The First Jasmine - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: A Placid Newlywed Life

In the early morning, Ye Li sat serenely before the bronze mirror, permitting Qingshuang and Qingxia to tend to her hair. With nimble hands, Qingshuang deftly coiled her raven-black tresses into a Lily Knot, while Qingxia brought forward a jewelry box filled to the brim with precious gems for Ye Li to choose from. Left with no choice, Ye Li looked left and right into the bronze mirror, furrowing her brows as she gazed at Qingshuang. "Can we not fashion a slightly simpler arrangement?" Qingshuang giggled softly. "Mistress, you ought to be content. Newlywed women must all adorn themselves meticulously. I have already selected the simplest hairstyle. If it were those hair arrangements favored by the noble ladies of the capital, you truly would be unable to endure it. Those past styles were for unmarried maidens; a married person can no longer utilize them. For jewelry, let us use that set the Prince previously gifted to you. Mistress has not even worn it yet."

Ye Li nodded slightly. She indeed found that set of green-jade orchid ornaments highly pleasing, and it did not appear particularly ostentatious either.

Pursing her lips with a smile, Qingxia retrieved Ye Li’s ornaments to help her put them on, nodding in praise. "It is still Qingshuang who understands Mistress best."

"What 'Mistress'?" Nanny Lin and Nanny Wei walked inside. Nanny Lin shot a glare at the young maidservants, stating, "From this moment forth, you must address her as the Princess Consort. Do not let the individuals of this manor assume that those by the Princess Consort's side lack an understanding of etiquette."

"Yes, Nanny. This servant pays respects to the Princess Consort." The four maidservants lined up in a single row, respectfully bowing to Ye Li.

Nanny Wei had long since pulled Ye Li close with an aching heart, softly inquiring after her. The two nannies naturally knew that the Prince had not rested within the bridal chamber last night, and Nanny Wei could not help but feel distressed for the young mistress she had raised since infancy. Ye Li offered a faint smile, comforting the two nannies. Seeing that Ye Li’s face indeed bore no expression of grievance, the two nannies finally dropped the matter. They merely assumed that the young mistress was not yet accustomed to just arriving at the Ding King Manor, and the Prince was being considerate by granting her some time to adapt. Nevertheless, they still subtly implied to Ye Li that it would be best to become a true husband and wife with the Prince as soon as possible, as he was, after all, the person she would spend a lifetime with. The corners of Ye Li’s mouth could not help but twitch slightly, though she ultimately said nothing, permitting them to remain under their misunderstanding.

"The Prince has arrived."

Mo Xiuyao appeared outside the door, inquiring softly, "Ah Li, may I enter?"

Only after Ye Li gave a word of assent did Mo Xiuyao leave Ah Jin outside the door, maneuvering his wheelchair inside by himself. Gazing at Ye Li, he asked, "Ah Li, did you sleep well last night?"

Ye Li nodded and smiled. "Excellently. Your countenance appears somewhat poor?" The moment Mo Xiuyao had entered, Nanny Lin had led the maidservants in a retreat outside. When Ye Li recovered her senses, she realized there was no one present even to summon for serving tea, leaving her with no choice but to offer Mo Xiuyao a helpless smile as she walked over to sit by the table. Mo Xiuyao’s eyes indeed contained a few points of exhaustion. Waving his hand, he remarked, "Last night, I dispatched some guests and rested a fraction late. It is of no hindrance."

"Ought we first proceed to pay respects to the Grand Eldest Princess? And additionally to Eldest Sister-in-law?" At present, the Ding King Manor possessed only Mo Xiuyao as a direct-line descendant, yet it was not entirely devoid of any other individuals. The primary wife of the late Prince Ding—Mo Xiuyao’s elder brother, Mo Xiuwen—Madam Wen, was still alive, though she reportedly resided year-round within a Buddhist hall to observe widowhood for her husband; she had not materialized even for yesterday’s wedding. Furthermore, a secondary consort of Mo Xiuyao’s father, Mo Liufang, was also still living. In addition, Ye Li had consistently neglected to ask prior to this: exactly how many concubines did Mo Xiuyao himself possess?

Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "We shall consume breakfast first. The Grand Eldest Princess is of an advanced age and also endured exhaustion yesterday; she will not awaken this early. As for Eldest Sister-in-law's quarters..." Mo Xiuyao furrowed his brows slightly, continuing, "Ever since Elder Brother passed away, Eldest Sister-in-law has taken several secondary consorts to reside long-term within the Buddhist hall. Even I rarely lay eyes upon her. A few days ago, she sent word that you may simply proceed to visit her after you return from your initial visit to your maternal home." Ye Li nodded. She had also heard her third older brother mention that previous Princess Ding; she was similarly a pitiable person. Princess Wen did not hail from a colossal, influential clan, but rather an ordinary scholarly family. She had wed Mo Xiuwen at sixteen and lost her husband at eighteen. Merely newlywed, Mo Xiuwen had departed to campaign abroad, leaving the two without even a single child.

"Then, what is required of me to execute?" Ye Li inquired.

Gazing at her, Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly. "Aside from managing the affairs of the manor and some account ledgers, you may execute whatever you please during the rest of your time. If you feel bored, you may additionally invite your friends to the manor as guests, or step outside to stroll. Ah Li, from now on, this is your home; there is no need to be this constrained." Ye Li nodded. "I understand, it is simply that I am a bit unaccustomed to it. Then, at present...?"

"Let us consume breakfast first. Afterward, I shall lead you to meet the people of the manor."

Breakfast was laid out within Ye Li’s courtyard, and the morning meal of the Ding King Manor highly suited her palate. Once they finished eating, the Head Steward entered to report, "Your Highness, Princess Consort, the managers have all arrived. They await the summons of the Prince and Princess Consort." Mo Xiuyao nodded, turning back to address Ye Li, "This is the Head Steward of the Ding King Manor, Mo Xin. He is also Ah Jin’s uncle. If you have any matters in the future, you may directly command him."

The Head Steward stepped forward to offer his greetings. "This old servant pays respects to the Princess Consort."

Ye Li offered a shallow smile. "Steward, there is no need for such ceremony. I shall trouble you in the future." One could discern that Mo Xiuyao held this steward in exceptionally high regard; furthermore, he was Ah Jin’s biological uncle. Ah Jin followed by Mo Xiuyao’s side all day without drifting a single step away, absolutely qualifying as a confidant among confidants. Receiving such courteous treatment from the Princess Consort, Steward Mo remained entirely unswayed by either honor or disgrace, harboring not a shred of arrogance as he returned the courtesy with continued reverence. "This old servant dares not. Whatever commands the Princess Consort has in the future, simply inform this old servant."

The group arrived at the reception hall, where quite a few individuals were indeed already standing in scattered groups. Seeing Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao enter, they instantly stood straight and bowed in unison. "We pay respects to the Prince! We pay respects to the Princess Consort!"

Leading Ye Li into the hall, Mo Xiuyao indicated the main seat for her to sit before turning back to address them. "All may rise. This is the newly wedded Princess Consort. From this moment forth, the Princess Consort's words are this Prince's meaning. Do you all understand?"

"We shall respectfully obey the Princess Consort's commands."

"Excellent. Ah Li, this is Nanny Sun. The inner manager of the manor; all internal affairs of the inner manor fall under her management. If there is anything you do not comprehend, you may entirely inquire of her." The nanny standing at the very front was precisely that Nanny Sun who had previously arrived at the Ye estate to deliver gifts, and she was the first individual Mo Xiuyao introduced to Ye Li. After a brief deliberation, Mo Xiuyao supplemented, "Nanny Sun was previously an individual by Imperial Mother's side."

"This old servant pays respects to the Princess Consort."

"Nanny, there is no need for ceremony," Ye Li nodded and responded.

"This is the external manager of the manor, Yang Ling. All external interactions of the manor are handled by him." Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Nanny Sun was a middle-aged man in his forties, his eyes occasionally flashing with sharp intelligence. One could discern at a single glance that this was a character of significant calculation.

"Yang Ling pays respects to the Princess Consort."

Ye Li furrowed her brows imperceptibly. She harbored no inherent issue with how others chose to refer to themselves. However, one could frequently decipher an individual’s attitude toward oneself from their self-appellation. This external manager clearly did not possess that fraction of respect for Ye Li that Steward Mo and Nanny Sun displayed. "Manager Yang, there is no need for such ceremony."

Subsequently, Mo Xiuyao introduced Ye Li to several managers who oversaw the various industries of the manor, along with a few other relatively important overseers. Ye Li additionally had her attendants present meeting-gifts to these managers, as well as monetary rewards for the servants of the manor. The appreciation within the eyes of Nanny Sun and Steward Mo toward this newly appointed Princess Consort grew increasingly concentrated. Although the Ye family was somewhat unseemly, the new Princess Consort had clearly inherited the excellent lineage of the late Madam Xu. She advanced and retreated with measure, executing matters with absolute propriety. Even the meeting-gifts for the managers and the rewards for the servants had been meticulously arranged with perfect suitability.

"Your Highness, Princess Consort." Ah Jin materialized at the doorway, casting a glance at the crowd within the hall before speaking up with a trace of hesitation.

"Ah Jin, what is the matter?" Mo Xiuyao inquired.

Cradling a long, slender box in his hands, Ah Jin stated, "Someone just delivered this, stating it is a wedding gift for the Princess Consort." Ye Li arched her brows. "Where is the person?"

"Departed."

The two exchanged a glance, and only then did Mo Xiuyao address Ah Jin, "Bring it over."

Taking it into his hands to inspect it briefly, Mo Xiuyao opened the box to find only a single picture scroll inside. Discerning no issues, he handed it to Ye Li. Ye Li lowered her head to unfurl the portrait, unable to suppress a soft gasp of admiration. This was a painting of a beautiful maiden; anyone who had never beheld this portrait would find it utterly impossible to imagine that such a beauty could exist upon this earth. Willow-leaf brows required no cosmetic powder to appear dark, cherry lips required no pigment to appear crimson; that exquisite, ethereal countenance left any words of praise feeling like a defilement of her person. Even captured upon a canvas, one could still perceive that the maiden within the painting possessed eyes holding clear water, shifting with radiant grace. The maiden in the portrait was clad in plain, simple attire, cradling a simple zither amidst a cluster of a hundred flowers as she smiled enchantingly. It was as though even the hundred flowers paled in comparison—as brilliant as the sun rising amidst the morning clouds, as radiant as a lotus emerging from clear ripples. "What an absolute beauty..." Ye Li lamented softly.

Shifting her gaze to one side of the portrait, she read the inscription written above: The National Beauty of the Chu Capital, Su Zhidie. The signature belonged to Han Mingyue.

Mo Xiuyao also blanked out for a moment. Gazing at the peerless beauty upon the portrait, his eyes rippled slightly, though he swiftly turned his gaze back toward Ye Li. Ye Li remained silent for a brief moment, then raised her head to smile at Mo Xiuyao. "Han Mingyue’s National Beauty of the Chu Capital is reportedly worth thousands in gold. Yet, delivering such a painting to me on the second day of my grand wedding cannot help but make me feel a fraction ashamed of my own unworthiness." Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly, gazing at her as he responded, "You are excellent."

Casting a final glance at the woman upon the portrait, Ye Li rolled the canvas back up, stating with a touch of difficulty, "This...? Although this painting is extraordinarily beautiful and highly valuable, retaining it by my side is truly not a sound idea." Even if she would not consume herself with jealousy, she did not feel she ought to preserve a portrait of her husband’s former fiancée. Mo Xiuyao remarked, "It was gifted to you; Ah Li may dispose of it as you see fit." Ye Li arched her brows. Could it be he assumed she would compel him to handle the portrait of his former fiancée? She had merely intended to inquire whether he desired it; if he wanted it, she would simply grant it to him.

"I harbor no particular interest in calligraphy and paintings. Furthermore, staring every day at a woman more beautiful than myself is simply a blow to my spirit."

Deliberating for a moment, Mo Xiuyao addressed Nanny Sun, "Alter the box, and deliver this painting to the estate of Elder Su later today."

Nanny Sun responded respectfully, "This old servant obeys your command." Stepping forward to receive the scroll from Ye Li’s hands, Nanny Sun turned to hand it to a maidservant beside her to prepare. Turning his head, Mo Xiuyao smiled at Ye Li. "Let us depart, the Grand Eldest Princess ought to have risen by now." Ye Li nodded, rising to take Mo Xiuyao’s hand as they departed together, entirely missing the expressions of absolute gratification upon the faces of Nanny Sun and Steward Mo behind them.

"Who did you say delivered that painting?" Proceeding toward the courtyard where the Grand Eldest Princess temporarily resided, Ye Li inquired with curiosity. Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "That painting was originally stored within the treasury of the manor; it was initially intended as a gift for Elder Su. However, there were far too many affairs during those years; by the time I managed to find leisure, the painting had vanished without a trace." Ye Li smiled. "Han Mingyue’s painting is worth a city; you never dispatched individuals to search for it? Furthermore, that truly is a genuine peerless beauty. No wonder Han Mingyue dared title it the National Beauty of the Chu Capital." Mo Xiuyao raised his head to look at her, pondering for a long moment before stating, "If a portrait must be painted, my execution would not be inferior to Han Mingyue's. Perhaps when I find leisure, I shall fashion one for you?"

Ye Li blanked out for a fraction of a second, unable to suppress a sudden laugh. "Very well, then I offer my immense thanks in advance."

The Grand Eldest Princess had indeed already risen. Just as they arrived at the doorway, a maidservant by the Princess's side invited the two inside. The Grand Eldest Princess was currently seated upon a daybed sipping tea. Beholding the two enter, a radiant smile instantly broke across her face as she gestured toward Mo Xiuyao. "Xiuyao, hurry over and let your aunt take a look at you. And additionally, Xiuyao’s wife—come, hurry over." Leading Ye Li forward, Mo Xiuyao executed a bow. "We pay respects to Imperial Great-Aunt."

Pulling Ye Li to sit beside her, the Grand Eldest Princess scrutinized her thoroughly before nodding repeatedly with immense satisfaction. "Good, excellent. Only this qualifies as a proper wife for the Ding King Manor. This princess looks upon her with immense fondness. The Emperor finally executed a proper deed this time. Xiuyao must live a proper life with Li'er. If you dare cause mischief and provoke Li'er to anger, this princess shall certainly discipline you!" Mo Xiuyao was left somewhat caught between tears and laughter, offering a bitter smile. "Imperial Great-Aunt..." Ye Li looked at his rare, distressed state with a touch of mischievous joy, concealing her smile behind her hand. The Grand Eldest Princess affectionately cradled Ye Li’s hand, stating, "Li'er, you do not know, this boy was exceptionally mischievous during his youth. If he went a single day without causing trouble, he would be up on the roof pulling down tiles; he nearly provoked his royal father to the point of fainting. These past years he has grown far more stable; it is still better to be grown and sensible. You young couple must live your lives properly. If you suffer any grievances, entirely feel free to seek out this princess; this princess shall claim justice on your behalf."

The Grand Eldest Princess was unexpectedly easy to get along with. Perhaps because she was advanced in years and grew fond of children, she did not display a single shred of the legendary iron-fisted princess's demeanor, appearing instead far more like an affectionate, amiable grandmother than the Old Madame of the Ye family. Ye Li smiled shallowly. "Li'er thanks Imperial Great-Aunt. Xiuyao will not bully me." Hearing Ye Li’s choice of address, the Grand Eldest Princess’s eyes brightened, her joy clearly multiplying. Pulling Ye Li close, she rattled on incessantly regarding Mo Xiuyao’s embarrassing childhood anecdotes. Mo Xiuyao sat there, the corners of his mouth twitching with rare difficulty. It was unseemly to interrupt, yet it was equally unseemly to depart; he could only sit there listening to the Grand Eldest Princess betray his childhood affairs while simultaneously accepting Ye Li’s bizarre, teasing glances. The Grand Eldest Princess clearly harbored no intention of factoring in Mo Xiuyao’s feelings or Ye Li’s sentiments, even directly speaking of Mo Xiuyao’s teenage sweetheart, Su Zhidie.

Ye Li felt a touch of awkwardness, but seeing that Mo Xiuyao harbored no intention of interrupting the Grand Eldest Princess either, she could only content herself to listen. The Grand Eldest Princess acted as though she completely failed to register the expressions of the two youths before her, smiling as she pulled Ye Li and addressed Mo Xiuyao, "Back then, this princess declared that the Su family maiden was unsuited for you. Looking at Li'er now, you must similarly admit that this princess’s eye for evaluating people is far superior to yours. Would you not agree?"

"Imperial Great-Aunt..." Mo Xiuyao smiled bitterly. "Imperial Great-Aunt, I must still lead Ah Li to pay respects and offer sacrifices to Imperial Father and Imperial Mother. Perhaps you might find leisure to chat privately with Ah Li regarding this in the future?"

Lowering her head to deliberate for a moment, the Grand Eldest Princess finally stated, "That is also true. Proceed first to offer tea to your father and mother. Writing Li'er into the clan registry is the vital matter. This princess must return shortly; when you have leisure, Li'er must not forget to visit this princess." Ye Li smiled warmly. "Can Imperial Great-Aunt not reside here for a few more days?" The Grand Eldest Princess let out a sigh. "When one grows old, leaving one's own doors always leaves a person a fraction unaccustomed. Once you have passed your honeymoon period, entirely feel free to reside at this princess's estate frequently." Since the Grand Eldest Princess spoke in this manner, the two naturally could not compel her to remain.Mo Xiuyao led Ye Li to offer incense to the ancestors of the Ding King Manor, accompanied the Grand Eldest Princess for the midday meal, and only then personally escorted her out of the manor.

In the afternoon, Mo Xiuyao proceeded to the study by himself. Ye Li also possessed quite a few matters requiring processing, so she returned to her own courtyard. Looking upon the Ding King Manor, which had resumed its tranquil state after the guests' departure, Ye Li felt a touch as though she were within a dream. In a mere single day, she had relocated from the Ye estate to the Ding King Manor, had wed to become the Princess Consort Ding, and unexpectedly seemed to have completely adapted to it already.

Because she had only just wed, the managers of the Ding King Manor naturally would not be so undiscerning as to immediately bring a mountain of trivial matters and account books to trouble her. Consequently, Ye Li required only to organize the personnel of her own courtyard and her dowry. Upon returning to the courtyard, Nanny Sun was currently waiting there chatting with Nanny Lin and Nanny Wei. Seeing Ye Li enter, she hastily stepped forward to offer her greetings. "Princess Consort."

Ye Li smiled. "Nanny Sun is an elder who served by Imperial Mother’s side, and is additionally an individual trusted by the Prince; there is no need for such excessive ceremony." Nanny Sun responded with a touch of constraint, "I thank the Princess Consort for your generous affection, yet this old servant dares not transgress etiquette. Following the Prince’s commands, this old servant has selected several individuals to attend to the Princess Consort; please look them over, and whichever find favor with your eye may be retained by your side for service." Having finished speaking, she extracted a ledger from her sleeve to present, upon which were recorded the names of the candidates allocated to Ye Li’s courtyard. Nanny Sun continued, "The head maidservants attending to the Princess Consort’s personal person ought to number four; additionally, there must be two maidservants each to manage the Princess Consort’s attire and dietary needs. Furthermore, four are required for needlework. The second-class maidservants serving within the courtyard ought to number eight, along with sixteen younger maidservants for heavy labor. These second-class maidservants and younger maidservants may safely be handed to the two nannies by the Princess Consort's side to process; however, the maidservants for managing attire and diet must personally be scrutinized by the Princess Consort for the best outcome."

As they spoke, several young maidens dressed as housemaids walked inside, respectfully executing a bow toward Ye Li. "We pay respects to the Princess Consort."

Ye Li lowered her head to inspect the ledger presented by Nanny Sun. Written upon it were not only the names and ages of these young maidens, but also their family lineages and backgrounds; exactly what manner of individuals resided within their households was recorded with absolute clarity. Furthermore, they were all servants born within the Ding King Manor itself. Ye Li nodded, handing a portion of the ledger to Nanny Lin and Nanny Wei to allow them to handle the affairs of the second- and third-class maidservants. Turning back, she smiled at Nanny Sun. "The individuals selected by Nanny Sun naturally put my mind at ease." She casually selected a few individuals from the ledger. The chosen maidens hastily stepped out of line to offer thanks for the favor, and Ye Li commanded Qingshuang to retrieve quite a few embroidered pouches loaded with silver pieces, rewarding each individual with one.

Having processed the affairs of the maidservants, Ye Li invited Nanny Sun to sit and converse. True to Mo Xiuyao’s words, she answered every inquiry without reservation. Ye Li hesitated for a long moment before finally asking, "Nanny Sun, aside from Eldest Sister-in-law, does the manor possess any other female family members?" Nanny Sun blanked out for a fraction of a second, swiftly comprehending exactly what Ye Li’s inquiry portended as she smiled. "Replying to the Princess Consort, aside from the two secondary consorts attending by the Eldest Mistress’s side, the manor possesses absolutely no other female family members." Ye Li looked with a touch of helplessness at Nanny Sun, whose smile appeared a fraction peculiar, and nodded to signify her comprehension. Mo Xiuyao possessed no other concubines; this was excellent, at least representing that the troubles she required managing were reduced by a vast margin. Steering her thoughts away from those almost predictable future troubles, Ye Li discovered that life within the Ding King Manor was virtually as flawless as she had initially imagined. The husband and wife interacted harmoniously without interfering in each other's private affairs. There were no elders requiring morning and evening salutations, no sisters-in-law requiring social entertainment and idle chatter, and not even a single sour, jealous concubine. If an individual's life could consistently proceed in this tranquil manner, she truly felt she ought to express gratitude for Mo Jingli’s breach of betrothal and the Emperor’s meddlesome decree of marriage.

"Your Highness."

Ah Jin looked with a touch of oddity at Mo Xiuyao, who was currently staring blankly at a book. Having followed by the Prince’s side since infancy, although Ah Jin was a fraction slow, he could still distinguish exactly when his master was contemplating and when he was staring off into space. Mo Xiuyao’s eyes flashed with a sudden light as he raised his head to look at him. "Is there a matter?" Ah Jin rubbed the back of his head with a touch of vexation, stating, "Does the Prince wish to proceed to visit the Princess Consort?"

Casually tossing the book back onto the desk, Mo Xiuyao looked upon Ah Jin’s constrained, uneasy appearance and offered a serene smile. "Did Steward Mo instruct you to inquire, or was it Nanny Sun?"

Ah Jin opened his eyes wide. Both his uncle and Nanny Sun had indeed mentioned that he ought to bring up the Princess Consort more frequently before the Prince, seeking opportunities to allow the Prince and Princess Consort more time to interact. However, he fundamentally lacked any understanding of how to seek out opportunities; consequently, seeing the Prince staring off into space—a highly rare occurrence—he figured that since there was nothing to execute, he could simply inquire whether the Prince desired to proceed to visit the Princess Consort, could he not? Beholding Ah Jin’s bewildered state, Mo Xiuyao shook his head and smiled. "Very well, do not ponder further. What is Ah Li executing at present?"

"It seems she is organizing the items brought over from the Ye family."

"Then let us not proceed over for now; we shall speak further once she has finished her frantic tasks. Where are last night’s guests?"

A trace of annoyance flashed across the depths of Ah Jin’s eyes as he stated, "Still within the dungeon."

"Let us proceed to take a look."

Within the gloomy dungeon, the flickering firelight cast the silhouettes of the room's occupants onto the wall, swaying gently alongside the shifting glow. This imparted an added layer of bizarre, cryptic color to the already sinister dungeon. Feng Zhiyao remained clad in his ostentatious, magnificent crimson robes, reclining lazily upon the sole chair within the dungeon, listening with immense satisfaction to the continuous wails that echoed without pause. Compared to the absolute boredom of recent years, these past few days of frantic activity left him highly satisfied.

"Speak, what did you infiltrate the Ding King Manor for into the dead of night?"

At the center of the room, a man clad in black attire was bound to a frame by iron chains, his body already covered in a lattice of countless wounds. He was currently glaring at him with venomous fury. "Feng Zhiyao, you are an individual of the Prince Ding!"

"Oh? You recognize this master? It appears you are an individual of Great Chu?" Feng Zhiyao blinked his phoenix eyes, his interest instantly piqued as he sat straight to look upon the person before him. "Where do you hail from? The imperial palace—our Emperor, or perhaps that individual of the Zhangde Palace? Or did you emerge from some official's estate?"

"Hmph!" Those capable of serving as dead-soldiers were mostly stubborn characters; severe torture had failed to extract a confession, so a few words from Feng Zhiyao naturally could not possibly cause him to open his mouth either.

Feng Zhiyao narrowed his eyes with displeasure. "This master wishes to see whether your bones are tougher, or this master’s torture implements are tougher! Continue!"

Swish!

A whip bearing sinister barbs continued to manufacture further wounds upon the man’s body, and Feng Zhiyao stared at the scene before him with a gloomy gaze.

The sound of rolling wheelchair wheels approached from afar. Feng Zhiyao turned his body around to see Mo Xiuyao arriving before him, rising to smile as he remarked, "Not keeping your bride company; what did you arrive here for at this hour?" Mo Xiuyao did not offer an answer, arching his brows as he asked, "Confessed?" Feng Zhiyao helplessly pulled over a scroll laid to one side. "Last night we captured four batches totaling seven individuals. One hailed from Northern Rong, one emerged from Nanzhao, two were attempting to fish in troubled waters amidst the chaos, and three refuse to confess even unto death. That Northern Rong individual intended to seize the bride to cause the Ding King Manor to forfeit face; that Nanzhao individual merely desired to probe the topography to see if an opportunity existed to secure the Lanyun Sword. Furthermore, two desired to utilize the opportunity to pilfer some items. As for this individual... he was the earliest one captured, and also possessed the highest martial skills. I suspect he arrived to execute an assassination; however, the target of the assassination remains unknown. It likely was not to assassinate you." This fellow had been apprehended by the hidden guards while lying in ambush at the banquet venue exactly when Mo Xiuyao was accompanying his bride back to the bridal chamber. Consequently, the intended target of the assassination absolutely ought to be one of the guests present on the scene.

"An individual of Great Chu?" Mo Xiuyao turned toward the suspended black-clad man to inquire.

Feng Zhiyao stroked his chin, stating, "He recognizes me; he is definitely an individual of Great Chu." He, the Third Young Master Feng, was highly famous, but that was strictly limited to Great Chu, and furthermore strictly limited to the region of the capital. After all, an arrogant, profligate young master of the Feng family who could be said to have been expelled from the household without inheritance rights was highly unlikely to arouse the interest of outsiders.

"Continue. If nothing can truly be extracted, simply slaughter him," Mo Xiuyao stated calmly. "Where is Yelu Ping?" Feng Zhiyao executed a gesture toward an adjacent room, completely ceasing to pay further heed to Mo Xiuyao as he instead stared with absolute relish at the black-clad man before him, chuckling softly. The black-clad man felt his entire body turn cold as a matter of instinct. He naturally knew that once captured, absolutely no path of survival remained. Yet, listening to Prince Ding speak with such casual indifference—stating that if nothing could be extracted, simply slaughter him, as though commenting that the weather today was highly pleasant—still caused his heart to shudder involuntarily. Prince Ding was absolutely not that useless, crippled waste that outsiders assumed him to be!

Feng Zhiyao looked at him with a beaming smile, stating, "In truth, to this master, whether you speak or not makes absolutely no difference. In either scenario, you must perish, must you not? If you confess, this master shall grant you a swift, crisp method of death. If you do not confess, it matters not; it precisely permits me to test this master’s new toys. These past two years have bored me unto death." A trace of terror flashed through the man’s eyes, yet he still forced himself to endure, refusing to open his mouth. Feng Zhiyao did not mind either, waving his hand to command the adjacent personnel to commence operation, then swaggered off to saunter toward the room Mo Xiuyao had proceeded to.

The other room was visibly far more comfortable than the previous one; at the very least, the entire space was pristine, lacking any foul odor or bloodstains. It was merely that iron bars forged from refined iron divided the entire room into two halves. The Northern Rong prince who had been spouting grand rhetoric last night was currently on the other side of the iron bars, clutching the metal rods as he glared with furious intensity at Mo Xiuyao. "Mo Xiuyao, you cripple! How massive is your audacity to dare dispatch individuals to apprehend this prince!"

"Oh? I assumed it was the Northern Rong prince who presumptuously entered a location he ought not to have entered, only then to be apprehended by this Prince's personnel?" Mo Xiuyao looked upon him with a gentle yet icy smile. "However, the Northern Rong prince may entirely put his mind at ease. Even factoring in the diplomatic relations between our two nations, this Prince shall absolutely never harm a single hair of the prince’s body."

Meeting his cold, detached eyes, Yelu Ping could not help but shudder. Clutching the iron bars with increased fury, he shook them violently as he clamored, "Will not harm this prince? Then what is your meaning in imprisoning this prince here?! This prince shall absolutely report this to your Emperor! Have your head severed!" The corners of Mo Xiuyao’s lips curled upward slightly. "Northern Rong currently possesses some urgent matters domestically. In fact, early this morning, the Northern Rong envoys already presented a petition to the Emperor to bid farewell; they departed the capital during the morning hours."

Yelu Ping blanked out. "How could that possibly be?! This prince is still here; who dares depart?!"

"The Northern Rong prince need not worry over being unable to return to your nation. Shortly, this Prince shall personally dispatch personnel to escort you back to Northern Rong. To be delivered into the hands of His Highness the Crown Prince."

Hearing this, Yelu Ping’s countenance instantly turned exceedingly unsightly. He was a fraction muddled, but he was not a genuine fool. The Crown Prince was at odds with his own biological older brother, Yelu Ye; the two had engaged in overt and covert strife for countless years. If he fell into the Crown Prince’s hands, his seventh older brother would certainly slaughter him!

"Mo Xiuyao, you despicable, petty scoundrel! My seventh older brother will not let you off!"

Mo Xiuyao let out a cold laugh, raising his head to stare at him as he stated serenely, "Since Yelu Ye dared permit you to arrive to provoke this Prince, he ought to have already established the psychological preparation that you would have a departure without a return. Or perhaps, yesterday’s affair was the meaning of the King of Northern Rong? If so, it appears he does not particularly desire you as a son either?" Yelu Ping seemed to recall something, his face turning pale. Glaring fiercely at Mo Xiuyao, he shouted, "You spout utter nonsense! Seventh Brother would never execute such a deed!" Yet his tone was visibly deficient in confidence. He was stupid, but he was not an idiot; he had been mocked by others since infancy, and even Seventh Brother frequently cursed him as a fool, while Imperial Father did not fondle him either. Could it truly be...?

Watching the man before him turn green and white by turns, entirely stripped of yesterday’s smug satisfaction and immense arrogance, a trace of dark light flashed through the depths of Mo Xiuyao’s eyes. If permissible, he would absolutely leave this Northern Rong prince without an intact corpse, grinding his bones and scattering his ashes to vent the hatred within his heart. Regrettably, this idiot was a prince of Northern Rong; for the time being, he could not yet perish. Just like those individuals outside, no matter how much he loathed them, no matter how much he hated them, he had no choice but to temporarily tolerate their survival.

Lacking the patience to look upon the person before him any further, Mo Xiuyao turned to exit the cell. Feng Zhiyao was currently leaning against the wall, looking at him with a beaming smile. "You truly intend to deliver this fool into the hands of the Northern Rong Crown Prince?"

Mo Xiuyao arched his brows. "Merely this fool is naturally insufficient. Within ten days, I care not what manner of methods you utilize, make him vomit out every single matter he knows. See what useful material exists to be delivered alongside him to Yelu Hong."

"Regardless of the methods?"

"Correct, regardless of any methods whatsoever. I require only the answers. No matter how foolish he may be, he remains Yelu Ye’s biological younger brother; this Prince does not believe he knows absolutely nothing." Mo Xiuyao stated in a heavy voice, "Once the matter is concluded, you know what must be executed."

Feng Zhiyao nodded, the smile upon his face growing increasingly radiant. "Understood. He was originally quite foolish; even if he becomes a fraction more foolish, it cannot be considered any manner of accident, can it? To let Yelu Ping and Yelu Ye—these two individuals—engage in a dog-eat-dog struggle? I highly fondle this idea."

Mo Xiuyao nodded with satisfaction. "I leave it to you."

"Take your time departing, Your Highness. Properly enjoy your grand wedding."

Watching the figures of Mo Xiuyao and Ah Jin vanish beyond the doorway of the dungeon, Feng Zhiyao narrowed his phoenix eyes, looking upon the sinister, cryptic dungeon before him with absolute satisfaction. Listening additionally to the faint wails for mercy drifting into his ears, the smile upon his face grew increasingly dazzling. Truly a pack of idiots—of all the individuals to provoke, why did they insist on provoking Mo Xiuyao? This fellow Mo Xiuyao has not possessed a shred of kindness since the age of three; ever since that accident occurred, even his heart and liver have turned entirely black.