Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 297 - 295. The war begins, famous Xiling general

295. War Begins, Xiling’s Famous Generals

Outside Licheng, amidst the thunderous war drums, two white figures stood proudly side by side before hundreds of thousands of troops. The Mo Family Army’s camp was silent, its black banners rippling in the wind. Everyone looked up with trust and admiration at the man and woman in white standing before them.

Behind Ye Li stood the group of generals who would be accompanying her on this expedition: Zhang Qilan, Lv Jinxian, Feng Zhiyao, Mo Hua, Zhuo Jing...

A libation was offered to the heavens, and the faint aroma of wine permeated the solemn, still air outside the city. After sharing a drink with the people who had come to see them off and the soldiers of the Mo Family Army, Mo Xiuyao announced loudly, "Set out!" His clear voice, amplified by his internal energy, resounded throughout the area.

"As commanded!" Hundreds of thousands of voices roared in unison.

Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li exchanged smiles, then walked to their warhorses at the front and mounted. Leading the column, they rode towards the distant official road. Following them were the generals of the Mo Family Army, and behind them, the soldiers slowly began to move, gradually forming a long, black column that snaked into the distance.

Only after the last unit of the Mo Family Army had passed through the city gates did the crowd that had come to bid them farewell begin to disperse. Xu Hong Yu and Xu Qingchen, flanking Mr. Qingyun, said, "Father, let’s head back as well." Mr. Qingyun nodded, then sighed to his two sons and eldest grandson, "The Black Dragon soars... From now on, Licheng will likely face many challenges. Prince Ding has entrusted the Northwest to you; you must take this responsibility seriously." Xu Hong Yu replied respectfully, "Rest assured, Father. The Northwest is the lifeline of Prince Ding’s Mansion and the Mo Family Army; I dare not treat this lightly."

Mr. Qingyun looked at his sons and grandson before him, nodding in satisfaction. He smiled and said, "In the future, not only the world but also the Northwest will face many storms. You must all be careful."

"Thank you for the reminder, Father. We understand."

Mo Xiaobao, clutching Leng Junhan on one side and Xu Zhirui on the other, watched the adults with wide, expectant eyes. Though intelligent for his age, there were still things he didn’t quite grasp. However, he knew his great-grandfather was giving instructions to his great-uncle and uncle. "Great-Grandfather, Yuchen wants to help too!"

Mr. Qingyun gently stroked Mo Xiaobao’s small head and chuckled, "You? Just being obedient is the biggest help you can offer."

Mo Xiaobao wrinkled his little nose in grievance. I’m not a child anymore!

Xu Qingchen bent down, picked up Mo Xiaobao, and said with a smile, "If you take good care of Zhirui and Junhan, that will be a great help to your uncle." Content, Mo Xiaobao snuggled into his uncle’s embrace; he knew he had to agree to Uncle Xianrin’s request. Looking at the two little ones beside him, Mo Xiaobao’s sense of responsibility swelled. These two little ones don’t understand anything; they clearly need someone to take care of them. Alright, I, the heir, will reluctantly take on the task of looking after them. Raising his head, he watched the black column receding further into the distance. He burrowed into Xu Qingchen’s arms, his nose tingling as he dearly missed his mother. I miss Mother so much.

The Northwest was not a vast territory. At the Mo Family Army’s marching speed, it took only a few days to reach the border between the Northwest and Xiling. Without pausing or giving Xiling’s border guards any time to react, the Mo Family Army breached Xiling’s Biancheng City in just two days. This was the first time since the founding of Xiling that this Biancheng City had been broken into by an external force. At this moment, Xiling’s God of War, Lei Zhenting, was still within Great Chu territory, his ambitious gaze fixed on the fertile southern lands.

Upon receiving the war report, Lei Zhenting, in shock, smashed the celadon teacup in his hand and roared, "Mo Xiuyao!"

The generals below, previously brimming with confidence, exchanged bewildered glances, some failing to understand what had transpired. One of them, summoning his courage, rose and asked, "Prince? Has the Mo Family Army sent troops to aid Great Chu? Even so, we don’t necessarily need to fear them." Although the Mo Family Army’s valor was known throughout the lands, this time they faced not only Xiling but also the Northern Territory and Beirong. While they were ignorant of the Northern Territory’s actual strength, the fact that it had advanced to within a few hundred li of the Capital of Great Chu in mere months suggested it was not to be underestimated. As for Beirong, the ferocity and combat prowess of the barbarians beyond the northern frontier were common knowledge. For Prince Ding’s Mansion to attempt to fight on three fronts, the outcome was far from certain.

"Indeed, Prince, please calm your anger. We are not necessarily afraid of Mo Xiuyao!" Clearly, many among the generals shared this sentiment, rubbing their hands in anticipation. They seemed to have completely forgotten the crushing defeat they had suffered at the hands of the Mo Family Army a few years prior.

Lei Zhenting let out a series of cold laughs. "Send troops to aid Great Chu? Humph! Mo Xiuyao did send troops, but not to aid Great Chu—he launched an attack against Xiling!"

"What?" Everyone was shocked.

Once his initial fury subsided, Lei Zhenting regained his composure. He stated gravely, "Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li are personally leading several hundred thousand troops in an attack on Xiling. They have already breached Biancheng City. The hundreds of thousands of border guards were utterly caught off guard and fled in disarray! Useless! Hundreds of thousands of men couldn’t even hold out for two days!" It was impossible for Lei Zhenting to have been completely unprepared for Mo Xiuyao. He kept a close watch on the Mo Family Army even in peacetime. Thus, even while leading the bulk of his forces to invade Great Chu, he had stationed hundreds of thousands of troops to guard the northwestern border. Yet, he had never imagined that hundreds of thousands of soldiers would not last even two days against Mo Xiuyao.

"Mo Xiuyao clearly promised not to interfere! To brazenly break his promise now is utterly despicable!"

Lei Zhenting sneered, "Despicable? A so-called agreement is only effective when one is willing to honor it. When one is unwilling, it’s just a worthless piece of paper. Besides... Mo Xiuyao promised not to interfere in the war between East Chu and Xiling." And indeed, he hadn’t interfered in the war between the two nations; he had directly attacked Xiling instead.

"Your Highness, I am willing to lead troops back to reinforce the border!" one of the officers volunteered.

Lei Zhenting closed his eyes for a moment, then said somberly, "Mo Xiuyao has only brought four hundred thousand men into Xiling. There are several hundred thousand more stationed along Xiling’s border."

The assembly was stunned. "Is Mo Xiuyao trying to prevent us from returning to reinforce our positions?"

"Precisely. The general defending Xiling’s border is Zhang Qilan of the Mo Family Army. Though not old, he is a veteran. If our entire army were to turn back, he naturally couldn’t stop us, but he could certainly delay us for some time. Most importantly, if we withdraw, there’s no guarantee that East Chu’s soldiers wouldn’t seize the opportunity to pursue us. We would then be attacked from both front and rear." Lei Zhenting said this dispassionately, yet his face seemed to age several years in an instant, his expression grim and bleak. What he didn’t say was that even if they successfully returned and repelled the Mo Family Army, their efforts in East Chu over the past two months would be entirely wasted. While East Chu’s soldiers weren’t particularly valiant, they weren’t clay figures either. Xiling’s forces had suffered considerable casualties in the past two months. If they returned with nothing to show for it, and worse, endangered Xiling itself, his authority as Regent Prince, no matter how great, would likely come to an end.

Only at this moment did Lei Zhenting fully realize he had been thoroughly outmaneuvered by Mo Xiuyao. He even began to suspect that Mo Xiuyao had been biding his time for years, deliberately hiding his strength, just waiting for an opportunity when Lei Zhenting himself grew impatient and attacked Great Chu. After all, Mo Xiuyao himself could never directly move against Great Chu.

"Mo Xiuyao! What a brilliant Mo Xiuyao..." Lei Zhenting gritted his teeth.

"Your Highness, are we just going to..." one of the generals below exclaimed, filled with righteous indignation. He trailed off, unable to voice the alternatives. To let Xiling be attacked while they continued their assault on Great Chu? Clearly impossible. But to relinquish the Great Chu territory already in their grasp and retreat? How could they stomach that?

Someone hesitated and said, "The heir is defending the imperial city; perhaps he can withstand the Mo Family Army’s attack. We could dispatch a portion of our forces to reinforce..." His voice dwindled towards the end. Although their forces far outnumbered the Mo Family Army, if they were to split their army and send half back, they would first have to break through the Mo Family Army’s blockade of four hundred thousand. Only then could they face Mo Xiuyao’s elite troops. It was worrying to even consider how many men would be left by then, let alone whether they could pose a significant threat to Mo Xiuyao’s main army.

The room remained silent for a long time before Lei Zhenting’s voice finally broke the quiet. "Vice General, I will leave you with three hundred thousand men. Continue the attack on East Chu, but do not advance recklessly."

The Vice General, who was also one of Lei Zhenting’s trusted confidants, stood up and declared loudly, "I obey your command, Your Highness. Please rest assured." Lei Zhenting nodded. "I will lead the remaining men back to Xiling at the fastest possible speed. Hopefully... it’s not too late."

Everyone wanted to reassure their Prince that Mo Xiuyao couldn’t possibly reach the Xiling imperial city in just a few days. But seeing the exhausted expression on their prince’s face, the words of comfort died on their lips. Lei Zhenting waved his hand. "You are all dismissed."

"We take our leave." The generals respectfully withdrew, leaving Lei Zhenting sitting alone in the dim, silent room. After a long pause, he swept all the scrolls and teacups from the table to the floor with a wave of his hand. "Mo Xiuyao!"

Just as Lei Zhenting had feared in his worst-case scenario—or rather, the Mo Family Army was replaying the events of Xiling’s attack on Great Chu years ago. They advanced with unstoppable momentum. In less than half a month, the four hundred thousand strong Mo Family Army had conquered four of Xiling’s cities and pushed deep into Xiling’s heartland, reaching Biancheng City. This city was second only to Xiling’s imperial city in importance, its prosperity even surpassing that of Ancheng City, formerly dominated by the Murong family. This was because Biancheng City was a vital crossroads for nations of the Western Region traveling to Licheng and even to the Central Plains. Its bustling prosperity was self-evident. More importantly, while Xiling was vast, much of its land was unsuitable for agriculture. Of the remaining arable land, half was located near Biancheng City. It was also home to Longshan Academy, one of the three great academies of the era, rivaling Lishan Academy, situated on Long Mountain to the east of Biancheng City.

Such a critical location was naturally well-defended. By the time the Mo Family Army arrived, Lei Tengfeng, who had been stationed in the imperial city, had already led three hundred thousand reinforcements to Biancheng City. Thus, the two armies faced each other in earnest for the first time at Biancheng City; the previous engagements had been little more than one-sided routs by the Mo Family Army. Lei Tengfeng’s troops were exhausted from their forced march to Biancheng City. The Mo Family Army, after more than twenty days of intense fighting and marching, was also considerably fatigued. Consequently, Mo Xiuyao ordered the army to make camp outside Biancheng City and rest before commencing the siege.

Inside the Mo Family Army’s main tent, all the generals were in high spirits. The string of major victories had left them exhilarated but also eager for more. Thus, when Mo Xiuyao ordered a temporary halt to the siege, many grew restless and came forward, requesting permission to attack.

Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li sat side by side in the seats of honor, Mo Xiuyao leaning against an armrest, a faint smile playing on his lips as he watched the generals argue over who would lead the first assault. Feng Zhiyao lounged lazily in his chair, watching their squabble with amusement. He picked at his ear and looked at Mo Xiuyao. "Your Highness, you’d better say something, or they’re really going to start fighting." Hearing this, the arguing generals immediately fell silent, a dozen pairs of eyes instantly turning to Mo Xiuyao.

Mo Xiuyao said calmly, "Didn’t I already say? Make camp and rest. We will attack the city tomorrow."

Yun Ting asked, perplexed, "But Your Highness, Lei Tengfeng’s three hundred thousand reinforcements have arrived. Shouldn’t we strike while their men and horses are weary and catch them off guard?"

Mo Xiuyao glanced at him askance and said coolly, "Their men and horses are weary, and we are even more fatigued. Do you all believe that because we’ve won so easily thus far, Xiling is truly a pushover? Don’t forget, for the last ten or twenty years, Xiling has consistently held the upper hand against Great Chu."

Isn’t that because our Mo Family Army didn’t participate? someone muttered under their breath.

Mo Xiuyao said casually, "The reason we’ve been so successful lately is firstly because Lei Zhenting diverted most of his elite troops to attack Great Chu. Secondly, we caught them by surprise, giving them no time to react. Although Xiling frequently encroaches upon its neighbors’ borders, its own territory hasn’t seen war for many years. Their weakness is similar to the Mo Family Army’s: proficient in attack, but not in defense. I can tell you in all seriousness, our true battle begins here, at Biancheng City."

Lv Jinxian frowned. "Prince, you’re giving Lei Tengfeng too much credit."

"The Prince isn’t giving credit to Lei Tengfeng," Ye Li, who had been listening silently, spoke up. "Biancheng City is Xiling’s largest city after the imperial capital. It is a place where one can truly say there are hidden dragons and crouching tigers."

Hidden dragons and crouching tigers? Everyone exchanged confused glances; they hadn’t heard of any significant figures in Xiling.

Ye Li shook her head with a smile. "Before the current Southern Garrison Prince, Xiling had three renowned generals. Does anyone here know of them?"

Everyone present was a military commander, so most were well-versed in such matters. Yun Ting said in a deep voice, "Reporting to the Princess Consort, Xiling’s three great generals were General Heaven, Long Yang; General Jingtian, Zhu Yan; and Grand General Shuntian, Feng Ao. These three were said to be close childhood friends of Xiling’s previous ruler, Emperor Xuanwen. After Emperor Xuanwen ascended the throne, they expanded his territories and waged wars in all directions. During Emperor Xuanwen’s reign, Xiling’s territory expanded westward by nearly a third of its original size. However, of these three, only Zhu Yan ever fought against our previous King, with one draw and one loss. The other two were always stationed in the west and north. After the current Emperor of Xiling took the throne, he was constrained by his younger brother, the Southern Garrison Prince. But these three generals were loyal to Emperor Xuanwen and to the emperor he had chosen, so they clashed with the Southern Garrison Prince. Subsequently, they were stripped of their military commands by the Southern Garrison Prince. That was... twenty years ago."

The others nodded in agreement; their knowledge largely matched Yun Ting’s account. The youngest of those three generals would be in his seventies by now. It was uncertain if they were even still alive, and even if they were, they could no longer take to the battlefield.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Unfortunately, two of those three generals are currently in Biancheng City: General Heaven, Long Yang, and General Jingtian, Zhu Yan."

Everyone fell silent.

Mo Xiuyao smiled at the assembly. "Well, gentlemen, do we still fight?"

After a pause, someone finally spoke. "Of course, we fight! But... we can certainly rest a bit before we do!" Biancheng City wasn’t just defended by Lei Tengfeng’s three hundred thousand troops. The city’s local defenders, plus the scattered soldiers retreating from the front, added up to at least another two hundred thousand. Even if Long Yang and Zhu Yan were at odds with Lei Zhenting, they wouldn’t stand idly by and watch Biancheng City be besieged; they had likely been preparing for this. Forging ahead bravely is a good thing, but to do so recklessly, ignoring the reality before one’s eyes, is simply foolish and impulsive.

Mo Xiuyao nodded with satisfaction. "Very good. Now, all of you go and rest. Tomorrow, bring me your plans for the siege."

"We take our leave!"

Everyone departed. Feng Zhiyao, who was the last to leave, hesitated for a moment and then stayed behind. Mo Xiuyao glanced at him, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. "What else do you want to say?"

Feng Zhiyao thought for a moment, then sat down again. "My Lord, are Long Yang and Zhu Yan truly in Biancheng City?"

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "What would I gain by deceiving you?"

Feng Zhiyao sighed. "Our luck is truly abysmal. Encountering one of these old monsters would be bad enough, but two at once? I heard that even the Regent Prince had a very hard time winning against Zhu Yan." The previous Regent Prince of Great Chu, Mo Liufang, was hailed as a peerless genius. He had never known defeat in his life, yet he had only managed a draw against Zhu Yan. This alone was a testament to General Jingtian’s extraordinary skill. As for the other, General Heaven, Long Yang, although he had never clashed with the Mo Family Army, his fame in the Western Region back then had surpassed even that of the Emperor of Xiling. He had swept through the smaller states of the Western Region, and his fearsome reputation was enough to stop children from crying at night.

Mo Xiuyao laughed. "Indeed, our luck isn’t the best. These old generals might find it difficult to lead a charge now, but they are more than capable of advising Lei Tengfeng, which will be troublesome enough for you. However, our luck isn’t entirely bad. The terrain before Biancheng City is a vast plain; otherwise, we’d have been in trouble before even reaching the city walls."

Feng Zhiyao was taken aback. "What do you mean? You don’t plan to take part yourself?"

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "My intervention wouldn’t make things much better than if you handle it. I... dislike siege warfare."

Feng Zhiyao couldn’t help but roll his eyes. In times of war, can one really afford to be choosy? His dislike won’t make the city standing before us miraculously vanish.

Mo Xiuyao said with a touch of regret, "To be honest, I truly wish I could cross swords with these old generals. It’s a pity... they are past their prime..." Perhaps it was Mo Xiuyao’s own dazzling brilliance, or perhaps the immense reputation of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, but there was virtually no one in his generation who could contend with him. Compared to his father, or even his elder brother’s time, Mo Xiuyao was undoubtedly lonely. People always lauded Prince Ding for his strategic genius and martial prowess, but only he knew how long it had been since he had experienced a truly exhilarating, all-out battle.

"How do you know they haven’t trained successors?" Feng Zhiyao mumbled under his breath.

Mo Xiuyao chuckled. "If that’s the case, all the better. That... would make things more interesting."

In the end, still unable to fathom Mo Xiuyao’s intentions, a disgruntled Feng Zhiyao departed.

Inside the tent, Ye Li leaned against Mo Xiuyao and asked softly, "These two old generals are indeed formidable; we must be truly careful. Are you really going to leave them out of your considerations for tomorrow’s siege?"

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly. "It’s good to temper their overconfidence. Things have gone too smoothly on this campaign; that’s not a good sign."

Ye Li nodded; she understood Mo Xiuyao’s concern. In fact, it was her concern as well. Although the sudden appearance of these two old generals in Biancheng City might disrupt their original plans, it was far better than allowing their soldiers to face future enemies with excessive arrogance, which could even lead to their destruction. The Mo Family Army wasn’t the only elite force in the world, and Mo Xiuyao wasn’t the only one who knew how to wage war.

"Will we have enough time? If Lei Zhenting manages to rush back, we’ll be the ones caught in a pincer attack."

Holding her hand, Mo Xiuyao said, "Don’t worry. Worst case... if Zhang Qilan can’t hold off four hundred thousand troops for even a month or two, then all his efforts these past years will have been for nothing. Besides... I have a few other gifts prepared for Lei Zhenting."

Ye Li thought for a moment. Murong Shen? And Nanzhao? The only forces in the south capable of threatening Lei Zhenting, aside from Mo Jingli’s main army, were Murong Shen, stationed at Broken Snow Pass, and Nanzhao. Mo Jingli was fiercely protective of his own territory; unless Lei Zhenting crossed the Yunlan River, Prince Li’s forces in the south would absolutely not move. So, that left Murong Shen and Nanzhao.

"What benefits did you promise Princess Anxi?" Wars between nations were never simply about relationships. Without tangible benefits, alliances were impossible.

Mo Xiuyao never hid anything from Ye Li. Smiling, he said, "I wasn’t the one who negotiated with her. Here, take a look at this letter that just arrived today."

Ye Li took the letter and, after reading it, smiled. "It’s from Elder Brother? Did he... negotiate with Princess Anxi?" She sighed softly. "Elder Brother, he..."

"He is the chief strategist for the entire Northwest and Prince Ding’s Mansion," Mo Xiuyao said firmly, holding her hand. Xu Qingchen was doing what he had to do, even if such actions gradually eroded his friendship with Princess Anxi. It wasn’t about how Princess Anxi might perceive it; rather, when both sides prioritized their respective interests, their original friendship would inevitably fade as they grew accustomed to their present and future relationship. But Mo Xiuyao felt no guilt towards Xu Qingchen for this.

Ye Li shook her head. "You’re offering them three prefectures near the Nanzhao border? And Princess Anxi agreed?" Such terms seemed too insubstantial; it wasn’t even certain if the Mo Family Army could defeat Xiling.

Mo Xiuyao laughed. "Nanzhao must choose between Prince Ding’s Mansion and Lei Zhenting. Befriend distant states while attacking nearby ones... even if Nanzhao turns against Prince Ding’s Mansion, they stand to gain little. But if they cooperate with Prince Ding’s Mansion, annexing a few of Xiling’s prefectures is not an impossibility."

"Do you really intend to cede parts of Xiling to Nanzhao?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow.

"That’s a matter for the future. Right now, I don’t possess them myself."

So, he was still making promises out of thin air...