Dream of the Red Chamber: From a Border Ruffian to a Capital Tyrant

The night was as dark as ink. Deep within the Xiongnu camp, a top-secret meeting originally intended to discuss military matters had somehow completely changed its nature.

Inside the golden tent, the lights were bright and the aroma of wine filled the air, turning it into a boisterous victory celebration, as if the impregnable Yanmen Pass was already in their grasp and victory was within reach.

"My lords! You are all the fiercest wolves on the grasslands, heroes whom I, Modu, deeply admire!"

Maodun sat high in the main seat, his face flushed and full of vigor, raising a huge wine bowl and shouting loudly.

"Come on! I, Maodun, raise a toast to everyone! Let's drink until we're drunk!"

Upon hearing such flattery, smiles spread across the faces of everyone in the tent.

If their own slaves had said such nauseating flattery, they would have lashed them with a whip long ago.

But who is speaking right now?

That was the eldest son of the Great Chanyu, the future ruler of the grasslands, Prince Modu!

In an instant, flattery poured in like a tide, and everyone rushed to express their loyalty to Modu.

Maodun reveled in the spotlight, feeling every pore on his body open up, and an unprecedented ambition welled up within him:

"So this is how Father Khan usually feels..."

"Holding the power of life and death, receiving the worship of thousands, this feeling... is truly wonderful..."

Maodun tilted his head back and downed the strong liquor in one gulp, a triumphant laugh born of power spreading across his face.

However, amidst the lively atmosphere of clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, the three tables on the lower right side were unusually lifeless, with the three men's faces so gloomy they seemed to drip water, standing out starkly from the cheerful laughter around them.

These three were none other than the three Left Wise Kings who had suffered heavy losses during the day when they were used as pawns by Dangtouman Chanyu.

"snort!"

The Left Wise King slammed the golden cup in his hand heavily on the table, let out a cold snort, and instantly shattered the false harmony.

"We haven't even set foot on the walls of Yanmen Pass yet, but my good nephew has quite the refined taste, celebrating our victory here in advance!"

This sentence was like a bucket of ice water exploding in a boiling oil pan, extremely jarring.

The laughter abruptly stopped, and everyone's eyes turned to the three men, the Left Wise King and his companions, instantly creating an extremely awkward atmosphere.

Maodun's smile froze for a moment, but only for a second before the fake smile returned, even more pronounced than before.

"Oh my, it's your esteemed uncle! You are a great hero of our tribe!"

"Didn't Father Khan already promise that if Yanmen Pass is breached, your troops can enter the city and plunder first?"

Maodun smiled "sincerely" and emphasized the words "enter the city first".

But these words only made things worse. The moment they left his mouth, the Left Wise King's face turned a deep, dark red, as if shrouded in a thick gloom, making him look extremely ugly.

"The Great Chanyu has truly raised a fine son!"

"What a sharp-tongued prince!"

The Left Wise King said in a sinister tone, his eyes looking like he wanted to devour someone.

Having said that, he picked up the strong liquor on the table, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. Then, with a "bang," he smashed the glass, got up and left without even glancing at Maodun.

The other two tribal leaders sitting next to the Left Wise King looked at each other, their eyes filled with hesitation and fear.

Their tribe was far weaker than the Left Wise King, and now they had suffered heavy losses. Although they hated Touman Chanyu to the bone, at this critical juncture, they dared not fight the Left Wise King head-on, for fear of being purged.

In the end, the two chose to swallow their anger and remain in the tent, not daring to leave with them.

Maodun watched the angry figure of the Left Wise King disappear behind the tent flap, a cold glint flashing deep in his eyes, like the mockery of a hunter watching his prey step into a trap.

"Please enjoy your drinks, everyone. I'll go and persuade my uncle. I'll be right back."

Maodun smiled and uttered a single sentence. Amidst the compliments of the crowd, he straightened his clothes and walked out of the golden tent with unhurried steps.

A biting wind blew outside the tent, causing the banners to flutter loudly.

"Uncle! Please wait!"

Modu abandoned his imposing demeanor in the tent, donned a playful expression, and quickly caught up with the Left Wise King, who was striding ahead.

Upon hearing this, the Left Wise King stopped in his tracks, turned abruptly, and stared intently at Maodun, his tone filled with undisguised anger and dissatisfaction:

"So it's my dear nephew! What's wrong? Why aren't you enjoying your throne inside? Why did you come out here?"

Hearing the Left Wise King's fiery words, Maodun's smile grew even brighter, as if he couldn't sense the other party's murderous intent at all, but instead was enjoying it.

"Father Khan was afraid that Uncle would misunderstand, so he asked me to pass on a message from the bottom of his heart to you."

Maodun lowered his voice and chuckled softly, his eyes darting around at the guards.

"snort!"

The Left Wise King snorted coldly, his eyes filled with contempt and impatience.

"Spit it out! I want to hear how the Great Khan plans to compensate me for the loss of my several thousand warriors!"

"Uncle, it's windy here, and there are too many people around. Let's find a quiet place so I can have a proper talk with you."

Maodun was secretly delighted to see the arrogant face of the Left Wise King, who was taking advantage of his age. He thought to himself, "What a senile old man!" But on the surface, he remained respectful and polite, even with a hint of flattery.

Upon hearing this, the Left Wise King was immediately certain of his guess.

He concluded that in the main tent earlier, Touman Chanyu, out of concern for being in the public eye, was too embarrassed to back down, so he sent his eldest son to give him a way out, or perhaps even to offer him benefits.

"Hmph, you're smart to know what's good for you! But if what you give me later doesn't satisfy me..."

Looking at Maodun's harmless smiling face, Zuo Xianwang sneered inwardly, his eyes revealing a threatening meaning that "it won't end until he gives us enough benefits."

Let's go!

The Left Wise King uttered a remark, then turned and headed towards a sheltered depression deep within the camp, a place that was pitch black and utterly silent.

As Maodun watched his retreating figure, the smile on his face froze instantly, replaced by a chilling and ferocious expression.

He turned and gave a subtle wink to the armored guards in the shadows behind him, his eyes filled with a deadly implication.

Then, Maodun took a deep breath, suppressed his elation, and followed in the footsteps of the Left Wise King.

........