Mo Li

Ru Yang City

In the westernmost and most secluded corner of Ru Yang City stood an unremarkable courtyard. From the outside, it looked no different from any other residence in the city—nothing particularly eye-catching. Even the owner of the courtyard went about daily routines like shopping, strolling, and chatting with neighbors. However, stepping beyond the first gate would reveal a world entirely different from the outside. This was the base of the most mysterious and elite force under the Ding Royal Palace—the Qilin. Any unwelcome intruder who set foot inside would immediately fall into the hands of the Qilin members training or resting here, and the suffering they endured would be enough to make anyone regret being born.

Late at night, a shadowy figure slipped over the wall and landed silently, not making the slightest sound thanks to their exceptional Light Body Skill. The black-clad figure scanned the courtyard cautiously and quickly before stepping forward toward their intended destination.

"Don't move." A low voice sounded behind them. The figure stiffened, then obediently halted, their expression darkening. "The Qilin truly live up to their reputation as the terror of Western Liang. Impressive."

As they spoke, someone had already appeared beside them without a sound, casually patting them down and confiscating all their weapons. The black-clad figure offered no resistance—they knew full well that more than one person in the courtyard was watching them. "To have made it this far, you're no ordinary person either. Come with me to see the commander... Young Master Han."

The black-clad figure—Han Mingyue—paused, then let out a bitter chuckle. "You already knew..."

The man beside him sneered. "If we hadn't, do you think you would have found this place?"

Han Mingyue fell silent and obediently followed the man inside.

By candlelight, Qin Feng was still seated in the study, reviewing thick stacks of documents. Over a month ago, he had selected more than three hundred elites from the military and shadow guards to undergo initial training outside the city. Relying on his own experience and the vast amount of materials left behind by the princess consort, he had barely managed to get things on track. As the Qilin's commander, Qin Feng insisted on reviewing the records of each trainee daily, assessing their potential for future development. At the same time, he had to further train himself and the original members based on the princess consort's materials. As a result, Qin Feng was constantly swamped with work, leaving him no time to dwell on infuriating matters. Whether this busyness was necessary or deliberate, he had no intention of figuring it out.

So when Han Mingyue was brought in under guard, Qin Feng's mood immediately soured. He was already busy, and Han Mingyue's arrival would undoubtedly make him even busier. More importantly, Han Mingyue's presence would remind him of unpleasant things.

"Young Master Han, what brings you here at such a late hour?" Qin Feng leaned back in his chair, stretching his stiff neck, his half-lidded eyes exuding an unmistakable air of danger.

Han Mingyue was not surprised—anyone connected to Ye Li would never welcome him. He clasped his hands in a polite salute and smiled faintly. "My apologies for the disturbance, Commander Qin."Qin Feng gave him a faint sidelong glance, his expression clearly asking, If you know you're disturbing me, why are you here?

"I wish to see Zui Die once. Please grant me this favor, Commander Qin." Knowing that Qin Feng would never bring up the matter unless he mentioned it first, Han Mingyue cut straight to the point.

Ever since Su Zui Die had been handed over to Qin Feng by Mo Xiuyao two months prior, she had been taken away from the governor's residence. After all, the governor's residence wasn't large enough to accommodate everyone from the Ding Royal Palace. Thus, shadow guards, the Qilin unit, and most civil and military officials had relocated elsewhere. The only ones still staying at the governor's residence were Mo Xiuyao himself, his trusted subordinates Feng Zhiyao and Xu Qingze, and Han Mingyue, who had nowhere else to go for the time being.

Since Su Zui Die had been taken away, Han Mingyue had not seen her again. This left him deeply worried. Without the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity under his control, even locating Su Zui Die within the relatively small Ruyang City had cost him considerable effort. Now, it seemed even that had only been possible because someone had deliberately allowed it. Han Mingyue couldn't help but smile bitterly, a sense of powerlessness rising in his chest. Without the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity, without the Han family, Young Master Mingyue was ultimately just an ordinary man.

"Su Zui Die?" Qin Feng paused, as if only just recalling her existence, his expression darkening slightly. "If you wish to see Su Zui Die, Young Master Han, you must personally seek permission from His Highness."

Han Mingyue's bitter smile deepened. If he could persuade Mo Xiuyao, why would he have barged in here in the dead of night?

Reading his expression, Qin Feng understood his dilemma and said calmly, "Without His Highness's permission... Young Master Han, even if you came alone or with an army of thousands, you would not be able to see Su Zui Die."

Han Mingyue arched an eyebrow. He knew Qin Feng's men were formidable. Though he lacked detailed information, their achievements in just half a year since their emergence were proof enough of their strength. But to claim they could withstand an army of thousands was perhaps overconfidence. Then again... he didn’t have an army of thousands at his disposal now.

Qin Feng observed his reaction with interest, leaning back in his chair with a faint smile. "You misunderstand, Young Master Han. The Qilin unit will stop at nothing to achieve its goals, but we would never foolishly charge headlong into certain death. What I mean is... without His Highness's permission, even if you forced your way in... I would kill her the moment before you laid eyes on her. If you wish to witness Su Zui Die's last breath, by all means, try."

Han Mingyue fell silent. He knew Qin Feng wasn’t joking. Though Ye Li hadn’t been killed directly by Su Zui Die, if not for the hidden weapon she had suddenly unleashed, Ye Li wouldn’t have fallen off the cliff. If Mo Xiuyao hadn’t insisted on keeping Su Zui Die alive, the people of the Ding Royal Palace would have long since torn her to pieces.

Sighing, Han Mingyue said, "I only wish to see her once. I don’t even need to speak to her."

Qin Feng had already picked up the dossier again, his silent dismissal unmistakable.

"Commander Qin, let me see Zui Die once. I’ll trade you a top-secret piece of information in return," Han Mingyue said solemnly.

Without even lifting his eyes, Qin Feng replied indifferently, "The Qilin unit currently has no missions and is not collecting intelligence. If you have something to say, Young Master Han, you may take it to His Highness."Han Mingyue smiled bitterly. He had already approached Mo Xiuyao twice regarding Su Zuidie's matter, and Mo Xiuyao had made it clear that if he saw him again, he would either throw him to Prince Zhennan of Xiling or send him to keep Zui Die company. He did want to see Zui Die, but it was to save her life. If he were truly thrown in with her, it would truly be over. "Commander Qin, this information will definitely interest your prince. Moreover, it has some connection to Princess Ding's misfortune." Qin Feng's hand, flipping through the files, paused slightly, as if considering for a moment before raising his head and saying, "Let's hear it."

"I want to see Zui Die first." Han Mingyue hadn't forgotten Qin Feng's earlier remark about the Qilin stopping at nothing to achieve their goals—clearly, burning bridges after crossing them was included. Qin Feng raised an eyebrow, stood up, and said, "No problem. You can see her, but you can't speak, and she won't see you." He then grinned at Han Mingyue and added, "I'm not worried about Young Master Han going back on his word. Similarly, if your information doesn't satisfy me, you'll soon see... what punishment Su Zuidie will endure because of you."

Han Mingyue stiffened, staring at Qin Feng in silence for a long while before sighing. "Princess Ding's methods of training people are truly formidable..."

Qin Feng shrugged and sneered, "They could have been even more formidable. After you, Young Master Han."

Watching the scene before him, Han Mingyue felt a tumult of emotions. He truly couldn't tell whether he regretted going to such lengths to see Su Zuidie.

They stood in a simple, ordinary room—nothing that would draw attention from an average person. But once the mechanism in the wall was activated, the hidden chamber behind it was revealed. Below their feet, the spacious chamber lay open to their view. With just one glance, Han Mingyue spotted Su Zuidie. The room held only her, yet Han Mingyue genuinely doubted whether the person on the ground was really her.

The gray prison garb was filthy and stained with blood. Su Zuidie lay weakly on the grimy floor, and even from their elevated position, the foul stench rising from below was faintly detectable. Han Mingyue could clearly see her fingers twisted unnaturally, limp against the ground. One of her legs was similarly contorted, spasming intermittently even in unconsciousness, her face twisted in pain as she occasionally shook her head and murmured something. If one listened closely, they would hear her whispering—"I was wrong... spare me... help..."

"What have you done to her?" he finally couldn't help but demand.

Qin Feng replied indifferently, "Don't tell me the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity doesn't conduct interrogations. Rest assured, my men aren't all amateurs. Even if they occasionally go too far, they won't take her life."Han Mingyue couldn't help but shiver. He was well aware of those covert interrogation methods. Young Master Mingyue was no living bodhisattva—he had once tortured enemies who fell into his hands without batting an eye. But he had never imagined those methods would be used on the woman he loved most. "She's just a frail woman. How could she endure such things?"

Qin Feng shrugged. Who cared whether she could endure it? As long as she didn’t die, it was fine.

"Actually, she holds up better than most." On this point, Qin Feng had to give Su Zuidie some grudging respect. Interrogation wasn’t something one could master just by talking about it. It required training, and training naturally required subjects. Su Zuidie wasn’t alone—in fact, two others had been brought in with her, both martial artists. Without any leniency shown, the two men had succumbed to the torture and taken their own lives, while Su Zuidie remained alive and intact.

"Honestly, this isn’t entirely our fault. The princess consort was originally vehemently opposed to such brutal interrogation methods. Moreover, she was quite skilled in them herself. Unfortunately, she disappeared before she could fully teach us. So… we’ve had to trouble Miss Su with the old methods. Also, Young Master Han, you needn’t worry. Her injuries aren’t… well, aside from her legs, none are irreversible. Someone will reset her fingers tomorrow morning. Shen has provided an excellent healing medicine—she’ll recover fully within ten days."

Han Mingyue’s face darkened. "So she can recover, only for you to break them again?"

"Twist them, actually. Fingers are too delicate to simply break—unless you shatter them completely, beyond any hope of repair," Qin Feng corrected.

"Will her hands ever fully heal after this?" Han Mingyue roared. The tone of Qin Feng’s voice made it clear this wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last. Even with Shen Yang’s medicine, there would inevitably be lasting damage.

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow and replied indifferently, "Do you think she’ll ever have the chance to leave, Young Master Han?" The prince hadn’t ordered her to be kept unharmed. In fact, the fact that Su Zuidie was still in one piece at all was already a testament to the restraint of those handling her. "Don’t worry, we won’t touch her face. If the information you provide satisfies me, you might even have the chance to come by and paint a couple of portraits for keepsakes. The prince said making her too ugly would frighten the princess consort and the Little Prince."

Han Mingyue’s face turned ashen, but he could say nothing. With one last deep glance at the woman lying weakly on the ground, her breathing faint, he turned and followed Qin Feng out of the room.

"That man beside Mo Jingqi, Tan Jizhi—he’s a descendant of the previous dynasty’s royal family," Han Mingyue said, meeting Qin Feng’s cold gaze.

Qin Feng narrowed his eyes. "Young Master Han, are you mocking me?" A descendant of the previous dynasty? In the past, this might have been valuable information. But now, their relationship with Mo Jingqi was already one of covert hostility. Who cared whether someone around him was a remnant of the old dynasty? Even if Mo Jingqi himself were a descendant, it wouldn’t matter to them anymore.

Han Mingyue said coldly, "Though Tan Jizhi only officially appeared at court this year, he’s been by Mo Jingqi’s side for over a decade. He’s Mo Jingqi’s most trusted confidant and strategist. Do you think that’s important?"

Mo Jingqi’s confidant and strategist?Qin Feng frowned. Having been selected by Mo Xiuyao from among the numerous Black Cloud Cavalry to be entrusted to Ye Li, and further earning her approval to become the leader of the Qilin, Qin Feng's abilities in every aspect were at least above average. Thus, upon hearing Han Mingyue's words, he immediately sensed the underlying message. A descendant of the previous dynasty—even though that dynasty had fallen over two hundred years ago—appearing by the side of the current emperor as a trusted confidant would naturally draw attention and vigilance. Qin Feng certainly hadn’t forgotten that before their military campaign, when Mo Jingqi had attempted to seize military authority from Princess Ding in the Chu capital, this man named Tan Jizhi had also caused trouble for her.

In just an instant, Qin Feng's thoughts raced through countless possibilities. Staring at Han Mingyue before him, he said expressionlessly, "How can I be sure what you're saying is true? And... if even Prince Ding's Estate is unaware of this news, how did you, Han Gongzi, come to know of it?"

Han Mingyue replied calmly, "After all, I was once the Lord of Tianyi Pavilion." The Pavilion of Heavenly Unity controlled the largest intelligence network in the world—was it so strange for him to know something others didn’t?

Qin Feng scoffed lightly. "If it were any other news, I might not find it odd. But in the Chu capital... does Tianyi Pavilion truly have the capability to uncover information that even Prince Ding's Estate is unaware of?" Over the years, it wasn’t just the emperor who had kept a relentless watch on the Ding Royal Palace—the Ding Royal Palace had never relaxed its guard against Mo Jingqi either. Otherwise, during the years when Prince Ding was severely ill and confined to his residence, the royal family would have long since swallowed up the Ding Royal Palace.

"If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing more I can say. But Princess Ding’s current predicament definitely has this man’s involvement. Think about it—if Mo Xiuyao and Mo Jingqi were to break ties, who would truly benefit?"

Of course, it would be the neighboring kingdoms and the self-proclaimed king Mo Jingli. And if Han Mingyue’s words were true, Tan Jizhi would also be among them. Whether Qin Feng believed it or not, such news had to be reported to Mo Xiuyao.

However, Mo Xiuyao’s reaction to this news left Han Mingyue utterly shocked.

"Cut off Su Zuidie’s left arm!"

"You’re insane!" Han Mingyue roared, staring at Mo Xiuyao’s calm expression. Mo Xiuyao glanced up at him and said indifferently, "Reveal the source of your information. Otherwise, every hour, I will cut off another part of Su Zuidie and send it to you."

"I already told you!" Han Mingyue shouted angrily.

"I don’t believe you," Mo Xiuyao replied, pushing aside the ledger in front of him. "Don’t forget who controls Tianyi Pavilion now. I know exactly how many people you have in the capital. Or are you telling me that in our previous deal, you withheld something from me? In that case, I can still kill Su Zuidie." Han Mingyue looked at him with a complicated expression. "Have you forgotten? Her father and brother died for the sake of your Mo family." Mo Xiuyao leaned back in his chair, his pale face weary and indifferent. "So what? I’ve said it before... if A Li doesn’t return this year, no one can save her."Ye Li is already dead! Han Mingyue desperately wanted to shout these words, but under Mo Xiuyao's indifferent gaze, he found himself utterly unable to voice them. Or perhaps he didn't dare—he couldn't be certain what consequences would follow if he did. "Mo Xiuyao, you're insane..." Han Mingyue muttered under his breath.

Mo Xiuyao let out a low, derisive chuckle, entirely unfazed by Han Mingyue's judgment. "I've always been more clear-headed than you. I know exactly what I'm doing. Do you, Han Mingyue?" He was waiting for A Li and their child to return. If A Li didn't come back, he would kill—slowly, methodically—everyone who had harmed her or stood in their way. He would keep killing until she returned or until he died. "Now, give me your answer. Or would you prefer Su Zuidie's arm instead?"

Han Mingyue closed his eyes in defeat, beginning to question whether telling Mo Xiuyao this news had been the right decision. "It was Zui Die who told me."

"How amusing..." Mo Xiuyao laughed softly, the sound chilling. "Su Zuidie told you? A woman stranded in Western Liang, treated as nothing more than a disposable pawn by Zhennan Wang... somehow managed to uncover such a well-guarded secret? Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing."

"At your command," the two men stepped forward.

Mo Xiuyao's voice was icy. "I want answers from Su Zuidie within a day. I don't care what methods you use."

The two exchanged a glance before bowing. "As you command."

I'm not being cruel here—this is what cruelty really looks like! I haven't hurt A Li, have I? Honestly, I don't even know how to write tragic stories. When I read those truly heartbreaking ones out there, they wrench my soul—that's real tragedy. They make me green with envy! My story... maybe it's dragging on a bit too long, and readers feel they've been apart for too long? I promise they'll reunite very soon. And after this... well, let's just say they'll be inseparable until the end. As for Xiu Yao's possessiveness and all that... where did it come from? Probably from this separation. After this, anyone who tries to separate them again will face his blade...