Mo Li

"Treason?" Mo Xiuyao's voice echoed faintly in the silent hall. The previously defiant Consort Liu instantly turned as pale as paper. Even her slender white figure trembled uncontrollably—she knew all too well just how ruthless and cold-hearted this man, whom she had once been infatuated with, could be. Though Chu was no longer under the control of Prince Ding's Estate, if Mo Xiuyao were to learn of her actions… A shiver ran down her spine as she stared fearfully at the man before her, whose expression revealed neither joy nor anger.

While they had initially found it suspiciously easy for the Northern Rong people to breach the borders, none had suspected Consort Liu. Yet upon reflection, it made sense. The Liu family had once been the most trusted and powerful officials under Mo Jingqi, who had a habit of appointing officials indiscriminately, blurring the lines between civil and military roles. It was hardly surprising that the Liu family had access to many of Chu’s military deployments. Though Mo Jingqi had utterly abandoned the Liu family before his death, and Mo Jingli had always been wary of them, neither had considered the possibility of leaked defenses. After all, on the surface, such matters had nothing to do with the Liu family. The most shocking part was that the one who had leaked this information to Northern Rong was not someone else from the Liu family, but the least likely suspect—Consort Liu herself.

Looking at the pale-faced woman in white before her, Ye Li shook her head helplessly, sighing inwardly. Despite her dislike for Consort Liu, Ye Li still remembered the proud woman who had once scorned her by Mo Jingqi’s side. Who could have imagined that the once-favored imperial consort would fall to such a state?

"Xiu Yao?" After some thought, Ye Li decided it would be best to leave Consort Liu’s fate in Mo Xiuyao’s hands. While her downfall was pitiable, it was also deeply detestable.

Mo Xiuyao smiled and clasped Ye Li’s hands. "This matter… no longer concerns us. Send someone to summon Prince Li and Prince Changxing." After all, Mo Jingli was now the regent of Chu, and Consort Liu was Mo Xiaoyun’s birth mother—naturally, her fate should be left to them. He was confident that Mo Jingli, who had been thoroughly deceived by this woman, would deliver a satisfying punishment.

Mo Jingli arrived swiftly. His expression was grim, still reeling from the heavy losses he had suffered days prior and Mo Xiuyao’s provocations. Accompanying him were Ye Ying and Qixia Princess, both looking equally displeased. However, compared to Qixia Princess, Ye Ying’s condition was still somewhat better. If Mo Jingli were to marry Dongfang You, the greatest victim would undoubtedly be Qixia Princess. After all, Ye Ying at least held the title of principal consort, while Qixia Princess had remained without status all these years. Her repeated attempts to visit Princess Anxi in Li Cheng had been rejected on the grounds that the Queen needed rest during her pregnancy. If Mo Jingli were to marry a woman of Dongfang You’s stature, where would Qixia Princess even find a place in Prince Ding’s Estate?

Following behind Mo Jingli and the two women were Mo Xiaoyun and Princess Zhenning."Uncle Prince Ding, Wang Fei, what's the matter—" Before Princess Zhenning could finish her sentence, she caught sight of Consort Liu standing nearby, and her expression immediately darkened. Over the past days, Princess Zhenning had been applying some ointments obtained from Shen Yang, and the hideous scars on her face had shown visible improvement. Perhaps because of this newfound hope, her mood had lightened considerably, and the gloom between her brows had dissipated. Though her face might never fully recover, at least it wouldn’t frighten people anymore. Yet, the sight of Consort Liu still soured her mood. It wasn’t just the pain the woman had inflicted on her—what weighed more heavily was what Shen Yang had revealed that day at Changxing Palace. If Princess Zhenning had once resented her mother for the harm done to her, now she felt nothing but utter disgust and revulsion. A woman who would repeatedly kill her own unborn children for the sake of beauty—Princess Zhenning realized it was no accident that she had nearly been murdered by her.

"Why is she still here?" Princess Zhenning scowled in disgust.

Mo Jingli’s expression was equally grim. He hadn’t forgotten how Consort Liu had deceived him with lies about her child’s whereabouts. He had only held back because of Yelv Ye’s presence. Now that Yelv Ye was gone, this woman still remained... A cold glint flashed in Mo Jingli’s eyes as he turned to Mo Xiuyao with a dark look. "Did you summon me here just to see this woman?"

Mo Xiuyao arched a brow and calmly repeated Yelv Ye’s earlier words. At his explanation, the expressions of everyone present turned grim. Not only Mo Jingli and Mo Xiaoyun, but even Qixia Princess and Ye Ying stared at Consort Liu with shock. Though they were women and far from virtuous, none had ever contemplated treason. Even Qixia Princess, who had followed Mo Jingli for years, had never thought to betray Nanzhao’s royal secrets to him.

"Liu Yunshang!" Princess Zhenning couldn’t hold back a shrill scream, her gaze at Consort Liu venomous with hatred. This woman—this woman was truly insane! Had she not considered what would happen to Liu Jia, to her own children, if she let the Northern Rong army invade Great Chu? The memory of huddling with her brother in Chu Jing, awaiting death as the city nearly fell—now she realized it was all the doing of her own mother.

"Wretched woman!" Mo Jingli’s face twisted with fury as he struck her hard across the face. The blow was merciless, and though Consort Liu knew some martial arts unlike most sheltered noblewomen, the force sent her sprawling to the ground, her forehead slamming against a nearby chair. Blood spilled from her lips as she clutched her abdomen in agony, even spitting out a tooth. Though some time had passed, the wounds Princess Zhenning had inflicted on her stomach had not fully healed, and now the pain flared anew as she lay on the floor.A single slap couldn't begin to vent the fury in Mo Jingli's chest. This woman... the Great Chu's crushing defeat, their current retreat to the southern territories—it was all because of her! Seeing Mo Xiuyao now occupying vast stretches of land while he was forced to retreat to less than a quarter of his original territory made Mo Jingli wish he could slice Consort Liu into a thousand pieces and scatter her ashes to the wind.

"Prince Li." Just as Mo Jingli was about to step forward and kick her a few more times, Mo Xiuyao called out to stop him.

Mo Jingli glared at him coldly and sneered, "Could it be that Prince Ding still wants to save this wretch? Well... back then, this woman was deeply infatuated with you."

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. "You misunderstand, Prince Li. What I meant to say was... don't dirty my floor. And... don't set a bad example for the children." Everyone was taken aback and followed Mo Xiuyao's gaze to the doorway, where a small head peeked in, round eyes wide with curiosity as it observed the scene inside. Ye Li's expression darkened slightly as she said calmly, "Yu Chen, come here."

Mo Xiaobao blinked and waved cheerfully at Ye Li. "Mother, what's going on here?" Stepping over the threshold into the hall, everyone then noticed a string of little figures trailing behind him—Leng Junhan and Xu Zhirui had also slipped in. Taking one look at Ye Li's expression, Mo Xiaobao knew things weren't good. Mother was angry. Quickly, he put on an innocent smile and ran toward her. But then, a white figure flashed—Consort Liu, who had been sitting on the floor, suddenly lunged forward, throwing herself at Mo Xiaobao.

"Ah?!" A scream echoed through the hall. Consort Liu clutched her right hand, glaring hatefully at the person before her. A deep, vicious gash ran across her wrist, blood flowing freely. Mo Xiaobao, who had narrowly escaped danger, was now safely cradled in Ye Li's arms. In her other hand, Ye Li held a short blade dripping with blood. Mo Xiaobao's face had gone pale with fright, and after calling out "Mother," he buried himself in her embrace, refusing to move. No matter how clever he was, he was still just a child of seven or eight. To endure such a scare without crying was already brave. Ye Li's delicate, gentle features seemed to frost over as she stared coldly at the woman before her, her eyes flashing with murderous intent for the first time.

Consort Liu had long understood that in the unfamiliar city of Li Cheng, falling into the hands of either Mo Xiuyao or Mo Jingli meant certain death. Her desperate lunge at Mo Xiaobao had been a last-ditch effort. Yet, she had still failed. Ye Li's strike had been merciless—even if she survived, Consort Liu's right hand would be useless from now on. Though she had often heard tales of Prince Ding's Estate's formidable martial prowess, Consort Liu had never taken them seriously. She had never truly fought Ye Li nor seen her engage in combat with others. Ten years ago, Ye Li had still been clumsy with a bow—who would have thought her movements could be so swift and ruthless?

"Mother..." Mo Xiaobao whimpered pitifully in Ye Li's arms.

Looking down at the child in her arms, Ye Li noticed how much he had grown over the past year—he was now so tall that holding him was a bit of a strain. Seeing her son's reddened eyes, her heart softened. She sheathed the short blade and carried Mo Xiaobao back to Mo Xiuyao's side, placing him in his father's embrace.Although Mo Xiaobao usually didn't get along with his father, he was exceptionally well-behaved at this moment. Sitting in his father's arms, Mo Xiaobao suddenly felt the earlier fright dissipate somewhat, and his pale little face regained a hint of color. Leng Junhan and Xu Zhirui were also quite frightened. Though they hadn't clearly seen Ye Li and Consort Liu's movements, they had witnessed the pool of blood on the floor and the horrified expressions of those around them. Ye Li called for someone to take the two children away—they were younger than Mo Xiaobao and not as bold, so it wouldn't do for them to be traumatized.

Mo Xiuyao looked down at Mo Xiaobao, who was squirming restlessly in his arms, and stiffly patted him in an attempt to soothe him. However, the dark glare he directed at Consort Liu was so chilling that even Mo Jingli couldn't help but take a step back. Mo Xiaoyun and Princess Zhenning, standing stunned to the side, were frozen in place, unable to move. Without anyone seeing how Mo Xiuyao acted, two faint shadows flickered across the hall, and in the next moment, Mo Xiuyao was already seated back in his chair with Mo Xiaobao in his arms. Meanwhile, Consort Liu, who had been leaning against a chair earlier, had collapsed back onto the floor. Her limbs now hung limply in an unnatural manner, rendering her completely immobile. Earlier, when Ye Li had merely slashed her once, Consort Liu's screams had been loud enough to be heard outside. Yet now, despite this drastic turn of events, she didn't make a single sound.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that Consort Liu wasn't silent by choice—her acupoints had been sealed, leaving her unable to utter even a whisper. Without needing to see her injuries, the sheer agony was evident from the twisted, contorted expression on her face. But this cruel punishment inflicted upon a once-beautiful woman elicited no sympathy from anyone. Even Mo Xiaoyun and Princess Zhenning merely paused for a moment before turning their heads away, unable to bear the sight.

Consort Liu trembled in pain, but no matter how hard she strained, she couldn't make a sound. She could only stare in terror as everyone around her watched her suffering with cold indifference. There had been a time when Consort Liu thought the days after leaving the palace had been unbearable—so painful that she never wanted to recall them. But now she realized that compared to falling into Mo Xiuyao's hands, she would have gladly endured those days forever.

Mo Xiaobao, sitting in Mo Xiuyao's lap, curiously watched Consort Liu writhing in agony on the floor. With her limbs completely immobilized, she twisted her body like a worm. "Father, what's wrong with her?" Mo Xiaobao asked. Mo Xiuyao patted his little head absentmindedly and replied, "She's just lying on the floor for fun." Mo Xiaobao blinked his large, dark eyes, a glimmer of mischief flashing within them. Did Father think he was stupid? This woman was clearly in pain. Father was amazing… even more so than Mother and Uncle…

Once Consort Liu had exhausted herself from silent screaming, Mo Xiuyao gave a light hum and flicked his left hand, releasing her sealed acupoints. Consort Liu let out a pained groan, drenched in sweat and utterly disheveled. Lying on the floor, she continued to tremble from the excruciating agony. "Mo… Mo Xiuyao… you… you're ruthless…" she gasped.Mo Xiuyao gave her a faint glance, unfazed by her accusations. That he had spared her life after she dared harm his son—Mo Xiuyao was almost moved by his own benevolence.

"A Li, don't be angry. I’ll make sure to train Xiao Bao properly from now on," Mo Xiuyao quickly reassured, seeing Ye Li’s still-frosty expression. He shot Mo Xiaobao a threatening look from the corner of his eye.

Mo Xiaobao shrank his little head and nodded eagerly. "Mother, Xiao Bao will learn powerful martial arts from Father in the future. When I grow up, I’ll protect Mother!"

Mo Xiuyao shot him a displeased glare. Scram! Protecting A Li is my duty.

Mo Xiaobao gazed at his mother with big, pleading eyes, doing his best to look adorable. Ye Li reached out and patted his little head, smiling faintly. "It was Mother’s fault for letting you come in."

"Mother, I’m sorry. Xiao Bao shouldn’t have been so playful and eavesdropped outside," Mo Xiaobao obediently admitted. Wuwu, if I make Mother sad, Father will definitely punish me harshly.

This heartwarming scene of maternal affection and marital harmony, however, only irritated those watching. Mo Jingli glared coldly at Mo Xiuyao. "This prince didn’t come here to watch your happy family reunion."

Mo Xiuyao remained unbothered, raising a brow in amusement. "Does Prince Li dislike seeing my family in harmony?"

Mo Jingli scoffed, his gaze icy as he turned to Imperial Concubine Liu. "What does Prince Ding intend to do with this woman?"

Mo Xiuyao arched an eyebrow indifferently. "Since I invited Prince Li and Prince Changxing here, naturally, she’s yours to deal with. However… after what just happened, I’ve changed my mind."

"What does Prince Ding want?" Mo Jingli didn’t bother consulting Mo Xiaoyun or Princess Zhenning, his attention fixed solely on Mo Xiuyao.

Mo Xiuyao swept a dispassionate glance over Imperial Concubine Liu. "I want her life. How you deal with her is your business, but if anyone dares let her leave Li Cheng alive, they’ll die with her."

Mo Jingli understood—Mo Xiuyao didn’t want Imperial Concubine Liu to die immediately, but he also wouldn’t allow her to live comfortably. Torture her all they wanted, but saving her was out of the question.

Mo Jingli didn’t care either way. He had no intention of saving her, but tormenting her to vent his frustrations sounded appealing, especially after the pent-up anger he’d been nursing lately.

Imperial Concubine Liu stared fearfully at the crowd in the hall, meeting only cold indifference.

"No… please… Xiaoyun, Zhenning, your mother was wrong… save me, I don’t want to die…" she begged, looking pleadingly at Mo Xiaoyun and Princess Zhenning. The haughty demeanor she once wore was long gone—she would grovel in the dirt if it meant survival.

Mo Xiaoyun watched her silently, unmoved. Princess Zhenning took a slow step forward and crouched before Imperial Concubine Liu.

Hope flared in Imperial Concubine Liu’s heart. Unlike her son, who had been raised strictly by his father, this daughter had always been soft-hearted. "Zhenning, Zhenning, your mother was wrong… save me, I’ll cherish you from now on…"Princess Zhenning raised her hand and slowly lifted the veil from her face, revealing the twisted scars that marred her features. The ointment applied to them made them appear even more horrifying than before. Imperial Concubine Liu was momentarily stunned, startled by the scars on Princess Zhenning's face. The princess gazed at her calmly and said, "You are not my mother. My mother died two years ago. Do you see this? This is the memento she left me. Do you think... I would save you? My brother and I were saved by someone else. I can't save you..."

After speaking, Princess Zhenning replaced her veil, stood up, and turned to leave.

"No... no, that has nothing to do with me. Don't go..." Imperial Concubine Liu tried to reach out and grab the princess, but her broken arms were utterly useless. She couldn't even lift them, let alone grasp anyone. She could only watch helplessly as Princess Zhenning took Mo Xiaoyun by the hand and walked toward the door.

"No! Zhenning, come back!"

Princess Zhenning paused briefly at the doorway, then quickened her pace with Mo Xiaoyun and disappeared outside.

The last glimmer of light in Imperial Concubine Liu's eyes finally faded. Staring hopelessly at the empty doorway, she couldn't help but scream, "Mo Ning! Mo Xiaoyun, you unfilial children! Why didn't I kill you back then?! I'll haunt you even as a ghost, you wretched offspring..."

Outside, hearing the hate-filled curses echoing from within, the siblings stopped in their tracks. The veil covering Princess Zhenning's face was damp in one spot. Mo Xiaoyun lowered his head and took her hand. The princess took a deep breath and said, "Let's go home."

Mo Xiaoyun nodded. "Yes, sister. Let's go home."

In the hall, Imperial Concubine Liu continued her furious tirade. Mo Xiuyao's lips curled slightly as he flicked his wrist. A cold glint flashed, and Imperial Concubine Liu's shrill voice abruptly ceased. A thin trail of blood appeared on her mute acupoint—Mo Xiuyao's strike had directly damaged it, ensuring she would never utter another sound.

Ignoring Imperial Concubine Liu's venomous glare, Mo Xiuyao turned to Mo Jingli and said, "Now you can take her away."

Mo Jingli looked at Mo Xiuyao with a complicated expression. "You truly are ruthless." Imperial Concubine Liu's limbs were broken, and now she was mute. Such a person could no longer stir up trouble, but the longer she lived, the more she would suffer. Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly. "This prince can grant her a swift end now if you prefer."

"No need!" Mo Jingli replied coldly. He summoned the guards waiting outside to take Imperial Concubine Liu away, then glanced at Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li. "I hope you keep your word." He was well aware that Ren Qining had visited Dongfang Hui, yet Prince Ding's Estate had taken no action, which left him uneasy.

Recalling a piece of news he had heard the previous night, Mo Xiuyao smiled with amusement. "Jing Li, there's a saying: 'Lean on a mountain, and it will collapse; lean on a tree, and it will fall.' Rather than pinning your hopes on others, it's better to rely on yourself."

"Are you breaking our agreement?" Mo Jingli frowned darkly.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Prince Li misunderstands. It's just... even if we stop Ren Qining, it doesn't mean you will be the one to win. Do you understand?"Discussing such matters with Ye Li always left Mo Jingli somewhat displeased. He said irritably, "As long as you keep your promise, that's enough. The rest is none of your concern."

Ye Li nodded indifferently. "In that case, Prince Li need not worry."

Mo Jingli snorted coldly and, ignoring Ye Ying and Qixia Princess who stood by looking bewildered, turned and walked out. Qixia Princess and Ye Ying had no choice but to hastily follow.

With only the family of three left in the hall, Ye Li finally turned and fixed Mo Xiaobao with a cool stare. Mo Xiaobao tensed his little face and forced out a pitiful smile. Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow, casually plucked Mo Xiaobao from his arms, and tossed him aside. A child of seven or eight still being carried—what kind of behavior was that!

"Mother..."

Ye Li regarded him calmly. "Why were you in the manor today?"

Mo Xiaobao pouted. "Isn't this Xiao Bao's home? Mother's words hurt Xiao Bao's feelings."

"Stop pretending to cry. You don't even have half a tear," Ye Li bluntly exposed his act. Mo Xiaobao could only sheepishly lower his hands from his eyes—indeed, they were completely dry without even a hint of redness. He cautiously shuffled forward two steps and said with an ingratiating smile, "Mother, did Xiao Bao do something wrong...?"

"What did you do wrong?" Ye Li asked.

Mo Xiaobao earnestly counted on his little fingers, "Xiao Bao shouldn't have skipped school, shouldn't have taken Leng Xiaodai and Zhi Rui out to play, shouldn't have eavesdropped on Mother and Father talking. Shouldn't have..." He really couldn't think of anything else he shouldn't have done, but seeing that his mother still didn't seem appeased, Mo Xiaobao could only secretly look to his father for help.

Mo Xiuyao watched with amusement as the little rascal who usually delighted in opposing him blinked his eyes pleadingly. Uncharacteristically kind, he said, "Alright, A Li. This boy just needs some discipline. I'll teach him a proper lesson later—don't upset your health over this."

Seeing her son's pitiful gaze, how could Ye Li stay angry? Her anger wasn't really directed at Mo Xiaobao, but rather at herself. If she hadn't called out earlier when Mo Xiaobao entered, he wouldn't have nearly been hurt by Consort Liu. Still, skipping school to laze around was absolutely unacceptable behavior that couldn't be tolerated!

"Copy what Grand Tutor taught you yesterday twenty times and show it to him tomorrow for review. Also write a self-criticism report—do you understand?"

Mo Xiaobao's head drooped dejectedly. First it was just Father who liked assigning copying as punishment, and now Mother was doing it too. Wuwu, Grand Tutor, Xiao Bao was wrong...