Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 362 - 361. Ye Li returns, Beirong takes action

361. Ye Li Returns, Beirong Strikes

Princess Consort Ding, Ye Li, a woman, defeated the King of Northern Territory, Ren Qining, in just over a month. In a little more than two months, she completely pacified the entire northeastern region. The boundary with the barbarians of the Northern Territory was reset to where it was during the era of Great Chu. However, the returned lands and people were no longer subjects of Great Chu but were now under the rule of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion.

Although power-holders of large countries like Great Chu, Xiling, and Beirong could see that Ren Qining’s Northern Territory was inherently unstable and fraught with internal dangers, he still commanded a million-strong force. That Princess Consort Ding completely pacified it in less than three months was nothing short of astounding. From then on, Princess Consort Ding Ye Li’s military exploits had established a record completely unsurpassed by any famous general in history. The people under Prince Ding’s Mansion and those in the newly pacified lands beyond Zijing Pass revered Princess Consort Ding as a deity.

Inside the Southern Garrison Prince’s temporary residence in Xiling Town, Lei Zhenting was engrossed in the map spread out on his desk. Ever since Cangmang Mountain had gotten involved with Mo Jingli, Mo Jingli had begun to show faint signs of provoking Xiling. Cangmang Mountain indeed possessed some skill, and Lei Zhenting had suffered a few minor setbacks in several confrontations with them. These experiences only strengthened Lei Zhenting’s determination to destroy Cangmang Mountain.

Seated to the side, Young Master Qingchen, dressed in white, sat calmly. Although Cangmang Mountain was hidden deep in the mountains with a natural defensive formation serving as cover, Young Master Qingchen showed no signs of worry on his face. He leisurely sipped his tea, awaiting Lei Zhenting’s response.

"Father! Father!" Lei Tengfeng rushed in from outside holding a letter, causing Lei Zhenting to frown. In terms of age, Lei Tengfeng was close to Xu Qingchen and Mo Xiuyao. However, when it came to temperament, let alone strategic acumen, he was far less calm and composed than those two. No wonder Lei Zhenting had always been worried about his only son.

Actually, in terms of ability and strategy, Lei Tengfeng might not be as exceptionally talented as Mo Xiuyao and Xu Qingchen, but he was definitely not inferior to the likes of Mo Jingli and Ren Qining. It was just that he had spent many years under his father’s shadow and lacked tempering, which was why his temperament seemed somewhat lacking compared to others of his generation.

"Young Master Qingchen is still here, yet you’re shouting and making a scene. What kind of behavior is this? What has happened?" Lei Zhenting said in a deep voice.

Only when he entered the room did Lei Tengfeng notice Xu Qingchen sitting to one side, and he inwardly regretted his earlier recklessness. But being berated by his father in front of Xu Qingchen, his expression turned somewhat unsightly. Xu Qingchen put down his teacup and said with a smile, "Commandery Prince Rui must have something important to discuss. I shall take my leave."

Lei Zhenting glanced at the letter in Lei Tengfeng’s hand, and he could roughly guess its contents. Shaking his head, he said, "Young Master Qingchen is not an outsider. You can speak freely."

Lei Tengfeng hesitated for a moment, then presented the letter to Lei Zhenting and said, "Princess Consort Ding has defeated Ren Qining’s million-strong army. Ren Qining committed suicide."

"What?" Even Lei Zhenting, who had weathered many storms, couldn’t help but be taken aback. It was no wonder his son had lost his composure earlier. Originally, Lei Zhenting, while not optimistic about the alliance between Beirong and the Northern Territory, had been pleased to see it happen. After all, while he had to cooperate with Prince Ding’s Mansion to deal with Cangmang Mountain, he also had to guard against Prince Ding’s Mansion launching a surprise attack from behind. With the Northern Territory acting as a check, he felt more at ease. He had never imagined that Ye Li alone could annihilate the Northern Territory in just two months, and Mo Xiuyao hadn’t even needed to act. Is Prince Ding’s Mansion too strong, or is the Northern Territory too vulnerable?

Thinking of this, Lei Zhenting’s gaze towards Xu Qingchen also changed somewhat. Xu Qingchen, however, seemed oblivious, his demeanor calm. Lei Zhenting composed himself, then smiled at Xu Qingchen, "Princess Consort Ding is truly a peerless heroine, the likes of whom are not seen in a thousand years. This Prince must congratulate Young Master Qingchen and Prince Ding’s Mansion."

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. Although pacifying the Northern Territory could be attributed to incredible luck, almost impossible to replicate, he was very happy that his cousin had successfully accomplished such a monumental task. Nodding with a reserved smile, he said, "Thank you, Your Highness. Li’er is still young, and it was her luck to attain such an achievement through a fortunate stroke of luck." Lei Tengfeng, standing to the side, couldn’t help but feel the corners of his mouth twitch. Princess Consort Ding had made her name known throughout the world in less than ten years, defended Yonglin, quelled the Northwest, swept over Xiling, and now pacified the Northern Territory. Even his father had suffered losses at her hands. If such a person is still considered young, what will she be like when she’s no longer young? Will she even let others live?

Perhaps Xu Qingchen sensed that such humble remarks could sound more like boasting to others; he smiled faintly and smoothly changed the topic, "The matter of the Northern Territory is thousands of miles away; we shouldn’t concern ourselves with it. Instead, we should discuss how to deal with this Cangmang Mountain. If our two families combine forces and still can’t take down a mere Cangmang Mountain, then I, Xu, would truly have no face to return to Licheng."

Lei Zhenting and Lei Tengfeng both looked reinvigorated. The matter of the Northern Territory was a foregone conclusion; dwelling on it further was useless. It was just that the northern border defenses would need to be carefully re-evaluated and rearranged. As for the immediate concern, if the tens of thousands of elite troops of the Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion, plus the world-renowned strategist Young Master Qingchen, still couldn’t take down a mere Cangmang Mountain, then they, not Ren Qining, would become the world’s biggest joke. Moreover, Mo Jingli, relying on Cangmang Mountain’s backing, had been repeatedly provocative along the Yunlan River. Lei Zhenting absolutely could not tolerate this affront. Currently, failing to destroy Cangmang Mountain would only mean a slight loss of face for Prince Ding’s Mansion, but for Xiling, it had already become a formidable enemy!

Lei Zhenting nodded, "Young Master Qingchen speaks reasonably. That natural defensive formation within the Cangmang Mountains—does Young Master Qingchen have any thoughts on it?"

Xu Qingchen frowned, "Although I have looked at the map, it is ultimately incomplete. I have some thoughts in mind, but I need to personally visit Cangmang Mountain to confirm them."

Lei Zhenting said, "There are some minor issues by the Yunlan River recently that I must attend to, so I cannot accompany you, Young Master. Instead, I will have my son lead fifty thousand elite troops to accompany you to Cangmang Mountain. What do you think, Young Master Qingchen?" Xu Qingchen nodded and, cupping his hands in salute towards Lei Tengfeng, smiled, "Then I shall impose on Commandery Prince Rui."

Lei Tengfeng quickly returned the salute, "It is my duty, Young Master Qingchen. Please don’t trouble yourself over it."

After Xu Qingchen left, Lei Zhenting and his son were silent for a long while in the study. Lei Tengfeng asked worriedly, "Father, are we really going to let the matter of the Northern Territory be?"

Lei Zhenting smiled bitterly, "How could we manage it? The Northern Territory originally had no connection to our Xiling, and they were the ones who first provoked Prince Ding’s Mansion. Even their destruction and death are self-inflicted; they have no one else to blame. It’s just... even I didn’t expect this Ye Li to be so..."

Lei Tengfeng couldn’t help but sigh in admiration, "Princess Consort Ding is truly beyond compare among the women of this world. Even those few from Cangmang Mountain are probably a hundred thousand li inferior to her."

Lei Zhenting looked at the letter Lei Tengfeng had presented. "Princess Consort Ding posthumously ennobled Ren Qining as Prince Changqing? Such magnanimity..." Back in Xiling, Ren Qining had plotted Ye Li’s assassination, which directly led to Mo Xiuyao slaughtering the Xiling nobles until blood flowed like rivers. For such a person, it was already merciful of Ye Li not to have him drawn and quartered, his corpse abandoned in the wilderness. Yet she actually granted him a posthumous title of prince and buried him with the honors befitting a marquis or prince.

"Although Princess Consort Ding is a woman, she already possesses the breadth of mind and bearing of a man who can command the winds and clouds and look down upon the world," Lei Zhenting sighed softly.

Father and son sighed repeatedly, ultimately could only sigh and lament that Mo Xiuyao was incredibly fortunate.

「In Jiangnan, inside Great Chu’s Regent Prince Mansion.」

When Mo Jingli received the news, he was far less composed than Lei Zhenting and his son. With a sweep of his large hand, he sent everything on his desk crashing to the floor. His hand clutched the letter tightly, veins bulging on its back.

"Ye Li... what a fine Ye Li!" No matter how much power he now held, Mo Jingli felt an unceasing, extreme unwillingness to accept it. Perhaps he had understood long ago that abandoning that woman was the greatest loss and regret of his life. And now, every achievement of Prince Ding’s Mansion seemed to proclaim his incompetence. The news of Ye Li pacifying the Northern Territory felt like a particular mockery aimed at him.

"What are you fussing about now?" Dongfang You appeared at the door of the study. She had shed her usual snow-white attire and was now dressed in the magnificent robes of the Princess Consort Regent. This lent Dongfang You’s already beautiful face an added air of grace and nobility. Only, the cold, seemingly mocking gaze she directed at Mo Jingli made it impossible to associate them with a newlywed couple.

Mo Jingli’s face grew dark. He said displeasedly, "What are you doing here?"

Dongfang You ignored his dark expression, stepped boldly into the study, crossing the littered floor to stand before Mo Jingli. She said with a half-smile, "Are you angry because Prince Ding’s Mansion and Ye Li destroyed Ren Qining?"

Mo Jingli snorted derisively, "News from Cangmang Mountain indeed travels fast."

Dongfang You arched an eyebrow, "News from Cangmang Mountain is naturally well-informed. What’s so strange about that? I knew about this ten days ago."

Mo Jingli’s expression changed, and he grabbed Dongfang You’s arm, "Ten days ago? Why didn’t you tell me?!"

Dongfang You casually brushed his hand away, a contemptuous smile on her face. "Why should I tell you? Do you think that by marrying me, Cangmang Mountain has become something you can control? Mo Jingli, you think too highly of yourself. My master agreed to assist you only as a last resort. Just look at what sort of material you are!"

Mocked thus by his own wife, Mo Jingli’s face contorted. He shoved Dongfang You away, roaring, "Bitch! You..."

Dongfang You cut him off unceremoniously, "My master wants me to tell you, don’t always act on your own accord. And take a look at your current strength! If you truly anger Lei Zhenting, you won’t be able to handle the consequences!"

Saying this, Dongfang You turned and walked out the door, ignoring Mo Jingli’s expression. Mo Jingli stared coldly at Dongfang You’s retreating back as it disappeared through the doorway, gritting his teeth as he enunciated, "Dong... Fang... You..."

No matter how much he gritted his teeth, Mo Jingli couldn’t change the fact that he was currently powerless against Dongfang You. When he initially schemed to marry Dongfang You, he was only after the power of Cangmang Mountain. Now that he had obtained it, he also understood why Mo Xiuyao had been so dismissive of Cangmang Mountain’s power, and why the ever-ambitious Lei Zhenting had never involved himself with Cangmang Mountain from the beginning.

True, Cangmang Mountain’s strength was astonishing. With their assistance, Great Chu’s strength had increased significantly in just a few short months; even now, they might even have the strength to contend with Lei Zhenting. But by the same token, he was also controlled by Cangmang Mountain. Many decisions he made required Dongfang Hui’s approval, and Dongfang You, harboring resentment, constantly found fault with him. The dignified Regent Prince of Great Chu, controlled by two women—such humiliation filled Mo Jingli with a rage that no amount of power could appease.

While various parties were engrossed in discussion, Ye Li, having dealt with the major and minor affairs in Changqing City, delegated the remaining trivial matters to Leng Haoyu, Leng Huai, and others. She herself, accompanied by Zhuo Jing and a few others, passed through the gates and headed towards the Mo Family Army’s main encampment where Mo Xiuyao was.

Mo Xiuyao had been waiting outside the gate early on. Upon seeing Ye Li and the others approaching on horseback, he immediately flew up to meet them, landing on Ye Li’s horse behind her. The Ferghana horse Ye Li rode was one in a million; even with someone suddenly landing on its back, it showed no alarm and continued to walk steadily forward. Mo Xiuyao sat behind Ye Li, one arm around her waist, and with a tug of the reins in his other hand, the horse neighed and veered off in another direction. This left Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing, and their group staring at each other, momentarily unsure whether to follow or not.

After a moment, Qin Feng shook his head and said, "Let’s head back first. With the Prince and Princess Consort together, there surely won’t be any issues." The Prince clearly wants some private time with the Princess Consort. If we tactlessly follow, wouldn’t we be inviting the Prince to hold a grudge against us? We might suffer greatly for it someday. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The others found this very reasonable and together urged their horses towards the main camp. As a result, the generals waiting outside the main camp to welcome the Princess Consort’s return were left waiting in vain. After looking at each other, they could only sheepishly head back.

Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li shared a horse. After riding for some distance, Mo Xiuyao let go of the reins, allowing the horse to wander freely. It would occasionally stop to nibble at the green grass on the ground. Mo Xiuyao simply held Ye Li close, his chin resting on her shoulder, nuzzling her affectionately. "Ah-Li, you’re finally back. I missed you so much, you know."

Ye Li turned her head helplessly, leaned back into his embrace, kissed his cheek, and whispered, "I missed you too."

Mo Xiuyao’s eyes lit up. He hooked her delicate chin with his finger, staring at her warm, crimson lips before fiercely kissing them. "Ah-Li..."

"Xiuyao... don’t tease..." Ye Li was taken aback by his sudden passion. Mo Xiuyao, however, was unwilling to stop. He raised a hand to cup the back of her head, deepening the kiss. Resigned, Ye Li sighed softly in her heart, raised her hands to encircle his neck, and sank into the intimate embrace.

Mo Xiuyao held Ye Li and leaned to one side, and they both immediately tumbled from the horse’s back. Ye Li reflexively clung tightly to Mo Xiuyao. They landed on the grassy ground together, rolling quite a distance before coming to a stop. Mo Xiuyao looked down from above at the slightly flushed, delicate face beneath him and rained down a string of lingering kisses, then buried his head in Ye Li’s hair and chuckled softly, "Ah-Li, Ah-Li..."

Silver hair and black hair intertwined, exceptionally striking, yet they seemed as if they were always meant to be entwined. Ye Li smiled faintly and said softly, "Xiuyao, I’m back."

Mo Xiuyao helped Ye Li up, and the two sat shoulder to shoulder on the grassy ground. It turned out that Ye Li’s horse, wandering at its leisure, had brought them to a mountain hollow not far from the main camp. Sitting on the slope of the hollow and looking down, they could see the Beirong army’s encampment in the distance.

"Ah-Li, you pacified the Northern Territory in just over two months, while your husband has achieved nothing in these past two months or more. I feel quite ashamed," Mo Xiuyao gazed at Ye Li with pleading eyes and said with a playful smile.

Ye Li reached out and gently pinched his handsome face, chuckling, "Comparing Beirong to the Northern Territory? Is Yelv Ye not desperately trying to fight you to the death?" Though both are nations, the difference between Beirong and the Northern Territory is like that between clouds and mud. Beirong was established hundreds of years ago and has repeatedly invaded the Central Plains throughout dynasties. Although it never truly conquered the Central Plains, it can be said that Beirong has historically posed the greatest threat to the Central Plains dynasties. Furthermore, Beirong’s harsh climate and environment, and its people’s fierce and martial customs, were far more pronounced than in the Northern Territory. It could be said that although Yelv Ye had allied with the Northern Territory, he merely regarded Ren Qining as a pawn to tie down the Mo Family Army and never considered him an ally of equal standing.

Mo Xiuyao gently rubbed his face against Ye Li’s, smiling. "He doesn’t want to fight me to the death; he only wants my life." Yelv Ye is still thinking of returning to Beirong to contend with Yelv Hong for the throne of Beirong. How could he possibly fight me to the death? It’s just a pity that there are many people in this world who want Mo Xiuyao’s life, yet Mo Xiuyao is still alive and, in fact, living better and better.

"Have Yelv Hong and Princess Ronghua already returned?" Ye Li asked.

Mo Xiuyao nodded, "Yes, but Helian Zhen has arrived. Moreover, he has brought eight hundred thousand troops and horses with him. Now there are at least one million three hundred thousand men in Beirong’s main camp."

"That many?" Ye Li frowned slightly. No wonder Mo Xiuyao said that after so long, he still hadn’t achieved a single inch of merit. Excluding the troops from various parts of Great Chu that Prince Ding’s Mansion had successively reclaimed, the elite forces of the Mo Family Army proper numbered less than one million in total, and they also had to garrison various locations. In terms of troop numbers alone, they couldn’t contend with Beirong.

Mo Xiuyao gave a cold smile, "The more that come, the better. I promised Yelv Hong I wouldn’t touch the foundation of Beirong, but since they’ve come across the pass themselves, they shouldn’t dream of returning."

Seeing the flash of killing intent on Mo Xiuyao’s face, Ye Li tenderly kissed his somewhat cold cheek, whispering, "Don’t rush. We will avenge Eldest Brother."

Mo Xiuyao nodded, "Ah-Li, thank you."

The two of them led the horse down the small mountain hollow. At the foot of the mountain was a small village. The village was sparsely populated, its inhabitants looking listless, their eyes dull, and as thin as firewood. Their ragged clothes were a sight one couldn’t bear to look at. Recalling the people under the governance of Prince Ding’s Mansion in the Northwest, who lived in peace and contentment with ample food and clothing, and then looking at these weary and despairing people, Ye Li couldn’t help but feel her nose sting with unshed tears.

Seeing her lost in thought as she looked at the people, Mo Xiuyao couldn’t help but sigh softly. He drew her into his embrace and promised in a low voice, "We will deal with the Beirong people as soon as possible."

Ye Li asked, somewhat confused, "Why don’t these people leave this place?"

Mo Xiuyao shook his head, "Leave here? Where else could they go? Even if Prince Ding’s Mansion could shelter them, many would starve to death on the long journey. Moreover, the Northwest is small; how could it accommodate so many people? Where in the world isn’t in chaos right now? Even if they fled to the South, the South is likewise not peaceful. Furthermore, there are many elderly, young children, and women. Firstly, it’s hard to leave one’s homeland; secondly, they lack the ability to travel such a long distance. This village is the same: the young have either joined the army or fled as refugees, leaving behind only the elderly who cannot travel and helpless young children. They are already considered fortunate. More than half of the people in the north were killed when the Beirong army first invaded through the pass. Villages like this are everywhere..." Speaking of these things, Mo Xiuyao couldn’t help but feel somewhat disheartened.

When Beirong first invaded Great Chu, he was in the midst of planning an attack on Xiling, so the Northwest naturally had no troops to support Great Chu in resisting Beirong. Although at that time Prince Ding’s Mansion had already severed all ties with Great Chu, and was not at fault in terms of reputation or righteousness, faced with these distressed and listless commoners, Mo Xiuyao’s heart was not made of iron; he still couldn’t avoid that sliver of guilt.

"Are you... are you His Highness Prince Ding and the Princess Consort?" As the two led their horses, strolling along, a trembling elderly voice suddenly came from the roadside. They looked intently and saw by the roadside a white-haired, raggedly dressed old man in his seventies, leaning on a wooden staff and looking at them with trembling eyes.

Mo Xiuyao silently regarded the old man for a long moment before asking, "How did you know?"

The old man said excitedly, "I heard that His Highness Prince Ding, though in the prime of his life, has a full head of white hair... And this old man has also heard that the Prince’s army camp is just a few dozen li away. Your Highness, Princess Consort... Please, save the people of our Great Chu!" As he spoke, the old man’s wooden staff slipped, and he fell to his knees on the ground, tears streaming down his face. A few villagers nearby heard the old man’s words, quickly ran over, and soon a group of them were kneeling, all weeping profusely.

Ye Li looked around; indeed, those present were either elderly people in their sixties or seventies, or children of a few years old, along with a few women. Except for the oblivious children, everyone’s face bore an expression of profound sorrow, yet when they looked at Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao, there was a hint of hope in their eyes.

Ye Li stooped down to help up the leading old man, momentarily at a loss for words.

She glanced sideways at Mo Xiuyao and saw that he too was somber and speechless. Ye Li spoke softly to the old man, "Elder, are you willing to leave this place?"

The old man shook his head. "We already have one foot in the grave; where could we possibly go? We only hope that the Prince and Princess Consort can drive those brigands out, to avenge our many fellow villagers who died so tragically, and to allow these children, who still don’t understand the world, to grow up safely and peacefully. As for us old folks, if we die, we die..."

Ye Li saw the villagers’ sallow, emaciated faces and knew how arduous their lives were. She sighed and said, "Later, I will have some grain sent over. Winter will arrive in another two months. However, if it’s possible, you should still relocate further to the rear. When the autumn harvest comes, Beirong soldiers will inevitably come out to plunder grain. In a little while, when the two armies clash, this place will become even more unsettled."

"This..." The old man hesitated. Their village was very close to the front lines between the two armies and was indeed frequently harassed by the Beirong people. Fortunately, the Beirong people were no longer killing everyone on sight as they did when they first entered the pass. But these people were either old and weak or young and ignorant; where could they possibly go?

Mo Xiuyao said solemnly, "There are a few villages sixty li further to the rear, which are now sparsely populated. You can go there to live. The battle line will not shift further back than that. You can live there with peace of mind. Tomorrow, this Prince will send men to escort you there." This statement from Mo Xiuyao was tantamount to a promise: as long as the Mo Family Army had even one soldier left, they would never retreat another step.

Hearing this, the crowd was overjoyed, weeping tears of joy and kneeling to thank Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao once more. Ye Li helplessly helped the old man up and also pulled up a small child standing beside her. The child, merely five or six years old, looked up at Ye Li without any fear. Ye Li gave him a faint smile. The child immediately blushed and clutched the old man’s sleeve, hiding behind him. Ye Li thought of the spirited Mo Xiaobao, Leng Junhan, Xu Zhirui, and the others in Prince Ding’s Mansion. Comparing them to this thin, small child in ill-fitting old clothes, she felt a pang in her heart.

Because of what they had seen at the foot of the mountain, neither of them was in the mood to wander around anymore, so they returned to the main camp together.

「Upon their return to the camp, all the generals came out to greet them.」

At this time, apart from Zhang Qilan guarding Xiling, Veteran General Yuan Pei guarding Feihong Pass, Murong Shen defending the Capital of Great Chu, and Leng Huai far away in Changqing, all the renowned generals of the Mo Family Army were gathered in the camp—several dozen of them.

"The Princess Consort has pacified the Northern Territory, a meritorious deed for the ages. I, on behalf of everyone here, congratulate the Princess Consort." Third Young Master Feng, dressed flamboyantly in red, was not dressed in battle armor like the other generals. Instead, he appeared exceptionally dashing and spirited.

With a faint smile, Ye Li cupped her hands in salute and said, "It is the achievement of everyone. Third Young Master Feng, you overpraise me."

All the generals also congratulated Ye Li in unison. They already held a deep respect for Princess Consort Ding. Now, with the added battle accomplishment of pacifying the Northern Territory, no one in the Mo Family Army, from top to bottom, dared to doubt Princess Consort Ding’s abilities any longer.

With Ye Li’s return, Mo Xiuyao was also in high spirits. He dismissed everyone, keeping only Lv Jinxian and a few others to discuss matters. The group couldn’t help but ask Ye Li about matters in the Northern Territory. Ye Li didn’t want to spoil everyone’s enthusiasm, so she had to pick out some important matters to recount. On one hand, they lamented Ren Qining’s bad luck and Prince Ding’s Mansion’s good fortune, sighing that indeed, Heaven’s will also favored Prince Ding’s Mansion. On the other hand, they inwardly marveled at the Princess Consort’s methods, vision, and strategy. Perhaps they too could lead troops to pacify the Northern Territory, but to take it so easily, almost without shedding blood—it was doubtful that even two among those present could achieve that.

After hearing Ye Li speak, Mo Xiuyao pondered for a moment and said, "Leng Huai and Leng Haoyu are sufficient for Changqing. Later, have He Su return."

Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled. "It seems things here are quite thorny? The army has valiant generals as numerous as clouds, yet you still need to recall He Su."

Lv Jinxian and the others, who knew He Su was one of Ye Li’s trusted subordinates, smiled and said, "The Princess Consort is right. Helian Zhen has been neglected by the King of Beirong these past years. It’s rare that he didn’t become dispirited; instead, he actually cultivated several talented individuals. Now Beirong has a million elite soldiers, and under him are also valiant generals as numerous as clouds. We’ve long heard that General He’s ability to lead troops is unparalleled among the younger generals. If he can come, it would naturally be a good thing."

Marquis South stroked his beard, nodding with a smile. "Exactly. The Princess Consort also has many capable people under her command. Among the current generation of young generals, General He Su is indeed a cut above the rest. It’s just that this son of mine is quite useless." With that, Marquis South shot Fu Zhao a look that said he hadn’t lived up to expectations.

Fu Zhao looked somewhat innocent and rubbed his nose. It’s not that he isn’t hardworking, but this world is simply overrun with monstrous talents.

Ye Li smiled. "Marquis South, you exaggerate. The young heir is a rare talent, proficient in both civil and martial affairs. How could He Su compare?" She thought for a moment, then continued, "Alright. General Leng Huai is highly respected, and Leng Haoyu has a flexible and adaptable personality. With them stationed in Changqing, I believe the lands beyond Zijing Pass will soon recover their former prosperity. However, what renowned generals are there in the Beirong camp that make even General Lv so apprehensive?"

Lv Jinxian said, "There is a young general in the Beirong army named Helian Peng, likely a junior of Helian Zhen’s clan. However, when it comes to military strategy, I’m afraid even Helian Zhen is slightly inferior to him. Currently, with Yelv Ye, Helian Zhen, and Helian Peng in command in the Beirong army, and with their million-strong elite forces, it is indeed somewhat troublesome." Although he said it was somewhat troublesome, Lv Jinxian’s face showed no sign of being troubled at all; instead, it was filled with an eager fighting spirit.

"Now that Yelv Hong has returned to Beirong, Yelv Ye has full authority over the army. I wonder if Yelv Hong’s return to Beirong will be smooth. If everything proceeds smoothly for him, Yelv Ye won’t be able to maintain his position for long either," Ye Li mused.

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow disdainfully and said, "If he can’t even handle such a small matter, Yelv Hong might as well just die. Now that Ah-Li has returned, it’s a good opportunity for this Prince to properly meet Helian Zhen and see if his blade is still as sharp as it was back then!" When Helian Zhen was mentioned, an unavoidable trace of animosity appeared in Mo Xiuyao’s eyes. It wasn’t that Helian Zhen was truly such a heaven-defying talent, but it just so happened that Prince Ding’s Mansion, undefeated for over a hundred years, had stumbled at Helian Zhen’s hands. Although it was a non-combat defeat, a defeat was still a defeat. It must be said that the battle over a decade ago was the most frustrating one Prince Ding’s Mansion had fought in a hundred years, and also the one where they suffered the most grievous losses. How could this not make Mo Xiuyao remember Helian Zhen?

Not only did Mo Xiuyao remember Helian Zhen, but Helian Zhen had also not forgotten Mo Xiuyao. Back then, Helian Zhen, as Beirong’s foremost renowned general, was on the verge of defeating Prince Ding’s Mansion and becoming an unprecedented god of war for Beirong. However, he was thwarted by Mo Xiuyao, a mere eighteen-year-old youth who emerged out of nowhere and, with a single fire, set a fire that sent him fleeing in disarray, utterly defeated. In that battle, Beirong had committed no fewer troops than they had now. They were on the brink of a great victory, yet in the end, they nearly faced complete annihilation. Although Mo Xiuyao had also paid a heavy price, Beirong’s losses were also extremely heavy.

「In the Beirong main camp, Yelv Ye sat in the main seat, with a general in his fifties with grizzled whiskers seated to his left, and a robustly built young man in his late twenties with a fierce aura to his right. However, unlike the typically combative and valiant Beirong men, his eyes held a rare calmness and sharpness. These two individuals were Beirong’s former General Flying Cavalry, Helian Zhen, and his adopted son, Helian Peng, who had come to reinforce Yelv Ye.」

Before the arrival of key commanders like Helian Zhen, the two armies would skirmish frequently—small clashes every three days, larger ones every five. Now that the principal commanders were in place, everyone had become more composed, and their actions more cautious. For the past half-month, neither side had proactively initiated a single battle.

"I’ve said it from the beginning: Ren Qining was fundamentally incompetent. From the start, we should have sought Lei Zhenting as an ally," Helian Zhen said solemnly.

Yelv Ye’s expression was gloomy as he said coldly, "Indeed, I never expected Ren Qining to be so incompetent. To be defeated by a mere woman in less than three months, driven to suicide, his army almost entirely wiped out! The reason I chose him back then was firstly due to geography, and secondly, Lei Zhenting is too ambitious, old and crafty, far less easy to control than Ren Qining."

Helian Zhen said, "So, what should we do now? The Seventh Prince made a military pledge to the King: he vowed not to return to Beirong until the Mo Family Army was broken. Now that Princess Consort Ding has pacified the Northern Territory, Prince Ding’s Mansion will inevitably send reinforcements here soon. It’s probably somewhat late to try and ally with Lei Zhenting now."

Currently, Lei Zhenting was not without his own concerns. In Jiangnan, Mo Jingli was eyeing him covetously. Within Xiling Kingdom, the Xiling Emperor was constantly watching Lei Zhenting, waiting for him to show a flaw so he could seize power in one fell swoop. If Lei Zhenting were to throw his full strength into a death struggle with Prince Ding’s Mansion at this juncture, even if they joined forces, the outcome would be uncertain. But regardless of victory or defeat, Lei Zhenting himself would undoubtedly be the one to suffer the most in the end.

Yelv Ye sighed, "Fortunately, our military strength is currently far superior to Mo Xiuyao’s, so we may not be without a chance of winning."

Sitting to one side, Helian Peng, who had been silent all along, raised his head and said, "Prince, that may not necessarily be true."

Yelv Ye raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Helian Peng replied, "Although our military strength greatly surpasses that of the Mo Family Army at the moment, the Central Plains is, after all, the Mo Family Army’s home ground. If they wished to expand their forces, they could probably conscript a million-strong army in an instant. Even if they aren’t as elite as the original Mo Family Army, they would still be of some use. Furthermore, in this subordinate’s opinion, Mo Xiuyao does not seem like such a shortsighted person. He couldn’t possibly be unaware that the Mo Family Army’s troop strength is far less than that of other major powers. Why then has he shown no signs of implementing conscription at all?"

Yelv Ye couldn’t help but frown as he stared intently at Helian Peng. "You... you mean to say that Mo Xiuyao has hidden his strength?"

Helian Peng nodded. "Correct. This subordinate believes the Mo Family Army definitely has more troops than we are aware of. It’s highly probable that Mo Xiuyao has concealed a large number of troops in places unknown to us, just waiting to deliver a fatal blow to our army. Your Highness must not be complacent."

Yelv Ye nodded. He was not truly an arrogant and thoughtless person. And when facing Mo Xiuyao, he was willing to be even more cautious. Yelv Ye asked, "Helian, what are your thoughts?"

Helian Peng replied, "This subordinate intends to first test the Mo Family Army’s strength."

Yelv Ye looked at him with interest. "How do you plan to test them? Our army has fought dozens of battles, large and small, with the Mo Family Army over this past half-year, and all this Prince can say is, the Mo Family Army truly lives up to its name as the iron-blooded host that has awed the world for over two hundred years." Even Yelv Ye had to admit his admiration for the Mo Family Army’s combat prowess. The physical constitution of the Central Plains people was inherently inferior to that of us nomadic peoples. Although many in the Central Plains practiced internal arts, and those with profound martial skills could fight one against ten, practicing martial arts takes time, and not everyone can attain profound skill. Therefore, when comparing forces of equal numbers, the combat strength of Central Plains troops has always been weaker than Beirong’s. But the Mo Family Army was clearly an exception; every soldier possessed strength entirely comparable to that of Beirong warriors, which made every clash between the two armies all the more fierce.

Helian Peng pondered for a moment, then said, "Qilin."

"Qilin?" Upon hearing this, both Yelv Ye and Helian Zhen couldn’t help but be moved. The Qilin had not been established for long, but they had repeatedly achieved astonishing feats. Their shadow could be seen in many of the Mo Family Army’s major victories, yet very few people in the world had ever truly seen them. They were practically like phantoms.

Yelv Ye said, "The Qilin was personally established by Princess Consort Ding and is also the most mysterious contingent of the Mo Family Army, personally commanded by Princess Consort Ding. Helian, are you planning to challenge Princess Consort Ding?"

Helian Peng raised an eyebrow. "Can I not?"

Yelv Ye smiled. "It’s not that you can’t. This Prince thought that Helian, with your pride, would want to directly confront Mo Xiuyao."

Helian Peng said calmly, "This subordinate would not look down on women, especially when that woman is Princess Consort Ding. Moreover, for some unknown reason, this subordinate always feels that if we don’t eliminate this Qilin first, Beirong will sooner or later fall at their hands."

Yelv Ye was slightly taken aback. "How can you be so sure?"

Helian Peng pondered for a moment, then said, "I don’t know for sure; it’s just a feeling. Since the Qilin’s emergence, they always appear unexpectedly, striking when the enemy is unprepared. Every time they act, they attack where the enemy must defend, and they never fail. Our Beirong warriors may fear no one in a direct confrontation on the battlefield, but dealing with such elusive, ghost-like enemies is precisely our army’s shortcoming."

Yelv Ye nodded in agreement. Having engaged with the Mo Family Army for so long, he naturally knew these things as well. It was just that the strengths and weaknesses of the Beirong forces were habits accumulated by their people over millennia; even if they wanted to change, they couldn’t do so in a short period. "Helian, how do you intend to deal with the Qilin?"

Beside them, Helian Zhen smiled and said, "Ever since the Qilin appeared, Peng’er has been very interested in this group. Therefore, we have also trained a contingent of men precisely for the purpose of dealing with the Qilin."

Hearing this, Yelv Ye was genuinely surprised. He looked at Helian Peng and said, "Is this true?" For many years, his Royal Father had been very displeased with Helian Zhen, had relieved him of his military command, and left him idle at home. To be able to train such a force under these circumstances, how could Yelv Ye not be pleasantly surprised? If it weren’t for this war, such a force, capable of killing without a trace, would be perfect for dealing with Yelv Hong.

Helian Peng’s expression remained unchanged as he nodded. "Indeed. Those in the Central Plains call the Qilin a beast of benevolence, which sounds too scholarly and weak, lacking a certain killing aura. This contingent of men, I call them Yazi."

"Yazi?" Although Yelv Ye was a Beirong man, as a prince, he naturally had some understanding of Central Plains culture. Yazi—one of the nine sons of the dragon, resembling a jackal, bloodthirsty and fond of killing. Though called a dragon’s son, it is in fact a ferocious beast. It seemed Helian Peng also had quite an understanding of Central Plains culture.

"Indeed," Helian Zhen declared loudly. "Back then, I was careless and defeated by that young whelp Mo Xiuyao. If I cannot avenge this humiliation, even in death, I will have no face to meet the ancestors of the Helian Family. For this day, I have waited a full dozen years or more. Seventh Prince, rest assured, this time, we will definitely ensure the Mo Family Army never rises again."

Yelv Ye naturally knew of Helian Zhen’s hatred for Mo Xiuyao. It could be said that Helian Zhen’s life was both made and ruined by Prince Ding’s Mansion. His half-life in the military, his greatest achievement was defeating the Mo Family Army and killing Mo Xiuwen. But his greatest defeat was also at the hands of the Mo Family Army, defeated by Mo Xiuyao. Nodding, Yelv Ye said in a deep voice, "In that case, then I shall trouble Uncle and Helian. This Prince awaits your good news. Helian, what do you intend to do?"

Helian Peng thought for a moment and said, "Ye Li has just returned and will surely not be prepared to defend against us so quickly. This subordinate’s meaning is: tonight, a night raid."

Yelv Ye hesitated for a moment. "Do you have confidence?"

Helian Peng smiled. "Your Highness can rest assured; it is merely a test."

"If that’s the case, it’s approved."