374 The Feast with a Hidden Agenda at the Prince Regent&apos

med lady from Beirong" Ye Li raised her brows disdainfully, "This princess consort has never heard that an esteemed lady’s identity is someone else’s adopted daughter who cannot even reveal the detail...374. The Feast of Ambition at the Regent's Mansion

374. The Banquet with Hidden Intentions for the Regent

"Xu Qingchen..."

Xu Qingchen was deep in thought when Yun Ge’s graceful figure appeared by the door, hesitating to enter.

Raising his head, Xu Qingchen looked at the young woman in pale yellow clothes standing at the entrance with a faint smile. "Why don’t you come inside" The girl's fair face turned slightly red as she awkwardly pulled her sleeves and stared longingly at Xu Qingchen.

Xu Qingchen praised her with a smile, saying, “You look very beautiful.”

Indeed, the young woman was exceptionally pretty. Her delicate face was naturally charming without any makeup, and her slightly flushed cheeks made her appear as if she had been lightly rouged, looking like a blooming peach blossom. A hint of anxiety in her bright eyes only added to her appeal. Although Ye Li did not particularly enjoy dressing up herself, her taste was excellent. The pale yellow robe embroidered with delicate pink plum blossoms and the light-colored sash tied around her slender waist complemented each other perfectly. As it was early winter now, she even wore a small cloak edged with white fox fur. The fluffy white fox fur collar framed Yun Ge's petite face beautifully, making her look adorable.

Hearing Xu Qingchen’s praise, the girl smiled even more widely. Looking at the smiling girl from afar, Xu Qingchen was momentarily distracted...

Regent Mansion in Nanjing City

The Regent Mansion was bustling with activity that day. Almost everyone of some fame or ability within and outside of Nanjing City had been invited to attend Prince Li's banquet. Although a few people looked displeased, today’s Prince Li wielded great power in the Jiangnan region and could influence decisions greatly. Even those who disliked him did not dare to defy his wishes.

Ye Li still brought Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin along with her. Wei Lin presented an invitation card to the butler at the entrance, who couldn’t help but admire the handsome young man before him despite being a northerner. This Chu公子雖然是北地之人，但容貌俊秀氣度非凡，連江南這樣的才子之鄉也少有人能及。難怪雲州又被世人稱作賢者之地。管家愣了一下，連忙讓人將葉璃等人請入府中。

This was Ye Li's first visit to Prince Li’s mansion. Although she had long been familiar with its layout, entering it in person felt different. Northern architecture emphasized grandeur and magnificence, while the Jiangnan region favored intricate carvings and delicate craftsmanship. Mo Jingli valued his reputation highly; thus, the Regent Mansion was undoubtedly the most magnificent residence in Nanjing City. Its size even rivaled that of Prince Ding's mansion during its heyday in Chu capital, revealing how fiercely Mo Jingli coveted the imperial throne.

The banquet took place in a grand hall located at the center of the mansion. This hall had nine bays in width and five bays deep, with golden bricks鋪地氣勢恢宏。正門上題名泰華殿。

As they approached the door, many people frowned inwardly. Ye Li raised an eyebrow as she stood at the entrance of the grand hall and asked, "Why does this Taihua Hall look familiar to me" Zhuo Jing whispered with a smile, "Sir Chu, it resembles the Qingzheng Hall in the Chu capital quite closely. No wonder you find it familiar."

Ye Li realized that while the appearance of the Taihua Hall wasn’t exactly like the Qingzheng Hall, it was the nine doors and the divine beasts at the corners that were identical to those in the Qingzheng Hall. The number nine represented the utmost imperial power; only emperors could use this number. Even Prince Ding’s main hall had chosen a lesser number of seven during its heyday. Mo Jingli's desire for the throne was so great he no longer bothered with even subtle hints.

Upon entering the hall, many prominent figures were already seated. Ye Li spotted the Duke Mu Yang and his son sitting near the front, along with Yao Ji beside them in splendid attire that shone brilliantly. Yao Ji smiled at Ye Li and nodded. Seated next to her, Mu Yang immediately turned his gaze towards Ye Li as well. Glancing at Ye Li and then back at Yao Ji, Yao Ji whispered a few words into Mu Yang’s ear before nodding at Ye Li.

Ye Li returned the gesture coolly while servants led her to her seat. Although the Chu family was a renowned clan in Chu State, they did not hold significant power in Nanjing City now. Therefore, Ye Li’s position was neither too forward nor too backward, which could be considered quite honored for someone of Chu Junwei's standing.

Ye Li immediately drew many people's attention as she entered the hall; those who didn’t recognize her began to inquire about her identity. "Is this Sir Chu Junwei of the Chu family" asked a middle-aged man sitting next to Ye Li with a smile.

Ye Li nodded and replied, "May I ask what your name is, sir" The man smiled and said, "My surname is Lin; compared to Sir Chu, who comes from a noble lineage, I am but a mere merchant." Ye Li laughed and said, “Mr. Lin, you flatter me. Your family leads the silk trade in Jiangnan and owns vast wealth that rivals those of the wealthiest in the world. How can it be compared with a minor branch of Chu”

Ye Li's words clearly pleased the middle-aged man; merchants valued wealth but envied nobility. Such flattery from them was worth much more than ordinary compliments, so he chuckled and said, "Sir Chu, you are too kind. We mere mortals with our copper-smelling money could never match your noble grace."

Actually, Ye Li knew this middle-aged man well even though she had never met him before; Lin was the top silk merchant in Jiangnan, and most of the silk transported to Western Regions from Li City was traded through his family. As Lady of the Prince’s Mansion, Ye Li naturally would be familiar with her business partners.

"Mr. Lin, you are too flattering," said Ye Li gently, furrowing her brows slightly as she added, "I am merely a minor branch of Chu; how could I make decisions for my family

The middle-aged man sighed and said, "That's exactly what the young master said. Unfortunately, with Prince Li in power now, people say that civilians shouldn’t fight against officials. What else can we commoners do" He had a large business transaction with the Dingwang Mansion, which could be considered the reason why his Lin Family was able to hold down first place in the silk industry of southern Jiangnan. If something happened at the Dingwang Mansion, what benefit would it bring to the Lin Family Besides… he didn’t think highly of Prince Li at all. If not for the fact that the Lin Family's silk business roots were deeply entrenched in Jiangnan and couldn't be moved elsewhere, they would have relocated to Licheng a long time ago.

Now things were going well; everyone knew how well-informed the Dingwang Mansion was. If news of him donating money to Prince Li reached the ears of the Dingwang Mansion… The middle-aged man frowned and his face became even more difficult to look at. Ye Li sat next to him, naturally knowing what he was thinking. He sighed helplessly and said, "Fortunately, my family home is in Yun Prefecture. If I can leave Nanjing today and head back to Yun Prefecture immediately, there shouldn’t be any major issues. At worst, I’ll just donate one of the branch mansions here to Prince Li’s mansion. I assume that as long as Dingwang Mansion takes into account Xijia’s sake, they won’t blame me."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man froze for a moment before suddenly becoming joyful. He grabbed Ye Li and said with a smile, "Since you're traveling outside, it's unlikely that you’re carrying much luggage with you. If there are any needs, I would be willing to help as well."

Ye Li calmly pulled back his hand and smiled indifferently, “There’s no need to trouble Mr. Lin.”

The middle-aged man said apologetically, "How could it be troubling As the saying goes: at home rely on your parents, outside rely on friends. I would like to treat you as a friend, but fear that you may look down on us merchants who are somewhat worldly."

Ye Li smiled and suddenly found this person interesting. After some thought, she nodded with a smile and said, "How should I repay Mr. Lin" The middle-aged man carefully looked around and said with a smile, "Shall we talk about it privately"

"I am just a branch of the Chu Family," Ye Li replied, “If I disappoint you in the future, wouldn’t that be unpleasant”

The middle-aged man was helpless. He could only say softly and smilingly: "Actually, there's nothing to it. Given your talents, I don't believe you have no influence within the Chu Family at all. All I want is… for you to introduce me to Qingchen or Han."

When the Duke of Ding was not in Licheng, Qingchen controlled almost every right of the entire Dingwang Mansion; while Han Mingyi managed the external businesses of the Dingwang Mansion. Regardless which one Ye Li introduced him to, he would not lose out.

Ye Li smiled and said calmly: "So that's how it is, a small matter doesn't need to be troubled about."

Hearing this, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but feel relieved and looked at Ye Li with more respect. This wasn't just a small matter; his status made meeting Qingchen incredibly difficult. Chu Junwei must have had a close relationship with Qingchen in order to have such confidence.

"Thank you very much."

A shrill voice interrupted the middle-aged man’s words, announcing the arrival of the Regent and the Emperor. Ye Li smiled coldly and told him to wait until later for further discussions. The middle-aged man then quickly put on a respectful expression as he stood up to welcome the Regent and Emperor.

The little emperor was wearing an imperial robe of bright yellow, trailing behind Mo Jingli. Although Mo Suyun was nearly a year older than Mo Xiao Bao, now he appeared even shorter than before when Ye Li left Licheng City. Following closely beside Mo Jingli, Mo Suyun did not look like the ruler of a country but rather an abused little boy.

Ye Ying walked alongside Mo Jingli and was about to reach out her hand to support him when she saw the expression on his face and hesitated.

"All pay respects to Regent Wang! All pay respects to His Majesty!" As per protocol, even though the Regent currently held power, he should still place the emperor before himself. However, during the announcement of their arrival, the regent had been mentioned first. The court officials present were used to it, but many of the wealthy merchants invited didn’t notice or followed suit because they dared not offend Prince Li.

“Rise.” Mo Jingli looked down from his high position and sat in the main seat on the dais before speaking.

"Thank you Regent Wang," everyone replied together.

Ye Ying also took her seat to the right of Mo Jingli. The little emperor, Mo Suyun, looked at Mo Jingli cautiously before sitting down to his left. Everyone in the room shook their heads inwardly upon seeing how timid he was.

Satisfied with the slow-moving guests and officials below, Mo Jingli said with a smile: "Everyone doesn't need to be so restrained; just eat and drink as you please." Knowing that today's banquet had a purpose, everyone thanked him again. The wealthy merchants who were forced to come didn’t seem in the mood for food or drinks.

The atmosphere of the banquet was noticeably strange but Ye Li wasn't bothered by it. She ate and drank with ease, seemingly unaware of the reason behind this gathering. From his high vantage point on the dais, Mo Jingli could see everyone's faces clearly. These days had been difficult for him—Ouyang Dian’s disappearance made many things come to a standstill. Ouyang Dian held much power in Mang Mountain, and without her, he couldn't mobilize that part of his forces. Furthermore, the Dowager Empress openly defied him at court. Although people in Nanjing knew their relationship was strained, openly imprisoning one’s own mother still drew criticism from scholars.

Seeing everyone's stiff yet obedient expressions now, Mo Jingli suddenly felt better. What did it matter if they opposed him internally They had to obey his orders and bow respectfully before him anyway!

"Bring the person in!" said Mo Jingli, breaking through the tense atmosphere of the banquet.

A short while later, two guards from a royal residence dragged an injured middle-aged man inside. The people below were surprised; Ye Li looked at him curiously but didn’t recognize him. "Sir Lin," however, sucked in his breath and whispered: “It’s Zhang Million.” Inside the hall, quite a few people had similar expressions.

Zhang Million wasn't really called Zhang Million; he was the well-known rice merchant of southern Jiangnan. It was said that six out of ten rice shops were owned by the Zhang Family in Nanjing City and counted as one of the richest merchants. His wealth was beyond description, hence his nickname, "Zhang Million."

He was also known as "Never Dies Without Money." Despite already being rich enough to be a kingmaker, he dressed modestly and lived frugally. He wouldn't let anyone take advantage of him but would starve himself if someone did. How could such a person willingly donate large sums to Mo Jingli for military expenses Moreover, Mo Jingli's army needed rice. Prior attempts to negotiate with Zhang Million had failed; he didn’t even show up to today’s banquet.

Given his personality, how could Mo Jingli tolerate this defiance Thus, at the banquet of the Regent's Mansion, Zhang Million came in not because he wanted to but because he was dragged in by others.

Mojingli gave a cold glance to the rather well-fed middle-aged man kneeling on the ground and sneered, "Mr. Zhang, you are really hard to invite"

Zhang Bailian pulled a long face and said with fear, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I am afraid that my body is not feeling well, so… Please forgive me."

"Not feeling well" Mojingli asked coldly, "Is it There are several decent physicians in my mansion who could check your pulse for you and prevent any illness from lingering."

"No… I don't dare…" Zhang Bailian's face turned pale as if he was really ill. He dared not let the people of Li Manor to feel his pulse because even if he had a deadly disease, the physicians would say that he was perfectly healthy. Besides, everyone knew that this 'illness' of his was just an excuse.

"How dare you!" Mojingli's face turned serious and he smacked heavily on the armrest with a heavy voice which made everyone in the room tremble. Zhang Bailian’s fat body shook and he was so scared that his face turned ashen.

"I am giving you a chance but it seems that you think I am harmless" Mojingli said ominously before waving his hand, "Take him outside and beat him fifty times with the cane. I believe Mr. Zhang's body will soon recover."

Fifty canings could easily result in death for an untrained person like Zhang Bailian who was not young anymore. Even if Li Manor spared him, he would probably lose most of his life. It was clear that Li Wang intended to swallow the entire Zhang family whole. Everyone present shuddered and couldn't help feeling relieved that they hadn't done something stupid.

The guard beside did not allow Zhang Bailian to plead for mercy but dragged him out immediately. Soon, the sound of the cane hitting his body was heard outside the hall along with his whimpering sounds. Clearly, Mojingli wanted to make an example of him.

"Regent Wang," amidst everyone's fear and anxiety, a clear voice sounded in the hall. Everyone looked towards where the sound came from and saw a young man dressed in white stand up calmly. "Your Highness is about to leave for battle so there's no need to be bothered by this ignorant civilian. I hope Your Highness will reconsider."

Mojingli raised an eyebrow and looked at Ye Li with an unreadable expression, "Young Master Chu wants to plead on his behalf"

Ye Li smiled, "I am not pleading for Mr. Zhang but… Your Highness is fighting a war in the north to recover lost land of Chu; if you kill Zhang Bailian, it may damage your reputation."

"That's interesting." Mojingli did what he had done to intimidate everyone and did not really intend to take Zhang Bailian’s life. He at least wanted him alive when leaving Regent Wang Manor. Seeing Ye Li say so, he lifted his hand to indicate that the punishment should be stopped.

Shortly after, Zhang Bailian was brought back to the floor by someone although he still got twenty canings and had a large patch of blood-stained clothing on his back from the beating.

Mojingli looked coldly at him lying on the ground as if dead. He said to Ye Li, "I am fighting in the north for Chu's territory and now I am borrowing money under the name of the court but Zhang Bailian has refused repeatedly. Do you think it is unreasonable that he gets beaten"

Ye Li replied calmly, "Of course, such a person deserves to be punished. However, if one kills without teaching, it is cruel; if one punishes without warning, it is violent. Everyone knows how much Mr. Zhang loves money and making a mistake now was inevitable. Since he has learned his lesson now, I believe he will not disappoint Your Highness."

"Is that so" Mojingli raised an eyebrow to look at Zhang Bailian. Zhang Bailian who had accumulated such wealth would definitely not be foolish enough to know what almost happened just now. If it were not for Young Master Chu's pleading, Zhang Bailian might already be dead by now. At the sight of Mojingli’s gaze on him, he nodded repeatedly and said, "This gentleman is right… I was wrong but I beg Your Highness to forgive me. I am willing to donate fifty thousand dan of grain."

Donating to soldiers meant giving away for free without getting it back. Although Mojingli had never planned on returning any money, it sounded better than borrowing. However... "Fifty thousand" Fifty thousand dan of grain might sound like a lot but was not enough to feed hundreds of thousands of troops for even one month; Mojingli would definitely be unsatisfied with that. Zhang Bailian trembled and said with a sorrowful face, "One hundred… one hundred thousand…"

Mojingli snorted and smiled, "Then I must thank Mr. Zhang for your generosity. As for the grain in the later part of the war, we will need your help to prepare them as well. Of course, the court would pay a high price for it. Does that sound good"

What else could Zhang Bailian do but nod He knew very clearly that this so-called ‘high’ price was unlikely to be given; even at fair prices he probably wouldn’t get anything back and would likely have to take the loss himself. It was doubtful if there would be any of his family’s assets left after Li Wang finished the war.

After Zhang Bailian's lesson, everyone present became much more sensible as well. Without Mojingli saying a word, they started donating money and materials; half of them were giving away their property for free. Although these people might curse Mojingli’s ancestors in their hearts, they still had to smile cautiously on the surface to avoid making him angry and being unable to leave Li Manor alive.

In no time at all, Ye Li roughly calculated that more than five million silver coins had been donated by everyone present. Besides, there were also countless other materials. With such rich income, Mojingli's gloomy face was much better. As for Ye Li, he generously contributed 50 thousand silver coins to the war fund as well. Although Mojingli wasn't very satisfied with it, he thought that Chu Junwei had been generous considering how far away they were from home and decided not to say anything more about it since Chu Junwei did give him a way out earlier. Of course, these 50 thousand silver coins were actually given by Mr. Lin sitting beside Ye Li. Mr. Lin lost forty-five million silver coins in one meal and his face turned green with grief. Everyone present knew that their money would most likely be gone without any hope of return. Luckily, the south had been wealthy since ancient times; although these merchants suffered huge losses, they could still afford it. If it were South Yao or Western Ling, these people might rebel against the government long before Mojingli started his war.

After getting what he wanted, Mojingli did not feel like staying to drink and eat with them anymore; he took a sip of wine as a courtesy and left. Everyone present was very uncomfortable eating but none dared leave immediately since it would be obvious that they were dissatisfied if they left right after Li Wang left. The idea that the poor don't compete with the rich, and the rich don’t fight against officials had been deeply rooted in everyone's minds. Unless someone couldn’t live anymore, ordinary civilians usually did not want to make enemies of the government.

Everyone was absent-mindedly watching the dancing girls on stage while grieving inwardly over their losses. Among them, Ye Li seemed to be the only one who felt at ease. Mojingli may have left but Ye Ying and the young emperor remained in attendance; it would not look right without a host for the banquet. However, Ye Li’s appearance was unsuitable for speaking with Ye Ying. As his gaze passed over Mo Shuyun sitting motionlessly on her seat, Ye Li's lips curled up into an extremely faint smile.

"Why is the Emperor here at the Regent's王府 today" Ye Li asked in puzzlement.

The old man next to her, Mr. Lin, hurriedly explained softly: "It’s said that the Regent and the Empress Dowager had a falling out. The Regent accused the Empress Dowager of being too lenient and incapable of teaching the Emperor properly. He plans to take the Emperor under his own guidance."

"Take him under his own guidance" Mo Jingli probably intended to scare the little emperor to death, didn't he Furthermore, Mo Jingli seemed to have forgotten that he himself was raised by someone who was also considered too lenient.

"Sure enough. Alas... It's not easy being born into a royal family." Mr. Lin glanced at the dazed little emperor on the throne and shook his head repeatedly. Even an idiot could see that the little emperor was just a puppet he couldn't control, especially when facing Regent Li. The little emperor seemed to be afraid of the Regent like cold cicadas in winter. It's likely that the Regent didn’t treat him well either. Staying in the palace with the Empress Dowager and the Empress around would be better than staying with the Regent, as one never knew how long the little emperor could survive under such circumstances.

Ye Li lowered her head in thought before glancing at Wei Lin behind her. Wei Lin stepped forward to listen, and Ye Li whispered a few words into his ear. Wei Lin nodded silently and returned to his original position. Mr. Lin was curious about the two guards behind Ye Li and found that this Master Chu was increasingly enigmatic.

"Master Chu," Zhang Baolian, who had just been beaten up, approached with a pale face and smiled politely: "Thank you for speaking on my behalf in front of the Regent." Since Zhang Baolian had offended Mo Jingli earlier, everyone present didn't dare to say anything to him. Additionally, Zhang Baolian's popularity wasn’t high either. If anyone cared about his well-being, they would have reminded him earlier. Most likely, Zhang Baolian was used as a sacrificial stone by others. However, the banquet hadn't ended yet; with all his injuries, he couldn’t withdraw and just sat alone in a corner looking miserable. He barely managed to come over to thank Ye Li.

Ye Li smiled slightly and nodded: "Mr. Zhang, there’s no need for courtesy. I merely did what was easy."

Zhang Baolian said with a bitter smile: "Master Chu's effort saved an old man like me from disaster. If you ever have any requests in the future, this old man will do his best." Ye Li secretly thought that Zhang Baolian wasn’t as foolish as he seemed. However, she didn't take his later words seriously since Zhang Baolian’s love for wealth wouldn’t change just because of a beating.

"No need to be so formal,"

Zhang Baolian looked at Mr. Lin next to him and smiled: "If Master Chu has time, I would like to invite you over with a small banquet." Ye Li thought for a moment and then said with a smile: "Then, I will trouble Mr. Zhang."

Seeing that Ye Li accepted the invitation, Zhang Baolian returned happily to his seat.

Mr. Lin looked at Zhang Baolian and couldn't help but laugh: "I never expected that after being beaten up, Zhang Baolian would become so generous. Master Chu must be one of the few people in all these years who can get him to invite someone willingly."

Ye Li smiled faintly: "Mr. Lin is jesting."

Mister Lin shook his head and said, "Zhang Baolian has always been motivated by profit alone. Master Chu should be cautious." Ye Li nodded in agreement, grateful for Mister Lin’s reminder. Although Mister Lin had his own intentions, reminding her was still a kindness. There were no unselfish acts in this world.

Zhang Baolian was also considered a notable figure in Nanjing City, and Ye Li had some understanding of him. While he might appreciate her for saving him earlier, it's more likely that he hoped to gain benefits from the Chu family.

Mister Lin thought for a moment before looking at Ye Li with a smile and saying softly, "I heard that Zhang Baolian has an unmarried daughter…" Though he didn’t finish his sentence, Ye Li understood what he meant.

In fact, after seeing Ye Li today, many people had similar thoughts. After all, although Chu Junwei was merely a collateral branch of the Chu family, his background was far superior to that of merchants like them. Moreover, this Master Chu was handsome and graceful, even Regent Li seemed to treat him with respect. And then there were the intertwined relationships between the Chu and Xu families. Such an excellent son-in-law would naturally be desired by everyone. Even Mister Lin himself had similar thoughts, but unfortunately, his two daughters were either married or too young. He could only sigh in regret.

Hearing Mister Lin’s words, Ye Li was stunned into silence. She truly hadn’t thought about such issues; after all, even if she appeared to be a man on the outside, her bones were still those of a woman. No woman would think that someone wanted to marry their daughter off to her. However, now hearing Mister Lin say this… Ye Li turned and looked at Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin.

Both men wore strange expressions; after some time, Wei Lin slowly said: "Your Grace's outstanding demeanor makes you a desirable match for many parents." So, the Regent not only had to be wary of men but also women Wei Lin and Zhuo Jing couldn’t help feeling sympathetic for their master.

Ye Li shook her head helplessly and smiled: "Thank you for reminding me, Mr. Lin."

Mister Lin chuckled and said softly while covering his mouth: "I’m just saying it out loud; originally, one says 'it's better to break up a temple than to break up a marriage,' but Zhang Baolian’s daughter… Heehee… Your Grace should consider this carefully."

In the corner opposite them, Zhang Baolian clearly noticed Mister Lin talking about his family and glared fiercely at him. Mister Lin drank his wine unperturbedly; Ye Li shook her head helplessly and raised a cup of wine towards Zhang Baolian.

The guests present were somewhat surprised to see that this Master Chu regarded the tight-fisted Zhang Baolian with such special attention. his behalf and could not think of any words to speak. He shook his head blankly. Mo Xiuyao turned back to look at Feng Huiting with a good mood, saying, "As you can see, even Feng San himself has no...