Mo Mo smiled slightly upon seeing this, and although he was inwardly complaining, he still explained, "It's nothing, just some little trinkets, don't worry about them, they're worthless. Let's eat something first."
Xiaolongnu knew Mo Mo. Perhaps she and Li Mochou had said something while Mo Mo was cooking, because after Mo Mo started eating, the two of them also picked up their chopsticks. Considering that Xiaolongnu basically didn't eat greasy food, the late-night snack Mo Mo prepared was mostly light. A few minutes later, the three of them finished their late-night snack.
After clearing away the bowls and chopsticks, Mo Mo brewed a pot of tea and poured a cup for each person. The three of them knew that the main event was about to begin. They slowly took a sip of tea, and Mo Mo spoke first: "Mo Chou, I'm very curious. How did you know that Xiaolongnu would be in danger? Logically speaking, you shouldn't have appeared in the Ancient Tomb."
Li Mochou didn't expect Mo Mo to be so direct. She paused for a moment before replying, "I don't know what happened either. I was traveling in the martial world at the time when I suddenly had a premonition that something would happen to my junior sister, so I rushed back without stopping. Fortunately, I arrived in time, but I didn't expect to almost capsize in the ditch. Luckily, I was saved by you, senior. May I ask why you settled here, senior?"
Mo Mo put down his teacup and said to Li Mochou in a serious tone, "Please don't call me senior. I'm only twenty years old this year. As for why I settled here, it's because I admire the two fairies of the Ancient Tomb Sect. I've heard that the two fairies of the Ancient Tomb Sect are incredibly beautiful, so I came here specifically to see if I could be lucky enough to win the heart of one of them and win her hand in marriage. Now that both of them are here, may I ask if either of them has taken a fancy to me?"
Neither of the two women expected Mo Mo's tone to change so strangely. Xiao Longnv was alright, but Li Mochou sprayed a mouthful of tea all over Mo Mo's face.
Mo Mo: "Isn't this a case of reaping what you sow?"
Mo Mo wiped the tea off his face, knowing that Li Mochou was still very wary of him and that he probably wouldn't get anything out of her today. So he said, "My two fairies, it's getting late, so I won't disturb your rest any longer. Good night."
After closing the door, Mo Mo went outside into the hall. The room had darkened, and after brewing another pot of tea, Mo Mo listened to the calm and long breathing inside and began to struggle internally. "Two beautiful women are lying on my bed, and neither of them can resist me. What should I do?"
Suddenly, Mo Mo's eyes lit up. She plucked a flower from the vase next to her and began counting the petals, muttering to herself, "Beast, worse than a beast, beast."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 72 An Unexpected Deal
In the early morning, the flowers, grass, and trees were covered with dewdrops, which shimmered brilliantly under the rising sun, making them exceptionally beautiful. In the trees, birds chirped and worked hard to find their breakfast. As the sun rose a little higher, the dewdrops disappeared, and the bees spread their wings and began their day's work. Mo Mo also began to prepare her own breakfast.
Rinse the rice and put it into an earthenware pot. Pour in the bone broth that has been simmering overnight and let it simmer over low heat. Then wash the pheasant meat, debone it, cut it into small pieces, put it into the pot, add ginger slices, a little salt, stir well, and cover the pot. Then, while Xiaolongnu and Li Mochou are still asleep, run into the forest and pick a few wild fruits and wildflowers, wash them, and put them on a plate.
Mo Mo was very satisfied with the nutritious breakfast he had prepared for Xiaolongnu and the other girl. Just as he got up to wake them up, the door opened. It turned out that the two girls had already gotten up and washed up. Mo Mo went to the kitchen and found that his porridge was ready. So he took it over and served himself a bowl.
After finishing the first bowl, Mo Mo noticed something was off because neither of them had touched it. So he said, "Hurry up and eat. This is a fresh flower and fruit breakfast that I specially prepared for you. I've tried it, and the flowers taste pretty good, as do the wild fruits. Plus, they're rich in vitamins, which are great for your health and skin."
After hearing Mo Mo's words, Li Mochou squinted and said, "You mean these wildflowers and wild fruits are our breakfast today?"
"Hmm? There's a murderous aura about it."
Mo Mo glanced at Li Mochou, then looked at the things on the table, decisively served each of the two women a bowl of porridge, and whispered, "Isn't it said that fairies don't eat human food and only need to eat dew and wind every day? Is it all a lie?"
Little Dragon Girl
Li Mochou
“We only say that she is respectfully called a fairy, but she is not a real fairy.”
After finishing breakfast, Mo Mo habitually brewed a pot of tea. As he smelled the refreshing aroma of the tea, Mo Mo's thoughts slowly drifted away. He stared blankly at the woods outside the window, and after almost two breaths, he murmured, "It's a pity there are no peach blossoms."
"Um?"
The two women gasped in surprise and looked at him with suspicion.
Mo Mo smiled slightly upon seeing this, but did not answer them. Instead, he poured them another cup of tea.
The cabin fell silent for a moment, with only the faint aroma of tea wafting through the air.
Suddenly, Li Mochou asked, "Why didn't you break into our room last night? You know, with your martial arts skills, we couldn't possibly resist you, and I don't believe you weren't tempted by the two of us."
Mo Mo took a sip of tea and glanced at Li Mochou, saying, "First, I am not a beast; second, although you are beautiful, I have seen many people who are more beautiful and have better temperament than you; third, trouble. It is easy to break in, but what about afterwards? Kill you? I certainly can't bear to. If I don't kill you, you will definitely pester me."
Li Mochou was indignant upon hearing Mo Mo's words: "What a joke! My junior sister is the most beautiful woman in the world, the future Condor Heroes, how could this be possible?" As she spoke, Li Mochou realized her mistake, covered her mouth in shock, and looked around in panic.
"Tsk tsk tsk, it seems you really do have a problem. Are you a transmigrator? Or an awakened one?" Mo Mo stared at Li Mochou and said, word by word. Seeing the doubt flashing in Li Mochou's eyes, Mo Mo had some guesses, so he continued, "You may not understand what a transmigrator or an awakened one is. Actually, it's very simple to explain. A transmigrator is someone who travels from one world to another. It's possible that both body and soul travel together, or it's possible that only the soul travels. There's also a situation called time travel, where the soul from the future travels through the river of time and returns to the body of the past. This is also called rebirth. As for awakened ones, it's also very simple. They were originally characters in this story world. After experiencing reincarnation time and time again, due to various reasons, their memories were not reset when they reincarnated again. Therefore, they still remember the story from the previous time."
Seeing Li Mochou's face turn deathly pale when he explained the Awakened Ones, Mo Mo understood what was wrong with her. He patted the nearly collapsing Li Mochou's hand and smiled, "Don't worry, I have no ill intentions and won't do anything to you. Actually, we're a bit similar. My name is Mo Mo, and I'm a transmigrator."
Upon hearing Mo Mo's words, Li Mochou's pupils suddenly shrank, and her mouth opened wide. After about a minute, she said in a trembling voice, "You came from another world? Are there really other worlds? Are you a god? Can you take me away? I don't want to experience the pain of my past life again, but there is a mysterious force pulling me back to the path of my past life. I am really, really scared."
Mo Mo glanced at the pale-faced Li Mochou and the puzzled Xiaolongnu, thought about what she was going to do next, and then said, "Don't worry, your fate has changed the moment you met me. Go live the life you want. You should be able to feel that the force that was binding you has disappeared. But if you want to live in peace, don't get involved in too many things. Okay, I've finished talking, I should go now."
After saying that, Mo Mo got up and tidied up, taking apart and storing all the lights and other items. After all, he didn't have many of these things, and they would be useful later.
Just as Mo Mo finished packing and was about to leave, Li Mochou stopped him with Xiaolongnu.
"What's going on here? Could it be that you can't bear to part with me and want to repay my kindness with your body?" Mo Mo asked with a look of surprise and delight.
Facing Mo Mo's teasing, Li Mochou's pale face broke into a smile, and she nodded, saying, "Yes, I'm going to marry you, and this is my dowry." With that, she pushed Xiaolongnu forward.
Mo Mo
"Don't try to fool me, I'm not well-educated. I'll believe you."
"As expected, being handsome is a hassle. He has to deal with girls throwing themselves at him all the time. It's so annoying." Mo Mo said with a narcissistic look.
Li Mochou
Little Dragon Girl
"Junior sister, am I wrong? I feel like there's no future in following him. I don't want to be a beggar." Li Mochou said with a look of disgust.
"Senior sister, there's no mistake. That feeling of closeness is with him, and a voice in my heart tells me that I must follow him and help him, even if it costs me my life," Xiaolongnu said earnestly.
Mo Mo listened to Xiaolongnu's words thoughtfully, then looked up at the sky. "Is it you? It seems you think highly of me. You also long to escape this endless cycle of imprisonment, don't you?"
As soon as Mo Mo finished speaking, the whole world brightened up, and then all kinds of flowers bloomed around the cottage. A squirrel carrying a golden pine cone jumped in front of Mo Mo and held it up to give it to him.
Seeing this, Mo Mo smiled and picked up the pine cone, saying, "I agree, but you can't skimp on the merit and source afterward."
The little squirrel on the ground nodded and quickly disappeared into the forest. After the squirrel left, the blooming flowers began to wither and die. A moment later, everything returned to normal, as if it had all been an illusion. If Li Mochou hadn't seen the golden pine cone that Mo Mo had tossed into the air, she would have thought it was just her imagination. Shortly after Mo Mo and the other two left, the place was ravaged by lightning, and Mo Mo's little house was naturally gone.
Putting away the pine cones, Mo Mo prepared to set off. After all, it wasn't Mo Mo's style to take the benefits and not work. After walking a few steps, Mo Mo realized that Li Mochou and Xiaolongnu hadn't followed, so he coughed. The two then realized what was happening and quickly caught up.
"Hey, are you really not a god? What just happened?" Li Mochou caught up with Mo Mo and asked.
"you guess."
Mo Mo didn't answer Li Mochou's question, but instead said "Guess". If Li Mochou were in modern times, she would definitely reply with "Guess if I guess or not", but unfortunately she didn't know the joke, so she could only pout and guess on her own.
After walking for a few minutes, Li Mochou couldn't help but ask Mo Mo again. This time, Mo Mo didn't brush her off, but still didn't answer the question of whether he was a god. "I just made a deal with a very, very powerful 'person,' but you wouldn't understand what it was."
"How amazing is it? Is it as amazing as you? And looking at that pine cone, it looks extraordinary. The reward for completing the transaction will definitely be very generous. Will it make you invincible, or even immortal?" Li Mochou asked again.
"It's very impressive, and the reward is quite generous. As for immortality, is that so rare? But this reward isn't easy to obtain. If I succeed, all will be well. If I fail, I'll probably become one of you, and I'll suffer much, much worse than you." Mo Mo replied with a smile.
In fact, Mo Mo was not lying. If it were an ordinary transmigrator, the outcome would basically be the same as Mo Mo said. If they succeeded, everyone would be happy. If they failed, they would naturally be assimilated by this world. Moreover, because they tried to disrupt the cycle of this world, they would be particularly disliked by the rules of this world. After starting the cycle again, they would basically be the kind of person who would have trouble even drinking water or farting.
However, Mo Mo is different from ordinary transmigrators. He can transmigrate on his own initiative. Even if he fails to complete the task assigned to him by this world, he can leave safely. Moreover, as long as he remembers the coordinates of this world, he can complete it again next time. Therefore, there is basically no possibility of failure for Mo Mo. Even if he fails, he can just try again.
Just as Li Mochou was about to ask Mo Mo again, Mo Mo stopped. Looking up, he realized that the three of them had unknowingly arrived at the entrance of the Tomb of the Living Dead. After looking at the tomb door, Mo Mo still didn't go in. After all, there was nothing he wanted inside, and more importantly, Mo Mo didn't want to face Yang Guo, since he was about to bring his aunt. So Mo Mo told them to go in and pack their things, while he waited at the door.
Half an hour later, the two of them came out, each carrying a small bag. Xiaolongnu was followed by a boy. Perhaps influenced by the world consciousness, Yang Guo did not object too much to Xiaolongnu's departure, nor did he show too much sadness.
Seeing the resolute look on Yang Guo's face, Mo Mo's heart stirred. He took out the golden pine cone, peeled off a pine kernel, and placed it in Yang Guo's hand, saying, "After you go back, practice the techniques on the stone wall in the tomb. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the Nine Yin Manual that martial artists dream of. Take this pine kernel on the Frozen Jade Bed. When you have mastered your martial arts and come out of seclusion, you can come find us. I believe it should be easy for you to find us."
After handing the pine nuts to Yang Guo, Mo Mo took the two women's packages and put them into his storage space. Then, amidst the three women's surprised and suspicious gazes, he used his movement technique to quickly leave.
"Change the world? Let's start in Xiangyang. Guo Jing? I'm actually quite looking forward to it." Mo Mo's lips curled up slightly.
Thank you all for your support and for your votes.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 73 The Affairs of Xiangyang City Are Over
Looking at the bustling city of Xiangyang before him, Mo Mo felt a pang of emotion. He recalled a saying he had once heard, though he couldn't remember its source: "Strong Qin, prosperous Tang, weak Song; after the Battle of Yamen, there was no more China." At first glance, Mo Mo thought it made some sense, but after careful consideration, he realized it was utter nonsense. What nonsense! "After the Battle of Yamen, there was no more China"? Looking at China's five thousand years of history, when have the Chinese people ever had their knees buckle? Even in the Qing Dynasty, there was the burning of opium at Humen, not to mention the War of Resistance Against Japan, which is still frequently shown on television today.
However, judging from the performance of the armies of various dynasties, the Song Dynasty was indeed a bit cowardly. However, this was due to a variety of reasons. Although the Song Dynasty's army was weak in combat, its level of development and prosperity was unmatched by many dynasties.
As Mo Mo entered Xiangyang, he admired the scenery while recalling some information about the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) was a dynasty in Chinese history that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period and preceded the Yuan Dynasty. It was divided into the Northern Song and Southern Song periods, with a total of eighteen emperors and a reign of 319 years. He should be in the late Southern Song period now, because the Jin Dynasty had been destroyed and the Song Dynasty was at war with the Mongols.
The low combat effectiveness of the Song Dynasty army was largely due to the policies and military system of the time. In 960 AD, generals of the Later Zhou Dynasty launched the Chenqiao Mutiny, enthroning Zhao Kuangyin as emperor and establishing the Song Dynasty. To avoid the chaos of regional separatism and eunuch power that plagued the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizu of Song adopted a policy of emphasizing civil administration and suppressing military power. On the one hand, this strengthened central authority, and on the other hand, it stripped military generals of their power.
In July of the second year of the Jianlong era (961) and October of the second year of the Kaibao era (969), Emperor Taizu of Song consolidated military power (historically known as the dramatic story of "releasing military power over a cup of wine"). He stripped generals and local officials of their military authority, granting them nominal positions and replacing them with civilian officials in charge of the army. Military and financial power were thus centralized in the central government. It was common for soldiers under generals to not even know their generals, thus preventing the Song Dynasty from experiencing the fragmentation of the Tang Dynasty into regional warlordism. However, this also led to a prolonged period of military weakness for the Song Dynasty, resulting in repeated defeats in foreign wars.
As the saying goes, success and failure are both determined by the winds of change. Although the Song Dynasty's system successfully avoided the chaos of regional warlordism and eunuch power, it also led to a long period of military weakness. This is why the Song Dynasty, despite its prosperity, was called the "weak Song."
Subsequently, due to such policies, the Song Dynasty was captured by the Yuan Dynasty in 1276, and after the Battle of Yamen, it was completely destroyed.
After recalling the information about the Song Dynasty in his mind, Mo Mo was somewhat troubled. To change the situation of the weak Song Dynasty, it was necessary to abolish the policy of emphasizing civil officials over military affairs. However, changing this policy would undoubtedly harm the interests of those who had already benefited, thus offending all the scholars and powerful families in the country. If things went wrong, the country might not only fail to become stronger, but would also collapse faster than before due to internal and external troubles.
"What a hassle, but that's what makes it challenging." Mo Mo's lips curled up slightly.
"The Battle of Xiangyang was a crucial battle in the Yuan Dynasty's conquest of the Southern Song Dynasty. It began in 1267 (the third year of the Xianchun era of the Southern Song) with the Mongol general Aju's attack on Xiangyang at Anyangtan. It continued through the Song general Lü Wenhuan's counter-encirclement campaign, the battles of Zhang Gui and Zhang Shun to reinforce Xiangyang, the Battle of Longweizhou, and the Battle of Fancheng. Ultimately, due to the isolated city's lack of reinforcements, Lü Wenhuan surrendered to the Yuan in 1273 (the ninth year of the Xianchun era), after nearly six years, ending with the fall of Xiangyang and Fancheng. In the original story, after Xiaolongnu left the Ancient Tomb, Yang Guo pursued her all the way to Xiangyang, where he encountered Huang Rong giving birth to Guo Xiang and Guo Polu. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu reunited sixteen years later, and Xiangyang had not yet fallen, meaning he had at least sixteen more years—plenty of time indeed."
Thinking about this, Mo Mo felt much more at ease. However, to avoid any unexpected events, he decided to do something. After recalling the events, Mo Mo realized that in some novels, the development of a country usually involved reforms, technological advancements, and educational advancements. Mo Mo decided not to follow this formula and to try a different approach.
After asking some passersby, Mo Mo led Li Mochou and Xiaolongnu to Guo Jing's residence. Perhaps influenced by the atmosphere of the martial arts world, Guo's residence did not have so many formalities. After announcing their names, servants led the three of them directly into the residence, without them having to wait outside.
As the servants led the way, Mo Mo discovered that although the mansion wasn't very large, its layout was quite extraordinary. The rooms were arranged in a staggered, orderly fashion, subtly forming a kind of formation. The winding passageways suggested that if a large army were to invade, they would be blocked and divided, preventing an effective assault. Moreover, the artificial hills and trees within the mansion, along with the passageways, also subtly formed a kind of formation, making it easy for an unfamiliar person to get lost. This was likely the work of Guo Jing and Huang Rong; after all, one possessed the martial arts manual of Yue Fei and was proficient in military strategy, while the other's father was an expert in divination and escape techniques. Such an arrangement of their mansion was not surprising.
Led by a servant, Mo Mo and his companions arrived at a large hall after more than a minute. Two people were already waiting there before their arrival: a man and a beautiful woman. The man was about thirty years old, with a square face, handsome features, clear and bright eyes, and an air of authority. The woman was about twenty-four or twenty-five, exuding mature charm. Although her belly was prominently protruding, it did not diminish her beauty in the slightest; instead, it added a maternal glow, making her even more beautiful and captivating. It seemed this must be Guo Jing and Huang Rong.
After Mo Mo and his companions entered the hall, the two men bowed and introduced themselves, revealing that they were Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Upon seeing this, the three of them returned the bow and introduced themselves.
After the five people sat down, Guo Jing spoke up: "I am sorry for not welcoming you properly. May I ask what brings you three to my residence today?"
Mo Mo, seeing this, didn't waste any words and said, "I have come here today for two matters. One is for your wife. I learned that you are pregnant, so I specially refined a bottle of pills. These pills can nourish vital energy and strengthen muscles and bones, making them most suitable for you." As he spoke, he took out a bottle of pills from his storage space. The bottle was about two fingers in size and one finger tall, and it was made entirely of white jade.
"What superb skills! I didn't even see how he took out that porcelain bottle. Young man, you have excellent skills!" Guo Jing praised.
Seeing that Guo Jing had misunderstood, Mo Mo did not correct him. He tossed the jade bottle in his hand to Guo Jing and said, "The first matter is a private matter. I will talk about the second matter next. This is a matter of state and family, but it is not appropriate for too many people to know about it. This matter should have been done by me, but I have other things to do and cannot be in two places at once, so I can only leave this matter to Brother Guo."
Guo Jing was somewhat puzzled, but still said, "Brother Mo, you should know that I may be living in Xiangyang for a long time in the future, so I may not be able to agree to things that are too far away or take too long, and I will not do anything that violates the code of chivalry."
"Brother Guo's reputation for chivalry is known throughout the land, so naturally I won't ask you to do anything against your will. In fact, this task is best left to you, Brother Guo." With that, Mo Mo took out two thread-bound books and placed them on Guo Jing's desk. These were books that Mo Mo had spent a month writing, and then Xiaolongnu and Li Mochou revised them for two days before finishing. However, this was already the third handwritten copy. Mo Mo naturally kept the original manuscript for himself, while the two women kept the first handwritten copy. However, they also made two new copies for themselves, and the one Mo Mo gave to Guo Jing was one of them.
Guo Jing picked up two books from the table with some doubt and began to look through them, while Huang Rong also reached for one to look at. After a moment, both of them were so excited that their hands were trembling. Finally, Guo Jing said in a trembling voice, "Brother Mo, are these for us? We are unworthy to receive such a divine object!"
"Of course it's for you, but it's not entirely for you. This country has been weak for too long, and I want to change some things, but I'm overwhelmed and can only ask for your help, Brother Guo. Five thousand special forces trained with that technique are enough. You should know what to do with the rest, Brother Guo. What you need to do next is select suitable candidates—they must be top-notch. We should have more than ten years. Just wait for my signal. I believe that when you appear before the world, you will make the whole world tremble," Mo Mo said with a smile.
"Rest assured, Brother Mo, it is my honor to think so highly of me. I will do my best to accomplish this task, even at the cost of my life. On behalf of all the people of the world, I thank you for your great kindness." After saying this, Guo Jing knelt down and kowtowed deeply to Mo Mo.
When Guo Jing got up, he found that Mo Mo and the other two had disappeared, while Huang Rong was staring blankly at the sky outside the hall. Guo Jing quickly asked, "Where are the three heroes?"
"It flew away," Huang Rong replied somewhat blankly.
Guo Jing didn't notice anything unusual either. He had only known that Mo Mo and the other two had left using their lightness skills in the past, but he never expected that Huang Rong's words about flying away meant that they would actually fly directly into the sky and disappear.
The matter was of great importance, so Guo Jing quickly hid the two books. However, less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, a deafening roar came from outside the city. By the time Guo Jing arrived at the city wall, the roar had stopped, but the bugle call of the Mongol army retreating sounded.
"Why did the Mongols retreat? This shouldn't be happening. They have plenty of supplies; they shouldn't be retreating at this time. Could it be related to the booming sound we just heard? I'll go check it out." Guo Jing thought for a moment and decided to go out and take a look.
When Guo Jing arrived at the Mongol encampment, he was horrified. The place was like a hell on earth. Even Guo Jing, who had been through many battles, couldn't help but feel a sour taste in his stomach. If it weren't for the still burning Mongol military tents, Guo Jing would not have been able to believe it.