Mo Li

"Princess Consort!"

Everyone was stunned by the sudden outcome. Reacting swiftly, Zhuo Jing rushed to the edge of the cliff, but in the darkness, all he could see was the thick mist below, obscuring the unfathomable depths. In that moment, almost all the shadow guards, including Mo Hua and Wei Lin, surged toward the precipice. The empty void left them all in a daze. Han Mingyue collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale, his already injured shoulder stained with blood. Su Zuidie’s hidden weapon had not struck Ye Li or Zhennan Wang standing beside her. Instead, it had hit Han Mingyue, who had shielded them with his own body.

Coughing lightly, Han Mingyue wiped the blood from the corner of his lips and turned his gaze toward Su Zuidie, who stood frozen, staring at him with uncertainty. His eyes were filled with exhaustion and sorrow.

"Your Highness…" Su Zuidie called hesitantly in a soft voice. She noticed that Zhennan Wang, who had just pulled the dagger from his chest, was looking at her with an expression she had never seen before. It wasn’t anger—but something that inexplicably unsettled her. Even she hadn’t expected Ye Li to fall off the cliff so easily. While wild joy surged in her heart, an odd sense of unreality lingered. At the same time, the venomous glares from Zhuo Jing and the others made it clear—she had to stick close to Zhennan Wang now, or no one could save her.

"Your Highness, should we… deal with these people?" one of the Gold-Clad Guards cautiously inquired. Zhennan Wang swept a glance at Zhuo Jing and the others before replying in a low voice, "No need. We depart for the border immediately—not a moment’s delay."

This time, though they had found Ye Li, they had failed to capture her. Not only had they lost their intended bargaining chip, but they had also forged an irreparable blood feud with Mo Xiuyao. Zhennan Wang knew Mo Xiuyao was also rushing here. Having suffered heavy losses in Hongzhou, a direct confrontation with him now would be disastrous.

With a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Retreat!" Brushing past Zhuo Jing and the others, Zhennan Wang strode into the forest. Su Zuidie hurriedly grabbed his arm, gazing at him with pitiful eyes. "Your Highness…"

Slap!

A resounding blow struck Su Zuidie’s flawless face, the force sending her tumbling to the ground. Zhennan Wang’s voice was icy and merciless as he declared, "Imperial Concubine Bai Long, the Graceful Beauty, has succumbed to illness." Without another glance, he disappeared into the woods. The Gold-Clad Guards trailing behind him dared not spare a look at the stunning beauty sprawled on the ground. Their lord’s meaning was clear—he no longer wished to see this woman. No matter how bewitched they might be, none of them would dare bring her along."No..." Su Zuidie shook her head in panic, never imagining such an outcome. This result foreshadowed the tragic fate awaiting her. "No... please, Your Highness..." Unfortunately, the Gold-Clad Guards came swiftly and left just as quickly, vanishing into the forest in no time. Zhuo Jing stood up, casting a cold glance at the woman on the ground before speaking icily, "Tie this wretch up and await His Highness's judgment." With that, he retrieved the rope Ye Li had prepared to cross the cliff, which had been tied to a nearby tree, and threw it over the edge. Wei Lin, standing nearby, also took out the rope he carried and made similar preparations. Mo Hua watched them silently, uttering only two words, "Be careful." Zhuo Jing nodded, and together with Wei Lin, they grasped the ropes and leaped off the cliff.

Below the cliff, silence reigned, while the atmosphere above grew so heavy it was suffocating. Han Mingyue, disregarding his disheveled state, leaned exhaustedly against a large tree, eyes closed. His white-clad shoulder was dotted with crimson, the entire limb numb. Though he had taken the antidote found on Su Zuidie, he still lacked the strength to move. Su Zuidie, having been unceremoniously immobilized and discarded to the side, wept pitifully as she gazed at Han Mingyue. But even if he still harbored a shred of pity for her, he was powerless to act. Mo Hua stood silently at the cliff's edge, his black hair occasionally stirring in the wind—were it not for that, one might have mistaken him for a statue rather than a living man.

Half an hour later, the foot of the mountain erupted in activity once more. Faintly visible were countless torches converging toward them. "The imperial troops are coming," Han Mingyue murmured, struggling to his feet despite his severe injuries and leaning against the tree as he watched Mo Hua. Mo Hua smirked coldly, his lips curling in mockery. "So what if they come?" The princess consort was already gone; whether they lived or died no longer mattered. But soon, another line of torches illuminated the base of the mountain, splitting into several fiery serpents that ascended rapidly. The rhythm of their movement was achingly familiar to Mo Hua. His lips twitched, a bitter smile flashing across his face. What use was their arrival now... Your Highness, you're too late...

The clashing of weapons soon echoed from below. Before long, a shadowy figure burst from the forest in the darkness, darting straight for the cliff's edge. He seized Han Mingyue, who stood closest to the tree, and demanded fiercely, "Where is Jun Wei? Where has Jun Wei gone?" Han Mingyue's lips moved, but no words came. His gaze slowly shifted toward the forest's edge. Mo Xiuyao emerged swiftly from the trees, his eyes sweeping the cliffside before he even landed, finally settling on Mo Hua. "Where is the princess consort?" he asked gravely.

Mo Hua knelt silently, his voice hoarse as he finally spoke after a long pause. "This subordinate is incompetent... The princess consort... fell from the cliff..."Mo Xiuyao's upright figure swayed slightly, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his lips. His already pale and exhausted face turned deathly white with a bluish tint. He lowered his head and casually wiped the blood away, but soon more blood gushed forth. Mo Hua's expression changed drastically, and without regard for his previous kneeling plea for punishment, he stood up to support him. Mo Xiuyao waved him off dismissively, sending Mo Hua stumbling aside. "Where are Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin?" Mo Hua lowered his head in dismay. "They descended the cliff." With a wave of Mo Xiuyao's hand, the Mo Family Army soldiers who had emerged from the woods behind him needed no further instruction—they immediately began descending the cliff with whatever ropes they could find. Mo Xiuyao glanced at the battered group by the cliff's edge, his gaze lingering briefly on Han Mingyue, before walking to the edge. Before anyone could react, he leaped off the cliff, vanishing into the boundless sea of clouds.

By the time Feng Zhiyao arrived at the cliff's edge in a frantic rush, the sight before him made his heart sink—he was too late... His eyes wandered blankly toward the faintly brightening horizon, where the pale dawn seemed tinged with a faint red, evoking an ominous foreboding deep within. In the vast night sky, the stars had begun to fade with the approaching dawn, yet a few flickered with an eerie crimson glow. Feng Zhiyao stood at the cliff's edge, hands clasped behind his back. The Dire Star of Destruction hung ominously in the sky... the world was on the brink of chaos...

It wasn't until noon the next day that people gradually began emerging from the base of the cliff. But judging by their expressions, Feng Zhiyao's already dwindling hope grew even more fragile. When a figure clad in dark red shot up from below, everyone was startled. Han Mingxi glared furiously down the cliff. Soon, another figure leaped up, stumbling slightly upon landing before steadying himself. His icy gaze fixed on Han Mingxi standing nearby, and he said coldly, "Han Mingxi, do you think this prince dares not kill you?" Han Mingyue felt a chill and subtly positioned himself in front of Han Mingxi. He understood this man far better than his brother did. He didn't know what Mo Xiuyao had seen at the bottom of the cliff, but in just half a day, the aura around him had undergone a drastic transformation. If the former Mo Xiuyao was a sword concealed in its sheath, its edge restrained, then the current Mo Xiuyao was a blade thirsting for blood. Han Mingyue had witnessed every phase of Mo Xiuyao's life—his radiant youth, blazing like the sun; his restrained and composed adulthood, outwardly gentle yet inwardly cold. But the Mo Xiuyao before him now sent shivers down his spine even without lifting a finger. Those once-elegant and indifferent eyes now bore a faint crimson hue, filled with undisguised ferocity, as if ready to tear apart anything in sight. Mo Xiuyao's gaunt frame stood even straighter than usual, exuding an air of danger—simultaneously appearing fragile yet capable of plunging the world into mourning with a mere gesture.Han Mingxi sneered coldly, "Do you think I'm afraid of you?! Go ahead and kill me... You, Prince Ding, are a peerless genius, unrivaled in martial arts. Where were you when Jun Wei was holding the northwest against Lei Zhenting? Where were you when Jun Wei was hunted down with no way out? Where were you when Jun Wei fell off a cliff while pregnant?! Mo Xiuyao, are you even a man? You worthless piece of trash!"

"Pfft—" Han Mingxi's words seemed to finally break through something that had been deliberately suppressed since last night. A mouthful of blood sprayed from Mo Xiuyao's lips. Feng Zhiyao swiftly moved to his side, "Your Highness!" Mo Xiuyao's face was as pale as paper, yet he didn't collapse. Instead, he stared fixedly at Feng Zhiyao, "A Li... A Li was pregnant?" Feng Zhiyao's lips trembled slightly, his throat burning with pain, and he could only nod with difficulty. Mo Xiuyao's expression flickered between joy and sorrow, as if he couldn't find the words to speak. Dark red blood continued to trickle uncontrollably from the corner of his lips. Feng Zhiyao's eyes darkened with deep concern as he whispered, "Your Highness, take care of yourself. The Princess Consort... the Princess Consort's vengeance..." He didn't offer hollow comforts like "maybe the Princess Consort is fine"—things even he didn't believe could never convince Mo Xiuyao. As for those who had harmed the Princess Consort... Feng Zhiyao sighed inwardly. They had to die. Otherwise... His Highness might not survive either.

On the narrow cliffside, everyone remained silent, afraid that breaking the stillness would unleash an unstoppable catastrophe. From yesterday until now, no one on the cliff had eaten or drunk, yet no one felt hunger or thirst. Mo Hua knelt on the ground, recounting in a low voice every detail of what had happened over the past two days to Mo Xiuyao. At the same time, the others learned about the situation below the cliff. Beneath the precipice was a raging river. By dawn, the fog had cleared, revealing nothing but empty space between the cliffs—no obstructions. This meant that Princess Consort Ye Li must have fallen into the river. But the violent currents made it impossible to predict where someone who fell in would be swept away. Feng Zhiyao stood and ordered his subordinates to take a large contingent downstream along the riverbank to search.

Han Mingyue watched the seemingly calm man before him with caution, the danger lurking beneath that calm sending chills down his spine. At this moment, Mo Xiuyao was like a bloodthirsty blade—even the slightest touch would draw blood.

Finally, when Mo Xiuyao's gaze slowly shifted toward Su Zuidie, she began to sob in terror. She had never realized Mo Xiuyao could become so terrifying. The eyes she had once been hopelessly infatuated with now seemed capable of giving her nightmares with just a glance. As Mo Xiuyao stood and walked toward her, she—still immobilized by sealed acupoints—could only shake her head helplessly. "Wuu... Xiu Yao... please... spare me, I beg you... wuu..." At this moment, Su Zuidie suddenly realized that killing Ye Li might have been the biggest mistake of her life. "Wuu... no, I didn't kill Ye Li, it wasn't me..."Mo Xiuyao crouched down in front of her, staring intently at her tear-streaked face. Under such a gaze, Su Zuidie found herself unable to even cry. After a long silence, Mo Xiuyao finally asked softly, "You wanted to kill A Li with a hidden weapon?" Su Zuidie dared not answer, and Mo Xiuyao clearly had no interest in hearing her response. He pulled up her sleeve, revealing the hidden weapon strapped to her wrist. "Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles?" He casually tore off the weapon's casing from her wrist and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, slowly pressed the trigger. "Ah—!"

Su Zuidie's scream echoed through the mountains. The last volley of needles from the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles struck her arm—the same arm that had been holding the hidden weapon. Her once fair and beautiful arm was now a bloody, gruesome mess.

"Xiu Yao..." Han Mingyue couldn't bear to watch and turned his head away. After all, this was a woman he had loved for over a decade. He couldn't help but speak up.

"You want to plead for her?" Mo Xiuyao turned to him with a cold laugh. "Han Mingyue... this time, you can only choose to die with her or let her die alone. I'm only sparing you because you were injured trying to save A Li."

"Princess Ding hasn't—" Han Mingyue struggled to say something, but any words felt hollow in the face of Mo Xiuyao's wrath. "Even if A Li were standing here safe and sound right now, that wouldn't be reason enough for her to live. But don't worry, I won't let her die so quickly. Feng San, take her to Qin Feng. He'll know what to do with her." Feng Zhiyao nodded silently, feeling a rare pang of sympathy for the woman he had always despised. He had some idea of what Qin Feng's Qilin unit—praised by both the prince and princess—could do to a woman Mo Xiuyao hated. Under their hands, even the toughest individuals would be begging for mercy within three days. And until the prince allowed it, she wouldn't even be able to die.

"Your Highness, Lei Zhenting has already retreated to the northwest with his Gold-Clad Guards. I've sent men in pursuit. As for the prisoners at the foot of the mountain... how should we deal with them? Please give your orders."

Mo Xiuyao asked calmly, "How many are there?"

Feng Zhiyao reported, "A total of six thousand five hundred, including seven captains, three lieutenant generals, and one garrison commander—Qi Shaowu, General of Ruyang."

"Kill them all," Mo Xiuyao said without hesitation, his tone indifferent.

Feng Zhiyao was momentarily stunned but quickly composed himself. "As you command!"

Mount Li Academy, Yunzhou

Before dawn, the elderly Mr. Qingyun strolled along the corridor, supported by his youngest grandson. Xu Hongyu followed calmly beside his father. "Father, why are you up so early?" Xu Hongyu asked, glancing at the dark sky with concern. Mr. Qingyun waved his hand. "It's nothing. I just woke up inexplicably in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep."

Xu Hongyu thought for a moment. "Are you worried about A Li?"Mr. Qingyun sighed softly and said, "It has been many years since I last saw Li'er. That child has always been different from her mother since she was young. Now... these years have been hard on you." Seeming to recall something, Mr. Qingyun looked at his son with eyes full of affection and guilt. If not for the Xu family, if not for his own overwhelming reputation as a father, why would his son have to confine himself to teaching students in an academy? Others struggle because they lack a good family background, but Xu Hongyu is burdened by his. Mr. Qingyun knew very well that his eldest son was no less than him in talent and strategy, and more importantly, he even possessed ambitions and aspirations that he himself lacked.

"Father, what are you saying? Your son is also a renowned scholar of the age. How can you speak of hardship?"

Mr. Qingyun waved his hand and continued walking forward, saying, "What concerns you... how could I not know? The Xu family is not blindly loyal to the court and the royal family. It's just... we have no choice but to be loyal."

Beside him, Xu Qingyan glanced at his grandfather in confusion. Mr. Qingyun smiled and asked, "Qingyan, you don't understand?"

Xu Qingyan replied respectfully, "Please enlighten me, Grandfather."

Mr. Qingyun sighed softly and said, "Scholars... can disrupt a country, but they cannot overthrow power. Since ancient times, how many have you seen who overturned the world were scholars? This is also why emperors throughout the dynasties have always valued civil officials over military ones—because they know that even if treacherous ministers emerge among the civil officials, they can hardly truly overthrow imperial power. And our Xu family... must not do such a thing. Hongyu, when you agreed to Li'er's marriage with Prince Ding, did you foresee the current situation?" Xu Hongyu was silent for a moment before finally saying, "Forgive me, Father. I did indeed consider it."

Mr. Qingyun shook his head and said, "I am not saying you were wrong. The entanglement between the royal family and the Ding Royal Palace is unavoidable. No matter what, this generation will inevitably bring it to an end—whether it be the Ding Royal Palace or... the current emperor. Tying the Xu family to the Ding Royal Palace was not a mistake either. Once the Ding Royal Palace falls... even if the royal family does not move against the Xu family, all that awaits us is gradual decline. Though I am old and frail, I do not wish to see generations of descendants like you and Hongyan living in frustration and unfulfilled ambitions." Xu Hongyu was visibly moved, lowering his head to hide his slightly reddened eyes as he said, "I have caused you worry, Father."

Leaning on the corridor railing, Mr. Qingyun pointed at the distant horizon and sighed, "The Emperor's Star dims, the Dire Star of Destruction looms overhead, the Northwest Ominous Star appears... the stage for great chaos in the world is set."

"Yes, Father," Xu Hongyu said solemnly, standing beside his father. Equally skilled in astrology, he naturally understood everything Mr. Qingyun had observed. Only Xu Qingyan looked up at the faintly glowing sky in bewilderment, scratching his head.

"Hongyu, remember... the Xu family's motto has never been loyalty to a single ruler, but rather—"

Xu Hongyu interjected, "Hongyu understands. The Xu family motto: to bring order to the chaotic world and save the people from suffering. Your son dares not forget."

－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－Hmm... Regarding a dear reader's question about Zhennan Wang's admiration for A Li, it might be an issue with how I expressed it. Actually, Zhennan Wang doesn't truly like A Li, and A Li herself—as well as most people—should understand this. Those in power often have that flaw—they want to possess anything they find valuable or anything their enemies cherish. But if Zhennan Wang knew that killing A Li would immediately cause Mo Xiuyao's death, he wouldn't hesitate for a second to kill her. And also... well... sometimes the ones pursuing the princess aren't necessarily princes—they might still be monsters, haha.

Also, due to work, I haven’t been able to reply to many of the kind messages from dear readers in time. I’m truly sorry. Often, I don’t get to read them the same day, but I’ve still gone through all of them. Seeing so many comments from you all makes me very happy (and a little ashamed). Please don’t abandon me—feel free to write down any thoughts or suggestions you have...