The First Jasmine - Chapter 124
Chapter 124 - Confession
"Your Ladyship."
In the study, Ye Li paused the chess piece that was about to fall and looked up toward the doorway at Qin Feng. "What is it?" Qin Feng reported, "The assassin has confessed." Mo Hua, who was sitting opposite Ye Li, brightened and also set down his chess piece, staring fixedly at Qin Feng. Qin Feng smiled and said, "Her Ladyship's method was indeed effective. By yesterday noon, a few of those assassins couldn't take it anymore and confessed, but the assassin leader held out until just now before finally breaking." Ye Li nodded with satisfaction, clearing away the chess pieces and board as she said, "Bring him over, and bring the confessions of these people as well." Qin Feng acknowledged the order and left to carry it out.
Not long after, a man with a face full of exhaustion and haggardness was escorted in by two guards, one on each side. Just looking at the crimson bloodshot eyes of the man and the way he guardily stared at Ye Li, one could tell he had reached his absolute limit. Having gone without food, drink, or sleep for several consecutive days and nights, the man was now in an extreme state of physical and mental weakness. Even if she were to release him right now, he would immediately collapse and sleep himself to death right outside the gates of the Prince of Ding's Mansion.
Looking with a smile at the man forced to kneel on the ground, Ye Li spoke gently, "It has been a few days, trust you have been well, Your Excellency?" The man's blood-red eyes seemed ready to spit fire as he stared viciously at the woman in green before him. Ye Li didn't mind in the slightest, toying with the jade bracelet on her wrist as she sighed softly, "You needn't look at me like that. Using this method to deal with all of you was something I was forced into. My husband is away, and with so many of you bullying a frail woman like me, it can hardly be considered an honorable thing to do, can it?"
The man was already listless to begin with; the fact that he could still muster the energy to glare at Ye Li at this moment was enough to prove his resilience. Unfortunately, it had zero effect on Ye Li. Soon enough, his momentum fizzled out entirely, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "What on earth do you want?" Ye Li slowly withdrew her smile, turning serious as she said, "Tell me who the mastermind behind the scenes is."
"I've already told you."
Ye Li sneered, casually tossing the confession notes in her hand onto the table as she smiled, "When it comes to fabricating false confessions, I'm afraid you can't quite be considered an expert. Zhuojing..."
An San nodded and said, "This subordinate understands. The courses on interrogation and intelligence analysis will be doubled."
Ye Li nodded in satisfaction, glancing down at the man on the ground. "You still don't wish to talk? Then go back and continue resting. Rest assured, I won't take your life. Let him rest for an hour before starting the interrogation again." Hearing Ye Li's words, the man's complexion finally changed. Qin Feng frowned and asked, "If you let him rest fully and then start over, will it affect the results?" Ye Li smiled, "One hour—don't worry, I believe that after a brief rest, this gentleman will be able to appreciate the wondrous subtleties of this interrogation technique even more."
"No, I'll talk..." the man said with an ashen face.
Ye Li instructed, "Very well. Who sent you? Don't tell me it's the person in the palace again; although you're only confessing now, those subordinates of yours weren't truly entirely ignorant of everything. The leader of Night Kill, the third-ranked assassin organization in the pugilistic world? Hmm?" The man's expression shifted, and he looked somewhat powerlessly at Ye Li, speaking in a raspy whisper, "Her Ladyship is truly resourceful." Ye Li smiled, taking it as a compliment, and raised an eyebrow as she asked, "Your answer?"
The man replied, "I don't know who the other party actually is, but judging from their appearance and accent, they seem to be people from Xiling."
Ye Li fell into contemplation for a moment before asking, "Where else did he contact you?"
The man said, "Night Kill is based in the south, specifically near... Yongzhou. When the other party came to find us, the Prince of Ding had not yet left the capital, so we had no intention of taking on this job. However, the other party swore with absolute certainty that within a month at most, the Prince of Ding would definitely leave the capital. Thus, they offered a heavy bounty to have us infiltrate the capital in advance. If the Prince of Ding didn't leave, we wouldn't have to make a move. Ten days ago, the Prince of Ding indeed departed the capital, and after observing for another ten days, we noticed that we weren't the only ones from Night Kill infiltrating the estate, which is why we decided to strike."
Ye Li smiled lightly. "Very well, where is your leader?"
The man started in shock, looking at Ye Li in utter astonishment. Ye Li said calmly, "For you lot to observe for ten days before striking means you are not the kind of people to act rashly. This Princess does not believe that the various waves of assassins over the past few days failing to return could not allow you to properly evaluate the strength of the Prince of Ding's Mansion. To know that something cannot be done and yet do it anyway? That can only mean one thing: you... are not the true leader of Night Kill, aren't you?" Seeing the man lower his head in silence, Ye Li didn't mind. She pulled a sheet of paper from the table, picked up a brush, and swiftly wrote for a moment before looking up and handing it to Qin Feng. "Take this down and question them according to what's written here. If you still can't get anything out of them, you don't need to bring him back. This Princess doesn't have that much patience left." Qin Feng glanced over the slip of paper, waved his hand at the guards, and led the men out.
Mo Hua stared fixedly at Ye Li and asked, "Her Ladyship knew all along that he wasn't the real leader? Since that was the case, why waste time on him?"
Ye Li smiled helplessly and said, "Although we knew he was merely a scout, we didn't actually know where the rest of Night Kill was, did we? This Princess feels that... if we can't find these people quickly, we're going to have big trouble." Mo Hua gritted his teeth and said, "Even if the person in the palace didn't participate, they definitely know these people's plans. The shadow guards running into obstruction everywhere trying to find people in the capital these past few days is undoubtedly the handiwork of that person." Ye Li replied indifferently, "Have the shadow guards really reached the point where they can be easily obstructed by palace guards?" Mo Hua's face turned livid, and he was unable to speak for a long time. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and asked, "Does Her Ladyship have any brilliant strategies!"
Ye Li shrugged and smiled. "No brilliant strategies. We meet all changes with immutability."
Half an hour later, Qin Feng returned with a fresh set of confessions from the assassins. The expression on his face carried a much heavier murderous intent than before. Without rushing to read the confession, Ye Li asked, "Is the man dead?" Qin Feng shook his head. "Not dead, passed out." Ye Li nodded, lowering her gaze to read the confession in her hands. A cold smile gradually blossomed at the corners of her lips. "Very well..." Raising her hand, she passed the confession to Mo Hua and Zhuojing. The moment the two of them read it, their expressions turned grave as well. Mo Hua stood up and declared, "This subordinate will immediately mobilize all shadow guards near the capital back to the estate!"
"Stay where you are!" Ye Li said calmly.
Mo Hua turned back with a look of angry indignation, glaring at Ye Li as he protested, "Her Ladyship, the various factions have clearly united and intend to launch an assault on the mansion. Once they—"
"Once they step inside, this Princess will make sure they have no way back!" Ye Li sneered. Mo Hua was momentarily stunned. Seemingly cowed by the unreservedly unleashed murderous aura radiating from Ye Li, he frowned and argued, "Although the estate's defenses are formidable, it is simply impossible to simultaneously defend against so many martial arts experts. Not only is Her Ladyship's safety at stake, but there are also many vital areas within the grounds..."
Ye Li's smile was gentle, yet it sent an involuntary chill straight to the marrow of everyone listening. "There is no need to worry. Send word to General Sun, ordering him to lead the Black Cloud Cavalry to secure every single route leading in and out of the capital; any assassins discovered trying to flee are to be executed without pardon. The shadow guards will secure all parts of the capital; anyone caught escaping is to be killed! Additionally, any shadow guards stationed near the Prince of Ding's Mansion who spot suspicious individuals around the estate are to immediately surround the Prince of Ding's Mansion—entry is permitted, but no one leaves."
"This subordinate obeys," Qin Feng and Zhuojing said respectfully.
Mo Hua looked at the two of them and likewise acknowledged the order respectfully. Ye Li nodded and instructed Qin Feng, "Release all your people and let them train in the field. Their first mission carries the code name 'Extermination'."
Qin Feng nodded with a hint of excitement, saying, "This subordinate understands; we will definitely not let down Her Ladyship's trust."
Ye Li waved her hand to dismiss the three men, looked up at the bright sunlight outside the window, and couldn't help letting out a sigh. In the span of just over ten days, the Prince of Ding's Mansion had already been turned into a sea of blood. Yet... no matter what, she had to protect this estate. This wasn't merely a magnificent princely residence; it was also her home.
Ever since the Prince of Ding left the capital, the elites of the capital could clearly sense a heavy, brooding atmosphere of an impending storm. The fact that the Prince of Ding's Mansion was being continuously attacked was not a secret kept from everyone; after all, the sounds of fighting and killing weren't exactly minor. However, since the imperial palace showed no reaction whatsoever, people began to catch on to the thoughts of the person in the palace. Yet, every now and then, a faint sense of unease would creep into their hearts. It would be fine if nothing happened to the Prince of Ding's Mansion, but if something truly went wrong, the Prince's return would also spell a terribly troublesome ordeal.
Over the next few days, word spread that the Princess of Dingnan had been frightened into falling bedridden, and even imperial summons from the palace were entirely rebuffed. With the Prince of Ding's Mansion closing its doors to visitors, both those genuinely worried and those looking to gather intelligence found themselves completely unable to ascertain the true condition of the Princess. Many people secretly came to believe the rumors of the Princess's critical illness. After all, she was only a teenager; no matter how capable she was, without the Prince by her side and enduring assassinations for over ten days straight—let alone a woman, even an average man would probably have cracked under the pressure.
"Your Ladyship, Chief Imperial Censor Xu requests an audience," Steward Mo reported respectfully.
The brush and ink in Ye Li's hand paused. She said indifferently, "Not seeing him. Please ask Lord Xu to return. Once my health improves, I will make a trip to the Censor's Mansion another day to pay my respects to my uncle and aunt."
Steward Mo hesitated for a moment before saying, "Lord Xu is very insistent, and even stated that if Her Ladyship insists on refusing him, he will immediately enter the palace to see the Emperor and bitterly denounce the recent assassination attempts on the Prince of Ding's Mansion." In truth, it wasn't that no one had reported this matter to the Emperor; it was simply that all the memorial reports had been shelved by the Emperor without action, treated entirely as if nothing had happened. Some of these individuals were restrained by the Emperor's intentions, while others had been pacified by covert agents sent out by the Prince of Ding's Mansion. Thus, although the attacks on the estate were an open secret, on the surface everyone still played along with the Emperor in pretending to be oblivious.
Ye Li remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "Invite my uncle in."
Xu Hongyan followed Steward Mo in. Steward Mo bowed out at the doorway, leaving Xu Hongyan to enter the study alone. Ye Li put down her brush, stood up to greet him, and asked, "Uncle, why have you come?"
Xu Hongyan cast an exasperated glare at her and snapped, "If I hadn't come, would I just leave you here in the Prince of Ding's Mansion not knowing whether you're alive or dead?"
Ye Li smiled wryly, pulling Xu Hongyan into the study to sit down as she said, "What 'alive or dead'? Li'er is doing just fine. I've caused Uncle and Aunt to worry these past few days."
Xu Hongyan gave her a dry look. "Knowing we were worried and you still kept your second brother locked outside. If I hadn't come personally today, were you planning not to send a single message back to the family?" Ye Li looked at Xu Hongyan with a troubled expression and said, "Uncle, things in my estate these days..." Xu Hongyan frowned. "The capital is in utter chaos these days. Were those people stationed at our residence sent by you?" Ye Li nodded. "There's likely to be turmoil in the capital these next few days; Uncle and Aunt should be careful." Xu Hongyan furrowed his brows. "What on earth is the Emperor playing at!"
Ye Li smiled helplessly. "What else could he be playing at? He's using other people's hands to wipe out the Prince of Ding's Mansion while the Prince is away. Even if the Prince returns, he won't be able to pin the blame on the Emperor, right? When that time comes, the Prince will either have to bow his head and swallow this bitter pill, or if he loses his temper and attacks the Emperor, the Prince of Ding's Mansion will become ungrateful ingrates, and Li'er will probably end up cursed as a femme fatale."
How could Xu Hongyan not know this? His heart grew increasingly disappointed with the Emperor's actions. Looking at Ye Li, he asked softly, "You can't keep feigning illness forever, though. Do you have a plan?"
Ye Li lowered her gaze and smiled faintly, "A complete sweep, so that no one in this world will ever dare harbor evil intentions toward the Prince of Ding's Mansion again."
Xu Hongyan looked at Ye Li with some surprise. The niece before him still appeared as gentle and graceful as ever, but the flash of cold intent between her brows let him know she wasn't as harmless as she looked on the surface. Xu Hongyan sighed and said, "There's no problem with your uncle staying at your estate for a few days to take refuge, right?" Ye Li frowned, voicing her disapproval, "Uncle, how can that be?"
Xu Hongyan raised an eyebrow. "They say an uncle is like a mother; surely this uncle is allowed to enjoy some peace courtesy of his niece?"
Ye Li smiled bitterly. In ordinary, peaceful times, she couldn't invite her uncle and aunt over even if she tried, fearing it would bring trouble to them and the Prince of Ding's Mansion and invite the Emperor's忌讳 (taboo/jealousy). Now that the estate was a mess, coming here would only mean sharing in the terror and anxiety—how could anyone enjoy any peace? "Uncle, once some time passes, Li'er can invite you and Aunt into the mansion to properly enjoy yourselves, alright?"
Xu Hongyan looked at her calmly, neither objecting nor agreeing. Ye Li helplessly rubbed the bridge of her nose and lowered her head. She was no stranger to this expression from her uncle; it meant that no matter what she said, it was useless—he had already made up his mind. Ye Li had no choice but to yield. "Since that's how it is, Li'er will have someone prepare a courtyard for Uncle. Qin Feng, Mo Hua."
Qin Feng and Mo Hua walked in from outside, took one look at Xu Hongyan, and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Her Ladyship; greetings, Lord Xu."
Ye Li waved her hand. "Spare the formal courtesies. Second Uncle will be staying temporarily in the estate for a few days; Mo Hua, make the arrangements." Mo Hua nodded, understanding that the Princess meant for him to assign shadow guards to secretly protect Xu Hongyan. Qin Feng asked, "Her Ladyship, should we dispatch more people to the Xu family and the Ye family residences?" Ye Li instructed, "Mo Hua, send a few more shadow guards to personally protect Madam Xu and the Second Young Master Xu. As for the Ye family residence, there's no need; everyone in the capital knows my relationship with my maiden family is cold and distant. Sending too many people would instead push them into danger."
"This subordinate understands. I will attend to it immediately." Mo Hua nodded, turned, and strode away.
Qin Feng looked at Xu Hongyan and asked, "Your Ladyship, where should Lord Xu's courtyard be arranged..."
Ye Li directed, "Just arrange it in the courtyard closest to the main residence. Also, send someone to tell Feng San to speed things up; the sooner these matters are resolved, the better."
Qin Feng's spirits lifted as he smiled, "This subordinate understands, and will immediately send word to Third Young Master Feng." These days, they had been driven to distraction by those endless waves of seemingly unkillable assassins. Being able to settle everything in one go naturally put him in high spirits. Turning to head out, Qin Feng felt light-hearted; Her Ladyship had given the code name 'Extermination', which meant that any assassin who dared to set foot inside the Prince of Ding's Mansion would absolutely not leave on their own two feet!
"Your Ladyship."
In the study, Ye Li paused the chess piece that was about to fall and looked up toward the doorway at Qin Feng. "What is it?" Qin Feng reported, "The assassin has confessed." Mo Hua, who was sitting opposite Ye Li, brightened and also set down his chess piece, staring fixedly at Qin Feng. Qin Feng smiled and said, "Her Ladyship's method was indeed effective. By yesterday noon, a few of those assassins couldn't take it anymore and confessed, but the assassin leader held out until just now before finally breaking." Ye Li nodded with satisfaction, clearing away the chess pieces and board as she said, "Bring him over, and bring the confessions of these people as well." Qin Feng acknowledged the order and left to carry it out.
Not long after, a man with a face full of exhaustion and haggardness was escorted in by two guards, one on each side. Just looking at the crimson bloodshot eyes of the man and the way he guardily stared at Ye Li, one could tell he had reached his absolute limit. Having gone without food, drink, or sleep for several consecutive days and nights, the man was now in an extreme state of physical and mental weakness. Even if she were to release him right now, he would immediately collapse and sleep himself to death right outside the gates of the Prince of Ding's Mansion.
Looking with a smile at the man forced to kneel on the ground, Ye Li spoke gently, "It has been a few days, trust you have been well, Your Excellency?" The man's blood-red eyes seemed ready to spit fire as he stared viciously at the woman in green before him. Ye Li didn't mind in the slightest, toying with the jade bracelet on her wrist as she sighed softly, "You needn't look at me like that. Using this method to deal with all of you was something I was forced into. My husband is away, and with so many of you bullying a frail woman like me, it can hardly be considered an honorable thing to do, can it?"
The man was already listless to begin with; the fact that he could still muster the energy to glare at Ye Li at this moment was enough to prove his resilience. Unfortunately, it had zero effect on Ye Li. Soon enough, his momentum fizzled out entirely, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "What on earth do you want?" Ye Li slowly withdrew her smile, turning serious as she said, "Tell me who the mastermind behind the scenes is."
"I've already told you."
Ye Li sneered, casually tossing the confession notes in her hand onto the table as she smiled, "When it comes to fabricating false confessions, I'm afraid you can't quite be considered an expert. Zhuojing..."
An San nodded and said, "This subordinate understands. The courses on interrogation and intelligence analysis will be doubled."
Ye Li nodded in satisfaction, glancing down at the man on the ground. "You still don't wish to talk? Then go back and continue resting. Rest assured, I won't take your life. Let him rest for an hour before starting the interrogation again." Hearing Ye Li's words, the man's complexion finally changed. Qin Feng frowned and asked, "If you let him rest fully and then start over, will it affect the results?" Ye Li smiled, "One hour—don't worry, I believe that after a brief rest, this gentleman will be able to appreciate the wondrous subtleties of this interrogation technique even more."
"No, I'll talk..." the man said with an ashen face.
Ye Li instructed, "Very well. Who sent you? Don't tell me it's the person in the palace again; although you're only confessing now, those subordinates of yours weren't truly entirely ignorant of everything. The leader of Night Kill, the third-ranked assassin organization in the pugilistic world? Hmm?" The man's expression shifted, and he looked somewhat powerlessly at Ye Li, speaking in a raspy whisper, "Her Ladyship is truly resourceful." Ye Li smiled, taking it as a compliment, and raised an eyebrow as she asked, "Your answer?"
The man replied, "I don't know who the other party actually is, but judging from their appearance and accent, they seem to be people from Xiling."
Ye Li fell into contemplation for a moment before asking, "Where else did he contact you?"
The man said, "Night Kill is based in the south, specifically near... Yongzhou. When the other party came to find us, the Prince of Ding had not yet left the capital, so we had no intention of taking on this job. However, the other party swore with absolute certainty that within a month at most, the Prince of Ding would definitely leave the capital. Thus, they offered a heavy bounty to have us infiltrate the capital in advance. If the Prince of Ding didn't leave, we wouldn't have to make a move. Ten days ago, the Prince of Ding indeed departed the capital, and after observing for another ten days, we noticed that we weren't the only ones from Night Kill infiltrating the estate, which is why we decided to strike."
Ye Li smiled lightly. "Very well, where is your leader?"
The man started in shock, looking at Ye Li in utter astonishment. Ye Li said calmly, "For you lot to observe for ten days before striking means you are not the kind of people to act rashly. This Princess does not believe that the various waves of assassins over the past few days failing to return could not allow you to properly evaluate the strength of the Prince of Ding's Mansion. To know that something cannot be done and yet do it anyway? That can only mean one thing: you... are not the true leader of Night Kill, aren't you?" Seeing the man lower his head in silence, Ye Li didn't mind. She pulled a sheet of paper from the table, picked up a brush, and swiftly wrote for a moment before looking up and handing it to Qin Feng. "Take this down and question them according to what's written here. If you still can't get anything out of them, you don't need to bring him back. This Princess doesn't have that much patience left." Qin Feng glanced over the slip of paper, waved his hand at the guards, and led the men out.
Mo Hua stared fixedly at Ye Li and asked, "Her Ladyship knew all along that he wasn't the real leader? Since that was the case, why waste time on him?"
Ye Li smiled helplessly and said, "Although we knew he was merely a scout, we didn't actually know where the rest of Night Kill was, did we? This Princess feels that... if we can't find these people quickly, we're going to have big trouble." Mo Hua gritted his teeth and said, "Even if the person in the palace didn't participate, they definitely know these people's plans. The shadow guards running into obstruction everywhere trying to find people in the capital these past few days is undoubtedly the handiwork of that person." Ye Li replied indifferently, "Have the shadow guards really reached the point where they can be easily obstructed by palace guards?" Mo Hua's face turned livid, and he was unable to speak for a long time. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and asked, "Does Her Ladyship have any brilliant strategies!"
Ye Li shrugged and smiled. "No brilliant strategies. We meet all changes with immutability."
Half an hour later, Qin Feng returned with a fresh set of confessions from the assassins. The expression on his face carried a much heavier murderous intent than before. Without rushing to read the confession, Ye Li asked, "Is the man dead?" Qin Feng shook his head. "Not dead, passed out." Ye Li nodded, lowering her gaze to read the confession in her hands. A cold smile gradually blossomed at the corners of her lips. "Very well..." Raising her hand, she passed the confession to Mo Hua and Zhuojing. The moment the two of them read it, their expressions turned grave as well. Mo Hua stood up and declared, "This subordinate will immediately mobilize all shadow guards near the capital back to the estate!"
"Stay where you are!" Ye Li said calmly.
Mo Hua turned back with a look of angry indignation, glaring at Ye Li as he protested, "Her Ladyship, the various factions have clearly united and intend to launch an assault on the mansion. Once they—"
"Once they step inside, this Princess will make sure they have no way back!" Ye Li sneered. Mo Hua was momentarily stunned. Seemingly cowed by the unreservedly unleashed murderous aura radiating from Ye Li, he frowned and argued, "Although the estate's defenses are formidable, it is simply impossible to simultaneously defend against so many martial arts experts. Not only is Her Ladyship's safety at stake, but there are also many vital areas within the grounds..."
Ye Li's smile was gentle, yet it sent an involuntary chill straight to the marrow of everyone listening. "There is no need to worry. Send word to General Sun, ordering him to lead the Black Cloud Cavalry to secure every single route leading in and out of the capital; any assassins discovered trying to flee are to be executed without pardon. The shadow guards will secure all parts of the capital; anyone caught escaping is to be killed! Additionally, any shadow guards stationed near the Prince of Ding's Mansion who spot suspicious individuals around the estate are to immediately surround the Prince of Ding's Mansion—entry is permitted, but no one leaves."
"This subordinate obeys," Qin Feng and Zhuojing said respectfully.
Mo Hua looked at the two of them and likewise acknowledged the order respectfully. Ye Li nodded and instructed Qin Feng, "Release all your people and let them train in the field. Their first mission carries the code name 'Extermination'."
Qin Feng nodded with a hint of excitement, saying, "This subordinate understands; we will definitely not let down Her Ladyship's trust."
Ye Li waved her hand to dismiss the three men, looked up at the bright sunlight outside the window, and couldn't help letting out a sigh. In the span of just over ten days, the Prince of Ding's Mansion had already been turned into a sea of blood. Yet... no matter what, she had to protect this estate. This wasn't merely a magnificent princely residence; it was also her home.
Ever since the Prince of Ding left the capital, the elites of the capital could clearly sense a heavy, brooding atmosphere of an impending storm. The fact that the Prince of Ding's Mansion was being continuously attacked was not a secret kept from everyone; after all, the sounds of fighting and killing weren't exactly minor. However, since the imperial palace showed no reaction whatsoever, people began to catch on to the thoughts of the person in the palace. Yet, every now and then, a faint sense of unease would creep into their hearts. It would be fine if nothing happened to the Prince of Ding's Mansion, but if something truly went wrong, the Prince's return would also spell a terribly troublesome ordeal.
Over the next few days, word spread that the Princess of Dingnan had been frightened into falling bedridden, and even imperial summons from the palace were entirely rebuffed. With the Prince of Ding's Mansion closing its doors to visitors, both those genuinely worried and those looking to gather intelligence found themselves completely unable to ascertain the true condition of the Princess. Many people secretly came to believe the rumors of the Princess's critical illness. After all, she was only a teenager; no matter how capable she was, without the Prince by her side and enduring assassinations for over ten days straight—let alone a woman, even an average man would probably have cracked under the pressure.
"Your Ladyship, Chief Imperial Censor Xu requests an audience," Steward Mo reported respectfully.
The brush and ink in Ye Li's hand paused. She said indifferently, "Not seeing him. Please ask Lord Xu to return. Once my health improves, I will make a trip to the Censor's Mansion another day to pay my respects to my uncle and aunt."
Steward Mo hesitated for a moment before saying, "Lord Xu is very insistent, and even stated that if Her Ladyship insists on refusing him, he will immediately enter the palace to see the Emperor and bitterly denounce the recent assassination attempts on the Prince of Ding's Mansion." In truth, it wasn't that no one had reported this matter to the Emperor; it was simply that all the memorial reports had been shelved by the Emperor without action, treated entirely as if nothing had happened. Some of these individuals were restrained by the Emperor's intentions, while others had been pacified by covert agents sent out by the Prince of Ding's Mansion. Thus, although the attacks on the estate were an open secret, on the surface everyone still played along with the Emperor in pretending to be oblivious.
Ye Li remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "Invite my uncle in."
Xu Hongyan followed Steward Mo in. Steward Mo bowed out at the doorway, leaving Xu Hongyan to enter the study alone. Ye Li put down her brush, stood up to greet him, and asked, "Uncle, why have you come?"
Xu Hongyan cast an exasperated glare at her and snapped, "If I hadn't come, would I just leave you here in the Prince of Ding's Mansion not knowing whether you're alive or dead?"
Ye Li smiled wryly, pulling Xu Hongyan into the study to sit down as she said, "What 'alive or dead'? Li'er is doing just fine. I've caused Uncle and Aunt to worry these past few days."
Xu Hongyan gave her a dry look. "Knowing we were worried and you still kept your second brother locked outside. If I hadn't come personally today, were you planning not to send a single message back to the family?" Ye Li looked at Xu Hongyan with a troubled expression and said, "Uncle, things in my estate these days..." Xu Hongyan frowned. "The capital is in utter chaos these days. Were those people stationed at our residence sent by you?" Ye Li nodded. "There's likely to be turmoil in the capital these next few days; Uncle and Aunt should be careful." Xu Hongyan furrowed his brows. "What on earth is the Emperor playing at!"
Ye Li smiled helplessly. "What else could he be playing at? He's using other people's hands to wipe out the Prince of Ding's Mansion while the Prince is away. Even if the Prince returns, he won't be able to pin the blame on the Emperor, right? When that time comes, the Prince will either have to bow his head and swallow this bitter pill, or if he loses his temper and attacks the Emperor, the Prince of Ding's Mansion will become ungrateful ingrates, and Li'er will probably end up cursed as a femme fatale."
How could Xu Hongyan not know this? His heart grew increasingly disappointed with the Emperor's actions. Looking at Ye Li, he asked softly, "You can't keep feigning illness forever, though. Do you have a plan?"
Ye Li lowered her gaze and smiled faintly, "A complete sweep, so that no one in this world will ever dare harbor evil intentions toward the Prince of Ding's Mansion again."
Xu Hongyan looked at Ye Li with some surprise. The niece before him still appeared as gentle and graceful as ever, but the flash of cold intent between her brows let him know she wasn't as harmless as she looked on the surface. Xu Hongyan sighed and said, "There's no problem with your uncle staying at your estate for a few days to take refuge, right?" Ye Li frowned, voicing her disapproval, "Uncle, how can that be?"
Xu Hongyan raised an eyebrow. "They say an uncle is like a mother; surely this uncle is allowed to enjoy some peace courtesy of his niece?"
Ye Li smiled bitterly. In ordinary, peaceful times, she couldn't invite her uncle and aunt over even if she tried, fearing it would bring trouble to them and the Prince of Ding's Mansion and invite the Emperor's忌讳 (taboo/jealousy). Now that the estate was a mess, coming here would only mean sharing in the terror and anxiety—how could anyone enjoy any peace? "Uncle, once some time passes, Li'er can invite you and Aunt into the mansion to properly enjoy yourselves, alright?"
Xu Hongyan looked at her calmly, neither objecting nor agreeing. Ye Li helplessly rubbed the bridge of her nose and lowered her head. She was no stranger to this expression from her uncle; it meant that no matter what she said, it was useless—he had already made up his mind. Ye Li had no choice but to yield. "Since that's how it is, Li'er will have someone prepare a courtyard for Uncle. Qin Feng, Mo Hua."
Qin Feng and Mo Hua walked in from outside, took one look at Xu Hongyan, and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Her Ladyship; greetings, Lord Xu."
Ye Li waved her hand. "Spare the formal courtesies. Second Uncle will be staying temporarily in the estate for a few days; Mo Hua, make the arrangements." Mo Hua nodded, understanding that the Princess meant for him to assign shadow guards to secretly protect Xu Hongyan. Qin Feng asked, "Her Ladyship, should we dispatch more people to the Xu family and the Ye family residences?" Ye Li instructed, "Mo Hua, send a few more shadow guards to personally protect Madam Xu and the Second Young Master Xu. As for the Ye family residence, there's no need; everyone in the capital knows my relationship with my maiden family is cold and distant. Sending too many people would instead push them into danger."
"This subordinate understands. I will attend to it immediately." Mo Hua nodded, turned, and strode away.
Qin Feng looked at Xu Hongyan and asked, "Your Ladyship, where should Lord Xu's courtyard be arranged..."
Ye Li directed, "Just arrange it in the courtyard closest to the main residence. Also, send someone to tell Feng San to speed things up; the sooner these matters are resolved, the better."
Qin Feng's spirits lifted as he smiled, "This subordinate understands, and will immediately send word to Third Young Master Feng." These days, they had been driven to distraction by those endless waves of seemingly unkillable assassins. Being able to settle everything in one go naturally put him in high spirits. Turning to head out, Qin Feng felt light-hearted; Her Ladyship had given the code name 'Extermination', which meant that any assassin who dared to set foot inside the Prince of Ding's Mansion would absolutely not leave on their own two feet!