Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 307 - 305. Mo Jingli’s Plan
305. Mo Jingli’s Plan
Mo Jingli was aware of the Southern Garrison Prince’s unusual movements at the earliest possible moment. Even if Mo Jingli were foolish, he still remembered that Jiangnan was the true foundation upon which he could firmly establish himself. Besides, Mo Jingli was never genuinely foolish; he was just not as smart as some people. Therefore, as soon as he received news of the Southern Garrison Prince’s movement, Mo Jingli, in his capacity as the Regent Prince, issued an order. He commanded Murong Shen, who was currently leading troops north, to use all his might to stop the Southern Garrison Prince from heading south. Murong Shen was originally leading troops north because the northern forces had been badly beaten by the Southern Garrison Prince. He was already out to settle accounts with Lei Zhenting, so naturally, he didn’t mind where he would do so. Upon receiving Mo Jingli’s order, he immediately led his originally northward-bound army southeast to block the path of the Xiling Army.
Despite making these plans, Mo Jingli still couldn’t rest easy. He secretly ordered his trusted aides to prepare for relocating the capital south, completely ignoring the life-and-death situation of the soldiers still fighting in the Northern Territory and against Beirong. However, Mo Jingli’s actions did not escape everyone’s attention, and a secret letter was quickly dispatched towards Zijing Pass in the northeast of the Capital of Great Chu.
At Zijing Pass, the increasingly taxing battle made Leng Huai appear older and thinner with each passing day. The Northern Territory army seemed to know that Great Chu was nearly at the end of its tether. Ever since the Beirong forces had advanced into the pass, they had begun to attack even more fervently. Leng Huai had reason to believe that Beirong and the Northern Territory had long been secretly allied. Yet, the food and military supplies sent from the Capital City to Zijing Pass dwindled daily. Since the new Emperor ascended the throne, this month’s supplies had been delayed by ten days and still had not arrived. If another ten days passed without supplies, Great Chu would collapse without a fight.
"Father, what do you need?" Leng Haoyu, suddenly summoned to the study, looked carefree at his father, whose brows were deeply furrowed. His calm demeanor, however, only enraged Leng Huai. He didn’t know when his son had adopted this nonchalant attitude, as if the sky falling was someone else’s problem to bear. Despite knowing that Leng Haoyu wasn’t truly an irresponsible young master, Leng Huai still couldn’t help but lose his temper seeing him like this.
"What are you grinning about!" Leng Huai barked.
Leng Haoyu pouted. Should he look stern all day long like Leng Da, as if someone owed him millions of taels of silver and wouldn’t pay up? He rolled his eyes and replied, "Father, what’s the matter? I was going to take Ting’er out to play."
Leng Huai’s forehead veins throbbed. "Play? What time is it now that you still have the mood to play with your wife? And what about your wife? If you’re insensible, is she insensible too? Fooling around all day!"
Leng Haoyu was usually unfazed by a few words directed at him, but he wouldn’t stand for his beloved wife being criticized. Upset, he retorted, "What’s wrong with my wife? She can manage the household, bear children, accompany me in business, and even join me on the battlefield. Even if she’s not as good as Princess Consort Ding, she’s not bad, right? Can your wife do that? Can your eldest son’s wife do that?" Towards the end, Leng Haoyu grew increasingly smug, as if he felt his wife was truly excellent.
Leng Huai’s mouth twitched. He said helplessly, "I didn’t call you here to listen to you boast about your wife!"
"Am I boasting? I’m just telling the truth, alright?" Leng Haoyu mumbled in dissatisfaction. Isn’t it your fault for bringing it up? Wouldn’t it be better to just get straight to the point? "If you have something to say, Father, just say it directly."
Leng Huai frowned and said gravely, "What exactly happened in the Capital City? Don’t tell me you don’t know. I know you have other channels for information."
Leng Haoyu couldn’t help but smile at him. He tilted his head and asked, "Then, Father, do you know where this information channel of mine comes from? Are you sure you want to use it? If you use it, what will you use to repay it?"
"This..." Leng Huai was at a loss for words. Although Leng Haoyu had never explicitly said anything, he hadn’t intentionally hidden things from him over the past few months. Leng Huai had more or less guessed what his son had been up to all these years. On one hand, he was shocked and angered by his son’s audacity and recklessness. On the other hand, as a father, seeing his son achieve so much without relying on the family’s help, he also felt a degree of pride and relief. Leng Haoyu wasn’t in a hurry, waiting with a smile for his father to make a decision.
After a long moment, Leng Huai, somewhat exasperated and embarrassed, glared at him and said, "You are my son! Do I, your father, need to pay to ask you for information?" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚
Leng Haoyu raised an eyebrow. Looking at him teasingly, he didn’t make things difficult. He shrugged and said, "Actually, it’s nothing much. The Southern Garrison Prince’s route back to Xiling has been cut off by Prince Ding. He plans to abandon his old base and head to Jiangnan to seize Prince Li’s territory. Of course, Prince Li isn’t willing to easily give up his own territory, so he’s secretly preparing to return to Jiangnan. To return to Jiangnan, he naturally needs to take many things, even troops, back with him. Where would he find the time to bother with your little Zijing Pass? Besides, Prince Li isn’t the emperor. Even if the Capital City is lost, he still has the prosperous Jiangnan. It’s no great loss to him."
"What?" Leng Haoyu spoke lightly, but Leng Huai’s face turned ashen. "How is that possible? Doesn’t Prince Li know that if the Capital City falls, more than half of Great Chu will be finished?"
Leng Haoyu raised an eyebrow. "If you don’t believe me, why ask? So what if Prince Li doesn’t give up? The Beirong have already entered the pass. Before long, they’ll reach the Capital of Great Chu. Will your Zijing Pass still be able to hold out then? If they retreat at that point, I’m afraid Mo Jingli won’t even be able to hold onto that piece of land in Jiangnan. Of course, he has to leave first. Once he’s in Jiangnan, he won’t have to be any Regent Prince. When the young emperor is killed by either the Beirong or the Northern Territory forces, he can directly ascend the throne and become emperor."
Leng Huai was rendered speechless. Although Leng Haoyu’s words were crude and unembellished, they undoubtedly hit the nail on the head. But how could he willingly abandon Zijing Pass, which he had defended for so long, especially knowing the consequences of doing so?
"Then why did you come? Prince Ding must have had his reasons for sending you here, right? Does Prince Ding really intend to just stand by and watch Great Chu fall?" At this point, Leng Huai no longer shied away from Leng Haoyu’s connections.
Leng Haoyu’s expression immediately turned ugly. He sneered, "Why did I come? Who asked you to run to the battlefield at your age, courting death? Let’s just say I came to see if I’d need to collect your corpse or Leng Qingyu’s. As for Prince Ding, give up on that idea. He’s in Xiling right now. Even if he changes his mind, he can’t sprout wings and fly back here."
No matter what Mo Xiuyao was thinking, Leng Haoyu’s presence here was genuinely because he was worried his old father would accidentally get himself killed on the battlefield. He hadn’t expected the other party to be completely ungrateful, so it was no wonder Leng Haoyu looked displeased.
Leng Huai also knew he had been too anxious and his words were a bit out of line, so he didn’t mind Leng Haoyu’s harsh tone. Looking at his son’s displeased face, he couldn’t help but sigh. "Never mind. In a few days, take Ting’er and hurry back to the Capital City."
Leng Haoyu raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
Leng Huai said irritably, "You said it yourself, Zijing Pass can’t be held. Your elder brother and I are generals of Great Chu; it’s our duty to die on the battlefield. Are you planning to join in the fun as well? Leave quickly while the situation is still a bit better. The Leng Family... if you have the ability, look after them a little." Even if he was loyal to Great Chu and the imperial family, he had no intention of sacrificing all his sons. Leng Haoyu wasn’t a subject of Great Chu to begin with, so Leng Huai naturally felt no pressure in telling him to leave quickly.
But Leng Haoyu didn’t appreciate this sentiment. He rolled his eyes and retorted, "Take care of your own wife, sons, and grandsons." I begged His Highness to let me rush over to Zijing Pass, and it certainly wasn’t to collect your corpse, old man, Leng Haoyu grumbled silently in his heart.
Leng Huai just assumed he held a grudge against the Leng Family and shook his head helplessly. "Very well. Everyone has their own destiny. Do as you please."
Leng Haoyu frowned and looked at Leng Huai. "Haven’t you ever thought about retreating? Do you really intend to let these hundreds of thousands of soldiers be buried with you in Zijing Pass?"
Leng Huai smiled bitterly. "Retreat? Retreat where? Behind us is the Capital of Great Chu. We can retreat, but where can these common people retreat to? I haven’t fought any earth-shattering battles in my life, but I’ve also never been a coward who abandons a city and flees."
Leng Haoyu could only roll his eyes. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, I won’t meddle in your affairs, and you don’t meddle in mine. I’ll leave when it’s time to leave." When it really comes to a last resort, I’ll just knock this old man out, pack him up, and take him to the Northwest. Although I don’t like the sight of this old man, I don’t plan to send my old father off so soon. Besides, His Highness still wants a general who can fight. Hmm... just past fifty, not too old, he can still lead troops for a few more years!
Leng Huai felt very uncomfortable under his son’s strange gaze but couldn’t guess what he was thinking at that moment. He could only wave his hand to dismiss him.
「Meanwhile, at Zijing Pass」
Leng Huai was still holding firm, temporarily blocking the advance of the Northern Territory forces. However, the situation elsewhere was not so fortunate. Most of the Beirong forces were cavalry. The harsh climate outside the pass made the Beirong soldiers far fiercer than the people of Great Chu inside the pass, not to mention their warhorses, which could be said to be the best among all nations. The only cavalry in the surrounding nations that could compare with Beirong’s was the Mo Family Army’s Black Cloud Cavalry, but the Black Cloud Cavalry’s numbers were far fewer than the Beirong cavalry. Moreover, the Black Cloud Cavalry excelled at long-distance raids, striking quickly and retreating. In a true face-to-face battle, they might not necessarily win against the Beirong army. Therefore, the scene after hundreds of thousands of Beirong iron cavalry entered the pass could well be imagined.
The Beirong people were slightly different from the Northern Territory people. While most of the Northern Territory people were also uncivilized barbarians from beyond the borders, Ren Qining, or rather Lin Yuan, was a native of the Central Plains. He had also recruited many capable individuals from the Central Plains under his command. He knew that what he wanted was to rule the Central Plains, not destroy it. Therefore, although the places passed by the Northern Territory army could not be said to be completely unharmed, there were no large-scale massacres. But the Beirong people were different. The Beirong were complete nomads. They invaded the Central Plains wanting to claim its fertile lands and abundant resources as their own. Thus, when faced with the citizens of Great Chu who originally possessed these things, they naturally slaughtered them without mercy. Wherever the Beirong passed in the north, it could be said that cries of misery filled the land and blood flowed like rivers. Seven or eight out of ten people along the route perished.
「Meanwhile, at the Regent Prince’s Mansion in the Capital of Great Chu」
The atmosphere was tense. State Duke Hua, his eyes wide with anger, glared fiercely at a calm Mo Jingli. State Duke Hua’s desire to go and defend the border ultimately failed to materialize. It wasn’t that Mo Jingli doubted State Duke Hua’s abilities, but rather, like Mo Jingqi, he was also wary of him. Although no one said it openly, Mo Jingli had a good idea where the missing Empress had gone. He naturally had reason to believe that State Duke Hua’s Mansion had already found a way out for themselves. What he worried about was that State Duke Hua would lead Great Chu’s troops to defect to the Northwest.
"Prince, the Beirong army has already entered the pass, and the Northern Territory army is also pressing upon our borders. Why is Your Highness still unwilling to send grain and fodder to General Leng?!" State Duke Hua asked sternly.
A hint of surprise flashed in Mo Jingli’s eyes. He said indifferently, "The Old State Duke’s information is quite timely indeed."
State Duke Hua snorted lightly and said calmly, "This old man has fought for half his life. I still have a few old friends in the army." Although the Hua Family and the Leng Family had never been on very good terms, Leng Huai had indeed spent some time under State Duke Hua’s command when he first went to the battlefield. Therefore, it wasn’t strange for State Duke Hua to ask about this now.
Of course, Mo Jingli didn’t believe State Duke Hua’s words but didn’t show it. He just said lightly, "The Old State Duke should know that ever since the Mo Family Army broke away from Great Chu, the north... sooner or later, it wouldn’t be able to hold out." Speaking of this, Mo Jingli wasn’t truly without frustration. Even though he wasn’t yet the emperor, he was the de facto ruler of Great Chu. No ruler would want to see their territory invaded, but the facts were such that he couldn’t deny them.
State Duke Hua sneered. "Without provisions and reinforcements, of course, it can’t be held. I know that Your Highness’s foundation is in the south. Hearing that the Regent Prince of Xiling is leading troops south, you naturally became anxious."
"State Duke Hua!" A flash of anger crossed Mo Jingli’s face. He said sternly, "State Duke Hua, please be careful with your words."
State Duke Hua didn’t back down at all. "Am I wrong? Your Highness withheld Leng Huai’s provisions and didn’t send reinforcements to the north. Is it not because you want to head south?"
A flustered look flashed in Mo Jingli’s eyes. He said angrily, "The south has always been more important than the north! If Jiangnan is then occupied by Lei Zhenting, and the north can’t hold out either, what should we do, caught between enemies at our front and back? This is all Mo Xiuyao’s fault! If he hadn’t gone to attack Xiling and blocked Lei Zhenting’s retreat, how would Lei Zhenting have turned his attention to Jiangnan?"
Hearing this, State Duke Hua looked at Mo Jingli as if looking at an unruly child. Mo Jingli also knew he was being unreasonable. Prince Ding’s Mansion had already made it clear they had severed ties with Great Chu. Whether Mo Xiuyao attacked Xiling or blocked Lei Zhenting’s retreat, it was all for his own benefit. Whose interests would be harmed in the process was not Mo Xiuyao’s concern. As a superior, one would never prioritize others’ interests over one’s own. Besides, if Great Chu itself had some backbone, it could have completely allied with Prince Ding’s Mansion to trap Lei Zhenting. Allowing Lei Zhenting to lead his troops south, sweeping all before him, was due to their own incompetence. But Mo Jingli couldn’t help but want to shift the blame. If it weren’t for Mo Xiuyao, none of these things would have happened.
Composing himself, Mo Jingli didn’t want to continue discussing who was right or wrong with State Duke Hua. Most of the old officials in the court were stubbornly biased towards Prince Ding’s Mansion. Even now, when Prince Ding’s Mansion had abandoned Great Chu and even brought great disaster upon it, these people would still speak up for Mo Xiuyao. This situation made Mo Jingli feel jealous, hateful, and helpless all at once.
"It’s rare for the Old State Duke to visit this Prince’s mansion. Surely you didn’t come just to discuss this matter with me?" Mo Jingli asked, adopting a calm expression.
State Duke Hua glanced at him. Things have already reached this stage. If I didn’t come to discuss the issue of provisions and military supplies, did I come to have tea with him?
Mo Jingli said, "Actually, the Old State Duke really doesn’t need to worry about these matters. There are naturally ministers in the court to handle them. Surely the Old State Duke doesn’t think all the ministers in the court are incompetent fools?"
State Duke Hua sneered. Over these past few years, Mo Jingli hasn’t developed any real skills, but he’s certainly mastered bureaucratic rhetoric. The ministers in court are indeed not incompetent fools, but none of them have resolved the border issues. Instead, like Prince Li, quite a few are secretly busy packing their belongings, preparing to head south.
State Duke Hua looked at Mo Jingli and said in a deep voice, "Since the Beirong entered the pass, they have been slaughtering commoners along their path. The areas invaded by Beirong are already filled with wailing and desolation, barren for a thousand li. I wonder if Your Highness has heard of this?"
Mo Jingli paused for a moment, then nodded. "This Prince has indeed heard some things. However... the rumors are somewhat untrue. The Old State Duke is thinking too much."
State Duke Hua, so angry he laughed, retorted, "Rumors? Untrue? Whether they are rumors or not, I don’t believe Your Highness doesn’t know. South of the Capital of Chu, it’s all Pingchuan. May I ask where Your Highness plans to retreat? South of the Yunlan River? It’s indeed a good idea, as the Beirong cavalry are not skilled in naval warfare. But I want to ask, where will Your Highness place the tens of millions of commoners in the north of Great Chu?"
Seeing Mo Jingli remain silent, a look of sorrow appeared on State Duke Hua’s aged face. He stared at Mo Jingli and said painfully, "Prince Li, those massacred commoners are all citizens of Great Chu, they are all your Mo Family’s people!"
Mo Jingli’s face was grim. Staring at State Duke Hua, he said, "State Duke Hua, are you accusing this Prince?"
State Duke Hua gave a sad, bitter laugh. "What virtue or ability does this old man possess to dare accuse the Regent Prince? This old man only remembers a saying by the former Regent Prince, Mo Liufang—’He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world!’ If His Highness Prince Li treats his own people as disposable objects, how can he expect them to be loyal to him? When the Regent Prince first took power, the situation in Great Chu was perhaps not much better than it is now..."
"Enough!" Mo Jingli rudely cut State Duke Hua off. State Duke Hua’s earnest advice sounded more like sarcasm in his ears. Eyeing the old man before him, Mo Jingli sneered, "So what if this Prince doesn’t have the abilities of Mo Liufang and Mo Xiuyao? Should this Prince invite Mo Xiuyao back for you? Or should this Prince directly ask His Majesty to abdicate in favor of Mo Xiuyao?"
State Duke Hua was so angered by his words that he trembled all over. If the late Emperor could be considered a rather cunning and ambitious figure, then the brothers Mo Jingli and Mo Jingqi were simply aberrations of the Mo Family. Even in such a dire situation, they still refused to reflect on themselves and instead pushed the blame onto others. With such descendants, Great Chu truly... its destiny is exhausted, isn’t it?
State Duke Hua took several deep breaths to calm his anger. Only then did he stand up and say, "Very well. If Prince Li refuses to listen to this old man’s words, then this old man won’t be a nuisance. Please, Prince Li, quickly allocate provisions and reinforcements to support the Northern Territory and the Beirong frontlines!"
State Duke Hua swallowed his anger, but Mo Jingli’s rage had not yet fully subsided. He looked at State Duke Hua coldly and said, "State Duke Hua, this Prince remembers you have been retired for a long time. Whether to allocate provisions, send reinforcements, and when to send them are this Prince’s affairs. State Duke Hua should return to his mansion and rest well. Perhaps in a few days, we will depart for the south. If something happens to State Duke Hua’s health on the journey, this Prince will not be able to answer to the Hua Family."
"This old man will not leave the Capital City," State Duke Hua said resolutely.
Mo Jingli paid no heed. Whether State Duke Hua wanted to leave the Capital City or not wasn’t up to him to decide. Although State Duke Hua hadn’t led troops for many years, he indeed still had many old acquaintances in the army. Mo Jingli would absolutely not leave him in the Capital City. Rather than letting Mo Xiuyao benefit, he would prefer to hand over the Capital of Great Chu to Beirong and the Northern Territory!
As for State Duke Hua’s wishes, they were completely outside Mo Jingli’s consideration. If State Duke Hua truly refused to cooperate, he wouldn’t mind using force.
"Prince Li!" How could State Duke Hua not see Mo Jingli’s plans? He could even guess some of Mo Jingli’s thoughts. It was precisely because of this that he felt even more distressed. With such a temperament, Mo Jingli was unfit to be a ruler, even in times of peace and prosperity, let alone in these current troubled times. State Duke Hua composed himself and said solemnly, "This old man will absolutely not leave the Capital City! If Your Highness insists, then you might as well try to carry this old man’s corpse out of the Capital City!"
Mo Jingli frowned slightly in displeasure. Although he found State Duke Hua extremely disagreeable, given that the State Duke was one of the few remaining senior officials in the Capital City who had served four reigns, he didn’t dare to actually force State Duke Hua to his death. Moreover, persuading those old officials to agree to moving the capital was a major undertaking. If State Duke Hua openly opposed it, many old ministers would not consent. He frowned and said, "State Duke, this Prince is also doing this for your own good. At your advanced age, why not go to Jiangnan and enjoy your remaining years in peace? As for the Capital of Great Chu... we will return one day."
State Duke Hua let out a cold laugh. "Enjoy my remaining years? When I dream of the wails of those unjustly killed commoners, this old man cannot sleep, cannot find peace! This old bag of bones has lived long enough. I swear to live or die with the Capital of Great Chu!"
Mo Jingli rose angrily, stared at State Duke Hua for a long moment, then coldly threw down a sentence, "This Prince will not give you a single soldier, not one!" Then he flicked his sleeves and left.
Left behind in the reception hall, State Duke Hua sat in a daze for a long time. Finally, he looked up to the heavens and sighed, "Fool! That Great Chu has such a fool..." A line of aged tears sorrowfully slid down his old, wrinkled face. Looking around at the carved beams and painted pillars, the gold and jade splendor of the Regent Prince’s Mansion, he could only slowly rise and shakily walk out. Great Chu... is finished...
