Mo Li

Zhao Yiniang was indeed a clever woman. Without needing any help or hints from Ye Li, news spread throughout the mansion the very next day that she was pregnant—and reportedly with a son. Wang Shi almost immediately forgot about causing trouble for Ye Li and instead turned her attention to dealing with Zhao Yiniang. Her position in the Ye family was already secure, and the idea that she would genuinely fear a soon-to-be-married girl like Ye Li was laughable. Her hostility toward Ye Li had always stemmed from an unspoken jealousy and resentment toward Ye Li’s birth mother. Now that the status of her precious only son in the household was at stake, Wang Shi naturally set everything else aside without hesitation.

With Wang Shi no longer picking fights and Ye Ying still licking her wounds from the Hundred Flowers Festival, Ye Li found herself enjoying a rare peace. Her impressive debut at the festival had also gradually introduced her into the social circles of noble young ladies in the capital. Aside from preparing for her dowry, she now had the leisure to occasionally meet up with Qin Zheng, Hua Tianxiang, and Murong Ting for outings. Three days after the festival, Qin Yuling—the young lady who had originally ranked first in poetry before being overtaken by Ye Li—also sent an invitation. She was the younger sister of Qin Mu, the stern and impartial magistrate of the capital. Though they hadn’t interacted much before, Ye Li had a favorable impression of the iron-faced judge’s sister, and after exchanging a few letters, their friendship deepened.

In high spirits, Ye Li didn’t mind Zhao Yiniang’s frequent visits to Qingyi House to pay respects and chat. She understood the concubine’s intentions perfectly. As long as Zhao Yiniang remained obedient and kept her promises, Ye Li had no intention of breaking her word—she would ensure the woman safely reached Yunzhou and gave birth to her child.

On this day, Ye Li had agreed to Qin Zheng’s invitation to go shopping. With some free time lately, she had been planning to purchase more books for herself. Over the years, she had nearly finished reading all the books left behind by her mother. However, Ye Li was well aware of her own limitations. Even if she had a photographic memory and could recite every book in this world, she would never become a talented lady like Qin Zheng, who excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and composition. To put it bluntly, she lacked the innate talent—even if her mother had once been the capital’s top literary genius. More importantly, with memories of her past life, her way of thinking and perspective had long been set. Even after all these years, she still couldn’t fully grasp the artistic conception and philosophy of ancient scholars. So while she might manage to compose a few humorous doggerel verses, crafting a truly outstanding poem was practically impossible.

Thinking this, Ye Li felt that her grandfather—who had once forced her to memorize so many ancient books—had been incredibly wise. At the very least, it meant she could always dig up a couple of verses from memory to pass off as her own when pressed.

"Sister Qin, Tianxiang, Murong." By the time Ye Li arrived at the agreed-upon teahouse, Qin Zheng and the other two were already there, sipping tea and chatting.

Qin Zheng turned to her with a smile. "Li'er."

Murong Ting pulled her down to sit. "You’re finally here! So, did that wretched sister of yours give you any trouble?"

Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "Sorry I’m late. But why would you think she’d trouble me?" These past few days, not only Wang Shi but even Ye Ying seemed to have vanished. How could they possibly have time to bother her?

"Still, it’s better to be cautious. I heard Zhaoyi Niangniang in the palace has been in a foul mood lately," Hua Tianxiang remarked, holding her teacup with a reserved and elegant smile.Ye Li blinked her eyes, understanding dawning in her heart. She silently mouthed a thank you to Hua Tianxiang, who arched her delicate brows and raised her teacup in response.

Murong Ting glanced at the friends around her and couldn't help but laugh. "Ah, I finally gained another friend, but soon A Li will be getting married."

"We'll still be friends after marriage," Ye Li said. "Or do you plan to stop acknowledging me as a friend once I'm wed?"

Murong Ting slumped onto the table with unladylike abandon, sighing dejectedly. "Of course not! But once you become Princess Ding, you won't have as much freedom as you do now."

Hua Tianxiang hid a smirk behind her cup. "The same will happen to you when you marry."

"I refuse!" Murong Ting exclaimed, her bright almond-shaped eyes widening. "I would never marry that idiot!"

"Oh?" Ye Li looked up in surprise at the fuming Murong Ting, then turned her gaze to Qin Zheng. The latter giggled while whispering into Ye Li's ear. Only then did Ye Li learn that Murong Ting had been betrothed since birth to Leng Haoyu, the third young master of the Northern Garrison General's household. Unlike his talented elder brother Leng Qingyu who excelled in both literary and martial arts, Leng Haoyu was a wastrel skilled only in indulgence and revelry. As the only daughter of General Yangwei and a scion of a military family, how could Murong Ting possibly regard Leng Haoyu favorably? The two had been at odds since childhood, practically coming to blows whenever they met. Ironically, Murong Ting—having inherited her father's formidable martial skills—always bested Leng Haoyu in their fights, leaving him humiliated and further cementing her disdain.

"Hmph! My father is so stubborn," Murong Ting huffed, tilting her chin defiantly. "He keeps saying 'a true man must honor his word' and absolutely refuses to annul the engagement. That idiot—if he dares marry me, I'll beat him until even his own father can't recognize him!"

Hua Tianxiang rested her cheek lazily on one hand, smiling sweetly. "I actually think Third Young Master Leng treats you quite well. Have you ever seen another man in the capital so obedient? He never disobeys you—goes wherever you tell him without protest."

Murong Ting snorted and refused to respond.

Ye Li watched her reaction with amusement. It was natural for girls to admire outstanding and powerful men, so the weakling Third Young Master Leng, who couldn't even defeat a woman, naturally failed to impress Murong Ting. However, it seemed Murong Ting didn't despise her fiancé as much as she claimed. Moreover... was a man who had been beaten up since childhood, losing every time yet still provoking fights, truly that weak? If so, then perhaps Leng Haoyu was secretly a masochist? Ye Li's imagination ran wild, but she refrained from advising Murong Ting. Meddling in a friend's choices wasn't her style, especially since she didn't know Leng Haoyu personally.

Murong Ting's anger faded as quickly as it had flared. Soon, she brushed aside thoughts of her troublesome fiancé, clapped her hands, and stood up. "Let's go shopping. We didn't come out just to drink tea."Three young girls and one pseudo-young girl happily weaved through the famous shops in the capital, picking out various jewelry and clothes they liked. Soon, each of them had gathered quite a haul. Ye Li watched the attendants behind them carrying armfuls of packages with amusement as she followed the trio around, inwardly admitting that no matter the era, women's shopping desires were formidable. Ye Li wasn't idle either—while accompanying the others, she also took the chance to glance at the progress of several shops under her management that were undergoing renovations. Though she didn't enter, the results visible from the outside were satisfying, and she was confident they could reopen a month before the wedding. Perhaps she could even ask her eldest cousin to inscribe a plaque for the Treasure Trove Pavilion, Ye Li mused silently.

After sending the servants carrying their purchases back, the tired girls decided to find a place for lunch. Murong Ting, the most familiar with the capital's culinary scene, recommended the renowned Chu Xiang Ge.

Chu Xiang Ge was indeed the most famous restaurant in the capital. Just stepping into the grand hall, the luxurious and elegant decor—rivaling that of noble households—made it clear the owner had formidable backing. Though they hadn’t arrived late, the restaurant was busier than expected, and a neatly dressed waiter politely apologized, explaining that all private rooms were occupied. Murong Ting, accustomed to being out and about, didn’t mind the lack of a private room and simply had the waiter lead them to a decently placed table on the second floor. Ye Li glanced around—the hall was dotted with noble young ladies dining in small groups, so their presence wasn’t particularly conspicuous.

After ordering, Murong Ting grinned in satisfaction. "Chu Xiang Ge’s sweet and sour mandarin fish is unmatched in the capital. I’ve come twice before and missed it. Who knew inviting you all today would finally get me a taste? This is definitely good luck!"

Ye Li asked curiously, "Do you often go out shopping, Murong?"

Murong Ting laughed. "My father doesn’t like to restrict me, and I can’t stand staying cooped up, so I wander around a lot. Plus, my father loves good food, and I… well, I have no talent for cooking, so I scout out delicious dishes to bring back for him." She scratched her head sheepishly, but anyone could see the warm father-daughter bond in the Murong household was nothing like the one between Lord Ye and Ye Li—absolutely nothing alike.

Hua Tianxiang chuckled. "That’s why I always drag Murong along when I go shopping. There’s nowhere in the capital she doesn’t know."

Just as the four were chatting happily, the door of a nearby private room slammed open, and a striking figure in red rushed out. They all turned to look, and Murong Ting gasped, "Huh? Isn’t that—" Before she could finish, she sprang to her feet and dashed forward. "Watch out!"