Chapter 290: Envoys from All Sides 2

I didn't expect Shang Long to still be a master painter; although the standard of Chinese painting nowadays is actually high, Bai Lang finds the distorted proportions and big-headed figures a bit tiresome—paintings of this era often have slight perspective errors, and figures placed higher are drawn especially large, a huge difference from later sketches and meticulous brushwork. Yet the sketch Shang Long drew on paper with charcoal surprised Bai Lang.

This is already close to a sketch; the key is speed. Shang Long also laughed, saying, "Sorry, I usually have to draw these drawings quickly, so I have to use charcoal." His fingers were also black; this charcoal is just a piece of prepared charcoal. The armored general drawn on paper wears the latest Ming light armor; the shoulder guards are just about to be drawn, and Bai Lang added, "White Tiger Head."

The belt also had a tiger head, and the front of the helmet was the same. Bai Lang also said, "No need for refined iron; just paint lacquer on leather and bamboo armor. As for me, I practice external martial arts all over, so I don't really need armor." He even had the opponent weave the helmet from bamboo strips, then coat it with lacquer, then attach a cast silver tiger head and paint a layer of silver lacquer—done. The armor on his body was the same, and because it's light, it can be made more ornate—like various inlaid edges.

Hand-painting the mountain character pattern on leather armor is much easier than actually forging the connections; the only decent part of this armor is the two shiny round metal plates on the chest. Bai Lang explained this whole counterfeit method, and the other person just shook his head, sighed, then shouted praise, "General Bai truly is brave and unmatched in external martial arts!" Bai Lang laughed loudly, and the demon face under the helmet he didn't need—his face isn't that of the Lanling King; his face is that of a true fierce general, needing no cover.

Not making money from this general's armor isn't a problem; Shang Long felt that being able to connect with this fierce general of the Great Sui was most important.

Next came an envoy from Jiangdu, who, as expected, was appointed Commander-in-Chief General with the rank of Yitong Sansi; Yang Guang valued him highly, though Pei Renji seemed more important, and this general directly became the Envoy of Pacification. This was to let him fight the Wagang Army again and finally destroy that rebel band. And if Pei Renji went to war, Bai Lang would also join.

Wang Shichong's envoy came again; this time his letter lowered its stance too much, merely hoping Bai Lang would help when the Wagang Army attacked Luoyang. He also promised that if Bai Lang encountered trouble here, going to his place would be a most welcome reception. Bai Lang just smiled and let the envoy go; Wang Shichong's ilk, Bai Lang didn't think highly of. If possible, he wouldn't go to Luoyang; he'd stay in Xingyang City to meet heroes from all over.

The East Abyss School's delivery of goods isn't that fast, especially transporting large batches of weapons, and there's also the risk of being robbed midway, which would be a total loss. According to the rules, Bai Lang should himself go pick up the goods; if delivered to the destination, there would normally be a surcharge, and delivery to Xingyang Commandery counts as arrival, so Bai Lang would have to collect it himself. Now the other party has taken over these tasks, saying they'll deliver to Bai Lang's Xingyang City, which makes Bai Lang indebted to them.

This is also because Bai Lang's side lacks manpower; picking up goods requires manpower, and it's not something one person can handle. The armor and weapons for five hundred people would fill many carts, and loading them onto ships would practically need a whole fleet.

Shang Xiujuan's gift of horses came with an escort of a thousand cavalry, which likewise counts as bending the rules. After showing off the "strength" of the Flying Horse Ranch, it naturally made some people drool even more. However, with Bai Lang present, Bai Lang accepted the warhorses, and Shang Xiujuan showed a tendency to cling to this Great Sui general; after word spread that she and Bai Lang's maid Wei Zhenzhen had become bosom friends, anyone wanting to act against the Flying Horse Ranch would still have to consider how that brave, unmatched general would respond.

By now, Wei Zhenzhen was already regarded as Bai Lang's concubine—although this person didn't even have a wife yet somehow had a concubine, which is somewhat odd, but what does it matter? He's already a high official, his fame shakes the world; having a few romantic affairs is nothing unusual. Poor Bai Lang hasn't even touched Wei Zhenzhen yet......

Shang Xiujuan wasn't just lowering herself to make connections by befriending Wei Zhenzhen; in fact, Wei Zhenzhen's cooking skills are excellent, especially her pastries, which are of a very high standard. Meeting this gluttonous Shang Xiujuan, one could only say they truly hit it off as friends. So she should have left, but she hasn't yet, spending all day with Wei Zhenzhen, making all sorts of strange snacks to eat together.

Of course, Bai Lang sometimes would mention a few things—he is a modern person, has seen many Western pastries, things people in this world have never seen. So he proposed a method for making croissants; after Wei Zhenzhen recreated it—there was Shang Xiujuan eating like a little squirrel, cheeks bulging...... Bai Lang smiled, picked up a small croissant, put it in his mouth, and said, "Not bad, not bad, Zhenzhen, your skills are truly excellent. No wonder the shop owner has eaten herself into this shape—hahaha."

Just as Shang Xiujuan lingered unwilling to leave, Bai Lang received news that a young lady from the Li clan had come to find her friend...... "Is Li Xiu Ning coming here also to win me over?" At this moment the Li clan hadn't considered rebellion—before Yang Guang's death it probably wouldn't happen; no matter how you say it, Li Yuan and Yang Guang are cousins. Since there was no rebellion, in their eyes this Great Sui fierce general could possibly be won over.

Who let Bai Lang show no sign of expanding his military or power? Moreover, what he does doesn't look like what one should do in chaotic times; instead, it's the peacetime routines of rest and recuperation.

Li Xiu Ning came to Xingyang City and naturally went to see Bai Lang, the Prefect Bai—officially, she is also the daughter of Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang who guards Taiyuan. The Northern and Southern Dynasties' barbarian customs are flourishing, yet the Han Chinese sons and daughters have always been open; thus men and women meeting and speaking in public is quite ordinary. Bai Lang sat in the chairman's seat while Li Xiu Ning sat in the guest seat, with Shang Xiujuan and Wei Zhenzhen keeping them company, and also the Zheng family of Xingyang City had its eldest son, and the city's officials also sat with them.

Bai Lang hosted a banquet for the Duke of Tang's daughter; this was a public diplomatic move, and Bai Lang announced it to the world to show he had no ulterior motives. At such a banquet, Li Xiu Ning naturally couldn't say much; she simply observed this new generation of Great Sui fierce general before her. It is said that in the past, Duke Qinghe Yang Su, seated calmly on the prow of a tower ship, had a dignified appearance and beautiful beard; the people of Chen regarded him as a river god. And now Bai Lang, Prefect Bai, likewise seated upright in the chairman's seat, frequently urging drinks, is also a handsome-bearded generation of fierce general.

Bai Lang's sworn brother Jinjiang naturally had an outstanding heroic appearance; with his arched eyebrows and a full beard, he perfectly matched traditional martial aesthetics. Moreover, attending this public banquet today, Wei Zhenzhen carefully groomed his hair and beard for him, making him radiantly dazzling. When Bai Lang's aura spread, his calm confidence increasingly resembled that of a founding general of the Sui dynasty. The dancing girls present, with their multicolored eyes, kept gazing at this young fierce general.

Not only them, but Wei Zhenzhen and Shang Xiujuan also constantly sized him up; however, Wei Zhenzhen had nothing to worry about, being a maid she could openly look, whereas Shang Xiujuan had to sneak glances......