Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 367 - 366. Helian’s Army Defeated
366. Helian’s Defeat
"I sincerely invited the Princess Consort to be my guest in Beirong. Why is the Princess Consort so unappreciative?"
After hearing Helian Peng’s words, Ye Li’s lip twitched imperceptibly. She calmly replied, "I also sincerely invited General Helian to stay a while. Why is the General in such a hurry to leave?" Looking at the distance between them, which had grown considerably, Helian Peng was rather helpless. It wasn’t that he wanted to leave so promptly; rather, if he didn’t leave now, he might not be able to leave at all. The Mo Family Army’s Qilin was indeed extraordinary. While Helian Peng didn’t consider any of the black-clad men beside Ye Li as a threat individually, together they posed a danger that he felt even before they drew their swords. This was why he had to retreat so far.
Helian Peng regretfully said to Ye Li, "I heard that Qilin was personally trained by Princess Consort Ding herself. It’s indeed extraordinary. No wonder Prince Ding even dared to storm into the Beirong camp for the Princess Consort."
At these words, Ye Li was taken aback, her voice deepening, "What did you say?"
Seeing her reaction, Helian Peng was also surprised. The incident of Mo Xiuyao single-handedly storming into the Beirong camp and slaughtering enough to turn the river red should have already been widely spread by the Mo Family Army. Little did he know that Mo Xiuyao, fearing Ye Li would be angry, had given strict orders to prevent this news from being publicized. Naturally, the Beirong Army also wouldn’t voluntarily mention this embarrassing defeat. As a result, Ye Li had not heard any news about this event.
But since he had already brought it up, Helian Peng did not care about saying more. Smiling at Ye Li, he said, "Some days back, Prince Ding charged into the Beirong camp alone, killing all the way there and back. Are you telling me that the Princess Consort did not know about this?"
Ye Li’s face darkened slightly, and she replied calmly, "Thank you for the information, General. I know about it now."
Seeing that Ye Li’s reaction was not what he had expected, as if what she had just heard was not something shocking, Helian Peng, somewhat disappointed, shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "It seems I can’t have the honor of hosting the Princess Consort today. We have plenty of time. I am curious to see how long the Princess Consort can defend this Lingjiu Mountain camp." After saying this, Helian Peng did not linger any longer and retreated in the direction of his army. As the commander of an army, he naturally could not be away from the battlefield for too long.
Lin Han, standing beside Ye Li, looked at the expressionless Princess Consort and carefully said, "Princess Consort, please don’t be angry. Since there has been no news from the Central Army, I suppose the Prince is safe and sound." To keep Ye Li from knowing about this, Mo Xiuyao had not only deceived her but also everyone in the entire Lingjiu Mountain camp. Therefore, Lin Han was just as shocked as Ye Li to hear this news.
Ye Li fell silent for a while before letting out a sigh. "We’ll talk about it after this battle is over." Rather than saying that Ye Li was upset that Mo Xiuyao hid such an important matter from her, it would be more accurate to say that she was shocked and saddened. She had always known how devoted Mo Xiuyao was to her. In all her past and current lives, no one else had ever treated her as the most important person in their lives as he did. If someone claimed that Mo Xiuyao charged into the Beirong camp due to a sudden impulse, nobody would believe it. Just because she was attacked by Helian Peng, Mo Xiuyao went to such lengths... Ye Li even started to regret her decision to leave the Central Army and go to Lingjiu Mountain. Perhaps, she should have stayed by his side....
However, regret was only a fleeting emotion. Ye Li was always rational. Although she did not consider herself indispensable, she knew where her position should be for things to develop in the best way possible. Such rationality might seem cold-hearted or indifferent at times, but isn’t that just another way of dedicating oneself to a loved one? Only a complete end to this war and a return to stability for the Mo Family Army and Prince Ding’s Mansion would completely erase Mo Xiuyao’s resentment and resolve his conflict.
Unbeknownst to Ye Li, while she was worrying and agonizing over Mo Xiuyao, he was also fuming over her. Inside the Mo Family Army’s command tent, Mo Xiuyao sat in the main seat with a gloomy expression on his face, saying in a deep voice, "So, the Princess Consort and Zhou Min only have a hundred thousand soldiers and are trapped on the mountain by Helian Peng’s army of over two hundred thousand?"
Everyone fell silent for a moment before Marquis South stood up and said, "Prince, I think the Princess Consort is not trapped on the mountain but is buying time for General Sun and General He to wipe out the Beirong armies in Luozhou and Huicheng City. Once Generals He and Sun gain a foothold in both places, the three forces can join together. The only option for Helian Peng then would be defeat or breakout."
Feng Zhiyao also said, "Prince, I think what Marquis South is saying makes sense. Moreover, Lingjiu Mountain is easy to defend and hard to attack. It wouldn’t be easy for Helian Peng to seize the camp. Additionally, Lingjiu Mountain is not far from Feihong Pass. If anything happens, Veteran General Yuan Pei wouldn’t sit idly by either." Mo Xiuyao naturally wouldn’t fail to consider these things; Feng Zhiyao said so much because he was afraid Mo Xiuyao would impulsively leave the main army and rush to Lingjiu Mountain.
Clearly, Mo Xiuyao was not as impulsive as Feng Zhiyao had anticipated; though his face looked terrible, he did not act rashly.
"Unless absolutely necessary, Ah-Li won’t mobilize the military forces at Feihong Pass. Feng Zhiyao, you will immediately lead two hundred thousand troops to Lingjiu Mountain," Mo Xiuyao said in a deep voice.
Feng Zhiyao frowned and said, "That’s not right, my Prince. If we dispatch two hundred thousand troops to Lingjiu Mountain, our central camp will be..." Feng Zhiyao believed that, with Mo Xiuyao’s capabilities, three hundred thousand troops could deal with seven or eight hundred thousand Beirong troops without losing. However, that would depend on when and where the confrontation took place. Right now, with both armies within each other’s eyeshot, even the highly skilled Mo Family Army could not withstand an enemy that was several times larger. More importantly, stationing so many elite troops at Lingjiu Mountain seemed wasteful.
Naturally, Mo Xiuyao knew that his arrangement was flawed. After a moment of silence, he waved his hand to withdraw his previous instructions.
"If my Prince doesn’t mind, how about I head to Lingjiu Mountain?" Suddenly, Han Mingyue, who was sitting at the end of the table next to Han Mingxi, spoke up. Everyone was startled. The old ministers in Prince Ding’s Mansion knew that Prince Ding and Young Master Mingyue used to be great friends, but no one knew why they had a fallout. In recent years, everyone had been aware of Prince Ding’s indifference towards Young Master Mingyue. However, Han Mingyue’s presence in Licheng was maintained due to Han Mingxi. Despite Han Mingyue’s superior abilities compared to Han Mingxi, Prince Ding’s Mansion acted as though he didn’t exist, leaving Han Mingxi in charge of all matters. As such, Han Mingyue, who had no real power or status, was busily taking up all the slack in helping his younger brother.
As a result, despite Han Mingyue and Han Mingxi’s close relationship, Han Mingyue rarely voiced his opinions in public. His sudden input surprised everyone. Marquis South and others knew nothing about the conflict between Han Mingyue and Mo Xiuyao. They only remembered that Young Master Mingyue was once a brilliant figure, which sparked their interest.
Mo Xiuyao snorted lightly, about to refuse his offer and plan to send Feng Zhiyao to bring back Ye Li when Han Mingyue lightly said, "I’m clueless about warfare. However, when it comes to rescuing people, I do have more expertise than Third Feng." Han Mingyue’s martial arts skills exceeded Feng Zhiyao’s and crucially, he wasn’t a subordinate of Prince Ding’s Mansion. If Ye Li were to refuse to leave in a crisis, even Feng Zhiyao would be helpless, but Han Mingyue wouldn’t have that concern. Even if force was required, Han Mingyue’s chances of success would far exceed Feng Zhiyao’s.
Considering this, Mo Xiuyao nodded and said, "Fine, you go. Han Mingxi stays. If anything happens to Ah-Li, I’ll kill Han Mingxi immediately." Han Mingyue remained unperturbed by Mo Xiuyao’s threatening gaze and said with a light smile, "Well then, I’ll prepare to leave immediately." In fact, Mo Xiuyao’s concern was unnecessary; given Han Mingxi’s feelings for Ye Li, he wouldn’t hurt her. After all, he only had one relative left in this world—Mingxi.
Han Mingxi opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself. He was not only worried about Ye Li but also saw this incident as a good turning point for his elder brother’s situation. As long as Han Mingyue could ensure Ye Li’s safety, the relationship between Prince Ding and his elder brother should improve. Over the years, Han Mingxi had felt deep remorse seeing his elder brother laboring tirelessly for him and getting nothing in return. Su Zuidie had been dead for many years, and the years of punishment seemed enough. He didn’t expect his elder brother and Prince Ding’s relationship to return to their old camaraderie; certain things, once broken, could never be mended. However, he hoped at least that his elder brother could receive fair treatment or be free to go wherever he wanted.
"Elder brother, be careful on the road," Han Mingxi said, looking at Han Mingyue.
Han Mingyue smiled faintly, waved his hand to show him there was no need to worry, and then left the tent.
Feng Zhiyao watched the hem of Han Mingyue’s robe disappear out of the tent’s entrance and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. For the sake of Su Zuidie, the brilliant Young Master Mingyue had fallen so low. His once-good friend, His Highness Prince Ding, wasn’t much better off either. He was always stirring up world-shattering events for the sake of Princess Consort Ding. The only comparison that could be made, perhaps, was that Mo Xiuyao had better taste than Han Mingyue.
After a moment of silence inside the tent, Mo Xiuyao said with a grave voice, "Pass on my orders, make the three armies stand by. Attack the main force of the Beirong Army with all our might!"
Everyone in the room gave a shudder, stood, and replied, "Your command will be obeyed."
Mo Xiuyao’s lips curled into a cold smile. "Give Yelv Ye a good beating. I would like to see if Helian Peng will come to his rescue."
A cold wind blew through the tent, making the generals shiver. It was so cold....
On Lingjiu Mountain, Ye Li looked at Han Mingyue, who had suddenly appeared in front of her, with some surprise. "Why did Young Master Mingyue suddenly come here?" Han Mingyue smiled faintly and said, "Isn’t it to execute the Prince’s command and invite the Princess Consort to leave?"
Ye Li did not hide the doubt in her eyes, but she looked at him with a smile. Han Mingyue just shrugged and said, "Originally, Xiuyao planned to send Feng Zhiyao with two hundred thousand troops to reinforce Lingjiu Mountain. It took a lot of effort for Third Feng to persuade him."
Ye Li nodded and said, "I believe your words, but I won’t follow you."
Han Mingyue frowned slightly, while Ye Li sighed slightly with some helplessness. "Helian Peng has become enraged. I don’t know where, but he has gathered a lot more troops. Now, the forces surrounding Lingjiu Mountain are no less than three hundred thousand. Once Lingjiu Mountain is taken, it is still uncertain whether he will seize the opportunity to march upon Feihong Pass. Even if he does not move forward, if he turns to deal with He Su and Sun Yaowu, they are most likely to be completely annihilated."
Han Mingyue sighed deeply. "So the Princess Consort intends to stay here to keep him at bay?"
Ye Li nodded and said, "When it comes to warfare, morale is very important, especially for those who are trapped in one place. As a military commander, if I were to flee at this point, there would be no need for Helian Peng’s attack, and the Lingjiu Mountain camp would soon collapse." The soldiers here were not all hardened and determined warriors from the Mo Family Army. Many were remnant soldiers from Great Chu and the Northern Territory who had only recently pledged allegiance to Prince Ding’s Mansion.
Han Mingyue looked at Ye Li deeply for a long time, then sighed softly, "You really are unlike any other woman. It’s no wonder... Well, if I fail to bring you back, I’ll be in trouble too, so I want to see to what extent Princess Consort Ding can achieve."
Ye Li understood his meaning clearly and smiled lightly, "Actually, Xiuyao worries too much. As long as Qilin is there, even if we lose, there won’t be any danger."
"In the midst of chaos, weapons do not distinguish." Among thousands of soldiers, even top-notch experts cannot guarantee they will come out unscathed. Furthermore, it is natural for Mo Xiuyao to worry excessively about Ye Li. He cares so much that he cannot help but worry.
Having convinced Han Mingyue, Ye Li finally turned to the topic that concerned her. "Did the Prince sustain any injuries in the Beirong camp?" Even though she knew Mo Xiuyao was safe, she still couldn’t help but want to clarify some points. The people in Prince Ding’s Mansion hid the truth from her because of Mo Xiuyao’s orders, and she did not want to trouble them. Luckily, Han Mingyue was not restricted by Mo Xiuyao’s orders.
Han Mingyue was somewhat surprised, clearly not expecting that Ye Li would know about this. Thinking quickly, he realized where the problem was. Those in Prince Ding’s Mansion did not dare to disobey Mo Xiuyao’s orders, so it must have been leaked by outsiders. He calmly narrated the incident from beginning to end, stating that although Mo Xiuyao was slightly injured, that small wound looked inconsequential in their eyes.
Only then did Ye Li truly relax, and her facial expression softened considerably.
Out of curiosity, Han Mingyue observed the sitting lady in white at the main seat. Her graceful demeanor and exquisite countenance were a sight to behold. Han Mingyue was not familiar with Ye Li; although they had had brief encounters, they never had a serious conversation. If he had remained Mo Xiuyao’s close friend, he might have become good friends with the Princess Consort. Or, like everyone in Prince Ding’s Mansion, he might have sincerely admired her. But from the start, he had chosen to oppose them, naturally leaving him little time to understand this lady. He merely felt that Ye Li’s appearance, intelligence, methods, and skills indeed made her outstanding among women. She was certainly a rare, virtuous wife and good mother. However, he could never understand why this gentle and calm woman could cause such infatuation in a person like Mo Xiuyao.
In fact, this is an easy question. Similarly, the world could not understand why the exquisitely captivating Young Master Mingyue would ruin almost his entire life, even gambling his own, for Su Zuidie, a woman with merely a beautiful face. Love arises inexplicably, and then runs deep...
Now, as Han Mingyue saw Ye Li sitting at the head of the table, calmly and methodically dealing with the various documents and petitions piled before her, he suddenly felt somewhat enlightened. This woman indeed possessed a disposition and beauty that was completely different from that of ordinary women.
"Now, I’m quite envious of Xiuyao and the Princess Consort," Han Mingyue said with a hint of a sigh.
Ye Li glanced up at him, gave him a puzzled look. Han Mingyue shook his head and smiled softly without a word. Ye Li put down her brush and closed the last petition, softly said, "Some things are better to be forgotten and let go. If one doesn’t move forward, one never knows if the scenery ahead could be more beautiful than the one left behind."
Han Mingyue seemed a bit lost. "What if I can’t forget or let go?"
Ye Li thought for a moment and said, "In our journey of life, there’s always something we can’t control. Whether good or bad, when you look back years later, right and wrong, love and hatred, are all just precious memories in your life. We need to live in the present and look toward the future."
Seeing the thoughtful look on Han Mingyue’s face, Ye Li suddenly asked, "Does Young Master Mingyue hold any grudges? Against Su Zuidie, or Mo Xiuyao?" Both were plausible. After all, Han Mingyue, despite his talents, had lost everything because of a woman who only used him. If Su Zuidie were still alive and if Han Mingyue’s mentality were a bit weaker, he might indeed bear deep grudges against her. Mo Xiuyao eventually killed Su Zuidie. Additionally, Han Mingyue had been under the control of Prince Ding’s Mansion for years. It was possible he had transferred his hatred onto Mo Xiuyao.
Over the years, very few people mentioned Su Zuidie’s name in front of Han Mingyue. Hearing it now, it felt like a lifetime had passed. After a long silence, Han Mingyue shook his head and gave a bitter smile, "Maybe I hate myself."
"Whether it’s true love or misguided love, it’s part of life’s experience. If Young Master Mingyue has already moved past it, why cling to the past and refuse to let go? Is it the love itself you cling to, or your own sacrifices? The person has passed, the love has faded. Are you going to spend the rest of your life for this unresolved attachment?" Ye Li said calmly.
After a long silence, Han Mingyue stood up and said, "Thank you for your advice, Princess Consort. I’ll take a walk."
"As you wish, Young Master," Ye Li said, not forcing the issue. She had said all she could. Whether Han Mingyue could take it in was no longer her concern. Worst case, like these past years, more people would secretly guard him. With Han Mingxi around, Han Mingyue wouldn’t cause too much trouble.
On the other hand, the Beirong army at the foot of the mountain was not at peace either. Helian Peng had been pressing the Beirong army to advance these days, moving their camp to a place less than five miles from the foot of Lingjiu Mountain. Although they had not yet conquered Lingjiu Mountain, they had blocked all the paths up and down the mountain. Helian Peng believed that with his hundreds of thousands of troops, they could definitely take Lingjiu Mountain in no more than five days. Even if Ye Li wanted to break through the encirclement with her remaining tens of thousands of troops, they wouldn’t be able to break through the blockade of the hundreds of thousands of troops. Thinking about this, Helian Peng felt that his strategy of risking everything to attack Lingjiu Mountain in recent days had been correct. Once Lingjiu Mountain was broken and Ye Li was captured, what would it matter if Luozhou and Huicheng City fell? Wouldn’t He Su and Sun Yaowu have to obediently surrender the two cities to save the life of Princess Consort Ding? Or even, it could be a game-changer in dealing with Mo Xiuyao.
Having spent a long time in Beirong, Helian Peng didn’t know much about Prince Ding’s Mansion or Ye Li. Thus, he didn’t take Yelv Ye’s warning seriously. Naturally, he also didn’t understand why the various national aristocrats would rather confront Mo Xiuyao himself than dare to harm Ye Li. If they could capture the live Princess Consort Ding smoothly, it would indeed be an excellent trump card. But firstly, Princess Consort Ding was not so easy to capture. Secondly, even if captured, she might not be taken alive. Back then, Lei Zhenting hadn’t wanted to take Ye Li’s life either. However, Ye Li would rather have fallen off a cliff to her death than let him capture her and threaten Mo Xiuyao. If they ended up killing Princess Consort Ding, Mo Xiuyao would probably go insane. Then, it would truly become a matter of life and death, with no quarter given. Especially after the hard lessons learned from Ren Qining’s earlier misfortune, all the national aristocrats came to a silent consensus. Unless Mo Xiuyao himself was killed, it was best not to provoke Princess Consort Ding. Ye Li may be the person Mo Xiuyao cares about the most, but she is not necessarily his weakness.
Helian Peng was ignorant of the thoughts of these high-ranking dignitaries. So, despite the lesson from the Beirong army camp incident, he still hadn’t truly abandoned the idea of capturing Ye Li. Now, he just doesn’t plan to use those underhanded methods anymore. He’ll defeat Ye Li in a fair and square battle and capture her. Even Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t be able to say anything then.
But at this moment, Helian Peng’s face doesn’t look good. He had just received orders from Yelv Ye in the Beirong camp. These days, the Beirong army has been constantly retreating under Mo Xiuyao’s attack. Yelv Ye ordered him to immediately abandon Lingjiu Mountain and lead his troops to join forces with Beirong camp to deal with Mo Xiuyao. With victory within sight, how could he bear to retreat now?
"General, the Seventh Prince’s order..." the messenger asked.
Helian Peng pondered for a moment before responding, "You go back and tell the Seventh Prince, in no more than three days, I will take Lingjiu Mountain and capture Princess Consort Ding alive. Then I’ll send troops to reinforce the Seventh Prince."
Upon hearing this, the messenger’s face turned somewhat unsightly. "General Helian, this is the Seventh Prince’s command." Regardless of whether the Seventh Prince’s command was right or wrong, military orders were considered sacrosanct, like mountains. Yet this Helian Peng dared to reject the Seventh Prince’s command outright without a second thought. Helian Peng said, "I am on the verge of capturing Lingjiu Mountain; wouldn’t it be futile to retreat now? Go back and report to the Seventh Prince, he will surely understand."
The messenger was infuriated and rebuked, "Doesn’t the Seventh Prince already know that General is attacking Lingjiu Mountain? But presently, the entire army is retreating, only you, General, are intent on moving forward. If you plunge into the heart of Great Chu, what use will there be for your isolated troops?" What he didn’t say was that if it weren’t for Helian Peng’s relentless assault on Lingjiu Mountain, Prince Ding wouldn’t have launched such a frenzied attack on the Beirong camp.
Helian Peng, displeased, darkened his face and said, "You only need to go back and report my words to the Seventh Prince. How can a mere messenger, running errands, question major military issues?"
The messenger was frustrated, knowing that he could not sway Helian Peng. He huffed, turned around, left the camp, and bounded back to the Beirong camp to report to Yelv Ye.
Seeing that Helian Peng had rebuffed Yelv Ye’s messenger so quickly, the other generals in the seat were somewhat worried. Helian Peng was the adopted son of Helian Zhen and might not matter. But if the Seventh Prince lays blame, they, as subordinates, would not be able to bear it. One general got up, hesitated for a moment, and advised, "General, the Seventh Prince is urgently summoning us to return. Presumably, the war situation is dire, should we...?"
Helian Peng responded indifferently, "The Seventh Prince has seven or eight hundred thousand soldiers in his camp, while the Mo Family Army has less than five hundred thousand. Surely he can hold out for two or three days. If we just quickly seize Lingjiu Mountain and capture Princess Consort Ding, the Seventh Prince will not only refrain from blaming us but will instead reward you all generously. Do not speak anymore, pass my command, Lingjiu Mountain must be captured within three days."
The others exchanged glances, and someone said, "But... even if we capture Lingjiu Mountain, it doesn’t necessarily mean we can capture Princess Consort Ding. The Qilin under Princess Consort Ding is very powerful. Even if it can’t resist thousands of troops, protecting Princess Consort Ding and ensuring her escape shouldn’t be a problem." Helian Peng calmly replied, "I only have my own plans. All of you just need to focus all your efforts on attacking and capturing Lingjiu Mountain."
Helian Peng persisted in his solitary course, and the other generals present could do nothing about it. After all, unless Yelv Ye dismissed him on the spot, Helian Peng would remain the Grand General and the commander of this army. They could only follow his orders.
The soldiers on Lingjiu Mountain could clearly feel the attacks from the mountain base intensifying. It was as if something was compelling the already ferocious Beirong soldiers to charge up the mountain fearlessly and relentlessly. As a result, the pressure on the Mo Family Army increased significantly. Having defended the front line almost continuously around the clock, many soldiers’ faces were etched with fatigue.
However, after three days, although the Beirong soldiers had come close to breaching the mountainside defenses several times, they were still repelled by the tenacious Mo Family Army. Helian Peng was so enraged his eyes turned red. He glared at the Mo Family Army camp on the mountainside, his own eyes blazing with killing intent.
"Princess Consort Ding, immediately order your men to surrender, or else, don’t blame me, General, for setting fire to the mountain!" Helian Peng’s voice, mixed with his internal strength, came up from the base of the mountain. At this statement, not only the Mo Family Army on the mountain but also the generals beside Helian Peng were startled. It was already late September, the time when everything withered. If Helian Peng really set fire to the mountain, not only Lingjiu Mountain would suffer.
At the top of the mountain, Han Mingyue stood beside Ye Li, smiling at the woman in front of him who seemed calm and composed. He said, "Princess Consort, if Helian Peng does set the mountain on fire, we are truly finished."
Ye Li laughed lightly and said, "With Young Master Mingyue’s martial arts, how could mere fire trouble you?"
Han Mingyue openly smiled. He was indeed not worried. Even if Helian Peng set fire to the mountain, he should be able to break out carrying Ye Li without much difficulty. However, with the war at this stage, Han Mingyue was genuinely curious about how Ye Li planned to resolve the current predicament. "Does the Princess Consort have a way to foil Helian Peng’s plan?"
Ye Li shook her head and said, "No. We are besieged by over two hundred thousand soldiers at the foot of the mountain. Even if we wanted to break out, our tens of thousands of troops wouldn’t be able to."
"What does the Princess Consort intend to do?"
Ye Li gave a faint smile and said, "Strike first to gain advantage."
Han Mingyue was somewhat bewildered, not understanding the meaning of Ye Li’s words. Looking down from her vantage point at Helian Peng’s sprawling army camp below, Ye Li casually commented, "When it comes to fire attacks, some are the true pioneers."
Without waiting to see if Han Mingyue understood or not, Ye Li called Lin Han over and asked, "Is everything I requested yesterday ready?" Lin Han nodded, "Reporting to the Princess Consort, it’s ready."
Curious, Han Mingyue asked, "Did the Princess Consort know beforehand that Helian Peng was going to set fires in the mountains?" Ye Li shook her head, "I didn’t know. But whether he planned to set fires or not, I was prepared to do this all the same. Otherwise, we wouldn’t even be able to hold our position for a day."
Shortly after, Lin Han brought an object resembling a lantern. Although it was crudely made, Han Mingyue could still tell that it was indeed a lantern. Confused, he looked at Ye Li and asked, "Isn’t this thing a lantern?"
Ye Li nodded, smiling, "Yes, it is a lantern. This is called a Kongming Lantern."
"What can this thing be used for?" Han Mingyue asked, playing with the rough lantern in his hand. He had seen all sorts of exquisitely beautiful lanterns and considered this one unremarkable. Smiling, Ye Li held the lantern and said, "You will know what it’s for a bit later."
Soon, Han Mingyue understood what Ye Li had planned. Countless Kongming Lanterns were lit and slowly rose into the air, drifting in the direction of the Beirong camp. Because it was daytime and they were in the midst of a battle, the many flying lanterns did not attract the attention of the Beirong people. Perhaps they did notice, but they simply didn’t care.
Ye Li watched with satisfaction as these Kongming Lanterns flew to the positions she had anticipated, then slowly descended.
Han Mingyue was surprised. The fact that these lanterns could fly was shocking enough, let alone fly to the same area in the sky and descend almost simultaneously. If he didn’t know for a fact that Ye Li was human, Han Mingyue would have suspected her of using some form of sorcery. "There’s a lot of tung oil in those lanterns; they shouldn’t burn out so quickly. Is the Princess Consort planning to..."
Han Mingyue quickly understood Ye Li’s plan. Ye Li intended to use these lanterns to spread tung oil over the large camps and the soldiers, and then...
Indeed, Ye Li’s deep voice rang out, "Fire the arrows!" Dozens of flaming arrows shot through the air towards the Kongming Lanterns that hadn’t yet descended from the sky. As soon as the arrows hit the lanterns, they caught fire and fell from the sky. The people below saw dozens of fireballs fall, some of which landed on people, others on the tents and supplies in the large camp, quickly igniting. In no time, the Beirong camp at the foot of the mountain turned into a sea of fire.
Caught up in this, the Beirong soldiers had no mind to attack and set fires in the mountains. They hurried back to their camp to put out the fire but it was already too late. The Beirong camp was filled with combustible tung oil; once ignited, it was impossible to put out. Amid the cheers of the Mo Family army, Ye Li calmly ordered, "Descend from the south side of the mountain and withdraw to Feihong Pass!"
After this event, Helian Peng would definitely be enraged. If he acted rashly, he might even set the mountain on fire. Naturally, Ye Li wouldn’t stick around and let tens of thousands of soldiers die for nothing. Hence, as the Beirong camp was in chaos putting out the fire, the Mo Family army quietly descended the hill from the south, unseen.
Outside the Beirong camp, Helian Peng looked at the sea of fire in front of him, his eyes nearly bulging out with rage. "Ye Li... Ye Li, I will kill you!"
"General, the Mo Family Army on the mountain has withdrawn," a scout at the front hurriedly reported.
Helian Peng’s face changed. "By which direction did they withdraw?"
The scout said, "They seem to have retreated towards Feihong Pass."
"Follow!" Helian Peng ordered.
"General!" Several officers looked unhappy. They were already unsatisfied with a general who had come down from nowhere, but they dared not say much because Helian Peng himself was too formidable. However, at this time, with their main camp burned down and their provisions gone, they wondered what they were supposed to use to chase the Mo Family Army. Besides, more than two hundred thousand forces of the Mo Family Army were still based in Feihong Pass. Furthermore, these troops were not a mix of the elite and the remnants from Lingjiu Mountain, but were all the most elite soldiers of the Mo Family Army. Even if Helian Peng is very powerful, they would still need at least ten days to half a month for a successful attack. Now, they don’t even know where tomorrow’s provisions would come from.
"Our army’s supplies have been completely burnt and we simply cannot continue fighting. Please reconsider, General," the officers pleaded.
Helian Peng’s face darkened. Although he realized their provisions had been burned up, he couldn’t swallow the trap set by Ye Li. He decisively said, "Levy grains from the nearby villagers."
For the Beirong Army, the term "levy" was just a nice phrase; it was more or less like robbing. But now, there were hardly any people left in the north; even if there were, they would have withdrawn behind the Mo Family Army. Even if they wanted to plunder, how much could they obtain? They feared they wouldn’t even be able to gather enough provisions for a single meal for their hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
"General Helian, I believe we should immediately withdraw to the north and join the Seventh Prince and Veteran General Helian," a firm officer suggested.
Helian Peng glared and said, "Go after them! If they cannot be reached, they shall not be allowed to leave that easily!"
Reluctantly, some of the more resolute officers took their men and departed. Only a few officers, commanding fewer than a hundred thousand men, remained to follow Helian Peng’s orders. Helian Peng looked at his camp, now ablaze with fire. The soaring red light was reflected on his face, making it exceptionally fierce and terrifying.
The remaining few tens of thousands of the Mo Family Army were not cavalry, so they wouldn’t be moving fast. However, most of the Beirong were scouts, and they quickly caught up with the Mo Family Army. With glaring eyes, Helian Peng looked at Ye Li, no longer leisurely or proud as before. "Princess Consort Ding, I originally didn’t want to hurt you. This time, you brought it upon yourself."
Ye Li wasn’t bothered by his words and said indifferently, "In a battle between two armies, we must bear our own wins and losses. Isn’t General Helian a bit too sore a loser?"
Helian Peng’s face turned red with rage. "Very well! Since I have become a general, I have lost to Princess Consort Ding entirely. Today, we will engage in a fight to the death!" Ye Li shook her head lightly, laughed and said, "I heard that you, General Helian, are the strategic military officer personally trained by General Helian Zhen. Pity... there’s a word in the Central Plains that you may not be familiar with."
Helian Peng stared squarely at her and said, "I would like to learn from the Princess Consort."
Ye Li chuckled, "Armchair Strategist."
"Ye Li, you are too arrogant!" Helian Peng was furious. His understanding of the Central Plains language was quite good; naturally, he knew what the phrase meant. Ye Li was mocking him for not knowing how to command an army. Ye Li looked at his infuriated demeanor and raised an eyebrow, "General Helian, you need not feel that I am offending you. Although you have been learning from Helian Zhen since you were young, it’s true that you have never led a single soldier before then. If it were not for your formidable martial arts skills, you probably would not be able to suppress those officers under you. Forgive my direct words, but when it comes to commanding an army, there are many in the Mo Family Army who are far more adept than you. These days, if you were not relying on your superior forces, do you think you would really win?"
Helian Peng’s face turned pale and purplish. After a long while, he sneered coldly, "Well, even if this general doesn’t know how to lead an army, so what? You still have to die here today!" He didn’t give Ye Li another chance to speak, and rode his horse with his sword, rushing towards Ye Li. Han Mingyue blocked the attack by drawing his long sword. Helian Peng had seen Han Mingyue once before in the Beirong camp. For someone daring enough to break into their camp to rescue Mo Xiuyao, his martial arts skills couldn’t be weak. "Who are you?"
Han Mingyue chuckled, gave a salute with a smile and said, "This is Han Mingyue. I have met General Helian."
"Young Master Mingyue?" Although Helian Peng was from Beirong, his master was a martial arts master from the Central Plains. Although Murong Xiong was old, he did know about the famous martial arts masters in the Central Plains. It’s just that Han Mingyue had not appeared for many years. Apart from those in Prince Ding’s Mansion, others probably thought he had either retired or died.
Han Mingyue smiled and said, "Precisely."
Helian Peng sneered, "I don’t care what young master you are, whoever blocks me dies!"
"This one shall learn from the general’s tactics," Han Mingyue smiled.
Without saying a word, Helian Peng immediately attacked. Han Mingyue didn’t hesitate either, as he swung his sword to meet the blow. Han Mingyue, once a close friend of Mo Xiuyao and the head of Tianyi Pavilion, the world’s foremost intelligence organization, naturally possessed extraordinary martial arts. Although he was not among the Four Great Experts, he was not inferior to Helian Peng. As they clashed, the result was a draw.
Helian Peng was in a rush to capture or kill Ye Li; however, Han Mingyue was not in a hurry. He simply wanted to block Helian Peng and prevent him from hurting Ye Li, therefore he appeared to be rather relaxed.
On the other side, while defending Ye Li and watching the battle, Lin Han asked, "Princess Consort, should we give Young Master Mingyue a hand?"
Ye Li shook her head and laughed, "Young Master Mingyue’s martial arts are just as good as Helian Peng’s; our hasty intervention would only cause him trouble."
Lin Han thought for a bit before nodding in agreement. Looking around, a new battlefield had formed. The Beirong soldiers and Mo Family Army troops had engaged in a life and death struggle. Now, the numbers on both sides were relatively equal, resulting in a melee with no concern about military strategies. With such a fight, the result will probably be mutual destruction.
Just as Lin Han was about to advise Ye Li to retreat, a thunderous sound of hooves echoed from afar. Lin Han was startled, and after listening carefully, he joyfully said, "Princess Consort, it’s General Yuan Pei’s men!" The sound was coming in from the direction of Feihong Pass; it was clear that it had to be Yuan Pei’s men.
Ye Li nodded, looking up. A black flag marked with the Mo Family Army emblem appeared on the distant horizon, and countless black horses were galloping towards them. She glanced back at the still fighting soldiers of the Mo Family Army, and a relaxed smile couldn’t help but appear on Ye Li’s face.
