Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan Volume 13 Chapter 2 part2

Li Shimin was slightly startled; and then he laughed aloud and raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp. After wiping the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, he spoke with an air of authority, "Then we'll do it as Xu Xiong wishes! Besides, this kind of man-woman affair, how could we, as outsiders, care about it?”

Forcing a smile, Xu Ziling said, "This remark of yours is more formidable than talking straight; Li Shimin is worthy to be Li Shimin.”

Li Shimin's eyes gleamed brightly; he carefully looked at Xu Ziling for a while and then said with a sigh, "Ziling Xiong has really changed a lot. In terms of outward appearance, poise, and imposing attitude, you are exuding confidence.”

Xu Ziling replied indifferently, "Shimin Xiong needs not praise me too much. Xu Ziling is nothing more than uncouth man of the mountain and fields, unlike Shimin Xiong, who is a dragon among men, who seized the rugged Guanzhong in order to raise your influence, slowly looking at the wind and the rain outside the Pass, staking everything against each other, and thus stabilizing your position as the overlord.”

This time it was Li Shimin's turn to smile wryly; shaking his head, he said, "Ziling Xiong, please do not mock me. At best, I, Li Shimin, am merely a high-ranking military officer of the vanguard regiment in my father and brother's effort to take over the world; what overlord position are you talking about?”

Xu Ziling's pair of tiger-eyes shot a sharp, terrifying gleam, as he spoke in heavy voice, "A pearl has always been a pearl; even if momentarily it is covered by grass, one day it will reveal its brilliance. How could Shimin Xiong be willing to accept an inferior status compared to others?”

Li Shimin was silent for half a day, his eyes gradually brightened, followed by a grieved expression of dissatisfaction. He said in low voice, "When I helped my humble father raising an army at Taiyuan that day, he promised us, brothers, that whoever could take down Guanzhong would be appointed his heir apparent. At that time he privately told me, ‘This matter depends entirely on you standing with all your strength. If we succeed, naturally the merit will belong to you, and I certainly will establish you as the heir apparent.'” And then his eyes gleamed with cold rays as he continued, "At that time I replied to him, ‘The Emperor Yang is tyrannical, people are in a terrible situation, outstanding heroes are rising together, Child only wish to assist Die to overthrow the tyrant, to free the common people from the pain of being hanged upside down [i.e. extremely critical situation]. As for other things, Child does not dare to have any delusion.'”

Knitting his brows, Xu Ziling said, "Since Shimin Xiong already has this way of thinking, why did just now you show a dissatisfied look?”

Li Shimin dejectedly replied, "Because I was afraid Dage would be just another Emperor Yang, then I would have been guilty of terrible crimes. Otherwise, even if my humble father is burdened by the promise he made to his wife, but since ancient times there is always this ancestral way of ‘establishing the son of first wife as chief', and thus I have nothing to say.”

Xu Ziling had a deep veneration toward Li Shimin in his heart. Because on the basis of his keen perception, when Li Shimin was telling him about all these things, he was expressing the truth, he was baring his bemoaning-the-state-of-the-universe-and-pity-the-fate-of-mankind heart.

Li Shimin suddenly stretched out his arm to grab Xu Ziling's shoulder. His tiger-eyes penetrating deep into Xu Ziling's soul, he said, "I have always hidden this deep within my heart, and have never poured it out in front of anybody else. But seeing Xu Xiong today, I was unable to restrain my emotions and thus spoke it out. It even surprised myself. Or perhaps in my heart I have always regard you and Kou Zhong as my best friends!”

Xu Ziling's heart warmed up, but it also turned cold.

Warmed up because of Li Shimin's friendly feeling, cold because of the thought that one day Kou Zhong and Li Shimin would face each other in the battlefield.

"Well said!” suddenly someone called out in low voice.

Startled, the two men looked up, only to see the only remaining guest in the wine shop, who was sitting on the opposite corner farthest away from where they were. He was having his back against them, as he poured wine and drank alone.

Li Shimin and Xu Ziling exchanged some glances; they were unable to hide the astonishment in their hearts.

This man obviously had just come in, but the two did not have any idea when. Plus when the two were talking, they used their internal energy to suppress their voices as much as possible and focused the sound so that it would not scatter outside. Furthermore, the opposite party was at least five, six zhang away from them. If he was really able to hear their exchange, it would mean that he must be a first-rate martial art master.

From the back, this person looked slim and elegant, exuding a confidence and suave aura. His long, shiny black hair was tied into a bun on top of his head. In short, he was very attractive.

Raising his voice, Li Shimin said, "Was Xiongtai's remark just now directed to Zaixia?”

Without even turning his head, the man spoke indifferently, "There's only the three of us here, even the waiters have been dismissed by this Ol' Qin. To whom did Li Xiong think my remark was addressed to?”

Hearing that, Li Shimin and Xu Ziling looked at each other. A profound and unfathomable feeling appeared on their faces.

But his voice was deep; he spoke slowly, but it was extremely sweet sounding. It did not appear to be malicious.

It should be noted that Li Shimin was the most important figure of the Li Clan. About ninety-percent of Li Yuan's rivers and mountains were won over by him. If his whereabouts was leaked out, who among the hostile major powers did not wish to get him?

Were it not for his trust toward Xu Ziling, he would never show himself. Just from this little fact, it was obvious that Li Shimin really regarded Xu Ziling as a good friend.

Focusing his power to listen, Xu Ziling found no unusual activity outside the wine shop. Feeling relieved, he spoke indifferently, "Qin Xiong, why don't you come over to have a cup of wine?”

The man calmly replied, "Xu Xiong is too polite, but the Ol' Qin has always been a recluse. Talking this way is actually more comfortable for me.”

Li Shimin laughed aloud and said, "There are many unconventional scholars in the world. May I ask how should we address Qin Xiong?”

The man spoke slowly, "Names and surnames are just artificial marks; two gentlemen can call me Qin Chuan!”

More and more the two men felt that this man was not simple.

Xu Ziling said in astonishment, "Please forgive me for talking too much, but Qin Xiong must be a follower of Buddha, or perhaps you are related [by karma] with the Buddhist way. I wonder if I have guessed wrong?”

Stunned, Li Shimin looked at Xu Ziling; he was completely unable to make any sense of the matter, how could Xu Ziling make such an unexpected speculation just by looking at the person's back and hearing him said a few words?

However, without giving it the slightest bit of thought, Qin Chuan replied, "Xu Xiong's perception is indeed extraordinarily brilliant. Just now, were it not for the Ol' Qin entered in when Xu Xiong was crouching on the table, I am afraid I would not have escaped Xu Xiong's detection.”

Li Shimin was shocked, "Qin Xiong was trailing me?” he asked.

Chapter end