Outside Yonglin City, at Prince Li’s Main Camp
“Damn it! How could Mo Xiuyao appear here now?!” Inside the main tent, Mo Jingli’s face was dark and twisted. Despite it being nearly June, the atmosphere felt as bone-chilling as severe winter. No one dared to speak, not just because of Prince Li’s anger, but more due to the shock of Prince Ding’s sudden appearance on the battlefield. If there was anything more terrifying than Prince Ding’s appearance, it was his appearing in perfect health. When they saw that silver-white figure galloping through the air, almost everyone simultaneously felt a surge of despair and regret in their hearts. That youth who had earned the title of War God, that Prince Ding who was praised as even more brilliant than his ancestors—could they stand against him? More people secretly hesitated and regretted: was following Prince Li in rebellion the right decision? While the rewards of supporting a future emperor could bring endless wealth and power, the price of failure made one’s blood run cold.
The usually composed Military Advisor’s face was equally pale. In their plans, Mo Xiuyao should not have appeared in Yongzhou so quickly. No, he shouldn’t have been able to appear in Yongzhou at all. But now… while a Prince Ding with crippled legs was already formidable enough to be wary of, a healthy and mobile Prince Ding was truly terrifying. “Your Highness, has there been any news from the capital? Prince Ding…”
Mo Jingli coldly snorted, “Mo Xiuyao had already left the capital before we raised our army. And Ye Li! To think it was her!” Just thinking about how Ye Li and the Black Cloud Cavalry had been blocking his path all this time made Mo Jingli want to capture and fly her alive.
The Military Advisor said, “There were earlier rumors that the Princess Consort of Ding had disappeared. Now it seems she must have gone to Nanzhao. Earlier news from Nanzhao mentioned that Young Master Qingchen had vanished… Most likely, the Princess Consort went to Nanzhao for Young Master Qingchen.” As he spoke, the Military Advisor’s heart grew colder. Prince Ding, Princess Consort, Murong Shen, and the potentially appearing Young Master Qingchen. The people standing in their way made him lose almost all hope of conquering Yonglin. “Your Highness, I suggest we immediately abandon Yongzhou and advance east, taking all the territories south of the Yunlan River before the imperial reinforcements arrive.”
Mo Jingli said in a deep voice, “Mo Xiuyao has already reached Yonglin. Do you think he’ll let us retreat?”
The Military Advisor stroked his beard and said, “Based on Your Highness’s understanding of Prince Ding, would he normally withdraw so easily today given his temperament?”
Mo Jingli lowered his brows in thought for a moment before shaking his head, “In his youth, Mo Xiuyao was known as the Fierce Wind, always swift and decisive in military campaigns. Given his former temperament, he would never withdraw without inflicting heavy casualties on his opponents.” The Military Advisor nodded with a smile, “If that’s the case, why does Your Highness think Prince Ding didn’t pursue his advantage today?”
Mo Jingli’s eyes flashed as his voice rose slightly, “He doesn’t have enough troops!” The Military Advisor clapped his hands and smiled, “Correct! Due to Yonglin’s terrain limitations and the Black Cloud Cavalry’s sudden arrival, we couldn’t assess his troop numbers. But Prince Ding must know our strength. His failure to pursue victory can only mean our forces still outnumber him by at least two to one, if not more.”
Mo Jingli nodded, “Indeed. How would my imperial brother easily allow him to mobilize over a hundred thousand troops? Moreover… with such a large army, he couldn’t have arrived so quickly. In that case, why don’t we…”
“Absolutely not!” The Military Advisor quickly interrupted his thought, advising, “Your Highness, please reconsider. While Prince Ding’s forces may truly be insufficient, there’s no suitable place near Yonglin for large-scale battles. As long as he holds Yonglin, we cannot overcome him in ten to fifteen days. After that… no matter how slow the imperial army is, they will arrive. By then, it will be too late to turn east.” Speaking of ten to fifteen days was being polite—with twenty thousand Black Cloud Cavalry defending the city, forget ten or fifteen days, even taking two or three months would be difficult as long as they had sufficient food and weapons. The Black Cloud Cavalry’s archery skills were feared even by the Northern Rong Iron Cavalry; attacking troops would struggle to even approach Yonglin’s walls.
“This…” Mo Jingli’s expression fluctuated between unwillingness, anger, and fear that others could barely detect. This fear perhaps wasn’t of Mo Xiuyao himself, but rather the innate awe that all Great Chu soldiers felt toward the Mo family army and Prince Ding’s mansion.
“Your Highness, as long as we occupy all the territories south of the Yunlan River and fortify our position there, Yongzhou will be merely a tiny territory. With Nanzhao as a distraction, the imperial court will be powerless. Now that Prince Ding’s legs have suddenly healed, that person in the capital must be terrified. Thus, he definitely won’t use Prince Ding against us. As long as Prince Ding and the Mo family army don’t come, half of Great Chu’s territory will be yours. As for the rest, we can plan for it gradually in the future.” The Military Advisor advised earnestly. Yongzhou was clearly beyond their reach now; rather than waste effort here, they should secure all of Jiangnan before the imperial army arrived, lest all their efforts come to nothing. Looking at the hesitant Prince Li before him, the Military Advisor felt slightly bitter. Prince Li’s indecisiveness in critical moments meant that while he might make a good leisure prince in his territory, he lacked far too much to conquer the world.
While Mo Jingli was hesitating, a soldier reported from outside, “Your Highness, there’s an envoy from Western Ling requesting an audience.”
“Western Ling?” Mo Jingli frowned. “What do they want? Let him in!”
Soon, a middle-aged man with refined and kindly features was brought in. “This humble one is He Wuyuan from the Western Ling Garrison South Prince’s mansion. Greetings to Prince Li.”
“He Yingli?” Mo Jingli narrowed his eyes slightly, while the Military Advisor beside him showed some emotion, “The Wise One among the South Prince’s Three Heroes, Master Yingli?”
The middle-aged man smiled calmly, “Indeed, that is me.”
Mo Jingli stared at him and said, “Master He is the South Prince’s right-hand man. What brings you suddenly to my camp?”
He Wuyuan smiled and said, “By order of our Prince and Crown Prince, we wish to ally with Prince Li.”
“An alliance?” The Military Advisor was puzzled. He Wuyuan smiled and explained, “Hearing that Prince Li has raised an army in Jiangnan, our Prince and Crown Prince admire Your Highness’s grand ambitions. Similarly, Your Highness must know of the deep blood feud between the South Prince’s mansion and Western Ling with the Eastern Chu Prince Ding’s mansion. Therefore, our Prince has sent me to offer my humble services to Your Highness. When Your Highness succeeds, the South Prince’s Crown Prince will personally attend your coronation ceremony in Lingzhou.”
Mo Jingli looked at him and asked, “What do your Prince and Crown Prince want?” He knew well that there must be give and take. He Wuyuan smiled and said, “Western Ling requires nothing from Your Highness except for one thing… Prince Ding and the Mo family army. Prince Ding’s legs have healed; surely Your Highness has witnessed this today? Mo Xiuyao was ambitious even in his youth—at just fourteen or fifteen, he nearly destroyed Nanzhao. Now, after lying low for years, he emerges again like a tiger released from its cage, with momentum that perhaps no one in the world can stop. My lord worries about Western Ling’s safety, hence the desire to ally with Your Highness to guard against Prince Ding’s mansion. Please consider carefully.”
Mo Jingli showed some displeasure. Although He Wuyuan spoke of allying with him against Mo Xiuyao, his words seemed to praise Mo Xiuyao extensively. He said coldly, “Mo Xiuyao has been idle at home for nearly ten years. Besides, early brilliance doesn’t guarantee future greatness. Master He seems to be exaggerating.”
He Wuyuan didn’t take offense, chuckling, “Whether I exaggerate or not, the Prince Ding’s mansion has produced famous generals throughout generations, none with empty reputations, and Mo Xiuyao himself has never known defeat. These are simply facts.”
“Could it be that Master He has a strategy to deal with Mo Xiuyao?” Mo Jingli raised an eyebrow mockingly.
He Wuyuan smiled and said, “While I dare not guarantee victory over Prince Ding, I can help Prince Li secure Jiangnan.”
“Oh?” Mo Jingli’s eyes flickered, and his gaze at He Wuyuan took on an evaluating quality. He Wuyuan remained unperturbed, smiling composedly, “Your Highness need not worry. Prince Ding definitely won’t have much time to stay in Yongzhou. Once we draw him away, even if the imperial court sends not just a hundred thousand troops but a million, they cannot stop Your Highness’s path to the throne.”
Mo Jingli remained silent for a moment, then said, “Please rest first, Master He. I need to consider this carefully.” He Wuyuan wasn’t in a hurry, nodding with a smile, “In that case, Your Highness should think it through. I shall take my leave first.”
“This subordinate Feng Zhiyao requests an audience with the Princess Consort.”
Feng Zhiyao stepped into the elegant and quiet courtyard, seeing the woman sitting reading under the tree shade, and couldn’t help but feel a headache. A quarter of an hour ago, when he was arranging defenses on the city wall and received word that the Princess Consort’s attendant requested his presence for a chat, he knew trouble was coming. Unfortunately, he didn’t dare refuse the Princess Consort’s summons.
“No need for formalities, Master Feng.” Ye Li put down her book and turned back with a smile, “Did I disturb Master Feng?”
Feng Zhiyao smiled bitterly, “I wouldn’t dare say that. How could the Princess Consort’s summons be a disturbance?”
Ye Li raised her head, looked carefully at Feng Zhiyao, and smiled, “Master Feng Three seems like a completely different person from when in the capital. If I met you normally, I might have thought I had mistaken someone else.”
Feng Zhiyao could only smile apologetically, feeling that the more polite the Princess Consort was now, the more troublesome her questions would surely be later. Ye Li watched his forced cheerful expression and lowered her gaze slightly, “Master Feng Three, please sit down to talk.”
Feng Zhiyao thanked her, saying, “Princess Consort can just call me Feng Three, I don’t deserve the title of ‘Master.'” Ye Li waved her hand and smiled, “I know you and the Prince have known each other since childhood. In private, you address each other as brothers, no need for such distance.”
Feng Zhiyao had to sit down, feeling even more pressure facing Ye Li directly. He smiled and asked, “May I ask why the Princess Consort summoned me?”
Ye Li looked at him directly and said in a serious tone, “I also don’t like beating around the bush. Master Feng, how exactly is the Prince’s health?”
Feng Zhiyao froze momentarily, then quickly smiled, “The Prince’s health? Isn’t the Prince perfectly fine? Speaking of which, after all these years, the Prince has finally recovered. Shouldn’t the Princess Consort be happy?” Ye Li looked at him calmly, her gaze clear and penetrating without any trace of naivety. Feng Zhiyao inwardly groaned but forced himself to maintain eye contact with her. After a while, Ye Li smiled gently and said, “Master Feng, do you know? A person’s genuine smile can normally only last for a very short time, and anything beyond that… is usually fake.” Feng Zhiyao was stunned, blinked, and finally dropped his now somewhat stiff smile, “The Princess Consort’s insight… is unique.”
“Then… would Master Feng be willing to tell me the truth?” Ye Li asked with a smile.
Feng Zhiyao smiled bitterly, “Why doesn’t the Princess Consort ask the Prince directly?”
Ye Li sighed softly, “If he doesn’t want to tell me, how can I get an answer?”
Feng Zhiyao said, “If the Prince doesn’t say anything, perhaps it means he has truly recovered completely.” Ye Li looked at him and smiled, “Master Feng, while I may not be able to tell if he’s lying, there’s one thing I do understand. Someone who has been crippled for eight years and poisoned severely cannot possibly recover to such an extent in such a short time, no matter what miraculous medicine is used. Even if Master Shen had found the antidote and cured the Prince’s legs, it would be impossible to recover to this degree within half a year. Abnormality suggests something amiss—if such a miracle cure existed, why would Mo Xiuyao have waited so many years?”
Feng Zhiyao looked at her with difficulty while Ye Li stared at him unwaveringly. After a quarter hour, Feng Zhiyao reluctantly conceded. After some thought, he said, “Even if I don’t tell you, Princess Consort will find out eventually. The Prince used the Phoenix Grass.” Ye Li was shocked. She remembered what Shen Yang had said—after taking the Phoenix Grass, the fire poison it produced would cause both cold and fire to coexist in Mo Xiuyao’s body. Even with the Fierce Fire Lotus, the cold poison in his body could no longer be cured. “Why didn’t anyone stop him!”
Feng Zhiyao lowered his head helplessly, “When the Prince makes a decision, who can stop him?”
Ye Li’s face darkened, “He was perfectly fine, why did he have to…” Her voice cut off halfway through the sentence. She collapsed onto the chair somewhat dejectedly. When Feng Zhiyao left the capital, news of Mo Jingli raising an army hadn’t reached the capital yet. He did this… because of her…
“Princess Consort…” Feng Zhiyao saw Ye Li’s poor complexion and, after a moment’s thought, understood the key point. He tried to comfort her with some difficulty, “Actually… even if the Prince had received news of Prince Li’s rebellion two days later, he still would have… The Prince has no time to wait two years for the Fierce Fire Lotus now.” Ye Li nodded somewhat dazedly, “Has Master Shen arrived in Yongzhou?” Feng Zhiyao nodded, “Master Shen insisted on coming, but he cannot travel quickly over long distances, so it will take a few more days for him to arrive.”
Ye Li closed her eyes briefly and nodded, “I understand. Thank you, Master Feng.”
Feng Zhiyao frowned with concern, “Princess Consort…”
Ye Li waved her hand, saying, “It’s fine, Master Feng, please attend to your duties if you have matters to handle.” Feng Zhiyao looked at her and had no choice but to take his leave. Ye Li sat under the tree shade lost in thought. If she hadn’t come to the Southern Frontier… no, if she hadn’t sent back that secret letter that should have been sent, Mo Xiuyao wouldn’t have rushed to the Southern Frontier for this reason. Perhaps, as Feng Zhiyao said, they truly had no time to wait two years for the Fierce Fire Lotus, and perhaps Mo Xiuyao would have taken the Phoenix Grass eventually anyway. But still… now Mo Xiuyao had done this because of her…
“Dark Three.”
“Princess Consort?” Dark Three appeared behind her, looking worriedly at the somewhat weak figure of the woman under the tree.
“Where is Dark Four now?”
Dark Three said, “Dark Four just went to Western Ling. Following your earlier orders to investigate Han Mingyue’s matters in Western Ling. He should have just crossed the Western Ling border.” Ye Li nodded and said, “Send someone to relay a message to him. Put aside Han Mingyue’s matter for now. Find a way to keep watch on the Sick Scholar. If he tries to obtain the Blue Fall Flower again, seize it at any cost.” Dark Three hesitated for a moment and said, “The Blue Fall Flower is within the Southern Frontier borders. Should I lead some men to search for it?” Ye Li shook her head, “Nanzhao is not small, and none of us has ever seen what the Blue Fall Flower looks like. The surname Liang should now be in Heaven’s First Pavilion’s hands, no… surname Liang should also be in Western Ling now, but not in the Sick Scholar’s possession. Send someone to tell Han Mingshi that it’s time for him to fulfill his promise to tell me what he knows.”
“Yes.” Dark Three nodded and disappeared swiftly behind her.
After Dark Three left, Ye Li sat for a long while before getting up to return to the courtyard where she and Mo Xiuyao were temporarily staying. Back in their room, she didn’t see Mo Xiuyao. After some thought, Ye Li turned and headed toward the front courtyard’s study but was stopped at the door by two dark guards, “Princess Consort, the Prince ordered that he’s not to see anyone now. Please stop here.” Ye Li turned her head slightly and glanced at the two dark guards who dared not meet her eyes, “What did you say?”
“The Prince said he won’t see anyone now. That… includes the Princess Consort.”
Ye Li calmly stepped back and said, “I know you’re following orders and don’t mean to make things difficult. However… I’m going in now.”
The two dark guards exchanged glances and both blocked the doorway, “Please don’t put us in a difficult position, Princess Consort.”
Ye Li said, “If I knock you down to get through, you won’t be disobeying orders, right?”
“This…” The two dark guards watched the woman before them warily. They had witnessed the Princess Consort’s martial skills before. In a situation where they couldn’t harm her, they weren’t confident they could stop her. “Princess Consort, I’m afraid that won’t work…” The guard at the door raised his hand, and several figures dropped down from the walls, trees, and rooftops. Ye Li raised an eyebrow and laughed coldly, “Dark Three, Dark Four, take them down!”
“Yes!” Two deep voices responded. Two figures streaked like lightning from left and right into the courtyard. In just moments, several dark guards were subdued. Looking at their angry and unwilling expressions, Dark Three patted their shoulders consolingly, “Brothers, don’t feel bad. Even among dark guards, there are different levels. We all started the same way, so they understood dark guards, but other dark guards didn’t understand us. Those months of suffering weren’t for nothing, brothers—now you can see the results, right?” It wasn’t that they were too weak, but rather that they had completely transcended the level of dark guards. If circumstances allowed, Dark Three would have truly wanted to throw his head back and laugh heartily.
Ye Li turned back to smile at the two dark guards blocking the door, “Do I need to handle this personally?”
The two dark guards sighed and cleared the path before the door, “Please proceed, Princess Consort.”
Their temporary residence was a wealthy merchant’s mansion in Yonglin City. Before Yonglin was surrounded, the owner had fled north of the river—wealthy people were always more afraid of death than common folk. The study in the front courtyard was very spacious and even had adjoining rest chambers. So when Mo Xiuyao stayed in the study last night, Ye Li hadn’t thought much of it. After all, he had many matters to attend to upon arriving in Yonglin. But after meeting with Feng Zhiyao, Ye Li suddenly realized that since returning to Yonglin last night until now in the afternoon, she hadn’t seen Mo Xiuyao at all. She had taken breakfast and lunch alone, and if Mo Xiuyao was truly this busy, there was no reason why Feng Zhiyao could be wandering on the city walls, moreover, back in the capital, Mo Xiuyao had shown no hesitation in making her help with various tasks without the slightest guilt.
Stepping into the study, she found it empty as expected. Ye Li quickly walked toward the bedroom behind the study. Before she could enter, she heard something crash to the floor inside and hurriedly rushed in.
The sight before her made her heart tremble. The man who had been so magnificent and invincible on the battlefield yesterday was now sprawled ungracefully on the ground. The bedding was torn to shreds and scattered across the floor. A decorative flower stand had fallen over nearby, with various pieces of porcelain strewn about. Mo Xiuyao’s eyes were tightly shut, his clothes completely soaked as if drenched in water. His fingers were covered in dried blood.
“A’Li, leave…” Hearing her footsteps, Mo Xiuyao didn’t raise his head, just spoke softly.
Ye Li hesitated for a moment but didn’t stop or turn back. Instead, she quickly went to his side and helped him up. “Are you feeling better?”
Mo Xiuyao nodded wearily, allowing Ye Li to help him back to the bed. He smiled bitterly, “A’Li, it seems you always see me at my most pathetic moments…”
Ye Li spoke calmly, “You brought this on yourself. We… we’re husband and wife, not strangers. It’s impossible to only ever see each other’s perfect sides, isn’t it?” Mo Xiuyao kept his eyes closed and smiled faintly, “I should say you’ve never seen my perfect side.” His most perfect self had ceased to exist long before meeting her. Ye Li reached out to hold his hand, which was still trembling from the intense pain, and smiled gently, “How could that be? Weren’t you quite impressive yesterday?” Looking down at the dried blood on his fingertips and the mottled wounds on his palms, she asked softly, “When did it start?”
Mo Xiuyao, seeming unusually willing to talk as the pain gradually subsided, replied after a moment, “Near dawn…”
Ye Li’s hand froze, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. It was already late afternoon—seven or eight hours had passed.
“Get some rest now that you’re feeling better.”
This time Mo Xiuyao didn’t respond, his soft, steady breathing indicating he had fallen into deep sleep. But even in his dreams, his brows remained slightly furrowed, occasionally showing signs of pain. Ye Li rose to get him fresh bedding but found one of her hands tightly gripped by Mo Xiuyao, unable to move. Helpless, she could only sit back down, frowning at his sweat-soaked clothes, hoping he wouldn’t catch cold. She couldn’t bear to wake him now though. The dark shadows under his eyes showed he hadn’t rested properly in a long time.
It wasn’t until sunset that Mo Xiuyao woke from his deep sleep. Although he had only slept for less than two hours, he felt much better than before. Mo Xiuyao couldn’t help but sigh softly in relief—this episode was finally over.
“You’re awake?” Ye Li’s voice came from outside. Mo Xiuyao looked up to see her entering with a tray, which she set on the table before turning to him, “Since you’re awake, go take a bath first, then have dinner.”
Mo Xiuyao was slightly startled, “A’Li, how did you…” The scenes from before he fell asleep flashed through his mind. In that hazy state of endless pain, Ye Li’s calm voice had reached his consciousness, miraculously soothing his nearly broken mind. Then he had gradually fallen asleep listening to that gentle voice. Seeing him staring at her without speaking, Ye Li walked over and asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Are you still unwell? Should I send for a doctor?”
Mo Xiuyao held her hand, “It’s nothing, just feeling a bit disoriented from sleeping too long. We can’t call outside doctors now.”
Ye Li didn’t expose his poor attempt at deception—Mo Xiuyao was likely never disoriented, even in his sleep. “Then go take your bath first, I’ve had it prepared.” Mo Xiuyao looked down at himself and realized he indeed desperately needed to clean up.
Mo Xiuyao quickly finished washing and came out still damp. Ye Li hurriedly stood up and went to him, noticing his thin inner clothes, she turned to get a cloak and draped it over him. Mo Xiuyao looked at her helplessly, “A’Li, I’m not so weak that I can’t withstand a breeze.” Ye Li nodded, saying seriously, “Indeed, being too weak to withstand a breeze would be far easier than your condition. Sit down and eat.” She pushed a bowl of fragrant porridge into his hands and watched him eat.
Mo Xiuyao had no choice but to taste. Not only did it smell wonderful, but it was also delicious. Having not eaten since the previous night, Mo Xiuyao felt warmth spread through his stomach, and his appetite, which had been poor from excessive fatigue and pain, improved considerably. “This doesn’t seem like their cooking.” The mansion’s owner had long since fled, and naturally, the servants were gone too. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li couldn’t use unknown people from outside while staying here, so the dark guards were responsible for their daily needs. Though well-trained, the dark guards’ cooking was barely palatable. Ye Li rested her chin on her hand watching him eat, “I made it. Is it not good?”
Mo Xiuyao paused, then shook his head with a faint smile, “No, it’s very good.”
Ye Li nodded with satisfaction. Her cooking skills weren’t particularly good, but she could manage simple home dishes and porridge. She had spent a full hour cooking this chicken porridge and had tasted it herself—it was indeed acceptable.
“A’Li, do you have something to tell me?” Seeing Ye Li’s unwavering gaze, Mo Xiuyao put down his bowl and asked. Ye Li took his bowl and refilled it before passing it back, saying, “I believe that trying to endure everything alone is inadvisable, and not how spouses should treat each other. What does Your Highness think?” Mo Xiuyao helplessly accepted the bowl she pushed at him and sighed softly, “You found out… A’Li, this isn’t because of you… you know, with the poison in my body being temporarily incurable, this was inevitable sooner or later.”
“Whether it’s because of me or not, things are already like this, aren’t they? What I’m saying is… Your Highness, locking yourself alone in a room, weren’t you afraid you might not be able to bear it and end up killing yourself?” Ye Li raised an eyebrow and asked.
“I won’t,” Mo Xiuyao said, “I won’t die. The Phoenix Grass can’t kill me. Master Shen also said it would only cause me some pain.”
“Only some pain…” Ye Li couldn’t help wanting to crack open his head to see what was inside.
“A’Li, you know this is already the best possible situation. If Master Shen hadn’t brought back the Phoenix Grass… then I wouldn’t have made it in time to support Yonglin, Suixue Pass would have fallen, and the Nanzhao people would have breached our borders. A’Li…”
“I’ll stay with you from now on,” Ye Li said quietly.
“…Alright.”