The First Jasmine - Chapter 131
Chapter 131 - Secretly Scheming for Military Power
Mo Jingqi looked at the flattering ministers below the dais and nodded in satisfaction. Then, glancing at Ye Li who was standing off to the side, he hesitated for a moment before frowning and saying, "Commander Leng and the Heir of Southern Marquis are willing to put themselves on the front lines. Their courage is truly commendable, and We are deeply comforted. However, Prince Ding is currently not in the capital and cannot take command of the expedition, making it impossible to mobilize the hundreds of thousands of troops under the Prince Ding's Estate. I wonder what the Princess Consort thinks of this?" Ye Li raised her slender eyebrows slightly, looked up at Mo Jingqi, and said calmly, "Your Majesty must forgive me. How could a mere woman like Ye Li have any opinions on this?"
"The Princess Consort of Prince Ding is being far too modest. Who doesn't know that the mistress of the Prince Ding's Estate also holds the authority to mobilize and command the Mo Family Army and the Black Cloud Cavalry? Now that the Western Ling army has invaded our borders, are the Princess Consort and the Prince Ding's Estate planning to sit back and do nothing?" A young man standing behind Mo Jingqi stared fixedly at Ye Li with a sinister look in his eyes.
Ye Li sneered inwardly. What a massive accusation to throw around! Glancing sideways at the man, Ye Li was just about to speak when Grand Tutor Hua suddenly stepped forward, glared fiercely at the young man, and rebuked sternly, "Audacious! Who do you think you are, daring to drive a wedge between His Majesty and the ruler-minister relationship of the Prince Ding's Estate?!" Grand Tutor Hua had traversed the battlefields for decades. Although advanced in years, he was seasoned and astute. The imposing aura he deliberately projected at that moment was something an ordinary young man could simply not withstand. The young man was startled, his expression stiffening for a moment before he cupped his hands toward Grand Tutor Hua and said, "Student Tan Jizhi greets Grand Tutor Hua."
Grand Tutor Hua let out a dissatisfied, light hum and looked at Mo Jingqi. Mo Jingqi smiled and said, "Grand Tutor, please do not let your anger flare. Jizhi is a young talent of exceptional learning, and We are planning to bestow upon him the post of Imperial Study Attendant so that he may serve the country." Grand Tutor Hua cupped his hands in greeting toward Mo Jingqi, stroked his snow-white beard, and said in a clear, resonant voice, "This old minister truly does not understand Your Majesty's words. Since this young master Tan is so learned, why didn't he participate in the imperial examinations? If he had earned the title of top scholar or second rank jinshi, then when Your Majesty heavily employed him afterward, no one would have been able to say a word. The position of Imperial Study Attendant is a vital post right before the throne; giving it to someone whom no one has even heard of is bound to fail in winning public confidence." Both Mo Jingqi and the young man felt rather awkward. It wasn't that they didn't want to take the normal route, but rather that the path of the imperial examinations wasn't that easy to walk. Especially with this year's imperial examinations—leaving aside the fact that the chief examiner was Elder Su, renowned across Great Chu for his integrity and uprightness—of the five sons of the Xu family, three were entering the examinations this year alone. Tan Jizhi spent most of his time scheming and calculating, so he really didn't have much confidence when it came to taking the imperial examinations. Even if he actually passed, unless he placed as the top scholar, second rank, or third rank of the jinshi, there was an eighty percent chance he would be posted to a provincial office. Even without a provincial posting, at best he would only end up as a minor sixth or seventh-rank official, making it completely impossible to secure such an important position as Imperial Study Attendant. Ordinarily, when an emperor wanted to promote one of his own confidants, no one would meddle in his business; but the mistake Tan Jizhi made was that he shouldn't have chosen this moment, in front of all the officials, to drive a wedge between the Emperor and the Prince Ding's Estate. This naturally made the fiercely patriotic Grand Tutor Hua look upon him with extreme disfavor, completely ruling out any thought of sparing his feelings.
Mo Jingqi gave a light cough and said, "Grand Tutor, let us discuss this issue another time. Right now, the most crucial matter is sending out troops. With Prince Ding away, how on earth are we supposed to mobilize the hundreds of thousands of troops of the Mo Family Army?"
Grand Tutor Hua hadn't genuinely intended to back the Emperor into a corner either, so he cooperated and said, "Prince Ding will undoubtedly hurry back as soon as he receives the news. Before that happens, why doesn't Your Majesty first mobilize troops from elsewhere to provide reinforcements?"
Mo Jingqi shook his head and sighed, "As the Grand Tutor knows, the southern region is currently locked in a stalemate with Prince Li, and outside the Shuisue Pass, the people of Nanzhao are eyeing us like tigers eyeing their prey. Where could we possibly spare troops from anywhere else right now?"
Grand Tutor Hua's expression shifted slightly, his snow-white eyebrows twitching before he fell silent. He understood the Emperor's intentions all too well; however, to take advantage of Prince Ding's absence to launch an offensive against the Princess Consort, and even to disregard the safety of the borders in the process, was truly not the behavior expected of a qualified monarch. Marquis Muyang stepped forward and said, "Since the Princess Consort of Prince Ding is able to mobilize the Mo Family Army and the Black Cloud Cavalry, I must ask the Princess Consort to place the overall situation above all else and issue an order mobilizing the Mo Family Army to rush immediately to the border for reinforcements."
Ye Li raised her head, her gaze sweeping past Marquis Muyang with complete detachment, and said softly, "Does Marquis Muyang mean to have this princess replace the Prince and lead the army on an expedition?"
Marquis Muyang choked on his words. Since ancient times, even if there had been one or two female generals, there had never been a single instance of a woman acting as commander-in-chief to lead troops into battle. Furthermore, the Princess Consort of Prince Ding was barely in her teens; even if she did nothing at all right now, no one could fault her. On the contrary, if the Princess Consort were truly made to take command of the expedition, the pride of Great Chu and of all these military generals would be utterly disgraced. Giving a dry laugh, Marquis Muyang avoided Ye Li's eyes and said, "This Marquis does not mean that, but I simply ask that the Princess Consort place state affairs above all else."
Prime Minister Liu, standing to the side, also stroked his graying beard and smiled, saying, "What the Marquis says is true. We ask the Princess Consort to take pity on the common people and soldiers at the border and temporarily transfer the military authority of the Mo Family Army to the commanding generals. Once Prince Ding returns, it will naturally be returned intact."
The mockery in Ye Li's eyes didn't even bother with concealment. Return it intact once Prince Ding returns? Did they take her for a fool?
Her clear eyes narrowing slightly, Ye Li raised her head and smiled faintly, "For the Prime Minister to put it that way makes this princess feel rather unequal to the burden. Putting aside whether this princess even has the ability to mobilize the Mo Family Army, let me ask this... could it be that Prime Minister Liu believes the military authority of the Mo Family Army can be transferred to just anyone simply because this princess speaks a single word? I am afraid that even if the Prince himself were here in person, that would be an impossibility." Mo Jingqi's expression darkened, and he frowned as he demanded, "Then does the Princess Consort have any good ideas? Are we to simply let the Western Ling army run amok at the border and even violate the territory of Great Chu?"
In her heart, Ye Li desperately wanted to slap the man sitting on the dragon throne who stared down at her and spoke with such high-sounding righteousness. If she refused, did that mean she was letting the Western Ling army run amok across Great Chu? She finally understood why Mo Jingqi hadn't shown a shred of anxiety over these past few days: it turned out he wanted to take advantage of Mo Xiuyao's absence to scheme for the military authority of the Mo Family Army. It wasn't that he wasn't anxious; rather, in his eyes, the Western Ling army currently at the border was far less urgent than getting his hands on the military power of the Prince Ding's Estate. Yet Ye Li couldn't quite fathom where Mo Jingqi got the confidence to believe that once he obtained the military power of the Prince Ding's Estate, he could immediately manipulate it at will and even drive out the Western Ling forces. Had he given zero consideration to the possibility that a careless move might even trigger a military mutiny?
Lowering her gaze, Ye Li said, "Ye Li is merely a woman of humble standing and truly has no brilliant ideas to offer for Your Majesty's reference. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Grand Tutor Hua furrowed his brows deeply and said with a hint of urgency, "Your Majesty, since the military authority of the Prince Ding's Estate cannot be settled right away, please issue an edict as soon as possible for Prince Ding to return to the capital... No, he should proceed directly to the border to take command. In addition, this old minister recalls that Great Chu has over a million troops. Aside from the Mo Family Army and the forces in the south locked in a stalemate with Prince Li, we can at least pull out one hundred thousand troops first to reinforce the border. We ask Your Majesty to prioritize dispatching a batch of troops to move out ahead of the rest." Although Mo Jingqi felt somewhat unwilling, Grand Tutor Hua's words were difficult to refute. Just as he was hesitating, the Marquis of Nan, who had remained silent the entire time, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Grand Tutor speaks wisely. Please dispatch troops to reinforce the border first. Within a single day, the Western Ling army has captured two cities in succession, and in ten days at most, they will reach Xinyang, the vital strategic hub of China's northwest. Xinyang serves as the granary for the northwest of Great Chu; should Xinyang fall..."
Mo Jingqi's expression shifted. He glanced at Ye Li, gritted his teeth, and declared, "Hear My decree: Let Leng Qingyu serve as the primary general, with the Heir of Southern Marquis as his deputy, and lead an expedition of one hundred and fifty thousand troops to depart immediately!"
"This general obeys the decree!" Leng Qingyu and the Heir of Southern Marquis bowed in unison.
Clearly in a foul mood, Mo Jingqi waved his hand with a gloomy expression and dismissed the crowd.
Emerging from the Imperial Study, Ye Li accompanied Grand Tutor Hua as they walked out of the palace on foot. Along the way, Grand Tutor Hua had nothing to say and merely let out continuous, deep sighs. It wasn't until they reached the palace gates that he stopped, looked at Ye Li, and said, "It just had to happen while Prince Ding is away from the capital. It has been hard on the Princess Consort."
Ye Li pressed her lips together into a faint smile and replied, "You worry too much, Grand Tutor. These matters are merely what Ye Li is duty-bound to handle."
Grand Tutor Hua shook his head and said, "His Majesty was far too childish this time. Ultimately raised in the inner chambers by women, compared to the late Emperor, His Majesty still falls far short." Ye Li understood what Grand Tutor Hua meant. When the late Emperor ascended the throne, Western Ling and Great Chu had been engulfed in the ravages of war for years; the Prince Ding of that era, Mo Liufang, was not only exceptionally accomplished in civil administration but also possessed legendary military achievements. He could be said to be the foremost figure in the Prince Ding's Estate since Mo Lanyun. Under such overwhelming renown, the late Emperor had nevertheless been able to consistently exercise restraint, showing profound respect and courteous treatment to Mo Lanyun, right up until the late Emperor's wings were fully grown and Mo Liufang voluntarily relinquished power and returned governance to the throne. Only then did the late Emperor begin to spread his wings and accomplish great things; while he might not have been a peerless sage-king, he was still an able monarch who preserved and maintained the realm. Between him and the Prince Regent, they had forged a celebrated tale of an ideal ruler-minister relationship. As for the current Mo Jingqi, he revealed his hostility toward the Prince Ding's Estate far too early, continuing to suppress them at every turn and trying to constrain the Mo Family Army even when Prince Ding had already been reduced to a crippled man living in seclusion within his estate. If he truly possessed grand talents and visionary strategic genius, that would be one thing, but his actual strength was simply insufficient to suppress the Mo Family Army. Even if Mo Xiuyao willingly handed the Mo Family Army over to him, the same question remained: could he genuinely command them? With his narrow measure, could he treat the Mo Family Army with benevolence?
"Grand Tutor, please mind your words," Ye Li said with a low, amused smile.
Grand Tutor Hua waved his hand to indicate that Ye Li needn't walk him any further, turned around, and walked toward his own carriage. Watching the Grand Tutor board his carriage, Ye Li turned around only to see the Heir of Southern Marquis standing not far away, watching her with a smile. Ye Li sighed helplessly in her heart; she had only met this eldest brother-in-law a few times and had shared a single meal with him at the Ye residence, meaning they were completely unfamiliar with one another. Now that the Ye family had fallen into decline, Ye Zhen's life in the Southern Marquis's estate was still considered quite decent, which showed that the people of the Southern Marquis's estate certainly knew how to conduct themselves and handle affairs properly. For this reason alone, Ye Li extended him a polite courtesy.
"Greetings, Princess Consort."
Ye Li nodded and smiled faintly, "The Heir is too polite. Is there something the Heir needs?"
The Heir of Southern Marquis smiled and said, "Nothing much. Zhen'er misses the Princess Consort dearly; if the Princess Consort has some leisure time, you might as well come over to the estate for a brief visit."
Hearing this, Ye Li raised her eyebrows in slight surprise. At present, anyone with discerning eyes could see the Emperor's attitude toward the Prince Ding's Estate; for him to invite her to visit his estate as a guest at a time like this... Ye Li's gaze flickered slightly as she smiled, "For my eldest sister to have met the Heir is also her good fortune. I hope the Heir will take good care of her." The Heir of Southern Marquis laughed magnanimously, "Since Zhen'er has already entered the Southern Marquis's estate, I naturally regard her as family. The Princess Consort can rest assured."
Ye Li nodded and said, "Tomorrow the Heir will embark on the journey to the border; I wish the Heir a safe and smooth journey."
"Many thanks, Princess Consort," the Heir of Southern Marquis said. "This subject will take his leave."
"I won't see you out," Ye Li said.
Watching him walk away, Ye Li turned back to look at the towering palace gates behind her, frowned slightly, and turned to leave.
Leng Qingyu and the Heir of Southern Marquis hurried away with their troops the very next day. Standing atop the city walls to bid them farewell, Ye Li gazed at the departing army, but the furrow between her brows did not relax. The Prince of Zhennan of Western Ling was known as the God of War of Western Ling, having held dominion over the nation for decades; even Mo Xiuyao might not dare claim he had a guaranteed chance of victory against him. Could Leng Qingyu and the Heir of Southern Marquis really pull this off with a mere one hundred thousand men?
"What is wrong, Princess Consort?" Zhuo Jing asked, following close beside Ye Li and observing her expression.
Ye Li shook her head. Great Chu didn't have only one general named Mo Xiuyao; if they pinned every single hope on Mo Xiuyao for everything, then there wouldn't be any need to do anything at all.
"Third Sister... Princess Consort..." Ye Zhen's voice came from behind. Ye Li turned around to see Ye Zhen standing beside the Heir's Consort, looking at her with a face full of pleasant surprise. Having not seen her for a long time, compared to the radiant look from their last meeting, Ye Zhen appeared significantly paler and more haggard. Even the rims of her eyes were still flushed red, presumably consumed by worry because her husband had gone off to war.
The Heir's Consort of Southern Marquis was also a woman from a scholarly family, appearing very gentle, virtuous, and decorous. Upon seeing Ye Li, she also stepped forward generously to offer a greeting and very considerately left Ye Zhen behind to speak privately with Ye Li.
The two sisters had never been particularly close to begin with and could not manage to see each other even a few times a year, leaving them momentarily at a loss for words as they stood face to face.
After a long silence, Ye Zhen finally spoke in a low voice, "Has the Princess Consort been back to visit the family?"
Ye Li shook her head. With the decline of the Ye family fortunes, Old Madam Ye evidently blamed all their misfortunes squarely on Ye Li, and every time she saw her, she would exhaust every linguistic resource possible to vent her sarcasm and grievances. It was the first time in all these years that Ye Li discovered Old Madam Ye could actually be so utterly fearless of imperial authority. And although Minister Ye hadn't verbalized it, the expression on his face unmistakably reflected his dissatisfaction toward this princess daughter of his. Ye Li was not someone who enjoyed looking for trouble for herself, so aside from necessary occasions, she simply couldn't be bothered to return.
Ye Zhen whispered, "Father plans to return to our ancestral hometown in a few days."
Ye Li nodded and said, "Returning is for the best. If they properly guide Rong'er, the family still has some remaining foundation, and in the future, Father and Grandmother can live out their remaining years in peace." Given the current situation, the Ye family had already withdrawn from official circles, and staying far away from the capital was the most correct choice. Otherwise, if they were once again dragged into those scheming struggles, I'm afraid it wouldn't be something as simple as just resigning from office to resolve.
Ye Zhen's exquisitely manicured willow eyebrows twitched slightly as she gazed at Ye Li and said, "Third Sister, do you really resent Father that much? Is there truly no way you can help him out?"
Ye Li shook her head and said softly, "Eldest Sister, it is precisely because I do not resent Father that I say his returning now is the right choice. Nothing is more important than keeping one's life."
A trace of confusion and incomprehension surfaced in Ye Zhen's eyes, accompanied by an even heavier sense of disbelief. Gazing at Ye Li, she sighed resentfully, "Second Sister is dead, and Fourth Sister's fate remains unknown to this day. As for Fifth and Sixth Sisters... better not even mention them. How did things turn out this way for the sisters of our family..."
"Eldest Sister, the Southern Marquis's estate is still considered a decent and reasonable family, and the Heir's Consort is a clever woman who won't make things too difficult for you. Just live your life well," Ye Li said in a deep voice.
Ye Zhen was momentarily startled, but by the time she collected her thoughts, Ye Li had already walked far away. A trace of sorrow and resentment flashed deep within her eyes, and she murmured softly, "Without children, without family background, how am I supposed to live a good life? Third Sister, not everyone has such good fortune as you do."