368 Southern Yi Concubine's Dilemma

her head with a sigh: "This consort can't find any reason to reconsider."Prince Nanzhen laughed loudly and said: "Does Consort Wang really think that this Prince is inferior to Mo Xiu Yao"Ye Li tilted...368. Southward, Yao Ji's Dilemma

368。 Southward, Yao Ji's Dilemma

"Wei Lin sent a pigeon message saying that Qingchen Mister has gone missing!"

"What!" Upon hearing this, not only Ye Li was shocked; even Mo Xiuyao and Feng Zhirao were greatly surprised. Ye Li turned pale and suddenly stood up but nearly fell to the ground. Mo Xiuyao quickly supported her and sat her down, then looked at Zhuo Jing and said, "Explain clearly."

Zhuo Jing hurriedly handed over Wei Lin's secret letter and explained, "After Qingchen Mister finished handling matters on Mount Manglang, he took Wei Lin’s group northward to prepare for returning to Li City. However, they were ambushed halfway through their journey; many of the escorting guards died or got injured, Wei Lin himself was seriously wounded, and Qingchen Mister's whereabouts are unknown."

Ye Li silently read the message Wei Lin sent. Although it contained only a few sentences, she knew well enough about Wei Lin’s and Qilin’s combat prowess. To injure Wei Lin so severely, kill or wound dozens of Qilins, and abduct XU Qingchen proves that their opponent is not simple and must have planned this for some time. This time differs from several years ago when Xu Qingchen went missing in Nanzhao; back then, Xu Qingchen was caught within his calculations to a certain extent, so there weren't many people who truly worried about it. However, now that their opponent could forcefully snatch Xu Qingchen away from the elite Qilins of Ding王府 (Ding Manor), one can't help but worry about his safety.

Mo Xiuyao supported Ye Li and softly said, "Don’t worry; if they wanted to take Qingchen Brother’s life, they could have done it on the spot. They wouldn’t waste so much effort bringing him away. Since they’ve brought him away, they won't easily harm him."

Ye Li closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. They had grown accustomed to Qingchen Mister's exceptional intelligence and wisdom; however, they forgot that no matter how brilliant Xu Qingchen is, he’s just a scholar without any fighting skills. His genius depends on his safety not being threatened; if someone who knows martial arts and doesn't follow reason comes along, even Qingchen Mister would be helpless.

"Xiuyao… Brother…" Thinking of the danger Xu Qingchen might face made Ye Li shiver involuntarily. The most outstanding figure in the XU family's recent generations... if anything happened to him, Ye Li could almost imagine how devastated the entire XU family would be. Gathering her thoughts, she held Mo Xiuyao’s hand as if seeking strength from it and said, "Don’t tell Da Laotai (Uncle) and Grandfather about this yet."

Mo Xiuyao wasn't in the mood to be jealous at that moment either; he nodded and said, "I understand. Alya, don’t worry. Qingchen Brother is exceptionally wise and won’t easily get into trouble."

Feng Zhirao looked at Ye Li who was on the verge of collapsing and silently withdrew with Zhuo Jing.

In the main tent, Mo Xiuyao embraced Ye Li and let her lean against him. Feeling dampness on his chest where she had been leaning, Mo Xiuyao’s heart ached; he gently stroked her black, glossy hair and softly comforted her, "Alya, don’t worry. I’ll send people to look for him right away; nothing will happen."

Ye Li whispered, "Brother is someone who doesn't get involved in worldly matters if not because of me… the XU family wouldn’t have been affected either…" Mo Xiuyao tightened his embrace and said, "It’s my fault, Alya, not yours. I’m the one who has dragged you and Qingchen Brother into trouble. Don’t blame yourself; it's my fault… But even if you think I'm wrong, you can't leave me. I won’t let go." Looking at Ye Li with slightly red eyes, Mo Xiuyao said solemnly.

"I won’t leave you," Ye Li tightly clutched his clothes and firmly declared, "As long as I’m alive, I’ll never leave you. It's just… it’s so scary. If something happens to Brother…"

"We don't know what has happened yet; we shouldn't scare ourselves." Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly, "Alya, do you not believe in your brother’s capabilities Don’t assume that he will definitely encounter trouble. Now we should think about how to proceed."

Ye Li quickly calmed down. Regardless of whether something has happened or not, finding Xu Qingchen is the most important thing now. Otherwise, crying here won't help at all. After composing herself, she asked, "Do you think it could be anyone who wants to abduct Brother"

Mo Xiuyao pondered for a moment and said, "In the south, only three parties can snatch someone from Wei Lin: Lei Zhengting, Western Liang’s Emperor, and Mo Jingli. But the emperor of Western Liang doesn’t have such boldness and no need to do so. Lei Zhengting… We should first suspect him since he's in his territory; if he wanted to abduct someone, it would be better for him to just take action directly rather than do something secretive."

"So it’s Mo Jingli" A cold gleam flashed across Ye Li’s eyes. "Why would he want Brother To extort the Ding Manor"

Mo Xiuyao was also puzzled. Mo Jingli now has Lei Zhengting between them; even if Mo Jingli captured Xu Qingchen, what could he get from the Ding Manor in return Shaking his head, Mo Xiuyao said, "Sometimes it’s hard to fathom Mo Jingli's thoughts. Moreover, this is just our speculation. News from the south will likely arrive soon; Alya needn’t worry."

Ye Li nodded uneasily. After a moment of silence, she said, "If there’s still no news about Brother, I want to go personally to Jiangnan." Mo Xiuyao was taken aback and didn't say anything for quite some time. Finally, just as Ye Li thought he would oppose her idea, he sighed softly and said, "I can’t accompany you this time; Alya be very careful. It’s best if you return before Northern Rong and Western Liang ally, or else you'll have danger there."

Ye Li nodded and whispered back, "You放心吧，我會儘快回來的。”

果然如墨修堯所說，第二天一大早就有衛藺派來的密信從南方送到了。詳細地講述了事情經過。原來衛藺擔心飛鴿傳書路上出什麼意外，在送出書信的同時又派人騎快馬將信送回了這裡。看了信之後葉璃和墨修堯的眉頭皺得更緊了。清塵公子在雷振霆的地盤失蹤這麼大的事不可能不驚動雷振霆，信上說雷振霆竟然隱隱有想要扣留衛藺等人的意思。不過葉璃倒是不擔心衛藺的安全，以他們的能力如果要走的話自然是冇有人能夠留得住的。即使是天下四大高手之一的雷振霆也不例外。更何況，像雷振霆這種身份的人也絕不會親自出手為難衛藺等人。

看完信之後葉璃隻得歎了口氣道：“看來我還是要親自去一趟江南了。隻怕大哥是被墨景黎帶到了大楚去了。”比起墨景黎來，葉璃其實更願意和雷振霆打交道。雷振霆是個聰明人，聰明的人自然知道什麼事該做什麼事不該做。反倒是像墨景黎這樣的人時不時會做一些明知不可為而為之的事情偏偏他做的卻是一些不應該做的事情。

墨修堯也知道徐清塵的安全要緊也不多說隻是柔聲道：“萬事小心。”

葉璃點頭沉聲許諾道：“我會儘快回來的不用擔心。”

當晚葉璃便帶著秦風卓靖林寒和徐清鋒等人並三隊麒麟暗中離開了墨家軍大營，避開了西陵和北戎勢力從東邊乘船而下前往江南。一路上自然有墨家軍源源不斷的暗衛將江南的訊息傳到葉璃手中。在得知徐清塵確實不在雷振霆的手裡之後葉璃也不打算再去招惹雷振霆直接乘船過江上岸到瞭如今由墨景黎掌控的大楚地界，名為南楚。

這新的楚京並不大叫做南京不過卻是當初墨景黎為黎王時的封地王府所在。經過這兩年治理雖然不大卻繁華了不少。畢竟大楚根基深厚與北境那樣的空中樓閣不可同日而語。葉璃易容成白衣男子如今葉璃年紀漸長當年易容成略顯稚氣的少年已不同如今雖然依舊是眉清目秀卻顯得清逸出塵氣勢卓然比起號稱天下第一公子的清塵公子竟是也不差什麼。

卓靖林寒等人都是葉璃身邊的心腹見過的人自然也不少也都紛紛易了容一行人上下明麵上便有十幾人之多倒像是帶著一眾手下出遊的模樣。如今大楚雖然偏安江南卻依然是人文薈萃之地他們一行人進了京城也並不顯得十分引人注目。

Wei Lin had arrived in Nanjing before Ye Li and the others, as it was still under the control of Mo Jingli and Cangmang Mountain. However, there were still many spies from Ding王府 lurking around. Naturally, he had prepared a suitable residence beforehand. It was located on a street where wealthy merchants and officials resided, not too far or near to the Regency王府. The signboard above its main gate read "Chu Mansion." Locals knew that this Chu family originally came from Yunzhou and were a prominent clan, though they couldn't compare to families like the Xu family with centuries of heritage. Nonetheless, it was still considered a scholarly lineage passed down through generations. This mansion was actually one of the Chu family's secondary residences in Nanjing. As people had seen someone coming and going recently, they naturally assumed that this was where the main members of the Chu family were staying temporarily. Neighboring households also sent gifts without attracting any attention.

After Ye Li and her group settled at the Chu Mansion, various intelligence reports from Nanjing started pouring in. However, what worried Ye Li most was that there wasn't a single piece of information related to Xu Qingchen. The only clear point was that several days ago, some people had been seen mysteriously crossing the Yunlan River with someone unknown. But whether this person was indeed Qingchen or where these people went afterward remained unknown.

Seeing Ye Li's worried expression, Xu Qifeng tried to reassure her gently: "Brother is very fortunate; he wouldn’t encounter such misfortune easily. Don't worry too much, Little Glass." In truth, as a younger brother, Xu Qifeng would naturally be concerned if something happened to Xu Qingchen, but seeing Ye Li so anxious made him feel compelled to console her instead. He felt deeply guilty himself, knowing that he should have taken on the responsibility of dealing with this matter. However, compared to Ye Li, he still fell short and couldn't bear to see her struggling while worrying about Xu Qingchen.

Ye Li shook her head helplessly: "If it weren’t for us or the Ding王府, Brother wouldn’t have encountered such a situation."

Xu Qifeng shrugged indifferently: "Fate is unpredictable and fortunes change. Brother’s predicament might not necessarily be because of the Ding王府. Perhaps someone lusting after his beauty kidnapped him to make him their consort" Xu Qifeng said this just to lighten Ye Li's mood, but it reminded her of when Xu Qingchen was captured by Shuman Lin in Nanzhao, causing her to smile faintly and shake her head helplessly.

As she smiled, an idea struck Ye Li suddenly, and she frowned slightly.

Xu Qifeng noticed the change on her face immediately and asked worriedly: "What’s wrong Did you think of something"

Ye Li narrowed her eyes and said in a serious tone: "Send someone to investigate what Eastern Yu was doing recently." Although Xu Qifeng had only met Eastern Yu once at Qingyun's banquet, he knew about this woman who dared to pursue his brother persistently for years. He furrowed his brows and asked: "Are you suspecting that it’s Eastern Yu But… she is Mo Jingli’s Consort; why would Mo Jingli allow her…"

"She's also the younger master of Cangmang Mountain. Although its power in Xi Ling and Northern regions has been almost completely destroyed, its influence in Jiangnan remains intact. Moreover, with nearly a century of operation, it possesses considerable resources. It’s possible that Mo Jingli wouldn’t even know what she’s up to," Ye Li said slowly. Originally, Ye Li hadn't suspected Eastern Yu as her personality didn’t seem like one capable of such actions. However, considering that Eastern Yu is a woman who endured rejection from Xu Qingchen and was forced into marriage with Mo Jingli, it's hard to say whether her character would change. Furthermore, Eastern Yu’s mentor was Dong Fang Hui, who even admitted that her intelligence surpassed hers. If Eastern Yu’s personality changed and no longer lacked worldly knowledge, she could become a far more dangerous person than Dong Fang Hui.

When Wei Lin mentioned that "Eastern Yu betrayed Dong Fang Hui," everyone turned their attention to him immediately. Wei Lin had accompanied Xu Qingchen southward this time and stayed close by his side. The matter of dealing with Cangmang Mountain was handled entirely by Xu Qingchen, so Ye Li and the others were unaware of its specifics until now. Hearing what Wei Lin said was quite surprising. Dong Fang Hui raised and educated Eastern Yu; it’s hard to imagine that she would ever suspect her own favored disciple could betray her.

Wei Lin explained: "After Cangmang Mountain fell, Dong Fang Hui had the opportunity to escape back to Jiangnan. However, we learned about several rendezvous points on Yunlan River in advance and managed to capture her thanks to this information. Although the person who sent us the message never appeared, Qingchen mentioned there was an eighty percent chance it could be Eastern Yu."

Hearing Wei Lin’s account, Ye Li sighed: "I never would have thought Consort Dong would die at the hands of her most beloved disciple." Besides forcibly marrying Eastern Yu to Xu Qingchen, Ye Li didn’t harbor ill feelings toward Dong Fang Hui. After all, a woman capable of sustaining Cangmang Mountain must possess extraordinary qualities. Compared to dying by trusted and favored disciples’ hands, Dong Fang Hui might prefer death at the hands of Xu Qingchen and Lei Tengfeng.

Ye Li mused: "If so, Eastern Yu likely has control over what remains of Cangmang Mountain's power. Therefore, Brother’s chances of being in her hands increase significantly." Qin Feng was doubtful and asked, "Is Eastern Yu capable of doing all this" In his view, she seemed like a hopeless romantic.

Shaking her head, Ye Li said: "Eastern Yu is better at martial arts than us. Her medical skills are also excellent, and she’s proficient in calligraphy, poetry, chess, painting, strategy, and military tactics. A woman capable of learning so much couldn’t be stupid; it depends if she understands or not. When she doesn’t understand, others see her as a fool. But once she does... she becomes the most terrifying person. Dong Fang Hui might never figure out why Eastern Yu wanted to kill her."

With a sigh, Ye Li said to Qin Feng: "Go send a message to Consort Yao; I have something to ask her."

Puzzled but obedient, Qin Feng nodded and replied: "I will comply with your order."

In the city of Nanjing, at the most prestigious teahouse named Zhaixing Pavilion. A beautiful woman accompanied by a child around eight or nine years old entered the pavilion slowly, immediately drawing everyone’s attention in the main hall. This woman was none other than Consort Yao and the youngest son of Mu Yang Marquis House after the family moved southward. Since then, the marquis had grown disheartened and passed his title to his son, Mu Yang, spending his days at home enjoying his grandchildren's company. Mu Yang was also ambitious and capable; even though Mo Jingqi was no longer around, the relationship between Mu Yang Marquis House and Mo Jingli grew closer over time, leading to unprecedented prosperity in recent years. The story of Consort Yao, a stunning beauty who enjoyed nearly equal status with her senior wife, circulated widely throughout Nanjing, making her an object of envy for many wives.

The innkeeper rushed forward as soon as he saw Consort Yao enter: "Consort Mu, Young Master, may I lead you upstairs"

With a graceful smile, Consort Yao replied: "Thank you. Is my room still reserved"

"It's our honor that Consort Mu likes the tea and snacks here; we always keep your favorite room ready," the innkeeper said with a pleased smile. In Nanjing, it was well-known that among Mu Yang Marquis House’s wives, only Consort Yao received special favor from him. She used to be a dancer in Chujing's famous entertainment district and had earned the title of 'First Dancer in Chujing,' her beauty being unmatched. Furthermore, due to the marquis'寵愛, she was very generous with money; even when not visiting personally, she would have pastries sent daily from the teahouse, ensuring a reserved room as a sign of preference.

Consort Yao thanked him and led Mu Lie upstairs, leaving behind her enchanting fragrance and delightful laughter.

The moment they disappeared upstairs, everyone sighed in relief and started discussing.

"It's no wonder Consort Mu is called the first dancer; though she’s not young anymore, even Princess Li’s beauty can’t match hers." Even now, Empress Ren once known as the First Beauty of Jing still only held the title 'sister-in-law to Duke Ding.' How could her radiance compare to Yao Jie's

"Marquis Mu is truly blessed with beauty; no wonder he dotes on Consort Yao so much." Sadly, his original wife, once a noble lady and beautiful maiden, paled in comparison when next to the dazzling Consort Yao.

Consort Yao smiled as she pulled her child into their usual room upstairs. Sitting inside drinking tea was Ye Li. Seeing her, Consort Yao couldn't help but smile: "Where did this elegant young man come from"

Ye Li greeted her with a smile and said, "Jade Beauty, it's been long; you still look stunning as ever. Mu Lie, sit down please." Mu Lie was not yet ten years old but already exhibited the demeanor of his father’s successor. He looked curiously at Ye Li for a moment before respectfully responding, "Yes, thank you, Princess."

Shaking her head, Ye Li asked Consort Yao: "How can someone with your nature raise such an earnest child

Yao Ji helplessly said, "How could I teach him He's the one teaching me." Yao Ji sat down as well. When she saw Qin Feng sitting behind Ye Li, she hesitated slightly but then turned her eyes away as if it didn’t matter to her.

Knowing that war was ongoing in the north and that Ye Li had come a thousand miles south for an important reason, Yao Ji wasted no time and told her everything about what happened in Nanjing. However, after hearing all this, Ye Li frowned and asked, "You didn’t hear anything about my brother" Yao Ji helplessly smiled bitterly and replied, "After I heard that Qingchen was missing, I paid close attention to the situation inside and outside of Chu Jing. But there’s no news of him at all. Yao Ji can assure you that regardless of whether or not he is being held captive by someone in Nanjing, he definitely isn’t here now."

Seeing Ye Li frown, even Yao Ji couldn’t help but furrow her brows as well. The matter was truly strange—Qingchen wasn’t some random passerby. Wherever he went, people would notice him due to his appearance and intelligence. If he were still alive, he’d leave clues behind for them no matter what happened. However, the people from Ding王府 had searched everywhere in Jiangnan but didn’t find any news of Qingchen.

Suddenly, Yao Ji recalled something. She said in a serious tone, "Oh yes—before Qingchen disappeared, I delivered an important message to him."

Hearing this, everyone raised their eyes curiously. Yao Ji explained, "The letter came from the Regent Prince’s Manor. Since both the prince and his wife were at the frontier, they left all the matters in Jiangnan to Qingchen. Therefore, the letter was directly delivered to him. That time… it was right after Dong Fanghui died."

Ye Li said thoughtfully, "The message that Ye Ying sent out afterwards…" If the timing was so coincidental, then naturally this had something to do with Dong Fangyou.

"Wei Lin, do you know what the letter contained"

Wei Lin looked down gloomily and shook his head. He said, "At that time, I wasn’t by Qingchen’s side. After he sent me there to give orders, assassins arrived right at my door. Later… If they didn’t take the message away with them, then Qingchen must have destroyed it."

Qin Feng spoke up and said, "Since the Regent Prince’s Manor hasn’t spread any negative news about Ye Ying, the letter shouldn’t contain anything important."

Ye Li sighed helplessly. She said, "Then we can only hope for a breakthrough at Ye Ying’s manor. Yao Ji, have you found out anything about Prince Mo Jinglei’s son"

Yao Ji nodded and whispered something to Ye Li with a smile. Ye Li raised an eyebrow in surprise as she asked, "Are you sure"

"One hundred percent certain," Yao Ji said with a laugh. "We found out about it two months ago, but I was worried the news might be leaked, so I sent someone to deliver it personally to Yicheng City. Unfortunately, Qingchen and his wife arrived in Jiangnan soon afterwards."

Ye Li sighed. She said, "At least Mo Jinglei has already received the antidote now, so this news will soon lose its value."

Yao Ji covered her mouth with a hand and laughed. “That’s not necessarily true—Mo Jinglei was poisoned by his brother, and even after taking an antidote, he still needs time to recover. Moreover, the prince is quite hasty; as soon as he returned to Jiangnan, he brought several daughters of court officials into his manor. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any news about him since then—he suspects that the prince might be playing a trick on him by giving fake medicine. His temper is flaring up. Besides, no matter what happens to the father, it’s impossible for the child to not have an effect on his mother.” At this point, Yao Ji also sighed softly out of sympathy for Ye Ying. Mothers become strong when they have children; otherwise, why would she abandon her comfortable life in Yicheng City and糾纏沐陽侯府這麼多年？

The Mo Yang Marquis Manor had been hated by Ding Wang for a long time now. Her son was also the son of Mu Yang. If she wanted him to live a peaceful life, she could only be loyal to Ding Wang’s Manor. Besides, Ding Wang’s wife and her child saved their lives; Mu Yang… Even if he knew what those people did to them back then, he wouldn’t take action—he would just treat her as he pleased. Mu Yang believed that he loved her very much, but his love was no longer something she or the child needed. Ever since she brought Mu Lie back into the manor, Yao Ji had ceased being the woman who once loved and hated Mu Yang; now she was merely an informant planted by Ding Wang in the Mo Yang Marquis Manor to keep track of situations in Chu. Henceforth, there were no longer any feelings of love or hate—only loyalty.

Ye Li nodded and said, "I will visit Ye Ying after this." Yao Ji agreed with a nod and said, “I’ll make arrangements for her if there’s nothing else.” After thinking about it, Ye Li added, "Once I find my brother, you can return to Yicheng City with Mu Lie." Hearing these words, Yao Ji was taken aback. She had been in the Mo Yang Marquis Manor for over two years and had become an important person indispensable to Ding Wang’s Manor. Although she couldn’t be replaced, it would be troublesome if she suddenly disappeared.

"Your Highness Consort is doing this…"

Ye Li looked up at her with a faint smile on her face. She said, "You’ve done what you needed to do; there’s no point in wasting your time here." Yao Ji remained silent for a moment and then nodded. "I understand. Thank you."

Yao Ji left with Mu Lie, while Qin Feng frowned as he looked at Ye Li worriedly. He said, "Is it right to say this now" Ye Li smiled at him and asked, “Do you not trust her”

Qin Feng’s face turned stiff; after a long pause, he sighed and said, “Maybe.” Qin Feng himself wasn’t sure what was going on between him and Yao Ji. He never forgot the woman who returned to his side emaciated and gaunt back then, but he couldn’t be certain about her feelings for him now. If she truly loved him, why did she leave Yicheng City without hesitation when Prince Mo Jixiao asked And if Qin Feng really loved her, why was he unable to completely trust Yao Ji Why did he worry that she might betray them as soon as his wife tested her

Seeing Qin Feng’s bad mood, Ye Li said with a smile, "Don’t think too much. It’s natural for you to be worried. There is no such thing as unconditional trust in this world; otherwise, I wouldn’t say this now. I’d rather she thinks it through now than regret it later." Although Ye Li didn’t doubt Yao Ji’s loyalty, women tended to waver when it came to the people they loved or their children—Ye Li herself wasn’t sure if she would do something wrong for Mo Xiuyao and her three children despite knowing it was forbidden. Giving Yao Ji some time now would be better than having them suddenly demand acceptance later; even if there were problems, they could always find a way to address them.

From the moment Ye Li arrived in Nanjing, she had decided that the Mo Yang Marquis Manor’s days were numbered. There were many people who hated and despised Mo Xiuyao. The former Marquis was one of them; now that they had come all this way, it wouldn’t hurt to help him settle matters beforehand. Besides, if Mo Jinglei agreed to ally with Western Li and Northern Rong, the Mo Yang Marquis Manor would be enemies of Ding Wang’s Manor anyway, so it made sense to take care of them first.

Qin Feng remained silent for a long time before looking at Ye Li and saying, "Please entrust matters related to the Mo Yang Marquis Manor to me."

Ye Li hesitated. She said, “Are you sure I originally thought that ZHUO Jing and Lin Han were better suited for this task.” Qin Feng smiled. "Thank you, Your Highness Consort. I won’t let you down."

Ye Li sighed softly. “You should know… If the Mo Yang Marquis Manor is destroyed by you, it will be difficult for Yao Ji to continue with him afterwards. Even though she no longer loves Mu Yang, he’s still the father of her son.”

"I understand," Qin Feng said in a light tone but with firm determination.

"In that case, let Lin Han accompany you. If there are any inconvenient matters, have Lin Han handle them," Ye Li said. Lin Han nodded in response: "Underling obeys." Of course, Lin Han understood the meaning behind the Duchess's words. In case it came to needing Qin Feng to personally kill someone from the Mu Yang Marquis Manor, Lin Han could take over.

“Many thanks, Your Highness."

In the Mu Yang Marquis Manor, Yao Ji calmly led Mu Lie towards her quarters but was blocked by a sudden obstruction. Looking up at the few women who had stood in front of her, Yao Ji's expression darkened.

The former young miss, and now the wife of the Mu Yang Marquis looked at the still bewitching woman before her with envy and resentment. She loudly demanded: "Where is Concubine Yao headed"

Yao Ji was in a foul mood; she lifted an elegant eyebrow and replied coolly, "What does it concern you"

The Mu Yang Marquis' wife's face froze as her once delicate features twisted into something hideous. She gritted her teeth: “Yao Ji, you are too arrogant! Don't forget who I am – the Mu Yang Marquis' wife!" Yao Ji glanced at her and said coldly: "So what You keep your position as the wife of the Mu Yang Marquis for yourself. No one wants to take it from you. If you want, you can even keep your position as a concubine."

“You...” The Mu Yang Marquis' wife bit her tongue in rage and wished she could tear that woman apart right now. She was the daughter of an esteemed family, yet had been defeated by a courtesan. Over these years, not only did she suffer from her husband’s coldness but also ridicule from other noblewomen. Yet, she still couldn’t understand how much pain Yao Ji had endured back then because of her, even nearly losing her life. If it weren't for her relentless harassment, Yao Ji would have long ago gone into hiding with her children. How could she become a spy to return and vie for favor

Yao Ji glanced at the few delicately beautiful women trailing behind her. They were chosen by the Mu Yang Marquis' wife in an attempt to show her benevolence, some also given as gifts from government officials. But due to Yao Ji's exclusive affection, these women could only hide their ambitions and stand behind the Mu Yang Marquis' wife to deal with Yao Ji together. Unfortunately for them, none of them were seasoned enough to have ever gained any advantage against Yao Ji.

Yao Ji was in no mood to chat, so she raised her head, smiled at the Mu Yang Marquis’ wife and whispered: "Madam, there is something I’ve wanted to say for a long time."

"What do you want to say" The Mu Yang Marquis' wife asked warily. Yao Ji's smile was cold. “I’ve always wanted to tell you... your efforts against me are futile. Mu Yang has no interest in you, shouldn't you reflect upon yourself As a woman who makes her husband feel bored and reluctant to even look at her, I truly pity you."

With that, Yao Ji waved her sleeve and left for her chambers without another word.

"You’re not feeling well" Mu Lie walked behind her. Although he seemed slow, he kept up with her quick pace. When they returned to Yao Ji's quarters, he asked calmly: "Soon we can return to Li City and see your son again. Aren't you happy about that" Over the past few years of getting along, Mu Lie had developed some feelings for Yao Ji. He was an orphan who didn’t know his mother was Mu Yang but he always hoped Yao Ji wouldn’t regret her actions.

Yao Ji could only smile bitterly; Mu Yang was still her son’s father. No matter how much she hated him, this fact would never change. How could she be happy about it

Mu Lie said: "If you can't accept it, you can tell the Duchess to leave Li City first. The Duchess will not make things difficult for you, nor do I want to stay alone." Both Yao Ji and Mu Lie were intelligent people. When the Duchess mentioned returning to Li City, she knew that she was planning something against the Mu Yang Marquis Manor. Actually, there had been many who could be sent to Chu City back then; Yao Ji wouldn’t necessarily have been chosen. The reason she was selected was undoubtedly due to Duke Ding’s hostility towards the Mu Yang Marquis Manor. Yao Ji naturally knew about how the Mu Yang Marquis’ troops once besieged Ye Li and forced her into a perilous situation.

Yao Ji smiled faintly, "Thank you, I’m fine." Mu Lie frowned; his young face showed worry clearly. Yao Ji stroked his head gently and said: “You’re still just a child, why are you so worried”

Mu Lie was not pleased as he pushed her hand away, saying: "I am no longer a child. Fine then, do what you want to do. Just remember that your son is waiting for you in Li City. Oh, and I will return to Li City soon; if you hinder my way back, I’ll kill you."

Yao Ji smiled at Mu Lie’s words as he left the room. Walking towards the door, she paused briefly before turning around: "I see that Commander Qin treats you rather well, so why don’t you consider it Commander Qin is much better than Mu Yang; these past few years, he has not been involved with any other women like Mu Yang was. Look at your previous choices; I’m ashamed to criticize them." Finished speaking, he waved and left without a care.

Yao Ji sighed deeply as she opened the jewelry box on her dressing table. In it were various jewels and precious stones; after digging through them, she found an inconspicuous small box at the bottom. Inside was a jade lily hairpin. She didn’t know why she kept this hairpin with her when she had decided not to be entangled by love from the moment of leaving Li City for Chu City. Qin Feng was her savior and the Duchess’s confidant, in charge of the elite troops in Duke Ding's Manor. To calculate it, even Lady XU (Duchess’s brother) would have been his subordinate. He was a person who had not gained fame but could never be matched by someone like Yao Ji or her son.

If she had the choice, she preferred meeting Qin Feng over Mu Yang back then. Perhaps all the good men were in Duke Ding's Manor, or perhaps it was because of his deep affection for his wife that everyone followed suit and remained devoted to one woman. Even though Mu Yang adored her so much that everyone knew about their relationship in Nanjing City, there were still several other concubines in the manor. While Mu Yang represented a dream during the most beautiful years of Yao Ji’s life, Qin Feng was an ideal she could only hope for but dared not pursue...

At this moment, a light sound behind her made her snap back to reality. She had been vigilant after these years; when she turned around and saw a man standing there, she was taken aback.

In comparison to Mu Yang’s fame in Chu City, Qin Feng's appearance was also handsome but not flamboyant. As the leader of the elite troops from military background, he had an entirely different aura than a nobleman like Mu Yang. If Mu Yang were a shining sword, then Qin Feng would be the hidden legendary blade inside the scabbard; seemingly unremarkable, his brilliance could still illuminate all directions.

“You... why are you here” After a while, Yao Ji asked him.

Qin Feng’s gaze fell upon her jade lily hairpin in her hand; warmth appeared in his eyes. Noticing this, Yao Ji hurriedly put the hairpin back and said awkwardly: "Is there something that the Duchess instructed you to tell me"

A barely visible smile flickered across Qin Feng's eyes as he nodded calmly and looked at Yao Ji: “Yes. The matter of Mu Yang Marquis Manor... is assigned to me by Your Highness."

Hearing this, Yao Ji froze in her actions of tidying up the table, her face turning pale.wly dispersed once the last soldier of the Mo Army left. Xu Hongyu and Xu Qingchen flanked Qingyun Scholar respectfully. "Father, let's go back," they said. The scholar nodded and sighed to his two so...