espectful and courteous towards him while showing such affectionate familiarity in front of outsiders, Secretary Ye felt a strange uneasiness in his heart. However, when he thought about the humble se...49. Escape, A Night of Turmoil in the Capital City

Near a tranquil cliffside, a crescent moon hung at a distance in the sky. The lone-eyed man lying helplessly on the cliff top looked up with an expression full of regretful laughter. "Miss Ye, are these methods too underhanded" Ye Li was leisurely sitting beside him, casually tossing a cloth stained with red medicinal dye over the edge of the cliff. She shrugged nonchalantly, saying, "You’re not exactly Mr. Noble either; I won’t feel guilty." Methods aren't important—what matters is the result.

"Don't move." A thin blade was lightly pressed against his neck's pulse point. "I don’t recommend rash actions before you have absolute certainty. Just half an inch further and even a Great Immortal of Gold would be powerless to save you."

The man, defeated in his attempt to temporarily stop the poison's effects through martial arts, said helplessly: "An unusual poison… can I ask what kind of extraordinary venom you used on your benefactor" In fact, he could not muster any internal energy at this moment.

Ye Li shook her head and replied, "It’s a secret. But calling someone a benefactor is debatable, isn't it To be honest, I've been in a very bad mood lately."

"I feel honored to hear the woes of the First Talent Woman of the capital city," the man said with a smile that was somewhat comical given his fearsome appearance. Ye Li frowned and remarked, "Ever since Duke Ding and I were betrothed, it seems all sorts of troubles have found their way to me—constant tests, surveillance, provocations, and even kidnapping."

"If you’re so troubled, how about eloping with me"

Ye Li fluttered her long eyelashes. "I’m not interested in the playboy-and-belle tale. Besides, I wonder what would happen to their parents, relatives, and siblings How do they live after eloping What if the playboy elopes with another belle"

The man looked at her sadly and replied after a moment: "You think too much. In plays, it’s said that the hero eventually wins the imperial examination and lives happily ever after; the belle's parents will forgive her, relatives envy her, sisters are jealous of her. Most importantly, they’re together till old age" Ye Li shook her head, saying, "In plays, ‘the end’ means an imagined happy ending."

The man thought carefully and realized that no play or storybook detailed a hero and belle living happily ever after.

"Alright then, miss. What do you want from me" Realizing it was pointless to circle around with Ye Li, the man cut straight to the point.

"Tell me who’s out to get me," Ye Li asked straightforwardly.

“What if I don’t”

The cold blade brushed his neck lightly, causing goosebumps. "Don't worry, I won't stab you with it. Instead... I’ll push you off." Glancing at the bottomless valley below, Ye Li smiled.

"You might as well stab me," the man said in disbelief. "No can do."

“This one, however, is okay to share.”

The man declared firmly: “I promised someone; a man’s word is his bond. Even if you kill me with your blade, I won’t say anything.” Ye Li scrutinized him and raised an eyebrow. "Alright then. Let's see what lies beneath that face."

“Miss Ye, how about forgiving me and considering it a favor” the man proposed.

"That sounds familiar. But do you think I’d trust someone whose identity is unknown Even if you owe me a hundred favors, I can’t find you to collect." Ye Li kept her hand on his neck while searching around the distorted face. "Miss Ye, I have two ten-thousand taels silver bills, take them as compensation for your troubles today."

Ye Li’s hand continued moving; she spoke coolly: “Do you think I’m like you, willing to risk my life for money After this is settled, how do I know there won’t be another time"

The man was silent and then said after a moment: "I know it will happen again but I promise not to trouble you. How about that" Feeling her hand pause, he quickly added, “I swear I won't cause any more trouble for Miss Ye. You can ask Mo Xiuyao; he knows who I am and whether my words are credible." The cold blade finally moved away from his neck as Ye Li stood up: "For now, I'll believe you."

"Antidote"

“There isn't one. This medicine was given to me by Qingyu temporarily; though it stops your chi flow, should be fine without using light-footed techniques from here on." Ye Li smiled.

The man gritted his teeth but the sound of approaching footsteps distracted him from further argument. He stood up, preparing to use a method he had never used before to descend the valley. Unfortunately, he was too late: an icy voice called out, “Han Mingyue—”

A plain-clothed man in a wheelchair slowly appeared at the end of another path; behind him was a silent young man pushing the wheelchair. Even on this uneven mountain top, his expression remained calm. Seated Mo Xiuyao’s face was like water but he stared coldly and deeply at the one-eyed man. Just that glance made the lone-eyed man stiffen as if frozen by ice. He could only bitterly smile towards the edge of the cliff.

"Are you alright, Li" Mo Xiuyao asked with a slight warmth in his eyes. Ye Li calmly tucked her blade away under his gaze and walked to him, saying apologetically: "Sorry for making you worry."

Mo Xiuyao's expression changed slightly; he sighed softly before saying, “You’re tired, let’s talk back home.”

Ye Li agreed with Mo Xiuyao that it wasn't the right environment to speak now. One of the women following them handed Ye Li a cloak which she accepted despite feeling it was not cold enough.

"Han Mingyue, why are you here" Mo Xiuyao asked sharply at the man by the cliff.

“You still recognize me” The man sighed and pulled off his mask to reveal an originally handsome but now dejected face. On hearing "Han Mingyue," Ye Li raised her eyebrows slightly; seeing the familiar features under the mask, she was not surprised. This face resembled the previous flamboyant “Moon Prince” by at least eight parts. Yet while that one had a flirtatious and debauched air, this man seemed more upright and suave.

"Haha, Xiuyao, we haven’t seen each other for years. I didn't expect to meet under such circumstances; it's truly... regrettable." Though dressed like a bandit, he still exuded the grace of an aristocrat but his slightly ingratiating expression was somewhat off-putting: "Surely you wouldn't have come so far just to congratulate on your marriage if you’re not fond of old friends"

"Your congratulations turned out to be the kidnapping of my fiancée" Mo Xiuyao's voice was low and pleasant. Ye Li stood behind him, subconsciously pulling her cloak tighter around herself.

"It's a misunderstanding," Han Mingyue said helplessly with a bitter expression on his face: "I didn't know beforehand that the person I had to kidnap would be your fiancée. But if I accepted the job and couldn’t complete it, how could my reputation and honor be maintained I have already tried my best to minimize losses. Now that my business is done, your fiancée is unharmed." And she even tricked me, don't you think

"Who paid" Mo Xiuyao asked him sternly.

"I can’t say," Han Mingyue said with a bitter smile.

Mo Xiuyao sneered. "Han Mingyue, apart from your brother, is there anything else that you would not sell for money"

Han Mingyue sighed and his expression became more bitter as he looked at Mo Xiuyao: “There are still a few things I wouldn’t be able to part with. Moreover, Mingyi was also thoroughly taken care of this time by you, wasn’t she Xiuyao, if you let it go this time for my sake, I promise there won't be another incident.” Mo Xiuyao’s expression darkened further and Han Mingyue stamped his foot: “I’ll give one-tenth of the Tianyi Pavilion’s profit to your wife as a compensation!”

"Han Mingyue, you’re being too anxious," Mo Xiuyao raised his hand and lightly touched the mask on his face as he said coolly.

Han Mingyue froze, a look of regret flashing across his face. He had forgotten that Mo Xiuyao knew him so well; if he hadn’t been so nervous, then it would be harder for Mo Xiuyao to pinpoint the target. "Xiuyao, I beg you…"

"Get lost," Mo Xiuyao said coldly after staring at Han Mingyue’s pleading face.

Despite such rude treatment, Han Mingyue was pleased: “I will definitely send an apology to your wife within three days!”

The answer from Mo Xiuyao was a slight backward hand gesture, followed by the order, "Black Cloud Cavalry, fire!"

At that moment, people who had been standing in half-circles around them suddenly pulled out bows and arrows. The archers drew their bows and fired.

Han Mingyue fell to his doom reluctantly. “Mo Xiuyao, you’re ruthless!”

The sound of Han Mingyue’s screams faded away as he plummeted off the cliff; Ye Li blinked her eyes and looked at Mo Xiuyao. She was uncertain whether Han Mingyue had hidden any strength, but even if she fell from this height in her best condition, it would not be an unscathed fall either. As if knowing her doubt, Mo Xiuyao explained: “Han Mingyue likes to leave a back-up plan; he must have some preparations set up below. He can’t die.” Ye Li frowned; the threat of throwing him down had actually been useless. Not understanding one’s opponent easily results in mistakes. Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy ensures victory in every battle. The words of Sun Tzu rang true.

"Let's go back," Mo Xiuyao stretched out his hand softly.

“Alright.”

In Xu’s residence, Ye Li had finally managed to send away her two uncles and five cousins. Although she found it somewhat overwhelming to deal with so many people at the same time, she was also warmed by their concern for her as a family member. Mo Xiuyao sat quietly on one side, gazing silently at the girl opposite him. He suddenly realized how little he knew about his fiancée—she hadn’t even reached sixteen years of age but had already shown surprising strength, decisiveness and maturity beyond her age. What was he doing when he was fifteen or sixteen Mo Xiuyao rarely recalled past events, yet watching this girl’s calm smile made him feel that remembering the past wasn’t so painful.

At fifteen or sixteen years old, he had been full of ambition and success, riding through the capital city with arrogance and freedom. Who in the world didn't know about Ding King Manor's young master who was a prodigy with outstanding talent Who didn’t know that the young general of Ding King Manor swept across Southern Frontier at an early age Even on bloody battlefields, he radiated confidence and spoke without inhibition. But this girl had experienced most things in life that many women would never face—such as losing her mother at a young age, being rejected from a marriage, facing scheming stepmothers, a poor reputation, and being kidnapped and attacked. Yet she never seemed flustered; even after today’s incident where she narrowly escaped danger, she didn’t cry or get angry but smiled apologetically, saying she had caused him to worry. If he were in her position at this age, Mo Xiuyao would never be as composed, and thus sighed quietly.

"Lily, I'm very sorry for what happened today," Mo Xiuyao said after a while.

Ye Li raised her eyes to look at him with a gentle smile: "This wasn't something you could control either; I was too careless myself. But... the reputation of Ding King Manor might suffer tomorrow in the capital city."

Moh Xiuyao looked at her with deep, unfathomable eyes: “I will take responsibility for Ding King Manor as long as you don’t regret it.”

Ye Li blinked and understood his meaning. He would take full control of Ding King Manor, so no matter what happened to her reputation, it wouldn't affect their marriage. Was that how it was Shaking her head slightly, Ye Li smiled helplessly: "If I were to regret it, perhaps I’d never marry again in my life. So... let’s make do with each other"

A barely noticeable curve appeared at the corner of Mo Xiuyao's lips: “That would be best. If you ever regretted, then I wouldn’t easily find another suitable queen.”

Ye Li looked at him and smiled: "Since Your Highness doesn't mind, let’s just make do."

Looking at the young girl sitting by the window who turned around to smile and say that they would make do with each other, Mo Xiuyao suddenly felt his heart stir. In the candlelight, her pale complexion seemed to emit a faint glow, making him feel moved. Soon, Mo Xiuyao looked away and rested his hand on his forehead: “Han Mingyue will likely send you something in the next two days; just accept it all.”

Ye Li was surprised: "He’ll really give me one-tenth of Tianyi Pavilion’s income" Tianyi Pavilion was the largest intelligence organization in Dachu, and even a tenth of its annual revenue from selling information would be astonishing.

Moh Xiuyao nodded, looking at Ye Li with an expression that showed he wanted to say more but stopped himself.

Ye Li smiled: "Let’s not talk about today. Since you’ve already agreed to Han Mingyue, although I’m still unclear of how powerful Tianyi Pavilion and Qingfeng Mingyue Tower are, I don’t want to become their enemy either. But it stops here; if that person makes any future moves against me, I won’t accept any pleas for mercy."

"Of course," Mo Xiuyao said after a moment of silence, looking at Ye Li earnestly: “As long as you don't regret it, we’ll be one family from now on. Anyone who wants to hurt Lily is my enemy.”

Ye Li nodded and smiled without speaking further. Outside the window, the crescent moon gradually set behind the roof ridge. The young woman looked back at the waning moon in the sky; her fair face was bathed in a layer of calm light from the moonlight. Behind her, the youth sitting on a wheelchair stared intently at her slender figure, his gentle gaze filled with an indescribable glow.

In a secret hideout of the Heaven Hall in some part of the capital city, Han Mingyue stumbled into the room looking disheveled and startled the people inside.

"Brother, what happened to you" The playboy who made countless parents want to peel his skin off but also left many young ladies confused asked as he rushed forward to catch his brother's trembling body. Han Mingyue waved him away and let himself be led over to a soft couch where he sat down with a bitter smile on his face, "I provoked the devil."

Although he was used to making every preparation possible, jumping off a cliff even being as careful as one could still resulted in internal injuries from hitting protruding tree branches. He didn’t have any resentment towards this, they all knew that Mo Xiuyao had already shown mercy. Otherwise, no one of the Black Cloud Cavalry would be unable to hit someone who was completely without inner strength.

"Eh Big brother, did you meet Miss Ye San" Han Mingyi asked in surprise as he took his brother's pulse.

Han Mingyue forced himself up and narrowed his eyes at his younger brother. "How do you know that You got involved with Mo Xiuyao this time because of this girl, aren’t you

His younger brother awkwardly rubbed his nose and said in an apologetic tone, “Brother… uh, I fell into Miss Ye’s hands last time too. It was the same medicine. That … I owe her a favor; don't give her any trouble okay”

Han Mingyue gave him a cold look. "You're using Heaven Hall as your IOU"

His brother lowered his head and started counting on his fingers, “That woman is very smart. She guessed the relationship between the Qingshan Mingyue Pavilion and Heaven Hall without me saying anything about it. I gave her my jade pendant, but there was nothing I could do.”

"It's my jade pendant! Give it back to me. You don't know what kind of trouble you would cause with it." Han Mingyue held out his hand and his brother didn’t dare to defy him, so he obediently handed over the jade pendant. Anyway, he had no interest in Qingshan Mingyue Pavilion or Heaven Hall; holding onto his brother’s jade pendant was purely for fun, "Big brother, are you badly injured I will go call a doctor."

Seeing that usually carefree younger brother looking worried, Han Mingyue's expression softened slightly and he said in a soft voice, “It doesn’t matter. I just can’t use my inner strength so there’s no need to call the doctor. Do we have guests”

Han Mingyi's face turned solemn as he snorted coldly and said, "Indeed, a woman came looking for you this afternoon but I chased her away."

"Mingyi…"

His younger brother walked around the room irritably. “Brother, can we just go to Jiangnan and stay out of these affairs Last time, I only joked with Ye Li; Mo Xiuyao almost cut off one leg and an arm from me. Even if you’re the head of Heaven Hall, don’t forget that he’s a prince. Are you not valuing your own life anymore Do you want to lose all of Heaven Hall too” Han Mingyue opened his mouth as if trying to say something but was interrupted by his younger brother again before he could speak, "Don't talk about us being friends! It's nonsense! Even if we were friends, we shouldn’t touch other people’s women. Do you think I have no limits because I’m a flower thief And don’t forget what we did to him back then! How can you still dare to provoke him"

"Mingyi… You’ve grown up." Han Mingyue looked at his younger brother walking around irritably and said softly without any of the usual nonchalance.

Han Mingyi blushed as he turned away, "I’m going to call that woman over!" Seeing his brother disappear outside the door, Han Mingyue frowned and pressed on his still aching chest. He didn’t know why but Mingyi’s earlier words about him not forgetting what they did to Mo Xiuyao popped up in his head. The corners of Han Mingyue's eyes darkened as he sighed inwardly, "I’ll add ten percent more tomorrow when delivering the gifts."

"How did you get yourself into this state" A low female voice came from outside the door.

Han Mingyue looked up and saw a woman in black clothes covering her slender body. Her face was completely hidden by a black veil, only leaving two cold eyes reflecting dissatisfaction and anger behind it.

"Aren’t you seeing that" Han Mingyue sat up and said with a mild voice.

The woman in black snorted, "Did you complete the task I assigned to you"

Clunk! The tea cup in Han Mingyue's hand shattered into pieces. Clear tea water trickled down his fingers. “I’m not your servant! Watch how you talk!”

A hint of anger flashed across her eyes but she quickly suppressed it and said softly, "It’s my fault. Mingyue, tonight…"

“So what if I didn't do it Anyway, the news that Ye Li was captured has already been spread out; your goal must have also been achieved.”

"You failed!" Her voice became sharp and piercing suddenly. "I want you to ruin her completely!"

Han Mingyue touched his neck meaninglessly as he smiled bitterly inwardly. Ruin her It was fortunate that he didn’t have the intention of doing so, otherwise it would probably be him who would end up being ruined. Miss Ye San wasn't as harmless as she looked on the surface for some reason. However, Han Mingyue did not intend to share this information with the woman in front of him.

"I let you do it yourself and that’s a favor I bestowed upon her; why didn’t you do it"

“Enough!” Han Mingyue said coldly. "Why don't you ask how badly I was injured Do you think that if I had really hurt Ye Li, I would still be alive now"

"I…" The woman gasped slightly as she seemed to realize her inconsiderate behavior and looked at him apologetically. She then said softly, "Why did you go alone when more people would have helped Even if Mo Xiuyao was bringing the Black Cloud Cavalry with him, he might not be able to hurt you. The situation is such that he can’t mobilize a large number of troops." Han Mingyue’s cold expression relaxed as he listened to her gentle voice and said in a mild tone, "Because I don’t want Heaven Hall dragged into this mess. This is between us two so naturally it’s my responsibility alone. You better take care of yourself from now on; don’t ask me about Ye Li anymore or I won't help you."

"Why"

“Because Mo Xiuyao will definitely kill me next time. I’m a businessman and never want to challenge the limits of the Mochi family. Go now, be careful.” With that, Han Mingyue closed his eyes and leaned against the soft couch as he ignored the woman in black standing at the door.

The woman obviously wanted to say more but seeing how the man on the sofa looked with a defeated expression full of rejection she only sighed. She then said, "Then you must rest well; I will leave now."

Turning around, she walked out the door. Nearby stood a man who was eight-tenths similar to Han Mingyue and was staring at her darkly, “You don’t need to come back anymore; we’re going back to Jiangnan soon.”

The woman in black turned sideways and lifted her sharp eyes, with a hint of disdain. "Take your time picking some flowers but stay out of other people’s business. I wouldn’t want Mingyue to tell me that he lost a brother one day." Han Mingyi's expression darkened as he gave a cold laugh, “Perfect; let me see what kind of woman could make my brother so infatuated.” Few people knew about the playboy’s martial arts skills but his agility was definitely not something idle people could obtain. The man originally standing under the tree disappeared in an instant when he lifted up his clothing slightly and appeared at the side of the black-clothed woman, reaching out to pull her veil off. "Impudent!"

"Mingyi! Stop!" Han Mingyue said from the door with a stern expression as he looked at the two people who were ready to fight each other. “Let her go.”

“Hmph!” With an angry wave of his hand, Han Mingyi rushed past like a startled swan and vanished onto the roof. Han Mingyue watched the black-clothed woman in the courtyard with a warning look in his eyes, "Don’t provoke Mingyi."

"Heh heh, as long as he doesn't provoke me first, why would I go and provoke him Mingyue, he is still your brother after all. We are friends, right" The woman chuckled softly.

Bang! Han Mingyue took a step back and slammed the door shut in front of her heavily.

"Han...Ming...Yue!" Shock flashed across the black-clad woman’s eyes as she called out angrily. But soon, she saw that the candle inside had gone out quickly, clearly signaling that whoever was inside intended to go to sleep. With a soft grunt, she turned and left the quiet, dark courtyard.

The moment the black-clad woman stepped out of an unremarkable courtyard, several men in black came forward immediately. "Miss."

The woman nodded coldly. "Let's go back."

The leader noticed that the woman wasn’t in a good mood and dared not say anything as he waved his hand for them to quickly leave under cover of darkness.

"Swoosh—"

An arrow pierced through the air with immense force, heading straight at the group. The black-clad man at the front immediately drew his sword, intending to block it. But that wasn’t an easy feat as he felt a jolt in his hand and quickly lost feeling in his fingers. The feathered arrow shot past the blade toward the woman behind him.

"Ah!"

"Miss!"

The arrow grazed her cheek before embedding itself into a wall nearby. The black-clad woman turned to look at the penetrating arrow, and nearly fell over as she felt weak in the knees. Had it been just an inch closer, that arrow would have pierced through her head or ruined her face.

"Miss," someone next to her quickly stepped forward to support her. She waved him off with a flick of her hand before giving the black-clad man beside her a harsh slap across his face. “Useless!” The black-clad male lowered his head, his expression bleak.

"Feng Zhirao!" A clear voice rang out from不遠處的屋頂，女子抬頭就看到一身招搖紅衣的鳳之遙悠閒地坐在屋頂上看著她狼狽的模樣。鳳之遙俊眉微挑，左手還拎著一把弓對她示意，“鳳之遙，你膽子不小！”

"Eh, this nobleman is so scared. A nobleman going out at midnight to shoot a couple of sneaky black-clad men shouldn’t be against the law. Who knows Qin Da Ren might even thank me for contributing to the city's peace and order. What do you think"

"Kill him!" The woman pointed at Feng Zhirao on the rooftop, her voice full of murderous intent. Just thinking about that arrow made her want to tear this arrogant man apart.

Feng Zhirao tsked. "Comparing numbers with me Afraid" He lazily raised his hand and beckoned behind him. A group of black-clad men quietly appeared on the roof, each holding a bow and arrow aimed precisely at the narrow street below. The woman’s eyes almost blazed in anger as she gritted her teeth arrogantly. "Feng Zhirao, dare you kill me"

Feng Zhirao shook his head with regret. “I don’t have the guts.”

Hearing this, the woman’s confidence seemed to grow as she raised her chin slightly. "Since you’re not brave enough, go away!"

“F*ck!” This nobleman hated women who looked down on others the most! Cold light flashed across Feng Zhirao's devilish phoenix eyes as he swiftly pulled back his bow and shot another arrow at her feet.

"Feng Zhirao!"

Feng Zhirao lazily looked at her with disdain in his gaze, even more than hers. "Stop calling out. I won’t fall for you no matter what. Someone asked me to warn you: stop doing all sorts of crazy things or that arrow tonight wouldn't have hit the wall. Even if you don’t believe my archery skills, you shouldn’t doubt them." He pointed at the black-clad man standing behind him, who stood tall and motionless. Feng Zhirao said indifferently.

"No… This is impossible…" The woman stared in disbelief at the black-clad man behind Feng Zhirao. How could he...

"Feng Zhirao, do you dare to mobilize the Black Cloud Cavalry on your own"

Feng Zhirao impatiently sat up and said, "Anyway, remember my warning. Don’t blame me if something happens."

The woman lowered her eyes without a word. Feng Zhirao wasn't in the mood to糾纏，對身後的人道：“辦完該辦的事，大家散了吧。”

“嗖——嗖——”

幾聲破空的風聲，原本護在女子身邊的人應聲倒地，隻留下為首的那一個緊緊地握著劍緊張戒備著。但是他心裡清楚，此時他握劍的手因為剛剛那一箭根本毫無力氣，若是再來一箭自己根本就擋不住也逃不了。

"Feng Zhirao, are you not afraid that someone in the palace will find out about your use of the Black Cloud Cavalry" The black-clad woman finally spoke.

Feng Zhiraho waved his hand and said with a smile, "Think first about how to explain why so many people suddenly disappeared from around you."

In the end, the woman didn't say anything more. With resentment, she left this deserted street with only one guard remaining. As soon as she was gone, the black-clad men on the roof also vanished into the night. Feng Zhirao turned and leaped over the roof to drop through an open window half-opened from the eaves into the room. He smiled helplessly at the man sitting inside: "How is it Are you satisfied nowt Banquet (2)The emperor's easy agreement to the Prince of Beirong's request left the officials present quite puzzled. After all, they knew that the current emperor was someone who valued his reputati...