For many hours they rode until they saw many flag-dashing fighting against the gale of the day, Valiantly fluttering above the high gate of Linzu.
The capital of Kun was a modest city with a bronze gate at the four sides of a tall mudded wall. It is not as big as Hannang, the capital of Han, or Ningang, the capital of Ning.
Even so, this city was a primary trade hub in the north. The town was buzzing with trade activity, and for them to reach the main hall, they must enter the bazaar at the center of the city.
Lan made his horse move at snail's speed when he entered the bazaar. He enjoyed the commotion of commoner daily life and other activities. Observation was one of his many skills.
At the front of the Sui Yan tea house, many people gathered on the terrace to listen to some man chattering.
"Joining the Ning would give Kun a favorable trade agreement, possibly free gold coin. Team up with Han, probably provide safety from here on and possibly a small percent of his lost land. But, there was a third option."
The word caught Lan's ears, and he stopped his horse. He opened his ears widened.
"Drunk Yan Liang, what do you mean with the third option?" asked the old man with a noddle black mustache.
"Do not help. Why bother to help them out? They massacred our people nine years ago, right? If our benevolent Duke helps them, then our Duke is dumb!"
"You! Take your word back!" said a man, who almost raised his sword.
The older man's face was reddened. "How dare you say our Duke is dumb!"
"Forgive me, but as a scholar, I must be frank. Maybe he was not dumb, but stupid, imbecile. Maybe because he aged already—"
"I'm Sui Yan. I beg for mercy. Yan Liang is drunk, and he cannot think clearly." The girl placed her body to protect Yan Liang. She is not alone, and many Sui Yan tea house workers do the same.
"Shut up!" Many angry mobs threw eggs and vegetables at Yan Liang. Seeing this, Lan smiled and continued his horse toward the main hall.
"Hah, what a drunk man!" Pin Zin laughed hard and drank his arrack.
"Aia, look who said that." The official then turned to Lan. "My Prince, please forgive what that man said. He is usually smart, but when drunk, he becomes like that, let's hurry. The Duke is waiting."
"Weird, I never saw that drunkard," stated Lan.
"He normally stayed at Inn and played go with other scholars, official, or confusion."
Lan nodded. "What happened to those people anyway? Why did they talk about helping Han or Ning?"
"Han and Ning envoys came and made a ruckus there in the morning. They spit at each other and almost get into a brawl."
"See, Lan, if we didn't watch that battle, we would have joined the brawl!" added Pin Zin.
Lan smiled even wider after hearing those. He looked back and found the crowd had dispersed, and the man named Yan Liang was picking up the eggs and vegetables while the girl rasped something toward him.
Yan Liang made strange eye contact with Lan. The eye that runs away after catching Lan glips.
It looks like those early words of wisdom was edited to deliberate people, so they threw some eggs and tomatoes toward him, and he gained free food.
"What a smart guy."
"Who?" asked the official.
"That man."
"Aia, that Yan Liang, good for nothing scholar. He is a wanderer who went from dukedom to dukedom but originally came from the Sun. He stayed here for almost two years and was looking for a job. But, no one gave him a job."
"A wanderer? Then why did he stay in Kun?"
"Uhm .…"
"Keep an eye on him, Official."
"Yes, my Prince."
After several minutes of riding, they came to the hall gate. Lan, Official, and Pin Zin hurried toward the main hall.
"All you alright?" The beautiful girl dashed toward them.
"Sister Ling, I'm alright, don't—-" Lan's eyes followed Kun Ling, who was just passing by next to him.
That girl was Kun Lan's sister.
Ling immediately turned to Pin Zin's body, checking the young man's proportional body. Her face was worried. "You aren't hurt, aren't you? I heard that you fought some people on the hills."
Pin Zin smiled wryly, "I'm only helping your brother—"
Ling turned and yelled at Lan. "You idiot! Don't lead anyone into danger!" Then she kidnapped Pin Zin. "Come on, let's go to the doctor."
"I am your brother. Are there no words for me other than yelling?" muttered Lan, then sighed softly, waving back at Pin Zin.
"Come, my prince, this way."
Lan and Official proceed to the main hall.
"What happened? Why did my father ask for a meeting?"
"It is about the Han and Ning offer of Alliance."
"An Alliance?"
"Yes, my Prince. Our Duke ordered me to hurry, calling your back from hunting. This is not a small matter. Every high official, head of a royal family, and the general was gathered there."
"It already started? Then am I late?"
"I'm not sure, but Duke said he will wait for every family clan leader to come before he decides."
That was the way of Duke Kuan's benevolent rule. He would wait for everyone to voice what was on their mind.
Some called him indecisive, but Lan and others who had known Duke for a long, they would call his actions cautious.
"Halt!" Two guards closed the primary way with their crossed spears.
"How dare you stop the prince!" has the official.
"Forgive us, but the duke ordered us to stop the prince from using this way. The prince must use the other way there."
It would be his brothers who tried playing a trick with him or his mother or uncle. Maybe they tried to make Lan look bad.
"Are you sure Duke Kuan gave that order?" pondered Lan.
"Aye, it came from the eunuch. Please, my Prince. We are only doing our duty."
****