Chapter 3: Famous Generals of the Zhao State

Indeed, it is that Li Mu. Although Gao Yuan is not a history major, he is quite familiar with Li Mu due to his interest in studying wars throughout history, both ancient and modern, from around the world

Li Mu? A sound buzzed in the mind of the plateau, and he said: "You are Li Mu? The renowned general of Zhao, the Marquis of Wu'an, Li Mu?"

Just now, I emptied a magazine in one go, with the purpose of delivering a strong shock to the Qin army in a short period of time, hoping to buy a little more time. However, although the Qin army did not charge forward, they also did not retreat, and Gao Yuan dared not flee either. If he ran away, it would make the Qin army realize his inner fear, and the situation created earlier would immediately be reversed. Thus, both sides remained in a standoff. But Gao Yuan also knew that such a situation could not last long. If Li Mu could not return in time to rescue him, then he would have no hope left. However, although the Qin army did not charge forward, they also did not retreat, and Gao Yuan dared not flee either. If he ran away, it would make the Qin army realize his inner fear, and the situation created earlier would immediately be reversed. Thus, both sides remained in a standoff. But Gao Yuan also knew that such a situation could not last long. If Li Mu could not return in time to rescue him, then he would have no hope left

The man nodded and said, "I am Li Mu from the Zhao State. May I ask your esteemed name, sir?"

At this moment, Li Mu and the others had already urged their horses, galloping in the opposite direction of the Qin army, towards the pit above. The Qin army had already descended into the pit, closing in to within a hundred meters. The sound of arrows whistling through the air could be heard, clearly indicating that the Qin army was shooting. Therefore, Gao Yuan did not have time to think too much; he mimicked them, squeezing his legs tightly against the horse's belly, shaking the reins, and galloping alongside them. At this time, Li Mu and the others naturally did not need to conceal their figures, and they all lit torches to illuminate the surroundings.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps was heard as a group of Qin infantry rushed over, and a line of archers drew their bows, aiming at him. Gao Yuan let out a bitter smile, knowing that at this point, he could only make one last desperate effort.

Li Mu's expression changed slightly as he said to Gao Yuan: "The Qin army has arrived. This is not the place for discussion. Please come with me back to the Zhao army camp to talk further"

However, the recent round of gunfire indeed caused quite a shock to the Qin army, as no one clearly understood what had happened. They only saw Gao Yuan raise his hand, followed by a loud bang and a flash of sparks, and one of their own fell from his horse. In this era, when black powder had not yet been developed, the soldiers of the Qin army had certainly never seen such a weapon, which made them somewhat apprehensive. Although they could see that there was only Gao Yuan on the opposing side, no one dared to advance easily.

At this moment, several guards who had been following Li Mu looked around and said, "We haven't seen him. Has he fallen behind or gotten separated? However, the Qin army hasn't caught up."

Li Mu shook his head and said, "You do not understand, this person is extremely important. Since he can fall to the ground with the meteor, he must not be an ordinary individual. Therefore, we absolutely cannot allow him to be captured by the Qin army. Moreover, it is too late to return to the main camp to summon troops."

At this moment, in the opposing army, a rider emerged from the crowd and approached Li Mu. The knight on horseback clasped his fists together and said: "General, I am the subordinate officer sent to escort you."

Looking back, the cavalry of the Qin army was less than 50 meters away, while Li Mu and others ahead had already left him behind by more than 100 meters. At this moment, despite Gao Yuan's usual composure, he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious, as he was on a plane and not wearing a bulletproof vest. If he were to be hit by an arrow, it would likely be quite serious. However, Gao Yuan did not dare to loosen his grip on the horse's neck, so no matter how much he squeezed or kicked the horse's belly, the warhorse just couldn't run faster. He felt increasingly anxious, as he was on a plane and not wearing a bulletproof vest. If he were to be hit by an arrow, it would likely be quite serious. Yet, he still did not dare to loosen his grip on the horse's neck, so no matter how much he squeezed or kicked the horse's belly, the warhorse just couldn't run faster.

At this moment, faint sounds of shouting and killing could be heard from the rear. Li Mu's expression changed slightly as he said, "He must have fallen behind and been surrounded by the Qin army. We must return immediately to rescue him"

A series of loud explosions startled Li Mu, who immediately turned around on his horse and looked to the left and right, asking: "Where is that young man from just now?"

Gao Yuan was just about to speak when the sound of hooves surged like a tide, accompanied by numerous footsteps. Turning his head, Gao Yuan saw countless figures appearing at the edge of the crater, drawing closer to his side.

Li Mu listened and immediately reined in his warhorse. The others, upon seeing this, also stopped their horses one after another. Li Mu looked around the crowd but did not spot Gao Yuan, as Gao Yuan's attire was distinctly different from that of the others, making him very easy to recognize

This cavalry unit stopped about twenty meters away from the plateau, seemingly not as hostile as the previous army. Therefore, the plateau remained still, merely observing the situation.

Gao Yuan hesitated for a moment, as Li Mu's gentle demeanor gave him a favorable impression. Although Li Mu's tone was calm, it naturally conveyed an air of authority that was hard to resist. Consequently, Gao Yuan nodded and said, "Alright"

In the past, Gao Yuan had also ridden horses, and he was quite skilled at it, able to command his mount to perform some jumping and long-distance actions. Therefore, without hesitation, he reinserted his pistol, pressed down on the saddle with both hands, and leaped onto the horse's back

However, Gao Yuan had never ridden such a horse before, so when the warhorse started to run, he immediately felt unstable on its back, swaying back and forth, nearly being thrown off. Instinctively, Gao Yuan crouched down on the horse's back, gripping its neck with both hands, which helped him stabilize himself. He then charged forward with Li Mu and the others, rushing towards the pit.

Li Mu was a prominent figure from the State of Zhao during the Warring States period, specifically from the region of Bairen (present-day Longyao, Xingtai). He is renowned as one of the great generals of Zhao, alongside Bai Qi, Wang Jian, and Lian Po, collectively referred to as the "Four Great Generals of the Warring States." The "Thousand Character Classic" states: "Qi, Jian, Po, and Mu, the most skilled in military affairs. They proclaimed their might in the desert, their fame painted in red and blue." Li Mu's life and achievements can be broadly divided into two phases: initially, he defended the northern border of Zhao against the Xiongnu; in the later period, he focused on resisting the State of Qin. He achieved remarkable military successes, and it is said that he never suffered a defeat in his lifetime.

Fortunately, at that moment, the warhorse was not moving quickly, and it had undergone rigorous training on the plateau. Upon landing, it rolled twice on the ground, dissipating the impact of the fall, and was not injured. It immediately got back up from the ground.

The guards around Li Mu were greatly anxious, but Li Mu said, "Everyone, don't panic. It's one of our own. Zhao Xuan, is that you?"

A guard said: "General, this is too dangerous. We are still within the territory controlled by the Qin army. If we go back to rescue him, we will also be surrounded by the Qin army. Right now, you are the only pillar of the Zhao state. If anything happens to you, then Zhao will be in danger as well. In my humble opinion, we should first return to the main camp, gather a large force, and then come to his rescue"

At that moment, a sudden cry of distress erupted from the warhorse beneath the plateau, as it raised its two front legs high. It turned out that a sharp arrow had struck the horse's rear. The plateau was caught off guard and could no longer maintain his balance on the black steed, leaning backward and tumbling down from the horse's hindquarters.

Seeing that he had stunned the Qin army, Gao Yuan felt a slight sense of relief in his heart and immediately replaced it with the last magazine

Although Gao Yuan is not very old, he has undertaken several significant tasks and has developed the ability to quickly assess situations and find the best response in a short period of time. Therefore, at this moment, Gao Yuan understands that escape is certainly not an option; two legs cannot possibly outrun four. The only way forward is to fight with all his strength, buy some time, and hope that Li Mu will notice he has fallen behind and return to rescue him. Based on Li Mu's attitude towards him earlier, Gao Yuan still has some confidence that Li Mu will come back to save him.

Li Mu nodded and said, "Zhao Xuan, you have arrived just in time. We are in need of your strength right now. Follow me immediately to fight back; we must rescue him."

At that moment, the sound of hooves was heard, and in front of the crowd appeared a troop of cavalry, numbering around two to three hundred riders.

Thus, Gao Yuan immediately drew his pistol, aiming at the front row of the Qin army. He raised his hand and fired a shot, causing a knight to fall from his horse instantly. Without pausing, Gao Yuan continued to fire, knocking several Qin cavalrymen off their horses. In one breath, he killed or injured more than a dozen cavalrymen. Suddenly, with a "click," the magazine failed to return to position. Gao Yuan realized that the pistol had a jam, and another magazine was empty.

However, after settling on the horse's back, he realized that the riding equipment of this era was completely different from the horses he had ridden before. Not only were there no stirrups, but the saddle was also very simple, featuring a high front and a nearly flat rear, with only a slight inward curve in the middle. It was not the type of saddle with distinct protrusions at both the front and back, characteristic of the standard double high-bridge structure.

One of the guards beside Li Mu said: "General, the Qin army has arrived; we should leave quickly."

The person was somewhat surprised, but still nodded and said: "Indeed, m.hetushu.com is me."

At this moment, Gao Yuan was basically able to discern when he was, which was the late Warring States period, but he did not expect that upon just crossing over, he would encounter a renowned historical general.

However, as a result, the plateau's warhorses could not run at full speed and gradually fell to the back. In the darkness, no one else noticed him, and thus he was left further behind by Li Mu and others. Meanwhile, the Qin army behind was getting closer and closer, and several arrows whizzed past the plateau's sides.

Gao Yuan was taken aback for a moment. Under the glow of the fire, he saw that the man was fully armored, of medium build, with well-defined features, spirited eyes, and a slight beard that was somewhat grizzled, appearing to be between fifty and fifty-five years old. Although this person's demeanor was relatively friendly, Gao Yuan did not dare to let his guard down. He remained still, nodded, and said, "I am the one."

Li Mu immediately turned around and mounted his horse, while the guards beside him also hurriedly mounted their steeds. At that moment, one of the guards brought over a riderless warhorse for Gao Yuan to ride.

At this moment, several people dismounted from their horses and took a few steps forward. One of them spoke up, saying: "Are you the one who just descended with the meteor?"

At this moment, more than ten cavalrymen from the Qin army were less than twenty meters away from the plateau, their long spears pointed forward, charging fiercely towards the plateau

In the late Warring States period, the State of Zhao relied entirely on Li Mu to withstand the attacks of the Qin army, successfully defeating them twice. Consequently, the King of Zhao, emulating the Qin general Bai Qi, conferred upon Li Mu the title of Duke of Wu'an. Unfortunately, the King of Zhao later fell victim to the Qin state's scheme of sowing discord, heeding slanderous words, and stripped Li Mu of his military authority, ultimately leading to Li Mu's execution. As a result, just three months after Li Mu's death, the State of Zhao was annihilated. Because Li Mu was a victim of the Qin state's machinations, he has been regarded with sympathy and respect throughout subsequent history.