A few days later, the city of Tianyue Mountain had taken shape.
Meanwhile, news arrived from Xichuan City that Li Hu's troops were on their way there.
Therefore, Lin Mo left Bai Qi, Qin Zhixing, Guo Wenlong, and others behind. He himself led twenty heavily armored Tang cavalrymen and fifty one-star light cavalrymen back to Xichuan City.
The accompanying military officers included Xu Chu, Yao Guangxiao, and the newly reported Ran Min.
With Yao Guangxiao and Ran Min in Xichuan City, everything is already foolproof.
But if military power is just handed over to a new general so inexplicably, and Lin Mo doesn't show his face or say anything, how can the soldiers of Xichuan City possibly submit?
They weren't soldiers redeemed by the system, expected to obey orders without question.
At the same time, Lin Mo also wanted to meet the important figure that Li Hu had sent.
Upon returning to Xichuan City, Lin Mo first went to pay his respects to his birth mother, Jiang Wan'er. Hearing of Lin Mo's achievements, Jiang Wan'er was overjoyed.
After staying at the palace for a day, the troop of provisions sent by the Empress appeared in Shu.
Lin Mo would never let the other party into the city, and the other party was well aware of this.
So both sides sent envoys and chose a place for negotiations.
The location was a patch of withered yellow grass dotted with gray and white mushrooms and freshly cut tree stumps.
“My lord, we have arrived too early,” Ran Min commented as they rode between the tree stumps, isolated between the two armies.
The Lin family's banner fluttered joyfully atop the long spears gripped tightly by the heavily armored cavalry of the Tang Dynasty.
Before Lin Mo set out to conquer Dos, he ordered the felling of trees and the repair of the city walls in order to strengthen the defenses.
Every few years, a cycle begins. Lin Mo couldn't help but wonder how tall this forest had grown. Many years ago, when he and his father, Lin Wenzhong, attacked Xichuan City, they had also passed through this forest, cut down trees, and built siege towers and catapults.
That time, Lin Wenzhong led him to a great victory, a victory without bloodshed.
This time, although it may not be in Xichuan City, it will obviously be a bloodbath!
“My lord, you really didn’t need to come,” Ran Min said again. “With your status, there’s no need for you to take such a risk.”
"Don't worry, I have Xu Chu!" Lin Mo's simple words moved Xu Chu to tears.
"Indeed, I am the most important one in my lord's heart!" Xu Chu thought excitedly.
Soon after, several cavalrymen appeared in the distance, slowly approaching.
“It’s Li Liang!” Qiao Shan said. As Lin Wenzhong’s subordinate, he had seen Li Liang before. “That bastard Li Hu actually sent him!”
"Is this person very powerful?" Xu Chu asked dismissively.
“Very impressive!” Lin Mo replied.
Li Liang lived in the shadow of his elder brother for most of his life, especially after their parents passed away, when he became Li Hu's most trusted deputy and confidant.
He proved himself to be a talented and competent leader through his own abilities. His strategic thinking, loyal and outstanding support, and personal charisma made him an exceptional individual.
At the same time, he was also the most capable general in the Great Xia Dynasty besides Lin Wenzhong!
He's even better at fighting than Li Hu!
"The difficulty level has increased again!" Lin Mo thought to himself.
It wasn't until he got closer that Lin Mo could clearly see that Li Liang was wearing the first-rank armor that only a Jianwei General of the Great Xia Dynasty could wear.
His belt was adorned with jewels, and his magnificent sword further emphasized his status.
His banner, a vibrant red like the sun, depicts a fiery red heart surrounded by a circle of crimson flames.
"The banner of the Crimson Flame Army!" Qiao Shan exclaimed.
"Li Hu is really going all out!" Lin Mo thought to himself, "He's even sent the family's most elite troops."
Legend has it that the Crimson Flame Army is invincible and the most elite force in the Great Xia Dynasty. They are stationed in the north of the Great Xia Dynasty year-round to deter the northern barbarians.
It can be said that if the Chiyan Army had not been stationed in the north, Lin Wenzhong would not have been able to spare the resources to launch campaigns in the east and west.
It was precisely for this reason that Li Hu harbored a deep grudge against Lin Wenzhong.
He believed that if Lin Wenzhong were to guard the north, his Chiyan Army could still expand the territory for the Empress.
Of course, his differing views with Lin Wenzhong on other aspects also contributed to the conflict.
What surprised Lin Mo even more was that one of the entourage accompanying Li Liang was actually an Arab.
And, she's a woman!
The man was dressed in bright red, his face hidden in a scarlet hood.
“People from Xuanhua Palace!” Qiao Shan exclaimed in surprise.
"This..." Lin Mo was immediately taken aback.
This organization has many branches and deep roots, but it has always been active in the far north of the Arab world and in the distant Eastern Zhou Dynasty, and has never really ventured into the Western Xia.
At the same time, this organization only trains one profession: assassin!
Simply put, Xuanhua Palace is the Assassin's Guild of this world!
"Li Hu, you're fucking insane!" Lin Mo couldn't help but curse inwardly. "Did I kill your whole family? Or rape your daughter? Is this the reason you're treating me like this?"
It turns out that the history of the Xuanhua Palace organization is even longer than that of the Great Xia Dynasty.
There is a legendary story about the origin of Xuanhua Palace.
This organization originated before the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty. In the ancient slave era, slaves often revolted, and the first assassin from Xuanhua Palace was one of the rebels.
This is history, and that's the point.
Hiring assassins from this organization to kill people is extremely expensive, very expensive, and extremely expensive!
For example, hiring Xuanhua Palace to assassinate a minor ninth-rank official would cost a thousand taels of gold even at half price.
And Lin Mo, the King of Shu of the Great Xia...
The cost will be unimaginable!
Seeing this, Lin Mo couldn't help but take a deep breath and subconsciously looked at Xu Chu, thinking to himself, "My Fan Kuai, you should be able to handle him!"
"Lin Mo!" Li Liang reined in his horse and greeted him with a cold formality. He nodded slightly, his hair even thinner than Lin Mo remembered.
"Li Liang!" Lin Mo replied in the same tone. "I didn't expect to run into you here."
His deep-set eyes made Lin Mo uncomfortable. He wasn't a man of elegant speech or refined manners.
"I won't waste any more words with you," Li Liang said. "Give up Xichuan City, and then come back to the capital with me!"
"If this is what you're here to tell me, there's no need to talk anymore!" Lin Mo said.
“I guarantee you will get justice!” Li Liang said.
"Fairness? What, have I broken the law?" Lin Mo wanted to laugh.
“Yes, my brother said you are holding military power and plotting a rebellion!” Li Liang was not as cunning as his brother Li Hu; he was always straightforward and would carry out orders exactly as Li Hu told him.
"So, you're not here to deliver military rations!" Xu Chu interrupted.
Lin Mo: "..."
Have you ever seen the most elite border troops of the Great Xia Dynasty delivered military supplies?
Li Liang was also surprised by Xu Chu's remarks, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
“Alright, you’re definitely here to cause trouble,” Xu Chu said again.
Lin Mo frowned. "Can you tell us something we don't know?" he thought to himself.
Before anyone else could react, Xu Chu immediately raised his double axes and shouted, "You scoundrel, you actually tried to assassinate my prince! Take this!"
These words shocked everyone.
"Holy crap, what are you doing?!" Lin Mo shouted.
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