The First Jasmine - Chapter 107
Chapter 107 - Decisive Action Ignored
"The Princess Consort has impressive skills." Finishing off the final assassin with a casual wave of his hand, Yelu Ye turned to look at Ye Li and praised. That assassin had been far too close to Lady Yao Ji, and the angle relative to the Prince Consort's position was somewhat awkward; yet the jade pendant the Princess Consort had thrown managed to strike the hidden weapon away precisely without harming Yao Ji. This was definitely something that could not be accomplished by mere luck alone. Sharp eyesight, precise technique, and absolute mastery of force were all indispensable. Ye Li, however, had no time to entertain Yelu Ye's flattery. Just then, she hadn't had anything suitable for use as a hidden weapon on hand, so she had simply snatched a jade pendant from Mo Xiuyao's waist and hurled it out. Now that the person was safely rescued, she finally had the leisure to start worrying about Mo Xiuyao's jade pendant. After all, anything he carried on his person daily certainly couldn't be some ordinary trinket. As she stepped forward to walk toward where the jade pendant had fallen, Mo Xiuyao reached out and grabbed her by the arm, arching an eyebrow as he asked, "What are you doing?"
Ye Li said apologetically, "I'm going to take a look at that jade pendant. Um... is it ruined?"
Mo Xiuyao chuckled softly, gazing at her with a smile as he asked, "And what if it is?" Ye Li furrowed her brows in distress. If it were merely of exorbitant value, that would still be manageable; but if it held some special purpose or unique commemorative significance, then it would truly be troublesome. Seeing Ye Li look at him with such a pitiful expression, Mo Xiuyao's mood only grew more elated. Pulling Ye Li into his embrace, he put on a long face and said, "Although it's nothing all that vital, it happens to be my favorite jade pendant. My wife, what do you suppose we should do about this?" Ye Li raised her eyes to look at him, "Shall I compensate you with a new one?" Mo Xiuyao nodded generously.
"Alright then, it's a deal. But it has to be chosen personally by my wife." Seeing how delighted he looked, Ye Li couldn't help feeling a deeper wave of guilt. She secretly upbraided herself in her heart, wondering if she had been neglecting him too much. Ever since their wedding, every single detail concerning her food, clothing, and daily expenses had been personally seen to by Mo Xiuyao, whereas she... Feeling a bit guilty, Ye Li recalled that the last time she had given him a garment of any kind was back on his birthday last year, and that was only because the people around her had reminded her to do so. Thinking of this, Ye Li felt even more strongly that she hadn't treated Mo Xiuyao well enough, and she nodded earnestly. "Alright, I'll go pick one out myself."
"My wife is truly wonderful..." Mo Xiuyao said with a satisfied smile.
Even though Mo Xiuyao claimed he didn't mind, Ye Li still walked over and used her carrying pouch to collect the shattered pieces of jade. While warmth and tenderness lingered between the two of them, the atmosphere on the other side was icy cold and frozen stiff, to the point where even Yelu Ye, who was merely watching the show, couldn't help taking a few steps back. Yao Ji's face was as pale as paper, devoid of the alluring charm she had possessed on stage moments ago. The late-night breeze nearing the month of June made her shiver as she crossed her arms tightly around herself, the colorful fairy robes on her body only making her appear even paler and more haggard. Mu Yang looked at the woman before him in silence, a complex glint flashing through his eyes before he let out a sigh and said in a deep voice, "Let's go, I'll escort you back." Yao Ji took a step backward and said coldly, "There is no need to trouble the Marquis Heir; Yao Ji knows the way and can return by herself."
"Yao Ji!" Mu Yang called out in a low voice, a hint of displeasure creeping into his tone. "Have you caused enough of a scene? Tossing an embroidered ball in a place like this... are you trying to ruin yourself?"
Yao Ji raised her head, forcing a bitter smile onto her pale face. "Does the Marquis Heir mean to say that tossing an embroidered ball within Allure House would have been completely fine? The people here are ordinary commoners of the marketplace, whereas those coming and going in Allure House are high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. At the very least, doing it there wouldn't disgrace the name of the capital's premier dancer, right?" A flash of vexation crossed Mu Yang's eyes as he lowered his voice. "You know I didn't mean that." Yao Ji enjoyed immense respect in the capital, not only because she had the backing of the Marquis of Muyang's Heir and Third Young Master of the Feng family, and not solely because of her peerless dancing skills, but more importantly because of her reputation for never privately entertaining guests and keeping herself strictly chaste and self-contained. Once Yao Ji truly went through with this today... starting tomorrow, the profligate nobles and high-ranking aristocrats in the capital who had been drooling over Yao Ji for ages would likely trample Allure House's threshold flat. By then, no one would be able to protect her; after all, neither the Marquis of Muyang's Manor nor the Feng family could afford to make an enemy of the entire capital's nobility just for the sake of a woman from the demimonde.
Yao Ji glanced at Ye Li standing off to the side, a trace of sorrow and envy flitting through her eyes. She stepped forward slowly and gave a slight bow to Mu Yang. "Thank you for looking after me over these past few years, Marquis Heir; I am endlessly grateful. It's just that... Marquis Heir, please return, and there is no need for us to meet again."
"Yao Ji!"
Yao Ji, however, refused to look at her anymore. Nodding toward Ye Li, she turned around and walked step by step toward the end of the street. Ye Li frowned slightly and discreetly made a hand gesture ordering the shadow guards to follow closely and escort Yao Ji safely back to Allure House. Although curfew had already fallen, a lone woman walking through the capital late at night was still somewhat perilous. Mu Yang frowned, intending to give chase, when Ye Li called out to stop him. "Marquis Heir, please stay your steps."
Mu Yang turned back, looking at Ye Li with a puzzled expression, and Ye Li asked in a deep voice, "What does the Marquis Heir intend to accomplish by chasing after her?" Mu Yang frowned, "Naturally, to escort her back." Ye Li replied, "And what good will escorting her back do? I've crossed paths with Lady Yao Ji a couple of times myself; how about I have someone take over the task on your behalf? Or... does the Marquis Heir mistrust this Princess Consort?" Hesitantly eyeing Ye Li, Mu Yang said, "But..."
"If the Marquis Heir cannot grant Lady Yao Ji the future she desires, it is better to make a clean break while you can. Though severing a wrist brings pain, I see that Lady Yao Ji possesses a proud backbone and will surely pull through. If the Marquis Heir simply continues to hesitate and waver back and forth, you will likely end up breaking the hearts of two women in the future," Ye Li said coolly, fixing her gaze firmly on Mu Yang and laying deliberate stress on the words "two women" to remind him that the person he needed to take responsibility for was not only Yao Ji, but also Miss Sun, the young lady betrothed to him. Mu Yang's body stiffened, and he glared at Ye Li with a trace of irritation. "You don't understand anything!" Ye Li fell silent; indeed, she truly didn't understand everything. She neither knew the history of Yao Ji and Mu Yang's romantic entanglement nor the exact nature of his relationship with that Miss Sun. Yet given Yao Ji's social standing, if the Marquis Heir's Manor were willing to accept her, or if Yao Ji herself were willing, entering the Marquis of Muyang's Manor as a secondary concubine should have been feasible. But looking at the current mess, whether Yao Ji herself was unwilling, the Marquis of Muyang disapproved, or the Sun family took issue with it, the arrangement was clearly unviable. Since that was the case, Mu Yang's present indecisiveness was certainly not a positive thing.
"Let's head back." After a moment of silence, Ye Li looked up and said to Mo Xiuyao.
Mo Xiuyao nodded, cast a glance at Mu Yang, and said indifferently, "Given the ties between the Marquis of Muyang's Manor and the Sun family, the Marquis of Muyang will never accept Yao Ji." Without waiting to see how Mu Yang reacted, he nodded toward Yelu Ye and took Ye Li's hand, walking in the direction of the Prince of Ding's Estate. It seemed Mo Xiuyao's words made Mu Yang's expression grow even more unsightly; he stood frozen in place for a long while before finally turning to walk off in the opposite direction. Yelu Ye, left standing alone while the pair walked away, arched an eyebrow with amusement. "What an interesting woman. It seems Mo Xiuyao is indeed deeply devoted to his Princess Consort..." Yelu Ye had seen that jade pendant clearly; it had been bestowed upon the founding Prince of Ding, Mo Lanyun, by the founding Emperor at the founding of Great Chu, and could be said to be a symbol of the Prince of Ding's status. As time went on, however, the authority of the Prince of Ding's Estate grew ever more formidable, rendering a mere jade pendant unnecessary for establishing identity, and it had gradually transitioned into an ordinary decorative pendant. Yet for the Prince of Ding's Estate, the significance of this piece of jade still far surpassed that of any ordinary treasured stone.
"Mo Xiuyao, oh Mo Xiuyao... Is it really wise of you to expose such an obvious weakness out in the open? Or... do you simply not take this Prince seriously at all?!"
A slender, eyebrow-shaped crescent hung in the night sky, casting a dim and desolate chill over the quiet street. As the two walked shoulder to shoulder, Mo Xiuyao asked softly with a smile, "Is A-Li still worrying about this?"
Ye Li started slightly, looking at him in puzzlement. Mo Xiuyao smiled, "Aren't you worrying about Yao Ji?" Ye Li let out a resigned sigh and said, "It's just a pity that a woman as extraordinary as Yao Ji was born into the demimonde; otherwise, her path wouldn't be so full of hardships." Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze to look at her. "Does A-Li want to help her? If A-Li were to speak up on her behalf, perhaps the Marquis of Muyang's Manor would accept her." Ye Li shook her head. "Putting aside whether Yao Ji herself would even want that, using the status of the Princess Consort to force the Marquis of Muyang's Manor into accepting someone they don't want would mean Yao Ji wouldn't have a single peaceful day even if she did enter the estate. Furthermore... that Miss Sun is Mu Yang's legitimate, proper fiancée, isn't she? She hasn't done anything wrong; why should she be forced to accept a... rival in love? If Mu Yang truly loved Yao Ji above all else, he would naturally handle everything properly. If not... how could there be so many ways to have the best of both worlds in this life? I stand by what I said: when something must be discarded, discard it; when a break must be made, make it cleanly." Mo Xiuyao sighed softly, "A-Li is truly merciless. If A-Li were to step forward and intercede, both the Marquis of Muyang's Manor and the Sun family would give you face."
Ye Li slanted a cool look at him and retorted, "If someone were to come before me asking me to give them face by accepting a woman as a concubine for the Prince, I would simply boot them straight out. Since the Prince is so concerned about this issue, could it be that you have similar considerations on your mind? It's fine... I'm very easy to talk to, as long as the Prince tells me directly." Gazing at Mo Xiuyao with a look that was half-smile, half-serious, Ye Li smiled very cordially. Mo Xiuyao rubbed his nose helplessly. "This Prince will never have such considerations in this lifetime, so A-Li can rest easy." Ye Li gave a soft huff, offering no comment on his guarantee.
As soon as they returned to the estate, Mo Xiuyao was summoned away to attend a council meeting, clearly because the people of the Prince of Ding's Estate had already received word of Yelu Ye's appearance in the capital. The moment Ye Li turned around to head back to her chambers, Qin Feng appeared before her with a rather strange expression. Ye Li arched an eyebrow in puzzlement, looking at him with a smile as she asked, "What is it? Has your training been too relaxed lately? Why aren't you back resting?" Hesitating for a moment, Qin Feng spoke up, "Princess Consort, that Lady Yao Ji..."
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, sudden understanding dawning on her. "You were the one who escorted Yao Ji back? Commander Qin really has a lot of spare time on his hands; it seems I should mention to Shadow Three that your training regimen could easily be made much more advanced. What happened to Yao Ji?"
With a bitter face, Qin Feng looked at Ye Li and said, "Before we even reached Allure House, she fainted by the roadside."
"And so?" Ye Li looked at him with a smile, clear amusement in her eyes. Qin Feng had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue. "There is no 'and so'... Your subordinate simply escorted her back and came to report it to the Princess Consort."
Ye Li let out a soft sigh, looking at Qin Feng as she asked, "You think she's very pitiful, don't you?" When Qin Feng remained silent, Ye Li said in a deep voice, "I think she's pitiful too, but many things cannot be done simply because we feel sympathy, because someone else might end up becoming just as pitiful due to our so-called kind intentions and charitable acts." Understanding bloomed in Qin Feng's mind, and he nodded. "Your subordinate knows his error; please forgive me, Princess Consort." With a gentle, shallow smile, Ye Li recited, "The moon rises bright, the fair lady is radiant. Graceful and slender, my heart is filled with quiet sorrow."
Startled, Qin Feng quickly turned around and bolted toward the exit. "Your subordinate takes his leave!"
Watching Qin Feng sprint away as if fleeing for his life, Ye Li couldn't help breaking into a smile. Remembering the stiff, straight posture of Yao Ji's back as she departed, only a single soft sigh remained.
Having promised Mo Xiuyao to personally select a piece of jade pendant for him, and remembering that Mo Xiuyao's birthday was fast approaching, Ye Li set out with several maidservants the very next day. After browsing through several shops she frequented, she found nothing suitable in the way of jade pendants or precious stones. Ye Li was not in any particular rush, as true top-tier precious jade was something that could only be happened upon by chance rather than sought by design. Good jade either had already been carved into shapes that didn't match her aesthetic or lacked satisfactory coloring and quality. Sifting directly through the estate's treasury would lack sincerity, and as she walked down the street, Ye Li pondered the matter with a slight headache.
"Princess Consort of Ding, what a coincidence that we meet again." Just as she stepped out of a jadeware shop, a hearty voice called out from behind her. Ye Li arched an eyebrow, turned around to look at the man standing not far away with his arms crossed leisurely over his chest, and nodded. "The Seventh Prince. Has the Prince not entered the palace to pay respects to the Emperor yet?" Yelu Ye smiled unconcernedly. "In any case, the welcoming delegation will need a few more days to arrive in the capital. This humble prince is simply treating these past few days as a private leisure trip, so there's no need to trouble Your Country's Emperor just yet." Ye Li nodded, saying indifferently, "In that case, I won't disturb the Seventh Prince's leisure." Coincidence? In a capital as massive as this, having just met last night and running into each other this morning right here—was it really such a coincidence? Yelu Ye acted as though he completely failed to notice Ye Li's aloofness, smiling as he said, "Now that I think about it, this is my first time coming to Chu Capital, and everything is truly quite unfamiliar. I wonder if the Princess Consort might play the host and show me around a bit?"
Ye Li pursed her lips into a faint smile, her clear and graceful visage filled with apology. "I am truly terribly sorry; I don't usually go out much myself, and I'm probably even less familiar with Chu Capital than the Prince is. I'm afraid I cannot serve as a guide for you. Speaking of which, the Prince mentioned visiting the manor as a guest yesterday, and my husband specifically waited at home all morning to welcome the Prince's grand arrival. It appears now that he won't be seeing anyone."
The corners of Yelu Ye's mouth twitched slightly as he forced a smile. "Princess Consort, please forgive me. It's simply that this humble prince feels that since I haven't yet paid my respects to Your Country's Emperor, it truly isn't appropriate to make a private visit to the Prince of Ding's Estate, lest I bring trouble upon the Prince and Princess Consort. Wouldn't you agree, Princess Consort?"
Ye Li smiled indifferently. "The Prince is thoughtful. I still have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."
Watching Ye Li turn and walk away without the slightest hesitation, Yelu Ye narrowed his eyes, a smile curving the corners of his lips as he called out, "A few days ago, this humble prince acquired a top-grade piece of jadeite. I wonder if the Princess Consort might be interested."
Upon hearing his words, Ye Li did not turn back, nor did she pause her footsteps for even a fraction of a second. Yelu Ye's eyebrows arched upward as he continued, "Does the Princess Consort not wish to know what the jade pendant you smashed yesterday actually was?"
Yeluli slowly turned her head back. Just as Yelu Ye revealed a trace of smug triumph, she replied indifferently, "Since the Prince didn't mention it, it means he doesn't care; regardless of what jade pendant it was, it is already broken. If this Princess Consort wishes to know, I can naturally ask the Prince directly—why would I need to learn it from an outsider's mouth? Prince, wouldn't you agree?"
The smile on Yelu Ye's face gradually faded, and he gazed thoughtfully at the retreating figure of the young woman before him. "No wonder she managed to win Mo Xiuyao's favor; she is truly interesting. Princess Consort of Ding, we shall meet again."