Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 390 - 389. Calculations in the Defense Map

389. Calculations in the Defense Layout

In Mu Yang’s tent, Yaoji was embroidering. A figure quickly entered the tent. Yaoji startled and looked up, but she immediately relaxed when she recognized the visitor. With a worried expression, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

The person who arrived was Qin Feng. He was dressed in a common uniform of the Army of Great Chu, his face only slightly altered. People familiar with him would still recognize him, but strangers would find it hard to discern his true appearance at first glance. Qin Feng glanced at Yaoji on the couch. She had shed her ornate and dazzling clothes, now wearing just a simple blue dress and a white fox-fur cape. This gave her an air of refined gentleness, a stark contrast to her previous flamboyance.

A slight warmth crept into Qin Feng’s stern gaze as he smiled faintly. "Don’t worry, there are no outsiders nearby." Yaoji nodded. She knew the guards near this tent were covert operatives from the Mo Family Army and Qilin members assigned by Qin Feng, so she and Mu Lie could talk without fear of being discovered. Knowing that Qin Feng wouldn’t appear in her tent without reason, Yaoji put down her needlework, stood up, and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Qin Feng replied, "General Lv and the Princess Consort are almost here. However, General Lv’s troops were intercepted by the Army of Great Chu two hundred miles away. Mo Jingli just ordered Mu Yang to lead a hundred thousand soldiers to reinforce them, intending to annihilate General Lv’s army in one fell swoop." Yaoji frowned slightly and asked, "Where is the Princess Consort then?" Qin Feng replied, "The Princess Consort likely took a different route. I must leave the camp to meet her. You’ll have to handle everything here in the Army of Great Chu camp."

Yaoji nodded. "Don’t worry. Oh, and..." Yaoji pulled a hairpin from her hair and placed it in Qin Feng’s hand, saying, "This is the defense layout of the Army of Great Chu that I saw among Mu Yang’s possessions. Be careful."

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow, twisted the hairpin lightly, and it split into two halves. Inside the hollow middle, a minuscule paper scroll was revealed. Qin Feng took out the scroll, examined it, memorized its contents, and then casually tossed the scroll into a nearby charcoal basin. He then restored the hairpin and gently reinserted it into Yaoji’s hair, remarking softly, "A gold hairpin is too conspicuous in the army and could easily be spotted. But... you can give it to me later."

Yaoji’s face turned a little red. Even though she was over thirty, the snow-white fox fur cloak still accentuated her delicate face, now faintly flushed, making her look beautiful and captivating. She turned her face away, forcing composure, and said, "You should leave now. Be careful."

But Qin Feng wasn’t in a rush. He just looked at Yaoji thoughtfully and asked, "Are you worried about me?"

Yaoji was taken aback. Then she sighed and said, "After this matter is settled... if we’re both still alive... I’ll give you an answer."

This was the first time Qin Feng had seen Yaoji be so straightforward. Though she hadn’t given a clear answer, it was the first positive response she had ever offered to his feelings. Not wanting to push her further, Qin Feng said softly, "Don’t worry, we’ll both make it. I need to leave now." With that, he turned and slipped out of the tent.

Yaoji stared into the empty tent, somewhat lost in thought. This wasn’t the time to be considering such things, yet she found herself unusually preoccupied. She had known for a long time that Mu Yang might be the glamorous dream of every woman, but Qin Feng was the one who could provide safety and loyalty. With his standing in Prince Ding’s Mansion and the favor he held with Princess Consort Ding, he could have any stunning woman he desired. Why would he continue waiting for a woman over thirty, past her prime, who had already borne a child? However, compared to the Mu Yang of the past, Yaoji was even more unwilling to disappoint Qin Feng.

"Yaoji." Mu Yang entered from outside and was startled to see Yaoji standing lost in thought in the middle of the tent. He asked softly, "Yaoji, what’s the matter?" Yaoji lowered her gaze slightly, a flicker of determination in her eyes, yet a faint smile touched her lips. She shook her head and said, "Nothing, just letting my mind wander. What’s up?"

Mu Yang looked somewhat apologetic. "I have to lead the troops into battle. If anything happens, you can send someone to find my father." Even though Old Marquis Muyang was displeased by his son going into battle with a woman and child in tow, since Mo Jingli, who was both the Emperor and the Commander-in-Chief, hadn’t said anything, Old Marquis Muyang naturally wouldn’t either. Besides, Mu Lie was his only grandson; even if displeased, he would still look after them somewhat.

Yaoji nodded and turned to go inside. "Do I need to pack anything for your journey?"

Mu Yang grabbed her. "No need, it’s not far. I should be back in a few days. Just take good care of Lie’er. Yaoji... after this northern expedition is finished, His Majesty will certainly reward meritorious service. I will then ask His Majesty to bestow upon you the rank and title of Madam of Imperial Decree. From then on, I won’t have to worry about you and Lie’er suffering any grievances anymore."

Yaoji gently pushed away from Mu Yang’s embrace and said lightly, "As long as Lie’er is safe and sound, I don’t need any ranks or titles." Mu Yang smiled faintly, attributing her refusal to shyness and paid it no mind.

"Even if it’s only for a few days, you should still bring some clothes. The north is still very cold now." Yaoji turned to start packing. Mu Yang, seeing her insistence, no longer argued and moved to the side with a smile to read some official documents.

Before long, Mu Lie came in. Upon seeing Mu Yang, he quickly paid his respects. "Father, are they saying you’re going on an expedition?" Mu Lie asked curiously. Mu Yang lifted him onto his lap, smiled, and said, "Yes, your father will be leaving tonight. Lie’er, you must behave and listen to your mother." Mu Lie nodded. "I understand, Father."

It gave Mu Yang immense joy seeing his usually aloof son willingly sit on his lap. So he simply continued to hold Mu Lie on his lap while he reviewed official documents, completely oblivious that the eight or nine-year-old boy, snugly held in his embrace, was attentively scanning every word on the scrolls. Every time Mu Yang turned a page, a subtle glint appeared in Mu Lie’s eyes as he diligently committed to memory what he had seen.

"My Lord." The guards outside the door saluted in unison.

Mu Yang looked up to see Old Marquis Muyang walk in from outside and hastily stood to greet him, "Father." Old Marquis Muyang had naturally seen Mu Yang reading official documents with Mu Lie on his lap. He frowned slightly and said, "The expedition is about to begin. Why aren’t you prepared yet?"

Mu Yang replied with a smile, "Yaoji is already packing. Everything is prepared properly, Father, please don’t worry." Old Marquis Muyang nodded. "That is good. Lv Jinxian is a renowned general of the Mo Family Army; be extremely cautious." Mu Yang looked at his father quizzically. This wasn’t his first military expedition, and his father had just said the same thing in the main tent minutes ago. "Father, is there... a problem?"

Old Marquis Muyang shook his head. "Nothing serious, just... a bit worried about you." What Old Marquis Muyang didn’t say was that ever since this expedition began, he had constantly felt a vague sense of foreboding. But with his son about to march away, such unlucky words naturally couldn’t be said.

Mu Yang understood and smiled heartily. "Our army is in a superior position at the moment. Even if I cannot achieve a great victory against Lv Jinxian, we will not face any major dangers. Father, please put your mind at ease."

Old Marquis Muyang himself couldn’t pinpoint the source of his restlessness. He attributed it to his old age making him more fretful and nodded in agreement. Yaoji brought in the packed luggage. Upon seeing Old Marquis Muyang, she was momentarily startled, then bowed her head slightly in deference and greeted him, "My Lord."

Old Marquis Muyang nodded, acknowledging her. Although he was not entirely pleased with Yaoji’s status, her conduct over the past few years, especially since the birth of Mu Lie, had been considerably more appropriate than that of his principal wife, Ms.Sun. Thus, Old Marquis Muyang couldn’t show her any displeasure. He merely instructed, "After Yang’er leaves for the expedition, you and Lie’er are to stay properly in the tent. Do not wander around without reason."

Yaoji obediently nodded. "I understand. Please be assured, My Lord."

Standing by Mu Yang’s side, Mu Lie also chimed in very obediently, "Grandfather, Lie’er will listen to Mother’s instructions."

Only then did Old Marquis Muyang nod with satisfaction and turn to leave. As he reached the entrance of the tent, he turned back, glanced at the desk Mu Yang had been sitting at, and said, "In the future, do not bring official documents and war reports back here."

After seeing off Old Marquis Muyang, Mu Yang bid farewell to Yaoji and Mu Lie, then left with the luggage Yaoji had prepared. In the tent, Mu Lie and Yaoji looked at each other for a long moment. Yaoji frowned and asked, "Did Old Marquis Muyang discover anything?"

Mu Lie’s small face scrunched up as he pondered for a moment before saying, "I don’t think so. He probably just felt it was inappropriate for Father to bring those documents to the family’s living quarters. Even if Old Marquis Muyang is shrewd, he wouldn’t suspect a grandson who is only eight or nine years old. If he had discovered my real identity, his reaction would have been more than just these few simple reminders."

Yaoji nodded. "Either way, it’s better to be cautious."

"I know, don’t worry. By the way... I spotted several ambush locations of the Army of Great Chu in the documents earlier. I’ll draw them out, and you can have someone deliver them to General Lv."

"Alright."

On the same night Mu Yang left the Army of Great Chu’s camp, a secret letter also flew towards Lv Jinxian’s position.

After bidding goodbye to Lv Jinxian, Ye Li led her two hundred thousand troops, circumventing the narrow shortcut and instead proceeding south by the main road. Advancing swiftly, in just two to three days, they had reached a place not far from the Army of Great Chu, camped on the spot, and did not advance further. This left Mo Jingli, who had been anticipating their arrival, somewhat disappointed. He had naturally hoped that Ye Li would directly lead her troops to engage the Army of Great Chu. In such a scenario, Mo Jingli was at least eighty percent confident he could completely defeat the Mo Family Army.

Within the Mo Family Army’s camp, Qin Feng, who had come from the Army of Great Chu’s camp, also appeared. Though they hadn’t seen him for months, everyone around Ye Li was still very familiar and friendly with Qin Feng. Yun Ting, quite unhesitatingly, patted Qin Feng’s shoulder and laughed, "Commander Qin, you really have a knack for appearing out of nowhere! After several months, here you are, suddenly popping up from the battlefield. Come on, tell us, where did you go to enjoy yourself these past few months?"

Qin Feng had always been by Ye Li’s side, but he had disappeared after Ye Li’s last return from Jiangnan. It wasn’t that the members of the Mo Family Army weren’t curious; it was just that, out of consideration that Princess Consort Ding might have sent him on an important mission, it wasn’t appropriate to inquire too much. Now that Qin Feng had returned, Yun Ting had no qualms about wanting to get the firsthand information.

Zhuo Jing and Lin Han naturally knew the truth, but they were curious too—specifically, about Qin Feng’s private affairs. Ye Li had many subordinates, but Qin Feng was the most special. Not only was he the personal guard Prince Ding himself had assigned to protect Princess Consort Ding, but he was also the commander of the Qilin. The amount of time he spent by Princess Consort Ding’s side was likely even longer than that of her original secret guards, such as Zhuo Jing and the others. Naturally, those with the closest relationship with him were Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, and Wei Lin.

Ye Li gave a faint smile, glanced at Yun Ting, and said with a smile, "If you have any questions, ask him privately later. Qin Feng, is there any news from the Army of Great Chu?" Qin Feng nodded and reported solemnly, "Reporting to the Princess Consort, Lei Tengfeng, the Heir of Southern Garrison Prince, appeared in the Army of Great Chu camp the day before yesterday and hasn’t left. Additionally, two days ago, Mo Jingli dispatched Mu Yang with a hundred thousand troops to intercept General Lv. As for Mo Jingli himself, he has probably already set his battle formations and is awaiting Your Highness’s arrival."

Ye Li’s elegant eyebrows raised slightly. "Lei Tengfeng?"

Qin Feng nodded. "Precisely. Lei Tengfeng is in the Army of Great Chu camp. Mo Jingli hasn’t treated him particularly well, but Lei Tengfeng has been extremely docile, seldom offering any opinions. However, his continued presence there is somewhat strange." Ye Li thought for a moment and asked, "What did Lei Tengfeng say?" Qin Feng replied, "Lei Tengfeng claimed he was there on the Southern Garrison Prince’s orders, awaiting Mo Jingli’s assignments. But Mo Jingli would never let Lei Tengfeng have any control over the Army of Great Chu, so he has kept him sidelined. He’s not allowed to do anything, and naturally, he can’t manage anything either. However, Lei Tengfeng himself seems not to mind this at all."

After a moment of consideration, Ye Li, frowning slightly, ordered, "Send someone to find out whether Lei Tengfeng brought any soldiers with him."

Qin Feng was slightly taken aback. "Princess Consort, do you mean Lei Tengfeng might have secretly brought soldiers, intending to wait for the Mo Family Army and the Army of Great Chu to weaken each other before taking advantage?" After all, Lei Tengfeng had not brought a single soldier to the Army of Great Chu, at least not openly. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have stationed troops nearby. Ye Li shook her head and said indifferently, "He may not be waiting to reap the benefits when others fight, but it’s quite possible he’s looking for a chance to loot a burning house."

Qin Feng nodded and said seriously, "Princess Consort, please rest assured. I will definitely ascertain Lei Tengfeng’s true intentions. Meanwhile, this is a map of the Army of Great Chu’s defenses that Yaoji acquired." Qin Feng presented the map with both hands. Ye Li took it, examined it, and then asked with a frown, "Is it reliable?"

Qin Feng replied, "I have sent men to verify it. It’s mostly trustworthy."

"Mostly?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow curiously. Qin Feng replied, "The defense map is genuine, but some parts are a mix of truth and deception. Mo Jingli doesn’t trust his own generals, including those from Marquis Muyang’s Mansion." Qin Feng could understand this. After all, the Mo Family Army had once suffered a defeat due to such a reason, nearly leading to the extermination of Prince Ding’s Mansion. Although that incident had little to do with Mo Jingli, he would still learn lessons from it. Moreover, Mo Jingli’s inherent suspiciousness was no less than Mo Jingqi’s.

But Mo Jingli had likely not expected that Qin Feng wouldn’t use the defense map immediately upon obtaining it. Instead, during the time before Ye Li’s arrival, he had deployed the Qilin to thoroughly scout out each of these locations.

Ye Li looked at the map in her hand—a piece of paper no larger than a handkerchief, densely covered with various symbols. The black markings represented the original map Qin Feng had received from Yaoji, while the red writings and symbols were additions or corrections made by Qin Feng after verification. She handed the map to Zhuo Jing. In no time, Zhuo Jing returned with a brand new defense map.

After looking it over, Ye Li put down the map and asked, "Do you think this is complete?"

Qin Feng pondered for a moment and shook his head. "The Army of Great Chu has eight hundred thousand soldiers. However, considering Mo Jingli’s obsession and hatred for the Mo Family Army, the actual number might well be higher. But according to this defense map, it shows fewer than six hundred thousand. In my opinion... Mo Jingli might have a trump card hidden."

"Mo Jingli seems to have learned a lot," Ye Li said with a light smile. To deal with the Mo Family Army, Mo Jingli had resorted to every conceivable means. The fact that he could be so cunning with this defense map far exceeded the intellect he usually displayed. Could this be considered him performing exceptionally?

"If you were Mo Jingli, where would you most likely hide those additional two hundred thousand or so soldiers?" Ye Li asked.

As Qin Feng considered the question, Yun Ting, standing beside him, craned his neck to look and said with a curl of his lip, "If I were Mo Jingli, I’d use those two hundred thousand soldiers to attack Prince Ding’s Mansion. If I could capture the Princess Consort... even if General Lv managed to break the blockade later, he would become a lone army deep in enemy territory, trapped on all sides. Besides... if Mo Jingli defeated Princess Consort Ye Li in one battle, it would be excellent news for the dispirited Army of Great Chu and a tremendous blow to the morale of both the Mo Family Army and Prince Ding’s Mansion."

Ye Li smiled. "Yun Ting has certainly learned quite a lot."

Just as Yun Ting was about to retort that any fool could have thought of that, he paused, realizing that saying so would equate himself to a fool. So he just grinned and said, "It’s all thanks to my master’s superb instruction."

Ye Li looked at the map before her, her slender finger tapping three locations on it. "Here, here, and here. What do you think?" Lin Han said, "If that’s the case, our army will fall into an enemy encirclement as soon as we exit Cold Valley Pass. Combined with Mo Jingli’s forces in the open, we’d be besieged by at least three hundred thousand troops. But... does Mo Jingli have the brains for that?" Lin Han mused, "Or perhaps we’re overthinking it. What if Mo Jingli hasn’t even considered this, and we end up scaring ourselves for nothing?"

Qin Feng said, "Even if Mo Jingli doesn’t, Old Marquis Muyang will." Qin Feng, having spent the longest time in the Army of Great Chu camp, understood Old Marquis Muyang well. The Old Marquis was highly regarded by Mo Jingli and was arguably the most capable commander in the Army of Great Chu. Character doesn’t equate to capability; while many generals and ministers of Great Chu despised Old Marquis Muyang’s character, no one could deny his ability.

Yun Ting shrugged. "To achieve a pincer attack with General Lv, we must pass through Cold Valley Pass. Even if there’s an army of three hundred thousand ahead, we have to go. We can’t retreat now." His master might have already wiped out the ambushing Army of Great Chu forces and reached the destination. It would be embarrassing if they, taking the easier route, were late.

Ye Li propped her forehead with her hand, thinking for a while, before finally chuckling. "Yun Ting is right. If we’re late, we’ll put General Lv in jeopardy." Hearing this, Yun Ting grew a bit anxious. "Princess Consort, what should we do then? How do we get past here?"

After some thought, Ye Li had a plan. She solemnly instructed, "Yun Ting, you will lead one hundred fifty thousand soldiers to launch a strong assault on Cold Valley Pass."

"What?" Yun Ting was shocked and looked at Ye Li with concern. Had the Princess Consort lost her mind in desperation? Cold Valley Pass, though not a border fortress, was one of the most famous ancient battlefields in the Central Plains, a historically contested strategic point, even known as the "Number One Pass of the Central Plains." This was why Lv Jinxian had wanted to take a shortcut. If both sides were to openly confront each other before Cold Valley Pass, even five hundred thousand men might not be able to breach it in a few days. Now, knowing Mo Jingli had already set an ambush there, his contingent of troops would likely not even be a mouthful for the Army of Great Chu.

Ye Li grinned. "I don’t mean you should actually force your way through. Just make it look like you are. Don’t arouse suspicion."

Yun Ting responded quickly, eagerly asking, "Princess Consort, where will you go?" Since the Princess Consort wanted him to feign an attack, it was definitely to cover her real plan. Ye Li smiled. "As the Buddha said: It cannot be told."

Yun Ting immediately wilted, looking at Ye Li eagerly and pleading, "Princess Consort, I know you’re going to do something exciting! Can’t you take me with you? This general would spare no effort to serve you!" Whenever the Princess Consort secretly slipped away, the things she accomplished were always world-shaking. This made Yun Ting both envious and jealous of Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing, and the others.

Ye Li looked at him with a half-smile. "Currently, in the army, who else can lead the troops besides you and me? General Yun, whom do you suggest we leave behind?"

Yun Ting felt dejected. If the Princess Consort didn’t go, then what fun would there be? But if the Princess Consort went... he definitely couldn’t go.

Ye Li raised her hand, patted Yun Ting’s shoulder, and said with a smile, "Your role here is very important too. How much we can accomplish depends on how long you can tie down the Army of Great Chu without being discovered. If successful, I will personally request commendation for you from General Lv."

Hearing this, Yun Ting immediately perked up. He had just formally acknowledged his new master and, after reading Lv Jinxian’s personal notes in his spare time during the march, was in absolute awe of him. He had been worrying about not having any presentable military achievements to show his master. After hearing Ye Li’s words, he immediately roused his spirits and said with a smile, "Princess Consort, rest assured! I guarantee I won’t hinder your important plans!"

Ye Li nodded with satisfaction. "Very good. You may go."

"Yes, this general takes his leave!" Yun Ting saluted and left to assemble his troops.

In the tent, watching Yun Ting rush out like the wind, everyone couldn’t help but chuckle. Lin Han smiled and said, "General Yun must be almost thirty now, yet his temperament is so... genuine."

Ye Li couldn’t help but smile as well. Yun Ting, in fact, wasn’t that young. Although he was among the youngest of the currently famous generals, he had spent years fighting arduously in the Mo Family Army. However, the Mo Family Army had far less of the scheming and infighting prevalent in other armies. His cheerful demeanor, his status as Princess Consort Ding’s confidant, and his good relationships with everyone in the Mo Family Army meant that even as he was approaching thirty, his personality remained as refreshingly frank and straightforward as ever.

Qin Feng turned to Ye Li, asking, "Princess Consort, while Yun Ting ties down the Army of Great Chu and Mo Jingli, what shall we do?"

A radiant smile touched Ye Li’s lips as she said, "We... are going hunting."