Mo Li

Early October

After days of relentless and uninterrupted fierce attacks, the Western Mausoleum Army once again stormed into Xinyang City with overwhelming momentum, more than a month later. However, this time, they were not greeted by scattered treasures, stockpiles of grain and military supplies, or even panicked civilians. What lay before them was a completely empty city. Apart from the sounds they themselves made, the entire city was eerily silent. Every household had long been abandoned, and not a single grain of food could be found in the vacant homes. All shops had either been emptied or destroyed on the spot, and even the wells in the city had been filled with debris, requiring considerable effort to make them usable again.

The vanguard commander, riding on horseback, stared grimly at the desolate city before him.

"General, there’s not a single person left in the city!" a scout reported upon returning.

"Damn it!" the vanguard commander roared in fury, though it was unclear whether he was cursing the Chu soldiers or himself. After a few more curses, he had no choice but to send someone to report to Zhennan Wang, who was still outside the city.

"What is that?" the commander frowned, pointing at a dark, inconspicuous object in a street corner. A soldier standing before his horse quickly went to investigate and returned moments later with a puzzled expression. "Reporting, General. It appears to be some tung oil and petroleum. Likely left behind when the Eastern Chu people fled."

The commander’s frown deepened, sensing something amiss. Upon closer inspection, he noticed similar traces in many other places, and the air seemed thick with the strong scent of alcohol. Earlier, when they had just entered the city, the smell had been dismissed due to the numerous taverns lining the streets. But now, even outside the taverns, the stench was overpowering.

Before he could ponder further, a window in a building along the street suddenly swung open from the inside. A black-clad man coldly glanced down at the soldiers below, swiftly drew his bow, fired an arrow, and vanished from the window—all in the blink of an eye. By the time the soldiers reacted and shot arrows toward the window, the man was already gone.

"Fire!" someone suddenly screamed. Flames erupted from both sides of the street, spreading with terrifying speed.

"It’s an ambush! Retreat!"

At the same time, chaos erupted once more in Xinyang. "The city gates are on fire too!" A deafening explosion echoed from the gates, followed by towering flames that lit up the sky. Even from their position in the city, the soldiers could clearly see the crimson glow on the horizon, a testament to the inferno’s intensity.

"Quick! Put out the fire!" The Western Mausoleum Army descended into disarray.

Extinguishing the flames was no easy task. Western Liang was already arid and water-scarce, and the few remaining wells had either been sealed or filled. The only liquid readily available in the city at that moment was alcohol. As if by design, large quantities of it had been left outside taverns, some even placed openly on the streets. A single careless move—a shattered jar—would only fuel the flames further.

What should have been a triumphant victory march through Xinyang had instead become a city engulfed in fire, its streets filled with cries of agony.On the mountain peak several miles from Xinyang City, Ye Li gazed at the distant city, now engulfed in a sea of flames, and sighed softly, "Xinyang is lost." Qin Feng stood behind her, draping a thin cloak over her shoulders as he said, "Your Highness need not worry. Most of Xinyang's structures are made of earth and stone. Even if a majority of the buildings burn down, rebuilding them won’t be too difficult. Moreover, in this battle, we’ve managed to eliminate at least fifty thousand Western Liang troops without losing a single soldier. Rather than leaving Xinyang for the Western Liang people to occupy, it’s better to burn it down." Ye Li smiled faintly, adjusting her cloak before turning away. "Let’s go. After this battle, Zhennan Wang’s fury will likely be immense. We should hurry to Hongzhou."

"Yes, Your Highness."

As Qin Feng had said, Xinyang City was indeed mostly constructed of earth and stone, which were not ideal fuels. Yet despite this, the fire raged for an entire day and night. The city gates were blocked by the inferno, trapping those inside and preventing anyone from entering. By the time the flames finally began to subside on the second day, allowing the army outside to enter, nearly everyone in the city had perished. Those who hadn’t been burned alive had long since suffocated from the thick smoke. The once grand and majestic Xinyang now lay in charred ruins, exuding an air of deathly stillness.

Zhennan Wang’s expression as he stepped into Xinyang could no longer be described as merely gloomy—it was downright sinister. Surveying the wreckage before him—the collapsed walls, the lingering smoke in the streets, and the nauseating stench in the air—his face twisted with malice. Through gritted teeth, he spat out, "Ye Li..." The generals who had entered with him trembled in fear, careful not to say or do anything that might further provoke the enraged prince. After a long silence, Zhennan Wang suddenly threw his head back and laughed wildly. "Excellent! To think that after more than a decade, I would meet a worthy opponent! Mo Liufang, your fine daughter-in-law! Ye Li... I swear I will capture you alive, or I am no man! Hear my command: whoever captures the Princess of the State alive shall be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and the title of a thousand-household marquis!" At these words, everyone present was stunned. Such a bounty was nearly on par with those once offered for the heads of past Kings Ding. Zhennan Wang swept a cold glance across the ruins and sneered. "Leave a garrison to hold Xinyang. The rest of the army will march to Hongzhou!"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Hongzhou City

Hongzhou was neither the largest nor the most fortified city in the northwest, but due to its geographical position, the Western Mausoleum Army had been repeatedly blocked by the Mo Family Army and had never managed to approach the city. Though war raged across the northwest, the merchants and citizens of Hongzhou remained relatively at ease. Their city stood on the only route from the northwest into the Central Plains; even if Hongzhou fell to the Western Liang forces, they could still flee into the heartland. Moreover, with conflicts erupting in other regions of Chu, fewer refugees were heading their way.

"Your humble servant, Sun Xingzhi, Governor of the Northwest, along with the officials and merchants of Hongzhou, welcome the Princess of the State." At the city gates, the prefect of Hongzhou led a delegation of officials to greet Ye Li and her party.Feng Zhiyao glanced at the middle-aged man before him, who was all smiles. This man belonged to the faction loyal to the emperor and had fled from Xinyang to Hongzhou as soon as the war broke out. He had consistently ignored the Mo Family Army stationed near Hongzhou, even going so far as to deliberately delay the delivery of provisions that were rightfully theirs. Yet, he now had the audacity to stand at the city gates to welcome the Princess Consort—truly bold.

Ye Li wore a simple, unadorned green dress, devoid of the opulence and trailing hems typical of noblewomen in the Chu capital. Yet, despite its plain and unassuming style, it commanded respect and forbade any hint of disrespect. Assisted by Zhuo Jing as she dismounted, Ye Li regarded the two rows of people bowing deferentially before her with a composed expression and nodded slightly. "Governor Sun, there’s no need for formalities."

Sun Xingzhi stepped forward, his tone ingratiating. "The journey must have been arduous for the Princess Consort. Please, enter the city and rest with some tea. This evening, I shall host a banquet in your honor."

Ye Li arched a delicate brow. So eager to assert his authority as host?

"I’m afraid I must decline your kind offer, Governor Sun. The Western Mausoleum Army is wreaking havoc within Hongzhou. Do you have a solution to this crisis?"

Sun Xingzhi forced a smile. "With the Mo Family Army here, how could the Western Liang dare act so brazenly? This humble official, like the people of Hongzhou, is entirely at ease—completely at ease!"

At his side, Feng Zhiyao’s sharp brows lifted as he sneered. "Does Governor Sun’s definition of 'the people of Hongzhou' refer only to those within the city walls? If I recall correctly, you are the Governor of the Northwest, not merely the Prefect of Hongzhou. Moreover… your words just now implied that the Western Liang’s rampage across the northwest is the fault of the Mo Family Army?"

Sun Xingzhi’s face stiffened, but he quickly plastered on another smile. "This official wouldn’t dare."

Wouldn’t dare —not isn’t so . Feng Zhiyao snorted and ignored him.

The atmosphere grew awkward until a timid-looking middle-aged man behind Sun Xingzhi hastily stepped forward. "This… this humble official, Qi Anrong, Prefect of Hongzhou, greets the Princess Consort."

Ye Li nodded. "Prefect Qi, I’ve heard that the provisions Hongzhou was supposed to supply to the Mo Family Army have been delayed. What is the reason for this?"

Qi Anrong shot a furtive glance at Sun Xingzhi before stammering, "This… Forgive me, Princess Consort. The northwest has suffered widespread plundering by the Western Liang, and Hongzhou has been hit especially hard. Thus… thus the provisions were delayed by a few days. I beg your forgiveness…"

Ye Li smiled faintly. "I see. Then Prefect Qi has had a difficult time."

At her words, even in the coolness of October, Qi Anrong wiped sweat from his brow. His eyes, shadowed from excessive indulgence in wine and pleasure, trembled slightly as he repeatedly bowed. "I wouldn’t dare… wouldn’t dare…"

Zhuo Jing cast a cold look at the assembled officials. "Will you make way, or do you expect the Princess Consort to rest outside the city?"

Qi Anrong hastily retreated, clearing a path. "Princess Consort, please… please…"

Just as Ye Li was about to step forward into the city, the voice of Sun Xingzhi, who had been left aside, rang out from behind.

"Princess Consort, wait!"Ye Li turned around and regarded Sun Xingzhi calmly. Her delicate brows arched slightly as she waited with a faint smile for him to continue. Sun Xingzhi glanced around, swallowed hard, then puffed out his chest and declared, "Naturally, the officials and citizens of Hongzhou welcome Your Highness's visit. However, the Mo Family Army cannot enter the city with you!"

A smile played at the corners of Ye Li's lips. "And why is that?" she asked.

Sun Xingzhi straightened his expression and replied, "Such a large force entering the city would inevitably cause chaos. I urge Your Highness to reconsider. Moreover, according to the laws of Great Chu, no city may garrison more than fifty thousand soldiers. The troops you've brought... surely number over a hundred thousand?" Seeming to grow more confident in his argument, his voice rose in volume.

Ye Li remained unruffled, her gaze steady on the smug middle-aged man before her.

When she didn’t respond, Sun Xingzhi grew even more pleased with himself. The caution he had initially shown faded by more than half as he grinned and asked, "Your Highness, does this official not speak reason?"

A coldly beautiful smile bloomed on Ye Li’s lips. Oblivious, the triumphant Sun Xingzhi failed to notice the attendants behind her quietly stepping back, as if to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

"Lord Sun," Ye Li’s voice was soft yet icy, "are you aware that I recently set Xinyang ablaze?"

A shiver ran down Sun Xingzhi’s spine. His grin froze stiffly on his face as he stared dumbfounded at the suddenly chilling woman before him. "Y-Your Highness..."

"If I dared burn Xinyang," she continued, her tone razor-sharp, "I have no qualms about executing a few more useless officials."