Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 75. Clear Wind, Bright Moon Pavilion

75. Clear Wind And Bright Moon Pavilion

In the depths of the forest outside Jingling Temple, Mo Xiuyao was alone in his wheelchair with his eyes closed, replenishing his energy. The faint, oblique sunlight filtering through the treetops spilled onto him, adding a touch of warm color to the still somewhat chilly early spring.

"Xiuyao." As Ye Li approached, she saw the man leaning against the wheelchair. He looked thin and weary, which stirred a pang of guilt and heartache within her. Mo Xiuyao opened his eyes and looked up at her. He paused momentarily before smiling. "No wonder so many people couldn’t find Ah-Li. Given your current appearance, I probably wouldn’t recognize you either if I didn’t look closely." Ye Li walked up to him, looking into his eyes, which were filled with a forgiving smile, and said solemnly, "I’m sorry for making you worry."

"Does Ah-Li not plan on going back yet?" Mo Xiuyao asked, his gaze calm and warm as he looked at Ye Li.

Ye Li shook her head and said, "I want to take a trip to the Southern Border."

Mo Xiuyao frowned. "If Ah-Li is worried about Brother Xu, I can send Third Feng to the Southern Border to assist him."

Ye Li shook her head. "With Leng Haoyu not in the Capital City and only Feng Zhiyao and Chief Steward Mo there to help you, how can you dispatch Feng Zhiyao again? Besides, it isn’t a good time for me to go back right now, is it?" If she were to return now, it would be necessary to find out who exactly was behind the incident in the palace. As Mo Jingli said, it would be unacceptable to let the person who kidnapped the Princess Consort of Ding Kingdom go unpunished, even just for the sake of the dignity of King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. If King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion targeted Mo Jingli, then Mo Jingqi would be the beneficiary. It would be better to let Mo Jingli and Mo Jingqi fight it out between themselves. Although Mo Jingli knew that she had escaped, he still had to swallow this bitter pill. He surely couldn’t admit that he had kidnapped Princess Consort Ding and that she had escaped from him, could he? 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"If Ah-Li finds it boring in the Capital City, you could go to Yunzhou. When everything is over, I will come to pick you up. How does that sound?" Mo Xiuyao pulled Ye Li closer and looked up at her as he asked.

Ye Li bit her lip lightly, looking steadfastly at Mo Xiuyao. She knew that this man wanted to protect her. However, despite feeling touched, she knew in her heart that she was not the type of weak woman who could stand behind a man and watch others risk their lives. In addition to Mo Xiuyao, others involved in this struggle included her loved ones and her brother. She could foresee that perhaps in the future, her beloved uncle and her elderly grandfather would also be involved.

"I will take the covert guards with me, and I won’t put myself in unnecessary danger," Ye Li refused Mo Xiuyao’s proposal in a low voice.

A clear flicker of disappointment surfaced in Mo Xiuyao’s gentle eyes, and Ye Li quickly averted her gaze. After living together for half a year, she had gradually become accustomed to Mo Xiuyao’s calm and gentle voice and presence. He rarely asked anything of her. Suddenly, she realized that she rarely fulfilled even the rare requests he made. It seemed that, in every sense, she was not a qualified or good wife. "Ah-Li, I apologize. It’s all because of me..."

"No!" Ye Li interrupted him. "I know that if I wanted to, I could always stay in a safe place, and you would arrange everything for me. But, Xiuyao, I don’t want to live that way. I don’t want to hide behind you. If I am destined to spend my life with someone, I hope that I can stand by his side, rather than hiding under his wings. You... understand, don’t you?"

Mo Xiuyao’s fingers trembled imperceptibly. After a long silence, he said quietly, "Then... take care of yourself, Ah-Li." Then, he took out a warm jade ornament tied with a red silk ribbon and handed it to Ye Li, smiling faintly. "Take this. Don’t lose it." Ye Li played with the warm jade in her hand. It was a superior suet white jade, carved into the form of the dragon son, Yazi the monster. Even though it was sculpted from gentle white jade, one could still sense the domineering arrogance of the dragon son and the chilling, murderous aura of Yazi. Ye Li held it up and looked at Mo Xiuyao. "This?"

Mo Xiuyao smiled gently. "It’s a jade pendant handed down from our ancestors. I’ve wanted to give it to Ah-Li for a while. Don’t lose it. Like the Sword of the Clouds, it’s an heirloom too."

Lost for words, Ye Li silently put away the jade pendant.

Watching Ye Li’s figure disappear beyond the forest’s edge, the gentle smile gradually faded from Mo Xiuyao’s face. His gaze fell to his long-crippled legs, and within his outwardly serene eyes, waves of bitterness and frustration surged.

"BANG!" With a wave of his hand, a nearby tree as thick as a bowl snapped and fell. Mo Xiuyao coughed lightly, his face weary, leaning against his wheelchair and gasping slightly. Truly... useless...

"Given your current health, Prince, it’s best not to get angry so easily." Shen Yang walked out from the forest, looking at the broken tree trunk on the ground with a frown. He approached Mo Xiuyao and, as expected, saw spots of crimson bleeding through the snow-white handkerchief in his hand. Ah-Jin, following behind Shen Yang, looked at Mo Xiuyao with concern.

"The Princess Consort is a very special woman. You should rejoice for having married such a Princess Consort," Shen Yang mused, glancing in the direction where Ye Li had departed.

Mo Xiuyao retorted coldly, "Are you saying that I should be glad to let my Princess Consort risk danger herself?"

Shen Yang looked at his clenched hand resting on his knee, speaking unusually in an elder’s tone, "Even if it may wound your pride, Prince, I believe the Princess Consort doesn’t actually need too much protection from you. Isn’t she far more genuine and captivating in her present state than when she was being pampered with riches and honor in the mansion? Or do you, Prince Ding, like ordinary mortals, prefer a woman who is like a clinging vine, relying on you for everything?"

"Enough," Mo Xiuyao spoke in a deep voice. "This Prince knows what to do. Let’s return to the mansion!"

Ah-Jin moved forward to push Mo Xiuyao towards the other side of the forest. Shen Yang, walking behind, shook his head and followed.

「Prince Li’s Mansion」

Mo Jingli sat in his study, glaring with a dark expression at the man kneeling before him. "Are you saying that you still haven’t found any trace of Ye Li?"

The middle-aged man kneeling on the ground could clearly feel Mo Jingli’s anger. He inwardly cursed his rotten luck. "Please forgive me, Prince. My subordinates have already meticulously searched a hundred-mile radius from where Princess Consort Ding was last seen, but we haven’t found any trace of her."

Mo Jingli snorted coldly. "Ye Li hasn’t returned to Prince Ding’s Mansion, nor to the Ye Family or the Xu Family. Could it be that she’s capable of vanishing into thin air?"

The middle-aged man quickly replied, "Prince, although we tampered with her horse, it seems Princess Consort Ding discovered this. She sent her horses running in two different directions, east and west, thereby misleading our trackers. So right now..."

"So, you are now telling this Prince that your brains are inferior to a woman’s?" Mo Jingli spat out the words with a contemptuous sneer.

The middle-aged man lowered his head in shame. But he couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: Is Princess Consort Ding an ordinary woman? The Prince has suffered at her hands more than once or twice already. So, it’s understandable that we failed, right?

"Get out! And keep a close watch on Prince Ding’s Mansion for me. I refuse to believe Ye Li won’t return!" After dismissing his subordinate, Mo Jingli fell into deep thought. Ye Li not returning to any mansion after escaping was indeed beyond his expectations. He didn’t know whether he should feel relieved or angry. This choice was like having to choose between confronting King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion or his Brother Emperor. If Ye Li returned safely to Prince Ding’s Mansion, then neither he nor Mo Xiuyao would have any room to retreat. The one who would ultimately benefit would still be his Brother Emperor, sitting high on the dragon throne. And now... Mo Xiuyao was busy searching everywhere for Ye Li, and also creating some trouble for Mo Jingqi from time to time. It seemed he should seize this opportunity... But what if he and Mo Jingqi both ended up suffering heavy losses...

"Prince, are you feeling upset?" A charming young girl walked out from the inner room, her eyes smiling at Mo Jingli.

"Ye Li still hasn’t returned to any mansion. The tracking drug you used was useless; she has disappeared now," Mo Jingli said in a low voice, looking at the pretty and cute young woman before him. Xiaoyun, now changed out of her plain maid’s attire and looking even more charming, had a peculiar glint in her eyes. She exclaimed in surprise, "This Princess Consort Ding is quite capable. Even the most renowned poison masters cannot detect the Soul-chasing Incense I used." Tilting her head and twirling a small braid that lay on her chest, Xiaoyun blinked at Mo Jingli. "Do you need me to find Princess Consort Ding? I can definitely find her."

Mo Jingli glanced at her. "Find her? If you really found her, do you think you could even make it back?" Even after several confrontations, Mo Jingli felt he hadn’t fully fathomed Ye Li’s capabilities. Besides, those four covert guards with her were definitely not simple. With Xiaoyun’s skills alone, she’d likely be killed without even her bones being recovered. "You just stay put in this Prince’s mansion and don’t run around. If you ruin this Prince’s plans, this Prince won’t care about how to explain it to your sister."

Xiaoyun bit her lip, glaring resentfully at Mo Jingli. Unfortunately for her, Mo Jingli was not the type to cherish beautiful women. He snorted coldly, picked up a scroll from the table, and began to read, completely ignoring her. Xiaoyun’s lively eyes darted around. She walked over to Mo Jingli and whispered with a smile, "Brother Jing Li, how about I help you poison Mo Xiuyao and the Emperor to death?"

"If you want to die, feel free to try," Mo Jingli said. Did she think that in all these years, no one had tried to poison or assassinate Mo Xiuyao? But Mo Xiuyao, despite his sickly and crippled body, was still alive and well. Conversely, those assassins had long since vanished, their corpses never found.

「Guangling City, Jiangnan」

Compared to the lingering chill of early spring in the north, Jiangnan in early March was already a vibrant scene of blooming flowers and prosperity. Guangling City was the largest city in the south and also the former capital of the previous dynasty. Although the previous dynasty had long since vanished, Guangling City’s position as the political, economic, and cultural center of the south remained unshaken. Furthermore, because the Great Ancestor Emperor had also established his capital here in the early years of his reign, Guangling City was preserved as a secondary capital even after the main capital was later moved to the north. Compared to the political and military importance of the Capital of Great Chu, Guangling City leaned more towards culture and economy. Three of the four wealthiest merchants in Great Chu resided in Guangling City, demonstrating that its prosperity far surpassed that of the Capital of Great Chu, located in the north.

At night, Ye Li leisurely strolled along bustling streets thick with the scent of cosmetics and the sounds of revelry. On either side, the clamor was infused with the smell of alcohol and rouge, and decadent string-and-bamboo music drifted to her ears. Darky Three awkwardly followed Ye Li, constantly using his hands to push away the overly enthusiastic and delicate women from the street who tried to pull at him and his Princess Consort. He was lamenting his fate. If I had known the Princess Consort would come to a place like this, I never would have scrambled to switch places with the Boss! BOO HOO... If the Prince finds out I accompanied the Princess Consort to a brothel, he’ll definitely skin me alive!

As Ye Li strolled, she would occasionally turn her head to enjoy the sight of Darky Three’s embarrassment. It wasn’t until Darky Three seemed on the verge of collapsing that she finally stopped in her tracks and chuckled, "Here we are."

Darky Three breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the building by the road. Against the tranquil lakefront, there stood an elegant and unusual pavilion. On the plaque hung atop the door, a few large characters were written flamboyantly—Clear Wind and Bright Moon Pavilion.

As a covert guard specially trained by King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, Darky Three, of course, knew what Clear Wind and Bright Moon Pavilion was. The number one brothel in the world! It was said to have the finest wines, the most exquisite delicacies, and the most beautiful and talented women anywhere. This was the legendary ’paradise of bliss’ that every man dreamed of, a place where they would willingly lose themselves and never wish to awaken. "Young Master?"

Ye Li looked at him, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "What’s wrong? Isn’t the number one Pavilion in the world up to your standards?"

Darky Three gave a bitter smile. "Young Master, are we really going in?"

Ye Li smiled. "Did you think I brought you here just for a stroll? Let’s go." She unfolded her fan and sauntered into the Clear Wind and Bright Moon Pavilion.

Since Clear Wind and Bright Moon Pavilion could become the number one brothel in the world, it naturally possessed extraordinary qualities. Upon stepping into the main hall, they were not greeted by a vulgar, heavily made-up procuress, but by two young women with delicately painted eyebrows and refreshingly elegant makeup. Seeing Ye Li—dressed in an ice-blue brocade gown embroidered with silver cloud patterns, an exquisite jade pendant adorning her white belt, holding a folding fan with a leisurely grace that bespoke an extraordinary bearing—the women quickly came forward. "Greetings, Young Master. You seem unfamiliar to us. Is this your first visit to Clear Wind and Bright Moon Pavilion?"

Ye Li nodded with a smile. "Indeed. This young master has just arrived in Jiangnan. Having long admired the great reputation of Clear Wind and Bright Moon Pavilion, I wished to see it for myself."

The woman smiled. "Young Master, your visit truly brings honor to our humble establishment. Please, allow me to escort you to a private room where you can enjoy singing and dancing. At the same time, you can see if there is anything that catches your fancy."

Ye Li replied with a laugh, "I’ve heard that singing and dancing aren’t the only specialties of your establishment. Perhaps you could introduce me to some more exciting offerings."

This woman, being in charge of reception at Clear Wind and Bright Moon Pavilion, was naturally perceptive. One glance told her that although Ye Li was impeccably dressed and carried an extraordinary air, this youth was definitely no older than thirteen. ŸŸŸSome thirteen-year-old tender youths are very interested in sensual pleasures, but indeed, some haven’t had their understanding awakened yet. Looking at the young master’s noble and proud demeanor, she guessed this must