Shanhe Festival 236. Robbing the Prince

Mo Xiuyao leaned on the roof of the hall. With his skill, he could hear the conversation of the people inside without even untying the glazed tiles on the roof. Naturally, he didn't have to worry about the people below discovering him. Ye Li knew that her Qinggong was not good enough, so she didn't go there to join in the fun. She just sat there waiting for Mo Xiuyao. In less than a quarter of an hour, Mo Xiuyao quickly flew back, pulled Ye Li out of the palace, picked a few Youluo Ming flowers, and took Ye Li out of the Southern Border Holy Land quietly as if she had come here.

The two of them walked back along the same route through the valley. The two horses, which they had thought had run away and disappeared, were still there, leisurely nibbling on the grass.

The two of them chose a flat and comfortable place to sit down, took out the dry food and drinks they brought with them and ate some. Mo Xiuyao took out the two kinds of flowers he brought from the valley and frowned.

Ye Li glanced at it calmly, half leaning against him and said, "We made a preconceived notion before. If one of these two flowers is the Netherworld Flower, it must be that one. Although Lycoris radiata has the effect of detoxification, it itself is also poisonous enough to kill people. Plus it is also known as the Yellow Spring Flower, so we thought it was the Netherworld Flower. But if we talk about the medicinal effect, this one... is more like the Yellow Spring Flower that can drag people into the Netherworld." Mo Xiuyao nodded, put down the plant in his hand and nodded, "A Li, do you know what Lei Tengfeng is here for?"

Ye Li frowned and thought for a moment, then raised her head and asked, "Does he also want the medicine made from that flower?" Mo Xiuyao nodded and said, "Yes. He got the news from somewhere, but he really wants to buy this medicine from the people in Southern Xinjiang. And... he wants to buy a large quantity. However, the people in Southern Xinjiang themselves don't seem to know much about this medicine, and it is very difficult to make it, so the elder only agreed to sell him a small portion."

Ye Li's face became even uglier. If he wanted to use it to control or harm a few people like Mo Jingli did, there was no need to buy too much of that stuff. "How much does Lei Tengfeng want?" Mo Xiuyao had obviously thought of it, and said in a deep voice: "He said he wants as many as he can get. Not only now, but every year in the future." Ye Li thought about it, looked at Mo Xiuyao and said sternly: "We can't let that valley exist. If that thing really spreads, the consequences will be unimaginable." It is self-evident where Lei Tengfeng wants to use so many of that stuff after buying them.

Mo Xiu Yao nodded and said, "It will take some time for those Netherworld Flowers to mature. We don't have time to prepare today, so we can ask Qilin's people to come and burn this valley." Ye Li nodded and said, "Send someone to keep an eye on the southern border. It may not be the only place that has that kind of thing." Mo Xiu Yao nodded in response.

After resting for a while, Mo Xiuyao pulled Ye Li up and said with a smile: "It's time for us to go back. Let's find something interesting to do on the way, right?"

Ye Li raised her eyebrows, not understanding what he meant by interesting things. Mo Xiuyao smiled sinisterly and said, "Robbery."

On the official road to the Nanzhao Royal City, several horses galloped past. Lei Tengfeng was the first, with a smug smile on his handsome face. Just as he was thinking about something, he heard the sound of an arrow piercing the air. Lei Tengfeng was startled and slapped his horse's back to fly into the air to avoid the arrow. The guards behind him were also startled, "There is an assassin! Protect the prince!"

The assassin did not show up, and two more arrows were shot out at the same time, and the two guards immediately fell to the ground. The opponent's archery skills were obviously very good. Without seeing the enemy, they could only be shot to death like targets. Several guards gritted their teeth, two of them protected Lei Tengfeng, and the others flew towards the direction where the arrows came from. They rushed into the woods on one side, but found that there was no figure wandering in the woods.

Not far away, Ye Li leaned against a big tree and raised the corners of her lips slightly, leaning against the guards who were searching everywhere below. These people didn't think she would stay there and wait for them, did they?

Several guards searched the forest for a while but found nothing. Just as they were about to leave the forest, a white shadow passed by and a guard shouted in shock: "You..." Everyone felt a chill on their necks and fell down in a daze.

Lei Tengfeng waited for a while on the road outside the forest but still saw no movement in the forest. He knew that the guards who went in were probably dangerous. This time, in order not to attract attention, he only brought a few guards with him, but he didn't expect to encounter such a difficult assassin.

Although he was anxious, Lei Tengfeng did not panic. He bowed and said, "I don't know which senior master is there. If I have offended you, I will pay you a large sum of money in the future. I hope you will forgive me." Two arrows flew towards him in response, and the last two guards fell to the ground. Lei Tengfeng's heart sank, and he turned around and ran forward without caring about anything else. However, he didn't know that Mo Xiuyao was waiting for this moment. He just turned around and ran a few steps, and a powerful force came from behind. Lei Tengfeng felt a pain in his chest and immediately lost consciousness.

Mo Xiuyao stood with his hands behind his back, looking coldly at Lei Tengfeng who had fainted on the ground. Ye Li walked out of the woods, put away the bow and arrow in her hand, looked at Lei Tengfeng and said with a smile: "Is this the second time that the Prince of Zhennan has fallen into our hands?" Mo Xiuyao snorted lightly, not caring at all. Seeing Ye Li was about to search Lei Tengfeng's body, he pulled her from behind and leaned forward to search Lei Tengfeng's body.

Moments later, Mo Xiuyao had two more white porcelain bottles in his hands, which looked similar to the ones Mo Jingli had. Ye Li took the porcelain bottle handed over by Mo Xiuyao, opened it, poured out a few pills from it, and put them under her nose to smell them. Although the appearance of the pills was rather strange, the ingredients of this medicine could not deceive Ye Li. It was indeed made of the Youluo Minghua that filled the valleys in the Southern Xinjiang Holy Land, or it should be called opium poppy. There were at least more than twenty pills in this small bottle, and what surprised Ye Li was that the purity of the pills was also quite impressive. If it was the first time to use it, I was afraid that I would not be able to bear it at all.

He tilted his head to ask Mo Xiuyao, who said calmly, "The elder said that you can only dissolve a quarter of it in water at the beginning." Ye Li said in a deep voice, "It is indeed true."

"What should we do with him?" Mo Xiuyao pointed his chin at the sleeping Lei Tengfeng and asked.

Ye Li thought for a moment and said with a smile: "I have used Lei Tengfeng to gain an advantage before. If I use this trick again, the King of Zhennan will be angry. Let him lie here. There are people coming and going on this official road from time to time. It is not convenient for us to bring one person with us." This suggestion was exactly what Mo Xiuyao wanted. He did not want to bring a troublesome person with him and A Li. The two of them robbed Lei Tengfeng of all his valuables without hesitation, leaving only a set of clothes on him, and then called the horses and rode away.

The two of them took a few detours along the way and delayed for a few days until they returned to the Nanzhao Royal City two days before Princess Anxi's wedding. At this time, the envoys from various countries who came to attend the wedding had basically arrived.

As soon as they entered the courtyard of the inn, they met Lei Tengfeng. Perhaps because of what happened a few days ago, Lei Tengfeng's face and expression were not very good. Seeing Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao coming in hand in hand, he was stunned for a moment before stepping forward to greet them, "Prince Ding, Princess Ding, what are you doing..." Ye Li did not avoid them, and smiled generously, "It turned out to be the prince. We arrived a few days earlier than the prince, so we went out with the prince to walk around and appreciate the customs of Nanzhao. It's not a wasted trip. But the prince... I see that the prince's face is not too good, but did you just rush to Nanzhao and have a bumpy journey?"

Ye Li said this with great sincerity, and even Lei Tengfeng couldn't tell whether Ye Li was really greeting him or just taking pleasure in his misfortune. After all, although the fact that he encountered robbers on the road was known to everyone in Nanzhao Royal City, Princess Ding also said that she and Prince Ding had just returned from outside.

Glancing at Mo Xiuyao standing behind Ye Li, Lei Tengfeng suddenly had an idea. He smiled faintly and said, "Thank you for your concern, Princess. I wonder where Prince Ding and Princess are going to play. After Princess Anxi's wedding, I can take some time off to go out for a walk."

Ye Li smiled and said, "The prince said there is a snake valley in Nanzhao, where there are thousands of poisonous snakes and very beautiful fiery red flowers. I was curious and followed the prince to see what it was like. I'm sorry to make you laugh."

Lei Tengfeng frowned slightly. The Snake Valley and the official road where he was assassinated were not on the same road at all. In fact, Lei Tengfeng did not suspect Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao too much. After all, the news of his going to the Southern Border Holy Land was very secretive, and it could even be said that it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li could not have known in advance and waited for him on the road. It was just that the force that attacked him in the end was too overbearing, and there were not many people in the world who could have it. It happened that seeing Mo Xiuyao at this time, he could not help but want to test him.

Lei Tengfeng smiled and said, "If that's the case, it is indeed a rare beauty in the world. I will definitely go there to enjoy it later. The prince and the princess must be tired after just returning. I won't disturb them. Excuse me."

Ye Li nodded and smiled, "Go slowly, my lord."

The two returned to the courtyard that Princess Anxi had arranged for them. Xu Qingchen had already been waiting in the courtyard. Young Master Qingchen was dressed in white and elegant, sitting at the stone table under the tree and brewing tea leisurely. He just glanced at the two of them casually, which made Ye Li feel guilty for no reason. Ye Li felt guilty, but Mo Xiuyao didn't know why he felt guilty. Pulling Ye Li to the table without hesitation and sitting down, Xu Qingchen poured a cup of tea for each of them and smiled lightly, "Did the prince and princess enjoy this trip?"

"It's okay, but the time is too short." Mo Xiuyao said lightly.

Xu Qingchen's mouth twitched slightly, and he glanced at Ye Li. Ye Li felt guilty and quietly reached out to pull Mo Xiuyao. They ran away suddenly, and all the social activities in the royal city were handed over to the eldest brother. It was normal for the eldest brother to be angry. Mo Xiuyao snorted lightly, watching Xu Qingchen nonchalantly tell Xu Qingchen what he saw in the Southern Border Holy Land.

After Xu Qingchen finished listening, his handsome face finally showed a look that was not that of Master Qingchen. Xu Qingchen's face was gloomy, which was rare for him. He gritted his teeth and said, "My Lord, are you telling me that after you found out about such an important matter, you didn't come back to deal with it, but took the princess on a roundabout way and continued your trip?" Mo Xiuyao looked at him innocently, "What's wrong?" At the end, he looked at Ye Li with grievance, and said, "See, your elder brother is always making trouble."

Ye Li rolled her eyes at the sky, Xu Qingchen was still furious, "Do you have any brains? No one knows how many masters and dangers there are in the Southern Border Holy Land. You dare to bring Li'er in? You want to die, don't drag Li'er with you!" Mo Xiuyao said, "There is no one inside. A Li and I went in and pretended to be there, and no one found us." Xu Qingchen sneered, "That's because you are lucky. On the first day you left, Shu Manlin secretly dropped hundreds of first-class masters from outside into the royal city." Mo Xiuyao nodded in agreement. "Well, this king has always had good luck."

Seeing that Xu Qingchen's face was about to change again, Ye Li quickly poured him a cup of tea, "Brother, calm down... Prince!" She glanced at Mo Xiuyao with a warning, and Mo Xiuyao curled his lips in dissatisfaction. Ah Li was the most biased.

Looking at the two men with different expressions and dislike for each other, Ye Li sighed helplessly and didn't count on Mo Xiuyao anymore. She spoke up and told the story of what happened next. After listening to what Ye Li said about the Nether Luo Ming Flower, Xu Qingchen didn't care to get angry with Mo Xiuyao. He frowned and said in a deep voice: "Mo Jingli wants to give that thing to the emperor?"

Ye Li nodded and said, "I guess that's the case. In the past few years, the two brothers Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingqi seem to be in harmony, but in fact they are constantly fighting openly and secretly. Mo Jingli owns the richest half of the southern part of Da Chu, so how could he be willing to be second only to him? I guess he can't wait any longer."

Xu Qingchen sneered and said, "Stupid! The people of Southern Xinjiang clearly have bad intentions. Mo Jingli thought that if he killed Mo Jingqi in this way, he wouldn't have any evidence against him in Shu Manlin's hands?" Da Chu is different from Southern Xinjiang. The most important thing is propriety, righteousness, honesty, shame, loyalty, filial piety, chastity and righteousness. Once the news of Mo Jingli's plot to murder his brother and king spreads, he will not want to secure the throne. It is better for him to rebel directly. By then, if the people of Southern Zhao have evidence against him, Mo Jingli will be nothing more than a puppet.

"Shu Manlin has a good plan. Big brother, do you have any news about Tan Jizhi?" Ye Li said with a faint smile.

Xu Qingchen nodded and said, "I know Shu Manlin a little bit. She doesn't have that kind of brain. I guess it was Tan Jizhi who gave her the idea behind the scenes. It was indeed a good idea to get rid of Princess Anxi and get Nanzhao, and then control Mo Jingli behind the scenes to control Dachu. But he was a little too straightforward."

Ye Li looked at Mo Xiu Yao and asked, "Xiu Yao, what do you think?" Mo Xiu Yao leaned against a big tree behind him and said with a lazy smile, "What can I think? What does the fight between brothers for the throne have to do with outsiders like us?" He said that, meaning he didn't care.

Xu Qingchen sighed. Mo Xiuyao and the royal family of Da Chu had a deep hatred. Many people were secretly surprised that Mo Xiuyao did not send troops directly at the beginning. It was impossible for him to save Mo Jingqi. Mo Jingqi had been on guard against Prince Ding's Mansion and Mo Xiuwen and Mo Xiuyao since he registered. I'm afraid he never thought that the one who wanted him the most was his own brother with the same father and mother.

After thinking for a while, Xu Qingchen nodded and said, "Well, it's right for us to ignore this matter." The Northwest has actually broken with the Great Chu, so it is best not to get involved in the affairs of the Great Chu. Although they are living in peace now, everyone knows that one day the Great Chu and the Northwest will have a war. If the Northwest interferes in the internal affairs of the Great Chu during this period, it will not be good for the reputation of Prince Ding and the Mohist Army.

"Shu Manlin is probably planning something big this time." Thinking of the hundreds of experts that Shu Manlin transferred from the Southern Xinjiang Holy Land, Xu Qingchen frowned. Those who can live in the Southern Xinjiang Holy Land are definitely top-notch experts. More importantly, the Nanzhao people are good at using poisonous snakes, which makes them even more dangerous. It is precisely because of this that the people of the Central Plains have always disliked contact with the people of the various ethnic groups in Southern Xinjiang. They didn't bring many guards this time. If something really happened, it would be very troublesome.

Mo Xiuyao said with a smile: "I'm afraid Princess Anxi is not a pushover, right? With Master Qingchen's secret guidance, she must be even more powerful." Princess Anxi was able to fight Shu Manlin for so many years under the favor of the King of Nanzhao and still remain undefeated. Naturally, she is not someone who is so easy to manipulate. Xu Qingchen smiled faintly and nodded: "Princess Anxi told me that Pu'a and her grandfather's tribe have sent many masters. And she has also had many loyal warriors under her command over the years. It's just that this wedding..." A good wedding is bound to be stained with blood.

Mo Xiuyao said: "The people of Nanzhao don't believe this, so I guess they won't mind."

Xu Qingchen was helpless. Is this a question of whether to mind or not? No matter who caused a bloody storm at the wedding, they would not be happy. Ye Li leaned on the table with her elbows and said thoughtfully: "Could it be that Princess Anxi held this wedding just to deal with Shu Manlin?"

Xu Qingchen was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Ye Li shook her head and said, "I don't know. I just think Princess Anxi's wedding came too suddenly. And...she even secretly invited a master to help. If Princess Anxi didn't know about it, then she deliberately set up a condom to get Shu Manlin to go inside. However, this doesn't make sense. After all, the King of Nanzhao is still here. Even if Princess Anxi won, she couldn't kill Shu Manlin."

Mo Xiuyao smiled and said, "I'm afraid Princess Anxi was forced by Shu Manlin and King Nanzhao and had to take a risky move. Have you noticed that King Nanzhao's attitude towards Pu'a can be said to be ignoring her. In other words, King Nanzhao actually doesn't really agree with this marriage. In his heart... I'm afraid King Nanzhao wants to get rid of Princess Anxi."

"The King of Nanzhao had no other children, so he abandoned Princess Anxi..."

Mo Xiuyao smiled and said, "Of course, Shu Manlin should be appointed. The Southern Xinjiang Saintess has a unique status in Nanzhao. There have been examples in history of Southern Xinjiang Saintess temporarily taking over the throne, although it was only for a very short time. Moreover, in recent years, Shu Manlin has been revered as the savior of Nanzhao, and the restrictions she has been subject to are far less than those of the Saintess of previous generations, and it can be said that she has almost no restrictions. In recent years, her influence in the court has gradually become comparable to that of Princess Anxi. Under such circumstances... it may not be impossible to persuade the King of Nanzhao to appoint another Crown Princess."

Ye Li sighed helplessly. She felt tired just by listening to the power struggles in the royal family. It was hard for Princess Anxi, a girl, to persist in such a situation where she was surrounded by enemies.

"What does the prince mean?"

Mo Xiuyao smiled calmly and said, "The Crown Princess cannot be deposed, and the Saint of Southern Border cannot die either."

Xu Qingchen was silent. Mo Xiuyao wanted to keep them to continue the fight, so that Nanzhao would not be free to stir up other things. After all, the people of Nanzhao were eyeing the Central Plains. Even if Da Chu had nothing to do with the Mo family army now, it could not allow Nanzhao to covet it.