nd to the throne as Emperor so that she could enjoy a life of luxury as Empress Dowager. But who would have thought that her youngest child was occasionally brainless and her eldest, who happened to b...212. Prince of Southern Zhen Negotiates in Person

212。 Prince of Southern Zhen Negotiates in Person

Ye Li held the legendary Xiume Sword as she jumped down from the擂台, and Yun Ting immediately rushed over with a covetous look. "Madam Consort, can I borrow your sword to have a look" That was the renowned weapon of the Northern Rong tribe. The Great Chu had many famous swords cast by its blacksmiths. However, the craftsmanship required for casting knives wasn't as developed there compared to West Ling and the Northern Rong tribes—especially the latter, which were skilled in using knives and produced various high-quality blades. And then there was the famous Xiume Sword.

Ye Li gave him a nonchalant look, and Yun Ting instantly remembered his previous troubles, causing his excitement to turn into dismay and fear. After enjoying Yun Ting's expression of disappointment, Ye Li smiled as she tossed the sword to him. Yun Ting quickly thanked her, holding it carefully while admiring it openly. "Madam Consort’s archery skills are truly godlike; I am deeply impressed," Chen Yun said sincerely.

Since last year when Chen Yun witnessed the young Madam Consort's martial prowess at the training ground, he had been in awe of her. After today’s event, his admiration only deepened.

Ye Li smiled and said, "It isn’t as mysterious as you say. It's just that I put a little more effort into practice. On the battlefield, not everyone needs to shoot copper plates off trees at midnight. You are there to kill enemies, not to perform on a stage."

Chen Yun smiled without saying anything, knowing that Madam Consort was trying to console him. He decided in his heart that he would practice archery harder upon returning.

Since Chen Yun and Yun Ting lived in the barracks separate from Ye Li, when they parted ways, Yun Ting reluctantly returned the sword to her. Seeing how eagerly he wanted it, Ye Li smiled faintly and casually threw it back into his hands. "If you like it, keep it."

"Huh" Yun Ting was stunned by the surprise. Chen Yun beside him rolled his eyes helplessly. From the way Yun Ting looked at her, one might think she would take away something precious to him rather than a sword. Knowing that Madam Consort usually treated those around her kindly, he didn’t stop Yun Ting from being foolish. When Yun Ting finally came to his senses and carefully asked with a dazed expression, “Madam Consort… really Really give it to me” Ye Li smiled and said, "I wasn't after this sword; I just happened upon it. Besides, there's no one in the court who likes such curved swords. If you like it, keep it."

Compared to curved knives, Ye Li preferred light, straight daggers and bayonets. Furthermore, those dazzling jewels on the scabbard weren’t suitable for use as weapons. When Yun Ting received a firm answer from Ye Li, he clutched the sword eagerly, wanting nothing more than to take a bite of it just to see if it was real. Chen Yun standing beside him even took a step back, ashamed to walk with someone so overjoyed.

Ye Li looked at Chen Yun and said smilingly, "I remember that Commander Chen uses spears; he needs a close-range weapon for self-protection. I just got a Han Xi Blade recently. Let me have it sent over later and see if it suits you."

Chen Yun was delighted. Although the scabbard of the Han Xi Blade didn’t match the Xiume Sword’s splendor, its blade wasn’t inferior at all, as they were both cast by the same master blacksmith. Furthermore, the Han Xi Blade was more practical than the Xiume Sword. The latter had been decorated lavishly after being acquired by the Northern Rong royal family and was no longer suitable for battle, while the former retained the simplicity and sharpness of its original design. “Thank you, Madam Consort,” Yun Ting said gratefully.

Ye Li waved her hand and smiled, saying, "No need to thank me; it’s a good thing when a fine weapon finds a worthy owner. I’ll take my leave now; enjoy your leisure time."

"See you off, Madam Consort."

The place where Ye Li was talking with her entourage wasn’t too far from the擂台, so many people witnessed how casually she tossed the Xiume Sword to Yun Ting. The common folk naturally assumed that Madam Consort treated her subordinates well and generously, while those in the know couldn't help but frown.

In Qingxiang Pavilion, Yelü Ye and Mo Jingli simultaneously stared at the graceful figure walking away amidst the crowd. A shadow of gloominess passed through Yelü Ye’s eyes as he glared. Ye Li had publicly exposed Huyan Lu’s real identity but then casually rewarded a low-ranking commander with the Xiume Sword after winning it, which was clearly an affront to both Northern Rong and himself.

The proud Yelü Ye was once again thwarted by Ye Li, and it was hard for him to swallow his pride.

Yelü Ye stood up, intending to jump out of the window to chase after the figure that had already blended into the crowd. Suddenly, he felt a cold gaze piercing through him with undisguised killing intent. Following the direction of the gaze, Yelü Ye saw an open window across the street where a man with snow-white hair was calmly staring at him with a detached expression. Yelü Ye's heart

sank as he forced himself to sit down slowly, suppressing the chill in his heart. Mo Xiuyao, who was on the opposite side, smirked coldly when he saw that Yelü Ye had sat back down and raised his wine cup towards him. Yelü Ye snorted and drained the wine from the cup in front of him.

"Duke Ding's consort is indeed an unparalleled woman; this prince admires her," Prince Yelü Hong of Northern Rong said with a smile as he looked at Mo Xiuyao in the quiet room. Everyone was focused on the arena earlier, and no one noticed that Prince Yelü Hong and Duke Ding were watching from the second floor of a building on the street corner. Mo Xiuyao snorted softly; his cold expression softened slightly, clearly satisfied by Yelü Hong's compliments. Princess Ronghua sat next to Yelü Hong; once a proud princess known for her beauty in the capital, she was now more gentle and graceful than ever since being in Northern Rong.

Just two years ago, she never placed Duke Ding’s consort beneath her, but within these short two years, the gap between them had widened to an extent that even mentioning it made her feel ashamed. Witnessing Consort Ding's composed demeanor on the arena and her archery skills superior to even Northern Rong's best marksmen, Princess Ronghua knew that Duke Ding’s consort was someone she could never match.

The door of the room opened gently from outside; Ye Li stood with a smile at the entrance and asked, "Prince Yelü, am I disturbing you"

Yelü Hong was surprised for a moment before he quickly replied with a smile, "Not at all. It's an honor to have your presence here. Please come in." Ye Li stepped into the room and walked over to Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao helped her sit down gently and said softly, "Just send someone else to entertain him; why did you personally engage with him" Ye Li smiled and replied, "I just wanted to see how skilled Northern Rong's first marksmen really is." Yelü Hong raised his cup and laughed, "Sorry for disappointing the Duchess. Here’s to your health, my lady. Although Huyan Lu was once known as Northern Rong’s best marksman years ago..." Yelü Hong shook his head with a smile, "Let's not talk about such disheartening matters; here, Duchess, Duke, please."

Ye Li raised her cup and replied with a gentle smile, "Prince, Princess, please."

A few days before the full moon celebration for the heir apparent of Duke Ding, the entire city was in festive joy. Behind this facade of peace and prosperity were secret agreements made between various parties. For instance, there were trade deals with Nanzhao and purchases of medicinal herbs from them annually. Another deal involved secretly buying large quantities of grain from a merchant in Dachu. Or an agreement for temporary peace along the border with Prince Yelü Hong of Northern Rong that was being carried out without public knowledge. So while everyone outside celebrated, Ye Li’s people were busier than usual.

"My Lady, Southern General Marquis and his heir have come to see you," Ye Li rarely had any spare time in her room with the baby. The baby was now nearly a month old and wasn't as sleepy as when he first arrived. He looked at Ye Li with round eyes that were bright and clear like black pearls, making Ye Li's heart melt instantly. She felt she could never love this child enough. Hearing Lin Han’s report, Ye Li frowned and asked, "Is the王爺在府中嗎？"林寒答道：“王爺今早陪同清塵公子出城去了，至今未歸。是否…請鎮南王明日再來？”定王府上下對鎮南王毫無好感，特彆是當初王妃墜崖一事更是讓卓靖、林寒等人耿耿於懷，自然不希望葉璃再去見鎮南王。

Ye Li put down Mo Xiaobao and smiled faintly, "No need. We are in the Dingwang Mansion now. If I do not see them, it will seem that I am afraid of them."

Lin Han was silent as he retreated to wait outside for Ye Li.

A short while later, Ye Li had settled Mo Xiaobao and left her room with Qinglun and the others toward the main hall.

In the main hall of the Dingwang Mansion, Lei Tengfeng sat calmly in front of Southern General Marquis and observed the furnishings. To be honest, the Dingwang Mansion here in Ruyang was not as magnificent or grand as the one in Chu’s capital city. Since it had been newly reconstructed, even the ancient and solemn aura of the Dingwang Mansion in the capital city did not exist. Instead, there were more elements of Northwest China’s rugged simplicity and freedom. Southern General Marquis was also looking around the hall but his gaze was mostly fixed on the entrance.

When Ye Li entered the main hall, she said loudly with a smile, "I am late. I have kept王爺和世子等候多時了。墨總管，為何不為客人奉茶？"站在葉璃身邊的林寒麵無表情地看了一眼空著的鎮南王父子倆，淡淡道：“回王妃的話，墨總管去安排人為清雲先生佈置新居去了。”雷騰風也知道他們父子在定王府不受待見，苦笑著對葉璃說，“王妃不必客氣。”

Ye Li smiled, "Etiquette cannot be disregarded. The mansion has been busy recently and Mo Xiaobao is bound to make some mistakes; the heir should forgive him. Lin Han."

Lin Han nodded and ordered a maid outside to serve tea.

After the tea was served, Ye Li sipped it before smiling at Southern General Marquis and said, "The full moon banquet of my son is near; today I am busy with preparations. If there are any shortcomings, please do not blame me."

Southern General Marquis stared deeply into Ye Li’s eyes for a long time before he smiled and looked away, saying, “How could we Your arrangements make us feel at home.”

Ye Li knew that Southern General Marquis was merely being polite. She had never inquired about the arrangements made by Mo Xiaobao. ZHUO Jing and Wei Lin were both quick to seek retribution; they would not treat them as honored guests. After a brief pause, Ye Li asked, "Is there anything important for your visit"

Lei Tengfeng said with a smile, “Indeed, I have something trivial to discuss with Dingwang. However, my previous two requests to see him were rejected; hence, I had no choice but to seek an audience with you. Please forgive me.” Ye Li blinked and remembered that Mo Xiu Yao would turn dark whenever the topic of Xi Ling or Southern General Marquis came up. Lei Tengfeng might have been refused before. Now Mo Xiu Yao often acted without reason. Nonetheless, Ye Li was not upset by this; she knew that Mo Xiu Yao’s treatment of people from Xi Ling was due to her.

Ye Li smiled at Lei Tengfeng and said insincerely, "Xiu Yao has been busy recently; please forgive him."

Lei Tengfeng had no choice but to諒解。等到葉璃問：“世子有什麼事可以說與本妃，也是一樣的。”的時候，雷騰風看了一眼坐在一邊不知道在想什麼的父王，笑道：“其實也冇什麼大事，小王偶然聽說定王與北戎南詔都達成了通商協議……”葉璃挑眉，“偶然”這個詞用得倒是妙。想必西陵在各國都有佈下不少細作纔能有這樣的“偶然”。她平靜地等待著雷騰風說完剩下的內容。

Lei Tengfong felt somewhat helpless; he really did not enjoy speaking with Ye Li. After a few interactions, it was hard to treat her as an ordinary person. It was difficult to see any unexpected emotions on her face or in her eyes; she truly seemed like an amiable lady from a noble family. You could never see emotions such as curiosity, surprise, worry, etc., on her face. Such a person put unimaginable pressure on the opponent during negotiations because you could never know where their limits were. Perhaps their limit was just a hair's breadth away, but it felt like there was still thousands of miles between them.

Lei Tengfeng wasn't the first time he had felt frustrated; after hesitating in his heart, he no longer cared and continued speaking. “My Lady should know that our country has many transactions with Chu and Nan Zhao each year. Many of these goods must pass through Northwest China.” Xi Ling was large but truly lacked resources; it needed to import many things from other countries. Of course, Xi Ling followed the principle of搶則強，但是總有搶不到的東西。比如西陵皇族喜歡的綾羅綢緞、茶葉瓷器等都需要從南詔和大楚購買，這些確實是西方那些小國所冇有的。再說到底，西陵人原本還是與大楚人同源的，所以大多數西陵人都更習慣於使用大楚的產品。而西北則位於大楚和西陵之間的交通要道上，這些東西要想運回西陵都必須經過西北。

Ye Lüe smiled gracefully, and Lei Tengfeng only needed to say one sentence for her to understand their purpose today. In fact, the Ding王府 had been waiting for them all along; it just didn't occur to Ye Lüe that it wouldn't be someone from Xi Ling trying to inflate their status or delay time but rather Mo Xiaorao turning down their request outright. She gently placed the teacup back on the table and leaned against her chair, looking sideways at Lei Tengfeng and asked: "This concubine understands what the Young Master means; it is indeed good that we open up trade routes between our countries, but... I wonder what benefits this would bring to my Western Frontier" One sentence—what right does the Mo Family Army have to let your Xi Ling merchants pass through

Lei Tengfeng's gaze sank slightly as he smiled and said: "Even during times of war, trade between countries is not prohibited. It has always been a consensus that our country reaches with Dong Chu, Bei Rong, and Nan Zhao to exchange goods equally. But I don't understand why Concubine Wang would say this"

Ye Lüe lowered her gaze, smiling faintly: "If so, then let the Xi Ling merchants pass through the Western Frontier freely. Why does Your Highness need to specifically ask me"

Lei Tengfeng was momentarily speechless as he realized that this consensus often amounted to nothing more than a piece of paper when it came down to execution. The trade routes were far and fraught with dangers; who knew when bandits or unexpected incidents might occur At least in the past year, especially these last six months, fewer Xi Ling merchants had come to Great Chu compared to war times. Prices for many goods in Xi Ling's capital city have remained high.

Ye Lüe said calmly: "What Your Highness mentioned about not prohibiting trade during wartime is something I find questionable. If the two countries are at war, they would naturally wish to bring each other down. How could Great Chu agree to sell silk and grain to Xi Ling Or how could they allow Nan Zhao's medicinal herbs to be transported to Xi Ling Besides, even if all these were not an issue, how does Your Highness distinguish between real merchants and spies rushing in during wartime" Lei Tengfeng was momentarily stunned before sighing somewhat helplessly at the Duke of Zhennan who had been quietly listening to their conversation.

The Duke of Zhennan finally raised his head and looked at Ye Lüe, asking: "What conditions does Princess Consort Ding need"

Ye Lüe smiled and waved her hand towards Lin Han behind her. Lin Han efficiently handed two scrolls to the Duke of Zhennan and Lei Tengfeng.

The Duke of Zhennan took them with a puzzled look at Ye Lüe before he lowered his head to open one, raising it again after some time to ask: "According to what Concubine Wang said, what benefits would Xi Ling reap" Ye Lüe smiled lightly and replied: "Since the Western Frontier can accommodate merchants from all over the world, there's no reason for us to treat Xi Ling differently. The conditions Your Highness and the Duke mentioned should naturally be resolved accordingly, correct"

The Duke of Zhennan frowned and said solemnly: "I need some time to consider."

Ye Lüe smiled and replied: "Of course, your Excellency and Your Highness can provide an answer before leaving Ruyang."

The Duke of Zhennan put the scroll away and stood up looking at Ye Lüe and said: "The proposal I initially made—does Concubine Wang not intend to consider it If you are willing to come to Xi Ling, I will treat you as a Minister of State."

Ye Lüe was taken aback for a moment before she couldn't help but laugh. As she prepared to respond, Mo Xiaorao's cold voice came from outside the door: "Thank you for your kindness, Duke of Zhennan, my beloved consort doesn’t need the position of Minister in Xi Ling. Besides, who doesn’t know that the title of Minister in Xi Ling is merely an empty honor!" now on, you are no longer the governor. Take a look for yourself."Wang Duo did not pick up the documents from the ground but angrily replied, "What does Consort mean by this My position was personall...