As Qiao Xian listens to this, the colour on her face immediately sinks, "Why does the Kedun say so?"
Jin Lian also realizes that she behaved out of way, so she quickly stomps all her mess of emotions down and says in a low voice, "Perhaps I was also too impatient, please forgive me."
After she speaks, she even bows in a familiar fashion like a woman from the Central Plains as an apology.
Cui Buqu waves his hand, "Presently, you and I are on the same boat. If either one of us is at a disadvantage, the other would not be well off. There is no need for Kedun to be so polite. Let us first discuss why your Khan seems to have a massive change of attitude; can the presence of one man like Fo Er shock him into this state?"
"It is a long story. First, did I not tell both of you that the Khan allowed me to train a group of female bodyguards? Those girls have mediocre skills, but their strength lies in being more meticulous than men, so they really did contribute in aiding the Khan in escaping death once. After that, the Khan places extreme trust in them, but who knew that while I was in the Central Plains, one among these female bodyguards tried to assassinate the Khan and practically succeeded. According to the assassin, her father was a Han man, and her mother was Göktürk. Her father is murdered by the Khan, so she grew to hate Göktürks, therefore, she blended into the female bodyguards on purpose to carry out the assasination."
Jin Lian pauses for a while and laughs bitterly before she continues, "The Khan ordered all those female bodyguards to be killed in a moment of anger. Because of this, he is displeased with me, so this time upon my return, I am put under house arrest, but the big Kedun begged for mercy on behalf of me, so the Khan did not bestow any punishment upon me. The fact that I did not manage to return to welcome all of you in, is also because of this."
Qiao Xian says coldly, "Even if this is the case, how is that related to us?"
Even though they were only three people in total, they have the Sui Empire supporting their backs, so if the Khan still has a sane mind, even if he is displeased with Jin Lian because of the case regarding the female bodyguards, he should not involve the ambassadors from the Sui Empire.
Jin Lian sighs, "You have seen it for yourselves. The Khan has two sons, and both of them are not mine. The First Prince is the son of the big Kedun. My relationship with them is on good terms. But the Khan treasuries the Second Son more, and he is the one that both of you have offended just now. I proposed the idea of establishing an alliance with the Sui Empire, but Ade insists that Han people are not trustworthy. On normal days, he talks back to me and gets close to those old royalties of the natives. Perhaps he took advantage of me not being in court and spoke bad about me to the Khan. To use proverbs from you Han people: Throw dirt enough, and some will stick. Perhaps one or twice the Khan would not believe him, but after a while, without me here, the Khan would start to believe him. This time upon my return, it is obvious that the Khan is much more distant with me than before."
Cui Buqu furrows his brows, "Don't tell me that, Kedun, all the while you have been fighting your own battles? That you do not even have one person in court that is willing to speak for you?"
"My relationship with the big Kedun and her son is not bad, this time it is also thanks to her and the Khan has excused me from my mistakes. As for my own people, I used to have a few around the Khan's yurt, and a few who works by the Khan's side as his officers, but this time after my return, they have been removed for all kinds of reasons. Not one of them is left."
Jin Lian's expression is grim. Originally, she prefers to keep her background a secret, but she knows that, if she chooses not to say them now, it would only make Cui Buqu lose confidence in her, and it would be difficult for her to redeem herself in any way.
"The Khan has always tolerated and favoured Prince Ade, but he hasn't reach to the point where he would not listen to what I say. I cannot believe that Ade suddenly strives so hard that the Khan listens to him completely, adding with the fact that Fo Er arrives here first before all of you, I can only assume that he came representing Khan Ishbara and offered the Khan some sort of benefits. The Khan now has already divulged some intention of allying with Khan Ishbara."
Cui Buqu says in a low voice, "Just now when Feng Xiao stood out, showed his superiority against Fo Er, and Qiao Xian has also made Ade learned a lesson. If the Khan would stop remaining a fool, he should know that it is time he reconsiders his decision."
Jin Lian, "At the present, the Khan already thinks that you people, the First Prince, and I, stand on the same time. If I help you, it would only anger him more. However, I will arrange people to provide assistance in the dark, so that they will comply you when necessary."
Cui Buqu, "Can you help us contact the big Kedun and her son?"
Jin Lian guesses his intentions, "Does Master Cui want to ally with them? This plan will not work."
Cui Buqu, "Why?"
Jin Lian, "I have tried it before. Although the big Kedun is willing to speak for me, but in the end she only knows how to weave her sheep wool carpets. She is unwilling to participate in any political or external matters. The First Prince, Eden, is naturally soft and gentle, not much different from his mother. Sighs, both of them do not behave like Göktürks, more like Southern people from the Central Plains."
Just as she says this, she knows that she has said something wrong. Although the North and South are divided, these word of generalization would not be appropriate to say in front of three people from the Central Plains. Jin Lian quickly says, "I should not have compared like this."
Cui Buqu and the rest did not mind.
Jin Lian is originally a calm and intelligent person. Since she has spoken such demeaning and pointless words, it could be seen that she no longer has any options, and that her emotional state is in a mess.
Cui Buqu, "What you mean is that there is no turning back for this matter?"
Jin Lian, "Not yet. As you said, just now although you have destroyed the atmosphere and angered the Khan, but he dare not underestimate both of you and your abilities, that is why he dares not make a decision so quickly. I heard that just now when both of you left, Fo Er wishes to see him, but he is forbade by the guards outside the yurt. Tomorrow, during the gathering of the Eight Ministries, other than kingdoms that are on good terms with Göktürk, there would also be riding and archery competitions. The Western countries loved practical entertainments but not academics, so if Lord Feng's abilities can impress them, even if I have no way of convincing the Khan, he might have a change of mind of his own."
Cui Buqu, "Do you not feel that the killing of the female bodyguards is very suspicious? The killing happened when you are away from Göktürk, and before you came back, everyone is killed. Without them, you would not have spies around the Khan, thus you also lose his trust."
Jin Lian, "I know your meaning. I suspect it is the doing of Ade, but there is no evidence. Everyone is dead, I cannot investigate it."
Cui Buqu, "In the whole of Western Göktürk, other than big Kedun and her son, do you not have anyone who wishes to engage in the fight? One who has quite a high status and has a say in words before the Khan and other members of royalty? Perhaps, the Khan's mother or other elders."
Jin Lian, "There is! But they are not the Khan's relative, it is the HeiYue Shaman."
The Göktürks possess their own beliefs and religion. For people of the Central Plains, this is a very backward and traditional practice from ages ago, however, they were incredibly superstitious. Since there is a god and religion, then there is a Shaman among them who talks to god. The Khan of course does not wish to share his authority and power, so these Shamans never partake in the political matters in court unless there is the need from the Khan to ask for their opinions. Every Göktürk clan would have someone like this.
The HeiYue Shaman is quite elderly, so he seldom appears. It is not easy to see him either. However, Cui Buqu recommends Jin Lian to pay a visit to this HeiYue Shaman, even if they cannot win his heart to their side, they could get him to speak a few words in front of Khan Apa. As for gifts, this time Jin Lian brings no little amount of treasuries from the Central Plains. She has bought them all from the Linlang Guild. It is not much, but they are very precious and expensive, it would be enough to move the Shaman's heart.
There is little time left. The sky is becoming dark, and Jin Lian immediately rises to her feet to visit the HeiYue Shaman.
As she leaves, someone else begs to enter their yurt, claiming themselves to be the servant of the First Prince who comes to ask about whether their guests were comfortable here.
Cui Buqu allows that servant to wait outside, before telling Feng Xiao quickly, "Tear open my clothes and press yourself on my body, pretend to tease and shame me."
Feng Xiao: ???
He almost thought that Cui Buqu has gone mad.
But Cui Buqu's expression is very serene and calm, as if what he has just said just now is his own imagination.
Before Feng Xiao could speak, Cui Buqu impatiently does it on his own and creates a mess of his own clothes and hair before sprawling on the ground on his own.
He isn't finished yet as he reaches up to pinch his neck a few times.
"Is it red enough?" Cui Buqu says in a low voice.
Feng Xiao: "..."
He feels like he quite understands what the other wants to do.
Although their situation is quite bad and unfavourable, but Feng Xiao did not feel nervous at all. In fact, he feels very excited.
Especially when he is with Cui Buqu. Everything is even more exciting and interesting.
He obeys and presses himself on top of the other, then he hears Cui Buqu's pained cries.
"No, No…. Not here! Ah!"
His tone twists and turns, hiding a bit of panting and breathing and its pitch is perfect. This is enough to allow one to misunderstand.
The corner of Feng Xiao's lips arch, as he watches the other engrossed in his acting.
The one outside hears the commotion and immediately rushes inside, but he did not expect to see what he saw and could only stare dumbfounded at Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu both.
Cui Buqu pretends to make a face that look like he would die of embarrassment and pushes Feng Xiao away with one hand as he gets up. He speaks in Göktürk, telling the servant of the First Prince, "You—you get out now!"
Throw dirt enough, and some will stick (Chinese: 众口铄金,积毁销骨): If you say enough bad things about someone, it would become reality.
HeiYue Shaman: Hei means 'black', and Yue means 'moon'. It literally means, "Shaman of the Black Moon'.