Le Luoluo suppressed the storm-tossed waves in his heart and was the first to respond:
"Rest assured, Brother Wang. If anyone breathes so much as half a word, never mind you-I won't spare him either!"
Ang Ta immediately declared his position as well, his voice booming like a great bell:
"Once we leave this tent, what happened here today rots in our hearts! Anyone who can't hold his tongue will have his hide stripped off!"
The barbarians answered in unison.
Hearing their voices and seeing Wang Yang's solemn expression as he cupped his hands in acknowledgment, Xiao Baoyue finally emerged from her mental blankness. It was as though she had struggled to thrust her head above deep water and gulped a mouthful of chilly air. A sliver of clarity gathered amid the chaos, only to be swallowed by an even fiercer surge of humiliation and fury. Trembling all over, she stammered incoherently:
"Wh-what child? He's talking nonsense! I never... I've never... He's lying! Where did this child come from? He..."
Wang Yang immediately cut in:
"I was talking nonsense. There is no child. There never was a child!"
As he spoke, he shot meaningful looks at Le Luoluo and Ang Ta.
Le Luoluo chimed in, "There is no child..."
Ang Ta was somewhat speechless. He had thoroughly enjoyed watching the juicy drama earlier, but he had come here on serious business, after all. I'm the chief of an entire tribe. Do you think I'm here to play house with you? Still, he had no choice. This damned business involved two Han envoys; if he refused to give them face, Le Luoluo would gain the upper hand. He hurried to voice his agreement:
"No child. There really is no child..."
Xiao Baoyue felt the scene before her eyes begin to swim!