Mo Li

After Ye Li and Queen Helan had finished their discussions and reached a preliminary agreement that both found satisfactory, Queen Helan happily descended the stairs with Ye Li, carrying a large pile of carefully selected jewelry. Through their in-depth conversation, both had gained a deeper understanding of each other, along with increased admiration and respect.

Upon reaching the ground floor, they saw Mo Xiuyao and the others waiting for them in the flower hall downstairs. Not only had Mo Xiuyao and Ren Qining come to find them, but Yelv Ye and Consort Liu were also present.

Seeing Queen Helan holding boxes of various sizes and the exquisite hair ornaments adorning her newly styled "Flying Immortal" updo—a popular hairstyle among Central Plains women—Consort Liu and Yun Fei couldn't help but show a flicker of surprise in their eyes.

Elegance Pavilion was also one of Prince Ding's Estate's businesses and one of the top jewelry shops in the entire Great Chu. Naturally, the pieces crafted here were of unparalleled beauty, and no woman could resist the allure of fine jewelry.

As they descended, Mo Xiuyao stood up and approached, taking Ye Li's hand while smiling at Queen Helan. "It seems Her Majesty is quite pleased with the jewelry here?"

Queen Helan replied joyfully, "Indeed! The jewelry of the Central Plains is truly magnificent. Princess Ding said these can all be gifted to me—is that true?"

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly. "Since A Li has said so, of course it is. It is our honor that Her Majesty finds them to her liking." Queen Helan cradled the boxes in her hands, her delight evident. "Then I won't stand on ceremony. Thank you, Prince Ding and Princess Ding."

"Her Majesty need not be so polite."

Ye Li watched their exchange with a smile before asking curiously, "Why are you all here?"

Mo Xiuyao replied gently, "We heard you had come to Elegance Pavilion, so we came to wait for you. Did only Queen Helan pick something out? Was there nothing that caught A Li's eye?"

Ye Li waved her hand dismissively. "I don’t need those for now. They can stay here." She already had plenty of jewelry, but much of it remained unused, either displayed as decorations or given away as gifts.

Mo Xiuyao didn’t mind and said with a smile, "Recently, Elegance Pavilion acquired a fine piece of white jade. I’ll have it made into a hairpin for you later."

Prince Ding's tender thoughtfulness made the women standing nearby both envious and jealous. Yun Fei couldn’t help but remark, "Prince Ding and Princess Ding share such a wonderful bond. Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?"

Ren Qining nodded impatiently. "Now that Princess Ding and Queen Helan have finished their conversation, we should return to the embassy."

Though reluctant to leave, Queen Helan glanced at the time and realized it was getting late. She turned to Ye Li with a smile. "Princess Ding, thank you for gifting me so many treasures. I have many beautiful pearls—I’ll have some sent to you later, alright?"

Though the Northern Realm was located in the far north, some regions bordered the sea. Pearls were not uncommon there, and many were even finer than those from the Central Plains. Ye Li didn’t decline and replied cheerfully, "Then I’ll thank Queen Helan in advance."

Ren Qining left with Queen Helan and Yun Fei, while Consort Liu, who had wanted to say more, was also led away by Yelv Ye. Only then did Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li leave Elegance Pavilion in high spirits, heading back toward Prince Ding's Estate. The pleased expressions on their faces made it clear that both sides were satisfied with the outcome of their negotiations.Before they even reached the entrance of Prince Ding's Estate, they could hear unusual commotion disrupting the usual solemn silence at the gates. As they approached, a familiar figure came into view.

The golden-haired young man spotted them immediately, flashing a bright smile as he hurried over.

"Beautiful Wang Fei, what a delight to meet you here."

Mo Xiuyao's expression darkened. "Is that so? This prince fails to see what's delightful about it. What business brings you to Prince Ding's Estate?" He secretly hoped the man was here to cause trouble—that would give him justification to arrest him and then... Mo Xiuyao's mind conjured up various cruel methods of punishment.

Though the blond man couldn't read Mo Xiuyao's thoughts, his instincts made him shudder slightly as he instinctively turned more toward Ye Li.

Ye Li smiled helplessly. "May I ask who you are and what brings you to Prince Ding's Estate?"

The blond man replied excitedly, "Of course I have business! I'm a merchant from the Western Kingdom of Jialan—my name is Lance. I wish to do business with the ruler of this city."

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "Aren't you already conducting business in Li Cheng? Or do you have something special you wish to sell to this prince?"

The blond man shook his head vigorously. "No, no, I want to do very big business. The East has many marvelous things—I want to sell them farther west. When I was young, I traveled there with my father. The people there have much gold, but they lack beautiful silks, exquisite porcelain, or miraculous tea leaves. If I sell these there, I'll soon become wealthy." Noticing Mo Xiuyao's displeased expression, he quickly added, "And of course, you as well, Your Highness. We'll both become the richest men."

As he spoke excitedly, the blond man began gesturing animatedly.

Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li exchanged glances. Prince Ding's Estate was already wealthy, but neither would object to becoming wealthier. After all... waging war and maintaining an army were always costly endeavors.

"Would you care to come inside with us to discuss this in detail?" Ye Li suggested with a gentle smile.

"Of course, it would be my honor, beautiful Wang Fei," the blond man replied cheerfully. His employees had warned him he might be turned away, yet he'd been fortunate enough to secure an opportunity on his first attempt. Heaven truly favored those who worked hard and seized opportunities. The young man fantasized happily, already envisioning mountains of glittering gold beckoning to him.

"Beautiful, is she?" Mo Xiuyao sneered as he walked ahead, summoning a guard. "Fetch Han Mingyue and Han Mingxi. And Qingchen Gongzi too. This fellow—leave him to them to handle."

The young Western merchant named Lance followed the guard through the vast Prince Ding's Estate in high spirits. The white-haired ruler had told him he personally knew little about commerce and would have specialists discuss matters with him, suggesting Lance could tour the estate gardens while waiting.

This greatly improved Lance's opinion of Prince Ding. After encountering countless pretentious men of power, this ruler who dared admit his shortcomings seemed truly remarkable. No wonder this city was more prosperous and peaceful than any other he'd seen.

Even in June, numerous flowers bloomed in Prince Ding's Estate. Lance examined these uniquely Eastern blossoms with curiosity, wondering if he could bring some back to plant in the Western lands.While admiring the beautiful scenery of the garden, two figures came walking toward him. A red and a white silhouette stood out strikingly amidst the blooming flowers.

Lance's gaze locked onto the figure in red—tall and slender, with striking beauty. The loosely tied black hair with a simple ribbon and the lazy smile at the corner of the lips exuded an unusual charm.

Though not as gentle and refined as the beautiful Wang Fei (Princess Ding), this person carried a different kind of allure. Once again, Lance ignored the white-clad man beside the red figure and dashed over, holding a flower.

"Beautiful lady of the East, would you honor me with afternoon tea? If you are not already married like the lovely Wang Fei, please consider accepting my deep affection."

The two before him froze, clearly startled by the sudden confession. After a moment, the red-clad figure asked in a deep voice, "What did you say?"

Lance blinked. This lady's voice wasn't as delicate as Wang Fei's—but then, a flawless beauty like her was rare. Still, this red-clad beauty was also a sight to behold.

"If you are unmarried, please accept my sincere love," Lance repeated earnestly.

THUD!

The response was a heavy, merciless punch to his face. Lance staggered, his head spinning as he shook it in confusion. "Beautiful miss—"

THUD!

Han Mingxi delivered another ruthless blow, turning the golden-haired man's face from a pitiful mutt into a national treasure. "Blind fool! I'm a man!"

Huh? Lance, who had been lamenting the violent temper of an "Eastern lady," was stunned. Taking a closer look at Han Mingxi—the red robes, the handsome face—he realized this "beauty" was nearly as tall as him. And...

Beside them, Han Mingyue glanced between his furious brother and the golden-haired man now sporting panda eyes, stifling a laugh.

"Brother!" Han Mingxi, humiliated and enraged, shook off Han Mingyue's restraining hand. "Don't stop me! I'm going to kill him!"

"Enough. He’s probably a guest of Prince Ding’s Estate. Two punches should suffice. Doesn’t Wang Fei still need you for discussions?" Han Mingyue persuaded.

Grudgingly, Han Mingxi abandoned his plan to beat Lance further, shooting a final glare before storming off toward Ye Li’s study.

Trailing behind, Lance slumped in defeat. He had just confessed to a man—the mere thought made his skin crawl. Shuddering, he decided to follow his servant’s advice and hire a matchmaker to find him a gentle, beautiful wife. The East was terrifying—he couldn’t even tell men and women apart, especially when they all had long hair.

Poor Lance would never understand why he had been punched twice.

By the time Han Mingxi and the others arrived at Ye Li’s study, Mo Xiuyao and Xu Qingchen were already there.Seeing Lance's new look, Ye Li was momentarily stunned. Similarly, when Lance caught sight of Xu Qingchen sitting to the side—whose refined brows and ethereal demeanor surpassed even Han Mingxi's—and then glanced at the still-ferocious Han Mingxi glaring at him, he blinked and lowered his head in pitiful dejection.

The woeful look in his eyes made Qingchen Gongzi's lips twitch, and he raised a puzzled eyebrow.

No one noticed the man sitting beside Ye Li lower his head to sip tea, a triumphant smile curling at the corners of his lips.

Though Lance's matter was important, it held little significance for Prince Ding at present. Even if they collaborated with Lance, the benefits wouldn’t be seen in the short term. So after briefly outlining the plan, the matter was handed directly to Han Mingxi to handle. Over the years, Han Mingyue had been kept at arm's length, neither warm nor cold. Mo Xiuyao had no intention of engaging with him, but since Han Mingyue naturally stepped in to resolve any trouble Han Mingxi encountered, why not make free use of him? Though Mo Xiuyao had no personal ties to Han Mingyue anymore, the man’s intellect was undeniably sharp—why not take advantage of it?

Once Han Mingxi and the other two were dismissed, Mo Xiuyao and the remaining two settled back down to discuss serious matters. After listening to Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li’s account of their outing that day, Young Master Xu’s attention was immediately drawn to the yet-to-be-acquired Phoenix Zither rather than the number of people Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li had schemed against. Fixing Mo Xiuyao with a stare, he asked, “Will Mo Jingli really hand it over to you?” Losing Chu Jing was already a blow to his pride—if he also lost the national treasure of Great Chu, Mo Jingli’s face as the regent would truly be trampled underfoot.

Mo Xiuyao smiled smugly. “Compared to a few lifeless objects that can’t be eaten or used, wouldn’t a lively son be far more important?”

Qingchen Gongzi fell silent for a moment. Indeed, Mo Jingli wasn’t the type to act on lofty principles. “Give the Phoenix Zither to me.”

Mo Xiuyao’s smile grew even more delighted. “Brother Xu, this is the national treasure of Great Chu. Even if it’s you, I can’t just hand it over so casually, can I?” Xu Qingchen regarded him coolly. “Do you know how to play the zither?”

“I know a little.” Compared to Qingchen Gongzi, Prince Ding’s zither skills could only be described as rudimentary. Besides, the prince’s interests lay elsewhere, so he hardly cared whether the instrument in his hands was newly crafted last year or a priceless heirloom. But for Qingchen Gongzi, it was different—the White Jade Phoenix Zither likely held far greater allure than even the most stunning beauty. Qingchen Gongzi was far too clever not to grasp Mo Xiuyao’s implication. With a soft snort, he dropped the subject. Just because he couldn’t obtain it didn’t mean others couldn’t. Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and grinned at Xu Qingchen. While he couldn’t guarantee others wouldn’t get their hands on it, he could certainly ensure Qingchen Gongzi never laid a finger on it.

Watching the silent battle of wills between the two, Ye Li interjected helplessly, “Let’s wait until Mo Jingli actually sends the item before discussing it further. Brother, Xiu Yao, shouldn’t we first address the people here in Li Cheng?”Xu Qingchen didn’t want to continue confronting Mo Xiuyao on this matter—after all, everyone would rely on their own abilities. Lowering his gaze in thought, he said, “So, Northern Rong wants to negotiate peace with us, preferably even form an alliance to deal with Western Liang and Yelv Hong together? Does Yelv Ye think everyone in Prince Ding’s Estate is a fool?” In the past, Yelv Ye’s proposal might have held some credibility. But after the Mo Family Army occupied Western Liang’s imperial city, all the territories bordering Northern Rong now belonged to Prince Ding’s Estate. This meant there would be no immediate conflict between Northern Rong and Western Liang. As the saying goes, “befriend the distant and attack the nearby.” Yelv Ye’s reversal of this strategy was utterly meaningless and offered no benefit to Northern Rong.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. “Isn’t he treating us all like fools? I suspect this idiotic idea wasn’t Yelv Ye’s own. However, Northern Rong suffered a severe drought this summer, and the northern regions they occupy have been ravaged by war, leaving barely any grain reserves. It’s not hard to understand why Yelv Ye wants to trade with Prince Ding’s Estate. If he could control Northern Rong’s food supplies, he would immediately gain the upper hand in his struggle against Yelv Hong.”

“Unfortunately, Wang Ye has already decided to support Yelv Hong,” Xu Qingchen remarked with a faint smile.

“By any measure, Yelv Hong is practically a son-in-law of our Central Plains. As long as Ronghua Princess remains the Crown Princess, I don’t mind helping him,” Mo Xiuyao said with a laugh.

Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow. “Was that your condition with Yelv Hong?” Mo Xiuyao shook his head. “These things are better left unspoken—bringing them up would only sour the mood.”

Xu Qingchen nodded. “What about the northern border? Does Queen Helan stand a chance against Ren Qining?”

Ye Li smiled lightly. “Given that Ren Qining still hasn’t seen through Queen Helan’s true nature, I’d say it’s worth a gamble.” At worst, there was nothing to lose. Xu Qingchen nodded, pondering as he said, “In that case, we’ll need to guard against Yelv Ye and Ren Qining truly joining forces.” Their previous alliance had been a temporary cooperation to capture Chu Jing. Once the city fell, they would inevitably turn on each other. But if the Mo Family Army chose to support Yelv Hong and Queen Helan, their alliance would only grow stronger.

Mo Xiuyao said indifferently, “It doesn’t matter. After all… I never intended to let them go.” The Northern Rong army that had entered Great Chu’s borders would eventually face a life-and-death battle with the Mo Family Army. As for Ren Qining, who clung to his dreams of restoring his kingdom—he wouldn’t be spared either.

Xu Qingchen nodded. “As long as you’re aware. I’ll speak to Second Uncle about Yelv Hong’s side, while Li’er will have to handle Queen Helan.” Ye Li smiled. “It’s my duty—no need to call it hard work, Eldest Brother.”

“What do you plan to do with that Ye Yue from the Ye Family?” Xu Qingchen asked with a frown. He held no goodwill toward the Ye Family, and Ye Yue was the worst of them all. Even if she had been coerced back then, it didn’t change the fact that she had once attempted to murder Ye Li. Even in a scholarly family like the Xu Family, distinctions between close and distant relatives were clear. In their eyes, Ye Li was infinitely more important than the unrelated Ye Yue. When they thought Ye Yue was dead, it was one thing—but now she had reappeared in Li Cheng, still scheming relentlessly. That was beyond what Qingchen Gongzi could tolerate. He even felt some displeasure toward Mo Xiuyao for not handling the matter cleanly.Mo Xiuyao smiled leisurely, "Don't worry, someone will naturally help us deal with her." A sharp glint flashed through his smiling eyes—how could he let go of someone who had once tried to harm A Li?

In the most remote side room of the Ye residence, Ye Yue sat dazed on the edge of the bed, lost in thought. She knew that being discovered by Prince Ding's Estate meant all her schemes had come to a complete end. But she simply couldn't resign herself to it. After so many years, how much suffering had she endured to reach this point? To evade Prince Ding's pursuit, she had painstakingly restrained herself, ensuring not a single trace of resemblance to the former Ye Yue showed. Now that she had finally endured this far, Ye Yue felt a pang of regret. If only she hadn't tried to take shortcuts back then, if only she had gone directly to Jiangnan... Perhaps she might have arrived safely. Perhaps she wouldn't have been discovered by the Empress Dowager's people... But now, it was too late for regrets.

"Ye Yue." A cold voice reached her ears. Ye Yue froze momentarily before turning to see Mo Jingli standing at the door.

"Prince Li, why are you here?" Ye Wenhua had long ordered guards to watch the doors and courtyard gates, allowing no one but her mother to bring meals. Mo Jingli stared at her icily. "If this prince wishes to enter, he enters." Ye Yue brightened. "Are you here to take me away?"

Mo Jingli's gaze remained fixed on her. "Where is the medicine I asked for?"

Ye Yue's expression faltered, and she forced a smile. "We agreed—only after reaching Jiangnan... only after the matter is settled can I give it to you." Mo Jingli flung his hand out, throwing her harshly back onto the bed. "You gave the medicine to Mo Xiuyao, didn't you?"

At his words, Ye Yue's face paled. Mo Jingli erupted in fury. "You wretched woman!" He had come clinging to a sliver of hope, but hearing the truth still unleashed an overwhelming rage. Everything had been ruined by this vile woman. Because of her foolish meddling, he now had to pay dozens—even hundreds—of times the original price for what should have been easily within his grasp.

"Prince Li—" Ye Yue cried out. Mo Jingli was beyond reason. "Do you have any idea what Mo Xiuyao demanded from me? The Four National Treasures! All because of you—" Ye Yue's head spun as Mo Jingli shook her by the collar. The Four National Treasures... She knew of them. The four most precious artifacts once housed in the Chu palace. At the height of her favor, she had once asked to see them, only to be rebuked by Mo Jingqi and ignored for over half a month. It was said even the most favored Consort Liu had never laid eyes on these peerless treasures. In recent years, these treasures had come to represent not just immeasurable wealth but also the face and dignity of the Chu imperial family.

Ye Yue knew Mo Jingli must despise her utterly now and hurriedly said, "Prince Li, take me away from here. Even without the medicine... I can help you deal with the Empress Dowager—"

Mo Jingli sneered. "Deal with the Empress Dowager? Do I need you for that? Who do you think you are? I realize now... the reason I failed to get what I wanted from you before was because I was too lenient. I won't make that mistake again. Speak honestly about everything you know, and I'll spare you some suffering."“Impossible!” Ye Yue gritted her teeth. This was her last and only bargaining chip. If she revealed it, her death would truly be imminent. Mo Jingli revealed a cruel smile. “Impossible? What about this person—do you still think it’s impossible?” With a wave of his hand, two guards at the door dragged in a child no older than ten.

“My son!” Ye Yue paled in horror. She had hidden the child outside the city in an extremely secretive location—how could this have happened…?

Mo Jingli smiled with satisfaction. “Ye Yue, you’ve been too clever for your own good. Did you really think this prince would help you put this brat on the throne? Mo Jingqi’s son—I can’t stand the sight of them! I’d kill every last one of them! Hand her over to you. Use whatever means necessary to extract what I want.” With that, Mo Jingli cast a disgusted glance at Ye Yue and turned to leave.

In the secluded courtyard, the heart-wrenching cries of a woman could be heard intermittently. Within half an hour, the guards inside emerged. In the room, Ye Yue knelt on the ground, her body covered in bruises and scars. She quietly cradled her barely breathing child in her arms before breaking into uncontrollable sobs. At this moment, she truly regretted everything. If only she had stayed in the countryside of her hometown—even a lifetime of poverty would have been better than this...

"Second Sister." At the doorway stood Ye Ying, dressed in light-colored robes, graceful and poised. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she gazed at Ye Yue, her expression tender yet pitiful.

"Ying'er!" Ye Yue snapped out of her daze and rushed forward, grabbing Ye Ying's hands. "Ying'er, please call a doctor for me. My child... my child is hurt..." Ye Ying gently pulled her hands away, her delicate face revealing a faint, triumphant sneer. "Second Sister, Wang Ye has ordered that no one is to call a doctor. I can't defy his command."

"Ying'er..." Ye Yue stared in shock at her gentle and fragile younger sister, finally noticing the coldness in her expression. "Why?"

"Why?" Ye Ying sneered. "Second Sister, when you were scheming to climb into Wang Ye's bed, did you ever stop to ask why? What did you say back then? 'Since Wang Ye doesn’t favor me anyway, having you here might actually help me'? How exactly did you help me... by stealing my husband? Is that how you help?"

"I didn’t..." Ye Yue struggled to speak. She had never intended to steal Mo Jingli from her sister. It had only been a temporary measure—why couldn’t her sister understand? "Ying'er, I beg you, he’s your nephew. Please help me save him..." A trace of venom flashed across Ye Ying's face. "And where has his father sent my son? My child is missing, so let him die too." With that, Ye Ying shoved Ye Yue aside and walked away without a shred of mercy.

"Ying'er..." Ye Yue cried out weakly, but she could only watch helplessly as her sister disappeared into the distance.

－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－

Friend's Recommended Novel: Famous Doctor, Crown Princess by Jia Ruo Feixue

Synopsis: Yi Ronghua, daughter of the wealthiest merchant in Jiangnan, after five years of marriage, had her tendons severed, her beloved elder brother murdered, and watched as the cousin she treated like a sister step by step stole her dowry and usurped her position as the legal wife—all while the husband she deeply loved beat her to the brink of death!

After exhausting all means, she finally begged for death, swearing a solemn oath before dying: If there was a next life, she would slaughter gods and slay Buddhas without hesitation! Never again would she show mercy!

Heaven had eyes. Reborn once more, watch as she meticulously plots her revenge, reclaiming every drop of blood debt from her past life!

Her uncle’s family covets her business? No problem—she’ll first crush their enterprises into oblivion!