Chapter 220: Traveling in disguise

After three days, they returned to Orchid Goose City.  The Tiger General Token was given to Qi Ying to bring back to the Qihai Pa.s.s and the Dragon Courage Camp led by Luo Yu and Feng Xi returned to Dragon Cliff Mountain with over four thousand new recruits.  Like this, the Dragon Courage Camp already had nine thousand six hundred and forty eight people, reaching close to ten thousand. Lin Mu Yu was considered someone with a force of close to ten thousand, so he could be considered someone with power!

But the price was that he had to give Luo Yu another five hundred thousand gold coins for weapons, food, and horses.  It was very expensive to support a mercenary group who didn't raid citizens, but it was a good thing the current Lin Mu Yu could support them.

When it was night, there was a banquet in the Ze Tian Palace held by the emperor Qin Jin and princess Qin Yin for the merits of Lin Mu Yu, Wei Chou, and the others.  With the destroying the Swordsman Hall's momentum in the Cangnan Province, they wouldn't have the same momentum even if they reformed again!

With liquor all around, everyone was feeling a bit drunk.  Qin Jin stood up at this time and said with a smile, "Ah Yu, it's been a long time since you've come to the Ze Tian Palace.  Your royal father has something to say to you, come to the back palace with Xiao Yin."

"Yes, your majesty!"

Lin Mu Yu gave a respectful bow while Qin Yin came over with a smile and held onto his cloak.  She was smiling as she walked into the back palace with her adopted brother.

There was no one in the back palace, but it was brightly lit.  The maids and eunuchs had already been sent off by Qin Jin. Under the light, Qin Jin in his golden dragon robe and hands behind his back had his back facing Lin Mu Yu as he said, "Ah Yu, how is the Cangnan Province?"

Lin Mu Yu was stunned, not knowing why he suddenly asked this.  He cupped his hands and said, "Strong and prosperous."

"That is all?"  Qin Jin turned around and asked with a raised brow, "I've heard that you have already fought with the young star of Five Valleys City, Long Qian Lin.  What do you think of Long Qian Lin?"

Lin Mu Yu calmed down and said, "Long Qian Lin is a talented general and has great talent in commanding an army.  His subordinate Flying Mount Camp are elites among elites. I have to admit, if we met on a real battlefield, I am not Long Qian Lin's match."

"Is that so?"

Qin Jin revealed a faint smile as he said, "But I heard that when Long Qian Lin led the Flying Mount Camp to attack the mountain, they didn't gain any advantage from Ah Yu's hands at all.  More accurately speaking, Long Qian Lin suffered a loss by at your strategy!"

"No….."  Lin Mu Yu softly said, "He did not lose in strategy, but rather in terms of equipment and soldiers.  I brought the most elite heavy cavalry from the Heaven Charging Army, had the help of sixty Imperial Guards, and the archery of Wei Chou's group is first cla.s.s in this world, otherwise the Flying Mount Camp would have taken Fire Axe Mountain."

"Don't say this."

Qin Jin changed the topic and suddenly asked, "Ah Yu, do you know about the matter of Hu Tie Ning secretly h.o.a.rding gold coins?"

Lin Mu Yu was surprised and he couldn't help letting out a layer of cold sweat that covered his clothes.  His eyes knit as he cupped his hands and said, "I…..I don't know….."

"It's good you don't know."

Qin Jin had a faint smile as he patted him on the shoulder and said, "Knowing and not reporting, misleading the emperor is a crime, do you understand?"

"This subordinate knows."  Lin Mu Yu almost didn't dare look up at Qin Jin's clear eyes.

If anyone dared say that Qin Jin is a useless ruler, Lin Mu Yu would firmly disagree.  The current Qin Jin was filled with wisdom, wisdom that even Lin Mu Yu feared.

"Your majesty."  He paused before asking, "Since your majesty knows that Hu Tie Ning is secretly h.o.a.rding gold coins, why not send a punitive expedition?"

"Punitive expedition?"

Qin Jin couldn't help laughing, "Even if I do know, I can only send people to investigate.  Can you punish a local tryant without proper evidence? Then again…..Long Qian Lin is Hu Tie Ning's son-in-law and he controls the hundred and twenty thousand soldiers of the Cangnan Province.  If we really sent an expedition…..Perhaps Orchid Goose City will meet quite a bit of trouble. Ah Yu, there are still many things you need to learn."

Lin Mu Yu looked up and saw some affection in Qin Jin's eyes.  He then asked, "Royal father, do you feel that you are unable to control the Cangnan Province?"

"That's right……"

Qin Jin nodded without denying it before saying with a sigh, "Hu Tie Ning was once a part of the G.o.d Marquis Zeng Yi Fan's unit and he was a brave soldier, so he has quite a bit of fame in the army.  His son-in-law Long Qian Lin also holds a large army, while his nephew Xiang Yu controls the military police and he controls many high level generals of the army, affecting it as a whole. Currently I can't make a large move against the Cangnan Province.  As long as I move against Hu Tie Ning, the Cangnan Province will surely rebel!"

Lin Mu Yu was silent for a few seconds before saying, "But being inactive too long will give birth to another problem later on."

Qin Jin revealed a faint smile, "Un, so I have a matter to delegate to you.  In the entire capital city, only you are most suited for this task, so….."

"Oh, what task?"  Lin Mu Yu was surprised.

The face of Qin Yin in the side turned slightly red, but she said nothing.

Qin Jin stroked his beard with a smile as he said, "This one wants you to go with Xiao Yin to her grandfather's place….."

"Twilight Rain City?"

"That's right!"  Qin Jin said with a nod, "You will go to the Yun Zhong Province and do something important for this one!"

Lin Mu Yu's heart sunk like he had guessed something as he said, "It's related to the Cangnan Province?"

Qin Jin revealed a smile, "Ah Yu truly is smart, you should have guessed the facts already.  Most of this one's letters to the Yun Zhong Province has already been intercepted, Zeng Yi Fan's influence is just too strong.  If this one sends a letter to Xiao Yin's grandfather, Duke Mu Yun to recruit soldiers to go against Five Valleys City, it will be intercepted on the way.  As for normal people, they can't see Duke Mu Yun at all, so you will send Xiao Yin to the Yun Zhong Province. As Elder Qu has said, Xiao Yin needs real experience and you'll encounter this experience on the road to the Yun Zhong Province.  After you see Duke Mu Yun, you can tell him my orders and the duke will naturally understand what this one means."

"Your majesty, will something go wrong with this?"  Lin Mu Yu was surprised as he said, "If it's just me, I'm afraid it'll be hard to keep Xiao Yin completely safe!"

"Ah Yu, do you not have confidence in yourself?"

Qin Jin gently looked at him and said, "In the capital city's Swordsman Meet, of the Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning Generals, you and Feng Jin Xing are the strongest.  This once can see that your cultivation might be above Feng Ji Xing, so there is no one more suited than you to bring Xiao Yin to the Yun Zhong Province. Not to mention, on the capital city's side, Elder Qu has been playing chess with the G.o.d Marquis Zeng Yi Fan each day, so he is being confined to the capital city.  Without Zeng Yi Fan, is there a need to worry with your and Xiao Yin's cultivations?"

Lin Mu Yu was stunned.  It was like the emperor said, he was already this strong and adding in Qin Yin with her G.o.d Binding Lock and strength in the Heaven Realm, was there anyone who could threaten them?!

Perhaps only Xiang Yu could, but Xiang Yu would never move against Qin Yin, after all, he needed to protect this princess to raise his position and gain wealth.  If the world was in chaos, perhaps Xiang Yu wouldn't be able to even become a commander.

Then again, after Lin Mu Yu had comprehended the Fourth Luminary of the Seven Luminary Mystic Art, his strength had soared.  So even if Xiang Yu really came, he wouldn't lose if he worked with Qin Yin. The most important thing was that…..a disguise.  As long as they were disguised, perhaps no one will notice them.

"Pa, pa……"

Qin Jin clapped his hand and said with a smile, "Bring in the gift!"

Immediately, two eunuchs came in with trays that had two sets of clothing on them.  One was for men and the other was for women. It was like they were pulled off a beggar from the street.  Other than that, there was a worn out zither by the women's clothes, while there was a rusty iron sword by the men's clothes.

"This is….."  Lin Mu Yu was confused.

Qin Jin stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Elder Qu has already prepared your ident.i.ties, a pair of siblings wandering around.  The little sister plays the zither to earn a living and the big brother does sword dancing and juggling, performing together. What do you think?"

He actually looked a bit proud of himself.

What could Lin Mu Yu say?  He cupped his hands and said, "As your majesty wishes….."

Qin Yin's face filled with happiness as she said with a smile, "Big brother Ah Yu, this means that you're willing to wander with me…..Ah, no, experience the land with me?"

Lin Mu Yu helplessly looked at her, "Un, you must be prepared to suffer.  The outside can't be compared to the Ze Tian Palace, there are many things you cannot imagine."

"I know."

Qin Jin said with a smile, "I have already had people prepare two old horses for you, you can just slowly head to the Yun Zhong Province, don't rush on your way.  You have to remember to earn money on the way. Other than that, you have to find someone to put on makeup for you, otherwise with your appearances, it will be hard for people not to notice you….."

"Yes!"

As expected, Qin Jin ordered two maids to put on makeup for Lin Mu Yu and Qin Yin.  After an hour, there were two long time knife scars on Lin Mu Yu's face and there were several freckles and marks on Qin Yin's pretty face, making this number on beauty fall down to a place in the tens of thousands.  But the outstanding look of her face was still present.

At the emperor's orders, they didn't talk to anyone as they left Orchid Goose City that night.  They left the Ze Tian Palace as part of the ground and rode two old horses out of Orchid Goose City.

The cold night wind blew.  Lin Mu Yu had a simple cloak and wrapped in black cloth on his back was the Dragon Spirit Sword and the rusty iron sword.  He turned back to look at Qin Yin when they left the city and he found that the princess was carrying the zither on her back.  She tightly held the reins and with sparkling eyes, she excitedly looked around them, like a bird that had just come out of its cage.

"Are you happy?"  Lin Mu Yu asked with a smile.

Qin Yin revealed a faint smile, "Coming out to gain experience with big brother Ah Yu, naturally I'm happy!  Big brother Ah Yu, are you happy coming out with Xiao Yin?"

"Un."

Lin Mu Yu nodded before he said with a smile, "I'm afraid that you'll behead me if I say that I'm not happy……"

Qin Jin laughed, "Stop teasing me to make me laugh.  Xiao Xi said that when girls laugh all the time, they will develop wrinkles quicker."

"Alright, alright, alright, I won't tease you.  Let's move a bit quicker and quickly find an inn outside the city."

"Un."