Mo Li

Han Mingxi sat quietly in the corner, watching the woman seated leisurely at the front, attentively listening to the opinions of the generals. Naturally, he had little to contribute to such a purely military discussion. He simply sat in silence, observing Ye Li’s delicate features adorned with a composed and serene smile as she occasionally offered her own insights and suggestions to the others’ views. Somehow, his thoughts drifted back to the distant past when he had first met Ye Li. The image of the graceful young man in men’s attire overlapped with the woman before him, who now commanded hundreds of thousands of troops with effortless ease. A sudden, indescribable ache welled up in Han Mingxi’s heart. If only back then… The thought had barely surfaced before he shook his head with a bitter smile, forcibly suppressing the absurd notion. Even if they had met earlier, Jun Wei would never have chosen him…

“Mingxi?”

Han Mingxi snapped out of his reverie, blinking as he realized the once-noisy study had fallen silent. The generals had already departed after concluding their discussions, leaving only Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin in the adjacent room, organizing the documents. Ye Li looked at him with an amused smile. “What’s on your mind? It’s rare to see you so lost in thought.” Han Mingxi chuckled lightly, giving her a once-over before asking, “The war is about to begin. You’re not the same as before—are you sure you’ll be alright?” Ye Li paused, unconsciously resting a hand on her flat abdomen as she smiled faintly. “Did Feng San tell you?” Han Mingxi nodded. “Was I not supposed to know?”

Ye Li shook her head. “It’s not a secret, but with the two armies engaged in battle, it wouldn’t be ideal if word got out. Don’t worry, I’m in excellent health. Besides, I won’t be charging into battle myself.”

Han Mingxi shot her a sidelong glance. “If you even thought about charging into battle now, Feng San would probably die of fright.” Mo Xiuyao had left Feng Zhiyao behind not just to assist Ye Li in the war but, more importantly, because Feng Zhiyao was one of the few he trusted most—his presence was largely for Ye Li’s safety. Ye Li smiled softly, sighing. “I hope this war ends soon.” Han Mingxi said, “I can’t be of much help to you, but if there’s anything you need, just say the word.”

Ye Li looked at him with a grin. “Actually, there is something I’d like your help with.” She retrieved a sealed dossier from a hidden compartment in the bookshelf behind her and handed it to Han Mingxi. “With both you and Leng Haoyu absent, I had to postpone this plan. But now that you’re here, it’s perfect. Take a look.” Han Mingxi accepted the dossier, opened it, and skimmed through its contents before lifting his gaze, his expression solemn. “Is doing all this for Mo Xiuyao really worth it?” Ye Li replied with a faint smile, “I am the Princess of the State. Our fates are intertwined—how can this be considered solely for his sake?” Han Mingxi’s expression shifted through a myriad of emotions before he finally sighed. “I understand. I’ll handle this matter well. It benefits the Han family too, doesn’t it?” Ye Li smiled gently. “Thank you for your hard work.”

“I thought we were friends.”

Ye Li chuckled. “Of course. We are most certainly friends.”In early October, Zhennan Wang personally led an army of two hundred thousand to attack Hongzhou, and the Mo Family Army also engaged in full force. The northwestern campaign had lasted nearly three months since its inception, but this time marked the first true life-and-death battle with real blades and bloodshed. It finally made the soldiers of Western Liang realize that the troops of Great Chu were not as weak and useless as they had imagined—the Mo Family Army, which had guarded Great Chu for a century, remained a sharp sword thirsting for blood. Initially, the numbers of both armies were not vastly different, but unlike the Western Mausoleum Army, which focused its assault on a single front, the Mo Family Army had to defend the entire northwest. Thus, the Western Mausoleum Army still held the numerical advantage. Slowly but steadily, they advanced, gradually closing in on Hongzhou City.

The once peaceful and tranquil Hongzhou now seemed restless under the looming storm. Many wealthy merchants and ordinary citizens fled the city with their families, seeking refuge beyond the passes. The usual liveliness and harmony of the city were gone, replaced by a heavy, oppressive atmosphere before the great battle. On the city wall, Ye Li sat quietly against the ramparts, basking in the warm early winter sun that draped over her pale blue cloak, making her drowsy. Before her lay a chessboard, and she held a black piece in her hand, deep in thought. The soldiers stationed on the wall watched from a distance, their hearts inexplicably calm and steady.

Han Mingyue stepped onto the wall and gazed silently at the woman lost in thought. Ye Li looked up and smiled at him. "Does Young Master Mingyue need something?" Han Mingyue walked over and sat across from her without a word, studying the chessboard for a long while before asking, "What are your plans?" Ye Li raised her eyes, puzzled. "What plans?" Han Mingyue frowned. "Zhennan Wang's two hundred thousand troops are approaching Hongzhou—don’t tell me you don’t know!" Seeing his rare display of frustration, Ye Li chuckled. "Rest assured, Young Master Mingyue. Even if Hongzhou falls, I will arrange for you and Miss Su to leave safely before that happens."

Han Mingyue stared at her intently. "You’ve already anticipated that Hongzhou will be breached?"Ye Li shook her head and said, "No, Hongzhou City will not fall. Hongzhou is the last stronghold in the northwest of Great Chu. Beyond it lies the vast Central Plains... and the hundreds of thousands of the Mo Family Army still engaged in battle. Even if all two hundred thousand soldiers of the Mo Family Army in the northwest perish, Hongzhou will not fall into the hands of Western Liang." Once Hongzhou was lost, it would mean exposing the backs of the hundreds of thousands of Mo Family Army troops within the pass to the Western Liang forces—the consequences would be unimaginable.

Han Mingyue raised his sword-like brows, gazing at the composed woman before him with skepticism. Though his knowledge of military strategy was limited, his expertise in analyzing intelligence allowed him to grasp certain truths. "If you don’t want Hongzhou to fall, why have you allowed the Western Liang Army to advance so far? The Mo Family Army has been wearing them down, but they haven’t fought with their full strength. Don’t try to hide it from me—though the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity has never involved itself in the wars of nations, that doesn’t mean we haven’t studied them."

The Mo Family Army’s ability to intimidate other nations wasn’t solely due to the successive generations of Prince Ding’s military genius. More importantly, it was the soldiers’ fearless courage and willingness to charge forward without regard for their lives. History was filled with records of their deeds—holding an insignificant town to the last man without retreating, or besieging a pass day and night, unwavering even as corpses piled like hills beneath the walls. The current Mo Family Army might appear valiant to outsiders, but they were far from their true potential.

Casually tossing aside the chess piece in her hand, Ye Li rested her chin on her palm and regarded the elegant man before her with a faintly mocking smile. "Is Young Master Mingyue worried about the Mo Family Army?"

Han Mingyue paused before replying coolly, "Mingxi is my younger brother. I need to know whether following Prince Ding’s Estate will give him a way out."

Clapping her hands lightly, Ye Li stood with a soft laugh. "Young Master Mingyue needn’t worry about that. I have my own calculations."

Han Mingyue’s voice turned icy. "I don’t see any evidence of your so-called calculations. The Mo Family Army clearly has the ability to stop the Western Liang Army before they reach Hongzhou..."

"No." Ye Li shook her head, meeting his gaze solemnly. "The Mo Family Army does have the strength to temporarily halt these two hundred thousand Western Liang troops. But... only temporarily. Young Master Mingyue should know that while Western Liang’s current invasion force numbers around five hundred thousand, their total military strength exceeds one and a half million. The people of Western Liang are fierce and hardy—they can conscript new soldiers with minimal training and raise another million in a short time. By then... even if the Mo Family Army fought one against ten, they wouldn’t be able to hold them back. Moreover... the Western Liang soldiers are not weak. In recent battles, at best, two of our men have only been able to take down three of theirs."

Han Mingyue frowned. "If that’s the case, then letting them into Hongzhou is like inviting a wolf into your home."

The smile on Ye Li’s lips was faint and cold, like frost on a winter morning. "For now, Zhennan Wang won’t be sending reinforcements to the northwest anytime soon."

Han Mingyue arched a brow."Now the whole world knows... the commander of the Mo Family Army in the northwest is me, a woman not yet eighteen. If Zhennan Wang still insists on mobilizing additional troops from Western Liang to aid him... even if he wins, his lifelong reputation will be utterly ruined." A God of War from Western Liang who has fought for decades, and a teenage girl who has never set foot on a battlefield. With both armies equal in numbers, if Zhennan Wang still seeks reinforcements, it would be tantamount to admitting to the world that Lei Zhenting is not only inferior to Mo Liufang but even to Mo Liufang's daughter-in-law. From then on, the title of Zhennan Wang would likely become a laughingstock.

"What do you plan to..."

Ye Li's smile gradually faded as she turned her gaze toward the distant wilderness, replying calmly, "I want all two hundred thousand troops of Western Liang to remain in the northwest!"

Han Mingyue's heart shuddered. He clearly sensed the undisguised bloodlust and ruthlessness in Ye Li's words.

"You want to annihilate all two hundred thousand troops of Western Liang in the northwest! You... how dare you even think of such a thing..." For the first time in his life, Han Mingyue distinctly felt his voice trembling. To speak of wiping out an entire army of two hundred thousand—such words were hardly something a woman who had never seen battle should utter. No... perhaps it was precisely because she had never been to war that she could speak so boldly. Leaning against the city wall, Ye Li looked at him and smiled, "Why wouldn’t I dare? After days of continuous fighting, at most a hundred thousand of Western Liang’s troops will reach Hongzhou City. This city... will become their final resting place."

Han Mingyue shivered involuntarily, yet an inexplicable fire surged in his chest. Staring intently at Ye Li, he said, "Now I finally understand why Xiu Yao chose you."

Ye Li arched an eyebrow, smiling as she watched him. Han Mingyue spoke with a hint of nostalgia, "I still remember back then... when Xiu Yao first went to battle, he was only thirteen or fourteen. He said that given three or four years, he could pacify Nanzhao and secure peace in the southern regions of Great Chu for a century... What a pity..." Hearing this, Ye Li seemed in good spirits and laughed, "That’s why I am Princess Ding... As for Zhennan Wang, after hiding for so long, this consort is rather looking forward to this battle."