Mo Li

After welcoming Xu Qingbai into the camp and dismissing the curious junior officers, leaving only Feng Zhiyao, Zhang Qilan, and a few others behind, the command tent finally quieted down again.

Feng Zhiyao studied Xu Qingbai curiously and asked, "When did Fourth Young Master Xu arrive in Western Liang? We had no idea at all." Xu Qingbai smiled faintly, glancing at Ye Li, who was scrutinizing him, and replied, "I’ve been here for quite some time. I originally thought it would take you longer to arrive." Hearing this, Feng Zhiyao and the others understood—Xu Qingbai had likely been secretly dispatched to the Western Mausoleum Imperial City by Wang Ye and Wang Fei. As for his purpose here… Feng Zhiyao’s eyes flashed with realization as he took in Xu Qingbai’s gentle and refined smile.

"Fourth Brother, have you suffered any hardships these days?" Though seeing Xu Qingbai safe and sound had eased Ye Li’s worries, she was still concerned that he might have faced mistreatment in Western Liang. After all, Western Liang did not share the same respect for scholars as Great Chu, and before the Mo Family Army arrived, the Western Liang people might not have treated him kindly.

Xu Qingbai smiled reassuringly. "Nothing serious, just a bit of boredom in Western Liang. Now that you’ve arrived ahead of schedule, things will go much smoother."

Mo Xiuyao sipped his tea patiently, waiting for Ye Li and Xu Qingbai to finish their exchange before speaking. "What are the Xiling Emperor’s plans?"

Xu Qingbai nodded. "Yesterday, I met with the Xiling Emperor again. The pressure of our army’s approach weighs heavily on him, and the terms we’ve offered are tempting enough. However… he likely can’t bring himself to surrender the imperial city outright just yet. We’ll probably have to fight a couple more battles. Reinforcements from various regions should arrive in the next few days. My guess is that once we repel two of them, he’ll order a surrender."

Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Understood. You’ve worked hard."

Xu Qingbai smiled. "Just doing my duty. No need for thanks."

Zhang Qilan, who had been silent until now, finally snapped out of his daze and stared at Xu Qingbai in astonishment. After a long pause, he said, "Wang Ye, are you saying we don’t have to attack the imperial city? Fourth Young Master Xu convinced the Xiling Emperor to hand it over to us?" His gaze at Xu Qingbai now resembled that of someone looking at a monster.

Xu Qingbai humbly replied, "It’s not exactly a free gift. We’ll naturally compensate him for it."

Zhang Qilan waved his hand. "This is the Western Liang imperial city! No matter what we give in return, we’re still getting the better deal. Fourth Young Master Xu, to achieve such a feat at such a young age… I’ve heard that the Xu Family’s Second Master once debated scholars single-handedly in his teens. Now it seems you’ve surpassed even him."

With that, Zhang Qilan couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. The Xu Family was terrifying—just a few words from them could accomplish more than tens of thousands of soldiers. And then there was the Xu Family’s Eldest Young Master, who reportedly handled the endless government affairs that even Wang Ye found exhausting with effortless ease. Come to think of it… with such brothers-in-law… unconsciously, Zhang Qilan’s gaze toward Mo Xiuyao could almost be described as sympathetic.The others naturally noticed Zhang Qilan's gaze and expression, causing Mo Xiuyao's face to darken instantly. Although he also felt that apart from Xu Qingfeng, who was relatively easier to handle, these brothers-in-law were each more troublesome than the last. But at least they were all quite useful. Compared to their abilities, the occasional annoyance they caused seemed insignificant to Mo Xiuyao. Even so, he didn’t like seeing his subordinates pitying him.

Feng Zhiyao lowered his head and coughed lightly to conceal the smile at the corner of his lips, asking, "Fourth Young Master, are you confident? The Xiling Emperor is, after all, an emperor. Would he really be willing to abandon the foundation of Xiling?"

Xu Qingbai smiled and replied, "Compared to a capital that can be rebuilt, his life and throne are clearly more important in the eyes of the Xiling Emperor. Besides, given the current situation with the unrest in the Western Regions, this place is obviously no longer suitable to serve as the imperial capital. Even if we don’t take it, I suspect he’ll want to move the capital within three months."

Zhang Qilan frowned slightly and said, "If that’s the case, what’s the point of taking such a city? Are we supposed to go fight the Western Regions’ nations?" Although they weren’t afraid of those small Western states, they already had their hands full with their own affairs. After all, the northwest was still surrounded by the forces of Northern Rong and Zhennan Wang. Where would they find the time to tangle with the Western Regions’ nations? Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "General Zhang, it’s Xiling that has enmity with the Western Regions, not us."

Zhang Qilan, having spent half his life in military campaigns, was not well-versed in political matters and asked in confusion, "What does Wang Fei mean?"

Ye Li smiled gently and explained, "The Western Regions’ nations have deep-seated hatred for Xiling, but we have no grievances with them. The territories they lost to Xiling are not within the lands we currently control, and we’ve never taken any of the resources Xiling plundered from them. Although we’ve caught Xiling off guard and left them struggling to catch their breath, two-thirds of their territory still remains. Once they recover… a centipede may die but never stiffen. If the Western Regions’ nations seek revenge, they absolutely won’t choose this moment to make another enemy. And we… need this route to connect with the Western Regions and even farther lands."

Feng Zhiyao clapped his hands and laughed, "I understand now. Once we take these areas, Prince Ding's Estate’s domain will directly link to the Western Regions. In the future, trade with the Western Regions won’t have to worry about Xiling cutting off the roads. The northwest may lack resources, but it can perfectly serve as a trade route between the eastern and western nations. Moreover, such terrain allows for flexibility—advancing or retreating, attacking or defending…"

Mo Xiuyao nodded approvingly and said, "Feng San makes a good point."

Zhang Qilan nodded in agreement. "So that’s how it is. With so many benefits, of course we should take the Western Mausoleum Imperial City."

After Xu Qingbai recounted the events of the past two months to Ye Li and the others, they discussed some details regarding negotiations with the Xiling Emperor before preparing to return to the city. Ye Li said with concern, "Fourth Brother, why don’t you stay in the military camp? What if the Xiling Emperor suddenly changes his mind…" Although the possibility was slim, it wasn’t entirely impossible. Ye Li didn’t want her fourth brother to suffer any harm.Xu Qingbai patted Ye Li's shoulder with a smile and said, "Don't worry, nothing will happen. Besides, if I, the negotiating envoy, run away first, how would the Xiling Emperor believe in our sincerity?"

"But..." Ye Li was still concerned. Xu Qingbai chuckled, "Envoys sent to various countries usually face no danger as long as they maintain proper boundaries. Moreover, it's clear that we currently hold the upper hand. What could the Xiling Emperor gain by harming me? At most, it would be to vent his anger. He's endured under Zhennan Wang's control for so many years—he's not the impulsive type. No need to worry. Fourth Brother will head back first."

After some thought, Ye Li said, "I'll have Third Brother escort you back with some men."

Hoping to ease her mind, Xu Qingbai had no choice but to agree, nodding, "Fine, but don't bring too many people."

Ye Li nodded and immediately instructed Zhuo Jing to summon Xu Qingfeng.

Xu Qingfeng was more than willing to accompany Xu Qingbai to the imperial city. Though they were only cousins, the five Xu brothers had always been closer than blood siblings. Xu Qingfeng was equally concerned about his gentle and courteous younger brother, so when Ye Li made the request, he agreed without hesitation. He selected six Qilin members from his own unit to escort Xu Qingbai back to the imperial city.

Just as Xu Qingbai had predicted, the Xiling Emperor held out for a few more days. Five days later, after the Mo Family Army successively crushed two Western Mausoleum Army reinforcements heading for the imperial city, the Xiling Emperor could no longer resist and summoned Xu Qingbai again. No one knew exactly what Xu Qingbai said to the Xiling Emperor, but that very day, the emperor issued an edict proclaiming to the world that the conflict between Prince Ding's Estate and Western Liang had been instigated solely by Zhennan Wang Lei Zhenting's unauthorized attack on Chu. Afterward, instead of withdrawing his troops to aid in defense, Zhennan Wang continued southward to assault Chu's southern territories, leaving the imperial city besieged and vulnerable. Out of compassion for the suffering of the people and soldiers of Western Liang, the Xiling Emperor agreed to a peace treaty with Prince Ding's Estate, ceding the five provinces of Anping, Lingyang, Changping, Xuanhong, and Pingchuan to Prince Ding's Estate. Western Liang would relocate its capital to Ancheng in the central region within two months.

The proclamation sent shockwaves not only through the imperial court but also among rulers of neighboring nations. Although they hadn't taken all of Western Liang, the Mo Family Army had seized one-third of its territory, including the imperial city, in less than three months. Such military prowess inevitably stirred alarm and fear, especially considering this wasn't even the full strength of the Mo Family Army.

While the rest of the world reacted with shock, fear, and anger to the Xiling Emperor's edict, the Mo Family Army's camp erupted in jubilation. On the ninth day of the siege, the gates of Western Liang's imperial city finally opened. The Mo Family Army captured the most heavily fortified city of Western Liang with negligible casualties—truly a victory achieved without bloodshed.Since it was not a complete surrender of Western Liang to the Mo Family Army, the Xiling Emperor did not come out of the city to greet them. Instead, he sent court officials to accompany Xu Qingbai to the city gate for the reception. Even so, many Western Liang officials still wore extremely unpleasant expressions. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li rode side by side on fine steeds, followed by Feng Zhiyao, Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing, and others dressed in crimson brocade. Behind them were the Black Cloud Cavalry, clad in black and mounted on uniformly black warhorses, along with a portion of the infantry. To avoid alarming the city's commoners, the Mo Family Army did not enter the city in full force—only ten thousand soldiers were brought inside, while the remaining hundreds of thousands were stationed outside under Zhang Qilan's command.

Although rumors of massacres had circulated about the events in Bian City, the aftermath had been handled well. Moreover, the Mo Family Army had largely refrained from harming civilians along their march, so the ordinary people of Western Mausoleum Imperial City were not particularly afraid of them. Crowds gathered on both sides of the streets to watch the spectacle. When they saw the striking couple leading the procession—Prince Ding and Princess Ding—countless admiring gazes fell upon them.

It was only when they reached the grand hall of the Western Liang palace that the Xiling Emperor finally emerged to greet them. At the sight of the two standing side by side, he couldn’t help but pause momentarily. After all, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li’s reputations, if not the greatest in the world, were undoubtedly household names. Mo Xiuyao had risen to fame early, followed by years of obscurity, making it easy for those unfamiliar with him to mistake him for someone of the older generation. Yet now, looking at the pair before him—the man with snow-white hair but a strikingly handsome face and an imposing presence, and the woman with delicate, refined beauty, graceful yet exuding an air of boldness and ease—they appeared no older than twenty. Such figures were unquestionably among the most extraordinary in the world.

"Haha, Prince Ding, Princess Ding, I have long admired your reputations. Seeing you today, your brilliance is indeed overwhelming," the Xiling Emperor quickly recovered, withdrawing his gaze from Ye Li. Though he had a weakness for women, he was not so foolish as to lose his wits over them. He knew very well which women were safe to admire and which were not.

Mo Xiuyao gave him a cold glance before averting his increasingly frosty gaze.

Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Your Majesty flatters us. We apologize for any offense and hope you will not take it to heart."

"Not at all, Princess Ding is too modest. Prince Ding, Princess Ding, please come inside. I have arranged a modest banquet—I hope you will not find it lacking." Noticing that Ye Li had spoken before Mo Xiuyao, yet the prince showed no displeasure, the Xiling Emperor became even more certain of Princess Ding’s standing in her husband’s heart. What he didn’t realize was that Ye Li’s intercession had spared him from an awkward situation—had she not spoken, he might have faced a humiliating rejection in front of his courtiers.

"After you, Your Majesty."The group entered the grand hall only to find the Western Liang imperial palace surprisingly austere. Far from the resplendent grandeur of Great Chu, there were scarcely any precious ornaments in sight. The vast hall felt empty, evoking an inexplicable sense of desolation and chill. Feng Zhiyao cast a puzzled glance at Xu Qingbai seated below him. He recalled the intelligence Prince Ding's Estate had gathered—the Xiling Emperor was neither extravagant nor particularly frugal. Xu Qingbai responded with a faintly amused look toward the emperor, who was currently exchanging pleasantries with Mo Xiuyao on the dais.

Blinking, Feng Zhiyao suddenly understood as he observed the Xiling Emperor's beaming face. So, with the impending capital relocation, the emperor had likely hidden his treasures in advance, fearing Prince Ding's Estate might take a fancy to them.

On the dais, the Xiling Emperor addressed Mo Xiuyao, "Prince Ding, regarding the letter I sent yesterday—do you have any thoughts?"

Mo Xiuyao leaned back in his chair, accepting a letter from Zhuo Jing behind him. He replied coolly, "Prince Ding's Estate agrees to all the conditions proposed by Your Majesty—except one. Regarding Nanzhao... I regret we can offer no assistance."

The emperor's smile stiffened. Forcing a chuckle, he said, "How so? With Prince Ding's formidable capabilities, surely there's nothing beyond your reach if you truly wished to help?" Currently, Western Liang's enemies weren't limited to Prince Ding's Estate. The southern Nanzhao Kingdom and various western states were all eyeing hungrily—Nanzhao had already seized a border prefecture.

Mo Xiuyao's voice deepened, "The northwest is too distant from Nanzhao. For the Mo Family Army to march there in Western Liang's defense would be both unjustifiable and impractical. By the time our exhausted troops arrived, they'd likely fall prey to Nanzhao's schemes."

"Not what I meant," the emperor laughed nervously. Even if Mo Xiuyao genuinely offered military aid, he wouldn't dare accept. At this point, he simply hoped the Mo forces would remain peacefully in their current territories without further encroaching. Inviting them to repel Nanzhao would be replacing wolves with tigers.

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow in question. The emperor explained, "Prince Ding's reputation shakes the heavens. A mere gesture from you would surely make Nanzhao reconsider." Truthfully, the emperor didn't truly fear Nanzhao—but between handling western states and preparing against Lei Zhenting, he couldn't afford distractions. This time... he refused to be a puppet again. Having surrendered the capital, he knew full well that should Lei Zhenting return, his life would become unbearable.

Understanding dawned on Mo Xiuyao. Nodding, he said, "That's easily arranged. I'll dispatch a letter to Nanzhao's Queen." Whether the former Princess Anxi, now Queen of Nanzhao, would heed it was her concern. Pleased, the emperor's smile widened, his gaze toward Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li growing more sincere. If Prince Ding's Estate could pacify Nanzhao and neutralize Lei Zhenting, perhaps surrendering the capital wasn't such a loss after all."Prince Ding, to be frank... although the capital has been decided to be moved to Ancheng, according to my knowledge, my nephew Lei Tengfeng is still within Western Liang's borders with a considerable number of troops loyal to Zhennan Wang. This situation... what should be done?" the Xiling Emperor inquired.

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly and said, "Your Majesty, our ancestors have a saying: 'Without proper authority, words lack justification.' Lei Zhenting is, in essence, merely a Zhennan Wang—he doesn't even hold the legitimate title of regent. As for Lei Tengfeng, he is nothing more than Zhennan Wang Shizi. Surely, Your Majesty isn't saying you can't handle him?" The Xiling Emperor gave a bitter smile. "Teng Feng himself is nothing to fear, but the troops under his command and those loyal to Zhennan Wang's Estate cannot be underestimated."

Mo Xiuyao rested his chin on his hand and said lightly, "As far as I know... General Who Obeys Heaven is currently in the imperial city. Presumably, he will accompany Your Majesty to Ancheng?"

The Xiling Emperor's expression shifted slightly. Feng Ao was indeed in the capital, but this information had been kept secret—even from his closest confidants. Seeing Mo Xiuyao mention it so casually, it was clear he had known for some time. A shiver ran down the emperor's spine, deepening his fear of Mo Xiuyao.

As if oblivious to the emperor's reaction, Mo Xiuyao continued, "Moreover, this war was instigated by Zhennan Wang. Would his son dare to raise a hand against the very sovereign cleaning up his father's mess? If so... the loyalty of Zhennan Wang's Estate..." Some things need not be spelled out. Suppressing his shock, the Xiling Emperor nodded with understanding. "I see. Thank you for your guidance, Prince Ding."

"You flatter me, Your Majesty."

The hall was filled with harmonious cheer, host and guest both pleased—until a jarring voice suddenly burst in from outside. "Father! Father!"

Before the Xiling Emperor could react, a lavishly dressed woman stormed in. Without even glancing at the others present, she shouted at the emperor, "Father! Are you truly surrendering the imperial city to Prince Ding's Estate? Have you lost your mind? How can you face the ancestors of Western Liang like this?"

The Xiling Emperor's face darkened. "Outrageous! Lingyun, your audacity grows by the day—barging in here without regard for propriety!" Though his actions had indeed left him ashamed before his ancestors and subjects, it was not his daughter's place to reprimand him.

Ye Li observed the intruding noblewoman with curiosity. Wasn't this the same Lingyun Gongzhu who had once tried to steal Mo Xiuyao from her?

Nearly eight or nine years had passed since then. The once-proud princess, then in the bloom of youth, was now nearly thirty. Had Ye Li not looked closely, she might not have recognized her. At twenty-seven or twenty-eight, Lingyun Gongzhu still maintained her beauty—her skin flawless, her features striking. Yet the arrogance of her youth had hardened into something more severe and unyielding. Her opulent attire, meticulously groomed brows, and the sharp glint in her eyes all betrayed her temperament. A proud maiden might have a certain charm, but a domineering matron was far less appealing in the eyes of men."Was what I said wrong?" Lingyun Gongzhu raised her chin proudly, staring defiantly at her father.

"You... you..." The Xiling Emperor was left speechless, collapsing onto the dragon throne, clearly furious.

Feng Zhiyao, standing nearby, stroked his chin as he observed this fiery woman. Though he hadn't seen much of Lingyun Gongzhu before, he'd heard the stories about the princess who once dared challenge Prince Ding's Estate only to end up scared stiff on the ground. Smiling, he remarked, "So this is the princess who once competed with Wang Fei? Her temper seems even fiercer than before. Wang Fei, perhaps you two could have a rematch now?"

At these words, Lingyun Gongzhu finally noticed there were others in the hall. She first glared angrily at Feng Zhiyao before her gaze fell upon a pair dressed in white sitting not far away. She froze. The man whom her younger, prouder self had once admired so deeply—whom she'd wanted to marry despite his disability—had now fully recovered, his bearing even more striking than before. Yet his snow-white hair was painfully glaring to her eyes. Even in distant Western Liang, Lingyun Gongzhu had heard all about Prince Ding's affairs, including why his once-black hair had turned white. Her gaze inevitably shifted to Ye Li beside him.

Meeting Lingyun Gongzhu's eyes, Ye Li smiled faintly and gave her a slight nod.

Yet, Ye Li's still elegant and graceful appearance deeply stung Lingyun Gongzhu. Looking at her own extravagant and cumbersome attire, the jade ornaments covering her body, and the heavy makeup on her face—each detail reminded her that she was no longer the proud and beautiful princess of yesteryears. A surge of anger rushed to her heart as Lingyun Gongzhu pointed at Ye Li and declared, "Ye Li, I challenge you!"