NOVEL NEXT Chapter 428
Chapter 428: Returning to Xi’an, Eight Hundred Miles to Meet! Zhao Gao’s Great Change!
Eight hundred miles away from Xi’an, a well-equipped convoy appeared in everyone’s sight.
Flap flap went the black flag fluttering in the wind; the fine weapons and armor shimmered with a chilling gleam.
One could tell from their equipment alone that this was an elite force!
Among them, the leading general, Li Mo was no stranger to him.
It was none other than Zhang Han, who had previously rushed to the Mohist Mechanical City with him.
“I am General Zhang Han, on the orders of His Majesty the First Emperor, here to welcome the National Advisor back to Qin.”
As soon as Zhang Han saw Li Mo’s carriage appear, he immediately spurred his horse forward.
The convoy gradually came to a stop.
After waiting for a moment, Li Mo stepped out of the carriage.
After leaving the desert behind, they had switched to a horse-drawn carriage.
Camels were definitely more suited for traversing the desert.
Looking at the troops that had been waiting here for a long time, he chuckled, “I return, and you go all out like this, must you trouble General Zhang Han?”
Before anyone had even arrived in Xi’an, Ying Zheng had sent troops eight hundred miles out to greet him.
This kind of treatment wasn’t something everyone could enjoy.
Even when Wang Jian returned from defeating Chu, he was only greeted twenty miles out.
Eight hundred miles? They practically wanted to bring him back from Loulan directly!
It wasn’t strange for Ying Zheng to know about his return.
Wei Zhuang had already made it back to Xi’an ahead of time.
Now that Ying Zheng had sent someone to greet him, it meant that Jing Ni had already been to the palace.
Li Mo’s Mountain Courtyard was located outside Xi’an City.
To enter Xi’an, he would first have to pass by his residence.
Logically speaking, he should head to his courtyard first.
However, this return was a bit special.
Firstly, he still had the Qin State’s imperial seal on him.
By sentiment and reason, this should be returned to Ying Zheng without delay.
After all, it was of no use to him right now, and it felt rather heavy.
Secondly, he needed to bring Uya into the palace.
Although Loulan was a city, it could also be considered a small nation.
But compared to the great Qin, it appeared too weak.
As the Saintess, Uya was the highest leader of Loulan.
So in theory, she needed to meet Ying Zheng.
This was the custom between nations.
Although Ying Zheng trusted Li Mo, he couldn’t act arrogantly because of that trust.
He sent troops out eight hundred miles to greet him, giving himself enough face, so how could he act overly confidently?
Therefore, a few days later, Li Mo had Fei Yan return to the Mountain Courtyard first.
He then entered the city with the Saintess and the Moon Goddess.
En route, the Moon Goddess returned to her Astrology Tower.
By the time they reached Xi’an Palace, only Li Mo and Uya remained, along with the already returned Zhang Han.
Once inside Xi’an City, Uya understood why Fei Yan had said she would linger after arriving.
The prosperity of Xi’an City completely refreshed her understanding.
As they traveled, Uya looked out from the carriage curtain like a rural girl visiting the city for the first time, peering curiously.
“Is that your Qin State’s palace?”
Suddenly, Uya pointed outside and asked Li Mo.
Li Mo was slightly taken aback.
He was very familiar with the route to the palace, and although he hadn’t looked outside, he knew they were still quite a distance away from it—this didn’t add up.
Why would Uya ask such a question?
Curious, Li Mo followed her finger and looked over.
Upon seeing the building, he couldn’t help but laugh.
Uya’s face turned slightly red, “What are you laughing at? Is it not?”
Realizing she had misjudged, she felt embarrassed.
“Of course not.”
Li Mo shook his head with a smile.
“Not? With such a big place and so many people coming and going, what else could it be?”
The building outside looked even more resplendent than their Loulan’s temple.
Even if it wasn’t a palace, it had to be some important place.
“This?”
Li Mo looked at the building with a somewhat meaningful expression.
“This is merely a dance hall.”
“A dance hall? You mean this is a dance hall?”
Uya’s eyes widened in disbelief.
It wasn’t that she thought Li Mo was deceiving her, it was just hard to believe such a grand place was merely a soft dance hall!
The carriage slowly approached the building, and Li Mo pointed at the plaque by the entrance, saying, “This is Fei Xue Pavilion, the number one dance hall in all of Qin.”
“Fei Xue Pavilion…”
Suddenly, Uya found the name a bit familiar.
After a moment of thought, she remembered where she had heard it!
On the way here, Li Wu had mentioned it when introducing her to Xi’an.
Uya had thought a mere dance hall wouldn’t be anything too extravagant.
But now that she saw it with her own eyes, she realized how naive she had been!
Everything in Loulan couldn’t even be compared to this place.
Li Mo smiled slightly, ready to drop the curtain.
But out of the corner of his eye, he caught the silhouette of someone heading towards the city gates.
He paused in his motion.
“What’s wrong? See something?”
Uya noticed his odd behavior and looked in the direction of his gaze but found nothing unusual.
Only the crowd bustling about.
“Nothing.”
Li Mo shook his head and lowered the curtain again.
“How strange.”
Not wanting to pry, Uya let it slide and her focus shifted back to the city’s splendor.
“Zhang Han.”
At the palace gate, Li Mo stepped out of the carriage and called over Zhang Han, who was ready to report back.
“What can I do for you, National Advisor?”
Zhang Han had already dismounted and hurried over to the carriage.
Li Mo had the privilege to enter the palace, but Zhang Han did not.
“You don’t need to report back. I’ll speak a word for you to His Majesty. For now, go do something for me.”
Without hesitation, Zhang Han agreed.
Li Mo waved him closer, “Come here.”
After quietly briefing him, he added, “Remember, if he’s unwilling, don’t be rough. Just let him go.”
“Yes, understood.”
Zhang Han nodded understandingly, taking the reins from his subordinate and turning back with over a hundred men.
“This must be the palace, right?”
Uya, who had somehow gotten out of the carriage, glanced at the solemn palace and was genuinely shocked.
Just one palace was larger than her entire Loulan City!
“Yes, come in and have a seat. We still have a long way to go.”
The carriage rolled smoothly along the flat bluestone path.
Ying Zheng was already waiting for him in the study; he could head straight there.
“I am Zhao Gao, greeting the National Advisor.”
As Zhao Gao, dispatched to welcome Li Mo, performed the formal bow, he suddenly noticed Li Mo looked entirely different from before leaving Qin.
The bandage over his eyes was gone.
In its place were a pair of deep, discerning eyes.
“Zhao Gao?”
Li Mo blinked, staring at the little blue man in front of him, baffled.
How is it that in just over two months, Lord Zhao has even changed colors?