Chapter 744

"This is just a simple way for the Yelang people to deal with elephant troops when they have no other choice. I have at least a dozen other ways to deal with elephant troops."

"For example, that—the God-Arm Bow!"

Old Li and Fang Xuanling looked in the direction Qin Mu pointed.

Over there, some new recruits were lining up to try pulling a huge bow.

The draw weight of that bow was very strong; among dozens of people, perhaps only one could pull it.

Such a huge bow and arrow, one could see at a glance, must have extraordinary power.

Qin Mu said.

"This arrowhead is specially made, half a foot long, and covered with barbs. After hitting an elephant, it hurts as soon as it moves, and the more it hurts, the more it moves. In the end, the elephant will go mad, trampling the soldiers around it."

Li Er gasped.

If that were the case, the war elephants would instead become a sharp weapon helping the other side kill their own soldiers.

Before attacking the enemy, they would hurt themselves first.

Such a military branch would indeed have its value greatly discounted.

It was no wonder Qin Mu had always looked down on elephant troops.

This was not the end.

Qin Mu pointed to the other side again.

"Do you see those dozens of fierce beasts over there? Those are called lions, from the Xilandao."

"Don't look at the fact that the lion's size is smaller than an elephant's; as soon as they appear, the elephants will run for their lives."

Li Er had not thought of these methods Qin Mu mentioned at all.

After all, an elephant was just a wild beast that ate grass.

He hadn't been completely unable to think of these things.

It was just that from the beginning, he had particularly hoped that the elephant troops could create trouble for Great Qin.

Because he had such high expectations, he was willing to imagine the war elephants as even more powerful.

But now, this expectation was being destroyed bit by bit by Qin Mu.

Li Er's body was swaying, feeling as if he were about to collapse.

Fang Xuanling hurriedly supported him from the side.

"Old Li, are you not feeling well? Why don't we go back and rest first?" Qin Mu glanced at Old Li.

There was no expression on his face.

He said faintly: "You go back and rest first; I will hold a banquet in the palace tonight to entertain you."

"Today's main course is very rare—it's elephant trunk."

"I've been talking about war elephants for so long that I've become a bit hungry."

Li Er received another 10,000 points of critical damage.

The war elephants he thought would be Great Qin's trouble were, in Qin Mu's eyes, just a rare and delicious delicacy.

It was too infuriating!

The collapse of his hope gave Li Er an urge to vent wildly.

But he couldn't do it here; he dared not reveal his identity.

After taking his leave of Qin Mu, Li Er and Fang Xuanling went directly outside the city to find an uninhabited place.

"Ah..."

Li Er picked up a branch he found and slashed wildly at the wild grass on the ground, venting the anger and unwillingness in his heart.

... Please give flowers... 0

He did not know why, every single time, Qin Mu always had a way to resolve the predicament before him.

There were a few times when Li Er even thought it was an unsolvable problem.

But in Qin Mu's hands, it was still easily resolved.

It was so easy that it made one hate him deeply.

Was the gap between people really that big?

Occasionally, villagers from nearby would pass by, and seeing Li Er acting crazy over there, they kindly came up to ask Fang Xuanling.

"Your friend is quite ill; why don't you take him into the city to see a physician? The Golden Needle Hall in the west of the city treats this kind of madness very well!"

Fang Xuanling was caught between laughter and tears.

The dignified Emperor of Great Tang being humiliated by Qin Mu was one thing.

Now, he was actually taken for a madman by a rural villager, who even introduced him to a physician.

This... if it got out, it would be too shameful!

"Many thanks, brother, I will take him to be treated right away."

Could Fang Xuanling explain to a villager?

He could only silently accept it, then pull Li Er back to the post house of the Taichang Temple.

"Old Li, the matter hasn't happened yet, so there's no need to be so angry. We will only know the true direction of the situation when we see the state of the war between the two countries."

Li Er's anger dissipated somewhat.

At least he could regain his reason now.

"Xuanling, after hearing what Qin Mu said, I truly have no confidence in my heart now."

Fang Xuanling pondered.

"The matter of the alliance with the Harsha Empire should probably be kept low-key, so as not to bring trouble upon ourselves."

Li Er thought about it and felt that being too low-key was not good either.

"If Great Tang does nothing, and the Harsha Empire cannot see our sincerity, how can they trust us? We can't just stand by and watch while they attack Yelang, can we?" Encountering such a dilemma, Fang Xuanling had no good solution either.

An alliance must be made.

After all, after the alliance, Great Tang could still get many benefits.

It was like doing business in partnership; others put up money and people, and you don't put in any effort, just waiting to share the money. Would they be willing?

"Old Li, I don't think we should worry too much about this. Once the Harsha Empire and Great Qin start fighting in earnest, they will naturally continue to fight."

"At worst, we can just give them some gold."

Li Er nodded.

That was all he could do for now.

He heard that the Harsha Empire was particularly fond of gold; hopefully, giving them some gold could solve the problem.