Chapter 205: The higher the status, the more excited men get. Wang Jian arrives with the army!
With a thud.
The basket hit something, shaking violently.
“We’re going to die, I’m going to die!”
“Help, help, help!”
Hongliang screamed like a frightened rabbit, cowering in the corner.
“Hey, stop screaming, we won’t die.
Holding the exhausted Yan Lingji, Li Mo gently nudged Hongliang with the tip of his foot.
Hongliang remained lost in her own world, screaming continuously.
“We’re falling, we’re going to die!”
Li Mo cracked a smile, “Why don’t you open your eyes and look? We’ve landed.”
Although the descent had been rapid, it wasn’t enough to kill anyone.
It was just that Yan Lingji’s lack of internal energy made the flames insufficient to support the balloon’s gentle descent.
“Landed?”
Hongliang cautiously lifted her head.
Feeling around, she realized the basket had indeed stopped moving.
Yan Lingji, held by Li Mo, curled up like a tired kitten in his arms.
Her face a bit pale, her eyes slightly resigned.
“You, princess, why do you cry so easily?” she said.
“Hurry and wipe your nose.”
Hongliang, pouting awkwardly, said, “It was so frightening to fall from that height.”
As she spoke, she stood up slowly and grabbed Li Mo’s sleeve to wipe her nose.
Li Mo:
Hongliang didn’t feel embarrassed at all, quickly shaking off the awkwardness and becoming lively again.
She jumped out of the basket, cheering joyfully.
“Wow, so this is Qin! It’s not much different from Han, right?”
“Look at the sky; it’s just as blue as Han’s.”
“Look at the rocks; they’re as hard as Qin’s.”
“And the flowers, hmm~ they smell as fragrant as Han’s!”
The three of them were left speechless, watching Hongliang as she flitted about like a bird freed from its cage.
Fei Yan couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “This princess has a great attitude.”
Li Mo smiled, “She’s just carefree.”
Hongliang came bouncing over, chattering non-stop.
“Where are we going now?”
“Are we going to Xianyang?”
“Where is my brother?”
“Didn’t you bring him along?”
“Why haven’t I seen him?”
“Where did he go?”
Before she could finish her barrage of questions, a rumbling noise sounded from afar.
Hongliang looked up at the sky, “Why is there thunder on a clear day?”
Li Mo said, exasperated, “Look behind you. It’s not thunder; someone is coming to greet us.”
Hongliang turned to see a cloud of dust rising from the ground in the distance.
A mass of cavalry charged across the land, their hoofs thundering.
Thousands of horsemen approached swiftly, like rolling thunder, their momentum overwhelming.
“Master?”
Within a hundred meters, Meng Tian finally saw the figures clearly up ahead.
He exclaimed in surprise.
In a few breaths, he reached Li Mo, then jumped off his horse directly.
“Master, what are you doing here?”
They had followed the falling giant egg here.
Originally thinking it was some sorcery left by Bai Xianwu, they unexpectedly saw Li Mo instead.
The thousands of horsemen behind Meng Tian exchanged puzzled glances.
Wasn’t the whole of Han hunting the master?
The border was guarded by an army of a hundred thousand. How did he leave Han?
Li Mo replied calmly, “I flew here. I was about to visit your camp.”
“Flew…flew?”
Meng Tian was momentarily stunned, then his gaze landed on the gradually deflating hot air balloon.
With a flash of understanding, he muttered, “So that giant egg was the master?”
Some soldiers had seen the hot air balloon flying from Han, passing over Hangu Pass.
It must have been the master!
Yan Lingji, nestled in Li Mo’s arms, chuckled.
“You’ve become an egg.”
Li Mo pressed his lips, “That egg wasn’t me. You can think of it as…a mount, a type of mount.”
Meng Tian and the thousands of horsemen shuddered.
A flying mount?
Meng Tian deeply admired, “Master really has divine abilities!”
They couldn’t think of any other explanation but that of a deity!
The thousands of horsemen immediately revered Li Mo as a god.
Previously, there were rumors that the master was a divine being descended to the mortal realm, which they had not believed.
But now, seeing with their own eyes that the master had flown over Hangu Pass, they could no longer doubt.
Meng Tian examined the steadily deflating hot air balloon for a long time but couldn’t fathom how such a huge thing could fly so high.
He turned, puzzled, and asked, “Why didn’t you land in my camp, master?”
It was already the time of a military standoff, with Meng Tian’s army stationed a few miles outside Hangu Pass.
He didn’t understand why Li Mo didn’t land directly in his camp.
Yan Lingji turned her head slowly, hiding her face in Li Mo’s neck.
They had intended to land in the camp.
But she ran out of inner energy before reaching it.
Li Mo, smiling amiably, said, “My mount has a bad temper and is prone to tantrums, making it quite dangerous.”
“If we landed in the camp, it might have harmed the soldiers.”
“Walking a few extra steps is for the soldiers’ safety.”
Yan Lingji, listening to this, felt something was off.
She bit his neck and mumbled, “You could’ve just left it unexplained.”
Meng Tian was deeply moved.
He said respectfully, “Master, you are always considering the soldiers, which I deeply admire!”
Li Mo smiled and said, “As the National Advisor, this is my duty, my duty.”
Yan Lingji was stunned for a moment.
With her tender and warm little tongue, she secretly licked the place where she had bitten just now.
Qing You said, “You’ve fooled me again.”
Li Mo squeezed her thigh while holding her horizontally.
You’re already so exhausted, yet you still have the energy to act up!
At this moment, a red figure suddenly flew out slowly from the basket.
Meng Tian did not expect anyone to be inside.
Looking at the woman in the red dress who was floating beside Fei Yan, life or death unknown, he suddenly thought of something.
With a shocked expression, he said, “Is this… Bai Xianwu?”
Han said that Li Mo had captured the Hann Princess Hongliang and the general.
Judging by her age, the spirited girl should be the Princess Hongliang.
And this motionless woman in a red dress must be the Hann general!
Li Mo nodded and said, “That’s right, it’s her.”
Meng Tian and the cavalry were greatly shaken in their hearts!
Did the National Advisor really capture Han’s general?
Everyone was extremely puzzled.
How did he evade Han’s search while carrying two hostages?
Otherwise, how could it be said that the National Advisor is like a deity descending to the mortal world!
No one else could have done it but him.
The amazement was not over yet when a sound of horse hooves faintly came from the distance.
Meng Tian’s expression condensed, quickly identifying the direction from which the sound was coming.
“It’s Hann cavalry! Do they intend to cross Hangu Pass?”
Fei Yan glanced at Bai Xianwu floating beside her and said lightly, “They’re here for her.”
When they left Han, several scouts followed them. Seeing Bai Xianwu here, those puppets would not remain indifferent.
Qin and Han use Hangu Pass as their boundary.
If any forces cross Hangu Pass, it amounts to a declaration of war.
Seeing the Hann cavalry advancing aggressively, Meng Tian climbed onto his horse without hesitation.
When Li Mo was in Han, Qin State never submitted.
Now that he is back, Han dares to chase after us, thinking Qin’s warhorses can’t run or our blades are rusted?
“Qin soldiers, heed my command!”
Meng Tian held his long halberd sideways, his voice like thunder.
“Attack!”
With a roar, it was as if adrenaline shot through the thousands of cavalrymen.
They responded loudly, brandishing their spears!
“Attack!”
The warhorses raised their hooves high and then brought them down heavily.
Thousands of cavalrymen launched a charge, their momentum overwhelming.
The ground seemed to tremble.
One rider broke away from the dust and charged into the Hangu Pass gorge!
A cloud of dust rose up, and the majestic warhorses surged past Hongliang like dark clouds.
For a moment, Hongliang stood there, not knowing what to do.
She is a Hann princess; those men are Hann soldiers.
They are also Hann citizens.
Deep down, she doesn’t want either side to go to war.
However, this was beyond her control.
Those puppet soldiers serve Bai Xianwu.
Forget about her as a princess; even if the Hann king were here, they might not listen.
Meng Tian led Qin’s cavalry into the gorge like a black arrow.
The echo of thunderous hooves reverberated off the steep cliffs.
The gravel on the ground turned to dust under the hard horseshoes, giving the impression that the force of thousands of cavalry was more like tens of thousands!
Their roar was like thunder, their movement like fierce tigers!
Soon, the cavalry of both sides met in the gorge.
The expressions of the three leading Hann generals changed dramatically.
How many men does the other side have?
Why does it feel like the cliffs might crumble from the vibrations!
“Whoa!”
The three generals pulled on their reins fiercely.
They couldn’t help but feel some fear looking at the powerful Qin cavalry.
This time, the leading generals were from the Bai clan.
Puppets have no fear, but these men do!
Both sides are cavalry, but the Qin cavalry have a momentum to shatter mountains and rivers!
If the generals felt fear, how could the soldiers behind them not?
From the thunderous sound alone, it seemed like the Qin had at least twice the cavalry!
“How… how do they have so many?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
Before the battle even began, Hann morale plummeted.
The three generals looked extremely grim.
Cavalry relies on charging; now that they’ve stopped, it’s not easy to get their speed back up.
The three exchanged glances and immediately made a decision.
Retreat!
“Retreat! Quick, exit the canyon!”
Thousands of cavalry were frightened by the overwhelming momentum.
They retreated like a tide, wishing their warhorses had eight legs.
On the other side of the canyon.
Hongliang, out of breath, ran to Bai Xianwu’s side and kicked her in the butt.
“It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault!”
If it weren’t for Bai Xianwu, those Hann soldiers wouldn’t have dared to charge across Hangu Pass without a royal decree.
In the eyes of those generals, Bai Xianwu was more authoritative than the Hann king.
Seeing Hongliang vent her anger on Bai Xianwu, Li Mo couldn’t help but find it a bit amusing.
Was she dissatisfied because she, a princess, was less important than a general, or was she worried about the Hann soldiers’ casualties?
Only she herself knew.
“Alright, stop kicking. Kick her acupuncture points open, and she’ll kill you the moment she wakes up.”
Hongliang was so frightened by Li Mo’s words that she stepped back.
Instantly scared!
“Don’t worry, there wasn’t a fight.”
Li Mo held Yan Lingji and hadn’t put her down.
Although internal strength could be replenished, Yan Lingji was currently weaker than a normal person.
“No fight?”
Hongliang was taken aback.
How could there be no fight?
Li Mo pursed his lips.
“The Hanns retreated.”
Rather than retreating, they were scared off.
Not only were the Hann king’s subjects cowardly, but even the soldiers lacked courage.
When confronted by the imposing Meng Tian, they lost their will to fight on the spot.
Meng Tian, wielding his long halberd, charged forward as if desperate.
Behind him, the densely packed cavalry, each equipped with horseshoes.
The sound they made in the canyon was even more overwhelming than tens of thousands of cavalry.
At first, Hongliang didn’t believe it.
Until Meng Tian emerged from the canyon on horseback, glancing disdainfully at Bai Xianwu, she finally believed it.
The Hann soldiers were really scared away.
Hongliang felt terrible.
With such troops, how could they possibly resist Qin?
In terms of both military strength and morale, they were far inferior.
If a war truly broke out and Hangu Pass was breached, Han wouldn’t last even six months.
In the military camp.
Hongliang’s mood was visibly lower than before.
She glanced at Li Mo several times, wanting to say something but stopping short.
Lying on her side on the bed, Yan Lingji watched her with interest.
She pointed at Li Mo and said, “Do you have something to say to him?”
Hongliang pouted, nodded, and then shook her head.
Yan Lingji rolled her eyes and kicked Li Mo, who was sitting by her bed.
Li Mo had long noticed Hongliang’s odd behavior.
He turned his head and asked, “Feeling homesick? Should I send someone to take you back?”
It’s normal for a child to miss home when they lose their curiosity.
Hongliang tilted her head and said angrily, “Of course not! This princess is just… just…”
“Just what?”
Li Mo asked, amused.
Hongliang muttered for a while, then asked seriously, “Now that you’re back, can’t we stop the war?”
She was worried that Li Mo would really destroy Han.
It was evident from Meng Tian’s earlier charge.
Between Qin and Han, they were not even on the same level!
Li Mo pondered for a moment before saying, “The war between the two countries is not something you or I can decide.”
Hongliang boldly retorted, “Isn’t it because of you that the war started?”
Li Mo smiled and said, “Even without this war, how many more years do you think Han can last? A country rotten to the core will ultimately face a fate worse than destruction.”
“Those people will drink the blood of your citizens, break their bones, and suck their marrow.”
“Or, Bai Xianwu could take control of all of Han’s power.”
“Regicide and usurpation, ascending the throne.”
“And throw you into Jiao Fang Si, to be toyed with and humiliated by men.”
“Is that the outcome you want?”
Hongliang was so frightened that her little face turned white. With her delicate eyebrows raised, she said angrily, “How dare they? I am the princess (Zhao Hao)!”
Li Mo sneered, “If you weren’t a princess, they wouldn’t even be interested. They’ve already rebelled with Bai Xianwu, there’s nothing they wouldn’t dare.”
“The more noble your status, the more excited those men get.”
Hongliang knew he was telling the truth.
She shrank back, her body collapsing.
“Do we really have to fight? But you’re already back, didn’t you say you were just going to scare my father?”
Li Mo hadn’t expected things to turn out this way either.
He had sent the black jade qilin back to inform Meng Tian only to put pressure on the Emperor of Han.
He hadn’t anticipated that the Empress Dowager and Emperor of Qin would directly mobilize an army of 400,000.
This was clearly an intention to flatten Han!
Li Mo pursed his lips and said, “Mobilizing an army of 400,000 is not a small matter. If they can’t give a satisfactory explanation to the officials and citizens of Qin, even the Emperor of Qin and the Empress Dowager would find it hard to step down.”
Yan Lingji glanced at him meaningfully.
She suddenly said softly, “The Empress Dowager must value you quite a bit to send 400,000 troops to rescue you.”
Li Mo pointed his finger at her forehead and pressed her back onto the bed.
“Go to sleep.”
The day after Li Mo returned, Wang Jian arrived with the remaining 300,000 troops.
The moment he saw Li Mo, Wang Jian thought he was seeing things.
The Emperor of Han was frantically searching for Li Mo within the country, so how could he appear unscathed in the Qin camp?
He wasn’t the only one shocked.
When the news reached the Emperor of Han, the king was dumbfounded!
He had mobilized such a large force for so long, and he couldn’t do anything to him in Han. Now that he’s back in Qin, it would be even more impossible to get him back easily.
In the Qin camp.
Wang Jian carefully observed the red-clad woman Li Mo had brought back.
After a while, he drew in a breath of disbelief, “It really is Bai Xianwu.”
“General Wang recognizes her?”
From his words, Li Mo inferred that he must have met her before.
Wang Jian nodded, “I saw her once more than twenty years ago when she wasn’t yet a female marquis.”
“I didn’t expect that after twenty years, she hasn’t aged a bit.”
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