Chapter 150

  Bai Xizhi subconsciously took a step back, as if something strange had slipped in, and the atmosphere around him suddenly became eerie.

  "Who are you?" Pei Xizhi stared at the despicable man in front of him, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

  "Brother, I am Xu Shenji under General Cheng's command, of course, we are all doing things for the King of Youzhou."

  Xu Shenji, this name Pei Xizhi had heard of, before he came, he had done some investigation on the Ha Ma Fort. It is said that this person is old and cunning, with many tricks up his sleeve, and is one of Cheng Dalai's most trusted advisors, half of Cheng Dalai's bad ideas are his.

  He himself didn't see where his wisdom and cleverness were, bowing his waist, lowering his head, with a smile on his face, the glint in his eyes hiding... flattery.

  That's right, it's flattery, and even a little jealousy. After all, everyone is making a living with their brains, why are you glorious under the throne of Youzhou, but he can only follow a mountain bandit, some envy and hatred are also reasonable.

  Thus, Pei Xizhi judged for himself that the attitude of the Hamao Village towards him was not as he had worried about previously.

  He cleared his throat and said with a straightened back: "Lead the way."

  On the road, although Xu Shenji tried his best to fawn on him, Pei Xizhi deliberately put on a cold face and kept a distance from him. After all, this time they wanted to show goodwill to the Frog Gang, but if they were too polite to the Frog Gang, the other side would often take advantage of it. For these mountain bandits, it's better to give them a stick and a sweet date.

  Since the other party has such an attitude, it seems that this task will not be too difficult. It's also unknown how they will treat themselves when they arrive at the mountain stronghold. Alas, in order to get themselves to speak well of them in front of the King of Youzhou, they might even offer some silver and women.

  It seems like this time there might be some extra benefits to reap from this task.

  Xu Shenji led them to Feihu Fort.

  "This time I came, it was the order of King Youzhou, to take a look at the situation in Hamao Village. Of course, whether it's good or bad, it's just one word from brother."

  "I understand, I understand." Xushenji said: "Lord Pei has had a hard journey and must not have eaten yet. In order to entertain Lord Pei, we have already prepared the meal."

  Pei Xizhi slightly nodded his head, the words have been hinted to you, what to do next depends on whether you understand or not.

  On the long table, Pei Xizhi and others sat in the main seat, accompanied by Xu Shenji and seventeen or eighteen mountain bandits.

  Looking at the food in front of him, Pei Xizhi fell into a long silence. That bowl with floating roots was called soup? And this black stone-like thing in front of him, was it the main course?

  "Is this all we get to eat?" Pei Xizhi asked incredulously. Where's the chicken, duck, fish and meat he had imagined? And where were the beauties who would sing ditties while they drank wine and enjoyed the music and dance?

  "Hah, Lord Pei has good fortune today. These are things we usually can't eat. Hey, you few people also benefit from Lord Pei's luck today, so pay attention and don't gobble down your food."

  "...delighted Pei Xi."

  Alright, alright, eating is a minor matter. It seems that the beggar's village is really poor, they didn't even serve human flesh, one should be grateful for that already. Trying their usual food is also good.

  "Stop!"

  Bae Hee-jin was about to grab the mixed food of wild vegetables and grass when he was stopped by Seo Jin-woo. Bae Hee-jin jumped in fright, how could they not even give him this to eat.

  "Lord Pei, don't be in a hurry, we haven't prayed yet."

  "What's prayer?"

  Xu Shenji joined his hands together in a reverent gesture, facing the food on the table with sincerity, muttering something under his breath.

  "Thanks to King Youzhou for giving us food, King Youzhou's light shines all over the world."

  "Xu Junshi, what's going on here?"

  "Ha, this is what we do every day before meals. Our village chief highly reveres the King of Youzhou and has his portrait hung in the bedroom. We kowtow three times morning and night, and burn incense first thing in the morning. How about it, Lord Pei? Don't you pray before meals?"

  "We don't have this rule over there."

  A meal was somehow finished, and if he said that what he ate was pig food, Pei Xi would feel it was an insult to the pig food.

  Xu Shenji let out a satisfied burp and said, "Although we're not eating well now, this is something that successful people must go through. As the saying goes, 'If you don't eat bitterness for a lifetime, you'll eat bitterness for a while.' I recall that the King of Youzhou back then also started from the bottom and worked his way up, eventually becoming the King of Youzhou whom we admire."

  Xu Shenji always mentioned the King of Youzhou with extreme reverence in his tone and gaze. And Pei Xizhi discovered that whenever he heard the three words "King of Youzhou", everyone else would stop what they were doing, raise their heads, straighten their backs, and look forward.

  Made Pei Xi feel very embarrassed.

  "Today we have a new brother joining our big family, let's give him a warm welcome. Please ask our new brother to tell us about the glorious past of the King of Youzhou."

  Everyone's eyes fell on Pei Xizhe, and Pei Xizhe opened his eyes wide: "Is this necessary?"

  "Isn't Lord Pei showing respect to the King of Youzhou, isn't it a sincere admiration for him, isn't he regarded as the light in his heart?"

  "This... seems like something I can't refuse."

  "It seems that Lord Pei still has some reservations. Lord, you should be brave and show yourself. Like this, let Lord Pei prepare first, and then the brother will speak."

  "I'll go first!" A mountain bandit suddenly stood up, and the others looked particularly regretful: how did he get ahead of them.

  All of a sudden, the mountain bandit's face lit up with excitement as he pulled out a piece of paper from his bosom and recited in a deeply emotional tone: "Ah, I have a dream, to become a man like the King of Youzhou. Thinking back to those years, who was it that killed enemies like flies with golden armor and iron horses? Who was it that forgot to sleep and eat, loving the people like his own children? Who was it that rose early and retired late, never forgetting his home... Ah, it was the King of Youzhou, it was the King of Youzhou!"

  "Like a lone lamb yearning for the flock, like a lost ship longing for its hometown, like a newborn baby longing for its mother's **, Ah, King of Youzhou you are the flock, you are the hometown, you are **..."

  Bai Xizhi and several others sat there, their faces stunned, as one by one the mountain bandits stood up and recited these things in a tone that made people's flesh crawl.

  "Lord Pei, get ready, it's your turn next." Xu Shenji said in a low voice.

  "I want to come too..."

  "Uh, we start with 5,000 words here."

  "Five thousand words!"

  ……

  In the mountain valley, there is a Toad Village.

  Cheng Dali stood at a high place to observe the surrounding terrain, Liu Bei standing beside him.

  "Have you really decided to deal with the people from Youzhou in this way?" Liu Bei.

  "What can I do? It's not time to break up with King Youzhou yet." - Cheng Dairen.

  "But I think we can't deceive King You of Zhou."

  "It's okay to deceive for one day, after all, there will be a time when we'll bare our teeth at each other. Who let our current teeth not be as hard as those of the King of Youzhou?"

  Cheng Dali's gaze swept far and wide, taking in the entire scene within the mountain valley.