The General's Mansion did not prepare any delicacies for tonight's banquet. The long square table set between the autumn trees in the courtyard was dark in color. There were some very ordinary dishes on it, but it had its own solemn atmosphere. There were not many servants and maidservants serving at the table. Serving the dishes was actually done by the two young masters Xiahou. Such a scene was completely different from the extravagance of General Xiahou in the rumors.
At this time, probably the entire Chang 'an City was paying attention to this banquet. However, the atmosphere at the banquet was not as hostile as people imagined. Xiahou and Ning Que, who sat opposite each other at the long table, just ate in silence and occasionally talked about the scenery of the Wilderness and their encounters at the Front Gate.
The simple banquet very simply came to an end. The maidservants filed in and quietly took away the leftovers on the long table. Then, they served two plates of blue teapots.
The two young masters Xiahou served the first cup of tea to Ning Que and then very politely bid farewell. They walked out of the garden and asked all the maidservants and stewards to stay far away. Then, they quietly guarded the garden gate.
The teapot and the teacup were the same color as the blue sky. It was rather spacious, but warm and not eye-catching. The tea was black fir tea, which was also very mild. Even the temperature of the tea was just right at this time.
Ning Que attentively looked at the teapot and slowly reached out to touch the teacup. Then, he raised his head and looked at Xiahou at the other end of the long table. He was as focused and serious as he was when he looked at the teapot a moment ago. It was just like when he first saw Prince Li Peiyan in front of the hall of the Academy two years ago. It was as if he wanted to burn Xiahou's face into his own eyes.
Xiahou looked at the large piece of black fir tea in the cup that rose and fell in the slightly heavy warm well water. He knew that Ning Que was staring at him. A slightly mocking smile slowly appeared at the corner of his mouth. He said, "Do you want to see clearly what your enemy looks like? You were not so presumptuous in Tuyang City. "
Ning Que did not deny what he said, nor did he admit it. His fingers gently turned the small sky-blue teacup and said, "In Tuyang City, the person I respected was Eldest Brother, not you."
Hearing this, Xiahou slowly raised his head.
As he moved, the black fir in the teacup seemed to be suddenly hit and sank to the bottom of the cup.
Ning Que lowered his head.
Xia Hou looked at him expressionlessly.
The autumn wind suddenly rose in the courtyard, and the treetops rustled. Countless yellow leaves of different shades were blown off the branches and landed on the long table and the ground in front of the two people.
If it had been someone else, facing General Xiahou's strong coercion and the killing intent brought by the autumn wind and yellow leaves, and thinking of the deep hatred between the two, even if they were not afraid, they would probably feel a little nervous. However, Ning Que was not. There was not even a trace of expression on his face.
Xia Hou looked into his eyes. Without any warning, he suddenly asked, "Are you Lin Guangyuan's son?"
Ning Que looked at the darkening tea in the cup and shook his head.
The autumn wind, carrying with it an austere aura, continued to linger in the courtyard, brushing off more leaves. Then, it brushed the yellow leaves on the table to the ground, and the yellow leaves on the ground to the surroundings.
Xia Hou said, "I have killed many people in my life. I don't care."
Ning Que finally raised his head and looked at him, saying, "General is mighty."
The yellow leaves on the ground were blown around by the autumn wind and did not stop until they reached the corner of the wall. It looked like the waves of a lake hitting against the embankment.
Xia Hou said, "Hatred sometimes has to be resolved even if it can't be resolved."
The leaves piled up higher and higher in the corner of the courtyard. The leaves on the top rustled down and were blown up again by the autumn wind that still occupied the ground. The austere autumn wind did not give the leaves any chance to escape.
Just like the conversation at this time, Xia Hou said three sentences. They seemed to have no connection with each other, but they were extremely strong and pressed forward step by step, not giving Ning Que any chance to retreat.
Ning Que looked at the yellow leaves that were struggling and cowering in the corner and asked, "Please enlighten me."
Xia Hou looked at him expressionlessly and said, "You can't touch me."
Ning Que turned to look at him and said, "But you dare not touch me either."
Being unable to move and not daring to move, it sounded like there was no difference between the two, but in fact there was a big difference. The former meant that Ning Que did not have the ability, and the latter meant that Xia Hou did not have the courage.
Xia Hou said, "Because of this, even if it can't be resolved, it has to be resolved. Or maybe you can wait for another twenty years, until I really become old and weak."
"At that time, you must be dying and have enjoyed twenty years of peace."
Ning Que looked at him and said with a smile, "Of course, I'm just stating the facts. Don't misunderstand me, general. In fact, I think that since you are going to retire soon, you shouldn't say these inauspicious words."
Hearing the word "retire", Xia Hou slightly narrowed his eyes, and an indifferent expression appeared on his dark face. He said, "Whether it is the imperial court or the West-Hill, they all think that I can retire safely, so I should be very satisfied. In fact, I am not satisfied. The tens of thousands of cavalries under my command are enough to sweep away all the countries. I have made countless contributions for the Tang Empire and the West-Hill, but the imperial court and His Majesty have always looked at me coldly because of those small things. If not, why would I go to the Wilderness to snatch the Tomes of Arcane? Why would there be the current situation? "
Ning Que asked, "General, are you explaining to me?"
Xia Hou did not hide his disdain for him and said mockingly, "If you were not lucky enough to become a disciple of the Headmaster of the Academy, what qualifications do you have to sit in front of me? Even so, what qualifications do you have for me to explain to you? I just want you to know that I am not in a good mood right now. "
Ning Que said, "In your previous words, you described the bloody storm in Chang 'an and the massacre in the Yan territory as small things. This made me not in a good mood."
At this point in the conversation, someone finally pointed out what happened in the past.
"I don't need to care about your mood."
Xia Hou looked at him coldly and said, "Because as I said before, you can't touch me. And if I'm in a bad mood, you have to care. Because if you really make me angry, I can crush you like an ant. So I advise you to make me feel better in the days before I leave Chang 'an."
Ning Que shook his head and said, "I can't imagine how you can crush me."
"For example, at this moment, in this autumn garden."
Xia Hou said expressionlessly, "Mr. Thirteen of the Academy tried to assassinate the general of the empire, but failed miserably and was smashed into meat paste by me."
Ning Que took a sip of the slightly astringent tea and smiled bitterly, "Crush me … General, you and the General's Mansion, as well as the clansmen and relatives you sent back to your hometown, will also be crushed by my teacher."
In the Tang Empire, the person who could really make Xia Hou silent out of fear and not dare to do anything rash was never the emperor, but the Headmaster of the Academy in the back of the mountain.
Xia Hou looked at him and said indifferently, "As I said before, I dare not touch you, and you can't touch me. So the position of host and guest is in my hands. In the days before I leave Chang 'an, if you really want to do something that I can't tolerate, then I will try to touch you."
Ning Que asked seriously, "Is this a threat?"
Xia Hou said, "I am teaching you that any background and backing is meaningless. In the face of real life and death, only your own strength is worthy of trust."
Ning Que looked at him and laughed. He said, "Back then, my Youngest Uncle defeated the Devil's Doctrine with one sword. General found that your background and backing had all disappeared, so you betrayed your sect and joined the West-Hill? But my situation is different. The Headmaster of the Academy is not Lotus, and the Academy is not the Devil's Doctrine. General, you can rest assured. "
This sentence directly uncovered the deepest secrets in Xia Hou's heart. It could be said to be the most naked slap in the face, so General Xia Hou's face turned scarlet.
Not every time he blushed, it was because he was drunk.
Tonight, he was drinking tea.
General Xia Hou's face turned red because he was angry.
Ning Que dared to mock him like this, naturally because he was sure that even if the other party was the Great General of the Army, no matter how violent and bloodthirsty he was, he would not dare to do anything to him, who came from the Academy.
Sure enough, Xia Hou looked at him quietly, as if he was looking at a withered leaf on the table. The scarlet color on his face gradually disappeared, and his emotions gradually calmed down. He said, "See the guest out."
Ning Que gently shook off a leaf that had fallen on his black Academy uniform. He did not bid farewell to Xia Hou, who was sitting across the long table. He stood up and left the autumn garden.
The autumn wind in the garden gradually calmed, and the pile of yellow leaves that had been blown to the corner gradually dispersed.
The two Xiahou masters walked back into the garden and looked at their silent father. They wanted to say something but stopped on second thought.
"Nothing."
Xia Hou said expressionlessly, "A person who does not even dare to admit his own identity in front of the enemy who killed his father may be very smart, calm, and rational, but these qualities are meaningless."
"Standing across the table, but not daring to take revenge for the family, it is a great humiliation. He knows this very well, so he felt humiliated and used words to humiliate me."
"Is he trying to seek psychological comfort through this? He only knows how to talk, but he does not know how to fight. A person who lacks the most basic courage to become a powerhouse is not worthy to be my enemy. "
…
…
General Xia Hou's invitation to Ning Que was definitely the most important thing in Chang 'an that day. When Ning Que walked into the General's Mansion, many bigwigs began to feel anxious and nervous. There were many spies hidden outside the General's Mansion, and they continuously transmitted the situation of the banquet back to the palace or other places.
No one knew the specific situation of the banquet in the General's Mansion. But since Ning Que walked out alive, it meant that nothing had happened at the banquet, because it meant that General Xia Hou did not take action. As for Ning Que killing Xia Hou and walking out without any blood on his body, in everyone's eyes, this possibility did not exist.
In the imperial study, His Majesty was deep in thought. In a hall not far away, the Empress and Grand Secretary Zeng Jing looked at each other with a slightly peaceful expression. General Xu Shi, who had been in charge of the Military Ministry, nodded after hearing the news. But the old Minister of Offerings from Qinghe County who lived in the Censor's Mansion could not help but feel a little regretful.
On the top floor of the Wanyan Tower, the Nation Master of Tang, Li Qingshan, stood by the stone window and looked in the direction of the General's Mansion. He said with relief, "I have always been worried about Ning Que's temperament. Now it seems that after studying with the Headmaster of the Academy for such a long time, he is much more sensible than before. Senior Brother Yan Se did not hand over his mantle and the Array Eye to him in vain."
Master Huang Yang looked at him and smiled slightly, saying nothing.
Li Qingshan left the side of the tower and walked back to the table. He pushed the Buddhist scriptures aside, took out a few black and white chess pieces from his arms, and casually threw them on the table.
He had not recovered from his injury, but when he was in a good mood, he wanted to do something. This divination was completely random, and he did not want to peep into the mysteries of Heaven. He just wanted to see if he could be lucky enough to get any response.
A pure white chess piece suddenly spun, and it spun faster and faster until it finally spun out of the table and landed on the hard floor.
With a crisp crack, the white chess piece split into two halves.
The crack was smooth and traceless, as if it had been cut by a sharp sword.
Li Qingshan stared at the white chess piece, and his expression gradually became serious.
Huang Yang suddenly frowned and said in shock, "What a terrible sword … Did Liu Bai come to Chang 'an?"
…
…
You also know that the first big node of the story, Nightfall, is about to arrive. We need to be careful and careful. We need to build up momentum before we can unleash it. This node is not only about the destined battle with Xia Hou. More importantly, this big plot needs to set the tone, the tone, or temperament of the whole book and Ning Que. I am very confident that we can do this job well together. See you tomorrow, no, tomorrow is a Saturday off. See you all the day after tomorrow. " (To be continued.) If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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