In ancient times, people matured and became sensible at an early age. At the age of eleven, one could already be considered half an adult.
Xu Yanxiao had always been intelligent. At the age of six, she had been learning how to manage and manage the inner courtyard from her mother. She had seen too much internal strife and intrigue within the inner courtyard. Her mind could not be measured by the standards of an ordinary eleven year old girl. She knew her situation …
Her eldest uncle was the main culprit behind her father's death. Her mother had also been indirectly forced to her death.
In short, Xu Bei was not only her eldest uncle, but also the enemy who killed her parents.
Who would feel at ease letting an enemy take care of them?
Xu Yanxiao had the same worries.
Qin Gong sat upright and looked at the young girl in mourning clothes in front of him. His heart was filled with hesitation.
"Xin Zhao Gong would not dare to mistreat you. If something were to happen, he would do his best to protect you."
Xu Yanxiao's pale face showed some mockery. "Would he do his best to protect me, the enemy who killed my parents?"
"You are now equivalent to his reputation. How would Xin Zhao Gong dare not protect you?" Qin Gong said. "If he can't even take care of your father's only daughter properly and something happens to you, not to mention the world, even the Xu clan elders will not let him off …"
Xu Yanxiao hung her head. Her exposed hands were so thin that only bones remained. They were like a pair of shriveled chicken claws. How could they still be as slender and smooth as when she played the zither or painted? She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into the flesh of her palms, leaving deep red crescent marks.
"But … Qin Fengjing …"
Xu Yanxiao held it in for a long while before finally speaking the words in her heart.
"But I'm afraid."
Qin Gong did not interrupt. The scene of that day flashed before Xu Yanxiao's eyes. Her thin body trembled uncontrollably.
She thought she could endure it, but in the dead of night, her nightmare was filled with the sinister smiles of thugs.
They surrounded her and her mother, separating them violently. They tore off their clothes as they beat them.
Her mother died with her eyes wide open. The corners of her eyes split open due to the force, and the blood that flowed out dried up.
She saw the scene of her mother being humiliated through the gaps of the thugs. The thugs did not let her off …
She was more desperate in her dream than in reality. She struggled to wake up, but the thugs treated her even more cruelly.
In the second half of the dream, the thugs had all turned into murderous ghosts. Each of them had lost their scalps, revealing their bloody skulls. Dirty blood was dripping from their crotches. One by one, they crawled toward Lin Sanjiu, shouting deadly curses.
If not for Xu Yanxiao's strong state of mind, she would have been driven mad by the dream.
After waking up from the dream, she couldn't help but let her imagination run wild. She even had a frightening thought.
Why didn't Qin Gong arrive in time?
If they had arrived two to four hours earlier, all the tragedies could have been prevented.
Why didn't he come earlier or later? Why did he have to come after everyone had died?
Xu Yanxiao's rationality told her that such a thought was too ungrateful, but she couldn't restrain herself.
When she regained her senses, she felt that she was like a devil. Her face was even uglier than the concubines in her father's backyard.
Qin Gong was silent for a moment, then he said in a low voice, "What is Madame Xu afraid of? Can you be honest with me? "
"I've always felt that … I'm afraid that I'm destined to wander from place to place." Xu Yanxiao smiled faintly. "No matter how well Xu Bei treats me, can he treat me better than his own daughter? Although I'm a girl, I know that the world is in chaos. The feudal lords are greedy people. How can they be satisfied with what they have now? If I go to Xu Bei's side, how many years can I live in peace? Or a few months? In the end, when the enemy attacks the city, I'll be abducted by thugs? When that time comes, will there be another Qin Fengjing in the world who will arrive in time to save me? "
Was this the fate of all women in this chaotic world?
As a woman, should she accept such a helpless fate?
She had no choice but to compromise and break her proud and unyielding character in order to survive in this chaotic world?
Finally …
Xu Yanxiao hesitated, but still asked him.
"Why did you arrive late that day?"
Qin Gong lowered his head and told her the truth.
He didn't rush over that day to save Xu Yanxiao. He came for Xu Fei's corpse.
If not for Heaven's eyes, Xu Yanxiao would have been there. He didn't know when he would have found her.
"I'm asking …" Xu Yanxiao took a deep breath and enunciated each word clearly, "Why did the army arrive at Shancheng so late?"
Qin Gong's eyes revealed a trace of confusion.
"I've already said it …"
He never thought of suspecting Jiang Pengji, much less Xu Fei. But Xu Yanxiao was different.
"I want to know why Liu Xi would be so generous to borrow 10,000 troops? Why did he borrow 10,000 troops and arrive at such a coincidental time? "
If there were too many coincidences, it would inevitably arouse suspicion.
10,000 troops were like cabbages. How could he borrow them just like that?
Qin Gong was her father's most loyal official. Why would he switch sides at the last minute?
Why did the 10,000 troops rush to Shancheng at such a good time?
Xu Yanxiao had been busy keeping vigil for her deceased parents. The temporary mourning hall was empty and quiet. She couldn't help but think too much.
These doubts were like her nightmares, strangling her in a death grip.
Qin Gong didn't hide anything and told her in detail what he knew.
In the end, he added dejectedly, "I'm sorry.
I'm ashamed to have lived up to your trust and nurturing. "
Xu Yanxiao listened and didn't speak for a long time.
"Lady Xu, please be at ease for a while. Stay in Zhe County and quietly wait for good news." Qin Gong seemed a little shy. He looked away and said in a low voice, "Looking at the situation of the world, my lord and Duke Xinzhao will definitely fight. On the day the army defeats the enemy, I will take you away. "
Xu Yanxiao didn't reply. Qin Gong kept vigil with her for a while, then got up to train the troops and patrol.
Because he had to prevent Xu Bei from sending troops to attack, he had been very busy. But Qin Gong couldn't stop worrying about Xu Yanxiao.
In order to take care of both, he could only shorten his sleep and rest time.
Just as he left the mourning hall, he found Yang Si standing outside.
"Military Advisor Yang, what are you …"
"Tomorrow is the deadline. Lady Xu has to carry the remains of your lord and the others back." Yang Si smiled bitterly. "I've admired your lord for a long time, but I can't send your soul off. Since I'm free, I wanted to come over and offer some incense to your lord to express my sincerity. "
Qin Gong was grateful. His favorable impression of Yang Si climbed to a whole new level.
Unbeknownst to him, such kind words were nothing more than pleasantries for a strategist.
As soon as Qin Gong left, Yang Si entered the mourning hall.
The temporarily arranged mourning hall was very simple and crude. The air inside was a little stuffy, and it was a little uncomfortable to stay for too long.
Yang Si said a few words of comfort to Xu Yanxiao. When he was offering incense, Xu Yanxiao asked him, "How long have you been listening outside?"
Yang Si said, "Quite a long time."
Xu Yanxiao frowned. "Don't you know that you shouldn't listen to indecent things?"
Yang Si said, "Lady Xu, please take pity on Colonel Qin."
Yang Si said, "Lady Xu, please pity Colonel Qin."
"What do you mean by that?"
Xu Yanxiao was a little afraid of men. When she saw Yang Si turn to look at her, she subconsciously shrank back a step.
"Lady Xu, do you know why my lord lent 10,000 troops to Colonel Qin? Did Colonel Qin join the lord's camp? " Yang Si suddenly smiled faintly and said to Xu Fei's coffin, "Because your lord used Colonel Qin as a bargaining chip to exchange for these 10,000 troops. The journey from Wanzhou to Hu County is so long that even a horse wouldn't be able to make it in time. If he could make it in time that day, the entire army would be exhausted. "
Xu Yanxiao's eyes widened in shock. She was so frightened that she took a step back.
"Father actually …"
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