225 Qin Zither Comes Out of the Chamber

ce and asked lightly.Moo Xiuyao smiled and said, "How could that be This prince is extremely fond of my beloved’s lack of virtue."Ye Li raised her eyebrows. “So I will be summoned to the palace soon”"...225. Qin Sez Enter the Courtyard

225. Qin Sez Leave the Courtyard

In the end, everything concerning Lei Tengfeng was resolved with Prince Zennan's compromise. This included a ceasefire agreement for five years between Xiling and the Mo Family Army as well as an agreement establishing trade relations between Xiling and the Northwest, along with a direct commercial route to the Western Regions. There was also an agreement that Xiling would sell copper and iron mines at low prices to compensate for Lei Tengfeng's actions in the Northwest. Prince Zennan left Li City without having gained any advantage from his trip to the Northwest. Only half of the original large entourage remained when they returned.

Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao didn't interfere with how the Crown Prince of Beirong, Seventh Prince, and Li Wang of Dachu negotiated; instead, they left it to Xu Qingchen and Xu Hongyu to handle. Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao had full confidence in their abilities, so there was no need to worry about them letting the Mo Family Army suffer any losses. After Prince Zennan's departure, Ling Tihan and his sister, who were staying with Duke Ding, also bid farewell.

Although the sick scholar still looked pale due to a long-term illness, he seemed to have improved in other areas. There was still something strange between Ling Tihan and Leng Liuyue, but it had nothing to do with Ye Li.

In just a few days, Xu Qingchen and Xu Hongyu dealt with the remaining individuals. This time, not only did the Mo Family Army gain numerous tangible benefits, they also made all of the countries' nobles realize that even though the Mo Family Army now controlled less than one-sixth of Dachu's territory, it was still not easy to offend them. Since Mo Xiuyao declared his separation from Dachu, the balance between the various nations had once again been delicately maintained.

"My Lady, Li Wang and Princess Li come to bid farewell." After dismissing a large group of troublesome people, Ye Li relaxed and played with Mo Xiaobao. The nearly two-month-old Mo Xiaobao grew increasingly adorable and snow-white, his chubby cheeks framed by large black eyes like dark crystals, making him look at Ye Li in such an innocent way that she couldn't help but take him into her arms and kiss him repeatedly. Hearing Qing Niao's report, Ye Li sat up and raised her eyebrows, asking: "Bid farewell to me" How did she not know that the people outside thought she was more important than Duke Ding If it was because of her relationship with Ye Ying, they had never been close sisters throughout. Qing Niao nodded, saying, "Princess Li said so indeed. The duke left early this morning with Xu Er公子, and wouldn't have made it back in time to see Li Wang off." Ye Li smiled slightly, knowing that Mo Xiuyao knew today was the day Li Jingli would leave. If he had wanted to bid farewell, he wouldn't have left.

Thinking about this, Ye Li waved her hand and said, "Forget it, please ask Li Wang and Princess Li to wait in the flower hall for a while."

Qing Niao followed orders and left. After changing clothes, Ye Li turned around and headed out.

The moment she stepped out of the inner room, little Mo Xiaobao began to coo, but nobody could understand what he was saying. Hearing his voice, Ye Li looked back, where the tiny baby lay in a cradle, waving small hands at her with an adorable smile, babbling unintelligibly. Nanny Lin smiled and said, "Little Prince must be捨不得王妃." Seeing how the little one stared longingly at her, Ye Li felt guilty; she hadn't spent much time with him since he was born almost two months ago. Sometimes, a day or two without seeing each other wasn't uncommon. It was fortunate that Mo Xiaobao still greeted her warmly every time they met.

Although it was only August, the northwest was already cool. When Nanny Lin heard Ye Li wanted to take Mo Xiaobao out, she quickly added another soft and warm blanket for him, warning not to let Little Prince catch a chill from the cold wind. After agreeing to all of her instructions, Ye Li carried Mo Xiaobao outside.

Walking into the flower hall with Mo Xiaobao in her arms, Ye Li saw only Mo Jingli sitting there lost in thought; she had no idea where Princess Li was. She frowned slightly, a little displeased, and asked the servant girl standing at the door: "Where is Princess Li" The maid replied respectfully, "My Lady, just now, Princess Li said she wanted to walk around, so she went to the garden. Shall I go fetch her" Ye Li nodded, but was stopped by Mo Jingli who had just stood up inside, saying, "Wait a moment; there's no need to call Ying'er. Ye Li, I have something to discuss with you privately." Turning around and seeing the man before her still looking coldly arrogant at her, she found it amusing. She waved a hand for the servant girl to leave and stepped into the hall, asking: "What does Your Highness wish to talk about with this Consort

Mojing Li frowned as he looked at Ye Li holding Mo Xiaobao and Wei Lin and Qingyu following behind her, somewhat displeased saying, "I want to talk with you alone."

Ye Li looked at him in puzzlement and said, "There's no one else here now. Just say what you have to say." Mojing Li knew Ye Li would never be willing to spend time alone with him. He could only swallow his anger and sit down again. When Ye Li sat on the main seat, she carefully put Mo Xiaobao in her arms, gently stroking his little hand, which made Mo Xiaobao laugh toothlessly. This scene of tenderness between mother and son was very irritating to Mojing Li's eyes. He gave a light snort and said to Ye Li, "It was my mistake for breaking off the engagement last time. I hereby apologize."

Ye Li was taken aback and looked at the solemn-faced Mojing Li with some confusion. She turned her head to look at Wei Lin and Qingyu: Hadn't Mojing Li's brain gone bad Wei Lin and Qingyu had similarly horrified expressions; they were not strangers to Mojing Li’s personality. They believed he would pull out a dirty trick but none of them had ever seen him offer an apology in person before. Seeing the three people’s incredulous looks, Mojing Li’s face grew even uglier. Ye Li did not want to dwell on this old matter and just wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible. She smiled faintly and nodded her head saying, "That's something that happened long ago. The Prince of Li does not need to worry about it." Mojing Li looked at her earnestly and said, "How could I not care Back then I investigated everything thoroughly. Ye Ying ruined your reputation on purpose so she could join the Li王府. If not for this, you should have become the Princess of Li by now."

"Prince of Li, there is one thing that you have never thought about. What if I didn’t want to break off the engagement… do you really think it would be easy to cancel such a marriage" That was an imperial decree made personally by the former emperor while he was still alive; how could it be so easily canceled

"What are you implying" Mojing Li glared at Ye Li, clearly hearing disdain in her words. Ye Li gently held Mo Xiaobao and smiled faintly saying, "I mean nothing. This lady just wants to tell Your Highness that what has happened cannot be changed. There’s no point in wondering about if this or that should have happened. If you have nothing else to say, please leave. The Prince is on official business outside the city today; we won’t see him off." Mojing Li glared at Ye Li and said angrily, "You were originally my princess!"

Ye Li looked up calmly and said, “Then what does your highness want”

"Follow me and I will make you the legitimate Princess of Li," said Mojing Li.

Ye Li sized him up quietly for a long time before snorting with contempt. Detecting the mockery and disdain in Ye Li's laughter, Mojing Li was somewhat ashamed and asked, "Why are you laughing" Ye Li stopped smiling and calmly asked, "Prince of Li, would you dare to lead me around in Licheng City " Upon hearing this, Mojing Li’s face changed. He quickly glanced at Wei Lin standing behind Ye Li, his expression turning pale white before settling on a fixed color. Ye Li was reclining leisurely in her chair and holding Mo Xiaobao while gently teasing him as she said with a smile, “What does the Prince mean by saying this Or are you so bold and courageous that you dare to snatch Princess Dingwang from the north-west If it’s true, then I would have to take your words seriously. But… even if it is so, why should I follow you The legitimate princess of Li Is she really worth so much for me to covet”

Mojing Li tightly clenched his hands by his side and stared at Ye Li, "Is Mo Xiuyao that good to you Are you willing to disregard everything just to be with him He’s only using you!" Ye Li smiled faintly as she raised her eyebrows, saying, “Xiuyao naturally treats me well. Everyone knows I am his sole wife, and hold half the power of the Dingwang Manor and Mo Family Army, wielding the most mysterious and elite Qilin troops in the world. Can you give me all these Do you dare to give them to me Isn’t it that the Prince of Li wants to take advantage of this lady and use my background from the Xu family of Yunzhou and the power of the Qilin troops at my disposal”

Mojing Li’s expression was very awkward when his intentions were mercilessly exposed. After some time, he clenched his teeth and said, "The Mo Family Army has declared war on the whole world. Ye Li, I am doing this for your own good, you shouldn’t be ungrateful.

Ye Li calmly said, "I appreciate Prince Li’s hospitality. Princess Li has been waiting for a long time as well. You two should start your journey now; I won’t see you off." Everyone turned their gaze to the door where Ye Ying had appeared without anyone noticing. She was staring at them with an odd look on her face. Mo Jingli showed some unease and stood up, asking, "Ying’er, when did you come back" Ye Ying stared at him for a long time before saying coolly, "Just now. Your Highness, after bidding farewell to my third sister, shouldn’t we start our journey" Mo Jingli glanced unhappily at Ye Li but saw her playing with the baby in her arms and could only nod his head, saying, "Let’s go." He did not say goodbye to Ye Li before walking out first past Ye Ying. Ye Ying turned around to look at Ye Li, then said complicatedly, "Third sister, I bid you farewell," as she walked out. Ye Li nodded silently and calmly replied, "I won’t see you off."

After watching Ye Ying leave the door, Ye Li sighed softly. Qingyu comforted her with a light tone, saying, "Prince Li always thinks he is right; why should Concubine Li get angry at him" Ye Li shook her head and smiled, saying, "I’m not angry at him. I just feel a bit nostalgic. Back then when Ye Ying was in seclusion, she was so pampered and self-satisfied. But now…" Actually, the moment Mo Jingli said that he wanted to make Ye Li his legitimate wife, Ye Ying had been standing outside waiting for her reaction. If it were before, with Ye Ying’s personality, she would have cried out loud. Now, even facing this problem, Ye Ying could keep silent. It seemed that there was no one in the world who would remain unchanged forever.

Qingyu said smilingly, "In the past, Fourth Miss was the daughter of a high-ranking official and a sister to an Imperial Concubine; she was also renowned as a talented and beautiful lady in the capital. Naturally, she thought herself above everyone else. But at that time, Prince Li was just an ordinary prince. However, now Prince Li holds half of the wealth of Great Chu and is on par with Emperor Chen. The Ye family has declined long ago. How could Fourth Miss still dare to cause trouble for him The current Prince Li wouldn’t be like her ideal husband from before anymore." Ye Li smiled gently; how could it not be so Mo Jingli even brought Princess Qixia here, which showed that Ye Ying’s status in his heart wasn’t very high. If she hadn’t been related to herself and given birth to a son for him, Mo Jingli would have probably discarded her somewhere.

After the envoys from various countries left Li City, peace was gradually restored there. However, many merchants started settling in Li City and even Northwest Chu, while commoners who had fled into the pass due to military disasters returned one after another. With the efforts of Dingwang Manor’s people, the sudden announcement that Great Chu would break off ties with them did not cause chaos but instead led everyone back on track. When Ye Li finally heaved a sigh of relief, Xu Qingze and Qin Zheng’s wedding day arrived.

Although Xu Qingze was the first in his generation to get married, the Xu family from top to bottom insisted that the wedding should be simple. Qin Zheng adopted General Zhang Qilan as her foster father and got married from his house. In order for Qin Zheng’s wedding, Mu Rong Ting, who had been far away in Great Chu, rushed back after leaving a note to Leng Haoyu, just in time for Qin Zheng’s out-of-season wedding.

In the specially prepared bridal chamber of General Zhang’s residence, Ye Li and Mu Rong Ting looked at Qin Zheng wearing her red wedding clothes, looking especially beautiful and eye-catching. Mu Rong Ting pulled Qin Zheng and praised her, saying, "I’m glad I made it in time; otherwise, I would have missed such a beautiful moment for Zhen’er. It’s so enchanting that even Xu Ershao is likely to be stunned."

"Mu…," Qin Zheng blushed and glared at Mu Rong Ting, complaining cutely. The red bridal dress made her look more beautiful than flowers. For the wedding of Xu Qingze and Qin Zheng, Ye Li usually dressed plainly also changed into a bright yellow robe embroidered with lotus flowers and branches. She stood in front of Qin Zheng, tilted her head to take a look, nodded, and smiled, saying, "Mu is right; she really looks more beautiful than flowers. To marry Zhen’er as his wife, Elder Brother Qingze must be very lucky." Qin Zheng helplessly looked at the two people, protesting, "Li’er, even you are teasing me…" Ye Li quickly covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "I dare not tease; after today, Zhen’er will become my second senior sister-in-law. How can I tease my senior sister-in-law… right"

A burst of cheerful laughter echoed in the bridal chamber as Mu Rong Ting turned around to dig through her luggage and pulled out a large sandalwood box to hand over to Qin Zheng. Qin Zheng looked at her with puzzlement, "What is this"

Mu Rong Ting said, "Before I left, Mrs. Qin sent it. She said she was in a hurry back then and didn’t have time to do anything properly; even the dowry wasn’t arranged for you. These were all personally handled by Mr. and Mrs. Qin as your dowry." The joyful atmosphere inside the bridal chamber gradually faded as Qin Zheng held the box with tears welling up. Mu Rong Ting immediately panicked, quickly pulling out her handkerchief to wipe away Qin Zheng’s tears, saying awkwardly, "What… today is your wedding day; how can you cry I… didn’t want to make you cry at all… Li’er…" Seeing that she couldn’t stop Qin Zheng from crying, Mu Rong Ting helplessly looked at Ye Li. She truly did not wish to upset Qin Zheng, but the dowry given by the Qins had to be handed over before the wedding.

Ye Li sat down next to Qin Zheng and patted her shoulder gently while consoling her softly, "Sister Zhen’er, don’t cry and spoil your makeup. Mr. and Mrs. Qin sent your dowry all the way here through Mu; it’s their kindness towards you; you should be happy.

Qin Zhen nodded repeatedly, but how could tears be stopped just by saying so Ye Li sighed and patted Qin Zhen's shoulder with a smile. "Forget it then, if you want to cry, cry as hard as you can. After crying your heart out, we will put on an even more beautiful makeup. Just don't overdo it or else your eyes might swell up and scare my second brother..."

"Pfft…." Hearing Ye Li's words of comfort, Murong Ting couldn't help but burst into laughter first, staring at her with a glare. "Ye Li, are you trying to console Zhen'er or telling jokes" Even Qin Zhen was unable to suppress her laughter; the beautiful expression on her face turned slightly embarrassed. Facing both Ye Li and Murong Ting, Qin Zhen carefully opened the box that represented her parents' care and consideration. Mr. Qin and Mrs. Qin obviously thought it through very thoroughly. Since the road back to Jingdu was long and arduous, Murong Ting couldn't carry too many things with her either. Therefore, there were more drafts of silver notes in the box than anything else. Besides two banknotes of ten thousand taels each, there were also nearly a thousand small denomination banknotes and coins. In addition to that, three smaller boxes were filled with all sorts of precious jewelry. With these, even if Qin Zhen did nothing at all, she could still lead a life of luxury and peace for the rest of her days.

Hugging the box tightly, tears welled up in Qin Zhen's clear eyes as she whispered softly, "Father and Mother have done so much for me. Unfortunately, I'm such an ungrateful daughter… even when it comes to marriage…"

"Silly words, as long as you are well, Lord Qin and Lady Qin will naturally be at ease. One day, we'll all reunite." Ye Li said. Murong Ting nodded repeatedly in agreement. "That's right, after your wedding ceremony is over, I have to return to Jingdu anyway. At that time, I'll take a letter back for you, and tell Lord Qin and Lady Qin everything. You can rest assured; we will look after both elders in the capital."

Qin Zhen nodded, wiping away her tears with some shame. "Thank you both, Ye Li and Murong."

Murong Ting laughed generously. "Why thank us Aren't we friends"

Ye Li smiled. "Alright then, Lady Murong, your friend is about to get married. Hurry up and add all these items onto the list of dowries. Say that they are gifts from Zhen'er's parents." Qin Zhen’s dowries were prepared by the General's Manor, with additional contributions from Ye Li and the Dingwang Mansion, making it quite generous already. However, the meaning behind a dowry given by one's birth parents was different.

Murong Ting had just made Qin Zhen cry; now she couldn't wait to get her busy with something else. She took the list that Ye Li handed over and quickly went off to work.

The two women smiled as they watched Murong Ting leave in high spirits, their melancholic sadness fading away.

"The groom is here to fetch his bride; it's time for the bride to leave…" Outside the door, the joyful voice of a wedding celebrant was heard. Ye Li lowered her head to check Qin Zhen’s makeup herself before fetching the red bridal veil made with twin lotus flowers and putting it over Qin Zhen's head personally. "Zhen'er, may you be happy."e decided to go back into the palace because she remembered that Nanzhao's King was still being hidden somewhere within the royal palace.The scene was once again in the great hall where King Nanzhao h...