jing, Feng Zhiyao was undoubtedly more like a good husband. It was just a pity that the two were fated to have no connection. Having heard about Empress Hua’s ordeal, Feng Zhiyao was naturally deeply unsettled at this moment.
"Princess Consort, shall we go and check on the Prince?" Feng Zhiyao approached and asked calmly.
Ye Li thought for a moment, then finally nodded. Although she wasn’t worried that Mo Xiuyao would get hurt, with Shu Manlin bringing hundreds of expert fighters from the sacred land of the Southern Border, plus controlling thousands of Royal City guards, not knowing the outcome was still a cause for concern.
At this time, Mo Xiuyao and Xu Qingchen were indeed leisurely sitting in the tallest tavern in Nanzhao City, savoring wine. The tavern was three stories high, and from the rooftop, one could overlook almost any part of the Royal City, except for the Royal Palace.
Sitting on the third floor were not only Mo Xiuyao and Xu Qingchen but also Mo Jingli and Lei Tengfeng, who had likewise vanished from the square before the palace, along with Prime Minister Liu and Noble Consort Liu. Everyone sat leisurely sipping wine while observing the fighting in various parts of the city. The commotion in the square was so staggering that those immersed in the songs, dances, and fine wine hadn’t even noticed that the Royal City was currently a scene of carnage.
The hosts were fighting fiercely, while the guests sat to one side, drinking wine and spectating. It might have seemed rather inappropriate, but it was the most effective way to handle the situation at this moment. The various factions all had intricate ties with the main players in this conflict and naturally didn’t want the others to interfere. So, they all sat together, drinking and watching the show, which also served to keep each other in check. Mo Xiuyao leaned lazily against the window, casually toying with the wine cup in his hand. He didn’t even bother to look outside, as if who would ultimately claim the Nanzhao throne had nothing to do with him.
Lin Han entered, walked to Mo Xiuyao’s side, and whispered a few words. Mo Xiuyao, who had appeared indifferent just moments before, showed a glint in his eyes and immediately brightened. "Is the Princess Consort alright now?"
Lin Han nodded. "Yes, the Princess Consort is much better. She mentioned that the Prince hadn’t returned, so she would come over to check shortly."
Mo Xiuyao glanced downstairs and said with some regret, "I’d like to return quickly, but it seems things here won’t wrap up anytime soon. Go and invite the Princess Consort to come over as well."
The others then realized that Prince Ding’s listlessness was due to Princess Consort Ding’s absence. This realization sparked various reactions among those present—resentment, contemplation, and jealousy.
Within a quarter of an hour, Ye Li appeared at the top of the stairs. Seeing that there were no other customers on the entire third floor, only envoys from several states, each occupying a table, she raised her eyebrows in some surprise. As soon as Mo Xiuyao saw Ye Li, he immediately rose and went to her. "Ah-Li, are you alright?"
Ye Li nodded. "Everything is fine. Brother, are you here too?"
Xu Qingchen nodded, pointing out the window. "Li’er, come and take a look."
Actually, even though the tavern was tall, it was nighttime, so it was difficult to see much clearly. Everyone was waiting here quietly, anticipating the final outcome and preventing any party from intervening.
Ye Li glanced outside disinterestedly and then asked, "Brother, what’s going on?"
Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. "The Holy Woman of the Southern Border suddenly had her men attack several tribal leaders attending the wedding. Princess Anxi naturally had to demand an explanation from her. And so, the fighting began." Of course, the matter wasn’t as simple as Xu Qingchen described. The tribal leaders Shu Manlin had targeted were all supporters of Princess Anxi, including those from her husband’s family and her maternal grandmother’s family. Furthermore, when Princess Anxi received news and personally went to their aid, the newlywed couple was ambushed and killed en route. Princess Anxi had always been deeply cherished by the people and naturally had a large contingent of loyal supporters. Thus, fierce fighting erupted between the two sides.
"Princess Consort Ding, who do you think will prevail: Princess Anxi or the Holy Woman of the Southern Border?" Mo Jingli suddenly asked from across the table.
Everyone immediately turned their gaze to Ye Li. Ye Li calmly glanced at Mo Jingli, noticing a hint of provocation in his gaze as he stared fixedly at her. Ye Li found this amusing and said indifferently, "Who wins and who loses is not for me to decide. However, there is an old saying: ’He who wins the hearts of the people, wins the world.’ As for who is right and who is wrong, that is the business of the Royal Family of Nanzhao and the people of Nanzhao; it really doesn’t concern us outsiders."
Princess Anxi has governed capably for many years, bestowing numerous benefits upon the populace. Her position is not one that can be easily shaken by someone like Shu Manlin, a self-proclaimed savior of the Southern Border whose origins are unknown. If Princess Anxi can gain even a slight upper hand tonight, her position in Nanzhao will be difficult for anyone to challenge again. Ye Li glanced at Mo Xiuyao and Xu Qingchen. Xu Qingchen wore a faint smile, showing no signs of worry, which inexplicably calmed Ye Li’s heart.
He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world... Everyone present silently mulled over this statement, lost in thought.
"Li’er, that was an incisive statement," Xu Qingchen praised with a smile.
Ye Li felt slightly embarrassed. It was merely a common saying known to everyone in her previous life.
Mo Xiuyao said proudly, "Everything Ah-Li says is naturally insightful."
Xu Qingchen disdained to argue with the childishly smug man before him. Besides, Mo Xiuyao was praising Li’er, so he merely pretended not to see his triumphant expression. No one present was an ignorant youth inexperienced in the ways of the world; each had their own interpretation of Ye Li’s words.
Yet, there was one person who was clearly displeased. Noble Consort Liu said coldly, "According to Miss Ye’s words, whoever wins the people’s hearts should rule the world. Then, shouldn’t the Great Chu imperial family have long ago ceded the throne to the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion?" Compared to popular support, the Great Chu imperial family, though the orthodox rulers of Great Chu, couldn’t hold a candle to the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion.
At this, everyone looked at Noble Consort Liu with rather peculiar expressions, their eyes filled with mockery and disdain. Such an insightful statement, yet this woman had managed to twist it so. Truly, one might say Noble Consort Liu and Mo Jingqi were indeed a pair, wouldn’t they?
The moment Noble Consort Liu spoke, she knew she had misspoken. She hadn’t originally intended to say anything. It was just that seeing Ye Li’s casual remark receive such high praise from Young Master Qingchen, and witnessing the looks of astonishment and admiration from everyone present, then seeing Mo Xiuyao holding Ye Li with such a proud expression, as if he were happier than if he himself had been praised—a sharp pang of jealousy shot through her heart. The biting words had escaped her lips before she even realized it.
Ye Li looked at Noble Consort Liu calmly and said lightly, "Is Noble Consort Liu admitting that the current imperial family is not supported by the people? Since Your Ladyship herself is aware of this, you should adhere to the decorum of the inner palace and advise His Majesty to cultivate his virtue, rather than making wild conjectures and spouting nonsense here. My Licheng of the Northwest and your Great Chu are now entirely separate. Even if Noble Consort Liu feels the Emperor of Great Chu is incompetent and unfit to rule, and wishes to see him abdicate, that has nothing to do with our Prince."
With that, her gaze swept coolly over Mo Jingli’s face opposite her. Sure enough, she saw Mo Jingli’s expression shift slightly. A rare smile bloomed on Mo Jingli’s usually stern face, yet it somehow made one feel uneasy. "So, Noble Consort Liu believes in her heart that my Brother Emperor is unfit to be Emperor? This is truly an eye-opener for me, Your Highness."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Noble Consort Liu glared at Mo Jingli.
Mo Jingli, who in recent years would give Mo Jingqi face only when he felt like it, would hardly fear Noble Consort Liu. He sneered, "Was it not Noble Consort Liu who spoke those words just now?"
"Your Ladyship!" Prime Minister Liu also looked at his daughter with displeasure. While it was one thing for her to harbor certain thoughts, her words and actions were too excessive. Now was absolutely not the time for them to offend Prince Ding. And clearly, the bottom line for not offending Prince Ding lay with Princess Consort Ding. Offending the Princess Consort was likely even more serious than offending Prince Ding himself. Yet this daughter of his failed to grasp the situation and was senselessly challenging Princess Consort Ding’s limits. "Her Ladyship merely misspoke. I implore Prince Li to be prudent with his words."
Mo Jingli snorted with contempt. A mere slip of the tongue? He was not unacquainted with Noble Consort Liu; she had always been arrogant, acting as if everyone else was mere dust beneath her feet. Mo Jingli had no reason to doubt that she looked down on his Brother Emperor and considered him unfit to rule.
While Mo Jingli was engaged in a verbal spat with Noble Consort Liu and her father, Mo Xiuyao was attentively pouring tea for Ye Li. He was whispering sweet nothings to Ye Li without any restraint, practically blinding all the unattached and unloved individuals present with their public display of affection.
Lei Tengfeng watched the two thoughtfully and said with a smile, "Prince Ding and Princess Consort Ding are truly deeply affectionate. It makes this humble prince quite envious." Even if your affection is strong, must you display it so openly in public?
Mo Xiuyao nodded in agreement. "As the saying goes, ’When choosing a wife, choose a virtuous one.’ For a man, marrying a good wife is exceedingly important. Those with good luck, like this Prince who married Ah-Li... and those with bad luck..."
Mo Xiuyao didn’t finish his sentence, but everyone present understood his insinuation, each with their own candidate in mind for the "unlucky one." As they all turned their gaze toward Ye Li, they had to admit in their hearts that Mo Xiuyao was indeed fortunate.
Princess Consort Ding was not only strikingly beautiful with a natural grace, but she was also capable of governing a state and securing peace through martial prowess. The Qilin of the Northwest, now a force inspiring the greatest awe, were personally trained by Princess Consort Ding. In the north, the fourth and fifth sons of the Xu Family led the common people to reclaim barren lands and cultivate fields, transforming the once desolate northern regions into a place of prosperity and order where the people lived and worked in peace. This, it was said, was also Princess Consort Ding’s initiative. Even without these accomplishments, merely considering that she had Xu Hong Yu and Xu Hongyan as maternal uncles, and those five older male cousins—if it were known how highly the Xu Family regarded Ye Li, it’s likely that men from all over the world would be vying to win her hand.
And ever since Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li married, Mo Xiuyao—who had once been a recluse in Prince Ding’s Mansion, crippled, disfigured, and plagued by illnesses—had, in just a few short years, established his dominion over the Northwest. His health was restored, and he even had a son. Such fortune was astounding. The only price Mo Xiuyao had paid for all this, it seemed, was a head of white hair. More importantly, since his hair had turned white, Mo Xiuyao seemed to have become even more charismatic and dazzling!
Even Ye Li blushed slightly at Mo Xiuyao’s thick-skinned praise. Though her face remained as serene as water, she secretly reached out with her slender fingers and gave him a ruthless pinch on the waist.
Mo Xiuyao immediately winced, his face falling. "My dear wife..."
Seeing their antics becoming increasingly inappropriate, Xu Qingchen coughed lightly, reminding them that there were outsiders present and they should mind their image.
Ye Li, choosing to ignore the clowning Mo Xiuyao, looked towards an area where fighting was still raging and asked, "Has Shu Manlin mobilized the Nanzhao City Guard?"
Xu Qingchen nodded lightly, smiling. "Li’er, no need to worry. Princess Anxi is not some weak woman to be bullied. Among the tribes attending the wedding, the Pu’a family and Princess Anxi’s maternal grandfather’s family have both brought many people."
"There... Mo Xiuyao, you broke your word!" Mo Jingli, who had been staring out the window for a long time, suddenly turned and snapped at Mo Xiuyao.
Mo Xiuyao, leaning his head lazily on Ye Li’s shoulder, gave Mo Jingli a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"
Mo Jingli sneered. "Do you dare say those men aren’t your people from the Northwest? Aren’t they the Qilin?"
Hearing this, the others immediately stood up and walked to the window for a closer look. Sure enough, they saw a contingent of men cutting through the chaotic battle like a hot knife through butter, invincible wherever they went. Even in the darkness, their astonishing speed of advance was clearly visible. Even when facing enemies several times their number, their pace was not hindered in the slightest. Everyone turned to look at Mo Xiuyao. Besides the Northwest, besides the Qilin, who else possessed such combat strength?
"Oh dear, we’ve been discovered. Ah-Li, what should we do?" Mo Xiuyao didn’t deny it, blinking innocently at Ye Li.
Ye Li couldn’t help but smile. It was dark, and even if Shu Manlin had thousands of troops, if the Qilin didn’t want to be discovered, they would have left no trace. This was clearly Mo Xiuyao’s deliberate act. Was he trying to support Princess Anxi?
Mo Jingli said angrily, "Mo Xiuyao, we all agreed not to interfere in the affairs of the Southern Border! Your actions are a clear breach of our agreement!"
Mo Xiuyao curled his lip in disdain. So what if this Prince broke the agreement? What are you going to do about it? Bite me? Clearly reading the meaning on Mo Xiuyao’s face, the muscles on Mo Jingli’s own face couldn’t help but twitch.
Lei Tengfeng, however, remained somewhat rational. He had never intended to interfere in the affairs of the Southern Border anyway. Nanzhao and Xiling shared an extensive border, and friction between them had been constant for many years; they could never be friends. The Southern Garrison Prince had long made plans: if he couldn’t break into Great Chu in the short term, he would start with Nanzhao. Therefore, who controlled Nanzhao held little significance for him.
"Prince Ding, since we had a prior agreement, you should at least offer us a reasonable explanation for suddenly taking action, shouldn’t you?" Lei Tengfeng inquired politely.
Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "An explanation? It’s nothing much. Of course, it’s because my promise to Princess Anxi came before my promise to you all. Besides, this Prince had no intention of meddling in the affairs of the Southern Border. It was merely that Princess Anxi suspected someone might try to cause trouble during the wedding and asked this Prince for a few guards to protect the newlyweds and the wedding guests. Princess Anxi is a dear friend of Young Master Qingchen and also has a good relationship with my beloved consort. This Prince couldn’t possibly refuse such a small matter, could he? Furthermore, this Prince isn’t lending them out for free. Princess Anxi borrowed each guard from this Prince for five thousand taels of silver. If they are injured or killed in battle, she must pay an additional five hundred taels for medical expenses or ten thousand taels as compensation for death. Such a fair and profitable transaction, this Prince would undertake it even if there were no friendship involved."
Hearing this, everyone present silently cursed in their hearts.
Ye Li, however, was lost in thought. Unexpectedly, Mo Xiuyao had already grasped the essence of a mercenary army. Come to think of it, if the Qilin became mercenaries... Not only could they earn a considerable fortune, but more importantly, it would vastly increase their opportunities for real combat experience. After all, the Northwest had been far too peaceful these past few years. No amount of training could compare to the benefits of actual combat. Of course, these were just Ye Li’s idle musings; she would never turn the meticulously trained Qilin into a mercenary force.
"What is Ah-Li thinking about?" Mo Xiuyao asked in a low voice, noticing Ye Li was lost in thought.
Ye Li shook her head. "We’ll talk about it later."
Mo Xiuyao also knew this wasn’t the place to talk. Glancing at the others who were intentionally or unintentionally trying to eavesdrop, he openly stood up, put his arm around Ye Li, and joined her by the window to watch the battle. Ye Li had undergone special training, and Mo Xiuyao possessed profound martial skill; thus, their night vision was naturally much stronger than others present. Watching the Qilin’s performance in the distance, Ye Li nodded with satisfaction. The past five-plus years of training had not been in vain. The entire Qilin unit had basically matured and become seasoned. They were now fully capable of independently carrying out various types of missions.
Mo Xiuyao pointed to the distance. "Shu Manlin’s people have begun attacking the Princess Mansion."
Ye Li frowned. "Princess Anxi shouldn’t be in the Princess Mansion at this time, right?"
Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "Of course not. Would she stay in the Princess Mansion waiting to die at a time like this?" Princess Anxi probably never expected her own father, the King, to give Shu Manlin the token to mobilize the Royal City guards. Facing seven to eight thousand soldiers and hundreds of experts, even with the Qilin Mo Xiuyao sent to assist, they could only avoid a direct confrontation and could not possibly clash head-on. After all, Mo Xiuyao hadn’t brought many men to the Southern Border, and he would never deploy all of Prince Ding’s Mansion’s forces in the Southern Border for Princess Anxi’s sake.
"Ah-Li, would you like to guess where Princess Anxi has gone now?" Mo Xiuyao asked cheerfully.
Everyone, except Xu Qingchen, pricked up their ears to listen to their casual chat. Ye Li frowned, staring at the scene outside the building for a long time before slowly saying, "To catch the bandits, first capture their king."
Since Princess Anxi was not at the Princess Mansion, she certainly wouldn’t be in the city fighting aimlessly. So, she must have gone to find Shu Manlin. Only by obtaining the token from Shu Manlin’s hands could this slaughter in the Royal City be stopped. The guards of the Nanzhao Royal City, unlike the tribal warriors who only listen to their chieftains, recognize tokens, not people. At this moment, without the token, even if the King of Nanzhao himself appeared, it might not be effective.
"Where is Shu Manlin?"
Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li with a smile. "Naturally, in the Nanzhao Royal Palace. That woman is crazy about becoming the ruler of Nanzhao. Where else could she be at this time if not the Royal Palace?"
Ye Li frowned slightly. The King of Nanzhao was also still in the Royal Palace. Although some people would have been left to handle the aftermath, it might not be so easy to find the King of Nanzhao quickly. However, if Shu Manlin found the King of Nanzhao first, it would not be good for Princess Anxi.
Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "Ah-Li, rest assured. It would be best if the King of Nanzhao is sensible. If he still wants to rely on Shu Manlin, I’m afraid... he himself is in for a disaster. Don’t forget who is beside Shu Manlin..."
Ye Li understood. Shu Manlin had Tan Jizhi by her side, and he was no easy opponent. If Shu Manlin won, Tan Jizhi would never let the King of Nanzhao live. And if the King of Nanzhao died, Shu Manlin’s position would also be unstable.
