Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 347 - 346. Treasure of the National Garrison

346. National Treasure

Upon hearing her master’s words, Dongfang You was at a loss. Indeed, historically speaking, the heirs of Cangmang Mountain had not had any involvement with Prince Ding’s Mansion. However, at the time, she had not given this much thought, simply regarding it as a lack of association with Prince Ding’s Mansion. After all, the aim of Cangmang Mountain was to assist the emperor, and it was impossible for an emperor to originate from Prince Ding’s Mansion. It was this very reason that had drawn her attention to Prince Ding’s Mansion in the first place. If she could accomplish what her predecessors could not, her master would be overjoyed, and she herself would be recognized as the most remarkable heir of Cangmang Mountain to date.

However, she did not expect that the first thing her master would do upon seeing her was to give her a severe slap across her face.

"Master..." clutching her cheek, which was red and swollen, Dongfang You looked at the middle-aged woman with a pitiful gaze.

This middle-aged woman was the current master of Cangmang Mountain, as well as Dongfang You’s mentor. Seeing her pupil, whom she had raised with her own hands, looking at her with tear-filled eyes, the master of Cangmang Mountain also felt miserable. Dongfang You was the most talented student she had ever seen, excelling in her martial arts, secret techniques, and other talents, even surpassing the master herself when she was younger. She had always taken great pride in her pupil. Yet, it seemed that somewhere along the way, something had gone wrong. Despite giving her all to teach Dongfang You the strategies and methods she should learn, her pupil inexplicably seemed to lack common sense regarding interpersonal issues, human relationships, and even empathizing with others. She even fell short in comparison to a child sweeper on Cangmang Mountain in these respects.

By the time she realized these shortcomings, it was too late. Dongfang You’s personality had already been shaped. Having been a talented and beautiful woman, pampered and unchallenged since her childhood, Dongfang You utterly failed to grasp the realities and complexities of human nature. After all, society is made up of people. If one does not understand human nature, what use is all else they have learned?

Just like this time, Dongfang You had simply been driven by a few random words from her master and the Elder and had naively assumed that Mo Xiuyao was the most suitable person for the heir of Cangmang Mountain to assist. She did not consider at all the kind of person Mo Xiuyao was, and whether she could control him. By the time she received a message and rushed to Licheng, Dongfang You had already caused quite a disturbance there, and people all over the world had come to know that Cangmang Mountain had chosen Prince Ding as the person they would assist. At this point, Cangmang Mountain had unwittingly become stuck in a precarious situation.

Seeing her pupil, whom she had raised single-handedly since childhood, in such a perplexed and aggrieved state, the middle-aged woman let out a sigh of resignation and helped her up. Dongfang You knew that her master was genuinely furious this time and somewhat fearfully addressed her, "Master."

The middle-aged woman guided her to sit down and, looking at her reddened eyes, asked softly, "You’ve been away from the mountain for so long. Have you suffered any grievances?"

Biting her lip lightly, tears welling in her eyes, Dongfang You reflected on the anguish she had experienced during her time at Prince Ding’s Mansion, which was even more than all the hardships she had faced in her life combined. Earlier, she had been able to console herself by saying that all her efforts were for Cangmang Mountain. But the slap from her master had made her realize that her previous actions might have been mistaken.

The middle-aged woman said helplessly, "It’s my fault; I did not educate you well."

"No..." Dongfang You shook her head vigorously. "It’s not your fault, Master. I was impulsive and caused you such worry." Regardless of what had transpired, Dongfang You always held immense respect for the mentor who had raised her. Seeing her master blaming herself thus, she promptly refuted.

The middle-aged woman patted her hand and gently said, "Alright, tell me about what you’ve been through. I’ll figure out a solution." Since realizing they could not change Dongfang You’s personality, Cangmang Mountain had been contemplating a remedy. They never intended for Dongfang You to go down the mountain alone for training, but they never expected that she would act first and report later. Although the current situation was tricky, it was not irresolvable.

Only then did Dongfang You carefully narrate all that had transpired after she had descended the mountain. Even though she struggled to understand human nature, her martial arts skills and the teachings imparted by the people of Cangmang Mountain over the years were very real. Thus, she did not suffer after she had left the mountain. She directly approached the Southern Garrison Prince, Lei Zhenting, who, on ascertaining her intentions and identity, took care of everything else. All she had to do was to find the right opportunity to appear before Prince Ding. On the contrary, it was only after meeting Prince Ding that she truly experienced such grievances and hardships.

People are inherently selfish. Despite recognizing that her own child was at fault, upon hearing the blatant rejection and derision from Prince Ding’s Mansion towards Dongfang You, the middle-aged woman naturally felt a surge of anger. Her still enchanting face instantly became as cold as if covered in a layer of ice. "Very well! A fine display, Prince Ding’s Mansion... So, they think so little of us at Cangmang Mountain, do they?"

The people of Cangmang Mountain had never considered their own status inferior to that of Prince Ding’s Mansion. They refrained from provoking anyone from Prince Ding’s Mansion due to the complex character and abilities of the successive Princes Ding. However, this did not mean that they held themselves below Prince Ding’s Mansion. Furthermore, there was the Xu Family. Not only did the Xu Family’s ancestors have records of Cangmang Mountain, but the ancestors of Cangmang Mountain also had harsh records of Prince Ding’s Mansion. This was the second time that the Xu Family had refused Cangmang Mountain.

"Master, what should I do now?" asked Dongfang You hesitantly. She was a person of dignity. If possible, she was still unwilling to give up on Xu Qingchen. After being cruelly mocked by the Xu Family brothers, Dongfang You’s initial fixation on Prince Ding’s Mansion had unknowingly shifted to Xu Qingchen. Initially, she had planned to marry Xu Qingchen just to get closer to Prince Ding’s Mansion. Mo Xiuyao was the one she planned to assist in the future, and since he was unwilling to marry her, she, of course, did not insist, as she did not wish to displease her future lord. However, Xu Qingchen’s direct refusal and Xu Qingyan’s mockery were more than Dongfang You could tolerate.

The middle-aged woman quietly pondered, letting out a faint sigh. "Since you’ve already acted this way, if we change our minds now, what dignity would Cangmang Mountain retain in the world?" In reality, it would be manageable if Dongfang You herself changed her mind and decided she no longer favored Prince Ding’s Mansion. Unfortunately, at present, nearly the entire world knew that it was Prince Ding’s Mansion that did not favor Dongfang You. If Cangmang Mountain were to change its stance and support someone else at this juncture, it would only validate these rumors. Should they choose someone else in the future, their reputation and credibility would greatly diminish in the eyes of others. Listening to her master’s words, Dongfang You’s eyes sparkled faintly. "Master... what should we do now?"

The middle-aged woman huffed, saying, "Tomorrow, I will personally visit Prince Ding and Eldest Young Master Xu at Prince Ding’s Mansion. You can rest assured, your master will not let anyone bully you."

A simple and joyful smile blossomed on Dongfang You’s beautiful face. "I know that Master is the best."

As Dongfang You and the middle-aged woman were discussing how to handle matters with Prince Ding’s Mansion, the mansion simultaneously received news of the master of Cangmang Mountain entering the city. Regardless of Cangmang Mountain’s deep-rooted connections and astonishing strength elsewhere, Licheng was completely under the control of Prince Ding’s Mansion. It was already difficult for Cangmang Mountain to establish a few secret agents in Licheng, let alone ensuring their master’s entrance to the city went unnoticed. Therefore, while the master of Cangmang Mountain was self-assuredly preparing to negotiate with Prince Ding’s Mansion on behalf of her disciple, Prince Ding’s Mansion was simultaneously spreading a colossal net towards Cangmang Mountain.

Inside Prince Ding’s Mansion, Mo Xiuyao casually handed the newly-received message to Xu Qingchen, grinning. "Brother Qingchen, the master of Cangmang Mountain is here. Does this count as..." Before he could finish, Ye Li pinched him hard on his waist. The pinch was forceful and painful, yet discreet enough that neither Xu Qingchen nor Xu Qingyan, sitting across from them, noticed. They only stared at Mo Xiuyao, curious as to why he had suddenly stopped talking and why his expression had twisted slightly. Mo Xiuyao merely gave an ingratiating smile towards Ye Li.

Having known Mo Xiuyao for many years, Xu Qingchen was aware that nothing good ever came from Mo Xiuyao’s mouth. Thus, he didn’t press Mo Xiuyao to finish, wanting to spare himself the irritation.

Silently reading the secret letter Mo Xiuyao passed to him, Xu Qingchen slightly knit his eyebrows. "The master of Cangmang Mountain won’t be as easy to deal with as Dongfang You. Is there any news from the Southern Garrison Prince?"

Ye Li responded, "There isn’t much information from the Southern Garrison Prince either. They only know that the current master of Cangmang Mountain is named Dongfang Hui; she is the grandniece of Lei Zhenting’s grandmother. The Xiling imperial family’s relations with Cangmang Mountain have gradually diminished since Lei Zhenting’s father ascended the throne, hence their understanding of the situation is limited."

Mo Xiuyao commented, "It should be that the imperial family’s understanding of Cangmang Mountain has decreased, but Cangmang Mountain’s control over the imperial family probably hasn’t lessened. Otherwise, Lei Zhenting wouldn’t be so wary of Cangmang Mountain."

Xu Qingchen nodded. "Prince, you’re right. Given Dongfang You’s cleverness, her being able to immediately locate Lei Zhenting once she descended the mountain is sufficient evidence that Cangmang Mountain’s control and understanding of the outside world have never weakened. I suspect... Lei Zhenting’s inability to replace the current Emperor of Xiling all these years has something to do with Cangmang Mountain." Compared to the weak and incompetent Emperor of Xiling, Lei Zhenting was undeniably a difficult person to control. Letting him ascend would clearly be against Cangmang Mountain’s interests.

Mo Xiuyao agreed with satisfaction. "If that’s the case, I do believe that Lei Zhenting genuinely wants to collaborate with us." True powerhouses would never wish to submit to others’ control. There was no doubt that Lei Zhenting was one of the eminent figures of his time.

"What is your plan, Prince?" Xu Qingchen inquired.

Mo Xiuyao responded with a cold smile, "Cut them off at the root." Totally severing Cangmang Mountain was the only way to eliminate future troubles. Even if Cangmang Mountain didn’t reach out to Prince Ding’s Mansion this time, or even chose to stay out of this chaotic power struggle, the moment Mo Xiuyao had free time, he would stir up trouble with them. Their inaction right now didn’t mean they wouldn’t act in the future. Any authority figure would dislike an organization that seemed to exist separately from the world yet secretly operated in every corner. Prince Ding’s Mansion may have had nothing to do with it in the past, but this might not be the case in the future.

Xu Qingchen obviously agreed with Mo Xiuyao’s line of thought. After pondering for a moment, he furrowed his brows and said, "For many years, no one has been able to find the true location of Cangmang Mountain. I suspect there is a large natural formation surrounding it. I am afraid the Xiling imperial family’s people won’t be able to find the place." Cangmang Mountain is currently under Lei Zhenting’s jurisdiction; the Mo Family Army cannot casually enter.

"A formation?" Anyone familiar with warfare would have some understanding of formations, but Xu Qingchen mentioning it implied that this formation was beyond the capacity of a typical person. Otherwise, Lei Zhenting, a renowned expert in the Art of War, could have solved it himself.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Qingchen suggested, "If it really comes to that, I would like to personally go and see." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Mo Xiuyao didn’t object. Although Young Master Qingchen was always humble and claimed to have little study in the Art of War, so-called formations and the Art of War were two completely different fields when they reached a profound level. Since Young Master Qingchen was confident in this area, Mo Xiuyao naturally trusted his expertise in formations. Mo Xiuyao himself was more skilled in battlefield strategy and adaptability and rarely resorted to formations. As for Ye Li, formations like the straight-line phalanx, triple blossom, and eight-trigram were as good as gibberish to her.

Xu Qingyan, who was listening in, grinned and said, "Brother-in-law, Big Brother, you guys should first come up with a plan to deal with the master of Cangmang Mountain. I always feel that a woman who could teach a disciple like Dongfang You must have a difficult temperament. And about Dongfang You, I am confident she’s taken a liking to Big Brother!" Over the past few years, Fifth Young Master Xu had made great progress under Xu Qingbai’s guidance. This was especially true after Xu Qingbai went to Xiling, as Fifth Young Master Xu effectively took full responsibility for agricultural affairs in the north and the settlement of hundreds of thousands of refugees. He was indeed shaping up to be capable of handling things on his own. This delighted Mo Xiuyao. The Xu Family’s sons were the type to thrive under pressure, so he didn’t hesitate to keep pushing them.

Xu Qingchen gave his younger brother a detached glance. Feeling a chill on his head, Xu Qingyan hunched over pitifully. He was telling the truth! His big brother has played the hermit for too long. He usually mingles with calculating and profound individuals or those who adore him as if he were a deity; how could he understand a maiden’s heart? On the other hand, Xu Qingyan, who typically mixed with the lower-class commoner crowd, undoubtedly had a much better understanding of a common girl’s heart than his hermit-like brother.

Big Brother, if you ignore your little brother’s advice and attract unwanted romantic attention, don’t blame your little brother for not warning you... Xu Qingyan thought to himself with smug satisfaction.

While the four of them were discussing matters of Cangmang Mountain, a guard announced that Prince Li was seeking an audience. Xu Qingyan couldn’t help but chuckle, saying, "Isn’t Mo Jingli busy trying to win Dongfang You’s favor? I guess it’s hard to please such an arrogant beauty. Mo Jingli must have been thoroughly rebuffed. With a woman like Dongfang You, if she fancies you, you cannot reject her. If she doesn’t fancy you, you cannot force yourself upon her either. If Mo Jingli thinks he can win her over, he’s only asking for trouble. Just before Dongfang You left Prince Ding’s Mansion, she happened to run into Mo Jingli. It goes without saying that the people of Prince Ding’s Mansion would know about this; it’s just that no one cares. Right now, in Licheng, there are more than a few people who share the same mindset as Mo Jingli."

"What do you think he came here for?" Xu Qingyan asked curiously. "Everyone knows how much Mo Jingli dislikes Mo Xiuyao. Unless it’s something extremely important, he wouldn’t set foot in Prince Ding’s Mansion."

Leaning back in his chair and stroking his chin, Mo Xiuyao lazily smiled. "I think he’s here to bring a gift."

"A gift?" Xu Qingyan widened his eyes. Mo Jingli would give Prince Ding a gift? It’s more plausible that his "gift" would be a few bottles of poison to stuff down his throat. Mo Xiuyao’s words startled even Young Master Qingchen, whose handsome eyes showed a flicker of surprise. "Are you sure he’s going to give you something that important?"

Mo Xiuyao chuckled confidently. "I’ve said it before: in this world, the desperation of lacking an heir trumps any treasure. From the beginning, Mo Jingli was forced to agree with me; he just couldn’t swallow his pride. See, how many days has it been since I asked, and the items have already arrived? He must’ve sent someone back to get them at full speed."

Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "Giving away the national treasures of Great Chu, Mo Jingli will have a hard time explaining that to the court."

"What does that have to do with me?" Mo Xiuyao asked with a blink and a smile.

Those present remained silent; indeed, it had nothing to do with them.

When Mo Jingli entered the room, a chilling aura surrounded him, but none of the four in the room were afraid. Instead, his attendants carrying boxes were trembling, their hands shaking as they placed the boxes on the table. Dismissing his attendants, Mo Jingli glared at Mo Xiuyao. "I’ve brought what you wanted. Where is what I wanted?"

Mo Xiuyao said with a calm smile, "Since Prince Li is straightforward, I will be likewise. Brother Qingchen, have a look." Fake and genuine treasures might look alike, but their actual value is worlds apart.

Xu Qingchen nodded, stood, walked over to a long, brocade box, and gently lifted the lid to reveal a snow-white yaoqin zither. The body of the zither was as white as snow, with a warm, jade-like luster. A blood-red phoenix was engraved on the head of the instrument. Since ancient times, the best qins had bodies made from paulownia wood, but a zither made from jade was unheard of. Setting aside all other considerations, the rarity of such a large piece of high-grade white jade was immense, not to mention that carving jade into a zither was exceptionally challenging compared to wood. Furthermore, this particular yaoqin zither was not only stunningly beautiful; its tone was considered unequaled. Over thousands of years, this was the only zither made of white jade, revered as a celestial instrument among zithers.

A hint of pure joy crossed Xu Qingchen’s elegant and calm eyes. His fingertips gently plucked at the strings, producing tranquil and ethereal notes. Even a few casual notes deeply touched the listeners’ hearts with their exquisite melody.

"It is indeed the Phoenix Zither," Xu Qingchen said quietly, stopping his playing.

Xu Qingyan was stunned as he looked at the white jade zither in the brocade box, overwhelmed by the news. The Phoenix Zither... the Phoenix Zither! This is the legendary Phoenix Zither that has captivated countless people for centuries? Then the other items... Xu Qingyan unconsciously held his breath as he watched Xu Qingchen’s slender fingers reach for another box.

The box contained a white garment. The Snow-thread garment didn’t look particularly beautiful; one could even say it didn’t stand out at all. The semi-transparent, thin white gauze had faintly visible snow lotus patterns woven into it. Fabrics like the Phoenix Brocade, once hailed as the world’s finest, the Lotus Brocade, or even the watered veil, all offered countless styles and colors that could outshine it. But the value of the Snow-thread garment was not in its visual appeal, but in its supposedly invincible defense. Xu Qingchen looked at Mo Xiuyao and smiled. "Prince, do you want to test it yourself?"

"Of course, I want to test it." How could I dare to give it to Ah-Li without testing? It might turn out to be not a defensive treasure, but the cause of Ah-Li’s injury.

Mo Xiuyao reached for it without hesitation. Once Xu Qingchen backed away, he stood up. A flash of silver light swept from his waist, and the white robe in the box was lifted. Then, with a few SWIFT STROKES of his sword, which then disappeared back to his waist, the light white robe landed softly in his hand. Mo Xiuyao nodded in satisfaction. As expected of the Snow-thread garment, famed for being unbreakable; it resists not only sharp swords but also potent energy. Even when Mo Xiuyao, with his profound power, had tested it, the Snow-thread garment remained completely undamaged in his hands, demonstrating its heaven-defying defensive capabilities.

"Mo Xiuyao!" Mo Jingli’s face was darker than the bottom of a pot. Brazenly mishandling these treasures with a sword in front of me is utterly arrogant!

Mo Xiuyao said with a smile, "Since they’ve been given to me, they’re my things now. Can’t I strike them a couple of times to test them?"

Mo Jingli gritted his teeth in silence.

Mo Xiuyao, satisfied, walked over to Ye Li with the Snow-thread garment in his hand and said with a laugh, "Ah-Li, do you like it? I’ll have someone alter it later, and you can try on the beautiful new dress." Among these treasures, the one he valued the most was this garment, which was of little use to ordinary people. As for the others, although he had pretended to be reluctant when Xu Qingchen wanted the Phoenix Zither, he was just kidding.

Ye Li knew Mo Xiuyao’s intentions. She nodded with a smile, "Very good. It’s nice even without any modifications."

Mo Xiuyao’s brow lifted in pleasure, and he smiled. "It’s good as long as Ah-Li likes it."

The remaining Nation-treasured Seal and Annihilation Sword unsurprisingly turned out to be genuine. In reality, Mo Jingli had dealt with Mo Xiuyao countless times since they were young and didn’t dare to try to fool him with counterfeits. In the end, Xu Qingchen took the Annihilation Sword to examine further, citing that its baleful aura was too strong, and bundled it away with the Phoenix Zither. Mo Xiuyao didn’t mind; with his current martial cultivation, there was no need to resort to divine weaponry. Ultimately, Prince Ding, having gone to great lengths to extort Mo Jingli, only received a Nation-treasured Seal for himself. Casually fiddling with this item, roughly the size of an imperial jade seal, Mo Xiuyao looked at it from all angles but still couldn’t discern its worth. Thus bored, he tossed it to Xu Qingyan, who had been eyeing it covetously. Xu Qingyan shouted joyfully, turning over the Nation-treasured Seal repeatedly, admiring it, unable to let go.

Mo Jingli glanced out of the corner of his eye. All the treasures in their hands were his! Is it really okay for them to examine them so openly in front of the original owner?

"Mo Xiuyao, what I want!" Mo Jingli said in a deep voice.

Mo Xiuyao casually gestured, and a small object flew towards Mo Jingli’s face. Mo Jingli raised his hand to catch it, feeling a numbness in the webbing of his hand. He was silently shocked at Mo Xiuyao’s profound cultivation and simultaneously tightened his grip around the porcelain bottle. He opened it, took a whiff, and only after confirming it was the same as the one Ye Yue had given him did he breathe a sigh of relief. Mo Xiuyao glanced at him askance. "You needn’t worry. I can’t be bothered to make fake medicine for you. Whether you have many descendants or your line is cut off is none of my business."

Mo Jingli gritted his teeth but had to admit that what Mo Xiuyao said was the truth.

Mo Xiuyao looked at him leisurely and said, "Your hatred for me is completely unfounded. I didn’t poison anyone, nor did I hide your son. Even this antidote wasn’t stolen by me. I just happened to have it. Is there anything wrong with me profiting a bit from that? Or do you expect me to be charitable and expect nothing in return?"

Mo Jingli stared at him and said coldly, "I’ll remember this."

"Feel free to do so," Mo Xiuyao said with a smile. Regardless of this incident, Mo Jingli would hate him anyway. So why bother dwelling on it? He should naturally take as much as he could; it would be a waste if it stayed with Mo Jingli anyway.

Playing with the Nation-treasured Seal, Xu Qingyan looked up and gave Mo Jingli a pitiful glance. He wanted to tell him, Prince Li, you better hurry and leave. Otherwise, after losing so many treasures, you might be so angry you vomit blood.

Without needing Xu Qingyan’s unspoken advice, Mo Jingli, who had been tormented by a certain person for many years, already understood. He glared fiercely at Mo Xiuyao, flicked his sleeves, and departed.