Manipulative Plotting Scoundrel
e, and after exchanging several letters, they became more acquainted. In good spirits, Ye Li didn't mind Aunt Zhao's frequent visits to her Qingyi Pavilion for greetings or conversation. She knew what...365. A Cunning Scheme, Rascality
365. A Cunning Scheme, Rascality
In the Northern Vulture Peak camp, Ye Li sat calmly in her tent reading battle reports and memorials from various regions. After Helián Peng suffered a few minor defeats at their hands a while ago, he no longer came to challenge them. The two armies were peaceful with each other, but on Mo Xiuyao's side, there had been quite a few battles that thoroughly suppressed the morale of the Northern Rong army. However, this made Ye Li and Lu Jinxian's soldiers restless.
Lu Jinxian’s side was fine, but Ye Li needed to be cautious against Lieutenant General Lei Zhen Ting from behind, so she couldn’t take any hasty actions. This only added fuel to the ire of her officers who received reports every day.
"My Lady, Generals Zhou Min, Sun Yaowu, and He Su seek an audience," Qin Feng reported with a smile as he entered the tent. Ye Li put down the battle report and smiled, "Another request for permission to attack" Qin Feng nodded and said with a smile, "These days we've been tightly defending our positions without venturing out, so they must be frustrated." Ye Li thought about it and said, "Let them in."
"As you command," upon hearing Ye Li's words, even Qin Feng’s eyes lit up. Although he couldn’t personally charge into battle now, he could still have a share of the spoils. It wasn't just those generals who were frustrated.
Soon after, He Su and Zhou Min entered one by one, all saluting Ye Li in unison, "We greet Your Excellency."
Ye Li smiled and said, "No need for ceremony. Why are the generals not at their respective camps but here" Sun Yaowu stepped forward first and reported, "Your Excellency, I request permission to attack!"
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, smiling calmly without speaking. Sun Yaowu had a deep respect for this young duchess, feeling somewhat embarrassed under her gaze. He nervously said, “My Lady, we've been here guarding while others are fighting. It's rather stifling and it affects the soldiers' morale.”
Ye Li nodded and said, "You make a valid point. What’s your suggestion"
Hearing this, all the officers present had their eyes brighten up with anticipation. Sun Yaowu smiled and said, “I am willing to be the vanguard and take Lozhou City by surprise!” He Su and Zhou Min knew that losing Lozhou City was a sore spot for him but didn’t want to compete with him for glory. He Su solemnly said, "I’m willing to support General Sun."
Zhou Min also smiled and said, “I will be stationed at Vulture Peak.” There definitely needed someone to guard the peak; Zhou Min wasn't in a hurry either since there would always be battles once they started fighting.
"You're quite united," Ye Li remarked.
The three exchanged a smile and looked towards Ye Li. Ye Li tapped her finger on the table, pondered for a moment, and said, "First send me your plan."
The trio were delighted and in unison shouted, “We’ll follow Your Excellency’s command! We take our leave!” They hurriedly left to prepare their troops without waiting for Ye Li's nod. When the three figures disappeared from the entrance of the tent, Ye Li couldn’t help but shake her head with a smile, turning to Qin Feng and said, "Tell Qi Lin to get ready. Since we're taking Lozhou City, there can be no mistakes. Helián Peng isn't easy to deal with."
Qin Feng responded, “As you command.”
Lozhou City was not particularly notable in the Great Chu as it wasn’t a border fortress or a major city of renown. Yet, Lozhou had an unfortunate flaw; while most cities were hard to conquer but easy to defend, Lozhou was exactly the opposite. Being far from the border, no enemy army had ever truly breached the defenses historically, resulting in its walls being only barely constructed and practically useless.
The Northern Rong Army could easily take down even those fortified border towns; capturing a place like Lozhou would be child's play for them. So when they lost Lozhou initially, it couldn’t really be blamed on Sun Yaowu’s poor defense. With no strategic advantage, time nor manpower, Sun Yaowu was bound to lose regardless of his skill.
After Mo Army launched their offensive, although Lozhou was close to Vulture Peak, they lacked troops and the place being hard to defend made it difficult to hold even after capturing it. In the end, a prolonged stalemate would likely ensue with no real benefit. Hence, Mo Army hadn’t cared about it before. However, Ye Li now agreed with Sun Yaowu’s request as Mo Xiuyao had already pushed back the main force of Northern Rong and she needed to help drive Helián Peng's army out too.
Lozhou was not a good place for garrisoning troops; Helián Peng’s main force wasn’t stationed there but only left some troops behind. Under the cover of night, a group of black-clad men swiftly scaled the virtually non-existent walls and disappeared into the darkness. A short distance away from Lozhou City, Sun Yaowu paced restlessly under the darkened city. Qin Feng leaned against a tree trunk beside him with a lazy smile, "General Sun, what are you doing"
Sun Yaowu frowned and said, "We hide here; if we alarm the guards of Lozhou City and bring in reinforcements from Northern Rong, wouldn’t it be for naught"
Qin Feng smiled, “General Sun needn't worry. If this were Li City or Chu Capital, or where Lieutenant General Lei Zhen Ting is stationed, we’d have to be careful. But a place like Lozhou, if it could still alert the guards, they don’t deserve to keep their posts.”
Sun Yaowu had heard about Qi Lin's reputation but hadn't seen them in action himself. He asked doubtfully, "Are you so confident" Qin Feng smiled and raised his eyebrows, “Of course; if I can't trust my men, who else can Don’t General Sun trust your soldiers”
Sun Yaowu smiled wryly, “Indeed. This general also wants to see how capable Qi Lin truly is.”
Qin Feng said with a smile, "General Sun will see for himself."
Less than half an hour later, green signal fires lit up the sky over Lozhou City. Sun Yaowu was taken aback, “Is it already done” Qin Feng smiled and said, "Please follow me." When Sun Yaowu arrived at Lozhou's gate with his troops, he found the gates open and chaos within the city but only a few Northern Rong soldiers on the walls to oppose them. They managed to take the city in less than half an hour without much resistance. Even after reestablishing control over the city walls, Sun Yaowu was still somewhat dazed.
If Lozhou City could be taken so easily, what had he been agonizing about for two years
Seeing his conflicted look between joy and sorrow, Qin Feng smiled and said, "General Sun needn't worry. My Lady mentioned earlier that Lozhou is easy to conquer but hard to defend militarily with little strategic value; anyone could take it easily. Hence, the loss of Lozhou wasn’t your fault."
Sun Yaowu leaned against the city wall as he listened to Qin Feng's words and suddenly burst into tears uncontrollably. In truth, he knew that losing Lozhou was inevitable but felt guilty for the countless civilians who died because of his failure. How others viewed him, Sun Yaowu didn't know, but he couldn’t overcome this guilt. If not for meeting Mo Army and Lady Duchess Ye, he might have ended up in regret or even turning rogue. It was precisely for this reason that everyone respected and trusted Ye Li so much; it wasn’t just the trust she gave him but also the new hope and life path.
Qin Feng watched Sun Yaowu calmly without offering comfort, knowing the duchess was right. Though General Sun had a relaxed attitude towards small matters, he was an officer of conscience and integrity.
After Sun Yaowu vented his pent-up emotions, Qin Feng stepped forward and patted his shoulder with a smile. "Alright, now that you've cried enough, it's time to get up. The battle is just beginning."
A grown man crying so openly was embarrassing, but Sun Yaowu wiped away his tears roughly and forced himself to ignore Qin Feng’s ambiguous expression. "I always thought I had a big heart, but isn’t the plan of Her Ladyship too risky What if Helian Peng doesn't take the bait and come to rescue Lu Zhou City"
Qin Feng stroked his chin as he pondered. "Her Ladyship said that Helian Peng will definitely come."
"Why Even Her Ladyship admitted there is no strategic significance here," Sun Yaowu argued.
Qin Feng smiled. "Even so, taking Lu Zhou City means putting a thorn in the back of Helian Peng. Moreover… Her Ladyship said that he can't afford to lose face. So, he will definitely come." From how he had constantly challenged Prince Ding's Consort since the start, it was clear that he was an extremely proud person who could not tolerate failure. Therefore, he would never allow a place within his control to remain occupied by the Black Warriors.
Sun Yaowu scratched his head and nodded. "It does make sense."
Qin Feng smiled. "General Sun, prepare for the defense of Lu Zhou City. When reinforcements from Beirong arrive, we won’t have an easy time." With a solemn nod, Sun Yaowu said, "Rest assured, I will not let Beirong soldiers take back Lu Zhou City."
The news that Lu Zhou had fallen to the Black Warriors spread quickly to Helian Peng's camp. The generals below all urged him to immediately send troops to reclaim Lu Zhou City. These Beirong soldiers were invincible once they entered Central Plains, even though their advance was halted since last year after encountering the Black Warriors. Overall, however, they had not suffered much loss. Especially those stationed near Lingjiu Mountain camp who hadn't encountered the main force of the Black Warriors; subconsciously, they felt that the Black Warriors were not as formidable as rumored. Hearing that the city they occupied was recaptured by the Black Warriors without a sound, how could they bear it They all clamored to reclaim Lu Zhou City.
Helian Peng did not rush into action despite the unexpected attack on Lu Zhou City by the Black Warriors. These recent clashes with the Black Warriors had made him more cautious.
"We can retake Lu Zhou City at any time, but why would Ye Li capture it now Lu Zhou City is still a distance from Lingjiu Mountain; even if she captures it, it won't connect with her main base and will require more troops to garrison. It doesn’t make sense for Ye Li to make such an unwise decision," Helian Peng said solemnly.
A deputy general sneered, "Prince Ding's Consort is just a woman; how can she possibly fight But still, we must not let the Black Warriors underestimate our Beirong warriors."
The light in Helian Peng’s eyes flickered as he smirked coldly. “If that’s the case, let Deputy General Cha lead troops to retake Lu Zhou City.”
The deputy general immediately accepted his orders and said, "I guarantee we will reclaim Lu Zhou City by tomorrow morning."
Helian Peng neither agreed nor disagreed but simply said indifferently, “We’ll see after you take it back. Then I’ll recommend your service to the Crown Prince.” The deputy general could sense Helian Peng's lack of enthusiasm despite his rough nature and was taken aback before accepting his orders.
After he left, Helian Peng scanned those below coldly. "Find out where Ye Li is immediately!"
The others were stunned; one asked, “Are you suspecting that Prince Ding's Consort has a hidden motive behind capturing Lu Zhou City” Even though Helian Peng had only recently arrived and was directly appointed by Yelü Ye to command the Lingjiu Mountain camp, his ironclad tactics made many generals respect him deeply. None dared look down on his youth or lack of military experience.
Helian Peng nodded. "That's right. Attacking a place with little strategic value is unlike Ye Li’s style."
The other generals were unconvinced as they knew nothing about Prince Ding's Consort's methods, but Helian Peng's order must be followed without discount; thus, they hurriedly accepted their orders.
"Hidden motive This is a clear strategy," Ye Li said with a smile, looking down on the distant landscape from Lingjiu Mountain. Standing behind her were Zhuo Jing and Lin Han, as well as Zhou Min guarding Lingjiu Mountain.
Zhou Min asked curiously, "Your Highness, will Helian Peng fall for it"
Ye Li smiled faintly, saying, “It’s not about whether he will be fooled. Even if he knows something is amiss… He has to follow our plan, or else just let us take the three cities around Lingjiu Mountain.”
Zhou Min pondered for a moment and frowned. "Your Highness sent General Sun to take Lu Zhou City and dispatched General He to take Huiyun City; even if Helian Peng is willing to give up Lu Zhou, he can’t afford to lose Huiyun City and will have to send reinforcements. However…" Then… he would know our army is weakened.
Ye Li turned to look at Zhou Min with a sigh of helplessness, "If that happens, we’ll rely on General Zhou." The number of Black Warriors was limited; even though Lingjiu Mountain camp had around thirty thousand soldiers now, the truly elite were fewer than ten thousand. Most were remnants of Great Chu and under He Suo’s command. Although He Suo's troops were better compared to other generals in Great Chu, they still couldn’t match Beirong one-on-one.
Zhou Min hesitated before asking quietly, "Why doesn't the Prince mobilize more troops from Northwest" The conscription system in Northwest was different from others; thus, it could quickly raise new soldiers. If Mo Xiuyao wanted to, he could mobilize hundreds of thousands instantly. These new recruits weren’t just raw conscripts but had received some training.
Ye Li shook her head with a smile, "Although Beirong is fierce and brave, it’s not enough for the Prince's Household to throw all resources at them. In the coming years, this realm won't be peaceful; if we exhaust all our manpower now, what will we do later"
Zhou Min nodded understandingly. "I see." He didn’t need to worry about as many things as his master and mistress did; he only needed to fight enemies head-on.
"Your Highness, Helian Peng just dispatched ten thousand troops towards Huiyun City," reported a man behind her.
Ye Li nodded. "I know. Dismissed." After dismissing the messenger, she thought out loud, "Helian Peng should have over forty thousand troops in total; even after sending reinforcements to Lu Zhou and Huiyun Cities, he still has twenty thousand."
Zhou Min’s expression darkened as he said solemnly, "Your Highness, our forces are fewer than fifteen thousand now."
Ye Li waved her hand. “No worries; abandon the other two camps and focus on defending central camp. Lingjiu Mountain's rugged terrain makes it easy to defend and hard to attack. If we hold out for half a month, He Suo will capture Huiyun City. Even if not… I’ll inform General Yuan Pei to block Beirong troops at Feihong Pass upon losing Lingjiu Mountain." Although risky, success would see He Suo occupying Huiyun City and Sun Yaowu controlling Lu Zhou, forming a triangle that traps Helian Peng’s forces.
“Understood,” Zhou Min said. “I vow to defend Lingjiu Mountain, but… should Your Highness move to Feihong Pass” He asked despite not doubting Ye Li's ability or willingness to share the soldiers’ fate; it was unnecessary for her status.
Ye Li shook her head. "No need; I trust General Zhou to defend Lingjiu Mountain."
Ye Lye said this, and Zhou Min could no longer persuade her. She could only resolve in her heart that she must absolutely not let Huo Lianpeng even take a step toward Lingjiu Mountain. If it really came to the worst, then she would forcibly send the Concubine Wang to Feihong Pass.
Soon, chaos broke out around Lingjiu Mountain as Ye Lye and Zhou Min had predicted. Huo Lianpeng did not personally go to rescue Hui City and Luo Prefecture but instead gathered the remaining 200,000 troops for a full-scale attack on Lingjiu Mountain. The army fighting against Lu Jinqian in the east was at an impasse and could not break through. In the center, Ye Liye and Huo Lianzhen led over 8 million soldiers but were still no match for Mo Xiuyao's less than 500,000 troops. After half a month of fighting, they suffered more defeats than victories and had to retreat out of necessity. If Huo Lianpeng could open up a passage from Lingjiu Mountain, it would naturally relieve the current predicament of the Northern Rong army. More importantly, winter came early in the north, and they were already seeing signs of winter approaching. At that time, the supply situation for the Northern Rong army would be even more strained than now. So although Huo Lianpeng knew that Ye Lye's arrangement might not be advantageous to him, he had no choice but to risk everything by attacking Lingjiu Mountain with all his strength.
At Lingjiu Mountain's front line, both sides fought for five days, each suffering countless casualties. Neither side showed any signs of retreat. Compared to this time, the Mo Family Army was actually at a disadvantage. At present, the combat effectiveness of the Mo Family Army was not as good as that of the Northern Rong army, and their number of troops also fell short compared to the Northern Rong forces. If it were not for Lingjiu Mountain's difficult terrain, the Mo Family Army might have already lost.
But even so, Huo Lianpeng was no better off than Ye Lye and Zhou Min. Although his casualties were fewer than those of the Mo Family Army, he only had twenty or thirty thousand troops left to begin with, and none of the reinforcements sent to Luo Prefecture and Hui City had reported back yet. If this continued, even if he wiped out all the troops at Lingjiu Mountain, there might not be enough remaining troops to pass beyond it, let alone withstand the Mo Family Army's advance from Feihong Pass. At that time, both sides would truly suffer losses.
The worst-case scenario was that Ye Lye could take a hit; behind her were Yuan Pei and the garrison at Feihong Pass. But Huo Lianpeng couldn't afford to take a loss because if Luo Prefecture and Hui City fell, he wouldn't dare venture beyond Lingjiu Mountain even if he captured it. He would be cut off from his main forces.
"Ye... Lye!" Standing at the front of his troops and looking at soldiers with injuries all over their weary faces, Huo Lianpeng couldn't help grinding his teeth as a manic look came into his eyes, "You really are Concubine Wang. I was outwitted by you this time. But… did you also put your own life on the line"
Looking at the black Mo Family Army flags fluttering in the wind atop Lingjiu Mountain, Huo Lianpeng coldly smiled, "Since things have come to this, wouldn't it be a laughingstock if I don’t capture Lingjiu Mountain"
"Soldier!"
"General!" A general hurried over as Huo Lianpeng raised his eyes and said with a stern voice while looking at the slope不遠處的山坡：“繼續攻打靈鷲山。打不下就不許停！”那將領一愣，有些為難地道：“將軍，靈鷲山易守難攻，隻怕是……”Huo Lianpeng's cold, fierce gaze swept over him, making the man swallow his words back down. Huo Lianpeng stared at him and said with a stern voice: "Any soldier who retreats will be executed!"
"Yes!"
On Lingjiu Mountain, Ye Lye was also fully prepared for battle, the atmosphere filled with tension and bloodshed. Lin Han followed behind her, patrolling the camp's outer lines with her. Seeing soldiers in groups of three or five resting together, some still unattended to even though they were injured, Lin Han couldn't help but frown. He looked at Ye Lye walking ahead of him, wanting to persuade her to leave early, but he just couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Seeing Ye Lye approach, soldiers who had been sitting on the ground resting scrambled up to salute her. Ye Lye waved them off and walked over to a soldier with blood all over his left arm leaning against a pile of grass for rest, asking softly, "What happened Why haven’t you bandaged your wound"
The young soldier looked no older than seventeen or eighteen; he blushed shyly when Ye Lye asked him and shook his head repeatedly, saying, "Replying Your Excellency… the injury is not serious. It's just a superficial cut that doesn't need to be bandaged." Ye Lye knelt down beside him, pulled up his sleeve, and saw that while it wasn’t life-threatening, he had bled quite a bit. Under normal circumstances, there would be no issue, but in this situation, the wound could reopen if he used too much strength. Ye Lye frowned and applied some medicine to his injury; Lin Han handed her a clean bandage behind her.
The young soldier stared at the white-clad woman bandaging his wounds, stunned. The Concubine seemed very adept and quickly finished applying the medicine and bandaged the wound better than he had seen any military doctor do before. Looking at the dumbfounded young soldier, Ye Lye smiled faintly and asked, "How old are you Are you afraid"
The youth shook his head resolutely: "I’m not afraid." He was actually a little afraid but couldn’t admit it since a woman like the Concubine wasn't afraid.
Ye Lye patted him on the shoulder and said, “Rest well; there are tough battles to come.” Rising to her feet, she turned to Lin Han, saying, "There's no shortage of medical supplies in camp. Have the doctors distribute them among soldiers with less serious injuries."
"Yes, Concubine," Lin Han nodded and pulled a passing soldier over to deliver the order, then followed behind Ye Lye again.
Ye Lye sighed helplessly and said, "I won't be in danger at the camp. You don’t need to follow me everywhere."
"The Prince ordered that Concubine Wang must not lack protection," Lin Han shook his head.
Knowing she couldn’t persuade him, Ye Lye let it go and turned to leave when she heard a series of painful groans coming from nearby. Frowning, she walked towards the sound, only to find two doctors surrounded by soldiers in a makeshift shelter for severely wounded soldiers.
In fact, ancient cold weapon battlefields were far more brutal than those of her previous life. There were no professional field medics or nurses on the battlefield, and most seriously injured soldiers would die amidst the chaos. Occasionally, lucky ones might survive after battles ended but were often pulled back to their own lines by allies before dying anyway. Even so, the mortality rate among rescued severely wounded soldiers was extremely high.
“How are you hurt” Ye Lye asked softly.
The two doctors turned around and reported with a helpless tone: "The arrow tip is stuck in his bone; he'll probably…" The arrow could not be removed, and although the injury was to his leg, infection would eventually kill him.
Ye Lye looked down at the young man lying on the ground. His wound was turning blue with signs of infection setting in, his eyes full of despair and pain. Ye Lye's heart sank as she asked hesitantly: "Would an amputation work"
"Amputate" The doctors were stunned but quickly understood her meaning. They said reluctantly: “If we cut off the leg… there may be a chance for survival, provided that the wound doesn’t become infected afterward. But…” This was something they had never done before and lacked experience with.
Ye Lye paused thoughtfully before saying calmly, "Let me do it."
"Concubine!" The doctors were shocked, as well as Lin Han who stood nearby.
The young soldier stared at the woman bandaging his wound in disbelief. Seeing that she seemed adept and quick to apply the medicine, far better than what military doctors could do, he felt a glimmer of hope. Ye Lye smiled faintly and asked: "How old are you Are you afraid"
The youth shook his head firmly: “No.” He was actually scared but couldn’t admit it since the Concubine wasn't.
Ye Lye patted him on the shoulder, saying, “Rest well; tough battles await.” Turning to Lin Han, she said, "There's no shortage of medical supplies. Distribute them among soldiers with lighter injuries and let everyone help each other apply bandages."
"Yes, Concubine," Lin Han nodded and pulled a passing soldier over to deliver the order.
Seeing him follow her everywhere, Ye Lye said helplessly: "I won’t be in danger at camp. You don't need to follow me constantly."
"The Prince ordered that Concubine Wang must not lack protection," Lin Han shook his head.
Avoiding persuading him further, she turned and walked away, only to hear groans nearby again. Frowning, she approached a makeshift shelter for seriously wounded soldiers where two doctors were discussing with an injured young soldier who was groaning in pain.
She asked softly: "How are you hurt"
The doctors reported reluctantly: “The arrow tip is stuck in his bone. He’ll probably…" They couldn’t remove the arrow, and though it was a leg injury, infection would eventually kill him.
Ye Lye looked at the young man on the ground; his wound had turned blue with signs of infection setting in, despair and pain in his eyes. She asked hesitantly: "Would an amputation work"
The doctors were stunned but quickly understood her meaning, saying reluctantly: “If we cut off the leg… there may be a chance for survival provided the wound doesn’t become infected afterward.” They had never done this before and lacked experience.
Ye Lye paused thoughtfully before calmly stating, "Let me do it."
"Concubine!" The doctors were shocked, as was Lin Han nearby.
She walked over to the young soldier and said softly: “I will amputate your injured leg; don’t be afraid.”
The youth's eyes filled with fear; he tried to shake his head but could not utter a word due to pain. Ye Lye looked at him solemnly and asked, "Life is more important than one leg. Are you willing to give up your life without even trying"
The youth’s gaze flickered as if recalling something; slowly, hope emerged in his eyes. Ye Lye said gently: “As long as you want to live, fight until the end.”
The young man finally nodded, though fear still lingered in his eyes but no longer to the extent of panic. Ye Li only then stood up and instructed the two doctors beside her: "Prepare painkillers, hemostatics, clean hot water, liquor, and clean towels and fire." The two doctors, feeling helpless, could only follow Ye Li's instructions.
Once everything was prepared, Ye Li took out a new thin-bladed dagger, wiped it with alcohol before placing it over the fire to heat up for some time. She then stood beside the wounded young man and swiftly cut into his leg at a specific spot. The two doctors assisting her stared wide-eyed at Ye Li's actions. Though she started somewhat awkwardly, in no time she seemed to have found her rhythm, performing more efficiently than even seasoned military physicians.
As Ye Li was busy attending to the patient, thunderous war drums echoed from outside. The distinctive horn sound of the Northern Rong army signified another assault had begun. Lin Han worriedly said: "Your Excellency…"
Ye Li did not lift her head and her hands continued their work steadily as she ordered: "Go tell Zhou Min that he's in charge now, I'll be out soon." Seeing the patient slip into a half-conscious state, Lin Han finally turned to leave.
Ye Li quickly stopped cutting. She neatly sutured the wound with sterilized thread and bandaged it up. Only after finishing did she sigh lightly, raising her head. The two doctors beside her were already mesmerized by Ye Li’s skill; they snapped out of their trance when she looked at them, saying: "Your Excellency…"
Ye Li laid down the medical tools and washed her hands in a basin of water nearby before saying: “The two of you take good care of him. I'm sure your knowledge on fever-reducing, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory medicine is better than mine. Also, his wound can't be exposed to water for these few days. If nothing happens then it should heal fine. I'll go now.”
“Yes, Your Excellency, we’ll take good care of him,” the two doctors nodded, sweating slightly in embarrassment as they gave their assurances. Without further ado, Ye Li turned and left the tent for the battlefield.
The battle was ongoing, but Helian Peng hadn’t seen any sign of Ye Li from afar. He frowned, shouting: "So you’re afraid at last The Duchess of Ding has fled early" Speaking these words made his heart conflicted; he wasn't sure if he wished she had left or still remained.
Zhou Min snorted coldly and replied in a low voice: “Where our duchess is, isn’t something you can meddle with.”
Helian Peng’s face darkened as he sneered: "I thought the Duchess of Ding would be an outstanding woman warrior but turns out she’s just another cowardly wife fleeing from battle."
"This general doesn't want to waste words on you, a Northern Rong barbarian. If you wish to fight, let's duel!" Zhou Min pointed his spear towards Helian Peng.
Helian Peng smiled and replied: "Perfect! I'll kill you first before going after your Duchess of Ding! Charge!" With these words, he led the charge up the slope, followed closely by the soldiers behind him who naturally joined in without hesitation.
Zhou Min didn’t retreat either. He commanded coldly, “Charge!”
The Black Cloud Cavalry of the Mo Army let out a battle cry, releasing arrows and hurling logs and stones mercilessly at the Northern Rong forces who had learned to dodge these projectiles after several days of continuous assaults. Some managed to break through and charge up the slope.
Helian Peng relied on his superior martial skills and leaped toward Zhou Min while the Mo Army’s archers shifted targets, sending a volley of arrows at him in mid-air. Even Helian Peng didn’t dare face such an onslaught head-on and evaded them before landing back down with a few more leaps.
Helian Peng laughed loudly: "Good shooting! I wish to see the true skill of Mo Army’s archery!"
No sooner had he finished speaking, he dove again toward Zhou Min. His light-footed agility brought him several meters before Zhou Min in no time. As he swung his sword at an archer, a sharp gust of air flew towards them all. The archers swiftly dodged but two were still injured. Helian Peng ignored them and rushed towards Zhou Min.
Arrows were effective from afar but less so in close combat. Unafraid, Zhou Min thrust his spear at Helian Peng who replied: "General Zhou, you lead troops well but your martial arts skills are lacking."
Zhou Min replied coldly: “General Helian wastes too many words.”
Helian Peng smiled and said: "Is that so Then allow this general to see the extent of General Zhou’s abilities!"
Zhou Min, who had been sent to fight rather than duel, was naturally at a disadvantage. He showed signs of defeat after several exchanges.
Seeing his enemy falter, Helian Peng laughed heartily and said: "General Zhou, the Duchess of Ding is truly not here If she’s really gone, you’re as good as dead today!"
Zhou Min snorted; ignoring the blood trickling down from his arm, he thrust his spear again. Helian Peng leaped back and stated: "Too bad… Our Northern Rong does not have many generals like General Zhou." With a swing of his sword under sunlight, a dark red glint appeared as it slashed towards Zhou Min’s neck.
"Swoosh!" A black shadow flashed past, Lin Han blocked Helian Peng's blade with his sword. "General Helian wishes to see our Mo Army's archery skills You needn’t be so impatient," he said coldly.
Helian Peng was startled; a gust of wind brushed past the back of his head, and just in time, he dodged another black feathered arrow that grazed him by his cheek.
"General Helian is truly eager to see action! This General is surprised to find you leading from the front," Ye Li said calmly as she stood not far away. Helian Peng laughed loudly and looked at Ye Li: "So, your Excellency was still here in camp. I misunderstood."
Ye Li replied calmly: “That’s alright. General, if you have time, stay a bit longer. General Zhou, continue with the battle.” Knowing he couldn’t help much here, Zhou Min nodded and left.
Helian Peng raised an eyebrow and smiled: "If the Duchess of Ding wishes to keep this general around, I’m honored."
Ye Li’s mood wasn't great. She simply said: “It's best then.” With a wave of her hand, several arrows flew towards Helian Peng from different directions. Helian Peng leaped and slashed them down but behind him more arrows came; even with his deep inner strength, he was somewhat overwhelmed.
“Impressive!” The volley of arrows previously didn’t bother Helian Peng much but now these sparse yet precise arrows made him feel quite busy in comparison.
"General can appreciate the difference between Qilin and Ya Zi," Ye Li said coolly.t's not, since this mountain path isn't wide enough, their reinforcements wouldn’t come quickly either, giving us time to retreat safely. But this way, the other side might suspect that the Black Clou...