Dino is Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces

Lai Hu'er's expression changed abruptly, and with a stern and threatening tone, he stepped closer to Li Dong. The situation instantly grew critical.

Li Dong was well aware of the immediate danger. Although the imperial tent of Emperor Yang of Sui was merely a stray arrow's distance away, the Emperor lived in deep seclusion and took no personal notice of matters outside his tent. When brawls broke out among the garrison soldiers, or when someone committed murder or assassination, the generals and personal guards handled the situation, simply informing the Emperor of the outcome afterward.

As a Grand General, Lai Hu'er only needed to give a single command to have the garrison soldiers arrest Li Dong, and they would swarm him with overwhelming force. Inside a military camp, a single individual stood no chance against nearly a million fierce soldiers. Afterward, they could find a remote corner to execute Li Dong, and General Lai could simply report to the Sui Emperor that he had fallen bravely in battle.

No matter how much Emperor Yang of Sui appreciated Li Dong, once a person was dead, that was the end of it—at most, the Emperor would bestow a generous reward for a lavish burial. Who possessed the divine powers of a celestial immortal to resurrect Li Dong and deliver him back into the Emperor's hands?

When an emperor favored someone, there were oceans of people full of envy, jealousy, and hatred. Without a broad and dense network of relationships, without the backing of powerful and intricate factions, receiving the emperor's favor was like holding a hot potato or standing as an ant on a hot pan—one risked dropping it from the burns at any moment, or being roasted alive.

The Emperor was not your personal bodyguard; he could not accompany you every second of the day. Once you left his side, what kind of accident could not happen at any moment?

Having just achieved a minor victory at Liaodong city, the camp was in dire need of personnel. General Lai Hu'er wielded immense military power and could not be dealt with just yet. It was not that retribution would not come, but that the time was not yet right! At least not now; there was still a long way to go.

"Reporting to the General, as long as the General gives his orders, this subordinate will certainly not live up to expectations. It shall be done!" Li Dong hurriedly bowed, adopting a humble and respectful demeanor. Changing the subject, he asked, "There is one matter I do not quite understand, and I wish to seek the General's guidance. Please enlighten me on how I should proceed."

"Oh?" Lai Hu'er was greatly surprised. What other matter could there be? If he did not ask, wouldn't they go straight to see His Majesty and have the matter glossed over? However, he needed Li Dong's support right now, and seeing the troubled look on his face, he lowered his voice and asked, "What is it? Just speak your mind."

Even as he spoke, Lai Hu'er's threat remained, and the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere had not yet dissipated.

Li Dong then concisely recounted what Eulji Mundeok and Sai Yu'er had told him when he scaled the city wall for the second time regarding Fei Qingnu's secret collusion with the enemy.

Lai Hu'er's expression changed drastically, and he was deeply shocked! A few days ago, during the Battle of the Salsu River, Fei Qingnu had indeed disappeared for a period of time, only reappearing an hour later. Could he really have become an insider for Goguryeo? Throughout his life, Fei Qingnu had followed him through countless battles in the south and north, contributing great military achievements and long putting life and death out of his mind. How could he betray his country for glory out of fear of death? Yet, what Eulji Mundeok said seemed to trace back to actual events, and he could not simply ignore it.

Seeing that there was no one else nearby, Lai Hu'er concealed his turmoil and said, "We cannot rule out the possibility that Eulji Mundeok is using a scheme of alienation. When I return, I shall interrogate him thoroughly, ascertain the facts, and then make a final judgment. Let us set this matter aside for now and not report it to His Majesty yet."

When Li Dong had fallen from the city wall, he too had realized that he had fallen for the enemy's alienation scheme. Although his impression of Fei Qingnu was not particularly good, he remained ambivalent about whether Fei Qingnu was a spy. Before the facts were established, he could not make a rash decision, so he nodded in agreement with Lai Hu'er.

By throwing out the matter of Fei Qingnu, Li Dong had caught Lai Hu'er off guard, almost throwing him off balance. Once it was verified that such a matter truly existed, even a hundred heads would not be enough for the Emperor to chop off.

At that moment, Lai Hu'er's sole focus was to ferret out Fei Qingnu, question him clearly, and find out whether the matter was true. Consequently, he bypassed the conflict with Li Dong and hesitated before bringing him into the Sui Emperor's imperial tent.

Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang, was anxiously pacing back and forth inside the imperial tent, terrified that Li Dong might have been shot or hacked to death by the enemy.

Out of a million garrison soldiers, they had managed to meticulously select a single good soldier—one whose daring, courage, and martial prowess were all top-tier. If he were to perish before they even met, wouldn't that be a massive loss?

As long as this man remained alive, he had to be heavily rewarded to boost morale. He wanted to show those generals and garrison soldiers that as long as one showed absolute loyalty to the court, anything was possible!

Hearing the personal guard loudly announce that General Lai requested an audience, Yang Guang felt a surge of joy. The departure and return had been swift; it must be good news! He hurriedly turned and peered toward the tent entrance.

Sure enough, trailing behind General Lai's tall figure was another person. From his build, it was clearly that small garrison soldier who had scaled the enemy city wall three times. Delighted, Yang Guang instructed, "Come in!"

Lai Hu'er led Li Dong before Yang Guang, bowed, and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate has brought the garrison soldier Dang Yuqian."

Li Dong hurriedly stepped forward, bowed all the way, and said, "Dang Yuqian pays respects to Your Majesty!"

"Oh???" Hearing Li Dong's alias, Yang Guang was also extremely surprised. He thought to himself that this name was quite strange; did his Great Sui realm actually possess such a surname? Today had truly opened his eyes. He asked, "You are that garrison soldier who scaled the enemy city walls three times?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty! This is entirely due to Your Majesty's brilliant guidance. Inspired by Your Majesty, every garrison soldier strives bravely to kill the enemy in order to repay the court's grace of appreciation." Everything Li Dong said was utterly insincere. These were polite pleasantries, nothing more than flattery aimed at buttering up Yang Guang.

To rescue Dou Jiande and his companion from the fire pit, it required a single command from the Emperor; only then would Lai Hu'er release them. First, he had to flatter the Emperor and put him in a blissful mood, because once the Emperor was happy, his goal could be achieved. Thus, Li Dong did not skimp on flattering words, praising him extravagantly.

While speaking, Li Dong stole a glance at Yang Guang, noting his full face and exceptional bearing. Placed in an ordinary civilian household, he would undoubtedly have been considered a handsome man. His expression carried an innate majesty that brooked no anger, radiating an unapproachable dignity. This was a man above men—someone who had long issued commands and controlled the fates of others, cultivating a sort of divine authority.

If one looked closely, however, one could faintly perceive beneath that majestic facade a trace of brutality and an arrogance born of excessive self-confidence. Not a shred of benevolence or gentleness could be seen on his face; there was only awe-inspiring might!

Yang Guang was sent floating on air by Li Dong's flattering words. With a satisfied laugh, he ordered, "Provide a seat!"

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, furniture resembling modern chairs circulated only among the upper royal family and great aristocratic clans, and had not yet spread widely among the common people. Back then, however, they were not called chairs, but rather "hu-chuang" (barbarian beds)—four wooden legs supporting a wooden board with armrests on both sides, far cruder than modern chairs.

Even so, it was far more comfortable than kneeling on felt mats. No matter who knelt on mats, after a long time, their waist and knees would inevitably grow sore and numb, causing great fatigue. Presumably because human buttocks are thick and elastic, sitting on a chair allowed one to sway left and right, far superior to stabbing the leg bones of one's lower body directly into the equally hard ground.

The seat Yang Guang offered meant having his personal guards bring a "hu-chuang" for Li Dong. This was an exceptionally high and grand honor. In the presence of the Emperor, even grand generals and princes with towering achievements rarely received such treatment.

Li Dong hurriedly expressed his gratitude, yet he dared not sit down. Lai Hu'er was still standing right beside them!

Yang Guang cast a cold glance at Lai Hu'er and drew out his words, asking, "Does General Lai have any other matters to report? If not, you may withdraw.孤 (Gu) and Dang Yuqian have much to discuss! We have no temporary need of you."

Caught between a rock and a hard place regarding the matter of Fei Qingnu, Lai Hu'er was more than happy to leave the imperial tent and go investigate the truth. How could he dare withdraw without the Emperor's command? Now that it suited his exact wishes, he hurriedly bowed and took his leave. Before departing, he cast a meaningful look at Li Dong, implying that he should lobby well on his behalf before Yang Guang.

Stealing a glance at that look, Li Dong gave a slight nod of his chin, which amounted to accepting the request.

Only then did Lai Hu'er leave with a reassured mind. Li Dong then seated himself on the hu-chuang.

Having rushed over, Li Dong had not had time to find new clothes to change into, and was still wearing a tattered set of garrison armor.

Seeing that his clothes were ragged and emitted a musty odor, Yang Guang frowned and barked, "Bring me one of my robes!"

A personal guard acknowledged the order and stepped out of the tent, returning within moments holding a purple silk robe.

Smiling cheerfully, Yang Guang instructed Li Dong to change into it.

Li Dong's expression tightened. He hurriedly stood up, bowed once more, and repeatedly declined. A purple silk robe! Aside from high-ranking court officials of the fifth rank and above, who had the qualification to wear one? These were the clothes of the Emperor! How could a lowly garrison soldier dare wear them so casually? Usurpation of attire was a capital offense punishable by the extermination of one's entire clan!

Yang Guang's expression turned fierce as he widened his eyes and demanded, "Bring out the courage you used to scale the enemy city walls! It is merely a piece of clothing; how can someone who hesitates and cringes ever accomplish earth-shattering deeds? I am telling you to wear it, so who dares raise objections? I shall have his head for questioning!"

Only then did Li Dong put it on. The silk fabric was indeed soft and smooth, feeling as light as nothing when worn, bringing a floating sort of comfort. He had no choice but to thank Yang Guang once more.

Seeing him dressed in it, the Dragon Heart of Emperor Yang was greatly pleased. Returning to his imperial throne, he asked appreciatively, "Tell me the truth: why did you repeatedly charge up the city walls? Did you not know that fighting a hundred men alone is extremely dangerous?"

Li Dong knew that Yang Guang was a stubborn emperor; once he set his mind on something, he would achieve it at all costs. Anyone who defied his will would provoke imperial wrath, spilling blood five paces away.

That the Emperor had invited him to the imperial tent, bestowed a seat, and gifted him clothes made his appreciation self-evident. It was nothing more than Li Dong displaying the mighty prestige of the Great Sui, adding glory to the Emperor's face. Afterward, the Emperor would demonstrate to everyone how lavishly he treated him, using it as an incentive to encourage generals and garrison soldiers to emulate him, fight bravely on the battlefield, and swiftly secure victory in this campaign.

With high-spirited emotion, Li Dong replied, "I have received the boundless grace of the Emperor, and fighting bravely to kill the enemy is the fundamental duty of a garrison soldier. To repay Your Majesty's towering grace, I am willing to smash my body and scatter my bones without the slightest regret! Furthermore, our Great Sui possesses vast lands spanning the four seas and countless talents. The emergence of a single warrior is truly insignificant. In my humble opinion, before long, a multitude of warriors will surely emerge, surging forth wave upon wave without end!"

"Hahahahaha!" Yang Guang was indeed tickled pink by Li Dong's grand words. Stroking his sparse beard, he laughed, "I thought you were merely a martial brute possessing nothing more than valor and fearlessness. I never expected your eloquence to be so exceptional; you have truly scratched the exact spot that tickled my heart!"

After laughing for a moment, Yang Guang withdrew his smile, gazed out of the tent, and said softly in a trance-like voice, "In my memory, throughout most of my life, only three events and four people have achieved this. As for the others, we won't mention them—even if I did, you wouldn't know who they were. Let us speak simply of your two fellow townsmen."

"When Zhishiliao raised an army in rebellion, Li Dong of Zhangqiu and Zhang Xutuo of Qijun defeated them, greatly opening my imperial heart. And you, Dang Yuqian, are the fourth person!" Yang Guang reached out to Li Dong, curled back his thumb, and shook four fingers in praise.

Li Dong's face flushed red! The four people he mentioned were actually three! Both Li Dong and Dang Yuqian were him!

Overjoyed, Yang Guang bellowed, "Therefore, as long as you ask anything of me, mountains of gold and silver I shall bestow upon you without hesitation, provided you can bring yourself to ask!"