Mo Li

Most of the palace buildings were constructed entirely of wood, with their borders painted in various colored lacquers for decoration. Once the fire started, it naturally grew fiercer and fiercer. In less than a quarter of an hour, not only was the entire Qiuliang Palace engulfed in flames, but the surrounding palaces also began to catch fire. Ye Li and the other two had no choice but to retreat with Princess Zhenning to the Imperial Garden, far from Qiuliang Palace.

They placed Princess Zhenning by a small, open, flat, and well-ventilated lakeside. Watching the distant glow of firefighting efforts, Ye Li instructed, "Go and summon a royal physician."

"A Li!" Before the physician arrived, Mo Xiuyao, clad in white robes, swept over like the wind. Only after confirming Ye Li was unharmed did he relax, casting a glance at Princess Zhenning beside her and raising an eyebrow at Ye Li. Ye Li shook her head slightly—now was not the time to discuss such matters in front of Princess Zhenning.

Behind them, Mo Xiaobao was carried over by a guard, followed closely by Leng Junhan, also held in someone's arms.

"Mother..." Mo Xiaobao cheerfully leaped from the guard's arms and rushed toward Ye Li. However, halfway there, he was snatched up by Mo Xiuyao, who grabbed the back of his clothes and left him dangling midair, flailing his limbs. "Mother, Mother... I was so worried about you... Father is mean! Let me go! I want Mother..."

Ye Li chuckled and took him from Mo Xiuyao's grasp, patting him soothingly. "Mother is fine, don’t worry. Good boy..." Mo Xiaobao nuzzled contentedly against her, completely ignoring Mo Xiuyao's dark expression, and nodded repeatedly. "As long as Mother is okay. I love Mother the most..."

Princess Zhenning, leaning against a rockery, watched Mo Xiaobao giggling in Ye Li's arms and the gentle smile on Ye Li's face, her eyes flickering with envy and bitterness. Noticing this, Ye Li set Mo Xiaobao down and crouched beside her, asking softly, "Princess Zhenning, are you alright?"

Princess Zhenning nodded, murmuring, "Thank you... thank you, Princess Ding, for saving my life." Facing this elegant and graceful woman, she truly felt ashamed. She was aware of what her mother had done, yet Princess Ding had disregarded that and saved her. Meanwhile, her own birth mother had not only used her but nearly caused her death. Why... why was her mother such a person?

"Sister! Sister!" A frantic voice called out. Prince Qin, having heard the news, hurried over with his eight-year-old younger brother in tow. Behind them followed Mo Jingli and other imperial princes and high-ranking nobles. The fire in Qiuliang Palace had grown fierce—despite rescue efforts, the slightly breezy weather had intensified the flames, which now threatened to spread to three or four more palaces. Even from their position diagonally opposite Qiuliang Palace, they could almost feel the heat of the blaze.Mo Xiaoyun rushed over, his first glance landing on Princess Zhenning sitting on the ground. He hurried forward, "Imperial Sister, are you alright? Were you injured?" Princess Zhenning quickly covered the wounds on her face with her hands, saying, "It's... it's nothing serious..." But how could her hands possibly conceal such fresh injuries? The crowd collectively gasped—the once gentle and graceful young girl now bore a palm-sized scar on her face. The wound still looked raw and charred, as if burned by fire, making onlookers feel nauseous. Many of the noblewomen and young ladies who had followed screamed and took several steps back.

Princess Zhenning's expression darkened, and she lowered her head further, shrinking into herself as she tried to hide the scar with her hair.

"Don't cover it with your hair. Hair isn't clean and could infect the wound." A slender, delicate hand gently pressed down on her shoulder, stopping her from pulling her hair over the injury. Princess Zhenning froze, raising her head to stare blankly at the woman before her, whose lips carried a faint smile. There was no trace of disgust or fear on her face, but in those gentle, clear eyes, Princess Zhenning saw her own hideous reflection. She trembled and quickly lowered her head again.

Ye Li sighed softly, taking out a plain white silk handkerchief and carefully tying it over Princess Zhenning's face, concealing the ghastly wound. "Once the imperial physician arrives and prescribes medicine for the scar, it will heal soon."

In Great Chu, well-bred young ladies often wore veils when going out, so though Princess Zhenning now stood out among the unveiled noblewomen, it wasn’t too unusual. The surrounding crowd exhaled in relief—most of them were sheltered young ladies who had never seen such a wound before. Now that it was hidden, they felt more at ease. At the same time, many turned their gazes to the composed and elegant woman in white, admiring Princess Ding's unshaken composure.

"What exactly happened here?" Mo Jingli asked sternly, glancing at Ye Li, who had returned to Mo Xiuyao's side.

Princess Zhenning bit her lip and refused to speak. Mo Jingli turned to Ye Li, who replied calmly, "We only saw the flames in the Imperial Garden and rushed over. We barely managed to save Princess Zhenning. We don’t know if there was anyone else inside."

Mo Jingli frowned. "Why was Princess Zhenning in the Autumn Cool Palace at this hour?"

When the princess remained silent, Mo Xiaoyun took a deep breath and stood up, patting his younger brother, who was hiding fearfully beside him. "The Empress Dowager imprisoned my mother in the Autumn Cool Palace. Imperial Sister went to visit her."

"Indeed, it was I who ordered her confinement in the Autumn Cool Palace," the Empress Dowager said coolly as she arrived, surrounded by a retinue of palace maids and eunuchs, just in time to hear Mo Xiaoyun's words.

Mo Jingli's voice darkened. "Consort Liu was imprisoned in the Autumn Cool Palace? Why was I not informed?"The Empress Dowager sneered, "This is a matter of the inner palace. Why would I need to discuss with Prince Li how to punish an unruly concubine of the late emperor?" Mo Jingli had no retort. Although he was displeased that the Empress Dowager had dealt with Consort Liu behind his back, he couldn't voice it openly in front of so many people. After all, even as the regent, he was only supposed to handle state affairs—interfering in the late emperor's harem matters was absolutely unacceptable on the surface.

After a moment of silence, Mo Jingli said, "In that case... I wonder if Consort Liu perished in the fire." Everyone turned to Princess Zhenning. The flames had yet to be extinguished, and apart from the princess, no one knew what had happened inside or whether Consort Liu had been burned to death. But Princess Zhenning stubbornly refused to speak, leaving everyone helpless.

Mo Xiuyao's gaze swept indifferently over the crowd. Just as Mo Jingli thought he was about to say something important, Mo Xiuyao remarked leisurely, "Since there's trouble in the palace, I suppose this banquet cannot continue. My wife and I will take our leave. Additionally, in a few days, we will depart for the northwest and won't be returning to bid farewell."

Mo Jingli secretly sighed in relief and nodded. "In that case, Prince Ding, please go ahead."

Mo Xiuyao nodded, holding Mo Xiaobao in one arm and taking Ye Li's hand with the other as they turned to leave the palace.

"Princess Ding," Mo Xiaoyun, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up. He stepped forward and said solemnly to Ye Li, "Thank you for saving my elder sister. I have no way to repay this life-saving grace, so please accept my deepest bow." With that, he bowed deeply to Ye Li. Seeing the twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy perform such a formal gesture, Ye Li smiled faintly. "Prince Qin, you're too kind. It was just a small effort. Please take good care of Princess Zhenning. Farewell."

Watching the family of three leave the Imperial Garden surrounded by guards, Mo Jingli finally relaxed. Only now did he truly begin to believe that perhaps Mo Xiuyao really had no interest in the affairs of Great Chu.

In the carriage leaving the palace, Leng Junhan, nestled in Ye Li's arms, was already fast asleep from exhaustion. Mo Xiaobao sat in Mo Xiuyao's lap, no longer as energetic as he had been in the palace. After all, a child of five or six would naturally be tired after such a long day of excitement.

Gently patting Leng Junhan, Ye Li asked, "Xiu Yao, is Consort Liu dead?"

Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "Not necessarily. Consort Liu dominated the harem for over a decade. Even if her power has collapsed, she would still have some useful connections left. With the palace bustling during the banquet today, it wouldn't be impossible for her to escape."

Ye Li frowned. "If she still had people to rely on, why did she treat Princess Zhenning like that? Did she truly intend to burn her own daughter to death?" The thought sent a chill down her spine. How cruel must one be to treat their own flesh and blood so heartlessly? Even if the child's father wasn't the one she loved, the girl was still her own daughter. Princess Zhenning had risked punishment from the Empress Dowager to visit her, only to be repaid with such cruelty—no wonder her eyes had looked so lifeless when Ye Li rescued her.Mo Xiuyao shook his head and said, "I don't know. Have our people keep watch. If that woman appears, kill her without mercy!" He had no interest in whether Imperial Concubine Liu intended to burn Princess Zhenning to death or why she would do so. But if this was true, then Imperial Concubine Liu must die! Such a ruthless woman would undoubtedly bring disaster if left alive.

Ye Li nodded silently, showing not a trace of pity or sympathy for Imperial Concubine Liu.

"Xiao Bao mentioned that Mu Yang's wife was disrespectful to you in the garden earlier?" Setting aside the matter of Imperial Concubine Liu, Mo Xiuyao asked casually.

Ye Li glanced at Mo Xiaobao, who had complained first, and smiled. "Just a woman twisted by jealousy. Do you expect me to deliberately retaliate against her? Don't worry, Yao Ji isn't someone to be trifled with either—she won't let her off easily." Mo Xiuyao snorted lightly. "It seems I was too lenient with Marquis Muyang Manor back then." Recalling certain grievances with the Marquis's household, he regretted his earlier plan to use them as cover for Yao Ji and Mu Lie to remain hidden in the capital. Because of this, he couldn't move against Marquis Muyang Manor for the time being. Yet every time he encountered anyone from the manor, especially the Marquis himself, unpleasant memories he had tried hard to forget resurfaced, souring his mood.

On the very day of the new emperor's ascension, a great fire broke out in the palace, nearly consuming half of it. News of this spread rapidly among the common folk, who whispered that the new emperor must lack virtue and was thus unworthy of the throne, inviting divine retribution. The people of Prince Ding's Estate privately scoffed at such talk—how could a child of six or seven be judged for virtue or lack thereof? Yet once rumors took root, they were not easily quelled, especially when certain parties deliberately fanned the flames. The gossip spread like wildfire.

The people of Prince Ding's Estate paid no heed to these rumors, busy as they were packing for their return to the northwest. Though most were natives of Chu Jing, their years in the northwest had made Li Cheng feel more like home. Everyone wore cheerful smiles as they prepared for the journey. Meanwhile, at court, apart from Prince Li officially becoming regent to oversee governance, announcements were made regarding the Empress's death from illness and Imperial Concubine Liu's martyrdom by burial. The Empress Dowager, who should have become Grand Empress Dowager, was spared from the burial rites on the grounds that the late emperor's principal consort had passed away and the new Empress Dowager was unfit for the responsibility. Instead, a lock of her hair was interred in the Imperial Tomb as a temporary measure, to be joined by her remains upon her eventual passing.

Ignoring the turmoil in the capital, Mo Xiuyao's party departed for the northwest three days later. Their carriage now carried not only an elegant and beautiful middle-aged woman but also a strikingly attractive young woman and a dignified elder.

"Tianxiang," Ye Li said softly in the carriage, reaching out to clasp Hua Tianxiang's still-trembling hand with a gentle smile.Hua Tianxiang's beautiful face still bore a look of shock as she stared blankly at Ye Li for a long moment before finally exhaling softly, "Li'er... Aunt..." The Empress nodded, gently smoothing her niece's dark hair with a tender expression, "Tianxiang, you've suffered these years." As the beloved granddaughter of Duke Hua and the Empress's own niece, she had once been the envy of all noble maidens in the capital. Yet this very status had kept her unmarried past twenty, while ordinary women her age were already managing households and raising children. Instead, she had taken refuge in temples under the pretense of praying for her grandmother's health—more like a lay practitioner than a noble lady.

Shaking her head with a smile, Hua Tianxiang replied, "What are you saying, Aunt? I've had good food and fine clothes—what suffering could there be? It's you, Aunt... seeing you truly..." Her voice choked with emotion, her eyes reddening. When news had reached Ciyun Temple, she had genuinely believed her aunt had passed away. That morning, while performing her usual devotions in her chamber, she had been suddenly drugged unconscious. To wake and find not only her supposedly deceased aunt but also her long-lost friend beside her—already aboard a carriage heading northwest—left her dazed for quite some time.

"Li'er, Aunt, I..." Hua Tianxiang looked between them, still confused and wanting to ask questions but unsure where to begin.

Ye Li took her hand with a smile, "Duke Hua entrusted you to me. From now on, Miss Hua will have to endure a hard life in the northwest with us."

"It was Grandfather..." Hua Tianxiang murmured, suddenly recalling his strange instructions during his recent visit. At the time, she hadn't dwelled on them—had he planned all along to place her in A Li's care? The Empress said softly, "He acted for your good. With the new emperor enthroned and Prince Li as regent, he recently hinted at taking you as his Side Consort. Though Father refused outright, as long as you remain unmarried..."

Wiping tears, Hua Tianxiang whispered, "I know Grandfather meant well. But with all of us gone... what of him..."

"Don't worry," Ye Li reassured. "Duke Hua's prestige protects him. Mo Jingli won't dare act against him so soon after gaining power. Still, to avoid complications, you'll need a new name—as will Her Majesty... or rather, Sister Hua."

Both women nodded in understanding. Though few would recognize them, precautions were necessary. If word spread of unexpected figures appearing in Li Cheng—especially at Prince Ding's Estate—it would spell trouble for both households.

After a moment's thought, Hua Tianxiang offered cheerfully, "My maternal grandfather's surname was Yang. I'll go by Ruohua publicly."

The Empress gave a faint smile, "Then I shall borrow Tianxiang's surname—address me simply as Madam Yang." Her tone suggested she couldn't be bothered with inventing a full alias. Ye Li sighed softly, watching her with concern. The Empress smiled, "To shed the shackles of the palace is fortune beyond anything I dared hope for in this life. And in the northwest, I'll have Changle with me. All will be well.""I'm just worried about Feng San..." Ye Li frowned. Ever since Feng Huaiting was persuaded by Feng Zhiyao to return to the northwest with them, the relationship between the father and son had gradually become less strained. Unlike the Empress and Hua Tianxiang, Feng Huaiting had been openly requested by Mo Xiuyao from Mo Jingli. Mo Jingli had already emptied the Feng family's resources and naturally didn't care about Feng Huaiting, a nearly sixty-year-old man. He even generously offered to let the rest of the Feng family leave together. However, the two legitimate sons of the Feng family refused to live under the roof of their illegitimate younger brother in the northwest, especially since they were currently favored by Prince Li. Feng's wife was furious with her husband's decision and naturally sided with her sons. Apart from a few loyal servants and young illegitimate children, no one in the entire Feng family was willing to follow the now powerless Feng Huaiting to suffer in the northwest.

"But Old Master Feng..." Although Feng Huaiting hadn't explicitly stated it, Ye Li could discern his attitude toward the matter between Feng Zhiyao and the Empress. The Empress shook her head and smiled faintly. "Ayao grew up without parental care, so he values emotions more than others. With his father watching over him now, he'll gradually understand. After all these years... I'm tired. As long as Tianxiang is well and Changle is well, I have no regrets."

Ye Li remained silent. Matters of the heart were difficult for outsiders to interfere with. The issue between Feng Zhiyao and the Empress could only be resolved by themselves. Hua Tianxiang looked at them somewhat bewildered but sensed the heavy atmosphere. She tugged at them and smiled. "Of course we'll be fine. Everyone will be fine. Auntie, you should still call me Ruohua, lest you accidentally say the wrong name later."

The three of them smiled together. Ye Li nodded. "Yes, we'll all be fine."

In a dark corner of the capital, a disheveled woman, gaunt and dressed in plain gray cloth, her hair tied up with a crude wooden hairpin, was almost unrecognizable. Hiding in the depths of a frigid, nearly deserted alley in a dilapidated little house, her eyes gleamed with a chilling light in the darkness.

"Prince Ding has left Chu Jing?"

"That's right. Prince Ding left the city this morning with Wang Fei and the heir," a low, hoarse male voice whispered.

"It's been so many days, and you still haven't found a way to get me out of the city?!" The woman's voice was sharp with anger.

The man rubbed his hands awkwardly. "The city is under strict martial law right now. I heard that on the day the new emperor ascended the throne, a fire broke out in the palace and burned Princess Zhenning's face. They're probably hunting down assassins."

"What?" The woman's eyes widened in shock, her face pale from days without sunlight showing clear horror. Thinking she was frightened, the man quickly took her hand to comfort her. "Don't be afraid. Assassins wouldn't come to a place like this." As he looked at the stunningly beautiful woman before him, dressed in plain clothes and without makeup, his gaze shifted, and his hand began to wander upward.

A flash of impatience crossed the woman's face as she pushed him away. "Get lost! I'm not in the mood!""Darling... don't worry, we'll soon find a way out of the city. Sweetheart..." The man swept the woman into his arms and pressed her onto the bed, his eyes burning with intense desire as he buried his face in her neck, planting rough kisses along her skin.

The woman suppressed her disgust, allowing the man to have his way with her while her thoughts drifted elsewhere. How could... how could Zhenning have been caught in the fire? Though she had worried Zhenning might interfere with her plans and had drugged her with a narcotic drug, she had explicitly ordered her people to take Zhenning out before setting the Qiu Liang Palace ablaze after her departure.

What she didn’t know was that she needed someone to burn alive in her place—not just a corpse, but a living person consumed by flames. The people who worked for her were flesh and blood too; why would they willingly sacrifice themselves or someone close to them? Princess Zhenning, personally drugged by Consort Liu, was naturally the perfect scapegoat. Otherwise, once the princess woke and told others the truth, none of them would escape punishment.

Zhenning... don’t blame your mother. I never meant for you to burn—it was just an accident. If only you hadn’t...

"Sweetheart, why aren’t you focusing?" the man grumbled, his plain face flushed with arousal as he crushed his lips against her delicate red mouth. The woman closed her eyes in revulsion. Compared to this vulgar man, Mo Jingqi could almost be considered a peerless beauty. But now, she had no choice but to rely on him to escape Chu Jing. Mo Xiuyao... Ye Li, this is all your fault! All of it is because of you...

"Darling, you're so beautiful..." The man frantically tore at the woman's clothes, having never seen such beauty in his life. Such fortune would have been unimaginable before, but now this exquisite creature belonged to him and would soon become his wife.

In the depths of a secluded alley, within a pitch-black room, ambiguous gasps and thuds soon mingled with the woman's delicate moans...

--- Off-topic Note ---

Everyone hates Consort Liu, right? Can't wait for her to die already, right? Well, I'm determined to turn her into the ultimate villainess! The process will be grueling, and the outcome tragic.

...

Feng: Want to live?

Consort Liu: Of course! I must survive—I want Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li to suffer horribly!

Feng: Dreams are plump, but reality is bony. Surviving means enduring all kinds of suffering.

Consort Liu: This consort fears no hardship!

Feng: Surviving might mean dying over and over without guarantee of revenge. (Just kidding—there’s no way you’ll succeed. If you got revenge, I’d be the one getting killed.)

Consort Liu: This consort is willing.

Feng: Surviving might mean being violated by countless men?

Consort Liu: This consort...

Feng: Surviving means marrying...

Consort Liu: Actually, this consort would rather be burned alive. This consort is returning to the palace.

Feng: ...