The Little Darling Wife Who is a Divine Doctor Saved the Entire Family of the Duke's Mansion Chapter 567: Are These the Mo Children

With deft movements, Zhu slid his long sword into the sheath on his back, leaped lightly from the martial arts stage, and strode toward Yu Er.

He glanced about, then shouted up high:

"Rice Ball, Little White, come get some apples."

Little White dove down like a speeding arrow and perched right on Zhu's shoulder.

Rice Ball had ballooned into a hefty beast weighing more than two hundred pounds. At its young master's summons, it agilely descended from the treetop, waddling on stubby legs while shaking its rear, and dashed swiftly to Zhu.

Zhu petted Little White atop his shoulder first, then flung an apple to Rice Ball.

"You two are such fine companions."

Rice Ball rubbed its fluffy massive head hard against Zhu, then hauled the little apple aside to munch.

Just then, a bunch of young kids crowded around Zhu.

These were the Mo Family offspring. In these six years, aside from He Zhiran, the sisters-in-law had given birth one by one, bringing over thirty new descendants to the Mo Family.

The kids in front were the elder ones. They saw Zhu as their big brother, and daily, boys and girls trained in studies and martial arts under his lead.

Zhu carried himself like a true big brother. Though this boy rarely smiled from childhood, he remained deeply caring toward his little siblings.

For example, Zhu went to Yu Er right away and grabbed the largest apple. Yet he didn't bite into it himself—instead, he spun around and handed it to Ming Zhu.

Soon, his younger brothers and sisters formed a neat line, each getting a big apple from big brother Zhu.

Last in the basket sat the tiniest apple, which Zhu claimed for himself.

This brotherly warmth was everyday life in the Mo Family, yet to Nan Yu, it felt miraculous.

"Ninth Young Master, are all these kids Mo Family members?"

"Most belong to the Mo Family, though my two cousins join them. They study and train in martial arts together each day." Mo Jiuye stood with his back ramrod straight as he replied.

These children had grown up side by side from infancy, with Old Lady Mo drilling rules into them herself.

Daily, Old Lady Mo taught them that family meant humility, harmony, and shared striving.

The kids etched her lessons deep. Even the wildest ones never shattered family bonds over trifles.

Nan Yu burned with envy. He'd heard capital elders praise this before.

The Mo Family's nine brothers shared unbreakable brotherhood from youth, free of the backstabbing and plots that plagued other rich families' heirs over gains.

Hearing such tales, he yearned for his own princes to follow suit—especially in the royal house, where throne wars tore brothers apart so often.

But Nan Yu despised that fate.

To achieve it, he planned to tutor his sons himself in time.

Still, though they feigned unity before him, spies revealed a far uglier truth behind closed doors.

Thus, witnessing the Mo kids' perfect harmony, how could Nan Yu not covet it?

A bold idea struck him suddenly.

"Ninth Young Master, I have four sons now. Will you accept them and guide their upbringing?"

Nan Yu spoke from pure hope—wanting his boys to grasp family bonds and modesty like the Mo children, sparing future throne-bloodshed among them.

This stunned both Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran.

Mo Jiuye bore another surname and commanded lands and armies as a prince.

Normally, emperors dispatched sons to the capital as hostages, but here...

He offered his sons to them.

How vast must Nan Yu's faith in the pair run?

Mo Jiuye harbored no treason, yet rulers weighed endless risks, forever guarding against such moves. Dispatching sons northwest handed rivals their greatest weapon.

This very worry filled the couple's thoughts, and Mo Jiuye gave it voice.

"Your Highness, no fears about sending the young princes northwest?"

Nan Yu grasped the implied concerns at once.

"If I can't trust the Ninth Young Master, no one in this world merits trust."

Truth be told, Nan Yu plotted even deeper. He knew the Mo Family's unyielding loyalty—no fear they'd ever turn against Da Shun.

His desire was for his sons to immerse themselves in the Mo Family's ambiance, though he harbored a selfish reason as well—he hoped they could build bonds with the Mo Family's children right from childhood.

Whichever son ended up succeeding him later on, the Mo Family brothers would stand as steadfast allies.

Naturally, Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran could see through this purpose too.

Yet as parents, they preferred not to meddle excessively in the younger generation's decisions.

Thus, the pair chose not to dwell on it overly.

"Since Your Highness has made this decision, we as a couple have no objections."

After all, Mo Jiuye was precisely that sort of man—if you showed him genuine sincerity, he'd repay it in full.

...

Nan Yu lingered at the Mo Family for seven full days. When departure came, his heart brimmed with unwillingness.

He cherished every bit of the northwest, above all the straightforward and heartfelt Mo Family lifestyle that sparked such envy.

Yet he knew full well that Da Shun's sprawling territories and massive population barred it from mirroring the northwest's development.

Still, he clung to his founding dreams. Even without matching the northwest's prosperity, he'd make sure the people never went hungry or lacked clothes.

What's more, a fresh notion stirred in him—after raising a worthy son to take his place, he'd retire to the northwest for his final years.

The northwest offered him true friends, his very own uncle, and the unadorned existence he'd long yearned for.

Regrettably, that early burning ambition, ignited upon learning his real heritage, had driven him to claim this throne.

Now at the pinnacle, he grasped all too sharply the solitude of an isolated sovereign.

Such isolation was the last thing Nan Yu had expected at the outset.

Regret found no place in him, though. The triumphs he'd forged over six years on the throne brought him the deepest peace of mind.

Three months passed, and Nan Yu truly dispatched his four princes.

Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran took them in with grave duty. Since Nan Yu aimed for the young princes to mature in the pure surroundings of the Mo Family children, not a single attendant from the palace could stay.

Who could say which consort had dispatched these servants? What if they slyly instilled wicked habits in the princes behind closed doors? Wouldn't that squander every bit of the Mo Family's toil and shatter Nan Yu's faith in them?