Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The Khan silently observed the young man in front of him with curiosity showing on his weary face, as if the list were a joke that even he himself found lame.
But Gu Shenwei knew that this was not a joke. He folded the paper back in half, put it back in the tray, and after the female slave walked away, said, “I am prepared to give up everyone, but I won’t accept any threats.”
The Khan abruptly rose up as swiftly as a young man, and even his slightly hunched back straightened up a bit, though only for a short while. “It’s really a pity that you would take this as a threat. I just wanted to help a young hero find himself. Believe in a dying man’s experience. The things you see as more important than your life now will soon become as light and worthless as dust. Do not be fooled by women; all you love is their body, and there are countless beautiful bodies out there for you to explore.”
The Khan spread out his arms, and the female slaves quickly came forward and deftly changed his robe into a light military uniform. Then he stretched out his right arm, waiting for the Dragon King’s help.
Gu Shenwei felt his right hand become restless. No matter how reasonable the Khan’s words were, they were a threat to him.
He stepped forward to support the weak old man.
“You don’t have to make a choice now. Let’s go to the banquet. I don’t want anyone to think that we’re up to something. The Royal Court is wilder than a bull in heat. Even a little ominous sniff could drive it mad.”
“The Khan knows everything?” Since he didn’t have to make a choice right away, Gu Shenwei pretended that the list didn’t exist at all and took the chance to change the topic.
“Oh, I know everything I need to know about.”
The two walked out of the tent. The summer evening was strangely bright outside.
Hordes of servants, guards, and cavalry were waiting outside, the vast majority of whom were born as nobility but had chosen to serve the Khan between the ages of fifteen to twenty-five. Like the female servants in the tent, they had left their comfortable homes, put on whole sets of armors, and stood guard in the dust of the summer days to wait for an old man. The only difference was that they all felt honored about it.
Gu Shenwei could feel the blazing eyes staring at him without even raising his head. It seemed he was getting more attention than the Khan from the crowd, the eyes of whom, were full of envy and indignation. As a man of the Western Regions and a nominal king, he was actually able to walk side by side with the Khan and could even hold the Khan’s arm. Whereas these hundreds of well-dressed guards might not be able to get a single glance from the Khan even up to the day they retired.
The Khan’s left hand stayed in the air for a few more moments in order to dismiss the crowd. The close bodyguards like Silver Condor retreated first, then the noble servants, and finally the loyal cavalry.
Gu Shenwei held the Khan as they slowly walked forward. About ten steps ahead of him, two eunuchs directed the road like sneaky thieves, making sure they were not noticed by the Khan. Far behind him was his group of bodyguards and calvary.
All of them were on horseback. They tried to control the mounts in order to keep pace with the Khan while being ready to rush in at the fastest speed if necessary, which rarely happened, though they were still ready at all times.
The Khan continued what he was saying as if he were still pacing in his tent, indifferent to the tension he had caused. “It’s very difficult to find a suitable heir. It was said that the process of my inheritance of the title of Khan was the smoothest in the past hundred years, but I still had to kill many people.”
Anyone would go mad with jealousy if they heard the Khan talking about succession to a foreigner. Gu Shenwei, however, was speechless. He had gradually come to understand the Khan’s way of speaking and knew that this was only the beginning and that his real intention had not yet been revealed.
“Now it’s finally someone else’s turn to try to kill me.”
“They can only think about it.”
“Hehe, wanting to do it is only half a step away from really doing it. I used to have a sharp nose that could smell out even the slightest smell of conspiracy, but it has lost its keen sense recently because there are so many plots that it’s impossible to distinguish them from one another. The women in my bed, the guards outside my tent, the counselors and people who have sworn allegiance to me and my families who have my blood flowing in their bodies: all of them are counting the days until my death. I’m very happy to look at their disappointed faces. But they’ve blocked my nose and let some of the more intrepid fishermen fish in troubled waters.”
“The Central Plains once entrusted me to assassinate the Khan.”
“I know. You are smart for revealing it before you came here. I also know that you didn’t refuse the Central Plains. Don’t try to explain. I’m a stubborn old man and I don’t like others disagreeing with my guesses. You did the right thing. You are not from the Central Plains and also not a man of the Norland, so why should you be loyal to one side for no reason? ‘It’s a natural reaction for normal people to leave themselves an extra way out in the face of a crisis.’ See, I still remember your words. You can forgive your men, and I also have no reason to punish you.”
“I don’t need a route of retreat anymore.”
“Hehe, young man, don’t feel wronged and desperate about your present situation. You are still young and it’s normal to walk on a path planned by others. Ever since I inherited the title of Khan when I was less than twenty years old, I have been moving forward in the cracks. My enemies led the way and my friends pushed behind me. It was like they were my legs and had decided where I was going. I finally found some freedom and was able to take my own way and could occasionally arrange a way for others when I was nearly fifty years old.”
“The Khan has arranged a way for me?”
“Strictly speaking, it’s not for you. But I hope I to see you on this road: you and a woman.”
The Khan especially emphasized the word ‘a,’ then he broke away from the Dragon King’s hold and straightened his back, accepting the many kowtows of his descendants and nobles.
They had gone to the banquet.
Gu Shenwei moved five steps to the right, a delicate position that seemed to be the foothold of the servant and the guard, and also a position where he could avoid the ritual of kowtow.
The ten kings did gather together, but only King Rizhu nodded to him. The rest of the kings all seemed preoccupied and none of them looked at the Dragon King.
The Khan raised his arm, and Gu Shenwei came over to hold it again. The eyes fell on him fiercer and hotter than the scorching sunshine.
Dozens of tables full of dishes had been set up in the broad tent, and each table had been carefully arranged for the guests; the whole setup was so ingenious that it didn’t resemble the style of the Norland.
The Dragon King’s position was arranged under the ten kings, and the one accompanying him was a counselor. Shangguan Fei could only sit in the doorway with a group of nervous and excited young warriors.
Everything was well-arranged but the Khan had suddenly made a move that astonished the crowd. He kept the Dragon King by his side.
“Do not walk around, just sit here.”
It was not until the Khan finished speaking his words that the shocked eunuch rushed to fetch a blanket and place it on the side of the Khan’s short table. Gu Shenwei obeyed and sat down, knowing that he would henceforth become the target of everyone and that the only safe place of refuge was the way the Khan had arranged for him.
It was a custom of the Norland to be bold and unconstrained, especially when the Khan was present. With King Rizhu leading the way, the atmosphere soon became lively. Everyone worked hard to show their rough side like a filial son trying to please their elders and they did all kinds of childish things.
The carefully arranged pecking order was soon disrupted. Many people came to propose a toast to the Dragon King with kind remarks. Some of them even sang and danced in public, more than half of which was performed for the Khan.
“I don’t drink.” Gu Shenwei knew what he should say.
The Khan took a sip of the wine and said, “It’s okay to drink a little bit sometimes. Only when you are drunk can you feel the joy of the feast. Otherwise, what’s the point of watching a group of drunkard play mad while in a dispassionate manner?”
Gu Shenwei finished the first bowl and from then on the bowl was never empty. A female slave knelt beside him and filled it up diligently. She was the so-called ‘dispassionate observer’ mentioned by the Khan, who remained as silent as a puppet amid the clamor of men.
All the female slaves in the tent looked like this, and only when harassed did they smile as they should.
The Khan was right. Gu Shenwei was soon drunk and his vision blurred. Those wild scenes which had seemed rather false in his eyes suddenly became real. With the power of alcohol, the nobles could break the strict hierarchical boundaries, perhaps not just to please the old Khan, but also to satisfy their inner desires.
After three rounds of drinking, King Rizhu had punched four people, one of whom was King Shengri. It was not serious and more like playing a joke. King Shengri, though red-faced, could only drink more wine to make himself smile more naturally.
Shangguan Fei was affected and rarely made a bold move. He got up, staggered through the crowd and walked up to the Dragon King. “I’d like to… propose a toast… to the Dragon King… Without you, I’m nothing.”
Gu Shenwei held up his wine bowl and symbolically touched it to Shangguan Fei’s. Just like everyone else, Shangguan Fei wasn’t here to propose a toast to him but rather to show himself in front of the Khan. But he didn’t know the rules and dared to directly speak to the Khan. “Your Majesty, the Dragon King doesn’t actually like to drink. I’m his subordinate and I can drink on behalf of…”
Before he had finished, the Khan coldly snapped, “You called me ‘Your Majesty.’ Do you think that I’m the Emperor of the Central Plains?”
Shangguan Fei shivered and immediately sobered up. The bowl in his hand fell, and he also fell onto his knees.
The Khan laughed heartily and said, “Your kung fu is very good and you also play hard. Why are you so timid?”
Shangguan Fei was unable to open his mouth now, so in place for him, Gu Shenwei said, “Who isn’t afraid of the awe-inspiring and illustrious Khan?”
The Khan’s smile didn’t diminish as if this coward had pleased him more than all the stunts of the evening. “You are Shangguan Fa’s son?”
Crawling on the ground, Shangguan Fei nodded his head repeatedly.
“Then how did you become the Dragon King’s subordinate?”
“I, I…” Shangguan Fei looked at the Dragon King in mute appeal.
“Shangguan Fa didn’t like this son and wanted to get rid of him with my saber.”
“So you kept him and made him into a fierce warrior instead. Interesting, it’s really interesting.” The Khan repeated while his eyes moved away from Shangguan Fei, obviously thinking it wasn’t interesting anymore.
A group of young warriors had been secretly watching and, at the hint of the eunuch, knew that they should carry the impudent young man away, so they rushed forward and pulled Shangguan Fei up. “With so little wine you are already drunk? No, you have to drink more…”
The word ‘drink’ was a signal. The seven or eight warriors suddenly dropped the faint Shangguan Fei, produced pocket daggers, and pounced on the old Khan who was close at hand as he shouted, “Dragon King, run!”
