Mo Li

"Greetings, Mr. Qingyun." Although these old scholars carried themselves with great dignity outside, they couldn't help but feel somewhat diminished in Mr. Qingyun's presence. Despite his white beard and hair giving him the appearance of a kindly old sage, these men were of considerable age themselves and knew far more about Mr. Qingyun than the average young person. Among them were even some of his former students.

Mr. Qingyun smiled warmly. "No need for formalities. You are all busy men—what brings you to this humble retreat of mine?"

The group hastily expressed their deference, their hearts filled with a mix of reverence, admiration, and a tinge of envy. If there was anyone in the world blessed with the greatest fortune, Mr. Qingyun would undoubtedly rank among them. Not only were his descendants all accomplished, but Qingchen Gongzi had earned fame across the land in his youth, the fourth young master of the Xu Family had become a regional governor before the age of twenty-five, and even the third young master, who had abandoned scholarship for the military, had achieved outstanding merits in the Mo Family Army. Most importantly, he also had a granddaughter who had become Princess Ding. With such a legacy, the Xu Family could effortlessly remain prosperous for another century. Naturally, Mr. Qingyun lived a life of leisure, free from the careful scheming they had to endure for their own families' futures.

Mr. Qingyun instructed his attendant to serve tea, and the group settled onto stone stools in the bamboo grove to enjoy the brew, the atmosphere momentarily silent.

After sipping tea for a while and seeing that Mr. Qingyun remained composed and unreadable, someone finally grew restless.

"Mr. Qingyun, we’ve come today to trouble you because we have a request," one man said, rising to his feet with a respectful smile. Mr. Qingyun lifted his gaze to the speaker, his aged eyes unexpectedly calm and penetrating. He smiled faintly. "You are... Zhao Zhefang? You studied at Mount Li Academy years ago, didn’t you? If I recall... it’s been nearly twenty years since we last met."

The man, now nearing sixty, quickly nodded. "You are correct, Mr. Qingyun. I did indeed have the privilege of learning under your guidance back then." Though Mr. Qingyun had also been a prodigy in his youth, he was less than twenty years Zhao Zhefang’s senior. By the time Zhao Zhefang attended Mount Li Academy, Mr. Qingyun was already a renowned scholar. While not a direct disciple, by tradition, Zhao Zhefang should still consider himself a student in Mr. Qingyun’s presence—a fact that left the prideful man somewhat embarrassed after a lifetime of self-importance.

Mr. Qingyun paid no mind and simply asked, "What is it you wish to say?"

Zhao Zhefang hurriedly replied, "Now that Prince Ding has pacified the realm, it is time for him to ascend the throne and bring stability to the people. Establishing an empress, selecting consorts, and reorganizing the court will ensure all affairs return to order, officials resume their duties, and the common folk find peace of mind. However, when we submitted our petition to Prince Ding yesterday, he flew into a rage and adamantly refused to take any consorts. We thought... perhaps you could persuade Princess Ding. She has rendered great service to Prince Ding’s Estate, and naturally, she would become empress once Prince Ding ascends. But if she insists on monopolizing Prince Ding’s favor... it may harm both her reputation and that of the Xu Family."

Mr. Qingyun pondered for a moment before looking up with a smile. "Is this the opinion of all of you?"The group exchanged glances before speaking in unison, "We implore Mr. Qingyun to prioritize the realm's welfare. The Xu Family serves as the model for all scholars under heaven and will surely handle this matter appropriately."

Mr. Qingyun shook his head regretfully as he observed the men before him. None were young—some were barely a few years his junior. Had their pursuit of fame and fortune so blinded them?

"You've all been in Li Cheng for quite some time now. How would you assess the governance of the northwest?" Mr. Qingyun asked leisurely.

"Well... Prince Ding is truly a wise ruler of his generation. The people under his rule live in peace and prosperity, showing signs of a golden age."

Mr. Qingyun chuckled and shook his head, "Calling it a golden age may be excessive, but peace and prosperity are undeniable. For over a decade, Prince Ding has not proclaimed himself emperor, yet the northwest remains stable. This proves... whether one claims the imperial title has no direct bearing on the realm's stability."

"But... without proclaiming himself emperor, Prince Ding lacks proper legitimacy," someone interjected anxiously.

Mr. Qingyun smiled, "It's true that a state cannot be without its ruler. Prince Ding undoubtedly has the ambition to contend for world domination and would never leave the realm ungoverned. If he hasn't proclaimed himself emperor yet, it simply means the time isn't ripe. Why the urgency?"

Disappointment flickered in the eyes of the assembled men. They had assumed the Xu Family would push for Prince Ding's swift ascension. After all, the Xu Family would undoubtedly be the greatest beneficiaries once Prince Ding took the throne, making future matters much easier. To their surprise, Mr. Qingyun seemed genuinely indifferent.

One man stood and declared, "Mr. Qingyun speaks wisely—we indeed shouldn't dictate when Prince Ding claims the imperial title. However, it's been over a decade since His Highness married Princess Ding, yet the rear palace remains empty save for her. This is rather improper. Women should value feminine virtues—for the princess to act so domineering is excessive. How can she possibly live up to the reputation of being the mother of the realm?"

Mr. Qingyun's expression darkened as he prepared to respond, when a clear voice rang out from beyond the bamboo grove: "This elder's words are mistaken. The marital laws of Great Chu state: A wife is her husband's equal. Only a woman who matches Prince Ding's stature can be his wife. With His Highness' unparalleled brilliance in this era, what other woman besides Princess Ding—peerless in strategy and accomplished in both civil and military arts—would dare claim equality with Prince Ding? Who else would dare presume herself worthy of being Princess Ding?" A young man in blue robes entered the grove, sweeping his gaze across the assembled company before continuing, "Moreover, ancient rites dictate that the principal wife is the sole mistress of the household. Only if she bears no children after twenty years may concubines be taken. Even then, any children born to concubines belong to the principal wife. Princess Ding bore the Little Prince within three years of marriage and last year added a pair of dragon-phoenix twins. What fault lies in Prince Ding taking no concubines? Since you gentlemen invoke rites and laws at every turn, perhaps I should petition His Highness to restore ancient customs. Though if that happens... the concubines and illegitimate children in your own households..." Xu Qingyan smiled meaningfully at the group, leaving his words hanging."You... you're twisting logic!" The crowd flushed with anger, their fingers trembling as they pointed at Xu Qingyan. The ancient rites Xu Qingyan referred to dated back to antiquity, when rituals were first established and customs were pure. From emperors and generals down to peddlers and laborers, there was no concept of taking concubines. The marital system stipulated that a man could only take another wife if his first wife bore no children after twenty years of marriage. Even if the second wife bore children, she could never surpass the status of the first wife. Later, as human nature changed, it was further decreed that those who violated this marital rule would receive a hundred lashes and a year of imprisonment. However, as society declined and imperial power grew, these rites were gradually distorted by new regulations, leading to the modern notion of multiple wives and concubines. Today, perhaps only families like the Xu Family still maintained the rule that men could only take concubines after forty if they had no sons. If these ancient rites were forcibly reinstated, the current group would not only lose their wives and concubines but also suffer lashes and imprisonment severe enough to break their bones and reduce them to dust.

Xu Qingyan snorted disdainfully and walked over to Mr. Qingyun, bowing respectfully. "Grandson greets Grandfather."

Seeing his youngest grandson, Mr. Qingyun was delighted and smiled. "Yan'er, rise. When did you return? Have you seen your father and mother yet?" Xu Qingyan grinned. "I just arrived and came to pay my respects to Grandfather first after passing the foot of the mountain. I thought Grandfather would be playing chess with Mr. Su, but it seems quite lively here instead."

Mr. Qingyun chuckled. "Some guests have come to visit me. You should greet them as well. These gentlemen are renowned scholars and elder statesmen of Great Chu." Xu Qingyan tilted his head slightly, drawing out his words. "Oh? So these are the famous scholars of Great Chu..." He emphasized "Great Chu" heavily, instantly making the elder gentlemen uncomfortable. Although Great Chu had moved south, it had not yet fallen, and their haste to align themselves with Prince Ding's Estate could be seen as disloyalty.

Whether Xu Qingyan intended it or not, the elders certainly took it that way. Being mocked by a brash young lad—even if he was a Xu Family scion—was intolerable. One of them sneered, "I heard the fifth young master of the Xu Family holds a high position despite his youth. Mr. Qingyun is truly blessed."

Xu Qingyan pretended not to catch the implied jab and replied cheerfully, "No need to envy Grandfather, elder sir. I’ve returned this time to recruit talent for His Highness the Prince and Her Highness the Princess Consort. I’ve heard your sons are all outstanding individuals—why not send them north to serve the estate? I’m still young and wouldn’t mind assisting them."

The elder’s face stiffened. Taunting Xu Qingbai might have been manageable, but targeting Xu Qingyan was a miscalculation. Everyone knew the fifth young master of the Xu Family had followed his fourth brother north as a teenager to lead commoners in reclaiming wasteland for farming. Now that the fourth brother had gone to Western Liang, the fifth remained alone in the north. These self-proclaimed refined scholars would never allow their sons and grandsons to mingle with coarse commoners—they only complained that the positions Prince Ding offered their descendants weren’t prestigious enough!Among the Xu Family's young masters, the fifth young master Xu Qingyan undoubtedly had the sharpest tongue, having inherited the true essence of his uncle, the second master Xu in his youth. However, his sharpness didn't stem from eloquence but from his merciless, biting remarks. In no time, he had driven a group of scholars, all over fifty years old, to leave in a huff with faces ashen.

Watching their retreating figures, Xu Qingyan snorted disdainfully, "These people really have too much time on their hands. What business is it of theirs whether Prince Ding takes a concubine or not?"

Su Zhe, sitting beside him, shook his head with a smile, "Young Master Five, as an intelligent man, how could you not understand? This isn't just about taking a concubine." More importantly, if Prince Ding were to ascend the throne and take consorts, these people would become relatives of the imperial family. And if any of them bore him children, their status would naturally become incomparably noble.

"Truly fearless of death," Xu Qingyan muttered under his breath. With Prince Ding's temperament—one that could kill without leaving a trace—would he really allow these self-important old scholars to manipulate him?

"Men die for wealth as birds die for food; it has been so since ancient times," Su Zhe remarked with a chuckle.

Sure enough, before those venerable elders who had gone to visit Mr. Qingyun could even settle back in the city, news came from Prince Ding's Estate of his decree. Prince Ding appointed Qingchen Gongzi as the Right Chancellor, while Zhang Qilan, Lyu Jinxian, Yuan Pei, and Leng Huai were all promoted to the rank of Great General. It was no surprise that the generals under the Mo Family Army were also rewarded. More significantly, all key positions above the third rank were uniformly filled by individuals under forty years old. For instance, Feng Zhiyao, Leng Haoyu, and Han Mingxi all held high-ranking positions without exception. Even the shadow guards by Princess Ding's side received appointments: Qin Feng was named the Qilin Commander of the Mo Family Army and granted the title of Minglie General, placing him on equal footing with commanders like Murong Shen, who led hundreds of thousands of troops. Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, and Wei Lin were also given official posts, assigned to the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Personnel, respectively. As for He Su, whose military achievements were outstanding, his promotion to Great General was only natural.

Prince Ding's sudden move left countless people dumbfounded. Most of those so-called venerable and prestigious elders were merely given lofty but empty titles. Yet, in the face of Prince Ding's arrangements, no one dared voice dissent. After all, even the Xu Family's Xu Hongyu and Xu Hongyan received similarly hollow honors. The Xu Family had worked tirelessly for Prince Ding's Estate over the years. When both Prince Ding and Princess Ding were away on campaign and faced major crises, had it not been for the Xu Family's efforts, how could the northwest have remained stable? If even they expressed no dissatisfaction, how could these idle, privileged individuals have the audacity to complain?

However, Prince Ding's stance inevitably alarmed all the noble families. The individuals he favored were all long-time confidants from Prince Ding's Estate and the Mo Family Army. He even preferred to appoint the princess's guards rather than the scions of these noble families—a clear warning to them. Moreover, with the imperial examination system in the northwest gradually maturing over the years, the chances for these privileged youths to directly enter the court had significantly diminished. No matter how prestigious a family might be, without influence in the court, decline was inevitable. How could they not feel anxious?Before everyone could recover from the shock, Prince Ding's Estate issued a series of decrees one after another, leaving the old scholars utterly bewildered. The first and most peculiar edict was that, from now on, within Prince Ding's domain, except for the families of the principal consort, the relatives of side consorts, concubines, and other secondary wives would be barred from holding official positions for three generations. Moreover, this decree was to remain permanently in effect and was non-negotiable.

This order immediately made the clan heads, who had been scheming to send their daughters into Prince Ding's Estate, spit blood in frustration. Three generations barred from official positions—what did that mean? It meant your enemies could trample you into the mud, ensuring you never rose again. Even worse, this decree was permanent! From now on, anyone hoping to climb the ranks through nepotism could forget about it.

If these announcements were merely warnings, the final decree made it crystal clear that Prince Ding's will was not to be defied. The last order abolished the previous aristocratic privileges of the Great Chu, requiring all officials to pass the imperial examinations or undergo personal evaluation by the Wang Fei (Princess Consort). Most crucially, scholars wishing to take the exams had to complete at least one year of military service. The noble families, who had previously scoffed at the Northwest’s mandatory conscription for adult men, were now horrified. Their descendants could no longer secure official positions through hereditary privilege—nor could they even qualify for the imperial exams through conventional means.

Almost overnight, the Xu Family residence saw another surge of visitors seeking an audience.

Inside Prince Ding's Estate, Xu Hongyu, Xu Hongyan, and Xu Qingchen were all present. Mo Xiuyao lounged lazily on the main seat with Ye Li beside him, watching the others with evident amusement. The past few days had left him thoroughly irritated by those pedantic scholars—yet he couldn’t simply execute them. Not that it mattered. Mo Xiuyao had plenty of ways to make someone suffer without killing them. So the Prince was entirely unbothered by the chaos his decrees had unleashed upon the noble families of the realm. Instead, he sat back in his estate, holding Ye Li’s hand, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

Xu Hongyu shook his head and said, "Does Your Highness truly intend to drive these noble families to ruin?" These self-righteous aristocrats could be insufferable at times, yet they were also indispensable in certain ways. Moreover, if pushed too far, they might defect en masse to the southern factions, which would only harm Prince Ding's reputation.

Mo Xiuyao arched a brow. "If they claim loyalty to this Prince, they must abide by my rules! Or do they expect me to accommodate them? As long as they understand their place, I’ll leave them a way out. As for those who were already wavering—I have no use for them anyway." He smirked. "Though I must apologize, Mr. Hongyu, for the trouble these past few days have caused you."

Mr. Qingyun was far away at Mount Li Academy and not someone just anyone could meet. But Xu Hongyu was right here in Li Cheng. As the current head of the Xu Family, he was naturally the first target for the other clan heads seeking influence and information.Xu Hongyu shook his head to indicate it wasn’t necessary to dwell on such matters. Now that Xu Qingchen had risen to the position of Right Chancellor, second only to the emperor and above ten thousand others, Xu Qingbai had become a high-ranking regional official, and Xu Qingze and Xu Qingfeng also held important posts, the Xu Family’s influence was already at its peak. The older generation naturally didn’t need to involve themselves further in these affairs—it was enough to pave the way and provide guidance for the younger generation at the right time.

Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow and looked at Mo Xiuyao, asking, “Wang Ye, who are you planning to lure by keeping the Left Chancellor position vacant?”

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly, his expression sincere as he replied, “No one in particular. The Left Chancellor position already has a candidate—it’s just that the person hasn’t arrived to assume the post yet.”

“Xiuting Mr.?” Xu Qingchen said. Whether in terms of status, ability, or reputation, Xiuting Mr. was undoubtedly a suitable choice. Though his former identity as a Western Liang native might draw some criticism, it would undoubtedly make it easier to win over the hearts of the people originally from Western Liang. After all, one-third of Prince Ding’s current territory had been taken from Western Liang. Having a renowned scholar from Western Liang as Chancellor would greatly influence public sentiment.

“Has Xiuting Mr. agreed?” Xu Qingchen asked. “But others don’t know yet.” If others remained unaware, many would still covet the Left Chancellor position. Xu Qingchen absolutely refused to believe that Mo Xiuyao didn’t intend to use this to his advantage.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. “Of course he has agreed. However, Xiuting Mr. is currently occupied with affairs in the northwest and won’t be able to arrive in Li Cheng to take office for at least another two or three months. As for what happens in the meantime… that has nothing to do with this prince.”

The corners of everyone’s mouths twitched involuntarily. Anyone who dared to play tricks under Prince Ding’s watch must have forgotten to burn incense in their past life.

Noticing their expressions, Mo Xiuyao waved his hand dismissively. “Let’s not bother with these trivial matters for now. After this, they should quiet down for a few days. Let’s first discuss… the first birthday celebrations for Lin'er and Xin'er.”

Everyone straightened their expressions. Xu Qingze said calmly, “The invitations have already been sent out—to Northern Rong, Great Chu, Western Liang, Nanzhao, and the various Western Regions. All who should be invited have been. The guest residences are also being prepared. Northern Rong’s envoys are already in Li Cheng, while the others should arrive in a little over half a month. However, by then… the security of Li Cheng…” Xu Qingze frowned. Although the overall situation in the realm had stabilized, this very fact made things even more dangerous. Whether from Northern Rong, Western Liang, or Great Chu, there were likely many who secretly wished for Mo Xiuyao’s death.

Mo Xiuyao thought for a moment and said, “When the time comes, I will deploy additional troops to guard the vicinity of Li Cheng. Additionally… the Qilin under Qingfeng’s command can temporarily station in Li Cheng as a precaution.” Beside him, Ye Li nodded in agreement.

Mo Xiuyao asked curiously, “Who will come from Western Liang?”

Xu Qingchen replied leisurely, “If I’m not mistaken, it should be Lei Tengfeng.”

“Lei Tengfeng?” Mo Xiuyao frowned. He hadn’t considered Lei Tengfeng a threat. But if Lei Tengfeng came personally, it would indicate that the situation in Western Liang was relatively stable.Xu Qingchen nodded and said, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. Lei Tengfeng and the Xiling Emperor didn't come to blows. As soon as the news of Lei Zhenting's death in battle spread, the Xiling Emperor appointed Lei Tengfeng to succeed as Zhennan Wang. The Xiling Emperor has no sons, so if all goes smoothly, Lei Tengfeng will be the next emperor of Xiling."

Neither the Xiling Emperor nor Lei Tengfeng were as foolish as they had imagined, so their hopes of profiting from others' conflict were likely to be dashed. Mo Xiuyao didn't seem bothered and waved his hand with a smile. "No matter. If Lei Tengfeng were to fall so quickly, I would be disappointed. Lei Zhenting's death should help him grow. This time, I'd like to see just how far he can progress."

Xu Qingchen nodded again. "Lei Tengfeng's coming here is likely to negotiate with Prince Ding's Estate."

Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze in thought before replying, "Let Murong Shen and Marquis Nan continue fighting. There’s no need for talks unless they push back to the original border between Xiling and Great Chu." Xu Qingchen pondered for a moment and said, "If Lei Tengfeng wants stability and time to recuperate, he might voluntarily concede."

"That would be ideal," Mo Xiuyao said with a smile. "No matter how he wants to negotiate, the Western Mausoleum Army must withdraw to the original border with Great Chu."

Xu Qingchen agreed with Mo Xiuyao's stance but then frowned slightly. "The Northern Rong envoy wishes to speak with you or Li'er in person."

Mo Xiuyao looked somewhat bewildered at Ye Li and asked, "Who is the envoy sent by Northern Rong?"

Qingchen Gongzi was speechless. Mo Xiuyao had been back for nearly half a month—just how indifferent must he be to still not know who the Northern Rong envoy was? Even though Northern Rong and the Mo Family Army had just fought a battle, the envoy was still a representative of a nation. As Prince Ding, he should at least pretend to uphold the manners of a civilized country.

"Yelv Hong!"