Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 89. The Initial Reveal of Greatness

89. Initial Show of Bravery

"Princess Consort, there is trouble!"

Ye Li and her entourage were galloping non-stop towards Broken Snow Pass. The attacks from Nanzhao and Prince Li happened so abruptly. The earlier entrance of the Black Cloud Cavalry into the Southern Border had already attracted much attention, so their return journey couldn’t be as smooth as when they came. Ye Li found herself having to take Darky Two, Darky Three, and a few Black Cloud Cavalry soldiers with her, while instructing others to scatter back to East Chu.

"What happened?" Ye Li frowned as she pulled on the reins. The Black Cloud Cavalry soldier who brought the news whispered, "Generalissimo Wu Chengliang was assassinated, and the Yongzhou reinforcement troops were ambushed as soon as they crossed the river. The entire army... was wiped out."

Ye Li’s heart lurched. "How far are we from Broken Snow Pass now?"

Darky Two said, "It’s half a day’s journey away. But... Broken Snow Pass has already been besieged by over a hundred thousand Nanzhao soldiers. I’m afraid we might not be able to enter the Pass when we get there."

Ye Li said, "Take a detour then. We’ll ignore Broken Snow Pass for now and head directly to Yonglin. Prince Li’s army should be almost there by now."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The relentless fighting and booming war drums at Broken Snow Pass remained unchanged. General Murong Shen watched with an icy expression as the Nanzhao generals below the city yelled insults. Several days of rigid defense had dealt a severe blow to the morale of his soldiers. Many of his subordinates, unable to contain their inclinations, had suggested charging out of the city to engage the enemy, only to be stopped by him. "General, allow me to lead the troops out of the city!" implored a resolute young officer, fire burning in his defiant eyes. The continued insults of the Nanzhao soldiers were driving the younger officers crazy with frustration.

"Silence! Our top priority now is to defend the city, not to engage in a battle of pride. We must prevent the Nanzhao army from crossing the threshold of Broken Snow Pass. This is our main duty as defenders of the border. We wait for reinforcements!"

The young officer, disbelieving, looked at him and asked, "Will the reinforcements arrive in time? We only have eighty thousand soldiers. We are surrounded by the Nanzhao soldiers and Prince Li’s troops coming from Lingzhou. Their numbers dwarf ours, easily exceeding three hundred thousand." After a moment of silence, Murong Shen firmly replied, "They will arrive in time, as long as we can hold on at Broken Snow Pass. So, put aside meaningless battles."

Following a resentful glance at the shouting Nanzhao soldiers below the city, the young officer gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, General."

"General!" A messenger hurried in. "General, a report came in. Lord Wu Chengliang, the Generalissimo of Yongzhou, was leading twenty thousand soldiers to reinforce us. They were ambushed as soon as they traversed the Yunlan River. Lord Wu was killed."

Everyone present sucked in a cold breath. Murong Shen felt dizzy. Quickly composing himself, he asked, "How could it be? How could Prince Li be so fast?!"

"Report! General, the Governor of Yongzhou surrendered to Prince Li last night. This morning, Prince Li’s army broke through Qingyuan City. Their vanguard may reach Yonglin City outskirts by evening." A wave of dread swept through everyone’s hearts. Yongzhou’s defenses had always been weak, and with the governor’s surrender to Prince Li, it explained why Prince Li’s forces had been so unstoppable. It seemed that they wouldn’t be able to hold out for the ten days they had originally planned. At this rate, in no more than two days, Broken Snow Pass would be entirely surrounded. Shivers of fear ran down the spines of those present as this realization dawned on them. Overwhelmed by anger, Murong Shen laughed bitterly, "Very good! What an amazing Governor of Yongzhou! Who is willing to go defend Yonglin City?"

Several young officers stepped forward together, "General, I am willing to go!"

Murong Shen looked at the stern expressions of the young men and nodded. "Good. Yun Ting, Xia Shu, I will give the two of you twenty thousand soldiers. You need to hold Yonglin. Understood?"

"Yes, General." The two young men answered in unison, accepting the military order before turning to leave. Nobody asked how to defend Yonglin with twenty thousand troops or for how long they were expected to hold out. Gazing at the retreating figures of the two young men, Murong Shen cast a glance over the officers remaining in the room. "We have the same task: to defend Broken Snow Pass. Understood?"

"Yes, General!"

The usually peaceful Yonglin Town was now alarmingly quiet. Store doors on either side of the street were tightly shut, and there was not a single person visible on the street. In contrast to the gloominess and repression of Broken Snow Pass, under the walls of Yonglin City, it was a scene of fierce fighting, flashing swords, and bloodshed. Under the city walls, siege soldiers strived hard to climb up on ladders but they were forced back down by the soldiers on the castle towers using rocks and arrows. As soon as one man fell, another would step forward to take his place. Soldiers on the castle tower were occasionally shot down by expert archers from below and fell to gruesome deaths. At this point, no one bothered about these casualties, only engaging in frenzied fighting. Everyone had forgotten that they all belonged to Great Chu, once comrades. Now, it was a fight to the death, pitting one against another.

"How’s it looking? Shall I go first?" Two young commanding officers stood on the city wall, their expressions grave.

"I’ll go!" Drawing his sword, the young officer turned and left.

The one who was left behind let out a helpless grunt at the departing figure’s determination, drew his sword, and dispatched an adversary attempting to climb onto the castle tower by taking advantage of a defending soldier being shot.

The city gates swung open, and the young officer led a troop charging out, crashing into the enemy line, aiming to alleviate the pressure on the castle tower. This young officer was at the forefront of the charge, cutting down enemy soldiers like grass. Before long, a burly middle-aged man blocked his path. This man held out a large knife, brushing away the soldiers around him, and sneered, "Has Murong Shen run out of capable men? Sending a wet-behind-the-ears brat to block my path! Wisen up and open the Yonglin City gates for me, and I’ll spare your life!" The young officer’s sharp eyebrows arched as he smiled coldly. "I don’t deal with nameless ghosts. Who are you, the rebel threatening me? Share your name, and I will leave your corpse whole!"

"I am Sun Wei, the vanguard of the West Army, personally appointed by His Highness Prince Li!"

The young officer rolled his eyes. "So it’s the traitorous Mo Jingli. Sun Wei... young master has never heard of you. Accept your death!" His long sword was swift and ruthless, slashing mercilessly at the man claiming to be the vanguard of the Western Army. The man was thrown into a panic and soon died at the hands of the boy he had looked down upon. The young officer spat in contempt. "A wimp, daring to show off before me?" With the vanguard beheaded, the siege army fell into chaos. The city’s defenders took the opportunity to counterattack, driving the invaders off in a disorderly retreat soon after.

"Xia Shu, how is it?" Back on the city wall, watching the routed enemy retreat in disarray, the young officer who had just vented his frustrations was ecstatic. The young man called Xia Shu, gazing into the distance, furrowed his brows. "This should be the enemy’s vanguard probing our lines. Even though we’ve driven them back, when their true elite forces get here..." The young officer’s face also crinkled, the joy from their recent victory ebbing. Pitted against over a hundred thousand soldiers, their tiny force of twenty thousand would be overwhelmed; even if those were a hundred thousand pigs, they could still trample our men to death. It’s already difficult enough to defend the city with twenty thousand, not to mention having to march out to meet the enemy. Yonglin City isn’t like Broken Snow Pass; Prince Li’s army could potentially bypass Yonglin if they hold out. Though it would be troublesome, it’s not impossible. Once Broken Snow Pass is taken, our isolated city with only twenty thousand men will essentially be theirs for the taking.

"Screw it, whoever comes, I’ll send them back where they came from! I, Yun Ting, am not among the cowardly!" rumbled the young officer.

Xia Shu grinned as well. "Well said. Next time, it’s my turn."

Perhaps due to the defeat of the advance vanguard, the main army arrived slower than anticipated; not until the next morning did they hear war drums from outside the city. Xia Shu and Yun Ting stood on the city wall looking down. Yun Ting couldn’t help but gasp. "Did Mo Jingli marshal all the troops from Lingzhou here?" The area in front of Yonglin City was not wide, but the fluttering flags and countless figures projected an intimidating view, making one reluctant to even estimate their numbers. Xia Shu whispered, "In the past, in the capital city, we heard that Prince Li was an incompetent ruler, but it seems not to be the case now." The troops below, under Prince Li’s command, were neatly lined up, their formation strict and orderly, lending a powerful, imposing aura. It didn’t look like an army led by a dimwit. Yun Ting smirked. "Either he’s got a wise man at his side, or he’s been playing dumb. A fool can start a rebellion? That would be crazy."

From the opposing army, several men rode out. One of them, a middle-aged man who was clearly not a warrior, shouted up at them from below, "Attention, city defenders! Open your gates and let us pass immediately."

Yun Ting smirked. "Who are you again? You command and we obey?"

The middle-aged man responded, "I am the Governor of Yongzhou, which has pledged allegiance to His Highness Prince Li. Will you not open the gate immediately for His Highness to enter the city?" Hearing this, Yun Ting cursed under his breath. "Who did I think you were? Another traitor! Heaven offers you a way and you refuse. As a traitor, you should know enough to find a place to hide, yet you dare to swagger out here." Yun Ting drew an arrow from a nearby soldier’s quiver and shot it without hesitation at the Governor of Yongzhou.

"What?!" The Governor of Yongzhou, who was in the middle of his arrogant rant on horseback, was pulled aside by one of his men, and the feathered arrow flew right by his ear. The close shave with death made him scream and nearly fall off his horse. Yun Ting clucked regretfully. "Such bad luck." The Governor of Yongzhou’s attempt to persuade them was unsuccessful. One of the men with him waved his hand and had the governor taken back to safety within their ranks. He then looked up at the two on the city wall and said, "You two on the wall must be the young generals Yun Ting and Xia Shu, right? You have at most twenty to thirty thousand soldiers. You can’t resist my two hundred thousand troops. Why do you insist on defending a lost cause? We are all citizens of Great Chu. It’s not good for any of us to fight and get hurt, is it?"

Yun Ting spat and sneered, "What a joke. You still know you are a citizen of Great Chu? I thought it was a dog raised by some rebel barking here."

The man below’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly resumed smiling. "The emperor is unjust. Prince Li is the true chosen one by heavens. We should naturally obey Prince Li’s commands..."

"Stuff it!" Yun Ting raised his hand and shot another arrow. He saw the man dodge easily but didn’t care and shouted, "I’ve seen many shameless people, but I’ve never met anyone as shameless as you! The emperor is unjust... How did the emperor wrong you? Did he murder your parents or steal your wife? The true chosen one... Did you think I, being far away at the border, haven’t heard? Courting his future sister-in-law before marriage, caught in an affair with a woman on the day of the diplomatic marriage. Ah... and also, fainting on his own wedding day... If your health is so poor, stay at home and rest. Don’t come out and embarrass yourself!" Xia Shu, who stood beside him, had a slightly embarrassed look after hearing Yun Ting’s relentless outburst. Not only did the city’s defenders on the wall burst into laughter, but even Prince Li’s soldiers below showed some strange expressions. The general who had tried to persuade them to surrender wished he could dig a hole and crawl into it. He pointed at Yun Ting angrily and said, "You little rascal! Don’t fall into my hands, or I will make you wish you were dead!"

Yun Ting lifted his chin defiantly. "I’m waiting."

Far behind the lines of soldiers, Mo Jingli’s face was pitch black, and the gloomy, icy coolness surrounding him silenced the generals at his side. Although they were far from the front, Yun Ting’s words, driven by internal force, had reached them clearly. Most of the generals around Mo Jingli were proficient in martial arts, so they heard every word. Mo Jingli’s dismayed look was obvious. "Attack the city! I want that lad alive!"

"Yes, sir." With a wave, someone behind him started the thunderous war drums, and the army began to attack the city.

Mo Jingli clearly wanted a quick fight, aiming to capture the majority of the area south of the Yunlan River at lightning speed before the imperial reinforcements arrived. Therefore, he showed no mercy even when attacking the tiny Yonglin Town, especially since Broken Snow Pass was just behind Yonglin. This time, Yun Ting and Xia Shu felt pressure that was several times greater than the day before. They were flat out defending the city walls, let alone finding spare soldiers to engage the enemy outside the city. Even if they could spare some soldiers, those troops would be hopelessly outnumbered, and their sally would be a pointless sacrifice with no return. Huge logs started hitting the city gates, and it seemed like the entire city wall was shaking under the heavy thuds. The soldiers on the wall fell one by one, but the enemy aiming to climb the city tower seemed endless. Yun Ting and Xia Shu kept swinging their weapons, filling the gaps left by the fallen soldiers. The air was thick with the smell of blood.

Seeing how the defenders on the wall were dwindling, Yun Ting’s white battle robe now sprayed with blood, he muttered, "Damn it, this is the first time I’m leading troops myself. Am I going to be wiped out?"

"Don’t worry. If you die, the court will posthumously promote you to general," Xia Shu said, a weak smile twitching the corner of his lip.

"Thanks for the comfort, but I’d rather these bastards die first!" replied Yun Ting. He thrust his sword, killing an enemy trying to sneak up on Xia Shu from the side, then lifted the corpse and threw it down onto someone climbing a ladder.

"Brothers, hold the line for me! If we let these rebels get to Broken Snow Pass, it’s over! Broken Snow Pass has stood for hundreds of years and never let those Southern Border barbarians take a single step inside. We can’t let it fall on our watch!" Yun Ting shouted, raising his arm. The city’s defenders roared back in unison, "Defend Yonglin to the death!" Though all were soldiers, those stationed within the borders found it challenging to comprehend the mindset of those who guarded the frontiers. To protect the nation’s gate was their greatest honor and mission; it was also a responsibility etched into their very bones.

「A few miles away from Yonglin City, in the woods」

Ye Li stood under a tree on a hillside, overlooking the distance. The sounds of war were clearly audible even from miles away.

"My lord, Yonglin City can’t hold on any longer," Darky Three reported, hurrying over.

Ye Li lowered her head. "Considering they only have twenty thousand soldiers, they’ve held out rather well. Who is in charge of the defense of Yonglin now?"

Darky Two replied, "They are Colonel Yun Ting and Colonel Xia Shu, both under General Murong."

Ye Li frowned. "Only two colonels?"

Darky Two nodded. "There aren’t many officers stationed at Broken Snow Pass. Both of them are the most promising and highly regarded young officers under General Murong. That Yun Ting even killed Prince Li’s vanguard yesterday." Ye Li frowned again. "Is Mo Jingli also in the army?" Darky Two nodded, pointing to a spot far away where flags were flying. "Prince Li should be there. My lord, shall we..." Ye Li shook her head. "The defense around Mo Jingli is surely tight, and he is no pushover himself. It’s almost impossible to try and capture the leader to neutralize the bandits. Darky Two, Darky Three."

"Yes."

"Choose a few men from among yourselves. Assassinate the Governor of Yongzhou."

Darky Two and Darky Three exchanged a glance, loudly declaring, "We will obey."

Ye Li said solemnly, "Once the Governor of Yongzhou is killed, do nothing else. Withdraw at once."

"Yes! But, Young Master, you...?"

Ye Li let out a soft sigh, raised her head to look at the clear blue sky, and said, "I will go with the Black Cloud Cavalry." Gazing upon Ye Li, respect filled the faces of the Commanders of the Black Cloud Cavalry behind her. Although they were sworn to follow the command of the Princess Consort, they found it easier to accept a woman with agility and a sharp mind than a delicate lady possessing only beauty and talent. Their acquaintance with the Princess Consort hadn’t been long, but in these few days, she had accompanied them on swift horse travels, covering a hundred li a day, and didn’t shy away from rough mountains and rivers. She even possessed a robust physique that surpassed an average soldier, which genuinely earned her the loyalty of these proud and powerful cavalrymen.

Both Darky Two and Darky Three understood that, although they were called hidden guards, the Princess Consort didn’t actually need them for constant protection. The fact that the Princess Consort assigned them various missions was to prepare them for their future; she hoped that they could one day stand openly among the crowd instead of merely remaining as unseen bodyguards. "We will obey," Darky Two replied, exchanging a glance with the Cavalry Commanders. We entrust the safety of the Princess Consort to you.

A Cavalry Commander raised an eyebrow in acknowledgment.

"Is everything ready?" asked Ye Li, turning around as Darky Two and Darky Three left with their men.

"Reporting to the Young Master, everything is prepared. We can set off at any moment."

Ye Li nodded. "Very good. Divide the forces into four groups. Enter the battlefield from both flanks, crossing over. In a quarter of an hour, the remaining forces will be ready to act."

"Yes."

The situation on the battlefield was increasingly dire. At the start, only one or two enemy soldiers managed to climb the city wall and were immediately killed. Later, those who reached the watchtower could even kill a few defenders before being dispatched. Although it hadn’t caused significant damage yet, it was clear they couldn’t hold on for much longer. Yun Ting finally had no energy left to shout or curse angrily; he wielded his weapon silently, his young face revealing apparent fatigue and a fierce killing intent. Xia Shu’s right arm was ripped open, forcing him to use his left hand to wield his sword. Fortunately, his left-handed swordsmanship was as fierce as his right.

As one wave of the attack temporarily ceased, another surged up. Xia Shu swung his sword and knocked an enemy soldier off the city wall. Suddenly, another man with a vicious expression appeared on the wall and lunged at him with a knife. "Xia Shu!" Yun Ting shouted in surprise, shaking off an enemy soldier and lunging forward. Xia Shu was momentarily taken aback, but then he saw the man’s vicious face fill with astonishment as he fell backward from the wall.

Four black shadows, like four sharp black arrows, shot into the tens of thousands of troops at a horrifying speed. Wherever they went, they were as unstoppable as a black tornado, swiftly dividing the enemy’s formation into segments. The gray, dusty battlefield was quickly fragmented by these black divisions.

"What is that?" Yun Ting exclaimed, watching in shock from the watchtower. Below, black-clad riders rushed past, nocking arrows and firing. They launched three arrows at once without appearing to aim, accurately hitting three men attempting to climb the watchtower. Then, even faster, several black whirlwind-like figures swept across, and the ladders below the watchtower were reduced to a pile of useless wood in an incredibly short time. The knights then galloped away as if they were in an empty, uncontested space.

Clutching his burning wound, Xia Shu managed a faint smile. "Reinforcements! Quickly, loose your arrows!" Because the siege ladders were destroyed, the pressure on the city walls was drastically reduced. Xia Shu quickly ordered the soldiers on the watchtower to support the black-clad knights below with their arrows. Standing on the watchtower, they could see clearly that the reinforcements were not numerous. Still, their momentum, combat power, and the imposing presence of what looked like several thousand iron-clad cavalry threw the enemy into confusion, causing them to lose their composure. Cavalry was a rare sight in the south. Watching the black riders below, Xia Shu’s previously exhausted eyes suddenly blazed with a fervent light. "Quick, Yun Ting, be ready to help them into the city!" Even if these riders could each fight a hundred men, a prolonged battle amidst tens of thousands of troops wasn’t a sustainable plan.

"Alright, I’ll leave the city to meet them!"

Xia Shu shook his head. "No need. Just hold the city gate. They can fight their way out."

Yun Ting looked at Xia Shu strangely but decided to follow the advice of his slightly older comrade.

The Black Cloud Cavalry was invincible on the battlefield. At the enemy’s rear, Mo Jingli was observing the battle with his officers. He hadn’t paid much attention to the small Yonglin Town; everything had been going too smoothly. Once Yonglin was captured, the conquest of half of Great Chu’s land would practically be secured. In fact, even Mo Jingli himself had never imagined it would be this easy. He glanced sideways at the Governor of Yongzhou standing nearby, his eyes flashing with a cold light. A person who would betray his first master is very likely to betray a second. This man is still useful for now, but in the future...

WHOOSH! Several hidden weapons flew through the air, targeting Mo Jingli in the crowd. Mo Jingli, ever alert, ducked sideways to avoid them. His bodyguards immediately formed a protective circle around him. "Assassins! Protect the Prince!" Several dark figures suddenly surged from all around. However, they didn’t rush at Mo Jingli, who was protected by layers of bodyguards. A few of them engaged the surrounding guards, while one figure spun around and lunged towards the Governor of Yongzhou, who was cowering to the side. The Governor of Yongzhou was so terrified he wanted to scream, but no sound came out. He only felt a chill in his chest as a dagger pierced his heart. Fearfully, he looked up into a pair of cold, indifferent eyes, and a low voice resonated in his ear, "By order of the Princess Consort of Ding Kingdom—Treason is punishable by death!"

"Retreat!" Darky Two swiftly pulled the dagger from the Governor of Yongzhou’s heart, and blood gushed out like a fountain. He then whipped around, slitting the throat of a bodyguard attacking him from behind, and called out to the others still entangled in the fight.

They quickly broke free from their engagements and dispersed in different directions, rapidly blending in with Prince Li’s soldiers and gradually disappearing.

Mo Jingli watched grimly as the Governor of Yongzhou, now lifeless, lay on the ground. The generals around him also wore grave expressions, tinged with concealed fear and worry. They hadn’t heard all of the assassin’s words, but the last phrase, "Treason is punishable by death!" had been heard loud and clear. Here, amidst tens of thousands of soldiers and under heavy protection, the Governor of Yongzhou had been killed so swiftly and decisively. How could this not send a chill down their spines and make them tremble?

Before Mo Jingli could erupt in anger, someone cried out in surprise, "What is that?!"

Everyone looked towards the battlefield. Black-clothed knights had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, galloping back and forth. The vanguard of their own soldiers, after a few charges from these knights, was already showing signs of collapse. "Where did so many cavalry come from in the south?" These knights were incredibly fast, crisscrossing and weaving through the battlefield. From a distance, it was impossible to tell exactly how many there were. It felt as though the entire battlefield was filled with the figures of these black-clad knights, leaving carnage in their wake. Unfortunately, the terrain outside Yonglin City was narrow, making it impossible to deploy all their troops. For the moment, they were helpless against them.

"The Black Cloud Cavalry!" Mo Jingli hissed through gritted teeth.

The Black Cloud Cavalry! At the mention of the name, everyone stiffened again, and the faces of the more faint-hearted turned deathly pale. The Black Cloud Cavalry represented the most elite force in the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion, and arguably, they were the most formidable army in the entire Great Chu. Personally commanded by the Prince of Ding Kingdom, this force answered to no one but the Prince himself and the recognized Madam of the House of the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion. If the Black Cloud Cavalry was present here... that meant... Prince Ding was undoubtedly somewhere nearby!

"Impossible!" Mo Jingli exclaimed coldly. "Mo Xiuyao, that sick weakling, could never have gotten here so quickly!" He had secretly left the capital. Even if Mo Xiuyao had received the news and set off immediately to pursue him, with his frail body, it would have taken him several days to arrive. And even if he did arrive, he would be in no condition to command a battle.

"Then... who’s commanding this Black Cloud Cavalry now?" a general asked, his voice trembling.

Mo Jingli snorted. He was sure Mo Xiuyao was not in Yonglin. But who on earth was leading this Black Cloud Cavalry? Feng Zhiyao? No, that couldn’t be. Feng Zhiyao couldn’t command the Black Cloud Cavalry...

"Prince, a large number of cavalry are heading our way from the south!"

Mo Jingli was taken aback. "How many?!"

"So many... they couldn’t be counted... Any scout trying to get close was shot and killed instantly!"

Everyone looked south. Sure enough, on the far side of the forest, a massive dust cloud rolled ominously, dark shadows flitted within it, and the thundering of hooves from afar shook the very ground. Such a spectacle could not have been caused by less than several thousand horses.

"Prince...."

The bugle signaling retreat sounded, and the attacking enemy forces receded like a tide. Simultaneously, the gates of Yonglin City opened, the black-clad knights swiftly galloped into the city, and the heavy gates closed once more. Looking out from atop the city walls, Yun Ting and Xia Shu watched the retreating enemy, both letting out sighs of relief. If it hadn’t been for these people arriving in time, they likely wouldn’t have been able to hold out much longer.

Yun Ting casually wiped the blood off his sword, sheathed it, and curiously asked, "Xia Shu, who exactly came to our aid?"

Xia Shu sighed and replied, "In the future, stop boasting about growing up in the capital if you can’t even recognize something as obvious as this. You spend all your time collecting market gossip, don’t you?" He even knows about things like Prince Li’s affair with his future sister-in-law, yet for something this important, he’s completely clueless.

Yun Ting tilted his head and blinked, then his eyes widened as he stared at Xia Shu. After a long pause, he stammered, "X...Xia Shu, it’s not... It’s not who I think it is, right?" Xia Shu shot him a look. "Who else could it be?" Yun Ting finally let out a shriek and quickly ran down the tower. Xia Shu shook his head helplessly and followed. The legendary Black Cloud Cavalry, huh? He was quite curious himself.

On the broad streets beneath the city wall, a dense formation of men and horses stood in perfect order. But neither the men nor the horses made the slightest sound. The entire street was so quiet that one could have heard a pin drop. No sooner had Yun Ting stepped off the city tower than he felt an icy killing intent and an imposing presence surging towards him. His initial overjoyed expression involuntarily receded, and he stood up straight, looking towards the person at the forefront.

The one at the front was also dressed in black, but unlike the other riders, she wasn’t on horseback. Instead, she was standing quietly, leading a black steed. Yun Ting noticed her distinctiveness at first glance. Compared to the mounted knights, she appeared smaller and more gentle, lacking their severe and fierce aura. Even the look in her eyes as she regarded Yun Ting held a faint amusement. But Yun Ting knew this didn’t mean this person was weaker than the others. On the contrary, she had to be the leader of these people.

"I am Yun Ting, Colonel of Broken Snow Pass. Thank you all for your timely assistance. I wonder... how should I address you?"

Ye Li looked with mild amusement at the visibly nervous, yet hopeful, young colonel before her. Yet she managed to maintain a calm expression. "Colonel Yun, would it be convenient to speak in a more private place?" Yun Ting was still in a daze, but Xia Shu, who had caught up, quickly responded, "Of course. This way, please. I am Xia Shu, Colonel of Broken Snow Pass."

Ye Li nodded and turned to the Black Cloud Cavalry behind her. "Rest here."

"Yes."

Two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry dismounted in perfect unison, their movements so sharp and precise that it left everyone in awe.

Yun Ting came to his senses and said, "You must all have had a hard journey. Why not take a brief rest in the camp?"

Ye Li replied somewhat helplessly, "I’m afraid there’s hardly any time to rest. No need to go to too much trouble. I imagine Yonglin City has many wounded soldiers who need attention. However, these warhorses do need to be taken care of." Xia Shu understood what she meant. Fortunately, while Broken Snow Pass didn’t have many cavalry, they could still supply fodder for two thousand warhorses for a few days. He nodded and said, "Rest assured, sir. I’ll have someone see to that straight away. This way, please, sir."

Ye Li nodded and followed Xia Shu toward the military camp, which was set up not far from the city tower.

Yun Ting dazedly watched the Black Cloud Cavalry dismount—some sitting down to rest with closed eyes, others wiping down their blades—then looked back at Ye Li leading a few black-clad individuals away with Xia Shu. He shook his head as if to clear it and quickly hurried after them.