Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 391 - 390. Mu Yang’s troops are defeated, suspected of having spies

Chapter 391: 390. Mu Yang’s troops are defeated, suspected of having spies

390. Mu Yang’s Defeat and Suspicions of Espionage

Atop the imposing Cold Valley Pass, Mo Jingli gazed down at the not-so-distant Mo Family Army camp, which bristled with murderous intent. The Mo Family Army’s black flags fluttered fiercely in the wind. From a distance, the troops in the camp, vigorous and imposing, appeared like black waves ready to engulf everything.

"Your Majesty, something seems amiss." Old Marquis Muyang and Lei Tengfeng flanked Mo Jingli, with Old Marquis Muyang voicing his concern, his brow slightly furrowed. Mo Jingli raised an eyebrow. "Amiss? How so?" Old Marquis Muyang replied solemnly, "The Mo Family Army appears intimidating, yet they’ve merely put on a show these past couple of days without any substantial moves—this is out of character for them."

The Mo Family Army was renowned for its formidable combat strength and its soldiers’ indomitable spirit. They would not simply halt their advance because of the ancient, formidable pass ahead. The only explanation was that they had other schemes in progress.

Mo Jingli raised an eyebrow, replying nonchalantly, "Ye Li only commands less than 100,000 troops. Can she really take Cold Valley Pass by force? I suspect she’s waiting for Lv Jinxian. As long as Mu Yang intercepts Lv Jinxian, these forces... will eventually become my prisoners." Lei Tengfeng gazed into the distance, deep in thought, before remarking, "Princess Consort Ding seems to have been absent these past few days."

Hearing this, Old Marquis Muyang’s complexion changed. Somberly, he said, "Your Majesty... Princess Consort Ding is always full of cunning tricks..." Princess Consort Ding was not only crafty but, with the Qilin’s assistance, her movements were also said to be unpredictable. Every time she appeared, misfortune was sure to befall someone. Mo Jingli’s brows furrowed. He naturally understood Old Marquis Muyang’s concerns. However, this time, he considered his own arrangements flawless, and even someone as intelligent as Ye Li wouldn’t be able to find any loopholes. Regrettably, while the list of names he received from Dongfang You had solved the urgent problem of being unable to plant his people inside Prince Ding’s Mansion, these individuals had no way of getting close to Ye Li without arousing suspicion. If only it weren’t so difficult to track her movements.

After some consideration, Mo Jingli deemed it best to err on the side of caution. He instructed, "Send men to investigate. We must be certain whether Ye Li is truly within the camp outside the pass." Old Marquis Muyang readily agreed and turned to pass on the order.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, urgent military dispatch!" Before Old Marquis Muyang could leave, a soldier rushed up. Old Marquis Muyang’s eyelids twitched, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. The reporting soldier said, "Urgent news from the front! The 100,000-strong army led by Marquis Muyang was ambushed by Lv Jinxian’s forces and nearly wiped out! Lv Jinxian has bypassed our ambush and is now heading for Cold Valley Pass!"

"How could this be?!" Old Marquis Muyang couldn’t help but exclaim. His body swayed, and he nearly stumbled. He hastily inquired, "How is Marquis Muyang?" The soldier glanced at Mo Jingli behind him, then at Old Marquis Muyang, before replying, "Marquis Muyang, leading fewer than 10,000 surviving troops, is already heading towards Cold Valley Pass."

Learning that Mu Yang was unharmed, Old Marquis Muyang finally let out a sigh of relief. But upon seeing Mo Jingli’s expression, his heart sank once more. He had worried about this and that, yet the problem had arisen with his own son. Knowing Mo Jingli’s temperament, he was sure to be livid.

Sure enough, Mo Jingli shot Old Marquis Muyang a cold glance and asked impassively, "Old Marquis Muyang, do you have anything to say?" Old Marquis Muyang grimaced. "My son’s campaign was unsuccessful; please, Your Majesty, assign blame."

Nearby, Lei Tengfeng’s handsome eyes narrowed slightly. He took a step forward and said in a low voice, "Emperor of Great Chu, Mu Yang is still young. How could he be a match for an old general like Lv Jinxian, who has fought for half a lifetime? Besides, we are in dire need of manpower right now." Mo Jingli huffed. "For the sake of the Heir of Southern Garrison Prince, I will give him a chance to redeem himself."

Old Marquis Muyang’s heart leaped with joy. He quickly kowtowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy!" His gaze towards Lei Tengfeng softened with gratitude. "Thank you, Heir of Southern Garrison Prince." Lei Tengfeng smiled. "Old Marquis, please dispense with the formalities. I also did this for the alliance between our two nations." The implication was that Marquis Muyang’s Mansion owed him no favor. Hearing this, Old Marquis Muyang’s expression softened further; after all, a favor from the Heir of Xiling’s Southern Garrison Prince was not one to be taken lightly.

Lei Tengfeng turned to Mo Jingli. "Emperor of Great Chu, as things stand, it’s best to summon Mu Yang back quickly and ascertain the details of what happened. I can’t help but feel... this matter is rather strange." Lei Tengfeng had some knowledge of the arrangements made by Mo Jingli and Old Marquis Muyang and considered them virtually flawless. At least he himself couldn’t find any flaws. Although Lei Tengfeng hadn’t many achievements in military matters, he had been personally instructed by Lei Zhenting, and his insight and abilities were first-rate. If even he couldn’t find any flaws, it proved that Old Marquis Muyang and Mo Jingli’s arrangements were indeed largely sound. Even if Mu Yang couldn’t achieve a resounding victory, he shouldn’t have suffered such a crushing defeat. Yet, in just a few short days, Mu Yang had been nearly annihilated. To say there was no problem here was even more unbelievable than Mo Xiuyao completely annihilating the Beirong army.

Hearing his words, Mo Jingli and Old Marquis Muyang’s expressions also grew solemn. Although Old Marquis Muyang hadn’t had many dealings with Lv Jinxian, as a renowned general of his generation, he had some understanding of the Mo Family Army’s generals. Therefore, he found it hard to believe that Lv Jinxian could have so easily thwarted the trap he had set.

Mu Yang returned quickly. However, in stark contrast to his spirited departure, he returned covered in wounds. His original force of 100,000 elite soldiers had been reduced to fewer than 6,000 men.

"Your guilty subject, Mu Yang, requests punishment from Your Majesty." Mu Yang understood clearly that this defeat marked the disastrous end of the first clash between the Army of Great Chu and the Mo Family Army. Mo Jingli probably wanted to have him drawn and quartered for this. More importantly, this defeat of his had almost entirely nullified the geographical advantage the Army of Great Chu originally held.

The command tent fell into silence; none of the generals of the Army of Great Chu dared to speak up for Mu Yang. Mo Jingli coolly sized up Mu Yang. A bloody gash marred his otherwise handsome face, and his left shoulder was bandaged, his arm appearing somewhat stiff. He was clearly not lightly injured. Fatigue was etched onto his handsome, resolute features, and his eyes were bloodshot. It was clear Mu Yang had endured a great deal these past few days.

"Rise," Mo Jingli finally said in a grave voice. It wasn’t that Mo Jingli didn’t want to deal with Mu Yang; he himself understood that there weren’t many capable generals in the Army of Great Chu. If he punished Mu Yang, Old Marquis Muyang might grow resentful. Therefore, he heeded Lei Tengfeng’s advice and spared Mu Yang punishment. "Lv Jinxian is a famed general of the Mo Family Army. Let this matter be for now. In the future, you must atone for your mistakes with meritorious service. If there are any more oversights, don’t blame me for being ruthless." Mu Yang was stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected Mo Jingli to be so magnanimous. Beside him, Old Marquis Muyang quickly reminded him, "Still not thanking His Majesty for his grace?"

Only then did Mu Yang express his gratitude for Mo Jingli’s clemency and rise to his feet.

"What exactly happened this time? Tell me in detail," Mo Jingli asked gravely. Mu Yang quickly recounted the details of the defeat, which was baffling even to him. When Mu Yang arrived with 100,000 reinforcements, although Lv Jinxian’s forces still had superior numbers, the Army of Great Chu held the geographical advantage and was almost certain of victory. But no one could have predicted that on the very night Mu Yang arrived, Lv Jinxian would suddenly appear at the rear of the Army of Great Chu with only 5,000 men. In the dead of night, the Chu troops had no idea how many men were in the raiding party and were led by the nose by Lv Jinxian as they hastily engaged the enemy. Ultimately, Lv Jinxian even ignited the tung oil that had been prepared for the Mo Family Army, and as a result, their own ambush half-crippled the 100,000-strong army by fire. By the time Mu Yang led the remaining troops out of the sea of fire, they encountered Lv Jinxian’s main force head-on. In the end, only a few thousand men managed to escape back.

After listening to Mu Yang’s account, Mo Jingli’s expression was savage with anger. "So you’re saying... my 100,000-strong army was annihilated by Lv Jinxian’s mere 5,000 men? Good! Truly excellent!"

The others remained silent. With 5,000 men against 100,000, this battle was undoubtedly a crowning achievement in Lv Jinxian’s career. However, to say this victory was solely due to Lv Jinxian’s ability was difficult to believe. One point alone was critical: How did Lv Jinxian know the location of the Army of Great Chu’s encampment and the ambushes they had set? The slightest miscalculation could have ignited the nearby mountains. Then, even if Lv Jinxian had won, the raging fires blocking the mountain paths would have prevented his passage.

Old Marquis Muyang said gravely, "Your Majesty, there is a spy from Prince Ding’s Mansion in our army. And... it is someone in a very important position, able to access our military secrets." The Qilin might have found the location of the Army of Great Chu’s encampment, but even for the Qilin, discovering all the ambushes they had set would be very difficult without ten days to half a month. Apart from a spy from Prince Ding’s Mansion within the Army of Great Chu, Old Marquis Muyang could think of no other explanation.

Mo Jingli shot Old Marquis Muyang an exasperated glance; Prince Ding’s Mansion’s secret agents were virtually omnipresent. Even Mo Jingli couldn’t guarantee that his own residence was free of Mo Family Army personnel. His words were practically stating the obvious.

Beside him, Lei Tengfeng said gravely, "There is much truth in what Old Marquis Muyang said. I fear... the other party is someone very close to you all. The Emperor of Great Chu must be extremely careful. Furthermore, Lv Jinxian’s army is rapidly approaching. I urge the Emperor of Great Chu to make preparations soon." Lv Jinxian’s losses in the battle with Mu Yang could be said to be almost negligible. Once the two Mo Family Army forces converge on Cold Valley Pass from both front and rear, the Army of Great Chu’s current geographical advantage will not only completely vanish, but they might also find themselves trapped.

Mo Jingli said gravely, "Relay my decree: Order the West Route Army of 200,000 men to intercept Lv Jinxian’s army with all their might. Mu Yang, I am giving you one last chance. If you let Lv Jinxian reach Cold Valley Pass, you will take your own life." He swept a cold glance over Mu Yang, who instantly felt an almost tangible killing intent emanating from Mo Jingli’s icy gaze.

Mu Yang shuddered and quickly responded, "This general obeys the order! This general requests to withdraw!"

Mo Jingli snorted lightly. "Old Marquis, you will be responsible for investigating the Mo Family Army spies. The rest of you are dismissed. I have matters to discuss with the Heir of Southern Garrison Prince."

"Yes, we take our leave," the generals chorused.

Lei Tengfeng was not surprised. Mo Jingli held himself in high regard. If he hadn’t suffered some setbacks, he wouldn’t have paid any attention to a mere Heir of Southern Garrison Prince like him. It was also fortunate that Lei Tengfeng’s temperament had changed considerably these days; otherwise, the two would have fallen out long ago.

Only Mo Jingli and Lei Tengfeng remained in the large tent. Mo Jingli looked at Lei Tengfeng and sighed, "I’ve made a fool of myself before the Heir of Southern Garrison Prince." Lei Tengfeng said respectfully, "Emperor of Great Chu, you are too harsh on yourself. Victory and defeat are common for soldiers. In fact, it’s not just Your Majesty; even my father is not faring well on his front. The Mo Family Army has awed the world for two hundred years; their reputation is not unearned."

This was by no means mere comfort from Lei Tengfeng to Mo Jingli. Mo Jingli had his own sources of information and was well aware that the battle between Mo Xiuyao and Lei Zhenting was far more brutal than their own engagements. Compared to the conflict at Feihong Pass, their current situation was a minor skirmish. This was Mo Xiuyao and Lei Zhenting’s first true confrontation, naturally drawing worldwide attention. However, the battle there hadn’t gone smoothly for Xiling’s army, despite them taking the initiative. The two armies were locked in a stalemate, each engagement a horrifying bloodbath. So far, Lei Zhenting hadn’t gained any significant advantages.

Mo Jingli frowned in thought for a moment, then said, "Actually, I can lend the Southern Garrison Prince a hand."

Lei Tengfeng’s sharp brows twitched slightly. He maintained a respectful yet not subservient posture as he looked at Mo Jingli. Lei Tengfeng still remembered Mo Jingli’s marriage to Dongfang You. Although Cangmang Mountain had been completely destroyed, no one could say for sure what benefits Mo Jingli had gained from Dongfang You. Since Mo Jingli dared to say he would lend Lei Zhenting a hand, he was certainly not joking.

"I invite the Emperor of Great Chu’s guidance," Lei Tengfeng said.

Mo Jingli smiled faintly. "Guidance is too strong a word. It’s merely that I still have a few usable people in Prince Ding’s Mansion." Hearing this, Lei Tengfeng’s heart skipped a beat. The most difficult aspect of Prince Ding’s Mansion was not the might of the Mo Family Army, nor the intellect of Mo Xiuyao and Xu Qingchen, but its almost impenetrable defenses. Any information known to the world was information Prince Ding’s Mansion was willing to release. As for news Mo Xiuyao didn’t want known, it was impossible for anyone to find out. Over the years, although various factions had relentlessly tried to plant agents in Prince Ding’s Mansion, almost none were truly effective, and many of their own elites had been lost in the process.

Seeing Lei Tengfeng’s apparent disbelief, Mo Jingli wasn’t anxious. He smiled faintly. "The Heir of Prince Ding’s Mansion, Mo Yuchen, is currently at Feihong Pass."

Lei Tengfeng’s eyes flickered. The whereabouts of the Heir of Prince Ding’s Mansion were naturally a highly guarded secret within the Mo Family Army. Yet Mo Jingli looked as if he had known for a long time, indicating he indeed had some capabilities. Mo Jingli smiled faintly. "Additionally, those twins of Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li are currently being raised in the Xu Family."

Lei Tengfeng’s mind raced, but he quickly composed himself and smiled lightly. "It seems the Emperor of Great Chu’s agents are not within the Mo Family Army, but in Licheng. In that case, it seems they won’t be of much use to my father."

Mo Jingli smiled. "Whether they are useful or not depends on how the Southern Garrison Prince uses them."

"What does the Emperor of Great Chu desire?" Lei Tengfeng asked.

Knowing Lei Tengfeng had compromised, Mo Jingli smiled with satisfaction. "How many men did the Heir of Southern Garrison Prince bring?" Lei Tengfeng sighed with a hint of resignation. "Cangmang Mountain was truly a scourge; fortunately, it was eradicated early! I have but a meager 150,000 troops, merely as a precaution, certainly not harboring any ill intentions towards the Emperor of Great Chu."

"I naturally trust the Heir of Southern Garrison Prince," Mo Jingli said with a smile. Now that their two armies were allied against the Mo Family Army, Lei Tengfeng naturally wouldn’t try anything. But that might not be the case once the outcome was decided.

Lei Tengfeng said, "I am willing to assist Marquis Muyang in intercepting Lv Jinxian."

Mo Jingli nodded in satisfaction, took up a brush, wrote a few characters on a piece of paper, and handed it over. "This is a gift for the Southern Garrison Prince." Lei Tengfeng glanced at it, then casually tossed the note into the nearby charcoal brazier. He smiled faintly. "Thank you, Emperor of Great Chu. I shall take my leave."

Watching Lei Tengfeng depart, Mo Jingli sneered. "Who says I have no one in the Mo Family Army? Mo Xiuyao... I’d like to see who will have the last laugh!"

In Mu Yang’s tent, Yaoji was bandaging Mu Yang’s wounds. Her beautiful eyes lowered slightly as she looked at the scarred man before her, saying nothing. Beside her, Mu Lie watched Mu Yang anxiously, his large eyes filled with worry. "Father, are you... alright?"

Mu Yang shook his head and raised his uninjured hand to pat Mu Lie’s small head. "Father is fine. Don’t be afraid." Mu Lie nodded obediently and sat quietly beside Mu Yang, watching Yaoji tend to his wounds. Outside the tent, a soldier reported, "Marquis, Old Marquis asks you to go to him once your injuries are treated."

Mu Yang nodded. "I understand. You may go."

Yaoji frowned. "You’re so heavily injured; why not rest?" Mu Yang gave a somewhat helpless, bitter smile. "I have to leave again soon. Father is probably calling me to give some instructions. Don’t worry; no vital spots were hit."

"But... your injuries..."

Mu Yang sighed. "Although this defeat was due to the Mo Family Army obtaining intelligence beforehand, it is still my defeat. His Majesty has shown leniency and ordered me to lead troops to resist Lv Jinxian’s army, to atone for my crimes with merit. How could I easily refuse?"

Yaoji understood the priorities and could only nod. "Then you must be extremely careful." Mu Yang smiled slightly. "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine."

After tidying up a little, Mu Yang headed to Old Marquis Muyang’s tent. As soon as he left, Yaoji and Mu Lie’s expressions turned grim. Mu Lie said in a low voice, "Marquis Muyang will soon suspect us." There aren’t many people in the army who can access confidential information. When all other possibilities are eliminated, the answer is the most unlikely one.

Yaoji smiled faintly. "You’re mistaken. He will soon suspect me."

Mu Lie’s young face turned somber. "You’re insane! Don’t even think about taking the blame yourself. Don’t forget, if your guilt is proven, do you think Mo Jingli will spare me? Besides, with Marquis Muyang’s shrewdness, he might not fail to suspect my identity." Mu Lie and Mu Yang didn’t look alike; only his eyes somewhat resembled Yaoji’s. Marquis Muyang could very well become suspicious of his identity.

Yaoji sighed softly. "Unless it’s absolutely necessary, do you think I would go looking for death? However, you should be more careful recently. Ignore any messages unless they are extremely important, to avoid falling into Marquis Muyang’s trap."

Mu Lie nodded with a somber face. "I understand. I feel... that things are about to end soon." Yaoji lowered her gaze and said softly, "It might be for the best that it ends. These past few years have been hard on you." Mu Lie was only an eight or nine-year-old child when he followed her to the Capital of Great Chu. These past few years, he not only had to secretly help her gather and transmit information but also constantly remind her not to take a wrong step. If not for Mu Lie’s companionship these years, she truly didn’t know if she could have endured.

Mu Lie looked at her. "If you cannot accomplish what the Prince ordered, I will do it."

Yaoji smiled faintly. "Don’t worry so much. It might not be necessary for us in the end..." Mu Lie shook his head. "Since the Prince gave such an order, he must have anticipated such a situation. Otherwise, do you think Marquis Muyang would have lived this long? Just for nearly causing the deaths of the Princess Consort and the young heir, the Prince would have crushed him back then. You’ll see, I’m afraid news from the Prince will arrive very soon."

Yaoji was taken aback, then nodded. "Everything is fated. Besides... I know what to do. I don’t owe them anything; what is there that I can’t bring myself to do?" Apart from Mu Yang being her son’s father, Yaoji had gradually grown detached over these years. The affection she once thought would last until the seas ran dry and rocks crumbled seemed insignificant in retrospect.

Mu Lie gave her a worried glance, then nodded. He secretly resolved that if it really came to that point, he would strike first to prevent Yaoji from future heartache.

Meanwhile, Ye Li sat on horseback, looking down at the field littered with corpses not far below, a faint smile touching her lips. Her white clothes and black hair danced in the cool, crisp breeze.

"Princess Consort." Qin Feng presented a letter, his voice grave. "General Lv has decisively defeated Mu Yang’s 100,000-strong army, and our forces are advancing towards Cold Valley Pass. Should we return now?"

Ye Li frowned slightly as she opened the letter. "General Lv’s victory in this battle was indeed astonishing. However... Qin Feng, immediately have Yaoji and Mu Lie withdraw!" Qin Feng was startled for a moment but quickly calmed down. He said quietly, "The Prince has ordered that Yaoji and Mu Lie... still have other uses." Mo Xiuyao had not originally intended to inform Ye Li of this matter. But now that the Princess Consort was requesting Yaoji and Mu Lie’s withdrawal, it contradicted Mo Xiuyao’s orders, so Qin Feng had no choice but to report truthfully.

Ye Li paused, quickly understanding Mo Xiuyao’s intention. She sighed softly and said to Qin Feng, "Go then. Do your utmost to ensure Yaoji and Mu Lie’s safety." When Mo Xiuyao initially chose Yaoji as a spy to be planted in the Capital of Great Chu, Ye Li had an inkling. She hadn’t stopped him then, and naturally, she wouldn’t stop him now. The fate of Marquis Muyang’s Mansion was sealed. If it could ease Mo Xiuyao’s heart somewhat, Ye Li didn’t mind being a bit more ruthless.

Qin Feng nodded. "Thank you, Princess Consort." Spies were generally expendable; many of those in power did not concern themselves with their spies’ lives or deaths. This was because most spies had significant leverage held by their masters, so those in power did not fear betrayal. If discovered, most spies had no choice but to die. Although Prince Ding’s Mansion treated its subordinates much better, it was impossible to care for everyone. Princess Consort Ding, however, was different. Whenever possible, she would try to ensure the safety of her subordinates. Perhaps that was why these individuals willingly risked their lives in service to her. Not only did she possess the courage and strategic mind of a man, but she also had the benevolence and tolerance that most leaders lacked.

Ye Li smiled faintly. "I only do what I can. I cannot protect everyone."