Mo Li

"Father."

"Grandfather."

Xu Hongyu and the other three greeted Mr. Qingyun in turn. Seeing his son, grandsons, and the great-grandson cradled in Xu Qingchen’s arms, the anger that had been stirred up by Ye Wenhua gradually dissipated. Mr. Qingyun nodded and said, "Sit down, all of you. When did you return, Chen'er?"

Xu Qingchen smiled. "Just now, Grandfather. I was about to come pay my respects when I heard there were guests, so Father, Second Uncle, and Second Brother came along as well."

Mr. Qingyun nodded with a smile. "You must be tired from the journey. Rest well later."

With the Ye family members already seated, the seating arrangement became somewhat awkward when Xu Hongyu and the others arrived. Ye Laofuren, considering her seniority, naturally did not rise to yield her seat. Fortunately, Ye Wenhua, having spent decades in official circles, was not entirely clueless. He quickly stood up to offer his seat to Xu Hongyu, and Ye Wangshi, Ye Lin, and the young man beside them also rose. Only Ye Rong, utterly lacking in manners, glanced left and right at his parents but refused to stand, causing Ye Wenhua’s face to turn livid with anger.

Xu Hongyu paid no heed to Ye Wenhua’s expression and instead smiled amiably at Ye Rong. "The Ye family’s upbringing is truly commendable."

Being praised with the same words twice in a row, Ye Rong grew even more smug, completely oblivious to why his father looked so furious. Though Ye Laofuren sensed something amiss, Ye Rong had been the only male heir in the Ye family for many years, and she doted on him excessively. If, years ago, she had still held onto the hope that her son might father another grandson, that hope had long since faded with no news over the years. Now, she simply reasoned that since this was her granddaughter’s estate, it likely wouldn’t matter.

Ye Li observed the expressions of the Ye family members and sighed inwardly. Though she harbored some resentment toward the Ye family, she was not one to kick someone when they were down. If Ye Wenhua had raised Ye Rong to be capable, he might have had a chance to make something of himself in the northwest. Unfortunately, the state of the Ye family was deeply disappointing. While Ye Li had no intention of acting against them, neither would she naively prop up relatives who were beyond help—lest she bring disgrace upon Prince Ding’s Estate.

Xu Qingchen, bouncing Mo Xiaobao on his knee, turned a faint smile toward Ye Wenhua. "When did Master Ye arrive in Li Cheng?"

Ye Wenhua’s smile was strained. In the past, Xu Qingchen had at least addressed him as "uncle" out of courtesy, but now he couldn’t even be bothered with such formalities. The late Xu Shi had borne no sons for the Ye family, leaving only Ye Li as her daughter. Now that Ye Li was married, the Xu family had no obligation to acknowledge the Ye family as in-laws.

"It’s been over a month," Ye Wenhua replied with forced cheer.Xu Qingchen nodded and said, "During this period, Li'er and Prince Ding have been away on campaign, and I was also stationed far at Flying Goose Pass. My father and second uncle have been occupied with official duties. If there has been any neglect toward Ye Laoye, I hope you can forgive us." Ye Wenhua wouldn't dare complain about Xu Hongyu and the others neglecting him. Even after rising to the position of Minister, Ye Wenhua often felt he couldn't hold his head up in Xu Hongyu's presence. Though it wasn't as severe with Xu Hongyan, he still felt an innate sense of inferiority. That's why during all those years in Chu Jing, even though Xu Hongyan's official rank and influence were inferior to Ye Wenhua's—who was both a Minister and father to a Zhaoyi—Ye Wenhua never put on airs before Xu Hongyan. This was precisely why Ye Wenhua had always disliked the Xu Family; no man with any ambition enjoys feeling perpetually one step lower in front of his in-laws. Unfortunately, Ye Wenhua was now more than just one step lower before the Xu Family.

Ye Laofuren cut in before Ye Wenhua could respond, smiling warmly, "How could that be? We're all family here. Even if we suffer some grievances temporarily, it's nothing. Li'er is filial and would never treat her own family poorly."

Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow and gave Ye Laofuren a calm, faintly smiling glance. Was this... still a sense of being slighted?

Xu Hongyu asked, "What are the Ye Family's plans from now on?"

Ye Wenhua was about to say that he would defer to his elder brother's decision when Ye Laofuren interjected, looking affectionately at Ye Li, "When Li'er wasn't home before, it was one thing. But now she's several months pregnant, and with Prince Ding away, of course we should stay in the residence to take care of her." Xu Er Furen, standing nearby, was so incensed she nearly laughed. She said coolly, "So Ye Laofuren considers us mere decorations?"

"Madam," Xu Hongyan said mildly, restraining his wife's anger. Arguing with such people would only demean themselves.

Xu Er Furen had been provoked by Ye Laofuren's shamelessness, but her husband's reminder helped her suppress her temper. She cast a disdainful glance at Ye Laofuren and said no more. If Ye Li's birth mother were alive, moving into the prince's residence to care for her daughter would be appropriate. But for a stepmother—originally a concubine elevated to wife—to bring her entire family to live in her stepdaughter's home? Only Ye Laofuren would have the nerve to suggest it.

Truthfully, Ye Laofuren knew her request was improper. But her life had been full of ups and downs: from a widow with a son in a remote part of Great Chu, to her son passing the imperial exams and being taken as a son-in-law by the Xu Family, instantly becoming kin to one of Great Chu's most prestigious scholarly families. Then becoming the matriarch of a Minister's household, with granddaughters who became imperial consorts and princesses—what glory! Later, when Ye Wenhua was stripped of rank and they returned to their hometown, though they lived comfortably on their savings, it was a far cry from their days in Chu Jing. How could Ye Laofuren accept this? Now in Li Cheng, despite her status as grandmother to Princess Ding, many noblewomen didn't regard her highly. Meanwhile, the Xu Family's ladies, even the young second daughter-in-law, were among the most sought-after figures in Li Cheng—all because of Ye Li's position as Princess Ding. This only strengthened Ye Laofuren's resolve to move into the prince's residence.Beside them, Ye Wangshi remained silent, but her expression made it clear that she shared Ye Laofuren's thoughts. Everyone in the hall aside from the Ye family members was sharp-witted enough to see through their intentions, which only deepened their disdain for the family's behavior.

Mo Xiaobao, nestled in Xu Qingchen's arms, asked curiously, "Mother, are Grandfather and Great-Grandmother going to live with us?"

Ye Li smiled without answering and instead asked her son gently, "Would Xiao Bao like that?"

Mo Xiaobao hesitated before asking in confusion, "Why do Grandfather and Great-Grandmother need to live with us? Didn't Granduncle prepare a house for them? Is their house uninhabitable?" Ye Laofuren looked at Mo Xiaobao affectionately and said, "Your mother is expecting, so Great-Grandmother will stay to take care of her. And your grandfather can teach you to read—he was once a jinshi, you know. And your Rong uncle can play with you too."

Mo Xiaobao, unimpressed, pouted and buried his face in Xu Qingchen's chest. This young master doesn’t want to play with someone so ugly—and not just ugly, but stupid too! He didn’t even realize Granduncle was mocking him and just laughed foolishly! This young master would rather play with Little Uncle or Han Mingxi.

"What’s a jinshi? Is it impressive?" Mo Xiaobao blinked and asked.

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. "Your Grand Tutor, Granduncle, and uncles have all earned the title of jinshi." While a jinshi might be highly regarded elsewhere, in the Xu Family, it was the most common achievement. For generations, every Xu descendant had at least passed the imperial examinations with jinshi honors—meaning that in the Xu Family, becoming a jinshi was merely proof of completing one's studies. Hearing this, Mo Xiaobao looked at Ye Laofuren earnestly and said, "Our family has... one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight... eight jinshi. And... I have the Grand Tutor to teach me. Is Grandfather even better than the Grand Tutor?"

Ye Wenhua broke into a cold sweat and quickly forced a smile. "Your Grand Tutor’s scholarship is unparalleled in the world. Studying under him is a tremendous blessing. How could I possibly compare...?"

Mo Xiaobao’s bluntness left Ye Laofuren visibly displeased. She grew even more resentful of this great-grandson who had shown her no respect from the start. Still, she retained enough sense to remember that Mo Xiaobao’s status was not something she could casually reprimand.

Ye Li watched as her son, still nestled in Xu Qingchen’s arms, playfully stuck out his tongue at her. She chuckled softly before turning to Ye Wenhua and asking calmly, "Father, is there something unsatisfactory about your current residence?"

Ye Wenhua hurriedly replied, "No, no. Second Brother arranged a spacious residence on Xuanwu Street. It’s perfectly comfortable." After years apart, he no longer felt the same paternal authority over this daughter. Instead, he found himself inexplicably uneasy. Though Ye Li remained as gentle and refined as ever, her experiences as a leader and her time on the battlefield had inevitably instilled in her an undeniable air of authority and dignity. Those who saw her daily might not notice, but Ye Wenhua could clearly sense how much she had changed.

Ye Li nodded. "Good. If there are any serious issues, please raise them now so no one mistakenly believes Wang Ye mistreats his elders."Ye Wenhua hastily assured her that everything was fine. He understood clearly that this was Ye Li's warning to him—if he stayed quietly in Li Cheng, he would want for nothing, but if he entertained any improper ambitions, she wouldn't hesitate to act against him as his daughter. Though it pained him to be treated this way by his own child, memories of how he had neglected Xu Shi and Ye Li in the past surfaced in his mind, making him feel even more guilty.

Seeing Ye Wenhua's reaction, Ye Li nodded in satisfaction. The man wasn’t actually foolish—though he had once been obsessed with climbing the social ladder and had treated his lawful wife poorly, at least he wasn’t a complete idiot. If it were just him, Ye Li wouldn’t have minded letting him live comfortably in Li Cheng for the rest of his life, fulfilling the bare minimum of familial duty. Unfortunately, Ye Laofuren and Ye Wangshi were anything but well-behaved, and Ye Wenhua clearly lacked the ability to restrain his wife and mother. She would have to assign people to keep an eye on them to prevent any trouble.

Xu Hongyu and the others had only come to make an appearance—they were far too busy to waste time chatting with Ye Wenhua. After sitting for a short while, Xu Hongyu and the others rose to escort Mr. Qingyun to rest, while Xu Qingchen took the opportunity to drag Mo Xiaobao, who had been clinging to him, away as well. This left only Ye Li and Ye Wenhua to catch up. Even so, Ye Laofuren had no chance to approach Ye Li with any affectionate words. As soon as the Xu Family members left, Qingshuang and Qin Feng entered, standing protectively on either side of Ye Li while eyeing the Ye Family warily. It wasn’t always like this, but after the incident in the Western Mausoleum Imperial City, Qin Feng and the others had been thoroughly frightened. Now, they truly treated Ye Li as if she were a delicate, defenseless woman. Whenever outsiders were present, at least one of them—whether Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing, or Lin Han—would remain within three steps of her. Though Ye Li found it somewhat exasperating, she understood their concern and didn’t protest.

With several people gone, the parlor grew much quieter. Without Mr. Qingyun and Xu Hongyu present, Ye Wenhua visibly relaxed.

A long silence stretched before Ye Wenhua finally cleared his throat and asked, "How have you been these past few years, Li'er?" Ye Li nodded slightly, smiling faintly. "Thank you for your concern, Father. Everything is well."

With the Xu Family no longer present, Ye Laofuren grew bolder. She looked at Ye Li and said, "I heard you followed Prince Ding to war? A woman should stay at home, tending to her husband and children. What were you doing on the battlefield? People might think our family lacks proper upbringing." Having been slighted earlier by Mo Xiaobao, Ye Laofuren didn’t dare vent her anger on the Xu Family, but she had no reservations about scolding Ye Li.

The moment the words left her mouth, Ye Wenhua’s heart sank at the slight cooling of Ye Li’s smile. He knew this wouldn’t end well.Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Grandmother worries too much. Even if people say anything, it will be about the Xu Family's poor upbringing, not the Ye Family." Although the whole world knew that Princess Ding's surname was Ye, very few outside the noble circles of Chu Jing knew exactly which Ye Family she came from or who its members were. In a few more years, even the nobles of Chu Jing might forget the once-prominent Ye Family. However, Ye Li's connection to the Xu Family was universally known. Ye Laofuren's stern reprimand was met with Ye Li's unyielding yet polite rebuttal, leaving her face alternating between pale and red as she glared at Ye Li, speechless for a long moment.

Ye Li paid her no further mind and turned her gaze to Ye Lin, who was sitting at the very back. With a gentle smile, she asked, "Is this Sixth Sister? And this is..." Ye Lin, appearing somewhat nervous, quickly stepped forward and bowed gracefully. "Lin'er greets Third Sister. This is my husband, Shen Liang." The young man beside Ye Lin also hurriedly bowed toward Ye Li's hem. "Shen Liang pays respects to Princess Ding." His manner was awkward, but it was clear he was an honest man. Recalling how Ye Lin, at a young age, had been adept at flattering Ye Wangshi and Ye Ying, Ye Li couldn't help but think that such a husband was likely not what she had originally hoped for. Yet, Ye Li had to admit that marrying a man like Shen Liang might have been Ye Lin's true blessing.

"Why didn't Fifth Sister come?" Ye Li inquired. She had never been particularly close to her half-sisters Ye Lin and Ye Shan, but she harbored no strong resentment toward them either. Though they had once sided with Wang Shi to curry favor with Ye Ying and occasionally slighted her, their actions had been driven by survival. Holding grudges over such past matters against girls who had been only twelve or thirteen at the time would have been beneath her.

Ye Wenhua sighed softly and recounted the events of the Ye Family over the past few years to Ye Li. In truth, there was little of significance—only that Ye Lin and Ye Shan had been married off to decent local families upon their return to their hometown. However, three years prior, Ye Shan had passed away due to complications during childbirth. Ye Lin now had a daughter but no son yet. Shen Liang's family had been local merchants, but as a lesser son, he had inherited little. With the western regions now occupied by Western Liang and in chaos, Shen Liang had taken his modest share of the family wealth and followed the Ye Family to the northwest.

Shen Liang's luck, however, had been poor. He had initially hoped that, with the Ye Family having produced a Princess Ding, he might set up a small business in Li Cheng and receive some support from the princess out of respect for the Ye name. But upon arriving in Li Cheng, he quickly realized that the Ye Family was far from harmonious and had stirred up plenty of trouble. As a lesser son, Shen Liang had learned early to read the room. It didn’t take him long to understand that, in Princess Ding's eyes, the Ye Family was nowhere near as important as they claimed. Given their behavior, it was only a matter of time before they angered Prince Ding's Estate, and he didn’t want to be dragged down with them. With this in mind, Shen Liang shelved his plans to open a couple of shops and decided to wait and see. If things turned sour, he would simply move elsewhere—after all, the northwest had more cities than just Li Cheng.Ye Li listened calmly as Ye Wenhua finished recounting these trivial matters before nodding slightly and smiling at Shen Liang. "In that case, do your best to manage your affairs in Li Cheng. While Li Cheng may not excel in everything, it is certainly more stable than other places. If you encounter difficulties due to your status, you can seek out the head of the Han family for assistance. Since Lin'er is my half-sister, I would naturally be pleased to see you both doing well."

Upon hearing this, Shen Liang quickly bowed to Ye Li and said, "Thank you, Wang Fei. Under the governance of Wang Ye and Wang Fei, Li Cheng's prosperity is unmatched elsewhere." With Princess Ding's words, Shen Liang felt reassured. He understood her meaning—while the rest of the Ye family was another matter, she would not hold their actions against him. If he faced any hardships, she would offer some help for the sake of his wife, as long as he knew his place. In truth, Shen Liang was already content with Ye Li's assurance. As a son born of a concubine, life had never been easy for him. Though he had no grand ambitions for wealth or status, he certainly didn’t want to be dragged down by his wife’s family. Noticing the faint envy in his wife’s eyes as she looked at the princess, Shen Liang resolved inwardly to keep a tighter rein on her upon their return, ensuring she wouldn’t follow the reckless ways of those two from the Ye family.

"Li'er..." Ye Wangshi, who had been sitting silently to the side, finally couldn’t hold back and called out. Ye Li raised a brow faintly, but Qingshuang, standing behind her, couldn’t suppress her irritation. Lifting her chin, she said sharply, "Madam Ye, while Ye Laofuren and Ye Wenhua are elders of our Wang Fei and thus entitled to some courtesy, you share no such relation with her. It is hardly appropriate for you to address her by her maiden name."

Ye Wangshi flushed red and forced a smile. "What do you mean by that, miss? As the princess’s stepmother, why can’t I call her by her name?"

Qingshuang sneered. "Madam Ye, you were merely elevated from concubine to wife. Reputable noble families do not recognize such a practice—you aren’t even considered a proper stepmother. At best, you’re a nominal mother by marriage. Our Wang Fei is now Princess Ding, the legitimate daughter of the Ye family. What right do you have to address her so familiarly? Ignorance of etiquette might have been overlooked before, especially when you could rely on your daughter’s status as Zhaoyi to shield you, but even now, Madam Ye, you still don’t understand propriety?" To put it bluntly, the Ye family’s past conduct had been disgraceful. While Great Chu didn’t forbid raising a concubine to wife as the previous dynasty had, respectable families neither acknowledged nor practiced such a thing. Back in Chu Jing, though no one openly criticized it, Ye Wangshi had been quietly scorned by many.

Stung by Qingshuang’s merciless words, Ye Wangshi’s expression darkened further. Humiliated and indignant, she was about to retort when Ye Wenhua interjected coolly, "Address her as Wang Fei."

Though unwilling, Ye Wangshi dared not defy her husband in front of her mother-in-law, so she lowered her head and murmured, "Wang Fei."

Ye Li gave a faint nod. "Did you have something to say, Madam Wang?"Ye Wangshi's lips twitched, her expression growing even stiffer. While others addressed her as Madam Ye, Ye Li deliberately called her Madam Wang—it was practically no different from directly calling her Wang Shi. Though seething with hatred inside, Wang Shi could only suppress her anger and force a smile. "Wang Fei, the matter is this: your younger brother is nearly of age for the capping ceremony, yet he remains idle at home. I was wondering if Wang Fei could arrange a position for Rong'er, to help him make some progress." Hearing this, Ye Laofuren's heart stirred as well, and she looked up at Ye Li seated above them.

Ye Wangshi shot Ye Rong a meaningful glance. Perhaps he had been coached beforehand, for he refrained from making a scene this time and obediently called out, "Third Sister, Rong'er has grown up and can now share your and brother-in-law's burdens."

Ye Li smiled amiably at the plump, round-faced Ye Rong before her, her lips curving slightly as she asked, "Oh? And what would you like to do, Rong'er?"

Ye Rong's eyes lit up with delight. "Rong'er wants to be the city's garrison commander!"

Behind Ye Li, Qin Feng's mouth twitched imperceptibly as he gave Ye Rong's pudgy frame a once-over. In his heart, he scoffed: You want to command Li Cheng's garrison? Any random foot soldier in the city could knock you flat with one punch.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "How ambitious. And why do you want to be garrison commander?"

Ye Rong said arrogantly, "A few days ago, I ran into some brat who claimed to be a general's grandson. Once I become the captain, I’ll take my men and give him a good beating!"

"Rong'er!" Ye Wangshi called out, but Ye Rong was too caught up in his excitement to hear her.

"You disgrace!" Ye Wenhua scolded furiously.

Narrowing her eyes, Ye Li said coldly, "So you plan to lead your men to beat someone up? Do you know what punishment awaits a captain who instigates trouble?"

Ye Rong froze, clearly unaware that leading such an act would warrant punishment. "What?"

"Immediate execution!" Ye Li snapped. "Now that I think of it, I haven’t even questioned you about your altercation with General Yuan’s grandson the other day. Who gave you the audacity to abuse Prince Ding’s name and act lawlessly in Li Cheng?"

Ye Laofuren quickly interjected, "Li'er, this isn’t Rong'er’s fault. The other party was the one who—"

Ye Li let out a cold laugh. "Grandmother, do you know General Yuan’s grandson is only ten years old? How old is Ye Rong? He couldn’t even beat a ten-year-old, yet he shamelessly used Prince Ding’s name to bully him. General Yuan, over sixty, still risks his life on the battlefield for Prince Ding’s Estate, and now his grandson is being harassed in Li Cheng by the Wang Fei’s own family? How am I supposed to explain this to the old general?" Her anger flared as she slammed the table with a loud bang, startling Ye Rong.

Though frightened, Ye Rong stubbornly retorted, "It wasn’t my fault! That brat was blocking my way when I was in a hurry—"

Slap!

Ye Wenhua finally lost his temper and struck Ye Rong across the face. Since arriving in Li Cheng, he had mostly kept to himself, only visiting Prince Ding’s Estate twice, and had no idea such incidents had occurred. "You disgrace, shut your mouth!"

"Master, how could you—" Seeing her son struck, Ye Wangshi couldn’t stay silent.

"Silence!" Ye Wenhua shot her a cold glare before turning to Ye Li. "Li'er, it’s my fault for failing to discipline this disgrace. We’ll take our leave now. You should... rest well. We won’t disturb you further."

Ignoring the displeased expressions of Ye Laofuren and Ye Wangshi, he strode out first. Though resentful, Ye Laofuren had no choice but to follow—after all, her son was her sole support.

With tears in her eyes, Ye Wangshi could only drag her son away.