Chapter 228

Huo Ge smiled and extended his hand, shaking hands with Long Ye Fang. He apologetically said, "Huo Ge concealed his identity for safety considerations; I hope Your Highness won't take offense. If you like to play and watch, just come."

Prince Zhou was about to say a couple of polite remarks, but Hu Xiaotian beside him said, "The prince considers his own safety, but is the safety of our Your Highness not important? It's a pity that our Prince Zhou, Thousand Years, has traveled thousands of miles, crossed mountains and rivers to come to Xichuan to welcome us, with sincere heart, yet we receive no sincerity in return—just thinking about it makes one's heart grow cold!" He remained seated on his horse, his expression full of contempt.

Mo Sa Li said, "Sir Hu, your words are mistaken. The prince concealed his identity out of necessity. We originally thought Dakang was a great and prosperous nation, peaceful and safe, and that this journey should be trouble-free, but only upon entering Da Kang Guo's borders did we realize that bandits run rampant along the way, danger lurks everywhere, and crises abound. We had no choice but to adopt these measures to ensure the prince's safety along the route." His speech was eloquent and convincing.

Hu Xiaotian, having already become a villain, might as well play the role to the end. He sneered, "The most important thing in interpersonal relations is sincerity; the same holds true between states. Even if you have difficulties you cannot speak of, you could still report this to our Your Highness. Do you still worry that Prince Zhou, Thousand Years, will leak secrets?" Huo Ge clasped his fists toward Hu Xiaotian and said, "This young brother speaks absolutely correctly; Huo Ge was remiss in his duties, and I hereby apologize to this young brother." He actually clasped his fists and bowed toward Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian saw Hoge's action and couldn't help sighing inwardly; this Prince of Shajia was indeed extraordinary—though he seemed rough on the surface, he was quite scheming, well versed in the principle that a true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm. Compared to the Zhou King, the difference was instantly clear. The reason Hu Xiaotian had just assumed an aggressive posture was merely to force him to reveal his identity; now that his goal was achieved, there was no need to continue pressing him. Hu Xiaotian dismounted, returned a salute, and said: "Prince, please don't take offense. I am straightforward by nature and always speak plainly; I did not target you specifically."

Hoge laughed heartily, stepped forward and grabbed Hu Xiaotian's wrist, saying: "Sir Hu, I've relied on your care all along the way. I am truly grateful to you from the bottom of my heart."

Hu Xiaotian clearly knew that this guy's words were all hollow flattery, yet they sounded quite pleasant; looking at the Zhou King grinning and standing aside, he suddenly realized the Zhou King and this Prince of Shajia were not on the same level—he couldn't even utter a grand-sounding sentence. At the crucial moment, the superiority was obvious. The Zhou King quickly nodded in agreement.

Hu Xiaotian sighed inwardly; standing together, the Zhou King and Hoge were completely overwhelmed in height and presence, making the Zhou King look dim and lacking any semblance of a great nation's bearing—how could he still show the bearing of a great nation?

Hoge said: "Brothers, it's already noon; let's cook a meal right here, I'll treat you—please drink and eat meat!" Having finished his grand-sounding words, the Zhou King merely nodded and said okay, completely reduced to a little follower.

Hoge turned to Moshali and said: "Slaughter all the fat sheep we brought right here, let the chefs use all their skill to prepare a lavish lunch for the Dakang brothers, and bring out our finest wine."

Having gained the upper hand in this confrontation and seeing the other side so generous and bold, the Zhou King's lingering resentment was mostly gone.

Hu Xiaotian, however, guessed the reason for their generosity: why hadn't he thought earlier of sharing their fat sheep and fine wine? Obviously, seeing that the mountain road was now rugged and impassable, and that their wagons had been abandoned, the sheep and wine had become a burden; it was better to settle things on the spot and give them a favor.

The Zhou King ordered a rest ahead on the flat ground, while the Shajia delegation lit fires and cooked meals. Hoge had all the fat sheep slaughtered, gave half to the Dakang side, and personally invited the Zhou King and Hu Xiaotian to his camp to drink and chat.

The Zhou King couldn't tolerate barley wine; after a few cups he felt light-headed. Seeing this, Hu Xiaotian quickly had someone help him back to rest. He had intended to leave together, but Hoge insisted on keeping him, and Hu Xiaotian, unable to refuse the hospitality, stayed seated.

Hoge still wore his warrior's attire, yet his bearing was outstanding among the warriors, standing out like a crane among chickens. He raised his wine bowl and said: "Sir Hu, today's mishap is entirely my fault; I'll drink this cup first as a sign of respect."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your Highness, you're too polite; I don't deserve this, let's drink it together." He lifted his wine bowl, not to be outdone, and drank it together with Hoge.

After finishing that cup, Hoge wiped his mouth, smiled, and said: "Sir Hu, I can see you're also a man of feeling; although this is our first drink together, I feel we get along quite well."

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself, this big-bearded fellow is truly not to be underestimated—he looks like a brute but his mind is meticulous, not only does he know how to advance and retreat, he also speaks smoothly; he chuckled, "Me too!" Inside he cursed, "Damn you!" At a glance he knew you were a smiling assassin, trying to fool me isn't that easy.

Hoge said: "I have a question: Sir Hu, did you already know I was in the delegation?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and looked at Hoge without answering his question.

Hoge again said: "Was today's action of yours meant to force me to reveal my identity?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Your Highness, although you've changed into ordinary warrior garb and deliberately concealed your identity, your sharp aura cannot be hidden." He pointed to the Shajia warrior beside Hoge wearing the same attire and said: "When they stand beside you, their gaze already exposes your identity."

Hoge laughed: "I thought I'd concealed myself well, but it turns out you've figured me out long ago." He lowered his wine bowl slowly, fixed his eyes on Hu Xiaotian, and asked: "Did you get a tip from Wesa?"

Hu Xiaotian secretly admired his shrewdness; he quickly deduced the real reason his identity had been exposed, shook his head and said: "I don't understand what she says; even if she told me your identity, I still wouldn't comprehend her words."

Hoge found no flaw in Hu Xiaotian's face; Hu Xiaotian was shrewd, his words were impeccable, Hoge nodded and said: "That dancer isn't bad, right?"

Hu Xiaotian heard him mention Wesa again, secretly thinking that Hoge must hold a grudge over this; the gift originally prepared for the Zhou King had ended up in his own hands as a ninth-rank county magistrate, and to them it certainly looked like a Bright Pearl cast in darkness. Hu Xiaotian deliberately put on an awkward expression: "Hmm..." The meaning is for you to ponder. Seeing Hu Xiaotian's such ** expression, Moshali gritted his teeth in hatred, having gained an advantage and acting cute—could this guy be any more shameless?

Hoge said: "I heard that last night you were attacked by a swarm of snakes?"

Hu Xiaotian cursed this guy's hypocrisy; last night the two camps were so close, when the snakes surrounded them they made such a commotion—how could the Shajia delegation not know? Even so, they didn't come to reinforce, the Shajia people really know how to preserve themselves. Hu Xiaotian said: "I don't know where all these snakes crawled from, but many soldiers died because of them."

Hoge sighed and said: "By the time we realized we should send reinforcements, the snake swarm had already withdrawn. Speaking of this, I feel remorseful; if it weren't for escorting us, those soldiers wouldn't have been sacrificed."…

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your Highness, I heard that on your way to Dakang you were also ambushed by the Wuxian Sect, and lost a few retainers because of it?"

Hoge nodded and said: "Indeed!" He glanced at his side, and immediately a warrior stepped forward to refill their wine bowls, Hoge said: "I've heard that Sir Hu captured a demoness of the Wuxian Sect."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "I've already explained this to Envoy Moshali; that woman has nothing to do with the Wuxian Sect—I merely bought her to give as a dancer to the Zhou King, Thousand Years."

Hoge naturally didn't believe it, smiled and said: "I actually thought that last night your snake swarm attack was entirely because of that woman."

How could that be!

Hoge said with deep meaning: "I've heard that the Wuxian Sect excels at driving all kinds of poisonous creatures." As he spoke, he suddenly stopped, his sharp gaze like a sword fixed on the trees ahead; he raised his right hand, and a flash of cold light shot out like wind and lightning—Clang! —the short blade struck a banded snake on the tree trunk, the blade piercing its vital spot and embedding deep into the trunk.

Seeing his move, Hu Xiaotian's heart jumped in surprise; he hadn't expected Hoge's throwing knife to be so fearsome—this person, both in martial skill and mind, is extraordinary; no wonder the Shajia Khagan sent him as envoy.

Immediately someone went over, took the banded snake and dagger, and brought them to Hoge. Although the snake was dead, its body continued to twitch; Hoge seized the snake, stepped on its head, pulled its tail, and with one slash split it from head to tail, extracted the gallbladder and tossed it into the wine pouch to steep, then peeled off the skin and had people roast the snake over the fire. Hoge said: "Everything has its pros and cons; although this snake is poisonous, soaking its gallbladder in wine can improve eyesight."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Your Highness seems not to be afraid of snakes, huh?"

Hoge said: "Everything has its weakness; to deal with a poisonous snake you must seize its vital spot."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your Highness is indeed wise and valiant."

Hoge reached for the wine pouch steeped with snake gallbladder, poured Hu Xiaotian a cup, then refilled his own bowl. Hu Xiaotian's expression unchanged, he raised the bowl and said: "May the friendship between Dakang and Shajia endure like evergreen mountains and flowing waters."

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