Shanhe Festival 198. Master and Servant Reunited
After sending Prince De and Prince Yu back to the guest house to rest, Ye Li came out from the back holding the hand of the maid and smiled, "After not seeing you for one night, Prince De has changed a lot."
Mo Xiuyao stood up and supported her, waved his hand to let the maid retreat and said: "To be able to escape from the hands of the late emperor and live in peace for so many years, Prince De is indeed an old fox who has become cunning. It's just that he has become a little too proud of himself in recent years. He thinks that since he is in charge of those messy things in the royal family, and Mo Jingqi calls him the Imperial Uncle, he really respects him like an uncle?" Little did he know that what Mo Jingqi hated the most were those old ministers and elders who oppressed him. Without anyone's instigation, Mo Jingqi would want to kill them as long as he got the chance.
"He is now trying to persuade me with kind words and righteousness. Even if I don't give him face, I will definitely let them return to Chujing safely."
Sitting down slowly, Ye Li recalled the performance of the two princes just now. If they were lobbyists for Mo Jingqi, they really lacked some persuasiveness. They just read out Mo Jingqi's intentions and then said a few words to Mo Xiuyao just for the sake of meaning. It was obvious that neither of them wanted to really annoy Mo Xiuyao. Ye Li smiled and said, "You were planning to let them go?" Mo Xiuyao nodded slightly, sat down beside him and said, "Although these two people won't become anything big, if they just want to cause some trouble for Mo Jingqi, then that's enough. I don't want to pay attention to them in the next few months." He lowered his head and looked at Ye Li's bulging belly, raised his hand and gently stroked it, just in time to touch the baby in the belly kicking. Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows, and seeing Ye Li frowned slightly, he said, "This kid is really restless. He needs to be disciplined well after he is born."
Ye Li didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She didn't know if it was her illusion. As long as Mo Xiuyao was around, especially when he was caressing her, the baby in her belly would become particularly lively. She said helplessly, "What can a fetus understand? The prince is becoming more and more childish." Mo Xiuyao raised his sword-like eyebrows slightly, and made up his mind to teach the baby a lesson after he was born.
A few days later, Prince De and Prince Yu bid farewell to Mo Xiuyao and prepared to return to the capital, but Su Zhe was really seriously ill. When Prince Yu went to see him in person, Su Zhe was already skinny and in a coma. That look could not be faked no matter what. Not to mention returning to the capital, I'm afraid that even a cold without proper care could cost him his life. But both princes knew that the northwest was not a place they could stay for long. They had to bid farewell to Mo Xiuyao and leave first. After returning to the capital, they reported to the emperor and waited for Su Zhe to get better before sending someone to take him back to the capital. Mo Xiuyao naturally would not keep them, and the two of them and Mo Jian left that day without asking why there were less than half of the guards left with Mo Zi. Mo Xiuyao just smiled indifferently when he heard this, and sent Zhang Yu and Lu Jinxian who was stationed in Ruyang to personally escort the two princes out of the city.
In the dim dungeon, Mo Xiuyao leaned on a chair and looked lazily at the blood-stained middle-aged man tied to a wooden stake in front of him. He raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Deputy Commander of the Yulin Army? Xue Chengliang, the emperor's confidant and favorite general? And... the nephew of the empress dowager, the emperor's cousin? Mo Jingqi is really willing to spend a lot of money to send you to the northwest?" The man raised his head and looked at the man in white clothes and white hair in front of him, who seemed to be spotless. A trace of panic flashed in his eyes. In such a dark and dirty place in the dungeon, such white seems to make people feel even colder. Mo Xiuyao didn't care at all and smiled calmly: "I heard that Commander Xue is known as the best master in the palace, and his martial arts is only a step behind Mu Qingcang. For so many years, he has only been a deputy commander of the Yulin Army. It's really a waste of talent." Xue Chengliang raised his head suddenly. He has never had a reputation in the capital. For so many years, he has been the inconspicuous deputy commander of the Yulin Army. I didn't expect Mo Xiuyao to find out everything about him.
Mo Xiuyao leaned back in his chair and glared at him, saying, "After entering Ruyang City, Commander Xue, you are not still fantasizing about being able to get out safely, right? I will not let anyone torture you, and I guess torture is useless to you. Do you plan to speak for yourself or do I want you to speak for me?"
Xue Chengliang sneered and said, "Does Ruyang City belong to the prince? The whole world belongs to the king. Do you think that occupying Ruyang will make it yours? I never thought that the Dingguo Palace would produce such a traitor! I wonder what kind of masks Mo Suyun and Mo Liufang will wear when they meet Taizu and the late emperor again in the afterlife?" Mo Xiuyao didn't care about his angry scolding, his eyes were as cold as snow, "I didn't expect that Commander Xue is a rare loyal and patriotic person. I really admire him. But I don't know if Commander Xue's confidante and the young master who was born not long ago are also loyal and patriotic people?"
Xue Chengliang was stunned, with a hint of panic in his eyes. Only then did he truly believe that Mo Xiuyao had really checked his identity clearly. If Mo Xiuyao threatened him with his family, he might not care. He was the illegitimate son of the Xue family, and the mistress of the Xue family was the Queen Mother's biological sister. He had suffered a lot since childhood. He had no feelings for the Xue family, including his wife, but the confidante and the newborn child mentioned by Mo Xiuyao were indeed like his flesh and blood. She was his childhood sweetheart, the first woman he liked in his life. She accompanied him through the most difficult times in those years, and now they have a son. Originally, he had planned to ask the emperor for an order after returning this time, and to welcome her and the child back home to be his wife openly.
Seeing Xue Chengliang's color change, Mo Xiuyao smiled with satisfaction, raised his hand and moved his fingers. Qin Feng took out a portrait from behind and unfolded it to Xue Chengliang. Xue Chengliang's originally blue face suddenly turned pale. The people in the portrait were his sweetheart and his son. Not to mention the appearance and clothes, even the courtyard as the background is exactly the same. Xue Chengliang was shocked and said, "This is impossible?! How could you..." Mo Xiuyao smiled coldly and ruthlessly, "This king did not know that you, Commander Xue, would come to the northwest. But... This king did not say that he would never return to Chujing. In this case, we must find out what kind of people are around our majesty." Ever since the incident with Tan Jizhi, Mo Xiuyao ordered Tianyi Pavilion and the secret guards to check Mo Jingqi's surroundings thoroughly again. Although I can't be sure that all of Mo Jingqi's hidden chess pieces have been exposed, I still gained a lot.
"What do you want?" Xue Chengliang asked in a hoarse voice.
Mo Xiuyao stood up and said, "Commander Xue has been with the emperor since he was fifteen, so he must know a lot. Don't worry, you can think about it slowly. In no more than a month, I promise to reunite Commander Xue's family. Then Commander Xue can slowly consider what answer to give me." After that, Mo Xiuyao no longer paid attention to Xue Chengliang, who was tied to a pillar and covered in blood and had a distorted face, and turned to walk out of the cell. Xue Chengliang roared from behind, "Mo Xiuyao, you are not allowed to hurt them!"
"By the way, Commander Xue, please don't think of anything stupid like committing suicide. I don't have a rule not to kill women and children. Or do you like your son to suffer for you?"
"Mo Xiuyao, you will not die well!" Xue Chengliang looked at the man in front of him with fear. His clothes and hair were as white as snow, as if he was looking at some kind of monster.
"You can't die well?" Mo Xiuyao snorted and said, "I have died no less than ten times. I am not afraid of death. Are you afraid, Commander Xue?" Xue Chengliang was speechless. Was he afraid of death? Of course he was. He had suffered countless hardships since he was a child, and finally had his own family and his own children. How could he not be afraid of death?
Su Zhe woke up five days after Prince De and Prince Yu left. Hearing Mo Xiuyao's news that the two princes had left with their people, Su Zhe was stunned for a moment. He looked at Mo Xiuyao and shook his head and said, "Why do you have to do this, Prince?" Mo Xiuyao was silent for a moment and said, "Old Su's body can no longer withstand long-distance bumps. If Old Su insists on going back, he must wait until his body is fully recovered. If Old Su does not want to live in Ruyang City, there is a separate courtyard outside the city for Old Su to stay temporarily."
Su Zhe sighed, shook his head and said nothing more. He just lived alone in the quiet courtyard of the palace to recuperate, read books and hardly left the house, and never asked about Su Zuidi's affairs again.
When the child was nine months old, a piece of news suddenly spread throughout the countries. It was said that the treasure and the imperial seal of the previous founding emperor Gaozu were in the northwest. The previous founding emperor Gaozu was a more legendary figure than the Great Chu Emperor Taizu. It was said that he had obtained the treasure of the Golden City, which was only recorded in unofficial history. It was said that it was a city built of gold. It can be imagined how rich the family of Emperor Gaozu was if this rumor was true. Not to mention the imperial seal that was coveted by the powerful and wealthy in various countries. As soon as this news came out, there were signs of activities by various parties in the northwest, making the originally peaceful situation in the entire northwest immediately tense.
Ye Li's belly is getting bigger and bigger now. The baby may be born at any time in nine months. Mo Xiuyao had people pick servants and waitresses to stay in the mansion to be ready for orders. Not only that, because Ye Li always disliked others serving her closely, Mo Xiuyao specially sent people to take over Ye Li's original people who stayed in Chujing. Seeing that Chief Steward Mo was transferred to the northwest, leaving the affairs of Zhongyuan unattended, Feng Zhiyao cursed and sent a message to Leng Haoyu to ask him to take over the affairs of Zhongyuan temporarily.
Qin Feng, who went to pick someone up, arrived in Ruyang City almost at the same time as the news of the treasure of the previous dynasty. Mo Xiuyao, who was originally accompanying Ye Li to relax, received the news sent by Zhuo Jing, his face sank, and he said coldly: "Tan Jizhi! You are really eager to die!" Ye Li took the letter and took a look at it, then pushed Mo Xiuyao and said: "You should go and deal with it quickly, Feng San and the others must be waiting." Mo Xiuyao sighed and said softly: "I will be back soon, don't worry too much." Ye Li nodded with a smile, watched Mo Xiuyao leave, then turned around to look at the people on the side, and smiled lightly: "Nurse, Nanny Lin, are you okay?"
The two maids were already in tears. If Mo Xiuyao hadn't been there before, they would have rushed to Ye Li and started crying. "Miss...Princess...We thought we would never see you again..." Qingshuang and the others also surrounded Ye Li and said this with tears and laughter. The room was very lively. Ye Li smiled and looked at them. It had been a year since they last saw each other. She didn't notice it before, but now she realized how much she missed them. Seeing Qingshuang staring at him and wiping her tears but refusing to speak, Ye Li smiled and stretched out her hand to pull her pink face and said, "It's been a year since we last met, and Qingshuang has grown into a big girl." Qingshuang's pretty face turned red, and she glared at Ye Li fiercely and said, "Miss, you are so cruel. You haven't come to pick me up for so long. Qingshuang will never talk to you again!" Ye Li apologized and said softly, "Silly girl, what's the good of following me to the northwest? Isn't it better to stay in the capital?"
Although Mo Jingqi ordered to seize Mo Xiuyao's title, he still did not dare to raid Prince Ding's mansion openly. However, for the sake of safety, Chief Steward Mo still moved the important things in the mansion, including the important people in the mansion. These girls stayed in the capital with the secret guards of Prince Ding's mansion secretly protecting them, which was indeed better than running thousands of miles to the northwest. If Mo Xiuyao hadn't directly asked Qin Feng to pick them up, Ye Li had not planned to bring them to Ruyang.
"Mother Lin, wet nurse, you have worked hard on this journey." Seeing the slightly thin wet nurse and mother Lin in front of her, Ye Li felt extremely guilty. Originally, the wet nurse and mother Lin were taken to the second uncle's house, and they were sent back to Yunzhou after the situation stabilized. But now they were taken thousands of miles to Ruyang, separated from their families, and the climate conditions in the northwest were not as good as those in the capital and Yunzhou. Nanny Wei wiped her tears, looked at Ye Li's belly happily and said with a smile: "What are you talking about, Princess? It's really the best thing to be able to serve the Princess and the young master. How can it be so hard? The Princess has been... There are so many things going on in the past year that we were really unable to sleep or eat when we heard about them in the capital, but it's a pity that we are far away and don't know anything..." Nanny Lin nodded repeatedly and said: "That's right. Now that I can see that the Princess has given birth to the young master safely, I can also explain to the young lady in the future." The young lady that Nanny Lin was referring to was naturally Ye Li's mother, Xu.
Ye Li held Nanny Lin's hand and said softly, "In this case, I will have to continue to trouble Nanny and the wet nurse. You must be tired after the long journey, so just rest for a few days and then we can talk about other things."
Although Nanny Lin and the wet nurse were reluctant to leave, they were indeed not young anymore and were really tired after the bumpy ride. They had no choice but to let someone take them to rest. Although the young maids looked tired, they were surprisingly energetic. They surrounded Ye Li and chattered non-stop with curiosity and joy. Ye Li finally calmed them down and let someone take them to rest. Seeing the hall quiet down again, Ye Li smiled to Qin Feng standing beside her and said, "It's been a long time since it was so lively. I'm really not used to it." Qin Feng smiled faintly and said, "The princess doesn't like to be served, and the people around her don't dare to disturb her. But these girls have been with the princess for a long time and are very close to her." Ye Li nodded, then asked about the business, "Did you hear any news on your way back?"
Qin Feng nodded and said, "I did hear some gossip when we were near the northwest, but we didn't take the official route all the way, so there was no important news. The news about the treasure of the previous dynasty may have first spread from the capital, but it didn't come from the capital." Ye Li nodded. Qin Feng and his companions were moving fast. He hadn't heard the news when he left the capital, but when he arrived near the northwest, it was already known to the world. Naturally, this news didn't just come from the capital. I'm afraid that people were spreading it secretly everywhere. With a light snort, Ye Li sneered, "Your Highness is right. Tan Jizhi is really eager to die!"
The baby in her belly seemed to sense her mother's anger. Ye Li felt her belly kick twice. She frowned, smiled helplessly, and reached out to comfort the baby. This child was very lively even in the womb. He will definitely be a naughty kid in the future.
Qin Feng looked at Ye Li with some embarrassment, hesitating to speak. Ye Li smiled at him and said, "Just say whatever you want to say. Commander Qin, are you still shy?" Qin Feng's handsome face turned slightly red. Ye Li smiled in surprise, "Could it be that I guessed it right? Commander Qin has encountered some kind of romantic luck this time?" Qin Feng smiled helplessly and said, "Princess, please don't tease me. It's just that I saved a person on the road and brought him back to Ruyang without your permission. Please punish me."
"Saved a person? Could it be an old acquaintance?" Ye Li asked with a raised eyebrow.
Qin Feng nodded and said, "It's Miss Yao Ji, Princess, do you still remember her?"
Ye Li certainly remembered it. She held her belly and sat up. Ye Li asked, "What happened? Tell me from the beginning." Qin Feng then told the whole story. It turned out that after Qin Feng met with Chief Steward Mo and his party, he led his people to avoid official roads and traveled day and night, but met Yao Ji who was being hunted in a small town more than 300 miles away from the capital. It was not entirely true that she was being hunted. At that time, Yao Ji was protecting a child tightly, and the other party probably wanted to snatch the child. It was just that Yao Ji fought desperately and finally angered the other party, who wanted to kill people and take the child. Qin Feng had also seen Yao Ji several times, so he naturally couldn't just stand by and watch her die, so he fought back the group of people and rescued Yao Ji. It's just that Yao Ji was too beautiful, and there was war everywhere, so there was nowhere to go with a child, so Qin Feng brought her back.
Ye Li smiled and said, "What happened to me at that time? Has anyone been sent to investigate Yao Ji's case?" Qin Feng nodded and said, "I ordered the secret guards to investigate that day, and there is nothing suspicious." Ye Li nodded and said, "You have always been reliable in your work. Yao Ji was brought back as an old acquaintance. But have you planned how to place her?" Qin Feng was a little distressed. He only cared about rescuing the person, so how could he consider the issue of how to place her?
Ye Li smiled and covered her lips, "Yao Ji must have been chased by someone because she fled in a panic, otherwise she wouldn't be so desperate with her ability. If she had some money and property, we could just find her a place to live and a place to make a living in the city. Look at her..."
"When I rescued her, I saw that her clothes were worn out and she looked thin. I was afraid she didn't have much money." Qin Feng suddenly realized and nodded, "Thank you for your advice, Princess. I understand. I will find a place for her to stay. I still have some savings, so I might as well give them to her temporarily." Ye Li wanted to knock Qin Feng's wooden head, and rolled her eyes at him and said, "How can she, a single woman with a child, accept financial support from you, Commander Qin? Although she was a prostitute in the past, how can she not consider the child now that she has a child? She has finally settled down here, so naturally she won't go back to her old ways. Do you still want to keep her reputation?" Unless Qin Feng plans to marry her, it would be better not to be too attentive.
Qin Feng was a little depressed, looking at Ye Li helplessly. Giving money was not an option, and not giving money was not an option either. How could saving a person be more troublesome than going to the battlefield?
Ye Li sighed and said, "Please ask Miss Yao Ji to come over. Maybe she has already made a plan." Yao Ji was not one of those ladies in the upper class who had no opinions of her own. Although Ye Li had only met her a few times and did not agree with some of her things, it did not prevent her from appreciating Yao Ji's peculiarities.
Qin Feng breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that the princess was willing to take care of her. He really didn't know how to deal with Yao Ji. "Thank you, princess."