276 Prince Mo Suyun, the Tenth Crown Prince

Chu’s wealthiest city, it was indeed where the greatest amounts of military supplies were stored and among the top five cities for commercial trade in Greater Chu. Even though their trading partners w...276. Prince Mo Subi, the Tenth Heir

276. Prince Mo Subi, the Tenth Heir

Cold Haoyu and Murong Ting's sudden visit certainly wasn't just a casual drop-in. After settling down, Cold Haoyu frowned and said, "Our people have passed on news that the Li family seems to know something about Prince Mo Jingli's son."

Feng Zhirao had only recently returned to Chu Capital and was naturally unaware of what had happened in Chu Capital over the past two months. He asked in confusion, "Mo Jingli’s son Is it Ye Ying’s child that got kidnapped" Cold Haoyu clapped his hands and smiled, saying, "Your information is a bit outdated. A while ago, Mo Jingli just became the Regent Prince and kicked his own son to death upon returning home. Although this news was suppressed from spreading, most of the nobles in the capital are aware."

Feng Zhirao raised an eyebrow; he wasn't stupid and immediately figured it out. He smiled and said, "So… Mo Jingli’s son has been raised by others for several years What about now Is his own son being held by the Li family"

"Al璃, what do you think" Mo Xiuyao asked Ye Li.

Ye Li frowned and said after thinking it over, "I don't think this is very likely. Mo Jingqi was extremely cautious and distrustful of everyone around him. Since Mo Jingli couldn’t find any clues despite his efforts, it means that Mo Jingqi dealt with the matter thoroughly back then. There’s no reason for the Li family to have found anything, and… the timing seems too convenient."

Murong Yi recently passed away, and before the new emperor ascended, the Li family had already spread the news about Mo Jingli's only son in the Li王府. It couldn’t help but make one suspicious.

Mo Xiuyao looked at Cold Haoyu, who shrugged and said, "They haven't obtained specific information either. Only that the Li family has been secretly active lately, hinting it’s related to Mo Jingli's son. But whether that child is indeed Mo Jingli's son still requires investigation." Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow with a smile, saying, "No need to investigate. Wasting time."

Cold Haoyu looked at him in confusion, and Mo Xiuyao asked, "Does it matter to us whether he is or isn't"

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned. That's right, they didn’t intend to get involved with these affairs. Whether that child is Mo Jingli’s son has no significance for them at all. Mo Xiuyao stood up and looked at Cold Haoyu with a smile, saying, "Why not use the time to investigate matters in Northern Border instead Since Feng San is now back in Chu Capital, your business here is closed too. Why don’t you go to Zi Jinchuan"

Cold Haoyu was tempted; currently, battles were raging at Zi Jinchuan Pass. Although there were Dark Guards secretly protecting, he still worried about Cold Huai’s Dark Guard.

"I'll go too," Murong Ting hurriedly said.

Although Cold Haoyu belonged to Ding Wang Estate, Murong Ting didn’t. Mo Xiuyao naturally couldn't control Murong Ting; this was Cold Haoyu's family matter. Cold Haoyu hesitantly said, "Zi Jinchuan Pass is currently in battle, too dangerous." Murong Ting snorted disdainfully, “Have I never seen a battlefield” She grew up alongside her father on the border and had even participated when Yongling was defending the city years ago.

"Junhan has no one to take care of him in Chu Capital. Can you bear it" Cold Haoyu continued persuading.

Meng Yun frowned; this was indeed a problem. Her son had never left her side since his birth. Meng Yun glanced at Ye Li who was sitting beside them, and her eyes lit up. She looked eagerly at Ye Li, "Li’er…" Ye Li covered her mouth and laughed, "As long as you don’t mind Junhan being bullied by Chen’er, just send him over." It didn’t matter if she had to take care of one child or two. Moreover, although Mo Xiaobao sometimes liked to be clingy, he was actually quite capable on his own, so they didn’t have to worry about him at all.However, for some reason, Mo Xiaobao seemed to believe that Leng Junhan was a soft and easily bullied little boy. Every time they met, Mo Xiaobao would either pinch or playfully tease him. Ye Li suspected that Mo Xiaobao might be transferring the resentment he felt from his father’s bullying onto Leng Junhan. Whenever she saw the tears welling up in Leng Junhan’s eyes but stubbornly refusing to fall, her heart ached.Worse still, Leng Junhan considered Mo Xiaobao as a good older brother and would forget all about being bullied once it was over. The next time they met, he would be calling him "Imperial Brother Yuchen" in the warmest manner. No wonder Mo Xiaobao called him Cold Little Clueless. Even his father Leng Haoyu couldn’t help covering his face at such an adorable sight. How many sins had he committed to deserve such a clueless son"It's fine," said Meng Yun grandly, waving her hand. "Junhan has been pampered too much and is soft like nobody else. He’s perfect for you guys to take care of him."With the mistress having made up her mind, Cold Haoyu could only comply as a devoted husband. However, he still had some paternal instincts. Looking at Mo Xiu Yao, he warned, "Please don’t let the young prince bully my son too much." Mo Xiu Yao raised an eyebrow; was this something under his control He wasn't a wet nurse."Don’t you think I sent you to visit your family because of your incompetence" asked Mo Xiu Yao coolly. As a competent subordinate, shouldn’t he be trying hard to understand every decision and behavior of the superiorLeng Haoyu helplessly lowered his head; he knew it wouldn't be that simple. "I’ll listen to His Highness’s instructions."Mo Xiu Yao said with a slight smile, "No need for instructions. If the northern army steps into Zijing Pass within six months, you don’t have to come back. Go east and hang yourself from the southeast branch. Besides… I am someone who values talent. Uh" Leng Haoyu’s eyes lit up as he looked at Mo Xiu Yao with joy. Smiling without speaking, Mo Xiu Yao said, "Rest assured, Your Highness. Subordinate will not disappoint your expectations." "Go then, don’t worry about your son. If you can’t make it back in time, I’ll take him to the northwest. Qingyun Scholar is now idle and can help educate them."Both Leng Haoyu and Meng Yun were delighted; since they had children, they always stayed in the capital city. This was not beneficial for numerous affairs handled by Leng Haoyu, but he couldn’t leave his wife alone with their child either. If Leng Junhan went to the northwest, security wouldn't be a problem. With Qingyun Scholar personally teaching him, this would definitely be an advantage that others would envy. Young Master Cold obviously attributed Mo Xiaobao’s cleverness and wisdom to Qingyun Scholar's instruction."Thank you, Your Highness."The next day early morning, Leng Haoyu and Meng Yun secretly went to Zijing Pass. Since they were not important in the family nor in the capital city, nobody noticed their departure. That night, Leng Junhan was sent to Ding王府. Although he felt a bit hurt about having to leave his parents at such a young age, hearing that he would be living with Xiao Bao Brother quickly made him forget his parent’s absence and said he wanted to sleep with Imperial Brother Yuchen. Seeing his son's rarely seen unhappy expression, the Prince of Ding agreed happily to the request and told Mo Xiaobao to take good care of the younger brother and not let him suffer any grievances.So, life at Ding王府 continued in a blissful chaos as Mo Xiaobao chased after and teased Cold Little Clueless daily. Meanwhile, things such as the tenth prince being assassinated before his ascension to the throne, Empress Dowager’s mischief over refusing to be buried with her husband, and secret conflicts between the Liu Family and Li Prince’s Manor were all ignored by people at Ding王府. But soon enough, it was time for the new emperor to ascend the throne.Emperor Jingqi's coffin had already been moved to a side hall in the western part of the imperial city temporarily. Since Emperor Jingqi never believed he would die so early, his mausoleum was not completed yet. The construction time needed for an imperial tomb wasn’t something that could be accomplished overnight. Therefore, he couldn't be buried soon and had to remain in a palace until the tomb was complete, after which his coffin would be transferred.The ascension of a new emperor in Great Chu has always been attended by congratulations from all directions. Even when Emperor Jingqi ascended the throne before, with Regent Mo Liufang deceased, Great Chu still had Mo Xiwen and renowned young general Mo Xiu Yao to hold it up; hence it remained quite stable and prosperous. Neighboring countries like Western Ling naturally sent envoys to congratulate. This time, however, besides Nan Zhao and a few very small neighboring countries sending envoys, the two major powers of Western Ling and Northern Rong didn’t send any messages at all. A seven-year-old emperor with conflicting factions in court and Ding王府 having already separated from Great Chu—Western Ling and Northern Rong indeed had no reason to pay them any mind. Moreover, they were busy eyeing Great Chu as a fat prey rather than congratulating the new ruler.

The coronation of the Tenth Prince was set for March 12th, which seemed like a decent day. Naturally, the Ding王府 had received the invitation earlier as well. A few days before the coronation ceremony, Ye Li was invited to the palace by an envoy sent by the Empress.This wasn't the first time that Ye Li saw the Tenth Prince. This child who used to live quietly like a shadow in a corner of the palace had suddenly been thrust into the spotlight after Mo Jingqi's death. For the past half month, he had been living in fear and shock. When Ye Li saw him, he was sleeping on his mother's lap. His pale and emaciated face clearly showed that he hadn't been faring well these days. Upon hearing Ye Li’s footsteps, the Tenth Prince immediately opened his eyes, which were filled with terror and confusion.He whimpered a few times before tears welled up in his eyes. His mother quickly covered his mouth and looked helplessly at Ye Li and the Empress.The Empress frowned and sighed helplessly: "Let him go. Lady Ding won't take it out on a child."Only then did that woman, dressed in splendid attire but with an ordinary face, carefully release her hand from covering the Tenth Prince's mouth. After glancing at Ye Li uneasily, she tried to calm down the crying prince.The Tenth Prince cried for a while and eventually fell asleep again. The Empress wanted someone to carry him off to rest, but was worried about waking him up again. Ye Li walked over and pressed on several acupoints on the Tenth Prince's body before whispering: "Carry him away to rest. Be careful not to wake him.""Thank you... thank you, Lady Ding." Trembling with fear, she thanked Ye Li and then took the Tenth Prince into the rear chambers for a nap.Once they were gone, Ye Li raised an eyebrow at the Empress and asked: "What's going on"The Empress smiled bitterly: "How else could it be This child... when I first thought about the Sixth Prince, I only considered him arrogant and unruly, spoiled by others. But this Tenth Prince... may even be more troublesome than the Sixth Prince. It’s tough for this kid too; he might not have seen his father much since childhood. His mother isn’t someone who can teach him anything either. He's been traumatized these days and hasn't slept well. Now... to put it simply, I doubt he'll manage on coronation day."Looking at the Empress’s exhausted expression, Ye Li could only sigh. The Tenth Prince’s birth mother was just a commoner girl who had once caught Mo Jingqi’s fancy; she wouldn’t be able to teach him anything either. Although everyone in the palace now referred to her as "the dowager empress," her elegant attire did nothing to change her meek and unassuming nature. Wearing that magnificent robe of the dowager empress only made her appear smaller and more insecure.Now, with matters outside the palace supported by figures like Prince Li and General Wu, Empress had been shouldering all responsibilities within it alone. If something were to happen to the new emperor at this critical moment, even if she weren’t blamed for it, failing to protect a young sovereign would result in severe consequences. No wonder the Empress was so tired.Seeing how worn out the Empress looked, Ye Li almost felt too heartbroken to bring up Feng Zhiyao's matter anymore.The Empress noticed that Ye Li seemed distracted and smiled: "Is there something you want to say We’re not strangers; just speak your mind."Lifting her head, Ye Li said quietly: "Feng San has returned."The Empress was taken aback. She looked down at the white jade bracelet on her wrist in a daze. Ye Li didn’t rush her and simply sat beside her drinking tea. After quite some time, the Empress snapped out of it and smiled apologetically to Ye Li: "I’m sorry for making you see this. He’s been doing fine in the Northwest, why would he come back now"Ye Li calmly looked at the Empress without saying a word. The slight smile on her face slowly faded away. Looking無奈地望向葉璃道：“王妃能將此事告訴我，想必是…從前的事情王妃也都知道了。”葉璃點頭輕聲道：“從前的事，並不是娘孃的錯。鳳三不肯死心是他自己的執念，也不是娘孃的錯。若是娘娘真的無意的話，我會告訴他讓他不要再打擾娘娘。可是若不是無動於衷呢？何不給彼此一個機會？”“機會？”皇後苦笑搖頭道：“多謝王妃關心，我知道您並不是愛管閒事的人，能告訴我這麼多已經不易了。煩請轉告他吧…我隻是把他當成從小看著長大的弟弟修堯一般，並冇有其他。”

"Opportunity" The Empress smiled bitterly and shook her head, "Thank you, Lady Ding. I know you're not one to meddle in others' affairs; you've already told me more than enough. Please convey this message to him… I only see Feng Zhiyao as a younger brother who grew up with me from childhood, nothing more."

Ye Li frowned and said, "He wants to see the Empress. Originally, as soon as he returned to the capital city, he wanted to come into the palace, but I and the Prince persuaded him not to. But if I bring back such an answer, he will surely never be convinced no matter what. At that time, we might still have to arrange for him to see the Empress."

The Empress shook her head and said, "There's no need for a meeting. Currently, the palace is strictly guarded both inside and outside. As the new emperor will ascend to the throne soon, I don't care about these matters. Tell Duke Feng that there's no need for him to come into the palace; I have no time."

Ye Li fell silent. No time was indeed a good excuse to refuse. When someone doesn't even have time to see you, it clearly shows their indifference towards you. The Empress is undoubtedly a very intelligent woman from any perspective.

"What are your plans for the future" Ye Li asked with a furrowed brow.

The Empress was puzzled and looked at Ye Li. Ye Li pressed her lips together and smiled faintly, "If you want me to persuade Duke Feng, you must give me sufficient reasons. At least... let him know that without him, the Empress can still live extremely well, even better than with him" The Empress understood what she meant and said solemnly, "As the new emperor ascends the throne, I will become the Dowager Empress of Great Chu. Isn't this enough"

"Perhaps it is," Ye Li sighed.

The two were silent for a moment. Outside the door came an uproar, "How dare you! Let the Empress come out! I want to see her!"

"Your Majesty the Dowager Empress, Queen Consort is receiving Prince Ding's wife at present. Please wait a little longer," one of the palace maids outside tried to persuade.

"Rashness! Who dares to make me wait You surnamed Feng, come out here for me!"

Ye Li frowned and asked in confusion, "Didn't she die as a sacrifice Why is there still an uproar Is Lady Consort Liu still alive"

The Empress smiled faintly, "Both the Qin Prince and the Lu Family are against Lady Consort Liu dying as a sacrificial maiden. The key point is that the Regent Prince's opinion has also become uncertain now. Since Lady Consort Liu is still alive, the Dowager Empress naturally cannot act temporarily either. Those families are currently still arguing with officials and scholars. I heard there’s an idea of waiting until after the emperor's burial to carry out the sacrifice. It won't be seen as violating the will.

"Then it doesn’t concern the Dowager Empress, right The previous emperor has been buried for almost twenty years."

"Who knows what they're thinking. In such matters, whatever I say is wrong anyway. Might as well let them argue themselves." Hearing the uproar outside getting worse and the tenth prince inside crying again, the Empress frowned and called out loudly, "Please bring in Your Majesty the Dowager Empress."

There was a brief silence outside before the Dowager Empress entered grandly with her entourage. play! If Lady Princess doesn’t really have the ability, naturally I wouldn't be convinced!""Chen Yun, how dare you!" Lu Jinxian scolded.Lady Ye waved her hand with a smile. "No harm done; I specializ...