Mo Li

"Guards, drag this man out and behead him!"

Everyone was stunned. Yuan Pei glanced at Feng Zhiyao, who in turn looked toward Xu Qingze, seated to the side reading a book. Perhaps Feng Zhiyao's gaze was too intense, for Xu Qingze—who rarely spoke—set down his book and lifted his head to say to Ye Li, "Little sister, envoys are not to be executed during wartime."

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Thank you for the reminder, Second Brother. Well then, Mr. Mo, will you walk out on your own, or shall I have my men throw you out?"

Mo Fei swept his gaze over the group and sneered. "So this is how the Princess of the State of Dongchu treats her guests?"

Ye Li replied coolly, "Guests are welcomed with courtesy. But if the visitor is a thief, I see no need for politeness. Isn't that so?"

Mo Fei raised a brow at her. "Is the Princess truly unwilling to consider our prince's proposal?"

Ye Li looked down at him with an air of superiority, a chilling smile playing at her lips. "Mr. Mo, do you truly believe I won’t kill you?"

Mo Fei’s smile stiffened slightly. As the envoy sent by Zhennan Wang to meet Ye Li, he was no fool. He could clearly sense the hidden killing intent and coldness in the beautiful woman’s eyes.

Forcing a smile, he nodded. "I understand. In that case... I shall take my leave." With that, he cupped his hands toward Ye Li and turned to leave.

This trip to Jiangxia City had initially seemed like an easy task to him. After all, no matter how high her status, the Princess of the State was still just a woman—her power entirely dependent on Prince Ding. Mo Fei had not taken her seriously. Yet, to his surprise, she had given him no opportunity to speak, forcing him into a hasty retreat before he could even state his purpose.

As he strode toward the door, Ye Li watched his retreating figure and smiled faintly. "Stop him."

Before the words had fully left her lips, two figures swiftly appeared at the entrance, blocking Mo Fei’s path. His eyes twitched as he spun around, glaring at Ye Li. "Princess, what is the meaning of this?"

Ye Li chuckled. "Mr. Mo, you are free to leave. However, Zhennan Wang will have to stay a little longer."

Mo Fei’s expression shifted slightly. "What Zhennan Wang? Princess, you must be joking."

The moment Ye Li spoke, the others in the room tensed, their gazes sweeping over the four men accompanying Mo Fei. The towering warrior was dismissed outright, their focus narrowing on the three attendants.

Feng Zhiyao, Yuan Pei, and Qin Feng swiftly repositioned themselves, while Zhuo Jing subtly moved closer to Xu Qingze.

Ye Li smiled at one of the men. "Your Highness, Zhennan Wang, since you’ve come in person, why bother hiding?"

A moment later, a bold laugh echoed through the room. The tall man in servant’s attire standing in the center casually wiped his face, and his previously unremarkable features transformed.

Zhennan Wang was just over fifty, his face bearing a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to Lei Tengfeng’s, yet exuding far more regal authority and dominance. However, the way he looked at Ye Li was deeply unsettling.Any man could understand the meaning behind the flickering light in his eyes. Feng Zhiyao and the others couldn't help but show anger and killing intent on their faces. Ye Li, however, remained unperturbed. Having lived over twenty years in her previous life, she had encountered all kinds of people. This level of provocation wasn't enough to shake her composure. She watched the arrogantly laughing Zhennan Wang with calm indifference, saying nothing. Only when the prince seemed to have finally laughed his fill did he walk over and sit in a nearby chair, while Mo Fei and the other three stood respectfully behind him. Even dressed in servant's attire, it was impossible to conceal his domineering arrogance.

"How did the Princess notice? Truly sharp eyes—this prince admires that," Zhennan Wang asked curiously.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Zhuo Jing, have I ever taught you what is most important when disguising yourself to infiltrate a place?"

Zhuo Jing replied solemnly, "To be ordinary and inconspicuous."

Zhennan Wang raised an eyebrow. "This prince cannot think of any flaws in my disguise."

Zhuo Jing glanced at the prince, then looked up at Ye Li, who gave a slight nod. Zhuo Jing said, "People with disabilities are unsuitable for disguises." Instantly, everyone's gaze focused on Zhennan Wang's left arm. It was common knowledge that over a decade ago, the prince had been defeated by Mo Liufang, losing an arm in exchange for his life. No one had paid much attention before, but now that their focus was drawn to his arm, those with keen eyes quickly noticed something amiss. Zhennan Wang had not moved his left arm at all, and his left hand remained hidden in his sleeve. Though the sleeve wasn't empty, upon closer inspection, it appeared unnaturally stiff. After all, no matter how well-crafted, a prosthetic could never replicate the texture and movement of a real arm. Zhennan Wang's expression darkened, his eyelids twitching slightly—Zhuo Jing's words had struck a nerve. His defeat at Mo Liufang's hands was a shadow and humiliation he could never escape. Yet Mo Liufang had been dead for years, leaving him no chance to redeem himself. In the eyes of the world, he—Lei Zhenting, Prince Zhennan of Xiling—would forever be inferior to Mo Liufang. That was why he was all the more determined to crush the Mo Family Army and Mo Xiuyao, as it was the only way left to cleanse his shame.

"Impressive. Princess Ding's subordinates are indeed exceptional," Zhennan Wang finally said after a long pause.

Ye Li nodded with a faint smile. "You flatter me, Your Highness."

Zhennan Wang studied her for a moment before asking, "Earlier, Princess Ding refused my letter without hesitation. Might you reconsider now?"

Resting her chin on her hand, Ye Li sighed lightly. "I find no reason to reconsider."

Zhennan Wang laughed heartily. "Does the Princess believe this prince is inferior to Mo Xiuyao?"

Ye Li tilted her head, pondering for a moment before shaking it. "How could that be? At the very least, Your Highness is older than our prince."

Zhennan Wang's eyes gleamed. "The Princess is truly no ordinary woman. What if this prince were to say that if you were to follow me, I would immediately withdraw my troops from Eastern Chu?""Outrageous!" Yuan Pei was furious, slamming the table as he stood up and glared angrily at Zhennan Wang. The expressions on everyone else's faces were equally unpleasant. Ye Li raised her hand to stop Yuan Pei and smiled faintly, "Your Highness, by saying such things, do you think that as a mere woman, Ye Li lacks intelligence?" Zhennan Wang raised an eyebrow, puzzled, "What does the Princess mean by that?" Ye Li let out a cold laugh, "Western Liang's hundreds of thousands of troops have invaded our Great Chu and finally reached the walls of Jiangxia. Does Your Highness truly believe withdrawing now would be so simple? Moreover... I feel that rather than humiliating ourselves to beg for your retreat, it would be far more convenient to simply exchange Your Highness as a bargaining chip. Wouldn’t you agree?"

At these words, the expressions of Western Liang's attendants immediately darkened. The man who appeared to be a military officer drew his sword with a clang and positioned himself protectively in front of Zhennan Wang. Ye Li arched an elegant brow, smiling wordlessly.

Zhennan Wang raised his hand, pressing down on his subordinate's weapon, and said, "Every person in this room is a first-rate expert. The fact that Princess Ding allowed you to enter with your sword means she is confident it poses no threat. Put it away." The man shot Ye Li an unwilling glance but ultimately obeyed Zhennan Wang's order and sheathed his sword. Despite being on the verge of becoming a prisoner, Zhennan Wang showed no urgency. As the host, Ye Li was equally unhurried, leisurely sipping her tea. After a long moment, Zhennan Wang sighed and said, "Though my sudden visit today was indeed somewhat reckless, meeting the Princess makes it worthwhile. What are your plans?" Ye Li set down her teacup, "As I said, the others may leave, but Your Highness will stay as our guest for a few days." Zhennan Wang shook his head, "Military affairs are pressing. I fear I must decline your hospitality."

"No matter. If Your Highness believes you can fight your way out of Jiangxia with just these few men, by all means, try."

Zhennan Wang lowered his head in thought before looking up with a smile, "How about this? I have someone in my possession who might interest the Princess. Consider this person a gift for our meeting today."

Ye Li raised a brow, her heart stirring slightly, though her expression remained calm and unreadable as she watched him. Zhennan Wang wasted no time, stating plainly, "Nan Hou Shizi—I hear he is your brother-in-law?"

"Nan Hou Shizi is in your hands?" Zhennan Wang smiled without answering. Ye Li asked, "How can I trust you?" Zhennan Wang replied, "I can arrange for the Princess to see him first."

Seeing his demeanor, Ye Li knew there was an eighty percent chance Nan Hou Shizi was indeed in Zhennan Wang's custody. The same question arose: should she exchange Zhennan Wang for Nan Hou Shizi?

After a long silence, Ye Li finally lifted her head and said, "Very well. Once I see Nan Hou Shizi, I will release Your Highness from the city immediately."

"Agreed."After sending someone to escort Zhennan Wang and the others away, the study immediately erupted in uproar. Yuan Pei anxiously asked, "Princess Consort, exchanging Zhennan Wang for Nan Hou Shizi... isn't that too..." Everyone could see this was clearly a losing deal. The weight of Nan Hou Shizi paled in comparison to Zhennan Wang.

Ye Li smiled and turned to Feng Zhiyao, "Feng San, what do you think?"

Feng Zhiyao tapped his chin with a fan, pondered for a moment, and said, "Zhennan Wang cannot be killed. If he dies, Jiangxia and the territories occupied by Western Liang will undoubtedly face brutal retaliation from Western Liang. Moreover, Lei Tengfeng, Zhennan Wang Shizi stationed in Xinyang, is no easy opponent. If he launches a frenzied attack on Jiangxia to avenge his father, we might not be able to hold out. Additionally, Zhennan Wang's death would unpredictably disrupt the current balance among the three kingdoms and the court's stance toward the Mo Family Army. By then, we..."

He continued, "Though Nan Hou has always remained neutral and disinclined to meddle in worldly affairs, he holds considerable influence both in the court and the military. If we rescue Nan Hou Shizi, even if the Ding Royal Palace doesn't gain an ally, at least we won't make an enemy."

Yuan Pei was no fool either. After hearing Feng Zhiyao's reasoning, he contemplated for a moment before nodding. "This general was shortsighted. Please forgive my offense, Princess Consort."

Ye Li shook her head. "Of course, killing Zhennan Wang would be ideal, but we're not prepared for the consequences yet. Let his head remain on his neck a little longer."

The group burst into laughter, but Ye Li soon composed herself and said seriously, "Now, let's discuss how to secure Nan Hou Shizi's return. Qin Feng, Zhennan Wang is in your hands."

Qin Feng nodded firmly. "Rest assured, Princess Consort. No outsider will so much as touch a single hair on Zhennan Wang."