"Wait … wait a moment! Sir, please wait a moment! I didn't say that it was impossible! "
Seeing that Wang Chong was about to walk out the door, Hulayeg grew anxious, knocking over the silver plate of grapes in front of him as he hurriedly followed.
"If there's a problem, there's a problem, there's a problem … Why are you in such a rush to do business?"
"Does this mean that Sir is confident that it can be done?"
Wang Chong stopped and turned to ask.
"This … I just feel that the number is a little too large and a little difficult, but it doesn't mean that it's impossible. If you give me half a year …"
"Not half a year, three months at most!"
Wang Chong said.
"Sir, are you serious?"
Hulayeg said.
Wang Chong gave a serious nod.
It wasn't that he didn't want to give him time, nor was he being too harsh. It was that this bastard would be dead in three months. What use would there be in making a deal and signing a pile of treaties?
Of course, Hulayeg himself definitely wouldn't be able to sense this.
Moreover, Wang Chong didn't really have any hopes of getting seven or eight hundred thousand warhorses from Hulayeg. That was simply impossible. Unless the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates were insane, they would never allow such a massive cavalry army to appear in the Tang dynasty.
And raising seven or eight hundred thousand warhorses was no small number.
The Tang dynasty simply didn't have such a large pasture to graze on!
In truth, let alone seven or eight hundred thousand, even three hundred thousand was a number that Wang Chong had casually mentioned. Getting one hundred thousand warhorses from Hulayeg was already a massive harvest.
The Tang dynasty had never bought so many warhorses before! It wasn't that they didn't want to part with the money, but that they simply didn't have the means to do so. At the very least, the Khans of the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates wouldn't be so foolish as to openly sell so many warhorses to fund their opponents!
"Let me think it over. This isn't the place to discuss business. Sir, please follow me! "
Hulayeg said, his expression turning much more cautious.
Three hundred thousand warhorses was no trifling matter, and far too many aspects were involved. Hulayeg had to proceed with caution. Hulayeg did not leave through the main entrance of the pleasure house, but through a special 'winding path' on the third floor.
This' winding path 'was a' dead end 'on the outside, but there was another path on the inside. It was winding and dark, leading straight to the surface.
"No wonder it's so difficult to track him down!"
As Wang Chong followed Hulayeg down the winding path, he couldn't help but sigh. Hulayeg was the number one horse merchant of the Turks, and many people knew of him, but very few of them had been able to find him.
In fact, many legends about his whereabouts and past were spread after his death. Otherwise, even Yang Hongchang, who traveled the Western Region all year round, would not be able to find his whereabouts, let alone others.
After entering the pleasure house, Wang Chong emerged from another tea house nearby. From there, they boarded a bronze carriage. The carriage passed through the dense crowd and went back and forth in the winding alleys. Finally, they entered a mansion that looked ordinary from the outside but was extremely luxurious from the inside.
Upon entering the residence, Hulayeg did not lead Wang Chong to the reception hall or inner chambers. Instead, he opened a secret door and took Wang Chong to an underground passage.
"Sir Hulayeg, where are we going?"
A few moments later, Wang Chong suddenly said as he followed behind Hulayeg.
"We're here, we're almost there. This is the place! "
Hulayeg, who was leading the way, suddenly turned his head. Clang! With a metallic clatter, a thick and heavy metal fence weighing at least several thousand jin dropped from the sky, blocking the path between Wang Chong and Hulayeg.
Wang Chong's brow creased, but before he could say anything, boom! Another thick and heavy metal fence descended from the sky, blocking Wang Chong's path.
For a moment, Wang Chong was like a turtle in a jar, trapped between the two fences.
"Sir Hulayeg, what are you doing?"
Wang Chong asked, but there was no hint of panic on his face.
"Hahaha!"
Hulayeg heartily laughed, a cunning and crafty light in his eyes.
"The Young Marquis of the Tang Dynasty. I didn't think that we would meet here. Who could have expected that you would disguise yourself and run off to the Western Regions? If I hand you over, I'm sure that many people will be willing to pay a high price. At the very least, the Tsenpo of Ouzan and His Highness the Crown Prince of Mengshe Zhao will definitely be willing! "
Hulayeg finally tore off his disguise and revealed his true face.
Wang Chong's expression froze for a moment, and then a hint of solemnity appeared on his face.
"When did you recognize me?"
Wang Chong said. He had to admit that the development of this matter had somewhat exceeded his expectations. Wang Chong had not expected Hulayeg to recognize his disguise. This number one Turkic horse merchant was far more cunning, crafty, and cautious than he had imagined.
"Hahaha, three hundred thousand warhorses? Do you think I'm a three-year-old child? Anyone who comes to me to do business can buy eight thousand horses at most. Even the King of the Shi Kingdom, who's said to be the wealthiest person in the world, only bought five thousand horses from me at one time. With such a large number and such a serious attitude, do you think that an ordinary person can afford this? "
"To be able to name a number of three hundred thousand, you're definitely not from the Western Regions, but from the interior of the Tang dynasty, and you have a close relationship with the Tang dynasty. However, those Han people in the Great Tang Imperial Court would never come here to do business with me. "
"The Western Regions have been abuzz recently with news that the Young Marquis, the one who was personally conferred the title of the Young Marquis by the Holy Emperor of the Tang dynasty, who defeated Huoshu Huizang, Dalun Ruozan, Gelofeng, and Duan Gequan in the southwest, has come to Qixi and built a city of steel there. I've looked into it, and the Young Marquis described in the legends looks exactly like you. Young Master Wang, am I correct? "
With these last words, Hulayeg had a smug look on his face, looking nothing like his usual boorish and unsophisticated self.
"I truly underestimated you! A trifling horse merchant actually has such intelligence and insight! It's no wonder you've been able to roam the Western Regions like a fish in water for so many years. It seems that I'll have to learn a lesson in the future. "
Wang Chong shook his head and couldn't help but chuckle. 'Even the wise are bound to make a mistake.' Wang Chong was forced to admit that he had truly underestimated Hulayeg.
"However, even if that's the case, do you really think … that you can trap me with just these things?"
Wang Chong glanced at the two heavy metal fences, a smirk on his face.
He truly had not expected Hulayeg to recognize him, but this was no simple miscalculation. At times, when one's martial strength reached a certain level, there was no need to care too much about one's opponent. This was especially true outside of the battlefield.
"Hahaha, the mighty Young Marquis of the Tang dynasty, a martial arts expert who massacred ten thousand people on the Divine Mountain of Heaven in the southwest. How could I possibly be careless? If I didn't know this, why do you think I would insist on bringing you here? "
A crafty light appeared in Hulayeg's eyes. Many people believed him to be careless and careless, but they didn't know that he was just hiding his true strength. Although he was in the business of selling horses, it was fraught with danger. Gathering information, understanding all the famous figures of the world, as well as potential trading partners, was something that a qualified horse merchant had to do in advance.
"I know that you're very strong, and I also know that you have a WuZi Steel sword, but it's useless. Do you see those fences around you? Those are the finest steel I got from Arabia. This steel is incredibly tough, and it doesn't even need to undergo any special processing to be made into the sharpest Arabian saber or sword. Even if you have a WuZi Steel sword, no matter how sharp your WuZi Steel sword is, it still won't be able to cut through these fences.
"In addition, do you know why I've said so much to you? It's because I know that you won't be able to escape. No! You're dead for sure! "
At this point, Hulayeg heartily laughed. The mighty Young Marquis of the Tang Dynasty, the man who had recently shaken the world and attracted the attention of the world, had finally died at his hand. This was something to be proud of!
If the Khagan knew, he would probably heavily reward him!
Wang Chong's eyes were half-closed, his expression calm as he silently gazed at Hulayeg with a smirk on his face.
"Since you know that I have a WuZi Steel sword, do you know how sharp my sword is?"
Wang Chong suddenly said.
"Buzz!"
Hulayeg's laughter came to an abrupt halt.
"Sharp? Hmph, there's no need. Once you're dead, I'll personally find your sword from your corpse and test it out myself. Okay, you can go in peace! "
As he spoke, Hulayeg suddenly stamped his foot on the ground nearby. Clangclang! He could hear the sound of gears turning, and then the ground suddenly emptied, revealing a massive, bottomless hole. Before Wang Chong could react, he and the fence began to plummet into the abyss.
No, this was no longer a 'fence'. It was now clear that the place where Hulayeg had led Wang Chong to stand was actually a massive 'cage', and the fence that had fallen down was a part of this' cage '.
When Hulayeg opened the trap, Wang Chong and this massive 'cage' began to descend into the ground.
"What a formidable trap!"
The wind howled on both sides as the scenery around him receded like a stream of light. As Wang Chong descended from the ground, even he had to admit that Hulayeg's trap was far more elaborate than he had imagined.
Hulayeg's goal was not to use the cage to trap Wang Chong, but to trap Wang Chong and then throw him into this bottomless pit.
Even if he didn't die from the fall, he could be trapped underground. No matter how capable Wang Chong was, as long as he couldn't break free of the cage, he would be denied food and water for ten-some days, and his death was assured.
These thoughts flashed through Wang Chong's mind, and he quickly regained his composure.
The cage fell very quickly, and in just a few moments, Wang Chong could no longer see the entrance to the pit. His surroundings were pitch-black, making it impossible to determine his bearings.
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