Chapter 70: She Is Getting Married, But the Groom Is Not Me

At the banquet, both host and guests were delighted.

"Father-in-law, from now on, the Buluhan tribe shall be considered submitted to the Grand Commander. Those one hundred thousand shi of grain and thirty thousand head of cattle and sheep shall be my tribute to you!"

Buluhan Kong Que laughed heartily, waved his hand, and a group of female relatives surged toward Li Shuang's side.

"If the General acts thus, this Prince is at ease. With the Buluhan tribe submitting to the Court, Wuyuan and Huaishuo naturally belong to the Court as well! We are all one family; henceforth, we shall jointly defend against the rebels of the Liuzhen."

"Well said. This son-in-law toasts Father-in-law."

They drank together in high spirits. Just as Buluhan Kong Que set down his wine cup, he spoke:

"There is merely one matter that requires the General's assistance!"

"What matter?"

"Could the General return my daughter to me?"

Li Shuang glanced at the female relatives around him and clasped his hands, saying:

"I have not yet asked: which one among these is Father-in-law's daughter?"

"The General misunderstands. This Prince's daughter is named Dugu Ru!"

"Dugu Ru?"

The atmosphere in the tent instantly grew cold. The female relatives who had been surrounding Li Shuang, sensing the shift, kept their distance from him and fell silent.

"I do indeed know her, but I did not know she was also Father-in-law's daughter?"

"This Prince has two adopted daughters. Alas, they are grown and cannot be kept; one by one, they have left me. This Prince intended to betroth Dugu Ru to the General. I wonder if the General could first bring her back?"

"No matter. Swapping for another will do!"

For all of Buluhan Kong Que's cunning and scheming, he was stunned for a long moment upon hearing this.

Having barely recovered, Buluhan Kong Que burst into laughter and said:

"Come in!"

Outside the tent, a female servant led a three- or four-year-old girl inside.

"This is the daughter of this Prince who has not yet married. I wonder if the General favors her?"

"It matters not. In a few years she will be grown; I can still wait!"

Buluhan Kong Que snorted, lost patience, and threw the bowl in his hand.

Four or five armored soldiers surged in, drawing their swords and pointing them at Li Shuang.

"But this Prince cannot wait!"

Li Shuang stood up, furious, and shouted:

"Hey, you old thing, you took the money but didn't do the job, did you?"

"Those grain and livestock were originally meant for the Rouran. The Rouran people have already moved south. Does the General still expect this Prince to fight the Rouran to the death over such grain? Moreover, someone else has offered a betrothal gift greater than the General's."

"Who?"

"Prince Guangyang!"

Buluhan Kong Que was very pleased; he clapped his hands, and his subordinates brought in two chests.

Inside the chests were filled with gold.

"Prince Guangyang gave this Prince two thousand liang of gold as a betrothal gift to marry Dugu Ru, and promised to ally with the Rouran. After destroying the Liuzhen' rebel army, he will hand over the lands of Yunzhong and Shengle to this Prince."

"But isn't Dugu Ru not here with you?"

"Well asked. With you here, would she not come?" Buluhan Kong Que waved his hand. "Take him away and lock him up with Gao Huan and Hou Jing."

In the dungeon, Gao Huan and Hou Jing sat opposite each other, staring wide-eyed, until another guest arrived.

"My Lord, how could you come to such a filthy place?"

Hou Jing hurriedly stood up and offered his seat to Li Shuang.

Li Shuang plopped down, showing not the slightest sign of formality.

Hou Jing fawned over Li Shuang, his face full of smiles.

"Has My Lord finally understood the loyalty and righteousness of little Hou, and specially brought me out?"

"Not at all!"

"Then what is My Lord doing here?"

At that moment, a shout came from outside the cell.

"Da Ye Shuang, you stay put and be honest; don't try any tricks."

Then came the sound of the cell door slowly closing.

Hou Jing's heart shattered along with that closing cell door!

"My Lord, how come you have been locked up too?"

"That old rascal Buluhan Kong Que is not honorable; he took the money but didn't do the job..."

Hearing this, Hou Jing could not help but complain:

"My Lord, back then when we saved you, you could have just gone with us. Why make such a scene? Now, who outside can save us?"

"Hou Jing, you are good in every way, except that you are a bit too honest!"

"What do you mean?"

Just then, Gao Huan, who had been silent all along, laughed in self-mockery.

"In Buluhan Kong Que's scheme, he will serve as a bridge between the Rouran and Prince Guangyang. You and all the people of Huaishuo Garrison have long been discarded pawns."

Hou Jing seemed to understand as well.

"You knew Buluhan Kong Que's scheme long ago. Selling us out was to drag us down, so that we would also turn against Buluhan Kong Que?"

Gao Huan glanced at Li Shuang and said with great amusement:

"Time waits for no one; we can only take a risky military move. I simply did not expect that Brother Daye would be unwilling to go with us."

"It is not that I refuse to leave with you, but heavy troops of the Polo Han clan are stationed outside the city. Unless we are certain to kill Polo Han Kong Que in one strike, we cannot escape."

"Then the result is the same, isn't it? Are the three of us not still trapped here?"

Li Shuang said leisurely:

"It is still different."

Gao Huan and Hou Jing both looked at Li Shuang, expecting him to speak a plan from his mouth.

"To avoid trouble arising from a long night, Polo Han Kong Que has already decided to kill you two tomorrow."

"And you?"

"Before the future Princess of Guangyang arrives, I have no fear for my life. I am afraid I must first eat your two beheading meals!"

Hearing these words, Gao Huan and Hou Jing looked at the leisurely Li Shuang, feeling very depressed.

Night.

Dugu Ru, in a black robe, face like frost, appeared in the Town General's mansion.

"Sister Ru!"

Polo Han Chang, standing beside Polo Han Kong Que, saw Dugu Ru; the eagerness on his face was extinguished by a cold snort from Polo Han Kong Que beside him.

"You still came!"

"Did you not just want me to come?"

Seeing Dugu Ru's cold appearance, Polo Han Kong Que sighed deeply:

"Between us, father and daughter, why must it be so?"

"Stop wasting words. Where is Li Shuang?"

"He is very well; I am afraid he is currently eating a beheading meal!"

Seeing Dugu Ru's teeth-gritting appearance, Polo Han Kong Que smiled softly.

"Rest assured, it is not his own beheading meal."

Dugu Ru trembled, facing Polo Han Kong Que, feeling somewhat powerless.

"It is laughable to say: this King used your sister and clan to blackmail you, yet you paid no attention and even killed the envoy I sent. But for a man, you actually came! Is that Da Ye Shuang really that good?"

Seeing Dugu Ru silent, Polo Han Kong Que laughed:

"How could this King forget? Beauties love heroes; this has been so since ancient times!"

Dugu Ru was unwilling to speak further on this topic and asked:

"Where is my sister?"

"She ran away!"

Dugu Ru clearly did not quite believe it, but heard Polo Han Chang speak:

"When Father King and Li Shen were defeated in battle, Sister Si led the clan away while we were distracted."

Dugu Ru still believed Polo Han Chang's words. Her sister had escaped the tiger's mouth, so she felt relieved.

"What do you want?"

"As long as you obediently become the Princess of Guangyang, that Da Ye Shuang will be safe and sound."

"Very well, I agree!"

"Come, this King's daughter is to marry; prepare well!"

Polo Han Kong Que looked at Dugu Ru's departing figure in the dark night and laughed:

"Gao Huan, Li Shuang, even with your thousand schemes, in the end you are merely making a wedding dress for this King!"