337 The Queen of Helan's intention

ess doesn't wake up after that, how are we going to proceed What about the Black Family forces and preparations for the northwest" Shen Yang gave him an icy look. "I am a doctor; what other advice do...337. The Queen Dowager of Helan's Intentions

The age is undoubtedly the most taboo topic for any woman, especially for a stunning beauty who has already reached an advanced age. It's truly the most helpless thing in this world to see a beautiful woman fade and a general grow old prematurely. Therefore, even the proud Consort Liu was infuriated when provoked by the barbarian queen consort of Helan.

"You slut! What did you say!" Consort Liu trembled with rage as she glared at Queen Dowager Helan sternly.

Queen Dowager Helan herself was only sixteen or seventeen years old, truly a flower in full bloom. Though her complexion wasn't as delicate and fair as those from the Central Plains, her youthful skin still shone healthily and finely under the sun, something that Consort Liu lacked at her age. No matter how meticulously she put on makeup, at over thirty, no amount of skincare could restore her skin to its former youthful suppleness. Not to mention that she had endured a period of hardship in recent years which almost ruined all her previous efforts. Despite her best attempts to maintain herself, her appearance could never return to its peak state. Queen Dowager Helan's words were like salt poured into an open wound.

"How dare you!" Queen Dowager Helan's expression darkened as she lifted her chin and looked at Consort Liu arrogantly: "Considering that you are Prince Yelü's woman, I will let this slide. But believe me, if I were to beat your face until it is bruised and swollen, would the North Rong King really cause trouble for me over this" Consort Liu glared at Queen Dowager Helan with venom in her eyes. Yelü Ye frowned as he said solemnly: "Enough now, Queen Dowager Helan. Qing Yi was indiscreet just now, please forgive her. But you also spoke without propriety first. Why not let it go" After casting a glance at Ren Qining who showed no intention of backing her up, Queen Dowager Helan huffed and turned away.

Consort Liu had been unwilling to back down but was forced to hold her ground under Yelü Ye's warning gaze.

"Hey, isn't that the Prince Regent and Princess" Queen Dowager Helan turned to look out of the window just as she saw Mo Xiurao and Ye Li walking hand in hand through the crowd. With their silver hair standing out among a sea of black-haired people, Mo Xiurao was particularly noticeable. Hearing this, everyone looked over and indeed spotted an exceptionally striking couple walking side by side in the crowd. They were chatting and laughing while walking together with displeasure on their faces. Mo Xiurao wore a light blue robe embroidered with silver patterns and had his long silver-white hair flowing freely. As he lowered his head to look at the black-haired woman beside him, the words of gentle jesting from his lips seemed completely different from his usual aloof and chilly demeanor.

The woman next to him had her dark hair piled up in a loose bun and casually wore a purple flower on one side. A delicate silver hairpin gently swayed by her ear, complementing her clear and elegant features exquisitly, making it impossible for anyone not to look at her. Ye Li was wearing a simple white robe with silver trim and had a light purple jade pendant hanging from her waist sash. Though they were clearly in casual attire, their appearance still drew everyone's eyes as they moved through the crowd.

Not knowing what Mo Xiurao said, Ye Li glared at him angrily before reaching out to snatch something from his hand. However, Mo Xiurao smiled and let her have it; he supported her waist with one hand while offering the item in his hand to her lips with the other. It was only then that everyone could see what Mo Xiurao had been holding: a skewer of candied haws. Both Ren Qining and Yelü Ye involuntarily twitched their mouths – regardless of how much they loved any woman, such an action would never be made by them in public. But watching Mo Xiurao do this with ease, it was clear he enjoyed it.

"I've heard that the Prince Regent and Princess have a deep bond; seeing them today proves it to be true," Cloud Consort sighed softly, her tone hinting at envy towards the Princess.

Queen Dowager Helan agreed with Cloud Consort's opinion for once: "The Prince Regent is indeed an extraordinary man."

Yelü Ye twitched his mouth. Was being a good man simply about buying candied haws in public Seeing her lack of regard, Queen Dowager Helan said unhappily: "Prince Seven, could you do such a thing for any woman"

Yelü Ye rolled his eyes; as a prince, how would he do anything that would damage his reputation for the sake of a woman Queen Dowager Helan was even more contemptuous. "I thought only men from the Central Plains were so hypocritical about their appearance but it seems you North Rong people are no different. Our northern borderlands' men aren't so fake; they're all as good as Prince Regent."

Seeing Mo Xiurao and Ye Li almost pass by downstairs, Queen Dowager Helan stood up with a smile: "Prince Regent, Princess..."

Downstairs, Ye Li and Mo Xiurao looked up to see the beaming Queen Dowager Helan waving at them. Of course, there were also Ren Qining and Yelü Ye with unhappy expressions on their faces. It was not surprising to see both men together in a teahouse given their past alliance against the Mo Army. But for them to conspire so openly under the nose of the Mo Army in Li City seemed like they didn't take the Prince Regent's household seriously. A light smile tugged at Ye Li's lips as she nodded and smiled politely back: "Your Majesty, it's a rare coincidence." Queen Dowager Helan leaned out of the window with a smile: "Prince Regent and Princess shopping Why don’t you come up for tea"

"We would be honored to follow your command," Ye Li responded smilingly as she tugged Mo Xiurao into the teahouse.

The two of them had just entered when the proprietor came up to them with an excited look. Although Prince Dinh and his concubine lived in Li city, they rarely left their home. It was no wonder that the proprietor was so thrilled to see them at this small teahouse. Seeing the proprietors flustered and unsure of what to do, Ye Li smiled and nodded. "Proprietor, there's no need for you to mind us. We'll go up ourselves." The proprietor nodded repeatedly, taking a cautious peek at Prince Dinh standing next to his concubine. It was simply too far out of the ordinary for nobles to be carrying things such as candied haws. Not daring to greet them, all he could do was watch as Ye Li pulled Mo Xirao up the stairs.

Ren Qining and Yelv Ye didn't sit in a private room but they sat at what was probably the best spot in the teahouse since it offered good views while also being quiet. Behind an eight-panel folding screen, they could enjoy their own little world away from the hustle and bustle outside. As Mo Xirao and his concubine walked hand-in-hand to a table, Ren Qining and Yelv Ye's eyes were drawn to Mo Xirao's other hand. Although he no longer held any candied haws, carrying a box of pastries was still too much for them to take.

Mo Xirao didn't mind the strange looks that Ren Qining and Yelv Ye gave him as he casually placed the pastries on the table, allowing everyone to see the words "Pilian Hall" printed on top. These were Li city's most well-known pastries. Princess He Lan's eyes immediately lit up. "Are these from Pilan Hall Their pastries are really delicious. I've been there twice and had to wait in line both times."

Of course, Mo Xirao and Ye Li didn't have to stand in line since even the customers ahead of them would make way for them if they wanted to. Smiling, Mo Xirao said, "That's right. Princess He Lan must be a fan too then."

Princess He Lan accepted his offer without hesitation. "I'll give my thanks then, Prince Dinh. You truly are such a good man."

Everyone present couldn't help but twitch at her words. A good prince… how many bad princes were there in this world As if she hadn't seen the reactions of everyone else, Princess He Lan happily started eating while remembering to share with the original owner of the pastries.

"In such a short time frame, Li city has become so prosperous. Prince Dinh and his concubine truly are good rulers," said Yelv Ye in a low voice. Having attended Mo Xiaobao's one-month old celebration, he had witnessed the changes that Li City underwent over these years. The area alone had more than doubled in size. Not to mention how Xiling’s imperial capital and Chu’s capital had both declined while Li city was now considered the most prosperous city of this era. With barren land and people who moved around depending on water and pasture, North Rong didn't even have cities as large as those in Central Plains. The most developed part of North Rong wasn’t even comparable to a second-tier city in Central Plains. Thus, the prosperity of Central Plains could only be envied by North Rong's people. Even though North Rong had taken over several cities in Chu during its conquest, it was clear that they were not fit for governing since their soldiers were fierce and courageous on the battlefield but incompetent when it came to ruling a country. Cities that once thrived under other rulers were now left with nothing under Yelv Ye's rule.

Mo Xirao said indifferently, "Prince Qi is too kind. Compared to Chu’s capital and Southern Jiangnan, the northwest remains barren. I’ve done my best."

The two men weren't impressed by his humility. Even though Mo Jingli had ruled over a prosperous Jiangnan for years, things could still be taken away at any moment if he couldn’t protect them. Unlike Mo Xirao, no one dared to take anything from him in the short term. Although these past few days they avoided each other to show respect to their host when they were in Li city, everyone had their own sources of information. Thus far, even though Xiling lost a lot of land, they hadn't made any move against Mo Xirao since they still had Chu to fall back on. Instead, Le Zhenting focused his attention on Mo Jingli who ruled Jiangnan. If things continued this way, it would be much harder for them to compete with Mo Xirao. After all, even if they won, they might end up being used by others.

For now, Yelv Ye also had no intention of going to war against Mo Xirao since his eldest brother kept sending him news about their status quo back in North Rong. To top it off, the battle with the Mo Army was exhausting him too much. It made him realize that he couldn't win as long as his older brother dominated the country even if he won a few battles against Mo Xirao on the battlefield. Furthermore, considering how friendly Yelv Hong and Prince Dinh's estate were compared to their relationship, Yelv Ye felt slightly unsettled. Looking at Mo Xirao with more clarity in his eyes, he said, "Prince Dinh, I have something more important than a deal that I wish to discuss."

"A deal" Mo Xirao seemed amused by the idea of having such a conversation. "Prince Qi, you still have hundreds of thousands of troops at your border. What kind of deal do you want with me"

Yelv Ye smiled and said, “Your Central Plains say that there are no eternal friends but only eternal interests. The same goes for enemies.”

Raising an eyebrow, Mo Xirao replied, "That's a rather interesting theory Prince Qi, do tell."

Seeing Yelv Ye about to make such a deal with Mo Xirao right in front of him, Ren Qining’s expression darkened. After all, North Rong was their ally. But since he didn't want to offend Ren Qining either, Yelv Ye said, "This matter can benefit everyone. Do you think Prince Bei would be interested"

Ren Qining replied coldly, “I’ll listen.”

Princess He Lan frowned and asked, "What's going on Why are you talking about such unpleasant matters when you should be having fun I don't want to hear any of this." Ren Qining frowned in displeasure. "If that’s the case, let Princess He Lan return to her inn."

"Return where" Princess He Lan interjected without hesitation, making Ren Qining's expression darken even more.

Ye Li stood up and smiled. "Since you don't wish to hear any of this, why not join me for a walk instead After all, I am the host here." Upon hearing her words, Princess He Lan’s eyes lit up as she pulled Ye Li's arm excitedly. “Where are we going, Concubine Dinh There are so many interesting things in Li city and I want to buy some of them.” Ye Li smiled back. "I'll have someone send you anything you like when you leave."

"You're such a good person, Concubine Dinh! Let's go!" She then dragged her out without caring about how anyone else reacted.

Ye Li waved at Mo Xirao and assured him that everything was fine before following Princess He Lan downstairs. Mo Xirao frowned as he watched the guards waiting outside the teahouse follow them down, relaxing only after they were out of sight.

"Ding Wang's deep affection for his empress truly makes one envious," Lady Liu glared at Mo Xiuyao through clenched teeth. Seeing that Mo Xiuyao still looked as handsome and youthful with white hair, she felt a pain akin to being bitten by a venomous snake in her heart. Mo Xiuyao was even slightly older than her by one or two years; if two years ago they seemed about the same age, now Lady Liu, should she reveal her face, would look somewhat older than Mo Xiuyao despite still being beautiful.

Mo Xiuyao ignored her and lowered his head to take a sip of tea before addressing Ye Lye: "What do you want to talk about, Prince Yelvy"

The woman who was ignored twisted the beautiful face hidden beneath her mask into an ugly grimace.

In another part of the city not far from the teahouse was a store named Fenghuai Pavilion. In a secluded room on the second floor, Ye Li and Queen Helan were seated opposite each other. Ye Li leisurely sipped tea that the shopkeeper personally served her while watching Queen Helan curiously play with various exquisite jewelry on the table.

After some time, Ye Li softly asked: "Does Queen Helan have anything to discuss with this concubine"

Hearing this, Queen Helan put down the trinket and looked up. The brashly curious smile that had been on her face gradually faded, replaced by a rare determination, wisdom, and calmness for a northerner woman. This sudden change made the initially somewhat haughty young woman appear even more authoritative. Queen Helan nodded with a smile: "I knew I couldn’t keep this from Concubine Ding."

Ye Li smiled slightly and said, "If Your Majesty greeted me on your first day here but I didn't notice it would disappoint you. However, what business do you have that requires speaking to the King of the North alone" Queen Helan looked deeply at Ye Li and said solemnly: "I want to cooperate with House Ding. No, let me correct myself… The people from our northern territory wish to collaborate with House Ding."

"People from the north" Ye Li paused for a moment before asking, "Isn't it Northland Kingdom" There are now two types of people in the Northern Territory: those born there and former Central Plain residents who lived as exiles. These so-called former dynasty descendants were actually defectors or subordinates under Ren Qiyiing over recent years. Ren Qiyiing trusts more of these Central Plain individuals because he wishes to restore his former dynasty's legitimacy, which means he must suppress the Northern Territory people even further in order to achieve this goal by completely abandoning them later on. Otherwise, his claim of being a legitimate ruler of the Central Plain would be false and wouldn't gain acceptance from literati there. Unless he willingly rules as a foreigner with Northland Kingdom as his name. But doing so would mean receiving resistance that’s several times or even hundreds of times greater than before. Even those loyal to him previously might turn against him. From the very beginning, these two ethnic groups have had irreconcilable conflicts. Therefore, Mr Qingyun told Ren Qiyiing he was mistaken right from the start.

After pondering for a moment, Ye Li curiously asked: "Can Queen Helan make such a decision"

Holding her head high with pride, Queen Helan said: "Since I came here, naturally, I can decide. Our northern people aren’t like your Central Plain where women are kept in chambers. If men can do something, we can too. In my family branch, there have been very few children and I don't have siblings. After my father's death, it should be me to take over the chieftain position. And after my cousin's passing, according to regulations, our clan must be taken over by either myself or one of my offspring. But Ren Qiyiing’s detested Central Plain individuals control our northern people’s rights now. We only want what belongs to us."

Ye Li had once considered doing something through Queen Helan, but she hadn't expected this young queen to be such an important figure. For a moment, she was surprised; however, her composure and calmness meant that the queen couldn’t see her thoughts. Ye Li looked at her lightly and said: "I heard your predecessor as queen of Northland Kingdom was a remarkable woman. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to meet her."

Mentioning this made Queen Helan's eyes turn red with resentment. She gritted her teeth and said angrily: "If not for Ren Qiyiing, why would my cousin suffer so much My cousin relinquished her chieftain position for him but he still guards against her everywhere and lets those women provoke her. He even has the people she trusts killed one by one. If my cousin hadn't saved his life back then, how could this ingrate be in power today"

Seeing Queen Helan’s furious expression, Ye Li sighed inwardly. Given Ren Qiyiing's martial skills and influence, why would he happen to face danger in the Northern Territory It was likely that their encounter had been a scheme all along. However, Ren Qiyiing was willing to invest heavily for his so-called grand ambitions, "Your Majesty should know about your cousin’s death…" This wasn't exactly a secret; Ye Li felt it best to clarify as she didn’t want the other party stabbing her in the back midway through their cooperation.

Queen Helan firmly said: "I am aware. My father has told me that these grudges can be temporarily set aside. We northern people keep our promises; if Concubine Ding helps us drive out Ren Qiyiing, we won't oppose House Ding." Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled: "If so, what benefits will I receive"

Holding her head high with pride, Queen Helan said: "All of our northern troops would retreat back to the original border with Great Chu. Although your Central Plain is good, the white mountains and black waters in our territory aren't bad either. We just want to live our own lives." It wasn't that the Northern Territory people had no ambition; it was simply that their development hadn't reached a stage where they could bear such ambitions. Before Ren Qiyiing appeared in the Northern Territory, the area consisted of various tribes living separately and engaging in fishing and hunting activities rather than farming like Central Plain residents or nomadic herding like those from North Rong. The populace was naturally very simple-minded; Ren Qiyiing brought about many changes. But within less than two decades of these drastic transformations weren't accepted by everyone. From tribal skirmishes to battles with Great Chu and the Mo Family Army, the heaviest losses were suffered by the Northern Territory people. Not all of them were fools, almost foreseeing that if this continued, even when Ren Qiyiing eventually unified the nation one day, it would mean their near extinction.

Therefore, they decided to drive away Ren Qiyiing and his cronies to reclaim their own rights. Perhaps someday they might join in the struggle for supremacy, but that was a matter for much later; certainly not now.

Ye Li remained silent for a long time before nodding: "Queen Helan’s proposal is very tempting; if you are sincere about cooperation, then I believe it can work."

Hearing such a straightforward response left Queen Helan momentarily stunned. In her memory, Central Plain people always liked to think thrice before acting, whereas someone as decisive and clean-cut like Ye Li was quite rare: "May the concubine make this decision"

Ye Li smiled gently: "If I couldn't decide, wouldn’t it be a loss for Your Majesty to find me regarding this matter

The Queen of Helan looked slightly apologetic. "I originally wanted the Princess Consort to pass on a message to Prince Ding for me. Besides, I have heard that you are quite formidable. Perhaps you can persuade Prince Ding on my behalf He might not be willing to cooperate with me. In your Central Plains culture, men tend to dislike women meddling in such matters."

Ye Li smiled and said, "I do indeed have the authority to decide this matter. However… The Queen must show誠意 to the Northlands for me to believe her, don't you think"

The Queen of Helan nodded seriously and produced a box, placing it in front of Ye Li. "Inside this is a holy artifact belonging to our Northland ancestors. Possession of it allows one to command all twenty-six tribes of the Northlands to do any task once for you. If requested, every single person from the Northlands will risk their lives for you without hesitation. This is our most precious treasure. I temporarily entrust this to the Princess Consort’s care."

Ye Li opened it; inside was a brown-patterned animal hide that looked like tiger skin. On top of the hide lay a short knife, which seemed rather rough at first glance but had many smooth and rounded engravings, clearly having undergone considerable time. The material of the knife wasn't iron or copper, nor was it an ordinary jade blade for display—it appeared to be made from some kind of stone. Although Ye Li didn’t usually place much faith in the constraints of a token, she knew that certain ethnic groups revered their holy objects deeply.

"Doesn’t the Queen fear I won't return this"

The Queen of Helan said seriously, "If so, the Northlands will exhaust every last person to reclaim the sacred artifact. But I believe the Princess Consort and Prince Ding aren’t such people."

Ye Li put away the box and nodded. "At latest by tomorrow, this consort will give a response to the Queen."

The Queen of Helan finally smiled and said, "In that case, many thanks to the Princess Consort."

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