Mo Li

In the main hall of the Ye residence, Mo Jingli sat drinking tea with a gloomy expression. Only his tightly clenched hands revealed the anxiety and fury in his heart. After a night of deliberation, he still couldn't set his mind at ease. He had originally intended to visit the Ye family to see if he could first obtain the most crucial item from Ye Yue's hands before arranging her escape from the city. Yet, to his dismay, he had arrived too late—Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li had beaten him to it. No matter how much power Mo Jingli wielded in the southern regions, here in Li Cheng, he could only endure and yield to Mo Xiuyao. It truly fit the saying: "A mighty dragon is no match for the local serpent." In the northwestern lands, no matter how formidable one's strength, even a tiger must crouch and a dragon must coil.

Glancing at the black-clad guards standing respectfully by the entrance, Mo Jingli's expression darkened further, but he suppressed his impatience.

"What brings Prince Li to the Ye residence so early in the morning?" Mo Xiuyao's voice, laced with lazy amusement, drifted in from the doorway. Mo Jingli's eye twitched as he looked up to see a striking couple entering hand in hand. His gaze lingered on their intertwined fingers, and his expression soured even more. With a forced smile, he said, "Isn't Prince Ding and Princess Ding here even earlier than this prince?"

Mo Xiuyao led Ye Li to the main seat and sat down, chuckling. "Well... yesterday, someone reported that a fugitive long pursued by Prince Ding's Estate had been discovered in the Ye residence. Xiu Yao and A Li were concerned for the safety of the Ye family, so we came early to check. Could it be that Prince Li also received the news?" Mo Jingli replied indifferently, "Prince Ding jests. This prince has heard no such thing." Inside, Mo Jingli sneered. Did Mo Xiuyao think he didn't know him? Even if every member of the Ye family died before his eyes, Mo Xiuyao wouldn't bat an eyelid. Spouting such lies was clearly just a way to brush him off.

"Prince Li still hasn't told me why you're here so early," Mo Xiuyao asked cheerfully.

Mo Jingli said coldly, "Is this prince not allowed to visit the Ye residence?"

Mo Xiuyao shrugged. "Prince Li is also a son-in-law of the Ye family, so of course you're welcome. Very well, since Prince Li is a guest, it would be unseemly for Prince Ding's Estate to press further and appear inhospitable. Please, make yourself comfortable. I’ve just acquired something interesting at the estate and was planning to return to examine it." A flicker of something unreadable passed through Mo Jingli's eyes. He hadn't held much hope that Ye Yue could withstand Mo Xiuyao's methods without confessing. Yet, hearing Mo Xiuyao's words, he couldn't help but seethe inwardly. Had he known this would happen, he would have risked Mo Xiuyao's detection yesterday to seize Ye Yue and drag her back to his residence first. Truly, aside from Ye Li, the women of the Ye family were all useless—more trouble than they were worth!

Having said his piece, Mo Xiuyao was in no hurry. Leaning back in his chair, he idly played with Ye Li's hair while leisurely awaiting Mo Jingli's reaction. After all, the bargaining chips were in his hands—he alone would decide the price. From this perspective, Ye Yue had indeed delivered him a grand gift.

After a long silence, Mo Jingli finally fixed his gaze on Mo Xiuyao and said darkly, "What do you want?"Mo Xiuyao raised a brow in confusion, seemingly unable to comprehend Mo Jingli's meaning. "What does Prince Li mean? This prince begs your pardon for not understanding." Mo Jingli's eyes burned with fury as he glared at Mo Xiuyao. "The things you took from Ye Yue—what will it take for you to give them to me?" Yesterday, he had only managed to obtain a minuscule portion from Ye Yue. After examination by physicians, it was confirmed to be the genuine and only antidote for the poison Mo Jingqi had administered to him. But the quantity was so negligible it might as well have been nonexistent.

"This, huh..." Mo Xiuyao watched with amusement as Mo Jingli seethed like a cat scorched by flames, his temper flaring uncontrollably. The sight greatly lifted Mo Xiuyao's spirits. In high spirits, he affectionately nuzzled Ye Li's hair and asked softly, "A Li, is there anything you want? Quickly ask Prince Li for it. Prince Li dominates the wealthy Jiangnan region—far richer than our barren northwest. It's rare for him to be so generous."

Ye Li couldn't help but laugh at Mo Jingli's enraged expression. Not that she blamed him—any man would be furious if such a weakness were held over him. Of course, Ye Li didn’t know that part of Mo Jingli's rage stemmed from her presence as she listened to their conversation. Though he had been drugged by Mo Jingqi, any man would feel humiliated and ashamed to have such an issue exposed—especially in front of a woman he had long desired.

Mo Jingli sat in his chair, breathing heavily, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Mo Xiuyao. If not for the vast gap in their martial prowess, Ye Li was certain Mo Jingli would have lunged at Mo Xiuyao without hesitation, intent on tearing him apart.

After a moment of serious thought, Ye Li shook her head slightly. "I can't think of anything I want right now." In truth, she couldn’t immediately recall anything valuable enough to demand from Mo Jingli that he would also be willing to give. Mo Xiuyao smiled tenderly. "Since A Li can't think of anything, let this prince decide for her." Ye Li gave him a noncommittal glance—wasn’t this his scheme to extort Mo Jingli from the start?

Mo Xiuyao stroked his chin, pondering seriously for a moment before declaring, "Since Prince Li is so generous, this prince won’t hold back. The Thousand-Silk Snow Thread Gown, the White Jade Phoenix Zither, the Nine-Dragon Nation Protecting Seal, and Emperor Tai's World-Burning Sword. Also, your nephew and niece just passed their first-month celebration, and Prince Li hasn’t had the chance to send gifts. This prince recalls a small shop called Agarwood Workshop that does decent business—that should suffice, no? And—"

"Mo! Xiu! Yao!" Mo Jingli's eyes nearly bulged with rage, his glare at Mo Xiuyao transcending mere hatred. It wasn’t that Mo Jingli was overly stingy—it was that Mo Xiuyao's demands were utterly outrageous. The so-called "small" Agarwood Workshop was, in fact, the most profitable among Mo Jingli's private assets. As for the four items he demanded, though they numbered only four, their combined value was such that even selling the entire treasure vault of the Chu imperial palace might not cover their worth.The Thousand-Silk Snow Thread Gown was woven from the silk of snow cocoons found atop the snowy peaks. It was said that snow cocoons were extremely rare, and each year they produced only a minuscule amount of silk. Collecting enough silk to weave a single garment could take over a hundred years. The Snow Thread Gown was warm in winter, cool in summer, impervious to water and fire, and resistant to blades—truly one of the world’s finest treasures for personal protection. Most importantly, the craftsmanship for weaving snow cocoon silk had long been lost to time, making the one preserved in the Great Chu imperial collection the only such gown in existence. Had it not been stored securely in the Chu imperial palace, it might have incited bloodshed across the land. The other three treasures were no less valuable than the Snow Thread Gown. Among them, the Incinerating Sword was said to have once belonged to Emperor Tai, the first ruler in recorded history. Beyond its undiminished sharpness after millennia, the sword itself symbolized the legitimacy of imperial authority.

By demanding these four treasures at once, Mo Xiuyao had essentially stripped away half of the Great Chu imperial treasury. This left Mo Jingli not just heartbroken—he was nearly devastated. And to make matters worse, Mo Xiuyao had the audacity to ask for more!

Watching Mo Jingli’s furious expression, Mo Xiuyao seemed even more amused and calmly continued, “Additionally, there are certain things Prince Li has left behind in the north, particularly in Chu Jing—things you’d rather not leave there. Would you prefer to retrieve them yourself, or shall you gift them to me?” Mo Jingli’s pupils constricted. He knew exactly what Mo Xiuyao was referring to. Although the Great Chu court had relocated south, Mo Jingli had still planted numerous spies in both Chu Jing and the northwest. Mo Xiuyao’s demand was for him to withdraw all of them?!

“You wish,” Mo Jingli hissed through clenched teeth.

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and smiled. “No need for such anger, Prince Li. Gifts should be given willingly. If you’re reluctant, I certainly won’t force you. Though it’s a pity, as long as these things remain, I’ll see them sooner or later, won’t I?” Even if you refuse to hand them over, do you think I can’t take them myself? Mo Xiuyao made his intentions clear without restraint. Mo Jingli’s face paled with rage, but from the start of this confrontation, he had been at a disadvantage.

Unhurried, Mo Xiuyao added cheerfully, “You may take your time to consider my offer, Prince Li. Ah, one more thing—if you’re interested, you may also take that Second Miss Ye back with you. Consider it a return gift from me.” Mo Jingli’s expression darkened. He shot Mo Xiuyao a venomous glare before storming out. Compared to his losses, even a hundred Ye Yue’s wouldn’t make up for it. What use did he have for her now? If he saw her again, he’d only want to strangle her.

After Mo Jingli left, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li also departed the Ye residence. Seeing Mo Xiuyao in an unusually cheerful mood, Qin Feng and the others instinctively kept their distance, unnerved by his rare smile. Ye Li couldn’t help but ask, “Is scheming against Mo Jingli really that enjoyable?” Mo Xiuyao scoffed dismissively. “Who’d take joy in that? With Jing Li’s intellect, outmaneuvering him is child’s play.”“Is it for treasures?” Seeing Mo Jingli’s expression, Ye Li understood that whatever Mo Xiuyao had demanded must be extraordinary. Mo Xiuyao nodded cheerfully, “Years ago, this prince began searching for the whereabouts of the Snow-Weave Armor. Unfortunately, Mo Jingqi hid it too well. Even the shadow guards of Prince Ding’s Estate couldn’t find the hidden doors in the palace. And the Phoenix Harp… hehe… with it, we could at least make Qingchen Gongzi work for us for another twenty years, right?” Holding Ye Li’s hand, Mo Xiuyao happily discussed the uses of the treasures once obtained—the impenetrable Snow-Weave Armor would naturally go to Ye Li, the Phoenix Harp could be used to manipulate Qingchen Gongzi into serving Prince Ding’s Estate longer, and the Seal of the Nation, though of little practical use, was said to contain a legendary tome. They could hand it to Mr. Qingyun for study. Then there was the Annihilation Sword… Though Prince Ding’s Estate had collected many fine swords, including the Cloud-Grasping Sword forged by the founding Prince Ding, Mo Lanyun—though not yet considered a legendary masterpiece due to its relatively recent creation, it was still a rare divine weapon. Yet all these paled in comparison to the legendary number one sword in the world.

The men following behind them, like Qin Feng, were speechless. Your Highness, Prince Li hasn’t agreed to give you these things yet.

In high spirits, Mo Xiuyao didn’t care whether these items were his or not—if he fancied them, they would eventually become his. Glancing down at the elegant and graceful woman beside him, a satisfied smile curled on his lips. Once they had the Snow-Weave Armor, he’d feel even more at ease about A Li’s safety. “A Li, let’s go shopping.”

“Shopping?” Ye Li looked up, puzzled. Among other things, they had rarely gone shopping in recent years. Even during leisure time, they preferred to stroll outside the city, mainly because Mo Xiuyao’s striking white hair drew too much attention. In Li Cheng, anyone who saw a young man with white hair would immediately guess their identities. Being stared at everywhere they went made the quieter outskirts far more appealing.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. “Li Cheng is livelier these days. Shouldn’t A Li and I, who’ve worked so hard to govern the city, join the people in celebration? Come on.” Without waiting for her agreement, he took her hand and led her toward the busiest streets. The guards behind them watched as the prince and Wang Fei swiftly blended into the crowd, exchanging helpless glances. “Commander Qin, what should we do?”

Qin Feng stroked his chin. “A few of us will follow at a distance. The rest can return to the estate. Don’t get too close—we mustn’t let His Highness or Wang Fei notice.” Clearly, the prince wanted some alone time with his consort, and interrupting his mood would only bring them trouble. The guards wore bitter smiles—keeping up with the prince and Wang Fei without being detected was no easy task.The two walked hand in hand through the crowd, inevitably drawing countless glances. Not to mention Mo Xiuyao’s striking white hair that signaled his identity, their extraordinary looks and demeanor alone were enough to captivate most onlookers. Though they were the center of attention, the people of Li Cheng were well-mannered and didn’t approach to bother them. While the locals of Li Cheng and those from Great Chu understood their status—and perhaps even guests from Western Liang and Nanzhao did as well—there were still a few who remained oblivious. So, when the couple stepped into a newly opened shop specializing in goods from the Western Regions, and the tall, distinctly non-Central Plains-looking shopkeeper began fawning over Ye Li in his heavily accented, awkward Central Plains dialect, Mo Xiuyao’s face instantly darkened.

This shop specialized in selling exquisite jewelry and ornaments from the Western Regions. While Central Plains craftsmanship in porcelain, gold, and silverwork had already reached unparalleled heights, the artisans of the Western Regions possessed their own unique mastery, particularly in metalwork and gemstones, creating pieces with a distinct charm. The young Western merchant who had traveled thousands of miles to open this shop in Li Cheng clearly carried the romantic genes of his homeland. The moment Ye Li entered, he completely ignored the equally striking Mo Xiuyao beside her, eagerly presenting the finest pieces in his store to her. He even offered to give them to her for free—if, of course, the beautiful Eastern lady would grace him with her company for afternoon tea.

In this lifetime, it was the first time Ye Li had ever been hit on like this. Of course, it was also because people of such unrestrained enthusiasm were exceedingly rare in this world—those few who existed were usually dismissed as lechers. Amused yet exasperated by the tall, handsome but utterly oblivious Westerner, Ye Li shook her head and quickly pulled the seething Mo Xiuyao out of the shop.

Behind them, the Western merchant clutched his finest jewelry, heartbroken. Why had the beautiful Eastern lady left without a second glance, dragging that white-haired man away? Was white hair truly more attractive than his golden locks?

A local Li Cheng shop assistant, who had been watching from the sidelines, hesitated before deciding to intervene. After all, though this newly arrived Western boss was a bit eccentric, he was a decent person. It would be tragic if he ended up dying far from home because he’d provoked someone he shouldn’t have. The assistant stepped forward and carefully explained Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li’s identities, emphasizing how deeply devoted the Prince and his Wang Fei were to each other.

The golden-haired young man gasped dramatically after hearing this. “You mean… that beautiful lady is a Wang Fei?”

The assistant nodded. The young man clutched his head in disbelief. “But she looks no older than fifteen or sixteen! I heard the legendary Wang Fei is already the mother of three children!”

The assistant suppressed an eye-roll. And you don’t exactly look like you’re barely twenty either. Westerners just aged faster… “Anyway, boss, Wang Fei is older than you. There are plenty of other lovely ladies in Li Cheng, so just… don’t .” Don’t mess with Wang Fei unless you want to die! Even if Wang Ye doesn’t kill you, the people of Li Cheng will beat you to death. The budding romance was ruthlessly nipped in the bud by an unknown shop assistant. True to his naturally passionate and unrestrained heritage, the blond young man quickly shook off his momentary despondency and sprang back to life. "Dear Li, I just met the highest ruler of this place. Good heavens, I didn't even greet him—how terribly rude of me. Quickly prepare gifts; I must pay him a personal visit... I've heard your king is very wise, though I didn't notice him earlier. But anyone worthy of such a beautiful Wang Fei must be a fine ruler. Surely he wouldn't mind doing business with me."

He was the second son of a wealthy merchant from a Western Region country. According to family tradition, the eldest son inherited nearly all the property, while the other sons received only a modest sum—enough to live comfortably or start a business. The young second son took his share and traveled thousands of miles to the fabled East, where gold was said to cover the ground. Though it wasn’t literally paved with gold, he believed he could amass great wealth here, perhaps even build an enterprise to rival his family’s. The thought made him dance with excitement. "How wonderful! Though the beautiful Wang Fei is already married, perhaps she has an unmarried sister. Li, you're right—this city is full of beauties. Yesterday, I saw a lovely lady. Maybe she’s still single and would accept my affections?"

The shop assistant, surnamed Li, rolled his eyes silently and turned away to prepare the gifts. But it was foreseeable that his employer would be unceremoniously thrown out of Prince Ding's Estate—or worse, stoned to death by the citizens of Li Cheng for harassing respectable women.

Outside the shop, Mo Xiuyao’s expression remained dark. Ye Li, amused, looped her arm through his and looked up with a smile. "That man clearly just arrived in the Central Plains and doesn’t understand our customs. Why get angry with him?" Mo Xiuyao gritted his teeth. "This prince will shut down his shop and banish him from Li Cheng." How dare he covet his A Li? He’d make sure the man regretted it!

Ye Li shook her head. "He didn’t mean it like that. It’s probably just his people’s nature." She could tell the young man harbored no ill intent. Like some romantic Westerners, he simply expressed admiration upon seeing a beautiful woman. At most, it might lead to a cup of tea together—nothing more.

Mo Xiuyao snorted. He had seen the frankness and pure appreciation in the man’s eyes. But that didn’t make him any less displeased.

"Come on, forget about him. Weren’t you supposed to accompany me shopping? How can we stroll like this with you scowling?" Ye Li teased. Rarely able to spend time with A Li outside, Mo Xiuyao didn’t want to ruin the mood. He pushed the incident aside and walked hand in hand with her through the bustling crowd.

On the busiest street in Li Cheng, inside a teahouse with wide-open windows offering a clear view of half the avenue, a group of extraordinary men and women sat facing each other. Ren Qining was flanked by Queen Helan and Yun Fei, while across from them, Yelv Ye sat beside the veiled Qing Yina.Women of the Northern Border have always been straightforward and decisive. Queen Helan had nothing but disdain for the aloof and veiled Consort Liu, whose cold eyes seemed to look down upon everyone. With a curl of her crimson lips, she laughed and said, "Seventh Prince, when did the women of Northern Rong start imitating the affectations of the Central Plains?" As she spoke, she casually glanced at Yun Fei, seated on the other side of Ren Qining. Clearly, the remark about affectations was directed at her. Yet, even someone as affected as Yun Fei did not wear a veil.

Being subtly mocked by Queen Helan naturally infuriated Yun Fei. However, she also looked down upon the white-clad woman opposite her. This woman was clearly from the Central Plains, yet she followed the Seventh Prince of Northern Rong and even took a Northern Rong name, hiding her face as if she had something to conceal. How dare she look at her with such disdain? Who did she think she was?

"Sister Queen, you are mistaken. Although the women of the Central Plains may not be as bold and open as those of the Northern Border, we are all upright and forthright. Only unmarried maidens cover their faces—what’s the point of hiding behind a veil when you’re already following a man around?" If she were truly a maiden of the inner chambers, she shouldn’t be trailing after a man in the first place.

Consort Liu, mercilessly ridiculed by these two women, felt her icy eyes freeze over. "King of the Northern Border, are the women in your palace all fond of idle gossip? Or has Mo Xiuyao slaughtered all the presentable women of your land, forcing you to bring out these two embarrassments?"

At these words, not only Queen Helan and Yun Fei, but even Ren Qining's expression changed. His somewhat gloomy gaze lingered on Consort Liu for a long moment before he finally said lightly to Yelv Ye, "Brother Yelv, your fiancée is quite... interesting..."

This time, it was Consort Liu's turn to look displeased. Just as she had disdained arguing with Queen Helan and Yun Fei by directly confronting Ren Qining, Ren Qining's act of bypassing her to speak to Yelv Ye was also a gesture showing his disdain for engaging with a woman.

Yelv Ye shot Consort Liu a subtle warning glance. Though furious, she could only suppress her anger silently.

Queen Helan looked at Yelv Ye, then at Consort Liu, and laughed, "I may indeed not compare to my cousin, but I’m still presentable, no? Seventh Prince, our Northern Rong has many women suitable to be wives. Your woman... isn’t good."

Yun Fei, momentarily forgetting her rivalry with Queen Helan, gloated and asked, "What’s wrong with her? I think this lady is quite beautiful."

"She’s too old. Women in the Northern Rong at her age could already be grandmothers," Queen Helan said bluntly. Northern Rong women married much younger than those in the Central Plains, and many at Consort Liu’s age were indeed grandmothers or even great-grandmothers. No matter how radiant and charming Consort Liu might be, some traces of age were impossible to hide.

--- Off-topic Note ---

Feng's Book Recommendation:

A new novel by my friend Kong Qingji, "The Peasant Beauty: Divine Healer."

Synopsis:

[One-on-one heartwarming story]

Her long-awaited fiancé was caught in an affair with her cousin, then shamelessly demanded a marriage annulment, arrogantly offering her the position of a concubine as charity.

Sun Jinxiu was framed and pushed into a lotus pond, dying instantly. When she opened her eyes again, she had become someone else.

Sun Wen, heir to an international pharmaceutical family, transmigrated into the body of a peasant girl, transforming from a foolish village girl into a formidable herbalist.

Orphaned young, the three siblings lived in poverty with only a few acres of sour soil and two mud huts.

To make matters worse, her maternal relatives were domineering, and her uncle’s family was insatiably greedy, bullying them at every turn.

Even worse, the lecherous county magistrate decided to meddle in their affairs.

Enraged!

All reactionary forces are paper tigers! If anyone wants to bully these helpless orphans, they’ll have to get past her—the divine healer of this era!