Mo Li

"What? Those two beasts!" Feng Huaiting gritted his teeth in fury. The Feng family's loyalty to Mo Jingqi was not without reason. Years ago, the Feng family had nearly faced annihilation, and it was Mo Jingqi—then still a prince—who had stepped in to help. Regardless of how much Mo Jingqi's character might be criticized, the fact remained that he had saved the entire Feng family and their vast legacy. This was precisely why Feng Huaiting had initially driven Feng Zhiyao out of the family for being close to Prince Ding—not merely out of fear of royal suspicion. For the Feng family to side with Mo Jingli despite knowing he had harmed Mo Jingqi was, in the eyes of Feng Huaiting—a merchant who still upheld some sense of righteousness—nothing short of the ungrateful behavior of beasts.

Mo Xiuyao cast a faintly amused glance at the silent Empress sitting nearby and said lightly, "Master Feng, there’s no need for anger. After all, your son was merely acting for the sake of the Feng family’s survival." Of course, his own machinations had played no small part in this. Handing over half the Feng family to Mo Jingli didn’t trouble him in the slightest. Money could always be earned again, but the people who earned it… The Feng family’s two legitimate sons were competent enough to maintain what they had, but the one with real talent was the man before him. It was under his leadership that the Feng family had achieved its current prominence and wealth.

Prince Ding’s Estate boasted countless diverse enterprises. Han Mingyue was no longer someone he could trust, and Han Mingxi and Leng Haoyu were gradually struggling to keep up. Moreover, after years of development, the northwest had begun to hit a bottleneck. He desperately needed a genius in commerce. So… what was one Feng family? With enough talent, he could soon have two, three, even ten Feng families. The Mo family might not excel in business, but they had never lacked money—because they excelled at making others earn it for them.

Feng Huaiting, who had expanded the Feng family’s influence under his leadership, was no fool. He let out a helpless, bitter laugh. "I suppose Prince Li had long set his sights on the Feng family’s assets." It was common knowledge that the Feng family had been loyal to the late emperor. While Mo Jingli might not be as paranoid as Mo Jingqi, he would never allow the Feng family to slip from his control—especially given their enviable wealth. This incident was less about Feng Zhiyao and more about the riches the Feng family possessed.

Mo Xiuyao smiled without answering. He enjoyed speaking with intelligent people.

"Your Highness, Imperial Concubine Liu requests an audience," Zhuo Jing reported solemnly from the crescent-shaped doorway.

Mo Xiuyao turned to Feng Huaiting with a smile. "And here she comes. Is Feng San here?"

Zhuo Jing hesitated, glancing at the others before nodding. "He is, but Third Master Feng…" He looked rather unwell, to say the least."What's wrong with him?" two voices chimed in unison. Before the words had fully faded, both speakers glanced at each other, their expressions tinged with awkwardness. Ye Li smiled faintly and patted the Empress's hand reassuringly. "If Zhuo Jing says so, it should be nothing serious." However, a little suffering was inevitable. Of course, Ye Li wouldn't mention that Mo Xiuyao had sent Qin Feng ahead to take Feng Huaiting away precisely to deal with Feng Zhiyao. The string of troubles Feng Zhiyao had stirred up this time had greatly displeased Prince Ding. Had Feng San been straightforward from the beginning, it would have been a simple matter for Mo Xiuyao to handle with just a few words. But now, with all this mess, the Prince was naturally displeased.

"Let's go see how many guts Imperial Concubine Liu has to dare detain someone under my command." Everyone present, except for Ye Li and Mo Xiaobao, shivered at the icy tone in his voice. Even the youngest, Leng Junhan, wisely buried his little head in Ye Li's arms. Ye Li picked up Leng Junhan and stood, while Mo Xiuyao glanced at the little devil nestled against his wife and snorted, reaching out to pluck him up instead. Dangling mid-air, Leng Junhan blinked at the white-haired man before pouting and stretching his tiny hands toward Ye Li. "Auntie, hold me..."

Beside them, Zhuo Jing watched the little bundle in Mo Xiuyao's grip with admiration. Whoever said Leng Haoyu's son was timid? This kid clearly had the courage of a lion.

Mo Xiaobao wiped his brow nervously. Would Leng Xiaodai end up dead at his father's hands? This was his future first subordinate, after all...

In the main hall of Prince Ding's Estate, Imperial Concubine Liu sat poised on an intricately carved sandalwood chair, lost in thought. Across from her, the dashing and handsome Third Master Feng was trussed up like a dumpling and tossed unceremoniously onto another chair. Behind Feng Zhiyao stood two tall men, their gazes restrained and the veins at their temples slightly bulging—clear signs of formidable martial arts prowess. Initially, Imperial Concubine Liu would never have brought Feng Zhiyao to Prince Ding's Estate, as he was one of her bargaining chips. But upon arriving, she realized that without Feng Zhiyao, she couldn't even gain entry.

Feng Zhiyao slumped in the chair, deeply uncomfortable from being bound so tightly. The lashes he'd received earlier still burned painfully, making him curse inwardly—he hadn't been injured in so long. His glare at Imperial Concubine Liu grew increasingly venomous. He would make sure this woman paid dearly.

After a long wait with no sign of Mo Xiuyao and not even a cup of tea offered, Imperial Concubine Liu had no mind to criticize the Estate's hospitality. Her delicate brows furrowed as if pondering something of great importance.

"Prince, Wang Fei..." The voices of guards and maids greeting from outside the door snapped her attention upward, her eyes lighting up as her hands clenched tightly within her sleeves.

Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li entered side by side, with Mo Xiuyao carrying a rosy-cheeked boy dressed in white. Trailing behind them was none other than Prince Ding's heir, Mo Xiaobao, whose very presence made Imperial Concubine Liu gnash her teeth in hatred. Spotting her, Mo Xiaobao's eyes gleamed, and she immediately sensed trouble. Before she could speak, she heard his cheerful voice ring out: "Auntie, what brings you back again?"“Auntie?” Leng Junhan tilted his head curiously as he looked at Consort Liu, blinking his eyes in confusion. This auntie was very pretty, not at all like the elderly aunties back at the manor.

“Idiot Leng Xiaodai, those old aunties in the manor are called nannies. This one is called auntie,” Mo Xiaobao said disdainfully. Clearly, Leng Xiaodai had accidentally voiced his question aloud. Listening to Mo Xiaobao’s nonsensical explanation and watching Consort Liu’s increasingly colorful expression, Ye Li couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. Perhaps because he had been suppressed too harshly by Mo Xiuyao, Mo Xiaobao’s ability to spout nonsense had improved by leaps and bounds. Now, even Ye Li couldn’t always tell if he was being serious or deliberately trying to provoke someone.

“Prince Ding!” Consort Liu’s face darkened. If this continued, she might really lose her temper and give that little brat a beating first.

Mo Xiuyao stepped into the hall with an indifferent expression, casually placing Leng Junhan into a chair beside Feng Zhiyao. He glanced at the two men standing behind Feng Zhiyao and said coldly, “Get out.”

The two men twitched but were horrified to find they couldn’t move at all. Forget about doing anything to Feng Zhiyao or the child sitting in the chair, who was staring at them with wide-eyed curiosity—they couldn’t even lift a finger. Their bodies seemed to have instantly stiffened. Clearly, Prince Ding’s skills were far beyond what they had imagined. Was this the power of one of the Four Great Masters? Sweat silently beaded on their foreheads, sliding down like rain.

Mo Xiuyao gave a light humph, then turned and led Ye Li to the main seat, where they sat down.

Only after Mo Xiuyao had moved several steps away did the two men finally exhale in relief. The moment they regained control of their bodies, their legs gave way, and they collapsed to the floor. Without waiting for Consort Liu to say another word, they scrambled out on all fours. Leng Junhan, still sitting in the chair, happily waved at Mo Xiaobao. Receiving a disdainful glare in return, he didn’t mind and instead curiously poked Feng Zhiyao, who was tightly bound beside him. “Hey hey… Uncle Feng, what’s wrong with you?”

Feng Zhiyao gave a helpless, bitter smile and looked pleadingly at Ye Li. He didn’t dare ask Mo Xiuyao for help—if Mo Xiuyao untied him, the method would undoubtedly be something he’d rather avoid. Ye Li pressed her lips together in amusement, then flicked her fingers. A silver flash shot out, and Feng Zhiyao felt a cool sensation on his arm as the tightly bound ropes instantly loosened. Glancing back at the silver blade embedded three inches deep into the wall, Feng Zhiyao shuddered. Right, this one was just as unapproachable.

“Feng San, are you alright?” Ye Li asked, eyeing the torn clothes on Feng Zhiyao’s body and the bloodstains on them.

“I’m fine,” Feng Zhiyao shook his head. It was just a few lashes—for someone like him who had been on the battlefield, it barely counted as a minor injury. The only real damage was to his pride.

“Prince Ding, I—” Consort Liu frowned, speaking anxiously.

Mo Xiuyao raised a hand to cut her off. The words that left his elegant, thin lips sent a chill down her spine. “Drag her out. Give her ten lashes, then we’ll talk.” With just one glance, Mo Xiuyao had discerned the whip marks on Feng Zhiyao’s body.

“Prince Ding, you—” Consort Liu’s face instantly paled. “What did you say?”Mo Xiuyao said indifferently, "Feng San is a member of Prince Ding's Estate. Even if he committed the gravest offense, it is our estate that will bear the responsibility. Since when... does a mere inner palace concubine like you have the right to punish him? Regardless of what you have to say, you will receive this whipping whether you accept it or not." The guards outside immediately entered upon hearing the order and strode toward Consort Liu without hesitation. The current Imperial Concubine cannot be whipped? The consequences would be severe? The consequences of angering the Prince would be even more severe! Coincidentally, the Prince had been in a rather foul mood these past few days.

"Stop!" Consort Liu shrieked sharply. "You cannot touch me! I am the current Imperial Concubine!"

Mo Xiuyao curled his lip disdainfully. "You are the late Emperor's concubine. What can I not do to you? Who dares to save you? Your father? Mo Jingli?"

"I have something important to tell you... something that will benefit Prince Ding's Estate. You will regret it if you don't listen," Consort Liu said urgently, biting her lips that had gone dry from fear.

"Drag her away. Don't make me repeat myself," Mo Xiuyao said coldly.

The two guards efficiently seized Consort Liu by each arm and hauled her toward the door. With only some superficial martial skills, she was no match for them and was dragged away without any resistance. Soon, the sound of whipping could be heard from outside. Mo Xiaobao widened his eyes curiously. "Why isn't she screaming?"

Ye Li covered her face. Was it really appropriate to do this in front of the two children? More importantly, why was not only Mo Xiaobao fearlessly craning his neck to look outside, but even the usually well-behaved Leng Junhan staring with wide eyes full of curiosity and excitement? Had her child-rearing methods really gone wrong? How would she explain to Leng Haoyu and Murong Ting when they returned that their obedient son had become so bloodthirsty?

Ten lashes were over quickly. In less than half an hour, Consort Liu was dragged back and deposited into the chair she had been sitting in earlier. This time, however, her white robes were stained with bright red streaks of blood, and she could no longer maintain her graceful posture, instead slumping weakly in the chair—looking far more pitiful than Feng Zhiyao.

Feng Zhiyao watched the even more miserable Consort Liu with great satisfaction, feeling as though his own wounds no longer hurt as much. But the moment he met Mo Xiuyao's half-smiling gaze, he immediately shrank back in fear. He was still worse off than Consort Liu, and he could foresee that his future would undoubtedly be fraught with hardships.

"Now, you may speak," Mo Xiuyao said, seemingly in a much better mood as he sipped lightly from his tea.

Consort Liu trembled from the pain, unable to utter a word. Unlike the thick-skinned Feng Zhiyao, she was not accustomed to such suffering, and the guards of Prince Ding's Estate had shown no mercy in delivering the lashes. The only reason she could still sit here was that the executioners had held back slightly, knowing she still had to speak with the Prince afterward.

Gasping for breath, Consort Liu watched as Mo Xiuyao handed a teacup to Ye Li sitting beside him, his eyes smiling, not sparing her a single glance even as he spoke to her. A chill ran through her body. "You are ruthless..."

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow. "I did not summon you here to listen to your nonsense."

Having suffered so greatly, if Consort Liu still did not realize that her usual tactics were useless against Mo Xiuyao, then she had truly wasted these decades of life. Gritting her teeth, she said, "I can help you effortlessly seize the three northern provinces of Great Chu that border Northern Rong.""Oh?" Mo Xiuyao turned his head, eyeing her skeptically.

Seeing this, Consort Liu knew she had piqued his interest and inwardly rejoiced. She lowered her voice and said, "But I have one condition."

Mo Xiuyao leaned back slightly, resting against Ye Li, and asked, "Let's hear it."

"I want you to marry me as your consort!"

"Pfft—" Feng Zhiyao choked, coughing violently as he glared resentfully at the woman across from him. He hadn't had a sip of water in a full day and night, and now this woman had made him choke!

Beside him, Ye Li also nearly toppled backward. Mo Xiuyao, who had been leaning on her, had to sit up straight and pull her close by her slender waist. "A Li..." Ye Li gave an apologetic smile. She wasn’t angry or distrustful of Mo Xiuyao—she was just shocked by Consort Liu. The woman had just been whipped ten times on Mo Xiuyao’s orders, yet she still clung to the delusion of marrying him. Wasn’t she afraid he’d dispose of her once she was no longer useful? Was she just asking for more suffering? The reason Consort Liu didn’t love Mo Jingqi was probably because Mo Jingqi treated her too well.

Seeing Ye Li’s smile, Mo Xiuyao nuzzled against her contentedly. "A Li, what do you say?"

Ye Li raised an eyebrow. Shouldn’t this be his problem to solve? What was the point of pushing it onto her?

"Isn’t taking a concubine the Wang Fei’s decision to make?" Mo Xiuyao asked innocently.

"Taking a concubine?" Ye Li narrowed her eyes, her voice calm but laced with amusement. "Does Wang Ye wish to take a concubine now?"

"This prince is a good husband. Matters of the inner household are entirely up to my beloved consort," Mo Xiuyao declared magnanimously.

"Prince Ding, I wasn’t talking about becoming a concubine," Consort Liu said, her face darkening. "I want you to marry me… as an equal consort!" She had originally intended to say "principal consort," but seeing how Prince Ding treated Ye Li, she knew that was impossible. Consort Liu decided to compromise for now. As long as she became Prince Ding’s consort… in time…

"Tch…" Feng Zhiyao scoffed. "Consort Liu, don’t tell me you don’t know? An ‘equal consort’ to the principal consort is just like an imperial concubine to the Empress. Both are still just concubines!"

Consort Liu’s gaze sharpened as she glared at Feng Zhiyao. "Feng San, shut your filthy mouth, or I’ll make sure you and she both end up disgraced!"

Feng Zhiyao arched a brow. "Disgraced? Like you, Consort Liu? Coming here in person to blackmail Wang Ye into taking you as a concubine? Ah… let me think. The bargaining chip you’re using is the land of three northern provinces of Chu. What do we call that again… treason?"

Consort Liu trembled with rage, but the pain from her wounds kept her from moving. She took several deep breaths to suppress her fury before turning back to Mo Xiuyao. "Prince Ding, what do you say?"

Mo Xiuyao replied calmly, "This prince has never concerned himself with inner household affairs."

Feng Zhiyao stifled a laugh. That was an interesting way to put it. What inner household affairs did Prince Ding’s Estate even have?

But Consort Liu believed she understood Mo Xiuyao’s meaning—whether to marry her was up to Ye Li. This displeased her greatly, but since Mo Xiuyao had made his stance clear, she could only console herself by thinking he was merely humoring Ye Li out of respect for the Xu Family. Lifting her chin haughtily, she addressed Ye Li, "Miss Ye, surely you understand the benefits I can bring to Prince Ding’s Estate and the Mo Family Army?"

Ye Li raised an eyebrow, stopping the fuming Mo Xiaobao beside her with a faint smile. "With Consort Liu’s intellect… you couldn’t have come up with this on your own, could you? Let me guess—whose idea was this? Tan Jizhi’s?"Observing Consort Liu's gloomy expression, Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Tan Jizhi is currently in Prince Ding's hands. Does Consort Liu really think this is a meaningful bargaining chip? Still, this Wang Fei should thank you for providing such interesting information. Moreover..." Noticing Consort Liu about to interrupt, Ye Li's voice turned cold, "The three provinces you mentioned all border Northern Rong, with a frontier stretching over a thousand miles. Once the Mo Family Army takes over, they'll face Northern Rong's assaults from the front and the Chu populace's condemnation from behind. Is Consort Liu trying to help Prince Ding's Estate or sabotage it?"

Consort Liu opened her mouth but couldn't muster a response. She truly didn't understand these matters—she had merely pieced together some ideas after hearing Tan Jizhi's analysis.

"You... you're lying! Since when does the Mo Family Army fear Northern Rong or a bunch of commoners?" Consort Liu retorted, her face pale.

Ye Li chuckled lightly and didn't engage further. Discussing public sentiment with a woman so consumed by a man that she'd abandon all reason was a waste of time. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Ye Li regarded Consort Liu coolly. "It seems Consort Liu has no constructive suggestions to offer. In that case, please leave. If you lack the capability, don't covet another woman's man. If you're truly that desperate, there's a Breeze Pavilion in the western part of the city."

"Cough, cough..." Feng Zhiyao's face twisted as he set down his teacup, staring at Ye Li in horror. Breeze Pavilion... wasn't that a male brothel? Wang Fei, how on earth do you know about such a place...?

－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－

Clickbait readers, please refer to the actual chapter title. The academy's word-by-word censorship is unbearable~