Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 133. Expedition (2)

133. Heading Out (2)

Of the 800,000 Mo Family Army, only General Zhang Qilan’s 50,000 troops were stationed in Capital City. These troops were reportedly assigned to guard the metropolitan area and, as such, could not join Ye Li’s main force heading to the battlefront. Ye Li and Marquis South had to lead their men to a place a few hundred miles from Capital City to rendezvous with troops stationed in various other locations before proceeding to the frontier. This eliminated the need for the usual farewell gatherings and ceremonial speeches before departure. Ye Li never cared much for such pomp and pretense, so the somewhat perfunctory arrangements were quite acceptable to her.

Most people from Prince Ding’s Mansion were still required to remain in Capital City to fulfill their respective duties. Only Feng Zhiyao, Zhuo Jing, Yun Ting (who had spent considerable time in the barracks), and Xu Qingze (who had somehow managed to persuade Mo Jingqi) accompanied Ye Li to the battlefield. Because Xu Qingze insisted on going to the frontier with them, Ye Li felt quite guilty towards Qin Zheng, whom she hadn’t seen for some time. However, Qin Zheng, who came to see them off, was very understanding and gave Ye Li a compassionate smile, telling them to be careful on their journey and to return soon. In a confusing move, Mo Jingqi also compelled Mu Yang to join them at the last minute. Mo Jingqi stated that Prince Ding’s return date was uncertain and Marquis South was advancing in age, so Mu Yang was assigned as a lowly subordinate to run errands for the Marquis. Everyone understood Mo Jingqi’s true intentions in having Mu Yang accompany them. Even though Mu Yang was a promising young talent, the others were no pushovers. No one could predict what the situation on the battlefield would be, and they saw no need to fall out with the Emperor over such a minor matter.

The group galloped relentlessly, and in just over a day, they reached Hengshui, a military town located 500 miles from the Capital of Great Chu. Hengshui City itself was not prosperous or spectacular, but well over 100,000 troops of the Mo Family Army were stationed twenty miles west of the city. Troops from other garrisons were also converging on this area; in a few days, nearly 300,000 soldiers were expected to assemble here. By the time they arrived before Hengshui City, the sun had already set. Ye Li, reining in her horse, turned to Marquis South and said, "My Lord, General Sun arrived in Hengshui with his men last night. We shouldn’t enter the city; let’s head straight to Hengshui Camp." Marquis South, looking admiringly at Ye Li who sat upright on horseback, replied, "Let’s follow the Princess Consort’s suggestion." Even an ordinary man would struggle to endure a full day and night of non-stop galloping, yet Princess Consort Ding remained calm and composed, without a hint of fatigue on her face. This left both Marquis South and Mu Yang simultaneously stunned and deeply impressed.

Hengshui Camp was situated at the foot of a mountain twenty miles west of Hengshui City. It faced an endless plain and was backed by the Hengshui Mountain range, making it a natural training ground. When the party was still five or six miles from Hengshui Camp, the local military commanders, along with General Sun Yan who had arrived the previous night, came out to welcome them. "Your subordinates greet the Princess Consort!" Ye Li gave a slight nod and asked, "Where is the Chief General of Hengshui Camp?" A middle-aged man, around fifty, with graying hair but still full of vigor, stepped forward from the crowd and bowed to Ye Li. "This humble general, Lv Jinxian, serves as Chief General of Hengshui Camp. Greetings, Princess Consort."

Ye Li dismounted her horse and gestured with her hand. "General Lv, there’s no need for such formality. This is Marquis South, the vice commander specially appointed by His Majesty for this western campaign. And this is the Heir of Marquis Muyang, Colonel Mu Yang." Ye Li did not introduce Zhuo Jing, Yun Ting, and the others standing behind her. The generals understood that these individuals were part of her personal retinue, so they only stepped forward to pay their respects to Marquis South and Mu Yang. Marquis South, having experienced battlefields himself, was naturally not finicky about etiquette and greeted everyone cordially. As for Mu Yang, although he was the heir of a Marquis, his military rank was merely that of a colonel. Consequently, he had little opportunity to speak and simply exchanged pleasantries with everyone alongside Marquis South. Fortunately, though Mu Yang had enjoyed a smooth and privileged upbringing, he had not developed an arrogant or condescending nature. The atmosphere, on the whole, was harmonious and pleasant.

After the exchange of greetings, Marquis South asked gravely, "General Lv, when can the army depart?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Lv Jinxian replied without hesitation, his voice clear, "The army is already prepared and awaiting orders. As soon as the Princess Consort and the Marquis give the command, we can depart at any time!"

Feng Zhiyao chuckled. "General Lv, we are quite exhausted from our journey. How about we depart early tomorrow morning instead?"

Lv Jinxian looked at the group and smiled. "General Feng is right. It was an oversight on my part. Princess Consort, Marquis, please rest in the camp tonight and recuperate. This will also allow the soldiers to conserve their strength."

「Later that night」

The vast military camp was enveloped in silence. As the army was to set out at dawn, most soldiers had retired early. This, of course, did not include the commanding officers gathered for a discussion in the central command tent.

Inside the tent, Ye Li, now changed into a light cyan dress, sat in the main seat at the center. Below her, to the left and right, sat Feng Zhiyao, Lv Jinxian, Sun Yan, and other generals, arranged according to rank. The deputy commander, Marquis South, and Mu Yang had been invited to rest after the earlier discussions had concluded. It was the first time most of these generals had seen Ye Li, the lady of King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. It wasn’t so much her status as Princess Consort Ding they respected, but rather the Yazi jade pendant hanging from her waist that commanded their reverence. One of the generals stood up. "Your Highness, may we know when the Prince is expected to return?" As deputy commander, Marquis South currently held the highest authority over the Mo Family Army. Despite his consistently neutral stance, this made the generals loyal to Prince Ding’s Mansion somewhat uneasy. Ye Li gently shook her head. "The Prince is far away in Beirong. It will inevitably take some time for him to receive the news and return. However, the war on the frontier cannot wait for the Prince. Or...are you saying that without the Prince, you generals will not fight?"

The generals were all taken aback. Ye Li continued, "I understand your loyalty to Prince Ding’s Mansion and to the Prince. But I also hope you all understand one thing: for what purpose does the Mo Family Army exist?" Her clear, beautiful eyes swept calmly over the assembly. "It exists for the peace and security of the people of Great Chu. Every soldier in the Mo Family Army also has parents, wives, and children. To protect Great Chu is to protect their own loved ones."

A silence fell over the tent. Lv Jinxian asked hesitantly, "Does this mean we must truly obey Marquis South’s commands?"

Ye Li replied, "If Marquis South’s objectives align with those of the Mo Family Army, why can’t we temporarily obey his commands? It’s a stark reality that the Prince cannot return at this moment. Or should we tell the Xiling people, ’Our Prince isn’t here, let’s fight another day’?" Hearing this, the generals looked visibly chagrined. Feng Zhiyao chuckled. "Your Highness, I believe their concern is whether Marquis South might misuse the Mo Family Army’s military authority if they were to obey his orders." Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Marquis South will not gain control of the Mo Family Army’s military authority. I will accompany him at all times. Although this... presents certain drawbacks, it is the only way for now. Besides, Marquis South, even as acting commander-in-chief, cannot personally oversee every battle. Therefore, on the battlefield, I will have to rely on your efforts, esteemed generals."

The generals declared in unison, "We will not disappoint your expectations, Your Highness."

Ye Li nodded. "I am counting on you, generals. Now, how much do you know about the current situation at the front?"

At her question, the tent immediately fell silent. Although they harbored reservations about the personnel sent by the Emperor, this was due to his relentless suppression of the Mo Family Army over the years. Originally, the Mo Family Army had been dispersed to guard Great Chu’s various frontiers. However, because Mo Jingqi was distrustful, he had seized the opportunity when Prince Ding was recuperating in his mansion and the Mo Family Army had suffered heavy losses, to transfer all Mo Family Army units inland. The border garrisons were now almost entirely staffed by the Emperor’s confidants or by generals who did not get along well with Prince Ding’s Mansion. And now, Xiling was invading Great Chu, invading the very land their ancestors had protected for generations. How could they truly not feel anxious? Lv Jinxian spoke in a grave tone, "Xiling came prepared this time. The Southern Garrison Prince is personally leading the Central Army of 300,000 to invade our borders. According to news from the front, hundreds of thousands of troops are besieging Xinyang alone. The troops sent by the Imperial Court were ambushed by the Southern Garrison Prince and suffered heavy losses. We’ve discussed this over the past few days, and I’m afraid Xinyang City... cannot be held."

The faces of everyone in the tent turned grim. Xinyang was the granary of the Northwest. If Xinyang fell, it wouldn’t just be the loss of a city; the food supplies for the people of the Northwest, and even the army’s provisions, would be threatened.

Ye Li pondered for a moment, then asked, "Considering our marching speed, what is the worst-case scenario?"

Lv Jinxian replied, "The Xiling army will likely cross Xinyang, conquer all of Qingzhou Prefecture, and then advance into Gonghan to occupy Jiangxia Town."

Ye Li raised her eyebrows. Lv Jinxian explained, "We have 50,000 of our men stationed near Jiangxia. The chief commander is General Yuan Pei, a seasoned veteran. He is likely assisting Xinyang by now. If Xinyang falls, he will probably retreat to Jiangxia with his troops. If we advance quickly, we should be able to reinforce Jiangxia in time." Ye Li nodded; she and Feng Zhiyao had analyzed these possibilities before, and their conclusions were similar to Lv Jinxian’s. She rubbed her temples and asked, "You’ve only discussed the Xiling Central Army. What about their southern and northern routes?"

Lv Jinxian stated, "Both the southern and northern routes have at least 150,000 troops each. They are attacking Jiayi Pass in the south and Tianyun Pass in the north. Although the border garrisons are resisting fiercely, the situation is likely not optimistic."

"Who is leading the southern and northern armies?"

Lv Jinxian shook his head. Sun Yan spoke up, "Your Highness, it is said the southern route is led by Lei Tengfeng, the Heir of Southern Garrison Prince. This man was taught by the Southern Garrison Prince from a young age. At nineteen, he first showed his formidable talent in battle against Beirong and truly cannot be underestimated. The northern route is led by the veteran Xiling commander Shangguan Yi. Although he has no particularly outstanding achievements to his name and is over sixty, he... he was the Southern Garrison Prince of Xiling’s Art of War instructor." Ye Li nodded and pondered for a long time before finally saying, "You have all worked hard today. We set off early tomorrow morning, so everyone should return and rest."

The generals rose, bid Ye Li farewell, and departed. Only Feng Zhiyao, Zhuo Jing, and Xu Qingze remained in the tent. Feng Zhiyao looked at Ye Li’s deeply furrowed brow and smiled teasingly. "Xiling’s offensive is formidable. Are you feeling the pressure, Your Highness?" Ye Li gave a wry smile. "How could I not?" She was no prodigious genius; honestly, she lacked experience in this kind of large-scale warfare. When it came to small-unit special operations, she was confident enough to be unrivaled. But in terms of deploying troops and directing grand strategies, even with Mo Xiuyao’s considerable guidance, she still felt a little unnerved taking charge for the first time.

Feng Zhiyao said, "It’s certain that Xiling has mobilized at least 600,000 men. With such a massive force, and the Southern Garrison Prince of Xiling’s reputation as a god of war, let alone you, Your Highness, how many seasoned battlefield veterans wouldn’t be worried?" Although the Southern Garrison Prince of Xiling had once been defeated by Mo Liufang, the Regent Prince of Great Chu, Mo Liufang was dead, and he was still alive.

"Li’er, you’re doing very well," Xu Qingze said, looking at Ye Li with a calm expression, his usually cool eyes filled with a subtle warmth.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Second Brother, please don’t praise me. I may appear calm on the surface, but inwardly, my mind is in turmoil."

Xu Qingze said, "Don’t be too anxious. Just do what you can. If there’s anything you need me to do, don’t hesitate to ask."

Ye Li nodded. "Thank you, Second Brother."

「Meanwhile, in Beirong」

Far away in Beirong, Mo Xiuyao felt a chill creep into his heart. Gazing up at the bright moon, he couldn’t help but reminisce about the past year and more. Since the incident, he had never imagined his life could again be filled with such contentment and joy. From an initial bond like that of family and friends, to later working hand-in-hand and mutual support, and then to deep, lingering affection, at some unknown point, Ah-Li’s every frown and smile had become deeply engraved in his heart, impossible to erase in this lifetime.

"Your Highness." A shadowguard appeared silently behind him.

"What news?"

The shadowguard reported, "The mastermind behind the assassination attempt on the Princess Consort has been identified. Also, ever since Xiling invaded, the Emperor has summoned the Princess Consort for an audience several times, apparently trying to wrest control of the Mo Family Army from her. However, he has not succeeded."

A dark tide surged in Mo Xiuyao’s eyes as he scoffed, "He never understands priorities. Tell Princess Ronghua that, no matter what, we must depart by tomorrow."

The shadowguard hesitated. "I’m afraid Princess Ronghua doesn’t have that much influence over Yelv Hong yet."

Mo Xiuyao replied coolly, "If Yelv Hong wants to defeat Yelv Ye, he naturally knows what to do. Go and prepare. We leave tomorrow."

The shadowguard bowed. "As you command, Your Highness!"

After dismissing the guard, Mo Xiuyao looked up at the luminous moon, his gaze gradually softening. Ah-Li... Xiuyao always seems to make you suffer... One day... one day, I will bring you the very best the world has to offer. As for those who wish to harm you... I will absolutely not let them go! Originally, Mo Xiuyao should have departed for the capital immediately upon hearing news of Xiling’s invasion. However, the King of Beirong’s attitude was uncharacteristically adamant. He insisted Mo Xiuyao stay for the Crown Prince’s wedding, even with veiled threats. Mo Xiuyao didn’t fear his threats, but if he were to leave abruptly then and there, Great Chu would very likely face attacks from two countries simultaneously. The King of Beirong wasn’t yet prepared to annex Great Chu, but he also didn’t mind detaining Mo Xiuyao, this young, famous god of war, on Xiling’s behalf for a while, perhaps even gaining some benefits from it. Therefore... he also deserves to die!