After Mo Xiuyao said a few words of encouragement, he dismissed everyone except Qin Feng and Lin Han. Once the group returned to the study and settled in, Ye Li turned to Lin Han and asked, "How was the journey to Northern Rong?"
Lin Han replied respectfully, "Everything went smoothly. Please rest assured, Princess of the State."
Ye Li nodded and glanced at Mo Xiuyao. "What about Ronghua Princess…?"
Mo Xiuyao said softly, "Though Ronghua Princess can be willful, she is no fool. Don’t worry, A Li—she won’t cause trouble."
Ye Li sighed lightly. "That’s good. Otherwise, this trip would have been a huge loss."
Qin Feng stood silently to the side, listening to their conversation. Since the Princess and the King did not avoid speaking in front of him, it meant they trusted him. He had personally participated in training the first batch of Qilin members and was familiar with every one of them. Naturally, he knew exactly which eight Lin Han had taken and who had returned.
Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li with a smile. "I never interfered with your affairs before, but after this trip to Northern Rong, I’ve come to realize that A Li is not only capable of managing the royal household and commanding the battlefield but also excels in training soldiers."
Had he not seen it with his own eyes, even Mo Xiuyao would have found it hard to believe such an army and soldiers could exist. It wasn’t that their martial skills were unparalleled or that they were exceptionally fierce in battle—what astonished him was their precise mastery of various battlefield techniques. Mo Xiuyao even wondered how terrifying it would be if an entire army like this were to emerge.
Ye Li glanced at him. "These training methods are too costly in terms of manpower and resources, and the requirements for the soldiers themselves are extremely high. Their practical impact on large-scale battlefields is minimal—it’s hardly worth the effort."
Though no one had been eliminated during this first round of training, it was only because these individuals were already the elite of the elite, and many had been screened out during selection. More importantly, this was Ye Li’s first attempt in this era to train the kind of warriors she envisioned. Due to differences in equipment and combat styles between the two eras, this could only be considered an experiment. It was hard to say whether these men truly met her standards.
Mo Xiuyao gazed at her without blinking, still smiling. "Do you have any suggestions, A Li?"
Ye Li blinked and stared at him silently for a long moment before murmuring, "Give me some time to think."
Mo Xiuyao didn’t mind. As long as the goal was achieved, that was enough. If A Li had no interest in these matters, he would have been content to let her remain a leisurely Princess of the State. But since she had both the interest and the ability, he had no intention of stifling her brilliance.
After dealing with Mo Xiuyao, Ye Li turned to Qin Feng. "From today onward, you will be the commander of Qilin. These men are now under your charge."
Qin Feng nodded. "This subordinate will not betray your trust, Princess."
Ye Li replied, "Good. Devote more effort to them. Remember—you are not a conventional large-scale army. There’s no need for you to engage in direct, face-to-face combat on the battlefield. Understood?"Qin Feng raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "This subordinate does not understand. We are no weaker than ordinary soldiers." Having mastered exceptional skills yet being unable to charge into battle was indeed frustrating. Could it be that the princess consort only wanted to use them as scouts to gather intelligence? Thinking this, Qin Feng felt somewhat disheartened.
Ye Li arched her delicate brows and replied calmly, "You are indeed not weaker than ordinary soldiers. In fact, you are many times stronger than them. But... can fifty of you hold off a hundred enemies each amidst thousands on the battlefield?"
Qin Feng fell silent. In the chaos of war, blades and arrows knew no distinction—it was not as simple as determining strength in a training ground duel. Sometimes, luck played just as crucial a role; survival alone marked the strong. No matter how skilled or agile one was, a volley of random arrows could turn anyone into a pincushion.
Ye Li looked at him and continued, "You cannot hold off a hundred each, yet the resources spent training each of you are a hundred times that of an ordinary soldier. Therefore, the battlefield you face must also be different. It may lack the grandeur of a frontal assault, but it will undoubtedly be far more harrowing. Small-scale, high-intensity combat is your domain. As I’ve said before—tracking, infiltration, reconnaissance behind enemy lines, hostage rescue, sabotage, intelligence theft, abduction, assassination—anything ordinary soldiers cannot do, you must accomplish. That is your purpose. Understood?"
After a moment of contemplation, Qin Feng nodded. "This subordinate understands."
"Good. Upon returning to the capital, the second phase of special training will begin immediately. I will provide you with the methods and curriculum later. This time, you will oversee it entirely. My requirement is that within five years, the Qilin must number one thousand."
Qin Feng was overjoyed. Though his subordinates were all elites, a mere fifty men seemed pitifully inadequate. Imagining himself leading a force of a thousand elites, he felt the thrill would be no less than commanding an army of thousands. He promptly responded in a clear voice, "This subordinate obeys! The mission will be accomplished!"
"Excellent. You may withdraw."
After dismissing Qin Feng and Lin Han, Mo Xiuyao gazed at Ye Li’s radiant expression and chuckled. "This prince now understands why A Li looked down upon the shadow guards of the Ding Royal Palace. Compared to the men you’ve trained, they truly fall far short. I, too, am beginning to anticipate the day your envisioned force takes shape."
Ye Li shot him a glance. "Your Highness should not speak carelessly. I never looked down on the shadow guards." Many among them possessed remarkable skills—at most, she had merely felt the Ding Royal Palace was wasting their talents.
Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze in thought before saying, "Since A Li intends to expand the Qilin’s numbers, upon returning to the capital, have all the shadow guards undergo the Qilin’s special training. Henceforth, the shadow guard system in the Ding Royal Palace shall be abolished."
"Is that appropriate?" Ye Li was somewhat concerned by his swift decision, especially when recalling the sardonic shadow guard commander. If Mo Hua learned of this decree, he’d probably want to devour her whole.Mo Xiuyao played with her hair, smiling. "What's wrong with that? If there's a more effective method, why not use it?" Ye Li said, "Aren't shadow guards specifically meant to protect the masters of Prince Ding's Estate?" Mo Xiuyao chuckled, "Didn’t you also say that protection is one of the Qilin's tasks? And they performed exceptionally well during the Northern Rong mission." Indeed, they had done remarkably well. The people Ye Li trained were skilled in combat, eloquent, adept at acting and feigning ignorance, masters of disguise, poison, and intelligence gathering—truly capable of anything. Ye Li gave him a speechless look. So that was his plan all along.
"Your Highness is quite the schemer," Ye Li retorted, shooting him an annoyed glance. To Mo Xiuyao, however, that glance was a coquettish, alluring tease that stirred his heart. In one swift motion, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
Their lips and tongues entwined, leaving Ye Li breathless. Mo Xiuyao’s wandering hands only deepened her blush and weakened her limbs. Since returning from Northern Rong, Mo Xiuyao had noticeably changed in many ways. While these changes often brought Ye Li joy, they could also be overwhelming at times. "Mmm... you bastard, Mo Xiuyao... can’t you... control yourself?" Mo Xiuyao chuckled softly, his cool lips trailing along her slender neck, his warm breath making her flush even harder. Damn him! Ye Li’s clear eyes flashed as she raised a hand to strike him, but Mo Xiuyao, anticipating her move, caught her wrist and gently caressed it. "A Li, wouldn’t you feel bad if you hurt me?"
Ye Li rolled her eyes skyward before reaching up to touch Mo Xiuyao’s forehead. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "No fever," she remarked dryly. "Yet you’re dreaming in broad daylight." Mo Xiuyao paused, then burst into laughter against her shoulder. When he finally lifted his head, his voice was tender. "A Li, you’re so cruel. Even if you don’t care about me, your husband still worries your hand might hurt." Ye Li sighed, unaccustomed to Mo Xiuyao’s sudden sappiness. Before, he had occasionally teased her with terms like "wife" and "your husband," but since their return, he had become noticeably more clingy. Sitting in his embrace, she asked softly, "Xiu Yao, what’s wrong?" Mo Xiuyao blinked. "What do you mean? Do you dislike your husband?"
Ye Li gazed at him calmly, and the smile on Mo Xiuyao’s face gradually faded. He pulled her close again, taking a deep breath before murmuring, "A Li... I’m a little scared..."
Her heart trembled. Though Mo Xiuyao always carried himself with grace and refinement, Ye Li knew well what a proud man he was. Unless he was truly overwhelmed, he would never show vulnerability in front of anyone—no, even if he were overwhelmed, he would never reveal it to outsiders.
"What’s wrong?""When I heard about the bloody battle at the Ding Royal Palace in the capital while I was in Northern Rong... When I learned you had to maneuver between Mo Jingqi and those insatiable nobles while also leading troops to war. I regretted... I regretted..." He regretted why he had agreed to Mo Jingqi's request to go to Northern Rong—had he refused, Mo Jingqi wouldn't have dared force him. He even... regretted why he hadn't killed those people sooner. Every time he thought about the possibility of losing her, the overwhelming fear and murderous rage that surged within him made him want to destroy everything and everyone in sight. "A Li... Thank goodness you're alright..."
Ye Li had never considered herself a soft-hearted person, but now her heart had melted into something as tender as cotton. This strong and powerful man had become so fragile and fearful because of her, and Ye Li had never been more certain of this realization than at this moment. Gently wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she spoke softly but firmly, "It won't happen. As long as I live, I'll always be by your side." Mo Xiuyao lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers. "Really?" Ye Li replied, "As long as you don't leave, I won't abandon you." This was the most sincere vow she could voice. Ye Li had long understood that Mo Xiuyao had already done more than enough for her. She also knew she couldn't bear to see this man suffer.
"Never leave nor abandon..." Mo Xiuyao murmured softly. He liked these words. The thought of spending his entire life with A Li, never parting or forsaking each other, filled him with deep joy. As for anyone who dared stand in their way—he would make sure they paid the price they deserved!
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Sweet enough for you? More to come...
OpenNovel