Mo Li

Yunge was in high spirits after returning to the Central Plains from the Southern Border. Never in her life had she been so carefree while traveling. This trip to the Southern Border had not only allowed her to see many unique medicinal herbs but also introduced her to several renowned Southern Border physicians under Xu Qingchen's guidance. The vastly different medical practices and philosophies there had deepened her insights on the path of medicine.

After passing through Snowbreak Pass back into the Central Plains, the two leisurely journeyed westward toward Western Liang. Although Western Liang and Prince Ding's Estate had their share of enmity, a truce had been reached, and both sides were now recuperating. The people of Western Liang wouldn't dare act rashly against Qingchen Gongzi.

However, no one could have anticipated that trouble would arise before they even reached Ancheng, Western Liang's current capital.

One day, Yunge and Xu Qingchen stayed at an inn in a small town near Ancheng. Their destination was indeed the capital of Western Liang. Although Xu Qingchen, as the Right Minister of Prince Ding's Estate, visiting the enemy capital without notice might seem provocative, Ancheng was the most prosperous and bustling place in Western Liang. Missing it would be a shame. More importantly, they planned to pass through Western Liang to reach the Western Regions, which required going through Ancheng.

Fatigued from the previous day's travel, Yunge woke the next morning to find Xu Qingchen, who usually rose earlier than her, absent. Though puzzled, she didn't dwell on it—Xu Qingchen, lacking martial skills, wasn't as resilient as her. Perhaps he was simply exhausted and sleeping in. Yunge went downstairs and ordered a simple breakfast, eating leisurely. But after finishing and waiting a while longer, she grew uneasy. Not only was Xu Qingchen missing, but the shadow guards who always protected them were also nowhere to be seen. It was unlikely they had all overslept.

Alarmed, Yunge rushed upstairs. Pushing open Xu Qingchen's door, she found the room spotless and orderly, as if no one had stayed there. Checking the guards' rooms, she discovered them unconscious.

"Xu... Xu Qingchen?!" Panicked, Yunge quickly administered antidotes and asked urgently, "What happened? Where is Xu Qingchen?"

The guards, initially dazed, were equally shocked. Rushing into Xu Qingchen's room, they confirmed his disappearance.

"How could this happen? Qingchen Gongzi was taken..." One guard noted the half-open window and said gravely, "Quick, alert all shadow guards to search for him!"

"Understood!" A shadow guard responded and dashed out.Yunge felt nothing but panic in her heart. During this period with Xu Qingchen, she hadn’t needed to worry about anything. Now that Xu Qingchen had suddenly disappeared, she was utterly lost. "Xu Qingchen... sob... How could this happen? Who... who would kidnap him? He doesn’t have any enemies." Seeing the young girl burst into tears, the shadow guard also grew flustered and quickly reassured her, "Miss Shen, don’t panic. Qingchen Gongzi is blessed by the heavens and will surely be fine. By the way... the master of the King of Hell Pavilion in Western Liang is a good friend of Qingchen Gongzi. Perhaps we can ask him for information. As the saying goes, a mighty dragon is no match for a local serpent. Though we have some people in Western Liang, they’re no match for the King of Hell Pavilion."

Hearing the shadow guard’s words, Yunge hastily wiped her tears and stood up, heading straight for the door. "Let’s go quickly! Xu Qingchen doesn’t know martial arts—what if he’s being bullied?"

The shadow guard following her sighed helplessly, his resolute face betraying a rare flicker of guilt.

Outside the King of Hell Pavilion

Sick Scholar eyed the yellow-clad young woman before him with a dark expression, frowning as he said, "Big Brother is in seclusion and is not receiving guests."

Yunge bit her lip but stubbornly stood her ground before Sick Scholar, refusing to back down. "Isn’t Ling Gezhu a good friend of Xu Qingchen? Xu Qingchen is missing, and I wanted to ask Ling Gezhu if he has any information." She knew it was rude to barge in and demand to see the pavilion master, but for Xu Qingchen’s sake, she had no choice. Xu Qingchen had been missing for nearly two days now, and neither Prince Ding’s shadow guards nor Prince Zhennan of Xiling’s estate had any leads. This made Yunge grow increasingly terrified.

Sick Scholar sneered, indifferent. "The King of Hell Pavilion has long been disbanded. Even if Big Brother came out to see you, he wouldn’t tell you anything. Besides... isn’t Xu Qingchen from Prince Ding’s Estate? Prince Ding’s spies are everywhere—why would you need the King of Hell Pavilion’s help?" Back then, the King of Hell Pavilion had agreed to help Lei Zhenting ambush Ye Li, losing most of its elite fighters in the process. After returning, Ling Tiehan had ordered the pavilion disbanded. Though Ling Tiehan claimed he was tired of the martial world and wanted to focus on martial arts, Sick Scholar, as his sworn brother, knew the truth: Ling Tiehan had done this to avoid Prince Ding’s retaliation and to protect the remaining members of the pavilion. A master like Ling Tiehan could only be harmed if Mo Xiuyao personally led a siege, but the others in the pavilion were different—second and third-rate fighters would be like lambs to the slaughter against Prince Ding’s iron cavalry.

Though the King of Hell Pavilion had struck first, the fact that the once-mighty organization had vanished without a trace left some resentment in their hearts. And Sick Scholar was hardly a forgiving man—he was almost pleased to hear of Xu Qingchen’s disappearance.

"Move aside. I want to see Ling Gezhu, not talk to you." After being held up for so long, even someone as naive as Yunge could tell he was deliberately making things difficult. Already agitated over Xu Qingchen’s safety, she lost her patience entirely and glared at Sick Scholar, puffing her cheeks in anger.

Sick Scholar’s expression darkened, and he sneered. "Want to see Big Brother? Fine. Defeat me, and I’ll let you in."Yunge didn't waste words, immediately drawing a short sword and thrusting towards Sick Scholar. Sick Scholar's weapon of choice was a short blade, and with both using short weapons, the two immediately became locked in combat. Sick Scholar was skilled in poison techniques, making him unpredictable and someone most martial artists avoided confronting. But Yunge was different—she was proficient in medicine, and as the saying goes, medicine and poison are two sides of the same coin. Having just returned from the Southern Border, her understanding of poison techniques had reached new heights. Thus, Sick Scholar's poisons had little effect on her, forcing the two to rely solely on their true martial prowess.

Though Sick Scholar was over a decade older than Yunge, in terms of martial skill, he was no match for her. Among the three leaders of the King of Hell Pavilion, his aptitude and martial arts had always been the weakest. Years of illness had further weakened him, and without his poison techniques, his martial skills barely placed him in the second tier. Yunge, on the other hand, was a martial prodigy even Mo Xiuyao had praised. In less than half an hour, Yunge had Sick Scholar completely on the defensive.

"Third Brother, stop." A deep male voice came from inside, and a man in plain blue robes stepped out. At the sound of his voice, Sick Scholar immediately withdrew and retreated to the side. Yunge also halted her attack, for the moment the man appeared, she felt an overwhelming aura bearing down on her—no different from facing Prince Ding himself. Yunge knew full well that her martial skills were no match for this man.

"You... are you Ling Gezhu?" Despite facing an opponent she couldn't defeat, Yunge didn't back down.

Ling Tiehan studied the young girl before him with interest. At his age, she could almost be his daughter. Even someone like Ling Tiehan couldn't help but be indulgent toward such an adorable-looking girl. "I am Ling Tiehan. Your skills are impressive, little girl. What's your name?"

Yunge bit her lip lightly and replied softly, "My name is Shen Yunge. I... I came to ask Ling Gezhu if there's any news about Xu Qingchen."

Seeing the poorly concealed anxiety in Yunge's clear, beautiful eyes, Ling Tiehan shook his head. Watching her bright smile slowly dim, he chuckled, "Don't worry. Xu Qingchen will be fine."

"How do you know?" Yunge asked.

Ling Tiehan smiled. "Given Xu Qingchen's status, there are very few in this world who could kidnap him—and even fewer who would have a reason to. If you're truly worried about him... you could return to Li Cheng and see."

"Li Cheng?" Yunge bit her lip. Li Cheng was too far away. If she went back to find Li'er to help rescue Xu Qingchen, what if something happened to him in the meantime? Seeing tears welling up in the girl's eyes, Ling Tiehan sighed helplessly. "Miss Shen, if you trust me, go back to Li Cheng. By the time you return, Xu Qingchen might already be there. If he really has been kidnapped and even the King of Hell Pavilion and Zhennan Wang's estate can't find any leads, staying here won't help. You might as well go back first."

Yunge nodded, quickly wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes. "I understand. I apologize for disturbing you, Ling Gezhu. Thank you." With that, she clasped her hands in salute to Ling Tiehan and turned to leave."Big Brother, are we really just letting that girl leave like this?" Watching Yunge's figure gradually disappear, Sick Scholar said with some displeasure.

Ling Tiehan laughed heartily, patting his sworn brother's shoulder. "She's just a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl. How can you bear to bully her? And... Third Brother, not to belittle you, but if it really came down to a one-on-one fight, you'd definitely not be her match. Who would have thought... Xu Qingchen would find such an innocent little girl."

"Who exactly took Xu Qingchen?" Sick Scholar frowned and asked. Earlier, his refusal to help Yunge wasn't entirely out of spite—the King of Hell Pavilion truly had no news of Xu Qingchen.

Ling Tiehan chuckled. "In this world today, who else but Mo Xiuyao could kidnap Xu Qingchen and have the ability to keep him hidden?"

"......"

Not far from Yunge, in a secluded corner, stood an inconspicuous carriage. Inside sat a man of unparalleled beauty, dressed in snow-white robes like an immortal descended from the heavens. Yet, the expression on his face at this moment was anything but divine—instead, it sent chills down the spine of the person sitting across from him.

Opposite him, Xu Qingfeng, the third young master of the Xu Family, who had just gotten married less than two months ago, looked at the man helplessly. "Big Brother, don't glare at me. I'm just following orders. If you're angry, go take it up with the one who gave the command." After finally marrying his beautiful bride, did he not want to enjoy the bliss of newlywed life at home? Instead, he had to travel thousands of miles to this godforsaken place and now faced his elder brother's resentment?

"Mo Xiuyao," Qingchen Gongzi murmured, lowering his gaze. He didn't even need to think to know whose terrible idea this was. Waking up to find himself kidnapped, Qingchen Gongzi hadn't panicked. Sure enough, it wasn't long before his third brother appeared before him, timid and guilty, offering an apologetic smile. Without a doubt, no one but a certain someone in Li Cheng could come up with such an absurd plan—at the very least, Xu Qingfeng wouldn't dare act on his own.

Xu Qingfeng nodded repeatedly. Being assigned such a ridiculous mission, he too was full of grievances. But as a subordinate, he had no choice but to obey. Secretly, however, he couldn't wait for his elder brother to return and give that certain someone a hard time.

"Tsk tsk... Big Brother, it seems Miss Shen cares for you quite a bit," Xu Qingfeng remarked with a chuckle, watching through the carriage window as Yunge, who had just left the King of Hell Pavilion, let tears stream down her face while continuing to walk forward without pause. For the past two days, they had been secretly following Yunge, witnessing everything she did. Unfortunately, though Yunge was highly skilled in martial arts, her experience in the jianghu was practically nonexistent, making it impossible for her to detect someone like Xu Qingfeng, who was professionally trained.

Watching the lonely figure of the young girl walking away, a trace of pity and heartache flickered in Xu Qingchen's eyes. His voice deepened as he said, "Enough of this farce. Let me out."

Xu Qingfeng shook his head firmly. "That won't do. My orders are to take you back. Besides, Big Brother... don't you want to see just how much Miss Shen cares for you?"Xu Qingchen fell silent. Qingchen Gongzi had always been a perfectionist. However, Miss Yunge was rather slow when it came to matters of the heart. Although she had now fully accepted the fact of being his betrothed, how much of that was due to genuine affection for him—even he himself couldn’t say. But… recalling those crystal-clear eyes brimming with tears, Qingchen Gongzi felt a sharp pang in his heart. "Let me out of the carriage!"

In the end, his heartache for Yunge outweighed his desire for answers. Without hesitation, Qingchen Gongzi gave up this opportunity.

Xu Qingfeng rolled his eyes helplessly and flashed a fawning smile at Qingchen Gongzi. "In that case… elder brother, forgive me for this." With a swift motion, Xu Qingfeng delivered a chop to Qingchen Gongzi’s neck, knocking him unconscious in the carriage. Given Qingchen Gongzi’s intellect, it was safest to knock him out and take him straight back to Li Cheng. Otherwise, even if he were immobilized, he might still manage to stir up trouble along the way. Remembering Prince Ding’s earnest instructions before departure, Xu Qingfeng couldn’t help but scoff—though he had to admit… they made perfect sense.

Yunge traveled day and night to reach Li Cheng, but due to encountering two groups of obstructors along the way, she arrived two days later than planned. The thought of Xu Qingchen’s uncertain fate filled her with self-loathing for her own helplessness. If only she were as capable as Sister Li’er, she would surely have found Xu Qingchen by now, instead of slinking back to seek Sister Li’er’s aid.

Yet, the scene that greeted her upon entering Li Cheng left Yunge utterly bewildered. Prince Ding’s Estate was tranquil and peaceful, as if nothing had happened at all. She had clearly sent the shadow guards accompanying Xu Qingchen back to Li Cheng to deliver the message. Grabbing a servant from the estate to inquire, she was told that both the Prince and Wang Fei were not at the estate but had gone to the Xu Family—because the eldest son of the Xu Family, Qingchen Gongzi, was getting married, and the wedding was set for today.

Yunge was stunned, unable to make sense of the situation for a long while. She murmured dazedly, "So… so… Xu Qingchen is alright?"

The servant gave her a strange look and replied, "What could possibly happen to Qingchen Gongzi? He’s incredibly capable."

"Then… when did Xu Qingchen return?"

"Qingchen Gongzi came back yesterday. Coincidentally, Miss Shen also returned, just in time for the wedding." The servant chuckled, then bowed and excused himself.

Yunge sat in a daze at the main gate of Prince Ding’s Estate, lost in thought. The guards at the gate recognized her and left her be. Recalling the hardships she had endured these past days—sleeping rough, rushing desperately, even being robbed—her eyes reddened with grievance. Even if Xu Qingchen no longer wanted her, he didn’t have to sneak back to get married. At the very least, he could have left her a message. This was… truly too much!

The thought of Xu Qingchen secretly returning to marry someone else made Yunge’s heart ache even more. Liar! A big liar… He had promised to accompany her on her travels to practice medicine and explore the world. And all that talk about betrothed this, betrothed that… Xu Qingchen was a big fat liar!The little girl's sorrowful and aggrieved expression was too much for even the gate guards to bear. Finally, one couldn't help but ask, "Miss Shen, what's wrong? Who bullied you?" Could it be that the girl was really wronged? Should they report it to Wang Fei? It seemed Wang Fei was quite fond of this little girl.

Yunge blinked her eyes and nodded silently, "What should you do if someone lies to you?"

"Beat him up!" said Guard A.

"Punch him!" said Guard B.

"Kick him!" said Guard C.

"Destroy him!" said Guard D.

Yunge's pretty face showed hesitation as she said uncertainly, "No... he can't take a beating. What if he gets hurt?"

The guards exchanged glances. Even when she's this upset, she's still worried about hurting him. Must be a lover's quarrel.

"Miss Shen, maybe he didn't mean to lie to you. If you have doubts, it's better to ask him directly. Otherwise, you might regret missing out on someone you love for the rest of your life."

"Someone... I love?" Yunge's face turned red.

"Right. He made you so sad, yet you still can't bring yourself to hit him. Isn't he your sweetheart?"

"This... this..." Yunge's face flushed red before turning pale again. "Then... what if he doesn't want me anymore and goes with someone else?"

"Snatch him back and make him change his mind," said Guard A.

"Snatch him back. If he won't change his mind, beat him to death!" said Guard B.

"Snatch him back. If he won't change his mind, poison him!" said Guard C.

"Snatch..." Before Guard D could finish, Yunge had already stood up with a bright smile. "Got it! Snatch him back first!"

Yunge didn't enter through the Xu Family's main gate. Instead, she used her Light Body Skill to leap over the wall and headed straight for Xu Qingchen's courtyard. The Xu residence was indeed bustling with activity, decorated with lanterns and streamers everywhere, and the outer courtyard was filled with noisy crowds. In contrast, the inner courtyard was much quieter.

Just as she reached the door of Xu Qingchen's room, she faintly heard his voice inside. Instantly furious, Yunge raised her foot to kick open the door.

"Ah, Yunge! What are you doing here? Come with me quickly!" Murong Ting's voice suddenly came from behind. Before Yunge could react, she was grabbed by both arms by Murong Ting and Hua Tianxiang and dragged away.

"Mmm... Sister Ting, Sister Tianxiang, what are you doing? I need to see Xu Qingchen!" Yunge said angrily. Qin Zheng, following behind, covered her lips and laughed. "What nonsense! Today is a joyous occasion. How can you see the groom now? Come with us quickly. Everyone's been looking for you."

"Looking for me?" Completely bewildered, Yunge was dragged out of Xu Qingchen's courtyard by Murong Ting and Hua Tianxiang and taken to another courtyard. Then, a crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces swarmed around her, changing her clothes, applying makeup, and styling her hair. Finally, a red bridal veil was placed over her head, and she was ushered out in a daze to perform the wedding ceremony.

From start to finish, Yunge was utterly confused, with no idea what was happening.

By the time Yunge regained her senses, she had already completed the wedding rites and was escorted into the bridal chamber. Under the red mandarin duck-patterned veil, Yunge blinked in confusion and raised her hand to lift the covering. Just then, the door creaked open and then shut, and light footsteps approached her.For some reason, Yunge suddenly felt a wave of nervousness, her palms damp with sweat as they tightly clutched the bright red wedding gown.

A flash of light—the red bridal veil was gently lifted. Raising her head, Yunge saw a man dressed in crimson robes before her. His handsome, almost ethereal features carried a faint smile, and the festive red hue around him accentuated his noble bearing and joy.

"Xu... Xu Qingchen?"

Xu Qingchen smiled softly, leaning down to press a light kiss by her lips. "It's me, Yunge. We're getting married today. Are you happy?"

"Ha... happy?" Yunge wanted to glare at him fiercely, but under his tender gaze, her cheeks burned as if on fire. A trickle of joy and sweetness welled up in her heart. So Xu Qingchen hadn’t abandoned her? He hadn’t secretly planned to marry someone else?

"As long as you're happy," Qingchen Gongzi said with a gentle smile. "From today onward, Yunge is my wife. Here, let’s drink the ceremonial wine first." He handed her a cup, watching her with a warm smile.

Facing his handsome, smiling visage, Yunge felt her head spinning dizzily. In a daze, she raised her wine cup, their arms intertwining as they drank together.

A shared nuptial cup—from this moment on, they would be like paired wings on a bird, like branches intertwined, growing old together with white hair...

Under the bright wedding candles, the flawless pair raised their cups in unison, their eyes carrying faint smiles and tenderness. In the distance, firecrackers popped, music played sweetly, and voices buzzed with excitement—all of which only accentuated the profound tranquility here...

At this moment,

Flowers exude their fragrance as the moon casts its gentle shade...

(The End of Yunge's Story)

–––––– Author's Note ––––––

A sigh of relief~ The story of Qingchen Gongzi and Yunge ends here. No schemes or intrigues, nor any bloodshed or violence. I only hoped their tale would be softly warm. Though not entirely satisfied, it's essentially the storyline I envisioned. Next, there might be some side stories about Xiao Bao, Yao Ji, Feng San, and the twin babies—hope everyone enjoys those too.