Mo Li

Perhaps it was because Ye Li's prestige within the Mo Family Army was already sufficient, or perhaps it was because all the generals, from the highest to the lowest ranks, appeared exceptionally calm and composed. After the news of Mo Xiuyao's severe injuries spread, the Mo Family Army did not descend into the chaos and low morale that Feng Zhiyao and the others had feared. Even when, more than ten days later, the news of Mo Xiuyao's death was announced and the entire Mo Family Army was draped in white mourning clothes, no major problems arose within the army. Instead, what filled all the officers and soldiers of the Mo Family Army was a greater hatred for the enemy and a shared desire for vengeance.

Upon actually receiving Mo Xiuyao's obituary, however, everyone was stunned. This included the supremely confident Mo Jingli and the initially somewhat worried Lei Zhenting. No one could believe it. Mo Xiuyao… that man who was both envied and feared by the world, who had commanded the winds and clouds for a decade and held sway over more than half the realm, was actually… dead?

Gazing at the letter before him, Lei Zhenting sighed with a complicated expression.

"Father?" Lei Tengfeng stood to the side, looking at Lei Zhenting's expression, which seemed to be a mix of joy and sorrow. He asked, somewhat puzzled, "Mo Xiuyao's death is naturally a good thing. I wonder why Father has such a look on his face." This led Lei Tengfeng to a rather unsettling guess. "Father, could it be… that there's a problem with the news of Mo Xiuyao's death?"

In truth, Lei Tengfeng also found it hard to believe that Mo Xiuyao had died just like that. Mo Xiuyao's cunning and unpredictability had left a deep impression on him, forcing him to suspect that Mo Xiuyao might be faking his death. But for the moment, he couldn't quite understand the point of Mo Xiuyao faking his death. The tide of this great war had already been gradually turning in Prince Ding's Estate's favor. As long as nothing unexpected happened, even if the stalemate dragged on for another two or three years, Prince Ding's Estate's chances of winning were far greater than Prince Zhennan's Estate's. By doing this, Mo Xiuyao could be seen as completely abandoning all his earlier advantages.

Lei Zhenting frowned and shook his head. "It doesn't seem likely, but we must not let our guard down. Send more men to investigate. We must confirm whether Mo Xiuyao is truly dead." If Mo Xiuyao was indeed faking his death, his scheme must be a grand one, and they absolutely could not be careless. But in the current situation, to halt their advance and do nothing, letting this opportunity slip by, was also completely out of the question.

"This son understands," Lei Tengfeng said with a solemn nod. He certainly understood the importance of this matter. Far away, outside Hangu Pass, Mo Jingli shared the exact same thoughts as Lei Zhenting.

At a secret stronghold of Prince Ding's Estate, Mo Xiuyao couldn't help but be torn between laughter and tears as he looked at the secret memorial his subordinate presented. Gazing at the report filled with information about himself, he couldn't help but murmur softly, "A Li must be angry… This is terrible. But… such an opportunity is hard to come by…" However, since A Li had announced his death, she must have a way to convince outsiders of the news's authenticity. This was, in fact, extremely beneficial to his clandestine plans. Indeed, his decision not to hide things from A Li back then had been a good one. If Feng Zhiyao and the others were in charge at Flying Goose Pass right now, their good intentions would have likely backfired. This wasn't a matter of ability, but rather that Feng Zhiyao and the others lacked Ye Li's prestige and status, nor did they share the unspoken understanding he had with Mo Xiuyao.

"Wang Ye…" The subordinate standing before him looked at the murmuring prince, his expression somewhat puzzled.A smile curved on Mo Xiuyao's lips. "Let's leave the battlefield to A Li and Feng San," he said. "We should also get ready." An opportunity like this to leave the battlefield without arousing suspicion was truly not easy to come by. After all, his martial arts were simply too formidable. Without a reasonable explanation, even if his corpse were laid out before Lei Zhenting, Lei Zhenting would probably assume it was someone else in disguise. The Boundless Mountains… what a wonderful excuse. That being the case, he would naturally take this opportunity to send Lei Zhenting and Mo Jingli a world-shaking gift.

"But, Wang Ye… your wound…"

Mo Xiuyao glanced down at his chest and waved a dismissive hand. "What kind of wound is this? It's nothing serious. Go on."

"Yes, this subordinate will take his leave."

A monumental event like the death of Prince Ding could not, of course, be handled perfunctorily. The moment the news spread, the entire Mo Family Army camp and Flying Goose Pass were immediately draped in white mourning cloth. White fabric was hung everywhere, and the entire army wore mourning attire. When the common people living near Flying Goose Pass received the news, they too put on mourning clothes in their homes, and many even cried out in grief. In these chaotic times, the people of the entire northwest had been living peaceful and happy lives, all thanks to the protection of Prince Ding's Estate. The people's sorrow now was not only for their own uncertain future but also a genuine expression of grief and mourning for the passing of Mo Xiuyao, their Prince Ding.

"Reporting to Wang Fei, Prince Zhennan of Xiling has arrived." Inside Flying Goose Pass, Ye Li was sitting in the study, approving the tall stack of memorials piled on her desk. With Mo Xiuyao's sudden "death," there were countless matters to handle. Everyone, whether at Flying Goose Pass or at Prince Ding's Estate in Li Cheng, was incredibly busy. After sending a letter, Xu Hongyu, Xu Qingchen, and the others in Li Cheng were also too swamped to spare a moment.

Ye Li looked up at Qin Feng and frowned. "Lei Zhenting? What is he here for?"

Qin Feng replied, "Naturally, to pay his respects to Wang Ye." Although the two sides were currently enemies, since Lei Zhenting was coming in the name of Xiling to offer condolences, the Mo Family Army could not really do anything to him.

Casually setting the memorial aside, Ye Li stood up. "Pay his respects? More like to probe for information, right? I thought he would have sent Lei Tengfeng." Qin Feng thought for a moment and said with a low chuckle, "In this subordinate's humble opinion, he was probably afraid that Wang Fei would, in a fit of rage, actually have Lei Tengfeng killed." Lei Tengfeng was Lei Zhenting's only son, and Lei Zhenting was already nearly sixty. It was likely too late for him to have and raise another son.

"Forget it, let's go see him. Have your men prepare. Mo Jingli will probably be here soon too," Ye Li said.

"Mo Jingli?" Qin Feng frowned. "Would he dare to come?" Mo Jingli was not someone known for being bold and highly skilled. Venturing deep into enemy territory was not something Mo Jingli seemed likely to do. As she walked out, Ye Li said, "He should have received the news by now. Based on my understanding of Mo Jingli, he will absolutely not miss an opportunity like this." After all, in Mo Jingli's life, this was the first time Mo Xiuyao had died, and it might well be the only time.

"This subordinate understands," Qin Feng said with a nod.In the main hall, Lei Zhenting sipped his tea while surveying the entire room. This estate was originally the residence of the general stationed at Flying Goose Pass, so it wasn't particularly large or magnificent. It was clear that Mo Xiuyao and the others hadn't put any special effort into decorating it after moving in. Now, with the entire estate draped in plain white cloth, it felt even more somber and grim.

Nearby, Feng Zhiyao, who was in charge of receiving guests, and Leng Haoyu, who had just rushed back from Chu Jing, were both glaring at Lei Zhenting with extremely hostile eyes. Despite being treated this way, Lei Zhenting wasn't angry. He simply sat calmly, drinking his tea. Having just offered incense in the mourning hall, Lei Zhenting was now considering how he could personally see Mo Xiuyao's body. In an estate as heavily guarded as this, secretly sneaking over to investigate was clearly not feasible.

"This subordinate greets Your Highness, the Wang Fei."

Ye Li was dressed in plain white mourning clothes, her cloud-like hair casually tied up in a simple bun. A small white flower was pinned in her bun, making her appear even more cold and pale. Standing to Ye Li's left was Mo Xiaobao, dressed in brocade robes of ink-black, also covered with an outer layer of white gauze. The moment he entered, Mo Xiaobao shot a fierce glare at Lei Zhenting.

Looking at Mo Xiaobao staring daggers at him, Lei Zhenting couldn't help but smile faintly. He sighed inwardly, thinking that Mo Xiuyao had raised a good son. Although still young, he already possessed his father's demeanor. Just one look at his round, seemingly cute eyes, which couldn't hide their sharp astuteness, was enough to know this boy was definitely not as docile and adorable as he appeared on the surface.

"Princess Ding, Young Heir, my condolences," Lei Zhenting said, rising and clasping his hands in a salute.

Ye Li nodded slightly and said with a faint smile, "We appreciate Zhennan Wang making the trip in person. Please, have a seat." Lei Zhenting looked at Ye Li and said with a sincere expression, "This king is also deeply saddened by Prince Ding's sudden passing. Although Prince Ding's Estate and Western Liang are enemies, he was an opponent this king respected. I have come this time, first, to mourn Prince Ding, and second, to discuss a truce with Prince Ding's Estate." Satisfied to see a flash of surprise in Ye Li's eyes, Lei Zhenting smiled faintly and said no more.

Feng Zhiyao and Leng Haoyu also stared at Lei Zhenting in disbelief. Everyone was well aware of the relationship between Prince Ding's Estate and Western Liang. The moment Lei Zhenting confirmed that Prince Ding was truly gone, he would absolutely not hesitate to annex Prince Ding's Estate. Anyone who believed he would act like a gentleman and not take advantage of a widow and her orphan at a time like this was a fool.

Ye Li raised a delicate eyebrow, looking at Lei Zhenting with a light smile. "A truce?"

Lei Zhenting nodded. "That's right. Now that Prince Ding has passed, I imagine... Princess Ding must be overwhelmed. If Your Highness agrees, Western Liang is willing to negotiate a truce with Prince Ding's Estate." Ye Li smiled. "If that is truly the case, Prince Ding's Estate could not ask for more. On behalf of the estate, this Wang Fei thanks Zhennan Wang."

Seeing Ye Li's proper smile, yet unable to miss the trace of exhaustion and haggardness in her eyes, Lei Zhenting frowned inwardly. For a moment, he was uncertain whether Ye Li's current appearance was an act or genuine. With all his experience in judging people, he couldn't find a single flaw in her demeanor. He had only brought up the truce to test Ye Li's thoughts and the current situation in Prince Ding's Estate. However, her attitude left him unable to gauge what was truly happening within the estate."Reporting to the Wang Fei, Emperor Chu is outside the pass requesting an audience," a guard announced loudly from outside the door.

Lei Zhenting's eyes flickered, but his expression showed no surprise. He turned his head to look at Ye Li, who was seated in the seat of honor, wanting to see how she planned to handle the situation. He heard Ye Li say calmly, "Emperor Chu has come from afar. Please invite him in. Feng San, take the young heir with you to welcome Emperor Chu." The etiquette for a formal occasion should not be neglected for any reason. Although Zhennan Wang currently seemed more powerful than Mo Jingli, Mo Jingli was, after all, the sovereign of a nation. Sending someone out to welcome him was a necessary courtesy.

"As you command," Feng Zhiyao replied in a deep voice.

"This child obeys," Mo Xiaobao said, hopping down from the chair beside Ye Li and following Feng Zhiyao out.

"The subordinates of Prince Ding's Estate are truly loyal and righteous beyond measure," Lei Zhenting remarked with profound meaning as he watched Feng Zhiyao walk out. For someone as proud as Feng Zhiyao to go out and welcome Mo Jingli was enough to demonstrate the submission of the people of Prince Ding's Estate to Ye Li. It was evident that Prince Ding's Estate was in no disarray under Ye Li's control. Even if it were true... the only loss was Mo Xiuyao. At this thought, the look in Lei Zhenting's eyes as he gazed at Ye Li grew more complicated, and he inwardly lamented that Ye Li had managed to escape Ling Tiehan's assassination attempt a few days ago.

Sitting to one side, Leng Haoyu snorted and said with a smile, "Zhennan Wang, you flatter us. A loyal subject does not serve two masters. We are merely doing what we ought to do." Meeting Leng Haoyu's unfriendly gaze, Lei Zhenting remained unconcerned and simply smiled faintly.

Ye Li glanced at Leng Haoyu with a smile, not taking any offense. "Zhennan Wang is absolutely right. If not for their help these past few days, I truly would have been... somewhat overwhelmed."

"In that case, why doesn't Princess Ding invite Qingchen Gongzi to come and preside over the situation?" Lei Zhenting asked. This was what puzzled him the most. Under normal circumstances, if Mo Xiuyao were truly dead, Prince Ding's Estate would have to support Mo Yuchen's ascension. But Mo Yuchen was not yet nine years old and naturally could not take charge of Prince Ding's Estate and the Mo Family Army. Therefore, by both sentiment and reason, Ye Li should have summoned Xu Qingchen or Xu Hongyu to Flying Goose Pass to take control of the overall situation. But right now, not a single person from the Xu Family had appeared, which couldn't help but make Lei Zhenting suspicious of the claim that Mo Xiuyao had passed away.

Ye Li gave a faint, wry smile and shook her head. "Li Cheng also needs my eldest brother to manage the situation. Besides..." Shaking her head again, Ye Li didn't continue, which undoubtedly sparked even more speculation. Of course, Lei Zhenting knew the importance of the entire northwest to Prince Ding's Estate. Moreover, ever since the news of Mo Xiuyao's death had spread, he had secretly ordered the troops within Western Liang to move north. It wasn't a genuine attempt to attack the original Western Mausoleum Imperial City, but rather to tie down Zhang Qilan's large army stationed in the west.Then there was Northern Rong. Mo Xiuyao had just annihilated nearly half of Northern Rong's military forces, and one of their princes had died in the process. Now, having heard the news of Mo Xiuyao's death, how could the King of Northern Rong not stir up some trouble to regain some face? Therefore, whether the Northwest, and Li Cheng in particular, could remain stable at this time was exceptionally important. As long as the Northwest held, even if the Mo Family Army was defeated this time, they would still have a place to retreat and regroup. When Mo Yuchen grew up in a few years, it was not impossible for the Mo Family Army to make a comeback. After all, based on Lei Zhenting's understanding of the almost monstrous bloodline of Prince Ding's Estate, there was virtually no doubt that Mo Yuchen would be able to hold his own in his teens. Of course, Lei Zhenting had no intention of giving him that chance.

Seeing Ye Li's hesitant and unspoken words, Lei Zhenting was two parts more convinced of Mo Xiuyao's death. He was not surprised that Ye Li was not weeping and wailing like an ordinary woman, her beautiful face pale with distress. After all, Ye Li was no ordinary woman. If she were truly overcome with grief and sorrow at this moment, Lei Zhenting would instead suspect her or look down on her.

"Wang Fei! Wang Fei, this is bad!" Outside the door, a guard rushed in to report. Ye Li frowned slightly and asked, "What is it?" The guard glanced at Lei Zhenting and said with some difficulty, "The Little Prince... the Little Prince has injured Emperor Chu."

Everyone present was stunned. No matter how capable Mo Xiaobao was, he was still a child of a few years; how could he have injured Mo Jingli? Seeing the doubtful looks from the crowd, the guard hurriedly said, "It's true. The Little Prince... the Little Prince bit Emperor Chu viciously."

"Is the Little Prince all right?" Leng Haoyu asked quickly, having never held out much hope for Mo Jingli's character. That man was so petty he wouldn't let it go just because Mo Xiaobao was a child. The guard wiped away his sweat and said, "The Little Prince is fine... but, the Little Prince says he wants to kill Emperor Chu. Third Master Feng can't hold him back. He asks that Wang Fei go over quickly."

Ye Li lowered her eyes, hiding a trace of a smile. She stood up and said to Lei Zhenting with some anxiety, "Zhennan Wang, my sincerest apologies. This consort must take her leave for a moment." Lei Zhenting smiled. "Wang Fei is too polite. Why don't I accompany you to have a look?" Ye Li hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, her concern for her son won out. She nodded and said, "Zhennan Wang, please."

"Wang Fei, after you."

Ye Li did not stand on ceremony with him and strode hastily out of the hall first.

Not far from the estate's entrance, Mo Jingli's imperial procession and the guards of Prince Ding's Estate had completely blocked the street, which was not very wide to begin with. In the center of the crowd, Mo Jingli, dressed in the bright yellow robes of an emperor, was glaring at Mo Xiaobao with a face full of rage. On his right hand, held out in front of him, was a bloody wound from a bite. It was clear that the one who had bitten him had shown no mercy at all.

Mo Xiaobao was held tightly in Feng Zhiyao's arms, but one look at the fury on his little face and the way he was baring his teeth ferociously at Mo Jingli made it clear that if Feng Zhiyao weren't holding him so tightly, Mo Xiaobao would have likely charged forward again.

"What's going on?" Ye Li walked in from the back of the crowd and asked with a frown.

Seeing Ye Li's arrival, Feng Zhiyao was visibly relieved. He wasn't afraid that the Little Prince had injured Mo Jingli, but rather worried that Mo Jingli, in his anger, would harm Mo Xiaobao."Mother..." As soon as Feng Zhiyao let go of Mo Xiaobao, the boy aggrievedly threw himself into Ye Li's arms. He rubbed his little face against her, his big, round eyes glaring at Mo Jingli. His delicate little face was filled with grievance, a stark contrast to the fierce look he had just now when he was about to pounce on the man.

Ye Li held him in her arms, gently patting him as she asked in a soft voice, "What's wrong, Xiao Bao? Are you hurt?"

Mo Xiaobao buried his little face in Ye Li's embrace and shook his head. Only then did Ye Li let out a sigh of relief. She stroked his little head and said, "It's good that you're alright. You must be careful. What would we do if you got hurt?"

"He's a bad man! Xiao Bao hates him!" Mo Xiaobao said aggrievedly, his uniquely innocent and childish voice carrying far. Everyone present couldn't help but glance over at Mo Jingli. Just how bad must he be to make the adorable Little Prince of Prince Ding's Estate hate him so much?

Mo Jingli's face instantly darkened. This little brat had nearly taken a chunk of flesh out of him, yet he had the audacity to be the first to complain!

"Ye Li, is this how you teach your son? He has no manners at all!" Mo Jingli glared at Ye Li and said coldly.

Ye Li's clear eyes turned somber. She stood up and looked at Mo Jingli, not showing the slightest weakness as she said calmly, "How I teach my son is not Emperor Chu's concern. If Your Majesty has the time, you might as well properly teach your own son."

"Pfft—" Feng Zhiyao, who was standing at the side, couldn't help but burst out laughing. The Wang Fei had definitely hit Mo Jingli where it hurt. Who in the world didn't know that Prince Li was already over thirty, yet he didn't even have a daughter, let alone a son? There were even rumors among the common folk that Prince Li suffered from some incurable disease. Of course, a trusted confidant of Prince Ding's Estate like Feng Zhiyao knew the truth more clearly. And it was precisely because he knew that Feng Zhiyao almost wanted to pity Mo Jingli. The most painful thing in this world wasn't never having something, but having it, losing it, getting it back, and then discovering it was all for naught.

Therefore, right now, even a hundred curses would not have angered Mo Jingli as much as Princess Ding's light, airy sentence.

"Ye Li!" Mo Jingli roared furiously. Ye Li turned around, holding Mo Xiaobao's hand to face Mo Jingli, and said in a deep voice, "This Princess respects Emperor Chu as the ruler of a nation, but if Your Majesty has no sense of how a guest should behave, then forgive this Princess for not seeing you out."

Mo Jingli was so furious he laughed instead. He raised his hand and sneered, "We came with good intentions to offer condolences. As soon as We entered, We were bitten by this little boy. Is this how Prince Ding's Estate treats its guests?"

Standing beside Ye Li, Mo Xiaobao tilted up his delicate little chin and said in a crisp voice, "You're not here to offer condolences to my Royal Father, you're here to cause trouble! People who come to offer condolences to my Royal Father don't wear clothes like yours!"

The crowd's gazes once again turned to Mo Jingli. Even though Mo Jingli was an emperor, the status of Prince Ding's Estate was in no way inferior to that of Great Chu. As a guest, he wasn't required to wear mourning clothes, but he should have at least changed into something more plain and somber, instead of swaggering in wearing a bright, dazzling dragon robe. Standing to one side, Lei Zhenting, who was dressed in black robes with a dark pattern, instantly felt the gazes from the Mo Family Army soldiers on him become much friendlier. Mo Jingli's attire didn't make him look like he was here to offer condolences; it looked more like he was here to show off his power and crash the event.Mo Jingli was speechless. He truly hadn't come with the sincere intention of mourning Mo Xiuyao. He wanted to laugh even in his dreams now that Mo Xiuyao was dead, so how could he possibly want to offer condolences? However, being exposed by a child in front of so many people still put him in an awkward position.

After a long moment, Mo Jingli finally snorted softly and looked at Ye Li. "Princess Ding, We have traveled a thousand li from afar to come here. Do you intend to block Us here?"

Ye Li glanced at him with a placid expression and said, "If Emperor Chu has sincerely come to offer condolences for Prince Ding, this princess naturally would not dare to obstruct you."

Mo Jingli declared haughtily, "We have naturally come for this purpose."

Ye Li nodded calmly. "In that case, please proceed to the memorial hall and offer a stick of incense, Prince Li."

Mo Jingli did not object and nodded, saying, "Very well. I also wish to see Prince Ding's remains. After all... we grew up together. I presume Princess Ding will not object?"

Ye Li remained silent for a moment before replying calmly, "Emperor Chu, please."