Big Moon Ballad

Chapter 2662 Going North
Five days after Jiang Yuanyuan returned to the throne, the Former Qin army left Danyang City.

To express her gratitude, Jiang Yuanyuan presented the Former Qin army with two generous gifts: thirty carts of grain and fodder, and five thousand elite cavalry. These five thousand cavalry, led by Chen Zichu, marched north with the Former Qin army, obeying Ying Baoyue's commands.

The two countries thus formed an alliance.

These two gifts were incredibly generous. Ying Baoyue expressed her gratitude to Jiang Yuanyuan with the courtesy due to a monarch. Jiang Yuanyuan personally led 10,000 imperial guards to escort the Former Qin army thirty miles outside the city.

It was ostensibly an escort, but in reality, it was a deterrent, to ensure that all the former Qin troops left Southern Chu.

Ying Baoyue saw through it but didn't say anything.

In diplomacy between the two countries, many things are left unsaid.

But she never expected that a third generous gift was waiting for her on the way.

Jiang Yuanyuan, who was riding a horse, was stunned when she saw the man in black standing at the intersection.

"National Division?"

He never expected to see Ji Mo, who hadn't shown up for many days, here.

"Your Majesty," Ji Mo knelt on one knee and bowed to Jiang Yuanyuan, saying calmly, "This humble subject has arrived late to protect Your Majesty and deserves to die a thousand deaths."

Despite saying he deserved to die, Ji Mo's expression remained extremely indifferent, showing no sign of fear.

The ministers around Jiang Yuanyuan exchanged glances, their expressions complex.

Jiang Yuanyuan looked at the man kneeling at the intersection, not knowing what to say, and the atmosphere became very strange.

When he was in danger, Ji Mo, the head of all officials, did not show up. He did not choose to help either side, but chose to sit on the sidelines and watch the two sides fight.

For a ruler of a country, this is tantamount to betrayal, a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his family.

However, Jiang Yuanyuan knew that the powerful and influential Grand Preceptor of Southern Chu was incapable of executing Ji Mo, or even punishing him.

It would be a lie to say that I didn't harbor any resentment.

But Jiang Yuanyuan knew in his heart that he was still too young. His abilities were not enough to control this powerful man. As far as Ji Mo was concerned, anyone from the Jiang family could be king. He had not betrayed the country of Southern Chu.

"Please rise, Grand Preceptor," Jiang Yuanyuan said awkwardly after a moment of silence. "I know you have your reasons."

"Now that you're back, continue to assist me."

Jiang Yuanyuan adopted a forgiving attitude.

“No,” Ji Mo stood up, “I failed to protect Your Majesty during the palace coup and have no face to return to the court. I request to resign from my position as Grand Preceptor.”

Upon hearing this, the Southern Chu army behind Jiang Yuanyuan erupted in uproar and became restless.

Jiang Yuanyuan was also taken aback.

He could turn a blind eye to Ji Mo's disloyalty, but Ji Mo's resignation from the position of Grand Preceptor was a major event.

"Grand Preceptor Ji, what do you mean by this?"

Jiang Yuanyuan frowned. "Are you going to betray your country?"

"Your Majesty is too kind," Ji Mo said calmly. "This humble subject is simply ashamed to continue serving as the Imperial Advisor."

Do you take me for a fool?

Jiang Yuanyuan finally couldn't hold back and burst out, "A second-rank divine child who is summoned by the king must take up the position of national teacher. This is the duty of every cultivator in this country!"

"I have said that I will not hold the palace coup against you. Now that I have returned, you should just focus on being your role as the Grand Preceptor. These are turbulent times, and you, as the most powerful cultivator in Southern Chu, are abandoning Southern Chu. What is this if not treason?"

Ji Mo remained silent.

The tremors in the army behind Jiang Yuanyuan intensified, and many soldiers showed fear in their eyes.

Ji Mo is no longer serving as the Grand Preceptor of Southern Chu.

This was more terrifying for Southern Chu than changing its ruler.

Ying Baoyue watched from the sidelines, knowing it was a domestic matter for Nan Chu and she shouldn't interfere, but she was also genuinely surprised. "Silence!"

Jiang Yuanyuan roared, and the army behind her, whose morale had been wavering, fell silent.

His chest heaved as he stared at Ji Mo, who stood like a pillar in the middle of the road. "What exactly do you want?"

“Your Majesty, please forgive me,” Ji Mo sighed and raised his head, gazing quietly at the young man on horseback. “After this palace coup, Your Majesty is now capable of handling things independently.”

Jiang Yuanyuan has already established her prestige.

"It has been more than twenty years since I became the Grand Preceptor of Southern Chu. It is time for me to rest."

"Your Majesty, you can rest assured that even if I am no longer here, you will have ministers at your disposal and cultivators who can protect you."

The crisis in Southern Chu has been resolved, and nothing major is expected to happen again.

Even if he doesn't stay in Southern Chu to exert his influence, it won't have much of an impact.

Ji Mo's words didn't sound like treason; they sounded more like his last words.

An ominous premonition arose in Jiang Yuanyuan's heart. "And you, where are you going?"

Surely Ji Mo wouldn't be thinking of retiring and going into seclusion at his age?
“This is my private matter,” Ji Mo said. “I beg Your Majesty not to interfere.”

Jiang Yuanyuan squinted at him, "That won't do."

“You want to resign from the position of Imperial Preceptor without giving a clear reason,” Jiang Yuanyuan said sharply. “I do not agree.”

Their eyes met in mid-air.

“Alright,” Ji Mo sighed, as if he couldn’t refuse, “I have an old friend living in the north, and I’m going to visit him there.”

What kind of reasons are these?
Is this why he's willing to abandon Southern Chu?
Although he knew that Ji Mo's real reason was not like that, Jiang Yuanyuan still couldn't suppress his dissatisfaction. Just as he was about to lash out, Ying Baoyue, who had been listening silently, suddenly spoke up.

"You're going to visit friends in the north..."

She suddenly stopped, stared into Ji Mo's eyes, and asked, "Are we going the same way?"

Ji Mo smiled calmly, "It just so happens to be on my way."

"What a coincidence?" Ying Baoyue exhaled. "Will the Grand Preceptor of Southern Chu accompany me?"

……

……

Ying Baoyue went to great lengths to persuade Jiang Yuanyuan to agree to let Ji Mo travel north with the Former Qin army.

In the end, Jiang Yuanyuan agreed to let Ji Mo and the Former Qin army go north together, but on the condition that he retain the title of the Southern Chu National Preceptor and return to Southern Chu as soon as he had settled his personal affairs.

Ying Baoyue never expected that Ji Mo would one day become her travel companion.

Sitting in the carriage, she gazed at the expressionless man meditating. "We're almost in Guiyang. Do you want to see Jia Shu?"

Ji Mo opened her eyes. "Why should I go see him?"

Before going to fight his nemesis, shouldn't he see his son one last time?

Ying Baoyue was somewhat speechless. "Is the old friend you're going to visit really a friend?"

Ji Mo looked at her quietly, "It's none of your business."

Ying Baoyue hesitated, then stopped speaking. Ji Mo sighed, "Before that, you should worry about your own affairs first. What's wrong with Li Ji?"

"Is that kid really that stupid? You sent him up north to solve the problem, and he ended up getting himself into trouble?"

Upon hearing Ji Mo's words, a little red bird on his shoulder protested and frantically stomped on Ji Mo's shoulder.

“I’m not talking about the Azure Dragon God,” Ji Mo frowned. To put himself in danger without letting the other eight Beast Gods notice was clearly not the Azure Dragon God’s style. It was probably the part of the person inside the Azure Dragon God who was causing the trouble.

“He didn’t sacrifice himself,” Ying Baoyue said, suppressing her emotions. “He used himself as bait to trap Yun Zhongjun.”