“What seems to be troubling Prince De? I notice your complexion is poor. Has there been some oversight in your treatment?” Mo Xiuyao sat in the host’s position, one hand supporting Ye Li while the other held a wine cup as he looked with modest demeanor at Prince De’s ashen face below. Prince De choked slightly – truthfully, since entering Ruyang City, when had he not been slighted? Although tonight’s welcoming banquet was indeed lively and jubilant, anyone with eyes could see that welcoming him was merely incidental. The true celebration was for the Princess Consort’s return and the impending birth of the young heir.
Prince De replied coldly, “I wouldn’t dare blame Prince Ding for any slight.”
Mo Xiuyao appeared completely oblivious to Prince De’s implied meaning and laughed heartily, “That’s good to hear. You’ve had a tiring journey – why not drink freely tonight?” Beside them, Mo Jingyu saw Prince De’s face about to change color again and hurriedly reached out to grab him discreetly, whispering, “Imperial Uncle, whatever needs to be said can wait. Don’t incur everyone’s wrath.” Then he laughed aloud, “Imperial Uncle, Prince Ding speaks of how tired you must be from the journey. Allow your nephew to offer you a toast.” Mo Xiuyao glanced at the two men’s varying expressions, smiled faintly, and turned away to joke with the officials and generals below. Mo Jingyu struggled to restrain the furious Prince De, whispering with a bitter expression, “Imperial Uncle, please calm down. We’re under someone else’s roof now…” Prince De raged indignantly, “So what? Does he dare kill me?”
That’s hard to say, Mo Jingyu thought secretly. He whispered to Prince De, “Imperial Uncle, the Northwest is Prince Ding’s territory now. If something unfortunate were to happen, no one could do anything about it. Remember what happened with the Princess Consort… Mo Xiuyao killed those seven thousand troops without batting an eye. But what could the Emperor do about it?” At most, he issued a few imperial edicts condemning Mo Xiuyao’s brutality and indiscriminate killing. But what use was that? Would Mo Jingqi dare send troops to attack Mo Xiuyao? In this Northwestern region, imperial edicts were probably worth less than toilet paper.
Prince De, having served for many years under Emperor Mo Jingqi with his severe paranoia while maintaining imperial favor, was certainly no fool. However, as the eldest living prince of the previous emperor’s generation, someone even the current emperor had to address as Imperial Uncle, he had never truly confronted Mo Xiuyao head-on in all these years. Deep down, he always felt Mo Xiuyao should show him some respect, and given his naturally status-conscious and face-saving personality, being so coldly dismissed by Mo Xiuyao made him particularly agitated. Now hearing Mo Jingyu’s counsel and observing the harmonious scene on the city walls – how the civil and military officials of Ruyang City obeyed Mo Xiuyao’s every word with no regard for imperial envoys like themselves – a cool breeze swept across the battlements, making Prince De shudder as clarity suddenly returned to his mind, along with cold sweat.
Living in pampered peace these past dozen or so years had made him forget the brutality of the succession struggle before the previous emperor took the throne, and he had inevitably grown arrogant. Now suddenly coming to his senses, he began to review his actions of recent years, even starting to suspect whether Mo Jingqi had sent him to the Northwest because he had grown tired of him and wanted to use Mo Xiuyao’s hand to eliminate him. Mo Jingyu had no idea what he was thinking, but seeing that although his expression remained unpleasant, he had at least calmed down, he finally relaxed and raised his wine cup to enjoy the singing and dancing.
Sitting above, Ye Li naturally observed the interaction between Prince De and Prince Yu. Watching Prince De drink sullenly by himself with a dark expression, though she didn’t know what Prince Yu had said, she could tell he was trying to persuade Prince De. In her heart, she marked Prince Yu as quite calculating.
“What is Ali looking at?” Mo Xiuyao bent down to smile at Ye Li. She shook her head and smiled, “Nothing much. You did that deliberately today, didn’t you?” Deliberately slighting Prince De this way – if Prince Yu hadn’t stopped him, Prince De would likely have exploded in anger already. Mo Xiuyao gave a light snort and held a cup of fresh juice to her lips, saying coolly, “Prince De has grown increasingly inconsiderate with age. If we don’t cool him down first, he’d hold his nose so high it would reach the heavens. I’ve never liked being looked down upon.”
Ye Li took a small sip of the juice – the slightly cool watermelon juice had a subtle sweetness that suited her taste perfectly. Mo Xiuyao said softly, “It’s been chilled so it’s a bit cold, but Doctor Shen said a little won’t hurt. Are you tired? If you’re tired, we can head back first.” Ye Li shook her head and said, “I’ll return by myself in a bit – would you mind leaving the banquet first?” Mo Xiuyao bent down and smiled, “Do we need to stay at this kind of banquet? They’re probably hoping we’ll leave early so they can truly enjoy themselves.” Hearing this, Ye Li glanced at the crowd below – the civil officials were one thing, but even the military commanders sat drinking and enjoying the entertainment with perfect decorum. Ye Li had seen these military commanders before – they never showed such restraint when drinking normally. They were constrained by their presence.
Supporting Ye Li as she stood, the crowd below also stopped what they were doing when they saw the Prince and Princess rise, respectfully looking up. Mo Xiuyao smiled and said, “The Princess Consort and I are probably making you all uncomfortable. Let me offer everyone one final toast, then please enjoy yourselves.” With that, he raised his cup toward the crowd below and drained it in one gulp. Ye Li stood beside Mo Xiuyao, similarly raising her cup with a gentle smile, “I too shall toast to you all – please make merry.”
Everyone thanked them in unison, especially the commanders who had fought alongside Ye Li, who could barely contain their excitement. From afar, Ye Li could see Yun Ting’s young handsome face flushed red as he called out his thanks loudly.
Waving for everyone to continue as they pleased, Mo Xiuyao supported Ye Li as they took their leave. The sounds of revelry from the remaining guests indeed grew more boisterous.
Descending from the city wall, Mo Xiuyao dismissed the attending guards and maids, supporting Ye Li as they strolled along the street. The streets were brilliantly lit on both sides, with citizens out enjoying themselves in groups. Zhang Yu, the newly appointed governor, had arranged everything very thoroughly – not only were there lanterns for people to admire, but various performances attracted people’s attention. If not for Mo Xiuyao’s white hair being too conspicuous, the two of them might have gone unnoticed among the joyful crowds. Citizens who spotted them first showed surprise before coming forward to bow. Mo Xiuyao quickly gestured for everyone not to make a fuss, leading Ye Li to a less crowded area. He looked down helplessly at his white hair and said, “It seems I’m still too eye-catching – I can’t even take a simple walk with you.”
Ye Li smiled and said, “This just shows how beloved you are by the people. The citizens rarely see you, so naturally, they’re very curious. Given time, they’ll grow used to it.” If people had to bow every time they went out, they might as well not go out at all. In the capital, where officials and nobles were everywhere, citizens would be constantly bowing if they had to acknowledge everyone. Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li and smiled, “Since we can’t properly enjoy the lantern festival, shall we walk home slowly?” The Prince’s mansion wasn’t too far, so they walked hand in hand along the quieter streets. Tonight most citizens had gathered at the lantern festival, making other streets particularly quiet and peaceful. Walking side by side under the moonlight, Ye Li asked softly, “What are your plans for Prince De and Prince Yu?”
Mo Xiuyao smiled carelessly and said, “Those two can’t stir up much trouble. We’ll see what they have to say tomorrow. Does Mo Jingqi take everyone in the world for fools? Now he sends people to persuade me to return to court… heh…” How could Mo Jingqi not know that ever since he had executed those seven thousand soldiers and taken Ruyang, there was no going back? Now he maintained a delicate balance with the court while staying in the Northwest. If he returned, what awaited him and the Mo family army would be countless impeachment memorials and a dead end. Unfortunately… he had no desire to die now. If Mo Jingqi were wise, he wouldn’t provoke him further. Mo Jingqi’s schemes barely qualified as amateur in Mo Xiuyao’s eyes. If he thought the Ding Guo Prince’s mansion had protected Great Chu for generations just for the sake of a loyal reputation, he was gravely mistaken.
“Then… what about Minister Su?” Ye Li asked softly. Mo Xiuyao’s respect for Su Zhe was genuine – in the order of Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parents, and Teacher, the relationship between teacher and student was no small matter. Even when Su Zuidie had betrayed Mo Xiuyao in such circumstances, Ye Li didn’t believe it was purely out of consideration for Su Zhe. Moreover, Su Zhe’s only son and grandson had died for Prince Ding’s mansion – such bonds meant Su Zhe was probably no less important to Mo Xiuyao than family.
Mo Xiuyao pondered for a moment before saying softly, “Old Su has no more ties in the capital. If he’s willing to stay in the Northwest, I’ll naturally care for him in his final years. If he still can’t let go of the court, I’ll have people secretly look after him.”
Ye Li frowned and sighed softly, “You know that’s not what I meant. Su Zuidie is Minister Su’s only relative. Isn’t that likely why Mo Jingqi sent a seventy-year-old man on such a long journey? These past few days… half the assassins who broke into the mansion were Mo Jingqi’s men. Unlike Tan Jizhi, it seems Mo Jingqi doesn’t want Su Zuidie dead.” A flash of crimson crossed Mo Xiuyao’s eyes as he said coolly, “Su Zuidie must die. Old Su won’t plead for her.” Su Zhe was an upright man who despised those who betrayed trust and righteousness above all. When Su Zuidie fled the capital, she did so behind Su Zhe’s back, and given Su Zhe’s principles, he would certainly never acknowledge Su Zuidie as his granddaughter again after learning of her actions.
Ye Li held his hand and said softly, “Minister Su taught you since childhood. While I won’t show mercy to Su Zuidie, we shouldn’t hurt Minister Su’s feelings over this. Even if Minister Su has severed ties with Su Zuidie, she’s still his only living relative and his granddaughter. If any resentment remains in his heart, it won’t be good.”
“Then we won’t let Old Su know,” Mo Xiuyao said flatly. “We’ve been at this stalemate for so long, and Qin Feng still hasn’t made any progress. There’s no need to ask anymore – that so-called secret can’t be known only to her. Let Qin Feng finish her off.”
“Don’t be foolish,” Ye Li said softly. “If she dies right after Minister Su arrives, what will the old man think? Alright…” She hugged Mo Xiuyao reassuringly, brushing aside the white hair near his ear as she whispered, “Minister Su isn’t just your mentor, he’s also a leader of the pure official’s faction at court, with countless disciples and former subordinates. For both personal and political reasons, we should show him proper respect.” Mo Xiuyao said coldly, “So we just let her off?” He held her tightly in his arms, closing his eyes to suppress the murderous intent in his heart. He truly didn’t want these people to live… Su Zuidie, Lei Zhenting, Marquis Muyang, and Mo Jingqi – whenever he saw them or even thought of them, the scene of Ali falling off the cliff would appear before his eyes. He even felt that everything now was like a dream, and when he woke up, he would still be in that time when he had lost Ali.
Sensing the cold, lonely aura emanating from Mo Xiuyao, Ye Li looked up to see a hint of despair in his vacant expression. Her heart ached, and she quickly held his hands to her heart, saying gently, “Alright, it’s my fault. I overthought things. If you don’t want me to have Qin Feng kill Su Zuidie, then that’s fine.” Mo Xiuyao pulled her close, taking a deep breath and inhaling her familiar, subtle fragrance. His gloomy mood immediately improved. He loved how Ali always went along with his wishes. Nuzzling her hair gently, Mo Xiuyao said softly with a laugh, “I know Ali means well. There’s no rush with Su Zuidie’s matter.” He understood, of course, that Ali had said all this for his sake. The Ding Guo Prince’s mansion had always been surrounded by enemies, and now that they were quietly falling out with the court, it could be said that anyone in power would view them as enemies. In such circumstances, the more support they had, the better it would be for the Mo family army in the future. Since Master Qingyun had withdrawn from court, the pure official faction could be said to be led by Su Zhe. Though they didn’t have much actual power, these people controlled public discourse and opinion throughout the realm. If he were to become enemies with Su Zhe, most of the scholars in the world would likely think poorly of him.
A sharp glint flashed in Ye Li’s eyes as she said softly, “Let me handle the matter of Su Zuidie and Minister Su. You won’t have to see her again.” Ye Li realized she had underestimated Su Zuidie’s influence on Mo Xiuyao. It wasn’t that she doubted Mo Xiuyao still had feelings for Su Zuidie, but rather that Su Zuidie made Mo Xiuyao think of unpleasant things, seriously affecting his mood. Since that was the case, she couldn’t let Su Zuidie live any longer. Regardless of the reason! As for Minister Su… if he was true as Mo Xiuyao described, perhaps there was a way to resolve this.
“Your Highness, Your Grace.” When the two returned and settled in Prince Ding’s mansion, Zhuo Jing and Lin Han had been waiting respectfully for some time.
Mo Xiuyao turned to them, still keeping one hand on Ye Li’s waist, and asked, “How are things at the mansion?” Zhuo Jing reported, “Your Highness’s foresight was perfect. The guards Prince De brought, along with those who have been arriving in Ruyang from various places these past two days, attacked the Governor’s mansion earlier.” The timing they chose was excellent – tonight the whole city was celebrating, and the east side was especially boisterous. Such a major disturbance at the Governor’s mansion went unnoticed for so long.
Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Oh? They attacked the Governor’s mansion?” Lin Han said, “Because Your Highness and Her Grace suddenly moved to a new residence, they hadn’t noticed. That’s why they forcibly entered the Governor’s mansion trying to rescue Su Zuidie.” Since the move had been done quietly, with basically just the Prince and Princess taking their personal belongings, neither the guards who had come with Prince De and were stopped outside the city nor those who had already infiltrated the city had discovered it, let alone that Su Zuidie had been secretly moved elsewhere a day earlier.
“Rescue? Not silence her?” Ye Li asked, raising an eyebrow.
Zhuo Jing said, “This servant is certain they had no intention of silencing Su Zuidie. The people they sent this time were all highly skilled masters. After breaking into the dungeon, they had at least three opportunities to kill the body double in the cell. But they were solely focused on taking the person away, never attempting to kill.”
“Interesting,” Ye Li mused with lowered brows. Mo Jingqi’s people wanting to rescue Su Zuidie made no sense from any angle. If Su Zuidie knew some secret she shouldn’t, Mo Jingqi should only want to silence her. The cost of mounting such a rescue seemed far too high. Mo Xiuyao held her hand and smiled, “Ali needn’t worry so much. The more he does, the more mistakes he makes. We’ll know why sooner or later. Did we capture any alive?” Zhuo Jing nodded and smiled, “Reporting to Your Highness, we had quite a harvest this time. The leader turned out to be the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards from the capital, along with several famous martial arts masters from the jianghu. They’ve all been detained.”
Mo Xiuyao nodded in satisfaction. After enduring those useless people causing trouble every few days for so long, they had finally caught some bigger fish. He commanded sternly, “No need to interrogate them – Mo Jingqi wouldn’t have told them anything. Send the Deputy Commander’s head back to Mo Jingqi in the capital. As for those jianghu masters, they’re worth questioning properly.” Jianghu practitioners typically disliked being bound by the court – even assassins killed for money, rarely following court orders. For Mo Jingqi to mobilize so many famous jianghu masters at once, there must be some reason.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Speaking of the Imperial Guard Commander and masters… where are Leng Qingyu and Mu Qingcang now?” Ye Li asked.
Mo Xiuyao smiled, “Leng Qingyu returned to the capital. Though the man is a bit too proud and inflexible, he’s still more of a person than those old foxes. For Cold Er’s sake, I should spare his life. As for Mu Qingcang… he’s here in Ruyang. Does Ali want to see him?” Mu Qingcang was no ordinary person – not only was he Marquis Muyang’s illegitimate son, but he was also one of the Five Great Masters of the realm. Mo Xiuyao naturally wouldn’t put him somewhere out of sight. It would cause too much trouble if someone took advantage of that. Ye Li thought for a moment and said, “I do have some things I’d like him to handle, but Mu Qingcang isn’t easy to control. Let’s wait a while longer.”
Mo Xiuyao didn’t mind and nodded. Just as he was about to say something, a guard announced from outside, “Your Highness, Minister Su requests an audience.”
Mo Xiuyao started, only then remembering that Su Zhe, being advanced in years, couldn’t withstand the long journey and was already exhausted, so he hadn’t attended tonight’s welcoming banquet but had been resting in the mansion instead. He sat up and glanced at Ye Li before saying firmly, “Quickly invite Minister Su in.”