Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 72. Fire in Yaohua Palace
72. Fire at Yaohua Palace
Standing before the grand and imposing palace, Ye Li sighed softly. This was her third time entering the palace. Given her previous unpleasant experiences, being summoned by the Emperor this time made her even more cautious and wary. As Princess Consort Ding, she was a member of the imperial family’s inner court. Normally, even if the Emperor wished to see her, the summons should have come in the name of the Empress or Ye Zhaoyi.
"Princess Consort Ding, His Majesty is inside. Please, go in," the leading eunuch said in a slightly fawning low voice. Ye Li glanced sideways at him, vaguely recalling him as the eunuch who had delivered the marriage decree to the Ye Mansion.
Ye Li nodded. Qingluan and Qingyu had been left outside. Her hidden guards naturally couldn’t move about freely in the Imperial Palace, so Ye Li could only enter the magnificent palace, a symbol of power and wealth, by herself.
"Princess Consort Ding, Ye Li, greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy eternal peace." The spacious hall felt cold and vast due to the scarcity of people. Mo Jingqi sat high on his throne, looking down at the woman kneeling in curtsey before him. After a good while, he finally said, "Princess Consort Ding, you may rise." Ye Li rose and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Mo Jingqi gestured to a nearby chair, indicating for Ye Li to sit, and asked with a smile, "Since the onset of winter, Prince Ding’s health has been rather poor. I wonder if it has improved at all."
Ye Li lowered her gaze and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. The weather is gradually warming now. While the Prince’s health is still not fully recovered, it is much better than it was during the harsh winter." Mo Jingqi’s eyes narrowed slightly as he carefully observed the demeanor of the woman below. She was calm and serene, like an ordinary young wife. However, such tranquility and composure, when displayed before the ruler of a nation, appeared less than ordinary. Moreover, according to the information he had received, Prince Ding cared a great deal for this Princess Consort. Could someone entirely unremarkable capture Prince Ding’s interest? It seemed... I had indeed underestimated her. Even his incredibly arrogant younger brother, Prince Li, had suffered losses at her hands several times. Recalling how Mo Jingli’s face would darken as if smeared with ink every time Ye Li was mentioned in his presence, Mo Jingqi began to genuinely question whether marrying such a woman to Mo Xiuyao was an insult to him or a boon. But it’s okay... I’m going to solve these problems soon.
"Having to manage the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion and take care of Prince Ding... Princess Consort, you have truly worked hard," Mo Jingqi said with a smile.
"Your Majesty is too kind. These are all matters that Ye Li ought to do," Ye Li replied calmly.
The two exchanged pleasantries for a long time, and Mo Jingqi grew increasingly irritated by the composed and calm woman before him. It seemed that ever since he had decreed the marriage for Prince Ding, nothing had gone smoothly. Mo Jingli, who had previously only made minor moves in secret, was now, with the Empress Dowager’s backing, becoming bolder, to the point of nearly openly opposing him. Due to the Empress Dowager and Prince Li, there was also a palpable sense of unease within the court. Guan Ting, a trusted subordinate he had dispatched to garrison the Broken Snow Pass, had inexplicably broken his leg after being kicked by a horse, necessitating a change of command at the pass. He had sent his confidant to Broken Snow Pass partly to guard against Mo Jingli and partly to guard against Nanzhao. Murong Shen, the current replacement, though a capable military commander, was not as trusted by him as Guan Ting had been. Entrusting such a vital location as Broken Snow Pass to someone who was not his confidant made Mo Jingqi very uneasy. But... after reviewing his options, Mo Jingqi had to admit that there weren’t many capable individuals among his trusted men. At the very least, he truly couldn’t find a sufficiently convincing candidate to replace Murong Shen.
Thinking of the news he had just received—that Mo Jingli dared to secretly collude with the Saintess of the Southern Border—sent Mo Jingqi’s fury surging. But he could only endure it. Mo Jingli was his biological brother, and he had no concrete evidence to prove any connection between Mo Jingli and the Saintess of the Southern Border. Neither the Empress Dowager nor the court officials allied with Mo Jingli would consent to him punishing Prince Li. He was the Emperor, but he often found that he was not as omnipotent as he had once imagined. Often, even making a simple decision required navigating the constraints imposed by various factions.
"Princess Consort Ding, when I decreed your marriage to Prince Ding, did you harbor any resentment in your heart?" Mo Jingqi asked abruptly after a moment of silence, staring intently at Ye Li.
Ye Li was taken aback. Her mind raced, trying to discern Mo Jingqi’s true meaning, but her expression remained calm as she replied, "Your Majesty’s decree was an act of grace towards Ye Li. How could Ye Li harbor any resentment?"
"Oh?" Mo Jingqi looked down at her with keen interest, a smile playing on his lips. "You were originally Princess Consort Li, a match personally decreed by the late Emperor. My imperial younger brother is both handsome and talented, excelling in both scholarly and martial pursuits, truly the cream of the crop among the capital’s elite. Yet, because of a single edict, you went from being Princess Consort Li to the pitied Princess Consort Ding. Do you truly feel no resentment at all?"
Ye Li’s eyes flickered slightly. She smiled faintly and said, "Prince Li annulled the engagement first; Your Majesty’s decree came afterward. Your Majesty’s decree, in fact, resolved Ye Li’s predicament. How could Ye Li feel resentful?"
"Not resentful towards me... then, are you resentful towards Prince Li? It is said, and I know for a fact, that my imperial younger brother has suffered at your hands more than once."
Ye Li’s heart skipped a beat. She smiled lightly and said, "Your Majesty jests. How could Ye Li possess the virtue or ability to cause Prince Li to suffer? May I ask... for what specific reason has Your Majesty summoned Ye Li today?" If this continued, she likely wouldn’t be able to leave the Imperial Palace until noon. It was not a good thing for a married noblewoman to spend too much time with the Emperor without the presence of other imperial consorts.
Mo Jingqi looked at her and chuckled. "Very good. I appreciate clever people. In that case, I won’t beat around the bush with you, Princess Consort. Princess Consort Ding, is Prince Ding aware of Mo Jingli’s collusion with the Saintess of the Southern Border?"
Ye Li lowered her gaze and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, Ye Li is dull-witted... Ye Li does not quite understand this matter concerning Prince Li and some Saintess of the Southern Border."
"You don’t understand?" Mo Jingqi raised an eyebrow, looking at Ye Li with a half-smile. "Prince Ding trusts his Princess Consort a great deal, does he not? As far as I know, during Prince Ding’s severe illness, many affairs of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion were personally managed by the Princess Consort. And now you tell me you don’t know? Princess Consort, are you aware... of the crime for deceiving the sovereign?"
A cold glint flashed in Ye Li’s half-lowered eyes. She looked down at the ground, saying, "Deceiving the sovereign is a capital offense. However... if Your Majesty is certain that the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion is aware of Prince Li’s affairs, why not question the Prince directly? I am merely a woman. Even if I am in charge of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, I do not concern myself with matters of the court."
"Insolence!" Mo Jingqi roared, his eyes, fixed on Ye Li, glinting with a sinister and murderous intent. A typical noblewoman might have been terrified by this deliberately released killing aura, but for Ye Li, such threats and intimidation were far from sufficient.
She rose and curtsied lightly. "Ye Li has been insolent. Please, Your Majesty, forgive me."
Mo Jingqi snorted, staring at Ye Li. "The King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion is better informed than you realize. Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao cannot protect you forever. You may not know Jing Li’s temperament, but Mo Xiuyao certainly does. You might as well go back, ask him, and then consider my questions."
Is the Emperor threatening me? Ye Li wondered with a slight smile.
"Thank you for Your Majesty’s guidance. Ye Li will consider it carefully," Ye Li said.
Seeing Ye Li so remarkably uncooperative, the anger in Mo Jingqi’s eyes intensified. However, he also knew he couldn’t do anything to Princess Consort Ding within the Imperial Palace. He merely stared at Ye Li for a long moment before snorting and having someone escort her out.
"Your Majesty." As Ye Li departed, Mo Jingqi’s expression flickered, unreadable. A plain-looking, unremarkable young man emerged from the rear hall and looked respectfully at Mo Jingqi.
Mo Jingqi suppressed the anger in his chest and said to the man, "It seems that arranging Ye Li’s marriage to Mo Xiuyao back then was truly a misstep. What was Ye Wenhua thinking? This Ye Li is more difficult to deal with than his other four daughters combined! With her, it’s hard to guarantee the Xu Family won’t support Mo Xiuyao."
The young man said softly, "The Xu Family has not had excessive contact with the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. Besides, now is truly not the time to further provoke the Xu Family." His Majesty is good in every way, except he’s overly suspicious. While we are secretly confronting Prince Li and the Empress Dowager, we don’t need to make more enemies. If the Emperor’s suspicions push the Xu Family towards Prince Li or Prince Ding, that loss would outweigh the gain, he sighed to himself.
Mo Jingqi was not unaware of the validity of the young man’s counsel; it was the inability to fully control the situation that made him extremely anxious. Waving his hand, Mo Jingqi frowned and asked, "During the morning court session, State Duke Hua proposed that Great Chu assist the Nanzhao royal family in quelling the rebellion. What are your thoughts?"
The young man pondered for a moment, then nodded. "State Duke Hua is devoted to the country; his proposal is indeed beneficial to us and carries no harm. However, we need not rush to help them quell their rebellion. Let the King of Nanzhao and the Saintess of the Southern Border wear each other down. As long as we provide some assistance when needed, I believe the King of Nanzhao will surely remember Your Majesty’s grace."
Mo Jingqi frowned in thought, then said, "You have a point. I want to see what my ’good’ younger brother intends to do. He wants to help the Saintess of the Southern Border, doesn’t he? Well, I shall help the Nanzhao royal family. I’d like to see who wins in the end!"
The young man frowned slightly. Looking at Mo Jingqi’s cold, sneering face, he ultimately suppressed the worry in his heart. I hope His Majesty doesn’t invest too much energy in the Southern Border, he thought.
"Greetings, Princess Consort Ding. Ye Zhaoyi requests your presence."
Just as she came out of the hall, she encountered the chief eunuch from Ye Yue’s palace, who was already waiting. Ye Li frowned slightly. In October, Ye Yue had safely given birth to a prince, the Emperor’s fifth son. However, Ye Yue’s status in the palace had not risen as expected; she remained a Zhaoyi. Concurrently, she became the only one among all the concubines who had borne a prince not to be elevated to the rank of Consort. This caused Ye Yue’s position, which had seemed quite ascendant in the first half of the year, to become rather awkward. Even with two sisters who were principal consorts to princes, lacking sufficient status in the palace made Ye Yue’s days somewhat difficult. This is likely Mo Jingqi’s warning to the Ye Family, Ye Li understood.
After a moment’s thought, Ye Li said, "I am feeling unwell and wish to return to my residence to rest. Please convey my apologies to Zhaoyi Ye."
"Princess Consort..." The chief eunuch clearly hadn’t expected Ye Li to refuse so directly. He stammered in a flustered manner, "Princess Consort, Zhaoyi Ye entreats Princess Consort to see her, for the sake of their sisterly bond."
Ye Li frowned. Since Mo Jingqi had already targeted her, the Empress Dowager was likely not far behind. Meeting Ye Yue now would benefit neither her nor Ye Yue herself. She had said last year that if Ye Yue wished to live peacefully in this deep palace, it would be best for her not to get involved in such matters. It seems Ye Yue is still involved. Besides, since the Ye Family has already waded into these muddy waters, Ye Yue, even within the palace, likely couldn’t avoid being drawn in, she thought. "Very well, lead the way."
"Thank you, Princess Consort." Hearing her consent, the chief eunuch joyfully expressed his thanks and hurriedly led the way towards Ye Yue’s Yaohua Palace.
Compared to the radiant, expectant Ye Yue whom Ye Li had first encountered in Yaohua Palace, even while pregnant, the current Ye Yue was significantly diminished. Cradling the still-swaddled little prince, her beautiful face was etched with sorrow and gloom. Seeing Ye Li enter, she quickly tried to rise.
Ye Li shook her head. "Second Sister, there’s no need for such formality."
Ye Yue dismissed the attendants beside her. Looking at Ye Li’s calm yet noticeably more graceful and stately demeanor compared to a few months ago, she managed a bitter smile. "I thought Third Sister wouldn’t come to see me."
Ye Li lowered her eyes and said softly, "Second Sister, you should know that meeting now holds no benefit for you or the little prince."
Ye Yue paused, then looked down at the oblivious child in her arms, a bitter smile on her lips. "How could I not know? It’s just... my current situation, Third Sister, you’ve seen it. What else do you think I can do?"
Ye Li frowned. "Second Sister, now that you have the little prince, why not focus on raising him? No matter how ruthless His Majesty might be, he would not harm his own flesh and blood. As for Father’s affairs... Second Sister, you should not involve yourself further." For other matters, even if Ye Yue had the inclination, she lacked the capability. She could offer no help in the power struggle between the Emperor and Prince Li with the Empress Dowager. Instead, she would likely be implicated due to Minister Ye’s attempts to play both sides. If Mo Jingqi won, having borne a prince would protect her from a fatal outcome. If Mo Jingli won, as a mere woman, she would be powerless to change her fate.
Ye Yue held her child, staring blankly at Ye Li for a long moment before saying softly, "Grandmother was wrong, and Father was wrong too. I know Ying’er’s temperament; she’s more likely to ruin things than accomplish anything. Regardless of whether Prince Li wins or loses, Fourth Sister will not bring any glory to the Ye Family. And His Majesty... when His Majesty can finally rule with undisputed authority, Father’s actions today will likely bring a devastating disaster upon the Ye Family."
"So, His Majesty has indeed kept Second Sister’s rank unchanged because of Father’s affairs?" Ye Li asked.
"What else could it be?" Ye Yue said with a smile, a hint of sorrow woven into it. When she first entered the palace, she too had been ambitious, her aspirations soaring high. But gradually, she discovered that the Imperial Palace was never as wonderful as she had imagined. His Majesty doted most on Noble Consort Liu, whose beauty was unparalleled and talents unmatched. His Majesty most respected the Empress, who came from a prestigious family and possessed a dignified and gracious bearing. She, who prided herself on her talent and looks, was nothing in this palace teeming with beauties. Even the initial favor she received was merely a reflection of her father’s loyalty. Once he discovered her father was not as loyal as he had imagined, the heartless Emperor couldn’t even be bothered to leave her a shred of dignity.
The Emperor was ruthless. Whether Ye Yue had chosen this path willingly or been forced onto it, Ye Li could not offer her much sympathy. "Second Sister, did you ask for me because you have something to say?"
Ye Yue looked at her cool, composed expression and finally shook her head. "It was wishful thinking on my part. Even if I were to beg Third Sister to help my son and me now, you wouldn’t agree, would you?"
Ye Li said, "I cannot help you, Second Sister. Right now... it’s likely no one can help anyone. Since you are aware of the matters between His Majesty and Prince Li, you should also know that the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion’s situation is hardly better than yours, is it?"
Ye Yue sighed. "I used to always consider myself clever. Only now do I realize that you, Third Sister, are the truly clever one among us sisters."
Ye Li frowned slightly. "Since Second Sister has nothing further, I shall take my leave."
Ye Yue sat quietly on the soft couch, cradling her child, her gaze towards Ye Li tinged with a faint apology. A sense of alarm suddenly struck Ye Li. She rose abruptly, only to feel a wave of dizziness. Her vision blackened, and she collapsed onto the floor with a thud.
Ye Yue silently watched Ye Li fall, then whispered softly, "Forgive me, Third Sister. As a mother, I must plan for my son’s future."
「In the twelfth spring of Emperor Ping’s reign, a fire broke out in Yaohua Palace. Ms. Ye of Zhaoyi and the Fifth Prince perished in the flames. Princess Consort Ding, Ye Li, who was visiting Ye Zhaoyi in Yaohua Palace at the time, went missing.」
"Your Highness... Your Highness! This is terrible..." Inside the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, Chief Steward Mo, usually known for his composure and steadiness, ran with frantic steps towards the study located in a side hall of the main courtyard.
Feng Zhiyao, lounging in a chair in a corner of the study with an expression of someone anticipating a good show, drawled lazily, "Ah-Yao, for Chief Steward Mo to be this terrified, it must really be something bad..."
Before he could finish, Chief Steward Mo had already reached the study entrance, his face deathly pale. He said to Mo Xiuyao, "Your Highness, the Princess Consort... the Princess Consort has gone missing in the palace!"
Feng Zhiyao, stunned, shot up and exclaimed, "How is that possible? How could she just disappear in the palace?"
Both men turned their gaze towards Mo Xiuyao, who was seated to the side. Mo Xiuyao seemed to freeze for a moment. Only when their eyes fell on him did he slowly place the scroll in his hand back on the table. He asked gravely, "What happened?"
Chief Steward Mo’s voice trembled. "After the Princess Consort had an audience with His Majesty, Ye Zhaoyi of Yaohua Palace sent someone to invite the Princess Consort over, saying she had a matter to request. By the time the hidden guards in the palace reached Yaohua Palace, the entire place was already ablaze. Ye Zhaoyi and the Fifth Prince died in the fire, and the Princess Consort... the Princess Consort is missing."
Mo Xiuyao leaned back in his wheelchair, closed his eyes briefly, then asked in a low voice, "Where are Qingluan and Qingyu?"
"Qingluan and Qingyu are also missing," Chief Steward Mo said in a low voice. "Qingluan and Qingyu did not accompany the Princess Consort into Yaohua Palace, but... the hidden guards in the palace could not find them."
"Very good." Mo Xiuyao’s voice was low, seemingly devoid of anger, yet it made one feel an icy chill. The entire study seemed to freeze in an instant, an almost bone-chilling frost descending. "The Princess Consort is missing, her two maids have vanished, and the hidden guards in the palace know nothing. Excellent... Am I supposed to praise the hidden guards for their loyal service all these years?"
"Your Highness, please calm your anger!" Feng Zhiyao and Chief Steward Mo’s expressions changed, and they both knelt to beg for forgiveness.
Mo Xiuyao did not look at them, waving a hand dismissively. "Go and prepare. I will enter the palace immediately. Feng Zhiyao, secretly blockade all roads leading out of the capital. I don’t want to see a single suspicious person leave the capital city."
Feng Zhiyao rose. "This subordinate obeys."
Chief Steward Mo hesitated for a moment. "Your Highness, your current health... it might not be advisable..."
Before he could finish, Mo Xiuyao shot him a single glance. The sharp, blade-like intensity in his eyes made Chief Steward Mo’s heart tremble, the remaining words catching in his throat. Feng Zhiyao, reacting quickly, pulled Chief Steward Mo out of the room.
Chief Steward Mo frowned with worry, saying, "His Highness’s health simply cannot take such strain... This..." He was frantic about the Princess Consort’s disappearance, but if the Prince also collapsed, then the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion would be finished without anyone else needing to plot against it.
Feng Zhiyao shook his head and said, "You know the Prince’s temperament; saying anything now is useless. Quickly go and invite Mr. Shen. It would be best if Mr. Shen could accompany him into the palace."
Chief Steward Mo knew Feng Zhiyao was right, so he could only let out a long sigh and hurry towards the guest courtyard where Shen Yang was temporarily staying. Feng Zhiyao glanced back worriedly at the silent study and could only sigh in his heart, hoping Ye Li was safe.
In the study, Mo Xiuyao sat in silence, his head lowered, staring at his hands resting on the armrests. On the backs of his hands, which were excessively pale from prolonged illness, a thin layer of frost had unknowingly formed. Mo Xiuyao looked on expressionlessly, seemingly oblivious to the abnormality of his hands. Gradually, the frost began to melt into fine water droplets, eventually evaporating into a faint warm mist that dispersed into the study, leaving no trace. A trickle of dark red blood slowly slid from the corner of Mo Xiuyao’s lips. He glanced down at the bloodstain on his pale cyan robe, then slowly and deliberately took a snow-white handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the blood from his lips. "Mo Jingqi... you... are... courting... death!"
By now, the Imperial Palace was in utter chaos. Mo Jingqi’s face was grim, his eyes flickering wildly with suspicion and ferocity as he stared at everyone present. He could overlook the deaths of Ye Yue and the young Fifth Prince, but if Princess Consort Ding was also involved, then he could not afford to be indifferent. Mo Jingqi had never imagined that someone could exploit a vulnerability right under his nose in his own Imperial Palace. Indeed, the moment the incident occurred, Mo Jingqi realized this was no ordinary accidental fire; it was a conspiracy targeting him. Princess Consort Ding had died in the palace, and moreover, she had been summoned by him... Mo Jingqi dared not imagine the turmoil that would erupt if the Mo Family Army and the Black Cloud Cavalry were to rise up because of this. Although he had immediately dispatched his trusted guards to secure the capital city’s defenses, his heart was still in a tumult, unable to find peace.
His gaze fell on the Empress Dowager seated to one side. Mo Jingqi’s gaze became even more complex and difficult to discern. If Mo Jingqi were to suspect anyone, the first would be his own mother. Having grown up by the Empress Dowager’s side, he naturally understood her ruthless, do-whatever-it-takes nature. From childhood admiration and respect to his current intolerance, Mo Jingqi was reluctant to admit that he still somewhat feared the Empress Dowager.
Then he looked at Mo Jingli, seated to the side as if the matter didn’t concern him. The anger in Mo Jingqi’s eyes gradually receded. He could not lose his composure now; there were more difficult people to deal with yet. And he... was the Emperor. He could not retreat.
"Prince Ding arrives!"
The last time those present had seen Mo Xiuyao was in June of the previous year. At that time, apart from his inability to walk, he had seemed no different from a normal person, which had caused no small amount of worry for many people. But a few months later, news spread that Prince Ding was gravely ill, and the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, as in previous years, closed its doors to visitors. This allowed many to slowly let go of their anxieties. Now, in early spring, the climate of the Capital of Great Chu still carried a biting chill. Mo Xiuyao entered, seated in a wheelchair pushed by Ah-Jin. He was draped in a pale cyan cloak with silver thread cloud patterns, and the collar revealed the white imperial court attire of a prince, embroidered with silver dragons, underneath. Even though a mask covered half his face, it was still evident that Mo Xiuyao’s complexion was not good. His abnormally pale skin indicated he was indeed still ill.
"Your subject, Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao, greets Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress. Greets the Empress Dowager," Mo Xiuyao said calmly from his wheelchair.
The hall fell into a solemn silence. Mo Jingqi composed himself and said loudly, "Prince Ding, you are exempt from formalities."
Mo Xiuyao said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Forgive my rudeness, but may I ask Your Majesty, where is my humble wife?"
Everyone in the hall exchanged glances. Mo Jingqi glanced at the utterly unmoved Empress Dowager and Mo Jingli, his eyes darkening, then turned his head to look at the Empress. The Empress glanced coolly at Mo Jingqi, sighed softly to herself, and then spoke, "Prince Ding, Princess Consort Ding was also in Yaohua Palace at the time. It is feared that she has already... Please, Prince Ding, restrain your grief."
"Restrain my grief?" Mo Xiuyao’s gaze swept calmly over everyone in the hall. He asked in a deep voice, "My Princess Consort was summoned to an audience by imperial decree. Now she is missing, and you tell me to restrain my grief?"
"The fire at Yaohua Palace... Ye Zhaoyi, the Fifth Prince, and all the palace staff of Yaohua Palace have been found. Only Princess Consort Ding is missing. Prince Ding is right; perhaps Princess Consort Ding was fortunate enough to escape," the Empress Dowager sat up straighter, her expression serious. "But for now... Princess Consort Ding is nowhere to be found, dead or alive. This fire at Yaohua Palace... is truly very strange."
Ye Ying, seated beside Mo Jingli, had already cried her eyes red. She had indeed been somewhat jealous of Ye Yue and genuinely disliked Ye Li, but she never imagined both her sisters would be gone so suddenly. Moreover, Ye Yue had been genuinely good to her when they were at their parents’ home, and her relationship with Ye Li had also eased considerably over the past six months. Her life as Princess Consort in Prince Li’s Mansion had taught her many things Ms. Wang had never instructed her on. So she knew clearly that the deaths of Ye Yue and Ye Li brought her absolutely no benefit. "Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, how could my Second Sister’s Yaohua Palace suddenly catch fire? And how could it be so coincidental that Third Sister was also inside? I implore the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty to seek justice for my two sisters!"
Mo Jingli glanced at Ye Ying and snorted. "If anyone’s to blame, it’s Ye Li for her bad luck. She should have stayed put in her mansion instead of running around. Wasn’t it just her luck to be buried along with Ye Zhaoyi and the Fifth Prince?"
Noble Consort Liu, seated beside Mo Jingqi, looked up only after hearing Mo Jingli’s words and asked coldly, "Does Prince Li mean to say that someone intended to harm Ye Zhaoyi and the Fifth Prince, and Princess Consort Ding was merely accidentally implicated?"
Mo Jingli sneered. "Isn’t that perfectly natural? Who would have the audacity and the means to commit arson and murder in the Imperial Palace? And to coincidentally burn Ye Zhaoyi and the Fifth Prince to death? Who knows if Ye Li saw something and was silenced? Even if she wasn’t burned to death, her person should still be somewhere in the Imperial Palace, right?"
Mo Jingqi narrowed his eyes, staring at Mo Jingli. "Does Prince Li have any opinion?"
Mo Jingli smiled. "Your younger brother has no particular opinion. It’s just that Princess Consort Ding is currently missing, dead or alive, and we must give an account to the court officials and the common people. We can’t just say Princess Consort Ding simply disappeared in the palace, can we? If this is the case, which of the court-attending noblewomen would dare to enter the palace in the future?"
The Empress frowned. "Then what does Prince Li mean?"
"Replying to Imperial Sister-in-Law, the Empress, your younger brother suggests it’s best to search the palace. If Princess Consort Ding is indeed still alive, she must still be in the palace. Perhaps we can even find the arsonist. We can’t just sit here doing nothing; the culprit won’t just run up to us, will they? I believe Prince Ding shares my sentiment. Mo Xiuyao, wouldn’t you agree?"
Mo Jingqi certainly did not want his inner palace searched, but faced with Prince Li’s righteous-sounding proposal and Prince Ding’s impassive agreement, he had no choice but to consent. He could almost imagine that before tomorrow, this incident would become a laughingstock, spreading to every corner of Great Chu. Mo Jingqi seethed inwardly; this younger brother, whom he had doted on since childhood, now seized every opportunity to smear his reputation. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Mo Xiuyao did not join the extensive search. Citing ill health, he remained to rest in a side hall. He knew in his heart that Mo Jingli’s so-called search would yield no useful clues. It was, however, quite likely to uncover a host of messy affairs within Mo Jingqi’s harem. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t mind going along to watch, but right now, his mood was extremely foul, and managing to speak calmly with those people in the main hall for a few sentences was already his limit.
"Your Highness, your health..." Shen Yang and Chief Steward Mo stood on either side of Mo Xiuyao, asking with concern.
Mo Xiuyao raised a hand to stop him, shaking his head. "I am fine. Tell Feng Zhiyao to give up on the Imperial Palace. Ah-Li is not in the palace."
Shen Yang raised an eyebrow. "Your Highness is so certain the Princess Consort is still alive?"
"Since Ah-Li went to visit Ye Zhaoyi, she should have been with Ye Zhaoyi at the time. Even the remains of the Sixth Prince were found, yet Ah-Li is missing... With Ah-Li’s skills, she definitely wouldn’t have been unable to escape Yaohua Palace. In that case..." Mo Xiuyao frowned in thought. The fire in Yaohua Palace had burned so thoroughly that finding any clues now was impossible. The hidden guards arrived outside Yaohua Palace as soon as the fire started but did not see Ah-Li emerge. And, the fire in Yaohua Palace had spread too quickly...
"Someone, come."
"Your Highness." From an inconspicuous side door of the side hall, an ordinary-looking old eunuch emerged, respectfully awaiting Mo Xiuyao’s orders.
Mo Xiuyao said calmly, "Go and see if there are any secret passages or hidden rooms in Yaohua Palace. Also, find out who Ye Zhaoyi frequently interacted with before her death. Finally... send someone skilled in medicine to examine the bodies of Ye Zhaoyi and the Fifth Prince."
The old eunuch showed no surprise at Mo Xiuyao’s orders. His wrinkled old face remained placid as he said respectfully, "This subordinate obeys and will definitely not fail Your Highness’s command."
Mo Xiuyao let out a soft humph. "I will not pursue the matter this time. If the remaining tasks are still not handled properly, none of you need to see me again."
"Thank you, Your Highness. This subordinate takes his leave."
Ah-Li, I know you will be alright... you definitely will!
