The First Jasmine - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Mo Xiu Yao's Injury

"Ah Li, careful!"

While she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard Mo Xiu Yao's voice. Ye Li spun around violently as a sleeve arrow shot forcefully toward her. The dagger in Ye Li's hand instantly left her grip. A clear shadow flashed before her eyes, and a figure threw her to the ground.

"Mo... Xiu Yao..." Ye Li called out hesitantly. She lifted her hand to touch Mo Xiu Yao's back, instantly feeling a damp wetness.

Mo Xiu Yao collapsed weakly beside her, smiling calmly, "It is nothing..."

"Prince!" Ah Jin rushed over to support Mo Xiu Yao. Mo Xiu Yao's face was deathly pale as he knitted his brows and said, "I am fine. See if there are any survivors left alive."

Ye Li sat up and looked forward. The individual who had just shot the sleeve arrow was already dead on the ground, her dagger driven straight into his heart. And that person... was precisely the individual she had floored and knocked unconscious earlier, who had awakened at some unknown point. She could not resist letting out a bitter laugh in her heart; having left the battlefield for too long, had she truly forgotten the meaning of vigilance? She had actually left several survivors alive in the midst of such a fierce battle. No... in reality, except for this last one, she had not killed a single individual. If all of these people had awakened at some unknown point... she could not resist breaking into a cold shiver.

A slightly warm, large hand covered her hand. Mo Xiu Yao looked at her and smiled calmly, "Ah Li, I am fine."

Ye Li bit her lip lightly, saying with deep resentment, "You have sustained an injury and yet it is nothing? Then what must occur to be considered something?" Having Ah Jin support Mo Xiu Yao, Ye Li rose to retrieve her dagger and wiped it clean. She then cut open the clothing on his back to inspect it; the blood flowing out was normal in color, indicating the arrow likely carried no poison, allowing her to let out a brief sigh of relief. She only heard Mo Xiu Yao say in a low voice, "As long as I cannot die, it is considered nothing."

Ye Li gritted her teeth, waving her hand to have Ah Jin and the people beside him convey him back to the Wuyue Nunnery. Without standing in need of her orders, a hidden guard had already leaped away, presumably departing to summon a physician.

Upon returning to the Wuyue Nunnery, sure enough, just as Mo Xiu Yao had stated, the Wuyue Nunnery had not been disturbed by the assassins. Having received the news, the Wen clan had already been waiting at the entrance long ago. Seeing the group return, she hastily came forward to receive them and led them into a prepared guest room. Although Mo Xiu Yao's injury did not appear overly severe at present, Ye Li had already inspected it just now; the assassin's sleeve arrow was entirely covered in barbs. One could imagine how blood-drenched the removal of the arrow would be in a moment. Worrying about frightening the Wen clan, Ye Li requested that the Wen clan return to her room to rest first. The Wen clan looked at her, yet still departed with a face full of anxiety to prepare food for them.

Mo Xiu Yao sat upon the bed, knitting his brows from time to time due to the injury on his back. Ye Li inquired with concern, "Is it very uncomfortable? The physician will arrive very quickly." Mo Xiu Yao let out a bitter laugh and said, "Even when the physician arrives, it will merely be to extract the arrow. Have Ah Jin do it directly. He should perform it a modicum more neatly than those physicians." Ye Li knitted her brows, turning her head to look at Ah Jin, "Does he know how to extract arrows? This sleeve arrow carries barbs." If it were an ordinary arrow that had not pierced a vital organ, it could simply be pulled out directly. However, an arrow carrying barbs was exceedingly difficult to pull out; if extracted by force, she feared it would tear away a large chunk of flesh. Ah Jin shook his head with a solemn face.

Mo Xiu Yao was helpless, "If it had pierced straight through, it would conversely save a great deal of trouble."

Ye Li looked at him with cold eyes, unable to resist mocking, "If it had been two inches lower and pierced straight through, it truly would have saved a great deal of trouble."

"Ah Li... are you angry?" Mo Xiu Yao sighed, looking at her with a gentle gaze as though the individual with an arrow driven into his back were not him at all.

"I! ..." Ye Li lowered her head in a modicum of vexation. Only after a long while did she calm down and speak, "Apologies, I am angry at myself." If she had not been careless and underestimated the enemy, and if she had not been so deeply lost in thought, Mo Xiu Yao fundamentally would not have sustained an injury. After so many years of a comfortable life, her own vigilance had actually degenerated to such a degree. If this had been on her past battlefield, it would have sufficed for her, Ye Li, to die seventeen or eighteen times over.

The physician indeed arrived very quickly, because he was carried over by his collar. This physician actually possessed a fair amount of courage; having been carried and hurried along the entire path, he was actually capable of stepping forward to inspect Mo Xiu Yao's injury with an unaltered countenance upon landing. After finishing his inspection of the injury, the physician held the sleeve arrow Ye Li had brought back, looking at it for a long while before opening his mouth to speak, "Either this old man utilizes a knife to slice open the wound to extract the arrow, or... drive it a bit further inward to extract it from the front of the chest. Which one do you individuals choose...?"

"The latter one."

"Extract it from the front."

Ye Li and Mo Xiu Yao spoke in unison. Having finished speaking, they could not resist casting a glance at one another. Ye Li shifted her gaze away as if nothing had occurred, inquiring, "Physician, what do you think?" The physician nodded with satisfaction and said, "The choice of you two is very wise. Extracting the arrow this way appears very painful, but it merely hurts for that single instant. Utilizing a knife to slowly slice open the flesh requires slow grinding, and it heals slowly as well."

"The physician appears to be very adept with this type of arrow wound?" Ye Li inquired as she supported Mo Xiu Yao while watching the physician skillfully make preparations.

 

Without lifting his head, the physician replied, "This old man was formerly a military doctor."

"So that is how it is."

Watching the physician clean the tail of the arrow, he then grasped the tail without a shred of mercy and gave it a forward shove. Mo Xiu Yao's body tensed in an instant, one of his hands tightly gripping Ye Li's arm. Ye Li supported him without uttering a single word, watching the physician utilize a sturdy strap to hook the already exposed arrowhead carrying the barbs, giving it a forceful outward pull. A spray of blood splattered out, and the entire sleeve arrow instantly left Mo Xiu Yao's chest. The physician accepted the strong liquor handed from the side to wash the wound clean for him, then utilized a skillful method to apply medicine and wrap it with white cloth. Only then did he lift his head to wipe the beads of sweat from his brow, saying, "It is done. It did not injure any vital organs, nor did it injure the bones. Change the medicine once every day and nurture it a bit, then it will be fine."

Ye Li looked at the blood-dyed water within the washbasin to the side, as well as the pile of blood-stained gauze upon the ground, inquiring, "Does he stand in need of ingesting any medicine? Something to replenish blood and the like?"

The physician curled his lip in disdain and said, "The Prince is still young, and his physical body is not bad; just nurturing it will suffice. If the Princess Consort is truly anxious, stewing some Four Substances Soup, Angelica Blood-Replenishing Soup, Red Date Soup, or the like is also acceptable." Seeing the physician leave behind several packets of topical medicine and shoulder his medicine box to depart in a swaggering manner, Ye Li felt a micro-embarrassment in her heart. Why did she feel that the few soups the physician mentioned were meant for women to drink? This physician... possessed quite a personality.

Mo Xiu Yao smiled calmly, "That is the dedicated physician of our manor. Formerly, he was a military doctor of the Black Cloud Cavalry."

Mo Xiu Yao had sustained an injury, so the Wen clan requested that the two remain within the Wuyue Nunnery to recuperate until they were a modicum better before returning to the capital. However, she was refused by Mo Xiu Yao, and Ye Li did not oppose it either. Since those assassins dared to flagrantly assassinate Mo Xiu Yao in the vicinity of the capital, they definitively would not abandon the matter after a single failure. Since the Wen clan had already made up her mind to disregard mortal affairs, their residing here would only bring her unnecessary danger. Once the hidden guards dispatched by the Prince of Ding's Manor arrived, Mo Xiu Yao left behind a portion of the hidden guards to protect the Wen clan, then brought Ye Li back to the capital.

For the Prince of Ding to sustain a heavy injury in the vicinity of the capital was naturally no small matter. However, Mo Xiu Yao appeared to have ordered the concealment of this news; after they returned to the capital, the powerful nobility within the capital appeared entirely unaware of the matter of Mo Xiu Yao sustaining an injury. At any rate, Mo Xiu Yao did not stand in need of attending the daily court assembly like ordinary individuals; having no matters to attend to, he simply nursed his injury at home. It was merely that one matter left the two rather helpless. The moment they returned to the manor, Nanny Sun directly had individuals convey Mo Xiu Yao into Ye Li's courtyard, citing the reason that the Prince's injury required someone to tend to him closely. Nanny Lin, Nanny Wei, and Chief Steward Mo were naturally delighted to see it succeed, excitedly directing the servants to move Mo Xiu Yao's items into the bridal chamber as well. That gleeful appearance entirely forgot that their own master had just encountered an ambush and sustained a heavy injury.

Because the entire manor from top to bottom put forth a united effort, Ye Li could only shoulder the task of changing the medicine for Mo Xiu Yao every day. Even though Ye Li had formerly been a soldier who risked her life, seeing the scars upon Mo Xiu Yao's body still made her feel shocked to the sight. The sword scars, blade scars, and various miscellaneous marks entirely across his chest and back made it very difficult for an individual to connect this physical body with Mo Xiu Yao's outward image of a gentle, refined gentleman. Ye Li also finally gained some comprehension of what Mo Xiu Yao's phrase "as long as I cannot die, it is considered nothing" signified. To be capable of remaining alive after sustaining such heavy injuries, he must have experienced a narrow escape from death unimaginable to ordinary individuals. Every time she applied medicine and saw this man before her smiling calmly at her, Ye Li's heart could always not resist throbbing with a faint, sharp ache. However, she was not an individual who liked to become entangled in emotions; she quickly attributed this anomalous emotion to the fact that Mo Xiu Yao had sustained the injury because of her, and swiftly threw herself into the process of making amends and corrections.

Ye Li refused the matter Mo Xiu Yao had previously proposed regarding hiring a brilliant swordplay master for her. Instead, she threw the time outside of handling the manor's affairs and caring for Mo Xiu Yao every day into the hidden martial arts training grounds within the manor, training her strength and speed in an extremely targeted manner. Simultaneously, she concurrently practiced a certain internal cultivation technique recommended by Mo Xiu Yao. However, Ye Li understood that a matter like internal cultivation was fundamentally not something that could be achieved overnight. As for those rumors stating that internal cultivation trained to the strongest degree could cleave mountains and shatter stones, Ye Li was bewildered: why must she utilize her own hands to cleave mountains and shatter stones? If she could restore herself to her peak period, she could break an individual's bones with a single punch even without internal strength. What left Ye Li satisfied was that the potential of this physical body was exceptionally excellent; in Mo Xiu Yao's words, it could be counted as fine material for practicing martial arts.

Consequently, Ye Li consumed the majority of her time every day upon the training grounds. The original training grounds of the manor had been altered quite a bit by her. Fortunately, this was originally only utilized by her and Mo Xiu Yao; Mo Xiu Yao did not meddle in how she altered it or how she practiced. He would merely arrive by the side of the training grounds to watch her training occasionally when he had no matters to attend to. On the contrary, ever since Ah Jin had witnessed Ye Li's skills against the enemies, he had never forgotten it. Every time he accompanied Mo Xiu Yao's side, he would blink his eyes as he gazed at Ye Li, as well as Qing Shuang and Qing Luan who practiced along with Ye Li, short of nothing but begging the Princess Consort to receive him as a disciple.

Mo Xiu Yao was also born of the military; at the beginning, he truly did not perceive how much benefit Ye Li's training possessed, but as the days lengthened, he could naturally discern the method within. Seeing Ah Jin's pitiful appearance as he looked toward the three slender silhouettes within the training grounds from time to time, Mo Xiu Yao could not resist opening his mouth to plead for favor on his behalf as well. Upon hearing it, Ye Li merely smiled and said, "I am currently merely performing restorative training; what is important lies in training strength, speed, and endurance, and there is no secret code. It is merely that Ah Jin accompanies your side every day and lacks that much time." The word "restorative" caused Mo Xiu Yao to raise his eyebrows slightly, smiling calmly, "Ah Li feels that after this caliber of training, one can confront martial arts experts?"

Ye Li shrugged helplessly, accepting the towel handed over by Mo Xiu Yao to wipe her sweat as she said, "Each possesses strengths and shortcomings. The importance of this method of mine lies in the short time it consumes, and its requirements regarding an individual's natural talent and comprehension are not that high. Take the internal cultivation mental focus you gave me; without considering natural talent and comprehension, even if I practice for ten double-hours a day, how much time will it require before achieving some success?"

Mo Xiu Yao grew thoughtful. Ye Li looked at him with a beaming smile and said, "Although my training cannot train out a martial arts expert capable of flying over eaves and running up walls, it can allow a robust individual's physical state to reach its peak in one year at most. If one further performs targeted training in various skills... a martial arts expert also possesses only a single life." Mo Xiu Yao understood; those with good physical bodies were many, yet martial arts experts were not many. Therefore, it was not the case that every individual with a good physical body could become an expert, and Ye Li patently intended to find another path, bypassing internal cultivation martial arts to utilize a method that transformed an individual into a strong person.

"Ah Li's thoughts are very unique. I look forward to Ah Li's results," Mo Xiu Yao smiled.

"Many thanks," Ye Li smiled. She did not mind revealing some things to Mo Xiu Yao, because it was also only Mo Xiu Yao who could provide her with the items she stood in need of.

Within the entire manor, the only two individuals dissatisfied with Ye Li's obsession with martial arts were Nanny Lin and Nanny Wei. Clearly, the two nannies could not comprehend by any means why the originally elegant and gentle young lady had become fond of brandishing swords and spears the moment she married into the Prince of Ding's Manor. They even utilized indirect methods to advise Ye Li that a woman ought to prioritize quietness and gentleness, and that being too powerful would cause the Prince to dislike her, or the like. The verbosity left Ye Li wishing to execute a turn to the rear and run the moment she perceived the voices of the two nannies. Regarding this, Mo Xiu Yao merely adopted an appearance of watching a joke, refusing to open his mouth to speak anything, allowing Ye Li to be subjected to the exhaustion bombardment of the two nannies.

"Prince, Princess Consort. The Prince of Li's Manor has delivered an invitation." Chief Steward Mo personally presented a crimson invitation embossed with gold displaying a dragon and phoenix bringing prosperity. Ye Li extended her hand to accept it, raising her eyebrows as she said, "The Prince of Li is receiving Princess Ling Yun as his consort?"

Chief Steward Mo was also entirely clear that the current Princess Consort of Li was the birth younger sister of his own Princess Consort, opening his mouth to explain, "The invitation delivered by the Prince of Li's Manor states he is marrying Princess Ling Yun as a flat consort."

During these past days, because she was busy with Mo Xiu Yao's injury as well as Ye Li's own affairs, she had not gone to pay attention to those matters unrelated to herself. Ye Li had almost forgotten the marriage affairs of Princess Ling Yun and Princess Qi Xia to one side, inquiring with a touch of curiosity, "Then... has Princess Qi Xia truly entered the palace?" Chief Steward Mo reported, "Princess Qi Xia currently still resides within the manor of the Grand Princess Zhao Yang. The meaning of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager appears to be to select another auspicious day in the eighth month to welcome Princess Qi Xia into the palace. However, the title has already come down; the Emperor has already invested Princess Qi Xia as Consort Xia. On Princess Ling Yun's side, because the Heir of the King of Zhennan is about to set out to rush back to Western Liang, the marriage affairs were conducted a modicum more hastily." What Chief Steward Mo did not speak of was that although it was stated Princess Ling Yun was a flat consort, a flat consort was ultimately different from a principal consort; naturally, it did not stand in need of expending that much time to make preparations like a principal consort.

"When is the wedding banquet set for?" Mo Xiu Yao inquired.

"Three days from now."

Mo Xiu Yao nodded, saying, "Understood. Let the Chief Steward go make preparations for a congratulatory gift on behalf of this Prince and the Princess Consort."

Chief Steward Mo spoke with a touch of hesitation, "Does the Prince's meaning imply attending the wedding in person?" The Prince had just encountered an ambush; to depart the doors to attend a wedding always caused individuals to be a modicum anxious. Mo Xiu Yao smiled calmly, "We cannot possibly refuse to depart the doors for the sake of this small matter, can we? Go make preparations."

 

"Yes." Chief Steward Mo swiftly complied and departed. He not only needed to prepare the Prince of Li's congratulatory gift, but also needed to meticulously arrange the guards and hidden guards beside the Prince and Princess Consort, ensuring absolutely not a single slip-up.

Watching Chief Steward Mo depart in a hurry, Ye Li let out a helpless sigh, gazing at Mo Xiu Yao as she said, "For some unknown reason, I always feel that peaceful days are about to vanish once more?"Mo Xiu Yao raised his eyebrows, inquiring, "You like peaceful days?" Ye Li nodded, "It is best to be tranquil and peaceful, passing a lifetime smoothly until old age, then lying upon the bed devoid of regrets to die of old age."

Mo Xiu Yao shook his head, "Since it is so, why do you still practice martial arts?" Mo Xiu Yao consistently felt that Ye Li was an extremely contradictory individual. Although she displayed an elegant and quiet demeanor like a wealthy young lady, her impression upon him from the very beginning was different from ordinary wealthy young ladies. At times, she resembled a general's daughter even more than Murong Ting. The sharpness that occasionally flashed between her brows was furthermore not something an ordinary woman could display.

Ye Li sighed, "Just consider it that I like to prepare for danger in times of peace." Even as she told herself that she desired to live a peaceful life like a wealthy young lady, Ye Li understood clearly in her own heart that allowing herself to entirely deliver her own life into the control of others like the Wen clan was fundamentally impossible. She could yield to her father's differential treatment, she could yield to all the tedious rules she was unaccustomed to, and she could even yield to her own marriage. However, she could never yield regarding the essence of the individual known as Ye Li. She could not allow herself to truly become a weak woman who knew nothing, relied on others for everything, and lacked even the strength for self-preservation. For many items, she might prepare them and perhaps never utilize them for a lifetime, but she would rather place them there for a lifetime than discover she lacked them on a day when she stood in need of them.

"If Ah Li dislikes those trivial matters outside, you may disregard them," Mo Xiu Yao said. "Those below will naturally have individuals arrange them well. What is more... the Prince of Ding's Manor does not stand in need of too many social interactions."

Ye Li came to a realization; the Prince of Ding's Manor remaining quiet for so many years precisely suited the intentions of that individual in the palace. Over these years, the prestige of the Prince of Ding's Manor within Great Chu had been slowly suppressed; if she, this newly appointed Princess Consort of Ding, were too active at present, it would conversely cause the Emperor to harbor dread. Thinking up to this point, a sudden flash of inspiration occurred within Ye Li's mind. She violently lifted her head to look toward Mo Xiu Yao, saying, "Why exactly did Nanzhao and Western Liang suddenly form marriage alliances with Great Chu?" The reason spoken to Princess Ling Yun previously was merely to deceive a child. Western Liang and Great Chu appeared to be blood-foes decreed by heaven; it was already not bad for Great Chu not to take advantage of the crisis when Western Liang suffered a disaster, so how could it be resolved by a mere princess sent for a marriage alliance?

The light within Mo Xiu Yao's eyes shifted slightly, and he stated calmly, "Nanzhao is merely incidental; the one who truly desires a marriage alliance with Great Chu is Western Liang."

Ye Li lowered her eyes, merely feeling that the thoughts within her mind were turning exceptionally fast, yet she was unable to grasp any clue for a time. Only after a good half-hour did she lift her head to inquire, "If Great Chu encounters war once more, what will happen to the Prince of Ding's Manor?"

Mo Xiu Yao blanked, a trace of undetectable sorrow flitting across the depths of his eyes. Only after a long while did he say in a deep voice, "The Prince of Ding's Manor no longer possesses an individual capable of going out to battle. Before five years pass, the century of glorious prestige of the Prince of Ding's Manor will inevitably be buried. The common people are always forgetful; even if the Prince of Ding's Manor once guarded Great Chu for over a century, and even if Great Chu existed in their eyes like a god of war, once war erupts again and the Prince of Ding's Manor is powerless to help, they will no longer remember the past glory, but will only remember their incompetence. However... the Prince of Ding's Manor cannot go to blame them, because they are not in the wrong."

"Northern Rong..." Within the study, only after a long silence was Ye Li's voice heard ringing out faintly. Looking at Mo Xiu Yao's expressionless face, she let out a low sigh. Is it not good for the world to be at peace and for everyone to live their days stably? Why must the common people be dragged into the merciless fires of war for some entirely unnecessary reasons? Ye Li felt she would never be capable of comprehending the thoughts of those in high positions.

Ye Li suddenly felt this man was very pitiful. He originally ought to have been high-spirited, guiding the lands and passing a lifetime in elegant romance like his ancestors. However, he could only turn the tide with a youthful posture when his elder brother suddenly departed the world. As early as eighteen years of age, he had already paid everything he was capable of paying, merely to preserve the century-long uncollapsing prestige of the Prince of Ding's Manor. After losing a whole and healthy physical body and a handsome countenance, he still needed to cautiously face the scrutiny and calculations arriving from various quarters, as well as those assassinations that struck at unknown times. Intelligent as he was, perhaps he had long since seen through the future of the Prince of Ding's Manor; it was merely that he refused to, and could not, admit defeat.

"Can we... retreat?" Ye Li inquired, but the moment the words left her mouth, she felt vexed at her own naivety. Among those whose achievements shook the ruler since ancient times, how many were capable of retreating with their whole bodies intact?

Mo Xiu Yao stated calmly, "Mo Xiu Yao can retreat, but where can the eight hundred thousand Mo Family Army and the fifty thousand Black Cloud Cavalry retreat to?"

Ye Li remained silent. The individuals of the Mo family—intelligent as the former Prince Regent Mo Liu Fang, and even the past several generations of masters of the Mo family—would not be stupider than herself. For the masters of the Mo the Prince of Ding's Manor to be few admittedly allowed them to leave, for the heavens were grand and the earth vast, where could they not go? However, for the hundreds of thousands of troops loyal to the Mo family and loyal to the Prince of Ding's Manor, it was not that easy to leave. When Great Chu encountered distress, it stood in need of them; when the rivers and mountains were settled, every single one of them conversely became a thorn in the eye and a thorn in the flesh of the emperor. Once the master of the Prince of Ding's Manor departed, the best outcome they faced would be to be disbanded and suppressed, while no one dared to even imagine an even worse outcome. Hundreds of thousands of troops were sometimes perhaps inferior to a handful of chess pieces in the eyes of an emperor.

"If Northern Rong truly reignites the fires of war, what do you plan to do?" Ye Li inquired.

Mo Xiu Yao looked at her, speaking calmly, "Lead the troops out to battle. Ah Li, when the time arrives, I will send you to Yunzhou. With Mister Qing Yun present, no one will dare to do anything to you. If I... the royal family will be even less likely to move against you."

Ye Li knitted her brows, suddenly feeling it was a modicum absurd. They were originally discussing the matter of Mo Jing Li marrying a flat consort; why had they suddenly run off into this type of matter? Clearly... clearly it was all still matters that lacked even a shadow. However, the faint unease within the depths of her heart informed her that the conversation just now was not a wild imagination born of a temporary lapse of her brain; even if her brain lapsed, Mo Xiu Yao would not lapse along with her.

Turning her face away to pay no heed to Mo Xiu Yao's words, Ye Li shifted the topic as if nothing had occurred, "The Prince of Li is about to marry a flat consort. Ought I to return to the Ye family for a visit?"

Without standing in need of Ye Li's consideration, before the midday hour arrived, a manager came to report that the Old Madame of the Ye family requested that the Princess Consort return to the Ye family for a visit to discuss matters.

Upon returning to the Ye Manor, Ye Li was directly invited into the courtyard of Old Madame Ye. The moment she stepped into the Rongle Hall, what she witnessed were Ye Ying's eyes, already red and swollen from weeping, and the furious shrieks of the Wang clan. Old Madame Ye and Minister Ye sat with equally dark countenances. Ye Li curled her lip, understanding a bit what was being enacted here, "Grandmother, Father."

"Li'er..." Old Madame Ye's eyes brightened upon seeing Ye Li enter, hastily gesturing for Ye Li to step forward. The corners of Ye Li's mouth twitched a micro-fraction, remaining silent in her heart. The old lady could not possibly assume that she was capable of managing a matter like an imperial marriage decree, could she? As the Princess Consort of Ding—let alone the Prince of Li marrying a princess—even if he wished to take a minor concubine, she could not manage it either. "Li'er, you are counted as having returned. Take a look at your younger sister... Ying'er truly possesses a bitter life..."

Ye Li stepped forward, casting a glance at Ye Ying, who was currently wailing sorrowfully within the Wang clan's embrace. She sat down below Old Madame Ye and said, "What has occurred to the Fourth Sister?"

Old Madame Ye said anxiously, "It has not even been a month since Ying'er passed the door, yet the Prince of Li is about to marry a flat consort. Where does this allow the face of our Minister's Manor to be placed? How is your younger sister to live in the future?"

Ye Li nodded and said, "Just now our Prince also received the invitation from the Prince of Li's Manor. At this time, Fourth Sister is not within the Prince's Manor presiding over the arrangements, but has run back here for what?" The Wang clan glared with her eyes, saying with resentment, "What did you say?! Ying'er has already become like this, yet you still blame her for returning home? Ye Li, are you still a human being? Master, look..."

"Shut your mouth!" Old Madame Ye swept a glance at the Wang clan and shouted in fury, "Li'er's words are not wrong. Just now this old woman spoke to you individuals for a long half-hour; did you treat it as wind passing by your ears? The Prince of Li's Manor is currently managing the wedding arrangements; if Ying'er, the principal consort, does not appear to take charge, how will others view it?" The Wang clan spoke with dissatisfaction, "It is the Prince of Li who has wronged Ying'er, yet Ying'er must still manage the wedding arrangements for him? Is there still any heavenly justice in this?" Old Madame Ye let out a cold sneer and said, "The words spoken by the Emperor are heavenly justice. You were also present on the night of the imperial decree; why did you not step out to resist the decree back then to see? Dispense with presenting those rotten ideas beside Ying'er."

Ye Ying's brain was still turning with the contents of her conversation with Mo Xiu Yao from the morning; at this time, where did she possess the mood to listen to them speak of these things? She endured it to advise Ye Ying a few words, but Ye Ying did not accept the sentiment at all. Embracing the Wang clan while weeping with tears, "Woo woo... Father, it is all to blame on you individuals. Why did you insist on making me marry the Prince of Li back then... were it not for this, how could your daughter sustain today's grievance... this originally ought to have been her..."

"Ying'er!" Minister Ye let out a low roar of endurance, glaring at Ye Ying with a dark, gloomy countenance. The never-before-seen dark countenance caused Ye Ying to involuntarily hide a bit further into the Wang clan's embrace, sobbing with grievance. Ye Li remained silent as she lowered her eyes, concealing the fluctuations within them without a trace. So Ye Ying hooking up with Mo Jing Li was fundamentally not Ye Ying's own meaning at the very beginning? Then... what did her father signify by letting one of his daughters go hook up with the fiancé of another daughter?

"Alright, matters have already become like this; what use is there in speaking of these things?" Minister Ye waved his hand with impatience, looking toward Ye Li as he said, "Li'er, how do you view this matter?"

Ye Li concealed the doubts within her heart, lifting her head to state calmly, "An imperial command is difficult to violate. What is more, it concerns the diplomatic relations between two nations; I fear there is no room for negotiation regarding this matter."

Minister Ye knitted his brows and said, "Can it be that we just let it rest like this? If it were someone of lowly status it would be fine, but that is the princess of the Western Liang state."

Ye Li smiled calmly, "It is precisely because she is a Western Liang princess that there is no need to worry, is it not? Father."

 

Minister Ye pondered for a brief moment, and his brow gradually smoothed out as he said, "Correct. The future successor of the Prince of Li can absolutely never possess the bloodline of the Western Liang imperial family. What is more, with the Western Liang princess performing that act within the imperial palace that day, I fear the Prince of Li also harbors some distaste toward her in his heart. As long as Ying'er can grasp the grand power within the manor, there is fundamentally no need to worry about a princess sent for a marriage alliance."

"If Fourth Sister wishes to establish a foothold within the manor, I fear she still needs to start from Grand Imperial Concubine Xian Zhao," Ye Li said softly.

"What?" Ye Ying could not resist shrieking, "That old crone has consistently looked down on me; you still want me to flatter her? She has consistently been thinking of every method to torment me! I..."

Ye Li knitted her brows, interrupting her to say, "Grand Imperial Concubine Xian Zhao is the Prince of Li's birth maternal aunt, and is furthermore the younger sister of the Empress Dowager. If you do not wish to flatter her, there are plenty of people who do. Moreover, I did not make you go flatter her; you merely need to let her be unable to pick out flaws, and it is best if you can make her feel that you are a princess consort who satisfies her. Grand Imperial Concubine Xian Zhao spent decades within the deep palace; how could she be that easy to flatter? I fear when the time arrives, painting a tiger will conversely result in a dog, and the horse's flattery will strike the horse's hoof."

Ye Ying said with deep resentment, "Ever since our grand wedding, she has consistently been picking out my faults. As long as it is a matter I perform, this is also incorrect and that is also incorrect! How am I to satisfy her?"

"If she picks on your trouble, you endure it. When you have leisure, meticulously request guidance from Grandmother on how to be a virtuous assistant. You are the younger sister of the Consort Zhao, the daughter of the Minister's Manor, occupying the title of the principal princess consort. Your advantages are far more numerous than a princess who married from a distant foreign nation like Princess Ling Yun. If you cannot even achieve this under these conditions, then directly pack your items to return to the Minister's Manor. I presume Father and Madame do not mind nurturing you for a lifetime."

"You!" Ye Ying instantly forgot her grievance and distress, her small face turning completely crimson with rage as her pair of watery eyes glared at Ye Li with what seemed like fire. Let out a cold sneer, she countered in mockery, "True, if you did not know how to endure, you would have returned weeping to the Minister's Manor long ago. No... if I were you, I would have directly hung myself with a rope before the grand wedding even occurred." Ye Li was too lazy to provoke anger with her, calmly putting down the teacup in her hand as she cast a glance at her and said, "Instead of possessing that leisure to lose your temper with me, it would be better to return a bit earlier to perform what you ought to perform."

Ye Ying still wished to counter, but Old Madame Ye slapped the table and said, "Ying'er, have you map-rattled enough! Meticulously study from your Third Sister; look at what appearance you currently display?"

Ye Ying blanked, and remembering her own affairs, she could not resist letting sorrow arise from the center, weeping and sobbing once more. While wiping her tears, she said, "What appearance can I display? Who harmed me into this current appearance? At present, there is no telling how many people within the capital are mocking me in secret. Woo woo... how can the Prince treat me like this... where did I perform poorly?"

Old Madame Ye was wept to the point that her forehead throbbed with a faint ache, saying with irritation, "Enough, what use is there in weeping? Knowing nothing but weeping the entire day, you have already consummated marriage; do you still assume you are at home where everything follows your disposition? Come, dispatch individuals to request that the Prince of Li arrive to receive the Fourth Young Lady back."

"Grandmother."

Ye Li stopped her and said, "Since Fourth Sister has returned, it does no harm to let her remain a modicum longer. The Prince of Li ought to personally come over to receive her. For us to dispatch individuals to request the Prince of Li at present conversely places us at a disadvantage."

Minister Ye looked at Ye Li with appreciation and said, "Mother, Li'er's words possess reason."

Old Madame Ye pressed her forehead and sighed, "I was about to be angered into muddleheadedness by her."

"Old Madame, Master, Madame. The Prince of Li has arrived," the manager outside the door reported.