Mo Li

"I dared to burn down Xinyang—what’s two more useless officials to kill?"

The moment these words were spoken, the welcoming crowd shuddered, their heads snapping up to stare at the green-robed woman before them. Though her features were delicate, her expression was as cold as frost, and the palpable killing intent radiating from her sent a chill down their spines. Any trace of condescension they had harbored vanished in an instant. Sun Xingzhi’s face paled, then quickly flushed red. News of Xinyang had not yet reached them; they had only just received word of Ye Li’s arrival and hastily arranged this reception at the city gates. Though shocked to hear that Xinyang had been burned, Sun Xingzhi refused to lose face before the assembled officials and merchants of Hongzhou. After all, he was the highest-ranking official appointed by the court to oversee the northwest.

His expression shifting slightly, Sun Xingzhi retorted, "Princess Ding! Xinyang is the largest city in the northwest! How dare you burn it down without consulting this official? Do you even regard the court and His Majesty?"

Ye Li smiled faintly. "Consult? I would have liked to consult someone. But... I wonder where Lord Sun was at the time?"

"This..." Sun Xingzhi’s eyes darted nervously before he straightened and declared, "This official is the governor of the northwest. Naturally, I cannot remain stationed in Xinyang at all times."

Ye Li sneered. "Yet I heard Lord Sun left Xinyang the day before it fell. Do you know how many commoners were slaughtered when the city was breached?"

"This..." Before he could respond, Ye Li continued, "Less than one in ten of Xinyang’s citizens survived. Tens of thousands perished. As the governor responsible for the northwest, you should share the joys and sorrows of its people. Since they are dead—why do you still live?"

Her words left Sun Xingzhi’s face alternating between green and white. Finally sensing the icy killing intent emanating from the Mo Family Army officers behind Ye Li, he shuddered and dared not speak further. Qi Anrong hurried forward to intervene. "Princess, please calm your anger. Might you first enter the city and rest..." Ye Li cast him a cool glance, silencing him instantly before striding through the city gates.

Zhuo Jing, trailing behind Ye Li, stopped before Qi Anrong and said coldly, "All officials should return to their duties. Her Highness has no time for a welcoming banquet." Without waiting for Qi Anrong’s reaction, he turned and followed Ye Li into the city.

Qi Anrong stood frozen for a moment before looking helplessly at Sun Xingzhi. "Lord Sun, this..."

Sun Xingzhi snorted. "The northwest still belongs to His Majesty!" With a flick of his sleeve, he too entered the city.

Once inside, the sight of Hongzhou left the Mo Family Army generals seething. Though the city was not exactly reveling in luxury, the lax city defenses and complacent soldiers made it impossible to believe this was an army and a city bracing for an imminent enemy invasion. The scattered defenses and utterly unguarded troops and officers darkened the expressions of the generals behind Ye Li. That Hongzhou had not yet fallen to Western Liang was sheer luck.

Before they could even reach the governor’s residence, Ye Li’s icy voice cut through the air. "Bring me the commander of Hongzhou’s defenses."

"As you command."Upon entering the governor's mansion, a crowd of maids and servants immediately came forward to greet them. Leading the group were several elegantly dressed noblewomen accompanied by similarly adorned young ladies, who stepped forward to pay their respects. "We humbly welcome the Princess of the State..." Ye Li casually glanced at them, recognizing from the rank of the leading noblewoman's attire that these were the families of Sun Xingzhi and Qi Anrong. Sun Xingzhi's official residence was originally in Xinyang, but since fleeing to Hongzhou with his wife and children, he had been temporarily staying in the governor's mansion.

With a hint of annoyance at the sight of the ostentatiously dressed women, Ye Li waved her hand dismissively. "Take them away!" she ordered, then strode past the stunned group straight toward the main hall.

The efficiency of the Mo Family Army was beyond question. By the time Ye Li and her party reached the main hall, the defending general of Xinyang had already been brought to the entrance. Ye Li noted that this man had not been among those who greeted them outside the city gates earlier.

Stepping into the hall, Ye Li took her seat behind the desk. Sun Xingzhi and Qi Anrong followed shortly after. Seeing Ye Li seated in the place of authority, Sun Xingzhi's expression darkened. "Princess, as a guest, how can you overstep your bounds and treat the host with such disrespect?"

Ye Li frowned, growing increasingly irritated with this reckless man. Did he truly believe that being Mo Jingqi's subordinate would shield him from consequences?

"Governor Sun, if you have nothing urgent to discuss, please take a seat for now. I will attend to you after handling official matters."

Sun Xingzhi retorted indignantly, "As a woman, the Princess should confine herself to managing the affairs of Ding Royal Palace. What right do you have to preside over official business and even arrest General Wang?"

"What right?" Ye Li smirked coldly. "The right comes from my current position as the highest commander of the Mo Family Army in the northwest."

Sun Xingzhi's eyes widened in disbelief. "What nonsense! How could the commander of the Mo Family Army be a woman? Even if you are the Princess of the State... you have no authority to dictate matters in Hongzhou!"

Tired of his obstinacy, Ye Li signaled to Qin Feng with a glance. Understanding her intent, Qin Feng gestured, and two guards stepped forward, seizing Sun Xingzhi and forcing him into a chair. As a scholar, Sun Xingzhi was no match for the two young, robust guards and could only glare furiously while immobilized.

Ye Li took a sip of tea, smiling faintly. "Governor Sun, if you insist on disrupting my proceedings, do not blame me for disrespecting an esteemed court official."

Sun Xingzhi gritted his teeth. "I will surely report this to His Majesty and denounce Ding Royal Palace!"

"As you wish." In the current circumstances, what difference would such a report make?

Ye Li then turned her attention to the restrained military officer beside him. "General Wang? Wang Duo, the defending general of Hongzhou? What is your relation to Consort Wang in the palace?"

After struggling fruitlessly, Wang Duo lifted his head defiantly. "Consort Wang is my cousin. What is the meaning of this, Princess? Release me at once! Do not forget that I am the defending general of Hongzhou!"

Ye Li flipped through the documents on the desk before tossing one down, landing it right in front of Wang Duo. "From this moment onward, you are no longer the defending general of Hongzhou. See for yourself."Wang Duo did not pick up the dossier from the ground but instead fumed with anger, "What does the Princess Consort mean by this? My military rank was personally conferred by His Majesty and the imperial court. Does the Princess Consort think it can be revoked with just a single word from you?" Ye Li smiled faintly and raised a jade pendant in her hand, asking, "Then does this have the authority to revoke it? By the late Emperor Taizu's decree, during times of war and crisis, the holder of the Ding Royal Palace's Yazi Jade Pendant can command all generals of Chu below the rank of Grand General. Or are you saying, General Wang, that you are not a general of Chu?"

"This..." Wang Duo was well aware of the late Emperor Taizu's decree. Although loyalist generals might not truly comply with it now, unless the current emperor explicitly abolished the decree, they could at most feign compliance but absolutely could not openly defy it.

Ye Li withdrew the jade pendant and said to Feng Zhiyao, "Feng San, the defense of Hongzhou is now in your hands." Feng Zhiyao glanced at the dazed Wang Duo with a cheerful smile and nodded, "This general obeys the order. I will immediately reorganize Hongzhou's defenses." With that, he waved his hand and led several officers out of the hall. Only after Feng Zhiyao and the others had left did Ye Li turn her gaze back to Wang Duo and the others, smiling gently. "Well then, General Wang and Lord Sun, if you have anything to say, you may speak freely now." Wang Duo said resentfully, "The troops in Hongzhou will not obey the command of a general who doesn't even have an official imperial rank!" He was referring to Feng Zhiyao. Although Feng Zhiyao was widely recognized as Xiu Yao's right-hand man in the Mo Family Army, he was indeed the only general without an official rank. Ye Li replied with a smile, "Whether he can command them is Feng San's concern, and there's no need for General Wang to worry about it." Wang Duo snorted lightly and fell silent.

Ye Li tilted her head to look at Sun Xingzhi, who was sitting to the side, and asked, "Lord Sun, do you have something to say?"

Sun Xingzhi sneered, "With the Princess Consort displaying such authority, how would this humble official dare to speak?" Ye Li pursed her lips and smiled, "Since you don't dare to speak, then there's no need to say anything. Lord Sun may rest easy in Hongzhou. Once the war is over, I will personally arrange for your return to the capital. If, unfortunately... Hongzhou falls, I will also grant Lord Sun the opportunity to share the fate of Hongzhou." At these words, Sun Xingzhi's face twisted with rage, and he ground his teeth as he said, "Many thanks to the Princess Consort!"

After seeing off Sun Xingzhi and Wang Duo, only Qi Anrong remained in the hall, looking at the woman on the seat with trepidation. He forced an ingratiating smile and said, "Princess Consort..."

Ye Li looked at him with a faintly mocking smile and said, "Lord Qi, you have truly lived quite comfortably as the Prefect of Hongzhou. Not only I, but even His Highness the King must envy you greatly."

"I wouldn't dare... I wouldn't dare..." Qi Anrong replied with a flattering smile. Ye Li flipped through the dossier in her hands and remarked, "Six years in office, a fortune worth millions. One wife, twelve concubines, four sons, and six daughters... No wonder I've heard the saying, 'Three years as a clean prefect earns a hundred thousand taels of silver.' Lord Qi, you must earn far more than that in a single year, don't you?""Princess Consort... This humble official, this humble official..." Qi Anrong kept wiping the sweat from his forehead. Ye Li casually set aside the dossier and smiled, "Lord Qi need not be nervous. This consort has no interest in your properties, wives, concubines, or children." Hearing this, Qi Anrong's eyes lit up as he looked at Ye Li expectantly. Ye Li lowered her gaze and said calmly, "With the impending battle against Western Liang, Hongzhou City..." Qi Anrong quickly caught on and said, "Assisting the Princess Consort in resisting the Western Liang bandits is this humble official's duty. Please feel free to give your orders." Ye Li looked up, raising an eyebrow with a smile, "Will this not trouble Lord Qi too much?"

Qi Anrong laughed, "How could it? As long as Hongzhou remains safe, it benefits everyone, does it not? Please, Princess Consort, give your orders without hesitation."

Ye Li nodded in satisfaction, "Very well. Since Lord Qi is accommodating, this consort will not make things difficult for you either. Just ensure Hongzhou City is well managed. The rest, this consort will handle."

"This humble official understands. I will not disappoint the Princess Consort."

"Good. Lord Qi may take your leave now."

After seeing Qi Anrong off, Zhuo Jing watched the retreating figure with disdain and said, "Princess Consort, are we really letting this Qi Anrong off so easily?" Ye Li's smile turned cold, "Let him off? That depends on whether he knows his place. We've just arrived in Hongzhou—it wouldn't do to offend everyone at once."

"This subordinate understands."