Uncle's teachings

  Uncle's teachings

  "I have seen two princesses."

  Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao had just walked out of the inner room with the shopkeeper when they heard the doorman at the entrance respectfully say, "Shopkeeper, you're here." The shopkeeper was taken aback and hastily apologized to the two before hurrying over. The person who had just entered the door also saw the two of them, and Chao Yang, the eldest princess, was stunned for a moment before exclaiming in surprise, "Xiuyao?" She quickly walked over and stopped a few steps away from Mo Xiuyao, saying softly, "Xiuyao, you're out shopping with Miss Ye?" Mo Xiuyao's eyes flickered slightly as he nodded, "That's right, Princess. It's been many years since we last met." Chao Yang's face was tinged with a hint of sadness as she nodded, "Indeed, it has been many years. You... are doing well now, that's good. After you two get married, Miss Ye can come visit me at the princess's residence from time to time, and keep an old lady company."

  Ye Li nodded slightly and smiled: "Thanks to Princess Meng Chang's kindness, I will definitely go to visit her at that time."

  Princess Zhaoyang let out a soft sigh, pulling on Ye Li's arm and smiling: "Although this is only the second time I've met Miss Ye, when I was younger, I had some dealings with your mother. Miss Ye, take a look and see if there's anything you like - consider it a gift from me, an elder, to celebrate our meeting." Ye Li felt a bit helpless, just about to refuse, but Mo Xiuyao spoke up first: "Aunt Zhaoyang... don't scare Lian'er. We still have something to attend to and must take our leave. You're not with Princess Zhaoren, are you? Don't ruin the princess's fun."

  The beautiful woman in Chinese clothing who had been ignored all along was none other than Princess Zhaoren, whom they had met at Mo Jing Lei's wedding banquet a few days ago. After hearing Mo Xiu Yao's words, she only hummed softly. Princess Zhao Yang furrowed her brow and could only sigh: "Forget it, Miss Ye can just send someone to my mansion to inform me directly if there's anything in the future." Ye Li thanked her lightly and accompanied Mo Xiu Yao out of Feng Hua Lou.

  As soon as they got on the horse carriage, Ye Li clearly sensed that Mo Xiuyao's mood was not calm. Without saying much, he randomly picked up a book from the carriage and started reading with his head down, but couldn't help thinking about what happened earlier in the store, specifically the words and expressions of Zhao Yang, the eldest princess. There was something inexplicably strange about her attitude that seemed similar to Han Mingyue's. It was as if she wanted to get close to Mo Xiuyao, but due to some unknown reason, she could only maintain a certain distance. Her expression always revealed a hint of guilt and a desire to make amends, which was clearly not something Mo Xiuyao was willing to accept. As a result, they had unknowingly shifted their attention to her. For instance, the silver note Han Mingyue sent and Zhao Yang's attitude towards it. What exactly did these two people do to wrong Mo Xiuyao?

  "Sorry, Ye Li," Mo Xiuyao said softly in the carriage, with a hint of apology in his eyes. Ye Li raised an eyebrow in confusion, and Mo Xiuyao smiled helplessly: "I originally planned to take you out for some fresh air..." Only then did Ye Li suddenly realize that this man was apologizing to her for his bad mood earlier? But wasn't it unavoidable to have a bad mood when meeting someone he didn't like? Or had she acted like a unreasonable little girl, making him feel the need to apologize and make amends?

  "Nothing, you're not in the mood today, let's just head back. We can go out again another day when your mood improves." In fact, she wasn't in the mood to accompany a man with a gloomy mood shopping either, she wasn't good at comforting people. With that free time, it would be better to do something else, after what happened yesterday, she found that she still had a lot of things to do.

  Mo Xi Yao fell silent for a moment before nodding and saying, "I'll send you back."

  Ye Li nodded and instructed Ah Jin, who was driving the carriage outside, to head in the direction of the Shangshu Mansion. Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li's calm and composed expression and his own expression relaxed a lot, and he couldn't help but smile: "Ah Li seems not worried at all." Ye Li shrugged: "There's nothing to worry about anyway. But I guess my family's old lady is worried sick." If she were to be rejected by the Dingguo King's Mansion again, the old lady would probably want to send her to a nunnery to cultivate herself. This not only tarnished the Ye family's reputation but also lost the large sum of betrothal gifts from the Dingwang Mansion that they had already received. It was enough to make the old lady and Wang Shi heartbroken for a long time.

  Nothing will happen, at most this thing will pass in a day or two.

  Ye Li nodded, not saying anything. If something had really happened to her last night, what would have become of it? Ye Li didn't ask such questions, and Mo Xiu Yao didn't bring it up either - they both understood each other without needing to say a word. Perhaps even if something had really happened, Mo Xiu Yao would still cover it up, still marry her, perhaps he would kill Han Ming Yue. Perhaps Ye Li would kill Han Ming Yue herself, but she wouldn't remarry him. Who was the real culprit behind the scenes? Mo Xiu Yao didn't plan on telling her, and she didn't plan on asking either. They were preparing to spend their lives together, but neither of them had any intention of making the other person the most important, most loved one in their life. Just like Ye Li would never think that Mo Xiu Yao was more important than her own family, there must be someone else who existed in Mo Xiu Yao's heart as well.

  They arrived at the entrance of Ye Manor. Mu Xiuyao personally saw Ye Li walk into the gate before putting down the curtain and saying to Ah Jin, "Let's return to the manor."

  Ajing silently watched as the large door slowly closed, hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice: "Your Highness, why didn't you tell Miss Ye..."

  "Ah Jin, return to the mansion."

  "Yes, Your Highness."

  This isn't a misunderstanding, it's a boundary that's even worse than a misunderstanding. A Yao, you're in trouble——

  Ye Li had just entered the gate when Qing Xia and Qing Shuang, who were already waiting on one side, came forward to report that Uncle Ye had arrived and was waiting to see Miss. Ye Li was puzzled, "Is it Big Uncle or Second Uncle?" She had just returned from the Xu family this morning, could something have happened again?

  Qingfeng said: "Both uncles have arrived. They are currently talking with Old Madam in the Rongle Hall."

  Ye Li looked at her clothes helplessly and said, "Forget it, let's just go."

  As soon as she entered the Rong Le Hall, she saw her two uncles sitting and drinking tea. Old Lady Wang and Ye Shangshu were sitting on one side, their faces seemingly a bit strange. When they saw Ye Li enter, Ye's old lady finally let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Ye Li: "Li'er, the two uncles have come to visit you specially, why did you run out and not come to pay your respects?" Ye Li followed her words and went forward to pay her respects. Xu Hongyu waved his hand and said: "Forget it, Li'er just returned from the Xu family today, there's no need to say that they came to visit her specially." Xu Hongyan also nodded with a serious face: "That's right, originally yesterday I and my older brother had some things to instruct Li'er, so we took her away. Who would have thought it would cause so much trouble? It's really our Xu family being inconsiderate."

  Mrs. Ye and Secretary Ye exchanged a slightly awkward glance, although Xu Hongyan said it was not the Xu family's fault, they could still hear the implicit criticism of the Ye family in his words. After the rumors spread, the Ye family did nothing, not even sending someone to ask about it at the Xu house. How could this not make the Xu family feel cold? However, Mrs. Ye looked at the slender girl in front of her and was still uncertain. She really couldn't be sure if Ye Li had actually gone to the Xu house yesterday or been kidnapped by bandits as the rumors said. What if something really happened...

  Xu Hongyan looked at Ye Lao Furen and Ye Shangshu with a hint of dissatisfaction, letting out a soft hum. Xu Hongyu glanced at him lightly from the side, then turned to smile at Ye Li: "Didn't you say that Li'er had gone out with Hua Xiangjun and Qin Xiangjun? When Uncle came over, he heard that those two young ladies from the Qin and Hua families were dragged by General Murong's daughter to cause trouble for Leng Er Gongzi. Could it be that Li'er also followed them to make a scene?" Ye Li hadn't expected Murong Ting to cause such a commotion, so she quickly shook her head: "Li'er went with Ding Wang to Feng Hua Lou, where we met the two princesses, Zhao Yang and Zhao Ren. Then we came back. I'm sorry for keeping Uncle waiting."

  "Oh? And go to Fenghua Building with Ding Wang? No problem, it's not a bad thing for young people to walk around. " Xu Hongyu was apparently very satisfied with Ye Li's answer. Xu Hongyan also nodded and complained casually: "Your aunt often reminds you that Qingze should accompany Qin's daughter when she goes out, but that kid is a stubborn woodpecker, as if saying half a word would cost him money!" Ye Li couldn't help but smile slightly when she thought of Xu Qingze's cold expression. Zeng'er was obviously the most gentle and kind-hearted one among them, but she had an fiancé who was naturally cold and didn't like to talk. It had been so long since they entered the capital, it seemed that except for once being sent by Second Aunt to deliver gifts to the Qin family, the two hadn't formally met yet.

  Without looking at Ye Shangshu and Ye Lao's subtle changes in expression, Xu Hongyu directly turned to Ye Shangshu and said: "I have some things to instruct Liuli alone, I wonder..." Ye Shangshu had always been afraid of this elder brother-in-law, he didn't dare say no when he opened his mouth, and hastily said: "Then let Liuli take the two brothers to your courtyard to sit for a while. Later, my younger brother will prepare wine and feast, please come and join us." Xu Hongyan stood up calmly and said: "My elder brother has an appointment with Old Su tonight to play a few rounds of chess, so we can skip the wine and feast." Seeing Xu Hongyu's calm expression, Ye Shangshu could only reluctantly agree, letting Ye Liuli invite the two uncles to speak privately. Ye Lao looked at her son's spineless appearance with dissatisfaction and glared at him, but unfortunately, the current head of the Xu family had accumulated too much prestige, so she had to give up.

  Returning to the Qing Yi Xuan, Xu Hongyan took a look at the interior and exterior decorations, nodded in satisfaction, then turned around and left, leaving the room for his elder brother and niece to talk.

  "Uncle Da and Uncle Er have made a special trip, but is there something important that you need to instruct Lian'er about?" Ye Lian asked as she poured tea for Xu Hongyu.

  Xu Hongyu looked her up and down with a smile: "Looks like Lier's complexion is good, and hasn't been affected by those rumors. Is that right?"

  Ye Li presented a cup of clear tea and smiled helplessly as she sat down: "Rumors are circulating, but we still have to make a living. Besides, the current situation is much better than what was originally speculated."

  Xu Hongyu looked at her seriously and said, "So, if things are worse than you thought, what would you do? It was fortunate that we were able to leave unscathed last night, but if something really happened... Lier, have you thought about it?" Ye Lier silently gazed at the clear tea in front of her, nodded and said, "Lier has worried Uncle. But... no matter what happens, one must still live on. Lier is not afraid of death, but as long as there's hope, she will definitely live on. At least, she won't die because of rumors." As she spoke, Ye Lier couldn't help but bite her lip. Even in the relatively open-minded Great Chu, a woman's chastity was still more important than life. She didn't know if her words would be accepted by her uncle, but this was her true feelings. Ye Lier absolutely wouldn't give up her life for someone else's mistake.

  "Ah, this is indeed a daughter of the Xu family." After a long while, Xu Hongyu put down her teacup and said calmly.

  Ye Li was taken aback, quickly raising her head to look at her uncle. Xu Hongyu looked at Ye Li's gaze with a few threads of sadness, "The men of the Xu family have always been strong and resilient, even in the face of adversity. But...the daughters of the Xu family are indeed intelligent and wise, yet also more fragile than ordinary women. Just like your mother...if only you had the same strength as you do now, little sister, things wouldn't have ended up like this."

  "Big Uncle..." Every time the mother is mentioned, it always hurts Big Uncle's heart. Ye Li thinks of her own weak and beautiful mother in her memories and can't help but sigh. Her mother was protected too well by the Xu family when she was young, so the reality after marriage made her unable to accept it, and she could only wither away gradually in the big courtyard of the Ye family.

  Xu Hongyu waved his hand, "Ding Wang is an excellent man, and I still think so even now. But in any case, he's not a good candidate for a husband. Lian'er knows why the Xu family didn't oppose this marriage?" Ye Lian looked at her elder brother-in-law's gentle yet slightly stern gaze, hesitated for a moment, then said: "The emperor's decree is hard to defy?"

  "This is a reason." Xu Hongyu said, "However, if the Xu family really doesn't want to, it's not like there's no way to resolve it. Your grandfather still has some face left, and if he personally goes to the capital to request that the emperor withdraw his decree, the emperor won't refuse."

  Yue Li was shocked and hastily said: "Absolutely not! Grandfather is already old and has finally escaped from all the troubles in the capital, how can he possibly get involved again for my sake?"

  Not to mention anything else, Grandfather is already over 70 years old this year. Yue Li couldn't accept letting him travel all the way to the capital.

  Xu Hongyu's face flashed with a hint of comfort and he patted Yue Li on the hand: "Your grandfather knows that you're a filial and good child."

  Ye Li lowered her head and thought for a moment, then furrowed her brow in confusion and said: "Liu'er really can't figure it out, please uncle, enlighten me."

  Xu Hongyu sighed and said: "Because of your identity, if you were a Xu, the Xu family could have refused the emperor's arranged marriage on your behalf. Even if they had found an ordinary scholarly family in Bianzhou to marry into, it wouldn't have been a problem; the Xu family didn't need more wealth and glory. However, you are a Ye, and apart from the imperial family, only the Ye family can make decisions about your marriage, not to mention that previously there was also the late emperor's arranged marriage. Although the emperor annulled your engagement with Prince Li, he gave Ye Ying to Prince Li instead. Ye Ying is supposedly the eldest daughter of the Ye family, but in reality she's just a concubine-born daughter; the emperor wants to reuse your father and favor Ye Shao Yi. He also wants to satisfy the expectations of the world's scholars, so you can't marry someone inferior to Ye Ying. In other words... if you don't marry Prince Ding, you will still be given to another prince or even become a consort in the palace. Entering the palace is not an option; your uncle and maternal grandfather have considered all the unmarried princes and can only choose Prince Ding."

  Ye Li nodded in agreement with her uncle's words, "Actually, Ding Wang is much better than what Ye Li had originally expected. Although now that she thinks about it... maybe he's more troublesome than she thought before. But it's not like he's unacceptable, right? Uncle also said that Ding Wang is an excellent man." Xu Hongyu looked at Ye Li with a curious expression and asked, "What did you originally think Ding Wang was like?"

  Ye Li smiled somewhat embarrassingly: "Isn't it said that the King of Ding is... disabled, disfigured, and gravely ill?" Anyone can imagine what such a tragic person would look like, so the current Mo Xiuyao has really improved beyond everyone's expectations.

  Xu Hongyu obviously could also imagine, and glared at her with a bad temper: "If it's really like that, it's better to think of ways to poison him to death. Even if you can't get married for the rest of your life, it's better than marrying a useless person."

  It doesn't matter if she marries a useless person, Ye Li wouldn't mind. Anyway, as the daughter of the Wang family, it's impossible for her to serve Mo Xiu Yao personally. Let's just get through life together, now that he's not so useless after all, but the trouble is more than imagined. The fact that her eldest uncle came to tell her these things himself made Ye Li realize that her post-marriage life would absolutely not be as beautiful as she had imagined.

  "Last night, your elder brother mentioned it and I just realized that the Ye family has been a mess all these years! And you, staying in the capital for so many years, you actually don't understand the people of the capital at all!" Xu Hongyu glared at Ye Li with annoyance. Ye Li hastily lowered her head in self-reflection. Not to mention her father being afraid of her uncle, she was also afraid. In fact, except for her elder brother, she hadn't seen anyone who wasn't afraid of her uncle. Hmm... maybe Mu Xiuyao should be counted as one too.

  Her eldest uncle was right, all these years she had been intentionally isolating herself from her surroundings. Of course, Wang Shi also played a role in this, but the main responsibility still lay with herself. Even though she had long accepted her current life, deep down inside Ye Li probably still felt that her past life was the real one, and now it just seemed like an acquired game or dream. Last night's risk had added a few more points to its sense of reality.

  "How much of what Hongyan gave you before did you understand?" Xu Hongyu asked directly.

  Ye Li knew that her second uncle had only given her information about the relationships and important figures of the nobles in the capital, so she quickly said: "I've remembered everything." Xu Hongyu shook his head, "Remembering those things isn't very useful. If you want to understand the relationships... You know the people from the Hua Guo Gong Fu, and you've also met Liu Gui Fei from the palace. Can you tell me what you think is the relationship between the current Empress and Liu Gui Fei, as well as the relationship between the Hua Guo Gong Fu and the Liu Fu?"

  Ye Li was taken aback, thinking that this was also a bit too far-fetched. However, she still thought seriously about Xu Hongyu's words for a long time before saying: "Lier has never seen the Empress, but is quite familiar with the people of the Hua Manor and has met Princess Chang Le once. The Empress is the current original partner, although not favored, should also be a magnanimous and virtuous woman. As for Concubine Liu, she is slightly arrogant and cold-tempered. However, the Emperor is very fond of her, and she has two sons and one daughter under her knees. So, these two... their relationship shouldn't be too harmonious. On the other hand, there hasn't been any news about any discord between the Hua family and the Liu family." The Grand Councilor Liu and the Minister Ye are currently at odds with each other on the court, but it seems that Concubine Liu has the upper hand in the palace.

  Xu Hongyu nodded and reminded, "What you said is not bad, but people's hearts are easy to change. Especially the hearts of those in the palace are even more difficult to guess, this aspect you still need to work harder. It seems that Hongyu only gave you the current information, I'm afraid he thought that you knew everything from before." Ye Li was a bit ashamed, especially during the time when Mo Xiuyao had an accident and her memories were chaotic, her body was weak. After recovering, she rarely paid attention to outside affairs again, those old things she really didn't know. Her second uncle probably didn't think that she wouldn't even know about those noisy events.

  "How much does Lier know about the Dingguo royal palace?"

  The first master of the Dingguo Wangfu was Di Ku, the younger brother of the founding emperor of Da Chu, Mo Chengtian. At the beginning of the founding of the country, the Taizu Emperor granted him a hereditary title as a prince, with the title of Dingguo. Three generations passed, and during the time of the previous emperor, the powerful minister bullied the young master. The then King of Dingguo, Mo Liufang, returned to the capital from the border and killed the powerful minister, supporting the young master, and was granted the title of Regent Prince. When the previous emperor was 16 years old, Mo Liufang handed over power to him. In the 29th year of the previous emperor's reign, Mo Liufang died of illness, and his eldest son, Mo Xiawen, inherited the title. The following year, the previous emperor passed away. Three years ago, Mo Xiawen was ordered to lead an expedition against the Rongyi, but he fell ill on the way and died without an heir. His 18-year-old younger brother, Mo Xiu Yao, succeeded him and led the army in battle. He encountered an ambush, suffered heavy casualties, and nearly lost his life. Although he eventually turned defeat into victory through a clever strategy, it came at a great cost. Three months later, Mo Xiuyao's fiancée died of illness, and from then on, the Dingguo Wangfu was completely silent in the capital.

  "Anything else?"

  Ye Li furrowed her brow and continued, "The Dingguo royal family has produced talented individuals in every generation, with both literary and military prowess. In contrast, the imperial family of the same lineage is far inferior. The most outstanding among them was the first-generation King Dingguo, Mo Xuan Yun. It's said that if he hadn't married a princess from the previous dynasty as his wife, he might have had an even better chance of ascending to the throne than Taizu. Then there's Mo Liu Fang, who could both conquer and govern with wisdom. And Mo Xiuyao was once praised as a rare talent not inferior to his ancestors. If Mo Liu Fang hadn't passed away when he was only 13 years old, perhaps he would have been the one to inherit the throne from the start."

  The room was quiet, and Ye Li silently picked up the teapot to refill Xu Hongyu's cup. Only then did he hear Xu Hongyu ask: "Yes, in just five or six short years, the Dingguo Wangfu was destroyed and its people scattered. The legendary general who was once invincible had fallen from heaven to earth. The myth of the Dingguo Wangfu's invincibility was also shattered. Lian'er, do you know that it was your uncle who first said that Mo Xiu Yao was not inferior to his ancestors? He regretted saying that for over a decade."

  "What does Big Uncle mean?" Ye Li was taken aback. The rumors about the downfall of the Dingguo Kingdom had never stopped since ancient times, and even now, there were all sorts of private speculations. But hearing it from her uncle's own mouth still shocked Ye Li. After being shocked, Ye Li quickly calmed down and said: "I've heard that the young King Ding was indeed a brilliant and outstanding military strategist, so even if Father hadn't said those words, people would still be targeting the Dingguo Kingdom. Father only appreciated his talent and couldn't predict the future. This matter...Father doesn't need to blame himself."

  Xu Hongyu nodded in approval: "Lier, at such a young age, you already have such insight. Uncle is telling you this because I hope you understand the situation of the Dingguo royal family. Although to outsiders, the Dingguo royal family has fallen and only has an empty name left... But..." Ye Lier looked at him and continued: "But the Dingguo royal family still has a trump card that makes the imperial family dare not easily make a move against them, right?"

  "Not bad. If it weren't for this, Mo Xiuyao would have died of illness long ago. The reason why no one dares to move him now is because they are afraid of losing the treasure while trying to catch the mouse. The deaths of the two previous kings have already raised suspicions, and if something unexpected happens to Mo Xiuyao again, it's likely to shake the foundations of the country."

  Ye Li sighed softly, feeling a bit chilly as she grasped the teacup to absorb its warmth. "Did the Emperor choose me because he also fears the Xu family? Doesn't he worry that after marrying into the Dingguo Duke's household..."

  Xu Hongyu's eyes were cold and calm, "As long as the imperial family does not make a move against the Xu family, the Xu clan will never betray."

  "Does anyone believe in this?" Ye Li was puzzled. Even if the signed treaty could be torn apart at any time, let alone a sworn oath. Xue Hongyu glared at her with displeasure, "This is written into the Xu family's house rules, the Xu family has been established for centuries with integrity." Ye Li shrank her neck and quietly asked with curiosity: "Uncle, did...the Xu family make any vows to the previous dynasty's emperor?"

  “Cough, cough…” Xu Hongyu coughed a few times, glaring at Ye Li with annoyance. Ye Li could only shrug and remain silent, supporting his chin. As the saying goes, as a renowned family that has stood for hundreds of years without falling, how can they be so stubborn? We're not unwilling to betray, it's just that the reward isn't high enough yet. After giving Ye Li a final glare, Xu Hongyu spoke seriously: "In any case, unless absolutely necessary, the Xu family will not abandon the imperial court." The Xu family is not lacking in fame or wealth, and they have never been obsessed with power. The throne? What use is that thing? To be a wise ruler, one must have the awareness to work themselves to death; if you want to enjoy yourself, you must be prepared to leave behind a stench for ten thousand years.

  "Lier understood. Who does Big Uncle think wants to ruin my marriage with Ding Wang, if not the Emperor?" Ye Lier asked.

  Xu Hongyu shook his head, "This is really hard to say. Qingchen only said it was a woman. But we've almost filtered through all the women related to Ding Wang, and still can't find out who it is. Does Ding Wang himself know? He should have some discretion. If anything else that shouldn't happen happens again, he might as well not be her husband. The Xu family can raise his daughter."

  "Lier thinks it's probably some woman who has a crush on Ding Wang." Ye Lier didn't feel embarrassed about saying this to Xu Hongyu, and directly expressed her suspicions.

  Xu Hongyu smiled and looked at her, saying: "People who admire Ding Wang? If you're talking about when Ding Wang was young. At that time, at least half of the girls in the capital city admired him. However... no one had the ability to bribe Tianyi Pavilion. Han Mingyue may love money like his life, but he is also Ding Wang's best friend from his youth. He wouldn't possibly provoke Ding Wang's fiancée for money."

  "So... what about the woman who has a crush on Moxiuyao and is also close friends with Han Mingyue?"

  Xu Hongyu raised an eyebrow, "There is one, but it can't be her."

  Ye Li blinked, and Xue Hongyu calmly put down his teacup, saying: "Liu Guifei."

  This time it was Ye Li's turn to cough, "Liu... Liu Guifei?"

  "What's so strange? Liu Guifei was known as the number one talented woman in the capital back then. Even your elder brother wouldn't give her a second glance, but he would speak softly to the Crown Prince at that time. Unfortunately...the Crown Prince already had someone in his heart, or else they would have made a great couple. Moreover, Liu Guifei was good at painting, and Han Mingyue's painting skills were also renowned in the capital when he was young. The second volume of 'Chu Jing's National Beauty' that he painted was actually Liu Guifei, and it's still worth a fortune now. However, after Liu Guifei entered the palace, this painting was also bought by the emperor at a high price." For some reason, Xu Hongyu gave up on those heavy topics and started gossiping with Ye Li about old news.

  Ye Li thought of the woman in the palace who was as cold as a pear flower, and indeed deserved to be called the national beauty. "Why did Uncle say it wasn't her?"

  "Your brother knows Liu Guifei, although he hasn't seen the woman's face and it's been many years, but your brother is definitely not Liu Guifei. Besides, what do you think the imperial palace is? A place where a consort can casually bring a group of people to wander around outside the palace at midnight?" Ye Li nodded in agreement, she didn't really think it was Liu Guifei either. Although she had sensed Liu Guifei's disdain for her in the palace and deliberately picked on her, there wasn't any particularly heavy malice or murderous intent in that woman's eyes.

  "Who was Mo Xiuyao's original fiancée?" Ye Li asked, she was really curious about what kind of woman could defeat the beautiful and talented Liu Guifei to win Mo Xiuyao's heart. Moreover, it should be said that whoever became Mo Xiuyao's fiancée must have come from a prestigious family. However, Ye Li searched her memory for half a day but couldn't find any famous noble family with a beautiful daughter who died young seven years ago. Xu Hongyu gave her a somewhat disappointed glance before saying: "Su Zui Die."

  Ye Li nodded, "Sounds like a beautiful woman."

  Xu Hongyu expressionlessly looked at his niece, once again secretly regretting not insisting on bringing Lier back to the Xu family to raise her. Look at what she has become now that she's been raised by the Ye family? He was talking about her future husband's ex-fiancée, and even if the person is already dead, she should show some interest, right? The famous Mr. Xu only belatedly realized that his niece had never shown any coquettishness when mentioning Ding Wang or Li Wang, not even a blush!

  "Which family's Miss Su is this?" The capital city seemed to have no famous Su family.

  "What did you think Old Master Su came to Ding Wang Fu for on the day of the engagement?"

  "Is it so?"

  "Sukui is the granddaughter of Su Lao." Xu Hongyu said calmly.

  "What did Old Su come here for?"

  "Let's take a look at what kind of woman the originally supposed-to-be-his-grandson-in-law Ding Wang married. Also, Su Zui Die's death was a huge blow to Ding Wang who was already seriously ill at that time. Su Lao treated Ding Wang like his own grandson, so he came to support Ding Wang's household."

  Looking at her uncle's displeased face, Ye Li smiled helplessly: "Uncle, I know what you mean. I get along well with the Ding Wang, don't worry." Xu Hongyu looked at her disapprovingly and said: "What do you mean by getting along well? If when faced with some necessary choices, you are the first one to be abandoned by him, can that be considered good?" Ye Li smiled lightly, "But if I had to choose between Uncle, Grandfather, Brother, and Ding Wang, I wouldn't choose him either. How long have I known him? Family is naturally more important."

  "You are husband and wife! From now on you will spend the rest of your life with him, not with uncle or grandfather."

  "Does Uncle think Ding Wang is the kind of man who can give up everything as long as he cares?"

  "...is, as long as you can grasp his heart."

  Digression

  I always thought there was nothing to say, but it turns out this chapter is all about clarifying one thing - Liu Guifei is really not Nanzhu's ex-girlfriend. Although Liu Guifei's personality is indeed a bit annoying and she's not a good person, she didn't personally come out of the palace to harm the female lead without reason. The empress and Ye Shao Yi as well as the empress dowager who was waiting to grab her weakness are not just for show. Previously, I saw everyone discussing this and it even made me think that the bad girl was Liu Guifei.

  Phoenix isn't a setting controller, but this chapter still briefly introduced Nan Zhu's family background and his ex-girlfriend.