Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 300: Lure the tiger away from the mountain
298. Lure the Tiger Away from the Mountain
Deep in the mountains, perpetually shrouded in mist, direct sunlight was rarely seen even on clear days. Thus, these mountains were a rare oasis of lush green and moisture in the predominantly dry expanses of Xiling.
At the entrance of the small courtyard, a frail and pale girl was stopped before she could reach the gate. "Who’s there?"
Yang Xianya started in surprise, speaking hesitantly, "I... I wish to check on Ah-Lin’s injuries..." The guards at the gate remained impassive, seemingly unaffected by the delicate girl before them. "The Young Master ordered you to rest well within the courtyard. Guard Lin will come visit you once he recovers from his injuries."
Yang Xianya bit her lip softly, whispering, "But... I am worried. Sob... I know no one here, except for him... please, allow me to see him." Seeing the delicate girl sobbing pitifully, the guards hesitated. After all, she was the distinguished guest that the Young Master had brought back and entrusted them to take care of...
"Wait here, lady. We will inquire with the Young Master." The guard finally conceded.
"What happened?" As Yang Xianya was about to express her gratitude, Zhu Ling’s voice came from outside the courtyard. The guard hastened to show respect and proceed to inform him of Yang Xianya’s worries. Zhu Ling raised his eyebrows as he examined the frail yet panicked girl before him, absorbing her predicament. Yang Xianya cautiously asked, "Young Master Zhu... How is Ah-Lin’s condition? When can we return to the Capital City? Please, could you provide escorts for us on our journey back? Once we reach the Capital City, my family and the Ling Family will certainly express our gratitude."
Zhu Ling’s eyes twinkled, his countenance softening slightly. He laughed lightly, saying, "Miss Yang, be at ease. Once you have recovered, I will have someone escort you back to the Capital City. However, Guard Lin has been grievously injured and may need to rest for a few more days."
Yang Xianya sighed in relief, replying, "Thank you, Young Master Zhu. As long as Ah-Lin is fine. May... May I see him?"
Zhu Ling chuckled, "Miss Yang, you can just look at him from the doorway. It would be best if you do not approach him due to his injuries. I have already dispatched a messenger to the Capital City to inform Eldest Young Master Ling. Perhaps, he will arrive shortly to escort you."
On hearing this, Yang Xianya appeared relieved and joyful. "That’s wonderful, thank you, Young Master Zhu. You truly are a good person..."
Zhu Ling laughed softly, "Not at all. Miss Yang is the offspring of Hero of Loyal and Brave; these actions are but trifling matters for me."
After assuaging Yang Xianya’s worries and sending her back to her room, Zhu Ling finally left the small courtyard and ventured into the outer court. Even though the courtyard nestled in the mountain grove was much simpler than those found within cities, it still had separate inner and outer sections. The study lay in a corner of the outer courtyard. After entering the study, the assistant following him spoke, "Young Master, it appears Miss Yang is indeed the daughter of General Tiger. When you mentioned that Eldest Young Master Ling would soon arrive, she did not express any unusual reactions."
Zhu Ling nodded, and he tiredly sat down behind the desk. "During these precarious times, it doesn’t hurt to be wary. Has the guard, Ah-Lin, regained consciousness yet?"
The assistant nodded. "He regained consciousness only a short while ago. His injuries are significant. The blade nearly claimed his life; his narrative matches Miss Yang’s account. When the Mo Family Army first attacked Licheng City, General Yang had ordered a dozen men to escort Miss Yang to the Ling Family in the Capital City. However, they never envisaged the Mo Family Army would seize the city so swiftly. They had barely left Licheng City when the city fell. They were exposed while passing through a small town occupied by Zhang Qilan, which led to the Mo Family Army pursuing them."
Zhu Ling furrowed his brows and nodded. "It appears Ah-Lin is loyal. Instruct the doctor to use the best medicine available; nurse him back to health as quickly as possible."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Any news from grandfather?" Zhu Ling shifted the topic to more pressing matters. The assistant’s expression conveyed additional worry as he shook his head. "None. Ever since Biancheng City was besieged by the Mo Family Army, there has been no contact. Zhang Qilan controls access into and out of the city; all movements are strictly scrutinized. It’s doubtful even if the Grand General could send out a message. Young Master, do we just remain hidden here, allowing Zhang Qilan to control the crucial route into Biancheng City? Although Biancheng City is well-stocked, a prolonged siege of one or two months could be challenging."
Zhu Ling pondered for a moment, shaking his head. "No, Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t do that. He is more pressed for time than we are. If this drags on for one or two months, reinforcements from all over Xiling will have plenty of time to reach Biancheng City. By then, even if his army is forty thousand strong and elite, they would be a dragon stranded in shallow water, a tiger dislodged from the hill."
"Then, Young Master means..."
Zhu Ling frowned. "Mo Xiuyao’s troop strength is rather limited. At this juncture, if he can spare tens of thousands of soldiers to hold a moderately sized town, I suspect... he might already know about our existence." The assistant was taken aback. "Are you suggesting that Prince Ding assigned Zhang Qilan to Biancheng City to prevent us from reinforcing Biancheng City and seize the opportunity for a pincer attack?"
Zhu Ling massaged his temple. "I’m more inclined to believe that he hopes Zhang Qilan will annihilate us."
"That’s impossible?" The assistant scoffed, disbelieving. "Even without considering that our familiarity of the local terrain far exceeds that of the Mo Family Army, our troop strength alone would be enough to overpower Zhang Qilan’s handful of soldiers." Zhu Ling shook his head, sighing, "Mo Xiuyao never does anything in vain. Send someone down the mountain to gather information on the situation in Biancheng City and the Mo Family Army."
"Yes, Young Master."
「Two days later.」
Zhu Ling was in his study playing chess with Yang Xianya. Over the past few days, the girl had finally shed her initial panic and unease. Especially after coming to know that Zhu Ling was the grandson of General Zhu Yan, she completely let her guard down. Although she was still young and had not met General Zhu Yan before, she had heard about him from her maternal grandfather and uncles. The Zhu Family and Ling Family had a well-established rapport. The girl, freed from her initial fear and unease, gradually became cheerful. Zhu Ling realized that she was unlike an average girl from Xiling who was unaccustomed to music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Contrarily, she excelled in calligraphy and painting, and though Zhu Ling hadn’t heard her play any musical instrument, her chess skills were also quite good. She did not appear like the so-called Tiger’s Daughter of a military family. But thinking of the fact that the wife of General Yang was the daughter of the former head teacher of Xiling, hailed from one of the most distinguished scholarly families in Xiling, all of it made sense.
Zhu Ling, though born in a military family, grew up in places like Biancheng City. Longshan Academy, one of the top three academies of their day, was located in Biancheng City. Zhu Ling had grown up under the tutelage of famous scholars. But for many reasons, he could only stay in such forested mountains for years, surrounded by soldiers who weren’t literate. Now as he chanced upon a highly talented individual, even if she were a woman, it sufficed for them to enjoy a pleasant conversation.
"Begging permission to speak, Young Master, I have something to report," someone outside the door called loudly.
Zhu Ling glanced at the girl across from him, who was engrossed in studying the chessboard, and said indifferently, "Come in."
The person who entered hesitated looking at Yang Xianya, who tactfully got up and said, "Given that you have matters to attend to, Young Master, I should take my leave. We could continue the game at a later date. I’ll go see Ah-Lin."
Zhu Ling’s eyes were gentle as he nodded and said, "That’s a good idea. Guard Lin will be able to get out of bed in a few more days. You needn’t worry."
"I know, thanks a lot, Young Master." Yang Xianya thanked Zhu Ling once again before taking her leave.
Watching the slender figure of the young girl disappear at the doorway, Zhu Ling, looking at the unfinished game of chess before him, seemed lost in thought.
"Young Master?" The guard before him called in a puzzled tone, shaking Zhu Ling out of his reverie. He asked, "What has happened?"
The guard said, "In the past few days, the Mo Family Army has surrounded Biancheng City, but there hasn’t been any large-scale siege. Instead, they’ve only been sending a few junior officers to curse at us under the city, then randomly attacking before retreating to their camp. In the Mo Family Army, from Mo Xiuyao downwards, not a single general capable of independent command has appeared. Besides, during the battle between the two armies yesterday, the Grand General led 70,000 soldiers out of the city heading our way. He’s probably planning on dealing with Zhang Qilan first."
Zhu Ling paused, his brows furrowed. "The Chief Generals below Mo Xiuyao haven’t been seen on the battlefield? But... we only have Zhang Qilan here. Where have the others gone?"
The guard said, "The Mo Family Army quietly withdrew their troops from their main camp. The Grand General suspects that the Mo Family Army already knew about us. Their apparent strategy has been to publicly besiege Biancheng City while concentrating most of their military power on us. The Grand General is probably worried, which is why he came to help us."
Zhu Ling closed his eyes. "Who is guarding Biancheng City?"
"Grand General Long Yang is also in Biancheng City."
"Good... no, that’s wrong. Mo Xiuyao doesn’t want to deal with us. He wants to lure my grandfather out of the city!" Suddenly realizing something, Zhu Ling’s complexion changed dramatically. He stood up abruptly and said, "Mo Xiuyao isn’t in the Mo Family Army’s main camp nor with Zhang Qilan. He must be hiding somewhere else! With his few troops, if we don’t appear, he won’t be able to find us at all. He wants to lure my grandfather out of the city, then gradually wear down the military strength of Biancheng City!"
Hearing this, the color drained from the guard’s face. "Then...what should we do, Young Master?"
Zhu Ling said in a low voice, "Issue orders for our troops to attack Zhang Qilan’s division! We must take the county city before tomorrow morning so that we can meet up with my grandfather!"
"I’m on it!"
「In the dead of night」
The normally serene mountains were especially quiet tonight. In a courtyard hidden in the darkness, a slender figure nimbly made her way out. Dodging the night patrol, with agile and swift movements she sneaked into the secret study located in the corner of the front yard.
Even tonight, when most of the soldiers in the mountains had left, the outside of the study was still well-guarded. The shadow approached silently with ghostlike agility. By the time the four guards outside the door realized, three of them had already fallen to the ground.
"It’s you!? You..."
SWOOSH! A dagger flew out, piercing the heart of the last man.
"Lin Han?" a soft voice in the shadows called. Beside the eaves of a house, a tall and upright figure quietly descended and approached the four bodies on the ground. He expressed no emotion in his eyes and said, "Princess Consort." The newcomer was none other than Ah-Lin, the guard from General Tiger’s mansion, who was supposed to be bedridden and unable to get up.
"Are your injuries okay?" Ye Li — formerly Yang Xianya — asked softly.
Lin Han replied softly, "I avoided my vitals. I’ll be alright. It just looks bad." Ye Li nodded and said, "That’s good. Stand guard while I go in and take a look."
"Yes."
Ye Li entered the study and came out shortly after. Soon, the two figures disappeared into the courtyard. Not long after, a stunning firework broke through the dense fog and darkness, blooming in the night sky above the mountains...
「As dawn approached」
The battle in the small county also officially began. The small city was far less fortified than Biancheng City, with walls that were nowhere near as high or thick. In some places, there were no city walls at all. Therefore, defending such a small city was much more difficult than attacking it. Thus, Zhu Ling and his soldiers encountered little resistance as they advanced into the city, engaging in fierce combat with the Mo Family Army’s generals inside the city.
In a secluded corner of the city, Zhang Qilan and his men stood high above, watching the fight below. A subordinate quietly reminded him, "General, they are estimated to have nearly a hundred thousand soldiers. We should retreat."
Zhang Qilan shook his head and said, "No, according to the information from the Princess Consort, they have at least 180,000 soldiers."
"But this county is too small to accommodate so many troops. They can’t possibly bring out all their forces," the subordinate quietly suggested. Zhang Qilan glanced at him with displeasure and said, "Of course I know that. Haven’t you noticed it’s already crowded without even a hundred thousand troops? Order those on the periphery to retreat discreetly, but those already engaged must fight hard! Hold them back until Zhu Yan’s forces arrive."
Hearing this, his subordinate grimaced and said, "If that’s the case, then we won’t stand a chance." Zhang Qilan patted his subordinate on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Are you scared? Don’t worry, I’ll die with you if we have to. Even if we don’t have a way out, we could drag down a famed general of Xiling, and that wouldn’t be in vain."
The subordinate’s eyes bulged in response and he said loudly, "Who’s scared? I’m not going to accompany Zhu Yan in death! I still want to fight for a better world with the Prince!" Zhang Qilan laughed and said, "Good courage, I’m counting on you. HA HA..."
While they were talking, flames flared up to the east, outside the city. Zhang Qilan took a deep breath and said, "Here they come..."
Zhu Yan arrived swiftly, and his torches were visible even before he reached the city gates. The city gates of the small county collapsed easily under the attack. The Mo Family Army didn’t have enough troops to guard the city walls. Before long, soldiers from Xiling broke through the eastern gate. The soldiers from the Mo Family Army were sandwiched between enemies from the east and west. Zhang Qilan saw the sky brightening and said regretfully, "Time to retreat!" As the sound of the gong for ceasefire rang, the Mo Family Army withdrew swiftly and cleanly. The troops from Xiling who had been suppressed for days wanted to chase after them but were stopped by Zhu Yan.
"Don’t chase them. There may be traps ahead," Zhu Ling said.
Zhu Yan nodded. "Indeed. The retreat of the Mo Family Army seemed disorderly, but they maintained order amid the chaos. It does not seem like they have been defeated. They probably want to bait us."
After giving orders to his soldiers to clean up the battlefield, Zhu Ling and Zhu Yan finally had time to talk. Because of Zhu Yan’s status and the heavy responsibility Zhu Ling now shouldered, living in the mountains year-round, they often only saw each other once or twice a year. They last met half a year ago. Looking at his tall, determined grandson, Zhu Yan nodded approvingly, yet feeling tremendous guilt in his heart. It was for him that his grandson had to stay in the mountains all year round, unseen by the world, to command this army. His only family, and his most beloved younger generation. Sometimes, Zhu Yan even wondered, was the insistence back then worth it?
"Good boy, I’ve put you through a lot," Zhu Yan said to Zhu Ling after a long silence.
Zhu Ling smiled lightly and said, "Grandfather, don’t worry, it’s what I should do. But why did you lead troops out of the city? The defense of Biancheng City..."
Zhu Yan waved his hand and said, "I know Mo Xiuyao intended to draw me out. But with General Long Yang in Biancheng City, whether I’m there or not does not matter. But here... for some reason, I’ve been unable to keep my mind at ease. Especially these past two days, I’ve been jittery. Has anything happened?"
Zhu Ling shook his head and said, "Everything has been fine with me, grandfather. You’re probably worrying too much. I’ll be careful. Since you’re out here, it’ll be beneficial. We can respond to each other and restrain the Mo Family Army’s siege speed. Moreover... we’ve over six hundred thousand troops combined, while Mo Xiuyao has less than four hundred thousand. How could we be afraid?" Zhu Ling also wouldn’t take his grandfather’s concern lightly; it wasn’t the usual paranoia of an old man, but the instinctual premonition of danger from a veteran general seasoned by half a lifetime of war.
Zhu Yan patted his grandson’s shoulder with relief and said, "Good boy, you’ve grown up." Upon receiving his grandfather’s approval, even the normally calm Zhu Ling couldn’t help showing a happy smile. After discussing their views on the current war situation, Zhu Yan was even more pleased with his grandson’s growth. It wasn’t until Zhu Ling mentioned saving Yang Xianya that Zhu Yan furrowed his brow and asked, "You say she is the daughter of the late General Tiger? Are you sure?"
Zhu Ling was momentarily stunned and said, "Of course it was confirmed. She had every piece of proof on her person, including the waist tag from her attendant guard. Moreover, I asked her many questions about General Tiger and the Ling Family, and she did not give away anything." A hint of uneasiness suddenly crept into his heart as the color drained from Zhu Ling’s face. He somewhat uneasily gazed at Zhu Yan.
Zhu Yan replied intently, "Your judgment is not wrong; the young girl indeed has attributes similar to General Tiger’s daughter, in character and appearance. However... when General Tiger travelled with his wife and daughter to Licheng City two years ago, they paid me a visit in Biancheng City. The Yang Family raised that girl delicately from a young age and, being influenced by General Tiger, she does not have any affection for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Apart from good sewing skills, she only knows a few Chinese characters and is completely clueless about chess."
"But..." Zhu Ling’s face suddenly became uglier. Although he had suspicious feelings about Yang Xianya from the beginning, and even to this day he never told her any important matters, his impression of her had improved after several tests. Now that he knew her identity was entirely fraudulent, it is not difficult to fathom the anger in his heart.
"Grandfather... I must leave immediately, I fear..."
Zhu Yan’s expression also turned grave. For a woman of unknown origin, claiming to be General Tiger’s daughter, to suddenly appear at this critical time, how could it not make one feel uneasy? After pondering awhile, Zhu Yan nodded and said, "Fine, proceed. But be very careful."
"Yes, Grandfather, you too..."
"Grand General, Young Master! We are surrounded by the Mo Family Army!" A soldier rushed into the room to report. Though Zhu Yan and Zhu Ling did not need his notification as they were already aware. Before the soldier finished speaking, a thunderous battle drum echoed outside the city. The two hurriedly left and climbed the city wall to find a flickering array of banners beneath them. Soldiers of the Mo Family Army stood in rigid formation, their military discipline so strict that no trace of the earlier chaotic retreat could be detected.
In front of the huge army, Zhang Qilan, gripping his sword, warmly laughed atop his horse, "Grand General Zhu! I, Zhang Qilan, Chief General of the Mo Family Army’s Falcon Army, have long admired your reputation. I would appreciate any knowledge you would share!" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
Zhu Yan surveyed the scene. The dense Mo Family Army stretched before him, with at least over a hundred thousand men. Zhang Qilan was no inexperienced novice like Yun Ting or Chen Yun. Waving his black battle flag, the Mo Family Army soldiers scattered in all directions. It appeared haphazard, yet a careful gaze would find sophisticated complexity beneath it — any general recklessly entering this formation would find it hard to break free without a considerable force behind him.
Zhu Ling’s expression subtly changed as he noticed the array’s brilliance. He spoke to Zhu Yan, "Grandfather, I want to give it a try."
Zhu Yan nodded and instructed him, "Zhang Qilan is a veteran of the Mo Family Army. You must exercise caution."
"Understood."
The city gate opened as soldiers of Xiling burst out. A young man dressed in white robes, who had no time to change into his battle dress, leaped from the city wall and landed on a horse moving out of the city gate. Kicking its flank, he charged at the massive Mo Family Army, leading the Xiling soldiers who, like a flood dragon, charged fiercely through the Mo Family Army, sweeping all before them. But despite their best efforts, they could never break free from the black web weaved by the Mo Family Army. Behind them, Zhang Qilan lightly stroked his chin, apparently delighted with the challenge. "This kid is rather interesting."
One of his subordinates reminded him from behind, "General, you aren’t a match for him."
Zhang Qilan immediately became irritated — he wasn’t a fool. He knew the difference between a war and a duel. Nonetheless, hearing his subordinate scornfully state that he could not beat someone younger upset him.
He scowled and retorted, "Spare me the commentary."
The subordinate rolled his eyes in frustration. Wasn’t it the Prince who feared you’d impulsively charge forward and ordered me to remind you? Who did I provoke to deserve this? It’s tough being a subordinate these days, and even tougher being one who looks out for their superior!
"General? What do you think? Shall we take down this kid?"
Zhang Qilan turned and said, "Who will go? You?"
The subordinate waved his hand and pointed towards someone who was watching the battle.
Zhang Qilan glanced at the expressionless Qin Feng nearby, his own face falling. "Commander Qin, are you going to tell me where the Princess Consort went? Mind you, if anything happened to her, we would both suffer the consequences!"
Qin Feng glanced at him and smiled, "Rest assured General, I’ve already sent people to assist the Princess Consort. There won’t be any trouble."
