Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 68. Playground of the Princess Consort of Ding Kingdom
68. Princess Consort Ding’s "Playground"
"Someone come quickly! Prince Li has fallen into the water!"
A sudden, piercing scream cut through the joyful tranquility of Jiaren Lake, where flute and zither had played softly. Eyes wide and mouths agape, people on a nearby pleasure boat saw a tall figure tumble from a gorgeously decorated larger vessel, plunging into the lake with a mighty splash. By the time everyone processed what the scream meant, a shock went through the crowd. Prince Li had fallen into the water! Nearby boats hurriedly drew closer. Those who bore grudges against Prince Li found vantage points to watch the drama unfold, while those on friendly terms with him quickly instructed their servants to jump in and rescue him.
Such a commotion naturally reached the ears of everyone outside the cabins. Murong Ting and Leng Haoyu were the first to rush in. "Ah-Li, Ah-Li, are you alright?" Murong Ting grasped Ye Li, looking her over anxiously. Upon confirming Ye Li was unharmed, she heaved a dissatisfied sigh. "What’s with Prince Li? Ah-Li, did he bully you?"
Ye Li, still slightly shaken and fearful, smiled and said, "I’m fine... It was Prince Li. He... somehow fell into the lake."
"Prince?!" Ye Ying and Princess Qixia were shocked, rushing to the window to look out. Many people had already gone into the lake to rescue the Prince, yet there was no sign of Mo Jingli. Anxiously, Ye Ying said, "How could the Prince have fallen into the lake? He... he can’t swim. Third Sister..."
This time, Ye Ying didn’t suspect Ye Li. After all, in her eyes, Mo Jingli was a man proficient in both literary and martial arts; surely, he couldn’t have been silently thrown into the water by Ye Li. Ye Li wasn’t inclined to comfort her frightened younger sister at that moment. "It’s alright, so many people have gone down to save Prince Li. He will definitely be fine."
Ye Ying, with tears in her eyes, stared unblinkingly at the people in the water, no longer in a state to speak with Ye Li. Princess Qixia, in contrast, glanced at everyone in the cabin, then turned and headed for the door. Ye Li asked nonchalantly, "Miss, where are you going?"
"I’m... I’m going to save the Prince! It’s none of your business!" Naturally, Princess Qixia knew that Ye Li had recognized her. Remembering how disheveled she had been in front of Ye Li made Princess Qixia feel uncomfortable around her and even more unwilling to stay in the same cabin.
Ye Li took Ye Ying by the hand and said, "Fourth Sister, take this lady back to your boat. Since this lady is one of Prince Li’s people, as his consort, you should take good care of your guest and ensure no mishaps occur."
"But..." Ye Ying hesitated. She disliked Princess Qixia, and with Prince Li’s fate uncertain, how could she have the mind to deal with this?
"It’s fine. Don’t forget who you are," Ye Li said, frowning. "Prince Li will be fine; don’t lose your composure."
Having persuaded Ye Ying to leave, Ye Li then turned to the other three with a smile and leisurely sat down to watch the ongoing rescue efforts below. After a while, Prince Li was finally pulled out of the water. On the sunny surface of the lake, a large blue bruise was clearly visible on Mo Jingli’s usually stern forehead, presumably from being submerged for too long. His nose, at least for the moment, didn’t seem to show any damage. Several people clumsily helped him onto the Prince Li’s Mansion boat, which was moored nearby. As the crowd of onlookers gathered, Ye Li’s boat became much quieter.
Leng Haoyu, looking pensive, watched Ye Li, who was leisurely leaning by the window, and said, "The Princess Consort doesn’t seem to worry at all?"
Ye Li replied with a light smile, "Worry about what? Young Master Leng, rest assured, Prince Li is blessed with great fortune and won’t come to any real harm. As Young Master Leng saw just now, he was still alive, wasn’t he?"
Murong Ting propped her chin, curiously asking, "How on earth did Prince Li end up falling into the lake?"
Every year during the prime boating season, there are always one or two people who end up in the lake, typically children who don’t know better, or frail Miss Nobles. How could Prince Li, a man who has practiced martial arts since he was young, fall into a lake?
Ye Li answered seriously, "People slip and horses trip. Prince Li... must have suddenly stood up, and perhaps the boat was unstable, so he plunged in."
Was the boat ever unstable? Murong Ting, who had been outside all this time, wondered. "His lightness skill should be quite good, shouldn’t it?"
"Prince Li fears water; he probably forgot in the moment," Ye Li replied without betraying any emotion. Lightness skills aren’t omnipotent, especially when a leg suddenly goes numb. Unless he possessed the ability of certain individuals to fly without using his legs at all.
However... It probably won’t be so easy to deal with Mo Jingli next time. I must be careful the next time I meet Mo Jingli. Ye Li silently pondered.
Hua Tianxiang was not interested in how Mo Jingli had fallen but expressed her concern, "Li’er, with Prince Li having an accident on your boat, what about the Empress Dowager and Grand Consort Wise Zhao..."
Ye Li innocently blinked her eyes. "It’s rather common for a boat to be occasionally unsteady. If Prince Li drank too much and lost his footing, am I to be held responsible? Well... perhaps not closing the windows properly might be my fault."
Leng Haoyu’s gaze swept to the only two windows that were open in the cabin, and he said with a smile, "Although it’s only early summer, it’s still somewhat hot on the lake. I’m sure everyone can understand Princess Consort’s oversight in not closing the windows."
"Thank you, Second Young Master Leng, for your understanding," Ye Li laughed.
Hua Tianxiang shook her head and said, "Li’er, naturally we don’t mind. But Prince Li has always been at odds with Prince Ding and has had conflicts with you. He can make a fuss over nothing. You should still be cautious."
Ye Li laughed, "Thank you, Tianxiang, I will be careful." If Mo Jingli really has the nerve to tell everyone that he was beaten by a woman, I wouldn’t mind thoroughly debating the matter with him. I wouldn’t have acted rashly without careful consideration. Thinking back to Mo Jingli’s dismal face a moment ago, Ye Li suddenly felt an itch in her fist. I regret not giving him a few more punches.
「Prince Li’s Mansion」
Mo Jingli was woken by the sound of whimpering. He already felt indescribably awful, and the intermittent crying made his head feel as if it were about to explode. "Shut... shut up!"
"Prince, you finally woke up..." Ye Ying rushed over with joy. Meanwhile, Princess Qixia also hurriedly squeezed in. "Brother Jing Li, how are you feeling? Is there any discomfort?"
Mo Jingli closed his eyes again, finally remembering what had happened. A breath caught in his chest, erupting in a violent fit of coughing. Ye Ying quickly supported Mo Jingli, helping him to soothe his breathing. "Prince, do you feel better?"
Watching Ye Ying’s tear-stained delicate face and then recalling a certain detestable woman’s cold, unwavering expression, Mo Jingli felt annoyed. "Stop crying, I’m not dead yet. Where’s Ye Li?"
Princess Qixia snorted. "Brother Jing Li, what are you talking about? Obviously, Ye Li has gone back to her Prince Ding’s Mansion. You had an accident on her pleasure boat, and she didn’t even come to take a look. How impolite!"
Ye Ying glared at Princess Qixia. "Third Sister, no matter what, is much more polite than some. There are proprieties between men and women. How could Third Sister visit while the Prince is on his sickbed?" Ye Ying was no fool. Princess Qixia could enter Prince Li’s Mansion, and even her own father couldn’t stop her. Although Ye Li had been at odds with her since childhood, Ye Li also held a grudge against Princess Qixia. Compared to Princess Qixia, Ye Li would certainly side with her, her younger sister. Recalling how Ye Li had warned her earlier that day to keep an eye on Princess Qixia and not let her run around, and upon her return, even the usually critical Grand Consort had exceptionally praised her twice. Reflecting on this, Ye Ying felt that sometimes listening to her Third Sister wasn’t wrong. After all, her second sister, no matter how capable or smart, was in the palace and couldn’t help her. Grandmother was right; after marrying out, sisters should support each other.
"You!" Princess Qixia was furious. That incident had made it impossible for her to hold her head high among the noble ladies of the Capital City. She might even lose her status as Princess Nanzhao. She could let go of all this and return to Nanzhao. Even if she wasn’t Princess Qixia there, she would still be the high and mighty Princess of Nanzhao. But she truly loved Brother Jing Li. Even without the title of princess, she wanted to be with Brother Jing Li forever. "Brother Jing Li, you see her..."
"Enough! Qixia, Ying’er, you both go out first. I am tired," Mo Jingli said impatiently. Although neither woman was usually easy to manage, they were completely obedient to Mo Jingli’s words. Seeing his stern face, they had to silently get up, a look of reluctance on their faces, turn around, and leave.
"Li’er." After the room had been quiet for a while, Grand Consort Wise Zhao walked in. Mo Jingli hurriedly tried to get up, but Grand Consort Wise Zhao pressed his shoulder first and sat down by the bed, frowning. "How could you be so careless?"
Mo Jingli said gravely, "I have caused Mother Consort to worry."
Grand Consort Wise Zhao continued to stare at him and asked, "How did you, in perfectly good condition, end up falling into the water? Moreover, it was on Prince Ding’s boat. How many times has Mother Consort told you not to provoke Ye Li again? Tell Mother Consort, was it Ye Li who caused you to fall into the lake?"
Mo Jingli’s face darkened, and after a moment of silence, he said, "It was my carelessness that led to me falling."
"Carelessness? At a time like this, you’re still careless?" Grand Consort Wise Zhao scolded, dissatisfied. "I won’t ask you what exactly happened this time. But... from now on, keep your distance from the people of Prince Ding’s Mansion. And do not provoke Prince Ding. Do you understand?"
Mo Jingli disdainfully raised his eyebrows. "Mother Consort, you and the Empress Dowager are perhaps taking Mo Xiuyao too seriously."
Seeing his disdainful expression, Grand Consort Wise Zhao sighed softly. "You have been fighting with Prince Ding since you were young; Mother Consort knows you don’t take him seriously. But you must remember: you may not care about Mo Xiuyao, but you absolutely must not disregard the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. We cannot afford to court or offend the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion and the Xu Family right now. So Mother Consort will not inquire into today’s matter. Even if you truly suffered a loss, you must endure it silently!"
Mo Jingli was silent for a moment then said in a deep voice, "I have made Mother Consort worry. I understand."
Grand Consort Wise Zhao nodded and looked at Mo Jingli, saying softly, "Mother Consort knows you are a good child. Sometimes you cannot do everything as you please. When you have attained everything, you can do whatever your heart desires. Until then, you must endure."
"Thank you for Mother Consort’s teaching; I understand," Mo Jingli said respectfully, nodding his head.
Ye Li had spent considerable time making clothes for Mo Xiuyao as a gift for his birthday. Of course, considering the not-so-fond memories of Jiaren Lake and the possibility that Mo Xiuyao might have found a new love interest, Ye Li didn’t accept Hua Tianxiang’s suggestion to invite Mo Xiuyao boating. Though I am quite curious. Where did Mo Xiuyao, who stays indoors more than I do all year round, find this beloved? If he already had a beloved, then why did he marry me? Or did he find a new love after marrying me? Either thought makes me very displeased. I also don’t know whether being married as a shield or my husband’s infidelity less than a month after our wedding is the worse misfortune.
As a result, the servants of Prince Ding’s Mansion did not understand why the relationship between their Prince and Princess Consort seemed to slowly return to how it was during the early days of their marriage. Is it a one-sided estrangement by the Princess Consort from the Prince? Did they have a quarrel? But looking at how they both still interact calmly and peacefully, it doesn’t seem like they fought.
Of course, Mo Xiuyao was aware of Ye Li subtly distancing herself from him. It wasn’t so much distancing, but rather her subtly trying to revert their relationship to its initial state. However, it was obviously not very successful. Not only had Mo Xiuyao noticed it, but Ye Li’s personal nanny and the usually busy Nanny Sun had also realized it. However, Mo Xiuyao couldn’t immediately figure out the reason.
It seems... to have begun the afternoon Yang Qianru came to deliver her birthday gift. Is Ye Li angry because of Yang Qianru? No, we both know Yang Qianru is insignificant. With Ye Li’s temperament, she wouldn’t be upset over such a woman. So... was it because of our conversation? Mo Xiuyao held the book, his eyes not registering the words; instead, he silently recalled every sentence from their conversation that day...
While Mo Xiuyao was lost in thought in his study, Ye Li had already left the mansion dressed in men’s clothing, accompanied by Qingluan and Qingshuang. As Princess Consort Ding, her identity meant she would attract attention wherever she went, so Ye Li had, as a matter of course, learned to disguise herself. Fortunately, her disguise skills were quite passable. Of course, it wasn’t the kind that involved making a human skin mask. Instead, she made slight alterations to her skin tone, eyebrows, and other features, along with dealing with details like the Adam’s apple and ear piercings. And so, a rather dashing young man with a slightly dark complexion emerged. Coupled with Ye Li’s temperament, which was not the typical weakness expected of women of that era, those who didn’t know her well wouldn’t be able to recognize her unless they looked closely. Thus, under the surprised gazes of Qingluan and Qingshuang, Ye Li satisfyingly left them to manage the accounts at the Treasure Collection Pavilion, while she herself, twirling a casually acquired folding fan, swaggered out.
The two shadow guards following Ye Li silently were sweating buckets for their Prince. What kind of princess consort has our Prince married? If they hadn’t been meticulously watching the room the Princess Consort had entered, seen the dashing young man walk out, and then cautiously revealed themselves to double-check, they would have almost lost her. As the most senior shadow guards of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, if they lost the Princess Consort, how could they bear to remain in the shadow guard ranks? They’d have to return to the army barracks for retraining. But... looking at the carefree noble before them... Darky Three, does he look like a woman? one thought.
Not at all, Darky Four, the other silently concurred.
Ever since she could practice martial arts openly and without restriction, Ye Li found herself increasingly disinterested in her former lifestyle. A disguise is still a disguise, after all. I’ve never had the temperament of a delicate young lady, though I wouldn’t call myself particularly active either. But I still want the normal enjoyments and relaxation that people crave.
After pondering Mo Xiuyao’s situation for a couple of days, she had pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind. If Mo Xiuyao really has someone he loves and decides to peacefully part ways with me, I can accept that. After all, I’m wealthy, and I trust Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t be stingy with alimony. But this means shelving the development of our relationship and thoughts of future childbirth. I have no desire to bear children for a man whose heart belonged to another. Since I don’t need to cultivate affection anymore, I have more free time. I should go out more. A married woman doesn’t need to be locked up at home every day. So, Ye Li, believing she no longer needed to cultivate their relationship, found herself with more leisure time and decided to go out more often.
"Darky Three, where is the Princess Consort going?" Darky Four whispered from the shadows, following silently.
"How would I know? She seems to want to leave the city," replied Darky Three.
"The Prince and Princess Consort seem to be at odds lately. Could the Princess Consort be thinking of running away from home?" Darky Four suddenly remembered Guards One and Two mentioning that the Prince and Princess Consort had been acting strangely these past few days.
"That... shouldn’t be the case, right?" hesitated Darky Three. "How about I follow the Princess Consort, and you go back and report to the Prince?"
"What if she really is running away from home? Can you stop her? What if you lose her?" Although they had not personally tested the Princess Consort’s martial strength, they knew her skills were genuine, unlike the flowery, impractical techniques of others.
"What... she’s already gone!" Darky Three exclaimed, realizing the Princess Consort had disappeared just after they left the city. Could it be that we were too absorbed in our conversation?
"Stop wasting words and start looking!" The two shadow guards emerged from hiding and began to search for the Princess Consort. Although they hadn’t been too close for fear of being spotted, they hadn’t been too far either; she couldn’t have gone far in such a short time.
Ye Li sat on a tree trunk, looking down at the two guards chattering below. Their concealment skills were decent, but their personalities were somewhat quirky. "I say... don’t you ever look up?"
The two shadow guards flushed with embarrassment as they stared at the handsome young man perched in the tree.
It’s because there’s never been a Princess Consort in Prince Ding’s Mansion who climbs trees! And we circled the tree for half a day without hearing even a breath!
"Prin... Princess Consort..." The two guards silently shed tears, having already decided that they would report to the Commander when they returned. We aren’t fit to be shadow guards; we need to retrain ourselves.
Ye Li lightly jumped down from the tree, landing in front of the two men. "You’ve worked hard."
"We dare not claim credit."
"I’m not planning to run away from home." Ye Li smiled at the two tense guards. Guard Three quietly breathed a sigh of relief and carefully asked, "Then... what are you doing outside the city, Princess Consort?"
"I just wanted to see how long you could follow me." Ye Li smiled and nodded in approval. "Overall, not bad. However, it would be better if you could control your gazes. We hadn’t even gone less than half a mile from the Treasure Collection Pavilion before your stares made it impossible for me to feign ignorance."
Discovered in less than half a mile? Was that supposed to be a compliment?
Ye Li looked amusedly at the despondent guards and said, "You can follow me, but... you wouldn’t tell anyone about my daily activities, would you?"
The two guards rejoiced. "Thank you, Princess Consort! Since the day of the grand wedding of the Prince and Princess Consort, the two of us, along with two others, have been exclusively assigned as your shadow guards, Princess Consort. Unless the Princess Consort is in life-threatening danger, we will not reveal anything about you to anyone, including the Prince," Guard Four explained.
Ye Li nodded. Mo Xiuyao had told her about the shadow guards of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. These past few days, she had also confirmed that these men had indeed not told Mo Xiuyao anything about her. However, it didn’t matter if they did, as she only allowed them to see what wasn’t truly secret.
"Excellent. This young master needs some laborers. Come with me."
Guards Three and Four looked at each other, bewildered. We did say we were shadow guards, right?
That day, Guards Three and Four’s understanding of "Princess Consort Ding" finally transcended the mere concept of "woman." The Princess Consort could ride a horse? That was hardly surprising. Most women from Xiling and Beirong could ride. The Princess Consort knew martial arts? That too was known; they had been aware of it for some time within the Prince’s Mansion. But could someone tell them why the Princess Consort would lead two men to storm a bandit lair? Well, there were no bandits here anymore. On the night the Princess Consort had been kidnapped, Third Young Master Feng, leading the Black Cloud Cavalry, had already swept this bandit lair on Black Wind Mountain clean. The men of the Black Cloud Cavalry were quite vexed. How dare those undiscerning bandits name their lair Black Wind Mountain and provoke the Prince? Weren’t they tarnishing the reputation of the Black Cloud Cavalry?
Watching Ye Li ride for over thirty miles on horseback and then ascend the mountain as if on a leisurely stroll, showing no signs of fatigue, Guards Three and Four, who had transitioned from covert surveillance to overt escorts, felt utterly dejected. Ye Li turned her head back, puzzled, and raised an eyebrow. "Why aren’t you moving? Tired?"
The two guards shook their heads like rattles. Guard Three mustered the courage to ask, "Princess Consort, what are we doing here?"
Ye Li looked back at them with a smile. "Hiking, taking a walk, having a picnic, clearing my mind... or perhaps butchering and selling you two?"
"Princess Consort..."
Guards Three and Four had been to Black Wind Mountain before, but once they were on the mountain, they realized it was completely different from their last visit. The original stockade on the mountain was not damaged. On the contrary, the numerous mechanisms and traps originally lining the mountain path had been dismantled, making the ascent considerably easier. Though this was nothing for those with their martial prowess, it obviously made a big difference for ordinary people. And there were still people living in the stockade. From afar, they saw smoke from cooking fires. Is the Princess Consort planning to become an outlaw? Or has another group of bandits appeared on Black Wind Mountain, and she intends for us to suppress them? 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
As the trio approached the stockade, a burst of barking erupted. Soon after, a spirited old man in his sixties, accompanied by several other elderly people and children, came to greet them. Seeing Ye Li, he smiled and approached. "Young Master Chu."
Ye Li nodded. "Elder Wang, how have you been lately?"
The old man, leaning on his cane, nodded repeatedly. "I’m doing very well, thanks to your care, Young Master. Please come inside."
Ye Li gestured for the old man to go first, walking slightly ahead of him and asking, "I can’t come here often. Is everything going smoothly for you here, Elder Wang?"
The old man said, "This place is neither too far nor too close to the Capital City; everything is well. We’ve been carrying out the tasks you’ve instructed exactly as you wished. Would you like to see for yourself? Ah... it’s almost lunchtime, and Young Master, having come from afar, must not have eaten. If you don’t mind the simple fare of our stockade, perhaps have a meal before we proceed?"
Ye Li, having left early in the morning, indeed hadn’t eaten lunch, so she agreed with a nod. The old man was very happy, ordering people to prepare lunch and personally inviting Ye Li to a simple yet very clean room to rest.
"Princess Consort... this place, how is it..." As soon as the old man left, Guard Three eagerly began to ask, but struggled to articulate his question.
Ye Li sat leisurely in her chair and said, "Are you asking about this place? After my last visit, I felt it was quite nice and decided to buy it." This location wasn’t far from the Capital City and wasn’t deserted. These mountains and forests naturally had owners. However, because bandits infested the area, ordinary people dared not assert their claims.
Perplexed, Darky Four said, "Princess Consort, why buy this mountain? It doesn’t seem to have any value." Neither the trees nor the plants on the mountain held much apparent value, nor did the mountain seem to harbor any gold or silver mines.
Ye Li blinked her eyes. "I never intended it to have any additional value. It’s just an ordinary mountain. It’s just that a manor and a few households have now been established on the mountain and at its foot."
"The foot of the mountain?" Darky Three remembered that there was indeed a sizable manor not far below.
The shadow guards weren’t fools. They naturally understood that even if the manor at the mountain’s foot belonged to the Princess Consort, her primary interest must lie in something on the mountain itself. Otherwise, she would not have taken the trouble to climb it. Two pairs of eyes silently observed the handsome young man. Ye Li closed her fan with an air of resignation and said, "Alright, after we eat, I’ll take you to have a look. I trust you understand the professional ethics of shadow guards. If not, this young master will personally teach you until you do."
Shivering almost instinctively, Guards Three and Four promptly responded, "Understood, Young Master."
After a somewhat simple lunch, Ye Li thanked the old man and led the two shadow guards towards the back of the mountain.
It didn’t take long for Guards Three and Four to understand why the Princess Consort had told them she needed laborers. Descending the cliff at the back of the mountain revealed a vast valley filled with towering ancient trees. Even in broad daylight, the howling of wolves could be heard in the distance. How can such a place exist near the Capital City? Ye Li led them through the eerie forest for a while until they came across a group of people busily constructing rudimentary buildings, training structures similar to those at the Prince’s Mansion, and many other installations they couldn’t comprehend at all. What puzzles us most is that we’ve been following the Princess Consort for several days and never saw her attend to any matters concerning this place—what exactly is going on?
A strapping man in his thirties approached to greet them, promptly coming over to Ye Li. "Young Master Chu."
Ye Li nodded and said, "How is the progress?"
The man’s face beamed with a sincere smile. "Young Master, rest assured, we haven’t made a single mistake. Everything is done according to your instructions. What do you think?"
Pleased with the progress, Ye Li smiled and said, "I have looked around; you have done a very good job."
The man scratched his head and laughed. "Though we don’t know what these things are for, Young Master Chu has been kind to us and given us work, so we’ll make sure to do it well."
Ye Li smiled and replied, "Don’t be so formal; you’re earning your wages with your own strength. Today, I’ve brought new blueprints. Take a look, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, we can discuss it in detail right now." She handed over a thick stack of blueprints. The man opened them, reviewed them, and laughed, "Young Master, your drawings are very clear. I’ll take them to the several master craftsmen to review. Would you like to come along?"
"I’ll have a look around first. I’ll head over after they’re finished with their work."
The man walked off enthusiastically with the blueprints. Ye Li then turned to the two stunned guards. "You can ask your questions now."
Darky Four glanced around and inquired, "Princess Consort... are you building a martial arts training ground?" Many things here look very similar to the training grounds at the Prince’s Mansion.
Ye Li nodded with satisfaction and laughed, "You have a discerning eye. You could say I’m building a fun playground."
The Princess Consort has quite unique hobbies.
"How did you find this place, Princess Consort?" asked Darky Three.
"Ah, I asked someone if there were any hidden and interesting places near the Capital City, and this place was recommended. I visited once and also found it to be a good spot."
Darky Three frowned and looked upwards. "Isn’t it easy for someone to invade here?" They had just come down directly from the cliff. Furthermore, the Lord of Tianyi Pavilion had escaped from below last time, indicating there was more than one way in and out.
Ye Li smiled and said, "If you’re referring to the way out at the bottom, I’ve already sealed it off. If you’re thinking of entering or leaving through this stretch of forest, I’ve checked. The edge of this forest is over fifteen miles away, perhaps even more, with one side ending in an even deeper cliff. Plus, the forest has swamps, various poisonous plants, and ferocious beasts. Haven’t you noticed the snake-repellent herbs scattered all around? It’s practically a heaven-blessed hunting ground. To find such a place near the Capital City is truly not easy. If you plan on coming down from above like we just did... once everything here is finished, that path up will also disappear. And... anyone not afraid of death can try using their lightness skill to jump down and see what happens."
Guards Three and Four instinctively drew closer to each other. Listening to the Princess Consort, the consequences of jumping down from above seemed even more dire than trying to force a way through the forest.
"What are you constructing such a place for, Princess Consort?" Darky Three swallowed nervously as he asked.
Ye Li’s smile was full of charm as she explained, "Didn’t I tell you? For fun. The facilities at the Prince’s Mansion are too limited; it’s quite dull. Once it’s all set up, whenever I feel bored, I’ll just come here for a stroll; my mood is guaranteed to improve immensely."
Guards Three and Four’s faces were a picture of horror. We should have known long ago that a Princess Consort with such peculiar interests is no ordinary person. The whole Capital City has been deceived by the Princess Consort... Even the Old Prince, were he resurrected, would likely be terrified by such a formidable daughter-in-law, wouldn’t he?
Looking around at the setup contentedly, Ye Li’s smiling eyes dimmed slightly. Life won’t always be this calm, so I can’t always play the carefree Princess Consort Ding, unaware of anything. Eldest Brother has gone to the Southern Border, Third Brother to the military barracks... If not for anticipating an unavoidable future crisis, Maternal Uncle would never have allowed Eldest Brother to meddle in court affairs. Young Master Qingchen’s reputation is already too prominent, and the Xu Family needs no more fame. Therefore... before events unfold, I must make my own preparations, so that in the future, I can protect my family—in my own way.
