Mo Li

The dazed Miss Yunge had no idea that her momentary distraction had just sold her life away. Damn it, even if she figured it out later, she probably wouldn't have the courage to refuse someone again.

Qingchen Gongzi didn't care that the young girl's mind wasn't working at full capacity at the moment. Seeing Yunge obediently nod in agreement, he felt extremely satisfied. He reached out to ruffle her dark hair, his usually calm and indifferent handsome face now filled with affection.

Qingchen Gongzi was too outstanding and too transcendent, leading him to see everything too clearly, even his emotions were thinner than ordinary people's. Even after witnessing Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li's mutual devotion, Han Mingyue's infatuation with Su Zuidie in the past, and even Feng San, Qin Feng, and his own brothers finding happiness one by one, Qingchen Gongzi still couldn't quite understand these emotions. He looked down upon those who were troubled and pained by love.

If he hadn't met Yunge, even Qingchen Gongzi wouldn't have believed that one day he would do all sorts of foolish things that he once thought were extremely stupid, like Mo Xiuyao's various silly actions. He even resorted to trickery to make Yunge agree to be his fiancée, and the joy and satisfaction he felt when she nodded in agreement were beyond words.

It was just as someone had once cursed him: "What is love in this world? It's about one thing conquering another. May you fall in one day and never climb out again."

Miss Yunge, being petted by Qingchen Gongzi, comfortably nuzzled into his palm, her eyes curving into happy crescents. Yunge realized that ever since she met Xu Qingchen again this time, apart from being angry at her for running away from home at first, he had been very gentle with her. Other than occasionally calling her stupid, he hadn't scolded or punished her. (So, Miss Yunge, how low are your standards?)

Before Xu Qingchen could say anything, he was interrupted by a guard who came in to report, "Young Master, the head of the Lü family in Guangling City has sent an invitation. The Lü family and the gentry of Guangling are hosting a banquet to welcome you." The guard probably realized he might have interrupted something important and quickly used outsiders as an excuse.

Xu Qingchen frowned. Having just dealt with a large number of talented and influential young nobles in Guangling City, it was only proper to give them this face. If it were just Xu Qingchen the person, he could naturally decline these invitations as he pleased. But Qingchen Gongzi hadn't forgotten that he still held the position of Right Minister in Prince Ding's Estate. He couldn't just leave and have half of Guangling's wealthy merchants flee south across the river.

After some thought, Xu Qingchen nodded and said, "Understood. We'll go later."

"We," meaning not alone. Yunge looked at Xu Qingchen with slight hesitation. "Xu Qingchen, do I... do I have to go too?" Xu Qingchen smiled and said, "Aren't you my fiancée? Why wouldn't you go?"

Yunge pouted, not daring to say that she hadn't fully understood what was happening when Xu Qingchen tricked her earlier.

Xu Qingchen pinched Yunge's little face with a smile and said, "Be good, Yunge. Tomorrow we'll leave Li Cheng, and then we can go wherever you want." Hearing this, Yunge's face immediately brightened, and she nodded vigorously. "You promise?" Qingchen Gongzi laughed. "When have I ever broken a promise?"At night, the Lü residence in Guangling City was brightly lit and bustling with activity. Most of the prominent figures in Guangling had gathered here. Although many aristocratic families in the city had been thoroughly disciplined over the past few days, few had sons as lustful and reckless as the Huang family, who had even caused a death. Most of those who deserved punishment had been dealt with accordingly, and the matter was considered closed. Most importantly, Qingchen Gongzi was absolutely not someone to offend. Not only was Qingchen Gongzi renowned as the "Divine Immortal Gentleman" throughout the land, but he was also the Right Minister of Prince Ding's Estate, holding a position second only to Prince Ding and Wang Fei, standing above all others. If Prince Ding were to ascend the throne, Qingchen Gongzi would rightfully become the founding prime minister of the new dynasty. Moreover, Qingchen Gongzi was Wang Fei's cousin and the Little Prince's uncle. In short—as long as they wished to continue living under Prince Ding's rule, Qingchen Gongzi was not to be crossed.

The Lü family was a well-known noble house in Guangling. Though not particularly wealthy, they were a scholarly family with a century-old heritage. Their discipline over their descendants was relatively strict, and this time, apart from two distant relatives who had been found exploiting the Lü name to oppress commoners, no major scandals had emerged. It was precisely because of this that the Lü family had the face to host a banquet and invite Qingchen Gongzi at this time.

Xu Qingchen arrived at the Lü residence with Yunge in tow. Old Master Lü had already gathered his entire family and the heads of various households in Guangling to await them at the entrance.

"We welcome Qingchen Gongzi."

Seeing the grand reception before him, Xu Qingchen sighed helplessly and said calmly, "Old Master Lü, you needn’t go to such lengths. These formalities can be dispensed with."

After expressing his gratitude, Old Master Lü rose to his feet. When he looked up, he was momentarily stunned by the sight of a stunning young woman in a soft yellow dress standing beside Xu Qingchen, gazing at them with innocent curiosity.

Lowering his eyes, Xu Qingchen took Yunge’s hand and said plainly, "This is my fiancée, of the Shen family."

"Ah? Greetings... Greetings, Miss Shen," Old Master Lü hurriedly replied, though inwardly he wondered—there didn’t seem to be any prominent families in Li Cheng with the surname Shen. The girl’s expression was full of curiosity and innocence, and she didn’t appear to be a refined young lady raised in a scholarly household.

As a martial artist, Yunge’s senses were sharper than most. The moment Xu Qingchen spoke, she could clearly feel the shift in the crowd’s gazes—some now carried a hint of hostility. Following the sensation, she spotted a beautiful woman in a moon-white dress staring at her from a distance. Though displeased, Yunge remembered Madam Xu’s teachings on etiquette and gave the woman a slight nod. To her surprise, the woman coldly glanced at her before looking away. Yunge huffed inwardly but decided to ignore her.

"Qingchen Gongzi, Miss Shen, please come inside." Old Master Lü recovered quickly from his brief daze and respectfully ushered the two in.The Lu residence had indeed prepared a banquet and entertainment in advance, eagerly awaiting Xu Qingchen's arrival. However, Yunge's appearance was clearly a surprise to everyone, and even more surprising was the fact that this young lady was Qingchen Gongzi's fiancée. Master Lu hesitated for a moment before stepping forward with a smile, saying, "Qingchen Gongzi, this Miss Shen... perhaps she could be entertained by my wife and daughter? What does the young master think?"

Xu Qingchen glanced down at Yunge, who was still lost in thought with her head lowered, and replied with a gentle smile, "No need. Yunge can sit with me." Master Huang had no choice but to acquiesce and went to make the necessary arrangements.

Xu Qingchen led Yunge to the seat of honor at the banquet, immediately drawing countless gazes. It was the first time Yunge had ever been the center of so much attention, and she quickly grew uncomfortable. Xu Qingchen paid no mind to the onlookers, simply placing some of her favorite dishes in front of her before turning to converse with the other guests.

Yunge sat beside Xu Qingchen, bored out of her mind as she stared blankly at the exquisite delicacies before her. She couldn’t understand nor cared for the conversations around her, and the not-so-friendly stares—both overt and covert—left her with no appetite. She could only sit there in a daze.

"Miss Shen, why aren’t you speaking? Are you bored?"

Just as Yunge was feeling utterly listless, a soft female voice sounded beside her. She looked up to see the young woman in the pale moon-colored robes she had noticed earlier at the entrance walking toward her. Though the voice was quiet, Xu Qingchen, seated beside Yunge, naturally heard it and turned to glance at the woman. Master Lu, sitting to Xu Qingchen’s right, also looked over and smiled affectionately at the girl. "This is my daughter, Danruo."

The young woman promptly curtsied gracefully to Xu Qingchen and said with a smile, "Danruo greets the young master."

Xu Qingchen's eyes flickered briefly as he replied with a faint smile, "There’s no need for formalities, Miss Lu. Yunge, are you bored?" After just one glance at Lu Danruo, his attention returned to Yunge, his tone concerned. He couldn’t help but feel a little helpless—Yunge clearly disliked such social gatherings, but he couldn’t bear to leave her behind.

Yunge looked at Xu Qingchen and suddenly felt a little better, shaking her head slightly.

Seeing that Xu Qingchen had only given her a passing glance, Miss Lu’s eyes dimmed momentarily before she quickly smiled again and said to Yunge, "Younger Sister Shen must be feeling bored. Why don’t I accompany you for a stroll in the garden? Though our Lu family’s gardens may not compare to Li Cheng’s, they still have their own charm."

Yunge turned to Xu Qingchen for his opinion. He smiled and said, "Go if you’d like. If not, we’ll leave soon anyway."

Though she disliked such banquets, Yunge knew Xu Qingchen had his reasons for attending. She shook her head and said, "I’ll go to the garden."

Xu Qingchen nodded with a smile and summoned two guards to accompany her before letting her leave. This, of course, earned him a dissatisfied pout from Yunge—her martial skills were no worse than those guards. Xu Qingchen merely smiled faintly, standing firm in his decision."Qingchen Gongzi is truly most attentive to Miss Shen," Old Master Lü laughed awkwardly, though inwardly he was grumbling: Who knows what's going on between Prince Ding's Estate and the Xu Family? The successive Wang Yes of Prince Ding's Estate have never taken many concubines, and the Xu Family has basically never taken concubines at all. Now even some promising young men under Prince Ding's Estate are following the Prince's example. How are families who've raised many daughters by concubines supposed to survive?

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly, "Yunge is the Xu Family's future daughter-in-law, so of course she deserves utmost care."

"Gongzi speaks wisely. Come... let me propose a toast to you."

In the Lü Family's rear garden, Lü Danruo was strolling casually with Yunge. Along the way, only Lü Danruo's constant chatter could be heard, while Yunge's responses were few and far between. This situation gradually darkened Lü Danruo's originally smiling countenance. This girl was like a mute gourd—barely uttering half a sentence no matter what was asked. Who knew what Qingchen Gongzi saw in her!

Just as Lü Danruo found Yunge displeasing, Yunge similarly disliked the girl before her. The moment they left the banquet, she'd been chirping nonstop, constantly asking what Xu Qingchen liked to eat, what he disliked... in short, every third sentence was about Xu Qingchen this or that. How would she know what Xu Qingchen liked or disliked? If she wanted to know, why not ask Xu Qingchen directly instead of pestering her? And putting on this act of enjoying her company—did she think Yunge hadn't seen her rolling her eyes at her by the entrance?

In a rare display of temper before outsiders, the displeased Miss Yunge walked to a flowerbed and sat down with her back to Lü Danruo, refusing to move further. Lü Danruo frowned at Yunge's back but eventually approached, carefully spreading an embroidered handkerchief on the flowerbed before sitting down. With a furrowed brow, she said, "Yunge meimei, which family are you from? We've never heard of any prominent Shen family in Li Cheng. Since we're already acquainted, there's no need to be so secretive."

Yunge glanced at her silently. "Our family isn't prominent. Also, I'm older than you—I'm not your meimei." Yunge could tell at a glance that Lü Danruo was only about fifteen, while she herself was already seventeen. However, she forgot that Lü Danruo wasn't a physician and lacked such sharp observational skills, especially since Yunge's delicate features made her appear even younger than the gentle, charming Lü Danruo.

Lü Danruo's smile stiffened as she frowned at Yunge. So she came from a humble background—no wonder she lacked manners.

Her eyes darting, Lü Danruo forced another smile. "Then, Yunge jiejie, how did you meet Qingchen Gongzi?"

Yunge replied somewhat irritably, "I was gathering herbs in the mountains when I happened to see Xu Qingchen. That's how we met."

Lü Danruo's smile widened—so she was just a herb-gathering girl. Her expression now carried even more disdain and contempt as she looked at Yunge. Yunge wrinkled her small nose. If Lü Danruo didn't like her, the feeling was mutual. Standing up, she walked away toward another part of the garden.Left behind, Lü Danruo was so furious she nearly twisted her face in anger. She was one of the most esteemed young ladies in Guangling City, and if it weren't for Qingchen Gongzi, she would never have stooped to being so careful around some unknown little girl. Seeing Yunge act so rudely now, she couldn't hold back any longer and snapped, "Hey! Do you even know what manners are? Truly, coming from a small family, you have no sense of propriety at all!"

Not far away, two shadow guards had been attentively observing the situation. Seeing this, they exchanged glances and shook their heads. Was Yunge doing this on purpose or was she just being deliberately oblivious? If Yunge told Lü Danruo that her adoptive father was Shen Yang, Lü Danruo wouldn’t dare provoke her even if she had ten times the courage.

"You're the one with no manners!" Yunge retorted angrily, glaring at Lü Danruo with wide, indignant eyes. "A proper young lady wouldn’t keep asking about Xu Qingchen like you do! If you want to know, go ask Xu Qingchen yourself! Xu Qingchen is my fiancé—stop asking about him! You’re the one with no propriety. Do you think I’ve never met proper young ladies before?" With that, Yunge snorted disdainfully. Elder Sister Zheng'er, Elder Sister Li'er, and Elder Sister Tianxiang were all noble-born young ladies—none of them were as annoying as this Miss Lü!

"Pfft—" One of the guards nearby couldn’t help but burst into laughter. When both girls turned their gazes toward him, he quickly waved his hand. "My apologies, Miss Shen. Please continue." If Qingchen Gongzi heard that "no asking" part, he’d be absolutely delighted.

Yunge blinked, then turned back to Miss Lü and said, "Anyway, go ask Xu Qingchen. Don’t ask me."

Miss Lü was left speechless. Accustomed to the usual polite pretense among high society, she had rarely encountered someone so blunt and didn’t know how to respond.

After a long pause, Miss Lü finally regained her composure and scoffed. "In any case, you’re not worthy of Qingchen Gongzi. If you had any sense, you’d leave on your own before you embarrass yourself in the future."

Yunge bit her lip, glaring at Lü Danruo for a moment before letting out a soft snort. A smug smile spread across her lovely face. "I won’t! Xu Qingchen is mine—you can’t take him from me…"

"Qingchen Gongzi would never marry a wild girl like you," Lü Danruo said coldly.

"What if I insist on marrying Xu Qingchen?" Yunge bared her teeth. "I’m prettier than you, better at martial arts than you, and better at medicine than you! Hmph…"

Lü Danruo sneered. "What does that matter? Without a proper family background, even if you were a heavenly fairy, you wouldn’t be worthy of Qingchen Gongzi! Stop clinging to him, or else—"

"Or else what?" Qingchen Gongzi’s voice drifted over, light and cool like a summer breeze, refreshing yet freezing Lü Danruo’s expression in place. Seeing Qingchen Gongzi approaching under the moonlight, Lü Danruo’s eyes flickered with embarrassment, but she quickly masked it, adopting a coy tone. "Qingchen Gongzi, Danruo…"

Xu Qingchen walked past Lü Danruo straight to Yunge, lifting her chin with a soft chuckle. "What’s wrong? Did someone bully you?" Yunge rolled her eyes and ignored him. As if anyone could bully her.Lü Danruo, who had been completely ignored by Xu Qingchen, stood frozen in place, her face alternating between shades of green and white. She clearly hadn't expected the seemingly gentle and refined Qingchen Gongzi to show her such disregard. Only after confirming Yunge was unharmed did Xu Qingchen turn to Lü Danruo and say coolly, "Miss Lü, it's my decision who is worthy of the Xu Family, and it has nothing to do with you. The Xu Family doesn't need your concern. If you're truly so idle, perhaps you should worry about yourself instead."

"I..." Lü Danruo's eyes reddened with grievance as she looked pitifully at Xu Qingchen. "Qingchen Gongzi, you've misunderstood. That wasn't what I meant. Danruo merely..."

Yunge peeked out from behind Xu Qingchen, baring her teeth in a grin at Lü Danruo, her small face brimming with triumph. When Xu Qingchen looked down and saw her beaming expression, he chuckled softly, "So happy?"

Yunge hummed lightly and said, "She was asking what you like, what you love to eat and hate. I don't know any of that, so you tell her yourself."

"Oh? Do you really want me to tell her?" Xu Qingchen asked with a low laugh.

Yunge froze, silent for a moment before grabbing his arm in what she thought was a threatening manner. "Don't you dare tell her, or I'll... I'll..."

"You'll what?" Xu Qingchen teased.

"I..." Facing his amused gaze, the words "hit you" stuck in her throat. Yunge was beginning to understand why, despite her formidable martial arts skills, she never dared to use them against Xu Qingchen. She simply couldn't bear to hurt him... What if she accidentally injured him?

Xu Qingchen's smile deepened as he affectionately brushed a strand of her hair aside. "Alright, I won't tell her. But I can tell you, and you must remember it well."

"Mm!" Yunge nodded earnestly.

"Let's go then." Taking Yunge's small hand, Qingchen Gongzi turned and walked away without sparing another glance at Lü Danruo, who remained standing to the side.

"Eh? Weren't you supposed to attend the banquet?"

"We've already attended. We'll leave Guangling tomorrow. Where would you like to go, Yunge?"

"I want to go... to lots and lots of fun places!" Yunge exclaimed cheerfully.

"Then let's go." The two guards following behind glanced back at Lü Danruo, left standing alone in the garden. Under the moonlight, her pale dress and ashen face looked... rather eerie.

What happened to her? Was she too devastated?

Fool! She's been struck at an acupoint.

Yunge looked down at her hand, held securely by Qingchen Gongzi, then back at Lü Danruo, frozen in the garden. A pang of guilt made her lower her head slightly.

After leaving Guangling, the two traveled through mountains and rivers, practicing medicine and saving lives. True to Xu Qingchen's words, no one dared to bully Yunge while she was by his side. In less than two months, Yunge had treated more and more people, and her reputation grew. Though not yet on par with Shen Yang, who was known as the Divine Physician, she earned the title of "Little Medical Fairy" for her exceptional skills at such a young age, coupled with her ethereal beauty. The bond between them deepened, and Qingchen Gongzi, who himself delighted in the pleasures of nature, found himself increasingly reluctant to return home.

Far away in Li Cheng, within Prince Ding's Estate, the white-haired Prince Ding stood before towering stacks of documents and memorials, his sword-like brows furrowed and his aura radiating chilling intensity."Where is Qingchen Gongzi now?"

In the study, a man dressed in gray robes bowed and reported, "Your Highness, Qingchen Gongzi and Miss Shen have just returned from the Southern Border. Judging by their route, it seems they intend to go to Western Liang."

Prince Ding gritted his teeth, "So they still have no intention of returning?"

"Well... it appears so..."

The prince's handsome face darkened, a strange glint flashing in his eyes. "Go! Have him bound and brought back to me! Occupying his position without fulfilling his duties, instead taking a young girl on sightseeing trips..." Prince Ding was filled with resentment. Now, forget about taking A Li on leisurely travels—with the realm newly stabilized and countless tasks awaiting attention, he didn't even have time to spend an extra moment with A Li!

"But... Your Highness, wouldn't that be inappropriate?" Qingchen Gongzi was, after all, Wang Fei's cousin. If he became truly furious, wouldn't the one to suffer be none other than the prince himself? And when the prince was angry, it was always they who bore the brunt.

"Go! This prince will bring it up with the Xu Family—Xu Qingchen and Yunge's wedding should be held soon. What kind of propriety is it to keep taking an unmarried young lady out and about?" With a flash in his eyes, Prince Ding came up with a brilliant idea. Xu Qingchen should get married already. After marriage, the Xu Family would more or less fall to his management. After marriage, there would naturally be children to bear, and after bearing children, there would be upbringing and such to attend to. All he needed was to ensure Xu Qingchen wouldn't run around freely for the next three to five years. As for after that... Prince Ding snorted lightly—what did it have to do with him?

"Understood, Your Highness!"

——————Author's Note——————

Girls, I've been busy lately~ So sorry~ Has the extra chapter been too wordy? There's still one more chapter of Yunge and Qingchen Gongzi's side story~