Late at night, Ye Li walked along the winding corridor of her study, glancing up at the nearly full silver moon with slightly furrowed brows. Soon it would be another full moon night, yet there was still no word from Mo Xiu Yao who had gone to the Northern Rong. This situation filled her with worry. Moreover, given the current circumstances, the Southern Marquis had clearly expressed his unwillingness to manage affairs, and this was her first time commanding an army of several hundred thousand. Her heart wasn’t as confident and calm as she appeared on the surface. Xiu Yao… where are you now…
“Who’s there?! Come out!” Under the moonlight, Ye Li suddenly snapped back to attention, pointing toward the end of the corridor behind her.
After a moment, a tall figure emerged from around the corner. Ye Li started slightly, raising her elegant eyebrows as her cold eyes narrowed, “Young Master Mu, what are you doing here so late?” Mu Yang gazed at Ye Li’s hand with a complicated expression, that delicate and slender jade-like hand concealing killing intent. Mu Yang coughed lightly and said, “I meant no offense, please forgive me for startling the Princess Consort.”
Ye Li smiled faintly, composedly withdrawing her hand into her sleeve. She lightly brushed the hair by her ear and asked, “So late at night, does Young Master Mu have something to say?”
A look of surprise flashed across Mu Yang’s face, but he quickly smiled and said, “The Princess Consort is indeed quick-witted and extraordinary. I just… has the Southern Marquis already agreed to hand over all military decision-making authority to the Princess Consort?”
Ye Li lowered her brows and smiled faintly, “Though you are the heir to the Mu Yang Marquis, you are not the Marquis himself. Moreover, even the Mu Yang Marquis has no right to question military matters. Young Master, you are merely a colonel under the Southern Marquis, the army’s vice commander.”
Mu Yang showed no anger at Ye Li’s obvious dismissal. Leaning against the corridor railing with his hands behind his back, he said calmly, “I wonder if the Princess Consort knows the true meaning and function of my position as colonel?”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled, “So what if I do? The Southern Marquis is heartbroken over his heir’s unknown fate and lacks the strength to command the army. Now that the Western Ling army is at our gates, what does Colonel Mu think should be done?”
Faced with the woman’s composed demeanor, Mu Yang couldn’t help but feel a sense of helplessness and fatigue rising from deep within. He certainly understood the Princess Consort’s meaning. Even with the Southern Marquis’s status, trying to restrict the Mo family army was somewhat forced, let alone now when there wasn’t even time for a battlefield command change. And though he held the position of heir, he only had the military rank of colonel. Forget about commanding the Mo family army – without Ye Li’s approval as Princess Consort, no one would respect his authority even to lead a portion of it.
Mu Yang had never been someone who didn’t know his limits, so he had never entertained thoughts of seizing control of the Mo family army. However, standing before him was a young woman not yet twenty, yet the bearing and sharp spirit revealed in her every movement made even him, a proud man of seven feet, unable to help but admire her. Such a woman had completely transcended Mu Yang’s understanding of what it meant to be female. She seemed to need no one’s support, and no one could trouble her or stand in her way. Mu Yang suddenly thought of that elegantly composed handsome man who maintained his grace even when confined to a wheelchair. Perhaps only such a man could match such a woman in this world.
“Young Master Mu?” Ye Li frowned at the person staring at her.
Mu Yang came back to his senses and smiled apologetically, “The Princess Consort has misunderstood my intentions. I have no plans to make things difficult for you.”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow but smiled without speaking. Mu Yang continued, “Currently the southern Li King’s rebellion remains unsettled, we face Western Ling’s invasion, and the Northern Rong watches like a tiger eyeing its prey. Only Prince Ding’s estate and the Mo family army can sweep away these enemies. Though I am unworthy, I know the importance of the realm – why would I make things difficult for the Princess Consort?”
Ye Li sized him up and smiled faintly, “If Young Master Mu doesn’t make things difficult for me, aren’t you afraid of trouble from that person in the palace?” Mu Yang laughed heartily, “Thank you for your concern, Princess Consort. I naturally have my considerations about this. However, there is one small matter I hope the Princess Consort will agree to.”
“Speak freely, Young Master.”
Mu Yang pondered for a moment before saying, “I don’t know if my father has some unpleasant grievances with Prince Ding’s estate, but I hope the Princess Consort can show leniency in the future, for my sake.”
Ye Li was surprised, and after a long while sighed lightly, “The Mu Yang Marquis has raised a good son indeed. Having such a son should fulfill his life’s wishes. Very well, I agree to your request.”
Mu Yang bowed, “Thank you, Princess Consort.”
Ye Li shook her head, “Young Master need not thank me. Making this deal with you is no loss for me. After all, compared to matters on the battlefield, other small grudges are trivial.” Mu Yang laughed softly, “When the Princess Consort puts it that way, it makes me feel so ashamed I could sink into the ground.”
Ye Li smiled gracefully, “I spoke poorly, please don’t take offense. It’s late, Young Master should rest early.”
“Princess Consort, please wait!” Mu Yang called out anxiously, “Princess Consort, please… do you have any news of Yao Ji?” Ye Li turned back in surprise, clearly seeing the undisguised worry and longing on the man’s face in the moonlight. Ye Li shook her head, and seeing the disappointment flash across Mu Yang’s face, spoke softly, “Young Master, some people and things, once missed, remain missed.”
Mu Yang stared at her somewhat unwillingly, “How does the Princess Consort know broken mirrors cannot be made whole again?” Ye Li replied, “I don’t know if there are cases in this world of broken mirrors being made whole, but… even if a bronze mirror is made whole again, it cannot hide its former cracks. And… does Young Master truly have a way to achieve both ends?”
A look of frustration and regret passed over Mu Yang’s face. Ye Li said no more and turned to leave, softly reciting, “Once feared too much love would harm religious practice, then feared entering mountains would mean parting with beauty. How in this world to find a way to have both? Not failing Buddha, not failing you?”
“How in this world to find a way to have both…” Mu Yang recited softly, a bitter smile playing on his lips. He could never convince Yao Ji to become a concubine in the Mu Yang Marquis’s estate, just as he could never convince his proud parents to accept Yao Ji as their daughter-in-law. Not failing Buddha, not failing you – did the person who wrote these lines experience the same struggle and pain as him?
The next morning, the Western Ling army unusually did not launch another attack. Ye Li sat in her study organizing various reports and analyses of the frontline situation. The Southern Marquis wasn’t making excuses when he said he was powerless – early that morning, just as Ye Li had risen, someone came to report that the Southern Marquis had fallen seriously ill. Although there were no famous doctors in Jiangxia City, fortunately, the Mo family army’s military doctors were all extremely skilled. They hurried over to examine him and reported back to Ye Li that although the Southern Marquis was not extremely old, years of comfortable living had left him exhausted from the military campaign. Combined with anxiety and overthinking, this had caused his sudden illness. With no alternative, Ye Li had to arrange for people to take good care of him while intensifying the secret search for the Southern Marquis’s heir. It was fortunate that Qin Feng had completed his mission and secretly returned to Jiangxia City the previous night. Early that morning, Ye Li had summoned him to her study to instruct him about searching for the Southern Marquis’s heir.
“Princess Consort, Colonel Yun is fighting with someone at the training grounds!” Just as she was speaking with Qin Feng, someone hurriedly came to report from outside.
Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled, turning to Qin Feng and Zhuo Jing, “After days of continuous travel and yesterday’s major battle, he’s already up and fighting this morning. It seems we underestimated the capabilities of our Mo family army soldiers.” Zhuo Jing rubbed his nose and laughed softly, “The Princess Consort speaks truly.”
Ye Li stood up and massaged her shoulders, “Since that’s the case, let’s go take a look.”
Since it was a time of armies facing each other, the Mo family army’s camp was stationed in an open area not far outside Jiangxia City, with soldiers guarding all surrounding intersections. The middle of the camp was cleared as a temporary training ground. When Ye Li and the others arrived, Yun Ting was already tangled in combat with a young officer of similar age. Several high-ranking Mo family army officers and many soldiers stood around watching and cheering. Mu Yang, who stood to the side watching the excitement, was the first to spot Ye Li entering. He turned and smiled at her. Ye Li nodded slightly as Qin Feng and Zhuo Jing cleared a path through the crowd ahead. Many people were so absorbed in watching the two equally young but outstanding officers fighting intensely that they didn’t even notice Ye Li reach the front.
“Princess Consort.” It was Mu Yang who spoke up. The crowd watching the match finally came to their senses. Their expressions changed as they hurriedly paid respects to Ye Li, with some wanting to step forward to separate the two still-fighting men. Ye Li waved her hand and smiled, “No matter, let them determine a victor first.”
Although Ye Li said this, with the Princess Consort present, the training ground’s previous lively and boisterous atmosphere immediately dissipated. Many people’s faces showed awkward and constrained expressions. Ye Li paid it no mind, smiling as she turned to ask Mu Yang who stood beside her, “Young Master Mu, who do you think has the better chance of winning?” Mu Yang smiled knowingly and raised an eyebrow, “I see Colonel Yun likely has a slight advantage.” Immediately, the officers nearby revealed dissatisfied expressions and one straightforward person had already blurted out, “In this humble officer’s opinion, Colonel Chen is more formidable!”
When he spoke these words, seeing no trace of displeasure on Ye Li’s face, everyone relaxed and also began speaking up, clearly supporting the young Colonel Chen.
Mu Yang said softly to Ye Li with a smile, “Princess Consort, it seems the Mo family army is quite exclusionary.” Although Yun Ting was now also part of the Mo family army and was personally cultivated by the Princess Consort, he was after all a late addition who had appeared from nowhere. Soldiers are proud people, so naturally many looked upon him unfavorably.
Ye Li was completely unconcerned, smiling lightly, “In military camps, the strong rule. Occasional sparring isn’t a bad thing, as long as it doesn’t affect important matters.” In her previous life, in her special forces unit, any randomly selected soldier was an elite at the peak of military prowess. How could there not be competition with such a group of elites crowded together? And it was precisely because of such competition that they were driven to stride forward more diligently. Because the weak would eventually be eliminated. Similarly, many of the Mo family army’s officers had risen from ordinary soldiers, and another portion were descendants of families who had served Prince Ding’s estate for generations. Although Yun Ting had merit from the Yonglin campaign, it wasn’t worth mentioning to the Mo family army’s soldiers. Moreover, he was promoted by her, a Princess Consort whose depths they did not yet know.
Mu Yang gazed deeply at Ye Li and laughed softly, “The Princess Consort speaks truly.”