Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 421 - 418. Negotiation and Peace

418. Negotiation and Peace

In the end, Mo Xiuyao still did not meet with the Beirong envoy, instead delegating the matter to Ye Li. It had to be said that Mo Xiuyao’s arbitrary behavior could be quite troublesome at times. On one hand, the notable elders were criticizing Princess Consort Ding for a woman involving herself in politics. On the other, he openly handed the negotiations with Beirong directly to the Princess Consort. This was, in essence, a firm slap in the faces of these old men who believed they could interfere in Prince Ding’s affairs.

However, those who had just been sharply rebuked by Prince Ding dared not say much before devising a countermeasure. They could only pretend not to have seen anything and sulk at home.

"Greetings, Princess Consort Ding." In the Beirong embassy, Yelv Hong greeted Ye Li calmly and respectfully, showing no anger that Mo Xiuyao was not personally meeting him. Not to mention Princess Consort Ding’s status within the Mo Family Army, Beirong was currently the defeated party; they had no grounds to object.

"Crown Prince of Beirong is indeed courteous." Ye Li had to admire Yelv Hong’s composure; despite the current circumstances, he could still maintain such restraint and politeness. Of course, she also had to acknowledge the influence of political power on people’s hearts. Even the Beirong people, renowned for their typically righteous and unyielding temperament, had learned a few subtle maneuvers.

Ye Li sat down and, not beating around the bush with Yelv Hong, asked, "Did Princess Ronghua accompany the Crown Prince?"

Yelv Hong clearly hadn’t expected Ye Li’s first question to be about Princess Ronghua. He paused for a moment before nodding. "To be honest, Ronghua did indeed accompany me to Licheng."

Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled. "The King of Beirong truly places great trust in the Crown Prince." The King of Beirong had used Princess Ronghua as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Mo Family Army. Yet, he had allowed Yelv Hong to bring her back before any outcome was reached in the negotiations. It was somewhat perplexing whether the King of Beirong genuinely wished to retrieve the ashes of Yelv Ye and the Beirong soldiers, or if it was merely talk.

Yelv Hong gave a wry smile. "I made a military oath to my father, the King, that I would definitely bring back the remains of my seventh younger brother and the Beirong soldiers. I implore the Princess Consort to grant this. As for Ronghua... I also ask the Princess Consort to look after her."

Ye Li looked deeply at Yelv Hong and said, "The Crown Prince seems to hold deep affection for Princess Ronghua. It appears the princess’s years in Beirong were not... in vain."

Yelv Hong sighed softly. "My incompetence is an embarrassment before the Princess Consort. May I ask Ronghua to come out and meet the Princess Consort?" Yelv Hong turned and gave instructions to his attendant. Shortly after, Princess Ronghua emerged from the rear hall. Dressed in the attire of the Central Plains, Princess Ronghua appeared somewhat pale and wan. Compared to their last meeting, she had lost some of her vibrant charm, looking more frail and haggard.

"Princess Consort," Princess Ronghua said softly, offering a graceful curtsy.

Ye Li reached out to support her, smiling. "Princess, there is no need for such ceremony. Please, sit."

Once the three were seated again, Ye Li looked at Yelv Hong and said, "The Prince has entrusted the negotiations with Beirong to me. I presume Young Master Qingchen informed the Crown Prince of Prince Ding’s Mansion’s conditions a few days ago? What is Crown Prince Yelv’s opinion?"

Yelv Hong frowned. "Warhorses are the very foundation of our Beirong. For Prince Ding’s Mansion to demand ten thousand warhorses at once—forgive my bluntness, but it is truly asking too much. With my current authority, I’m afraid I cannot agree."

Negotiations were not something that could be concluded overnight, and Ye Li was not concerned. She smiled. "Crown Prince Yelv need not rush his reply. After all, the Crown Prince will be staying in Licheng for some time. Perhaps the Crown Prince would like to reconsider, and you can also discuss it with the King of Beirong. What does the Crown Prince think?"

Yelv Hong nodded with a smile. "Thank you for your understanding, Princess Consort. Regardless of whether this matter succeeds or fails, with Princess Ronghua returned to Great Chu, I implore the Princess Consort to take good care of her. This can also be considered a token of Beirong’s sincerity."

Princess Ronghua sat quietly to the side, her expression serene, her gaze lowered, as if she were not the subject of Yelv Hong and Ye Li’s discussion.

Ye Li glanced at Princess Ronghua and sighed softly. "If the Princess chooses to stay in Licheng, Prince Ding’s Mansion will naturally treat her with the dignity befitting a princess. If the Princess misses her relatives, I can also arrange for her to be escorted to Jiangnan." Given Princess Ronghua’s status as a Princess Friendship, no one would dare mistreat her, whether she stayed in Licheng or went to Nanjing.

Princess Ronghua smiled faintly, a bitter note in it. "Jiangnan... what relatives do I have left there... Ronghua wishes to return to Changxing to serve Aunt Zhaoyang. I beg the Princess Consort to grant this." When the Great Chu court had moved south, Princess Zhaoren had gone with them, while Princess Zhaoyang had remained in the Capital of Great Chu. Later, when the Mo Family Army recaptured the Capital of Great Chu and renamed it Changxing, Eldest Princess Fuxi passed away from illness, and Princess Zhaoyang had stayed in Changxing to mourn for the Eldest Princess. Princess Zhaoren had passed away from illness not long after moving south. As things stood, Princess Zhaoyang was indeed Princess Ronghua’s closest living relative.

Ye Li nodded. "Very well. Princess Zhaoyang will also be coming to Licheng in a few days. At that time, you may return to Changxing with Princess Zhaoyang."

Princess Ronghua nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Princess Consort." With that, she lowered her head, no longer looking at Yelv Hong. Yelv Hong glanced at Princess Ronghua, his expression flickering slightly, but ultimately, he said nothing more. Ten years as husband and wife; how could there be no feelings at all? Moreover, Princess Ronghua was an exceptionally beautiful and intelligent woman, entirely different from typical Beirong women. But no matter what, Princess Ronghua was by no means more important than the Beirong throne. This parting today... it was likely they would never meet again.

When Ye Li left the Beirong embassy, she brought Princess Ronghua back with her. Since Yelv Hong had already brought Princess Ronghua to Licheng, he naturally had no intention of taking her back, regardless of the negotiation’s outcome. Thus, it mattered little when Princess Ronghua was handed over to Prince Ding’s Mansion. He magnanimously allowed Ye Li to take her away directly.

Upon returning to Prince Ding’s Mansion and settling Princess Ronghua, Ye Li observed the sorrow in her demeanor. She merely sighed inwardly and offered no further words of comfort. Regardless of the future relationship between Prince Ding’s Mansion, Great Chu, and Beirong, Princess Ronghua was destined never to return to Beirong. Princess Ronghua herself was an intelligent woman; she naturally understood that her current situation was already quite favorable, and Yelv Hong had treated her with some affection. Her current sadness was likely due to her children left behind in Beirong. However, neither Prince Ding’s Mansion nor the distant Great Chu in Jiangnan could, nor had the obligation to, retrieve her children for her. The hatred of the Central Plains people for the Beirong people was now even more intense than the Beirong people’s hatred for them; even if those children did return to Great Chu, it would not necessarily be a good thing.

After several days of negotiation with Yelv Hong, who had initially been adamant, he finally relented. He agreed to exchange ten thousand Beirong warhorses for the remains of the Beirong soldiers who had died in Great Chu and the remains of Yelv Ye. Ye Li was not surprised by this outcome. Having suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Mo Family Army, Beirong’s national strength was greatly diminished. Beirong itself was vast but sparsely populated, with barren land. To recover to its former peak would take ten to twenty years, and that was assuming the Mo Family Army wouldn’t launch further attacks and would give them a chance to recuperate. Exchanging ten thousand warhorses for temporary peace and a chance to breathe might not be beneficial for Beirong in the long run, but they currently had no other choice.

When the peace treaty was signed, Mo Xiuyao finally deigned to appear in person. However, the names signed on the official document were still those of Ye Li and Xu Qingchen. Xu Qingchen, now the Secondary Prime Minister, was naturally qualified to sign the treaty on behalf of Prince Ding. However, the presence of Ye Li, a woman, made the Beirong envoys somewhat uneasy. This was not because they looked down on Ye Li, but because they, too, understood the customs and traditions of the Central Plains. In formal settings, women had no place to speak, so they couldn’t help but doubt the treaty’s validity.

Facing the Beirong envoys’ suspicion and the dissatisfied gazes of the officials from noble families, Ye Li paid them no mind and decisively signed her name on the truce agreement. Only after both sides had exchanged and signed the documents did Mo Xiuyao stand up, take Ye Li’s hand, and smile at Yelv Hong. "Crown Prince Yelv, since our two sides have signed the state document, this Prince hopes to see those ten thousand Beirong warhorses as soon as possible."

Hearing this, Yelv Hong couldn’t help the corner of his mouth from twitching. It was said that people from the Central Plains liked to beat around the bush, making listeners dizzy, but Yelv Hong found that being too direct was also hard to bear. What Mo Xiuyao meant, as Yelv Hong heard it, was: if it weren’t for the ten thousand warhorses, why would I bother signing any peace treaty with you?

"Prince Ding, rest assured," Yelv Hong said. "As long as... the Mo Family Army abides by the agreement, within three months, ten thousand warhorses will definitely be delivered to the Central Plains."

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow. "This Prince is naturally a man of his word. Ten thousand warhorses, and no hostilities shall be initiated by either side for ten years."

Yelv Hong nodded. "Henceforth, Beirong and Prince Ding’s Mansion shall be friendly states. This Crown Prince toasts the Prince and Princess Consort."

Mo Xiuyao’s expression was indifferent, but he did not object. Such were relations between states: no eternal friends, no eternal enemies. Only eternal interests. Although it was said that the two sides would be allies henceforth, both knew very well that neither Beirong nor Prince Ding’s Mansion had the strength for another war. Beirong was simply in a worse state. Prince Ding’s Mansion, if they exerted all their effort, could fight another battle, but it would be a case of the losses outweighing the gains. For Beirong, however, another war would mean utter annihilation. Therefore, Beirong had to make greater concessions. The so-called peace agreement was merely a piece of paper, destined to become void once either side recovered enough strength and decided to make a move.

When the envoys from Xiling and Great Chu arrived in Licheng, it was precisely when Prince Ding’s Mansion and Beirong had just signed their agreement. Upon hearing this news, the envoys from both states looked rather grim. Prince Ding’s Mansion had made a truce with Beirong, which very likely meant they would next turn their attention southward. Neither Great Chu nor Xiling could currently withstand another blow from the Mo Family Army. Everyone had to face an undeniable truth: after so many years of open and covert struggles, the ultimate victor was clearly Prince Ding’s Mansion.

"Reporting to the Prince and Princess Consort, the envoys from Great Chu and Xiling have arrived to pay their respects."

When this news arrived, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li were in the courtyard, playing with their two young babies. The infants had been entrusted to the Xu Family for care shortly after birth, a fact Ye Li still felt guilty about. Ever since returning, Ye Li would take any free moment to have Mo Xiuyao accompany her with the babies. Mo Xiaobao would also join in the fun from time to time. Mo Xiuyao had grown very fond of the little princess, who was as exquisite as jade, and thus often joined Ye Li in playing with the two infants. The couple had become the most leisurely pair in the otherwise bustling Licheng.

"They arrived together?" Ye Li asked, an eyebrow raised.

Mo Xiuyao, unconcerned, said calmly, "The journeys from both places are about the same distance, so arriving together isn’t unusual. Who came from Jiangnan?"

The guard reported, "Replying to the Prince, it is Prince Yu of Great Chu, accompanying the newly enthroned Emperor of Great Chu."

"Prince Yu? Mo Jingyu?" Mo Xiuyao didn’t have much of an impression of these princes from the Great Chu imperial family. He might have been somewhat familiar with them in his childhood, but later, especially after the incident at Prince Ding’s Mansion, he had almost no interaction with them. Thus, his impression of this Mo Jingyu, who had now apparently come into his own, was not deep.

Ye Li rose, placed Lin’er, who had fallen asleep in her arms, back into the small crib, and said, "Since the Southern Garrison Prince of Xiling and the Emperor of Great Chu have both come personally, we should go out to meet them. We mustn’t be discourteous."

Mo Xiuyao nodded, carefully put down the little princess, and went out with Ye Li to meet the guests.

In the main hall of Prince Ding’s Mansion, the two delegations were seated on opposite sides. The new young emperor of Great Chu, Mo Suiyun, was only twelve years old this year. He sat at the forefront of the Great Chu contingent. Though dressed in a magnificent, bright yellow imperial robe, his expression showed a hint of weakness and alarm. He kept glancing at Mo Jingyu, who was seated below him. On the other side, Lei Tengfeng, wearing the court attire of the Southern Garrison Prince of Xiling, appeared imposing and dignified. Compared to his occasional impatience and discomposure in the past, he now possessed a greater degree of calm and composure. The Xiling officials seated below him were all solemn, their eyes downcast, looking ready to follow the Southern Garrison Prince’s every directive. They appeared to possess more dignity than their Great Chu counterparts.

"The Prince arrives! The Princess Consort arrives!" The announcement came from the mansion attendants outside the door.

Prince Ding, robed in white with white hair, entered hand-in-hand with the Princess Consort, who wore an azure dress, her dark hair framing her jade-like face. A mere glance from them swept over the assembly, and an almost palpable pressure descended upon everyone.

Lei Tengfeng looked at the striking couple before him, his eyes betraying a flicker of complex emotions, but in an instant, he suppressed them all, his expression returning to calm. He rose and clasped his hands. "Prince Ding, Princess Consort. This Prince has disturbed you; please forgive the intrusion."

Ye Li glanced at Lei Tengfeng with some surprise. In just a month or two, Lei Tengfeng’s transformation was significant. His handsome and upright figure now faintly echoed the bearing of Lei Zhenting.

Mo Xiuyao also sized up Lei Tengfeng for a moment but quickly looked away. With a wave of his hand, he smiled. "Southern Garrison Prince, you’re too kind. Your visit from afar brings honor to Prince Ding’s Mansion. Please, be seated." No one mentioned the major battle that had been fought just a month ago, nor did anyone bring up Lei Zhenting’s death. Although many on the Xiling side looked displeased, they ultimately restrained themselves.

Mo Xiuyao sat down, holding Ye Li’s hand, and looked towards Emperor Mo Suiyun of Great Chu and Mo Jingyu on the other side. Mo Suiyun stood up and bowed deeply to Mo Xiuyao. "Suiyun pays respects to Uncle Prince Ding."

Mo Xiuyao’s eyes flickered slightly, and he laughed heartily. "The Emperor of Great Chu has come from afar as a guest; there’s no need for such ceremony. Please, be seated." Seated beside him, Mo Jingyu’s eyes showed a trace of disappointment, and he sighed inwardly with some resignation, then smiled. "Strictly speaking, Prince Ding is indeed the Emperor’s elder, so addressing him as Uncle Prince Ding is not improper. Prince Ding need not mind." If they were to strictly follow the family-tree registration and seniority, Mo Suiyun should address Mo Xiuyao not as uncle, but as great-uncle. However, Mo Xiuyao clearly had no intention of getting entangled with the Great Chu imperial family again. Mo Jingyu understood this as well; Great Chu and Prince Ding’s Mansion had already fallen out completely. As long as Mo Xiuyao was in his right mind, those old scholars’ fanciful ideas were utterly unreliable. So, while disappointed, he wasn’t overly concerned.

Mo Xiuyao smiled but said nothing. With his astuteness, how could he not know what Great Chu was scheming? He could only say that those old men in Nanjing were just like the old men in Licheng—equally naive!

Seeing Mo Jingyu’s slight embarrassment, Ye Li spoke with a smile, "The Emperor of Great Chu and the Southern Garrison Prince have traveled a long way and must be weary. I have ordered an inn to be prepared. Please, proceed to the inn to rest for a while. This evening, the Prince and I will host a welcome banquet for you both."

Lei Tengfeng nodded silently. "Thank you, Princess Consort." Although Lei Tengfeng had become much more composed recently, facing the great enemy who had killed his father was still difficult. Looking at the leisurely and composed Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, Lei Tengfeng suddenly felt dispirited and had no inclination to say more.

Mo Jingyu glanced at Mo Suiyun, who was clearly somewhat fatigued, and also nodded. "In that case, many thanks to the Princess Consort."

"Prince Yu is too polite," Ye Li replied with a gentle smile.

Soon, Lei Tengfeng, Mo Jingyu, and the others took their leave. It was their first arrival in Licheng, so they had merely come to pay their respects. Even if there were important matters, they would have to be discussed after they had rested. Watching them depart, Ye Li sighed softly. "Lei Tengfeng has indeed changed a lot. No wonder he could gain control of Xiling in such a short time. If he is given a few more years, I fear he will become a formidable opponent."

Lei Tengfeng had been overshadowed by Lei Zhenting’s brilliance for so long that he had lost his sharpness. Once that seemingly insurmountable mountain, Lei Zhenting, was gone, Lei Tengfeng’s growth and change were remarkably swift.

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow. "Even if he becomes an opponent, he won’t be this Prince’s opponent." It would take Lei Tengfeng quite some time to truly mature. By then... his opponent would naturally not be him. His Highness Prince Ding mused with satisfaction, feeling not the slightest guilt for setting up a formidable future adversary for his son.

Ye Li gave him a helpless look and smiled faintly. "What is Great Chu’s intention?"

With an arm around Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao said lazily, "What else could it be? Those old fogeys in Nanjing have wild imaginations. Seeing Mo Suiyun personally come to show goodwill, perhaps they think a moment of folly on my part might lead to reconciliation with Great Chu? Do they think I, Mo Xiuyao, don’t have a son? I conquered such a vast land; even if I wasn’t interested, I could leave it to my son. Are they expecting another cycle of entanglement between Great Chu and the Mo Family Army?"

Ye Li was taken aback, then couldn’t help but smile and shake her head. It had to be said, these old men of the court, who had schemed for a lifetime, sometimes had thoughts so complex they made one’s head spin, yet at other times, they were so naive it was laughable. How could they believe that after the decisive break between the Mo Family Army and Great Chu, after the Mo Family Army had suffered so many casualties and paid such a heavy price, Prince Ding’s Mansion and Great Chu could ever reconcile? The people of Prince Ding’s Mansion were no kindhearted Bodhisattvas.

"This probably isn’t Mo Jingyu’s idea," Ye Li said. Although Mo Jingyu was respectful enough towards Mo Xiuyao, he wasn’t particularly enthusiastic, clearly not optimistic about these plans.

Mo Xiuyao smiled. "For Mo Jingyu to have survived until now and hold great power, he’s certainly no fool. He wouldn’t be unaware of these things. It’s just that... he probably can’t completely control the entire Great Chu court at present." Mo Jingli was a bit foolish, but Jiangnan was his domain. And compared to Mo Jingyu, Mo Jingli’s methods were certainly ruthless enough. When Mo Jingli was around, those old men wouldn’t dare cause trouble. Now, with a new emperor just enthroned, it would be strange if they didn’t seize the opportunity to throw their weight around citing their seniority.

"What do you plan to do?" Ye Li asked with a smile.

Mo Xiuyao said, "This Prince has already defeated Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingli. Mo Suiyun is Mo Xiaobao’s concern. Otherwise, people might think this Prince is obsessed with feuding with the Great Chu imperial family, even bullying a teenager. Later... tell Mo Xiaobao to go see Mo Suiyun, lest that boy be idle and just keep hovering around Xin’er."

"You mean... Mo Suiyun..." Ye Li frowned, looking at Mo Xiuyao in confusion. If Mo Suiyun were insignificant, Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t have specifically mentioned him or asked Mo Xiaobao to see him.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled softly. "I think... that boy might be a smart one. At least... smarter than his father and uncle."

Ye Li sighed helplessly. She truly wasn’t born into royalty. She wasn’t worried about open dangers and calculations, but she was not particularly adept at these hidden undercurrents. At least, from their brief exchange, she hadn’t noticed anything unusual about Mo Suiyun.

Mo Xiuyao nuzzled Ye Li’s hair, which carried a faint fragrance, and smiled. "That boy’s acting is quite good. If I hadn’t met his gaze just now, this Prince might have been deceived by him. The look in his eyes when he looked at me wasn’t as terrified as he pretended. But he’s still a child, and probably no one taught him these things growing up, so he still slipped up."

Ye Li nodded. It was indeed not easy to avoid showing one’s true colors in front of Mo Xiuyao. That child had probably deliberately feigned reverence and terror, not realizing that overdoing it could be counterproductive.

"Mo Xiaobao..."

"If Mo Xiaobao can’t even outwit him, then Xu Qingchen should give him a good round of training," Mo Xiuyao said indifferently. If the Heir of Prince Ding’s Mansion, meticulously educated since childhood, couldn’t outmaneuver a young emperor who had just been pushed onto the throne with no prior grooming, he, as the father, would feel ashamed for him if word got out.

Ye Li looked up at the flicker of dissatisfaction on Mo Xiuyao’s face and could only nod in agreement. "Understood. I’ll have Xiaobao go receive the Emperor of Chu later." However, if Mo Xiaobao performed poorly and was disciplined by his father, she, as his mother, could only feel sorry for him. Mo Xiuyao was never short of new methods for disciplining people, and he spared no effort when it came to Mo Xiaobao.

So, Mo Xiaobao, you’d better be careful.

In the harem of Prince Ding’s Mansion, Mo Xiaobao, who had just finished his homework and run back to his room to see his sister, inexplicably shivered.