Chapter 379: Stalemate 02

  Liu Shanhe saw that Lao Hei was still being polite, so he didn't say anything else. He just waved his hand at him and made a "forget it" gesture. Lao Hei seemed to understand the situation and chuckled as he walked away.

  Liu Shanhe didn't actually mean to intervene, but he couldn't bear the sight of the strong bullying the weak. However, the woman was quite clever and just as Liu Shanhe was about to turn around and leave, she suddenly hugged his leg and cried: "Sir, sir, save me! Save me! I'm from Hebei Province, and my parents took me out to escape the war, but my father fell ill on the way and died. Now I'm all alone. Sir, please take me in! Let me do anything! I'll serve you well, cook for you, wash your clothes, just give me a mouthful of food to eat!"

  "This..." Liu Shanhe was momentarily at a loss. Although his physical body had taken on the true form of Liu Bang, he was rotten to the core when it came to women. However, he also had his own standards, and that was a sense of shame. The woman in front of him, although she was beautiful and had a good figure, was after all much younger than himself, and besides, she was an escaped refugee. Even if he only took her in as a servant to do chores for him, and not for anything else, in other people's eyes, it wouldn't be seen as that simple.

  Just as Liu Shanhe was in a difficult situation, someone patted him on the back several times. Liu Shanhe turned his head and saw that it was Xiao He. Damn, how did this guy appear in front of him at this time? This time, he would definitely be ridiculed again.

  "Liu Tingchang, haha, I think you'd better take her in! Not to mention anything else, just look at this child, how pitiful she is! You, Liu Tingchang, a chivalrous person like yourself, wouldn't abandon someone to their death, would you? Alright then, take her in. And don't worry, if you can't afford to raise her later on, I'll be here to foot the bill!" Xiao He used his usual peacemaking tone, and as soon as he spoke, the surrounding onlookers all nodded in agreement, and without realizing it, they were all stifling their laughter at his humor and wit.

  "This... this... Alas, you old Xiao! You're willing to take me in, I, I..." Liu Shanhe's face rarely turned red, with a very embarrassed expression.

  "Alas, what's the modesty for? Come on, girl, follow this Mr. Liu, he's a good man, absolutely won't treat you unfairly!" Xiao He laughed and pulled the girl up, saying with a smile, as he pushed and pulled her to leave with Liu Shanhe...

  Arriving at Xiao He's residence, Liu Bang hastily opened his eyes, flushed with anger, and scolded Xiao He: "Old Xiao, what kind of crazy idea is this? I don't even have a family, how can you do this?! Alas, you, you..."

  "Hey, I'm talking about Liu Bang, I didn't say let him be your wife! Even if you're willing, the girl might not be willing either! Is that right, miss? I've seen you're already over thirty and don't know how to do anything in life, just gathering a group of friends to drink and make merry every day. And this girl is also a poor soul, without parents, living without support, how pitiful! Taking her in would be mutually beneficial, isn't that a match made in heaven?" Xiang Yu's sharp tongue left Liu Shanhe speechless.

  "Haha, isn't this just right? Isn't this just right? Let's do it like this, let's do it like this! Hmm, wait a moment, I'll call Cao Shen and Xiahou Yuan, as well as Fan Qiang, to come together and send you two back to Si Shui. Today, we'll hold a ceremony and take care of your wedding affairs. Haha haha ha~~~"

  What happened next, Liu Shanhe couldn't control either, and had to let Xiao He take charge. The woman, however, kept her head down, looking very shy and timid, which made people feel quite sympathetic towards her.

  Not long after, Xiao He called out to Xiahou Ying and Cao Shen to come to his courtyard. At this time, the servants had already prepared the horses. Xiao He smiled and said: "Hehehe, our old Xia, old Cao, we three people can ride one horse each, but Liu Tingchang, this time two people will have to share a horse! You two can't be jealous, haha!" The sound of laughter echoed out, sounding very energetic.

  Here is the translation:

  And so, Xiao He, Xiahou Ying and Cao Shen, the three of them were like escorting Liu Bang's chariot, riding horses and waving whips, leaving the county town. Along the way, they laughed and chatted, raising clouds of dust. As for Liu Bang? Sitting on his horse, he had that beautiful woman who insisted on following him in his arms. On one hand, he felt extremely comfortable and relaxed - galloping across the plains with a beauty by his side was an endless temptation for anyone. On the other hand, Liu Bang couldn't help but feel emotional about the foundation he had laid (or was it Liu Bang?). Ah, having many friends makes the journey easier, no matter what time or place, without friends, it's impossible to get by. Moreover, at times, friendships aren't just about drinking and eating together. Liu Bang understood that true friends weren't just those who would stab each other in the back, but also those who thought of each other every moment, cared about each other's lives and careers. Such friends were naturally hard to come by. As the saying goes, "A thousand, ten thousand friends, but only one or two who truly understand you." This was exactly what it meant. And Xiao He, Xiahou Ying, and Cao Shen were precisely those kinds of friends - his closest confidants.

  Before long, they arrived at the Suzhou Pavilion, chatting and laughing all the way.

  "Liu Bang, hurry up and prepare wine and dishes, hurry up and prepare wine and dishes, I can't wait any longer! I've been waiting for a long time!" Fan Kuai was always an impatient person and a straightforward one. As soon as he dismounted his horse, he loudly ordered Liu Shanhe to prepare wine and dishes.

  Liu Shanhe saw that Lao Hei was still being polite, so he didn't say anything else. He just waved his hand at him and made a "forget it" gesture. Lao Hei seemed to understand the situation and chuckled as he walked away.

  Liu Shanhe didn't actually mean to intervene, but he couldn't bear the sight of the strong bullying the weak. However, the woman was quite clever and just as Liu Shanhe was about to turn around and leave, she suddenly hugged his leg and cried: "Sir, sir, save me! Save me! I'm from Hebei, and I fled with my parents to escape the war, but my father died on the way. Now I'm all alone. Sir, please take me in! Let me do anything! I'll serve you well, cook and wash for you, just give me a mouthful of food to eat!"

  "This..." Liu Shanhe was momentarily at a loss. Although his physical body had taken on the true form of Liu Bang, he was rotten to the core when it came to women. However, he also had his own standards, and that was a sense of shame. The woman in front of him, although she was beautiful and had a good figure, was after all much younger than himself, and besides, she was an escaped refugee. Even if he only took her in as a servant to do chores for him, and not for anything else, in other people's eyes, it wouldn't be seen as that simple.

  Just as Liu Shanhe was in a difficult situation, someone patted him on the back several times. Liu Shanhe turned his head and saw that it was Xiao He. Damn, how did this guy appear in front of him at this time? This time, he would definitely be ridiculed again.

  "Liu Tingchang, haha, I think you'd better take her in! Not to mention anything else, just look at this child, how pitiful she is! You, Liu Tingchang, a chivalrous person like yourself, wouldn't abandon someone to death, would you? Alright then, take her in. And don't worry, if you can't afford to raise her later on, I'll be the guarantor and foot the bill!" Xiao He used his usual peacemaking tone, and as soon as he spoke, the surrounding onlookers all nodded in agreement, and without realizing it, they were amused by his humor and wit.

  "This... this... Alas, you old Xiao! You're willing to take me in, I, I..." Liu Shanhe's face rarely turned red, looking extremely embarrassed.

  "Hey, what's with the modesty? Come on, girl, follow Mr. Liu, he's a good man, he won't take advantage of you!" Xiao He laughed and pulled the girl up, saying as he went, pushing and pulling her along, one hand holding onto Liu Shanhe as they left...

  Arriving at Xiao He's residence, Liu Bang hastily opened his eyes, reddened his face, and scolded Xiao He: "Old Xiao, what kind of crazy idea is this? I don't even have a family, how can it be like this?! Alas, you, you~~~"

  "Hey, I'm talking about Liu Bang, I didn't say let him be your wife! Even if you're willing, the girl might not be willing either! Is that right, miss? I've seen you're already over thirty and don't know how to do anything in life, just gathering a group of friends to drink and make merry every day. And this girl is also a pitiful person, without parents, living without support or reliance... taking her in would be a good thing for both of you to take care of each other, isn't it a match made in heaven?" Xiang Yu's sharp tongue left Liu Shanhe speechless.

  "Haha, isn't this just right? Isn't this just right? Let's do it like this, let's do it like this! Hmm, wait a moment, I'll call Cao Shen and Xiahou Yuan, as well as Fan Qiang, to come together and send you two back to Si Shui. Today, we'll hold a ceremony and settle your marriage once and for all. Haha haha ha~~~"

  What happened next, Liu Shanhe couldn't control either, and had to let Xiao He take charge. The woman, however, kept her head down, looking very shy and timid, which made people feel quite sympathetic towards her.

  Not long after, Xiao He called out to Xiahou Ying and Cao Shen to come to his courtyard. At this time, the servants had already prepared the horses. Xiao He smiled and said: "Hehehe, our old Xia, old Cao, we three people can ride one horse each, but Liu Tingchang, this time two people will have to share a horse! You two can't be jealous, haha!" The sound of laughter echoed out, sounding very energetic.

  Here is the translation:

  And so, Xiao He, Xiahou Ying and Cao Shen, the three of them were like escorts protecting Liu Bang's chariot, riding horses and waving whips as they left the county town. Along the way, they laughed and chatted, raising clouds of dust. As for Liu Bang? Sitting on his horse, he had that beautiful woman who insisted on following him in his arms. On one hand, he felt extremely comfortable and relaxed - galloping across the plains with a beauty by his side was an endless temptation for anyone. On the other hand, Liu Bang couldn't help but feel emotional about the foundation he had laid (or was it Liu Bang?). Ah, having many friends makes the journey easier, no matter what time or place, without friends, it's impossible to get by. Moreover, at times, friendships aren't just about drinking and eating together. Liu Bang understood that true friends weren't just those who would risk their lives for you, but also those who thought of each other every moment, cared about each other's lives and careers. Such friends were naturally hard to come by. As the saying goes, "A thousand, ten thousand friends, but only one or two true companions." This was exactly what it meant. And Xiao He, Xiahou Ying, and Cao Shen were precisely those true companions among his friends.

  Before long, they arrived at the Suzhou Pavilion, chatting and laughing all the way.

  "Liu Bang, hurry up and prepare the wine and dishes, hurry up and prepare the wine and dishes, I can't wait any longer! I've been waiting for a long time!" Fan Kuai was always an impatient person and a straightforward one. As soon as he dismounted his horse, he loudly ordered Liu Shanhe to prepare wine and dishes.

  Liu Shanhe saw that Lao Hei was still being polite, so he didn't say anything else. He just waved his hand at him and made a "forget it" gesture. Lao Hei seemed to understand the situation and chuckled as he walked away.

  Liu Shanhe didn't actually mean to intervene, but he couldn't bear the sight of the strong bullying the weak. However, the woman was quite clever and just as Liu Shanhe was about to turn around and leave, she suddenly hugged his leg and cried: "Sir, sir, save me! Save me! I'm from Hebei Province, and my parents took me out to escape the war, but my father fell ill on the way and died. Now I'm all alone. Sir, please take me in! Let me do anything! I'll serve you well, cook for you, wash your clothes, just give me a mouthful of food to eat!"

  "This..." Liu Shanhe was momentarily at a loss. Although his physical body had taken on the true form of Liu Bang, he was rotten to the core when it came to women. However, he also had his own standards, and that was a sense of shame. The woman in front of him, although she was beautiful and had a good figure, was after all much younger than himself, and besides, she was an escaped refugee. Even if he only took her in as a servant to do chores for him, and not for anything else, in other people's eyes, it wouldn't be seen as that simple.

  Just as Liu Shanhe was in a difficult situation, someone patted him on the back several times. Liu Shanhe turned his head and saw that it was Xiao He. Damn, this guy, how did he appear in front of him at this time? This time, he would definitely be ridiculed again.

  "Liu Tingchang, haha, I think you'd better take her in! Not to mention anything else, just look at this child, how pitiful she is! You, Liu Tingchang, a chivalrous person like yourself, wouldn't abandon someone to death, would you? Alright then, take her in. And don't worry, if you can't afford to raise her later on, I'll be the guarantor and foot the bill!" Xiao He used his usual peacemaking tone, and as soon as he spoke, the surrounding onlookers all nodded in agreement, and he couldn't help but laugh at his own humor.

  "This... this... Alas, you old Xiao! You're willing to take me in, I, I..." Liu Shanhe's face rarely turned red, with a very embarrassed expression.

  "Hey, what's with the modesty? Come on, girl, follow Mr. Liu, he's a good man, he won't treat you unfairly!" Xiao He laughed and pulled the girl up, saying as he went, pushing and pulling her along, one hand holding onto Liu Shanhe as they left...

  Arriving at Xiao He's residence, Liu Bang hastily opened his eyes, reddened his face, and blurted out to Xiao He: "Old Xiao, what kind of crazy idea is this? I don't even have a family, how can it be like this?! Alas, you, you~~~"

  "Hey, I'm talking about Liu Bang, I didn't say let him be your wife! Even if you're willing, the girl might not be willing either! Is that right, miss? I've seen you're already over thirty and don't know how to do anything in life, just gathering a group of friends to drink and make merry every day. And this girl is also a poor soul, without parents, living without any support, how pitiful! Taking her in would be mutually beneficial, isn't that a match made in heaven?" Xiang Yu's sharp tongue left Liu Shanhe speechless.

  "Haha, isn't this just right? Isn't this just right? Let's do it like this, let's do it like this! Hmm, wait a moment, I'll call Cao Shen and Xiahou Yuan, as well as Fan Qiang, to come together and send you two back to Si Shui. Today, we'll hold a ceremony and settle your marriage once and for all. Haha haha ha~~~"

  What happened next, Liu Shanhe couldn't control either, and had to let Xiao He take charge. The woman, however, kept her head down, looking very shy and timid, which made people feel quite sympathetic towards her.

  Not long after, Xiao He called Xiahou Ying and Cao Shen to his courtyard, while the servants had already prepared the horses. Xiao He smiled and said: "Hehehe, our old Xia, old Cao, we three people can ride one horse each, but Liu Tingchang, this time two people will share a horse! You two can't be jealous, haha!" The sound of laughter echoed out, sounding very energetic.

  Here is the translation:

  And so, Xiao He, Xiahou Ying and Cao Shen, the three of them were like escorts protecting Liu Bang's chariot, riding horses and waving whips as they left the county town. Along the way, they laughed and chatted, raising clouds of dust. As for Liu Bang? Sitting on his horse, he had that beautiful woman who insisted on following him in his arms. On one hand, he felt extremely comfortable and relaxed - galloping across the plains with a beauty by his side was an endless temptation for anyone. On the other hand, Liu Bang couldn't help but feel emotional about the foundation he had laid (or was it Liu Bang?). Ah, having many friends makes the journey easier, no matter what time or place, without friends, it's impossible to get by. Moreover, at times, friendships aren't just about drinking and eating together, Liu Bang understood that true friends weren't just those who would stab each other in the back, but also those who thought of each other every moment, cared about each other's lives and careers. Such friends were naturally hard to come by. As the saying goes, "A thousand, ten thousand friends, but only one or two close confidants", that's exactly what it means. And Xiao He, Xiahou Ying, and Cao Shen were precisely those close confidants among his friends.

  Before long, they arrived at the Suzhou Pavilion, chatting and laughing all the way.

  "Liu Bang, hurry up and prepare wine and dishes, hurry up and prepare wine and dishes, I can't wait any longer! I've been waiting for a long time!" Fan Kuai was always an impatient person and a straightforward one. As soon as he dismounted his horse, he loudly ordered Liu Shanhe to prepare wine and dishes.

  "Haha, isn't this just right? Isn't this just right? Let's do it like this, let's do it like this! Hmm, wait a moment, I'll call Cao Shen and Xiahou Yuan, as well as Fan Qiang, to come together and send you two back to Si Shui. Today, we'll hold a ceremony and settle your marriage once and for all. Haha haha ha~~~"

  "Hey, I'm talking about Liu Bang, I didn't say let him be your wife! Even if you're willing, the girl might not be willing either! Is that right, miss? I've seen you're already over thirty, and you don't know how to do anything in life, just gathering a group of friends to drink and make merry every day. And this girl is also a pitiful person, without parents, living without support or reliance... taking her in would be a perfect match made in heaven!" Xiang Yu's sharp tongue left Liu Shanhe speechless.

  "Haha, isn't this just right? Isn't this just right? Let's do it like this, let's do it like this! Hmm, wait a moment, I'll call Cao Shen and Xiahou Yuan, as well as Fan Qiang, to come together and send you two back to Si Shui. Today, we'll hold a ceremony and take care of your wedding affairs. Haha haha ha~~~"

  "Liu Bang, hurry up and prepare the wine and dishes, hurry up and prepare the wine and dishes, I can't wait any longer! I've been waiting for a long time!" Fan Kuai was always an impatient person and a straightforward one. As soon as he dismounted his horse, he loudly ordered Liu Shanhe to prepare wine and dishes.

  Liu Shanhe saw that Lao Hei was still being polite, so he didn't say anything else. He just waved his hand at him and made a "forget it" gesture. Lao Hei seemed to understand the situation and chuckled as he walked away.