585 Champion (1/2)
Gu Shenwei stood up and glanced down at the wooden saber on the table before saying, ”There's no more need to talk unless I see her.”
He had realized the purpose behind this meeting with the disciples of the Essence Pavilion and since he also now knew where they were hiding, that was enough. As for where Shangguan Ru was, he just had to keep pressure up until one of the sides could no longer bear to keep the cat in the bag.
It was like a close kung fu match where the most patient person won.
Yet at the same time, it was a risk, a desperate gamble in which Shangguan Ru's life was at stake.
Although the disciples of the Essence Pavilion were good at confusing people's minds, they obviously did not know how to negotiate well. Surprised at the Dragon King's coldness, the two hunchbacks exchanged a glance and then threw out threats one after another.
”At this time tomorrow.”
”We have to see Chu Nanping.”
”Otherwise, you will see the owner of the saber.”
”Part of her.”
The two groups of people coincidentally used Shangguan Ru for blackmail, even giving the same deadline.
Gu Shenwei looked at King Shengri who was still serving a bowl to drink and coldly said, ”Any harm done to anyone of the Dragon Army is an act of breaking the agreement, and I will respond accordingly.”
It was nearly noon when he left the King Shengri's office. The streets were strangely empty as if the whole court had been deserted.
The first high point of the Tournament of the Royal Court was today.
The Norland people's love of horses was extraordinary, even to the extent of feverish worship. So, horse racing was naturally extremely popular.
The ten guards were waiting not far away and immediately bobbed up to greet the Dragon King as soon as they saw him.
Gu Shenwei got on his horse and rode towards the racetrack on the outer suburbs. He had been thinking the whole way and suddenly shivered for no reason. He couldn't help but glance back. Those ten guards were still following closely behind without incident.
Without Lotus and Chu Nanping's accompaniment, Gu Shenwei began to feel the emptiness behind.
Neither was he accustomed to galloping around in broad daylight in a strange and hostile city. Without the protection of the dark night, he felt like was charging towards flying arrows without any armor or shield.
Even his mind wasn't as sharp as it was at night. He wanted to find a loophole in the threats of the Essence Pavilion's disciples and King Kuari so that he could determine Shangguan Ru's whereabouts. But his mind was in a complete turmoil, and he couldn't think of anything except for the words he had heard over and over again repeating inside his head.
The horse race was nearly finished when Gu Shenwei arrived at the outskirts.
There was actually more than one horse race in the Tournament of the Royal Court, and theoretically, everyone could organize a race as long as they provided the corresponding rewards and racetracks. But only the first one was the most looked after because it was set up under the name of the Khan, and there were strict restrictions on the qualifications of the players. Only nobles and invited honored guests could send riders to participate in this game.
Unsurprisingly, the best horses and riders always appeared under the nobles' names.
As an honored guest, the Dragon King was naturally invited. But he only sent five riders to join the game which appeared a bit humble and miserable. The other nobles took full advantage of their qualifications and appointed ten to fifty players. The glory would fall to the lord as long as one of them did well.
The contestants carried flags three or five feet high to indicate whom they belonged to.
Gu Shenwei happened to catch up with the end of the game. The riders had turned back from the turning point which was about six miles away and was back in view of the home audience.
Like all the other games, the nobles had their own viewing area at the best position. When standing on the platform, one could look farther, but Gu Shenwei didn't go there. Instead, he stopped behind a group of herdsmen where he could hardly see anything but instead could hear the excited chatter of the crowd in front.
”It's so disappointing that the Flame Foal isn't running this year. I came from hundreds of miles away just to see it.”
”Yes, yes, the Dragon King is so rude to steal the best horse on the prairie.”
”What's the matter with King Rizhu? Why doesn't he take the horse back? Is he afraid of a man from the Western Regions?”
The discontent with the Dragon King lasted for a while. Many people spoke the language of the Norland which Gu Shenwei didn't understand, but the words 'Dragon King' was frequently mentioned in unfriendly tones.
”They're turning back, they're turning back.”
The crowd swarmed forward like a tide and huddled into a ball. Many people's mounts didn't like the denseness of the environment. They restlessly whinnied and trampled wherever they were, making a great noise that even surpassed the clamor of the crowd's voices.
But the audience's voice of amazement grew louder and louder and soon surpassed the sound of the horse's hooves.
”Look, look!”
”How can it be so fast?”
”The horses behind it have not even appeared.”
”Whose horse is this?”
”I don't know. The flag looks weird, black, and something red in the middle. I've never seen such a flag, whose is it?”
”A crow, a red crow, that's the Dragon King's flag! The Dragon King's horse!”
Gu Shenwei turned his horse and headed towards his camp with the guards. He could still hear the cries of surprise even from far away.
”It's like a second Flame Foal, a black Flame Foal.”