The First Jasmine - Chapter 151

Chapter 151 - Shocking News

Having seen off the Marquis of Nan, the Heir of Nan rushed out from inside, his face already covered in tears. Zhuo Jing and Lin Han followed behind him, both looking utterly helpless; if they hadn't been holding the Heir back, he would have charged out long ago. Seeing the Heir heading straight for the main entrance, Ye Li stood up and called out, "Where do you think you are going?"

The Heir froze in his tracks as Zhuo Jing and Lin Han swiftly flanked him, blocking his path forward. The Heir turned back and said, "As a son and a husband, how can I stand by and watch my parents, wife, and child be unjustly thrown into prison? What's more, this whole mess started because of me in the first place!" Ye Li walked over to stand in front of him and said indifferently, "What good will charging out right now do? Aside from adding one more person to be thrown into the imperial prison and dragged to the execution ground? Or do you intend to argue your case before the Emperor—do you truly think His Majesty would grant you such an opportunity?" The Heir buried his face in his hands in agony. How could he not understand what Ye Li was saying? Yet now, aside from accompanying his father back to the capital and facing all of this alongside his family, what else could he possibly do?

"This departure of the Marquis of Nan might not entirely be a path to death," Mo Xiurao said with a subtle frown as he looked at them.

The Heir looked toward Mo Xiurao in pleasant surprise. Mo Xiurao knitted his brows and explained, "Duke Hua possesses the Iron Certificate and Cinnabar Decree granted to the Hua Family by Emperor Gaozong. Even a capital crime can be pardoned with it."

"However..." The Heir hesitated. He had heard of the Iron Certificate and Cinnabar Decree before, but in the current dynasty, only the Hua Family—having saved Emperor Gaozong's life back in the day—had ever been bestowed one. Even the Imperial Protector Prince Ding's Manor did not possess such an artifact. But for something so precious, the Duke Hua's Manor... Mo Xiurao lowered his eyes and said, "Duke Hua will certainly not begrudge a mere lifeless object. This Prince only fears... fears that Mo Jingqi is determined to take the Marquis's life. Even if the Iron Certificate and Cinnabar Decree manages to save him from execution, he may still find it difficult to escape death." Ye Li had clearly anticipated Mo Xiurao's concern as well. She nodded slightly, then turned her head toward Lin Han and ordered, "Send word to Mo Hua. Have him do everything in his power to ensure the Marquis's safety."

The Heir gradually calmed down. He bowed deeply to the two of them and said, "Nan Junfei offers his deepest thanks to the Prince and Princess."

Ye Li shook her head and replied, "Heir, why stand on such formality?" The Heir let out a bitter smile and said, "This humble one's courtesy name is Junfei. From now on, Your Highness and Your Grace should just call me by my name. How can I still consider myself an heir at a time like this?"

"Reporting to the Prince and Princess, that official named Zhou left behind a letter for Her Grace before leaving." Outside the door, a guard presented a sealed letter. Ye Li raised an eyebrow, somewhat puzzled as she took the letter and examined it to ensure there was nothing amiss. "Official Zhou?" The guard nodded and explained, "Just before leaving, Official Zhou privately handed this letter to your subordinate, requesting that it be passed to the Prince and Princess." Mo Xiurao frowned and asked, "Ah-Li knows Zhou Yu?" When Zhou Yu had walked in earlier, Ye Li's expression had betrayed a flicker of surprise; though it vanished in an instant, Mo Xiurao, who was always paying attention to her, had still caught it. Ye Li shook her head and said, "He should be one of the successful candidates from the recent imperial examination. I had a brief, single encounter with him last year." Even if Ye Li's memory was not strictly photographic, it was far better than average. The moment Zhou Yu spoke, she remembered him—he was precisely the scholar who was selling paintings at Shende Hall last year. She hadn't expected that not only had he passed the imperial examinations, but he had even become a registrar at the Court of Judicial Review. Although it was not a high-ranking post, it was a solid, practical role. As long as his abilities and luck weren't too terrible, he ought to have a promising future ahead.

Opening the letter, Ye Li glanced down at its contents, and her expression instantly changed. Silently, she handed the letter to Mo Xiurao. The moment Mo Xiurao read it, his already displeased face turned thoroughly grim. He slammed his hand against the table, rose to his feet, and shouted sternly, "Men! Retrieve the Marquis of Nan immediately! Anyone who dares to interfere—kill without mercy!" Zhuo Jing and Lin Han's expressions turned sharp as they chorused their agreement and swiftly hurried out. Nan Junfei realized something terrible had happened; his expression shifted dramatically, and he rushed out right behind Zhuo Jing and Lin Han.

Only Mo Xiurao and Ye Li were left in the main hall, where the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy. Seeing Mo Xiurao's grim face, Ye Li did not say much, silently sitting by his side and watching him. After a long while, Mo Xiurao seemed to finally regain his composure from his extreme fury, though a trace of exhaustion and helplessness lingered between his brows. Picking up the letter from the table once more, Mo Xiurao looked at Ye Li with a bitter smile and murmured, "Ah-Li, I feel so tired..."

Ye Li leaned against his shoulder in silence, gently patting him on the back. Mo Xiurao extended an arm to wrap around the young woman sitting beside him, drawing in the faint warmth emanating from her body, yet he could not dispel the deep, icy chill rising from the bottom of his heart. Looking at the letter in his hand, filled with familiar handwriting... Has the Imperial Protector Prince Ding's Manor truly become hated to such an extent? It's just... Emperor, acting in such a manner, are you not afraid that the Great Chu's sovereign territory will be completely ruined from this day forth?

The letter was actually not written by Zhou Yu. Instead, it was in Old Duke Hua's own handwriting. No one knew under what dire circumstances Old Duke Hua had been forced to rely on Zhou Yu—a petty official who had only entered court service half a year ago—to deliver this message. The situation described in the letter was what truly chilled one to the bone. Mo Jingqi had agreed to cede the territory of the Northwest's three provinces and eleven cities to Xiling. The condition was that Xiling would collude with him from the inside and outside to completely eradicate the entire Mo Family Army. Simultaneously participating in this operation were Mo Jinglei, who occupied the south, and the Kingdom of Nanzhao. In other words, it was highly probable that Nanzhao had already marched its troops into Suixue Pass at this very moment.

"Mo Jingqi has gone insane," Ye Li said softly. Combining the forces of three nations to deal with the Mo Family Army might indeed succeed. But had Mo Jingqi ever considered whether Xiling and Nanzhao would truly retreat according to the agreement once the Mo Family Army was annihilated? What difference was there between that and asking people to spit out meat they had already swallowed into their mouths? Mo Xiurao said in a heavy voice, "He is indeed a lunatic. Ah-Li, it seems you have married a husband who brings endless trouble." Ye Li let out a helpless smile and replied, "It's too late to realize that now."

The Marquis of Nan and his party were brought back very quickly; when Zhuo Jing and Lin Han intercepted them, the group had only just passed through the city gates. In less than fifteen minutes, they were brought right back to the Prefect's Estate. Wang Jingchuan's face was extremely unsightly as he asked in a heavy voice, "Prince Ding, what is the meaning of this?" The Marquis of Nan was also looking at Mo Xiurao with a face full of confusion, though he understood that Prince Ding would not have had them brought back without a good reason. Mo Xiurao stared cold and detached at Wang Jingchuan, asking indifferently, "Official Wang, is there something you forgot to inform this Prince?"

Hearing this, Wang Jingchuan's heart sank. For some unknown reason, he suddenly felt that the currently calm and indifferent Prince Ding was far more terrifying than the Prince Ding who had deliberately released his coercive aura earlier. Forcing a smile, he asked, "What does Your Highness mean by this? Please forgive your subordinate's dull-wittedness."

Mo Xiurao sneered, "What a fine 'dull-wittedness.' This Prince did not know that His Majesty would dispatch such a dull-witted person to the Northwest. Since Official Wang cannot remember, this Prince doesn't mind reminding you of a thing or two. For instance... the matter of secretly executing the Marquis of Nan on the return journey to the capital. Surely Official Wang has not forgotten that, hmm?" Wang Jingchuan's eyes widened in sheer shock. This secret imperial edict was something he had received in person from the Emperor right before leaving the capital. It could be said that in this entire world, no one knew about it except himself and the Emperor. After receiving the edict, he had ridden post-haste to the Northwest; Wang Jingchuan truly could not comprehend how the spies of the Imperial Protector Prince Ding's Manor—even if they possessed divine, sky-reaching capabilities—could have possibly obtained such top-secret information! Upon hearing Mo Xiurao's words, the Marquis of Nan froze for a moment before bursting into a bitter laugh. Meanwhile, Nan Junfei, who was standing behind him, looked ready to burst with rage; if Lin Han hadn't been restraining him, he would have charged forward to tear Wang Jingchuan apart.

Wang Jingchuan also knew that now that he had fallen into Prince Ding's hands, there was nowhere left for him to run. His body went limp, and he fell to his knees on the ground. "Your Highness, spare me! Your humble servant was merely acting on imperial orders! I beg Your Highness for mercy!"

Mo Xiurao couldn't even be bothered to give him another look. Ye Li waved her hand and ordered, "Drag him down."

Wang Jingchuan was quickly dragged away by two guards. Only then did Ye Li look toward Zhou Yu, who was standing quietly to the side, and ask with a light smile, "Official Zhou, are you not afraid?"

Zhou Yu maintained a calm composure, cupping his hands in respect as he replied, "Your servant believes that Her Grace is not a person who slaughters the innocent indiscriminately." Ye Li offered a subtle smile and nodded. "We must thank Official Zhou for this matter. However, after taking this step, it might be somewhat difficult for you to give an explanation upon returning to the capital." The news of the deal between the Emperor and Xiling had been entrusted to Zhou Yu by Duke Hua, but the detail concerning the Marquis of Nan was something Zhou Yu had deduced on his own and added in. Wang Jingchuan had thought his secret was kept perfectly, unaware that during the days Zhou Yu spent by his side, Zhou Yu had already deduced the Emperor's intended handling of the Marquis of Nan's family purely from his usual actions and demeanor. Zhou Yu remained silent for a moment before speaking up, "Last year, it was thanks to Her Grace's helping hand that your servant was able to raise funds in time to hire a physician to treat my mother. A few days ago, my mother passed away peacefully of old age. Your servant should have requested leave to observe the filial mourning period for my mother, yet I was dispatched to accompany Official Wang to the Northwest instead. It can be seen that this was a twist of fate, giving your servant a chance to repay Her Grace's immense favor. Your servant is now all alone in this world, with nothing left to fear or hold me back."

Mo Xiurao fell into thought, then nodded and asked, "Since that is the case, is Official Zhou willing to abandon your official rank and temporarily remain in the Northwest?"

Zhou Yu was stunned. Although he was not afraid of death, he certainly had no desire to actively seek it. Prince Ding's gesture was clearly an intention to protect him. Glancing at Ye Li, who sat to the side facing him with a soft smile, Zhou Yu quickly made his decision. "Thank you, Your Highness, for taking me in."

"What about the Marquis of Nan and Official Wang? Does Your Highness have any plan?" Ye Li asked with a smile.

Mo Xiurao chuckled, "For Ah-Li to ask like this, you must already have a plan in mind."

Ye Li smiled charmingly. "The Northwest is currently in the midst of war, with Xiling soldiers wreaking havoc everywhere. It would not be surprising at all if Official Wang and his entourage unfortunately encountered bandits or Xiling soldiers and were wiped out entirely. What does Your Highness think?" Mo Xiurao praised, "Ah-Li's words are entirely correct." The Marquis of Nan stepped forward and bowed in gratitude, "Many thanks to the Prince and Princess." Ye Li shook her head and said, "Marquis, please settle down here with peace of mind. It's just that we must ask you to endure some hardship and concealment for a period of time." Thinking of his estate back in the capital, the Marquis of Nan let out a tragic, forlorn smile. "We can only leave it to fate. I only hope that once the Emperor hears the news of my son's and my deaths, he will show mercy and spare the rest of my family, young and old."

After resettling the Marquis of Nan and his son, Lin Han took his orders and went to arrange the scene where Wang Jingchuan and his party met their demise. Although the deaths of the Marquis of Nan, his son, and Zhou Yu were staged, Wang Jingchuan at least was genuine. Lin Han was also a master of disguise personally trained by Ye Li, so he naturally wouldn't leave any suspicious flaws at the scene. It was just that the Marquis and his son would inevitably have to conceal their identities in the short term. These matters could only be considered minor details for now; Ye Li and Mo Xiurao's entire attention was focused back on the secret letter sent by Duke Hua.

Upon receiving the news, even Feng Zhiyao, who usually maintained an unconcerned and careless demeanor, could not restrain his burning fury. He leaped up from his chair, intending to lead troops and charge right back to the capital, but Mo Xiurao called him back. With a dark face, Feng Zhiyao demanded, "Things have already reached such a state! Does Your Highness still intend to protect Mo Jingqi? Still intend to protect Great Chu? Mo Jingqi doesn't even care about this country—why are we all sticking our necks out for it?!" Mo Xiurao's expression was indifferent as he said in a heavy tone, "What this Prince has wanted to protect has never been Mo Jingqi, and what the Mo Family Army protects is not Great Chu's thousands of miles of territory either. It is the common people living on this land. Feng San, if we break off completely with Mo Jingqi at this moment, without even needing Xiling, Nanzhao, or Beirong to act, Great Chu itself will erupt into chaotic warfare with beacon fires burning everywhere."

Feng Zhiyao asked coldly, "Then what do we do now? Even if we say nothing, will Mo Jingqi just let it go? If we are fighting Xiling on the front lines, can Your Highness guarantee that he won't stab us in the back?" Mo Xiurao remained silent; he could not guarantee it. That Mo Jingqi could sign such an agreement with Xiling meant he was already prepared at any moment to stab the Mo Family Army in the back. But at that moment, a pair of warm, slender, and delicate hands gently held his. Mo Xiurao lifted his head, meeting Ye Li's smiling eyes. Ye Li looked at Feng Zhiyao, who was in an unprecedented state of fury, and said, "It is right not to make it public right now; we have no concrete evidence. Over these years, the faction Mo Jingqi has cultivated is by no means small. The Mo Family Army has a total of only seven hundred thousand troops. Feng San, do you still remember how many total troops Great Chu commands in all?"

Feng Zhiyao was startled. Gradually calming down, he pondered for a moment before saying, "Exceeding two million. Furthermore, Mo Jingqi is the Emperor; in secret, there might even be armies we know nothing about."

Ye Li nodded and explained, "Once we tear away all pretense, the common people will still lean toward believing the royal court most of the time. Even if ordinary citizens were to believe us, which would be beneficial to us in the long run, it brings zero benefit in the short term. Meanwhile, we would very likely have to face over two million troops simultaneously. No matter how brave and battle-tested the Mo Family Army is, it would be impossible to gain the upper hand against so many forces." Feng Zhiyao said unwillingly, "Are we just going to endure it like this?"

Ye Li shook her head. "It's not about enduring it like this; rather, we need time."

Feng Zhiyao fell silent for a long time before saying in unison, "I understand. However, Your Highness, Your Grace, I must make a trip back to the capital."

Mo Xiurao frowned and asked, "What can you accomplish by returning to the capital?"

Feng Zhiyao let out a bitter smile. "Your Highness, even the secret guards in the capital haven't received this news yet. As for where this information originated, both you and I know full well in our hearts. I am worried..." Mo Xiurao stated, "Your going back will only make things more dangerous for her. Feng San, you have never been someone capable of endurance." Feng Zhiyao said dejectedly, "That's true... Over these years, if Your Highness hadn't been holding me back, I..." Mo Xiurao looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Are you blaming me?" Feng Zhiyao shook his head with a bitter laugh. "No. I know that no matter what I did, she wouldn't have gone with me. Your Highness saved both of our lives." Mo Xiurao said, "Stay in the Northwest with peace of mind. This Prince guarantees that even if everyone in the capital of Chu dies, she will still be alive." Feng Zhiyao snapped his head up, his eyes bright as he stared at Mo Xiurao. "Your Highness has arranged people..."

Mo Xiurao said, "She and I can be considered to have grown up together. Besides, she has helped Prince Ding's Manor quite a lot over the years. How could this Prince disregard her life or death?"

A trace of relief flashed through Feng Zhiyao's eyes, and he sat back down. "Many thanks, Your Highness."

Mo Xiurao said indifferently, "This Prince did not do it for you."

Feng Zhiyao smiled and replied, "I know. I am thanking Your Highness on my own behalf."