Mo Li

"Aunt, don’t just stand at the door. Let’s go inside and have some tea."

Hearing the words of her beloved niece, whom she cherished as her own daughter, Madam Xu’s cold expression softened into a smile. She took Ye Li’s hand and sighed pityingly, "Good child, you’ve suffered." Ye Li smiled faintly without a word, linking arms with Madam Xu as they walked toward the courtyard. She didn’t forget to turn back and address her father, who stood awkwardly to the side, "Father, if you’re not too busy, why not join us for some tea?" Only then did Ye Wenhua force a smile and nod, "Then let’s taste Li’er’s tea."

The tense atmosphere finally eased somewhat. Just as the group was about to enter Qingyi House, Wang Shi came stumbling over from a distance, supported by her maids. When she saw Ye Rong being held down and beaten, his cries shaking the heavens, she let out a wail and threw herself over him, shielding him in her arms. As the mistress of the household, her intervention naturally halted the punishment, and the servants stepped aside. Seeing his mother arrive, Ye Rong immediately clung to her as if he had found his savior, whimpering in pain while pointing at Ye Li, "Mother, she made them hit me! You have to avenge me! It hurts… wuwu…"

Kneeling on the ground with Ye Rong in her arms, Wang Shi glared at Ye Wenhua with grief and resentment, demanding, "Master, what wrong has Rong’er done to deserve such a beating? He… he’s still so young, your only son… wuwu… Third Miss, even if Rong’er has offended you in some way… you are siblings!"

"Li’er, come inside with your aunt. What kind of demons and monsters are running amok in this household? If word of this gets out, what will people think? If things are truly unbearable, your uncle can petition the Emperor and have you married directly from the Censor’s manor. I’m sure your grandfather has the final say in your marriage, and our Censor’s manor won’t disgrace the Ding Royal Palace." Madam Xu’s face darkened again as she watched Wang Shi kneeling and weeping pitifully in the distance. She took Ye Li’s hand and led her inside. The Ye family—Wang Shi, her daughters, and even Ye Zhaoyi in the palace—all seemed cut from the same cloth. While Ye Ying and Ye Yue’s tears could be overlooked, Wang Shi, at her age, had no shame.

Ye Li nodded and turned to Wang Shi, speaking calmly, "Madam exaggerates. Rong’er was punished by Father. But now that you mention it, Rong’er does need discipline, lest outsiders say the Minister’s manor lacks proper upbringing." Without waiting for Ye Wenhua’s reaction, she escorted Madam Xu into the courtyard. Xu Qingfeng followed behind, glancing at Wang Shi with amusement. "Uncle’s second wife… is quite the spectacle. I’ve never seen a mistress behave like this. Noble families’ wives, no matter how they act in private, always maintain grace and dignity in public. But this one—weeping while still managing to look coquettishly aggrieved—clearly has the air of a concubine. Then again, wasn’t she originally a concubine?" With that, he turned and followed his mother and cousin inside, leaving the fuming Minister to deal with the mess outside.

In the elegantly quiet flower hall, Ye Li served tea she had personally brewed to her still-furious aunt and cousin.Madam Xu took a sip of tea, feeling her anger subside slightly before looking helplessly at Ye Li. "Look at your temperament—even the illegitimate child of a concubine-turned-stepmother dares to bully you now." Ye Li remained unperturbed, smiling gently at her protective aunt. "After all, she is the mistress of the Ye household and the birth mother of the palace's Zhaoyi. Besides, Li'er hasn't suffered any real losses. Isn't that right, Aunt?"

Xu Qingfeng frowned. "Today, we were here, so your father had no choice but to punish him in front of outsiders. But on ordinary days, would it be so easy? Don’t think we don’t know—those twenty strokes were dragged out until Wang Shi arrived, and only a few light hits actually landed on Ye Rong. If Ye Wenhua hadn’t tacitly allowed it, how would the servants dare to disobey orders so blatantly?"

Ye Li raised an eyebrow with a smile. "I’ve made you, Cousin, and Uncle and Aunt worry. After all, he is Father’s only son—how could he not favor him? But Li'er isn’t someone to be trifled with either. If he truly crosses me, do you think I’d let him off so easily?" In Ye Li’s eyes, Ye Rong was nothing more than a spoiled, unpleasant child. Paying him too much attention would only be tedious.

Recalling the string of misfortunes that had recently befallen a certain someone, Xu Qingfeng couldn’t help but chuckle. Still, he couldn’t resist reminding his cousin to be careful.

Madam Xu handed a sealed letter to Ye Li. Feeling the weight of the envelope, warmth filled Ye Li’s heart as she looked up into Madam Xu’s gentle, loving eyes. A pang of sorrow struck her. "Aunt…" Ever since her mother’s passing, if not for her uncle and aunt’s constant care, she wouldn’t have lived so freely all these years. Before she could voice her gratitude, Madam Xu took her hand and smiled. "Silly child, no matter what, you are of the Xu family’s blood, aren’t you? Your uncle only ever had your mother as his younger sister—what trouble is it for us to do this?"

"Aunt…" Ye Li lowered her gaze, not wanting Madam Xu to see the tears in her eyes.

Noticing the somber mood, Xu Qingfeng quickly interjected with a laugh. "Mother is right—our Xu family has only Li'er as the sole daughter of this generation. When Li'er gets married, Uncle and my elder brothers, second brother, fourth brother, and fifth brother will all come to the capital. If not for Grandfather’s poor health this year—the physician advised against long journeys—he would have wanted to come too."

Ye Li quickly suppressed her surging emotions. "Grandfather is unwell? Then what about Uncle and the others…"Don't worry, Grandpa is getting older, so it's natural for him to have minor ailments. The climate in the capital isn't as suitable for recuperation as Yunzhou. As for Eldest Brother and the others, they were originally planning to come to the capital to prepare for next year's Spring Examinations. They’re just arriving a few months earlier because of your wedding. Afraid that Ye Li might overthink, Xu Qingfeng quickly reassured her. Ye Li suppressed a laugh—it was only the end of March now, and next year's Spring Examinations were nearly a year away. This was far too early. Understanding that her cousin was trying to comfort her, she went along with his words and changed the topic, asking curiously, "Are Second Cousin, Fourth Cousin, and Fifth Brother all taking the Spring Examinations?"

Among the Xu family's younger generation, the second eldest, Xu Qingze, was nineteen this year, while the fourth, Xu Qingbai, was sixteen, and the youngest, Xu Qingyan, was only thirteen. As for the eldest, Xu Qingchen, now twenty-two, he had already achieved the top rank in the imperial examinations at the age of fourteen, becoming the youngest top scholar since the founding of the Great Chu dynasty. However, Xu Qingchen disliked the intrigues of officialdom and resigned at fifteen to travel and study. By the age of twenty, he had become the youngest instructor at Mount Li Academy. This cousin could truly be described as extraordinarily brilliant. Though Ye Li had only met him a few times years ago, her impression of him was deeply profound. Still, with three Xu family sons taking the imperial examinations simultaneously—and given their abilities, the likelihood of failure was extremely low—wouldn’t it draw too much attention?

Xu Qingfeng shrugged. "Originally, it was just Second Brother and Fourth Brother. Fifth Brother insisted on coming himself, claiming he wanted to surpass Eldest Brother’s record as the fourteen-year-old top scholar. Eldest Brother was born in February, while he was born in September. If he really does become the top scholar, he’d technically surpass Eldest Brother—though the chances are slim. He’s always preferred martial arts and reading military strategy books. He doesn’t care much about being a top scholar anyway. Actually, none of the Xu family has much interest in the imperial exams. They don’t plan to become officials. But if they don’t take the exams and achieve a certain rank, no matter how learned they are, they won’t be able to teach at Mount Li Academy at their age. How could those proud young talents ever respect a teacher their own age?"

Madam Xu also smiled and added, "In truth, only Qingze is seriously preparing. Qingbai and Qingyan are just tagging along for the excitement."

"Is Second Brother planning to stay in the capital?" Ye Li asked.

Xu Qingfeng grinned approvingly. "As sharp as ever, Li'er. But while Second Brother stays in the capital, your cousin here is about to embark on a journey."

Seeing Xu Qingfeng’s radiant expression, Ye Li’s heart stirred with excitement. "Has Second Uncle finally agreed to let you join the military?"

Madam Xu nodded, both exasperated and pleased. "Indeed. This boy has finally gotten his wish. Your uncle is planning to send him to the army for training." In truth, the Imperial Censor’s feelings were mixed—he hoped his son would endure the hardships of military life and eventually return home to uphold the Xu family’s scholarly traditions. But if Xu Qingfeng dared to quit after just a few months, he’d undoubtedly face a severe beating.

"Congratulations, Cousin!" Ye Li said with a smile. "Second Uncle has always opposed your military ambitions. Now that he’s relented, no wonder you’re so happy."

"Thanks to your auspicious words, Li'er. When I become a great general, if that Prince Ding dares to bully you, I’ll avenge you!"

Ye Li’s face darkened. Even as a general, he wouldn’t be able to stand against the only hereditary prince of Great Chu. Besides, by the time he rose from a lowly soldier to a general, it would be far too late.