Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 41. Gentleman of Wind and Moon

41. The Flamboyant Gentleman

After seeing Ye Ying out, Ye Li paid no further mind to the myriad complex expressions in the room. Content that she had done what was publicly necessary, she gave a wave of her sleeve and returned to Qingyi Pavilion.

Stepping into her study, Ye Li paused briefly before turning to instruct, "Qingluan, you stay and attend to me. The rest of you may go and rest." Although Qingshuang and the others were somewhat puzzled, they knew Ye Li generally preferred not to have many people around. Assuming she had private matters to discuss with Qingluan, they curtsied and withdrew. Qingluan stood quietly by the door, awaiting her lady’s instructions. Ye Li walked to the window, her gaze sweeping the study before finally resting on the gauze curtain separating the inner and outer chambers. In a quiet voice, she asked, "Aren’t you coming out yet?"

Silence filled the study. Suddenly, two daggers with chillingly sharp edges appeared in Qingluan’s hands, and her usually gentle eyes flashed with a cold, murderous intent.

After waiting a moment with no response, Ye Li frowned in mild annoyance. She threw an object the size of a pigeon’s egg toward the gauze curtain, and a thick white smoke billowed out. A figure lunged toward Ye Li from within the smoke but suddenly crumpled to the ground before reaching the window, an icy dagger already pressing against his spine. However, Ye Li was no longer in front of him; unbeknownst to him, she had already moved to a spot a few feet to his side.

"I didn’t expect Third Miss Ye to be so skilled. I admit defeat," the man said, a bitter smile on his face as he reluctantly relaxed his weakened body onto the floor.

Ye Li maintained a neutral expression. "Compared to Your Excellency, I am still far lacking. However, after last night’s peculiar encounter, I deemed it necessary to take some precautions."

The man raised an eyebrow, seemingly unbothered by the dagger at his back, and grinned at Ye Li. "You knew it was me last night? Could it be... you haven’t been able to stop thinking about me because of what happened?" Even Ye Li had to admit the man before her was exceptionally handsome. Unlike Feng Zhiyao’s rakishly unrestrained appearance, this man’s features carried more of a devilish charm and a deliberately crafted ambiguity. An ordinary woman would have fled, face flushed red with anger or shame. Unfortunately, Ye Li was not an ordinary woman. "I believe your concern right now should not be me but... the object at your back. Trust me, if a little more force is applied there, while it won’t endanger your life, I guarantee you’ll spend the rest of your days bedridden." As if to affirm Ye Li’s words, the sharp point of the dagger behind him pressed forward slightly. A searing pain instantly shot from his spine throughout his body. The man’s expression changed slightly, and he forced a laugh. "Third Miss Ye isn’t planning to silence me, is she?"

Ye Li shook her head, a rare, dazzling smile gracing her beautiful face, yet it sent a chill down the man’s spine. "Silencing someone by murder is not something a well-bred young lady should do. Therefore, I intend to hand you over to others. I’ve heard many people are looking for you. So, should I deliver you to Prince Ding or to Prince Li?"

The man looked at Ye Li with a pleading expression. If he fell into the hands of Prince Ding, he would surely lose an arm or a leg. If he fell into the hands of Prince Li—considering that she, his intended target, was now standing here hale and hearty threatening him—Prince Li would undoubtedly want him dead. "Third Miss, I was merely taking money to solve someone’s problem. Besides, didn’t I help you in a way? Can’t you show some mercy and spare my life?" Ye Li walked over to a comfortable chair and sat down, asking with a smile, "Were you helping me? Or was it not rather that Mo Jingli offended you, and you wanted to cause him some trouble?"

Finding his pleas fruitless, the man let his smile fall, his expression turning earnest. "Consider it as me owing Third Miss a favor. How about that?"

Resting her chin on her hand, Ye Li said leisurely, "That... a favor from the Flamboyant Gentleman of the Qingfeng Mingyue Brothel? Even if you dared to owe it, I wouldn’t dare let you repay it." Qingfeng Mingyue Brothel, the foremost brothel in the land. And the Flamboyant Gentleman, Han Mingyue, the world-renowned rapist. To be associated with him would mean the utter ruin of her reputation.

This time, the man’s expression truly changed. He stared at Ye Li. "Is my jade pendant in your possession?" The number of people in the world who knew that the Flamboyant Gentleman and the master of Qingfeng Mingyue Brothel were one and the same could be counted on one hand. "I never would have guessed that Third Miss Ye of the Minister’s Residence, the future Princess Consort of Ding Kingdom, possessed such skills." It was no easy feat to silently take a jade pendant from his person. Han Mingyue began to seriously question his decision to come to the Capital City this time. He had originally intended to abduct a young lady for Prince Li on a whim, merely for amusement, but he hadn’t expected this seemingly harmless, sheltered young woman to be a venomous flower. He had wanted to play a trick on the arrogant Prince Li, but he had ended up trapping himself. Less than an hour after leaving that patch of woods, he realized he was being tailed. Two hours later, the initial pursuers had split into two groups. By dawn, even Mo Jingli’s men had joined the hunt.

Ye Li simply smiled without speaking, patiently observing the handsome man before her. Finally, Han Mingyue raised his hands in surrender. "Third Miss Ye, what conditions must I meet for you to let me go?"

"On necessary occasions, lend me the information network of Qingfeng Mingyue Brothel," Ye Li stated her terms.

A glint appeared in Han Mingyue’s eyes. "I don’t understand what Miss Ye means."

"Brothels and taverns are the largest distribution centers for information and news. I suspect... Tianyi Pavilion has a rather close relationship with you, doesn’t it?" Tianyi Pavilion, the most mysterious intelligence organization in Great Chu, survived by selling information. Its operations were so clandestine that many who sought to find it returned empty-handed. "Young Master Han, you can get up now. If I’m not mistaken, the effects of the drug should have worn off," Ye Li said, looking pointedly at the man still feigning helplessness on the floor.

Han Mingyue showed no embarrassment at being exposed. He rose gracefully, patting off non-existent dust from his clothes, and bowed to Ye Li. "Third Miss Ye’s acuity is truly astounding." For a young lady confined to her boudoir to deduce the connection between Qingfeng Mingyue Brothel and Tianyi Pavilion was indeed astonishing. "The jade pendant is yours, Third Miss. If you require anything, simply have someone bring the pendant to find me. I trust that with Third Miss’s capabilities, you’ll know where to find my people."

Ye Li did not stand on ceremony and nodded. "Thank you very much. I will ask Prince Ding to prepare a different kind of gift for His Highness Prince Li."

Han Mingyue gave a bitter smile, looking at Ye Li. "Aren’t you afraid I might go back on my word?"

Ye Li smiled serenely. "Not unless you want the entire world to know about the connection between the Flamboyant Gentleman, Qingfeng Mingyue Brothel, and Tianyi Pavilion. Please see yourself out; I won’t escort you."

"I take my leave." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Qingluan retracted her daggers. Watching Han Mingyue disappear through the window, she frowned in confusion. "Miss, are we just letting him leave like that?"

Ye Li stood by the window, gazing at the spot where Han Mingyue’s figure had vanished. "Do you really believe he is the master of Qingfeng Mingyue Brothel?"

"Is he not?"

Ye Li toyed with the jade pendant in her hand. "I suspect not. However, he must have a very close relationship with the real Han Mingyue. It’s not worth angering the true Han Mingyue over this person."

"Third Miss Ye is truly insightful." A teasing voice, tinged with a lazy laugh, drifted in from outside. Ye Li looked up to see Feng Zhiyao, who had materialized at some unknown moment leaning against the eaves. She chuckled. "Young Master Feng, it is hardly gentlemanly to arrive uninvited."

Feng Zhiyao fanned himself with leisurely grace, as if he were not standing outside a young lady’s private chambers but at a grand event under the gaze of thousands. "Third Miss’s methods and insight truly leave Third Feng in admiration. It’s not easy to gain an advantage over Han Mingyue." Ye Li smiled faintly. "I never take advantage of anyone, and I believe Master Han would agree. Speaking of which, Young Master Feng, your qinggong, allowing you to enter and exit the Minister’s Residence as if it were uninhabited, is almost comparable to that of the Flamboyant Gentleman."

A vein on Feng Zhiyao’s forehead throbbed visibly. He strove to maintain his suave demeanor. "His Highness Prince Ding invites Third Miss to accompany him to Prince Li’s wedding."

Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "Prince Ding will attend such an occasion?" She remembered he hadn’t made any public appearances since Mo Xiuyao’s incident.

Feng Zhiyao smiled. "Times change. Originally, he had no such intention. It was decided only this morning. I believe it will not disappoint Third Miss."

Ye Li blinked, instantly grasping the unspoken meaning in Feng Zhiyao’s words. She nodded and smiled. "Thank you for delivering the message, Young Master Feng."

"Third Feng will respectfully await your honored presence then."