Chapter 126 Entering the Game Will Dispel All Doubts
Yang Xiao chained Chi Lian to the outside of the door, gripped the sword at his waist, and frowned as he stepped into his room. Song Lan, who was busy nearby, saw Yang Xiao return and quickly handed him a cup of hot tea, "General, you're back."
"Hmm," Yang Xiao nodded, took the tea, took a sip, put it aside, and casually walked to the windowsill. She touched the table, which hadn't been touched since she arrived, and looked at her fingertips, which were spotless. She chuckled and said, "How come this room is so clean?"
"Ever since the general went to war, I have been worried about you, but I can't help you with anything. All I can do is clean this house from top to bottom several times."
Yang Xiao smiled and sat by the window, leaning back in her chair. "Although I exempted you from many formalities, you can't just disobey Xiao Yan like this, can you? I am naturally grateful that you cleaned the house for me, but I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain to Xiao Yan."
"Don't worry, General," Song Lan picked up the teacup that Yang Xiao had put down, turned her head and smiled, "His Highness asked me to serve you, so of course I will do as you say. If you agree, His Highness will not say anything more, after all, everyone knows that His Highness values you."
"That's good then." Yang Xiao nodded with a smile, then went around to the back of the main table, sat down in a chair, and pulled out a hidden compartment to look for something.
Song Lan's heart leaped into her throat. She froze on the spot, not daring to move an inch, and a layer of cold sweat involuntarily seeped out from her back.
“That’s not right,” Yang Xiao frowned in confusion, “Could it be somewhere else?” Then she waved her hand, leaned back in her chair and looked at the bewildered Song Lan, “Never mind, with my forgetful nature, I don’t know where I put it either.”
Song Lan rubbed his hands together with a forced smile. "May I ask, General... what are you looking for?"
"It's just a picture, nothing..." Yang Xiao had just closed the hidden compartment when she heard a commotion outside the door. She frowned and stood up to walk towards the door.
"Reporting, General Yang, General Xiao requests your presence," a soldier called out, kneeling at the door.
"So this is it?" Yang Xiao couldn't help but scoff and walked towards the door.
Before they even reached the gate, the soldier shouted again, "Song Lan must come along too."
Yang Xiao paused, then chuckled and looked back at Song Lan inside the house, tilting her head at her, "Let's go, together."
"Okay, okay," Song Lan replied hesitantly, her gaze towards Yang Xiao becoming somewhat evasive.
Yang Xiao turned and smiled, walked straight ahead, then pulled the reins, mounted his horse, and headed straight for Tenglong Palace.
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The Crimson Serpent hissed in front of the hall, and before the eunuch could even go in to announce her arrival, Yang Xiao lifted the curtain and entered the tent. She exuded a chill, raised her chin at Xiao Yan, who leaned back in his seat and nodded leisurely at her.
Yang Xiao looked around and saw that Yang Song and Lu Qi were there, while Xiao Yun and a group of unfamiliar henchmen stood on the opposite side. The two sides were on the verge of war, glaring at each other. Yang Song looked at her with concern, wanting to say something but swallowing it back.
Before long, Song Lan also rushed into the hall.
Yang Xiao stepped to stand beside Xiao Yan, glanced at Xiao Yun, and asked, "What brings you here?"
“Now that we have both witnesses and physical evidence,” Xiao Yun sneered, “I advise you to explain your treasonous activities yourself.”
"Colluding with the enemy?" Yang Xiao looked at Xiao Yun in disbelief, then sneered, "What kind of show is this, setting up for me now?"
Before Yang Xiao could finish speaking, Xiao Yun turned around and gave Song Lan a wink. Song Lan stood meekly in front of Xiao Yun and said, "General, actually, the drawing in your drawer was the one I took out and gave to General Xiao."
"Take a look, this is your own drawing." Xiao Yun tossed the drawing wrapped in brocade to Yang Xiao. "Song Lan saw you holed up in your room writing and drawing something before, but I never thought you were actually colluding with the enemy. It's a good thing this drawing wasn't sent out, otherwise our army would have been defeated by Bai Ming long ago."
Yang Xiao shook her head as if she had heard a joke, and handed the map to Xiao Yan behind her. "Take a look, it's a map of Jizhou. You'll need it sooner or later." Then she crossed her arms and glanced at Xiao Yun. "Next time you're framing someone, remember to learn to read first."
"you……"
The hall fell silent immediately, and all eyes turned to Xiao Yun.
He pointed at Yang Xiao, glared at Song Lan angrily, then smiled deflatedly, "Fine, even if you haven't colluded with the enemy. The offensive in Jizhou is very intense right now, and we can hardly win without outside help. Your mother is the Northern Qiang Princess. If you personally write a letter and send it to her, I think the Qiang King wouldn't just stand by and do nothing, would he?"
Yang Xiao smiled slightly and nodded, "What the general said is very true, but a letter alone is probably not enough to prove anything."
"Ah Xiao, you could it be..." Yang Song frowned upon hearing this and hurriedly stepped forward, about to speak to stop her, but was glared at by Xiao Yun and could only stand there frowning.
"The bone flute and blood-written letter left by my mother were placed together with the map of Jizhou. Song Lan must have already given them to you along with the map." Yang Xiao ignored Yang Song behind her, took two steps forward, and looked up at Xiao Yun. "If you bring the bone flute and our family's handwritten letter, even the Qiang King would have to give you face, right?"
"What?" Xiao Yun frowned upon hearing this, and the entire court of officials also gasped in surprise. Lu Qi waved his fan and exchanged a glance with Xiao Yan, then looked up at the scene before him.
Upon hearing this, Song Lan was also shocked and quickly knelt down in front of Xiao Yun. "General, you are wise! When I went there, there was only a brocade pouch in the drawer. The bone flute was extremely valuable and must have been taken away by General Yang."
"How could I possibly take such a valuable item to the battlefield!" Yang Xiao was furious upon hearing this. She clenched her fists angrily, took two quick steps, and shouted at Song Lan, "The bone flute is valuable, but isn't the map of Jizhou valuable too? Why would I take one and leave another behind!"
"This...I..." Song Lan stammered, her voice already trembling with tears. She looked up at Xiao Yun, her body shaking. "General, it really wasn't me who took it, I..."
Yang Xiao clenched her fists, suppressing her anger, and said, "To you, this bone flute is nothing more than a tool to invoke the power of the Qiang King; but to me, isn't my life more important?" She looked up at Xiao Yun, seemingly conciliatory, and said, "Now you have another weakness in my hands: my family, the token, and my own life. If you can return the bone flute, what's wrong with me risking my life to personally invite the Qiang King? Why do you have to pressure me like this?"
Yang Song, whose eyes were already red, stepped forward and stood beside Yang Xiao. "Xiao Yun, I thought all you wanted was so-called power, but I never imagined you..."
Before Yang Song could finish speaking, Yang Xiao smiled and sighed, then stepped forward and shook his hand reassuringly. "Brother, don't panic. General Xiao is renowned throughout the world and will surely give us an explanation. Let's see what he has to say first, and then we can make a decision."
"Song Lan! What's going on!" Xiao Yun's shock gradually turned into anger. He pointed at Song Lan, who was kneeling beside him and dared not raise his head, and scolded him angrily.
Song Lan was already sobbing uncontrollably. She lay on the ground, trembling, and said, "General, I really didn't see any bone flute... There was only a brocade pouch under the table..."
"Still trying to argue!" Xiao Yun glared at her. "Do you think what they're saying sounds like a lie? Although I've never gotten along with them, why would I go to such lengths?"
Yang Xiao sighed, as if trying her best to suppress her temper, then raised her eyes and stared at Xiao Yun, "Give us an explanation within three days."
"What if the bone flute is lost?" Xiao Yun hesitated for a moment, then looked at Yang Xiao.
"Why don't you give it a try?" Yang Xiao gritted her teeth and stared at Xiao Yun, gripping the sword at her waist tightly.
Xiao Yun clenched his fists, seemingly suppressing his anger. "Let's go!" he shouted at Song Lan, then stormed out the door.
The officials watched Xiao Yun walk away, then looked at Lu Qi, who had closed his fan and looked very serious, and Xiao Yan, who was propping his head up with his hand. They all bowed and fled the tent as if they were escaping.
Yang Song frowned and looked at Yang Xiao beside him. He was about to say something, but then sighed helplessly, "Never mind, this is not your fault."
"It's my fault for not explaining it clearly to my brother beforehand," Yang Xiao looked around and saw that only she, her brother, and Xiao Yanluqi were left. She then put away her previous imposing manner, smiled, and patted Yang Song's shoulder. "Don't worry, brother, the bone flute is naturally where it should be."
"What?" Yang Song was taken aback. "Is this true?"
“Really,” Yang Xiao nodded to him, looking at Yang Song’s still-shaken expression with relief, “At this point, the bone flute should already be in my maternal grandfather’s hands.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Song breathed a sigh of relief and, still shaken, pointed at Yang Xiao, "That's good. You didn't give me any preparation. I was really scared to death just now."
Seeing this, Xiao Yan also stood up, walked to the two of them and laughed, "Yang Xiao, you're really something. If you scare my capable general, I won't let you off the hook."
“My elder brother is reasonable and will surely understand the implications. It is your younger brother who will likely be quite frightened,” Yang Xiao said with his arms crossed. “Besides, didn’t he learn these tricks from Your Highness?”
"Oh?" Xiao Yan reached out and took Lu Qi's fan. "I've only taught you chess formations, when have I ever taught you such tricks?"
Yang Xiao snatched the fan from Xiao Yan's hand and twirled it, then gripped the handle firmly, looked up at Xiao Yan, and said, "I can learn it just by watching, why do I need you to teach me personally?"
Lu Qi turned his head and looked at the two of them. "Hey you two, is it really necessary to bring my fan along when you're chatting?"
Everyone laughed upon hearing this. Yang Xiao tossed the fan to Lu Qi, saying, "The fan is more honest than you, so naturally I'll take it instead of you."
“Very well, then go ahead,” Lu Qi said, catching the fan. The slender fan ribs spun a few times between his fingertips before settling steadily in his palm. “In short, Xiao Yun shouldn’t be causing trouble for Ling Yu for the time being.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Song breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a light smile, "That's good. Now I can rest easy for a while."
“Brother,” Yang Xiao sighed with a smile, then turned to look at Xiao Yan, “Now that things are resolved, I won’t keep you company any longer. I’ve been busy all the way and haven’t had a proper meal.”
"Um, Xiao," before Xiao Yan could speak, Yang Song patted Yang Xiao's shoulder, "Want to eat at home?"
“Alright,” Yang Xiao nodded to Yang Song, then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xiao Yan and Lu Qi and said, “In that case, I won’t stay any longer. Farewell, gentlemen.”
Xiao Yan looked up at Yang Xiao, shook his head with a helpless smile, and said, "Go ahead, go ahead."
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