"Dispose of them?" His voice was low.
"Then all our plans would come to nothing."
Ha Dan looked into Ba Tu's eyes and fell silent for several breaths.
"Ba Tu, we're out of time!"
"When Wo Lie instructed the Hadajin Tribe to cross the border and slaughter Lin Ziwei's caravan, he wanted to provoke a conflict between Great Wan and Yan and destroy their border trade. You learned of it and seized the caravan first."
Ba Tu's Adam's apple bobbed. Veins throbbed at the temples of his dark face.
"What exactly were you after?" Ha Dan asked.
"We won't survive this winter. At first, I only wanted Lin Ziwei to authorize the sale of grain to us. Then I would let them go..." Ba Tu said.
"You also wanted Yan to owe you a favor. Am I right? You wanted to buy grain from Yan in secret. But that's impossible. Once Wo Lie finds out, he can wipe out our entire tribe for colluding with the enemy. He won't spare even the elderly or the children."
Ha Dan said.
"What if we hand the caravan over to Wo Lie now?" he asked, his voice carrying a desperate hope he did not believe in himself.
Ha Dan shook his head. "That would still be a capital offense. You've already done it. You know what Wo Lie is like. He won't let us off."
Ba Tu slammed the earthenware jug in his hand onto the low table. Herbal liquor splashed from its mouth, spreading into a small dark stain across the tabletop.
"So you're saying there's no way out except killing them?"
Ha Dan did not answer. He merely watched Ba Tu in silence. His silence was answer enough.
A deathly hush fell over the great tent again. The flames in the