Dragon Tamer - Chapter 37
Translator: Exodus Tales
Editor: Exodus Tales
Translated by Mianbao
Edited by RED
“Please enter, Mister Yang Xiu,” the Lady of the House, Kong Tong welcomed him, wearing a polite smile.
Basically every member of the clan had come to the hall. After all, this was a marital truce between two city states. It was as grand as a festival; even the main street at the entrance of the city was decorated with colorful lights.
“Where’s your highness the Crown Princess? It’s been quite some time since we met; our Lingxiao City State’s soldiers really miss her,” Yang Xiu asked, striding forth into the palace hall.
Yang Xiu had only brought two guards with him, while the others were waiting outside the hall. Despite being in their enemy’s city, this Yang Xiu showed no signs of anxiety. He acted as casually as if he was a guest at his neighbor’s house.
“The servants are dressing her up,” Concubine Kong Tong answered.
“That’s good, that’s good. Speaking of which, we’re really surprised by how obedient the Crown Princess is. But she is the Crown Princess, after all. To be willing to give everything she has for the two city states’ future, even if it’s lowering herself to becoming someone’s concubine. Hahahaha!” Mister Yang Xiu laughed out loud, his voice spreading through the palace hall.
The Li Clan’s members didn’t look so good, however.
No matter what, the party that called for a truce first was tantamount to conceding.
They had originally thought Yang Xiu was a well-mannered envoy, but unexpectedly, he started mocking them as soon as he entered the hall.
“This is the truce agreement. Please look over it, Mister Yang. If there’s no problem, then please sign it,” Li Ying spoke up at that moment.
Yang Xiu saluted half-heartedly, paying his respects to the Li Clan’s patriarch.
He received the truce agreement and quickly scanned through the contents.
While he was reading through the agreement, a soldier with vermillion boutonniere came in with quick steps and whispered something into Yang Xiu’s ear.
Yang Xiu held his pen, not dipping it in ink. It seemed like he had no intention of signing it, nor stamping his seal on it from the start.
That soldier stepped down. Afterwards, Yang Xiu showed an unhappy expression, then started clicking his tongue. He put down his pen and said, “Patriarch Li, our Lingxiao City State has sent so many betrothal gifts, showing our sincerity. Why does this truce agreement of yours not include the condition of ceding four cities in the west, and is not willing to let us meet the Crown Princess, even now?”
Once he said that, the members of Li Clan couldn’t contain themselves any longer.
Ceding four cities in the west?!
The four cities in the west were wealthy and prosperous, and were the most important territory and cities, aside from Ancestral Dragon City State. The Li Clan would never cede those four cities to Lingxiao City State, even if the two city states had to keep warring!
“What do you mean, ceding the four cities to the west? The condition we agreed upon is only to have Li Yunzi marry into Lingxiao City’s Ling Family as a concubine!” Concubine Kong Tong exclaimed angrily.
So be it if Yang Xiu was acting arrogantly, but he actually spouted such nonsense!
“Oh? You didn’t talk about this before? But that was then, and now is now. It’s not too late to include this condition. I can wait,” Yang Xiu said as he went to move a chair from the seats.
He placed the chair in the center of the hall and sat down, then took the fruit platter in front of one of the Li Clan’s young misses and started eating as if no one else was around.
“Insolence! You’re only a puny envoy; and you’re treating our Li Clan’s royal court as your personal courtyard?!” a Dragon Tamer from Li Clan spoke up angrily.
“I, Yang Xiu, am representing the Lingxiao City State to negotiate peace with your patriarch. War is only something decided by us sitting in this hall. Coming to a truce is only a matter of few words, but going to war is also the same. Some insignificant people here can’t even make decisions, but may bring about calamity to their clan and city because of something stupid they say. I wonder if this little commander here is of the former? If not, then shut your mouth!” Yang Xiu smiled, his mouth still full of unchewed fruit.
Earlier, Yang Xiu was wearing a feather crown and acting politely. Now, he was no different from a barbaric hooligan; rude and arrogant!
“Excuse me, but why are you suddenly coveting our four cities to the west? If that is the price to pay for peace, what’s the harm in starting a war?” Commander-in-Chief Cheng suddenly spoke up.
“Commander-in-Chief Cheng, Patriarch Li, from what I know, your East Dawn Stronghold has been breached by the rebel army. I’m afraid they are marching straight for the eastern Lichuan Plains as we speak. Those granary cities of yours are about to be robbed. Ah, pui, what a disgusting jujube,” Yang Xiu said as he spat the seed and his phlegm on the floor.
Li Ying’s expression was grave. Concubine Kong Tong also revealed a look of astonishment.
They had just received news of this. As an envoy who had just arrived at Ancestral Dragon City State from the west, it was impossible for him to know of this matter!
Did someone leak the news? So… that soldier notified Yang Xiu of this matter earlier, and he decided to change his stance?
But the problem was how he knew about it. Even the Ancestral Dragon City State’s army had only just learned about this!
“Mister Yang, you said it yourself earlier. War is merely something decided by us in this hall. You asking us to cede our cities in the west because you heard about the rebellion in the east? Putting aside whether that news is the truth or not, the rebellion is only the result of a bunch of greedy commoners wanting to become city lords. Calming the rebellion isn’t a difficult feat, either.
“I want to know whether it’s your own decision to try and start a war in the west, or was your master not intending on coming to peace in the first place? If it is the former, I’ll treat it as you telling a joke to amuse us. But if it’s the latter, then do tell your master that we don’t mind fighting your Lingxiao City to the end!” Li Ying declared calmly, using this speech to intimidate the arrogant envoy.
However, Yang Xiu didn’t care about his words.
He picked up the fruit platter again, feeding grapes to himself, one at a time, and even spat the skins on the floor.
His ignoring the patriarch hd instantly angered everyone. That young Dragon Tamer officer from earlier even stood up, looking like he wanted to cut down this envoy!
Li Ying appeared calm on the surface, but he was worried inside.
If Lingxiao City State sent out their troops now and attacked the four wealthy cities in the west, Ancestral Dragon City State would be attacked from both the front and back. Their defensive lines were highly likely to be breached, and they’d lose a lot of land.
The problem was if they had indeed lost their stronghold, why was the military report delayed!?
The palace hall went quiet all of a sudden, the gazes of the members of Li Clan falling onto Li Ying.
Was it true that they lost the East Dawn Stronghold?
The Lichuan Plains was a huge area. Once the rebel army set foot there, it’d be equivalent to a pack of wolves entering the grasslands. Who knew how long it’d take to wipe them out, and how many troops they’d have to send out for them?
Not only that, even if they reclaimed the lands taken over by the rebel army, they’d be in a mess. There’d be no taxes or grain. The Ancestral Dragon City State would decline severely!
“Since the patriarch is not answering and is allowing this envoy to act like this, I’m afraid the matter about East Dawn Stronghold is true!” someone in the crowd said in a low voice.
“Doesn’t that mean our Ancestral Dragon City State is waiting to be taken advantage of?” Some members of the clan understood their current position.
The atmosphere quickly turned heavy, the crowd discussing among themselves, but as usual, they could only wait for the patriarch to come to a decision.
That young commander from before could no longer endure such an arrogant person and asked angrily, “Patriarch, please allow me to butcher this dog. I think Lingxiao City State had no intentions of coming to peace with us to begin with, and even sent this person to humiliate us!”
“It’s said that every generation of the Li Clan is worse than the last, with countless fools in your ranks. It truly is the case. You can very well come up and kill me now. If no one stops you, I’ll slit my own throat, and if someone stops you, then you can kneel and swallow the seeds and skin I spat out!” Yang Xiu laughed, his attitude extremely arrogant.