Mo Li

In the third month of spring, the capital of Chu was a riot of blooming flowers, intoxicating with its vernal beauty.

By the lakeside of the Lake of Beautiful Women on the outskirts of the capital, groups of young noblewomen strolled leisurely across the lush green grass, admiring the blossoms or chatting playfully. The lake, which had been silent throughout the winter, now brimmed with renewed vibrancy and charm.

Three swift horses galloped toward them from the distance. Leading the charge was a magnificent black steed, its coat unblemished by a single stray hair—a rare thousand-mile horse. But what truly captured everyone’s attention was the youth astride it. Clad in white robes with dark hair flowing, his striking features radiated an air of unrestrained confidence and pride. Though the two riders behind him were also exceptionally handsome, all eyes were inevitably drawn to the young man in white. The maidens instinctively covered their faces in shyness, yet couldn’t resist stealing glances. The young noblemen, on the other hand, felt as if they might be blinded by the sheer brilliance of his presence.

"Xiu Yao, must you always be so insufferably arrogant? Mo Jingli’s glare could practically fling daggers at you," Feng Zhiyao remarked as the three horses came to a halt near a peach grove by the lake. Dressed in resplendent crimson robes, he dismounted and shot Mo Xiuyao a sidelong glance. Though not yet thirteen, his years of martial training alongside Mo Xiuyao had caused his stature to shoot up rapidly. Once appearing no older than seven or eight, he now stood nearly as tall as Mo Xiuyao.

Mo Xiuyao, the Second Young Master of Prince Ding’s Estate, was only thirteen but had just returned victorious from the borderlands. The tempering of the battlefield had honed him with a sharpness uncommon for his age.

Mo Xiuyao arched an eyebrow. "When has he ever looked at me without wanting to throw daggers?" He cast an indifferent glance toward the figure glowering at them in the distance. "By the way, what’s the reason this time?"

Feng Zhiyao rolled his eyes. "Young Master Mo, have you forgotten that, the day before your departure, you accidentally kicked him into the Golden Water River?"

"Eh? Did that happen?" Mo Xiuyao blinked in confusion. "I’ve been away for half a year, and he’s still holding a grudge over something so trivial? Does he have nothing better to do?"

Being kicked into the river wasn’t exactly a major incident—after all, even the best could slip up. But the real problem was that, after sending him into the water, Mo Xiuyao hadn’t bothered to pull him out or apologize. Instead, as the poor man struggled to resurface, Mo Xiuyao had leaped across the lake—and, in passing, stomped him back under with another kick.

That day, every witness present had shed a silent tear for Li Wang Dianxia. The Golden Water River was far from pleasant to drink from, yet His Highness had gulped down quite a mouthful. Rumor had it he’d been bedridden for over half a month afterward. By the time he recovered enough to lodge a complaint at the palace, Mo Xiuyao had long since marched off to war with the army.

"Well… he was the one who ambushed me first," Mo Xiuyao finally recalled his misdeed, rubbing his nose sheepishly. "Besides, my elder brother had sent word for me to return to the estate immediately, so…"

So you were in a hurry, and that justified stepping on his head?

Feng Zhiyao shot another glance at the figure still glaring daggers at them from afar. To have provoked a scourge like Mo Xiuyao—one had to wonder which deity Mo Jingli had offended in his past life."Haha, the scenery of Chu Jing is truly delightful," the white-robed youth who had been silently listening to their conversation remarked with a smile.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled, "Naturally. Though the capital can't compare to the misty rain and small bridges of the Jiangnan region, it has its own unique charm. Han Mingyue, what do you think? Planning to settle down here for good?"

The white-robed youth shook his head, "Staying permanently isn't possible—I'm worried about Mingxi still being in Jiangnan. But I'll likely visit the capital frequently from now on." Feng Zhiyao looked at the youth cheerfully, "That's great! I've long heard of Young Master Mingyue's extraordinary intellect. From now on, you can take care of this guy." There was a hint of gritted teeth in Feng Zhiyao's tone. The first time they met, Mo Xiuyao had called him stupid. Before knowing Mo Xiuyao, Feng Zhiyao had never considered himself unintelligent. If he were stupid, he wouldn't have matched his peers in studies despite his stepmother forbidding him from attending school. But after meeting Mo Xiuyao, Feng Zhiyao had seriously pondered whether he was indeed slow. The same book took him ten days to memorize, while Mo Xiuyao needed just one day—and even finished writing reflections on it. The same sword technique took him three days to learn, while Mo Xiuyao mastered it after seeing it once. Eventually, even their tutor took pity on Third Master Feng, who couldn't keep up, and gave him extra lessons.

But Han Mingyue was different. Though he had long resided in Jiangnan, by the age of fourteen, the fame of Young Master Mingyue's brilliance had already spread throughout the region. He and Mo Xiuyao had become friends after a competitive encounter, each admiring the other's skills. With another prodigy like Han Mingyue around, Feng Zhiyao felt his life would become much easier.

Han Mingyue smiled and shook his head, "What genius am I? If we're talking about geniuses, who could surpass Young Master Xu of the Xu Family?" Xu Qingchen, the eldest son of the Xu Family, was several years younger than them but already renowned throughout the land. Every great scholar who met him praised him endlessly, calling him a once-in-a-century prodigy.

Mo Xiuyao casually tied his horse to a tree and walked toward the peach grove, saying, "Xu Qingchen is a scholar—he's not in the same league as us." Moreover, Prince Ding's Estate and the Xu Family couldn't afford to become too close. It wouldn't be good for either side.

From the peach grove came the clear sounds of a zither and the laughter of young maidens. This was the season for talented scholars and beauties to enjoy outings.

"Sister Hua."

In a clearing within the peach grove, a group of elegantly dressed young maidens sat on the grass. Some played the zither, while others chatted and laughed. At the center sat a young lady in purple—Hua Yunxi, the daughter of Duke Hua's household.

At the sight of the three young men, the maidens blushed and quickly rose to greet them. The second young master of Prince Ding's Estate was not only noble and handsome but, more importantly, still unmarried—the dream of many young maidens.

Hua Yunxi stood up and looked at Mo Xiuyao with a smile, "You've grown much taller after your trip. Grandfather has long spoken of your military victories—truly worthy of Prince Ding's lineage."

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Just minor skirmishes, nothing more."Hua Yunxi smiled faintly and said, "It's been a while since I last saw Zhiyao. What have you been up to lately?" Feng Zhiyao glanced at Hua Yunxi and forced a smile. "Nothing much, just locked up at home by the old man." Over the years, Third Master Feng had been colluding—no, keeping bad company—with the second son of Prince Ding's Estate. At least half of the misdeeds Mo Xiuyao committed had Feng San as his accomplice. After Mo Xiuyao dealt with Prince Li and fled, Feng Zhiyao, being too young, couldn’t escape. His father, Old Master Feng, gave him a sound thrashing and dragged him home to be grounded.

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow curiously. "Did something happen in the capital while I was away?" Years of brotherhood had given him enough insight into Feng San’s character. If it were just a beating and being grounded by his father, Feng Zhiyao wouldn’t be reacting like this. To put it bluntly, Feng Zhiyao was used to his father’s discipline. Ever since Third Master Feng’s martial prowess had overpowered everyone in the Feng family, the only one left who could still discipline him was his father.

Hua Yunxi smiled lightly. "Nothing major."

A young girl standing beside Hua Yunxi blushed and covered her lips with a giggle. "His Majesty issued an imperial decree betrothing Sister Hua to Prince Qi. The grand wedding is set for early next month. Soon, Sister Hua will be the esteemed Princess Qi." Her tone carried a hint of envy. Since the regent’s passing, the emperor’s health had also been declining. No one could say how long he would last. And most knew that Prince Qi was one of the most likely candidates for the throne. If that were to happen, Hua Yunxi would become the future empress.

"Is that so?" Mo Xiuyao was surprised. He had just returned and immediately taken Han Mingyue out of the city, leaving no time to catch up on the capital’s affairs over the past six months. He glanced worriedly at Feng Zhiyao and indeed saw him lower his head, his expression dimmed.

Truthfully, Mo Xiuyao had never been optimistic about Feng Zhiyao’s feelings for Hua Yunxi. Not only because of the disparity in their statuses, but also because Feng Zhiyao was still under thirteen. No matter how bright his future might be, Hua Yunxi, already sixteen, couldn’t possibly remain unmarried waiting for him to achieve success. More importantly, how could Hua Yunxi possibly believe in the affections of a boy not yet thirteen?

And now, with the emperor’s marriage decree, there was nothing left to say. For the sake of the Hua family, Hua Yunxi wouldn’t dare entertain any improper thoughts.

Hua Yunxi smiled faintly. "It is His Majesty’s grace." Her demeanor showed neither joy nor resistance toward the marriage. In this world, all women lived this way. Passionate love existed only in storybooks.

Mo Xiuyao grinned. "Then Xiu Yao congratulates Sister Hua."

Hua Yunxi smiled gently. "You’re not a child anymore either. I heard from Grandfather that your elder brother has already chosen a fine young lady for you. Once you return, preparations for the betrothal will begin."

Mo Xiuyao chuckled dismissively. He was still young, his mind more occupied with the fervor of the battlefield and the freedom of the martial world. Unlike most boys his age, he wasn’t particularly captivated by beauty.After bidding farewell to Hua Yunxi, the three of them walked side by side out of the peach grove. Han Mingyue glanced thoughtfully at Feng Zhiyao, whose usually vibrant red robes now seemed dull, and sighed softly. "Brother Feng, there are plenty of fish in the sea," he murmured. Young Master Mingyue was astute—how could he not see Feng Zhiyao's feelings for Hua Yunxi? But he didn't yet understand that emotions were beyond one's control. Nor did he know that in the near future, he too would encounter his own lifelong Demonic obstacles, falling into a far more wretched state than Feng Zhiyao.

Mo Xiuyao sighed and patted Feng Zhiyao's shoulder. "How about it? Want to go fight?" As brothers, Mo Xiuyao knew Feng Zhiyao didn’t need comforting.

Feng Zhiyao rolled his eyes. "Do you think I’m stupid?" Fighting him would only mean getting beaten up. He was already unlucky enough—no need to make it worse.

Three months ago, when the emperor had first issued the Imperial marriage decree, Feng Zhiyao had already known. Or perhaps even earlier, he’d realized that he and Hua Yunxi were impossible. She was the legitimate daughter of a noble family, while he was an overlooked merchant’s illegitimate son—a chasm too vast to cross.

Feng Zhiyao wasn’t naive. His childhood had made him more clear-headed and mature than most his age. He’d never held any hope for his feelings. Besides, he was over three years younger than her—in her eyes, he was just a little brother, no different from Mo Xiuyao.

He didn’t know when his feelings had changed. Maybe the first time he saw her. Or when his stepmother and elder brother framed him, leaving him half-dead in bed, and she secretly sent medicine and care. Or perhaps it was just one ordinary day when his heart suddenly stirred without warning.

Mo Xiuyao had once joked, "Love comes without knowing why, yet sinks deep." Feng Zhiyao could only smile bitterly. The second young master Mo was blessed—though they were close in rank, he was never troubled by love, free as the wind. It was impossible not to envy him.

The night before Hua Yunxi and Mo Jingqi’s wedding, rain poured relentlessly. Feng Zhiyao stood outside the Hua residence’s walls, drenched to the bone, lost in thought. Gritting his teeth, he leaped over the wall into the estate.

Having visited the Hua residence twice with Mo Xiuyao before, Feng Zhiyao easily found his way to Hua Yunxi’s door. The night was deep, her room silent, but the lamp still burned.

Pressing his ear to the door, he confirmed she was alone before knocking.

Hua Yunxi opened the door, startled to see Feng Zhiyao soaked. "Zhiyao, why are you here so late? And so wet? I—"

"Can you not marry Prince Qi?" The boy ignored his own disheveled state, staring intently at her.

Hua Yunxi froze, then after a long pause, shook her head. "I can’t."Watching the young man biting his lip, his handsome face pale and cold from the night rain or perhaps something else, Hua Yunxi felt a pang in her heart. She had no younger siblings and had always treated this boy as her own little brother. Compared to the spirited and carefree Second Master Mo, she cherished this youth even more—the one who was neglected by his father, who clearly felt deeply hurt yet stubbornly pretended not to care. "Silly child, even after I'm married, I'll still be your sister. You can come visit me at Prince Qi's Estate with Xiu Yao whenever you have time."

Feng Zhiyao stared fixedly at Hua Yunxi, and for a moment, she almost thought he would burst into tears. After a long pause, he finally pulled out a luminous pearl the size of a walnut from his pocket. Under the night sky, the pearl emitted a soft, violet glow in his palm—clearly a treasure beyond price.

"Zhiyao, what is this?"

Feng Zhiyao shoved the pearl into Hua Yunxi's hand, his voice gruff. "A wedding gift. I won't be attending your ceremony." Without waiting for her reaction, he turned and walked away.

Hua Yunxi clutched the luminous pearl, staring blankly at the retreating figure of the young man.

Under the eaves not far from her, the gray-haired Huaguogong (Duke Hua) watched as a dark shadow swiftly leaped over the courtyard wall. He sighed helplessly. Beside him stood the white-clad Second Master Mo of Prince Ding's Estate.

"Old Duke, thank you."

Huaguogong sighed with concern. "That child..."

Mo Xiuyao replied, "He'll be fine. As long as you don't blame him."

Huaguogong smiled bitterly. "The Emperor's decree is hard to defy... If not for that, I would have preferred Yunxi to marry someone ordinary."

Mo Xiuyao gave a faint smile, bid farewell to Huaguogong, and chased after Feng Zhiyao in the direction he had gone.

－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－

Hmm... this should be wrapped up in three parts. Apologies, Third Master Feng—I really didn’t mean to put you through this!