cherAunt Xu added with a smile, "In reality, only Qingze is truly taking the examination; Qingbo and Qingyan are just tagging along.""Is Second Brother planning to stay in the capital" Ye Li asked.Xu...382. Night Raid

It was already the New Year according to the customs of the Great Chu, and although they were on the frontier and couldn’t return home to be with their families, the soldiers of the Mo Army still prepared enthusiastically to kill chickens and sheep for a hearty meal. The entire camp of the Mo Army was more festive than usual.

In contrast to the cheerful atmosphere in the Mo Army’s camp, the nearby Northern Rong army encampment was gloomy and depressing. Ever since the envoy sent by the Northern Rong King had died due to being unable to adapt to the local environment after being messed with by Ye Liye, although there had been no news from the Northern Rong royal court due to its distance from the Great Chu, Ye Liye clearly felt that the situation was extremely unfavorable for him. Moreover, since snow had covered the grasslands, military rations from the Northern Rong were unable to reach the Great Chu. In previous skirmishes with the Mo Army, it seemed that they had targeted this weakness and specifically attacked the Northern Rong’s provisions. Although the Northern Rong forces would not immediately face a food shortage, their supply was tight. Seeing the soldiers of the Mo Army celebrating loudly and jubilantly, which could be heard for several miles in the Northern Rong encampment, naturally made them more dispirited and anxious.

Inside the tent of the Northern Rong army, Ye Liye frowned as he looked at his generals below him and asked solemnly, "With both armies currently at an impasse, our morale is low. What suggestions do you have"

Huo Lianzhen stood up and said, “Your Highness, actually we don’t need to be anxious.”

Ye Liye raised his eyebrows and asked, "What does General Huo mean by that" Huo Lianzhen smiled and replied, "The Mo Army is more anxious than us. Currently, the Southern King of Xi Ling is urgently attacking Rui Chang and Wei City, while Duke Ding is eager to return for aid. The large army of Mo Jingli from the Great Chu will arrive soon as well. At that time, the Mo Army would be in a difficult situation. If Your Highness gets anxious now, you might fall into their trap."

Ye Liye said solemnly, "Does General Huo mean we should just drag this out"

Huo Lianzhen nodded and replied, “That’s correct. As long as we wait until Mo Manager's troops return to position, then the three parties acting together will certainly be able to deal with the Mo Army.” Ye Liye sneered and said, "Does General Huo think we have that much time" How could Huo Lianzhen not know about this But while others could afford to wait, he, Ye Liye, couldn’t. If the war dragged on further, even if he eventually won, it was likely that the Northern Rong royal court would be completely under Ye Lihong’s control by then. In the end, he would only be helping someone else.

"This... " As one of the people Ye Liye trusted most, Huo Lianzhen naturally knew about the situation at the royal court as well. The current predicament was indeed a dilemma. A direct confrontation with the Mo Army was certainly not feasible, but if they continued to drag things out, allowing Prince Ye Lihong to gain an advantage first, then all their efforts and hardships would be in vain. In the worst-case scenario, even their lives might be at risk.

After dismissing the other generals, leaving only Huo Lianzhen and his son behind, Huo Lianzhen asked softly, "What is Your Highness’s intention" Ye Liye could only苦笑 (bitterly smile), as the Central Plains were vast and rich in resources, something their Northern Rong had long coveted. Now that they controlled this territory, naturally he wouldn’t want to give it up so easily. But was sacrificing all of Northern Rong worth it for just this piece of land If he could successfully conquer the entire Great Chu, then giving up on the barren lands of Northern Rong would certainly be worthwhile. However, the situation in the Central Plains didn't seem to allow him such grand ambitions.

More importantly, his soldiers were all natives of Northern Rong. Even if he broke away from the Northern Rong royal court, it was uncertain whether these people would follow him and live as exiles in the Central Plains forever.

On the other hand, if he were to withdraw his troops and return to Northern Rong now, all of his efforts from these past few years would be in vain. All his military achievements would amount to nothing. In such a situation where his father clearly disapproved of him, returning empty-handed wouldn’t be beneficial for him either.

Yelü Ye shook his head and said with a bitter smile: "What could I possibly gain now It seems that I’m in an irretrievable position. Mo Xiuyao… truly is my arch-nemesis!" If not for Mo Xiuyao, he would have already conquered half of the Great Chu territory by now. Even if his father disapproved of him, with his strength, he could have established his own kingdom. However, since Mo Xiuyao went to war, Northern Rong’s army had suffered one defeat after another. Morale was low and the troops were restless, missing their homeland.

In fact, how many times could it be said that Mo Xiuyao was Yelü Ye's nemesis In just over ten years since he returned to the world, a once powerful Great Chu had retreated south; Western Ling’s capital city was relocated and its imperial palace seized. The new nation of Ji Qining in Northern Border suffered defeat within less than a decade. It was only because of the great distance between Northern Rong’s court and Central Plains that it remained unaffected by Mo Xiuyao's influence. However, Yelü Ye's current predicament with his younger brother also bore Mo Xiuyao's shadow.

Helian Zhen sighed and said: "The situation is not in our favor, Prince. You must make plans accordingly." Ultimately, it was a gamble. The first bet was that the three countries’ allied forces could completely eliminate Dingwang Manor; Northern Rong’s army would then occupy half of Great Chu’s territory. If Yelü Ye were to break away from his father, he would be in control of his own troops and land. The second bet was that if Northern Rong withdrew its troops, Yelü Ye would use the power over the Northern Rong army to go back to court and fight it out with his younger brother. It truly was a difficult situation.

Next to them, Helian Peng said solemnly: "Prince and father, even if we want to withdraw our troops right now, Mo’s military might not allow it." The two turned to look at him. Helian Peng continued: "Have Prince and Father forgotten that Northern Rong has a deep-seated grudge with Dingwang Manor"

Hearing this, the two of them were startled. Over ten years ago during the war, Northern Rong was badly injured just as Mo’s military had been. However, the hatred that Mo’s military held for Northern Rong wouldn’t be washed away simply because they too had suffered losses back then. Mo Xiuyao and his party always acted swiftly; in three months, he captured Western Ling's imperial palace; in less than a month, he took down Chu Jing. But this time around when facing Northern Rong, he hadn't shown any signs of urgency at all. It was completely uncharacteristic of him to act like this. At this thought, Helian Zhen couldn’t help but feel uneasy and his face changed as he said: "Mo Xiuyao wants to capture our entire Northern Rong army!"

Yelü Ye too was shocked upon hearing this. He murmured heavily: "Mo Xiuyao’s ambitions are simply too great!"

Helian Zhen continued, "Back when Mo Xiuyao was merely a teenager, he had already mastered military strategies and employed tactics that were unfathomable. After spending these past ten years biding his time, I’m sure he has become even more formidable. Prince should be wary of the two wings of our army; if Mo Xiuyao truly intends to annihilate us all, he would definitely send troops around from both sides to ambush us and cut off our escape routes."

Yelü Ye knew that in terms of military strategy, Helian Zhen was far superior to him. He nodded and said: "I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Uncle. But right now… it’s difficult whether we advance or retreat; what do you suggest I do"

Helian Peng said: "In my opinion, since we cannot retreat, we should forge ahead bravely. Moreover, with Northern Rong's climate conditions, even if our army withdraws safely outside the border, it would take several months for the grasslands to melt before we could return home. So why not make one last push forward Dingwang Manor and Northern Rong are now sworn enemies; breaking off this alliance halfway through may incur Western Ling’s wrath as well." Although Western Ling was no longer in contact with Northern Rong, it was still a major power. Furthermore, Northern Rong lacked resources and relied on importing many items from Western Ling. If they were to offend both of these formidable rivals simultaneously, the situation for Northern Rong would be truly grim.

Yelü Ye sighed and said: "Alright then, what suggestions do General Helian and Uncle have"

Helian Zhen thought for a moment and said: "Tomorrow is the New Year in Great Chu. At such time, the entire Mo army will definitely hold celebrations. We can take advantage of this to launch an ambush."

"Is this feasible" Yelü Ye sounded hesitant. Mo Xiuyao was also one of the best generals of his time; could he really make such a mistake Helian Zhen said, "Better to take the initiative than to wait and be pushed back step by step by the Mo army, which would only sap morale."

Yelü Ye pondered for a moment before sighing. "I'll follow what Uncle said," he decided.

In the Mo army’s camp, lights shone brightly throughout the night as laughter and cheers filled the air. Even the usual prohibition on drinking alcohol was temporarily lifted, and the aroma of liquor permeated the entire encampment.

Dozens of soldiers gathered in circles around blazing bonfires, drinking wine and feasting heartily. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li along with other generals also appeared among their troops to join them in a drink. Although it was bitterly cold, roaring fires everywhere kept the chill at bay; and while the soldiers were drinking hot liquor, they hardly felt the winter’s cold bite. Even young Mo Xiaobao sat beside his father and stepmother on one of the horses, his cute face glowing with joyous laughter.

In the dark night, a contingent of Northern Rong troops approached the Mo army camp without making a sound. From several miles away, they could hear the cheers and clamor emanating from within the encampment, as well as the bright firelight that almost illuminated half the sky. This made their mission to launch a surprise attack even more daunting; resentment welled up in these Northern Rong soldiers’ hearts as they envied the warmth of the Mo army’s revelry.

"What good fortune! They are feasting and drinking while we freeze!" said one soldier, shivering. His companion nodded. "Indeed, the Mo army has much more to spare than us. We can rarely get a proper meal, let alone meat. It is rumored that they eat meat every day." The road to Chu had been blocked off by the Mo army, and supplies could not be brought in. After Mo’s confrontation with Northern Rong began, many of the remaining civilians who were under Northern Rong control fled to join the Mo army instead, which left their troops unable to plunder much-needed foodstuffs from them. As a result, military rations had dwindled drastically, and although there was still plenty of horses in reserve, these were critical assets that could not be slaughtered until absolutely necessary. Thus, the soldiers had no choice but to emulate their Han counterparts and eat coarse grains just to feel full.

"Once we capture the Mo army’s encampment, those supplies will all belong to us," said another soldier with a glint in his eye.

“Indeed… Once we loot the Mo army of its rations, let’s celebrate!” agreed others, looking forward eagerly to the prospect.

The Northern Rong troops who were preparing their surprise attack waited for one or two hours outside the Mo army camp before seeing the lights gradually dimming and the earlier clamor dying down. It was clear that the soldiers of the Mo army had finished celebrating and retired, just as they’d planned to wait until. They had been waiting half a night precisely so they could strike when their opponents were drunk, merry, and exhausted.

Seeing the moment arrive, Helian Peng gave the order in a low voice to his troops who had previously lain hidden in the snow. The soldiers immediately sprang into action, rushing toward the Mo army encampment.

As they approached the Mo camp, however, Helian Peng hesitated as he surveyed the darkened camp before him. His subordinates asked puzzledly: “General”

"Something’s not right," Helian Peng said in a deep voice. No matter how inept the Mo army might be, they should still have noticed them by now if they were this close. It looked like a trap. Hearing this, everyone grew tense and wary. "Are you saying…" Helian Peng felt an even worse premonition and decided to act on it immediately: “Withdraw!”

However, it might not be as easy to leave as it is to think. In the darkness, fires suddenly lit up around them and a clear laughter echoed from不遠處傳來：“General Helian, since you have arrived, why are you in such a hurry to leave” They saw整齊排列、士氣高昂的墨家軍突然從暗處衝出來，將北戎兵馬包圍在中央。一名約二十七八歲的年輕將領身披黑色戰袍騎馬而出，滿臉笑容地看著赫連鵬道：“除夕夜，赫連將軍這是來給本將軍拜年的嗎？”

"Yun, Ting!" After several confrontations over these days, Helian Peng had gained some understanding of the officers under the command of the Mohist Army. He was also familiar with Yun Ting, a young officer favored by Princess Consort Ding.

Yun Ting said得意地笑道：“Indeed, it is this humble general you are addressing. How has General Helian been over these days”

Helian Peng lowered his eyes and frowned slightly. Suddenly, he lifted his head猛的抬起頭來道：“You're the only one in your camp!” It was a major attack by the Northern Rong army, yet there was only Yun Ting from the Mohist Army. If it wasn't because people of Ding王府 looked down upon the Northern Rong, then… at this time, there should be no other people in the Mohist Army's camp. Yun Ting was the sole commander此刻此地唯一的將領。

Yun Ting did not hide anything, and said with some surprise笑道：“General Helian truly has sharp eyes.” It meant that he acknowledged that at this time and place, there was only him in command of the Mohist Army's camp.

However, Yun Ting's acknowledgment didn't cheer up Helian Peng. Instead, it made him even more anxious. With just Yun Ting, Helian Peng might still be able to capture the Mohist Army’s camp. But what use would it be to take an empty camp More importantly… where were Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li with other officers

In comparison to Helian Peng's ominous mood, Yun Ting appeared very content誌得意滿的模樣。 He did not seem worried at all about his handful of soldiers being surrounded by Helian Peng’s army. He said笑眯眯地：“General Helian, are you asking where the王爺and 王妃are”

Helian Peng said沉聲道：“Please enlighten me.”

"Didn't General Helian guess The王爺and 王妃went to raid the Northern Rong's main camp." Yun Ting laughed loudly朗聲笑道：“General Helian, do you think only your Northern Rong would carry out a surprise attack？In terms of military strategy, our Han people are the masters！”

Helian Peng’s face turned ashen. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li led nearly all the officers under the Mohist Army to raid the Northern Rong's main camp, clearly intending to gain control of it必定得手。 He turned back厲聲道：“Retreat! Go back to your camp immediately!”

Yun Ting laughed coldly冷笑一聲，“Is my Mohist Army’s main camp a place you can come and go as you please!” With a wave of his hand, the soldiers of the Mohist Army had already blocked the Northern Rong army's retreat route. The location chosen for the Mohist Army was very peculiar奇巧。 There was only one short route back for the Northern Rong army, but it just happened to be cut off by the ambush set up by the Mohist Army on the side. Other routes were not only treacherous and rugged, but also required detours of many miles. If Helian Peng wanted to return to rescue the Northern Rong main camp, he would have to charge through Yun Ting’s position.

However, Yun Ting had joined the army at a young age少年從軍。 He followed Murong Shen, Zhang Qilan, Lü Jinxian and others先後跟隨慕容慎張起瀾呂近賢等人， from an ordinary soldier成長為能夠獨領一軍的青年將軍。 Over the years, he had participated in hundreds of battles大大小小參與了不下百場戰鬥，豈是那麼容易就能讓赫連鵬得逞的。

Yunteng sat high on his horse, smiling as he looked at Helian Peng and said, "General Helian, don't be in a hurry. Let's spar first."

"Seeking death!" Helian Peng was very confident in his martial arts skills; even within Central Plains' martial circles, there were few who could match him. He didn’t think much of Yunteng, a young general like him. With a flick of the long saber in his hand, he leaped towards Yunteng.

As soon as the two main generals moved, their soldiers naturally followed without hesitation. Amidst shouts and battle cries, they quickly engaged each other.

Yunteng smiled at Helian Peng but didn’t directly confront him. As soon as he saw Helian Peng charge towards him, he spurred his horse to gallop in the opposite direction. With a few leaps, Helian Peng caught up with Yunteng and shouted, "Where are you going!"

Yunteng turned back and smiled at him. “I know General Helian is skilled in martial arts, so I specially invited a few experts to exchange techniques with you.” As he spoke, several dark figures emerged from the shadows. Helian Peng glanced at the patterns on the black-clothed men's collars and said gravely, "Qilin."

"That’s right." The leading black-clad man chuckled softly and looked up; it was Xu Qingfeng, the Third Young Master of the Xu family.

Yunteng freed himself from Helian Peng's pursuit and immediately bowed to Xu Qingfeng with a smile. "Commander Xu, I leave General Helian in your hands." With those words, he urged his horse back into battle.

Helian Peng’s expression was rather grim at this moment. Over the past few days, there had been countless clashes between the Qilin under Mo Family Army and the Ya Zi under his command. However, the Qilin seldom suffered defeats; it was almost as if their Ya Zi had been nearly wiped out after several months of fighting. Helian Peng now understood the difference between the two groups and grew even more resentful towards Princess Dingwang who trained the Qilin.

The people surrounding him, though individually not his match, swarmed him, leaving him flustered. Furthermore, they didn’t even need to kill him; as long as he couldn't return in a few hours for reinforcements, it would be all over.

"Third Young Master Xu" Helian Peng stared at Xu Qingfeng and said, "I never expected that a literary family like the Xus could produce a military commander." Xu Qingfeng paid no heed to his taunt but smiled calmly: "Studying literature and practicing martial arts should be based on personal preference; our Xu family doesn’t impose strict requirements. Even if I took up arms, it wouldn't disgrace our ancestors." Although Xu Qingfeng preferred the martial way, he was still raised in a literary household where books were always at hand. His scholarly attainments may have been inferior to his peers within the Xu clan but far surpassed those of ordinary people. Moreover, Xu Qingfeng never regretted his choice or thought himself mistaken; Helian Peng’s vague insult wasn’t worth mentioning.

Helian Peng also knew that such a situation was futile and might as well break free from the Qilin's entrapment to return with reinforcements. Straightening his face, he said sternly, "Then let me see your Qilin's skills."

Xu Qingfeng and others didn’t waste words but took out their weapons and attacked immediately. The strength of the Qilin lay in group coordination; although individually weaker, they could overwhelm a single opponent when working together. For a while, Helian Peng found himself on the defensive.

Meanwhile, Yunteng led his soldiers through the chaos, slashing down many unprepared Northern Rong soldiers. The battlefield echoed with the sounds of battle and slaughter.

However, Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao had already appeared not far from the Northern Rong encampment. Looking at the still brightly lit Northern Rong tents, a cold smile played on Mo Xiuyao's lips. Clearly, Yelvye and others were still waiting for Helian Peng’s message in the Northern Rong encampment. However, what they didn’t expect was that their intended target had already arrived without them realizing it.

Ye Li rode her horse beside Mo Xiuyao and looked at the tents with him. She smiled coolly as she said, "Helian Peng must have started fighting Yun霆by now." Once Helian Peng engaged in combat with Yun霆, there was no way he could retreat for even a moment. And they had enough time to deal with Yelvye and Helian Zhen.

Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Right. I wonder if Helian Zhen can think of the fact that this king is right outside his camp."

Meanwhile, Feng Zhiyao said with a smile, "Helian Zhen must believe that Your Highness really panicked when attacked by Helian Peng." The joyful atmosphere in the Mo family’s encampment was nothing more than a trap set for the Northern Rong people. How could someone like Mo Xiuyao let himself be overcome with joy before achieving total victory Sadly, Helian Zhen didn’t know anything about Mo Xiuyao.

"Are you ready" asked Mo Xiuyao coolly.

Feng Zhiyao nodded. "We’re all set. Sun Yaowu is leading his troops to surround from the left, and Chen Yun is taking his forces around from the right. Zhou Min has already brought her men to wait at Huifeng Valley for us to attack head-on. In one hour, Yun霆will let Helian Peng out of the encampment so that he can join up with Yelvye and others, making it impossible for any Northern Rong soldiers to escape."

Mo Xiuyao nodded in approval. "Well done. This king wants to see if…Helian Zhen still has a chance to reverse the situation." Although his words were laced with smiles, a sinister killing intent arose from them.

"Your Highness, shall we take action now" asked Feng Zhiyao eagerly.

"Let’s go," said Mo Xiuyao with a nod.

Feng Zhiyao smiled as he pulled an arrow out and shot it in the direction of the Northern Rong encampment, setting off flames upon impact.

Author's Note:

The first day of the lunar new year is the beginning of a brand new year. Feng Qing greets all her dear readers and wishes them good health, happiness, joy, and fulfillment in their lives this coming year. Hugs, kisses, cuddles, and squeezes for everyone~ And those who have monthly votes, please don't hesitate to send them my way~ Requesting monthly votes as lucky money on the first day of the lunar new year!ing him as she said with a smile, “What does the Prince mean by saying this Or are you so bold and courageous that you dare to snatch Princess Dingwang from the north-west If it’s true, then I would h...