Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 425 - 422. Return of the Green Cypress

422. Qingbai Returns

The news of the Queen of Nanzhao’s disappearance not far from Licheng had not been completely concealed, and Prince Ding’s Mansion had no intention of hiding it either. As Mo Xiuyao said, secrets don’t stay secret for long in this world. At this time, everyone in Licheng was a person of power, or even held power, in their respective countries, and they all had their own secret channels of information. Even if they couldn’t spy on the situation within Prince Ding’s Mansion, they were still aware of major and minor events happening in Licheng.

Among them, the most shocked was undoubtedly Mo Jingyu. He had originally thought that Mo Jingli was merely bluffing when he spoke of taking action against the Queen of Nanzhao. He never expected the madman to genuinely act, and even succeed. Years of caution made Mo Jingyu intuitively feel that his current situation was somewhat dangerous. However, the allure of such important leverage, or perhaps the Imperial Seal, made it impossible for him to retreat peacefully. Upon hearing his subordinate’s report, Mo Jingyu took a deep breath and needed a moment to recover before waving his hand to dismiss the man.

"Uncle, has anything happened?" Mo Suiyun, sitting to one side, asked with some curiosity.

Mo Jingyu gave him a faint glance and said, "Didn’t you hear? Someone has abducted the Queen of Nanzhao and the Prince."

Mo Suiyun blinked, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "Why kidnap the Queen of Nanzhao and the Prince? This is Prince Ding’s territory. If one has a grudge against the Queen of Nanzhao... wouldn’t it be better to deal with her elsewhere?"

Mo Jingyu looked at him for a moment, laughing. "You seem to overthink things, Your Majesty."

Mo Suiyun lowered his head, somewhat shyly replying, "Didn’t Uncle and Imperial Grandmother always say... we shouldn’t provoke Prince Ding’s Mansion? Uncle Prince Ding seems to be very powerful... Aren’t those assassins afraid of him?"

Mo Jingyu sighed softly, muttering, "Perhaps he has gone mad."

Even though his voice was very soft, Mo Suiyun, sitting very close to him, heard everything clearly. Mo Suiyun lowered his head and remained silent, as if he hadn’t heard Mo Jingyu’s words at all. Yet a strange spark flashed in his seemingly bewildered eyes.

Although the dark guards of Prince Ding’s Mansion searched nearly every inch around Licheng, they found no trace of Princess Anxi. It was only later that the delegations from the Western Region nations, accompanied by Xu Qingbai, arrived safely in Licheng. As they were escorted by dark guards from Prince Ding’s Mansion from a great distance out, they encountered no major troubles during their journey, though a few of the guards sent by the Mansion were injured.

In the study of Prince Ding’s Mansion, Xu Qingbai sipped his tea while looking at Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li. He asked, "Has something happened?" If nothing was amiss, even if the envoys from the Western Region were guests from afar, there would be no need to send dark guards over a hundred li out to greet them. Over the years, Xu Qingbai had become more mature and steady. Despite being one of the youngest civil and military officials in Prince Ding’s Mansion, he already carried some of the demeanor of Senior Mr. Xu.

Ye Li nodded and related how Princess Anxi had gone missing. Xu Qingbai raised an eyebrow; he did not seem surprised. After pondering, he said, "Even if Mo Jingli wants to vent his anger, he won’t target the Queen of Nanzhao, who has no grievance with him. Given his character, in the end... I’m afraid Prince Ding’s Mansion will still be his target."

Ye Li nodded; this was something they all understood. She sighed lightly. "I’m afraid that Mo Jingli deliberately wants to embarrass Prince Ding’s Mansion and might harm Princess Anxi and the young Prince."

"There has been no news in the last two days, so it’s unlikely anything has happened to them. Also, Mo Jingli is not a man who disregards his own life. With Princess Anxi and the young Prince in his hands, we will have reservations about taking action. Therefore, Princess Anxi should not face any immediate danger," Xu Qingbai analyzed calmly. He had no dealings with Princess Anxi; one might even say he didn’t know her at all. Therefore, his analysis of the matter was more objective. "Li’er, don’t worry too much. If Mo Jingli wanted to kill her, he would have done it on the spot. Why would he bother to capture and hide her?"

Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li and laughed. "I said the same thing, but Ah-Li is still worried. Now that Qingbai also thinks so, you should be reassured, right?"

Ye Li gave an embarrassed smile, then addressed Xu Qingbai, "Fourth Brother, the lodging and reception of the envoys from the Western Region have been left to Second Brother. Please also give it your attention. Moreover, I’m slightly worried that Mo Jingli might harm these envoys from the Western Region. If there are any problems, you can find either Qin Feng or Zhuo Jing."

Xu Qingbai solemnly nodded. The envoys from the Western Region were guests who had come from afar to celebrate. If something happened to them in Licheng, it would indeed be difficult to explain. A single misstep could reignite conflict along the Western Region border.

"Since we have established that it is Mo Jingli, then... could he be in contact with the people who have come from Great Chu?" After thinking for a while, Xu Qingbai put down his teacup and asked.

Ye Li smiled lightly. "Fourth Brother is indeed sharp. We do suspect that Mo Jingli has met with Mo Jingyu. And... Mo Jingli might have some hold over Mo Jingyu."

"So, you are planning to lie in wait and catch them in the act?" Xu Qingbai raised his eyebrows. "But still, be careful. Mo Jingli daring to sneak into Xiling now, and not being captured by the dark guards of Prince Ding’s Mansion, shows that he still has some aces up his sleeve."

Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Don’t worry, I have a good idea of what he might have."

"Mo Jingyu has always been cautious. How could Mo Jingli get a hold over him?" This made Xu Qingbai curious as well. He had spent quite some time in the Capital of Great Chu and even served as an official in Great Chu. Therefore, he had some understanding of these princes of Great Chu’s imperial family. That Mo Jingyu could remain safe under the wary Mo Jingqi, continue to be trusted under Mo Jingli, and still hold power even after Mo Jingli fell, showed that Mo Jingyu was not an easy character to deal with. Thus, it was hard to believe that such a person could be caught by something that would put him under Mo Jingli’s control.

Mo Xiuyao frowned and said, "Given Mo Jingyu’s current status, no ordinary scandal can touch him. What he would fear most might be... treason, rebellion, regicide? What happened with Mo Jingqi and Mo Suyun has nothing to do with him. Rebellion... Mo Jingyu isn’t so impulsive, and besides, he doesn’t have an army. So it must be... treason!" As he spoke, a sharp glint flashed across Mo Xiuyao’s eyes.

"Treason?" Both Ye Li and Xu Qingbai were a bit surprised. For Mo Jingyu, a prince of Great Chu, treason was more startling than rebellion or regicide.

Mo Xiuyao lightly touched his forehead, pondering as he said, "It may not necessarily be considered treason... it’s possible that he sold out something of Great Chu to..." He furrowed his brow and after a moment slowly articulated the name, "Beirong."

"Are you sure?" Ye Li wrinkled her brow. A traitor is despised by everyone, regardless of the era. If it was true, it wouldn’t be surprising that Mo Jingyu would be at the mercy of Mo Jingli.

"I’m not sure, I’m guessing," Mo Xiuyao said lightly. "However, whether it’s true or not, we’ll know soon enough." As soon as they heard that Mo Jingyu had had contact with Mo Jingli, Prince Ding’s Mansion had already started investigating Mo Jingyu. They would soon have all the details of Mo Jingyu’s life before them. If it was a secret that even Mo Jingli could discover, it would be remiss if Prince Ding’s Mansion hadn’t already noticed it. Moreover, if they were to investigate seriously, it would be impossible for them not to uncover it. Ye Li could only hope that this was not the truth. If Mo Jingyu had really done something he shouldn’t have, he might not be able to leave Licheng alive this time, no matter what he did.

"Princess Consort, Princess Helan from the Northern Territory has arrived," a guard outside the room reported.

Hearing this, Ye Li couldn’t help but chuckle. She was quite fond of Princess Helan from the Northern Territory, a woman who dared to love, dared to hate, and was bold and straightforward. She rose and said to Mo Xiuyao, "I’m going to welcome Princess Helan." Although called a princess, the Northern Territory wasn’t quite a country; it could barely be regarded as a tribe. As Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao certainly didn’t need to greet such a princess personally, even if this princess was potentially the future ruler of the entire Northern Territory.

Mo Xiuyao nodded and said, "Very well. I still have some matters to discuss with Qingbai."

Without further words, Ye Li stood up and walked out. In the study, tranquility ensued for a moment after Ye Li’s departure. A while later, Mo Xiuyao eventually spoke, "What is it that you wish to discuss, Qingbai?"

Xu Qingbai nodded slightly and said, "I heard... there have been some criticisms about Li’er among the officials in Licheng?"

Mo Xiuyao, somewhat bemused, raised an eyebrow with a smile. "What kind of people are those old scholars? You, Fourth Young Master Xu, are not unfamiliar with them. Surely you understand their ways?"

Xu Qingbai lowered his eyes, nodded, and said, "That’s true. So, what is the Prince’s plan?"

Mo Xiuyao wore a satisfied smile and said, "We’ll have to rely on Fourth Young Master Xu for this matter."

"I understand," said Xu Qingbai, nodding.

The smile on Mo Xiuyao’s face grew more gratified. Speaking with smart people is always a pleasure. Fourth Young Master Xu appeared to be socially graceful and refined, but beneath it all, he was vindictive. If he didn’t possess an overwhelming assertiveness, his sophisticated appearance alone wouldn’t have been able to subdue the powerful families in Xiling within a few short years. Although the five sons of the Xu Family were all led by Xu Qingchen now, Mo Xiuyao knew that Eldest Young Master Xu was too detached to remain in officialdom for long. Therefore, if something really needed to be done, Fourth Young Master Xu was the person to turn to.

As for what kind of torment the old fellows would undergo at the hands of Fourth Young Master Xu, His Highness Prince Ding could not care less. If they think that the previous minor incidents are Prince Ding’s punishment, they are gravely mistaken. The title ’Prince Ding’ also represents pettiness, holding grudges, and displaced anger, among other things.

"Princess Helan." Outside the grand gates of Prince Ding’s Mansion, Ye Li said with a warm smile, looking at a radiant woman in red, dressed in attire unique to Beirong.

"Princess Consort Ding!" Princess Helan, with her bright smile, rushed forward, warmly hugging Ye Li. "It’s been such a long time, Princess Consort Ding. You’re still as beautiful as ever."

Ye Li, a little taken aback, returned her hug and with a smile said, "Not as beautiful and captivating as you, Princess." After spending so much time in this era, I’m still not quite used to such enthusiastic greetings.

"Really?" Princess Helan beamed at Ye Li. Although many people praised her beauty, whose praise could be more delightful than that of the beauty she herself admired?

Ye Li laughed. "Yes, of course, it’s true. You seem to have had a very pleasant year."

Princess Helan laughed. "Not too bad. Though your Central Plains are wonderful, I still prefer the Northern Territory. I also heard about your exciting life this past year. One day I would love to spar with you. All along our way here, the common people of the Central Plains have been speaking of Princess Consort Ding as if you were the Goddess of War incarnate."

"You’re welcome anytime," Ye Li laughed. "You’ve come a long way, Princess. Let’s go into the mansion and rest first. Please, come in."

Without any hesitation, Princess Helan took Ye Li’s arm and walked toward Prince Ding’s Mansion. As they reached the entrance, Ye Li suddenly stopped and looked in a certain direction outside the mansion gate.

Princess Helan, puzzled, asked, "What’s wrong?"

With a light smile, Ye Li replied, "Nothing, Princess, please." Someone’s watching me from that direction, she thought, subtly gesturing to Qin Feng in an inconspicuous spot. Qin Feng nodded slightly and watched the two enter the mansion gates before signaling the guards to search in the direction Ye Li had indicated.

Within Prince Ding’s Mansion, Princess Helan walked beside Ye Li, lowering her voice. "Princess Consort Ding, is someone causing trouble for Prince Ding’s Mansion?"

Surprised, Ye Li raised an eyebrow; she hadn’t expected Princess Helan to have such sharp instincts.

Princess Helan quickly shook her head. "No, it’s just that we ran into a group of assassins on our way here. It was before we entered Feihong Pass. At first, I thought they were remnants of Ren Qining’s followers seeking revenge, but later it didn’t seem like it. As soon as we arrived in Licheng, we heard the Queen of Nanzhao had been kidnapped. And earlier..." Princess Helan hadn’t actually discovered anything earlier; she had simply guessed from Ye Li’s reaction that Ye Li might have discovered something. Thinking of this, Princess Helan felt a pang of disappointment, admitting to herself that she was indeed somewhat inferior to Princess Consort Ding.

With a light sigh, Ye Li briefly explained the situation. Unfazed, Princess Helan laughed. "This Mo Jingli is certainly daring. If I get a chance, I’d like to meet him."

Ye Li shook her head with a helpless smile. "I hope you don’t encounter him." For Mo Jingli to set up an ambush for Princess Helan on her way here shows he’s truly mad, completely unconcerned about becoming a target for all nations.

「In a gloomy alleyway of Licheng.」

Meanwhile, a middle-aged man in plain clothing slowly looked up. His eyes flashed with a sharp glint. That was Ye Li! I was almost discovered! Recalling the gentle woman clad in white, gracefully smiling at the entrance of Prince Ding’s Mansion, a complex expression crossed the man’s face. After a moment, as if remembering something, his face contorted in anger. "Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao! I will not let you two go! I won’t let you go!"

「In the Great Chu embassy inn.」

Mo Jingyu pushed open the door to his room with a gloomy expression. He had just heard that Princess Helan of the Northern Territory and her party were attacked on the road. I don’t need to think twice to know who did this. At a time when Prince Ding’s Mansion’s power was at its zenith, only the madman Mo Jingli would dare to oppose them.

As soon as he entered the room, he sensed something was amiss. He looked up sharply, only to find a man casually sitting on his soft couch, reading a book. Taken aback, Mo Jingyu swiftly closed the door and growled in a low voice, "Are you out of your mind? You dare to stroll in here at a time like this?"

Mo Jingli scoffed, his eyebrows loftily raised. "Are you scared? Don’t worry, the people of Prince Ding’s Mansion won’t detect me."

Mo Jingyu stared at him and realized he looked drastically different from the last time they met. The attention-grabbing beard was cleanly shaven, and his once slightly sallow and thin face was now overly pale. He was wearing the attire of a guard from Prince Yu’s Mansion in Great Chu. Instead of a man in his thirties, he appeared to be a somewhat sickly young man in his twenties.

"You..." Mo Jingyu stepped forward and peered at Mo Jingli, only noticing from up close that Mo Jingli’s face was unnaturally pale due to a layer of powder. The life Mo Jingli has been living these days is clearly not very comfortable. Returning to his typical pampered lifestyle isn’t something that can be done in a short span of time, so he had to resort to makeup to hide it. However, a grown man slathered in makeup is rather unsettling—even for me, a member of the imperial family accustomed to cultured elegance. With a slight furrow of his brow, he sighed, "You will stop at nothing." In this disguise, unless someone knew Mo Jingli intimately, they would hardly recognize him even up close. No wonder Mo Jingli is so audacious.

Mo Jingli’s face twisted for a moment but quickly recovered its calm demeanor.

"What are you here for?" Mo Jingyu asked. It’s not a pleasant feeling to have something held over your head. I don’t want to see Mo Jingli at all.

Mo Jingli said with a smile, "Of course, I have something for you to do. In two days, it’s the banquet at Prince Ding’s Mansion. The task I need you to perform is also on that day."

Mo Jingyu raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

Mo Jingli continued, "On that day, I need you to bring Mo Yuchen out of Prince Ding’s Mansion."

Mo Jingyu looked at him nonchalantly. "Do you think I have the ability to take Prince Ding’s heir out of the heavily guarded mansion? Furthermore, even if I managed to, how would I escape afterward?"

"That’s your problem," Mo Jingli nonchalantly replied. "Solutions are always devised by people. As long as you put your mind to it, you will find a way."

Mo Jingyu flatly refused, "I have no way."

After a moment’s silence, Mo Jingli solemnly replied, "No way? Let me remind you... if you don’t have a way, perhaps the little emperor you brought with you does."

Mo Jingyu’s expression darkened slightly. "You want to use His Majesty?" Indeed, Mo Suiyun is only eleven or twelve. As a child, he’s unlikely to arouse suspicion.

Mo Jingli scoffed. "His Majesty? You say it so smoothly! Don’t tell me you’re worried about him. After all, he is Mo Jingqi’s son. Even if he dies, it wouldn’t affect you, would it?"

Mo Jingyu was silent for a long while before he replied, "I understand. But... you better be certain you’re up to the task. If anything goes wrong... the dark guards and Qilin of Prince Ding’s Mansion are not to be trifled with."

Mo Jingli smiled. "Rest assured, they’ll have other things to worry about when the time comes. Also, there’s one more thing."

"Mo Jingli, don’t push your luck!" Mo Jingyu roared in a low voice.

Seeing his fiery fury, Mo Jingli laughed delightedly, saying leisurely, "Don’t worry, this is even easier. On the day of the banquet at Prince Ding’s Mansion, I will go there with you."

"You’re insane!" Mo Jingyu gritted his teeth.

Mo Jingli glanced at him nonchalantly, offering no rebuttal. Mo Jingyu took a deep breath, speaking curtly, "I understand, but what about the evidence you have..."

Mo Jingli nodded. "Rest assured, as long as I see Mo Yuchen, I will naturally give you everything you want."

"You’d better keep your word!" Mo Jingyu said spitefully.

CLICK... A low sound came from outside the door. Mo Jingli’s expression changed, and he leaped out. "Who’s there?!"

The main door swung open, and a figure in bright yellow hurried around the corridor. Mo Jingli chuckled coldly, dashed forward a few steps, and hauled the figure back.

Seeing Mo Suiyun being tossed into the room, Mo Jingyu’s face also turned ugly. He looked at Mo Jingli and asked, "What do we do now?"

Mo Jingli snorted. "What do we do? Since he heard us, just kill him."

Mo Suiyun sat on the ground, his face pale, looking terrified at the two men before him. He had seen someone entering Mo Jingyu’s room and had stealthily come over to see who it was. He then saw Mo Jingyu return but unintentionally overheard the two’s conspiracy. He had accidentally knocked into a wall and was discovered by Mo Jingli.

"Uncle Prince Yu..." Mo Suiyun looked fearfully at Mo Jingyu.

Mo Jingyu frowned. "If the Emperor suddenly dies, it will arouse suspicion in Prince Ding’s Mansion. Then..."

Mo Jingli paused to think and acknowledged Mo Jingyu’s point. Prince Ding’s Mansion would undoubtedly heavily guard Mo Xiaobao now. Deceiving him to come out wouldn’t be easy. Among the people from Great Chu, only Mo Suiyun had the best chance. But...

"I...I won’t say anything...Uncle Prince Li..." Although Mo Jingli had changed considerably, Mo Suiyun still recognized him. His face grew even more frightened. All of Mo Jingqi’s surviving children, be they princesses or princes, feared this uncle who had killed the former young emperor, Mo Suyun.

After squinting and examining Mo Suiyun for a while, Mo Jingli finally said indifferently, "If you don’t want to die... then you will obediently listen to Us."

Mo Suiyun nodded repeatedly, wiping his tears and saying, "I’ll obey... Uncle Prince Li, don’t, don’t kill me..."

Seeing his terrified look, Mo Jingli nodded in satisfaction and stretched out his hand to pull him up. Mo Suiyun stood up fearfully, feeling uneasy under Mo Jingli’s razor-sharp gaze. Mo Jingli looked at him and asked, "Do you know what you need to do?"

Mo Suiyun hesitated for a moment but finally nodded.

"Can you do it?" Mo Jingli asked.

"I can." Mo Suiyun quickly nodded. "Mo Yuchen, Mo Yuchen asked me to play with him. I haven’t...haven’t gone these past few days. I’ll go find him to play later; he will definitely come with me."

A cold smile appeared on Mo Jingli’s lips, and he patted Mo Suiyun’s head. "Very good. Uncle knows you’re a good boy. As long as you can bring Mo Yuchen out of Prince Ding’s Mansion on the day of the banquet, you will still be Emperor of Great Chu. Uncle will not harm you."

Mo Suiyun couldn’t help but shudder, whispering, "Uncle, I understand..."