Mo Li

In the study, Han Mingyue gazed into Mo Xiuyao's calm and unreadable eyes, feeling countless words stuck in his throat yet unable to voice them. He had long known that Mo Xiuyao never intended to spare Su Zuidie. Had he been in Mo Xiuyao’s place, he would have torn Su Zuidie to pieces long ago. But… he wasn’t Mo Xiuyao. The woman he loved wasn’t named Ye Li, so he was doomed to be unable to stand by and watch Su Zuidie suffer. Yet now, he had no bargaining chips left to make Mo Xiuyao change his mind. He even doubted whether anything could sway Mo Xiuyao’s decision—unless… Ye Li were to return from the dead.

Mo Xiuyao, however, paid no further attention to Han Mingyue, who stood lost in thought. The only reason he had allowed Han Mingyue to remain in Ruyang City and even stay in the residence for so long was because Han Mingyue had once helped A Li at the cliff’s edge. But that didn’t mean he would make any concessions for him. Lowering his gaze to the documents spread across the desk, the elegant handwriting brought a trace of tenderness to his eyes. The contents of those documents were enough to astonish the world. Even he had never known that his wife harbored such ingenious ideas and grand visions in her heart.

Ever since learning of Mo Jingqi’s secret agreement with Nanzhao and Western Liang, A Li had clearly foreseen the impending rift between the Mo Family Army and the imperial court. Thus, she had poured all her efforts into securing the entire northwest and painstakingly devised plans for the survival and development of the hundreds of thousands of Mo Family Army soldiers in the relatively barren region. Had A Li not been born a woman, Mo Xiuyao believed she would have undoubtedly surpassed even her ancestors to become a renowned statesman, leaving a legacy for generations to come.

Now, as he gently traced the documents before him, Mo Xiuyao’s eyes filled with tender affection. A Li… This prince will not let your efforts go to waste. Even if you are no longer by my side, I will ensure your name is revered alongside mine for eternity. Of course… before that, you shall watch as I tear this world apart and turn the rivers and mountains to ruin.

No matter how the world convulsed in storms of blood and strife, there were always a few secluded places that remained eternally peaceful and undisturbed.

Ye Li struggled to open her eyes. The first thing she saw was a pale blue, coarse cloth canopy above the bed and the parted curtains. Looking down, she found herself covered by a quilt of the same rough fabric. The numbness in her body made it difficult to move, and her attempt to sit up only resulted in a slight shift. A hand instinctively moved to her abdomen, where the slight bulge and occasional fluttering filled her heart with joy. No matter where she was now, at the very least… she had thought death was certain, yet here she was—alive, and her baby still with her. That alone was enough to make Ye Li set aside all grievances and feel grateful. As long as she was alive, nothing was beyond resolution. Biting her lip lightly, she suppressed her worries and mustered her strength to sit up."Oh, you're finally awake." At the doorway, a middle-aged woman in a floral-patterned cloth dress entered carrying something, her face lighting up with joy at seeing the person struggling to rise from the bed. She quickly set down the steaming porridge emitting a faint fragrance on the table in the room and hurried over to help Ye Li sit up. Ye Li thanked her softly, leaning against the bedpost with the woman's assistance, and said, "Thank you, elder sister. Was it... you who saved me? May I ask how to address you?"

The middle-aged woman smiled warmly and kindly, her expression simple and honest. "My husband's surname is Lin. You can call me Sister Lin. Poor child... You've been unconscious for over four months. When you were rescued, you were already over a month pregnant. Thankfully, this little one seems blessed with great fortune—it's stayed healthy all this time. I can tell you're a lucky one too. How does that saying go... 'After surviving a great disaster, ah... there's bound to be good fortune ahead.'"

Ye Li smiled faintly, gently stroking her rounded belly. "Thank you for your kind words, Sister Lin. My... maiden name is Chu. You can call me Jun Wei."

Sister Lin studied Ye Li for a moment. Seeing that she only mentioned her maiden name and considering how a young girl of sixteen or seventeen, pregnant and appearing in such a place, must have some unspeakable hardship, her simple face softened with comfort and sympathy. She patted Ye Li's hand and said, "Everything will get better. Don't dwell on it—just focus on recovering. The baby is what matters now."

Ye Li nodded and took the porridge Sister Lin handed her, slowly bringing spoonfuls to her mouth. Though months of unconsciousness had left her weak, her hands trembling slightly even while holding the spoon, her remarkable endurance kept her from appearing too disheveled. As she ate, Sister Lin sat beside her, chatting idly.

It turned out Sister Lin wasn’t the one who had rescued her. That honor belonged to the village’s only elderly physician. However, the old doctor had no other family, making it inappropriate for him to care for a woman alone, so he had asked Sister Lin to help tend to her.

Hearing this, Ye Li immediately wanted to thank the old doctor who had saved her, but Sister Lin stopped her. "Uncle Lin went up the mountain to gather herbs. He won’t be back until later. I can see you’re a well-mannered young lady, but we don’t stand on ceremony here. Just rest well—that’s the best way to repay Uncle Lin’s kindness."

Ye Li nodded in gratitude and steered the conversation elsewhere. By the time Sister Lin gathered the dishes and left, Ye Li had gained a rough understanding of her surroundings.

Though she didn’t know the exact location, this place was likely an isolated village not far from where she had fallen off the cliff. The elderly Dr. Lin had found her by a small river while gathering herbs in the mountains. What puzzled her, however, was why, after all this time, neither the Mo Family Army nor her shadow guards had managed to locate her.In the evening, Ye Li sat by the herb garden outside the house, gazing absentmindedly at the sunset on the horizon. The village was not large, with only about a dozen households in total. The small settlement was nestled against the mountain, its houses scattered irregularly at the foot of the slope without any particular order. Each dwelling appeared old and modest, clearly indicating that the people here did not pursue luxury or indulgence. Occasionally, young men and women passing by would offer her friendly smiles as she sat by the herb garden. It was a quiet and simple little village, Ye Li thought silently as she watched the sunset.

Under the fading light, an elderly man with graying hair approached leisurely, carrying a medicine basket on his back. Spotting Ye Li by the herb garden, he raised his bushy gray eyebrows and remarked, "Awake? You’re a tough one, girl. I thought it’d take you at least another month to come around." Ye Li stood up and bowed respectfully to the old man. "Jun Wei thanks Doctor Lin for saving my life," she said. The old man studied her with amusement. "A noble lady? It’s rare to see a noble lady with such resilience. Girl, what’s your surname?"

Though it felt somewhat dishonest to deceive her savior, Ye Li couldn’t afford to take risks. Softly, she replied, "Chu... Chu Junwei."

The old man eyed her sideways before finally stroking his beard and nodding. "Chu... Jun Wei... A fitting name for a girl like you. But as far as I recall, there are no prominent noble families with the surname Chu in Great Chu. Judging by your manners, you don’t seem like someone raised in an ordinary household either." Ye Li offered an apologetic smile. "Doctor Lin flatters me. Jun Wei... comes from a maternal family in Yunzhou. To be honest, we have some ties to the Xu family of Yunzhou." As she spoke, Ye Li subtly observed the old man’s expression, only to see him frown slightly before nodding. "The Xu family of Yunzhou? Well... that would make sense. Never mind, I won’t pry into your background. Since I’ve saved you, it’s fate. Just focus on recovering." Ye Li lowered her eyes. "Thank you, Doctor Lin." The old man’s demeanor didn’t seem feigned. News of her fall from the cliff was bound to spread—it must already be common knowledge across Great Chu. By deliberately mentioning the Xu family of Yunzhou, anyone with even a passing familiarity would at least make some connection. Yet the old man showed no reaction whatsoever. Unless his acting skills were flawless, he likely had no knowledge of Princess Ding’s fall. And Ye Li... was certain it was the latter. When she fell, she had thrown her last dagger at Zhennan Wang, and her clothing was the most ordinary and inconspicuous kind, with nothing on her that could reveal her identity. Unless someone recognized her, no one would immediately associate her with her true status. Though she felt guilty for deceiving the old man, Ye Li knew she had to remain cautious—she absolutely could not fall into enemy hands and become a bargaining chip against Mo Xiuyao. Thinking of Mo Xiuyao... her heart ached faintly, as if tugged by an invisible string. It seemed... they had spent the entire past year in constant separation. Upon hearing news of her death... and considering Mo Xiuyao’s health, Ye Li’s brows furrowed even deeper.“Aren’t you coming in? Planning to stand outside and get soaked? Can’t you see it’s about to rain?” The old man’s blunt voice came from inside the house. Ye Li looked up and saw the setting sun had already been swallowed by dark clouds, with rain imminent. Smiling faintly, she turned and stepped inside.

During dinner that evening, Ye Li volunteered to prepare two simple dishes. Doctor Lin seemed quite pleased as he glanced at her and remarked, “At least I didn’t pick up a useless burden.” Ye Li couldn’t help but grimace, but Doctor Lin had already taken his seat at the makeshift table and started eating. Between bites, he seemed to finally remember to ask about her. “Where are you from?” After a brief hesitation, Ye Li answered honestly, “Hongzhou.”

Doctor Lin’s brows furrowed sharply. “Hongzhou? What kind of place is that?” Ye Li was taken aback—she hadn’t expected such a question. Hongzhou was the northwestern frontier’s first gateway. Even if someone living near the northwest had never heard of the Xu family, they should at least know where Hongzhou was.

Frowning, Doctor Lin muttered, “I haven’t left here in too long. I suppose many place names have changed.”

A thought struck Ye Li. Hongzhou hadn’t always been called that—at least fifty years ago, it was still subordinate to Ruyang and known as Miyang. Over fifty years ago, it was officially incorporated into the northwest as an independent prefecture and renamed Hongzhou. After a moment’s consideration, she said, “It used to be called… Miyang.”

“Miyang?” Doctor Lin’s chopsticks paused midair. “How did a young girl like you get all the way here from Miyang?” Ye Li stared at him in confusion. He continued, “Though I haven’t left this place in years, I still know that even at your fastest pace, it would take at least two months to travel from Miyang to here.”

“Two months? Where exactly is this place?” Ye Li refused to believe it. According to Aunt Lin, they had found her at most on the third morning after her fall. How could she have traveled so far? Even drifting downstream couldn’t have carried her that quickly.

Then it hit her—the river she had fallen into wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. Logically, if she had been swept downstream, she should have ended up in a lake no more than a hundred miles from Hongzhou. Not inexplicably washed up by a small river in the mountains.

Mentally reviewing the terrain around Hongzhou, she asked uncertainly, “Are we… in the mountains north of Hongzhou?”

Doctor Lin gave her an approving look. “This place is at least seven or eight hundred li from Hongzhou. Worse still, the entire route is rugged mountain paths, not to mention the wild beasts, venomous snakes, and poisonous insects along the way. Even a strong young man wouldn’t dare make the journey lightly, let alone you.”

Hearing this, Ye Li was utterly exasperated. Frowning, she asked, “Then how am I supposed to get back?”Doctor Lin rolled his eyes and said, "How should I know? Just because this old man saved you, am I supposed to escort you home too? First, after you give birth and recover, see if anyone is willing to take you back—though I doubt it! Second, settle down in the village, remarry later, and live a good life. Forget about the past. Don't worry, the young men in this village are decent and won’t mind that you’ve been married before. Want me to play matchmaker?"

Ye Li shot him an exasperated look. Though they’d only known each other for less than a day, she could already tell this old man was an eccentric with no sense of decorum. She did some quick calculations—she still had at least four months before the baby was born, and after delivery, she’d need time to recover before traveling. That meant she wouldn’t be able to leave for at least six months. The thought made her frown, but given her current situation, there was nothing she could do. She could only hope Hongzhou and Mo Xiuyao were safe. At the very least… she and the baby were still alive, weren’t they? Lowering her head, she gently stroked her belly, where the baby occasionally moved, and smiled faintly.

"Hmph! Thinking about that heartless lover of yours?" Seeing her tender, smiling expression, Doctor Lin snorted and gave her a sidelong glance.

Ye Li chuckled helplessly. "My child’s father. My husband. And he treats me very well."

"If he treated you so well, how’d you end up here?" Doctor Lin scoffed. This girl was clearly from a wealthy, scholarly family. If she were truly well-treated, she’d be pampered in a boudoir, dressed in fine silks. What noble young lady would ever end up in a place like this? In his sixty years, she was the first he’d ever seen.

Ye Li smiled faintly but didn’t argue.

Xiu Yao… Soon, I’ll bring our baby back to you…

Author’s Note:

How will they reunite? Oh, how I wish… Xiu Yao would descend from the heavens on a white horse to fetch A Li! And to Little Xiang, thank you for your comments. More comments mean more brain juice for this phoenix—see? No amnesia, no handsome strangers, no… well, let’s save some drama. If there’s nothing left, what’s the point? A Li didn’t take that fall for nothing, did she?