Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 324 - 323. Prince Ding’s Revenge
323. Prince Ding’s Revenge
After seeing off the Ye Family, Qin Feng asked, "Princess Consort, why bother being so polite to them?" Qin Feng started accompanying Ye Li somewhat later than others, so he didn’t fully understand Ye Li’s past relationship with the Ye Family. Nonetheless, he could detect that the Princess Consort didn’t carry the same profound feelings for the Ye Family as she did for the Xu Family, even displaying a trace of distaste. In Qin Feng’s view, if the Princess Consort despised the Ye Family, there was no need for continued entanglement with them; they should have just been thrown out directly.
Ye Li waved her hand and indifferently said, "Regardless, I am still blood-related to the Ye Family. If we become too decisive, people will think that Prince Ding’s Mansion is cold-blooded and unfeeling. Anyway, they can’t stir up much trouble. Assign a few people to secretly keep an eye on them. If Ye Rong dares to cause any trouble in Licheng, show no mercy and teach him a good lesson."
Qin Feng nodded, agreeing to this, and turned to instruct his men to secretly monitor the Ye Mansion.
However, the moment the Ye Family returned to their mansion, peace was far from prevailing. The old lady of the Ye Family was furiously berating Ye Li for her lack of filial piety. Ms. Wang of Ye Family likewise wept and wailed, complaining that Ye Li was neglecting her own brothers. The commotion was such that it gave Ye Wenhua a splitting headache. Shen Liang, after a couple of glances, pulled the still-talking Ye Lin away, returning to his own courtyard. He contemplated that he should move out from Ye Mansion in a few days and find a smaller residence to focus on managing his own business. If he stayed in Ye Mansion, he feared the little property he had would eventually end up benefiting Ye Rong, even if he fortuitously made it big in the future.
Ye Wenhua massaged his temples, his voice deep as he stated, "Enough, we have been in Licheng for many days, and Prince Ding’s Mansion has not mistreated us. Can’t you all calm down?" It was impossible to claim Ye Wenhua had no ambition. If he truly had no ambition, he wouldn’t have allowed Ms. Wang of Ye Family to manipulate Ye Ying into having an affair with Mo Jingli. However, after spending several years in the countryside, away from the bustle of the Capital City, his once-dizzy mind, overwhelmed by the Capital City’s splendor, had gradually cleared considerably. Over these years, Ye Wenhua had pondered many things. He realized that if it hadn’t been for his daughter Ye Li, his family wouldn’t have just been demoted to commoners; it would have been questionable whether they could have even left the Capital City alive.
Reflecting further, he recalled how he, once a poverty-stricken scholar, had attained the position of a minister within less than twenty years. While his later success was due to his own efforts, the initial stages were absolutely inseparable from the Xu Family’s support. Without the backing of being a son-in-law to the Xu Family, how could the prominent families and nobles in the Capital City have ever respected a poor scholar like him? Thinking this, he felt even more that he had wronged his late first wife. He also felt more guilt towards his daughter, Ye Li. Upon hearing about Ye Li’s accomplishments over the years, even Ye Wenhua had to admit the capabilities of this daughter he had once overlooked. A mix of sorrow and guilt, along with an unexpected sense of pride, filled his heart.
The sobbing in the great hall paused for a moment. The old lady of the Ye Family flushed with anger, pointing at Ye Wenhua as she said, "No mistreatment? Look at Prince Ding’s Mansion, then look at our dilapidated courtyard! Look at those from the Xu Family, and then look at yourself! How many people in Licheng respect you, the father of Princess Consort Ding?" Ms. Wang of Ye Family also interjected, "The old lady is right. Rong’er is the Princess Consort’s only biological brother. But now, even in Licheng, he’s considered inferior to a general’s grandson. I’m so ashamed I can’t even show my face in public..."
"If you’re too ashamed to go out, then don’t go anywhere!" Ye Wenhua said irritably. How could he not know what his mother was saying? But for that to happen, the Ye Family would need the same capabilities as the Xu Family. Which of the Xu Family brothers wasn’t truly talented and capable? Even the youngest, Xu Qingyan, had gone to the Northwest when he was just in his teens. No one had stayed in Licheng to enjoy a life of ease. If Ye Rong were truly talented, even if he weren’t Princess Consort Ding’s biological brother, would Prince Ding’s Mansion really turn him away?
"It’s all because you, an ignorant woman, spoiled this disastrous child!" Thinking this, Ye Wenhua’s expression darkened even more. Seeing Ye Rong sitting indifferently to the side, his anger flared uncontrollably. He randomly grabbed a nearby feather duster and lashed out at Ye Rong. Caught off guard, Ye Rong was struck squarely and immediately started wailing, screaming, "Grandmother, save me! Mother, save me! Rong’er is going to die!" Hearing this, Ms. Wang of Ye Family and Old Madam Ye, their hearts aching for the boy, rushed forward to restrain Ye Wenhua. Old Madam Ye scolded angrily, "What do you think you’re doing? Are you going to beat your own son to death over Ye Li, that girl who has already married out? Do you want the Ye Family’s line to end? You might as well just kill me, this old woman, too!"
Ms. Wang of Ye Family hugged her son and broke out in loud sobs, "Master... you’re so heartless! Princess Consort Ding is your biological daughter, but isn’t Rong’er also your biological son?"
Listening to the noisy cries and shouts before him, and seeing the smug smile on Ye Rong’s face, Ye Wenhua felt a wave of powerlessness. Ye Wenhua, who had never been truly assertive in front of his mother and wife his entire life, had failed once again. Dejectedly, he threw down the duster, flicked his sleeve, and turned to return to his own courtyard to read.
Outside the door, Shen Liang and Ye Lin stood together, listening to the sounds of crying and commotion from within. Shen Liang looked down at his wife, his expression calm, and asked, "Look at this place. Do you still want to stay here?" Ye Lin opened her mouth but ultimately felt some reluctance. Living here, she was still the Sixth Miss of the Ye Family, sister to Princess Consort Ding. But once they moved out, she’d be nothing more than the wife of a concubine’s son from the Shen Family. With Shen Liang’s character, he would absolutely never permit her to publicly boast about her connection to Princess Consort Ding. Towards her Third Sister, Ye Lin always harbored some unwillingness and resentment. They were both daughters of the Ye Family. Before Ye Li’s marriage, Ye Lin had even been more prominent and respected at home. But just because Ye Li had a mother with the surname Xu, was their fate so vastly different?
"I might not know Princess Consort Ding well, but could you accomplish what she has? If you had been the one to marry into Prince Ding’s Mansion, would you have achieved her current status?" Shen Liang stated bluntly. He wasn’t particularly dissatisfied with his wife. Both of them were born of concubines, so it was understandable for them to feel some discontent. However, it would be problematic if she failed to recognize her own position.
A thought struck Ye Lin. Wasn’t that true? Before Ye Li got married, hadn’t she secretly gloated over Ye Li’s misfortune? The things that happened after Ye Li became Princess Consort Ding... if it were her, she probably would have died long ago. Thinking of this, her resentment seemed to lessen. Actually, Ye Lin had always known these things; she just hadn’t been willing to admit them. Now that someone had pointed it out, she quickly understood. Ye Lin looked up and said, "I’ll go with you. Let’s move out." In truth, she also didn’t want to endure Ms. Wang’s displeasure in the Ye Mansion every day, serving Ms. Wang and Old Madam Ye like a maid.
When news from the Ye Family reached Ye Li in Prince Ding’s Mansion, she merely responded with a faint smile and let it pass. With the end of the year approaching, although Ye Li was pregnant and many matters were kept from her, she still found herself quite busy.
Ever since Mo Xiuyao seized Feihong Pass, the once tense situation changed dramatically. The two armies besieging Feihong Pass were utterly defeated and scattered by him. After the harsh winter arrived beyond the borders, the movements of Beirong’s soldiers noticeably slowed. Every winter, Beirong’s territories were covered for thousands of miles in ice, with not a blade of grass to be seen. Although they had captured a large area of Great Chu’s northern lands, these places had unfortunately been ravaged by them over the past half-year. Consequently, as soon as winter set in, Beirong’s military provisions began to tighten. After Mo Xiuyao repelled the besieging Beirong and Xiling armies, he headed east towards the Capital of Great Chu without pause. Prior to this, the army led by Murong Shen was already gradually approaching the Capital of Great Chu. Meanwhile, another force of 300,000 troops, commanded by He Su, bypassed the Capital of Great Chu and directly engaged with the Northern Territory’s army from the other side, cutting off the Northern Territory army’s retreat path. While the appearance of these two armies didn’t directly lift the siege of the Capital of Great Chu, it significantly slowed the enemy’s offensive, allowing the Great Chu defenders, who had been fighting bitterly to defend the city for over a month, a moment of respite.
At this point, a monumental event transpired within the Northern Territory. The reigning King of the Northern Territory, Ren Qining’s queen—who was originally a princess from a Northern Territory tribe given in marriage—and the several children she had borne all died suddenly overnight. Yet, strangely, the children born of his concubines remained unscathed. The people of the Northern Territory, though fierce and not particularly adept at schemes, were not complete fools. Soon, rumors began to circulate within the King’s city that Ren Qining had secretly murdered his own wife. Because Ren Qining himself was not originally from the Northern Territory, and after unifying it, he had appointed many people from the Central Plains, the seeds of discord between the Central Plains people and the Northern Territory natives had long been sown. This sudden eruption of rumors caused Ren Qining a considerable headache for some time.
However, barely two days after Ren Qining had managed to quell these rumors, his remaining children, wives, and concubines also died. This time, it seemed as though people from the Northern Territory were responsible. But regardless of whether Ren Qining truly believed it was their doing or a frame-up, he could only suppress the matter once more. Otherwise, the conflict between the people of the Central Plains and the Northern Territory natives would erupt with even greater ferocity next time.
「In his study,」
Ren Qining stared at the invitation that had just been delivered, nearly grinding his teeth to dust. It was a black card with gold tracing, its back adorned with golden auspicious clouds and a flying dragon. The message inside was remarkably simple, just a few words: "If you do not offend me, I will not offend you. But if you offend me, I will retaliate a thousandfold." The bold, flamboyant calligraphy, full of unrestrained power, was a clear and undisguised provocation.
Ren Qining clenched his teeth and furiously crumpled the invitation, which instantly disintegrated into scraps of paper. "Mo Xiuyao!" Ren Qining’s normally refined face was now devoid of any smile, twisted instead with infinite bitterness and hatred. This sudden blow from Mo Xiuyao was enough to cause Ren Qining heart-wrenching pain. It wasn’t just his wives and concubines, but all of his children—four sons and five daughters—not a single one was spared. Ren Qining knew this was Mo Xiuyao’s retaliation for his actions against Ye Li in Xiling. Yet, people are often like that—oblivious to the pain of others until they experience it themselves, only then finding it unbearable.
"Young Master." Inside the study, several men, clearly of Central Plains descent, stood respectfully, watching Ren Qining’s somewhat distorted expression with concern. They were descendants of former court officials loyal to the Lin Family for generations. After Ren Qining established his foundation in the Northern Territory, he naturally placed them in important positions within the Northern Territory court. Compared to the Northern Territory natives who fought and died on the battlefields, these men were Ren Qining’s true confidants. Although relying on the Northern Territory "barbarians" to rise up made these self-proclaimed orthodox Central Plains people somewhat uncomfortable, they were born at an unfortunate time. For a hundred years, the Central Plains had been under the watch of successive generations of Princes from Prince Ding’s Mansion, and their ancestors had been completely unable to make a move. It was only when Prince Ding’s Mansion suffered a great loss of strength that they found an opportunity to control the entire Northern Territory. Otherwise, they would still be hiding in the shadows as a reclusive family.
Ren Qining chuckled coldly. "An invitation sent by Mo Xiuyao. So, the people of Prince Ding’s Mansion truly are omnipresent... Such fine methods!"
After a moment’s hesitation, one of them asked, "Are you suggesting that what happened to the queen and the young princes was Mo Xiuyao’s doing? Annihilating an entire family... Mo Xiuyao’s methods are so vicious!" Even these men couldn’t help but shudder internally at Mo Xiuyao’s ruthlessness. Not long ago, Mo Xiuyao had killed half the nobles in the Xiling imperial city, and now he had actually slaughtered everyone in the Northern Territory’s royal family except for Ren Qining himself. Such actions were truly chilling.
"Could it be that Mo Xiuyao truly cares that much about Princess Consort Ding? Or is it that he had intended to act this way all along and merely found a convenient excuse?" someone speculated.
Ren Qining remained silent. In truth, he had only met Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li once in Xiling the previous year. However, he had clearly sensed Mo Xiuyao’s concern for Princess Consort Ding. Furthermore, because of the Xu Family’s influence within Prince Ding’s Mansion, which stood behind Princess Consort Ding, he had decided to make a move against Ye Li. He just never expected that this time he would truly suffer such a devastating loss.
After a bout of silence, Ren Qining finally spoke, "How is the battle situation at the Capital of Great Chu?"
"Reporting to Young Master, our troops had besieged the Capital of Great Chu for over a month, and we believed we could breach it any day. However, a force suddenly appeared from nowhere and cut off the road from the Capital of Great Chu to Zijing Pass. This force consists of only 200,000 men, but their leader is exceptionally skilled. They have occupied three small towns in between, forming mutually supporting positions, and have inflicted considerable losses on our army. More importantly, they hold a strategic pass, blocking it, so our provisions and reinforcements cannot get through. I’m afraid the conquest of the Capital of Great Chu will have to be postponed." They never believed that this small force could change the overall situation. No matter how formidable, it was merely 200,000 men, insignificant compared to the Northern Territory’s current army of nearly a million. It would only delay the city’s fall by a few days.
Ren Qining frowned slightly and asked, "Who is leading these troops?" To his knowledge, Great Chu didn’t have many capable generals, and most of them had followed Mo Jingli to Jiangnan. Moreover, Leng Huai and the others who were originally stationed at Zijing Pass were now trapped defending the Capital of Great Chu and couldn’t possibly be leading troops outside.
The middle-aged man shook his head. "We only know that his name is He Su. The world is currently in chaos, and Mo Jingli took many people with him when he left the Capital of Great Chu. Our men haven’t been able to uncover his background in such a short time."
"Unable to uncover his background?" Ren Qining stroked his chin and asked thoughtfully, "Then... could he be one of Mo Xiuyao’s men?"
"This..." The room fell silent, and they exchanged suspicious glances. Although those troops didn’t resemble the Mo Family Army, who knew if Prince Ding’s Mansion had other forces hidden away? Moreover, such a sudden flanking attack was clearly intended to delay the Northern Territory’s capture of the Capital of Great Chu. And Mo Xiuyao himself was currently on his way to the Capital of Great Chu. Therefore, it was plausible that this was an attempt to buy time for Mo Xiuyao.
Ren Qining stood tall and instructed, "Issue the order! Immediately mobilize all our forces. Within three days, you must crush those enemy troops for me, and then attack the Capital of Great Chu with all your might! We must seize the Capital of Great Chu before Mo Xiuyao’s army arrives." All answered in agreement. "Young Master, what are your intentions?" Ren Qining narrowed his eyes and coldly declared, "Mo Xiuyao wants the Capital of Great Chu, but whether he gets it depends on my approval. Send a message to the Seventh Prince of Beirong. In ten days, I, this King, invite him to meet at Zijing Pass."
They exchanged puzzled glances, their eyes full of doubt. Although they didn’t understand their master’s intentions, they still respectfully withdrew to carry out their tasks.
Although no one knew what Beirong’s Chief Commander, the Seventh Prince, and the King of Northern Territory, Ren Qining, discussed during their meeting at Zijing Pass, two secret letters were dispatched westward that very day. One was sent to Mo Xiuyao, who was still with his army, and the other was delivered to Prince Ding’s Mansion in the Northwestern city of Licheng.
In the large military tent, Mo Xiuyao leaned languidly in his chair, inspecting the letter in his hands. Those seated—Marquis South, Lv Jinxian, Feng Zhiyao, and others—all tried to guess what the letter contained to make the Prince’s expression so profound. It was Feng Zhiyao, urged by the pointed stares of the others, who finally rose to ask, "Prince, has something happened?" Mo Xiuyao glanced at him with a faint, enigmatic smile. "Indeed, something has. Three days ago, Yelv Ye of Beirong and Ren Qining of Northern Jin had a little chat at Zijing Pass."
Everyone understood. Those two meeting was certainly not a simple chat. It was clearly a sign that both sides were preparing to join forces against Prince Ding’s Mansion.
Marquis South furrowed his brows. "But what agreement did Ren Qining and Yelv Ye reach?"
Mo Xiuyao replied, "They held secret talks, so what was actually said isn’t written here. However... I can guess a thing or two. It’s nothing more than Beirong agreeing to help obstruct the Mo Family Army’s advance, to buy the Northern Territory time to capture the Capital of Great Chu." Feng Zhiyao looked puzzled. "Would Yelv Ye be so foolish as to use his own troops to shield Ren Qining?"
Mo Xiuyao laughed. "It’s not necessarily foolish. The Beirong army is already facing us directly; they have no choice but to fight hard. Unless they can crush the Mo Family Army, their chances of successfully taking the Capital of Great Chu were slim to begin with. But the Northern Territory is different; they are in a completely opposite direction from us. There won’t be any conflict between us and them before we enter the Capital of Great Chu. Ren Qining has likely offered Yelv Ye other benefits in exchange for him giving up on the Capital of Great Chu."
"What kind of benefits?" The Capital of Great Chu wasn’t just any ordinary place. Even though the Great Chu imperial family had already relocated the capital, it still held immense significance for all the people of Great Chu.
Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Perhaps ceding some territory to Beirong. Or maybe an agreement to join forces against Prince Ding’s Mansion after they capture the Capital of Great Chu?"
Lv Songxian frowned and asked worriedly, "If that’s the case, it’s indeed very unfavorable for us. Do you have any plans, Prince?" Mo Xiuyao smiled. "Our plan is to reach the Capital of Great Chu as quickly as possible. We can’t let the Northern Territory forces get there first. As for other plans, Young Master Qingchen will naturally consider them. As for this Ren Qining... it seems the lesson he received last time wasn’t enough."
All those present, including Feng Zhiyao who had been in Xiling at the time, looked at Mo Xiuyao with curiosity, their expressions clearly asking, Prince, what on earth did you do to him?
Mo Xiuyao replied indifferently, "Nothing much. I had Qin Feng send men to kill all his wives, concubines, and children."
Silence fell upon the group.
Meanwhile, in the study of Prince Ding’s Mansion in Licheng, Xu Qingchen, Xu Hong Yu, and others were seated. Ye Li, wrapped in a thick snow-mink cloak and holding a hand warmer, also sat nearby, listening to their conversation.
Xu Qingze put down the letter in his hand, his usually impassive face now creased with a frown. "If Beirong and the Northern Territory truly join forces against the Mo Family Army, I’m afraid it won’t be easy for the Mo Family Army to reach the Capital of Great Chu by the beginning of next month. Can the Capital of Great Chu hold out that long?" Xu Hong Yu stroked his beard, his brow slightly furrowed. "I’m afraid it won’t be easy. For now, we can only hope that Prince Ding can speed up. And regarding the Northern Territory side, Li’er... is He Su one of Prince Ding’s Mansion’s people?"
Ye Li nodded with a smile. "He is indeed one of Prince Ding’s Mansion’s people."
Xu Hong Yu nodded. "That’s good. With him and General Murong there, it should help alleviate the dire situation in the Capital of Great Chu somewhat. If that still isn’t enough... then it can only be attributed to fate."
Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. "Father, there’s no need to worry so much. Even if the Capital of Great Chu is captured by the Northern Territory, Prince Ding, with his abilities, will surely be able to reclaim it. Moreover, it’s far better for it to be breached by the Northern Territory than by Beirong." When the Beirong army enters the Central Plains, they burn, kill, loot, and plunder, stopping at nothing. Wherever their army goes, wails of misery fill the land, and rivers of blood flow. As the saying goes, ’Those not of our kind are sure to have different hearts.’ As long as Ren Qining still wishes to rule the Central Plains, he cannot afford to engage in wholesale slaughter like the Beirong army.
Xu Hong Yu could only think this way. He shook his head and said, "We needn’t concern ourselves with matters of military campaigns and battles. However, if Beirong and the Northern Territory truly form an alliance, it would indeed be greatly disadvantageous to us." This disadvantage wasn’t just about the current mission to rescue the Capital of Great Chu; it also encompassed future implications. "Qingchen, do you have any ideas?"
Xu Qingchen exchanged a glance with Ye Li and replied with a faint smile, "Indeed, I have some ideas. Neither Beirong nor the Northern Territory is truly monolithic internally. The struggle between the Beirong Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince, and the divisions between the Central Plains people and the natives within the Northern Territory—these are all things we can make use of." Xu Hong Yu quirked an eyebrow. "You mean... to sow discord and divide them from within?"
Ye Li nodded with a smile. "Big Brother is right. Currently, the one leading Beirong’s troops is the Seventh Prince, Yelv Ye. After this battle, Yelv Ye’s prestige and influence in Beirong will inevitably surge, surpassing that of Yelv Hong, the Crown Prince. Given the long-standing discord between Yelv Hong and Yelv Ye, Yelv Hong won’t be able to tolerate this and will surely become extremely dissatisfied with Yelv Ye. And if someone were to whisper something in the King of Beirong’s ear..."
Xu Hongyan asked, "Is this plan feasible? Does Prince Ding’s Mansion have any influential spies within the Beirong imperial family?"
Ye Li shook her head somewhat helplessly. "Actually, no, we don’t. The Beirong people are extremely xenophobic. Non-Beirong individuals simply cannot gain their trust or be appointed to important positions. However, we do have people close to the Crown Prince of Beirong, and... Yelv Hong’s relationship with Prince Ding’s Mansion is far better than Yelv Ye’s."
"Oh?" Xu Hongyan said in surprise. Despite spending so many years in the Northwest, he had been unaware that Prince Ding’s Mansion had managed to place agents even by the side of the Crown Prince of Beirong.
Xu Qingchen pondered for a moment before looking up and asking, "Are you referring to Princess Ronghua?" Years ago, Princess Zhaoren’s daughter, Commandery Princess Ronghua, was granted the title of Princess and married to Yelv Hong, the Crown Prince of Beirong. However, when Commandery Princess Ronghua was in the Capital City, her relationships with both Prince Ding’s Mansion and Ye Li were not good, so it was difficult to imagine such a connection. But so many years had passed; whether Princess Ronghua had changed was another matter entirely. "Is she reliable?"
Ye Li smiled. "It doesn’t matter whether Princess Ronghua herself is reliable; we don’t need her to do anything for us. As long as the people around her are reliable, that’s enough." After all, Commandery Princess Ronghua isn’t a trained spy; knowing too much could easily make her reveal something. Back then, Prince Ding’s Mansion dispatched two groups of agents—one overt and one covert—to secretly assist Princess Ronghua. She naturally knew about the overt group, but no one informed her about the covert one. All of this, of course, wasn’t purely to help Princess Ronghua, but precisely for potential needs in a situation like the current one. With Great Chu having relocated its capital, it has practically lost half of its territory. Yet, news from Beirong indicates that Yelv Hong shows no signs of neglecting or abandoning Princess Ronghua, which shows that she has managed her affairs quite well in Beirong over these years.
"That’s good, then," Xu Qingchen nodded with satisfaction.
Ye Li smiled gently. "In that case, I’ll send someone personally to Beirong to seek an audience with Yelv Hong and perhaps secretly offer him some assistance. If all goes well, within two or three months, Yelv Ye’s tenure as the Chief Commander of the Beirong army should come to an end." Xu Qingchen then asked, "Persuading Yelv Hong might not be so easy. Should I perhaps go myself?"
"This..." Ye Li frowned slightly. Currently, many affairs in the Northwest required Big Brother’s (Xu Qingchen’s) attention. Yet, if they didn’t send someone of sufficient stature, it might be impossible to persuade Yelv Hong. If she weren’t pregnant, Ye Li would have actually considered going herself. Beside her, Xu Hongyan said, "The Northwest can’t do without Qingchen or Hong Yu. Li’er, if you trust your uncle, let me make the trip."
"Second Uncle, the Northwest is bitterly cold, and this journey..."
Xu Hongyan laughed. "Li’er, are you looking down on your uncle, or what? Do you think your uncle can’t endure hardship?"
Ye Li naturally knew that although Xu Hongyan didn’t usually say much, he was indeed remarkably eloquent and a suitable candidate. She looked hesitantly at Xu Qingchen and Xu Hong Yu. Xu Hong Yu nodded decisively. "Very well, then. It would be good for Second Brother to make the trip."
Seeing Xu Hong Yu agree, Ye Li had no choice but to nod. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Alright. As it happens, Mo Hua is also in the Northwest. I’ll have him take some men to accompany Second Uncle on this trip." Mo Hua was originally the commander of Prince Ding’s Mansion’s shadow guards. With him and his men providing protection along the way, Xu Hongyan’s safety would naturally be assured. Even if the plan failed, Mo Hua could still escort Xu Hongyan safely back to the Northwest.
"Very well." Knowing Ye Li was concerned for his safety, Xu Hongyan didn’t refuse.
