Mo Li

As An Yi and An San escorted Mo Jingli out of the room on either side, Xiaoyun arrived outside the door at the same time. Her delicate, pretty eyes blazed with fury as she glared at Ye Li, who followed behind them. "Release the young master!" Behind her, An Er and An Si silently descended from the wall and bowed. "Greetings, Princess."

Ye Li waved her hand dismissively, signaling there was no need for formalities, and smiled cheerfully at Xiaoyun. "Miss Xiaoyun, thank you for your hospitality these past few days." Xiaoyun gritted her teeth and snapped, "What do you think you're doing? Release His Highness, and I might spare your lives!"

Hiding behind Mo Jingli, Ye Li feigned fear. "Oh dear, Miss Xiaoyun, don’t scare me like that. This princess has a weak heart. So… you’d better put away those dangerous little trinkets of yours. What if I accidentally—" She raised her hand, her sharp nails grazing Mo Jingli’s neck and leaving a thin trail of blood. She blinked innocently at Xiaoyun. "See? Like this. What if I accidentally poked a hole in His Highness’s neck? Could you sew it back up, Miss Xiaoyun?"

"You—!" Xiaoyun’s face flushed crimson as she watched Ye Li wipe the blood from her fingers onto Mo Jingli’s robes, still smiling sweetly. However, she quickly regained her composure and forced a sweet, innocent smile. "Young lady, His Highness kindly invited you as a guest. If you wish to leave, just go. But taking him hostage—is that how a guest should behave?"

Ye Li chuckled. "I didn’t expect Miss Xiaoyun to be not only adorable but also well-versed in Central Plains etiquette. Though, slipping Tendon Weakening Powder into a guest’s meals every day isn’t exactly hospitable, is it?" The deliberate emphasis on "Central Plains etiquette" made Xiaoyun’s expression falter, and she instinctively glanced at Mo Jingli.

Ye Li had no intention of letting her stall. Her smile turned cold. "Be a dear and prepare a few fast horses for us. Oh, and I heard two of my maids have gone missing. Return them to me. Otherwise… I can’t guarantee His Highness will be returned in one piece."

Xiaoyun finally dropped her act, her pretty face twisting with malice. "His Highness is Prince Li of Great Chu. Harm him, and you’ll never escape the consequences!"

Ye Li arched a brow. "Oh? As if you didn’t know this princess is the Princess of the State of Great Chu. Even your precious Li Wang Dianxia won’t escape blame for kidnapping me. Be smart and do as I say. Otherwise… even if I don’t get away, I can guarantee your prince will die in the ugliest way possible." She turned to An San. "If anyone makes a move, don’t hesitate to strike Prince Li. I’ll take full responsibility."

An San responded eagerly, "Understood!"

Mo Jingli snorted coldly. "No need for threats. Xiaoyun, step aside and do as she says. I’ll personally escort them out."

Xiaoyun hesitated, wanting to argue, but the sight of An San’s gleaming dagger pressed against Mo Jingli’s back made her swallow her words. She glared at Ye Li. "If anything happens to His Highness, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth!"

Ye Li smirked. "Relax, I have no interest in your prince. But you… be careful not to cross my path again!"An San carried the immobilized Mo Jingli while the other three shadow guards escorted Ye Li out of the courtyard. Earlier, the four had silently incapacitated numerous guards, so now they walked out unhindered without anyone daring to obstruct them. Outside the gate, several horses awaited as expected. An Yi and An Er stepped forward to inspect them before nodding to Ye Li. She ordered, "An San, take Prince Li. Let's go."

Xiaoyun, who had followed them out, hurried forward and demanded, "We've given you the horses. Why won't you release His Highness?"

An San scoffed, "Do you think we're fools? Releasing Prince Li now would just let you recapture us." With that, he tossed the motionless Mo Jingli onto a horse and mounted behind him. Seated on her own horse, Ye Li smiled at Xiaoyun and said, "Don’t worry, I promise your prince will return safely. However... if I find anyone following us who shouldn’t be, for every tail I spot, I’ll have someone stab him in the back once."

Xiaoyun clenched her teeth, powerless with Mo Jingli in Ye Li’s hands. She could only reply bitterly, "Fine. I won’t send anyone after you. I hope the Princess of the State keeps her word."

"Likewise."

The five horses galloped away at full speed, slowing only after covering over twenty miles. An Yi glanced back and remarked, "Seems they kept their word—no pursuers." An San snorted, "If they want their prince turned into a pincushion, they’re welcome to try." Mo Jingli, forced to lie face-down on the horse, had long turned green from the jolting ride. His glare at Ye Li could have burned holes through her, but his venomous gaze had no effect as she deliberately ignored him.

"Princess, shall we return to the palace now? His Highness is very worried about your safety," An Yi asked solemnly.

Ye Li shook her head with a smile. "No."

The gazes of An Er, An San, and An Yi all snapped to her in unison. Grinning, Ye Li glanced at the ashen-faced Mo Jingli and said, "Since Prince Li went to such trouble to kidnap me, we can’t just let this slide."

Mo Jingli tensed, eyeing her warily. "What do you intend to do?"

Ye Li’s smile remained gentle and harmless. "Oh, nothing much. Even if I did plan something... I certainly wouldn’t tell you, Your Highness!" Leaning down, she delivered a swift chop to Mo Jingli’s neck, knocking him unconscious—his dizziness from the ride made it all too easy.

The four shadow guards exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of Ye Li’s intentions, and waited for her instructions. She chuckled. "Find a suitable spot to dump Prince Li, then we’ll switch horses and go somewhere else for fun."

"Princess, His Highness..." Though they obeyed her commands without question, they felt obliged to remind her that the King was still anxious for her safety.

Ye Li tilted her head thoughtfully. "It’s spring now, and his health is stable for the time being. An San, when you deal with Mo Jingli, send word to His Highness. We’ll return later."

"Yes, Princess," An San replied cheerfully. He found serving under the princess far more thrilling than the monotonous routines of other shadow guards—every day brought new surprises.

"Enough with 'Princess.' Call me Young Master Chu now."

"Yes, Young Master."An San went to handle matters concerning Mo Jingli and the letter delivery, while An Er and An Si took care of the horses and clearing the traces they left along the way. An Yi followed silently as Ye Li walked leisurely on foot. As they walked, Ye Li didn’t forget to inquire about the events of the past few days. The disappearance of Qingluan and Qingyu worried her. Qingyu and Qingluan had been left outside Yaohua Palace—they must have been taken when they tried to rush in during the fire. Why would Mo Jingli kidnap two maids? No… It would have been impossible for Mo Jingli to secretly smuggle so many people out of the palace unnoticed. Therefore, Qingyu and Qingluan must still be inside the palace.

"Your Highness?" An Yi deeply admired the mistress he had only recently begun serving. If not for the skills she had secretly taught and guided the four of them in over the past six months, they wouldn’t have discovered the clues she left behind so quickly and found that hidden estate on the outskirts of the capital. "Your Highness is worried about Miss Qingluan and Miss Qingyu? If they are still in the palace, His Highness will surely find a way to locate them. There’s no need for Your Highness to worry."

Ye Li frowned slightly and sighed softly in her heart. If they were merely imprisoned, that would be one thing. But what if…

"If even the shadow guards in the palace can’t find them, then there’s no use for us to fret here. I believe the two young ladies are blessed and will be safe. If they truly are in Prince Li’s hands, even for his own safety, he would hand them over."

Ye Li nodded. "Let’s hope so. Let’s go. We’ll stay in the capital for another half month. During this time, have An San and An Si try to enter the palace and see if they can find any leads."

An Yi was startled but quickly caught up. "Yes, Your Highness… Are we leaving the capital?"

"That’s right."

In an unnamed small courtyard on the outskirts of the capital, it was clear that the place had been abandoned in haste. The owner had left in a hurry, leaving behind many valuable antiques and paintings. Mo Xiuyao sat in the small garden, gazing at the newly planted peach tree and the flower beds filled with poisonous flowers and herbs. Shen Yang, standing beside him, clicked his tongue in amazement.

"Growing all these poisonous plants together isn’t something an ordinary physician could accomplish. The person behind this must be a master of poisons." Shen Yang even discovered several rare toxic specimens he had long sought after in the flower beds. Without another thought, he carefully uprooted the useful herbal medicines, soil and all, intending to transplant them into his own medicinal fields.

"Your Highness, we’re a step too late. They’ve already left," Feng Zhiyao said as he emerged from the house, holding a book which he presented to Mo Xiuyao. "The Princess Consort did stay here. This must be something she left behind."

Mo Xiuyao took the book and opened it—an ordinary poetry collection with a slip of paper tucked inside. Written in faint red ink were a few words:

Safe. Don’t worry. Feng Zhiyao glanced at Mo Xiuyao's expression and continued, "There are signs of struggle in several hidden spots in the courtyard, along with the scent of blood. Additionally, the charcoal ashes in the kitchen are still warm, so the people couldn’t have left long ago. In my opinion, the shadow guards by the Princess Consort’s side must have found her first." Feng Zhiyao felt somewhat resentful—why hadn’t those shadow guards informed them after locating the Princess Consort? Working together to rescue her would have settled everything. Now, with the place deserted and only traces of a fight left behind, they had no idea whether the Princess Consort had actually been saved. Watching Mo Xiuyao’s increasingly gloomy expression, Feng Zhiyao began to envy Leng Haoyu, who was far away in the south.

"What about Mo Jingli?"

Feng Zhiyao hesitated before replying, "No one has seen Mo Jingli yet, but… as Prince Li, he can’t remain missing for long. However, since we didn’t catch him red-handed or find the Princess Consort, we have no evidence to accuse him." Feng Zhiyao had to admit he had underestimated Mo Jingli. There wasn’t a single trace of him in this courtyard, including the owner—an unrelated and oblivious ordinary merchant. All they could deduce was that a woman had likely lived here for some time, but her identity, age, and appearance remained unknown.

Shen Yang, who was crouched in the flowerbed handling herbs, remarked, "The person who lived here was probably a woman from the Southern Border."

Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow. "How do you know, Shen?"

Shen Yang pointed at the flowerbed. "Apart from that peach tree, everything in this garden is poisonous, including several toxic herbs unique to the Southern Border. Even among Southern Border natives, only those well-versed in poisons would recognize them. And this…" He dug out a small, shiny object from the soft soil beneath the peach tree and tossed it to Feng Zhiyao. Feng Zhiyao weighed it in his hand. "What is this? Looks like some kind of girl’s accessory."

Mo Xiuyao glanced at it and said calmly, "That’s a decorative piece from a Southern Border woman’s headdress—specifically, one reserved for unmarried noblewomen. There should be a mark on the back of the sapphire, the emblem of a prominent Southern Border clan. Have someone investigate it later." Feng Zhiyao flipped the sapphire ornament over and scrutinized it for a while before finally spotting a tiny, faint mark in a hidden corner. Without Mo Xiuyao’s reminder, he might have mistaken it for a flaw or overlooked it entirely. "A clan emblem? Southern Border people engrave their emblems on jewelry?"

Shen Yang shook his head. "In the Southern Border, clan emblems represent their identity and honor. They imprint them not just on jewelry but also on clothing. Most locals recognize these emblems and automatically defer to those who bear them."

"A Li wouldn’t bury something useless here," Mo Xiuyao said quietly. "It seems A Li has already left."

Feng Zhiyao nodded and pocketed the sapphire ornament. "Alright, I’ll have someone look into it."

"Your Highness." A guard entered, presenting a letter. "This was just found outside the gate."

Mo Xiuyao took it, unfolded it, and read it, his brows gradually furrowing. "Your Highness?"

Mo Xiuyao refolded the letter and tucked it into his sleeve before turning to Feng Zhiyao. "We’re returning to the capital."

"What about the Princess Consort…?"It was delivered by the shadow guard by A Li's side. A Li has already escaped danger. As for Mo Jingli... send someone to the woods five miles west, find Mo Jingli, and bring him back to the capital. Remember, this prince wants him returned safely and unharmed to Prince Li's Palace. Do not alert anyone. Feng Zhiyao nodded, "Has the Princess of the State returned yet?"

Mo Xiuyao glanced at him and said, "The Princess of the State is missing. All matters under Prince Ding's Estate are to be halted, and all efforts are to focus on finding her whereabouts."

Feng Zhiyao was taken aback, clearly noticing that Mo Xiuyao's mood was still not the best. Wisely swallowing his questions, he replied, "Understood, I'll go right away." He then muttered as he quickly left to assign tasks, "Speaking of which, An San and the others have improved quite a bit after following the Princess these past six months—almost like ghosts now." It was better not to provoke the prince when he was in a bad mood. But... this period of gloom should finally be coming to an end, right?

On the bustling streets of the capital, a young man in white strolled leisurely, holding a folding fan. His face was as fair as jade, his eyes bright as shooting stars. Though he appeared slightly youthful, given time, he would undoubtedly grow into a graceful gentleman, unrivaled by any of the capital's handsome men. Behind him followed two tall and upright guards, drawing curious glances from passersby who wondered which noble family's young master had come out to play with his attendants.

An San stood uncomfortably on the street, watching the young master ahead who was leisurely browsing the stalls. He subtly nudged An Si beside him with his elbow. "What do you think the Prin—young master is planning?" An Si glanced at him and calmly replied, "Didn’t the young master say? We’re waiting for news from the boss."

"But does waiting for news require strolling so boldly on the streets? If someone from the estate spots us..." An San shuddered at the thought of their lord's reaction upon learning that the Princess had escaped danger but refused to return. The Princess might be fine, but as shadow guards, they would surely face severe consequences.

An Si's lips twitched as he glanced at the young master in white ahead. "If you didn’t know beforehand, would you recognize the Princess standing right in front of you?" Their lady’s skill in disguising as a man was far beyond the level of those noble daughters who sneaked out for fun—easily spotted at a glance. From height to build, from eyebrows to eyes, even her voice, tone, and gait had been completely altered. Most importantly, even a master of disguise wouldn’t detect anything, as she hadn’t used any tools or masks. If anyone dared to point at the young master now and claim he was a woman, they’d be ridiculed by the entire street. That was precisely why the Princess dared to walk so boldly through the capital’s streets.An San nodded in agreement. Very few people in the capital knew the Princess Consort, so if anyone could recognize her in this disguise, it would defy all reason. However... As a shadow guard, standing openly in broad daylight still felt somewhat unnatural to him. An Si tugged at the still-dazed An San. "Let's go. As long as you don't act suspiciously, the shadow guards from the palace won't recognize us. Remember what the young master said." An San nodded and followed An Si to catch up with the white-robed young master who had already walked ahead. The Princess Consort had said she didn't need shadow guards who only protected her from the shadows. What she needed were people who could stand by her side when needed, assist her, fight alongside her, and accomplish various tasks.

After finishing her stroll through the streets, Ye Li returned in high spirits to the best room in the inn where she was temporarily staying in the capital. An Yi and An Er were already waiting inside.

An Yi took out a letter and said, "A letter from Lord Xu for the young master. He requests your presence tomorrow at Jingling Temple outside the city. Tomorrow, Lord Xu, Madam Xu, and several young masters of the Xu family will go to Jingling Temple to pray for the Princess Consort's blessings." Ye Li nodded, feeling somewhat troubled about how to explain to her second uncle why she hadn't returned to the residence for so long, causing them worry, as well as her future plans. Rubbing her temples, she turned to An Er. "Any news about Qingluan and Qingyu?" An Er nodded. "Last night, His Highness sent someone to bring Qingluan and Qingyu back to the palace. But..." He glanced at Ye Li and frowned. "They seem to have lost their memories and can't recall what exactly happened. The shadow guards apparently found them in the Cold Palace."

"Lost their memories?" Ye Li frowned. "What did His Highness say?"

"His Highness ordered them to rest in the palace and forbade anyone from contacting them without permission. He also sent Shen to examine them. The palace is heavily guarded, and although I'm familiar with the layout, I didn't dare get too close. So I couldn't find out more details." An Er spoke somewhat guiltily.

"You did well." Ye Li was well aware of the security at Ding Royal Palace. For An Er to infiltrate and leave without alerting anyone was already quite an achievement. She frowned slightly. Mo Xiuyao's isolation of Qingyu and Qingluan, ostensibly to let them rest peacefully, might also indicate suspicion toward them. Over the past year of interaction, compared to Qing Xia, who originally served Ye Laofuren, and the younger, more impulsive Qingshuang, Ye Li had relied more on Qingluan and Qingyu. Trusting her uncle and grandfather implicitly, she had never considered the possibility that Qingluan and Qingyu might betray her. After a moment of silence, Ye Li decided not to intervene in this matter for now. She was about to leave the capital and hadn't planned to take those maids with her anyway. Mo Xiuyao wouldn't casually dispose of her people. So... let Mo Xiuyao determine whether they could be trusted.The next morning after the court session, Imperial Censor Xu indeed took his wife and several nephews out of the city to offer incense at Jingling Temple. At the time, this didn’t attract much attention, as it was well-known throughout the capital how dearly the Xu family cherished their nieces. Back then, Imperial Censor Xu had not hesitated to confront both the Minister’s residence and Prince Li to stand up for his niece. Later, when Princess Ding was married, all the Xu family’s young masters had turned out to escort their cousin to her wedding. Now that Princess Ding had mysteriously disappeared in the fire, with her fate unknown, it was only natural for the Xu family to visit the temple to pray for her. As for those who might have taken notice—such as the emperor or Prince Li—they were already overwhelmed by the turmoil caused by Princess Ding’s disappearance and naturally had no energy to spare on whether their officials rested at home or went to burn incense after court.

As Ye Li’s close friend and the future wife of the Xu family’s Second Master, Qin Zheng accompanied Madam Xu as well. She was genuinely distraught over her missing friend and, upon entering Jingling Temple, joined Madam Xu in paying respects to every Buddha and Bodhisattva in the temple, large and small. Madam Xu grew even more pleased with this gentle and lovely future daughter-in-law. After completing their prayers, Madam Xu retired to a side chamber to rest, while Qin Zheng dismissed her maids and remained alone in the quiet temple hall, chanting sutras and praying. Then, a clear voice beside her startled her: "Miss Qin."

Qin Zheng’s heart skipped a beat. She turned to see a handsome youth in moon-white robes standing beside her—she hadn’t noticed when he had arrived. Frowning slightly, she found something eerily familiar about the young man smiling faintly at her, yet she was certain she didn’t know him. "May I ask who you are, young master, and why you are here?" Qin Zheng stood up, eyeing him warily while subtly stepping back.

Ye Li noticed but pretended not to. She knelt on the prayer cushion before the Buddha, mimicking Qin Zheng’s earlier posture, then glanced back at her with a smile. "Naturally, I came to pray for blessings. There’s no need to be nervous, Miss Qin. I am an old acquaintance of Second Master Xu. Please relay a message to him—my surname is Chu, Chu Junwei."

Qin Zheng paused, seeming to understand something, then nodded composedly. "I see. I will deliver your message, young master."

"Then, thank you, Miss Qin," Ye Li said with a smile.

Ye Li was resting in the back hall of the Buddhist temple. This was a rarely visited hall in the Jingling Temple, secluded and dedicated to lesser-known deities, so aside from the occasional sweeping novice, few people came here.

"Li'er?"

Ye Li opened her eyes and stood up to see Xu Hongyan and Xu Qingze standing at the door, frowning at her. Ye Li beamed brightly. "Second Uncle, Second Brother, don’t you recognize me?" Xu Hongyan scrutinized her for a long moment before shaking his head. "You little rascal, I really didn’t recognize you when I saw you outside earlier." Xu Qingze’s usually cold expression softened slightly as he nodded silently, admitting he hadn’t recognized her either. Ye Li smiled apologetically. "I noticed Second Uncle speaking with the abbot, so I didn’t want to interrupt. That’s why I asked you both to come here instead."

The three of them sat down. Xu Hongyan frowned at her male attire and scolded, "You silly girl, since you’re safe now, why haven’t you returned to the palace? If Prince Ding hadn’t sent word that you were unharmed, the letter to Yunzhou would already be on its way. Do you want to worry your grandfather to death?"

Seeing her second uncle’s agitation, Ye Li felt deeply guilty. She blinked her eyes pitifully at him. "Second Uncle, I know I was wrong. But... returning now wouldn’t do any good. If they failed once, they’ll just try again. It’s better this way—I stay hidden while they’re exposed. Let’s see who outsmarts whom."

Xu Hongyan glared at her. "You’ve got it all figured out, haven’t you? Now the whole city is gossiping about how Prince Ding is cursed to lose his wives."

Ye Li chuckled. "That’s not so bad, is it? Even if I’m gone, Mo Xiuyao won’t be able to marry anyone else."

Xu Qingze, who had been quietly listening, frowned and asked, "Li'er, do you have other plans? The Princess of the State can’t stay disguised as a man in the capital forever. The more you interact with them, the higher the risk of being discovered." Ye Li’s smile faded as she looked seriously at her uncle and cousin. "I plan to go to the Southern Border."

"Nonsense!" Xu Hongyan snapped angrily.

"Second Uncle..." Ye Li sighed helplessly, casting a pleading glance at Xu Qingze to back her up. Unfortunately, he also frowned disapprovingly. Xu Hongyan waved his hand. "Don’t say another word. If you’re tired of the capital, go to Yunzhou. It’s been years since you last saw your grandfather."

"Uncle... I’m the Princess of the State. How can I just run away because I’m tired of dealing with people and matters in the capital? That would make Mo Xiuyao’s marriage to me a terrible bargain," Ye Li said with a smile. Xu Hongyan gave her a sidelong glance. "So you’re saying you want to go to the Southern Border for some purpose? Are the people of Ding Royal Palace all useless that they’d need their princess to travel so far? Don’t argue with me—explain it to your grandfather and eldest uncle instead."

"Second Uncle..." Ye Li glanced at her disguise, realizing it wasn’t the time for girlish coquetry. She could only look at him innocently. "Eldest Brother is there too, so you don’t need to worry about my safety."

"Does Prince Ding know about this?" Xu Hongyan asked.

Ye Li hesitated guiltily—she hadn’t even met Mo Xiuyao yet.

"Li'er, what exactly do you plan to do in the Southern Border?" Xu Qingze cut straight to the point.Ye Li shot him a reproachful glance but answered honestly, "The situation in the Southern Border is even worse than in the capital. I'm worried about Eldest Brother being there alone. Since my presence isn't needed in the capital right now, I want to go to the Southern Border to see for myself."

Xu Hongyan frowned. "Your eldest brother knows his limits and acts accordingly. What help could a young woman like you possibly offer? As for the capital... Does Prince Ding intend to use your disappearance to pit the Emperor against the Empress Dowager?"

"They were already at each other's throats," Ye Li said with a frown. "But they shouldn't have dragged the Ding Royal Palace into it. The Ding Royal Palace can't just sit back and wait to be schemed against forever. Uncle, you must know why Eldest Brother went to the Southern Border. If the Southern Border becomes unstable, the entire Chu Kingdom could be plunged into war. Now that I've married into the Ding Royal Palace, its stance is my stance. I can't sit idly in the inner chambers like other noblewomen—no one would give me that chance anyway, would they?"

Xu Hongyan frowned. "You... Managing the affairs of the royal palace and ensuring Prince Ding has no worries is already fulfilling your duty as his consort."

"Husband and wife should share hardships together," Ye Li said firmly. "Given His Highness's health, he can't travel far. If there are things he can't do, why shouldn't I do them in his stead?"

Occasionally, when Ye Li recalled Mo Xiuyao's words, a faint unease settled in her heart. If the Southern Border's situation spiraled out of control—or worse, escalated beyond their expectations—Mo Xiuyao would undoubtedly disregard his health and personally lead the army into battle. The mere thought of his frail body enduring the rigors of war made her shudder—would he even return alive?

And then there was Xu Qingchen. Qingchen Gongzi was indeed a peerless genius, but even the Xu family, despite being a prestigious clan for centuries, couldn't compare to the royal palace in terms of guards and martial prowess. Ye Li knew all too well that Xu Qingchen was truly a scholar with no martial skills—a gentle, defenseless man.

She met Xu Hongyan's gaze earnestly. "Second Uncle, I know my limits. I won't recklessly endanger myself."

Looking at his determined niece, Xu Hongyan sighed helplessly. "Lier, you're a woman. You don't need to shoulder every responsibility. Neither your eldest brother nor Prince Ding's burdens are yours to bear."

Ye Li smiled faintly. "I know. If I were ignorant and incapable, I'd happily stay in safety and let others protect me. But since I can help, why should Eldest Brother face the danger alone? Don’t think I don’t know—Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, and Fifth Brother all want to go to the Southern Border to assist him, but they’re tied down by obligations. Now that I’m 'missing,' this is the perfect chance for me to go and help Eldest Brother—and to ease Grandfather and Uncle’s worries."

Xu Hongyan glared at her in exasperation. "Ease our worries? How could we possibly be at ease?"

Ye Li blinked. "Second Uncle, you have to admit I'm more capable than Third Brother. If you trust him to join the army, why not trust me?"

"He's a man—a few bumps and bruises mean nothing. Can you say the same?" Xu Hongyan retorted, though Ye Li detected a flicker of hesitation. Seizing the opportunity, she pressed on, "I won’t be going alone—my shadow guards will accompany me. Second Uncle..."

Defeated, Xu Hongyan relented. "Well, you're married now. Go ask Prince Ding. If he doesn’t agree, there’s nothing I can do about it."Thank you, Uncle. Ye Li was overjoyed. In her opinion, persuading her uncle was much harder than convincing Mo Xiuyao.

Xu Hongyan sighed helplessly as he looked at her delighted face. A daughter who was too fragile wouldn’t do—just like his younger sister, Li’er’s mother. But one who was too strong-willed and clever was even worse—like this niece of his. He could only hope that Prince Ding would be able to keep her in check, making her stay peacefully in the capital or return to Yunzhou.