169 Pursuing Forces

personally came with the empress for the celebration. They were there as attendees rather than officiators, since Xifu Grand Princess (the emperor’s aunt) would be presiding over the wedding instead....The World Stunned 169. Pursuing Troops

The atmosphere instantly turned incredibly heavy, and after a long while, Mo Hua’s face was grim as he gave a light humph before saying to Zhuo Jing and the others, "You protect Princess Consort." He then turned around and left without another word. Ye Li frowned and asked, "Where are you going" Mo Hua gritted his teeth with a sneer on his face as he said, "I’ll take my men and kill those main commanders first! See how they dare to take advantage of the situation!" Ye Li shook her head and said, "That won’t work. With so many troops stationed near Hongzhou, if no one controls them, things will only get worse. Moreover… The ones currently leading these troops aren’t necessarily in charge. Mo Jingqi wouldn’t leave someone important behind."

Mo Jingqi wasn’t the type to trust his officials easily; he would definitely send a high-ranking official personally if he was going to give such strict instructions.

Turning around, Mo Hua looked at Ye Li and asked, "What are you planning next"

Ye Li thought for a moment before saying softly, "At the very least, we need to prevent them from getting too close to Hongzhou City within today. Zhuo Jing, find a way to make it known that this princess consort has left Hongzhou."

The others looked at Ye Li, their eyes filled with disapproval. Zhuo Jing said, "Princess Consort, this is too dangerous." Sighing softly, Ye Li said, "There’s no other choice right now. I can only hope that the王爺can send someone in time to take over Hongzhou. Go."

Zhuo Jing stood his ground and refused to budge. Ye Li frowned slightly as she said firmly, "This is an order!" Zhuo Jing had no choice but to turn around and leave. Mo Hua fell silent for a moment before saying, "The王爺should be on the way to Hongzhou. Princess Consort, let’s take a shortcut southward; maybe we’ll run into him along the road."

Ye Li turned back to look at Hongzhou City and said softly, "There is no other choice but this. Let’s go."

The group took Mo Hua’s suggestion and headed south via a shortcut. Not long after, the large Chu garrison that had been stationed nearby also moved, though not towards Hongzhou. Instead, they scattered in all directions as if searching for someone. At the same time, another elite team of soldiers swiftly crossed over Hongzhou City en route to the pass.

Under the cover of night, the sound of weapons clashing could be heard endlessly from within a forest. Inside the woods, more than ten dark guards surrounded Ye Li in the center and calmly dealt with the endless stream of enemies surrounding them. Corpses lay strewn about on the ground all around, and the thick smell of blood permeated the entire forest.

"Princess Consort, we’re being surrounded," Mo Hua said beside Ye Li as he spoke seriously.

Ye Li nodded. "It’s obvious." There were less than fifty people in their group, but there had to be at least seven or eight hundred opposing them. Moreover, seeing the signal sent earlier by the other side, she didn’t doubt that even more enemies would continue arriving one after another. "Should I say that Mo Jingqi is indeed taking me seriously enough" Lin Han said, "It’s likely that in their eyes, Hongzhou will ultimately become a situation of mutual destruction, so naturally, capturing Princess Consort is more important." The most crucial thing was that from the mouth of a captured general, they learned that Mo Jingqi had mentioned in his secret decree that whoever could capture Princess Consort Ding would be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and promoted three ranks. Even killing her would also grant them ten thousand taels of gold. In comparison, participating in Hongzhou’s battle was nothing compared to the benefits that could be gained. Mo Hua looked at the four people and said, "You protect Princess Consort and break through; we’ll hold off these people."

Ye Li sighed bitterly, somewhat helplessly. "It’s already difficult enough for a few of us to break out now; let’s all go together." Mo Hua paused as well, understanding that the princess consort was speaking truthfully. They were surrounded in this forest right now, and even if a few people tried to break through, it would only be a death wish. Moreover, Princess Consort Ding was their primary target.

Lowering her head to avoid a soldier’s thrust with his spear, Ye Li turned around lightly and easily snapped the opponent’s throat. The smell of blood in the air made her involuntarily wrinkle her nose; she suppressed the urge to vomit.

"Princess Consort Ding, please come out to speak!" A loud voice suddenly came from outside the forest as an officer sent a message. Soldiers around them obviously received orders and stopped their attacks, only watching warily at their group. Ye Li stood behind her dark guards with a calm expression, saying lightly, "Sir, which general are you" The other side chuckled and said, "Princess Consort doesn’t need to know this. We have no intention of harming Princess Consort; we just request that Princess Consort come out of the forest for us to escort her back to the capital and rest." Ye Li sneered coldly. Those words sounded very nice. After returning to the capital, what awaited her would only be an endless soft imprisonment and exploitation—using her to bargain with Mo Xiuyao. Furthermore, she was now pregnant; it was absolutely impossible for her to fall into Mo Jingqi’s hands. With how much Mo Jingqi detested Princess Consort Ding’s family and envied Mo Xiuyao, it was hard to imagine what he might do.

Seeing that Ye Li didn’t respond, the other side grew impatient as well and said solemnly, "Princess Consort, we also know that Prince Ding is currently leading his troops here. So the time we can give Princess Consort isn’t much. If you haven’t left the forest by one hour from now, please excuse us for our rudeness." Wei Lin sneered coldly and said, "If you already know Prince Ding is coming soon, yet still dare to treat Princess Consort this way, don’t you want your lives anymore" The other side was silent for a moment before saying, "I eat my lord’s rice; I share his worries. We are also forced by circumstances. Please forgive us, Princess Consort." After that, there was only tense and solemn anticipation. Ye Li looked at the countless eyes vigilantly watching them from afar and gently stroked her flat abdomen with a somewhat helpless and weary smile on her face. "Zhuo Jing, right now… How is Hongzhou City" Zhuo Jing said, "The vanguard troops that arrived first…

Not much. I'm afraid it will all be used to pursue us up here. As long as there are no unexpected incidents, the situation in Hongzhou should not differ significantly from what the Princess Consort had envisioned beforehand," Ye Li nodded with some relief and smiled, "That's good. Finally... we have one side winning." Lin Han asked softly, "Princess Consort, what shall we do now" Ye Li raised her eyes calmly and said softly, "Head southeast."

Charge out."

Mohua frowned with worry and said, "Your Highness the Princess Consort's body..."

Ye Li smiled coldly. "If we were to fall into their hands, do you think there would be any other outcome" Mohua did not speak, but a Defining Prince Consort falling into Mo Jingqi’s hands perhaps wouldn’t necessarily mean death or being used as leverage against the prince. However, a Defining Prince's mansion that was expecting an heir falling into Mo Jingqi’s hands… would definitely be a disaster, not just for the prince and princess consort, but also a catastrophe for the entire Mo Family Army.

He looked deeply at Ye Li before bowing in unprecedented respect to her. "I will follow your Highness's orders."

The southeastern corner led into deep mountains where the terrain was more rugged and dangerous than other places. Perhaps because of this, there were significantly fewer guards stationed here compared to elsewhere – which was also their only hope of breaking through. Ye Li gave an order, and all the Dark Guards charged towards that direction without hesitation; it could be said that if a god or Buddha blocked their way, they would kill them without mercy. Behind them came the frantic shouts from Lin’s men in pursuit, "Kill! Regardless of whether they are alive or dead, do not let any of them escape!"

It was precisely because of this unstoppable momentum that they managed to break through the encirclement and head deeper into the mountains. There were only seven or eight Dark Guards left beside them, including Mohua, Zhuo Jing and others who all bore battle wounds; Ye Li, however, had escaped any serious injuries besides looking rather exhausted.

Deep in the old forest of the mountains where few people ventured, even with thousands of men, it would not be easy to find a hidden group within such vast mountain ranges. By morning, they had basically shaken off their pursuers but were now deep in the heart of the mountains, unsure of what lay ahead. They could only move forward based on a general direction. With both past and present lives considered, Ye Li had never been so helpless before. In her previous life, she had experienced many worse environments than this, but that was under the condition that her body remained healthy. Now, however, due to pregnancy, even if it did not affect her mobility yet, she felt noticeably drained spiritually and physically. The first three months of pregnancy were already a high-risk period and unsuitable for excessive physical activities. Although they had only been on the run for a day or so, Ye Li was beginning to feel unwell. She knew very clearly that if she wasn't more careful, she could lose her baby.

They found a hidden flat area where they stopped to eat some dried food and water. Lin Han said, "As long as we don’t encounter any more pursuers, we should be fine from here." Wei Lin shook his head and said, “Although I am not sure of our exact location, based on the position of this mountain range, no matter which direction we go in, it will still be far away from His Highness the Prince and the Mo Family Army. And if we return by our original route… we may encounter pursuers.” Ye Li thought for a moment before saying, "Lin Han, you should head back alone to find His Highness." Lin Han disagreed and said, “If we send an urgent message for help, there’s no need to send me back; I can stay here and be of more assistance.” Ye Li shook her head. “No, the path back will definitely be fraught with danger. Only you or Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin returning would reassure me. And...

Now that we are deep in the mountains, as long as we take precautions, there is a very small chance of encountering large-scale pursuers. Go quickly and return quickly... If something happens to the person returning, no one will know where we are. At that time..." Wei Lin patted Lin Han's shoulder and nodded.

Ye Li nodded. "Be careful on your journey."

After sending off Lin Han, everyone rested in this relatively flat area. Ye Li sat under a large tree, leaning against the trunk to look up at the sky through the layers of tree shade. A self-mocking smile curled her lips: She really is in a difficult situation… In this world, ==

She knows that she isn't actually strong enough. This is an era of cold weapons; compared to those peak-level experts, her inner strength isn’t powerful enough and her light-footed skills aren’t good enough. On the battlefield, compared to those true legendary generals, the military theories she has learned are completely useless. What she relies on is merely unconventional thinking that sets her apart from others. In this clash with Prince of Southern Marshlands, it seemed as if she had gained an upper hand, but she knew clearly that in a situation where manpower and reserves were equal, after three months at the most, she would likely suffer a crushing defeat. She also understood that, actually…she could have chosen to live a more relaxed and comfortable life, for no one could fault her as a woman. But…she still couldn’t entirely view herself as a weak woman of this era. Watching men fighting outside while enjoying a carefree life at home with everything provided by them. Even now in such a difficult situation, she has never regretted it. At least… she has done what she could and hasn’t stayed in the capital waiting to be caught by Mo Jingqi to use as leverage against her child’s father.

Holding onto the tree to stand up, Ye Li walked over to a nearby fire pit. It was already quite cold on this late autumn evening. The three Dark Guards who were busy roasting meat and boiling soup hurriedly stood up upon seeing Ye Li come over; she waved her hand and said, "Everyone is tired, so let’s skip the formalities. Sit down."

The few Dark Guards had clearly never encountered such a mistress before; hesitantly glancing at Zhuo Jing who was sitting on a nearby tree with his eyes closed and resting, they could only seek advice from Zhuo Jing since Mo Hua had gone hunting elsewhere. Noticing their gazes, Zhuo Jing opened his eyes and said, "Follow the instructions of the Princess Consort." The three Dark Guards then sat down again, continuing their work silently. Compared to before, they seemed somewhat restrained.

Ye Li smiled faintly as she reached out to stir the fire with a branch, picked up some roasted bird meat from one of the skewers on top of the fire pit and threw it onto a nearby tree branch. Wei Lin who was hanging upside down from the tree grabbed it without any fuss and took a bite; Zhuo Jing sitting on another tree couldn’t stop drooling at this scene. Ye Li raised her eyebrows slightly, then tossed over another roasted skewer to him which he happily ate. Looking at the Dark Guard’s astonished expression, Ye Li smiled and said, "Since you’re all hungry, eat first. We’ll roast more when Mo Hua and the others return." Zhuo Jing, munching on his roasted meat, muttered in a muddled voice, "I was saying… I’m faster at foraging than the leader… Cough cough… Mo Hua."

Thanks to Ye Li’s interaction with Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin, the atmosphere gradually became more relaxed. Ye Li endured the smoke and greasy taste of roasting meat, eating it without any appetite. A Dark Guard glanced at her and pulled out two fist-sized red fruits from his bag, handing them to Ye Li with some shyness and saying, "These were picked along the way; if Princess Consort doesn’t mind, you could eat these." Smiling, Ye Li took one of the fruits and wiped it clean before taking a bite. The slightly sour but sweet fruit made her feel much more comfortable. She nodded at him with a smile and said, “Thank you.”

The Dark Guard’s face turned red as he hurriedly replied that he dared not.

Eating wild fruits while watching the few Dark Guards curiously sizing her up in an attempt to be subtle, Ye Li smiled faintly and asked softly, "This time I’ve caused trouble for you all. Are you afraid"

These Dark Guards were all young and talented men; regardless of whether they joined the Black Cloud Cavalry or entered the Qilin troops after a reformation in the future, their prospects would be limitless. But this time, almost all of them had accompanied her to the point of sacrificing themselves.

"Not afraid!" The Dark Guard who gave Ye Li the fruits said loudly, "Dying for Prince and Princess Consort is an honor for a Dark Guard."

“Nonsense,” Ye Li softly scolded him. "If you don’t prioritize survival first, how can you only think of dying in service If everyone died, who would serve King’s Manor" The three young men looked at Ye Li with confusion; what she said clearly contradicted their upbringing and education from a young age, leaving them somewhat perplexed. “Does Princess Consort mean that we should be afraid to die and escape when faced with battle” "Although we aren’t the renowned Black Cloud Cavalry or Mo’s Army, we wouldn’t do such things." The three young men obviously did not agree with Ye Li's words. Ye Li smiled, saying, "Death can weigh more than Mount Tai or less than a feather. If one gives up their life over trivial matters or faces minor setbacks and chooses to die out of frustration, then it would be foolish devotion even if they died for the cause. But if someone has done everything in their power to fight for the greater good, ideals, and beliefs, sacrificing themselves as the only choice left at the end, then dying is a true warrior’s act." The three young men seemed to contemplate this.

In fact, Dark Guards or people like them had an unwritten rule: if important missions failed, many would choose death as their last resort. As Dark Guards, they themselves had seen plenty of such examples and even harbored similar thoughts. Therefore, while losing their brothers protecting Princess Consort was painful for them, they were mentally prepared to do the same if anything happened to her. But after hearing what Princess Consort said, it seemed that she didn’t think their approach was correct.

“If one makes a mistake… shouldn’t one atone with death”

Ye Li rolled her eyes and looked up at the sky, asking, "Does making a mistake disappear mean that the person who made it should just die"

"Then... What should we do"

Ye Li firmly said, "Of course you should strive to live on and make amends for your mistakes. Dying is a coward's way out." The three young men thought about this for quite some time before one of them timidly asked, "Princess Consort, will the Qilin still want people" Ye Li smiled and said, "You know about the Qilin" All three of them nodded in unison. The Qilin wasn't completely hidden from those outside the Black Family Army or Prince Ding's Mansion; compared to the hundreds of thousands of troops scattered across different regions, Dark Guards were more informed. Looking at Zhuo Jing leaning against a tree and Wei Lin hanging upside down nearby, the three young men felt some envy and longing. They had all come from humble backgrounds, some even trained alongside them in their youth. But now they looked so different.

Ye Li smiled and said, "Of course, if you can survive this time, I might talk to Qin Feng on your behalf and give you another chance. However... Can you persuade Mo Hua yourselves"

The three young men were overjoyed; the vitality shone in their eyes again, dispelling their previous exhaustion and gloom.

"Someone's coming!" Zhuo Jing and Wei Lin jumped down from the tree to Ye Li's side, alert as ever. The others quickly stood up, ready for battle.

Ye Li listened intently, then said in a low voice, "There are two groups of people heading this way: one is climbing up from below, still far away; the other is descending from above and is Mo Hua's group." The Dark Guard behind her quickly extinguished the fire. In an instant, Mo Hua arrived with several Dark Guards. With a solemn face, he said, "I saw people heading up the mountain earlier." Ye Li frowned and asked, "Going down won't work; it’s completely surrounded below. Are there any paths up" Mo Hua replied, "There's a cliff at the top of the mountain, with another peak directly opposite on the other side of the ravine. If we can get across..."

"Can we cross over" Ye Li asked.

Mo Hua nodded slightly and said, "We can give it a try."

Ye Li let out a small breath and said in a deep voice, "Let's go up the mountain then."

-- Interlude --

Sigh... Why am I sneezing and my nose is running at 37.8 degrees Celsius My tissues aren't enough. Thank you for your support, everyone; thank you for being understanding about the infrequent updates after changing jobs. With the hot weather, hope everyone stays cool and cheerful!is eldest son. After all, he had personally experienced the deep-rooted influence and covert forces of the Prince of Ding’s household. Now that the previous emperor was gone, they were no longer compl...