Mo Li

"Your Highness..."

Qin Feng gazed at the gentle, smiling woman before him, feeling his scalp prickle with unease. He stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move an inch—he had no intention of testing whether every inch of the surrounding area was littered with traps. Glancing at the serene, crystal-clear lake surface that betrayed no hint of danger, he swore the sight of arrowheads bristling across the water moments ago hadn’t been his imagination. If anyone foolishly tried to leap across relying solely on their Light Body Skill, they’d likely end up resembling an oversized porcupine.

Ye Li chuckled. "No need to be nervous. Just a joke—it’s not usually like this here."

Qin Feng remained silent. He believed that under normal circumstances, it was probably even more dangerous.

Ye Li turned and gestured toward the endless forest behind her, smiling. "Have you been here before?" Qin Feng hesitated before shaking his head. "Training troops near the capital isn’t convenient. The Black Cloud Cavalry usually drills hundreds of miles away." Besides, the Black Cloud Cavalry was, after all, a mounted force—their training mostly took place in open fields or deserts. Forests were hardly ideal terrain for cavalry maneuvers.

Ye Li smiled. "When will the men I requested arrive?"

Qin Feng hesitated. "They should be here within an hour." Truthfully, he wasn’t entirely confident. The Princess Consort had provided only a set of absurdly simple maps—each one slightly different. Though the Black Cloud Cavalry excelled in tracking, even he had spent half the day deciphering the cryptic markings before roughly pinpointing the location. He wasn’t sure if the others could even find the place. As for the Princess Consort’s warning that anyone spotted by nearby villagers would be disqualified—Qin Feng didn’t give it a second thought. Even the newest recruits in the Black Cloud Cavalry could avoid detection by ordinary civilians if they wished.

"How many will make it?"

"We selected fifty elite soldiers each from the Black Cloud Cavalry and the Mo Family Army stationed near the capital. Even if not all arrive, at least seventy or eighty should manage." After a moment’s thought, Qin Feng added cautiously, "Your Highness..." He hesitated but decided to voice the question that had been troubling him for days. As a commander of the Black Cloud Cavalry—though not the highest-ranking, he still led two thousand men—he felt responsible for the elite soldiers under his charge. If the Princess Consort was dissatisfied with the shadow guards, she should have their commander intensify training and select better candidates. While withdrawing fifty elite soldiers wouldn’t significantly impact the Black Cloud Cavalry’s combat strength, what exactly were these men being gathered for? If they were meant to serve as shadow guards, seventy or eighty was excessive—and the Prince Ding's Estate already had its own shadow guards. Poor coordination could easily spark conflicts between the two groups. If intended for the battlefield, no matter how elite, seventy or eighty men would hardly make a difference against an army. Individual prowess was meaningless against thousands.

"You’re overthinking it." Seeing Qin Feng’s conflicted expression, Ye Li sighed in amusement. "Don’t worry about it. I’ve also summoned thirty from the shadow guards—let’s see who arrives first. Care to make a bet?"Qin Feng recalled overhearing An San mention during their time in Yonglin that the princess consort was exceptionally skilled at gambling. After some thought, he firmly stated, "The Black Cloud Cavalry." Without a doubt, among the three groups, the Black Cloud Cavalry far surpassed the others in both combat capability and operational efficiency. While their martial arts might not match some of the shadow guards, it was important to note that aside from those specially trained as personal guards for the prince and princess consort, not every shadow guard was a martial arts expert. In contrast, every member of the Black Cloud Cavalry had undergone rigorous training and was long accustomed to coordinated combat tactics. Ye Li raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "I think the shadow guards will arrive first, followed by the Black Cloud Cavalry, but the Mo Family Army will have the most arrivals."

"That's impossible!" Qin Feng flatly rejected the idea. He didn't mean to belittle the Mo Family Army, but he couldn't deny that in his heart, the Black Cloud Cavalry was indeed superior. At least in a fifty-against-fifty scenario, the Mo Family Army stood no chance of defeating the Black Cloud Cavalry.

"We'll see," Ye Li replied.

Ye Li had deactivated most of the traps around the lake and beneath the cliffs. The design of these mechanisms had left her deeply impressed, making her wary of underestimating the ingenuity of ancient people. Initially, she had even considered preparing some unconventional defenses for the valley, but now it seemed unnecessary. If all the mechanisms in the valley were activated without prior knowledge, even she couldn't guarantee a safe escape. The temporary structures in the valley had all been dismantled and replaced with neat rows of wooden cabins. To guard against snakes, insects, and wild beasts from the forest, a perimeter wall had been erected and plants to repel pests had been planted. This entire project had taken nearly ten months and was only completed a month ago, exhausting both the funds Han Mingyue had provided and her own dowry. However, a recent trip to the Clear Breeze Bright Moon Pavilion had replenished their coffers, so now, looking at everything before her, Ye Li felt nothing but satisfaction, with no trace of regret.

An hour later, a figure clad in black descended from the cliff, landing somewhat clumsily on the ground. Qin Feng glanced over—it was one of the shadow guards. He snorted inwardly in disdain. If the princess consort hadn't deactivated the traps beforehand, that fellow would have been riddled with arrows. Still, he understood that without her prior warning, he wouldn't have fared much better.

"Subordinate Shadow Seventeen greets the young master."

Ye Li nodded and motioned for him to rest to the side. Soon after, another figure appeared—another shadow guard—followed by members of the Black Cloud Cavalry and then the Mo Family Army. Qin Feng quickly noticed the difference: the shadow guards and the Mo Family Army mostly operated and arrived alone, but the Mo Family Army soldiers traveled in groups, arriving in sets of four or five each time. Though they lacked the agility of the shadow guards and the Black Cloud Cavalry, their numbers were indeed the highest. Two hours later, Ye Li clapped her hands, signaling everyone to rise.

"Greetings, young master."

Ye Li nodded and scanned the assembled group—only sixty-three in total: twenty-eight from the Mo Family Army, twenty from the Black Cloud Cavalry, and fifteen shadow guards. "Scramble your formations. I want to see each of you standing beside someone you don't know and who isn't from your own unit." Though puzzled by her instructions, the men complied without question.They quickly fell back into formation as ordered. Ye Li nodded in satisfaction, finally feeling a sense of progress. Pointing to the wooden hut behind her, she said, "For the next three months, this will be your home. Those who pass the final test may stay; the rest will return to where they came from. Now, let’s meet your... instructors!" She clapped her hands lightly, and eight men of varying heights and ages stepped forward in unison, greeting her respectfully, "Young Master."

Standing beside Ye Li, Qin Feng couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Though their origins were unclear, every one of them exuded the aura of a formidable expert—undoubtedly masters among masters. Ye Li smiled approvingly. "In addition to completing the daily training I assign, these men will provide specialized guidance. Of course, if any of you can defeat even one of them outright, you’ll skip this stage entirely. So, who’s up for a try?"

Her words carried a clear challenge, and soldiers, no matter the era, were always the most hot-blooded of the bunch. Almost immediately, one man lunged at the most robust-looking of the eight, while others picked their own targets. A series of thuds and cracks later, every challenger lay sprawled on the ground, unable to rise. The youngest of the instructors dusted off his hands and scoffed at Ye Li, "Young Master, are these recruits you’ve chosen all too weak?" Ye Li replied calmly, "They were never meant to be martial arts masters, nor do I need a group of peerless experts." The young man frowned in confusion. "If not martial prowess, then why bring us here?" Ye Li countered with a smile, "Could you train a martial arts master in three months?" The young man fell silent. Even with all his pride, he knew mastery wasn’t achieved overnight. He himself, hailed as a prodigy since childhood, had trained relentlessly for over a decade to reach his current level.

An older instructor spoke up, "Though we don’t understand His Highness’s intentions, since he ordered us to follow your lead, we’ll do as you command."

Ye Li nodded. "I hadn’t expected His Highness to have such hidden talents like yourselves under his command. But rest assured, this won’t take much of your time—just two months of guiding them in certain skills. So, anyone else want to try?" Given the earlier crushing defeats, no one dared step forward now. Pleased, Ye Li grinned. "Then... let’s start with a run. See the grounds outside the courtyard? For your safety, I even had snake-repelling herbs planted. With so many of you here in broad daylight, no beasts will approach. Go circle the yard and warm up."

So you’re saying beasts will come at night? The men exchanged uneasy glances. Qin Feng, noting their hesitation, spoke up, "Your—er, Young Master, how far do we run?"

Ye Li beamed. "Until you drop."So a group of bewildered elites were pulled out for a run, though they had no idea what the point was. But to some extent, they were all soldiers and understood the importance of following orders. Thus, with eight experts supervising from front and back, dozens of men lined up and began running in circles. Only Qin Feng remained, utterly confused as he watched Ye Li, who was clearly in high spirits.

Ye Li smiled and beckoned to him, saying, "Take a look at this. For the next seven days, they’ll adapt to this routine first. I’ll make adjustments later."

Qin Feng lowered his head to examine the scroll in his hands. The elegant handwriting was legible, but when put together, he couldn’t make sense of it at all. Things like archery, combat, and running in the morning and evening—even if he didn’t fully understand, he could grasp the general idea. But what were parallel bars, push-ups, and the like? What purpose did they serve? To Qin Feng, aside from archery and combat, most of the items on the list seemed utterly useless.

Ye Li chuckled. "It’s fine if you don’t understand or don’t know how to do them. Once An Er and An San have time, I’ll have them teach you. Originally, I planned to have An Er lead these men, but then I thought—since you’re the commander of the Black Cloud Cavalry, you must have far more experience in leading troops than An Er. So… when you have time, remember to catch up on your own training."

Looking at the innocent, sincere smile on the young man’s handsome face, Qin Feng shivered for some reason. His instincts told him the next few months would be extremely unpleasant.

The two leaped onto the rooftop, where they could easily observe the scene outside the courtyard. Ye Li clapped his hands and sat down, shaking his head as he watched the men outside panting and struggling to keep running. "These are the elites of your Black Cloud Cavalry? Have they spent too much time on horseback that they can’t even outrun shadow guards?"

Qin Feng gritted his teeth. At least fifteen of those twenty shadow guards knew martial arts, damn it!

"Anyone who dares to use Light Body Skill will fly to the cliff top and jump back down—twenty times!" Ye Li said cheerfully, eyeing the few shadow guards trying to take shortcuts. The smug guards, who had been enjoying their companions’ misery, suddenly felt their legs go weak, nearly collapsing on the spot.

Whether they understood or not, by evening, even Qin Feng couldn’t help but glance back with a trace of pity at the elite soldiers of the Ding Royal Palace sprawled outside the walls, unable to get up. Listening to the distant howls of wolves and unknown beasts in the forest, Qin Feng wondered if the heavens truly had it out for them, allowing the princess consort to find such a place so close to the capital.

"Princess Consort, should… should this subordinate stay behind to keep an eye on them?" Those experts were indeed skilled, but none of them seemed capable of managing the proud and unruly elite soldiers. If conflicts broke out, it would be troublesome.

Ye Li smiled. "No need to worry. They can’t run away. Anyone who leaves without permission will be treated as a deserter!"

Was I worried about them running away?

"I don’t have time to watch over them every day. For now, it’s fine if they roughhouse among themselves. Just don’t let anyone die. In seven days, I’ll have An Er and An San take turns teaching them."

After a moment of silence, Qin Feng asked, "This subordinate doesn’t understand—what exactly does the princess consort intend to use them for?""They can do a lot—assassinations, intelligence gathering, protection, reconnaissance, infiltration, undercover operations, rescues, interrogations. Whether it's land battles, naval battles, field combat, or urban warfare, there's nothing they can't learn that you can think of." Qin Feng felt his mind go blank. Even the soldiers of their Black Cloud Cavalry couldn't possibly master so much. "Assassinations... and intelligence and protection—aren't those the shadow guards' tasks? Why train additional people? Is the Princess dissatisfied with the shadow guards?" Ye Li turned to look at his conflicted expression and smiled. "Specialization is good, but I prefer having a team that can do anything."

Qin Feng pondered for a moment. "If they truly reach the level you described, our combat strength could indeed undergo a revolutionary change."

Ye Li shook her head. "True elites are inherently few in number. Like the Black Cloud Cavalry, the skills they learn aren’t something most soldiers can master. Besides, we don’t need that many—too many would just waste resources. You should remember I specifically chose people who are literate. That alone disqualifies most soldiers." Qin Feng nodded. Even among the elite Black Cloud Cavalry, at most half could read. He was beginning to grasp Ye Li’s intent—was the Princess trying to cultivate a group of individuals skilled in both civil and martial arts? But he couldn’t yet fathom the purpose of training so many versatile talents.

"By the way, Qin Feng," Ye Li said as they neared the city gates, reining in her horse and studying him. "You were originally the Black Cloud Cavalry commander, so you should know one rule, right?"

"What?"

"Confidentiality. What you saw today and what you’ll experience in the next three months—you must not disclose any of it to anyone without my permission."

Qin Feng couldn’t help but gulp. "Including the Prince?"

"Including the Prince."

"...Understood."

By the time they returned to the palace, night had already fallen. Qin Feng, still reeling from the day’s revelations, immediately sought out An Er and An San for discussion. Meanwhile, Ye Li entered her chambers to find Mo Xiuyao reading a book by lamplight. He looked up at the sound of her footsteps. "You went outside the city?" Ye Li nodded, then went to freshen up. When she returned, the previously empty table was now set with steaming dishes. She casually tied up her hair and dismissed the attending Qing Xia and Qingshuang before smiling at Mo Xiuyao, who was watching her intently. "You’re free today? Not busy in the study? Didn’t the Emperor summon you to the palace this morning?" Since their return from the Southern Border, both had been swamped with work. The Emperor seemed erratic, summoning Mo Xiuyao daily for discussions, even though he hadn’t formally resumed court attendance.

"There was nothing important. His Majesty just enjoys consulting his ministers lately," Mo Xiuyao replied lightly, pulling Ye Li to the table and gesturing for her to eat. Seeing all her favorite dishes laid out, Ye Li gave him a grateful smile. Though not particularly hungry, the thoughtfulness of having a meal prepared for her upon returning home warmed her heart.

"The Emperor plans to entrust the entire Northern Rong marriage alliance affair to me," Mo Xiuyao said once she had nearly finished eating.

"To you?" Ye Li frowned, setting down her bowl after finishing the last sip of soup. Servants cleared the dishes as she looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean, 'to you'?"Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly, "It means I'll be fully responsible, including receiving the Northern Rong envoys for the marriage alliance, selecting the bride candidate, preparing the dowry, and escorting the bride."

Upon hearing this, Ye Li couldn't help but feel exasperated. "You're to receive the Northern Rong envoys and also decide on the bride candidate?" Mo Xiuyao smiled at her, "Actually, the selection of the bride candidate will be your task. So you'll likely be too busy to leave the city these next few days." Ye Li waved her hand weakly, already imagining the chaos this news would cause. Which noble family in the capital would willingly send their daughter to the barbaric lands of Northern Rong? By tomorrow, the threshold of Prince Ding's Estate would likely be worn down by those seeking favors. The worst part was she couldn't reject them all, yet choosing anyone would surely create enemies. So, was the emperor trying to make more enemies for the Ding Royal Palace?

"I don't need to go out of the city every day since someone is overseeing things there, but what are your thoughts on the marriage alliance?"

Mo Xiuyao pondered, "The emperor has subtly hinted that the eldest daughter of the Hua family is the most suitable, while the Empress Dowager prefers Princess Ronghua, though her opinion doesn't carry much weight now. Other candidates include the third daughter of the Liu family and the daughter of Marquis Shuncheng, but they're not prominent enough—the Northern Rong would likely reject them." Ye Li frowned, "So the final choice will likely be between Tianxiang and Princess Ronghua? If the emperor favors Tianxiang, why doesn't he issue the decree himself?" Mo Xiuyao chuckled, "He's currently in a bind and naturally wants us to handle the unpleasant tasks. I know you're close friends with Miss Hua, so it's fine to exclude her. Later, we can just pick one from among the royal princesses."

Everyone has their biases. Given her friendship with Hua Tianxiang, Ye Li naturally didn't want her to be chosen for the marriage alliance. Being tasked with selecting the bride left her feeling frustrated and uneasy. Handling such matters meant guilt no matter whom she chose—she'd rather face life-and-death battles on the battlefield than deal with these messy affairs. Seeing Ye Li's frown, Mo Xiuyao shook his head slightly and said calmly, "Those born into royalty and raised by the people must accept their fate, whether it's a marriage alliance or dying on the battlefield. A Li, you needn't feel guilty."

Ye Li sighed helplessly, "These royal princesses and noble ladies have all been sheltered and pampered in their boudoirs. Who knows how much suffering they'll endure if married off to Northern Rong? If this were a genuine alliance between two nations, fine—but this..." It was clearly a temporary facade, something both sides understood. The bride would be nothing more than a useless sacrifice. Without the alliance, war wouldn't break out immediately, and with it, war wouldn't necessarily be avoided. It was just that neither side was fully prepared yet. Ye Li wasn't indecisive, but she deeply despised such meaningless sacrifices.

Sensing her mood, Mo Xiuyao changed the subject with a smile, "What did you do outside the city today? You borrowed eight experts from me and mobilized people from the Mo Family Army, the Black Cloud Cavalry, and the shadow guards. What are you planning? A Li, are you really not going to tell me?"Ye Li raised her eyes with a faint smile and said, "I'm still in the experimental phase, seeing what results I can achieve in these few months. I'll let you know once there's progress. If it doesn't work out, I'll return them to you."

Mo Xiuyao thought for a moment and asked, "A Li, are you trying to train a group of people for something? The shadow guards by your side are quite well-trained. The shadow guard commander mentioned to me yesterday whether you could train some of his subordinates. I heard that in Yonglin, the two by your side managed to overpower my shadow guards?"

"It was just an ambush," Ye Li replied with a laugh.

"It's not easy to sneak up on them." As shadow guards, they were accustomed to lurking in the shadows and remaining vigilant at all times. If such individuals could still be ambushed by two people, it proved the attackers were indeed more skilled. Ye Li turned her head with a smile, "Once this batch is trained, I can assign a few to you as guards." Mo Xiuyao nodded, "I'll look forward to it. If A Li truly manages to train a group of experts, they can serve as your personal guards."

"That would be too wasteful," Ye Li shook her head with a laugh. "You'll understand their purpose when the time comes. Just don't try to poach them from me. I want them to exist openly within the military." Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows in surprise, "I thought A Li wanted them to become a covert force."

Ye Li smiled faintly, "Of course secrecy is still necessary—but what should remain hidden are their numbers, base locations, true capabilities, and detailed identities, not their achievements or their very existence. If everything goes as I envision, their presence will inevitably become known sooner or later; it simply couldn't remain concealed. I want them to be like ordinary soldiers—rewarded for merits and promoted based on ability." The Black Cloud Cavalry was easier to manage since they were a proper military unit, but the shadow guard profession was rather problematic. Except for the very few who could distinguish themselves, most shadow guards remained shadow guards for life—without legitimate identities, promotions, honors, friends, or even the chance to marry and have children. When they grew too old for the role, though the Ding Royal Palace provided for them, they were already advanced in years, their best years wasted. That there had never been traitors among the Ding Royal Palace's shadow guards could only be attributed to how heavily ancient people valued loyalty and righteousness.

Mo Xiuyao lowered his head in contemplation before saying, "A Li never treated the few around you as mere shadow guards from the start. An Yi joined the army—with his skills that rank among the best even among shadow guards, it was only a matter of time before he distinguished himself. An Si was sent to Western Liang on business, while An Er and An San, who stayed by your side, were also entrusted with handling some overt matters."

Ye Li smiled, "Their abilities and intellect are far superior to most people's. Yet they're forced to spend the greater part of their lives hidden in the shadows. I think it's a terrible waste of talent. Moreover... human hearts are unpredictable. Perhaps one day they might suddenly no longer wish to lurk in darkness? If that day ever comes, the consequences could be far worse than having no shadow guards at all. So, as long as they're willing to serve me with their capabilities, I naturally shouldn't treat them unfairly. Of course... should anyone consider betrayal, I won't show mercy either!"

Mo Xiuyao mused, "A Li makes a valid point, but... perhaps you're unaware that many noble families maintain their own covert forces. Especially personal shadow guards—since they know too many of their masters' secrets, they're controlled extremely strictly. In some families, shadow guards who learn too much are ultimately silenced."

Ye Li said, "Then is it possible... to grant shadow guards equivalent military ranks or other hierarchies, with clear rewards and punishments? After a certain period, they could be transferred to the Black Cloud Cavalry or the Mo Family Army?" Mo Xiuyao found this novel and chuckled, "How exactly is A Li envisioning this?"Ye Li said, "If the results of this training session are satisfactory, these individuals should serve until they are thirty-five years old. After that, they won't be allowed to leave but will be transferred to the Mo Family Army at the same rank. Of course, if they have other abilities or interests, they could also consider civil service or other paths. This is just an idea for now—after all, we haven’t even trained them yet, so there’s plenty of time to think it over."

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and remarked, "I see. A Li wants to pave the way for their future, is that it?"

Ye Li nodded and looked at Mo Xiuyao seriously. "I once heard a saying: 'Soldiers have already shed blood for their country; they shouldn’t have to shed tears as well.' And those retired or wounded veterans—their lives are often difficult. Though I can’t take care of everyone right now, at least I can ensure the people under my command are well settled." Because she had once been a soldier herself, though the treatment in her past life was far better than what soldiers received now. In ancient times, being a soldier wasn’t considered an honorable profession. "Good men don’t become soldiers, good iron isn’t used for nails"—many enlisted only out of necessity.

"Though I don’t know how A Li came up with these ideas, I’ll give them serious thought," Mo Xiuyao said softly, watching the pensive woman.

---Author's Note---

Honestly, I personally think the role of special forces in ancient warfare is a bit far-fetched—without high-tech weapons, they wouldn’t seem as formidable. But it does feel pretty cool, doesn’t it? A reader previously mentioned something about white feathers, which got me intrigued. As for the romance and the impending separation, don’t worry—there’s still a month or two before they part, so the relationship will definitely be settled by then. Some novels span just a month or two from start to finish, haha. Anyway, how exactly am I supposed to smoothly develop the romance between these two? Ahhh!