Even before the second watch, the young commanders had quietly led their troops out of the main camp according to Ye Li’s instructions. It wasn’t that they had completely submitted to this military advisor of unknown origins, but rather that they had no chance of fighting if they didn’t follow Ye Li. Given the situation, they had no choice but to obediently follow orders.

Whether it was due to these young people’s actual capability or Zhang Qilan being lenient, they managed to lead their troops out of the main camp without losing a single person. Standing before Ye Li, they unconsciously raised their chins with a hint of pride. Ye Li merely smiled faintly, looking at the force of over a thousand men before him and nodding in satisfaction.

“Military Advisor? What exactly are we going to do?” someone asked impatiently.

In the darkness, Ye Li spread a map on the ground, crouched down, and using a fire stick, pointed to several locations on the map. “General Zhang is leading troops to draw the enemy’s attention at the front. You’ll come with me to climb up these two points and circle to the back of Jian Tian Cliff.”

Someone frowned and said, “If the Military Advisor had this plan all along, why not tell us earlier? We could have sent scouts ahead.”

Ye Li looked at him with a faint smile and said, “Scouts? You think General Lu’s men are wooden posts who wouldn’t notice you scouting in broad daylight?”

“But at night we can’t see the path at all. How are we supposed to move?”

Although they didn’t know the details, looking at the locations the Military Advisor had pointed out on the map, they roughly understood where these so-called paths were. This area was naturally defensible and difficult to attack, looking dangerous even in daylight, let alone at night.

Ye Li stared at the young man who spoke and said, “That’s why I said… I can’t guarantee there won’t be casualties. This is war!”

Everyone trembled at these words. Indeed, this was war. On the battlefield, it wasn’t just about navigating in darkness – sometimes you had to sacrifice lives even knowing it was a certain death.

Ye Li looked at them and said, “Those unwilling to go can return now. You have half a quarter-hour to communicate with your subordinates. Let me be clear – it’s not just climbing up that’s dangerous. Even if we safely reach Jian Tian Cliff, things won’t be smooth sailing. If anyone fails me on the way, military law will be enforced!”

In less than half a quarter-hour, everyone returned before Ye Li. Seeing that no one had retreated, Ye Li nodded with satisfaction and turned, saying, “Move out!”

Although it was already the second watch, the night was far from peaceful. Not far away, at the front of the hill, the two armies were engaged in a heated battle. Taking advantage of this moment, the group silently climbed up the cliff paths under Qin Feng and Ye Li’s leadership, with Wei Lin bringing up the rear.

What normally wouldn’t have been considered a long distance took the group nearly two hours to climb completely. Ye Li looked back at the young men, their clothes in disarray but eyes particularly bright in the moonlight, and nodded with satisfaction inwardly. Although their clothes were torn by rocks, branches, and weeds on the mountain, and many faces bore scratches, not a single person had fallen behind on the journey, nor had any major mistakes alerted the enemy. It seemed the Mo Family Army’s regular training was quite thorough.

Because enemy troops were stationed across the entire mountain, their group of over a thousand men was no small number, and they became even more cautious after ascending. They avoided enemy detection all along the way, and it wasn’t until the fifth watch that everyone reached their destination. Just as they arrived and before Ye Li could order them to rest, several shadows emerged from the darkness, startling everyone into gripping their weapons alertly.

“Don’t be tense, we’re on the same side,” the newcomers waved and said with a smile. The fifth watch was truly the darkest time before dawn, and everyone couldn’t see the newcomers’ faces, so they naturally remained vigilant. Ye Li said calmly, “Feng San.”

Feng Zhiyao slowly approached, smiling, “I didn’t expect you’d make it here. I thought we might have to do this ourselves if you couldn’t arrive.” As he came closer, everyone finally recognized him – who else could it be but Feng Zhiyao?

“General Feng, how are you here?”

Feng Zhiyao smiled playfully, “I’ve been here from the start, waiting for you all. Master Chu, was it difficult?”

Ye Li gave him a sideways glance and asked, “How’s the situation?”

Feng Zhiyao said, “Lu Jinxian plans to defend Jian Tian Cliff to the death. He currently has about thirty thousand troops, with at most two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry.” The terrain at Jian Tian Cliff was too treacherous for the Black Cloud Cavalry to maneuver effectively; keeping too many would be wasteful. Feng Zhiyao looked at the troops behind Ye Li and frowned, “Why so few people?”

Ye Li replied, “You think it’s easy bringing people up here? This is the maximum number we could manage. If we’d waited until dawn, we would certainly have been discovered. Although we tried to cover our tracks, they might still discover signs of our ascent after daybreak.” Leading a group of recruits, the concealment of their tracks naturally couldn’t be too sophisticated. If the enemy’s patrol soldiers had sharp eyes, they would likely discover traces of a large group passing through.

Feng Zhiyao knew he was asking too much. Looking at Ye Li, he asked, “I only have three thousand men here, what should we do?”

Ye Li smiled, “Nothing special. We’ll set a fire behind them while it’s still dark. If General Zhang seizes the opportunity well, he should be able to break through.”

Feng Zhiyao nodded, “Let’s do that.”

Ye Li looked back at everyone and said, “Rest here for half an hour, then we move.”

A young commander from behind said, “Military Advisor, we’re not tired. We can act now!”

Ye Li glanced at him coldly, “Who cares if you’re tired or not? General Zhang and his men still have to fight later. We’ll strike just before dawn, cause chaos, and withdraw before full daylight.” The young commander who had spoken rashly reddened and sheepishly sat down to rest.

Feng Zhiyao stood to the side, watching the group of youngsters behind Ye Li with interest, and said with a smile, “It seems even Master Chu has times when things don’t go smoothly?” Feng Zhiyao’s keen eye naturally noticed that these young commanders weren’t completely convinced by Ye Li. Ye Li couldn’t even be bothered to roll his eyes, walking to sit under a large tree to rest, “Unfortunately, I can’t instantly command respect with an impressive display, disappointing Lord Feng San.”

Sensing Ye Li’s mood wasn’t particularly pleasant, Feng Zhiyao rubbed his nose and consciously found a spot to rest and gather his thoughts.

In the temporary command tent outside Jian Tian Cliff, Lu Jinxian sat in his chair, resting with his eyes closed. The commanders beside him all wore indignant expressions. “These nightly raids, one after another – are people not supposed to rest anymore?”

Not only were Zhang Qilan’s subordinates frustrated these past few days, but Lu Jinxian’s side wasn’t having an easy time either. Although they had the advantage of high ground and favorable terrain, requiring the Eastern Route Army to sacrifice five or six men to wound just one of theirs, Zhang Qilan certainly wouldn’t stake everything on a decisive battle here. Daytime was fine, but at night the enemy kept harassing them. In the darkness, the enemy could easily sneak up close if they weren’t careful, so every stationed soldier had to remain extremely vigilant. After all, no one knew if the enemy was merely probing or would suddenly charge en masse. After several days, both sides’ troops had grown irritable.

“General, an urgent letter from His Highness,” someone reported from outside the tent.

Lu Jinxian opened his eyes, swept his gaze over the complaining crowd, and said in a deep voice, “Enter.”

A soldier entered and presented a letter with both hands. Lu Jinxian opened and read it, slowly furrowing his brow.

Seeing their commander’s expression change, others quickly asked, “General, what are His Highness’s instructions?”

Lu Jinxian casually passed the letter to a vice general seated below. The vice general read it and started, looking at Lu Jinxian somewhat bewildered, “His Highness warns the General to be wary of the Princess Consort?”

Others passed the letter around, while Lu Jinxian frowned and said, “Come to think of it, the Princess Consort hasn’t shown her face in the army at all these past few days.” At the mention of the Princess Consort, even these battlefield-hardened commanders showed respect on their faces. This wasn’t just because of her military talents that set her apart from ordinary women, but also because of the many things she had done for the entire Mo Family Army over the years. For example, many effective measures regarding troop promotions, soldiers’ pay and rations, care for wounded soldiers, and even army organization were proposed and implemented by the Princess Consort. So in these soldiers’ eyes, the Prince’s Consort was not just an ordinary princess consort, but one of the true controllers of the Mo Family Army.

The fact that the Prince specifically wrote to warn them made everyone take the Princess Consort even more seriously. But at this moment… they didn’t know what exactly she was doing. Only now did Lu Jinxian realize he had overlooked an important figure. It wasn’t that Lu Jinxian thought Ye Li was better at commanding troops than Zhang Qilan, but rather that he and Zhang Qilan had worked together for over ten years and had a general understanding of each other. But the Princess Consort was someone they didn’t understand at all. Their only knowledge of her was limited to that battle defeating the Southern Garrison King several years ago. Of course, that battle alone was enough to make any general view her differently. The Art of War states: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be imperiled in a hundred battles. For some reason, Lu Jinxian suddenly felt a vague unease.

Just as he was lowering his head in thought, the distant sound of weapons clashing and fighting broke out. Soon, a soldier reported from outside, “General, the enemy is launching another surprise attack.”

“Drive them back! Remind the soldiers at the front not to be careless.” Lu Jinxian slammed the letter on the table and was the first to stride out of the tent.

From a high vantage point not far from Jian Tian Cliff, Ye Li looked down at the distant flickering fires and the still-quiet Jian Tian Cliff behind them. A slight smile curved his lips as he said in a deep voice, “Begin.”

“Yes.”

Before long, flames shot skyward from Jian Tian Cliff. The previously quiet area gradually grew noisy.

“General, look!” Lu Jinxian, who had just walked out of the tent, turned to look. The towering flames rising from Jian Tian Cliff made his heart sink. He knew now where the Princess Consort had gone.

“General, it’s Jian Tian Cliff… someone’s launched a surprise attack?!”

“Damn it, how did they get around there!” Amid the pre-battle chaos, Lu Jinxian furrowed his brows and said in a deep voice, “Silence! Vice General, hold this position. I’ll lead troops back as reinforcements.” Not knowing how many enemy troops were on Jian Tian Cliff, Lu Jinxian had no choice but to personally lead reinforcements back. Of his more than thirty thousand troops, only six or seven thousand were left at Jian Tian Cliff. If Jian Tian Cliff fell, their position here would be meaningless. No one dared argue further, quickly acknowledging the orders and gathering their troops.

At the bottom of the hillside, Zhang Qilan also saw the distant flames – not the ones on Jian Tian Cliff, but the signal specifically sent by Ye Li. His steady, resolute face finally showed a trace of a smile as he called out loudly, “Beat the drums!” Before dawn, drum beats thundered through the night, and amid battle cries, soldiers surged up the hillside like a tide. Lu Jinxian, riding quickly back, also heard the sounds of battle behind him and showed a helpless smile at the corner of his lips. The Prince’s warning had come too late…

Jian Tian Cliff was now in chaos. Soldiers awakened from sleep hurriedly rose to face the enemy, naturally no match for troops who had been waiting eagerly to strike. Moreover, these attackers had no intention of fighting to the death – they set fires and fled, engaging the enemy when possible and retreating when not. They left the soldiers roused from sleep furious but unable to match their opponents’ clear-headedness, forcing them to fight chaotically without direction.

From a high point not far from the battlefield, the flames illuminated the scene below. Feng Zhiyao stood beside Ye Li, smiling as he watched the soldiers fighting fiercely below, and asked with a laugh, “These youngsters aren’t bad. If only they could be this brave on a real battlefield.”

Not only were the junior commanders in this exercise young, but most of the ordinary soldiers were also newcomers who had joined the Mo Family Army in recent years. While the old soldiers of the Mo Family Army couldn’t be called battle-hardened veterans, most had seen several battles. This kind of exercise meant far more to these recruits than to the veterans.

In the firelight, some soldiers still fought with weapons while others had simply rolled on the ground wrestling. Some even resorted to tactics like throat-grabbing and ear-biting. No wonder the usually dignified Feng San, who insisted on maintaining grace even on the battlefield, was laughing heartily.

Ye Li watched calmly below and said quietly, “At least this lets them get somewhat familiar with it, so they won’t panic when they reach a real battlefield. Recruits always die fastest on the battlefield.”

Feng Zhiyao stopped laughing and nodded, “The Princess Consort speaks truly… General Lu has returned.” A strange whistle cut through the night sky, and Feng Zhiyao’s expression grew serious as he spoke. Ye Li nodded and looked at the sky, saying, “It’s getting late, let’s withdraw.” Feng Zhiyao frowned and said, “But General Zhang…” Ye Li replied, “Lu Jinxian will recall at least half his forces. If General Zhang still can’t break through, we can’t help. Once General Lu’s men arrive, we won’t be able to leave. Up the mountain.” Feng Zhiyao had no choice but to acknowledge Ye Li’s point and gave the signal to withdraw.

The young commanders caught up in the fighting, were forcibly called back, each as restless as young colts.

When Lu Jinxian returned to the camp atop Jian Tian Cliff, the day had fully broken. The once orderly camp looked as if it had been burned and ransacked by bandits. Seeing the large groups of “fallen” soldiers sitting around the center of the camp, Lu Jinxian’s already sleepless face grew even darker. “Who is your commander? How many men do you have?” he asked sternly, staring at an Eastern Route Army soldier sitting and chatting among his troops.

The soldier hesitated briefly, then quickly replied, “Reporting to General, I have already fallen in battle!” The dead cannot speak.

Lu Jinxian’s face couldn’t help but twist as he snorted coldly and stormed off. The soldier worriedly frowned, his face full of confusion – he hadn’t said anything to anger General Lu, had he?

Twenty li away on the hillside, an intense battle for position continued. But with their forces suddenly halved, the defending troops gradually began to show signs of faltering. Meanwhile, another scene played out at Jian Tian Cliff, with Eastern Route Army forces attacking periodically, retreating when repelled by the Western Route Army rather than persisting, resting, and then returning to continue the fight. On open plains, such provocative tactics would be suicidal, but in the treacherous, rocky paths of Jian Tian Cliff, sometimes there was little difference between ten thousand men and three thousand.

By the time Lu Jinxian fully grasped that the enemy forces – excluding those who had “died” and were now freeloading in his camp – numbered less than four thousand, it was too late for regrets. Because these four thousand men had firmly held the critical path for outside reinforcements. Over ten thousand troops could only watch helplessly as their forces twenty li away were gradually destroyed.

Deeply frustrated, Lu Jinxian vowed to annihilate these forces on Jian Tian Cliff. Thus began a complex battle for position. The path outward was small, preventing either side from deploying their full forces. The Western Route Army would hold the path entrance, with reinforcements being pushed back by attacking Eastern Route Army forces before they could leave. When the Eastern Route Army held the entrance, within half an hour the Western Route Army would charge back to continue fighting. Both sides suffered numerous casualties, and most peculiarly, while they fought ruthlessly during battle, using every possible tactic, once someone was judged to have “fallen,” they would become friendly brothers again, sitting together to watch their comrades continue fighting.

This struggle continued until that afternoon, with the small passage changing hands four or five times, both sides suffering heavy losses. Of Ye Li and Feng Zhiyao’s original four thousand troops, less than two thousand remained, while Lu Jinxian’s forces had also lost nearly three thousand men. However, if Zhang Qilan couldn’t overcome the enemy in front by tomorrow morning, all their efforts would be wasted and they would be completely defeated. So when they saw Zhang Qilan’s signal, both Ye Li and Feng Zhiyao let out long sighs of relief, while Lu Jinxian’s face darkened. The forward position had been broken; persisting at the current passage no longer held any meaning. Lu Jinxian snorted and withdrew his troops back to camp with a dark expression.

Watching Lu Jinxian’s retreating figure from afar, Feng Zhiyao sat on a smooth boulder and laughed heartily.

Ye Li sat to the side, glancing at him, and asked, “What does Lord Feng San find so amusing?”

Feng Zhiyao sat up and said, “What else could it be? Didn’t the Princess Consort see Lu Jinxian’s expression? Haha… that fellow has always considered himself second only to His Highness in military prowess within the Mo Family Army, barely accepting Zhang Qilan as his equal. Yet General Zhang is still twenty li away. He fought all day without knowing who his opponent was – how could his expression be anything but sour?”

Ye Li shook his head helplessly and said, “We were lucky this time. If General Zhang had been a few hours later, Lord Feng San, you and I might have become General Lu’s prisoners.”

Feng Zhiyao rubbed his nose and complained, “Why didn’t the Princess Consort let Qilin participate?”

Ye Li smiled at him and said, “This is an exercise. Using cheat codes in an exercise – we might as well be putting on a play.”

Cheat codes? What’s that?