and suave."Haha, Xiuyao, we haven’t seen each other for years. I didn't expect to meet under such circumstances; it's truly... regrettable." Though dressed like a bandit, he still exuded the grace of...384. Reputation and Integrity Lost

384. Reputation and Integrity Lost

The war that had lasted half a year suddenly came to an abrupt end. The last several hundred thousand Northern Rong troops were all buried within the Valley of Returning Wind, turning the entire valley into a river of blood with corpses strewn everywhere. As for those few scattered Northern Rong soldiers stationed in various places, they were naturally even less significant and were swiftly annihilated by the Mohist army without any resistance. This battle may seem unremarkable on the surface, but when it came to戰績 (battle achievements), it was enough to surpass most of the Mohists' historical records. Over a million Northern Rong soldiers ended up with not one person escaping back to Northern Rong. After this battle, Northern Rong lost not only over a million troops but also nearly seventy percent of their generals. It would take decades for them to recover from such losses.

When the post-battle cleanup began, the person brought before Mo Xiuyao and others by the Mohist soldiers was unexpected for everyone present. This person was none other than Northern Rong's Flying Cavalry General Helian Zhen. Even Yelü Ye had died in the chaos of battle, yet no one expected Helian Zhen to still be alive.

Mo Xiuyao’s sharp eyes slightly darkened as he gave a cold glance at the two soldiers escorting Helian Zhen over. They hurriedly reported, "Reporting to Your Highness, this person says that there is important news regarding Northern Rong that he needs to tell Your Highness... so..."

Everyone understood; it turned out that in his last moment, Helian Zhen was afraid of death and thus used this as a means to secure his life. For this, the expressions in the eyes of the Mohist generals were not only disdain but also hatred. Nineteen years ago, those unjustly killed Mohist soldiers even did not die at the hands of an upright hero but rather at the hands of a coward who was afraid of death.

In fact, nineteen years ago, Helian Zhen wasn't necessarily a coward who feared death. However, he hadn't been on the battlefield in over ten years; even when he suffered a major defeat at Mo Xiuyao's hands back then, it was still far from his peak time. After more than ten years, his original intelligence and bravery had long been eroded away, leaving only his resentment towards being defeated by Mo Xiuyao. When reality proved that he truly couldn't match up to Mo Xiuyao, even this last shred of resentment disappeared. All that remained was his life.

"Duke Ding, as long as you spare my life, I am willing to tell you the distribution of all Northern Rong's troops," Helian Zhen’s eyes were intense and he said anxiously. He did not want to die; even nineteen years ago, he hadn't been so clear about his desire to live.

Mo Xiuyao curled his lips into a disdainful sneer, "General Helian, after nineteen years without military authority, do you really know the distribution of Northern Rong's troops" Helian Zhen was speechless and said, "I... I can tell you everything I know if you spare my life!" At this point, Helian Zhen finally realized that he had no bargaining chips to negotiate with Mo Xiuyao. He spoke somewhat in a panic.

Mo Xiuyao's eyes were filled with killing intent but did not immediately act; slowly closing his eyes to calm down the emotions within him, when he opened them again, they were tranquil. However, Helian Zhen sensed that something was amiss.

He heard Mo Xiuyao’s voice as calm as water, "Take him out and execute!"

"Yes!" The two soldiers who brought Helian Zhen in did not hesitate and dragged him back out. Listening to the increasingly frantic pleas for mercy from Helian Zhen, everyone felt a bit sorry for him. A once renowned general, having lost his reputation after death, could still not escape his fate.

The large tent fell into a moment of silence as everyone's expressions turned somewhat dazed. The young generals like Yun Ting found it almost hard to believe that they had managed to completely annihilate this North Rong army which was larger in numbers and not inferior in strength.

Sun Yaowu stood there dumbfounded before suddenly breaking into loud sobs. Although he did not share the hatred of his former comrades towards the North Rong, the invasion by the North Rong three years ago had left countless dead in Greater Chu. Sun Yaowu's hatred for those North Rong people was no less than that of the old soldiers from Black Ink.

Zhou Min patted Sun Yaowu on the shoulder and smiled, "Old Sun, you really do cry too easily. Isn’t it a good thing that we won" Sun Yaowu wiped his eyes and huffed angrily, “You know nothing! I’m happy, don’t you understand” Zhou Min rubbed his nose and decided not to argue with this coarse man.

Moshouyao remained calm but spoke in a deep voice, "Alright, the entire army will rest for two days. Zhou Min, Sun Yaowu."

"Present," replied Zhou Min immediately as he stood up and answered loudly, while Sun Yaowu hurriedly straightened his body.

Moshouyao said, "The border will be left in your hands. The rest of you will depart for the south two days from now!"

"Present," everyone chorused in agreement.

The northern borders of Greater Chu were extremely long, and with only Zhou Min, a first-time independent commander, and Sun Yaowu, who had originally been just a provincial general, it was far from enough. However, it was now the severe winter season; even if North Rong wanted to send reinforcements or seek revenge for Yelü Ye's death, they could not do so until two months later. Moreover, these two men had undergone half a year of training and were capable of handling their tasks. Therefore, Moshouyao did not worry.

Zhou Min was naturally delighted to receive the order while Sun Yaowu, as a former general who now enjoyed such trust from Prince Ding, felt extremely pleased. Both of them happily accepted the orders, and everyone else understood that following Prince Ding south would mean more battles ahead but also greater opportunities for merit; thus they too looked forward to it. The atmosphere in the tent quickly became lively.

Seated beside Moshouyao, Ye Li quietly reached out to hold his hand. Looking sideways at Ye Li's smiling face, Moshouyao's eyes filled with warmth and a smile as he tightened his grip on her hand.

Sitting between them, Mo Xiaobao looked left and right at his parents before happily covering their hands with his own small ones.

Near the Valley of Returning Wind stood an inconspicuous solitary grave on a hillock. There was not even a tombstone in front of it, and weeds had grown all over its mound, making it look like just another little grass-covered knoll if one did not pay attention.

Moxiu Yao held Ye Li's hand with one hand while holding Moxiaobao with the other, standing before a grave. Ye Li looked at Moxiu Yao in puzzlement, and then understood what was going on.

"Lily, this is your eldest brother-in-law," Moxiu Yao whispered softly.

Ye Li didn't ask any more questions; she simply nodded and bowed respectfully before the grave. "Your younger sister-in-law, Ye Li, greets you, Sir." She then turned to Moxiaobao and said, "Xiaobao, kowtow to your uncle."

Moxiaobao blinked in confusion. Although he was a bit puzzled about why they had already seen his uncle's grave when they were in the capital city of Chu but now there was another one here, he still obediently knelt down beside Ye Li and kowtowed three times respectfully. "Mo Yuchen pays respect to my uncle."

Moxiu Yao sighed lightly as he lifted up his robe and knelt down next to Ye Li. He said in a deep voice, "Eldest Brother, did you see Your younger brother has avenged you." When Ye Li turned her body slightly, she found that the position of this grave directly faced Huifeng Valley. If one stood here alone, everything that happened yesterday at Huifeng Valley would be clearly visible.

Moxiu Yao was practically raised by Moxiwen as a child and naturally had great respect for his elder brother. That's why all these years, the only thing Moxiu Yao never forgot was to avenge his eldest brother. But nobody expected that Moxiu Yao would bury Moxiwen in such an isolated place far away from Chu Capital.

After paying respects at the grave, Moxiu Yao helped Ye Li up and sat down not too far from the grave. He rested his hand on her shoulder as he said softly, "Everyone thought that your remains were buried in Dingwang Manor's ancestral tomb in the capital city. But it wasn't. When I rushed to the borderlands back then, your body had already been cremated. So I switched them around; your true remains are actually buried here. I want you to be here and see everything. One day, I'll avenge both for you and for all the soldiers from Mo Army who died unjustly."

Ye Li smiled as she held his hand and said, "You've done it, Eldest Brother would definitely be happy." Moxiu Yao looked rather bewildered and replied, "I don't know if Eldest Brother would be happy. But... he can never come back."

The desire to avenge was so strong that it filled his heart when he wanted revenge, but after really avenging them, there were more feelings of loneliness and emptiness in his heart. He had felt this way since Mo Jingqi died, and now the feeling of emptiness was even stronger because no matter how many enemies he killed, those who had already passed away would never return.

"Xiu Yao..." Ye Li called out with worry.

Moxiu Yao smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry. I still have you, Dingwang Manor, and Mo Army." With a smile on his face, he held Ye Li's hand and looked at Moxiaobao who was unusually well-behaved beside him. Feeling warmth in his heart, Moxiu Yao thought that it was fortunate to have Lily here and their child and family.

Moxiaobao pouted his lips and said with a quick turn of his eyes before jumping into Moxiu Yao's embrace, "Father, I still have you, my younger brother and sister. When I grow up, I'll help you destroy Beirong."

Moxiu Yao looked at him with a smile and replied, "Is that so The king awaits it."

Moxiaobao grumbled unhappily, "Father looks down on me! You just wait; when this prince grows up, I'll definitely destroy Beirong for you to see!" Moxiu Yao nodded. "Yes, the king is waiting for that."

Moxiaobao felt deeply humiliated by his father's disregard and started shouting in anger. He clung to Mo Xiuyao, who wouldn't let go. Ye Li looked at the two of them playing around and couldn’t help but smile gently as she said softly, "Shall we bring back Brother’s remains to Chu Capital"

Mo Xiuyao shook his head with a laugh and replied, "No need for that. Just leave it here. In the future…" The future Mo Family ancestral tomb might not be in the Chu Capital anymore anyway. Furthermore, leaving everything as it was would actually be quieter. Haven’t people seen how many princes, dukes, generals, and imperial tombs are resplendent and rich enough to rival a kingdom When dynasties change, those who benefit most are the tomb robbers.

In the past year, major events were frequent. By the end of the year, Major Regent Mo Jingli in southern China finally ascended to the throne officially as king. And before the year was over, shocking news came out from the north. A million-strong army that had invaded Chu State was wiped out by Mo Family Army with no one returning to Northern Rong. The news made everyone shudder. Many officials and citizens who were forced to leave their homeland shed tears and secretly planned a return to the north. Unfortunately, although Northern Rong was extinguished, there continued to be battles in the north. Less than half a month after his ascension, Emperor Mo Jingli of Chu led seventy thousand troops on a northern expedition, vowing to reclaim the land.

Meanwhile, the Western Ling army under General Lei Zhen霆 had already broken through Rui Chang and was besieging Wei City, putting it in grave danger.

In Wei City

On the city wall, Nan Hou and Murong Shen sat opposite each other playing chess. Below them on the city gate, a few miles away, was the camp of Western Ling’s army. The banners were fluttering fiercely, and just by looking from afar one could feel the overwhelming battle intent.

Murong Shen shook his head helplessly and threw down the piece, saying, "Nan Hou, you really are patient. I’ve never cared for these kinds of games." Nan Hou smiled as he raised his eyes and said, "General Murong, please be calm."

Murong Shen was somewhat agitated and said, "Rui Chang has already fallen into their hands. Now Lei Zhen霆’s army is besieging Wei City, but we have no way to deal with them. How can I remain calm" Nan Hou smiled and replied, "The situation is better than expected, isn’t it Originally, the Prince only said we could hold Fei Hong Pass for three months. It has now been more than two months already, and Wei City is still in our hands. This shows that the situation hasn’t deviated from what the Prince predicted. Our forces are not as strong as Lei Zhen霆’s, and our tactics might also be slightly inferior to his. Why should General Murong blame yourself"

Murong Shen sighed and looked somewhat embarrassedly at Nan Hou, saying, "I am a bit impatient indeed… I have been in many battles over the years, with wins and losses. But this is the first time that I’ve felt so helpless against an opponent." Murong Shen had fought hundreds of battles throughout his life, naturally winning some and losing others; but he’d never before started off being so overwhelmed, without a chance to fight back.

Nan Hou smiled and said, "Lei Zhen霆 is known as the War God of Western Ling. Throughout his lifetime, he has only lost once to the previous Regent Prince and again to Lady Ding of the present Regent Prince. If it weren’t for him, why would the Prince risk taking out Northern Rong first before dealing with Lei Zhen霆" As for Mo Jingli's Chu State, honestly speaking, the Mo Family Army didn't take them too seriously. Many notable generals of Chu were now under Ding Wangfu’s control, and there hadn't been any promising young generals in recent years. Considering how suspicious Mo Jingli was—just like his predecessor Mo Jingqi—he would never let go of military power, to prevent another division of power like what happened with Ding Wangfu.

Murong Shen nodded and said gratefully, "Thank you for reminding me."

Nan Hou patted him on the shoulder and smiled, saying, "Just relax. We must hold Wei City until the Prince returns no matter what. How can we let General Yuan come over to give us trouble at Fei Hong Pass" Murong Shen nodded with a smile and said, "Your Excellency is right."

"My Lord Hou, General Mu. There is an urgent message from eight hundred miles away!" A soldier rushed up and handed a letter sealed with hot wax. The Southern Duke took the letter, opened it, and could not help but be overjoyed. Seeing his expression change, Muchen Shen hurriedly asked, "Is there good news from His Royal Highness" The Southern Duke nodded and smiled, saying, "Indeed, His Royal Highness has annihilated the Beirong army in Huifeng Valley, killing Prince No. 7 of Beirong, and capturing Helian Zhen alive."

Upon hearing this news, Muchen Shen was also immensely excited. Although they had now submitted to Dingwang Manor, both were originally from Chu State, and their hatred for the Beirong people did not fall short of anyone else's. Now that they heard the news of the total annihilation of the Beirong army, they couldn't help but feel relieved in their hearts. The Southern Duke grabbed Muchen Shen and said with a smile, "General, be careful. His Royal Highness will arrive in several days. But before then... this information must not leak out."

Muchen Shen understood, looked up and glanced at the Xiling camp far away, and smiled, saying, "Southern Duke, please rest assured. This general guarantees that no bird will dare to fly over Wai City." The two men exchanged glances and couldn't help but stand up and laugh loudly. The soldiers guarding the city gate heard their laughter and, though they didn't know why the commanders were so happy, they couldn't help but look a little relieved.

In the main tent of the Xiling camp, Le Zhen霆 frowned as he looked at the memorial before him, glanced at the group of generals below, and asked solemnly, "Is there any news from Beirong" Le Teng風 stepped forward and said, "Father King, we haven't received any news from Beirong in recent days. With the severe cold weather in the north now, it's likely that both the Mo army and the Beirong army are moving slowly. It's normal not to have any news."

Le Zhen霆's thick white eyebrows furrowed even tighter as he shook his head and said, "That's not right. Mo Xiuyao knows that Mo Jingli's troops will be approaching soon but still dared to go north. He wouldn't dilly-dally like this. It's possible... something has gone wrong with Beirong."

"Father King means..." Le Teng風 was taken aback and said somewhat unconvinced, "The Beirong army isn't weaker than the Mo army; in fact, it may be stronger. Even if Mo Xiuyao wants to completely defeat the Beirong army, he probably can't do it within a few months."

Le Zhen霆 shook his head and looked at Le Teng風 with some regret as he said, "Tengfeng, you're good in many ways, but you always stick to conventional thinking and dare not imagine the unexpected."

Le Teng風's face turned a bit awkward as he asked puzzledly, "Imagining something unexpected... isn't that also a good thing"

Le Zhen霆 smiled and said, "If it can be done, it’s not imagining the unexpected but strategic planning."

"Father King believes Mo Xiuyao could defeat the Beirong army within two months But before this, they had already dragged on for several months and only won minor victories," Le Teng風 frowned.

Le Zhen霆 thought deeply while frowning and said, "Therefore, I suspect that Mo Xiuyao deliberately concealed his strength. The performance of the Mo army last year was good, but compared to their previous achievements, it could be considered mediocre, even below par."

"Then, if Beirong really lost..." Le Teng風 frowned.

Le Zhen霆 said, "It would then come down to us facing Mo Xiuyao directly. With Jingli's army now here, even if Mo Xiuyao returns, we have more chances of winning. Moreover... this king prefers a direct confrontation with Mo Xiuyao rather than letting him plot secretly." Only after the fact could one see what kind of move Mo Xiuyao had set up. Every time he thought about it, Le Zhen霆 felt his heart race with fear. The situation in the country over these years, so many conflicts and changes in power dynamics, were actually all under Mo Xiuyao's control from the start. Or rather, the current changes in the country's situation were exactly what Mo Xiuyao had expected. Such mental acumen and ability made one shudder with fear. No wonder... no wonder the Chu emperor was so wary of Dingwang Manor, fearing it deeply.

"What Father King said is that we should now launch a full-scale attack on the Wei City. If we can capture Feihong Pass before Mo Xiuyao returns, it would give us an advantage," said Lei Tengfeng. Lei Zhen霆 nodded and smiled: "That's right, and as for Mo Jingli... send someone to tell him not to always think about Chu Capital; even if he captures Chu Capital now, he can't hold onto it either. Tell him to lead his troops westward and come from the north to rendezvous with us so that we don't give Mo Xiuyao a chance to pick them off one by one." In the end, it was still because Lei Zhen霆 wasn't confident in the abilities of the great Chu generals. Although as West City's Southern King he didn't need to worry about the lives and deaths of people from Great Chu, they were now allies, sharing both victory and defeat; there was no way for Lei Zhen霆 not to be concerned.

"Yes, Father King," said Lei Tengfeng as he nodded in acknowledgment.

After giving the order, the attacks on Wei City became increasingly fierce. The Southern Duke and Murong Shen, who were already barely holding on, started feeling overwhelmed. Standing on the city wall and looking at the river of blood below, the soldiers up there looked exhausted as well. The Mo family's troops guarding Wei City had once again repelled the West City army's attack. But they all knew that the West City army wouldn't retreat easily; after resting for a while, they would charge forward again.

Murong Shen stood on top of the city wall and squinted at the nearby West City army: "Has Lei Zhen霆 gone mad Continuously attacking like this for several days. Even if he captures Wei City, his losses will be severe."

The Southern Duke sighed and said, "Perhaps Lei Zhen霆 already knows that the Prince is about to return."

Murong Shen frowned; the Southern Duke laughed: "Even though we've been keeping a tight lid on information, he would still suspect something if he couldn't get any news. With Lei Zhen霆's intelligence, it wouldn't be difficult for him to guess that there are rumors of Northern Rong's defeat." Murong Shen thought about this and agreed. He glanced at the troops below the city wall just as he was about to speak but his face changed: "Here they come again!"

The war drums echoed loudly, and soldiers who were resting immediately rushed forward in battle formation. In the distance, the West City army's flags fluttered fiercely as they charged over. Lei Tengfeng led the charge first, pointing at the Southern Duke and Murong Shen on top of the city wall with his whip and said with a smile: "Southern Duke, General Murong, why continue to resist stubbornly Your Wei City now has only ten or so thousand troops; how can you possibly stop my West City army of one million men Why not surrender to us right away Father King will certainly treat both of you well, and promotions are a given."

The Southern Duke smiled indifferently: "Thanks for the Prince's high regard. However, this humble person, though lacking in talent and virtue, still cannot do something as dishonorable as deserting the battlefield."

Murong Shen had no mood to engage in idle chatter with him; he said loudly, "Less talk, let’s fight!"

Lei Tengfeng's expression darkened slightly as he smiled coolly: "Why get angry I'm only thinking about the welfare of both generals. Both of you are famous generals, why waste your lives on a battle that is certain to be lost"

Murong Shen snorted and grabbed an arrow from a soldier nearby, firing it at Lei Tengfeng straight away. Lei Tengfeng sidestepped and his expression became rather ugly as he pointed his whip at the person atop the city wall: "Murong Shen, don't think you can get away with disrespect; I won’t show any mercy."

Murong Shen sneered coldly: "This general doesn’t know what kind of relationship this Prince has with the Southern King’s son that he would talk about leniency. If we fight, let's fight! There are no cowards in the Mo family army who fear death."y's combat effectiveness and cohesion.While the nine hundred thousand troops in the Mo Army were fewer than the million-strong armies of other three countries, once war broke out, a conscription order...