Mo Li

Though it was already the second watch of the night, there were still those awake in Prince Ding's Estate.

Mo Xiuyao sat by the bedside, gazing at the sleeping Ye Li with a gentle and serene expression. He raised his hand to lightly caress her slightly pale yet delicate face, warmth flickering in his eyes. Beside the bed, in a small cradle lined with soft silk, the baby was also fast asleep.

Looking at the two before him—one big, one small—Mo Xiuyao felt not a trace of drowsiness. Leaning down, he peered at the baby in the cradle. Seeing no one around, he couldn’t resist pinching the little one’s tender cheek. Though he had been extremely careful with his strength, the baby still frowned slightly, as if about to cry. Mo Xiuyao hastily withdrew his hand and straightened up, looking down at the child in the cradle.

From this moment on, he was a father.

He recalled his own father’s sternness and kindness in Prince Ding's Estate. Every time he got into trouble, his father would punish him without mercy, only for his elder brother to rush in and plead for leniency. Yet he knew that after each punishment, his father would quietly visit him in the dead of night, sighing helplessly.

He had hardly ever imagined that he would one day become a father. And when he learned of A Li’s pregnancy, it had been under such circumstances that his fury was beyond words. Because of this, he had always believed he resented this child. But… the soft, warm feeling swelling in his heart now was entirely different from what he felt for A Li.

This was his son—someone who needed his protection now, his guidance as he grew, and who would one day become a man as tall and strong as himself.

“Hmm, don’t try to steal A Li from me, or else… your father will make sure to ‘dote’ on you properly,” Mo Xiuyao murmured, leaning down to warn the sleeping baby in the cradle.

Ye Li drowsily opened her eyes and saw Mo Xiuyao sitting by the bed, whispering something to the baby. She couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Caught in his childish act by his beloved wife, Mo Xiuyao stiffened slightly. Pretending nothing had happened, he returned to the bed and asked softly, “Why are you awake?”

Ye Li glanced at him—still in his daytime clothes—clearly having not slept at all. “Why aren’t you resting?”

Mo Xiuyao pulled her into his arms and muttered, “Can’t sleep.”

Ye Li sat up in his embrace, putting some distance between them to study his expression. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’re too excited about the baby’s birth?”

Mo Xiuyao curled his lip disdainfully and shot a glance at the baby in the cradle.

Ye Li sighed helplessly. From the womb to now, the moment he was born, this child had been subjected to nothing but disdain from his own father. If she didn’t understand Mo Xiuyao’s temperament and thoughts, she might have suspected he hated the child she bore.

This father and son… how would they get along in the future?

“I noticed something was off with you earlier, but I didn’t have the chance to ask. Did something happen?” Leaning against Mo Xiuyao, Ye Li asked quietly.

Mo Xiuyao raised a hand to stroke her half-draped hair, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. “The matter we’ve been investigating about Tan Jizhi and Su Zuidie is likely coming to a conclusion.”"Oh?" Ye Li looked up, and just from Mo Xiuyao's gloomy expression, she knew this matter must be astonishing. She gently patted his hand and comforted him, "No matter what happens, we'll always be together." Mo Xiuyao paused, then nodded, "I know."

"Wang Ye, Commander Qin requests an audience," Qingyu, who was on night watch, softly reported from outside.

Mo Xiuyao nodded and stood up, saying to Ye Li, "I'll go see. A Li, you should rest first." Ye Li, aware of her current physical limitations, nodded. After a moment's thought, she added, "If Su Zuidie is truly willing to confess, perhaps we should invite Elder Su to listen in." Mo Xiuyao nodded again, "I understand. Don't worry about these matters. Rest well." He helped Ye Li lie down and tucked her in before turning to leave. Glancing at Qingyu and Qingluan waiting at the door, he instructed, "Take good care of Wang Fei." They stood and replied, "Please rest assured, Wang Ye."

In the empty room, Su Zuidie sat in a chair placed at the center. There wasn't even a guard watching her now—no one was concerned about her escaping or committing suicide anymore. The massive blood loss earlier and the half-year of relentless torture had left her without even the strength to walk a hundred steps beyond this room. She had just been dragged away to be cleaned and dressed in fresh clothes. Staring at the clean cotton garment on her body, Su Zuidie seemed lost in thought. The filthy and sinister prison life of the past six months had almost made her forget what cleanliness felt like. She had only managed to endure by constantly convincing herself to forget, but now... she could endure no longer. When she felt her blood dripping away drop by drop, she truly realized how terrifying death was. Had those people arrived any later, her blood might have drained completely. The moment she begged for mercy, she had lost. She absolutely could not bear to experience that slow, quiet death again.

The door opened from the outside, and Mo Xiuyao walked in leisurely, followed by Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing, and Feng Zhiyao.

Mo Xiuyao took a seat to the side, and the others sat down as well. Su Zuidie stared blankly at the white-haired man before her. Dressed in white robes with snow-white hair, his expression calm and eyes indifferent, Mo Xiuyao exuded an unapproachable sense of detachment and coldness. This was completely different from the Mo Xiuyao she remembered. "Xiu... Xiu Yao... Is that you? How did you..." Mo Xiuyao frowned and shot Qin Feng an impatient glance. Qin Feng looked at Su Zuidie and said sternly, "Miss Su, since you're willing to confess, speak before Wang Ye. It's the middle of the night, and none of us have time to waste."Su Zuidie suddenly snapped back to reality, meeting the icy glare in Mo Xiuyao's eyes. She pleaded sorrowfully, "Xiu Yao, won't you show even the slightest mercy? Don't you remember how we grew up together... I know I was wrong..." Mo Xiuyao stood up, staring coldly at Qin Feng as he said, "Is this the result you promised? A waste of this prince's time. Deal with her... and send someone to Chu Jing immediately!" With that, he turned to leave without hesitation. The so-called "deal with her" naturally referred to Su Zuidie. Now that they had a lead, uncovering the rest would be easy. Su Zuidie's usefulness had become negligible, and he'd rather return to his chambers to accompany A Li than waste another moment with this woman he despised.

Su Zuidie froze, clearly not expecting Mo Xiuyao to be so heartless. After just a few words, he had grown impatient and walked away. A chill ran through her heart as she saw the murderous intent in Qin Feng's eyes. She screamed in terror, "No! Don't! I'll talk... I'll tell you whatever you want to know!"

"Wouldn't it have been better to say so earlier?" Feng Zhiyao sneered, settling back into his chair.

"What did you take from Prince Ding's Estate back then?" Qin Feng asked.

Su Zuidie glanced at Mo Xiuyao, who sat with his eyes closed as if resting, then gritted her teeth and replied, "It was... the Mo Family Army's battle formation maps. I... I've always had an exceptional memory. I only needed to see those maps once to memorize them, and I recreated them after leaving the estate." Everyone's expressions darkened as they recalled the Mo Family Army's devastating defeat against the Northern Rong a decade ago. Qin Feng frowned and pressed further, "Did you give the maps to Tan Jizhi and Mo Jingqi?" Su Zuidie nodded. "Yes. Mo Jingqi sent Tan Jizhi to find me, and I agreed to help."

"What did they plan to do with the Mo Family Army's formation maps?" Feng Zhiyao asked, though he already knew the answer—he needed Su Zuidie to confirm it aloud.

Su Zuidie looked at Feng Zhiyao and suddenly burst into laughter. "What for? Mo Jingqi had long despised the Mo Family Army and Mo Xiuwen. Naturally, he gave the maps to the Northern Rong people. Otherwise, why do you think the Mo Family Army suffered such heavy casualties in that ambush?" Qin Feng's face darkened. His family had served Prince Ding's Estate for generations, and his father and uncles had perished in that battle. Staring at Su Zuidie's smug grin, he demanded, "Why did you help Mo Jingqi frame Prince Ding's Estate?!" This was the question on everyone's mind. As the fiancée of the second young master of King Ding's palace back then, Su Zuidie had been the envy of countless noblewomen. Why would she help Mo Jingqi bring down the estate? It offered her no benefit.

Su Zuidie paused, then turned her gaze to Mo Xiuyao, who sat motionless as if asleep. With a cold laugh, she raised her uninjured hand and pointed at him. "Why? Why... you should ask him that, the leader of the otherworldly beauties!"Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow and glanced at Mo Xiuyao. "Could it be that Wang Ye has done something to wrong you?" Even if that were the case, this woman's methods of revenge were far too brutal. No wonder she had managed to hold out for so long under Qin Feng's hands without dying.

Su Zuidie chuckled softly, her gaze fixed on Mo Xiuyao, filled with resentment and an indescribable mix of love and madness. "Wrong me? No... he hasn't wronged me. But... he hasn't done right by me either! I, Su Zuidie, the most beautiful and talented woman of Great Chu, had countless noble sons and princes vying for my affection. Yet in his eyes, I was nothing more than a betrothed fiancée!"

Feng Zhiyao frowned. He and Mo Xiuyao had been close friends since their youth, and he had witnessed firsthand how Mo Xiuyao treated Su Zuidie. It was far from poor treatment. The second young master of Prince Ding's Estate was renowned throughout the capital, with countless noble ladies and extraordinary women throwing themselves at him, yet he remained indifferent to them all. The only one he treated well was Su Zuidie, his betrothed, and the only one he allowed close to him. Given all this, what more could Su Zuidie possibly be dissatisfied with?

As if reading Feng Zhiyao's expression, Su Zuidie snorted arrogantly. "Even princes and Wang Ye treated me with utmost care and indulgence. But him... even though I was already promised to him, he wouldn't even grant me the smallest request!" Her words carried the implication that being betrothed to Mo Xiuyao had been a condescension on her part.

Her gaze softened as she looked at the cold, snow-like man before her, her voice tender. "But it doesn't matter... I love him. Even if all the noble sons of the capital came to fawn over me, I would still only love Xiu Yao. Why... Xiu Yao, why wouldn't you grant me even the smallest request? The Regent dotes on you so much—if you asked him, he would surely pass the title of Prince Ding to you. And Mo Xiuwen... he has no interest in military affairs. Clearly, your military achievements surpass his, so why did you yield the title of Prince Ding to him? How could I spend my life as nothing more than the second young mistress of Prince Ding's Estate? How could I let those women trample over me? I love you so much, yet you wouldn’t even do this small thing for me..."

The room fell into silence. Qin Feng and the other two stared at the woman seated in the chair as if she were a ghost. The scars and swollen marks on her face, combined with her shifting expressions—now infatuated, now tender, now twisted with hatred—made her appear particularly grotesque and terrifying.It seemed that finally voicing all the grievances she had held for so many years, Su Zuidie couldn't stop herself and continued to babble on, "It's all your fault! If you had become Prince Ding back then, everything would have been fine. But just because I cautiously tested you with a single question, you gave me a cold look and even scolded me! Mo Xiuyao! It's all your fault! Hmph, how could I let those ugly women lord it over me? Only I, Su Zuidie, deserve to be the noble woman admired and envied by thousands. You didn’t even want to compete with Mo Xiuwen, so I helped you… As long as Mo Xiuwen died, the position of Prince Ding would be yours, and I would be Princess Ding. What’s wrong with that? Why wouldn’t I help Mo Jingqi and Tan Jizhi?" The more she spoke, the more excited Su Zuidie became, her expression growing increasingly frenzied as she pointed at Mo Xiuyao and laughed wildly, "But… why were you injured? Why were you disfigured? Why did you become a cripple? Mo Xiuyao, it’s all your fault. Who told you not to listen to me? Who told you not to love me? If you loved me, you should have done everything I wanted, just like Han Mingyue. Hehe… The first time I saw Han Mingyue, I knew he was an easy-to-fool idiot. Sometimes I wished you were as gullible as him. Why wouldn’t you indulge me? Isn’t my love for you enough? If you had listened to me, how could Mo Xiuwen have died? Hehe… It’s all your fault. How could Mo Xiuwen not die? It should have been you who died…"

A white figure flashed across the room, and in the blink of an eye, Mo Xiuyao was standing before Su Zuidie. His hand mercilessly clamped around her slender neck as he stared coldly at the woman struggling and twisting in front of him. "Who killed my brother?" Mo Xiuyao asked icily. Su Zuidie, choked by his grip, immediately struggled to breathe. She raised her hands, trying to pry his fingers away, but her strength was no match for Mo Xiuyao's. Soon, her eyes began to roll back. "Speak!" he demanded.

"Ugh… Mo… Jing… ugh…" Just as she was about to pass out, Mo Xiuyao abruptly released his grip. A rush of air flooded into Su Zuidie’s lungs, and she coughed violently. "Who killed my elder brother?" Mo Xiuyao repeated.

"Mo… Mo Jingqi and the Liu family… and the Northern Rong, Nanzhao, and the Western Liang royalty… Mo Xiuwen didn’t die of illness… he was assassinated… cough cough…" Faced with Mo Xiuyao’s cold gaze, Su Zuidie dared not hide anything further. "And… and the Regent… the Regent was killed by the late emperor’s scheme. But… before he died, the Regent also sent men to severely wound the late emperor, so he died within two years. This… cough cough… this is what Mo Jingqi told me." Seeing Mo Xiuyao’s silence, Su Zuidie hurriedly added, "It’s true! The late emperor had someone poison the Regent with Drunken Incense. It’s a colorless, odorless, and extremely rare poison. At first, there are no symptoms, but after five days, the victim appears gravely ill and dies without remedy. Even the most skilled physicians couldn’t determine the cause of death."Feng Zhiyao, Qin Feng, and Zhuo Jing exchanged glances, their hearts filled with solemnity. Of course, they knew what Zui Fenxiang was—one of the three legendary poisons in the world, alongside Nether Springs and Beauty’s Withering Bones, recorded in a toxic scripture said to have been lost for over a thousand years. However, the revelation that the Regent King’s death was connected to the late Emperor was even more shocking than the discovery that Mo Xiuwen’s death was linked to Mo Jingqi. The Regent King, Mo Liufang, was a rare and virtuous minister. Before the late Emperor ascended the throne, the state of Chu was in no better condition than it is now. With Western Liang and Northern Rong eyeing them covetously, the then-underage Prince Ding, Mo Liufang, single-handedly repelled the armies of both nations. Later, he led troops to quell rebellions. When the late Emperor ascended the throne in his early teens, Mo Liufang, barely in his twenties, was appointed Regent King. Skilled in both martial and civil arts, unlike many regents who usurped power and bullied young rulers, Mo Liufang devoted himself wholeheartedly to assisting the late Emperor. Upon the Emperor’s coming of age, he voluntarily resigned his regency. Their harmonious relationship as ruler and subject for over twenty years was hailed as a timeless tale of virtue. Now, Su Zuidie had revealed such a scandalous secret—how could it not be horrifying? Was history truly written just to deceive the world?

Mo Xiuyao walked back to his seat in silence, deep in thought. Qin Feng glanced at him and, seeing no intention to speak, asked, “Xue Chengliang said you took two things from Prince Ding’s Estate back then but handed one over to Mo Jingqi. What was the other item, and where is it?”

Su Zuidie’s expression stiffened, her already ghastly face turning even more terrifying. After a long silence, she whispered, “It was the imperial edict left by the founding Emperor for the Ding Royal Palace.” Qin Feng raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Where is it? What does it say?” Su Zuidie replied, “The founding Emperor’s decree stated that the Chu imperial family and the Ding Royal Palace would forever be as close as brothers. Should any future emperor act tyrannically and seek to harm the Ding Royal Palace, the Prince of Ding would have the authority to depose him and appoint a new ruler.” Everyone was stunned. No wonder Mo Jingqi was so desperate to retrieve Su Zuidie—such a crucial document!

“Where is it?” Feng Zhiyao pressed. With this in hand, wouldn’t they have the upper hand against that scoundrel Mo Jingqi?

Su Zuidie gritted her teeth. “Do you think I’d tell you?” She wasn’t a fool—after revealing these secrets, this was her only lifeline. Mo Xiuyao stood and calmly ordered, “Qin Feng, deal with her.” With that, he turned and walked out. Su Zuidie stared at him in disbelief, shrieking, “Don’t you want the founding Emperor’s edict?” Mo Xiuyao glanced back, his smile icy. “If this prince wishes to kill Mo Jingqi, I can do so with or without the founding Emperor’s decree.” Without another look at Su Zuidie collapsing to the floor, he strode out of the room.

Outside, in another chamber, Su Zhe, Han Mingyue, Han Mingxi, Lyu Jinxian, and others were gathered, though their expressions varied greatly. Su Zhe’s face alternated between red and white, his lips and hands trembling uncontrollably—clearly enraged. Han Mingyue was deathly pale, as if oblivious even to Mo Xiuyao’s presence. Lyu Jinxian and Uncle Mo were seething, itching to rush in and kill Su Zuidie on the spot. The calmest was Han Mingxi, though even he couldn’t hide his shock.

“Elder Su, you may go in and see her,” Mo Xiuyao said quietly.Su Zhe let out a few gurgling sounds in his throat before finally managing to speak, forcing out a bitter smile, "This old man failed in his teachings... This wretched creature has committed such sins. How can I face the ancestors of the Su family..." With a sudden spurt, a mouthful of blood sprayed from Su Zhe's mouth as he collapsed. Han Mingxi, who was closest and most alert, quickly stepped forward to catch him. Su Zhe murmured, "This wretched creature... let Wang Ye deal with him..." Watching Su Zhe fall unconscious, Mo Xiuyao remained silent for a moment before saying, "Summon Shen."

Lyu Jinxian was about to speak when Uncle Mo discreetly tugged at his sleeve and said, "It's late. The remaining matters can be dealt with tomorrow. Besides, Wang Fei has just given birth to the Little Prince. If she wakes and doesn’t see Wang Ye, she’ll surely be uneasy." Mo Xiuyao nodded. "You all should return early as well." As Mo Xiuyao left, Lyu Jinxian muttered in frustration, "I still had something to say, Head Steward Mo, why did you—" Head Steward Mo shook his head. "Let Wang Ye have some time to process this. The truth is already known—do you fear we won’t have our revenge?" Even they, who had merely heard of it, were horrified, let alone the shock Wang Ye must be feeling. His health was already frail; if he collapsed from this, it would be a greater loss. Realizing Head Steward Mo’s reasoning, Lyu Jinxian glared fiercely at the wall before him and growled, "Fine, there will be time for this! I’m leaving too."

Soon, the room emptied. Han Mingyue stood frozen, staring blankly at the tightly shut door, unable to move. He knew that inside... Su Zuidie might be slowly dying, yet he couldn’t bring himself to stand up and push open the unlocked door.

"The first time I saw Han Mingyue, I knew he was an easily fooled fool..."

The first time...

In the peach blossom grove, petals fell like rain. The fourteen-year-old youth watched as the thirteen-year-old girl in pink danced gracefully amidst their conversation.

"Are you a friend of Xiu Yao? Zui Die greets Young Master Mingyue."

From then on, he fell into the snare of love, never to break free again.