Chapter Thirty-Two

Since all the millet had been fed before the battle, the warhorses were running much slower than before they set off. Mo Yinghuo's army had been traveling for several days, and it would only take another half day to return to the camp.

Zhao Shu remained taciturn throughout the journey, riding alongside Yu Moyinghuo. When they rested and slowed down, they would exchange a few words, then suddenly fall silent again.

No matter how hard Mo Yinghuo racked his brains to come up with topics to talk about, Zhao Shu could always slap back the words he had painstakingly come up with and let him digest and ponder them himself.

However, she still managed to glean some information from the few words exchanged over the past few days.

For example, Zhao Shu has an older sister, the second oldest in his family; Zhao Shu's mother visited Yunxiu Kingdom and met his father; his father once saved the people of Yelan Star and helped them return home; Yelan Star is perpetually summery with abundant sunshine and only two hours of darkness per day; Zhao Shu frequently travels among the stars and rarely returns to Yelan Star; the Xuan Stone Array was not created by the people of Shiling Kingdom on their own, but was taught to them by someone, though Zhao Shu doesn't know who that person was…

Finally, the trip these past few days hadn't been in vain. Mo Yinghuo felt quite good.

They would arrive at the military camp in a few hours. Mo Yinghuo stretched his arms and loosened his muscles, picked up the leather wine bag hanging on the horse's back, opened it, tilted his head back, and took a few sips.

Zhao Shu noticed that she had drunk from the wine sac several times in the past few days, and each time she opened the lid, a unique and mellow aroma wafted out, making him unable to resist glancing at her a few more times. The liquid from the sac slid down Mo Yinghuo's neck and into her bosom with a gurgling sound, and Zhao Shu quickly turned his face away. To be honest, he always found Mo Yinghuo somewhat unbelievable.

Feeling Zhao Shu's gaze, Mo Yinghuo lowered his wine pouch, turned to look at him, and smiled, "Zhao Shu, what's wrong?"

Zhao Shu asked quietly, "Is what you're drinking?"

"Hmm, Zhuyeqing wine. It soothes the mind, relieves irritability, aids digestion, and promotes salivation." After saying that, Mo Yinghuo handed the wine sachet to Zhao Shu. "I wonder if you have any on Yelan Star. Try a sip."

Zhao Shu was taken aback. His gaze fell on the mouth of the wine flask, his ears turned slightly red, and he gently shook his head. "General, thank you, but no need."

Mo Yinghuo didn't force him, tilting his head back to drink a few more sips. He secretly glanced at Zhao Shu, who seemed a little uneasy beside him, and thought to himself, "Does he mind that I drank from this? No way." Well, judging from his usual reluctance to touch things with others, he definitely wouldn't share something with anyone else.

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Shu suddenly asked, "General, are you allowed to drink alcohol while on a march?"

Mo Yinghuo casually hung the wine pouch back on his horse, smiled, and said, "It's alright, this wine isn't very strong; I just used it to quench my thirst. I didn't expect Su Zang to have Zhuyeqing wine; it's been a long time since I've had any. By the way, Zhao Shu, do you drink it where you're from?"

Zhao Shu: "Drink."

Mo Yinghuo raised an eyebrow. "Then will you drink it?"

Zhao Shu: "Drink."

Mo Yinghuo raised an eyebrow again, "So how is your alcohol tolerance? When we return to the capital, I'll invite you to the most bustling Yanxi Tower in the city to taste the purest wine of our Yunxiu Kingdom. Let me tell you, even the cinnamon wine and pepper wine in the palace can't compare to the refreshing taste of Yanxi Tower."

Zhao Shu did not answer him.

Mo Yinghuo seemed to be used to it. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Zhao Shu, I suddenly remembered something. I've been asking you questions these days. If you have any questions about this place, you can ask me too. It's only fair to return the favor."

Zhao Shu nodded, gave Mo Yinghuo a meaningful look, and then asked casually, "Are all the generals of Yunxiu Kingdom as fair-skinned as you?"

"..."

What goes around comes around. Now it's Mo Yinghuo's turn to want to present herself as an elegant beauty, but alas, her words have become a flood, leaving her with no choice but to go shirtless. Sigh, now that Zhao Shu has asked but hasn't answered, isn't that a lack of sincerity?

She rubbed her temples helplessly and sighed, "No, it's just that this general is naturally beautiful and can't get tanned. Once on the battlefield, I can't help but look tanned." After saying that, Mo Yinghuo suddenly had a sudden realization and thought to herself, "Isn't this blatant flirting?"

She glanced at the person beside her out of the corner of her eye, still maintaining a solemn and dignified appearance, and smiled bitterly at herself for being presumptuous.

In fact, Mo Yinghuo was just a little fairer than others. However, soldiers are usually exposed to wind, sun and rain. They are either thick-skinned or at least have a sunny appearance like wheat in the field.

Zhao Shu possessed such a resolute appearance; his bronze skin perfectly complemented his exceptionally handsome and elegant face, making Mo Yinghuo's snow-white complexion stand out even more in comparison. Had they not been comrades for several years, the soldiers might have jokingly remarked that Zhao Shu was the one who had fought on the battlefield, enduring countless battles and the elements.

The cruel and bloody battlefield seemed to have a special pity for Mo Yinghuo, unwilling to leave too many hard marks on her body. Only the five years of conquest had vaguely blurred the scene and preserved some things for her.

However, if someone were to remove the armor covering her body, the cold scars and sword marks might shockingly appear in her terrified eyes, just as ruthlessness is ruthlessness, like some things that appear glamorous on the surface but are actually rotten inside.

The White Moon Silver Spear has always been a thorn in the side of the enemy, insidious and terrifying; it couldn't have appeared out of thin air.

Mo Yinghuo turned his head and saw Zhao Shu maintaining a calm and silent demeanor. He then said to himself, "Actually, Zhao Shu, it's not that I, the general, am completely innocent. It's just that it's too obvious when I stand next to you."

Zhao Shu turned his face, looked at him intently, and said quietly, "Wuxia..."

"..."

Sure enough, you can't say even a joke.

Military camp.

Shu Rong spurred his horse and returned to the camp, asking the soldier on guard, "Has the general returned yet?"

The soldier cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to the lieutenant general, the general has returned."

Shu Rong's face lit up with joy. "Where?"

Soldier: "Just now in the camp, I saw that the deputy general had not returned yet, so I went out with Young Master Zhao. The general told me to see the deputy general and ask you to go to his camp and wait for him."

Shu Rong asked curiously, "Did they go out on horseback?"

Soldier: "Reporting to the lieutenant, it's time to walk."

"Walking." Shu Rong's tone was a little surprised.

Then, he rode his horse toward Mo Yinghuo's camp.

As night fell, the last rays of sunlight had not yet faded, and the evening stars rose in glittering light. Shu Rong gazed at the clouds stretching to the horizon; the sunset had almost painted the entire sky crimson, except for Venus, which was nowhere to be seen. The border between the two countries remained a stretch of yellow sand, but the city gates of Chencheng were different from a few days ago, wide open.

The people of Dongliang in the city walked out openly and cheerfully, still strolling and chatting outside the military camp, occasionally greeting the Yunxiu soldiers guarding the area. They showed no sign of the dejection or bitterness of a defeated nation. With the emperor far away and the mountains high, many people's life goal was simply to guard their own small plots of land, live a peaceful life, and die of old age.

Shu Rong was overjoyed at the sight before her. She waved to the patrolling soldiers and, as they approached, said, "Have the cooks prepare three more bowls of longevity noodles tonight—no, four bowls. Make sure the broth is made from bones, and that it has pork belly and vegetables. Send it to the general's tent."

The patrolling soldier bowed and replied, "Yes, sir."

"Lock up these women and send more soldiers to guard them. We'll deal with them when the general returns." After giving the orders, Shu Rong dismounted and walked straight towards Mo Yinghuo's camp.

Just now, after returning to her tent, Mo Yinghuo noticed that Gongliang Zhong and Shu Rong had not yet returned, so she went out alone. She intended to greet the people of Dongliang in Chencheng, but just as she was about to approach, she noticed someone standing not far away under the peach tree where she often rode her horse. She drew her clairvoyant eyes from her waist, looked around, and immediately a carefree smile appeared on her lips. She waved enthusiastically to the Dongliang girls who had been giving "him" several flirtatious glances, then walked towards the peach tree.

Beneath the peach tree stood Zhao Shu. He had changed his clothes again, now wearing a long, straight-collared, dark robe with narrow sleeves and a beautiful drape. A moon-white belt cinched his waist, and his black hair was casually tied back with a red ribbon. A few strands of hair were accidentally blown across his forehead by the wind. His tall, slender body stood ramrod straight, exuding an innate aloofness. Against the backdrop of the red blossoms, he appeared even more handsome and noble than usual, truly elegant and refined.

Mo Yinghuo approached, somewhat mesmerized. Arms crossed, she stood quietly a short distance away, scrutinizing Zhao Shu. Finally, her gaze settled on Zhao Shu's waist, cinched tighter than usual by the belt, and she found herself lost in thought. A gentle breeze blew, and a few wisps of crimson obscured her eyes. Mo Yinghuo suddenly felt a jolt of fear, exclaiming in alarm, "Heavens, what am I looking at?"

A moment later, she recalled the scene of Zhao Shu taking off his belt in the Xuan Stone Formation and slowly leading her out of the formation. Her face flushed slightly, and she cursed herself in her heart, "It must be a lingering effect from that time. The power of this Xuan Stone Formation is indeed not to be underestimated."

Mo Yinghuo stood there blankly, not approaching for a while, trying to find a way to excuse himself from the tree's righteous and awe-inspiring words. He forgot to look away, his thoughts drifting deeper and deeper.

The fragrance of the flowers was particularly alluring, as if in a dream a pair of white hands tightly gripped that strong, slender waist, enduring the surging waves, shedding tears and letting out a few pleas for mercy, the bedsheets soaked to an unknown depth...

"Have you seen enough?" Zhao Shu suddenly said calmly, glancing at Mo Yinghuo out of the corner of his eye.

Mo Yinghuo was so startled by his question that she almost stumbled. She awkwardly scratched the back of her neck, her cinnabar mole between her eyebrows burning red. She laughed loudly, "Haha, I've seen enough, I've seen enough..." Before she could finish speaking, she wished she could dig a hole and bury herself, and throw some yellow soil over herself. Anyway, in this important border region, everything is lacking, but not this gravel of yellow sand.

Zhao Shu remained motionless, glanced at him calmly, then turned away without saying anything more.

Mo Yinghuo finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Zhao Shu hadn't noticed his lapse in composure. He walked over, put his hands behind his back, looked up at the peach blossoms, and said with satisfaction, "These peach blossoms are even more beautiful than when I left. It would be even better if they could bear a few peaches."

Zhao Shu glanced at her and said softly, "General, it won't grow without pollination."

Mo Ying looked at him, puzzled.

Zhao Shu patiently explained, "For pollination to occur, just like men and women need to meet and have sex in order to have children."

Mo Yinghuo suddenly realized that although she had grown up in the palace and often went out to play with Shu Rong, most of the books she usually read were about how to govern the country and how to fight a war. She rarely looked up anything about farming.

The nobles, brimming with knowledge, could speak eloquently, but if they were to discuss matters of grain cultivation with the sons of farmers, they would surely feel utterly ashamed and would inevitably sigh, "To truly understand something, one must put it into practice."

Therefore, one should not underestimate oneself, but one should also not underestimate oneself. Mo Yinghuo smiled wryly, not expecting that she had overlooked such a simple truth. She reached out and caught a few falling petals, admiringly saying, "Zhao Shu, I didn't expect you to know so much."

Zhao Shu froze abruptly and slowly turned his face away.

"If only these peach blossoms could stay and keep blooming." Mo Yinghuo clearly didn't notice Zhao Shu's unusual behavior. She simply took a few more pleasant glances at the peach tree. She wondered what kind of shock her younger brother had suffered in the capital. The letter from the Starry Sky Division was extremely urgent, practically telling her to stop fighting and rush back immediately.

After Mo Yinghuo finished speaking, Zhao Shu raised his eyes slightly, glanced at the peach blossoms, and said softly, "Flowers always have to wither."

Mo Yinghuo was just talking to himself. Seeing that Zhao Shu had actually responded, he stretched and smiled, but said somewhat dejectedly, "Well, it's just a wishful thinking. Young Master Zhao, you don't need to take it seriously."

She paused, then resumed her usual demeanor. "By the way, get a good rest tonight. We'll head back to the capital early tomorrow morning and take you to meet the Emperor of Yunxiu Kingdom. I had Xingchen Si inform him about your assistance earlier, and the Emperor has been eagerly anticipating meeting you. What do you think?"

Zhao Shu nodded.

"We just heard the sound of horses' footsteps. I guess Gongliang Zhong and Shurong have returned. Let's go back to our camp," Mo Yinghuo said.

Zhao Shu looked thoughtfully at Mo Yinghuo's retreating figure, then glanced at the peach tree, and after a moment, followed him.

Gongliang Zhong stared at the dozen or so women. For some reason, he felt something was off. The surrounding environment was perfectly normal, yet it always exuded an eeriness. Even his warhorse was restless and eager to run towards the military camp.

Could something have happened at the military camp? Gongliang Zhong frowned slightly, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Tie up all these Dongliang people and search them to see if they are carrying gunpowder," Gongliang Zhong ordered the soldiers beside him.

The dozen or so women were unusually docile and obedient this time, readily extending their hands for the soldiers to tie. A search was conducted, but no gunpowder was found.

Gong Liangzhong: "Take him back to the military camp."

He had barely finished speaking when suddenly, a black sphere appeared not far in the air ahead. Gongliang Zhong stared intently at the strange object before him. If it was just a sphere, he sensed that it contained a massive object.

He realized that it wasn't black, but darkness. The soldiers and the dozen or so women all widened their eyes. The Yunzhao soldiers gripped their swords tightly, sensing a familiar yet strange aura of killing intent emanating continuously from the black sphere.

In a short while, nearly 20,000 soldiers clad in black armor stood imposingly before Gongliang Zhong. These soldiers were completely covered in armor, obscuring their eyes.

Gongliang Zhong drew his sword from his waist, pointed it at the black-armored soldiers, and sternly shouted, "Dongliang soldiers, Dongliang has surrendered. Do not make futile struggles."

Suddenly, the leader standing in front of the black-armored soldiers let out two cold laughs, like a wolf howling. He pressed one hand hard against his chest, causing the black armor to tighten. The leader then raised his hand, removed his helmet from his head, and finally took off his entire black armor.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers behind him quickly removed their heavy armor.

Gongliang Zhong frowned as he stared at the group of people who had suddenly appeared, who were neither soldiers nor civilians. Only after they removed their armor did Gongliang Zhong and the Yunzhao army see their faces clearly.

After removing their armor, these people were noticeably shorter. Gongliang Zhongzhong noticed that they were not tall but stocky, with large, round heads, broad faces, high cheekbones, wide noses, thick eyebrows, and almond-shaped eyes.

The one leading the group had a small tuft of stiff beard under his chin.

Everyone held a short, straight knife with an inner blade, their eyes gleaming, and their faces wore savage, sinister smiles, as if they had finally spotted their prey.

Looking at the faces of these people and the weapons in their hands, Gongliang Zhong suddenly realized that these soldiers were not from the Eastern Liang Kingdom, but were Xiongnu people!

Why would the Northern Barbarians come to the Eastern Liang Kingdom? He had no time to think about it. He spurred his horse forward, and a fierce battle ensued.