In the hall, Liu Cheng wore an ocher brocade deep robe, his faint smile serene. "Brother Wang, it's been days since we last met. Have you been well?"
The moment Wang Yang saw Liu Cheng, he felt that something about him had changed. He seemed to have returned to the calm confidence he had shown at their first meeting. Looking closer, though, Wang Yang noticed a difference: before, it had been confidence; this time, it was inexplicable confidence!!!
Has he perked up again?
Wang Yang smiled. "Very well, very well. You're looking healthy, Brother Liu."
The sight of Wang Yang's utterly untroubled smile irritated Liu Cheng. Abandoning the false pleasantries, he cut straight to the point and spoke rapidly:
"Brother Wang, there really is no deep-seated enmity between us. We both come from families of standing, and those little disputes before were mostly misunderstandings. Why take them to heart? 'Men like us will one day hold office and govern.' We cannot afford to be small-minded. Why not turn enemies into friends and put all our past grievances behind us? Do you agree, Brother Wang?"
Like a robot, Liu Cheng delivered the whole speech stiffly in a single breath, his voice barely changing, as though reciting lines. Then he stared at Wang Yang.
That inexplicable confidence is gone again? Isn't he switching states a little too fast?
But what you just said... which of us has actually been taking it to heart? Which of us is small-minded?
Now you realize we have no deep-seated enmity? Weren't you the one who started everything before?
Has this fellow turned over a new leaf?
Still, that didn't sound heartfelt. It sounded memorized.
Wang Yang could not be bothered to determine whether Liu Cheng was sincere. In any case, he would meet soldiers with generals