Mo Li

After comforting Ye Ying, Mo Jingli turned and left alone for his study. Sitting in the study, he frowned in contemplation over the results of his earlier conversation with Ye Yue at the Ye family residence. From any perspective, offending Mo Xiuyao in Li Cheng over Ye Yue was an extremely unwise decision. Mo Jingli was never the type to lose his head over women. However, Ye Yue held a condition that made it impossible to refuse.

Retrieving a small jade-green porcelain bottle from his sleeve, Mo Jingli’s eyes gleamed with a faint but unmistakable eagerness.

Bringing Ye Yue back to the southwest—if successful—would yield rewards ten, even a hundred times greater than the cost.

In truth, Mo Jingli could be considered to have saved Ye Li’s life back then. The Empress Dowager had originally intended to kill Ye Li, and Ye Yue, pressured by her, had no choice but to comply. However, Mo Jingli had not wanted Ye Li dead at the time, so after Ye Yue’s plan was set in motion, he intervened and had Ye Li taken out of the palace. If not for that, Ye Li might truly have been killed by Ye Yue back then. After taking Ye Li away, Mo Jingli had paid no further attention to Ye Yue—a mere concubine of his imperial brother and a pawn in his mother’s schemes was not worth his concern. Thus, when Ye Yue was later reported to have perished in a fire, he simply assumed it was the Empress Dowager’s doing to silence her.

Yet, against all odds, Ye Yue had not died. She had evaded the Empress Dowager, the palace, and even Prince Ding’s Estate’s surveillance, living safely all these years—even making her way to Li Cheng, right under Mo Xiuyao’s nose.

Without a doubt, compared to the merely beautiful Ye Ying, Ye Yue was the truly clever one. Even among the women in his imperial brother’s harem, Ye Yue stood out as the most intelligent. If he could bring Ye Yue back to the south, then… the Empress Dowager, who had been a constant thorn in his side, would no longer be an obstacle.

The Empress Dowager had spent decades consolidating power in the palace. Even during Mo Jingqi’s reign, he had been constrained by her at every turn—let alone Mo Jingli, whose hold on authority paled in comparison. Logically, after Mo Jingqi’s years of suppression and the final blow before his death, the Empress Dowager’s influence should have been on the verge of collapse. Yet, after Mo Jingli ascended to power, she seemed divinely aided, somehow regaining her footing in the court.

Mo Jingli knew there had to be outside interference behind this resurgence. He even knew who was responsible—yet he was powerless to act. He could suppress the Empress Dowager’s faction, but he could not afford to engage in a mutually destructive struggle that would only benefit others.

Mo Jingli understood better than anyone the ruthlessness and cunning of his mother. He was acutely aware that, in the Empress Dowager’s heart, propping up Mo Suoyun—that seven- or eight-year-old brat—as emperor would please her far more than seeing her own son on the throne. Ever since the matter of her forced suicide burial had been quietly dropped, Mo Jingli often wondered if his mother was ceaselessly plotting to depose him at every opportunity.But with Ye Yue, it was different. Ye Yue held some leverage over the Empress Dowager. If used well, she could even wipe out the Empress Dowager's entire faction. Ye Yue was clever—while being threatened and manipulated by the Empress Dowager, she had secretly gathered quite a bit of the Empress Dowager's **. In fact, if Ye Yue hadn't left too early, Mo Jingli even believed she would have been able to extract the whereabouts of his son from Mo Jingqi's mouth. It was just a pity that compared to Ye Li, Ye Yue's luck was truly terrible. During Mo Jingqi's lifetime, he favored Consort Liu more than Ye Yue, so even someone as intelligent as her could only keep a low profile in the palace. And how could a mere concubine stand against the authority of the Empress Dowager, especially when even her own father sided with the Empress Dowager?

After pondering for a long time, a glint of resolve finally flashed in Mo Jingli's eyes. Truthfully, even without the reasons above, Mo Jingli had to bring Ye Yue back. Absentmindedly rubbing the small vial in his hand, his brows furrowed even deeper. Right now, trying to smuggle Ye Yue out of Li Cheng was impossible—the tight security of Prince Ding's Estate was enough to make anyone wary. The only way was to have Ye Yue blend into Prince Ding's entourage when they left Li Cheng, slipping away unnoticed. But that was still many days away. What if something happened in the meantime? Since Ye Yue had managed to arrive in Li Cheng undetected and hide herself safely for so many years, surely she could last these few more days without incident? Mo Jingli thought to himself.

In the study of the Ye residence, Ye Wenhua sat with a gloomy expression, his already graying brows tightly knitted. Ever since Prince Li and Ye Ying had left, he had been plagued by a vague sense of unease. And then there was that person in his wife's quarters... Though he had been out of the court for many years, Ye Wenhua still trusted his instincts. This intuition for danger had helped him evade peril many times in the past. Even as the son-in-law of the Xu Family, at least during the years when the Xu Family had withdrawn from court, he had relied on his own efforts. Not only had he prevented the Ye family from declining, but he had even led it to greater prosperity.

Since coming to Li Cheng, unlike the discontented Ye Laofuren and Ye Wangshi, Ye Wenhua had been quite satisfied with his current life. He had experienced both poverty and wealth, endured years of rigorous study, and even come close to reaching the pinnacle of power. He had married the most beautiful and talented woman in Great Chu, and now his daughter was both the Regent Princess and Princess Ding of Prince Ding's Estate. And yet, he had ultimately fallen from grace to become a commoner. In the past, he might have still been obsessed with fame and fortune. But after truly witnessing the suffering of the people during wartime, he understood how precious peace was. Ye Wenhua knew very well that as long as he stayed quietly in Li Cheng, no one would dare trouble him solely because of his status as Princess Ding's father. But if he went to Jiangnan, even if Mo Jingli were to employ him, how long could Jiangnan last? To be honest, after all these years, Ye Wenhua had long given up hope in Mo Jingli's capabilities. Moreover, compared to Mo Jingli, he trusted Mo Xiuyao's character far more.

"Master, what's wrong? You look so troubled," Ye Wangshi asked with a smile as she entered, carrying a bowl of tonic.Ye Wenhua snapped back to reality, his gaze icy as he took in her smug, triumphant smile. A flicker of disgust passed through his heart. For some reason, the image of his first wife—whom he thought had long faded from his memory—appeared vividly in his mind. In that instant, he even began to question how he could have neglected his first wife for Ye Wangshi back then. In terms of beauty, talent, virtue, or family background, Xu Shi was leagues ahead of Ye Wangshi in every aspect. Perhaps... it was precisely because Xu Shi was too outstanding. A woman so exceptional, as ethereal as a celestial being, had favored a poor boy from humble origins. After the initial euphoria, what followed was a crushing sense of inadequacy and pressure that made him ashamed of himself. And then there were those envious yet peculiar looks from his colleagues...

"Immediately expel that person from your quarters," Ye Wenhua said coldly, snapping out of his thoughts as he looked at Wang Shi, whose eyes brimmed with joy.

"What?!" Wang Shi froze for a moment before shrieking.

Ye Wenhua stared at her indifferently. "Do you think I'm blind? Either you drive her out, or you leave with her!"

Wang Shi felt a chill in her heart under his gaze, but even stronger was her fury. Slamming the items in her hand onto the table, she snapped, "Since you already know, why are you still forcing me to drive her out?! You know perfectly well... you know perfectly well what will happen if Prince Ding's Estate finds out—"

Ye Wenhua cut her off impatiently. "If you knew, you shouldn’t have brought her here in the first place. Back in our hometown, no one bothered to rein you in, but do you really think no one in Li Cheng would notice? Not many have seen her, but they aren’t nonexistent!" If it weren’t for Ye Yue’s own discretion in hiding well—and the fact that she had entered the palace early, leaving few who had seen her—she would have been recognized long ago. Ye Wenhua was well aware that Prince Ding's Estate had spies secretly watching the Ye residence. Precisely because of this, Ye Yue absolutely could not stay in the estate.

In recent years, Ye Wenhua had rarely lost his temper like this, leaving Ye Wangshi momentarily stunned. After a long pause, she burst into tears. "She’s just a helpless woman. If she doesn’t come with us, how is she supposed to survive? And it’s all because of you! If we had gone straight to Jiangnan back then, it would have been better than barely scraping by here, neither full nor starving."

With war raging everywhere, even in peaceful times, it would have been difficult for a lone woman to travel from their hometown to Jiangnan—let alone under the current circumstances. If she were caught by bandits on the road, even without encountering war, she would suffer a fate worse than death.Ye Wenhua sneered at the woman's naivety before him. The Ye family's wavering between the Empress Dowager and the emperor had already displeased Mo Jingli greatly. Later, they even concealed Ye Ying's pregnancy and kept her in the capital, leading to her imprisonment and the disappearance of her swapped child. Mo Jingli was the type to repay every slight with vengeance. To believe he would treat the Ye family kindly—unless Ye Wenhua had lost his mind. But Wang Shi paid no heed to this. "No matter what, Yue Er is still your daughter. How could you be so heartless as to leave her to die? In just a few days, Prince Li has promised to take us all back to Jiangnan. Then we won’t have to suffer in Li Cheng anymore, and Rong'er will surely make something of himself. Our family will regain its former glory—what’s wrong with that? All you care about now is Ye Li, but what has she done for our family? She only thinks of her own comfort and ignores you, her father. Only my Yue Er truly cares for our family!"

"Foolish woman!" Ye Wenhua snapped angrily. She actually believed Mo Jingli would take the entire Ye family away. Had she not considered how suspicious it would look for Mo Jingli to suddenly depart with so many people? Prince Ding's Estate would surely take notice.

"I don’t care what you think, and I have no intention of going to Jiangnan," Ye Wenhua said.

Ye Wangshi was truly stunned. Wealth and status were important, and so was her daughter—but all of it depended on Ye Wenhua’s presence. She had enough self-awareness to know her son couldn’t uphold the Ye family’s standing alone. If Ye Wenhua refused to go, even if the rest of them went, life in Jiangnan would be far from comfortable. No matter how scheming Wang Shi was, she was still just a sheltered woman with little worldly experience. Abandoning her husband to follow her daughter was something she neither dared nor could do.

"Why?!" Ye Wangshi shrieked. "Do you really prefer living in Li Cheng, groveling under others? What’s wrong with Jiangnan? The Ye family will once again be respected and envied—isn’t that better than hiding in this wretched courtyard?"

"Silence!" Ye Wenhua barked.

"You’re still thinking about that woman, aren’t you?!" Wang Shi finally exploded. Though her own family wasn’t illustrious, she was still the daughter of a respectable household. Marrying into the Ye family as a concubine hadn’t been without humiliation, but the family’s mistress was someone so far beyond her that envy was impossible—only shame remained. Though Ye Wenhua had always doted on her, she knew she could never compare to Xu Shi. The unconscious emotion in Ye Wenhua’s eyes whenever he looked at Xu Shi was a poison thorn lodged in her heart, unremovable even after Xu Shi’s death. How laughable—Ye Wenhua hadn’t disliked Xu Shi. He simply didn’t dare to love her, because he knew he was unworthy of his own wife. Slap! Ye Wenhua seemed to be provoked, ruthlessly striking Wang Shi across the face with a backhanded slap. Caught off balance, Wang Shi was knocked to the ground by the sheer force of the blow. After a stunned pause, she finally broke into loud sobs.

"What is going on here?" The voice of Ye Laofuren came from outside the door.

Ye Wenhua snorted lightly and turned toward the entrance. "Mother, why have you come?" His gaze paused briefly when he noticed the person supporting Ye Laofuren before slowly shifting away.

Frowning in displeasure, Ye Laofuren said, "If I hadn’t come, would you have turned the entire estate upside down with your noise? What is the meaning of this?" Leaning on Ye Yue’s arm, she stepped into the study, while Ye Yue closed the door behind them.

"Laofuren… Yue Er…" Upon seeing Ye Laofuren and her daughter, Wang Shi cried even more bitterly. Ye Yue stepped forward to help her mother up and asked softly, "What has happened between Father and Mother? Why are you—"

Ye Wenhua scoffed coldly. "So you still remember I am your father?"

Ye Yue faltered, then a meek smile appeared on her face. "Daughter knows it was wrong to keep it hidden all this time. But the truth is… Father is also aware of what happened back then in Chu Jing. It wasn’t that Daughter wished to harm Third Sister, but circumstances forced my hand. I had no choice. These years have not been easy for me either. I beg Father to forgive me."

It had to be said—compared to Ye Ying, Ye Yue was far more eloquent and adept at understanding people’s hearts. Even someone as unyielding as Ye Wenhua couldn’t help but soften his expression. He naturally knew about the events back then. The idea that Ye Yue had suddenly decided on her own to kill Ye Li was something even he didn’t believe—likely not even Ye Li herself would believe it. At the time, the Ye family was under the Empress Dowager’s control, and if the Empress Dowager wanted Ye Li dead, Ye Yue had been coerced into it.

Looking at Ye Yue now, though her beauty remained, she had grown much thinner and paler compared to her radiant and noble appearance during her time in the Ye household and the palace. It was this very pallor and frailty that made her seem younger than her actual age, allowing her to stay hidden in Wang Shi’s quarters without drawing attention. She had clearly suffered greatly.

"Since that’s the case, stay quietly where you are. When the time is right, I’ll find a way to send you away from Li Cheng. Live under an assumed name and make a fresh start." After all, she was the daughter he had doted on since childhood. Ye Wenhua’s heart softened.

Ye Yue froze for a moment before lowering her eyes slightly. "Prince Li already knows I’m in Li Cheng. He said he would take us to Jiangnan. What Father suggests may not be possible…"

"Why on earth would Mo Jingli suddenly want to take you to Jiangnan?" Ye Wenhua asked coldly. Mo Jingli had always been someone who acted only for personal gain, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes that his feelings for Ye Ying were far from deep. For him to suddenly agree to take Ye Yue to Jiangnan—who would believe there wasn’t some ulterior motive? More importantly, even Prince Ding’s Estate hadn’t detected Ye Yue’s presence in the household before. If she hadn’t deliberately revealed herself to Mo Jingli, how would he have known her whereabouts?Ye Yue's face flashed with a hint of humiliation. Indeed, she had deliberately followed Wang Shi to Li Cheng and intentionally let Mo Jingli know she held a trump card—something of utmost importance to him. What was wrong with that? How much suffering had she endured all these years living under an assumed name? She was once an imperial consort and had a son of the late emperor's bloodline. Her son was far more intelligent than that useless Mo Suoyun currently on the throne of Chu. With the right maneuvering, she might even ascend to the position of Empress Dowager. Why should she spend the rest of her life hiding in fear under a false name?

"Father, if we go to Jiangnan, Mo Jingli has promised to support my son's ascension to the throne. Then you would become the true father of the nation, and the Ye family would flourish like never before," Ye Yue said earnestly, looking at Ye Wenhua.

However, Ye Wenhua was not as easily persuaded as she had hoped. "I have more faith that Li'er's child will one day ascend to the throne. Staying in Li Cheng at least ensures your younger brother can marry safely and continue the Ye family line." Ye Wenhua now understood that Ye Rong had long been spoiled beyond repair by Ye Laofuren and Ye Wangshi. His only hope now was that Ye Rong's future son could be properly raised to preserve the family legacy.

Hearing this, a trace of resentment flickered in Ye Yue's eyes. "In Father's eyes, am I truly so inferior to Third Sister?" If she hadn't been forced by the Empress Dowager to fake her death and live in hiding, how could she have fallen to such straits?

Ye Wenhua shook his head. "You and Li'er are different." Ye Yue was clever—perhaps even more so than Ye Li—but they were fundamentally incomparable. Had they both been confined to the inner palace, Ye Wenhua believed Ye Li might not have been a match for Ye Yue. But Ye Li's ambitions had never been limited to the harem. She possessed courage and capability rivaling any man's, enabling her to assist Prince Ding in governance and lead armies into battle. To confine such a woman to the inner court would be a waste of her talents. Often, Ye Wenhua even lamented that Ye Li hadn't been born a son—had she been male, she could have secured the Ye family's prominence for at least three generations, regardless of how the world changed.

Ye Yue understood her father's meaning. Proud as she was of her intellect, she knew she could never ride into battle or govern a realm like Ye Li. Their paths had diverged from the very beginning.

"We are indeed different. Third Sister doesn’t care about the Ye family’s rise or fall. With the Xu Family backing her, our family’s fate means nothing to her. But I’m not like that, Father. Only if the Ye family thrives can I thrive. That’s why Yue Er would never abandon our family," Ye Yue murmured softly.

Ye Wenhua remained unmoved, but Ye Laofuren, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. Everyone could see Ye Li's indifference toward the Ye family. Even if she one day became empress, the benefits would flow to the Xu Family, not the Ye family. Among all her granddaughters, Ye Laofuren had always favored Ye Yue the most. Hearing her words now, she found them utterly reasonable and opened her mouth to persuade Ye Wenhua as well.

With a weary wave of his hand, Ye Wenhua cut her off. "Mother, there’s no need to say more. The Ye family cannot leave Li Cheng."Old Madam Ye frowned and said, "What kind of talk is this? Ye Li has never held our family in any regard. Must you still go groveling to her?" She was already extremely displeased with this granddaughter who showed her no respect.

Ye Wenhua could only shake his head with a bitter smile. His mother... she was truly getting old, no longer as sharp as she had been in her youth. The Ye family had come all the way to Li Cheng, only to leave with Mo Jingli's household. Even without the matter of Ye Yue, Prince Ding's Estate would surely investigate. And once they did, how could the Ye family possibly escape? He glanced indifferently at Ye Yue and said, "Since you've decided to follow Prince Li, you should leave now."

"Father..." Ye Yue clearly hadn't expected Ye Wenhua to be so stubborn and heartless.

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Old Madam Ye was furious. "Yue Er is my granddaughter. If you want to drive her away, you might as well drive me away too!" She had long grown weary of life in Li Cheng—she wanted to go to Jiangnan. There, she would once again be the grandmother of a royal consort, the esteemed Old Madam Ye of Chu Jing.

"Master, Old Madam," a servant hurried in to announce, "Prince Ding and Princess Ding have arrived."

At this, everyone was startled. Ye Yue's face paled. She had once tried to kill Ye Li, and no matter how much she claimed she had been coerced, that fact remained unchanged. Though she had lived under an assumed name all these years, she had heard many rumors—especially of Mo Xiuyao's ruthless cruelty. The sudden news of his arrival naturally filled her with dread.

Ye Wenhua was also taken aback but quickly composed himself. Rising to his feet, he said, "Understood. We will go out to greet Prince Ding and Princess Ding."

"N-no need..." The servant stammered nervously. "Prince Ding and Princess Ding... have already entered."

The grand doors swung open from outside as Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li strolled in hand in hand. From the doorway, they could clearly see everyone in the study. Due to the backlighting, Ye Yue could only make out the two white-clad figures approaching together. The sunlight behind them formed a faint halo, as if celestial beings had descended. For a moment, their expressions remained indistinct.

As the pair drew nearer, Ye Yue instinctively took a step back. Glancing around in desperation, she realized there was nowhere to hide in the study—aside from the single door, there was no escape. She had no choice but to face Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li directly.

Upon entering, the already cramped study suddenly felt even more crowded. Mo Xiuyao frowned slightly in displeasure, leading Ye Li to the cushioned couch at the front before sitting down. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What's going on here? Why is the study so lively?"

Ye Wangshi forced a strained smile and hurriedly replied, "N-nothing at all. We were just speaking with the master. Since Wang Ye and Wang Fei are here, you foolish girl, why haven't you taken your leave?"

Ye Yue lowered her head, quickly curtsied, and hurried toward the door.

Just as she was about to step out, Ye Li's light laughter drifted from behind her. "Second Sister, after so many years apart, are you leaving just like that?"