359 Ren Qining falls for the trap, Northern Frontier Army tu

cial positions, their influence could not be compared with those of Ye and Wang families. After the emperor ascended the throne, he had compelled them to resign from their posts—this was already a bad...359. Ren Qining falls into a trap, the Northern Border troops defect

"You are Consort Ding" A sharp voice rang out from behind Yun Fei.

All were startled; although they were all sheltered ladies who had heard of Consort Ding’s name many times when their fathers and brothers would sigh that it was better to have a daughter like her or to marry a wife like her. Even their husbands, the kings of the Northern Border, Ren Qining, often spoke highly of Consort Ding. This made these sheltered women both envious and jealous.

Being called out, Ye Li wasn't surprised. She merely glanced at the woman behind Yun Fei. The woman was a familiar face. Ye Li smiled lightly and said, "It's Miss Murong. What is Miss Murong doing here" This effectively acknowledged her identity.

"You are Consort Ding" Yun Fei froze; she had met Consort Ding several times before, though the appearance wasn't quite the same. However, that tranquil yet ethereal aura that made one look up to her, could only belong to Consort Ding.

"Why is Consort Ding here" After a moment of shock, Yun Fei quickly recovered and looked at He Lan Queen in disbelief. "You… you conspired with the House of Ding King…" The He Lan Queen retorted, "Don't say it like that. Our Northern Border merely cooperated with the House of Ding to retrieve our own belongings. What's wrong about that You claim yourselves as the legitimate rulers of Central Plains while colluding with the nomads from North Rong to attack Central Plains. Don’t speak so nobly and add gold to your face."

Although Yun Fei was ignorant of politics, she wasn't completely clueless. She realized that if He Lan Queen conspired with the House of Ding, their fate would be dire. "He Lan, His Majesty treats you well. Why do you conspire with outsiders and plan a rebellion… Don’t forget, the previous queen also died at the hands of the House of Ding."

The He Lan Queen sneered and coldly said, "Treat me well Ren Qining wants to change his country's name as soon as possible after exterminating all our people from Northern Border! As for my aunt… If not because Ren Qining provoked the House of Ding, how could she have suffered such a calamity Whose account am I supposed to settle if not Ren Qining’s"

"You… you twist words!" Yun Fei was flushed with anger but had no comeback.

The He Lan Queen waved her hand dismissively. "I don’t bully women who know nothing. You go back and stay there obediently. Before Ren Qining returns, I won't trouble you. But if you don’t listen…" She sneered again, a hint of cold cruelty curling at the corner of her mouth. "You can try me and see whether I dare kill."

The women present were sheltered ladies without any experience in the world; they couldn’t withstand such intimidation. They all wished to retreat. Yun Fei wasn't faring much better, biting her lip fiercely at He Lan Queen before turning around.

"Ye Li, come here and face your death!" From beside Yun Fei, Murong Mingyan shouted angrily, brandishing a glimmer of cold light towards Ye Li. A black shadow flashed over; even before Murong Mingyan could reach Ye Li, she was knocked away by a palm strike into the nearby pillar, spewing out a mouthful of blood.

Zhuo Jing stood in front of Ye Li and said solemnly, "Consort" Zhuo Jing didn't recognize Murong Mingyan but merely from her hate-filled eyes knew this woman was likely to have deep grudges against Consort. Following Ye Li for a decade, he never saw Ye Li with such an enemy. But after brief contemplation, he realized who the woman was, "Is she a leftover of the Murong family Consort, do you need me…" For someone like her, Black Guards usually practiced exterminating them thoroughly.

Ye Li stared at Murong Mingyan, thinking deeply. Murong Mingyan struggled to stand up and wiped away the blood from her lips with a hand. "Ye Li, you’re still alive"

Ye Li said calmly, "Didn’t you already know I was alive Miss Murong, did Ye Li do anything unforgivable to you Why hate me so much" Murong Mingyan’s eyes brimmed with hate. "If not for your… If not for you, the Murong family would have suffered what How could my grandfather die It's all your fault!"

"You’re too greedy and yet dare to accuse others falsely! Without the arrogance of his martial prowess, would the Murong family suffer such a disaster when Murong Xiong attempted to toy with the heroes of Central Plains Only regretful… The beauty plan wasn’t captivating enough; it backfired." Zhuo Jing said without sparing any courtesy. Although he hadn't followed in the west, he knew what happened there then. Insulting her, he naturally chose the most painful spot.

Murong Mingyan gritted her teeth nearly to tears of rage and glared fiercely at Zhuo Jing, wishing she could tear him apart.

Ye Li turned her head towards He Lan Queen and said, "Queen, please let others leave first. I have something to discuss with Miss Murong." The He Lan Queen nodded to Yun Fei and the others, "You go back; Ming Concubine stays."

Yun Fei and the rest knew they couldn't provoke He Lan Queen now and left.

Murong Mingyan was also left behind but showed no fear. When she returned to Northern Border with Ren Qining, he promised to help her take revenge. But over these years, she gradually felt more hopeless about it. If not for Mo Xiuyao’s massacre of Ren Qining's harem when she wasn’t ennobled yet, she might have lost her life then too. Using everything from herself and the Murong family, all they got was a lowly rank as Concubine. How could she not hate

"What do you want to say Kill me or shave my head, whatever you like." Murong Mingyan stared at Ye Li warily, arrogantly.

Ye Li smiled and said, "Miss Murong needn’t be so tense. I won't harm you in any way." It couldn’t be denied that although Consort Ding’s fame was comparable to Mo Xiuyao's, their reputations were vastly different. Although the House of Ding had several generations’ reputation backing him up, his aura was too harsh; whenever people talked about the King of Ding, they inevitably thought of bloody battlefields and countless bloodshed. Yet for Ye Li, many despite being hostile often overlooked her danger. Especially face-to-face, her gentle demeanor easily made one let down their guard.

Murong Mingyan snorted lightly; although she didn’t relax, her expression couldn't help but soften a little. Ye Li smiled and said, "Miss Murong must understand that the defeat of your family back then wasn’t our House of Ding’s fault either. It was merely an opportune moment we had to act upon. Besides, compared to us, who schemed against your family more Miss Murong should have a clear idea."

Murong Mingyan pondered; she naturally understood the matter back then. If not for her insistence… perhaps it wouldn’t have triggered the House of Ding. But Murong Mingyan stubbornly believed that Mo Xiuyao’s appearance decided their family's fate, hence hating the House of Ding was natural.

"What do you want" Murong Mingyan asked Ye Li with a stare.

Ye Li smiled lightly and said, "I want the remaining assets of your family."

Murong Mingyan was shocked. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. Everything from the Murong family is in Ren Qining’s hands; otherwise, how could he have raised such a large army over these two years"

Ye Li slowly shook her head and said, "Miss Murong needn’t deceive me. I don’t know how deep the Murong family’s foundation runs either but there must be some limit. Furthermore, with Ren Qining's nature… if you have no trump card in your hand…" Ye Li didn't finish speaking, but everyone present understood her meaning. With Ren Qining's character, if Murong Mingyan had lost her value, she wouldn’t still be here now; she might already have been thrown somewhere.

Murong Mingyan was silent for a while and said, "The Murong family has nothing but money. Give it to you is fine, but what can I get" She knew clearly that Ye Li called her out and wouldn't let her go even if she denied it.

"What does Miss Murong want" Ye Li asked. Originally, Ye Li didn’t remember Murong Mingyan; now they met, however, she naturally wasn’t letting her slip away. In recent years, those large-scale military campaigns weren’t only by the Northern Border but also the House of Ding as well. Although the House of Ding was wealthy compared to a huge kingdom, it still fell short. More money was always better.

Meng Mu Mingyan's eyes slightly changed, and after a moment of contemplation, she suddenly said, "I want to marry Mr. Qingchen."

Ye Li's gaze turned cold, and she calmly rejected her with, "No can do."

"Why" Meng Mu Mingyan was taken aback, knowing that the Ding王府 had been engaged in continuous battles over the past few years, making money and grain all the more important. Yet, she never expected Ye Li to reject without even considering it.

Ye Li said, "My elder brother refused Lady Meng back then, so I cannot interfere with his marriage even if it’s for Ding王府." If Meng Mu Mingyan had proposed other conditions, Ye Li wouldn't mind deceiving her as long as they couldn’t be achieved. However, concerning Xu Qingchen's marriage, she could not deceive him either.

Meng Mu Mingyan gritted her teeth and looked at her with a determined look in her eyes, "Aren’t you afraid I’ll bury all that gold and silver forever As long as I don’t say anything, no one can find it. Over the years, surely Xiling’s Southern King must have turned over every stone to search for the Meng family’s wealth, but unfortunately he has found nothing!"

Ye Li shook her head and sighed softly, "I said before that I won’t interfere with my elder brother's marriage no matter what. If the Meng family’s fortune indeed doesn’t belong to Ding王府, then there’s nothing we can do about it. Besides, if Ding王府 cannot get it, others also can’t obtain it." In other words, since Meng Mu Mingyan didn't intend to reveal where the remaining wealth of the Meng family was, she no longer had a reason to live on. Don’t blame Ye Li for being heartless; back then, if she had directly killed Meng Mu Mingyan, Ren Qining might not have so much money to recklessly expand his army and attack Greater Chu. If a resentful Meng Mu Mingyan fell into the hands of others again, it would also be troublesome for Ding王府.

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

Zhuo Jing nodded and grabbed Meng Mu Mingyan before turning around and leaving.

By her side, Queen Helan propped up her chin as she looked at Ye Li with interest and asked, "This Meng Mu Mingyan actually still has some connections. Are you also interested in taking advantage of her" Ye Li helplessly smiled bitterly and said, "The Northern King indeed has remarkable abilities; there are probably not many people without background or influence in his harem."

"Then why didn’t you agree with her request" Queen Helan asked curiously. She had stooped so low as to marry Ren Qining for the sake of the North, so she couldn't understand Ye Li's refusal. Moreover, there was a custom in Central Plains allowing multiple wives and concubines; even if one disliked it, they could still take another wife. Qingchen wouldn’t suffer any loss.

Ye Li said calmly, "There are things I will do and things I won't do. If my elder brother has worked hard for Ding王府 and me, how can I scheme about his marriage over some gold and silver Am I still human" Queen Helan shook her head in confusion, seemingly understanding but not entirely clear on Ye Li's reasoning. "Anyway, I don’t understand your Central Plains folks’ ways of thinking either. You deal with Meng Mu Mingyan as you see fit; she’s useless to me anyway. With no family or friends who would help her, nobody will come to rescue her."

"Thank you."

Ren Qining had been very agitated these days due to the unfavorable news from his reinforcements. The Northern nobles and troops left behind in Changqing City were just as he expected—doing nothing. The only relief came from Helan's reply that things weren’t at their worst yet. Although the rebel leader was a capable military strategist, his foundation wasn't deep enough; if the Northerners helped, it would be hard for Ding王府 to profit even in the North. However, this meant that his alliance with the Rong people to attack the Mo army had failed.

Ren Qining felt no remorse about it. He wouldn’t put himself at risk just for Ye Liye’s plan. If he did, any damage or trouble inflicted on the Mo army would benefit Ye Liye instead of him. Ren Qining and Ye Liye were allies, not family.

With this in mind, Ren Qining's eyes gleamed with determination as he ordered, "Leave a force to cover our retreat; the rest will come back to Changqing to quell the unrest."

"As you command," many generals let out sighs of relief when hearing this order. If their lord didn’t pull back and allowed his home to be taken over by rebels, it would not only be a waste but also put them in grave danger. Some Northern generals were pleased too, but since they sat at the back, nobody noticed. Even if someone did notice, they might just think these men no longer wished to fight. This time on the battlefield, the once formidable North Jin troops showed signs of reluctance and lethargy, yet even so, they were still better than newly recruited Central Plains soldiers who had little combat experience. Ren Qining was angry but couldn’t do without them for now.

While preparing to return home, Ren Qining wrote another letter to Queen Helan listing numerous benefits for the Northern nobles. She responded promptly, agreeing to his demands since Ding Wangfei said deceiving others wouldn't cost anything!

At Zijin Pass' city wall, Leng Huai and Leng Haoyu stood side by side watching the Northern troops withdraw. Leng Haoyu smiled and said, "It seems Wangfei’s plan has succeeded."

Leng Huai’s tired face finally showed a hint of a smile as he nodded. "Indeed, we should prepare to meet up with Ding Wangfei now. Everyone says she is just as clever, strategic, and brave as any man, but I didn’t believe it before. Now…she surpasses most men."

Leng Haoyu smiled in agreement, "Exactly. She always surprises people while making sense at the same time. Father, we should prepare to leave the pass now. In the past, Ren Qining came here to besiege Zijin Pass; this time, we will chase after him."

“Right, it's also time for us to avenge Qingyu.” Although his second son was more outstanding than his eldest, Leng Qingyu was still a beloved and cherished son who died bravely with honor. Being able to personally avenge him would fulfill one of Leng Huai’s heart desires.

Leng Haoyu nodded in agreement, "Father is right; he will be able to avenge his elder brother." Although the brothers had conflicts when Leng Qingyu was alive, Leng Haoyu didn’t begrudge the dead. Father being able to personally avenge him and fulfill one of his heart desires was good too. Thus, he asked the king and queen for permission to still have his father guard Zijin Pass because today was the day they had planned.

In the "rebels'” camp outside Changqing City, He Su sat leisurely in the main tent watching the generals argue incessantly. They were only scared by Ren Qining’s return. With just around thirty thousand men under their command and less than their enemy's army, although they won several battles with He Su’s leadership, once Ren Qining returned with a million troops, they would be overwhelmed even without tactics.

Only after the generals had nearly stopped arguing did He Su gently tapped the table. "Are these arguments useful now We’ve fought so many battles; will the court let us off if we stop fighting now A last desperate attempt might still earn you glory and a bright future, but surrendering means full execution for your entire family."

The generals looked at He Su with miserable faces. "Brother He, be honest—does Ding王府 have reinforcements We won’t follow you into the abyss!"

"Indeed," everyone nodded in agreement.

He Su smiled and said, "Reinforcements are on their way, but… they need some time. However, don't worry; even if reinforcements haven’t arrived yet, Ding王府 has strong support."

The generals were surprised to hear this, looking at each other before someone asked, “Could it be Mr. Qingchen They say he’s the most intelligent man in the world and can match a thousand soldiers.”

"It's actually Ding Wang. He was undefeated on battlefields since he was fourteen. With such a powerful figure backing us up, what do we have to fear from the court's million troops"

He Su smiled as he looked at the entrance of the main tent where a curtain was pulled aside by someone outside. A woman with dark hair and an elegant face wearing a simple robe walked in followed by several black-clothed people who were clearly guards. The guards’ attire had the image of Qilin on it, shocking everyone. "Qilin"

The guards ignored their shock, dispersing around different corners except two following that woman as she calmly sat down in the main position and greeted them with a gentle smile, “All your efforts are appreciated.”

Seeing He Su's respectful expression towards the green-clad woman, several quick-witted individuals were moved. More impulsive people couldn't help but ask, "Who are you to dare sit here"

The green-clad woman smiled faintly and said, "I am Ye Li."

Empress of the Prince Dìng! Everyone was stunned.

"Subordinates pay respect to your Excellency," He Su bowed respectfully. With someone leading by example, others naturally followed suit; everyone in the tent quickly paid their respects and said together, "Subordinates pay respect to Princess Consort of Prince Dìng." At least it was known that Prince Dìng had deep feelings for his empress. Would the Prince Dìng王府真的會袖手旁觀，看著他們被朝廷絞殺嗎？

Ye Li nodded and said, "Please rise, everyone. Please take your seats." Only then did everyone rise and sit down in order.

After seating everyone, Ye Li said, "Thank you for being willing to assist the Prince Dìng王府 in reclaiming this place. Although his Excellency is unable to come due to matters with Northern Rong, my words carry the same weight as his promises. The people here will surely be rewarded once everything settles down. The Prince Dìng王府 won't let anyone who contributed to our cause go unrewarded."

Among them was a rather thick-headed middle-aged general who stood up and said, "Your Excellency, I don’t mind the reward. We were originally generals of Great Chu, forced to commit atrocities against our own country. As for this matter…" Most of these people were former generals of Great Chu who had been treated poorly in Northern Frontier and not valued by Ren Qining. Originally, they had defected from Great Chu to Northern Frontier; now betraying the Northern Frontier and rejoining the Prince Dìng王府 caused them some worry. This middle-aged general's question revealed that he wasn't as thick-headed as his appearance suggested.

Ye Li said sternly, "The armies of the Northern Frontier haven’t harmed ordinary civilians wherever they’ve gone. I can assure everyone here that if you sincerely join the Prince Dìng王府, past actions will be forgiven. If you contribute to our cause, there will still be generous rewards. But... if anyone harbors another heart, don't blame me for my sword’s mercilessness."

"Thank you, your Excellency," everyone said as they stood up. They were most concerned about being held accountable later on; now that the Princess Consort of Prince Dìng had personally promised them, their worries were alleviated. The atmosphere in the tent became much warmer.

Below, He Su clasped his hands and reported, "Your Excellency, Ren Qining has led a million troops to attack Changqing. Should we enter Changqing City and defend it while waiting for reinforcements from Zijinheng Pass"

Ye Li shook her head with a smile and said, "No need. He Su, listen to my order: immediately lead your men out of the camp to challenge Ren Qining’s forces, ensuring you win three more battles before they arrive."

Though He Su didn’t understand Ye Li's intentions, he knew she had her own plans and wouldn't act without purpose. Rising quickly, he said, "Subordinate obeys."

Ren Qining rushed back to Changqing upon receiving the reply from Princess Consort of the Hèlán Kingdom but was met with reports of three consecutive defeats despite outnumbering his opponents. Only five thousand troops stationed in the capital managed to prevent greater losses.

Ren Qining knew well the state of his forces and thus led more than 200,000 Northern Frontier troops as vanguards to join a few ten-thousand troops already stationed for an offensive against the rebels. Yet unexpectedly, this was precisely what Ye Li and Princess Consort of Hèlán had planned; after regrouping, instead of decimating the rebels, they were ambushed when confronted with unfamiliar signals from Central Plains forces.

What else could Ren Qining not understand in that moment He was so enraged his eyes bulged out. Originally sitting on horseback, Ren Qining fell off as he leaned to one side; if it weren't for the guards quickly pulling him back, he might have been trampled by the chaotic troops.

"Why!" Seeing Princess Consort of Hèlán, dressed in vibrant clothes and exuding vitality, leading her forces forward, Ren Qining demanded fiercely. He couldn’t believe he had fallen into a trap set by someone he never took seriously before.

Holding the reins tightly, Princess Consort of Hèlán laughed coldly, "Why Naturally, for the lives of my Northern Frontier brothers and to avenge my aunt and cousin. Ren Qining, what do you think you are After using us, you want freedom Since your arrival in Northern Frontier, how many of our young men have died unjustly on battlefields Now there are less than 300 thousand left; do I need to let you exterminate the rest to ensure our clan's destruction"

The troops entering from Northern Frontier numbered over 700 thousand. With a small population, this force comprised nearly ninety percent of the able-bodied men in Northern Frontier. Now more than half had been lost; if Ren Qining continued his rampage with these remaining forces, even unifying all under one rule wouldn't benefit them. Annihilation was their fate.

"Hèlán!" Ren Qining gritted his teeth.

Laughing, Princess Consort of Hèlán pointed her whip at Ren Qining and said, "I'm taking our men home now. If you hate anyone, blame Princess Consort of Prince Dìng; this is all her idea. Sound the retreat!"

The primitive horns of Northern Frontier echoed across the battlefield as their forces gradually retreated northeast. Far away, Hèlán looked at Ren Qining with a triumphant and challenging expression, "Dare you chase us"

Ren Qining clenched his teeth harder; more blood seeped from his lips. He could only watch helplessly as Princess Consort of Hèlán left in laughter.

"Retreat! Return to camp!"

"Yes, your Majesty."

With a cough, Ren Qining fell onto the ground and sank into unconsciousness.

Ren Qining was rushed back to his tent; after half an hour, he slowly regained consciousness. The generals in the tent gathered around him anxiously asking, "Your Majesty! How are you"

"Hèlán, you wretched woman! I’ll tear you apart!" Ren Qining spat hatefully.

Everyone exchanged glances; during the chaos, the troops from Northern Frontier had suddenly attacked in unison. Many didn’t even realize what was happening until it was over. Clenching his teeth, Ren Qining said, "That wretched Hèlán woman has been colluding with Prince Dìng’s王府 all along, waiting to gather our forces after I return."

"What… Your Majesty, if the Northern Frontier troops really turn against us, what shall we do" The looming threat of Prince Dìng's王府 was already overwhelming; facing a betrayal by their own forces would be catastrophic. No one understood the strength of Northern Frontier better than these men.

Sitting up, Ren Qining’s mind had cleared after spewing blood earlier on the battlefield. He coldly said, "If Hèlán dared betray me in secret, she isn’t a fool. If she mixes her remaining troops into our battle against Prince Dìng’s王府, she won’t be able to bring back any of her forces either. It won't take long before she leaves." At the mention of Hèlán, Ren Qining's eyes filled with hatred; he had relied on his former wife to establish a kingdom only to fall into the hands of his current wife and her family.

"Send someone to thoroughly investigate who’s in charge this time for Prince Dìng的王府. Such tactics must come from high-ranking officials, not just some minor soldiers." Ren Qining instructed, "Our spies can’t be trusted anymore; they might have been compromised long ago. You all need to reestablish your networks."

"Yes." The subordinate bowed and accepted the order before turning to leave.

The trusted aide by the bed asked carefully, "Your Highness, who do you think would be coming this time"

Ren Qining said coldly, “There aren’t many people in Ding王府 with such capabilities. Xu Hongyu and Xu Hongyan usually wouldn't leave the northwest. Mo Xiuyao is currently at war with the Northern Rong. This time, it must be either Xu Qingchen or Ye Li!” After a brief moment of thought, Ren Qining said firmly, "It must be Ye Li! When we were in Licheng City, she was quite close to that woman from Helan." At this point, Ren Qining felt as if his intestines had been torn apart. Back then, he hadn’t even suspected the woman from Helan and brought her to Licheng City instead. He also allowed her to make a deal with Ding王府 under his nose. Unfortunately, it was too late for regret now.

"Your Highness, what about Queen Helan…"

"Kill! No matter the cost, I won’t let that woman live to return to the northern border!" Ren Qining’s face twisted into a ferocious expression and his voice was chilling enough to make everyone in the tent shiver.

After dismissing everyone, the tent returned to calmness. Exhausted, Ren Qining leaned against the bedpost and closed his eyes. However, he kept twitching occasionally as if something had triggered an intense rage within him. "Mo Xiuyao! Ye Li! You dare scheme against me I’ll make you wish you were never born!"

Inside Ren Qining’s tent, the weather was turbulent like thunder and lightning, but in the other side of Ding王府 tent, there was nothing but laughter and joy. Although the tribal leaders from Northern Border and former officials of the previous dynasty had wished for each other's death, ordinary soldiers didn’t harbor such deep hatred anymore. When Ren Qining entered the pass after the initial conflict, he didn't allow his troops to kill indiscriminately as the Rong people did. The commoners also bore no grudges against them. Over the past two years, the Central Plains soldiers admired their Northern Border counterparts for always leading the charge into battle with exceptional bravery. Now that these Northern Border warriors were united against Ren Qining like everyone else, there was nothing to be said.

In the whole encampment, besides the routine patrolmen, both Central Plains and Northern Border people sat together drinking and eating merrily as if they had won a battle. The tribesmen from Northern Border didn't wish to participate in the war of Central Plains anymore; their hearts were set on going home. This night was a farewell banquet for those returning home, hosted by Ye Li and Ding王府.

Under the open sky, Ye Li sat with representatives from Ding王府 along with newly reclaimed Northern Border generals and the current leader of Northern Border tribes (father of Queen Helan) drinking fine wine together. The people from Northern Border noticed that despite her delicate appearance, the lady from Ding王府 acted decisively without any deceitful intentions like Ren Qining's men before. They also heard she was the one who enabled all the Northern Border soldiers to retreat safely after each battle. As a result, they developed a good impression of this Central Plains princess.

Among the women present were only Queen Helan and Ye Li. Unseated from her own side, Queen Helan rushed over to where Ye Li was sitting for some fun. Now that everyone was going back home soon, she looked even more playful and relaxed, like a carefree girl of sixteen or seventeen rather than a Northern Border queen burdened with the fate of her entire tribe.

"Princess Consort of Ding王府, we owe you greatly for our safe withdrawal from the pass to return home. Here… Helan offers this cup to you," Queen Helan raised an alcohol bowl and smiled at Ye Li.

Ye Li accepted the bowl with a smile, saying, "My drinking capacity is limited; I'll just have this cup. Let's drink first." She finished her drink in one go. Even the most ordinary strong liquor caused a burning sensation inside that made a blush appear on Ye Li’s fair face.

Queen Helan shrugged and finished her drink too, chuckling, "You're quite straightforward, which suits us Northern Border people well. But your drinking capacity is really small."

"Queen Helan…" Ye Li smiled helplessly; her drinking ability was already decent among women but compared to Queen Helan who had been drinking strong liquor since childhood, it seemed inadequate.

Queen Helan glared at her unhappily, "I'm no longer a queen. I don't want that title! In the future, I'll be Northern Border's greatest female tribal leader!" Although the North was a barbaric land, they didn’t undervalue women and favored neither men nor women. Throughout history, many tribes had produced excellent female leaders who weren't inferior to male ones. Queen Helan’s father (current leader of Northern Border) only had one daughter—her—and she had just performed a great deed for her tribe; therefore, it was only right that she should be the next tribal leader.

Ye Li smiled and said, "Alright then, I'm sorry. Princess Helan"

Holding her small mouth in dissatisfaction, Queen Helan nodded after a while, saying contentedly, "That’s more like it." Then she turned around to pull He Su and Qin Feng sitting below Ye Li for another round of drinking; clearly, she was already slightly drunk.

On the other side not far from where Ye Li sat, her father also heard what his daughter said. With a helpless smile, he raised his alcohol bowl and said to Ye Li, "Helan is spoiled by me. Your grace, please forgive."

"It's fine. Princess Helan is wise and perceptive; your grace has great fortune," although this interim tribal leader of Northern Border hadn’t met Ye Li many times before, he knew that her father must be a decent person to raise such a daughter. Ren Qining’s biggest mistake might have been underestimating these people from the north too much. If they could assist him in establishing a kingdom, they also had the potential to bring about his downfall.

The tribal leader was deeply fond of Helan and was pleased with Ye Li's compliment; he laughed loudly while drinking several bowls of wine consecutively.

Male soldiers loved drinking alcohol. Seeing how the Northern Border’s chief drank so freely, everyone in attendance started to make a ruckus and the atmosphere in the camp became even livelier.

"Princess Consort of Ding王府, we have heard about Mo Family Army's valiant reputation for two hundred years with hardly any defeats. We would like to challenge them; please allow it," said a young man among the Northern Border generals.

Hearing this, everyone’s eyes lit up. For over two centuries, Mo Family Army had been known as invincible and undefeated. They might not be the bravest army in the world but were certainly the oldest one still fierce and unyielding. Many famous battle-hardened armies became mediocre after their peak period due to leaders' complacency or other reasons. But a force like Mo Family Army, which remained supreme for two hundred years despite being persecuted by successive emperors of Dazhou throughout history, was unheard of.

The men from Northern Border cherished martial prowess and loved competition; thus, they didn’t miss this chance to challenge the Mo Family Army soldiers present.

Ye Li felt a bit uneasy. Among those in Ding王府 present, only Qin Feng and He Su had commanded troops, but fighting against these Northerners wouldn't be fair for either side. Both of them were either secret agents or members of Black Cloud Cavalry who underwent extremely rigorous training by Qilin; individually, they could easily defeat any general here.

Upon hearing that there would be a fight, Princess Helan’s eyes lit up immediately. She ran to Ye Li and said with a smile, "Princess Consort of Ding王府, please agree to their request. I also want to see how powerful your generals are."

Ye Li smiled helplessly at her, but the princess didn't care; she pulled out a whip from her waist and pointed it at He Su, saying, "Are you a general in Mo Family Army Let me learn your skills!"

He Su was stunned. People in Ding王府 had an odd quirk due to Ye Li's influence: they never belittled women but also believed there was no other woman on par with her. If he fought the princess, regardless of victory or defeat, he would likely be mocked by others for it.

"Princess Helan…"

Queen Helan raised her chin and said, "What I'm challenging you openly; why are you looking down on me"

He Su glanced at Ye Li sitting above the dais but saw no sign of help from her; she remained calm while pondering deeply as if not noticing his pleading eyes. He couldn't help but smile bitterly, realizing that the princess wouldn’t be stepping in to rescue him.self without the usual despondency and poverty seen in those with physical disabilities. Even standing people seemed shorter and had to look up at him. There are some individuals who do not need luxur...