Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

Xiao Yi was taken aback upon hearing this. His gaze fell on Tao'er's slightly mysterious smile, and a sense of curiosity arose in his heart. Besides killing the second-in-command, could there be any other unexpected gains?

"Miss Peach, what else did you gain?"

His tone was tentative, suggesting that the girl might actually be hiding a surprise.

Tao'er waved her hand naturally, then smiled and said, "Brother Shi Qi, we're already so familiar with each other, so please don't call me 'Miss' anymore. It sounds so formal."

Just call me Tao'er, after all...

We're all in the same boat now.

They are all people who protect Ayan.

She spoke frankly, her eyes revealing a clarity beyond her years.

Since both parties know each other's background, being overly polite would only seem hypocritical.

Xiao Yi readily agreed and said without hesitation, "Okay, from now on I'll call you Tao'er."

"Then tell me quickly, what other discoveries have you made?"

Tao lowered her voice and spoke clearly, word by word, "Today, while I was in the dark dungeon, I managed to pry some things out of Hu Biao."

The leader, Zhang Fei, was originally a lieutenant general in the Xiao family army, a soldier personally trained by General Xiao Yi.

She paused, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes:

"General Xiao's death by being surrounded by enemy troops and falling off a cliff was not an accident at all, but rather the result of Zhang Fei's collusion with foreign powers to leak military intelligence and his secret collusion with the Third Prince."

His real name is Zhang Mang. Now he has not only changed his name but also disfigured himself, just to avoid being recognized.

This result is almost exactly what I expected.

That bastard Zhang Mang is ungrateful! He actually did such a heinous thing for his own benefit!

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yi's aura suddenly darkened.

In the darkness, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

His eyes were brimming with overwhelming anger and pain.

Those brothers who shed their blood on the battlefield, that young soldier who was both a mentor and a friend...

It turns out they were all ruined by a traitor.

Furthermore, everything that the Xiao family has today is due to him.

He slammed his palm down on the stone table in the courtyard, but stopped himself just before it touched the surface.

The stone table was not broken, but the suppressed force of the palm strike still caused dust to fall from the table.

"What a Zhang Mang..."

Xiao Yi's voice was hoarse, as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.

"He killed General Xiao, killed so many brothers, and still dares to become a mountain king..."

I will kill him with my own hands to appease the spirits of the dead.

Tao'er watched his turbulent emotions quietly, and a thought stirred in her heart: At this moment, Seventh Brother's loyalty to Xiao Yi was truly ingrained in his bones.

After a moment, Xiao Yi took a deep breath, barely calming himself down, and turned to Tao'er with concern in his voice: "I'm sorry, I lost my composure just now..."

Tao'er, now that Hu Biao is dead, your identity may be exposed.

The leader, Zhang Mang, is no pushover; I'm afraid he'll suspect your identity.

Why not leave Tiger Head Village as soon as possible?

I'm really worried about you all staying here any longer.

Tao'er shook her head, her gaze sharp as a blade: "Now that we've confirmed that the Boss is the traitor who killed General Xiao, I can't just leave like this."

If Zhang Mang is to be killed, then the third leader's gang must not be spared either.

She took a half step forward, her voice soft but firm: "Seventh Brother Shi, this is what I think."

Once these people have been cleaned up, Tiger Head Village will be given a new owner.

This place is easy to defend and difficult to attack, with a strategic and dangerous terrain, making it an ideal location to secretly accumulate strength.

If you are unwilling to take over personally, then find a reliable person to manage it.

In the future, they will secretly recruit soldiers, stockpile grain, and forge weapons; perhaps Tiger Head Stronghold will...

They can become a future pillar of the Xiao family.

She looked up towards the house, her eyes reflecting the faint moonlight: "When Ayan grows up, this mountain village might become an asset to him."

The Xiao family is now in dire straits, their future uncertain. Having another path is always a good thing.

Xiao Yi was completely stunned.

He never expected that this seemingly naive girl would possess such courage and strategy.

Occupying a mountain stronghold and secretly cultivating power may seem like a far-fetched idea, but upon closer examination, it is not entirely unfeasible.

He was already secretly alarmed by the advantageous terrain and ample grain reserves of Hutou Village during his daytime reconnaissance.

If we can truly control this place, it will be a rare foundation for both exonerating the Xiao family and protecting Ayan's growth.

He pondered for a long time before finally nodding emphatically: "Tao'er, your idea is bold, but it is not unfounded."

This matter...

I'll do it with you.

I will also contact a trusted former subordinate to take over the arrangements in the village.

So, what are your plans next?

If even a little girl like Tao'er has such courage and foresight, what do I have to fear!

At that time, there will also be his Seven Killings Pavilion, echoing each other from afar.

If the imperial court truly cannot tolerate the Xiao family by then, he would not mind rising up in rebellion and declaring himself king!

Seeing that he agreed, Tao'er smiled slightly: "Next step..."

Let's watch a play first.

She gazed into the deep night, her words carrying a profound meaning:

"At midnight tonight, a regular guest will arrive at the Second Madam's courtyard."

Do you still remember the second wife's lover, the third leader, Ma Jiakang?

Didn't he promise to come see the Second Madam tonight?

Let's go and see what the Second Madam is up to this time!

"Oh, I remember now, it's that girl who slept with the Second Madam's personal maid and encouraged that Xiao Cui to poison the Second Madam?"

Xiao Yi's eyes sharpened, and a slight smile appeared on his lips; he already understood.

"Hahaha………

Yes, that's him.

But I'm very curious, what would the Second Madam's reaction be if she found out that her young lover was having an affair with her maid?

Tao'er smiled, her eyes crinkling with a hint of teasing.

"I'm really looking forward to it too!"

I don't know why, but being with this little girl always makes me feel inexplicably happy.

Xiao Yi felt that the fierce aura around him had lessened somewhat.

"Let's keep our voices down, or we'll wake them up..."

Tao'er pointed inside the house.

"Don't worry, that Dong Kui looks like she can't hold her liquor, she'll be knocked out after just one cup."

But your alcohol tolerance seems pretty good!

Xiao Yi discovered another advantage of Tao'er: she had a pretty good alcohol tolerance!

"Hehe, it's genetic..."

Tao'er gave a perfunctory explanation.

She herself couldn't explain it clearly.

At midnight, all was quiet.

The two quietly crept to the outside of the Second Madam's courtyard and hid under the shadows of the trees and the base of the wall.

A moment later, a dark figure hurriedly came from the path, looked around, and quickly slipped into the courtyard.

Tao'er and Xiao Yi exchanged a glance, then Tao'er, as nimble as a swallow, followed them inside.

The dark figure skillfully made its way to the door of the side room, knocked lightly twice, and the door opened a crack, allowing the figure to flash inside.

Peach looked at Xiao Yi by the moonlight, a sly glint in her eyes, and whispered:

"Brother Shi Qi, the show is about to begin."

The sound of the second wife sobbing could be heard from inside the room.

Tao'er understood that most of the time, this was when she would act cute, play the victim, and seek comfort.

really……