The welcoming banquet for the Xu family was held at Prince Ding’s mansion. To show respect and formality toward the Xu family, Mo Xiuyao invited all civil and military officials from Ruyang and even notified trusted elites stationed in other northwestern prefectures in advance. He formally introduced the Xu family members to the northwestern generals and officials, making it clear that the Xu family wasn’t simply the Princess Consort’s maternal family, but would hold significant influence in the northwestern territory in the future. Given the Xu family’s original prestige, people naturally harbored no resentment or jealousy about this. Anyone with any insight understood that the Xu family’s arrival in the Northwest at this time could only benefit Prince Ding’s household and the Mo family army.
The banquet was naturally very lively, with a harmonious and celebratory atmosphere. Even Ye Li, who needed to look after the baby, only left slightly early. As she walked back with her attendants through the garden, she saw Qin Zheng sitting alone, lost in thought in a pavilion by the pond. Ye Li stopped and asked softly, “Sister Zheng, why are you here?” Behind her, Qing Yu said, “Earlier at the banquet, Miss Qin seemed unwell and retired early.” Qing Shuang added, “Miss Qin came to the Northwest alone, perhaps she’s not yet accustomed to it.”
Ye Li lowered her eyes in thought and said, “Wait here for a moment.”
Ye Li walked gracefully into the pavilion and said softly with a smile, “Why is Sister Zheng sitting here alone?”
Qin Zheng was startled. Turning to see Ye Li, she finally relaxed and rose, saying, “Princess…” Ye Li pressed her hand down to stop her from standing, smiling helplessly, “Just over a year apart, and Sister Zheng has grown so formal with me.” Qin Zheng looked at Ye Li with difficulty, not knowing what to say. Ye Li smiled, “Don’t tell me that after marrying Second Brother, Sister Zheng plans to keep calling me Princess?” Qin Zheng’s face reddened, and she glared helplessly at Ye Li, showing some of her original ease.
After the teasing, Ye Li sat down and took Qin Zheng’s hand, saying, “I see Sister Zheng looking dejected. Is something not to your liking, or has the household been negligent in some way?” Qin Zheng hurriedly shook her head, her eyes reddening as she said softly, “Everyone has been very good to me, it’s just… I miss home. My parents raised me with such care and indulgence. Yet I haven’t repaid them at all and have left them far behind – I’m truly unfilial.” Ye Li sighed softly, gently patting Qin Zheng’s hand as she said soothingly, “Master Qin and Madam Qin letting sister leave the capital was surely out of consideration for sister’s happiness. Sister should feel at ease settling in the Northwest – it’s not as if you’ll never see them again. Right now, what’s most important is Second Brother and Sister Zheng’s marriage. This evening, both First Aunt and Second Aunt spoke to me about this. It seems Second Brother and Second Aunt are eager to welcome Sister Zheng into the family.”
“Li’er!” Qin Zheng’s beautiful face instantly turned blood red, but unable to escape Ye Li’s teasing, she could only cover her face with both hands and complained, “After a year apart, how has Li’er learned to be like Murong?” Ye Li laughed, “What’s wrong with being like Murong? Better to say what’s on your mind than keep it bottled up inside. Come now, sister, don’t be shy. If it weren’t for Second Brother having to accompany me to the Northwest last year, you two would have been married long ago. Sister Zheng should just focus on being a happy bride – I will certainly prepare a grand wedding for you and Second Brother.” Qin Zheng lowered her head, hiding the tears in her eyes as she said softly, “Li’er, thank you.” Ye Li smiled and said, “We’re family – what’s there to thank for?” Qin Zheng smiled silently. As a young woman barely in her teens, leaving her parents and the capital to travel far to the Northwest, how could she not feel anxious? Though the Xu family wasn’t difficult to get along with, and Second Madam Xu was especially caring toward her, being without her parents’ support still left Qin Zheng, raised in the inner chambers, feeling fearful and unsettled. Moreover, the Xu family’s second young master Xu Qingze was naturally a cold person, so he wouldn’t show concern for Qin Zheng’s comfort, which only increased her worries.
After carefully comforting Qin Zheng, Ye Li called for her maid and had Qing Yu personally escort Qin Zheng back to her temporary courtyard.
Returning to her chambers, she found Mo Xiuyao had already returned and was boredly poking their baby’s tender cheeks as he lay over the cradle. Ye Li finished washing up and changed clothes before coming out, saying helplessly, “Your Highness, are you trying to turn our baby into an ugly duckling?” She had entered to find him playing thus, and even after she had finished washing and changing, he was still at it – even without using force, the baby’s delicate skin couldn’t take such teasing. Walking to the cradle, she saw the little one was already awake, staring at her with big round eyes. Perhaps having just woken, those large eyes were watery and looked extremely pitiful. Bending to pick up the little one, Ye Li patted him sympathetically and said, “Baby be good, daddy’s mean – we won’t pay attention to him.” As she softly whispered to the baby, she walked slowly around the room, trying to lull him to sleep. She completely missed seeing a certain person’s instantly darkening face behind her. He was mean? This little brat was truly born to be his nemesis – A’Li called him mean because of the child?!
Mo Xiuyao’s nearly tangible resentment finally caught Ye Li’s attention. Looking back at the man sitting on the bed glowering at the baby in her arms, she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Other men could hardly wait to have a precious son, but this one acted as if his son was his mortal enemy from a past life. Carefully placing the baby in Mo Xiuyao’s arms, she smiled and said, “Your Highness, aren’t you being childish? Why are you sulking at the baby?”
Mo Xiuyao snorted lightly, holding the little bundle without any tenderness, “Are you fattening him up to eat?” Ye Li rolled her eyes – the baby was indeed round and plump, fair and rosy, but that was far from being fat! Fortunately, Mo Xiuyao knew his A’Li didn’t like others criticizing her precious son, so he said no more. While inwardly disdaining little Mo Bao, who understood nothing and was powerless to resist his father’s bullying, he asked, “Why did you return so late?” Ye Li told him about seeing Qin Zheng in the garden, and finally asked, “First Aunt and Second Aunt suggested setting the wedding date for after the baby’s full-month celebration. First Aunt thought to have Sister Zheng marry from First Uncle’s household, but I think it would be better from our residence. What do you think?” After all, marrying from the First Uncle’s home to the Second Uncle’s home somehow didn’t seem quite right.
Mo Xiuyao thought for a moment and said, “We don’t have any elders in our household. You certainly can’t send Qin Zheng off to be married – you’re even younger than her. How about this… General Lü and General Zhang and their families are in Ruyang. See which household would be suitable to adopt Qin Zheng as their daughter, and she can marry from the general’s mansion. Both General Lü and General Zhang are among the Mo family army’s finest commanders – it wouldn’t demean Qin Zheng to be adopted into their households. This way, it would also represent a marriage alliance between the Xu family and the Mo family army. Since Prince Ding’s household rose through military merit, this connection will make things much easier for the Xu family members in the Northwest in the future.” Both Zhang Qilan and Lü Jinxian were highly respected veteran commanders in the Mo family army – with their support, the army’s resistance to the Xu family as outsiders would decrease significantly. After all… no military force exists without some xenophobia.
Ye Li hadn’t expected Mo Xiuyao to have thought through so much in such a short time, with so much consideration for the Xu family. Her heart warmed, and she said softly, “Thank you for thinking so much for the Xu family.” Mo Xiuyao snorted lightly and lowered his head to play with his son. Ye Li looked helplessly at the man who was ducking his head and ignoring her, very much wanting to ask: Your Highness, are you being tsundere?
News of the birth of Prince Ding’s heir spread with extraordinary speed to neighboring countries, especially since Mo Xiuyao had made a great show of sending invitations everywhere, inviting various nations’ nobility to attend the young heir’s full-month celebration in Ruyang. Upon receiving those elaborate invitations bearing Prince Ding’s seal, who knows how many people shattered priceless antique treasures in their studies?
At the Garrison South Prince’s mansion in Xiling:
In the study, the Garrison South Prince dangerously narrowed his eyes at the elaborate invitation on his desk. As the prince remained silent, naturally no one else in the study dared speak, creating a heavy and stifling atmosphere. After a long while, the Garrison South Prince’s heir Lei Tengfeng, standing to one side, finally spoke: “Father, what is Mo Xiuyao’s intention? Is he truly breaking with Da Chu?” As Prince Ding of Da Chu, no matter how renowned the Prince Ding’s household might be, they had no right to invite various nations’ nobility to a mere heir’s full-month celebration. Even royal families rarely invited foreign nobility for a prince’s or even a crown prince’s full-month celebration. But if Mo Xiuyao were to break with Da Chu and declare himself king, then at least he would have the right to dialogue with various royal families, and such an invitation would not be improper. As for Mo Xiuyao choosing to hold such a celebration for his son, that would be his own business.
The Garrison South Prince laughed coldly and said, “Prince Ding’s household breaking with Da Chu is only a matter of time – that’s not surprising. What’s unexpected is… that the Princess Consort could return alive.” Even more unexpected was that falling from such a high cliff, not only was the Princess Consort unharmed, but even the child in her womb was safe. Mo Xiuyao’s luck was truly hatefully good! Thinking of this, the Garrison South Prince’s expression grew even uglier – he had not only lost to a woman but to a pregnant woman!
“Ye Li!” the Garrison South Prince ground out through clenched teeth.
Lei Tengfeng glanced at his father’s grim face but didn’t share the Garrison South Prince’s fury. Thinking of that graceful woman in blue robes, who appeared refined yet repeatedly shocked people, Lei Tengfeng couldn’t deny feeling a slight regret when he’d heard the news of the Princess Consort’s death. Unexpectedly, the Princess Consort had returned from her ordeal and safely delivered Prince Ding’s heir. A faint trace of envy rose in Lei Tengfeng’s heart, but he quickly dismissed the thought and asked, “Father, should we attend this full-month celebration for Prince Ding’s heir?” Though Ruyang wasn’t far from Da Chu and Xiling’s border, it was quite distant from Xiling’s capital. This invitation had likely been sent by a fast horse right after the young heir’s birth, as it didn’t even include the child’s name. Even so, if they were to attend the celebration, they would need to depart immediately or risk being late.
“Go! Of course, we must go!” the Garrison South Prince said with a cold laugh. “Do you think Mo Xiuyao is truly only holding a full-month celebration for his son? Ruyang City will likely be extraordinarily lively this time.” Lei Tengfeng lowered his eyes in thought, then immediately understood: “Father means the Imperial Jade Seal and the Founding Dynasty’s imperial treasure?” The Garrison South Prince nodded, “Correct. Rather than having people skulking around the Northwest in secret, he might as well openly invite them himself. At least this way they’ll be under his surveillance – Mo Xiuyao has thought this through well…” Lei Tengfeng frowned and said, “In Father’s opinion, is the Imperial Jade Seal truly in Mo Xiuyao’s possession? The intelligence we’ve received… seems to indicate Prince Ding’s people are secretly searching for someone called Lin Yuan, and it’s related to the Imperial Jade Seal.”
“Lin Yuan? Lin…” the Garrison South Prince pondered. Lei Tengfeng continued, “Lin was the imperial surname of the previous dynasty. This Lin Yuan also goes by Tan Jizhi. It’s said he previously tried to kidnap the Princess Consort in the Northwest to threaten Prince Ding, but somehow the news leaked and he was captured by Prince Ding. After Mo Xiuyao released him, he vanished from public view. Shortly after, rumors spread that the Imperial Jade Seal was in Prince Ding’s possession, and not only Prince Ding’s household but also Mo Jingqi was searching for him.” The Garrison South Prince thought for a good while before saying, “I do have some impression of this Tan Jizhi. Su Zuidie once mentioned he was a royal orphan from the previous dynasty.”
“A royal orphan from the previous dynasty?” Lei Tengfeng scoffed dismissively. The previous dynasty fell over a hundred years ago – who still cared about royal orphans? By that measure, who knew how many royal orphans from various dynasties existed in the world? With each dynastic change, some royal descendants would inevitably end up among the common people, but how many ever successfully restored their dynasties? The story of “sleeping on firewood and tasting gall” became legendary precisely because it was the exception. “Father knew of Tan Jizhi’s identity all along?” The Garrison South Prince didn’t take Tan Jizhi seriously either, saying calmly, “Whether he’s royal blood or a traitor makes no difference to us. As long as he can help Mo Jingqi deal with Prince Ding’s household, he’s no enemy to us. That being the case, I naturally kept his identity secret. But alas… that woman Su Zuidie! If she could tell me his identity, how could she not have told others?”
Lei Tengfeng frowned and asked, “Then who does Father think has the Imperial Jade Seal?”
The Garrison South Prince pondered for a moment before saying, “Given the nature of Prince Ding’s household, the Imperial Jade Seal isn’t of great importance to them. Mo Xiuyao is even more proud than Mo Liufang was in his day – he would disdain using the Imperial Jade Seal to enhance the Mo family army’s prestige.” Lei Tengfeng asked, “Father means…” The Garrison South Prince waved his hand and said, “No, the Imperial Jade Seal may not be in Mo Xiuyao’s possession, but it may not truly be in Tan Jizhi’s hands either. Therefore, this trip… we must go to the Northwest.” At the very least, they couldn’t let the Imperial Jade Seal fall into others’ hands.
“Son understands.” Lei Tengfeng nodded and asked, “Does Father plan to go to Ruyang personally?” The Garrison South Prince nodded, “You’ll come with me – there’s nothing major happening in Xiling recently.”
“Son accepts the command.”
The atmosphere in the imperial study of the Chu Palace was even more oppressive. Mo Jingqi’s face had darkened with anger as he threw the invitation far away. “Mo Yuzhen! What a fine ‘Mo Yuzhen’! Mo Xiuyao, you’ve done it…” Mo Jingli, who had just entered the study after receiving his invitation, caught the flying card bearing Prince Ding’s seal. He smiled and asked, “Brother, who has angered you so?” Seeing this brother who shared the same mother, Mo Jingqi’s expression grew even uglier as he said coldly, “Why have you come to the palace?”
Mo Jingli smiled and produced another invitation, saying, “To pay respects to Mother Empress, and… I see Brother has also received Prince Ding’s invitation. What are Brother’s plans?” He casually opened the invitation, looking at the name of Prince Ding’s heir written in flowing calligraphy – Mo Yuzhen. Yuzhen… what a fine name. Mo Xiuyao, have you finally lost patience?
Mo Jingqi coldly regarded his brother. Since returning from the South, this brother had become both cleverer and more difficult to deal with. If he hadn’t suddenly become more astute, then someone must be advising him. “What are your plans? Since Mo Xiuyao sent you an invitation, does Royal Brother plan to attend?” Mo Jingli smiled and said, “Prince Ding personally sent the invitation – how dare this brother refuse? What gift does Brother plan to send to Prince Ding’s heir?” Mo Jingqi snorted, suddenly showing a malicious smile as he said, “Royal Brother should indeed go, after all, Ye Li isn’t a stranger to you. She’s still the elder sister of Prince Li’s consort.”
At the mention of this, Mo Jingli’s expression also darkened. Whenever he thought of his wife Ye Ying, who only knew how to cry, whine, and complain, and compared her to Ye Li, who could lead armies and attend court sessions with the Xu family’s support, Mo Jingli couldn’t help but feel sick to his stomach remembering that Ye Li had once been his betrothed. What if he had married Ye Li instead? Given Ye Li’s ability to defeat Xiling’s Garrison South Prince, perhaps he wouldn’t have needed to face off against his royal brother in the north and south – he might have directly attacked the Chu capital. And then there was Xu Qingchen, who had caused him so much trouble in the south. If his consort had been Ye Li, not only would Xu Qingchen not have troubled him, but he would have helped instead. Perhaps he could have even helped him take Nanzhao, rather than being constrained by Nanzhao at every turn!
Seeing Mo Jingli’s suddenly darkening expression, Mo Jingqi’s mood improved considerably. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Since Royal Brother is going, why not bring Princess Li along? She could catch up with Ye Li.”
Mo Jingli gritted his teeth and said flatly, “Thanks for Brother’s suggestion. If that’s all, this brother will go prepare – time is short, and I’ll depart for the Northwest early tomorrow.”
Mo Jingqi nodded, “You may go then.”
As soon as Mo Jingli left, the smile vanished from Mo Jingqi’s face. Did Mo Jingli think he didn’t know why he wanted to go to the Northwest? To congratulate Mo Xiuyao’s son? Hmph! Mo Jingli would want Mo Xiuyao’s son dead even more than he did because the child’s mother was his former betrothed. Ye Li’s very existence was like telling the world how blind Prince Li had been. Want to go to the Northwest to find the Imperial Jade Seal? Mo Jingli, your appetite is far too large!
“Your Majesty?”
“Any news of Tan Jizhi’s whereabouts?” Mo Jingqi coldly asked the gray-robed man kneeling in the hall.
“Your Majesty’s pardon, but we have no news of Tan Jizhi’s whereabouts yet.”
Bang! Mo Jingqi grabbed the inkstone from his desk and hurled it. The man in gray naturally dared not dodge – the inkstone struck his shoulder before falling to the ground. The gray-robed man grunted in pain, “Your Majesty’s pardon!”
“Useless lot! Keep searching – even if you have to dig three zhang deep, find Tan Jizhi for me!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”