Chapter 35: The Trap Part 5

Gemu Wen arranged their seats and had servants bring wine and snacks. Li Er Man said nothing to converse with them and continued dozing with narrowed eyes, like a motionless mountain of flesh. Chaosheng wanted to lean into Wu Yingzong’s arms to eat snacks and drink wine, but Wu Yingzong hurriedly signaled against it and had him sit properly first. Chaosheng thus sat upright and enjoyed the song and dance for a while.

A moment later, Wu Yingzong wanted to ask Chaosheng something, but because of his earlier words, he hesitated to speak. Chaosheng noticed and raised a brow with perfect understanding, as if to say: What’s wrong?

Wu Yingzong thought for a moment and wrote on Chaosheng’s palm:

[Gemu Wen is mortal?]

Chaosheng glanced at the Han official on the other side of the banquet, then nodded to Wu Yingzong. Wu Yingzong thus relaxed his vigilance.

Chaosheng waved a hand and whispered, “No demons.”

After the performance, a tall man entered from the back door and stood beside Li Er Man. This time, even Wu Yingzong sensed the Demonic Aura.

Chaosheng stared at him curiously for a while. The man’s face was like that of a zombie, utterly expressionless. His turbid eyes turned toward Chaosheng. Their gazes crossed over the dancing girls, meeting each other’s.

Wu Yingzong wrote on Chaosheng’s hand again: [What is this?]

[War Dead Corpse Ghost.] Chaosheng wrote his answer on Wu Yingzong’s broad palm in turn. Chaosheng’s fingers were exceedingly soft, and their touch against Wu Yingzong’s palm felt very gentle. A surge of impulse rose in Wu Yingzong’s heart—he wanted to grasp those fingers—but Chaosheng had already withdrawn his hand.

When the piece ended, the musicians stopped, the dancers retreated to the side awaiting orders, and the hall fell quiet.

“Master?” The Han official called Gemu Wen said softly.

Li Er Man sniffed but remained drowsy. Gemu Wen hurried forward and whispered, “Master, Crown Prince Yelu Yari of the Liao Kingdom and the Liao minister Xiao Kun seek an audience, Master!”

The zombie-like advisor emitted a strange noise from his throat. Chaosheng immediately narrowed his eyes and looked toward him.

Li Er Man instantly jolted awake. “Mm! Uh!”

When Li Er Man opened his eyes, he carried a trace of bewilderment. Gemu Wen, long accustomed to such behavior, introduced the visitors in Uyghur. Li Er Man gathered himself, took a wine cup from the side table, and Gemu Wen hurriedly filled it for him.

Wu Yingzong saluted from his seat. Chaosheng glanced at him, then at Li Er Man, and after a moment, imitated him with a cupped-fist salute.

Li Er Man mumbled a few words. As Gemu Wen prepared to translate, the zombie-like advisor spoke: “The Grand Vizier asks what business brings you here.”

As the advisor spoke, Gemu Wen introduced him: “This is Gumo’s City Deputy, Zheng Yong.”

“There’s no business for you here,” Zheng Yong said. “You may withdraw, Gemu Wen.”

Gemu Wen bowed and took his leave.

Li Er Man continued to scrutinize Wu Yingzong and Chaosheng, his gaze ultimately settling on Chaosheng.

Wu Yingzong said, “I have come on the orders of General Yelu Dashi. The Grand Vizier must already know of our kingdom’s recent circumstances.”

Zheng Yong translated the words. Li Er Man roused himself somewhat and began to question them.

Zheng Yong: “The Grand Vizier asks whether Yelu Dashi plans to restore his kingdom.”

“We have come precisely for that purpose,” Wu Yingzong said. “This is His Highness Yelu Yari, the current Crown Prince of the Liao Kingdom.”

Chaosheng cooperated by saying, “Yes.”

Zheng Yong listened while translating, his expression unchanging. The scene was utterly eerie. Li Er Man listened for a while and tried to rise several times. Each time, Zheng Yong went over to support him under the ribs, helping the nearly three-hundred-jin city lord sit up straight.

“General Dashi has sent us to forge a pact of brotherhood with Gumo.”

Zheng Yong translated halfway through before suddenly halting. “What?”

Wu Yingzong said again, “General Dashi needs Gaochang, and Grand Vizier Li Er Man no longer wishes to submit to Bilage. The general is currently entrenched in Tingzhou and plans to march east. He requires the assistance of the Gumo Army.

“The Liao Army numbers fifty thousand and will march east from the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains. Gumo will take its available forces north around the Southern Tianshan, forming a joint army to seize Gaochang.

“Upon success, everything south of the Tianshan Mountains—Licheng, Kucha, and so on—will belong to Grand Vizier Li Er Man. Everything north of the Tianshan Mountains—Tingzhou, Gaochang, and so on—will belong to Liao. What does the lord think?”

Zheng Yong did not translate immediately and seemed to be pondering his wording.

Li Er Man said something and held a brief exchange with Zheng Yong, who began a detailed translation. But soon, Li Er Man impatiently interrupted him.

“I understand Han language,” Li Er Man said.

Zheng Yong also spoke in Han language: “After the Jin Army captured Shangjing, Yelu Dashi led his troops to flee northwest. Gaochang King Bilage lent him Tingzhou to support his restoration of the kingdom. And now Yelu Dashi turns his ambitions toward Gaochang? Such villainous behavior is utterly contemptible. How can Li Er Man trust that you won’t go back on your word later?”

Wu Yingzong replied candidly, “The Aksu and Korla regions are useless to General Dashi and border Tubo. What the general wants is only Gaochang. Otherwise, his fifty thousand troops would have long descended south along the Tianshan Path.”

Li Er Man did not wait for a translation before bursting into loud laughter. He said something in Uyghur—undoubtedly “interesting.”

Zheng Yong began analyzing the matter for Li Er Man in Uyghur, but Li Er Man merely eyed Chaosheng without responding to Zheng Yong.

“An alliance? With what do you intend to earn my trust?” Li Er Man said.

Wu Yingzong said, “We leave this item as collateral with the Grand Vizier to seal the alliance between our sides. On the day Great Liao restores its kingdom, we will redeem it—with eight hundred thousand taels of gold and ten million taels of silver. If Great Liao cannot fulfill its promise, the lord may dispose of it at will.”

With that, Wu Yingzong produced the cloth package that Xiao Kun had given him and opened it. Inside was the Imperial Jade Seal!