Chapter Sixty-Five: Borrowing Splendor Again to Overcome Adversity
"Report! General, General Yude has arrived."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao looked out the door in surprise, only to see Zhong Lishuo, exuding a chilling aura, flash into the tent, nearly extinguishing the newly lit embers.
"Why are you here instead of packing your things before you leave?" Yang Xiao couldn't help but chuckle and tease, "Do you really need something from me?"
Zhong Lishuo shook his head with a helpless smile, "Luckily I was quick-witted beforehand, otherwise I really would have let it slip in front of Tongxi."
"Is that really so?" Yang Xiao couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this. She pointed to the seat opposite her. "I actually have the ability to predict the future. Tell me about it?"
Zhong Lishuo sat down opposite him without any ceremony, leaning his hand on the table. "You have a quick memory for directions, and you've known Tongxi for so many years, that's why I was so excited when I heard you were going to the city." He couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes and looked up at Yang Xiao. "Do you know about Dushan Jade?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao nodded in sudden realization, "You want me to pick out a piece of jade for you, have someone polish it, and then give it to Tongxi?"
"Just help me pick out a piece of jade, and I can handle the rest myself." Zhong Lishuo leaned towards Yang Xiao and said, "You think about it, we've been allied with Jiangnan for half a year now, and who knows when we might join forces to fight Xiao Yan."
Yang Xiao immediately smiled and pointed at Zhong Lishuo, "I understand, you want to plan a surprise for Tongxi before the wedding, right?"
“Lingyu understands me best.” Zhongli Shuo chuckled as he stood up. “Then I’ll entrust this matter to you. I’ll take my leave now.” Before Yang Xiao could react, he backed out the door, then suddenly turned back to look at Yang Xiao as if he remembered something. “After this is done, I promise I will never tease you again.”
Watching him walk backwards out the door, Yang Xiao felt both angry and amused. She took two steps forward and peeked out the door, saying, "Come on, you!"
A moment later, a burst of relaxed and carefree laughter came from outside the tent, drifting away on the evening breeze.
-
Yang Xiao had something on her mind and didn't sleep well all night. First, the departure was imminent, and the costumes and headdresses were still undecided; second, she felt that Xiao Yan's actions were too bizarre and somewhat contradictory.
She first committed all sorts of dirty deeds in officialdom, her hands covered in blood, and climbed step by step to the high position of Empress over corpses.
Everyone thought she would indulge in wealth and luxury, but on her wedding night, she murdered the emperor with a hairpin, performing a heroic act that could be described as "eliminating a scourge for the people."
But then she put Yang Xiao's father, Yang Zhenru, under house arrest in the Chixiao Mansion, forcing her brother, Yang Song, to obey Xiao Yan's every command.
But along her journey, she must have had no shortage of capable people around her, and there is only one possibility for her choosing Yang Song—that he is a descendant of loyal and virtuous officials. Xiao Yan wanted to discard the treacherous and wicked people from before, turn over a new leaf, and be determined to become a wise ruler and conquer the Central Plains in this world of vying for supremacy.
So she allowed the people to recuperate and the city to be at peace, while simultaneously training troops and repairing the entire city of Chang'an.
Why did she collude with Zhao Yue and Jie Liang to sabotage Zhong Li'an?
She used almost every underhanded means imaginable, reminiscent of how she framed loyal officials when she rose to power... It was as if two completely different people were making the decision in turn.
Could it be... that there's some hidden story?
Thinking of this, Yang Xiao shook her head irritably, picked up her gun, and headed towards the training ground in the dim light of dawn.
Honestly, she cursed inwardly, how could she possibly defend Xiao Yan?
She chuckled, steadied herself in a horse stance, and gripped her spear with poised readiness, as if Xiao Yan were standing right in front of her.
She gritted her teeth, her eyes sharpened like knives, and in an instant, her spear danced like lightning, her attack fierce and powerful, no different from venting her anger.
Yang Xiao gave a slight "humph" through her nose. One day, she would storm Chang'an and personally demand an explanation.
-
"General! General Lingyu!"
Yang Xiaogang, panting, finished her training and walked back from the training ground, twirling the gun in her hand. She saw Zhang Ping and Mu Fei leading several soldiers pushing a cart toward her.
By this time, the sky was already bright, and the two lively figures ran briskly towards her.
She stopped in her tracks and looked back with interest. "What are you doing? Why are you pushing a cart here?"
Zhang Ping smiled and waved to Yang Xiao. "This was at your request last night. I went to find some knives and spears, as well as costumes and headdresses." He pushed the cart in front of Yang Xiao. "Take a look and see if it's in compliance with regulations?"
"A whole truckload of costumes overnight," Yang Xiao frowned at Zhang Ping in disbelief. "Where did you get them?"
Zhang Ping raised his hand and scratched his head. "The agreed time is fast approaching, and it's definitely too late to make it now, so I... went to the city to borrow from the people."
"Borrow from the common people?" Yang Xiao asked incredulously, then crossed his arms in anger and laughter. "You're the commander of an army. If this isn't borrowing, what's the difference between that and outright robbery? Even if I didn't use these methods and sought other ways, it shouldn't be like this..."
Before she could finish speaking, Mu Fei, who was standing next to Zhang Ping, waved his hands repeatedly and called out softly, "General, General, you have misunderstood Brother Ping." He looked up at Yang Xiao with a slightly aggrieved expression, "It was my fault for not explaining it clearly to you. It's not Brother Ping's fault."
Seeing this, Yang Xiao frowned and softened her earlier tone. She gently straightened the cloth covering the cart, sighed softly, and turned to look at Mu Fei, "I'm sorry, I was too harsh earlier. Tell me, what exactly happened?"
“Before I joined the army, I worked with my parents cooking and doing odd jobs on the streets, as you know. Our family restaurant was very famous, so I knew all the villagers in that alley very well.” Mu Fei also raised his hand to support the small car. “In that alley, there was an old gentleman who was an old friend of my parents. I used to play at his house when I was a child.”
Yang Xiao nodded, looking at Mu Fei with a kind gaze, and listened with great interest.
“He loved opera very much, and he used to work in opera troupes when he was young, so his house is full of opera costumes, headdresses and the like.” Seeing Yang Xiao relax, Mu Fei also became more enthusiastic. He recalled the past, his eyes full of childlike fun and anticipation. He listed them one by one on his fingers, and then looked back at Yang Xiao, “So when you told me about him last night, I immediately thought of him.”
"So you went to the city to ask that old man for help?" Yang Xiao's eyes had long since lost their previous anger, and she turned to look at Mu Fei with a smile.
“Yes,” Mu Fei nodded vigorously, then leaned closer with a hint of excitement, “You know, the old man was so happy when he found out I was fighting and cooking in the army camp. When he heard that I was in the strongest team under your command, he was even more excited. He grabbed me and praised you for a long time. When he heard that you needed costumes, he took out all his possessions. When he heard that you had worked in the theater, he wanted to give you his most treasured headdress.”
He became more and more excited as he spoke, clapping his hands loudly with each "hear it," as if afraid Yang Xiao wouldn't see how excited he was.
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao chuckled and shook her head, "You're exaggerating too much."
"No, really no," Mu Fei hurriedly waved his hands. He glanced at Zhang Ping behind him, pointed, and said, "Brother Ping is my witness."
Seeing this, Zhang Ping couldn't help but smile and nod, "Yes, yes, I'll be your witness."
“You,” Yang Xiao looked at Zhang Ping and shook her head with a light laugh, “it seems I really misunderstood you earlier. I was in a bad mood today and my words were a bit harsh. I’m sorry.”
Zhang Ping quickly frowned and waved his hand, "General, what are you saying? You're doing this for the sake of the people and our reputation. How can it be considered wrong to scold me a couple of times?"
"Alright, alright, given our friendship, there's no need for further explanation," Yang Xiao said with a smile, patting Zhang Ping's shoulder before turning to look at Mu Fei. "And then what? You can't possibly take all the things someone has treasured for decades, can you?"
"How could that be?" Mu Fei slapped his thigh in annoyance. He lifted a corner of the cover. "I tried to refuse, saying I didn't want anything too expensive, just some basic things, but he still stuffed the whole cart full of things for me. Luckily, he managed to put down the most expensive headdress."
Yang Xiao gently lifted the cloth and saw the neatly arranged costumes and weapon handles inside the carriage. She couldn't help but gasp. "This old gentleman is really..." She then sighed, "He actually prepared such a large carriage full of treasures just because of our scheme..."
Seeing this, Mu Fei couldn't help but frown. "Could it be that we took too much?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao couldn't help but chuckle and sigh, then turned to look at Mu Fei with a serious expression. "Before we set off, please thank the old gentleman for me. When we return, I will personally visit him to express my gratitude."
"Alright, I understand." Mu Fei stepped back, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yang Xiao, and said, "Then I'll pack my things right away and head over immediately."
Yang Xiao nodded, watching Mu Fei jog away, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion. She walked up to Zhang Ping, patted him on the shoulder, and seemed to be lost in thought.
-
With this smuggled item, Yang Xiao and his group, carrying Zhongli Shuo's seven-foot-long sword, headed west and arrived in Nanyang in less than three days.
The city gate drawbridge creaked and groaned as it was lowered, and Nanyang City instantly became bustling with activity. As the dust billowed up, merchants and travelers hurried into the city.
Yang Xiao, unusually, changed into a wide-sleeved cloth dress, and her long hair, which was usually tied up high, was casually pulled back. Looking at her, avoiding the heroic and sharp look in her eyes, she really looked like a young lady from a humble family.
She glanced up at the sleepy-looking soldiers guarding the city, then exchanged a look with Zhang Ping and Mu Fei, who were pushing a cart beside her. She nodded slightly, and the group immediately began to walk into the city.
She glanced at the soldier discreetly, walked along the side of the vehicle pressing down the tarpaulin, stepped onto the drawbridge as if nothing had happened, and turned back to look at the vehicle.
"Hey, wait!" Just as they helped the cart onto the drawbridge, the soldier at the city gate yawned and raised his hand to stop them, snapping irritably, "What are all these people doing here?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao stopped in her tracks, chuckled softly to herself, and turned to glance at the soldier who was swaggering towards her.
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