Chapter 394 - 392 Undercurrents Surging

"Shifting Form and Position?!"

The scruffy elder’s pupils contracted slightly. This was a superior body technique that demanded extremely high coordination from the body, and Chen Mo’s reaction speed just now was beyond his expectations.

Hearing the commotion, Chen Mo’s personal soldiers outside immediately rushed in, surrounding the scruffy elder and the handsome young man.

"Sir, are you alright?" Gao Zheng looked at the two of them, his gaze somewhat unfriendly.

Chen Mo shook his head, frowned, and looked at the second person: "Who are you?"

The handsome young man behind the scruffy elder stepped forward, took off the conical hat on his head, and the bound black hair fell immediately. He then tore off the mustache on his upper lip, revealing an exceptionally beautiful face before Chen Mo’s eyes.

Originally, when Chen Mo watched ancient costume dramas on TV where the female lead disguised as a man, he found it somewhat laughable. Such a disguise seemed meaningless, just a simple mustache.

But now, this handsome young man resembled those drama heroines who disguised as men, just with a conical hat and a mustache. At first glance, Chen Mo thought she was a man.

Now, by removing this simple disguise, her gender instantly changed.

Is this what’s called androgyny?

The main point was that her outfit was entirely male clothing, loose, and from the front, she looked no different from a man.

The noble air she exuded immediately suggested a distinguished background.

She bent in a courteous bow, her voice ethereal as an echo in a valley: "I am Wu Xin’Er, honored to meet you."

"Wu... Xin’Er?" Chen Mo was taken aback.

Gao Zheng was also stunned, as if recalling where he’d heard the name before, then thinking of something, he said: "Aren’t you, the lord’s... betrothed?"

Having said that, he tactfully bowed respectfully and said: "Subordinate Gao Zheng, greets madam."

The personal soldiers beside Gao Zheng also hurriedly bowed in respect.

At Gao Zheng’s indication, each one retreated, creating space for the two to be alone.

In Gao Zheng’s view, for Wu Xin’Er to come all the way to Qinyang County, she must love the lord that much.

For such a "decision" made by Gao Zheng, both Chen Mo and Wu Xin’Er frowned slightly.

"You’re... really only nineteen?" Wu Xin’Er was not shy at all. She walked up, pointed her finger at her chin, circled around Chen Mo, and then muttered:

"I’ve heard of a Youthful Divine Skill in Western Shu that can make a centenarian resemble a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth, though internally they remain unchanged, just like a centenarian...

Although there are no problems with your records, who knows if you’re not replaced by a centenarian monster, after all, in the True Qi depleted Canglan Continent, how can a nineteen-year-old First Grade Martial Artist appear..."

Listening to Wu Xin’Er’s rambling, Chen Mo’s expression grew a bit impatient, saying: "What do you want to do?"

"You’re supposed to be my future husband, how can I not get to know you well?"

Honestly, Wu Xin’Er’s first impression of Chen Mo was quite satisfying.

Even though Wu Xin’Er was not obsessed with appearances, who wouldn’t want their partner to be handsome and majestic?

At least in terms of appearance, height, and status, he far exceeds Wu Xin’Er’s expectations.

As for age and ability, Wu Xin’Er needed to personally assess.

Seeing is believing, hearing is not.

Wu Xin’Er certainly didn’t want her future husband to be a centenary monster using Youthful Divine Skill to disguise himself.

"Miss Wu, I think you misunderstood something. Although I’ve heard about your matter from my late brother, it was never confirmed, so I’m not your future husband," Chen Mo said.

"Not confirmed?" Wu Xin’Er was taken aback, then why did uncle ask me to come to the Capital?

In her view, since Wu Lu invited her over, surely the marriage was set in place.

After all, as the daughter of the Wu family, if the Wu family intended, which man in Great Song would refuse?

The reason Wu Xin’Er didn’t go to the Capital and instead detoured to Qinyang County was to assess Chen Mo in advance. If he met her requirements, Wu Xin’Er would gladly marry him.

Of course, even if he didn’t meet her requirements, under the Wu family’s insistence, Wu Xin’Er would still marry, but her heart would resist.

Now it seemed, something was amiss.

"Don’t you want... to marry me?" Wu Xin’Er looked at Chen Mo, with a strange light flashing in her eyes.

She didn’t believe Chen Mo truly didn’t want to be the Wu family’s son-in-law.

To be honest, Chen Mo wasn’t very resistant to beauty.

As a rare beauty, Wu Xin’Er naturally made Chen Mo want to marry her.

But with Wu Xin’Er’s status, she would surely be the primary wife, and in Chen Mo’s heart, that position was Zhao Fujin’s.

So, Chen Mo shook his head.

Seeing Chen Mo shake his head, Wu Xin’Er’s body trembled inexplicably, somewhat unable to accept it.

He didn’t want to marry her.

Then, what was the point of coming all the way from Jiangnan to Qinyang County to see him?

Pursuing a husband?

Whom no one wanted.

"He Lao, let’s go."

Wu Xin’Er’s purpose in coming here was to evaluate Chen Mo, and if he met her standards, she would stay to help him, cultivating feelings before marriage.

But now realizing that their marriage wasn’t settled, and Chen Mo didn’t want to marry her.

Wu Xin’Er wasn’t the type to cling insistently. Moreover, she wasn’t unable to find another match. Since he said as much, Wu Xin’Er didn’t plan to stay much longer.

She planned to go to the Capital and ask Wu Lu what was going on.

Seeing Wu Xin’Er decisively leave, Chen Mo was also stunned.

He had expected at least a bit of confrontation, but Wu Xin’Er was clean-cut and without hesitation.

Chen Mo didn’t try to stop her.

Wu Xin’Er came that day and left that day.

...

That evening.

Both Chen Mo and Zhao Jiang received word that the Imperial Court would send thirty thousand reinforcements.

The various lords were displeased upon learning of the reinforcements coming to aid Chen Mo.

Having lost three consecutive battles to him, they were already wary of Chen Mo.

Now with additional reinforcements, taking Qinyang County seemed even more difficult.

But Zhao Jiang was somewhat pleased, for he had received a secret message.

This secret letter was apparently from his enemy.

The letter contained only four words.

Reinforcements are coming!

...

Wuling County.

Previously, after Huangfu Hao’s recall and Han Zhong’s failed ambush at Huayang Slope where he was heavily wounded, he hid in Wuling County, awaiting further opportunities.

Now, Han Zhong, the leader, received a secret message directing him to ambush the Imperial reinforcements on their way to Qinyang County.

Subsequently, in coordination with the forces of the Eighteen Lords, they planned to annihilate Chen Mo’s army in Qinyang County in one swift move.

Currently, Han Zhong commanded eighty thousand troops, and ambushing the thirty thousand reinforcements sent by the Imperial Court posed little problem.

Comprehending this, Han Zhong hurriedly gathered his army, heading to the ambush location under the cover of night.