Chapter Seventy-Two: The Curtain Rises After Three Years, the Main Event Begins
The officials breathed a sigh of relief as if they had been resurrected and all withdrew. Only Yang Song seemed not to have heard anything and remained standing there, frowning as he looked at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan looked up and met his gaze, then chuckled softly, "How did you know I wanted to keep you?"
Lu Qi, standing to the side, smiled and shook his fan. "His Highness's meaning is so clear, how could General Yang not understand?"
Xiao Yan gestured to a seat to the side, indicating that Yang Song should sit down and talk. She picked up the teapot, poured herself a cup of hot tea, and looked up at Yang Song, "Are you sure that Yang Xiao is your younger sister?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Song sat up. He frowned slightly and sighed, "More than ten years have passed, and I can no longer remember what she looks like, but..." He looked up at Xiao Yan with unwavering determination, "I have a feeling that this female general can only be her, and can only be her."
Xiao Yan nodded, but before he could say anything, Lu Qi, who was standing to the side, closed the fan in his hand and asked, "Back then, was the person your father entrusted your sister to with his life surnamed Qi?"
“That’s right.” Yang Song sat up upon hearing this. “Back then, it was because Mr. Qi had retired to the mountains and forests, far away from the chaos of the world, that my father had no choice but to entrust A-Xiao to him.”
Lu Qi nodded slightly, as if sensing something, then looked up at Yang Song and Xiao Yan, "Isn't the strategist under Zhong Li'an also surnamed Qi?"
"You mean..." Yang Song couldn't help but get excited, then he gently sighed and sat back down, shaking his head with a light laugh, "How could there be such a coincidence?"
“How unpredictable life is,” Lu Qi sighed, waving his fan. He closed the fan with a sense of melancholy. “Although that hermit lived in the mountains, his son and his friend’s daughter both threw themselves into the chaos of the world and made great achievements.”
Xiao Yan took a sip of tea and glanced back at Lu Qi with interest. "I heard that Old Master Qi has two sons. How come there's only news about Qi Kun?"
"How would I know that?" Lu Qi chuckled and shook his head, but unconsciously tightened his grip on the fan in his hand.
Xiao Yan put down his teacup and sighed, "Qi Kun took the initiative to leave the mountain and join Zhong Li'an, devising countless plans for him, but I have never even known the name of his younger brother, and I have nowhere to look for him."
"Your Highness," Lu Qi looked up at Xiao Yan and chuckled as he opened his fan, "Is it not enough that I'm here to advise you? Do you still need to go and find Qi Kun's younger brother?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile and shake her head. "Of course, having you is enough, but the more talented people the better." She looked up at Yang Song and said, "If it weren't for our different stances, I would really like to persuade Yang Xiao to surrender as well."
Yang Song smiled and clasped his hands in a fist salute, "She started from scratch with Zhong Li'an and has risen to her current status as a powerful figure in the Central Plains. It's probably hard to convince her."
Xiao Yan nodded approvingly, "Yes, such a rare general should be left to her own devices. If I could persuade her to surrender with just a few words, she wouldn't be the Yang Xiao I have in mind."
“In short,” Yang Song frowned and sighed softly, then looked up at Xiao Yan and bowed to her solemnly, “I thank Your Highness for giving me the opportunity to meet her. Whether she acknowledges me or not is not important. As long as I can see her, my long-cherished wish will be fulfilled.”
Xiao Yan chuckled and shook her head. "Now that you mention it, I'm even more eager to persuade her to surrender." She looked into Yang Song's serious eyes and waved her hand with a smile. "I didn't ask you to persuade her to surrender on the battlefield. My reputation is already bad enough. Don't add another stain to it in front of her."
Yang Song couldn't help but laugh. He nodded, then suddenly frowned slightly as if he had thought of something. "Your Highness, I have another question to ask."
"Hmm?" Xiao Yan turned his head to the side. "Speak freely."
"You want me to fight Yang Xiao, but Cheng Feng... I've never been able to handle him."
“Him,” Xiao Yan waved her hand with a smile, “I know he’s in cahoots with Xiao Yun. I have my reasons for sending him as your deputy.” She raised her eyes and gave Yang Song a knowing look, “Trust yourself, and trust Yang Xiao.”
Yang Song nodded thoughtfully, but his brows were still slightly furrowed, as if he were deep in thought.
Lu Qi sat to the side, gently fanning himself as he looked at Yang Song. After a moment of contemplation, he inquired, "General Yang, is there anything else you're worried about?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Song raised his head. He looked into Xiao Yan and Lu Qi's eyes, hesitated for a moment, then closed his eyes, still slightly nervous. "You mean, A-Xiao..." He looked up at Xiao Yan, "Will she really fight me?"
“Yang Xiao has never been one to run away from things. You can sense that even without meeting her.” Xiao Yan looked up at Yang Song. “She may have a thousand or more questions she wants to ask you; or she may want to help you escape your misery and submit to Zhong Li’an; or she may want to vent her grievances of many years to you…” She sighed with a smile and looked up at Yang Song. “But before asking these questions, she will definitely have a fair and square contest with you.”
Yang Song nodded, let out a long sigh, and then raised his eyes to clasp his hands in a fist salute to Xiao Yan, "I understand, thank you Your Highness."
“Oh, right,” Xiao Yan seemed to remember something, glancing sideways and chuckling, “If she insults me in front of the enemy lines, you must not talk back.”
Yang Song was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this. "Your Highness, what do you mean by that?"
“She suffered greatly because of the tyrannical emperor, but unexpectedly, just after she came of age, I suddenly seized power, killed that emperor, and put General Chixiao and you under house arrest,” Xiao Yan stood up and looked at Yang Song with relief. “I’ve done all this, so what does it matter if she scolds me a few times?”
"But Your Highness, that was not your intention..."
“She doesn’t know the inside story, so it’s natural for her to take her anger out on me,” Xiao Yan sighed with a smile, shook her head, and interrupted Yang Song’s explanation. “Whether it’s for the answer she’s holding onto in her heart or for the common people,” she chuckled and took two steps toward the palace gate. “I really hope she can kill her way to me, point a gun at me, and ask, ‘Why did you do that?’”
Upon hearing this, Yang Song couldn't help but frown slightly. "Your Highness, the situation is still uncertain. Why are you acting this way?"
“Yes,” Xiao Yan chuckled and glanced back, “the situation is still uncertain, and everything remains to be seen.”
She raised her hand to Lu Qiyi, naturally snatched the fan from his hand, and walked to the table. She unfolded the fan and looked at Yang Song, saying, "Tomorrow I will send a challenge to Zhong Li'an. At that time, I will also go to Hanoi with you to personally supervise the battle for you."
"I am happy to go on the military campaign alone. How can I let Your Highness suffer the hardships of war?"
Xiao Yan chuckled and waved his fan. "I'm not some delicate, fragile woman. This time, I also want to see if Yang Xiao can meet my expectations."
Yang Song turned around and met Lu Qi's gaze. He saw that Lu Qi had lost his fan and could only hold his arms tightly. He then smiled and nodded slightly to Yang Song.
“Very well, Your Highness, so be it.” Yang Song nodded and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xiao Yan. “Then I will also go back and reorganize the troops. After all, as your close advisor, I should not disappoint you.”
“Alright,” Xiao Yan chuckled and looked up at him. “Go back and rest well. I’ll be watching you on the front lines in Hanoi.”
-
A challenge was sent to Jizhou in a great hurry, and it met with Zhongli An before Yang Xiao and the other two.
Looking at the deeply incisive handwriting and Xiao Yan's personal seal, his heart sank.
Declaration of war, recognition of kinship, demonstration... all sorts of meanings burst forth from that small piece of paper, yet none of them seemed to be Xiao Yan's true intention.
He stood up, staring at the challenge letter, remaining silent for a long time.
"My lord!"
Yang Xiao and the other two were waiting for Zhong Li'an to go to Nanyang, but unexpectedly, a military order was sent by express courier, forcibly taking the three of them back to Jizhou.
However, Zhongli An was the kind of person who loved to keep things a secret, so he didn't write anything in the military dispatches. The three of them were completely confused, and knowing that the situation was urgent, they had no choice but to turn their horses around and immediately gallop towards Jizhou.
As the morning sun began to shine upon the land of Jizhou, Yang Xiao's warhorse, like a fluttering battle flag, carried her like a streak of fire towards the city gate, leaving Zhong Lishuo and Bai Ming far behind.
Zhong Li'an looked up at Yang Xiao, who was galloping towards him, and smiled as he met her in the sunlight. He pulled on the reins and spurred his horse forward. "Our hero is back?"
"My lord, you flatter me," Yang Xiao bowed to Zhongli An, unable to hide his anxiety, and looked at him impatiently, "My lord, what happened in Jizhou that requires us to return so quickly?"
Bai Ming and Zhong Lishuo arrived one after the other. "My lord, strategist," Bai Ming bowed to Zhong Li'an and Qi Kun, "could it be that Xiao Yan has sent troops to invade?"
“What Zhao Qing said is true, but…” Zhong Li’an looked at the anxious group and sighed with a smile, “It’s also my fault for not explaining things clearly in the letter. Although the incident happened suddenly, it is not difficult to deal with. There is no need to be so nervous.”
“I knew it,” Zhong Lishuo said, before he finished speaking, his arm landed on Bai Ming’s shoulder. He breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand with a smile. “If anything else happens, with the few of us here, we can definitely turn danger into safety and cure the disease.”
“You really stole the show at this banquet,” Cen Xun said with a smile, pointing at Zhong Lishuo. “But you can’t handle this matter.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao tilted her head and looked at Cen Xun. "Oh? What do you mean?"
Qi Kun smiled and looked at Yang Xiao, "For Yu Yude and Zhao Qing, it is indeed a bit tricky; but for you, Ling Yu, it's a piece of cake, and it might even be a happy event."
"Me?" Yang Xiao pointed to herself in disbelief, then exchanged a glance with Bai Ming beside her. After pondering for a while, she smiled and shook her head at everyone, "I could never have guessed that."
"Don't worry, it's nothing serious." Zhong Li'an smiled warmly at everyone. "Right now, the most important thing is to go back to our tents, have some hot tea, and give us a detailed report on your every move in Nanyang."
Upon hearing this, Cen Xun nodded in agreement, teasingly saying with a smile, "Yes, your story has almost spread throughout the entire Central Plains. If this were at the Lingyue Pavilion, they would have to sing for you for at least two days."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao couldn't help but laugh and cross her arms, "Is it really that exaggerated?"
“Of course there is,” Qi Kun chuckled. “The story of the three of you is nothing short of legendary, especially Yu De.” Qi Kun smiled and pointed at Zhong Lishuo. “There are at least a dozen versions of your story about capturing Jie Liang.”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Li'an chuckled and patted Qi Kun on the shoulder, "You won't tell me who spread the news in the city?"
Qi Kun immediately understood and laughed, "Could it be that the story of our lord climbing the tree to pick locust flowers was spread throughout the army back then?"
“Hey,” Zhong Li’an laughed and pointed at Qi Kun, “I didn’t climb the tree.”
"So, my lord, are you really going to climb the tree?"
Qi Kun's words drew another round of laughter from the crowd. Zhong Li'an shook his head with a sigh, "It seems that Ling Yupi is inextricably linked to you, Gu Fan. Alright everyone," he waved his hand at the crowd behind him, "Let's go back to the tent and settle Xiao Yan's matter first, then we can talk about Huaihua, shall we?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao seized the opportunity and rode forward on horseback. "So, my lord, we still have a chance to feast our eyes?"
“You,” Zhong Lishuo pointed at Yang Xiao, “after we’ve fought Xiao Yan, it’ll be almost locust blossom season again. How about I climb the tree myself and pick the blossoms to make tea for you then?”
"Alright!" Everyone immediately answered in unison, and the gates of Anping City were filled with the festive cheer of firecrackers. Several warhorses galloped happily into the city, as if they couldn't wait to face Xiao Yan.
The fine steed galloped past, leaving only a few slanting shadows that swayed away in the sunlight.
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