Chapter 722: Hulayeg's Pitfall!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
"Wait… wait a moment, Sir, please wait! I didn't say that I couldn't do it!"
Seeing that Wang Chong was about to leave, Hulayeg knocked over the silver dish of wine in front of him in his haste to catch up.
"We can negotiate, negotiate… What's the meaning in carrying on business in such a rush?"
Wang Chong stopped and turned his head. "So Sir is saying that you are confident in carrying it out?"
"This, I just felt that the number was a little too large, making it a little difficult, but that doesn't mean I can't do it. If I were given half a year…"
"There is no half a year. At most, three months!" Wang Chong said.
"Is Sir serious?" Hulayeg said.
Wang Chong gave a stern nod.
It wasn't that he was being too harsh or that he didn't want to give him the time, but because this bastard would get himself killed in three months. At that point, what would be the point in finding him to sign a bunch of contracts?
Of course, Hulayeg had no idea of what Wang Chong was thinking.
In addition, Wang Chong had no hope of truly obtaining seven or eight hundred thousand warhorses from Hulayeg. Such a thing was impossible. Not unless the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates went mad would they ever permit such a large cavalry force to appear in the Great Tang.
And seven or eight hundred thousand horses was no small number to feed and raise.
There didn't exist a pasture large enough in the Great Tang to hold them all!
In truth, let alone seven or eight hundred thousand, three hundred thousand had just been a throwaway figure. Wang Chong would consider it a big harvest if he were able to get just one hundred thousand from Hulayeg.
The Great Tang had never purchased this many warhorses before! Not because it didn't have the money, but because it never had access to these channels. At the very least, the Turkic Khagans would never be foolish enough to sell off so many warhorses in support of their foe!
"Let me think about it. This isn't the right place to talk business. Sir, please follow me!" Hulayeg said, his expression much more cautious.
Three hundred thousand horses was no minor matter and involved too many bits and pieces, so even Hulayeg had to act prudently. Upon leaving the room, Hulayeg did not leave through the main door of the pleasure palace, but through a secret tunnel in the basement.
The tunnel ended in a 'dead alley', but there was yet another path here, dark and winding, that led to another area.
No wonder it was so hard to track him down!
As Wang Chong followed Hulayeg through this secret tunnel, he inwardly sighed. As the number one Turkic horse merchant, Hulayeg was actually quite well-known, but very few people could ever find him.
In truth, many of the rumors about him and his whereabouts only came out after his death. Without this information, not even a veteran of the Western Regions like Yang Hongchang would have been able to find him, much less anyone else.
Although he had entered through the pleasure palace, he came out in a nearby tea house. From there, the pair boarded a bronze carriage, which rolled through the dense crowds, meandering through various alleys and streets before finally entering a residence. It was on the outside a rather unremarkable building, but was luxuriously decorated within.
Hulayeg did not bring Wang Chong to the reception hall or his living quarters, but instead opened a secret door and led Wang Chong down an underground passage.
After a while, Wang Chong suddenly asked, "Sir Hulayeg, where are we going?"
"We're almost there. It's right over there!"
As Hulayeg led the way, he suddenly turned his head around. Clang! There was a metal clatter as thick metal bars weighing several thousand jin dropped down between Wang Chong and Hulayeg.
Wang Chong's brow creased, but before he could say anything, another set of heavy steel bars dropped down and blocked the way back.
In a flash, Wang Chong was like a turtle in a jar, trapped between the two sets of metal bars.
"Sir Hulayeg, what are you doing?" Wang Chong asked, his face showing no sign of panic.
"Hahaha!"
Hulayeg began to laugh, his eyes suddenly shining with a crafty light.
"The Great Tang's Young Marquis! I didn't think that I would meet you here. Who could have imagined that you would disguise yourself and run off to the Western Regions? If I put you up for sale, I think many people would be willing to pay a big price. At the very least the Tsenpo of Ü-Tsang and the Crown Prince of Mengshe Zhao would definitely be ecstatic!"
Hulayeg finally tore off his pretense and revealed his true self.
Wang Chong's face momentarily froze, and a hint of seriousness appeared in his eyes.
"When did you recognize me?" Wang Chong asked. He had to admit that things had developed outside his predictions. He had not expected Hulayeg to be able to see through his disguise. The number one Turkic horse merchant was far craftier and more cautious than he had imagined.
"Hahaha, three hundred thousand warhorses? Do you think I'm a child? Buying eight thousand horses would already be amazing for anyone else, and even the Shi Kingdom, one of the richest kingdoms in the world, at most only bought five thousand horses from me at one time. The number is so large and the offer so serious, do you think a normal person would be capable of buying this many?
"To be able to give a number of three hundred thousand, you definitely aren't from the Western Regions, but someone from the heartland of the Great Tang, and assuredly someone with connections to the Great Tang Imperial Court. But the Han of the Great Tang Imperial Court would never run here to do business with me.
"The Western Regions have recently been abuzz with chatter about how the Great Tang's Sage Emperor personally conferred the title of Young Marquis on the person who defeated Huoshu Huicang, Dalun Ruozan, Geluofeng, and Duan Gequan in the southwest, and that person has now built a city of steel in Qixi. I investigated the matter, and the Young Marquis described in those rumors matches your description exactly. Young Master Wang, am I right?"
With these final words, Hulayeg swelled with pride, no longer appearing so stalwart and honest.
"I truly did underestimate you! A trifling horse merchant actually has this sort of intelligence and perception! No wonder you can navigate a complicated place like the Western Regions like a fish in the water, lasting for so many years. It seems that for the future, I'll have to take a bit more time on my homework."
Wang Chong couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. Even the wisest sage pondering a matter one thousand times could still make a mistake. Wang Chong had to admit that he had been looking down too much on this Hulayeg.
"But even in this situation, do you really think… that just these things alone can hold me?"
Wang Chong glanced at the heavy steel bars and smirked.
It was true that he had not expected Hulayeg to recognize him, but that was not purely because of a miscalculation. At times, when one's martial arts reached a certain level, one didn't need to treat one's opponent with too much regard, especially when outside the battlefield.
"Hahaha, the grand Young Marquis of the Great Tang is a martial arts expert who killed ten thousand people on the southwest's Mountain of God. How could I be careless? Why do you think I insisted on bringing you here?"
A look of cunning appeared in Hulayeg's eyes. Many people believed him to be a boorish man, little knowing that he was just hiding his true self. Although he was in the business of selling horses, it was actually fraught with danger. Finding information, understanding the notable figures of the world and one's hidden business rivals—these were the things that any proper horse merchant needed to do in advance.
"I know that you're very strong, and I also know about your Wootz Steel sword, but it's useless. You see the steel bars? I got those from the Abbasid Caliphate, top-class steel. This steel is inc
redibly tough and has even been through special processing so that it can be made into the sharpest Arabian sword. Not even your sharp Wootz Steel sword will be able to cut through it.
"In addition, do you know why I'm telling you so much? Because I know that you won't be able to escape! No! Your death is certain!"
Hulayeg began to roar in laughter. The majestic Young Marquis of the Great Tang who had recently shaken the world and attracted attention from all sides would now die at his hands. This was truly a feat worth being proud of!
The Khagan would probably richly reward him once he learned of this!
Wang Chong half-closed his eyes, his expression calm as he silently smirked at Hulayeg.
"Since you know I have my Wootz Steel sword with me, then do you know exactly just how sharp it is?" Wang Chong suddenly said.
Buzz!
Hulayeg's laughter suddenly came to a halt.
"How sharp? Hmph, there's no need. Once you're dead, I'll personally take it from your corpse and test it for myself. Enough; quietly go down!"
Hulayeg suddenly stomped his foot on the ground nearby. Clingclang! There was the faint sound of some mechanism triggering. Rumble! A massive pit suddenly appeared in the ground, and before Wang Chong could react, he and the bars dropped together into the abyss.
No, these were not just 'bars'. By now, it was evident that Hulayeg had baited Wang Chong into standing within a large metal cage, which those descending bars were part of.
When Hulayeg opened his pitfall, Wang Chong descended together with the special metal cage.
What an impressive mechanism!
As wind rushed by his ears and his surroundings began to blur, Wang Chong had to admit that Hulayeg's trap was much more intricate than he had imagined.
Hulayeg's goal had not been to capture Wang Chong in the cage, but to hold him there momentarily so that he could drop him into the pit.
Even if he didn't die from the fall, he would still be imprisoned beneath the ground. Even if Wang Chong had such prodigious strength that he could break free of the steel cage, ten-some days of not eating or drinking would still leave him dead just the same.
These thoughts lasted in Wang Chong's mind merely a split second, and he quickly regained his composure.
The metal cage dropped so quickly that it took only a few seconds before Wang Chong was no longer able to see the mouth of the pit. He was surrounded by pitch-black darkness that made it impossible to distinguish anything.
Moreover, the enormous inertia from the descent made it difficult for Wang Chong to use his strength.
Chapter 723: Warhorse Transaction Concluded!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Unfortunately, this still isn't enough to hold me!
The flash of a sharp sword appeared in the darkness, and a cruel light flickered in Wang Chong's eyes. Clang! A sword rang out as Wang Chong unsheathed his Wootz Steel sword and struck.
Bang!
After what seemed like both a second and endless epochs, a beam of astonishing light suddenly shot out of the darkness. A single slash had been enough to cut Hulayeg's cage of top-class Arabian steel into pieces.
With a jolt, Wang Chong flew out of the cage. His right foot pressed upon its remnants, allowing him to shoot off it like a bird.
After traveling ten-some zhang, Wang Chong stepped on the wall to his right and continued his ascent. Through a repetition of this action, it took only a few moments for Wang Chong to see a point of light in the darkness, one that was rapidly expanding.
The mouth of the pit! A thought flashed through his mind as he looked up.
The metal cage had been extremely heavy, causing the descent to be extremely fast. Judging from his current situation, he had been dropping for only a few seconds, but he had descended around seventy or eighty meters.
For ordinary people, this situation was certain death, but to an Imperial Martial expert like Wang Chong, it was barely worth mentioning.
Whoosh! With a final shake of his sleeves, Wang Chong flew through the mouth of the pit like a sharp sword and lightly flipped onto the ground.
"Ah!"
Screams came from nearby, and when Wang Chong opened his eyes, he saw that the gloomy underground room was full of Hu bodyguards, all of them wounded and bloody.
In the middle of these bodyguards stood a mysterious man, dressed in black, with a travel-worn turban on his head and a white mask over his face. His hand was currently grasping a dagger that was pressed against Hulayeg's neck.
"Get back, get back…"
Hulayeg's face was filled with panic, and when he saw Wang Chong, his fear only deepened.
"Impossible! You… how did you get out?"
Wang Chong grinned as he slowly walked forward.
"Solitary Wolf, let him go." Wang Chong made a gesture with his right hand and spoke to the mysterious man behind Hulayeg.
"Yes, Lord Marquis!"
Solitary Wolf's body blurred as he quickly drew back.
"You're together?!"
Hulayeg was dumbfounded.
Wang Chong silently smiled.
He had dispatched Solitary Wolf to this area long ago and sent him all over the Western Regions. Solitary Wolf had been working in the area for so long that he had put down roots, mingling with the locals and even learning a good deal of Hu languages.
Wang Chong had almost failed to recognize him on their meeting. Of course, for such an important mission like finding Hulayeg, Wang Chong's first order of business had been to call Solitary Wolf back.
If Hulayeg believed that everything would be fine once he had deceived Wang Chong into his residence, trapped him in the steel cage, and sent him plunging into the abyss, then he was truly far too naive.
Wang Chong would have never risked entering the Western Regions without making ample preparations.
"Hulayeg, have you finished thinking about our deal?"
Wang Chong walked up, pulled over the only chair in the room, and slowly seated himself. "As long as you can help me get three hundred thousand horses, we can still carry out this transaction."
Hulayeg froze, clearly surprised that Wang Chong wasn't going to kill him.
"Are you serious? Three hundred thousand horses isn't a small number!"
The moment money was brought up, Hulayeg immediately calmed down, the shrewdness of a merchant appearing in his eyes. Since he couldn't beat Wang Chong and Wang Chong wasn't going to kill him, he might as well consider doing business.
This was the instinct of a merchant. Everything proceeded from profit.
"Since you know that I'm the Young Marquis of the Great Tang, do you think the majestic Central Plains lack the money for a couple hundred thousand horses?"
Wang Chong smirked. Hulayeg was a meticulous and suspicious person, so persuading him was rather difficult.
Hulayeg's eyes widened and he instantly fell quiet.
It was true that Hulayeg rarely did business with strangers, as this wasn't safe. He had only decided to scheme against Wang Chong because he had recognized who he was.
And it was also because he knew that he was speaking to the Young Marquis that he trusted him more than he would an ordinary person.
A person of this stature, and a Han noble at that, would not easily go back on their word. He had the endorsement of the entire Great Tang.
In terms of reliability and ability to pay, Wang Chong actually far surpassed any other party he had worked with.
And besides, three hundred thousand horses… this was truly a massive amount of money!
Hulayeg suddenly found himself somewhat tempted.
"I'll trust you for now, but the price?" Hulayeg said, a look of cunning in his eyes. This was a business deal, and since his counterpart had the backing of the entire Great Tang Imperial Court, if he didn't try to squeeze out a little more money, he would be letting down his reputation as the 'Turkic Fox' of horse merchants.
Wang Chong smiled at these words. H
ulayeg had undergone a momentous shift, turning from caution, doubt, and treachery to greed and desire.
However, Wang Chong would have been concerned if Hulayeg were not greedy. As for money…
When the great calamity arrived, all monetary systems would crumble. Gold would become useless.
If he could buy enough warhorses to alter the Great Tang's fate, Wang Chong was even willing to give him all the gold of the Great Tang.
In any case, when the time came, gold would be worth little more than rocks.
"A high-quality warhorse has a market price of eighty taels of gold. I will give you one hundred!" Wang Chong thrust out a single finger, his expression confident and relaxed. "But I only want high-quality warhorses!"
"Fine, fine, no problem!"
Hulayeg's eyes instantly brightened at these words. When buying in large quantities, high-quality warhorses wouldn't cost eighty taels of gold each, but perhaps only seventy-five.
The price of one hundred taels that Wang Chong was giving meant that he made twenty-five taels of gold for each horse. To a penny-pinching merchant like Hulayeg, this was an irresistible temptation.
It had to be said that when he dealt with Ü-Tsang, Mengshe Zhao, Goguryeo, or the other kingdoms of the Western Regions, even at the price of seventy-five taels, the other party would still want to haggle, and the talks would last for ages.
Such a straightforward patron was a dream come true for a horse merchant like Hulayeg.
"But do you truly only want high-quality warhorses? What about the others?" Hulayeg asked, quickly finding this request a little strange.
"Mm, I don't need any other kind, only high-quality warhorses," Wang Chong said.
The difference between ordinary and high-quality warhorses wasn't large. They could all fight and gallop, but the difference became clear when traveling vast distances or charging on the battlefield.
Ordinary warhorses could only charge straight, but high-quality warhorses could bond with their riders, the two becoming a single unit. In addition, high-quality warhorses had better skeletons and muscles.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 483