Mo Li

Outside an inconspicuous mansion in the western part of Bian City, a middle-aged man in military attire knocked on the tightly shut gate. Before long, someone came to answer—a young servant boy peeked out and, upon seeing the visitor, froze momentarily before asking, "May I ask... whom is this general seeking?"

Lei Tengfeng clasped his hands with a smile. "I am Lei Tengfeng, here to pay respects to General Jingtian. I humbly request an audience."

Unexpectedly, the servant's expression darkened. "What General Jingtian? There's no such person in our household. You've come to the wrong place!" Without waiting for Lei Tengfeng's reaction, he withdrew his head and slammed the door shut with a loud bang. Staring at the abruptly closed gate, Lei Tengfeng could only rub his nose with a bitter smile. His father, the Zhennan Wang, and several senior generals had deep-seated grievances. His father, a renowned general in his own right, had never needed the support of these three generals. In fact, their influence at court had hindered his father's power, leading to irreparable rifts. That Zhu Yan merely shut the door without setting dogs on him was already a stroke of luck in Lei Tengfeng's eyes.

While Lei Tengfeng could accept such treatment, the officers and attendants behind him could not. They were all men personally trained and promoted by the Zhennan Wang, their loyalty to the Zhennan Wang's estate surpassing even their allegiance to the Western Liang court. Though they had heard of the famed reputations of the three great generals, these were now just aging men on the brink of death. Moreover, no matter how illustrious their past victories, hadn't they all been defeated by their own prince? What right did they have to act so arrogantly?

"Young Master, allow me to break down the door!" one of the officers behind Lei Tengfeng declared.

Lei Tengfeng waved his hand dismissively. "Stand down. Do not be discourteous!"

After waiting outside for a while longer with no further movement from within, Lei Tengfeng gathered his inner energy and called out clearly, "This junior, Lei Tengfeng of the Zhennan Wang's estate, seeks an audience with Elder General Zhu!"

Inside the Zhu residence, two white-haired old men sat in the main hall, locked in a game of chess. Lei Tengfeng's voice, infused with inner energy, reached their ears effortlessly. The elder dressed in a deep blue robe embroidered with auspicious characters stroked his beard with a kindly smile, resembling more a benevolent immortal than a battle-hardened general. "Lei Zhenting was arrogant all his life, but this son of his... still falls somewhat short."

The other elder was gaunt but sharp-eyed, clad in plain white coarse cloth. Were it not for those piercing eyes, he might have passed for an ordinary old man from the countryside. "They say a tiger father does not beget a dog son, but when the father is too formidable, the son often struggles to escape his shadow. How many can match the likes of Prince Ding's estate? Besides, had it not been for the successive deaths of Mo Liufang and Mo Xiuwen within just a few years, dealing a heavy blow to Prince Ding's estate, Mo Xiuyao might never have achieved his current brilliance—perhaps remaining merely a distinguished general." Yet now, Prince Ding's charisma and prestige had surpassed even those of his father and elder brother, eclipsing all ancestors since Mo Lanyun.

The blue-robed elder sighed. "Well said. The sharpest swords are forged through grinding, and the sweetest plum blossoms emerge from bitter cold. Lei Zhenting's son, in the end, has simply not been tempered enough."The white-robed elder chuckled, "This lad... compared to Lei Zhenting, he does have a bit more tolerance." Over the past few decades, it wasn't just the Great Chu and the Ding Royal Palace that suffered various blows. After the death of Emperor Xuanwen, when Lei Zhenting seized power, he also ruthlessly purged dissidents, executing or exiling numerous renowned ministers and generals. If Emperor Xuanwen had lived another twenty years, Western Liang today would undoubtedly be in a completely different situation. Unfortunately, despite Emperor Xuanwen's lifetime of wisdom, he chose a son with a weak nature to succeed him. More critically, he left behind another son, Lei Zhenting, who surpassed the emperor in every way. How could Western Liang not descend into chaos?

"Tolerance?" The blue-robed elder set down a chess piece and said calmly, "For now, we can only consider him pragmatic. With his minimal battlefield experience, thinking he can stop Mo Xiuyao is nothing short of a pipe dream."

At this point, both elders fell silent. They had left the battlefield over twenty years ago and were now old. Whether they could halt the advance of the Mo Family Army, let alone Lei Tengfeng, was still an open question.

"Mo Liufang not only had a good son but also a remarkable daughter-in-law. I heard the Princess Ding is accompanying the army on this campaign?" the blue-robed elder remarked lightly. The two veteran generals, seasoned in warfare, would never underestimate the Princess Ding, who had once defeated Lei Zhenting. A woman capable of defeating—almost annihilating—her opponent despite being outnumbered was certainly not someone to be taken lightly.

"Perhaps this time, we'll have the chance to meet this legendary heroine."

"General Zhu! Bian City is in imminent peril. For the sake of Western Liang's safety, I implore you to set aside past grievances and grant me an audience!" Lei Tengfeng's voice echoed from outside once more.

The blue-robed elder, General Zhu Yan of Jingtian, couldn't help but smile. "This lad is truly unflappable."

Longyang also chuckled. "If you don't see him, he probably won't leave. Besides... can we really stand by and watch Bian City fall?"

"Very well, invite him in."

Lei Tengfeng left his men outside and followed the servant alone into the Zhu residence. He trusted that despite Zhu Yan's deep-seated grievances with his father, the general wouldn't harm him now. Entering alone was also a gesture of sincerity to the old generals.

Upon stepping into the hall, he saw two white-haired elders seated and sipping tea. Lei Tengfeng was startled. He had been around ten years old when the three generals were stripped of their military authority. Coming from the imperial family, he had been precocious and still retained some impression of these generals.

"Your junior, Lei Tengfeng, pays his respects to General Zhu and General Long."

Longyang looked at him with a faint smile. "We dare not accept such honors, Prince Rui, the Zhennan Wang Shizi. We are but common folk now, unworthy of titles like 'general.'" Lei Tengfeng gave a helpless, bitter smile and raised his gaze to meet Longyang's eyes sincerely.

"As a junior, I dare not comment on past grievances. But now, with the Mo Family Army invading and besieging Bian City, Western Liang is in crisis. I beg you both, for the sake of my late grandfather, to offer me some guidance.""The late emperor's face?" Longyang sneered. "When Lei Zhenting was eliminating dissidents, did he ever consider the late emperor's face? Feng Ao remains missing to this day—did Lei Zhenting ever think about how those people were the pillars of Western Liang, the late emperor's loyal subjects?"

Lei Tengfeng was at a loss for words. He had no rebuttal to Longyang's accusations. Their stances were different. Even if Teng Feng didn't fully agree with his father's actions, he had to admit that those ruthless measures had been absolutely necessary for the rise of Zhennan Wang's estate. Without purging those ministers loyal to the late emperor and the current emperor, Zhennan Wang's estate would never have achieved its current dominance. But in the eyes of these old ministers, his father's actions were no different from sowing chaos and ruining the state. The only saving grace was that Western Liang had remained strong under his father's rule over the years—otherwise, even without the Mo Family Army's invasion, these old ministers would have risen up in revolt.

With a helpless, bitter smile, he said, "Now that Bian City is in imminent danger, I must ask for the assistance of you two veteran generals."

Zhu Yan remained silent, while Longyang only snorted coldly. But Lei Tengfeng understood that they had agreed, and he couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

The next day, the Mo Family Army's siege was no longer as smooth as it had been in previous days. The defending Western Liang soldiers seemed to have suddenly regained their senses. Facing the bloodthirsty Mo Family Army, they no longer showed the initial panic and fear. The defenses on the city walls were tight and orderly, making Bian City seem as impenetrable as an iron fortress. The siege lasted the entire morning, yet Bian City's defenses showed no signs of weakening. This inevitably caused some frustration among the Mo Family Army's generals, who had enjoyed smooth sailing since the campaign began. To make matters worse, neither their Wang Ye nor Wang Fei appeared on the battlefield. It wasn't until nearly afternoon that the Mo Family Army, having made no progress, finally sounded the retreat.

Inside the main tent, Mo Xiuyao looked quite pleased as he observed the disheveled and downcast generals below him. There was no trace of displeasure or anger over the unfavorable battle. "Well, generals? How was today's battle? Easy?"

Several young officers couldn't help but blush—they had been the most vocal in their boasts the day before. Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly. "No need to be embarrassed. This prince won't blame you. If a few inexperienced young men like you could easily capture Bian City, then Longyang and Zhu Yan would have no right to call themselves two of Western Liang's three great generals. Though they're old now, remember—ginger and cinnamon grow more pungent with age."

The young officers exchanged glances before one stepped forward to report, "Your Highness, Bian City is completely different from the other cities we've attacked. Not only are its walls sturdy and easy to defend, but its soldiers are also unlike any we've faced before. The defenders of Bian City are clearly more valiant and composed. We underestimated the enemy—this is the true combat strength of Western Liang's army."

Mo Xiuyao nodded in satisfaction. "Good that you understand. No need to rush... I'll give you three more days. Can you breach Bian City's gates?"The young officers hesitated. They were all carefully trained young commanders of the Mo Family Army. Though they lacked much battlefield experience, once they set aside their previous arrogance, they could still clearly assess their own positions and abilities. Naturally, they were pleased that the Prince had entrusted them with such important tasks, but now, being asked to firmly declare they could capture Bian City within three days still gave them pause.

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow. "What? Yesterday you were clamoring to flatten Bian City, and today, after just one battle, your courage has already failed you?"

"No! We can do it!" The young officers flushed and responded loudly.

"We accept the command!"

Mo Xiuyao leaned back in his chair, satisfied, and nodded with a smile. "Good. In three days... I want to see the gates of Bian City opened. Also... the task of attacking the city is yours. General Lü and the others have other important matters... they’re no longer in camp." The group was stunned, only now realizing that the older, more experienced commanders were all gone. Almost everyone left in the tent was under thirty. What were they supposed to do? They couldn’t even find someone to ask for advice.

After the dazed young officers had all withdrawn, Ye Li, who had been reading quietly to the side, looked up and asked, "Are these young men really up to it?"

Zhuo Jing and Qin Feng, standing nearby, exchanged glances and couldn’t help but lower their heads to hide their smiles. Every time Wang Fei referred to these young commanders, it was particularly amusing. While these young officers could indeed be called "young" in any context, most of them were still two years older than Wang Fei. Especially since she appeared even younger than her actual age, a woman in her twenties referring to a group of men in their twenties as "young men" always struck people as oddly comical.

Mo Xiuyao replied lazily, "A famed sword must be tempered a thousand times before it takes shape. They’re still too green—a little more hardship won’t hurt them."

"But isn’t this hardship a bit too much?" Not just for these young men—even Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao had been studying Bian City’s defenses. Even Mo Xiuyao himself couldn’t claim that a direct assault would open the city gates. Besides, such a war of attrition wasn’t suitable for their limited forces, deep in Western Liang’s heartland.

Mo Xiuyao remained indifferent. "Ah... once they endure this trial, they’ll be able to withstand most hardships in the future." The pressure from Western Liang’s two renowned generals would certainly be enough—and it would also let him see whether those two had grown rusty with age.Thus, the Mo Family Army, led by a few young generals, began their daily assaults on Bian City. However, the city's impenetrable defenses remained completely unshaken. By the second day, the defending troops on the city walls even stopped responding to the provocations below. As long as no one attacked the gates or attempted to scale the walls, the defenders mostly went about their business as usual. Faced with this situation, the young commanders clearly sensed a disdainful attitude from the enemy—they weren’t afraid but simply couldn’t be bothered to engage. This was intolerable for the hot-blooded young officers, who then took turns hurling insults beneath the city walls, even cursing the ancestors of Longyang and Zhu Yan up to eight generations back. Watching from the rear, Mo Xiuyao laughed so hard he nearly doubled over.

Meanwhile, inside Bian City, the two veteran generals were equally amused. "Haha... These youngsters are quite entertaining. I like them!" they chuckled.

While they enjoyed the spectacle, others were far less pleased. Even Lei Tengfeng couldn’t help but voice his anxiety: "Generals Long and Zhu, are we really going to ignore this? Let them keep hurling insults like this?" Longyang replied coolly, "A few insults won’t strip the flesh from your bones, nor is it your saliva being wasted. Why the urgency?"

But those brats are being downright vulgar! The other officers silently thought.

"Won’t letting them act so brazenly damage our army’s morale?" Lei Tengfeng pressed, frowning. Zhu Yan sneered, "If a few insults can shake morale, what’s the point of fighting? Besides, if they insult you, can’t you insult them back?"

The others were speechless. They were here to fight a war, not engage in a battle of words.

Longyang shook his head with a sigh and asked, "What do you think of the Mo Family Army’s combat strength?"

Lei Tengfeng frowned, puzzled. "The Mo Family Army is indeed fierce, but... not as formidable as the legends claim. Their commanders seem competent, but not exceptionally so. Could they be hiding their true strength to lull us into complacency?" Longyang countered, "These past few days, the attacks have been led by young officers under thirty. What have the Mo Family Army’s main commanders been doing? Hiding in their tents, sleeping in?"

Hearing this, Lei Tengfeng grew even more uneasy. He had indeed noticed that the recent assaults were led by unfamiliar young faces. Not only had Mo Xiuyao been absent, but even well-known figures like Lyu Jinxian and Feng Zhiyao hadn’t shown themselves. "What are they planning? Generals, please enlighten me."

Longyang and Zhu Yan sighed. "Find out as soon as possible whether Mo Xiuyao and Lyu Jinxian are still in the Mo Family Army’s camp!" Even they couldn’t fathom Mo Xiuyao’s intentions. It was impossible that Mo Xiuyao had the luxury of a prolonged stalemate. Even if the Mo Family Army had won consecutive battles, they were still deep in Western Liang territory. If the conflict dragged on, not only would Lei Zhenting return with reinforcements, but troops from other regions would gradually arrive as well. By then, the Mo Family Army would find themselves encircled by a million-strong Western Mausoleum Army.Therefore, the Mo Family Army absolutely could not afford to delay. As for any other shortcuts, they were equally impossible. Leaving others aside, Zhu Yan had lived in Bian City for over twenty years—no one knew the surrounding terrain better than him. The area around Bian City was flat and open, with a moat encircling the city walls. There was no alternative but to launch a direct assault, and bypassing Bian City was out of the question. Situated on the crucial east-west thoroughfare, if the Mo Family Army attempted to circumvent it without capturing the city, their supply lines would remain perpetually vulnerable to disruption.

Lei Tengfeng felt a chill in his heart and quickly responded, "Understood. I will have someone investigate immediately."

Waving his hand to dismiss the others, Zhu Yan sighed wearily. "Old... I'm getting old..." Longyang looked at him and smiled. "Well? How does Mo Xiuyao compare to Mo Liufang?" Zhu Yan shook his head. "Hard to say. At the very least, Mo Xiuyao is far more adept at concealing his intentions than his father was. Back then, I could at least guess half of Mo Liufang's thoughts, but now... I truly can't fathom what Mo Xiuyao is planning. Truly, one can't help but admit the toll of age." His words carried a tinge of desolation. A general's white hair and fading vigor—was there anything more sorrowful in this world?

Hearing this, Longyang also grew somber. If this had been the Longyang of his youth, he would never have idled here in conversation. The former "God of Slaughter from the Western Regions" had always excelled in taking the initiative, not passively defending a city. But now... could they even mount a warhorse anymore?

"Old Long... can we... hold Bian City?" Zhu Yan gazed beyond the battlements, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. There, a dark sea of banners fluttered ominously, exuding an oppressive aura. Below the city gates, the young challengers, though inexperienced, brimmed with a vitality and fighting spirit that he and his comrades no longer possessed. Were they not adversaries, he might have admired such an elite force. For the first time in his life, Zhu Yan voiced uncertainty.

Longyang smiled faintly. "Live with loyalty, die fulfilling duty. We'll do our best. Zhu Yan, this is the first time I've heard you sound so unsure."

Zhu Yan shook his head with a bitter smile. "Perhaps it's been too long since I last set foot on the battlefield. No matter... To cross swords with the descendants of Prince Ding's Estate in my remaining years is enough to satisfy a lifetime."

"Don't sound so defeated. Don't think I don't know you still have an elite force hidden away. Even if Bian City falls, those men will give the Mo Family Army a bitter fight." Longyang glanced at him coolly. After being stripped of his military authority, Zhu Yan had neither retreated to the wilderness like him nor vanished like Feng Ao. Instead, he had chosen to settle in the bustling Bian City, even enduring surveillance from Zhennan Wang's Estate—all because he still commanded a secret elite force unknown to others. Even Zhennan Wang was unaware of it, but Longyang, who had once been as close to Emperor Xuan as Zhu Yan, knew. He had been present when Emperor Xuan entrusted this force to Zhu Yan. Its primary purpose had always been to guard against Prince Ding's Estate. The late emperor's foresight was admirable in every aspect—except for his failure to choose a worthy successor.

Zhu Yan froze, his graying brows gradually furrowing. Suddenly, his voice turned grave. "We're in trouble!"

"What is it?" Longyang asked, puzzled.Zhu Yan said, "Prince Ding's Estate must already know about the existence of that elite force!"

"How could that be?" Longyang's face darkened as well. This elite force was arguably Western Liang's most secretive military unit. Even Zhennan Wang, who constantly monitored Zhu Yan, was unaware of it—how could Prince Ding's Estate have found out? Zhu Yan closed his eyes and said, "The Mo Family Army's attack on Western Liang was no spur-of-the-moment decision. I fear Mo Xiuyao had it all planned out long ago. If he had already made up his mind, why wouldn’t he send people to investigate in secret?"

"You mean..."

"Six years ago, both you and I thought Prince Ding would attack Western Liang, but in the end, nothing happened."

Longyang's expression changed. "Are you saying that from that moment on, Mo Xiuyao had already been scheming how to take Western Liang? He stopped back then only because he wasn’t ready?"

Zhu Yan nodded and sighed. "Now, he is ready. Even Lei Tengfeng didn’t know you were in Bian City before he arrived, but did you hear what those young men just said? They even cursed you by name. That means they’ve known about your presence in Bian City for a while."

The wrinkles on Longyang’s face paled further. "Mo Xiuyao never intended to attack Bian City now. Surrounding it was just a ploy to eliminate your elite force first!"

"Clearly so."

"Then what now..."

Zhu Yan shook his head. "Now, neither of us can get out. We can only leave it to fate."

The room fell into silence for a moment. Suddenly, Longyang slammed his palm on the table with a loud bang and roared, "Fate be damned! If I had relied on fate in all my years of battle, my bones would have turned to dust long ago! Mo Xiuyao wants to trap us first? Let’s see if those brats can hold anyone back! I refuse to believe… that he can make forty thousand troops fight like a million!" The Mo Family Army, no matter how elite, only had forty thousand soldiers. Bian City currently had fifty thousand troops, plus another hundred thousand elite soldiers hidden in the shadows—far outnumbering the Mo Family Army. If they still ended up trapped in Bian City under these circumstances, they might as well slit their own throats and be done with it!

A sharp glint flashed in Zhu Yan’s eyes. "You’re right. Someone, summon Zhennan Wang Shizi at once!"