Han Mingxi sat quietly in the corner, watching the woman who sat at ease in front, earnestly listening to the commanders’ opinions. In such a purely military meeting, he naturally had nothing to contribute. He just sat silently, watching Ye Li’s beautiful features bearing a calm and composed smile as she occasionally offered her insights and opinions on others’ suggestions. Somehow, Han Mingxi’s thoughts gradually drifted to when he first met Ye Li long ago. The image of that graceful youth in male attire overlapped with the composed woman before him who now commanded hundreds of thousands of troops, and Han Mingxi suddenly felt an indescribable sourness in his heart. If back then… The thought had barely surfaced before Han Mingxi smiled bitterly and cut off the absurd idea in his mind. Even if they had met earlier, Jun Wei would never have chosen him…
“Mingxi?”
Han Mingxi came back to himself, blinking to find that the previously noisy study had grown quiet. The commanders who had finished their discussions had already left, with only Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin still organizing documents in the side hall. Ye Li smiled as she observed him, “What are you thinking about? It’s rare to see you lost in thought.” Han Mingxi smiled casually, looking her up and down, “Battle is approaching. You’re different from before – will there be any problems?” Ye Li started, unconsciously stroking her flat abdomen as she smiled faintly, “Did Feng San tell you?” Han Mingxi nodded, asking, “Am I not allowed to know?”
Ye Li shook her head, “It’s not a secret, just that with the armies facing each other, it wouldn’t be good if word got out. Don’t worry, I’m very healthy. Besides, I don’t need to personally charge into battle now.”
Han Mingxi glanced at her and said, “If you still wanted to charge into battle now, you’d frighten Feng San to death.” Mo Xiuyao leaving Feng Zhiyao behind wasn’t just to assist Ye Li in warfare – more importantly, Feng Zhiyao was Mo Xiuyao’s most trusted man, left behind largely to ensure Ye Li’s safety. Ye Li smiled gently, sighing softly, “I hope this war can end soon.” Han Mingxi said, “I can’t help you much, but if there’s anything you need me to do, just say the word.”
Ye Li looked at him with a smile, “I do have something I’d like your help with.” She took out a document from a secret compartment in the bookshelf behind her and handed it to Han Mingxi, “With you and Leng Haoyu both gone, this plan could only be delayed, but now that you’re here, it’s perfect. Take a look.” Han Mingxi took the sealed document, opened it, and flipped through it, then looked up and said gravely, “Is it worth doing so much for Mo Xiuyao?” Ye Li smiled faintly, “I am the Nation-Stabilizing Princess Consort – we share glory and hardship. How is this just for him?” Han Mingxi’s expression shifted, and after a while, he sighed, “I understand. I’ll handle this matter. It benefits the Han family too, doesn’t it?” Ye Li smiled slightly, “Thank you for your trouble.”
“I thought we were friends.”
Ye Li smiled gently, “Indeed, we are certainly friends.”
In early October, the Garrison South King personally led two hundred thousand troops toward Hong Province, and the Mo family army likewise met them with full force. The Northwest campaign had been going on for nearly three months since its beginning, and only now was it becoming a true life-and-death struggle with real swords and spears. It also truly let the Western Ling soldiers understand that Great Chu’s soldiers were not as weak and useless as they had imagined – the Mo family army that had protected Great Chu for a hundred years was still a blood-drinking sharp sword. Originally the difference in numbers between the two armies wasn’t very great, but unlike Western Ling’s forces focusing their attack on one point, the Mo family army had to garrison the entire Northwest. Therefore, Western Ling’s army still held the numerical advantage. Although slow, Western Ling’s army continued to advance steadily, gradually approaching Hong City.
The originally peaceful Hong City seemed to grow restless with the approaching storm. Many wealthy merchants and common people fled the city with their families to go behind the passes, and the whole city no longer held its former bustle and prosperity, showing instead the heaviness and gloom that preceded a great battle. On the city wall, Ye Li sat quietly leaning against the battlements, the early winter sun falling comfortably on her light blue cloak, making one drowsy. A go board was set before Ye Li, and she held black stones in one hand, thinking slowly. The soldiers guarding the walls watched from afar, feeling only peace and stability in their hearts.
Han Mingyue climbed the city wall and stood wordless for a while, watching the woman leaning against the wall in thought. Ye Li raised her head and smiled at him, “Does Young Master Mingyue have a business?” Han Mingyue silently walked to sit opposite her, and stared at the board for a long time before asking, “What are your plans?” Ye Li raised her eyes, asking in confusion, “What plans?” Han Mingyue frowned, “The Garrison South King’s two hundred thousand troops are approaching Hong Province – don’t tell me you don’t know!” Looking at Han Mingyue’s rare show of angry agitation, Ye Li smiled, “Young Master Mingyue need not worry. Even if Hong City falls, I will have people escort you and Miss Su away from here before then.”
Han Mingyue stared at her and said heavily, “You’ve already anticipated that Hong City will fall?”
Ye Li shook her head, “No, Hong City will not fall. Hong is Great Chu’s final gateway in the Northwest. Behind it lies the flat expanse of the Central Plains… and hundreds of thousands of Mo family troops still fighting. Even if all two hundred thousand Mo family troops in the Northwest die in battle, Hong will not fall into Western Ling’s hands.” Once Hong was lost, it would mean exposing the backs of several hundred thousand Mo family troops inside the passes to Western Ling, and the consequences would be unthinkable. Han Mingyue raised his eyebrows, looking puzzled at the quiet woman before him. Though his knowledge of military tactics was limited, his expertise in analyzing intelligence still let him understand some things, “If you don’t want Hong to fall, why have you let Western Ling’s army advance continuously? Though the Mo family army has been wearing down Western Ling’s forces, they haven’t truly fought all-out. You needn’t hide it from me – though the Tianyi Pavilion didn’t participate in wars between nations before, that doesn’t mean we didn’t study them.” The Mo family army’s ability to intimidate other nations wasn’t just due to several generations of Nation-Stabilizing Princes being godlike in warfare. More importantly, it was the Mo family troops’ fearlessness of death and determination to advance. There were many historical records of Mo family soldiers’ deeds. To defend an unimportant small city, they would fight to the death without retreating half a step. To capture a strategic pass, they would attack day and night, never wavering even as corpses piled like hills beneath the walls. And now, though the Mo family army might seem brave enough to outsiders, they were not showing their true capability.
Casually tossing down the go stone in her hand, Ye Li propped her cheek and looked at the elegant man before her with an ambiguous smile, “Is Young Master Mingyue worried about the Mo family army?” Han Mingyue paused, then said calmly, “Mingxi is my brother – I need to know whether following the Prince’s manor gives him any chance of survival.”
Clapping her hands, Ye Li stood up with a slight smile, “Young Master Mingyue need not worry about this. I naturally know what I’m doing.” Han Mingyue said coldly, “I can’t see what you could know. The Mo family army can stop Western Ling’s forces outside Hong…”
“No.” Ye Li shook her head, looking at Han Mingyue seriously, “The Mo family army does indeed have the ability to temporarily stop these two hundred thousand Western Ling troops. But… it’s only temporary. Young Master Mingyue should know that Western Ling’s total invasion force this time is only about five hundred thousand. However, Western Ling’s national military strength exceeds one and a half million. Western Ling people are fierce in build – they can recruit soldiers at any time and need little training. In a short time, they could recruit at least another million men. When that time comes… even if Mo family troops could each fight ten enemies, they couldn’t hold against so many. Moreover… Western Ling’s forces are not weak. In these days of fighting, at most, our side can trade two men for their three.” Han Mingyue frowned, “If so, aren’t you letting the wolf into the house by allowing them into Hong?” Ye Li’s smile was faint and cold, like frost on tree branches in winter morning, “The Garrison South King won’t send reinforcements to the Northwest any time soon.”
Han Mingyue raised an eyebrow.
“Now all under heaven knows… the Mo family army’s commander in the Northwest is me, a woman not yet eighteen. If the Garrison South King needs to call for reinforcements from Western Ling… even if he wins, his lifetime of reputation will be utterly destroyed.” A Western Ling war god who had fought for decades, against a teenage girl who had never been on a battlefield. With equal numbers, if the Garrison South King needed additional troops, it would be admitting to all under heaven that Lei Zhenting was not only inferior to Mo Liufang but even inferior to Mo Liufang’s daughter-in-law. From then on, the title of Garrison South King would likely become a joke.
“You plan to…”
The smile gradually faded from Ye Li’s face as she turned to gaze at the distant plains, saying calmly, “I want all two hundred thousand of Western Ling’s troops to remain in the Northwest!”
Han Mingyue’s heart shook – he heard the unhidden killing intent and bloodthirstiness in Ye Li’s words.
“You want Western Ling’s entire two hundred thousand troops to remain in the Northwest! How… how dare you think such a thing…” For the first time in his life, Han Mingyue felt his voice trembling. Wanting to annihilate all two hundred thousand Western Ling troops – such words… how could they come from a woman who had never been on a battlefield? No… perhaps it was precisely because she had never been on a battlefield that she could speak such arrogant words. Ye Li leaned against the city wall and smiled at him, “Why shouldn’t I dare? After days of continuous battle, Western Ling’s forces will number at most a hundred thousand by the time they reach Hong City. This city… will become their final burial ground.”
Han Mingyue trembled unconsciously, yet found an uncontrollable heat rising in his chest. Looking steadily at Ye Li, Han Mingyue said, “Now I finally understand why Xiuyao chose you.”
Ye Li raised her eyebrows, smiling as she looked at him. Han Mingyue said somewhat nostalgically, “I remember… when Xiuyao first went to battle, he was only thirteen or fourteen. He said give him three or four years and he might sweep through Nanzhao, making Great Chu’s south peaceful for a hundred years… but unfortunately…” Hearing his words, Ye Li seemed in quite good spirits and smiled, “That’s why I am the Princess Consort… As for the Garrison South King, after hiding for so long, this Princess is rather looking forward to this battle.”