The First Jasmine - Chapter 127
Chapter 127 - After the Assassination
"His Majesty is wise; on behalf of General Zhang, Ye Li thanks Your Majesty."
Just inside the front gates, Ye Li stepped out gracefully, still clad in pristine white. Standing upon the outer steps, she cast a gaze down at the assorted high-ranking nobles with their complex expressions and Mo Jingqi, whose face remained dark and brooding. Slowly walking up to Mo Jingqi, she offered a slight, formal curtsy. "The Princess of Ding, Ye Li, respectfully welcomes the imperial carriage."
Mo Jingqi started, casting a complicated look at the white-robed woman kneeling before him. Yet, refusing to let the slightest hesitation show on his face, he smiled with an expression of profound relief, "It is truly wonderful that the Princess of Ding is safe and sound; that way, I can answer to the Prince. Has Her Ladyship suffered any fright?" Ye Li pressed her lips together into a shallow smile and said, "It was indeed somewhat terrifying, but the guards of the estate were personally arranged by His Highness. Ye Li believes that as long as they draw breath, they will never let anyone harm her."
"What Her Ladyship says is true; all of us subordinates swear with our lives to protect Her Ladyship's safety," Steward Mo stated in a deep voice from the side.
"We swear with our lives to protect Her Ladyship's safety!" the guards stationed outside the grand gates echoed in unison.
Mo Jingqi's expression darkened slightly as he forced a somewhat rigid smile and said, "The entire household of the Prince of Ding's Mansion is bound by loyalty and courage; the Princess and the Prince are truly blessed. By my decree, tonight every single guard of the Prince of Ding's Mansion shall be rewarded with ten taels of gold as a token of commendation."
Ye Li smiled and said, "We thank Your Majesty for your grace. Will Your Majesty please step inside?"
Mo Jingqi made to step forward, only to catch sight of the bloodstains faintly seeping out from within the grand gates. As the morning breeze blew gently, the pungent odor of blood drifting from the courtyard was even heavier than the stench outside. One could easily imagine, through imagination alone, how fierce the combat within the Prince of Ding's Mansion had been that night. Mo Jingqi's expression stiffened, and he forced a smile. "Now that the Prince is away from the estate, I and the various ministers shall not go inside. Since Her Ladyship has suffered a fright today, it is best to rest and recuperate properly. Later, I will have the Empress send a couple of imperial physicians over to examine and treat Her Ladyship. I shall return to the palace first; the early morning court session should be starting soon anyway."
Ye Li nodded and said respectfully, "In that case, Ye Li respectfully bids Your Majesty farewell."
Mo Jingqi waved his hand and turned back to re-enter the dragon carriage. Moments later, escorted by imperial guards and the nobles, the dragon carriage drove off in the direction of the imperial palace. Ye Li stood outside the grand gates until the dragon carriage vanished around the corner of the street. Steward Mo stepped forward and said, "Your Ladyship..." Ye Li said indifferently, "Let us return inside."
Turning back into the estate, Ye Li strolled leisurely across the blood-stained garden corridors, watching with cold eyes as corpses were carried away or left lying across the courtyards, before finally returning to the study.
Xu Hongyan was still sitting in the study drinking tea just as he had been when Ye Li left, except that he now held a half-read volume of poetry in his hand. Hearing Ye Li enter, he set down the book, looked her over, and asked, "Is everything settled?"
Ye Li smiled with a hint of apology, "I have caused Uncle worry."
Xu Hongyan shook his head. "There is little our family can do to help you these days; is there any damage within the estate?" Ye Li sighed softly, "Casualties are inevitable, but everything is manageable. Li'er will handle it properly, so Uncle need not worry."
Xu Hongyan spoke softly, "Tonight, Uncle learned that Li'er handles matters far more steadily than your second brother and the others. Just handle these affairs as you see fit; Uncle will meddle no further. If there is anything our family can assist with, simply send someone to the Censorate to drop a word."
Ye Li nodded, lowering her voice, "Li'er understands. Thank you for worrying over me, Uncle."
"Your Ladyship." Not long after, Feng Zhiyao and the others finished dealing with external matters and returned to report. Ye Li nodded, invited everyone to take their seats, and asked softly, "How did the operations go?" Feng Zhiyao smiled vibrantly. "Her Ladyship may rest easy; the enemies everywhere have been completely wiped out. Although General Sun has not yet returned, can Her Ladyship possibly doubt the combat prowess of the Black Cloud Cavalry?"
Ye Li smiled faintly. "I trust General Sun and the capabilities of the Black Cloud Cavalry. Let us hear each respective report from everyone."
Zhang Qilan stated in a ringing voice, "Reporting to Her Ladyship, all assassins outside the Prince of Ding's Mansion have been captured; those who offered stubborn resistance were killed!" Even a simple operational report delivered by this formidable military general radiated an overwhelming aura of murderous dominance.
"Reporting to Her Ladyship, all suspicious persons in the hidden corners of the capital have fallen under the control of the shadow guards. Thirty-six individuals offered resistance and have been executed," Mo Hua reported in a deep voice.
Qin Feng stood quietly with his hands at his sides, stating indifferently, "All assassins who breached the Prince of Ding's Mansion have been shown no quarter—killed without exception."
Mo Hua glanced up at Qin Feng and remained silent. Twirling his folding fan, Feng Zhiyao smiled, "It seems tonight those scoundrels were truly rounded up without a single one escaping. We'll be busy again these next couple of days, Qin Feng—don't you dare try to steal my share of the work." Without even lifting his eyelids, Qin Feng replied indifferently, "This subordinate naturally obeys Her Ladyship's instructions." Feng Zhiyao curled his lips, looking longingly toward Ye Li. Ye Li smiled faintly, "If Third Young Master Feng is interested, you are welcome to follow Qin Feng and take a look, and perhaps offer them some pointers along the way. After all, their experience in these matters is still rather lacking." Feng Zhiyao's eyes lit up as he cupped his fists and smiled, "Many thanks, Your Ladyship."
"Subordinate Sunç‚Ž requests an audience with Her Ladyship," Sun Yan's deep voice sounded from outside the door.
Ye Li smiled. "Please come in, General Sun; we were just waiting for you."
Sun Yan pushed the door open, glanced at the people gathered inside, and cupped his fists toward Ye Li, saying, "With Her Ladyship's brilliant foresight, this subordinate dispatched men to guard every major route leading out of the capital. Sure enough, at the fifth watch, we intercepted a large number of suspicious individuals attempting to flee the capital. We executed twenty-six on the spot and captured seven alive. Awaiting Her Ladyship's instructions."
Ye Li rubbed her brow. "Having captured so many people, our Prince of Ding's Mansion certainly cannot house them all. Qin Feng, Zhuojing, select what you need early; as for those of no further use, send them off to the Court of Judicial Review." Qin Feng and Zhuojing both nodded, turned around, and walked out. Feng Zhiyao looked around at the assembly and asked with a smile, "Your Ladyship, how do you plan to deal with Mu Qingcang?" Aside from Mo Hua, who had been present at the scene, Zhang Qilan and Sun Yan were both stunned. "Mu Qingcang?" Though they served in the military, they had certainly heard of Mu Qingcang's reputation as the greatest expert in Great Chu. They had never imagined that Mu Qingcang would actually end up falling into the Princess's hands.
Xu Hongyan frowned and asked, "Is Mu Qingcang that concubine-born son of the Marquis of Muyang's Estate?"
Steward Mo smiled. "Indeed. Although very few people know Mu Qingcang's true background, several families in the capital are aware of it. He is the eldest son of the Marquis of Muyang, and the older brother of the current Marquis's heir, Mu Yang."
Zhang Qilan and Sun Yan were taken aback once more. They had only known Mu Qingcang by his reputation as the top expert, remaining completely unaware of such family ties. However, given that the Marquis of Muyang had only fathered Mu Yang as an only son past his thirties, it was plausible for him to have a son as old as Mu Qingcang. Still, the hidden secrets of these noble households were not something outsiders could easily pry into. Xu Hongyan remained silent for a long while before finally letting out a heavy sigh as he stood up. "Let Li'er decide these matters on her own; this old man is somewhat tired and will return to his room to rest for a while." Ye Li nodded and promptly instructed servants to escort Xu Hongyan back. Watching him leave, Feng Zhiyao asked with some puzzlement, "What does Lord Xu mean by this?" Ye Li replied indifferently, "Nothing. Uncle is merely disappointed in certain people and certain things." With her second uncle's sharp intellect, how could he fail to guess what kind of people were operating behind Mu Qingcang?
Unbothered, Feng Zhiyao smiled, "Actually, I have no interest in how Her Ladyship deals with Mu Qingcang; what interests this subordinate far more is the identity of the people who managed to capture him in the first place."
As soon as those words were spoken, every gaze in the study landed upon Ye Li. Lowering her head to take a sip of clear tea, Ye Li glanced at the brightening sky outside and smiled faintly, "Naturally, they are also people belonging to the Prince of Ding's Mansion. As for who they specifically are... I cannot reveal that to you all just yet, but I believe it won't be long before the Prince himself tells you." Zhang Qilan said excitedly, "The Prince knows about these forces as well?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow in mock surprise and smiled, "The Prince is the master of the Prince of Ding's Mansion; what person or affair under the estate's jurisdiction is unknown to him?" Realizing he had spoken out of turn, Zhang Qilan chuckled heartily and said, "Her Ladyship will have to forgive me; my meaning was simply... since His Highness also knows of this unit, might I perhaps request His Highness to allocate such a force to the Mo Army in the future? With their addition, whatever we might wish to accomplish would surely be much faster."
Ye Li arched a delicate brow, watching the excitement and elation written across Zhang Qilan's face. She hadn't expected Zhang Qilan, who usually appeared to be a straightforward and blunt military man, to possess such keen sensitivity when it came to the battlefield and troop quality. Choosing not to dampen his enthusiasm, she smiled indifferently, "General Zhang can discuss this with the Prince when he returns."
With the participation of Feng Zhiyao, an expert in interrogation, the questioning of this batch of assassins progressed at an astonishing pace. Naturally, this was also inseparable from the massive number of captives seized and the diverse origins of the infiltrators. On the third morning after the chaos at the Prince of Ding's Mansion, a thick bundle of case files appeared on Ye Li's desk. A casual flip through its contents was enough to shock anyone. The factions participating in this assassination attempt spanned across Great Chu, Xiling, Northern Rong, and Nanzhao; after reading through it, Ye Li couldn't help but want to offer a wry smile. For so many years, the Prince of Ding's Mansion had truly become a public enemy of the world, with everyone under the heavens wishing nothing more than to see them dead. However, after this incident, presumably not many people would dare harbor ideas against the Prince of Ding's Mansion ever again. Glancing out the window, Ye Li watched as a myriad of flowers bloomed brightly across the garden under the brilliant sunshine. Although merely two days had passed, not a trace of the previous days' blood and horror remained visible.
"Reporting to Her Ladyship, Mu Qingcang wishes to see Your Ladyship."
Ye Li put down the case files, raised an eyebrow, and smiled, "He couldn't hold out even for three days?"
Qin Feng frowned. "Ever since his capture, Mu Qingcang has been rather listless. We subordinates strictly followed Her Ladyship's instructions and did not subject him to torture. It was his own decision to request an audience with Your Ladyship; until he sees Your Ladyship, he refuses to utter a word." Waving a hand, Ye Li smiled, "Torture is useless on a man like Mu Qingcang; it would only serve to stir up hatred and stubborn defiance within him. Bring him here."
In disapproval, Qin Feng said, "Your Ladyship, bringing him directly to the study is somewhat..."
"It is fine, he can no longer cause any trouble. Go."
Not long after, Mu Qingcang was escorted into the study. In the span of just three short days, he had transformed from the formidable, murderous assassin in black into a disheveled, haggard prisoner of war. Looking into his eyes, Ye Li found neither vitality nor a single spark of light; sighing inwardly, she acknowledged that Mu Qingcang had indeed grown old.
"Dismiss yourselves," Ye Li instructed Qin Feng, who was standing beside Mu Qingcang. Qin Feng swept a razor-sharp gaze over Mu Qingcang before silently withdrawing from the room. A heavy silence settled over the study until, after a long moment, Mu Qingcang spoke. "I never imagined that the people of the Prince of Ding's Mansion would willingly and sincerely submit to the orders of a woman scarcely in her teens." Ye Li said indifferently, "Whether I am in my teens or my decades, Master Mu should at least acknowledge my other identity—I am the Princess of Ding. That alone is quite enough to command their obedience." Mu Qingcang shook his head. "The Princess of Ding... a Princess of Ding capable of directing both the Black Cloud Cavalry and the Mo Army is a rare sight indeed in the history of Great Chu." Ye Li smiled faintly. "Master Mu flatters me."
"What is it you wish to know?" Mu Qingcang asked straight to the point.
Without standing on ceremony, Ye Li countered, "What is it that Master Mu wishes to obtain?"
With a detached expression, Mu Qingcang maintained a long silence before asking, "Presumably Her Ladyship already knows my identity?"
Ye Li smiled gracefully at the man before her who, despite being barely forty years old, already wore the look of a weather-beaten elder, offering neither confirmation nor denial. Unbothered, Mu Qingcang asked of his own accord, "Over these past few days, has anyone inquired after me with Your Ladyship?"
Lowering her gaze, Ye Li smiled faintly, "What kind of person would Master Mu hope is inquiring about your news? After committing the act of breaking into the Prince of Ding's Mansion to assassinate the Princess, does Master Mu believe there is anyone in this Chu capital who would dare associate themselves with you? To speak boldly, even the current Emperor wouldn't dare acknowledge any connection to you at a time like this."
Mu Qingcang's expression darkened as he looked at Ye Li. "Presumably Her Ladyship has already discovered my true identity?"
Ye Li smiled without a word, prompting a glint of greater certainty in Mu Qingcang's eyes as he murmured, "As expected of the Princess of Ding; I am truly impressed." Shaking her head, Ye Li replied, "No, I know nothing at all; I only wish for the safety and peace of the Prince of Ding's Mansion and my family. So, what is it that Master Mu desires?"
With hollow and bewildered eyes, Mu Qingcang muttered softly, "What is it I desire..."
Lowering her eyes to her hands resting upon the desk, Ye Li said softly, "Since Master Mu wished to see this Princess, you must have some sort of bargain you wish to strike with me. Therefore... there must surely be something Master Mu wants."
After a prolonged silence, Mu Qingcang raised his head to look at Ye Li. "Her Ladyship must be thoroughly familiar with my background, but I want to know—in their hearts, what on earth am I considered to be!"
With a trace of pity, Ye Li looked at him and said indifferently, "Master Mu, why torture yourself so? If you wish to walk away from these entanglements, it is not entirely impossible. With your skills, once you leave the people and affairs of the Chu capital behind, wouldn't the world be as boundless as the sky for a bird to fly?"
A flicker of dimness and sorrow crossed Mu Qingcang's eyes as he shook his head. "If I wished to leave, I could have accomplished it by my own hand, couldn't I?"
"Have you made up your mind, Master Mu?" Ye Li confirmed.
Mu Qingcang nodded firmly. Gently bowing her head, Ye Li said, "In that case, Master Mu, please show this Princess what bargaining chips you actually possess."
Mu Qingcang replied, "I will certainly make sure Her Ladyship is satisfied."