Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Shao Ge and E He were still at a loss, racking their brains for a solution, when a tribesman suddenly entered, mysteriously and hurriedly reporting that an envoy from Xiliang had arrived to meet them. Both of them were instantly startled, their hearts pounding with confusion and unease. E He's eyes widened as he muttered, "Emissaries from Xiliang? Why would an envoy from Xiliang be here at this hour?" Shao Ge frowned, his face filled with disbelief. "Yes, this is truly strange! What could they be doing here?" The two exchanged glances, unable to fathom the reason.

E He and Shao Ge had a brief exchange of views, but they couldn't guess the purpose of the Xiliang envoy's visit. They didn't dare to neglect him and hurried to greet him outside the tent. Xu Huang was accompanied by two or three soldiers. He was not wearing armor, but casual clothes, with only a sword on his waist. His weapons were held by his followers. He stood at the door in a swaggering manner. The two hurried forward to receive Xu Huang. Xu Huang ignored their enthusiasm and snorted lightly as a return gesture. E He bowed and said, "I wonder what the Han envoy wants to do?" Xu Huang said arrogantly, "I only want to talk to the leader of your tribe." The Qiang soldier next to him couldn't help but say, "How dare you! This is our leader." E He and Shao Ge hurriedly stopped the Qiang soldiers' rudeness. Shao Ge stepped forward and said, "Why don't you invite the Han envoy to the tent?" Xu Huang said arrogantly, "Then why don't you lead the way? What are you thinking?"

E He and Shao Ge cautiously accompanied Xu Huang into the tent, but Xu Huang remained stern-faced, his disdain for everything around him etched in his face. His disapproval of everything made the atmosphere oppressive.

E He and Shao Ge approached with extreme caution, trying to glean some information from Xu Huang's words and actions. But Xu Huang remained silent, completely refusing to reveal the purpose of his visit. E He wondered, "What could this Han envoy's arrogance bring?" Shao Ge was also filled with doubt, but he didn't dare to ask.

As time went on, Xu Huang's attitude grew increasingly arrogant and disrespectful. The nearby Qiang soldiers watched, and resentment gradually grew within them. They felt Xu Huang was trampling on their dignity, and some even clenched their fists and gritted their teeth, struggling to control their emotions. However, E He and Shao Ge dared not show the slightest hint of anger. They knew they could not easily offend this Han envoy, as doing so could bring disaster upon the entire Qiang people.

Xu Huang continued to act as he pleased, sometimes complaining about the lack of lavish tent decor, sometimes casting disdainful glances at the Qiang soldiers. The Qiang soldiers' patience had nearly reached its limit, their breathing quickening, their hearts simmering with anger. But whenever they saw the cautious expressions of E He and Shao Ge, they suppressed their rage.

After a while, E He and Shao Ge ordered a banquet to be prepared, attempting to lighten the mood. They cautiously addressed Xu Huang, "The Han envoy has come from afar; please enjoy a simple meal." Xu Huang, upon hearing this, sat down with a flourish, unceremoniously picked up the wine jug, and began drinking. When the mutton arrived, he began to find fault with it, sometimes complaining about its smell, sometimes about its toughness. E He and Shao Ge could only pretend to smile, their hearts filled with bitterness.

The entire scene was filled with awkwardness and tension. The Qiang soldiers' dissatisfaction grew as they watched Xu Huang's arrogant demeanor. However, E He and Shao Ge remained cautious and patient, understanding that in this complex situation, even the slightest misstep could lead to irreversible consequences.

Inside the tent, Xu Huang enjoyed the wine and meat, but soon he began to express his dissatisfaction, shouting, "Only wine and meat, no singing and dancing. What kind of entertainment is this? Hurry up and give me some singing and dancing!" His outburst further unnerved the already disgruntled Qiang soldiers. Some of them, unable to tolerate any more, wanted to confront Xu Huang.

Seeing this, Xu Huang stood up in anger and kicked the nearby tables hard, sending the wine and meat spilling everywhere. He quickly drew the longsword from his waist and roared fiercely, "What? You still want to fight me?" Seeing this, E He and Shao Ge hurriedly restrained the impulsive Qiang soldiers and gave them a stern reprimand. They were truly bewildered and helpless after being dazzled by this Han envoy. If Xu Huang had not been sent by Ma Chao and feared the powerful threat of the Western Liang army, they would have wanted to hack him to death right then and there.

E'he, smiling, repeatedly said, "Calm down, Han envoy. Please take a moment to rest. I'll continue with my arrangements." He quickly ordered more wine and meat to be served, and told Shaoge to quickly prepare for the dance. Xu Huang, observing all this, was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected them to be so patient under such circumstances. However, it was precisely this kind of patience that perhaps Ma Chao valued. He desired this kind of controllable power, a tribe that would docilely obey his authority. At this moment, E'he and Shaoge, despite their reluctance and anger, could only continue to swallow their anger, striving to maintain a superficial calm in this awkward and tense situation.

Shao Ge hurried to the tribe to find a Qiang woman who could sing and dance. By then, the tribesmen were extremely dissatisfied. One of them said to Shao Ge, "Chief Shao Ge, we just experienced the excessive demands of that Qiang King, Mi Tang. He siphoned off all our young and strong men, and now he's sending our Qiang women to sing and dance. Is this a sign of fate for the Shao Qiang?" Some hot-tempered members even clamored, "On one side, the Xiliang army is eyeing us covetously, and on the other, the tyrant, Mi Tang, is exacting heavy taxes. We're caught in the middle and are in a difficult position. Why not side with one side and avoid being bullied by both?" Shao Ge's face darkened, and he said sternly, "What do you know? The situation is unclear right now. A single misstep could lead to disaster. The two sides haven't fought yet, so it's hard to tell which is stronger. If we side with the wrong side now, it would be a disaster."

After hearing Shao Ge's words, the tribesmen, though still filled with anger, were forced to suppress their emotions for the time being. After all, what Shao Ge said made sense. However, this feeling of oppression and dilemma enveloped the entire tribe in a gloomy atmosphere. Everyone worried about their future, uncertain when this situation would end. Shao Ge could only bite the bullet and continue to complete his mission, feeling helpless and conflicted.

When the singing and dancing began, Xu Huang began to criticize the Qiang women and the music, sometimes complaining that one woman's waist wasn't slender enough, sometimes complaining that another's music was incomprehensible. He found fault with everything, even E He and Shao Ge were a little angry, but Xu Huang continued to act as he pleased. The two leaders endured their anger, finally suppressing their anger. Seeing Xu Huang's youth, perhaps in his twenties, he was in the prime of his youthful vigor, and approached him, asking, "Is there any Qiang woman you like who would like to join the general for a drink?" Xu Huang blustered, "A bunch of vulgar women, how could they be worthy of someone of my rank? How arrogant!" When the song ended, Xu Huang stretched and said, "We've had enough food and wine. Make the bed quickly. I'm going to sleep." E He and Shao Ge were shocked by this, but they obeyed, arranged lodging for him, and then took Xu Huang to bed. After arriving, E He and Shao Ge discussed the matter together. They were unsure of Xu Huang's intentions. Shao Ge suggested finding two clever Qiang women and sending them into the tent to see how he would react.

After E He and Shao Ge discussed it, they sent two smart and beautiful Qiang women into Xu Huang's tent. The two Qiang women tiptoed into the tent and saw Xu Huang lying straight on the bed, motionless, as if he had fallen asleep.

They cautiously approached the bedside, and Qiang woman A whispered, "General, let us serve you." She reached out to touch Xu Huang. However, at that moment, Xu Huang, who had seemed soundly asleep, suddenly sat up with a start, his eyes wide and his face filled with anger. He roared, "How dare you! Who let you in? Get out!" The two Qiang women were so frightened by this sudden roar that they quickly knelt and begged for mercy.

Qiang Woman B cried out in horror, "General, calm down! It was the leader who sent us to serve you." Xu Huang ignored her and continued his fury, shouting, "What leader? You're a bunch of ignorant people! How dare you serve me? Get out of here!" He then pretended to be drunk, waving his arms as if he was about to strike. The two Qiang women dared not linger any longer and quickly scrambled out of the tent.

Xu Huang, meanwhile, was secretly pleased with himself. He intended to convey his disdain for Qiang women by feigning drunkenness and anger, leaving E He and Shao Ge bewildered while simultaneously displaying his superiority. He lay back on the bed, his lips curled slightly upward, and continued to feign sleep, awaiting E He and Shao Ge's next reaction.

When the Qiang woman came back to report the situation, E'he and Shao Ge began to wonder in their hearts, knowing that the Han envoy was deliberately being so domineering, but they were still not quite sure of his purpose. They could only secretly complain and could not use force against him.