Chapter 888: Sinking into the Gentle Trap of Flower-Dazed Eyes

The doors of Chunman Lou closed slowly behind these grassland nobles, completely sealing off the bitter cold and wind-blown sand outside.

Zhang Wenqian walked to the center of the main hall and clapped his hands twice; the crisp sound of the clapping pierced through the soft, seductive music of the strings and pipes.

More than a dozen stunning dancing girls immediately stopped their dance steps, and like a flock of startled yet docile birds, they trotted in small steps before Wurigen and the Turkic Teqin, bowing gracefully onto the Persian carpet.

The lead dancing girl raised a face painted with exquisite rouge, her flowing gaze revealing a coquettish charm capable of turning tempered steel into soft, winding fingers.

"This slave greets the honored guests; I wish to wash away the dust of your journey for you."

Wurigen's Adam's apple rolled violently up and down; his hands, accustomed to gripping blades year-round, did not know where to put themselves at this moment, and he could only stiffly tug at the black bear-skin cloak on his body.

"In the middle of this winter, aren't you cold wearing so little?"

Zhang Wenqian stepped forward and very naturally took the cloak Wurigen had removed, handing it to the maid beside him.

"The honored guests may not know, but Chunman Lou has three layers of fire channels laid beneath the floor, burning only the finest smokeless silver-thread charcoal. Never mind wearing light gauze; even if you slept in this hall bare-chested for a whole night, you would only feel a dry heat."

The Turkic Teqin leaned his head toward the lead dancing girl, greedily sniffing the scent of osmanthus hair oil emanating from her hair.

"Boss Qian, you Han people really know how to enjoy yourselves. We are freezing on the grasslands until even horse urine is about to turn to ice, yet you are here roasting by the fire bare-bodied."

Zhang Wenqian laughed heartily, reached out to make a gesture of invitation, and led this group of people toward the most top-tier private room on the second floor.

"Life is short; isn't earning money just for the sake of enjoying the ultimate bliss of this world? Both honored guests are heroes of the grasslands, so naturally, you deserve the best things under heaven."

The private room on the second floor was extremely large. By the window sat a huge round table carved from a single piece of rosewood, and the table was already filled with all kinds of delicacies.

Zhang Wenqian personally picked up a white jade wine pot and filled the luminous cups in front of Wurigen and the Turkic Teqin with clear, translucent wine.

"This is a top-grade vintage sealed for thirty years in the Liangzhou old cellar. Usually, Qian himself cannot bear to drink it, but today I am borrowing flowers to offer to the Buddha, and I toast the two honored guests."

Wurigen picked up the luminous cup; the wine in the cup emitted a rich, mellow fragrance, and he tilted his neck and downed it in one gulp.

The spicy and lingering strength of the wine burned all the way from his throat to his stomach, turning into a ball of inextinguishable heat, ten times more potent than the strongest mare's milk wine on the grasslands.

"Good wine! Truly good wine!"

Wurigen exclaimed loudly, and a layer of wine-flush quickly appeared on his face, which had been battered by wind and sand.

The Turkic Teqin was not to be outdone and drank three cups in a row; the rising strength of the wine made his already rugged behavior even more unbridled.

He grabbed the lead dancing girl, his rough hands kneading her slender waist with force, causing the dancing girl to let out a coquettish whine.

"Boss Qian, how much for this woman? I want her tonight."

Hearing this, Wurigen, fueled by the wine, slammed the jade cup in his hand heavily onto the rosewood table.

"Ashina, what kind of thing are you, daring to snatch a woman in front of me?"

Although he had pretended to be a caravan manager to hide his identity when entering the trade fair, the pride in his bones as the son of the Rouran Right Wise King could not tolerate a defeated remnant of the Turkic tribe acting arrogantly in front of him.

Hearing Wurigen call out his tribal surname directly, the Turkic Teqin not only did not restrain himself but instead hugged the dancing girl even tighter in an arrogant manner.

"Rouran scum, if it weren't for you playing tricks at the Battle of Jinshan, this grassland would still be our Turkic world. If you dare to snatch from me today, I won't let you walk out of this Xia Prefecture City."

Zhang Wenqian watched these two grassland mortal enemies at the wine table with swords drawn and bows bent, feeling overjoyed in his heart, yet on his face, he pretended to be a terrified peacemaker.

"Two honored guests, please calm your anger. Do not hurt the harmony. There are plenty of girls in Chunman Lou; why hurt the feelings of your own brothers for the sake of one woman?"

Wurigen stood up and pointed at the Turkic Teqin's nose, cursing loudly.

"Who is his brother? Boss Qian, I have taken a fancy to this woman. I offer one hundred snow leopard skins to buy her first night tonight."

The Turkic Teqin kicked over the chair in front of him and pressed the dancing girl onto his own lap.

"One hundred snow leopard skins are worth a fart. I offer ten jin of dog-head gold; this woman must sleep on my couch tonight."

Zhang Wenqian rubbed his hands together repeatedly on the side, his face full of a difficult expression.

"Oh my, the rules are not set like this. This girl is the top headliner of our Chunman Lou; usually, she only sells her art and not her body. This price is really hard to calculate."

Wurigen's eyes had been completely burned red by alcohol and anger, and he roared at the top of his lungs.

"Selling art and not the body is because the money wasn't enough! I offer two hundred top-grade warhorses. Boss Qian, send someone to the trade fair to lead the horses away immediately; this woman belongs to me."

Hearing the bid of two hundred warhorses, the Turkic Teqin's eyelids twitched uncontrollably twice, but he was absolutely unwilling to lose face in front of the Rouran people.

"Three hundred warhorses! Plus two hundred sturdy cattle! Boss Qian, if you dare to give her to this Rouran piece of trash, I will smash your Chunman Lou."

A flash of brilliance crossed Zhang Wenqian's eyes. He walked between the two and pressed his hands downward.

"Both honored guests are wealthy and powerful masters, but the rule of the trade fair is spot trading. The goods the two of you brought into the city combined are not enough for this amount."

Wurigen grabbed Zhang Wenqian by the collar, lifting the fat merchant until his toes were almost off the ground.

"Are you afraid that our White Wolf Tribe cannot afford the money? I have plenty of horses on the grasslands. Five hundred warhorses! I will give you an IOU, and tomorrow I will have people return to the tribe to drive the horses over."

Being grabbed by the collar, Zhang Wenqian not only did not struggle but instead took the opportunity to reveal a greedy smile that showed he was blinded by money.

"Since the honored guest has spoken, how could Qian not believe it? However, the number of five hundred warhorses is too large. Empty words are no proof; we must draw up a written statement."

He turned his head and gave a wink to the attendant beside him.

"Hurry and bring the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, and also bring that ledger I use specifically for recording accounts for big customers."

Watching Wurigen snatch away the headlining dancing girl with five hundred warhorses, the Turkic Teqin's chest heaved violently, but he truly had no more bargaining chips in his hand to continue bidding.

Taking advantage of the time Wurigen was pressing his handprint and signing, Zhang Wenqian approached the Turkic Teqin with a cup of wine.

"This Teqin official, please calm your anger. Although that woman is beautiful, she is ultimately just a plaything. Qian here has another big deal that truly matches your status. I wonder if you are interested."

The Turkic Teqin snatched the wine cup and drank it in one gulp, glaring at him with annoyance.

"What kind of big deal can a Han merchant like you have? Could it be you want to sell me a city?"

Zhang Wenqian lowered his voice, his tone full of seductive meaning.

"I don't sell cities, but Qian has a top-tier mansion in the south of Xia Prefecture City. Inside, there are not only rockeries and flowing water carved by Jiangnan craftsmen but also natural hot springs piped directly from underground."

He pointed to the Persian carpet under his feet.

"The floor heating in that mansion is even warmer than in this Chunman Lou, and it is also equipped with twenty well-trained, stunning maids. If you move in, you will be the true local emperor in this Xia Prefecture City."

The image of soaking in a hot spring with beauties in his arms appeared in the Turkic Teqin's mind, and his bones, which had eaten wind and sand on the grasslands for decades, softened along with it.

"How much for that mansion?"

Zhang Wenqian extended three thick and short fingers and shook them in front of the Turkic Teqin.

"Not expensive, just one thousand sturdy cattle. The mansion and the maids inside all belong to you, and Qian can also help you handle the official settlement documents at the Xia Prefecture Governor's Office."

The Turkic Teqin's breathing became heavy. One thousand sturdy cattle was definitely a huge sum that would hurt the muscles and bones for the current Turkic remnants.

But looking at Wurigen beside him, who was already fondling the headlining dancing girl, his desire to compete and his longing for such a luxurious life completely overcame his reason.

"Good! One thousand sturdy cattle it is. I will also give you an IOU. Within half a month, I will have people drive the cattle to the Xia Prefecture trade fair."

As if performing a magic trick, Zhang Wenqian pulled out another contract he had prepared long ago from his sleeve and spread it on the rosewood table.

"Teqin official, you are truly a straightforward person. This is called Da Zhou credit consumption. You enjoy it first, and we will settle the account slowly."

The Turkic Teqin grabbed the brush, signed his name crookedly on the contract, and pressed a heavy red handprint.

Zhang Wenqian carefully blew the ink dry on these two IOUs with red handprints, folded them neatly, and stuffed them into the inner pocket of his clothing close to his body.

Watching these grassland nobles who had completely lost themselves in the wine pool and meat forest, the flattering smile on his face gradually faded, turning into a cold, condescending scrutiny.

The dimensionality-reduction corrosion of a high-dimensional civilization against a nomadic civilization never requires the use of blades or guns.

It only takes the most extreme luxury, the softest silk, and the mellowest strong liquor to turn these ruling classes, who were once arrogant on horseback, into IOUs waiting to be slaughtered.

Wurigen could not wait any longer; he hoisted the headlining dancing girl onto his shoulder and strode toward the bedroom behind the private room.

The Turkic Teqin also hugged two maids, urging Zhang Wenqian to take him to see that top-tier mansion with natural hot springs.

Zhang Wenqian stood in the shadows of the private room, watching this group of fallen fat sheep, picked up a cup of leftover wine on the table, and slowly sprinkled it onto the Persian carpet.

"When the wolves of the grasslands arrive in the gentle trap of Da Zhou, they are not even as good as guard dogs."

He turned and walked out of the private room, giving an instruction to the Mingjing Si hidden agent guarding the door.

"Send these two IOUs to the Governor's Office for the Pillar of State to see overnight. Tell the Pillar of State that the meat is already rotting in the pot and can be served on the table at any time."

The hidden agent took the IOUs, and his figure quickly disappeared at the end of the noisy corridor of Chunman Lou.

Zhang Wenqian put back on the smiling face of the fat merchant and walked with a waddling gait, chasing in the direction of the Turkic Teqin.

The wind and snow outside Xia Prefecture City grew heavier and heavier, while the warm stoves in Chunman Lou burned brightly, burning the ambitions and backbone of this group of grassland nobles into ashes.

Chen Yan sat in the main hall of the Governor's Office, looking at the two IOUs sent by the hidden agent, his fingers tapping lightly on the edges of the IOUs twice.

The crisp sound made by the paper appeared exceptionally clear in the silent main hall.

Zhang Wenqian's methods did not disappoint him; this group of grassland nobles not only failed to find any flaws in Da Zhou but instead sold themselves out completely.

Chen Yan threw the IOUs onto the desk and cast his gaze toward the pitch-black night sky outside the door.

The IOUs were only the first rope tied around their necks. When they returned to the grasslands and discovered that they could not pay off this bad debt at all, that would be when this play truly saw blood.

Chen Yan's fingers tapped on the desk, the rhythmic sound like some kind of deadly countdown.

"Zhang Wenqian's setup is very beautiful. Next, it is time to let Wen Ge Ti know what kind of stupid things his son has done in Xia Prefecture."

He stood up, walked to the sand table, and pushed the two chess pieces representing Rouran and the Turkic remnants into the corner of the sand table.

The night wind rolled in snowflakes through the cracks in the door, causing the flames in the fire basin to sway.

Just at this moment, Gu Yuci, wearing armor stained with snow water, strode into the main hall.

"Pillar of State, an urgent report has come from the South Valley."

Chen Yan turned around, looking at the secret letter with three urgent fire-wax seals in Gu Yuci's hand.

Gu Yuci handed the secret letter over with both hands, his voice revealing an irrepressible murderous aura.

"Governor Ye has caught a tongue in the Death Warrior Camp in the South Valley who was attempting to pass information outward."

Chen Yan took the secret letter, his fingers rubbing over the fire wax twice.

"A tongue? Not even a bird can fly into a place like the South Valley; how did this tongue manage to mix in?"

Gu Yuci's complexion was extremely ugly.

"This person didn't mix in; he was one of the first batch of death warriors who signed the life-and-death pledge. He had always performed according to the rules in training until today, during the shift change, when Governor Ye discovered that he had stuffed a cloth strip with the topography of the South Valley drawn on it into the belly of a dead rat, preparing to throw it out of the valley along the drainage ditch."

Chen Yan tore open the secret letter and glanced at the content on it.

"Was anything interrogated out of him?"

Gu Yuci shook his head.

"Governor Ye interrogated him personally. This person was very stubborn; even after three fingernails were pulled out, he didn't spit out half a word. Finally, taking advantage of the guards' lack of preparation, he bit his tongue and committed suicide."

Chen Yan placed the secret letter above the fire basin, watching the flames swallow the paper completely, turning it into a ball of black ash that fell onto the charcoal fire.

"To think that such a level of deep-cover spy was hidden within the foundation of the Left Martial Guard. It seems that those staring at this Duke in Xia Prefecture City are not just those barbarians on the grasslands."

Chen Yan's gaze passed over Gu Yuci and landed on the direction representing Da Zhou's Chang'an City on the sand table.

"Dispose of the corpse cleanly. Tell Ye Zhuxi to accelerate the training progress in the South Valley; this Duke wants to see those three thousand Futu heavy cavalry fully formed within half a month."

Gu Yuci accepted the order and withdrew.

Chen Yan stood alone in front of the sand table, his fingers pressing heavily on the location of Chang'an City.

The yellow sand on the sand table was pressed into a deep pit by him.

Those high-ranking officials and nobles far away in Chang'an were clearly already terrified by the exorbitant profits of the Xiazhou Trade Fair and his act of holding troops in self-respect in the Northwest.

A cold arc pulled at the corner of Chen Yan's mouth.

If they want to reach their hands into Xia Prefecture to pick peaches, then they must be prepared to have their wrists severed.

He turned and walked toward the secret chamber behind the main hall.

After dawn tomorrow, the wind direction in this Xia Prefecture City should change.

And at this moment in Chunman Lou, Wurigen was lying on the soft Persian carpet, hugging the headlining dancing girl who had already fallen into a deep sleep, his mouth still mumbling vaguely about the bold words of five hundred warhorses.

He did not know at all that the IOU he had signed would become the last straw that crushed the lineage of the Rouran Right Wise King.

The Turkic Teqin was soaking in the hot spring pool until his bones were soft, with twenty maids surrounding the pool to serve him. He had completely forgotten his original intention of sneaking into Xia Prefecture, and his mind was filled only with how to raise those one thousand sturdy cattle to keep this mansion that was like a fairyland.

Zhang Wenqian stood on the attic of the top floor of Chunman Lou, pushed open the window, and looked at the wind and snow filling the sky outside.

He held an exquisite abacus in his hand, his fingers flicking rapidly on the beads, emitting a crisp clicking sound.

"No matter how strong the wind and sand on the grasslands are, they cannot wake up these fools who are dreaming yellow-millet dreams."

Zhang Wenqian tucked the abacus into his sleeve and closed the window.

Da Zhou's blade was already placed on their necks, yet they were still fighting until their heads were broken and blood was flowing for the bit of honey on the blade.

This war without gunpowder smoke had already been decided from the moment they stepped into Chunman Lou. ===== CHAPTER 889 =====