Chapter 803 Prairie Tavern
"Su He, you are a hypocritical hypocrite, how dare you appear in front of us?"

Upon seeing Su He, Feng Tianba's expression suddenly changed. He walked forward angrily and started scolding him without saying a word.

"You keep saying you are a close friend to Lord Liu, but today you stab me in the back. You are not welcome here..."

"Shut up!" Liu Xunyi, with a gloomy face, suddenly stopped him, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"If he hadn't talked nonsense in front of Hu Lie, maybe we wouldn't have to fight the Mongols three times..."

"What nonsense!"

"Can……"

"Commander Feng, sit down and have some tea."

Li Haitang seized the opportunity and stopped the indignant Feng Tianba behind him, while giving Su He an awkward smile, signaling him not to blame him.

"Brother Su, Feng Tianba..."

"I understand Commander Feng's feelings and won't bother with him." Su He smiled bitterly without caring.

"That's good." Liu Xunyi's attitude was the same as usual, but his words were very unfamiliar. "It's getting late, I wonder what can I do for you, Brother Su?"

"I came to see you..." Su He hesitated, as if he had some reservations. "It's not convenient to talk in the camp. If Brother Liu is not busy... can you go with me to a place?"

"This……"

Regarding the current situation, Liu Xunyi wanted to refuse, but when he saw Su He's nervous and expectant expression, he couldn't say the words on his lips.

"it is good!"

After hesitating for a long time, Liu Xunyi made up his mind, gave a few instructions to Li Haitang and Feng Tianba, and then followed Su He out of the camp.

The golden sun was setting in the west, making the sky darker and darker. Su He and Liu Xunyi, each with their own thoughts, walked silently in the boundless grassland, one in front and one behind. Unknowingly, they had walked seven or eight miles.

"Brother Su, where are we going?" Liu Xunyi looked at Su He who was walking forward with his head down, then looked back at the camp which was getting farther and farther away. Finally, he could no longer suppress his curiosity and took the initiative to break the silence. "There is no village or store in the distance, so feel free to say whatever you want to say."

"We're almost there!" Su He didn't respond to Liu Xunyi's words, and continued, "It'll be there in just another cup of tea."

"Where?"

“A place where you can forget your troubles.”

"This……"

Before Liu Xunyi could continue asking, Su He had already walked farther and farther away. His sturdy figure was reflected by the sunset with a layer of faint colorful halo, as if he was gradually merging with the vast green grassland with lush grass and flying warblers.

A moment later, Liu Xunyi and Su He walked into an undulating grassland. Smoke could be vaguely seen not far away, which seemed particularly strange against the empty and lonely Mobei grassland.

They took a few quick steps in the direction of the smoke, and after climbing over a grassy slope, a pergola with dim candlelight appeared before their eyes.

The crude shed was erected on the grass in a crooked manner. It seemed to be about to fall down when the wind blew and looked extremely fragile.

Under the awning, there was a stove, and beside the stove were piles of milk wine and dried meat. Not far away was a mottled and worn-out long table and two benches full of potholes.

Apart from this, there were only two candlesticks left under the shed, one hanging on the shed pillar and the other placed in the middle of the table.

Dozens of fat sheep gathered around the pergola, leisurely chewing the lush and delicious aquatic plants in the pleasant time between the sun and the moon.

At this time, a hunchbacked old man in his sixties was slowly driving the sheep in the distance with a long whip in his hand, shouting continuously.

Another boy, about thirteen or fourteen years old, was standing by the stove, carefully stirring a pot full of mutton with a large spoon, and occasionally throwing a few handfuls of spices into the steaming soup, making the already fragrant mutton even more delicious. The rich meat aroma drifted in the wind over the vast grassland, seeping into the mouths and noses of Liu Xunyi and Su He who were coming slowly, making the two of them unable to help but salivate and their stomachs rumble.

"Bayin!"

"what……"

When the boy was concentrating on making the broth, Su He tiptoed up to him and suddenly spoke, which frightened the boy named "Bayin" so much that he trembled and the big spoon in his hand fell into the pot with a "clang" and he let out a scream.

"Did you knock over the soup pot again, you rascal?"

An old man in the distance looked in the direction of the sound and walked towards the shed.

"Brother Su!"

When Bayin, who was caught off guard, recognized Su He, the fear in his eyes disappeared instantly, and was replaced by a deep joy.

"Grandpa, it's Brother Su! Brother Su is here!"

While explaining to the cursing old man, Bayin danced around Su He excitedly.

On the other hand, Su He was not at all displeased by the boy's excessive enthusiasm. Instead, he put his arm around his waist, lifted him high above his head like a chicken, and then slowly put him down.

"I haven't seen you for two years. You've gained a lot of weight." "Grandpa told me that only by eating more meat can I be as strong as Brother Su."

Facing Su He's doting, Bayin chuckled, then turned his suspicious gaze to Liu Xunyi, who was standing in the distance with a bewildered look on his face, and asked in astonishment: "He... is Brother Su's friend?"

"Brother Liu, let me introduce him to you," Su He said. "His name is Bayin, and he is from the same tribe as me. The old man herding sheep is called Saihan, Bayin's grandfather, and the owner of this grassland tavern."

"Grassland Tavern?" Liu Xunyi was stunned and looked around subconsciously, "Is this a tavern?"

"It's just a tavern in name. In reality, we can hardly make many business deals in a year or two. My grandson and I don't rely on it for food and drink. We have our own pastures and sheep." Saihan put the whip in his hand aside, and a kind smile appeared on his wrinkled face.

Saihan's steps were a little strange, he limped, and it seemed that his left foot was lame.

"Brother Liu, don't underestimate this old man. He once followed the Great Khan Ogedei in his campaigns and made countless military achievements. In terms of seniority and merit, his current status should be on par with the 'King of Hexi'." Su He explained in a low voice, "But Saihan has always been indifferent to fame and gain. After he lost a leg for the Great Khan Ogedei, he knew that he would never be able to fight again in this life, so he took the initiative to give up the high position and generous salary bestowed by the Khan and resigned to return home to spend his remaining years. This grassland was rewarded to him by the Great Khan Ogedei when he was alive."

Su He's words stunned Liu Xunyi. He stared blankly at the plain-looking Saihan, and could not imagine that this frail old man was once a brave Mongolian general who had defeated thousands of troops.

“Everyone says that Mobei is a place of heroes and a place where dragons and tigers are buried. Seeing it today...it really lives up to its reputation.” Liu Xunyi sighed sincerely and bowed respectfully to Saihan.

At the same time, he could not help but feel a hint of sadness. Mobei was full of warriors, men, women, old and young all admired warriors and worked hard to become stronger.

In comparison, the Song Dynasty, where "the merchant women know nothing of the sorrow of losing their country and still sing the song of the back garden across the river"... seems even more stupid, weak and pitiful.

"A good man never talks about his past achievements. You young people are not ashamed to talk about those trivial things, but I, an old man, am embarrassed to listen." Saihan bowed to Liu Xunyi in return and smiled meaningfully, "This is the first time in more than ten years that Su He has brought friends here."

"Oh?" Liu Xunyi was shocked, and the look he gave Su He became more complicated.

"Looking at the way you are dressed... you don't look like a Mongolian?"

Being interrupted by Saihan, Liu Xunyi hurriedly replied: "Old man, you have good eyesight. I am a Han Chinese."

"Han people?"

Saihan and Bayin looked at each other. Although they didn't say it explicitly, Liu Xunyi could see a hint of surprise in their brows.

"The Han people are great!" Saihan praised. "For thousands of years, the Central Plains has produced countless talented people. When Ogedei Khan was alive, he repeatedly reminded us that if we want the Khanate to be strong, we must abandon the views of other races, make use of scholars from the Central Plains, and follow your example of holding imperial examinations to recruit talents from all over the world."

"Great Khan Ogedei had great foresight, no wonder he was able to defeat the arrogant Jin Dynasty without any chance of resistance."

At this moment, Liu Xunyi couldn't tell whether Saihan's praise was sincere or sarcastic, but his mixed feelings... were so real that they couldn't be more real.

"His name is Liu Xunyi, and he is an envoy sent by the Song Dynasty to negotiate peace with us." Su He seemed to see Liu Xunyi's melancholy and took the initiative to change the subject, "Brother Liu and I have something to discuss. Please prepare some wine and meat for us."

"No problem!" Saihan agreed happily. "Bayin, go cut ten pounds of beef and bring ten jars of milk wine. I'll build a fire and roast a fat sheep for them myself."

"Old man, we can't eat so much, there's no need to go through so much trouble..."

"You are at the age of full vigor, how can you not eat more? When I was your age, I might not be full even if I ate a whole sheep. It's a long night, no one needs to be in a hurry, I will roast slowly and you guys can chat slowly. Haha..."

Before Liu Xunyi could greet them, Saihan and Bayin had already gone about their respective business.

"Brother Liu, the milk wine and roasted whole lamb here are Saihan's specialties. There is no other place like it in the world." Su He pulled the bewildered Liu Xunyi to sit down at the table and said generously, "Remember we agreed to find an opportunity to get drunk and not come back. Today is the day for you and me to fulfill our promise."

"Brother Su..."

"Brother Liu, there is no need to say anything. I will... offer you a jar first!"

Su He took the jar of wine from Bayin, but pushed the wine bowl he had prepared aside and tore off the wine seal. Before Liu Xunyi could react, he had picked up the jar of wine and drank it down with a series of "gulp gulp" sounds. The full jar of milk wine was drunk up by Su He in no time, without a drop left.

"happy!"

Su He threw the empty jar aside and shouted in excitement while burping.

"Brother Su, what are you doing..." Su He was generous, but Liu Xunyi was confused. "Drinking is fine, but there should be a reason. Why did you offer me a jar first..."

"Because what Su is about to say may make Brother Liu... uncomfortable."

"hiss!"

Liu Xunyi was horrified, and his heartstrings, which had just calmed down, tensed up again. He cautiously probed: "Brother Su, what do you mean..."

"Excuse me for being frank." Su He was open-minded and not good at being mysterious, so he said bluntly, "The prince has already contacted me about the Nadam Festival and asked me to represent Mongolia in a competition with you."

"This..." Although Liu Xunyi had expected this, when Su He told him personally, Liu Xunyi still couldn't hide his inner shock and fear, "I wonder...what does Brother Su think?"

"Brother Liu, I..." Su He hesitated, a trace of guilt flashed in his eyes, "This is a destiny bestowed by heaven. As a descendant of Mongolia, Su has no choice but to fulfill it."

……

(End of this chapter)