The First Jasmine - Chapter 137

Chapter 137 - Repelling the Enemy

The black-clad army poured out from the end of the street like a rushing tide, charging fiercely into the midst of the soldiers locked in combat across the street and around the city gates. The gates, which had crashed heavily inward a mere quarter of an hour prior, were swiftly slammed shut once more. Those Western Ling soldiers who had rushed ahead to breach Jiangxia City in their greed for military merits now gazed out in terror, realizing they had become turtles in a jar, cornered beasts in a cage. The black-clad soldiers methodically surged toward their respective assignments, while the fortress walls—previously dominated by the gray figures of Western Ling—suddenly blossomed with countless figures clad in obsidian as the slaughter began anew.

In the distance, the Prince of Zhennan stared in shock at the black-clad soldiers abruptly materializing upon the ramparts. Moments later, he caught sight of an ostentatious figure in red striding across the city walls, moving with the agility of a dragon and cutting an unstoppable path through the enemy.

"Your Highness, that is Feng Zhiyao. Known in the Chu capital as Third Young Master Feng, he is the concubine-born son of the capital's wealthiest merchant and was cast out of his family since childhood. He has followed Mo Xiuyao onto the battlefield since his early teens and stands as the most trusted among Mo Xiuyao's inner circle. For him to appear here can only mean that the reinforcements of the Mo Family Army have arrived." The Prince of Zhennan's face darkened as he commanded in a low voice, "Continue the attack!"

The battle drums thundered, and the gray figures clashed violently against the black ranks in a chaotic sea of combat. Yet the massive gates of Jiangxia could no longer be forced open. When countless black-clad archers materialized upon the ramparts, raining down a tempest of lethal arrows upon the forces below, a slim figure clad in pristine snow-white walked calmly up onto the fortress walls. Standing beside her were the Marquis of Nan, Murang, and Zhuo Jing. Despite the torrential blood and slaughter filling the air, her pure white robes remained miraculously unstained by even a single drop of blood. That immaculate, dust-free purity lent an inexplicable, chilling, and murderous aura to the white-clad figure.

Ye Li stood upon the ramparts, gazing far into the distance toward the main banner of the Western Ling army fluttering behind the enemy forces. Even without being able to make out the adversary's face, she could still keenly sense the majestic momentum and unconcealed fury radiating from him. A faint, cold smile curled the corners of her lips as she issued a chilly command: "Not a single Western Ling soldier who entered Jiangxia City is to be spared. Throw all their corpses outside the city walls!"

Zhuo Jing nodded. "This subordinate obeys."

Ye Li turned her gaze back, casting a provocative smile toward a specific spot in the distance.

"Is that the Princess Consort of Prince Ding?" the Prince of Zhennan asked in a low voice.

The general standing beside him gazed at the graceful woman atop the ramparts whose white garments shone like snow, hesitating before replying, "It does indeed appear to be the Princess Consort of Prince Ding." In truth, very few people had laid eyes on the Princess Consort of Prince Ding in person, but a woman capable of appearing alongside the Mo Family Army atop the walls of Jiangxia at such a juncture could be none other than the Princess Consort. The Prince of Zhennan stared for a long while before suddenly bursting into a hearty laugh. "Good! How interesting... The Princess Consort of Prince Ding, is it? They always say the women of Eastern Chu are delicate and weak, but this Princess Consort surpasses even the noble daughters of our Western Ling. No wonder she was able to frighten Princess Lingyun into such a state back then." A stiff smile hung upon the face of the general beside him, who remained entirely unsure whether he ought to echo the Prince of Zhennan's lavish praise. After all, it was precisely this Princess Consort of Prince Ding who had single-handedly shattered their plans to capture Jiangxia today. Furthermore, the soldiers who had previously charged into Jiangxia City were now likely facing grim odds of survival. As a result, the troop losses they had suffered at this modest little town of Jiangxia already exceeded the combined total of all their losses during the campaign thus far—a devastating blow to the morale of the Western Ling army.

"Your Highness, the soldiers who rushed into the city..."

With a wave of his hand, the Prince of Zhennan shook his head and said, "It's too late. Launch an all-out assault on the city! Whoever captures the Princess Consort of Prince Ding alive will be granted the title of a Thousand-Household Marquis!"

"Understood."

As dusk approached, Western Ling finally sounded the signal horns to withdraw their troops. Continuing such an unremitting, ferocious assault without knowing the exact strength of the Mo Family Army's reinforcements was highly unwise; if both armies possessed comparable strengths, the outcome would likely end in mutual destruction. Moreover, this was, after all, native Eastern Chu soil, meaning Chu could continuously replenish its troop sources and grain provisions at will. Meanwhile, following a harvest in Xinyang that fell far below expectations, they were forced to exercise extreme caution in every move they made, lest a single misstep plunge them into an irrecoverable abyss of doom. Watching the Western Ling army rapidly retreat to the sound of the rallying horns, everyone upon the city walls breathed a collective sigh of relief. The surviving local garrison soldiers of Jiangxia could not even suppress cheers of joy.

Yuan Pei approached Ye Li, clad in a suit of half-dried bloodstained armor and covered in numerous battle scars. "This subordinate, Jiangxia Garrison Commander Yuan Pei, pays respects to the Princess Consort!"

Ye Li hastily stepped forward to support him, preventing him from kneeling as she said in a solemn voice, "General, you have worked hard. It is this princess who arrived late and caused you to suffer."

Deeply moved, Yuan Pei's bloodshot eyes flickered with a suspicious sheen of moisture as he spoke in a booming voice, "This subordinate dares not claim credit. It was due to this subordinate's incompetence that Jiangxia was brought to the brink of falling into Western Ling's hands; I dare not speak of hardship." Ye Li smiled faintly and replied, "Circumstances dictated the outcome; it is hardly the General's fault. Let us not dwell further on these matters. General, lead your men back to rest and recuperate first. Leave Jiangxia in our hands for the time being." Yuan Pei nodded heavily. Feng Zhiyao stood behind Ye Li and smiled, "General Yuan can rest assured—Third Feng will never allow the people of Western Ling to step even half a step past Jiangxia."

Without standing on further ceremony, Yuan Pei cupped his fists and said, "Then I must trouble General Feng."

Having rearranged the city defenses, Ye Li turned and led her entourage down from the ramparts. The moment they stepped off the walls, they spotted Leng Qingyu standing below with a blood-stained sword in hand, wearing a dazed, numb expression. After a moment of thought, Ye Li stepped forward and asked, "General Cold, are you holding up alright?" Leng Qingyu lifted his head to look at Ye Li, offering a bitter, hollow smile as he murmured, "A defeated general—what holding up is there to speak of?" Ye Li raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in military strategy; this outcome is not entirely General Cold's fault. Take care of yourself, General." Leng Qingyu froze for a long beat before finally saying, "Thank you, Princess Consort."

Watching Ye Li depart, Leng Qingyu glanced down at the longsword in his hand and slid it back into its scabbard with a reverse motion. Perhaps the Princess Consort was right—this defeat was not solely his responsibility alone, yet he was currently the only one left to bear the consequences of that failure. Fortunately... Jiangxia still stood, and the Mo Family Army had arrived.

"General Cold." Just as Leng Qingyu turned to leave, the voice of the Marquis of Nan drifted from behind.

The Marquis stood by the roadside, looking noticeably older and more exhausted than when they had last met. The war had barely begun, yet many among them felt as though they had aged a decade overnight. Gazing at Leng Qingyu for a long moment, the Marquis finally asked in a deep voice, "General Cold, I wonder... do you have any news regarding my dog of a son?"

Leng Qingyu answered with a gloomy expression, "During the enemy's surprise attack that day, the Heir led a troop detachment to draw away the enemy's attention... and the entire unit was wiped out... Marquis, I am sorry..."

"This Marquis understands." The faint glimmer of light in the Marquis's eyes gradually faded away as he spoke in a low, heavy sigh. Without even bidding farewell to Leng Qingyu, he turned and walked away. Watching the lonely, desolate figure of the Marquis of Nan, Leng Qingyu felt an unprompted chill cut straight to his bones. Once upon a time, he had fiercely yearned to gallop across the battlefield, believing that war was filled with burning passion and a glory that countless people would flock to chase. But now, in the wake of a disastrous defeat, he finally understood the freezing desolation and agony hidden beneath that very passion.

Jiangxia was a small city, and Ye Li's party was temporarily accommodated within General Yuan's official residence. While called a mansion, it was in truth nothing more than a modest courtyard situated inside Jiangxia City. Veteran generals of Yuan Pei and Zhang Qilan's caliber could easily match or surpass the likes of Grand Defender General and Murang Shen if placed anywhere else, yet simply because they belonged to the Mo Family Army, they had been subjected to indefinite suppression, relegated to a remote corner and denied the glory and honor that should rightfully have been theirs.

Out of respect for Ye Li's arrival, Yuan Pei had moved his wife and children out of the main quarters into the rear side rooms. Recognizing Yuan Pei's heartfelt sincerity and unwavering loyalty to the Prince Ding's Estate, Ye Li did not refuse; she simply selected an available room and settled in. Without taking time to unpack or rest, she freshened up hastily and headed to the front hall to join the others in discussing military affairs. When Ye Li stepped into the study, the room was already filled to capacity. A heated discussion was underway, but the moment they saw Ye Li enter, the room immediately quieted down. Yuan Pei personally stepped forward to invite Ye Li to take the seat of honor at the head of the room. Once she was seated, he neatly adjusted his robes and armor, stepped forward, and bowed solemnly. "This subordinate expresses his deepest gratitude to the Princess Consort for saving our lives."

With a helpless, gentle sigh, Ye Li signaled Zhuo Jing, who stood beside her, to step forward and assist Yuan Pei to his feet.

"General Yuan, dispense with these empty formalities. Rise and speak," Ye Li said gravely.

Yuan Pei stood up, returned to his seat, and reported, "Reporting to the Princess Consort, Western Ling currently has three hundred thousand troops massed outside Jiangxia, clearly determined to take this city at all costs. According to intelligence received by this subordinate, the northern and southern route armies also show signs of converging toward Jiangxia. Once all three forces unite, nearly half a million troops will besiege Jiangxia. Valiant though our army may be, Jiangxia is a small city with a meager population and scarce military provisions. When that time comes, I fear we will be powerless to withstand the siege of a fifty-strong army corps. I implore the Princess Consort to plan ahead."

Ye Li nodded and said, "Thank you for the reminder, General Yuan; this princess has a clear grasp of the situation. As for the issue of grain provisions, there is no need to worry—the imperial court will naturally deliver sufficient supplies. Marquis, Lord Heir, would you not agree?"

The Marquis of Nan seemed somewhat absent-minded; hearing Ye Li's words, he finally lifted his head and offered a faint, hollow smile. "What the Princess Consort says is true. Since we risk our lives on the battlefield, the imperial court and His Majesty will naturally not wrong the soldiers at the front lines."

Ye Li looked at the Marquis, clearly noting the exhaustion and bleakness in his eyes. What Leng Qingyu had told him remained unknown to her, but she could roughly guess parts of it, given that the Marquis's son still remained unaccounted for. Such uncertainty inevitably bred grim forebodings. Looking at the Marquis with a hint of concern, she saw him offer a slight nod to reassure her that he was fine.

Despite the Marquis's statement, the expressions of those present failed to lighten significantly. Over the years, the soldiers of the Mo Family Army had long since lost the capacity to place any great hope in the man sitting within the palace walls. Taking in everyone's gloomy expressions, Ye Li chose not to puncture the mood, turning her attention back to discussing military strategy with the various generals.

Once the council concluded, the officers filed out to take their leave. The Marquis of Nan, however, remained seated motionless in his place. Ye Li initially assumed the Marquis had something specific to discuss, but after everyone else had cleared out, she realized he was simply lost in thought. A furrow of worry creaked her brow as she called out gently, "Marquis?"

A blank haze filled the Marquis's eyes. It took him a good long while to snap out of his reverie, though he still gazed at Ye Li with a lingering, unfocused stare. After a prolonged pause, he slowly said, "Princess Consort, I have kept you. This subordinate will take his leave as well."

Ye Li shook her head. "Marquis, the Heir's status is unique, and the fact that there is still no news is a blessing in itself. Right now, many major matters in the army still require the Marquis's decisive leadership. I earnestly request that the Marquis take good care of your health." The Marquis forced a strained smile, looked up at Ye Li, and said, "The late Old Duke once remarked that the Princess Consort is truly no ordinary person. This journey has given me ample opportunity to witness that truth firsthand. All the weighty matters of the army must now trouble the Princess Consort to handle—as for myself... I fear this old body is no longer equal to the task."

"Marquis..."

Seeing Ye Li was about to say more, the Marquis waved a hand and murmured, "This subordinate will take his leave first. Princess Consort, do get some rest early as well."

Watching the Marquis's unsteady, floating footsteps as he walked out the door, Ye Li ultimately swallowed the words lingering on the tip of her tongue. "Take care on your way, Marquis."