Mo Xiaobao packed his usual belongings and sorrowfully went to seek refuge with his most beloved Grand Tutor. Although he had lost yet another battle in the fight for his mother's attention, Mo Xiaobao firmly believed it was solely because he was still too young and his father had bullied him with sheer authority. Secretly, he made up his mind—since the old man shamelessly used his seniority to oppress the young, he wouldn’t mind repaying the favor by bullying the old when he grew up.
After sending Mo Xiaobao to the newly established Mount Li Academy just outside Li Cheng and entrusting him to Mr. Qingyun, Ye Li felt a pang of guilt seeing her son standing pitifully beside the teacher, gazing at her with sad eyes. Truth be told, she hadn’t been the most responsible mother. Fortunately, Xiao Bao had always been close to her. Ye Li thought it over and decided she would visit him every day from now on, bringing his favorite pastries. Once Xiao Bao was older and could handle the daily commute, she would have him return to Prince Ding's Estate to stay every night. After all, it wasn’t right for a child to rarely see his parents.
"A Li, didn’t we agree you’d visit Xiao Bao every other day? Mr. Qingyun will take good care of him—there’s no need to worry," Mo Xiuyao reassured her softly, wrapping an arm around her. "I’ll double the number of shadow guards at Mount Li Academy, and one unit of the Qilin is stationed nearby. Xiao Bao’s safety won’t be an issue."
Ye Li sighed helplessly. She truly couldn’t understand why Mo Xiuyao held such a grudge against Xiao Bao. Every time he saw the boy clinging to her, he would inevitably find some way to torment him afterward. Though she knew Mo Xiuyao had limits and wouldn’t actually harm Xiao Bao, seeing Mo Xiaobao’s flushed, pitiful face after each "lesson" left her utterly speechless. "Xiu Yao, do you really dislike Chen'er that much?"
Mo Xiuyao blinked innocently at her and smiled. "Xiao Bao is my son—how could I possibly dislike him? A Li, I’m doing this for his own good. They say strict teachers produce outstanding students, and the rod breeds filial piety. If we aren’t strict with Xiao Bao, what if he grows up to be as disgraceful as Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingli? Wouldn’t that break your heart?"
Ye Li stared at him wordlessly for a long moment before finally saying, "So, Wang Ye, does that mean you were beaten for fun by your father and elder brother when you were young?"
Mo Xiuyao smiled without answering. His father had been far too busy back then to pay him any attention. His elder brother, however, had indeed been extremely strict with him. Compared to that, Mo Xiuyao didn’t think he was being too harsh on Mo Xiaobao at all. You should be grateful, Mo Xiaobao—when I was five, I had to train before dawn in the dead of winter. Hmm… I really am a kind father.
With this comparison in mind, Prince Ding felt entirely justified in believing he was being exceptionally loving toward his son. It was A Li who was spoiling the child and thus raising objections. Indulgent parenting was simply wrong.The two walked hand in hand down the mountain when they unexpectedly ran into Xu Qingchen, who was coming up the path. Now approaching thirty, Qingchen Gongzi was dressed in pristine white robes, exuding an even more mature yet ethereal aura than before. Although his eldest aunt had already embraced grandchildren in recent years, she had grown increasingly anxious about her eldest son's marriage prospects. Yet Qingchen himself seemed utterly indifferent, never showing any particular interest in any young lady. While delaying marriage was common—most of the Xu Family, except for the betrothed Xu Qingze, remained unmarried—his complete lack of romantic inclination was rather peculiar. At times, even Ye Li wondered if her exceptionally outstanding elder cousin was preparing to ascend to immortality.
"Big Brother, are you here to pay respects to Grandfather?" Ye Li greeted him first.
Xu Qingchen glanced at their intertwined hands, a teasing smile playing at his lips. Unfortunately for him, Mo Xiuyao's skin was far thicker than he imagined—the prince remained unperturbed, holding Ye Li's hand without a hint of embarrassment. Qingchen could only shake his head helplessly before raising a purple-gold booklet adorned with intricate floral patterns. "Official business. I heard His Highness and Wang Fei weren’t planning to return to the city these next few days, so I had to come in person. Lucky to have run into you here."
Ye Li tilted her head curiously at Mo Xiuyao—since when had they decided not to return? The prince, unfazed, eyed the booklet and remarked, "From Nanzhao?"
"How did you know?" Ye Li asked in surprise. Mo Xiuyao pointed at the elaborate design. "That pattern is exclusive to the Nanzhao royal family."
Ye Li frowned, trying to recall if she had seen such motifs during her time in Nanzhao, feeling a pang of embarrassment at her own ignorance. Taking the booklet, she asked, "Big Brother, will you join us going down, or are you heading up to see Grandfather first?" Qingchen sighed. "I just saw Grandfather yesterday. The old man is currently too cross with me to want another visit. Let’s go down together." Ye Li was taken aback—Qingchen was the most outstanding of the Xu Family’s younger generation and, by all accounts, Grandfather’s favorite grandson. How could he be so angry as to refuse him?
Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow, chuckling. "I suppose Young Master Xu’s pickiness in marriage has finally provoked divine wrath—even Mr. Qingyun’s legendary patience has run out?" Qingchen shot him a sidelong glance. If anyone deserved divine wrath, it was Prince Ding himself—doing what he shouldn’t and neglecting what he should. Abandoning their son to Grandfather was one thing, but attempting to sneak off with Li'er? Had Qingchen not intercepted the news, the man would already be gallivanting who-knows-where with her.
"Speaking of which, Big Brother really should marry. Eldest Aunt has mentioned it to me many times. It’s a pity none of the noble ladies in the Northwest have caught your eye. How many young maidens’ hearts have you brok—huh?" Ye Li teased while flipping open the purple-gold booklet, only to pause in surprise.
"What is it?" Mo Xiuyao asked. Ye Li waved the booklet, eyeing Qingchen meaningfully. "Princess Anxi is getting married. She’s invited us to Nanzhao for the wedding."
Mo Xiuyao showed no surprise. "Princess Anxi is already twenty-four. Even by Southern Border standards, she’s long overdue. What’s strange about that?"Ye Li nodded in agreement. Ever since Princess Anxi had stayed in Li Cheng for some time five years ago and left despondently, Ye Li knew there was likely no hope between her and Xu Qingchen. She still remembered the day she personally saw Princess Anxi off at the city gates, watching her retreating figure with such sorrow that even she couldn’t help wanting to punch Xu Qingchen. But deep down, she understood it wasn’t his fault—matters of the heart were never within one’s control.
Mo Xiuyao took the memorial and flipped through it—it was indeed a state letter from Nanzhao. “It’s still early. The wedding is set for July. If we travel quickly, leaving at the beginning of July would still be in time.” After reading, he lost interest and casually handed the memorial back to Xu Qingchen with a smile. “These matters will have to trouble Eldest Brother to handle. A Li, a few days ago, Qingbai and Qingyan wrote that the wheat in the north is growing exceptionally well this year. It’s just sprouting now—why don’t we go take a look?” Only then did Ye Li understand. No wonder Eldest Brother had said that if he arrived a step later, he might not find them—Mo Xiuyao had sent Xiao Bao to his grandfather’s place because he wanted to take her on a trip.
Xu Qingchen took the memorial calmly and looked at Mo Xiuyao. “Wang Ye, I’m afraid you won’t be able to travel far for a while.”
“Why?” Mo Xiuyao frowned, his snow-white hair fluttering slightly in the breeze. “This prince has worked hard these years, finally raising Mo Xiaobao and resolving matters in the northwest. Can’t I even take a break now?”
Hearing this, Ye Li and Xu Qingchen both turned to him, their eyes filled with disdain. How dare he claim he raised Mo Xiaobao? Without his constant meddling, the child might have grown up even healthier.
Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. “Reporting to Wang Ye, in ten days, the northwest will hold its first imperial examination to select talents. We’ve prepared for four whole years—surely you can’t miss the very first one? Otherwise, it might give the impression that you disregard scholars. Unless you’re confident you can return from Fourth Brother’s place within ten days? Moreover, even without this matter, Father has mentioned the northwest tax reform proposal he submitted the other day several times already. He asked me to inquire if there are any oversights causing your delayed response? Also… the annual Li Cheng Merchant Conference is about to begin, and traders from various countries have already started arriving in Li Cheng. Wang Ye…”
Mo Xiuyao stared at Xu Qingchen, dumbfounded by his seemingly endless list of tasks, feeling his teeth ache. He nearly wanted to grab Xu Qingchen by the collar and shake him. Didn’t I entrust all northwest affairs to you? Why, why are there still so many matters requiring this prince’s personal attention?!Watching Mo Xiuyao's ashen expression, Ye Li couldn't help but cover her lips to stifle a laugh. She gave him a helpless look—it wasn't that she refused to accompany him for some leisure, but he simply had no time for it. In truth, a significant portion of these piled-up matters was undoubtedly Xu Qingchen's deliberate doing. Perhaps learning from the Xu Family's decades-long lesson of being caught in a dilemma, though deeply trusted by Mo Xiuyao, the family had always cautiously avoided matters of power. Apart from the outlier Xu Qingfeng, none of the Xu Family interfered with the Mo Family Army's military affairs. While they heavily relied on Xu Hongyan, Xu Hongyu, and Xu Qingchen for political matters, they rarely participated in anything that would bring them fame, often using Mo Xiuyao as a front, pushing all credit and reputation onto Prince Ding. Xu Hongyu even consulted Mr. Qingyun and established a new family rule: henceforth, any Xu family member serving as an official must retire by the age of fifty-eight. Moreover, to prevent Mount Li Academy from monopolizing education, Xu Hongyan had vigorously supported the establishment of several new academies in the northwest over the past two years, transforming the region's former lack of reputable institutions. These actions by the Xu Family unmistakably conveyed their stance. Witnessing this, Ye Li could only sigh softly in her heart, silently acknowledging their goodwill.
"If Wang Ye truly finds it too exhausting, why not take a few extra days to rest when we visit Nanzhao later? After all, you won’t have much to do there anyway," Ye Li added leisurely after Xu Qingchen finally finished speaking, glancing at Mo Xiuyao's indignant expression.
"Wife, it’s not that your husband is inconsiderate or unwilling to accompany you for relaxation. It’s just... your elder brother is far too ruthless. You must stand up for me," Mo Xiuyao lamented, gazing pitifully at Ye Li. Amused, Ye Li looked at his snow-white hair, which did nothing to age him. Despite being a man in his thirties, he appeared even younger than when they first met. "Alright, don’t be upset, husband. We’ll extend our stay in Nanzhao and leave all the work to my brothers."
Hearing this, Mo Xiuyao shot Xu Qingchen a challenging look. Xu Qingchen pretended not to notice, calmly raising his eyes to the sky. "Li'er, indulging your husband is fine, but spoiling him too much might ruin his mind. Your elder brother, grandfather, and uncles would all be heartbroken. People might even think you gave birth to twins back then. Listen to your elder brother—a husband should remain wise and formidable." Ye Li glanced between them and wisely decided silence was the best course. It wasn’t just men who struggled between wives and mothers; women also found it difficult to navigate between husbands and elder brothers. With a gentle smile, she said, "Elder Brother and Wang Ye, take your time chatting. I believe Qin Feng has something to discuss with me." Without waiting for their reactions, she headed down the mountain first.
Behind her, Xu Qingchen's smile was as warm as a spring breeze. Mo Xiuyao lowered his brows in contemplation—had A Li left so quickly because she truly preferred his wise and formidable demeanor? Turning his head, he cast a glance at the ethereal figure beside him, a sinister smirk forming in Prince Ding’s heart: Trying to sabotage my relationship with A Li? If I don’t marry you off soon, I’ll have failed you and your entire family!
The elegantly poised Qingchen Gongzi shuddered inexplicably, puzzled as he looked up at the cloudless sky.Although Princess Anxi's wedding was still some time away, the actual time they had to prepare was quite limited. As Xu Qingchen had mentioned, Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao had many matters to handle, and their trip to the Southern Border would take at least a month. With both Prince Ding and Wang Fei absent, numerous affairs needed to be properly arranged. Sure enough, as soon as they returned to the residence, Mo Xiuyao was immediately summoned to the study by Xu Hongyu, who had been waiting for him.
With a smile, Ye Li watched Mo Xiuyao head to the study before returning to her own courtyard, only to find someone waiting for her there as well.
"Madam Xu, what brings you here? Is there something you need?" Seeing Ye Li enter, Madam Xu quickly stood up. Ye Li stepped forward to support her and helped her sit down, saying with a laugh, "Aunt, if there's anything, you can just say it while seated. There are no outsiders here—why stand on ceremony with Li'er?"
"I came unannounced—am I disturbing you, Li'er?" Madam Xu asked with some concern. Though she was an inner court woman, she knew her niece, as Wang Fei of Prince Ding, was different from other inner court ladies—even other princesses. In the hearts of the people of the Northwest, the name of Wang Fei was nearly as revered as that of Prince Ding. Even Prince Ding's subordinates and the generals of the Mo Family Army obeyed Ye Li without question. Ye Li chuckled, "Aunt, what are you saying? Li'er has been too busy to visit you at the residence. Neither you nor Second Aunt has come to see me, so I thought you'd poured all your affection into my brothers and forgotten about me."
Teased like this, Madam Xu couldn't help but laugh, though worry soon clouded her expression again. She sighed helplessly, "Your Second Aunt is truly content now that she has a grandson to dote on, but I'm just plagued with worries every day."
Ye Li understood and asked softly, "Is it about Eldest Brother?"
"Who else could it be?" Madam Xu sighed. "Qingchen is nearly thirty and still hasn't taken a liking to any girl. He's never given us any trouble since childhood, yet this matter is the most vexing of all. If I'd known it would come to this, I should have followed your Second Uncle's example and arranged a betrothal for him early on. At least then, he'd have brought a wife home, whether she suited him or not." Ye Li sighed as well. Eldest Brother's situation was indeed troubling. By all accounts, the Xu Family was exceptionally open-minded. Apart from Xu Qingze, who had been betrothed to Qin Zheng since childhood, none of the other brothers had early engagements. This was to carefully select suitable daughters-in-law and avoid forcing them into unhappy or unvirtuous marriages. Even when Xu Qingchen remained unmarried well into his twenties, no one in the Xu Family pressured him. But now that he was approaching thirty, it was no wonder Madam Xu was anxious.
"Eldest Brother's standards are too high—it's no wonder ordinary women don't meet his expectations," Ye Li murmured. Not only Xu Qingchen himself, but even Ye Li felt few women were worthy of her eldest brother. The only one who had shown some potential, Princess Anxi, unfortunately hadn't caught his eye."High standards?! Does he want to marry a fairy or something?!" Madam Xu couldn't help wiping her tears as she complained angrily, "Does he think he's so great just because people call him the number one gentleman under heaven? That no woman in the world is good enough for him? He's just an ordinary man with two eyes and a nose like everyone else! Look at him—not only is he already this old, but if he delays another couple years, what decent family would want their daughter to marry someone so much older? And because he's set such a bad example, now your Second Aunt's Qingfeng, Qingbai, and Qingyan are all refusing to get married too! It's all his fault as the eldest brother!" Ye Li sighed inwardly. With her elder brother's looks, even at forty, there would be no shortage of women clamoring to marry him.
Seeing Madam Xu's fury, Ye Li could only comfort her softly while saying, "Auntie, don't be angry with elder brother. He's the most filial—if he knew you were this upset, he'd be distressed too. Matters of fate are unpredictable. Who knows—maybe tomorrow he'll meet a girl and be chasing after her to get married." Though the likelihood of that was practically zero. Ye Li truly couldn't imagine Xu Qingchen chasing after and flattering any woman.
"Auntie, do you have any plans?" Ye Li also knew Madam Xu wouldn't have come specifically just to vent her frustrations.
Madam Xu nodded firmly. "We can't let him fool around anymore. Your Second Aunt is planning to arrange a match for Qingfeng. I've also picked out two candidates for him—help your aunt think of a way to make sure he goes to meet those girls. That child is too clever—the moment I bring it up, he disappears. Today he's busy with this, tomorrow with that. I don't go out often—how can I ever catch him?"
Ye Li was inwardly amused—so her aunt wanted to arrange a marriage meeting but couldn't even find the man? Tilting her head in thought, Ye Li nodded resolutely. "Auntie, don't worry. When the time comes, Li'er will definitely make sure elder brother goes back."
Madam Xu was overjoyed. "Then I'll trouble you, Li'er."
Ye Li smiled brightly. "Auntie, what trouble? Li'er also wants to have an elder sister-in-law soon."
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Ah~ Even the number one gentleman has marriage troubles... Oops, I mean difficulties getting married~ My apologies, dear gentleman—if we don't marry you off soon, you'll become a handsome uncle instead~
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