Isolated town in northern border region

Xiao Lie leaned against the headboard, looking at Mo Shu's thin face, and suddenly smiled.

There was no anger in that smile; it was calm, as if casually saying, "Are you free? Let's chat."

Mo Shu frowned slightly.

"What are you laughing at, Your Highness?"

Xiao Lie did not answer directly.

He gestured for Bisu to bring over the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from the low table.

Bisu hesitated for a moment, but still did as she was told.

She didn't know what Xiao Lie was going to do, but she would never ask him a second time if he asked her to do something.

Xiao Lie took the brush, dipped it in ink, and drew a few strokes on the paper.

It wasn't a complicated drawing, just a simple schematic diagram of a pulley system, with the lever ratio, force direction, and optimal winch position marked next to it.

He pushed the paper in front of Mo Shu.

"Take a look at this."

Mo Shu looked down.

He was a clever man, and a strategist who was well-versed in mechanical construction and geography. He immediately saw the purpose of the map.

He looked up, and his gaze towards Xiao Lie changed slightly.

"Is this... an improved siege weapon?"

Xiao Lie nodded.

"Your Panlong Guard has been hiding in the mountains for so many years, using only outdated methods."

"Climbing walls, banging on doors, swarming... those are child's play."

"True fighting power comes from technology!"

"Tie Muyun once fought against my Trapped Camp. Three of my soldiers were able to withstand more than a dozen of your puppets that were accelerated by 'Bing Yong San'."

"You must know about the new army under Emperor Chu at Wolf Gaze Mountain, right?"

He did not wait for Mo Shu's reply.

"The Chu Emperor had already obtained the steelmaking method from the northern frontier."

"His first task was to forge weapons and armor."

"Use your brain! With this little bit of medicine under your command, what great things can you possibly accomplish?"

Mo Shu stopped waving her folding fan.

He stared at the picture for a long time, then slowly put the paper down.

"What does Your Highness wish to prove?"

"This proves that my brain is more valuable than the medicine in your hand."

Xiao Lie took another piece of paper and this time drew an even more complex structure.

A schematic diagram of the cross-section of a rifling gun, with the gunpowder ratio and range calculation marked next to it.

"This thing is called a cannon."

"One shot can blast a breach in a city wall three hundred paces away."

"If you turn me into a walking corpse, you'll never see a second picture in your life."

Mo Shu fell silent.

He closed his folding fan and slowly sat down. After a while, he spoke.

"What Your Highness says is utterly absurd!"

"You think you can fool me with just empty words?"

"Your Highness, you are too naive."

Xiao Lie took out the token engraved with "King of the Northern Frontier" from his inner pocket and threw it in front of Mo Shu.

"Send someone to the northern frontier with this and find a scholar named Zhou Xun."

"Let him show you a few things, and after you've seen them, think about how you're going to talk to me."

"By the way, just a heads-up, I've run into trouble, and the Northern Frontier must be on edge right now."

"The people you sent had better behave themselves!"

"I think Tie Muyun is quite good. She is capable and efficient, and being a woman, she is easier to trust."

Mo Shu picked up the piece of iron and examined it, running her fingertip along the engraved edges.

"Your Highness, are you serious?"

Xiao Lie neither nodded nor shook his head.

"You'll find out if you send someone to check."

"If you still want to turn me into a puppet after reading this, I admit defeat."

Mo Shu's gaze lingered on Xiao Lie's face for a moment.

Then he stood up, walked to the door, and called out to the outside.

"Mu Yun, come in."

Tie Muyun walked in from outside the door, dressed in leather armor and holding a bow in his hand.

She glanced at Xiao Lie, then at Mo Shu.

"This humble general greets Your Highness!"

"Greetings, Deputy Commander."

Mo Shu handed her the piece of iron.

"Go to the northern frontier yourself and find a scholar named Zhou Xun."

"Show him this, and he'll understand."

"Once you arrive, take a good look at everything in northern Xinjiang and report back truthfully."

Tie Muyun took the iron plate, glanced at the inscription on it, looked at Xiao Lie, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.

"Understood."

Mo Shu added another sentence.

"Go quickly and come back quickly."

Tie Muyun turned and left.

Xiao Lie suddenly spoke as she stepped across the threshold.

"Iron Girl".

Tie Muyun stopped and turned to look at him.

"Does Your Highness have any further instructions?"

Xiao Lie leaned against the headboard, his voice low.

"That Zhou Xun kid is cunning as a monkey when he gets involved; a token alone might not be enough to make him believe you."

"Once you meet him, ask him, 'What kind of world do you want?' He'll naturally believe that I sent you."

"By the way, if he asks you anything, you'd better tell him the truth, otherwise you might not be able to come back."

Mo Shu frowned slightly and quickly added.

"The location of Panlong Valley must not be revealed!"

Tie Muyun didn't ask any further questions, he just nodded.

"Your subordinate has remembered."

Then her figure disappeared outside the door.

In the following days, Xiao Lie did not mention the cooperation again.

He lay in the thatched hut every day, occasionally having Bisu help him up to walk a few steps.

His meridians were still blocked, his whole body was numb, and he broke out in a cold sweat after walking a few steps.

Bisu brought him water and food every day, put a towel on his forehead, and occasionally said a few words of everyday conversation. She didn't ask him what he planned to do or about Mo Shu.

Panlong Valley was very quiet. The sound of soldiers training came from across a mountain ridge, muffled, like the beating of drums.

In Tie Muyun's absence, Xiao Lie would occasionally look up towards the valley entrance.

After leaving the valley, Tie Muyun headed north.

Five days later, she set foot on the border of northern Xinjiang.

The official roads in northern Xinjiang are paved with cement, and the gray-white surface is as smooth as a mirror.

In the fields on both sides of the road, the crops have grown to waist height. Some elderly people are sitting on the ridges of the fields to rest, and some children are chasing dragonflies by the fields.

In the distance, there are villages, with wisps of smoke rising from their gray-tiled roofs, a scene of quiet and peaceful tranquility.

Tie Muyun led her horse along the official road, her boots making a sound she had never heard before as they trod on the cement pavement.

It wasn't the sound of muddy splashing, but a clean and crisp tapping sound.

She stopped, bent down, and touched the road surface. Her fingers touched a hard, smooth surface, as if the road had naturally grown on the earth, rather than been trodden out.

She entered Youzhou City.

The city gate was wide open, without iron railings or barricades. Several soldiers wearing standard armor but without swords at their waists were helping an old man repair his car by the roadside.

Their movements were practiced, their expressions calm, as if they were doing something perfectly natural.

Tie Muyun stood in the city gate for a long time until a soldier called her name.

"Young lady, who are you looking for?"

Tie Muyun then came to his senses and took out the token from his pocket.

"A tour of the northern frontier."

"I have come on the orders of the King of the Northern Frontier."

The soldier squinted and looked Tie Muyun up and down, then carefully examined the token. After confirming that it was correct, he muttered something.

"Isn't the prince in the city?"

"How did you end up with the token?"

"Never mind, come with me."

In the back hall of the Youzhou government office, Zhou Xun was organizing the plans left behind by Xiao Lie.

Upon hearing the words "Northern Frontier King's Token," he paused for a moment.

"Please let her in."

When Tie Muyun entered the back hall, Zhou Xun had already stood up.

He wasn't wearing an official robe, but only a plain-colored long gown, which made him look thin and refined.

He trembled uncontrollably when he saw the token in Tie Muyun's hand.

"The prince isn't dead?"

"Where is the Prince?"

"Why did I send you to northern Xinjiang?"

"Why hasn't the prince returned?"

Tie Muyun was somewhat bewildered by Zhou Xun's question.

"I... um... His Highness sent me to see the Northern Frontier."

Zhou Xun became alert when he saw that Tie Muyun's words were incoherent.

"Someone come here!"

At his command, a dozen fully armed soldiers charged in and surrounded Tie Muyun.

Zhou Xun retreated outside the human wall, his voice cold.

"Speak! Where did you obtain the token?"

At this moment, Zhou Xun had already made up his mind to kill.

He mistook Tie Muyun for a spy sent by the Chu Emperor, and the token was found on Xiao Lie's corpse.

It is estimated that a fire at Langgu Mountain burned Xiao Lie's body beyond recognition, which is why they sent someone to test him!

Zhou Xun knew that his reaction just now was enough to prove that Xiao Lie was not in the Northern Frontier. If this woman could not give a clear answer, he would have no choice but to kill her!

Tie Muyun looked around and quickly reached out to stop him.

"Wait a minute!"

"The prince asked me to deliver a message to Zhou Xun!"

"Zhou Xun! What kind of world do you want?"

Zhou Xun remained silent.

He looked at Tie Muyun for a long time, then smiled and shed tears.

"Did His Highness send you to ask this?"

"Yes."

"How is Your Highness?"

Tie Muyun nodded.

"His Highness is recovering from his injuries and is fine."

Only now did Zhou Xun truly realize that Xiao Lie was still alive!