The First Jasmine - Chapter 90
Chapter 90: Yonglin Defense
The hall, made somewhat crude by its temporary setup, was filled with tension as Xia Shu stared with a grave expression at the black-robed youth sitting before him, who was leisurely looking around the room, along with the four black-robed knights standing guard beside him. "My lord, you may speak your mind now. May I ask for your and your companions' esteemed origins?" Ye Li looked at the two of them, smiled with carefree ease, and said, "No wonder General Murong sent the two of you to garrison Yonglin City. Commander Yun is valiant and Commander Xia is cautious—truly a rare combination." Xia Shu gave a faint, bitter smile. "If you and your companions hadn't arrived in the nick of time today, Yun Ting and I would likely have no choice but to pay for our failure with our lives." His gaze remained fixed on Ye Li; he could not forget that the youth before him had yet to reveal his true identity.
With a helpless smile, Ye Li raised a hand to pull down the bun of hair on her head, letting a cascade of dark silk flow down over her shoulders as she said lightly, "I am the Princess Consort of Ding."
The Princess Consort of Ding? Yun Ting and Xia Shu stared at each other in blank dismay. Although the situation before them was unexpected, it also seemed to make a certain kind of sense. Aside from the Prince of Ding, only the Princess Consort of Ding could command such a large force of Black Cloud Cavalry. But how could the Princess Consort of Ding, who was rumored to have gone missing, suddenly appear at Suixue Pass, and even bring the Black Cloud Cavalry to rescue Yonglin City? Moreover... rumor had it that the Princess Consort of Ding was the beloved daughter of the current Minister of Works and the granddaughter of the esteemed Scholar Qingyun. How could a delicate, sheltered young lady of a noble household possibly... Yun Ting felt even more dizzy. He stood to the side in silence, leaving everything to Xia Shu, who was clearly much more composed than he was. Xia Shu was also startled out of his wits, taking a long while to recover before asking, "Your Highness... why are you here?"
Ye Li smiled and replied, "I wasn't actually here originally; I only rushed over after hearing the news that Suixue Pass was besieged. Fortunately, I made it in time. If the two of you still doubt my identity... isn't General Murong's daughter, Miss Murong, still stationed at Suixue Pass?" Xia Shu's expression shifted slightly, and he said with some embarrassment, "This subordinate does not doubt Your Highness's identity. After all, the Black Cloud Cavalry are the best proof possible. It's just that..." Ye Li nodded. "I understand Commander Xia's meaning; there's no need to be tense. Please, both of you, take a seat."
Xia Shu and Yun Ting exchanged a glance, expressed their thanks, and sat down. Initially, they had been overjoyed when the Black Cloud Cavalry arrived to rescue them, but now, upon discovering that the force was led by the Princess Consort of Ding, the two men suddenly had no idea what expression to wear or how to feel. Everyone knew that the Prince of Ding was currently unable to walk, so mobilizing the Black Cloud Cavalry indeed required none other than the Princess Consort of Ding. However, the notion that such a delicate and slender woman genuinely possessed the ability to command such a formidable army and lead them in a battle against more than a hundred thousand rebellious troops under King Li left them both feeling deeply uncertain. "This subordinate requests an audience with Your Highness." The voices of Dark Two and Dark Three echoed from outside the door. Both Xia Shu and Yun Ting startled, casting vigilant glances toward the entrance. Several men dressed in the standard attire of ordinary soldiers walked in. Although the uniforms of Great Chu's soldiers were nearly identical, Xia Shu immediately noticed that the insignia on these men's clothes belonged to the troops under King Li of Lingzhou. These individuals clearly had not been let in by the garrison soldiers guarding the city.
"You've worked hard. How did the mission go?"
Dark Two stepped forward and said, "Obeying Your Highness's command, the Prefect of Yongzhou has already been brought to justice. It is only a pity that King Li's guards were too numerous, so this subordinate failed to bring back the Prefect's head. Please forgive this subordinate, Your Highness." Ye Li raised a hand and said, "It doesn't matter. You all did very well. Go down and rest first." The men acknowledged the order and withdrew. Yun Ting asked in shock, "You... you killed the Prefect of Yongzhou?!"
"Yun Ting, show some respect," Xia Shu said in a deep voice. Since they had already confirmed that the woman before them truly was the Princess Consort of Ding, then regardless of whether she actually possessed the ability to command the Black Cloud Cavalry and the Yonglin troops, she was certainly not someone they could afford to treat disrespectfully—even though he was equally shocked by what he had just heard. Ye Li nodded lightly and said, "The Prefect of Yongzhou refused to serve his country and surrendered to King Li's forces. If he were not brought to justice to set an example, I fear officials elsewhere might be swayed by him and follow his lead." Xia Shu nodded in agreement. "Your Highness speaks wisely. If the Prefect of Yongzhou hadn't defected to King Li, we wouldn't be facing the danger of Yonglin being besieged today."
Yun Ting looked at Xia Shu, then turned to Ye Li, and suddenly asked, "Your Highness, when will the reinforcements arrive?"
Ye Li pondered for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't know for sure either. I was originally in Nanzhao, and only rushed back through the night after hearing the news about Suixue Pass. However... Prefect Wu of Zongzhou was ambushed at the Yunlan River, so I'm afraid reinforcements won't arrive in the next few days." It would already be a miracle if any region south of the Yunlan River could simply manage to protect itself; hoping for reinforcements was entirely out of the question. North of the river, Zongzhou was the closest city to Yongzhou, but with Zongzhou's troops having been ambushed, the forces in other regions would likely not dispatch a single soldier without a direct imperial decree. Yun Ting and Xia Shu were the commanders of Yonglin City's garrison rather than ordinary soldiers, so Ye Li had no intention of deceiving them. If the military commanders failed to see the reality of the situation clearly, there was no point in discussing anything else.
"Dammit!" Yun Ting cursed under his breath. Even with the addition of the two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry, their total force still fell short of twenty thousand. Even if they weren't afraid of dying, if holding Yonglin required sacrificing every single one of them to the last man, he would rather die on the battlefield immediately.
Xia Shu slowly drew in a breath, calmed his racing pulse, and asked, "Since that is the case, I must ask Your Highness to leave Yonglin and return to the capital as soon as possible."
"Leave?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow and asked.
Xia Shu gave a bitter smile. "To be completely honest with Your Highness, although the two of us gave General Murong a military pledge, Yonglin... can only be defended to the absolute limit of our abilities, for as long as we can possibly hold out. I have previously heard rumors regarding Your Highness's feud with King Li. In the event that things go wrong... it would be best for Your Highness to leave quickly." Ye Li broke into a smile. "Commander Xia, do you take me for someone who came to Yonglin just to stroll around and then leave in a hurry? Besides... if I leave, even if I were to leave the Black Cloud Cavalry behind for you, would you actually be able to command them?" Xia Shu looked at Ye Li with a sense of shame; he indeed had entertained the exact hope that the Princess Consort of Ding would leave the Black Cloud Cavalry behind to assist in defending the city. But what the Princess Consort said was true: if even successive emperors of the dynasty could not touch the Black Cloud Cavalry, how could a mere commander like him possibly hope to command them? Raising an eyebrow at his conflicted expression, Ye Li smiled and asked, "What? Does having me stay and defend the city with you make you lose face?"
"This..." Xia Shu was struck speechless. Yun Ting, however, was blunt and quick-tongued, blurting out, "Your Highness, the battlefield is far too dangerous! With your noble status and as a young woman, how can we let you stay and defend the city with us? Why don't you have a word with the brothers of the Black Cloud Cavalry and just have them stay behind to help us hold the city? That way, you'll be safe, and we'll have much more confidence in our defense." Ye Li let out a soft chuckle, covering her mouth with her hand. "Commander Yun, I rode into this city on a horse myself just now, didn't I? I wasn't carried in sitting inside a sedan chair, was I?" Yun Ting was stunned, only then remembering that amidst the chaos of the battle just moments ago, he indeed hadn't seen anyone specially guarding anyone. This woman, who stood shorter than his own shoulder, had actually fought her way through thousands of troops and horses just like every single member of the Black Cloud Cavalry?!
Xia Shu gave a light cough, raised his hands in a salute toward Ye Li, and said, "This subordinate was impolite. General Murong is currently at Suixue Pass; perhaps Your Highness should go meet with him first before we discuss our next steps?" Ye Li frowned in contemplation for a moment before nodding. "That sounds reasonable. The rebel forces have suffered consecutive setbacks over the past two days and have now retreated twenty miles away. Mo Jingli likely won't dare to advance rashly until he has investigated the situation fully. Since I have come, it would be improper of me not to pay my respects to General Murong. Let us make a trip to Suixue Pass first." Yun Ting volunteered eagerly, "I'll escort Your Highness there!" Xia Shu gave Yun Ting a half-smile, as if seeing right through the little scheme in his heart, and said with an indulgent grin, "I will stay behind to guard Yonglin." Ye Li nodded. "Then I leave it in your capable hands, Commander Xia. I will have the Black Cloud Cavalry stay behind to assist you in further strengthening the city walls' defenses."
Xia Shu was overjoyed. Everyone in the world knew that the Black Cloud Cavalry excelled at breaking through heavily fortified positions, but by the same token, those who excelled at attacking naturally understood where the weaknesses in a defense lay. Having the opportunity to observe the Black Cloud Cavalry up close was the honor of a lifetime for any soldier. Hearing this, Yun Ting found himself torn once again: which was more worthwhile—accompanying the Princess Consort of Ding to see General Murong, or staying behind to watch the Black Cloud Cavalry, which was far more exciting? Glancing at Ye Li, who had already stood up, Commander Yun clenched his fist inwardly. Sucking up to the Princess Consort of Ding was an absolute necessity; once this battle was over, if he still survived, he would beg her to let him join the Black Cloud Cavalry. Even if he had to serve as a mere foot soldier, he would gladly do it!
Suixue Pass
Murong Shen strode into the large command tent, his armor stained with blood and grime. Sensing that King Li's rebel forces were drawing near, the assaults by the Nanzhao troops beneath the city walls had grown increasingly fierce today. In the end, Murong Shen had had to personally lead troops out of the city for a grueling battle before managing to drive the enemy back. Finally able to catch his breath, Murong Shen didn't even have time to change his clothes before hurrying back to the command tent to hear the battle report from Yonglin City. "General, early this morning, King Li personally led a force of one hundred and fifty thousand troops right up to the gates of Yonglin City."
Murong Shen waved a hand dismissively and said, "Nonsense! There's hardly any space outside Yonglin City. Where does he plan to deploy a force of one hundred and fifty thousand?"
One of his subordinate generals stood up and said, "Those one hundred and fifty thousand troops are likely being prepared for us here at Suixue Pass. Yesterday, those two punks Yun Ting and Xia Shu beat back King Li's vanguard force and even beheaded his vanguard commander clearing the way. Those two boys probably won't have an easy time of it today." Murong Shen nodded. "Yun Ting and Xia Shu fought quite well this time."
"General, why don't this subordinate lead some men over to Yonglin to take a look? I'm afraid those two boys won't be able to hold out today," a middle-aged deputy general said with a hint of worry. With a heavy expression, Murong Shen shook his head. "Nanzhao forces could launch an attack at any moment, and moreover, we simply cannot spare any more troops to reinforce them." The gathered generals fell silent. Pulling men away from Suixue Pass was equivalent to personally opening the gates and inviting the Nanzhao people right into the pass. But if they didn't send reinforcements, the mere twenty thousand men in Yonglin City would sooner or later be devoured by King Li's massive army of over a hundred thousand, and once the enemy forces surrounded Suixue Pass from both sides, they wouldn't be able to hold it either. What made it even more tragic was... they couldn't even attempt a breakout, because they were guarding Suixue Pass—the gateway of Great Chu. Unless every single soldier at Suixue Pass died to the last man, they could never allow foreign invaders to take even a single step forward. This was a conviction forged in blood and life by generations of guardians of Suixue Pass over hundreds of years.
"Damn it! King Li actually colluded with the Nanzhao people!" The hot-tempered generals couldn't help but curse out loud. What could be more frustrating and demoralizing than bleeding and fighting for your life on the front lines, only to be stabbed in the back by your own people? A dignified imperial prince, the younger brother of the Emperor himself, colluding with outsiders—what kind of outrage was this?
"Reporting to the General! A battle report from Yonglin City!"
"Quickly, bring it in!" The angry curses inside the command tent instantly ceased. Everyone stared with solemn expressions at the soldier who had just entered, terrified of hearing bad news from his lips.
"Reporting to the General! This morning, King Li's rebel forces attacked the city, lasting about two hours. By noon, the rebel forces had been beaten back and routed. Commander Xia asks the General to rest assured: as long as there is a single soldier remaining in Yonglin, they will never allow the rebel forces to cross beyond Yonglin City," the soldier reported in a clear, ringing voice.
"Splendid! Those two lads are truly capable," Murong Shen said, overjoyed. In truth, when he had first dispatched Yun Ting and Xia Shu to Yonglin, he had harbored some misgivings because both of them were so young, but Suixue Pass simply had no one else to spare. Never had he expected that these two youths would manage to fight and win consecutive battles over the past two days. Pondering this for a moment, Murong Shen asked with a hint of perplexity, "King Li's army of over a hundred thousand has fully arrived—how did Yun Ting and Xia Shu manage to drive them back?"
The reporting soldier did not hide anything. "Originally, our forces were struggling to hold on, but suddenly, a large force of black-robed cavalry emerged from nowhere and slaughtered the enemy, driving them back. Furthermore, the Prefect of Yongzhou was also killed by unknown assailants within King Li's army camp."
Murong Shen was taken aback, unable to quite figure out the identity of these black-robed cavalrymen, but the death of the Yongzhou Prefect was undoubtedly good news. "A well-deserved death! Go back and investigate those cavalrymen, and report back to me as soon as possible."
"Yes!"
"Reporting to the General, Commander Yun requests an audience."
"Yun Ting? Why is he here? Let him in!" Murong Shen frowned slightly and waved his hand to give the order.
Before long, Yun Ting strode in with an excited expression. The moment he stepped through the entrance, he called out to Murong Shen, "General, look who is here!" Just as Murong Shen was about to reprimand Yun Ting for his volatility, he raised his head—and was so startled that he couldn't utter a word for a long time. Although Murong Shen had never been fond of socializing or banqueting when he was in the capital, and Ye Li likewise disliked going out, Murong Ting and Ye Li were truly close friends. Thus, as a general who doted on his beloved daughter, Murong Murong had indeed met this famed Princess Consort of Ding of the capital on a few occasions. Even though the person before him was dressed in black in men's attire, the delicate and exquisite facial features that remained entirely unchanged, coupled with that calm and composed smile, left a profound impression on Murong Shen. "Your High—" Murong Shen forced the rest of the title back down his throat, only to hear Ye Li cup her hands in a greeting and say with a smile, "General Murong, we have not met since we parted in the capital; I trust you have been well?" Murong Shen was, after all, a seasoned general who had spent half his life on the battlefield. He quickly regained his composure, returned the salute with cupped hands, and smiled, "Thank you for your concern, my lord. This old general should rather thank you for your timely assistance in lifting the crisis at Yonglin." With black-robed cavalry involved, and now seeing the Princess Consort of Ding suddenly appearing here, if Murong Shen still couldn't guess who had relieved the crisis at Yonglin, he wouldn't be the Murong Shen who had once fought alongside Mo Liufang.
Although the various generals of Suixue Pass present did not know who this black-robed youth accompanying Yun Ting was—the one who had rescued Yonglin City—they clearly sensed that General Murong recognized this person, so they relaxed their vigilance and looked curiously at Ye Li. Murong Shen glanced at the others, waved his hand to dismiss them, and then invited Ye Li to be seated. Ye Li stood on ceremony, expressed her thanks, walked to the side, and sat down. "General, can Suixue Pass hold out?" Ye Li knew Murong Shen's temper well and had no desire to beat around the bush or waste time, asking her question directly.
Murong Shen looked at Ye Li deeply, sighed after a long moment, and said, "I won't hide it from Your Highness. If it weren't for those hundred-odd thousand rebel troops of King Li behind us, Murong Shen would dare guarantee that we wouldn't let the people of the Southern Frontier cross a single step past Suixue Pass. But... once Yonglin City falls... hehe, Suixue Pass won't even be able to hold out for half a day." There were no natural barriers between Suixue Pass and Yonglin City; once the rebel forces breached Yonglin City, it would be equivalent to presenting the garrison's vulnerable rear directly to the enemy to attack. By then, caught in a pincer movement, without the Nanzhao people even needing to expend much effort, the garrison of Suixue Pass would slaughter each other down to the last casualty. What was even more tragic was... they couldn't even attempt a breakout, because what they guarded was Suixue Pass, the national gate of Great Chu. Unless every last soldier defending Suixue Pass perished, they could never allow foreigners to step foot inside. This was a conviction forged with blood and lives, passed down through generations of guardians at Suixue Pass over hundreds of years.
"Dammit! King Li actually colluded with the Nanzhao people!" The hot-tempered generals couldn't help but curse out loud. What could be more frustrating and demoralizing than bleeding and fighting for your life on the front lines, only to be stabbed in the back by your own people? A dignified imperial prince, the younger brother of the Emperor himself, colluding with outsiders—what kind of outrage was this?
"Reporting to the General! A battle report from Yonglin City!"
"Quickly, bring it in!" The angry curses inside the command tent instantly ceased. Everyone stared with solemn expressions at the soldier who had just entered, terrified of hearing bad news from his lips.
"Reporting to the General! This morning, King Li's rebel forces attacked the city, lasting about two hours. By noon, the rebel forces had been beaten back and routed. Commander Xia asks the General to rest assured: as long as there is a single soldier remaining in Yonglin, they will never allow the rebel forces to cross beyond Yonglin City," the soldier reported in a clear, ringing voice.
"Splendid! Those two lads are truly capable," Murong Shen said, overjoyed. In truth, when he had first dispatched Yun Ting and Xia Shu to Yonglin, he had harbored some misgivings because both of them were so young, but Suixue Pass simply had no one else to spare. Never had he expected that these two youths would manage to fight and win consecutive battles over the past two days. Pondering this for a moment, Murong Shen asked with a hint of perplexity, "King Li's army of over a hundred thousand has fully arrived—how did Yun Ting and Xia Shu manage to drive them back?"
The reporting soldier did not hide anything. "Originally, our forces were struggling to hold on, but suddenly, a large force of black-robed cavalry emerged from nowhere and slaughtered the enemy, driving them back. Furthermore, the Prefect of Yongzhou was also killed by unknown assailants within King Li's army camp."
Murong Shen was taken aback, unable to quite figure out the identity of these black-robed cavalrymen, but the death of the Yongzhou Prefect was undoubtedly good news. "A well-deserved death! Go back and investigate those cavalrymen, and report back to me as soon as possible."
"Yes!"
"Reporting to the General, Commander Yun requests an audience."
"Yun Ting? Why is he here? Let him in!" Murong Shen frowned slightly and waved his hand to give the order.
Before long, Yun Ting strode in with an excited expression. The moment he stepped through the entrance, he called out to Murong Shen, "General, look who is here!" Just as Murong Shen was about to reprimand Yun Ting for his volatility, he raised his head—and was so startled that he couldn't utter a word for a long time. Although Murong Shen had never been fond of socializing or banqueting when he was in the capital, and Ye Li likewise disliked going out, Murong Ting and Ye Li were truly close friends. Thus, as a general who doted on his beloved daughter, Murong Murong had indeed met this famed Princess Consort of Ding of the capital on a few occasions. Even though the person before him was dressed in black in men's attire, the delicate and exquisite facial features that remained entirely unchanged, coupled with that calm and composed smile, left a profound impression on Murong Shen. "Your High—" Murong Shen forced the rest of the title back down his throat, only to hear Ye Li cup her hands in a greeting and say with a smile, "General Murong, we have not met since we parted in the capital; I trust you have been well?" Murong Shen was, after all, a seasoned general who had spent half his life on the battlefield. He quickly regained his composure, returned the salute with cupped hands, and smiled, "Thank you for your concern, my lord. This old general should rather thank you for your timely assistance in lifting the crisis at Yonglin." With black-robed cavalry involved, and now seeing the Princess Consort of Ding suddenly appearing here, if Murong Shen still couldn't guess who had relieved the crisis at Yonglin, he wouldn't be the Murong Shen who had once fought alongside Mo Liufang.
Although the various generals of Suixue Pass present did not know who this black-robed youth accompanying Yun Ting was—the one who had rescued Yonglin City—they clearly sensed that General Murong recognized this person, so they relaxed their vigilance and looked curiously at Ye Li. Murong Shen glanced at the others, waved his hand to dismiss them, and then invited Ye Li to be seated. Ye Li stood on ceremony, expressed her thanks, walked to the side, and sat down. "General, can Suixue Pass hold out?" Ye Li knew Murong Shen's temper well and had no desire to beat around the bush or waste time, asking her question directly.
Murong Shen looked at Ye Li deeply, sighed after a long moment, and said, "I won't hide it from Your Highness. If it weren't for those hundred-odd thousand rebel troops of King Li behind us, Murong Shen would dare guarantee that we wouldn't let the people of the Southern Frontier cross a single step past Suixue Pass. But... once Yonglin City falls... hehe, Suixue Pass won't even be able to hold out for half a day." There were no natural barriers between Suixue Pass and Yonglin City; once the rebel forces breached Yonglin City, it would be equivalent to presenting the garrison's vulnerable rear directly to the enemy to attack. By then, caught in a pincer movement, without the Nanzhao people even needing to expend much effort, the garrison of Suixue Pass would slaughter each other down to the last casualty. What was even more tragic was... they couldn't even attempt a breakout, because what they guarded was Suixue Pass, the national gate of Great Chu. Unless every last soldier defending Suixue Pass perished, they could never allow foreigners to step foot inside. This was a conviction forged with blood and lives, passed down through generations of guardians at Suixue Pass over hundreds of years.
Ye Li naturally understood that everything Murong Shen said was the truth, and she frowned as she said, "In the General's estimation, how many days will it take for reinforcements to arrive?"
Murong Shen gave a bitter smile. "If... under normal circumstances, reinforcements would arrive in at most two days. But right now... I'm afraid we won't see a single shadow of reinforcements within ten days."
Ye Li raised an eyebrow. "Then does the General mean to say that Suixue Pass cannot hold out?"
Murong Shen gritted his teeth and said, "Even if we cannot hold it, we must hold it. As long as Murong Shen has a single breath left in his body, the Nanzhao people will not dream of taking a single step past Suixue Pass." Ye Li was silent for a moment, then looked up and asked, "How many more days does the General estimate we can hold out?" Murong Shen said in a solemn voice, "That depends on how long Yonglin can continue to persist. I wonder how many Black Cloud Cavalry Your Highness brought this time?"
Ye Li sighed. "This trip was pure coincidence; there are only a mere two thousand Black Cloud Cavalry. General... if Suixue Pass truly cannot hold out, would it be possible to... fall back and defend the Yunlan River?" Murong Shen waved his hand and said resolutely, "Others may retreat, but Murong Shen cannot retreat! Since His Majesty dispatched Murong Shen to garrison Suixue Pass, I can only live and die together with Suixue Pass!" Frowning, Ye Li said, "Then has the General considered what should be done if the Nanzhao people take advantage of a fallen Suixue Pass to press their army northward? Zongzhou's garrison of twenty thousand set out on their expedition only to be utterly wiped out at the Yunlan River. At this moment, not only is Yongzhou in grave danger, but Zongzhou likewise has no troops guarding it."
Murong Shen let out a hearty chuckle and said proudly, "Your Highness, rest assured. After receiving the news of Commander Wu's death, this general already anticipated this scenario. Therefore, I long ago ordered men to keep day-and-night watch over the Henghui Bridge at the Yunlan River. If reinforcements arrive first, well and good. But the moment Suixue Pass falls and reinforcements fail to arrive, the men stationed there will destroy the bridge crossing the river at all costs. Whether the Nanzhao people wish to rebuild the bridge, cross by boat, or take a detour, their journey will be delayed by at least half a month. By that time... the imperial court's reinforcements should finally arrive. As for Your Highness, thank you for your righteous assistance today, but I must ask Your Highness to leave Yongzhou as soon as possible for your own safety."
Ye Li stood up, cupped her hands in a respectful salute to Murong Shen, and said, "Since the General's mind is made up, then... how about leaving Yonglin City to me?"
"Your Highness?" Murong Shen looked at her in astonishment. Ye Li smiled and said, "Since I am the Princess Consort of Ding, how could I simply flee and leave Yongzhou in crisis? Ye Li is likewise willing to live and die together with Yonglin City, so as not to betray the name of the Prince of Ding's Manor. Isn't that so?"
Murong Shen remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "No wonder..." No wonder the Black Cloud Cavalry would obey the commands of the Princess Consort of Ding; she truly was incomparable to ordinary noble daughters. Everyone in the world believed that only the Prince of Ding and the Princess Consort of Ding could command the Black Cloud Cavalry, yet they did not know that even among successive Princesses Consort of Ding, only two or three had ever truly mastered them. Leaving aside the previous Princess Consort of Ding, even the biological mother of the Prince of Ding—that consort who had shared a deeply devoted bond with the Prince Regent Mo Liufang back in the day—had never been granted the authority to command the Black Cloud Cavalry.
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, waiting for Murong Shen to finish what he had to say. Murong Shen merely shook his head without continuing, instead raising his eyes to look at Ye Li as he said, "In that case, Yonglin is entrusted to Your Highness. Since I cannot provide Your Highness with any assistance, I can only detach another ten thousand troops to Your Highness." These ten thousand troops had originally been intended as reinforcements to send to Yun Ting and Xia Shu once they truly could no longer hold out. They were also the absolute limit of the forces he could spare.
Ye Li nodded. "Thank you for your trust, General."
Having received Murong Shen's military tally, Ye Li wasted no more time and stood up to prepare for her return to Yonglin City. Murong Shen was a veteran of the battlefield; had it not been for the suddenness of the events and the overwhelming disparity in troop strength, he would never have been stretched so thin. Naturally, Ye Li had no need to meddle in the defense of Suixue Pass. Upon stepping out of the military camp, she happened to see Murong Ting striding toward her with a sword in hand. "Ting'er?"
"Eh?!" Murong Ting had been hurrying anxiously to find her father, but upon hearing a familiar voice, she slammed on the brakes. Staring at the familiar yet unfamiliar person before her for a long time, she finally snapped out of her daze and pointed a finger at her. "You... you, you..."
"Audacious!" Murong Shen followed closely behind, stepping out of the tent. He glared at Murong Ting and scolded, "You unfilial girl, how can you be so rude to Young Master Xu?!"
"Young Master Xu?!" Murong Ting shrieked. Ye Li broke into a smile and raised an eyebrow at Murong Ting, saying, "This humble one, Xu Qingliu, pays his respects to Miss Murong."
Murong Ting's pretty face flushed red, and she hurriedly hid behind Murong Shen, casting a resentful glare at Ye Li. She really couldn't be blamed for suddenly growing thin-skinned; she could only blame the fact that the male disguise Ye Li wore was simply too convincing. Even without cosmetics to alter her appearance, she still looked like a refined and slightly boyish handsome youth, completely devoid of any feminine coyness. Murong Ting had always prided herself on having a bold and heroic disposition, but she had to admit that even if she dressed in men's clothing, she wouldn't look half as much like a boy as the person before her. Even though she knew Ye Li was undeniably a woman, looking at a handsome youth who still carried a touch of innocent boyishness looking directly at her, Murong Ting couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of awkwardness.
Seeing Murong Ting's rare blush, Ye Li couldn't help but smile at her. Under the sunlight, the youth was refined and elegant, and even the black robes could not conceal that clean, transparent innocence. Murong Ting could only widen her eyes further, inwardly cursing under her breath: Monster!
"General, this subordinate will take his leave now." Refusing to tease Murong Ting any further, Ye Li turned and bid farewell to Murong Shen. Murong Shen nodded and said gravely, "In that case, Yonglin City is entrusted to Young Master Xu."
"I will certainly not fail the trust placed in me by the General," Ye Li smiled and said.
Murong Ting watched Ye Li, her eyes rolling as an idea struck her. "Dad... Ah—what is Young Master Xu going to Yonglin to do?"
Frowning, Murong Shen said, "Young Master Xu is going to assist Yun Ting and Xia Shu in defending the city." Murong Ting immediately chimed in, "I want to go too."
"Stop acting out! Young Master Xu is going to attend to official business; what are you trying to butt in for?"
Murong Ting stamped her feet in anger. Previously, she had been told that she couldn't go to the battlefield because she was a young woman, but now wasn't she letting Ah Li go to the battlefield? "I don't care, I want to go help defend the city too! I am Dad's daughter, not some freeloader who only knows how to eat for free in the military camp! Ah—Young Master Xu, take me with you, okay?" In her agitation, Murong Ting even forgot that Ye Li was still dressed in men's clothing as she dashed straight over, grabbing his sleeve and shaking it back and forth, drawing sidelong glances from the passing soldiers. Ye Li gave a light cough, gently pulled her hand away, and smiled, "Murong... men and women should keep a proper distance."
Only then did Murong Ting notice the strange, lingering gazes of the passing soldiers. She quickly let go of his sleeve and made a face at Ye Li. Turning back, she latched onto her father's arm and began to act coquettishly. "Dad... let Ting'er go, please? Your daughter promises she won't cause any trouble for anyone."
Unable to handle her pestering, Murong Shen had no choice but to look at Ye Li. Ye Li smiled lowered her head and said, "If the General is willing to trust me, just let Murong come along with me." Murong Shen sighed. The current situation was perilous, and staying at Suixue Pass versus going to Yonglin City didn't make much difference in truth. Even if she stayed at Suixue Pass, once real combat broke out, he wouldn't be able to look after her anyway. "Very well. I'll leave this girl in Young Master Xu's hands. If she dares to act willfully and cause trouble, Young Master Xu has my permission to use military law and need not show any mercy!"
"Thanks, Dad!" Murong Ting was overjoyed, completely ignoring the mention of military law her father had tagged on at the end. At the very least, this meant her father was willing to treat her like a soldier rather than some ignorant little girl, right?
Bidding farewell to Murong Shen, Ye Li and her entourage spent less than an hour in total at Suixue Pass before setting off on their return journey. Riding on horseback, Murong Ting gazed with undisguised envy at the fine steed Ye Li rode and the few Black Cloud Cavalry soldiers trailing behind her. There were only a few of them, yet they possessed such formidable presence; if the entire Black Cloud Cavalry were truly gathered before her eyes, what kind of magnificent spectacle would that be? Just thinking about it made one's blood boil. "Ah—ah, Young Master Xu, how did you end up coming to Suixue Pass? My dad trusts you so much; no matter how I pleaded, Dad refused to let me go to the battlefield, but the moment you arrived, he actually agreed to hand over the defense of Yonglin to you." Thinking of this, Murong Ting couldn't help feeling a little sour in her heart. Did Dad really think she was completely useless, which was why he wouldn't let her go to the battlefield?
Ye Li smiled and said, "I went to the Southern Frontier on some business and happened to run into it."
"The Prince actually allowed you to come to the Southern Frontier alone? The Prince is truly a good person. Unlike my dad, who does nothing all day but nag in my ear about how a girl who gets married must obediently stay home to manage household affairs, and be virtuous and gentle... I refuse to obediently stay at home." Murong Ting muttered in discontent, her final sentence trailing off so softly it sounded like a whisper. However, everyone present possessed exceptionally sharp hearing, so they naturally caught every single word clearly. Yun Ting laughed and said, "Miss Murong, if Lord Leng hears you say that, he'll probably cry." Murong Ting bared her teeth, gave Yun Ting a humph, and spurred her horse to gallop ahead. Smiling, Ye Li followed after her and said, "General Murong just cares for you, afraid you might be in danger."
"I know that, but Dad only has me as a daughter, and I want Dad to be proud of me too. Besides, I'm not a child anymore; I wouldn't act rashly. Dad forbade me to go to the battlefield, so no matter how anxious I was, I never went behind his back to run off."
Ye Li nodded. Although Murong Ting was occasionally willful, she actually had a very strong sense of propriety and wouldn't do things that would truly cause people to worry about her anxiously.