Entertainment Venue for the Crown Princess

be Keeping them alive is a waste of food.""That's right, Your Highness. We didn't gain anything after capturing Xinyang; why don't we just kill all the people from Dong Chu to teach them a lesson."Th...68. Princess Ding's "Playground"

"Help! Prince Li has fallen into the lake!"

The serene and joyful scene on Lady Beauty Lake was suddenly disrupted by a shrill scream. People aboard a nearby pavilion boat watched in shock as a tall figure tumbled out of a grand, luxurious boat and plunged into the water with a splash. By the time everyone realized what had happened, they were all startled—Prince Li had fallen into the lake! Nearby boats rushed to the scene; those who had conflicts with Prince Li found good spots to watch the spectacle, while those who knew him well quickly instructed their servants to jump in and save him.

The commotion naturally caught everyone's attention on board. Mu Songting and Leng Haoyu rushed in first, asking, "Aili, Aili, are you okay" Mu Songting pulled Ye Li and anxiously checked her over before sighing with relief once she confirmed that Ye Li was unharmed. She then asked indignantly, "What's going on with Prince Li Did he bully you, Aili" Ye Li, still shaken but smiling slightly, said, "I’m fine… It’s Prince Li. He… somehow fell into the lake."

"My Lord!" Ye Ying and Princess Qi霞 were shocked and immediately rushed to the window. Several people had already jumped into the water to save him, but no one had seen a sign of Mo Jingli yet. Ye Ying anxiously said, "Why would My Lord fall into the lake He… he can’t swim! Third Sister…" This time, Ye Ying didn't doubt Ye Li; after all, in her mind, Mo Jingli was a formidable man both literate and martial, who couldn’t possibly have been tossed into the water by Ye Li. Ye Li, trying to comfort her frightened sister, said soothingly, "Don’t worry, there are so many people saving Prince Li now. He’ll be fine." Ye Ying watched the lake with tear-filled eyes and didn't say another word to Ye Li. Princess Qi霞 glanced at everyone in the cabin before turning to leave.

"Where are you going" asked Ye Li coolly.

"I’m going to save My Lord, what’s it got to do with you!" Princess Qi霞 knew that Ye Li had recognized her. Recalling how she’d appeared so disheveled in front of Ye Li made her uncomfortable and she didn’t want to be stuck in the same cabin as her. Ye Li pulled Ye Ying aside, saying, "Fourth Sister, take this lady back to your boat. As a guest of Prince Li's, you should look after her properly."

"But…" Ye Ying hesitated; she disliked Princess Qi霞 and had no heart for such matters when Prince Li’s fate was uncertain.

Ye Li frowned, "Enough, don’t forget your position. Prince Li won’t come to harm, so don't worry yourself."

After convincing Ye Ying to leave, Ye Li smiled at the others and relaxed against the window, watching the rescue efforts below. After a while, Prince Li was finally pulled out of the water; his usually stern face showed a large bruise on his forehead in the sunlight, but thankfully his nose seemed fine after being submerged for so long. The crowd carried him onto a nearby boat belonging to the Prince's household, and Ye Li’s surroundings became much quieter.

Leng Haoyu looked thoughtfully at Ye Li relaxing by the window, asking, "Is Princess not worried"

Ye Li smiled lightly, "Worried about what Don't worry, Prince Leng. Prince Li has a lot of luck and won’t come to harm. As you saw, he's still alive."

Mu Songting propped her chin in her hand curiously and asked, "Why would Prince Li fall into the lake" While accidents did happen during boat tours, they usually involved unruly children or frail young ladies; it was unusual for someone as strong as Prince Li to end up in the water. Ye Li answered solemnly, "Even horses trip; perhaps Prince Li suddenly stood and fell when his boat wasn't steady."

Mu Songting wondered internally if he had good light-footed skills, but Ye Li replied calmly, “Prince Li is afraid of water and probably forgot himself.” His acrobatic skills weren’t foolproof, especially not with a sudden numbness in one leg. Unless he could levitate like someone she knew—next time, it wouldn't be so easy to prank Mo Jingli. Ye Li silently resolved to be more cautious around him next time they met. Hua Tianxiang was unconcerned about how Prince Li fell but worriedly said, "Li'er, if something happens to Prince Li on your boat… the Empress Dowager and Lady Virtuous would worry." Ye Li innocently blinked, “Boats sometimes rock a bit; do I need to be responsible for Prince Li drinking too much and losing his balance Alright... leaving windows open might have been my fault.” Leng Haoyu glanced at the two opened windows in the cabin with a smile and said, "Although it's early summer, it’s still warm on the lake. Everyone would understand if Princess forgot to close them."

Ye Li smiled gratefully.

Hua Tianxiang shook her head, saying, "Li'er, we're fine, but Prince Li doesn’t get along well with King Ding and has conflicts with you too. Even without a real incident, people might stir up trouble; be careful." Ye Li thanked Hua Tianxiang and said she would pay attention. If Mo Jingli actually told everyone he’d been beaten by a woman, she wouldn't mind reasoning with him properly. She never acted rashly without considering the consequences thoroughly. Recalling his pitiful expression earlier, she felt her fists still tingling with regret for not hitting more.

Prince Li’s residence

Mu Jingli was awakened by a sobbing sound and found himself feeling miserable all over; the intermittent crying made him feel as if his head had exploded. "Shut up!" he demanded.

"My Lord, you finally woke up..." Ye Ying rushed over in delight. Xizi Princess also hurriedly squeezed her way through and asked, "Brother Jingli, how are you Are there any discomforts"

Mu Jingli closed his eyes briefly before he recalled what had happened to him. A breath was stuck in his chest that couldn’t come out, followed by a thunderous coughing fit. Ye Ying hurriedly supported Mu Jingli and helped ease his breathing. "My Lord, are you feeling better" Looking at Ye Ying’s tear-streaked face and recalling the indifferent expression of some hateful woman, Mu Jingli felt annoyed. "Stop crying. I am not dead yet. Where is Ye Li" Xizi Princess snorted, “Brother Jingli, what are you talking about Of course Ye Li returned to her Ding王府 (Ding Noble Manor). She didn’t even come to see if you were fine after something happened in her bedroom. Really impolite!” Ye Ying glared at Xizi Princess, "No matter how much my third sister is more polite than certain people, there are differences between men and women. When My Lord was sick, why would my third sister come to visit" Ye Ying wasn’t stupid; even her own father couldn’t stop Xizi Princess from entering the Li王府 (Li Noble Manor). Although Ye Li had never gotten along with her since childhood, she still had a grudge against Xizi Princess. Compared to Xizi Princess, she definitely stood by Ye Ying as her sister. Thinking of today when Ye Li reminded her to keep an eye on Xizi Princess so that the princess wouldn’t run around causing trouble, and even Lady Taifei, who usually treated her coldly, praised her for a change upon her return, Ye Ying felt that sometimes listening to what this third sister had to say wasn’t wrong. After all, no matter how capable or clever her second sister was, she was still in the palace and couldn’t help her. Her grandmother was right; after they got married, they should support each other.

"You!" Xizi Princess was furious. That incident had left her unable to lift her head among the noblewomen of the capital city. Even her status as a princess might be lost. Although she could give up everything and return to Nanzhao where she would still be the high-ranking princess, she truly loved Jingli Brother. Even without her title, she wanted to stay with Jingli Brother forever. "Jingli Brother, look at her…"

"Enough, Princess XiZi Ying, you two should leave now. I am tired!" Mu Jingli said impatiently. Although the two women were usually troublemakers, they still obeyed Mu Jingli’s orders. Seeing that he had a stern expression, they reluctantly got up and left with reluctance.

"Li Er." Soon after the room became quiet again, Lady Xianzhao entered. Mu Jingli immediately wanted to get up but Lady Xianzhao sat down next to him on his bed first and frowned as she said, "How could you be so careless" Mu Jingli replied gravely, "Mother, I have caused you worry." Lady Xianzhao continued staring at him and asked, "Why did you fall into the water all of a sudden And it happened on Ding王府’s boat. Mother has told you many times not to provoke Ye Li again. Tell me, was it Ye Li who made you fall in the lake"

Mu Jingli's face darkened as he remained silent for a moment before saying, "It was my own carelessness."

"Careless It’s such an important time and you still claim to be careless" Lady Xianzhao rebuked him angrily. “This time I won’t ask you what happened but… from now on stay away from Ye Li and Ding王府. Don't provoke the Ding King, understand” Mu Jingli raised his eyebrow disdainfully as he said, "Mother, you and Mother Empress seem to think too highly of Mo Xiuyao." Seeing his dismissive expression, Lady Xianzhao sighed lightly and said, “You have fought with the Ding King since childhood; mother knows that you don’t take him seriously. But remember this: You can disregard Mo Xiuyao but must never ignore the Ding王府 (Ding Family Manor). The Ding王府 and Xu family are neither friends nor enemies to us now. Therefore, I will not ask about today’s incident. If you suffered any loss, just bear with it for me!”

Mu Jingli remained silent for a moment before saying in a low voice, "Mother, I have caused you worry."

Lady Xianzhao nodded and said softly to Mu Jingli, “Mother knows that you are a good child. Sometimes one can't do everything based on personal preference. When you get everything you want, wouldn’t it still depend on your heart So before then, you must be patient.”

"Thank you, Mother for your guidance," Mu Jingli said respectfully.

Ye Li spent a lot of time making clothes as gifts to Mo Xiuyao on his birthday. Of course, considering her not-so-pleasant memories of Jiahetai Lake and the possible existence of someone special in Mo Xiuyao's life now, Ye Li rejected Hua Tianxiang’s suggestion to invite Mo Xiuyao for a boat ride on the lake. Although she was quite curious about where Mo Xiuyao could find his beloved while rarely venturing out of doors all year round, she couldn’t figure out why he would marry her if there was someone special in his life or vice versa after marriage. Both scenarios made her rather unhappy because she didn't know which situation was worse—being married off as a shield against others' attacks or being unfaithfully treated by her husband within a month of marriage. Thus, the servants and maids of Ding王府 (Ding Noble Manor) were puzzled why their lord and lady’s relationship seemed to revert back to how it was right after their wedding. It appeared that Lady alone was distancing herself from Lord; did they quarrel But seeing them interacting calmly, they didn't seem to be in a fight.

Mu Xiuyao of course knew Ye Li was subtly distancing herself from him. He wouldn’t say it was distancing but rather she was unnoticeably reverting their relationship back to its initial state. However, he failed at this goal because not only did Mu Xiuyao notice, but even the matron in charge of Ye Li’s maids and servants as well as the usually busy Aunt Sun noticed too. But Mu Xiuyao couldn’t figure out why. It seemed like it started since the day Yang Qianru came to pay her respects… In his study alone, Mu Xiuyao pondered silently. He didn't think that Ye Li was angry due to Yang Qianru's visit; they both knew it wasn’t a big deal and Ye Li wouldn’t hold a grudge over such trivial matters. So… could it be because of their conversation Holding the book but not reading, Mu Xiuyao recalled every word from their talk silently.

While Mu Xiuyao was lost in thought, Ye Li had already changed into male attire and left the manor with Qing Luan and Qing Shuang. As Ding Princess’s identity meant she would attract attention wherever she went, Ye Li learned to disguise herself like others did. Fortunately, her skill of altering appearances was excellent; not using any kind of mask but merely changing skin tone, eyebrows, etc., along with details such as the Adam's apple and ear piercings, a somewhat pale, handsome youth emerged. Combined with her unique demeanor different from that era’s women, it made it difficult to recognize her if one wasn’t familiar or didn't look closely. Thus, while Qing Luan and Qing Xiang watched in astonishment, Ye Li left them counting the books in Zangzheng Pavilion (Treasure Pavilion) and left confidently with a fan she had picked up at random.

The two dark guards who followed Ye Li secretly held their breaths for their lord. What kind of princess did he marry If not for watching her enter the room closely and seeing that handsome youth walk out, they almost would have lost track of Lady. They were the most experienced dark guards in Ding王府; if they lost track of her, how could they remain in this position, back to military camp training directly. But… looking at the graceful scholar strolling ahead, Third Brother, did he look like a woman

Not at all, Little Four.

Since she was able to practice martial arts openly and unrestrictedly, Ye Li seemed increasingly to dislike her previous lifestyle. She could only pretend; deep inside, she never had the demeanor of an aristocratic lady, nor did she consider herself lively and active either. But satisfying normal human entertainment needs was necessary. Regarding Mu Xiuyao’s issue, after thinking about it for a few days, she put it aside. If Mu Xiuyao truly had someone special in his life and decided to amicably end their relationship, she could accept that too. She had money; she believed Mu Xiuyao wouldn't be stingy with alimony issues. But as such, nurturing feelings or planning for future children would have to be put on hold. She certainly didn’t have the habit of wanting to bear a child when knowing someone else was already in their heart. Therefore, believing they no longer needed to cultivate feelings, Ye Li had more free time and decided to venture out more often. Married women did not need to stay locked up at home daily.

“Lei Er.” In the room after it quieted down for a while, Concubine Xianzhao entered. Mu Jinglei hurriedly wanted to rise; Xianzhao Concubine sat beside him on his bed and frowned, "Why are you so careless"

Mu Jinglei solemnly replied, "Mother, I've caused you worry."

Xianzhao Concubine stared at him intensely, asking, "How did you fall into the lake Especially on Lord Ding's boat. Mother told you many times not to provoke Ye Li. Tell me, was it Ye Li who made you fall"

Mu Jinglei’s face darkened as he replied after a moment of silence, “It was an accident.”

"Accident It's still an accident now" Xianzhao Concubine frowned and said discontentedly, "This time I won't ask about the details. But from now on, stay away from Lord Ding's people. Also, don't provoke Lord Ding anymore. Understand"

Mu Jinglei raised his eyebrows disdainfully and retorted, “Mother, you and Mother Empress shouldn’t see Duke Mo Xiyao as such a big deal.” Seeing his disdainful expression, Concubine Xianzhao sighed lightly and said, "You've been fighting with Lord Ding since childhood. I know you don't respect him much. But remember this: even if you can disregard Mo Xiyao, you cannot ignore the importance of Lord Ding's王府 (Kingdom). We cannot befriend or offend the Xu family at present, so I won’t inquire about today’s incident. Even if you suffered a loss, you must endure it for me!"

Mu Jinglei fell silent before he said solemnly, “I’ve caused Mother worry. I understand.”

Concubine Xianzhao nodded and looked at Mu Jinglei gently, "Mother knows you’re a good child. Sometimes one cannot do everything based on personal preference. When you obtain everything you desire, what you want to do will depend solely on your heart, won't it Therefore, you must endure until then."

"Thank you, Mother for your guidance," Mu Jinglei replied respectfully.

"This... shouldn't happen, right" Dark Guard Three hesitated, "How about I follow the Princess Consort while you go back to report to His Highness"

"What if the Princess Consort really did run away from home What if we lose her track" Although they had yet to personally test the Princess Consort's martial arts prowess, it was definitely not as feeble as some fancy moves.

"This... We've already lost her!" Dark Guard Three exclaimed. They had just left the city gates and the Princess Consort was nowhere to be seen Could it be that they were too engrossed in their conversation

"Why are you wasting time Go look for her now!" The two dark guards emerged from hiding, searching for any sign of the Princess Consort's whereabouts. Although they had refrained from following too closely, they hadn't strayed far either. It was impossible that she could have gone very far in such a short time.

Ye Li sat on the tree trunk watching the two dark guards below, muttering to each other. Their ability to hide their tracks was impressive, but their personalities were a bit off— "I'm asking... Do you guys never look up" Two passing dark guards blushed as they looked at the refined youth leaning against the tree. It's because in the Defining王府 (Prince's Manor), there had never been a Consort who could climb trees before, and we've circled around this spot for quite some time without hearing so much as a breath from below. "Pr... Princess Consort..." The two dark guards silently shed tears, already deciding to report back to their leader upon returning today. They didn't deserve to be Dark Guards; they needed to retrain themselves.

Ye Li gracefully jumped down from the tree and landed in front of them, "Thank you for your efforts."

"We dare not."

"I never intended to run away from home," Ye Li smiled at the two nervous dark guards. Dark Guard Three breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously asked: "Then... what did Princess Consort come out of the city gates for"

"I just wanted to see how long you could follow me." Ye Li smiled, nodding in approval: "Overall, not bad. But it would be better if you could control your eyes a bit more. As soon as we left the Treasure Collection Pavilion, before even reaching one li away, I couldn't pretend not to notice."

"Many thanks for Princess Consort's guidance," they replied— discovered within less than a li of distance, was this supposed to be praise

Ye Li looked at the dejected dark guards with satisfaction and said: "You can follow me. But... will you tell anyone what I do every day" The two dark guards were overjoyed: "Many thanks Princess Consort. Since His Highness and Princess Consort's wedding, my partner and I have been assigned as exclusive Dark Guards for Princess Consort. Unless Princess Consort is in danger of life, we wouldn't disclose anything about her to others, including His Highness," explained Dark Guard Four. Ye Li nodded; Mo Xiurao had told her about the issue with the Dark Guards at Defining王府 (Prince's Manor), and she confirmed that they hadn't informed him of any matters concerning her either these days. But it didn't matter what they said because whatever she wanted them to see wasn’t confidential. "Perfect, I need a few laborers, follow me."

Dark Guards Three and Four exchanged glances; did they mention that they were Dark Guards

The title of Princess Consort at Defining王府 (Prince's Manor) was no longer associated with just the word 'woman' for them today. The Princess Consort could ride a horse That wasn't strange, most women in Western Ling and North Rong also knew how to ride horses. She had martial arts skills They already knew that within the manor. But who would have thought that she'd bring two people to raid a bandit fortress Alright, there weren’t any bandits here anymore; the night when Princess Consort was kidnapped, Third Young Master Feng had led Black Cloud Cavalry (Black Yunnan Army) and wiped out this so-called 'Black Cloud Peak' Bandit Fortress. The brothers in the Black Cloud Cavalry felt frustrated— daring to name a place after their unit and provoking His Highness Wasn't that tarnishing the reputation of Black Cloud Cavalry

Seeing Ye Li ride over a hundred miles on horseback, then walking calmly up the mountain without showing any signs of fatigue. The newly promoted guards from Dark to Visible were quite dejected. Ye Li turned back and raised an eyebrow with puzzlement at them: "Why aren't you following Tired"

The two shook their heads vigorously like spinning tops, and Dark Guard Three mustered up courage to ask: "Princess Consort, why are we here"

Ye Li turned around and smiled at the two of them: "Mountain climbing, taking a walk, going on an outing, or just relaxing Or maybe I'm thinking about killing you both and selling you"

"Princess Consort..."

The duo had been to Black Cloud Peak before but once they ascended the mountain, they realized it was entirely different from their previous visit. The fortress on top of the mountain wasn't damaged at all; instead, the original traps and mechanisms leading up to it were dismantled, making the path much easier for people to travel. Although this wouldn’t matter much to those with high martial arts skills but for ordinary folks, the difference was significant. Moreover, there were still inhabitants living in the fortress. They could see smoke rising from afar. Was Princess Consort planning on becoming a bandit Or did Black Cloud Peak become a hideout for more bandits and she wanted them to accompany her to suppress the outlaws

As they approached the entrance of the fortress, barking dogs sounded off. Soon, an energetic old man in his sixties came forward with several elderly people and children, smiling at Ye Li as he greeted her: "Young Master Chu."

Ye Li nodded, "Elder Wang, is it alright if we come in"

The elder leaned on a cane and repeatedly nodded. "I'm doing very well, thanks to your care, Young Master. Please enter," he invited.

Ye Li asked the old man to walk ahead of her and walked in front, asking as she went: "I can't come here often. Is Master Wang comfortable staying here"

The old man replied: "This place is neither too far nor too close from the capital, everything is good. We have been following your instructions for everything you asked us to do. Do you want to take a look Oh... It's almost time for lunch. As you've come all this way, you probably haven't eaten yet. If you don't mind the rough conditions in our village, why don’t we eat first" Ye Li had indeed not eaten since morning and thus nodded her agreement. The old man was very happy and instructed someone to prepare lunch, personally escorting Ye Li into a simple but clean room for rest. "Your Excellency... This place..." Dark Guard Three asked eagerly as soon as the old man left, yet he couldn't figure out what he should be asking.

Ye Li sat leisurely in her chair and said: "You want to know about this place After my last visit here, I thought it was a good spot so I bought it." This place was not too far from the capital city and wasn’t an uninhabited wilderness. The mountains and forests naturally belonged to someone, but because of bandits that ordinary people were afraid to deal with them. Dark Guard Four asked不解地問道：“Your Excellency, why buy this mountain It doesn't seem like it has much value.” Neither the trees nor plants on the mountain had great value, and there didn’t appear to be any gold or silver mines around.

Ye Li blinked her eyes, "I never intended for it to have additional value. This is just an ordinary mountain. There's only a manor and several households on top of the mountain."

"The bottom" Dark Guard Three remembered there was indeed a decent-sized manor not far from the foot of the mountain.

Dark Guards were no fools, they knew that even if the manor at the bottom belonged to the Empress Consort, she would still value something on the mountain. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have specially climbed up here. The two pairs of eyes silently stared at the handsome young man before them; Ye Li helplessly closed her faked fan and said: "Alright then, after lunch I’ll take you there to see for yourselves. If you don't understand what it means to be a Dark Guard, I'll personally teach you until you do." Dark Guards Three and Four involuntarily shivered and answered almost instinctively: “Understood.”

After having a simple lunch, Ye Li thanked the old man and left with the two dark guards towards the back of the mountain.

Shortly after, Dark Guard Three and Four finally understood why their mistress told them she needed laborers. Climbing down from the cliffs at the rear of the mountain led to an enormous valley filled with towering trees. Even in broad daylight, one could hear wolf howls from afar. How was there such a place near the capital city Ye Li led them through the eerie forest for some time until they found a group of busy people building simple houses and other things that resembled what they had seen at the mansion's training ground as well as many unfamiliar items. What was strange to them was that, despite following their mistress these days, they hadn't seen her doing anything practical. So what exactly was going on here

The one who came up to greet them was a burly man in his thirties; he immediately welcomed Ye Li upon seeing her, calling out: "Young Master Chu."

Ye Li nodded and asked, “How is it coming along”

The burly man’s face was full of sincere smiles as he replied, "Sir, don’t worry. We won’t make any mistakes at all. Everything is done according to your instructions. Would you like to take a look" Ye Li nodded with satisfaction and smiled: "I have already had a look and think what you’re doing is excellent." The man scratched his head and laughed, saying, “We don't know exactly what these things are for, but Young Master Chu has done us favors and given us work. We will definitely do our best for him.” Ye Li chuckled, "No need to be formal, you earn your living through hard work. I brought some new blueprints today; if there's anything unclear in them, we can discuss it thoroughly." Ye Li then handed over a thick stack of blueprints he had just drawn up. The burly man flipped through the pages and smiled, saying: "I understand what Young Master has drawn. May I show these to our masters Would you like to join us" “Let me take a look first, I’ll come when they are done,” she replied.

The man happily left with the drawings, and Ye Li turned to the two who were still in shock, "You can ask now."

Dark Guard Four surveyed their surroundings and asked: "Is Your Excellency building a training ground" There were many things similar to what was at the mansion.

Ye Li nodded with satisfaction and smiled, “With your eyesight, you could say I am building an amusement park.”

Your hobby is so unique.

“How did Your Excellency find this place” Dark Guard Three asked.

"Ah, I asked someone if there were any hidden and interesting places near the capital city, and he recommended this one. I came here once and thought it was indeed a good spot," Ye Li replied.

Dark Guard Three frowned and looked up at the top of the mountain, “This place is easy to be intruded on” They had just come down from the cliffs themselves. Moreover, last time Lord Tianyige escaped through the bottom; it showed there were other ways in or out. Ye Li smiled and said: "If you’re talking about coming out at the bottom, I’ve already sealed off that route. If someone wants to enter or exit through this forest, after checking it out, I found that the edge of this woods is fifty miles away even further. One side is a deeper cliff, there’s swamps and toxic plants in the forest as well as dangerous animals. Don’t you see how every corner around here is filled with snake repellents It's truly an ideal hunting ground. To find such a place near the capital city is already hard enough to come by. If someone attempts to enter or exit through the top like we did… once this place is done, the route going up will disappear as well. And those who are not afraid of death can try jumping down using their lightness kungfu.”

Dark Guard Three and Four unconsciously moved closer to each other upon hearing the Empress Consort's tone; it seemed that jumping down from the top might be even more dangerous than entering through the forest.

"What is Your Excellency building such a place for" Dark Guard Three swallowed hard and asked with some difficulty.dy Liu. She replied coldly, "If my imperial grandmother gives me something, it’s mine. It has nothing to do with whether or not Lady Liu agrees that I give away my gift."Ye Li reached out and pulled t...