The First Jasmine - Chapter 73

Chapter 73: A Leisurely Life Under House Arrest

Ye Li woke from the darkness, feeling a sharp, throbbing pain pulsing through her forehead. She couldn’t help but smile bitterly to herself; she had been careless after all. Even though she knew Mo Jing Qi was wary of the Ding Prince's Manor, she had still been completely certain that he would never dare to lay a hand on the Princess Consort of Ding inside the imperial palace. What she had never expected was that Ye Yue would actually make a move against her. Ye Li did not open her eyes or get up immediately. Instead, she lay quietly on the bed for a good long while, only slowly opening her eyes once she was absolutely certain there was no one around her.

The situation seemed much better than Ye Li had originally anticipated. At the very least, she wasn’t imprisoned in some dark, sunless dungeon, but was instead in a room that appeared to be quite decently decorated. The room was styled exactly like the chambers most favored by the young ladies of noble families in the capital, and the furnishings inside were both precious and elegant. Even the fabric pasted over the windows was the sheer mist-and-gauze silk most beloved by noble young ladies. Ye Li sat up, leaning against the bedpost with a somewhat helpless, bitter smile. Her body felt soft and completely devoid of strength; it appeared Ye Yue had indeed used some rather extraordinary drug. No wonder the other party dared to leave her in such a completely unguarded room without even a single sentry outside. They were utterly certain that her current, powerless body would likely struggle to even walk to the doorway by herself.

With a creaking sound, the door outside the screen was pushed open, and a young girl dressed in green walked in carrying a tray. Seeing Ye Li sitting by the edge of the bed, she smiled in pleasant surprise and said, "Miss, you are finally awake!"

Ye Li looked at her, frowning slightly as she asked, "What place is this? How long have I been asleep?"

The green-clothed young girl placed the items in her hands onto a nearby table and said with a smile, "Miss has already been asleep for more than two days since arriving here. Since you haven’t eaten for two days, you must be hungry. Xiao Yun has prepared some porridge; would Miss like to have some first?" Ye Li calmly watched the clever young girl dish up a bowl of rice porridge that carried a faint, refreshing fragrance, bringing it over to her side. Ye Li lifted her hand slightly, raising her eyebrows as she said, "In my current state, how am I supposed to eat?" Her ability to sit up right now was entirely due to her leaning against the bedpost. Even lifting her arm felt exceptionally exhausting, so how was she supposed to hold her own bowl while eating? The green-clothed young girl smiled apologetically at Ye Li and said, "It was Xiao Yun who forgot. Let Xiao Yun feed you, Miss."

Ye Li lowered her eyes and said softly, "Then I shall trouble you, Miss."

"Xiao Yun is merely a maidservant, Miss need not be so polite." The maid named Xiao Yun smiled with a serene and pleasant demeanor, sitting down at the edge of Ye Li's bed with the bowl in hand to carefully feed her the porridge. Being tended to like a critically ill patient made Ye Li feel somewhat uncomfortable, but she was not the type of person to mistreat herself. Going hungry for two days and refusing to eat just for the sake of so-called backbone and pride would only be bringing suffering upon herself. As for this maid who claimed to be a mere servant—if she truly were just an ordinary maidservant, then Ye Li would be an absolute fool to believe it.

Even after finishing the meal, Ye Li's strength still did not return. Xiao Yun called another maid inside to clear away the bowls and chopsticks, but she herself remained behind, walking back and forth as she busied herself around the room. Ye Li watched her look busy while actually accomplishing nothing at all, and said indifferently, "If you have nothing to do, you can find a place to sit down on your own. Flitting back and forth like that makes my head spin." Xiao Yun did not show even a shred of embarrassment at being seen through. She giggled and said, "Our Young Master was worried that Miss would find it tedious staying by herself, so he commanded Xiao Yun to accompany Miss." Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Your Young Master is very considerate. Thank him on my behalf." Xiao Yun nodded, blinking her eyes playfully as she said, "Hearing Miss say so, Young Master will surely be very pleased."

Ye Li smiled faintly without replying, quietly leaning against the headboard as she listened to Xiao Yun ramble on about various random trivial matters, never cutting in to ask extra questions. This girl named Xiao Yun was absolutely well-trained; trying to pry any information out of her mouth would not be easy and would instead cause her to become vigilant. Since she still lacked the strength to move right now, Ye Li didn't bother wasting the effort.

After she spent two full days behaves herself properly inside the room, the hidden vigilance and caution in Miss Xiao Yun’s eyes when looking at Ye Li finally dissipated a little. After eating breakfast in the morning, Ye Li asked casually, "I would like to go out for a stroll, is that alright? After lying down for two days, I feel like I'm about to turn stiff."

Xiao Yun hesitated for a moment before agreeing. She called two little maids over to support Ye Li so they could take a turn around the garden.

After a full two days, Ye Li finally stepped outside the room. She couldn't help but take a deep breath of the fresh air, and her originally somewhat somber mood instantly brightened a great deal. Allowing the two little maids to support her as they walked through the small garden, Ye Li casually sized up the courtyard. This courtyard wasn't particularly large. Looking at the tips of the trees peeking over the top of the wall, which were just beginning to sprout a few tender buds, Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Support me over to the garden to sit for a while. Is your Young Master not around right now?" Ye Li pointed toward the stone table and chairs ahead. The two little maids had clearly been instructed beforehand; they submissively accepted Ye Li's direction and helped her sit down by the stone table, but they refused to open their mouths to answer her question. Ye Li didn't care about this either, leaning against the table in a rather good mood as she began to examine the plants and flowers in the garden.

It was currently early spring, so the magnificent scenery of a hundred flowers competing in beauty had not yet arrived. The north was colder than the south, and many plants were barely pushing out new sprouts. Ye Li watched with a semblance of curiosity as a cluster of inconspicuous small yellow flowers bloomed in the flowerbed closest to her. Leaning her body down, she was just about to reach out her hand to pluck it when a slightly cool, unadorned hand caught her wrist. Ye Li raised her head to look at Xiao Yun, who had suddenly appeared in front of her, and raised her eyebrows in puzzlement.

Xiao Yun smiled and said, "Miss, these little flowers look pretty, but they are actually poisonous. Therefore, it is best if you do not touch them."

Ye Li frowned, looking at the string of small flower buds as she remarked, "I see that in this entire garden, only this single one has bloomed. Although it is inconspicuous, it looks quite delicate and elegant; I hadn't expected it to actually be poisonous."

Xiao Yun smiled with a hint of pride, saying, "Sometimes, the more inconspicuous a flower is, the more deadly its poison. Compared to those vibrant and eye-catching ones that make people vigilant at a single glance, this kind of inconspicuous flower is the true, genuine treasure." Ye Li smiled and shook her head, saying, "How can a poisonous plant be considered any kind of treasure? If Miss Xiao Yun likes flowers, my manor cultivates several pots of top-grade orchids, and this happens to be the season they bloom. I can give a pot to Xiao Yun." A trace of an unusual light flickered through Xiao Yun's eyes. She smiled at Ye Li and said, "Xiao Yun completely forgot; Miss is of noble status, so you naturally look down on these inconspicuous things. However, the plants in this courtyard are all somewhat dangerous. If Miss likes, tomorrow Xiao Yun will have people replace all the plants in this courtyard with flowers that Miss prefers."

Ye Li smiled and shook her head, saying, "There is no need for that. Rare flowers and exotic plants have their own unique beauty, and ordinary plants possess a charm all their own as well. Furthermore, I do not intend to reside here long-term, so there is no need to trouble yourself with reorganizing the garden."

Xiao Yun smiled and said, "Young Master instructed us servants to take excellent care of Miss. Whatever Miss likes, just feel free to tell Xiao Yun. If Young Master ever finds out that Miss is living uncomfortably, this servant won't be able to bear the consequences."

Ye Li's beautiful eyes turned slightly as she smiled faintly and said, "Although I have not yet met your Young Master, I must still thank him. Since that is the case... I had originally made an appointment with my... husband to go view the peach blossoms together this year, but looking at things now, I'm afraid that won't be possible. Could I trouble Miss to snap a few branches and bring them back for me when the peach blossoms are in full bloom?" Xiao Yun had clearly not expected Ye Li's request to be so simple. She smiled generously and said, "Of course you can. Xiao Yun guarantees that Miss will definitely see the earliest blooming peach blossoms of this year. Is there anything else Miss needs? Xiao Yun can have someone bring them back together." Seeing Xiao Yun agree to her request, the smile on Ye Li's face seemed to become a bit more genuine as she smiled and said, "If possible, please also bring back some cosmetics for me. I want the cosmetics from the best cosmetics shop in the capital, and I would like them in jasmine scent."

"Jasmine?" Xiao Yun paused for a moment. Ye Li smiled with a hint of apology, saying, "This kind is rather common, but I like this fragrance very much. I will have to trouble Miss Xiao Yun."

Xiao Yun shook her head and said, "No, whatever Miss desires, Xiao Yun will surely accomplish it for Miss."

Ye Li smiled and said, "Then I shall trouble you, Miss."

Watching Xiao Yun depart, Ye Li leisurely leaned against the stone table, breathing in the fresh air. Her smiling gaze fell calmly upon the plants in the flowerbed that still appeared somewhat desolate, and the mirth in her eyes grew even more pleasant.

Inside the study of the Ding Prince's Manor.

Mo Xiu Yao gazed calmly at the case files spread out before him. Raising his head, he asked Feng Zhi Yao, who was standing to one side, "What news is there from the palace?"

Feng Zhi Yao said with a solemn expression, "Our people inside the palace have already investigated Yaohua Palace. Yaohua Palace was a palace newly constructed during the late Emperor's reign, and there are no secret passages inside. However, the lotus pond within Yaohua Palace was not artificially dug; it connects directly to the palace's waterways. The hidden guards suspect that the Princess Consort was taken away by someone through the water. Furthermore... it should have been before Yaohua Palace was set on fire."

"What else?"

"There are also the corpses of Consort Imperial Ye Zhao-yi and the Sixth Prince. Although they have already been burned beyond recognition, the hidden guards who conducted the secret examination are certain that the female corpse is not Consort Imperial Ye Zhao-yi. As for the Sixth Prince... if Consort Imperial Ye Zhao-yi is a fake, then the Sixth Prince is likely still alive as well."

Mo Xiu Yao let out a cold laugh. "Very well. Two people in the palace are 'dead,' and five people, including Consort Imperial Ye Zhao-yi and the Sixth Prince, have gone missing. Yet the hidden guards of my Ding Prince's Manor remain entirely oblivious."

Feng Zhi Yao let out a helpless sigh in his heart. Ever since the Princess Consort went missing, the Prince's aura had grown increasingly terrifying. Even though he spoke in a calm, casual manner without a single shred of visible rage, anyone listening couldn't help but feel a bone-chilling cold throughout their entire body. No wonder the others had all refused to come inside and push his wheelchair, leaving him to come in and face the music alone. "What movements are there from those people in the capital?"

"Mo Jing Qi is currently dispatching people to search everywhere in secret; it seems he doesn't know the Princess Consort's whereabouts either. Mo Jing Li has done absolutely nothing; after leaving the imperial palace that day, he returned directly to his manor. These past few days, he has been doing whatever he usually does as if nothing happened. The others haven't made any movements either, and there haven't been any suspicious individuals entering or leaving the capital recently. It is as if Ye Li has vanished into thin air, without leaving the slightest trace." Feng Zhi Yao was also helpless. No one would have ever expected that someone would actually have the audacity to set fire to a palace hall inside the imperial palace just to abduct the Princess Consort of Ding. The incident had occurred far too suddenly; by the time they wanted to look for clues, all useful leads had already vanished.

 

"If Ye Yue isn't dead yet, she must still be inside the imperial palace. Within three days, this Prince wants to see her. Hiding an adult inside the imperial palace might not be difficult, but hiding an infant who understands nothing is not that easy." Mo Xiu Yao said in a deep voice.

"Understood." Feng Zhi Yao respectfully accepted the command, hesitating for a brief moment before saying, "There is one more thing... the hidden guards by the Princess Consort's side—An Yi, An Er, An San, and An Si—have all gone missing."

Mo Xiu Yao was startled. "Missing?"

Feng Zhi Yao nodded and said, "It happened over these past two days. After the Princess Consort went missing, they requested punishment from the Commander of the hidden guards. Because the Princess Consort had not yet been found, this matter was temporarily put on hold. However, early this morning, it was discovered that all four of them had gone missing." Mo Xiu Yao lowered his eyes in silent contemplation for a brief moment before saying, "Leave them be for now."

"Yes."

Somewhere in a secret courtyard on the outskirts of the capital of Great Chu

Ye Li sat beside the flowerbed out of sheer boredom, staring blankly at a peach tree that had just been planted. The two maids accompanying her every day—whom she suspected to be mutes—merely stood neither too close nor too far away, awaiting her commands. Reaching out her hand to poke a flower bud on the peach tree, Ye Li curled her lips and amused herself by plucking the surrounding plants. She had already lived in this place for five days. True to Xiao Yun's words, everything was taken care of with exceptional thoughtfulness, except for the fact that the girl Xiao Yun persistently and unremittingly drugged her meals. However, a drug that required persistence to administer with every single meal meant that the duration of the drug's efficacy was not very long. Furthermore, Xiao Yun, despite being well-versed in pharmacology, clearly did not know that there was a type of person whose resistance to drugs was exceptionally astonishing. Perhaps she did know, but she simply didn't believe Ye Li would be one of them. Although Ye Li's current body was not as thoroughly trained in professional anti-toxin resistance as she had been in her past life, she had still undergone some targeted training and conditioning from a young age, knowing she would marry into the Prince's Manor in the future.

Xiao Yun and her master behind the scenes clearly had no true intention of harming her, so they administered a drug that caused no real harm to the body. This destined that the duration and potency of the drug would be somewhat inferior, though it was still more than enough to deal with ordinary people. Now, during the intervals between each of Xiao Yun's druggings, Ye Li would have at least half an hour where she could move completely freely. However, Ye Li was in no hurry to escape. Even though she usually only saw Xiao Yun and a few maids who refused to speak, she could still keenly perceive that there were quite a few people watching her from the shadows. With a body that had only just recovered from the drug's effects, trying to escape right now would likely be rather difficult.

"Miss, I heard that you barely ate anything today. Did the servants do a poor job, making it unsuited to Miss's palate?" Xiao Yun appeared in the garden. Looking at Ye Li who was currently yanking up the wild grass, the corners of her eyes twitched slightly. "Miss, that..." Ye Li raised her head, brandishing the wild grass in her hand toward her as she said, "Are you talking about this? Growing here will affect the growth of the peach tree, so I'm pulling it all clean. Since I'm idle anyway, I might as well. Is there something the matter, Miss Xiao Yun?"

Xiao Yun cast a heartbroken glance at the wild grass that Ye Li had callously tossed onto the ground, forcing a smile as she said, "If Miss dislikes it, I can just have people clear it away. How could we let Miss do the manual labor yourself? Xiao Yun had some pastries made separately; would Miss care to have a bit more?"

Ye Li shook her head, letting out a soft sigh as she said, "It truly is a bit boring here. Having absolutely nothing to do all day long, how could I have any appetite to eat anything? Could you please convey a message to your Young Master? I have intruded for so long, it is about time I take my leave."

Xiao Yun smiled without showing any emotion, saying, "Young Master is currently not within the manor. Even if Xiao Yun possessed heaven-scaling audacity, I still wouldn't dare to neglect Young Master's guest without authorization. Therefore, if Miss wishes to take her leave, I'm afraid you will have to wait until Young Master returns."

"I understand." Ye Li said indifferently, "I haven't had much of an appetite these past two days, so there's no need for the pastries. Miss Xiao Yun may go about her own business."

Xiao Yun stared fixedly at Ye Li for a good long while, seemingly assessing the truth of her words. Ultimately, she nodded and said, "Since that is the case, if Miss feels hungry later, just have someone deliver them over. Once Young Master returns, this servant will immediately invite Young Master to come see Miss." Performing a curtsy, Xiao Yun turned and walked away. Ye Li watched her departing back, a sliver of cold light flashing through her eyes as the speed of her hands pulling the grass grew a bit faster.

By the time Ye Li was about to pluck half the flowerbed completely bare of grass, Xiao Yun finally arrived with a face that could no longer maintain a smile to invite Ye Li to see her Young Master. Ye Li very crisply waved her hand, tossing away the grass in her grasp. Casually patting the dust off her hands, she allowed the two maids to support her as she followed Xiao Yun. Ye Li was led into an empty room not far from her own chamber. The moment she entered, she saw a tall silhouette seated behind a semi-transparent screen. The two little maids supported her into a chair, then respectfully withdrew. Xiao Yun shot Ye Li a resentful glare before following suit, not forgetting to pull the door shut behind her as she left. Ye Li couldn't help but burst into laughter; she had also guessed that the girl Xiao Yun wouldn't be able to tolerate her for much longer. After all, if she were given just two more days, she would have completely stripped that courtyard bare of all its precious "wild grass."

"What is so funny?" A man's deep voice echoed from behind the screen.

Ye Li leaned back into the chair, staring with a brilliant smile at the looming silhouette. "When I'm in a good mood, I just want to laugh."

"In a good mood? Aren't you worried in the slightest? Do you not want to know why you are here, and aren't you afraid that I might kill you?"

Ye Li said lazily, "If you wanted to kill me, you would have done so long ago. Why waste both of our time? As for why I am here... Speaking of which, to be able to spirit me out of the imperial palace without anyone being the wiser, it seems Your Excellency's capabilities are by no means small." The man seemed to be in an excellent mood, letting out a low chuckle as he said, "What does bringing you out of the imperial palace amount to? It has already been seven days, and you are right beneath the feet of the capital. Yet... whether it is that useless husband of yours or that supreme individual high up in the palace, haven't they failed to find even a single corner of your clothes?" Ye Li shrugged and said, "Alright, put that way, you indeed possess some capability. Furthermore, you were even able to have Ye Yue assist you in blindsiding me; this time my downfall cannot be considered an injustice."

The man let out a soft snort and said, "The women of the Ye family, whether they appear intelligent or foolish, all love to be self-righteous. Wanting her to help didn't require any effort at all. Ye Li, care to guess when the Ding Prince's Manor will announce the news of your death?"

"Unless they see my corpse, the Ding Prince's Manor will never announce my death." Ye Li said.

"Self-righteous woman! Do you truly believe Mo Xiu Yao regards you with that much importance?" The man's voice carried a hint of anger.

Ye Li did not grow angry at all, her laughter carrying a bit more banter. "Whether Mo Xiu Yao regards me with importance or not doesn't seem to have much to do with Your Excellency, does it? Do you truly not intend to come out and meet face-to-face, or... are you disfigured? Mo Jing Li."

The person behind the screen seemed to freeze for a moment. The room remained completely silent for a good long while before a burst of unbridled laughter erupted. The person behind the screen sat up and laughed loudly, "Ye Li, this Prince has indeed consistently underestimated you." The man who walked out from behind the screen possessed a tall and straight stature, and his handsome features still gave off a cold, detached impression even when smiling. Who else could it be but Mo Jing Li?

Ye Li sat up straighter, looking calmly at Mo Jing Li as she remarked, "Hasn't the majority of the capital consistently underestimated Your Highness as well?"

Mo Jing Li let out a cold laugh and said, "You aren't surprised in the slightest. It seems you aren't one of that majority." Ye Li knit her brows with a hint of helplessness, looking at Mo Jing Li as she said, "Clearly I am also one of that majority. If it were otherwise, I would have never provoked Your Highness previously under any circumstances. In that case... I probably wouldn't be in my current predicament either." Mo Jing Li let out a cold snort, closing the distance to Ye Li's side as he stared down at her from his high vantage point, asking, "Do you regret it now? This Prince told you before that opposing this Prince will never lead to a good end. Mo Xiu Yao cannot save you."

"Did Your Highness ever give me a choice?" Ye Li raised her eyebrows. "In Your Highness's heart, you breaking the engagement and simultaneously ruining my reputation is a matter of course, while my finding a better destination for myself amounts to slapping Your Highness's face? Prince of Li... who do you think you are?"

"Humph!" Mo Jing Li flicked his sleeve and stepped back, his gaze fixated on Ye Li looking sinister and domineering. "Ye Li, you are consistently excellent at provoking this Prince's anger!"

Ye Li let out a sigh, lifting her soft, powerless hand. "Your Highness has played mysterious for so long, shouldn't you finally tell me why you captured me and brought me here?"

"When did you find out about this Prince's identity?" Mo Jing Li asked instead of answering.

Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "As for that... there aren't many people in the capital who hold a grudge against me, and even fewer who possess the audacity to kidnap someone inside the imperial palace. As for those who are willing to take this risk and actually succeed, I have thought back and forth, and it seems Your Highness is the sole candidate." Mo Jing Li was clearly not as tempestuous and easily angered as he usually portrayed himself. Hearing Ye Li say so, he instead walked to one side and sat down, looking at Ye Li in a seemingly leisurely manner as he said, "Why would you think this Prince is willing to take this risk?" Ye Li said calmly, "The Princess Consort of Ding met with an accident inside the palace. Regardless of whether it was done by the Emperor, it is entirely the Emperor's responsibility. Even if the Ding Prince's Manor doesn't seek trouble with the Emperor, I fear the evaluation of the Emperor by the court ministers and the common people will become vastly different. Is that not so?"

Mo Jing Li was in an exceptionally good mood, raising his eyebrows as he said, "Not bad. My Imperial Brother can be considered to have lost both his inner lining and his face this time. Did Mo Xiu Yao truly believe this Prince wouldn't know he wanted this Prince and Imperial Brother to fight so he could reap the rewards as a third party? This Prince precisely wants him to stick his head out first! The Princess Consort of Ding went missing inside the palace; this Prince refuses to believe he can still sit still! Look... over these past few days, he hasn't caused any small amount of grief for my Imperial Brother."

"Your Highness is very proud of himself?"

"Should this Prince not be proud?" Mo Jing Li looked askance at Ye Li, smiling as he said, "Did Mo Xiu Yao believe this Prince would remain that fool who was played by him until he spun in circles during childhood for an entire lifetime? Right now, even if he knows it wasn't Imperial Brother who did it, what can he possibly do? Even if only for the sake of his reputation and face as the Prince of Ding, he still has to look for trouble with Imperial Brother on this Prince's behalf." Ye Li raised her eyebrows and said, "What if he knows it was done by you, Your Highness?"

"Do you think this Prince would give him that opportunity?"

I believe he is already suspecting you right now, Ye Li murmured silently in her heart.

"You don't seem curious at all about how this Prince intends to deal with you?" Mo Jing Li sized up Ye Li, frowning as he spoke. Ye Li lifted her eyes to look at him. "Use me to threaten Mo Xiu Yao? I feel... I don't seem to hold that level of importance just yet." Mo Jing Li sized her up, nodding as he said, "To be honest, this Prince also harbors some doubts regarding your value in Mo Xiu Yao's heart. Therefore, for the time being, I do not intend to use you to make a trade with Mo Xiu Yao. Furthermore... this Prince suddenly thought of an even more interesting method."

"I am all ears." Ye Li looked at him with flat interest.

Ye Li's lacklustre reaction did not hinder Mo Jing Li's high spirits in the slightest. His gaze swept over Ye Li's figure with satisfaction, and he narrowed his eyes, saying, "The incident on Jiaren Lake last time, this Prince still remembers it perfectly clearly. Actually, at that time this Prince was merely playing a joke, but now... this Prince suddenly feels it is a rather good idea. If one day the entire world finds out that Mo Xiu Yao's Princess Consort became this Prince's woman... what do you think would happen?" As if imagining some beautiful prospect, Mo Jing Li began to laugh triumphantly.

When that time comes, a fool like you will be utterly destroyed by Mo Xiu Yao...

Ye Li did not doubt in the slightest that Mo Xiu Yao absolutely possessed the capability to wash away any humiliation forced upon his person clean with the blood of his enemies. If a person, under Mo Xiu Yao's physical condition and after experiencing that kind of desperate straits, could still persist without being defeated while secretly strategizing behind the scenes, then he would absolutely accomplish anything he wished to do. Such a person was also the most terrifying type of enemy.

"Ye Li, don't you think this is a rather good idea?" The mirth in Mo Jing Li's eyes grew a bit stronger as he looked at Ye Li, as if looking at a little kitten imprisoned inside a cage. "Speaking of which, yielding you to Mo Xiu Yao is something this Prince truly regrets a bit, but this is all your own fault. If you hadn't intentionally put on that mediocre appearance to deceive this Prince, how could this Prince have abandoned you to marry that idiot Ye Ying who understands nothing at all? Isn't things being like this right now just perfect? Everything returns to how it originally was; you will still belong to this Prince." As he murmured, Mo Jing Li's body slowly leaned over toward Ye Li, his tall physique making Ye Li appear all the more weak and powerless.

"Your Highness, I do not advise you to do this." Ye Li said softly, her voice clear and pleasant to the ear. Mo Jing Li laughed in a low voice, saying, "This Prince does not need your advice; you only need to be obediently submissive. Ye Li, although you have consistently made this Prince unhappy, this Prince is magnanimous and will not blame you." Ye Li's smile turned slightly cold. She lifted her hand and slowly placed it upon Mo Jing Li's shoulder, a faint smile curling at the edge of her lips as she breathed out words like orchids, "Is that so? Then... presumably Your Highness won't blame me if I slice down like this either?"

 

A slightly cool hand came to rest upon Mo Jing Li's neck, appearing exactly as though Ye Li, sitting in her chair, had reached out her arm to embrace Mo Jing Li's neck. However, this scenario which ought to have been filled with tender affection inexplicably caused people to feel a few points of killing intent. Mo Jing Li felt with absolute clarity that a razor-sharp object was dangerously pressed against his throat; with just a slight application of force, it could slice open his skin. Ye Li smiled and said, "I advise Your Highness that it is best not to act rashly. I spent quite a bit of time plucking plants and flowers in the garden just now. If I accidentally slice open Your Highness's noble neck, I wonder if that Miss Xiao Yun will arrive in time to neutralize the poison for Your Highness?"

"Ye Li!" Mo Jing Li growled through gritted teeth.

Ye Li raised her eyebrows at him, brandishing her remaining free hand in front of him. Her exceptionally beautifully maintained fingernails were slender and hard, coated with a faint balsam juice. However, the edges faintly revealed an ominous, ghostly blue. "Ye Li, if you injure this Prince, you won't be able to escape either." Mo Jing Li suppressed the anger in his heart, speaking calmly. Ye Li let out a helpless sigh. "You say that as if if I don't injure you, Your Highness will just let me leave."

"Ye Li, let go of this Prince right now, and I won't hold it against you!" Mo Jing Li warned in a deep voice.

The slender finger pressing against his neck pushed down slightly, successfully causing Mo Jing Li to shut his mouth. Ye Li frowned and said, "Your Highness, I am truly thoroughly annoyed by your consistently self-righteous appearance. I hope this is the final time we ever deal with each other."

"In your dreams!" Mo Jing Li sneered.

"Don't be foolish. If it were anyone else, they might still gamble with me to see whose hand is faster. But I believe you won't gamble with me, because... you have never wanted to die. You still have to stay alive to achieve your grand hegemonistic ambitions, do you not?" Ye Li smiled.

Mo Jing Li took a deep breath, forcing down the fury in his chest. "What do you want?"

"I don't want anything." Ye Li smiled beautifully, her free hand lifting to snap her fingers. "An Yi, An Er, An San, An Si."

"This subordinate pays respects to the Princess Consort."

The door was pushed open, and a figure swiftly flashed inside before pulling the door shut once more. Another figure dropped down silently from the roof to the floor, flanking Mo Jing Li's rear from the left and right. "An Yi, An San, pay respects to the Princess Consort."

Ye Li nodded with satisfaction. "Where are the other two?"

An San said, "Ah Er and Ah Si are outside."

"When did you find me?" Ye Li asked.

"Yesterday afternoon."

An Yi let out a soft cough, inquiring, "Princess Consort, should you... perhaps let go of the Prince of Li first?" An San lifted his head to stare at the roof; he had not seen the Princess Consort and the Prince of Li leaning together in such a seemingly intimate manner.

Ye Li raised her eyebrows. "Your Highness?"

Mo Jing Li let out a cold snort and said, "Let go."

Ye Li let go of her hand indifferently. Being pointed at from behind by two swords simultaneously, she believed that if Mo Jing Li hadn't gone mad, he would know how to choose. The moment Ye Li's fingers left his neck, Mo Jing Li instantly stood up and retreated to one side, facing An Yi and An San. "How did you get in?"

"We walked in." An San replied uprightly.

Mo Jing Li narrowed his eyes, beginning to re-evaluate the strength of the two hidden guards before him in his heart. He knew a bit about the hidden guards of the Ding Prince's Manor; they were indeed extremely formidable individuals. However, he had deployed heavy defenses throughout this courtyard, yet relying on just four people, they were able to silently infiltrate the garden...

"Princess Consort, right now we should..." An Yi cast a glance at his own unreliable brother, stepping forward to request instructions.

Ye Li stood up, stretching her muscles and bones a bit as she said, "Notify An Er and An Si, we are leaving. Right, I will have to trouble Your Highness to escort us for a stretch of the way."

"Xiao Yun's drug has no effect on you?" Mo Jing Li stared at her. Ye Li shook her head. "It has an effect, but the duration of efficacy has passed." She wouldn't tell him that she had casually used the wild grass pulled from the garden to concoct a bit of an antidote. Although it wasn't a perfect match for the specific symptoms, so-called muscle-weakening powders actually didn't differ all that much from one another.

"Just now..."

Ye Li smiled gently, looking at Mo Jing Li in an exceptionally pleasant mood as she said, "If you had acted rashly just now, I intended to directly dislocate both of your arms. As for this... you don't need to worry, there is no poison on my hands. Do you truly think I wouldn't worry about accidentally slicing open my own skin?"

Mo Jing Li remained silent for a long half-minute, finally grinding his teeth as he said, "This time, consider it this Prince's loss!"

"Actually, Your Highness need not care too much about gains and losses; I didn't win either. Now, Your Highness, if you please?"

"Humph!”