156. The Value of Su Zuidu

The room was completely silent, with only the sound of Mo Xiuyao leisurely placing the messy chess pieces back on the board one by one. Just when Han Mingyue thought Mo Xiuyao would not answer, she heard him say indifferently, "So what?"

Han Mingyue smiled helplessly. Indeed, so what? Even if the Jianghu and the government were in chaos, what would it have to do with his Dingguo Palace? Moreover, since Tianyi Pavilion's influence in Da Chu was now scattered, Da Chu would be least affected. And Dingguo Palace could even take the opportunity to insert its own people. Holding his forehead with his hand, Han Mingyue thought for a long time before looking up at his former friend, "What good can I do?"

Mo Xiuyao smiled coldly, "Isn't it a good thing that I'm letting you live?"

Han Mingyue was silent. He always habitually thought that Mo Xiuyao would not kill him, but he always forgot that the friendship between them was no longer the same as before when he chose to betray. Looking at the calm and indifferent Mo Xiuyao in front of him, Han Mingyue suddenly understood... If he did not agree, Mo Xiuyao would really not show mercy to him. Shrugging helplessly, Han Mingyue said: "I don't seem to have any choice." Mo Xiuyao looked at the chessboard in front of him calmly. Han Mingyue frowned and asked: "How do you want to deal with Zui Die?"

Mo Xiuyao's originally calm expression finally changed a little. He frowned slightly, and disgust was clearly written on his handsome face outside the mask. "This is A'li's business. I have no interest in knowing it." As he spoke, he actually completely handed over Su Zuidie's life and death to Ye Li.

"Do you really not care about Zui Die at all?" Han Mingyue stared at him and asked in a deep voice.

Mo Xiuyao raised his head and looked at him, with a hint of mockery in his eyes, "If I really cared about her, do you think you would still be alive today?" It was precisely because he didn't love Su Zuidie that he let them go when Su Zuidie and Han Mingyue left him together, and even helped them with the aftermath. However, he didn't expect that Su Zuidie and Han Mingyue's leaving together was just an excuse to stop his anger. After leaving Chujing, Su Zuidie abandoned Han Mingyue without hesitation and went directly to Xiling, and then became the daughter of the Bai family of Xiling, and the imperial concubine of Xiling. From beginning to end, Han Mingyue was just the one being used.

Han Mingyue looked at Mo Xiuyao with envy and smiled faintly, "Sometimes I really envy you. We can be said to have known each other since childhood. I liked Zui Die almost at the first sight, but her eyes always followed you. And you... To be honest, I have never found that you really care about anyone or anything before. Except for Dingguo Palace and your father and elder brother." Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows, "Are you complaining that I was not good enough to you at the beginning, which led to your betrayal?"

The word betrayal was so lightly mentioned that Han Mingyue's face still changed slightly. He had betrayed the best friend and brother in his life, which was an unspeakable guilt and responsibility in his heart. He shook his head slightly, "No, the second son of Dingguo Palace... He is romantic, unrestrained and free-spirited, and he is also chivalrous and loyal to his friends. But... Xiu Yao, you know, I knew from the beginning that you didn't love Zui Die." At this point, Han Mingyue suddenly laughed, as if he remembered something. Seeing Mo Xiuyao's gaze, Han Mingyue smiled even more happily, "You are very good to Zui Die. You will give her any good things you have. You will also do whatever she wants as long as it is reasonable. Unlike other children of noble families, you never linger in prostitutes, and never look at other women, such as the equally famous Concubine Liu Guifei in the capital. But... you have never seriously looked at Zui Die. In your eyes, such a gorgeous woman seems to be no different from all ordinary women in the world. When I, Feng San, when almost everyone of us at that age was struggling in love, you were completely detached, as if you were not from this world at all. At that time, I was thinking... maybe I am not without a chance."

Mo Xiuyao recalled the time when he was fifteen or sixteen years old and was young and frivolous, and he couldn't help but reveal a trace of nostalgia, "Maybe it's because I haven't met that person... If you told me directly at that time, and Su Zuidi agreed, I would help you two." Looking back on the past, Mo Xiuyao had to admit that Han Mingyue was right, and he didn't feel angry about Han Mingyue's brazen statement that he had coveted his fiancée. As long as it wasn't his A'li, as long as the other party agreed, he didn't think it would be embarrassing to help a couple of lovers. Of course, Han Mingyue and Su Zuidi were impossible, because Su Zuidi didn't want Han Mingyue from the beginning to the end. He might be really ruthless, but that was because he hadn't met the one he wanted.

"But... I forgot... Even if it's not you, it doesn't necessarily mean it's me." Han Mingyue's words revealed a trace of pain and entanglement. When he took the woman he had admired for many years away from the capital with a mixed feeling of guilt and joy, he realized that betraying his friend was not the most painful moment in his life. It was when he found out that the woman he admired was not what he imagined and he was still deeply trapped in it, "I really envy you... Xiu Yao, let Zui Die go. I beg you..."

"What does Master Han intend to give in exchange for Su Zuidi's life?" Ye Li's voice was clear and pleasant, echoing slowly outside the door.

Mo Xiuyao put down the chess piece in his hand, stood up and walked to the door, holding Ye Li's hand and walked in, lowering his head and asking, "How did you find time to come here?" Ye Li smiled faintly, glanced at Han Mingyue and said with a smile, "It seems that in the eyes of King Zhennan, Master Han is much more valuable than the most beautiful woman in the world." Han Mingyue smiled bitterly, "Princess, you are joking. Don't you understand, Princess? I won't run away." Ye Li looked sideways at Han Mingyue and sighed, "What is love in the world... If it weren't for the special situation now, this concubine really couldn't bear to embarrass Master Mingyue."

Han Mingyue lowered his eyes and said nothing. Has he fallen to the point where he needs others' pity?

"What does the princess want me to give in exchange? I just made a deal with the prince, and now I am alone with nothing." Han Mingyue spread her hands and smiled at Ye Li.

Ye Li pursed her lips and smiled, "Speaking of this...Does Master Han believe it? Even a cunning rabbit has three burrows. Master Han is a smart man, so how could he invest everything in Tianyi Pavilion?" Han Mingyue's smile faded slightly, and she took a deep look at Ye Li, who was smiling gently in front of her, and sighed, "Xiu Yao is so lucky to marry the princess." Ye Li smiled lightly and said, "Thank you for your good words." Han Mingyue was speechless, took out a jade pendant from her arms and threw it over. "Since Princess is so sure, then this... must also know how to use it?" Ye Li was obviously very satisfied with the jade pendant in her hand, and said with a smile: "Master Han is really generous. Master Han is like this, and I am not a stingy person. When the siege of Xinyang is lifted, you can take Miss Su away." After getting the reward she wanted, Ye Li no longer kept calling Su Zuidie and Concubine Bai to annoy Han Mingyue.

Han Mingyue raised her eyebrows and asked, "Why not now?"

Ye Li smiled kindly and innocently, "I am also thinking about Master Han. Of course, if Master Han is in a hurry to leave, I will not stop him."

Han Mingyue was silent for a long time before she cupped her hands and said, "I am sorry to bother you, Princess."

Leaving Han Mingyue's yard, the two walked hand in hand. Mo Xiuyao looked down at Ye Li who was playing with the jade pendant with one hand and said softly: "Why did Ah Li let Han Mingyue and Su Zuidie go?" Ye Li was startled and raised her eyebrows and said: "Didn't the prince not intend to take their lives?" Mo Xiuyao snorted and said: "What can their lives be worth? It's just a matter of words to say yes or no." Ye Li sighed in her heart. Well, she misunderstood and thought that Mo Xiuyao didn't have the heart to take the lives of Han Mingyue and Su Zuidie, but it was difficult to speak out. After being together for so long, how could she think that Mo Xiuyao was such an indecisive person? Sure enough...she was still influenced by Su Zuidie, right?

"For Mingxi's sake, it's better to keep Han Mingyue. Since we're keeping Han Mingyue, we have to keep Su Zuidie. Otherwise, Han Mingyue will really turn against us, and Su Zuidie is the best weapon to restrain Han Mingyue." After thinking about it, Ye Li smiled softly and said, "Besides, we have also received enough compensation. These things are enough to buy the lives of Han Mingyue and Su Zuidie, right?"

Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows, looked at the jade pendant in her hand and asked curiously, "What good thing makes Ah Li so happy?"

Ye Li smiled and said, "Don't you want to know where the money of Tianyi Pavilion has gone over the years? Han Mingyue is known to love money like his life, how could he have little money? But whether it is the current Han family or the Tianyi Pavilion in Da Chu that we raided, we didn't find much money anywhere, right?" Mo Xiu Yao looked at the jade pendant with some surprise, "Han Mingyue's property?" Ye Li smiled and said, "Not only money, but also food, cloth, weapons and medicinal materials... Han Mingyue is worthy of being Han Mingyue. He is much better than Mingxi in making money. It's a pity... his brain has to go crazy from time to time." Speaking of this, Ye Li was not without regret. In this world, among the people she had met, including Leng Haoyu and the Feng family, no one had the means to make money like Han Mingyue. When she saw the results of Wei Rui's investigation, she couldn't help but feel sorry. If Han Mingyue hadn't been burdened by Su Zuidi, she wouldn't mind cooperating with him. Now that the cooperation failed, she would just sit back and reap the benefits.

Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows, "Han Mingyue wants to make money while the war is going on?" To be able to tempt Ah Li, one can imagine how much supplies Han Mingyue has stockpiled.

"In troubled times, people with vision will have no trouble making money." Ye Li said with a smile.

Mo Xiuyao nodded and said, "Since Ah Li said so, it doesn't matter if we keep them. However, Su Zui Die, you'd better let someone pay more attention to you." Ye Li looked at Mo Xiuyao in surprise. Mo Xiuyao smiled and said, "I know Ah Li thinks Su Zui Die is not very capable, right? In fact... if there was no Su Zui Die, Han Mingyue would not be a threat at all? Ah Li, do you understand what I mean?"

Ye Li nodded, "I understand. I will ask people to pay attention to Su Zuidie." She did look down on Su Zuidie intentionally or unintentionally, but what Mo Xiuyao said was right. If Su Zuidie had no ability at all, how could he have controlled Han Mingyue for so many years?