Chapter 84 Outside appearance and inner reality differs (2)
A long distance outside of Jianbei City, the Xi people were in a circle formation. On the city wall, Lang Yu looked at the people in the distance and said in disbelief, “Lord Li, does the Xi tribe really have the meaning to negotiate peace?”
Li Youde looked at the formation in the distance that seemed to go into attack mode at any moment. He was also uncertain, but he had already said what he said. He naturally couldn’t slap himself in the face. Hence, he said, “Could the news from my people be wrong? The Xi tribe is just showing a bravado!”
Lang Yu looked into the distance and sighed slightly in his heart. Bravado? The Xi tribe almost stormed into the city the day before, but he also didn’t want to fight if there could be a talk of peace. It was best if the great men of Great Liang don’t die on the battlefield.
Before dawn today, Lang Yu has been awakened by Li Youde and told the news that his people had brought back. They thoroughly investigated the cause that the Xi tribe started the fight and after severely intimidating the county magistrate of Jianbei, they realized that this person deliberately levied a road tax on the Xi tribe, causing the goods that they could exchange to become less and less and even came to the point where they couldn’t even survive. In addition, a small number of Xi people began a riot. The county magistrate arrested them, locked them up and issued a huge fine. Naturally, they couldn’t pay it. In the end, it turned into a disaster caused by humans.
Lang Yu immediately ordered that person to be jailed and discussed again with Li Youde. Although the two didn’t like each other, the ultimate goal was still the same in this matter. So, the result of the discussion was quite pleasant. It was just that Lang Yu saw the formation of the Xi tribe right now. He still couldn’t believe that the Xi tribe have the idea to negotiate peace. He also thought that with the barbaric zeal of the Xi tribe, it was impossible for them to agree to peace unless they had been beaten into submission.
Lang Yu called an archer and asked him to shoot out a piece of paper.
The Xi tribe was far away. Although the arrow was shot further away than when being shot by an ordinary person, it was still several tens of feet away from the Xi tribe. A cavalry from the Xi tribe rode to draw the arrow that hit the ground. He took it back and handed it respectfully to princess Yatai.
Princess Yatai took the paper on the arrow and unfolded it. There was only one sentence on it, “If you are interested to negotiate peace, come down the city alone.”
Princess Yatai gave a few orders to the people around her. Ignoring their obstruction, she rode forward on a horse alone.
Until princess Yatai came close, the person on the wall exclaimed, “It’s a woman!”
Li Youde remembered what Gu Tianhe had said and humphed coldly, “Presumable it is princess Yatai of the Xi tribe!”
Lang Yu turned his head and looked once at Li Youde in surprise. He thought that this Lord Li didn’t know anything.
Since the other party is the daughter of the leader of the Xi tribe, she couldn’t be treated as an ordinary woman. Everyone stopped talking and stared at the courageous woman.
Princess Yatai came to the city, looked up at the people on the wall and laughed loudly, “We can negotiate peace, but it is not here. We invite the one in charge to our place.”
Princess Yatai’s words caused a commotion among the people on the city wall. Her words were too arrogant and she really didn’t give Great Liang face. It was as if Great Liang was begging them for a negotiation of peace.
Unlike other people who couldn’t swallow the resentment, Lang Yu asked calmly, “Who are you?” He tried to seize the initiative as if he hadn’t heard princess Yatai.
Princess Yatai also didn’t mind and smiled at Lang Yu, “I am Yatai, princess of the Xi tribe. Who are you?”
“I am Lang Yu, the commander-in-chief,” Lang Yu said.
Princess Yatai smiled and said, “Then, you don’t come, lest it would be a thunder of dragons without a head when you leave.” She seemed to think for a moment and smiled, “Is deputy general Chu present?”
- A thunder of dragons without a head: a group lacking a leader.
Chu Denggao was surprised when he heard princess Yatai mention him. He glanced once at Lang Yu and saw that Lang Yu nodded slightly at him. So, he took a step forward and said, “This general is present.”
Princess Yatai looked up and down at deputy general Chu. After looking at him for a long time did she say, “No matter how I look at deputy general Chu, you seem to be a gentleman…”
The people on the wall were surprised by the first half of princess Yatai’s sentence. Then, they heard her even more powerful second half of the sentence.
“…Who would’ve thought that you are an animal dressed in human clothes?” Princess Yatai paused, “That is how this idiom is used, right?”
“This general doesn’t know what princess is talking about!” Chu Denggao had always been clean-living and honest. Suddenly being scolded to be a dressed-up animal and it was in front of so many people and she said it so loudly, even if he is gentle usually, he couldn’t help from getting angry at this moment.
Others also looked with strange gazes at Chu Denggao. Deputy general Gong sneered in a low voice, “Deputy general Chu, what romantic debt do you owe this princess?”
Before Chu Denggao has time to refute, the voice of princess Yatai came from below the city wall, “Deputy general Chu, if you dare to do it, don’t not dare to admit it. That girl of yours is still with me. Since you still seem like someone who cherishes affection, how about you also come during this negotiation of peace?”
Chu Denggao was even more puzzled. What girl? What cherishes affection? Why did he suddenly not understand the language of Great Liang?
The people present looked mockingly at Chu Denggao. Some wondered what kind of tricks princess Yatai was playing and some wondered if Chu Denggao had collided with the enemy. When Li Youde heard princess Yatai mention a girl, he got a strange feeling.
It is war now, how come there are so many girls? Isn’t the only Great Liang girl that princess Yatai knows Lady Chen? The two of them even danced together on the altar last night!
“I don’t know…”
Just when Chu Denggao was about to say that he didn’t know any girl, Li Youde coughed heavily, which caused several people around him to look over, including Chu Denggao.
Li Youde’s pair of eyes was about to breathe fire. He glared fiercely at Chu Denggao, lowered his voice and said, “Admit it!” This barbarian princess didn’t know what she had gotten wrong. Presumably, this is Lady Chen’s contribution. This barbarian princess mentioned a girl in front of so many people. It was unsure whether there was the intention to probe. No matter what Lady Chen has said, if she learned that Lady Chen has lied to her, it would be bad then!
Therefore, even when Li Youde was so angry that smoke was about to come out of his head, he had to make deputy general Chu admit it. No matter what it was!
Just when Chu Denggao wanted to ask what was going on, Qi Shengwen pulled at his sleeve and nodded at him. He glanced at Lang Yu again, who also nodded slightly at him.
Chu Denggao could only look at princess Yatai downstairs. He felt the grievance as if he was being forced into prostitution, “How…how is that girl?”
Princess Yatai smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I didn’t hurt her.”
Li Youde was so angry that he wanted to hit someone. Didn’t hurt, you already took off her clothes!
Deputy general Chu glanced once at Lang Yu and said to princess Yatai, “I am just a mere deputy general. It wouldn’t count even if I go to negotiate peace.”
“Simple,” Princess Yatai seemed to have an idea long ago and smiled, “Don’t you still have a Lord Li who supervises the army? Let him come. I also want to see what a real eunuch looks like. We will retreat two li away and wait an hour for you. If you don’t come, then forget about the negotiation of peace.”
Having said this, she reined the horse and rode away, leaving only dust.
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