The First Jasmine - Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Visitors From Xiling

Prince Li's Main Camp Outside Yonglin City

"Dammit! How could Mo Xiuyao possibly appear here right now?" Inside the large tent, Mo Jingli's expression was gloomy and horribly distorted. In this near-June summer heat, it made people feel the bone-chilling cold of the dead of winter. No one dared to utter a word—not merely because of Prince Li's fury, but even more so due to the shock of the Prince of Ding's sudden appearance on the battlefield. If there was anything more terrifying than the Prince of Ding showing up, it was the Prince of Ding appearing in robust physical health. The moment they laid eyes on that silver-white figure riding his horse through the air as if treading on nothingness, nearly everyone simultaneously felt a wave of despair and regret rise from the depths of their hearts. Was that youth who had already earned the moniker of the God of War, that Prince of Ding praised for possessing a wisdom surpassing even his ancestors—was he truly someone they could hope to withstand? More than a few secretly harbored hesitation and regret, wondering if their rash decision to follow Prince Li in rising up in rebellion was truly the correct choice. While the merit of establishing a new dynasty could certainly bring immense wealth, glory, and boundless power, the price of failure was equally enough to make one's blood run cold.

The ever-composed strategist looked equally pale. In all their plans, under no circumstances was Mo Xiuyao supposed to arrive in Yongzhou this quickly. No, to put it correctly, Mo Xiuyao shouldn't have been able to appear in Yongzhou at all. But right now... a Prince of Ding with paralyzed legs was certainly someone to be feared and guarded against, but a healthy Prince of Ding who could move about freely was all the more panic-inducing. "Your Highness, has any message arrived from the capital? The Prince of Ding..." Mo Jingli let out a cold snort. "Mo Xiuyao left the capital long before we even raised our rebellion. And Ye Li! To think it was her!" The mere thought that the person who had blocked his path with the Black Cloud Cavalry these past few days was Ye Li made Mo Jingli yearn to seize her and skin her alive. The strategist spoke up, "There were rumors earlier that the Princess of Regent King had gone missing; now it appears she must have gone to Southern Zhao. Prior to this, news came from Southern Zhao that Young Master Qingchen had vanished... I'm afraid the Princess of Regent King went to Southern Zhao precisely because of Young Master Qingchen." The more he spoke, the colder the strategist's heart became—the Prince of Ding, the Princess of Regent King, Murong Shen, and the very likely arrival of Young Master Qingchen. The figures standing in their path left him with virtually no hope of capturing Yonglin. "Your Highness, this subordinate believes that the best course of action right now is to immediately abandon Yongzhou, lead our forces to march eastward, and seize all territories south of the Yunlan River before the imperial court's reinforcements arrive."

Mo Jingli stated in a deep voice, "Mo Xiuyao has already reached Yonglin; do you truly believe he will let us withdraw our forces?"

The strategist stroked his beard and asked, "Based on Your Highness's understanding of the Prince of Ding, given his temperament, would he have called a halt so easily today?"

Mo Jingli lowered his brows in deep thought for a moment before shaking his head. "In his youth, Mo Xiuyao was known as Raging Wind, and he has always been swift and decisive in military campaigns. Given his past temperament, he wouldn't have stopped today unless he made the enemy suffer heavy losses and casualties." The strategist smiled and nodded. "That being the case, why does Your Highness suppose the Prince of Ding chose not to pursue his victory today?" A flash crossed Mo Jingli's eyes as he raised his voice slightly, "His forces are insufficient!" The strategist slapped his palm and laughed. "Precisely. Yonglin's terrain is limited, and the Black Cloud Cavalry charged in with such sudden momentum that we fundamentally couldn't gauge the size of his forces. But the Prince of Ding could not possibly be unaware of our troop strength. The fact that he did not press his advantage can only mean that our army's strength is still at least double his, if not more." Mo Jingli nodded. "Indeed. How could my imperial brother easily allow him to mobilize over a hundred thousand troops? Furthermore... if over a hundred thousand troops were trailing along, he couldn't have rushed here this quickly. Since that is the case, why don't we..."

"Absolutely not!" The strategist hastily interrupted whatever idea he was about to voice, advising, "Your Highness, please reconsider. The Prince of Ding's forces may indeed be insufficient, but there is no terrain suitable for a large-scale army engagement anywhere near Yonglin. As long as he stubbornly defends Yonglin, we will definitely be unable to do anything to him within ten days or half a month. After ten days or half a month... no matter how slow the imperial court's army is, they should have arrived by then. By that time, if we want to turn our forces back and march east, it will be far too late." Calling ten days or half a month a conservative estimate was polite; with the Prince of Ding and his two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry defending the city, let alone ten days or half a month—as long as they didn't run out of grain or weapons, it remained questionable whether anyone could breach the city within two or three months. One had to keep in mind that the archery skills of the Black Cloud Cavalry were enough to strike terror into even the Northern Rong iron cavalry; any invading army would probably find it difficult even to get close to Yonglin City's walls.

"This..." Mo Jingli's expression shifted unpredictably, holding a mixture of reluctance, anger, and a terror that others could scarcely perceive. This fear perhaps wasn't directed at Mo Xiuyao personally, but rather stemmed from an almost innate awe toward the Mo Family Army and the Ding Prince's Estate, shared by every single soldier in Great Chu.

"Your Highness, as long as we occupy all territories south of the Yunlan River and firmly defend the Yunlan River, Yongzhou is nothing more than a tiny, fingernail-sized patch of land. With Southern Zhao acting as a diversion, the imperial court will be utterly powerless to act. Now that the Prince of Ding's legs have suddenly recovered, the one sitting in the capital is probably panicking right now, which means he will absolutely not dare to deploy the Prince of Ding against us. As long as the Prince of Ding and the Mo Family Army do not interfere, half of Great Chu's territory will be within Your Highness's grasp. As for everything else, we can slowly plot our next steps in due time," the strategist urged earnestly. Yongzhou was already proving a lost cause; since things had reached this point, they might as well seize the entirety of Jiangnan while the imperial court's main army hadn't arrived yet, lest they end up with nothing to show for their efforts after an empty basket fetched no water. Watching Prince Li, who remained hesitant and irresolute before him, the strategist felt a faint bitterness in his heart. Prince Li was indecisive when faced with matters; he might make a fine, wealthy, and leisurely prince of a designated fiefdom, but when it came to conquering the realm, he simply lacked far too much.

Just as Mo Jingli was hesitating, a soldier reported from outside the tent, "Reporting to Your Highness, an envoy from Xiling requests an audience outside the camp."

"Xiling?" Mo Jingli frowned. "What are they here for? Bring him in!"

Before long, a refined and gentle-looking middle-aged man was led into the tent. "This humble person is He Wuyuan of the Southern Town King's Estate in Xiling, paying respects to Your Highness Prince Li."

"He Yingli?" Mo Jingli narrowed his eyes slightly, while the strategist standing beside him shifted slightly and murmured in surprise, "The intellectual of the Three Heroes under the Southern Town King—Master Yingli?"

The middle-aged man smiled calmly. "Indeed, it is this humble person."

Mo Jingli stared at him and asked, "Master Yingli is the right hand of the Southern Town King; what brings you to this Prince's camp so suddenly?"

He Wuyuan smiled. "Entrusted by our Prince and Heir apparent, we wish to form an alliance with Prince Li."

"An alliance?" The strategist looked perplexed. He Wuyuan smiled. "We heard that Prince Li has raised his banner in Jiangnan, and our Prince and Heir admire Your Highness's grand ambitions. Likewise, Your Highness should be aware that both the Southern Town King's Estate and Xiling share an irreconcilable, blood-deep enmity with the Eastern Chu's Ding Prince's Estate. Therefore, our Prince has commanded this humble person to offer our loyal service to Your Highness. On the day Your Highness accomplishes your great endeavor, the Heir of the Southern Town King will personally visit Lingzhou to congratulate Your Highness at the grand enthronement ceremony." Mo Jingli stared at him and asked, "What do your Prince and Heir want in return?" There was no gain without loss; he had understood this principle long ago. He Wuyuan smiled. "Xiling does not require Your Highness to pay any price whatsoever, save for one condition: the Prince of Ding and the Mo Family Army. The Prince of Ding's legs have already recovered; presumably, Your Highness witnessed this firsthand today? Mo Xiuyao was ambitious even in his youth, and when he was barely fourteen or fifteen, he drove Southern Zhao to the brink of national destruction. Now, having lain dormant for several years before emerging once more, he is like a fierce tiger breaking out of its cage, possessing a momentum that no one in this generation can withstand. My lord worries for Xiling's safety, which is why he wishes to form an alliance with Your Highness to counter the formidable momentum of the Ding Prince's Estate. We earnestly request Your Highness to reconsider."

Mo Jingli felt somewhat displeased. Although He Wuyuan framed this as an alliance with him to counter Mo Xiuyao, every word he uttered nonetheless showered lavish praise upon Mo Xiuyao. He stated coldly, "Mo Xiuyao has been idling at home for nearly ten years. Furthermore, a child who shows brilliance early on does not necessarily turn out exceptional in adulthood. Master Yingli is perhaps exaggerating rather severely."

He Wuyuan did not grow angry; instead, he chuckled softly and said, "Regardless of whether this humble person is exaggerating or not, it remains an undisputed fact that the Ding Prince's Estate has consistently produced legendary generals without a single false reputation, and Mo Xiuyao himself has never tasted defeat in his entire life."

"Could it be that Master Yingli has a strategy to deal with Mo Xiuyao?" Mo Jingli raised an eyebrow with a mocking tone.

He Wuyuan smiled. "While this humble person cannot guarantee victory over the Prince of Ding, I can certainly assist Prince Li in firmly securing Jiangnan."

"Oh?" A flicker crossed Mo Jingli's eyes as he began to weigh He Wuyuan with a more evaluative gaze. He Wuyuan remained unperturbed, smiling calmly as he said, "Your Highness may rest easy. The Prince of Ding absolutely does not have much time to linger in Yongzhou. Once he is drawn away, even if the imperial court dispatches not just a hundred thousand, but a million troops, they will still be unable to halt Your Highness's momentum to rule the realm."

Mo Jingli fell silent for a moment before saying, "Please have Master Yingli go and rest for now; this Prince needs to give this matter careful consideration." He Wuyuan was in no hurry, nodding with a smile. "In that case, Your Highness may ponder it thoroughly. This humble person will take his leave for now."

"This subordinate, Feng Zhiyao, requests an audience with the Princess."

Stepping into the refined and serene small courtyard and seeing the woman seated beneath the tree's shade reading a book, Feng Zhiyao couldn't help a throbbing headache. As early as a quarter of an hour ago, while he was overseeing defensive preparations on the city wall, he had received a message from the Princess's entourage stating that the Princess wished to have a conversation with him. He had known instantly that trouble was coming. Unfortunately, when summoned by the Princess, he simply lacked the courage to refuse to show up.

"Young Master Feng, please dispense with the formalities." Ye Li put down her book, turned around, and smiled. "Am I disturbing the Third Young Master of Feng?"

Feng Zhiyao gave a bitter laugh. "Not at all. When the Princess summons Feng San, how could there ever be any question of disturbing?"

Ye Li raised her head, looked at Feng Zhiyao with a steady gaze, and smiled. "Third Young Master Feng seems like an entirely different person compared to how you were in the capital. If I encountered you by chance normally, I'd probably mistake you for someone else."

Feng Zhiyao could only force a smile, harboring a lingering sense that the more polite the Princess was acting toward him right now, the more troublesome the question she was about to ask would certainly be. Watching him force a cheerful expression, Ye Li lowered her gaze slightly. "Third Young Master Feng, why don't you sit down and talk?" Feng Zhiyao expressed his thanks and said, "The Princess may simply call me Feng San; the title of Young Master is something this subordinate is entirely unworthy to bear." Ye Li waved her hand with a smile. "I know that you and the Prince can be said to have known each other since childhood. In private, you address each other as brothers, so there's no need for such distance."

Feng Zhiyao had no choice but to take a seat, though sitting directly opposite Ye Li only heightened his sense of immense pressure. Offering a smile, he asked, "I wonder what matter prompts the Princess to summon me?"

Ye Li looked up to meet his gaze directly and spoke in a deep voice, "I am someone who dislikes beating around the bush. Young Master Feng, how is the Prince's health, truly?"

Feng Zhiyao was taken aback, then quickly forced a smile. "The Prince's health? Isn't the Prince's health perfectly fine? Come to think of it, after so many years, the Prince has finally recovered his health, and the Princess should be overjoyed." Ye Li looked at him placidly, her gaze clear and lucid without a shred of naive innocence. Feng Zhiyao cursed inwardly while forcing himself not to avert his gaze, locking eyes with her in a steady stare. After a long moment, he saw Ye Li let out a soft, amused chuckle. "Young Master Feng, did you know? Under normal circumstances, a person's genuine smile can only be maintained for a very brief moment, and anything that exceeds that duration is generally a fake smile." Feng Zhiyao froze, blinked, and finally allowed the somewhat stiff smile on his face to fade away. "The Princess's insights... are truly unique."

"Then... would Young Master Feng be willing to tell me the truth?" Ye Li asked with a smile.

Feng Zhiyao gave a bitter laugh. "Why doesn't the Princess ask the Prince directly?"

Ye Li sighed softly. "If he didn't want to hide it, how could I possibly have to ask?"

Feng Zhiyao remarked, "Perhaps the Prince's not speaking of it simply means his health has indeed fully recovered." Ye Li looked at him and smiled. "Young Master Feng, while I may not be able to tell whether he's lying, there is at least one thing I understand quite clearly. A man whose legs have been paralyzed for a full eight years, and who was poisoned besides, could not possibly recover to that degree in such a short span of time, no matter what miraculous medicine was used. Even if Master Shen found the antidote and cured the Prince's legs, within half a year he could never have restored himself to this extent." When something is abnormal, it's bound to be demonic; if such a miraculous medicine truly existed, why would Mo Xiuyao have needed to wait all those years?

Feng Zhiyao looked at her with a troubled expression, while Ye Li maintained her unyielding, steady gaze fixed upon him. Half a quarter of an hour later, Feng Zhiyao suffered a helpless defeat, pondering for a moment before stating, "Even if I didn't tell you, the Princess would find out sooner or later. The Prince used Phoenix Grass." Ye Li was startled; she still remembered what Shen Yang had said—the fire poison generated after consuming Phoenix Grass would cause cold and fire to coexist within Mo Xiuyao's body, making it impossible even for the Fiery Red Lotus to unravel the cold poison in his system. "Why didn't anyone stop him!"

Feng Zhiyao lowered his head in helpless resignation. "When the Prince makes a decision, who could possibly stop him?"

Ye Li's expression sank. "Why on earth would he suddenly go and..." Her voice trailed off halfway, snapping to a sudden halt. She slumped onto her stool with a sense of dejection. When Feng Zhiyao had left the capital, news of Mo Jingli's rebellion had not yet reached it. He had done this... because of her...

"Princess..." Seeing Ye Li's dismal expression, Feng Zhiyao rethought the situation and understood the crucial turning point. He offered a somewhat difficult word of comfort. "Actually... even if he had waited another two days upon receiving the news of Prince Li's rebellion, the Prince would still have... The Prince simply didn't have the time to wait two years for the Fiery Red Lotus anymore." Ye Li nodded somewhat blankly. "Has Master Shen arrived in Yongzhou yet?" Feng Zhiyao nodded. "Master Shen insisted on coming, but he cannot endure long-distance rapid travel and will take a few more days to catch up."

Ye Li closed her eyes briefly and nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Young Master Feng."

Feng Zhiyao furrowed his brow with worry. "Princess..."

Ye Li waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine. Young Master Feng, if you have matters to attend to, please go ahead." Seeing her state, Feng Zhiyao had no choice but to take his leave. Ye Li sat quietly beneath the shade of the tree, lost in a daze. If she hadn't gone to the Southern Frontier... No, if she hadn't sent back that confidential letter, Mo Xiuyao wouldn't have rushed to the Southern Frontier on account of it. Perhaps, just as Feng Zhiyao had said, they simply didn't have the time to wait two years for the Fiery Red Lotus, and perhaps Mo Xiuyao would have consumed the Phoenix Grass in the end anyway. But right now... Mo Xiuyao had still ended up taking it because of her...

"Shadow Three."

"Princess?" Shadow Three appeared behind her, gazing with concern at the somewhat frail silhouette of the woman beneath the tree.

"Where is Shadow Four right now?"

Shadow Three answered, "Shadow Four just headed to Xiling. The Princess previously commanded him to investigate Han Mingyue's activities in Xiling. He should have just crossed the Xiling border by now." Ye Li nodded and instructed, "Send word to him: set aside the matter regarding Han Mingyue for the moment. Find a way to keep a close watch on the Sick Scholar. The moment he attempts to acquire the Azure Blossoms again, seize it at all costs." Shadow Three hesitated for a moment before saying, "The Azure Blossoms are within the borders of the Southern Frontier; perhaps this subordinate should lead a team to search for them?" Ye Li shook her head. "Southern Zhao is not small, and furthermore, none of us even know what the Azure Blossoms actually look like. That fellow surnamed Liang should currently be in the hands of the Tianyi Pavilion—no, wait... the fellow surnamed Liang should also be in Xiling right now, though not in the Sick Scholar's hands. Send someone to tell Han Mingxi that the promise he made to tell me what I wanted to know is due to be fulfilled."

"Understood." Shadow Three nodded and vanished cleanly behind her.

After Shadow Three departed, Ye Li sat in silence for a long while before rising to return to the courtyard where she and Mo Xiuyao were staying. Upon entering the room, she failed to see Mo Xiuyao anywhere. After pondering for a moment, she stepped outside and turned toward the study in the front courtyard, only to find her path blocked at the entrance by two secret guards: "Princess, the Prince has given orders that no one is to be admitted right now. Please halt, Princess." Ye Li cast a sideways glance at the two secret guards, who kept their heads lowered and dared not meet her eyes, and asked, "What did you say?"

"The Prince stated that no one is to be admitted right now. And... that includes the Princess."

Ye Li calmly took a step backward and said, "I know you are following orders and I have no intention of making things difficult for you. However... I am going in right now."

The two secret guards exchanged glances and simultaneously stepped forward to block the doorway. "Please do not make things difficult for this subordinate, Princess."

Ye Li stated, "If I knock you down and walk past, you won't be considered to have disobeyed orders, right?"

"This..." The two secret guards watched the woman before them with heightened vigilance. They had long since witnessed the Princess's combat prowess; under conditions where they weren't permitted to harm her, they genuinely lacked confidence in their ability to block her. "Princess, I'm afraid that won't do..." The guard at the entrance flicked his hand, and several figures dropped down from the courtyard walls, trees, and rooftop. Ye Li raised an eyebrow, let out a cold laugh, and commanded, "Shadow Three, Shadow Four, take them down!"

"Understood!" Two deep voices responded in unison. Two figures swept into the courtyard from left and right like bolts of lightning. Within the span of a mere moment, all the secret guards had been subdued. Looking at the expressions of anger and frustration on their opponents' faces, Shadow Three patted one of them patronizingly on the shoulder and comforted him, "Brother, don't feel bad. Even secret guards have grades and tiers, you see." Their starting points had all been identical, which was why they understood regular secret guards so well, whereas those other secret guards understood nothing about them. The bitter hardship those few brothers had endured for months hadn't been suffered for nothing—wasn't the payoff showing right now? It wasn't that the others were too weak, but rather that they had completely transcended the realm of ordinary secret guards. If the situation hadn't forbidden it, Shadow Three would have truly loved to throw his head back and roar with laughter.

Ye Li turned back to smile at the two guards blocking the door. "Do I need to do it myself?"

The two secret guards sighed, stepped aside to clear the path before the door, and said, "Please enter, Princess."

The place where they were temporarily residing was the mansion of a wealthy merchant in Yonglin City. Long before Yonglin was besieged, the owner had fled to the north of the river—wealthy people were always somewhat more afraid of dying than ordinary citizens. The study in the front courtyard was very spacious and even came equipped with a resting bedroom attached. This was why Ye Li hadn't thought much of it when Mo Xiuyao rested in the study last night; after all, upon first arriving in Yonglin, there was genuinely a great deal of business requiring his attention. However, after speaking with Feng Zhiyao, Ye Li suddenly realized that ever since returning to Yonglin last night up until now—well into the afternoon—she hadn't laid eyes on Mo Xiuyao once. She had eaten breakfast and lunch entirely alone; if Mo Xiuyao had truly been busy to that extreme, it made no sense that Feng Zhiyao could idle around leisurely on the city walls, nor did it align with how Mo Xiuyao had dragged her along to help with various chores without a shred of guilt back in the capital.

Stepping into the study, it was indeed empty. Ye Li walked quickly toward the bedroom at the back of the study, and before she had even crossed the threshold, she heard the sound of something colliding with the floor from within. She hurriedly rushed inside.

Upon stepping through the door, the scene before her made Ye Li's heart tighten. The man who had been dashing, formidable, and invincible on the battlefield just yesterday had collapsed in a disheveled heap on the floor. The quilt on the bed had been torn to shreds and scattered across the bed and floor. The flower stand not far from the bedside had been knocked over, with various porcelain pieces lying scattered haphazardly around it. Mo Xiuyao's eyes were tightly shut, his clothing completely soaked through as though he had been submerged in water, and the skin on both of his hands was already a bloody mess.

"A-Li, go out..." Hearing footsteps, Mo Xiuyao did not raise his head, merely speaking in a faint voice.

Ye Li paused in her tracks, but instead of stopping or turning around to leave, she hurried to his side and helped him up. "Feeling a bit better?"

Mo Xiuyao nodded wearily, allowing Ye Li to support him as she helped him back to the bed and settled him down. He offered a bitter smile. "A-Li, it seems I always manage to let you witness my most disheveled moments..."

Ye Li stated calmly, "You brought this upon yourself. We... we are husband and wife, not strangers; it's impossible to only ever witness each other's most perfect sides all the time, isn't it?" Mo Xiuyao closed his eyes and smiled faintly. "I should say you've never once seen me when I was perfect." His most perfect state had already ceased to exist long before he ever met you. Ye Li reached out to take his hand, which was still convulsing from the intense pain, and smiled serenely. "How could that be? Wasn't yesterday quite splendid?" Lowering her gaze to look at the dried blood on his fingertips and the mottled wounds across his palms, she asked softly, "When did this start?" Mo Xiuyao, who appeared uncharacteristically compliant as the pain gradually subsided, spoke up a moment later: "Around daybreak..."

Ye Li's hand paused, and a sharp, twisting pain pierced through her chest. It was already late afternoon—a full seven or eight hours.

"If it doesn't hurt as much, get some sleep for a while."

This time Mo Xiuyao did not reply; his shallow, even breathing indicated that he had already drifted into a deep sleep. Yet even in his slumber, his brow remained slightly furrowed, occasionally betraying expressions of pain. Ye Li stood up, intending to fetch a fresh set of bedding to cover him with, only to discover that one of her hands was being tightly gripped by Mo Xiuyao, making it impossible to pull away. With a helpless sigh, she simply sat back down and frowned as she watched his sweat-dampened clothes, hoping he wouldn't catch a chill because of this. But waking him up right now was something she couldn't bear to do. Just seeing the heavy dark shadows beneath his eyes told her he certainly hadn't rested properly in a very long time.

It wasn't until dusk had settled that Mo Xiuyao awoke from his deep sleep. Although he had slept for less than two hours, he felt vastly better than before. Mo Xiuyao couldn't help letting out a soft sigh of relief—this time, they had finally gotten through it.

"You're awake?" Ye Li's voice drifted in from outside. Mo Xiuyao raised his head to see Ye Li walking in carrying a tray. She placed the tray on the table and looked up at him. "Since you're awake, go wash up first, and then we'll have dinner."

Mo Xiuyao was slightly taken aback. "A-Li, how did you..." The scenes from before he fell asleep rushed back into his mind; amidst that hazy semiconsciousness and the pain that refused to pause for even a single second, Ye Li's calm, clear voice had clearly penetrated his awareness, miraculously soothing his sanity from the brink of collapse. It was only after that that he had drifted slowly to sleep listening to that soothing voice. Seeing him stare at her in silence, Ye Li walked over and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Is there still somewhere you feel uncomfortable? Shall I have someone fetch a physician?"

Mo Xiuyao pulled her toward him and said, "I'm fine, just still a bit groggy from sleeping too long. You can't call an outside physician right now."

Ye Li didn't call out his rather transparent lie—Mo Xiuyao probably hadn't been groggy even in his sleep. "Then go wash up first; I've had everything prepared." Mo Xiuyao looked down and realized he indeed desperately needed to wash and clean up.

Mo Xiuyao finished washing up and emerged enveloped in a fresh mist of water vapor. Ye Li hurriedly stood up and stepped forward; seeing the thin undergarment he wore, she turned to grab a cloak and draped it over his shoulders. Mo Xiuyao looked at her helplessly and said, "A-Li, I'm not frail enough to be blown over by the wind." Ye Li nodded and said earnestly, "Indeed, being frail and delicate is far too effortless compared to you. Sit down and eat." Pushing a bowl of fragrant, appetizing congee into his hands, she watched him eat.

Mo Xiuyao had no choice but to lower his head and take a taste. Not only did it smell wonderfully fragrant, but it tasted exceptionally delicious as well. For Mo Xiuyao, who hadn't eaten a single bite of anything since the previous night, it brought a wonderful warmth to his stomach, and his appetite—which had been subdued due to extreme fatigue and pain—improved significantly. "This doesn't look like something they made." The owner of this estate had long since fled, and naturally the servants had gone with them. Since Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li were staying here, they couldn't use unfamiliar outsiders of unknown origins, so all daily necessities were managed by the secret guards. While the estate's secret guards were well-trained, the meals they produced barely met the standard of being edible. Ye Li rested her chin in her hand and watched him eat. "I made it. Is it bad?"

Mo Xiuyao's hand paused for a moment before he shook his head with a faint smile. "No, it's very delicious."

Ye Li nodded in satisfaction; her culinary skills weren't stellar, but boiling some ordinary home-style dishes and cooking a pot of congee wasn't beyond her abilities. This chicken congee had simmered for a full hour; she had tasted it herself, and the flavor was indeed acceptable.

"Does A-Li have something to say to me?" Seeing Ye Li stare at him without blinking, Mo Xiuyao set down his bowl and asked. Ye Li took the bowl, scooped up another serving, handed it back to him, and said, "Personally, I've always believed that keeping everything bottled up inside and trying to carry it all alone is unadvisable, and it's certainly not how a husband and wife should interact. What does the Prince think?" Mo Xiuyao helplessly accepted the bowl she shoved at him, let out a soft sigh, and said, "You found out... A-Li, this isn't because of you... you know that the poison in my body couldn't be resolved temporarily, and sooner or later it would reach this stage."

"Whether it's because of me or not, things have already reached this point, haven't they? What I'm saying is... Prince, you locked yourself up in a room like that—aren't you afraid you wouldn't be able to bear the pain and would end up killing yourself?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't," Mo Xiuyao replied. "I won't die. Phoenix Grass can't take my life. Master Shen also said this would only cause me a bit of pain."

Only causing a bit of pain... Ye Li felt an urge to pry open his head to see what on earth was packed inside it.

"A-Li, you know this is already the best-case scenario. If Master Shen hadn't managed to bring back the Phoenix Grass..." Then he would have failed to arrive in time to reinforce Yonglin, Snow Pass would have fallen, and the Southern Zhao people would have crossed the pass. A-Li...

"From now on, I'll stay with you." Ye Li stated flatly.

"...Alright."