The Gong Fang Chieftain stood on the raised platform, motionless for a long while.
Below the platform, You Hun sensed that something was wrong.
He was not clever, but he remembered that the last person who had refused to drink horse blood during an alliance ceremony was King Zhou.
Not only had he refused to drink it, he had cut down the Tu Fang Leader on the spot.
You Hun cried out, "Quick! Send men up!"
The guards tried to climb onto the platform.
But they were too late.
You Hun's face turned ashen. They were finished.
He nearly fainted. Not only had he failed to snag any credit, but if Huang Feihu was taken hostage or killed, he would shoulder the blame instead.
He had no doubt whatsoever about the Gong Fang Chieftain's capabilities. After all, Huang Feihu wore no armor and carried neither saber nor sword, whereas the Gong Fang Chieftain must have prepared a weapon for the assassination.
You Hun's shrill voice tore from his throat. "If you dare harm a single hair on Protector Huang's head, everyone here will be killed without mercy!"
Several tribal chieftains whom the Gong Fang Chieftain had stirred up seized the chance to make trouble. "Did you all hear that?"
"The Shang people don't keep their word! If anything happens to Huang Feihu, we'll all die. But what have we done wrong? We haven't done anything! The Gong Fang Chieftain acted on his own! We might as well kill Huang Feihu together, escape into the grasslands, and rally our forces anew. We are descendants of the grassland spirits. We will never be slaves!"
Some tribal chieftains looked delighted, while others were filled with anxiety. None dared act rashly, however. They still had to see whether the Gong Fang Chieftain would succeed.