ammed his teacup back down onto the table before standing up to look out of the half-open window at the street below, then turned around and walked downstairs.The moment Ye Li came down from upstairs,...396. Return Trip Ambush

396。 Return Trip Ambush

"Duchess" Everyone looked at Ye Li in astonishment, unsure of what had happened. After all, although the Duchess was not older than anyone present, her composure and poise were even more impressive than a seasoned veteran like Lu Jinxian could admire. For the Duchess to be so flustered by something... it must have been serious.

Yunti stepped forward, picked up the letter, and almost screamed upon reading it. "Duchess..."

"Shut up!" Ye Li quickly regained her composure, dismissing Yunti's exclamation with a swift gesture. Closing her eyes briefly, she reopened them calmly and composedly. She held out her hand, and Yunti, suppressing his shock, handed the letter to her.

Ye Li took the letter, read it again, and then asked, "Where is the messenger who brought this Have him come in." Soon after, a young man with bloodshot eyes entered. "Duchess."

"Jian," Ye Li said solemnly. Jian was the most loyal person to Mo Xiuyao but rarely appeared before others and thus did not attract attention easily. Feng Zhiran's decision for Jian to deliver this letter made Ye Li uneasy. Composing herself, she asked quietly, "Jian, what happened to His Grace" Jian bit his lip and looked at her with pleading eyes. "His Grace... is unconscious. Feng San ordered me to ask the Duchess to return quickly." Knowing that he wasn't very clever, Jian was extra loyal. Neither did the Duke nor Duchess despise him for this; they trusted him instead. For this reason, Feng Zhiran had specifically sent Jian to deliver the letter.

Ye Li's heart trembled slightly as she nodded and said, "I understand. You may rest now. We'll depart tonight."

Jian nodded heavily. Even if Feng Zhiran tried to suppress news of the Duke's unconsciousness, he wouldn't be able to keep it secret for long once the Duke failed to appear publicly soon enough. If the Duchess could return quickly, things would become easier.

After dismissing Jian, Zhuo Jing said, "Duchess, should we..." Ye Li raised her hand to stop him and took a deep breath before saying, "Qin Feng, write a letter for you to deliver personally to General Lu. Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, get ready; we depart immediately."

"Yes, Duchess," the three of them chorused before quickly leaving the tent to prepare.

Ye Li looked at He Su and Yunti and said, "After I return, General Lu will command all actions against the Chu forces. The two of you must follow his orders completely." They nodded respectfully, saying, "We obey."

Seeing Ye Li's slightly dazed expression, Yunti couldn't help but say, "Duchess, His Grace is very fortunate and will surely overcome any danger; please rest assured."

Ye Li smiled faintly and nodded. Mo Xiuyao was too lucky to die easily. Her smile appeared calm but made He Su and Yunti even more worried. They exchanged a glance before leaving helplessly.

In a luxurious tent of the Chu army camp, Mo Jingli was comfortably lying on a thick fur chair, watching the dancer's graceful performance. With his arm around a seductive woman, his usually gloomy face wore a smug satisfaction.

A general entered and frowned slightly at the peaceful scene before him.

"Emperor."

Moxing Li raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is it" The general lowered his eyes respectfully and presented a confidential letter. Moxing Li opened the letter and immediately burst out laughing. Sitting up, he held the slender waist of the woman beside him with one hand while holding the letter in the other, filled with joy. "Very good indeed. It's not for nothing that I... General Li, issue orders to shoot light cards along the way leading to Feihong Pass to stop Ye Li! Oh right, don't hurt her… bring her before me alive. I want to see who will be the last one laughing!"

The general frowned slightly and thought for a moment before reporting honestly, "I hope Your Majesty thinks twice. If Lady Wang returns Feihong Pass, there will surely be Qilins protecting her along the way. It would already be difficult enough to kill her, but if you want to capture her alive…." It wasn’t that he was underestimating himself; even sending an army against the Qilin that made all the nobles of other countries shudder with fear might not suffice. Yet His Majesty insisted on making it more difficult and demanded that Lady Wang be unharmed.

Moxing Li frowned unhappily and asked coldly, "Can’t do"

The general hesitated before finally sighing silently to himself. Well, the possibility of killing Lady Wang was so low it could almost be ignored anyway. If she escaped because he had been too lenient, it would be easier to explain His Majesty’s wrath. "This subordinate will obey." Moxing Li nodded in satisfaction, seeing a trace of puzzlement still lingering on General Li's face. Raising his eyebrows and smiling, Moxing Li asked, "Are you wondering why Ye Li suddenly rushed back"

"Please give your instructions," the general respectfully said. Lady Wang’s departure was certainly good for them, but it also puzzled him since she had left unexpectedly in such a hurry. Given His Majesty's obvious joy just now, General Li guessed that something must have happened at Feihong Pass.

Moxing Li laughed loudly and said, "Indeed, it is good news for us. Mo Xiyao’s death… would that be good news"

Upon hearing this, the general was startled. The phrase “Mo Xiyao will die” just seemed impossible to apply to Duke Ding. How many people cursed and wished for his early demise every day But after so many years of ups and downs in the Mo family’s history, Duke Ding still dominated society with a smile. To General Li, this sounded like someone was dreaming during the daytime.

Although he thought wildly inside, the general remained respectfully composed on the surface and even added an appropriate look of surprise to his expression. Seeing how surprised his subordinate looked, Moxing Li felt even more delighted. He couldn’t wait to see Ye Li’s expression now—let alone Lei Zhenting and Leitingfeng… these father-and-son traitors. Wouldn’t Mo Xiyao still end up dying at the hands of a traitor

"Ahem, Your Majesty... it would be best if you could confirm this matter first. After all, Duke Ding is…" The general coughed and subtly reminded Moxing Li. Back then, when Duke Ding had been severely wounded to the point that everyone thought he was crippled for life, only a few years later, he had led the Mo family army to dominate the world again, with people trembling at his name. Seeing how pleased Moxing Li looked now, General Li couldn’t help but remind him to be more cautious. There were some people in this world better not to provoke; once provoked, one must be extra careful unless they see them dead themselves.

Moxing Li narrowed his eyes slightly and thought for a moment before surprisingly taking his subordinate’s words to heart. He nodded and said, "You are right. We should verify it to avoid any mistakes." Mo Xiyao, I don’t believe you’re so lucky! If you can't die once, then you won’t be able to this time either!

In the dark of night, several fast horses galloped quickly along the road, kicking up dust.

Ye Li rode on horseback and constantly whipped her horse forward. With memories from two lifetimes and not being an impulsive person, she usually remained calm. But this time, something was off; she couldn’t help but lose composure a little. Despite the bitter cold wind blowing across her cheeks and disheveling her hair, Ye Li continued to ride forward. Zuo Jing and others followed behind without stopping. This unexpected turn of events in an otherwise smooth battle left everyone unprepared.

Suddenly, Ye Li’s horse neighed loudly and reared up.

"Princess Wang, be careful!

Riding on the horseback, Ye Li leaped up and landed gracefully as the galloping steed collapsed to the ground.

"Whizz!" A shower of arrows rained down from both sides of the road.

A flicker of killing intent flashed across Ye Li's clear eyes. In a solemn voice, she commanded, "Eliminate them all!" In the darkness, countless black-clothed men emerged and charged at the archers on both sides of the road while Ye Li had already remounted another horse and galloped ahead. Behind her, Lin Han and Zhuo Jing and Ajin did not pay attention to the melee but followed in pursuit.

In the desolate moonlit ancient path, a tall man stood silently by the roadside looking up at the crescent moon in the distance. The dark blue clothes made him look even more solemn, adding an unusual coldness and hesitation that he usually did not have. A heavy sword was clasped in his hand; it seemed as if he had just arrived there or had been standing there since ancient times.

Down a distant road came the sound of galloping hooves. A black-clothed woman and a blue-robed youth appeared beside him. The black-clothed woman frowned, "Big brother, are we really going to do this" The blue-robed youth also said with some disagreement, "Big brother, getting involved in the Ding王府 is not a wise move."

The middle-aged man glanced at his sister-in-law and replied coolly, "This concerns me alone. You two should leave immediately."

On the youth's face flashed a hint of anxiety; he said rather sourly, "Big brother, if anything happens to Ye Li because she’s here with you, do you really think that the Ding王府 would let us off Then what difference does it make whether you go alone or we all three go"

The middle-aged man responded, "This is my personal matter. You two should leave immediately! This…is an order!"

"But…" The black-clothed woman frowned.

“Unless you do not acknowledge me as your big brother then so be it, but if not, leave right now!” the middle-aged man said. Desperately, the black-clothed woman stomped her foot and pulled on the blue-robed youth who vanished into the darkness. Hardly had they disappeared when the sound of galloping hooves that was still far away suddenly came near. Leading them was a white-clad woman in a cloak. Seeing the middle-aged man waiting by the roadside, she looked surprised and reined her horse to a halt.

The crowd under the night sky remained silent for a moment before Ye Li spoke coldly, "I never thought that among those who would come to cause trouble for me there would be the King of Hell." The middle-aged man was none other than the renowned King of Hell from among the Four Great Masters in the world, Ling Tiehan. With Mu Qingcang missing and Lei Zhenting growing old, Ling Tiehan and Mo Xiuyao were currently the two people known to have the highest martial arts skills in the world. Moreover, Lei Zhenting who had devoted his entire life to studying martial ways was definitely not as easy to deal with as Mu Qingcang. Upon seeing him appear, Zhuo Jing and company immediately moved forward and placed Ye Li behind them.

Ling Tiehan did not pay attention to their actions but simply looked at Ye Li coolly; a hint of regret flashed across his usually firm and steady face, "I never expected that day would come." Whether it was the mutual admiration between him and Mo Xiuyao, or the friendship with Xu Qingchen, or even simple appreciation for this woman, Ling Tiehan had never imagined having to fight against her. Unfortunately…

Zhuo Jing stood before Ye Li and said solemnly, "King of Hell, you are a great master in your generation; how can you come to cause trouble for our duchess Do you not fear being ridiculed by the world" Ling Tiehan looked at Zhuo Jing with an ambiguous smile and replied coolly, "Subordinates of Ding王府are indeed loyal and righteous. Don’t you know what I do for a living" The King of Hell organization was essentially a killer group; who would expect fairness from killers Would one ask them to fight openly and honestly When Ling Tiehan was young and before he had mastered martial arts, as the most ordinary member in the lowest rank of a killer, he also used many underhanded methods to assassinate his enemies. As the King of Hell, Ling Tiehan never placed much value on his reputation.

Zhuo Jing said nothing; it felt absurd talking about righteousness and fame with someone who came from a background in killers.

"I recall that King of Hell has some grudge against Western Liang's Southern Prince," Ye Li spoke coolly. If Mo Jingli could not persuade Ling Tiehan to come, then it must be Lei Zhenting. Ling Tiehan did not deny this and nodded calmly, "That’s right. But even so… I am still a citizen of Western Liang."

Ye Lvy looked down and frowned, saying, "Speaking of which... Not many people know about Pavilion Master Ling's background. Pavilion Master Ling… is also from the Western Capital imperial family, right"

Ling Tiehan looked at Ye Lvy in surprise for a while before smiling faintly, "The Duchess really is extraordinary." Ye Lvy shook her head helplessly and said, "If Pavilion Master Ling didn’t appear here, I wouldn’t have made such guesses either." Although many people had guessed about Ling Tiehan's background, unfortunately, he showed no flaws or weaknesses in his daily behavior. Over the years, he hadn't interacted with the Western Capital imperial family at all, making it difficult for anyone to guess his origin story. However, when Ye Lvy ruled out every possibility that could make Ling Tiehan help Lei Zhen霆 (Lei Zhengting), only this one remained.

Ling Tiehan's poor relationship with Lei Zhengting wasn’t an act; he was willing to put aside years of prejudice to help Lei Zhengting, meaning Ling Tiehan must be from the Western Capital imperial family.

The long ancient road appeared desolate and lonely under the dim moonlight. After a while, Ling Tiehan said, "My mother... used to be one of Emperor Wen's concubines." Ye Lvy raised her eyebrows slightly; palace intrigues were never absent from court life. If Ling Tiehan was indeed Prince Wen’s son but only had enmity with Ling Tiehan himself rather than the Western Capital imperial family, it likely meant that his mother died early and he ended up in the江湖 (Jianghu). This might have something to do with Lei Zhengting or more specifically, Lei Zhengting's mother’s family. Ye Lvy vaguely remembered there was a very favored concubine in the previous court of the Western Capital who seemed to have been executed by Emperor Wen later on. However, it had been too long ago for anyone to notice now. Even Ye Lvy only glanced at it back then when she first read Lei Zhengting's dossier and didn’t even remember the concubine’s name.

Ye Lvy sighed softly, knowing that this situation couldn't be avoided. She nodded and said, "Please take action, Pavilion Master Ling."

Ling Tiehan raised an eyebrow, “You’re not afraid” If Ye Lvy believed she could defeat Ling Tiehan, it would be a joke. If Ling Tiehan used all his strength to kill her, let alone Ye Lvy, even tying up everyone on the battlefield wouldn’t be enough for him.

Ye Lvy smiled helplessly and said, "What's the use of being afraid" If she was scared, Ling Tiehan would spare her, but she wasn't willing to show how frightened she was. Ling Tiehan looked at his iron sword in his hand and said, "If the Duchess wishes, you can visit the King of Hell Pavilion. In half a month, I will personally escort the Duchess back."

Ling Tiehan made it clear that he didn’t want to cause trouble for Ye Lvy. He simply wanted to detain her and prevent her from rushing back immediately. Whether she lived or died wasn't his concern. Moreover, his friendship with Xu Qingchen and admiration for Ye Lvy made him unwilling to fight her.

Unfortunately, although Ling Tiehan thought so, Ye Lvy couldn’t accept his kindness. She smiled indifferently and said, "Pavilion Master Ling."

As soon as Ye Lvy spoke, Zhuo Jinglin Han and Ah Jin had already moved silently to surround Ling Tiehan. However, they also subconsciously shielded Ye Lvy from the situation outside. Seeing their actions, a flicker of approval flashed through Ling Tiehan's eyes. He nodded and said, "In that case, I’ll have to be rude."

Ling Tiehan slowly drew his iron sword out, moving so slowly it seemed as if he was hesitating whether or not to draw the weapon. As soon as he pulled out his sword, Zhuo Jinglin Han and Ah Jin simultaneously attacked him from three different directions. Although this happened in an instant, just as their figures moved, a cold light broke through the night sky. Ling Tiehan’s longsword swept towards Zhuo Jing and others with its sharp sword qi.

With Ling Tiehan's strength, if Zhuo Jing and the rest faced him head-on, they would likely be either dead or injured on contact. Therefore, when they saw that cold light, the three of them simultaneously changed direction and barely avoided the incoming sword qi; Lin Han’s lower robe was cut off.

With solemn expressions, Zhuo Jing stared at the man in front of him, realizing how far their abilities were from those of a truly top-tier expert. Facing Ling Tiehan's overwhelming pressure, they all felt an invisible pain in their chests. If not for their strong wills, they might have collapsed on the spot.

Zhuo Jing took a breath and suddenly thrust out his longsword, charging towards Ling Tiehan with several swift slashes. Before them, figures danced and sword qi spread everywhere. However, Zhuo Jing’s all-out attack couldn't shake Ling Tiehan's composure; he even had the energy to speak during their fight, "Not bad, speed is key in martial arts. But... you're not fast enough!"

Ling Tiehan didn’t move quickly, but no matter how fast Zhuo Jing was, every time his sword would easily block at exactly the right spot. This method wasn't just exhausting the opponent’s physical strength and mental energy; it also wore down their will.

Lin Han and Ah Jin exchanged glances before Lin Han, holding his sword, rushed forward. With a whip-like movement of her long whip, Ah Jin struck like a venomous snake towards Ling Tiehan.

Ye Li, who was standing by, sighed inwardly as she drew her short dagger from her sleeve and joined the fray. When it came to close combat, there weren’t many opponents Ye Li couldn’t handle in this world. However, Ling Tiehan was clearly one of them. "Your Excellency’s prowess... Unfortunately, your internal energy is somewhat weak," Ling Tiehan sincerely praised. Comparing her with other women, Ye Li wasn't short on skill; she had only practiced internal energy for ten years yet could already match the likes of Cold Luyue in terms of strength, which was a testament to her extraordinary talent. Unfortunately, she missed out on the best age for training internal energy and fell short when compared to an unparalleled expert like Ling Tiehan.

Ye Li’s movements were even faster than Zhuo Jing and Lin Han's, every move targeting vital points directly. Even so, such dangerous moves weren’t enough in Ling Tiehan’s eyes. Indeed, he was the only peerless master capable of going toe-to-toe with Prince Ding.

Although it was four against one, Zhuo Jing and his companions felt increasingly disheartened. Just as they could never defeat Prince Ding, they had no way to beat Ling Tiehan, who was equally matched with the prince.

"Your Excellency, get out of here!" Zhuo Jing said solemnly.

Ye Li smiled bitterly but did not pause her attacks. Now wasn’t a time for escape; Ling Tiehan hadn’t put his full strength into this fight yet. If she left now, Zhuo Jing and the others might be killed by Ling Tiehan in moments. More importantly, she had no confidence that she could outrun Ling Tiehan’s pursuit alone.

"Your Excellency of Prince Ding, I must ask for your forgiveness," said Ling Tiehan with a voice that was cold but tinged with regret.

His long sword sliced through the air like wind, easily repelling Zhuo Jing and Lin Han before rushing towards Ye Li.

"Your Excellency!"

Zhuo Jing and his companions cried out in alarm. Simultaneously, Zhuo Jing let out a cry as he and Lin Han lunged forward from both sides, their swords hacking down with all their might to block Ling Tiehan’s sword. Ah Jin seized the opportunity to pull Ye Li behind her with her long whip. "Your Excellency, leave quickly!" said Ah Jin, staring at Ling Tiehan with suspicion.

"Interesting," Ling Tiehan raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Zhuo Jing and Lin Han lying on the ground. They were unharmed, merely exhausted from using all their strength to block his sword. However, if these two survived this time, they would make great strides in both mindset and martial arts skill. "People of Prince Ding’s household are truly extraordinary. But... Who can intercept my next strike"

Ye Li looked solemn; she had never felt so powerless before. Qilin hadn’t arrived yet, likely delayed by the people sent by Hell Pavilion and Lei Zhen Ting. Furthermore, in the face of absolute strength, no amount of strategy or calculation mattered.

Gazing at the indifferent figure in white, Ling Tiehan sighed lightly as he swung his long sword out horizontally. Ah Jin lashed her whip forward but it was easily cut through by Ling Tiehan’s sword energy. The sword swept towards Ye Li without pause; Zhuo Jing and his companions widened their eyes in despair.

"Swoosh!"

A burst of force shot out from the dark woods, hitting Ling Tiehan’s sword directly. The long sword aimed at Ye Li paused for a moment as Ling Tiehan’s expression changed slightly; his gaze like lightning struck towards the woods by the ancient road. "Who is there!

——sidebar——

Thanks to the Blue Moonlight Orchestra and Miss Original Moon for writing lyrics for Feng's "Chaos. Remember the Mohist Army," and Miss Leafea's rendition is also very beautiful.

How can loyalty and righteousness fail the country

Cold swords covered in frost, with a crescent moon reading military books on the way.

Sword in hand, spear supported, stumbling drunkly amidst haste and laughter.

This life is solemn, leading songs of laughing at the floating and fading of life and death.

The ambition to dominate rivers and mountains points towards grand schemes.

Carrying spears, riding horses, following the sky's dusk, sinking into sand until the feathers perish through the ages.

Cold crows rouse the chaos of drums several times.

Muddy waves pierce the void; swords and halberds compete with the azure heavens.

Clouds stir as black flags connect in cities, cold songs resound again.

In Chang'an, dreams lie heavy on uncertain bones, northern winds not yet concealing the path home.

Bloody tears stain the path of kings where loyal spirits pass.

Aside: I do not regret, have never regretted! Comrades in arms, what does it matter if our spears sink In the next life, when we meet again, let us once more sacrifice together!

Once said that loyalty and righteousness are not worth a change of heart.apped within this crisis.”Yun Ting looked at Xiashu before looking back at Ye Li and suddenly asked, "Lady Queen, when will reinforcements arrive"Ye Li thought for a moment before shaking her head and...