The World is Shocked 104. Lantern Festival
After returning to the capital, Mo Xiuyao was busy dealing with the situation in the court and the emperor's constant temptations. Ye Li was busy dealing with the affairs of the palace and the training of the elites under the Black Cloud Peak, but she put other things aside. It was not until Murong Ting and Leng Haoyu came to visit Ye Li that she remembered that the battle in Yongzhou had not yet ended. Murong Ting and Leng Haoyu naturally came in the name of visiting the princess. When they were in the border town, Murong Ting finally married Leng Haoyu at Murong Shen's insistence. Now that she has returned to the capital, she has changed from the eldest daughter of General Murong's mansion to the second young lady of the Leng family. Murong Ting will marry Leng Haoyu so quickly, and Mo Xiuyao is definitely not unrelated. Ye Li felt a little guilty about Murong Ting, but she didn't feel relieved until she saw Murong Ting still looking radiant. It seemed that Murong could still make herself happy no matter what the situation was. With Leng Haoyu's infatuation with Murong Ting, he would not bully her.
"Murong, Mr. Leng, I'm really sorry for missing your wedding." Ye Li smiled apologetically, looking at Murong Ting, who was still in red and in high spirits. Murong Ting waved her hands and smiled nonchalantly, "What's there to be sorry about? It's all Daddy's fault that he insisted on me..." She glared at Leng Haoyu, who was sitting next to her, with dissatisfaction, but her eyes were obviously filled with some different coquettishness and a unique feminine charm that had never been seen before. Leng Haoyu smiled at Murong Ting with a good temper and did not refute. Ye Li looked at her and just shook her head with a faint smile. Leng Haoyu was able to tolerate Murong's temper, which seemed to be a deep love. You know, Leng Haoyu's temper is really not that good.
Ye Li let Mo Xiuyao and Leng Haoyu discuss the matter and took Murong Ting aside to chat. Murong Ting looked at Leng Haoyu and Mo Xiuyao who were sitting not far away with some doubt. She was not stupid. Although she had been married to Leng Haoyu for less than a month, she still felt that Leng Haoyu in private was not the same as the person she knew before. Now seeing him sitting and talking with Prince Ding, the expression on his face was serious and focused that she had never seen before, Murong Ting was even more certain in her heart. If Leng Haoyu was really a playboy who had accomplished nothing, Prince Ding would never sit there and talk with him even for Ye Li's sake, "Murong, what's wrong?"
Murong Ting looked at her with some doubt and said, "Li'er...are you guys hiding something from me?"
Ye Li raised her eyebrows, looked at her with a smile and said, "Who do you think is hiding something from you?"
Murong Ting said with some distress: "I feel that Leng Haoyu is different from the person I knew before. Sometimes I even doubt whether I really know him." Although Leng Haoyu still behaved as usual, loving to eat, drink and have fun, but they are husband and wife. How could Murong Ting not know that Leng Haoyu was busy in the study until midnight many times, although no one knew what he was busy with.
Ye Li looked at Murong Ting calmly and asked softly, "Does Murong feel happy after getting married? How is your relationship with Young Master Leng?"
Murong Ting was stunned, her face slightly reddened as she avoided Ye Li's sight, and said hesitantly: "This... doesn't seem so bad... Well, what they said is not wrong, anyway, I will get married sooner or later. He is the one chosen by my father, although he has been making trouble all the time, but my father didn't say anything to explain that he... shouldn't be so bad. And he is very good to me." Ye Li smiled, it seems that the second son Leng's nagging for so many years is not without effect. Looking back at Leng Haoyu who was talking to Mo Xiuyao not far away and did not forget to pay attention to this side at any time, Ye Li smiled and said: "Since you are so curious, why don't you ask him yourself?" Murong Ting said bitterly: "He has been pretending to be crazy and stupid in front of me for so many years, do you want me to ask him now? This girl doesn't like it."
Ye Li did not interrupt other couples' conversations, but just asked with a smile: "Are you used to it in Leng Mansion?"
Murong Ting's face fell immediately, and she looked at Ye Li with resentment and said, "There are not many people in this world who are as lucky as you, Ah Li. Now I know why Leng Haoyu doesn't like the Leng family. It's simply not a place for normal people to stay." Murong Ting was full of resentment when she mentioned her newlywed in-laws' family. Now that she finally had someone to tell, she naturally wouldn't hide it from Ye Li. She told Ye Li about what happened in the past few days since she returned to Beijing. The Leng family is also a prestigious family in the capital. This generation has a Leng Qingyu, who became the commander of the Beijing Yulin Army at the age of 26. He can be said to be the emperor's confidant. Naturally, the entire Leng family has high hopes for him. In comparison, Leng Haoyu, the second son of the Leng family, who is a well-known playboy, is naturally not taken seriously. But it was not until Murong Ting married into the Leng family that she realized how little attention Leng Haoyu, the second son, had received. Even the servants in the mansion who had a little dignity dared to say something bad about Leng Haoyu. If the head of the family had not condoned it, the people below would not have had the courage to do so.
Murong Ting's character has never been one to swallow one's anger, so she naturally couldn't stand these people. She didn't know how many troubles they had caused in the past few days. But the mistress of the Leng family, Leng Haoyu's nominal mother, never stood on their side, no matter right or wrong. And the indifference and disdain of the eldest son of the Leng family, who Murong Ting admired so much, towards his younger brother also made Murong Ting feel a lot of frustration. Even if she was careless, she could see that there was no place for Leng Haoyu in the entire Leng Mansion. If he lived in such an environment all the time, no one would have a good temper.
Listening to Murong Ting's complaints, Ye Li smiled curiously and said, "I remember that you had a good impression of Mr. Leng before, didn't you?" In the few times they met, it seemed that every time Murong Ting couldn't help but compare Leng Qingyu and Leng Haoyu. Ye Li had never met Leng Qingyu, but she had heard a lot about this cold-faced young man who was famous in the capital. However, the Leng family was a die-hard loyalist of the emperor, and it was obviously not on the same path as the Dingwang Mansion, so there was no need to get in touch with them.
Murong Ting lay weakly in the chair, looking at Ye Li pitifully, "Isn't there a saying that goes... You can only watch from a distance and not play with it up close. In the past, you naturally thought it was good when you looked at it from a distance, but if someone despises you from head to toe three times a day, and even looks at you as if you were a dirty thing, you can't give up." Ye Li raised an eyebrow with interest and said, "Is Leng Qingyu treating the second son of the Leng family like this?" Murong Ting shrugged and said, "In fact, except for Leng Haoyu's father, his whole family treats him like this. I really can't wear that damn place at all, but it's a pity... Now I can't go back to Murong Mansion to live by myself. Otherwise, if outsiders find out, I don't know what rumors will spread. But Leng Haoyu told me that after the wedding, I will tell his father that we will buy a yard outside and move out by ourselves."
"Will General Leng agree?" Ye Li asked. It is well known that the Leng family attaches great importance to the reputation of the family. Although Leng Haoyu is a rebellious son who often makes General Leng very angry, the most impressive thing about the Leng family in the capital is that General Leng is the only one among so many dignitaries in the capital who does not have a concubine. Both of his sons are born to Madam Leng. But at the same time, many people also know that the second son of Leng is not Madam Leng's biological son. The mother of the second son of Leng was a dowry maid of Madam Leng. She died after giving birth to Leng Haoyu, so Leng Haoyu was raised under the name of Madam Leng since he was born, and he was also considered the legitimate son of the General's Mansion. It was just that Madam Leng doted on the second son of the Leng family in every possible way, and she ended up pampering him to the point that he became the most dissolute playboy in the capital.
Murong Ting pouted and said, "If Leng Haoyu says it's okay, then it should be okay. I don't want to be dragged along to sigh about how useless and jerk Leng Haoyu is every morning when I go to pay my respects." Those people really think she, Murong Ting, is a fool. Not to mention that Leng Haoyu himself is not what they say, even if Leng Haoyu is really a playboy, she has already married him, can't she even tell the difference between close relatives and distant relatives? At worst, she can just throw Leng Haoyu into Daddy's army and let Daddy teach him a lesson. She is not interested in discussing how bad her husband is with a group of idle women.
Ye Li nodded, looked at Murong Ting and smiled, "It's good that you can trust him. Since Mr. Leng has told you this, it means he can really solve it. The most important thing between husband and wife is to trust each other."
Murong Ting blinked her eyes, smiled at Ye Li and said, "Just like you and Prince Ding? Haha... That time in Yonglin, Prince Ding appeared on the battlefield at the critical moment and saved the princess. When I was in Yonglin, I heard many people talk about it vividly. I'm afraid it has spread all over Jiangnan now. When I was in Yonglin City, those girls envied the dead Princess Ding."
Ye Li rolled her eyes at her helplessly.
Over there, Mo Xiuyao and Leng Haoyu finished their discussion and Leng Haoyu stood up to leave. Although Murong Ting was reluctant to leave, she also understood that they were married now, especially Ye Li, who was very busy, so she did not stay and stood up to leave with Leng Haoyu. Leng Haoyu looked at Mo Xiuyao standing aside and smiled at Ye Li, "Princess, Haoyu heard that the new head of the Han family is now preparing some hesitant new businesses. I just don't know if I have the opportunity to get involved?" Ye Li glanced at Mo Xiuyao and smiled, "Second Master Leng is really well-informed." Leng Haoyu didn't care and smiled, "Businessmen naturally have some business channels. I'm sorry to make fun of you, Princess."
Ye Li smiled generously and said, "Since Master Leng is interested, why not go talk to Master Han? I am just a hands-off manager who knows nothing."
Leng Haoyu smiled and said, "The princess's talent and ideas always amaze me. How can you say that she knows nothing? In this case, I thank the princess. Goodbye."
"No."
Murong Ting looked at the two of them strangely, not quite understanding what kind of business Leng Haoyu wanted to do. If he wanted to do business with the Han family, why did he ask Li'er? But at least it proved that Leng Haoyu was also planning to do serious business, right?
After seeing off Murong Ting and Leng Haoyu, Ye Li turned around and looked at Mo Xiuyao, who looked a little unhappy. She raised her eyebrows and asked, "What? Did Leng Haoyu say something unhappy?"
Mo Xiuyao stretched out his hand and pulled her into his arms, snorting softly, "What else could it be except what happened in Yongzhou? Liu Jingyun and Guan Ting, those two bastards, commanded an army of hundreds of thousands, but were suppressed and beaten by Mo Jingli's mere 100,000 men without any chance to fight back." Ye Li raised her eyebrows, "100,000 men? Mo Jingli divided his troops and marched eastward?" Mo Xiuyao nodded and said, "Yes, Mo Xiuyao summoned 10,000 men from Lingzhou. 200,000 troops, wanting to occupy the entire south of the Yunlan River in the shortest possible time. Originally, there was nothing... According to the news sent from Yongzhou, a very powerful person seems to have appeared in the Mo Jingli army. A few days ago, they fought with Liu Jingyun and Guan Ting, and those two rubbish were defeated three times. If it weren't for General Murong's timely reinforcements, I'm afraid Yonglin City would really be destroyed in their hands. "
"The Emperor is determined not to let the Mohist Army go south to quell the rebellion. It's useless for you to be angry." Ye Li raised her hand and patted his arm to comfort him.
Mo Xiuyao sighed, "I know." He knew that Mo Jingqi would rather give up the entire area south of the Yunlan River to Mo Jingqi than let the Dingguo Palace get involved. So now the situation has become that the south has been defeated repeatedly, and the two useless people have hundreds of thousands of troops but have no military achievements. And the Dingwang Palace, from Mo Xiuyao onwards, can only watch anxiously in the idle army even if they hope to be able to march south.
"Liu Jingyun has never fought in a war, let alone commanded an army of hundreds of thousands. Guan Ting is also a waste. The generals of Zhenguo are now unwell and recuperating at home. Old Duke Hua is old and is not trusted by the emperor. Not to mention the generals under the Dingwang Mansion. I'm afraid that even if Mo Jingli occupied the entire south, the emperor would not let them go to the battlefield." Ye Li thought in a low voice.
Mo Xiuyao said in a deep voice: "With General Murong watching over Guan Ting, that idiot can hold out for a few months as long as he doesn't act too smart. But... once Mo Jingli really occupies the south and comes back to deal with him, that will be his death." Ye Li frowned and said: "With Mo Jingli's speed, you should still be in Beirong when that time comes, right?" Mo Xiuyao shook his head and snorted with a little anger: "Forget it, let them mess around if they like. This king has no time to pay attention to them now, and Mo Jingqi has something to do so that he doesn't have to stare at Prince Ding's Mansion all day long." Ye Li smiled helplessly: "I'm afraid that no matter how many things he has, he will not forget Prince Ding's Mansion."
"Since he likes to stare at Prince Ding's mansion, I will let him see enough. Ah Li, let's go out for a walk." With one hand around Ye Li's slender waist, Mo Xiuyao smiled softly and turned to lead her out. Ye Li looked at the sky outside in confusion, "It's getting dark, where are you going?" Mo Xiuyao smiled and said, "You'll know when you get there."
Walking in the endless stream of people, Ye Li, who has lived in Chujing for so many years, never knew that Chujing's nights could be so lively. This is not a place that the dignitaries in the capital like to go, but a street market where ordinary people gather. At night, the lights are on, and the streets are full of various lanterns that are either simple or exquisite and gorgeous. On the street, people are walking and laughing in groups of three or two. It is indeed a peaceful and happy scene. Ye Li looked down at the two people's clasped hands. Although there are lanterns everywhere, it is not as bright as in the daytime. Most of the people on this street are ordinary people, so the two people walking in the crowd did not attract much attention. At most, someone occasionally looks at the mask on Mo Xiuyao's face and marvels at the appearance and demeanor of the two.
"What day is today?" Looking at the happy and noisy crowd, Ye Li leaned in Mo Xiuyao's arms and asked curiously.
Mo Xiuyao raised his hands, carefully holding her in his arms, and smiled softly, "It's not a special day. There is a night market lantern festival every month in the capital, and the curfew on this day will be two hours later than usual. So this is also a lively day in the capital. This is the tradition of the capital, don't you know, Ah Li?" Ye Li was silent, she really didn't know there was such a day in the capital. Mo Xiuyao looked at her sideways and smiled, "Playing with these common people is completely different from playing with those dignitaries. When I was young, I came here almost every month. So I always wanted to bring you to see it." Ye Li raised her head and looked at him, smiling lightly, "Then if we are free in the future, let's come every month. The capital is really boring."
Looking at Ye Li's beautiful face under the light, Mo Xiuyao held her in his arms, leaned on her shoulder and smiled softly, "Okay, if Ah Li likes, we can come here every month from now on."
Passers-by watched a handsome man carefully holding a delicate and graceful woman in his arms. Judging from the woman's clothes and hairstyle, she was obviously married. In the eyes of the public, this couple must be a newlywed couple. They couldn't help but smile kindly.
Mo Xiuyao held Ye Li's hand and walked through the crowd in a familiar way. Although they had not been here for many years, the Lantern Festival did not seem to have changed much. Mo Xiuyao still found his target familiarly. A small stall that looked a bit simple and sold lanterns. The stall owner was an old man with gray hair, who was carefully hanging the finished lanterns one by one on the rack beside him. However, the old man was already quite old, and he was trembling with fear as he held up a gorgeous lotus lantern and tried several times but failed to hang it to the highest place. Mo Xiuyao stopped by and took the lantern from the old man's hand and hung it up. The old man was stunned at first, and when he turned around, he saw a pair of elegant and extraordinary men and women standing in front of him. The old man frowned as he looked at Mo Xiuyao and said, "Thank you, sir... This sir looks familiar. I seem to have seen you somewhere..." Mo Xiuyao smiled calmly and said, "I used to come here often in the past few years and bought quite a few lanterns from you. No wonder you look familiar to me."
The old man waved his hands awkwardly and said, "I am not worthy of the title of sir. Sir, are you bringing your wife to the lantern festival? Do you want to buy a lantern to enjoy?"
The word "Madam" obviously made Mo Xiuyao very happy. He looked sideways at Ye Li, pointed at a pair of plain lanterns piled aside and said, "Let's take these two." The old man looked at the two with some embarrassment. Although the two ladies were not dressed very gorgeously, the old man had been selling lanterns for almost half his life, so he had seen a lot of people coming and going. It was obvious that these two were nobles, and they didn't look like the kind of people who would be interested in such plain lanterns. Ye Li also understood the old man's thoughts and smiled lightly, "Let's take these two. They look simple and elegant, and they are unique."
Seeing that the two people seemed to really want these two simple lanterns, the old man nodded and took the lanterns and handed them over. Ye Li took it in her hand. It was indeed a very ordinary lantern. The workmanship was quite delicate, but compared with other flowers and birds with strange shapes, it was just ordinary. Even the paper outside was ordinary white paper with some flowers and plants pasted on it. It might be that these two were made of the leftover materials after making other lanterns. Mo Xiuyao took the lantern from Ye Li's hand, looked at it, smiled at her, turned around, picked up the pen and ink that the old man had put aside, and sketched it. After a moment, he stopped writing, nodded with satisfaction, and handed the lantern back to Ye Li. Ye Li looked down and drew a graceful woman in the blank space on the original flower and plant picture. She may be holding a scroll or frowning, or picking up a flower or holding a sword. Although it is just a few strokes, the graceful and beautiful appearance of the woman jumps onto the paper. The originally plain and boring lantern suddenly becomes an exquisite beauty lantern.
Ye Li looked at the lantern in her hand, then at the other one placed aside, and smiled. She took the pen and started to sketch on the other lantern. It took her longer than Mo Xiuyao, but Mo Xiuyao didn't care. He stood aside patiently waiting for her to finish. When Ye Li handed him the finished lantern, Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows in surprise. On the lantern, a man was riding a horse and holding a gun with extraordinary momentum. Ye Li did not draw several pictures like Mo Xiuyao did. In the whole picture, there was only the man riding a horse and flying in the air, as fierce and imposing as a god of war. This was exactly the scene outside Yonglin City that day. Mo Xiuyao looked at the lantern in his hand and the smile on his face deepened, "Was I like this in Ah Li's eyes at that time?"
Ye Li blushed slightly, and she talked about her own beauty lantern in a self-centered way, "I can't be as vivid as you, so forget it if you don't like it."
Mo Xiuyao smiled and said, "How could I not like it? I will definitely keep it well." Looking at the person on the lantern, Mo Xiuyao's eyes were filled with much more joy. He never knew that in A'li's eyes, he was so imposing and aggressive.
After taking out the money and paying the old man who was watching the two people painting lanterns, Mo Xiuyao took Ye Li's hand again and walked forward. The absent-minded old man looked down at the change in his hand, which was already enough to cover his income from buying lanterns for the whole night. His eyes flickered and he seemed to remember something and became a little excited. "It's...it turns out to be..." He didn't say what it was. The old man stared at the backs that were getting farther and farther away. A few years ago, there was also a high-spirited young man in gorgeous clothes who would come to him every month to buy lanterns. But every time, the young man would only choose the most ordinary and worst one, but every time he would give enough silver for a good lantern. After a while, he finally understood that the boy picked the worst one because he was worried that he would not be able to sell the poorly made ones because he was old and alone. But a few years ago, the boy never appeared again...