Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 217 - 216. Northwest Licheng

216. Licheng in the Northwest

"The imperial family of Great Chu murdered my father and brothers and insulted my martyred heroes. From this moment on, my ties with the imperial family of Great Chu are completely severed, and we shall have no further association!"

Mo Xiuyao’s resolute voice declared that the Mo Family Army, which had guarded Great Chu for over a hundred years, was henceforth no longer connected to Great Chu. While the Northwest of Great Chu was shielded by the Mo Family Army, blocking Xiling’s advance, the borders of Nanzhao and Beirong no longer saw the never-retreating black figures that had stood there for a century. After protecting Great Chu for one hundred years, the Mo Family Army’s duty truly ended this night. No one could utter a word, not even Mo Jingli or the officials of Great Chu could voice reprimands. Silence enveloped the entire city tower; everyone unanimously looked up at the young man and woman standing hand-in-hand at the main seat. A single thought echoed in everyone’s hearts: this era of chaos has truly begun.

The ensuing banquet proceeded with the customary music and dance, yet no one present had their minds on the enchanting dancers or the captivating melodies. Almost as soon as Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li departed, all the guests followed suit. Returning to discuss the urgent matters at hand was paramount; no one was in the mood to savor fine wine or enjoy performances at such a time.

「The next morning」

Prince Ding’s declaration from atop the city tower the previous night was swiftly disseminated in all directions by various parties through numerous channels. Shocking as it was, the envoys from Xiling, Beirong, Nanzhao, and Great Chu did not bid farewell and depart on the second morning. Inside Prince Ding’s Mansion, the main hall was already crowded with people early in the morning. Many among them had dark circles under their eyes, clearly having slept poorly. As Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li walked into the hall side by side, everyone quickly rose to salute. "Greetings, Your Highness, Princess Consort." The pair took their seats. Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly and said, "Dispense with the formalities. Please, be seated. General Zhang, and Third Feng, what is the matter? Did you not sleep well last night?"

Feng Zhiyao rolled his eyes. Last night, it wasn’t just the envoys of the four nations and the common people who were startled by their Prince. The one who was truly surprised was him, Third Feng, alright? The Prince had given absolutely no prior notice. When he received the silk scroll and opened it, if not for his extraordinary self-control, he would have almost flung the thing from his hands. After barely managing to compose himself and read the script, no one knew that Feng Zhiyao’s hands were still trembling slightly when he returned to his seat. Third Feng felt deeply wronged. Mo Xiuyao smiled amiably at his subordinates below, each with a different expression, and asked, "What’s wrong? Are you all frightened? Scared?"

"Your Highness should have done this long ago! What do we have to fear?" Lv Jinxian declared loudly. The others chimed in, and the hall instantly filled with a clamorous, enthusiastic atmosphere.

"Your Highness, now that you have resolved to sever ties with Great Chu, the misunderstandings held by the people of the Northwest, and even Great Chu, towards Your Highness and Prince Ding’s Mansion can finally be clarified," Xu Hongyu stated calmly. Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Does Mr. Hongyu have any thoughts?"

Xu Hongyu replied, "We should strike first and clearly proclaim to the world the grievances between the imperial family of Great Chu and Prince Ding’s Mansion. Though most common folk are unlettered, they are not incapable of discerning reason. Public opinion will naturally determine right from wrong."

Feng Zhiyao concurred, "Mr. Hongyu is absolutely right. We should announce it to the world now. By the time last night’s news reaches the Capital of Great Chu, Mo Jingqi’s vile deeds will already be known to all. I’d like to see how he intends to turn that tide." The others all voiced their agreement, approving Xu Hongyu’s words. When Mo Jingqi previously tried his utmost to slander Prince Ding’s Mansion, the Mansion offered no rebuttal, waiting precisely for this day. The more the common people previously hated and misunderstood Prince Ding’s Mansion, the more furious they will be once they learn the truth. Naturally, this fury would be directed at Mo Jingqi.

Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li naturally had no objections. Mo Xiuyao turned to Xu Hongyu and said, "Then we shall trouble Mr. Hongyu with this matter." Xu Hongyu was a renowned great scholar, famous throughout the land; entrusting this task to him would naturally yield twice the result with half the effort. Xu Hongyu nodded in acknowledgment.

Dismissing the various generals and officials who had come to the mansion early in the morning, only a few trusted confidants and Zhou Yu, the governor in charge of all administrative affairs in Ruyang City, remained. Although Zhou Yu was young, he had managed the administrative affairs of Ruyang City competently in recent days. While not exceptionally brilliant, his performance was methodical and without error. This was already excellent given his age and experience. Moreover, his meticulous and earnest approach to his work greatly pleased Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li.

"Lord Zhou, have the envoys from Xiling, Beirong, and other nations submitted any farewell missives today?" Ye Li asked.

Lord Zhou rose and said respectfully, "Reporting to the Princess Consort, we have not yet received any letters of farewell from the envoys of the various nations. However, this morning, the Heir of Southern Garrison Prince of Xiling, the Seventh Prince of Beirong, and Prince Li of Great Chu all left the city early. They said they wished to appreciate the scenery of the Northwest."

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Let them be. The envoys from all nations are our guests, and we must ensure they feel at home. I must ask Lord Zhou to take extra care in this regard. If any issues arise, send someone to the Prince’s Mansion to report. Of course, if anyone disregards the rules and attempts to cause trouble in the Northwest, Lord Zhou need not be polite. The two thousand five hundred soldiers from the First Division of the Falcon Army, part of the Black Cloud Cavalry, stationed outside the city are at your disposal at any time." Mentioning the organization of the Black Cloud Cavalry, Ye Li couldn’t help but frown slightly. She was accustomed to numerical designations; these varied army names were somewhat bewildering. The Black Cloud Cavalry numbered around fifty thousand in total, divided into three armies: Falcon, Lion, and Tiger. Each army comprised roughly sixteen to seventeen thousand soldiers. Each army, in turn, was divided into five divisions, with each division having about three thousand soldiers. The troops stationed near Ruyang were specifically from the Falcon Army.

Zhou Yu was deeply moved. Given his age and experience, he had never imagined he would receive such significant trust and responsibility from the Prince and Princess Consort. He quickly said, "Please rest assured, Your Highnesses, I will definitely not betray your trust."

Mo Xiuyao, evidently perceiving his thoughts, nodded. "I have never been one to appoint people based solely on seniority or age. Previously, you were able to sustain the livelihood of the people in Ruyang City, so the Princess Consort and I entrusted Ruyang City to you. Just focus on your work with peace of mind."

Zhou Yu suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and said respectfully, "I understand. I shall take my leave."

Watching Zhou Yu depart, Xu Qingchen smiled and said, "Your Highness has a way with his subordinates; it’s no wonder the Mo Family Army is united as one."

Mo Xiuyao laughed. "Young Master Qingchen, you’re too polite. My subordinates are mostly unrefined men, and frankly, we have very few civil officials. Promoting Zhou Yu back then was a matter of necessity. Fortunately, he is diligent and rigorous, which is quite good. In the future, I will have to rely more on Young Master Qingchen and the two Seniors for their efforts."

Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow, his smile light and tranquil. "Does Your Highness trust the Xu Family?"

Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows. "If I didn’t trust you, why would I act this way? Besides... if I can’t even trust the Xu Family, who else can I trust? Surely I can’t do everything myself? These fellows in the Mo Family Army, they’re fine leading troops and fighting battles, but asking them to handle administrative affairs is probably harder than asking for their lives."

Nearby, Lv Jinxian nodded repeatedly in agreement. When they had first occupied the Northwest, a large number of officials had been replaced, and these generals had also temporarily managed local affairs for a period. Those days were simply too dreadful to recall.

After some lighthearted talk, their expressions turned serious again as they began discussing important matters. Xu Hongyu asked, "Now that the Northwest can be said to have truly drawn a clear line with Great Chu, what are Your Highness’s initial plans?"

Mo Xiuyao said respectfully, "I ask for Senior’s guidance."

Xu Hongyu shook his head. "Your Highness need not be so polite. I believe Your Highness already has a plan, so why ask for this old man’s guidance? My opinion is that the first matter is likely to reorganize and unify the official positions of various regions, and also... Your Highness’s true positioning for the Mo Family Army and the Northwest."

Mo Xiuyao fell silent for a moment, then said, "Reunifying official positions is imperative. However, regarding what Senior calls the positioning of the Mo Family Army and the Northwest, forgive my lack of understanding."

Xu Hongyu looked at him and said, "Now that the Northwest and Great Chu have no further connection and are no longer in a subordinate relationship, what are Your Highness’s plans for the future of the Northwest and the Mo Family Army? To each hold their own territory and maintain the current situation? Or to expand borders... and unify the world?" Xu Hongyu spoke the last four words, ’unify the world,’ very softly, but to the ears of those present, they boomed like a clap of thunder. Perhaps it was not appropriate to discuss this just after breaking away from Great Chu, but this was also the most realistic problem. The Mo Family Army, occupying the Northwest, was surrounded by enemies on all four sides. If Mo Xiuyao lacked the ambition to expand and conquer, then the Northwest would one day have to choose a powerful nation to depend on. If that were truly the case, it would be like returning to the old path of Prince Ding’s Mansion, or perhaps even worse than before. Therefore, the Mo Family Army could only advance; it absolutely could not retreat. To advance, to expand territories and unify the world—this was the aspiration of generations of former Kings of Ding Kingdom and soldiers of the Mo Family Army. However, constrained by the imperial family for many years, their efforts always ended in failure on the verge of success. Similarly, if Mo Xiuyao declared himself emperor now, no matter how many reasons he had, the accusation of treason would be absolutely unavoidable in the eyes of the world.

Prince Ding’s Mansion had a feud with the current and previous emperors involving the killing of fathers and brothers; breaking with Great Chu wouldn’t invite much criticism. But if, in turn, they were to overthrow Great Chu, then they would inevitably bear the infamy of treason. Xu Hongyu calmly watched Mo Xiuyao. This young Prince Ding had endured countless hardships, but he also bore the glory and reputation of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, accumulated over nearly a century. Could he bear such infamy and its consequences?

Mo Xiuyao suddenly let out a low laugh, his eyes, fixed on Xu Hongyu, calm and resolute. Mo Xiuyao said with a faint smile, "Mr. Hongyu need not test me. Since I dared to break with Great Chu, why would I be reluctant to part with a mere empty reputation? I, this Prince, will definitely seek revenge from Mo Jingqi for the murder of my father and the killing of my brothers!"

Xu Hongyu was silent for a moment, then rose and bowed to Mo Xiuyao. "In that case, please give your instructions, Your Highness."

Mo Xiuyao pondered for a moment, then said, "Rename Ruyang City to Licheng. The reign motto will be Yongding."

Everyone was startled. Feng Zhiyao reminded him, "Your Highness, the state title."

Mo Xiuyao glanced at him and said with a raised eyebrow, "Who said we are establishing a state title?"

Everyone fell silent. What did changing the reign motto but not declaring a state title mean? Xu Qingchen, who had been listening quietly, looked up and asked, "Is Your Highness implying you will not ascend the throne yet?"

Mo Xiuyao waved his hand dismissively. "The Northwest is merely a tiny piece of land. To proclaim oneself emperor here is just for self-amusement. Why should I, this Prince, care for such a nominal title of emperor? Under my rule, if I say I am a king, I am a king; if I say I am an emperor, I am an emperor!"

Everyone understood. The change of reign motto was merely to distinguish it from Great Chu’s calendar. Without an emperor, there was naturally no state title. Seeing that everyone was still hesitant, Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "Even if I were to found a state, it couldn’t be this shabby, could it? Ascension ceremonies and the like are quite expensive. Where is the imperial palace? Where is the imperial city? With just this small piece of territory in the Northwest, I would be too embarrassed to hold any ascension ceremony. Let’s all just save some money, alright? Should I learn from those fools who dream of becoming emperor all day long, who can found a state and declare themselves emperor just by occupying a small city? If I cannot unify the world, how could I, Mo Xiuyao, have the audacity to call myself the founding emperor of a new state?"

Xu Hongyu sighed softly, nodded, and said, "It is excellent that Your Highness possesses such ambition. Let us proceed as Your Highness suggests."

「On the day after the Heir of Prince Ding’s full moon feast」

Prince Ding’s Mansion once again dropped a bombshell. With Ruyang City as its base, Prince Ding officially announced his control over the region west of Feihong Pass in the Northwest, encompassing five prefectures and seventeen cities. He renamed Ruyang City to Licheng and changed the reign motto to Yongding. From that point on, the Northwest region west of Feihong Pass officially declared its separation from the territory of Great Chu.

In the posthouse, the Southern Garrison Prince was also startled when he heard the report from his subordinate. "Licheng... Yongding... Has Mo Xiuyao truly resolved to disregard Great Chu this time?"

Lei Tengfeng, who had just hurried back from outside, put down his teacup and curled his lip disdainfully. "If I were Mo Xiuyao, it would already be commendable not to immediately lead troops to storm the Capital of Great Chu." Lei Tengfeng neither understood nor approved of Mo Jingqi’s actions as an emperor, which he saw as destroying his own bulwark.

The Southern Garrison Prince glanced at his son and said with a faint smile, "You look down on Mo Jingqi. Do you think that if you were him, you would definitely do better?"

Lei Tengfeng furrowed his brow. He knew his father would not ask such an obvious question without reason.

The Southern Garrison Prince was not truly seeking an answer from him. He sighed and chuckled, "No emperor has it easy with a subordinate like the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. Mo Jingqi himself is a person whose aspirations are higher than the heavens, yet he is keenly aware that his own abilities are mediocre. It would be strange if he didn’t go mad."

Lei Tengfeng frowned and said, "As an emperor, Mo Jingqi framed the Mo Family Army for his own selfish gain. Could it be that he was right?"

The Southern Garrison Prince smiled and shook his head. "It could be said he was right, or it could be said he was wrong. In Mo Jingqi’s eyes, the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion is far more terrifying than Beirong or Xiling. If we want to invade Great Chu, we must endure years of bitter warfare. Nowadays, the strengths of the major powers, Nanzhao aside, are not too dissimilar. But the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion is different. Take Mo Liufang, for instance. Given his prestige at the time, if he had revealed even a sliver of thought about becoming emperor, do you believe countless people would have immediately flocked to support him and hail him as emperor? Such a person... could seize the entire Great Chu without spilling a drop of blood. Who do you think is more terrifying: him, or Beirong and our Xiling?"

"But..." Lei Tengfeng wanted to retort.

The Southern Garrison Prince cut him off, "Are you trying to say that Mo Liufang and the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion did not harbor ambitions to rule the world?"

Lei Tengfeng hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

The Southern Garrison Prince chuckled. "If you were Mo Jingqi, would you truly believe that an existence like the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion would not pose a threat to you?"

Lei Tengfeng frowned and pondered, fully putting himself in Mo Jingqi’s position for a long while. When he looked up, his face was pale, and he was drenched in sweat. The Southern Garrison Prince smiled knowingly. "Do you understand now? The fault of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion was not their ambition, but their excessive power. No emperor, whoever they might be, could tolerate such an existence. How can one allow others to snore soundly beside one’s own couch? If the emperor himself is powerful enough, he might carefully maintain a balance or even suppress them. Unfortunately... the imperial family of Great Chu has grown weaker with each generation, while Mo Lanyun’s descendants have become stronger with each generation. This is probably fate."

Lei Tengfeng bowed his head. "Thank you for your guidance, Father. Your son was thinking too simplistically."

The Southern Garrison Prince sighed softly. "You are still young." Although he said this, he still felt a sense of regret in his heart. Tengfeng and Mo Xiuyao were of similar age, but compared in terms of ability and influence, the difference was vast. It was not that his son was not excellent, but rather that Mo Xiuyao was too exceptional.

"Father, Mo Xiuyao’s actions..." Lei Tengfeng frowned. "It seems Mo Xiuyao has no intention of ascending the throne and proclaiming himself emperor."

The Southern Garrison Prince nodded. "If he intended to ascend the throne, we would be attending his enthronement ceremony now, not the full moon feast for the Heir of Prince Ding. This is where Mo Xiuyao’s shrewdness lies. Just watch: in a few days, once the news from Licheng spreads, the prevailing sentiment throughout Great Chu will immediately lean towards Prince Ding’s Mansion. However, if Mo Xiuyao were to proclaim himself emperor at this juncture, it would be vastly different. Many things are a case of ’too much is as bad as not enough.’ This also demonstrates that Mo Xiuyao not only possesses outstanding abilities but also has sufficient patience. Not everyone in this world can resist the allure of the imperial throne."

Lei Tengfeng fell silent. History books recorded countless individuals who, by occupying a mere speck of land, proclaimed themselves kings or hegemons. To later generations, they only seemed comical and laughable. But if one were truly in that situation, how many could resist the temptation of the imperial throne? Lei Tengfeng knew in his heart that, at the very least, he could not.

"Should we seize this opportunity to dispatch troops..."

The Southern Garrison Prince raised his hand. "Send orders back to the Xiling border: all troops are to retreat thirty li."

Lei Tengfeng was puzzled. "Father?"

The Southern Garrison Prince said gravely, "We will negotiate peace with Mo Xiuyao."

Lei Tengfeng frowned. "Mo Xiuyao’s actions will inevitably infuriate Mo Jingqi. Once Mo Jingqi dispatches troops to the Northwest, Xiling can take advantage of the vacuum. Why would Father want to negotiate peace with Mo Xiuyao?"

The Southern Garrison Prince scoffed disdainfully. "Do you really think Mo Jingqi dares to make a move against Mo Xiuyao? If he had that kind of courage, he wouldn’t have waited until today. So what if Mo Xiuyao hadn’t changed the reign motto before? The Mo Family Army’s occupation of the Northwest is an established fact. Mo Jingqi has no lack of reasons to send troops for a punitive expedition, but do you see him daring to do so? At most, he’ll send some troops to make a show of it, and Mo Xiuyao won’t bother with him for the time being. When the Mo Family Army turns around, it will be us they deal with."

Lei Tengfeng said, "Xiling is not afraid of the Mo Family Army either."

The Southern Garrison Prince smiled. "Correct, we are not afraid of the Mo Family Army. No matter how formidable the Mo Family Army is, they are incapable of sweeping through Xiling with only the strength of the Northwest. But if Beirong and Nanzhao also take a hand in this, would you still not be afraid?" No one was a pushover; taking advantage of a crisis wasn’t a tactic exclusive to them.

Lei Tengfeng was silent.