Mo Li

In the Imperial Study

Mo Jingqi sat upon the high imperial throne, his expression shifting between gloom and uncertainty. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "Summon Marquis Muyang to the palace at once!" The eunuchs attending the study, aware of the emperor's foul mood, dared not utter a word and quickly bowed before hurrying out to deliver the command.

Marquis Muyang arrived with remarkable speed. In truth, ever since his only beloved son had followed Princess Ding to the battlefield, he had been restless with worry. Not even the news of the downfall of Marquis Nan's household—long his political rival—and the deaths of the Nan father and son had brought him any relief. The Muyang Manor was utterly loyal to the emperor, and precisely because of this, Mu Yang's departure with Princess Ding was fraught with peril. Though he had received two letters assuring him of his son's safety, what good were they? The northwest was thousands of miles from the capital—if anything were to happen, by the time the emperor dispatched aid, his son's corpse might already be rotting. More importantly, Marquis Muyang understood the temperament of this young emperor all too well—his paranoia was unmatched in the world. Mu Yang had not reported anything incriminating about Prince Ding's Estate in all this time, which certainly did not align with the emperor's original intentions. Sooner or later, the emperor might even suspect Mu Yang of conspiring with Prince Ding's Estate. And then... the fate of Marquis Nan's household would surely be a grim precedent for the Muyang Manor. Thus, upon receiving the imperial summons, Marquis Muyang made only the briefest preparations before rushing to the palace without delay.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty." Stepping into the study and catching sight of the emperor's barely concealed malice, Marquis Muyang stiffened inwardly and immediately dropped to his knees in a loud, deferential salute.

The emperor seemed pleased by this show of respect, and his dark expression softened slightly. "Rise, Our beloved subject." Mo Jingqi despised the idea of his subjects enjoying special privileges—take, for example, the Ding Royal Palace. More than once, he had inwardly cursed his ancestors for decreeing that successive generations of King Ding and his princess need not kneel before the throne. Weren't they all his subjects? What right did the Ding Royal Palace have to remain standing? Another example was the customary imperial grace granted to elderly ministers over seventy, exempting them from kneeling in court. Yet none—not even the highly decorated Duke Hua—had ever received such an honor under his reign. Mo Jingqi reveled in the sight of all his subjects prostrating themselves before him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. May I inquire as to the reason for Your Majesty's summons?" Marquis Muyang rose and asked respectfully.

Instead of answering, Mo Jingqi studied him in thoughtful silence. Though anxiety gnawed at him, Marquis Muyang dared not show it, his expression growing only more reverent. After a long pause, the emperor finally spoke in a low voice: "Marquis Mu, have you received any letters from your son confirming his safety?"

Marquis Muyang hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, I have. The most recent arrived half a month ago."

"Oh? And what did it say?" Mo Jingqi asked coolly."My son merely reported his safety and incidentally mentioned that Prince Ding has already arrived in Xinyang to join forces with Princess Ding. Presumably... the complete recovery of the entire northwest is within reach," said Marquis Muyang. In truth, Mo Jingqi was well aware of the letter's contents. Observing the somewhat nervous Marquis Muyang, Mo Jingqi suddenly smiled and said, "Marquis Mu, there’s no need to be tense. Mu Yang... it’s been so long, and he’s only written two letters. Doesn’t he fear his aging father’s worry at home? Marquis Mu, do you know where Mu Yang is now?" Marquis Muyang cautiously replied, "Your servant... does not know. However, since my son has followed the army on campaign, he is likely stationed before Prince Ding’s forces at present."

Mo Jingqi gave a light hum and said, "Indeed. Prince Ding is currently leading 500,000 troops of the Mo Family Army in fierce battle within the passes against the allied forces of Nanzhao, Western Liang, and Prince Li. Your son serves as the vanguard captain." Marquis Muyang’s heart skipped a beat. Glancing at the emperor’s expression, he feigned shock and asked, "Your Majesty... in that case... the northwest beyond the passes..." Mo Jingqi smiled and said, "The northwest? Princess Ding personally commands 200,000 troops there, engaging Zhennan Wang. By now... they have retreated to Hongzhou. Marquis Mu, take a look at these..." He pointed to several memorials on the imperial desk. Marquis Muyang expressed his gratitude and accepted the memorials handed to him by the attendant. They turned out to be petitions for battle from garrisons near the northwest. Although intense fighting raged within the passes, the garrisons had received orders to hold their positions and not act rashly. As a result, the generals could only watch as Prince Ding maneuvered against the three allied forces, unable to move themselves. Though none dared voice dissent openly, any man with a shred of courage would surely harbor dissatisfaction with this secret decree. Thus, it was hardly surprising that these generals requested to march beyond the passes to reinforce Princess Ding. However, the emperor was clearly very displeased with this.

Marquis Muyang carefully weighed his words and said, "Your Majesty, the generals act out of patriotic fervor. The northwest is, after all, part of Great Chu—Your Majesty’s territory. This is also a testament to their loyalty to you."

Mo Jingqi did not truly doubt the loyalty of these generals. Looking at Marquis Muyang, he said, "Marquis Mu, who do you believe is most suitable to lead the troops now?"

"This..." Marquis Muyang had clearly not expected the emperor to agree so readily to the plan of reinforcing Princess Ding and was momentarily at a loss. He hurriedly replied, "Naturally, Your Majesty’s wise judgment prevails." Mo Jingqi fixed his gaze on him and said, "I need someone absolutely trustworthy to handle this matter." For some reason, Marquis Muyang suddenly felt uneasy. Under Mo Jingqi’s scrutiny, he struggled to maintain his composure and smiled, "The court is filled with ministers loyal to Your Majesty. Why worry about lacking candidates? Your servant... is willing to lead the troops." Mo Jingqi smiled with satisfaction and said, "Excellent. You may set out for the northwest at dawn tomorrow—no, tonight. The nearest garrisons from two provinces will be at your disposal." Marquis Muyang forced a smile and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Your servant will not fail Your Majesty’s expectations. I vow to drive out the invaders and pacify the northwest."

Mo Jingqi’s eyes turned cold as he said indifferently, "Marquis Mu, your resolve heartens me. However... there is one more matter I must entrust to you." Marquis Muyang felt his heartbeat quicken further. His instincts warned him against hearing the emperor’s next words, yet the reality was that he could only stand even more deferentially in the hall and say, "Your Majesty’s command?"The voices in the hall lowered, and after a long while, an inconspicuous little eunuch emerged from the side chamber. He cautiously glanced around to ensure no one was nearby before swiftly changing direction and hurrying toward the empress's palace.

No matter what was happening elsewhere, the battle in Hongzhou continued unabated. Zhennan Wang seemed to have finally lost patience with the current situation, launching relentless assaults day and night, with nocturnal raids growing increasingly fierce. The Mo Family Army's small-scale ambushes could hardly deter the Western Mausoleum Army's resolute advance. Fortunately, Mo Hua finally arrived in Hongzhou with the shadow guards, much to the relief of Feng Zhiyao, who had been deeply worried about Ye Li's safety. Faced with Zhennan Wang's escalating attacks, the fall of Hongzhou seemed inevitable.

"Princess, please leave Hongzhou immediately," Mo Hua said with his usual impassive expression, his stern gaze fixed on the woman bent over her desk, writing swiftly. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could detect a complex mix of admiration and concern in his eyes. Once, Mo Hua had been dissatisfied and dismissive of Ye Li's attempts to reform the shadow guards. Though he acknowledged her capabilities, his respect had its limits. But upon arriving in Hongzhou, he realized this composed and graceful woman, who commanded the northwest with such poise, was also pregnant. Mo Hua finally felt a sense of conviction—Princess Ding was unlike any other woman in the world. And precisely because of that, he had to ensure her safety, whether for the sake of the prince, the future Little Prince, or simply because he couldn't bear to see such an extraordinary woman come to harm.

Ye Li nodded. "I know. I will leave in three days." By her calculations, Hongzhou could hold out for three more days at most. After that, the Western Liang forces would breach the city walls—and it would also mark their utter annihilation. A flicker of cold determination flashed in Ye Li's eyes as she calmly set down her brush. After a moment of silence, Mo Hua said, "Among the shadow guards, there are those skilled in disguise. One could impersonate you and remain in Hongzhou." Ye Li shook her head helplessly. "Do you really think that would fool Prince Zhennan of Xiling? Mo Hua, there's no need to worry. I will leave before then." She lowered her hand to rest lightly on her still-flat abdomen, a trace of melancholy rising in her heart. No matter what... for the sake of her unborn child, she couldn't afford to put herself in danger—even though she would have preferred to stay and fight alongside the Mo Family Army to defend Hongzhou.

Seeing Ye Li rise and turn toward the bookshelves behind her, clearly unwilling to discuss the matter further, Mo Hua understood that persuasion was futile and reluctantly withdrew.

On the road north to Hongzhou, within the pass, several horses grazed quietly near a grove of trees. By a campfire not far away, Mo Xiuyao's refined features were slightly darkened, his brow furrowing intermittently.

"Your Highness, a secret letter from the capital!" A Jin approached hurriedly, presenting a letter sealed with red wax. Mo Xiuyao's eyes flickered as he took the envelope, broke the seal, and read its contents—only for his expression to darken instantly. A Jin, standing beside him, instinctively took a step back. In the decade and more he had served the prince, he had never seen such a grim look on his face. "Your Highness... has something happened in the capital?"

After a long pause, Mo Xiuyao gritted his teeth and spat out a name: "Mo Jingqi!"A Jin was taken aback. He wasn't a particularly clever man and often failed to grasp convoluted schemes. But even he could tell that the relationship between the Emperor and his own prince wasn't as harmonious as common folk believed. Had the Emperor done something again to provoke the prince?

Mo Xiuyao slowly crumpled the letter in his hand. With a slight exertion, the paper ball instantly turned to powder, slipping through his fingers like fine white dust onto the floor. "Mo Jingqi... you'd better pray that A Li is unharmed! A Jin, take my token north and order the Mo Family Army stationed there to reinforce Hongzhou immediately!" A Jin froze, somewhat confused. "My Prince... there are only fifty thousand troops in the north, meant to defend against the Northern Rong..." A cold smile curled at the corners of Mo Xiuyao's lips. "If Mo Jingqi himself doesn't care, why should I care for him? Relay the order—reinforce Hongzhou at once!"

Finally realizing the prince was dead serious, A Jin straightened his expression. "A Jin obeys your command. A Jin takes his leave." Catching the token Mo Xiuyao tossed his way, A Jin turned without hesitation, mounted his horse, and galloped away in a cloud of dust.

Watching A Jin's figure disappear into the distance, Mo Xiuyao clenched his fists tightly. The words that slowly escaped his lips sent chills down one's spine. "Mo Jingqi... do you truly believe my patience knows no bounds? If anything happens to A Li or Hongzhou... I'll make you wish you were dead!"