Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 259 - 258. Using cheats is not right.

258. Cheating Isn’t Right

Even before the second night watch, a group of young officers quietly led their troops out of the main camp, following Ye Li’s orders. It wasn’t as if they wholeheartedly trusted and obeyed this Military Strategist of unknown origin, but without following Ye Li, they had no battles to fight. Having come this far, they had no choice but to heed her commands.

Whether these youngsters truly had talent or General Zhang Qilan was simply letting them through, somehow, they all managed to lead their troops out of the main camp without exception. As they stood before Ye Li, their chins held high, they couldn’t help but feel somewhat proud. Ye Li gave them a faint smile, nodding with satisfaction at the more than a thousand soldiers lined up before her.

"Advisor? What exactly are we doing?" someone couldn’t resist asking.

In the dimness of night, Ye Li spread a map on the ground, pointing with a lit fire-starter in her hand at a few places on the map. "With General Zhang distracting the enemy forces up ahead, the rest of you will climb with me from these two places and head to the back of Jiantian Cliff."

Someone frowned. "Since you had plans, Advisor, why didn’t you tell us earlier? We could’ve sent someone to scout the route."

Ye Li looked at him and smiled faintly. "Scouting? Do you think General Lv’s men are wooden posts that wouldn’t notice you scouting during daylight?"

"But we can’t see the road when traveling at night. How are we supposed to proceed?" Although they didn’t know all the details, they roughly understood where the route indicated by the Military Strategist on the map lay. The terrain in this area was inherently easy to defend and hard to attack, posing significant dangers even in daylight, let alone at night.

Ye Li gazed at the young man who had spoken. "That’s why I said... there are no guarantees of zero casualties. This is a battlefield!"

Everyone present trembled at her words. Indeed, this was a battlefield—a place where lives had to be sacrificed, even if it meant walking into certain death.

Ye Li observed them. "Those who are hesitant can turn back now. I’m giving you a short period to communicate with your subordinates. I must make it clear: it’s not just the climb that’s dangerous. Even if we reach Jiantian Cliff safely, things won’t go smoothly. Any slip-ups along the way will be met with military law!"

In even less time than allotted, everyone had returned to stand before Ye Li. Seeing that not a single person had retreated, Ye Li nodded approvingly and turned. "Let’s go!"

Although the second night watch had begun, the night was far from tranquil. Not far away, on the mountain slope, two armies were fiercely battling. It was during this time, under the lead of Qin Feng and Ye Li, that the group silently ascended the steep mountain path, with Wei Lin bringing up the rear.

The journey, which would normally have been short, took them nearly two hours to complete the ascent. Ye Li turned back and looked at the young men. In the moonlight, their clothes were tattered, but their eyes shone with unusual brightness. She nodded with satisfaction in her heart. Although their clothes were torn by mountain rocks, branches, and undergrowth, and many had scratches on their faces, not a single person had lagged behind during the climb. Nor had there been any major mistakes that might have alerted the enemy. It seemed the Mo Family Army’s regular training was paying off.

Because the entire mountain was occupied by enemy troops, and their group of more than a thousand men was no small force, they became even more cautious after reaching the summit. They avoided the enemy’s sight and hearing, finally arriving at their destination by the fifth night watch. As soon as they arrived, before Ye Li could even suggest they rest, several shadowy figures emerged from the darkness. The group, startled, quickly grasped their weapons, ready for battle.

"Don’t panic, it’s us," one of the newcomers said, waving his hand with a laugh. The hour before dawn was the darkest, and no one could clearly make out the newcomers, so they remained on high alert.

Ye Li calmly said, "Third Feng."

Feng Zhiyao slowly stepped forward. "I didn’t expect you all to actually make it here," he said with a smile. "I thought we would have to go it alone if you didn’t show up." Only when he stepped closer did everyone recognize him. Who else could it be but Feng Zhiyao?

"General Feng, what are you doing here?"

Feng Zhiyao said laughingly, "I’ve been here from the beginning, waiting for you all. Young Master Chu, you’ve had a hard journey?"

Ye Li shot him a look and asked, "How are things?"

Feng Zhiyao said, "Lv Jinxian plans to defend Jiantian Cliff to the last. He currently has around thirty thousand troops, with at most two thousand of them being Black Cloud Cavalry." The terrain of Jiantian Cliff is perilous, rendering the Black Cloud Cavalry unable to unleash their full potential here; deploying too many would be a waste. Feng Zhiyao looked at the forces behind Ye Li and frowned. "Why are there so few people?"

Ye Li responded, "Do you think it’s easy to bring people up here? This is the maximum number we could manage. If we dragged this out until daylight, we would definitely be discovered. Although we’ve made some effort to cover our tracks, the enemy might still find traces of our passage after daybreak. Leading a group of new recruits, the attempts to conceal our path naturally wouldn’t be very sophisticated. If the enemy’s patrolling soldiers are sharp-eyed, they’ll likely discover signs of a large group having passed through."

Feng Zhiyao knew he was being too demanding. He looked at Ye Li and asked, "I only have about three thousand men here. What should we do?"

Ye Li smiled. "We don’t need to do much. We’ll use this opportunity to set a fire behind them. If General Zhang seizes the chance properly, he should be able to charge up."

Feng Zhiyao nodded. "Let’s do that."

Ye Li turned to look at the group behind her and said, "Rest on the spot for one hour, then we set off."

A young officer from behind called out, "Advisor, we’re not tired! We can act now!"

Ye Li glanced at him coolly. "Who cares if you’re tired? General Zhang and his men still have a battle to fight. We’ll strike just before dawn, stir up chaos, and then withdraw before full daylight." The impetuous young officer blushed and silently sat down to rest.

Feng Zhiyao stood aside, amusingly watching the group of youngsters behind Ye Li. He chuckled, "It seems even Young Master Chu has times when things don’t go her way?" Feng Zhiyao’s keen eyes naturally observed that these young officers weren’t entirely convinced by Ye Li.

Ye Li didn’t even bother to roll her eyes. She walked to a large tree, sat down, and leaned against it to rest. "Unfortunately, I can’t just flex my muscles and have everyone instantly obey. Sorry to disappoint you, Third Young Master Feng."

Sensing Ye Li’s mood wasn’t exactly cheerful, Feng Zhiyao rubbed his nose and tactfully found a spot to rest his eyes.

「Inside the temporary command tent outside Jiantian Cliff」

Lv Jinxian sat in his chair, resting his eyes. The generals beside him wore resentful expressions. "These nightly sneak attacks, do they even want us to rest?" one grumbled.

It wasn’t just Zhang Qilan’s subordinates; Lv Jinxian’s troops had also been thoroughly exasperated these past few days. Although they held the geographical advantage, being positioned higher up, the relentless harassment from the enemy was exhausting. At night, visibility was poor, and a moment’s carelessness could allow the enemy to sneak up close. Thus, the garrisoned soldiers had to remain on high alert every night. After all, no one knew if the enemy’s next move was merely a probe or a full-scale assault. After several days, both sides were on edge and tempers flared.

"General, a letter delivered by fast horse from the Prince has arrived," someone reported from outside the tent.

Opening his eyes, Lv Jinxian swept a gaze over the grumbling men and ordered in a stern voice, "Come in."

A soldier entered, offering a letter with both hands. Lv Jinxian unfolded it and read, a slow frown forming on his face.

Seeing their Chief General’s expression change, the other officers quickly asked, "General, what are the orders from the Prince?"

Lv Jinxian passed the letter to a Vice General sitting below him. After reading it, the Vice General looked bewildered. "The Prince is reminding the General to be wary of the Princess Consort?"

The letter was passed around. Lv Jinxian frowned and commented, "Come to think of it, the Princess Consort hasn’t appeared among the troops at all these past few days." Mentioning the Princess Consort, although a woman, still commanded respect from these battle-hardened generals. This wasn’t just because of her military talents, which differed from ordinary women, but also because over the years, the Princess Consort had done a great deal for the entire Mo Family Army. For example, many effective methods regarding soldiers’ promotions, their pay and provisions, the resettlement of disabled soldiers, and even the army’s organization were proposed and implemented by the Princess Consort. Therefore, in the eyes of these soldiers, Princess Consort Ding was absolutely not just a simple royal consort but one of the true controllers of the Mo Family Army.

The fact that the Prince had taken the trouble to write a letter himself heightened everyone’s regard for Princess Consort Ding. However, at this moment... they had no idea what Princess Consort Ding was up to. It was only now that Lv Jinxian realized he had overlooked a critical figure. It wasn’t that Lv Jinxian believed Ye Li was more skilled at deploying troops than Zhang Qilan. After all, he and Zhang Qilan had worked together for over a decade and had a general understanding of each other’s capabilities. Princess Consort Ding, however, was an entity they did not understand at all. Their only understanding of the Princess Consort was limited to the battle where she defeated the Southern Garrison Prince a few years ago. That battle alone was enough to make any general see her in a new light. As the Art of War states, "Know your enemy as well as yourself, and you will be invincible." For some reason, Lv Jinxian suddenly felt a vague sense of unease.

As he pondered, the clash of weapons and the sounds of battle erupted in the distance. Soon, a soldier from outside reported, "General, the enemy has launched another surprise attack!"

"Fight them back! Remind the soldiers at the front not to let their guard down." Lv Jinxian slammed the letter on the table, stood up, and strode out of the tent.

From a commanding height overlooking Jiantian Cliff, Ye Li watched the faint flickers of fire in the distance. Behind her, Jiantian Cliff remained serene. A slow smile touched her lips as she said in a low voice, "Begin."

"Yes."

Soon, Jiantian Cliff was engulfed in flames. The once tranquil place gradually erupted into chaos.

"General, look!" Just as Lv Jinxian stepped out of the tent, he looked back. The sight of flames soaring into the sky from Jiantian Cliff made his heart sink. He thought, he knew where Princess Consort Ding had gone.

"General, it’s Jiantian Cliff... Are we being ambushed?!"

"Damn it, how did they manage to get there?!" Amidst the pre-battle clamor, Lv Jinxian frowned, his expression grim. "Silence!" he ordered. "Vice General, hold this position. I will lead troops to reinforce Jiantian Cliff." Uncertain of the adversary’s numbers on Jiantian Cliff, Lv Jinxian had no choice but to personally lead the reinforcements. He had over 30,000 men, but only six or seven thousand were stationed on Jiantian Cliff itself. If Jiantian Cliff fell, their defense here would be pointless. The others dared not argue and quickly moved to assemble their troops. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

From the hillside below, Zhang Qilan also saw the distant blaze. Of course, this wasn’t the fire on Jiantian Cliff but a signal deliberately sent by Ye Li. A smile finally touched his stern, resolute face as he commanded loudly, "Beat the drums!"

Before dawn, amidst the darkness, thunderous drumbeats echoed, and with a torrent of war cries, soldiers surged up the hillside like a tide. Lv Jinxian, galloping back, also heard the sounds of fierce fighting behind him. A helpless, bitter smile touched his lips. The Prince’s warning came too late... Such a lapse in caution...

At this time, Jiantian Cliff was in chaos. The soldiers, hastily roused from their sleep to face the enemy, were naturally no match for assailants who had been holding back, just waiting for the moment to strike. Moreover, these attackers had no intention of fighting to the death. They set fires and ran, fighting if they encountered the enemy and could win, fleeing if they couldn’t. The soldiers, jolted from their sleep, were enraged, but their muddled state left them unable to match the enemy’s clarity, forcing them to fight chaotically and without direction.

From a high point not far from the battlefield, the entire scene below was clearly visible in the firelight. Standing beside Ye Li, Feng Zhiyao watched the soldiers fighting desperately below and remarked with a smile, "These lads aren’t bad. If only they were this brave on a real battlefield."

It wasn’t just the junior officers participating in this exercise who were young; even most of the common soldiers were new recruits who had joined the Mo Family Army in recent years. The older veterans of the Mo Family Army, while not all having experienced hundreds of battles, had mostly seen action a few times. For them, an exercise like this was far less significant than it was for these new recruits.

In the firelight, some soldiers were still clashing with swords and spears, while others had resorted to grappling on the ground, locked in fierce struggles. Some even employed tactics like choking and ear-biting. No wonder Third Young Master Feng, who usually maintained his composure even on the battlefield, was laughing so heartily.

Ye Li watched the scene below calmly and said faintly, "At least this can help them get somewhat familiar, so they won’t panic when they get to a real battlefield. On the battlefield, it’s always the new recruits who die the fastest."

Feng Zhiyao suppressed his laughter and nodded. "The Princess Consort is right... General Lv is returning." An unusual whistle cut through the night sky. Feng Zhiyao’s expression sharpened, and he said gravely.

Ye Li nodded, glanced at the sky, and said, "It’s getting late. Let’s withdraw."

Feng Zhiyao frowned. "But General Zhang’s side..."

Ye Li said, "Lv Jinxian should recall at least half his forces. If General Zhang’s side still can’t break through, we can’t help them either. Once General Lv’s men arrive, we won’t be able to escape. Let’s move to higher ground."

Feng Zhiyao felt helpless. Knowing Ye Li spoke the truth, he could only give the signal to withdraw the troops.

The young officers, who were in the heat of battle, were forcibly recalled, each one as restless and agitated as a young colt.

When Lv Jinxian hurried back to the main camp on Jiantian Cliff, the sky was already brightening. The once orderly camp looked as if it had been ravaged by fire and plundered by bandits. In the center of the camp, large groups of ’killed’ soldiers were sitting around. Lv Jinxian, who hadn’t slept all night, looked even more grim. "Who’s your leader? How many are there?" he asked sternly, staring at an East Route Army soldier who was sitting among his own men and chatting with someone.

The soldier froze for a moment, then quickly replied, "Reporting to the General, this humble one has already ’perished’!" Dead men don’t talk.

Lv Jinxian’s face couldn’t help but twist. With a cold snort, he flicked his sleeves and strode away. The soldier frowned, looking puzzled. Did I say something to anger General Lv?

Twenty miles away, on the hillside, a fierce positional battle continued. The defending forces, suddenly reduced by half, gradually began to show signs of faltering. Meanwhile, a different scene was unfolding on Jiantian Cliff. The East Route Army would periodically attack, and after being repulsed by the West Route Army, they wouldn’t press the fight. Instead, they would retreat, rest, and then return to attack again. If this were a plain, such provocative tactics would be purely suicidal. But on Jiantian Cliff, with its rugged, rocky terrain and treacherous paths, ten thousand men sometimes held no significant advantage over three thousand.

By the time Lv Jinxian thoroughly ascertained the enemy’s numbers—less than four thousand, excluding those ’killed’ earlier who were now freeloading in his camp—it was too late for regrets. Because these four thousand men had firmly seized the vital pass needed for reinforcements to come from outside. His tens of thousands of troops could only watch helplessly as their comrades, twenty miles away, were slowly annihilated by the enemy.

An immensely frustrated Lv Jinxian vowed to annihilate this group on Jiantian Cliff. Thus began a complex battle for position on the cliff. The vital outward pass was a small area, preventing either side from deploying their full army. So, when the West Route Army held the pass, their reinforcements trying to leave the stronghold were pushed back by the charging East Route Army. When the East Route Army captured the pass, it wouldn’t be an hour before the West Route Army would charge up again to continue the fight. Both sides suffered countless casualties. What was most peculiar was that during combat, both sides fought to the death, using every tactic imaginable.

But once someone was judged ’killed,’ they were all good brothers again. "You’re good, I’m good, everyone’s good," and they’d sit aside to continue watching their comrades fight.

This struggle continued until that afternoon. The small pass had been contested back and forth four or five times, and both sides had suffered heavy losses. Ye Li and Feng Zhiyao’s original force of four thousand was now less than two thousand. Lv Jinxian’s side had also lost nearly three thousand men. However, if Zhang Qilan couldn’t defeat the enemy forces ahead before the next morning, all their efforts would be in vain, and their entire force would be annihilated. So, upon seeing Zhang Qilan’s signal, both Ye Li and Feng Zhiyao couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief, while Lv Jinxian’s face darkened. The forward pass had been broken. Persisting with the current chokepoint was meaningless. Lv Jinxian snorted, his face grim, and ordered his troops back to camp.

Watching Lv Jinxian’s retreating figure from afar, Feng Zhiyao sat on a smooth rock and laughed heartily.

Ye Li, sitting to the side, glanced at him and asked, "What has Third Young Master Feng found so amusing?"

Feng Zhiyao sat up. "What else could it be? Didn’t the Princess Consort see Lv Jinxian’s face? Haha... That fellow has always prided himself on being the foremost military commander in the Mo Family Army, second only to the Prince. He only has a modicum of respect for Zhang Qilan. And now, General Zhang is still twenty miles away. After fighting all day, he still doesn’t even know who his opponent was. Do you think his expression could possibly be pleasant?"

Ye Li shook her head resignedly. "We were just lucky this time. If General Zhang had been a few hours later, I’m afraid both you and I, Third Young Master Feng, would have become General Lv’s prisoners by now."

Feng Zhiyao touched his nose and complained, "Princess Consort, why didn’t you let Qilin participate?"

Ye Li smiled at him. "This is an exercise. Using ’cheats’ in an exercise? We might as well be putting on a play."

Cheats? What’s that?