Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 168. Final Battle
168. Final Battle
Outside Hongzhou City, the sound of battle still thundered. Yet, no one inside the city was shocked anymore. Ye Li was leisurely sitting in an empty teahouse, sipping tea. The open window allowed her a clear view of the soldiers valiantly guarding the distant city tower. Zhuo Jing and Lin Han stood silently nearby, while Qin Feng, who used to follow her everywhere, was nowhere in sight. Mo Hua, tasked with protecting Ye Li, looked at those around her in silence, feeling conflicted.
"Princess Consort, the northern side of the city probably won’t hold much longer," reported Wei Lin hastily.
Ye Li sipped her tea and pondered for a moment. "Are all the preparations complete?"
Lin Han nodded. "Rest assured, Princess Consort, everything has been taken care of. Please leave Hongzhou as soon as possible."
Ye Li replied calmly, "Since everything is ready, there’s no rush. Zhuo Jing, how are your preparations?"
Zhuo Jing responded solemnly, "Although the time was limited, the elite soldiers of the Mo Family Army who stayed behind in the city have made significant progress. Please don’t worry, Princess Consort."
Hearing the word ’elite’ noticeably changed Ye Li’s expression. After a long pause, she sighed, "Yes... all of them are the elite of the Mo Family Army..."
Lin Han looked at her and said, "If we let the Xiling Army cross Hongzhou City, the Mo Family Army remaining in the Northwest would have no choice but to commit suicide to atone for their failure. So... Princess Consort, you don’t need to feel guilty."
Ye Li forced a bitter smile. Even the most grandiose excuses couldn’t hide her shortcomings as a commander. If a general on par with the Southern Garrison Prince, or the Southern Garrison Prince himself, were in her position, they would absolutely not use her current tactics—a strategy that cost eight hundred of her own to kill a thousand enemies. This was also due to the Mo Family Army’s inherent flaws and weaknesses. Their tradition of loyalty solely to Prince Ding had shaped their current state. While there were many ordinary generals capable of fighting well, true commander material, those who could lead an entire army, were rare. This was also why the imperial family was wary of the Mo Family Army: the most valiant fighting force in the country was not the imperial army, but a private one.
Draining the remaining water from her cup, Ye Li rose and took a last look at the fluttering banner of the Mo Family Army atop the city tower. "Let’s go," she said.
「On the noon of October 16th, after relentless attacks for two straight days and nights, Hongzhou City fell.」
This time, however, the Xiling army didn’t swarm into the city immediately after breaching Hongzhou City, unlike what happened in Xinyang. Instead, they sent a small group of soldiers to scout first, clearly wary of Great Chu employing the same trick again. In the battle of Xinyang, the number of soldiers who died in combat was far fewer than those who burned or suffocated in the great fire. The scouts, moving in teams along each city street, quickly discovered that the streets were deserted, with no signs of the Mo Family Army or even any ordinary residents. After thoroughly checking the city and confirming it was empty, they sent out a report. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶
「Outside the city, the Southern Garrison Prince frowned upon hearing the soldier’s report. "There’s no one in the city?"」
"Correct, Your Highness, there is no one," the reporting soldier replied. "Moreover, most of the buildings in Hongzhou City are made of stone, making it difficult to set ablaze. It’s unlikely that the East Chu people would try the same trick again."
Nevertheless, the Southern Garrison Prince’s brow remained furrowed. He was certainly pleased to have broken through Hongzhou City, but the current situation was clearly abnormal. Usually, even if an army retreated hastily after a city fell, there would always be a few stragglers left behind. Yet, the current situation indicated one thing: the enemy had planned to evacuate much earlier. Contrasted with the fierce, seemingly fight-to-the-death resistance of the past few days, this empty city now seemed even more bizarre. Ye Li... what exactly are you planning?
"Your Highness, shouldn’t we enter the city first?" one of the generals asked. They had fought hard to capture Hongzhou City, yet their Prince was just standing aimlessly before the city gate, which puzzled the officers and soldiers.
After a moment of silence, the Southern Garrison Prince ordered in a deep voice, "Immediately pass through Hongzhou to pursue the remnants of the Mo Family Army! Do not stop in Hongzhou City!"
"But... My Prince, our reinforcements and supplies will take at least ten days to arrive. If we enter the pass and encounter unexpected situations..." the general cautiously advised. "An army marches on its stomach. We only have a hundred thousand troops now, barely enough to give Great Chu’s defenders pause. Moreover, our provisions can only last half a month at most. If we get too far ahead of our supply train and provisions don’t arrive in time... our hundred thousand men could starve to death without even seeing the enemy."
The Southern Garrison Prince frowned and ordered solemnly, "Enter the city!"
Soon, the grand army swarmed through the city gate. The Southern Garrison Prince, on horseback outside the city, stared at the towering city gate, a sense of unease gripping him. His generals, sensing his displeasure, dared not speak. Just as more than half the troops had entered, a commotion suddenly erupted from within. The Southern Garrison Prince’s heart sank. "Something is wrong!" he commanded loudly. "Immediately evacuate Hongzhou!"
However, it was too late. After several deafening booms, clouds of dust billowed from the city gate. When the dust settled, they saw rubble and earth slowly blocking the once-open archway. The massive gate, formerly as tall as two men, was now reduced to an opening at the top less than half a man’s height. Looking up at the city tower, half of which had collapsed, it was clear someone had tampered with it beforehand.
"My Prince?!" The general following him had lost all color in his face. Nearly 70,000 soldiers had already entered the city, leaving fewer than 30,000 by their side. What on earth had just happened? As if to prove the saying that misfortunes never come singly, just as tumultuous killing cries arose from within the city, several black whirlwinds of cavalry emerged from the southwest and northwest, sweeping towards the Xiling soldiers who were in disarray before the city gate.
「At this moment, the city within was a river of blood.」
Most of Hongzhou’s structures were built of stone, forming a network of deep and shallow alleyways. When Mo Family Army soldiers suddenly appeared on the main street, sowing chaos among the Xiling troops, countless black-clad archers materialized on the rooftops on both sides. No one could fail to recognize them: the elite Black Cloud Cavalry of the Mo Family Army. Legend held that every Black Cloud Cavalryman was a master archer, one in a hundred. A merciless rain of arrows poured down on the Xiling soldiers in the street. This wasn’t a battle; it was virtually a one-sided slaughter. The Black Cloud Cavalry, from their superior position, struck first, their archery skills clearly outmatching those of the Xiling soldiers. The Xiling soldiers had no chance to retaliate and were driven into the narrow, dark alleys. Yet, no better fate awaited them there. They were either pierced by arrows from the rooftops or had their throats slit by figures who darted from the shadows. In an instant, the once-empty Hongzhou City transformed into a living hell.
「Outside the city, the Southern Garrison Prince’s face turned from green to white.」
Now that things had come to this... he finally understood what had been bothering him these past few days. They thought they were chasing the retreating Mo Family Army to Hongzhou, but who could tell him where this cavalry that appeared behind them came from? Ye Li had actually managed to hide a cavalry force of nearly 30,000 men behind them, completely unnoticed. And those who had been intoxicated by victory these past few days had never stopped to consider just how much strength the Mo Family Army, once renowned as the foremost military power among nations, truly possessed.
Among the countless oncoming black whirlwinds, the red figure at the forefront was particularly conspicuous. Feng Zhiyao sat on his steed, like a red tornado sweeping past. Wherever he went, Xiling soldiers scrambled to avoid his spear. His handsome face was filled with unrestrained joy and satisfaction. After holding back for so many days, he could finally have a proper fight! In terms of marching and deploying troops, he was inferior to the Southern Garrison Prince. In terms of experience with the Art of War, he was also inferior. But so what? Thirty thousand cavalry against thirty thousand infantry on this flat terrain required no military strategy or complex plans. It didn’t stop him from thoroughly thrashing the Xiling forces. With a delighted thrust of his spear, he slit the throats of several Xiling soldiers. Feng Zhiyao then rode his horse past the front of the Southern Garrison Prince’s army and laughed loudly, "Southern Garrison Prince, our Princess Consort asked me to send her regards."
This greeting, at this moment, was absolute mockery. The Southern Garrison Prince’s face was ashen with fury. He sneered, "Princess Consort Ding is quite the schemer. However... this Prince wonders, after Princess Consort Ding burned Xinyang and destroyed the Hongzhou city towers, what will she rely on to defend Hongzhou once my reinforcements arrive?"
Feng Zhiyao laughed heartily, "Thank you for your concern, Prince. But our Princess Consort also said that any Xiling soldiers who enter the Northwest shall be annihilated, not one left alive!"
The Southern Garrison Prince huffed, "Such bold words! This Prince, with a mere 200,000 troops, is already hard-pressed, yet she dares to make such boasts. Even if my troops are decimated, the Mo Family Army will fare no better."
Feng Zhiyao raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Does the Prince think the Mo Family Army fears the Xiling people? What our Princess Consort worries about is only you, Southern Garrison Prince. Those 300,000 reinforcements do not have you leading them. Whether they can even reach Hongzhou is another question entirely."
The Southern Garrison Prince’s expression subtly changed, though he maintained a calm facade. However, his heart was in turmoil. He had lost this battle. Even without seeing the final outcome, the Southern Garrison Prince knew it. For half his life, he had lost to Mo Liufang; he never expected that in the latter half of his life, he would lose to a woman! Even seeing the inevitable conclusion before him, he couldn’t bring himself to accept it. After a few skirmishes, he already knew that Ye Li was no peerless, world-shaking military genius. That was precisely why he couldn’t comprehend how this situation had come about.
"Order the Golden Armor Guards to capture Ye Li at any cost!" After a long pause, watching the red-clad figure laugh and depart, the Southern Garrison Prince gave the savage order.
"My Prince, this place now..."
"Kill!"
「At a small mountain hollow, a dozen miles from Hongzhou City and further inside the pass, Ye Li listened to the still unceasing sounds of battle from Hongzhou’s direction.」
She calmly said to the confused Zhuo Jing and others beside her, "The reason the Southern Garrison Prince was fooled is that he underestimated me too much. If he were directly confronting Xiuyao, he surely wouldn’t have fallen for such a trick."
Zhuo Jing asked, "So, what the Princess Consort is implying is... if the Prince had acted this way, the Southern Garrison Prince would have suspected a trick, but because it was you, Princess Consort, he didn’t?"
Ye Li smiled faintly. "No matter how cautious the Southern Garrison Prince may consider himself, men inherently tend to underestimate women. He’s just slightly less prone to it than others, that’s all."
Wei Lin chuckled, "I believe that after this, the Southern Garrison Prince will definitely not underestimate you again, Princess Consort."
"Princess Consort... after the battle outside the city is over, will we go into the city to support our brothers inside?" Lin Han asked.
After a long silence, Ye Li finally replied, "No. They need to immediately go and support Marquis South."
Everyone fell silent. There were 70,000 Xiling troops inside the city, but only a little over 10,000 Mo Family Army soldiers had been left behind. No one could say for sure how many would make it out. And the 30,000 Black Cloud Cavalry hidden outside the city, after eliminating the 30,000 Xiling soldiers before them, had to rush to the border to support Marquis South. Marquis South, the Heir of South Marquis, Yun Ting, and a few young generals were leading only 30,000 men to intercept Xiling’s 300,000 reinforcements. Similarly, no one could say how many of them would return. It wasn’t that the Princess Consort was heartless. Everyone understood that they didn’t have enough troops; the Princess Consort had already made the best possible arrangements.
"Princess Consort, it’s time to set off. If we hurry, we can reach a small town tonight to rest."
Ye Li looked back at the distant city, then silently nodded.
"Reporting to the Princess Consort, a large contingent of troops is heading towards Hongzhou!" A scout who had been sent ahead rushed back to report.
Ye Li paused, her fine eyebrows knitting slightly. "Who are they?" she asked.
The scout replied, "They are the local garrisons from the areas neighboring Hongzhou."
"Why are they coming now?" Ye Li knew that the commanders of several nearby local garrisons had previously petitioned the Emperor, wanting to support Hongzhou. However, these generals were ultimately loyal to Mo Jingqi. She had also sent people to request reinforcements from them, but without Mo Jingqi’s decree, these commanders were unwilling, or rather, dared not, lend her troops. They had only promised to send a petition to the Capital City requesting permission to dispatch soldiers. Ye Li somewhat understood Mo Jingqi’s mentality, so she hadn’t held much hope for this promise.
"Could they be reinforcements for Hongzhou?" Lin Han asked.
Zhuo Jing said coldly, "Their timing is a bit too coincidental. Princess Consort, your subordinate will go and see."
Ye Li frowned slightly. "Go, be careful."
Zhuo Jing had been personally trained by Ye Li and was efficient and decisive. He returned in less than two hours, but his expression was grim. Looking at Ye Li, Zhuo Jing said, "Princess Consort, they are not here to help."
Everyone was stunned. Mo Hua said coldly, "Surely they aren’t here to help the Xiling people?"
Zhuo Jing shook his head. "They’ve set up camp about ten miles away. I snuck in and overheard their conversation. Their plan is to remain on the sidelines. If we win, they’ll wait for us to be exhausted and then strike, playing the oriole, waiting to pounce. If Xiling wins, they’ll assess the situation and retreat to their garrisons. If both sides suffer heavy losses, that would be even better for them, allowing them to pick up the pieces."
"What is that person in the palace thinking? Does he not want Hongzhou anymore?" Lin Han exclaimed in shock.
Ye Li sneered. "He had already given the three northwestern prefectures to Xiling. Whether this battle is won or lost, the Northwest is no longer his, so naturally, it’s of no concern to him."
"What a madman!" After a long pause, Wei Lin finally uttered. Even someone like him, with no interest in military affairs, knew how important the Northwest was to Great Chu. Mo Jingqi, to deal with the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, was willing to give up even the Northwest...
"Also..." Zhuo Jing said with a solemn face, "The nearby garrison forces have all received a secret edict from the Emperor: seize this opportunity to eliminate all Mo Family Army forces in the Northwest. Most importantly... capture the Princess Consort, dead or alive!"
