As Feng Zhiyao had said, the three young masters of the Xu family arrived in Ruyang City early the next morning. Their dust-covered, weary appearance made it clear they had traveled through the night. This irritated Mo Xiuyao, who hadn’t yet told Ye Li about their arrival. He thought to himself, “Why rush here so quickly? It’s not like A-Li would run away.” Yet he refused to consider how overjoyed the Xu family must have been upon learning that Ye Li was still alive. Only the current political situation had prevented the entire family from rushing to the Northwest; otherwise, he would have had even more to worry about.

Ye Li was delighted by the arrival of her three brothers. She had been quite idle lately – both physicians had forbidden her from handling any official business, and Mo Xiuyao had gone even further by prohibiting her from doing any needlework. Each day, besides eating and sleeping, she could only stroll through the manor’s gardens and occasionally read books. Ye Li felt she had never been so idle in either of her lifetimes.

Having faced death once again, seeing her family brought indescribable excitement and joy. “Second Brother, Third Brother… Fifth Brother, you all…”

“Sister Li!” The youngest, Xu Qingyan, couldn’t contain his joy and stepped forward to take Ye Li’s hand as he usually did. Mo Xiuyao, standing nearby, raised his hand to separate them, saying with a faint smile, “Fifth Brother, A-Li is with child now, so you must be very careful.”

Eh? Xu Qingyan seemed to finally notice that his cousin’s sister was no longer as slim and graceful as before. Her still-slender frame made her rounded belly appear even more prominent, leaving him startled and at a loss, looking pitifully at Ye Li. He even failed to notice Mo Xiuyao’s somewhat strange way of addressing him. However, Xu Qingze, sitting to the side, raised an eyebrow and gave Mo Xiuyao a cool glance. Ye Li smiled and patted Xu Qingyan, saying, “It’s been a long time. Fifth Brother has grown much taller. Let’s sit and talk.”

Watching Ye Li being helped to the main seat by Mo Xiuyao, Xu Qingyan blinked his eyes somewhat reluctantly at Ye Li before taking a seat below Xu Qingfeng. Among the Xu brothers, he was the youngest. Even Xu Qingbai, who was only half a year older than Ye Li, was considered her brother – only Qingyan was truly her younger brother. Their age difference wasn’t great, and they had grown up together. Unlike the other brothers who protected Ye Li, Qingyan was the one protected by Ye Li. He never thought of her as a cousin sister, only as his real sister. When the Xu family left the capital, he had thrown such a tantrum about not being able to go with Ye Li that he almost stayed behind in the capital.

Though young, Xu Qingyan had noticed Mo Xiuyao’s possessiveness, and his dislike for Mo Xiuyao instantly multiplied. What was this guy thinking? Not only had he caused Sister Li to do this and that for him, nearly losing her life, but now he dared to keep others away from her. The revenge of young people can be terrible – Qingyan immediately decided that if Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t let him stick close to Sister Li, he would deliberately do just that!

Mo Xiuyao naturally caught Xu Qingyan’s provocative glare and responded with a cold look of his own, his phoenix eyes darkening with a warning. But what kind of person was Xu Qingyan? How could he be frightened by a mere glare? He raised an eyebrow and flashed a toothy grin at Mo Xiuyao.

While these two were engaged in their fierce eye battle, Ye Li was having a pleasant conversation with Xu Qingze and Xu Qingfeng. Looking at Xu Qingfeng, who appeared more steady after their long separation, Ye Li asked curiously, “How did Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fifth Brother end up traveling together?”

Xu Qingfeng laughed heartily, “I was already in the Northwest. As for Little Five, when he heard about what happened to you, he ran off alone toward the Northwest in the middle of the night. But he got lost and ended up in the south. Fortunately, I found him and brought him to the Northwest with me.” What Xu Qingfeng didn’t mention was that he and Xu Qingyan had spent a month or two searching around Hongzhou, clinging to a slim hope of finding Ye Li. Finally, they met Xu Qingze, who was heading to take up his post in Hongzhou, and the three brothers came together. However, it wasn’t appropriate for outsiders to know about Xu Qingfeng and Xu Qingyan’s whereabouts, so Xu Qingze didn’t mention it even to Mo Xiuyao. During those months, Mo Xiuyao had been too distracted to pay attention to such matters.

Ye Li frowned, “Wasn’t Third Brother in the military?” Given Xu Qingfeng’s special status, it seemed impossible for him to leave without attracting attention from above. This made her wonder if he had deserted. Xu Qingfeng waved his hand and smiled, “His Majesty doesn’t want another military officer from our Xu family. I just said Little Five had run away from home and I needed to find him, and within days I had permission to leave.”

Ye Li felt apologetic, knowing that Xu Qingfeng must have faced considerable discrimination in the military, not only because he was a Xu family son but also because he was the Proclaimed King’s wife’s cousin.

“How are Grandfather and Uncle? Where are First Brother and Fourth Brother now?” Ye Li asked anxiously. Though the secret agents had reported this information, hearing it from her own family would be more reassuring.

Xu Qingze replied calmly, “There’s fighting in the Southwest now, and Fourth Brother has been summoned back to the capital. Uncle’s intention is for him and Father to look for an opportunity to resign from office and retire. However, the Emperor might not agree. Grandfather and Father are both well. As for First Brother…” Xu Qingze frowned slightly, “First Brother only sent word that he’s in the South, but we don’t know exactly where he is or what he’s doing.” The Clear Dust Young Master’s whereabouts were uncertain; even the secret agents and Heaven One Pavilion might not be able to find him with complete certainty. If he didn’t say where he was, no one could be sure of his location.

Ye Li frowned slightly, “By my count, only Fourth Brother’s whereabouts are under Mo Jingqi’s control. Could this make Mo Jingqi suspicious of the Xu family?” Xu Qingfeng laughed coldly, “When has the current Emperor not been suspicious of the Xu family? As long as Grandfather is still around and the Xu family hasn’t openly rebelled, he won’t do anything to Grandfather, Uncle, and Father, if only to maintain his reputation.”

“Third Brother.” Xu Qingze frowned, looking disapprovingly at Xu Qingfeng. Xu Qingfeng snorted lightly and fell silent. Ye Li’s delicate brows furrowed as she began to understand her grandfather and uncle’s thinking after learning about the family’s history. Currently, with her eldest brother in the South and her second, third, and fifth brothers in the Northwest, even if the Emperor wanted to move against the Xu family, he couldn’t catch them all at once. As long as her grandfather and first uncle remained in Yunzhou, and her second uncle stayed in the capital, even though the Xu family had countless connections to the Proclaimed King’s manor because of her, the Emperor wouldn’t dare easily accuse the Xu family of disloyalty. After all, as the leading family among the nation’s scholarly gentry, the Xu family’s influence was truly far-reaching. If he pushed the Xu family into rebellion, Mo Jingqi himself wouldn’t have escaped unscathed. Grandfather and First Uncle… were buying time for the Northwest.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Li decided that when she went to the capital to retrieve the Biluo Flower, she would visit Yunzhou, no matter what.

After just half an hour of conversation, Mo Xiuyao stood up and smiled at Ye Li, “A-Li, it’s time for Doctor Shen to check your pulse. Let’s also let Qingze and the others rest – they traveled through the night, after all. We can hold a welcoming banquet for them tonight, how about that?” Ye Li looked at the travel-worn trio and said regretfully, “I completely forgot that Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fifth Brother must be tired from their journey, yet I kept talking non-stop. Second Brother, your courtyard is still here – please rest and freshen up with Third Brother and Fifth Brother. We can talk more later.”

Xu Qingyan blinked at Ye Li, “Sister Li, Little Five hasn’t had a chance to talk much with you yet.”

Ye Li smiled at the young man who now stood a head taller than her, “Second Brother’s courtyard is right next to the main courtyard, and we have plenty of time. Once you’ve rested, you can come talk to me anytime.” Xu Qingyan’s eyes brightened, and he asked happily, “Really?” His suspicious gaze flickered almost imperceptibly toward a certain someone as he added, “There won’t be anyone stopping Qingyan from keeping Sister Li company then?” Ye Li patted his forehead and laughed, “How could there be? Little Five is my only younger brother. Who would dare stop you from keeping me company?” Xu Qingyan shot a triumphant glance at Mo Xiuyao.

Mo Xiuyao’s eyes darkened as his sharp gaze swept over Xu Qingyan. He smiled and said, “A-Li is right. If A-Li wants to chat with Fifth Brother, she can do so anytime. Fifth Brother is still young, he has plenty of time.” The implication was that besides keeping Ye Li company, Xu Qingyan was just a useless freeloader who couldn’t do anything. Xu Qingyan gritted his teeth but smiled even more brightly, “Brother-in-law is right. I’ll make sure to keep Sister Li company often, so she won’t be lonely and bored while her brother-in-law is busy with government affairs!”

After personally escorting the three Xu brothers to their quarters to rest, Ye Li looked at Mo Xiuyao’s gloomy face and sighed with amusement, “Little Five is still a child, why are you taking him so seriously?” She had noticed the earlier interactions between Xu Qingyan and Mo Xiuyao but had chosen not to mention them. Now, seeing Mo Xiuyao’s face so dark it could drip ink, his thin lips tightly pressed together, he looked more like a sulking child himself. Mo Xiuyao snorted softly, and after a long while finally said, “He’s already fifteen, how is that still a child?”

Ye Li reached up to smooth his tense, handsome face, smiling, “Even if he were twenty, he’d still be my brother.” She then looked Mo Xiuyao up and down, tilting her head, “By the way, Mo Xiuyao, have you become addicted to jealousy lately? You’re jealous of everything – aren’t you afraid of making yourself sick with it?” His pickiness with Han Mingxi was one thing – though Han Mingxi had never explicitly stated his feelings, Ye Li knew something of them, which was why she had always maintained more distance from him than with Feng Zhiyao and Qin Feng. But to be jealous of Xu Qingyan was going too far. More importantly, Ye Li truly couldn’t understand where Mo Xiuyao’s insecurity came from. In her view, whether in martial arts, intelligence, or power, few in the world could match Mo Xiuyao, and he had never lacked confidence before. If it was because she had just returned from a near-death experience, it seemed excessive that he hadn’t improved after almost half a month.

Mo Xiuyao trapped her in his embrace, lowering his head to gently bite her fragrant cherry lips, whispering, “Is it wrong for me to be jealous? A-Li, you’re not allowed to be kind to other men. It makes me angry.”

Ye Li sighed helplessly, “Little Five isn’t ‘other men.’ He’s my brother, whom I’ve cherished since childhood.”

“Any man besides me is ‘other men,'” Mo Xiuyao declared tyrannically. Ye Li almost rolled her eyes at him. She took his hand and placed it on her round belly, asking with a smile, “Then what about him? Doctor Shen and Doctor Lin both said it’s a boy – is he ‘other men’ too?” Mo Xiuyao replied matter-of-factly, “Of course. When he’s born, we’ll throw… hand him over to Master Qingyun to raise. Children educated by Master Qingyun are sure to be outstanding.” Outstanding enough to make him hate them. If he hadn’t known that A-Li only saw the Xu brothers as real brothers, and they only saw her as a real sister, he would have died of jealousy long ago. Under Ye Li’s threatening gaze, Mo Xiuyao reluctantly swallowed the word “throw” and replaced it with a more diplomatic phrase.

Ye Li felt this man would be the death of her someday. She turned in his embrace to face him directly and reached up to pinch his face, “Mo Xiuyao, he’s your son!” Mo Xiuyao narrowed his eyes to glance at the round belly and snorted coldly, “Other men!” He had been annoyed with that thing for a long time. If not for the pregnancy, A-Li wouldn’t have nearly lost her life due to restricted movement, and if not for the pregnancy, he wouldn’t have to… keep restraining himself from being intimate with A-Li. All because that bastard Shen Yang said… Thinking of Shen Yang’s schadenfreude-filled old face, Mo Xiuyao found the fellow hiding in A-Li’s belly even more irritating. Of course, he acknowledged his fault – he swore that once this one was born, he would never let A-Li get pregnant again. It was dangerous, troublesome, and annoying!

Ye Li was completely helpless against such childishness, but seeing his eyes full of grievance and stubbornness, she found him inexplicably adorable and heartbreaking, and couldn’t bring herself to be angry at all. Pulling Mo Xiuyao to sit down, she casually sat on his lap and turned his face to look at her directly, “My lord, can we not be so childish?” Mo Xiuyao opened his mouth to bite in displeasure, catching her delicate fingers but not having the heart to bite hard, releasing them after a gentle nip, “This prince is not childish, and even if I am, A-Li, you’re not allowed to dislike me for it.”

Leaning in Mo Xiuyao’s embrace, Ye Li sighed softly. Shen Yang had mentioned Mo Xiuyao’s condition to her during a check-up. In ordinary times and circumstances, she wouldn’t have found anything wrong with this – his strong possessiveness proved Mo Xiuyao truly loved her. Even now, mixed with her worry was a touch of joy. But now was not the time to let Mo Xiuyao remain so insecure about her. She knew that her fall from the cliff had released and magnified all the negative emotions Mo Xiuyao had hidden in his heart – inferiority, resentment, helplessness. Though Mo Xiuyao seemed to always blame her fall on the child, or King Mo Jingqi of the South, or even Su Zuidie, in his heart he truly believed it was all his fault. He believed his inability to protect her had led to her facing danger. Ye Li had wanted to talk to him about this for a long time, but facing Mo Xiuyao, she never knew how to begin.

“Xiuyao.” She reached up to remove his mask. Doctor Lin’s medicine was indeed effective – though only a few days had passed, changes could already be seen in the scars on Mo Xiuyao’s face. Even if they couldn’t completely disappear in the future, Ye Li believed they would improve significantly. Putting her arms around his neck, she gently kissed the scar on his left cheek. Mo Xiuyao froze, holding Ye Li as if momentarily unable to react. Ye Li continued kissing his cheek, saying softly, “Xiuyao, no matter how many people there are in the world, in my heart, you are the most excellent and the best. Do you understand?”

Mo Xiuyao’s long eyelashes flickered as he looked up at the beautiful woman smiling before him. His wife is his only and most beloved woman in this life. She said in her heart he was the most excellent and the best, her gentle words filling him with boundless joy, even more ecstatic than his father’s praise in his youth. Yet it also filled him with more guilt and regret. Why couldn’t I have met you when I was at my best in life?

“Xiuyao, there are many men in this world who are peerlessly handsome, talented, and powerful. But I met you… I didn’t meet the young prince of the Proclaimed King’s manor who used to ride horses by the bridge, but you, Proclaimed King Mo Xiuyao. Do you understand? Xiuyao, if I had met you ten years earlier, I definitely wouldn’t have loved you.” Ye Li murmured softly. The Mo Xiuyao of ten years ago was too young, young enough to make someone like her, who had lived two lives, feel he was too small. Such a brilliant, dazzling youth would have been someone Ye Li would have avoided at all costs. And the Mo Xiuyao of that time certainly wouldn’t have noticed an unremarkable minister’s daughter. Not that the young Mo Xiuyao judged by appearances, but at that age, he probably hadn’t truly seen any woman at all. That’s why even someone like Su Zuidie, the most beautiful woman in the world, was nothing more than a betraying ex-fiancée in Mo Xiuyao’s heart – without love, there was no hatred. Without these ten years of experience, Ye Li wouldn’t have fallen for Mo Xiuyao, and Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t have loved Ye Li. They met when they were both at their worst, but Ye Li felt they had still met the right person at the right time.

“Then, does A-Li love me now?” Mo Xiuyao asked softly, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on her beautiful face. He knew what A-Li said was right, but he couldn’t imagine how he would have lived this life if he had missed meeting this woman.

“I love you,” Ye Li said softly, without hiding anything. She loved this man and had fallen in love without realizing it. That’s why she was willing to plan and work for him, willing to do anything for him. That’s why she was proud of his excellence and brilliance, and also hurt by his pain and vulnerability. When a woman is willing to indulge a man unconditionally, she must surely love him.

“A-Li.” Mo Xiuyao sighed contentedly, lowering his head to capture those lips he had long coveted, parting her teeth to dance with her, “A-Li, I love you… Mo Xiuyao will only love you in this life…”

“Reporting to Your Highness, from the capital…”

An urgent male voice interrupted the room’s passionate atmosphere. Standing at the door, Feng Zhiyao could only think of two words – I’m dead! He had disturbed the King and his wife’s intimate moment. Most importantly, damn it, if you want to be intimate, couldn’t you go inside? Even a screen would be better. Mo Xiuyao, do you have to be so desperate? The Princess is pregnant, you beast!