Chapter 25: The Evening Banquet

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 25: The Evening Banquet

Wang Taixu’s eyes immediately narrowed.

He was a little incredulous. He had considered this problem for a long time without coming to a conclusion. Ding Ning had managed to find the problem after just a few questions?

He looked at Ding Ning seriously and asked condescendingly, “What’s the problem?”

“Since it’s not an external problem, then it’s your internal problem,” Ding Ning said calmly.

Wang Taixu’s breathing slowed. His eyes flashed with a cold light.

“Even if they beg for mercy and for you to give them a way out, they still have to give weight to their pleas. They must be worried that you won’t give them a way out.” Ding Ning smiled and said, “Right now, they can’t bring many people. You chose the location, and the mediator you invited isn’t important enough. This is the most suspicious point. Isn’t Tang Que of Jilintang afraid that you won’t give face to Fatty Zhang of Thunder Rain Hall?”

Hearing Ding Ning’s words, Wang Taixu’s expression darkened.

Ding Ning seemed oblivious to his expression and continued, “You also said before that Tang Que and the others might have support from someone in the court. For those people in court, even though they can’t accomplish great things and touch His Majesty’s personal property, the lives of cultivators on the streets like Tang Que are like cats and dogs to them. So they won’t easily let Tang Que fail like this; they’ll have him try again.”

Wang Taixu’s expression grew colder. He slowly said in a low voice, “So you think there’s something wrong with my people?”

Ding Ning nodded and looked at him, “I don’t know where you’re holding these negotiations, but this isn’t just to weaken you. This is your funeral banquet.”

Wang Taixu took a deep breath and said softly, “But these brothers of mine are from my hometown. We’ve been protecting each other.”

“People will change, forced by circumstances to do things they don’t want to do. When people are in the world, they aren’t independent and have ties with others,” Ding Ning said with slight disdain. “Also, everyone has weaknesses, and so do you.”

Wang Taixu said with a sour expression, “What do you think my weakness is?”

“You are true to your word. When you discussed the conditions with me, you assumed I was someone like you. Perhaps the atmosphere in the Two Level Tower is usually like this, so you feel that all your brothers are as true as you are.” Ding Ning looked at him calmly. “You're capable of becoming the master of Two Level Tower. You must be an extremely intelligent person with great foresight. However, you can't see such a simple matter clearly. This is because you have a weakness. You've never considered something like this, and you've never considered the possibility. Before you could see, you'd already closed one of your eyes. You've also driven away several people who could see, so how could you see the whole situation clearly?”

Wang Taixu was silent.

He was not a particularly meticulous person. Otherwise, he would not have come alone to seek guidance from Ding Ning, whom many considered a child.

He began to admit this possibility to himself.

This grand banquet was not about determining the situation of Changling's streets. Nor was it about how the Two Level Tower would continue to survive and thrive. This was a matter of life and death for him.

Sweat dripped from his hair.

“It's being held tonight.”

He did not hide anything and casually wiped away his sweat. He coughed softly and looked at Ding Ning, saying, “Tang Que asked Fatty Zhang to negotiate with me tonight at the Red Charm Tower.”

Ding Ning raised an eyebrow and did not speak.

Wang Taixu covered his mouth with a silk handkerchief and continued, “If it weren't for Prince Li Ling's coincidence of coming here today, if I hadn't come alone to listen to your words, I would probably be dead after tonight.”

“In moments of life and death… I guess human life is truly very fragile.”

A solemn expression appeared on Wang Taixu's face. He stared deeply at Ding Ning. “I want you to come with me to the banquet tonight. I'll do a few things for you… Afterward, if I survive tonight, Two Level Tower and I won't forget you.”

“I can come with you.” Ding Ning said without hesitation, “But please forget about me.”

Wang Taixu fell silent.

If the Jinlingtang issue could be resolved tonight, at least the Two Level Tower would have a higher status in the streets of Changling for some time.

The gratitude and support of such a gang would be a valuable source of wealth for anyone. However, Ding Ning seemed afraid to further connect with them.

He could not understand so he asked, “Why?”

“Sometimes, when people do things differently, it's better not to be too indebted to others. I'm only demanding what's rightfully mine, you're demanding yours, and we're even.” Ding Ning looked at him and said calmly, “If one has expectations, then there might be mutual disappointments in the future.”

Wang Taixu’s brow furrowed deeply.

“It seems the world you see isn't what we see. Therefore, I will repay you according to your wishes: enter the Min Mountain Sword Sect.”

He covered his mouth again with the silk handkerchief and said the words with utmost sincerity.

“Let’s go. I need to prepare for tonight’s banquet.”

Then he stood up and gestured for Ding Ning to leave with him.

In the inner courtyard, Zhangsun Qianxue, who had been listening to the conversation, was frowning the entire time. She seemed to want to say something to Ding Ning, but then she lowered her head in annoyance and ignored Ding Ning, who had left with Wang Taixu.

 

The sun set, and night slowly came, like a god pulling a large black flag across the sky.

A black carriage slowly passed beside the Bureau of Divinity’s morgue room. The black carriage seemed to welcome the dark night on the dim horizon.

Many officials of the Bureau of Divinity bowed as the carriage passed, their eyes filled with fear and hatred.

The carriage driver was an old, corpse-like servant with a wrinkled face. Inside the carriage, the Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Astrology, Ye Celeng, appeared to be asleep, her eyes closed. She was still wearing her white dress.

These extraordinary people possessed an extraordinary presence. This black carriage bore no insignia, but passed unhindered. All other carriages blocking its path, consciously or unconsciously, moved aside.

However, as this carriage entered a wide street, a majestic carriage slowly approached the black carriage, facing it head-on, and finally stopped opposite it.

The reason this carriage was described as majestic was its enormous size. This carriage was pulled by four horses.

Its adornments were different from other carriages made of precious metals or jade. This carriage wore jet-black metal armor.

Even the four horses pulling the carriage were clad in scaly armor.

The four horses were tall, strong, and majestic. They stepped almost in unison. They were battle steeds that had clearly been trained for a long time.

Watching the majestic metal carriage slowly approach, the old servant driving the black carriage remained expressionless and slowed down.

The two carriages faced each other, three meters apart.

“Is that the Nine Death Silkworm?”

A voice like metal rubbing against each other was heard from the metal armored carriage. Strangely, the voice did not spread out, but instead traveled into the black carriage cabin.

Ye Celeng finally opened her eyes and said expressionlessly, “Yes.”

“Very good.”

The passenger in the metal carriage sneered and said, “Since we've settled the public matter, then Bureau Chief Ye, please leave the carriage to discuss private matters.”

As the voice ended, the carriage shook. Even the scaly armor of the four trembling horses creaked.

The thick, heavy curtain lifted.

An extremely tall man stepped out of the carriage.

The heavy carriage was relieved of its immense weight and jerked upwards slightly.

This was a very tall and extremely fat man. His figure was the size of three tall men squeezed together. Every part of his body—his arms, legs, face, neck, and stomach—was covered in fat.

Only a large carriage like this could accommodate such a fat man.

If an ordinary person were this fat, they would barely be able to move. However, this man was different. Every sliver of fat on his body gave people the feeling of containing terrifying power.

So, even though his body was covered in fat and his eyes were tightly closed, he gave people the feeling of authority like a majestic giant mountain.

Almost everyone in Changling could recognize him.

He was Xu Bin, originally just a common soldier of the Qin Dynasty. He was the strongest disciple of the Heng Mountain Sword School. He was eventually elevated to nobility as a marquis.

One of the thirteen marquises of the Qin Dynasty!

Marquis Xu of Heng Mountain!

The night breeze blew gently.

A figure in white appeared on the dusty, dimly lit streets of Changling.

Ye Celeng stepped out of the carriage with a calm expression and stood before this mountain marquis.

Her figure was small and slender, like a white flower compared to Marquis Xu.

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

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