Mo Li

"I'll lead a team to rescue them!" Leng Haoyu said anxiously.

Ye Li turned her head slightly, gazing at him calmly. "Rescue them? Sacrifice fifty thousand to save five hundred?"

Leng Haoyu fell silent, a chill creeping into his heart, but what overwhelmed him more was shame and guilt. The Qilin had been personally established and trained by Ye Li. Though Princess Ding could command the entire Mo Family Army, she had always been prudent, rarely interfering with the affairs of the Mo Family Army or the Black Cloud Cavalry. The Qilin were Princess Ding's own creation—her most loyal personal troops. Given her nature, she would never have sent them on a suicide mission unless it was absolutely necessary.

In war, a commander inevitably bears burdens far heavier than ordinary people can imagine. Every word and action could determine the life or death of thousands of soldiers, and at such times, choices become crucial. The decisions made could determine the outcome of a battle—or even the fate of a nation. Hence the saying: "Kindness does not command troops; righteousness does not manage wealth." And Ye Li had long since become a qualified commander. Such choices might seem ruthless, but there was no alternative.

"Princess Ding's righteousness is beyond measure," Old General Yuan Pei murmured, watching the distant figures of the Qilin gradually swallowed by the Western Liang army.

A faint smile touched Ye Li's lips as she whispered with a sigh, "A general's triumph is built upon ten thousand bones..." A single transparent tear silently slipped from the corner of her eye, vanishing in an instant.

"A general's triumph is built upon ten thousand bones..." Leng Haoyu repeated softly under his breath. Suddenly, he let out a long cry and leaped down from the city wall, charging into the chaotic battlefield. "Kill! Hold Flying Goose Pass at all costs!"

Soon, several more figures descended from the battlements, joining the fray. Only Yuan Pei, Ye Li, and Zhuo Jing remained atop the wall.

The five hundred Qilin were engulfed within moments by the hundreds of thousands of Western Liang troops, disappearing without a trace. Among the black-clad Qilin still locked in close combat with the Gold-Clad Guards, a sharp whistle rang out. As the last Gold-Clad Guard fell beneath their blades, all the Qilin raised their right hands in unison, saluting Ye Li on the city wall with the unique military salute of their order. Then, as one, they turned and charged toward the direction where their five hundred comrades had vanished. The mission their brothers had failed to complete—they would carry it forward.

On the battlefield, a black arrow—larger and fiercer than before—shot toward the rear of the Western Liang army with lightning speed. Seeing their movement, voices rose from the Mo Family Army and the Black Cloud Cavalry below the walls:

"Black Cloud Cavalry! Clear the path for our Qilin brothers!"

"Mo Family Army! Charge!"Countless cavalry and infantry clad in white surged forward in unison toward the Western Mausoleum Army. The iron steeds of the Black Cloud Cavalry tore through the enemy ranks like a white tornado, carving a path for the Qilin following behind. The Mo Family Army’s infantry immediately rushed in, engaging the scattered Western Mausoleum soldiers in fierce combat. At this moment, it was no longer just about defending the city. Originally, the best defense was offense. But the Mo Family Army was vastly outnumbered by the Western Mausoleum forces, leaving them no choice but to hold their ground desperately. Yet when everyone was consumed by bloodlust, no one cared anymore about defense or offense. There was only one thought in their eyes—to perish together with the enemy! If I cannot live, then you shall die with me!

From a distance, an extraordinary sight unfolded. The entirely white-clad Mo Family Army and Black Cloud Cavalry shielded a small group of black-clad Qilin as they charged relentlessly through the Western Mausoleum Army, unstoppable as they pressed toward the command banners at the enemy’s rear. No one paid attention to the growing numbers of Western Mausoleum soldiers behind them, nor the increasingly treacherous path ahead. As long as they still drew breath, they would keep advancing.

“These madmen!” Lei Tengfeng, positioned at the rear of the Western Mausoleum Army, watched the chaotic battlefield with shock and fury. Who could have imagined that in this head-on clash, the hundreds of thousands of Western Mausoleum troops would be overpowered in morale by the Mo Family Army, which numbered fewer than two hundred thousand? Regardless, the Western Mausoleum had already lost this battle today. Morale was a fickle thing—when one side surged, the other waned. Once their momentum was crushed, the Western Mausoleum Army would likely never breach Flying Goose Pass.

Lei Zhenting exhaled slowly, his voice grave. “The Mo Family Army… the Black Cloud Cavalry… the Qilin… truly, they live up to their reputation as the world-renowned elite warriors…”

“Father, you should retreat first,” Lei Tengfeng urged anxiously.

Lei Zhenting shook his head. “No. This time, we must eradicate the Qilin and the Black Cloud Cavalry completely! Sound the drums!”

With no other choice, Lei Tengfeng ordered the war drums to be beaten. The thunderous drumbeats reverberated across the battlefield, rallying the Western Mausoleum soldiers. The Mo Family Army’s sudden, frenzied assault had momentarily thrown them into disarray, but now they regained their footing and charged back into the fray.

Atop the walls of Flying Goose Pass, Ye Li stood before a massive war drum that dwarfed her in size. She picked up the two drumsticks beside it and struck the drum with all her might.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The drumbeats grew faster and more intense, soon drowning out the Western Mausoleum Army’s drums. Many turned their heads in haste, catching sight of a slender figure in white robes atop the distant battlements, wielding the drumsticks as she pounded the colossal drum. Each strike seemed to resonate in their very hearts, the rhythm carrying the echoes of clashing steel and galloping steeds.

“Thank you, brothers! Qilin, move out!” Amid the chaos, Qin Feng, leading the charge, shouted. Beside him, Lin Han and Wei Lin leaped into action. The Qilin, previously sandwiched between the Black Cloud Cavalry and the Mo Family Army, split into three groups, surging past their comrades at an even greater speed as they raced toward the Western Mausoleum Army’s rear. The Black Cloud Cavalry and Mo Family Army had fulfilled their duty—from here on, it was a path of no return.The Black Cloud Cavalry commander leading the charge casually cut down a Western Liang soldier attempting a sneak attack, silently wishing the Qilin warriors safety as they charged away. Raising his sword high, he shouted, "Fall back to Flying Goose Pass!"

Once again with the Black Cloud Cavalry clearing the path, the remaining troops turned to break through the Western Liang army's outer lines once more.

Qin Feng, Lin Han, and Wei Lin each led a contingent of Qilin warriors charging toward Lei Zhenting's position. Along the way, warriors kept falling in battle, but no one had time to dwell on it. Their black garments were nearly soaked through with blood, making them appear like demons from hell. Many Western Liang soldiers instinctively recoiled before even engaging, only to quickly fall beneath their blades.

From over a thousand Qilin warriors at the start, fewer than three hundred remained by the time they neared the rear of the Western Liang forces. Yet these remaining three hundred struck terror into every Western Liang soldier. Qin Feng signaled to Lin Han and Wei Lin, who nodded in unison. Just as the Western Liang troops assumed these three hundred would desperately charge forward to assassinate Zhennan Wang and began tightening their defenses, Qin Feng's group continued pressing toward Zhennan Wang and Lei Tengfeng's position, while Lin Han and Wei Lin split left and right to attack the flanking commanders on either side.

"Damn it!" Lei Tengfeng cried out in alarm. "Loose arrows! Show no mercy!"

But his realization came too late—before the arrows could be nocked, the black-clad Qilin had already breached their lines. From a distance, Lei Tengfeng saw Lin Han flash him a mocking smile just as his sword severed the left flank commander's head.

Lei Zhenting's face darkened with rage. Tens of thousands of troops had failed to stop barely over a thousand men... "Sound the retreat!" However unwilling he was to admit it, Western Liang had lost this battle—not just the engagement and their record, but also their soldiers' fighting spirit. Unless Western Liang could achieve an equal or greater victory against the Mo Family Army in the future, the Mo Family Army would become every Western Liang soldier's nightmare.

In this battle, no one truly won.

Lei Zhenting's plan to swiftly capture Flying Goose Pass had crumbled. Western Liang's morale plummeted, their Gold-Clad Guards were annihilated, two generals and five deputy commanders were killed. Though the Mo Family Army held Flying Goose Pass once more, their original force of two hundred thousand was halved. Of their elite Qilin warriors, fewer than a hundred returned alive—five of six squad leaders died in battle, with one severely wounded. Qin Feng and Wei Lin sustained minor injuries, while Lin Han was gravely wounded.

Yet this battle truly cemented the Qilin's fearsome reputation. According to later Western Liang records, the Qilin alone had slain over twenty-seven thousand Western Liang troops—including five thousand elite Gold-Clad Guards and more than seventy officers ranked captain or above. Western Liang's officer corps was virtually decimated. Previously known mainly for covert operations like ambushes, assassinations, and intelligence, this battle proved to the world that an army capable of defeating tenfold their number was no myth. On an open battlefield, a thousand Qilin could annihilate twenty thousand of Western Liang's finest troops. From then on, people called them the "Blood Qilin."

With both sides suffering devastating losses, they had no choice but to temporarily cease hostilities. The battlefield outside Flying Goose Pass returned to its usual silence, though the thick stench of blood lingered long in the air.Outside a small courtyard within Flying Goose Pass, Ye Li stood hesitantly before the gate. Qin Feng, standing beside her, called out softly with concern, "Wang Fei, perhaps you should return and rest first?" Everyone was exhausted from today's battle, and Wang Fei hadn't had proper rest for many days. Ye Li shook her head and asked, "Has Xiao Bao been sent away?"

Qin Feng nodded, "He was sent away this morning. I estimate the Little Prince should reach Li Cheng by tomorrow morning at the latest."

Ye Li nodded in satisfaction, "Good. You stay here. I'll go in and take a look." It was an extremely unremarkable courtyard, originally meant for soldiers stationed at Flying Goose Pass. Now, it housed the surviving Qilin members who had just retreated from the battlefield.

Upon entering the courtyard, she saw many people lying haphazardly under the eaves. Some hadn't even changed their clothes, hastily bandaging their wounds before collapsing to sleep on the ground. Shen Yang was directing his assistants to tend to the wounded. The Mo Family Army had also suffered heavy casualties, with all medics occupied there, so Shen Yang had personally come to this place.

Seeing Ye Li enter, Shen Yang quickly rose to greet her. Ye Li shook her head, signaling him not to stand on ceremony. Only then did Shen Yang turn back to continue dressing the wounds of a soldier before him.

Not wishing to disturb the resting soldiers, Ye Li and Shen Yang moved to an inner room to talk. Ye Li asked, "Shen, are their injuries serious?" Shen Yang shook his head, "Only a few are severely wounded and may never fully recover. The others will be fine after some rest and recuperation." Ye Li sighed in relief and nodded, "Then I'll trouble you, Shen. If you need anything, just send someone to inform Zhuo Jing."

Shen Yang nodded solemnly, "Wang Fei need not worry. I guarantee their injuries will be properly treated. These men... are truly heroic warriors." Though Shen Yang hadn't been on the battlefield himself, he knew what had transpired there. Even as a physician, he couldn't help but admire these soldiers who had risked their lives.

"And what about Lin Han and the others?" Ye Li asked further. When the troops had withdrawn, she'd seen Lin Han being carried back—his injuries were certainly severe. Shen Yang sighed, "Wei Lin and Qin Feng only sustained minor wounds, but Lin Han is seriously injured. I recommend transferring him to a quiet place to recuperate once he wakes up. He shouldn't have major lasting issues, but his martial arts... I'm afraid..."

Ye Li was silent for a long moment before nodding, "I understand. Please make the arrangements, Shen. Take good care of them. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now." Shen Yang looked at Ye Li and sighed, "Wang Fei, your complexion doesn't look well either. Please take care of yourself. These things... are not your fault."

Ye Li smiled faintly, her expression carrying an indescribable bitterness. She nodded slightly, "Thank you, Shen."Watching Ye Li's retreating figure, Shen Yang sighed helplessly, shook his head, and turned back to his work. Such a heavy burden would be difficult for even a grown man to bear, let alone a woman. In truth, Wang Fei was merely a woman in her twenties. Had she not married into Prince Ding's Estate, she might have remained a gentle, elegant young lady living a life of comfort. Yet now, she carried the fate of hundreds of thousands of soldiers at Flying Goose Pass, the entire Mo Family Army, and even Prince Ding's Estate. Was such a life truly good for a woman?

Returning to the general's residence, Ye Li dismissed her attendants and sat alone in the study. Staring blankly at the scroll before her, she closed her eyes slightly as a glistening tear slid down her cheek, landing on the densely written scroll and quickly spreading. Ye Li hurriedly wiped away the moisture, adding a single character beside the now-blurred writing. This was the roster of all Qilin soldiers—yet most of those names no longer belonged to the living. And Ye Li would never forget that they hadn't died carrying out their mission. From the very beginning... it had been a doomed operation. From the very beginning... those men had been sacrificial pawns she'd abandoned. As a commander, she knew her actions had been correct. But as a soldier, she could never forgive herself. Those she'd cast aside hadn't even known they were destined to be cannon fodder from the start.

After a long silence, Ye Li took a fresh sheet of blank paper and began meticulously rewriting each name from the roster. Only those marked with black ink—symbolizing death—were left untouched.

The atmosphere in the Western Liang army's command tent was suffocatingly heavy. The officers gazed at the empty spaces around them, their hearts chilled. Just this morning, their comrades—whether friends or rivals—had been alive, eagerly discussing battle plans. Now, half the tent's occupants were gone. And all of this... had been caused by barely over a thousand Qilin soldiers.

"They're not human! They're demons!" a young officer whispered, his face ashen.

The others were no less shaken, sitting in dazed silence as if their souls had fled.

"Enough!" Lei Zhenting's cold gaze swept over his assembled officers as he sighed deeply. A mere thousand Qilin—less than a third of the Western Liang forces—had left hundreds of thousands of their soldiers utterly demoralized. For the foreseeable future, Western Liang troops would likely hesitate when facing the Mo Family Army.

"Wang Ye..." An officer stood hesitantly. "Wang Ye, we likely won't breach Flying Goose Pass anytime soon. And Mo Xiuyao is bringing several hundred thousand reinforcements. Should we... retreat?"

Lei Zhenting gave a mirthless laugh. "Retreat? Is retreat even possible now?"They had advanced too far north. Now, retreat was no longer an option—they would only be caught off guard by Mo Xiuyao midway. The speaking general paled as well. Mo Xiuyao's troops were right behind them. Their only path was to break through Flying Goose Pass and return to Western Liang via the northwest—there was no other way. But how easy would it be to take Flying Goose Pass now?

Lei Zhenting sighed and said, "Today, the Mo Family Army also suffered heavy losses. At most, there are no more than 100,000 troops left on Flying Goose Pass."

"But what if they still have the Qilin?" someone murmured in a low voice. No one knew exactly how many soldiers the Mo Family Army's Qilin unit had. Over the years, their presence had been felt in many places, yet no one had ever truly tracked their movements. Many were curious about this elusive force, and now they had finally witnessed it firsthand—only to be plunged into an endless nightmare.

"They're gone. At this stage, neither side will hold anything back. Today’s battle must have been Ye Li’s full effort," Lei Zhenting said gravely.

Lei Tengfeng asked, "Father, do you mean... one more battle could secure Flying Goose Pass? But our troops..." The Western Mausoleum Army hadn’t been crushed by the Mo Family Army, but their morale and spirit had been shattered. In the short term, their combat effectiveness on the battlefield would likely be less than half. Lei Zhenting waved his hand dismissively. "This prince has a plan."

"Report! Urgent news from the front!" someone outside the tent hurried in and announced loudly.

"Enter!" A man in military attire rushed in and presented a sealed letter. Lei Zhenting opened it, his expression shifting slightly before quickly steadying. "All of you, withdraw and rest. Reorganize the troops."

"Your subordinate takes his leave!"

"Father, what happened?" Only when the tent was empty except for the two of them did Lei Tengfeng ask without restraint. He had clearly seen his father’s hand tremble when reading the letter—something major must have occurred. Lei Zhenting slumped back into his chair, his face ashen, a trace of blood seeping through his robes and staining his yellow battle attire crimson. "Father?!"

After a long pause, Lei Zhenting finally looked up at Lei Tengfeng and said, "Teng Feng, take Feng Li, Zhang Yi, and Shangguan Qing and leave the north. Return to Western Liang."

"What?" Lei Tengfeng was stunned, baffled by this sudden command. Puzzled, he picked up the letter left on the table by Lei Zhenting. His face turned even paler than his father’s. "Nan Chu has deposed Mo Jingli and allied with Prince Ding's Estate? How is that possible?" Lei Zhenting gave a bitter laugh. "Why wouldn’t it be? There are no eternal enemies in this world. Besides, to the people of Nan Chu, compared to Prince Ding's Estate... we are their true enemy." After all, there weren’t many people in the world who thought like the eccentric brothers Mo Jingqi and Mo Jingli. Lei Tengfeng read the contents of the letter aloud, "Eight hundred thousand Chu troops have surrendered to Prince Ding's Estate, and three hundred thousand have crossed the Cloud Ripple River...""I have always wondered where Murong Shen and Marquis Nan suddenly disappeared to after leaving the battlefield. Now I understand... they went to Southern Chu." Lei Zhenting sighed deeply, his voice tinged with resignation. Murong Shen and Marquis Nan were renowned generals of Great Chu, so leading the 300,000 troops dispatched by Southern Chu would naturally pose no problem for them. But what benefits had Mo Xiuyao offered the Southern Chu court to make them so resolutely abandon Mo Jingli and send troops to support Prince Ding's Estate?

"Father, let us leave together!" Lei Tengfeng urged. He had already grasped the gravity of the situation—if Mo Xiuyao's million-strong army arrived, even his father's extraordinary abilities wouldn't be enough to escape.

Lei Zhenting shook his head faintly. "I cannot leave, nor is there any way for me to do so. Teng Feng, you must take the three generals and depart tonight. Bring only your personal guards—no additional troops. Generals Feng, Zhang, and Shangguan are the most promising talents in Western Liang, both in age and capability. As long as you can keep them in check, Western Liang will not yet reach its desperate end. Once you return... you know what must be done?" Severely wounded, he was in no condition for a long journey. Moreover, given the circumstances... how could he face the people and officials of Western Liang again? Better to die with honor than live in disgrace.

"No, Father..." Lei Tengfeng pleaded anxiously. "Father, I beg you... I lack the ability to shoulder the fate of Western Liang. Teng Feng is willing to stay and cover the retreat—I implore you to take the generals and leave first."

"Teng Feng!" Lei Zhenting said sternly, "Remember this well—from now on, Western Liang is in your hands! If even Ye Li, a mere woman, can shoulder the entire Mo Family Army, are you telling me you're inferior to a woman?"

"Father..."

Lei Zhenting closed his eyes briefly and patted Lei Tengfeng's shoulder. "It's my fault for restricting you too much before. From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself. Remember... don't confront the Mo Family Army head-on. Secure Western Liang first—there will come a day when we rise again." To Lei Tengfeng, these words sounded more like a final testament. And in truth, he understood that if he left today... this would likely be the last time his father would ever admonish him. Tears streamed down his face. "Father... I... I understand!"

Lei Zhenting gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, then turned away without looking at him. "Go. Take my token and summon those men to leave with you immediately. Don't delay for even a moment."

"As you command, Father... Take care!" With reddened eyes, Lei Tengfeng knelt and kowtowed three times heavily. Rising, he took one last look at Lei Zhenting's aged and desolate figure before resolutely departing.

"Teng Feng, if you encounter Ling Tiehan on the road, tell him... I'll be waiting for him at Flying Goose Pass!"

Lei Tengfeng nodded silently, lifted the tent flap, and stepped out.

——————Author's Note——————

Tears streaming~ I made myself cry while writing this, didn't I?~ Feeling a bit melodramatic. Why can't I just write a straightforward scene where the protagonist dominates everything? Though there might be some logical flaws here and there, this part... I really meant it this way. You can throw things at me... ducking under a helmet ...