Mo Li

This was an extremely inconspicuous small town not far from Ruyang City, and also the first settlement they encountered after leaving the Imperial Tomb. With just over a hundred households, it only became lively every couple of days when villagers from nearby areas came to trade their surplus goods for things they needed. The trio arrived just in time for the town’s market day. Tan Jizhi had changed his clothes, and the three now looked like an elderly man and a young couple—a family of three—drawing little attention.

Entering a shabby inn, they were quickly ushered into the backyard, which was clearly a prearranged stronghold by Tan Jizhi. Unlike the dilapidated and crude front of the inn, the backyard was clean and tranquil, a sight hardly expected in this northwestern town. As soon as they stepped through the gate, someone rushed out to greet them.

"Jizhi, you’re finally back."

A delicate and beautiful woman in a blue silk dress dashed forward, ignoring the presence of outsiders, and threw herself into Tan Jizhi’s arms. "Jizhi, you’re finally back! I was so worried something might happen to you," she cooed.

Tan Jizhi seemed to indulge the young woman, his gloomy face softening into a smile. "I’m fine now, aren’t I? Sorry for making you worry."

The woman in blue stepped back from his embrace and only then noticed Ye Li and Doctor Lin standing nearby. Her gaze, however, was fixed primarily on Ye Li, her eyes filled with jealousy and disgust as she pointed at her. "Who is this woman?!"

Ye Li’s lips twitched. Seriously, sister? Can’t you see I’m heavily pregnant? Your jealousy is a bit much.

Tan Jizhi quickly pulled her aside, soothing her in a gentle voice. "Lin’er, she’s still useful—don’t touch her. You know you’re the only one in my heart."

The woman in blue, however, was not appeased. She glared at him stubbornly. "You still haven’t told me who she is."

With a helpless sigh, Tan Jizhi explained, "She’s Princess Ding, so… don’t harm her."

A glint flashed in the woman’s eyes as she leaned against Tan Jizhi, scrutinizing Ye Li. "Princess Ding? Wasn’t Princess Ding already dead? How is she here?"

Tan Jizhi replied softly, "We ran into her by chance. Have someone keep a close eye on her."

The woman in blue beamed. "Don’t worry. When have I ever failed in what you asked of me?"

Tan Jizhi nodded and turned to Ye Li. "Princess Ding, we’ll be staying here for a couple of days. If you need anything, just let Lin’er know—she’ll arrange it for you."

Ye Li had no objections, but the woman in blue was displeased. She glared at Tan Jizhi. "What do you mean by that? I’m not her maid!"

Thus ensued another round of sweet-talking from Tan Jizhi, taking quite some time before she finally relented. With a light huff, she said, "Fine, I’ll take good care of her."

Ye Li paid no attention to their open flirtation, merely lowering her gaze with a faint smile. But her mind was racing. She was certain she had never met this woman named Lin’er before, yet… her voice sounded oddly familiar.

Casually glancing up at the woman in blue, Ye Li noted her appearance—early twenties, strikingly beautiful, with a hint of something peculiar in her demeanor.The strange and bewitching charm was evident, yet the gaze directed at Tan Jizhi seemed filled with adoration. And her voice... Though she spoke the Central Plains' language fluently, someone like Ye Li, who had undergone specialized auditory training, could still detect slight deviations in certain pronunciations. This manner of speaking was something Ye Li had only encountered in one person before—Princess Anxi of Nanzhao. Observing the blue-clad woman before her, Ye Li's expression remained unchanged. Lin'er... Lin'er... The Holy Maiden of the Southern Border—Shu Manlin.

It seemed their previous assumptions had been slightly off. They had believed Shu Manlin and Mo Jingli were in cahoots, but now it appeared... Mo Jingli was merely a pawn and a shield being used. The true mastermind was the young man before her, Tan Jizhi, who wore a tender smile. Realizing this, Ye Li's estimation of Tan Jizhi reached new heights. A man who operated silently and unnoticed, yet could manipulate two nations at his whim. Compared to the occasionally erratic and impulsive Mo Jingqi or the reckless Mo Jingli, this man was the one who truly warranted caution.

"What has the Princess Ding so lost in thought?" Tan Jizhi finally finished conversing with the blue-clad woman and turned to probe Ye Li with a questioning gaze.

Ye Li gave him a faint glance. How could she possibly let her guard down here? "Nothing much. I was merely moved by the deep affection between Lord Tan and Miss Lin."

The blue-clad woman leaned against Tan Jizhi and giggled. "Does the Princess Ding miss Prince Ding?"

Ye Li smiled without refuting, replying softly, "Having been away from home for so long, it's not just His Highness I miss. I’m also deeply concerned about my family. Before my... incident, I hadn’t received any news from my elder brother. Does Lord Tan have any updates?"

"Elder brother?" Tan Jizhi paused briefly before understanding. "You mean the eldest son of the Xu family, Xu Qingchen?"

Ye Li nodded, clearly noticing the blue-clad woman stiffen, a flash of resentment and unwillingness in her eyes. Ye Li smiled inwardly. It seemed this woman was indeed the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border, Shu Manlin. That day in the secret chamber of the Southern Border palace, though she hadn’t seen Shu Manlin’s face, she had heard her voice speaking to her elder brother—the obsessive, almost fanatical determination to possess him. It was hard to reconcile that image with the woman before her, who seemed devoted to Tan Jizhi. Truly... a master of deception.

Placed in the innermost room of the courtyard, Ye Li saw no further sign of Tan Jizhi. Instead, the beautiful blue-clad woman, under the pretense of caring for her, would visit occasionally, only to taunt and provoke her. Each time, Ye Li responded with calm composure, which only infuriated the woman further. Ye Li didn’t mind—Tan Jizhi had forbidden his subordinates from speaking or interacting with her, and over time, she worried she might grow depressed. Having someone to spar with verbally was a welcome distraction. Still, she wondered: was this woman, likely Shu Manlin, targeting her because of Tan Jizhi... or Xu Qingchen?

"You’re quite patient," Doctor Lin remarked, packing his things after checking her pulse.Ye Li leaned back leisurely in her chair, sipping the freshly brewed tonic with a smile. "It's not about endurance. Master, don't you think life here is much more comfortable than in the Imperial Tomb or that little village?" Having whatever tonics or medicinal herbs she needed, with people ready to assist at any moment—this was how a pregnant woman should live. Not traipsing up mountains and down seas with complete strangers to dig up graves. Doctor Lin stared at her with a complicated expression. "Aren't you worried he might use you to blackmail Prince Ding?"

Ye Li shrugged helplessly. "Since I'm already in his hands, what's the point of worrying? He can't possibly make things difficult for me before the baby is born. But you, Master... I think Tan Jizhi staying in our prince's territory despite knowing the danger... can't be a good thing." Doctor Lin's face darkened slightly. Of course, he knew why Tan Jizhi was lingering here. Over the past two days, Tan Jizhi had indeed approached him, but... The old man's smile turned bitter. "Would you believe me if I said I truly don't know?"

Ye Li nodded. "I believe you." Just the message on that piece of cloth was enough to reveal what a whimsical and mischievous person the former dynasty's founding emperor had been. It was entirely plausible that he would ensure no one knew his true whereabouts or the treasure's location. "Unfortunately, Tan Jizhi doesn't." Doctor Lin sighed silently, his expression downcast. Glancing at Ye Li, he asked, "You’re not the least bit anxious because you’re confident you can escape from here, aren’t you?"

Ye Li looked at him regretfully. "In the past, this place wouldn’t have been able to hold me. But now... Master, expecting a seven-month-pregnant woman to escape the tiger’s den alone is beyond my abilities. Actually, there’s no need to worry about such things. If Tan Jizhi is smart, he’ll know what benefits he can gain with the leverage he holds. And as for Mo Xiuyao..." Her eyes softened at the thought of him. "Even if it costs him something... I believe he won’t mind. As long as Lord Tan doesn’t overreach and demand the impossible. Lord Tan, what do you think?"

Tan Jizhi walked in with a grim expression, accompanied by the beautiful Holy Maiden of the Southern Border, Shu Manlin. He looked at Ye Li, comfortably seated in a cushioned chair, utterly relaxed, and smiled faintly. "They say a wise man submits to circumstances. The princess consort truly makes me see her in a new light." Ye Li accepted his praise with a nod. "Mutual destruction is the act of a brute. Besides, in my current condition, I can’t even manage that much."Tan Jizhi sneered and said, "Princess Ding is too modest. By the way, I have some good news to share that should please you. Today... soldiers of the Mo Family Army suddenly appeared in this town. What do you think... is the reason for this?" Ye Li remained composed, ignoring Tan Jizhi's probing gaze. She smiled faintly and replied, "Shouldn't that be a question for you, Lord Tan? If you insist on suspecting that I’ve done something, there’s nothing I can do about it, is there? The weak are at the mercy of the strong..."

Tan Jizhi snorted lightly. "As long as the Princess understands her situation, that’s good. You’d best... not take any risks with the Little Prince. If anything were to happen, not only would Prince Ding be devastated, but even I would deeply regret it."

Ye Li raised her teacup slightly in a toast to Tan Jizhi and smiled. "Thank you for the reminder, Lord Tan. Since you’ve said so, I’ll give you a suggestion—leave the northwest as soon as possible. Now that you’ve drawn my husband’s attention, the Mo Family Army might be manageable, but the shadow guards won’t be so easy to deal with. And if you end up attracting the Qilin... Lord Tan, I really can’t say whether this trip of yours has been a gain or a loss."

Tan Jizhi’s eye twitched slightly. Over the years, serving under Mo Jingqi, he had dealt with shadow guards often enough to know how dangerous they were. As for the Qilin... though he had yet to encounter them, their reputation over the past half-year had forced him to tread carefully. Glancing at Doctor Lin sitting nearby, a look of unwillingness flashed across his face.

Shu Manlin clearly disagreed as well. She stood up and said, "Jizhi, don’t forget the purpose of our trip. If we just leave like this..."

The Imperial Jade Seal—a symbol of the Mandate of Heaven. The founding emperor’s treasure—rumored to be an immeasurable fortune accumulated during years of conquest. After establishing the dynasty, the emperor had hidden it all in a secret location. Then there were the legendary military manuals—strategies from the founding emperor, who was peerless in warfare, yet left no written records for posterity. It was said... all of these had been concealed by the emperor, waiting for his descendants to uncover. With these in hand, what great undertaking could possibly fail?

Tan Jizhi gritted his teeth and waved his hand. "Men, take Doctor Lin away!" Two men appeared at the door, obeying the order to seize Doctor Lin and drag him out.

Ye Li frowned. "Lord Tan, if you take Doctor Lin away, what am I to do?"

Tan Jizhi looked at her indifferently. "Princess Ding need not worry. Both I and Manlin have some medical knowledge. Once we leave the northwest, I will find you another skilled physician to attend to you."

"He is your father!" Ye Li said sternly, staring at the expressionless Doctor Lin.

Shu Manlin scoffed. "What kind of father is he? He merely took advantage of raising Jizhi. Jizhi is a descendant of the imperial family—he was just a servant of the royal house. Jizhi showed him respect out of gratitude for his upbringing, but did he really think he was anything more? Take him away!"

Watching as Doctor Lin was dragged off, Ye Li closed her eyes wearily for a moment. Then she fixed Tan Jizhi with a firm gaze and said, "You will regret this."Tan Jizhi let out a disdainful snort and said, "Rest well, Princess Consort. We'll set off at dawn tomorrow." With that, he wrapped his arm around Shu Manlin's waist and turned to leave. Shu Manlin glanced back at Ye Li with a provocative look, but Ye Li merely gave her a passing glance, having no patience for such a petty woman.

Late at night, a fast horse galloped swiftly toward the city walls of Ruyang. The guards on duty immediately grew alert. The rider below seemed prepared, casually tossing up an object. After careful inspection, the guard waved his hand and called out, "Open the gates!"

Moments later, a small gap opened in the city gate. Without hesitation, the rider spurred his horse and dashed inside.

At the Qilin headquarters within the city, Qin Feng, who had been abruptly awakened from sleep, wore a dark expression as he strode into the study. Seeing Mo Hua waiting, he asked, "What's so urgent at this hour?"

Mo Hua's expression was peculiar. After a brief silence, he pulled out a folded slip of paper from his sleeve and handed it over. "The shadow guards just delivered this. Take a look." Qin Feng frowned. It was an ordinary prescription—nothing unusual about the paper or handwriting. He looked up and asked, "What's wrong with this prescription?" Mo Hua replied, "It was sent by one of the Hidden Stakeouts formerly under the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity. A few days ago, two men and a woman arrived in a small town. The woman was several months pregnant and stayed at an inn—the very one the Pavilion is currently monitoring. Yesterday, someone from the inn went to fetch medicine. This is a prescription for stabilizing pregnancy, but two of the ingredients were clearly overdosed. The attending physician examined it carefully out of caution and noticed some strange handwriting, but they couldn't decipher it."

Qin Feng's heart leaped, and he looked at Mo Hua with excitement. Mo Hua remained silent. After a moment of stillness, Qin Feng snatched up the prescription and held it close to the candlelight. Gradually, two faint lines of handwriting appeared on the previously blank paper. Though blurred, the familiar and distinctive script was unmistakable. Unable to contain his excitement, Qin Feng exclaimed, "Quick! Inform His Highness—we've found news of the Princess Consort!"

As for me... I wasn't feeling well today and stayed home to rest, only to sleep until 6:30 PM. If they still can't reunite tomorrow, I swear... I'll eat instant noodles with nothing but the seasoning packet forever!