Mo Li

"Guan Ting, who do you intend to kill? Why not share it with this prince?"

Guan Ting was startled when he suddenly saw the white-haired Mo Xiuyao emerge from within. However, this time, he wasn’t particularly afraid of Mo Xiuyao. In Guan Ting’s mind, he was now a loyal subject of Great Chu, the emperor’s trusted confidant, while Mo Xiuyao was nothing more than a despised traitor and rebel. More importantly, there were at least three thousand elite soldiers surrounding this small town, while Mo Xiuyao had only a few dozen men at most. Even if the Mo Family Army was formidable, Guan Ting couldn’t imagine any reason for his overwhelming advantage to fail. Thus, after the initial shock, his expression toward Mo Xiuyao quickly turned arrogant and vicious again. His small eyes, made even narrower by the layers of fat from years of gluttony, burned with resentment and envy.

Yes, envy. In this world, including Mo Jingqi, the ruler of a nation, there were likely few men who didn’t envy Mo Xiuyao. He commanded both Prince Ding's Estate and the Mo Family Army, two of the most powerful forces of the era. He possessed unparalleled martial prowess, a strikingly handsome appearance, and a wife and adorable son that made all ambitious men green with envy. The world truly had no reason not to resent Mo Xiuyao.

But Guan Ting’s hatred for Mo Xiuyao far surpassed that of others. Back when he had followed the young prince Mo Jingqi, the brilliant and dashing Little Prince of Prince Ding's Estate had already been the object of his envy and jealousy. Back then, during a bandit suppression campaign, Mo Xiuyao had ridden in on horseback, dressed in white, and without a word, whipped him mercilessly. The humiliation in front of thousands of soldiers had seared a deep-seated hatred and resentment into Guan Ting’s heart. He despised Mo Xiuyao’s privileged birth—if Mo Xiuyao hadn’t been the heir of Prince Ding's Estate, how could he have dared to whip him in front of so many? If he hadn’t been the descendant of Mo Lanyun or the son of Mo Liufang, how could he have possessed such extraordinary talent? Thus, when Prince Ding's Estate fell into misfortune, Guan Ting had been among the most delighted.

"Prince Ding—no, Mo Xiuyao! How dare you, a traitorous rebel, set foot on Great Chu’s soil? Today, this general will tear you to pieces to repay the emperor’s grace!" Guan Ting pointed at Mo Xiuyao and declared righteously.

Mo Xiuyao cast him a disinterested glance and remarked coolly, "Mo Jingqi’s standards for appointing people have truly declined. Sending a cripple to lead troops—even if he isn’t worried about you falling off your horse again, he should at least consider the safety of the soldiers under your command."

Feng Zhiyao fanned himself with a smirk and chimed in, "Isn’t that right? With General Guan’s… determined spirit despite his disability , he surely can’t march into battle on foot. What if he falls off his horse and crushes the soldiers beside him? Tsk… It seems the emperor really doesn’t care much for his men.""You... you!" Guan Ting gasped in rage, his greatest hatred being when others mentioned his leg. As a military officer, having a crippled leg meant his career was effectively over. Even for civil officials, the court's dignity wouldn't permit a lame man to serve. It was only out of past camaraderie that the Emperor had assigned him to lead troops in the provinces—though in truth, this so-called command was merely an empty title that never saw actual battlefield deployment. While his life these past years hadn't been terrible, how could the remote southwestern frontier compare to the splendor of Chu Jing? And all of this... was the doing of Prince Ding's Estate! Though Guan Ting didn't know his leg had been deliberately broken by the estate's scheme to install Murong Shen at Snowbreak Pass, he'd nonetheless firmly pinned the blame on them. His reasoning was simple: as Mo Jingqi's trusted subordinate, Mo Xiuyao had been plotting to eliminate him. "I'll kill you all! Shoot these traitors dead!" Guan Ting finally erupted in furious roars.

Yet his soldiers weren't as obedient as he'd imagined. The prestige of Prince Ding's Estate had endured for a century in Great Chu, becoming an indomitable legend within the military—not something Mo Jingqi could wholly dismantle at will. Given twenty or thirty years, perhaps Mo Jingqi might have erased the estate's influence entirely, but five years was far too short. Moreover, when the northwest declared its severance from Great Chu, that proclamation had spread across the land. Common soldiers might not grasp complex principles, but they understood it was the royal family who'd wronged Prince Ding's Estate, not the other way around. The murder of one's father was an unforgivable enmity, yet Prince Ding hadn't immediately led the Mo Family Army to storm the capital for vengeance. To the people, this already demonstrated extraordinary magnanimity and loyalty to Great Chu's century-long guardianship. Now, when Guan Ting ordered these soldiers to shoot Mo Xiuyao and his party on sight, even those indifferent to the estate's prestige had to weigh the consequences of provoking its elusive Qilin forces.

Mo Xiuyao swept a faintly amused glance across the soldiers surrounding the inn. Under that casual gaze, those hesitating with drawn bows instinctively lowered their weapons.

Seeing his troops disobey, Guan Ting's face darkened further with rage. "Outrageous! Are you joining their rebellion? Execute these traitors at once!"

The soldiers found themselves torn—unwilling to oppose Prince Ding's Estate, yet bound to obey their superior, however unpopular. Feng Zhiyao stepped forward with a charming smile. "Actually, there's no need for such distress. This problem has a simple solution." The crowd puzzled at how this dashing red-clad gentleman intended to resolve matters—until with a flick of his sleeve, a long whip shot forth, wrapping around Guan Ting and yanking him straight from the crowd to Feng's feet. Earlier, after the cucumber assault, Guan Ting had wisely ordered his men to spread out for better mobility. This very precaution now left him isolated for Feng's effortless capture.Looking down at Guan Ting, who was tightly bound by his whip, Feng Zhiyao propped his chin with a folding fan and said with a cheerful smile, "Isn't this settled now? We'll take this Guan fellow with us. You can just report back truthfully. Don’t worry, he won’t be coming back."

The soldiers hesitated for a moment but eventually made way. Originally, Guan Ting had brought them here without the approval of the Southwest Garrison Commander, General Jingbian, acting instead on Emperor Mo Jingqi’s secret decree. Thus, if they reported that Guan Ting had been captured, General Jingbian wouldn’t punish them. Avoiding a confrontation with Prince Ding’s Estate was indeed the best outcome for both sides. While the soldiers were satisfied, Guan Ting certainly wasn’t. He understood the implication of Feng Zhiyao’s words—if he were truly taken by Prince Ding, his life would effectively be over. "How dare you! Once I return, I’ll report to the Emperor and have all your families executed!" His threat only made the soldiers retreat faster. The deputy general at the rear even cupped his hands toward Feng Zhiyao and the others, saying, "This matter concerns the lives of thousands of our comrades. We entrust it to Your Highness’s discretion." Mo Xiuyao narrowed his eyes slightly and replied calmly, "Rest assured, this prince won’t implicate you." The deputy general’s heart lifted with relief. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Watching the Chu soldiers withdraw, Feng Zhiyao hauled Guan Ting up and turned to ask, "Your Highness, should we leave this place first?" With thousands of soldiers entering the city, such a major event couldn’t possibly be concealed. It was best for them to depart quickly.

Mo Xiuyao nodded. "If we’ve finished our meal, let’s go."

The group dragged Guan Ting, trussed up like a dumpling, out of the city. Even back at the inn, Guan Ting had been hurling incessant curses. Finding his language unbearable, Feng Zhiyao casually grabbed a greasy rag from the table and stuffed it into his mouth. The stench of the rag made Guan Ting’s eyes roll back as he could only let out muffled groans.

Before they had traveled even ten li beyond the city, Qin Feng, who was leading the way, suddenly halted. The others stopped as well, scanning their surroundings warily. Qin Feng sneered, "Come out. If you can’t even hide properly, how dare you ambush us?!" Before his words faded, several arrows whistled toward him. Without bothering to dismount, Qin Feng leaned sideways on his horse, effortlessly dodging the projectiles. From the roadside slopes and trees, black-clad, masked figures leaped out one after another. Feng Zhiyao leaned toward Zhuo Jing and muttered, "I knew this trip to Nanzhao wouldn’t go smoothly. But… is there really no issue with wearing black and covering their faces in broad daylight?" What color could be more conspicuous than black under the sun? Zhuo Jing twitched his lips and edged away from Feng Zhiyao, replying flatly, "Assassins generally prefer black clothes and masks."

"Nonsense! How many assassins from the King of Hell Pavilion have you seen dressed like that?" Feng Zhiyao retorted. The King of Hell Pavilion, reputed as the top assassin organization in the world, never wore uniforms. This proved that standardized attire was more harmful than beneficial for such groups.

"Third-rate assassins," Zhuo Jing remarked calmly.Listening to Feng Zhiyao and Zhuo Jing's sarcastic banter, the originally tense and murderous atmosphere became inexplicably amusing. The black-masked assassins surrounding them couldn't reveal their expressions, but their fiery eyes betrayed their fury. Feng Zhiyao smirked at the assassins and said casually, "Actually, besides third-rate assassins, there's another type of people who must cover their faces in broad daylight."

Ye Li asked with a smile, "What kind of people?"

Feng Zhiyao replied, "Those who can't show their faces—like, say... Inner Court Guards!"

The assassins fell silent, though their eyes still betrayed shock. Mo Xiuyao stepped forward, hands behind his back, and surveyed the assassins encircling them. He said calmly, "Inner Court Guards? Mo Jingqi's attempt to conceal the truth is utterly redundant." Feng Zhiyao chuckled, "Exactly. Our Prince Ding's Estate has already severed ties with Great Chu. If Mo Jingqi wants to kill our Prince, he could just send people openly, like what happened earlier in the city. Why all this sneaking around? Though..."

Qin Feng said coldly, "Otherwise, we might take it as Great Chu provoking the Mo Family Army."

The assassins hesitated briefly before their leader raised his sword and pointed at Mo Xiuyao, shouting, "Prince Ding, enough talk! We're here on orders. If we don't return with your heads and the Princess's, we'll lose our own. Forgive our offense!" With that, he swung his blade, and all the assassins lunged at Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao remained composed, merely flicking his sleeve. A tangible gust of energy sent two assassins flying aside. Once he moved, the others joined in, and the quiet road erupted into chaos.

Failing to overwhelm Mo Xiuyao, some assassins shifted their focus to Ye Li, who was shielded in his embrace and hadn't yet acted. Four assassins launched a fierce assault to distract Mo Xiuyao, while two others seized the chance to thrust their swords at Ye Li. Trapped in Mo Xiuyao's arms, Ye Li had little room to maneuver. Just as the blades were about to strike, the assassins' eyes gleamed with triumph—only to freeze as a sharp pain pierced their chests. The Princess Ding, who had been in Mo Xiuyao's arms moments ago, had vanished. Instead, a gleaming dagger was embedded in one assassin's heart. A slender, jade-like hand gripped the hilt and yanked it out without hesitation. Blood sprayed as the assassin collapsed, his vision blurring as he saw the elegant and refined Princess Ding—who resembled the most graceful noble lady of Chu Jing—holding a dagger stained with his blood. She spun gracefully, evading another sword strike, then flashed past like a pale breeze. A thin red line bloomed on his companion's neck...

Having killed two in an instant, Ye Li flicked the blood off her dagger and frowned. These past years of lax training had dulled her reflexes. Though she had learned Light Body Skill and internal energy in this life, she doubted she could ever regain her peak form from her past life. But... She glanced at Mo Xiuyao, who had already cleared most of the nearby assassins, and smiled faintly. This life was different. Even if she couldn't return to her prime, it didn't matter.After clearing the area around him and Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao ceased his attacks. The surrounding guards instinctively formed a barrier between the assassins and the prince and princess, leaving the two of them with little to do except occasionally dealing with one or two stragglers. Thus, they became the most idle people present.

"They're stalling for time," Ye Li observed, frowning at the assassins entangled with their guards. Mo Xiuyao replied indifferently, "They probably didn’t expect Guan Ting to be so incompetent that he’d let us leave that small town. Now they’re short on manpower and can only delay." To take on Prince Ding’s guards, especially with the Qilin among them, they would need at least three to five times the number of men. The hundred or so assassins here weren’t even enough to whet their appetite. Ye Li looked up at him and asked, "Are you planning to…?"

Mo Xiuyao smirked coldly. "We’ll wait. If we don’t teach Mo Jingqi a lesson, he’ll never learn to back off. Though we aren’t afraid of him, too many mosquitoes and flies can be quite annoying."

Seeing that Mo Xiuyao had already made up his mind, Ye Li said no more. She leaned against a nearby horse and watched the skirmish unfold. The horses from Prince Ding’s Estate were all elite warhorses, carefully selected. Even with the chaos on the road, the herd had simply moved to the grassy roadside, calmly grazing without a hint of panic. A few even remained on the road, taking the opportunity to trample a few fallen assassins in black.

Despite the assassins’ efforts to stall, the entire fight lasted little more than a quarter of an hour before all the killers lay defeated on the ground. The guards accompanying Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li southward had grown weary of being watched at every turn these past few days. Finally able to stretch their limbs, they had held nothing back. When the fighting ended, they still looked unsatisfied, grumbling about how weak their opponents had been.

Mo Xiuyao couldn’t actually halt their journey just to wait for their pursuers, so the group continued onward. The bodies on the road were left untouched—ordinary civilians wouldn’t be traveling this route anyway, so there was no fear of alarming anyone.

By the next day, as they neared Snowbreak Pass, there was still no sign of pursuit. Even if Mo Jingqi’s men were slow, they wouldn’t be this sluggish. Frowning, Mo Xiuyao waved his hand and ordered, "A few of you, go back and capture all the deputy generals stationed in the heavily guarded towns along our route." Several Qilin immediately stepped forward and asked, "Wang Ye, should we kill them?" Mo Xiuyao replied coolly, "Capture them if possible. If not, kill them."

"Understood!" The Qilin would never fail a mission. The men immediately resolved to abduct every deputy general from the eleven heavily guarded cities of Great Chu they had passed through and bring them all back to the northwest. Though they couldn’t help feeling a little regretful—why hadn’t the prince ordered them to capture the main generals instead? Deputy generals sounded far too easy.

Hearing this, Feng Zhiyao asked curiously, "Wang Ye, they didn’t come after us, did they? Seems they know their place." Mo Jingqi wouldn’t have sent just one wave of assassins and called it a day. Since they hadn’t hidden their tracks, the only explanation was that the garrison commanders had feigned compliance but had no intention of pursuing them.Mo Xiuyao's lips curled into a faint, chilling smile as he said coldly, "Making this prince wait in vain comes with a price."

Feng Zhiyao couldn't help but shiver—after all, wasn't this ultimately because Mo Jingqi had provoked the prince? Just imagining the expression Mo Jingqi would wear when news reached Chu Jing that all the deputy generals had suddenly been kidnapped and disappeared made Feng Zhiyao secretly want to laugh. If they could abduct the deputies, naturally they could take the main generals too. He believed their journey back from Nanzhao would be much smoother and cleaner.

"Wang Ye, Snowbreak Pass lies ahead. Do you think General Murong might—"

Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "General Murong is upright and incorruptible. Mo Jingqi would never give such orders to him. Even if Mo Jingqi's men are at Snowbreak Pass, it wouldn't be easy for them to mobilize troops without authorization."

Feng Zhiyao nodded. "That makes sense."

Mo Xiuyao turned to Ye Li and said softly, "We'll rest for a day in Yonglin and set out through the pass the morning after tomorrow. How does that sound?"

Ye Li nodded. "You decide. Eldest Brother should be waiting for us in Yonglin too." Gazing at the city walls now faintly visible in the distance, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly. In the blink of an eye, five or six years had already passed. Six years ago, she had been exhausting all her efforts to protect this small city, yet now, it seemed to have nothing to do with them anymore.