After Li Bao finished washing up, the innkeepers had also prepared food and wine.
Although the food and wine were not particularly lavish, Han Mo was not too particular. After all, in these turbulent times, it was good enough to be able to get food at all, let alone be picky.
Li Bao was a straightforward person, and communicating with Han Mo was quite simple. Halfway through the meal, Li Bao started to slur his words.
However, compared to his drinking capacity, Han Mo was more curious about his appetite.
When Liang Hongyu went out to order the food and wine, she had already considered that they were all martial artists and would have large appetites.
Therefore, she specifically ordered enough food for six people. She also worried that Li Bao might not be used to plain white rice, so she had them prepare over twenty large steamed buns for him.
Yet, while eating and drinking, before he had had much to drink, he had already finished all twenty-odd steamed buns.
Furthermore, he had also eaten three large bowls of white rice.
What was even more outrageous was that he had drunk a large jar of wine!
One must remember that a jar of wine held ten catties!
Even so, he was still leisurely eating and drinking.
Han Mo and Jiang Yan were drinking and talking, while Li Bao was drinking and eating.
"Brother Li, your appetite is quite something!"
Seeing the large basin of rice nearing empty, Jiang Yan could not help but curiously glance at Li Bao's stomach.
Although Li Bao's physique was even larger than Jiang Yan's, the amount of food he had consumed was almost enough for Jiang Yan to eat for three days.
Jiang Yan was truly impressed by his appetite!
If Han Mo were not so wealthy, he would find it difficult to support Li Bao if he ate like this!
"You flatter me, sir. My appetite is natural. Because of it, our family's grain is never enough for the whole year..."
Li Bao felt a wave of embarrassment as he said this.
"Hahahaha, one needs a good appetite to have strength. To be honest, I have two sworn brothers, and their appetites are also quite considerable!"
Seeing his embarrassment, Han Mo couldn't help but laugh.
"Are they also military men?"
Hearing Han Mo say that, Li Bao finally put down his rice bowl.
"Of course, but I don't know where they are now..."
Han Mo's expression turned a bit somber as he said this.
Wu Jie and his brother were supposed to be in the northwest at this time. However, with Han Mo's actions, they should have also arrived in Jiangnan by now.
Han Mo was now starting to worry if his actions might have disrupted their destinies.
After all, without being given proper opportunities, even with great martial skill, one could not achieve great things.
In this vast world, how many people in positions of power had risen through military merit alone?
"Third Brother! Third Brother!"
Just as Han Mo was feeling a bit down, Wu Jie's voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"Am I hearing things?"
Han Mo was taken aback, no longer daring to believe his ears.
Could things really be this coincidental?
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother! What are you doing here?"
However, as he was still in doubt, Wu Jie and Wu Lin pushed the door open and walked in.
"Hahahaha, as soon as we heard you were here, we rushed over!"
Wu Lin said with a hearty laugh.
"Who are these two?"
Looking at the exquisite armor worn by Wu Jie and Wu Lin, Li Bao almost drooled.
The equipment they wore was the absolute finest!
Such exquisitely crafted armor must be worth at least three to five hundred guan!
Moreover, in this day and age, such items were truly priceless.
"These are my sworn eldest and second brothers. They are also commanders in the imperial court now!"
Hearing Li Bao's question, Han Mo smiled and introduced them.
"This is Li Bao, who is currently with me."
After briefly introducing each other, Han Mo decisively gave a few more instructions to people outside. He told the kitchen to prepare more good food and wine for them, then signaled everyone to be seated again.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, when did you arrive here?"
After having bowls and chopsticks prepared for them and pouring a bowl of wine for each, Han Mo asked.
"We reported to His Highness Prince Xin at the beginning of the month. Mr. Zong said you wrote us a letter of recommendation. Have you forgotten?"
Hearing Han Mo's question, Wu Jie said with a smile.
"I did mention it, but judging by your appearance now, you seem to be doing quite well!"
Just by looking at their armor and their slightly fuller figures, Han Mo knew they were living quite comfortably.
"Eldest Brother is now the Vice Commander, and I am a Commander under him!"
Before Wu Jie could speak, Wu Lin said gleefully.
"So soon?"
Han Mo was also surprised. Although Wu Jie was already a Commander, the Vice Commander was an officer at the military command level, overseeing a thousand men.
How long had he been in the south, and he was already one step away from leading an army independently?
"This is all thanks to you!"
Wu Jie also said happily.
"Then tell me, where is my credit?"
Hearing him say that, Han Mo burst into laughter.
"Not long after you left, we received orders to transfer troops, asking my brother and me to lead our men south to serve under Prince Xin. Upon hearing this, Zhong Jianyi specially prepared a complete set of military equipment for us, which was only available to the imperial guards. Coupled with the fact that our county town lacked neither money nor grain, we encountered several bands of bandits on our way south. With our soldiers having trained for so long, defeating them was a piece of cake!"
Wu Jie's mouth had not stopped moving as he spoke.
However, even Han Mo couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth when he heard this.
It seemed that this was indeed the case. Although they were organized as local guards, the men they led had participated in the suppression of bandits in Neihuang!
Furthermore, they had been diligently trained by the Wu Jie brothers day and night for so long, with ample money and grain, and superior military equipment. Even the regular Western Army might not have been able to match them.
Han Mo now felt sorry for those unlucky bandits who had tried to rob and ambush them. This was truly a case of "playing the pig to eat the tiger."
It was likely that those people, no matter how hard they tried to figure it out, would never have imagined that a contingent of local guards could have a combat effectiveness stronger than the imperial guards!