Chapter 179 Mission 3
Chapter 179 The Third Mission
Xiao Xia returned from her aunt's house, still in a daze. Gradually, she understood her aunt's good intentions. Her aunt gave her wealth so that she could build power.
Aunt Yang Lihua had only one daughter. Her huge wealth was nominally given to her daughter, but in fact it was given to her son-in-law. The reason why Li Min was killed in history was because Li Min received too much wealth from his mother-in-law, which made Emperor Yang Guang dissatisfied, thinking that the Li family had taken away the wealth that originally belonged to the Yang royal family.
As for the suspicion of rebellion, that was just an excuse to kill Li Min.
Now that my aunt has given me 40% of her wealth, she also hopes that I can build up my own power and be able to save the lives of my father and brother in the future.
My aunt knew very well that once the prince ascended the throne, not only herself but also her father and brother would be in danger. She could not support her father openly, so she invested in herself and used indirect means to protect herself while supporting her father at the same time.
After realizing this, Xiao Xia also completely understood her aunt's good intentions. She made herself strong as quickly as possible just to protect herself from being killed after the prince ascended the throne!
But Xiao Xia still needs to think carefully about how to use this wealth and how to become stronger.
After returning home, Xiao Xia just sat down and found a post on the table that looked like an invitation from later generations.
"Ah Chu, who sent this?"
Ah Chu shook his head. "I don't know either. I heard that Master Tian said it was a black carriage. It seems that the young master rode in this carriage."
"Ah!" Xiao Xia suddenly understood that it was the Lingyan Pavilion and quickly opened the invitation. There was only one sentence on it, 'Tomorrow morning at 7:00 am, please ride your horse to the Weiyang Palace on your own.'
That night, Xiao Xia once again practiced intensively. His mother told him at Baiyun Temple that only through repeated intensive practice could he accumulate energy and eventually complete the transformation from quantitative change to qualitative change, and his martial arts training would be successful.
It was exactly nine o'clock in the morning. Xiao Xia had breakfast, washed up, and rode to the ancient city of Chang'an early in the morning.
It was already mid-August, the time when the autumn heat was at its peak. The temperature was exceptionally hot at noon, but relatively cool in the morning and evening. When Xiao Xia arrived at the old city of Chang'an, the streets were exceptionally lively, with people coming and going. There were vendors selling snacks, needles and thread, various groceries, and various local products. They all sold their products at a low price and their business was pretty good.
Xiao Xia spent two cents to buy a pear, and ate it as he walked. Then he saw someone selling dates with a basket. He suddenly remembered the jujube tree in his own house. He had not even noticed the dates on the tree.
However, Xiao Xia discovered a strange phenomenon. There were many warriors riding horses and carrying swords on the streets of the old city of Chang'an. Some of them even held long weapons or heavy weapons. They didn't seem to be locals. These weapons were not allowed to be carried according to the laws of the Sui Dynasty, but they were so unscrupulous that the soldiers guarding the city gates didn't seem to care.
Not long after, Xiao Xia arrived at the Weiyang Palace. Xiao Xia showed her pass and went directly to the Lingyan Pavilion.
It was exactly noon when Xiao Xia walked into the lobby of Lingyan Pavilion.
Yang Gongren was already waiting for him with a smile on his face.
Xiao Xia bowed and saluted, "I am Xiao Xia, your humble servant, here to see Envoy Yang!"
"You're welcome, General Xiao, please take a seat!"
Yang Gongren smiled and asked him to sit down, and said to him: "Congratulations, General, you have passed your second mission."
Of course Xiao Xia also knew the rules of Lingyan Pavilion. His probation period was one year, starting from the Lantern Festival this year and ending at the Lantern Festival next year.
During this year he not only had to undergo daily inspections, but also had to complete three tasks. The daily inspections mainly focused on moral conduct, not violating criminal laws, not bullying men and women, etc., and not colluding with foreign races and betraying the Sui Dynasty.
There are no major issues in daily inspections, and they don't care about minor details like going to brothels to drink wine. The main focus is on major issues, and generally there won't be any problems. If there are any problems, you will not be recommended in the first place.
There are three difficult tasks. Xiao Xia has completed two, and only the last one is left.
Yang Gongren said slowly: "Your three tasks are to deal with foreign races, suppress civil unrest and prevent subversion. Dealing with foreign races is the most difficult, but you have completed it. Suppressing civil unrest is medium, and you have also completed it. The remaining task is a relatively easy one, which is to prevent subversion."
"Excuse me, Lord Yang, what do you mean by preventing subversion?"
Yang Gongren smiled and waved his hands, "Don't worry, let me tell you slowly, the so-called prevention of subversion is to deal with traitors, or deal with internal hostile forces, to prevent them from destroying the Sui Dynasty. For example, if a governor shows signs of rebellion, you must stop him before he rebels, no matter what means you use, even assassinating the governor is fine. Of course, I am just giving an example, your mission is not to deal with a particular governor."
Xiao Xia did not interrupt him. When he continued, Yang Gongren smiled and said, "You must have noticed in recent days that there are many foreign warriors on the streets of Chang'an."
Xiao Xia nodded, "I noticed today that some people were openly carrying long and heavy weapons on the streets of Chang'an. How did the court allow it?" "This is because the court will hold a military examination in early October, and the emperor specially allows warriors to carry long and heavy weapons. Of course, these prohibited weapons have been registered in various counties, and they are not allowed to enter Chang'an City, so many people live in Chang'an City. But there are also many warriors who do not carry prohibited weapons. The court will provide weapons uniformly at that time."
It turns out that they were going to hold a martial arts examination. No wonder there were so many warriors from other places everywhere.
Yang Gongren continued, "Once Chang'an becomes a place where all kinds of people gather, many hostile forces will infiltrate Chang'an and wait for an opportunity to sabotage. So your third mission is to crack down on at least one hostile force that is preparing to destroy the Sui Dynasty. Note that there are conditions here. First, it must be a hostile force, and second, it must be cracked before they take action."
"Is there any intelligence information?" Xiao Xia asked.
Yang Gongren took out two envelopes and handed them to him. "One is the National Protection Association of the remnants of the Northern Qi Dynasty, and the other is the intelligence agency of Goguryeo, called Baishantang. We roughly know about these two hostile forces. Here is their relevant information. Take a look for yourself!"
Xiao Xia left Lingyan Pavilion and returned to Chang'an City. Passing through the old city of Chang'an, the streets were still filled with warriors from other places.
When passing by an inn, a loud shout suddenly came from inside the inn: "Qin, don't think I'll let you go just because you're sick. I'll give you one more day. If you don't get the things out, don't blame me for turning my back on you."
A big man came out of the inn angrily, followed by a constable. He clasped his fists and said, "Master Shan, it's not that my elder brother doesn't want to look for it, but he fell ill as soon as he arrived in Chang'an. Give me two more days. When my elder brother is in better health, I will definitely find the things back."
"I don't care. If you lose something, you have to find it back. Now the buyer has come to me. I won't let you delay my business!"
The big man snorted heavily, jumped on his horse, and rode away with his two followers.
The constable behind sighed, "This is going to be a big trouble!"
Xiao Xia suddenly smiled and asked, "Big brother, have we met in Jiyin County?"
The constable looked back at Xiao Xia and shook his head, "Sir, I'm afraid you have the wrong person!"
Xiao Xia smiled and said, "If you are the constable of Licheng County in Qi County, I am not wrong!"
Xiao Xia had an impression of this constable, who was one of Qin Qiong's men. The constable was stunned. He nodded and said, "I am a constable from Licheng County, but I don't remember meeting you, young master!"
Xiao Xia smiled and reminded him, "Didn't you go to Shanjiazhuang in Heze last December? You delivered a letter to Shan Xiongxin on behalf of a scholar. Do you remember?"
The constable suddenly remembered something. He looked Xiao Xia up and down, "Could it be that you are the scholar?"
Xiao Xia smiled slightly and said, "It's me. Don't you recognize me?"
"Oh my! The change is so great, if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have recognized you at all."
After nine months, Xiao Xia had grown taller and looked more mature, but more importantly, her appearance and temperament had changed.
At that time he was a well-mannered young scholar. Now he was wearing a warrior's uniform, a gauze hat on his head, and a sword on his waist. He exuded majesty from the inside out, so it was normal that the constable could not recognize him.
Xiao Xia pointed his whip at the big man in the distance and said, "The guy named Shan just now, could he be Shan Xiongxin?"
The constable sighed and said, "That's right, that man is Shan Xiongxin, a complete bastard who takes advantage of others' misfortune."
Shan Xiongxin had also come to Chang'an. Could he be here to see me? But from his tone, it didn't seem like that. He seemed to be here to do business and was influenced by Qin Qiong. Or maybe he was here to participate in the military examination.
"Is Brother Qin Qiong here?" Xiao Xia asked again.
The constable nodded, "Yes! My eldest brother is suffering from acclimatization problems and has fallen ill."
Xiao Xia smiled and said, "What a fate that we meet again in Chang'an. Take me to see it!"
(End of this chapter)