An old man sat on the chair. He was short and stout, with muscles as hard as stone. His gray beard trembled slightly in the wind, and his bald scalp was mottled with the marks of time. What was particularly striking was his left leg, which ended in a hollow, severed limb.
"Please forgive my frail body for being unable to rise to greet you." The old man's voice was low and hoarse, revealing a hint of weariness and vicissitude. He looked up at Lin Mo, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes, "Your Highness, it's been a long time."
Lin Mo frowned slightly, a strange surprise welling up inside him. "You recognize me?" His voice carried a hint of doubt and wariness.
The old man smiled slightly, a smile full of the vicissitudes of time and the wisdom accumulated over the years. "Although Your Highness has changed your appearance, your innate killing intent and kingly aura cannot be concealed no matter what." His words revealed a certainty and confidence, as if he had already seen through everything.
Upon hearing this, Lin Mo frowned deeply, as if a volcano was about to erupt. His voice carried a hint of displeasure and doubt, "Who are you?"
"Haha, I'm just a nobody!" The old man changed the subject abruptly, getting straight to the point. "But I've come here for one question—Your Highness, do you truly want to save your three wives?"
Lin Mo stared at the old man for a long time, but did not answer.
"Your Highness, those people at the Hourglass Inn won't be able to rescue your wife!"
"Then you can?" Lin Mo asked back.
This time, the old man didn't answer. Instead, he waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to bring a stool for him to sit down. "Your Highness, do you want to know what happened in the capital during the three years you were missing? Why did His Majesty, who treated you like a brother, suddenly accuse you of being a traitor?"
"Please speak!" Lin Mo said.
"Heh, because your subordinates have indeed shown signs of rebellion!"
“I know that,” Lin Mo said. “My subordinates have declared themselves emperors!”
"No, you don't know!" the old man retorted, "Yao Guangxiao established himself on your behalf only after His Majesty chose to oppose you!"
"Oh?" Lin Mo asked, puzzled. "Please continue!"
"In the capital city today, the people still love and respect Your Highness! Even though you have been missing for three years!" the old man said. "And this is precisely what His Majesty is most dissatisfied with about you!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Mo frowned.
Throughout history, what monarchs have always feared most is a subject whose achievements overshadow their own. Lin Mo, as a time traveler, was well aware of this.
But the problem is, that fat man doesn't seem like a "wise ruler" with grand ambitions!
At this moment, the old man continued, "Ah, Your Highness, as you know, the gossip among the common people is quite powerful. Two years ago, they said that Yao Guangxiao kept pouring poison into your ears, inciting you to rebel."
Unfortunately, during this time, a foreign army calling itself Emperor Constantine the Great suddenly appeared near the capital.
At that time, you led the main force of the entire Xia Dynasty to Shu to annihilate the coalition forces of Qiuzi Dashi and other countries.
How could the capital's defenses possibly contend with such a large army?
Look, right here within these city walls, Constantine breached the gates of the capital, and our Majesty was imprisoned for half a year.
Soon, another of your subordinates, Xiang Yu, led a large army to hold the city.
That lord has ample troops and can breach the city at any time.
But Constantine declared that if any sign of attack was seen, His Majesty would be executed.
"And then what happened?"
“Xiang Yu ignored Constantine’s words,” the old man said, “He…chosen to attack the city directly!”
"This..." Lin Mo hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.
"Alas!" the old man sighed. "This man's ability to command troops is indeed outstanding; he can be said to be a military genius rarely seen in thousands of years. His army quickly captured the city defended by Constantine."
After that, Constantine, along with all his sons, relatives, and everyone he brought with him, lost their heads.
Not only that, Constantine himself was burned alive.
Before the burning at the stake, Xiang Yu even cut out his tongue and genitals.
"Ah!" Lin Mo was startled.
Xiang Yu on Earth did indeed do something similar.
The burning of the Afang Palace, the massacre of hundreds of thousands of surrendered Qin soldiers, and the slaughter of entire cities at the slightest provocation...
However, the massacre of Constantine's army would not cause the Xia emperor to turn against him.
The most important reason is...
"He actually disregarded the life and death of the Great Xia Emperor and forcibly attacked the city?" Lin Mo said subconsciously, "Damn it, all my men are more difficult to deal with than the last!"
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