After seeing off the Ye family entourage, Qin Feng asked, "Wang Fei, why bother being so courteous to them?" Qin Feng had started following Ye Li relatively late and wasn’t entirely familiar with the past relationship between Ye Li and the Ye family. However, he could tell that Wang Fei didn’t hold the same deep affection for them as she did for the Xu Family—there was even a hint of disdain. In Qin Feng’s view, since Wang Fei disliked the Ye family, there was no need to engage with them at all. She could simply have them thrown out.
Ye Li waved her hand dismissively and said calmly, "No matter what, the Ye family and I are still bound by blood ties. Being too ruthless would only make the world think Prince Ding’s Estate is cold and heartless. Besides, they can’t stir up any real trouble. Just send a few people to keep an eye on them discreetly. If Ye Rong dares to cause any more trouble in Li Cheng, don’t hold back—teach him a proper lesson."
Qin Feng nodded in agreement and went to arrange for people to monitor the Ye residence covertly.
Meanwhile, after returning to the Ye residence, the family was anything but peaceful. Ye Laofuren angrily accused Ye Li of being unfilial, while Ye Wangshi wept and lamented that Ye Li didn’t care for her own brother, and so on. The noise gave Ye Wenhua a splitting headache. Shen Liang glanced at the scene, then quietly pulled Ye Lin—who still wanted to speak—away and retreated to their own courtyard. In his heart, he was already planning to move out of the Ye residence in a few days to find a smaller house where he could start building his own career. If he stayed in the Ye residence for too long, he feared that even if he managed to prosper, his hard-earned wealth would eventually end up as Ye Rong’s gain.
Ye Wenhua pressed his temples and said sternly, "Enough. We’ve been in Li Cheng for so many days, and Prince Ding’s Estate hasn’t treated us poorly. Can’t you all just settle down?"
Truth be told, it wasn’t that Ye Wenhua lacked ambition—if he hadn’t been ambitious in the past, he wouldn’t have allowed Ye Wangshi to manipulate Ye Ying into seducing Mo Jingli. However, after living in the countryside for years, away from the dazzling luxuries of the capital, his once-clouded mind had gradually cleared. Over these years, Ye Wenhua had come to realize many things. Back then, if it hadn’t been for Ye Li, his daughter, his family wouldn’t have just been stripped of their titles—they might not have even survived leaving the capital.
He also reflected on how he, a poor scholar, had risen to the position of Minister in less than twenty years. While his later success had been due to his own scheming, his early advancement had undoubtedly relied on the Xu Family’s support. Without the backing of being the Xu Family’s son-in-law, how would the noble and powerful families of the capital have ever acknowledged a poor scholar like him? The more he thought about it, the more he felt remorse for his late wife and guilt toward Ye Li. Hearing of Ye Li’s accomplishments over the years, even Ye Wenhua had to admit the capability of this daughter he had once overlooked. Amidst his bitterness and regret, he also felt a faint sense of pride.The crying in the hall abruptly ceased as Ye Laofuren's face flushed with anger. She pointed at Ye Wenhua and said, "No mistreatment? Look at Prince Ding's Estate and then look at our shabby courtyard! Compare the Xu Family members to yourself—what kind of father are you? How many people in Li Cheng even respect you as the father of Princess Ding?" Ye Wangshi quickly stepped forward, adding, "The Old Madam speaks the truth. Rong'er is the Princess's only full-blooded younger brother, yet now in Li Cheng, he’s treated worse than the grandson of a mere general. I can’t even show my face outside anymore..."
"If you can’t show your face, then don’t go out!" Ye Wenhua snapped irritably. Of course, he knew what his mother meant, but did the Ye Family have the same capabilities as the Xu Family? Every one of the Xu brothers had genuine talent and ability—even the youngest, Xu Qingyan, had gone to the northwest in his teens instead of lazing around in Li Cheng. If Ye Rong truly had talent, wouldn’t Prince Ding's Estate welcome him even if he weren’t the Princess's brother?
"It’s all because of your foolish indulgence that this good-for-nothing is so spoiled!" The more Ye Wenhua thought about it, the darker his expression grew. Seeing Ye Rong sitting idly by, completely unbothered, only stoked his fury. He grabbed a nearby feather duster and swung it at Ye Rong, who yelped in surprise as it struck him. "Grandmother, save me! Mother, save me! Rong'er is going to die!" he wailed. Heartbroken, Ye Wangshi and Ye Laofuren rushed to restrain Ye Wenhua. The old woman scolded, "What are you doing? Are you trying to beat your own son to death over Ye Li, that married-off girl? Do you want the Ye Family line to end? Just kill me instead!"
Ye Wangshi clung to her son, sobbing loudly. "Husband... how cruel you are! Princess Ding is your daughter, but is Rong'er not your son too?"
Amid the chaotic wailing and Ye Rong’s smug grin, Ye Wenhua felt nothing but exhaustion. A man who had never truly stood firm against his mother or wife, he once again failed to assert himself. With a defeated sigh, he dropped the duster, turned on his heel, and retreated to his study.
Outside, Shen Liang and Ye Lin stood together, listening to the commotion. Shen Liang glanced down at his wife, his expression calm. "Look at this place. Do you still want to stay?" Ye Lin hesitated, unwilling to admit defeat. Staying here meant she remained the sixth daughter of the Ye Family, sister to Princess Ding. But leaving would reduce her to the obscure wife of a Shen Family concubine’s son—and Shen Liang would never let her flaunt her connection to the Princess. Deep down, she resented her third sister. Both were daughters of the Ye Family, yet before marriage, Ye Li hadn’t even been as respected as she was. Was fate truly so unfair just because Ye Li had a mother from the Xu Family?"Although I'm not very familiar with Princess Ding, could you have accomplished what she did? If you had married into Prince Ding's Estate back then, could you have achieved the status she has now?" Shen Liang spoke bluntly. He wasn't particularly dissatisfied with his wife. Both being from concubine lines, their discontent was understandable, but failing to recognize one's position was problematic.
Ye Lin's heart stirred—wasn't that true? Before Ye Li's marriage, hadn't she secretly gloated? Considering what Ye Li had achieved after becoming Princess Ding... Ye Lin reflected that she herself would likely have perished long ago. With these thoughts, her resentment seemed less severe. In truth, she had always known these things but refused to acknowledge them. Now that someone had pointed it out, she quickly understood. Raising her head, Ye Lin said, "I'll go with you. Let's move out." Truthfully, she was tired of enduring Wang Shi's disdain daily in the Ye household, serving Wang Shi and Ye Laofuren like a maid.
When news of the Ye family affairs reached Prince Ding's Estate, Ye Li merely smiled faintly before moving on. With the year's end approaching, even though her pregnancy meant many matters were kept from her, she remained far from idle.
Since Mo Xiuyao arrived at Flying Goose Pass, the previously deadlocked situation had shifted dramatically. The two forces besieging the pass were utterly routed. As deep winter set in, the Northern Rong troops' movements noticeably slowed. In Northern Rong territory, winter brought frozen wastelands devoid of vegetation. Though they had occupied vast northern regions of Great Chu, these areas had been ravaged over the past months. Thus, with winter's arrival, Northern Rong's supplies grew scarce. After repelling the besieging armies of Northern Rong and Western Liang, Mo Xiuyao pressed eastward toward Chu Jing without pause. Meanwhile, Murong Shen's forces had gradually approached Chu Jing, while another army of 300,000 led by He Su bypassed the capital entirely, engaging the Northern Border Army and cutting off their retreat. Though these two armies didn't directly lift the siege of Chu Jing, they significantly eased enemy pressure, giving the exhausted Great Chu defenders—who had fought relentlessly for over a month—a much-needed respite.
Meanwhile, an earth-shattering event occurred in the Northern Border. The current King of the Northern Border, Ren Qining's queen—originally a princess from a Northern Border tribe—and all her children suddenly died overnight. Strangely, the children born of his concubines remained unharmed. Though the Northern Border people were fierce warriors rather than strategists, they weren't complete fools. Soon, rumors spread through the Northern Border capital that Ren Qining had murdered his own wife. As Ren Qining wasn't native to the Northern Border and had appointed many Central Plains people after unifying the region, long-simmering tensions between Central Plains and Northern Border factions erupted violently, causing Ren Qining considerable trouble.However, just two days after Ren Qining had barely suppressed these rumors, his remaining children, wives, and concubines were also killed. This time, it seemed to be the work of the Northern Border people, but whether Ren Qining truly believed it was their doing or a frame-up, he had no choice but to suppress the matter once more. Otherwise, the conflict between the Central Plains people and the Northern Border people would erupt even more violently next time.
In the study
Ren Qining stared at the letter that had just been delivered, nearly grinding his teeth to dust. It was a black missive adorned with gold, its back painted with golden auspicious clouds and soaring dragons. The content, however, was exceedingly simple—just a few words: "Do not provoke me, and I shall not provoke you. If you provoke me, I shall repay it a thousandfold." The bold, sweeping strokes of the calligraphy exuded an unrestrained arrogance, more like an outright provocation than a mere message.
Ren Qining clenched his teeth, crumpling the letter into a ball before shredding it to pieces in an instant. "Mo Xiuyao!" The once refined and elegant face of Ren Qining was now devoid of any trace of a smile, replaced instead by endless contortion and hatred. This sudden strike from Mo Xiuyao was undoubtedly enough to pierce Ren Qining’s heart with unbearable pain. Not only his wives and concubines but all his children—four sons and five daughters—had been wiped out without exception. Ren Qining knew this was Mo Xiuyao’s retaliation for his actions against Ye Li in Western Liang. But humans are always like this—indifferent to others' suffering until it befalls them, only then finding it intolerable.
"Young Master," several men who clearly bore the appearance of Central Plains natives stood solemnly in the study, watching Ren Qining’s twisted expression with concern. They were descendants of loyalists from the previous dynasty who had served the Lin family for generations. After Ren Qining established his power in the Northern Border, he naturally placed them in key positions within the Northern Border court. Compared to the Northern Border warriors who fought tooth and nail on the battlefield, they were Ren Qining’s true confidants. Though relying on the Northern Border barbarians to rise to power left a bitter taste in their mouths—these self-proclaimed orthodox Central Plains elites—they had no choice. For a century, the Central Plains had been firmly guarded by the successive generations of Prince Ding’s Estate, leaving their ancestors unable to act. It was only when the Prince Ding’s Estate was severely weakened that they seized the opportunity to take control of the entire Northern Border. Otherwise, they would still be hiding in the shadows as a reclusive family.
Ren Qining sneered coldly. "This letter was sent by Mo Xiuyao. The people of Prince Ding’s Estate truly leave no stone unturned... What skillful tactics!"
One of the men hesitated before asking, "Was it Mo Xiuyao who orchestrated the deaths of the queen and the young princes? To annihilate an entire family... How ruthless!" Even these men couldn’t help but shudder at Mo Xiuyao’s cruelty. Not long ago, Mo Xiuyao had slaughtered half the nobility in the Western Mausoleum Imperial City, and now he had wiped out the entire Northern Border royal family, sparing no one but Ren Qining. Such methods were undeniably chilling.
"Could it be that Mo Xiuyao truly cares so deeply for Princess Ding? Or was this his intention all along, and he merely seized this excuse?" someone speculated.
Ren Qining remained silent. In truth, he had only met Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li once last year in Western Liang. Yet he could clearly sense Mo Xiuyao’s regard for Princess Ding, and because of the influence of the Xu Family behind her within Prince Ding’s Estate, he had targeted Ye Li. He simply hadn’t expected this move to result in losing the bait along with the fish.After a moment of silence, Ren Qining finally asked, "How is the battle at Chu Jing going?"
"Reporting to you, young master, our troops had besieged Chu Jing for over a month and were confident of capturing it soon. However, an unexpected force suddenly appeared from nowhere and cut off the route between Chu Jing and Zijing Pass. Though this army only numbers two hundred thousand, their commander is remarkably capable. Occupying three small towns in a triangular formation, they've inflicted heavy losses on our troops. More critically, by controlling this strategic route, they've blocked our supply lines and reinforcements. This will likely delay our capture of Chu Jing." They never believed this force could alter the overall situation. No matter how formidable, a mere two hundred thousand troops were insignificant compared to the Northern Border's current nearly million-strong army. It would only postpone the city's fall by some days.
Ren Qining frowned slightly. "Who is leading this force?" To his knowledge, the Chu State had few capable generals left, most having been taken south by Mo Jingli. The original defenders of Zijing Pass, like Leng Huai, were now trapped in Chu Jing and couldn't possibly be commanding troops outside.
The middle-aged man shook his head. "We only know the commander's name is He Su. With the current chaos across the land and Mo Jingli taking many away from Chu Jing, our informants haven't been able to uncover his background yet."
"No background information?" Ren Qining stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Could it be... someone from Mo Xiuyao's side?"
"This..." The group fell silent, exchanging doubtful glances. Though the troops didn't resemble the Mo Family Army, who could say whether Prince Ding's Estate had secretly trained other forces? Moreover, this sudden flank attack clearly aimed to delay the Northern Border's capture of Chu Jing. And now, Mo Xiuyao was already marching toward Chu Jing. So if this was meant to buy time for Mo Xiuyao, it made perfect sense.
Ren Qining stood up decisively. "Issue orders immediately: gather all our forces and within three days, we must crush that army and launch a full assault on Chu Jing. We must take Chu Jing before Mo Xiuyao's main force arrives." The group acknowledged the command. "Young master, what are your plans?" Ren Qining narrowed his eyes coldly. "If Mo Xiuyao wants Chu Jing, he'll have to get through me first. Send word to the Seventh Prince of Northern Rong—I request his presence at Zijing Pass in ten days."
The group exchanged puzzled looks. Though they didn't understand their master's intentions, they respectfully withdrew to carry out the orders.
Though no one knew what was discussed during the meeting between the Northern Rong commander, Seventh Prince Yelv Ye, and the King of the Northern Border, Ren Qining, at Zijing Pass, two secret letters were sent westward that same day. One reached Mo Xiuyao, who was still with his army, while the other was delivered to Prince Ding's Estate in the northwestern city of Li Cheng.
In the military tent, Mo Xiuyao lounged lazily in his chair, reading the letter. Seated below him, Marquis Nan, Lyu Jinxian, Feng Zhiyao, and others speculated about the letter's contents that had made their prince's expression so inscrutable. Under the collective urging gaze of his seniors, Feng Zhiyao finally stood up to ask, "Wang Ye, has something happened?"
Mo Xiuyao glanced at him with an enigmatic smile. "Indeed, something has occurred. Three days ago, Northern Rong's Yelv Ye and Northern Jin's Ren Qining had a little chat at Zijing Pass."Everyone understood that these two coming together was no ordinary chat. It clearly indicated that the two factions were preparing to join forces against Prince Ding's Estate.
Nan Hou frowned and asked, "Have Ren Qining and Yelv Ye reached some agreement?"
Mo Xiuyao replied, "They spoke in secret, so the details aren't recorded here. However... I can guess a thing or two. It's likely about Northern Rong helping to block the Mo Family Army's advance, giving the Northern forces time to capture Chu Jing." Feng Zhiyao looked puzzled, "Would Yelv Ye be that foolish? Using his own troops to shield Ren Qining?"
Mo Xiuyao chuckled, "It's not entirely foolish. The Northern Rong army is currently facing us head-on, so they have no choice but to exert themselves. Unless they can crush the Mo Family Army, their chances of smoothly taking Chu Jing aren't great. But the Northern forces are different—they're in the completely opposite direction. There won't be any conflict with them until we enter Chu Jing. Ren Qining must have offered some other benefit to Yelv Ye in exchange for him abandoning Chu Jing."
"What kind of benefit?" Chu Jing wasn't just any place. Even though the Chu imperial family had already relocated the capital, it held immense significance for the people of Great Chu.
Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Perhaps he ceded some territory to Northern Rong. Or maybe they agreed to jointly deal with Prince Ding's Estate after capturing Chu Jing?"
Lü Songxian frowned, voicing his concern, "If that's the case, it would be very disadvantageous for us. Does Wang Ye have any plans?" Mo Xiuyao replied with a smile, "Our plan is to reach Chu Jing as quickly as possible and not let the Northern forces get there first. As for other plans, Qingchen Gongzi will naturally consider them. As for this Ren Qining, it seems the lesson we gave him this time still wasn't enough."
Those present, including Feng Zhiyao, who had been in Western Liang before, all looked curiously at Mo Xiuyao, their expressions clearly asking, "What exactly did you do to him?"
Mo Xiuyao said calmly, "Nothing much. I had Qin Feng send men to kill all his wives, concubines, and children."
Silence fell over the room.
Meanwhile, in the study of Prince Ding's Estate in Li Cheng, Xu Qingchen, Xu Hongyu, and others were also gathered. Ye Li, wrapped in a thick sable cloak and holding a hand warmer, sat listening to their discussion.
Xu Qingze set down the letter in his hand, his usually expressionless face now creased with worry. "If Northern Rong and the Northern forces truly join hands against the Mo Family Army, it won't be easy for the army to reach Chu Jing by the beginning of next month. Can Chu Jing hold out that long?" Xu Hongyu stroked his beard thoughtfully and said, "It likely won't be easy. We can only hope Prince Ding moves faster now. As for the Northern forces... Li'er, is He Su one of Prince Ding's men?"
Ye Li nodded with a faint smile. "Indeed, he is."
Xu Hongyu nodded in satisfaction. "Good. With him and General Murong there, they should be able to alleviate Chu Jing's predicament somewhat. If even that fails... then it can only be fate."Xu Qingchen smiled faintly and said, "Father need not worry so much. Even if Chu Jing is occupied by the Northern Territory, Prince Ding will surely be able to reclaim it. Moreover, being breached by the Northern Territory is far better than being breached by Northern Rong." The Northern Rong army, once entering the Central Plains, would commit all manner of atrocities—burning, killing, and looting wherever they went, leaving devastation and rivers of blood in their wake. As the saying goes, "Those not of our kind will surely have different hearts." As long as Ren Qining still wishes to rule the Central Plains, he cannot possibly slaughter indiscriminately like the Northern Rong army.
Xu Hongyu could only resign himself to this thought and shook his head, saying, "Matters of war and strategy are not for us to concern ourselves with. However, if Northern Rong and the Northern Territory were to truly form an alliance, it would be greatly disadvantageous for us." This disadvantage would not only apply to the current rescue mission for Chu Jing but also to the future. "Qingchen, do you have any thoughts on this?"
Xu Qingchen exchanged a glance with Ye Li and replied with a faint smile, "Indeed, I have some ideas. Northern Rong and the Northern Territory are not entirely united within themselves. The conflict between the Northern Rong Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince, as well as the divide between the Central Plains people and the Northern Territory natives within the Northern Territory—these are all areas where we can make some moves." Xu Hongyu raised an eyebrow and asked, "You mean... to divide them from within?"
Ye Li nodded with a smile, "Elder Brother is right. Currently, the Northern Rong army is led by the Seventh Prince, Yelv Ye. After this battle, Yelv Ye's influence in Northern Rong will undoubtedly rise, overshadowing that of the Crown Prince, Yelv Hong. Given their longstanding enmity, Yelv Hong will surely be deeply resentful of Yelv Ye. If someone were to whisper something in the King of Northern Rong's ear..."
Xu Hongyan asked, "Is this plan feasible? Does Prince Ding's Estate have any spies within the Northern Rong royal family who can influence matters?"
Ye Li shook her head, somewhat helplessly, "Indeed, we don't. The Bei Rong people are highly xenophobic. Unless you're one of them, it's impossible to gain their trust or be entrusted with important positions. However, we do have someone close to the Northern Rong Crown Prince, and... Yelv Hong's relationship with Prince Ding's Estate is far better than that with Yelv Ye."
"Oh?" Xu Hongyan was surprised. Despite his many years in the northwest, he hadn't known that Prince Ding's Estate had managed to place operatives even near the Northern Rong Crown Prince.
Xu Qingchen pondered for a moment before looking up and asking, "Is it Ronghua Princess?" Years ago, the daughter of Princess Zhaoren, Ronghua Junzhu, was granted the title of princess and married to Yelv Hong, the Northern Rong Crown Prince. However, during her time in the capital, Ronghua Junzhu had not been on good terms with Prince Ding's Estate or Ye Li, making it difficult to associate her with them. But after all these years, whether Ronghua Princess had changed was another matter. "Is she reliable?"
Ye Li smiled, "Whether Ronghua Princess is reliable or not doesn't matter. We don’t need her to do anything for us. As long as the people around her are reliable, that’s enough." After all, Ronghua Junzhu wasn’t a trained spy—too much involvement could easily expose her. Initially, Prince Ding's Estate had sent two sets of spies to assist Ronghua Princess, one overt and one covert. The overt group was known to her, but the covert one was kept secret. This wasn’t purely for her benefit but precisely for situations like this that might arise. Now that the Great Chu had moved its capital, it was left with barely half its territory. Yet, reports from Northern Rong indicated that Yelv Hong had not neglected or abandoned Ronghua Princess, showing that she had managed her position well over the years.
"That’s good then," Xu Qingchen nodded in satisfaction.
Ye Li smiled faintly, "Then I’ll send someone to Northern Rong to meet Yelv Hong in person. We might also offer him some covert assistance. If all goes well, Yelv Ye’s tenure as the Northern Rong army’s commander should end within two or three months." Xu Qingchen asked, "Persuading Yelv Hong won’t be easy. Should I go myself?"
"This..." Ye Li frowned. With so many affairs in the northwest requiring her elder brother’s attention, sending someone of insufficient stature might not sway Yelv Hong. If not for her pregnancy, Ye Li would have gone herself. Xu Hongyan interjected, "The northwest can’t do without Qingchen and your elder brother. Li'er, if you trust your uncle, let me go instead."
"Second Uncle, the northwest is harsh and bitter. This journey..."
Xu Hongyan laughed, "Li'er, do you look down on your uncle or something? Do you think I can’t endure hardship?"Ye Li naturally knew that although Xu Hongyan was usually a man of few words, he was indeed eloquent and a suitable candidate. Hesitantly glancing at Xu Qingchen and Xu Hongyu, Xu Hongyu nodded and decided, "In that case, it would be good for Second Brother to make the trip."
Seeing Xu Hongyu's agreement, Ye Li could only nod as well. After a moment's thought, she added, "Since Mo Hua is also in the northwest, I'll have him lead a team to accompany Second Uncle on the journey." Mo Hua was originally the shadow guard commander of Prince Ding's Estate. With him leading the escort, Xu Hongyan's safety would naturally be assured. Even if the plan failed, Mo Hua could still ensure Xu Hongyan's safe return to the northwest.
"That works." Knowing Ye Li was concerned for his safety, Xu Hongyan did not refuse.
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