Mo Li

Ah!

Hearing about it was one thing, but seeing it was another. The young noblewomen, finally snapping out of their daze, couldn't help but scream, filling the air with piercing shrieks. Ye Li helplessly wanted to rub her ears—poor little girls, they'd need gallons of Tranquility Tea when they got home. Fortunately, although the people inside had been deeply engrossed, the commotion of the door being forced open and someone rushing in was impossible to miss. So, the moment the door opened, the figures inside swiftly grabbed the quilt and wrapped themselves tightly. Not that it mattered much anyway—there was still a semi-transparent gauze screen partially obscuring the view. Ye Li mused silently.

But the maid who had barged in clearly had no intention of sparing her mistress's reputation, immediately letting out an even more shrill cry: "Your Highness, what have you done to the princess?!"

Was that even a question?

The maid's piercing scream instantly silenced the still-shrieking noblewomen outside. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances—just which prince and which princess were involved this time? It was painfully clear that Prince Li's Palace had never consulted the almanac before hosting weddings!

"What's going on here?" Consort Xian Zhao finally arrived in haste with her entourage, her voice stern as she took in the crowd gathered at the door. At least she seemed aware this was likely no good news, bringing only a few unavoidable attendants. Though in Ye Li's opinion, it hardly made a difference now.

"Consort, this place..." Ye Li hesitated before saying, "Perhaps the young ladies should be escorted out to rest first."

Consort Xian Zhao's eyes flickered as she looked at Ye Li, then nodded. "The princess is right. My apologies for startling you all. Please retire to the hall for some tea and rest." The group hastily complied, the noblewomen practically sprinting away from the eerie scene. Ye Li followed the crowd, ready to leave with them, but Ye Ying—standing beside Consort Xian Zhao—suddenly grabbed her arm. "Third Sister, could you stay? We... don't know what happened here either..." Consort Xian Zhao added, "Indeed, it would be good for Princess Ding to remain. Should anything require witnessing, her presence would be valuable. Let us go inside first."

Ye Li wasn't sure what expression to wear. She forced a dry laugh. "In that case... perhaps it would be better to let the two inside compose themselves before coming out to meet us?"

Consort Xian Zhao's expression darkened. She raised her voice sharply toward the room, "How dare you! Come out at once!"

From inside came a muffled sob, followed by frantic rustling. Soon, a tall figure emerged from behind the screen, trailed by a petite woman.

"Jing Li! What are you doing here?!" Consort Xian Zhao demanded sharply. The disheveled, ashen-faced man—who should have been entertaining guests in the main hall—was none other than Mo Jingli."Your Highness!" Ye Ying screamed, her delicate body swaying unsteadily as she pointed at the two figures emerging. The crowd shifted their gaze from Mo Jingli to the woman behind him. The woman appeared just as disheveled as Mo Jingli, her dark hair in disarray. Her charming eyes still brimmed with tears, and faint reddish marks of an ambiguous nature trailed from her neck down beneath her collar. "Princess Qixia..." Madam Nan, standing beside the Consort, trembled as she spoke. Though the Emperor had not yet formally taken Princess Qixia as his consort, how could the noble families with their various sources of information not know that the palace was already preparing for the Imperial Consort Investiture Ceremony? Even the Ministry of Rites had already drafted her official title.

Glancing at Princess Ding, who stood supporting Ye Ying, Madam Nan quickly made up her mind. "Consort, Princess Ding, this place is rather inappropriate. Let us step outside first." Ye Li nodded in agreement. "Madam is right. Consort, whatever the matter, let's discuss it outside." Consort Xian Zhao cast a grim look at Mo Jingli and Princess Qixia before nodding. "Princess Ding is correct. Let us leave first. You two—clean yourselves up and come out immediately!"

By the time they returned to the main hall, the other ladies had already been escorted by the Consort's orders to rest in another courtyard. Ye Li and the others naturally couldn't leave just yet. Seeing the stiff, unpleasant expressions on the faces of Madam Nan and the other ladies who had accompanied Consort Xian Zhao, Ye Li felt a bit more balanced inside. Since this had nothing to do with her, she might as well enjoy the spectacle.

Ye Ying sat beside Consort Xian Zhao, sobbing softly, adding to the already oppressive and gloomy atmosphere of the hall. The Consort, irritated by her crying, shot her a cold glance and snapped, "Quiet! All you do is cry!" Unfazed by the Consort's anger, Ye Ying was too devastated by the sudden turn of events. What could be more crushing than discovering the man she loved—her own husband—rolling in bed with another woman on the very day he was taking a second wife? "Why are you scolding me, Consort? It's not my fault that His Highness did such a thing..."

"Shut up and sit aside!" Consort Xian Zhao retorted impatiently.

With such a scandal unfolding, even if Consort Xian Zhao wanted to cover it up, it would be impossible. Besides, far too many people were present today. Just from the expressions of the ladies they had passed on their way here, it was clear most already knew what had happened. The Consort wasn't one to bury her head in the sand. She immediately sent for several royal relatives close to Prince Li's Palace from the front hall and dispatched a messenger to inform the Empress Dowager, who had yet to leave the palace to attend her son's wedding.

By the time the royal relatives arrived from the front hall, Mo Jingli and Princess Qixia had tidied themselves up and emerged one after the other. The moment Ye Ying laid eyes on Princess Qixia—who, despite careful grooming, still wore a lovestruck expression and the shy demeanor of someone freshly intimate—she nearly lunged at her. "You shameless wretch!" Princess Qixia, startled by Ye Ying's charge, shrieked and stumbled back, falling straight into Mo Jingli's arms. Ye Ying's eyes burned with fury. "You adulterous pair of scoundrels... I'll kill you, you vile—" The others hurriedly restrained her, offering a mix of consolation and placation, creating such a chaotic scene that the newly arrived relatives frowned in disapproval.Ye Li turned around just in time to see Mo Xiuyao enter. With a faint smile, she ignored the chaos nearby and walked leisurely toward him. "What brings you here?"

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and glanced at Consort Xian Zhao, who sat stiffly in the host's seat with a livid expression. Consort Xian Zhao had invited several of Mo Jingli's uncles and elder brothers, among whom Prince Ding, the highest-ranking noble, could not possibly be omitted. Besides, since Princess Ding was already present, having Prince Ding here as well made little difference.

"Jing Li! What kind of mess have you created?!" An elderly prince with a majestic aura and graying beard was so furious that his whiskers bristled. He snorted and pointed at Ye Ying, who was weeping and wailing nearby. "Is this the woman you were so desperate to marry? And this... Today is your wedding, yet you invited so many people only to pull this stunt? You've utterly disgraced your late father and your elder brother!"

Mo Jingli's face darkened, and though his lips twitched, he ultimately said nothing. This elderly prince was the only surviving elder brother of the late emperor and the sole uncle of Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingli. Naturally, his authority was deeply ingrained, and even Mo Jingli dared not defy him lightly. Another prince, slightly younger, restrained the enraged elder. "Second Brother, calm down. Let's sit and hear what Jing Li has to say first. Don't frighten the children." This one was clearly more even-tempered, though his expression toward Mo Jingli was equally displeased. The remaining two were Mo Jingli's elder brothers, whose relationship with Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingli had long been strained due to the imperial succession. Hearing their uncles' words, they casually found seats as if watching a spectacle.

"A Li, why are you here?" Mo Xiuyao asked softly.

Ye Li gave him a helpless look. "I just happened to run into it."

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly and, without further questions, led Ye Li to sit beside him.

Apart from Ye Ying, who continued to sob incessantly, and Mo Xiuyao, who remained composed with half his face concealed, everyone else in the hall was likely deeply uncomfortable. After all, the matter they were about to discuss was rather extraordinary—and even more so were the individuals involved. One was the younger brother of the reigning emperor, and the other was the emperor's designated future consort. While the imperial family was no stranger to scandalous affairs, they at least knew to veil such matters in secrecy. For something like this to unfold in public, spreading instantly among the noblewomen of the capital, was truly rare.

"Silence! What are you crying for?" The elderly prince, irritated by the ghostly wails, slammed the table and roared.

Ye Ying was startled into silence, her tear-streaked face frozen in fear as she stared at the elderly prince. With a disdainful snort, the prince turned to Consort Xian Zhao. "Consort, what exactly is going on here? With such a scandal, how are we to explain this to His Majesty?" The elderly prince understood Consort Xian Zhao's intentions in summoning them. The emperor would undoubtedly be furious—committing adultery with his chosen consort was a crime punishable by death, and even execution would be lenient for Mo Jingli. However... Consort Xian Zhao surely did not want Prince Li to die, nor did the Empress Dowager, and likely not even the emperor himself. Moreover, the emperor probably did not wish to antagonize Nanzhao at this time. Thus, they had to plead for Prince Li's sake and give the emperor a way to save face.Consort Xian Zhao sighed and said, "This consort doesn't know what exactly happened. I only heard there was trouble here and rushed over, only to see..."

Ye Ying snorted sharply, "What else could it be? This slut was seducing His Highness—"

"Ye Ying!" Consort Xian Zhao frowned, glaring sternly at her. "Mind your status! Don't act like some uncultured shrew! If you don't wish to stay here, return to your chambers at once." Ye Ying bit her lip and turned her head away, falling silent. The old prince frowned at Mo Jingli standing in the hall and asked, "Jing Li, shouldn't you be entertaining guests in the front courtyard at this time? Why are you in the ladies' resting area? Have you forgotten basic etiquette after marriage?"

Mo Jingli, known for his cold arrogance, had likely never encountered such a humiliating situation in his life—especially not in front of Mo Xiuyao, his lifelong rival, and Ye Li, the woman he believed he had discarded. This realization only deepened his shame, his face darkening with barely contained fury. "Someone sent word summoning me here," he ground out.

"And so?" The young prince seated nearby scoffed, his mocking tone unmistakable. "You came and immediately tumbled into bed with the Emperor's consort?" This was Mo Jingyi, Prince Yi, Mo Xiuyao's half-brother. Mo Jingli shot him a venomous glare, but Mo Jingyi merely smirked and turned his gaze upward, studying the ceiling.

"Who delivered the message? Who were you supposed to meet here?" Another elder prince frowned. "Even you have no right to enter the ladies' quarters uninvited. Surely you know this rule?" The mood in the room was tense. What should have been a joyous wedding had devolved into scandal. Had it involved an ordinary maiden, the matter could have been settled by making her Mo Jingli's concubine. But this was a princess—one already designated as the Emperor's future consort. Dragged into this mess by Consort Xian Zhao, they had no choice but to wade through the mire. The assembled nobles now regarded Qixia Princess with undisguised contempt.

The princess, realizing how she appeared, shook her head frantically. "N-no! It wasn't me! I never sent any message to His Highness!"

The old prince stroked his graying beard, eyeing her skeptically. "No? Then how did Prince Li conveniently end up in your chambers? The ladies were either taking tea together or strolling in the gardens. Why were you alone in your room? More importantly... Princess Zhaoyang isn't attending this wedding. So why are you here?" His questions came rapid-fire, bordering on aggressive, but no one present had patience left for the foreign princess's plight.

Panicked, Qixia Princess glanced around the room at the stony-faced assembly before suddenly pointing in a direction. "Her! It must be her! She framed me and His Highness!"

Ye Li, struck by this unexpected accusation, could only think: So her earlier suspicions were correct—foreign princesses truly had screws loose in their heads."Take your hand away, or I won't mind ensuring you never use it again for the rest of your life." Mo Xiuyao gazed calmly at the agitated Qixia Princess, his tone indifferent. The princess couldn't help but shiver, instinctively edging closer to Mo Jingli, oblivious to the flash of resentment in Ye Ying's eyes as she sat nearby.

"In Great Chu, she's the only one I have a grudge against," Qixia Princess bit her lip and said. "And Prince Li—Prince Li also has a grudge against her. This is something everyone knows." Qixia Princess wasn’t truly foolish; she understood clearly that if she were accused of actively seducing and scheming against Prince Li, given her status as a future imperial consort, even if Great Chu executed her, Nanzhao wouldn’t stand up for her. So she had to shift the blame entirely. But in the moment, she couldn’t figure out who might have framed her. Among those present, only Ye Li bore her enmity, making her the perfect scapegoat.

"Princess Ding?" The crowd was taken aback.

Ye Li sighed helplessly and said softly, "Princess, His Highness and I arrived at the palace around the third quarter of the Hour of the Goat. After that, we paid respects to the Dowager Consort and the other ladies. Around the beginning of the Hour of the Monkey, I left with my fourth sister and chatted in the garden for less than a quarter of an hour before joining the young ladies from the Hua, Qin, and General Murong households. After that, we stayed in the garden conversing. Many young ladies were present—they can all testify. Moreover, when we discovered the two of you... ahem... it wasn’t even the second quarter of the Hour of the Monkey. That means less than an hour had passed from my arrival at Prince Li’s Palace to the incident. Realistically, the only time under suspicion would be the brief period I spent with my fourth sister—from the Hour of the Monkey to its first quarter. The princess, it seems, did not receive an invitation and arrived at the palace before His Highness and I. So, Princess, how exactly do you suppose I could have learned of your presence in Prince Li’s Palace and your precise whereabouts within that short quarter-hour, then arranged for someone to lure Prince Li over? Hmm?"

Ye Li’s explanation not only clarified her own whereabouts but also absolved herself of any suspicion of colluding with Ye Ying.

"Heh, Princess, you missed one detail..." Mo Jingyi fanned himself leisurely and added with a smile, "You’d also have to subtract the time Prince Li and the princess spent... ahem... So, Princess Ding didn’t even have that quarter-hour to begin with."

At this, the crowd’s expressions toward Qixia Princess grew even more disdainful. To think she’d shamelessly committed such an act and then had the audacity to falsely accuse Princess Ding.

Qixia Princess faltered. She hadn’t truly expected to convict Ye Li on such flimsy grounds—she’d only hoped to buy time to gather her wits. But she hadn’t anticipated Ye Li dismantling her lies so effortlessly on the spot. Flustered and at a loss, the princess could only burst into tears. "Wuwu... It really wasn’t my fault..."

"Enough!" Mo Jingli, who had remained silent until now, stared at Ye Li for a long moment before finally speaking in a low voice. "There’s no need to pressure her further. I will take responsibility."Bang! The old prince slammed the table in fury, his face alternating between green and white as he glared at Mo Jingli. His pointing finger trembled uncontrollably. "You scoundrel! You'll take responsibility? What responsibility can you even take? Do you think this is some act of bravery where a man owns up to his deeds?"

Mo Jingyi stepped forward with a grin, supporting the old prince as he said cheerfully, "Imperial Uncle, please calm your anger. Prince Li probably just forgot for a moment that Qixia Princess is His Majesty’s intended Consort Xia—our elder brother’s wife. Don’t be angry, don’t be angry..."

If he hadn’t said anything, the old prince might not have been so enraged. But with these words, the old prince’s fury soared to new heights. "You shameless wretch! Have you learned nothing of propriety and decency? Fine... I won’t interfere in this matter anymore—I can’t. Do whatever you want!" In his rage, the old prince washed his hands of the affair.

Consort Xian Zhao quickly tried to soothe him. "Your Highness, please calm down. Jing Li is just young and foolish, which is why he spouted such nonsense. As his uncle, please don’t hold it against him. As for His Majesty... His Majesty’s reaction..."

The old prince shot her a glance and snorted. "Young and foolish? Indeed, he is. And whose fault is that? Look at the things he’s done this year—which of them is something a decent person would do? Sooner or later, he’ll bring the heavens crashing down!"

From the very beginning, when Mo Jingli had stubbornly insisted on the marriage annulment, the old prince had been deeply dissatisfied with his nephew. The marriage had been decreed by the late emperor, and the bride was the granddaughter of the Xu family. Even if he was unhappy, he should have endured it unless the young lady, Ye Li, had committed some grave offense. Now, it seemed that Third Miss Ye was perfectly fine—it was Fourth Miss Ye, the one he had been so desperate to marry, who was truly unworthy.

Suppressing the displeasure in her eyes, Consort Xian Zhao could only force a smile and placate the old prince. They still had to explain things to the emperor. If Mo Jingli were to face His Majesty’s wrath unprepared, he’d be lucky to escape with his life intact.

Finally, when the old prince’s temper had cooled somewhat, he pressed on. "Where is the messenger? Surely you haven’t forgotten what they looked like? And who exactly brought Qixia Princess here?"

Rumors about Prince Li and Qixia Princess had been circulating in the capital for some time. Zhaoyang Princess, being the most proper, had strictly confined Qixia Princess to her residence after the emperor’s decree. She hadn’t even attended Mo Jingli’s wedding. So how had Qixia Princess managed to come?

"I... I..." Qixia Princess said tearfully, "When I arrived, no one at the gate stopped me." She had come early and had visited Prince Li’s Palace many times before, so many of the servants recognized her. Even without an invitation, no one had barred her entry.

The steward of Prince Li’s Palace entered and reported that certain... stimulating incense had been found in the room where the incident occurred. The entire room fell into stunned silence.

Qixia Princess had come to Prince Li’s Palace on her own, yet the servants hadn’t reported her arrival to their master. Mo Jingli, completely unaware of the situation, had rushed over upon hearing a message, disregarding all propriety by barging into the ladies’ resting quarters. And then... well.

This wasn’t a coincidence—it was a farce.

Ye Li thought to herself, Looks like the emperor’s yet-to-be-claimed beauty is destined to slip through his fingers this time. "Enough, we'll decide on the punishment after the Empress Dowager arrives. Also, send someone immediately to inform Princess Zhaoyang to take Princess Qixia back!" the old prince said impatiently. He then turned to look at Mo Xiuyao and added, "Xiu Yao, what do you think?" Mo Xiuyao smiled gently and courteously, "Your Highness is the elder, everything shall be decided by you." The others quickly expressed their agreement to follow the old prince's lead.

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager indeed cared deeply for her youngest son. She arrived before Princess Zhaoyang could get there—this was largely because Prince Li's Palace was the closest princely residence to the imperial palace. The Empress Dowager stormed in wearing a bright yellow phoenix robe, furious. "Before I even left the palace, you sent word that something had happened! What exactly went wrong on such an auspicious day? Haven't we been humiliated enough by the last wedding?"

Ye Ying, standing to the side, paled at this. Unfortunately, she didn't dare confront the Empress Dowager's wrath and could only hide silently in the corner.

Everyone rose to pay their respects as the Empress Dowager took her seat. She listened as the old prince and Consort Xian Zhao recounted the events. Before they could even finish, the Empress Dowager flew into a rage, harshly scolding Mo Jingli. No one dared interrupt while the Empress Dowager berated her son—they could only listen. Several noblewomen who had nothing to do with the matter wished they could plug their ears, silently vowing never to set foot in Prince Li's Palace again after today.

When the Empress Dowager finally vented her anger, Mo Jingli and Qixia Princess were already kneeling on the ground, begging for her forgiveness. The Empress Dowager stared at Mo Jingli for a long time before her expression softened slightly. She let out a long sigh and turned to the old prince, saying, "Royal Brother, what do you think should be done about this?"

The old prince stroked his beard and replied, "Since Her Majesty has graced us with her presence, naturally, the matter should be left to her judgment."

The Empress Dowager sighed sorrowfully. "This... truly damages the Emperor's dignity. Even if I plead for leniency, I fear it will be difficult to quell His Majesty's fury."

The old prince understood her meaning perfectly. "To be honest, Jing Li's disgraceful actions are also a failure on our part as his uncles in disciplining him properly. This prince and my younger brother will personally enter the palace later to plead for Jing Li's sake. We can only hope His Majesty will grant us this favor."

The Empress Dowager smiled gratefully. "Royal Brother, you are the Emperor's most respected uncle. His Majesty would never disregard your face. Li'er, why don't you thank your uncle?"

Mo Jingli said solemnly, "Jing Li thanks Uncle and Royal Uncle."

The old prince snorted and ignored him. With the old prince's promise, the Empress Dowager was naturally very satisfied. Though the old prince no longer involved himself in court affairs, he still held considerable prestige among the imperial relatives. As long as he interceded, most of the princes would defer to him, and even the Emperor, no matter how furious, would hesitate to impose severe punishment.

Consort Xian Zhao was also quite pleased. Glancing at Mo Jingli and Qixia Princess, she asked softly, "Sister Empress Dowager, what about Qixia Princess...?"

The Empress Dowager frowned. "I will discuss it with the Emperor when I return. In a few days, we’ll find a way to arrange her entry into the household." She didn’t bother to lower her voice, as the noblewomen present would understand what should and shouldn’t be repeated. Qixia Princess's status was different—unless she intended to hide forever, this matter would inevitably spread.

"I disagree!"

"I also disagree!"

Two female voices, one from inside and one from outside, rang out simultaneously, startling everyone again. The voice from inside belonged to Ye Ying, her face deathly pale and swaying unsteadily. From outside, Lingyun Gongzhu stood in fiery red bridal robes, her bright red veil lifted but not yet removed. Her almond-shaped eyes blazed with fury as she glared at the crowd in the hall from the doorway, chin raised defiantly.

"This princess refuses to accept this! You people of Dongchu dare not humiliate me like this!"

Beside her, Lei Tengfeng swept a cold gaze over the assembled guests and said icily, "Empress Dowager, is this how Dongchu treats its guests? Isn’t this going too far?"

Before anyone could respond, Lingyun Gongzhu strode into the hall, stopping before Mo Jingli and Qixia Princess. In full view of everyone, she delivered a swift, vicious slap to Qixia Princess’s face.

"Slut!"

Qixia Princess’s cheek immediately reddened, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of her lip. As if that wasn’t enough, Lingyun Gongzhu raised her hand to strike again, but Mo Jingli grabbed her wrist.

"Have you had enough?"

Lingyun Gongzhu sneered, shaking off his grip. "No matter how much I make a scene, it’s nothing compared to the shamelessness of seducing another woman’s groom at their wedding! And to think you call yourself a princess—you disgrace all princesses! I heard you’ve been clinging to Prince Li for a long time? Before, I didn’t care who you flirted with. But to pull this stunt at my wedding? That’s a direct challenge to me!"The Empress Dowager frowned and said sternly, "Lingyun Gongzhu, Prince Li and Qixia Princess are also innocent victims of this scheme. If you have any grievances, this old one will have Prince Li apologize to you afterward. But now, in front of so many princes and noble ladies, you must not make a scene."

Lingyun Gongzhu sneered, lifting her hand to tear off the red bridal veil and throwing it to the ground. "An apology? This princess cannot accept it! I refuse to marry now. Do whatever you want—either this vile woman leaves, or I do!"

Consort Xian Zhao asked, "Then what does the princess propose?"

Lingyun Gongzhu raised her chin arrogantly. "Have Prince Li personally kill this wretch, and this princess will act as if nothing happened."

"What?!" The crowd gasped in shock. Mo Jingli shielded Qixia Princess behind him and glared at Lingyun Gongzhu. "Have you lost your mind? She is the Princess of Nanzhao!"

"So what? This princess is the Princess of Western Liang. Do you think I fear some insignificant southern kingdom?" Lingyun Gongzhu arched her brow defiantly.

Lei Tengfeng watched the scene coldly and said, "It seems Lingyun is right—Dongchu truly does not hold our Great Liang in regard. In that case, there is no need to proceed with today's wedding. Prince Li, don’t you agree?"

Mo Jingli remained silent.

Lingyun Gongzhu scoffed. "Elder Brother, now you see it for yourself. They don’t care about us at all."

Lei Tengfeng gave her a faint glance. "Pack your things. We’re leaving. We’ll immediately seek an audience with the Emperor of Dongchu to bid farewell, then depart at once."

"Yes!" Lingyun Gongzhu cast a disdainful look at Qixia Princess and Mo Jingli, her expression showing no shame over the ruined wedding—only satisfaction.

"Prince, let us discuss this rationally. This concerns the relations between our two nations—do not act rashly," an elderly prince sighed, rising to mediate.

Lei Tengfeng replied indifferently, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. But this time, Dongchu has gone too far. It is not Western Liang that acted improperly first. Even if we bring this matter before the Emperor of Dongchu, we are not the ones at fault." He then turned to Prince Ding and Princess Ding. "Your Highnesses, please judge fairly. Wouldn’t you agree?"

Ye Li inwardly cursed Lei Tengfeng’s cunning for dragging them into this. Under the crowd’s expectant gazes, she smiled gracefully and said, "Prince, it is true that Li Wang Dianxia and Qixia Princess were at fault in some aspects, but there are still many unanswered questions. More importantly, this was entirely an accident—Dongchu’s sincerity toward your nation is beyond doubt. Surely, you cannot deny that?" You brought Lingyun Gongzhu here for a marriage alliance—do you really dare take her back now?

The elderly prince gave Ye Li an approving look and smiled. "Princess Ding speaks wisely. We will do our utmost to compensate Lingyun Gongzhu for Prince Li’s wrongs. It would be most unfortunate if this incident harmed the friendship between our nations. We implore you to reconsider, Prince."

Seeing Lei Tengfeng’s contemplative expression, Lingyun Gongzhu frowned anxiously. "Elder Brother!"

Lei Tengfeng gave her a cool glance before addressing the Empress Dowager. "Lingyun is His Majesty’s most beloved princess. At home, no one would dare let her suffer the slightest grievance. May I ask how Dongchu intends to compensate her?"

Lingyun Gongzhu stiffened slightly, a trace of disappointment flashing across her face, but she dared not speak further under Lei Tengfeng’s stern gaze.

The Empress Dowager said solemnly, "What compensation does the Prince demand?"Lei Tengfeng's eyes flashed as he declared loudly, "The future heir of Prince Li must be born to Lingyun. Most importantly, Qixia Princess shall never hold any title, including that of a concubine or above. She shall never bear Prince Li's child."