The old things I repaired have become fine

Chapter 701 I want to watch the show, I don't want to charge into battle with Li Er! Let me go!!!
"When will the fighting start?"

"When will this fight finally break out?"

"How much longer do we have to wait...?"

While pretending to collect herbs, dry them, wash gauze, and dry the gauze, Shen Le muttered complaints under his breath.

He's been here for a week!
If it were on a mountain, a whole kiln of porcelain towers could be fired!

Squatting here, the food is terrible—the lowest-ranking ordinary soldier's food, no meat, only millet, and it's even hard to keep your teeth from getting hurt;

They couldn't get a good night's sleep—they lived in makeshift shacks with insects crawling on the ground, and the soldiers made noise three times a day—sometimes even at night.

Even if there's no commotion, Shen Le still has to take a lamp in the middle of the night to check on the wounded soldiers, to see who has a fever, who has fallen to the ground, and whose wound has reopened and needs a dressing change...

When exactly will Li Shimin charge into battle?!

"I told you not to rush over, but you insisted on coming." Lou Yun stood shoulder to shoulder with him, bent down and spread out bunches of dandelions, thistles, purslane and so on, turning them over one by one.

"Let's wait, let's wait patiently. These kinds of major battles can last three to five months, six months to a year; who knows when it will start? Maybe..."

He swallowed the words, "We were defeated and forced to retreat for no apparent reason, without seeing anything." Having spent years fighting on the battlefield, he was practically a general himself, and had seen all sorts of inexplicable battles.

However, his junior brother was in high spirits, and he didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm. Unexpectedly, after Shen Le finished muttering to himself and heard him say, "I don't know when the fight will start," he paced irritably around the balcony a couple of times, then suddenly perked up:
"It'll be soon. In the next few days!"

"Huh? How do you know?"

"Look at the horses!" Shen Le pulled him to the edge of the drying stone platform, pointed downwards, and gestured for Lou Yun to look down:

"They drove their warhorses to the banks of the Yellow River to graze! That's fast!"

"Why is it so fast?"

Lou Yun still didn't react. Shen Le was speechless for a moment:
Am I to say that while I was repairing the Porcelain Tower, I took the time to revisit the Battle of Hulao Pass and learned that "the opening of the Battle of Hulao Pass was to leave more than a thousand horses to graze on the riverbank to lure them"?
Saying things like that makes me sound like a monster!

Lou Yun was still staring at him intently. Shen Le quickly racked his brains and finally came up with a reason for him:
"Look, inside Hulao Pass, there are large numbers of cavalry, while Dou Jiande's troops are mainly infantry."

The Li family wanted to defeat Dou Jiande, so they would definitely use cavalry to charge into the enemy lines. Driving the horses out to graze was a clear indication they weren't planning on fighting—if I were Dou Jiande, I would definitely seize this opportunity and attack immediately!

"That makes sense!" Lou Yun clapped his hands vigorously. Shen Le smiled at him and looked down at the mountains below.

Alas, they arrived too late. The famous scene of "I wield my bow and arrow, you wield your spear, and we shall face a million men" is probably over. All they can hope for now is to watch the Xuanjia Army charge from a high vantage point...

He imagined the billowing dust below the mountain, the black-clad cavalry like sharp knives piercing into the army, and the scene of Dou Jiande's 20-strong army collapsing. He couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

Such a grand scene has been filmed in various movies, TV series, and game CGs more than once, but you still have to see it live and the original version to truly appreciate the experience!
The mountain wind howled, and the trees swayed. Both were lost in their own thoughts, neither speaking. After a while, Shen Le heard a question from beside her:

"So tell me, how many more days until the fight starts?"

"How would I know! It depends on when Dou Jiande is willing to send troops..."

Shen Le answered casually, slightly lost in thought. Dou Jiande, that passionate, generous, and decisive man from Gaojibo Village back then—had he finally come to this...?

I once advised him to "remember his original intention of protecting refugees" and "if things look wrong, just go for it." It seems he didn't listen, or perhaps he did think about it, but it was too late...

"Then how many more days do you think he'll need to send troops?"

"How should I know... Huh?"

Shen Le froze. Wait, his senior brother was standing to his left, not behind him, so who was the person who was talking to him from behind just now?
Wait a minute, the person who asked "how many more days until the fight starts?" doesn't seem to be my senior brother...

He slowly turned around, one square at a time. When he was about a third of the way around, he saw that his senior brother had also turned around, his whole body stiff and his face a little pale.

After turning another third of the way, amidst a vast expanse of herbs behind him stood a young man clad in light armor, his imposing figure unforgettable at first glance.

"Master, you just said the great battle is just around the corner, but how many more days are there?"

"who are you?"

Shen Le subconsciously asked a question back. As she asked, she took half a step back, her foot landing on the edge of the stone platform, and she leaned back instantly.

He subconsciously activated his magic, trying to use the gentle breeze to lift himself back to safety, but the spell seemed to be suppressed by something and could not be activated at all.

With a sharp crack, pebbles and gravel rained down from beneath his feet. Luckily, his senior brother reacted quickly and grabbed his arm.

"Beware!"

"Hey, watch out!"

Behind the young man, a dark-faced general appeared in a flash, appearing before them and casually pulling Shen Le back. Still shaken, Shen Le nodded gratefully to the general and turned back to the young man:

"You are……"

"This is His Highness the King of Qin!"

The dark-faced general, who was grabbing his arm, interrupted him abruptly:

"No rudeness!"

King Qin... King Qin!
Li Shimin!
I actually met Li Shimin!
Shen Le swayed again, his eyes glued to the young man before him, unable to look away. This was Li Shimin!

I only wanted to watch from a distance, I didn't even expect to get within 100 meters, I really didn't expect to actually see the real person!
He couldn't help but scrutinize the other person closely. The young man standing before him was tall and imposing, exuding an air of superiority simply by standing there.

Among the people Shen Le had met before, those around his age did not possess his imposing presence; those who exuded his aura were at least forty years old or older.

Moreover, he is truly handsome, with deep-set eyes and a chiseled face, and he would not be outshone even among celebrities—not only would he not be outshone, but his resolute and upright demeanor would even surpass it!

"A dragon's bearing and a phoenix's grace, a countenance as bright as the sun and the moon..." Shen Le murmured the historical record, and suddenly felt that perhaps it was not entirely flattery?

Wait, how did you get here? How did such a large group of you manage to get here?!
Why did we stand here without making a sound, and then suddenly appear?! He must have been watching for a while, so long that the dark-faced general who was holding his arm couldn't help but shake his arm hard, which woke Shen Le up.

Shen Le was a little embarrassed and wanted to say something, but Li Shimin had already waved his hand with a smile:

“You two Taoist priests are people outside the secular world, there’s no need for such formalities.”

At his signal, the dark-faced general immediately released Shen Le's arm and darted back. Shen Le breathed a sigh of relief. Before he could speak, Li Shimin took two steps forward and smiled slightly:
"I originally just came up to check out the terrain, but I heard that the two Taoist priests were treating wounded soldiers and gathering herbs, so I thought I'd drop by. I never expected that the two priests, besides their compassion, would also have such insight—"

"May I ask your esteemed names and where you reside? Would you be willing to enter my camp for a chat?"

Shen Le and Lou Yun exchanged a quick glance. Shen Le pursed her lips, subtly took half a step back, and gestured for her senior brother to speak first;
Lou Yun smiled slightly and bowed, saying:
"Amitabha Buddha, this is Mingrui, a Taoist priest from Zhongnan Mountain, greetings to Your Highness Prince Qin. This is my junior brother Mingde. My fellow disciple and I have been traveling the world, helping those in distress, and we happened to pass by here."

Seeing the soldiers' suffering, I stayed a while longer to treat their minor injuries and illnesses. Your Highness praised me, but I am unworthy of such praise.

"Hey……"

Li Shimin waved his hand dismissively, still staring intently at Shen Le. Shen Le stood frozen, her mind racing, her vest soaked with sweat.
Is it too late for me to tell the truth now?
Is it too alarming for me to say that I am a disciple of a certain immortal sect, and that I have come down the mountain to find the true master?

Or, if I insist that I am just an ordinary Taoist priest, and my sect comes to ask for cooperation later, and I am exposed, will it have adverse consequences?

"Um... would you believe me if I said I was just guessing...?"

"Why don't you believe me?" To his surprise, Li Shimin nodded, seemingly unsurprised. He turned halfway, gestured forward, and motioned for them to follow.
"Over the years, how many generals have risen from humble beginnings? How many were born into military families, with generations serving in the army and receiving guidance from fathers, brothers, and teachers? Most were simply naturally gifted, traversing the battlefield and suddenly becoming famous generals—"

Shen Le watched as his gaze swept past the dark-faced general beside him, and then over the other generals who had come out with him, some carrying bows and others swords.

As they looked at each other, those generals who were clearly older than him, some even twice his age, all stood tall and proud, their faces beaming with pride.

Clearly, these were all renowned generals who "rose from humble beginnings and possessed extraordinary talent," and they were extremely pleased to be praised by their lord.

They followed Li Shimin and turned around to let him go first, while the back row swung over, intentionally or unintentionally sandwiching Shen Le and the other person in the middle, and headed directly down the mountain towards Hulao Pass.

Shen Le couldn't escape even if she wanted to. She was helpless and was taken into the city gate, and even dragged to a banquet.

Before Shen Le could react, two generals sat on either side of him, and a group of people rushed over to offer him a toast.

"Master, you chose an excellent spot! Standing there, you can clearly see everything happening down the mountain and across the way!"

"Who said you don't know anything about military affairs? If you didn't know anything about military affairs, how could you have chosen that hillside!"

"I've heard that very few of the wounded soldiers you've treated died, and many recovered completely! You're a miracle doctor!"

"Stay in the camp! — Stay here, and you'll have wealth and honor, whatever you want! If you don't want to be an official, His Highness the Prince of Qin will build you a grand Taoist temple!"

Shen Le looked left and right, his eyes darting around. Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, Cheng Yaojin, Shi Danai... one after another, these famous names from history books and storytelling appeared before his eyes.

Holding a glass of wine, I didn't want to drink it, but before I knew it, it was downed in my throat, and in the blink of an eye, the glass was filled again...

Senior brother! Senior brother, save me!
Even his senior brother couldn't save him. His senior brother had already been ushered to another table, where several people who looked somewhat like civil officials were surrounding him, asking for advice on various treatments for wounded soldiers.

Shen Le listened for a moment and heard keywords such as "washing," "drying," "boiling bandages," and "keeping clean" popping out one after another...

"By the way, Daoist Master, what brings you to our camp?"

"I...I've only heard of the King of Qin's fame and wanted to see him for myself..."

Shen Le was a little dazed from being given the drink and blurted out, "..." He suddenly snapped back to reality and bit his tongue hard.
What did I just say?

Thank goodness, I didn't say the name "Li Shimin," I didn't reveal anything, and I didn't say anything particularly taboo. I shouldn't say anything more now!
"You want to see His Highness the Prince of Qin!" The bearded general sitting next to him laughed heartily and slapped Shen Le on the shoulder.

"You can't see it from the mountain! You have to see it from within the army formation—little Taoist priest, can you ride a horse? Can you use a spear?"

Shen Le couldn't remember exactly how he answered. But early the next morning, he and his senior brother were dragged out of their tents and ushered to the square behind the fortress.

One man, one horse, and one long spear:
"Would you like a horse spear? Or do you know how to use a halberd?"

Lou Yun awkwardly mounted the horse, hesitatingly spurring it on. The horse trotted, but after only half a circle, the generals who had come to watch all shook their heads.
"No."

"this is not OK."

"The Taoist priest came here to heal the sick and save lives! What do you mean 'can't' or 'can't'? Hey, Taoist priest, let me help you hold onto the horse, be careful when you dismount—"

The second horse was led to Shen Le. Shen Le grabbed the saddle with both hands and struggled to climb onto the horse's back, his posture even worse than his senior brother's.

However, the instant I settled into the saddle, countless memories of galloping and fighting on horseback flooded my mind. My shoulders, back, waist, and legs automatically adjusted, following muscle memory to find the optimal position:

"scold!"

With a sharp shout, he grabbed his spear and instinctively lay down on his horse's back. Man and horse became one, and the warhorse neighed loudly, charging off excitedly!
"Junior brother!"

Lou Yun called out worriedly. Her voice drifted away on the wind, drowned out by the generals' loud cheers:
"Not bad!"

"this is not bad!"

"At least I can save my life on the battlefield!"

"Young Taoist priest, you want to see our Prince Qin, right? Come, put on a suit of armor and come with us to the front lines. That's when His Highness is at his most powerful!"

Without a word, Shen Le was dressed in a suit of black armor, making him indistinguishable from a group of Xuanjia cavalry.

The general who gave him the armor took special care of him, placing him 200 paces away from Li Shimin. Indeed, Li Shimin, fully armored, exuded extraordinary majesty, a complete contrast to his jovial demeanor yesterday…

After standing there bored for several hours, he saw the gates of Hulao Pass open, and the cavalrymen poured out in a mighty procession...

Shen Le: !!!
I'm here to watch the show; I don't want to follow Li Er into battle!

let me go!
(End of this chapter)