Dragon Pool Tiger Xue
After all, of the more than three hundred people sent on the mission, most of them returned.
However, Gu Yi, who dispatched them as envoys, must have taken this situation into consideration.
As expected, before they could find an excuse, Hulü Guang said, "It's alright. There are really no formalities for envoys between the Five Barbarian tribes. Usually, the number of cattle and sheep brought is counted. As for the etiquette and procedures for envoys between your superior Huaxia countries, no one in the Northern Qiang court knows anything about them. As long as the letter of surrender is delivered, that's enough."
He added, "If Your Majesty takes this seriously, I will have my own way of distinguishing right from wrong, so you can all rest assured."
Gongyi Xiu smiled slightly and said, "Although the number of people is smaller, all the gold, silver, jade and silk presented as a surrender gift are still there. They have been registered and put into the treasury without any errors or omissions, so Your Highness can rest assured."
This is a satire of the Northern Qiang people, who are only interested in profit and know nothing about etiquette but how to count their wealth, cattle, and sheep.
Hulü Guangming knew he was being sarcastic, but he just smiled along.
As the red sun rose on the horizon, a gleaming, imposing Northern Qiang guard arrived at the scene, their fluttering banners embroidered with a menacing white wolf.
The banners and armor were exactly the same as those of the guards that Hulü Guang had brought to the Southern Dynasty. The soldiers were also tall and strong, and all had fierce and warlike appearances. A Qiu knew that these were Hulü Guang's personal guards, the "Wolf Guards".
The dozen or so Northern Qiang soldiers who had been bound hand and foot along the way had long since been released and were lined up under the eaves, fully equipped and ready to go. There was no trace of them being bound or restricted in their movements.
In contrast, the only two officials not wearing masks, Gongyi Xiu and Xiao Chang'an, smiled but stayed close to Hulü Guang, one on each side.
On the surface, it appears that the officials of the Southern Dynasty were extremely respectful to Hulü Guang, never leaving his side and always waiting to consult him.
In reality, it was a close-quarters hostage situation.
The dozen or so Northern Qiang soldiers who had accompanied the delegation had been released; they knew the situation best. If Hulü Guang uttered even half a word, they would immediately join forces with the wolf guards who had come to greet them to tear the entire delegation to pieces.
Gongyi Xiu and Xiao Chang'an were determined to ensure that if Huli Guang failed to cooperate in the slightest, he would die in an instant.
Moreover, the two men were refined and cultured, and their appearances showed no signs of them being martial arts masters. Therefore, the wolf guards had no doubt that their master was being held hostage.
The leading wolf guard general immediately knelt before Hulü Guang upon seeing him and greeted him in the Northern Qiang language. Hulü Guang responded warmly, chatting and laughing, revealing nothing of his true intentions.
After exchanging pleasantries with Hulü Guang, the Wolf Guard leader looked at the masked dancers behind him. Hulü Guang then introduced Gongyi Xiu and Xiao Chang'an, as well as the members of the delegation behind them, in Chinese.
The reason why Hulü Guang showed such respect to the leader of his guard was not because he treated his subordinates with courtesy and had the demeanor of Meng Chang, but because this guard leader was someone that the Great Khan Hulü Jin had placed by his side. Ostensibly for protection, he was also there to monitor him. Therefore, Hulü Guang always maintained a superficial politeness towards him.
Unlike his usual subordinates who readily obeyed Hulü Guang's every word, this captain of the guard did not simply follow orders without question. His first task was to count the number of members in the delegation to ensure that no suspicious individuals had been smuggled in.
This was the first time the delegation had been thoroughly inspected on their journey north. Previously, they had only made token appearances at the border crossings out of respect for Prince Hulü Guangning. No local official would be foolish enough to meticulously examine every item and every member of the delegation led by Prince Ning.
The list of personnel had already been altered by Hulü Guang and Gongyi Xiu in the brief time before dawn, leaving only the names of sixty-four dancers on it.
This list was to be sent to the Northern Qiang Palace for inspection by the Minister of Ceremonies, and thus it was the final list of those to enter the palace.
The Wolf Guard captain first checked the gold, silk, and valuables. The most important items were the Ancestral Dragon Sword and the Landscape Painting. He only glanced at them and, finding no problems or dangerous items hidden among them, accepted them. A detailed inventory and verification would be done after entering the palace, and it wasn't his responsibility.
However, an unexpected incident occurred during the personnel inventory.
The wolf guard captain held the list and scanned the people in the courtyard one by one, not even letting Gongyi Xiu and Xiao Chang'an go.
Then, he suddenly asked, "The list says there are sixty-four dancers, but why, after counting several times, can I only see sixty-one people wearing masks?"
Hulü Guang already knew the answer to this question, and pointed to Gongyi Xiu and Xiao Chang'an, replying, "These two gentlemen are also among those who will perform the dance."
The wolf guard captain looked puzzled and asked, "Does your country... even its officials dance?"
Gongyi Xiu replied in fluent Northern Qiang language: “The ‘Shao’ and ‘Wu’ are grand dances used to worship heaven and earth, not dances performed by Hu women and slaves to entertain guests. Dances to worship gods have always been performed by the nobility of dynasties since ancient times; otherwise, it would be a desecration of the gods. As officials of a country, we should not refuse.”
His speech was not only fluent, but he also spoke the Northern Qiang language very clearly, making it both profound and easy to understand.
The wolf guard captain asked this question naturally because the dance he envisioned was undoubtedly that of the beautiful Hu women serving at banquets, which was also the most common form of dance they had ever seen. Dances performed to worship deities, however, existed in various ethnic groups, mostly performed by shamans, who were traditionally regarded as noble beings close to the gods, not as lowly female musicians.
Although the wolf guard captain was not very knowledgeable about Han Chinese literature and etiquette, he understood what was said and immediately looked at Gongyi Xiu and his group with new respect, his previous fierce demeanor becoming much less imposing.
He placed his hand on his chest, performing a gesture of respect typical of the Northern Qiang people, and then said, "In our country, the worship of the gods is also presided over by the Grand Preceptor. By this analogy, I understand."
But he immediately followed up with a second question: "The list currently lists sixty-four dancers who should enter the palace, excluding musicians and performers. Even if we include the two gentlemen, there are only sixty-three. So where is the other one?"
As soon as he asked that question, A Qiu's heart jumped into her throat.
No one knew the original candidates for "Shao" and "Wu" better than her. Apart from the fifty-four Divine Hound Camp soldiers, Sun Neiren, Xue Hongbi, Cui Luzhu, Zhang Exu, and herself, the remaining three were Shangguan Yuqi, Pei Yu, and Fan Liancheng, the three current generation Flying Phoenixes.
Because the venue they had envisioned for the performance was in their own country and dynasty, specifically in the Jianzhang Palace, they never imagined it would be the Northern Qiang King's Court in Luoyang, the capital of the Central Plains.
Shangguan Yuqi's family had lived in Jianzhang for generations, and Pei Yu and Fan Liancheng were both important generals in their respective regions. Under these circumstances, it was impossible for them to come to the Northern Qiang to perform a dance, because it was easy to find an army but difficult to find a general. At this moment, leading the army was much more important than performing a dance.
Xiao Chang'an and Gongyi Xiu must have been temporary replacements, but it didn't matter. The movements of "Shao" and "Wu" were not difficult, and one of them came from the Music Bureau, while the other was fond of music and often frequented brothels. They had been influenced by music and were quite refined in their manners.
But she couldn't figure out where the other person came from.
Furthermore, she had a hunch that Gu Yi's elaborate deployment of this delegation to the Northern Qiang, first as a show of force and feigned weakness, and then by evacuating all irrelevant personnel outside Luoyang, must have a plan and strategy. And this last person was probably the true target of this delegation's mission.
When asked this question, Hulü Guang was speechless and could not answer.
The reason for this cannot be blamed on him, because he was more concerned about his own safety than about whether there were more or fewer people under him.
Besides, whether there are more or fewer people from the Southern Dynasty, it's all up to Gongyi Xiu and his group. They can keep whoever they want and let whoever they want leave. Even if he asked, he would only be given some random excuse. It's useless for him to count the people exactly when it's not his decision.
A Qiu glanced over and saw that Gongyi Xiu was also slightly taken aback, not expecting this scene to unfold.
He wasn't originally selected for the rehearsal of "Shao" and "Wu", so he wasn't familiar with the personnel arrangements. He probably didn't know whether there would be one more or one less person.
The scene became somewhat strange, and the group was filled with doubt, with no one offering an answer.
At this moment, Xiao Chang'an spoke up, calmly saying, "There is another dancer who caught a cold along the way and was afraid of spreading it, so she was sent to Luoyang yesterday and is now recuperating at the Xiao family residence. She should be better in a couple of days, at which time the Xiao family will send her to the palace."
Upon hearing his answer, both Hulü Guang and Gongyi Xiu exchanged bewildered glances. Where could there be any diseased dancers?
But Gongyi Xiu's mind worked very quickly, and he immediately replied, "That's exactly right." Then his sharp eyes swept across Hulü Guang's face in a fleeting glance.
Hulü Guang immediately came to his senses and said, "That's right. After a bumpy journey north, some people inevitably suffer from acclimatization issues, but most gradually adapt. Only this woman fell ill these past two days. I was thinking of not bringing her to the capital, but I was worried that without her, the dance formation wouldn't be neat enough, which would damage the nation's dignity. Fortunately, the Xiao family is willing to take her to recuperate, so the entire delegation won't be delayed."
A Qiu secretly praised Hu Luguang for his quick wit and sharp mind. His addition, as corroboration from the side, sounded flawless.
Upon hearing this, the wolf guard captain's expression softened, and he looked at Xiao Chang'an, saying, "This esteemed envoy from the Southern Dynasty is also surnamed Xiao. May I ask your connection to the Xiao family..."
Hulü Guang hurriedly said, "This is the son of Marquis Xiao, who was known as Gan Luo in the royal court at the age of twelve. In recent years, he has joined the Hidden World Sect and was later recommended by Sect Master Li to hold a high position in the Southern Dynasty."
The wolf guard captain immediately understood and cupped his hands, saying, "I have long admired your name; it is renowned far and wide. Who in the capital has not heard of Young Marquis Xiao?"
He added, "Since the Xiao family has taken him away to recuperate, there is naturally no problem."
After the delegation checked their personnel and belongings, they set off, escorted by wolf guards. Although A Qiu remained secretly vigilant and kept planning what would happen next, Xiao Chang'an and the others chatted and laughed, showing no sign that Huli Guang was being held hostage, which also eased the tense atmosphere that was about to break out.
According to Hulü Guang, after entering Luoyang, they would be settled in his mansion, which would be heavily guarded and locked up, making it difficult to escape once inside.
Moreover, once they arrive at Prince Ning's residence, Xiao Chang'an and Gongyi Xiu cannot continue to stay by Hulü Guang's side at all times as they are now. There are still two days until the enthronement ceremony, and it's impossible for Hulü Guang to follow them to court and when meeting guests, with his weapon always at his vital points. This would alert others and put the entire delegation in danger.
By this point, A Qiu had already guessed Gu Yi's intention in first sending a delegation of more than 300 people and then withdrawing most of them.
If the Southern Dynasty had initially taken a hard line, stating that it would not hand over the musicians and dancers, and would only send sixty-four people and a group of musicians to sue for peace and surrender, not only would Hulü Guang, who was on a mission to Jianzhang, have disagreed, but the Northern Qiang Khan Hulü Jin would also have disagreed, and it would have aroused their suspicion. How could they be so firm in their request for surrender, refusing to give up even a single person?
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