Chapter 722: Hulayegs Pitfall! (1/2)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

”Wait… wait a moment, Sir, please wait! I didn't say that I couldn't do it!”

Seeing that Wang Chong was about to leave, Hulayeg knocked over the silver dish of wine in front of him in his haste to catch up.

”We can negotiate, negotiate… What's the meaning in carrying on business in such a rush?”

Wang Chong stopped and turned his head. ”So Sir is saying that you are confident in carrying it out?”

”This, I just felt that the number was a little too large, making it a little difficult, but that doesn't mean I can't do it. If I were given half a year…”

”There is no half a year. At most, three months!” Wang Chong said.

”Is Sir serious?” Hulayeg said.

Wang Chong gave a stern nod.

It wasn't that he was being too harsh or that he didn't want to give him the time, but because this bastard would get himself killed in three months. At that point, what would be the point in finding him to sign a bunch of contracts?

Of course, Hulayeg had no idea of what Wang Chong was thinking.

In addition, Wang Chong had no hope of truly obtaining seven or eight hundred thousand warhorses from Hulayeg. Such a thing was impossible. Not unless the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates went mad would they ever permit such a large cavalry force to appear in the Great Tang.

And seven or eight hundred thousand horses was no small number to feed and raise.

There didn't exist a pasture large enough in the Great Tang to hold them all!

In truth, let alone seven or eight hundred thousand, three hundred thousand had just been a throwaway figure. Wang Chong would consider it a big harvest if he were able to get just one hundred thousand from Hulayeg.

The Great Tang had never purchased this many warhorses before! Not because it didn't have the money, but because it never had access to these channels. At the very least, the Turkic Khagans would never be foolish enough to sell off so many warhorses in support of their foe!

”Let me think about it. This isn't the right place to talk business. Sir, please follow me!” Hulayeg said, his expression much more cautious.

Three hundred thousand horses was no minor matter and involved too many bits and pieces, so even Hulayeg had to act prudently. Upon leaving the room, Hulayeg did not leave through the main door of the pleasure palace, but through a secret tunnel in the basement.

The tunnel ended in a 'dead alley', but there was yet another path here, dark and winding, that led to another area.

No wonder it was so hard to track him down!

As Wang Chong followed Hulayeg through this secret tunnel, he inwardly sighed. As the number one Turkic horse merchant, Hulayeg was actually quite well-known, but very few people could ever find him.

In truth, many of the rumors about him and his whereabouts only came out after his death. Without this information, not even a veteran of the Western Regions like Yang Hongchang would have been able to find him, much less anyone else.

Although he had entered through the pleasure palace, he came out in a nearby tea house. From there, the pair boarded a bronze carriage, which rolled through the dense crowds, meandering through various alleys and streets before finally entering a residence. It was on the outside a rather unremarkable building, but was luxuriously decorated within.

Hulayeg did not bring Wang Chong to the reception hall or his living quarters, but instead opened a secret door and led Wang Chong down an underground passage.

After a while, Wang Chong suddenly asked, ”Sir Hulayeg, where are we going?”

”We're almost there. It's right over there!”

As Hulayeg led the way, he suddenly turned his head around. Clang! There was a metal clatter as thick metal bars weighing several thousand jin dropped down between Wang Chong and Hulayeg.

Wang Chong's brow creased, but before he could say anything, another set of heavy steel bars dropped down and blocked the way back.

In a flash, Wang Chong was like a turtle in a jar, trapped between the two sets of metal bars.

”Sir Hulayeg, what are you doing?” Wang Chong asked, his face showing no sign of panic.

”Hahaha!”

Hulayeg began to laugh, his eyes suddenly shining with a crafty light.

”The Great Tang's Young Marquis! I didn't think that I would meet you here. Who could have imagined that you would disguise yourself and run off to the Western Regions? If I put you up for sale, I think many people would be willing to pay a big price. At the very least the Tsenpo of Ü-Tsang and the Crown Prince of Mengshe Zhao would definitely be ecstatic!”