Upon returning to Yonglin City, Xia Shu had indeed been busy working with several Black Cloud Cavalry commanders to reinforce the city’s defenses. Yun Ting, who had been itching to help, barely took time to inform Ye Lia before rushing off to assist. Murong Ting had little interest in watching Ye Lia pore over the numerous documents and maps in the study. Instead, her eyes lit up with an idea, and she went to organize the city’s able-bodied young men and nimble women. While they couldn’t fight on the battlefield, they could certainly help tend to the wounded and handle logistics. Ye Lia approved of her initiative, and Murong Ting, freed from Murong Shen’s usual restrictions, departed with a beaming smile.
Sitting in the specially cleared study, Ye Lia frowned at the maps spread before her. She was not a genius, at least not in commanding large-scale military operations. In her previous life as a special forces soldier, she excelled at small-unit tactical operations and striking enemy weak points. Now, facing a siege by an army of over a hundred thousand without the advantages of timing or terrain, she would consider themselves lucky just to hold out until reinforcements arrived. The Suixue Pass, which had never fallen to foreign forces in centuries, had given Yonglin City a false sense of security. As a result, the city walls’ defensive capabilities were inadequate, especially against internal threats. Who would have thought that the soldiers guarding Suixue Pass would one day need to face an attack from within Da Chu’s borders?
“Greetings, Princess Consort,” Xia Shu, Yun Ting, and others arrived together, bowing at the doorway. Without looking up, Ye Lia waved them in, asking, “How are things?” The straightforward Yun Ting smiled, “Thanks to the help of our Black Cloud Cavalry brothers, we’ve managed to reinforce the city defenses somewhat.” A Black Cloud Cavalry commander present shook his head, “Yonglin City’s foundation is too weak. Even with our additional fortifications, I fear it won’t hold for long.” Yesterday’s attack was merely a probe – the next assault wouldn’t be so easily halted.
Ye Lia looked up, her delicate brows furrowing, “The rebel army probably won’t attack in the next two days, but we must remain vigilant.” Their deception had tricked Mo Jingli away, and he wouldn’t likely attack until he determined their true numbers. But such tricks wouldn’t work forever. Once Mo Jingli discovered the truth, they would face an even fiercer assault. “Yun Ting, Xia Shu, you’re familiar with the area. Come look at these maps.”
Yun Ting and Xia Shu curiously stepped forward. Spread across Ye Lia’s desk was a large map, with elegant handwriting at the top reading “Yonglin Terrain Map.” They quickly realized this map covered not just Yonglin City, but nearly all the territory within a hundred-li radius, including Suixue Pass and parts of the Southern Border. Most importantly, this map was newly drawn. Yun Ting asked puzzled, “Does the Princess Consort need maps? We have several here, and Suixue Pass has complete maps of Yongzhou.”
Ye Lia shook her head. Neither she nor the Black Cloud Cavalry were familiar with Yongzhou. Unfamiliarity with terrain was a major liability in warfare. She had ordered the Black Cloud Cavalry to gather topographical information about the Yonglin area while still in the Southern Border, and only finished drawing these maps last night based on the original maps. However, since she hadn’t personally surveyed most areas, the map contained some uncertainties – hence why she wanted input from Yun Ting and Xia Shu, who knew the area well.
Xia Shu studied the map intently for a while, his eyes showing intense admiration as he softly exclaimed, “Did the Princess Consort draw this herself?” Ye Lia rubbed her temples, saying, “Though I trust the Black Cloud Cavalry soldiers, they couldn’t verify everything in person. Please check if anything’s incorrect.” After a lengthy examination, Xia Shu pointed to a river marked on the map, “Here… if this river were closer to this mountain, it would be accurate.” Ye Lia picked up her brush and asked, “How far is the river from the mountain?” Xia Shu calculated briefly, “About three li.” Ye Lia raised an eyebrow – that was quite a difference. With maps, the smallest error could lead to massive miscalculations. She quickly began correcting the map, while Xia Shu watched in amazement, his respect for the Ding Guo Princess Consort growing. Creating accurate maps was challenging even for those who had personally traveled everywhere – yet the Princess Consort had drawn this almost perfectly just from others’ descriptions. This map was at least ten times more detailed than their existing ones. What did warfare depend on? Besides military strategy, wasn’t it timing and terrain? Not every commander had the chance to personally scout their battlefield. With this map, they could clearly understand everything within a hundred li of Yonglin.
“Princess Consort, are we just going to wait for the rebel army to attack?” Yun Ting asked impatiently.
Ye Lia smiled, “What were your original plans?”
Yun Ting looked embarrassed. Originally, they could only wait for the rebel attack, not by choice but due to limited forces. But now they had two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry troops! The Black Cloud Cavalry excelled not at defense but at attack, didn’t they? Of course, he disliked defensive operations as well.
“The mountains and forests around Yonglin severely restrict cavalry operations,” Xia Shu frowned, for the first time finding the dense terrain on the map frustrating. On open plains, the Black Cloud Cavalry could accomplish far more. Though he knew that on open ground, facing over a hundred thousand rebel troops would be even more impossible.
The Black Cloud Cavalry commander sneered, “Though we’re called cavalry, our skills extend far beyond horsemanship and archery.” Cavalry was mainly meant to counter the Northern Rong, but Da Chu’s horses couldn’t compare to Northern Rong’s. Though the Black Cloud Cavalry were elite troops, going head-to-head with Northern Rong’s iron cavalry would be mutually destructive. Xia Shu glanced at the proud commander and the silent Dark Two and Dark Three, suggesting hesitantly, “Could we strike first and disrupt their plans?”
Ye Lia raised an eyebrow, “Tell me more.”
Xia Shu picked up a charcoal pencil and began marking the map while explaining, “The rebel army is camped twenty li from Yonglin. If we launch a cavalry raid, we could catch them off guard.”
Dark Two said, “Cavalry make too much noise – they’d detect us before we got near their main camp. Besides… two thousand men raiding an army of over a hundred thousand?” Once trapped among thousands of troops, even the Black Cloud Cavalry might not escape. Xia Shu shook his head, “We don’t need to raid their main camp. Yonglin’s terrain means they can’t and won’t concentrate all their forces in one place. If the rebel main camp is here, they must have troops stationed here and here too, forming a triangle that also protects their main camp. These positions probably don’t have more than ten thousand men each. Perhaps… we could create some chaos?”
“Qin Feng?” Ye Lia raised an eyebrow, questioning the Black Cloud Cavalry commander.
Qin Feng frowned, “If that’s the case, we could cut off the road between the left wing and main camp, possibly annihilating that force. Even if we can’t, the mountain pass is narrow – their reinforcements would be slow to arrive, giving us time to withdraw safely. However, this might make them suspect the Black Cloud Cavalry’s main force isn’t actually in Yongzhou.” Ye Lia blinked, smiling as she asked, “What if we annihilate both wings?”
Everyone in the study turned to look at her. Destroying one wing would be difficult enough – how could they possibly eliminate both?
“Dark Two, Dark Three, gather all possible intelligence about Mo Jingli’s camp immediately,” Ye Lia ordered.
Dark Two and Dark Three nodded and left the study.
For two consecutive days, Mo Jingli could only remain inactive without news of the Black Cloud Cavalry. Whenever he saw the seemingly few Black Cloud Cavalry troops on Yonglin’s walls, he suspected that there weren’t many in Yongzhou and that Mo Xiuyao wasn’t there either. But just as he would resolve to attack, he’d worry this might be Mo Xiuyao’s trap. Mo Xiuyao was known for his cunning schemes, requiring constant vigilance. So even with Southern Zhao repeatedly urging him to attack, he could only maintain a standoff before tiny Yonglin City with his army of over a hundred thousand.
“My Lord, Southern Zhao has urged us multiple times. Should we attack Yonglin tomorrow?” In the main tent, a military-looking middle-aged man asked.
Mo Jingli frowned, “What’s the rush? If they’re so eager, why don’t they try breaking through Suixue Pass themselves? They’ve been attacking for days and haven’t even scratched Murong Shen!” The military advisor smiled wryly, shaking his head, “Suixue Pass’s walls are formidable, historically impregnable. Their failure to take it is understandable.” Mo Jingli hesitated, his sword-like eyebrows furrowed as he asked the advisor, “Is letting Southern Zhao through the pass… useful?” The advisor started slightly, looking at him puzzled, “My Lord means?” Mo Jingli snorted, “We swept through Yongzhou without any help from Southern Zhao. Once they get through Suixue Pass… I fear it will be easier to invite the tiger in than to send it away.” Though Southern Zhao was cooperating with him now, he knew they weren’t so innocent. Once Suixue Pass’s century-old reputation for impregnability was broken, these people would likely challenge it more frequently, encroaching on Da Chu’s territory.
“My Lord, once an arrow is released from the bow, there’s no turning back,” the military advisor urged. “If we break our agreement, Southern Zhao will likely withdraw their forces immediately. Then Murong Shen would turn to deal with us. When the imperial reinforcements arrive… the consequences would be unthinkable. Therefore, my Lord should seek a swift victory.” Mo Jingli nodded – how could he not understand this reasoning? “Tell me… why did the Black Cloud Cavalry arrive so quickly?”
The military advisor replied with some difficulty, “Prince Ding is known for his far-sighted planning. We haven’t been able to trace this Black Cloud Cavalry unit’s movements these past days. I fear they were pieces Prince Ding had positioned here long ago.” Thinking of this, the advisor couldn’t help but feel regret – if not for this Black Cloud Cavalry unit, Yonglin City would already be theirs. Perhaps they might have even broken through Suixue Pass by now.
“You’re saying Mo Xiuyao anticipated the Southern Border would erupt in warfare?” Mo Jingli asked with an ugly expression.
The advisor dared not admit this, instead saying, “Perhaps Prince Ding just left them as a precaution against Southern Zhao. After all, Prince Ding fought fiercely in the Southern Border back then.” If the royal family hadn’t worried about the young general of Prince Ding’s mansion gaining too much fame and military achievements, forcing him to withdraw troops, Southern Zhao might not exist today. Southern Zhao’s hatred for Prince Ding went without saying, and Prince Ding likely viewed the resurgent Southern Zhao as a thorn in his side. Mo Jingli sneered, “Mo Xiuyao claims to be divine in warfare, yet couldn’t pacify the Southern Border in a year. This prince swept through Yongzhou in just half a month. At most, it will take another half year to pacify everything south of the Yunlan River!”
“My Lord is brilliant,” the advisor smiled, while discretely wiping away sweat. Their smooth progress this time was surely heaven’s blessing. Since Murong Shen began guarding Suixue Pass, the emperor had used various methods to reduce Yongzhou’s military strength, and the Yongzhou governor had spared no effort in causing trouble for Murong Shen. This led to Yongzhou’s weak defenses. Their sudden strike this time had caught everyone off guard, leading to their smooth advance. Later, once the imperial court reacted, things wouldn’t be so easy. However, the prince was right – if they could eliminate Murong Shen at Suixue Pass, everything south of the Yunlan River would indeed be theirs for the taking.
“Reporting to My Lord! The Western army is under attack!” A soldier hurriedly announced from outside the tent. Mo Jingli started, abruptly standing and walking out to look into the distance. Sure enough, he saw flames reaching skyward in the west. “Absurd! How could Yonglin City possibly spare forces for a raid?” The military advisor followed him out, saw the situation in the west, and quickly reminded him, “My Lord…” Mo Jingli commanded coldly, “Send reinforcements!”
“My Lord, look there!” The commanders who had hurriedly arrived cried out – the eastern camp had also erupted in flames. Someone exclaimed in horror, “The eastern camp is under attack too!”
The military advisor’s eyes flashed as he said gravely, “My Lord! Yonglin City doesn’t have many troops. If they’re attacking both the east and west wings simultaneously, the city must be empty. If we attack now…” Mo Jingli whirled around to stare at him, “You think those two youngsters in Yonglin City would dare empty the city for a night raid?” He wasn’t very familiar with Yun Ting and Xia Shu but knew they were Murong Shen’s youngest commanders, barely in their twenties. Even if they had the courage, they wouldn’t dare risk abandoning Yonglin for such a gamble. Moreover, anyone who wasn’t an idiot would know that even a successful night raid couldn’t possibly repel an army of over a hundred thousand – it would only waste Yonglin’s defensive forces.
“My Lord means…” the advisor frowned.
“Send scouts to investigate! General Zhang, General Li, reinforce the east and west camps!”
“Yes, My Lord!”
On a mountain peak not far from the Li Prince’s main camp, Ye Lia looked down with satisfaction at the fires and battle cries below. Xia Shu stood with Dark Two and Dark Three beside her, watching the scene unfold. “The reinforcements have arrived!” Xia Shu pointed to troops rapidly moving toward the western camp on the road below. Ye Lia smiled faintly, “The western camp must be nearly finished. Have them lead the reinforcements in circles.” Xia Shu laughed, “Of course – when it comes to terrain, we locals who’ve been stationed here for years know it best. The eastern wing probably can’t hold much longer.” Ye Lia said, “Let them handle that side themselves. Have the dark guards prepare – I don’t want Mo Jingli sending out any more reinforcements.” Too much food could choke one to death. Dark Three smiled, “Rest assured, Princess Consort. While the dark guards may not excel at pitched battle, they’re skilled at causing chaos!”
“The rebel army would never expect their men to attack from behind.” Being attacked from behind in the night – let them fight among themselves to the death. Thanks to the Li Prince not having time to change their appearance, the rebel troops’ weapons and uniforms were almost identical to Yonglin’s defenders. As for whether they could see the Li Prince’s territorial emblem in that pitch-black valley – that would depend on their luck.
Ye Lia nodded with satisfaction, “Let’s go see how things are progressing.” The four mounted their fine horses waiting nearby and silently galloped through the night toward another peak. They could anticipate an even more spectacular battle there.
No one was spared that night until the fighting gradually subsided as dawn approached. The results made Mo Jingli’s already gloomy face turn as black as ink. The east and west wings, along with the reinforcements sent out, suffered nearly thirty thousand casualties – almost seventy to eighty percent losses. Yet the enemy left behind fewer than three thousand bodies. As for the valley behind the eastern camp, it was filled almost entirely with their men. If he couldn’t guess what had happened now, he’d be an idiot! In one night, they’d lost over twenty thousand troops, and the commanders of both camps plus the two generals sent as reinforcements were dead. This dealt a shocking blow to the previously high morale of the Li Prince’s army. Somehow, rumors began spreading through the Li Prince’s army that Prince Ding and his Black Cloud Cavalry were in Yonglin City. Almost every soldier grew fearful. The Ding Guo Prince’s mansion and the Black Cloud Cavalry held an unshakeable intimidating presence in every soldier’s heart.
Meanwhile, Yonglin City was filled with jubilation, with this great victory making even Yun Ting’s walk carry a spring.
“Don’t celebrate too early. Once Mo Jingli understands the reality, I fear no one will be able to stop his army,” Ye Lia said helplessly. Yun Ting excitedly suggested, “Why don’t we raid them again?” Xia Shu gave him an exasperated look, “You think everyone under the Li Prince is an idiot? After being raided once, would they let you succeed again? They’re probably waiting for you to walk into their trap now.” Ye Lia nodded, “Xia Shu is right. We truly took a dangerous gamble this time. If Mo Jingli had reacted by directly assaulting Yonglin, even killing another twenty or thirty thousand rebels wouldn’t have helped.” Yun Ting gradually came down from his excitement, anxiously biting his fingers, “Then what should we do? When will those damn imperial reinforcements finally arrive?”
“Princess Consort.” Dark Three entered with a letter. Ye Lia nodded to the two men, “You may go attend to your duties.”
After Yun Ting and Xia Shu respectfully withdrew, Ye Lia took the letter from Dark Three and opened it. Her initial joy quickly turned to concern. Dark Three watched her changing expression with curiosity, wondering what in the letter could cause the usually composed Princess Consort to react so unusually. After a long moment, Ye Lia slapped the letter onto the table and ordered, “Issue the command – starting today, the entire army is on high alert!”
“Princess Consort, what’s wrong?”
Ye Lia said, “Mo Jingli will likely launch a full assault on Yonglin within the next two days.”
Dark Three was puzzled – according to their predictions, the rebel army shouldn’t act during these few days. Ye Lia glanced at the letter on the table and said, “The reinforcements will reach the Yunlan River within three days. Mo Jingli will receive this news before long. If he doesn’t attack Yonglin now, he’ll have even less chance once the reinforcements arrive.” Dark Three nodded, “So… we just need to hold out for these three days…”
“I’m afraid these three days won’t pass easily.”
In the Li Prince’s army, Mo Jingli glared at the recently arrived secret letter as if trying to burn a hole through it. After a long while, he finally raged, “Well… well played, Black Cloud Cavalry. This prince wants to know just who the expert in Yonglin City is!” The secret letter clearly stated that Mo Xiuyao had an audience with Mo Jingqi just ten days ago – even if he’d left the capital immediately afterward, he couldn’t possibly have reached Yongzhou in such a short time. So the one blocking his path these past days couldn’t possibly be that cripple Mo Xiuyao. As for the Black Cloud Cavalry… apart from the two thousand in Yonglin City, they’d searched almost all of Yongzhou without finding a single Black Cloud Cavalry soldier.
“My Lord, now…” the military advisor’s expression was grave, “The reinforcements are coming quickly – they’ll cross the Yunlan River in three days at most. Please make your decision soon.” Should they withdraw east to attack, or continue west to break through Suixue Pass and join forces with the Southern Zhao army?
“Attack the city at all costs!”
The battle erupted again, this time even more ferocious than the assault days before. Mo Jingli spared no expense, deploying his most elite troops in a frenzied attack on the city. Although the Black Cloud Cavalry had helped further improve Yonglin’s defenses, the relentless, furious assault left the defending soldiers exhausted and suffering heavy casualties. The fighting continued all day, with the rebel army only gradually withdrawing at night, still maintaining their standoff less than five li from Yonglin City. After this day of fighting, nearly half of Yonglin’s defenders were dead or wounded. They couldn’t even rest peacefully at night, having to guard against rebel night raids. Ye Lia frowned at the situation before her, then waved her hand, ordering the Black Cloud Cavalry to guard the city walls at night so the defending soldiers could get some rest.
“A’Lia, can we hold Yonglin City?” Late at night, Murong Ting stood on the city wall looking down. The distant rebel camp’s dark mass made one’s heart grow heavy. Ye Lia turned to look at her, smiling, “Are you afraid?” Murong Ting pouted, saying dissatisfied, “Who’s afraid? It’s just… I’ve never seen so many dead people before. Father always said I was childish, and now I understand how childish I was. I always thought living at the border with Father for a few years made me more knowledgeable than others. But I’d never actually seen a battlefield.” Ye Lia comforted her softly, “You’ve done very well.” Throughout the day, Murong Ting had been busy non-stop, leading the city’s doctors and able-bodied workers to help the military physicians treat wounded soldiers, helping transport food and arrows, and more. She looked noticeably more haggard, “General Murong would certainly be proud of you.”
Murong Ting smiled sheepishly, “I haven’t done anything special. A’Lia is the impressive one. If you were my father’s daughter, he’d be so happy he’d wake up smiling from his dreams.”
Ye Lia laughed softly, “Why don’t we ask General Murong if he’d like to trade daughters?”
“No way, Father loves me the most!”
Ye Lia chuckled lightly, saying softly, “Don’t worry, we’ll all be fine.”
Murong Ting started, then sighed, “I’m not afraid. If the rebels break in, this young lady will kill one for everyone that comes and a pair for every two!” Watching Murong Ting’s pretend bravado, Ye Lia couldn’t help but laugh. Then she sighed, raising her head to look at the crescent moon on the horizon, a trace of worry gradually coloring her beautiful features.
In a corner of the city wall, Xia Shu and Yun Ting stood side by side, their gazes falling on that slender figure in the distance. Ye Lia wore moon-white men’s clothing, her black hair tied back casually with a moon-white silk ribbon rather than formal hairpins. In the moonlight, her crystalline features were dusted with a faint silver glow, showing a pure melancholy. Her presence was as serene as a lotus, as elegant as an orchid, making even the fire-red-robed young woman beside her fade in comparison.
“If I survive this time, I’m joining the Black Cloud Cavalry!” Yun Ting declared firmly. Joining the Black Cloud Cavalry had always been his wish, but now he was even more determined.
“If we really can’t hold tomorrow, you escort the Princess Consort away first. Head north across the river – you should meet the reinforcements soon after crossing the Yunlan River,” Xia Shu said quietly.
Yun Ting glared at him, “Do I look like someone who’d desert in battle?”
Xia Shu glanced at him calmly, “Do you know what relationship the Princess Consort has with Prince Li? What would happen if she fell into Prince Li’s hands?” Yun Ting started, glancing at the woman standing against the wind in the distance, then scratched his head in frustration, “I can’t escort the Princess Consort away – you should go. You’re better at persuading people. The Princess Consort doesn’t look like someone who would abandon Yonglin City and leave on her own. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a Princess Consort like her before.”
Xia Shu nodded in agreement. Although they’d only known her for a few days, this Princess Consort of Prince Ding, younger than them, had completely overturned their understanding of what a princess consort should be. Delicate in appearance but stronger in spirit than many men. Her astonishing wisdom, sharp military decisiveness, and martial abilities surpassed many others. Often, Xia Shu felt that woman wasn’t a pampered princess consort, but a battle-hardened soldier.
“Do you think if we survive this, and I ask the Princess Consort to let me join the Black Cloud Cavalry, she would agree?” Unable to solve the immediate problem, Yun Ting fell back on his habit of imagining a better future, turning his head to daydream.
Xia Shu thought for a moment, then smiled faintly, “Perhaps you could ask the Princess Consort if the Black Cloud Cavalry is still recruiting.”
Yun Ting’s eyes lit up as he eagerly watched the moon-white figure talking with Murong Ting in the distance. Xia Shu shook his head helplessly and turned to descend the city wall, saying, “Let’s go rest. Don’t forget we have another fierce battle tomorrow.”
Yun Ting nodded absently, still debating whether to ask the Princess Consort – after all, not everyone got the chance to meet the master of the Black Cloud Cavalry. Looking at that gentle figure in the moonlight, Yun Ting turned to walk down from the city wall. If he survived tomorrow, he would beg the Princess Consort to let him join the Black Cloud Cavalry, no matter what it took!