Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Veil Finally Falls, Revealing the Truth
Xiao Yan smiled, crossed her arms, and strode into the hall. "How could she not see through my little trick of using someone else to do her dirty work?" She turned and pointed at Yang Song. "Given her insight, she can probably guess a thing or two about the relationship between me and Xiao Yun."
Before Yang Song could say anything, Xiao Yan chuckled and shook her head, sitting back down at her desk. "Over the years, although Zhong Li'an and the others haven't been openly hostile, thanks to Xiao Yun, we've had our share of conflicts. Zhong Li'an is fine, but..." She lowered her eyes and smiled self-deprecatingly, "I suppose in Yang Xiao's eyes, I'm already seen as a sworn enemy who must be killed."
"Your Highness, this..."
"Yang Song," Xiao Yan interrupted before Yang Song could finish speaking. She was silent for a moment, then looked up at him calmly, "Honestly, do you hate me?"
Yang Song was stunned for a long time upon seeing this. He looked at Xiao Yan's serious expression, but the words he was about to say were swallowed back down. He lowered his eyes to avoid Xiao Yan's gaze, hesitated for a long time, and finally let out a soft sigh.
“Now that we are united as master and subject, how could I hate you? But in the past…” Yang Song raised his eyes to meet Xiao Yan’s sincere gaze, a bitter smile appearing on his lips, “If I said I never hated you, it would be too fake.”
Xiao Yan nodded, took a sip of the tea that had long since gone cold, and said, "If you've never hated me, you'd be too heartless."
Yang Song chuckled upon hearing this. "Previously, I knew nothing of your thoughts. I only knew that you murdered the emperor and usurped the throne, used the late emperor's edict to summon my father and me, and then placed my father under house arrest, using this as leverage to force me to work for you." He sighed with a smile and looked up at Xiao Yan. "Back then, you didn't show your face much, and I even thought of you as someone like Xiao Yun who only cared about power."
"Hahahaha..." Xiao Yan couldn't help but laugh and shake her head upon hearing this. "That's understandable. If I were you, I might find an opportunity to stab myself to death." She sighed softly and looked up at Yang Song. "And now? Has your opinion of me changed?"
Yang Song nodded solemnly. "Your actions have completely overturned my understanding of you. But..." He looked up at Xiao Yan with a puzzled expression, asking the question that had been lurking in his heart, "Your true nature is completely different from what the world says. You supported the loyal and virtuous and eliminated the wicked, maintaining your integrity in such a filthy place, going to great lengths to protect the people of Chang'an, and doing your utmost to reunite me with my family, while also eliminating the traitors of the country..."
"Hey, alright, stop it." Xiao Yan chuckled and raised his hand to interrupt Yang Song. "If you keep praising me like this, I'll really start to think I'm some kind of wise and righteous person."
Ignoring Xiao Yan's interruption, Yang Song still looked at her with a serious and puzzled expression. "But why don't you clear yourself of any connection with Xiao Yun, instead of bearing the world's infamy on his behalf?"
"Yang Song," Xiao Yan also stopped smiling and looked at Yang Song seriously, "Do you really think the world's opinion is that important?"
"I just feel sorry for you."
“There’s no need.” Xiao Yan sighed softly, stood up and walked to the chessboard, lightly tapping the “Advisor” next to the “General”. “You hated me before, but now you’re conspiring with me. Tell me, what’s the reason for this?”
Yang Song also gazed intently at Xiao Yan's retreating figure, "It's because every single thing you've done has overturned my one-sided perception of you."
“Yes, those who understand me need no further explanation; they will naturally understand. Like Lu Qi, and like you.” Xiao Yan’s fingertips left the chess piece, and she turned to look at Yang Song. “In that case, what does it matter if others hurl insults without understanding the whole picture?” She sighed softly, glancing at the chessboard on the table. “They only believe what they see. In their eyes, I killed the emperor, colluded with Jiangnan to harm Zhongli Shuo, and even if I try my best to distance myself from Xiao Yun, in their eyes, the me they have already determined is nothing more than sophistry and pointless arguing.”
She turned and smiled at Yang Song, "Since that's the case, why should I argue with them like children? You just said you felt indignant on my behalf. In your eyes, after years of hard work in Chang'an, are the people of Chang'an just like everyone else in the world, endlessly cursing me?"
“Of course not,” Yang Song stepped forward, his tone tinged with urgency, “They have all seen what you have done for the people.”
“Yes, I’ve poured my heart and soul into governing Chang’an. Therefore, the people of Chang’an see a different ‘Xiao Yan’ than the people of the world see. So, for me, it’s enough that they only believe what they see.” She shrugged contentedly, turning to look at Yang Song. “Do you understand?”
Upon hearing this, Yang Song froze on the spot, pondering Xiao Yan's words repeatedly.
"This land has a history of thousands of years, with countless heroes vying for supremacy. Who will judge right and wrong, merit and demerit?" She chuckled and walked towards the door, then stood in the center of the hall, looking up at the hanging lantern. "Now, I only need to do what I should do and fulfill my responsibilities. Fame is a matter for posterity. I have accomplished what I desire, and that is enough."
Yang Song sighed softly and took two steps toward Xiao Yan. "I understand what you've said, but the burden you bear is far too heavy. You have to eliminate traitors within and fight enemies without." He nodded and pondered for a long while. "Leaving aside the opinions of the world, your wish is actually no different from that of Zhong Li'an. Why not consider joining forces with him..."
"Do you want Zhongli An to surrender to me, or do you want me to surrender to Zhongli An?"
Before Yang Song could finish speaking, Xiao Yan interrupted him with a laugh, "This world was won by fighting with swords and spears. When have you ever seen heroes from all over the world sit around a table and discuss how to choose an emperor? Even if the heroes are convinced, are their generals convinced? Are the people convinced?"
Xiao Yan chuckled and shook his head. "You're still being too naive. Your idea of avoiding war and protecting the people is certainly commendable, but have you ever considered why your father and grandfather had to guard the border and fight the Northern Qiang for eighteen years?"
“This…” Yang Song frowned and said without thinking, “Naturally, it is for the peace and security of the border, to prevent foreign invasion.”
“Yes, that’s how it is in our eyes.” Xiao Yan walked back to his seat, picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup of hot tea. “The Northern Qiang have invaded that land and grassland in order to prevent their people from suffering from hunger and cold; while we are defending that land to the death, so that our country may be secure forever and our people may live in peace.”
"This land is indispensable to both of us. If we were to hand it over to the other without more than ten years of fighting, who would be satisfied? If that were the case, endless conflicts in the future would be inevitable." Xiao Yan put down the lid of his cup and gently blew on the tea leaves inside. "Therefore, for the sake of our nearly identical vision, we never backed down. More than ten years later, our strengths were fully revealed, and we were evenly matched. As for the people, no matter who takes over this land, they will have strong protection behind them."
She took a sip of tea, put the lid on, and placed the teacup on the table. "So, in the end, we and the Northern Qiang both maintained our bottom lines. We would not give up an inch of territory, but we allowed the Northern Qiang herders to graze and cultivate the land in the south. And that borderland became unprecedentedly rich because both sides valued it so much. The Northern Qiang people intermarried and offered fine horses as tribute, while we Han people provided them with grain. This situation was much better than the previous mutual hostility and confrontation. This is the significance of those more than ten years of war."
Xiao Yan lowered his eyes and pondered for a long time. His deep feelings finally turned into a sneer. "What a pity. As soon as that tyrant came to power, he became complacent and arrogant, and treated the Northern Qiang with contempt. Now, the border is in chaos again."
Yang Song let out a long sigh, leaned against the wall, and pondered with his arms crossed.
"I've digressed, but our relationship with Zhong Li'an is similar yet different. He has his reasons for fighting, while I will fight to the end." He sighed softly, then walked to Yang Song's side. "I'm saying all this just to tell you that no battle is fought in vain, and no one's sacrifice is meaningless. Why get hung up on so-called positions?"
She smiled with relief and patted Yang Song's shoulder. "If Zhongli An is truly capable, then let him lead the righteous army to conquer Chang'an and give the people of the world an explanation."
"The world is won by fighting with swords and spears."
Yang Song looked up at the golden rays of sunlight streaming in through the window, muttering Xiao Yan's words. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly turned his head as if he had just realized something, only to see Xiao Yan bathed in sunlight, looking at him with a carefree expression.
“Your Highness, I understand,” he smiled and nodded at Xiao Yan. “Rest assured, when facing Zhong Li’an, I will go all out. Even if the opponent is Ling Yu…” He sighed as if he had made a decision, “I will never give in to her.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but chuckle. "Single-handedly repelled three thousand Yingchuan soldiers, and charged across four prefectures in a day and a night... If you were to actually face off, the outcome would be uncertain." Seeing that Yang Song was about to argue, she quickly waved her hand with a smile. "Alright, just kidding. But I'll make it clear beforehand: you can beat her, but you absolutely cannot hurt her."
"Your Highness, rest assured," Yang Song clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xiao Yan, "I know what I'm doing."
Xiao Yan nodded with trust, then sighed softly, gazing at the golden light streaming into the hall through the window. On the heavy chessboard, a few specks of dust shimmered and drifted among the translucent chess pieces.
"I really hope that Zhongli An can march west and seize Chang'an from among these thousands of soldiers, so that I can admit defeat wholeheartedly." Xiao Yan stepped forward, pushed open the door, and in an instant, thousands of golden rays burst forth from the clouds, making the entire city of Chang'an magnificent and radiant.
"If that's the case, then my life's wish will be fulfilled."
She turned to look at Yang Song and nodded slightly. "We will send troops tomorrow and station them in Longcheng."
As the sun dipped to one side, its afterglow brushed across the palace walls before quietly disappearing behind the western mountains.
A west wind began to rise, carrying the sound of drums, and spread eastward.
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