The First Jasmine - Chapter 106

Chapter 106 - The Seventh Prince of Northern Rong

On the stage, Yao Ji held a colorful embroidered ball in her hands, gazing at the crowd below with a smile. The men underneath stared excitedly at that small embroidered ball; for these ordinary commoner men who usually considered even catching a single glimpse of Yao Ji an extravagant hope, being able to seize it and spend a night with the capital's premier dancer was absolute, supreme temptation. Yao Ji's gaze landed on Ye Li, and she arched an eyebrow at her with a captivating smile. Ye Li frowned, a premonition of unease rising within her heart. Before she had time to fully process it, she saw Yao Ji lift the embroidered ball and hurl it forcefully in her direction. An exclamation of surprise swept through the crowd, while those standing further back let out frustrated sighs and curses of disappointment. Those standing closer focused all their attention on the embroidered ball flying through the air, lifting their hands high in hopes of catching this windfall dropping from the heavens.

From the moment Yao Ji raised her hand, Ye Li had already figured out the direction she intended to throw it. Naturally, Yao Ji did not mean to toss the embroidered ball to her, but rather to Mo Xiuyao, who was standing right behind her. After releasing the embroidered ball, Yao Ji even playfully arched her slender brows at Ye Li and silently moved her lips. Though soundless, it was no challenge for Ye Li, who excelled at lip-reading; what she said was, "Guess whether he will catch it or not?" Ye Li cursed inwardly and turned her head, wanting to pull Mo Xiuyao out of the way. Under normal circumstances, given their agility, the two of them naturally wouldn't worry about failing to dodge a small embroidered ball, but right now they were tightly packed in on all sides by people, making even shifting a foot difficult, let alone dodging aside. Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze to look at Ye Li, who was clutching his lapels, let out a low chuckle, and raised a hand to strike the oncoming embroidered ball with his palm, sending it instantly flying off in another direction.

As the trajectory of the embroidered ball veered off, the crowd surged and shifted toward the other side in a rush. Mo Xiuyao wrapped his arms around Ye Li to shield her and keep her from being crushed by the mob, while asking with a smile, "Was A-Li feeling nervous just now?" Ye Li let out a soft huff and looked back up toward the stage. Seeing her embroidered ball batted away, Yao Ji didn't show any disappointment on her face; instead, she smiled even more seductively and charmingly at Ye Li, silently mouthing, "Congratulations." Ye Li gave a slight nod, considering it acceptance of her congratulatory gesture.

The colorful embroidered ball was batted and snatched back and forth amongst the crowd; often, before someone could even secure a grip on it, it was batted or snatched away by those beside them, making the intensity of the scramble truly breathtaking. Yet no matter how many people fought over it, a small embroidered ball could not possibly be contested endlessly. Just as a burly fellow relying on his superior height seized the initial advantage and reached out to grab the embroidered ball, an extraordinary figure flashed through the air, stepping across the shoulders of the crowd to arrive in a blur. With a single kick, he deflected the burly man's hand while booting the embroidered ball back toward the woman standing on the stage.

Amidst the disappointed gasps of the crowd, a swift figure agilely leaped onto the stage, catching the embroidered ball in hand just moments before it landed against Yao Ji. On the stage, a young man clad in brown brocade stood leisurely beside Yao Ji, his handsome face sharply defined. Compared to the men of Great Chu, he exuded a much more rugged and uninhibited aura, yet the sharp glint flashing within his smiling eyes made it clear he was not one of those brawny martial brutes devoid of brains. Casually toying with the embroidered ball in his hand, the man smiled toward the young man who had just landed in the crowd below, "Since this young master disdains Lady Yao Ji, you should have simply stood aside and watched. To kick someone else's embroidered ball back like this is altogether too discourteous. They always say Great Chu is a land of poetry and ritual; isn't acting this way rather... presumptuous toward a fair lady?"

The young man in the crowd—Mu Yang, Heir of the Marquis of Muyang's Manor—scowled, leaped onto the stage, and without a single word, launched a palm strike directly at the brown-robed man. The brown-robed man was clearly well-prepared, effortlessly sidestepping to evade the blow. The two of them began exchanging blows back and forth on the stage, prompting cheers and applause from the spectators below. Since they couldn't capture the beauty's favor, watching a lively spectacle cost nothing. Ordinary commoners possessed and owned very little in life, and thus were not prone to harboring excessive obsessions.

Ye Li leaned into Mo Xiuyao's embrace, curiously appraising the man fighting Mu Yang on stage. One could tell purely from his appearance that this person was definitely not from Great Chu. "Is this... a person of Northern Rong?" Ye Li's impression of the Northern Rong people was not particularly favorable; the last time was during her grand wedding last year, when that Thirteenth Prince of Northern Rong had left her with a thoroughly dreadful impression, and yet this fellow had the fine leisure to run over to a place like this and amuse himself. Mo Xiuyao smiled, "Previous intelligence reported that the Northern Rong delegation coming to offer congratulatory greetings arrived in Great Chu ahead of schedule, though I didn't expect him to have already reached the capital so quickly." Ye Li raised an eyebrow and turned to look at him, "You know him?"

"Yelu Ye, the Seventh Prince of Northern Rong," Mo Xiuyao said in a deep voice. "Mu Yang is likely no match for him."

Ye Li nodded slightly. Within just a few exchanges, she had already seen it. Mu Yang's martial arts were indeed impressive, but he ultimately couldn't compare to Yelu Ye, who had clearly been tempered and forged on the battlefield. This couldn't entirely be blamed on Mu Yang; while Great Chu valued martial arts, it also revered literature, and ordinary aristocratic families preferred to steer their children toward an official career rather than sending them onto the battlefield. After all, swords and blades had no eyes on the battlefield, and one might lose their life at any moment. For Mu Yang to be capable in both civil and military arts at such a young age and achieve this level of martial prowess was already quite remarkable. Northern Rong, however, was entirely different from Great Chu. That untamed frontier region, though influenced by Central Plains culture to a certain extent, still retained its fierce folk customs where the strong were supreme. As one of the Northern Rong King's most capable sons, Yelu Ye had naturally been fighting for his life on the battlefield since his early teens.

Within a hundred exchanges, Mu Yang began to lose ground. Meanwhile, Yelu Ye was clearly at the height of his enthusiasm, growing fiercer with every clash as a relentless flurry of attacks forced Mu Yang into a flurry of awkward parries and a step-by-step retreat. Watching this, Ye Li couldn't help frowning slightly at Mo Xiuyao. She did not want Mo Xiuyao to step onto the stage; regardless of who won or lost, it would inevitably stir up a storm of trouble. At the same time, however, neither she nor Mo Xiuyao could simply stand by and watch Mu Yang get injured by Yelu Ye. Yao Ji, who had initially been somewhat dazed, finally snapped back to her senses upon seeing Mu Yang about to lose. Looking furious and anxious, she snapped, "Who asked you to meddle in other people's business! What does my tossing of an embroidered ball have to do with you?"

Yelu Ye let out a hearty laugh. "Lady Yao Ji is right. Marquis Heir Mu, since you kicked the embroidered ball back, what is the meaning of this now?"

Mu Yang glanced at Yao Ji, continuing to respond to Yelu Ye's endless stream of attacks without a word. Yet even those in the crowd lacking martial arts knowledge could see that he was struggling. Yelu Ye let out a cold snort, seemingly finally losing patience as he smiled, "Since the Marquis Heir has nothing to say, then don't get in the way of this humble one tasting a rare fragrance. Go!" With a low bark, Yelu Ye launched a palm strike straight toward Mu Yang's chest. The momentum behind this strike was formidable, possessing the sheer might to split mountains and shatter rocks. Yao Ji, standing close by, couldn't help covering her mouth in a startled shriek, "No!" The stage itself was not large, and Yao Ji was positioned quite near the two of them. Seeing Mu Yang in mortal danger, Yao Ji let out a cry of alarm and threw herself forward with every ounce of strength she had. Having practiced martial arts since childhood, her physical agility was no less than that of ordinary martial artists, and this desperate, full-forced leap actually managed to wedge her right between Mu Yang and Yelu Ye. Just as Yelu Ye's palm strike was about to land squarely on Yao Ji.

The spectators watching from below couldn't help closing their eyes, not daring to watch any longer. When the two men had traded blows earlier, objects on the stage had been shattered to pieces; if that palm connected with Yao Ji, a delicate beauty like her would likely perish on the spot.

"Whoosh—" A gleaming white streak flashed swiftly through the air. Yelu Ye felt a flash of luminescence right before his eyes and quickly reined back his palm force, retreating rapidly by several steps before steadying himself. With a face as pale as paper, Yao Ji stumbled and fell right into Mu Yang's embrace. Having closed her eyes awaiting death only to discover that the palm strike hadn't landed on her, she opened her eyes to meet Mu Yang's gaze, which was filled with lingering worry and anger. Remembering their current predicament, her heart grew desolate as she stood up and pushed Mu Yang away.

Yelu Ye stood with his hands clasped behind his back, turning his head sideways to glance at the pearl hair hairpin nailed deep into a pillar nearby. Although it was merely an ordinary pearl and silver hairpin, the entire pin was embedded three inches deep into the wood, leaving only the pearl flower head exposed—a testament to the practitioner's profound internal energy. Had he not withdrawn his palm force in time, Yelu Ye believed that hairpin would have completely pierced through his wrist. Turning his gaze toward the origin of the hidden weapon, his eyes fell upon a pair of youths dressed in understated, elegant attire. The young woman was clear-featured and graceful, yet her brows and expression revealed an imposing magnificence and noble air unlike ordinary Great Chu women. The young man's face was covered by a mask, while his moon-white robes set him off to look like a bright, clear moon—refined, scholarly, and possessing an extraordinary bearing. Arching an eyebrow, Yelu Ye smiled, "This gentleman already has a fair beauty in his arms; could it be that you still harbor an interest in Lady Yao Ji?"

Mo Xiuyao smiled calmly, "The Seventh Prince jests. My wife possesses a pure and kind nature by birth and detests the sight of bloodshed the most. It's fine if the Prince acts on a sudden impulse without measuring your strength, but it wouldn't do if you frightened my wife." Hearing this, Mu Yang turned his head in slight surprise, looking at Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li in the crowd with a momentary pause before giving a slight nod without speaking to expose their identities. Yelu Ye hadn't expected his identity to be seen through in a single sentence. Narrowing his eyes, he sized up Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li for a moment before finally smiling, "So it turns out to be... I didn't expect to actually meet the Prince and Princess Consort here; it is truly a fortunate encounter." Mo Xiuyao stated indifferently, "This Prince likewise didn't expect to encounter the Seventh Prince in a place like this."

Yelu Ye smiled without responding, dodging Mo Xiuyao's implicit questioning regarding his covert infiltration into Chu Capital. Pointing at Yao Ji with a smile, he said, "Since the Prince has no intention of vying for Lady Yao Ji, does that mean Lady Yao Ji still belongs to this humble one?"

"In your dreams!" Mu Yang said in a deep voice, stepping forward in front of Yao Ji to shield her behind him. Yelu Ye let out a disdainful scoff, looking at Mu Yang with a mocking smile. "Why doesn't the Marquis Heir ask for Lady Yao Ji's own opinion? Perhaps Lady Yao Ji prefers choosing the stronger one?" Silently, Yao Ji stepped out from behind Mu Yang, walking around him to stand behind Yelu Ye amidst Mu Yang's astonished and frozen gaze. "Yao Ji! You..."

Yao Ji offered a faint smile, though her expression carried a trace of bitterness, as she spoke softly, "Today's rules were set by Yao Ji herself, so Yao Ji naturally must abide by them. Thank you for making a special trip, Marquis Heir; it has served to honor the camaraderie we've shared over all these years. Marquis Heir, please return."

Mu Yang stared at her stunning visage for a long time without uttering a single word. The smile on Yao Ji's face gradually began to stiffen, until she finally turned around to avoid facing him. By now, the hour was late, nearing the time of the curfew, and the onlookers below, seeing that there was no more spectacle to watch, began to disperse with some disappointment. On the stage, Yelu Ye smiled down toward Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao below, "Prince, Princess Consort, meeting today is also a matter of fate. Why not find a place to share a cup of wine and catch up?"

Mo Xiuyao took Ye Li's hand and walked forward, smiling faintly, "The Seventh Prince has a fair beauty in his arms, yet you still have the mood to reminisce with this Prince?"

A flash of sharpness crossed Yelu Ye's eyes as he smiled. "That good-for-nothing younger brother of mine inadvertently offended the Prince last year. Fortunately, the Prince was magnanimous and chose not to haggle over it, allowing him to return safely to Northern Rong. This humble prince was just thinking of thanking the Prince in person." Mo Xiuyao nodded magnanimously. "Guests who come from afar are treated as guests; this Prince is not a petty-minded person, so the Seventh Prince need not take such a trivial matter to heart." As for driving Yelu Ping—who was already foolish—into becoming even more foolish, Mo Xiuyao felt not a shred of guilt. In fact, allowing him to return alive made Mo Xiuyao feel that his self-cultivation over these past years was truly commendable. A lump caught in Yelu Ye's throat, and he wished he could strike Mo Xiuyao dead with a single palm. If Mo Xiuyao had simply executed Yelu Ping straight out, he might not have been this angry. Instead, however, Mo Xiuyao had sent Yelu Ping straight to his mortal enemy, the Crown Prince, and on top of that, had even leaked the news to him. Worried that Yelu Ping might leak any faction secrets to the Crown Prince, he had been forced to exhaust every possible scheme to fish him back out of the Crown Prince's hands. Only to find out that what he rescued back was a complete fool who knew nothing at all. Naturally, he firmly believed that before making Yelu Ping foolish, Mo Xiuyao must have thoroughly gutted him of everything he knew. The people of the Prince of Ding's Estate were hazards even if just a half of one remained in this world; Father truly did not deceive me.

"Is this the Princess Consort of Ding? This humble prince is Yelu Ye, the Seventh Prince of Northern Rong. Greetings, Princess Consort." Knowing he couldn't win a verbal sparring match against Mo Xiuyao, Yelu Ye didn't make things difficult for himself, crisply and decisively shifting targets to smile at Ye Li.

Ye Li stood beside Mo Xiuyao, smiling softly, "Greetings to the Seventh Prince."

Yelu Ye gave Ye Li a rather presumptuous once-over and said, "Along the road to Chu Capital, I heard that the Princess Consort matches any man in capability and heroism; I originally thought... who would have thought she is actually such a gentle and graceful beauty? The Prince of Ding is truly blessed." Mo Xiuyao's gaze darkened, a trace of murderous intent flashing past extremely rapidly before vanishing without a trace. He smiled at Yelu Ye, "The Seventh Prince flatters her. This is hardly a place for conversation; does the Seventh Prince wish to adjourn to this humble residence for a brief chat?" Turning his head to glance down at the street, he noted that only about a quarter of an hour remained until the curfew, and the crowds on the street had long since dispersed. The stage, decorated with lively and festive ornaments, now held only the few of them, looking somewhat bizarre and eerie.

Yelu Ye smiled unconcernedly, "It is this humble prince's honor to receive an invitation from the Prince of Ding. However, the hour is late today, and to make an unannounced visit to the Prince of Ding's Estate would truly be lacking in etiquette. Another day, this humble prince will definitely make a personal formal call to pay respects to the Prince and Princess Consort." Visiting the Prince of Ding's Estate at a time like this—Yelu Ye believed anyone with a functioning brain would refuse to make such a decision. Seeing him decline, Mo Xiuyao did not press the matter. "In that case, my wife and I will take our leave first. The Seventh Prince and Marquis Heir..."

Yelu Ye smiled. "This humble prince must also return to the inn. As for Lady Yao Ji, what just happened was merely a joke; I hope Lady Yao Ji and Marquis Heir Mu will take no offense." Seemingly not expecting him to let go so easily, Mu Yang was stunned at first. Yao Ji also looked at Yelu Ye with lingering surprise, but Yelu Ye paid it no mind, waving a hand as he said, "This humble prince saw that the Marquis Heir's martial arts were exceptional and was overcome by a momentary itch for a bout; please forgive us all for any offense given."

Since he had put it that way, Mu Yang naturally wouldn't haggle further. Nodding, he said, "The Seventh Prince's martial prowess is superior; I am put to shame."

Yelu Ye arched an eyebrow with a smile, about to speak, when a cold flash cut across the street corner, and several figures in black lunged toward them. Yelu Ye sidestepped to evade the incoming blade light, casually striking out with a palm to repel an assassin, while turning his head back to smile at Mo Xiuyao, "Prince, who would have thought the nights of Chu Capital could be so dangerous after all?" With one arm holding Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao used his other hand to clamp down on the wrist of an assassin holding a weapon, applying a gentle squeeze. In the deep of the night, the crisp sound of shattering bone rang clearly in the air, "Perhaps it is because visitors have come from afar? After all, this Prince remembers the capital's nights being exceptionally peaceful prior to this." Yelu Ye let out a hearty laugh without refuting him.

On the other side, Mu Yang fought off the enemy while shielding Yao Ji. Yao Ji's body grew slightly rigid; though she was unwilling to let Mu Yang touch her again, she also knew that now was not the time to throw a tantrum, and could only stand motionless while letting Mu Yang pull her into his embrace. The expression on her face, however, was one of desolate sorrow masking the terror of encountering assassins.

The assassins clearly realized that the three men before them were all martial arts experts, but both Mo Xiuyao and Mu Yang were each shielding a woman, leaving only Yelu Ye unencumbered and free to slaughter as he pleased. Exchanging a secret glance, the assassins turned en masse to encircle Mo Xiuyao and Mu Yang; once these two men were dealt with, the remaining one would naturally be easy to dispose of. Seeing himself cast aside to the side, Yelu Ye raised an eyebrow, glanced at how effortlessly Mo Xiuyao was handling his end, and spun around to plunge into the battle group on Mu Yang's side.

Ye Li was held helplessly in Mo Xiuyao's embrace. Although she knew Mo Xiuyao could completely handle the assassins before them, being clutched in someone's arms under these circumstances still felt somewhat unusual to her. However, the hand Mo Xiuyao had wrapped around her waist made it clear he had no intention of letting go, so Ye Li could only let out a resigned sigh and carefully watch the surrounding assassins just in case.

She had no idea what kind of assassins these were; they truly looked rather pathetic. Standing idle with no chance to intervene, Ye Li thought with a hint of boredom. Having married into the Prince of Ding's Estate, needless to say, she had encountered her fair share of assassins. The skill level of these particular assassins in Ye Li's eyes could truly be described as mediocre. Watching the three men finish off the assassins with almost no effort, Ye Li frowned slightly. Rather than an assassination attempt, these people looked much more like they were staging a play for someone to watch. Quite apart from the fact that these three men were present, the Prince of Ding's Estate had hidden shadow guards, and it was practically impossible for Yelu Ye to travel abroad without bringing bodyguards of his own. Even any single one of these three men was more than capable of handling this handful of assassins.

"Watch out!" The moment the very last assassin over there was dropped by Yelu Ye, Yao Ji immediately shoved Mu Yang away and retreated far back. Stunned by Yao Ji distancing herself from him, Mu Yang could only offer a faint, bitter smile before turning back around to thank Yelu Ye. However, a fish that had slipped through the net behind him seized the opportunity to fire a hidden weapon straight at Yao Ji. Letting out a cry of alarm, Ye Li instinctively snatched a jade pendant from Mo Xiuyao's waist and dashed forward. With a sharp clang, the hidden weapon was batted violently away, while the jade pendant also dropped to the ground nearby, shattering into several pieces.