"I just felt something was off, so I prepared a little more," Qin Mu explained.
"It's good to be prepared. Luckily you're alright! We underestimated the enemy this time. Yesterday, someone attacked Lantian and other counties, causing a lot of chaos and attracting some manpower. Then there were wild beasts, and traps were placed on the road to keep them occupied."
Several more groups of men appeared in other mountain ranges. I captured three hundred men before I realized I'd been tricked!" Qin Qiong explained. Setting a trap wouldn't involve too many men, as it would be difficult to conceal them. Each of them only brought five hundred soldiers.
"Was the person they caught an imposter?" Qin Mu guessed.
“That’s right. They are ordinary people who have been paid to do strange things. They get paid, new clothes, and are threatened, so they do these inexplicable things under the guidance of certain people. Mu’er, how did you find out?” Qin Qiong asked.
Qin Mu certainly couldn't say that this tactic had been thoroughly figured out. Every time, bad guys would lure some people to do something harmless in order to attract the attention of the investigators.
"I was just guessing! Otherwise, Father, you should have shown up much earlier and attacked from both inside and outside, instead of waiting on the periphery," Qin Mu said with a smile.
"Yes! That's right! The plan we made earlier was to attack from both inside and outside, blockade the perimeter, and leave no one out!" Qin Qiong nodded.
As they were talking, two more groups of people carrying flags slowly walked over.
"Uncle, are you thinking of becoming a monk?" Qin Mu asked in surprise, looking at Luo Cheng.
There is a saying that our bodies, hair, and skin are given to us by our parents, and we dare not damage them, which is the beginning of filial piety. Although Luo Cheng was not a Confucian scholar, he would never cut his hair. However, the Luo Cheng who appeared in front of Qin Mu had only a short hair.
"Don't even mention it! We ran into a fire-breathing creature and almost got burned to death!" Luo Cheng said with a gloomy expression.
"A fire-breathing thing? What's that?" Qin Mu asked in surprise.
"A giant winged lizard! It was so hard to kill it!" Luo Cheng said, still seething with anger.
Upon hearing about the winged four-legged snake, Qin Mu immediately thought of the legendary Western dragon and asked curiously, "How big is that thing? Can it fly?"
"Huge! Bah! That thing was really big! With its wings spread, it was as big as a house. It took a lot of effort to kill it, and dozens of people died!" Luo Cheng raised an eyebrow, saying with a hint of smugness. After all, killing such a big guy was quite an achievement, even if it tasted a bit awful.
These monster meats were naturally meant for Li Shimin, but that wouldn't stop him from secretly eating some first; after all, with so many wounds, it wouldn't be noticeable. He then winked at Qin Mu. Qin Mu understood that his uncle had probably kept some for himself again.
"It's alright, Uncle! You look quite handsome! You have a buzz cut, black hair, and a silver cloak; you've spent your whole life on the battlefield," Qin Mu comforted him with a smile.
"Haha! I love hearing that!" Luo Cheng tossed his white cloak over his shoulder and laughed loudly.
Hearing Luo Cheng's laughter, everyone looked over, wanting to see why this famously cold-faced general was laughing so happily.
"Uncle, I can make you even more handsome, do you want to give it a try!" Qin Mu said, his eyes darting around.
"Really?" Luo Cheng asked. He had been troubled lately by the fact that his flowing long hair was gone, which was completely unbecoming of his handsome Luo Cheng persona.
"Of course! When have I ever lied to you!" Qin Mu said with certainty.
"Okay, you do it!"
"No rush, let's get the people arranged first!"
"Okay! Go ahead and get busy!" Luo Cheng waved his hand.
Once it was confirmed that it was safe, Qin Mu immediately ordered his men to thoroughly clean up the battlefield, as the area outside the camp hadn't been cleared yet. The promise of unlimited meat excited everyone, especially the reinforcements, who all eagerly volunteered to help.
Qin Mu then arranged for the meat to be cooked before taking Luo Cheng into the tent. His plan was actually quite simple: to give Luo Cheng a proper buzz cut, unlike his current uneven and messy hair.
A buzz cut was one of Qin Mu's favorite hairstyles, but that was in the past. Now he prefers long, flowing hair, especially with a martial arts-style outfit. Who doesn't dream of being a chivalrous hero?
With his current hand stability, shaving a buzz cut would be a piece of cake for him; he'd get it done in no time! He handed the bronze sword to Luo Cheng.
Luo Cheng opened his eyes wide and looked at the face inside the bronze sword. He reached up and touched his head, but couldn't see clearly. He couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
"Let's go! Let's find a basin of water!" Luo Cheng said, getting up.
"If you need water, the kitchen is the place to go," Qin Mu said helplessly, leading him towards the logistics department. Qin Mu was quite pleased with Luo Cheng's energetic hairstyle; many people had seen it along the way. When they arrived at the cooking area, Luo Cheng eagerly found the water vat and examined it closely.
"Hehe! Not bad! Not bad!" Luo Cheng reached out and touched it again and again, nodding in satisfaction.
"Not bad, Uncle. Let me tell you, it's just that the tools aren't good enough, otherwise I could have made it even more impressive!" Qin Mu said, looking at his masterpiece.
Ahem! Well, because I used a bronze sword to shave my head, it's shaved quite clean. However, the top and bangs aren't perfectly smooth, but that's okay. Messy can be beautiful too, at least it's much better than my previous patchy bald look!
"Oh! What tools do you need? Your uncle will get them for you!" Luo Cheng asked calmly, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"No rush, no rush, at least we should wait until your hair grows a bit longer, Uncle!"
"Alright! This is good too, it's quite cool!" Luo Cheng said, touching the back of his bald head again.
This is a habit of people with buzz cuts; touching the slightly prickly back of their heads feels nice. And going from long hair to short hair, especially with a gentle breeze, feels very comfortable.
"Huh! So much meat!" Luo Cheng then noticed the piles and hangings of meat in the camp, and many people were still busy, with dozens of campfires about to be smoked.
Qin Mu was unaware that it was precisely his smoking of wild animal meat, creating a cloud of smoke mixed with sparks, that made the enemy believe the casualties were too great. Because of the unusual weather, the fallen soldiers, once registered, had to be quickly buried or cremated.
"Yes! With so much beast meat, we must make cured meat quickly in this weather. Although the spiritual energy is a bit weak, at least our blood and qi are still there."
"Hmm, we can have a feast today. It's a pity it's just an ordinary beast. It would be better if it had some kind of blood-gathering wolf smoke." Luo Cheng sighed.
"If there were so many ferocious beasts that had embarked on cultivation, you wouldn't be able to see me anymore!"
"That's true. Let me tell you, it's not my fault. Before we even returned to Chang'an, His Majesty's decree arrived. I knew there were experts here, so I secretly summoned Brother Bu and the others. And guess what happened?" Luo Cheng explained.
"What did you encounter?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"Hehe! A group of martial arts practitioners, all skilled fighters, 120 men, were surrounded and killed by us in the valley," Luo Cheng said smugly.
Qin Mu then understood why only a little over a hundred martial arts practitioners rushed into the camp. It turned out that it wasn't because there were only that many people, but because the others couldn't get there.
During this period of time, two more groups of people arrived, each numbering four or five hundred. They were covered in blood, clearly having been through a fierce battle.
By the time the sun was high in the sky, eight reinforcement teams had gathered at the camp. Li Ji, Chai Shao, Li Daozong, Hou Junji, Zhang Gongjin, Zhang Shigui, plus Luo Cheng and Qin Qiong—one can imagine the scale of the scheme they had devised.
There were too many people and not enough bowls, but that didn't matter. Large chunks of meat were scooped directly from the pot and placed on a wooden board, so people could tear them apart with their hands. Meanwhile, meat was being roasted over a fire. Since there was no rice to eat today, they were just having meat!
In the past, it was said to be even more lively than the Lunar New Year. This is the current situation at the campsite. Just eat as much as you want! If you can't wait, just grill it yourself!
Qin Mu and his group were not so rough. In his Heavenly Mystery Tower, there were some furniture left by Guiguzi, including bowls and basins. If he wasn't afraid of attracting attention, he could have taken out a few bronze tripods.
They had gathered quite a few medicinal herbs recently, so they took them out and cooked them in the pot. The meat of these wild beasts was truly delicious; the texture was firm and chewy, without the gamey smell of ordinary wild animals. This is where the power of martial arts practitioners truly shone. They continuously circulated their qi and blood, absorbing the nutrients from the meat. The higher their cultivation level, the more they could eat. Qin Qiong and the others ate with gusto, their faces flushed, as if they had drunk strong liquor! Thick steam billowed from their nostrils.
After a satisfying meal, the reinforcements dispersed, but left behind a couple hundred men to help guard the camp, as they had missions to fulfill. Qin Mu, however, had not received orders to evacuate, so he decided to stay and continue training.
Of course! When the reinforcements left, Qin Mu gave them a large amount of wild beast meat, firstly to leave a good impression, and secondly because wolf meat wasn't very tasty, and the hides had already been removed anyway!
If we're talking about who has the most freedom, it has to be Luo Cheng. He doesn't hold any real position now, so he just needs to send his soldiers back to report their orders.
"Uncle, what are you doing staying here? You haven't been home for so long, don't you miss your wife and children?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
Luo Cheng patted his stomach, letting the sunlight filter through the leaves and fall on him, and lazily replied with his eyes closed, "It's okay, I'll go back in a few days!"
"No way! You must have a reason!" Qin Mu asked incredulously. A man, if there's a woman waiting for him at home, can't possibly not be eager to go back after being away for so long.
"Ahem! Well! Huai Dao, you're a smart kid, give your uncle some advice!" Luo Cheng thought Qin Mu had really figured it out, so he sat up and said apologetically.
There really was a problem. Qin Mu hadn't expected that his casual remark would actually elicit such a response. He immediately sat up straight and looked at Luo Cheng with great interest, asking, "It's alright, Uncle, just tell me, and I'll give you some ideas."
"Well! Before I met your aunt, my uncle knew someone else, but her older brother died and she disappeared!" Luo Cheng glanced around guiltily before approaching Qin Mu and whispering.
"You bumped into me again?" Qin Mu's eyes lit up, and he asked in a low voice as well. The two whispered to each other under the tree, as if they were making an appointment.
"Yes! And she brought her daughter with her!"
"Uncle, is this yours?"
"Of course!" Luo Cheng said confidently, then lowered his voice and said, "You know that our Luo family is small, and I can't let my daughter wander outside!"
"Of course! Uncle, why don't you just take them back?"
"I haven't figured out how to tell your aunt yet. What if they start fighting if I suddenly take them back?" Luo Cheng said with a sigh.
"Are they all experts?"
"I can't beat them both together," Luo Cheng said, his face flushed.
"Yes, I have two ideas!" Qin Mu understood this worry. Just like when he saw the Changning County Magistrate resort to violence, he wondered what would happen if he were subjected to domestic violence himself. He shook his head to banish the horrifying image from his mind and then said...
"What method?"
"The first solution is to send it to their home in Youzhou!"
"No, no! What's the difference between that and never having reunited? I haven't made it up to them all these years!" Before Qin Mu could finish speaking, Luo Cheng shook his head in opposition.
"Then let's take her back to Chang'an, buy another house, and keep her hidden away like a golden cage!"
"It still won't work. A real man should take responsibility for his actions. We must give her a proper status!" Luo Cheng shook his head in opposition again.
"Then the only solution is to tell the truth. I'm sure my aunt will understand!"
“You don’t understand your aunt. Everything else is negotiable, but this is probably going to be difficult! With her fiery temper, she’ll definitely start a fight if I bring it up,” Luo Cheng said, shaking his head.
"Have you tried it?" Qin Mu asked.
"No, but I know her."
Considering that Luo Cheng didn't seem to have a single concubine, Qin Mu guessed that this aunt might indeed be quite possessive.
"Well, this matter will have to be brought up sooner or later. As you said yourself, a real man should be responsible for his actions! In my opinion, you can proceed in several steps!" Qin Mu thought for a moment and summarized his experience before speaking.
"Okay! Go ahead!" Luo Cheng listened attentively like a good child.
"The first step is to communicate with this cousin-in-law. Once you enter the Luo family, you can only be a junior member."
"Yes, no problem! She knows that."
"Then you need to confess to your aunt, make it clear that you met her first, and also say that you were just a mistress, and ask for her forgiveness. A man should be able to take things in stride! It's not shameful to bow down to your wife!" Qin Mu, acting as a relationship expert, said earnestly.
“No problem! Uncle isn’t afraid of losing face!” Luo Cheng said, taking a deep breath.
"Women are always soft-hearted. If you explain the situation and lower your stance, she will definitely understand. Although she may be a little temperamental, just coax her a bit and she'll be fine!"
"That's right, that's right! Huai Dao, you really solved a big problem for your uncle!" Luo Cheng said with a smile. Then his smile faded, his brows furrowed, and he asked again, "What if, and I mean what if, she still doesn't agree?"
"Then threaten to kill yourself! Uncle, pretend to feel guilty and say you're sorry to them. Why not just die and make it up to them in the next life? I don't believe that won't work!" Qin Mu's eyes lit up as he explained enthusiastically.
"Will this work?" Luo Cheng asked hesitantly.
"It'll definitely work! You need to act convincingly. First, think of some sad things in your mind, and make sure you're deeply emotional and moving! It would be best if you shed some tears!"
"Hmm! Not bad! Not bad! This will definitely work!" Luo Cheng imagined the scene and nodded in satisfaction.
"Yes! Uncle, you're absolutely right to do as I say! Anyway, what's done is done! What can we do if Aunt doesn't forgive me!"
"Good lad! We'll do it your way! I'm heading back to Chang'an now!" Luo Cheng patted Qin Mu excitedly, stood up, and left!
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