With those words as a guarantee, what was there left to be afraid of?
Qian Yong immediately declared with bold gusto, "Good! With your word, Ning Tu Nan, old Qian will see this through with you. Let's bet big! This time, we're not just wagering our lives and fortunes—we're putting our last fundoshi on the line, too! If we win, I'll host the victory celebration!"
It wasn't easy to get those words out of Qian Yong.
He was so smooth and cautious that he hardly seemed like a traditional Martial Gall Warrior. His social circle was exceptionally selective, and there weren't many among the civil and military officials of the Imperial Court he'd invite to dinner. "Ning Yan" smiled. "A word once spoken cannot be overtaken by a team of four horses. General, you're definitely hosting this feast."
Her confidence made even Kang Shi glance sideways.
To be honest, even the inveterate gambler in him wasn't completely sure they'd win. But seeing "Ning Yan" so confident, his heart settled, and he promptly accepted the invitation as well. The tense atmosphere eased after just a few words, and the pressure vanished.
"Ning Yan" was naturally confident.
Just as she'd guessed, Mei Meng and the alliance of the southwestern states weren't truly of one mind. She'd even risked deceiving her Sovereign by appearing at the front lines this time. After being demoted previously, Mei Meng had shut her doors to visitors and then been ambushed. Her conflict with Cui Zhi had also become public, and the two seemed to be headed toward a situation where one of them would have to go. The Sovereign of Qi Country had sided with the aristocratic families, and the two major allies Cui Zhi had brought in—Gongyang Yongye and Luo Yuan—were precisely the sort of support