Secret meeting?

  Secret meeting?

  "How have your father and grandmother been lately?" After the servants had served tea and withdrawn, Ye Li asked in a soft voice.

  Ye Shangshu was taken aback for a moment, and after looking at Ye Li's expression, he replied: "It's all okay, but your fourth sister...". Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "When King Lei left the capital, didn't he take Fourth Sister away?" Ye Shangshu shook his head, fortunately Mo Jinglei did not take Ye Ying away, otherwise the Ye family would have been implicated in King Lei's rebellion plot

  The crime is inescapable. Although Ye Ying was placed under house arrest, she managed to make the Emperor believe that the Ye family had not colluded with King Li. Ye Li lowered her head and thought for a moment before asking, "Who did King Li take with him when he left the capital?" Ye Shangshu didn't have anything to hide, so he replied in a low voice, "He only took that woman from Nanjiang with him, not even Xianzhao Taifei was taken. The Empress Dowager has already brought Xianzhao Taifei into the palace, but now that King Li has rebelled, the Empress Dowager's days are also difficult." Thinking of this, Ye Shangshu regretted it in his heart. He was indeed a person of the Empress Dowager, and privately, he leaned more towards King Li.

  That's right, but he never thought that Li Wang would suddenly rebel. If he had known earlier that Li Wang was so reckless, he might as well have followed the emperor wholeheartedly. At least he still had a daughter who was a consort and an imperial grandson, now he has lost everything.

  "Fourth Sister has been placed under house arrest by the Emperor?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why didn't King Lei take her away? She is his lawfully wedded wife, after all. King Lei must know what would happen to Fourth Sister if she were left in the capital."

  Ye Shangshu let out a helpless sigh and said: "Ying'er is already two months pregnant. It's not suitable for her to travel long distances."

  Ye Lingshen's thoughts turned, and she looked up at Ye Shangshu and Ye Old Lady with a faint smile: "King Lei doesn't even know that Fourth Sister is pregnant, does he?" Mo Jinglei would never abandon his own flesh and blood, let alone the only child he currently has. The only possibility is that he simply didn't know.

  It's not known that Ye Ying is pregnant, it was Ye Ying herself who found an excuse to stay behind. Old Lady Ye felt a bit guilty and said: "That Qi Xiang princess is not a kind person, and Li Wang dotes on her terribly. With Ye Ying's little cleverness, I'm afraid she won't even make it to Fengzhou before the child is gone. Anyway, Li Wang spends most of his time

  "We all live in Beijing, so we thought it would be better for Ying'er to stay in Beijing and give birth here."

  Mrs. Ye's thoughts were not hard to understand, Ye Li was aware that the palace's Ye Shao Yi and the young prince had died, and now that Ye Ying had finally given birth to the King of Lei's flesh and blood, it was only natural to keep the child in the capital so that the child could be close to the Ye family in the future. However, she did not expect Mo Jing Lei to start a rebellion without even notifying them.

  It was a lucky mistake that saved the Ye family. Of course, the Emperor didn't punish the Ye family now, probably because there were still some connections with the Imperial Family involved. Ye Li sighed softly and looked at Ye Shangshu: "Father, I'm afraid the Emperor already knows about Fourth Sister's pregnancy. The reason he hasn't made a move yet is probably because he wants to use

  Her child came to threaten King Ly.

  This Secretary Ye had naturally thought of it long ago. He hastily came to the Ding Wang Fu, not really for Ye Ying's sake. "Then we..."

  Ye Li raised her hand to stop him from speaking, looking at Ye Shangshu seriously: "Father, I know I don't understand official business. But what superiors fear most is that the people below them have ulterior motives. Father, in these two years, you can't really think that the Emperor doesn't know anything, right? In my opinion, in terms of intelligence and strategy, Li Wang is probably not as good as...

  "It's an opponent in the palace." Ye Shangshu's face changed slightly, "You're saying..."

  Ye Li lowered her head and took a sip of tea without responding, letting Ye Shangshu sit there with an uncertain expression.

  Mrs. Ye was getting restless, and hastily asked: "Ling'er, what should we do now?" Ye Ling replied calmly: "Father should quickly submit a memorial to the Emperor to report the crimes of King Li, and apologize to the Emperor. As for the future...the Emperor will no longer trust the Ye family, so Father had better ask the Emperor to remove him from his position as Minister at the same time."

  "It's better to keep a low profile and teach your younger brother well from now on."

  "This..." Ye Shangshu and Old Lady Ye were both taken aback, their faces showing some reluctance. After a moment's thought, Old Lady Ye cautiously looked at Ye Li and said: "Li'er, since Ding Wang has just made contributions in suppressing the rebellion in Yongzhou, shouldn't we...?" Seeing Old Lady Ye's hopeful expression, Ye Li let out a cold laugh.

  Tan Tan said, "The King of Dingguo has made many contributions to the pacification of the country, doesn't Grandmother know? Does Father not know the current situation in the King of Dingguo's palace?" Ye Shangshu could only sigh dejectedly. It was precisely because the King of Dingguo had made contributions that it was even more impossible for him to plead on his behalf. The more the King begged, the more the Emperor would suppress the Ye family.

  The book doesn't know whether to blame or not. Because the Dingguo King's mansion is there, the emperor will never use the Ye family again. However, it is precisely because of the existence of the Dingguo King's mansion that the Ye family was spared from disaster, as his daughter is the Dingguo Queen.

  "Father, what can be picked up should also be put down. When it's time to fight, we must fight; when it's time to retreat, we must retreat. Can fame and fortune be better than one's own name?" Ye Li said softly.

  Ye Shangshu's face showed a struggling expression. He looked at Ye Li and said, "If I...". Ye Li interrupted him before he could finish speaking, "Father, be careful what you say." Ye Shangshu finally lowered his head in defeat and let out a long sigh, saying nothing more. Old Lady Ye also understood that Ye Li had just refused him outright.

  After settling the matter of Wang Qiu's plea, she cut off the last hope of the Ye family. Thinking that she would no longer be the old lady of the Shangshu Mansion in the future, and that the Ye family would decline from now on, she couldn't help but feel resentful towards Lian'er, "Lian'er, how can you be so heartless? Your father may have a thousand faults, but he is still your father after all. Our Ye family is also your maternal family,

  "What good can come of it if our family falls and you're still around? The Dingguo royal manor never had many relatives to begin with, are you saying that in the future you won't even want anyone to help you out on the imperial court?"

  "Help?" Ye Li whispered softly, looking up at Ye Lao's painful expression. "Have Father and Grandmother gone to see Big Sister and the Marquis of Nan's son?"

  Mrs. Ye was speechless, and they had been to the South Hou Mansion when King Li first broke out. Unfortunately, the South Hou Mansion closed its doors to guests, and they didn't even see the South Hou or the Crown Prince. Just a few days ago, Ye Zhen quietly returned to the Ye Mansion once, and the implication was that the South Hou Mansion couldn't help but love it. After all, as a minister, no one dared to provoke the rebellion.

  "Last year, my uncle mentioned to me that Father had always been cautious and prudent in his life, but these past two years he has become somewhat arrogant. I also mentioned it to Grandmother, but unfortunately at the time, both Grandmother and Father probably thought I was just resentful and jealous of Second Sister and Fourth Sister because I was married into the Ding Wang Fu."

  Pleading for Father, even if it's possible, have you thought about how you'll stand in the imperial court afterwards? On my way back, I've also heard that these days, the Emperor favors Concubine Yun and Consort Wang, and is subtly showing signs of wanting to make the son of Consort Liu the Crown Prince. It seems like he wants to reuse people from the Yun and Wang families, and the Liu family is gaining momentum by the day. Father, whether it's the Liu or Yun and Wang families, they're all renowned aristocratic families with a deep history, and what's important is... they don't get along with the Ye family. Don't you understand the Emperor's intentions, Father?"

  Ye Shangshu suddenly looked ten years older, his voice hoarse as he said: "I understand... I will go back and submit a memorial to the Emperor to plead for punishment."

  Looking at Ye Shangshu's suddenly old and worn-out appearance, Ye Li shook her head secretly but didn't feel much moved. Some people are born to value fame, wealth, and power more than their own lives, but there's no other way around it.

  "The king has returned."

  The atmosphere in the flower hall was a bit low, and the voice of the maid came from outside the door. Before the words had fallen, Mo Xiuyao had already entered the great hall. After returning to Beijing, he hadn't even had time to change his clothes before being summoned into the palace by Mo Jingqi. Mo Xiuyao still wore a white robe, with a hint of fatigue between his eyebrows that was difficult for outsiders to detect.

  "We've seen the prince!" Minister Ye and Old Lady Ye hastily stood up and paid their respects.

  Mo Xiuyao nodded slightly and walked over to Ye Li's side, sitting down and saying: "Lord Ye, is the old madam here to see Ah Li?"

  Ye Shangshu nodded slightly, looking a bit embarrassed: "That's right. Lier has been missing for several months and both the official and her mother have been very worried. So when they heard that Wangye had brought Lier back, they hurried over to take a look." Mo Xiuyao nodded calmly, but in his heart he didn't think much of this explanation. If they were going to worry, they would have worried earlier...

  How did it come to this, only now showing concern. For one or two months, the Ye family didn't even send someone to ask about us at the Wang residence. Not to mention sending people to look for us, they didn't even send someone to ask a question. Even the Southern Marquis's residence sent people to ask twice, in other people's eyes, the Ye family is not just heartless, it can be said that they are ruthless.

  "Madam Sun said that as soon as you returned, you were busy dealing with the affairs of the mansion. If you're tired, just rest first. Those trivial matters can be discussed later." Mo Xiuyao whispered to Ye Li, turning his body away from Ye Shangshu and Ye Lao Furen. Ye Li smiled and shook her head. How could Ye Shangshu not see that the Ding King didn't want to see him?

  It's not good to stay any longer, so I had to get up and bid farewell. Looking at the man sitting next to Ye Li, who was elegant but couldn't hide his majestic aura, except for the silver mask covering half of his face, where was the weak and disabled appearance? If King Ding really fully recovered, the resurgence of the Ding Kingdom's royal family would be a certainty. I could only regret that I had eyes but no insight, and had overlooked them earlier because of the emperor's suspicion towards the Ding Kingdom and King Ding's physical condition, now it's too late to regret.

  "What's the hurry for His Majesty to summon you into the palace?" Ye Li asked, after having someone send Ye Shangshu and Old Lady Ye out.

  Mo Xiuyao rubbed her brow and frowned: "The Emperor plans to marry a princess to the Northern Rong for an alliance."

  "What's going on?" Ye Li couldn't help but think of the farce that was her marriage to Xiling Lingyun last year, and furrowed her brow in confusion. "Who does the Emperor plan to marry off this time?" The previous emperor's princesses had all been married off, and among Mochen Jingqi's own daughters, the eldest seemed to be the Empress's niece, Chang Le Gongzhu, who was only eight years old this year. Mo Xiu Yao replied calmly, "Naturally, we will choose someone from among the nobles or imperial family in the capital. The granddaughter of the Duke of Huagu is also on the list."

  "Tian Xiang?" Ye Li furrowed her brow. Beijun was a land of bitter cold, and everyone knew that the Emperor's proposal for a marriage alliance now was just an excuse to deal with the King of Lei later. Once the matter with the King of Lei was over, who would still remember that there was a princess from the marriage alliance in Beijun? If war broke out between the two countries, the princess from the marriage alliance would be nothing but a sacrifice. Mo Xiu Yao said, "You don't have to worry too much, the Emperor can't not give face to the Duke of Huagu and the Empress Dowager. And if there really is a marriage alliance with Beijun, it's most likely that someone from the imperial family will be chosen. After all, the people of Beijun are not so easily fooled." Ye Li nodded, asking curiously, "Does the Emperor need to specially summon you to the palace to discuss something like an alliance with Beijun?"

  Mo Xiuyao's lips curled up with a hint of mockery as he said, "When the princess gets married, His Majesty hopes I can represent Da Chu to see her off and also attend the 60th birthday celebration of the Northern Rong King in September."

  The Emperor himself is sending you off, and the specifications of this marriage are somewhat unexpected. Ye Li furrowed her brow in thought, and after a long while, she looked up and said: "Your Majesty wants to transfer you away from Da Chu, why?" Beijiang City is far north, if they want to make it to the King of Beijiang's birthday in September, the wedding procession would have to set out by mid-July at the latest. Even if they rush back after the wedding, Mo Xiu Yao won't return to the capital until October. That means Mo Xiu Yao will be away from Da Chu for nearly three months. Who knows what could happen in that time?

  Mo Xiu Yao shook his head and said, "The Emperor has made quite a few preparations over the years, but for now, it's really hard to guess what he wants to do." The thoughts of clever people are not difficult to guess, nor are the thoughts of fools. It's just that kind of person with a brain full of wild ideas is hard to guess. For example, Mo Jing Lei, even if someone as clever as Mo Xiu Yao or Xu Qingchen had never thought he would rebel at that time. Because anyone could see that it was fundamentally impossible to succeed. In fact, even if Mo Jing Lei really united with the southern border and broke through the Shattered Snow Pass, Mo Jing Lei wouldn't gain much advantage. It's just that the people on the border suffered. And as for Emperor Mo Jing Qi, how much did he care about the suffering of the people?

  "Then you agree?" Ye Li asked.

  Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and smiled calmly, "It's hard to disobey the emperor's orders." Ye Li shrugged helplessly, "I know, I'll stay in the capital." Mo Xiuyao shook his head and smiled, "No, you'll go to Yunzhou later." Ye Li raised an eyebrow, looking at him in confusion. Mo Xiuyao smiled, "The King of Ding is not the emperor, and the Dingguo Palace is not the imperial palace. It doesn't need someone to guard it. Mo Jingqi... sometimes when he's anxious, he likes to make moves that harm others but not himself. I'll feel more at ease if you go to Yunzhou." The true core of the Dingguo Palace was not in this mansion in the capital, but in the people who lived there. Even if the Dingguo Palace were razed to the ground, as long as its master still existed, it would remain the Dingguo Palace.

  Ye Li shook her head, "That's even more impossible. If I went to Yunzhou, wouldn't that put Grandfather and the others in danger? And don't tell me that Mo Jingqi won't take action against Yunzhou. Since they dared to make a move on the Ding Wangfu, why would they be afraid of the Xu family? Besides, the opponent of the Ding Wangfu isn't just one person from the palace."Mo Xiu Yao gazed at Ye Li quietly for a long time before sighing, "A Li, it seems I can never let you have a peaceful and calm life."Ye Li chuckled softly, "Of course, I can have a peaceful and calm life. You can find a place where no one knows to hide me, but I don't like that, do you understand? It's like this trip to Nanjiang, it wasn't necessary for me to go, someone else could be sent, or even if no one went, Big Brother wouldn't have any problems. Even if I couldn't appear in public for a while, I could just find a place to hide out for a bit. But I wanted to go out and take a walk, so I did. And I think I prefer life outside."Outside, at least the dangers were clear-cut, with friends and foes clearly defined. But back in the capital, thinking about facing those people who came and went with smiles on their faces but knives behind their backs, Ye Li felt a wave of headaches. It wasn't that she couldn't do it, it's just that she didn't like it.

  "I also think that Ar Lian is more... stunning when she's outside." Mo Xiuyao said with a low chuckle. In the capital, Ar Lian always wore a faint smile, warm and elegant, as if she were a qualified queen from a scholarly family. Mo Xiuyao would never tell anyone that at the moment he shot that arrow under the Evergreen City, he saw the woman in front of him wearing black clothes that blended with the dark clouds, and in the blink of an eye, he saw a certain cold and proud aura and the dazzling starlight in her eyes. There had never been a moment when he knew more clearly that his queen was not just the gentle woman who read books under the lamp, but also the outstanding figure on the battlefield who could dominate the situation. Mo Xiuyao suddenly remembered the oath he made many years ago in front of his father and brother, which he had almost forgotten: "My wife will be like my ancestor, Light Cloud County Master, following me to conquer the four directions and sweep across the six harmonies, hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder, looking at the mountains and rivers together." That arrow, Mo Xiuyao felt that it might not have just saved Ar Lian's life, but also his heart.

  Ye Linyu's face was slightly flushed, and since reuniting in Yonglin City, she had always felt a bit awkward when interacting with Mo Xiuyao. Normally, when they were busy, it wasn't so noticeable, but once they quieted down, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. She wasn't some emotionless blockhead; after that kiss outside Shui Xue Guan, she naturally understood that their relationship was no longer as simple as friends. However, whenever she faced Mo Xiuyao, she couldn't bring out the same carefree and casual attitude she had when dating in her past life. This uncontrollable emotion made her feel a bit annoyed with Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao seemed to understand her feelings and didn't overstep his boundaries. Nevertheless, when they were alone together, their interactions were always more intimate and gentle than before.

  "What about Qing Luan and Qing Yu? Can they be released now?" Ye Li asked in a low voice, tilting her head to the side.

  Mo Xi Yao smiled faintly, "Originally, there was nothing to begin with. Not letting them come out was also for their safety. Now that you've safely returned, it's naturally fine. Just let them come out later."

  Back in her own courtyard, Qing Luan and Qing Yu looked very well, it seemed that no one had troubled them for the past month or two. Qing Xia and Qing Shuang were also busy around Ye Li, either supplementing or dressing her up, as if she had suffered greatly outside. Ye Li was helpless and could only let the few maidservants bustle about. It wasn't until they calmed down a bit that she dismissed Qing Xia and Qing Shuang, leaving only Qing Yu and Qing Luan by her side.

  "We are guilty of dereliction of duty, Your Highness. Please punish us." The room fell silent as Qing Yu and Qing Luan knelt down together.

  "Get up." Ye Li frowned, looking at the two of them and asked: "Are you both okay for the past two months?" Qing Yu and Qing Luan couldn't help but wipe away tears, Qing Luan nodded repeatedly and said: "We are all safe and sound, we were just extremely worried about the princess... if something happened to the princess, we would be too ashamed to face the old master and young master even if we died." Seeing the obvious joy and relaxation on their faces, Ye Li also understood that these two maids had been worried sick for the past two months. She let out a soft sigh and said: "What exactly are you hiding? I understand the king's temperament, you are my people, if it wasn't something serious, he wouldn't have kept you under house arrest for two months. Is it inconvenient to tell the king, or can't even I know?"

  The two of them couldn't help but glance at each other, seeing a hint of hesitation in Ye Li's eyes. Ye Li didn't rush them, only gazing at them calmly. After a long while, Qing Yu finally looked at Ye Li and seemed to have made up her mind as she said: "We... indeed failed in our duties. Actually... before the big fire at Yao Hua Palace, I had already left. Afterwards, Qing Luan also left to save me. That's why after the fire at Yao Hua Palace, the dark guards couldn't find us." Ye Li nodded, "So... where did you go?"

  "The slave saw someone and followed him." Qingyu said in a low voice.

  "The slave followed after hearing Qing Yu's cry of surprise." Qing Luan continued.

  Ye Li furrowed her brow, "Who did you see?"

  Qing Yu said in a low voice: "Su Zui Die, and... Wang Ye."

  "Su Zui and the King?" Ye Li was surprised, blinking her eyes. "You're saying you saw Su Zui and the King together in the palace, so you followed them? Are you sure it was Su Zui?" Qing Yu lowered her head, thinking for a moment before speaking: "This servant has seen the Chu Jing Guo color painting that others gave to the King and Queen on their wedding day. At least 70-80% of the woman in the painting resembles...such a beautiful person is not common even in the palace. And the King...the King, so this servant..."

  Ye Li nodded slightly, understanding why the two girls had been unwilling to tell Mo Xiu Yao the truth all along. "So, you saw Prince Wang meeting with a woman who looked very similar to Su Zuiyan in the palace, and coincidentally, the fire at the Jade Flower Palace occurred and I went missing, so you deliberately concealed the truth and refused to tell him." Qing Yu nodded, biting her lip.

  Ye Li thought for a moment and asked, "Have you ever thought... if the prince's legs were inconvenient at that time, wouldn't it be too conspicuous to meet with a woman in the palace? With the prince's martial arts skills, he shouldn't have been able to get too close either. If he didn't get close, how can you be sure that the person you saw was definitely Su Zui and the prince?" Qing Yu said, "Whether or not the woman is Su Zui's maid, I really don't dare to confirm. But the man's voice is absolutely the prince's." Ye Li frowned, she knew Qing Yu's hearing ability, Qing Yu had extremely good hearing since childhood, even better than Qing Luan who had been practicing martial arts since childhood. As long as she heard a sound once, she wouldn't forget it, let alone following her and seeing Mo Xiu Yao every day.

  "What about Qing Luan?"

  "The slave heard Qingyu's scream, Qingyu knew how to use poison but didn't know martial arts so the slave immediately rushed over. However, as soon as she saw Qingyu's back, she fainted."

  Qing Yu frowned and said: "The slave heard that the king was indeed frightened and then beaten unconscious. But... it's just a very small sound, it's impossible to disturb Qing Luan."

  Ye Li smiled lightly and said: "You two have also been working hard for these two months, tell me what you think?"

  The two of them couldn't help but look at each other, and Qing Luan carefully glanced at Ye Li again before saying: "I... I didn't think anything..."

  Qing Yu said: "I suspected at that time... Wang Ye and others... Then I heard that the princess was missing, so..."

  Ye Li smiled and said: "So you suspect Wang Ye colluded with someone else to harm me?"

  Qing Yu's face turned red, and Qing Luan opened her eyes wide, staring at Qing Yu with a shocked expression. Ye Li understood that what they said must be true, after all, for the past two months, Qing Luan and Qing Yu had been living separately and hadn't had any opportunity to meet. The Dark Guards had also found them in different places, unless they had colluded on their testimonies before being found, otherwise, there was no way their words could match. For these two months, Qing Luan had been very quiet, only crying every day at the beginning. On the other hand, Qing Yu, who was usually gentle, always tried to escape and showed hostility towards the people of the Wang Fu. If it was because Qing Yu saw Mo Xiu Yao but Qing Luan didn't see him, that would also make sense.

  After some thought, Ye Li nodded and said: "I understand. Qing Yu, don't mention this again from now on. I trust Wang Ye, got it?"

  Qing Yu's eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she wanted to say something else. Ye Li said calmly, "Sometimes what you hear with your ears isn't necessarily true. Have you ever thought that if it was really the prince, with his meticulous mind, would he appear in the palace on the same day I entered? Moreover, there's an even bigger flaw - all of you are still alive. You were knocked unconscious because you discovered the prince, so... Qing Luan can be explained away, but why are you still safe and sound until now? This is the Dingguo King's residence; if the prince wanted to kill someone to silence them, not just you, even I, the princess, wouldn't be able to escape. Do you understand?" Qing Yu's face turned pale, "The princess means to say..."

  Qing Luan's inexplicable words: "If the other party wants to sow discord, does he know that the queen is actually fine in the big fire?"

  Ye Li nodded and smiled: "It's very likely. However, if something really happens to me and the prince knows you are innocent, he will naturally let you go. What will Qing Yu do after she leaves?"

  Qing Yu resolutely said: "Of course, I will tell Master and Young Master about what happened and seek justice for Miss!"

  "Are they trying to drive a wedge between the Dingguo King's household and the Xu family?!"

  "Either he wants to drive a wedge between me and the king or between the Ding Wang Fu and the Xu family, it all depends on whether he knows about the Yao Hua Palace fire. But in any case, if my relationship with the king breaks down, how can the relationship between the Ding Wang Fu and the Xu family be good?"

  Qing Yu's pale face said: "I... I suspect that the king... has made a mistake?" But what she couldn't figure out was who that person was, and she trusted her ears more than her eyes.

  "It doesn't matter, fortunately the king also suspected that you knew something dangerous, so he put you under house arrest. Now it hasn't caused any bad consequences. As for what you said about the king... I'll investigate later. " Ye Lian smiled lightly, a hint of cold light flashing in her eyes. Indeed, as soon as she returned to the capital, right and wrong were intertwined. Then let her see if there was another Su Zuiyan and Mo Xiuyao in the capital."

  Qing Yu nodded seriously and said: "I also want to know what kind of person can deceive my ears."

  Ye Li smiled faintly, what one sees with their own eyes can deceive people, let alone what one hears. However... she also wanted to know who it was that understood her and the people around her so well.