Mo Li

Watching Mo Xiuyao's indifferent expression, Ye Li slightly furrowed her brows. Ever since she woke up, she had felt that those around her were hiding something from her. Just now, Mo Xiuyao had deliberately frightened Madam Bai away, deepening her suspicion even further.

Straightening her posture, Ye Li looked directly into Mo Xiuyao’s handsome face, which seemed somewhat guilty, and asked softly, "Xiu Yao, is there something you’re keeping from me?"

"Uh… Of course not. Why would you ask that, A Li?" Mo Xiuyao replied with a smile, though the ease that usually accompanied his expression was noticeably absent.

Ye Li raised an eyebrow, gazing at him with a faintly mocking smile. "Could it be that Wang Ye has taken a liking to some young lady and wants to bring her into the manor to give Xiao Bao another aunt?" Mo Xiuyao’s expression stiffened slightly. He twitched his lips and abruptly pulled Ye Li back into his embrace, muttering sulkily, "A Li, don’t talk nonsense. This prince only has eyes for you." Ye Li patted his back in amusement and asked, "Then what is it that you’re hiding from me? I’ve been unwell these past few days, but once I recover, won’t I find out on my own?"

Thus, even Prince Ding could act foolishly when overly concerned. For instance, he knew full well that such matters couldn’t be concealed forever—unless he silenced everyone who knew about them. Yet, instinctively, he didn’t want A Li to see this side of him.

After a long pause, Mo Xiuyao finally admitted in a subdued voice, "I killed Bai Yuncheng’s daughter."

Ye Li was momentarily stunned, recalling that Bai Qingning had been by her side during the assassination attempt. She asked softly, "Was it because of what happened that day?" Mo Xiuyao met her gaze and replied firmly, "It had nothing to do with you. This prince simply found her displeasing." Ye Li let out a helpless sigh and said gently, "Though Bai Qingning’s crimes didn’t warrant death, you didn’t have to hide this from me, did you?" While deeply ingrained beliefs from her past life made her uncomfortable with taking lives casually, in her heart, Mo Xiuyao was infinitely more important than an unrelated Bai Qingning. Moreover, after all these years, even if she still wasn’t accustomed to it, Ye Li understood that sometimes, people weren’t killed because they deserved it. Many who didn’t deserve death perished anyway—perhaps even more than those who did. In their positions, they often had no choice.

Mo Xiuyao lifted his eyes and stared at her intently before finally saying, "I also killed many nobles of Western Liang."

Ye Li fell silent for a moment before asking quietly, "How many?"

"Thirty percent," Mo Xiuyao replied indifferently. Over thirty percent of the noble families in Western Mausoleum Imperial City had been exterminated by him. The shock this sent through the world was far greater than slaughtering thousands of commoners.After a long while, Ye Li leaned back into Mo Xiuyao's embrace with a soft sigh. "So this is why you kept it from me?" she asked quietly.

Mo Xiuyao lowered his head, gently stroking her hair, his voice subdued. "A Li doesn’t like it when I kill indiscriminately."

Ye Li’s previously solemn mood couldn’t help but lighten. She lifted her head and gave him a reproachful look. "So you do know it’s indiscriminate killing? I’m not some merciful Bodhisattva enshrined in a temple—when the time comes for a bloodbath, I won’t hesitate either. If you were momentarily enraged or had a reason for killing those nobles, fine. But what did those ignorant maids and servants know? You’re only tarnishing your own reputation for nothing."

Mo Xiuyao silently watched her. He hadn’t been able to control himself at the time…

Seeing his expression, Ye Li couldn’t stay angry. She reached up to lightly touch the deep furrow between his brows, her voice softening. "Though I don’t believe in so-called karma, excessive bloodshed still disrupts the natural order and can easily cloud one’s judgment. Xiu Yao, I want you to be well."

Back in Bian City, Ye Li had already sensed the terrifyingly deep well of killing intent within Mo Xiuyao. Over the years, he had kept it tightly restrained, but the few times he had lost control had been devastating enough. The root cause was likely the suppressed hatred from the Mo Family Army and the grievances of two generations of Prince Ding. Ye Li didn’t want such loss of control to become habitual. Otherwise, there would only be two outcomes: either he would fully unleash his bloodlust and gradually calm down afterward, or he would lose himself entirely in endless slaughter. And either path would demand countless lives as the price.

"A Li…" Mo Xiuyao stared blankly at his wife, who gazed at him with such concern. Exhausted, he lowered his eyes and rested his head on her shoulder, murmuring, "A Li, I’m so tired… Don’t leave me…"

He understood her worries—in truth, he understood them himself. Take this incident, for example. Logically, there had been better ways to handle it, but at the time, his mind had been blank except for the overwhelming urge to kill everyone who had harmed A Li. He hadn’t considered any other possibility. Even now, he didn’t regret the outcome, but he knew it had also sown the seeds of future troubles.

Ye Li took his hand and gently placed it over her still-flat abdomen, smiling. "How could I leave you? We already have Xiao Bao, and now there’s another little one on the way."

Mo Xiuyao’s hand stilled for a moment against her stomach. "What if there were no children?" he asked quietly.

Ye Li chuckled. "If there were no children, wouldn’t Wang Ye start looking at other women instead?"

Mo Xiuyao shook his head, lifting her delicate chin so she met his serious gaze. "This prince doesn’t care about children. Even if there were none, I would still only want A Li."

In this era, such words were the deepest confession a man could make to a woman. Ye Li smiled faintly, teasing him. "Wang Ye, it’s too late to say that now."

After all, they already had one child and were expecting another—so the sentimentality of his words naturally lost some of its impact.Seeing that Ye Li didn’t seem truly angry, the smile in Mo Xiuyao’s eyes slowly bloomed. He gently wrapped his arms around her and said with a chuckle, “This prince’s words come from the heart. If it weren’t A Li’s child, what use would it be to me?”

“By the way, what does Madam Bai want to see me about at this time?” Ye Li asked softly as she leaned into Mo Xiuyao’s embrace. Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow, replying indifferently, “With so many noble families fallen, I’ve been leaving the Bai family hanging these past few days. Bai Yuncheng must be anxious by now.”

“Do you plan to abandon the Bai family?” Ye Li asked curiously. As one of Western Liang’s prominent noble families and the first to pledge allegiance, Prince Ding’s Estate should, by all reason, give the Bai family some face. But now that Mo Xiuyao had unhesitatingly executed the Bai family’s legitimate daughter, it was clear he intended to discard them. Mo Xiuyao nodded. “The Bai family barely has any capable people to begin with, not to mention they’ve always been opportunists. They sided with Lei Zhenting when he was in power, and now that we’ve just entered the imperial city, they’ve switched to Prince Ding’s Estate. While knowing when to yield can be considered a virtue, some take it too far… making it downright unsightly. With the Bai family’s vast wealth and influence, if we favor them, others will feel unjustly treated. If we leave them idle, Bai Yuncheng will eventually rebel. Better to settle this once and for all. As for that so-called ‘imperial consort’s clan’—hmph! This prince has no intention of letting Xiao Bao marry a woman surnamed Bai in the future.”

At this, Ye Li couldn’t help but feel speechless. For a noble family that had thrived for over two hundred years, digging through their lineage barely yielded any truly outstanding talents. Yet, such a family had not only flourished for two centuries but had even once ranked among Western Liang’s most powerful clans. It was, without a doubt, an anomaly. Or perhaps, the Bai family did have exceptional individuals—just that none of them ever directed their talents where they should have. Personally, Ye Li also didn’t wish for Prince Ding’s Estate to retain such a so-called “imperial consort’s clan” in the long run. If nothing else, inbreeding would have adverse effects on future generations’ genetics.

“What’s your plan? Do you want me to meet this Madam Bai?” Ye Li asked.

Mo Xiuyao shook his head. “No need. Keep your distance from that Bai woman—there’s something off about her.”

“Oh?” Ye Li raised an eyebrow. In her brief glance earlier, she hadn’t noticed anything unusual about Madam Bai. Mo Xiuyao scoffed lightly. “She dared to ask this prince to leave, yet was too frightened to speak? If this truly concerned her family’s rise or fall, she would have spoken even if she were scared witless. The matriarch of the Bai family would never forget her place like some ignorant peasant woman.”

“Then what does she want?” Ye Li murmured lazily, nestled in Mo Xiuyao’s arms. Since waking up, she had grown much more languid, even reluctant to think too deeply.

Mo Xiuyao replied calmly, “I don’t know yet, but I’ll have someone keep an eye on her.”

“Mm, alright…” Ye Li’s voice carried a faint drowsiness. Mo Xiuyao fell silent, gazing down at the woman in his arms as her eyes closed and she gradually drifted into a light slumber. His expression softened with tenderness."Wang..." Feng Zhiyao stepped inside but was immediately silenced by a cold glare from Mo Xiuyao before he could finish speaking. Having the rare misfortune to witness Prince Ding's expression transform from utmost tenderness to icy severity in an instant, Feng Zhiyao couldn't help cursing inwardly: This is too damn much—forsaking friends for beauty, valuing romance over humanity! As if reading Feng Zhiyao's silent complaints, Mo Xiuyao gave a light humph, picked up Ye Li, and carried her back to their room. The hapless Third Master Feng, who had matters to report, could only follow behind speechlessly.

Only after Mo Xiuyao had settled Ye Li did he turn and exit, sweeping a glance at Feng Zhiyao, who stood at the door lost in thought. "What is it?" he asked.

Feng Zhiyao cleared his throat, pulling back his wandering thoughts, and replied, "We've already sent people to follow the Bai woman. After leaving, she seemed rather unsettled—it appears half her speechlessness earlier from Your Highness's intimidation was an act." Mo Xiuyao showed no surprise and asked, "What did she want with A Li?"

Feng Zhiyao shook his head, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "A few days ago, Your Highness killed her daughter. Could she be... seeking revenge? Hmm... probably not, right? Where would she get such nerve?"

"Revenge? Shouldn't she be coming after me?"

Feng Zhiyao looked at him as if seeing a ghost. "Your Highness, even if that Bai woman were utterly ignorant, she should know that trying to harm you would require her to be reborn ten times over. Besides, isn't there a saying... 'To make your enemy suffer unbearably, destroy what they cherish most.' Right?"

Mo Xiuyao fell silent for a long moment before nodding, accepting Feng Zhiyao's speculation. "Have someone keep an eye on the Bai woman. If she makes any move, kill her immediately. No—send someone to kill her now." A Li was now pregnant and couldn't act freely. Though the Mo Family Army and Qilin guards were reliable, nothing in this world was absolutely foolproof. The safest course was... to eliminate all threats before they materialized.

Feng Zhiyao rubbed his forehead helplessly. Your Highness, your thoughts are racing ahead too fast—this is just my speculation! But the prince's word was law. Feng Zhiyao irresponsibly mused that he might as well have someone investigate. If the Bai woman truly harbored ill intentions, it'd be best to eliminate her outright. If anything else happened, even the remaining third of the capital's nobility might not survive.

"Understood. I'll see to it immediately."

Mo Xiuyao nodded in satisfaction. As Feng Zhiyao turned to leave, Mo Xiuyao suddenly called out to him, his voice cool and eerie, "Feng San... am I very old?"

Feng Zhiyao nearly stumbled, silently grumbling: It's not Wang Fei who's pregnant—it's you, Your Highness! Your temper, mood, and thoughts are changing way too fast.

"Of course not! Your Highness is clearly in the prime of youth, vigorous and radiant!" Good enough? Look at that head of white hair—any more flattery and I'll puke.

Mo Xiuyao nodded indifferently. "Go."

When Madam Bai returned to the Bai residence, Bai Yuncheng anxiously rushed out to meet her before she even entered the hall. "Madam, how did it go?" Madam Bai gave her husband a strange look and lowered her head. Bai Yuncheng's heart skipped a beat as he quickly pulled her into the hall and asked, "Madam, what did Princess Ding say?"Madam Bai shook her head without speaking. Bai Yuncheng grew increasingly anxious and urged repeatedly, "What exactly does Princess Ding mean? Just say something!" Madam Bai whispered, "Prince Ding has been guarding Princess Ding the entire time. I couldn't get a chance to see her alone." Bai Yuncheng frowned and asked, "Even so, you could have tried to probe Prince Ding's intentions. Can you discern what those two are thinking?"

Madam Bai raised her head to look at Bai Yuncheng and suddenly let out a hollow laugh. Bai Yuncheng stared at her in confusion and asked, "What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Husband… do you remember our Ning'er?"

Bai Yuncheng froze. What was this about? How could he not remember their recently deceased daughter, who hadn't even been buried yet? If not for this daughter, perhaps the Bai family wouldn't have been forced into such a passive position. Now that the Xiling Emperor had already left the capital with his entourage, any schemes they might have had were rendered futile. At this point, aside from obediently following Prince Ding's Estate, they had no other path to take—especially since Bai Qingning had gravely offended Prince Ding before all this.

Bai Yuncheng thought he hadn't revealed any expression, but Madam Bai, who had been watching him closely, caught the flash of resentment in his eyes. Lowering her gaze slightly, she suppressed the tears welling up and suddenly smiled. "Husband, Prince Ding won't let us off." Bai Yuncheng, puzzled, grabbed her arm and demanded sharply, "What do you mean? What have you done?"

Madam Bai shook off his grip and spat bitterly, "I've done nothing! I only hate that I couldn't do anything!"

That was right—she had gone today intending to seize the chance to assassinate Ye Li during a private audience, avenging her daughter. In her entire life, she had only ever had Qingning, her beloved daughter, doted on and cherished as she grew up. Yet she had been forced to watch helplessly as Prince Ding executed her. Every time she closed her eyes, she could hear her daughter's agonized cries echoing in her ears: "Mother… save me! I don’t want to die! I was wronged…" All of this was because of Ye Li. If not for her, why would Prince Ding have taken his anger out on Qingning? How could her daughter have died? Most importantly, Ye Li was the woman Prince Ding loved most. If she died, Madam Bai could almost imagine the depths of Prince Ding's madness and grief.

But alas… none of this had gone as she had planned. After the recent assassination attempt, Prince Ding would never allow any unfamiliar person near Princess Ding. In her momentary panic, she had left traces of her intentions. On her way back, she had sensed someone from Prince Ding's Estate following her—though she couldn’t pinpoint where, she could feel eyes watching her every move. She knew… the Bai family was finished, and she had lost her only chance to avenge her daughter. But she couldn’t accept it…

"What exactly happened?" Bai Yuncheng pressed urgently. This concerned the survival of the Bai family—he couldn’t afford not to worry.

Madam Bai looked at him with a mocking smile. "Didn’t you want to know what I said to Princess Ding today? I said nothing… because I had gone there to kill Ye Li. But—but Mo Xiuyao never left her side, and there were highly skilled guards everywhere. I never got the chance…""You're insane!" Bai Yuncheng stared at Madam Bai in horror. "Do you realize what you're doing? Do you want to destroy the Bai family?"

Madam Bai chuckled, her eyes glazed. "What use is the Bai family to me without my daughter? My lord, Qingning was our own flesh and blood. She was killed by Mo Xiuyao, and you didn't say a word. Instead, you spend your days thinking of ways to please our enemy. Do you even have a heart? Every day... every day I hear our daughter crying, saying she was wronged, that she didn’t want to die... She begs me to avenge her..."

Bai Yuncheng shoved her away coldly. "Indeed, I have no heart. Over the years, the Bai family has lost more than just one daughter. What about Little Seven, Little Nine, and Twelve, who were killed by Prince Ding recently? Why didn’t you grieve for them? They were also Bai children."

"They were just lowborn concubines' offspring—what’s there to grieve? How can they compare to my Ning'er?" Madam Bai sneered. Those worthless bastards, born from side branches and concubines, were nothing compared to her precious daughter. Her daughter could have been an Empress or imperial consort! It was all... all Bai Yuncheng’s fault! If he hadn’t insisted on sending her to Prince Ding's Estate, she wouldn’t have died.

"I don’t want to talk to this madwoman anymore!" Bai Yuncheng flicked his sleeve. He never imagined that at such a critical moment, the one dragging him down would be his own wife, whom he had always been satisfied with. Right now, he had no time to deal with her. He turned and strode toward his study—he needed to consult someone about how to handle the aftermath. He could only pray this foolish woman hadn’t left any clues for Prince Ding to discover, or the Bai family would truly be finished.

Watching Bai Yuncheng leave without a backward glance, Madam Bai paid no mind. Ignoring the shocked gazes of the servants and her own disheveled appearance, she swayed unsteadily back to her courtyard.

Her room was unnaturally dim for the residence of a noble family’s matriarch. Once inside, she dismissed the maids and shut the door. Walking to the innermost part of the room, she lifted a heavy curtain to reveal a pitch-black memorial tablet. Inscribed on it were the words: "Spirit Tablet of Beloved Daughter Bai Qingning."

Madam Bai gazed tenderly at the tablet on the altar, gently stroking it as if it were not a cold slab of wood but her once-beautiful, elegant daughter.

"Ning'er, I’m sorry... Your mother is useless. I couldn’t save you, and now I’ve even failed to avenge you. My sweet Ning'er, your father doesn’t care about you at all, but I will remember you. Go peacefully to your next life. I will avenge you. Please... stop visiting my dreams..." Her murmurs to the tablet gradually dissolved into sobs. Since her daughter’s death, Madam Bai had not slept a single peaceful night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw visions of her daughter—the most horrifying being the scenes of her tortured and wailing in agony, jolting Madam Bai awake in terror.Since Bai Qingning's death, Madam Bai had never dared to look at her daughter's corpse. Although the servants who prepared the body said the young lady appeared to have suffered little, Madam Bai could never set her mind at ease. In truth, she harbored a vague sense of guilt and unease—when Prince Ding suddenly ordered Bai Qingning's execution, she had been so terrified that she barely pleaded for her daughter before watching her being dragged away. Sometimes she even dreamed of her daughter coming to demand her life, covered in blood. Under this torment of conscience, Madam Bai's hatred for Prince Ding's Estate grew increasingly fierce. If only she could kill Ye Li... If only she avenged Qingning by killing Ye Li, surely Qingning would forgive her?

Outside the door, hidden in the shadows, two shadow guards listened clearly to Madam Bai's words. One exchanged a meaningful glance with his companion: Third Master Feng had ordered that if Madam Bai truly harbored ill intentions toward Wang Fei, she was to be killed immediately.

The other guard nodded expressionlessly: "Of course she must die. If she actually manages to do something, Wang Ye would go mad." None of them wished to face the prince's wrath.

The two guards shivered in unison, their gazes turning toward Madam Bai, who was still murmuring in the room.

After speaking to her daughter's memorial tablet for a long time, Madam Bai finally fell silent. But as she turned around, she felt a sudden chill in her abdomen, followed by an excruciating pain. Staring blankly at the black-clad man who had appeared before her and the dagger plunged into her stomach, her eyes filled with terror: No, she didn’t want to die yet!

"Go in peace. Your daughter is waiting for you on the road to the underworld," the shadow guard said with a hint of pity, yet his hand pushed forward mercilessly. A stream of crimson blood dripped from Madam Bai's mouth onto his hand, and her wide, staring eyes gradually lost their light.

－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－

Honestly, while writing Madam Bai's scene, I suddenly felt she was quite pitiful... My moral compass is wavering under the protagonist's perspective. But let’s still say it—killing people casually is wrong. Of course, everyone knows that. Runs away with a pot lid over my head...