Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 290 - 288. Sly Little Treasure
288. Sly Little Treasure
"What happened?" Ye Li rushed over. Seeing Mo Xiaobao and Leng Junhan, the two little dumplings, standing there safe and sound, she relaxed slightly and turned her head to ask the guards nearby. The two Qilin, temporarily acting as hidden guards, looked helplessly at a disheveled woman not far away, then glanced at their young master. Even as direct witnesses, they couldn’t bring themselves to falsely claim their young master was the one wronged.
From the hidden guards’ expressions, Ye Li guessed what had happened and glanced nonchalantly at Mo Xiaobao. Mo Xiaobao showed no fear; instead, he grinned sweetly at Ye Li. Ye Li then noticed several handsome children, around seven or eight years old, nearby. Not far off, a graceful woman in a red dress adorned with a lotus flower pattern was awkwardly struggling to her feet. A patch on her dress was stained with some unknown substance, its strange color quite unsettling. A stunning woman in a rose-pink dress reached out to help the woman in red, but her hand was rudely slapped away. The stunning woman didn’t seem bothered; she simply smiled and stepped aside.
Ye Li frowned, finally recognizing the woman in the red dress, whom she vaguely recalled meeting once. This was the former fiancée of the Heir of Marquis Muyang, now the Young Madam of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion, the Consort of the Heir. Though once a demure and shy young lady, she now wore a brilliant red formal dress, her grace as a married woman tinged with a hint of harshness.
As soon as she was on her feet, Young Madam Mu swung a slap at Yaoji, who stood beside her. Yaoji, though untrained in martial arts, was a dancer of extraordinary skill. Her movements naturally nimble, she easily sidestepped the blow.
"Young Madam!" Yaoji took a step back, her expression hardening slightly as she said in a low, firm voice.
The slap missed, making Young Madam Mu’s face contort further with anger. "Slut! How dare you dodge! Do you think your husband is still at home to protect you at every turn?"
Yaoji calmly met her gaze. "I don’t know if Mu Yang can protect me now, but I do know we are in the palace. If Young Madam insists on causing a scene, it won’t just be you who loses face, but the entire Marquis Muyang’s Mansion."
Young Madam Mu was momentarily speechless. She knew, of course, that her in-laws prized the reputation of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion above all else. Regardless of who was at fault today, if she caused a scandal in the palace, she would be the one to suffer. Yet, she was incredibly unwilling to let Yaoji off so easily. When Mu Yang was at home, he would protect this woman, often making Young Madam Mu look bad. Now that Mu Yang had finally gone to war, her mother-in-law—lacking a grandchild from her own son’s wife—doted on this woman’s son and, by extension, had to show Yaoji some consideration. Moreover, Yaoji had become much harder to deal with over the past few years, and Young Madam Mu hadn’t been able to gain any advantage, openly or covertly. She had hoped to use this incident to her advantage, but its occurrence in the palace had even drawn the attention of Princess Consort Ding.
She glanced contemptuously at Ye Li and the three children in the distance and sneered, "What? Is Princess Consort Ding here to support this whore? Since when did a mere concubine from our Marquis Muyang’s Mansion warrant such concern from Princess Consort Ding?"
Ye Li frowned slightly, looked at Young Madam Mu, and said calmly, "Young Madam Mu, you’re overthinking. I simply heard shouting and came to ensure my child wasn’t in danger."
As she spoke, Ye Li couldn’t help but sigh inwardly with regret. This Young Madam Mu had changed so much from the somewhat calculating yet still gentle and graceful girl of just a few years ago. What Ye Li couldn’t comprehend was the source of this woman’s animosity towards her.
True, Yaoji’s return to Marquis Muyang’s Mansion had been at her suggestion, but Young Madam Mu would never know that. And during their one meeting years ago, Ye Li was certain she hadn’t shown any particular favoritism towards Yaoji.
"It seems Young Madam Mu is quite alright. I shall not intrude any further. Farewell." After speaking, Ye Li turned to Mo Xiaobao. "Bring Junhan over here. Were you causing trouble everywhere again?"
Mo Xiaobao pouted and walked slowly to Ye Li, looking up. "I wasn’t making a scene, Mother. I made a new friend. I want to play with him." Mo Xiaobao pointed to a child standing to the side—Mu Lie, currently the sole young master of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion.
Before Ye Li could speak, Young Madam Mu let out a sarcastic laugh, her voice shrill. "The Heir of Prince Ding’s Mansion certainly has peculiar tastes, chasing after a concubine’s son to play with? No wonder he has no manners..." She then glanced in disgust at the hem of her own dress, where an unknown substance had left a stain. It stood out starkly against her festive and dignified formal red attire. Beside her, Yaoji tugged her sleeve and whispered, "Young Madam, watch your words."
Young Madam Mu glared fiercely at Yaoji, her anger flaring. The stain on her dress was the handiwork of that supposedly charming and well-behaved Heir of Prince Ding’s Mansion, the one dressed in black brocade. She had been walking in the garden with Yaoji, casually making sarcastic and indirect remarks to belittle the mother and son, when she spotted two small children—one dressed in white, the other in black—playing at the edge of the garden. Having been married to Mu Yang for many years without bearing a child, she generally felt a mix of envy and fondness for other people’s children, with the notable exception of Mu Lie, Yaoji’s son.
Young Madam Mu saw the two children squatting by the garden’s edge and decided to approach them. The hidden guards following Mo Xiaobao saw she meant no harm and, noticing a subtle gesture from their young heir, didn’t intervene. However, just as she knelt, before she could even touch Mo Xiaobao, something leaped from his arms and lunged at her. Startled, Young Madam Mu tried to dodge but was tripped by something at her feet and fell. A small, dark, wet creature—perhaps a cat or a dog—scampered over her before darting away. To add insult to injury, the instigator, Mo Xiaobao, far from being apologetic, scoffed and laughed. He then chatted and giggled with Mu Lie, who was nearby. It turned out that Mo Xiaobao, with his sharp ears, had overheard Young Madam Mu’s earlier taunts directed at Yaoji and Mu Lie. So, Heir Mo, young Master Xiaobao, decided to play the hero and, incidentally, make a new friend.
As they were speaking, the noblewomen and young ladies who had been following Ye Li also arrived. They stared in astonishment at Young Madam Mu’s disheveled state. Being the focus of so many stares, Young Madam Mu felt both ashamed and furious. Born into a distinguished family and accustomed to a life of comfort and respect since marrying into Marquis Muyang’s Mansion, she had never faced such humiliation. Enraged, a surge of anger made her lose control of her tongue. She looked provocatively at Ye Li and demanded, "Isn’t it true? I merely wanted to greet the Heir of Prince Ding’s Mansion, and he caused me to end up like this! What is this if not a complete lack of upbringing?!"
Ye Li’s expression turned cold. Perhaps Mo Xiaobao was partly to blame, but Young Madam Mu’s words were excessively harsh. Besides, it wasn’t for Marquis Muyang’s Mansion to lecture anyone from Prince Ding’s Mansion! The surrounding noblewomen and young ladies looked at the wretched Young Madam Mu as if she were a madwoman.
Before Ye Li could speak, Mo Xiaobao peeked out from behind her. "Mother, it wasn’t like that! I didn’t do it on purpose." His large, dark eyes brimmed with tears, instantly swaying the hearts of the onlooking noblewomen and young ladies.
Ye Li smiled tenderly, leaned down, and stroked her son’s small head. "Then what happened? Tell Mother all about it."
Mo Xiaobao replied with a hint of grievance, "I saw a little puppy fall into the water over there, so I had someone get it out. Xiao Dai and I were trying to dry its fur. Then, this aunty suddenly came from behind and tried to hit me. I got scared, and the puppy flew out of my hands, and then... Mother, I didn’t mean to get her clothes dirty... But... she’s very angry. Mother, should we pay for a new dress for her? I don’t have any money. Mother, can you pay for me? When I grow up, I’ll earn money and pay you back."
Watching this handsome child, barely reaching an adult’s thigh, earnestly negotiating with his mother, the hearts of the noblewomen present melted. Ye Li recognized the feeling instantly; it was what her world would call ’utterly adorable.’ This group of privileged noblewomen was instantly captivated by this polite, cute, kind child who bravely admitted his mistake.
"Young Heir, it was just an accident. I’m sure Young Madam Mu won’t mind," someone from the crowd hurriedly chimed in to comfort him.
"Really?" Mo Xiaobao looked up at the noblewoman who had spoken, his large, tear-filled eyes wide with worry.
"Of course, it’s true! A piece of clothing isn’t worth much. Young Heir, you needn’t dwell on it," the noblewoman hastily assured him, completely ignoring the actual victim standing nearby.
The hidden guards watched with silent admiration. Their young heir, at such a tender age, already grasped the art of deception: how to downplay the serious, how to misdirect, how to lie without batting an eye. Truly... he had boundless prospects. Of course, this assessment conveniently overlooked that their young heir had ’accidentally’ knocked the puppy into the water in the first place, and only *after* Young Madam Mu had entered the Imperial Garden. It also overlooked that his attempt to ’dry’ the puppy had only made it wetter and more... vibrant. Technically speaking, their young heir hadn’t uttered a single lie.
Looking at the women completely taken in by the young heir’s act, the guards silently shook their heads. Instead of pitying their young heir—who sometimes even got the better of Prince Ding—they should save their sympathy for that poor puppy, now off somewhere trying to get clean.
Ye Li patted her son’s small head lightly—a gesture that seemed comforting but was, in fact, a warning to exercise restraint. Mo Xiaobao blinked and obediently nestled closer to Ye Li. Holding Leng Junhan’s hand with his left and Mu Lie’s with his right, he looked the very picture of an obedient child.
Ye Li turned to Young Madam Mu, whose face was now an unhealthy shade of green. She smiled faintly. "Young Madam Mu, please forgive my son’s mischief. He and Young Master Mu seem to have hit it off. Why not let them play together for a while? What do you think, Young Madam?"
A flicker of disgust crossed Young Madam Mu’s face as she replied coldly, "Mu Lie is inherently mischievous and ill-mannered. I’m afraid he might negatively influence the young heir."
The crowd fell silent. Had this woman lost her mind? Most could guess the reasons for her behavior; it was no secret that the mother of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion’s young master, Mu Lie, was Yaoji, once the Capital City’s foremost dancer. But shouldn’t any sensible madam of a household avoid tarnishing the reputation of the family’s only male heir? Especially since she herself had remained childless after years of marriage and might one day have to rely on this concubine’s son.
Ye Li’s brow furrowed in displeasure. "A moment ago, Young Madam Mu was questioning the upbringing provided by Prince Ding’s Mansion. It seems it’s not that Young Madam Mu fears Young Master Mu will negatively influence my son, but rather that my son will negatively influence Young Master Mu."
"Princess Consort, you jest. It is Lie’er’s good fortune that the young heir has taken a liking to him." Before Young Madam Mu could retort, a stern female voice interjected from behind the crowd. Young Madam Mu paled as the onlookers parted to reveal the unsmiling Marchioness Muyang.
"Mother..." Young Madam Mu began reluctantly.
"Silence!" Marchioness Muyang glared fiercely at her daughter-in-law, then turned to Ye Li and curtsied slightly. "My daughter-in-law is insensible. I hope Your Highness, Princess Consort, will not take offense."
Ye Li smiled. "Marchioness Muyang, you’re being too kind. It was merely children’s mischief. Perhaps Young Madam Mu should go and change her clothes first."
"Her Highness is right," Marchioness Muyang nodded, then said to Young Madam Mu, "What are you waiting for? Standing there in disarray—what a disgrace!"
Young Madam Mu’s face flushed. She shot a resentful glare at Mu Lie before turning to leave. Yaoji glanced at Ye Li, then turned and followed them.
Seeing Princess Consort Ding’s evident displeasure, the other noblewomen knew it was not the time for conversation and dispersed to stroll through the Imperial Garden. Marchioness Muyang gave Mu Lie a few quiet instructions before also taking her leave.
"Greetings, Princess Consort, Young Heir," Mu Lie said, bowing respectfully to them both. Leng Junhan’s eyes widened with curiosity as he gazed at this new older boy.
Mo Xiaobao grumbled, "Heir is heir. Why add ’young’ to it?"
Ye Li pinched his small cheek, mildly annoyed. "Always making a fuss, aren’t you? Have you been well lately?" The last question was, of course, for Mu Lie.
When she had chosen this boy to accompany Yaoji back to the Capital City, he had, of course, undergone rigorous training. Ye Li herself held this boy—who appeared to be seven or eight but was actually eleven—in high regard. Anyone who could endure Qin Feng’s methods was undoubtedly an expert. Thus, Mu Lie’s role wasn’t merely to pose as Yaoji and Mu Yang’s son; at a critical juncture, he could prove even more vital than Yaoji herself.
"Thank you for your concern, Princess Consort. I am doing very well," Mu Lie replied, his young face serious.
Ye Li smiled and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Such a little one, why so solemn? Aren’t you afraid of scaring Mu Yang?"
Mu Lie stiffened at the unexpected intimacy, his serious little face flushing slightly, though he himself didn’t notice. He retorted, "They will only perceive me as mature for my age, a heaven-sent prodigy."
Ye Li chuckled. "It’s clear the people of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion are quite fond of you."
"Hmph!" Mu Lie scoffed. "They’d like any son of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion. For the past few years, Marchioness Muyang has been desperate for a grandson. She relentlessly sent women to Mu Yang’s chambers until Yaoji and I arrived at the Marquis’s Mansion. But she still craves a legitimate heir, so she’s been feeding that woman medicine every day. All that medicine must have addled her brain. Hmph!"
Ye Li straightened his collar and said softly, "In a few days, Prince Ding and I will be leaving the Capital City. Second Leng has already departed for the border, and Third Feng will accompany us. That will leave only you and Yaoji here. You must both be extremely careful, do you understand? If you encounter any trouble, prioritize your escape. Preserving your lives is paramount."
A flicker of emotion crossed Mu Lie’s eyes. He replied earnestly, "Princess Consort, please rest assured. Yaoji is no fool, and neither am I. The people of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion will not suspect anything. We will manage matters in the Capital of Great Chu; we won’t let the Prince and Princess Consort worry."
Ye Li sighed, a touch of apology in her voice. "But you’re still just a child..."
Mu Lie bristled instantly. "I am not a child! I am a Qilin!" he declared, then added under his breath, "A reservist."
"Alright, alright..." Ye Li quickly placated him. "When you return, I’ll have Qin Feng make an exception and officially induct you into the Qilin. So, you must ensure your safety, alright?"
"Thank you, Princess Consort!" Mu Lie exclaimed, overjoyed. He considered his abilities to be on par with anyone else’s, but Commander Qin always cited his youth as a reason to bar him from the Qilin. Hmph! Hadn’t he been assigned a mission now? And a crucial one at that—one those tall, oafish brutes could never undertake!
Ye Li could tell what he was thinking just from his expression and merely smiled faintly, shaking her head.
"FIRE! FIRE!" A commotion suddenly erupted in the distance. Ye Li stood up and looked towards the source of the shouts. Two guards immediately flanked Mo Xiaobao and Leng Junhan. Mu Lie, having climbed onto a stool for a better view, raised an eyebrow. "That’s the direction of the Cold Palace. Autumn Cool Hall is over there; Noble Consort Liu is confined in that place!"
"Autumn Cool Hall?" Ye Li mused. "For it to catch fire on the very day of the new Emperor’s enthronement... what a coincidence." After a moment’s thought, she instructed those around her, "Take the young heir to find Prince Ding. I’m going to check it out."
"Princess Consort?" one of the guards behind her asked, hesitating.
Ye Li shook her head. "There shouldn’t be any great danger within the palace. Protect the three children. Go."
Mu Lie protested, "I don’t need protection, Princess Consort! I’ll protect you!"
Ye Li said with an amused smile, "No, that won’t work. If you’re seen with me now, it could arouse suspicion. Be good and stay with Xiaobao and Junhan. I’m entrusting these two little rascals to you."
Without giving Mu Lie a chance to object, Ye Li had already darted off.
Mu Lie stood there, a serious expression on his face, though his small ears were bright red. He glanced awkwardly at Mo Xiaobao and mumbled, "Fine, I’ll condescend to protect you then."
Mo Xiaobao rolled his eyes. "Who needs your protection?"
Leng Junhan, however, grinned and reached out a small hand to Mu Lie. "Big brother, Baobao!"
"Leng Xiaodai! Do you even have any loyalty?!" Mo Xiaobao fumed.
"Hmm... Leng Xiaodai, Mo Xiaobao... HEH HEH..."
Mo Xiaobao’s face darkened. *Heh heh, my foot!* he fumed internally.
By the time Ye Li reached Autumn Cool Hall, the fire had already engulfed half of the side hall. Autumn Cool Hall was considered the most desolate part of the Cold Palace, dilapidated and overgrown with weeds from years of neglect. It was hard to believe such a place existed within the Imperial Palace. Few visited on ordinary days, let alone today, during the Emperor’s enthronement ceremony. Even if palace maids and eunuchs spotted the smoke from afar, it would take them considerable time to navigate the sprawling palace grounds and corridors to reach it. Indeed, when Ye Li arrived, there was no sign of anyone coming to fight the fire.
"Princess Consort." Not all the guards had remained with Mo Xiaobao; two had followed Ye Li and now caught up.
"Help... help me..." A faint cry drifted from within.
Ye Li frowned. That wasn’t Noble Consort Liu’s voice. Ye Li was certain she wouldn’t mistake Noble Consort Liu’s arrogant, cold tone; even in a state of weakness, her voice wouldn’t sound like this.
"Help..."
Ye Li darted into Autumn Cool Hall. The two guards, after a moment’s hesitation, moved to follow, but her voice came sharply from inside, "Stay outside!"
Autumn Cool Hall was merely a side building and not very large. Upon entering, Ye Li spotted a figure on the floor. The figure was a young girl in a pale pink dress; the quality of the fabric indicated she wasn’t a palace maid.
Ye Li hurried to the girl, helped her up, and carried her quickly towards the exit. Thankfully, the girl appeared to have been trying to escape when she saw the fire, though it was unclear why she had collapsed just a few steps from the doorway. Had she been deeper inside, her faint cries might never have been heard.
Carrying the girl, Ye Li swiftly exited Autumn Cool Hall and laid her down on the bluestone path outside. Turning back, she saw that flames now fully engulfed the entire structure. If she had been a moment or two later, the girl would surely have perished inside.
"Princess Consort, Noble Consort Liu..." one of the guards reminded her.
Ye Li shook her head. "Let it be," she said. "The fire is too intense. We’ll investigate after it’s extinguished."
Ye Li brushed the hair from the girl’s face, revealing delicate features. However, a raw, scorched wound marred her left cheek, stretching from the corner of her eye to her earlobe. Her clothes also bore burn marks.
One of the guards knelt to examine her. "She’s been drugged," he reported. "It seems something burning fell on her face, waking her. That’s likely when she struggled to crawl out."
"This is..." Ye Li stared at the unmarred side of the girl’s face. Despite not having seen her for several years, and the girl having been much younger then, Ye Li’s sharp memory allowed her to recognize her: the second princess of Great Chu, daughter of Noble Consort Liu He and Mo Jingqi.
"Princess Zhenning," Ye Li murmured.
Princess Zhenning, lying on the ground, struggled to open her eyes. Though the drug was potent, the agonizing pain from the palm-sized burn on her face, combined with the terror and despair of her recent escape from death, left her with little strength.
Ye Li looked down at the young princess. She had rarely seen a girl so young with such lifeless, vacant eyes. After the initial relief of rescue, they had instantly become dull and devoid of spirit. Looking at the inferno that was Autumn Cool Hall, then at Princess Zhenning’s subtly trembling form, Ye Li could already surmise what had transpired.
"You’re safe now," Ye Li said softly.
Princess Zhenning stared blankly at her, lips parted as if to speak, but no words came. A single tear traced a path from the corner of her eye, disappearing into her dark hair.
