Chapter 215
Chapter 215
His mind at ease, Qiu Xiao spoke coldly.
“If you can’t stand it, then don’t. Just make your move and kill us! What’s the worst that could happen? We’ll just have another great war, like twenty years ago, won’t we?”
Count Xuanwu said bitterly.
“Young Lord Qiu, why must you bring up the past?”
Qiu Xiao let out a loud laugh. “Haha.”
“Twenty years ago was when our Qiu Clan was at its weakest. Your father, Count Jin Yu, how imposing was he then? He led an army of over ten thousand and hundreds of great warships, marching on Leizhou Island with overwhelming force. And the result? He lost everything in the end.”
At those words, both Count Xuanwu and Shen Lang turned pale.
“Count Xuanwu, I wonder how the military strength of your estate compares to twenty years ago. Is it half of what it was? Or maybe a third?”
“Let us prioritize peace.”
“The Jin Clan’s forces have shrunk to about a third of what they were, but our Qiu Clan’s power has expanded several times over. And now we have the mighty Raging Tide City and the Leizhou Archipelago as well. The Qiu Clan’s strength is probably more than ten times that of the Jin Clan.”
Shen Lang’s face contorted for a moment. He downed a cup of wine and said nothing more.
“What do you think would happen if our Raging Tide City were to invade Misery Isle with thirty thousand troops?”
Shen Lang’s voice was tight as he spoke.
“Misery Isle may be the Jin Clan’s fief, but it is also territory of the State of Yue. Do you not fear the King’s wrath if Raging Tide City attacks it without cause?”
Qiu Xiao laughed loudly again.
“Did the King show his wrath when we led our troops to seize Gold Mountain Island?”
For a moment, Shen Lang and Count Xuanwu were speechless.
“If anything, your King would probably prefer it if we led our troops to slaughter the entire Jin Clan.”
“Getting along peacefully is for the best, isn't it?”
Qiu Xiao said calmly.
“We can live in harmony. But for that, I’ll need to see some sincerity from you.”
Shen Lang said through gritted teeth.
“To prove our sincerity, and for the sake of friendship between our two clans, the Jin Clan is willing to offer the Qiu Clan twenty thousand gold coins every year, free of charge.”
Enraged, Qiu Xiao hurled the cup in his hand at Shen Lang, who quickly dodged it. Of course, Shen Lang was only able to dodge because Qiu Xiao hadn’t intended to hit him. If a martial arts master like Qiu Xiao had truly meant to strike him, Shen Lang would never have been able to evade the cup.
*Thud.*
With a loud sound, the silver cup embedded itself a couple of inches deep into the wall. The beast’s martial skill was indeed formidable. Shen Lang glanced at his father-in-law, and Count Xuanwu lowered his gaze, signaling that they couldn’t kill Qiu Xiao. Even if Jin Hui, Thirteen, Count Jin Zhuo, and Jin Shiying attacked together, they might be able to defeat Qiu Xiao, but stopping him from escaping would be difficult.
Moreover, Qiu Xiao was far too suspicious. Only three people were present at this banquet: Jin Zhuo, Shen Lang, and Qiu Xiao. The masters like Jin Hui, Thirteen, and Jin Shiying were standing guard outside the house, while the hundred warriors Qiu Xiao had brought with him surrounded the building. There were even more of Qiu Xiao’s masters and subordinates within a few hundred li of the house, leaving no opportunity to kill him.
Just then, Shen Lang gave an order.
“Someone, bring the Young Marquis a new cup.”
“No need. I brought several.”
Qiu Xiao then took out another new cup and poured himself a drink. He drank his own wine, a vintage that didn't easily cause intoxication. The heir of the Pirate King was extremely cautious and overly suspicious, leaving no openings. But this was perfectly normal and to be expected. Qiu Xiao had countless enemies; if he weren’t so careful, he would have met a violent end somewhere long ago.
Shen Lang said with a bitter smile.
“Young Marquis, why are you so suspicious? With Raging Tide City and the Pirate King behind you, how would we dare to harm you?”
“It’s always best to be cautious. Besides, you, Shen Lang, are vicious and cunning.”
Next, delicious dishes were brought out one by one. There was everything one could wish for, from land, sea, and air, all looking exquisitely tasty. Shen Lang was desperately trying to summon the glutton within Qiu Xiao, to make him eat the food he provided. But Qiu Xiao didn’t even glance at the food once. He used a knife to cut off a piece of the meat he had brought himself and put it in his mouth. As he ate, he looked at Shen Lang mockingly.
‘I know you wouldn’t dare harm me, not even a hair on my head. And even if you couldn’t contain your anger and wanted to, I wouldn’t give you the chance.’
At that moment, a servant brought in three servings of caviar.
“This is caviar. It’s extremely rare and very expensive. Quick, serve one to the Young Marquis.”
“No, I won’t eat it.”
Qiu Xiao shoved the caviar off the table, sending it spilling onto the floor. He truly was impossible to reason with. Killing him would be an incredibly difficult and arduous task.
Qiu Xiao sneered and asked Shen Lang.
“Shen Lang, did you say you’d offer our Qiu Clan twenty thousand gold coins every year?”
“That’s right. We will send it annually. That is the most our Jin Clan can offer.”
Qiu Xiao shouted in a rage.
“Shen Lang, do you take me for a fool? Do you think our Qiu Clan are beggars? Did you think I didn’t know there’s a large gold mine on Misery Isle?”
Shen Lang’s expression changed, and he quickly waved his hands.
“There’s no such thing. Those are all rumors spread by outsiders. Where would there be a gold mine? We only have iron ore here.”
“Pah!”
Qiu Xiao immediately spat at Shen Lang.
“Shen Lang, a real man doesn’t play dumb. I was the one who tried to poison the well at the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate with a corpse to spread a plague.”
“Young Marquis… you must be joking. Someone! Add more fire. It’s freezing in here.”
Thinking the room was a bit cold, Shen Lang ordered the servants, who brought in several basins of burning coals, causing the temperature in the room to rise sharply. But while Shen Lang might have felt warmer, Qiu Xiao felt hot. He had a vigorous constitution and would go around shirtless even in the dead of winter. With several basins of fire brought in, he naturally began to sweat.
“And I was the one who conspired with Viscount Zhu Nanting to destroy the Gold Book Dam and flood the Jin Clan’s fief.”
Both Shen Lang’s and Count Xuanwu’s faces turned ugly at the same time.
“I’ve acted despicably many times to harm the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate, and every time I see Jin Mulan, I insult her, yet you do nothing but watch.”
Shen Lang closed his mouth and said nothing.
“You probably hate me to the bone, wishing you could slice me into a thousand pieces. But with Raging Tide City and tens of thousands of pirates behind me, you don’t dare to seek revenge, so you desperately try to curry favor with me, don’t you? We landed on Misery Isle and forcibly took your barracks and provisions, but did you resist in the slightest? Why couldn’t you resist? It’s because you were afraid of our Raging Tide City’s tens of thousands of troops. Might is right.
“Let me be frank, Shen Lang. If a certain powerful figure hadn’t set his eyes on Jin Mulan, I would have forced her to pour my wine and warm my bed tonight. And even if I did, could you have stopped me? So from now on, I am not negotiating with you; I am informing you. Our Qiu Clan wants eighty percent of the Misery Isle gold mine. We will station our forces here and mine the gold ourselves.”
Even before Qiu Tianwei’s messenger had arrived, Qiu Xiao had the same thought as his father. Like father, like son, indeed. Shen Lang replied in a trembling voice.
“I won’t say we have a gold mine on Misery Isle. But even if we did, isn’t your demand too excessive?”
“As I said, I am informing you, ordering you. I’m not here to negotiate. You can either accept my demand or not. If you accept, fine. If you don’t, our tens of thousands of troops will invade Misery Isle, kill everyone in the Jin Clan, and completely erase the name of the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate from this world.”
Count Xuanwu’s body trembled uncontrollably.
“And, my pirate brothers can’t live without women. Count Xuanwu, you will bring five hundred women within five days. The youngest and prettiest from your fief.”
Count Xuanwu crushed the wine cup in his hand.
“I’ve taken a liking to Jin Jianniang, and I plan to sleep with her. In fact, I’m going to sleep with her right in front of you, Shen Lang. If she’s not in my bed within five days, you’ll have to bear the consequences.”
Qiu Xiao was the very picture of arrogance. His father had told him that if Count Xuanwu came on strong, they should be gentle, but if he was weak, they should be extremely forceful, the epitome of arrogance.
“That’s enough. We’re done for today. I’m leaving. If I don’t have an answer by tomorrow, I will immediately lead tens of thousands of pirates to invade and kill you all.”
He then stood up to leave. Shen Lang pleaded with him.
“Young Marquis, please don’t go. Let’s talk more. How about we split it fifty-fifty? If you agree, we will immediately send you two hundred thousand gold coins.”
For a moment, Qiu Xiao’s eyes lit up.
‘Immediately send two hundred thousand gold coins?’
He sat back down and said in a cold tone.
“Fine, I’ll concede a little. Seventy percent! We get seventy, you get thirty! And the Jin Clan will not send two hundred thousand gold coins, but five hundred thousand, immediately.”
Shen Lang said in a shocked voice.
“Th-that’s too much.”
“I’ll give you the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn to think it over. If you don’t agree, I’ll leave at once and ask my father to assemble the grand army to attack Misery Isle.”
At that moment, Qiu Xiao felt his breathing become a little ragged. The temperature in the hall was so high it was making him dizzy. Was there some special incense in the air? A man who never shied away from women, he hadn’t seen so much as a strand of a woman’s hair in three or four days. Sweat began to pour down his body.
Shen Lang replied to him.
“I need to think about it.”
“You have one quarter of an hour. And you must also hand over Jin Jianniang and five hundred women. I’m already showing you great respect by not demanding Jin Mulan.”
Shen Lang closed his eyes in thought, his hand instinctively reaching out to touch the buttocks of the servant beside him. The moment Qiu Xiao saw the gesture, he was stunned.
‘Shen Lang, I never knew you were that kind of person. Fondling a man’s buttocks.’
Then, Qiu Xiao made another discovery. The servant next to Shen Lang was not a man, but a woman. A beautiful, curvaceous beauty, merely dressed as a man.
‘Damn it, you bastard Shen Lang. You kept saying there were no women on the island, do you know how frustrated I’ve been for the past few days?’
Instantly, Qiu Xiao said in a rage.
“Shen Lang, give me the woman next to you. Right now.”
Shen Lang was taken aback.
“Hey, wench. Didn’t you hear me? Come here! You think a cripple like Shen Lang can stop me?”
At once, the woman disguised as a servant walked over to Qiu Xiao, trembling with fear. Qiu Xiao thrust his large hand into her chest and pulled hard, ripping off her silk chest wrap. Then, his hand went into her trousers and pulled hard again. With the woman’s pained scream, her silk underpants were also torn away.
Who was she? A maid from the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate? No. She was a courtesan Shen Lang had hired from a brothel. Qiu Xiao held the chest wrap in his left hand and the underpants in his right, brought them to his nose, and took a sniff before using them to wipe the sweat from his body. Afterward, he pressed them to his nose and took several deep, hard sniffs.