Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 51. Uncle’s Teaching

51. Uncle’s Teachings

"Greetings to both Princesses."

Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao walked out of the inner room accompanied by the shopkeeper and heard the respectful greeting of the doorman at the entrance. The shopkeeper hurriedly excused himself to welcome the newcomers. The newly arrived guests also noticed the two; Eldest Princess Zhaoyang was startled and exclaimed, "Xiuyao?" She hastened towards them and stopped a few steps away from Mo Xiuyao, speaking softly, "Xiuyao, are you accompanying Miss Ye out shopping?" Mo Xiuyao gave a subtle nod, admitting, "Yes. It’s been many years, Eldest Princess." Princess Zhaoyang’s face was tinged with sadness as she nodded. "Indeed, many years. As long as you’re doing well now, that’s all that matters. After your wedding, Miss Ye, you’re welcome to visit the Princess Mansion frequently to keep an old woman like me company."

Ye Li nodded lightly, smiling. "Thank you for your kindness, Princess Zhaoyang. I will certainly visit."

Princess Zhaoyang sighed softly, pulling Ye Li close with a smile. "Although it’s only the second time I’m meeting Miss Ye, your mother and I were quite acquainted when we were young. Miss Ye, feel free to choose any gift you like. Consider it a first-meeting gift from an elder like me." Ye Li was about to decline when Mo Xiuyao was a step ahead. "Aunt Zhaoyang... please don’t frighten Ah-Li. We still have some unfinished business and need to leave early. Weren’t you accompanying Princess Zhaoren? We wouldn’t want to spoil her enjoyment."

The elegantly dressed woman who was being ignored was none other than Princess Zhaoren, whom they had seen recently at Mo Jingli’s wedding. Hearing Mo Xiuyao’s words, she merely hummed lightly. Princess Zhaoyang frowned and conceded with a sigh. "Alright, Miss Ye. If anything comes up, just send someone to my mansion." Ye Li quietly thanked her and left Fenghua Pavilion with Mo Xiuyao.

Once they boarded the carriage, Ye Li noticed that Mo Xiuyao was visibly upset. Without saying much, she picked up a book that was left in the carriage and began reading. But she couldn’t ignore the strange feeling from Princess Zhaoyang’s words and expressions in the shop earlier. The feeling was similar to the one Han Mingyue gave off. It was as if they wanted to get close to Mo Xiuyao, but for some unknown reason, they kept a distance. Their expressions always revealed faint guilt and the intention of making up for something. This kind of compensation was clearly something Mo Xiuyao wasn’t willing to accept. Therefore, they tried to compensate by transferring these feelings to her, like the silver draft from Han Mingyue and the attitude of Princess Zhaoyang. What exactly had these people done to wrong Mo Xiuyao?

The atmosphere inside the carriage was tense. "I’m sorry, Ah-Li," Mo Xiuyao murmured, his eyes filled with mild regret. Ye Li looked at him in confusion, to which he responded with a wry smile. "I initially wanted to take you out to relax a bit..." It then dawned on Ye Li. Was he apologizing because his mood had been soured? But it was inevitable to feel bad when one encountered people they disliked, right? Or had she behaved like a petulant girl, making him feel the need to apologize?

"It doesn’t matter. Let’s go back if you’re not in the mood today. We can go out again when you’re feeling better." In fact, she didn’t feel like accompanying a sullen man on an outing anyway. She wasn’t good at comforting people. She would rather spend the time on something else. After what happened yesterday, she realized that she had a ton of things to do.

Mo Xiuyao remained silent for a moment before agreeing. "Let me take you back."

Ye Li nodded and gave instructions to Ah-Jin, who was driving the carriage. They set off for the Minister’s Mansion. Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li’s calm expression, and his mood lightened significantly. He chuckled. "Ah-Li seems not to worry at all." Ye Li shrugged. "There’s really nothing to worry about. But I guess the old lady at home must be extremely worried." If the betrothal with the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion was annulled again, the old lady would probably want to send her to a nunnery. Not only would it damage the Ye Family’s reputation, but it would also result in the loss of a large amount of betrothal gifts from Prince Ding’s Mansion. It would be a heartache for both the old lady and Ms. Wang.

"Everything will be alright. In a day or two, all this will blow over."

Ye Li nodded slightly, not saying anything more. What if something had gone wrong last night? Neither of them spoke of this question; it hung in the air between them, unspoken. Perhaps even if something had happened, Mo Xiuyao would still cover it up, still marry her, perhaps even kill Han Mingyue. Or maybe she would have killed Han Mingyue herself, but she would never have agreed to marry Mo Xiuyao. Who exactly was that mastermind? Mo Xiuyao had no intention of telling her, and she didn’t plan to ask. They were preparing to spend the rest of their lives together, but they didn’t plan to treat each other as the most important or most loved person. Just as she could never believe that Mo Xiuyao was more important than her family, there must be someone more important to Mo Xiuyao than her in his heart.

When they reached the front gate of the Ye Mansion, Mo Xiuyao personally watched Ye Li walk through the entrance before lowering the curtain and telling Ah-Jin, "Let’s return to the mansion."

Ah-Jin silently watched the closing gate, hesitating for a moment before quietly asking, "Your Highness, why don’t you tell Miss Ye..."

"Ah-Jin, back to the mansion."

"...Yes, Your Highness."

This isn’t a misunderstanding; this is a dividing line worse than that. Ah-Yao, you’re in trouble now.

As soon as Ye Li entered the main gate, Qingxia and Qingshuang, who were waiting, came up to inform her that her maternal uncle had arrived and was waiting to see her. Ye Li was puzzled. "Is it my eldest uncle or second uncle?" She had just returned from the Xu Family this morning. Had something else happened?

Qingshuang reported, "Both maternal uncles are here. They are currently speaking with the old lady in Rongle Hall."

Ye Li reluctantly looked at the clothes she was wearing. Never mind. "Let’s just go directly."

Upon entering Rongle Hall, Ye Li saw her two maternal uncles sitting and drinking tea. Old Madam Ye, Minister Ye, and Ms. Wang were also present, their expressions somewhat odd. Seeing Ye Li enter, Old Madam Ye let out a sigh of relief and smiled at her. "Li’er, your uncles came specifically to see you, and yet you ran off. Come and greet them." Ye Li obediently moved forward to perform her greetings. Xu Hong Yu waved it off, saying, "No need. Li’er just returned from the Xu Family today; there’s no need to say we came specifically to visit." Xu Hongyan, too, nodded with a stern face. "Indeed. We intended to convey some matters to Li’er yesterday, which is why we invited her over. We hadn’t anticipated all this fuss. It seems our Xu Family was rather thoughtless."

Old Madam Ye and Minister Ye awkwardly shared a glance. Although Xu Hongyan blamed the Xu Family, they couldn’t ignore the insinuation against the Ye Family. The Ye Family had done nothing in the face of the circulating rumors, not even sending someone to the Xu Family to inquire about the situation. Naturally, the Xu Family would feel slighted. However, Old Madam Ye remained undecided at the sight of the young girl before her. She couldn’t be certain whether Ye Li had truly gone to the Xu Family yesterday or had been kidnapped by bandits as the rumors suggested. If it was the latter...

Xu Hongyan snorted at the disgruntled expressions of Old Madam Ye and Minister Ye. Xu Hong Yu gave him a brief look before turning to Ye Li with a faint smile. "Didn’t you go out with Miss Qin and Miss Hua from the Qin and Hua families? When we arrived, we heard that General Murong’s daughter had taken those two young ladies to cause trouble for Second Young Master Leng. Tell me, did you join in their mischief as well?" Ye Li had not anticipated that Murong Ting would cause such a scene and quickly shook her head. "I accompanied Prince Ding to Fenghua Pavilion and met Eldest Princess Zhaoyang and Princess Zhaoren. I returned right after. It was Li’er’s fault for making my uncles wait."

"Oh? You went to Fenghua Pavilion with Prince Ding? That’s fine; it’s not bad for young people to get out and about." Xu Hong Yu seemed very satisfied with Ye Li’s answer. Xu Hongyan also nodded in approval and casually complained, "Your aunt keeps urging that Qingze of ours to accompany Miss Qin out more often, but that boy is such a blockhead, acting as if saying half a word more would be a loss to him!" Ye Li thought of Xu Qingze’s cold demeanor and couldn’t help but smile faintly. The gentle and amiable Zheng’er was, ironically, betrothed to a man who was cold and taciturn. It seemed that apart from that one time Second Aunt sent him to deliver a gift to the Qin Family, the two had not formally met yet.

Turning a blind eye to the subtly changing expressions of Minister Ye and Old Madam Ye, Xu Hong Yu directly addressed Minister Ye, "I have some matters to discuss privately with Li’er, if that’s alright..." Minister Ye had always been fearful of this elder brother-in-law. Upon hearing him, he no longer dared to dispute, hastily replying, "Of course. Li’er, take your eldest uncle and second uncle to your courtyard to sit. Later, I have prepared a banquet and hope you two esteemed brothers will grace us with your presence." Xu Hongyan stood up calmly. "Elder Brother has arranged to play a few games of Go with Elder Su this evening. Let’s skip the banquet." Seeing Xu Hong Yu’s indifferent expression, Minister Ye could only give in, allowing Ye Li to take her two uncles to speak privately. Old Madam Ye, discontented with her son’s spineless demeanor, shot him a reproachful glance, but given the overwhelming influence of the current patriarch of the Xu Clan, she could only let it go.

Returning to Qingyi Pavilion, Xu Hongyan looked around the interior and exterior decorations, nodded in satisfaction, then turned and left, leaving the room for his elder brother and niece to talk.

"Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, did you make a special trip here to instruct Li’er on something important?" Ye Li asked as she helped Xu Hong Yu sit down and personally poured him tea.

Xu Hong Yu studied her for a moment and then smiled, "It seems like Li’er is in good spirits and hasn’t been affected by the gossip. Is that correct?"

After serving the clear tea, Ye Li sat down and smiled with a hint of resignation. "Life must go on, even with all the rumors. Besides, the current situation is already much better than I initially anticipated."

Xu Hong Yu looked at her solemnly. "Then, what will you do if things turn out worse than you imagined? It was indeed fortunate that you were able to come out unscathed last night, but what if something serious had happened... Li’er, have you thought about it?" Ye Li fell silent, staring at the clear tea before her. She nodded and replied, "I’ve made you worry, Uncle. But... no matter what happens, one must still live on. I may not fear death, but as long as there’s hope, I will definitely live. At least, I absolutely will not die because of rumors." At this point, Ye Li couldn’t help biting her lip. Even in the relatively open-minded Great Chu, a woman’s chastity was still valued far more than her life. She didn’t know if her Eldest Uncle would accept her words, but this was her true feeling. Ye Li would absolutely never give up her life for a mistake that wasn’t hers.

"Very good. That’s what I’d expect from a daughter of our Xu Family." Quite some time later, Xu Hong Yu put down his teacup and said calmly.

Ye Li paused, swiftly looking up at her Eldest Uncle. Xu Hong Yu looked at Ye Li, his gaze filled with a touch of sadness. "The men of the Xu Family, though traditionally valuing scholarly pursuits, have always been sufficiently strong. No amount of hardship is enough to make us give up what belongs to us. However... the daughters of the Xu Family, while indeed intelligent and wise, are also more fragile than ordinary women. Just like your mother... If only your younger sister had possessed half your fortitude, why would things have come to this?"

"Eldest Uncle..." Every time her mother was mentioned, it always saddened her Eldest Uncle greatly. Ye Li thought of her mother, frail yet beautiful in her memory, and couldn’t help but sigh. Her mother had been too well-protected by the Xu Family when she was young, so the reality after marriage was something she couldn’t accept, leading her to gradually wither away in the grand courtyards of the Ye Family.

Xu Hong Yu waved his hand. "Prince Ding is an outstanding man; I still maintain that. However, in many respects, he is not a good candidate for a husband. Li’er, do you know why the Xu Family did not oppose this marriage?" Ye Li looked at her Eldest Uncle’s gentle yet somewhat stern gaze, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Is it because the imperial decree is hard to defy?"

"That’s one reason," Xu Hong Yu said. "But if the Xu Family truly didn’t want it, it’s not as if there’s no solution. Your maternal grandfather still has some influence. If he personally came to the Capital City to request His Majesty to retract the decree, His Majesty would not refuse." Ye Li was startled and quickly replied, "Absolutely not! Grandfather is already advanced in years and has finally distanced himself from the turmoil of the Capital City. How could he be drawn back into it for my sake?" Not to mention, her grandfather was already over seventy. The thought of the elderly man enduring the arduous journey to the Capital City was unacceptable to Ye Li. A look of relief flashed across Xu Hong Yu’s face as he gently patted Ye Li. "Your grandfather knows Li’er is a filial and good child."

Ye Li pondered for a moment, then frowned in confusion. "Li’er truly can’t figure it out. Please enlighten me, Eldest Uncle."

Xu Hong Yu sighed. "Because of your status. If your surname were Xu, the Xu Family could legitimately refuse the Emperor’s designated marriage on your behalf. Even marrying into an ordinary scholarly family in Bingzhou would be fine; the Xu Family doesn’t need more glory and wealth. However, your surname is Ye. For your marriage, besides the imperial family, the Ye Family also has a say. Moreover, you previously had a marriage decreed by the former Emperor. Although His Majesty annulled your engagement with Prince Li, he betrothed Ye Ying to Prince Li. Ye Ying is said to be the legitimate daughter of the Ye Family, but in reality, she’s merely the daughter of a concubine. His Majesty wants to heavily utilize your father, favor Ye Zhaoyi, and also satisfy the upright scholars of the realm. Therefore, you cannot marry someone of lower standing than Ye Ying. In other words... if you don’t marry Prince Ding, you would still be betrothed to other princes, or even... enter the palace as an imperial consort. Entering the palace is out of the question. Your grandfather and I considered all the unmarried princes, and only Prince Ding was deemed acceptable."

Ye Li nodded in agreement with her Eldest Uncle’s words. "Actually, Prince Ding is much better than Li’er originally expected. Although I’m now discovering... it might be more troublesome than I initially thought, it’s not entirely unacceptable, is it? As Eldest Uncle said, Prince Ding is an outstanding man." Xu Hong Yu looked at Ye Li curiously and asked, "What did Li’er originally imagine Prince Ding to be like?"

Ye Li smiled somewhat sheepishly. "Weren’t there rumors that Prince Ding was... disabled and disfigured? And suffering from a serious illness?" Anyone could imagine what such a tragic figure would be like, so the current Mo Xiuyao is truly surprisingly well.

Xu Hong Yu, who could evidently imagine it too, glared at her in exasperation. "If he were really like that, it would be better to find a way to poison him. Even if you remained unmarried your whole life, it would be preferable to marrying a good-for-nothing."

Whether or not she married a good-for-nothing wasn’t something Ye Li was particularly concerned about. After all, with the standing of Prince Ding’s Mansion, it was unlikely she would be required to personally attend to Mo Xiuyao. She could just consider it as having a companion for life. The man himself wasn’t as incapacitated as rumored, but the troubles were more numerous than expected. The fact that her Eldest Uncle was personally discussing these things with her showed his concern, and Ye Li could already foresee that her married life would definitely not be as idyllic as she had imagined.

"Last night, your eldest male cousin (Qingchen) mentioned it, and only then did I realize how utterly muddled the Ye Family’s affairs have been these years! And you! After staying in the Capital City for so many years, you don’t understand the people and matters here at all!" Xu Hong Yu shot Ye Li a displeased sideways glance. Ye Li promptly lowered her head, feigning contrition. Never mind her father being afraid of Eldest Uncle; she was afraid of him now too. In fact, apart from her eldest male cousin, she hadn’t met anyone who wasn’t afraid of Eldest Uncle. Well... perhaps Mo Xiuyao should be counted as an exception.

Eldest Uncle was right. Over the years, she had indeed deliberately isolated herself from her surroundings, rarely stepping out. Granted, Ms. Wang had played no small part in this, but the primary responsibility still lay with herself. Even though she had long since accepted her current life, deep down, Ye Li probably still felt that her past life was the real one, and this current existence was more like an unexpected game or dream. Of course, the risks of last night had added a much-needed dose of reality.

"How much have you understood of the materials Hongyan gave you earlier?" Xu Hong Yu asked directly.

Ye Li knew her Eldest Uncle was referring to the information Xu Hongyan had given her concerning the relationships among the Capital City’s powerful figures and important personages. She quickly replied, "I’ve memorized it all." Xu Hong Yu shook his head. "Memorizing that kind of thing is useless; you need to understand the connections within. You know the people of State Duke Hua’s Mansion, and you’ve also met Noble Consort Liu in the palace. Can you tell me what you think the relationship is like between the current Empress and Noble Consort Liu, and between State Duke Hua’s Mansion and the Liu Mansion?"

Ye Li was surprised. This was delving rather deep. However, she still earnestly considered Xu Hong Yu’s words for a long time before replying, "Li’er has not met the Empress, but I am quite familiar with the people of the Hua Mansion and have also met Princess Changle once. The Empress is the Emperor’s principal wife; although not favored, she should be a magnanimous and virtuous woman. As for Noble Consort Liu, she is somewhat arrogant and has a reserved temperament. But the Emperor favors her greatly, and she has two sons and a daughter. Therefore, the relationship between these two... is likely not very harmonious. However, I haven’t heard of any discord between the Hua Family and the Liu Family." Prime Minister Liu and Minister Ye are indeed at odds in court, currently in a stalemate. But the situation in the palace clearly seems to favor Noble Consort Liu.

Xu Hong Yu nodded. "Well said, but people’s hearts are fickle, especially those in the palace, which are even harder to fathom. You still need to put more effort into this. It seems Hongyan only gave you current information; he probably assumed you knew about the earlier years." Ye Li felt somewhat ashamed. Those earlier years, especially when Mo Xiuyao encountered misfortune, coincided with a time when her memories were chaotic and her health was frail. After recovering, she paid very little attention to external affairs, so she truly didn’t know about those old matters. Her Second Uncle (Hongyan) probably never imagined she would be ignorant of even those widely discussed events.

"How much do you know about the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion?"

Ye Li understood that her Eldest Uncle had come specifically to fill her in on these basic facts. "The first master of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion was Mo Lanyun, the biological younger brother of Mo Chengtian, the Great Ancestor Emperor of Great Chu. At the founding of Great Chu, the Great Ancestor Emperor enfeoffed him as a hereditary Prince of the first rank, bestowing upon him the title ’Dingguo’ (Stabilizer of the Nation). This title has been passed down for seven generations. During the time of the late Emperor, when powerful ministers were deceiving the young sovereign, the then King of Ding Kingdom, Mo Liufang, returned to the Capital City from the border, executed the treacherous ministers, and supported the young Emperor, for which he was made Regent Prince. When the late Emperor turned sixteen, Mo Liufang returned political power to him. In the twenty-ninth year of the late Emperor’s reign, Mo Liufang passed away from illness. His eldest son, Mo Xiuwen, inherited the title. The following year, the late Emperor passed away. In the third year of the current Emperor’s reign, Mo Xiuwen was ordered to lead an expedition against the Rongyi. He fell ill and died en route, leaving no heir. The then eighteen-year-old Mo Xiuyao inherited the title and led the troops to battle the Rongyi. He was ambushed and suffered heavy losses, nearly dying on the battlefield. Although he ultimately devised a strategy to turn defeat into victory, it came at a terrible price. Three months later, Mo Xiuyao’s fiancée died of illness. Since then, the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion has, for all intents and purposes, vanished from prominence in the Capital City."

"Is there anything else?"

Ye Li furrowed her brow and continued, "Each generation of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion has been renowned for producing exceptional talents, excelling in both civil and martial pursuits. In contrast, the imperial family, though from the same lineage, often pales in comparison. Among the most outstanding were the first King of Ding Kingdom, Mo Lanyun. It’s said that if he hadn’t married a Commendary Princess from the previous dynasty, he might have had a stronger claim to the imperial throne than the Great Ancestor Emperor. Then there was Mo Liufang, who was capable of stabilizing the nation through martial prowess and governing it through civil administration. And Mo Xiuyao was once acclaimed as an extraordinary talent, not inferior to his ancestors. If Mo Liufang hadn’t passed away when Mo Xiuyao was only thirteen, perhaps the title of King of Ding Kingdom would have been his from the beginning."

The room was silent. As Ye Li quietly refilled Xu Hong Yu’s teacup, she heard him ask, "Indeed. In a short span of five or six years, the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion suffered ruin and devastation. A truly peerless general of his generation thus fell from grace, and the myth of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion’s invincibility was shattered. Li’er, you should know, it was your maternal grandfather who once made the judgment that Mo Xiuyao was a rare talent, not inferior to his ancestors. For this, your grandfather has been filled with regret for over a decade."

"What does Eldest Uncle mean?" Ye Li was taken aback. Political infighting has been incessant throughout history. Even now, private speculations about the decline of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion were endless. But hearing it so explicitly from her Eldest Uncle’s lips still left Ye Li stunned. Recovering from the shock, Ye Li quickly calmed down and said, "I’ve heard that Prince Ding was indeed astonishingly talented and achieved brilliant military successes in his youth. That being the case, those who would target the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion would have done so regardless of whether Grandfather had made that statement or not. Grandfather was merely appreciating his talent; he couldn’t predict the future. In this matter... Grandfather truly doesn’t need to reproach himself."

Xu Hong Yu nodded in approval. "It’s already remarkable for someone your age to have such insight. I’m telling you all this because I want you to understand the situation of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. Although in the eyes of outsiders, the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion has declined to the point where only its prestigious name remains, but..." Ye Li looked at him and interjected, "But the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion still possesses a trump card that makes the imperial family wary of acting against it rashly, correct?"

"Precisely. If not for that, Mo Xiuyao would likely have ’died of illness’ long ago. The current reason His Majesty dares not touch him is due to fear of the consequences—’hesitating to pelt a rat for fear of smashing the vase beside it.’ The successive deaths of the previous two Kings of Ding Kingdom have already aroused widespread suspicion. If anything untoward were to happen to Mo Xiuyao now, it would likely destabilize the foundations of the nation."

Ye Li sighed softly, a chill creeping over her. She grasped her teacup, drawing warmth from it. "Did His Majesty choose Li’er because he is also wary of the Xu Family? Isn’t he afraid that if the Xu Family and the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion were to form an alliance through marriage..."

Xu Hong Yu’s gaze was cool. "The ancestral decree of the Xu Family is clear: as long as the imperial family does not move against the Xu Family, the Xu Clan will never betray the imperial family."

"And people actually believe such words?" Ye Li was perplexed. Even treaties signed on paper can be torn up at any time, let alone a mere vow. Xu Hong Yu glared at her, displeased. "This is written into the Xu Family’s ancestral rules. The Xu Family has built its reputation on integrity for hundreds of years." Ye Li recoiled slightly, rubbing her nose, and asked with curiosity, "Eldest Uncle, um... did the Xu Family make any vows to the emperors of the previous dynasty?"

"AHEM, AHEM..." Xu Hong Yu coughed dryly a few times, glaring at Ye Li in exasperation. Ye Li could only shrug, resting her chin on her hand in silence. So, that’s how it is, she thought. How could a renowned family that has endured for centuries be so pedantic? It’s not that we won’t betray; it’s just that the reward for betrayal hasn’t been high enough.

After shooting Ye Li one last glare, Xu Hong Yu stated seriously, "In any case, unless absolutely forced, the Xu Family will not forsake the imperial family." The Xu Family lacks neither fame nor fortune and has never been obsessed with power. The imperial throne? What use is that thing? If you want to be an enlightened ruler, you must be prepared to work yourself to death. If you want to enjoy yourself and rule wantonly, you must be prepared to go down in history with a foul reputation.

"Li’er understands. Eldest Uncle, who do you think wants to sabotage my marriage with Prince Ding? If it isn’t the Emperor?" Ye Li asked.

Xu Hong Yu shook his head. "That’s truly hard to say. Qingchen only said it was a woman. But we’ve filtered through almost every woman connected to Prince Ding and still haven’t found out who it is. Prince Ding himself should know; has he said anything?" As he mentioned this, a trace of displeasure crossed Xu Hong Yu’s scholarly face. Seeing Ye Li shake her head, he snorted. "He himself should have a sense of propriety. If anything else that shouldn’t happen occurs again, then this husband of yours would be better off not had. The Xu Family can certainly afford to support its own granddaughter."

"Li’er thinks it might be a woman who admires Prince Ding," Ye Li said, feeling no need to be coy with Xu Hong Yu, and directly stated her suspicion.

Xu Hong Yu smiled as he looked at her. "Admirers of Prince Ding? If you’re talking about when Prince Ding was young, at that time, at least half the young ladies in the Capital City were infatuated with him. However... not a single one of them would have had the means to bribe Tianyi Pavilion. Although Han Mingyue is avaricious, he was also a very close friend of Prince Ding in their youth. It’s impossible for him to provoke Prince Ding’s fiancée just for money."

"Then... what about a woman who both admires Mo Xiuyao and is on very good terms with Han Mingyue?"

Xu Hong Yu raised an eyebrow. "There is one, but it’s impossible for it to be her."

Ye Li blinked. Xu Hong Yu calmly put down his teacup and said, "Noble Consort Liu."

This time it was Ye Li’s turn to cough. "Noble...Noble Consort Liu?"

"Is there anything strange about that? Noble Consort Liu was once renowned as the Capital City’s Number One Talented Woman. Even your eldest male cousin (Qingchen), who usually wouldn’t spare anyone a second glance, spoke gently and kindly to the then Prince Ding. It’s a pity... Prince Ding already had someone in his heart at that time; otherwise, they would have been a rare, ideal couple. Moreover, Noble Consort Liu excelled at painting, and Han Mingyue’s painting skills in his youth were also acclaimed throughout the Capital City. The second scroll of his ’Beauties of the Chu Capital’ series depicted Noble Consort Liu, and it remains priceless to this day. However, after Noble Consort Liu entered the palace, that painting was bought by His Majesty for a hefty sum." Somehow, Xu Hong Yu set aside the heavier topics and began to share old gossip with Ye Li.

Ye Li recalled the woman in the palace, as beautiful and aloof as a pear blossom; she was indeed worthy of the term ’national beauty’. "Why does Eldest Uncle say it couldn’t be her?"

"Your eldest male cousin (Qingchen) knows Noble Consort Liu. Although he didn’t see the woman’s face that night, and so many years have passed, he is certain it wasn’t Noble Consort Liu. Besides, do you think the Imperial Palace is a place where a Noble Consort can casually lead a group of people to roam outside its walls in the middle of the night?" Ye Li nodded, accepting his reasoning; she hadn’t truly believed it was Noble Consort Liu either. In the palace, although she had sensed Noble Consort Liu’s disdain and even deliberate fault-finding towards her, there was no particularly strong enmity or killing intent in the woman’s eyes.

"Who was Mo Xiuyao’s original fiancée?" Ye Li asked. She was genuinely curious. What kind of woman could have surpassed a peerless beauty like Noble Consort Liu to win Mo Xiuyao’s true heart? Moreover, logically, someone who could become Mo Xiuyao’s fiancée must have come from a prominent and noble family. But Ye Li searched her memory for a long time and couldn’t recall any famous, powerful family having a stunningly beautiful daughter who met an untimely, tragic end seven years ago. Xu Hong Yu shot her a look of exasperation, as if disappointed in her lack of understanding, before finally saying, "Su Zuodie."

Ye Li nodded. "She sounds like a very beautiful woman."

Xu Hong Yu looked at his niece with a blank expression. He once again regretted not insisting on bringing Li’er back to the Xu Family to be raised. Look at what the Ye Family had turned her into! He was talking about her future husband’s former fiancée; even if the person was deceased, shouldn’t she show at least a little interest? The world-renowned Mr. Xu belatedly realized that his niece had never displayed even a hint of the coyness a young maiden should have when Prince Ding or Prince Li was mentioned—she didn’t even blush!

"Which family’s young lady is this Miss Su?" There didn’t seem to be any prominent Su family in the Capital City.

"What do you think Elder Su was doing at the Ye Mansion on the day Prince Ding’s Mansion delivered the betrothal gifts?"

"Elder Su?"

"Su Zuodie was Elder Su’s granddaughter," Xu Hong Yu said calmly.

"So what was Elder Su doing there?"

"He came to see what kind of woman Prince Ding, who was originally supposed to be his grandson-in-law, was marrying. Also, Su Zuodie’s death was a huge blow to Prince Ding, who was already gravely ill at the time. Elder Su regards Prince Ding like his own grandson, so he came to lend support to Prince Ding’s Mansion."

Seeing the displeasure on her Eldest Uncle’s face, Ye Li smiled resignedly. "Eldest Uncle, Li’er knows what you mean. Prince Ding and I are getting along very well; you don’t need to worry." Xu Hong Yu looked at her disapprovingly. "What do you mean, ’getting along very well’? If you would be the first one he abandons when faced with certain crucial choices, can that still be called ’very well’?" Ye Li smiled faintly. "But, if I absolutely had to choose between you, Eldest Uncle, Grandfather, my cousins, and Prince Ding, I wouldn’t choose him either. How long have he and I known each other? My family is naturally more important."

"You will be husband and wife! You are to spend your entire life with him, not with your uncles and grandfather!"

"Does Eldest Uncle believe Prince Ding is the kind of man who would abandon everything for someone he cares about?"

"... Yes, as long as you can capture his heart."