Mo Li

"You're Princess Ding?!" A shrill voice rang out from behind Yun Fei.

Everyone was startled. Although they were all sheltered women of the inner chambers, they had all heard of Princess Ding's name. How many times had their fathers and brothers sighed, wishing to have a daughter like Princess Ding or to marry a wife like her? Even their husband, Ren Qining, the ruler of the Northern Territory, often spoke of Princess Ding with nothing but praise. It filled these sheltered women with both envy and jealousy.

Ye Li wasn’t surprised that her identity had been exposed. She merely glanced up at the woman behind Yun Fei—another familiar face. With a faint smile, she said, "So it’s Miss Murong. What brings you here?" In doing so, she tacitly confirmed her identity.

"You're Princess Ding?" Yun Fei froze. She had met Princess Ding several times before. Though the face before her wasn’t quite the same, that composed and graceful demeanor, the kind that compelled others to look up in admiration—who else could it be but Princess Ding?

"Princess Ding, why are you here?" After a moment of shock, Yun Fei quickly regained her senses and glared at Queen Helan in disbelief. "It’s you… You’ve colluded with the Ding Royal Palace…"

Queen Helan scoffed. "Don’t make it sound so ugly. We of the Northern Territory are merely cooperating with Prince Ding’s Estate to reclaim what is rightfully ours. What’s wrong with that? You people claim to be the orthodox rulers of the Central Plains, yet you colluded with the Bei Rong people to attack your own homeland. Don’t dress it up in noble words to glorify yourselves."

Though Yun Fei was no politician, she was no ignorant girl either. She quickly realized that if Queen Helan had allied with Prince Ding’s Estate, their own fates would be dire. "Helan, the King has treated you well. Why would you collude with outsiders to rebel… Have you forgotten? The previous queen also died at the hands of Prince Ding’s Estate."

Queen Helan sneered disdainfully. "Treated me well? Ren Qining would sooner slaughter all of us Northerners so he can change the kingdom’s name and restore his own dynasty, wouldn’t he? As for my cousin—if Ren Qining hadn’t provoked Prince Ding’s Estate, how would she have met such a tragic end? If I don’t settle this score with Ren Qining, who should I settle it with?"

"You—you’re twisting logic!" Yun Fei’s face flushed red with anger, but she had no retort.

Queen Helan waved a hand dismissively. "I won’t bully helpless women. Go back and stay put quietly. I won’t trouble you before Ren Qining returns. But if you don’t behave…" She let out a cold laugh, a ruthless chill curling at her lips. "You’re welcome to test whether I dare to kill."

The women present, all sheltered and inexperienced, couldn’t withstand such intimidation and quickly retreated in fear. Yun Fei wasn’t much better off. Biting her lip, she shot Queen Helan a furious glare before turning to leave.

"Ye Li, give me your life!" Beside Yun Fei, Murong Mingyan let out a furious roar. A flash of cold steel gleamed in her hand as she lunged at Ye Li. But before she could reach her, a shadow darted past—Murong Mingyan was struck by a palm strike and sent flying, crashing into a nearby pillar. A mouthful of blood sprayed from her lips.Zhuo Jing stood before Ye Li and said in a deep voice, "Wang Fei?" Although Zhuo Jing didn’t recognize Murong Mingyan, the sheer hatred in her eyes told him that this woman likely harbored a deep grudge against Wang Fei. Having followed Ye Li for over a decade, he had never seen her feud with this woman. However, after a brief moment of thought, Zhuo Jing deduced her identity. "A remnant of the Murong family? Wang Fei, shall I…?" For such people, the shadow guards' usual practice was to eliminate them root and branch.

Ye Li stared thoughtfully at Murong Mingyan, who seemed ready to devour her on the spot. Murong Mingyan struggled to her feet, wiping the blood from her lips with a casual swipe. "Ye Li, you’re still alive!"

Ye Li replied calmly, "Didn’t you already know I was alive? Miss Murong, as far as I recall, I’ve never done anything unforgivable to you. Why do you hate me so much?" Murong Mingyan’s eyes burned with fury. "If it weren’t for you… if it weren’t for you, how could my Murong family have fallen? How could my grandfather have died? It’s all your fault!"

"Blaming others for your own greed is shameless. If Murong Xiong hadn’t relied on his martial prowess to manipulate the world’s heroes, would the Murong family have come to ruin? What a pity… the Murong family’s honey trap wasn’t enticing enough—they lost the bait along with the fish." Zhuo Jing sneered mercilessly. Though he hadn’t accompanied them to Western Liang back then, he was well aware of what had transpired there. His words struck precisely where it hurt Murong Mingyan the most.

Murong Mingyan gritted her teeth, her eyes nearly red with rage as she glared at Zhuo Jing, wishing she could tear him apart.

Ye Li turned to Queen Helan and said, "Your Majesty, please ask the others to leave first. There are some matters I’d like to discuss with Miss Murong." Queen Helan nodded and said to Yun Fei and the others, "You may leave. Zhaorong will stay."

Yun Fei and the others knew better than to defy Queen Helan at this moment and quickly withdrew.

Murong Mingyan remained behind, yet she showed no fear. When she had followed Ren Qining back to the northern borders, he had promised to help her exact revenge. But over the years, she had gradually realized her hopes for vengeance were growing increasingly slim. Had she already been formally enfeoffed when Mo Xiuyao slaughtered Ren Qining’s harem, she likely wouldn’t have survived. She had sacrificed everything—herself and the Murong family—only to receive the middling title of Zhaorong. How could she not hate them for it?

"What do you want to say? Kill me if you must—I won’t beg for mercy," Murong Mingyan declared haughtily, her eyes wary as she stared at Ye Li.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "There’s no need to be so tense, Miss Murong. I won’t harm you." It had to be said that although Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao were nearly equal in reputation, their public images were worlds apart. Mo Xiuyao, despite inheriting the prestige of Prince Ding’s Estate for generations, was feared for his overwhelming killing intent. The mere mention of Prince Ding conjured images of blood-soaked battlefields and endless slaughter. But for Ye Li, the Princess Ding, even those who harbored hostility toward her often overlooked her danger—especially in person. Her gentle, refined demeanor, reminiscent of a noble lady, easily lulled others into lowering their guard.Murong Mingyan gave a light hum. Though she remained vigilant, her expression inevitably softened slightly. Ye Li smiled and said, "Miss Murong should understand that the downfall of the Murong family was not the fault of Prince Ding's Estate. At the time, circumstances forced our hand. Moreover, compared to our estate, you should know better who truly schemed against the Murong family the most."

Murong Mingyan fell silent. Of course, she knew the truth of what had happened back then. If she hadn't insisted on provoking... perhaps Prince Ding's Estate would never have been involved. But she stubbornly believed that it was Mo Xiuyao's appearance that sealed the Murong family's fate. Thus, her hatred for Prince Ding's Estate was only natural.

"What do you want?" Murong Mingyan stared at Ye Li.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "I want the remaining assets of the Murong family."

Murong Mingyan was startled. "I don't know what you're talking about. Everything the Murong family had is now in Ren Qining's hands. Otherwise, where do you think he got the funds to wage war these past two years?"

Ye Li shook her head slowly. "There's no need to deceive me, Miss Murong. I may not know the full depth of the Murong family's wealth, but I have some idea. Moreover, given Ren Qining's character, if you didn't hold some trump cards..." She left the rest unsaid, but everyone present understood. If Murong Mingyan had no value left, Ren Qining would have long discarded her—she wouldn't still be in the palace.

Murong Mingyan remained silent for a long moment before finally saying, "The Murong family has nothing left—only money. I can give it to you, but what do I get in return?" She was well aware that since Ye Li had stopped her, she likely had no intention of letting her leave, whether she admitted it or not.

"What does Miss Murong want?" Ye Li asked. Originally, she hadn't thought of Murong Mingyan, but now that they'd crossed paths, she had no intention of letting the opportunity slip. Over the years, it wasn't just the Northern Border that had been waging war—Prince Ding's Estate had as well. Though the estate was wealthy, it still paled in comparison to a vast nation. More money was always better.

Murong Mingyan's eyes flickered with thought. After a long pause, she suddenly declared, "I want to marry Qingchen Gongzi."

Ye Li's gaze turned cold as she calmly refused. "No."

"Why?" Murong Mingyan was stunned. She knew Prince Ding's Estate had been embroiled in continuous warfare these years, making funds and supplies all the more critical. Yet Ye Li had rejected her outright without even considering it.

Ye Li replied, "Elder Brother already refused you years ago. Even for the sake of Prince Ding's Estate, I cannot interfere in his marriage." Had Murong Mingyan proposed any other condition, Ye Li might have been willing to deceive her if negotiations failed. But when it came to Xu Qingchen's marriage, even deception was out of the question.

Murong Mingyan gritted her teeth. "Aren't you afraid I'll bury those treasures forever? If I don't speak, no one in this world will ever find them. Over the years, Prince Zhennan of Xiling must have turned the Murong family upside down, yet he found nothing. What a pity!"Ye Li shook her head and sighed softly, "I've said it before—no matter for whom, I won't interfere with my elder brother's marriage. If the Murong family's wealth truly has no connection to Prince Ding's Estate, then we'll just have to let it go. Besides, if Prince Ding's Estate can't obtain it, no one else can either, right?" The implication was clear: since Murong Mingyan had no intention of revealing the whereabouts of the remaining Murong family wealth, she need not continue living. Don't blame Ye Li for being ruthless. If Murong Mingyan had been killed outright back then, Ren Qining wouldn't have had so much money to recklessly expand his forces and attack Great Chu. And if the resentful Murong Mingyan were to fall into someone else's hands, it would only bring trouble to Prince Ding's Estate.

"Take her away," Ye Li said to Zhuo Jing.

Zhuo Jing nodded, grabbed Murong Mingyan, and turned to leave.

Beside them, Queen Helan rested her chin on her hand and looked at Ye Li. "This Murong Mingyan actually has such a background? Even you want to scheme against her?" Ye Li smiled wryly in resignation. "The King of the Northern Border is indeed quite resourceful. There probably aren't many people in his harem without some kind of background."

"Then why didn't you agree to her request?" Queen Helan asked, puzzled. She had stooped to marrying Ren Qining for the sake of the Northern Border, so she couldn't understand why Ye Li would refuse Murong Mingyan's demand. Especially since the Central Plains had rules allowing multiple wives and concubines—even if one didn't like it, they could still marry again. Qingchen Gongzi wouldn't suffer any losses.

Ye Li replied calmly, "There are things one should do and things one shouldn't. My elder brother has worked tirelessly for Prince Ding's Estate and for me. If I were to scheme over his marriage for mere gold and silver, what kind of person would I be?" Queen Helan shook her head, only half-understanding. "Well, I don't get you Central Plains people anyway. That Murong Mingyan is all yours. I have no use for her. She has no family left, and probably no one will come to her rescue."

"Thank you."

Ren Qining had been restless these past days. The news from the reinforcements he had sent back was far from optimistic. And as he had expected, the Northern Border nobles and troops left in Changqing City stood by indifferently. The only slight comfort was Queen Helan's reply, indicating that at least the situation hadn't reached its worst. The rebel leader, though skilled in military tactics, lacked deep-rooted influence. If the Northern Border people were willing to help, even Prince Ding's Estate would find it hard to gain an advantage in the Northern Border. However, this meant the plan to ally with Northern Rong to attack the Mo Family Army would fall through.

Ren Qining felt little guilt over this. Every man for himself—he couldn't jeopardize his own rear for Yelv Ye's plans. If he did, even if he managed to inflict some losses and trouble on the Mo Family Army, the real beneficiary would be Yelv Ye, while he would be the one suffering. His alliance with Yelv Ye was just that—an alliance, not true kinship.

With this thought, a glint of determination flashed in Ren Qining's eyes. He stood up and ordered, "Leave one army to cover our retreat. The rest will return with me to Changqing to quell the rebellion.""As you command." With Ren Qining's order issued, many of the generals visibly relaxed. If the king had insisted on not retreating and allowed their homeland to be occupied, the losses would have outweighed the gains. A flicker of joy also passed through the eyes of several northern border generals, though their positions at the rear went unnoticed. Even if noticed, it would likely have been dismissed as mere reluctance to fight. In this campaign, the once formidable and fierce northern Jin troops had shown signs of passive resistance. Yet, despite this, they still far surpassed the newly enlisted central plains soldiers who had little battle experience. Ren Qining, though furious, had no choice but to endure for the time being, as he couldn’t do without them.

While preparing to withdraw the army, Ren Qining once again wrote to Queen Helan, listing various benefits for the northern border nobles. Queen Helan responded promptly, agreeing to his requests. After all, as Princess Ding had said, deception costs nothing!

On the ramparts of Zijing Pass, Leng Huai and Leng Haoyu stood side by side, watching the northern army gradually retreat. Leng Haoyu smiled and said, "It seems the Princess's plan has succeeded."

A faint smile also appeared on Leng Huai's weary but dignified face as he nodded. "Indeed, we should prepare to rendezvous with Princess Ding. The world says her wisdom, strategy, and courage are no less than any man's. I didn’t believe it before, but now I see... she far surpasses most men." Few men in the world could match Princess Ding’s prowess.

Leng Haoyu nodded in agreement. "Isn’t that so? The Princess always surprises us, yet it feels perfectly reasonable. Father, we should prepare to leave the pass. Before, it was Ren Qining attacking Zijing Pass; now, we’ll be the ones chasing him beyond it."

"Indeed, it’s time to avenge Qingyu." Though his younger son was more outstanding, Leng Qingyu had been his beloved and cherished son for decades, and he had died honorably for his country without disgracing the Leng family. Being able to personally avenge his son would bring Leng Huai some peace of mind.

Leng Haoyu nodded. "You’re right, Father. You will surely avenge Eldest Brother with your own hands." Though he and Leng Qingyu had been at odds in life, Leng Haoyu harbored no resentment toward his brother, who had died fighting bravely. If his father could avenge his brother and find closure, it would be for the best. That was why he had personally requested the Prince and Princess to let Leng Huai continue guarding Zijing Pass—for this very day.

In the rebel camp outside Changqing City, He Su lounged leisurely in the commander’s seat, watching the generals below argue noisily. Their disputes boiled down to fear upon hearing the news of Ren Qining’s withdrawal. With only about 300,000 troops under their command—fewer than their enemy’s—and despite winning several battles under He Su’s leadership, they knew Ren Qining’s million-strong army could crush them with sheer numbers alone, without any need for strategy.

Once the arguments died down, He Su tapped the table lightly and said with a faint smile, "Gentlemen, is this bickering useful? After fighting so many battles, do you think the court will spare us if we surrender now? If we fight, we still have a chance at glory and prosperity. But if we surrender, it’ll mean the execution of our entire families."The officers below looked at He Su with bitter expressions and asked, "Brother He, tell us honestly, does Prince Ding's Estate have reinforcements or not? We brothers are risking our lives following you—you can't lead us astray."

"Exactly, exactly..." The others nodded repeatedly.

He Su smiled and said, "Reinforcements are naturally on their way, but... they'll take a little more time to arrive. However, everyone need not worry. Although the reinforcements haven't arrived yet, Prince Ding's Estate has already sent formidable aid."

The crowd was stunned and skeptical, exchanging glances before someone ventured, "Could it be Qingchen Gongzi? I've heard Qingchen Gongzi's wisdom is unparalleled, that he alone is worth a thousand troops?"

"It must be Prince Ding. Prince Ding has been undefeated on the battlefield since he was fourteen. If it's Prince Ding, why fear the imperial court's million-strong army?"

He Su smiled and looked toward the tent entrance. The flap was lifted from outside, and a woman in green robes with dark hair and delicate, graceful features walked in, followed by several black-clad men who were clearly guards. When the officers noticed the qilin emblem on the guards' uniforms, they gasped, "Qilin?!"

The black-clad guards paid no attention to their shock, dispersing to various corners of the tent, with only two remaining behind the woman in green. Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, the woman walked to the commander's seat that He Su had vacated and sat down, offering them a faint smile. "Gentlemen, you've worked hard."

Seeing He Su's deferential demeanor toward the woman, the sharper-minded among them began to suspect her identity. The more impulsive ones couldn't hold back and blurted out, "Who are you? How dare you sit there?"

The woman in green smiled lightly. "I am Ye Li."

Princess Ding?! The crowd was stunned.

"Subordinate pays respects to Wang Fei," He Su said respectfully, bowing. With someone leading the way, the others naturally followed suit, and soon the entire tent echoed with voices: "Subordinate pays respects to Princess Ding." At the very least, they had heard that Prince Ding cherished his wife deeply. With Princess Ding here, surely Prince Ding's Estate wouldn't abandon them to the imperial court's slaughter?

Ye Li nodded. "At ease, everyone. Please be seated." Only then did the officers rise and take their seats in order.

Once everyone was settled, Ye Li spoke again. "Thank you all for your willingness to assist Prince Ding's Estate in reclaiming this land. Due to the war with Northern Rong, Wang Ye cannot come in person, but my word carries the same weight as his promise. Every one of you here will be richly rewarded once our goals are achieved. Prince Ding's Estate will never mistreat those who have rendered meritorious service."

A middle-aged officer with a somewhat simple and honest appearance stood up and said, "Wang Fei, rewards are not our main concern. Many of us here were originally generals of Great Chu, forced to aid the tyrant and attack Chu Jing. This matter..." Most of those present were former Great Chu generals who had surrendered to the Northern Realm but were neither valued nor trusted by Ren Qining. Having already betrayed Great Chu for the Northern Realm, and now betraying the Northern Realm to return to Prince Ding's Estate, they couldn't help but feel uneasy. That this middle-aged officer dared to ask such a question showed he wasn't as simple as he appeared.

Ye Li said solemnly, "Wherever the Northern Realm army went, they did not harm ordinary civilians. I can promise you all here that as long as you sincerely pledge allegiance to Prince Ding's Estate, past transgressions will be forgiven. Those who perform meritorious deeds will still be rewarded. However... if anyone dares to betray us again, do not blame my sword for showing no mercy.""Thank you, Wang Fei," the assembled officers rose and replied. As surrendered generals, their greatest fear had been facing retribution later. Now that they had Princess Ding's personal assurance, they naturally felt relieved. The atmosphere in the command tent immediately became much more lively.

Below them, He Su cupped his hands and reported, "Your Highness, Ren Qining is leading a million-strong army toward Changqing. Should we enter Changqing City and defend it while awaiting reinforcements from Zijing Pass?"

Ye Li shook her head with a smile. "No need. He Su, receive your orders. Immediately lead troops to challenge the enemy. Before Ren Qining's main force arrives, you must win three more battles and drive the enemy forces back thirty li."

Though He Su didn't fully understand Ye Li's strategy, he knew the Wang Fei had profound plans and never acted without purpose. He stood up briskly and replied, "Your subordinate obeys."

After receiving Queen Helan's reply, Ren Qining hurried back to Changqing City at full speed. Just as he neared Changqing, he received battle reports from the front lines—his own forces, despite outnumbering the enemy, had suffered three consecutive defeats and been driven back dozens of miles. Only the intervention of the fifty thousand northern border troops stationed in the capital had prevented even greater losses.

Ren Qining was well aware of the quality of his own troops. He had no choice but to merge the remaining two hundred thousand northern border troops with the stationed forces to form a united front against the rebels, determined to recapture the royal city of Changqing. However, this was precisely what Ye Li and Queen Helan had planned. Instead of annihilating the rebels as expected, the combined northern forces—nearly three hundred thousand strong—turned against Ren Qining’s own army the moment they saw an unfamiliar signal flag, one that the Central Plains troops could not decipher.

In an instant, Ren Qining understood everything. Rage burned through him, and a mouthful of hot blood sprayed from his lips. He swayed in his saddle before collapsing to the ground. Had his guards not swiftly dragged him to safety, he would have been trampled to death in the chaos.

"Why?!" he roared, spotting Queen Helan at the head of the army, clad in vibrant robes, her expression triumphant. He refused to believe he had been outmaneuvered by a woman he had never taken seriously.

Queen Helan flicked her whip, her beautiful face filled with disdain. "Why? For the lives of my northern warriors, and to avenge my cousin and uncle. Ren Qining, who do you think you are? Did you truly believe you could use my people and walk away unscathed? Since your arrival in the north, how many of our men have died needlessly on the battlefield? Now, fewer than three hundred thousand remain, and you would have wasted even these—do you wish to see my people wiped out?"

The northern forces that had entered the Central Plains numbered over seven hundred thousand. The northern border itself was sparsely populated, and these troops accounted for nearly ninety percent of its able-bodied men. More than half had already perished. If Ren Qining had squandered the remaining three hundred thousand as well, what benefit would unification bring to the north? Extinction would be their only fate. Even now, recovering their former population and military strength would take decades.

"Helan!" Ren Qining ground his teeth in fury.

Queen Helan laughed lightly, pointing her whip at him. "This lady is taking my northern warriors home. If you want to hate someone, blame Princess Ding. This was all her idea. Sound the retreat!"

The ancient war horns of the north echoed across the battlefield as the northern army gradually withdrew northeast. From a distance, Helan cast a triumphant, taunting glance at Ren Qining. "Dare you pursue us?"

Ren Qining clenched his jaw, fresh blood seeping from his lips. But he could only watch helplessly as Queen Helan rode away, laughter ringing in the air.

"Withdraw! Return to camp!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

With a final spurt of blood, Ren Qining collapsed to the ground, sinking into unconsciousness.

His men rushed him back to camp, where he remained unconscious for over an hour before finally stirring. The generals waiting in the tent hurried forward. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, how are you?""Helan, you vile woman! I swear I'll tear you to pieces!" Ren Qining spat with hatred.

The generals exchanged uneasy glances. Amidst the chaos of battle, the Northern tribes' forces had suddenly turned against them in unison, leaving many bewildered about what had actually happened. Gnashing his teeth, Ren Qining said, "That bitch Helan has long been colluding with Prince Ding's Estate. She was just waiting for me to lead the troops back to seize control of all those Northern border forces."

"But... Your Majesty, what if the Northern border troops truly become our enemies?" someone asked. The looming threat from Prince Ding's Estate was already overwhelming enough. If the Northern army turned against them too... After all, no one understood the ferocity of the Northerners better than they did. Had it not been for using the Northern troops as vanguard these past two years, their hastily assembled million-strong army would never have pushed Great Chu to this point.

Ren Qining sat up. The weight of recent events had been pressing on him, but after vomiting blood on the battlefield earlier, his mind had cleared somewhat. With a cold laugh, he said, "Helan wouldn't dare play tricks on me unless she's a fool. If she throws her less than 300,000 troops into the conflict between us and Prince Ding's Estate, not a single one of her Northern soldiers will make it back home. Within days, she'll retreat on her own." At the mention of Helan, Ren Qining's eyes burned with hatred. He had established his kingdom through Helan's cousin—his former wife—only to be betrayed by his current wife, the cousin's younger sister.

"Send scouts to investigate thoroughly—who is leading Prince Ding's forces this time? Whoever orchestrated this cooperation with the Northerners is no minor officer," Ren Qining ordered. "Our original spies can't be trusted anymore; they've probably been compromised long ago. Deploy new personnel immediately."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the subordinate bowed and departed.

"Who does Your Majesty think has come this time?" a confidant at the bedside asked cautiously.

Ren Qining said coldly, "Few in Prince Ding's Estate have such capability. Xu Hongyu and Xu Hongyan rarely leave the northwest. Mo Xiuyao is currently battling Northern Rong. This must be either Xu Qingchen or Ye Li!" After a moment's thought, he concluded decisively, "It must be Ye Li! Back in Li Cheng, she was the one who interacted most with that bitch Helan." Ren Qining was now consumed by regret—he had brought Helan to Li Cheng without any suspicion, allowing her to strike a deal with Prince Ding's Estate right under his nose. Now it was too late for remorse.

"Your Majesty, what about Queen Helan—"

"Kill her! At any cost! That vile woman must not return alive to the Northern border!" Ren Qining's twisted expression and icy tone sent chills through everyone in the tent.

After dismissing his subordinates, silence returned to the grand tent. Exhausted, Ren Qining leaned against the bed and closed his eyes to rest. But whatever thoughts crossed his mind made his facial muscles twitch violently, his expression contorting with murderous rage. "Mo Xiuyao! Ye Li! How dare you scheme against me like this. I'll make sure you live in agony worse than death!"In Ren Qining's grand tent, storms and thunder raged, while in Prince Ding's Estate's tent, there was continuous singing and laughter. Although the leaders of the Northern Border tribes and the former court officials had once wished for each other's deaths, the ordinary soldiers did not harbor such deep resentment. When Ren Qining first entered the pass, for the sake of his future rule, he did not allow his soldiers to indiscriminately kill innocents like the Northern Rong. Naturally, there was no deep-seated hatred with the common people. Over the past two years, the Central Plains soldiers had watched the Northern Border soldiers charge fearlessly at the forefront of every battle, earning their admiration. Now that these Northern Border soldiers had also rebelled against Ren Qining like them, they were all on the same side. There was naturally nothing more to be said.

Throughout the camp, except for the soldiers on routine patrol and guard duty, everyone—whether from the Central Plains or the Northern Border—sat together drinking, eating meat, singing, and dancing, making it even livelier than after a great victory. The Northern Border people had no intention of participating further in the Central Plains' conflicts and were eager to return home. Tonight was essentially a farewell banquet hosted by Ye Li and Prince Ding's Estate for the Northern Border tribes.

In the open-air camp, Ye Li, accompanied by the members of Prince Ding's Estate and the recently reclaimed Central Plains generals from the Northern Border, sat side by side with Queen Helan's father, the current leader of the Northern Border, sharing fine wine. The Northern Border people observed that this seemingly delicate Princess Ding, though not particularly skilled in drinking, acted with remarkable decisiveness and straightforwardness, unlike those under Ren Qining who hid daggers behind their smiles and were full of deceit. They also heard that it was thanks to Princess Ding that so many of their Northern Border warriors had safely withdrawn from the battlefield. This naturally earned the Central Plains princess their deep affection.

Among the women present were only Queen Helan and Ye Li. Queen Helan, instead of staying with her own people, came over to Ye Li's side to join in the fun. Now, with the Northern Border people on the verge of returning home, Queen Helan's lovely face showed traces of playfulness and relaxation, making her seem more carefree than before—like a carefree girl of sixteen or seventeen, rather than the Queen of the Northern Border who bore the fate of her entire people while pretending to be arrogant.

"Princess Ding, we owe you our deepest gratitude for ensuring our safe withdrawal beyond the pass and our return to our homeland. Here... Helan toasts you," Queen Helan said with a smile, raising a bowl of wine.

Ye Li smiled and picked up her cup, replying, "I'm not much of a drinker, so I'll just finish this cup. Bottoms up." She tilted her head back and drained the cup in one go. The simplest of strong liquors sent a fiery sensation through her stomach, and her jade-like, delicate face flushed slightly.

Queen Helan shrugged and downed her own drink, laughing, "You're very straightforward, just like us Northern Border folk. It's just that your capacity for alcohol is really too small."

"Queen Helan..." Ye Li smiled helplessly. Her drinking ability was actually quite good among women, but compared to Queen Helan, who had grown up drinking strong liquor, it was indeed somewhat lacking.Queen Helan glared at her unhappily, "I'm not a queen anymore. Who the hell wants to be some damn queen! From now on, this lady will be the greatest female chieftain in the Northern Territories!" Although the Northern Territories were considered barbaric lands, they placed little emphasis on gender distinctions and did not favor sons over daughters. Throughout history, many tribes had produced several female chieftains who were no less capable than their male counterparts. Queen Helan's father, the current leader of the Northern Territories, had only Helan as his daughter. Having now accomplished such a great feat for her people, she was naturally the rightful successor as the next chieftain.

Ye Li smiled and said, "Alright, alright, my mistake. Princess Helan?"

Helan pouted and glared at Ye Li for a long moment before nodding in satisfaction, "That's more like it." With that, she turned and dragged He Su, Qin Feng, and others sitting below Ye Li to drink with her, clearly already somewhat tipsy.

Not far from Ye Li, Helan's father had evidently overheard his daughter's words. With a helpless expression, he raised his wine bowl to Ye Li and smiled, "I've spoiled Helan too much. Please forgive her, Wang Fei."

"It's no trouble. Princess Helan is intelligent and sharp-witted. The chieftain is truly blessed." Although Ye Li had only met this newly appointed chieftain of the Northern Territories a few times, anyone who could raise a daughter like Helan was surely not some crude barbarian. Ren Qining's greatest mistake was likely underestimating these northern tribes. The people of the Northern Territories could help him establish a kingdom, and naturally, they could also bring about his downfall.

The chieftain doted on his daughter Helan immensely, so hearing Ye Li praise her naturally delighted him. He threw his head back in laughter and downed several more bowls of wine in succession.

The men in the army all loved a good drink, and seeing the Northern Territories chieftain so unrestrained, the gathered crowd grew rowdy, making the camp atmosphere even livelier.

"Princess Ding, we've long heard of the Mo Family Army's valor and extraordinary combat skills. We'd like to spar with the brothers of the Mo Family Army. May we have your permission?" Among the gathered northern generals, a young man stood up and declared loudly.

Hearing this, the others' eyes lit up. The Mo Family Army's reputation for bravery and combat prowess had endured for two hundred years, with scarcely any defeats. Perhaps they weren't the most ferocious army in the world, but they were certainly the longest-standing force that had remained formidable. Throughout history, many renowned armies had been exceptionally fierce in their early days, but after their peak, many gradually declined into mediocrity due to their leaders' complacency or other reasons. But for the Mo Family Army to remain unrivaled among nations for over two centuries, enduring suppression by successive rulers of Chu yet still sweeping across the land—such a feat was unheard of.

The men of the Northern Territories revered martial prowess and loved a good fight. Now that they had Mo Family Army generals right beside them, they naturally didn't want to miss this chance to test their skills.

Ye Li felt somewhat conflicted. Among the Prince Ding's Estate members present, only Qin Feng and He Su had led troops before. But having either of them fight these northerners would be unfair. They were either shadow guards or members of the Black Cloud Cavalry, and all had undergone the Qilin's brutal training. In terms of individual combat strength, they could easily overpower any northern general present.

The moment she heard about a fight, Princess Helan's eyes sparkled. She ran up to Ye Li and grinned, "Princess Ding, please agree to it! I also want to see just how powerful your Prince Ding's Estate generals really are."Ye Li smiled helplessly at her, but Princess Helan paid no heed. She pulled out the soft whip from her waist and pointed at He Su, declaring, "You're a general of the Mo Family Army, aren't you? This princess wants to see what you're made of!"

He Su was taken aback. The people of Prince Ding's Estate all had a rather peculiar quirk. Because of Ye Li, they never looked down on women, but they also believed there was no other woman in the world who could compare to her except Ye Li. If he were to fight this Princess Helan, whether he won or lost, he'd likely be laughed at by those unscrupulous fellows when he returned.

"Princess Helan, this—"

Princess Helan lifted her chin. "This what? I'm openly challenging you. Do you look down on me or something?"

He Su glanced at Ye Li, who sat at the head of the table, only to find her calmly lost in thought with lowered brows, as if she hadn't seen his pleading gaze. He couldn't help but smile bitterly—it seemed Wang Fei had no intention of rescuing him.

Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, Qin Feng, and the others nearby all shot him looks that said, "You're on your own." This northern princess was not someone to be trifled with. Winning would mean bullying a woman, while losing would mean being inferior to one.

"In that case, Princess, please." He Su stood and cupped his hands in salute.