Taiping Lie 375. Why was I born in an imperial family?

The next morning, Ye Li received an invitation from the Zhang family. It invited Master Chu Junwei to attend a banquet at the Zhang family in the afternoon. Seeing the very plain invitation, Ye Li couldn't help but shook her head and laughed secretly. This Baiwan was really scheming. It had been less than a day, and I was afraid that even the injuries caused by Mo Jingli had not healed yet?

"Sir, are you going to the banquet?" Wei Rui asked curiously.

Ye Li put down the invitation and smiled, "Of course I have to go. Didn't you hear what Master Lin said? This is the first time that Zhang Baiwan has taken the initiative to invite us. How can we not give him face?" Wei Rui did not comment. Anyway, if the princess wanted to go, they just had to follow her and protect her. With Zhang Baiwan's ability, it was impossible for him to pose any danger to the princess. Even if Zhang Baiwan really wanted to marry his daughter to the princess... ahem, the princess couldn't marry her.

"My lord, Xiyuan has woken up." As he was speaking, the maid who was taking care of Princess Qixia came to report. Wei Rui was a little surprised and said, "She is lucky and actually survived." It was not that Wei Rui hated Princess Qixia so much that he wished she would die soon, but Princess Qixia's injuries were really serious. The external injuries were indeed not fatal, but after the wounds were infected, Princess Qixia had a high fever and never woke up. So many days had passed, and even the doctors in the mansion had given up on her. They could only take care of her before she died, but she didn't expect that when everyone gave up, she woke up instead.

The maid said with a strange look on her face: "But... that girl seems a little strange."

"Strange? What's wrong? Are you stupid, crazy or have you lost your memory?" Wei Rui asked.

The maid shook her head and nodded, "This person is probably...stupid. No, maybe he has lost his memory."

Ye Li stood up and said, "Let's go and take a look."

When I arrived at the west wing, I heard crying before I even entered the door. But the crying didn't sound like Princess Qixia's crying, mainly because... Princess Qixia's age and personality would never make her cry like this...

As soon as they stepped into the room, they saw a mess in the room. Ye Li stood at the door and frowned as she looked at the woman hiding at the foot of the bed. Her eyes were clear and bright, and definitely not the eyes of a madman or a fool. But the expression on her face was indeed a little strange. When she saw them coming in, the woman who had been hiding at the foot of the bed and crying while hugging the quilt immediately stopped and stared at them vigilantly.

Ye Li called out tentatively, "Princess Qixia, are you feeling better?"

Princess Qixia pursed her lips and suddenly rushed towards Ye Li.

"Young master, be careful!" Wei Rui was startled and kicked the person who was flying towards him.

"Wei Rui, don't." Ye Li shouted hurriedly. Wei Rui was stunned and quickly retracted some of his strength, but he still kicked Princess Qixia away. It was just because he retracted 80% of his strength that he didn't fall too hard.

Princess Qixia obviously didn't expect to be kicked away. She sat on the ground for a long time, then suddenly burst into tears, "Wuwu...Royal sister, bad people bullied Xiaer..."

Wei Rui was stunned, turned around to look at Ye Li and said, "So she is really stupid." With Princess Qixia's personality, how could she act like this in front of outsiders? She actually sat on the ground and cried loudly. Ye Li looked down and said, "I think there is a difference between being stupid and being stupid. Qixia, do you know me?"

Qixia was crying so hard that she hiccuped and stared at Ye Li when she heard what Ye Li said. Suddenly she stretched out her hand and grabbed Ye Li's face, "Brother, you are so handsome." Ye Li raised his folding fan to block her hand, smiled and said to her, "Qixia, do you know brother?"

Princess Qixia blinked in confusion, bit her lip and shook her head, "Who are you... I am the Princess of Nanzhao, you are not allowed to bully me! I want to find my sister."

"Do you still remember your sister's name?" Ye Li asked. Princess Qixia rolled her eyes at her, gave her a look that said you are stupid, and said proudly: "My sister is of course Princess Anxi of Nanzhao. My sister is very powerful. If you dare to bully my sister, I will definitely ask someone to beat you up!"

Ye Li couldn't help but lower her head and laughed: "Your sister and I are good friends, but...how come I didn't know she has a sister?"

"You are talking nonsense! Everyone in Nanzhao knows that I am Princess Qixia!" Princess Qixia said angrily with her eyes glaring.

Ye Li nodded and said, "Okay, but I'm not from Nanzhao. If you are really Princess Qixia, I will send you back to see Princess Anxi. How old is Princess Qixia this year? Why are you here?"

Princess Qixia scratched her hair and said in distress, "Seven years old. I... I don't know. My... sister said she would celebrate my birthday... Woo woo..." She didn't know what she remembered, and her mouth pursed as if she was about to cry again.

Ye Li thought for a moment and asked, "Does Qixia know Mo Jingli and Dongfangyou?"

"Who is that?" Princess Qixia asked without much interest, "Brother, are you going to send me home? I will ask my father and sister to reward you generously." Ye Li smiled and said, "It doesn't matter who it is. Qixia, take a good rest first. I will send you back when you are well."

Pointing to the numerous scars on her body, although they have healed a lot in the past few days, they still hurt. After being reminded by Ye Li, looking at the scars on her body, Princess Qixia was about to cry again.

After finally coaxing the person, Ye Li heaved a sigh of relief and took Wei Rui out. Wei Rui asked in confusion: "What's going on with Princess Qixia? Is she pretending?" Ye Li shook her head and said: "Princess Qixia's brain is not capable of such a perfect disguise. When I asked her just now if she knew Mo Jingli and Dongfang You, her eyes did not change at all. If she was pretending...Princess Qixia is too good at acting."

"That's true." Princess Qixia almost died at the hands of Dongfang You, so she hated him to the core. Even if she was good at acting, it was impossible for her to not have any emotions at all.

"Send someone to keep an eye on her, and when we leave Jiangnan, have someone send her back to Nanzhao." Ye Li said.

"Yes." Wei Rui nodded and said, "Sir, it's time to go to the Zhang Mansion for the banquet."

After wasting quite a bit of time at Princess Qixia's place, it was already afternoon in the blink of an eye. Ye Li had no choice but to change her clothes and go out for the banquet.

Zhang Baiwan really deserves the reputation of being the most stingy person in Nanjing. Not only does the entire Zhang Mansion look plain and simple, but even the interior is ordinary. If someone doesn't know, they would never think that this is the mansion of one of the richest merchants in Nanjing. The servants in the mansion are also a few kittens. Seeing the housekeeper leading the way in front wearing old clothes with a patch on his body, Ye Li couldn't help but twitch her lips.

Perhaps Ye Li's expression was too explicit, the housekeeper pulled his clothes a little embarrassedly and whispered: "Please forgive me, sir. Actually, we are not so rude normally. It's just that yesterday, the old man... I can't help but feel uncomfortable, so..."

Ye Li suddenly realized that Zhang Baiwan had lost a fortune yesterday, and the people in the mansion were afraid of offending the old master, so they specially found these clothes for him to wear, so as not to upset the old master.

Ye Li smiled and said, "I'm sorry, being frugal is always a good thing."

The housekeeper smiled bitterly with some helplessness. Being frugal is of course a good thing, but with the Zhang family's wealth and status in Nanjing, they are often ridiculed for this, and they have long been accustomed to it.

Zhang Baiwan had been waiting in the hall with his wife and daughter. Seeing Mrs. Zhang and Miss Zhang in plain clothes, Ye Li immediately had a deeper understanding of Zhang Baiwan's stinginess. Because of his injury, Zhang Baiwan's face was still a little pale, but when he saw Ye Li coming in, he smiled and was very attentive, "Master Chu is here, I can't go out to greet you, please forgive me."

Ye Li bowed and smiled, "Mr. Zhang, you are too polite. I am Chu Junwei, and I have met your wife, Miss Zhang."

Zhang Baiwan said to his daughter happily, "Zhu'er, why don't you go meet Master Chu?"

Miss Zhang stepped forward shyly and bowed, "Zhu'er has met Mr. Chu." Upon seeing this Miss Zhang, Ye Li finally understood why Mr. Lin had such a strange look on his face when he mentioned Zhang Baiwan's daughter.

To be fair, Miss Zhang is not ugly. Although she is not a stunning beauty, she is also a pretty lady. But this lady gives people a very strange feeling. The staring eyes make even a calm person like Ye Li sweat secretly. Ye Li's eyes twitched and he took a step back inadvertently, "Miss Zhang is polite." Then he turned his eyes to Zhang Baiwan next to him and vowed not to look at Miss Zhang again.

Miss Zhang saw that Ye Li didn't look at her, and her eyes turned red with grievance. Zhang Baiwan looked at Ye Li and then at her daughter, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart and smiled at Ye Li, "Mr. Chu, why don't we take our seats first?"

Ye Li smiled and said, "Please come in, Mr. Zhang."

Because only Ye Li was invited to the banquet, Mr. Zhang took Mrs. Zhang and Miss Zhang to the banquet. The banquet was not very rich but it was not impolite. It seemed that although Mr. Zhang was a door-opener, he was not unaware of the situation. After Ye Li sat down first, Miss Zhang happened to sit next to her, which made Ye Li's body stiff again.

"Mr. Chu, let Zhu'er pour you some wine." Miss Zhang picked up the wine bottle and tried to pour wine for Ye Li. Ye Li had no choice but to thank her. She sighed and went straight to the point with Mr. Zhang. It would be embarrassing if Mr. Zhang really told her that he planned to marry his daughter to her. "Mr. Zhang, I'm here to visit you today because I have some serious business to discuss with you."

Mr. Zhang was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "What's the matter? Why don't we talk about it after dinner?"

Ye Li said calmly, "What if it's about the one million dan of food that Mr. Zhang donated to King Li yesterday?"

Zhang Baiwan's face suddenly darkened. His heart bled whenever he thought of the one million rations.

"What does Master Chu want to talk about?" Zhang Baiwan looked at Ye Li in confusion. Ye Li asked with a smile, "Is it convenient to talk here?" Zhang Baiwan hesitated for a moment, and finally looked at his wife and daughter and said, "Madam, take Zhu'er down first. I have something to discuss with Master Chu." Madam Zhang was just an ordinary lady, who put her husband first and didn't know anything about business. She had no choice but to drag the reluctant Miss Zhang down.

"I wonder what Mr. Chu wants to talk to me about?" Zhang Baiwan asked.

Ye Li smiled and said, "Yesterday, Master Zhang donated one million dan of food to Prince Li. But as far as I know, Prince Li is sending at least 800,000 troops this time. Even if everything goes well and the Mohist army can be defeated in the shortest possible time, it will take at least half a year. During this period, the military rations required will be at least three million dan. And this is still the most conservative estimate. Master Zhang, do you think... Prince Li's Palace can defeat Prince Ding's Palace in half a year?"

Zhang Baiwan stared at him warily and asked, "Sir, what do you mean by this?"

Ye Li smiled and said, "I have another piece of news. This time... the army has set out, but the court has not transferred much grain from the granaries in various places. Because... Xiling has suffered from drought and poor harvest this year, and the situation in Beirong is also not very good. I believe that Mr. Zhang, who is in the grain business, has some understanding of this. The court sold a large part of the grain that had just been stored to Xiling a month ago. Therefore, this conservative estimate of 3 million dan... I am afraid that Mr. Zhang and the grain merchants in Jiangnan will have to bear it in the end."

Zhang Baiwan's face darkened when he heard this. "Prince Li...Prince Li is going to destroy my Zhang family." The donation of one million yuan has already severely damaged the Zhang family. If all the military rations have to be borne by the Zhang family, the Zhang family will probably be finished. More importantly, the Zhang family can't collect so much food in a short time. When the time comes, he will be charged with the crime of delaying military operations, and he, Zhang Baiwan, will still lose his head. Sure enough...Prince Li had no intention of letting him go from the beginning.

"Not only that, but... Honestly speaking, I can say that this war may not be over in a year or two. By then, the Zhang family..." Zhang Baiwan's face turned pale, and he looked at Ye Li and said, "Mr. Chu, you came here specifically to say all this, could it be that you just want to scare me?" Zhang Baiwan is also a shrewd businessman, and he naturally knows that Ye Li would not say this specifically for him to play with.

Ye Li lowered her eyes and said calmly: "I do have a way to help Master Zhang, but I don't know if Master Zhang is willing to do it?"

"Please save me, Mr. Chu." Zhang Baiwan said hurriedly.

Ye Li handed over an envelope with a smile. Zhang Baiwan took it and read it quickly. His expression changed and he stared at Ye Li and said, "You...Mr. Chu, you are..." Ye Li smiled and said, "My last name is Chu. The Chu family...is related to the Xu family by marriage."

Zhang Baiwan understood, and his expression changed constantly. After a long while, he asked, "Can Master Chu make the decision?"

Ye Li smiled and took out a token from her sleeve and placed it on the table. Zhang Baiwan stared at the murderous word "Ding" on the token made of black jade in astonishment. Although he had never seen the token of Prince Ding's Mansion, Zhang Baiwan really didn't think that anyone in the world would dare to imitate the token of Prince Ding's Mansion. Moreover... the Chu family and the Xu family are indeed relatives. With the status of the Xu family in Licheng, the possibility of such an outstanding talent like Chu Junwei working for Prince Ding's Mansion is much higher than running thousands of miles to Jiangnan to seek refuge with Prince Li's Mansion.

"What do you think, Mr. Zhang?" Ye Li asked.

"If... I don't agree, what do you plan to do, Mr. Chu?" Zhang Baiwan asked.

Ye Li said calmly, "Then please forget about today, Mr. Zhang." Zhang Baiwan said in a deep voice, "I need to think about it." Ye Li didn't say anything more and stood up and said, "In that case, I will take my leave first."

Zhang Baiwan looked at Ye Li and said with some luck: "Actually, if Master Chu can agree to one of my requests, I can answer him now." Seeing Zhang Baiwan's satisfied and expectant eyes, Ye Li rolled his eyes in his heart and said quickly: "Please forgive me, Master Zhang. I am just running errands for you. If Master Zhang has any request, I can convey it on your behalf, but if it is related to me, I am afraid that... please forgive me, Master Zhang."

Zhang Baiwan could only sigh, his disappointment was beyond words. He sincerely hoped that Chu Junwei could become the son-in-law of the Zhang family, so that the Zhang family would have an extra guarantee. Moreover, his daughter had high standards and would not look down on ordinary men. It was a pity...

After leaving Zhang's house, Ye Li, Wei Rui and Zhuo Jing all breathed a sigh of relief. Zhuo Jing pouted, "That Miss Zhang was about to get her eyes on you. Fortunately, you saw the opportunity and sent her away, otherwise it would be a big trouble." Being handsome is also a mistake. I really don't know how Master Qingchen has survived these years. No wonder he would offend a crazy woman like Dongfang You. However, the princess dressed as a man is worse than Master Qingchen. Master Qingchen's immortal appearance makes people look up to him and dare not blaspheme, but the princess dressed as a man is handsome and amiable. She is simply the best choice for a good son-in-law.

"Princess, what if Zhang Baiwan goes and informs us?" Wei Rui frowned.

Ye Li said calmly: "Then we can only let Mr. Zhang be a real money-grubber. But... I think he is a smart man."

Wei Rui thought for a moment and said, "That's right. Besides, with his money-loving personality, how could he go there if he knew Mo Jingli wanted to swallow up his Zhang family?"

Ye Li exhaled faintly and said lightly: "It will be much easier if we deal with the Zhang and Lin families." The Zhang and Lin families are among the richest families in Nanjing. With their secret help, there is no doubt that they will poke a big hole in Mo Jingli's logistics.

Everything was going on in an orderly manner in secret. After he had a small moment of fame at the banquet of the Prince Regent's Palace, Mo Jingli seemed to have remembered this young man from the Chu family of Yunzhou. He would send people to invite him to his palace from time to time to ask about his views on political affairs. However, Ye Li was still a little worried that Mo Jingli would see through him and reveal his true intentions. Most of the time, he refused, and only went once when he really couldn't refuse. Unexpectedly, this made Mo Jingli value him more. It seemed that Mo Jingli also wanted to play the trick of being courteous to the wise.

Perhaps he was really worried about the influence of the Empress Dowager on the little emperor, so Mo Jingli really kept the little emperor in the Regent Palace. He only brought him to the palace every day when he went to court. Although many people in the court raised objections, Mo Jingli controlled all the military power of the Great Chu. Political power comes from the barrel, no matter in ancient times or today. From ancient times to now, how many scholars have succeeded in rebellion?

Ye Li also met the little emperor once in the Prince Regent's Palace. He looked even weaker and thinner than the last time he was seen at the banquet. Soon, news came from Prince Li's Palace that the little emperor had been given a slow-acting poison.

After receiving the news from Prince Li's Mansion, everyone was stunned. Wei Wei frowned and asked, "What on earth does Mo Jingli want to do?" The eve of the expedition was a time when stability was required. Now that the little emperor had been poisoned, it was not a good thing for Mo Jingli.

"How long can Mo Suyun hold on?" Ye Li asked in a deep voice.

Yao Ji, who came with Qin Feng, shook her head and said, "Although the poison in the little emperor is chronic, it is also quite strong. In addition, the little emperor seems to be born with some deficiencies, and Mo Jingli has frightened him a lot in the past two years. I'm afraid... even if the poison is removed, he won't live to adulthood." Yao Ji herself is a mother of a child, and she hasn't seen her own son for many years. Naturally, she feels more distressed for the child.

In fact, the most innocent person in these messy disputes is the little emperor who is only eight or nine years old. A child who knows nothing, without the love of his father and the support of his mother's family, was suddenly pushed to the throne before Mo Jingqi died. What is waiting for him, anyone with eyes can see clearly.

Ye Li was silent. She was not a cruel person. But although she could not say that she had harmed the child, she was definitely watching him die without saving him. Everyone, for their own goals... the Empress Dowager for her own power, Mo Jingli for his high position, and she for the Dingwang Mansion, all chose to abandon the child.

"Princess, Mo Suyun's affairs have nothing to do with us. There is no need to blame yourself." Qin Feng said in a deep voice.

Ye Li shook her head and smiled calmly, "I don't blame myself, I just feel a little sad... I'm just a child who knows nothing, why was I born in an imperial family..." Ye Li rarely blames herself, and self-blame is a kind of useless guilt. Instead of blaming herself, it's better not to do it in the first place. Since I have made the choice, what's the point of blaming myself?

"Yao Ji, go tell Ye Ying to give me the list in her hand. I will tell her the whereabouts of the child immediately. It will be too late...she will regret it." Ye Li said lightly.

Yao Ji frowned and said, "I'm afraid Ye Ying won't agree. She may not trust you deep down. The list in her hand is the most important thing she has. She will definitely not give it out easily. Princess, do you think about telling her the news of the child first?"

Ye Li sighed, "If we tell her about the child now, we really won't get any information. And... even you and many people in Nanjing will be in danger." Yao Ji frowned, a little puzzled. Qin Feng said, "If we tell Ye Ying that her son is the little emperor, how can she help the palace? The first thing she will do is to tell Mo Jingli the news. Now that Princess Qixia is dead and Dongfang You is missing, once the little emperor becomes Mo Jingli's son..."

Yao Ji suddenly realized that she had been dealing with Ye Ying for quite a while. She naturally understood Ye Ying's character. Ye Ying was timid and not very smart, so it was difficult for her to achieve great things. But she was selfish and didn't trust anyone at all. She was also cruel enough when necessary. If her son became the emperor, she would be the queen mother, so she naturally didn't need to consider the face of the Ding Palace.

Sighing helplessly, Yao Ji said, "I'll go back and tell her." She just hoped that Ye Ying would be more rational and not act so smartly and end up hurting her own son.

"Princess, what exactly does Mo Jingli want to do by killing the little emperor? He can't wait to ascend the throne, right? If the little emperor dies in his Prince Li's mansion, he will also be suspected." Zhuo Jing said puzzled. Mo Jingli always likes to be smart, and he doesn't seem like someone who doesn't understand such a simple truth.

Ye Li shook her head and said in a deep voice: "Actually...it may not necessarily be the poison given by Mo Jingli."

"Someone wants to frame Mo Jingli?" everyone asked in confusion.

Qin Feng frowned and said, "Since Dongfang You disappeared, Mo Jingli has once again vigorously reorganized the Prince Li's Mansion. Now the Prince Li's Mansion can be said to be completely under Mo Jingli's control. Even the news that we can find out, there is no way Mo Jingli doesn't know it."

Ye Li pondered for a long time, raised an eyebrow and said, "There is still someone in Prince Li's Mansion who can take action against Mo Suyun. Even if Mo Jingli knew about it, he would not expose her. Besides... if the little emperor died like this, it might not be a bad thing for Mo Jingli."

"Empress Dowager Xianzhao?" Lin Han asked.

Ye Li nodded, "Yes, the only people in Prince Li's mansion who can harm Mo Suyun are Mo Jingli, Ye Ying and Concubine Xianzhao. You know, it's not easy to administer a chronic poison, it takes a lot of time. Even if the little emperor has no power, he still has a lot of people serving him. Ordinary people absolutely can't put poison in Mo Suyun's meals so perfectly every day."

"Why did Concubine Xianzhao want to kill the little emperor?" Wei Rui asked puzzled.

Ye Li smiled and said, "The Concubine Xianzhao and the Grand Empress Dowager are cousins. They entered the palace together to serve the late emperor. It can be said that they have supported each other for most of their lives and shared the same hardships. After Mo Jingqi ascended the throne, the Grand Empress Dowager became the Empress Dowager, and she named Concubine Xianzhao the Grand Concubine. She was also moved out of the palace to be raised in the Prince Li's Mansion. Compared with the other concubines of the late emperor, she was considered quite good. However, I have always had a question. What are the concubines in the harem of Da Chu waiting for? The lowest rank is a talented person, the highest is the empress, and below the empress there are noble concubines and consorts. According to custom, after the death of the previous emperor, the concubines of the previous emperor are honored, and the custom is to move up one level. In other words, under normal circumstances, Consort Xianzhao was a concubine when the previous emperor was alive, so Mo Jingqi should have made her a noble concubine, considering the relationship between Consort Xianzhao and the empress dowager. But...why did Consort Xianzhao stay in the position of concubine all her life?"

Yao Ji propped her chin up and said, "Didn't anyone raise any objections at the time? That means the canonization is reasonable."

Ye Li said, "It's reasonable but not logical. Moreover, at that time, almost all the concubines in the harem of the late emperor were demoted or killed by the empress dowager for various reasons. The only one left, Concubine Xianzhao, was given the grace to be exiled and raised in honor. It seems that she was naturally favored, but I'm afraid no one noticed these. What do you think... why did the empress dowager send Concubine Xianzhao out of the palace to be raised in honor?"

Yao Ji's eyes flickered, and she said in surprise: "The Queen Mother doesn't want Concubine Xian Zhao to stay in the palace to compete with her for power? Then... Concubine Xian Zhao must have some leverage that makes the Queen Mother dare not touch her. That's why she has been living in peace and stability for so many years. Now she is attacking Mo Suyun, firstly to push Mo Jingli to the throne, and secondly to take revenge on the Queen Mother?"

"Ehuang and Nuying are a legend that has been passed down through the ages. But I have never really seen the so-called Ehuang and Nuying." Ye Li sighed softly. As long as they are women, they will be jealous. How can they have a deep sisterly love with another woman who shares a husband with them without any grudges? What's more, they are women in the deep palace. From the first day they entered the palace, they did only one word - fighting. Fighting for favor, fighting for status, fighting for children.

"Mo Jingli is also the son of the Empress Dowager." Wei Rui reminded.

Queen Dowager Hyeonjo had no children, so no matter how well she hid it, she was doomed to fail from the beginning.

"Which is more important, the grace of giving birth or the grace of raising? Isn't Mo Jingli's choice now enough to prove it?" Ye Li smiled.

Yao Ji frowned and said, "When the capital was just moved to Nanjing, it was said that Prince Li wanted to make Consort Xianzhao the Imperial Consort and have her share the harem with the Queen Mother. But later on, I don't know why there was no news."

Everyone present couldn't help but shake their heads. The complexity of the royal family's affairs made them all feel dizzy. Although Concubine Xianzhao had no son, she had been playing the role of a sister under the suppression of the Queen Mother for many years. I guess she was finally unable to bear it. It's just that I don't know how much Concubine Xianzhao contributed to the breakup of Mo Jingli and the Queen Mother.

"Sir, someone has come from the Regent Prince's Mansion. He said that the Regent Prince wants to see you." The steward outside the door reported in a low voice.

Ye Li was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "I understand. Please ask them to wait for a moment." The steward left, and Ye Li stood up and said, "Forget it. It's a good opportunity for me to go to Prince Li's mansion to see what's going on."

Yao Ji frowned and said, "It seems that the Prince of Li has been summoning the Princess quite often these days. Could it be that he has discovered something wrong with her?"

"With Mo Jingli's personality, if he really saw something wrong, he wouldn't come to invite you so politely. Don't worry." Ye Li said with a smile.

Arriving at Prince Li's Mansion, Ye Li was invited directly to Mo Jingli's study. When she entered the study, there were already many people inside. However, Ye Li was only familiar with one person, the current Marquis of Muyang, Mu Yang.

"Lord Chu has only met the Regent King." Ye Li bowed.

Mo Jingli saw Ye Li coming in, and seemed to be in a good mood and said, "Mr. Chu is here, please take a seat." Ye Li nodded and thanked him, and walked to the last seat and sat down. Although the Chu family is a famous family, the people present are all Mo Jingli's confidants, so Ye Li would not be so ignorant as to sit in the front.

Coincidentally, Ye Li sat diagonally opposite Mu Yang. Mu Yang smiled and nodded to him. Ye Li didn't want to offend him, so he smiled and nodded. Mo Jingli raised his eyebrows and looked at the two of them and asked, "Do Marquis Mu Yang and Master Chu know each other?"

Mu Yang said respectfully: "Mr. Chu is so charming, I just regret that I have never met him."

Ye Li smiled and said, "Marquis Muyang is too kind. I have long admired Marquis Muyang's name." Seeing that both of them looked like they were not pretending, Mo Jingli nodded with satisfaction. He was not against the relationship between Marquis Muyang's mansion and the Chu family, but he would not be happy that Mu Yang hid his close relationship with the Chu family.

Ye Li took the opportunity to ask, "What instructions did the prince have for me?"

Mo Jingli glanced at everyone and said, "This time I really need Mr. Chu's help. Mr. Chu solved a big problem for me with just a few words regarding the Zhang family. Zhang Baiwan has been working very hard these days, and this is all thanks to Mr. Chu."

Ye Li humbly declined, "Your Majesty, you are over-honoring me. This is all due to your power to intimidate Jiangnan. You dare not take credit for it."

Mo Jingli sighed and said, "This king has indeed seen another important matter and needs Mr. Chu's help. I hope Mr. Chu will not refuse."

Ye Li's heart skipped a beat, and she said calmly, "Please give your orders, Your Majesty."

Mo Jingli stared at Ye Li motionlessly and said in a deep voice: "This king would like to ask you to write an imperial edict for me."

Ye Li was shocked, and glanced at the people sitting there. None of them had the slightest expression of displeasure, so she knew that these people knew what Mo Jingli wanted to say. Or, in other words, these people were waiting for him to come. Ye Li took a deep breath and asked, "The court is full of talented people, and there are countless seniors who can represent the imperial edict. I am afraid..."

"Mr. Chu, are you unwilling?" Mo Jingli's face darkened and he asked indifferently.

Ye Li sighed helplessly in her heart. She already knew what kind of edict Mo Jingli wanted her to write. But... this thing couldn't be written. Once written, the little emperor Mo Suyun would probably really die.

"I wonder what edict the prince wants me to write?" Zhuo Jing and Wei Wei were not allowed to enter the study of Prince Li's mansion, so they could only wait outside. Moreover, even if they were by her side, Ye Li did not intend to break up with Mo Jingli so quickly.

Mo Jingli's expression finally relaxed, and he said with a sad face, "To be honest, the emperor has not been in good health these days. I'm afraid... the emperor is young and naturally has no children, so he plans to abdicate... and wants to ask Master Chu to write a letter of abdication on his behalf. Master Chu is from a famous family, and I'm sure he won't let me down." Although he was very proud of himself, he pretended to be sad. Mo Jingli's behavior made Ye Li feel even more disgusted.

"I wonder... which prince of the previous emperor does the emperor intend to abdicate to?" Ye Li asked innocently without changing her expression. If the emperor has no offspring, the throne can only be passed on to someone else, but it is usually passed on to the closest blood relative. First to brothers, then nephews and nieces, and it is rare to pass it on to uncles. Ye Li's question was not considered rude.

Mo Jingli's eyes flashed with a cold light, but he did not answer Ye Li's question. Mu Yang, who was sitting opposite, smiled and said, "Mr. Chu misunderstood. The emperor intends to give the throne to the regent. After all, the emperor's brothers are mostly young... Now the Great Chu is in a turbulent time, and it really needs a king with outstanding ability. Although the emperor is still young, he is also concerned about the Great Chu."

For the sake of the Chu Empire? I'm afraid I was frightened by you guys, right? Ye Li smiled coldly in his heart.

Glancing at Mo Jingli with some hesitation, Ye Li pretended to be embarrassed and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I'm afraid that this matter... I need to discuss it with the master. Besides, although I am a member of the Chu family, I am only from a side branch. Things like the abdication edict..." Since ancient times, there have been few emperors who are willing to abdicate. In order to show that they are popular, the successor naturally has to find a more influential person to write the edict. However, some well-written things will be passed down through the ages, while others will be infamous for thousands of years. Although Ye Li borrowed the identity of a member of the Chu family, he did not intend to humiliate their reputation. If he guessed correctly, the edict that Mo Jingli asked him to write would probably be directly under the name of the Chu family's direct lineage. People only know that it was written by a member of the Chu family. Who cares whether Chu Junwei is from the direct or collateral line, or whether there is such a person in the Chu family?

In fact, it was not that Mo Jingli forced Ye Li to write this edict, but he really couldn't find a suitable person to write it. Those prestigious old ministers in the court naturally didn't want to sacrifice their reputation to write this edict. Most of Mo Jingli's confidants had no reputation. Although Chu Junwei was a branch of the Chu family, he still had the name of the Chu family. The Chu family was also one of the most famous families in the Great Chu except the Xu family. If he could find Master Qingchen to write the edict for him, Mo Jingli would certainly not care whether Ye Li was willing or not.

Mo Jingli stared at Ye Li unhappily and said, "It's just a small matter, but Master Chu is trying to shirk it. Do you look down on me?"

Ye Li really wanted to embarrass Mo Jingli. If the person here was really just a young master from the Chu family's side branch, with Mo Jingli's arrangement, the young master of the Chu family would have no choice but to go along with the crowd or commit suicide.

"Your Majesty, you are too serious." Ye Li said firmly, "But this matter is of great importance, and I dare not take the initiative. Your Majesty, you don't want me to write an edict and then the Chu family will spread the news that Jun Wei is expelled from the family, right?"

If this is true, then the entire Chu family has given Mo Jingli a slap in the face. The situation at that time will be even more embarrassing than just dragging anyone to issue an imperial edict. Apart from anything else, if the Xu family takes the opportunity to say something, most of the scholars in the world will probably not buy into Mo Jingli's account.

Mo Jingli also knew that what Ye Li said was true, but his confident request hit a hard nail, which made Mo Jingli lose face. Seeing this, Mu Yang, who was sitting down, said quickly: "Your Majesty, Mr. Chu's concerns are not unreasonable. Mr. Chu is a scholar, and it is inevitable that he will not be able to turn around some things in a short time. Let Mr. Chu consider it for two days, and I believe that Mr. Chu will definitely figure it out by then."

Mo Jingli nodded and looked at Ye Li and said, "This king thinks highly of you, Mr. Chu. Please consider it carefully. With Mr. Chu's talent, he may be the second Mr. Qingchen."

Ye Li secretly laughed in her heart. She didn't dare to think that her intelligence and talent were comparable to her elder brother. However, the price Mo Jingli paid for pulling him over this time was very considerable. Everyone knew that Master Qingchen was a person who was second to none in the Ding Palace and above ten thousand people. It was not an exaggeration to say that he had power over the world. As long as one was a scholar, who didn't regard Master Qingchen as a role model and a direction to strive for? However, Ye Li was sure that even if she was really Chu Junwei, she would not choose Mo Jingli. Mo Xiuyao had the courage and ability to tolerate being above ten thousand people, but Mo Jingli did not. I was afraid that when Mo Jingli stood firm, the first person to suffer would be this Master Qingchen No. 2.

Ye Li responded respectfully: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I will consider it carefully."

Mo Jingli looked at Ye Li deeply, nodded and said, "Okay, I will have someone send you back home."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Ye Li did not refuse, and naturally understood what Mo Jingli meant. He did not care, since he had already let him know such an important thing, how could Mo Jingli let him leave like this. However, Mo Jingli did not know that if Ye Li wanted to disappear from Nanjing City, he would not be able to find her even if he dug three feet into the ground.

Zhuo Jing and Wei Rui, who were waiting outside, saw Ye Li come out with several guards from Prince Li's palace, and their faces changed. Ye Li waved her hand casually to signal them not to act rashly. The two immediately calmed down and stepped forward to salute, "I am honored to meet you, sir."

Ye Li nodded and said, "Go back."

"Yes, young master."

Ye Li led the newly acquired followers and Zhuo Jingwei to the outside of Prince Li's mansion, but when passing by the garden, she saw the little emperor in bright yellow clothes. It was only two or three days since the last time they met, but the little emperor's thin face had turned a little yellow. The pair of eyes that always seemed to be filled with fear also became even more dim. Everyone could see that this child would not live long.

Mo Suyun walked slowly in the garden, and the eunuchs and palace maids following behind him lowered their heads and did nothing. It seemed that as long as the little emperor did not leave their sight, no matter what they did, it did not matter. The road in the garden was not very flat. Mo Suyun seemed to see something interesting ahead, and his dull eyes brightened slightly, and he ran forward. But his body was already very weak, and he fell to the ground when he was unsteady.

But even so, none of the eunuchs and palace maids following him helped him up, as if they had suddenly turned into mindless puppets.

It was very painful to fall on the uneven ground covered with pebbles. Mo Suyun's arms were bruised as he fell. Tears welled up in his eyes, but for some reason they never fell. Mo Suyun did not get up, but just lay on the ground, staring blankly at his arms that were bleeding and burning with pain.

A pair of white and slender hands gently picked him up from the ground. Mo Suyun blinked and stared blankly at the handsome young man in white clothes in front of him.

"Does it hurt?" Ye Li squatted down and asked softly while looking at the child in front of her who was at eye level with her.

Tears welled up in Mo Suyun's eyes, and he nodded after a while. Ye Li sighed softly in her heart, how could she not see that this child was abnormal. Compared to a few days ago, this child's reaction was much slower.

When the people following Mo Suyun saw someone coming, they hurried forward to stop him, "This young master... The emperor should go back to rest." Ye Li glanced at them calmly and smiled faintly, "So you know he is still the emperor?"

The maid's face turned pale, but she recovered quickly and said, "We know he is still the emperor. So, please leave quickly. The emperor is not for everyone to see." Although the maid's tone seemed very polite, Ye Li could still hear a hint of pride and the emphasis on "still". Obviously, she was instructed to treat Mo Suyun like this.

The guards behind Ye Li also stepped forward, carefully considering their words and trying to ask Ye Li to leave. However, they did not dare to be too forceful when they knew that the prince still needed Chu Junwei.

"I have seen the princess." Just as they were at a stalemate, Ye Ying came over with her people. She scanned everyone with a calm look and asked, "What are you doing?" The maid who had spoken to Ye Li before stepped forward and said, "Princess, we are ordered by the dowager to accompany the emperor to play. This Mr. Chu is blocking the emperor's way and refuses to leave."

Ye Ying did not comment and looked at Ye Li. Ye Li smiled and said, "Princess, I just saw the emperor was thrown and helped him up. Then..." Ye Li lifted her sleeve that was grabbed, indicating that it was the little emperor who was holding her.

Ye Ying was silent for a moment, then said, "Mr. Chu is the prince's distinguished guest. Since the emperor likes him, just let him play with the emperor for a while. Why are you so surprised?"

"Princess! But the Dowager..."

"I will go back and explain to the Concubine Dowager. How could you let the Emperor fall down in front of so many people? Are you all dead?" Ye Ying said coldly. Although these people were all the followers of Concubine Dowager Xianzhao, they did not dare to talk back to Ye Ying, the Princess Li, in front of outsiders, and could only shut up.

Ye Li took the medicine handed to her by Wei Rui and carefully applied it to Mo Suyun. Without turning around, she asked, "Why don't you go get the imperial physician?"

The person serving Mo Suyun hesitated for a moment before turning around and leaving.

Because Mo Suyun had been holding onto Ye Li's sleeve, Ye Li couldn't leave for the time being. She could only hold Mo Suyun in her arms and go to a water pavilion in the garden to sit for a while. Sitting in the water pavilion with Mo Suyun in her arms, Ye Li looked at Ye Ying calmly and asked, "Do you know what Concubine Xianzhao did?"

Ye Ying's face changed, and she asked in a panic, "Tiffany? What did the Tiffany do?"

Ye Li's heart sank slightly. From Ye Ying's expression, she knew that she was not unaware of what Concubine Xianzhao had done. "Why didn't you tell Yao Ji about this?" Ye Ying bit her lip and said, "This is not an important matter, and it has nothing to do with Prince Ding's Mansion. Why should I tell her? Besides...if I didn't tell her, wouldn't you know it too?"

"I do know, but it's too late." Ye Li said.

Ye Ying didn't care and said, "Do you still want to save him? He is the emperor of Da Chu, and you are the princess of Ding Wangfu. What good will it do for you to save her?" Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Do you think that if Mo Jingli becomes the emperor, you will definitely become the empress?"

Ye Ying's face turned pale. She knew that if she didn't have support, even if Mo Jingli became the emperor, she might not be able to become the empress. Originally, she had the support of Ding Wangfu, but now Mo Jingli had decided to go to war with Ding Wangfu...

"You can try to tell Mo Jingli where I am. See if he will be in a good mood and reward you with the title of Queen." Ye Li looked at her with a smile and said. But the slight chill in his eyes made Ye Ying shudder in her heart. Biting her lips, she said, "I won't betray you...betraying you won't do me any good." Mo Jingli's temper is vindictive. If she tells him about Ye Li, then he will definitely reveal that she was gathering information for Ding Wangfu. At that time, Ye Li will naturally be in trouble, but in the end, she will still be the one who suffers. What's more...the information about her child is still in Ye Li's hands.

Ye Li looked at her calmly and said, "Are you still unwilling to give me the list?"

Ye Ying gritted her teeth and said, "Help me find the child first. Also..."

"Besides?" Ye Li raised her eyebrows and looked at her with interest. Ye Ying said, "After Mo Jingli ascends the throne, you have to help me become the queen."

"Ye Ying." Ye Li looked at her with some pity and said in a deep voice: "You will regret it."

The people outside came in with the imperial physician. But the child kept grabbing Ye Li's sleeve. Ye Li persuaded him for a long time before letting him let go of his sleeve to let the imperial physician check. Seeing that the imperial physician only perfunctorily checked his injuries and ignored his obvious discomfort, Ye Li was speechless. He stood up and walked out of the water pavilion. Several guards waiting outside immediately came up. Ye Li tilted his head and said, "Go and tell the Regent King not to do anything too ugly. It will not be good for the reputation of the prince."

Several guards were stunned for a moment, but one of them turned around and headed towards Mo Jingli's study. Ye Li looked back at the child who was sitting at the table in the water pavilion, letting the imperial physician torture him, and turned around and said, "Let's go."

"Sir, Your Majesty..." Wei Rui couldn't help but ask. They were not heartless and cold-blooded animals. Seeing a child who knew nothing become stupid and wait to die, Wei Rui felt a little sympathetic.

Ye Li shook her head and said, "I'm afraid the emperor... doesn't have much time left."

The guards who followed Ye Li out of the palace looked at Ye Li in surprise. They didn't expect that this gentle and handsome young man would be so bold. He knew that they were sent by the prince to monitor them, but he dared to say these words in front of them.

But they still don't understand one thing. When someone doesn't mind telling you some secrets, it means that he thinks you will never reveal his secrets, and in this world, the person who is least likely to reveal secrets is the dead.

After hearing what Ye Li said, Zhuo Jing and Wei Rui tacitly cast their cold eyes over the guards, and a hint of murderous aura flashed by.

The next day, news came from Prince Li's mansion. Several palace maids and eunuchs serving Mo Suyun were all beaten to death. After hearing the news reported by Zhuo Jing, Ye Li only paused for a moment and continued to work on his own matters.