Mo Li

"What brings you here, Mother Empress?" The Empress frowned as she watched the Empress Dowager forcefully enter with a crowd in tow.

The Empress Dowager glared viciously at the Empress and demanded sharply, "Where is the Tenth Prince?" The Empress regarded her calmly and replied indifferently, "The Tenth Prince? Why do you ask, Mother Empress?" The Empress Dowager snorted coldly. "The Tenth Prince is about to ascend the throne. As his imperial grandmother, who else but I should guide him?" The Empress remained composed as she refused, "The new emperor will naturally be instructed by his tutors and court officials. There is no need for Mother Empress to trouble yourself. Besides, the new emperor has yet to be enthroned, and you, Mother Empress, are to accompany the late emperor in burial. It is inappropriate for you to meet."

Clearly, the Empress Dowager had thoroughly provoked the Empress these past days, for the Empress would never have spoken so bluntly otherwise.

The Empress Dowager's face turned pale with rage, her hand trembling as she pointed at the Empress for a long moment before finally hissing, "How dare you! Hua Shi, though you are the Empress, you failed to bear the emperor even a single son. It is you who should be buried with him!" The Empress Dowager burned with envy at the sight of the Empress's serene and dignified demeanor. Though the Empress had no sons—not even her only daughter remained—no one could openly move against her. Not only was she a daughter of the Hua family, but she was also the emperor's principal wife, the legitimate Empress of Great Chu, and the mother of all imperial princes and princesses. No matter which prince ascended the throne, they would have to honor her as the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager had to admit that, no matter how much she despised Consort Liu, she and Consort Liu were the same in the end. No matter how favored they were, no matter how many children they bore, without the status of the principal wife, they had no right to refuse burial.

The Empress lowered her eyes and said calmly, "Unfortunately, the late emperor had no intention of having me accompany him in death. Mother Empress, I suggest you return to your palace and rest. There are many matters neither I nor even the new emperor can decide at the moment. If you have something to say, you would do better to speak with Prince Li."

The Empress Dowager gnashed her teeth. Of course, she wanted to seek out Mo Jingli. But ever since the emperor's passing, Mo Jingli had not once come to pay his respects to her. Even when he occasionally entered the palace, it was only to meet with the Empress to discuss the new emperor's enthronement. By the time she received word and rushed over, Mo Jingli had already left. Now, the Empress Dowager's authority had been stripped entirely, making it difficult for her to accomplish anything. She knew Mo Jingli had resolved to abandon her.

"Empress, what are you saying? I merely came to see the Tenth Prince," the Empress Dowager forced out through gritted teeth, suppressing her fury.

Since the imperial grandmother wished to see her grandson, it would be improper to refuse. Coincidentally, the Tenth Prince had just awakened, so the Empress had no choice but to summon him.

With the Empress yielding, the Empress Dowager finally sat down in satisfaction, sipping the tea served by the palace maids. Only then did she notice Ye Li sitting to the side. The Empress Dowager had never held a favorable impression of Ye Li—not because she had any personal grievance against her, but because their stances had always been opposed. Now, with her own life hanging by a thread, Ye Li had become the sole wife of Prince Ding, her name as Princess Ding renowned throughout the land alongside Prince Ding's. How could the Empress Dowager, who once prided herself as a remarkable woman, bear to see this?

"Princess Ding?" the Empress Dowager frowned."Indeed. Greetings, Empress Dowager." Ye Li set down her teacup with a faint smile. Dressed in a light green robe, she lounged leisurely in the chair to the left of the Empress, appearing more like an elegant and serene lady from a classical painting rather than the renowned heroine known throughout the land.

The Empress Dowager knew there was little she could say to Ye Li and merely snorted before falling silent.

Soon after, the Tenth Prince emerged from within, having tidied his attire. Following closely behind was his birth mother. Originally surnamed Li, she had been granted the title of Noble Consort Li after giving birth to the Tenth Prince. Nowadays, those in the palace respectfully addressed her as Lady Li. Perhaps due to her humble origins and sudden rise to become one of the most esteemed women in the realm, Lady Li was just as anxious and unsettled as her son. Her behavior often reflected this timidity, as she trembled like a startled bird. Such lack of composure naturally displeased the Empress Dowager, who snorted disdainfully at the sight of the nervous mother and son.

Startled, Lady Li's legs gave way, and she knelt on the floor. "This lowly servant... pays respects to the Empress Dowager." In the past, Lady Li had only seen the Empress Dowager a few times, always from a distance and with a quick bow. The Empress Dowager's exalted status meant that low-ranking consorts like her had no opportunity for direct interaction. Hearing the Empress Dowager's cold snort now, she instinctively collapsed to her knees.

The Empress frowned slightly in displeasure but also felt helpless. While Lady Li's timidity wasn't entirely her fault, having the new emperor's birth mother display such lack of grace was undeniably troublesome. Beside her, the Tenth Prince, seeing his mother suddenly kneel, was also frightened and began to follow suit.

A delicate jade-like hand gently caught his arm. Even though it belonged to a woman, its strength was more than enough to prevent the seven-year-old child from kneeling. Unable to complete his bow, the prince looked up in alarm at the person holding him. Seated in her chair, Ye Li smiled warmly at the wide-eyed, fearful child and said softly, "A man's knees are as precious as gold. As a young man, you mustn't kneel so easily."

Tears had already welled up in the child's eyes, ready to spill over, but he froze as he stared at the gentle smile of the woman before him. For a moment, he forgot his fear. The woman in green seemed so kind and comforting, making him feel even more at ease than when he was with his mother. The terror in his heart gradually subsided, and he unconsciously leaned slightly toward Ye Li.

The Empress finally relaxed and turned to Lady Li. "Sister, what are you doing? Get up at once. Someone, assist Lady Li immediately."

The attending maids hurried to help Lady Li rise and guided her to a nearby chair. Lady Li glanced nervously between the Empress, the Empress Dowager, and Ye Li, who was now smiling at her son. Fidgeting, she twisted the ornate golden embroidery on her luxurious sleeves.

By then, the Empress Dowager's face had darkened. She slammed the table and snapped, "Princess Ding, what is the meaning of this? As the Tenth Prince's grandmother, am I not worthy of his bow?"Ye Li smiled without a word, lowering her head to soothe the frightened and uneasy Tenth Prince. The Empress said calmly, "Heaven, earth, sovereign, parents, and teachers—Mother Empress, are you certain you wish to receive this bow?" Although the Tenth Prince had not yet formally ascended the throne, from the moment the imperial edict was proclaimed, he had already become the emperor of Great Chu. As the emperor, even his own mother need not be bowed to. Moreover, was that just now even a proper bow? It was clearly the Tenth Prince and Consort Li being frightened into kneeling by the Empress Dowager. If that kneeling had truly been acknowledged, it would have been a tremendous joke.

The Empress Dowager suppressed her anger and forced a smile at the Tenth Prince, saying, "Suoyun, come here and let your imperial grandmother take a look at you."

The Tenth Prince had never seen this so-called imperial grandmother before and found the fierce-looking old woman before him utterly terrifying. He quickly hid behind Ye Li. The Empress Dowager's eyes darkened slightly, but she did not lose her temper. Instead, she took out a jade pendant and dangled it, saying, "Come, let your imperial grandmother see you. This is a gift for you."

The Tenth Prince hesitated, glancing at the jade pendant, then turned to look at the Empress, who was sipping tea with her head lowered. When he looked at his birth mother, Consort Li, she was still nervously twisting the hem of her robe, too preoccupied to pay him any attention. Finally, he could only turn to Ye Li. Ye Li said softly with a smile, "Do you like it? If you do, take it. Remember to thank your imperial grandmother."

"Grandson... thanks... Imperial Grandmother." The Tenth Prince took the jade pendant, muttered his thanks, and immediately retreated behind Ye Li again. The Empress Dowager, who had just put on a kindly expression intending to pull him into conversation, was left empty-handed, her face twisting once more. The Empress, observing this, suppressed a smile and said calmly before the Empress Dowager could erupt in anger, "The Tenth Prince suffered a fright yesterday. If Mother Empress is concerned for him, perhaps it would be better to visit another day." Left with no choice, the Empress Dowager could only leave in a huff, flicking her sleeves angrily.

Only after watching the Empress Dowager leave did Ye Li raise an eyebrow and ask with a smile, "What's wrong with the Empress Dowager? Was she so terrified by the burial edict that she forgot to bring her wits with her?" Seeing the Empress Dowager like this was quite unfamiliar to Ye Li. In her eyes, the Empress Dowager had always been inscrutable, or at least somewhat cunning. But today, barging into the Empress's palace and frightening the yet-to-be-crowned new emperor—such tactics were downright crude.

The Empress laughed. "The Empress Dowager has been pushed to the brink and lost her composure. After all, when it comes to matters of life and death, who wouldn't panic?"

Ye Li frowned. "What about Prince Li? Has he truly abandoned the Empress Dowager?"

The Empress shook her head. "I can't make sense of the relationship between those two." For instance, she had never understood whether the Empress Dowager truly loved her two sons—or which one she favored more. And Prince Li and Mo Jingqi's hatred for their birth mother seemed excessively cold-hearted.

"This child is named Mo Suoyun?" Ye Li asked, looking down at the timid Tenth Prince hiding beside her. "It's a good name." In truth, the names of Mo Jingqi's sons were all somewhat inappropriate. The founding Prince Ding's name was Mo Lanyun. Though there was no rule requiring the imperial family to avoid using a prince's name, such a choice still felt uncomfortable.The Empress looked at the Tenth Prince with a trace of affection in her eyes and said, "It was chosen by the Imperial Astronomers." Mo Jingqi had never paid any attention to this mother and son, so naturally, one couldn't expect him to personally choose a name or anything of the sort.

Ye Li found the little pitiful figure before her somewhat amusing. The child was far too timid, though it might also be due to the fright he had endured these past days. Despite Mo Xiaobao bullying Leng Junhan every day, calling him "Leng Xiaodai" (Little Fool Leng), Leng Junhan was at least ten times more clever and bold than this child. No wonder the Empress was so worried.

As an emperor, someone as bold and spoiled as Mo Ruiyun would never do, but neither would someone like the Tenth Prince, who might burst into tears just from sitting on the throne. The former could at least barely maintain appearances, while the latter couldn't even manage that.

Gazing at the Tenth Prince, the Empress sighed wearily and said, "The Grand Princess and the court officials handed him over to me, but how can I possibly have the patience to reshape a child's temperament? This child has been raised far too timid and cowardly." Ye Li smiled gently. "Princess Changle was taught by Your Majesty to be intelligent and graceful. Given time, the Tenth Prince will surely improve."

The Empress gave a bitter smile. "There is no time left now. Even the immediate situation is overwhelming. If the Tenth Prince truly cannot endure the coronation ceremony, it wouldn't be unreasonable for Prince Li and Liu Jia to propose enthroning another. By then..." What she left unsaid was that by then, this child and the Li family would likely not survive. Whichever side ultimately prevailed would never allow the most legitimate heir to the throne to remain alive.

"Then, what does Your Majesty intend to do?" Ye Li asked softly, watching the Empress. She didn't believe the Empress was unaware that this was her best chance to extricate herself. The chaos in the Chu palace and the foreseeable turmoil ahead were not problems that could be resolved simply by propping up a new emperor.

The Empress sighed. "We'll take it one step at a time."

Ye Li shook her head with a sigh. "Why must Your Majesty suffer like this? Do you truly not wish to see Wuyou again someday?"

The Empress's expression darkened, her thoughts drifting at Ye Li's words.

As the Empress lowered her gaze in contemplation, Ye Li did not disturb her. Instead, she smiled warmly at the Tenth Prince and asked, "Little Highness, how old are you?" The Tenth Prince blinked, looking timidly at the gentle and kind sister before him, and whispered, "Seven years old." His soft, childish voice made Ye Li reflect on how her own Xiao Bao had spoken crisply and clearly from the moment he could talk, his enunciation neat and precise—she had almost forgotten such tender, childlike tones existed. Such an adorable child, born into the palace and pushed onto such a position—it was truly a pity.

"Have you been scared these past days?"

The Tenth Prince trembled slightly, fear flashing across his face. Clearly recalling the recent ordeals, his eyes welled up with tears. He nodded at Ye Li, who sighed and hugged his small frame, saying, "Don't be afraid. Many people will protect you, do you understand? One day, you will become the Emperor of Great Chu. Do you know what an emperor is?"

The Tenth Prince lifted his head to look at Ye Li and replied, "Yes. Like Father was.""Hmm... your father isn't someone worth emulating. But... you've seen how imposing your father is, right? Everyone fears him."

The Tenth Prince nodded. Ye Li continued with a smile, "So, Your Highness, you'll become the new emperor of Great Chu. In the future, everyone will fear you, so you don't need to fear them. They wouldn't dare harm you." The Tenth Prince's voice trembled with tears, "But... but wuwu... yesterday wuwu, Suyun was scared..."

Ye Li quickly patted the Tenth Prince gently, trying to comfort him, though she wasn't particularly skilled at soothing children. Mo Xiaobao never needed comforting, and Leng Junhan, who was temporarily staying at Prince Ding's Estate, was also a well-behaved child. "Don't be afraid... Your Highness must be brave. Brave children have nothing to fear, and others wouldn't dare bully you, understand?"

Perhaps Ye Li's reassurance worked, or perhaps it was simply the calming effect of her voice, but the Tenth Prince gradually stopped crying. He looked up at Ye Li with pleading eyes and asked, "Sister... will sister stay with Suyun?" Ye Li gave a helpless, bitter smile. She couldn't stay with him. In fact, if this child were to grow into an independent and outstanding prince in the future, they might even become enemies. But faced with such a soft, pitiful seven-year-old child, who could truly harden their heart and turn away?

"I didn't expect you to be so good at comforting children." The Empress had long regained her composure but had been watching Ye Li and the Tenth Prince interact with great interest. Smiling at Ye Li, she remarked, "Speaking of which, this child has always been timid. It's the first time he's trusted someone he's just met so much. Even after meeting me so many times, he usually just gives a formal bow." Ye Li smiled in response, "Perhaps it's because I've been taking care of children lately, so I have a natural affinity with them."

The Empress assumed she was referring to Mo Xiaobao and said with a smile, "If this child had even half the courage and intelligence of the Little Prince, I wouldn't have to worry so much."

Ye Li lowered her head and gently stroked the crestfallen child's head. At seven years old, he wasn't completely oblivious—he could sense the disappointment and concern in the adults' tones. Ye Li said softly, "This child isn't foolish. With more effort, he could certainly improve. It's just..."

Ye Li frowned as she glanced at Lady Li, who was sitting dazedly to the side. It wasn't that she was heartless and disregarded the bond between mother and child, but Lady Li simply wasn't suited to raising children. She herself had many shortcomings and limitations, so naturally, she couldn't teach the child much. All she could offer was excessive doting. If they were an ordinary family, this might not be so bad—at worst, they'd raise a mediocre, spoiled child or simply support him at home. But the Tenth Prince was born into the royal family and was now at the center of a storm. A mother like Lady Li couldn't provide the proper upbringing he needed.

The Empress understood her meaning and nodded. "I see. I'll discuss it with the Grand Princess. Perhaps inviting the Grand Princess into the palace to personally tutor the Tenth Prince would be a good idea. After all, the Grand Princess assisted two previous emperors in her time and was known as the Iron-Willed Princess."If it were any other woman, they would naturally seize this opportunity to raise the Tenth Prince under their own care. After all, although she was the Empress, she was not the birth mother of the new emperor. The depth of the new emperor's affection for his birth mother versus his adoptive mother would determine her future life and honor. However, the Empress had no intention of severing the bond between Lady Li and the Tenth Prince. She had no son—so what? That didn’t mean she had to take someone else’s child. Just like her daughter, her beloved Changle would always be her precious girl.

"Your Majesty speaks wisely," Ye Li said with a smile. She felt relieved that the Empress had chosen not to raise the Tenth Prince. Though the Empress refused to leave with Feng Zhiyao now, who could say she wouldn’t change her mind in the future? If by then she had already developed a motherly bond with the Tenth Prince, it would only complicate matters. Ye Li wouldn’t know how to explain it to Feng Zhiyao when she returned.

"Your Majesty..." Lady Li spoke uneasily. Though slow-witted, she understood that the Empress was displeased with her. In the palace, her only reliance was her son. No matter what, she didn’t want to be separated from him.

The Empress replied calmly, "Rest assured. I am merely inviting the Grand Princess to the palace to instruct the Tenth Prince. I have no intention of separating you from your child."

"Thank... thank you, Your Majesty." Hearing this, Lady Li finally relaxed and spoke with joy.