Chapter 459 (1/2)

Chapter 459: Yellow Leaves and the White Chess Piece

The General's Mansion did not prepare delicacies for the banquet tonight . The long table set in the courtyard between the autumn trees was dark . And on it, were several normal dishes that held an awe-inspiring aura . There were not many servants by the table either . Instead, Xia Hou's two sons were the one arranging the dishes on the table . This was very different from the rumored extravagance that General Xia Hou enjoyed .

The entire Chang'an was watching the banquet . However, the atmosphere at the banquet was not as hostile as what some imagined . Xia Hou and Ning Que sat at opposite ends of the table and ate quietly . They would occasionally talk about the Wilderness and what had happened in the Front Gate .

The simple banquet ended simply . The maidservants streamed in one after another and removed the dishes silently . Then, they brought two azure teapots .

Xia Hou's sons served Ning Que tea and then bade farewell politely . They walked out of the gardens and asked the maidservants and stewards to vacate the area before guarding outside themselves .

The teapots and teacups were azure . They looked bold but mild . The tea within it was black tea, a gentle tea . Even the temperature of the tea was just right .

Ning Que looked at the teapot carefully . He reached out to touch the cup and then looked up at Xia Hou . He looked at him intensely just like how he looked at the teapot or how he had looked at Prince Li Peiyan when they met for the first time in the halls of the Academy . He looked at Xia Hou as if he wanted to imprint his image in his mind .

Xia Hou looked at the tea leaves floating in the water . He knew that Ning Que was staring at him, and the corners of his lips twitched upward . He said, ”Do you want to see clearly how your enemy looks like? You did not stare so openly in Tuyang City . ”

Ning Que did not deny nor acknowledge what Xia Hou said . He turned the azure teacup in his hands and said, ”The person I respected most in Tuyang City was my Eldest Brother, not you . ”

Xia Hou slowly raised his head when he heard this .

The floating tea leaves sank to the bottom of the cup as if they had been heavily impacted .

Ning Que lowered his head .

Xia Hou looked at him expressionlessly .

The autumn breeze picked up in the courtyard, causing the trees to rustle . Numerous thin yellow leaves were blown off the branches and landed on the long table and ground before the two . The chill in the atmosphere grew .

If it was anyone else, they would be frightened or even nervous in the face of General Xia Hou's power and the chill in the autumn breeze and yellow leaves . They would grow frightened and nervous thinking about the deep-seated hatred between the two . However, Ning Que did not . His face was devoid of any expression .

Xia Hou looked at his eyes and suddenly said without any warning, ”Are you Lin Guangyuan's son?”

Ning Que looked at the darkening tea in his cup and shook his head .

The autumn breeze with a chilling aura swirled in the courtyard, causing more leaves to fall . The breeze swept the leaves on the table to the ground and scattered the leaves on the ground in all directions .

Xia Hou said, ”I have killed many . I do not care . ”

Ning Que finally raised his head . He looked at Xia Hou and said, ”General, you are powerful . ”

The yellow leaves on the ground were scattered in all directions by the wind and stopped at the wall . They looked like layers of waves lapping on the bank .

Xia Hou said, ”Somtimes, you have to get over with your hatred, if even you cannot . ”

The fallen leaves piled higher and higher against the walls . The leaves on the top fell only to be swirled up by the wind once more . The chilling aura and the autumn breeze did not let any leaf escape .

Just like their conversation . Xia Hou's three separate statements did not seem to have any links to each other, but they forced their way forward without giving Ning Que an opportunity to retreat .

Ning Que looked at the struggling leaves at the corner of the walls and asked, ”Please, teach me . ”

Xia Hou looked at him, deadpanned, ”You can't touch me . ”

Ning Que turned and said, ”But you dare not touch me . ”

One cannot be touched and one dared not touch . The two did not sound any different, but the difference was huge . The first statement implied that Ning Que did not have the ability to touch and the second implied that Xia Hou was not brave enough to touch .

Xia Hou said, ”That is why we have to solve this hatred even if it cannot be solved . Or perhaps you can wait another 20 years for me to be truly old and weak . ”

”Then you'd definitely be dying, and you'd have enjoyed 20 years of good life . ”

Ning Que looked at him and smiled, ”Of course, I'm just pointing out the facts . Please do not misunderstand, general . Actually, I feel that since you are ready to retire, you shouldn't say such ominous things . ”

Xia Hou's eyes narrowed slightly when he heard that and a faint emotion appeared on his tanned face . He said, ”No matter the imperial court or West-Hill, they all think that I can retire safely . And I should be satisfied with that . However, I am not . The cavalry under my control can make a clean sweep of this country . Furthermore, I am a general with numerous accolades, but the imperial court and His Majesty treat me coldly just because of that little incident that happened then . Why else, if not for this, would I go to the Wilderness and steal the Tomes of Arcane? Would the situation have become what it is right now?”

Ning Que asked ”General, are you trying to explain yourself to me?”

Xia Hou did not hide his contempt for him, and said mockingly, ”If you were not lucky enough to have the Headmaster as your teacher, what right would you have to sit before me? Even so, what right do you have for me to explain to you? I just want you to know that I'm not in a good mood right now . ”

Ning Que said, ”General, what you have said had turned the ma.s.sacre in Chang'an and Yan territory into a small incident . This doesn't put me in a good mood either . ”

Someone had finally talked about what had happened back then at this point in the conversation .

”I do not need to care how you're feeling . ”