Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 124 The Triumphant Return (Part 1)

"Shocking Chapter?"

Inside the camp, Lü Shang looked at the small seal emitting a faint light before him, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed, the candlelight flickering in his eyes, reflecting an elusive look.

Inside the felt tent, Bo Ri Te Chi carefully observed the young man before him, whom the Turks called a demon and Mangus.

Although he followed Lü Shang in the surprise attack on Jinshan Old Camp along with Boluhun, unlike the rough and tumble Boluhun, Bo Ri Te Chi always kept a proper distance from Lü Shang when he was under Lü Shang's command.

Therefore, Bo Ri Te Chi and Lü Shang had very little affection for each other and were estranged from one another.

"This is a treasure personally selected by my Turkic master. I wish to present this seal to the general in order to establish good relations between our two countries. I hope you will accept it with pleasure."

Looking at Lü Shang at the head of the table, Bo Ri Te's red Adam's apple bobbed slightly. In his eyes, Lü Shang seemed to be surrounded by a faint, cold aura, and his eyes were like icy pools, so deep that they made people tremble from the bottom of their hearts.

"To forge an alliance between the two countries?"

Lu Shang's slender fingers hovered lightly above the Divine Shock Seal, as if he could sense the ancient and savage aura emanating from the bronze seal.

"It's definitely a great treasure."

Suddenly, he twisted his wrist, and the Divine Shock Seal landed steadily in his palm. The lines on his palm and the talismans on it seemed to echo each other faintly under the candlelight.

"However, I am merely a vanguard under the command of the King of Kao Shan,"

Lu Shang's lips curled into an enigmatic smile as he traced the raised patterns on the Divine Shock Seal with his fingertips.

"I am truly flattered that my master has shown me such great favor."

Bo Ri Te Chi said softly, "General Lü, what makes you say that? Our Turks have always cherished and valued heroes. General, you led three thousand cavalry to attack the old camp at Jinshan. Your courage is unmatched in the entire grassland."

"My Khan admires your heroic spirit and wishes to befriend you. That is why I have sent my humble servant to present you with this precious seal as a token of my gratitude."

Lü Shang was playing with the Divine Chapter, the candlelight crackling and popping, sparks falling onto the table.

“I will remember the Khan’s kindness. Please go back and tell the Khan that I am honored that he thinks highly of me, and I will accept this amazing letter.”

Upon hearing this, Bo Ri Te Chi's tense body relaxed slightly, a smile appeared on his face, and he cupped his hands and said, "General, you are so generous! The Khan will surely be overjoyed to hear this."

Having said that, Bo Ri Te Chi turned and took his leave.

After Bo Ri Te Chi left, Lü Shang continued to caress the Jing Shen Zhang with his fingertips. As the candlelight flickered, the talismans on the seal glowed with an eerie dark red.

"The Shocking Chapter,"

He suddenly raised his eyes, gazing at the thick darkness outside the tent. A cold light flashed in his eyes, as if it could pierce through the heavy night. His gaze penetrated the tent, looking towards the direction of the golden tent.

"What exactly is that old bastard Shabolue up to?"

------

On the morning of the third day after Yang Lin led his troops back to camp, the military flags outside the tent fluttered in the cold wind. Yang Lin, the Prince of Kao Shan, wearing a fish-scale armor that gleamed in the morning sun, led a group of Sui generals and strode into the golden tent with his head held high.

Shabolue sat upright on the tiger-skin throne with a warm smile on his face. Upon seeing Yang Lin, he immediately rose to greet him and said loudly, "Hearing that the King of Kaoshan is returning, Shetu is truly reluctant to part with him. Why not stay a little longer so that I can fulfill my duty as a host?"

"I have ordered the hunting grounds to be prepared, and we can begin the hunt tomorrow. Your Highness is welcome to display your prowess." Yang Lin's expression was stern. He clasped his hands slightly and said in a deep voice, "This expedition was originally to aid the Khan. Now that Datou has begged for peace, he should be unable to wage war again in the short term."

"There are still many matters within my Great Sui Dynasty that require my attention. It is truly inconvenient for me to stay any longer, so I have come to bid farewell to the Khan."

Upon hearing this, a fleeting hint of disappointment crossed Shabolue's face, but it quickly vanished as he smiled and looked at Lü Shang, saying, "Since the Prince of Kaoshan insists on leaving, Shabolue will not force him to stay."

"But General Lü is such a hero that he is truly a favorite of our Turks. If the general is willing to stay, I, the Khan, will certainly treat him as an honored guest, bestow upon him ten thousand fine horses and one hundred thousand cattle and sheep, so that the general may enjoy the glory of the grasslands."

Upon hearing this, the Sui generals' expressions turned solemn. Lü Shang stepped forward, looked directly at Shabolue, and said, "I will remember the Khan's kindness. However, I am a Han subject, receiving the emperor's salary and being loyal to the emperor. How could I be swayed by wealth and honor?"

Upon hearing this, Shabolue chuckled dryly a few times, his gaze lingering briefly on Lü Shang's resolute face before he suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter, the sound so loud that the animal skin decorations inside the golden tent trembled.

"Excellent! What a fine example of serving the emperor while remaining loyal to him! You truly deserve to be the vanguard general under the King of Kao Shan. I admire your loyalty!"

The laughter stopped abruptly. With a wave of his hand, the Turkic maids behind him filed in, carrying trays of fine wine that gleamed like amber in the morning light.

"Come, let's bid farewell to Prince Kao Shan and all the generals!" Sha Bolue took the lead in raising his wine bowl, the wine swirling in the bowl, reflecting the hidden sharpness in his eyes.

The numerous Turkic nobles shouted in unison, "Let's bid farewell to our Prince Kao Shan and all the generals!"

"Your Highness has a huge capacity for alcohol,"

Seeing Yang Lin place the empty bowl on the table, the clinking of metal echoing softly within the golden tent, Sha Bo sighed in admiration.

Just then, a Turkic messenger rushed into the golden tent, knelt on one knee, and loudly reported: "Khan, the provisions and supplies prepared for the army of the Prince of Kaoshan have been counted, and the army is ready to set off at any time."

Yang Lin nodded slightly, clasped his hands in thanks to Shabolu, and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Khan."

With that, he led his generals out of the golden tent.

The grassland was bitterly cold at dawn. Hundreds of thousands of Sui soldiers had assembled outside the camp, their banners fluttering in the wind. A large banner bearing the character "Sui" stood before the golden tent.

At Yang Lin's command, the army began to move slowly. The vanguard cavalry stepped out of the camp first, their hooves thundering and raising clouds of dust.

Following closely behind was an infantry phalanx, the soldiers clad in heavy armor, carrying longbows, and wielding shields and longswords, their imposing presence amplified by the thunderous sound of their footsteps echoing across the grassland.

A supply wagon was tucked among the main procession, with thousands of horse-drawn carts loaded with grain and supplies, pulled forward by strong horses. The drivers shouted and urged the horses on, the wheels rolling and creaking.

Lü Shang led the vanguard, thousands of soldiers at the very front. He wore armor made of wild antelope and held a bamboo whip, looking majestic and imposing.

Shabolue, accompanied by a group of Turkic nobles, rode behind the Sui army to see them off. Gazing at the vast Sui army, his mind raced, his gaze frequently sweeping over Lü Shang.

This escort lasted for over two hundred li. When they reached the mouth of the valley, Yang Lin reined in his horse and once again clasped his hands in farewell to Shabolue, saying, "Khan, please wait, we will meet again!"

Shabolue returned the greeting with clasped hands, saying, "Your Highness, please take care on your journey."

"Take care of yourself,"

Yang Lin cracked his whip, and the army continued its march. Shabolue watched the Sui army depart until their figures disappeared at the edge of the grassland.

(End of this chapter)