"Yes, I can indeed fly..."
A heavily armored cavalryman wearing a full-face helmet answered in a low voice.
While answering, he took off the tightly covered helmet.
"Your Majesty?! Why are you here?!"
Raphael was shocked when he saw Li Ang suddenly appeared.
"I originally just wanted to see with my own eyes what was going on with Gatu people who migrated here, but I never expected that I would meet Mr. Zakar..."
Li Ang wiped the sweat covered by the helmet. "Zakar, where is your camp? Do you mind treating me to dinner?"
Zakar was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Li Ang Your Majesty? You are so brave... You invited me to dinner, and you actually plan to eat in my camp?"
As he spoke, he wiped the paint on his face, pulled off the camouflage bundles on his body, and arranged his equipment. It seemed that he was trying to make himself look tidier - this Gatu warlord seemed to be very particular about respectability.
"What, you're not happy? Then you can come back to Long River City with me. I will definitely feed you with good food and drink every day..."
Li Ang threw the helmet in his hand to Sigismund, spread his hands and stepped forward. "I like to eat roasted whole lamb, can your chef cook it?"
Zakar had already cleaned up the grass blades on his body. He took off his camouflage cloak that was covered with soil and threw it to the soldiers behind him. He also opened his hands to welcome him. "Everyone on the grassland can cook roast lamb. You are welcome to come to my home. Your Majesty, Li Ang, you can eat as much roast lamb as you want... But, do you really dare to come to my home for dinner?"
Li Ang looked at the burly man in front of him with a smile, rubbed his hands and nodded vigorously. "Since there is roasted lamb to eat, what should we not dare to do... Let's go, let's go quickly."
An impatient look.
Zakar was stunned again, and a smile appeared on his sturdy face, "According to the customs on the grassland, guests should be entertained with delicious food and drinks when they come. It is considered a good meal if the guests cannot go home... Aren't you afraid that you will never be able to go back to my house?"
"Oh? What's another good thing? Roast lamb every day?"
Li Ang was overjoyed. "Is there a beautiful girl to warm the bed? If everything is available, then it doesn't matter if I go back or not..."
"Hahaha...Li Ang Your Majesty..."
Zakar laughed and looked at Li Ang with deep appreciation, "You are really different from the king Raven Territory. I admire your courage... If it were me, I would definitely not dare to go to your house for dinner."
"You are already ready to occupy my house, and you still say you don't dare to eat from my house? Zakar, you are dishonest..."
Li Ang shook his head and sighed.
"Occupying your home? You may have some misunderstandings, Your Majesty Li Ang..."
Zakar frowned slightly.
"If you didn't plan to occupy my home, then why did you send so many troops to my territory?"
Li Ang curled his lips and asked sideways, "Besides, if Sigismund didn't discover your whereabouts, what were you planning to do in ambush here?"
"Of course it's robbery... If you bring such a big convoy to your door, wouldn't it be a big loss if I don't rob it?"
Zakar said confidently.
How interesting...
They sent two thousand troops to the territory of New Kingdom of Pendor, but they kept hiding and did not plunder for more than half a month;
But he himself led more than a hundred people to engage in road robbery in this wilderness?
This level of lying is really not good.
"I've never seen someone wearing makeup like this during a robbery."
Li Ang looked at the Jatu rider behind Zakar and curled his lips. "You obviously want to attack Lion Lake City... Zakar, let me just say that you are dishonest. Every sentence is a lie. Is it possible that your achievements and reputation were all obtained through lies?"
Zakar and the guards around him were camouflaged in camouflage. This was certainly not for robbery. They were probably just like Li Ang, who came out to investigate the military situation in person.
While sending a large number of cavalry to enter the country, he moved the tribe to the east of Lion Lake City, and also personally investigated the military situation - most of this was for the purpose of plotting against Lion Lake City, or even for all towns in Northern Bay.
Although he always had a smile on his face, Li Ang actually felt a little heavy in his heart right now.
Because Zakar's behavior does not conform to the logic of a looter - Zakar is not trying to rob money and food, he is trying to occupy and rule!
He wants to truly conquer the countries surrounding Gatu Grasslands, instead of just grabbing a vote and leaving as usual!
If nothing unexpected happens, someone in New Kingdom of Pendor is doing transactions with Zakar...
After all, no one has ever been able to find such a large army - thousands of horses. If there were no insiders to help them hide and provide horse materials, how could their whereabouts not be discovered at all?
So Li Ang will take the initiative to expose himself here, and he wants Zakar to focus on himself.
"Okay, I admit, I originally planned to take a look at Lion Lake City's armaments... I was indeed planning to attack Lion Lake City. However, Your Majesty Li Ang, why are you here dressed like this?"
Zakar also curled his lips and pointed at Li Ang.
Li Ang is now dressed like an ordinary cavalryman. Even his weapons are standard equipment. Even Raphael didn't recognize him after putting on his helmet.
Li Ang sighed and pointed to the carriage behind him, "I want to see the situation of your tribe with my own eyes and give you some gifts myself. Zakar, I am different from you, I am an honest person..."
"Bring me a gift?"
Zakar looked at those carriages, and then at Li Ang, with disbelief on his face.
"Of course! I have never liked fighting, I only like making friends... The gifts I brought are all the rarest and precious commodities on the grassland!"
Li Ang waved his hand, and Sigismund next to him cooperated and lifted the tarpaulin on a carriage.
This carriage is filled with exquisite lead utensils and spices - this carriage comes from Bax. Emperor Marius has set a very high commodity tax on lead pots. Due to the low cost performance, only nobles will buy these things in Bax, so most of them have become unsaleable inventory.
Various lead pots and lead wine glasses shone with dazzling silver light in the sun, and the rich fragrance spread as the tarpaulin was lifted. Gatu people behind Zakar all took a deep breath subconsciously.
"Hiss..."
Zakar's eyes widened, and he obviously took a deep breath. "These are all valuable and good things... are they really given to me?"
"Of course, otherwise why would I bring them to this wilderness?"
Li Ang stretched out his hand and gestured to the carriage behind him. "Zakar, these dozens of carriages of goodies are all given to you."
"Why?"
Zakar frowned, his face full of confusion.
"I said, I don't like fighting, I just like making friends... I will bring gifts to your house and talk to you about our friendship. I hope you can entertain me with delicious food and drinks the same way you entertain friends."
Li Ang turned around and picked up a small glass from another carriage and threw it to Zakar: "Friendship is hard-won like glass, and it is also easy to break like glass. You have to catch it..."
Zakar took the glass with both hands, took a look at it, carefully put the cup into his arms, and took a deep breath.
Then, he spread his hands and bowed. "Your Majesty Li Ang, thank you for your generosity, and sincerely invite you to my camp as a guest."
At night, a large bonfire as tall as a person was lit in the Gatu people camp.
Hundreds of people gathered around the bonfire and danced the horse dance of the Jatu tribe.
There are dozens of large grills on the outside, and many hanging pots on the outside. The delicious aroma of mutton soup and the fishy smell of roasted mutton permeate the entire camp at the same time.
Many Jatu girls shuttled among the crowd, delivering delicious broth to the soldiers under Li Ang.
Those Jatu warriors who were originally extremely vicious had also taken off their armor at this time, and went around looking for people to drink with their bare arms and wine bags.
If Gatu people are not enemies, then they are indeed very enthusiastic and straightforward in entertaining their friends.
Although they didn't understand the language, they would still hold wooden cups and laugh with the soldiers, arm-wrestling and drinking. When they got drunk enough, they would drag people out to wrestle. They would not be angry if they were thrown all over their heads. Instead, they would laugh and pat their opponents on the shoulders as a thumbs-up gesture.
Li Ang did not participate in these activities. He did not even drink. Although the injuries on his body had basically healed, he did not want to drink wine poured from a lead pot...
"Li Ang Your Majesty, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Zakar didn't drink either, and he didn't persuade Li Ang to drink - he knew they both needed to stay sober.
He and Li Ang each held a small knife to cut the mutton, and Zakar also gave the sheep's head to Li Ang - this was a sign of respect and indeed a way to entertain distinguished guests.
"When talking about business, you should know that I am a businessman."
Li Ang gestured to the carriages parked outside. "You need salt, metal utensils, cloth and silk, medicines and spices - meat with spices tastes good, right?"
The mutton that covers up the fishy smell is of course much more delicious.
"We do need these... but how do we negotiate a deal? These things are very expensive and we don't have much money..."
Zakar nodded and asked.
These are indeed lacking on the grassland, and these are all necessities of life.
"But you have sheep - I need sheep, especially these delicious goats. Zakar, I can open a mutual trade zone in Fletcher. If you need anything, you can exchange it for sheep. We can discuss a fair price together."
Li Ang looked at Zakar seriously and said, "In this way, you don't have to let the few soldiers out to risk their lives for robbery, and you can concentrate on dealing with Zhu Da or other warlords who disobey you. And I can also reduce spending on border protection and put more energy into the construction of the interior - we all have interests, and we can all reduce losses. There is no need to fight to the death all day long, and you can really slowly build your country on the grassland."
"Li Ang Your Majesty, do you really mind if I build a country in the grassland?"
Zakar also sat upright and asked seriously.
"Why should I mind? I don't plan to live on the grassland for a long time. I have no interest in this place, and I am not a conqueror - I have said that I am a businessman, and I only do things that are beneficial to me and my people. It is not in my interest to go to war with you, because I have to sacrifice countless people, but I will not get much benefit."
Li Ang said very matter-of-factly, "No matter what you do, you always have to measure the input and output, right?"
"You are right... but I have already invested a lot. If I withdraw at this time, all my previous investment will be lost..."
Zakar nodded and sighed.
"Aren't these gifts I brought enough to make up for the cost of sending troops before? How many people did you send to my territory? Two thousand?"
Li Ang said as he took out a paper bag from his arms, cut a few pieces of dark brown paste from it, and applied it on the freshly cut lamb leg.
"Two thousand men, four thousand horses... the value of these precious gifts is of course far beyond their consumption during this period. However, Your Majesty Li Ang, the harvest they can bring to me is far beyond what these gifts can compare with."
Zakar kept staring at Li Ang's movements, and finally couldn't help but ask, "What are you applying? Is it seasoning?"
"Oh, this is Fushou Gao... made from a rare and precious medicinal material. It can not only relieve pain and cough, but also rectify the stomach and treat constipation and diarrhea. It's a very good thing - do you want some?"
Li Ang handed the paper bag to Zakar: "I have suffered many injuries before, and it will hurt at night. And eating too much meat will cause constipation or diarrhea. This can solve both problems... I brought you a whole car."
Zakar took the paper bag and smelled it. "Fushou Gao? It is indeed a very good medicine..."
He also followed Li Ang's example and cut a little bit of it and spread it on the mutton.
"So, do you still think that the gains your army can bring you will far exceed the gifts I brought you?"
Li Ang looked at Zakar and smiled, "You can't beat Long River City, and you can't even count on Lion Lake City - now that I'm here, you should understand, you cannot capture any important town. As for other villages and towns - what if you capture them? Can they be defended? To put it bluntly, without the grassland and mounted archery, the Gatu people defending the city is no different from civilians in my opinion..."
Zakar ate the piece of meat silently, frowning and thinking for a while.
Later, he asked Li Ang with some confusion, "How do you know that I want to capture Long River City? Where did you get the news? Did you plant a spy beside me?"
"Ha...Zakar, you told me yourself."
Li Ang shook his head and smiled, "You said it yourself this afternoon, you are going to attack Lion Lake City. I know that is the truth. A large-scale attack on Lion Lake City means that I have to pull out Long River City's troops for rescue. Then the two thousand cavalrymen you hide in Kewen Village will have a chance to steal Long River City - am I right?"
"How do you know they are at Kewen Village?!"
Zakar was really surprised now.
"Hahaha, I just guessed randomly, but I didn't expect that I guessed it right..."
Li Ang laughed.
In fact, he was not sure about Zakar's tactics, nor did he know where Zakar hid the two thousand cavalry. He was just guessing.
Of course, this guess is not a wild guess. After all, Zakar's goal is probably a certain important town, and Long River City is closer to the grassland, and has been undergoing a lot of construction recently - attacking before Long River City's city wall is completed, of course, became Zakar's first choice.
As for Kewen Village, I am also guessing based on the destination Long River City - only Kewen with few people and the uninhabited land near it can hide a large army without being discovered.
Now that we have guessed these correctly, Li Ang can also guess who Zakar's spy is.