Upon arriving at the Xu family, Ye Li realized that Xu Qingchen hadn't been entirely making excuses when he told Ye Laofuren at the Ye residence that she had much to learn. In fact, the very next day after settling into the Xu family estate, Second Aunt personally invited the wife of Duke Hua to teach Ye Li household management and the intricacies of social interactions among royalty and high-ranking officials. Additionally, an elderly palace maid was brought in to instruct Ye Li on court etiquette and protocols. Every afternoon, Xu Hongyu personally lectured her on strategy and statecraft, followed by Xu Qingchen teaching her the appraisal of antiques and treasures, along with detailed analyses of the various influential families in the capital.
Ye Li had always believed that, having lived an extra lifetime, she had already learned quite a bit. But now she understood that, in the eyes of her uncles and cousins in the Xu family, she was still far from being an accomplished young lady of noble birth. Thus, she found herself thrust into a grueling routine reminiscent of her past life's endless exams—striving to cram as much of her uncles' teachings into her brain as possible within a single month.
"Miss, Miss Qin is here," Qing Shuang announced as Ye Li sat in the pavilion playing chess with Xu Qingbai, while Xu Qingyan watched from the side. These days, not only was Ye Li undergoing an intensive education, but even Qing Shuang and Qing Xia, who had accompanied her, were being rigorously trained by Mama Lin. Though the time was short, Qing Shuang had already become noticeably more composed than before.
Xu Qingyan's eyes lit up as he grinned. "Oh? Is that my future second sister-in-law?"
Xu Qingbai set down his chess piece and smiled at Ye Li. "Since we have a guest, let's continue tomorrow."
Ye Li was more than happy to agree. Compared to Go, she actually preferred Chinese chess. In her opinion, Go required a more intuitive, macro-level strategy—subtle maneuvering and gradual infiltration. Chinese chess, on the other hand, was much swifter, with cavalry charging and infantry clashing head-on. Deep down, Ye Li still preferred the exhilarating, unrestrained thrill of the latter, just as she had in her past life.
Putting down her piece as well, Ye Li looked up with a smile. "I'm not very skilled at Go. I’m afraid Fourth Brother must have been bored long ago?"
Xu Qingbai stood and shook his head with a chuckle. "Compared to Little Five, I’d much rather play with you."
Xu Xiao Wu—Xu Qingyan—was the Xu family's first Go fanatic (and Go idiot). Despite his terrible skills, he was obsessed with the game. Unfortunately, even the servants in the Xu household couldn't be bothered to play with him.
At Xu Qingbai's words, Xu Qingyan's face fell, and he shot Ye Li a pitiful look. Ye Li couldn't help but twitch her lips. She really couldn't tell whether Fourth Brother was complimenting her or mocking her.
Qin Zheng was soon ushered in, while Xu Qingbai dragged Xu Qingyan away.
"Li'er, it seems you're doing well at the Xu family?" Qin Zheng stood outside the pavilion, smiling at Ye Li.
Ye Li's face darkened as she pulled Qin Zheng inside. "I never knew I still had so much to learn."Qin Zheng covered her lips with a sleeve, suppressing a laugh as she said, "Aunt Ye passed away early, so naturally you have more to learn. Which of us wasn't taught these things from childhood? Besides, you're not marrying into an ordinary family—it's the Ding Royal Palace. No wonder Uncle Xu and the others are being so meticulous." Ye Li thought of the two hefty military strategy books still sitting in her study and couldn't help but grimace. Anyone unaware might think she wasn't preparing for marriage but for war. Still, compared to the books on feminine propriety brought by Mama Lin and her wet nurse, Ye Li had wisely chosen the more practical and interesting military texts.
"Let's not talk about this. Sister Qin, have you met my second brother?" Ye Li asked with a mischievous smile.
Qin Zheng's delicate face flushed slightly as she shot Ye Li a glare before murmuring, "Both the eldest and second young masters have gone out."
Ye Li sighed regretfully. "So you haven't seen him then." After a pause, she leaned closer to Qin Zheng and whispered playfully, "Don't worry, they'll return eventually."
Seeing the meaningful look in Ye Li's eyes, Qin Zheng's face turned even redder. Unable to contain her embarrassment, she reached out to pinch Ye Li, who dodged while pleading, "Ah, Sister Qin, I was wrong… I admit it… have mercy!" Qin Zheng glared at her fiercely before huffing, "You little imp! You… how could you remain so calm when you met Prince Ding that day?" Ye Li's composed demeanor had left quite an impression on Qin Zheng, who now felt a pang of frustration and unease comparing it to her own restless emotions.
Ye Li scratched her nose sheepishly. How could she explain to this young girl that she had long passed the age of blushing over handsome men?
"Ahem, well… just keep a normal mindset. It's nothing special—we're all meeting for the first time, and no one is inherently better than anyone else," Ye Li offered vaguely.
Qin Zheng rolled her eyes in exasperation. She finally understood that this oddball Ye Li simply didn't grasp the delicate and beautiful sentiments of a maiden's heart.
Ye Li protested, "Who says I don't understand…"
While Ye Li was enjoying her busy yet pleasant days at the Xu family estate, the Ye household and Prince Li's Palace were in turmoil. The incident at Chu Xiang Ge had spread throughout the capital through various channels, accompanied by endless speculation from the public. Some gambling dens even began taking bets on how soon Prince Li would abandon the Fourth Miss Ye again. Rumors of Prince Li and Qixia Princess's scandalous affair also inexplicably circulated: the Nanzhao Princess and the Great Chu Prince fell in love at first sight but were torn apart by their statuses. The princess, unable to forget her old love, traveled thousands of miles only to find her beloved already embracing another… A heart-wrenching tragedy, just waiting to be adapted into a ballad for teahouses and taverns. Overwhelmed, Ye Ying sought out Mo Jingli in tears, only for their meeting to end in discord as he was already swamped with troubles. The rumors only grew wilder.
"Your Highness, Consort Xian Zhao requests your presence."
Mo Jingli stepped into the palace with a dark expression, where the steward, who had been waiting for some time, hurried forward to relay the message.
Mo Jingli nodded. Instead of heading to his own quarters as planned, he turned toward Consort Xian Zhao's courtyard.
"Mother."
Consort Xian Zhao sat on the divan, massaging her temples with a troubled expression. Only when Mo Jingli entered did she force a faint smile and say, "Jingli, you're here. Come, sit.""Does Mother have any instructions?" Mo Jingli walked over and took a seat below the Consort before asking.
The Consort shook her head. "I merely wished to ask how the matters are progressing. The wedding date is approaching, and if anything else goes wrong, it won’t reflect well on His Majesty."
Mo Jingli replied in a low voice, "Mother need not worry. They are merely rumors—nothing will come of them."
Consort Xian Zhao frowned. "Originally, I disapproved of you marrying that Ye Ying, but I tolerated it since she is Ye Zhaoyi’s younger sister. Yet now, things have escalated into such impropriety. Will she even be able to uphold the dignity of Prince Li's Palace in the future?"
A glint of sharpness flashed in Mo Jingli’s cold eyes as he responded respectfully, "She is immature. In the future, I shall rely on Mother to guide her well."
Consort Xian Zhao waved her hand dismissively, vexed. "Enough. What’s done is done. Go and tell Ye Ying that in these remaining days before the wedding, she is to behave properly. If she is to become the Princess Consort of Prince Li's Palace, she must carry herself with the dignity befitting her station. And especially—she must not provoke her third sister!"
"Mother?"
The Consort scoffed, looking at Mo Jingli with resignation. "Jingli, this time, you’ve truly misjudged. Though I cannot yet discern the depths of that Third Miss Ye, how could she truly be the so-called 'worthless noble daughter' as others claim? Moreover... even if she were, as long as she isn’t a fool, she would still hold far more value than Ye Ying. I’ve heard that Xu Hongyu, the head of the Xu family, along with several other young masters, have arrived in the capital. Now you should understand just how much the Xu family values Ye Li."
Mo Jingli snorted coldly. "No matter how deep the Xu family’s roots run, they have already withdrawn from court. Besides... that Ye Li lacks even the most basic virtues of a noblewoman. She is unworthy of being the principal consort of Prince Li's Palace."
The Consort sighed softly and nodded. "Very well, as long as you are aware."
What Mo Jingli did not know was that these recent troubles were only the beginning of his misfortunes. Even if they had withdrawn from court, the influence of a centuries-old aristocratic family spanning two dynasties was not something a mere prince could withstand.
––––– Author’s Note –––––
This chapter serves as a transition~
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