Mo Li

Capital City

"Your Highness, a secret letter from Yunzhou!" Head Steward Mo hurried into the study, holding a letter sealed with a black flame emblem. Mo Xiuyao, who had been reading in the study, abruptly looked up, took the letter, and swiftly scanned its contents. His expression gradually darkened, and the atmosphere in the study seemed to grow heavy. Head Steward Mo asked with concern, "Your Highness?" Mo Xiuyao glanced down, only to realize he had unconsciously crumpled the letter in his hand. Closing his eyes briefly to suppress his shock and anger, he smoothed out the crumpled paper, refolded it, and said in a low voice, "Summon Feng Zhiyao. And... invite Shen as well. Prepare for my visit to the palace later."

Head Steward Mo frowned. Since the incident with the princess consort, His Highness had not set foot in the palace. It seemed the news from Yunzhou was indeed grave. Though worried, he could only bow and reply, "This subordinate will arrange it at once."

Before long, Feng Zhiyao and Shen Yang arrived at the study door. Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow and smiled, "What orders does Your Highness have this time?"

Mo Xiuyao handed over the slightly wrinkled letter and said solemnly, "Take a look." Feng Zhiyao's expression turned serious as he recognized the gravity in Mo Xiuyao's tone. Without further comment, he took the letter and sat down to read. "From Yunzhou? Is this Old Mr. Qingyun's handwriting?" Mo Xiuyao nodded silently. Feng Zhiyao's face darkened. They had merely hoped the Xu family could help translate the materials Ye Li had sent back, never expecting Old Mr. Qingyun to be involved. Anything that caught the old scholar's attention was bound to be significant.

As Feng Zhiyao read, Shen Yang looked at Mo Xiuyao curiously. "Your Highness, is something the matter? Or are you unwell?" As a physician, Shen Yang rarely involved himself in such affairs.

Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "Originally, you were to depart for Western Liang in a few days. But now, I must ask you to delay your journey."

Shen Yang frowned. "Has Your Highness's plan changed?" Mo Xiuyao sighed. "There's no time. I must go to the Southern Border."

"What?!" Shen Yang exclaimed, startling even Feng Zhiyao, who looked up with a worried frown. Shen Yang didn't give Mo Xiuyao a chance to explain, angrily retorting, "Your Highness, are you joking? Your health may have improved since winter, but don't forget—it's only in comparison to winter! The Southern Border is humid and rainy, completely unsuitable for your condition. And... you know better than anyone that your Cold Poison went out of control last winter. Though we managed to suppress it, your body will only deteriorate further. If you rashly change environments, the Cold Poison could easily spiral out of control again!"

Feng Zhiyao looked puzzled. "Wouldn't the warmer southern climate be better for Your Highness?"

Shen Yang rolled his eyes in exasperation. "If that were the case, why have we been struggling all these years? We might as well have sent His Highness south for recuperation long ago!""Mr. Shen," Mo Xiuyao frowned, looking earnestly at Shen Yang as he spoke in a deep voice, "I must go." The low, resolute tone declared the speaker's unshakable determination.

"Reason!" Shen Yang snapped angrily. "Give me one reason why you treat your life so carelessly, Your Highness! As a physician, I at least have the right to know why my patient is rushing to his death."

Mo Xiuyao sighed. He held deep respect for this elder who had repeatedly pulled him back from the brink of death over the years, yet now he had no choice but to defy him. "Because... if I don't go, we'll all have to atone with our lives in the future." Shen Yang stiffened. If Mo Xiuyao could say such words, the matter must be beyond his ability to prevent—or perhaps entirely out of his hands. In an instant, Shen Yang seemed to age ten years, his voice heavy with resignation. "Your Highness, even if you reach the Southern Border, your current condition won't allow you to accomplish anything." A body afflicted with Cold Poison was extremely sensitive to external climate changes. Though the northern climate was dry, even on rainy days, Mo Xiuyao's body would grow weak and ache faintly—how much worse would it be in the perpetually damp south? His time there would be no better than enduring winter.

Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze. "I know you have a way. Mr. Shen, I can't go to the Southern Border like this. I need to stand tall and appear there whole and unharmed. Do you understand?"

"You're insane!" Shen Yang exclaimed, his voice breaking. Feng Zhiyao also shot to his feet. "Your Highness, things haven't reached that point yet. Why don't we set out for the Southern Border first and... deal with the rest later?"

Mo Xiuyao regarded him calmly. "You know as well as I do that if I can't go to the Southern Border, by the time things reach that stage, it will already be too late."

Feng Zhiyao bowed his head, gripping the letter in his hand tightly, rendered speechless.

Shen Yang snorted. "I don't care how dire the situation is—impossible means impossible! I'm a physician, not an assassin. I absolutely refuse to let you do this!" Ignoring him, Mo Xiuyao turned to Feng Zhiyao and said coolly, "Make the preparations. I need to enter the palace." Feng Zhiyao stared at him, at a loss for words for a long moment before finally murmuring, "Yes, Your Highness." With a turn of his hand, Mo Xiuyao wheeled his chair toward the door. As he passed Shen Yang, he left behind a quiet command: "Mr. Shen, I expect to see the medicine when I return."

"I won't give it to you!" Shen Yang finally abandoned all pretense of a physician's gentleness and roared, but the object of his fury had already departed. Feng Zhiyao glanced at Shen Yang, whose face was red with anger, then followed Mo Xiuyao out, still clutching the letter. Left alone in the study, Shen Yang could only fume silently before finally exploding with a furious shout, "Are all you Mo men out of your minds? Will the world really collapse without you?!"

Feng Zhiyao glanced back at the study before quickening his pace to catch up with Mo Xiuyao. "What is it you wish to say?" Mo Xiuyao asked impassively.

After a long pause, Feng Zhiyao could only shake his head. "I have nothing to say. I only ask for Your Highness's permission to allow Feng San to accompany you."

Mo Xiuyao frowned. "You're needed here to handle affairs in the capital."Feng Zhiyao raised his eyebrows, his usually carefree expression replaced by an uncharacteristic boldness. "Your Highness, Feng San is a soldier. My lifelong ambition is to conquer battlefields, not to control shadow guards and gather intelligence." Mo Xiuyao was taken aback and turned to look at Feng Zhiyao. Too much time had passed, and he had nearly forgotten. When they were still mischievous children, the red-clad Feng Zhiyao had stood before him and declared, "I will become an undefeated legendary general." Then, at just thirteen, Feng Zhiyao had abandoned the luxurious life of the Feng family to follow him through life and death. Perhaps, if not for that incident years ago, Feng Zhiyao would have become the renowned general he aspired to be, instead of being confined to the capital, masquerading as a dissolute playboy to conceal his identity as the shadow guard commander.

After a long silence, Mo Xiuyao said quietly, "Very well. If they truly... then they should already know of your ties to the Ding Royal Palace. I will make other arrangements for the shadow guards." Back then, Feng Zhiyao had followed him anonymously on the battlefield—few knew of it, but it wasn’t entirely secret. Overjoyed, Feng Zhiyao exclaimed, "Thank you, Your Highness!" Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly. "It is I who should thank you. Also, send a fast horse to deliver a message to A Li—tell her to beware of Shu Manlin!"

Nanzhao Capital

Ye Li looked helplessly at Han Mingxi, who was glaring with hostility, and Xu Qingchen, who remained composed. "Young Master Han..." Han Mingxi snorted and turned away, grinning at Ye Li. "Sister Liuyun, no need for such formality. Since you know Jun Wei, just call me Mingxi gege." Ye Li gave him a speechless glance and swallowed the words she had meant to say. Seeing the beauty ignore him, Han Mingxi shrugged regretfully and studied Ye Li. "Come to think of it, Sister Liuyun does bear some resemblance to Jun Wei. Could it be that Jun Wei isn’t Qingchen Gongzi’s younger brother but yours? After all, you both share the surname Chu, don’t you?" Ye Li wiped a mental sweat. "Qingchen gege really is Jun Wei’s eldest brother." Han Mingxi’s eyes sparkled as he blinked innocently at her. "Then Jun Wei’s name must be fake, right? Sister Liuyun, tell your gege—what is Jun Wei’s real name?"

Ye Li inwardly groaned, regretting her past decision to enlist Han Mingxi’s help. She shot a pleading look at Xu Qingchen, who was leisurely sipping tea. Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Xu Qingliu."

"Qingliu? A fine name... and a perfect match for Jun Wei. Unlike some people... who utterly waste good names. Wait—the fifth son of the Xu family isn’t named Xu Qingliu!" Han Mingxi muttered before suddenly realizing and glaring at Xu Qingchen. Xu Qingchen arched a brow. "Who told you he was one of the Xu family’s five sons?" Han Mingxi paused, then looked up with a strange, conflicted expression—tinged with faint disdain—as if he had figured something out. Ye Li sighed inwardly: What on earth are you imagining now? Han Mingxi snorted, sizing up Xu Qingchen before nodding. "Now I understand. No wonder I've never heard of Xu Qingliu, and no wonder he had to change his name when traveling. Hmph, don't even think about bullying Qingliu—no, wait, if he hears that name he'll definitely notice. From now on, your Xu family better not dare bully Jun Wei! He's under my protection."

Ye Li looked embarrassed while Xu Qingchen raised an elegant brow. "Quite the imagination you have, Young Master Han."

Han Mingxi scoffed. "My ability to beat people up is even better. If it weren't for Jun Wei's sake, I'd have flattened you already!"

"Young Master Han..." Ye Li called helplessly, deeply moved by Han Mingxi's genuine care for Chu Junwei. The guilt over keeping the truth from him weighed even heavier on her heart.

Han Mingxi shot her a glance. "Little sister Liuyun, you'd better find yourself a different fiancé. Some people may look like refined gentlemen on the outside, but who knows what they're really like inside? Hmph... Jun Wei's been gone so long, and he hasn't even shown concern. I'm going to look for him!" With that, Han Mingxi stormed out like a whirlwind.

Xu Qingchen set down his teacup, musing, "Han Mingxi truly cares about you."

Ye Li smiled bitterly. "Now I really regret deceiving him."

Xu Qingchen replied calmly, "Being cautious while traveling is wise. Once you explain everything, he'll understand."

Ye Li gave him a helpless look. "Then why did you mention 'Xu Qingliu' just now? Won't that mean I deceived him twice when the truth comes out?"

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. "I'll ask Grandfather to record the name in the family register—then it won't be a lie. But as for you..."

Ye Li looked at him in confusion, but Xu Qingchen shook his head and said no more.

"Xu Qingchen!" A furious shout came from outside, followed by the door being kicked open with a loud crash. A figure in sapphire-blue robes stormed in.

Ye Li shivered at the woman's aggressive entrance and glanced back at Xu Qingchen, only to find him sitting as composed and unruffled as ever, as if the enraged woman wasn't charging toward him.

The woman skidded to a halt at the hall entrance, staring blankly at Xu Qingchen.

Ye Li blinked, then coughed lightly. "Princess Sister."

Princess Anxi seemed to snap out of her daze, stepping inside with concern. "Qingchen, are you alright?"

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. "Given the way you barged in, I thought you were here to settle a score with me."

A blush rose on Princess Anxi's cheeks as she glared at him. "Shouldn't I be settling a score? What exactly did you do in the palace?"Xu Qingchen smiled innocently, "I didn't do anything at all." Indeed, he hadn't—everything had been handled by the shadow guards and people from the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity. Princess Anxi walked over and sat down, glaring at Xu Qingchen with dissatisfaction. "You didn't do anything, yet you've turned the palace upside down! Father just summoned me for questioning, suspecting it was my doing." Though she had originally planned to do something similar, hadn't someone else beaten her to it? Why was her father still suspicious of her?

Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow. "Knowing the King of Nanzhao suspects you, you still came here?"

Princess Anxi scoffed arrogantly. "Those useless fools can only follow me if I allow it. If I don’t want them to, they could run their legs off and still lose me."

"Did Your Highness come in a hurry for something?" Xu Qingchen asked.

Ye Li, watching from the side, sighed inwardly. The princess had rushed over in such a hurry because she was worried about her elder brother’s safety, and yet he simply asked her so indifferently if she had come for a reason? Did he really expect the girl to outright say, "I came because I was worried about you"?

Princess Anxi paused, glancing at Ye Li before lifting her chin. "Do I need a reason to come? I just wanted to check if my friend and strategist was still alive."

Xu Qingchen shook his head. "Actually, I also have matters to discuss with you. Since you’re here, I won’t need to send someone to the Princess Manor to find you."

Princess Anxi frowned. "You’re not returning to the Princess Manor?" Hesitating, she glanced at Ye Li again. "Miss Chu is staying at my residence as well. If you come back, it’ll be easier for us to look after each other, and discussing matters will be more convenient."

Ye Li thought for a moment, then spoke before Xu Qingchen could respond. "Princess, I must apologize for deceiving you earlier..."

Princess Anxi looked puzzled. Ye Li lowered her voice. "Well... the truth is..."

"Actually, Liuyun isn’t some helpless, delicate woman. Today, she and Lin Han were the ones who went into the palace to rescue me. Before, she only pretended to be ignorant to avoid raising your suspicions," Xu Qingchen interjected calmly.

Ye Li raised an eyebrow, shooting him a subtle glare, but Xu Qingchen remained unperturbed.

Princess Anxi gave him a strange look before turning to Ye Li with a smile. "What does that matter? It’s rare to see a Central Plains woman as accomplished in both literature and martial arts as you, Miss Chu. You did it for Qingchen’s safety—I’m not that petty."

Ye Li smiled. "Thank you for your understanding, Princess."