Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 63. Wedding Surprise
63. Shocking Wedding Incident
Prince Li’s Mansion had been greatly embarrassed by the previous wedding, so Grand Consort Wise Zhao was now determined to redeem their reputation with this one. The pomp and circumstance of welcoming Consort Ping was no less grand than that for a principal consort. However, given that Princess Ling Yun was a princess from another nation, outsiders could not really object. This only served to darken the already gloomy expression on Ye Ying’s face. Accompanied by Mo Xiuyao, Ye Li arrived at Prince Li’s Mansion on the wedding day. Mo Jingli personally greeted them at the entrance. Ye Li habitually noticed that Mo Jingli still wore a stern expression, showing no sign of happiness. If it weren’t for his brand new, bright red wedding attire, and his genuinely handsome face, arriving guests might have wondered if they should turn back home, change into black and white mourning clothes, and then return to attend... the wedding.
Now, Ye Li truly felt some sympathy for Ye Ying. That fellow Mo Jingli isn’t cold by nature; he just habitually puts on such an air. If any man dared to show such a morose expression on her wedding day, she vowed she would kick him to death, whether in her past life or this one.
Gesturing to Mo Jingli that they didn’t need attending to, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li entered Prince Li’s Mansion accompanied by the Steward-in-Chief. Mo Jingli indeed had no time to attend to them. Perhaps to regain the face lost last time, Grand Consort Wise Zhao not only extravagantly arranged the wedding’s grandeur but also invited the Empress Dowager to personally preside over the ceremony for her son. This was naturally an excellent opportunity to flatter the Empress Dowager. Consequently, all high-ranking officials in the Capital City, whether they had received an invitation or not, tried every means to come and offer their congratulations. For a time, Prince Li’s Mansion was bustling with guests, like clouds gathering, its entrance resembling a marketplace.
"What’s wrong? What is Ah-Li thinking about?" Mo Xiuyao asked with an amused smile, seeing Ye Li’s somewhat strange and conflicted expression. Ye Li shook her head and smiled faintly. "It’s nothing. I was just wondering if Prince Li wears the same expression all year round. Isn’t today supposed to be a joyous day?" If it were anyone else, they might be suspected of being dissatisfied with the imperial marriage decree. Mo Xiuyao glanced back at Mo Jingli by the entrance and said with a smile, "Jing Li has rarely smiled since childhood; those familiar with him are used to it." Ye Li wasn’t overly concerned about this. Before the wedding ceremony began, male and female guests were accommodated separately. Upon entering the mansion, stewards came forward to guide Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li to their respective areas.
Prince Li’s Mansion’s lady steward led Ye Li into the inner mansion. The female guests attending the wedding feast had gathered in the mansion’s garden, resting and chatting in the small pavilions within it. Passing through the garden where noblewomen gathered in twos and threes, Ye Li was led to an elegant small pavilion on the east side. Those seated inside were ladies of high status or advanced age. Grand Consort Wise Zhao, with Ye Ying, was personally keeping them company. Seeing Ye Ying’s resentful expression and the dissatisfaction hidden in Grand Consort Wise Zhao’s brow, Ye Li sighed inwardly. Ye Ying and Ye Yue are both daughters of Ms. Wang, both born exquisitely beautiful. Why is there such a difference? It seems Old Madam Ye and Minister Ye’s decision was correct. Even if Ye Ying’s looks might surpass Ye Yue’s, with her temperament, she would have been torn to shreds long ago if sent into the palace.
"Greetings, Grand Consort." Ye Li stepped forward to pay her respects.
Grand Consort Wise Zhao made a gesture as if to rise, but Ye Li certainly couldn’t let her actually stand. Before the Grand Consort could speak, Ye Li chuckled. "So many esteemed ladies have arrived, yet I am the latest. Please don’t hold it against me, Grand Consort." Grand Consort Wise Zhao shifted slightly but then settled back firmly in her seat, smiling graciously. "Not at all. For Princess Consort Ding to grace our Prince Li’s Mansion brings honor to our humble abode. I wonder, Prince Ding..." Ye Li smiled and said, "The Prince has also come. He simply went to the outer courtyard first and will come to pay his respects to you later, Grand Consort." Grand Consort Wise Zhao was all smiles and showered Ye Li with praise, though, of course, neither of them took these compliments seriously. Grand Consort Wise Zhao, though not young, was technically of the same generation as Mo Xiuyao. She never expected the Prince of Ding Kingdom to personally come and pay respects to her.
After a round of pleasantries, Ye Li noted that most of the women seated in the small pavilion were acquaintances. However, Eldest Princess Zhaoyang, Eldest Princess Zhaoren, and Old Madam Hua had not yet arrived. Marchioness South, seated at the front, rose to offer Ye Li her seat, and Ye Li thanked her with a smile. Marchioness South was the mother-in-law of Ye Zhen, the Eldest Miss of the Ye Family. Ye Li had a decent impression of that eldest brother-in-law and chatted amiably with Marchioness South for a few moments.
While listening to the noblewomen casually discussing some permissible gossip from the Capital City, Ye Li occasionally chimed in. She noticed with some confusion that Ye Ying, seated below Grand Consort Wise Zhao, remained almost completely silent. Sitting there alone, she looked more like a beautiful puppet. Because of today’s occasion, Ye Ying’s attire was also different from her usual deliberate pursuit of refined and unconventional elegance. Wearing the formal attire of a Princess Consort—a vibrant red gown embroidered with gold entwined peonies—she looked exceedingly unnatural. It made onlookers feel inexplicably awkward just looking at her. To be honest, Ye Ying had been so spoiled by Ms. Wang that she no longer resembled a principal daughter of a prominent family. Ms. Wang had ensured Ye Ying dedicated all her intelligence and time to learning zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and dance. In reality, however, many young ladies from prominent families were not proficient in these arts, or only chose one or two to learn. They had sufficiently good family backgrounds and didn’t need to worry about not marrying into good families. Having the reputation of a talented woman was, of course, a fine embellishment, but if one had to choose between the reputation of a talented woman and the ability to manage affairs and wield authority, anyone would choose the latter.
"It’s been a while since Princess Consort Ding and Ying’er had a proper chat. We old women shouldn’t keep the Princess Consort sitting here idly with us. Ying’er, accompany Princess Consort Ding for a walk." Grand Consort Wise Zhao naturally noticed Ye Li’s gaze falling on Ye Ying and, without making things difficult, directly instructed Ye Ying. Ye Ying looked at Ye Li, pursed her lips, and rose. Ye Li also stood up and smiled. "Since it is so, thank you for your thoughtfulness, Grand Consort. Ladies, Ye Li will take her leave for now."
Watching the two sisters depart, Marchioness South chuckled. "Speaking of which, Princess Consort Ding is truly gentle in speech and graceful in her conduct. If she were a daughter from an ordinary family, who knows how aggrieved she would be. No wonder Old Madam Hua also praises her highly." The others readily agreed. They all had daughters, and if Princess Consort Ding hadn’t married, who knew if it would be their own daughter’s turn to marry into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. Although the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion was prestigious, Prince Ding currently held no power in court, and he was also a disabled man unable to walk. Wouldn’t their hearts break to marry their painstakingly raised daughters to him? Thus, they couldn’t help but feel a degree of sympathy and pity for Ye Li, who had married before them. Seeing that this young lady was only fifteen or sixteen, yet married to such a husband, and could still maintain such composure and calmness, she was indeed remarkable.
In contrast, Princess Consort Li, once the envy of all the young ladies of prominent families in the capital, now seemed somewhat beneath notice. Wasn’t she said to be the foremost beauty, proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Yet she didn’t even know how to conduct herself in receiving guests and dealing with situations. It was unknown what Prince Li saw in her. She truly didn’t seem like someone who came from the same mansion as Princess Consort Ding. Of course, everyone kept such evaluations to themselves and would never say them in front of Grand Consort Wise Zhao.
With Ye Li leading and Ye Ying following, they strolled through the garden. Although Ye Li tried to choose more secluded paths, their distinct statuses still attracted the attention of many people. Fortunately, everyone knew their place and understood that Princess Consort Ding and Princess Consort Li, as sisters, wished to catch up, so no one came forward to disturb them. Ye Li glanced at Ye Ying’s aggrieved and resentful appearance, her hand clutching a handkerchief, and frowned. Helplessly, she asked, "What’s the matter with you? Mo Jingli hasn’t even married Consort Ping yet, and you’re already wearing this look of a wronged wife. Who are you showing it to?"
Ye Ying glared at her resentfully and asked in a low voice, "Do you think...does the Prince genuinely love me?"
Ye Li silently rolled her eyes. If he truly loved you, this current situation wouldn’t be happening, okay?
"Back then...he clearly told me that he only liked me, that he’d treat only me well."
Ye Li struggled to prevent her expressionless face from twitching as she imagined Mo Jingli, with his stoic face, confessing his love to Ye Ying. A pang shot through her heart. A man who can’t even offer an expression, young lady, how sharp must your eyes be to convince yourself that he’s truly devoted to you?
"Why...why has everything changed since we got married?" Ye Ying asked, somewhat lost in thought.
"This ah..." Ye Li felt as if she’d suddenly been possessed by a saintly mother figure, actually wanting to comfort Ye Ying. "Isn’t there a saying... ’Marriage is the tomb of love’? Since you’re already lying in the tomb, don’t dwell on past matters." Die early, reincarnate early. Love? Don’t be silly, that’s something for outside the tomb. Ye Ying was taken aback by her suddenly strange words, her gaze lowered as she murmured distractedly, "Tomb... I, should I really not have married?" Ye Li just wanted to slap herself. She maintained a straight face and continued to spout nonsense, "Of course not. Men must marry, and women must wed. Even if you don’t lie in this tomb, you’ll end up in another. At least this one is relatively good-looking, isn’t it? Look at all these young masters and misses – before marriage, it’s all flowers and moonlight, deep affection. But have you ever read a storybook that tells what happens after those talented scholars and beautiful ladies get married?"
Ye Ying was stunned for a moment, then shook her head. "That’s right," Ye Li said seriously. "Before marriage, it’s mutual affection, exclusive devotion. After marriage, it’s firewood, rice, oil, salt, in-laws, and children. Don’t be sad; at least ninety-nine point nine percent of the people in this Capital City live like this. No one will laugh at you."
Ye Ying stared at Ye Li with a peculiar expression, as if she had never truly known her. After a long while, she said reluctantly, "How come you’re not like this? In the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, it’s just you and Prince Ding as masters."
Oh, young lady, are you envious of me? Ye Li waved her hand. "Our situation is different. Look, if you were asked to marry our Prince, you definitely wouldn’t agree, right? I guess most people wouldn’t. That way... isn’t the Prince all mine?"
"Is that so?" Ye Ying lowered her head in contemplation. Ye Li had no interest in knowing her thoughts. She remembered she wasn’t really here to chat with Ye Ying and offer psychological counseling. Noticing Ye Ying was lost in thought, Ye Li nonchalantly asked, "Speaking of which... I truly never thought you’d like Prince Li. I always assumed you’d prefer a gentle, refined, and handsome scholar type."
Ye Ying came back to her senses, her face flushing red. Biting the corner of her lip, she stared at Ye Li and said, "Are you here now to blame me for snatching Prince Li, or to mock me?"
No, I’m here to thank you. Ye Li took her hand, feigning a look of deep emotion. "Though we don’t share the same mother, we are still sisters, aren’t we? Fourth Sister, do you really think I would fall out with you over a man? Before, I was just angry that you didn’t tell me the truth. Though we didn’t get along well since childhood, when have I ever fought with you for something you liked? If you had spoken to me properly back then, we could have resolved the engagement privately, and it wouldn’t have led to all those later incidents that made everyone lose face."
Ye Ying looked suspiciously at Ye Li’s sincere face. Thinking back, from childhood, she had indeed taken many things from Ye Li, but Ye Li never said anything each time. That’s because she couldn’t be bothered with you. It was just that at the time, she couldn’t wait for everyone to know about Ye Li’s broken engagement so Ye Li would be disgraced. How could she have thought that in the end, she would be the one to lose face? Thinking this, even Ye Ying’s proud heart couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable. But she would never admit it. Ye Li didn’t look at her expression and sighed regretfully, "Speaking of which, I always thought Fourth Sister would one day marry the top scholar in the Capital City or someone similar, a perfect match of talent and beauty. Truly... fate plays tricks on people."
Ye Ying’s face turned crimson. Of course, she had also fantasized about her ideal husband. She had also fantasized about a handsome, suave man in white robes, gently holding her hand and gazing at her with deep affection. But later, after meeting Prince Li, his princely status and the pleasure of trampling Ye Li underfoot made her gradually forget her former dreams. After truly falling in love with Prince Li, she even felt those were just childish thoughts from her younger days. But now, her ideal husband, whom she truly loved, treated her this way... If... if it were someone else, they definitely wouldn’t treat me like this... Ye Ying thought vaguely.
"You... you really don’t resent me?" Ye Ying looked at her hesitantly.
Ye Li smiled lightly. "You said it yourself last time, wasn’t that Father’s idea? Perhaps Father felt I wasn’t suitable for Prince Li. But looking at it now, Father was right; Prince Li and I are indeed not suitable. I am very satisfied with my current life, and Prince Ding is also very good." Gazing at Ye Li’s gentle and understanding smile, the hesitation in Ye Ying’s eyes gradually faded. Biting her lip corner, looking somewhat wronged, she said, "Father couldn’t have known Prince Li would be like this and still let me marry him, right? Mother always said Father and Grandmother value you the most. Father must have thought Prince Li was no good, so he wanted me to take your place!" Ye Li looked up at the sky. That’s your mother trying to make you dislike me, okay? How come I haven’t seen those two in the family value me? Turning her head to look at Ye Ying, Ye Li felt a little pity for Minister Ye. This was the precious daughter he held in his palm, doted on, and cherished.
"Who doesn’t know Father dotes on you the most? Perhaps people just misjudge sometimes. Do you still remember what Father told you back then?"
Ye Ying lowered her head and said softly, "Father... Father said Sister Zhaoyi and I are biological sisters, so Sister Zhaoyi would naturally care for me more. If I married Prince Li, I could also help Sister Zhaoyi a little. With Sister Zhaoyi around, others wouldn’t dare bully me. Moreover... if I didn’t marry Prince Li, then in the future, I could only choose a son of a court official for marriage." If that happened, and Ye Li married Prince Li to become a Princess Consort, wouldn’t she always be a step above me?
Ye Li nodded. If it weren’t for the truly special circumstances of Prince Ding and herself at the time, His Majesty would absolutely not have allowed two daughters from Minister Ye’s Mansion to marry into the imperial family. But... was that all? Ye Li always felt something was wrong. Did her father really incite his younger daughter to snatch her elder daughter’s fiancé just because he was too biased? No matter how she thought about it, it seemed unreasonable. There must be something else she didn’t know. However, looking at Ye Ying’s demeanor, she probably wouldn’t know any truth. Over this long period, Ye Li had long understood one fact. This girl Ye Ying looked arrogant and proud, and her personality was genuinely selfish and self-serving. But when it came to truly causing harm, her destructive power was probably less than that of Ye Shan and Ye Lin. She had been overly spoiled by Ms. Wang, a typical case of someone who quickly forgets punishments but remembers rewards. Even after being caught and educated by Old Madam Ye several times, she would revert to her old ways within a few days.
Thinking that she couldn’t get any useful information out of Ye Ying, Ye Li prepared to get up and leave, but Ye Ying grabbed her arm. "What should I do?"
I’m not your mother! Ye Li patiently said, "You are Prince Li’s Principal Consort. Even Princess Ling Yun cannot surpass your status. As long as you hold onto Mo Jingli’s heart and avoid displeasing Grand Consort Wise Zhao, your days won’t be too difficult." Ye Ying looked at her discontentedly; she didn’t just want to get by, she wanted to live comfortably! Ye Li helplessly took a deep breath. "For example, right now, you should go and properly accompany the Grand Consort in receiving guests. Let others know that you are the legitimate Principal Consort of Prince Li’s Mansion. Understand? If you have any other problems, go back and consult Grandmother. You don’t think that I, who just got married and have no parents-in-law to serve, would understand more than Grandmother, do you?" Ye Li felt no guilt in diverting the trouble; anyway, Old Madam Ye would surely be happy to guide her. "However, if you’re unhappy about anything, you can write to me. If there’s something you can’t figure out, I can quietly help you brainstorm. After all, we are sisters, aren’t we?" So, if anything happens in the Ye Family or Prince Li’s Mansion, you must quietly tell me.
After coaxing Ye Ying away, Ye Li finally let out a long sigh. She had been blathering with Ye Ying for so long and gotten nothing out of it.
"Third Young Master Feng, if you’ve heard enough, you can come out now," Ye Li said calmly, glancing at the treetop to one side.
"Hehe..." The dense foliage of the treetop was parted, revealing a figure in a magnificent red robe within. "Princess Consort Ding, we meet again. What a fortunate encounter. But... how did the Princess Consort know it was I?"
"If Third Young Master Feng could refrain from dressing so conspicuously vibrant and dousing himself in such pervasive fragrance," Ye Li glanced at him expressionlessly.
"Pervasive fragrance?!" Feng Zhiyao’s eyes narrowed. He lifted his sleeve and sniffed. The newest, faintest, and most elegant magnolia fragrance from Suhe Restaurant, how could it be pervasive? You can’t even smell it unless you’re close, okay? He, Third Feng, was a man of taste, a refined romantic, not one of those vulgar idiots who practically bathed in perfume. Seeing Feng Zhiyao’s stiff and unsightly expression, Ye Li lowered her gaze and smiled faintly. Feng Zhiyao inspected his attire again, found nothing detrimental to his image as a handsome romantic, and attributed his exposure to Ye Li accidentally spotting a corner of his robe. He chuckled, infatuated with his own charm, "I never expected the Princess Consort to be so concerned about me, able to guess my identity just by seeing a tiny corner of my robe. It is truly... a great honor..."
"Third Young Master Feng," Ye Li raised her head and smiled. "Has no one ever taught you the saying, ’A friend’s wife should not be trifled with’? Or... should I relay your words to the Prince? Also, the reason I was certain it was Third Young Master Feng is because, in the entire Capital City, apart from the groom, no other man would dress so... flamboyantly."
CRACK— Feng Zhiyao’s smile froze instantly on his face. He nearly lost his balance and fell from the tree. Shrugging helplessly, he reached up and rubbed his stiff face. "Alright, Third Feng admits his mistake. Please, Princess Consort, be magnanimous."
Ye Li gave a generous nod. Feng Zhiyao turned his handsome face away, his features contorting. He finally understood why Mo Xiuyao would marry Ye Li. Birds of a feather flock together! He had never seen a woman better at pretending than Ye Li, nor, of course, a man better at changing faces than Mo Xiuyao! "Speaking of which... the Princess Consort’s pronouncements just now were truly magnificent. Marriage is the tomb of love? Hmm, hmm?" Remembering what he had just heard, Feng Zhiyao became smug again. He wondered if Ah-Yao knew his dear Princess Consort’s thoughts.
Ye Li showed no sign of guilt and nodded earnestly. "Third Young Master Feng, you must believe this consort; this statement is absolutely a time-tested aphorism, forged through countless trials. I believe Third Young Master Feng also agrees with this statement. Otherwise, at such an advanced age, why are you still unmarried?"
Nonsense! This young master is the same age as Mo Xiuyao, okay?
Rubbing his nose, Feng Zhiyao smiled bitterly. "I did want to enter that tomb, but alas, she doesn’t fancy me." A fleeting shadow of sorrow crossed his dashingly unrestrained, handsome face. Ye Li didn’t know how to console someone suffering from lost love, so she could only say, "There are plenty more fish in the sea." Feng Zhiyao gave a bitter smile and cupped his hands in thanks for her consolation. Ye Li felt it inappropriate to disturb his melancholy and said, "Then I won’t disturb you any longer, Young Master. Farewell."
"Hey..." Feng Zhiyao stared blankly for a moment at the woman who turned and left without hesitation. "Your Prince asked me to come see you and tell you to be careful."
"Thank you." Be careful? Ye Li mused as she walked away. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
Feng Zhiyao resentfully pulled the branches back to cover himself, grumbling, "What has this young master become? He even orders me around for such trivial matters. If he’s worried, can’t he come and see for himself? Mo Xiuyao, the payment you give had better be worthy of this young master’s contribution to you, otherwise..."
As soon as she returned to the garden, Hua Tianxiang, pulling Qin Zheng and Murong Ting along, joyfully rushed over. "Li’er, are you alright?" Qin Zheng asked caringly, holding Ye Li’s arm. Hua Tianxiang laughed, "Zheng’er, I told you long ago not to worry needlessly. How could this one not be okay? Now, who in the Capital City doesn’t know of Princess Consort Ding’s formidable reputation? A character who can scare the Princess of Xiling into squatting on the ground and crying."
"Ah-Li, well done!" Murong Ting praised loudly, patting Ye Li’s shoulder, then added with great regret, "It’s such a pity this young lady didn’t get to see what happened that day! Ah-Li, when you have time, let’s compete in archery."
"Forget it," Ye Li waved her hand and smiled. "I was just scaring a little girl. How would I dare compete in archery with General Murong’s beloved daughter? Wouldn’t that be teaching a fish to swim?"
"Hmph, this young lady doesn’t believe it! Anyway, we must compete!" Murong Ting retorted.
"Alright, Ting’er, can you talk about something else? Do you want General Murong to chase you down for another beating?" Qin Zheng said, exasperated.
"Zheng’er, you always use my father to scare me," Murong Ting grumbled discontentedly.
Ye Li looked at Qin Zheng and Hua Tianxiang with curiosity, but they both remained tight-lipped under the threatening gaze of Murong Ting. Hua Tianxiang inconspicuously gave her a look that said ’we’ll talk later.’ Qin Zheng then took Ye Li’s arm and smiled, "Ever since Li’er got married, apart from Tianxiang, none of us has seen you."
"There have been some minor matters in the mansion recently, so I haven’t been out. Why don’t you all come visit me at the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion in a few days?" Ye Li said apologetically with a smile.
The four found a less crowded place to sit, and Qin Zheng and the others asked Ye Li about her newlywed life. Ye Li, not wanting her friends to worry, picked some amusing and happy things to tell them. Hua Tianxiang spoke enviously, "Ah-Li is still the happiest. Those who were dead set against marrying into the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion just can’t see clearly. Look at how comfortable Ah-Li’s life is now. As soon as she entered, she became the Madam of House. With a simple household, there’s less scheming and plotting. Prince Ding hasn’t even taken any concubines or secondary concubines..." Murong Ting nodded in agreement. "Tianxiang is right! Prince Ding is truly excellent!" This person had an unconditional admiration for the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion.
Qin Zheng still saw a faint trace of worry in Ye Li’s eyes. Ye Li smiled and squeezed her hand, indicating she was fine, and only then did Qin Zheng nod slightly.
The friends, who hadn’t seen each other for a long time, were chatting happily. Ye Li temporarily pushed all those vexing problems to the back of her mind to enjoy chatting and laughing with the three friends. Suddenly, a sharp scream echoed from somewhere. Murong Ting shot up from her stool, vigilantly scanning her surroundings for the source of the sound. Ye Li frowned and pointed towards a direction. "It seems to have come from over there."
The four looked at each other. That seemed to be where the female guests were resting. They weren’t the only four who heard the scream; at least half the people in the garden heard it, and many were already curiously heading in that direction. "Not again? The bride and groom are fine this time, so are the guests in trouble now? Has Heaven taken a dislike to the weddings at Prince Li’s Mansion?" Murong Ting muttered. Qin Zheng quickly covered Murong Ting’s mouth and shot her a stern look. Can such things be said casually?
"Let’s go take a look too," Hua Tianxiang said, raising an eyebrow. The excitement at Prince Li’s Mansion—it’s free entertainment.
An exquisite small courtyard connected the garden to the front courtyard. Prince Li’s Mansion had arranged the resting place for the female guests here. The completely independent small courtyard had only one entrance from the garden, which both prevented guests from the front courtyard from accidentally intruding upon the female guests and ensured that the guests wouldn’t disturb the female members of the household residing within. By the time Ye Li’s group of four arrived at the courtyard entrance, many people had already gone in. Ye Li paused at the entrance, surveying the surroundings. "Ah-Li, what’s the matter?" Hua Tianxiang whispered. Ye Li shook her head and chuckled softly, "I don’t know what happened, but that woman’s scream just now was really loud. In a courtyard like this, if the sound came from inside a room, it couldn’t possibly be heard by half the garden. So, the most likely possibility is that someone deliberately stood in the courtyard and screamed to attract people."
"Let’s walk towards the back. No need to rush to watch the excitement," Ye Li whispered.
Hua Tianxiang gave her a puzzled look, but though she didn’t know why Ye Li said that, she didn’t disagree. Instead, she and Qin Zheng, with a shared understanding, grabbed Murong Ting, who wanted to rush forward, one from each side.
"Heavens, how could this be?" Just as they stepped into the flower hall, they saw two young ladies, faces flushed, rushing out in a panic. One of them was saying, "Quickly, have someone fetch Grand Consort Wise Zhao!"
The four exchanged glances. Something really happened.
Murong Ting said, "Zheng’er, you all wait outside. I’ll go in first and see what’s going on."
Ye Li quickly grabbed her, her expression calm and composed. "Murong, you stay with Zheng’er and Tianxiang. I’ll go in and take a look." Seeing the two young ladies’ faces as red as apples, Ye Li had a pretty good idea of what had happened inside. No matter what, she was a married woman. If Murong Ting, an unmarried young lady, saw something she shouldn’t, it wouldn’t be good.
Qin Zheng and Hua Tianxiang were also quick-witted; with a moment’s thought, they understood Ye Li’s meaning. "Why don’t we wait a bit?" Hua Tianxiang said. There’s no rush to watch the excitement.
Ye Li shook her head. "I’ll go check first." She was most worried that Ye Ying, that fool, had done something she shouldn’t have. Moreover, as Princess Consort Li’s biological elder sister, it would be inexcusable for her to stand by idly now that she was here. "Don’t worry, you wait here. Grand Consort Wise Zhao should be here soon."
Turning inside, she saw many people standing at the doorway of one room. Each wore a strange expression, unsure whether to enter or retreat. Ye Li scanned them; most were young women, with a few young wives. The older women of high status were being accompanied by Grand Consort Wise Zhao. Those who were mature and capable of managing affairs had gathered in their own groups to talk. At this hour, those still playing outside were mostly young, unmarried girls and young married women.
Seeing Ye Li walk in, someone finally came to their senses. "Prin... Greetings, Princess Consort Ding."
A woman dressed as a young wife saw Ye Li and quickly curtsied. Although she tried her best to be elegant and proper, she couldn’t hide her acute embarrassment.
"Greetings, Princess Consort Ding," the crowd hastily followed suit.
Ye Li observed the varying expressions of the crowd and heard ambiguous moans and gasps coming from the partially open door. She walked forward expressionlessly and, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, fully closed the partially open door. "Let’s go outside first," she said calmly. "Grand Consort Wise Zhao and Princess Consort Li should be here soon." Everyone blushed with shame. They weren’t unaware of the principle ’listen to no evil’, but they had truly been stupefied by this bizarre situation. They couldn’t just quietly come and quietly leave as if nothing had happened, right?
"The Princess Consort is right, let’s leave quickly," a woman said, and the others quickly agreed.
Unfortunately, someone didn’t want this matter to pass quietly. A maidservant rushed over from somewhere, crying, "Princess! The Princess is inside!"
BANG! The door, which had just been closed, was slammed open by the maid, revealing the amorous scene within for all to see.
The women present were instantly petrified. Princess? Heavens... what had they stumbled upon?
Ye Li looked at her left hand that had grabbed at empty air, silently pulling it back. Fine, she had been meddlesome. But that wretched maid actually dared to pinch her! So what if she knows martial arts?
