Mo Li

In the end, Mo Xiuyao still did not go to meet the envoys from Northern Rong, instead handing the matter over to Ye Li. It must be said that Mo Xiuyao could be truly willful to the point of exasperation. On one side, the elders of noble families were criticizing Princess Ding for meddling in politics, while on the other, he openly entrusted the negotiations with Northern Rong to his Wang Fei. It was tantamount to slapping these old men—who thought they could interfere with Prince Ding’s affairs—squarely across the face without hesitation.

However, having just been ruthlessly rebuked by Prince Ding, these men dared not say much before they could devise a countermeasure. They could only pretend not to notice and sulk at home in frustration.

"Greetings, Princess Ding." In the Northern Rong embassy, Yelv Hong greeted Ye Li calmly and courteously. He showed no displeasure at not being received by Mo Xiuyao in person. Regardless of Princess Ding’s status within the Mo Family Army, the fact remained that Northern Rong was the defeated party, leaving them no grounds to object.

"Prince Yelv is too kind." Ye Li couldn’t help but admire Yelv Hong’s composure. Even at this stage between their two sides, he remained so restrained and polite. Of course, she also had to marvel at how politics and power influenced people’s hearts—even the famously unyielding Northern Rong people had learned to navigate twists and turns.

Ye Li took her seat and wasted no time in getting to the point. "Did Ronghua Princess accompany the Prince here?"

Yelv Hong was clearly taken aback that Ye Li’s first question was about Ronghua Princess. After a brief pause, he nodded. "To be frank, Ronghua did indeed come with me to Li Cheng."

Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled. "The King of Northern Rong must have great trust in you." The king had intended to use Ronghua Princess as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Mo Family Army, yet he allowed Yelv Hong to bring her back before any agreement had been reached. It was rather puzzling whether the king genuinely wished to retrieve Yelv Ye’s remains and those of the Northern Rong soldiers or if it was merely lip service.

Yelv Hong gave a bitter smile. "I made a military pledge to my father, swearing to bring back my seventh brother’s remains and those of our fallen soldiers. I beg for Princess Ding’s mercy in this matter. As for Ronghua… I also ask for your kindness."

Ye Li studied Yelv Hong intently before saying, "The Prince’s devotion to Ronghua Princess is truly deep. At least she has not wasted these years in Northern Rong..."

Yelv Hong sighed softly. "I am incompetent, and I fear I have made a fool of myself in your eyes. Let me summon Ronghua to meet you." He turned and instructed an attendant. Shortly after, Ronghua Princess emerged from the inner hall. Dressed in Central Plains attire, she looked somewhat haggard and pale, her once-radiant beauty now overshadowed by frailty and exhaustion.

"Princess Ding." Ronghua Princess bowed gracefully, her voice soft.

Ye Li reached out to steady her and smiled. "There’s no need for such formality, Princess. Please, take a seat."

Once the three were seated again, Ye Li turned to Yelv Hong. "Wang Ye has entrusted the negotiations with Northern Rong to me. I presume Qingchen Gongzi has already conveyed our terms to the Prince in recent days? What does Prince Yelv think?"

Yelv Hong frowned. "Warhorses are the foundation of Northern Rong’s strength. For Prince Ding’s Estate to demand ten thousand at once—forgive my bluntness—is rather excessive. Given my authority, I’m afraid I cannot agree to such terms."Negotiations were never something that could be concluded overnight. Ye Li didn't mind and smiled, saying, "Your Highness Yelv Hong need not rush to give this consort an answer. Since you'll be staying in Li Cheng for some time anyway, why not take more time to consider and discuss it with the King of Northern Rong? What do you think?"

Yelv Hong nodded with a smile, "Thank you for your understanding, Wang Fei. Regardless of whether this matter succeeds or not, we will return Princess Ronghua to Great Chu as a gesture of our sincerity."

Princess Ronghua sat quietly in the lower seat with a composed expression, her eyes downcast, as if the discussion between Yelv Hong and Ye Li had nothing to do with her.

Ye Li glanced at Princess Ronghua and sighed softly, "If the princess chooses to stay in Li Cheng, Prince Ding's Estate will naturally treat her with the respect due to a princess. If she misses her family, this consort can arrange for her to be sent to Jiangnan." Given Princess Ronghua's status as a princess sent for political marriage, no one would dare mistreat her whether she stayed in Li Cheng or went to Nanjing.

Princess Ronghua smiled faintly, a trace of bitterness in her expression, "Jiangnan... what family do I have left there? Ronghua wishes to return to Changxing to serve by Aunt Zhaoyang's side. I beg Wang Fei to grant me this wish." When the Great Chu court moved south, Princess Zhaoren followed, but Princess Zhaoyang remained in Chu Jing. Later, when the Mo Family Army recaptured Chu Jing and renamed it Changxing, and after Grand Princess Fuxi passed away, Princess Zhaoyang stayed in Changxing to observe mourning for the grand princess. Princess Zhaoren died of illness not long after moving south. Now, Princess Zhaoyang was Princess Ronghua's closest relative.

Ye Li nodded, "Very well. In a few days, Princess Zhaoyang will also come to Li Cheng. The princess can then return to Changxing with her."

Princess Ronghua bowed gratefully, "Thank you, Wang Fei." She then lowered her head and avoided looking at Yelv Hong. Yelv Hong glanced at her, his expression flickering slightly, but in the end, he said nothing more. After ten years of marriage, how could there be no feelings at all? Moreover, Princess Ronghua was an exceptionally beautiful and intelligent woman, quite different from the typical Bei Rong women. But no matter what, Princess Ronghua could never be more important than the throne of Northern Rong. This farewell would likely be their last.

When Ye Li left the Northern Rong embassy, she took Princess Ronghua with her. Since Yelv Hong had already brought Princess Ronghua to Li Cheng, whether the negotiations succeeded or not, he had no intention of taking her back. Therefore, it made no difference when Princess Ronghua was handed over to Prince Ding's Estate. He might as well let Ye Li take her directly.

After returning to Prince Ding's Estate and settling Princess Ronghua in, seeing her despondent expression, Ye Li could only sigh inwardly and refrained from offering further consolation. Regardless of the future relations between Prince Ding's Estate, Great Chu, and Northern Rong, Princess Ronghua was destined never to return to Northern Rong. She was intelligent enough to understand that her current situation was already quite favorable, and Yelv Hong had shown her some consideration. Her melancholy was likely due to concern for the children she had left behind in Northern Rong. But neither Prince Ding's Estate nor Great Chu in Jiangnan had the obligation or ability to retrieve those children for her. The hatred the Central Plains people held for the Bei Rong people now ran deeper than the Bei Rong people's hatred for them. Even if those children did return to Great Chu, it would not be a good thing for them.After several days of negotiations with Yelv Hong, the initially unyielding Yelv Hong finally relented and agreed to exchange 10,000 Northern Rong warhorses for the remains of the Bei Rong soldiers who had died in Da Chu and Yelv Ye's bones. Ye Li was not surprised by this outcome. The crushing defeat by the Mo Family Army had significantly weakened Northern Rong's national power. Northern Rong was already a vast but sparsely populated land with poor soil, and recovering to its former glory would take at least a decade or two—and that was only if the Mo Family Army refrained from further attacks, allowing them time to recuperate. Exchanging 10,000 warhorses for temporary peace and a chance to catch their breath might not be beneficial for Northern Rong in the long run, but at present, they had no other choice.

When it came time to sign the peace agreement, Mo Xiuyao finally deigned to attend in person. However, the names signed on the treaty were still Ye Li and Xu Qingchen's. As the Right Minister, Xu Qingchen naturally had the authority to represent Prince Ding in signing the agreement, but the Bei Rong envoys were uneasy about Ye Li, a woman, taking part. It wasn’t that they looked down on her—they simply understood the rules and traditions of the Central Plains. In formal settings, women had no place to speak, which made them question the validity of the peace treaty.

Unfazed by the Bei Rong people's skepticism and the disapproving gazes of the noble officials, Ye Li calmly signed her name on the armistice agreement. Only after both parties had exchanged signed copies did Mo Xiuyao rise to his feet, taking Ye Li’s hand as he smiled at Yelv Hong. "Crown Prince Yelv, now that our nations have signed this treaty, this prince expects to see those 10,000 Northern Rong warhorses delivered as soon as possible."

Yelv Hong’s lips twitched at his words. It was said that people from the Central Plains preferred to speak in roundabout ways that left others dizzy, but Yelv Hong found that overly direct speech could be just as unbearable. To his ears, Mo Xiuyao’s words essentially meant: If it weren’t for those 10,000 warhorses, this prince wouldn’t have bothered signing any peace treaty with you.

"Prince Ding need not worry. As long as… the Mo Family Army honors the agreement, the 10,000 warhorses will be delivered to the Central Plains within three months," Yelv Hong replied.

Mo Xiuyao raised a brow. "This prince’s word is as good as gold. Ten thousand warhorses, and no hostilities from either side for the next ten years."

Yelv Hong nodded. "From now on, Northern Rong and Prince Ding’s Estate shall be allies. This crown prince offers a toast to the Prince and Wang Fei."

Mo Xiuyao remained impassive but did not object. Such was the nature of relations between nations—there were no eternal friends or enemies, only eternal interests. Though they proclaimed friendship on the surface, both sides knew neither Northern Rong nor Prince Ding’s Estate had the strength to wage another war. Northern Rong was in a far worse position—Prince Ding’s Estate could still muster another fight if pushed, though it would be a pyrrhic victory. For Northern Rong, another war would spell utter ruin. Hence, they had to concede more. The moment either side regained its strength and sought to act, the so-called peace treaty would be nothing more than a scrap of paper.When the envoys from Western Liang and Great Chu arrived in Li Cheng, it coincided with the moment Prince Ding's Estate had just signed an agreement with Northern Rong. Upon hearing this news, the faces of both nations' envoys turned grim. With Prince Ding's Estate ceasing hostilities against Northern Rong, their attention would likely soon turn southward—and neither Great Chu nor Western Liang could withstand another blow from the Mo Family Army. Everyone had to face the ironclad truth: after years of covert and overt struggles, the ultimate victor was clearly Prince Ding's Estate.

"Reporting to Wang Ye and Wang Fei, the envoys from Great Chu and Western Liang have come to pay their respects."

When this news arrived, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li were sitting in the courtyard playing with their two little ones. The babies had been entrusted to the Xu Family shortly after birth, something Ye Li had always felt guilty about. Since their return, whenever she had time, Ye Li would drag Mo Xiuyao along to spend time with the children, with Mo Xiaobao occasionally joining in the fun. Mo Xiuyao adored the now snow-jade-like little princess and thus accompanied Ye Li daily in doting on the babies, making them the most leisurely people in the bustling Li Cheng.

"Why are they coming together?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow.

Mo Xiuyao was unconcerned, replying indifferently, "The travel distances are similar—it's not unusual for them to arrive together. Who's come from the south?"

The guard reported, "Wang Ye, it's Prince Yu of Great Chu, accompanied by the newly ascended Emperor Chu."

"Prince Yu? Mo Jingyu?" Mo Xiuyao had little impression of Great Chu's royal princes. He might have been somewhat familiar with them as a child, but after growing up—especially after the incident at Prince Ding's Estate—he'd had almost no contact with them. Thus, his memory of this now-successful Mo Jingyu was faint.

Ye Li stood, placing the sleeping Lin'er back into the crib, and said, "Since Prince Zhennan of Xiling and Emperor Chu have come in person, we should go receive them. It would be impolite otherwise."

Mo Xiuyao nodded, carefully setting down the little princess before accompanying Ye Li to greet their guests.

In the main hall of Prince Ding's Estate, the two delegations sat on opposite sides. The newly enthroned young Emperor Chu, Mo Suiyun, was only twelve years old. Seated at the forefront of the Great Chu contingent, though clad in resplendent imperial robes, his expression betrayed traces of frailty and unease, his eyes frequently darting toward Mo Jingyu seated beside him. On the other side, Lei Tengfeng wore the court robes of Prince Zhennan of Xiling, exuding an air of dignified majesty. Compared to his former impatient and flustered self, he now carried an aura of composed steadiness. The Xiling officials seated below him all maintained solemn, downcast expressions, clearly deferring to Prince Zhennan's leadership—their demeanor far more imposing than that of Great Chu's delegation.

"Wang Ye and Wang Fei have arrived!" announced the estate attendant from outside.

A white-haired Prince Ding in snowy robes entered hand-in-hand with his raven-haired, jade-faced Wang Fei in cyan. With just a single sweeping glance, an overwhelming pressure seemed to emanate from them.

Lei Tengfeng observed the peerless couple before him, his eyes flickering with unreadable emotions before instantly smoothing into calmness. He rose and clasped his hands in greeting: "Prince Ding, Wang Fei. This prince apologizes for the intrusion—I hope you will not take offense."Ye Li glanced at Lei Tengfeng with some surprise. In just a month or two, the changes in Lei Tengfeng were quite remarkable. His handsome and upright figure faintly carried some of the imposing demeanor of Lei Zhenting in his prime.

Mo Xiuyao also gave Lei Tengfeng a brief once-over before quickly looking away. With a wave of his hand, he smiled and said, "Zhennan Wang is too courteous. Your esteemed presence from afar brings great honor to Prince Ding's Estate. Please, have a seat." Neither of them mentioned the major battle that had been fought just a month prior, nor did anyone bring up Lei Zhenting's death. Although many from Western Liang looked displeased, they ultimately held their tongues.

Mo Xiuyao took Ye Li's hand and sat down, then turned his gaze to Emperor Chu, Mo Suiyun, and Mo Jingyu on the other side. Mo Suiyun stood up and bowed deeply to Mo Xiuyao, saying, "Suiyun pays his respects to Uncle Prince Ding."

Mo Xiuyao's eyes flickered slightly before he laughed heartily and replied, "Emperor Chu is a guest from afar; there's no need for such formalities. Please, take a seat." Mo Jingyu, seated beside him, couldn't hide a trace of disappointment in his eyes. He sighed inwardly and forced a smile, saying, "Speaking of lineage and seniority, Prince Ding is indeed the Emperor's elder. Addressing you as 'Uncle' is not inappropriate. Prince Ding need not mind." If one were to strictly follow the family tree and hierarchy, Mo Suiyun should be addressing Mo Xiuyao as "Granduncle" rather than "Uncle." However, it was clear Mo Xiuyao had no intention of rekindling ties with the Chu imperial family. Mo Jingyu understood this well—relations between Great Chu and Prince Ding's Estate had already been severed beyond repair. Unless Mo Xiuyao had lost his mind, the wishful thinking of those old scholars was utterly unrealistic. Thus, though disappointed, he didn't dwell on it.

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly without responding. With his sharp intellect, how could he not discern Great Chu's intentions? One could only say that the old men in Nanjing and those in Li Cheng were cut from the same cloth—equally naive!

Noticing Mo Jingyu's awkwardness, Ye Li spoke up with a gentle smile, "Emperor Chu and Zhennan Wang must be exhausted from their long journey. I have already arranged accommodations at the guesthouse. Please rest there for now, and this evening, Wang Ye and I will host a banquet in your honor."

Lei Tengfeng nodded silently and said, "Thank you, Wang Fei." Though he had grown more composed in recent days, facing the enemy responsible for his father's death was still a struggle. Watching Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li's calm and unruffled demeanor, Lei Tengfeng suddenly felt a wave of weariness and had no energy for further conversation.

Mo Jingyu glanced at the visibly fatigued Mo Suiyun and also nodded, saying, "In that case, we thank Wang Fei for your hospitality."

"Prince Yu is too kind," Ye Li replied with a soft smile.

Soon after, Lei Tengfeng, Mo Jingyu, and the others took their leave. Having just arrived in Li Cheng, they had only come to pay their respects. Any substantive discussions would have to wait until they had rested. Watching them depart, Ye Li sighed softly and remarked, "Lei Tengfeng has changed quite a bit. No wonder he managed to take control of Western Liang in such a short time. Given a few more years, he might become a formidable opponent."

Lei Tengfeng had been overshadowed by Lei Zhenting's brilliance for too long, which had dulled his edge. But once freed from the seemingly insurmountable shadow of his father, his growth and transformation had been nothing short of remarkable.Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and said, "Even if he becomes a worthy opponent, he still won't be mine." Lei Tengfeng would need considerable time to truly mature, and by then... naturally, he wouldn't be his opponent anymore. Prince Ding calculated with satisfaction, feeling not the slightest guilt for setting up a formidable future rival for his own son.

Ye Li gave him a helpless look and smiled faintly, asking, "What does Great Chu intend?"

With one arm around Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao replied lazily, "What else could it be? Those old fools in Nanjing are daydreaming. Seeing Mo Suiyun come personally to show goodwill, they probably think I might suddenly have a change of heart and reconcile with Great Chu." Did they think he, Mo Xiuyao, had no heir? After conquering such vast territories, even if he had no interest in ruling, he could leave it to his son. Did they really expect another cycle of entanglement between Great Chu and the Mo Family Army?

Ye Li was momentarily stunned, then couldn't help shaking her head with a smile. It had to be said that these old men who had schemed their whole lives in court sometimes had ideas so convoluted they made one dizzy, yet at other times, they were naively laughable. How could they possibly believe that after the Mo Family Army's decisive break with Great Chu, after so many sacrifices and losses, Prince Ding's Estate and Great Chu could ever reconcile? The people of Prince Ding's Estate were no benevolent bodhisattvas.

"This likely isn't Mo Jingyu's idea," Ye Li remarked. Though Mo Jingyu showed due respect to Mo Xiuyao, he wasn't particularly warm, clearly not holding much hope for these schemes.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "Mo Jingyu wouldn't have survived to hold power if he were a fool. He understands this well enough. It's just... right now, he probably can't fully control the entire Great Chu court." Mo Jingli might have been dim-witted, but the Jiangnan region was his stronghold. Compared to Mo Jingyu, Mo Jingli's methods were far more ruthless. Those old men hadn't dared to stir trouble under Mo Jingli's rule, but with a new emperor just ascended, they were seizing the chance to throw their weight around.

"What do you plan to do?" Ye Li asked with a smile.

Mo Xiuyao replied, "I've already crushed Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingli. Mo Suiyun is Xiao Bao's problem. Otherwise, people might think I have some vendetta against the Great Chu imperial family, even bullying a teenager. Later... have Xiao Bao go see Mo Suiyun, lest that kid has nothing better to do than hover around Xin'er all day."

"You mean... Mo Suiyun..." Ye Li frowned, puzzled. If Mo Suiyun were truly insignificant, Mo Xiuyao wouldn't have specifically mentioned sending Xiao Bao to deal with him.

Mo Xiuyao laughed softly. "I think... that kid might actually be clever. At least... smarter than his father and uncle."

Ye Li sighed helplessly. She wasn't born into royalty, after all. Overt schemes and dangers didn't worry her, but she wasn't adept at detecting subtler machinations. In their brief exchange just now, she hadn't noticed anything unusual about Mo Suiyun.

Mo Xiuyao nuzzled Ye Li's fragrant hair contentedly and said with a smile, "That kid's acting is quite good. If I hadn't locked eyes with him just now, even I might have been fooled. The fear in his gaze wasn't as genuine as it seemed. But he's still just a child, likely never properly taught—he slipped up in the end."Ye Li nodded. It was truly not easy to hide anything from Mo Xiuyao. That child was probably deliberately putting on an act of reverence and fear, unaware that overdoing it would give him away.

"Mo Xiaobao..."

"If Mo Xiaobao can't even outplay him, then he deserves to be properly disciplined by Xu Qingchen," Mo Xiuyao said indifferently. If the carefully groomed heir of Prince Ding's Estate couldn't outmaneuver a newly enthroned young emperor who had no one to rely on, even he, as the boy's father, would feel ashamed for him.

Ye Li looked up at the displeasure flashing across Mo Xiuyao's face and could only nod in agreement. "Understood. I'll have Xiao Bao receive Emperor Chu later." Though if Mo Xiaobao performed poorly and got disciplined by his father, she as his mother could only sigh in sympathy for him. Mo Xiuyao never lacked innovative methods when it came to punishment, and he spared no effort especially when dealing with Mo Xiaobao.

So, student Mo Xiaobao had better be careful.

In the backyard of Prince Ding's Estate, Mo Xiaobao—who had just finished his homework and run back to his room to check on his little sister—suddenly shivered for no apparent reason.