Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Fan Xian looked at the young man and smiled, but he didn’t let the young man see the thoughts he had hidden behind it. He had been standing in the meadow for a while. He had watched the young man walked out of the King’s tent and waited for him to gradually come near the patch of the meadow where he stood.
He had to give the young man a chance to strike up a conversation. He knew that since the young man who had walked out from the King’s tent, he must have wanted to talk a bit with the merchants from the Central Plain. Making conversation was something Fan Xian was good at. Thinking back, Northern Qi’s girl saint Haitang had, in the end, fallen for his clever tongue. How could this young man not do the same?
“Of course it is good,” the young man said with a laugh. “Although it is only eight words, the aura of the grasslands is made apparent through them.”
This was an excuse. This was a young man who had been alone on the grasslands for too long. He urgently needed to talk with people from the Central Plain to ease his homesickness. He had found a bad excuse. Long years of working in the Overwatch Council’s special forces allowed Fan Xian to quickly come to a decision in a short amount of time. Based on his appearance, the young man was clearly not that of a Hu person. Yet, he had walked out of the King’s tent. He had to have some connection with the person for whom Fan Xian was looking, so he had taken action.
“Are you from the Central Plain?” Fan Xian purposely looked at him suspiciously and asked. “I didn’t see you in the merchant group.”
“I came last time. I haven’t sold some of my goods. The King is very good to us guests, so I stayed to see if there were any benefits.” Clearly, this young man was not a good liar. Fan Xian heard some problems in his tone.
“It is my first time here.” Fan Xian laughed and pointed at the crescent sea and grasslands. “I had no idea that the scenery on the grasslands was so captivating.”
“After you look at it too long, you’ll still get tired of it,” the young man said with a bitter smile.
“Oh? I only arrived today. It is impossible for me to get tired of it yet. How long have you been here?” Fan Xian asked. “Everyone says that the Hu people are savages. Living here, are you not afraid that they will suddenly go crazy?”
Even with his disguise, Fan Xian had a handsome and sincere appearance. Additionally, his tone of speaking and sincere attitude made it easy for others to trust him. His conversation with this young man continued naturally.
The young man said his name was Wei Wucheng, which was probably a fake name. He had also entered the grassland as a merchant. However, he had been forced to remain and had already stayed over three months.
Fan Xian already had doubts, so he did not believe these words. If he was a merchant, how could he go in and out so easily of the King’s tent? Using an agenda to trap one without an agenda, and using the treachery with sincerity, he dealt with the homesick young man and easily wormed information out of him.
The young man’s appearance and the Hu people’s leather shoes, which he had already worn marks into, exposed that he had been on the grasslands a very long time. Through this conversation, Fan Xian obtained a great deal of useful information. For example, there would be other Central Plains people who stopped at the King’s tent by the crescent sea. There were at least a dozen people who stayed for a long time. He also relayed the small changes that had happened in the King’s tent these two years and other information.
“In the end, this is the Hu people’s territory. After your goods have been cleared out this time, Brother Wei should return to the Central Plain.” Fan Xian extended a sincere invitation. “If you come back with our merchant group, your safety during the trip will be ensured.”
Wei Weicheng didn’t know what to say. Looking at the young merchant’s sincere expression, he felt a twist of remorse in his heart. He didn’t really understand why he had talked so long with this seemingly normal young merchant. He could feel that the conversation had been comfortable. The merchant was a trustworthy conversational partner.
If Wei Wucheng’s deduction was made known everywhere, everyone in the world would probably laugh. Fan Xian of the Qing Kingdom was a trustworthy person?
“Alright, I will go ask an elder in the tribe,” Wei Wucheng managed a smile and replied. Fan Xian was not stupid enough to directly expose this point. Standing up from the meadow, he patted down his behind and said, “Brother Wei, see you tonight.”
That night, the Western Hu Kin hosted a banquet to welcome the merchants from the Central Plain. If Wei Wucheng was truly a merchant, they would certainly see him at the banquet. Wei Wucheng hesitated for a moment and then explained, “The banquet tonight is to welcome you. We will probably not come.”
…
…
“Wei Wucheng does not have an accent, but he is definitely not a merchant.” Fan Xian took a sip of the sheep milk wine and furrowed his brows in discomfort. To Mu Feng’er at this side, he said, “Furthermore, he has been in the grasslands for at least a year. There are at least a dozen others who can enter and exit the King’s tent with him.”
Mu Feng’er glanced at Fan Xian and lowered his voice to ask, “Is he the person we are looking for?”
“Should be close.” It seemed that even Fan Xian had not thought his luck would be so good. Shortly after, he shook his head. “Wei Wucheng cannot be a professional spy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made such a big mistake. I am wondering what these Central Plain’s people who have stayed within the Western Hu territory want to do.”
Fan Xian put down his bowl and looked at Mu Feng’er. “Most importantly, Songzhi Xianling has still not shown themselves. Regardless of what Wei Wucheng and his group can do to help the Western Hu people, the trust of the Western Hu King in these people is definitely because of Songzhi Xianling.”
“As per your orders, I went to make some inquiries. I didn’t dare say the name directly in case it drew the attention of others,” Mu Feng’er reported. “During these two years, the Western Hu Chief has not taken a concubine. In fact, other than his proper wife, he hasn’t had other women.”
Fan Xian paused for a moment. From the beginning, he had thought that Songzhi Xianling was a woman. Mu Feng’er had investigated from this angle. Hearing Mu Feng’er’s report right now, Fan Xian couldn’t help but smile. “If it really is her, how could she be the Chief’s favored concubine?”
“There is one other problem,” Mu Feng’er said seriously. “I think Wei Wucheng’s appearance is too coincidental, to the point that it cannot be explained. His words cannot be trusted. What if it’s a trap or a misdirection?”
“My target has never been the Central Plain’s people in the King’s tent.” Fan Xian lowered his head. “Wei Wucheng’s appearance is coincidental in your eyes, but I don’t think it is a coincidence at all.”
He shook his head and said, “The grasslands and Central Plain are two different worlds, if you don’t stay here for a year, it is impossible to understand these people. As for missing home… Wei Wucheng is still a young man. It is difficult to subdue homesickness. Seeing us merchants from the Central Plain, of course, he wanted to talk and hear if anything interesting has happened in his homeland.”
Could homesickness really make one feel so bad? Mu Feng’er furrowed his brows. He thought quietly about how after he had been moved from the First Bureau to the Qinian Unit, he had also been sent out on missions. But, he had not thought much of it.
Seemingly to guess what Mu Feng’er was thinking, Fan Xian said, “There is always an end to a foreign mission, but those Central Plain, or perhaps Northern Qi people, that go in and out of the King’s tent may never be able to return home again.”
After saying this, he sank into silence. The reason Fan Xian understood Wei Wucheng’s feelings so well was because he thoroughly understood how many emotions can build up in a person who could never return to their homeland and had to remain in a foreign land, just like himself.
After leaving the world filled with the scent of medicine, he could never return. Although he had never dwelled on it, it was still difficult to subdue the longing.
“Even if Wei Wucheng is homesick and guileless and wants to talk with the merchants from the Central Plain, are the people in the King’s tent not worried that he will let something slip?”
“He is using the identity of a merchant. We are unable to enter the King’s tent to look at the Western Hu noble’s discussion process. No one can prove anything.”
It was clear that Mu Feng’er was still worried about Wei Wucheng and the Commissioner’s chance meeting. He furrowed his brows and said, “I just think that it is strange. Since it is just a casual conversation, why didn’t he go find the merchants of the Xiong family or me? How come he just happened to find you?”
Fan Xian was silent for a moment. A cute smile rose to his face. He said, “My meeting with Wei Wucheng was not a coincidence. You have to know that when he came out of the King’s tent, I was already standing on the meadow watching his every movement.”
Mu Feng’er had also seen that clearly. He had stood in the opening of the tent by the crescent sea and watched as the Commissioner stood on the meadow, overlooking the lake of the grassland.
“Even though I am in disguise, I am still pretty good looking…” Fan Xian said with a smile. “I give one the sense of wanting to get closer. When I was standing on the meadow, the Hu women by the sea were all staring heatedly at me. Did you not notice?”
Mu Feng’er’s expression had changed. Such narcissistic words were not easy to accept, but he knew the Commissioner was only speaking the truth. Perhaps he could disguise himself as a common merchant, but he was definitely the most attractive of all the merchants.
“I stood on the meadow to attract the attention of the young man hurriedly leaving the King’s tent,” Fan Xian said. “I wanted him to see me at and then come find me. If one said that I lured Wei Wucheng to come talk to me, it would not be far from the truth.”
Mu Feng’er helplessly spread his hands and said, “So, it was the honey trap.”
The two of them were chatting in the tent, but they were actually waiting for the sun to land on the crescent sea and the arrival of the King’s banquet. Before long, a Hu translator came forward to respectfully invite the guests in. The merchants from the various tents all came out. They didn’t bring goods. Looking at them, they were probably carrying expensive gifts for the Chief.
Mu Feng’er also brought some, but Fan Xian was not sure of the specifics. He walked behind the crowd without drawing any attention toward the King’s tent in front.
The largest tent below the mountain and the banner fluttering high above indicated the noble personage and power of the person inside. Looking at this sight, Fan Xian couldn’t help but feel a bit strange. This was the King tent of the Western Hu people. Inside was the master of the grasslands. The Qing Kingdom military and master of the grasslands had carried out countless years of killing and pursuit. Yet, they had never once found this King’s banner.
The Western Hu King’s tent could move at any time, and its tracks were mysterious. Regardless of whether it was when the Qing Emperor personally led the army on a Western expedition or when the Great Prince and Ye family repeatedly attacked, they never found the Hu King. It was impossible to even get close.
Fan Xian’s footsteps moved slowly. He thought about the fact that tens of thousands of Iron Riders had not been able to get close to the King’s tent ,yet it was right in front of him. The attraction of this lure was incredibly powerful. However, he calmed down shortly after. Since the Western Hu King’s tent showcased itself like this in front of everyone, it also demonstrated his ambition and the changes the Central Plain’s people in the tent had brought.
Upon entering the King’s tent, he found that it was no longer like a tent. Instead, it was like a unique palace. Strange pictures were painted on the high ceiling. Straight lights appeared in the clouds. The paint strokes were extraordinary. It immediately gave Fan Xian a strange sense of familiarity, like he had seen it before.
His identity was that of the second manager of Shazhou’s foremost trading company, so his status was much lower than that of the other major merchants. Thus, he sat with Mu Feng’er in a spot closest to the door.
The master of the grasslands, the King of the Western Hu people, sat on the throne in the depths of the tent.
It was dim inside. The face of the Chief could not be seen clearly. Fan Xian narrowed his eyes. He did his best to not attract any attention as he stared. He only vaguely saw a middle-aged man around 30.
Fan Xian found that his calm was necessary because there were six or seven Hu aces standing by the side of the Western Hu King looking down the banquet with cold eyes.
They were true aces. Three or four of them were even more powerful than Hu Ge. Fan Xian lowered his head and considered his own abilities. Even if he demonstrated his abilities to the utmost, he could at most deal with four people. Furthermore, there was still the master of the grasslands, which remained hidden in the shadow. He sat firmly with the power of wolves and tigers. It was impossible to judge his ability.
Wanting to capture the king of tigers inside a tiger den was not courage, it was stupidity. On this journey, Fan Xian was not filled with the Qing military’s Iron Rider’s understanding of death. He lowered his head to gnaw on the leg of lamb in silence while listening carefully.
It was a pity there wasn’t much that needed to be remembered from the banquet. The lamb was good. The Hu serving girls pouring the wine were also filled with a healthy beauty. But, the merchants’ singing of praises and the drinking songs of the hosts to their left and right truly made one irritated. The master of the grasslands was not filled with the crudeness Fan Xian had imagined. Throughout the two-hour banquet, the Chief only said three sentences.
It was these sentences that made Fan Xian feel a chill. Although his tone was polite, it gave off a sense of intimidation.
In the Overwatch Council’s thorough and detailed intelligence reports, this Chief was not often recorded. First, the inside of the King’s tent was always mysterious. Second, because of the endless fighting with the Qing Kingdom these decades, the repeated defeats of the Western Hu meant that the Chief’s control and influence was a far cry from what it used to be. The voices of the Left and Right Virtuous Princes were rising higher and higher. When the father of this Chief had died, there was even talk of choosing an heir from amongst the two Virtuous Princes.
Although the Chief had managed to inherit the throne, the entire grasslands secretly considered the two Virtuous Princes as powerful figures. The Qing Kingdom’s intelligence work had also long turned toward the tents of the two Virtuous Princes and had neglected this Chief.
No one had expected that the just 30-year-old Chief had good control over the situation on the grasslands and was beginning to weaken the power of the Left and Right Virtuous Princes. In particular, when he stood his ground against the opinions of the masses and welcomed their Man tribe brothers from the Northern tundra and incorporated the tens of thousands of Man elite warriors into the court’s personal guards, it immediately increased his power manifold.
Furthermore, this Chief had many Central Plain’s people in his tent. What exactly did he want to do? Fan Xian drank his wine and wondered about the thinking of the Chief sitting in the darkness.
The Chief seemed to feel something strange. Furrowing his brows, he raised his head and revealed two hawk-like eyes that he swept across the banquet.
He didn’t find anything. When his gaze landed near the door, Fan Xian was already sneaking looks with drunken eyes at the full chest of the Hu girl beside him. With a trace of reserve and reluctance, he played the role of a merchant’s attendant perfectly.
It still remained trued. The Qing Emperor and Fan Xian were the two most powerful actors in the world.
…
…
During the banquet, countless merchants were forced to drunkenness by the Hu people. The oil lights hovered high above in the tent, giving off wisps of black smoke. The Chief and the Left and Right Guyi Princes had gone to rest. They left behind two households and the good men of the Hu tribes to continue mercilessly grabbing the Central Plain merchants and pushing alcohol at them.
Fan Xian and Mu Feng’er had long moved beyond drunk and had been carried back to their tents. Unfortunately, and fortunately, the Hu people were not as absurd and shameless when it came to vilifying the Central Plain’s people. At least, there were no alluring Hu women who were as beautiful as wildflowers in their tents to accompany them to bed.
After the lights were extinguished, Mu Feng’er sat up with difficulty. Turning his head, he saw Fan Xian’s bright eyes with a gaze like a wolf’s and was involuntarily startled a bit.
Mu Feng’er had also seen this look in the bunker in Qingzhou. It was completely different from the Commissioner’s usual gentle gaze. Perhaps the knife-like autumnal winds on the grasslands made some ruthless thing rise anew in Fan Xian’s heart.
Fan Xian handed over a hangover pill and did not add anything more. He walked out of the tent. Taking advantage of the cover of the night, he passed through the Hu people’s camp and came to the foot of the isolated mountain behind the crescent sea. He tied his clothing properly and began to climb up.
When he was about to reach the summit of the mountain, he found a rock sticking out and sat behind it. Taking out a small tube from his clothes, he carefully fiddled with it. He then extended the small tube out, moving it closer to his right eye.
It was the newest telescope model that the palace treasury produced. Fan Xian had designed it personally and was the first to use it.
The round tube was pointed silently toward the Western Hu King’s camp, which was still bustling with noise. After an indeterminable amount of time, Fan Xian’s brows furrowed. Through the telescope, he saw the Chief walk out and turn toward a small tent on the right.
