Chapter 285
He immediately mounted his horse and cupped his hands in greeting.
“Today, with military duties at hand, I couldn’t attend the military drill and appreciate the talents of Li Shaoxia. What a pity.”
“What kept you so busy?”
Li Mo casually asked.
He then winked at the nearby Huzi, who quickly widened his eyes in surprise.
“It’s almost winter, and all of this is for the military supplies and provisions.”
“No wonder there’s so much.”
“This isn’t even a lot. Sigh, with eighty thousand soldiers and the logistics, over a hundred thousand people need to be fed.”
As he spoke, the deputy general’s brow furrowed deeper:
“Whether we can scrape through this year with these supplies is still uncertain.”
After exchanging a few words, the deputy general took his leave to report back to the camp. Li Mo raised an eyebrow at the sight.
From the deputy general’s words, it seemed that the Qingmu camp was still facing a shortage of provisions?
But Qingmu City was the outpost of the Southern Pass and the deepest city of Dayu in the southern region, holding great significance.
Even if there hadn’t been a war here for years, it shouldn’t be lacking in military supplies, right?
He had seen the stark contrast between the garrison troops and the strict regulations of the Southern Pass when he was in Baoping Town.
If there was a shortage of military funds, then the chaos would make sense...
“Wait!”
Li Mo thought for a moment and called the deputy general back.
In his system space, he still had quite a bit of supplies purchased from the Yunzhuo Hengtong Trading Company, many of which hadn’t even been used.
He planned to return to Ziyang Mansion in a few days, and keeping them would be pointless.
It would be better to leave them at the Qingmu camp.
【Congratulations, host. You have successfully invested in the Qingmu camp, alleviating its concerns over military provisions.】
【You have a pending investment feedback to collect.】
..........
As night fell.
In the central tent, Qu Sheng drank a bowl of medicinal soup, his pale complexion gaining a bit of color. Hearing the announcement from outside the tent, he took a deep breath and said with full vigor:
“Come in.”
The deputy general entered the tent, momentarily taken aback. “Commander, has your old injury flared up again?”
“It’s just a bit of blood circulation, nothing serious.”
Seeing the deputy general’s expression, Qu Sheng frowned:
“Is the procurement of military supplies not going smoothly?”
The deputy general grumbled, “The supply officers sent to each town say the local garrisons aren’t cooperating at all, only symbolically handing over a bit of military grain. Those ungrateful scoundrels!”
“Let it be if it’s less.” Qu Sheng sighed silently.
If they pushed the local garrison too hard, they would ultimately have to squeeze the common people under their command.
The Southern Pass was no longer the place that once boasted a million troops, with the entire nation of Dayu supporting it.
“Let’s think of other ways.”
Rubbing his temples, Qu Sheng turned his gaze to the map in the tent, seemingly deep in thought.
After a moment, he glanced back at the still-standing deputy general.
“Is there anything else?”
The deputy general nodded. “Among this batch of supplies, some were gifted by Li Shaoxia...”
“He purchased them before coming to the southern region?”
Qu Sheng was taken aback, then smiled and said:
“Though it’s a drop in the bucket, it’s still a gesture of goodwill.”
How much could one person bring to the southern region?
But he could never have imagined that the supplies Li Mo had purchased were from someone who was always prepared to stay in one place for a lifetime.
“It’s not just a drop in the bucket; you’ll see for yourself.”
Hmm?
Qu Sheng, puzzled, took the item the deputy general handed him.
“The grain and elixirs inside were all sent by Li Shaoxia.”
“......”
Qu Sheng’s eyes widened slightly. The amount of military grain was equivalent to a third of what they had collected from various towns.
The grain was secondary.
There were also many common elixirs, such as wound medicine and energy-replenishing pills, all packed in the item he had given to the deputy general.
With these supplies, while they still faced a shortage, it would significantly relieve their immediate crisis.
Qu Sheng exhaled a deep breath, feeling a rush of excitement, but his expression soon turned complex.
A battle was about to break out in Qingmu City.
He still didn’t know how much strength the disaster beasts and the remnants of the Great Merchant had mobilized this time.
He could only do everything possible to enhance their chances of victory and increase the hope of defending Qingmu City.
That was why he had hesitated that day, swallowing the words he wanted to say to the young lord and Li Shaoxia.
But what if they couldn’t hold out?
Should someone like Li Shaoxia be trapped here with them?
.........
On the other side.
In the Jiawei Tavern, the aroma of delicious dishes wafted through the private room, where Xiao Li and Bing Tuozi enjoyed their simple daily fare of four dishes.
They were just missing a soup.
While eating, Li Mo was deep in thought:
“Bing Tuozi, how effective is it to add Golden Leaf Nourishing Grass to the soup?”
“That’s for alchemy; if you put it in the soup... it might retain fifty percent of its effect.”
Ying Bingxue’s cheeks moved slightly.
Xiao Li often experimented with recipes, so she figured he was working on a soup this time.
She was used to it by now.
“That’s not bad.”
Li Mo placed the Golden Leaf Nourishing Grass on the table and took out a box of peculiar small flowers, asking:
“What about combining it with the Runyuan Rose Petals? Will the medicinal properties conflict?”
“No, they complement each other to some extent.”
As Ying Bing spoke, Li Mo began to lay out various rare materials, filling half the table with a dazzling array.
Ying Bing raised an eyebrow; with so many ingredients, one pot wouldn’t be enough—maybe a barrel would suffice.
“What kind of soup are you making?”
Li Mo pondered for a moment and replied, “If I had to name it... Bing Tuozi Soup?”
“?”
Chapter 310: Li Mo, I Forgot Something
Li Mo gathered all the rare materials and placed them in the large bathtub carved from tree roots, then called out to the waiter outside to prepare hot water.
Before long, steam filled the private room, and the sweet floral aroma wafted through the air.
Li Mo looked at the bathtub floating with flower petals, tested the water temperature, and found it similar to the Misty Flower Eternal Spring. He then called out:
“Bing Tuozi, the soup is ready; come in.”
Ying Bing pursed her lips, her beautiful eyes reflecting a complex expression:
“So this is today’s four dishes and one ‘soup’?”
“Huh?”
Li Mo was momentarily taken aback.
He hadn’t actually made a soup today, mainly because he had returned late and was quite tired.
This soup wasn’t meant for drinking...
“In the southern region, they refer to hot springs as soup. Oh~ you didn’t think...”
“I didn’t.”
Ying Bing looked at him coldly.
“......Hmm.”
Li Mo had intended to explain, but in the silence, he recalled the scenery he had seen during the last massage.
It was well-known that Li Tianjiao had an incredibly strong physique, capable of withstanding four thousand soldiers and striking the heads of disaster beasts.
But some things could break through even the toughest defenses.
In a heartbeat, they could draw blood.
How deadly.
Honestly, Xiao Li was a gentleman, but if he were to serve a bowl from the bathtub she had soaked in, he feared his thoughts might wander.
Li Mo said earnestly, “Just soak; the soup will get cold soon, and it won’t be... um, uncomfortable to soak.”
Ying Bing held her doll, her tone soft: “Li Shaoxia, you truly are a gentleman...”
“Of course.”
Li Mo wore a serious expression.
Splash—
A wisp of rosy light appeared, transforming into a small hand that pulled aside the screen.
It divided the private room into two, turning one side into a temporary bathing area.
“?”
Xiao Li, the gentleman, stiffened slightly.
Wait, even gentlemen need to be cautious?
Thus, the most beautiful scenery in the world might be separated from you by just a screen.
She was inside, and he was outside.
The luminous pearl illuminated the private room, casting a soft and bright glow that surpassed candlelight, making the woven screen appear pristine, like a blank canvas.
The girl’s delicate silhouette was projected onto it, giving shape to the beauty of light and shadow, stirring the heart.
A rustling sound echoed.
“Hmm? What’s that sound?”
The gentleman Xiao Li sat at the table, his face serious as he analyzed calmly.
Indeed.
That must be the sound of someone removing their stockings...
Xiao Li took a deep breath and pinched his waist hard.
Today, the system had issued so many rewards, and he hadn’t had the chance to collect them yet; he needed to take stock!
The seventy-two transformations were complete, and he still needed to comprehend the Somersault Cloud in the “Wukong Seeking the Way”!
Li Mo, oh Li Mo, how could you fall so low!
“I can’t let it get too overwhelming!”
Summoning the system, Li Mo took a deep breath and began to check the long list of rewards.
【Investment Feedback: Rongyuan Military Crossbow ×10.】
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