Mo Li

Mo Jingli learned of Zhennan Wang's unusual movements at the first moment. Even if Mo Jingli were foolish, he would still remember that Jiangnan was his true foundation for survival. Moreover, Mo Jingli was never truly incompetent—he was simply not as clever as some others. Thus, upon receiving news of Zhennan Wang's actions, Mo Jingli, in his capacity as the regent, immediately ordered Murong Shen, who was leading troops northward, to do everything possible to block Zhennan Wang's advance south.

Murong Shen had originally marched north because the northern forces had been utterly crushed by Zhennan Wang. Since he was already seeking to settle scores with Lei Zhenting, he didn’t care where the confrontation took place. Upon receiving Mo Jingli's command, he promptly redirected his army, originally bound for the north, toward the southeast in an attempt to intercept the Western Mausoleum Army.

Despite these preparations, Mo Jingli remained uneasy. Secretly, he ordered his trusted aides to prepare for relocating the capital southward, completely disregarding the lives of the soldiers still fighting against the Northern Border and Northern Rong. However, his actions did not go unnoticed. Soon, a secret letter was dispatched toward Zijing Pass in the northeast of Chu Jing.

At Zijing Pass, the increasingly grueling battles over the past month had left Leng Huai visibly aged and gaunt. The Northern Border Army seemed to sense that Great Chu was at its last gasp, launching ever more frenzied attacks after Northern Rong breached the pass. Leng Huai had reason to believe that Northern Rong and the Northern Border had long been colluding in secret.

Yet, the supplies and provisions sent from Chu Jing to Zijing Pass dwindled day by day. Since the new emperor ascended the throne, this month’s provisions had already been delayed by ten days. If another ten days passed without supplies, Great Chu would collapse without the Northern Border even needing to attack.

"Father, what did you call me for?" Leng Haoyu, summoned abruptly to the study, looked at his deeply troubled father with an air of careless ease, as if entirely unable to comprehend the source of his father’s worries. His nonchalant demeanor only stoked Leng Huai’s anger.

At some point, this son had begun presenting himself before him with an attitude that suggested nothing mattered—as if the sky could fall and someone else would bear the weight. Though Leng Huai now knew that Leng Haoyu was not the frivolous wastrel he had once seemed, seeing him like this still provoked his temper.

"What kind of attitude is that, grinning like a fool?" Leng Huai growled.

Leng Haoyu curled his lip. Was he supposed to mimic Leng Da, wearing a perpetually sour expression as if owed millions in unpaid silver? Rolling his eyes, he replied, "Father, what’s the matter? I still have to take Ting'er out for some fun."

A vein throbbed in Leng Huai’s forehead. "Fun? At a time like this, you have the leisure to amuse yourself with your wife? What’s wrong with her? If you’re ignorant, shouldn’t she at least have some sense? Always fooling around!"Being criticized himself was something Leng Haoyu had always been indifferent to, but when it came to his beloved wife, that was another matter entirely. Leng Haoyu said unhappily, "What's wrong with my wife? She can manage the household, bear children, accompany me in business, and even join me on the battlefield. Even if she's not as good as Princess Ding, she's certainly not lacking. Can your wife do all that? Can your eldest daughter-in-law?" By the end, Leng Haoyu was gradually becoming smug again, as if he truly believed his wife was exceptionally remarkable.

Leng Huai couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth, sighing helplessly, "I didn’t call you here to listen to you brag about your wife!"

"Am I bragging? I'm just stating facts, alright?" Leng Haoyu muttered under his breath, grumbling inwardly, Wasn’t it you who brought it up in the first place? Why not just get to the point earlier? "If there’s something, Father, just say it directly."

Leng Huai frowned and said gravely, "What exactly is happening in the capital? Don’t tell me you don’t know—I’m aware you have other sources of information." Leng Haoyu couldn’t help but grin at him, tilting his head as he asked, "Then, Father, do you know where this source of mine comes from? Are you really going to use it? And if you do, what will you repay me with?"

"This..." Leng Huai was momentarily speechless. Although Leng Haoyu had never explicitly said anything, after months of interaction, Leng Haoyu hadn’t deliberately hidden things from him either. He had more or less guessed what his son had been up to all these years. While part of him was shocked and angered by his son’s audacity and recklessness, another part—as a father—felt a sense of pride and relief that his son had achieved so much without relying on the family’s support. Leng Haoyu wasn’t in a hurry either, smiling leisurely as he waited for his father to make a decision.

After a long pause, Leng Huai glared at him, half-annoyed and half-embarrassed, "You’re my son. As your father, do I need to pay just to ask you for information?"

Leng Haoyu raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a teasing expression but not pressing further. He shrugged and said, "Actually, it’s nothing much. Zhennan Wang’s route back to Western Liang was cut off by Prince Ding. Now he plans to abandon his homeland and seize Prince Li’s territory in the south. Of course, Prince Li isn’t willing to give up his land so easily, so he’s secretly preparing to return to the south. To do that, he’ll have to move a lot of resources—even troops—back south. How could he spare any effort for your little Zijing Pass? After all, Prince Li isn’t the emperor. If he loses the capital, he still has the prosperous lands of the south. It’s no real loss to him."

"What?" Leng Haoyu spoke casually, but Leng Huai’s face turned ashen. "How is that possible? Doesn’t Prince Li realize that if the capital falls, most of Great Chu will be lost?"

Leng Haoyu arched a brow. "If you don’t believe me, why ask? Even if Prince Li doesn’t give up, so what? The Northern Rong have already breached the pass. It won’t be long before they reach Chu Jing. By then, do you really think your Zijing Pass can hold out? If he waits until then to retreat, Mo Jingli might not even be able to keep his foothold in the south. Of course, he’d leave first. Once in the south, he won’t need to act as regent. If the young emperor is killed by the Northern Rong or the northern border, he can directly ascend the throne as emperor."

Leng Huai was left speechless. Though Leng Haoyu’s words were crude and unrefined, they undoubtedly hit the mark. But how could he willingly abandon Zijing Pass, which he had defended for so long—especially knowing full well the consequences of doing so? The thought was unbearable."Then why did you come? Prince Ding must have sent you here with some plan in mind, right? Or does Prince Ding truly intend to stand by and watch Great Chu fall?" At this point, Leng Huai no longer avoided addressing Leng Haoyu's identity.

Leng Haoyu's expression darkened instantly as he sneered, "Why did I come? Who told you to throw yourself onto the battlefield at your age, not caring if you live or die? I came to see if I’d need to collect your corpse—or Leng Qingyu’s. As for Prince Ding, give it up. Right now, he’s in Western Liang. Even if he changed his mind, he wouldn’t sprout wings to fly back here." Regardless of what Mo Xiuyao had in mind, Leng Haoyu’s presence here was undeniably because he feared his old man might recklessly get himself killed on the battlefield. To think the other party wouldn’t even acknowledge his concern—no wonder Leng Haoyu looked so displeased.

Leng Huai also realized his earlier words had been too harsh in his agitation and didn’t mind Leng Haoyu’s sharp retort. He sighed as he looked at his scowling son and said, "Fine. In a few days, take Ting'er and hurry back to the capital." Leng Haoyu raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

Leng Huai snapped impatiently, "You said it yourself—Zijing Pass can’t be held. Your elder brother and I are generals of Great Chu. Dying on the battlefield is our duty. Do you really need to join in this mess? Leave while the situation is still manageable. As for the Leng family… if you have the ability, look after them." Even though he was loyal to Great Chu and the royal family, he hadn’t truly intended to sacrifice all his sons. Leng Haoyu wasn’t even a subject of Great Chu, so Leng Huai had no qualms about telling him to leave.

But Leng Haoyu wasn’t having it. He rolled his eyes and said, "Take care of your own wife, sons, and grandsons." I didn’t beg Wang Ye to rush all the way to Zijing Pass just to collect your corpse, he grumbled silently in his heart.

Leng Huai assumed he still held a grudge against the Leng family and shook his head helplessly. "Very well. Everyone has their own fate. Do as you wish."

Leng Haoyu frowned and asked, "Have you never considered retreat? Are you really planning to let hundreds of thousands of soldiers die here with you?" Leng Huai gave a bitter smile. "Retreat? To where? Behind us lies Chu Jing. Even if we retreat, where can the common people go? I’ve never fought any earth-shattering battles in my life, but I’ve also never been a coward who abandoned a city." Leng Haoyu could only roll his eyes again and wave his hand. "Fine, I won’t interfere with you, and you don’t interfere with me. I’ll leave when it’s time." If it comes down to it, I’ll just knock the old man out and haul him to the northwest. Though he found his father irritating, he wasn’t about to send him to an early grave. Besides, Wang Ye still wanted a capable general. Hmm… just past fifty—still young enough to lead troops for a few more years!

Leng Huai felt distinctly uncomfortable under his son’s strange, scrutinizing gaze but couldn’t guess what he was thinking. He could only wave him off dismissively.Meanwhile, at Zijing Pass, Leng Huai was holding his ground, temporarily halting the advance of the northern army. The situation elsewhere, however, was far less favorable. Most of the Northern Rong forces were cavalry, and the harsh climate beyond the pass had forged them into warriors far more ferocious than the people of Great Chu within the borders. Even their warhorses were considered the finest among all nations. Among neighboring states, only the Black Cloud Cavalry of the Mo Family Army could rival the Northern Rong in cavalry strength, but their numbers were far fewer. Moreover, the Black Cloud Cavalry excelled in long-distance raids, striking swiftly and retreating immediately. In a direct confrontation, they might not necessarily prevail against the Northern Rong forces. Thus, the devastation that would follow the entry of hundreds of thousands of Northern Rong cavalry into the pass was all too easy to imagine.

The Northern Rong people differed slightly from the northern borderlanders. While most northern borderlanders were indeed uncivilized barbarians, Ren Qining—or rather, Lin Yuan—was a Central Plains native who had gathered many capable individuals from the region under his command. He knew his goal was to rule the Central Plains, not to destroy it. Therefore, though the northern army could not be said to have left no trace of harm in their wake, they at least refrained from large-scale massacres. The Northern Rong, however, were entirely different. As a nomadic people, they invaded the Central Plains with the intent to seize its fertile lands and abundant resources for themselves. Naturally, they showed no mercy to the people of Great Chu, who originally possessed these riches. Wherever the Northern Rong passed, the land was left in utter desolation, rivers of blood flowing in their wake. Seventy to eighty percent of the common people along their path perished.

In the Prince Regent's residence in Chu Jing, the atmosphere was heavy with tension. Duke Hua glared furiously at the composed Mo Jingli before him. His wish to defend the border had ultimately gone unfulfilled—not because Mo Jingli doubted his capabilities, but because, like Mo Jingqi, he distrusted Duke Hua. Though no one spoke of it openly, Mo Jingli had his suspicions about the whereabouts of the missing Empress. He had every reason to believe the Duke Hua's household had already secured an escape route for themselves. What worried him was the possibility that Duke Hua might lead Great Chu's troops to defect to the northwest.

"Wang Ye, the Northern Rong army has already breached the pass, and the northern forces are pressing at our borders. Why do you still refuse to dispatch provisions to General Leng?!" Duke Hua demanded sharply.

A flicker of surprise crossed Mo Jingli's eyes as he replied calmly, "The old Duke is remarkably well-informed."

Duke Hua snorted lightly and said indifferently, "After a lifetime of military service, I still have a few old comrades in the army." Though the Hua and Leng families had never been on the best terms, Leng Huai had once served under Duke Hua when he first joined the battlefield. Thus, Duke Hua's inquiry was not entirely out of place.

Mo Jingli, of course, did not believe Duke Hua's words, though he showed no sign of it. He merely remarked coolly, "The old Duke should know that ever since the Mo Family Army severed ties with Great Chu, the north… was bound to fall sooner or later." Speaking of this, Mo Jingli was not without regret. Even though he was not yet emperor, he was the de facto ruler of Great Chu. No leader wished to see their territory invaded, yet the reality left him no choice but to acknowledge the inevitable.

Duke Hua sneered. "Without provisions or reinforcements, of course it cannot be held. I know Prince Li's power base lies in the south. No wonder you're so anxious now that the Prince Regent of Western Liang is leading his troops southward.""Duke Hua!" A flash of anger crossed Mo Jingli's face as he said sternly, "Duke Hua, please choose your words carefully."

Duke Hua stood his ground without retreating. "Is what I said incorrect? Wang Ye has withheld provisions from Leng Huai and refused reinforcements to the north—is this not a sign of your intention to move south?" Mo Jingli's eyes flickered with embarrassment before he retorted angrily, "The south has always been more important than the north. If Jiangnan falls to Lei Zhenting, the north won't be able to hold out either. What then, when we're caught between enemies from both sides? All of this is Mo Xiuyao's fault! If he hadn't attacked Western Liang and blocked Lei Zhenting's retreat, why would Lei Zhenting turn his attention to Jiangnan?"

Hearing this, Duke Hua regarded Mo Jingli with a faint, almost paternal gaze, as if looking at a petulant child. Mo Jingli himself realized he was being unreasonable—Prince Ding's Estate had already made it clear they severed ties with Great Chu. Whether Mo Xiuyao attacked Western Liang or cut off Lei Zhenting's retreat, it was all for his own interests. Whose interests were harmed in the process was no longer Mo Xiuyao's concern. As a ruler, one would never prioritize others' interests over their own. Moreover, if Great Chu had been more capable, they could have allied with Prince Ding's Estate to trap Lei Zhenting. That Lei Zhenting's forces swept south unopposed was a testament to their own incompetence. Yet Mo Jingli couldn't help but resent Mo Xiuyao—without him, none of these troubles would have arisen.

Collecting himself, Mo Jingli had no intention of continuing the debate over right and wrong with Duke Hua. Most of the elder statesmen in court stubbornly favored Prince Ding's Estate, and even now, when the estate had abandoned Great Chu and brought immense disaster, these men still spoke in Mo Xiuyao's defense. This situation filled Mo Jingli with envy, resentment, and helplessness.

"Duke Hua, it's rare for you to visit my estate. Surely you didn't come just to discuss this matter?" Mo Jingli adopted a composed expression as he asked.

Duke Hua gave him a sidelong glance. At this critical juncture, if he hadn't come to discuss military provisions, did Mo Jingli think he was here for tea?

Mo Jingli continued, "In truth, these matters need not trouble you, Duke. The court officials will handle them—unless you believe all the ministers are useless fools?" Duke Hua scoffed. Over the years, Mo Jingli had learned nothing except how to speak in bureaucratic platitudes. The court officials were indeed not fools, yet none had resolved the border crisis. Instead, many were like Prince Li, secretly preparing to move south with their belongings. Fixing Mo Jingli with a grave look, Duke Hua said, "Since Northern Rong breached the pass, they've slaughtered civilians unchecked. The lands they've seized are now scenes of devastation and despair—has Wang Ye heard of this?"

Mo Jingli paused before nodding. "I have heard some reports. However... rumors tend to exaggerate. You're overthinking it, Duke."Duke Hua laughed in extreme anger, "Rumors? Inaccuracies? Whether it's mere rumor or not, I doubt Your Highness Prince Li is unaware. South of Chu Jing lies an open plain—may I ask where exactly Prince Li intends to retreat to? Beyond the Cloud Ripple River? Indeed, the Northern Rong cavalry are poor at naval warfare—a fine idea. But I must ask, Your Highness, where does that leave the tens of millions of commoners in Great Chu's northern territories?" Seeing Mo Jingli remain silent, Duke Hua's aged face twisted with sorrow as he fixed a pained gaze upon him. "Prince Li, those slaughtered commoners are all subjects of Great Chu, all your Mo family's people!"

Mo Jingli's expression darkened as he glared at Duke Hua. "Is Duke Hua accusing this prince?"

With a bitter, mournful smile, Duke Hua replied, "How could this old man dare accuse the Regent Prince? I merely recall a saying from the late Regent Prince Mo Liufang—'He who wins the people's hearts wins the realm!' Your Highness treats your subjects as disposable objects—how can you expect their loyalty? When Regent Prince Mo Liufang first took power, Great Chu's situation was hardly better than it is now—"

"Enough!" Mo Jingli cut him off harshly. Duke Hua's earnest admonitions sounded more like mockery to his ears. Coldly eyeing the elderly man, Mo Jingli sneered, "This prince may lack the capabilities of Mo Liufang or Mo Xiuyao—so what? Shall I summon Mo Xiuyao back for you, or perhaps directly petition His Majesty to abdicate in his favor?" Duke Hua trembled with rage at these words. If the late emperor could still be considered a cunning warlord, then Mo Jingli and his brother Mo Jingqi were truly aberrations of the Mo lineage. Even now, faced with such dire circumstances, they refused to reflect on their own failures, instead shifting blame onto others. With descendants like these, had Great Chu truly... reached the end of its destiny?

Duke Hua took several deep breaths to calm his fury before rising to his feet. "Very well. Since Prince Li refuses to heed this old man's words, I shall trouble you no further. I request that Your Highness promptly allocate provisions and reinforcements to support the northern borders against the Northern Rong."

Though Duke Hua swallowed his anger, Mo Jingli's rage remained unabated. He regarded the duke coldly. "Duke Hua, if I recall correctly, you retired from office long ago. Whether provisions are allocated, whether reinforcements are sent, and when—these are matters for this prince to decide. You should return to your residence and rest. In a few days, we may all be relocating southward. Should anything unfortunate befall your health during the journey, this prince would find it difficult to explain to the Hua family."

"This old man will not leave the capital," Duke Hua declared solemnly.

Mo Jingli paid no heed—whether Duke Hua stayed or left was not his decision to make. Though the duke hadn't commanded troops for years, he still had numerous old comrades in the military. Mo Jingli absolutely would not allow him to remain in the capital. Rather than let Mo Xiuyao benefit, he'd sooner surrender Chu Jing to the Northern Rong and the northern rebels!

As for Duke Hua's wishes—they held no weight in Mo Jingli's considerations. If the duke proved truly uncooperative, he wouldn't hesitate to use force."Prince Li!" How could Duke Hua fail to see through Mo Jingli's intentions? Not only his plans, but even his thoughts were transparent to the duke. This realization only deepened his sorrow. With such temperament, Mo Jingli was unfit to rule—not just in these turbulent times, but even in an era of peace. Collecting himself, Duke Hua declared solemnly, "This old man will never leave the capital. If Prince Ding insists, he may try carrying my corpse out of the city!"

Mo Jingli frowned in displeasure. Though he found Duke Hua utterly disagreeable, the duke was the last surviving elder statesman who had served four dynasties in the capital. He dared not push the old man to his death. Moreover, persuading the other venerable officials to agree to relocate the capital was no small matter—if Duke Hua openly opposed it, many would refuse. With a furrowed brow, he said, "Duke, I act for your own good. At your advanced age, why not retire peacefully to the south? As for Chu Jing... we shall return one day."

Duke Hua scoffed. "Retire peacefully? How can I sleep soundly when nightmares of the wailing innocent dead haunt me? This old bones have lived long enough—I swear to stand with Chu Jing to the end!"

Mo Jingli rose in anger, studying the duke coldly before finally snapping, "I will not spare you a single soldier!" With that, he stormed out in a fury.

Left sitting in the flower hall, Duke Hua was stunned for a long moment before finally raising his head with a long sigh: "Fools! How could Great Chu have such fools..." A trail of bitter tears slid down his aged, deeply wrinkled face. Gazing at the resplendent, gilded splendor of the Regent's mansion around him, he could only rise slowly and hobble his way out.

Great Chu... was finished...