Mo Li

The news of the Northern Rong King sending an envoy to Great Chu naturally couldn’t be hidden from Prince Ding's Estate. In the Mo Family Army camp, Ye Li frowned as she read the newly delivered report in her hand and said, “The Northern Rong King sending an envoy at this time… does this mean he’s starting to distrust Yelv Ye?”

Mo Xiuyao smiled. “Distrust might not be the case. However… Yelv Ye has suffered consecutive defeats these days, and the territory currently occupied by the Northern Rong army is less than half of what they once held at their peak. Naturally, the Northern Rong King is dissatisfied with him. But… the choice of envoy is rather interesting. It’s likely that Yelv Ye is the one who distrusts the Northern Rong King now.”

Ye Li studied the report carefully and mused, “This… envoy is Yelv Hong’s man?”

Mo Xiuyao nodded, looking quite pleased. “Yelv Hong hasn’t disappointed my expectations after all. To achieve this level… no wonder he’s managed to hold the position of Northern Rong’s Crown Prince for so many years. He’s certainly no ordinary man.”

“Yelv Hong wants Yelv Ye to suspect the Northern Rong King’s distrust, thereby sowing discord in his heart? Isn’t he afraid of overplaying his hand and having Yelv Ye return to Northern Rong to settle scores with him later?” Ye Li raised an eyebrow.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. “Because he’s certain Yelv Ye won’t make it back to Northern Rong. Even if he does by some fluke… he’ll have no strength left to challenge Yelv Hong.”

Ye Li nodded, then shook her head after a moment’s thought. “Yelv Hong trying to curb Yelv Ye’s military authority won’t be easy. On the contrary… that envoy might end up losing his life.” Though she hadn’t interacted much with Yelv Ye, she had some understanding of his temperament. He would likely suspect the Northern Rong King’s distrust and develop disloyalty, even doing things he shouldn’t. But for Yelv Hong to meddle with military authority wouldn’t be so simple. Unless Yelv Hong came in person, anyone he sent would probably end up dead at Yelv Ye’s hands.

“Should we lend them a hand in secret?” Ye Li asked.

Mo Xiuyao shook his head. “No need. Let Yelv Ye do as he pleases. If he can’t kill Yelv Hong’s man, we might even help him.”

After a brief pause, Ye Li understood Mo Xiuyao’s meaning. Though they were temporarily cooperating with Yelv Hong, they weren’t friends, so there was no need to constantly consider his interests. Moreover, Yelv Hong wanted to seize military authority and withdraw those Northern Rong soldiers beyond the border, while Mo Xiuyao wanted all of them buried within Great Chu. Their stances were clearly at odds. Since Yelv Hong wanted to fight for control, it was best to let the two brothers turn on each other while they reaped the benefits.

Ye Li nodded with a faint smile. “Wang Ye’s calculations are impeccable.”Mo Xiuyao smiled somewhat smugly at Ye Li and said, "My wife also thinks her husband is very clever, doesn't she?" Ye Li smiled without responding, though inwardly she was wiping away sweat. Mo Xiuyao's cunning was far beyond mere cleverness. There were many intelligent people in this world, but they always lacked something. For instance, Xu Hongyu lacked a bit of ambition. Qingchen Gongzi, on the other hand, lacked a touch of ruthlessness. But Mo Xiuyao lacked nothing. Most importantly, he could wrap all these traits in a harmless exterior—otherwise, Mo Jingqi wouldn't have tolerated him for so many years back then. Cleverness, decisiveness, patience, ambition, ruthlessness—Mo Xiuyao truly lacked none of them. That was why he had single-handedly transformed Prince Ding's Estate from the brink of collapse into what it was today. That was why he had been able to lay the groundwork years ago, ensuring the current state of the world was under his control.

"A Li, are you saying this prince isn't clever?" Mo Xiuyao persisted, nuzzling against Ye Li. Ye Li sighed helplessly, "Who in the world would dare say Prince Ding isn't clever?" Only two types of people truly believed their intelligence surpassed Prince Ding's: fools and the genuinely brilliant. The former were already dead, and the latter certainly knew what could and couldn't be said.

Mo Xiuyao nodded in satisfaction, planting a kiss on Ye Li's cheek. "So, being able to become this prince's beloved wife means A Li is also the cleverest woman." Ye Li rolled her eyes and pushed his handsome face away. "Wang Ye, are you planning to sit here and sing our own praises? Aren't you afraid others will laugh at us?"

"Who would dare laugh at my A Li? I'll kill them," Mo Xiuyao murmured softly.

Unable to bring herself to strike that increasingly handsome face framed by silver hair, Ye Li instead pinched his cheeks and gave them a vigorous rub. Over the years, Prince Ding had grown shameless beyond measure—a far cry from the refined, slightly aloof nobleman she had first met. Ye Li suspected there had been something wrong with her eyes back then.

"A Li must really like this prince's face, hm? Can't bear to let go, is that it? That's fine—if A Li likes it, she can pinch it as much as she wants." Since Ye Li couldn't actually hurt him, Mo Xiuyao happily indulged, lying back with his head in her lap and closing his eyes with a smile.

At his words, Ye Li found herself unable to continue pinching him. She withdrew her hand awkwardly. "Wang Ye, I find you're becoming more and more..."

"Wang Ye, this subordinate..." Feng Zhiyao hurried in, freezing at the doorway. After a glance at the two inside, he deeply regretted not checking the almanac before leaving home. Clearing his throat, he said with utmost seriousness, "Please continue. This subordinate will take his leave."

Mo Xiuyao sat up, displeased. "What is it?"

Feng Zhiyao waved the item in his hand. "It's nothing major. That new envoy in the Northern Rong Camp seems to be on his last legs.""So soon?" Ye Li asked curiously. Although she had anticipated that the envoy wouldn't last long, dying just two days after arrival seemed excessively quick. Feng Zhiyao replied, "Well... it's said to be due to climate sickness." While climate sickness wasn't unheard of, cases severe enough to be fatal were rare. Typically, such extreme reactions only occurred when moving between drastically different environments—like from the far north to the deep south, or from arid cold regions to humid tropical ones. Though there were some differences between the northern regions of Great Chu and Northern Rong, the seasonal variations weren't particularly pronounced at this time of year. The winters were just slightly milder than in Northern Rong. Who would believe the envoy died from climate sickness? But belief wasn't important—having an excuse was enough.

Mo Xiuyao pondered for a moment before saying, "Send a letter to Yelv Hong's people. Whether they can save him in time is no longer Prince Ding's Estate's concern." Understanding his meaning, Feng Zhiyao nodded with a smile. "This subordinate will arrange for the letter to be sent... no, tomorrow." By the time the letter reached Yelv Hong's people, it would take at least two or three days. By then, when Yelv Hong's men arrived, it would be just in time to collect the envoy's remains.

Seeing there was nothing else to discuss, Feng Zhiyao tactfully touched his nose and said, "This subordinate takes his leave."

Mo Xiuyao snorted dismissively, not bothering to acknowledge him. Feng Zhiyao shrugged and turned to leave. Standing outside the tent, he gazed up at the sky in contemplation: After witnessing that kind of scene, shouldn't it be Wang Fei who blushed in embarrassment? Why was she completely unruffled while Wang Ye's face was flushed red?

Watching Feng Zhiyao walk away with that strange expression, Ye Li turned to glance at Mo Xiuyao's slightly reddened face—still marked from her earlier pinch—and couldn't help but chuckle. Mo Xiuyao touched his cheek and realized what she was laughing about. With a resigned sigh, he murmured, "A Li... since Feng Zhiyao already saw..."

"What are you planning?" Ye Li asked warily, narrowing her eyes at him.

Mo Xiuyao pounced on her, planting a delighted kiss as he said, "Since he already saw, wouldn't it be a waste if this prince didn't do something? Otherwise, Feng San would have laughed at me for nothing."

"Mo Xiuyao!" Ye Li feigned anger, glaring at him with fiery eyes.

Mo Xiuyao, thoroughly pleased, beamed at her. "This prince intends to indulge in daylight debauchery!"

Ye Li's face flushed crimson as she glared at him indignantly. Was this something to boast about? Seeing his smug grin, she huffed in frustration and bit his lip in retaliation. Mo Xiuyao froze momentarily before bursting into laughter. Gazing down at his beloved wife—her cheeks rosy, her eyes alight with mock fury—he murmured, "A Li, A Li... you're so beautiful..."

Before she could react, her crimson lips were captured by his passionate kiss, and the two were swiftly lost in fervent entanglement...

The war between the Mo Family Army and Northern Rong continued, but many internal developments remained unknown to outsiders. The envoy who had just arrived at the Northern Rong camp, intending to seize control of their military, ultimately succumbed to "climate sickness" a few days later. By the time Yelv Hong's men arrived, they were too late even to collect the body—Yelv Ye had already burned it to ashes.

Naturally, Yelv Hong's men were furious, but having witnessed Yelv Ye's ruthlessness, they dared not confront him directly. Instead, they sent a secret letter straight to the Northern Rong royal court, lodging a formal complaint before the King of Northern Rong.The King of Northern Rong was naturally furious. Originally, Yelv Ye had led troops to attack Great Chu, occupying vast territories and achieving outstanding military merits, making him the most distinguished among the Northern Rong princes and generals. However, he had begun to subtly disobey orders. Later, in Li Cheng, he caused the inexplicable death of Qing Yina, whom the king currently favored. After Yelv Hong returned, he inevitably added fuel to the fire, making the king even more uneasy about Yelv Ye. Yet, even so, the king never suspected Yelv Ye of harboring rebellious intentions. Thus, when Yelv Ye requested reinforcements, the king immediately promoted the previously disliked Helian Zhen and dispatched troops without hesitation. Unexpectedly, this time, when the king merely sent someone to reprimand Yelv Ye, the envoy died without any apparent reason. If someone claimed it was due to climate sickness, the king would never believe it. The reason he had sent this envoy to Great Chu was precisely because the man had previously served as an envoy there.

After his furious outburst, the King of Northern Rong immediately ordered Yelv Ye to return to Northern Rong at once, transferring all military authority and the war against the Mo Family Army to Crown Prince Yelv Hong. Upon receiving the king’s decree, Yelv Hong was overjoyed and wasted no time packing his belongings, rushing to Great Chu at full speed.

On the battlefield, the Northern Rong army and the Mo Family Army had been engaged in continuous battles, with victories and defeats on both sides. However, the Northern Rong forces were gradually being pushed back. As winter deepened, the northern lands grew increasingly frigid, with Northern Rong’s territory now frozen for thousands of miles and blanketed in snow. Both provisions and reinforcements had become nearly impossible to obtain. Moreover, the Great Chu territories they occupied had been ravaged over the years, leaving the land barren and devoid of people. Compared to the Mo Family Army, which had a steady supply of provisions, the Northern Rong soldiers faced a bitterly harsh winter.

One day, Mo Xiaobao excitedly burst out of his tent and dashed like the wind into Mo Xiuyao’s command tent, triumphantly waving several sheets of paper filled with writing. "Father! Mother! I’ve figured it out!"

As the year was drawing to a close, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li were discussing their next steps with their generals. Although victory seemed within their grasp here, the southern front’s struggle against Lei Zhenting was proving extremely difficult. Though a few veteran generals had barely managed to hold off Lei Zhenting’s advance, if they delayed any longer, the southern front would likely collapse once Mo Jingli’s forces arrived.

Seeing Mo Xiaobao rush in, the generals couldn’t help but look at him curiously. Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and took the plan Mo Xiaobao had written, skimming it without comment. Mo Xiaobao grinned proudly. "Well? Father, isn’t my idea brilliant?"

Mo Xiuyao casually handed the papers to Ye Li. After reading them, she gave Mo Xiaobao a faint smile before passing them to Yun Ting, who had been eagerly craning his neck to see. Seeing his mother’s smile, Mo Xiaobao felt reassured.Below, several generals huddled together, examining the item in Yun Ting's hands, nodding and praising repeatedly. "Trapping the Northern Rong cavalry with pitfalls, along with iron caltrops... Hmm, cutting down horses' legs... Luring the Northern Rong army into the mountains to encircle and annihilate them... What a brilliant idea! Did the Little Prince really come up with this?" It wasn’t that these tactics were particularly groundbreaking—after all, many of them had been used by the generals in recent battles. Some were even common knowledge when dealing with cavalry. But Mo Xiaobao was different. At just seven or eight years old, he had managed to think of so much, even understanding the characteristics of the Northern Rong army's forces and the terrain of the battlefield. This was far beyond what an ordinary child could achieve. The men couldn’t help but marvel inwardly: truly worthy of being the Little Prince of Prince Ding's Estate—exceptionally precocious indeed.

Mo Xiaobao puffed up with pride, staring challengingly at Mo Xiuyao, waiting for him to admit defeat.

Mo Xiuyao gave him a lazy glance before pointing at Sun Yaowu below and asking, "Yaowu, do you think the Little Prince’s plan is feasible?" Sun Yaowu hesitated, glancing at the eager young prince, then said awkwardly, "Well... the Little Prince’s plan is quite impressive. However... the terrain he’s referring to is over a hundred miles away from where we are now. Currently, we’re on open plains. The strategy of luring the enemy into the mountains to encircle and destroy them... might be a bit difficult to execute here."

Huh? Mo Xiaobao froze, then turned to his father’s amused face. Unwilling to concede, he stomped his foot and protested, "That’s not fair! General Sun, just tell me whether my plan would have worked in the earlier situation!"

Sun Yaowu thought for a moment, then answered earnestly, "Though there are minor flaws, they don’t overshadow the brilliance. It should have been feasible."

"Father..." Mo Xiaobao turned back triumphantly. Mo Xiuyao smiled warmly at him and said with paternal affection, "Xiao Bao, there’s a saying I’m not sure if anyone has taught you yet, but I must tell you now: 'Speed is the essence of war.' It’s already been over a month since the time you were referring to. If you were leading troops into battle, would you tell Yelv Ye, 'Hold on, I haven’t figured out a strategy yet—let’s fight a month from now'? Hmm?"

Mo Xiaobao’s triumphant expression instantly deflated. He looked pitifully at Ye Li, but one glance at his mother’s cheerful expression told him there was no hope for rescue. On the other hand, he knew deep down that Mo Xiuyao wasn’t wrong. He had thought himself incredibly clever, but if he were truly commanding troops, the enemy wouldn’t give him a month to devise a plan. Hearing about the Mo Family Army’s battles over the past month, Mo Xiaobao’s fair little face darkened with realization—he wasn’t as brilliant as he had believed.

In truth, Mo Xiaobao was being too hard on himself. For his age, it was already remarkable that he had read through the military texts Mo Xiuyao gave him in just over a month and devised a plan—one that even a seasoned general like Sun Yaowu praised as "flaws not overshadowing brilliance"—by considering the terrain and the strengths of both armies. But neither Mo Xiuyao nor Ye Li comforted him. The heir of Prince Ding's Estate was born to shoulder responsibilities far beyond those of ordinary children. Giving Mo Xiaobao some pressure at the right time was not unwarranted.Seeing him admit defeat, Mo Xiuyao smiled and said, "Well... now it's time to fulfill the bet, isn't it?"

Mo Xiaobao's little face darkened instantly as he stiffly turned to look at Ye Li. Ye Li smiled gently and said, "Xiao Bao, a bet is a bet. This time... consider it a lesson learned. A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit." In the future, don’t gamble so casually with your father.

Mo Xiaobao glared fiercely at Mo Xiuyao before stomping out of the tent in a huff. His demeanor piqued everyone’s curiosity—what exactly had the Little Prince wagered with Wang Ye? One by one, they bid farewell to Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, slipping out of the tent to watch the Little Prince fulfill his bet. Mo Xiuyao didn’t stop them, waving his hand to let everyone leave.

Mo Xiaobao stood with his hands behind his back in the busiest part of the camp. Soldiers passing by couldn’t help but stop when they saw the tiny, exquisitely pretty Little Prince standing there with an unusually solemn expression, wondering what he was up to.

Gritting his teeth, Mo Xiaobao shot dagger-like glares at the surrounding soldiers. Unfortunately, instead of thinning out, the crowd only grew larger under his fierce gaze. Finally, he clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "This prince is called Mo Xiaobao!"

The soldiers froze for a moment before someone burst into laughter, quickly followed by uproarious laughter from the rest. Names like "Xiao Bao" were quite common, but they were usually given by illiterate commoners or used as nicknames within families. Hearing such an affectionate and ordinary name attached to the highly esteemed heir of Prince Ding's Estate struck everyone as hilariously absurd. Yet, seeing the Little Prince dressed in his dark, elegant robes, looking as delicate and lovely as jade, the name somehow seemed oddly fitting.

Feeling mocked, Mo Xiaobao’s face flushed red. He stamped his foot and dashed back into the tent, throwing himself into Ye Li’s arms, utterly aggrieved. "Mother..."

"There, there, they weren’t laughing at you," Ye Li soothed, patting his little head with a smile. Mo Xiuyao, however, was thoroughly amused, showing no regard for his son’s wounded pride. Mo Xiaobao could only gnash his teeth in silent fury, inwardly cursing his grandfather for not giving his father a similarly embarrassing nickname when he was young.

"Mother, Father is mean! Father bullied Xiao Bao!" Mo Xiaobao whimpered, eyes brimming with tears.

Ye Li kissed his forehead and chuckled, "Who told you to gamble with your father? Tell me, what were you thinking when you made that bet?" Mo Xiaobao hung his head in silence. When his father had proposed the bet, he’d only imagined his own victory, never stopping to consider whether he could actually win. Though it was a trap set by his father, if he hadn’t been so overconfident and arrogant, he might never have fallen for it.

"Mother..."

Ye Li raised a brow. "Do you understand your mistake now?"

"Yes..." Mo Xiaobao nodded repeatedly, burying his ashamed face in Ye Li’s embrace. She pulled him up and smiled. "Silly child, why be embarrassed in front of your father? Just remember this lesson. When your father was your age, he was always scheming against your grandfather and uncle too.""Really?" Mo Xiaobao's eyes lit up, shining brightly as he looked at Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao gave a light hum and glanced at Mo Xiaobao teasingly, saying, "But this prince isn't that foolish."

"This heir will win one day!" Mo Xiaobao huffed, lifting his little chin proudly.

Mo Xiuyao nodded nonchalantly. "This prince will be waiting."

"Hmph!" Mo Xiaobao turned his head away indignantly. "This heir won't make you wait too long. Just you wait—I'll make you announce your childhood name in front of everyone too."

"Whatever."

Seemingly infuriated by Mo Xiuyao's attitude, Mo Xiaobao stomped his feet and stormed out of the tent like a whirlwind.

Watching Mo Xiaobao's sulky retreat, Ye Li sighed helplessly and smiled at Mo Xiuyao. "Are you happy now?" Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "A Li, I'm doing this for Xiao Bao's own good. Look at this kid—he's so young, yet his eyes are already looking down on everyone. If we don't put him in his place now, in a couple of years, he might forget his own surname."

Ye Li shrugged. "You're his father. How you raise him is up to you, but... if you ever end up being trampled under Xiao Bao's feet in the future, don't expect me to share in your humiliation."

Mo Xiuyao pulled her into his arms with a laugh. "Husband and wife are one. If I'm humiliated, A Li will surely share the same fate. But... Mo Xiaobao will need decades more of training before he can trample this prince underfoot. And... for A Li's sake, this prince won't allow himself to be humiliated."

Ye Li looked at him with a half-smile and said, "I only know the saying 'Fortune alternates like the ebb and flow of the river,' and another one that goes 'Each new generation surpasses the last, leaving the old behind in the dust.' Wang Ye, you'd better watch out..." With Mo Xiaobao's cleverness and the combined heritage of both the Xu Family and Prince Ding's Estate, she felt it might not be long before he surpassed Mo Xiuyao.

"Heh, this prince has also heard a saying—'Old ginger is spicier,'" Mo Xiuyao chuckled.

Inside Mo Xiaobao's tent, the little prince was sprawled over his desk, diligently scribbling with a brush. The attendant watching over him couldn't help but shudder at the sight of the young master's face twisting between grimaces and foolish grins. "Little Prince, what are you up to?" he asked.

Mo Xiaobao let out a strange cackle and flicked the letter in his hand. "I'm asking my eldest uncle to send me some books. From today onward, this prince will endure hardship and study hard!" The attendant glanced at the half-open tent flap and nodded silently—it was certainly cold enough outside.

A month later, Qingchen Gongzi received a booklist from Mo Xiaobao: The Art of Thick Black , Strange Strategies of Ancient and Modern Sages , The Military Classics of the Great Ancestor , The Tactics of Manipulation , XX Art of War , The Mind of an Emperor ...

Author's Note:

Dear readers~ Happy New Year's Eve! Wishing you all a joyful New Year, filled with happiness and success in everything you do~

Also, since Feng currently has limited internet access and can't reply to each comment individually, I’d like to take this moment to thank Xilingchun, perfectj, Fantasy Night Star, Suyi Suyi lindadzl, Ranxinye, juypjj, Yiyi Yifen, and other dear readers for the many diamonds and flowers you’ve sent these past days.

Special thanks also to Jingjiju, Zengfengzhu, kikilovejie, nini2009, Blue Crystal Stamen, Pattyjiang, Bieguang, gfvuq, Phoenix Leaves No Trace, and many more for your flowers, diamonds, votes, and continuous support through comments. And to all the lovely anonymous supporters—wishing everyone a happy and prosperous new year, with all your wishes coming true~