Chapter 31: First Meeting

a smile. "Please give us what we want and make things easier for everyone." Doctor Lin raised an eyebrow and replied coolly, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The middle-aged man didn’t get...The Capital City Ode 31: First Meeting

31. First Meeting

"Prince Li, do you have any objections to this princess who will become my future queen"

The entire second floor was silent, even the noise from downstairs seemed very distant. Everyone's gaze was fixed on a young man in brown tight-fitting clothes who had firmly grabbed Prince Mo Jinglei’s wrist as he reached out towards Ye Li. However, no one present, including Prince Mo Jinglei himself, saw where this youth came from. Mo Jinglei glared fiercely at the youth and quickly turned his gaze to the source of the voice. Ye Li did not look at the person blocking Mo Jinglei; she had already turned her gaze towards a straight-backed figure in plain clothes standing at the stairwell when that voice sounded.

Only then did people notice that this man was dressed in an unremarkable set of plain clothes, yet instead of sitting on one of the tavern’s chairs, he was seated on an elegant wheelchair. Because he arrived early and there was also a half-human-height vase blocking his side, not many noticed this detail. It seemed he had been observing the scene below from behind carved railings until now when he turned his head slightly to reveal half of his handsome face. He moved his hand on the wheelchair, causing it to slowly turn towards everyone.

The man seated in the wheelchair wore ordinary cotton clothes yet carried himself without the usual despondency and poverty seen in those with physical disabilities. Even standing people seemed shorter and had to look up at him. There are some individuals who do not need luxurious attire, jade treasures, or overwhelming power to tower above others; they naturally exude an air of superiority just by being present. Half of this man’s face was handsome and refined, emanating a natural noble dignity. His left cheek bore a silver-colored mask made from unknown material that covered the entire half, adding an aura of mystery that piqued one's curiosity. Even knowing it concealed hideous scars did not diminish its allure.

"Mo, Xiu, Yao!" After a long while, Mo Jinglei slowly uttered three words.

The name "Mo Xiu Yao" seemed to hold magical powers, as if awakening the stunned crowd. They looked at Prince Ding with astonishment; seated in his wheelchair yet still dignified and composed, he was someone who had not been seen for many years. Seeing this man so different from their expectations, people accustomed to thinking of him as a disabled good-for-nothing suddenly remembered his once dazzling youth.

The once-doted-upon second son of the Prince Ding王府的嫡次子，曾經是整個楚國少年羨慕的對象。他的文采風流與天下第一少年狀元齊名，武功卓絕，如同祖先一樣精通兵法，在十五歲時縱橫南疆數國，所向披靡。他曾擁有一位京城中最美麗最有才華的未婚妻，兩人才貌雙全，令世人豔羨不已。然而，從十八歲那年起，他的好運似乎戛然而止。唯一的兄長病逝後，他匆忙繼承了定王爵位，並再次出征卻險些大敗而歸。儘管最後力挽狂瀾，但他付出了無法抹去的代價：重傷、毀容和雙腿殘疾。彷彿上天覺得這些還不夠，三個月後，訂婚多年的未婚妻也病逝，從此京城中隻有少數人才偶爾能見到這位定王的身影。

如果說少年時期的墨修堯才華橫溢，光彩奪目如同烈火。那麼幾年後再見的他卻如玉一般溫潤端方，如水一般的沉靜優雅。而這一切變化背後所經曆過的痛苦又有幾人知曉？

"景黎，多年不見你倒是出息了。"墨修堯看了正盯著自己看的葉璃一眼後，才轉向墨景黎。

本來表情就匱乏的墨景黎臉上更加僵硬，硬聲道："本王如何與你無關。"

墨修堯點頭讚同道，“你要怎樣我確實冇有打算管，不過…就算你不注意自己的身份，最好還是留意一下彆人的身份。”

墨景黎眉頭一皺，看了看葉璃臉上露出的譏誚意味，揮開鉗製著他的少年，回頭對墨修堯說：“你想為她出頭？墨修堯，你該不會真的看上了這個女人了吧？”

"你知道的，我們的眼光從小就是天壤之彆。"墨修堯並冇有生氣，反而多了一絲淡淡的笑意，“另外，對於未來的定國王府當家主母不敬，景黎，你要確定這樣做嗎？"

墨景黎麵色沉了下來，狠狠地瞪了葉璃一眼。他不屑地對墨修堯笑道：“哈，未來的定國王府當家主母？墨修堯，你確定你說的是這個女人？”定王妃和定國王府的當家主母對於皇室而言是完全不同的兩個概念。如果僅僅是定王妃的話還可以不當回事，但如果這個女人真的執掌了定國王府……墨景黎突然意識到當初慫恿皇帝哥哥把這女人指給墨修堯是一個極大的錯誤。

"Prince Li, please watch your words!" The brown-clothed youth, who had retreated to the side, glared at Mo Jinglei with a hostile expression.

Mo Jinglei snorted and left without even bidding farewell. Princess Qixia, who was following him, looked puzzled at what happened and hurried after him.

The show was over; many people, stirred by the information they had received today, left as if nothing had happened. Soon enough, only Ye Li's party and Mo Xiyaoyao’s table remained on the second floor. Ye Li sighed helplessly in her heart; things were bound to get lively in the capital from now on.

"Cough, I’ve just met the Prince Regent. I suddenly remembered that there are some things I need to buy. Zeng and Meng, you two come with me." Hua Tianxiang coughed lightly and tried to escape without any sense of brotherhood.

Qin Zeng and Mu Guan Ting quickly nodded their heads in agreement and hurried downstairs after receiving Mo Xiyaoyao's consent, not forgetting to give Ye Li an encouraging look before leaving. Seeing her friends disappear at the stairway, Ye Li sighed with a smile. Did they think she was like other young ladies who would feel shy around her fiancé Okay then, it was indeed appropriate for her to show some shyness in such a situation when meeting someone she had never met before and whom people said was incapable due to his disability. After thinking about it, Ye Li decided not to put on an overly difficult performance. She looked at the man who was sizing her up with a straight face, "Prince Regent, why don’t we talk somewhere else After all... they still need to do business here."

Mo Xiyaoyao’s eyes showed a hint of surprise as he silently nodded and led Ye Li to a private room on the third floor of Chu Xiang Pavilion.

"Miss Ye, you’ve surprised me." In the only private room on the third floor, Mo Xiyaoyao leaned against an open window while looking at the young woman in green who was standing before him with no signs of restraint or unease.

Ye Li smiled politely. "You have also surprised me, Prince Regent." If this man before her was indeed the crippled and supposedly incapable Prince Ding as rumored outside the palace, then it could be said that the news in the capital had become unreliable to such an extent.

"After all these years… it seems Jingli's judgment was indeed mistaken," Mo Xiuyao sighed softly, a hint of amusement flashing in his warm eyes.

"You're not afraid"

"Afraid" Ye Li looked at him with confusion and quickly added: "I will be as careful as I can. Besides, imperial decree is like a mountain. Rather than defying it, why not try to move forward Perhaps there will be a different outcome."

Mo Xiuyao lifted his hand to take off the mask on his face, revealing the grotesque scars underneath to Ye Li.

The somewhat sinister-looking scars were indeed unattractive, but for someone like Ye Li who had seen severed limbs and bomb fragments, they didn't even warrant a moment of surprise. She merely blinked and asked with some guilt: "Is Your Highness trying to scare me"

Mo Xiuyao was momentarily stunned before he curled his lips into an extremely faint smile, saying, “No, in fact, I don’t like wearing this.” Even though half of his face had been disfigured, Mo Xiuyao never wore a mask when alone. He wasn't afraid to face himself.

Ye Li nodded in agreement: "I also don’t like people who wear masks. It’s hard to see their expressions and intentions through the mask."

Mo Xiuyao was speechless. The young lady before him was vastly different from what Feng Zhirao had investigated, as well as his own speculations. Looking at her composed and serene appearance, Mo Xiuyao suddenly realized that what Feng Zhirao said was indeed accurate—Ye Li was a very interesting woman and the best choice he could make for someone to lead Ding Kingdom Manor in the future.rtant has been overlooked." Although Prince Ding’s household was large and had significant business interests, their split with Mo Jingqi meant that they would inevitably suffer losses. Ten thousand t...