Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 368 - 367. Two hearts interconnect, urgent news from Jiangnan
367. Mingled Emotions, Urgent Report from Jiangnan
The Black Cloud Cavalry, like a black tempest, swept across the entire battlefield in an instant. The grizzled Veteran General Yuan Pei, still vigorous in old age, personally led his troops on horseback. Seeing Ye Li safe and unharmed, he visibly sighed with relief.
"I greet the Princess Consort!"
Ye Li quickly stepped forward to support Yuan Pei, preventing him from kneeling, and said with a smile, "General, please, there’s no need for such formality. We are deeply grateful for your timely assistance."
Yuan Pei rose to his feet, chuckling. "I merely brought my troops as backup. Princess Consort, it is you who have borne the arduous task of defending Lingjiu Mountain all these days. I honor your courage."
Looking at the old general’s solemn expression, Ye Li couldn’t help but smile. "Let’s wait until after this battle is won before we sing each other’s praises."
Yuan Pei also chuckled. His gaze shifted to Helian Peng, who was still entangled in a fight with Han Mingyue not far away, and his expression changed. "So, that young man is Helian Zhen’s son? He certainly has great audacity!"
The Mo Family Army harbored a hatred for Helian Zhen that far surpassed anyone else’s. As Helian Zhen’s son, Helian Peng naturally couldn’t escape the repercussions. Ye Li smiled faintly. "Indeed, he is Helian Zhen’s adopted son."
Yuan Pei nodded repeatedly. "Excellent. I didn’t have the chance to confront Helian Zhen back then. Today, I’ll capture his son and see what he has to say."
During Helian Peng’s fight with Han Mingyue, Han Mingyue maintained a relaxed and casual demeanor. He felt no particular urge to win, so he was in no hurry. Helian Peng, on the other hand, grew increasingly anxious as he failed to gain an advantage. However, Han Mingyue’s martial skill was not something he could easily break away from. By the time the Black Cloud Cavalry charged forth, Helian Peng knew the tide had turned against him. No matter how unwilling he was, he understood that if he didn’t leave immediately, he wouldn’t be able to leave at all. Steeling his resolve, he unleashed a flurry of desperate blows at Han Mingyue with all his might. This sudden, ferocious assault momentarily threw Han Mingyue off balance, giving Helian Peng the opportunity to disengage and retreat into the distance.
"Princess Consort Ding, we shall meet again!" Landing on a horse, Helian Peng tugged the reins and galloped north. The Beirong soldiers engaged with the Mo Family Army, seeing their commander flee, also hastily retreated.
Seeing this, Yuan Pei wanted to order his troops to pursue, but Ye Li stopped him. "Helian Peng still commands at least a hundred thousand troops. There’s no need to chase too aggressively. He Su and the others should be returning soon."
Heeding Ye Li’s words, Yuan Pei reluctantly halted his troops. He still bore the heavy responsibility of defending Feihong Pass and truly couldn’t afford to spend time in a standoff with Helian Peng.
Helian Peng led his remaining routed soldiers in retreat, only to be intercepted on the road by He Su, who was returning with reinforcements for Lingjiu Mountain after capturing Huicheng City. Behind them, Ye Li’s reorganized troops were in hot pursuit. Attacked from both front and rear, Helian Peng suffered another significant loss. In the end, he could only lead his remaining tens of thousands of men back to the main Beirong camp.
After repelling Helian Peng, Ye Li left Zhou Min to guard the West Route Army’s sector and returned to the main Mo Family Army camp with He Su and Sun Yaowu.
「Inside the Beirong main camp」
Yelv Ye stared darkly at Helian Peng, who knelt in the center of the main tent, his anger flaring. "Nearly four hundred thousand troops, and you bring back only these few tens of thousands? Helian Peng, you are truly capable! How dare you defy my military orders?! What do you think you are?" Yelv Ye’s fury wasn’t solely due to Helian Peng’s heavy losses; in recent days, the losses on the Beirong main front had been even greater than Helian Peng’s. However, Helian Peng’s insubordination provided Yelv Ye with a perfect pretext to vent his anger. Thus, the first thing Helian Peng faced upon returning to the Beirong camp was a torrent of abuse from Yelv Ye. No commanding general would appreciate such a willfully disobedient subordinate.
Seated to one side, Helian Zhen’s expression was also grim. Helian Peng was his adopted son, whom he had personally trained. Yelv Ye berating Helian Peng so openly was a slap in Helian Zhen’s face, but this time, Helian Peng was indeed at fault. Even if Helian Zhen wanted to plead for him, he had no grounds to do so.
Only after Yelv Ye had finished venting did Helian Zhen speak in a deep voice, "Your Highness, Seventh Prince, the Mo Family Army’s morale is currently high. Venting our anger here is futile."
During this period, the Mo Family Army had advanced like splitting bamboo, forcing the Beirong army into a continuous retreat of over two hundred li. If not for this, Yelv Ye wouldn’t have been so anxious to recall Helian Peng’s army. Who could have known that Helian Peng would disobey orders, resulting in the pointless sacrifice of over two hundred thousand soldiers at Lingjiu Mountain?
"Uncle, what are your thoughts?" Yelv Ye asked, suppressing his anger.
For a moment, Helian Zhen truly had no solution. In the past, Helian Zhen had been able to defeat the Mo Family Army largely because he had obtained their deployment map beforehand, gaining an unexpected advantage. But the current Mo Family Army was not the same as the one from over a decade ago, nor was there another foolish Emperor of Great Chu to hand over deployment maps and stab them in the back.
After a long silence, Helian Zhen said gravely, "The Mo Family Army has a formidable combat record. I fear it will be very difficult for us to defeat them alone. We need partners."
"Partners?" Yelv Ye frowned. "Who can we partner with now? The Northern Territory has been annihilated. As for Xiling, with Mo Jingli eyeing them covetously from the south, I’m afraid Lei Zhenting won’t engage the Mo Family Army anytime soon."
Helian Zhen said in a low voice, "Then let’s bring Xiling and Great Chu into this together. Lei Zhenting must know that once we Beirong fall, Xiling will be next to face the Mo Family Army. If we can eliminate the Mo Family Army first, he will surely agree."
Hearing this, Yelv Ye fell into deep thought. After a while, he asked, "Even so, what about Mo Jingli? Once Lei Zhenting engages the Mo Family Army, Mo Jingli will definitely cross the Yunlan River to attack Xiling. Then all our efforts will be for naught."
Helian Peng spoke up, "Mo Jingli’s enmity with Mo Xiuyao is no less than ours. As long as we can persuade him, we can promise him some benefits after the Mo Family Army is destroyed."
Yelv Ye was somewhat swayed by Helian Peng’s words. He had met Mo Jingli a few times and understood him to some extent: ambitious but shortsighted and of average ability. If they could offer him sufficient benefits, they might indeed persuade him to join forces against Mo Xiuyao first. However, any benefits promised to Mo Jingli would have to come from Lei Zhenting. Therefore, they needed someone capable of persuading Southern Garrison Prince Lei Zhenting, who was not as easily dealt with as Mo Jingli.
"Uncle, do you have anyone in mind who could persuade Lei Zhenting?" The Beirong people were generally not known for their eloquence, and Yelv Ye couldn’t think of a suitable envoy at that moment.
Helian Zhen smiled. "I am willing to make the trip myself."
Yelv Ye frowned slightly, a flicker of concern in his eyes as he looked at Helian Zhen. Over the years, I’ve gradually felt that this uncle of mine is no longer the formidable General Flying Cavalry who once awed Beirong. Instead, he seems to have increasingly adopted the air of a Central Plains politician. Although his hatred for Mo Xiuyao is bone-deep, he appears to have given up on the idea of defeating Mo Xiuyao honorably on the battlefield. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? For a moment, Yelv Ye couldn’t be sure.
Considering he indeed had no other suitable candidates, Yelv Ye nodded. "In that case, I will entrust this matter to you, Uncle."
Helian Zhen smiled. "Your Highness, please rest assured. I will not fail to meet your expectations. After I depart, engage the Mo Family Army if you can; if not, then focus on holding your ground. Once the armies of Xiling and Great Chu make their move, the pressure on Your Highness here will immediately lessen significantly."
Yelv Ye nodded. "I understand."
Helian Zhen glanced at Helian Peng, still kneeling, and hesitated. "Helian Peng..."
Yelv Ye, who disliked Helian Peng, hadn’t bid him rise, so Helian Peng had remained kneeling.
"Rise," Yelv Ye said coolly. "Return to your tent for now. I will consider later what tasks to assign you."
Helian Zhen knew further words were useless and could only nod. "Thank you for your leniency, Seventh Prince."
Helian Peng stood up. "Thank you, Seventh Prince."
Yelv Ye snorted, disdaining to acknowledge him further.
「Back in Helian Zhen’s tent」
Helian Peng knelt once more. "Father, please administer punishment."
Helian Zhen stared at him with a hardened expression for a long moment before finally asking, "I told you that you only needed to hold Lingjiu Mountain, didn’t I? Who ordered you to fight Princess Consort Ding to the death?"
Helian Peng lowered his head, remaining silent.
Helian Zhen stared at him coldly. "When the Seventh Prince ordered your recall, with your intelligence, could you not discern that it was my intention? Yet you still dared to disobey orders! Helian, I have always had high hopes for you, but since this campaign began, you have been nothing but a profound disappointment."
Helian Peng was speechless. It wasn’t just Helian Zhen who was disappointed in him; even Helian Peng himself felt a degree of self-disappointment. I never imagined I would actually be defeated by Princess Consort Ding, and so utterly at that.
Although Helian Peng hailed from Beirong and was an orphan adopted by Helian Zhen, his master was Murong Xiong, arguably the foremost martial arts expert in the Central Plains. He had diligently studied martial arts and Central Plains culture, always believing himself to be different from his kinsmen, whom the Central Plains people often called "barbarians." This conviction hadn’t changed even after joining the battlefield under his adoptive father and serving the Seventh Prince. Subtly, I even looked down on that high and mighty Seventh Prince. But only after this defeat did I realize that my Beirong compatriots are not as foolish or reckless as I thought. They are not even inferior to my self-righteous self. At the very least, on the current Beirong battlefield, aside from the Central Army camp directly opposing Prince Ding, my defeat has been the most disgraceful among all other fronts. Only now have I truly calmed down and begun to think from a general’s perspective. Unfortunately, this awakening and composure had cost the lives of over a hundred thousand Beirong soldiers.
Seeing the despondent look on Helian Peng’s face, Helian Zhen finally sighed. "Rise. You are not entirely to blame for this. You are not the first to be defeated by Princess Consort Ding. This is your first time on the battlefield; some oversights are inevitable."
Every man, especially in this era, harbored a degree of male chauvinism. Even with Ye Li’s fame and the widespread acknowledgment of Princess Consort Ding’s capabilities, many, including her enemies who knew she was formidable, still tended to underestimate her in practice. It wasn’t necessarily due to carelessness or arrogance; it was an inherent flaw ingrained in the men of this era. They were too accustomed to viewing women as delicate and dependent on men. Even if a few women were capable, that capability was perceived as limited.
Helian Peng stood up, his voice tinged with shame. "Father, forgive me. Your son will not make such a mistake again."
Helian Zhen nodded. "I raised you, taught you military strategy, and helped you find a renowned Central Plains master to learn martial arts, all so that one day you could defeat Mo Xiuyao for my sake and achieve extraordinary merit for yourself. Do not disappoint me."
Helian Peng nodded, then looked at Helian Zhen with some concern. "Father, do you truly intend to go to Xiling personally to persuade Lei Zhenting and Mo Jingli to ally with Beirong?"
Helian Zhen nodded and sighed. "With Beirong’s strength alone, there is little hope of defeating the Mo Family Army. More importantly, if we are defeated, it won’t be a simple matter of retreating from the Central Plains. I fear that upon returning to the Beirong royal court, there will be no place left for the Helian Family or the Seventh Prince. Therefore, this war must be won, not lost. No matter what, Lei Zhenting must be persuaded to move against Prince Ding’s Mansion."
"Lei Zhenting might not be easily persuaded," Helian Peng commented. To convince both Lei Zhenting and Mo Jingli, Lei Zhenting would have to cede some of his existing gains to Mo Jingli. Would Lei Zhenting so easily agree to part with what he already possessed in exchange for an uncertain future?
"Don’t worry. I suspect Lei Zhenting himself is anxious to deal with Prince Ding’s Mansion," Helian Zhen said with a smile. "Lei Zhenting is no longer young, but his son, Lei Tengfeng, lacks his father’s strategic brilliance. If anything were to happen to Lei Zhenting, Prince Ding’s Mansion would target Xiling first. Faced with this, Lei Zhenting will undoubtedly choose to strike preemptively. However, Great Chu and Mo Jingli have become his rear concerns. As long as we resolve this for him, he will naturally agree to mobilize his forces."
Helian Peng remained silent for a moment before cupping his hands. "Father’s foresight is profound; your son is not your equal."
Helian Zhen patted his son’s shoulder and smiled. "I must pack and prepare for my journey. You may go."
"Your son takes his leave."
「In the Mo Family Army main camp」
Prince Ding, having eagerly awaited his beloved wife’s return, found himself unable to enjoy the boundless bliss of having her in his arms as he had wished. He could only gaze pitifully at his wife, who was looking at him with a calm expression, a wronged look on his own face.
"Ah-Li, what’s wrong? Who upset you?" Prince Ding asked softly, carefully observing the Princess Consort.
Fortunately, only the two of them were in the tent. Otherwise, the sight might have terrified the many Mo Family Army generals who hadn’t glimpsed the true nature of His Highness Prince Ding. As intelligent as I am, how could I not know why Ah-Li is like this? While looking at Ye Li, he rapidly tried to figure out who dared to ruin his plans.
Ye Li glanced at him faintly and said languidly, "The Prince worries too much. Who could possibly upset me?"
"Ah-Li..." Unable to bear it any longer, Mo Xiuyao lunged forward, tightly embracing Ye Li’s waist and nuzzling his chin on her shoulder. "Ah-Li, I was wrong..."
Ye Li finally looked at him seriously and asked coolly, "Where was the Prince wrong?"
"I shouldn’t have gone to the Beirong camp alone," Mo Xiuyao said hastily, quickly glancing at Ye Li’s expression.
It would have been better not to mention it. At its mention, Ye Li’s expression darkened further. She sneered, "His Highness Prince Ding’s martial arts are unparalleled in the world; naturally, there’s nowhere he cannot go. What kind of mistake is that? And why did the Prince have people hide it from me? If I had known earlier, this consort could have cheered for the Prince."
She’s even using ’this consort.’ It seems she’s truly furious. Mo Xiuyao groaned inwardly. Prince Ding feared nothing in heaven or on earth, except his beloved wife’s anger. Feng Zhiyao often teased him about being under his wife’s thumb, and Feng Zhiyao wasn’t wrong; Mo Xiuyao, for his part, actually delighted in it.
Ignoring Ye Li’s struggles, Mo Xiuyao held her tightly in his arms, his voice somewhat muffled as he said, "Ah-Li, I was angry... What if Helian Peng had really abducted you? At that moment, I just wanted to kill Helian Peng, then kill Helian Zhen and Yelv Ye, so no one would ever dare to harm Ah-Li again."
Hearing his voice, laced with a hint of grievance and panic, Ye Li felt a sharp pang in her heart. How could she muster any anger?
She reached up and gently smoothed his silver hair that cascaded over her chest, sighing softly in her heart. Lifting his face, which was resting against her, she met his gaze and said softly, "I have many protectors around me. How could Helian Peng abduct me?"
"But when I heard, I was truly terrified. I couldn’t control that feeling... I just want Ah-Li to stay by my side forever, never to leave even for a moment," Mo Xiuyao’s low, hoarse voice revealed his earnestness. Ye Li felt her eyes grow hot, as if tears were about to overflow. She lowered her head, resting it on his shoulder, and whispered, "Haven’t you ever thought, what if something happened to you? What would I do? What would Mo Xiaobao, Lin’er, and Xin’er do?"
’If something happened to you, what would I do?’ Those are the most moving words in the world. Mo Xiuyao felt. More than ’like,’ more than ’love,’ they fill me with immense joy. Ah-Li has always been so independent and strong; these are the most vulnerable words I have ever heard her speak.
"Nothing will happen to me. Even for Ah-Li’s sake, I won’t let anything happen to me," Mo Xiuyao promised joyfully. If this goes well, I might even be able to gloss over the incident of storming the Beirong camp alone. And then, Ah-Li and I can...
"I said nothing will happen to me, so you don’t need to worry. Do you believe me?" Ye Li raised her head and swept a cool glance over him, catching the smug smile he hadn’t yet managed to retract.
Mo Xiuyao’s handsome face immediately fell. "Ah-Li, I was wrong... I’ll never do something like this again. Please don’t be angry with me, alright?"
Seeing his expression, Ye Li could only sigh helplessly. Where Mo Xiuyao’s temperament came from was truly a mystery. In public, he was clearly the image of an imposing overlord, yet in private, he could sometimes be more childish than even Mo Xiaobao. But even so, I know very well that this fawning, pouting behavior displayed only in private does not represent his true nature. Mo Xiuyao’s true personality was inevitably tainted with a sinister ruthlessness during that earth-shattering upheaval over a decade ago. No matter what the future holds, the world will never again see that legendary, unrestrained, yet upright and gifted youth.
Take this incident, for example. With Mo Xiuyao’s intelligence, how could he not have thought of a better solution? Yet he unhesitatingly chose the most direct method, not only to intimidate the enemy but also to find an outlet for the violent energy in his heart. I understand Mo Xiuyao well enough, so I am often willing to indulge him. But at the same time, I can’t help but worry that one day he will inevitably harm others and himself.
"Ah-Li, do you hate me?" Mo Xiuyao suddenly asked, seeing Ye Li remain silent for a long time. His half-lowered handsome face showed a trace of sadness and grievance, but Ye Li could clearly distinguish that this time, it wasn’t a deliberate act to appease her like before.
Mo Xiuyao looked up, his gaze on Ye Li somewhat gloomy, yet with an underlying, hidden apprehension. "Ah-Li cannot hate me. Anyone in this world can hate me, but not Ah-Li. Ah-Li, don’t even think of leaving me!"
Ye Li understood Mo Xiuyao, and after ten years together, Mo Xiuyao naturally understood Ye Li just as well. Although Ye Li was always decisive and never sloppy in her actions, with a resolve often stronger than that of men, fundamentally, she was not a bloodthirsty person. If it weren’t for the events of these years, Mo Xiuyao believed Ye Li could have been an equally excellent mistress of an ordinary princely household, a good wife and loving mother. She was not afraid to kill, but her heart was at peace, devoid of any brutality or murderous intent. Therefore, subconsciously, Mo Xiuyao did not want Ye Li to know his true thoughts. Even though he knew he couldn’t hide them from her, he would unconsciously display an extremely childish side in front of her, hoping to conceal the aspect of himself he was unwilling to expose. In truth, even if Mo Xiuyao were to wail loudly in public today, people wouldn’t think Prince Ding was truly childlike; they would only assume he had some ulterior motive.
Mo Xiuyao rarely let his sinister side show in front of Ye Li, so even she couldn’t help but feel a chill from the coldness in his words. But I know in my heart that Mo Xiuyao will never harm me.
She smiled and gently caressed his handsome face, which still held a trace of gloom. "What silly things are you saying? So much has happened, and now that we’re about to enjoy happiness, wouldn’t I be a fool to leave you?"
Seeing the gentle smile in Ye Li’s eyes, devoid of any displeasure or revulsion, Mo Xiuyao’s expression warmed considerably. He reached out to take her hand and murmured, "Ah-Li, as long as Ah-Li is always with me, I will give you anything you want."
Ye Li pinched him playfully. "Just behave yourself and don’t make me worry, that’s all I ask. You dared to say that if something happened to me, you’d throw Mo Xiaobao out to be a beggar. If something happened to you, do you know what I would do?"
Mo Xiuyao looked up at her. Ye Li said with a smile, "If something happened to you, I would take all the assets of Prince Ding’s Mansion and remarry. Then Mo Xiaobao definitely wouldn’t become a beggar. Hmm... you understand?"
Mo Xiuyao’s expression changed. Heedless of Ye Li still being angry with him, he leaned down and pressed her onto the couch. "Don’t you dare! Even if I die, you are not allowed to marry anyone else, or I’ll kill everyone!"
Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "You’d be dead. Who would you kill then?"
Mo Xiuyao was stunned for a long moment, his eyes flickering with shifting emotions. Staring at Ye Li for a good while, he finally calmed down and leaned against her neck, murmuring dejectedly, "I won’t die. If anyone dies, it will be them. Ah-Li and I will grow old together."
Seeing his gloomy expression, Ye Li couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle. She gently stroked his silver hair and smiled. "Isn’t the Prince’s hair already white?"
Mo Xiuyao looked up at her lovely, smiling face. "Only when Ah-Li’s hair also turns white will it count as growing old together. Ah-Li, you’re not angry anymore, are you?"
Ye Li sighed softly. "You have to keep your word. If there’s a next time, I won’t just be angry. Do you know how terrified I was when Helian Peng said you single-handedly stormed the Beirong camp?" This was no exaggeration to scare Mo Xiuyao; she had indeed been terribly frightened when she heard Helian Peng’s words. Although she knew Mo Xiuyao was safe, if he could storm the Beirong camp today because Helian Peng had intercepted her, he might do even more dangerous things tomorrow. Unless Ye Li did nothing and stayed by Mo Xiuyao’s side, never leaving him for a moment. But they both knew that was impossible, at least for now.
"It won’t happen again. I will absolutely never make Ah-Li worry again. Once I get rid of those annoying people, we’ll go traveling and sightseeing and never bother with these matters again. Then, wherever Ah-Li wants to go, I’ll accompany you," Mo Xiuyao quickly promised, silently calculating in his heart. So, it was Helian Peng who exposed me. Very good, very good... The highly vengeful Prince Ding made a heavy mark against Helian Peng in his mental ledger.
Although he had proceeded unhurriedly these past years, Mo Xiuyao’s determination to eliminate certain people was extremely firm. Ye Li didn’t press him further. Compared to those irrelevant people, the safety and well-being of the man before her were most important. "Alright, I’ll be waiting for you."
Mo Xiuyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Ah-Li rarely got angry, but when she did, she was incredibly difficult to appease. Jewelry, gifts, and sweet talk—things women usually liked—had no effect on her. However, seeing Ye Li so worried about him filled Mo Xiuyao’s heart with immense joy. He affectionately nuzzled his nose against Ye Li’s slender neck, planting soft kisses on her face and lips. "Ah-Li, it’s so good to have you with me... Don’t leave me..."
If I hadn’t met her in this life, I can hardly imagine what my life would be like. One day, I would no longer be able to endure the hatred and brutality in my heart. I would unhesitatingly destroy Great Chu, destroy the entire world, and even destroy the Mo Family Army and Prince Ding’s Mansion in the process, without a second thought. It’s because of Ah-Li that I want to be with her forever, to see Ah-Li live a happy and joyful life by my side. Later, there was Mo Xiaobao. Although that little rascal is mischievous and deliberately opposes me, making me wish he’d never been born, I still want to watch him grow up safely and then go on to torment others, rather than being like my former self, full of pain, hiding in the dark, silently nurturing the venom and murderous rage in my heart with hatred. It is because of these things that I have been able to slow my pace, to balance and calculate, to gradually strengthen the power of Prince Ding’s Mansion, to first establish an invincible position for myself in these chaotic times, and then to eliminate those I despise, instead of choosing mutual destruction from the very beginning.
The profound, bone-deep obsession contained in Mo Xiuyao’s soft murmurs stirred Ye Li’s heart. In two lifetimes, past and present, has there ever been anyone who loved me as deeply as Mo Xiuyao? Not because of my family background, nor because of my abilities, but simply because I am Ye Li. And I, in turn, have never cherished and felt such heartache for another person. Even knowing that the man before me has never been as harmless as he appears in my presence, and that his heart harbors countless grudges and murderous intentions. If this were the past, I would have probably regarded him as a future criminal with antisocial tendencies and been carefully on guard. But now, I only worry that he will harm himself because of it.
"Silly, where else could I go but by your side?" Cradling his face close to hers, Ye Li tilted her head up and slowly kissed his cool, thin lips. "Xiuyao, I love you. Do you understand? In my heart, you are the most important. No matter what you are like, you are the man I love."
Mo Xiuyao froze, overcome with an indescribable ecstasy at these words that seemed to descend from heaven. "Ah-Li, I love you... Mo Xiuyao will love only you, for all lifetimes to come..."
In the main tent, a couple married for ten years, two lovers, held each other tightly, their emotions deep and intertwined...
"Reporting to the Prince and Princess Consort, Feng Zhiyao requests an audience!" Outside the main tent, Feng Zhiyao’s voice, neither too loud nor too soft, perfectly interrupted the couple’s tender moment. Mo Xiuyao’s face instantly darkened; he wished he could slap Feng Zhiyao ten thousand li away.
Seeing this, Ye Li couldn’t help but smile. She gently pushed Mo Xiuyao away, stood up, and went into the inner room to tidy her clothes. Only then did Mo Xiuyao, his face still dark, allow Feng Zhiyao to enter.
As soon as Feng Zhiyao stepped into the main tent, he felt a wave of cold resentment wash over him. Looking up at Mo Xiuyao, who was staring at him, he felt utterly baffled. Could it be that the Prince was scolded by the Princess Consort and is in a bad mood? But... taking out one’s anger on a subordinate after being scolded by one’s wife, is that truly the conduct of a gentleman?
But Third Young Master Feng had clearly overestimated Prince Ding’s character. Forget merely redirecting anger; His Highness Prince Ding wouldn’t feel the slightest psychological burden even if he directly took his frustrations out on Feng Zhiyao, especially since his pleasant interlude had just been interrupted. Mo Xiuyao stared at Feng Zhiyao with a sinister look. "Third Feng, what is it?"
It had better be something important. If Feng Zhiyao dares to say he’s here for a drink and a chat, he can prepare to pack his things and be banished to the remote frontiers of the Western Region for the rest of his life.
Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow; he did indeed have important news. "We just received word. Helian Zhen has left the Beirong main camp and is secretly heading south."
Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows. "South? What’s Helian Zhen doing heading south? He’s never been to Jiangnan in his life. Won’t he get lost?"
Feng Zhiyao shot him an exasperated look. Does his brain stop working the moment the Princess Consort returns? "We’re in the middle of a war, and the Beirong forces are steadily retreating. Helian Zhen isn’t staying in the military camp but is instead heading south. Does the Prince think he’s going sightseeing?"
Mo Xiuyao finally snapped his focus back from his earlier joy and his animosity towards Feng Zhiyao. He said calmly, "He wants to ally with Lei Zhenting to deal with Prince Ding’s Mansion."
"Congratulations, Your Highness. So your brain is still functioning," Feng Zhiyao remarked sarcastically.
Mo Xiuyao stared at him, then suddenly a sinister smile spread across his face. "Third Feng, this Prince has noticed that you’ve been quite dissatisfied with me lately."
Feng Zhiyao couldn’t help but shiver, suddenly remembering that the man before him was never one to be magnanimous or forget a grudge. He was indeed very dissatisfied with Mo Xiuyao, but there was no need to let him know and thereby create even more dissatisfaction. Most importantly, if Mo Xiuyao really decided to make things difficult for him, he wouldn’t be able to bear it. The example of Mo Jingli, whose personality had become twisted due to a lifetime of misfortune, was a stark warning.
"How could that be? Your Highness’s virtue matches heaven and earth, your might shakes all directions. This subordinate is too busy admiring you," Feng Zhiyao said with a fawning smile.
"Hypocrite," Mo Xiuyao snorted.
Feng Zhiyao looked skyward, speechless. Whatever pleases you, Your Highness. Occasional hypocrisy... isn’t such a big deal.
"What are you two discussing?" Ye Li emerged from the inner room, looking curiously at the two men with their differing expressions. Feng Zhiyao looked at the Princess Consort emerging, then at the sullen, displeased Mo Xiuyao, touched his nose, and suddenly felt he understood.
"Reporting to the Princess Consort, Helian Zhen has secretly headed south. This subordinate was just asking the Prince whether to dispatch men to intercept him," Feng Zhiyao said respectfully.
Hearing this, Ye Li looked at Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao said lazily, "Why intercept him? Even if we stop Helian Zhen, there will be others. And even if there aren’t, we’ll have to face Lei Zhenting sooner or later anyway."
Feng Zhiyao looked at Mo Xiuyao with some difficulty. "Even if we are to face Lei Zhenting eventually, to take on two major powers simultaneously right now, isn’t that a bit..." Dividing and conquering them one after the other would surely be easier than facing two powerful states at the same time.
Mo Xiuyao looked at him with a smile, wagging a finger. "Not two, but three. Do you think Mo Jingli is a pushover?"
Hearing Mo Xiuyao’s words, Feng Zhiyao’s expression couldn’t help but change. The Mo Family Army alone might secure a steady victory against Beirong, but adding Lei Zhenting would stretch them thin. If Mo Jingli was also added... Even if Mo Jingli is a fool, he still commands an army of millions. The three combined, even if they were millions of pigs, would be enough to trample the Mo Family Army to death.
"Your Highness..."
Mo Xiuyao waved his hand and smiled. "Don’t worry. We’ve come through so much over the years. You think I can’t outplay them?"
I’m just afraid you’ll play us all to our deaths, Feng Zhiyao grumbled inwardly, glancing at Ye Li.
Ye Li lowered her head in thought, her mind rapidly calculating the current situation. "Can we achieve a swift victory and deal with Beirong first?"
Mo Xiuyao shook his head and smiled. "Now that Helian Zhen has left, Yelv Ye will definitely dig in and refuse to come out. A swift victory is impossible." Yelv Ye was no reckless fool who would charge out to fight to the death at the slightest provocation. If he decided to turtle up, there would be little they could do for the time being. "It’s not just Southern Garrison Prince and Mo Jingli; Yelv Ye has probably already sent messengers to the Beirong royal court for reinforcements."
Feng Zhiyao’s face darkened. "You might as well just tell me how many troops we’ll be facing. So I can think if I have any last words to arrange."
Mo Xiuyao put his arm around Ye Li and laughed heartily. "No need to worry so much. It’s still uncertain whether reinforcements from the Beirong royal court can even arrive."
Ye Li raised an elegant eyebrow. "Yelv Hong?"
Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Correct. Even if Yelv Hong wants to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, he also has to worry whether Yelv Ye will pour all of Beirong’s military strength into the bottomless pit that is the Central Plains."
Since Beirong began its campaign against Great Chu over two years ago, Yelv Ye had mobilized no less than 1,500,000 troops from Beirong. Yet, the forces currently under Yelv Ye’s command numbered less than 700,000. A full 700,000 to 800,000 troops had been poured into the Central Plains, while the actual benefits reaped by the Beirong royal court had been extremely limited.
Feng Zhiyao felt slightly more at ease and nodded. "That would be good. But... since Your Highness doesn’t plan to stop Helian Zhen, shouldn’t we also start making our own arrangements?" Don’t tell me you expect to face the allied forces of three kingdoms with the Mo Family Army’s current strength of less than a million. If that’s the case, I might as well go die first.
Mo Xiuyao pondered for a moment, then asked, "Ah-Li, how many troops can we mobilize right now?"
Ye Li calculated for a moment. "At the earliest, it would take about two months. We should be able to conscript a million troops. Subsequently, another five to six hundred thousand could be committed to the battlefield. Any more than that, I’m afraid, would damage the very foundation of Prince Ding’s Mansion."
The Mo Family Army had always maintained a relatively small number of soldiers because Prince Ding’s Mansion invested heavily in civilian welfare and governance. This approach had its pros and cons. The con was insufficient troop numbers, as the Mo Family Army prioritized quality over quantity. The pro was that Prince Ding’s Mansion possessed abundant resources, granting it strong sustainability and potential in warfare. Even after several years of campaigning, there would be no concern about military supplies and provisions, nor would it significantly impact the lives of the people under Prince Ding’s Mansion’s rule.
However, even the best cards are useless if there’s no chance to play them. Therefore, if it truly came to a life-or-death struggle, even if it meant damaging the foundation of the populace within Prince Ding’s Mansion’s domain, they would have to resort to large-scale conscription.
Mo Xiuyao thought for a moment. "No need. Mobilize 800,000 troops first. Keep the rest on standby. We can replenish them after the spring plowing next year; there will still be time."
"Will that be enough?" Feng Zhiyao asked, worried. Mo Xiuyao’s assessment seems overly optimistic. To avoid harming agricultural production and still achieve a great victory – where can one find such a perfect scenario?
Mo Xiuyao looked at him calmly. "It has to be enough, whether it is or not. Or do you think this war can be finished in two or three months?"
Feng Zhiyao touched his nose, remaining silent. It’s common for wars to drag on for three to five years. The Mo Family Army has to face three kingdoms simultaneously. If we don’t keep some reserves, even if we don’t lose on the battlefield, our home front will likely be dragged down to the point where the people can’t sustain themselves. With a resigned sigh, he said, "I understand."
"Reporting to the Prince and Princess Consort, urgent news from Jiangnan!" Outside the door, Zhuo Jing’s voice sounded somewhat rushed.
A sudden sense of foreboding rose in Ye Li’s heart. She glanced at Mo Xiuyao and quickly said, "Come in and speak."
Zhuo Jing hurried in, clutching a letter. "Wei Lin sent a message by carrier pigeon. Young Master Qingchen has gone missing!"
