"Li'er, this is your Uncle Yi."
"Greetings, Uncle Yi," Mo Lixia said, performing a simple bow. Her unconventional way of greeting didn't seem to bother the men at all.
"En... a fine child. Wushang, now that you've found your precious daughter, you won't blame this... this old man anymore, will you?" Uncle Yi spoke. Despite his disheveled hair, his presence was undeniable. His sharp, sword-like eyebrows and intense black eyes radiated an aura of absolute authority. He sat there like a hawk in the dark—cold, proud, and possessing a strength that suggested he could command the world with a single word.
Mo Wushang glanced at Yang Baiwen, who nodded slightly, signaling that Uncle Yi—the Emperor—already knew the truth. "I wouldn't dare... finding my daughter has indeed fulfilled my greatest wish."
"Haha! Good. I heard it was you who saved my life?" the Emperor asked, looking at Mo Lixia.
"Yes, Uncle Yi."
"Consider this a meeting gift... and a token of my gratitude." The Emperor reached for his waist and untied a piece of exquisite jade.
Mo Lixia waved her hands quickly. "Since you are my father's friend, it was only right. Please, don't be so formal."
"This?" The Emperor froze, his hand mid-air. This was likely the first time someone had ever rejected a gift from him. He looked a bit embarrassed.
Yang Baiwen laughed. "Niece Li'er, this is Uncle Yi's heart. You must accept it." He also untied a jade pendant from his own belt. "We are traveling light and don't have many treasures on us. Once we return to the Capital, I'll give you something better. For now, please take this."
Mo Lixia looked at Mo Wushang. Seeing him nod, she finally accepted the gifts and thanked them both.
Just then, Mochen returned from the backyard. His face lit up when he saw Mo Lixia. "Master! You're back! Mochen has been very good. Look, I've already checked Uncle Yi's wound and re-dressed it myself!"
"Good boy," Mo Lixia said, rubbing his head affectionately.
"Haha! It seems even the mountains produce great talents," the Emperor and the other two laughed.
Suddenly, a barrage of curses erupted from outside, so loud it made their ears ring. Liu-shi barged into the courtyard, hands on her hips, pointing a trembling finger at Mo Lixia. The three elders immediately frowned.
"You little slut! Not only did you kill my daughter-in-law, but now you've crippled my son!" she shrieked, her eyes bulging with rage.
Mo Wushang, having just reunited with his daughter, couldn't stand seeing her insulted. He was about to step forward when Mo Lixia stopped him with a calm, reassuring look.
She stared at Liu-shi with icy eyes. Her past tolerance had clearly made these people think she was an easy target.
"Just because I don't explain myself doesn't mean I will yield," Mo Lixia said coldly. "For the sake of us being neighbors, I suggest you leave now."
"Leave? Why should I!" Liu-shi scoffed. "My son is injured because of you. He won't be able to work for months. Between the lost wages, the medical bills, and the recovery costs... you owe us at least fifty taels!"
"Fifty taels?" Mo Lixia let out a short laugh. "Why don't you ask what your son did first? Oh, by the way, Mochen, go find the Village Head. Tell him I want to report Er Dan to the authorities for 'attempted abduction of a commoner girl.' What's the punishment for that again?"
"For attempted abduction," Yang Baiwen interjected in a breezy tone, "the punishment ranges from the 'death of a thousand cuts' to being sent to the border as a slave for life."
Liu-shi's face went pale.
"Master, no need to find the Village Head," Mochen added cleverly, catching onto the game. "Didn't Lord Yan visit us yesterday? He's the Prefect of Fucheng. He said he'd be back today. We can just tell him directly."
Mo Lixia gave Mochen a mental thumbs-up. "Oh, right! I almost forgot. We'll speak to Lord Yan when he arrives."
Liu-shi's heart hammered against her ribs. She had seen a group of high-ranking soldiers leaving the village this morning. Was it true? She looked at the three men behind Mo Lixia. Their bearing was extraordinary; they certainly didn't look like commoners. If they really were high officials, her family was doomed.
"Well... Er Dan must be hungry. I need to go check on him," Liu-shi stammered, her arrogance vanishing instantly. "I'll let it slide today since you're just a young girl."
She scrambled out of the gate as fast as she could. Mo Lixia sneered but didn't chase her. After the woman was gone, Mochen eagerly explained the whole history of the Liu family's bullying to the elders.
"Ignorant peasant," the Emperor said, his voice dropping an octave. "We'll mention this to Lord Yan. I believe the border is currently short of labor."
With a single sentence, he had decided Er Dan's fate.
In the following days, Mo Lixia spent her time cooking for her three "uncles" and the recovering patient. Having been accustomed to delicacies, the men found her simple, rustic dishes incredibly delicious.
One afternoon, Mo Lixia went to the village, leaving the men and the children to bask in the sun in the courtyard, eating cherries Mochen had washed.
"This little courtyard is well-designed," the Emperor mused, pointing at the clever water system. "The flow is constant and clean."
Mo Wushang and Yang Baiwen nodded in agreement.
Mochen, playing with A'Mu nearby, chimed in, "My Master's Master made all of this. Master loves it here."
"A'Mu?" Yang Baiwen looked at the creature in Mochen's arms. "How did this... rat... grow so large?"
"Haha! It's not a rat! It's a chinchilla," Mochen explained proudly. "Master calls it a 'Dragon Cat.' It's a creature of good fortune."
"A chinchilla? Baiwen, have you heard of such a thing?" the Emperor asked.
Yang Baiwen shook his head. "I might have seen it in an ancient text, but I can't recall. It's truly rare."
"Master says A'Mu isn't from around here. He might be the only one in the entire Great Imperial Dynasty!"
"Haha!" The men laughed, enjoying the peaceful mountain life.
By noon, Mo Lixia hadn't returned. The Emperor, whose stomach was now accustomed to her cooking, rubbed his belly. "Wushang, I'm actually a bit hungry. If only Li'er were my daughter..."
Mo Wushang tilted his chin up with pride, earning a mocking look from the Emperor.
"Uncle Yi, if you're hungry, have some steamed buns with mushroom sauce first," Mochen offered. "My Master's mushroom sauce is the best!"
"Oh? Mushroom sauce?"
"I'll get some!"
Mochen soon returned with four buns and a bowl of fragrant sauce. The three men, who had eaten every luxury imaginable, found themselves devouring the simple meal as if it were a royal feast. They couldn't get enough.