Mo Li

"Wang Fei," Zhuo Jing entered the side hall and respectfully greeted Ye Li and Ye Wenhua after a glance. Ye Li nodded and asked with a smile, "What is it?" Zhuo Jing replied, "Wang Ye said the First Birthday Celebration for the Little Prince and Little Princess is about to begin. He requests your presence." Ye Li nodded and asked, "Has Xiao Bao arrived?" Zhuo Jing shook his head, "No, I haven't seen him."

Ye Li sighed helplessly and motioned for Zhuo Jing to go find Mo Xiaobao first, then stood up and said to Ye Wenhua with a smile, "Father, let's go. It's about to start." Ye Wenhua paused briefly before quickly nodding, "Alright, let's go."

Upon entering the main hall, the atmosphere was already lively and bustling. Prince Ding's Estate had prepared a large table, about five to six feet long, covered with various items. The two babies were being held by Xu Qingyan and Xu Qingfeng, one in each of their arms. When they saw Ye Li approaching, they immediately stretched out their little hands excitedly toward her. Ye Li smiled and gently touched their little faces, asking, "Has it started yet?"

Head Steward Mo solemnly announced from the side, "The auspicious hour has arrived. The Little Prince and Little Princess may now begin their First Birthday Celebration."

Ye Li clapped her hands and said cheerfully, "Let them go ahead."

Xu Qingyan grinned and placed Lin'er on the table, while Xu Qingfeng followed suit by setting Xin'er down beside him. The two babies looked around curiously at everything before them. Despite being watched by so many eyes, neither showed any sign of shyness. Instead, they enthusiastically began playing with the items on the table.

Xin'er picked up a small golden abacus and fiddled with it curiously. Han Mingxi couldn't help but laugh, "Could it be that the Little Princess wants to become a wealthy merchant in the future?" Before he could finish speaking, Xin'er giggled and quickly stuffed the abacus into Lin'er's arms. Lin'er looked puzzled at the little object in his hands, tilting his head as if deep in thought. Then, he twisted his small body, placed the abacus behind him, and grabbed a nearby book to hand to Xin'er.

Not to be outdone, Xin'er giggled and grabbed a brush from nearby, handing it to Lin'er. And so, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the siblings began a playful exchange of items.

Feng Zhiyao stared in astonishment at the happily playing siblings and asked, "What are they doing?" Ye Li glanced at the small piles of items each had gathered behind them and couldn't help but chuckle. She wasn't sure what they were doing either. After a moment's thought, she clapped her hands and said to the two babies with a smile, "Lin'er, Xin'er, pick one thing you like and bring it to Mother."

It was unclear whether the children understood her words, but when they saw Ye Li holding out her hands to them, they hesitated briefly before Lin'er took the lead. He crawled around the long table, soon returning with an armful of items—among them a delicate small sword, a finely crafted sandalwood box, and a scroll. However, his tiny hands couldn't hold everything, and after a few steps, most of the items fell to the ground. After some thought, he pushed the scroll toward Xin'er, then picked up the sword and sandalwood box to continue forward. Halfway there, he casually dropped the box and picked up a Qingyu seal instead. Finally, he toddled toward Ye Li, clutching the sword in one hand and the seal in the other."Congratulations to the Little Prince for his future peerless martial prowess, commanding thousands of troops!" It turned out that the seal Lin'er had picked up last was a military commander's seal.

Lin'er nestled into Ye Li's arms and handed her the seal, saying, "Mama... Lin'er good..." Ye Li smiled and held her son, kissing his little forehead gently. "Yes, Lin'er is very good."

Still sitting on the table, Xin'er pouted slightly when she saw her brother leave. Calmly glancing at the surrounding onlookers, she slowly began to move. Though the elder sister, she wasn’t as steady on her feet as Lin'er. After a few steps, she stopped and resumed crawling around the table, pulling anything she liked toward the spot where she had been sitting. Soon, a large pile of items surrounded her—boys' toys like weapons, girls' jewelry, stationery, and more. Once satisfied, she sat still, refusing to budge.

Ye Li was both amused and exasperated. "Xin'er, pick one thing you like and bring it here."

Xin'er looked at Ye Li, hesitated, then glanced at the pile before her. Her bright eyes sparkled as she crawled toward the edge of the table. Worried she might fall, the crowd quickly stepped forward. But Xin'er simply grabbed Xu Qingyan's sleeve and dragged him back to her pile, staring up at him with wide, expectant eyes.

Xu Qingyan was speechless. Under everyone's gaze, he could only sigh and ask, "Xin'er, do you want Uncle to help you pick?" Xin'er giggled, so he continued, "Which one do you want?"

Xin'er began pushing items one by one toward Xu Qingyan. Xu Qingchen looked helplessly at Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao, chuckling, "Sister Li'er, your little princess is quite the greedy one."

The onlookers found the little princess's antics delightful. Mo Jingyu laughed, "It seems the little princess has diverse interests. She’ll surely live a life of abundance, wanting for nothing."

Everyone congratulated Prince Ding and Wang Fei on their good fortune. In the end, Xu Qingyan had no choice but to gather all the items for Xin'er, as she refused to move otherwise.

The First Birthday Celebration was simple—once the two little ones had made their choices, they were carried away. Guests were invited to the garden to enjoy the scenery, wine, and conversation while awaiting the evening banquet.

The Prince Ding's Estate family gathered in the flower hall, where the two babies happily played with their spoils in the adults' arms. Xu Qingyan, amused, held Xin'er while her treasures lay on the table beside him. Xin'er was intently studying an exquisitely crafted jewelry box in her hands.

"Has Xiao Bao returned yet?" Ye Li frowned.

Xu Qingfeng shook his head. "Not yet. Zhi Rui, Junhan, and Qin Lie are also not in the estate. But they should be fine. If anything happened, their escorts would have reported back." Ye Li glanced at Mo Xiuyao, who nodded reassuringly. "Don’t worry, A Li. Xiao Bao and the others will be safe."

Ye Li nodded and turned to Qin Lie. "How is the Queen of Nanzhao?"Qin Feng frowned and said, "Although Princess Anxi has altered her appearance, it's not to the point where we can't recognize her. She's being led around the city in circles. Mo Jingli probably doesn’t intend to harm Princess Anxi but rather wants to divert our attention by using her." Ye Li pondered for a moment before replying, "Seize the right opportunity. No matter what... we must rescue Princess Anxi first."

"Wang Ye, Wang Fei, something terrible has happened!" Head Steward Mo hurriedly reported from outside the door.

"What happened?" Mo Xiuyao asked calmly. Head Steward Mo replied gravely, "Prince Consort Pu A somehow heard news about Princess Anxi and has rushed out of the estate with his men to rescue her."

"This is reckless!" Ye Li frowned. The enemy wouldn’t dare parade Princess Anxi around the city without any preparations. For Pu A to charge out like this was far too risky. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Zhuo Jing, take some men and—"

"No, A Li, we’ll go ourselves," Mo Xiuyao interjected, standing up and gently taking her hand.

Ye Li frowned slightly. With Prince Ding's Estate currently filled with guests, it was crucial for the Prince to remain present. Moreover, this matter wasn’t severe enough to warrant the Prince and Princess Consort’s personal involvement. Mo Xiuyao smiled and said, "Let’s go. Pu A and Princess Anxi are our guests—we should check on them."

With a resigned sigh, Ye Li relented, "If you say so. Third Brother." Xu Qingfeng chuckled, "Li'er, don’t worry. We’ll take care of the estate’s security."

On an inconspicuous street in Li Cheng, the city was bustling due to the special occasion, but the quieter alleys were even more deserted than usual. By the time Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao arrived, Pu A’s Nanzhao guards had already clashed with Mo Jingli’s men. Though Mo Jingli’s forces were few, each was highly skilled. The worst part was that they had been cornered by Pu A’s guards into a tavern at the street’s edge. Inside, they had smashed all the liquor barrels—if anyone dared step inside, they would immediately set the place ablaze, taking Princess Anxi with them.

"Prince Ding, Princess Ding!" Pu A hurried over anxiously to explain the situation upon seeing their arrival. Ye Li’s expression darkened. The problem wasn’t that they couldn’t defeat these men, but that they were constrained by the hostages. These men were clearly prepared to die—if provoked, they would ignite the seed of hope, turning the alcohol-soaked tavern into an inferno. If Princess Anxi were harmed, their efforts would backfire disastrously.

Pu A knew he had acted impulsively, but after days of his wife and son’s disappearance, the man—never known for patience—had reached his limit. Upon hearing news of Princess Anxi, he couldn’t hold back.

Seeing Pu A’s guilt and frustration, Ye Li sighed inwardly and calmly reassured him, "Prince Consort, don’t worry. The Queen of Nanzhao is blessed with good fortune—she will be safe."

Pu A nodded. "Thank you, Wang Fei. Please... you must save Anxi.""Rest assured, Prince Ding's Estate. This is Li Cheng, and the Prince Ding's Estate will spare no effort to ensure the Queen's safety." Ye Li gave Qin Feng a meaningful glance. Qin Feng nodded and stepped forward, announcing loudly, "Listen inside! Prince Ding and Princess Ding have arrived in person. Release the Queen of Nanzhao immediately, and your lives may yet be spared."

After a brief silence inside, a figure appeared at the second-floor window, surveying the crowd below before speaking, "We'll release Princess Anxi on one condition—Prince Ding and Princess Ding must come inside in exchange."

"Outrageous!" Qin Feng thundered. "You dare make such demands? Do you truly believe Prince Ding's Estate is powerless against you?" The men inside, knowing they were likely doomed anyway, grew bolder in their desperation. One laughed darkly, "Oh, we know. Prince Ding could order his archers to fire and wipe us out without lifting a finger. But... having a queen as our companion in death would be quite a bargain."

Just as Mo Xiuyao was about to respond, Ye Li gently restrained him with a hand and stepped forward with a composed smile. "If I truly agreed to enter with Prince Ding, would you actually dare let us in?"

The man fell silent. Prince Ding's peerless martial prowess was known throughout the land—allowing him inside would be unpredictable. After a pause, the man sneered, "Thank you for the reminder, Princess. Then just the Princess alone may enter." While rumors spoke of Princess Ding's decent combat skills, she was far from intimidating to seasoned martial artists. They, being first or second-rate masters themselves, saw no threat in facing her alone.

"Very well," Ye Li agreed amiably.

"A Li," Mo Xiuyao frowned disapprovingly. Though he trusted her judgment, he detested seeing her take risks in his presence—even for the Queen of Nanzhao. What did it matter if the queen and prince perished in Li Cheng? Nanzhao's enmity would pose no immediate threat.

Ye Li squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen."

Mo Xiuyao pressed his lips into a thin line, his displeasure evident as he stared at her. Ye Li smiled. "I promise I'll return within fifteen minutes."

After a tense moment, Mo Xiuyao relented, watching as Ye Li entered the tavern.

Inside, the pungent aroma of spilled wine permeated the air. Shattered jars littered the main hall, their contents soaking the floor. Ascending to the second floor, Ye Li found several men glaring at her intently. Princess Anxi sat rigidly at a table, her eyes brimming with urgency. "Princess Ding... don't come closer. Mo Jingli has taken Shuo'er. Please... save him."

Ye Li's smile remained calm. "Princess Anxi, there's no need for concern. Shuo'er will be safe."

At the thought of her son, abducted by Mo Jingli to an unknown fate, Princess Anxi's eyes reddened. "Princess Ding, forget about me. Just... just ensure Shuo'er is unharmed..."Ye Li sighed, "The Queen and the prince have suffered this unjust calamity because of Prince Ding's Estate. How can I, as the Wang Fei, stand idly by?" She walked over and sat down at a table not far from Princess Anxi, calmly surveying the several men before her. They looked somewhat familiar, though she couldn’t recall their names—likely Mo Xiuyao’s guards whom she might have encountered before.

"Gentlemen, resorting to using women and innocent infants as leverage—Jing Li’s methods grow increasingly disgraceful."

The leading man stepped forward, eyeing Ye Li before replying, "At this point, what does it matter whether it’s disgraceful or not? We admire that the Wang Fei would risk her life alone for strangers. Unfortunately, our allegiances oppose each other. We ask for your understanding."

Ye Li studied him with interest and smiled. "You speak quite intriguingly. It surprises me that someone like you remains so loyal to Jing Li."

The man gave a bitter smile. "A loyal servant does not serve two masters. Moreover, His Majesty showed me great kindness and recognition."

"Kindness and recognition—what a noble sentiment," Ye Li remarked with a sigh.

The man stared at her. "What truly astonishes me is that the Wang Fei would venture here alone. If I were to light the fire now... burning the Wang Fei of Prince Ding’s Estate would be far more advantageous than burning the Queen of Nanzhao. And now... I fear you may have to perish alongside her."

Ye Li regarded him leisurely and smiled. "First, are you truly certain I couldn’t escape if you lit the fire? Second... you’ve paraded the Queen of Nanzhao around the city for so long, and after being cornered, you stage this spectacle. Do you genuinely intend to kill Princess Anxi? Since you know you’re doomed either way, why not slit her throat outright and fight your way out? As things stand... I can’t speak for the princess, but you all seem to have no way out. What’s the point?"

The man’s eyes darkened. "What do you mean?"

Ye Li covered her lips with a light laugh. "Didn’t you understand? I’m advising you to act quickly if you intend to."

The man eyed the woman in white suspiciously. She had risked entering for Princess Anxi’s sake, yet now urged him to hasten his actions—this was entirely unexpected. However, having served under Mo Xiuyao for a long time, he was well aware of the Wang Fei’s cunning. Though he couldn’t discern her intentions, he remained vigilant, watching her every move.

Ye Li smiled. "There’s no need to be so tense. I know you don’t truly wish to kill Princess Anxi. In fact... you’d prefer she live as long as possible."

The man remained silent. Ye Li continued, "You want to use the princess to delay me and the Wang Ye. Does Jing Li have some hidden scheme, hoping to lure the tiger from the mountain? But... does he truly believe the Wang Ye and I would abandon everything just to be entangled here for her sake?"

The man sneered. "The fact that you’re here now speaks for itself, doesn’t it?"

Ye Li sighed helplessly. "I came in merely to inform you that within a quarter of an hour, Prince Ding’s shadow guards will launch a full assault."

The man’s face paled. "You aren’t afraid I’ll kill the Queen of Nanzhao?"Ye Li said, "Whether dead or alive, there must be an answer, isn't there? Today, Prince Ding's Estate is filled with guests. How could His Highness and I stay here for long?" Watching the man stare at her with a grave expression, Ye Li sat leisurely, casually surveying the tavern's furnishings as she remarked indifferently, "Does Mo Jingli intend to collaborate with Mo Jingyu? Do you really think Mo Jingyu can accomplish anything?"

Hearing this, the man's expression finally changed. Yet Ye Li acted as though she hadn't noticed and continued, "Not to mention the covert assistance from some of Great Chu's old ministers and noble families in Li Cheng. Even so... what can they possibly do? Every soldier and weapon in Li Cheng is under Prince Ding's Estate's control. Do they... truly believe they can overturn the city?"

"Princess Ding is indeed formidable," the man said solemnly, his gaze fixed on Ye Li. "Since you've come here, you surely didn't come just to exchange idle words. What does Your Highness want?"

Ye Li smiled. "Release Princess Anxi, and I may consider letting bygones be bygones."

The man curled his lips into a mocking sneer, clearly not believing her words—and even if he did, he wouldn't consider it.

Unfazed, Ye Li pondered for a moment before saying, "First option—I'll wait with you for half an hour. Release Princess Anxi, and I'll let you leave. Second option—in a quarter of an hour, Prince Ding's Estate will launch a full assault."

"You're not afraid Princess Anxi will die?!"

Ye Li looked at Princess Anxi with a hint of apology. "Princess Anxi, rest assured. I swear on the reputation of Prince Ding's Estate that I will rescue the young prince." Princess Anxi clearly understood her meaning and replied with a faint smile, "Your Highness, you should leave. Order Prince Ding's forces to act immediately. Waiting another quarter or half an hour makes no difference."

Ye Li gazed at Princess Anxi for a long moment before nodding firmly. "Very well."