Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 135 Farewell
"My father?"

Lin Xuan was taken aback upon hearing this, as he truly did not know about this matter.

He didn't have many memories of his original father. His original mother died early, and his father was a centurion of the Jingbian Division. He often went out on missions and it was common for him to be gone for ten days, half a month, or even several months.

Lin Xuan only knew that he had sacrificed himself during a secret mission three years ago.

After that, I filled his vacancy and entered the Jingbian Division, where I was exceptionally appointed as a banner officer.

As an outsider soul, although he didn't have any special feelings for this "father" he had never met, he had still occupied someone else's son's body. Now, he had indirectly avenged him, which could be considered as repaying some kind of karma.

He paused for a moment, then looked at Lu Feng and said, "Commander Lu, may I speak with you in private?"

Lu Feng looked around and, seeing Wenren Yue looking in their direction, nodded slightly. The two descended the city wall and arrived at an empty hall. Lu Feng set up a soundproof barrier before asking, "What's wrong?"

Lin Xuan said, "I request Commander Lu to submit this to the Commandery. I hope that Lin Xuan's identity can be completely sealed away..."

After a moment, upon hearing Lin Xuan's explanation, he looked surprised and asked uncertainly, "Are you sure you don't want to restore your identity?"

Lin Xuan nodded slightly and said, "Although the Yang family has been destroyed, countless chieftains still serve them. After regaining my identity, I worry that it will provoke their retaliation. The Western Barbarians will probably hold me accountable. I am not afraid in the Jingye Division, but I am worried about some of my friends in Sizhou. If they suffer retaliation because of me, I will never have peace of mind for the rest of my life..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Feng fell silent.

He could understand Lin Xuan's concerns.

In fact, it was not uncommon for the families of Jingye Division spies to be retaliated against.

They disregarded their own lives, risking their lives for the court, and completed their missions with near-death experiences, yet they still had to face the pain of losing loved ones and friends, which is truly heartbreaking.

Lin Xuan deserves the greatest credit for the destruction of the Yang family.

But not only could he not openly enjoy this glory, he would also have to live under someone else's identity from now on. In order for the Jiuli tribe to help the court, he even lost his own bloodline. What a sacrifice this was.
Lu Feng asked himself honestly, and he realized that he himself could not be as selfless as Lin Xuan.

He took a deep breath, nodded slightly, and said, "Your Lin family has produced two generations of loyal and virtuous officials, surpassing even your predecessors. The court will not forget your sacrifice. If you have any further requests, please feel free to make them..."

Lin Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Serving the country loyally is our duty, and Lin Xuan has no other requests."

Lu Feng nodded solemnly and said, "Don't worry, I will have the Commandery destroy your files, and from now on no one will be able to find out your identity..."

Lin Xuan clasped his hands slightly and said, "Thank you, Commander Lu."

Before long, the two left the main hall.

Wenren Yue slowly walked out from behind a stone pillar outside the hall.

Commander Lu had just set up a soundproof barrier, so she couldn't hear what they were saying.

But she was certain that the two of them were hiding something from her.

……

The highest point of Longyabao.

Lin Xuan sat atop a grand hall, looking down at the beautiful scenery below.

Having been in this world for so long, this is the first time he has been able to completely let go of all the pressure and simply appreciate the scenery.

This feeling of being free from any constraints and having complete control over one's destiny is so pleasant and relaxing.

Faint footsteps came from below.

Then, a solitary figure appeared beside him.

Wenren Yue stood beside him, holding her sword, her gaze fixed on the foot of the mountain, and said softly, "Lord Chen seems to be in good spirits."

Lin Xuan said, "The Yang family has been destroyed, and the imperial court has further consolidated its control over the southwest. This is a cause for celebration, and I am naturally in high spirits. The scenery here is superb; Miss Wenren, why don't we sit down and enjoy it together..."

Wenren Yue remained standing and suddenly asked, "I just heard Commander Lu say that Lord Chen's father was killed by the Yang family. Is Lord Chen from the Southwest?"

Lin Xuan's eyes flickered slightly, then he nodded and said, "I suppose so. My father was originally from the capital, but he was later transferred to the southwest to serve in the government. Our whole family moved here with him. Later, my father was killed by the Yang family, and I joined the Jingye Division..."

Wenren Yue said, "Chen Yu...isn't that your real name?"

Lin Xuan did not deny it, saying, "In order to infiltrate the Yang family, the imperial court changed my identity. The real Chen Yu has been secretly executed for murdering an official of the imperial court..."

Wenren Yue remained silent for a moment before asking again, "May I ask what your real name is, sir?"

Lin Xuan smiled but did not answer. He said, "Miss Wenren, you are also a centurion of the Jingbian Division. You should know that this is a question that should not be asked. The Western Barbarians and the remnants of the Yang family probably hate me to the bone. I also have relatives and friends. I cannot expose my identity and put them in danger..."

A hint of apology appeared on Wenren Yue's face as she clasped her hands in a fist and said, "I'm sorry, it was my presumption."

Compared to those aristocratic scions who came to the southwest to gain military merit, the person before me had truly given up his life and fortune, dedicating everything to the imperial court.

She bowed to Lin Xuan, then flew away.

Lin Xuan breathed a sigh of relief only after her figure disappeared.

Although he was careful enough, he still couldn't avoid all sorts of unexpected events.

The two people he least dared to face were Qingluan and Wenren Yue.

Her former boss had become her current subordinate. If she found out that she had been lying to her all along, given her personality, Lin Xuan couldn't imagine what the consequences would be...

Let time heal all wounds.

As dawn broke, five thousand men, drawn from various garrisons, arrived at Longya Mountain.

Two thousand of them went up to Longya Fortress to capture members of the Yang family.

The other three thousand people went to Bozhou.

Bozhou was the stronghold of the Yang family, which owned a large amount of farmland and shops in the city. After the Yang family was destroyed, the imperial court would confiscate all of the Yang family's property in accordance with the law.

Even excluding external assets, the gains from Longya Fort alone are already incredibly substantial.

Hundreds of spirit-patterned bows, a large number of spirit-patterned weapons, and mountains of gold and silver piled up in the Yang family's treasury, filling hundreds of boxes.

Lin Xuan noticed that the smile on Lu Feng's face had never disappeared from the moment he opened the door to the Yang family's treasure vault.

The head of the Yang family and two third-rank elders have perished.

All the martial artists of the family at the seventh rank or above, as well as their direct relatives, were captured.

As for the collateral relatives, they were temporarily sent to Bozhou City. If they are proven to be unrelated to the Yang family's crimes, they will be released.

One by one, members of the Yang family, their hands bound, walked past Lin Xuan.

Yang Xiao looked at the familiar face, a hint of shock appearing in his eyes, but he quickly lowered his head and silently left with the Yang family members.

Lin Xuan also turned his gaze away from Yang Xiao.

This undercover career, though essentially a deception.

But there are also genuine feelings among them.

Lin Xuan summoned a centurion, who immediately stepped forward and respectfully asked, "Sir, what are your orders?"

Lin Xuan pointed at Yang Xiao and gave him a few instructions. The centurion nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, sir, I will make sure they treat that person well..."

The Yang family members were temporarily sent down the mountain to be imprisoned.

Hundreds of Yang family servants are being interrogated one by one at Longya Fort.

The Yang family's crimes were revealed one by one by them.

Inside an interrogation room.

Wenren Yue looked at the steward of the Yang family and asked in a deep voice, "Four months ago, a batch of telescopes being escorted by the Bozhou Jingbian Division was stolen by the Yang family, and several escorts were killed. Who in the Yang family was involved in this matter?"

This steward of the Yang family was Yang Yingtian's confidant, and he knew everything about the Yang family.

The steward of the Yang family looked bewildered and shook his head, saying, "No, the last time the Yang family robbed the imperial court's goods was for a few spirit-patterned bows. We've never stolen any telescopes from the imperial court. The Yang family doesn't lack telescopes, so why would we risk robbing the imperial court..."

Wenren Yue's face also showed a hint of confusion.

Lin Xuanzheng sacrificed his life during the mission of transporting the telescope.

If it's not the Yang family, then who could it be?
Could it be the Nanzhao Kingdom?
This is the Yang family's territory; it seems that the influence of the Nanzhao Kingdom cannot reach here.

She looked at the steward of the Yang family and said coldly, "You are not a member of the Yang family. Your crime may only be exile, but if you lie or conceal anything, your crime will be doubled, and you will certainly not escape death. You had better think carefully before answering."

The steward of the Yang family hurriedly said, "Your Excellency is wise. The Yang family has committed many crimes, and this one more or less makes no difference. But the Yang family truly did not steal the telescope from the imperial court. If you do not believe me, you can ask anyone else..."

A moment later, Wenren Yue walked out of the interrogation room with a furrowed brow.

The steward of the Yang family doesn't seem to be lying, nor does he have any reason to lie.

As he said, the Yang family's mercenaries were arrogant and traitorous, any one of which was a serious crime, and he had no reason to hide this trivial matter.

Lin Xuan sacrificed himself because of her.

She couldn't even find the murderer who killed him...

Wenren Yue clenched her fists tightly in her sleeves.

She will definitely get to the bottom of this.

Unable to find the cause herself, she returned to the capital to ask her grandfather for help...

……

Huge wooden crates were carried out of Longya Fort and piled up on the open ground in front of the fortress.

Lu Feng smiled broadly. The imperial court's determination to wipe out the Yang family this time was certainly not solely for the sake of stability in the southwest.

The silver confiscated from the Yang family alone exceeded five million taels.

There are also hundreds of spirit-patterned bows and hundreds of spirit-patterned weapons...

Not to mention their shops, properties, and farmland, all of which can be gradually converted into silver.

With the war in the southeast and north tense, the court will not have to worry about military expenses for at least two years. The extra money can be used to build several palaces for His Majesty.

Bringing down the Yang family would solve countless problems for the imperial court.

Having just received a message from the commander, he walked up to Wenren Yue and said, "Miss Wenren, the commander has just ordered us to transport the spoils seized from the Yang family back to the capital as soon as possible. He also specifically mentioned that you should accompany him back to the capital. Grand Secretary Wenren has been urging him many times..."

Wenren Yue nodded and said, "Understood..."

I've been away from home for a long time; it's time to go back.

Her many experiences in Southwest China were unlike anything she had experienced in the first twenty years of her life, and they brought her many gains. However, one incident remained a wound that she could never erase from her heart.

A figure in green robes walked over. The Prince of Zhennan looked at Lin Xuan beside Lu Feng and asked, "What is your name?"

Lin Xuan clasped his hands slightly and said, "This humble official, Chen Yu, greets Your Highness."

A hint of admiration appeared in the eyes of the Prince of Zhennan, who said, "You are quite good. What I was unable to do back then, you have accomplished. It can be considered as fulfilling one of my regrets..."

He once led his troops to the foot of Longya Mountain, but was blocked by the Yang family's nine passes. For more than ten years, he has felt regretful about this.

This regret has finally been resolved today.

Lin Xuan bowed his head and said, "Thank you for your praise, Your Highness. I was just a bit lucky..."

The Prince of Zhennan looked at him and suddenly asked, "Staying in the Jingye Division is meaningless. The tasks are either infiltration or assassination. It's not a place for a gentleman to stay. Are you interested in serving under me? I can't guarantee anything else, but I can guarantee that you'll be promoted to the fifth rank within five years..."

When his man was poached right in front of him, Lu Feng didn't dare to react. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and interjected, "Your Highness, with the Yang family destroyed, the southwest will likely be in chaos for a while. I must stay behind to clean up the mess. I'll trouble you to escort these confiscated Yang family assets back to the capital..."

The Prince of Zhennan did not continue with the previous question, but nodded and said, "You did a good job on this task. Chen Bing has a few capable men under his command. The court's military pay for the next few years is now secured..."

Lu Feng clasped his hands and said, "Thank you for your praise, Your Highness..."

……

Banshu.

Earlier, imperial troops entered the city and carried out large-scale arrests of Yang family members and sealed off Yang family shops.

They also set up strongholds at various street corners in Bozhou, calling on the people of Bozhou to expose the crimes of the Yang family. For each crime committed by the Yang family, they would receive a reward of one tael of silver.

According to them, Longya Fort has been captured by the imperial court, the head of the Yang family and two patriarchs have been executed, and the rest of the family members have been arrested and imprisoned. The Yang family, which has controlled Bozhou for hundreds of years, has been completely wiped out.

Even though those people spoke with certainty, the Yang family had controlled Bozhou for hundreds of years, and no one dared to expose the Yang family's crimes.

Around noon, prison vans drove from the direction of Longya Mountain and stopped at the gate of Jingbian Division after entering the city.

Looking at the important figures of the Yang family imprisoned in the prison cart, the people of Bozhou finally believed that the Yang family was truly finished.

This sudden news left the people of Bozhou somewhat bewildered.

For generations, they had lived under the control of the Yang family, and they never imagined that such a behemoth would one day fall so suddenly.

The weight that had been pressing on their hearts for so long was lifted, and after a brief moment of shock came an uncontrollable ecstasy.

Countless people took to the streets, frantically exposing the Yang family's crimes.

Unlike the excited common people, the chieftains, large and small, in Bozhou City were filled with unease.

They used to be dependent on the Yang family, but now that the Yang family is gone, I wonder how the court will deal with them.

However, they soon felt relieved.

The Jingbian Commandery posted a notice stating that this operation was only aimed at the Yang family and did not involve other chieftains.

They were the same before, and they will remain the same in the future.

The various preferential treatments given to them by the imperial court still exist.

For the imperial court, the downfall of the Yang family was a good thing.

However, if the downfall of the Yang family leads to chaos in the entire southwest and rebellions by various local chieftains, then it would be a net loss.

Three days later.

At the gate of Jingbian Division in Bozhou.

After three days of looting, the convoy, laden with valuables, prepared to return to Beijing.

Also escorted to the capital were more than a hundred members of the Yang family who had been convicted.

On this return journey, the Prince of Zhennan of Dayong and a group of Jingye Division experts escorted him throughout.

Wenren Yue was standing next to a carriage, about to get in, when she seemed to sense something and turned to look at Lu Feng's side.

Lin Xuan met her gaze, then looked away casually the next moment.

I wonder if we'll ever meet again after this parting.

As Wenren Yue boarded the carriage and lifted the curtain, a voice suddenly came from behind her: "Wenren Baihu".

Wenren Yue turned around and asked, "Lord Chen, is there anything else?"

Lin Xuan looked at her and said slowly, "Take care."

Wenren Yue nodded slightly, entered the carriage, and the curtain gently fell.

"Let's go!"

With a command from the Prince of Zhennan, the convoy slowly set off and gradually disappeared from Lin Xuan's sight.

Not long after, inside the Jingbian Division.

Lu Feng handed a wooden box to Lin Xuan and said, "We owe a great deal to the Jiuli tribe for their help in annihilating the Yang family. Here is a note for 100,000 taels of silver. In addition, I have sent Zhou Tai to Sizhou to select a site. The village we promised them will be completed within two months."

Using 100,000 taels of silver to bring about the downfall of the Yang family was, for the imperial court, the most profitable deal it had ever made with the Jiuli tribe.

The silver alone seized from Longya Fort has yielded returns of several dozen times.

Not to mention the numerous businesses the Yang family owns in Bozhou, even if the Jiuli tribe demanded ten times the reward, the imperial court would probably agree without hesitation.

Lin Xuan accepted the silver note without hesitation. At that moment, a guard entered and said, "Commander Lu, Lord Chen, the secret agents of Nanzhao have arrived, saying they want to retrieve their Xuan Guang Armor..."

Lu Feng smirked: "So what they stole really became theirs?"

That being said, the imperial court cannot break its word.

Compared to what was seized from the Yang family, a hundred Xuan Guang armors were nothing at all.

He looked at Lin Xuan and said, "One hundred Xuan Guang Armors have been packed and prepared. Go and hand them over to Nanzhao. I have some important matters to report to the commander."

Lin Xuan nodded slightly and arrived outside the Jingbian Division.

A masked figure dressed in black had been waiting at the door for some time.

Mandala looked at him and said calmly, "I've come to retrieve the Mystic Armor."

Lin Xuan asked, "Won't you come in for a cup of tea?"

Mandala said, "No need."

Lin Xuan said calmly, "It's you who don't drink, not that we, the Jingbian Division, don't know the rules."

He waved his hand, and several guards from the Jingbian Division carried up several large boxes.

After opening and inspecting the box, Mandala ordered the people behind her to carry it onto the carriage, and then simply clasped her hands in a fist salute to Lin Xuan, saying, "Farewell."

Lin Xuan crossed his arms and said calmly, "When you go back, don't be a spy anymore. This line of work isn't for you. Don't end up losing your life for nothing."

Mandala's tone was tinged with anger: "None of your business!"

The carriage carrying the Xuan Guang Armor slowly drove away. Mandala took a few steps, then paused slightly, her tone softening: "Thank you."

After saying this, she strode away without ever looking back.

Lin Xuan stared at her back for a long time until she completely disappeared from his sight before he finally let out a long sigh of relief.

He had hoped countless times that this woman would leave his life forever.

But after she actually left, he felt a strange, indescribable feeling.

She is a datura.

It's also Aro.

She had deceived him once.

Lin Xuan also lied to her once.

From this moment on, the two owe each other nothing, and may each go their own way, whether in the north or south.

(End of this chapter)