Chapter 116: Tamon Seeks an Audience Alone
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The man in the dragon robe laughed like a madman, his crown slipping off, his hair disheveled, staggering all the way to the grand hall’s entrance. Tamon looked up at the blue sky and white clouds outside the hall, finally ceasing his laughter. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with a sinister gleam. “It seems I must go myself,” he said.
“Your Majesty! You must not!” The officials all knelt and crawled before the man in the dragon robe, their voices pleading.
“Capture the ringleader first! Enough talk, my mind is made up!” Tamon produced a smoke stick from his hand, a soul-dulling incense from the Liao Kingdom, which could instantly incapacitate anyone who inhaled even a trace.
…
Inside the Chu family military camp, Chu Junhan was playing chess with Xifeng, the scene calm and warm.
Just as the young boy hesitated over his next move, a soldier came to report.
“Report! Young General Chu, Tamon is alone outside the camp, requesting to see you.”
Xifeng’s smile froze mid-air, her face immediately turning solemn. “What is he up to?”
“I do not know, sir!” The soldier replied truthfully.
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Chu Junhan nodded. “You may leave for now. Tell him I will come soon.”
“Han’er!” Xifeng’s face darkened, but it was easy to see her worry. “No good deed goes unpunished. When someone offers favors unbidden, it’s either treachery or theft. Mother forbids you to go.”
“Mother, you have fought the Liao Kingdom for years. Do you know their strengths and weaknesses?” Chu Junhan ignored Xifeng’s scolding, his brows knitting as he spoke seriously, as if calculating something.
Seeing this, Xifeng refrained from further reproach. She recalled the years of conflict carefully, a spark igniting in her eyes. “The Liao Kingdom is originally a minority region under the Dakang Dynasty. They are adept in poisons; your father once fell victim to their toxins—countless varieties.”
“You said Tamon came alone to see me. Why would he risk it?”
Xifeng thought for a moment. “Perhaps he is making a desperate gamble, trying to lure you into a trap and capture you. After all, in his eyes, you are the number one enemy.”
“To capture me in front of the entire Chu family army is no easy feat. Mother, if you were Tamon, deep in enemy territory and alone, how would you capture me in one breath without giving my side a chance to react?” The boy spoke as he pushed a black chess piece deep into a cluster of white pieces, seemingly a dead end.
Xifeng picked up the chess piece her daughter had moved and said softly, “One fatal move.”
A sly smile curled on Chu Junhan’s lips as he bowed to Xifeng. “Thank you for the reminder, Mother. I will be twice as cautious.”
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left, his figure graceful and confident.
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Within the city occupied by the Chu family army, a young general led a squad of soldiers weaving through the alleys. The soldiers carried boxes, while the young general exuded an imposing presence, pedestrians parting respectfully.
The young general headed straight for a street corner, moving as if he knew the place well, gripping a sharp sword, his bearing majestic.
The Jiuling Trading Company!
Chu Junhan glanced at the signboard overhead, then stepped inside. The interior remained familiar—the same layout, the same attire on the shop assistants, even their smiles were identical.
“Young General, what do you need?” The shop assistant greeted immediately with a courteous smile.
Seeing such a smile, Chu Junhan felt an urge to thrash the man before him. His brows furrowed unhappily, and he snorted coldly through his nose. “Do you sell everything here?”
“Everything!” The shop assistant answered eagerly.
Chu Junhan nodded slightly and gestured. One by one, the soldiers brought in the boxes and arranged them inside the small shop, which soon became crowded beyond measure.