MHNEB 20 (2/2)

Book 1:  Now we don’t hear the loom shuttle; we only hear our daughter sighing.

第20章 单方面被揍

Chapter 20: Unilaterally getting beaten up [Part 2 of 2]

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He suspects that if he is to continue fighting, he will continue down on the path where Pan Shi will chop his body from his waist down into two.  

Gai Wu had witnessed too many battles that people who go into that concentrated mode will kill people as if nothing happened.

He Mulan did not deeply enter the “Martial Concentration” trance. When she heard “I admit my loss”, she immediately used the back of her blade to hit Gai Wu’s waist area. Although merely by using the back of her blade to hit his waist, the thin Gai Wu still flew out like a ball that was hit by a baseball bat. He landed about one chi far from her. Bai Ma instantly rushed over, but he discovered that Gai Wu could not rise for a long time. 

As Gai Wu flew far away, the people surrounding them began to clap. The applause came from Yu City Governor Manor’s soldier.

Every Governor Manor’s soldier consists primarily of 30% Xianbei-ren, 30% Han-ren, while the rest of the 40% will depend on the where the Governor’s manor is situated at.  Yu City Governor Manor’s soldier consists of many who had retreated from the borders of the nation. Naturally, they knew that He Mulan’s moves that seem simple had a lot of killing power. 

You Ke waved his face excitedly as if he was the one who won. 

He Mulan detached herself from “Martial Concentration” trance after she heard the excited claps. She pitifully glanced at Gai Wu.

This Lushuihu person’s fighting style was actually focused on quickness and lightness. But because he was afraid of her enormous strength, he gave up on the original fight style that he was specialized in. Instead, he chose to use a shield.

Compared to a sharp and high-quality machete, a thick shield in one’s hand is harder to shatter.

However, the hand that’s holding the shield and the hand that’s holding the sword is connected to the same body. It’s not an easy feat to use a shield to shield himself while using a machete to stab someone. The impact of the shield would be transmitted to his hand and the hand holding the machete. This caused the two sides of his body’s movement to be unable to make a proper response in time, in the addition of if Hua Mulan used that enormous strength to use her long sword to hit him, it would be even harder to move his body properly. 

This is a situation is like an agile hero giving up on his primary attack power and chose defence. As a result of this, that weak attack not only did not weaken Hua Mulan’s heroic-like strong defence, he also lost a chance to “hide and avoid”. 

For those who have overbearing strength, there is no difference between a shield and a piece of paper.

One-hit KO!

From the moment Gai Wu chose to take a shield, he already lost.

“One should choose to maximize their strength and not to use more of their energy to cover their shortcomings.” He Mulan looked at the pale Gai Wu in a pity, “Your movement is very fast, but now, can…...you stand?”

Gai Wu shook his head. His voice sounded like something was stuck in his throat, and was finally able to clear his throat. He spoke: “My ribs are broken. There is no need to continue competing. I am not your opponent.”

Although He Mulan expected this conclusion, she still felt happy as she spoke. 

“Then, according to the Lushuihu’s rules……”

“Hua Mulan! If you request something absurd of our leader, just wait for Yu City Township’s villagers to be wiped out!”

The tiny Bai Ma let out a shrill shriek. 

“What?” He Mulan asked.

“Shut up, Bai Ma!” Gai Wu supported his waist area as he frowned.

“What did you say!” You Ke stared at the people in front of the Lushuihus. 

When Bai Ma continuously shrieked as if nothing mattered. Rather than describing that look of his as threatening, it is more accurate to describe that look of his as mustering out his courage before his courage wears off. 

“Did you think that the reason why we stayed at that worn-down temple was that we were waiting for you to send the two eminent monks here? When all of you bring them down, our calvaries would have already be stationed at Yu City township. If our situation here at the worn-down temple is awry, our calvary would begin to destroy and slaughter everyone in the Township.” 

If one would say that He Mulan was invited by Magistrate You here to save Cui Lin, now, one would say that He Mulan would feel lucky that she was here. 

As she lives in a place like Yingguo Township herself, she would naturally know what would happen when a calvary invades into a village. In the southern part of the Great Wei, specifically in the southern part of Henan, where farming was the mainstay, the weapons the villagers could use to resist the cavalries were only the sickle and an iron plough. 

Those from military families such as Hua father may have bows, arrows, and armoury and weapons in their homes, but not all military families are willing to migrate to the south, so these military families in the south could be like phoenix feathers and unicorn's horn (3). 

Can Hua Father, an old man with rheumatic in his legs, seek an undue advantage with the Lushuihu calvaries?

After Bai Ma said this, the soldiers fell into a state of panic. The sound of Yu City Governor Manor’s soldiers shouting and taunting the LuShuihus can be continuously heard.

Many LuShuihus didn't understand Chinese, but with the indignation expressions of the soldiers, they could understand what they were saying. So, they moved their horses restlessly, no longer maintaining a high and mighty front. 

Gai Wu took in a deep breath and raised his hand as if he wanted to give Bai Ma a slap, but eventually, he gave up because of the severe pain that he experienced when he raised his hand.

Although he is only 25 years old this year, he is already a seasoned leader in a group because he went to experience many battles since he was 14. 

Gai Wu has seen many people with violent personality or a cruel heart. He is sure that the "Hua Mulan" in front of him is not such a person.

Therefore, he was not prepared to expose his hidden arrangement at all, because this woman is likely to request for requests such as "Let go of Cui Lin" or "Let go of Cui Lin and leave Yu City".

As a result, Bai Ma was too impatient, or in other words, Bai Ma had been frightened by the powerful brute force displayed by "Hua Mulan" several times, and because of this, she would have almost shouted in a panic to request something scary like "Let Gai Wu commit suicide”, "All of you, kill yourselves".

When the Lushuihus met people of the same tribe as them on a fight, naturally, they would not make such a request, unless they wanted to face the relentless attempts on revenge amongst the same tribesmen in the future.

Hua Mulan would not even make such a request. She is neither such a person nor is there any reason for Cui Lin to go so deep in this muddy water. A few days ago, she was still at home, now, she came down here. This shows that she was a rescuer invited by the Governor’s manor.

So, Gai Wu straightforwardly accepted Hua Mulan's challenge request.

Because Cui Lin was never their main motive.

Their abduction of Cui Lin attracted Yu City’s attention so that he could achieve his aim of his cavalry secretly entering and ambushing the village.

By the time they manage to respond and wanted to defend the village, those villagers would have been held hostage, and it would be too late.

There are many military households and government troops in the Sixth Towns of  Great Wei and to the north of the country. This threat is only effective if the Liang county is filled with people who are farmers.

They use the lives of regular citizens to threaten the Wei Emperor. If the Wei Emperor did not let the monks go, he would be a cruel tyrant; if he let them go, he would obediently withdraw his tribesmen.

In Ping City, some Xianbei-ren and Hu-ren would definitely accept and protect the two eminent monks.

These are what one can foresee, in the end, they will definitely achieve their goals.

It’s a pity that Bai Ma's inability to withhold information has placed both sides into an unpredictable situation.

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(3) 凤毛麟角 - a rarity of the rarities, rare breed

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Fleur's Corner:

Sorry for the late update, I've been busy visiting my relatives in CNY that I could barely squeeze out time to translate. Next Update would be at 4th of Feb or before.

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