A little thatched hut, a broad straw mat, and bone chimes swaying in the wind.
Tables, couches, chests, shelves, jars, urns, bowls, pots, woven rattan baskets, and pickled fish and vegetables pressed beneath stones-nothing was lacking.
A thin young man bowed his head and bent at the waist, clasping his hands in greeting.
His cheekbones protruded slightly, his hair was a little disheveled at the temples, and his chin was clean-shaven, with only a faint blue shadow remaining. A smooth, polished wooden stick secured his topknot. Though he looked somewhat haggard, he had kept himself scrupulously clean. His bow, in particular, revealed a certain graceful bearing, lending even his old clothes, washed almost white, an air that set him apart.
The Young Chieftain frowned as he surveyed the furnishings in the hut. Seeing a neatly arranged row of earthenware urns against the wall, he lifted several lids and peered inside, then snorted.
"You have it more comfortable here than I do in my tent."
Liu Cheng maintained his posture, his voice respectful without being servile.
"It is all thanks to your care, Junior Chief. I am endlessly grateful."
The Young Chieftain snorted coldly and offered no reply. He paced around the hut, inspecting its contents, then casually picked up a handful of dried medicinal herbs. Liu Cheng's heart drummed with apprehension. As he wondered what this meant, the Young Chieftain asked:
"Who was that Han man captured with you that day?"
Liu Cheng considered briefly before answering:
"A son of the Langya Wang clan."
So he really was a Langya Wang...
"What sort of man is he?" the Young Chieftain asked next.
Cunning and deceitful! Despicable and shameless! In sinister scheming, he stands first in all Jingzhou!
In the past, Liu Cheng would certainly have launched into a tirade against