Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 50. The Changing Rumors
50. The Rumor Changes
The news that Third Miss Ye, the future Princess Consort Ding, had been kidnapped by bandits was definitely a shock in the Capital City. Not long after Ye Li was kidnapped, rumors began to circulate in various social gatherings in the capital. An outright ban on such rumors would only exacerbate the situation, making them spread even more fiercely. Therefore, neither the Ye Family, the Xu Family, nor Prince Ding’s Mansion made any official comment. The next morning, when Ye Li returned to the Ye Family in a carriage loaded with various rewards from the palace, escorted by the second and third sons of the Xu family from the Xu Family’s villa, the rumors in people’s hearts gradually began to waver. After all, those who happened to pass by, intentionally or not, saw that Third Miss Ye seemed to be in good spirits and physical condition, not at all like someone who had just been kidnapped. Even the reactions of the two Xu young masters, including the notoriously fiery and outspoken Third Young Master Xu, appeared perfectly normal. So... was yesterday’s news just a malicious rumor?
Ye Li was inwardly amused by Qingshuang’s continual chatter about the comments she had heard outside. Of course, her third brother could now face people calmly, having vented most of his anger on those short-sighted bandits last night. Recalling the heavy stench of blood in the bandit’s den as she and Mo Xiuyao descended the mountain the previous night, and her third brother’s murderous aura, Ye Li believed that the scholarly Xu Family might indeed produce a military general. As for how Mo Xiuyao dealt with those bandits, Ye Li had no intention of asking. Whether that group consisted of bandits who had drifted into the Capital City from elsewhere or were locally grown, their absence was, all in all, a good thing.
"Third Miss Ye."
A clear male voice came from outside the window. Qingluan immediately drew her sword, pointing it at the young man who had suddenly appeared. Ye Li, smiling, pressed down on Qingluan’s arm and turned her head to smile. "Young Master Han, have you been well?" Outside the window was Han Mingyue, the very kidnapper from whom she had parted ways only last night.
Han Mingyue gave a bitter smile. "Third Miss, seeing me like this, would you say I’m doing well?" The moment he entered the courtyard, he could feel watchful eyes on him from the shadows. He had no doubt that if he made any rash move now, the Lord of Tianyi Pavilion would make him disappear from the world without a sound.
Taking a carved wooden box from his sleeve, Han Mingyue placed it on the windowsill. "This is to help calm Third Miss’s nerves, and also as a wedding gift to congratulate you and Xiuyao. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it in time for a celebratory drink then."
Ye Li nodded without looking at the box and asked, "Young Master Han, are you planning to leave the capital?"
Han Mingyue smiled. "I’ve had quite a few scares recently. Staying in Jiangnan would put my mind more at ease. Miss Ye, you and Xiuyao are welcome to visit Jiangnan when you have time. I will certainly do my utmost as a host." Ye Li chuckled. "Young Master Han, your words make us feel rather ashamed." Han Mingyue raised an eyebrow. "So... the previous misunderstanding, shall we write it off?" Ye Li’s eyes shifted slightly as she smiled. "The misunderstanding between you and me is written off." As for any misunderstanding between you and Mo Xiuyao, that’s your own business. Han Mingyue appeared somewhat disappointed. However, he knew better than to press the issue and even admired Ye Li for her discretion. He wasted no more time, cupped his hands, and said, "In that case, I must take my leave now."
"I won’t see you out."
Only after Han Mingyue had left did Qingluan step forward, pick up the box from the windowsill, and say discontentedly, "Miss, why were you so polite to that kind of person?" Ye Li turned and sat down, smiling. "He was very polite to us yesterday." Ye Li knew clearly that if Han Mingyue hadn’t been considerate of Mo Xiuyao’s connections from the start, they might not have been able to escape unscathed. She believed Han Mingyue was wary of Mo Xiuyao, but she wasn’t convinced he was truly afraid of him.
"If it weren’t for him, Miss, how could... Those people outside are still spreading rumors about Miss being kidnapped, and they’re saying such awful things..." Qingluan didn’t think Han Mingyue had been polite to them at all. It was because of him that their Miss was being subjected to idle gossip and ridicule. Ye Li said faintly, "If not him, it could have been someone else. Not everyone happens to be acquainted with the Prince." Taking the box Qingluan handed her and opening it, Ye Li was somewhat surprised. Inside, a thick stack of bank notes was neatly placed. There were two gold notes, each worth ten thousand taels, and more than a dozen silver notes, each worth a thousand taels. Qingluan gasped upon seeing them. "Miss... this..."
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, a troubled look on her face. Twenty thousand taels in gold notes were equivalent to over two hundred thousand taels of silver. Even Ye Li felt embarrassed to accept such a large sum. Beside the bank notes lay a pair of exquisite white jade dragon and phoenix pendants. The quality of the jade alone indicated their extraordinary value. After a moment’s thought, Ye Li closed the box again and handed it to Qingshuang. "Prepare yourself. I need to go to Prince Ding’s Mansion."
Qingshuang carefully held the box; she had also seen its contents. She had never seen so much money in her entire life! Goodness, she was terrified...
"Yes, Miss."
"Ah-Li! Ah-Li..." Murong Ting’s voice preceded her entry into the room. Ye Li smiled brightly and rose to greet her guests. Qin Zheng, Hua Tianxiang, and Qin Yuling—the sister of Qin Mu, the Governor of Capital City, whom Ye Li had met only twice—had come together to visit. Murong Ting rushed in first, grabbed Ye Li’s hands, and asked repeatedly, "Ah-Li, are you all right?" Ye Li smiled. "If I weren’t all right, how could I be standing here? Why have you all come?"
Qin Zheng covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled. "Ting’er dragged Tianxiang and me out early this morning, insisting on finding you. I told her you were perfectly fine, but she wouldn’t be reassured and had to see for herself. We met Miss Yuling on the way, so we came together." Murong Ting hugged Ye Li and waved her small fist angrily. "If I find out which bastard is spreading these rumors, I’ll beat him until his own parents can’t recognize him! It’s simply too much, ten thousand times worse than that scoundrel Leng Haoyu!" Everyone couldn’t help but laugh. Ye Li smiled at Qin Yuling and said, "Miss Qin, thank you for coming all this way to see me."
Qin Yuling smiled shyly. "Actually... I came to apologize to Miss Ye on behalf of my brother. This incident happened shortly after he took up the post of Governor of Capital City, and it has damaged Miss Ye’s reputation..."
Ye Li shook her head. Seeing Qin Yuling’s expression, she knew Qin Yuling must have come without telling Qin Mu. In reality, it made no sense to blame Qin Mu, the Governor of Capital City, for such an incident. Even in her previous life, with its advanced technology, crime was never eradicated. Besides, in this era, with limited manpower, how could one person possibly manage everything everywhere?
"Lord Qin is like a father to the people of the Capital City and has a reputation for being an impartial judge dedicated to serving them. These are just some rumors, Miss Qin; please don’t mind them. Rumors stop with the wise. If we ignore them, those people will find it boring and naturally stop spreading them."
Hearing Ye Li’s words, Qin Yuling breathed a sigh of relief. She had relied on her elder brother since childhood. Although her brother hadn’t said anything, she knew this matter involved the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, the Minister’s Estate, and the Xu Family. Her brother was merely a third-rank governor, and the Qin Family had no powerful backers. A single misstep could make him a scapegoat. "Thank you, Miss Ye."
Hua Tianxiang laughed. "Miss Qin, you don’t need to thank her. Those petty people are jealous of Ah-Li and want to ruin her reputation. Lord Qin can’t possibly control everyone’s tongue, can he? Ah-Li, looking at your attire, are you preparing to go out?" Hua Tianxiang noticed Ye Li’s clothes and asked, "I hope we didn’t come at an inconvenient time?"
"I was just planning to go to the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. It’s nothing important; I can go later," Ye Li said.
"Oh?" Murong Ting’s eyes twinkled with a mischievous grin. "So our Ah-Li is already so familiar with Prince Ding."
Ye Li shot her an exasperated glance. Murong Ting, unfazed, chuckled. "Why go to the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion in person? Just send an invitation to ask Prince Ding out, wouldn’t that do? It would also let those gossiping, insidious little people know that no matter how hard they try, they can’t break Ah-Li and Prince Ding apart!" Qin Yuling looked at Murong Ting with some confusion. "Miss Murong, do you know who did it?"
"Just call me Murong," Murong Ting said confidently. "Who else could it be but His Highness Prince Li, who can’t stand to see Ah-Li happy? I’ve never met a more small-minded man in my life. He and Ye Ying are a perfect match!"
Ye Li remained silent. Mo Jingli was truly wronged this time. However, perhaps it was his terrible character that made him so easily suspected? The other three exchanged glances. Looking at Murong Ting’s convinced expression and then thinking about the feud between Mo Jingli and Ye Li, they silently agreed with Murong Ting’s guess. Even Qin Yuling wore an expression that said, "I didn’t expect Prince Li to be such a person."
「」
Prince Li’s temper was no secret among the dignitaries of the Capital City. However, if one observed closely, they would find that after his grand wedding, His Highness Prince Li, who should have been basking in newlywed bliss, had an even worse temper than before. Especially when he went out early this morning, hearing people discuss Ye Li should have put him in an incomparably good mood. But he found that as he passed by, people would, intentionally or unintentionally, look at him with strange glances, or quickly shut up and change the topic to unrelated things. Even when drinking tea, he could feel everyone in the teahouse sneakily glancing at him, thinking they were being subtle. It should be Ye Li who is being ridiculed and made a laughingstock for her misfortune, and Mo Xiuyao who is being laughed at for being cuckolded! Why did he feel like everyone was laughing at him?
Most of the citizens of the Capital City were kind-hearted. So, when they saw Mo Jingli, even knowing they couldn’t afford to provoke this younger brother of the Emperor, they still cast disdainful glances his way. Tsk! What kind of person was he? It was bad enough that he unreasonably broke off the young lady’s engagement, but he also couldn’t stand to see her doing well. He had already damaged her reputation before, and now he was even spreading such vicious rumors? If this were an ordinary girl, wouldn’t she be driven to death by shame? Such a person, even if he was an imperial relative, was still, simply put, scum!
"Your... Your Highness..." The attendant following Mo Jingli was also quite frightened by the low pressure emanating from his master.
"What exactly is going on?!" Mo Jingli asked through gritted teeth.
Guard A looked left and right, dismayed to find he was the closest to the Prince. The other guards, B, C, and D, had long since slipped away. He stammered nervously, "Your... Your Highness, everyone is discussing Miss... Third Miss Ye’s affairs."
"This Prince knows they’re discussing that woman! What does discussing that woman have to do with this Prince?!" They’re all looking at this Prince as if I’m scum; do they think this Prince hasn’t noticed? Shouldn’t they be mocking and ridiculing that woman? Shouldn’t they be laughing at that good-for-nothing Mo Xiuyao for being cuckolded? (He’s aware he’s scum, then?)
"Well... some say, some say it’s because Your Highness can’t stand to see Third Miss Ye doing well, and you hate that she’s about to happily marry into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, and also because she was rude to you at Chuxiang Pavilion before, so you deliberately spread rumors... AHEM. AHEM. ...to ruin Third Miss Ye’s rep...utation..." The guard, trying to get the words out as quickly as possible, turned beet red. Before he could finish, he looked in terror as his prince crushed the folding fan in his hand to pieces.
"What did you say?!" A chilling aura emanated from Mo Jingli, causing passersby to instinctively give him a wide berth.
"Your... Your Highness..." It wasn’t me who said it; it’s what all the people in the Capital City are saying, Guard A cried inwardly. In short, the reputation of Prince Li’s Mansion, already tarnished by the Prince’s dallying with his prospective sister-in-law and buying things without paying, had once again hit a new low.
"Ah-Li, Zheng’er, hurry up. There aren’t many people upstairs; let’s sit outside." A clear female voice rescued Guard A, who was about to freeze. As the guard saw his prince’s gaze quickly turn towards the staircase, he curled himself up even faster and hid in a safe place. Murong Ting, dressed in a vibrant red, led the way up to the second floor, turning back to wave at her friends behind her. The waiter leading the way in front of her almost wanted to cry. Miss Murong, how can you say there’s no one upstairs? This is one of the best teahouses in the Capital City! Everyone’s been scared off by Prince Li!
"Huh?" Turning around, Murong Ting saw Mo Jingli, his face as dark as an inkstone. She couldn’t help but glance back, considering whether to change teahouses. But in that brief moment, Hua Tianxiang and the others had already come up. And so, the group of five young women found themselves staring at each other helplessly. Ye Li felt even more helpless. She suspected she truly had some ill-fated karmic tie with Mo Jingli from a past life. It seemed that wherever she went, she would run into him. She didn’t know that it wasn’t actually that strange. Even though the Capital City was the most prosperous city in Great Chu, compared to the large cities in her memory, it wasn’t actually that big. And the nobility wouldn’t frequent the same places as commoners; there were basically only a few places they could go. So, unless one rarely went out like Ye Li, people like Murong Ting, who often roamed about, would almost always bump into acquaintances upon entering a shop.
"Ah-Li..." Murong Ting looked apologetically at Ye Li. She truly hadn’t expected the newlywed Prince Li to be out drinking tea alone in broad daylight instead of staying home with his charming new wife.
"It’s alright, let’s stay here," Ye Li replied. She knew it wasn’t Murong Ting’s fault, and besides, she had no intention of deliberately avoiding Mo Jingli. They were all in the same Capital City, from noble families, and even had some distant relations; where could she possibly hide? Nodding calmly at Mo Jingli, Ye Li pulled Qin Zheng and Qin Yuling towards a quieter corner.
Murong Ting stuck out her tongue and, pulling Hua Tianxiang along, hurriedly followed.
"Sigh, do you think Prince Ding will actually come?" Murong Ting whispered. She hadn’t grown up in the Capital City and wasn’t very familiar with Prince Ding. Hua Tianxiang, however, seemed confident and nodded. "Don’t worry. My grandfather said Prince Ding is a good person. Since he received the invitation, he’ll definitely come."
Qin Yuling said softly, "Then perhaps we should leave a bit early, so we don’t disturb Ah-Li and Prince Ding’s conversation."
Murong Ting giggled. "It’s still early. We came out early, so Prince Ding definitely isn’t here yet. It won’t be too late to find another spot when he arrives. Hehe, did you see the expressions on those people downstairs just now? They looked so strange when we came in. I was afraid their eyes would pop out into their teacups." Hua Tianxiang hmphed lightly. "Those people probably thought Ah-Li was hiding at home crying right now. Of course, they’d be startled to see us suddenly appear."
Qin Zheng covered her mouth and smiled. "I’ve never seen so many people dumbfounded at the same time. This is the first time in my life I’ve been the center of so much attention."
Ye Li watched her friends chatter about their outing and could only shake her head with an amused smile. Actually, the rumors seemed far less intense than she had anticipated. Mo Xiuyao and her eldest maternal uncle must have done something behind the scenes. At least, most people looked at her with surprise or sympathy, rather than the disdain and contempt she had initially expected. It seemed most people didn’t believe the news of her abduction.
Ye Li and her friends sat in a relatively secluded corner, chatting among themselves. Mo Jingli sat alone by the window, his face sullen, drinking tea as if it were wine. Due to the distance, he couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he could still sense their good atmosphere and cheerful mood. They seemed completely unaffected by the rumors. Mo Jingli couldn’t help but grind his teeth. It was Ye Li who had gotten into trouble, yet she acted as if nothing was wrong, while he, on the other hand, was taking the blame! But if he were to rush over and confront Ye Li now, even Mo Jingli felt he would lose too much face. Therefore, he could only let the gloomy aura around him scare away the nearby patrons, and continue to gulp down his tea.
"Ah, Ah-Li! Prince Ding is here!" Just as he was feeling frustrated, he heard Murong Ting’s loud voice from not far behind him, audible throughout the entire second floor. Everyone looked up to see Murong Ting excitedly leaning out the window, looking down. Qin Zheng helplessly pulled her back and smiled at Ye Li. "Li’er, why don’t you go down and greet the Prince?" Hua Tianxiang covered her mouth to hide a smile, waving her hand teasingly. "It’s okay if you don’t come back. We’ll go shopping ourselves after we finish our snacks. Besides, there’s no extra seat here for Prince Ding anyway."
Hearing this, the few remaining guests on the second floor began to regret choosing seats further inside due to their fear of Prince Li’s chilling presence. Now, they could only prick up their ears and try their best to hear what the young ladies at the corner table were saying. Ye Li couldn’t help but find it amusing. Gossip truly was an indispensable part of human nature in any era. Under the direct or subtle gazes of the crowd, Ye Li stood up and walked downstairs. As she passed Mo Jingli’s table, she clearly felt his fierce glare on her. Ye Li sighed inwardly: some people are just naturally incompatible; it can’t be forced.
Watching Third Miss Ye calmly descend the stairs, the diners on the upper floor regarded Mo Jingli with even more complex expressions. Seeing Third Miss Ye appear so openly in public and calmly go to meet Prince Ding, she really didn’t seem like someone who had been through any trouble. In contrast, Prince Li’s face was dark and his expression ferocious, clearly showing the anger of a failed scheme. People exchanged glances, holding silent discussions. Mo Jingli seemed finally unable to bear the strange atmosphere. He slammed his teacup back on the table, stood up, glanced at the street below through the half-open window, and then, with a grim face, turned and went downstairs.
The moment Ye Li came down from upstairs, the entire ground-floor hall fell silent. After Ye Li walked out with a gentle expression and a smile, just as people were about to start discussing, they saw Mo Jingli come down with a gloomy face, followed by another wave of silence. However, seeing the demeanor of these two, those present were at least more inclined to sympathize with Ye Li.
「」
As Ye Li walked out of the teahouse, Prince Ding’s Mansion’s carriage had just pulled up. Ah-Jin was about to lift the curtain to help Mo Xiuyao alight. "Xiuyao," Ye Li called softly. Seeing Ye Li, Ah-Jin respectfully stepped aside. Ye Li nimbly stepped onto the small stool and into the carriage. Mo Xiuyao looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Why did you come down?" Ye Li sat down opposite him and smiled. "Tianxiang and the others said it was too crowded and there was no place for you, so they shooed me down. They’re just being mischievous. I was originally planning to go to Prince Ding’s Mansion again tomorrow."
Mo Xiuyao smiled. "Their mischief was very timely."
"What do you mean?" Ye Li asked, puzzled. Outside, Ah-Jin had already started driving the carriage forward. Ye Li thought for a moment, then leaned out and called out a place name. Just then, she saw Mo Jingli standing at the teahouse entrance, his eyes sullenly watching their carriage. Mo Xiuyao said, "Early this morning, the entire Capital City was abuzz with the rumor that Jing Li deliberately spread yesterday’s tale to embarrass you."
Ye Li was stunned, somewhat understanding why Mo Jingli’s expression had been so awful. Given Mo Jingli’s personality, it would be strange if he felt comfortable being wrongly accused. Recalling Murong Ting’s confident guess earlier, it turned out she hadn’t just made it up.
"Ah-Li, did you seek me out for something specific?" Mo Xiuyao asked, looking at Ye Li’s charming face, which seemed lost in thought.
Ye Li snapped back to reality and nodded. "This morning, Han Mingyue sent over gold notes worth twenty thousand taels, over ten thousand taels in silver notes, and a pair of jade pendants. I was planning to take them with me when I go to the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion tomorrow. It wasn’t convenient to carry them around while out with Tianxiang and the others." Mo Xiuyao shook his head, unconcerned. "He gave them to you, so you should just keep them." Ye Li was speechless. With a gift worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, even if Han Mingyue dared to give it, she felt too embarrassed to accept it. "I’ll have someone send them to Prince Ding’s Mansion tomorrow. Or you can decide what to do with them. I have enough money for my expenses." Mo Xiuyao sighed helplessly. "Ah-Li... once Han Mingyue delivered those things to you, they became yours. Just accept them with peace of mind. You don’t need to feel indebted to him. Han Mingyue is the type who feels the pinch for every extra tael of silver he spends. Since he was willing to send those things as an apology gift, he naturally felt they were worth it. You don’t have to promise him anything."
Ye Li smiled. "I indeed didn’t plan to promise him anything." Ye Li had secretly guessed that Han Mingyue must have done something to wrong Mo Xiuyao in the past, and now this incident had occurred. Unexpectedly, Mo Xiuyao had just let him off. Han Mingyue was probably feeling guilty or remorseful but couldn’t find a way to make amends, hence his efforts to curry favor with her, sparing no expense. Unfortunately, Ye Li had no intention of meddling and trying to rekindle the flower of friendship between former companions, so Han Mingyue’s money was likely spent in vain.
"So, you asked me out today just for this?" Mo Xiuyao asked.
Listening to Mo Xiuyao’s deep, pleasant voice, Ye Li, who was engrossed in her thoughts, felt her heart skip a beat. Somewhat embarrassed, she said, "It really wasn’t anything major. Did I disturb you?" Seeing that Mo Xiuyao seemed genuinely uninterested in the gifts from Han Mingyue, Ye Li couldn’t help but wonder just how incredibly wealthy the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion truly was.
"I’m usually quite idle," Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "Since we’re already out, would you accompany me somewhere?"
Ye Li nodded. "I’m not very familiar with the Capital City; you can decide."
With Ye Li’s permission, Mo Xiuyao gave an instruction to Ah-Jin, who was driving. Ah-Jin immediately turned the carriage in another direction.
「」
In the carriage, Ye Li asked curiously, "Fenghua Pavilion? You’re not planning to give me jewelry, are you? I own a jewelry shop myself."
Mo Xiuyao looked at her with a smile. "Isn’t it normal to give jewelry to one’s fiancée? Is it not allowed?"
Ye Li fell silent. Could she say that he might as well patronize her Treasure Collection Pavilion, keeping the profits within the family, so to speak? Even if she had never seriously been in a relationship, she knew such words would be quite a mood killer. But... was Mo Xiuyao trying to win her favor? Ye Li felt an inexplicable irritation in her heart, but looking at Mo Xiuyao’s gentle and composed expression, she couldn’t discern his thoughts at all, so she could only give up helplessly. Surely, receiving jewelry from a man who wasn’t entirely disagreeable and was her future husband should be a happy occasion, right?
Fenghua Pavilion was a very famous jewelry shop in the Capital City, primarily selling jade items. The reason it was so beloved by the young ladies of the capital was not only its high prices and exquisite designs but, more importantly, that the jewelry sold there never had identical styles. Each piece was unique, which made it particularly favored by young ladies and noblewomen who disliked having the same items as others. Ye Li had once considered taking Treasure Collection Pavilion down this high-end route, but unfortunately, Treasure Collection Pavilion lacked outstanding designers and master carvers, and Ye Li herself only had a superficial understanding of so-called jewelry design, so she had to abandon the idea.
Upon entering Fenghua Pavilion, the shopkeeper immediately came forward to greet them. Even upon seeing Mo Xiuyao enter in a wheelchair, he only faltered for a brief moment before putting on a polite smile and welcoming them. "So it is Prince Ding and Third Miss Ye. Your presence at Fenghua Pavilion truly graces our humble shop. Your Highness, Miss Ye, please come in."
He led the two into an inner room, where a young girl with delicate features immediately served fragrant spring tea. Ye Li smiled, sipped her tea, and observed the elegant and comfortable furnishings of the room, sighing inwardly at the truly VIP treatment. No wonder Fenghua Pavilion could become the most favored place for the nobles of the Capital City. With such meticulous service, how could they worry about not earning their customers’ money?
Perhaps due to Mo Xiuyao’s status, the shopkeeper personally attended to them. "Does Your Highness wish to select some jewelry for Third Miss Ye? It seems this is Third Miss Ye’s first visit to our shop. I wonder what kind of jewelry she prefers?"
Ye Li looked at Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao sipped his tea and said softly, "Bring a few fine pieces for us to look at first."
The shopkeeper assented and turned to fetch the items himself. Ye Li asked, puzzled, "Are we really here to buy jewelry?"
Mo Xiuyao smiled. "Ah-Li, you’re overthinking. Since we’re out, what’s wrong with buying a few pieces if we find something we like?"
Ye Li asked with some suspicion, "Is it because my usual attire embarrasses you?" Thinking about it, it wasn’t entirely impossible. Ye Li had a fair amount of jewelry, all left to her by Ms. Xu before her death. However, Ye Li had always disliked cumbersome adornments, so her attire, especially her headdresses, was generally kept to a level that wouldn’t be impolite. She found overly ornate styles somewhat unacceptable. Given the status of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, it was indeed possible that the future Princess Consort dressing too plainly would be seen as a loss of face.
Mo Xiuyao shook his head helplessly and looked earnestly at Ye Li. "I would be the one who couldn’t stand it if your head were truly piled high with jewels. In fact, I didn’t know where else to go, so I just brought you here to take a look. Feng Zhiyao said the jewelry here is good."
Ye Li looked at him suspiciously, trying to find a trace of discomfort on his face. But the man was too composed; even when saying such incredibly innocent-sounding words, his expression remained as elegant and calm as if he were reading an ancient scroll in his study. Ye Li could only tell herself she was overthinking. Thinking about it, it made sense. Although he now appeared gentle, refined, and jade-like, it was said that in his youth, he had also had his wild days—leaning on a slanted bridge on horseback, with a whole tower of red-sleeved ladies beckoning.
Soon, the shopkeeper returned, carrying two boxes. He placed them on the table and carefully opened them, saying, "It is a rare honor for Your Highness and Third Miss Ye to grace our shop. This set of jewelry is our owner’s latest design, personally crafted by him. And I’m afraid this will be the only set this year. Miss Ye, what do you think?"
Hearing the shopkeeper speak so solemnly, Ye Li also became curious.
It was a set of exquisite nephrite jade jewelry. Nephrite wasn’t the most valuable type of jade, but Ye Li had never seen jade of such superb quality, not even in Shende Pavilion or Treasure Collection Pavilion. More importantly, its style was simple yet elegant, like a graceful magnolia flower quietly blooming in the moonlight, evoking a sense of tranquility and gentle softness from the depths of one’s heart. No woman in this world could escape the allure of exquisite jewelry, Ye Li sighed inwardly.
"This set of jewelry includes two magnolia hairpins, one bracelet, one bangle, and this forehead ornament." Seeing Ye Li’s appreciative gaze, the shopkeeper immediately opened another box, revealing the forehead ornament inside. The light cyan jade had no intricate patterns or inlaid gemstones. The ornament itself was composed of beautifully shaped magnolia flowers, lying quietly in a silk-lined brocade box, emitting a faint, soft glow.
"Do you like it?" Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li and said with a smile, "It suits Ah-Li very well."
"It is indeed very beautiful," Ye Li nodded.
"We’ll take this one. Send someone to my mansion later to collect the payment."
Seeing that both were satisfied, the shopkeeper, having made a big sale, was clearly very pleased. "Yes. Will Miss Ye take it with her now, or shall we deliver it?" Mo Xiuyao said faintly, "Just send it directly to Ye Mansion."
