Mo Li

Chen Xiufu and Lei Tengfeng had just stepped out the main gate when two figures emerged from around the corner of the corridor. One man was dressed in snow-white robes, the other in fiery red. Feng Zhiyao frowned as he glanced at the spot where the two had stood moments before and asked, "Wang Ye has entrusted Xiuting Mr. with matters concerning Western Liang—could there be any issues?" It wasn't that he doubted Chen Xiufu's loyalty to Prince Ding's Estate, but the fact remained that Chen Xiufu was originally from Western Liang. Entrusting him with such matters was inherently more complicated than assigning them to an ordinary subordinate of the estate. There was a risk of putting Chen Xiufu in an awkward position, caught between conflicting loyalties.

Xu Qingchen shook his head slightly and replied calmly, "Xiuting Mr. is more than capable of handling such matters, and his integrity is beyond question. That is precisely why Prince Ding has assigned this task to him. Once he successfully resolves this matter, he will solidify his position as the Left Minister, and no one will be able to raise objections."

Feng Zhiyao nodded. After all, when it came to matters of human nature and judgment, he was far less adept than Mo Xiuyao and Xu Qingchen. If both of them saw no issue, then there truly was none. "The First Birthday Celebration is about to begin, yet the parents are nowhere to be seen. We should remind them so as not to keep the guests waiting."

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. "They're in the study. I'll go to the inner courtyard to fetch Lin'er and Xin'er. Would you be so kind as to notify them, Third Master Feng?" Watching Qingchen Gongzi glide away gracefully, Feng Zhiyao shrugged and turned toward the study.

The First Birthday Celebration at Prince Ding's Estate was scheduled for midday, right after lunch. Guests would gather to witness the ceremony for the two Little Princes and the Little Princess, then rest briefly before attending the evening banquet. In truth, for children celebrating their first birthday, the banquet itself held little significance—it was the adults who truly participated. The highlight of the occasion was the First Birthday Celebration itself.

In the inner courtyard, Hua Tianxiang and the others were bustling around the two little ones. Worried that the babies might grow drowsy, they had coaxed them into taking a nap earlier in the morning. By the time Xu Qingchen arrived, the children had just woken up and were full of energy. Lin'er, the more active of the two, was crawling about and even attempting to climb up and down, forcing the young women and the nursemaids to keep a constant watch lest he bump or scrape himself.

Xin'er, on the other hand, was much quieter. She sat obediently on the soft divan, clapping her tiny hands and babbling cheerfully as she watched her little brother toddle and crawl around. Encouraged by his sister's sounds, Lin'er grew even more excited and rambunctious.

"Ah-ah... Jiu... Jiu..." Xin'er suddenly pointed toward the doorway and called out happily. Everyone turned to see Xu Qingchen standing there, smiling at her. Mo Wuyou pinched Xin'er's little cheek and teased, "You clever little thing, you've learned to call for your uncle and even recognize people now."

Xu Qingchen stepped forward, bent down, and lifted Xin'er into his arms. "Xin'er, were you calling for me?"

"Giggle. Jiu-jiu. Jiu!" Clearly delighted with her uncle, Xin'er nestled in his arms, giggling incessantly. Nearby, Lin'er glanced at his sister, then at Xu Qingchen standing before him. Wobbling unsteadily, he toddled over, grabbed Xu Qingchen's robe, and tugged. "Up-up! Jie-jie..."Xu Qingchen looked at Xin'er in his arms, then at Lin'er who was tugging at his robe with eager eyes, his expression stiffening slightly. The gathered crowd found the sight of the elegant and refined Qingchen Gongzi holding a child while another clung to his robe utterly comical. The image of Qingchen Gongzi with children seemed as incongruous as two things that had nothing to do with each other.

Mo Wuyou, perched on Hua Tianxiang's shoulder, muffled her laughter into her hands.

Xu Qingchen sighed helplessly at the two little ones before him. Though Qingchen Gongzi was renowned throughout the land, his rapport with children was actually quite poor—take Xu Family's Xu Zhirui or the sharp-witted Leng Junhan, neither of whom were particularly fond of him. However, the children of Prince Ding's Estate clearly adored their eldest uncle.

Resigned, Xu Qingchen set Xin'er down and crouched to embrace both excited toddlers, soothing them with a gentle smile.

"Big Brother, what brings you here?" Ye Li stood at the doorway, smiling at the scene. Behind her, Mo Xiuyao glanced at the two lively children in Xu Qingchen's arms and stepped forward, reaching out to Xin'er. "Xin'er."

Xin'er blinked her bright eyes and gave Mo Xiuyao an innocent smile. "Daddy... hug. Mommy..." Mo Xiuyao smugly scooped his daughter into his arms. Meanwhile, Lin'er, nestled against Xu Qingchen, blinked up at Mo Xiuyao before pouting and turning his back on him. Children, especially those raised together, often mimicked each other—Lin'er might not have actually wanted Mo Xiuyao to hold him, but seeing his sister being cuddled while he was ignored still made him sulk.

Mo Xiuyao bent down and plucked Lin'er from Xu Qingchen's arms, chuckling. "You little rascal, already jealous of your sister at this age?" Dangling by his clothes, Lin'er didn't seem bothered at all; instead, he giggled and wiggled playfully. Mo Xiuyao was always tender and gentle with his daughter, but with boys, he was far less delicate—even Mo Xiaobao had been tossed around as a baby.

Ye Li stepped forward and took Lin'er from Mo Xiuyao's grasp, shooting him a reproachful glance before turning to Xu Qingchen with a smile. "Big Brother, do you have some free time now? I didn’t expect to see you here."

Xu Qingchen shot Mo Xiuyao an exasperated look. "Not as much as you two. Father, Second Uncle, and Head Steward Mo are handling things outside, so I came in to rest for a bit. Besides, the auspicious hour is approaching—I wanted to check if Lin'er and Xin'er are ready."

Mo Xiuyao shrugged. "What do they need to prepare for?" The First Birthday Celebration was just about placing them on a table full of objects and letting them grab whatever they liked.

Xu Qingchen smiled without answering and took a seat, glancing around the room. "Isn’t Xiao Bao here?"

Hua Tianxiang replied, "They said the inner courtyard was boring and went out to see the excitement."

Xu Qingchen frowned slightly but nodded. "Tell them to be careful. There are a lot of people today."

Mo Xiuyao grinned. "They’re being watched. Nothing will happen."Before long, the auspicious hour for the First Birthday Celebration arrived. The ceremony was set in the grand hall of Prince Ding's Estate's front courtyard. When Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li arrived carrying the two babies, the hall was already filled with guests. Envoys from various states, including Lei Tengfeng, Mo Jingyu, and Yelv Hong, had all arrived. Even Pu A, who had just been injured and looked pale from worry over Princess Anxi and the little prince, was present. All the civil and military officials of Prince Ding's Estate who were in Li Cheng and of sufficient rank had also come. Seated at the highest position was naturally the white-haired Mr. Qingyun.

Seeing Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao arrive together, everyone quickly stood to greet them.

"Grandfather," Ye Li walked up to Mr. Qingyun with a gentle smile. Mr. Qingyun, smiling, took Lin'er from her arms and said, "It's been a month since I last saw them. These two have grown a bit more." Ye Li nodded and smiled, "Children grow quickly. Soon they'll be running around everywhere. Lin'er, call him Grand Tutor." Though still young, Lin'er was quite clever. Having seen Mr. Qingyun frequently over the past year, he naturally remembered this white-bearded elder. Happily grabbing Mr. Qingyun's snow-white beard, he called out, "Grand Tutor…"

Mr. Qingyun's wrinkled face broke into a kind smile. "Good child, Lin'er is so well-behaved…"

"Grand Tutor!" Xin'er, still in Mo Xiuyao's arms, refused to be outdone.

Mr. Qingyun's smile deepened. Whether in the Xu Family or Prince Ding's Estate, girls were rare and thus cherished all the more. Nodding repeatedly, he said, "Good children, both Lin'er and Xin'er are growing so well." He then presented each of them with a jade pendant.

Ye Li looked down and saw they were a pair of Qilin and Phoenix pendants. The jade was of the finest mutton fat white jade, pure white and lustrous without a single flaw. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and Ye Li found it somewhat familiar. She remembered she had a similar pendant—a green jade carved with magnolia flowers—given to her by her grandfather at birth. It was said he had carved it himself. The world knew Mr. Qingyun for his unparalleled talent, but few knew he was also skilled in many lesser-known arts, including carving, in which he was a master despite it being an uncommon interest among scholars. These two pendants were clearly his handiwork. Now over eighty years old, crafting such intricate pieces was no small feat. Ye Li's eyes reddened slightly as she said softly, "Grandfather, Lin'er and Xin'er are still young. You didn’t have to…"

Mr. Qingyun shook his head, playfully teasing Lin'er in his arms. "Ancient jade isn’t suitable for young children. This jade is excellent—perfect for making pendants for them. What’s wrong with that?"

Xin'er, still in Mo Xiuyao's arms, waved her pendant excitedly and called out to Mr. Qingyun, "Grandpa… Grand Tutor… Xin'er wants hug!" Kicking her little legs, she struggled toward him. Mo Xiuyao had no choice but to place her on the wide divan beside Mr. Qingyun, which was thickly padded for his comfort and safety.

Seeing his great-granddaughter so affectionate toward him, even someone as composed as Mr. Qingyun couldn’t help but beam with joy.The onlookers below couldn't help but sigh at the sight of this family. Whether it was Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao or the members of the Xu Family, they were all exceptionally striking figures. Now, with so many of them gathered together, laughing and chatting around Mr. Qingyun, it truly made one feel that heaven was indeed partial. Glancing at the two exquisitely beautiful little children sitting beside Mr. Qingyun, everyone couldn't help but show expressions of envy and admiration.

Standing next to Mr. Qingyun, Ye Li was momentarily stunned when she looked down. She spotted Ye Wenhua standing alone in an inconspicuous corner not far from the hall, his expression complex and inscrutable as he gazed at her—or perhaps at Lin'er, who was babbling nonstop while clutching her hand. Since arriving in Li Cheng, Ye Wenhua had rarely gone out or met with outsiders, so few people recognized him.

Noticing Ye Li's pause, Mo Xiuyao followed her gaze and naturally saw Ye Wenhua as well. Gently embracing Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao whispered, "A Li, if you have anything to say to him, go ahead." As for Ye Wenhua, Mo Xiuyao didn't harbor strong feelings of like or dislike. His greatest resentment stemmed from the grievances Ye Li had suffered in the Ye family back then. While it couldn't be said that Ye Wenhua was entirely to blame, as a father, he had certainly treated his only legitimate daughter poorly. Over the past few years, Ye Wenhua had behaved himself in Li Cheng, never presuming upon his status as the father of Princess Ding. Thus, Mo Xiuyao's attitude toward him had softened somewhat. Occasionally, during festivals, he would even send gifts to the Ye household. After all, no matter how close Ye Li was to the Xu Family, she still bore the Ye surname. Compared to having the impoverished and destitute family of Prince Ding's Estate, spending a little money to ensure Ye Wenhua's peaceful retirement was clearly better for Ye Li's reputation. Of course, all of this was contingent on Ye Wenhua knowing his place and behaving appropriately.

Ye Li sighed softly and nodded.

As for Ye Wenhua, her father, she truly felt nothing—neither love nor hatred. She only felt some regret on behalf of her mother. Her impression of Ye Wenhua was even weaker than that of her parents from her previous life, though more than twenty years had passed since then. Even though her parents in her past life had been busy and she had spent little time with them as a child, and after entering military school and enlisting, she had rarely seen them more than once a year, their impression and the emotions they evoked were still far deeper than those Ye Wenhua inspired.

"Father," Ye Li said calmly, looking at the now somewhat aged Ye Wenhua in the quiet side hall. Ye Wenhua was only just past fifty, but his temples were already streaked with white hair. Dressed in an unremarkable scholar's robe, he looked more the part of a learned man than he had over a decade ago in Chu Jing. Yet, after just over a year apart, Ye Wenhua had aged considerably. It was understandable—within that year, both Ye Yue and Ye Ying had passed away one after another, and both had been daughters Ye Wenhua had doted on. No matter what, he couldn't help but grieve.

"Li... Li'er..." Ye Wenhua looked flustered when he saw Ye Li enter. Once, he had thought little of this legitimate daughter; once, he had resented her; once, he had wished to pretend she didn't exist. Yet, without relying on him as a father, she had grown into a legendary woman admired by the entire world. In truth... as a father, he had never been of much help. Ye Wenhua smiled bitterly to himself."Father, please have a seat," Ye Li said softly. To be honest, it was somewhat inconsiderate of Prince Ding's Estate's subordinates this time—they had forgotten to send an invitation to the Ye family for Lin'er and Xin'er's first birthday banquet. Of course, a large part of this was due to the attitudes of Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao. Ye Wenhua nodded and sat down, and immediately a maid came forward to serve tea before retreating.

The two drank tea in silence for a while before Ye Li asked, "It's been a long time since we last met. How have you been, Father?"

"I'm well, very well. Your grandmother is also doing fine," Ye Wenhua replied with a nod. Ye Li smiled faintly. If she had little affection for Ye Wenhua, she had even less for Ye Laofuren. At least Ye Wenhua had shown her some kindness when she was young and occasionally helped her after her mother passed away. But Ye Laofuren had disliked her mother even while she was alive, and the look in her eyes had never held anything beyond calculation and indifference toward Ye Li.

Ye Wenhua understood that Ye Li wasn't interested in this topic. He reached into his sleeve and placed a wooden box on the table, saying, "Today is the children's birthday. This... this is my gift for them."

Ye Li took the box from Qin Feng and opened it, then looked up at Ye Wenhua in surprise. Inside the somewhat aged sandalwood-carved box lay a piece of Warm Jade and a pair of jade bells. She had seen the Warm Jade before—it was said to be a family heirloom of the Ye family, a priceless piece of top-quality Warm Jade. Back then, Ye Laofuren had even boasted about it, claiming that the Ye ancestors had been a prestigious family. Later, when Wang Shi gave birth to Ye Rong and wanted the jade, Ye Wenhua had refused to give it to her. As for the jade bells, though she had never seen them before, their value was certainly no less than that of the Warm Jade. The exquisitely carved snow-white Mutton Fat White Jade bells had delicate hollow patterns, with two small jade beads inside that produced a pleasant tinkling sound when shaken gently.

"This is too valuable..." Ye Li said. The Ye family was no longer what it had been in the past, especially in Chu Jing, and their wealth had never been substantial. These two gifts from Ye Wenhua were likely worth more than all the Ye family's current assets combined.

Ye Wenhua waved his hand, refusing the box Qin Feng tried to return to him. "These are the only two decent things I have left. Giving them to the children at least ensures they'll be treated as toys. If they stayed in the Ye family, who knows when they might disappear? Besides... these jade bells were your mother's keepsake. Let Xin'er have them to play with."

Seeing Ye Wenhua's insistence, Ye Li had no choice but to accept them. Softly, she said, "I thank you on behalf of the children." Ye Wenhua shook his head silently.

After a moment of thought, Ye Li asked, "How is Suoyun doing?" Last time, when Xu Qingchen returned from Jiangnan, he had brought Mo Suoyun back with him. However, Mo Suoyun was frail and timid, and neither Prince Ding's Estate nor the Xu Family had anyone specifically assigned to care for him. Previously, Ye Li had discussed with Xu Qingchen about sending the child to the Ye family.Ye Wenhua sighed, "Not bad. He's changed his name to Ye Su now. That child has suffered a great deal and is truly timid. And then there's his health..." Mo Suoyun's body had indeed been ruined beyond recognition. Even Shen Yang and Doctor Lin, after personally examining his pulse, both shook their heads, admitting they had no confidence he would live past twenty. Over the past six months, Mo Wuyou had visited him for check-ups every half month, but it was merely a matter of barely maintaining his condition without improvement. Mo Wuyou didn’t know that Mo Suoyun wasn’t actually Mo Jingqi’s son, so he pitied this unfortunate half-brother of his.

Ye Li said, "If his treatment requires any special medicine, just have Wuyou come to Prince Ding's Estate to fetch it."

Ye Wenhua nodded, and for a moment, father and daughter sat in silence. After a long while, Ye Wenhua finally murmured, "Li'er, regarding Ying'er's funeral arrangements..." Ye Li lowered her eyes and replied softly, "Fourth Sister did not wish to leave Prince Li's Palace. After her passing, Prince Li buried her with the honors befitting a Wang Fei." Ye Wenhua let out a long sigh. "That's good... that's good..." In the first half of his life, he had been obsessed with fame and fortune, only to raise his only son into a complete failure. Among his daughters, apart from one concubine-born daughter living an ordinary life, only Ye Li, his legitimate daughter, had found happiness. But such happiness had come only after enduring countless trials. Over the years, though Ye Wenhua had rarely stepped out of his home, he was well aware of everything that had happened. The hardships Ye Li had faced were something most ordinary women—or even most men—could hardly endure. As a father, he had nothing but pride for her.

Seeing Ye Wenhua looking so aged and despondent, Ye Li couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. She sighed and asked, "Father, do you still remember Zhao Yiniang?"

Ye Wenhua was taken aback. It took him a long moment to recall that he had once had such a favored concubine. Zhao Yiniang had indeed been quite beloved for a time—enough for Wang Shi to see her as a threat. But her status had been too low, and her time by Ye Wenhua’s side too brief. Over a decade had passed, and his memory of her had faded.

"She... didn’t she go to Yunzhou?" Ye Wenhua asked, puzzled, unsure why Ye Li would bring up this woman who had been absent for over ten years.

Ye Li nodded. "Indeed. Do you remember, Father, that when she left Chu Jing, she was already three months pregnant?"

"You mean... you mean she..." Ye Wenhua stood up abruptly in shock, only realizing his outburst when he caught Qin Feng’s warning glance. But the matter of a child was too overwhelming for him. "Li... Li'er?"

Ye Li nodded calmly. "Yes. I knew before the news could spread. She came to beg me, saying Madam Wang would harm her and the child. But I was about to marry into Prince Ding's Estate and had no time to intervene. So I advised her to go to Yunzhou. The Xu Family there could at least offer some protection."

"Then... that child is..." Ye Wenhua asked cautiously. Ye Rong had already disappointed him completely. If the child was a boy, he would naturally be Ye Wenhua’s only hope. But if it was a girl... Ye Wenhua felt uneasy.Ye Li lowered her eyes and said calmly, "It's a boy, already twelve years old. When the child was born, Zhao Yiniang wrote to ask me, and I named him Ye Zi'an."

"Zi'an... Zi'an is a good name... Li'er, thank you... As a father, I've always..." Ye Wenhua's eyes reddened as he looked at Ye Li with guilt. Over the years, Ye Wenhua hadn't forgotten about that child, but by the time he sent someone to search, the Ye family's estate in Yunzhou had already changed hands, and Zhao Yiniang had disappeared without a trace.

Ye Li shook her head and said, "That child is currently studying at Mount Li Academy. Shortly after the Xu Family arrived in Li Cheng, Zhao Yiniang also sold the estate in Yunzhou and moved to Li Cheng. Now, she has acquired some farmland not far from Mount Li Academy and settled there."

"Thank you, Li'er." Ye Wenhua didn't know what else to say and could only repeat his gratitude. Ye Li smiled faintly and replied calmly, "No need for thanks. He is, after all, my younger brother. If you have time, Father, you can visit Zhao Yiniang and Zi'an. I’ve also heard... Madam Wang has been causing more and more trouble these past two years." Ye Wenhua was startled and quickly assured her, "Don’t worry, I will keep them in check. I won’t let the Ye Family tarnish your reputation outside."

Ye Li shook her head lightly and said nothing more.

------------------ Author's Note ------------------

Sob~ Now I finally understand why authors take leave before finishing a story to stockpile drafts. Without taking leave, there’s no way to save up drafts. Without drafts, there are no big chapters. Without big chapters, the story just won’t end! I can already see the light of victory, but where are the big chapters, ahhhhhh!