By this point, if Mo Suiyun couldn’t understand Mo Xiaobao’s meaning, he might as well abdicate immediately. Since he hadn’t placed much hope in the beauty strategy to begin with, though Mo Suiyun was somewhat displeased, he didn’t become particularly angry. He soon calmed down and nodded indifferently, “I see. I truly envy Prince Ding’s freedom.”

These words were absolutely sincere. In this world, few could live without constraints. Even rulers like themselves often had to act within the bounds of circumstances and power. Only incompetent rulers could do whatever they pleased. But Mo Xiaobao was different—he had the naturally advantageous conditions left behind by Mo Xiuyao. Though still young and perhaps not truly commanding respect, he had intelligence surpassing most people in the world and the full support of the Xu family. Thus, he could act willfully.

To Mo Suiyun’s slightly envious praise, Mo Xiaobao just rubbed his nose and smiled, “This prince also envies how quickly Brother Suiyun found his ideal empress. I wish Brother Suiyun and Miss Qian a long and faithful marriage.”

Mo Suiyun fell silent, somehow feeling that Mo Xiaobao’s blessing sounded more like a curse.

Mo Suiyun soon left with Princess Linan. As emperor, and one about to be married at that, he naturally couldn’t wander around freely like Mo Xiaobao.

Qin Lie sat down nearby holding Mo Yufeng, looking coldly at Mo Xiaobao, “So, you came to this pleasure house early in the morning just to remove one of Mo Suiyun’s spies and mock them a bit?”

Mo Xiaobao sprawled in his chair lazily, “How could I be so trivial? I came for tea. Xi Ren, Princess Linan, and Mo Suiyun were just incidental.”

As if I’d believe that!

“Mo Suiyun wants to marry Princess Linan to you?” Qin Lie asked curiously. Actually, including Leng Junhan and Xu Zhirui, had always thought anyone trying to send beauties to Mo Xiaobao by various means must be mentally disturbed. No matter how beautiful a woman was, she would only end up being tormented by him. Those carefully trained beautiful female spies from various countries might be useful elsewhere, but before Mo Xiaobao, they served no purpose except to be killed in various ways.

“Ah, Brother Suiyun is concerned about my marriage prospects. But I can’t accept his kindness, which is quite embarrassing.” Qin Lie, clearly used to someone’s way of speaking, asked, “So what do you plan to do?”

Mo Xiaobao tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said, “Since Brother Suiyun cares so much about me, I should show some concern for him too, right?”

He doesn’t want your concern.

“Are you planning to send him a beauty?” Qin Lie asked. Mo Xiaobao nodded pleasantly, “I’ve already chosen someone.”

“Prince Ding works fast. Who did you choose?” Qin Lie asked curiously.

“Princess Linan?”

“…” Mo Xiaobao, could you be any more perverse? Stealing someone’s wife while plotting to match up royal cousins—Mo Suiyun, just how much did you owe Mo Xiaobao in your previous life?

In the following days, Mo Xiaobao became uncharacteristically quiet. Each day he just wandered around Nanjing with his brother, and even the palace guards who had been watching them tensely gradually lowered their guard.

At the inn, Mo Xiaobao leisurely fed his brother snacks. Xu Zhirui was away visiting Jiangnan’s famous scholars, and Qin Lie continued his usual role as a guard. The only problem was Leng Junhan’s increasingly dark expression.

“Ahhh! Mo Xiaobao, I can’t take it anymore!” One day, Leng Junhan finally burst into Mo Xiaobao’s room, grabbing the collar of the one leisurely reading and shaking vigorously.

“What’s wrong?” Mo Xiaobao elegantly raised his hand to brush away Leng Junhan’s pale claws, asking languidly.

Young Master Leng’s still somewhat childish handsome face was deathly pale as he looked at Mo Xiaobao somewhat pitifully, “That Miss Qian… wants me to elope with her.”

Pfft!

Qin Lie, sitting nearby, spat out his tea, pointing at Leng Junhan while coughing thunderously, unable to speak. With Leng Junhan’s fair and delicate appearance, he hardly possessed the qualities to attract young ladies compared to Mo Suiyun, right? Could it be that Miss Qian truly had an overflow of maternal love? To think of eloping after just a few short days.

Mo Xiaobao, however, didn’t seem surprised, smiling, “It seems the future empress of South Chu isn’t particularly faithful. Mo Suiyun’s judgment needs improvement.”

Leng Junhan couldn’t help but stamp his feet, “What should I do!” As he spoke, he stretched both hands toward Mo Xiaobao, wearing an expression that clearly said ‘I’ll strangle you if you dare say you don’t know.’ Mo Xiaobao tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said, “Tell her you can’t elope with her.”

“Why?” Leng Junhan asked. He had always thought Mo Xiaobao wanted Mo Suiyun to lose face at the wedding by having no bride.

Mo Xiaobao looked at him in surprise, “Unless you want to marry her? If that’s the case, it’s not impossible…”

“I don’t want to!” Leng Junhan immediately shouted. He didn’t want to marry anyone except Xin!

“Well, there you have it,” Mo Xiaobao said satisfactorily. “Go tell her that all under heaven is the king’s land, and if you run away with her, you’ll implicate both the Qian family and your own family. Tell her you’re star-crossed lovers who shall never meet again in this life.”

Originally, Leng Junhan thought Mo Xiaobao’s idea was both unethical and crude, but upon hearing “never meet again in this life,” his eyes immediately lit up. He nodded seriously, “I understand, I’ll act well!” Never meeting again was wonderful—he didn’t want to see that easily fooled Miss Qian ever again.

Seeing Leng Junhan’s excited expression, Mo Xiaobao secretly smirked: What a gullible fool, did you think I had you seduce Miss Qian just for fun? How could you never meet again?

And so, Young Master Mo Xiaobao continued further down the path of being treacherous, malicious, wicked, cunning, and shameless. Young Master Mo Xiaobao, haven’t you heard the saying that good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds punished—it’s not that there’s no retribution, it’s just that the time hasn’t come yet.

“Your Highness, the Zhennan Prince of Xiling has arrived,” reported a guard respectfully from outside.

“The Zhennan Prince of Xiling?” Mo Xiaobao blinked. Qin Lie said coolly, “Lei Tengfeng, the Zhennan Prince of Xiling, age forty. The Regent of Xiling, who has… a blood feud with you over your father’s death. Surely you haven’t forgotten?”

Mo Xiaobao feigned terror, “How could this prince have a blood feud with the Zhennan Prince of Xiling over my father’s death?”

Qin Lie said coolly, “Five years ago, the previous Prince Ding—your father—killed Lei Tengfeng’s father. As the saying goes… a father’s debt must be repaid by his son!” Mo Xiaobao was speechless; he definitely wouldn’t tell Qin Lie that he had forgotten about this. A blood feud over a father’s death… it seemed quite troublesome. Couldn’t everyone just coexist peacefully?

Mo Xiaobao, with your personality, forget about those seeking revenge for their fathers’ deaths—even those who owe you their lives would eventually want to kill you.

“Your Highness, the Zhennan Prince of Xiling requests an audience,” the guard outside waited, but hearing no response from Mo Xiaobao, had to repeat the announcement. Mo Xiaobao sighed somewhat helplessly and said, “Please show the Zhennan Prince in.”

When Lei Tengfeng entered the room, he saw a languidly reclining youth in black brocade robes, his face as beautiful as jade. On him lay a five or six-year-old child in white brocade, as delicate as carved jade. At a glance, Lei Tengfeng knew this must be Mo Yuzhen, the true power holder of the current Prince Ding’s residence, and Mo Yufeng, the six-year-old second son of Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li.

When Mo Xiuyao suddenly abandoned his position as Prince Ding and departed with his consort, countless people throughout the realm were shocked. Lei Tengfeng was clearly among those shocked. After the initial shock came an indescribable admiration and a sense of helpless despair at never being able to triumph. Mo Xiuyao, that man had once soared high above others, then fallen to dust. Yet he had risen again with astounding speed, becoming a force that shook the world, only to withdraw unexpectedly at the height of his fame. Such casual, unrestrained coming and going only highlighted the incompetence and insignificance of those like themselves who struggled in the mortal world.

The Zhennan Prince’s house had a blood feud with the Prince Ding’s house. Lei Tengfeng had once thought of diligently preparing and enduring hardship, waiting for the day he could avenge his father and restore Xiling. But now, looking at this languid, extraordinarily handsome, and noble youth before him, Lei Tengfeng only felt absurd. He, a man past forty, seeking revenge for his father’s death from a fifteen-year-old youth?!

Not just ridiculous—Lei Tengfeng felt utterly powerless. It seemed as if all his painstaking efforts over the years had been nothing but a useless joke.

Mo Xiaobao stared at Lei Tengfeng for a while, then his eyes flickered as he sat up, smiling, “Zhennan Prince of Xiling, this prince greets you.”

Lei Tengfeng’s heart jolted, and he quickly collected his thoughts. How could he have lost himself before this youth?! He had only meant to come to see just how capable Mo Xiuyao’s heir was.

“Prince Ding, you are too kind. This prince apologizes for the intrusion.”

Mo Xiaobao settled Mo Yufeng properly on his knee and smiled, “The Zhennan Prince is too formal. This prince was just feeling bored. The Zhennan Prince coming to visit me right after arriving in Nanjing—I’m quite touched.”

Lei Tengfeng’s eyes darkened as he smiled faintly, “I had heard Prince Ding arrived several days ago. This is my first time in Nanjing, and I wanted to ask Prince Ding’s advice on places worth visiting.” After supporting Xiling alone for several years, Lei Tengfeng had gained more of the dignity and grace of a ruler than when Lei Zhenting was alive.

Mo Xiaobao clapped his hands together happily and smiled, “That’s wonderful! This prince was just looking for more people to explore this cultured land of Jiangnan with.”

The news that the Zhennan Prince of Xiling had visited Prince Ding Mo Yuzhen on his first day in Nanjing and had a private discussion for half an hour naturally reached Mo Suiyun’s ears in the palace immediately.

Hearing this news, even Mo Suiyun’s usually composed handsome face darkened. He dismissed the reporting guard with a wave and lowered his eyes, silently calculating.

At the inn, the four people who had been busy with their affairs these past few days gathered together for once. Xu Zhirui frowned slightly and asked, “What exactly did you discuss with the Zhennan Prince of Xiling?” Sitting nearby, Qin Lie’s mouth twitched, but he said nothing. Little Mo Yufeng excitedly raised his small hand and said, “I know! Brother said the buns and tofu pudding in Nanjing are delicious! That uncle said they should go eat together someday… Brother said the ladies at Huayue Tower are pretty, and that uncle said he has even prettier ones at his residence that he could give to Brother. Brother said…”

Little Mo Yufeng’s memory was excellent—without even needing to think, he rattled off more than ten “Brother said” statements. His Highness Prince Ding and the Zhennan Prince of Xiling’s private discussion had contained no serious matters at all, just idle chat.

Xu Zhirui massaged his temples somewhat painfully and said, “You want Mo Suiyun to misunderstand? What’s the point of doing this?” If people were told that Mo Xiaobao and Lei Tengfeng had only discussed such things, probably no one would believe it.

Mo Xiaobao looked innocently at Xu Zhirui, “Brother Zhirui, not everything we do needs to have a point. We can do things just for fun. I found Lei Tengfeng agreeable, so I chatted with him a bit more.”

Xu Zhirui wasn’t fooled at all. He sneered, “Lei Tengfeng coming personally this time is probably planning to secretly ally with Mo Suiyun. Your actions trying to drive them apart probably won’t work at all.” Mo Suiyun wasn’t like Mo Jingli and Mo Jingqi from years ago—those idiots. He knew very well that Xiling and Prince Ding’s residence could never ally. Putting aside Lei Tengfeng’s deep blood feud with Prince Ding’s residence, as long as Prince Ding’s residence had any thoughts of unifying the realm, Xiling would be their first enemy. Due to geography, with the Yunlan River as a barrier, South Chu would come later. Now that Prince Ding’s residence was at its peak, if Lei Tengfeng wanted to resist them, he could only choose to ally with Mo Suiyun.

Mo Xiaobao blinked, “I know that. I just don’t like Mo Suiyun and wanted to annoy him a bit. I was bored anyway, and chatting with Lei Tengfeng didn’t cost anything. Besides, Lei Tengfeng came to me himself, right?” He couldn’t very well turn him away at the door.

Xu Zhirui rubbed his nose, pondered for a moment, then nodded, “I understand. Lei Tengfeng wants to create the illusion that Xiling and Prince Ding’s residence are close, using this to pressure Mo Suiyun while also raising his price.”

If Xiling were won over by Prince Ding’s residence, South Chu would truly be isolated. Although they all knew Prince Ding’s residence could never win over Xiling. Mo Xiaobao nodded, “Correct. Lei Tengfeng wanted to scheme against Mo Suiyun, I was bored, so I went along with it.”

“If Xiling and South Chu successfully ally, their alliance will only become stronger. That’s no good for us either,” Qin Lie said gravely.

Mo Xiaobao sighed, “What can we do? Father made too many enemies. Our Prince Ding’s residence has poor relationships—Xiling and South Chu are destined to ally. Neither Mo Suiyun nor Lei Tengfeng are fools.”

Precisely because neither man was a fool, trying to truly drive apart their alliance would be as difficult as trying to kill them both. But no matter—isn’t the world… more interesting with challenges? This world… would one day be in his grasp!

Mo Xiaobao gazed at the sky outside the window, his eyes filled with absolute confidence and ambition to rule all under heaven.