Mo Li

After the wedding of Qin Zheng and Xu Qingze, Li Cheng seemed to settle into complete tranquility. No matter how fiercely Yelv Hong and Yelv Ye of Northern Rong schemed against each other in the outside world, or how Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingli maintained a facade of harmony while secretly at odds, or even the restlessness of the Xiling imperial clan beneath Zhennan Wang’s seemingly stable rule—none of it could disturb the peace of the northwestern lands. With the protection of the hundreds of thousands of Mo Family Army soldiers, and Prince Ding’s appointment of talented young individuals like Xu Qingchen to drive sweeping reforms, the people of the entire northwest enjoyed unparalleled peace and prosperity under the guardianship of Prince Ding’s Estate. If they had once worried about their fate after severing ties with Great Chu, now most would likely refuse even if given the chance to return. In the hearts of the people, Prince Ding and Princess Ding, who ensured their lives remained peaceful and carefree, were the ones they truly revered.

Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, five years slipped by.

Prince Ding’s Estate

A small child, clad in an exquisite black brocade robe embroidered with silver dragon patterns, strolled leisurely along the corridor. His fair, delicate face bore an expression of solemnity, yet it remained irresistibly adorable—enough to make one want to pinch his cheeks. The child had large, dark eyes, gleaming like black pearls, and paired with his dignified, almost adult-like demeanor, he looked as if carved from snow and jade. Even at such a tender age, his striking elegance and beauty were already evident.

The attendants trailing behind him, however, wore expressions of distress, their lips pressed together as if wanting to speak but not daring to. Their pitiful gazes were fixed on their young master. Sensing their silent despair, the child turned his head slightly and cast a glance at them before scoffing disdainfully.

“This prince already told you not to follow. What? Are my words meaningless now?”

A chill ran down their spines, and inwardly, they wept: Little Prince, who on earth taught you to speak like that? It’s terrifying, you know?

“Um… Your Highness, His Royal Highness instructed you to copy the Biography of Prince Ding from the History of Chu ten times. He will check it when he returns…” a servant hastily reminded him.

The child’s round eyes narrowed slightly as he replied calmly, “This prince is aware. You are dismissed. I am going to pay my respects to Mother.”

The attendants exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to proceed. Preventing the Little Prince from greeting his mother was out of the question—no one could fault a child for filial piety. But if they let him go, there was an eighty percent chance he would weasel out of the task assigned by the prince. And when the prince returned, they would be the ones to suffer.

“Hmph!” The Little Prince snorted loudly. He had known all along that his father had stationed so many people around him with ulterior motives. His mother belonged to him —how could that old man think he could just snatch her away? With another disdainful glance at his attendants, he flicked his sleeves and strode briskly toward his mother’s quarters.In the study, Ye Li sat behind the desk, carefully reviewing the newly submitted reports. Five years had left little trace on her; if anything, the experience of leadership since her early twenties had only enhanced her striking grace and noble bearing. Closing the report in her hands, she looked up at Qin Feng standing before her and asked, "The reorganization and reforms of the Mo Family Army are nearly complete. What about the Qilin?"

Qin Feng smiled. "Wang Fei need not worry. The Qilin now commands two thousand warriors, each meticulously selected and rigorously trained—the elite of the elite."

Ye Li chuckled. "Elite status isn’t claimed by words. The northwest has been too peaceful these past years. The Mo Family Army has just completed its restructuring, and many new recruits have never seen battle. I fear our combat effectiveness may have declined rather than improved."

Qin Feng reassured her, "Wang Fei overestimates the issue. Though the recruits lack battlefield experience, Wang Ye and the generals have maintained strict training without laxity. As for experience, a battle or two will naturally acclimate them."

Ye Li nodded, then glanced at Qin Feng. Having served her for years, he recognized the shift in her expression and asked curiously, "Does Wang Fei have something in mind?"

Tapping her forefinger lightly, Ye Li mused, "Indeed, I have an idea—though its feasibility remains to be seen."

Qin Feng bowed respectfully. "This subordinate is eager to hear the details."

Ye Li smiled faintly. "To prevent our soldiers from growing rusty without combat, why not... hold a military exercise?"

"Military exercise?" Qin Feng echoed, intrigued. Though the term was unfamiliar, he grasped her intent. While armies often conducted drills—naval exercises, formations, and training maneuvers—he sensed Wang Fei had something far more inventive in store.

Ye Li nodded, still contemplating. "Exactly. Qin Feng, look into which area in the northwest would suit such a large-scale exercise."

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. "Does it require vast space? The newly built Mo Family Army training ground fifty li outside Li Cheng should suffice."

Ye Li shook her head, amused. "Not that kind of place—I want a battlefield."

"A battlefield?" Qin Feng startled. "Wang Fei means...?"

Ye Li confirmed with a smile, "Precisely. A place with complex terrain and vast scope, capable of supporting a full-scale campaign. I envision a joint exercise involving multiple branches—not just the Mo Family Army, but also the Black Cloud Cavalry and the Qilin."

As Qin Feng envisioned the scenario, excitement surged through him. He responded fervently, "Wang Fei can rest assured—this subordinate will find the perfect location!"

Ye Li nodded in satisfaction. "Good. You may go. I’ll discuss this with Wang Ye later. Until then... keep it confidential."

"Understood!" Qin Feng’s handsome face brimmed with exhilaration. The past years had indeed been too idle. Though an exercise wasn’t real combat, Wang Fei’s brief description already promised something thrilling.

"Mother..." A child’s light footsteps and sweet, coaxing voice sounded from beyond the door.Ye Li's smile grew even more tender as she looked up to see her precious child walking in with a pitiful expression, gazing at her with watery eyes. Qin Feng, standing to the side, subtly twitched the corner of his mouth and stepped back, bowing slightly. "This subordinate greets the young master."

Mo Xiaobao, noticing there was an outsider in the study, stiffened slightly before his aggrieved expression softened. Ye Li smiled gently. "Xiao Bao, what's wrong?"

Ignoring Qin Feng, Mo Xiaobao bypassed the large desk and threw himself into Ye Li's arms, rubbing his face against her. "Mother… I'm not Xiao Bao anymore. Chen'er has grown up…"

Ye Li picked him up and settled him in her lap, tapping his little forehead playfully. "Alright, my apologies. Mother forgot again. What brings Chen'er here?"

It had to be said that the power of subtle influence was terrifying. When Mo Xiaobao was first born, Ye Li had resolved to call him by his formal name more often to avoid his childhood nickname becoming too widespread and embarrassing him later. Unfortunately, before Mo Xiaobao could even protest, Mo Xiuyao had already spread the nickname throughout the entire Mo Family Army. If not for the stir his formal name had caused at birth, everyone might have assumed the heir of Prince Ding's Estate was named Mo Xiaobao.

Satisfied, Mo Xiaobao snuggled deeper into his mother's embrace, inhaling her faint fragrance. Blinking his large eyes, he said, "I came to have lunch with Mother."

Ye Li glanced outside at the sky, then turned to Qin Feng, who coughed lightly, barely suppressing a laugh. "Reporting to Wang Fei, it has just passed the hour of Si (around 9–11 AM)."

Ye Li looked down at Mo Xiaobao and raised an eyebrow. "What mischief have you gotten into?"

Mo Xiaobao pouted pitifully and held up his tiny hand. "Mother, my hand hurts…"

Ye Li sighed. "What did your father make you do?"

"Father wants me to copy The Biography of Prince Ding ten times. He said I can't eat lunch until I finish. Wuwu… Chen'er's hand is going to fall off…"

The Biography of Prince Ding in the Chu historical records consisted of eight chapters, each containing at least two to three thousand characters—totaling nearly twenty thousand words. Copying it ten times would mean over two hundred thousand characters. Mo Xiaobao shuddered and clung tightly to his mother. There was no way he could do it—his hand would be ruined! That was why he had seized the opportunity while his father was away to seek his mother's help.

The part about not being allowed to eat until he finished was undoubtedly his own addition. Knowing her son's antics all too well, Ye Li smiled helplessly. Still, she couldn't help but disapprove of Mo Xiuyao's punishment. Mo Xiaobao wasn’t even five yet—he could barely hold a brush properly. Two hundred thousand characters would take even an adult a considerable amount of time to copy, let alone a child who hadn’t even mastered all the characters yet.

After a moment’s thought, Ye Li said, "Then let’s change it to copying The Biography of Prince Dingming once."

Prince Dingming referred to the first Prince Ding, Mo Lanyun, posthumously honored as "Ming." Seeing the joy bloom in Mo Xiaobao’s eyes, Ye Li added leisurely, "After you finish, you must be able to read every single character. When your father returns, you’ll recite it in front of him. Understood?"

Mo Xiaobao blinked, but seeing the unyielding look in his mother’s eyes, he reluctantly agreed. Going from eight chapters ten times to one chapter once was already a huge improvement. Nestling obediently in Ye Li’s arms, he murmured, "Chen'er understands.""Good boy." Ye Li ruffled her son's little head with a smile.

Mo Xiaobao immediately grinned and nodded. "I'm the best boy! I love Mother the most." Ye Li leaned down and kissed his forehead, smiling. "Mother loves Chen'er the most too."

Standing nearby and watching the mother-son interaction, Qin Feng secretly shook his head in his mind. Little Prince, every time you take advantage of Wang Ye's absence to act pitiful and cozy up to Wang Fei, only to be pushed away and punished when Wang Ye returns—is it really worth it?

"Wang Ye has returned." The voice of a maid paying respects came from outside the door. Qin Feng glanced at the little prince still clinging to Wang Fei and swiftly made his escape. "Wang Fei, this subordinate will take his leave first." Ye Li nodded. "Go ahead."

Mo Xiuyao stepped into the room and frowned unconsciously when he saw his son sitting in Ye Li's lap, looking every bit the obedient child. Dressed in white robes and with his snow-white silver hair, he appeared cold and aloof—only when his gaze landed on his wife seated behind the desk did his slightly indifferent eyes warm a little. "A Li, what were you talking about?"

Ye Li patted Mo Xiaobao and looked up with a smile. "Nothing much. Chen'er just came to pay his respects."

Mo Xiaobao reluctantly climbed down from his mother's lap and stepped forward to bow to his father. "Son greets Father."

Mo Xiuyao looked down at him for a moment before bending to lift him up, holding him at eye level. "Here to pay respects to your mother? Xiao Bao is so filial. Father is deeply moved."

Once in his father's arms, Mo Xiaobao immediately struggled, but his meager strength was no match for Mo Xiuyao's iron-like grip. No matter how hard he strained, his little face turning red, he couldn't budge those unyielding arms.

"Chen'er, what's wrong?" Blocked by Mo Xiuyao's turned body, Ye Li didn't see her son's struggles—only that her usually clingy boy was blushing in Mo Xiuyao's hold.

Mo Xiuyao gazed at his son with fatherly affection and smiled. "It seems Xiao Bao has learned to be shy. He really is growing up."

Ye Li arched a delicate brow. Is that so?

Knowing he couldn't overpower his father, Mo Xiaobao had no choice but to play along, burying his face in his father's chest as if embarrassed—thus proving Mo Xiuyao's words.

Mo Xiuyao sat down beside Ye Li with Mo Xiaobao in his arms. Ye Li stood to pour him a cup of tea and set it before him. "How are things at the military camp outside the city?"

Mo Xiuyao took a sip of tea. "No issues. The efforts of these past few years haven't been in vain." He glanced at the door. "I saw Qin Feng hurrying away earlier. Did A Li assign him some task?"

Ye Li nodded and repeated her earlier discussion with Qin Feng. Mo Xiuyao was clearly intrigued. "Military exercises? A Li's ideas are always uniquely brilliant. Compared to those perfunctory drills, this concept is far more interesting."

Ye Li smiled. "This method tests not just ordinary soldiers but also commanding officers. Weren’t we specifically training a group of young commanders these past few years? It’s time to see the results. If they turn out to be nothing but armchair strategists, we might as well throw them straight onto the battlefield to fight."Mo Xiuyao nodded in agreement, saying, "That's excellent. A Li, write out the plan for me to review later, and I'll have people prepare accordingly. However... since it's a confrontation between two armies, there must be a supreme commander. Do you have any thoughts on who should lead the troops?" Ye Li smiled and nodded, "I have indeed considered it. How about you personally command one army?" Mo Xiuyao was taken aback, setting down his teacup to look at Ye Li as he asked, "Then who will lead the other side?" Ye Li pursed her lips in a smile, "I'll take the other side. General Zhang and General Lü are seasoned veterans—they can serve as external observers and referees. They can also step in if needed."

After a brief moment of contemplation, Mo Xiuyao agreed to Ye Li's plan with a smile, "Very well. People say A Li is a prodigy, and I'd like to see for myself how you command an army." Hearing this, Ye Li could only offer a helpless, bitter smile. In terms of prodigious talent, who in this world could compare to Mo Xiuyao? As for her, a mere amateur, there was no need to even mention it. Still, she wouldn’t arrange a one-sided exercise—it would be far more interesting if both sides were evenly matched, wouldn’t it?

Mo Xiaobao sat in his father's lap, tilting his little head as he listened to his parents' conversation. Though he might not fully understand, he remained quiet and attentive, occasionally blinking his large eyes, which Ye Li found utterly endearing. She reached out toward Mo Xiuyao, saying, "Let me hold Chen'er." Mo Xiaobao was overjoyed and immediately stretched his tiny hands toward his mother, but Mo Xiuyao shifted slightly, keeping the boy just out of reach. "He's already five and not light anymore—be careful not to tire yourself. Besides, it's not good for a child to be carried all the time. I stopped being carried by the time I was two," he remarked.

Ye Li could only look sympathetically at her son, while Mo Xiaobao seethed inwardly. Mo Xiuyao then added casually, "On our way back to the city, we stopped by to visit Mr. Qingyun outside the walls. He mentioned that Mo Xiaobao is already five and ready to begin his formal education." Ye Li blinked in confusion, "Haven’t we already started Chen'er’s education?" Though their child was not yet five, he had already learned most of the foundational texts like the Hundred Family Surnames and Thousand Character Classic . In her previous life, Ye Li had still been in kindergarten at five, playing games and learning the ABCs. Mo Xiuyao looked down at his son with a knowing smile, while Mo Xiaobao felt a chill run down his spine. "A Li, as a girl, your upbringing in the Xu Family wasn’t as strict. But you can ask the Xu Family’s young masters—which of them wasn’t learning characters by two or three and formally enrolled in studies by four or five? Without that, how could the Xu Family’s members all earn their scholarly honors before the age of twenty? For ordinary people, achieving such honors by twenty-four or twenty-five is already considered remarkable. Since Xiao Bao is the heir of Prince Ding's Estate, the responsibilities he must shoulder in the future are far greater than others’. Being lenient with him would only harm him."

Ye Li had no rebuttal. Wasn’t this akin to not letting a child fall behind at the starting line? Who said modern children in her past life had it hard? The children of the Xu Family truly had it tougher. Mo Xiuyao’s words made her realize that generations of the Xu Family had earned their scholarly honors before the age of twenty. For someone like her eldest brother, Xu Qingchen, who topped the imperial examinations at fourteen, wouldn’t that mean starting education at two or three? With a reluctant glance at her son, Ye Li sighed softly, "I only hope Chen'er can have a happy and carefree childhood."Childhood? What was that? If he never had it, why should his son? Mo Xiuyao's heart seethed with poisonous jealousy even as he maintained a gentle smile. "In these times, isn't it better for Xiao Bao to mature early rather than remain ignorant if we can't protect him in the future? Besides, with Mr. Qingyun personally teaching him, what's there to worry about? Though strict with his descendants, Mr. Qingyun dotes on Xiao Bao the most. Are you afraid he'll be overworked?"

Ye Li had to admit it was true. If anyone in the entire northwest spoiled Mo Xiaobao the most, Mr. Qingyun would unquestionably rank first—even his own great-grandson, Xu Qingze and Qin Zheng's four-year-old son Xu Zhirui, had to take a backseat. "Very well, Chen'er, you must listen to Grand Tutor, understand? Mother will visit you every other day, alright?"

Mo Xiaobao listlessly clung to Mo Xiuyao's embrace, inwardly cursing his despicable father: Just trying to get rid of me, huh? Humph! Wait until this young master grows up—let's see what you'll use to compete with me for Mother's affection then! Mother... sob ... wait for Chen'er to grow up. Chen'er will definitely win you back!

–––––– Author's Note ––––––

In the blink of an eye~ Mo Xiaobao has grown up~ In the blink of an eye, everyone's had enough rest—time to fight~ ( ^__^ ) hehe