In the year Mo Xiaobao turned fifteen, Prince Ding abdicated his throne in favor of Mo Xiaobao and then, without so much as a backward glance, left Li Cheng with Wang Fei and their six-year-old little princess, vanishing without a trace. What he left behind for Mo Xiaobao was a sprawling Prince Ding's Estate, the most expansive territory in the realm, and a snot-nosed little brother who was bawling his eyes out while searching everywhere for his mother and sister.
The affairs of the estate didn’t trouble Mo Xiaobao much—he had already begun gradually taking over its management a year prior, so this was just the natural progression of things. But as he stared down at the little brat clinging to his leg and wailing loud enough to shake the heavens, he could only sigh in resignation. Bending down, he scooped up his little brother and said helplessly, "Now you start crying? Why didn’t you just ask Father to take you with him?" Even if they had to leave one child behind for him to raise, why couldn’t it have been Xin’er? What was the point of leaving this snotty little runt? Mo Xiaobao silently grumbled in his heart.
"Father is mean!" Little Mo Yufeng sniffled, his nose running as he pouted. "I want to be a great general, not end up wandering the martial world without even a meal to eat."
Mo Xiaobao’s eye twitched at that. He had a pretty good idea that his unscrupulous father had been spinning tall tales again. But was this little brother of his a bit too gullible? At six years old, he himself hadn’t been so easily fooled. Well, no choice but to teach him slowly—otherwise, the kid might grow up getting swindled out of everything and still counting coins for the swindler. And so, at the tender age of fifteen, Mo Xiaobao—still unmarried—embarked on the journey of being both an elder brother and a makeshift parent.
Prince Ding, still in the prime of his life, had abandoned his underage heir—no, now the new Prince Ding—and vanished without a trace. This stirred restless thoughts among the neighboring kingdoms. Even if Mo Xiaobao was a prodigy, he was only fifteen. Could he really manage an estate as vast as Prince Ding's? After all, even Mo Xiuyao had still been fighting on the battlefield at that age. Should they take this opportunity to test the waters—to see how Mo Xiuyao would react and just how capable Mo Xiaobao really was?
Meanwhile, many within Li Cheng also began scheming anew. The previous Prince Ding had refused to take concubines or ascend the throne, but what about the new young prince? What ambitious man didn’t dream of ruling the world? To command power while awake and recline in the arms of beauties while drunk—wasn’t that the highest aspiration for any man with ambition? Now, a fifteen-year-old brat had effortlessly obtained all of it. Surely he must have some grand designs of his own? And so, the city of Li Cheng once again teemed with people maneuvering in the shadows.
Yet, the world remained unaware that the new young prince of Prince Ding's Estate—Mo Xiaobao, a habitual trickster with zero moral compass—was currently sprawled in the estate’s backyard, playing war games in the sand with his little brother.
"Brother, are you going to get married?" Mo Yufeng crouched by the sand table, blinking as he pondered how to outmaneuver his brother in their mock battle.
Though only fifteen, Mo Xiaobao already stood as tall as a grown man. His face, however, inherited the best features of both Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, making him strikingly handsome yet still carrying the youthful softness expected of his age. Not that Mo Xiaobao minded his lack of regal sternness—after all, authority wasn’t built on looks alone. Playing the fool to catch the tiger? Now that was a thrill like no other.Lazily sitting on the ground, Mo Xiaobao glanced at his younger brother and asked, "Did someone question you?"
"Mm-hmm." Mo Yufeng excitedly crawled onto his brother, grinning as he said, "Lots of people asked me."
"What did you say?"
Mo Yufeng widened his innocent, guileless eyes and replied, "I said, big brother said he wants one person... one person for life."
"It's 'one person for life, one love for eternity,'" Mo Xiaobao corrected, then patted his little brother's head approvingly. "Well said." Mo Yufeng squinted his eyes and giggled, "Of course! I definitely wouldn’t tell anyone that you’ve already visited brothels and have a few lady friends."
"..." Without changing his expression, Mo Xiaobao pressed his brother’s little face into the carpet. What a little troublemaker.
"Oh, abusing your brother again?" Feng Zhiyao’s amused voice came from outside the door.
Mo Yufeng lifted his head, grinning as he struggled free from Mo Xiaobao and pounced on him again. Unfazed, Mo Xiaobao pinned him down with one hand and looked up at Feng Zhiyao. "Uncle Feng, do you need something?"
Feng Zhiyao waved a memorial in his hand. "Your eldest uncle asked me to bring this over."
"What’s it about?"
Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow, giving him a look that said, You already know. Mo Xiaobao opened it and, sure enough, it was either urging Wang Ye to ascend the throne or to marry. Some even included lavish praises, making Mo Xiaobao wonder if he truly was a divine being descended from heaven, unparalleled in history.
Casually tossing the memorial to Mo Yufeng to play with, Mo Xiaobao said, "Ask them who wants to be emperor. Let them submit a memorial, and I’ll gladly hand over the position." Feng Zhiyao’s lips twitched. "They’re asking you to ascend the throne, you know?" The father was ruthless enough, but the son is no pushover either—straight up accusing people of treason with a single sentence.
"If it’s my business, when or whether I ascend the throne is none of their concern. If they’re so free, they should think about how to kill Mo Suiyun instead." Mo Xiaobao rolled his eyes.
"What’s the little emperor from the south done? Haven’t heard anything." Over the past few years, the young emperor in the south had been diligent, and the southern court had remained quiet. Especially in the last two years, now that the emperor had truly consolidated power, he seemed determined to govern effectively, appearing like a ruler destined for revival.
Mo Xiaobao scoffed disdainfully. "What else? Ambitiously plotting to reclaim lost territory, of course." In recent years, Prince Ding's Estate had been focused on recuperation, with no plans for military campaigns. Had these people forgotten the sharpness of the Mo Family Army’s cavalry in just a few short years? Deep down, Mo Xiaobao knew it was because he was still too young to command respect. If his father and mother were here, no matter how ambitious their neighbors were, they’d have to keep their heads down. And precisely because he knew this, Mo Xiaobao was even more irritated. Mo Xiaobao was a child with grand ambitions— Just wait, I’ll make you all cry for mercy and submit obediently!
"Big bro, don’t worry! Lin’er will help you beat them up!" Mo Yufeng squirmed in his arms, trying to comfort him.
Mo Xiaobao looked sorrowfully at his scrawny little brother. "By the time you can fight them, it’ll take at least eight or nine years." Mo Yufeng puffed up his cheeks indignantly, his big eyes blazing. "I’ll grow up fast!""You're always picky with food, mischievous, and running around everywhere. It'll take at least another decade or more for you to grow up—and that's me being generous. When I was your age sparring, I was already this tall." Mo Xiaobao casually gestured a height that made little Mo Yufeng crane his neck upward. The boy looked at the height his brother indicated, then down at himself...
"I... I won't be picky anymore..." Mo Yufeng whispered.
"That's a good boy. Picky eaters never grow tall. Remember, even if you're the young master of Prince Ding's Estate, a shorty has no future. Imagine needing someone to lift you onto your horse in battle... Or marrying a wife who towers over you—what would you do then?"
"I'm going to eat right now!" Little Mo Yufeng tearfully ran off.
"Young Prince, isn't it a bit unfair to deceive the second young master like this?" Feng Zhiyao coughed discreetly. Unfair was an understatement—it was downright cruel. Mo Xiaobao scoffed, "I stopped falling for Father's childish tricks after turning three. He's already six!"
So you admit it's childish. But when it came to cunning, Mo Yufeng was no match for Mo Xiaobao. From the moment he could speak, Mo Xiaobao had endured Mo Xiuyao's endless deception, mockery, and oppression, not to mention the Xu Family's grandmasters taking turns lecturing him—it'd be harder not to become shrewd. In contrast, though Mo Yufeng had some cleverness, his life had been much more comfortable, so his gullibility wasn't surprising.
Mo Xiaobao insisted this wasn't revenge for his father's old lie that eating too much meat would make him fat and unmarriageable. He was merely... concerned for his younger brother!
After the hapless Mo Yufeng fled his brother's torment, Feng Zhiyao entered the hall and asked, "So, what are your plans for the grand wedding?" At nearly sixteen and formally inheriting the Prince Ding title, Mo Xiaobao was indeed at marriageable age. This world valued establishing a family before career—barring exceptional circumstances like their past, most married around this age. If the conservative scholars petitioned about it, they'd have grounds. But... Feng Zhiyao side-eyed Mo Xiaobao. This youngster seemed even more unruly than his father—no easy puppet to manipulate.
Mo Xiaobao showed no resistance to the topic, smiling brightly. "Hasn't Lin'er already spread my decree? 'One lifetime, one love.' Let them send candidates—whoever I choose becomes Princess Ding."
His benign smile made Feng Zhiyao's scalp prickle. "And those you don't choose?" The "one love" vow, whether believed or not, would spark endless speculation. After all, hadn't the recently retired former Prince Ding lived that very ideal? While Princess Ding's natal Ye Family gained little, her maternal Xu Family now held immense power—its five sons commanding armies and governance. In barely over a decade, the Xus had risen from a mere third-rank censor to dominating the court. All because they'd had an exceptional granddaughter.
For even a chance at becoming the empire's foremost family, all of Li Cheng would clamor to send daughters and granddaughters to Prince Ding's Estate."Not interested?" Mo Xiaobao rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment before saying, "No need to worry, it won't go to waste. When a general earns military merits, or when a minister deserves rewards, or perhaps if we ever need to arrange a political marriage... Since our Prince Ding's Estate lacks young ladies, this solves the problem."
Third Master Feng's face darkened instantly. Who in their right mind would send their daughters to be treated like this? While girls might not be as valued as boys, they certainly weren't free for the taking. With just a casual remark from Prince Mo, people were expected to offer their carefully raised daughters as mere rewards?
Seeing Third Master Feng remain silent, Mo Xiaobao clapped his hands cheerfully. "You think it's a great idea too, don't you? Then it's settled."
"..." I'm just here to deliver documents. Since when did I agree with this?
Third Master Feng could already foresee the consequences—if these words got out, the angry mob might literally tear the roof off his house.
However, Third Master Feng's prediction was inaccurate. Even when Prince Mo's words spread verbatim, those eager to send their daughters to Prince Ding's Estate still flocked in droves. After realizing their attempts to match their daughters with Mo Xiuyao were futile, families redirected their efforts toward younger girls. Especially now that the formidable Prince Ding had abdicated, and the fifteen-year-old Little Prince had succeeded him—at that age where boys begin to appreciate feminine beauty—who knew? Perhaps their daughter might be the one to capture the young prince's heart.
A single girl could gamble for decades of glory for her entire family. Even if the odds were one in hundreds, or even thousands, it was worth the risk!
In the Xu family study, Xu Qingyan lounged in a chair, recounting the rumors to his elder brother while clutching his stomach with laughter. "Brother, among the most talked-about young ladies these days, which family do you think stands the best chance?"
Qingchen Gongzi set down the book in his hand and gave his younger brother a cool glance. "It seems you have too much free time and need some discipline."
"Brother, how can you say that? Our household has been nearly overrun with visitors lately. Even sister-in-law's clinic is packed every day—haven't you noticed she hasn't opened it for the past few days?"
Xu Qingchen lifted his gaze. He didn't care how others chose to scheme, but disrupting his family's normal life was unacceptable.
"Exactly! I get swarmed with questions every time I step outside too. If they're so curious, why don't they just ask Mo Xiaobao directly?" Xu Qingyan grumbled. Even though he enjoyed lively gossip, being constantly hounded like this was exhausting.
After a moment of contemplation, Xu Qingchen said, "You can tell them to take their daughters home early—none of them have a chance."
"If I say that, do you think I'll be beaten to death on the spot?" Xu Qingyan hesitated before asking. Then, with renewed curiosity, he looked at Xu Qingchen. "Brother, are you saying Mo Xiaobao has no intention of marrying at all?"Qingchen Gongzi said calmly, "Even if he originally intended to hold a grand wedding, having these people bring it up first and make such a fuss would make him lose interest. If those people think Mo Xiaobao is easier to fool than Mo Xiuyao, they're in for a world of trouble." It was obvious Mo Xiaobao was toying with them. While Mo Xiuyao acted swiftly and cleanly—though not above using underhanded tactics—he had little interest in deliberately playing with people. But Mo Xiaobao had clearly developed this nasty habit somehow. Occasionally, Qingchen Gongzi would reflect on whether there was something wrong with the Xu Family's upbringing. The final conclusion was always the same: it was all Mo Xiuyao's fault—the crooked upper beam leads the lower one astray.
Xu Qingyan clicked his tongue, but when he thought of that nephew of his—with those big, dark eyes that always seemed to radiate kindness and innocence, yet whose actions were consistently appalling—the Fifth Young Master of the Xu Family couldn't help but shudder, silently praying for those unlucky souls in his heart.
–––––– Author's Note ––––––
The story of Mo Xiaobao, who scammed countless people, wreaked havoc across the land, and raised his younger brother along the way~
OpenNovel