Translator: Henyee Editor: Henyee
Gu Shenwei stood up and glanced down at the wooden saber on the table before saying, “There’s no more need to talk unless I see her.”
He had realized the purpose behind this meeting with the disciples of the Essence Pavilion and since he also now knew where they were hiding, that was enough. As for where Shangguan Ru was, he just had to keep pressure up until one of the sides could no longer bear to keep the cat in the bag.
It was like a close kung fu match where the most patient person won.
Yet at the same time, it was a risk, a desperate gamble in which Shangguan Ru’s life was at stake.
Although the disciples of the Essence Pavilion were good at confusing people’s minds, they obviously did not know how to negotiate well. Surprised at the Dragon King’s coldness, the two hunchbacks exchanged a glance and then threw out threats one after another.
“At this time tomorrow.”
“We have to see Chu Nanping.”
“Otherwise, you will see the owner of the saber.”
“Part of her.”
The two groups of people coincidentally used Shangguan Ru for blackmail, even giving the same deadline.
Gu Shenwei looked at King Shengri who was still serving a bowl to drink and coldly said, “Any harm done to anyone of the Dragon Army is an act of breaking the agreement, and I will respond accordingly.”
It was nearly noon when he left the King Shengri’s office. The streets were strangely empty as if the whole court had been deserted.
The first high point of the Tournament of the Royal Court was today.
The Norland people’s love of horses was extraordinary, even to the extent of feverish worship. So, horse racing was naturally extremely popular.
The ten guards were waiting not far away and immediately bobbed up to greet the Dragon King as soon as they saw him.
Gu Shenwei got on his horse and rode towards the racetrack on the outer suburbs. He had been thinking the whole way and suddenly shivered for no reason. He couldn’t help but glance back. Those ten guards were still following closely behind without incident.
Without Lotus and Chu Nanping’s accompaniment, Gu Shenwei began to feel the emptiness behind.
Neither was he accustomed to galloping around in broad daylight in a strange and hostile city. Without the protection of the dark night, he felt like was charging towards flying arrows without any armor or shield.
Even his mind wasn’t as sharp as it was at night. He wanted to find a loophole in the threats of the Essence Pavilion’s disciples and King Kuari so that he could determine Shangguan Ru’s whereabouts. But his mind was in a complete turmoil, and he couldn’t think of anything except for the words he had heard over and over again repeating inside his head.
The horse race was nearly finished when Gu Shenwei arrived at the outskirts.
There was actually more than one horse race in the Tournament of the Royal Court, and theoretically, everyone could organize a race as long as they provided the corresponding rewards and racetracks. But only the first one was the most looked after because it was set up under the name of the Khan, and there were strict restrictions on the qualifications of the players. Only nobles and invited honored guests could send riders to participate in this game.
Unsurprisingly, the best horses and riders always appeared under the nobles’ names.
As an honored guest, the Dragon King was naturally invited. But he only sent five riders to join the game which appeared a bit humble and miserable. The other nobles took full advantage of their qualifications and appointed ten to fifty players. The glory would fall to the lord as long as one of them did well.
The contestants carried flags three or five feet high to indicate whom they belonged to.
Gu Shenwei happened to catch up with the end of the game. The riders had turned back from the turning point which was about six miles away and was back in view of the home audience.
Like all the other games, the nobles had their own viewing area at the best position. When standing on the platform, one could look farther, but Gu Shenwei didn’t go there. Instead, he stopped behind a group of herdsmen where he could hardly see anything but instead could hear the excited chatter of the crowd in front.
“It’s so disappointing that the Flame Foal isn’t running this year. I came from hundreds of miles away just to see it.”
“Yes, yes, the Dragon King is so rude to steal the best horse on the prairie.”
“What’s the matter with King Rizhu? Why doesn’t he take the horse back? Is he afraid of a man from the Western Regions?”
The discontent with the Dragon King lasted for a while. Many people spoke the language of the Norland which Gu Shenwei didn’t understand, but the words ‘Dragon King’ was frequently mentioned in unfriendly tones.
“They’re turning back, they’re turning back.”
The crowd swarmed forward like a tide and huddled into a ball. Many people’s mounts didn’t like the denseness of the environment. They restlessly whinnied and trampled wherever they were, making a great noise that even surpassed the clamor of the crowd’s voices.
But the audience’s voice of amazement grew louder and louder and soon surpassed the sound of the horse’s hooves.
“Look, look!”
“How can it be so fast?”
“The horses behind it have not even appeared.”
“Whose horse is this?”
“I don’t know. The flag looks weird, black, and something red in the middle. I’ve never seen such a flag, whose is it?”
“A crow, a red crow, that’s the Dragon King’s flag! The Dragon King’s horse!”
Gu Shenwei turned his horse and headed towards his camp with the guards. He could still hear the cries of surprise even from far away.
“It’s like a second Flame Foal, a black Flame Foal.”
“Idiot, that is the Flame Foal, the Flame Foal covered with charcoal!”
Although the prairie was large, it was hard to find a safe place to hide the horse, especially for strangers. King Rizhu had sent out hundreds of soldiers and servants to search for the horse like they were hunting a fugitive. The herdsmen near and far had also been ordered to find the Flame Foal. Anyone who found a clue and immediately reported to the men of King Rizhu would be generously rewarded.
In this case, Gu Shenwei’s only option was to hide the Flame Foal in his own camp.
After arriving at the Royal Court, Chu Nanping didn’t stay but instead returned the same way he had come. He avoided King Rizhu along the way and met Long Fanyun who was behind him. After handing over the Flame Foal, he hid for a few days before showing up in the Royal Court, leaving an impression that he had hidden the horse very far away.
Long Fanyun rode the Flame Foal back, painted it black overnight, and left it with the ordinary horses. And from then on, someone was responsible for adding color every day. In this way, they not only hid it from King Rizhu, even the people of Golden Roc Castle, who traveled with them, didn’t find anything unusual.
With the Flame Foal, Long Fanyun won the race easily. It was not until then that the sharp-eyed man recognized the true identity of the horse.
Gu Shenwei left early and didn’t see the scene of chaos. The crowd flocked to look closely and inquire curiously with cries of surprise rising everywhere, which almost prevented the riders behind from reaching the finish line.
King Rizhu saw it and became part of the chaos. He directly jumped out from the stands, swung his sturdy body over, and rushed at Long Fanyun like a madman, shouting, “My horse! You bastard, that’s my horse!”
The cavalry, who was in charge of keeping order, rushed to the crowd and drove them off, almost trampling the king. And a small group of cavalrymen of King Rizhu’s rushed to the Flame Foal, trying to surround it.
After crossing the finish line, Long Fanyun did not follow the Norland’s tradition of greeting the nobles and the general audience, and instead quickened his speed and drove away while everyone was stunned.
Having been held back in the camp for many days, the Flame Foal finally had a chance to run so it galloped happily. In its state of excitement, it still ran very fast after the race, completely ignoring its old master’s gut-wrenching cry.
Just like that, the Flame Foal disappeared into the depths of the prairie, becoming the most sensational and lasting news of the day. It would have continued to spread if it were not for the more eye-catching warrior contest the next day.
Gu Shenwei had just entered the tent and didn’t even have a chance to drink some water before the ‘chaos’ came all the way from the racetrack. Fang Wenshi was just about to open his mouth and say something when an angry voice came from outside.
“Get out of there, you bastard!” King Rizhu had endured long enough and finally broke out. Together with a dozen or so cavalrymen, he broke into the Dragon King’s camp with great momentum. The guards in the camp had no time to stop him.
“King Rizhu, aren’t we allied?” Asked Fang Wenshi in dismay.
Hardly had his voice faded away when King Rizhu strode into the tent, pushed the fatty in the way aside, and waved the horsewhip in his hand, cursing, “Dragon King, I thought you were something, but your boy is harder than a tortoise’s shell. Playacting and making a fool of me in public, fuck it, our alliance is over. Even if Khan intercedes in person, you can’t escape …”
“King Kuari wants to rebel.” Gu Shenwei interrupted.
The effect of Gu Shenwei’s words was stronger than a pot of cold water. King Rizhu felt like he had been drenched from head to toe. Tongue-tied, he glanced at the frightened Fang Wenshi who was lying on the ground, then paused for a moment before saying, “Get out of here.”
“Ahh?”
“I asked you to get out.”
Fang Wenshi always thought that he was not a coward. If he had some time to prepare, within just a few moments, his dignity as a counselor would prevail. But he wasn’t good at dealing with emergencies and he was very afraid of King Rizhu. Being snapped at, his heart almost came to a stop. He immediately got up and walked away quickly with his head lowered.
Standing outside the tent, Fang Wenshi was regretful, annoyed, ashamed, but not angry. He had missed the best opportunity and it was pointless to go back in now.
“Do you have evidence?” Inside the tent, King Rizhu asked, his tone still stiff. Although he had temporarily forgotten about his horse, he was still full of anger.
“King Kuari has a younger brother named Kuo Zhen.”
“He was killed by your men.”
“He’s not dead.”
“What?”
“This is a part of King Kuari’s plan, to fake his brother’s death and then to quietly go to the border and gather a large number of soldiers.”
King Rizhu raised his horsewhip and slammed it heavily onto the table beside him, “I knew that kid was up to something. How did you find out? Kuo Zhen confessed?”
“He confessed a few days ago.”
“And you didn’t tell me until now?”
“I want to take a look first and see how close the alliance is between us.”
Uncommonly, King Rizhu’s face flushed a bit. Horse or information? After a short but fierce struggle in his mind, he said, “The Dragon King really likes the Flame Foal?”
“Who doesn’t like a matchless treasured horse?”
“It’s yours now.” King Rizhu gnashed his teeth. He wouldn’t feel so bad even if he had to give away his most beloved concubine. “But I may have to borrow it for two days.”
“So you can call back your army before the other kings.”
Gu Shenwei had figured out the most important role played by the Flame Foal. It was not only King Rizhu’s most treasured possession, but also the best mount with which to race against time.
King Rizhu didn’t respond. Some things were better off left unsaid. “Give me Kuo Zhen and your task is half done or perhaps more.”
“All right, but you’d better be quick. I’m afraid Kuo Zhen is no longer safe.”
King Kuari was desperate to launch a counterattack. As long as he sent out more people to search, he could find his brother’s clue soon. After all, this was his territory.
Gu Shenwei also wanted to fight back, and save his people.
