Envoys from the Three Kingdoms Arrive Simultaneously
osition as the most beautiful lady for years Looking at the woman sitting on stage with a stunningly beautiful face that exuded alluring charm even when seated between two men, she seemed completely d...The Envoys of the Three Kingdoms Arrive Concurrently
In 210, envoys from three kingdoms arrived simultaneously.
Although Ye Ying was somewhat related to Ye Li, Ye Li did not arrange for Mo Jingli and his entourage to stay at the Ding王府 but instead in a specially designated courtyard house within Ruyang City. This place was specifically prepared to accommodate nobles or envoys from various countries. Although the relationship between the Black Family Army and other nations wasn't good, war wouldn't break out without reason, nor could people completely avoid communication with each other, right While this courtyard house may not be as magnificent as the foreign embassies in Chu Capital, it was still decently spacious enough to accommodate envoys from Da Chu, Beirong, and Xiling.
Before Ye Li could arrange for Mo Jingli's group to settle down, Chief Eunuch Mo came to report: "Prince, Princess Consort, the Southern Ancestral King of Xiling has arrived with his heir, as well as the Crown Prince of Beirong and his consort along with the Seventh Prince, plus the Grand Imperial Princess of Nan Zhao!"
Mosixiao exchanged a look with Ye Li. This time, envoys from four countries had arrived at once, each dispatched with significant authority. They were clearly giving face to Ye Li and Mosixiao, but it was also possible that there was some ulterior motive behind the scenes involving Da Chu and the Black Family Army. A cold glint flashed across Mosixiao's eyes as he smiled and pulled Ye Li up: "Looks like today is a busy day with distinguished guests arriving one after another. Let's go out to greet them, Ah Li." With a light smile, Ye Li nodded in agreement and followed Mosixiao outside.
The main gate of Ding王府 was bustling with activity; it seemed that the envoys from the three countries arrived at Ding王府 simultaneously by chance or design. As a result, their carriages, attendants, guards, etc., crowded around the entrance of Ding王府 in such numbers that there wasn't an inch of space left. Fortunately, there were the imposing Black Cloud Cavalry stationed outside guarding the gate, ensuring nobody could approach the main gate of Ding王府. With the main gates opened from within, Mosixiao and Ye Li emerged side by side. In the sunlight, her snow-white hair shimmered with a cold sheen that caused everyone who had just stepped out from the carriages to be momentarily stunned. They were all powerful figures in their respective countries, and news of Mo Jingli's white hair had naturally reached them long ago. But seeing this man before them now still couldn't help but leave an impression of astonishment. What was puzzling was that when Ding Wang's consort disappeared off a cliff, he was fine, why did his consort returning cause him to turn completely gray overnight
"Your Excellencies have traveled far and I am late in coming to greet you, please forgive me," Mo Jingli said with a slight bow.
"How can we say such things We are familiar friends of Prince Ding, so why must he be so formal" A young man dressed in Beirong royal attire was tall and imposing, his features ruggedly handsome. Beside him stood the seventh prince of Beirong, Yelü Ye, along with Princess Ronghua who had now become a consort to the crown prince.
Princess Ronghua nodded at Ye Li with a faint smile; her beautiful face was no longer as pale and delicate as it used to be in Chu Capital but rather more ruddy and healthy-looking. It seemed she had enjoyed life well during her time in Beirong. The man speaking naturally was Crown Prince Yelü Hong of Beirong.
Ye Li smiled faintly, "Your Excellency is too kind, this Consort feels unworthy of such praise. Your Excellencies have traveled far and are welcome to rest at our courtyard house and enjoy a cup of tea before heading to your accommodation."
Crown Prince Yelü Hong looked rather surprised as he replied with a smile, "Thank you, Princess Consort.
Princess Anxi stepped forward and said with a loud laugh, "Duke Ding's Consort, it’s been a long time, are you well" Ye Li felt somewhat embarrassed when she saw Princess Anxi’s friendly smile. She had deceived the princess not once in Nanzhao, yet here was the princess still smiling at her amicably. She couldn’t help but wonder how much of Xu Qingchen’s favor the princess owed him for such a reception. Smiling and nodding, Ye Li replied, "Your Highness Princess, it’s good to see you. My elder brother is also in Ruyang now so perhaps Your Highness might want to catch up with him." Everyone knew that Duke Ding's Consort had no brothers on her mother side. So who was there for her to call an elder brother Ye Li didn’t mind telling everyone about Xu Qingchen’s whereabouts in the northwest because she never thought of making them hide and run away. Since they would eventually tell others, it made more sense to reveal the information publicly now. As expected, upon hearing about Xu Qingchen's location, Princess Anxi's smile grew even bigger as she said with a laugh, "Then thank you for letting me know."
“Duke Ding’s Consort, are you well” Lei Tengfeng came forward to greet her on the Xiling side. To be fair, although every country harbored some grievances towards the Mo Army, Xiling was most awkward among them. Last year, they had fought a battle with their troops stationed in the northwest. Furthermore, there were more serious matters about Duke Ding’s Consort falling off a cliff. Thus, even if both sides put aside their differences for the time being and pretended everything was fine, they still felt somewhat uneasy inside. Mo Xiuyao stepped forward and pulled Ye Li's slender waist, then greeted Lei Tengfeng with a smile as he said, "Thank you for your concern, Miss Glass is quite blessed." Lei Tengfeng was also helpless. He hadn’t caused Duke Ding’s Consort to fall off the cliff, so what difference would it make that it had been his father With an awkward laugh, he replied, “Duke Ding's Consort indeed has good fortune and a great destiny.”
Ye Li patted Mo Xiuyao’s hand discreetly and said with a smile to everyone present, "It is our Duke Ding’s Manor that is at fault for making all of you wait outside. Please come in." Mo Xiuyao gave a faint snort before stepping aside to let them enter the manor after glancing at Zhuannan Wang who was sizing her up from the side. Then he heard Zhuannan Wang speak calmly from behind him, “It’s been a year since we’ve last met. Duke Ding’s martial arts skills have become more profound. May I ask if you would consider sparring with me sometime in your free time” Mo Xiuyao gave a nasty grin outside everyone's sight and replied with his head slightly tilted to the side, "I am always ready."
“Duke Ding’s Consort, it has been some time since we last met. Are you well” It seemed that Zhuannan Wang still wasn’t satisfied after teasing Mo Xiuyao, so he turned his gaze towards Ye Li and asked with a smile, “How are you doing” Ye Li nodded calmly in response, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am fine. How about your injury… is it alright" She felt Mo Xiuyao tighten his grip on her waist and couldn’t help but hate herself silently for not being able to use a little more force back then to finish him off.
Zhuannan Wang seemed to recall Ye Li's wound she had given him, so he smiled apologetically as he said, "What Your Highness has bestowed upon me is truly unforgettable."
Ye Li’s gaze darkened and she replied calmly, “Is that so I can hardly forget either. It was merely a slip of the hand when I missed my target back then.”
Zhuannan Wang laughed and said, "Then thank you for holding back."
After settling all the guests, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li returned to their study where only Xu Qingchen remained. When he saw them enter, he looked up and smiled as he asked, “You’re back” Ye Li replied with a smile, "Your Excellency is still busy Aren’t you going to see your good friend" Xu Qingchen raised his brows and said, "Princess Anxi came" Ye Li nodded and said, "It seems that other than Princess Anxi, Nanzhao doesn't have any envoy of importance. Are you not going to visit her Just now when she left, I saw disappointment on her face." Xu Qingchen raised his head to glance at her indifferently before saying calmly, “I will pay my respects to Princess Anxi later. There’s no need for me to see her in a rush.” Ye Li could only sigh helplessly as she felt frustrated by her brother-in-law's lofty demeanor which made him seem like an immortal who was not easily offended. Was he walking among the flowers but unburdened No, he didn’t even walk among them and only watched from afar. He gave people a sense of nearness and warmth that seemed to be within reach but when they truly tried to approach him, it felt as if they were reaching out for something in the heavens. Even her sister-in-law was worried whether he might give up on worldly affairs and go off to cultivate one day. Ye Li didn’t mean to force her brother-in-law to meet with Princess Anxi; rather, she noticed that no other woman had come close to him over the years except the princess.
“Zhuannan Wang of Xiling, Zhuannan Wang’s heir apparent, Prince and Seventh Son of Beirong, Crown Princess of Nanzhao, and Li King of Dachu…” Xu Qingchen seemed lost in thought after hearing Ye Li mention all the people who had come. "Even if it was for that so-called Imperial Seal, there are simply too many important figures to be here," he said thoughtfully. These were practically the most crucial individuals from each country; even Zhuannan Wang of Xiling held a higher position in the eyes of his people than the emperor himself. If they all gathered in Ruyang for an imperial seal it was perhaps overkill. Ye Li smiled and replied, "My elder brother doesn’t consider the Imperial Seal to be that important, but others might have different views." The so-called Imperial Seal meant that whoever possessed it would rule the world. In Ye Li’s opinion, this saying actually had a negative meaning; instead of “possessing the seal meant ruling the world,” it should’ve been "ruling the world enabled one to possess the seal." No matter if they were talking about ancient First Emperor Qin Shi Huang or the previous dynasty's High Ancestor, who wouldn’t obtain an imperial seal when their rule was already established If someone had nothing yet, even if the Imperial Seal fell into his lap from the sky, he would still be used as cannon fodder.
“Miss Glass is right. Possessing the Imperial Seal means one holds the mandate of heaven,” Mo Xiuyao said calmly with a smile. To those people, it might not have been the treasures that were most valuable but rather High Ancestor’s military strategies and secret manuals as well as the treasure left over from his reign when he founded the country. In their eyes, High Ancestor’s military manual was worth far more than the treasures. Who would dare to compare their strategy with Mo Army’s back then Originally there had been Zhuannan Wang who was called Xiling’s God of War, but since his defeat by Duke Ding’s Consort, soldiers from Xiling viewed the Mo Army as Zhuannan Wang's nemesis. Zhuannan Wang had been undefeated all his life yet he kept losing to the Mo Army time and again. Losing once to Moliang was understandable because Moliang came from a family of scholars with deep roots and was also an extraordinary genius, but to lose twice to Duke Ding’s Consort made no sense at all. A young lady barely in her teens could defeat Zhuannan Wang who had been through hundreds of battles; wasn’t she his natural enemy
Mentioning the Imperial Jade Seal, Ye Li frowned and asked, "Will Tan Jizhi come to Northwest this time"
Moxiuyao nodded and said, "Shumanlin is still in Ruyang now. Unless Tan Jizhi doesn’t want her anymore, he will definitely come."
"Shumanlin" Xu Qingchen raised his eyebrows as he smiled. He didn't know when the Holy Maiden of Southern Frontier had come to Northwest. Ye Li laughed and said, "I forgot to tell Brother about it. To be honest, Brother and the Holy Maiden of Southern Frontier are old acquaintances. The Holy Maiden once mentioned Brother to me. Does Brother want to meet her" Xu Qingchen helplessly stroked Ye Li's head as he ignored Moxiuyao’s displeased gaze and smiled, "No need for that. I believe she wouldn't want others to know where she is." The Holy Maiden of Southern Frontier could not leave the capital city of Nanzhao; if the people of the Southern Frontier found out about Shumanlin's location, her position as a holy maiden would be over.
In Ruyang City, people from all directions came to celebrate the event, making this usually unremarkable Northwest city suddenly bustling and lively. Alongside the streets appeared many merchants selling goods from various places such as Inner Land, Western Ling, Northern Rong, Southern Zhaung. All the inns, taverns, tea houses were filled with people. Every day, not only officials but also merchants, martial artists, even travelers came into town. The entire Ruyang City was unprecedentedly bustling and prosperous.
Ningxiang Pavilion was a newly opened entertainment house in Ruyang City, which quickly rose to become the top entertainment house in Northwest within less than two months. However, Ningxiang Pavilion was completely different from ordinary brothels; its courtesans only performed arts without selling their bodies. In fact, it could be said that it wasn't an entertainment house but a tavern. Because besides having the most beautiful women, it also had the best wine and delicious delicacies. Here, you could hire a courtesan to sing or dance for you, but you couldn’t ask them to accompany you with drinks, let alone other services. Therefore, Ningxiang Pavilion not only served male guests but also female customers.
But people have a peculiar nature that makes them think something is the best when they are told it’s off-limits. After all, listening to music, drinking wine, and appreciating beauties in an entertainment house seems more elegant than in a brothel. Moreover, the beauties of Ningxiang Pavilion were truly genuine beauties without heavy makeup or coquettish behavior like those in brothels; they wore identical clothes and served dishes instead of performing. As for those who performed music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, songs, and dances, they were the most beautiful among the beauties. Not to mention the barren Northwest with few beauties, even literati and poets from Southern Jiangnan would be captivated here.
Ye Li sat in a private room on the second floor of Ningxiang Pavilion, leaning by the window looking outside. It was night now, the whole Ruyang City lit up like daytime. Opposite to Ningxiang Pavilion was a high platform where it seemed they were playing some sort of arena game. Downstairs, crowds surged and appeared even livelier than during the day.
"It's so late, why is My Lady still out" Yaoyi wore red brocade clothes, her originally beautiful face recovering about seven or eight-tenths; although it didn't match her former captivating charm, she seemed more gentle and enchanting. She pushed open the door and entered with a smile as she asked. Ye Li smiled slightly and said, "I have nothing to do, so I came out for a look. You run Ningxiang Pavilion very well." Yaoyi pursed her lips and said, "Indeed, it's all thanks to My Lady’s mercy towards beauties; otherwise, it would be a pity that these beautiful ladies in Ningxiang Pavilion end up in the brothels."
Ye Li looked at her with a smile and a frown and said, "Who says beautiful ladies must run brothels Heavenly Pavilion has plenty of brothels; there's no need to open another one. Besides, Ningxiang Pavilion earns no less than your Qinchengfang."
Yaoyi nodded and smiled, saying, "My Lady is absolutely right." The high consumption of Ningxiang Pavilion even made Yaoyi, who once ran the top brothel in the capital city, gasp. However, these few days, business was unexpectedly good; within less than half a month, they earned full bags of gold and silver. So there's indeed a saying that’s correct: People are born to be cheap!
"You wanted them to accompany you, but instead let them go out and visit the pleasure houses. The Ningxiang Pavilion only provides the most beautiful wine, best food, most melodious songs, and graceful dances, along with brilliant talent shows; it offers nothing else!" Ye Li observed the scene below while giving instructions. Yaoji nodded and said, "I understand what the Viscountess means. To be honest… Prince Li, as well as the Seventh Prince of Beirong and the Crown Prince of Western Ling’s Southern Commandery, all visited the Ningxiang Pavilion today."
Ye Li smiled and said, "It would have been strange if they hadn’t come. Just handle them according to your usual ways."
Yaoji covered her mouth as she laughed and said, "Now I truly believe that the Ningxiang Pavilion was established solely for profit. However, these days it’s bustling; once everyone leaves…" Ye Li smiled and replied, "Rest assured; many people will come and stay in Ruyang City after this. You need to tell rich merchants about the benefits of settling down or doing business here…"
"I understand." Yaoji walked to the window with curiosity as she followed Ye Li's gaze outside and asked, "What is Your Excellency looking at"
Ye Li pointed toward a stage across the street and asked, "What’s going on there" Yaoji smiled and replied, "It’s a challenge stage. Not only merchants but also noblemen, young lords, martial artists, and even Beirong people have been coming to Ruyang these days. The stage has been up for two days now; however, it seems that the current champion is from Beirong. Whoever wins gets an exquisite jewel-encrusted sword as a prize. It costs fifty taels of silver each attempt. Over these past couple of days, the challenger has earned quite a bit." Compared to a jewel-studded sword, fifty taels of silver wasn’t much. However, if no one could win at all, then there would be no cost for the champion, while fifty taels was enough to support an average family for two or three years.
Ye Li felt curious and asked, "What makes this challenge so difficult"
"Archery," Yaoji said.
"Archery" Ye Li raised her eyebrows in surprise. It seemed that the Beirong challenger was very confident about his archery skills. After all, what kind of place was Ruyang now The residence of the Mohist army! Half of the elite Black Cloud Cavalry were stationed outside of Ruyang City. Every single person in the Black Cloud Cavalry could be considered a god among archers. Yaoji looked out and suddenly smiled as she said, "Viscountess, are those young officers from your Mohist army" Ye Li glanced outside and indeed saw several young officers pushing their way to the front of the crowd—none other than Yun Ting and Chen Yun, who had fought with Ye Li in the Mohist camp. It seemed that they were on good terms now. Smiling, Ye Li said, "Let’s go take a look; I’m curious what makes this Beirong god of archery so special."
Yaoji smiled and replied, "If you wish to see it, then I’ll accompany you as well. Please lead the way, Viscountess.flickered slightly and she smiled sweetly, "I'll wait for you in the Western Capital. Bring Mo Xiuyao's head to see me. Then we can be together forever."She stared at him intently until his faint smil...