Mo Li

Leng Haoyu and Murong Ting’s sudden visit was certainly not just a casual social call. After everyone had taken their seats, Leng Haoyu frowned and said, “Our people have sent word that the Liu family seems to have uncovered information about Mo Jingli’s son.”

Feng Zhiyao, who had just returned to Chu Jing, naturally had no idea what had happened in the capital over the past two months. He asked in confusion, “Mo Jingli’s son? The one born to Ye Ying? Was he kidnapped?” Leng Haoyu clapped his hands and laughed, “Your news is far too outdated. Not long ago, Mo Jingli became the regent, and upon returning to his palace, he kicked his own son to death. Although this news was suppressed and not widely publicized, most of the nobility in the capital are aware of it.”

Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t a fool and immediately understood. He chuckled, “So… Mo Jingli spent years raising someone else’s son for nothing? What’s the situation now? Is his real son in the hands of the Liu family?”

“A Li, what do you think?” Mo Xiuyao turned to Ye Li and asked.

Ye Li frowned, thought for a moment, and said, “I think it’s unlikely. Mo Jingqi was cautious and suspicious, never trusting even those closest to him. Mo Jingli spent so much time and effort searching but found no leads, which proves that Mo Jingqi had covered his tracks thoroughly. There’s no reason the Liu family would be able to uncover anything, and… the timing is just too coincidental.” Mo Jingqi had just passed away, and before the new emperor could ascend the throne, the Liu family suddenly revealed news about the only son of Prince Li’s Palace. It was impossible not to suspect ulterior motives.

Mo Xiuyao looked at Leng Haoyu, who shrugged and said, “They don’t have concrete information either. The Liu family has been making covert moves recently, and we can only vaguely gather that it’s related to Mo Jingli’s son. But whether the child is truly Mo Jingli’s will take time to confirm.” Mo Xiuyao smirked and said, “No need to waste time investigating.”

Leng Haoyu looked at him in confusion. Mo Xiuyao asked, “Does it matter to us whether it’s true or not?”

Hearing this, everyone was stunned. Indeed, it didn’t. They had no intention of getting involved in these affairs, so whether the child was Mo Jingli’s son or not was completely irrelevant to them. Mo Xiuyao stood up and said to Leng Haoyu with a smile, “You’d be better off investigating matters in the northern border. Since Feng San is also in the capital now and your business here is closed, why not make a trip to Zijing Pass?”

Leng Haoyu was tempted. Zijing Pass was currently embroiled in battle. Although shadow guards were secretly protecting the area, he was still somewhat worried about Leng Huai’s safety.

“I’ll go too,” Murong Ting quickly interjected.

While Leng Haoyu was part of Prince Ding’s Estate, Murong Ting was not. Naturally, Mo Xiuyao had no authority over her—this was Leng Haoyu’s family matter. Leng Haoyu hesitated and said, “Zijing Pass is in the middle of a war right now. It’s too dangerous.” Murong Ting scoffed, “Do you think I’ve never seen a battlefield before?” She had grown up following her father along the border, and she had even participated in the defense of Yonglin back in the day.

“Junhan is alone in the capital with no one to take care of him. Can you bear to leave him?” Leng Haoyu continued to persuade her.Murong Ting frowned—this was indeed a problem. Her son had never been apart from her since birth. Her gaze landed on Ye Li sitting nearby, and her eyes lit up as she looked at her pleadingly. "Li'er..." Ye Li covered her lips with a chuckle. "As long as you don’t mind Junhan being bullied by Chen'er, feel free to send him over." One child was already being looked after, and two wouldn’t make much difference. Besides, although Mo Xiaobao occasionally liked to cling to people, he was actually quite independent and didn’t require much effort on their part.

However, for some reason, Mo Xiaobao had decided that Leng Junhan was a soft, easy-to-bully little bun. Every time they met, he would either pinch or poke him. Ye Li suspected that Mo Xiaobao was transferring all the grievances he suffered from his father onto Leng Junhan. Every time she saw the fair, tender, and soft little Junhan being bullied by Mo Xiaobao, tears welling up in his eyes but stubbornly refusing to fall, her heart ached terribly. Yet, Leng Junhan was convinced that Mo Xiaobao was a good older brother—after being bullied, he would forget it immediately and the next time they met, he would still call out "Brother Yu Chen" with the same affectionate enthusiasm. No wonder Mo Xiaobao called him Leng Xiaodai (Little Fool). That adorably clueless look even made Leng Haoyu, his own father, want to cover his face in despair. What sins had he committed to end up with such a foolish son?

"It’s fine. Junhan has just been spoiled too much by us. His soft temperament—who knows who he takes after? It’s perfect to leave him with you to help toughen him up a bit," Murong Ting declared magnanimously, waving her hand.

With the decision made by the lady of the house, Leng Haoyu, as a devoted husband, had no choice but to comply. Still, he retained some paternal concern and turned to Mo Xiuyao with a plea. "Just don’t let the Little Prince bully my son too much." Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow—was this something he could control? He was Prince Ding, not a nursemaid for children.

"Leng Er, you didn’t think I was sending you on a family visit, did you?" Mo Xiuyao said coolly, observing Leng Haoyu’s conflicted expression. As an outstanding and capable subordinate, shouldn’t he be striving to understand every action and decision of his superior? What was with this mix of joy at visiting family and worry over leaving his child behind?

Leng Haoyu lowered his head helplessly. He had known it wouldn’t be that simple. "I await Your Highness’s instructions."

Mo Xiuyao gave a faint smile. "No need for instructions. If the northern army sets foot beyond Zijing Pass within six months, don’t bother coming back. Just hang yourself from the southeast branch. Also... I am a man who values talent. Understood?" Leng Haoyu’s expression shifted, a flicker of delight crossing his face as he looked at Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao smiled without elaborating, and Leng Haoyu declared loudly, "Your Highness need not worry. This subordinate will not fail your expectations."

"Go now. Don’t worry about your son. If you can’t return in time, I can take him to the northwest. Mr. Qingyun happens to be free these days and can help with his education."Leng Haoyu and Murong Ting were both delighted. Since having their child, they had often stayed in the capital. In truth, this wasn’t particularly beneficial for the many affairs under Leng Haoyu’s management, but they couldn’t bear to let Murong Ting raise the child alone. If Leng Junhan were taken to the northwest, safety wouldn’t be a concern at all. Moreover, having Mr. Qingyun personally oversee his early education was an opportunity others could only dream of. The second young master of the Leng family clearly attributed the wit, cleverness, and wisdom of the little prince Mo Xiaobao to Mr. Qingyun’s excellent teaching.

"Thank you, Wang Ye."

Early the next morning, Leng Haoyu and Murong Ting secretly left for Zijing Pass. Neither of them held much importance in the Leng family, and in the capital, few paid them any attention, so their departure went unnoticed. That very evening, Leng Junhan was sent to Prince Ding's Estate. Though the four-year-old was initially upset about leaving his parents, the news that he would be living with his "Xiao Bao gege" quickly made him forget his sorrow. He even declared that he wanted to sleep with Yu Chen gege from now on. Watching his son’s rare expression—as if he’d swallowed a fly—Prince Ding was thoroughly amused and readily agreed to the little one’s request. He then instructed Mo Xiaobao to take good care of his little brother and ensure he never suffered the slightest grievance.

Thus, life in Prince Ding's Estate passed in a leisurely rhythm of daily chases, playful bullying, and foolish giggles between Mo Xiaobao and Leng Xiaodai. Meanwhile, incidents such as the repeated assassination attempts on the yet-to-be-crowned Tenth Prince, the Empress Dowager’s desperate schemes to avoid forced burial, and the covert clashes between the Liu family and Prince Li's Palace were all ignored by the estate’s residents. Before they knew it, the day of the new emperor’s enthronement arrived.

Mo Jingqi’s coffin had been temporarily placed in a side hall in the westernmost part of the imperial palace. Perhaps because Mo Jingqi had never imagined his death would come so soon, his imperial tomb was still under construction. The time required to complete an imperial mausoleum was no small matter, so Mo Jingqi would have to remain in the palace for the time being. Only after the tomb’s completion would his coffin be moved there on an auspicious date.

Traditionally, the enthronement of a new emperor in Great Chu was an occasion for congratulations from all directions. Even when Mo Jingqi ascended the throne, though the regent Mo Liufang had already passed, Great Chu still had Mo Xiuwen holding the court together and the renowned young general Mo Xiuyao. The country remained stable and strong, prompting neighboring states, including Western Liang, to send envoys to offer their respects. This time, however, apart from Nanzhao and a few minor neighboring states, neither Western Liang nor Northern Rong sent any envoys. A seven-year-old child emperor, a court divided between two factions with conflicting agendas, and Prince Ding's Estate already detached from Great Chu—Western Liang and Northern Rong, as major powers, certainly had the right to look down on them. Moreover, they had no intention of congratulating Great Chu’s new ruler. Instead, they were eyeing the country like a piece of ripe prey.

The enthronement ceremony for the Tenth Prince was set for the twelfth day of the third month, a reasonably auspicious date. Prince Ding's Estate naturally received an invitation well in advance. A few days before the ceremony, Ye Li was summoned to the palace by the Empress.This was not the first time Ye Li had seen the Tenth Prince. This child, who had originally lived like a shadow in a quiet corner of the palace, was suddenly thrust into the most conspicuous position after Mo Jingqi's incident. Over the past half month, he had been utterly terrified. When Ye Li saw him, he was curled up in his birth mother's arms, fast asleep. Just one glance at his sallow, emaciated little face revealed how poorly he had been faring these days. At the sound of Ye Li's footsteps, the Tenth Prince immediately opened his eyes, his bewildered gaze filled with terror and fear. He whimpered twice, on the verge of tears, and his birth mother hastily covered his mouth in panic, looking helplessly at Ye Li and the Empress.

The Empress frowned and sighed helplessly, saying, "Let him go. Princess Ding won’t hold a grudge against a child."

Only then did the plainly dressed woman in lavish attire cautiously remove her hand from the Tenth Prince’s mouth. She glanced nervously at Ye Li before softly soothing the child in her arms. After crying for a while, the Tenth Prince seemed exhausted and drifted back into a fitful sleep. The Empress wanted to have someone carry him away to rest but feared waking him again. Ye Li walked over and pressed a few acupoints on the Tenth Prince’s body before whispering, "Take him to rest. Be gentle, and he won’t wake."

"Thank you... thank you, Princess Ding," the woman stammered gratefully before carrying the Tenth Prince to the rear hall to rest.

Once they had left, Ye Li raised an eyebrow and asked the Empress, "What’s going on?"

The Empress smiled bitterly. "What else could it be? This child... I once thought the Sixth Prince was spoiled and tyrannical, ruined by indulgence and unfit to rule. But this Tenth Prince... might be even more troublesome than the Sixth Prince. It’s hard on the boy—he’s probably seen his father only a handful of times in his life. His birth mother isn’t capable of raising him properly either. These past days have been full of fright for him; he can’t even sleep well. Now... forget everything else, I doubt he’ll even make it through the coronation ceremony."

Seeing the Empress’s weary expression, Ye Li could only sigh. The Tenth Prince’s birth mother was merely a palace maid who had been favored by Mo Jingqi by chance. Coming from a poor peasant family, she naturally had no ability to educate the prince. Though now, because the Tenth Prince was about to ascend the throne, people in the palace respectfully addressed her as Empress Dowager, the lavish robes could not change a person’s temperament or capabilities. Dressed in the magnificent robes of the Empress Dowager, the already timid and insignificant woman appeared even more diminutive and uneasy. While matters outside the palace were being handled by Prince Li, Duke Hua, and the civil and military officials, the Empress alone bore the burden of managing affairs within the palace. If anything were to happen to the new emperor now, even if the blame didn’t fall on her, the charge of failing to protect the young sovereign would be unavoidable. No wonder the Empress looked so exhausted.

Seeing her in such a state, Ye Li almost couldn’t bring herself to mention Feng Zhiyao’s matter.

Noticing Ye Li’s distracted expression, the Empress smiled and said, "Is there something you wish to say? We’re hardly strangers—speak freely."

Ye Li lifted her head and said softly, "Feng San has returned."The Empress was taken aback, lowering her head to stare blankly at the white jade bracelet on her wrist. Ye Li didn’t rush her, quietly sipping tea beside her. After a long while, the Empress finally snapped out of her daze and smiled apologetically at Ye Li. “Forgive me for making you witness such a scene. It’s just… wasn’t he doing well in the northwest? Why has he returned at this time?”

Ye Li gazed at the Empress calmly without speaking, and the faint smile on the Empress’s face gradually faded. She looked at Ye Li helplessly and said, “Since Wang Fei has come to tell me this, I suppose… you already know about the past.” Ye Li nodded gently. “What happened back then was not your fault. Feng San’s unwillingness to let go is his own obsession—it’s not your fault either. If Your Majesty truly has no feelings left, I will tell him not to disturb you further. But if you aren’t entirely indifferent, why not give each other a chance?”

“A chance?” The Empress smiled bitterly and shook her head. “Thank you, Wang Fei. I know you’re not one to meddle in others’ affairs, so it’s already rare for you to say this much to me. Please convey this to him… I regard him the same as Xiu Yao—a younger brother I watched grow up. There is nothing more.”

Ye Li frowned. “He wishes to see you. He wanted to enter the palace as soon as he returned to the capital, but Wang Ye and I managed to dissuade him. If I bring back such an answer, he will never accept it. Sooner or later, he will insist on seeing you.”

The Empress shook her head. “There’s no need for a meeting. The palace is heavily guarded now, and with the new emperor’s ascension imminent, I have no mind for such matters. Tell him not to come to the palace—I have no time.”

Ye Li fell silent. No time —it was indeed a perfect excuse for rejection. When someone couldn’t even spare a moment to see you, it was clear enough how little they cared. In every aspect, the Empress was an exceedingly intelligent woman.

“What are Your Majesty’s plans for the future?” Ye Li asked with a slight frown.

The Empress looked at her in confusion. Ye Li smiled faintly. “If Your Majesty wants me to persuade Feng San, you must give me a convincing reason. At the very least… he should know that you can live well without him—perhaps even better than if he were here, no?” Understanding dawned on the Empress, and she replied solemnly, “Once the new emperor ascends, I will become the Empress Dowager of Great Chu. Isn’t that enough?”

“Perhaps it is,” Ye Li sighed.

For a moment, neither spoke. Then, clamor erupted outside the door. “How insolent! Summon the Empress at once! This Dowager demands to see her!”

“Your Grace, the Empress is currently receiving Princess Ding. Please wait a moment,” a palace maid pleaded anxiously outside.

“Audacious! This Dowager is the Empress Dowager—must I wait to see her? Feng! Come out here at once!”

Ye Li frowned in bewilderment. “Wasn’t she supposed to be buried with the late emperor? Why is she still causing trouble? Is Consort Liu still alive as well?”

The Empress smiled faintly. “Liu Jia and Prince Qin’s faction opposed Consort Liu’s burial, and even the Regent Prince’s stance has wavered. Since Consort Liu remains alive, the Empress Dowager naturally cannot be dealt with yet. Those factions are still arguing with the court officials and scholars. I heard a compromise was reached—they will be buried when the late emperor is interred. That way, the edict won’t be violated.”"What does that have to do with the Empress Dowager? The late emperor has been buried for nearly twenty years."

"Who knows what they're thinking. In matters like these, anything I say would be wrong. Might as well let them argue it out themselves." As the commotion outside grew increasingly unruly, the Tenth Prince inside seemed to have been awakened again, whimpering and crying. The Empress frowned and raised her voice, "Please invite the Empress Dowager in."

The noise outside quieted for a moment, and shortly after, the Empress Dowager entered the main hall with her entourage in grand procession.

Seeing the Empress Dowager before her, Ye Li couldn't help but startle. She remembered the first time she had seen the Empress Dowager was during the Zhangde era. Back then, the Empress Dowager had been lofty, dignified, and majestic, the very image of a mother to the nation. But now, it was as if all that royal grace and nobility had vanished overnight. Her hair was streaked with white, her wrinkles couldn't be concealed by powder, and her eyes held a fierce, savage glare. She no longer resembled the dignified Empress Dowager of a nation, but rather a wild beast trapped in a cage.