The First Jasmine - Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Identity Revealed

The group of three moved into the study. Although Princess Anxi had some doubts regarding Ye Li's presence, based on her trust in Xu Qingchen, she did not probe further. After all, the delicate and lovely young woman before her had traveled thousands of miles to Nanzhao all by herself while escorting someone, successfully tricked her, and even personally rescued Xu Qingchen; naturally, she was no ordinary person. Princess Anxi's gaze when appraising Ye Li carried a few layers of deeply complex meaning, and seeing this, Ye Li could only let out a silent, helpless bitter laugh. She secretly glared fiercely at Xu Qingchen, casting him a look that clearly meant you are going to explain this to me later. Xu Qingchen simply smiled serenely and remained silent.

Once they entered the study and sat down, Princess Anxi quickly cast aside her previous private matters, her expression turning rigorous and focused. Xu Qingchen asked, "Did you secure the military tally?" Princess Anxi shook her head with a look of shame and said, "I'm sorry, Qingchen. The place we previously investigated as the location of the military tally was a decoy; the tally wasn't there at all." Xu Qingchen furrowed his brow slightly and said, "Logically speaking... Shu Manlin shouldn't have known we were searching for the military tally, and no outsiders should know where the true tally is either. Why would she hide it so cryptically, and even make it look as if it were a trap deliberately set for us?" Princess Anxi shook her head. "There are very few people on our side who know about it, and I can guarantee that every single one of them is completely trustworthy." Xu Qingchen shook his head. "We can naturally trust your people. But this time... Anxi, don't you feel something is very strange? For the past half year, it seems that every time we were about to seize upon Shu Manlin's fatal flaws, she managed to escape a step ahead of time."

Princess Anxi said with a hint of irritation, "Isn't it all because of Royal Father? Royal Father always unconditionally partials toward Shu Manlin! He claims she is the Saintess of the Southern Frontier and couldn't possibly do those things, claiming that you are trying to drive a wedge between the ruler and ministers of Nanzhao. The most absurd time, he actually called it a misunderstanding! Royal Father has truly grown more muddle-headed these past few years."

Xu Qingchen asked thoughtfully, "Has the King of Nanzhao truly grown muddle-headed with age?"

Princess Anxi was startled; turning her head to look at Xu Qingchen, she asked, "What do you mean?"

Xu Qingchen said calmly, "Originally, we all felt that the King of Nanzhao was biased and partial toward Shu Manlin, but this time... The day I was captured, I was immediately drugged and rendered unconscious. However, I remember that the time I lost consciousness was roughly the end of the Shi hour (around 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM), and the time I woke up in the stone chamber was roughly the second quarter of the Shen hour (around 3:30 PM). On that day, you had already dispatched people to keep watch over the Saintess Palace, so they could only have returned from the imperial palace. But... at that time, the King of Nanzhao is usually resting in his sleeping quarters, and even if he isn't, the guards stationed at the secret passage entrance within the Nanzhao Palace are not just for show. Afterward, Anxi, did you hear any rumors regarding this when you entered the palace?" Princess Anxi lowered her head to recall for a moment, then shook her head and said, "No. When I reported your disappearance to Royal Father, he even wore a deeply worried expression, saying he would send people to help me search. However, I rejected it." Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. "As the dignified King of Nanzhao, would he truly be unaware of what happens right inside his own sleeping quarters? Especially when he clearly has people guarding that secret passage at all hours?"

Princess Anxi remained stunned for a long time. When she lifted her head to look at Xu Qingchen, her gaze still carried disbelief and hesitation. "Are you saying Royal Father wasn't blinded by Shu Manlin at all—that he is inherently biased toward her and actively assisting her? Why... I am Royal Father's biological daughter, the Crown Princess of Nanzhao, and I have never done anything in my daily life that runs counter to my status."

"Perhaps it is precisely because the Princess lives up to her status too well?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow and said softly.

Princess Anxi swept a piercing gaze toward her. "What does Miss Chu mean?"

Ye Li blinked, looking at Princess Anxi as she said, "I wonder if the Princess has ever heard a saying in the Central Plains?" Princess Anxi silently stared at her, and Ye Li said in a deep voice, "Merits so great they overshadow the sovereign. The Princess and the King of Nanzhao are naturally biological father and daughter, but... although the Princess calls the King of Nanzhao 'Royal Father,' in my view, he should actually be regarded as the Sovereign Father. Living in the imperial household, one is first a ruler, and only then a parent. The Princess is the same: first a subject, and only then a daughter. During these days in the capital of Nanzhao, I have also heard quite a bit of the Princess's reputation. The people of Nanzhao endlessly praise the Princess as a wise and sagacious Crown Princess. Even a Central Plains person like me who just arrived in Nanzhao has formed this impression, let alone the commoners of the Southern Frontier who have received the Princess's grace."

Princess Anxi's face turned pale as she trembled, "Are you saying Royal Father is wary of me? Is that why he has been propping up Shu Manlin to contend with me and suppress me through her?"

Ye Li sighed softly, looking at Princess Anxi with a hint of pity. "The Princess must have read some Central Plains history books; to look no further back, let's take the recent ones. Although the Princess resides in the Southern Frontier, you must surely have some understanding of the plight of the Prince Ding's Estate, right?" Princess Anxi's pale, bitten lips quivered slightly as she looked toward Xu Qingchen for help. Xu Qingchen sighed softly, "Anxi... I once reminded you that excess is as bad as falling short." Princess Anxi bit her lower lip and lowered her head in silence. Excess is as bad as falling short... He had told her these very words four years ago when they first met, yet she had never truly taken them to heart. Because her desire to benefit Nanzhao was genuine, she could look anyone in the conscience and declare that she harbored no selfish motives of her own. She had thought that as long as she diligently helped her Royal Father share his burdens, he would be pleased. She had thought that as long as she made Nanzhao strong and prosperous so that the commoners could live in peace, her younger sister, Princess Qixia, would not have to go off for a political marriage. But the result turned out to be Qixia fleeing all the way to Great Chu to assume an alias and marry a man as a concubine, while her Royal Father had long been secretly scheming how to keep her in check. Then what were all her efforts over the years... what were all these things she had done supposed to mean?

Seeing Princess Anxi looking deeply devastated, Ye Li and Xu Qingchen could only watch her in silence. Such a blow could not be resolved with a few understatement-laden words of comfort; everything ultimately required Princess Anxi to figure it out for herself.

An oppressive heaviness blanketed the study. Princess Anxi sat in her chair with her head lowered; although nothing could be discerned from her outward appearance, one could tell just how turbulent her heart was simply by looking at her pale fingers gripping the armrests so tightly they turned white. Ye Li sighed inwardly in praise: at the very least, Princess Anxi was someone who truly understood how to keep herself under control. This was rare—exceptionally rare among women. After a long while, Princess Anxi raised her head, breaking the silence of the study: "If I give up everything I have now, will Royal Father..."

"Anxi..." Xu Qingchen furrowed his brows, looking at her as he shook his head. "What the King of Nanzhao will do, I do not know. But Shu Manlin... Anxi, do you understand that Shu Manlin hates you? She will never let you go. Moreover... she will undoubtedly drag Nanzhao down into hell. Is that what you wish to see?" Anxi looked at him in confusion. "I know she hates me; at worst, I can just go to the Central Plains, Xiling, or Northern Rong. But you said..."

"What do you think she wants the military tally for? To mobilize the capital garrison to besiege your Princess's Estate? I have spoken with her several times; her ambition is indeed very grand, but... she does not possess the strength to match that ambition," Xu Qingchen said.

Princess Anxi's expression turned solemn as she looked hesitantly at Xu Qingchen. "Are you saying... she wants to..."

Xu Qingchen said, "Ask Liuyun what she did along the border between Nanzhao and Great Chu."

Princess Anxi turned to Ye Li, who stated in a deep voice, "On our way to the Southern Frontier, we accidentally discovered that not far from the Suixue Pass, there is a man-made snake valley, and hidden behind it is a massive weapon-reforging facility. Everything being forged inside consists of standard weapons commonly used by Great Chu soldiers. However, I also found some other items inside; furthermore, the person controlling this weapon-reforging facility is Le Jiang, the chieftain of the Luoyi Tribe."

"A man-made snake valley? Mass-producing Great Chu weapons? What on earth is she trying to do?" Princess Anxi cried out in shock and anger. The people of the Southern Frontier generally liked snakes, but that did not mean they wanted to see the Southern Frontier turned into a place crawling everywhere with poisonous serpents. Thus, when Mo Xiunyao burned down the snake valley a decade ago, it hadn't provoked an overwhelming amount of hatred from the locals. She never expected that less than ten years later, another snake valley would appear in the Southern Frontier. As for manufacturing weapons for a foreign country within Nanzhao's borders, that crossed Princess Anxi's bottom line entirely. Who knew if these weapons would one day be used to slaughter the people of Nanzhao? In Princess Anxi's eyes, this was virtually tantamount to treason and colluding with the enemy.

Did Royal Father know about all of this? Was he being kept in the dark by Shu Manlin, was he feigning ignorance, or had Royal Father actually consented to Shu Manlin's scheme from the start?

Xu Qingchen said, "Isn't it obvious? Prince Li assists the Southern Frontier Saintess in seizing the state of Nanzhao, and in turn, Shu Manlin naturally must assist Prince Li in capturing Great Chu."

"How foolish!" Princess Anxi rebuked harshly. Helping Prince Li obtain Great Chu—it sounded easy, but how high a price would need to be paid in practice? Leaving aside the kind of losses Nanzhao would suffer if they failed, what possible benefit could it bring Nanzhao even if they succeeded? By that time, a vitality-damaged Nanzhao would inevitably have no choice but to attach itself to Mo Jingli, just like the Southern Frontier of several centuries ago. "I am going to enter the palace and ask Royal Father to explain this clearly!" Princess Anxi declared in unison.

"Anxi." Xu Qingchen looked at her with disapproval. Princess Anxi looked back at them both and said in a low voice, "You don't need to persuade me. Qingchen... I don't know what your purpose is in coming to Nanzhao, but over these past six months, if not for you, I'm afraid I would have been plotted against by Shu Manlin long ago. Therefore, I still thank you. You are outsiders, yet this is still the capital of Nanzhao after all. For the two of you to withdraw fully unscathed might not be difficult, but if Royal Father truly decides to completely tear down our relationship, you won't be able to hold out for long either. Leave Nanzhao as soon as possible; I will go do what I must." Xu Qingchen stated, "Is walking right into a trap yourself right now something a Crown Princess of Nanzhao ought to do?"

Princess Anxi smiled bitterly. "The title of Crown Princess was bestowed by Royal Father. If Royal Father is dead-set on favoring Shu Manlin, let alone one Crown Princess, ten wouldn't make a difference. I must go talk to Royal Father."

Seeing Princess Anxi's resolute expression, both of them knew they could not persuade her otherwise. Xu Qingchen said in a low voice, "Anxi, take care."

Anxi gave a carefree smile and said, "Rest assured, I am, after all, Royal Father's only surviving daughter now; he won't kill me."

Watching Princess Anxi's figure disappear through the doorway without a shred of hesitation, Ye Li sighed and turned to Xu Qingchen, asking, "Big Brother, weren't you moved at all? Princess Anxi is the most extraordinary woman I've ever seen." Xu Qingchen's expression remained serene as he glanced sideways at her and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Princess Anxi and I are friends." Ye Li blinked. "Then why didn't you let me tell Princess Anxi the truth just now? That proves you still understand it clearly in your heart, right?" Xu Qingchen looked at her with exasperation. "Do you spend all your time pondering these things? Since it's an impossibility to begin with, why leave behind lingering attachments?"

Ye Li nodded. "I understand. Princess Anxi is a proud woman; once she learns you have a fiancée, she will absolutely never harbor any other thoughts toward you. But Big Brother, you surely haven't been using this method to block your romantic troubles all these years, have you? Let's make one thing clear: this time it was my fault first, but from now on don't you dare use me as a shield again." Xu Qingchen raised his hand and tossed a bound dossier over. Ye Li caught it in her hands and inspected the handwriting; it was intelligence regarding the capital of Nanzhao sent over by the Tianyi Pavilion over the past few days, causing her heart to sink involuntarily. "Big Brother, could something happen to Princess Anxi?" Xu Qingchen shook his head and said, "A tiger won't eat its own cubs. Princess Qixia is already considered a dead person, and Anxi is indeed the King of Nanzhao's only daughter. Once Anxi suffers any mishap, Nanzhao can only be passed down to a collateral branch of the clan for succession, and under circumstances where his prestige isn't particularly high, the King of Nanzhao would very likely be deposed from the throne on the grounds of leaving no heir."

Ye Li raised her eyebrows in surprise. "There's such a rule?"

"The Southern Frontier is different from our Central Plains; daughters are also permitted to ascend the throne, but there is no such concept as adoption. If there are no descendants, the people of the Southern Frontier will believe it is because the King of Nanzhao has lost the blessing of the deities, and naturally he would be powerless to protect his subjects, so abdication is the most natural thing in the world." Ye Li nodded. "As long as there's no danger, the rest can be figured out later."

"Miss." Dark Two appeared at the doorway.

"What is it?"

"Just now, word came from the Tianyi Pavilion that Old Man Liang couldn't withstand the torture and confessed. The Sick Scholar has taken Old Man Liang hostage and headed toward the location of the hidden treasure. Young Master Han rushed over just a moment ago as well," Dark Two reported in a deep voice.

"Damn it, why is he sticking his nose into this mess?! Why did everything happen all at once?" Ye Li cursed under her breath while looking up to issue instructions: "You and Dark Three get ready; we're heading over immediately."

"Yes." Dark Two vanished from the doorway in a flash. Ye Li turned back to tell Xu Qingchen, "Big Brother, I have matters to attend to and must leave. If anything comes up, just instruct the dark guards to handle it. Since Princess Anxi said that, shouldn't you leave Nanzhao as soon as possible?" Xu Qingchen shook his head. "I still have some matters to clear up, so I'll stay here for now. Take care of yourself." Ye Li nodded. "Big Brother, take care too." Accompanied by Dark Two and Dark Three, Ye Li spurred her horse onward along the markers left behind by the Tianyi Pavilion and the dark guards. Fortunately, the Southern Frontier was not particularly vast, and the area near the capital naturally wouldn't be too large either. After riding horses for over two hours, they finally located the spot mentioned in the Tianyi Pavilion's intelligence report, discovering the markers left by Han Mingxi at the foot of a mountain. "Young Master, it's here. They've entered the mountain." Ye Li nodded, turning back to instruct, "Split up." Dark Two objected, "No, it's too dangerous for the Young Master alone." Ye Li said helplessly, "Dark Three comes with me, Dark Two follow covertly."

"Understood."

Bringing Dark Three along as they followed Han Mingxi's markers deeper into the mountain, they found that the mountain forests of the Southern Frontier were far more humid than those in the north, crawling with all sorts of venomous insects and toxic plants. Fortunately, none of this posed a difficulty to the two of them. Pressing forward continuously in the direction of the markers, Dark Three suddenly spoke up: "Young Master, look ahead." Dark Three gripped his weapon tightly, staring vigilantly ahead. Lying flat at the base of a small hillside ahead were several men wearing the attire of the Tianyi Pavilion; the blood from their wounds had long since congealed, indicating they had been dead for quite some time. Ye Li furrowed her brows, inclined her head to listen to the surrounding movements, and pointed toward another direction. "Go that way." Dark Three took the lead, pressing forward at the front. Along the way, corpses of the Tianyi Pavilion continued to appear from time to time. Dark Three muttered in a low voice, "None of our people." Ye Li's delicate brows locked into a tight frown as she continued walking forward without stopping.

After marching for another half hour or so, they finally heard the faint sounds of weapons clashing and conversation echoing from up ahead. Exchanging a glance, the two cautiously crept forward. Near the entrance of a mountain cave, the Sick Scholar looked at the person sitting on the ground with a smug, sinister smile. "Han Mingxi, did you really think I wouldn't dare touch you just because I'm afraid of your big brother? Along this entire journey, your Tianyi Pavilion has opposed me at every turn. Leaving you alive until now can be considered me being polite to you, right?" Sitting slumped on the ground in a somewhat disheveled state, Han Mingxi had already tossed his folding fan—inscribed with works by famous masters and used to feign refinement—into the dirt to the side. He gave two light coughs and said, "Since that's the case, why haven't you killed me?"

"Haha, there's no need to be in such a hurry. You've exerted yourself running around for Chu Junwei all this hard work, so before you die, I should at least let you see him, shouldn't I? Rest assured, when the time comes, I'll send him down to keep you company." The Sick Scholar sneered, "That brat surnamed Chu has a lot of nerve; either he's never mixed in the martial arts world and doesn't know my reputation, or you don't know it either, Han Mingxi? When has anything of mine ever been shared with others? To actually dare demand rewards from me, and even harbor delusional thoughts about the Azure Falling Flower. Heh... cough cough... Now the Azure Falling Flower is right here; I want to see whether, in his eyes, you—a friend of mere days—are more important, or if a priceless treasure is."

"Boring..." Han Mingxi muttered dismissively. Clearly supremely pleased with himself, the Sick Scholar sneered, "Enjoy the rest of your time while you can; you'd better pray that Chu Junwei truly thinks you're important enough to rush over within an hour. Otherwise, I'll simply have to miss this good show and return your corpse to him."

Ye Li watched the scene unfold nearby in silence, her brows lowered in deep thought. A moment later, Dark Three returned to her side and whispered, "There are no ambushes surrounding us."

Ye Li nodded, stood up, and walked out. It was too late when Dark Three reached out to pull her back. Seeing the hidden hand signal she flashed from behind her, he could only retreat into concealment once more. Exchanging a glance with Dark Two, who was lurking on the other side, he fixed his gaze tightly on the grassy patch outside the cave.

Seeing Ye Li approach leisurely with her hands clasped behind her back, the Sick Scholar's eyes flickered. "You really did come."

With her demeanor completely unchanged, Ye Li paced forward. Her gaze swept over Han Mingxi before finally shifting slowly to the Sick Scholar with a smile. "Third Chief, burning the bridge after crossing the river is not a very good habit." The Sick Scholar narrowed his eyes slightly, let out a cold snort, and said with a ferocious grin, "Burning the bridge after crossing? If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being too greedy." Ye Li helplessly tapped her palm with her folding fan and sighed. "This world... people's hearts really aren't as honest as they used to be. Forget it, let's just consider this young master unlucky this time. Speak, what do you want? No matter what, release Han Mingxi first, how about that? I know you aren't afraid of Han Mingyue, but I feel... Ling Tiehan probably won't like you offending the Tianyi Pavilion."

"You... you have a lot of nerve, actually trying to use my eldest brother to threaten me."

Ye Li waved the folding fan in her hand and smiled. "No, it's just so happens that one of my elder brothers is a close friend of Pavilion Master Ling. Even more coincidentally, I informed him before coming here. If anything happens to us here, he will naturally report the obituary back home for me, and of course he won't forget to casually notify Young Master Mingyue and Pavilion Master Ling along the way. What do you think? When it comes to enemies, the fewer you provoke, the better, right?"

The Sick Scholar looked at Han Mingxi on the ground, then turned to look at Ye Li. "Very well. Han Mingxi can leave, but you stay."

Ye Li nodded. "No problem."

Han Mingxi sat on the ground without moving, and Ye Li frowned, asking, "What's wrong? Are you heavily injured?"

Han Mingxi let out a snort, frowning as the fabric around his left thigh stained a dark, pitch-black color, clearly indicating he had sustained a severe wound. Ye Li stepped forward two paces and asked with concern, "Mingxi, are you alright?" Han Mingxi raised his head and shook it. "I'm fine... Junwei, don't worry about me, hurry up and leave." Ye Li shook her head with a smile. "You got dragged into trouble with the Sick Scholar because of me; how could I abandon you and run off first? Mingxi, it was wrong of me to deceive you earlier; you should just call me by my real name. The name Junwei... honestly, even I'm not quite used to it myself." A trace of strange emotion flashed across Han Mingxi's face; he nodded and said, "I know."

Ye Li smiled faintly. "I'll help you up..."

Han Mingxi nodded, raising his hand to reach toward Ye Li's outstretched hand.

"Don't!" The sudden shift seemed to happen in the span of a single breath. The hand Han Mingxi was about to use to grasp Ye Li's suddenly changed, fiercely clawing toward Ye Li like an eagle's talons. At the same time, Ye Li ducked and leaned backward, her hand that had been holding the folding fan erupting with a dazzling burst of silver radiance. Almost simultaneously, a figure inside the cave rushed out like lightning and lunged at Ye Li. Ye Li frowned, and the dagger in her hand flew outward.

"Cough cough..." The person who had lunged onto Ye Li possessed a face identical to the Han Mingxi opposite them, except that at this moment he looked exceptionally disheveled. A trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his lips. "Junwei... Junwei, are you alright?" Ye Li shoved the person off her body and snapped angrily, "I'm fine! The one who's not fine is an idiot like you!" The palm strike the person opposite them had just delivered landed squarely on his back. Ye Li raised her head, her gaze sweeping across him like the blade of a knife. "Young Master Mingyue, are you satisfied now?" Han Mingxi... no, Han Mingyue had a dagger embedded in his shoulder, staining his dark red garments with dampness. Staring fixedly at the person being supported by Ye Li, his eyes filled with wrathful fury. "Han Mingxi, you bastard, what are you doing? Who authorized you to come out?!"

Han Mingxi leaned weakly against Ye Li. Ye Li's stature, which wasn't particularly tall, struggled somewhat to support his slender frame. Han Mingxi glared back at the man who looked almost completely identical to him, speaking with a defiant, mocking chuckle: "I told you long ago, your lousy acting skills trying to impersonate this young master could never fool Junwei. And besides... even if I am a bastard, am I more of a bastard than you?"

"Impudent! Are you risking your life over someone you only met a few days ago? Do you even know who she is?" Han Mingyue said coldly.

Han Mingxi was momentarily stunned before gritting his teeth. "No matter who she is, she's still my friend! Even if we only met a few days ago, she's still better than you. At least Junwei came to rescue me; what about you... struggling to death and getting into trouble, who else besides me would give a damn whether you live or die?!" Hearing his younger brother's furious roar, Han Mingyue was clearly taken aback, gazing at the two people before him with a somewhat complex expression. He quickly snapped back to his senses, looked at Ye Li, and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Sister-in-law, trouble letting go of my younger brother first."

Han Mingxi's body stiffened; he lowered his head to stare unbelievingly at Ye Li, as if trying to discern from her face precisely what gave Han Mingyue the qualification to call her sister-in-law. After a long moment, he let out a somewhat strained, mocking chuckle. "Big Brother, did taking a blade scramble your brains? Don't go randomly claiming familial ties everywhere; I don't have a second older brother." Han Mingyue sneered, pointing at Ye Li. "Han Mingxi, open your eyes and look closely: is the person standing before you a man? Or have you been wandering the jianghu so long you can't even tell men and women apart anymore?"

Ye Li supported Han Mingxi as she led him to the side to sit down, then slowly pushed him back while casting an apologetic look at him. "Brother Han, I apologize for deceiving you."

Han Mingxi stared at her for a long while before pouting with reluctant grievance. "Fine, I know you're a woman now. Given that we've been through life and death together, you at least owe it to me to tell me which sister-in-law you are! I don't want to hear it from that jerk!" Ye Li glanced back at the Sick Scholar—who was glaring at her with unconcealed hatred—and Han Mingyue, who wore a blank expression as if lost in thought, before speaking in a low voice: "My name is Ye Li."

"Ye Li... Xu Qingchen is your eldest brother... That's right, Xu Qingchen really is your eldest brother. You're the Third Miss Ye, you're... you're——!" Han Mingxi stared at her fixedly, his expression as agonizingly painful as if he had swallowed a live fly. He had met the Third Miss Ye before... The real question was, how on earth did the handsome young man before him resemble that wealthy young lady who was notoriously cunning yet insisted on putting on an air of elegance?! He had clearly sworn long ago to stay far away from that woman; why had he still spent his days buzzing around her like a fly recently? "You tricked me!" Han Mingxi accused. Ye Li offered an apologetic look. "My apologies."

"An apology cuts it? I want compensation. I want another ten percent stake in the Xunya Pavilion!"

Ye Li readily nodded. "No problem."

Han Mingxi narrowed his eyes and continued stating his conditions: "At least four bottles of new perfume every year."

Ye Li hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Very well."

Han Mingxi tilted his head and appraised her for a moment, seemingly evaluating whether her words were trustworthy. After a good while, he tossed his head back and declared proudly, "In that case, this young master will magnanimously forgive your deception and acknowledge you, Ye Li, as a friend of Han Mingxi."

Left laughing and crying, Ye Li said helplessly, "Many thanks for Brother Han's great magnanimity."

Han Mingxi still let out a dissatisfied hum, cast a disdainful sideways glance at Han Mingyue, and said, "Look at that. And you had the nerve to claim you're good at making money; if the Han family truly depended on you, a whole mob of people would have starved to death."

With a dark expression, Han Mingyue glared at Han Mingxi. "You've finished talking nonsense, so scram and stand off to the side."

Han Mingxi gave him a side-eye. "Are you an idiot? This woman is my friend and my future business partner. Just try touching her and see what happens."

"Han Mingxi!" Han Mingyue barked sternly.

"This young master knows what his name is." Lazily leaning against the hillside, Han Mingxi dug at his ear.

"Young Master Han... Have you finished reminiscing? If you don't make a move now, it'll be too late once the people from the Prince Ding's Estate arrive," the Sick Scholar's voice rang out sinisterly from behind.