Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 404 - 403. King of All Weapons

403. King of All Weapons

Ignoring the curious looks from the crowd, Ye Li calmly slid the pistol she held back into her sleeve and said with a smile, "We should go now, or we’ll be surrounded." Following her gaze, the others saw Xiling soldiers already running toward them from below. Deciding to leave without hesitation, they briskly packed their belongings and headed down another mountain path. They had horses ready at the foot of the hill. By the time the soldiers reached their previous location, they were already far gone on their swift steeds.

After leaving the cliff, they all galloped their horses as fast as possible, only relaxing when they reached the foot of Feihong Pass. Feng Zhiyao burst into loud laughter, and the others also broke into broad, relieved smiles. Ever since Mo Xiuyao’s disappearance, although the army remained orderly, an undercurrent of unease had persisted, creating a somewhat suppressive atmosphere. Today, however, was perhaps one of their most satisfying days in a long while.

Han Mingyue glanced at Ye Li and asked softly, "Princess Consort, could I borrow your... hidden weapon to play with for a moment?"

"Hidden weapon?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow and handed over the pistol. After thanking her, Han Mingyue carefully accepted it. He couldn’t wait to examine it, doing so even as they walked. Feng Zhiyao and Han Mingxi also craned their necks for a better look. However, as they lacked Han Mingyue’s expertise in such devices, they didn’t rush to take it from him. Only Qin Feng, who had been with Ye Li all along, showed no surprise. He had not only seen the weapon before but also knew its origin, so he didn’t share the others’ curiosity. But after witnessing its lethal power today, he, too, was eager to try it.

Han Mingyue frowned in thought, his hands ceaselessly exploring the pistol. He even tried to mimic Ye Li’s actions to figure out the mechanism. Feng Zhiyao instantly broke into a cold sweat when he saw the pitch-black muzzle pointed at him. Although he didn’t know what the object was, he hadn’t forgotten that the projectile which had injured Lei Zhenting had shot out from that small, dark opening. He quickly dodged to the side, exclaiming, "Han Mingyue, be careful!"

Han Mingyue smiled teasingly. "It’s no use." He had already figured out where the trigger was, but nothing shot out when he pulled it. He understood this wasn’t the time or place to discuss it and didn’t question Ye Li further, simply holding it and examining it with fascination.

As soon as they entered the mansion, Han Mingyue quickly handed the pistol back to Ye Li. Everyone else watched her eagerly. With a faint smile, Ye Li inserted a black bullet clip into the pistol. She then released the safety catch, pointed it at the sky, and pulled the trigger.

BANG! A sparrow fell from the sky. They noticed two bloody holes in the tiny sparrow’s body. Clearly, the projectile had passed directly through it.

"What a fine weapon!" Han Mingyue praised. Although hitting sparrows was something they could achieve with a mere pebble given their martial arts skills, Han Mingyue noted that the projectile from this hidden weapon was far faster than ordinary ones, even swifter than the arrows of the Black Cloud Cavalry’s best archers. More importantly, this weapon apparently didn’t require the user to possess any internal energy or particular physical condition; good aim was all that was needed.

Ye Li shook her head. "The sound is too loud." Advanced weapons aren’t available, and a silencer is something I can’t solve immediately. So, for a night raid, bows and arrows are more useful. A trace of nostalgia flashed in her eyes. When I first regained my memories, I never imagined I’d encounter such a thing in this lifetime, even if it was an antique fit for a museum in my previous life.

"Princess Consort, may I try it?" Han Mingyue asked. The famously erudite Young Master Mingyue was naturally very interested in unknown things.

Ye Li casually handed it to him. Han Mingyue looked around, aimed at a lantern hanging under the eaves, and pulled the trigger. BANG! The lantern remained in place, but the bullet embedded itself in the nearby wall.

"Hahaha!" Feng Zhiyao couldn’t help but laugh uproariously. "Han Mingyue, has your skill gotten rusty these past few years?"

Han Mingyue, with his extraordinary intelligence, had already figured out the issue after his attempt but didn’t elaborate. He handed the pistol to Feng Zhiyao and said with a smile, "Third Young Master Feng is a renowned archer. Why don’t you try?"

Feng Zhiyao, unfazed, declared, "I’ll try!"

BANG! The white lantern still swayed slightly in the breeze, and Feng Zhiyao’s face twisted. Ye Li took back the pistol, smiled faintly, and said, "Indeed, it doesn’t require internal energy or great physical strength. However... it does have a bit of recoil. Therefore, if you want to master it, you’ll need to practice diligently." Did these people really think that just because they were good at throwing hidden weapons, they would be able to shoot with great precision with a gun on their first try?

"Junwei... Junwei, considering our good relationship... can you give me one?" Han Mingxi’s eyes lit up as he pleaded with Ye Li. This weapon might not be extraordinary for other highly skilled martial artists, but for someone like Han Mingxi—first-rate in lightness skill, second-rate in internal energy, and third-rate in martial arts—it was a divine weapon.

Ye Li glanced at him, nonchalantly tossed him the pistol, and said, "Find Qin Feng later; he’ll teach you how to use it. Be careful... if this thing hits a vital spot, it’s far more troublesome than arrows or other hidden weapons." This was no exaggeration. If the bullet pierced the body and exited, it would merely leave a hole. However, if it remained lodged inside, removing it would be extremely challenging for most physicians. As for post-injury infection, due to the gunpowder residue from the bullet and the depth of the wound, the chances of infection were tens, even hundreds, of times higher than with ordinary blade wounds.

Having witnessed the weapon’s power, Han Mingxi naturally handled it with extreme care.

Seeing Han Mingxi so easily obtain the prized "hidden weapon," Feng Zhiyao and Han Mingyue were also eager. "Princess Consort..."

Ye Li felt her scalp tingle slightly and said with a sigh, "Don’t ask me. Only three of these have been successfully made so far. It will take some time to produce more." Of course, there were many defective ones, but I daren’t give those to Feng Zhiyao and the others; an accidental discharge could be disastrous. She calculated that in another two or three years, pistols of this standard could be mass-produced, perhaps even with improvements. I’m not sure if introducing firearms to this era of cold weapons is right. But since I have these, and the foundation laid by the Great Founding Emperor of the previous dynasty, I can’t just ignore their potential. The transition from cold weapons to firearms is an inevitable trend in human progress; there’s nothing wrong with getting a head start.

Unable to get their hands on one, Feng Zhiyao and Han Mingyue were somewhat disappointed but understood the situation. They could only make Ye Li promise to give them priority once more were made. Ye Li had no choice but to agree.

Han Mingxi looked at his elder brother and, though somewhat reluctant, offered the newly acquired treasure to Han Mingyue. "Big brother, you can try it first."

Han Mingyue took it, twirled the pistol in his hand, raised it, and fired another shot. Young Master Mingyue had always excelled at deducing principles from one example and applying them broadly. This time, he hit the lantern hanging under the eaves squarely.

Feng Zhiyao frowned. "This thing is far too noisy." If it could be completely silent, it would be the ultimate tool for assassination, arson, and ambushes. In Feng Zhiyao’s expert opinion, if someone fired at close range, or if several people fired simultaneously, even an expert of Lei Zhenting’s caliber would find it difficult to escape unscathed.

Ye Li raised an eyebrow. Silencers would be ideal, but I can’t produce them yet.

Hearing Feng Zhiyao’s words, Han Mingyue looked down at the object in his hand, lost in thought.

"Speaking of which, we still don’t know what this hidden weapon is called," Han Mingxi inquired. Such an astonishing hidden weapon definitely deserved a magnificent and astonishing name.

Unfortunately, Ye Li’s answer greatly disappointed him. "This is called... a gun. A handgun."

"Gun?! How does this thing resemble a gun at all?" Feng Zhiyao was the first to object. "The spear is the king of all weapons, a true instrument of the battlefield! Mo Xiuyao mostly uses a sword now, but in his youth, when he dominated the battlefields, it was with a silver dragon-coiling spear that struck terror into the hearts of enemy armies."

Ye Li said with a smile, "In any case, it is a gun." She waved her hand, indicating the discussion was over. She had no intention of giving her precious creation some bizarre, flowery name.

Giving Feng Zhiyao no chance to protest further, Ye Li waved dismissively and walked away. The few shots they had fired must have attracted considerable attention, and she didn’t want to be swarmed by a crowd. Han Mingyue was still curiously fiddling with the weapon, looking as if he wanted to dismantle it for research. Unlike Feng Zhiyao, he had no fixation on weapon names. He wouldn’t care if Ye Li called it a sword or a saber, as long as it was effective.

Ignoring Feng Zhiyao’s protests, Han Mingyue clutched his new weapon and departed without looking back, leaving Han Mingxi and Feng Zhiyao staring at each other. After a long moment, Feng Zhiyao asked, "Do you really think that name is appropriate?"

Han Mingxi looked at him with an amused smile. "I’ve never used the spear you speak of, so I think... the name the Princess Consort chose must be very appropriate."

Feng Zhiyao rolled his eyes faintly. He shouldn’t have asked Han Mingxi. Aside from his elder brother, Han Mingxi was most obedient to the Princess Consort.

Seeing his dejected look, Han Mingxi patted his shoulder comfortingly. "What it’s called doesn’t matter. The Princess Consort’s hidden weapon is called a gun; does this mean your spear isn’t a spear anymore?"

And so, from beginning to end, Ye Li forgot to tell them one crucial thing—it wasn’t a hidden weapon.

「Twenty miles from Feihong Pass, in the Xiling Army’s main camp.」

The camp had been mysteriously attacked by Prince Ding’s Mansion. Even Lei Zhenting, a martial arts master of great renown, was seriously injured. This attack instantly choked the Xiling Army’s fierce momentum. Uncertain if the Mo Family Army possessed more of these strange weapons, the Xiling Army dared not camp too close to Feihong Pass and retreated over ten miles.

Inside the camp, within Lei Zhenting’s main tent, the clothing on his shoulder had been undone. Several physicians gathered around him, all frowning. There was a bloody hole just below his right shoulder, neither large nor small. This presented a challenge for the highly skilled physicians. If it had been an arrow or a typical hidden weapon, treatment would have been simpler. An arrow could be pulled out directly, and most hidden weapons didn’t penetrate very deeply. However, the projectile that caused the Southern Garrison Prince’s current wound was deep inside his body, having come perilously close to shattering his scapula. What’s more, the weapon itself remained embedded. While its exact nature was unknown, they deduced it was small and not particularly sharp-edged. Extracting it without further injuring the Southern Garrison Prince was exceedingly difficult.

Another method was to use internal energy to expel the object. However, Lei Zhenting was the only one in the army with such profound internal energy. Complicating matters, his left hand had been severed by Mo Liufang over twenty years ago. Thus, even if the injury were on his left shoulder, he couldn’t use his own power to force the projectile out from his back. Any misstep risked damaging previously uninjured bone.

Lei Zhenting’s expression was grave. He looked down at the bloody hole below his shoulder, frowning, yet his face showed no sign of pain. "What are your thoughts?"

One physician, after some thought, stepped forward. "Your subjects are incompetent, My Prince; we have never encountered such a hidden weapon."

"What happens if we forcibly remove it?" Lei Zhenting asked.

The physician replied cautiously, "My Prince, your martial skill is profound. If we forcibly remove it and ensure proper aftercare, there shouldn’t be major complications. However... it’s likely that for the next few months, your right hand..." He trailed off, knowing the Southern Garrison Prince understood his meaning. But the Southern Garrison Prince only had one arm; if his right arm also became unusable, wouldn’t he be rendered a cripple?

Lei Zhenting’s eyes darkened. He pondered for a long time before asking, "What if we don’t remove it for now?"

"Absolutely not!" the physician exclaimed hastily. "My Prince, absolutely not. Although we are still unsure what this hidden weapon is made of, leaving it in the body is definitely a grave mistake. Not to mention the potential harm this unknown object could cause to the body, the wound is very deep. It could lead to internal suppuration, and eventually... My Prince might lose all movement in his shoulder. Or even... die."

Telling Lei Zhenting this placed immense pressure on the physicians. They knew that if the Southern Garrison Prince died from improper treatment, the consequences for them would be even more dire. Therefore, despite Lei Zhenting’s intimidating gaze, the physicians unanimously supported their colleague’s assessment.

Lei Zhenting remained silent for a long while. He was a man of decisive action, and even in such circumstances, he couldn’t afford to show any hesitation or nervousness. After quickly assessing the current situation in his mind, he asked, "If it is forcibly removed now..."

"We will do our utmost, My Prince," the physicians chorused.

Lei Zhenting sighed. "Then let it be so." It wasn’t that he was unwilling to consider other methods. However, few in the world possessed the ability to use pure internal energy to expel the projectile from his body without causing fundamental harm. He himself was one such person. Others included Mo Xiuyao, Ling Tiehan, and Mu Qingcang. As for others, perhaps the former Dongfang You, Ren Qining, and Han Mingyue could also attempt it. Yet, at this moment, he could not find any of them, or rather, could not seek their help.

Waving the physicians away to prepare, he sighed alone in the tent. To suffer such a blow right after dispatching troops... Ye Li... this prince has underestimated you. For some unknown reason, a sudden sense of foreboding washed over Lei Zhenting.

On one side, Lei Zhenting was surrounded by several physicians attempting to remove the bullet. Although they were highly skilled, it was their first encounter with such an object. Furthermore, the bullet was lodged deep in the flesh, barely missing the bone. The physicians had no experience with such wounds. Despite their meticulous efforts, by the time they finally extracted the bullet from Lei Zhenting’s shoulder, his injury had worsened considerably. Recovery would undoubtedly take three to five months, and even then, lingering side effects were likely, albeit not severe. Consequently, Lei Zhenting’s standing among the Four Great Experts of the world might now be last.

The Xiling Army, on the verge of laying siege, had suddenly retreated after a series of loud explosions, leaving behind a scene of carnage. This also puzzled the generals and soldiers at Feihong Pass. In the General’s Mansion, Ye Li was cornered by Veteran General Yuan Pei. After Ye Li finished explaining the events, Yuan Pei burst into laughter. "Excellent! Truly, heaven is aiding our Mo Family Army!"

Feng Zhiyao rolled his eyes. "Elder Yuan, what do you mean, heavenly aid? This was clearly developed by the Princess Consort." If heaven favored Prince Ding’s Mansion, they wouldn’t have faced so much misfortune and hardship over the years.

Yuan Pei stroked his white beard, chuckling. "Indeed, indeed. We truly owe this to the Princess Consort. Princess Consort, those... uh, bomb... explosives, are there any more?"

Ye Li shook her head regretfully. "Today’s attack depleted our entire stockpile from the last two years." Killing tens of thousands in a single blast, even with modern methods, would require a vast quantity of explosives. This was especially true on the open plain of the Xiling army camp, where there was nothing to amplify the explosion’s effect. With current technology, if these explosives were made into grenades, each might kill two people at best. Detonating them all together in one place had a greater impact.

Feng Zhiyao said, "Lei Zhenting being unable to take the field personally is definitely advantageous for us." At least, due to today’s events, the Xiling Army’s morale will definitely take a hit, and they won’t be able to recover it in the short term.

Ye Li smiled and nodded. "Correct. In that case, everyone, please make your preparations. I’ll leave Feihong Pass to your care, everyone."

Everyone rose. "Your subordinates obey!"

「Elsewhere, the situation was also developing.」

Leng Huai and Lv Jinxian, who had been stationed in Changxing, the former capital of Great Chu, had rendezvoused with Mo Jingli’s army outside Liyang City. With Mo Xiuyao presumed dead, the entire battlefield began to shift towards the northwest. The once strategically critical Cold Valley Pass had strangely become uncontested. Mo Jingli held his ground in Liyang City, attempting to block the Mo Family Army. Meanwhile, Leng Huai and Lv Jinxian were desperate to return to Feihong Pass to reinforce Prince Ding’s Mansion. Neither side would yield. Several small and large battles erupted over a few days, resulting in casualties for both. Ultimately, Mo Jingli resorted to closing the city gates and refusing to engage. His aim wasn’t to annihilate Leng Huai and Lv Jinxian; he would win as long as he could hold Liyang City steadfastly and prevented their passage.

This tactic of avoiding battle infuriated Lv Jinxian and Leng Huai more than a direct confrontation would have. Siege warfare was notoriously time-consuming. The assault on Zijing Pass in the Northern Territory had lasted half a year without falling, and the siege of the Capital of Great Chu had endured for over three months. But time was precisely what they lacked most. Even though Leng Huai and Lv Jinxian were calm and composed individuals, they couldn’t help but internally curse Mo Jingli for his despicable tactics.

Inside the Mo Family Army’s command tent, Lv Jinxian paced back and forth with a furrowed brow. Leng Huai, He Su, and others seated nearby also wore grim expressions. Leng Huai put down his teacup and sighed, "General Lv, please stop pacing. You’re making me dizzy."

Lv Jinxian paused, then had no choice but to sit down again, his expression heavy. "In just half a month, Lei Zhenting has already led an army of over seven hundred thousand toward Feihong Pass. Moreover, Xiling is continuously sending reinforcements north from its borders. I’m truly worried..." He was truly worried that the Princess Consort wouldn’t be able to hold out.

Apart from Veteran General Yuan Pei, all the commanders at Feihong Pass were young. While General Yuan Pei was an experienced warrior, he was, after all, over seventy. How could this not be a cause for concern?

Leng Huai said, "If Feihong Pass truly cannot hold, the Princess Consort will definitely recall Marquis South and General Murong. That way, they can hold on for some more time. Our task is to breach Liyang City as quickly as possible. Otherwise, even if Feihong Pass falls now, we can only worry anxiously here."

"These past few days, Mo Jingli has been acting like a cowardly turtle. No matter how much we curse him, he refuses to come out. What can we do?" Yun Ting grumbled, his anger directed at Mo Jingli cowering in the city.

Xu Qingfeng frowned. "Perhaps I could lead some men to infiltrate the city, and then we can coordinate an attack from within and without..."

Lv Jinxian shook his head. "No, Liyang City is inherently easy to defend and difficult to attack. Moreover... there are eight hundred thousand troops in the city. Mo Jingli doesn’t lack men now. Although Qilin is formidable, sneaking in too many people to accomplish anything significant would be difficult." If a city defended by eight hundred thousand troops still had exploitable loopholes, Mo Jingli might as well go bury himself.

Leng Huai’s eyebrow twitched, and he suddenly smiled. "Speaking of which... eight hundred thousand men... how much grain do you think Mo Jingli has in Liyang?" Liyang wasn’t an exceptionally large city. Crucially, it wasn’t a major grain-producing region in Great Chu. Therefore, the city’s grain reserves were likely not substantial. However, the daily provisions required for eight hundred thousand men constituted an enormous amount.

Hearing this, Yun Ting’s eyebrows shot up, and he grinned. "We can even give him a hand! Sneaking in too many people is impossible, but sending a few experts to start a fire should be achievable."

Xu Qingfeng stood up and nodded. "No problem. Leave this to me."

Naturally, such a task could only be entrusted to Qilin, the Mo Family Army unit most proficient in individual capabilities and various skills. Lv Jinxian nodded. "We’ll be troubling Commander Xu. Mo Jingli will surely have taken precautions. Commander Xu, you must be extremely careful."

Xu Qingfeng nodded. "Generals, please await the good news."

Not one for idle talk, Xu Qingfeng bid them farewell and exited the tent. Leng Huai sighed. "Let’s hope Commander Xu achieves swift success."

He Su pondered for a moment. "Should we also arrange manpower to intercept Great Chu’s subsequent grain transport convoys?"

Lv Jinxian waved his hand. "That won’t be necessary. If Mo Jingli has subsequent grain supplies, let them pass."

Although they didn’t know what Lv Jinxian had up his sleeve, seeing his composed demeanor, they trusted he had a plan and refrained from further questions.

"Reporting to General Lv and General Leng, a Young Master Ye is outside the main gate requesting an audience," a guard entered and announced.

"Young Master Ye? Who is that?" The men looked at each other, baffled.

Lv Jinxian thought for a moment. "Show him in."