Chapter 326: Negotiating Terms
Translator: chuchutrain Editor: DavidT, Rock
Ling Jian had also turned red from the effort not to laugh, and glaring at Ling Chi, he hollered, "Scram!" As though he had obtained amnesty, Ling Chi disappeared in a whoosh, and from outside loud peals of laughter could be heard.
Ling Tian glared furiously at Ling Jian, then looked back and turned his attention toward the other hooded man, smiling as he greeted, "May I know who you are?"
Just how astute was Ling Tian? He had long seen through the fact that although Han TieXuan had turned up, the person in charge of the discussion today wasn't him! This could be seen from the fear in his eyes whenever he glanced at the person beside him. Could it be that the Western Han was not led by Han TieXuan after all?
Who was this person then?!
He should be someone that Ling Tian had to keep tabs on!
That person only laughed a little before taking off his hood. In a clear voice, he spoke, "Young noble Ling is indeed extraordinary, but I'm merely a nobody that doesn't deserve young noble Ling's attention."
When his mantle was taken off, a middle-aged person with a scholarly look on his face appeared. His penetrating gaze immediately gave Ling Tian the impression that he had never met him prior to this, but surprisingly also gave him a feeling as though he had met someone similar. The eyes stared at him with hints of admiration and respect, and while Ling Tian was not aware of what made him think that way, his tone also grew more friendly as he spoke, "Mister and General Han, please take a seat first. Men, bring some tea!"
The tea had just been served and the fan-like hands of Han TieXuan immediately darted forward, grabbing it up and sending it toward his mouth. Obviously, the journey here had made him extremely thirsty. However, he was interrupted by a rather breathless voice, which sounded like a broken bell still being continuously hammered. "Wahaha, I actually heard that my dear godson is coming over to surrender. Huehuehuehue, what a filial kid, this old man has no choice then but to come out and show my face as thanks… hmm wait, are you guys actually lying to me?" At the last part, the speaker voiced his suspicions as well.
Han TieXuan's face immediately turned into a fascinating shade of violet as he slammed the teacup he had just brought to his mouth onto the floor. He abruptly stood up, his arms akimbo as he hollered, "Li XiangDong, you swine! Your daddy Han is already here, but why don't I see your bastard face?"
An exclamation was heard, as though the original speaker was surprised, followed by the hastening of footsteps, and two soldiers appeared carrying a stretcher. Li XiangDong was wrapped up like a mummy, lying on the stretcher as though he was half dead. While his eyes were closed shut, his mouth certainly wasn't the same. "This old man seemed to have really heard my grandson paying his respects to me; don't tell me that unfilial piece of sh*t really came? Since when was his courage so huge, whose influence is he depending on?"
Han TieXuan walked up scathingly before the stretcher, his spittle flying everywhere as he raved, "Open your dog eyes, Li XiangDong, your daddy Han is standing in front of you! Huh? Look at you, wrapped up like a mummy, such a small war and you're already terrified? Pui!"
Li XiangDong slowly opened his eyes. "Ahha, it's really you. My dear son, where's the gift you promised this godfather of yours the last time we met?"
Hearing him sprout even more gibberish, Han TieXuan was on the verge of exploding and sent a punch toward him. If that punch were to connect, most likely Li XiangDong would have to return home in a coffin!
"Will General Han please calm down. Ling Tian has seen your sincerity, and I believe that we can talk business now!" Ling Tian grabbed onto the offending arm while laughing, and turned to stare at the two soldiers in charge of carrying Li XiangDong, snapping, "What are you guys still waiting for? You know that General Li isn't feeling well, but you still carry him everywhere? Can't you see that I'm entertaining an important guest here? Hurry and take him back to the district office! Are you guys asking to be court-martialed?"
Both soldiers started sweating profusely, thinking to themselves, You were obviously the one who ordered us to bring him in, but now you scold us and demand him to be carried out. Are you playing with us? However, in front of Ling Tian, they obviously didn't dare to utter a single word. The temporary leader of the guards, Ling Twenty, seemed to have turned into a yes-man, nodding his head repeatedly and waving for the two of them to take Li XiangDong away. As he was taken away, Li XiangDong was still shouting out, "Twenty, look, that's your big brother TieXuan, why don't you say hi, we're practically like family! Next time, I'll bring you to over to your big brother's place, and get him to properly cook a few dishes for us, so we can all indulge in good food and wine…" His voice got more distant, leaving only a furious Han TieXuan with all the veins on his forehead bulging.
"Haha, while I've seen the sincerity of General Han, I have yet to discern what General Han actually wants. Why don't you explain the matter to me?" Since Ling Tian had already affirmed the identity of Han TieXuan, he diverted the topic back while gesturing for Han TieXuan to take a seat. While he was not sure of the reasons why Han TieXuan would suggest an alliance, he had at least been convinced by his sincerity, and Li XiangDong's speech of "Since when was his courage so huge, whose influence is he depending on" gave Ling Tian an idea. Could there actually be someone behind Han TieXuan pulling the strings?
Thinking about this point, he couldn't help but glance at the other person seated silently by the side. To his shock, he found out that the person's eyebrows actually resembled Yu BingYan's, and the shape of his face was actually the same as Yu ManTian's, it was just that he had a much more scholarly look! Ling Tian's heart skipped a beat as he thought, Could Han TieXuan's backer actually be him? However, his face remained passive, save for a small smile that hung on the corners of his lips.
If his backer was really as he thought, then the alliance between him and Han TieXuan would be as good as settled!
Because the main perpetrator behind the Northern Wei army was the Water of Heavenly Wind, people from the Shui Family!
That middle-aged had been staring at Ling Tian all this while, and upon seeing that Ling Tian looked at him with a knowing expression, he couldn't help but give out a smile. Their gazes met in the middle, and both looked away, having already developed a tacit understanding.
Ling Tian had found this matter to be surprising: How could Water of Heavenly Wind be so rampant in these areas without the local tyrant Yu Family standing up? Now he understood that the Yu Family had long ago laid down their cards! And the fist they threw out was surprisingly the Western Han army! He had no idea just how the Yu Family had achieved this!
Han TieXuan gazed at the middle-aged man, and seeing that he only continued smiling without any intention to speak, he turned towards Ling Tian and said, "Concerning the battle before, this Han was deeply impressed with the heroic spirit you and your men showed, which was completely different from the garbage that is the Northern Wei. My idea is for us to let go of our past hatreds, and form a strong alliance to get rid of those Northern Wei dogs, before sharing the spoils. What does young noble Ling think of that?"
Ling Tian instead smiled and replied, "I believe the Mister beside General Han only reached here this afternoon, right?"
The scholarly looking men responded with a smile, "That's right, I indeed only arrived in the afternoon!"
Ling Tian's question was unbelievably strange. Other than the scholarly looking man, everybody else on the scene, including Han TieXuan himself, had no idea what the question meant!
While Ling Tian was already certain of the person's identity, he had to clarify if the person had attended the war between him, Northern Wei, and Western Han! While he knew that this person would never bring himself so low as to lie to him, he still asked, simply because it was his own arrogance! Having received a positive answer, Ling Tian's face revealed a huge smile!
The middle-aged man replied with a smile, but he was shivering inside his heart. From this indifferent sentence that Ling Tian spoke, a lofty and unyielding spirit could be heard in his words! Furthermore, it seemed as though Ling Tian had suspicions toward the Yu Family!
Ling Tian continued, "To have General Han and Mister come personally, how could I Ling Tian still not place any trust in you? I would like to consult the two of you for advice, please be generous!" While his mouth spoke "the two of you", his eyes were only focused on the middle-aged man!
After that came the discussion of dividing the spoils, and here there were some arguments. Ling Tian actually expressed his greediness by requesting 60% of all the gold and silver, as well as troops and supplies that they obtained from the war! Han TieXuan had actually the advantage while discussing, but upon hearing his demands, his eyes bulged out as he stared furiously at Ling Tian, unable to agree! He insisted on an equal split.
Ling Tian pondered for a long while, before smiling and replying, "Since that's the case, then I have a suggestion!" Glancing at them, he continued, "As for the gold and silver, the lands outside Sky Bearing, as well as the lands in Northern Wei, I will not take a single bit! However, I want every single captive from this battle, and all are to be equipped with a warhorse, a set of weapons and armor, together with three days of supplies! Do the two of you agree to this?"
The moment he finished speaking, not only was Han TieXuan stunned silly, even those bystanders such as Ling Jian were gaping with shock! These conditions were not even harsh, in fact they were too generous! This would be as good as Western Han waging and winning the war on their own, for all the valuable materials such as minerals and land would go to them, with Ling Tian only getting the reward of tens of thousands of hungry mouths to feed! While the captives could be easily reassigned, their sustenance had to be provided for before they could be used!
All those present could see that this war was as good as won, having Western Han as a spy and ready to backstab the Northern Wei! However, the extent of the benefits of winning remained to be seen. What would happen if all the defeated Northern Wei soldiers were to run away?
At this point, Ling Tian's conditions were like painting a cake to alleviate his own hunger, but handing over a real piece of fat meat to the Western Han with both hands!
Han TieXuan was shocked to the point he stood there dumbly with his mouth open, as though waiting for his teeth to fall out. This was an extremely harsh proposition for Ling Tian. This made Han TieXuan feel as though his brain had actually short-circuited just thinking about why someone would do that to himself. It was only after Ling Tian had repeated himself twice that he finally awoke from his reverie and nodded his head repeatedly like a hen pecking for corn. He couldn't wait to express his agreement and was so gratified that his entire face had turned red from excitement! If all went according to his will, then not only would he receive merits for expanding the lands of Western Han, but he would also receive the Yu Family as his backers!
The matter of the war was decided within moments, and both parties agreed to begin their attacks at midnight the next day. The middle-aged man and Han TieXuan immediately bid their farewells and left. Even after they were outside the fort, Han TieXuan still couldn't believe that he had just been handed such a lavish gift on a silver platter! In contrast, the middle-aged man gave Ling Tian a long and deep look, as well as a meaningful smile before he left.