Chapter Ninety-Six: Clouds Sweep Across the Western Capital
Yang Xiao was startled by Cen Xun's sudden attack. She frowned slightly and dodged back to create some distance. The heavy, long sword danced swiftly in Cen Xun's hands, the sword and the man's movements gradually merging into one.
"The music may end, but the people linger..." The laughter and chatter of the crowd on Qixi Festival echoed in Yang Xiao's ears again. A wistful smile touched her lips as Cen Xun's figure, wielding his sword with all his might, gradually blurred before her eyes. She took a deep breath, gazing with emotion at Cen Xun's weakening form and fiery, resolute expression. "Isn't this also a continuation of life? Yu De, have you ever truly left her..."
Cen Xun's steps became increasingly unsteady, and he gradually lost control of the weight of the sword. Before Yang Xiao could step forward to help him, there was a "whoosh" sound as the blade was driven straight into the ground. Cen Xun gripped the handle, panting heavily.
"How are you, Tongxi? Are you alright?" Yang Xiao quickly stepped forward to support Cen Xun's arm and gently patted her back. "Take a break. You hit her too hard just now."
"If we're not ruthless... how can we defeat the enemy?" Cen Xun stood up, hands on his hips, adjusting his breathing. He smiled at Yang Xiao and hesitated, "Is this what it's like to be on the battlefield?"
Seeing Cen Xun so energetic, Yang Xiao chuckled with relief, "You'd be a hundred times more heroic on the battlefield than you are now." She teasingly leaned on Cen Xun's shoulder, "When you kicked the scabbard just now, did you even think about how to sheathe your sword?"
“Oh, right!” Cen Xun suddenly remembered the scabbard. “Yu De told me that if I couldn’t draw the sword, I could kick it away. If I were really on the battlefield, I’d probably not be able to find it.” She shook her head with a sigh. “Ling Yu, quickly help me find the scabbard.”
"Isn't this right here?" Yang Xiao smiled and walked towards the scabbard on the side. Hearing this, she couldn't help but turn back. "Don't be like that. Did you practice too hard and get dizzy?" As she spoke, she picked up the scabbard, dusted it off, and then helped Cen Xun pull the sword out of the dirt and sheathed it.
“Sigh,” Cen Xun sighed, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “Now that you mention it, it’s true.” She smiled and leaned on Yang Xiao’s shoulder. “Looks like I can already wield this knife and perform a few moves.”
"Hmm." Yang Xiao nodded with a wry smile. "Those few moves just now were quite impressive, and you could definitely see Yu De's style, but," she changed the subject and looked at Cen Xun with a smile, "you only lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. You still need to practice your strength more."
Cen Xun chuckled and shook her head, then raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. "No rush, there's no such thing as instant success." She smiled and slowly clenched her fist, watching the sunlight spill through her fingers and onto her face. "Let's take it one step at a time, and we'll succeed eventually."
"Alright, Tongxi," Yang Xiao said with a smile, taking her arm. "I'm not going to play the sun-catching game with you anymore. We've won a great victory this time, and I can't wait to send troops to fight Xiao Yan. Let's go, let's hurry back to camp and hear the lord's plans for the next battle."
“Looks like you didn’t get enough of the fight,” Cen Xun said, slinging his gun behind his back and pulling Yang Xiao along as they jogged. “Let’s go, let the lord give you and Zhao Qing a proper celebration first.”
With a tug from Prefect Cen Xun, the two were instantly running under the glow of the sunset. Sunlight, hidden behind the mountains, seeped through the mountain edges, gently bathing them in its warmth. Their elongated shadows were as light as butterflies and as resolute as galloping horses, as they raced wildly along their chosen path, tireless and unstoppable.
A vibrant energy once again burst forth in Jizhou, and like fireworks, it spread all the way to Chang'an with the passing of the east wind.
-
As night fell, Chang'an City was quiet.
The entire court knew that Zhong Li'an had achieved a great victory in his revenge, yet not a single person dared to meet Xiao Yan.
Zhongli An's campaign reached all the way to the north bank of the Yangtze River, even recapturing Yingchuan, which Xiao Yan had recently acquired. The entire area north of the Yangtze, except for her own Bingzhou and Sizhou, was now under Zhongli An's control.
Both sides have well-trained troops and ample supplies, and their forces are formidable; a battle is imminent.
However, Xiao Yan showed no sign of panic, but rather a sense of composure as if "everything was as expected".
Rumors circulated that her "reconstruction of Chang'an" project had been halted, and it was unknown when she would send troops to fight Zhongli An.
-
The first rays of sunlight, carrying a chill, seeped in through the window and shone on the blue jade floor. All the servants of Zhu Yang Palace had been dismissed; the only sounds in the empty hall were the constant turning of pages and the rustling of folding fans.
Xiao Yan raised his hand and tapped the map on the table. Hearing the rustling sound of the folding fan beside him, he clicked his tongue impatiently and said without turning his head, "Lu Qi, what kind of weather is this that you're still fanning yourself?"
"I always have a fan in my hand, it's become a habit." Lu Qi, sitting to the side, chuckled and put away his fan. "Your Highness, you don't need to worry about me, this little breeze won't make me catch a cold."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but laugh and look up. "Who cares about you? I just find you noisy." She sighed with a smile, stood up, and pointed to the map on the table. "Zhong Li'an fought a brilliant battle."
Lu Qi, fanning himself, smiled and echoed, "Under the pretext of revenge, he dispatched 200,000 troops south from Lujiang County, and within a day and a night, he had annexed most of Jiangbei." He sighed softly, "Such a swift offensive is probably unmatched by anyone else."
Xiao Yan nodded, got up and walked to the chessboard set up to the side, then sat down at the table.
On the chessboard, the black and red sides are evenly matched, probing each other. The black pieces are secretly setting up their formation, while the red pieces have already revealed their strength and are poised to attack.
She rested her chin on her hand, leaning against the table, and gently picked up a jade-like chess piece, tapping it lightly on the board. The tinkling sound was crisp and melodious, quite pleasant to the ear.
She sat alone at the table, her eyes downcast as she surveyed the situation. Lu Qi, standing beside her, also watched from a distance, not taking a single step forward.
With a "snap," the red piece's "cannon" attacked directly from the flank. Xiao Yan sighed with a smile, captured the "pawn" that had been "eaten," and stood up, leaning on the table.
At the same time, the palace door was gently pushed open. Xiao Yan looked up and saw Yang Song, his forehead covered in sweat, stepping into the palace with his hands clasped in front of him. "Your Highness, did you call me?"
Xiao Yan chuckled and nodded. "Why are you panting? Did you just finish practicing martial arts? Sit down and have a cup of tea."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Yang Song bowed and entered the hall, sitting opposite Lu Qi. "May I ask what brings Your Highness here today?"
"You must have heard about Yang Xiaobai's battle to avenge Zhong Lishuo," Xiao Yan said, sitting back in his seat and pouring himself a cup of tea. "This time, Zhong Li'an's grudge with Jiangnan has been completely settled, so in the next battle, he will officially clash with us."
Lu Qi nodded in agreement, "So His Highness called us here, firstly to discuss Zhong Li'an's battle, and secondly to prepare us mentally."
Yang Song nodded and took a sip of tea. "I have indeed heard about Zhongli An's revenge battle." He turned to look at Xiao Yan. "I heard that Lingyu has been relentlessly seizing four prefectures day and night. If it weren't for Bai Ming's intervention, she probably would have taken Hanzhong directly." He sighed with worry. "The last time I heard of such a rapid advance was when Father... told me about Mother's battle."
"In that case," Xiao Yan said, glancing at Yang Song with a smile, "Yang Xiao looks more like your mother than you do."
“Yes,” Yang Song nodded with a smile, “I had the same feeling when I saw her last time. But at that time, she didn’t have this murderous aura at all.” He looked up at Xiao Yan, “This time, her revenge battle is just like the rumors about her mother’s battles; she is fighting with her life on the line.”
Xiao Yan sighed softly and nodded. "Yang Xiao... she really didn't disappoint me. Intelligent, brave, bold, and meticulous, she is truly a rare talent." She leaned back and praised her repeatedly, but then she saw a faint "I knew it" smile on Lu Qi's face.
"Lu Qi, what are you laughing at?" Xiao Yan chuckled and tilted her head to look at him. "Don't you trust my judgment?"
“I believe you, of course I believe you,” Lu Qi nodded with a smile, but a hint of pride crept into his eyes. “However, I have never seen Your Highness speak so highly of anyone before. It seems that this Yang Xiao is no ordinary person.”
Xiao Yan sighed helplessly and shook his head. "Tell me, with such a talented general, plus a wise ruler like Zhongli An, and two strategists under his command, Qi Kun and Xue Chang, what are our chances of winning if we really have to fight him to the death?"
Upon hearing Qi Kun's name, Lu Qi paused, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. He then turned to Xiao Yan with a smile, "Your Highness, how come I didn't know you were planning to go all out against Zhong Li'an? According to your plan, weren't you going to..."
"Alright, alright, you talk too much." Xiao Yan waved her hand with a smile, interrupting Lu Qi. She changed the subject and asked, "By the way, are the battle formations in Chang'an City all set up?"
Lu Qi pondered for a while, "Chang'an City is already well-organized. After the palace is repaired according to the formation, there is no need for major changes to the city. However, there are still some finishing touches left, which can be completed in less than a day."
“Okay,” Xiao Yan smiled and waved to Lu Qi, “Then go and finish the rest of the work. I won’t see you off.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Qi stood there, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He spread his hands at the two of them and said, "Your Highness, if you want to get rid of me, just say so. Why bother with this show?"
Seeing this, Yang Song couldn't help but smile. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lu Qiyi and said, "Thank you for your hard work, sir."
Lu Qi chuckled and conceded, then cupped his fists to the two men and said, "Then I shall take my leave."
"Hmm." Xiao Yan stood still, nodded to Lu Qi, turned around and sat down in front of the chessboard, his finger lightly touching the black "horse".
The translucent jade reflected on Xiao Yan's slender fingertips and fell into her unfathomable eyes.
She gazed at the chess piece, pondered for a long time, then sighed with a relieved smile. She turned to Yang Song, "If Yang Xiao hadn't been so close to Zhong Li'an, I would have really wanted you to be my advocate and recruit her." She picked up her teacup and took a sip of the still-warm tea. "Last time you fought her, did she say anything to you?"
“This…” Yang Song was taken aback when he heard this. The words Yang Xiao had spoken to him earlier came back to his ears. He looked up at Xiao Yan with a slightly guilty look. “We’ve been apart for too long. Apart from catching up, we didn’t say much else.”
"She probably guessed it, right?"
"……What?"
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