Mo Li

Hmph! So it’s the Third Miss Ye who was abandoned by Brother Jing Li.

Amidst the harmonious atmosphere, one or two discordant voices inevitably emerged. The crowd turned to see a lavishly dressed and haughty young maiden approaching, surrounded by her entourage.

After a brief moment of recollection, Ye Li recognized the girl before her—the Ronghua County Princess, daughter of the current emperor’s cousin, the Zhaoren Grand Princess, and niece of Princess Zhaoyang. Though Ye Li was not well-acquainted with the noble maidens of the capital, her uncle had instructed her aunt to provide her with detailed information on all prominent families in the city, with special emphasis on a few key figures. Ronghua County Princess happened to be one of them.

"County Princess Ronghua has a fiery temper. Be careful, Miss Ye," someone suddenly whispered beside Ye Li.

Ye Li looked up to see Qin Zheng, the daughter of Censor Qin, offering her a kind smile. Ye Li nodded gratefully, and Qin Zheng returned the gesture.

"Greetings, County Princess," the gathered ladies quickly stepped forward to pay their respects.

County Princess Ronghua snorted disdainfully and strode up to Ye Li, scrutinizing her for a long moment before declaring arrogantly, "So you’re Ye Li?"

Ye Li nodded. "Indeed, County Princess." For some reason, Ye Li keenly sensed hostility from the County Princess. Having never met her before, Ye Li couldn’t fathom the source of this animosity.

"Hmph! I heard you were too ashamed of your ugliness to show your face. Now that Brother Jing Li has cast you aside, you couldn’t wait to crawl out of hiding? Don’t you feel any shame?" The County Princess’s exquisitely made-up face was filled with scorn. The surrounding noble ladies, hearing her words, began murmuring among themselves.

A faint chill flashed in Ye Li’s eyes, but her gaze remained steady as she met the imperious and overbearing young girl’s stare. Even Ye Li, who prided herself on her calm demeanor, had to admit this girl was thoroughly unpleasant.

"Thank you for your concern, County Princess. I’ve been out for quite some time now, and not a single person has been frightened by my appearance. Perhaps I was too harsh on myself in the past," Ye Li replied softly, her tone neither weak nor evasive. "As for Prince Li… it’s true that I was unworthy of him. His Majesty’s decision to select a more suitable match for His Highness was most wise."

"At least you know your place!" County Princess Ronghua was momentarily taken aback by Ye Li’s response but quickly sneered.

Ye Ying hurried forward, offering an apologetic smile. "Ronghua, my elder sister has never attended gatherings in the capital before. If she has offended you in any way, please don’t take it to heart."

Ye Ying clearly intended to play the role of the devoted younger sister, rescuing her elder sister in front of the crowd. However, County Princess Ronghua had no intention of granting her this courtesy. She swatted away Ye Ying’s outstretched hand and shot her a look of disgust. "She’s a good-for-nothing, and you’re no better. Who are you to tell this County Princess what to do?"

Ye Ying’s flawless smile froze on her face, her rejected hand hanging stiffly in the air. "Ronghua, you—"

County Princess Ronghua lifted her chin haughtily, glaring at Ye Ying with disdain. "How dare you address this County Princess by her personal name?"Watching the evident anger, disgust, and jealousy on Princess Ronghua's face as she glared at Ye Ying, Ye Li gained some understanding of the situation. If Princess Ronghua had been impolite toward her, then her treatment of Ye Ying was outright rejection and humiliation. It likely had something to do with the renowned Prince Li of the capital. Ye Li shook her head slightly in her mind. Though she had no affection for this younger sister, she also didn’t think highly of Prince Li and Princess Ronghua. After all, there were no benefits to consanguineous marriages.

Ye Ying looked aggrievedly at Princess Ronghua, her cherry lips trembling as if she wanted to say something. Ye Li stepped forward first, taking her hand, and turned to face Princess Ronghua. "I’ve heard that Your Highness and my younger sister have always been on good terms. If she has offended you just now, it is due to my negligence as her elder sister in guiding her properly. I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness."

Princess Ronghua raised an elegant brow. "Aren’t you afraid that I might punish you? Or do you wish to humiliate yourself like Ye Ying?"

Ye Li lowered her gaze with a faint smile. "Your Highness is noble and magnanimous. Surely you wouldn’t be angered by such a trivial matter. After returning, I will report this to my father and mother, and we will visit the Princess Manor to formally apologize to Your Highness, the Princess, and the Consort. So, could we let this matter rest for now?"

Princess Ronghua studied Ye Li for a long moment before saying thoughtfully, "You do seem more presentable than Ye Ying. Brother Jing Li’s taste really isn’t all that impressive."

Ye Li could clearly feel Ye Ying’s wrist stiffen in her grip. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: Princess Ronghua, are you incapable of resisting the urge to stir trouble?

"Your Highness flatters me. Prince Li’s discernment and reputation have always been widely praised."

In the end, Princess Ronghua gave a loud, disdainful huff and swept away with her entourage in a grand display, leaving behind a crowd of onlookers with expressions of sympathy, pity, and concern. Offending this spoiled princess was no small matter.

"Fourth Sister, are you alright?"

Only after Princess Ronghua had gone far enough did Ye Shan and Ye Lin hurry over to ask with concern. Several other young ladies close to Ye Ying also gathered around her, offering comforting words. Even if Ye Ying had offended the Princess Manor and Princess Ronghua, one mustn’t forget—she was still the future Princess Li. Prince Li was deeply favored by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, making the status of Princess Li far superior to that of Princess Ronghua.

"Princess Ronghua has always been like this. Don’t take it to heart," a soft, refined voice murmured beside Ye Li.

Looking up, Ye Li saw the poised and scholarly daughter of the Imperial Censor smiling gently at her. She returned the smile candidly. "I’m fine. Thank you for your earlier reminder, Miss Qin."

Qin Zheng smiled generously. "No need for thanks. My mother and Madam Xu are close friends from their youth, and Madam Xu often speaks of you. I’ve long wanted to meet you, but you rarely attend gatherings, so we’ve never had the chance."

Ye Li suddenly recalled that Qin Zheng’s father, Censor Qin, was a disciple of her grandfather, Mr. Qingyun. More importantly, Qin Zheng was betrothed to her second cousin, Xu Qingze. No wonder her cousin had mentioned that Xu Qingze would be staying in the capital for a long time—at nineteen, it was indeed time for him to marry.

Thinking of this, Ye Li’s smile grew more sincere. "Just call me by my name. I used to dislike going out, but I’m glad I didn’t miss the chance to befriend someone like you. Besides… we’ll grow even closer in the future, won’t we?"

Qin Zheng clearly understood her implication and blushed slightly, shooting her a playful glare. "I’m half a year older than you, so you can call me sister. Let me introduce you to some good friends of mine."Thus, Ye Li and Ye Ying were pulled apart to opposite sides, and Qin Zheng introduced Ye Li to her close friends. Unsurprisingly, these young ladies were the ones who had previously taken the initiative to greet Ye Li. Upon discovering that Ye Li was not as unrefined as the rumors suggested but rather an elegant and well-spoken young lady of noble upbringing, they all happily welcomed her as a new friend.

Seated among her newly made friends, discussing various amusing anecdotes from the inner circles of the capital’s noble families, Ye Li found these women far more interesting than she had initially assumed. Indeed, the well-bred young ladies from prestigious families, who would mostly become the matriarchs of these great households in the future, were naturally intelligent and capable—not the love-struck fools depicted in romantic novels.

"Miss Ye, it would be best for you to keep some distance from your younger sister," said Murong Ting, who had clearly inherited her father, General Yangwei’s forthright personality. She glanced at Ye Ying, who was currently engaged in a musical duel with someone nearby.

Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

Murong Ting waved her hand dismissively. "Ye Ying’s reputation isn’t very favorable these days. I heard Princess Zhaoyang originally had no intention of sending her an invitation. Who knows how she managed to persuade the Virtuous Empress to personally intercede on her behalf to secure it? Princess Zhaoyang is a principled person and despises those who disregard propriety. If you’re too close to her, the princess might take her displeasure out on you."

Ye Li was aware that Ye Ying’s reputation had taken a hit, but she was still somewhat surprised it had deteriorated to this extent. She had thought the standards for women in this era weren’t as strict as in the ancient times of her past life.

"If it were just an ordinary arranged marriage, people might be envious but wouldn’t dare say much," another young lady from Duke Hua’s household interjected with a frown. "But engaging in secret rendezvous with her future brother-in-law before the betrothal was even finalized—what kind of sister does that? Ronghua Junzhu used to be Ye Ying’s closest friend, but as soon as the betrothal was announced, she cut all ties with her."

Murong Ting scoffed. "I heard most of Prince Li’s meetings with Ye Ying were facilitated by Ronghua Junzhu. She probably felt used by Ye Ying."

Qin Zheng frowned. "Enough. Why are you discussing this in front of Li’er?"

Only then did the two realize that Ye Li was the most directly affected party in this matter—originally the envied Princess Li of the capital’s noble ladies, now the pitied Princess of the State. They looked at Ye Li apologetically, unsure how to phrase their apologies. Ye Li covered her lips with a light laugh. "It’s nothing serious. Just idle talk—no need to worry so much."

Qin Zheng gazed at her with concern. "Li’er, you…"

Ye Li waved her hand. "The emperor’s decree cannot be defied. Since things have come to this, we must accept reality. Wallowing in self-pity won’t change anything, right? Besides, before his accident, Prince Ding was an exceptionally outstanding man. There haven’t been any rumors of him being ill-tempered over the years. He shouldn’t be too difficult to get along with."The originally somewhat heavy topic lightened considerably with Ye Li's indifferent attitude. The four chatted and laughed for a while until maids from the Princess Manor came to invite the young ladies to the banquet. Only then did the four rise and leave together. After the crowd had gone, the once lively garden became much quieter, with only the distant sound of the girls' laughter drifting faintly through the air. From behind the towering artificial rock formations emerged a figure in blue, his slender frame seated in a wheelchair as he gazed in the direction the girls had departed. A hint of depth flickered through his gentle yet cool eyes...