Chapter 119 Tea Covers Arrows, Withered Branches Fall
Upon seeing this, Yang Xiao frowned slightly, stood up, and took the pastries from the maid's hands. The maid nodded repeatedly in thanks, "Thank you, General. I am here on His Highness's orders to bring you these freshly made pastries."
Looking at the osmanthus cakes that suddenly filled the table, Yang Xiao couldn't help but shake her head with a smile, "Xiao Yan is really honest. It was just a joke, but she actually sent me so many."
"His Highness values you highly, everyone knows that," the maid stood to the side, panting as she looked at Yang Xiao with a smile, "You said it casually, but His Highness really took it to heart."
Yang Xiao glanced back at the maid beside her, momentarily lost in thought.
I don't know when she became so cold to her subordinates. I remember back then, she became close with the Eagle Team in less than three days, and even Zhang Ping, who was always sleepy, was promoted to deputy general under her guidance.
She glanced around her room, then at the maid beside her. Perhaps because she was so wary in this Chang'an formation, she didn't trust anyone around her. Almost a year had passed, and she didn't even know the maid's name.
Yang Xiao lowered her eyes and sighed, then sat down. "There are so many pastries, I'm afraid they'll spoil before I can finish them." She looked up at the maid, "Why don't you sit down and help me eat some?"
"This..." The maid paused, looking at Yang Xiao before her, and hesitated. "Although you, General, are just as kind to your servants as His Highness, the rules cannot be broken. There is a difference in rank; how can I eat at the same table as you, General?"
Yang Xiao glanced at the maid and couldn't help but chuckle, "Just how many rules has Xiao Yan set for you?"
"Before His Highness sent me here, he instructed me to obey your every word, take good care of your daily life, and... no matter what you do, I am not allowed to ask questions."
Yang Xiao was taken aback upon hearing this, her heart filled with mixed emotions, which finally turned into a soft sigh, "Fine. But none of the rules she set included not being able to have snacks with me, right?"
"This..." The maid hesitated for a moment, looking at Yang Xiao, before finally bowing and sitting down beside him. "Thank you, General."
"Since you're here, follow my rules. From now on, strip away all the formalities. We're all human, there's no such thing as high or low status." Yang Xiao frowned and tapped the table, then propped her head up and looked at the maid. "What's your name?"
"My name is Song Lan." The maid raised her eyes and looked at Yang Xiao tentatively. "Since the general treats me so kindly, I have a favor to ask, but I don't know if I should say it."
Yang Xiao looked at Song Lan with interest, picked up the teapot and poured herself a cup of tea, "Please speak freely."
"I have long heard that General's martial arts are unparalleled and his military strategy is also superb... I would like to learn a thing or two from you, is that alright?"
Before Song Lan could finish speaking, Yang Xiao couldn't help but chuckle.
"General?" Song Lan looked up at Yang Xiao, puzzled.
"What a masterful display," Yang Xiao laughed self-deprecatingly, taking a sip of her tea. "A group of people with unparalleled military skills have suffered three consecutive defeats in Longcheng. You've spent far more time with Xiao Yan than with me. If you want to learn military strategy, why don't you go to Xiao Yan?"
Song Lan was momentarily at a loss. She rolled her eyes and nodded, saying, "When my parents sold me to the palace, Your Highness dismissed all her useless servants. She saw that I had a pitiful background and was innocent and blameless, so she made an exception and brought me into the palace."
Yang Xiao tilted her head slightly with interest, signaling Song Lan to continue.
"Afterwards, Your Highness eliminated treacherous officials within the court and resisted enemy forces without, so I dared not mention this matter to Your Highness."
"So, you've come to learn from me?"
"If it's possible..." Song Lan paused, then looked up at Yang Xiao earnestly, "I would like to become your disciple, is that alright?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao froze on the spot. Those familiar words echoed in her ears once again.
"But to me, the general is more like... my division commander..."
"I sincerely wish to become your disciple, General. I wonder if you would grant my request?"
A sudden surge of inexplicable bitterness welled up in Yang Xiao's chest. She closed her eyes, her mind filled with the image of Mu Fei's childlike figure.
She gently clenched her fist, looked up and took a deep breath, then gripped the warm teacup in her hand, her gaze falling on the slightly rippling water.
Song Lan followed Yang Xiao's gaze to the teacup in her hand. She suddenly seemed to understand something and stood up. "If you agree, I will serve you tea now..."
"No need." Yang Xiao raised her hand to stop Song Lan from reaching for the teacup. She sighed and drank the hot tea in the cup in one gulp.
She casually reached for the teapot, "To become my apprentice, first you have to... know how to cook." She couldn't help but chuckle, turning to look at Song Lan, "Can you do that?"
“This…” Song Lan stared at Yang Xiao in disbelief, her outstretched hands freezing in mid-air. “General, I can learn.”
“No need,” Yang Xiao sighed with a wistful smile. “You can’t learn it. You don’t meet my standards for taking on a disciple, and I have nothing to teach you.” She put down the teapot and looked earnestly at Song Lan, who looked dejected beside her. “However, if you have any questions in the future, feel free to ask me. I will answer them to the best of my ability.”
Song Lan's extinguished gaze rekindled, and she looked up at Yang Xiao, "General, is this true?"
Yang Xiao nodded with a light laugh, "Really."
Seeing this, Song Lan also leaned forward, "General, you are very close to His Highness, do you know the secrets of the Chang'an Formation?"
"Chang'an Formation?" Yang Xiao was taken aback. She frowned slightly and looked at Song Lan again. She saw that Song Lan's eyes were full of expectation, and she really looked like a thoughtful and inquisitive scholar.
Yang Xiao took a sip of her tea, smiled and sighed, "Those involved are often blinded by their own perspective. We're both caught up in the Chang'an Formation, how can we possibly understand it completely? Besides," she laughed self-deprecatingly, "I don't even know the way around, how could I possibly know the secrets of this new formation that's not recorded in the battle manual?"
"Is that so..." A hint of dejection flashed in Song Lan's eyes, but in an instant, the slight dissatisfaction in her eyes was completely concealed. She chuckled and looked up at Yang Xiao, "Then if I encounter any formations I don't understand another day, I would appreciate it if you could explain them to me, General."
Yang Xiaogang nodded, and then saw Song Lan stand up and bow to her, saying, "This humble woman will take her leave now."
Song Lan slipped out of the room, and not long after, there was a soft knock on the closed door. Yang Xiao frowned in annoyance and got up to walk towards the door.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw Jia Ding leaning against the doorframe, panting heavily as he waited for her. Yang Xiao took a step back in disbelief. "What's the matter?"
“General,” Jia Dingyi clasped his hands in a fist salute, his former arrogance completely gone, his eyes filled with sincerity, “Xiao Yun said he would thoroughly investigate all the weapons under your command to prevent you from colluding with the enemy.”
"All weaponry? What does that have to do with collusion with the enemy?"
Jia Ding frowned and looked around. "Xiao Yun was afraid that you would use arrows to send a message, so he took away all the arrows."
"What message can an arrow carry?" Yang Xiao was startled by this, but he suppressed his emotions and said angrily, "If there are no bows and arrows, what will the archers use to fight?"
“There was indeed a precedent in the previous dynasty for using arrows to send messages, and Xiao Yun was naturally suspicious, which is why he threatened to thoroughly investigate all marked arrows.”
Yang Xiao crossed her arms and nodded, looking at Jia Ding in silence.
Seeing this, Jia Ding still clasped his hands in a fist, glanced at Yang Xiao's expression, but dared not meet her gaze. He could only lower his head, hesitant and unsure of what to do.
"Why have you lost all your arrogance after just two days?" Yang Xiao said coldly, turning her head. Song Lan, who hadn't gone far, seemed intimidated and hesitated to move, wanting to avoid suspicion. Sensing her unease, Yang Xiao waved her hand slightly, and Song Lan took a small step back and turned to walk away.
“I…” Jia Ding stammered, then sighed, “I no longer work for Xiao Yun. I tried so hard for him before but got nothing in return, so…” His voice trailed off, “I apologize for my previous rudeness to you.”
Yang Xiao waved her hand. "What happened before was between us, so I'll let it go. But if I sense any impure intentions," she glanced at Jia Ding, "don't blame me for being impolite."
Jia Ding nodded, took his leave, and turned to leave the courtyard.
"This is difficult..." Yang Xiao sighed and went back into the house. She picked up a few dried osmanthus flowers from the pastry plate, examined them, and then chuckled helplessly. Fortunately, Jia Ding informed her in time, otherwise all her hard work and risking her life over the past few months would have been in vain.
She touched her temples and sighed as if she had survived a disaster.
It seems I have no choice but to make a trip to Chixiao Palace.
"Ah Xiao? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" As soon as Yang Song saw Yang Xiao, he put down the gun he was practicing with and hurriedly went forward to greet her.
"It's just that with a formidable enemy at hand, my mind is a bit chaotic," Yang Xiao dismounted and walked forward with a smile, "I've come back to sit with my brother for a while and clear my head."
"Hmm." Yang Song sighed upon hearing this. "This battle is truly a headache."
Yang Xiao nodded slightly and followed Yang Song into the house. "If it's just about dealing with Bai Ming, that's fine. The key is to make Xiao Yun and the others completely convinced. We can't let them find any fault with us."
The two had just entered the house and brewed tea when they heard the sound of horses' hooves in the courtyard. They went out to look and saw Yang Zhen dismount and walk into the house.
"Ah Xiao is here." He nodded kindly to Yang Xiao and took off the cloak from his shoulder and handed it to Yang Song.
"Greetings, Father." Yang Xiao bowed to Yang Zhen, then looked at him with a puzzled expression. "But Father... why are you back from outside?" Her heart sank, and she frowned, taking a step forward. "Could it be that Xiao Yun..."
Upon hearing this, Yang Zhen quickly waved his hand at Yang Xiao and said with a smile, "Since you're close to Xiao Yan, I'll be frank. I've followed Xiao Yan for so many years and I know her character." He took the hot tea that Yang Xiao handed him and sighed, "In recent years, Xiao Yun's arrogance has grown stronger and stronger, and there are countless people who support him in becoming emperor. Xiao Yan is afraid that before the ambitious people she's been waiting for arrive, she won't be able to control Xiao Yun's power."
"The person she's been waiting for... a man of ambition?" Yang Xiao repeated, puzzled.
Yang Zhen nodded. "Perhaps after you finish this battle, when she and Xiao Yun are completely at odds, you will tell her the truth." He raised his hand, took a sip of tea, and then put the teacup down. "To guard against treacherous officials, Xiao Yan secretly sent me to train a force for unforeseen circumstances. This Chang'an Formation is ostensibly for defending against external enemies, but in reality, it is used to completely overthrow the internal forces when the situation becomes uncontrollable, by leveraging the power of external enemies."
“This…” Yang Xiao was taken aback upon hearing this, and frowned and pondered for a long time, “I really don’t understand her anymore.”
“It’s not just you,” Yang Zhen said with a smile, shaking his head. “Even I sometimes can’t figure out what this kid is thinking.”
Looking at Yang Xiao, who seemed at a loss, Yang Song stepped forward and patted her on the shoulder. "It's not too late to ask her about these things after the battle. By the way, you have the leisure to come home and sit down, could it be that you've already figured out how to start a war with Bai Ming?"
Yang Xiao smiled helplessly, "Right now, we only have the idea, but it's difficult to realize."
"Oh? What do you mean?" Yang Zhen glanced at Yang Xiao. "Normally, what are your chances of winning if you two spar?"
“Normally speaking…” Yang Xiao nodded and stroked his chin, “Our strengths are similar, but our inclinations are different. If we were to fight with all our might, the winner would depend on who is in better form.”
Yang Zhen also chuckled and nodded, "I suppose Bai Ming is just like his father." He held his teacup and couldn't help but recall, "Back then, Bai Yao fought alongside me against the Northern Qiang. He was only in his early twenties, yet he had a mature air about him. He remained calm in the face of danger, and the greater the pressure, the more he could unleash his extraordinary strength."
“General Bai has mentioned you to Bai Ming quite a bit,” Yang Xiao said, holding her tea and glancing back at Yang Zhen. “When I have some free time, I would really like to hear about your past with General Bai.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Zhen chuckled and tapped Yang Xiao's nose, "You, you can tell at a glance, are an impatient person, just like your mother."
"Regardless of who is stronger now, I will definitely curb his arrogance in tomorrow's battle." Yang Xiao took a sip of tea and nodded resolutely.
"Ah Xiao," Yang Song frowned slightly, "Are you really not going to show him any mercy?"
"Tomorrow's battle will naturally require us to go all out, and the longer the stalemate lasts, the better." She put down her teacup, looked up at Yang Song, and said, "If I lose focus on the battlefield, it will leave a huge handle for Xiao Yun to use against me. If that happens, even with Xiao Yan's help, we will still have a hard time making progress in the Chang'an formation."
Yang Zhen looked at Yang Xiao, said nothing, and simply patted her shoulder.
"As long as I am not bound by old feelings tomorrow, and Bai Ming is not distracted by the past on the battlefield, then this battle will be as I wish, a stalemate." Yang Xiao sighed and looked up. "As for the rest, we'll have to wait until everything is settled."
Yang Song nodded, but his brow furrowed even more. "Do you need my help?"
“No need,” Yang Xiao chuckled and shook her head. “I will handle tomorrow’s affairs myself. However…” Yang Xiao paused, then looked back at Yang Zhen, “I do have a request.”
"Speak freely. Whatever your request, your brother and I will do our best to help."
Yang Xiao smiled and nodded, then looked at Yang Zhen inquiringly, "Do we have any sharp arrows in our family?" Afraid that Yang Zhen wouldn't understand, she gestured with her hand, "The kind that can split wood from a hundred paces away."
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