Helian's Defeat

our Excellency Now that the two in the palace have started their game, should we join too Or perhaps… play a killer move”“A killer move” Mo Xiuyao glanced at him. "Then you’ll take care of the afterma...366. Helian's Defeat

"I sincerely invite the Princess Consort to visit the Northern Rong, why is she not willing to come"

Hearing Helian Peng’s words, Ye Li’s lips twitched slightly without her making it obvious, and she calmly said: "This concubine also sincerely invites General Helian to stay a little longer. Why does the general want to leave so urgently" Helian Peng looked at the distance between them and felt helpless. It wasn't that he wanted to leave urgently; if he didn't leave now, he might not be able to leave later. The Black Clan's Qilin was indeed extraordinary. Although Helian Peng didn't think much of those few black-clothed men individually, when they worked together, even without attacking him, they had already made him feel a sense of danger. That’s why he had no choice but to retreat far away.

Helian Peng looked at Ye Li with some regret and said: "I heard that the Qilin is personally trained by Princess Consort Dingwang. Indeed, it's extraordinary. No wonder Prince Dingwang dared to charge into the Northern Rong’s main camp for her sake."

Upon hearing this, Ye Li was taken aback and said in a deep voice: "What did you say"

Helian Peng was also stunned by her reaction. A major event like Mo Xiuyao single-handedly charging into the Northern Rong’s main camp should have been widely publicized among the Black Clan's troops long ago. How could he know that Mo Xiuyao, afraid of Ye Li getting angry upon learning this, had issued strict orders not to spread it and that the Northern Rong army naturally wouldn't mention such a shameful matter themselves As a result, Ye Li hadn’t heard any news about it until now.

Since he had already said so much, Helian Peng didn’t mind whether he spoke too little or too much. Smiling at Ye Li, he said: "A few days ago, Prince Dingwang single-handedly charged into the Northern Rong’s main camp with just his sword and killed a lot of people there. Did Princess Consort really not know about this"

Ye Li's expression darkened slightly as she calmly replied: "Thank you for informing me. I now know."

Seeing that Ye Li had no reaction like he expected, as if what she just heard wasn’t a big deal at all, Helian Peng felt somewhat disappointed and shrugged before smiling and saying: "It seems that we won't be able to invite Princess Consort today. We still have plenty of time in the future. I’ll see how long this encampment on Lingjiu Mountain can hold out." With that, Helian Peng didn’t stay any longer but quickly retreated backward. As the commander-in-chief, he naturally couldn't leave the battlefield for too long.

Lin Han stood by Ye Li and carefully said to her without expression: "Princess Consort, please calm down. Since there’s no news from the main camp, I believe His Highness must be safe." To prevent Ye Li from knowing about this matter, Mo Xiuyao not only kept it a secret from Ye Li but also concealed it from everyone at Lingjiu Mountain. Therefore, Lin Han was just as shocked by this news as Ye Li.

Ye Li remained silent for a moment before sighing: "Let's discuss this after the battle is over." Rather than being angry that Mo Xiuyao kept such an important matter from her, she was more shocked and heartbroken. She always knew how well Mo Xiuyao treated her. No one could compare to him in treating her as his most significant existence. If Mo Xiuyao had gone on a sudden whim into the Northern Rong’s main camp, no one would believe it. Just because Helian Peng attacked her, he went to such an extent… At that moment, Ye Li even regretted leaving the central army and coming to Lingjiu Mountain. Maybe she should have stayed with him.

However, this was just a fleeting thought. Ye Li was always rational enough not to think that she was indispensable. She understood where to place herself for the best development of events. This kind of rationality sometimes seemed cold and indifferent, but wasn’t it also another way to fulfill her loved ones Only by completely ending this battle and stabilizing both the Black Clan’s army and Prince Dingwang's mansion could Mo Xiuyao’s resentment and heartache be fully resolved.

Ye Li didn't know that while she was worried about Mo Xiuyao, he was also furious on her behalf. In the main tent of the Black Clan’s army, Mo Xiuyao sat in his seat with a dark expression and said solemnly: "So Princess Consort and Zhou Min are only leading ten thousand troops and have been besieged by Helian Peng's more than twenty million troops"

The others were silent for a moment before the Southern Duke stood up and said: "Your Highness, I believe that Princess Consort is not really trapped on the mountain but rather fighting to buy time for Captain Sun and Captain He in order to eliminate the Northern Rong army from Lu Zhou and Hui Cheng. Once they are firmly established at both places, there will only be one way out for Helian Peng: retreat or face defeat."

Feng Zhiyao also said, "Your Highness, I think Duke Southern is right. Besides, Lingjiu Mountain is easier to defend than to attack, and it’s unlikely that Helian Peng can easily conquer the encampment. Furthermore, Lingjiu Mountain isn't far from Feihong Pass; if something happens, General Yuan Pei won’t just sit idly by."

Mou Xiuyao naturally wouldn’t overlook these points. Feng Zhiyao mentioned them to prevent Mou Xiuyao from acting rashly and abandoning his troops.

Obviously, Mou Xiuyao wasn't as rash as they thought; despite looking displeased, he didn’t act impulsively.

"The troops at Feihong Pass won’t be moved unless absolutely necessary. Feng Zhiyao, lead twenty thousand troops to Lingjiu Mountain immediately," Mou Xiuyao said sternly.

Feng Zhiyao frowned and replied: "That's not feasible, Your Highness. If we send twenty thousand troops to Lingjiu Mountain, the central camp…" Feng Zhiyao believed that with Mou Xiuyao’s capabilities, thirty thousand troops might still manage against the Northern Rong’s more than seventy million troops. However, timing and location were crucial. With both armies facing each other and clearly declaring war, it was impossible for the Black Clan’s army to overcome an enemy several times their size. Additionally, leaving so many elite troops at Lingjiu Mountain would be a waste.

Mou Xiuyao knew his plan wasn't reasonable; after hesitating slightly, he waved his hand and retracted his previous statement.

"If Your Highness is concerned, how about letting me go to Lingjiu Mountain" Han Mingyue suddenly spoke up from the back. Everyone was surprised by this unexpected move. They knew that Prince Dingwang and Young Master Mingyue were once close friends, though they didn’t know why their relationship deteriorated later on. These years, everyone could see how cold Prince Dingwang had been towards Young Master Mingyue. Saying he ignored him would be an understatement; if not for Han Mingxi’s face, Mingyue might have nowhere to stay in Licheng. Even though Young Master Mingyue was far more capable than the current head of the Han family, Han Mingxi, Prince Dingwang treated him as if he didn’t exist and only consulted with Han Mingxi.

As a result, even without any power or status, Young Master Mingyue had been busy helping his brother clean up various messes.

Because of this situation, when Han Mingyue suddenly offered to go to Lingjiu Mountain now, Mou Xiuyao was somewhat surprised. He wouldn’t think Han Mingyue would have such a suggestion.

Mou Xiuyao hesitated for a moment but didn't show any anger in his eyes; he simply nodded. "Alright, then you may go to Lingjiu Mountain. Leave the rest of the troops here."

Han Mingyue smiled calmly and said: "If Your Highness is at ease with this decision, I will prepare myself and set out immediately." In fact, Mou Xiuyao's concern was unnecessary; Han Mingxi wouldn’t hurt Ye Li even if he wanted to. After all, in this world… Han Mingxi was the only family member Young Master Mingyue had left.

Han Mingxi opened his mouth as if he would speak but then closed it again. Not only did he worry about Ye Li’s safety, but this opportunity could greatly improve his brother's situation with Prince Dingwang. If Han Mingyue managed to keep Ye Li safe, the relationship between Prince Dingwang and Han Mingyu should improve significantly.

Over these years, watching his elder brother work tirelessly for him while receiving nothing in return made Han Mingxi feel guilty; it was as if Young Master Mingyue lived off of him. Su Zuidie had been dead for so long now that punishment was enough already. He didn’t expect Prince Dingwang and Young Master Mingyue's relationship to revert to their past closeness, but at least he could ensure his brother received fair treatment or the freedom to go where he wished.

"Brother, be careful on your journey," Han Mingxi told Han Mingyue.

Han Mingyue smiled faintly and waved him off before leaving the tent.

Feng Zhiyao sighed inwardly as he watched Han Mingyue’s robe disappear from view. He thought back to how Young Master Mingyue had fallen so low for Su Zuidie, and Prince Dingwang hadn’t fared much better fighting for Princess Consort Ye. The only similarity was that Mou Xiuyao had better judgment in choosing his people than Han Mingyue.

The tent fell silent again before Mou Xiuyao spoke sternly: "Issue my command to the three military leaders; prepare to launch a full-scale attack on the Northern Rong main force!"

Everyone was shocked and quickly responded in unison, "Understood."

A faint smile curled at the corners of Mou Xiuyao’s lips as he said coldly: "Give them a taste of our might. I want to see if Helian Peng will come to their aid.

A sudden cold breeze swept through the tent, causing all the generals to shiver involuntarily: "How cold..."

In Lingjiu Temple, Ye Li looked somewhat surprised at Han Mingyue who suddenly appeared before her. She asked, "Why has Lord Mingyue come here" Han Mingyue smiled slightly and replied, "I am merely following the Prince's orders to invite you to move your camp."

Ye Li did not hide her doubts and looked at him with a smile. Han Mingyue shrugged nonchalantly. He said, "Initially, Xiao Yao had planned to send Feng Zhirao and his 200,000 men as reinforcements for Lingjiu Temple but Feng San managed to dissuade him."

Ye Li nodded and replied, "I believe your words but I will not leave with you."

Han Mingyue frowned slightly. Ye Li sighed helplessly, saying, "Helian Peng has become so enraged that he has been sending more troops from other places to surround Lingjiu Temple. The number of troops surrounding the temple is now no less than 300,000. If Lingjiu Temple falls, it's unclear if Helian Peng will then attack Feihong Pass or turn his forces against He Su and Sun Yaowu."

Han Mingyue sighed and said, "So you plan to stay here and stall him"

Ye Li nodded. She explained, "For warfare, morale is very important. If I leave now as the commander-in-chief, even if Helian Peng does not attack us, our troops will surely disintegrate sooner or later. Not all of these soldiers are seasoned and determined fighters like the Black Warriors; many of them are newly-joined remnants from Chu and northern border soldiers."

Han Mingyue stared at Ye Li for a while before sighing softly. "You truly stand out from other women indeed. No wonder... it doesn't matter, if I don't bring you back, the Prince will still have to bear some consequences. I also want to see how far Princess of Ding王府 can go."

Ye Li understood his meaning and smiled faintly. "Actually, Xiao Yao is overly concerned. With Qilin around, even if we lose the battle, nothing bad will happen to me."

"Amidst the chaos of war, weapons are indifferent to who they strike." Even top experts dare not say that they can safely retreat in a sea of troops. Considering how worried Xiao Yao is about Ye Li, he would naturally be anxious.

“Did His Highness sustain any injuries when he went to the Beirong army camp” After convincing Han Mingyue, Ye Li turned to ask about something she was concerned about. Even though she knew that Xiao Yao was fine, she still couldn't help but want to know more details. The people of Ding王府 kept her in the dark out of Xiao Yao's orders, and she didn’t wish to cause them trouble. Fortunately, Han Mingyue wasn’t bound by those restrictions.

Han Mingyue was somewhat surprised that Ye Li knew about this incident. Upon reflection, he realized where the leak had come from. The people of Ding王府 wouldn't dare disobey Xiao Yao's orders, so it must have been someone outside who divulged the information. Han Mingyue described what happened in detail and said that although Xiao Yao was injured, his injuries were minor and did not even qualify as skin-deep wounds.

Only then did Ye Li truly put her mind at ease and her expression relaxed considerably.

Han Mingyue looked curiously at the elegant white-robed woman seated in front of him. In truth, Han Mingyue didn’t know Ye Li very well; he had only briefly interacted with her a few times before. If he were still Xiao Yao’s close friend, perhaps they would have become friends or that he too would sincerely admire her like the other people of Ding王府 did. But from the beginning, he had taken an opposing stance and thus never made much effort to understand her. However, Ye Li's appearance, intelligence, tactics, and skills were indeed outstanding for a woman, making her a rare example of a virtuous wife and mother. Still, he couldn’t comprehend why someone like Xiao Yao would be so infatuated with this gentle and reserved woman.

In truth, it was understandable, just as no one could fathom how Mingyue could have risked everything for Su Zuodie’s beauty. Love knows neither reason nor restraint…

Now, seeing Ye Li calmly dealing with the piles of documents on her desk, Han Mingyue suddenly felt he understood something more about this woman. She truly possessed a unique and beautiful quality that set her apart from other women.

"At this moment, I’m quite envious of Xiao Yao and Princess," said Han Mingyue with some nostalgia.

Ye Li looked at him and gave him an inquisitive look. Shaking his head, Han Mingyue smiled but didn’t say anything more. Ye Li put down her pen, closed the last document, and said softly, "Some things are better off forgotten and let go of. If you don't move forward, who knows if the scenery ahead will be as beautiful or even better than what’s behind"

"What happens when one can’t forget and let go" Han Mingyue asked absentmindedly.

Ye Li thought for a moment before saying, "In life, there are always things we cannot control. Whether good or bad, looking back after many years, they will just be precious memories of our journey. We should live in the present and look towards the future."

Seeing Han Mingyue lost in thought, Ye Li suddenly asked, "Does Lord Mingyue harbor any hatred Is it for Su Zuodie or Mo Xiaoyao" Either scenario was possible. As a favored son of heaven, Han Mingyue had lost everything due to a woman who only used him. If Su Zuodie were still alive and if Han Mingyue’s resolve were less firm, he might truly hate her to the core. And since Xiao Yao killed Su Zuodie, and Han Mingyue himself was under Ding王府's control these years, it was very possible for him to transfer his hatred onto Mo Xiaoyao.

For a long time, hardly anyone mentioned Su Zuodie in front of Han Mingyue. Listening now, he felt as if she were from another era. After pondering for a while, he shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "Perhaps I hate myself."

"Whether it was true love or misguided affection, it is part of one’s life experience. If Lord Mingyue has already moved past this relationship, why hold on to the past unwillingly What exactly are you holding onto: the emotion itself or your investment in it Since people have passed away and emotions have faded, do you still want to persist with that obsession at the cost of your future" said Ye Li calmly.

Han Mingyue was silent for a while before getting up. "Thank you for your advice, Princess. I’ll go take a walk."

"Please feel free," replied Ye Li without pressing him further. She had already said what she needed to say; whether he took her words to heart or not was beyond her control. If necessary, more people would discreetly watch over him in the future, and with Han Mingyi’s presence, Han Mingyue wouldn’t cause too much trouble.

Elsewhere, the Beirong army camp remained restless. These days, Helian Peng had been pressing his troops closer to Lingjiu Temple every day until they were within five miles of it. Although he hadn't managed to conquer Lingjiu Temple yet, he had sealed all the paths leading up and down the mountain. Helian Peng believed that with such a large force at his disposal, he would be able to capture Lingjiu Temple within five more days. Then, even if Ye Li wanted to break through with her remaining troops, they wouldn't stand a chance against 300,000 soldiers. Just thinking about it made Helian Peng feel that his strategy of gathering all his forces here was the right one. Once he captured Ye Li and Lingjiu Temple, losing Loxiao and Huicheng would be trivial; He Su and Sun Yaowu wouldn't dare hold onto them if they knew Ye Li's life hung in the balance. Even for Mo Xiaoyao, it might prove a decisive advantage.

For many years, Helian Peng had been stationed in Beirong, so he didn’t understand the Ding王府 or Ye Li very well. Thus, he disregarded Yelv Ye's warnings and couldn't comprehend why no one dared to harm Mo Xiaoyao directly but everyone was wary of Ye Li instead. If he could capture Princess alive, that would indeed be a formidable trump card. However, capturing her wouldn’t necessarily guarantee an easy victory, and she might even sacrifice herself rather than be taken prisoner. The last time this happened, Lei Zhenting hadn't wanted to kill Ye Li either, yet she’d chosen death over being used as leverage against Mo Xiaoyao. If he really ended up killing Princess, that would drive Mo Xiaoyao mad with rage and lead to an unstoppable conflict. After Ren Qining’s misfortune, the nobles of various states had reached a tacit understanding: unless they could kill Mo Xiaoyao themselves, it was better not to provoke Ye Li. While she might be his most cherished person, she wasn’t necessarily his weak point.

Helian Peng didn't know these high-ranking officials' thoughts, so even after the lesson from Beirong's camp, he still hadn't given up on capturing Princess. However, he no longer relied on underhanded methods but intended to defeat her openly and fairly in battle to avoid any complaints from Mo Xiaoyao.

Yet now his expression had changed. He’d just received an order from Yelv Ye to abandon Lingjiu Temple and join forces with Beirong’s main camp against Mo Xiaoyao, as the latter's troops were retreating day after day. Seeing victory so close yet being asked to retreat was hard for Helian Peng to accept.

"General, Seventh Prince’s order…" said the messenger who brought the message.

Helian Peng pondered for a moment before saying, "Tell Seventh Prince that I will conquer Lingjiu Temple and capture Princess within three days at most. Then I’ll send reinforcements to him."

Upon hearing this, the messenger’s expression turned grim. "General Helian, this is the order of Prince Seventh." Regardless of whether Prince Seventh's command is right or wrong, it is said that military orders are like mountains. How dare General Helian defy Prince Seventh's order without hesitation Helian Peng replied calmly, "This general is about to conquer Lingjiao Mountain. If we retreat now, wouldn’t all our efforts be in vain Tell Prince Seventh; he will surely understand." The messenger was furious and retorted angrily, “How could Prince Seventh not know that General Helian is attacking Lingjiao Mountain But the entire army is retreating except for your forces advancing forward. If you enter deep into the territory of Great Chu with only a lone battalion, what use would it be” What he didn’t say was if not because of Helian Peng’s relentless attack on Lingjiao Mountain, Prince Ding wouldn’t have gone mad attacking the camp of Northern Rong.Helian Peng frowned and replied coldly, "You just need to relay my words back to Prince Seventh. How could a messenger like you question major military matters" The visitor was enraged but knew that he couldn’t convince Helian Peng and thus sighed heavily before leaving the camp.Seeing how easily Helian Peng sent away Yelv Ye’s envoy with just a few words, the other generals present were worried. Since Helian Peng was adopted by Helian Zhen, it might not be a big deal. However, if Prince Seventh blamed them, they would certainly be unable to bear the consequences. A general stood up hesitantly and advised, "General, Prince Seventh urgently summoned us back. It must be because of the dire situation in the warfront. Shouldn’t we...”Helian Peng replied indifferently, “Prince Seventh has over 700,000 troops while my army is only around 500,000. I believe that waiting for a few days would still be fine. As long as we conquer Lingjiao Mountain and capture Princess Consort of Prince Ding quickly, not only will Prince Seventh not blame us, he will praise our efforts instead. No need to talk any more. Order the army to conquer Lingjiao Mountain within three days.”Others exchanged glances and one said hesitantly, “But…even if we conquer Lingjiao Mountain, it’s uncertain that we’ll capture Princess Consort of Prince Ding. Her troops are incredibly powerful; even if they cannot defeat thousands of soldiers, protecting her and escaping should be no problem.” Helian Peng replied calmly, "This general is determined to do so, you just need to focus on attacking and conquering Lingjiao Mountain."Helian Peng’s stubbornness left the generals helpless. After all, unless Yelv Ye demoted him immediately, he was still a high-ranking general commanding the army, and they had no choice but to follow his orders.The soldiers stationed on Lingjiao Mountain clearly felt that the attacks below were intensifying day by day, as if something was driving the already fierce Northern Rong soldiers up the mountain. This made the pressure on the troops defending the mountain even greater; unable to rest for a moment, many soldiers showed signs of fatigue.However, after three days passed, although the Northern Rong soldiers almost scaled the mountain several times, they were still fiercely repelled by the stubborn troops from the Black Ink Army. Helian Peng was furious as he stared at the camp on the mountainside waving flags, his eyes filled with murderous intent. “Princess Consort of Prince Ding, order your men to surrender immediately or don’t blame this general for setting fire to Lingjiao Mountain!” His voice carried with inner strength from below.Not only did this shock the troops above, but even the generals beside Helian Peng were alarmed. It was already late September, a time when everything withers. If Helian Peng really set fire to the mountain, it wouldn’t just be Lingjiao Mountain that would suffer.On top of the mountain, Han Mingyue stood by Ye Li and observed the calm woman in front of them. "Princess Consort, if Helian Peng sets fire to the mountain as he threatens, we might truly be in trouble."Ye Li smiled faintly, "With Master Han’s martial arts skills, how could a mere forest fire harm him"Han Mingyue laughed openly; indeed, even if Helian Peng set fire to the mountains, with Ye Li by his side, escaping wouldn’t be difficult. However, at this juncture of the war, he was genuinely curious about how Ye Li planned to break their predicament. "Princess Consort, do you have a way to counter Helian Peng’s strategy"Ye Li shook her head and said calmly, “No. With over 200 thousand troops besieging us here on Lingjiao Mountain, it would be impossible for our few tens of thousands to break through the encirclement.”“Then what are your plans”With a calm smile, Ye Li replied, "Better to strike first."Han Mingyue was taken aback by her words. Looking down at Helian Peng’s troops from above, Ye Li said calmly, “As for setting fires… we should be the ones doing it.” Without waiting if Han Mingyue understood or not, Ye Li called Lin Han and asked, "Did you prepare what I told you to yesterday" Lin Han nodded. "Reportedly prepared."Han Mingyue was curious, "Princess Consort knew Helian Peng would burn down the mountain earlier" Ye Li shook her head, "No idea, but regardless of whether he plans to or not, we were already preparing for it just in case.”Soon after, Lin Han brought a lantern-like object. Despite its crude craftsmanship, Han Mingyue could tell it was indeed a lantern. He asked confusedly, “Is this actually a lantern” Ye Li nodded with a smile and said, "Yes, this is called a Kongming Lantern."“What can we do with such a thing” Having seen all kinds of beautiful lanterns before, he didn’t think much of the crude one in his hand. Ye Li smiled and held up the lantern saying, “You will know soon enough.”Soon after, Han Mingyue understood what Ye Li was doing first. Countless Kongming Lanterns lit up and slowly ascended into the sky, gradually drifting towards Helian Peng’s encampment. Since it was daytime and they were busy fighting, nobody noticed these floating lanterns until later.Satisfied with her plan, Ye Li watched as the Kongming Lanterns flew to their intended locations before descending one by one."Er" Han Mingyue was astonished; that the lantern could fly had already amazed him, but seeing them fly in almost exactly the same direction and time was even more incredible. If not for knowing she was human, he might have thought she used magic. "There’s a lot of tung oil inside these lanterns. They shouldn’t burn out too fast… Princess Consort must be planning to…" Soon after, Han Mingyue understood Ye Li's plan; she intended to use the lanterns to scatter tung oil onto the troops or the camp below before igniting it.Sure enough, Ye Li calmly ordered, "Loose arrows!" Several flaming arrows pierced through the air towards the still-floating lanterns. Upon contact with an arrow, each lantern ignited and fell from the sky. Below them, several fiery balls rained down, some landing on troops and others on tents or supplies in the camp. Within moments, flames engulfed Helian Peng’s encampment.With their camp now ablaze, the Northern Rong troops were too preoccupied to continue attacking; they hurriedly returned to fight the fire. However, the tung oil everywhere made it impossible for them to stop the blaze from spreading. Amidst cheers from her troops, Ye Li calmly ordered a retreat south towards Feihong Pass.Once this happened, Helian Peng would indeed be driven mad with anger and might actually set fire to Lingjiao Mountain out of desperation. But Ye Li wouldn’t leave tens of thousands of soldiers to perish needlessly; she ordered the army to quietly withdraw while the Northern Rong troops were still busy fighting fires below.Outside the camp, Helian Peng stared at the flames raging in front of him with eyes bulging and teeth grinding. "Ye Li...I will definitely kill you!

"General, the army on the mountain has withdrawn," a scout reported urgently.

Huo Lianpeng's expression changed. "Where did they withdraw to"

The scout replied, "It seems like they are retreating towards Feihong Pass."

"Pursue them!" Huo Lianpeng ordered.

"General!" Several commanders looked uneasy. They already felt somewhat resentful toward this general who had suddenly appeared, but they dared not say much due to Huo Lianpeng's formidable strength. Now that their camp was burned down and their provisions lost, what did they have left with which to pursue the Mohist army There were still over 200,000 Mohist troops waiting at Feihong Pass. Moreover, those retreating Mohist soldiers weren't the mixed forces of elite troops and remnants from Lingjv Mountain; instead, they were all the most elite soldiers of the Mohist army. Even if Huo Lianpeng was extremely capable, it would take more than ten days to conquer them, while now they didn't even know where their provisions for tomorrow would come from.

"Our troops' provisions have been completely destroyed and we cannot fight anymore. Please reconsider your decision," the commanders advised.

Huo Lianpeng's face darkened; he was well aware that all of their provisions had already been burned up, but being outwitted by Ye Li made it impossible for him to swallow his pride. He said sternly, "Tax nearby civilians."

The Northern Rong army’s so-called tax collection was merely a euphemism for looting; calling it seizing grain would be more accurate. However, now that the northern region was almost devoid of people and even those present had fled behind the Mohist forces, how much could they seize It might not even suffice to meet the needs of their own hundred thousand troops.

"General Huo, I believe we should immediately retreat northward to rendezvous with Prince Seventh and General Huo," a commander insisted firmly.

Huo Lianpeng's expression darkened. "Pursue! We must not let them leave unchallenged!"

With no other choice, several stubborn commanders led their troops away, leaving only those who still followed Huo Lianpeng to lead around 100,000 troops in pursuit as per orders. Looking at the camp turned into a sea of flames before him, Huo Lianpeng's face was illuminated by the rising red light, making his appearance especially fierce and terrifying.

Since the remaining tens of thousands of Mohist soldiers were not cavalrymen, they could naturally not travel very fast. The Northern Rong army, however, being mostly mounted troops, didn't need much time to catch up with the retreating forces. Staring at Ye Li without his usual ease and arrogance, Huo Lianpeng said, "Lady Dingwang, I originally did not wish to harm you. But this is your own fault."

Ye Li ignored him and replied calmly, "In battle between two armies, each bears the responsibility for their victory or defeat. General Huo seems a bit too sore loser, wouldn't you say"

Huo Lianpeng's veins bulged in anger. "Fine! Since I've been defeated by Lady Dingwang since taking command of my forces, today we will fight to the death!" Ye Li shook her head with a smile and said, "I know that General Huo is a military talent personally cultivated by General Huo Zhen. Unfortunately... there's a term in our Central Plains which I wonder if you've heard of"

Huo Lianpeng glared at her coldly, saying, "General will inquire about it from Lady."

Ye Li smiled and said, "Talking strategy on paper."

"Ye Li, you are too arrogant!" Huo Lianpeng roared in anger. He knew quite well the meaning of that phrase, which implied mocking him for his inability to command troops effectively. Seeing his furious expression, Ye Li raised an eyebrow and said, "General doesn't need to feel humiliated by my words. Although you have learned from General Huo Zhen since childhood, it's a fact that before this, you've never commanded a single soldier in battle. Without relying on your superb martial arts skills, I doubt you could control your subordinates. To put it bluntly, the ability to deploy troops and plan battles is something many people within the Mohist army can surpass you. During these days, if not for your numerical advantage in troops, would you really believe you'd have won"

Huo Lianpeng's face alternated between pale and purple as he struggled to maintain his composure before letting out two cold laughs. "Very well! Even if I don't know how to command troops, today you will still die here!" Without further ado, he spurred his horse, brandishing his saber towards Ye Li without giving her a chance to speak. By Ye Li's side, Han Mingyue unsheathed her longsword and blocked Huo Lianpeng’s downward slash. He had previously seen Han Mingyue once in the Northern Rong camp; someone brave enough to intrude into such a place to rescue Mo Xiuyao naturally wouldn't be weak in martial arts. "Who are you"

Han Mingyue bowed with a smile and replied, "My name is Han Mingyue. I greet General Huo."

"Sir Mingyue" Although Huo Lianpeng was from the Northern Rong, his teacher hailed from Central Plains martial arts circles. Even though Mu Gongxiong was old and feeble, he still knew about famous martial artists in the region. However, Han Mingyue hadn't appeared publicly for many years. Besides those at Dingwang Manor, many believed either that Sir Mingyue had retired or died.

Han Mingyue smiled and said, "That's me."

Huo Lianpeng sneered, "I don't care who you are; anyone blocking my way will die!"

"May I learn from General’s superior techniques," Han Mingyue replied with a smile.

Without any words, Huo Lianpeng immediately attacked. Han Mingyue also didn’t hold back and met him sword for saber. Back in the days when Han Mingyue was on par with Mo Xiuyao as good friends and even managed to command Tianyi Pavilion, one of the most powerful intelligence organizations, his martial arts skills were indeed formidable. Although he wasn't among the four greatest experts in the world, compared to Huo Lianpeng, they were evenly matched. Hence, their battle was fierce and intense.

Huo Lianpeng was eager to capture or kill Ye Li, but Han Mingyue showed no urgency. As long as he could block Huo Lianpeng from harming Ye Li, it made his fighting seem relaxed and effortless.

On the other side, Lin Han protected Ye Li while observing the battle, asking her, "Lady, should we help Sir Mingyue"

Ye Li shook her head with a smile and replied, "Sir Mingyue’s martial arts are not inferior to Huo Lianpeng's. Our intervention would only cause confusion."

After some thought, Lin Han nodded in agreement. Looking around, they could see new battlegrounds forming as Northern Rong soldiers fought fiercely with Mohist troops. With roughly equal numbers of forces now engaged in close combat, neither had time to consider tactics or formations, and this continued slaughter would likely end in mutual destruction.

Lin Han was about to advise Ye Li to leave when a thunderous sound of hooves came from afar. Lin Han paused for a moment before his face lit up with joy upon recognizing the sound. "Lady, it's General Yuan Pei’s men!" The sound came from Feihong Pass direction, and only General Yuan Pei’s troops would come from there.

Ye Li nodded as she gazed into the distance. Soon enough, black banners marking the Mohist army appeared on the horizon, followed by countless black steeds galloping towards them. Glancing back at the still fighting Mohist soldiers, a relaxed smile spread across Ye Li's face.it under Chu Junwei's name wouldn't draw too much attention or suspicion. If anyone were to investigate, they would naturally find out that Chu Junwei owned several shops across various regions, with...