132 Campaign Departure 1
fenses," he stated, then waved his hand and left with several generals following him.Only when Feng Zhiyao had exited did Ye Li turn to look back at Wang Duo and Sun Xingzhi again, smiling brightly. "...132. Campaign Dispatch (1)
132. Campaign Dispatch (1)
The news from the border regions arrived day by day, but the atmosphere in the imperial court grew increasingly solemn. The Western Capital's army captured three cities over a fortnight and advanced to Xinyang. On the ninth day of the ninth month, it was reported that Lord Cold Qingcang and the Southern Duke's heir, commanding 100,000 troops dispatched for rescue, had been intercepted by General Puzhao with half their army wiped out on the way. The remnants retreated to Xinyang. On the tenth day of the ninth month, Xinyang was besieged. At the same time, the Western Capital's army split into three routes and advanced simultaneously from north, south, and central directions, sending urgent appeals for help from every border pass. Yet at this moment, Prince Dingguo who had been guarding Chu for a century still remained nowhere to be seen, while his mansion was bustling with visitors daily.
In the study, Ye Li looked up when she heard "My Lady."
The head steward Mo said solemnly, "The Marquis of Huaguo and Southern Duke seek an audience. The heir of the Southern Duke is missing in the chaos of battle."
"Missing How could this happen..." Ye Li's eyebrows furrowed as she understood why the Marquis and the Duke had come. However, it put her in a difficult position. Sighing, she said, "Please bring His Excellency and the Duke in."
Soon, the Marquis of Huaguo and Southern Duke arrived at the door, to which Ye Li personally greeted them, stopping their bows as she said, "There's no one else here, so we can skip formalities. Your Excellency, Duke, please sit." After the two men thanked her and sat down, a servant brought tea before Ye Li asked, "Have His Excellency and the Duke come together for matters at the border"
The Southern Duke looked haggard and sighed heavily, saying, "Indeed, I've troubled My Lady."
Ye Li shook her head, "The heir is not a stranger to me. The Duke needn't worry too much; I will instruct people at the border to search for him immediately."
Nan Hou shook his head and sighed, "My son is loyal to the country; whether he lives or dies depends on fate. But… Lady Wang, news from the border should be faster than what we receive in our residence. If this continues, before Prince Ding returns, more than 100,000 troops at the border might be completely wiped out!" Ye Li also sighed softly and said, "Western Ling's Southern King has been gathering strength for over a decade; how could his comeback be simple However, although Prince Ding’s residence sent news to Northern Rong early on, there is still no word from the王爺至今也杳無音訊。本妃也是…無可奈何…”
The Marquis of Huaguo heaved a heavy sigh and said, "Just for escorting a princess, how could His Majesty send Prince Ding away Now, Commander Mengmu is far in Yongzhou, and General Jingguo guards the northern border. This old man…" He let out a long sigh, then suddenly stood up to head for the door, saying, “This old man will go to court right now to request an audience with His Majesty; I’ll lead the troops myself!” Ye Li and Nan Hou quickly held him back. Nan Hou smiled bitterly and said, "Marquis, even if we need to lead troops into battle, it should be us going, not you." Looking at these two elders who were over a hundred years old combined, Ye Li couldn’t help but smile wryly in her heart. She understood their purpose for coming here but could not blame them because they genuinely worried about the fate of Chu and its border soldiers and people.
“Marquis… Lord…”
The Marquis of Huaguo turned around to see Ye Li's clear, calm eyes, which seemed as transparent as a candle. He paused and sat down again. The Marquis said apologetically, “Lady Wang, don’t blame this old man for bothering you at such an inappropriate time; I really…”
Ye Li shook her head and said, "Marquis, that's not necessary. Ye Li understands."
The Marquis of Huaguo continued, “Now that Xiu Yao is away, supporting the vast Prince Ding’s residence as a woman is already difficult enough; this old man couldn’t be unaware of it. But with urgent news from the border, waiting for Prince Ding to return might not be feasible. I’ve heard about Lady Wang's capabilities, so please consider the lives of Chu’s people and soldiers at the border. Leading troops myself was never my intention. I understand Lady Wang's concerns clearly. If Lady Wang trusts this old man, I will personally lead the troops until Prince Ding returns; His Majesty wouldn’t take away my military command when matters are urgent. Once Prince Ding returns and heads straight to the border to retake control of the army, everything would be resolved. What do you think, Lady Wang"
Ye Li smiled bitterly and said, "Is the Old Duke so certain that I can mobilize the Black Family Army"
The White Eyebrow of the Huoguo Duke flickered as he looked at Ye Li with a sideways glance. "Can’t the Duchess do it then If she says no, old man will leave."
Ye Li remained silent for half a moment and then lifted her head to say, "I can't hand over military power to the Old Duke, not because I don't trust the duke but because even if the duke were given the command seals, it would still be difficult to mobilize the army." A trace of disappointment flashed across the eyes of both Huoguo Duke and Nan Hou, only to hear Ye Li speak indifferently, "Then let me accompany you on a trip to the border. However, the Old Duke is advanced in age and might not be able to travel long distances..."
Nan Hou said happily, "If the Duchess believes this official, I’ll immediately request His Majesty for permission to lead the troops into battle! No, being appointed as a deputy general would also do. The position of commander-in-chief can then be reserved for Prince Ding’s return!"
The Huoguo Duke looked at Ye Li in surprise and admiration before nodding his head. "Alright, Xiuyao really does have the eye! This time, it will be this official's honor to serve you."
Ye Li laughed as she shook her head and said, "The Old Duke shouldn’t get too excited just yet; even if we make our plans perfect, His Majesty might still not agree." The Huoguo Duke spoke in a solemn voice, "If he is truly the emperor of this country, there’s no way he can refuse." Hearing this, Nan Hou was stunned and looked outside the study before whispering, “Old Duke, you shouldn’t say such things.” Old Duke hummed lightly without saying anything more.
After sending off Huoguo Duke and Nan Hou, Ye Li returned to the study only to see Feng Zhiyao standing under a bookshelf flipping through books. Hearing her footsteps, he turned back with some worry in his eyes and said, "Your Excellency truly agreed to go to the border for the Old Duke and Nan Hou"
"You heard that" Ye Li smiled faintly as she walked back to the desk and sat down. She said, “The Western City’s invasion is fierce; it's impossible for the Black Family Army to stay out of this matter even if His Highness isn't here. If I don’t hand over military power now, people might still understand, but once the situation deteriorates further, no reason will be enough. Everyone in the country will see the Chu Kingdom suffering from foreign invasion while the Black Family Army remains indifferent. Besides, since we have to mobilize eventually, it’s better to enter the battlefield early and gain control earlier. Moreover… if I agree to this, the person inside the palace might not."
Feng Zhiyao sneered coldly and said, "If he doesn’t agree, then when people discuss this in the future, it won’t be our concern anymore."
Ye Li nodded her head and said, “It’s been such a long time already. If everything goes smoothly with His Highness on his end, we’ll reach the border and his return will coincide with ours as well.”
Mentioning Mo Xiuyao, Feng Zhiriao couldn’t help but frown and say, "So many days have passed already. Why hasn’t His Royal Highness gotten any news"
"Perhaps someone doesn’t want him back. The fact that there is no news at least proves he’s fine for now. You go get ready first. Also tell Captain Mo if Prince Cheng of the Southern Marquisate and his concubine arrive, ask her to return home."
"Yes." Feng Zhiriao nodded but then hesitated a moment before adding, "My Lady Consort, this time let Feng San escort you to the border."
Ye Li frowned and said, "Although nothing will happen while His Royal Highness and I are away from the capital, we still need someone to support the main cause."
Feng Zhiriao replied, "Having Uncle Mo is enough. Although Ding Wangfu has strict security, it isn’t much use for the Blackwood Army. Besides, Captain Mo has managed the王府for decades so he’s more capable than I am as an outsider," Ye Li thought for a moment and said, "I understand. You go ahead first; I’ll consider later. Since you’re preparing to join in the expedition, those who need to bid farewell should do so."
Feng Zhiriao was taken aback, with a bitter smile on his face as he said, "As a rogue like me, where would there be anyone for whom I need to say goodbye…" Ye Li smiled at him and said, "Deceiving yourself is meaningless. Don’t regret it when it’s too late." Feng Zhiriao was lost in thought for a moment before recovering but left in a daze.
Mou Jingqi indeed firmly rejected the suggestion of both Duke Hua and Marquis Nan during court without even listening to them fully, which didn't concern Ye Li. Instead, Xu Hongyan and Xu Qingze rushed to Ding Wangfu immediately after the court session ended that morning. Although Xu Hongyan wasn’t in a high position, he had a clearer understanding of the situation than those involved due to his broader perspective. After some advice, he sighed and left. As usual, Xu Qingze was silent until before leaving when he said, "If you insist on going, I’ll petition His Majesty tomorrow for permission to join you at the border." Ye Li smiled lightly and replied, "My brother-in-law is about to get married; if my actions delay his wedding, won’t Aunt Qin and Mother be upset with me There are plenty of guards in Ding Wangfu, so you can rest assured."
Xu Qingze frowned and said, "Going together would ease the mind of Father, Grandfather, and Uncle." Without waiting for Ye Li’s response, he turned and left.
Bad news from the border came day after day. Even though people in the capital couldn’t see the bloody battles, they were still shocked by the lost cities and casualty figures. More and more people started calling for Ding Wangfu to send troops. People had grown accustomed to a black army protecting their safety no matter what happened, but this time, despite the war having lasted nearly a month, there was still no news about Ding Wangfu or the Blackwood Army, which made many commoners and even high officials feel uneasy, causing unrest throughout the capital.
After rumors spread that Dingwang was far away in Northern Rong and his consort’s request to accompany him had been rejected by the emperor, there was silence in court but chatter among the people. Naturally dissatisfied with the emperor's decision, Mou Jingqi lacked the courage to suppress dissent at this time, leading to petitions pouring into the imperial study from all over the country. Three days later, Mou Jingqi announced during the morning court session that Marquis Nan would be appointed deputy commander and Ding Wangfu’s consort would accompany him as a military supervisor for the expedition against Westling's invasion. Upon receiving the decree, Ye Li turned to her room with a smirk.remained behind. He walked a few steps out and then stopped to look back at the Princess of Anxi.The Princess of Anxi asked: "Qingchen, do you still have something to say" Xu Qingchen glanced indiffer...