Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 412 - 410. Far-sighted and well-thought-out

410. Long-Term Scheming

A hundred miles from Feihong Pass, the Mo Family Army, flying black banners, advanced towards the pass at great speed. Mo Xiuyao rode at the head of the column. His snow-white hair made him appear as cold as frost. Although they had just annihilated a Xiling army unit, his brows remained knitted.

"Greetings, my Prince!" A fast horse galloped from the direction of Feihong Pass, halting right before Mo Xiuyao. The rider, not bothering to dismount, saluted directly from horseback. Seeing his hurried approach, Mo Xiuyao’s heart sank. "No need for formalities," he said. "What’s the situation at Feihong Pass?"

The man replied solemnly, "This subordinate has failed. The Princess Consort... The Princess Consort refuses to leave Feihong Pass."

"What did you say?" Mo Xiuyao’s handsome face instantly turned as cold as iron, the killing intent in his eyes palpable.

The man continued, "Yesterday, there was a fierce battle at Feihong Pass. Nearly half of the garrisoned soldiers were lost. Furthermore, of the six Qilin squads that had remained in Feihong Pass, almost all have been wiped out. The Princess Consort... The Princess Consort resolutely refuses to leave Feihong Pass first."

Mo Xiuyao narrowed his eyes and asked coldly, "What about the heir?"

The man replied, "Several days ago, the Princess Consort had already sent the heir back to Licheng."

After listening to the secret guard’s report, Mo Xiuyao’s expression became exceedingly grim and unsightly. After a long pause, he commanded sternly, "Black Cloud Cavalry, advance with me! We must reach Feihong Pass before noon today!"

The Black Cloud Cavalry soldiers following Mo Xiuyao responded in unison. Mo Xiuyao assigned Leng Huai and He Su to command the troops following behind. Then, leading thirty thousand Black Cloud Cavalry, he galloped towards Feihong Pass.

The conversation didn’t last long. When Ye Li returned to the lookout tower, Third Feng and the others waiting there breathed a collective sigh of relief. They had been genuinely worried that Lei Zhenting, cornered and desperate, might harm Ye Li. Seeing everyone relax, Ye Li, however, felt no sense of ease. She didn’t understand the meaning behind the words Lei Zhenting had specifically sought her out to say. However, she truly understood his determination to breach Feihong Pass and his subsequent plans. Therefore, their real difficulties were indeed still to come.

This time, Lei Zhenting truly showed no mercy. Hundreds of thousands of Xiling soldiers launched a relentless assault. The Mo Family Army, now reduced to a mere hundred thousand, could no longer sally out to meet the enemy; they could only desperately defend the city walls. But the disparity in numbers was too great. Moreover, the Mo Family soldiers were exhausted from continuous battle. In contrast, the Xiling army, with its superior numbers, could rotate its troops, so they were not nearly as fatigued. Under these circumstances, by the time it neared noon, the Mo Family Army soldiers atop Feihong Pass were faintly showing signs of being unable to hold on. Even so, this far exceeded Lei Zhenting’s anticipated plan of breaching Feihong Pass within four hours.

Soon, a Xiling soldier climbed onto the tower of Feihong Pass, followed by a second, then a third... Although many were cut down by the defending soldiers, more and more Xiling soldiers scaled the tower. Thus, the close-quarters combat, initially confined to the base of the walls and the battlements, had now shifted onto the tower itself. Ye Li slashed the throat of a Xiling soldier with her saber. Just as she was about to turn, a glint of a blade flashed behind her. Ye Li quickly raised her hand to block, but someone pulled her aside. The Xiling soldier, wielding a large saber with a ferocious expression, fell to the ground with a THUMP. Han Mingyue stood behind Ye Li, still dressed in white as snow, his demeanor elegant and poised.

"Why haven’t you left yet?" Seeing Han Mingyue, Ye Li frowned slightly and asked. They, who bore the responsibility of defending the city, had to stay. But Han Mingyue held no official position in the Mo Family Army and thus had no such obligation. Furthermore, she had sent Han Mingxi back to Licheng a few days prior under the pretext of official duties. Thus, Han Mingyue had even less reason to remain here.

Han Mingyue smiled faintly and said, "I wish to see what Princess Consort Ye and the Mo Family Army can achieve."

Ye Li gave a helpless, bitter smile. "As you can see now... we can’t hold on..." Ye Li felt a wave of helplessness and dejection; all their persistence these many days had ultimately led to such an outcome. More importantly, their failure didn’t just signify defeat; it also signified the cost of that defeat. Once Lei Zhenting led his troops through the pass, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"Does the Princess Consort regret it?" Han Mingyue asked curiously.

Ye Li shook her head. "I only do what I must. Besides, regardless of the outcome, what has happened cannot be changed. What use is regret?"

Seeing her calm and composed demeanor, Han Mingyue felt his own agitation subside considerably. He smiled. "The reason I stayed is because I thought a miracle might happen."

"I hope so," Ye Li replied with a faint smile, clearly not taking his words seriously.

This world indeed had many miracles, but it was clear that this time, the miracle was not on their side. When everyone witnessed Lei Zhenting, who was supposed to be severely injured, use his incredible lightness skill to fly onto the tower of Feihong Pass, they couldn’t help but be astonished. At the same time, they felt a sense of relief in their hearts; thankfully, when the Princess Consort had gone down earlier, Lei Zhenting hadn’t launched a sneak attack. Otherwise, with just Qin Feng and a few others, they truly might not have been able to withstand him.

Lei Zhenting stood casually atop the tower, facing Ye Li. The tower top was now a river of blood. Anyone with discerning eyes understood that no matter how valiant the Mo Family Army was, facing an enemy several times their number, defeat was almost inevitable.

Lei Zhenting looked at Ye Li with a smile and said, "Is the Princess Consort wondering why I didn’t make a move when I was below the tower earlier?"

Ye Li shook her head. "Compared to that, this Princess Consort is more curious as to how the Southern Garrison Prince’s wounds have healed in such a short time." No one knew the severity of Lei Zhenting’s injuries better than Ye Li. Given the Xiling military doctors’ likely improper treatment, Lei Zhenting’s injuries could only be more severe than she anticipated, certainly not lighter.

Han Mingyue stood beside Ye Li, a gentle and refined smile on his face. "There’s no need for surprise. I recall a certain martial technique that can rapidly elevate a person’s potential in a very short time. Even if severely injured, one can unleash power far exceeding their usual capabilities."

Lei Zhenting glanced indifferently at Han Mingyue. "Young Master Mingyue is indeed exceptionally knowledgeable."

Han Mingyue took a step forward, subtly shielding Ye Li. He sighed. "I would rather not know of it." Nothing in this world comes without a price. If the martial technique Han Mingyue mentioned could achieve such a heaven-defying effect, then the price it exacted would naturally be self-evident. Lei Zhenting’s actions clearly indicated he no longer intended to live. A martial arts expert might not be terrifying, but an expert who no longer wished to live was absolutely terrifying. Looking at the proud Lei Zhenting before him, Han Mingyue shook his head. "The Southern Garrison Prince is a hero in his own right. Why must he be so obstinate?"

Lei Zhenting did not get angry; not even a flicker of emotion crossed his face. He had reached this point, which could be described as the end of the road. Although he never quite understood how Mo Xiuyao had schemed against him, he was not without the courage to admit defeat. But before that, he could still do something for Xiling, or perhaps... deliver one more vicious stab at Mo Xiuyao.

"The Southern Garrison Prince should know Mo Xiuyao’s temperament. If... something were to happen to Princess Consort Ding... these hundreds of thousands of soldiers of yours..." Han Mingyue reminded him subtly.

Lei Zhenting nodded with a smile. "Thank you for the reminder, Young Master Mingyue. However... from the moment they followed me to attack Feihong Pass, they never planned to leave alive. So... I’m afraid I cannot accept Young Master Mingyue’s kind intentions."

Han Mingyue sighed. If possible, he truly did not want to fight Lei Zhenting. With his current martial skill, perhaps in another ten years, he might be able to fight Lei Zhenting to a draw, but right now, it was impossible. Moreover, the technique Lei Zhenting was using, which gathered all his strength in a short time, was a heaven-defying one. Under these conditions, for twenty-four hours, Lei Zhenting’s power would be double his usual. Never mind him; even if Mo Xiuyao himself came, it would likely be a perilous encounter.

Lei Zhenting studied Ye Li, who stood beside Han Mingyue, and asked curiously, "Does the Princess Consort truly not blame Mo Xiuyao at all?"

Ye Li looked up, her fine brows slightly furrowed. "This Princess Consort does not understand what the Southern Garrison Prince means."

Lei Zhenting laughed loudly. "The Princess Consort is an intelligent woman; how could she not understand my meaning? If not for Mo Xiuyao’s schemes, how could the over 200,000 defenders of Feihong Pass, along with the Princess Consort’s Qilin, have been trapped by me in Feihong Pass, now facing imminent annihilation? Does the Princess Consort not feel even a sliver of resentment in her heart?"

Ye Li lowered her eyes, pondered for a moment, then said faintly, "Although this Princess Consort is not skilled in the art of choosing between options, I still understand what it means to achieve the greatest victory at the smallest cost. From the standpoint of Prince Ding’s Mansion, the decision he made offers a hundred benefits and not a single harm. Why should this Princess Consort harbor resentment?"

Lei Zhenting sized Ye Li up and down for a long moment, finally sighing in resignation. "I was originally thinking... Never mind. If the Princess Consort thought like ordinary women of the world, then she would not be Princess Consort Ding. Princess Consort... this Prince apologizes for the offense."

With that, Lei Zhenting wasted no more words. His gaze towards Ye Li instantly filled with killing intent, and an oppressive aura pressed down on her. Lei Zhenting was not a man of many words. He spoke at length with Ye Li only because he was certain Mo Xiuyao could not return so quickly. Additionally, he wanted to attempt to sow discord between Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li. If Princess Consort Ding were to die harboring resentment towards Prince Ding, what kind of blow would that be to the Prince, who loved his wife as his own life? It was just a pity that Ye Li’s mental fortitude was unexpectedly resilient and calm, completely unmoved by his words. Lei Zhenting could only abandon his plan with some regret.

Without Lei Zhenting needing to speak, Ye Li and the others knew the current situation was unavoidable. Ye Li calmly drew two handguns, one in each hand, and aimed them at Lei Zhenting.

Lei Zhenting looked curiously at the objects in her hands. "Was it this thing that injured me?"

Ye Li smiled faintly. "The Prince can try again."

Before her words faded, BANG! BANG! Two loud shots rang out as two bullets sped towards Lei Zhenting. Lei Zhenting’s figure flashed, and he swiftly dodged.

Though both shots missed, Ye Li was not discouraged. Her hands steadily tracked Lei Zhenting’s movements, her handguns kept emitting loud BANGS. The bullets were fast, but Lei Zhenting’s speed seemed even faster. The onlookers could only see what seemed to be an afterimage flitting about the tower top. When Ye Li stopped firing, Lei Zhenting reappeared on one of the battlements. He glanced down at the battle robe draped over his shoulders; a small hole had appeared on it at some point.

Lei Zhenting couldn’t help but praise, "Good items. A pity... if there were a few more of these things, I might have had to be somewhat wary. But it seems the Princess Consort doesn’t have many more."

Ye Li did not hide it, nodding. "Correct. This Princess Consort indeed only has these two. I never expected to use them against the Southern Garrison Prince." It was merely to see Lei Zhenting’s current strength. Now they had seen it; Lei Zhenting’s current strength was likely superior even to Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan.

Lei Zhenting nodded and smiled. "Since Princess Consort Ding has made her move, it is now my turn."

As he spoke, Lei Zhenting drew his longsword and swung it towards Ye Li. His move was exceedingly plain and ordinary, without any flourish. Yet, everyone present felt the killing intent and terrifying power contained within it. Han Mingyue’s expression changed, and he swiftly unsheathed his own sword, striking at Lei Zhenting’s sword energy. Beside Ye Li, Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing, Wei Lin, and the others also attacked simultaneously, attempting to intercept Lei Zhenting’s strike.

Ye Li sidestepped to avoid the attack. After her battle with Ling Tiehan, Ye Li already understood that when facing truly supreme internal energy masters, she herself held no particular advantage. The reason she hadn’t encountered much danger before was simply because she had never previously encountered masters of Lei Zhenting’s or Ling Tiehan’s caliber. Ye Li took a deep breath. She glanced back at the Mo Family Army soldiers and Xiling soldiers still locked in fierce combat nearby. At this point, both sides were locked in face-to-face brutal combat, a life-and-death struggle from which there was no retreat.

Lei Zhenting’s current power was far beyond what Han Mingyue and the others could withstand. This exchange, which was tantamount to burning his very life force, had instantly pushed Lei Zhenting’s martial cultivation to the absolute pinnacle of his existence. A single strike sent Han Mingyue and Zhuo Jing flying back more than ten steps. Qin Feng and Wei Lin crashed against the city wall, both spitting mouthfuls of blood.

Having felled Han Mingyue and the other three with one move, Lei Zhenting ignored them. He cleanly and decisively slashed his sword towards Ye Li. Ye Li hastily retreated several steps, but Lei Zhenting’s sword energy pursued her like a shadow, as if it had a will of its own. Seeing no path for retreat, Ye Li gritted her teeth, and a cold glint flashed from her hand as she, instead of retreating, advanced and charged towards Lei Zhenting. A smirk touched Lei Zhenting’s lips, as if mocking Ye Li’s overestimation of her own abilities.

On the city wall’s summit, a cold light flared. In an instant, it struck towards Lei Zhenting as fast as lightning. Sensing the threat from a master of the same caliber, Lei Zhenting immediately abandoned his attack on Ye Li, raising his hand to block the opponent’s strike.

Not far away, on the city wall behind Ye Li, stood a figure in plain blue attire. The newcomer looked at Lei Zhenting with a cold expression and said, "Since when did the Southern Garrison Prince take to bullying the weak? If you want to fight, why not find me?"

Ye Li dodged Lei Zhenting’s sword, catching her breath slightly, and retreated to one side, leaving the battlefield to Ling Tiehan.

Lei Zhenting glanced regretfully at Ye Li, who had moved to the side of Han Mingyue and the others, then said to Ling Tiehan, "You certainly pick your moments." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Ling Tiehan said indifferently, "Weren’t you the one who asked me to find you?"

Lei Zhenting frowned. "It’s impossible for you to have arrived here so quickly." By his calculations, Ling Tiehan should have arrived only after he had already dealt with everything.

Ling Tiehan, cradling his sword, said, "Indeed, it would be impossible. However, someone told me a few days ago that if I didn’t arrive sooner, I might not get to see you. Looking at you now, it seems he wasn’t wrong." Lei Zhenting appeared very strong at this moment, but it would only last for these twenty-four hours. After twenty-four hours, he would not only lose all his martial skill but also his life. Ling Tiehan, also a peerless master in the world, naturally understood the reason for Lei Zhenting’s current state.

"Mo Xiuyao again?! He could even calculate such a scenario?" Lei Zhenting frowned.

Ling Tiehan did not hide it, nodding. "Correct. I met him ten days ago. He told me that within ten days, the Southern Garrison Prince would certainly meet his end at Feihong Pass. If I wanted to find you... it was best to arrive before those ten days were up. So... I arrived at Feihong Pass two days ago. I didn’t expect to witness such a good show."

Lei Zhenting naturally understood what he meant by "a good show." Having reached this point, there was nothing left for him to be angry about. With a flick of his longsword, he said, "Since it’s like this, let’s begin. After killing you, there will still be time to deal with Princess Consort Ding. At this point... whether I, this Prince, am present or not makes little difference anymore." The Xiling soldiers had already received his orders. Once they breached Feihong Pass, his orders were for them to disregard everything else and focus solely on inflicting maximum destruction throughout the entire Northwest region. When these troops scattered into various parts of the Northwest, even the return of Mo Xiuyao’s million-strong army would face a considerable headache. In such circumstances, the presence or absence of Lei Zhenting, the commander-in-chief, indeed no longer seemed so important.

Ling Tiehan nodded with a grave expression. "Very well. The enmity between us should have been resolved long ago. In this battle, if I die by your hand, consider it my lack of skill. If you lose... I guarantee I will no longer trouble Lei Tengfeng."

Lei Zhenting smiled with satisfaction. "In that case, it seems I am the one gaining an advantage. Please!"

"Please!"

"Princess Consort," Qin Feng said, one hand pressed to his aching wound, as he watched the two people confronting each other on the edge of the city wall. His gaze towards Ling Tiehan was particularly complex. Who could have thought that the one to save the Princess Consort’s life this time would be Ling Tiehan, who had nearly killed her before? It was truly unexpected that the Prince had secretly arranged such a chess move. If Ling Tiehan hadn’t arrived in time, given their martial skills, it would have been genuinely difficult to save the Princess Consort from Lei Zhenting’s grasp.

Ye Li nodded and said in a heavy voice, "Pay them no mind for now. Stop the Xiling soldiers entering the pass, at any cost."

Qin Feng and the others nodded in unison. "Yes, Your Highness! This subordinate obeys!"