allonlinenovel Chapter 379 Contest
Chapter 379 Contest
The table was filled with the aroma of mutton pilaf, roasted ham, and other dishes, while the mare's milk wine in the copper pot rippled with an amber hue. Ouyang Lie tried to pick up some food for the third time, but Song Ming's ivory chopsticks coiled around his silver chopsticks like serpents, leaving the glistening lamb meat suspended in mid-air like a stalemate.
"The Ninth Prince's strength is indeed that of a trained practitioner." Song Ming's lips curled into a half-smile, the red-crowned crane embroidered on his sleeve appearing and disappearing with his movements. The red silk curtain behind him was lifted by a gust of wind, revealing two guards standing outside the door with swords at their sides, the Medicine King Valley tokens at their waists gleaming coldly in the twilight.
Ouyang Lie's Adam's apple bobbed as he noticed the fine, dark patterns on the other man's black brocade robe—fragments of the *Qianjin Fang* embroidered in gold thread. What ordinary physician would dare wear such a medical classic? He suddenly recalled the astonishing tale that had shaken the Western Regions half a month ago: the Western Regions emperor had suddenly fallen seriously ill, and Medicine King Valley had only sent a nominal disciple. Now it seemed...
"I am Ouyang Lie, the Ninth Prince of the Western Regions Kingdom!" he suddenly roared, abruptly retracting the silver chopsticks from his hand as if they were venomous snakes. With his movement, the porcelain bowl clattered on the table. His gaze was piercing, fixed on the person before him, a hint of surprise and wariness in his eyes. "I wonder which deity you are, sir? Your skill with chopsticks is no less than that of an arrow!" His voice held a touch of disbelief, clearly astonished by the other's skill.
Just then, Ouyang Lie noticed Song Ming's movements as he poured the wine. Song Ming's three fingers lightly gripped the handle of the pot, his movements elegant and practiced. On his wrist, a silver chain held half a broken jade pendant, swaying slightly with his movements. Ouyang Lie's heart skipped a beat. He had heard of this jade pendant in rumors; it was the personal token of Song Ming, the master of Medicine King Valley. Could this person pouring wine before him be the legendary master of Medicine King Valley, Song Ming?
Song Ming's wine cup reflected crackled ice patterns in the candlelight. "I am Song Ming from Medicine King Valley." Before he finished speaking, the silver cup in Ouyang Lie's hand clattered to the ground. Memories surged like a tide: Twelve years ago, I had a high fever that wouldn't subside for seven days. My mother begged my father for a whole day and night before he finally sent an envoy to Medicine King Valley. The envoy only brought back half a bottle of life-extending powder, yet it cured my illness and brought me back to life. And now, my savior was sitting right in front of me?
"Valley Master Song, it's you?!" Ouyang Lie's voice trembled with disbelief. He instinctively reached out to rise and bow, but saw Song Ming lightly tap his cup on the table, the amber liquid tracing an eerie arc on the glass. This was the coded language of the martial world, "Silence!" He froze, cold sweat beading on his forehead—it turned out the other party was prepared; this tavern was not a place to reveal his identity.
Song Ming tilted his head back and drank the strong liquor in one gulp. As his Adam's apple bobbed, his sleeve slipped down half an inch, revealing a bracelet. It was said that each bead of the bracelet contained poison or medicine, invisible yet deadly. At this moment, however, it seemed like a silent intimidation, reminding Ouyang Lie of the rumors circulating in the streets: this Valley Master never personally kills anyone; often, he only needs to lightly touch his fingertip to make his opponent bleed from all seven orifices and die.
"I was just passing by while sightseeing." Song Ming suddenly leaned closer, his warm breath of alcohol brushing against Ouyang Lie's ear. "But I saw you forcibly abducting a woman in the street. This kind of thing goes too far, and there are too many flaws in what you did." Under the table, the tip of Song Ming's boot had already quietly pressed against Ouyang Lie's ankle, a seemingly intimate gesture concealing murderous intent.
Ouyang Lie felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his back, soaking him instantly. He never imagined that his deliberate act of disguising himself as a playboy to lure out his political enemies' spies would be seen through by this menacing figure before him! His hands trembled uncontrollably, and to avoid being noticed, he hastily picked up his wine cup, trying to cover it up with drinking. However, his hands shook so badly that some wine spilled, splashing onto his clothes and leaving a dark water stain.
Ouyang Lie's panic intensified; he didn't know how to handle the situation. Just then, Song Ming's voice came again: "You've probably been exposed." His tone was calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet it made Ouyang Lie's heart race. Song Ming's fingertips lightly traced the rim of his glass, producing a soft, tinkling sound, as if playing a silent melody. His gaze fell on Ouyang Lie, seemingly scrutinizing his reaction. After a moment, Song Ming slowly spoke: "Since you've already shown your talent, why don't we cooperate? I can support you. How much of a chance do you think you have?"
Ouyang Lie's mind raced as he weighed the pros and cons. Song Ming's proposal was indeed very attractive, but he also knew that cooperating with this formidable figure was like dealing with a tiger for its skin; a slight misstep could lead to utter ruin. Just as Ouyang Lie was hesitating, a horse's neighing suddenly came from outside the window, followed by a series of chaotic footsteps in the distance. This instantly threw him into a state of panic.
Ouyang Lie stared at the swirling reflection in his cup, his mind in turmoil. With the help of Medicine King Valley, ascending the throne would be within reach, but this would be tantamount to inviting a wolf into the house. He recalled his grandfather's dying words to his father: "The people of Medicine King Valley are either friends or enemies. That old Valley Master is your own uncle! Yet you, along with your mother, killed his wife and children. How could he not hate you!" In other words, for all these years, Medicine King Valley had hated the Western Regions, and now their new Valley Master was extending an olive branch, clearly seeing through his predicament and wanting to seize the opportunity to bring the Western Regions under their control—if he refused, he might not even be able to leave this tavern.
"Valley Master Song is too kind," he forced a smile. "Without your help, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to drink this cup of wine in peace." Under the table, the two men's feet were already locked in a silent struggle, Song Ming's grip as firm as an iron clamp, but he relaxed slightly when he heard the word "nephew." It seemed he knew about the old Valley Master's grudges with the Western Regions.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, as if something urgent had happened. Song Ming's men rushed in, walked straight to Song Ming's side, leaned down, and whispered a few words in his ear. Song Ming's previously calm face instantly turned extremely gloomy. He stood up abruptly, so violently that the jade pendant on his seat was swept to the ground, leaving a deep white mark on the table.
Ouyang Lie happened to catch a glimpse of this scene. His gaze followed the white mark and landed on the sheepskin map. A clear marker on the map indicated the border fortress between the Western Regions and the Great Xia. Ouyang Lie's heart tightened; he realized the significance of this marker was extraordinary. However, before he could ponder it further, Song Ming had already turned and left, leaving behind only a cold remark: "Ninth Prince, take care of yourself."
Ouyang Lie gazed in the direction Song Ming had left, looking at the empty seat, a strange unease rising in his heart. Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to something on the table—a bronze token engraved with the character "medicine," its surface gleaming with a faint yellow light, looking quite exquisite.
Ouyang Lie hesitated for a moment, but finally reached out and grasped the bronze token in his hand. The moment his fingers touched it, he could feel the slight coolness emanating from the bronze, as if it were a reminder of the responsibility and obligation it carried. He gripped the token tightly, so tightly that his knuckles turned slightly white. This bronze token was both a covenant and a shackle for him. From this day forward, he would likely have to obey the orders of Medicine King Valley, and all of this was beyond his expectations.