Kerulen Huimin

  Khelan Huimin

  After sending off Ronghua County's mistress, Ye Li returned to process the training plan in her hand and handed it over to Qin Feng. It wasn't until the next morning that she went to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager and prepare to return to the city.

  The Empress Dowager looked at Ye Li with a profound meaning and smiled: "It's time for you to go back, as the Crown Princess of Dingguo, staying with this old lady in the outskirts is not like... Moreover, without a princess by his side, there are many inconvenient things in Xiu Yao."

  After hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Ye Li was slightly stunned and felt that there must be something she didn't know about in the capital. After bidding farewell to the Empress Dowager and walking out of the door, she saw Qin Feng standing at the entrance waiting for her. Ye Li glanced at him with a hint of a smile: "Is there something happening in the capital that I don't know about?"

  Qin Feng's face stiffened, and he forced a smile: "If it's something important, who would dare not to inform the princess?"

  Ye Li narrowed her eyes, tilted her head and smiled at him: "So it's not very important? Tell me then."

  Ye Li turned around and walked out, Qin Feng hurriedly followed up, saying: "Actually, it's not a big deal, that... a few days ago, the envoys of the Northern Yan Kingdom didn't arrive in the capital? Yelu Wangzi petitioned to the Emperor, saying that since the two countries are allied through marriage, there should be both giving and receiving to demonstrate the friendship between the two countries." Ye Li turned back to look at him calmly: "So this time, it's the Northern Yan princess who wants to marry the king? Does the emperor think the Wang family is some kind of place where anyone can be stuffed in?" Qin Feng shrunk his neck, was the queen really jealous? The king would definitely be very happy about this, right? Seeing Ye Li's expression, Qin Feng quickly explained: "It's not the Northern Yan princess... it's the adopted daughter of He Lian Zhen, the great general of the Northern Yan Kingdom's flying cavalry, He Lian Hui Min."

  Ye Li couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth, He Lian's adopted daughter... Who doesn't know that He Lian and the Ding Guo royal family have a deep-seated grudge like the sea? And this adopted daughter... It seems that the other party is indeed very confident to dare to come to Da Chu with such an identity. "Why didn't I know?"

  "The princess calmed down." Qin Feng hastily apologized, and Ye Li gave him a faint glance. Qin Feng then remembered that the princess did not like her subordinates to say such apologetic nonsense, so he quickly explained: "It was the prince's intention. The prince said that since the princess is still outside, it's not necessary to trouble the princess with such trivial matters for now. A mere Northern Yan woman is not worth the prince's attention." Ye Li nodded slightly, accepting his explanation, and asked: "If so, why did it spread throughout the city?" Even the Duchess of Ronghua, who had been in the capital all along, knew about it, let alone the Grand Princess who lived outside the city. It couldn't be said that this matter wasn't a big deal. Qin Feng said: "The emperor and the empress dowager said that the princess and the prince have been married for over a year, but there has been no news of the princess's...so they agreed to Ye Lü Wangzi's request, saying it was to open up branches and leaves for the royal family." After finishing speaking, Qin Feng carefully glanced at Ye Li, this was the real reason why they didn't dare to report to the princess.

  "What a wonderful way to branch out!" Ye Li sneered, "Take in a Northern Yan woman for the Dingguo King's household to branch out? Return to the city!" She didn't have racial prejudices, but even if she really couldn't bear children, the people of Da Chu and the Mohist army wouldn't be able to accept that the future King Ding had Northern Yan blood in his veins. This was purely a political issue. Mo Jingqi actually came up with a good idea, did he think everyone in the world was an idiot?

  Before returning to the Wangfu, Ye Li had already heard many rumors about Ding Wang and Helian Huimin on the way. Among them were rumors that Queen Ding had not become pregnant for more than a year after marriage, but refused to let King Ding take a concubine, being jealous and unvirtuous. As soon as she entered the Wangfu, Mo Zongguan hurried over to ask Ye Li to go to the main hall. Ye Li raised an eyebrow in doubt, and Mo Zongguan explained: "Yelü Wangzi and Helian Huimin have come to visit, and the king is talking to them in the great hall. As the mistress of the Ding Wangfu, the queen should naturally meet the guests." Ye Li smiled at Mo Zongguan and said: "Don't you have anything to say about the rumors outside, Uncle Mo?" Although those messy speculations made Ye Li uncomfortable, one point was correct - she had not become pregnant in a year of marriage, and had no intention of letting Mo Xiu Yao take a concubine. In the eyes of people in this era, this was indeed being jealous and unvirtuous.

  Mo Zongguan said calmly: "Does a subordinate have the right to comment on his master's affairs? Moreover, more than half of the rumors outside were spread by the prince himself."

  "Huh? What does the king want to do?" Ye Li was somewhat surprised, thinking seriously and it was only natural that rumors had spread throughout the capital in just a few days, and even showed signs of getting more and more intense. If the Ding Wang Fu had intervened, it wouldn't have been like this, it seems that Mo Xiu Yao not only didn't dispel these rumors but also secretly fueled them.

  "The king said that when the queen returns, she will naturally understand his intentions. The queen is now..."

  Ye Li smiled and said: "Since you've all come personally, how could I, the imperial concubine, not receive you?"

  Just as he walked to the door of the main hall, a clear and melodious girl's voice came from inside, "Your Highness, I wonder if Hui Min is lucky enough to see the princess?"

  Mo Xiuyao's voice was as calm and gentle as ever, saying faintly: "A Li went out of the city to visit her imperial aunt, I'm afraid she won't have a chance to meet Miss He Lian."

  "The prince is joking, how can it be impossible? Once Huimin marries into the Dingguo Wangfu, she will be on equal terms with the princesses and there will naturally be opportunities to meet. Yelü Ye Lang laughed loudly, "Huimin, you don't have to worry either, Princess Ding of Chu is gentle and elegant, a model among the women of Great Chu. She absolutely won't make things difficult for you."

  "Brother, you said it yourself. I've long admired Princess Wang's reputation and was anxious for a moment, making the prince laugh." He Lian Hui Min laughed crisply, her words straightforward and without any shyness or panic that a daughter of Great Chu would have when discussing her own marriage.

  "Married into the Dingguo King's palace?" Mo Xiuyao asked in confusion: "The Dingguo King's palace has no side branches, and my father and brothers have long since passed away. I don't know which ancestor of the Helian Miss is engaged to someone from our palace?"

  "Heh..." Ye Li couldn't help but laugh out loud, and the rumors about Mo Xiuyao being overly dramatic were indeed true. After a light cough, Ye Li finally stepped into the hall.

  Mo Xiuyao saw Ye Li and was visibly delighted, personally getting up to pull Ye Li's hand and laughing: "A Li you finally came back, did you dissipate the anger of not being a husband?" Ye Li smiled lightly and said: "Does the king think he did something wrong?" Privately, she stretched out her hand and pinched Mo Xiuyao hard, turning around to signal with her eyes to Helian Huimin's Yelü Ye: what are you doing? Ye Li's grip was absolutely not light, Mo Xiuyao's body stiffened, and he said with a humble face: "A Li is still angry? This king knows this king was wrong. As long as the wife thinks it's wrong, then even if everyone in the world says it's right, that's their mistake. Wife, please sit."

  His handsome face still wore a half-cold mask, and with the addition of Prince Ding's prestige, this ordinary husband's coaxing his wife in front of outsiders seemed especially strange. He Lian Hui Min and Ye Lu Ye couldn't help but exchange a look of astonishment, finding it hard to believe that Prince Ding would actually behave like this in front of others.

  Yelü Yē Ráo raised an eyebrow with interest and smiled at Ye Lǐ, saying: "Your Highness the Princess, it's been a long time since we last met, yet your elegance remains unchanged."

  Ye Li smiled and nodded: "Prince Yelü is also not much worse off. And this young lady is..."

  Without waiting for Ye Lü's introduction, He Lian Huimin stood up and gave Ye Li a deep curtsy, smiling: "Younger sister He Lian Huimin has seen the princess."

  Ye Li slightly furrowed her brow, sidestepped the courtesy and smiled: "Miss He Lian can just call me Wang Fei. Speaking of which, Miss He Lian should be a few years older than me, right? I'm afraid I'm not old enough to be called 'sister'." Only then did Ye Li get a clear look at He Lian Hui Min's appearance. As a Beijun person, He Lian Hui Min was much taller and slender compared to the women of Da Chu, but her figure was delicate and refined, without any hint of the sturdy build typical of Beijun women. Her facial features were quite exquisite, with a beauty reminiscent of the elegant ladies of Da Chu. She wore a noble attire in peach red color, which added to her bright and refreshing demeanor. However, Ye Li noticed that she bore some resemblance to Murong Ting, but only for an instant. Ye Li quickly realized that He Lian Hui Min was completely different from the innocent and artless Murong Ting. The bright and cheerful exterior was just a disguise; Ye Li could tell that her carefree appearance was just a cover-up, judging by the way her eyes were fixed intently on Ye Li's face.

  After hearing Ye Li's words, He Lian Hui was slightly stunned for a moment before quickly reacting and laughing: "Princess Wang doesn't know that I have already received the edict from the Emperor of Great Chu to marry into the Dingguo King's Manor soon. Although I don't know the customs of Great Chu, but in our Beirong, whoever enters the door first is considered the elder, so it's only right for me to call you sister."

  Ye Li sank into thought for a moment, then turned to look at Mo Xiu Yao and said: "Your Highness, congratulations, the Emperor himself has bestowed upon you a beautiful woman, are you pleased?"

  "Your Ladyship misunderstands, I have never received any imperial decree for a marriage. Just now, I was thinking that Miss Helian might be engaged to my father or brother. In that case... although my father and brother are no longer with us, the royal family of Dingguo can still hold a posthumous wedding, it's just that Your Ladyship will have to trouble yourself with the arrangements. I wonder... is Miss Helian my stepmother or... younger sister-in-law?"

  As soon as the words came out, even Ye Lü, who was usually calm and collected, couldn't help but contort his face in disgust. The Northern Yan woman, although not one to be bound by trivial matters, also couldn't help but look displeased when her self-proclaimed fiancé teased Helian Huiming like this. What do you mean you never received the imperial edict of betrothal? The Emperor had granted the marriage on the spot and hadn't even had time to write an imperial decree, so Mo Xiuyao simply left without giving the Emperor or Northern Yan any face. Afterwards, he even went as far as to lock the person who was supposed to deliver the imperial decree outside, naturally there wouldn't be any imperial decree of betrothal. Ye Lü's eyes narrowed slightly, "Is this really true?" Mo Xiuyao spoke solemnly, "As a husband, my heart is as clear as the sky and sun, I absolutely will not deceive Ah Lü. If I were to marry Helian Miss despite being shameless, then let me be punished by heaven and struck by lightning, cut off from having children." Anyway, he was absolutely not going to go through with marrying Helian Huiming, so making an oath like this was naturally without any pressure.

  Upon hearing this, Ye Li's expression softened slightly, and she spoke in a gentle voice: "I believe you, so what's the need for an oath? Alright then, I'll have someone prepare the wedding arrangements. However... should we invite Father or Big Brother back for it?" Not to mention that she had ruined He Lian Hui Min's reputation, but the people of Bei Rong didn't care much about this anyway. Moreover, towards women who wanted to steal her man, Ye Li wasn't planning on being polite.

  Mo Xiuyao was clearly satisfied with Ye Li's cooperation, and turned to look at Yelü Ye who was sitting on the side. He made it clear that he wanted him to explain whether Helian Huiming was going to marry the previous generation's Ding Wang or the one before that. Yelü Ye's face turned iron-gray, Mo Xiuyao had already linked marrying Helian Huiming with shame and dishonor, clearly determined to push her onto someone who was already dead. If it really went as he wished, then they would have lost both their wife and their soldiers. Letting out a light hum, Yelü Ye said: "Ding Wang, I think you also understand the meaning of the Great Chu Emperor and this prince, is your confusing and disorderly behavior not unbecoming?"

  Mo Xiuyao was even more wronged, and he let out a light sigh: "Your Highness is unaware that our royal ancestors had a rule that we absolutely cannot marry foreign women into the family. If we do, then we are not worthy of being descendants of the Dingguo royal family. However, for the sake of friendship between our two countries, my father and brother have already passed away but did not need to be affected by the rules of the Dingguo royal family. Isn't this a win-win situation?"

  What a perfect pair of freaks! Yelü Ye couldn't help but curse them silently in his heart.

  "Your Highness, Hui Min has always admired you with all her heart. Why do you humiliate me like this?" He Lian Hui Min stood up and looked at Mo Xiu Yao with a resentful tone.

  Mo Xiuyao said calmly: "I have no intention of humiliating Miss He Lian."

  He Lian Hui Min said: "Since that's the case, why does the king repeatedly decline? You and I are married by order of the Emperor of Da Chu, it is a proper arrangement. Although I, He Lian Hui Min, am not from an imperial background, I am also a noblewoman from Beijun who has studied literature and martial arts since childhood. I ask myself, will I not be worthy of the king?"

  Mo Xiu Yao looked at He Lian Hui Min, lowered his head to look at Ye Li sitting beside him, and said softly: "This king will only marry Ah Li in this life. Miss He Lian, where did you send my beloved concubine?"

  The three people in the hall were all stunned. He Lian Hui Min looked at Ye Li with a complex expression and said, "Is the king willing to abandon even Da Chu for the sake of the queen?"

  Ye Li frowned and looked at He Lian Hui Min, saying: "What are you talking about, Miss He? Are you saying that if our king doesn't marry you, the Northern Yan will invade our country?"

  He Lian Huimin naturally wouldn't be so brainless as to accept such words, and instead looked at Mo Xiuyao and said: "I've heard that the Dingguo King's Manor has always been loyal to the imperial court. Could it be that Your Highness wants to defy the imperial edict for the sake of the Dingguo Queen? Are you not afraid that the officials in the imperial court will think that the queen is a scourge on the nation?"

  Mo Xiuyao's face slightly sank, as if he had finally put away the smile from earlier. He looked at He Lian Huimin with a faint gaze and said: "This king thinks that Miss He Lian's eloquence is not like that of a Northern Yan person, but rather like our Great Chu people, being able to speak well and argue persuasively. Miss He Lian, this king only wants to ask you one question."

  He Lian Hui Min was taken aback, and although she couldn't quite understand why the usually gentle King Ding suddenly became angry, she still nodded and said, "Please ask, Your Majesty."

  Yelü Yu frowned and stared at Mo Xiuyao with some vigilance, feeling that what he was going to say wouldn't be anything good.

  Mo Xiuyao's eyes were cold and piercing as he stared at He Lian Hui's beautiful face, until she blushed and turned her head away. Only then did he utter a sentence in a light tone, "Miss He Lian, are you not going to get married?"