In the Chu army’s western route military camp, Zhao Lian and Lei Tengfeng sat facing each other, sharing bitter smiles. Mu Yang and Gao Ming’s forces had simultaneously fallen into the Mohist Army’s ambush, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of Chu troops in an instant. Now both men finally understood that the events of the past few days had been entirely Prince Ding’s scheme. They had effectively lost both the clever old Marquis of Mu Yang and their most promising rising star.

Prince Ding’s methods were truly terrifying.

Lei Tengfeng lowered his eyes and said, “Now that they’ve removed the Mu Yang Marquis Manor, I fear… the Mohist Army’s next target will be you and me. General Zhao, you must be especially careful of Lu Jinxian’s army.” Lei Tengfeng knew that Lu Jinxian’s army would be desperate to reunite with Yun Ting’s forces on the other side. But Lu Jinxian wasn’t the only one pressed for time – Lei Tengfeng was just as rushed, as the war news from his father and Mo Xiuyao in the west wasn’t going well either.

Zhao Lian nodded solemnly, “Young Master Lei speaks truly.” Although facing off against Lu Jinxian these past days had made Zhao Lian feel quite pressured – it was particularly frustrating that despite having far superior numbers, they were still being suppressed by the enemy. Zhao Lian had to acknowledge the gap between himself and Lu Jinxian, but this was Lu Jinxian’s army’s last line of defense before Han Gu Pass – they had to stop them no matter what.

Hearing that Zhao Lian intended to use delaying tactics, Lei Tengfeng’s eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing more.

Back in his tent, a guard immediately delivered battle reports from the Xi Ling army. Though nearly a thousand li away, reports of the Xi Ling Army’s battles with the Mohist Army arrived in Lei Tengfeng’s hands daily without fail. Looking at the confidential letter in his hand, Lei Tengfeng sat down and pressed his tired forehead, asking, “Did Father have any instructions?” Originally, he had brought over a hundred thousand Xi Ling troops here secretly and could have made careful arrangements. Unfortunately, what Mo Jingli possessed was too important – he had to expose his forces to obtain that one list. Compared to over a hundred thousand troops, a crucial hidden piece that could turn the tide at a critical moment was what the Zhen Nan Prince’s manor needed.

The guard said solemnly, “His Highness said the Young Master did nothing wrong. However… we must quickly extract ourselves from the current stalemate. The situation in the West is unfavorable for Xi Ling. His Highness suspects Mo Xiuyao has dispatched an army of nearly two hundred thousand men planning to circle behind our forces. He requests that Young Master must reach Yu Ming Pass, three hundred li west of Han Gu Pass, within half a month to intercept this army.”

Lei Tengfeng started, saying gravely, “Two hundred thousand men? Where did the Mohist Army get so many troops?” The Mohist Army’s total forces were less than a million. After annihilating over a million troops, their losses should have been at least two hundred thousand. Even if the Mohist Army hadn’t lost a single soldier, counting the garrison troops in various regions, they simply couldn’t have another two hundred thousand men to launch a surprise attack on Xi Ling’s rear.

The guard said, “Young Master forgets that Prince Ding’s military conscription system differs from other countries. According to His Highness’s estimates, if Prince Ding wishes, he could mobilize up to a million well-trained troops within a month, and recruit two million new soldiers within three months.” Currently, the territory under Prince Ding’s control was unmatched among all countries, and having just defeated the Northern Rong had raised their morale to new heights. For Prince Ding to recruit troops was now an extremely simple matter.

Lei Tengfeng couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath. They had always been most reassured about the Mohist Army’s issue of troop numbers. The Mohist Army had never had many troops, but they had forgotten to account for Prince Ding’s foundation and the Mohist Army’s influence. Once Mo Xiuyao wanted to expand his forces, he would have an endless supply of recruits continuously replenishing his ranks.

“His Highness has one more message for Young Master,” the guard said respectfully. Lei Tengfeng looked at him, and the guard said quietly, “His Highness says Young Master needn’t concern himself too much with Mo Jingli – he’s no match for Princess Ding. Please withdraw as quickly as possible.”

Lei Tengfeng was stunned for a moment before understanding his father’s intentions. His father had never truly intended to cooperate with Mo Jingli – from the beginning, he had never thought well of Mo Jingli. The arrangement and alliance with Mo Jingli was merely to use him to contain Ye Li. After all, Mo Xiuyao alone was already difficult enough to deal with; if Ye Li were added to the equation, even the Zhen Nan Prince’s manor might find it hard to handle. Once their objective was achieved, Mo Jingli would be useless. Whether Mo Jingli won or lost was irrelevant to the Zhen Nan Prince’s manor. If the Zhen Nan Prince’s manor ultimately defeated Prince Ding’s manor, it would be best if Mo Jingli had lost, making them the biggest winner. If they lost, then Mo Jingli definitely couldn’t be allowed to remain – he would certainly become a major threat to the Zhen Nan Prince’s manor.

After pondering silently for a moment, Lei Tengfeng raised his head and said, “I understand. Report back to Father that I will extract myself from this battlefield as soon as possible. Tell him to take care of his health.” The guard nodded and respectfully withdrew, “I take my leave.”

In the tent, Lei Tengfeng remained silent for a long while before finally speaking, “Come.”

A man dressed as a guard appeared at the entrance, “Young Master.”

“Send a letter to Princess Ding on my behalf. I wish to speak with her,” Lei Tengfeng said.

Though surprise flashed in the guard’s eyes, he still respectfully responded, “As you command.”

By a small stream about ten li from both armies’ camps, Ye Li sat leisurely on a rock by the water, watching the gentle flow with a serene expression. On the grass by the stream, tender green shoots had begun to emerge among the withered yellow grass, adding a touch of warmth and hope to the otherwise desolate, cold scenery. Qin Feng and Zhuo Jing stood not far behind Ye Li, each lost in their thoughts.

“Young Master Lei, since you’ve come, why not show yourself?” Suddenly, Qin Feng and Zhuo Jing both looked toward the woods behind them as Qin Feng spoke.

“The Princess’s entourage is indeed full of experts – I am impressed,” Lei Tengfeng emerged from the woods, smiling. Ye Li stood up and turned around with a smile, “Young Master Lei is also a rarely seen expert. Unlike me – I have little ability myself and must keep people around to prevent accidents.” Lei Tengfeng’s mouth twitched imperceptibly – if this woman had little ability, then there were few in the world who did. At the same time, Lei Tengfeng was also amazed by Ye Li’s caution. Though Lei Tengfeng rarely took action and few in the world knew the depth of his martial arts, Ye Li hadn’t forgotten that his father was one of the world’s four great masters, and Lei Tengfeng himself had considerable talent – barring accidents, his martial arts would certainly not be poor.

“The Princess jests – when meeting you… others are the ones who meet with accidents,” Lei Tengfeng said with a faint smile.

Ye Li was unbothered by his subtle mockery, smiling lightly, “With both armies at war, Young Master Lei surely didn’t request to see me privately just to mock me a few times?”

Lei Tengfeng smiled calmly, “The Princess is direct. I won’t waste words. I know the Princess is eager to reach Han Gu Pass to join General Yun Ting, correct?” Ye Li nodded slightly – some things on the battlefield could be hidden, but others couldn’t be concealed from someone like Lei Tengfeng. At least the Mohist Army’s current movements couldn’t be hidden from him.

“With General Zhao and I working together, does the Princess have confidence in reaching Han Gu Pass within half a month?” Lei Tengfeng asked.

“No,” Ye Li said frankly. Quick victories required perfect timing, favorable terrain, and united forces – often lacking even one would make it impossible. Not every battle could be controlled precisely, otherwise, there wouldn’t be wars that dragged on for three to five years. Although they currently didn’t have the advantage in troops, both Ye Li and Lu Jinxian were confident they could defeat Zhao Lian and Lei Tengfeng. But the problem was… it would take a very long time.

Lei Tengfeng was somewhat surprised by Ye Li’s frankness. But he quickly understood that Ye Li also knew his intentions. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so direct. He smiled wryly, “It seems we can’t hide anything from the Princess. I plan to withdraw my troops immediately – I hope the Princess will accommodate this.”

Ye Li smiled, “Helping others is helping oneself. Young Master Lei may proceed as he wishes.”

Lei Tengfeng looked at her suspiciously, “Does the Princess know why I’m withdrawing?”

Ye Li smiled faintly, “Isn’t it to guard the Zhen Nan Prince’s flank?”

“Since the Princess knows… allowing me to leave would disrupt Prince Ding’s plans, would it not?” Even after so many years, Lei Tengfeng still felt he couldn’t understand this woman. But after experiencing and hearing so much about her abilities, he had to deal with her cautiously. Ye Li gazed at the stream before her, saying calmly, “Letting Young Master pass only means His Highness’s plans might be disrupted. Besides… Young Master may not be able to stop them anyway. But if I don’t let Young Master pass, Yun Ting’s hundred thousand troops would be in immediate danger. The weight of these choices – how could I not understand which is more important?”

Lei Tengfeng was stunned for a moment before finally bowing to Ye Li, “In that case, thank you for your accommodation, Princess. I take my leave.”

“Safe travels,” Ye Li nodded.

Watching Lei Tengfeng’s figure disappear into the woods, Zhuo Jing said solemnly, “Princess, with Xi Ling doing this, they’ve truly played Mo Jingli for a fool.” Ye Li smiled, “From the beginning, Lei Zhenting never took Mo Jingli seriously.” Mo Jingli and Lei Zhenting’s abilities were simply not equal – how could anyone expect Lei Zhenting to truly view Mo Jingli as a partner? From start to finish, Mo Jingli was just a tool in Lei Zhenting’s hands.

“Once Lei Tengfeng withdraws, with Mo Jingli having lost both Mu Jingmin and Mu Yang, he probably won’t last long,” Zhuo Jing said. Qin Feng frowned, “Even so, Mo Jingli’s forces still outnumber ours. It’s unlikely we’ll be able to return to assist His Highness anytime soon.”

Ye Li smiled faintly, “That depends on how long Mo Jingli can hold out.”

Qin Feng and Zhuo Jing both remembered the arrangements they had made when they went to Nanjing – how long Mo Jingli could last was truly… hard to say.

Lei Tengfeng’s withdrawal was swift and decisive, showing no mercy. By the time Zhao Lian returned from a major battle with Lu Jinxian, the camp was already empty. With no choice, Zhao Lian had to send fast riders to report the situation to Mo Jingli.

When the news reached Mo Jingli’s main camp, he was already in a thunderous rage. The reason was simple – the imprisoned Marquis of Mu Yang had mysteriously disappeared. These past few days, Mo Jingli’s temper had been rising steadily. Every soldier in the main camp was walking on eggshells, careful not to accidentally provoke His Majesty’s wrath.

Mo Jingli deeply felt that this campaign had gone poorly from start to finish. These past days especially had him overwhelmed with problems. First, he suspected the Mu Yang Marquis Manor of betraying him to join Prince Ding’s manor – before that matter could be cleared up, Mu Yang dared to kill his guards. When he sent Gao Ming to capture Mu Yang, unexpectedly both Mu Yang and Gao Ming fell into the Mohist Army’s hands, and Mu Yang committed suicide. As a result, his previous suspicions about the Mu Yang Marquis Manor joining Prince Ding’s manor must make him look like a foolish clown to outsiders, being played with by Prince Ding’s manor.

Just as Mo Jingli was considering whether to release the Marquis of Mu Yang to appease him or simply kill him to eliminate future troubles, news came that the Marquis had mysteriously disappeared. Before Mo Jingli could even express his rage, Zhao Lian’s urgent dispatch caused him to cough up blood. Several months ago, Ye Ying’s sword had wounded him severely, and he hadn’t fully recovered. With his anger rising these past days, this shock finally caused him to cough blood.

“Your Majesty!” The officials below were startled. They didn’t know what the dispatch contained to enrage the emperor.

Mo Jingli waved away the eunuch trying to support him, wiped the blood from his lips, and sneered, “Well played, Lei Tengfeng! Deliver Our imperial decree – order the Right Wing General to intercept Lei Tengfeng’s forces! They must be destroyed!”

“Your Majesty?!” The officials cried out in shock. Their confidence in the northern campaign had been based on their alliance with Xi Ling. Now, before achieving anything in their standoff with the Mohist Army, they would first fight their allies. The outcome was obvious.

“Please reconsider, Your Majesty.” A general at the front stepped forward and said, “Our forces are currently facing off against the Mohist Army. If we start a conflict with the Xi Ling army now, we’ll only benefit Prince Ding’s manor. In this humble official’s opinion… our most urgent task is to eliminate Yun Ting’s hundred-thousand-strong Mohist Army outside Han Gu Pass. Then, even if Princess Ding and Lu Jinxian’s forces reach Han Gu Pass, they’ll be isolated and surrounded by our forces.”

The Xi Ling Crown Prince’s sudden betrayal had indeed shocked and angered everyone. But not everyone reacted with Mo Jingli’s blind rage. Even with Lei Tengfeng’s departure leaving them alone against the Mohist Army, they weren’t necessarily doomed. But if the emperor insisted on confronting the Crown Prince of Zhen Nan, defeat would be certain. Lu Jinxian wouldn’t be courteous enough to wait for their internal strife to end before attacking.

Mo Jingli remained silent for a long while before finally snorting, accepting his subordinate’s advice. How could he not know that fighting Lei Tengfeng now would bring no benefit? But after being thoroughly played by Prince Ding’s manor, and then being betrayed by the Zhen Nan Prince’s manor, this was a humiliation Mo Jingli could hardly swallow.

After another long silence, Mo Jingli finally said grimly, “Concentrate all forces. Within three days, I want to see Yun Ting’s head!” With nowhere else to vent his rage, Mo Jingli could only direct it at Yun Ting stationed outside the pass.

“We obey!” The officials below secretly sighed in relief. Compared to Lei Tengfeng, Yun Ting was certainly easier to deal with. Moreover, from both the strategic situation and current battle conditions, Yun Ting was their primary target for elimination.

After dismissing everyone, Mo Jingli sat alone in the silent tent. His expression grew increasingly dark as he finally realized that the so-called betrayal of the Mu Yang Marquis Manor had been Prince Ding’s scheme from start to finish. And because of it, he had lost his two most capable subordinates. Surely Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li were laughing at him from the shadows?

“Bang!” Mo Jingli swept everything off the table. None of the servants in the tent dared approach to clean up, only kneeling trembling on the ground, afraid to move.

“Mo Xiuyao! Ye Li… I will never forgive you!” Mo Jingli’s voice was as cold and sinister as if it came from hell itself.

The Marquis of Mu Yang awoke from his stupor, momentarily disoriented by his surroundings. This was not his cell in the Chu army camp, but a gloomy dungeon. He smiled bitterly – had His Majesty moved him here fearing another prison break? He was being too cautious – he had given all the Mu Yang Marquis Manor’s power to Mu Yang to take away, who else would come to save him?

Having slept too long, his body was stiff. The Marquis sat up but froze when he saw someone nearby.

In an instant, the Marquis’s face turned deathly pale, his aged, drooping lips trembling as he stared at the “person” outside his cell. More accurately, it was a corpse. Mu Yang’s lifeless eyes were wide open, the large bloodstain on his abdomen had turned dark, and the gruesome wound on his neck further confirmed his death.

“Yang’er!” the Marquis cried out harshly, his aged body moving with speed completely unsuited to his condition as he rushed to the cell bars. But the iron bars stopped him from reaching the still figure lying there. The Marquis broke down in tears, “Yang’er… Yang’er! Who… who killed you?!”

Only his anguished voice echoed through the empty dungeon. The Marquis collapsed helplessly by the cell bars, staring blankly at his son’s corpse. At that moment, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Mu Yang was his only son, his only hope. Without Mu Yang, everything in the world suddenly seemed meaningless. The Mu Yang Marquis Manor… was finished…

All his life he had strived for fame and fortune, hoping only to make the Mu Yang Marquis Manor prosper under his leadership. But now, the manor was destroyed by his own hands. His only son lay dead before him – had he truly been wrong?

“Yang’er… why? Why not take this old life instead?! Why kill my son? Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The Mu Yang Marquis Manor has been nothing but loyal…”

“When the Marquis calls ‘Your Majesty’ – does he mean Mo Jingqi or Mo Jingli?” A cold voice came from outside as the sealed dungeon door creaked open. A handsome man in black walked in.

“Qin Feng?! You killed Yang’er?!” The Marquis was shocked – he had thought Mu Yang was captured by Mo Jingli, but unknowingly he had fallen into Prince Ding’s hands. Of course… thinking back to his unexplained unconsciousness before waking here – if it had been Mo Jingli, there would have been no need for such measures.

Qin Feng didn’t deny it, saying calmly, “Since the Marquis understands, you must know why you’ve met this fate?” Regarding Mu Yang’s death, Qin Feng might have felt some regret, but for the Marquis’s fate, he felt nothing. The Mohist Army valued loyalty above all else. The Marquis had been conspiring with Mo Jingli even before Mo Jingqi fell ill and died, and the incident years ago when the Marquis nearly caused the death of the Princess and young heir was a great hatred for everyone in Prince Ding’s manor. Perhaps from the Marquis’s position, he was following orders. But from Prince Ding’s manor’s perspective, especially in Prince Ding Mo Xiuyao’s view, this deserved death a thousand times over. This perhaps had nothing to do with right or wrong – the strong have the right to deal with their enemies.

The Marquis couldn’t help but tremble, closing his eyes in pain. Seeing Prince Ding’s people, what was there left to misunderstand? All his life he had been cautious, appearing to others as someone who merely followed power, lacking a general’s backbone. So when Prince Ding’s manor fell, he wholeheartedly supported Mo Jingqi, neither staying out of politics like the Southern Marquis nor secretly helping Prince Ding’s manor like the Hua family. Whatever the emperor wanted him to do, he did – wasn’t he a subject? As a subject, following the emperor’s orders was natural, even if… it was wrong.

But the one truly wrong thing he had done in his life was leading troops to surround the Princess. Because of this, he had cut off the Mu Yang Marquis Manor’s last path. So when he saw Mo Jingqi failing, he could only immediately support Mo Jingli. He couldn’t join Prince Ding’s manor like the Southern Marquis and the Leng family, nor did he have the courage to stake his entire family’s fate with Great Chu like the Duke of Hua. He wanted to live, to hold power, to let the Mu Yang Marquis Manor continue generation after generation. But now… all these years of struggle and effort had been in vain.

“Prince Ding’s manor… Prince Ding’s manor… why?! I was only following orders back then!” the Marquis roared – he couldn’t accept it. Back then, if he had a choice, would he have foolishly made an enemy of Prince Ding’s manor? Perhaps… occasionally he had harbored a tiny thought that if Prince Ding’s manor was destroyed, could the Mu Yang Marquis Manor take its place… but that had been just a fleeting thought.

Qin Feng said calmly, “When leaving, His Highness asked me to deliver a message to the Marquis.”

The Marquis looked at him, and Qin Feng continued, “His Highness said: The bone-deep pain I experienced will be repaid a hundredfold. Years ago, I spared Mu Yang’s life – now I take it back.”

The Marquis fell silent. After what happened back then, Mo Xiuyao had ultimately let Mu Yang return, and he had harbored some hope. So it turned out Mo Xiuyao had simply felt that blow wasn’t painful enough?