Mo Li

"Displeased?" Mo Xiuyao seemed to have heard something laughable, his indifferent gaze fixed on Bai Qingning’s beautiful face, now twisted with fury and resentment. "What right do you have to tell this prince you’re displeased? Harming A Li—you… all of you deserve death!" His voice dropped to a whisper in the last sentence, so low that the noblewomen nearby couldn’t hear it. But to Bai Qingning, it struck like thunder, deafening.

For a moment, Bai Qingning even thought she saw a flicker of crimson light in Mo Xiuyao’s eyes, like a demon from hell. She couldn’t help but scream. Seeing this, Madam Bai, who was not far away, realized the situation was far from what she had imagined. Stumbling forward, she cried, "Wang Ye… my daughter—"

When Mo Xiuyao showed no intention of speaking, Feng Zhiyao calmly explained, "Miss Bai frightened Wang Fei into unconsciousness and left the Fourth Young Master severely injured…" This wasn’t entirely unfair to Bai Qingning. If she hadn’t gotten in the way, the guards would have long since escorted Xu Qingbai out, and they wouldn’t have been stretched so thin that both nearly suffered harm.

"Wh-what?" Madam Bai trembled in shock. She couldn’t believe that her usually obedient and clever daughter had, in such a short time, committed a crime that could doom their entire clan. Bai Qingning, realizing her life hung in the balance, clutched at her mother and wailed, "Mother, I’m innocent! I didn’t harm Prince Ding’s Estate or Young Master Xu! I’ve been wronged—"

"Wang Ye…" Madam Bai swallowed hard, her voice shaking. "Wang Ye, this… this must be a misunderstanding. My daughter would never do such a thing. Please, in light of the Bai family’s loyalty, investigate thoroughly."

Mo Xiuyao, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. His gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over Madam Bai. "Madam Bai… are you threatening this prince?"

"This humble woman wouldn’t dare! Wang Ye, please be just!" Terrified, Madam Bai collapsed to the ground, too frightened to speak further. Mo Xiuyao cast a cold glance at Bai Qingning. "Take her away. This prince has no wish to see her again."

Feng Zhiyao sighed inwardly. Strictly speaking, Bai Qingning’s crimes didn’t warrant death—she was simply unlucky. With a wave of his hand, he signaled for her to be dragged away. Bai Qingning struggled desperately, but how could she match the strength of two grown men? Without hesitation, she was hauled out, her shrill screams fading into the distance. "No! I don’t want to die! Mother… save me! I don’t want to die—"

As the piercing cries gradually ceased, the noblewomen and young ladies in the garden turned deathly pale, shivering in the cold wind.

Madam Bai stared blankly in the direction where her daughter had disappeared before finally breaking down into loud sobs. She had only ever had this one daughter, upon whom she had pinned all her hopes since childhood. Bai Qingning had indeed lived up to her expectations—until now, when Prince Ding had ordered her death without hesitation. How could she accept this? Two guards approached, lifting Madam Bai by her arms to escort her out. With Wang Ye in such a foul mood, letting her wail here would only worsen his temper, and then more than just these people would suffer."Wang Ye." Madam Sun hurried over with a ledger in hand. Though her expression changed slightly at the sight of the corpses on the ground, she walked steadily toward Mo Xiuyao without averting her gaze and said in a low voice, "Here is what Wang Ye requested." Feng Zhiyao couldn't help but admire the woman before him. As a lady confined to the inner chambers, she was naturally less accustomed to the battlefield of court politics compared to Princess Ding, yet her courage and composure were remarkable nonetheless.

Mo Xiuyao took the ledger and flipped through it, his expression growing increasingly somber. After a long while, he snapped it shut with a sharp sound and tossed it casually into Lin Han's arms behind him, commanding, "Bring everyone listed in this ledger to me." Lin Han caught the ledger and, without even glancing at it, tucked it into his robes and replied firmly, "As you command, Your Highness." He then turned and vanished from the garden like the wind.

That day, the Western Mausoleum Imperial City witnessed the bloodiest scene in nearly fifty or sixty years—even surpassing the brutality of Zhennan Wang's purge of court officials during his power seizure. Outside the gates of the Sun family's garden, nearly all the imperial relatives, nobles, and high-ranking officials of the city were dragged out with their entire families, regardless of age or gender. The crossroads were packed with people, layer upon layer. Among them, a full third of the city's noble families were exterminated, their executions carried out right on the streets outside the garden. Such a significant event naturally alarmed even the Xiling Emperor, who rushed from the palace in haste. Yet, despite his personal intervention, he could not save these lives. The streets outside the Sun family's garden ran red with blood, the entire road stained dark crimson. In that single day, the city saw the deaths of one commandery prince, one princess, two marquises, four ministers of the third rank or higher, twelve of the fifth rank or higher, and countless below the fifth rank. And all of this—merely because Princess Ding had been assassinated. The world trembled in shock.

Later records in The Western Mausoleum Chronicles: Annals of the Last Emperor noted:

In the ninth month, Princess Ding was assassinated in the imperial capital. The Prince raged. The imperial city was bathed in blood. This came to be known as the "Bloodbath at the Sun Family Garden."

The Records of Chu: Chronicles of Prince Ding—The Prince Dinghuan Chapter recorded:

Mid-ninth month, the Princess was assassinated in the Western Mausoleum Imperial City. The Prince, enraged, executed over a hundred individuals connected to the Southern Prince. A third of the imperial nobility was wiped out in an instant, shocking the realm.

Unofficial histories, such as The Tale of Princess Dinghuan , offered commentary:

Prince Ding slaughtered over half of Western Liang's nobility for Princess Ding's sake, leaving the imperial city's streets awash in blood and its air filled with the wails of wronged souls. Though the love between Prince Ding and his Princess could move heaven, his ruthless methods and countless killings stemmed from her alone. The Ye woman could indeed be called a femme fatale.

Regardless of how this bloodshed tainted Prince Ding's reputation with a layer of gore, the terror it struck into the hearts of the nobility forced to witness the executions was beyond measure. Some, their courage shattered, fell gravely ill upon returning home, and a few even passed away within days.However, none of this affected Mo Xiuyao in the slightest. Since Ye Li fell into a coma, not a trace of warmth had appeared on Prince Ding's face—even his smiles sent chills down one's spine. The news of Ye Li's pregnancy brought him no joy either. Instead, whenever Feng Zhiyao inadvertently caught Mo Xiuyao staring with dark, brooding eyes at the still-flat abdomen of Wang Fei, he couldn't help but shudder. Though upon reflection, hadn't Wang Ye also been less than fond of the Little Prince back then? Yet the child had grown up lively and strong, even daring to oppose his father now.

"Wang Ye."

In the serene and elegantly arranged room, Ye Li lay quietly in deep slumber. Mo Xiuyao sat by the bed, half-leaning over as he gazed tenderly at her peaceful sleeping face. At Feng Zhiyao's voice, he straightened and said calmly, "Enter."

Feng Zhiyao stepped inside, glancing at the sleeping woman and the silver-haired man still seated beside her. He sighed inwardly before reporting solemnly, "Wang Ye, all those connected to the assassins, as well as the individuals uncovered by Madam Sun, have been imprisoned. Are we truly going to—" The terrified nobles had no idea that the bloodshed they witnessed today was merely the tip of the iceberg. Many more awaited Mo Xiuyao's judgment.

When a king rages, rivers of blood flow. Feng Zhiyao recalled his teacher's words and sighs from their youth. He wondered if those who had schemed for today's events now regretted their actions.

"Leave none alive." Mo Xiuyao's voice was soft, his slender fingers gently brushing Ye Li's delicate face. Yet his words carried an overwhelming tide of bloodshed and killing intent.

Feng Zhiyao wasn't surprised. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Wang Ye... do you truly believe Zhennan Wang was behind this?" This operation had uprooted every last hidden stakeout and connection Zhennan Wang's estate still had in the imperial city, including his entire household. Though Zhennan Wang had few descendants, Lei Tengfeng had several children. A pair of his legitimate heirs had been smuggled out of the city before the Mo Family Army arrived, but several illegitimate children remained in the estate. While it wasn't implausible that Zhennan Wang was responsible, had it truly been him, the assault would have been far more vicious. In truth, had Princess Ding not been in a unique physical condition, these assassins wouldn't have gotten anywhere near her. Moreover, Lei Zhenting couldn't possibly be unaware that if Ye Li had actually been killed, mere executions wouldn't suffice to settle the matter—the entire Western Mausoleum Imperial City might well have been left without a living soul.

"Even if it wasn't him, it was his failure to control his people!" Mo Xiuyao said coldly.Feng Zhiyao had no mood to sympathize with Lei Zhenting, who had borne the brunt of the prince's anger, and changed the subject, asking, "Wang Ye, was it really appropriate to kill Bai Qingning from the Bai family just like that?" Mo Xiuyao cast him a cold glance. "What's done is done. What's the point of discussing it now?" Feng Zhiyao sighed helplessly. "What I meant was, what are your plans regarding the Bai family? This incident will surely create resentment. Wang Ye must remain wary of them..." After all, the Bai family was still one of the prominent noble families in Western Liang.

Mo Xiuyao snorted disdainfully. "A consort's clan—do they even have half a capable talent among them? This prince has no use for useless people."

"Understood," Feng Zhiyao nodded.

"How is Xu Qingbai?" Mo Xiuyao frowned. If anything happened to Xu Qingbai, A Li would carry the guilt for the rest of her life. That was something Mo Xiuyao absolutely did not want to see. Moreover, no matter what, it was Xu Qingbai who had taken that sword strike meant for A Li. If that blade had pierced A Li instead... The mere thought of that possibility made murderous intent radiate uncontrollably from Mo Xiuyao.

Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow, puzzled as to why the prince's concern for the Fourth Young Master Xu's injuries would trigger such bloodlust. "Physicians, imperial doctors from the palace, and our own military medics have all examined Young Master Xu. The wound didn't hit any vital organs, but he lost a lot of blood and is still unconscious. He’ll need a long recovery."

The so-called unconsciousness was actually due to the strong sedatives and painkillers prescribed by the doctors. A sword thrust clean through the back—even for a martial artist, such an injury would be agonizing, let alone for a frail scholar like Xu Qingbai. Sleeping through the worst of it was the kinder option.

Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Give the order—ensure he is well cared for. If anything happens to Young Master Xu, don’t blame this prince for being merciless."

Feng Zhiyao fell silent. After today, who would dare defy Prince Ding’s orders? Did they have a death wish?

"Wang Ye, Zhuo Jing requests an audience," Zhuo Jing's voice came from outside the door.

Mo Xiuyao said to Feng Zhiyao, "You may leave. Zhuo Jing, enter."

Zhuo Jing walked in, passing Feng Zhiyao in the doorway. "Wang Ye, Wang Fei—"

"She is unharmed," Mo Xiuyao said coolly. "What of the matter I tasked you with?"

Zhuo Jing replied respectfully, "The list provided by Sun Huiniang is mostly accurate. The person who secretly incited these individuals has already fled the city. I ordered men to follow discreetly. The suspect appears to be from Great Chu, but our intelligence network has no record of his identity. Currently, he is heading north, likely toward Chu Jing."

Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze, pondering for a moment. "Great Chu... Mo Jingli has already moved south. What business does he have in Chu Jing? No... There’s another person who also commands many Great Chu subordinates. Ren Qining... Lin Yuan..."

Zhuo Jing’s thoughts raced. "Does Wang Ye suspect the Northern Realm is behind this?"

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly without answering and instead ordered, "Have him followed. If he truly is one of Ren Qining’s men..."

Zhuo Jing waited silently for Mo Xiuyao’s command. After a long pause, he heard the prince chuckle darkly. "If I recall correctly, Ren Qining has a beloved wife—a princess from a Northern tribe—and several children, does he not?"

"Indeed." Ren Qining, a foreigner who had risen to unify the Northern Realm, owed his success to marrying the only daughter of the most powerful tribal chieftain at the time.

"Kill them all," Mo Xiuyao said indifferently.

"As you command."After dismissing Zhuo Jing, the room returned to silence. Mo Xiuyao gazed blankly at Ye Li's delicate sleeping face, then leaned down to place a gentle kiss by her lips. "A Li, please wake up soon. You don't know... how terrified I am seeing you lie here like this..." If you don't wake up soon, I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself anymore and truly turn all of Western Liang into a living hell. I know... I know you wouldn't like this... so please, wake up quickly.

In the Western Liang palace, the Xiling Emperor sat slumped on the dragon throne, his face deathly pale as if all strength had left his body. The scene outside the garden today had not only shocked and terrified all the Western Liang nobility, but even he, the ruler of a nation, had been deeply frightened. Watching that white-clad, white-haired man sitting calmly at the entrance, his expression indifferent as he looked at the people before him, showing neither joy nor anger. Yet each of his light, drifting words had been followed by bloodshed. That god-like demeanor, seemingly able to arbitrarily decide life and death from on high, had once been the state the Xiling Emperor most aspired to achieve—as a sovereign, deciding executions and granting life at will. But now he began to doubt whether he could truly attain such a state. Could he, like Mo Xiuyao, kill nearly half the nobility without changing expression?

The Xiling Emperor shook his head weakly—he couldn't. Not only he couldn't, but even Lei Zhenting couldn't. No matter how much power they wielded, they couldn't match Mo Xiuyao's decisiveness or his... ruthlessness...

"Your Majesty..." The attendant before him looked at the emperor with concern. Since returning from outside the palace, His Majesty had been in a dazed state, yet refused to summon the imperial physician. This couldn't help but worry those serving him closely. But recalling the scene they'd witnessed that morning, he thought the emperor's current reaction was understandable. Even they, who had seen much darkness and bloodshed, were still trembling in their legs.

"How is Princess Lingyun?" After a long silence, the Xiling Emperor finally asked in a low voice. Though this daughter had never been close to him, with the emperor having few offspring, Princess Lingyun had been one of the more outstanding ones. Now that she had died like this, it was impossible not to feel some sorrow. Yet even in his grief, he as emperor and father lacked both the ability and courage to seek justice for his daughter.

The attendant replied carefully, "The princess's remains have been returned to the Princess Manor. The Ministry of Rites has selected an auspicious date for her burial. May Your Majesty take care of your health."

The Xiling Emperor smiled bitterly. "Let it be. Compared to those others... at least she didn't suffer before passing. Order the Ministry of Rites to handle the funeral arrangements quickly. We shall depart for Ancheng ahead of schedule." Whether it was shame at his own failure to face the situation or fear of the Mo Family Army and Prince Ding, the Xiling Emperor no longer had the slightest desire to remain in this capital city.

"This old servant obeys your command. Your Majesty, news just arrived from outside the palace—several of Prince Rui's illegitimate sons in the Zhennan Wang residence have also died." After some thought, the attendant decided he should share some good news with the emperor. The Xiling Emperor opened his eyes. "Oh? Is this true?"

"Absolutely true. This matter likely has connections to Zhennan Wang. In his fury, Prince Ding raided both Zhennan Wang and Prince Rui's residences. Entire households... not a single one spared..." At this point, even the elderly attendant couldn't help but shudder.The Xiling Emperor was stunned for a long moment before letting out a dry chuckle, "Lei Zhenting... Could that bit of cleverness have anticipated today? Never mind, at least... Mo Xiuyao has nearly wiped out all of Lei Zhenting's forces. Let's leave the capital quickly and head to Ancheng. Pass down the order—don't provoke that calamitous star again."

"This old servant obeys your command."

When Ye Li woke up, three days had indeed passed. Though three days wasn't particularly long, Prince Ding's Estate had always been efficient, so in those three days, Qin Feng, Feng Zhiyao, and the others had thoroughly swept away all remaining factions inside and outside the capital. As for how many families had been ruined or how many heads had rolled, that wasn't something ordinary commoners could know. Even so, many noticed that numerous familiar faces in the capital had vanished overnight. In such turbulent times, merely surviving in peace was already a rare blessing, so any doubts were quietly buried deep in their hearts.

"Fourth Brother... Fourth Brother?!" Ye Li suddenly opened her eyes in the midst of sleep and grabbed the wrist of the person beside her. When she saw who was sitting by the bed, she froze momentarily. "Eldest Aunt..."

Sitting at the bedside was none other than Madam Xu of the Xu Family, holding a warm cloth to wipe her sweat. Startled by Ye Li's sudden grip, she exclaimed, "Li'er, you're finally awake?" Seeing her awake, Madam Xu smiled warmly, her kind and gentle face lighting up with relief.

She had traveled thousands of miles to Western Liang for her son—aside from the journey from Yunzhou to Li Cheng, this was the first time Madam Xu had ever ventured so far from home. Yet upon arriving in Li Cheng, she found both her son and niece unconscious in bed. If not for Feng Zhiyao's reassurances and repeated explanations when he greeted her, Madam Xu might have fainted from shock.

"Eldest Aunt..." Still groggy from waking, Ye Li's mind was momentarily muddled. Then, the memories before her unconsciousness rushed back, and she abruptly sat up. "Eldest Aunt, Fourth Brother—" Madam Xu quickly pressed her back down. "It's alright, your fourth brother is fine. Child, how could you be so careless..."

"I'm sorry... Eldest Aunt, Fourth Brother only got hurt because of me..." Ye Li's face paled as she recalled her brother throwing himself in front of her, the sword piercing his chest. Xu Qingbai was a frail scholar with no strength to even tie a chicken—how could he survive such a wound? She hardly dared imagine how dire his condition must be.

Thinking of her son, still bedridden and unable to move, Madam Xu's eyes reddened. Seeing the thick white bandages wrapped around his body and his bloodless face, how could a mother not feel heartbroken? But how could this be blamed on Ye Li? As a mother, she knew her son's nature all too well. Even if it hadn't been for Ye Li, if any of his siblings had been in danger, Xu Qingbai would have thrown himself forward without hesitation. If he hadn't taken that sword, that would have been the real surprise. Gently patting Ye Li's hand, Madam Xu said softly, "Silly child, your fourth brother is fine. Why cry? Eldest Aunt was only scolding you—didn't you study some medicine with Doctor Lin? How could you not even notice your own discomfort?"Ye Li was taken aback. Madam Xu shook her head with a gentle smile and said, "Silly child, you're already three months pregnant. And you've had a child before—how could you not notice at all?"

This time, Ye Li was completely stunned. She didn't even react when Madam Xu reached out to wipe her tears. After a long moment, she lowered her head and placed a hand over her flat abdomen. Then she pressed her left fingers against the pulse on her right wrist, her voice trembling with panic. "I... I can't feel it. The baby... is the baby alright?" Though Ye Li had studied some medicine under Doctor Lin, most of her knowledge was in pharmacology and poisons. Medicine was clearly not a subject where one could easily generalize. For someone who had studied for less than half a year, accurately discerning a Slippery pulse indicating pregnancy was difficult—especially when her mind was in turmoil. Even someone like Mo Xiuyao, in a state of panic, might fail to detect a pulse, let alone diagnose its condition.

Madam Xu smiled reassuringly. "It's alright, the baby is fine. But you really should be more careful. If anything were to happen, it wouldn't just affect you alone."

Ye Li stared blankly at her abdomen—this time, it truly had been her oversight. Although she had experienced it once before, this time the child had been exceptionally well-behaved, causing her almost no physical discomfort aside from emotional fluctuations. As for her monthly cycle, the considerable toll taken by giving birth to Mo Xiaobao had left it irregular despite careful recuperation. So she had assumed the recent disruption was due to adjusting to Western Liang's climate. Moreover, with no news for several years, Ye Li had almost instinctively stopped considering the possibility.

"At any rate, it's good that you're awake. I haven't sent word to Prince Ding yet," Madam Xu said with a smile.

"A Li!" Before the words had fully left her mouth, Mo Xiuyao's voice rang out from beyond the door. A flash of white streaked into the room, startling Madam Xu—clearly, someone had informed him, and he had rushed over using his Light Body Skill without delay.

"Xiu Yao..." Ye Li looked up at the silver-haired man before her. Though nothing seemed outwardly amiss, she could keenly sense his tension and exhaustion. In a blur of white, she was pulled into a slightly cool embrace. Mo Xiuyao buried his face in her shoulder, inhaling deeply the familiar fragrance, his voice hoarse. "A Li... you're finally awake..."

A pang of sorrow struck Ye Li's heart. She wrapped her arms around his noticeably thinner waist and whispered, "I'm sorry for worrying you."

Not far away, Madam Xu watched the young couple with a warm smile before quietly slipping out, leaving the space for the pair to share their private words.