The First Jasmine - Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Showing Extraordinary Talent

"Your Highness, we're in big trouble!"

Ye Li's group raced without a moment's rest toward Suixue Pass. Because the deployment of troops by Nanzhao and Prince Li had been far too sudden, the earlier advance of the Black Cloud Riders into the Southern Frontier had already drawn widespread attention, making a smooth, unhindered journey impossible this time around. Ye Li had no choice but to take Dark Two, Dark Three, and a few Black Cloud Riders with her, while ordering the rest to scatter and return to Eastern Chu by separate routes.

"What happened?" Ye Li furrowed her brows, pulling on the reins. The reporting Black Cloud cavalryman lowered his voice and said, "Commander Wu Chengliang was assassinated, and the Yongzhou reinforcements were ambushed right after crossing the river. The entire army... was wiped out."

Ye Li's heart gave a violent tremor. "How far are we from Suixue Pass now?"

Dark Two replied, "We're still half a day away. However... Suixue Pass is already surrounded by over a hundred thousand Nanzhao troops. I'm afraid even if we arrive, we won't be able to enter the pass."

Ye Li commanded, "Take a detour. Forget about Suixue Pass; head to Yonglin first. Prince Li's main army should be arriving there soon as well."

"Understood, Your Highness."

The battle cries and rumbling war drums at Suixue Pass were just as ferocious as they had been over the past few days. Murong Shen's expression was as dark and still as water as he stared at the Nanzhao generals clamoring beneath the walls. Remaining holed up under a strict defense for consecutive days was a severe blow to the morale of his troops, and many of the officers around him had long since been unable to hold back, eager to sally forth and meet the enemy in battle. Yet he had rebuffed every single one of them. "General, please allow this subordinate to lead troops out of the city and engage the enemy!" A young, junior officer pleaded with unyielding determination, his eyes burning with untamed fury. The Nanzhao soldiers hurled insults outside the city day after day, while they could only remain cooped up behind closed gates, a state of affairs that had long stoked a raging fire in the chests of these hot-blooded, youthful soldiers.

"Shut your mouth! The top priority right now is defending the city, not engaging in a battle of pride. We must never let the Nanzhao soldiers and horses set foot past Suixue Pass by even a single step—that is the very purpose for which we guard the frontier. Wait quietly for reinforcements!"

Incredulous, the young officer stared at him and asked, "Will the reinforcements make it in time?" They only had eighty thousand garrison troops, whereas the Nanzhao forces surrounding them, coupled with Prince Li's troops coming around from the rear to encircle them, numbered well over three hundred thousand. Murong Shen remained silent for a brief moment before declaring with firm conviction, "They will make it, as long as we can hold Suixue Pass. Therefore, do not engage in pointless disputes of pride."

With a reluctant, resentful glance at the jeering Nanzhao soldiers beneath the walls, the young officer gritted his teeth and said, "Understood, General."

"General!" A courier rushed over frantically. "General, a report from the front lines states that Commander Wu Chengliang of Yongzhou led twenty thousand troops to provide reinforcements. The moment they crossed the Yunlan River, they were ambushed, and Commander Wu has perished!"

Everyone present gasped aloud, and Murong Shen felt the world spin dizzyingly before his eyes. Struggling to steady himself, he demanded, "How can this be? How could Prince Li move so fast?!"

"Report! General, the Prefect of Yongzhou opened the city gates and surrendered to Prince Li last night. Early this morning, Prince Li's army breached Qingyuan City, and their vanguard forces are expected to reach the outskirts of Yonglin City by this evening!" A chill rippled through the hearts of all the generals present. Originally, the garrison forces in Yongzhou were already sparse, yet the highest official of Yongzhou had actually surrendered to Prince Li—no wonder Prince Li's army had been able to slice through their territory like a hot knife through butter. Moving at this speed, let alone the ten days they had hoped to stall, Suixue Pass would likely be completely encircled in less than two days. At this thought, an icy shiver ran down everyone's spine. Driven to fury, Murong Shen let out a harsh laugh. "Good! A magnificent Prefect of Yongzhou indeed! Who is willing to go and hold Yonglin City?"

Several young officers stepped forward as one, slapping their chests. "General, this subordinate is willing to go!"

Murong Shen looked at the grim, resolute young men before him and nodded. "Very well. Yunting, Xiashu, I am giving you twenty thousand troops—hold Yonglin. Do you understand?"

"Understood, General." The two youths replied in unison, accepted their military orders, and strode out without asking how two thousand—no, twenty thousand troops were supposed to hold Yonglin, nor how long they were expected to last. Watching the backs of the two youths as they departed, Murong Shen swept his gaze across the assembled generals and stated, "We shall do the same: hold Suixue Pass. Understood?"

"Understood, General!"

The previously tranquil little town of Yonglin was now enveloped in a stern, oppressive tension. The storefronts on either side of the streets were tightly shuttered, and not even half a pedestrian was to be seen. Compared to the stifling and oppressive atmosphere of defending Suixue Pass behind closed gates, the foot of the city walls at Yonglin was a flashing realm of blades, swords, and soaring killing intent. Beneath the ramparts, enemy soldiers hoisting scaling ladders fought desperately to climb up, only to be beaten back down by the defenders raining stones and arrows from above. As the men in front fell, others naturally surged forward to take their places. Atop the ramparts, garrison soldiers were likewise picked off from time to time by sharpshooters below, tumbling down in horribly mangled forms. By this point, no one cared to dwell on such sights anymore; everyone was entirely consumed by the frantic, bloody slaughter. Everyone had forgotten that these attackers were likewise fellow citizens of Great Chu, people who had once been comrades-in-arms. Once locked in combat, it was simple: you die, or I live.

"What's the plan? Do I go first?" Atop the city wall, the two young officers wore stern expressions.

"I'll go first!" Drawing his sword, the younger officer turned and strode away.

Left behind, the other watched the departing figure, let out a helpless, light snort, spun around, and hacked down with his saber upon an enemy who was trying to scramble up the ramparts while the city guards were distracted by incoming arrows.

The city gates swung open, and the young officer charged out at the head of a detachment of troops, plunging headlong into the enemy formations to hack and slash wildly, temporarily relieving the pressure on the city walls. Leading the charge, the young officer cut down countless foes in his path. Soon, a burly, rugged-looking middle-aged man blocked his advance. Wielding a broadsword, the middle-aged man swept aside the surrounding soldiers and mocked derisively, "Has Murong Shen run out of men? He actually sent a wet-nosed brat to block this general's path! If you know what's good for you, open Yonglin City for this general right now, and I'll spare your life!" Raising his dark eyebrows, the young officer sneered, "This young master's hands don't collect nameless ghosts. State your name, you rebellious scoundrel, and this young master will leave you with an intact corpse!"

"This general is Sun Wei, the Western Army vanguard personally appointed by Prince Li!"

The young officer rolled his eyes. "So it's that traitor Mo Jingli's lackey. Sun Wei... never heard of you. Go on and obediently meet your maker!" His long sword moved with dazzling speed and merciless viciousness, slashing directly toward the man claiming to be the Western Army vanguard. For a brief moment, he forced the man into a frantic flurry of chaotic parries before the fellow finally perished at the hands of the very greenhorn he had held in contempt. Spitting on the ground with utter disdain, the young officer scoffed, "A sack of trash, and yet you dare come strutting your stuff before this young master?" With their vanguard slain, the enemy attacking force instantly fell into complete disarray. Seizing the opportunity, the remaining garrison commander led his troops charging out, and before long, the besieging forces were sent fleeing in panicked rout.

"Xiashu, how was that?" Back atop the city wall, watching the wretched, defeated scramble of the retreating enemy forces, the young officer—who had just thoroughly flexed his skills and vented the stifled frustrations of the past few days—wore an expression of unrestrained, radiant triumph. The young man named Xiashu gazed into the distance, frowning slightly as he said, "These were likely just the vanguard scouts sent ahead to pave the way. Although we've beaten them back, once the true elite arrive..." The young officer's brows furrowed as well, the joy of victory gradually fading away. Forget about an army of over one hundred thousand; even an army of one hundred thousand pigs could trample their meager numbers flat. Defending the city with twenty thousand men was already exceptionally difficult, let alone sallying forth to meet the enemy in the field. Yonglin City was not like Suixue Pass; if they chose to hunker down and refuse to sally out, Prince Li's main army might choose to bypass the small town of Yonglin. While a bit troublesome, it was entirely feasible. Once Suixue Pass fell, their isolated city of a mere twenty thousand men would simply be meat in a dumpling.

"Screw it, when they come, this young master will beat them right back just the same! I, Yunting, am not one to cling fearfully to life!" the young officer snorted.

Xiashu slowly broke into a smile as well. "Well said. But let's establish this first: the next round belongs to me."

Perhaps because their vanguard scouting forces had suffered a crushing defeat, the enemy main force arrived somewhat slower than anticipated, and it wasn't until the following morning that the beating of war drums echoed from outside the city. Standing atop the ramparts and looking out, Xiashu and Yunting watched as Yunting involuntarily drew in a sharp breath. "Has Mo Jingli dragged the entire military force of Lingzhou out here?" The terrain in front of Yonglin City was not particularly broad, but looking as far as the eye could see, the fluttering banners and densely packed sea of human figures made one reluctant to even attempt estimating the numbers. Xiashu murmured quietly, "Back in the capital, everyone always whispered that Prince Li was an incompetent fool. It now appears that's not entirely true." Observing the rigorous, orderly formation and stern aura of Prince Li's army down below, it looked nothing like an army led by a fool. Yunting curled his lips. "Either he has a master strategist hiding behind him, or he was just putting on a foolish act. Can an incompetent fool launch a military rebellion? That's just a madman."

Several figures spurred their horses out from the enemy formation. Among them, a middle-aged man who clearly lacked the bearing of a military commander called up toward the ramparts: "Hear this, defending generals up there: immediately open the city gates and let us pass."

Yunting curled his lip. "Who the hell are you? Just because you say open, we should open?"

The middle-aged man declared, "This official is the Prefect of Yongzhou. Yongzhou has already submitted to His Highness Prince Li. Why haven't you opened the city gates immediately to respectfully invite His Highness Prince Li to enter the city?!" Hearing this, Yunting couldn't help letting out a low curse. "I was wondering who it was; turns out it's this traitor. There's a road to heaven yet you refuse to walk it, but once you chose to become a traitor, you should have had the sense to tuck your tail in somewhere and hide—how dare you still come out and swagger around." Reaching behind him, he snatched a bow and arrow from a nearby soldier, drew the string, nocked the arrow, and released it without a moment's hesitation directly toward the Prefect of Yongzhou.

"Ah?!" Caught mid-stride while basking in his own smugness on horseback, the Prefect of Yongzhou was yanked aside by someone next to him just as the feathered arrow whined past his ear. Terrified, he let out a piercing shriek and nearly tumbled out of the saddle. Yunting clicked his tongue in disappointment. "That aim was a bit lacking." The Prefect of Yongzhou's persuasion attempt proved completely useless. One of the figures waved a hand to have him dragged back into the army ranks, then raised his head to address the two youths on the city wall. "Are the two up there Junior Generals Yunting and Xiashu? The two of you have at most two or three tens of thousands of troops—you simply cannot withstand my twenty-odd thousand—correction, twenty-hundred-thousand? No, twenty myriads of troops. Why stubbornly resist to the bitter end? After all, everyone is a subject of Great Chu; if casualties are incurred, nobody will feel good about it, right?"

Yunting spat and sneered, "What a joke! You still remember you're a subject of Great Chu? This young master thought some stray dog raised by a rebellious scoundrel was barking out here."

The man's expression shifted slightly before he quickly resumed smiling. "The Emperor is devoid of the Dao, and Prince Li is the true Son of Heaven. It is only natural that we should follow the mandate of Prince Li..."

"I spit on you!" Raising his hand, Yunting loosed another arrow. Not caring when the opponent easily dodged it, he shouted furiously, "Shameless scoundrels are something this young master has seen plenty of, but I've truly never laid eyes on anyone as shameless as you. The Emperor is devoid of the Dao... did the Emperor kill your parents or steal your wife? And the 'true Son of Heaven'... does he think this young master's been living under a rock at the border and hasn't heard the news? Flirting with his future sister-in-law before marriage, and getting caught in the act of fornicating with a woman on the very day of his political marriage alliance. Oh... and let's not forget, fainting on the spot during his grand wedding day... If your body is that frail, you should stay home recuperating instead of coming out here to make a public spectacle of yourself!" Standing nearby, Xiashu listened to Yunting's unblinking, breathless tirade with a somewhat awkward expression. The garrison soldiers atop the wall erupted into roaring laughter, while even the expressions of Prince Li's troops down below grew somewhat bizarre. The general who had attempted the persuasion looked as though he wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and crawl into it. Pointing a trembling finger at Yunting, he hissed, "You arrogant brat! Don't let yourself fall into this general's hands, or I'll make you wish you were dead!"

Yunting thrust out his chin, radiating arrogant disdain. "This lord will be waiting."

far behind the massive, towering ranks of the army, Mo Jingli's face was as dark as pitch, his gloomy and cruel aura causing the surrounding generals to hold their breath in dread. Although their vantage point was distant from the front lines, Yunting's words had been projected using internal energy; the generals flanking Mo Jingli all possessed some level of martial arts proficiency, so they had heard every single syllable loud and clear. One could easily imagine how atrocious Mo Jingli's expression must be. "Attack the city! I want that brat alive!"

"Yes." With a wave of a subordinate's hand, deafening battle drums thundered from the rear, and the army began its assault on the city.

Mo Jingli evidently intended to settle things with lightning speed, taking down the vast majority of the region south of the Yunlan River in a flash before imperial reinforcements could arrive. Therefore, he showed no quarter whatsoever to the small town of Yonglin, especially since Yonglin stood directly in the path to Suixue Pass. This time around, Yunting and Xiashu acutely felt a pressure many times greater than the previous day. Defending the ramparts alone left them scrambling frantically, let alone sparing the manpower to sally forth and meet the enemy in the field. Even if they could detach forces, that tiny handful of men would march straight into a sea of tens of thousands of troops, offering a one-way ticket with zero chance of return. Down below, massive wooden battering rams began pounding against the city gates, making even the entire stone rampart feel as though it were trembling beneath the heavy thud, thud of impact. The soldiers on the wall tumbled down one by one, yet the enemy soldiers scrambling up the battlements seemed endlessly, impossibly numerous. Wielding their weapons without pause, Yunting and Xiashu rushed to plug the gaps left by fallen comrades who had no time to be replaced, while the thick, choking stench of blood permeated the heavy air.

Noticing the rapidly dwindling number of defenders on the wall and the crimson blossoms of blood splattered all over his own white battle robe, Yunting muttered, "Talk about rotten luck—this is the very first time this young master has personally commanded troops in battle, and we're about to be wiped out?"

"Rest assured, once you die, the imperial court will surely posthumously promote you to general," Xiashu pulled at the corner of his lips and said with a faint smile.

"Thanks for the comfort. But this young master still wants these bastards to die first!" Yunting declared. Raising his sword, he thrust it through an enemy who had managed to scale the wall to launch a flank attack on Xiashu, then hoisted the corpse up and hurled it straight down upon the climbers swarming up the scaling ladders.

"Brothers, hold the line for this young master! If these rebels get past us, Suixue Pass is doomed. For hundreds of years since its construction, Suixue Pass has never let those Southern Frontier barbarians step foot inside—we cannot let it fall in our hands!" Yunting bellowed at the top of his lungs, and the garrison soldiers roared back in unison: "Hold Yonglin to the death!" Soldiers they might be, but troops stationed deep within the interior provinces could hardly fathom the mindset of frontier guards. Defending the gates of the realm was the supreme glory and mission etched into their hearts, as well as the responsibility carved deep into their very bones.

Several miles away from Yonglin City, amidst the woodland on the slope of a hill, Ye Li stood beneath the shade of the trees, gazing into the distance. The sounds of clashing weapons and charging steeds remained clearly audible even from several miles away.

"Your Highness... Young Master, Yonglin City is about to break," Dark Three hurried over and reported.

Lowering her gaze, Ye Li said, "To hold out this long with a mere twenty thousand troops is remarkable. Who is defending Yonglin right now?"

Dark Two replied, "It's General Murong's two commanding officers, Yunting and Xiashu."

Frowning, Ye Li asked, "Just two officers?"

Dark Two nodded. "Suixue Pass doesn't have many garrison commanders to spare. Both of these men are General Murong's most promising and highly valued young officers. That fellow Yunting even sliced off the head of Prince Li's vanguard yesterday." Frowning, Ye Li inquired, "Is Mo Jingli with the army?" Dark Two nodded, pointing toward a distant spot where flags fluttered. "Prince Li should be over there. Young master... shall we..." Ye Li shook her head. "Mo Jingli's surroundings will undoubtedly be heavily guarded, and he himself is no mediocre martial artist. Trying to capture the ringleader by capturing him first is virtually impossible. Dark Two, Dark Three."

"Present."

"Pick a few men yourselves and assassinate the Prefect of Yongzhou."

Dark Two and Dark Three exchanged glances and stated in clear voices, "This subordinate obeys."

Ye Li stated in a deep voice, "Once you've killed the Prefect of Yongzhou, do nothing else and immediately withdraw."

"Understood! Then, Young Master, you..."

Letting out a soft breath, Ye Li lifted her gaze to look at the azure sky and declared, "I am going with the Black Cloud Riders." The commanders of the Black Cloud Riders standing behind her all wore expressions of profound respect. Although they were naturally bound to follow the Princess Consort's orders, a Princess Consort possessing agile martial prowess and a sharp, brilliant mind was infinitely easier for these proud, formidable warriors to accept than a pampered noble lady with nothing more than beauty and literary talent. Though they hadn't known her for long, over the past few days the Princess Consort had galloped alongside them for a hundred miles a day, braving mountains and rivers without a single complaint. She was even more physically adept and agile than ordinary soldiers, which had genuinely won the heartfelt allegiance of the Black Cloud Riders toward this female master.

Dark Two and Dark Three knew that while they were titled dark guards, the Princess Consort didn't actually need anyone trailing her every second for protection. Sending them on various missions was part of her planning for their futures, hoping they would one day be able to stand proudly in the open among people rather than remain forever as hidden shadow-guards. "We obey," Dark Two said, exchanging a final glance with the Black Cloud Rider commanders: We leave the Princess Consort's safety in your hands.

The Black Cloud Rider commander raised an eyebrow, acknowledging the charge.

"Is everyone ready?" Dark Two and Dark Three departed with their chosen men, and Ye Li turned to ask.

"Reporting to the Young Master, preparations are complete. We can set out at any moment."

Ye Li nodded. "Very well. Divide into four routes, converging into the battlefield from both flanks in a cross formation. In a quarter of an hour, the rest prepare to move."

"Understood." The situation on the battlefield was becoming increasingly dire. From the initial stages where only one or two enemies managed to scale the wall before being instantly beaten down, to the current phase where scaling enemies could linger long enough to land blows, while no catastrophic breach had occurred yet, it was clear they couldn't hold out much longer. Yunting no longer had the breath to spare for shouting curses; he simply swung his weapon in grim silence, his youthful face etched with overt exhaustion and biting murderous intent. A gash had been torn across Xiashu's right arm, forcing him to switch to wielding his sword left-handed—fortunately, his left-handed swordsmanship was just as fierce and lethal as his right.

Just as one wave of attacks lulled, another surged forward. Xiashu raised his sword to sweep an enemy off the rampart, but abruptly another figure popped up over the battlements, wearing a ferocious expression as he thrust a blade forward. "Xiashu!" Yunting cried out in alarm, shaking off an opponent to lunge forward. Yet Xiashu merely blinked in astonishment as the ferocious-looking enemy suddenly froze with a dumbfounded expression and tumbled backward off the wall.

Four dark shadows shot into the sea of tens of thousands of troops like razor-sharp black arrows moving at a terrifying velocity. Wherever they passed, they cut through the enemy ranks like a black tornado, unstoppable and swift, rapidly slicing the massive army's formation into isolated pockets. In next to no time, the drab, dreary battlefield was carved into chaotic fragments by flashes of black.

"What is that?" Watching the black-clad horsemen galloping past beneath the ramparts, drawing and loosing arrows almost without needing to aim, three shafts flying simultaneously to strike down three enemies attempting to scale the wall with pinpoint accuracy, Yunting stood stunned. Then, even faster black whirlwinds swept by; the scaling ladders beneath the wall were reduced to heaps of splintered firewood in the blink of an eye, and the riders galloped on like men walking through an empty courtyard. Yunting stared in utter disbelief at the scene below the wall, letting out an involuntary exclamation.

Clutching his burning, throbbing wound, Xiashu forced a smile. "Reinforcements! Quick, loose arrows!" With the scaling ladders destroyed, the pressure on the ramparts plummeted instantly. Xiashu hurriedly ordered the soldiers on the walls to fire arrows in support of the black-clad horsemen below. Standing on the battlements, they could clearly see that the reinforcement force was not large, but their staggering momentum, battle prowess, and the sheer visual impact of several thousand iron cavalrymen had thrown the enemy into panic and disarray. The Southern region rarely fielded cavalry; gazing at the black horsemen below, Xiashu felt a surge of adrenaline, his exhausted eyes instantly igniting with blazing intensity. "Quick, Yunting, coordinate with them to secure the capital—ah, to secure the city." Even if these horsemen could fight a hundred each, remaining bogged down in prolonged combat amidst tens of thousands of troops was never a viable long-term strategy.

"Alright, I'll head out of the city to meet them!"

Xiashu shook his head. "No need, just hold the gates; they can fight their way out on their own."

Giving Xiashu a strange look, Yunting decided to heed the advice of his slightly older comrade-in-arms.

The Black Cloud Riders swept across the battlefield with invincible force. In the rear enemy command post, Mo Jingli stood with his generals, observing the battle. He hadn't placed much weight on this tiny border town of Yonglin; the entire march had been preposterously smooth, and once Yonglin was taken, the annexation of half of Great Chu's territory would essentially be sealed. In truth, even Mo Jingli himself had never imagined things could go this smoothly. Glancing sideways at the Prefect of Yongzhou standing nearby, a flicker of coldness crossed his eyes. Anyone who betrayed their master once was equally likely to betray a second master. This person was still useful for now, but when the time came...

Swish! Swish! Several hidden weapons tore through the air, hurtling straight toward Mo Jingli amidst the crowd. Alertly, Mo Jingli sidestepped to evade them, and his personal guards instantly formed a tight protective cordon. "Assassins! Protect the Prince!" Several figures burst forth from the surroundings, though instead of charging at Mo Jingli protected behind layers of guards, a few intercepted the perimeter while one turned and lunged directly toward the lingering Prefect of Yongzhou. Terrified, the Prefect of Yongzhou tried to scream, but not a sound emerged from his throat. He felt an icy chill pierce his chest as a dagger drove straight through his heart. Looking up in terror into a pair of cold, indifferent eyes, he heard a low voice sound beside his ear: "By order of the Princess Consort of Prince Ding—for treason and rebellion, die!"

"Fall back!" Yanking his short blade free from the Prefect of Yongzhou's chest—causing a fountain of blood to erupt—Dark Two slashed the neck of an approaching guard behind him, shouting to the rest of the scattered operatives.

The group quickly shook off their pursuers, scattered in different directions, and melted seamlessly into Prince Li's marching troops, vanishing entirely.

With a gloomy and sullen expression, Mo Jingli stared at the lifeless corpse of the Prefect of Yongzhou sprawled on the ground. The surrounding generals wore similarly grim expressions, tinged with veiled dread and anxiety. They hadn't caught every word spoken by the assassin earlier, but that final line—for treason and rebellion, die!—had rung out loud and clear to everyone. Right here in the midst of tens of thousands of troops, under layers of heavy guard, the Prefect of Yongzhou had been executed so cleanly and effortlessly. How could this fail to chill their hearts and make them tremble?

Before Mo Jingli could vent his fury, someone cried out in shock: "What is that?!"

Raising their eyes to scan the battlefield, they saw black-clad horsemen weaving freely back and forth across the expanse. After a few charges, the vanguard troops were already showing signs of crumbling rout. "Where did so many cavalry units come from in the Southern region?" These horsemen moved at blinding speeds, crossing paths in intricate patterns; from afar, it was impossible to estimate their exact numbers. It felt as though the entire battlefield swarmed with black cavalry, leaving heaps of corpses in their wake. Yet the terrain outside Yonglin City was narrow and confined, completely unsuited for deploying a massive army, rendering them utterly helpless against this maneuver for the moment.

"The Black Cloud Riders!" Mo Jingli spat out through gritted teeth.

The Black Cloud Riders! A shudder rippled through the gathered men once more; the more faint-hearted ones turned deathly pale. The Black Cloud Riders—the most elite fighting force of the Prince Ding's Estate, arguably the most formidable military unit in all of Great Chu. Personally commanded by the Prince of Ding, no one besides the Prince himself and the acknowledged matriarch of the Prince Ding's Estate held the authority to mobilize this force. With the Black Cloud Riders appearing here... that meant... Prince Ding was absolute certain to be nearby!

"Impossible!" Mo Jingli said coldly, "That sick invalid Mo Xiunyao could never possibly rush here this fast!" He had departed the capital in absolute secrecy; even if Mo Xiunyao had received word and set off in immediate pursuit, with his sickly, dilapidated constitution, arriving here would take at least several more days. Even if he had arrived, he would be physically incapable of commanding an army.

"Then... who is commanding this detachment of Black Cloud Riders right now?" a general asked with a trembling voice.

Han Mingyue—no, Mo Jingli gave a light snort. He could be certain Mo Xiunyao was not in Yonglin, but who on earth was leading these Black Cloud Riders? Feng Zhiyao? That couldn't be right; Feng Zhiyao lacked the authority to command the Black Cloud Riders...

"Your Highness, a massive force of cavalry is approaching from the south!"

Mo Jingli started. "How many?!"

"Countless... dust is billowing everywhere, and the scouts were all shot down the moment they got close!"

Gazing toward the south, everyone indeed saw dense clouds of dust and churning black silhouettes lining the horizon, accompanied by the thundering roar of hooves that made the very earth tremble from afar. Without several thousand warhorses, such an effect was simply impossible.

"Your Highness..."

The brass gongs sounding a retreat rang out, and the besieging enemy forces pulled back like receding tides. Simultaneously, the Yonglin city gates swung open. The black-clad horsemen galloped swiftly into the city, and the heavy gates closed once more. Atop the ramparts, looking out at the retreating enemy, Yunting and Xiashu exchanged glances and collectively heaved sighs of relief. If these reinforcements hadn't arrived just in time, they truly wouldn't have been able to hold out much longer.

Wiping the blood from his blade and sheathing it, Yunting asked curiously, "Xiashu, who on earth came to rescue us?"

Xiashu sighed. "When we get back, don't go bragging about growing up in the capital; you couldn't even recognize this? Did you spend all your time collecting those street-corner gossip pamphlets?" Knowing details like Prince Li flirting with his sister-in-law, yet acting completely clueless when it mattered most.

Yunting tilted his head, blinked, and suddenly his eyes widened as he stared blankly at Xiashu. After a long moment, he stammered, "Xiashu... Xiashu, it couldn't... it couldn't be that person, right?" Giving him a side-long glance, Xiashu retorted, "Who else could it be besides that person?" Letting out a piercing shriek of utter disbelief, Yunting bolted frantically toward the base of the rampart. Shaking his head in helpless amusement, Xiashu hurried after him. The legendary Black Cloud Riders, after all—he was more than a little curious himself.

Along the wide street beneath the city walls, a dense, silent formation of men and horses stood in absolute stillness. Neither man nor beast uttered so much as a whisper. The entire avenue was so hushed that the drop of a pin could be heard. The moment Yunting stepped off the rampart, a crushing wave of razor-sharp killing intent and oppressive aura washed over him, instinctively causing him to swallow his exuberant excitement, straighten his posture, and look toward the forefront of the formation.

The person at the very front was also clad in black, but unlike the rest, he was not mounted on horseback. Instead, he stood quietly on foot, holding the reins of a sleek black steed. At a single glance, Yunting recognized his distinct difference: compared to the battle-hardened cavalrymen, this figure appeared somewhat slender and gentle, entirely lacking the stern, murderous edge of the knights. He even wore a faint smile as he looked at Yunting. Yet Yunting knew this did not make the person any weaker than the rest; on the contrary, this individual was clearly the commander of them all.

"This official is Yunting, garrison officer of Suixue Pass. Many thanks to all of you for this timely rescue. May I ask... how should I address you?"

Ye Li calmly observed the young officer before her, who was clearly a mixture of nervousness and eager anticipation, finding it somewhat amusing internally. Outwardly, however, her expression remained serene. "Officer Yun, would it be convenient to speak elsewhere?" While Yunting was still dazed, Xiashu—who had just caught up from behind—spoke up, "Of course, this way please. I am Xiashu, garrison officer of Suixue Pass."

Nodding, Ye Li turned to instruct the Black Cloud Riders behind her: "Rest in place."

"Understood."

Two thousand Black Cloud Riders dismounted in unison, their movements exhibiting a synchronized uniformity that was breathtaking to behold.

Recovering his wits, Yunting said, "You've all had a long and arduous journey. Why not come into the camp to rest for a while?"

Ye Li replied with a hint of helplessness, "I'm afraid we don't have much time for rest. Let's not put everyone through the trouble; no doubt Yonglin City has plenty of wounded soldiers who need attending to. However, these warhorses will still require your two men to look after them." Xiashu understood immediately. Fortunately, although Suixue Pass didn't maintain a massive cavalry force, supplying fodder for two thousand warhorses for a period of time was still manageable. Nodding, he said, "Rest assured, Young Master, I'll have people tend to them immediately. This way, please."

Nodding, Ye Li followed Xiashu toward the military camp set up not far from the foot of the ramparts.

Looking somewhat dazed, Yunting glanced back at the black-clad knights who were leading their horses away to sit down, close their eyes in meditation, or polish their blades. Then, turning his gaze back to Ye Li as she strode away with a few black-clad escorts behind Xiashu, he shook his head vigorously and scrambled to catch up.