Mo Li

Ye Li, still reeling from the earlier shock, had someone escort Yao Ji back to her quarters. As soon as she returned to the manor, Granny Sun came to report that someone had sent a gift specifically addressed to the Princess Consort. Ye Li opened the box to find a piece of raw, uncut jade that had only undergone minimal processing. Yet, just by its flawless emerald hue, it was clear that this was a piece of exceptional quality. After a moment’s thought, Ye Li had a good idea of who the sender might be. She looked up at Granny Sun and asked, “Did the sender leave a name or address?”

Granny Sun smiled. “No need to worry, Princess Consort. His Highness has already sent a return gift. He said you may keep it if you like it, or dispose of it as you please.”

Ye Li nodded. “Put it away for now. We’ll deal with it later. Where is His Highness?”

“He’s in the study. Young Master Feng has returned.”

Ye Li acknowledged this and turned toward the study.

Earlier, Feng Zhiyao had split from them in Yongzhou, leading the Black Cloud Cavalry northward, which delayed his arrival in the capital by nearly half a month. As Ye Li reached the study door, Mo Xiuyao’s voice came from inside, “A Li? Come in.”

Ye Li pushed the door open and entered. Feng Zhiyao stood up and greeted her, “Greetings, Princess Consort.”

Ye Li smiled faintly. “No need for formalities, Young Master Feng.”

Feng Zhiyao glanced between Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao, sensing something subtly different between the two. “Just call me Feng San, Princess Consort.”

Ye Li nodded in agreement and took a seat beside Mo Xiuyao. “Am I interrupting?”

Mo Xiuyao shook his head. “Nothing urgent. Did you need something, A Li?”

Ye Li recounted her encounter with Yelv Ye outside, briefly mentioning running into Yao Ji and Mu Yang but omitting the detail of Yao Ji’s pregnancy. Such matters were best left for the involved parties to disclose if they wished.

Mo Xiuyao frowned at the news of Yelv Ye deliberately approaching Ye Li and sneered. “It seems Yelv Hong hasn’t been pressuring him enough if he has the leisure to stroll around the capital. Feng San, spread the word that Yelv Ye has arrived in the city and intends to participate in selecting the bride for the marriage alliance.”

Feng Zhiyao smirked and nodded silently. Once this news got out, the capital’s nobility would undoubtedly view Yelv Ye in a far less favorable light. Secretly arriving in the capital early was one thing, but meddling in the selection of a bride was beyond the pale. True, the Great Chu might not be sending a genuine princess, but their noble daughters were not to be picked over like goods by Northern Rong.

“A Li, you’ll likely be busy soon. Have you finished reviewing the Register of Names I gave you?” Mo Xiuyao turned to Ye Li and asked softly.

Ye Li nodded.

Mo Xiuyao continued, “You don’t need to decide the final candidate. Just recommend two or three names to present to His Majesty. The final choice will be his.”Ye Li frowned slightly in confusion, "Wouldn't this offend even more people?" Mo Xiuyao smiled and replied, "When His Majesty in the palace assigns you such tasks, do you really think he'd give us any opportunity to avoid offending people? If we choose some girl from an insignificant family out of fear of offending others, not only would Northern Rong make trouble, but His Majesty might also accuse you of incompetence and demand a re-selection—which would offend even more people. So A Li, don't worry about whether it offends anyone or not. Just pick a few suitable candidates and submit them. As for which one the Emperor chooses, that's his business. If he isn't satisfied with any of them, even better—let him pick someone else himself."

Ye Li nodded, "Understood. I'll carefully review the family backgrounds, talents, and other aspects of these young ladies." Setting aside all emotional and political considerations, selecting candidates purely based on status and personal qualifications would make the task much easier.

Feng San worked efficiently—by that afternoon, news of the Northern Rong Seventh Prince's arrival in the capital had spread throughout the city. Even the inn where Yelv Ye was staying became widely known. Originally intending to delay his audience with the Chu Emperor for a few days, Yelv Ye had no choice but to set aside his affairs and enter the palace immediately. While inwardly cursing Mo Xiuyao, he also regretted his impulsive decision to test Mo Xiuyao that night, which had inadvertently exposed his own presence.

Early the next morning, an invitation to the welcoming banquet for the Northern Rong Prince arrived at the Ding Royal Palace. Mo Xiuyao, who was accompanying Ye Li in the backyard training ground, raised an eyebrow and dismissed the messenger with a wave before turning back to continue teaching Ye Li sword techniques.

"Your Highness, Young Master Han and Young Master Leng request an audience," Qingshuang reported.

Mo Xiuyao frowned in displeasure, "What does he want now?" He was beginning to deeply question his earlier decision to assign Han Mingxi and the Han family to A Li—it felt like lifting a stone only to drop it on his own foot. Though there was no concern about loyalty, ever since Han Mingxi arrived in the capital, he had been visiting A Li every other day. Even after moving out of Prince Ding's Estate to find his own residence, he still showed no restraint. The jealousy-filled Prince Ding conveniently forgot that Leng Haoyu, a married man, was also part of the request.

Ye Li sheathed her sword and turned with a smile, "Hasn't Mingxi been busy discussing business collaborations with Leng Haoyu these past few days? He probably has some new ideas he wants to ask me about." To Han Mingxi, Leng Haoyu was a golden opportunity—this seemingly useless playboy controlled most of the Ding Royal Palace's assets. With his involvement, Han Mingxi's business ventures could expand significantly. Just thinking about it made Han Mingxi envision countless gold ingots flying toward him, keeping him busy day and night. So... it seemed the Han family had an innate love for amassing wealth—it wasn't a trait unique to Han Mingyue.

"Shall I join you, A Li? Would you welcome that?" Mo Xiuyao asked.Ye Li lowered her head, suppressing a laugh, pretending not to see the obvious jealousy on someone's face. She smiled and said, "Since Leng Haoyu is already involved, what secrets could there possibly be from His Highness?" In truth, Ye Li occasionally felt that the clear division between her people and Mo Xiuyao's might not be the most efficient arrangement. Yet, she also understood that it was because the future of the Ding Royal Palace was uncertain, and Mo Xiuyao wanted to retain some forces of his own as a safeguard in case of unforeseen events. Thus, she deeply appreciated his thoughtful consideration.

In the study, when Leng Haoyu and Han Mingxi saw Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li enter hand in hand, they both stood to greet them. Mo Xiuyao nodded slightly and said with a faint smile, "No need for formalities. Please, be seated."

Ye Li smiled at Han Mingxi, who looked much healthier, and asked, "Mingxi, you’re here so early—is there something urgent?" Han Mingxi nodded, raising an eyebrow with a grin. "Indeed, there is. Over the past few days, Leng Er and I have discussed matters thoroughly. Leng Er will handle affairs in Great Chu, while I plan to travel to Nanzhao and Western Liang soon. As for Northern Rong, we can delay that for now." In terms of commercial value, among the four nations, Northern Rong was arguably the least developed. Many businesses from the Central Plains simply didn’t work there and yielded little profit. Ye Li tilted her head thoughtfully and remarked, "I’ve heard Northern Rong has quite a few gold and silver mines." Leng Haoyu nodded. "That’s true. Though Northern Rong is remote and harsh, it’s rich in gold and silver deposits. Just look at their nobles." Even minor Northern Rong nobles, regardless of gender, loved adorning themselves with large gold ornaments, turning themselves into walking treasure displays. While Central Plains folk scorned the barbarians' crude and vulgar tastes, who could deny a twinge of envy at their extravagance in treating gold like silver?

"What does the Princess Consort have in mind?" Leng Haoyu asked hesitantly. After all, no one would complain about having too much gold, right? "However, the larger mines in Northern Rong are controlled by the royal family, and the Northern Rong people are fiercely xenophobic. It’s practically impossible for us to get involved in that sector."

Ye Li shook her head with a smile. "No, I’m not planning to encroach on their gold mines. Northern Rong has more than just gold—their warhorses are valuable too."

Han Mingxi frowned. "Northern Rong’s warhorses are even more tightly controlled than their gold mines." Northern Rong’s warhorses were renowned across the world, while Great Chu lacked quality horse breeds. Currently, most of Great Chu’s cavalry used horses bred from local stock mixed with Northern Rong or even foreign breeds. Though these hybrids fell short of purebred Northern Rong steeds, it was fortunate that Great Chu’s terrain wasn’t vast open plains, making cavalry far less critical than in Northern Rong. Otherwise, the lack of quality horses would have been a major problem. Knowing Ye Li’s question was likely aimed at the Mo Family Army and the Black Cloud Cavalry, Han Mingxi felt a pang of bitterness despite having no right to object. Glancing at Mo Xiuyao, who sat quietly listening, he added, "No matter how much we offer, Northern Rong would never sell us warhorses—at best, we’d get inferior stock. Besides… shouldn’t horse procurement be handled by the court or military officials? If Jun Wei interferes, it might alarm the court and cause complications."

Ye Li grinned. "Of course, no one would sell openly. But there’s a type of trade called… smuggling."

"Smuggling?"Ye Li smiled and said, "Private transactions bypass customs and avoid taxes. The profits are enormous."

Leng Haoyu rubbed his forehead and chuckled, "Your Highness means we should secretly send people to buy horses? In Northern Rong, selling fine steeds to foreigners is a capital offense."

With a faint smile, Ye Li replied, "No matter which country they're from, people love money, and merchants prioritize profit. With fifty percent profit, they'll take risks; for one hundred percent, they'll trample all laws; and for three hundred percent, even death sentences won't stop them from risking their lives." If capital punishment were truly effective, there wouldn't be so much crime in this world. "There's no need to rush. Northern Rong is vast and sparsely populated with scarce resources. We can provide whatever they need—grain, cloth, porcelain, tea. If we can also bring back medicinal herbs and furs, even better. Over time, we'll naturally establish channels to acquire what we want."

Han Mingxi's eyes lit up as he laughed, "I understand now. Northern Rong's situation is different from ours, Western Liang, and the Southern Border, so we can't approach it the same way. But since we're planning to expand our business to Western Liang and the Southern Border, we might as well transport their specialties—along with Great Chu's—to Northern Rong. Those Northern Rong nobles are all wealthy; extracting money from them would be effortless. It's not that no one has done this before, but the journey is too long, and the grasslands are perilous, so only small-scale traders attempt it. For us, though, safety isn't an issue. Even if we can't use Prince Ding's Estate's name, just the military strength of the estate alone would suffice to protect the goods by reorganizing a small unit."

Mo Xiuyao was also quite interested in Northern Rong's warhorses. With a light smile, he said, "This marriage alliance is a perfect opportunity. We can send people to Northern Rong with the wedding procession. Later, I'll petition the Emperor to allow merchants to travel with the delegation as a gesture of goodwill between our nations." The other three exchanged silent glances—goodwill for the Ding Royal Palace's treasury and the future strength of the Mo Family Army, more like.

Seeing Mo Xiuyao's agreement, Leng Haoyu grinned, "Then it's settled. Brother Han will handle Western Liang and the Southern Border, while I'll take Northern Rong. We still have over a month before departure, so there's plenty of time to arrange matters in Great Chu."Han Mingxi nodded indifferently. Ye Li took out an iron token from her person and tossed it to him, saying, "Elder brother should still be in the Southern Border right now. If you need any help, you can go to him. This is the King of Hell Token from the King of Hell Pavilion—keep it with you just in case. If you encounter any difficulties in Western Liang, Pavilion Master Ling will likely lend a hand for the sake of the token."

Han Mingxi naturally knew the origins of the King of Hell Token. Holding it in his hand, he looked at Ye Li as if wanting to say something but hesitating. Ye Li waved her hand, signaling him not to dwell on it. "Give it to whoever can make use of it. I’m staying in Chu Capital and probably won’t need Pavilion Master Ling’s help. It’d be a waste to keep it unused. As for Sick Scholar… the chances of him coming to Great Chu aren’t very high anyway."

An Si had sent word a few days ago that they had just found Master Liang, whom Sick Scholar had taken back to Western Liang. Until the Bihuo Grass was found, Sick Scholar’s threat was minimal. Of course, if he insisted on appearing in Chu Capital, she wouldn’t mind taking action—even if she didn’t kill him, she’d at least cripple him. Presumably, Ling Tiehan wouldn’t blame her for it.

Leng Haoyu exclaimed in admiration, "The Princess Consort is truly generous, even parting with the King of Hell Token so easily." As he spoke, he glanced at Mo Xiuyao, assuming the token had been given to her by the prince for protection. Now that she was handing it to another man, who knew where the prince’s anger might land? Of course, it would be best if the troublemaker—the flirtatious young master Han Mingxi—bore the brunt of it. Better him than anyone else, after all.

Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Pavilion Master Ling gave it to me for free—it didn’t cost a thing." Even if Ling Tiehan hadn’t shown up in the end, she wouldn’t have actually taken Sick Scholar’s life. Who knew if Ling Tiehan valued brotherhood so much that he’d mobilize the entire King of Hell Pavilion to avenge him? But crippling his martial arts would have been unavoidable. As long as she left Sick Scholar alive, Ling Tiehan wouldn’t dare cause trouble for her out of respect for her elder brother.

Leng Haoyu rubbed his nose and lowered his head to sip his tea. Was the King of Hell Token something to be measured in money? It was something countless people would gladly spend a fortune to obtain! With the token, as long as you didn’t provoke the Western Liang royal family, you could practically do whatever you pleased in Western Liang.

After finishing the serious matters, Han Mingxi frowned at Ye Li and said, "Yesterday at dawn, Yelv Ye sent people to sweep up all the finest jade in the capital. No idea what he’s planning—it’s not like the Northern Rong people are known for their love of jade."

Though Yelv Ye had sent people anonymously in batches to make the purchases, his mistake was visiting shops under the Han family’s name. When the finest jade from two or three stores in a row was bought up by strangers, the shopkeepers naturally reported it to their master. Though the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity no longer existed in Great Chu, Han Mingxi still had many people under his command. Investigating the sales and buyers at various jade, antique, and jewelry shops in the capital was no trouble at all.

Ye Li, of course, knew exactly why Yelv Ye had bought all that jade. She smiled coldly and said, "It seems the Northern Rong are indeed quite wealthy."Recalling how her plans from the previous day had been disrupted by a certain prince's ostentatious display of wealth, Ye Li's mood soured. Especially since that person had deliberately sent over a piece to provoke her. With a glint in her eyes, Ye Li smiled and said, "Help me spread the word—this princess wishes to find the finest piece of jade as a birthday gift for the prince." Leng Haoyu glanced at Mo Xiuyao, then back at Ye Li, somewhat puzzled by her intentions.

Han Mingxi was the first to catch on. Fanning himself, he chuckled, "So we can sell off all the high-quality jade we’ve been hoarding. Once this news gets out, people will buy it even if the price doubles. And… the princess is right. Since the Northern Rong people are so wealthy, I’ll make sure Prince Yelu gets the news first, so he doesn’t fall behind." As for whether the Northern Rong prince intended to use the jade as dowry for a princess or haul it all back to Northern Rong, that was none of their concern. Leng Haoyu nodded in agreement. "Come to think of it, there’s never been any rumor about what the princess likes, which has cost us quite a bit of profit. I happen to have a lot of stock I’d like to clear out—might as well sell it cheap to the Northern Rong prince. But… um, princess, do you need us to save a good piece for you?" If the deep-pocketed Northern Rong prince bought everything up, what would they do about the prince’s birthday gift? Despite Prince Ding’s usual easygoing and generous demeanor, when he got petty, no one could stand it. Over the years, he and Feng San had learned this the hard way.

Ye Li shot a glance at Mo Xiuyao and smiled faintly. "No need. I was just saying that casually."

Han Mingxi raised an eyebrow and sighed wistfully. "So Prince Ding’s birthday is coming up. What a coincidence… I was also born in June. In the past, I always celebrated with my elder brother, but now…"

Leng Haoyu stiffened and glared at Han Mingxi in alarm. If this guy had a death wish, he didn’t need to drag him down with him—he was still newlywed!

Ye Li laughed. "Mingxi’s birthday is in June too? Then stay in the capital to celebrate before you leave."

Han Mingxi blinked. "Will Jun Wei give me a gift?"

"Of course. Tell me what you like, and I’ll prepare it for you," Ye Li replied with a nod. Given her friendship with Han Mingxi, it would be rude not to give him a gift. Besides, she and Mo Xiuyao had put in considerable effort for Han Mingxi’s current situation. Han Mingxi beamed brightly. "That’s great. Whatever Jun Wei prepares, I’ll love it." Then, as if daring fate, he raised an eyebrow at Mo Xiuyao.

A glint flashed in Mo Xiuyao’s calm eyes as he smiled faintly. "A Li is right. What a coincidence that Brother Han’s birthday is also in June. Naturally, this prince and A Li must express our regards. Rest assured, this prince will prepare a… surprising gift for Brother Han." His tone was almost gentle in the last sentence, but it sent a chill down the listeners’ spines.

Leng Haoyu grabbed Han Mingxi and forced a laugh at Mo Xiuyao. "Though I haven’t known Brother Han for long, we’ve hit it off. Brother Han, let’s discuss how you’d like to celebrate your birthday first." Ignoring Han Mingxi’s protests, he dragged him out. Han Mingxi, whose Light Body Skill was first-rate but martial arts third-rate, couldn’t even struggle as Leng Haoyu—who appeared third-rate but was actually first-rate—hauled him away.