Mo Li

After inviting Ren Qining and his entourage into the estate, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li personally accompanied them to meet Mr. Qingyun.

As Ren Qining and his party walked through Prince Ding's Estate, they couldn’t help but show a hint of surprise at the scenery within the courtyards. Although the estate was located at the very center of Li Cheng and was the largest residence in the city, it paled in comparison to the palaces of other nations. Even the original Prince Ding's Estate in Chu Jing was slightly larger. Moreover, the estate lacked the ornate carvings and exotic flowers that outsiders might have imagined. The front courtyard, where daily administrative affairs were handled, was clean and simple yet still exuded grandeur. The rear courtyards, reserved for daily living, were tranquil and serene.

Such an estate was by no means inferior, but given Mo Xiuyao’s current reputation, it seemed somewhat modest. Ren Qining glanced at the white-haired man walking ahead of him, his gaze profound. Such a demeanor—if it wasn’t that he truly had no ambition to rule the world, then it must be part of a greater scheme. Quickly, Ren Qining dismissed the first possibility. If Mo Xiuyao had no desire to dominate, what was the purpose of his relentless campaigns to the south and north?

Mr. Qingyun was temporarily staying in a secluded courtyard deep within the estate. Though Prince Ding's Estate wasn’t particularly large, its rules were strictly observed. Many officials and generals who came and went daily only visited the front courtyard or the main residence where Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li lived, rarely disturbing others. Thus, the rear half of the estate remained exceptionally peaceful.

Standing at the gate, Ye Li asked the attendant outside to announce their arrival before turning to the blue-clad woman closely following Ren Qining and said, “Yun Fei, please wait in the side hall for tea for now.”

Yun Fei was taken aback and looked at Ye Li with displeasure. “This consort has come sincerely to offer birthday wishes to Mr. Qingyun. What does Wang Fei mean by this?”

Ye Li frowned slightly and addressed Ren Qining, “King of the Northern Border, in our Central Plains, it is not customary to bring concubines to birthday celebrations. Please forgive the oversight.”

At these words, Ren Qining’s expression darkened. He was originally from the Central Plains, born into what was once the most orthodox imperial family of the region. Even though the Lin imperial clan had long ceased to exist, he had not neglected any of the proper teachings. Ye Li’s words were clearly mocking him for lacking etiquette, as if he were a barbarian.

“Your Majesty…” Yun Fei hadn’t expected Ye Li to slight her so openly. She glared at Ye Li with resentment before tugging at Ren Qining’s sleeve, her eyes brimming with tears.

Beside them, Queen Helan laughed heartily and said, “Princess Ding must have misunderstood. Not only in your Central Plains but even in our Northern Border, such a custom doesn’t exist. It’s just that His Majesty favors Yun Fei and allows her to accompany him. She can wait outside until we return.” Indeed, the Northern Border had no such tradition. Noble families there were governed by the principal wife, and concubines were viewed no differently than maidservants by the noblewomen of the north. Thus, noblewomen of the Northern Border would never willingly become concubines.

Ye Li smiled faintly. “I see.”

Just then, the attendant returned and invited everyone inside. Yun Fei hastily tugged at Ren Qining again, gazing at him pitifully. “Your Majesty…”

Ren Qining frowned slightly and said, “Wait outside.”"Junior Lin Yuan pays respects to Mr. Qingyun." In the small courtyard, Mr. Qingyun had been brewing tea when he heard the servant's announcement and invited Ye Li and the others inside. Before Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao could step forward to introduce themselves, Ren Qining took the lead, offering a slight bow as he spoke.

Mr. Qingyun paused his task and looked up at Ren Qining with deliberate confusion. "Lin Yuan? Though this old man is aged, I recall the King of the Northern Border should bear the surname Ren?" Ren Qining smiled faintly. "Lin Yuan is Ren Qining. I am Lin Yuan, descendant of the Lin imperial lineage, paying respects to Mr. Qingyun." Beside them, Mo Xiuyao's expression turned cold. No wonder Ren Qining had been so eager to visit Mr. Qingyun first—this was less about offering birthday wishes and more about stirring trouble. Back then, the Xu Family's patriarch had killed the last emperor of the fallen dynasty and surrendered the city. The Xu Family had since been favored by successive Chu emperors, earning their current reputation as the foremost scholarly family in the realm. Ren Qining's move was clearly meant to remind Mr. Qingyun that the Xu Family's status had been built on betraying the former imperial house.

Mr. Qingyun studied Ren Qining for a long moment before finally smiling. "So a branch of the former imperial lineage still survives in this world? Not bad. The King of the Northern Border has achieved much—enough to honor your ancestors."

Ren Qining looked at Mr. Qingyun intently and asked, "This junior wishes to reclaim our lost lands and restore the imperial house. Does Mr. Qingyun believe it possible?"

"Possible," Mr. Qingyun replied. "In this world, nothing is truly impossible or inevitable. If Young Master Lin has such aspirations, why not?"

A flicker passed through Ren Qining's eyes as he pressed further, "Does Mr. Qingyun believe this junior will succeed?"

Mr. Qingyun fell silent for a moment before asking, "If the King of the Northern Border truly unifies the realm, will this land... bear the surname Ren or Lin? Will it be called the Northern Border or Great Qin?" At this, Ren Qining's expression shifted slightly, and he forced a smile. "Such matters can be discussed once the land is secured." Mr. Qingyun shook his head. "If the King of the Northern Border cannot decide, he will never unify the realm." Ren Qining paled but remained silent.

Ye Li stepped forward with a light smile. "Grandfather, why are you brewing tea alone? Are Elder Su and Mr. Xiuting not here?"

Mr. Qingyun poured tea for them and gestured for them to sit, smiling as he replied, "They're in the study playing chess. At my age, I can't bear sitting still for too long, so I came out for some tea. Speaking of which, where have Yu Chen and the other boys been these past few days? If no one calls for them, they don’t even come to see this old man?" Ye Li covered her lips with a chuckle. "Grandfather gave them a break these past few days, and they’ve been hovering around their little siblings in the courtyard." The two babies, now over a month old, had grown plump and rosy, utterly adorable. Led by Mo Xiaobao, the three little rascals spent their days circling the infants, their usual wild antics forgotten. They certainly weren’t about to come to the courtyard for Mr. Qingyun’s lessons. "If Grandfather is bored, Li’er can send the boys over to keep you company. Just don’t mind their mischief."

Mr. Qingyun waved a hand dismissively. "Never mind. Those boys have grown even more unruly this year. Let me enjoy a couple of peaceful days."Seven or eight-year-old boys are at that age where even cats and dogs find them annoying, and a naturally clever little imp like Mo Xiaobao is even more of a handful. Leading two younger kids around Prince Ding's Estate, wreaking havoc wherever they go, he's become a terror to all. If it weren't for Xu Qingchen in the past and now Ye Li keeping him in check, he'd probably have taken his mischief beyond the estate walls. But lately, for the sake of the two newborns, he's been uncharacteristically quiet for quite some time. Every time Ye Li sees Mo Xiaobao leaning over the cradle, talking to the babies who can't understand a word, she feels certain he'll make a wonderful big brother.

After chatting with Mr. Qingyun for a while, Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao accompanied Ren Qining out. Something Mr. Qingyun said seemed to have struck a chord with Ren Qining, leaving his face pale as they departed. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li pretended not to notice, simply arranging for Ren Qining and his party to be escorted back to the guesthouse to rest before going about their business.

Returning to the main courtyard, in a specially designated room near the bedroom, two plump, soft little dumplings lay side by side in a spacious rocking cradle. Barely a month old, the babies had already grown fair and adorable, their delicate little faces so cute one could hardly resist biting them. Three children of varying heights stood around the cradle, gazing eagerly at the two precious infants. Surprisingly well-behaved for once, the babies were awake, their dark little eyes open wide without a fuss.

"Sister... grow up quickly, and big brother will take you out to play..." Mo Xiaobao murmured softly, leaning over the cradle to look at the little one wrapped in red swaddling clothes. Then, turning to the baby in yellow, he added, "Little brother, you grow up fast too. Big brother will teach you martial arts, and we'll protect sister together..."

"And me! And me!" Little Leng Junhan raised his hand excitedly. "I'll protect sister too! Junhan likes sister!"

Mo Xiaobao, usually so kind to Leng Xiaodai, suddenly turned fierce. "Leng Xiaodai, how dare you take advantage of my sister?! Sister is mine—don't you dare get any ideas!" Seven-year-old Mo Xiaobao had quite the vocabulary. Leng Xiaodai tilted his nose up defiantly. "Hmph! I just like little sister!" So soft and tender... he really wanted to take a bite...

"Wipe your drool. Don't get it on sister. Gross." Xu Zhirui looked at Leng Xiaodai with disdain, his cold, serious expression mirroring his father's. Though he, too, couldn't resist the urge to pinch the little sister and brother.

Mo Xiaobao turned around, hands on his hips, glaring sternly at his two little friends. "Neither of you better have any designs on my sister! From now on, if anyone dares to, you have to help me beat them up!" The two little dumplings exchanged glances before nodding firmly at Mo Xiaobao. "Right! Whoever dares to think about sister, we'll beat them up!" Then they shot hostile looks at each other. That soft, tender little sister is mine!

Outside the door, Ye Li leaned against Mo Xiuyao, quietly laughing at the children's conversation. Mo Xiuyao held her steady, his handsome face dark with displeasure. That idiot Mo Xiaobao—all those years of teaching him, wasted. The first ones scheming after his sister were the two right in front of him!

Stepping into the room, Ye Li asked with a smile, "Xiao Bao, Zhi Rui, Junhan, what are you all up to?"Seeing their parents return, Mo Xiaobao joyfully ran up to greet them, not forgetting to boast, "Mother, I've been protecting my little brother and sister."

Mo Xiuyao walked over and picked up the baby from the cradle, dismissing the nursemaid who had been watching over them. Looking down at the little one in his arms, his eyes filled with tender affection. "Our little princess is awake and hasn't cried... so well-behaved. Not at all like your brother, who cried all day long when he was little. Father almost thought he could do nothing but cry." Mo Xiaobao, slandered by his own father in front of his sister, glared at Mo Xiuyao indignantly. Mo Xiuyao responded with a disdainful, challenging look, lifting the soft little princess higher so Mo Xiaobao couldn't see her no matter how much he craned his neck.

I'll definitely grow taller than Father one day! Mo Xiaobao vowed silently in his heart, both frustrated and furious.

Ye Li smiled and patted her son's little head. Mo Xiaobao immediately grabbed the hem of his mother's clothes, aggrieved. "Mother, Father is bullying Xiao Bao..." Ye Li lightly flicked his forehead and chuckled, "You've been staying here watching your sister these days. Have you been doing your studies?" Mo Xiaobao rubbed his forehead. "Grand Tutor said there wouldn't be any lessons these days..."

"Grand Tutor is getting older, and there's been a lot going on recently, so he hasn't been teaching. Does that mean you don't have to study? How many days has it been since you practiced writing or read a book?" Ye Li looked down at her son, her expression teasing.

"Three days..." Mo Xiaobao admitted quietly, knowing he was in the wrong. "Mother, I was wrong..."

"It's good that you know you were wrong. Learning requires persistence, understand?"

"I understand. I'll make up for the days I missed right away." Mo Xiaobao nodded repeatedly. Ye Li then bent down and kissed his forehead, smiling. "That's a good boy. Have lunch first before you go, and don't overwork yourself. Everything should be done in moderation, understand?"

"Yes, I understand. I'll come see my little brother and sister again in the evening." Mo Xiaobao nodded firmly and left with Xu Zhirui and Leng Junhan. Watching the three children reluctantly depart, Ye Li couldn't help but laugh softly. She walked over and picked up the baby from the cradle. The little one's eyes were wide open, and upon seeing Ye Li, he giggled happily. Seeing her son so adorable and well-behaved, Ye Li's smile grew even more tender. Mo Xiuyao, holding the little princess, glanced over, his gaze settling on the giggling baby in Ye Li's arms. His handsome eyes narrowed. "A Li, you hold the little princess. Let me take this little guy."

Ye Li exchanged the babies with him, somewhat puzzled. Did it really matter who held whom? And didn't Mo Xiuyao always prefer holding their daughter?

"Waaah..." The moment the baby was in Mo Xiuyao's arms, he immediately started wailing loudly, showing no mercy. Seemingly affected by his cries, the little princess in Ye Li's arms also began whimpering. Mo Xiuyao's expression darkened as he glared at the baby in his arms. "Quiet!"

"Waaah!" The baby.

"Wuwu..." The little princess.

"Quiet!"

"Waaah!"Holding the little princess and gently soothing her, Ye Li had a dark expression on her face. However, the two noisy figures beside her made it impossible to calm the usually well-behaved little princess. With an exasperated sigh, she took the baby from Mo Xiuyao's arms and handed the little princess over to him. Only then could Ye Li focus on comforting the baby. "Be good, my precious. Your father is being mean, let's ignore him… shh, don’t cry…"

The man sitting nearby, cradling his daughter, immediately darkened his expression. "A Li…"

Ye Li shot him an annoyed glare. "How could he understand when you laugh at him? And then you shout—what if you scare him?"

Mo Xiuyao gave the little bundle occupying his wife’s embrace a sidelong glance, grumbling inwardly: That little rascal is clearly challenging me—where’s the fear? Damn brat. Why couldn’t A Li have given birth to two little princesses instead? Look at how well-behaved his precious daughter is.

"A Li, has Mr. Qingyun decided on the baby’s name yet?" Mo Xiuyao asked while gazing at the little princess in his arms. The little princess was exquisitely beautiful, and though barely over a month old, her features already bore a striking resemblance to Ye Li’s. Even the Xu Family remarked that she looked exactly like A Li did as a child. Most importantly, her eyes resembled his. Truly his precious daughter—she knew exactly how to inherit the best features. Anyone could tell at a glance that she was the beloved child of him and A Li. But that damned boy! Mo Xiuyao glanced at the baby boy in Ye Li’s arms. Why did he have to look like Xu Qingchen?! Sure, nephews often resemble their uncles, but Xu Qingchen was only a cousin-uncle, for heaven’s sake!

In truth, Mo Xiuyao was overthinking it. The baby didn’t resemble Xu Qingchen—he took after Ye Li’s late mother, Madam Xu. Back in the day, Madam Xu had been one of the most renowned beauties of the Xu Family and was Xu Qingchen’s paternal aunt. Naturally, there was some resemblance upon closer inspection. The little one inherited Madam Xu’s looks, hence the similarity to Xu Qingchen.

"Not yet. Grandfather said he wants to think it over carefully. We can give him a nickname for now." In truth, naming a baby wasn’t urgent until their first birthday. But constantly calling him "baby" was inconvenient, especially now that there were two. Mo Xiuyao also felt they should put some thought into it, especially for his little princess. He had originally wanted to name her himself, but after drafting a long list of names only to reject them all, Prince Ding found himself doubting his own knowledge for the first time in his life. He couldn’t even come up with a good name for his precious child?!

"Then let’s pick a nickname first. What should we call him…?" Mo Xiuyao tilted his head, eyeing the little boy in Ye Li’s arms who was giggling foolishly while clutching her finger. A mischievous grin spread across his face. "Let’s follow Mo Xiaobao’s example—how about… Mo Xiaobei?"

Ye Li could already imagine the resentful look the child would give them when he grew up. She rolled her eyes at him. "You’re thinking of a girl’s name, aren’t you?" Mo Xiaobao was already pushing it—barely passable as a boy’s name. But Xiaobei? Their son would cry himself to death later. Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "No way. I’ve already decided on our little princess’s nickname. We’ll call her Xin’er—the apple of mine and A Li’s eyes. Now everything’s perfect, isn’t it?"

"Are you sure that sounds better than Xiaobei?" Should she be grateful he didn’t go with "Little Sweetheart"?

"Xin’er is lovely, don’t you think, A Li? Mo Xiaobei, Xin’er…"Ye Li looked up at the sky speechlessly, her heart softening at the sight of Mo Xiuyao holding the little princess with such delight. Fine, Xin'er it is then, but... "There's no Mo Xiaobei. The little brother's nickname is Lin'er." Some principles must be upheld—she didn’t want her son to grow up feeling insecure over a nickname. Mo Xiuyao gazed reluctantly at Lin'er, who had almost been named Mo Xiaobei, but seeing Ye Li’s resolute expression, he had no choice but to give in. "Sweet little Xin'er, Daddy loves you the most," he cooed.

Ye Li watched helplessly as the man suddenly turned childish. Was this blatant favoritism toward their daughter really okay?

Years later, the second son of the Mo family, who had already made a name for himself across the land, once confided to his most trusted companion that the person he revered, respected, and was most grateful to in his life was his mother. Not because she gave birth to him, nor because she loved and raised him, but because she had firmly saved his name, sparing him the tragic fate that had befallen his elder brother. Just imagining standing before thousands, basking in their adoration with sword in hand, only for an acquaintance to suddenly shout, "Mo Xiaobei! So-and-so is calling for you..."—what a devastatingly humiliating scenario that would have been.

Of course, the still-clueless Second Young Master Mo had no idea how narrowly he had escaped such a miserable destiny. So he simply lay in his mother’s arms, giggling happily. Little Princess Xin'er seemed to sense her brother’s joy and laughed along. Ye Li smiled warmly at the two adorable babies in their arms, her expression growing even more tender. Mo Xiuyao glanced at his wife, then at the little princess in his arms, silently resigning himself to the fact that the toothless little rascal had taken over his beloved’s embrace.

Each holding a baby, they sat down. No matter how busy she was, Ye Li always made sure to pull Mo Xiuyao along every day to hold and play with the children. This was a lesson learned from the seemingly innate discord between Mo Xiaobao and his father—Ye Li firmly believed it was because they had spent too little time together when Xiaobao was young.

"Xiu Yao, what do you think of Queen Helan?" Ye Li asked, gently teasing little Lin'er with one hand.

Mo Xiuyao pondered for a moment before frowning slightly. "She seems decent. It’s rare for a woman from the Northern Frontier to be so bold yet still know her limits. Do you like her, A Li?"

Ye Li chuckled. "I feel like... Queen Helan is quite extraordinary. But her relationship with Ren Qining doesn’t seem great."

"Queen Helan is the cousin of Ren Qining’s late wife. After the former queen’s death, the Northern Frontier’s internal factions have been locked in disputes over who should be the new queen. Ren Qining’s confidants from the Lin faction naturally hoped he would marry a woman from the Central Plains as queen, but even the most simple-minded Northerners wouldn’t easily concede on matters of succession. In the end, the Northern faction likely prevailed, leading to Helan becoming queen. With that kind of background, it’s no surprise their relationship is strained."

Ye Li rubbed her temples. "Even so, Ren Qining is going too far." Visiting another country without the queen was one thing, but bringing a Side Consort along while the queen was present was a blatant insult. "Even if you hadn’t acted against the former queen, Ren Qining would probably have done it himself within a few years, right? In a way, did you just solve a problem for him?"Mo Xiuyao remained indifferent and smiled faintly, "Isn't he facing new troubles now? Moreover... A Li's intuition isn't wrong. This Queen Helan is likely even more formidable than the previous queen." The former queen was originally the princess of the largest tribe in the northern territories. Though a woman of barbarian origins, her methods were extraordinary, earning her considerable prestige among the northern ministers. It was precisely because of this that the once harmonious marital relationship gradually soured.

As for the current queen, she appeared flamboyant and unrestrained, seemingly lacking cunning. But who was Mo Xiuyao? If one wanted to play the fool to deceive the tiger, no one in this world could surpass him. "Ren Qining thinks too highly of himself. After exploiting the northerners, he intends to discard them. I fear he will eventually be overwhelmed by his own schemes and reap what he sows."

Ye Li couldn't help but smile, "So it seems my intuition wasn't wrong. Was Queen Helan just showing us goodwill earlier?"

Mo Xiuyao said, "A Li, don't overthink it. If you like her, there's no harm in befriending her. If not, just ignore her. As for dealing with Ren Qining, I have plenty of methods at my disposal."

Ye Li smiled gently, "It's no trouble. I actually find this Queen Helan quite interesting. Perhaps we could invite her to the palace for tea and conversation in a couple of days." Mo Xiuyao didn't object to Ye Li's suggestion, "You may arrange it as you see fit."

Lowering her head with an amused smile, Ye Li played with Xiao Bao. Ren Qining had grown far too complacent in his arrogance. She wondered what expression he would make when one day he was stabbed in the back by someone close to him?