"Miss Ye..." Su Zuidie frowned in displeasure as she watched the young woman before her continue to calmly attend to her own affairs. "Do you not understand the slightest bit of hospitality?"
Ye Li glanced up at her and said softly, "There are countless 'Miss Ye's in this world, but there is only one Princess Ding. If Imperial Concubine Bai possessed even a shred of guest etiquette, this princess would naturally know how to treat a guest. Imperial Concubine Bai, please have a seat. Tea, please." Su Zuidie bit her cherry lips lightly, confirming that Ye Li truly had no regard for her at all. With a light humph, she turned and sat down nearby.
Soon after, someone brought tea and placed it silently before Su Zuidie before withdrawing.
Only after writing the final word on the memorial in her hand did Ye Li set down her brush and look up at Su Zuidie. "Does Imperial Concubine Bai have something to discuss with this princess?"
Su Zuidie glanced at Zhuo Jing and Lin Han, who were seated to the side, and said, "Zuidie has some matters she wishes to discuss with the princess privately."
Ye Li smiled faintly. "That won’t be necessary. These two are not only my capable assistants but also utterly loyal to the Ding Royal Palace and His Highness. Whatever Imperial Concubine Bai wishes to say, there is no need to avoid them."
Su Zuidie was infuriated by Ye Li’s unyielding attitude but had no choice. It was clear that Ye Li had no interest in whatever she wanted to say. Helpless, Su Zuidie could only stare at Ye Li and ask, "Does the princess not wish to know my identity?"
Ye Li raised a brow and smiled slightly, turning to Lin Han. "Lin Han, show the memorial from earlier to Imperial Concubine Bai."
Lin Han complied, rising to present the memorial to Su Zuidie. Puzzled, Su Zuidie glanced at Ye Li before opening it. The more she read, the paler her face became. The memorial detailed every aspect of her life in Western Liang over the years. After all, even if Su Zuidie had changed her name, she hadn’t exactly lived in obscurity. As the Western Liang Emperor’s most favored concubine, how could she possibly remain unnoticed? Once it was known that Bai Long was Su Zuidie, uncovering her background was all too easy.
With a defeated sigh, Su Zuidie set down the memorial and looked at Ye Li, whose expression remained indifferent. The humiliation only deepened. "Does... does Xiu Yao know all of this?"
Ye Li replied, "I was just about to send it to him later."
"You must not show it to him!" Su Zuidie shrieked. Zhuo Jing and Lin Han both frowned at the sudden outburst, their gazes filled with disdain as they observed the once-graceful beauty’s loss of composure. Their princess would never behave so undignified.
Ye Li took a sip of the tea on the table, her delicate brows furrowing slightly at the bitter, cooled taste. She looked up and asked, perplexed, "Why?"
"Why... why... In any case, you must not show it to him!" Su Zuidie insisted.
Ye Li replied coolly, "Imperial Concubine Bai misunderstands. What this princess meant was—why do you think I would obey your orders?"
"You—!" Su Zuidie’s face alternated between green and white. After a long moment, she seemed to regain her composure. She sat back down, even elegantly smoothing the white robes draped over her. Then, with a radiant smile, she said to Ye Li, "I know the princess is jealous of me, aren’t you? Of course, it’s only natural—after all, I’m the one who grew up with Xiu Yao. Even if I once foolishly left him..."Now that I'm back, Xiu Yao will forgive me sooner or later. Are you afraid?" Ye Li glanced at Su Zuidie silently before lowering her head to continue reviewing the memorials on the desk. Su Zuidie covered her lips with a light chuckle and said, "Xiu Yao and I grew up together since childhood. He could never bear to see me tired from doing anything. Considering how hard you're working, I'll make sure to leave you a place to stay after Xiu Yao and I reconcile."
Ye Li rubbed her temples, watching the woman happily engrossed in her own performance with a slight curl of her lips. "Go invite the prince over. Tell him Imperial Concubine Bai is having delusions."
Zhuo Jing's expression twisted for a moment before he swiftly rose and dashed out.
Mo Xiuyao arrived quickly. When he entered, Su Zuidie was glaring blankly at Ye Li. Su Zuidie was beginning to believe Zhennan Wang's words—Ye Li was undoubtedly the most difficult woman she had ever encountered in her life. Whether it was Consort Liu, who had once rivaled her in the Chu capital, the former queen of Western Liang who nearly killed her, or even the current queen, none of them were like Ye Li.
Su Zuidie prided herself on having met many people in her life, but she had never encountered a woman like Ye Li. Neither sowing discord nor provoking anger had any effect on her. It was as if she simply didn’t get angry or jealous. Facing her, Su Zuidie even felt like a clown.
"Xiu Yao..." Seeing Mo Xiuyao enter, Su Zuidie blinked and stepped forward to greet him. Mo Xiuyao stood at the doorway, his gaze sweeping indifferently over her before quickly settling on Ye Li, who remained seated behind the desk. Softly, he asked, "A Li, what's the matter?" Ye Li casually gestured with her chin toward Su Zuidie, who stood to the side, gazing pitifully at Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao walked over and sat beside Ye Li, saying, "A Li can handle this as you see fit. I was in the middle of discussing matters with General Lü and the others." Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I wouldn’t dare. Imperial Concubine Bai grew up with you, after all. No matter what, there must be some affection between you." Mo Xiuyao arched a brow. "As the second son of the Ding Royal Palace in my youth, how could I have grown up with a young lady from the Bai family of Western Liang?" Ye Li narrowed her eyes at him. "Then Imperial Concubine Bai..."
"Isn’t Imperial Concubine Bai a prisoner we captured? Speaking of which, allowing a prisoner to roam freely around the residence is negligence on your part, A Li," Mo Xiuyao said with a laugh.
"Xiu Yao, you... you consider me a prisoner?" Su Zuidie trembled, her expression heartbroken as she asked.
Mo Xiuyao replied coolly, "As an imperial concubine of Western Liang, if you're not a prisoner, does that mean I’m colluding with the enemy and betraying the country by harboring a member of the enemy’s royal family?"
"You... you're so cruel..." Su Zuidie gazed resentfully at the two sitting side by side, tears streaming down her face. Mo Xiuyao let out a cold laugh and said indifferently, "Save those expressions—they’re wasted on me. I thought Han Mingyue relayed my words to you. Or... did you think I was joking?" Su Zuidie shuddered. Yes, Han Mingyue had indeed told her. But she had been too confident in her beauty, always believing it was because Mo Xiuyao hadn’t seen her in so long. She was certain that once he saw her in person, he would forgive her. Mo Xiuyao smiled. "It’s just as well that you showed up yourself. I was just worrying about where to find Han Mingyue. Stay put in the residence these next few days. Once Han Mingyue arrives, I’ll settle accounts with both of you together."Su Zuidie was stunned for a moment before asking, "In your eyes, am I not even as important as Han Mingyue? Do you hate me so much that you refuse to forgive me no matter what?"
Mo Xiuyao replied, "Han Mingyue is the Lord of Tianyi Pavilion, with spies and informants spread across the world. What are you?"
At this moment, Su Zuidie truly believed that Mo Xiuyao no longer cared for her. Han Mingyue was the Lord of Tianyi Pavilion—someone Mo Xiuyao would never overlook, whether as a friend or an enemy. But what was she? The most beautiful woman in the world? If Mo Xiuyao could really be enchanted by her beauty, why would she have left him so heartlessly back then?
"I love you..." Su Zuidie murmured softly. No matter how many men she had been with, even she couldn’t deny that the only one she truly loved was the man before her now.
Mo Xiuyao glanced regretfully at Ye Li, who was sitting beside him, propping her chin as she watched the scene unfold. A Li had never said she loved him. If those words had come from A Li... Just the thought alone filled his heart with overwhelming happiness, so much so that it felt like it might burst from sheer joy.
"Xiu Yao..." Seeing Mo Xiuyao lost in thought, Su Zuidie thought he might be softening and eagerly stepped forward to take his hand. Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze and, without even looking at her, gently pushed her hand away. "Since A Li says you’re suffering from delusions, go see a physician. Zhuo Jing, arrange for a doctor to visit Imperial Concubine Bai’s courtyard later." Zhuo Jing stood and responded, "As you command. Imperial Concubine Bai, please!" Su Zuidie gritted her teeth, swatting away Zhuo Jing’s hand before turning to glare at Mo Xiuyao, her voice filled with sorrow. "I see. You’ll never forgive me, will you? If that’s the case, I might as well die right now!"
With that, she turned and threw herself violently against a nearby pillar. Zhuo Jing stood just a step away from her—he could have easily stopped her with a single motion. But for some reason, his raised hand paused before even touching the hem of Su Zuidie’s sleeve, then dropped back down. A loud thud echoed as blood smeared across the pillar. Su Zuidie’s body went limp, sliding slowly to the ground, crimson streaks trailing down her face from the wound on her forehead. She lifted her gaze to Mo Xiuyao, who remained seated beside Ye Li without so much as a flicker of concern, and spat through gritted teeth, "You... you’re so cruel..."
Watching Su Zuidie faint from the pain, Ye Li sighed inwardly. If she hadn’t known what kind of person Su Zuidie truly was, she might have pitied her after such a scene. Su Zuidie was ruthless toward herself, but she was also unlucky—she had misjudged just how merciless Mo Xiuyao could be toward her. The second heir of the Ding Royal Palace, the current Prince Ding—how could he possibly be a kind-hearted man who repaid cruelty with kindness? Ye Li wouldn’t claim to understand Mo Xiuyao deeply, but she knew him well enough. To those he loved, he would give life; to those he despised, he would bring death. If she were Su Zuidie, she would never choose to appear before Mo Xiuyao again in this lifetime. With a hint of pity, she studied Su Zuidie’s delicate face now marred with blood and murmured, "I wonder if she’ll be left with a scar."
Mo Xiuyao smiled at her. "A Li, are you worried about her?"
Ye Li shot him a sidelong glance and scoffed. "No. This consort is reveling in her misfortune."Mo Xiuyao nodded understandingly and said, "This prince understands—A Li is jealous. Rest assured, in this prince's eyes, no woman in this world compares to A Li." Ye Li let out a light hum and ignored Mo Xiuyao, though the slight curl of her lips betrayed a hint of joy. Mo Xiuyao sighed inwardly, pondering how to coax A Li into admitting her love for him aloud.
Meanwhile, Lin Han and Zhuo Jing tactfully withdrew to find someone to carry the unconscious beauty on the floor back to her courtyard for treatment. The princess consort had no interest in her, and the prince didn’t seem inclined to bother either. Though the wound on her forehead didn’t appear life-threatening, if she were unlucky, the world would lose another peerless beauty.
The courtyard where Su Zuidie was temporarily staying was a rather secluded one within the prefect's residence. Compared to the mansions of princes and high-ranking officials in the capital, the prefect's residence wasn’t particularly large. Originally, it had been spacious enough for the prefect’s family, but now that the prefect of Xinyang City had long since fled, the residence housed not only Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li but also Marquis Nan and most of the high-ranking generals stationed in Xinyang. Under these circumstances, Su Zuidie being allotted a small, separate courtyard in a remote corner of the rear compound was already preferential treatment.
When Su Zuidie awoke from her faint, she instinctively touched her forehead. The thick bandage and sharp pain filled her with both hatred and regret—hatred for Mo Xiuyao’s cruelty. She knew exactly how skilled he was; if he hadn’t wanted her to die, she would never have been able to hit the pillar. And regret for her momentary impulse—what if it had ruined her peerless beauty? At this thought, she hurriedly got out of bed and rushed to the bronze mirror on the table. This courtyard might have belonged to some neglected concubine of the prefect. Though it had all the necessities for a woman, none matched the quality Su Zuidie was accustomed to. The items were far from refined, and even the bronze mirror was so blurry she could barely make out her reflection. After staring for a long time, all she could see was a hazy silhouette and the thick white bandage wrapped around her forehead. In her agitation, she reached up to untie it.
"Ah—Miss Bai, you mustn’t remove it!" The maid attending to Su Zuidie had just entered and, seeing her action, hurried forward to stop her.
"How dare you!" Having lived in luxury for so many years, no one had ever dared to treat her so rudely. Su Zuidie snapped sharply. The maid, startled, quickly explained, "The physician said you mustn’t touch the wound before it heals, or it might leave a scar." Hearing this, Su Zuidie finally calmed down and stared at her. "Are you saying my face won’t be scarred?" The maid hesitated before nodding. "As long as Miss Bai takes good care of it, it... shouldn’t be."After receiving repeated assurances from the maid, Su Zuidie finally set her mind at ease. Sitting before the bronze mirror, she examined her reflection in its unclear surface and asked, "Who brought me back?"
The little maid replied, "It was Lord Zhuo and Lord Lin who sent someone to escort you back, miss."
Su Zuidie paused in her movements. "Did the prince not come to see me?"
The maid gave her a strange look but still answered respectfully, "No, miss. His Highness did not come."
At the sound of Su Zuidie slamming her comb onto the table, the maid cautiously took two steps back. She had originally been a servant in the governor's household. Though she had survived the chaos of war, she was left with no home to return to. Fortunately, the princess consort had been kind enough to take her into the manor. Being assigned to serve such a beautiful young lady had initially delighted her—after all, even the sight of such a beauty was a blessing. But after a few days, she began to find this "Miss Bai" very strange indeed.
At first, she had heard the princess consort refer to the young lady as "Imperial Concubine Bai." Though she didn’t know which imperial concubine she was, she had respectfully addressed her as such—only for Miss Bai to fly into a rage, insisting she call her "Miss Su" instead. But Lord Zhuo had said the guest’s surname was Bai. So, she had compromised by calling her "Miss Bai."
Moreover, Miss Bai often mentioned the prince with an unsettling familiarity. Though she was just an ignorant maid, she could still see that the prince treated Miss Bai with less than a ten-thousandth of the tenderness he showed the princess consort.
"Disgusting! I refuse to believe there’s truly nothing left in your heart for me!" Staring blankly at her blurred reflection in the bronze mirror, Su Zuidie wrinkled her nose in distaste and snapped, "Go fetch me a better mirror!"
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