Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 39. The tragic someone
39. The Unfortunate One
"Ah... Ah-Yao, what the heck did I just see?" A voice stammered out from the shadowy forest after a long silence. Three figures emerged, and the suave image of Feng Zhiyao was once again shattered into a million pieces, as he gaped down at an unconscious figure on the ground.
Mo Xiuyao looked indifferently at the scene unfolding before him and said, "It is what you just saw."
"I stayed up half the night with you to prevent any harm from befalling Third Miss Ye. But it seems others are always the ones in trouble, aren’t they?" If Feng Zhiyao were not so mindful of his image, he would have screamed like a woman. Look at what he had seen! He had received news that someone was planning to harm Ye Li, so he climbed out of his lover’s warm bed in the dead of night to rush over, only to witness Ye Li knock Mo Jingli unconscious with a technique even he couldn’t comprehend. Mo Jingli might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was still considered one of the prominent young talents in the Capital City, wasn’t he? Feng Zhiyao sauntered over to Mo Xiuyao’s side, circled him mimicking Ye Li’s earlier actions around Mo Jingli, then propped his chin on his hand and asked boredly, "What should we do now?"
"Throw him into that pond over there," Mo Xiuyao said without batting an eye.
"That’s a cold pond; he could die," Feng Zhiyao halfheartedly advised.
"Take off his clothes too," Mo Xiuyao added impassively.
"I’m afraid that won’t be possible. Your future Princess Consort is highly skilled at tying knots." Feng Zhiyao squatted down to inspect the knots on Mo Jingli. "Ah-Yao, don’t provoke Third Miss Ye in the future. Women are terrifying." After pondering for a long time, Feng Zhiyao couldn’t figure out how he would free himself if bound by such ropes without assistance. "However," he added, "this technique is worth studying."
"Ah-Jin."
"Yes, My Prince," the young man pushing Mo Xiuyao’s wheelchair acknowledged. He moved forward, grabbed the person on the ground, and headed deeper into the woods. Shortly after, a SPLASH echoed from the depths of the woods. Evidently, someone had been thrown into the water. Feng Zhiyao couldn’t help but hop anxiously. "Ah-Yao, you’ll be a bad influence on the boy. What if Mo Jingli drowns?" The death of a prince in the Capital City, especially an emperor’s own younger brother, was no small matter. Mo Xiuyao calmly regarded his hand resting on the armrest and said serenely, "Ah-Jin always knows the proper limits."
Limits? Does Ah-Jin even have such a thing as ’discretion’ in his head? Feng Zhiyao stomped his foot and rushed over to see for himself. He was immediately left speechless.
Mo Jingli had been tossed into the pond face-up, his chest and head still resting on the bank, above the water. Most importantly, the rope binding him was clearly much longer now, with the extra length tied securely to a tree by the pond’s edge. This ensured Mo Jingli wouldn’t accidentally be carried into the middle of the pond. Indeed, he showed great discretion.
"Ah-Jin, I’ll escort your Prince back. You stay here and keep an eye on him. When it’s nearly dawn, wake up the men he brought. Don’t actually let the man soak to death."
Ah-Jin furrowed his sword-like brows, hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded. Feng Zhiyao cast a somewhat sympathetic glance at Mo Jingli, then, satisfied, sauntered back towards Mo Xiuyao, fanning himself.
"Ah-Yao, I’m becoming quite curious about that future Princess Consort of yours." Feng Zhiyao strolled back into the forest. Mo Xiuyao was still seated under the trees, his expression unreadable in the dim twilight, his thoughts hidden.
Mo Xiuyao looked up and said calmly, "We should head back."
Feng Zhiyao looked at Mo Xiuyao curiously. "You’re letting him off this easily?" Don’t be fooled by Mo Xiuyao’s cultivated composure and seemingly good temper these past few years. Feng Zhiyao, who knew his true nature, was well aware that Mo Xiuyao had never been a kind or benevolent person. A cold glint flashed in Mo Xiuyao’s usually gentle eyes. "Tomorrow is Jing Li’s wedding. It would be too much of a spoiler if something unexpected happened to the groom." Feng Zhiyao wanted to sigh. "I thought you didn’t want Mo Jingli to have any connection with the Ye Family. Don’t forget, if he marries Ye Ying, you and he will become..." Brothers-in-law? he thought. Truly an unpleasant connection, isn’t it? Mo Xiuyao snorted lightly, and with a push of his hand, turned the wheelchair towards the edge of the forest. Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and followed. I wonder what amusing things will happen at tomorrow’s wedding, Feng Zhiyao mused. I’d better go claim a good spot beforehand to watch the show.
"What about the fellow who tried to kidnap Third Miss Ye?"
"Capture him. Send one of his hands and one of his legs to Mo Jingli as a wedding gift."
Although the city gates had long been closed, Ye Li, after some effort, still managed to return to the Ye estate before dawn. Just as she slipped into her room, Qingshuang and Qingyu rushed up to her. The anxiety on their faces was replaced with relief. Qingyu, maintaining her usual composure, served Ye Li tea. It was as if her normally elegant and dignified young mistress deftly climbing in through the window didn’t faze her in the slightest. Qingshuang pressed a hand to her chest and sighed in relief. "Miss, you’re finally back! Qingshuang was worried sick." Ye Li smiled faintly. "With someone following me, what was there to worry about? Right, Qingluan?"
A figure floated lightly down from outside the window; it was Qingluan, who had come from the Xu Family with Qingyu. Qingluan pursed her lips into a smile. "Miss is truly amazing. Qingluan followed you the whole way, and no one discovered me, yet I still couldn’t hide from Miss." Ye Li chuckled. "Actually, I didn’t detect you either. However, along the way, I seemed to catch a faint, very special, and familiar scent. The man who captured me... his own perfume was quite strong, so perhaps that’s why I didn’t notice yours then." Qingluan drooped her head, dejected, and secretly resolved never to use any scented incense again. Her own perfume was already very faint; an ordinary person wouldn’t have noticed it at all. But who could have guessed Ye Li’s senses were so much sharper than an average person’s?
"Did anything interesting happen in the woods after I left?" Ye Li asked, sitting down and sipping the freshly brewed tea.
Copying Ye Li, Qingluan also entered through the window and said with a smile, "That... individual was thrown into a pond deep in the woods."
"Prince Ding?"
"Miss is wise," Qingluan replied with a cheerful smile. Recalling the wretched sight of a certain someone tied to a tree and thrown into the pond, Qingluan felt that her anxiety tonight had not been in vain. I believe Eldest Young Master will also be very pleased with this news, she thought. "This servant also saw someone with Prince Ding; they seemed to be on very good terms."
Ye Li raised an eyebrow. Qingluan, no longer keeping her in suspense, said, "It was the Capital City’s renowned Third Young Master Feng." Ye Li hadn’t realized Feng Zhiyao and Mo Xiuyao were acquainted. This explained Feng Zhiyao’s obvious curiosity towards her during the Hundred Flowers Banquet.
"So His Highness Prince Ding also went to rescue Miss? Did Miss not see Prince Ding?" Qingshuang asked curiously, blinking.
Ye Li shook her head. She knew there had been others in the woods at the time and could vaguely guess who they were, but she had no intention of meeting them, so she paid them no mind. Since Mo Xiuyao hadn’t had anyone stop Qingluan, he must have understood her intentions. Dealing with intelligent people really saved a lot of words; very good.
She casually tossed a jade pendant to Qingluan. "Give this to Eldest Cousin. Ask him to see if he can find out who this jade pendant belongs to."
Qingluan caught it and said with a gloating smile, "Then this servant must hurry. Prince Ding has already claimed one of his hands and one of his legs as a wedding gift for Prince Li. If he hadn’t escaped so quickly, he probably would have suffered misfortune tonight."
"His lightness skill is quite good. If there’s still time, try to find a way to detain him. Perhaps he can help us with something." If it’s too late, then it can’t be helped. She didn’t believe someone who would sneak into a residence late at night to abduct an innocent woman could be a kind person. However, that man, clearly knowing she was awake, still took her to Mo Jingli and had absolutely no intention of reminding Mo Jingli. He’s quite an interesting character, Ye Li mused. Of course, it’s more likely that Mo Jingli unintentionally offended this person.
Qingyu, standing to one side, looked from one to the other and asked with a somewhat perplexed expression, "Can tomorrow’s wedding still proceed as planned?"
Qingluan waved her hand dismissively. "It should be fine. I heard Feng Zhiyao tell Prince Ding’s attendant to have Prince Li’s men go rescue their master when it’s almost dawn." Qingyu nodded. "In that case, Miss, you should rest quickly while there’s still time. If you don’t look your best tomorrow, it will cause gossip."
Qingshuang also nodded repeatedly in agreement; she didn’t want anyone to seize another opportunity to slander Miss’s reputation.
Hasn’t anyone considered that weddings are also exhausting, both mentally and physically? What if the groom faints at the wedding tomorrow...? Ye Li mused irresponsibly as she allowed her maids to help her change and get into bed.
