Book 28 - Chapter 3 – Tyrannical and Overbearing (1/2)
Chapter 3 – Tyrannical and Overbearing
Hanfu was a city between Xiangyang and Jingling Although in ter, but due to its location by the Han River, it had strong grip on major water and land routes, hence it was very prosperous
Although this city ithin the Jianghuai Arovernance; instead, it was handed over to the local gangs and societies to deal with the city’s internal affairs, hence it was a bit like Xiangyang city
By dusk that day, after rushi+ng the whole way, Kou Zhong and the others reached the official road south of Han River From here, if they follow the official road for about ten li, they would enter the city
Because they were afraid that the spies fro Qiaoli’s side would discover their whereabouts, they especially chose wild, mountainous country to hasten on with their journey Therefore, it was only thisthat they had returned to the land of the living
Looking out froe open space on the other side of the official road, wheremerchants and passers-by were spread acrossand small, constructed of wood and baes parked by the roadside
Some of the sheds offered tea, but some other offeredasked, “What’s going on here?”
Tuli explained, “This is the last major relay station [for post horses] on the west side of Hannan [lit south of Han (River)] All the traveling merchants fro or selling to and fro cities north and south of the river, will have to transport their goods via ay to Hanfu first; therefore, these official roads are always busy with unending strea back and forth”
Kou Zhong could not help thinking about Longyou Bang [roa his head, he said, “Turns out Hannan is a big distribution center; no wonder it is bustling with noise and excitement Hey! Shall we eat here? Our breakfast is late by nearly four sichen”
Knitting his brows, Tuli said, “We ran around like this, how could we escape the ene inside those shacks, there will be Li Yuanji’s spies watching people co to the east and running away to the west is not a way out Fro us, there nize people Taking wild, mountainous country pathwayssighed and said, “Ling Shao’s way of thinking and stratage it difficult for others to guess Since Ling Shao said so, Xiaodi has a uarantee that the enemy will be thrown into confusion and will lose theirused to these two boys’ unpredictable style of conduct; he cheerfully said, “Tell us quickly!”
Kou Zhong focused his power into his eyes Scanning the several sheds back and forth with his luht to be the spies sent by Li Yuanji”
Focusing his own eyes, Tuli also looked on He sawinside three of the shacks had weapons with thehu Feeling a big headache, he said, “That is very difficult to say”
Proud of hi Shao, what do you say?”
Xu Ziling laughed and cursed, “You got fart, let it out! Isn’t it hard for you to keep it inside your belly?”
Tuli could not help sinally nervouscal said, “Of those three shacks, only those three tables on the left, by the noodle shop door, have the optimum position to colance Therefore, if there are any Li Family’s man, it will be one of the diners on those tables”
The other two looked at the three tables he was referring to Each table had four to six persons One of the tables had finished with theirAll sixand drinking, their eyes continuously scanned the travelingthe road
Kou Zhong rose up to his full height, “Couarantee that based on e know plus their reaction when they suddenly see us, I aly”
The three suddenly appeared outside their target shack and continued inside in large strides The six big ed immediately; unconsciously they lowered their head to avoid looking at the threeappearance and tall and study body shape, plus Tuli did not look like a Han from the Central Earth, they immediately attracted the attention of rabbed the waiter, as hurriedly walking past hi and wide table”
If the waiter did not see Kou Zhong’s Jianghu young thug terrifying appearance, he would certainly curse hier and spoke in low voice with bitter expression, “Daye, you can see it for yourself, all the tables are occupied If Daye and your honorable friends do not wish to sit separately, would you please wait apointed to the table with six men, whom he suspected to be the Li Fah manner, “Can’t that table be freed up? You have finished eating, why are you still hanging on to that table?”
All the fifty, sixty people sitting around the thirteen tables in the shack immediately quieted down that the crow and peacock made no sound Even sohu would know that Kou Zhong, threeup trouble;the apparently ainst three
All the six ed ie The waiter was stuck with no room to advance or to retreat, but then one of the six stood up and tossed a string of silver pieces, and spoke with forced laughter, “Brothers, let’s go!”
Without saying anything, the other five hurriedly followed hireatly beyond the other guests’ expectation; they also guessed that Kou Zhong, three men, must be people with influence ere not easy to deal with
As if nothing had happened, Kou Zhong beckoned Tuli and Xu Ziling to sit down, and ordered food and wine
By this time, the shack had more or less returned to its previous condition, but nobody dared to speak or laugh as loudly as before They had quite atoward the three Furtheret out of the shack, leaving a lot of leftover on their tables
Kou Zhong acted as if he was co over to Tuli, he asked, “That business delegation of yours in Luoyang, is the leader as trustworthy as you said he is?”
“You may rest assured,” Tuli replied, “Thisfavor to hi him, as well as his clansmen, from the Zhujie people [Jie people are a branch of Tokhara people, not sure about the ‘Zhu’ part] And Xieli does not know anything about this, hence the reason I a Khitan or representing your Tujue people?”
“Mainly Khitan,” Tuli replied, “But since he is also the ‘Ci She’ [lit second to set up/arrange] in Xieli Khan’s court, your Central Earth and various nations regard hi had a headache, “What in the world is ‘Ci She’?” he asked
Tuli explained, “Our Khanate Imperial Court have official titles such as Ye Hu, Ci She, Te Nan, Ci Si Li Fa, Ci Tu Tun Fa, and so on, a total of eighteen titles Ye Hu and the likes are like your Prious to a departmental cabinet minister Mo He’er is a Khitan prince He does not need to exert hiesture showing that he acknowledges allegiance to us”
Xu Ziling was puzzled, “West Tujue’s Great Khan is called Tong Yehu, is he using his governmental title as his na the Great Khan, he was the Western Tujue’s Ye Hu [lit (historical) period protector] When he ascended the Great Khan’s throne, he continued to use this na was about to speak when from the other corner of the shack ca, “There are a lot of evil people in Jianghu, but I, Lu Wuxia have never seen anybodylike these three reckless fellows; I wonder if Da shi+xiong [oldest/first ree?”
A male voice replied, “If shi+ [I or uts to coood outcoht that in the current situation, there were still such seeing-injustice-on-the-road, warning-the-evil-and-punishi+ng-them-well kind of heroes and heroines; they could not help s inwardly
Actually, they had already noticed this pair of a man and a woman, not because the woman was pretty, but because they occupied two tables, acco men, whose clothes and adornments, even their weapons were uniforhed in low voice and said, “They ought to be Tian Kui Pai [heavenly stalwart sect] people This sect is the biggest sect in this region, they have dojos in Hannan, Xiangyang, Nanyang, and Yuyang; their disciples areis quite influential and powerful both in Jianghu and in govern ring-head, straight-body long and narrow saber; undoubtedly they must be his direct disciples The wohter”
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were greatly surprised; they had never thought that Tuli would know more clearly about the Central Plains’ affair than the two of theroup ofwith ood show that they were sure would come
Since they did not know the whole story, everybody in the shack was deeply dissatisfied with Kou Zhong, threeattitude