Chapter 1366: Unjustified Accusations

Chapter 1352: Unfounded Accusations

"Bixia, that would be a stretch. Perhaps some could be chosen from the allied forces, but do they have the capacity for such a task right now?" Yuwen Xu, counting on his fingers, rattled off seven or eight more potential groups before adding, "And the Luodian people, it would be effortless for them."

He Lingchuan quietly sipped his wine.

"Is that all?" Jing Yuanxun asked casually. "Did you miss one?"

"Which one?"

Jing Yuanxun pointed at everyone, then at himself, smiling but remaining silent.

The Yao people were initially puzzled, then suddenly realized:There was also the Yao Kingdom!How could they have overlooked this regional power?

The Yao Kingdom's military might was unparalleled in central Shanjin. Wouldn't it be simple for them to assemble dozens of elite soldiers, fully armored and masked? Moreover, who knew how many secrets lay within the Yao Kingdom? Would it truly be surprising if they suddenly deployed a black-armored army?

A subtle discomfort settled in, as the speculation now implicated their own kingdom.

He Lingchuan cleared his throat, seizing the moment to ease the tension. "It's not just these few," he said, "there are others."

Taking his cue, the others quickly followed up, "Who else?"

"The Mou Kingdom and Ya Kingdom are both not far from the Shanjin Plain," he continued. "They also possess ample military might, so dispatching such a force to roam freely wouldn't seem like a strain."

The group exchanged glances. Fan Shuang clapped his hands. "Brother He has truly enlightened us!" he exclaimed. "We've been too narrow-minded, focusing only on the Shanjin Plain!"

He was right. Why did this black-armored cavalry have to be a neighboring power? Why couldn't it be a force from beyond the Shanjin Plain?

He Lingchuan continued, "Outsiders view the Shanjin Plain as poor and chaotic, but as everyone here knows, it's actually vibrant and full of opportunities."

His words resonated deeply with the Yao people, as they too hailed from the Shanjin Plain.

Gu Xuan nodded repeatedly. "That's true," he said. "To my knowledge, the Mou Kingdom has been quite active in Shanjin recently. For instance, they've just propped up a small state in the west, and its new ruler is completely subservient to them."

"Indeed," others chimed in. "The Ya Kingdom borders Shanjin, and we often see Ya people around."

"As for powerful nations from outside, there's even—" He Lingchuan began, then caught himself and swallowed his words. "Never mind, it's nothing."

Fan Shuang, representing the group, expressed his annoyance. "Brother He, that's not fair," he said. "You're just whetting our appetites!"

"I got sidetracked," He Lingchuan said, waving his hands dismissively. "I'm just spouting nonsense, don't take it seriously! Let's drink, come, let's drink." He raised his cup in a toast, and everyone reluctantly followed suit.

Jing Yuanxun set his cup down and immediately asked, "Brother He, were you going to say Beijia?"

"I wasn't," He Lingchuan denied three times in quick succession. "I didn't say anything. Everyone here is my witness."

Everyone chuckled, though their smiles weren't entirely sincere.Yes, there was Beijia.Perhaps that black-armored army was a force from Beijia!

Yuwen Xu picked up a piece of dried abalone and chewed slowly. "This black-armored cavalry has appeared in less than two months," he mused. "The timing is indeed a bit coincidental."

Jing Yuanxun nodded. "Exactly," he agreed. "They appeared neither too early nor too late."

Fan Shuang looked puzzled. "What riddles are you speaking in?" he asked.

He Lingchuan knew they were connecting this to Qingyang. While he avoided mentioning Qingyang directly, his implications clearly targeted him.

To these Yao people, Qingyang had served as regent for less than a year. If the black-armored cavalry were indeed dispatched by Beijia, their operations in the Shanjin Plain were most likely carried out under Qingyang's direction.

Gu Xuan also nodded. "No wonder this black-armored army acts so wantonly, with no discernible purpose," he said. "Great nations operate with a comprehensive strategy, and perhaps this is merely a small component of it. Without the full picture, we can't grasp the true motive."

A slight unease settled over the group. Beijia already had the Yao Kingdom as a close ally in the Shanjin Plain, yet they were still dispatching a black-armored army to operate in secret. What exactly was their objective?

He Lingchuan cleared his throat. "Gentlemen," he cautioned, "this is an unfounded accusation. We have no evidence, so it's not wise to jump to conclusions."

"Yes, yes," everyone readily agreed. "We're just making wild guesses. Isn't banquet chatter always just speculation?"

Fan Shuang looked bewildered. "What exactly are you talking about?" he asked.

Gu Xuan steered the conversation. "As things stand, what exactly do these black-armored troops intend?" he mused. "The people they've killed seem almost completely unrelated."

Yuwen Xu spat out a chicken bone. "The common folk don't care what this army wants to achieve," he remarked, "they're simply cheering them on."

"To discern their purpose, we'll likely need to see who stands to gain," Jing Yuanxun pondered. "It's still early; let's wait and see. They'll show their true colors eventually."

"Could this seemingly random killing, here and there, simply be a tactic to mislead others?" He Lingchuan asked, taking a sip of wine and eagerly joining the discussion. "Using so many lives to mask the black-armored army's true target? I've encountered such methods in my past investigations."

The black-armored army, operating under the pretense of eliminating evil and bringing peace, undoubtedly had an ulterior motive. Everyone present understood this. However, He Lingchuan also knew that they utterly failed to grasp the black-armored army's true intentions. Misjudging the motive from the outset would lead to compounding errors, resulting in conclusions wildly off the mark.

The others considered this carefully. "Hmm, that makes sense!" they murmured.

The banquet finally broke up when the moon reached its zenith.

He Lingchuan settled everyone into the guest rooms at the Bamboo Haven Inn before returning to the Yangshan Chamber of Commerce building with his retinue of guards.

He first gargled with mint-infused saltwater to clear the taste of wine from his mouth. The Soul-Capturing Mirror then asked him:

"Hey, have you decided to attend the birthday celebration in the Yao Kingdom?"

"Yes," He Lingchuan replied, already contemplating. "The gift needs to be quite elaborate."

"Are you really going?" the mirror pressed. "What if Qingyang still holds a grudge against you? Don't end up like Situ Yu and get assassinated."

"Taking my life won't be easy," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "Why do you think the Yao King insists on my presence?"

"He finds you agreeable?"

"He's never even met me, so why would he insist on inviting me?" He Lingchuan shrugged. "How could the esteemed Yao King possibly care about a small, newly arrived foreign merchant like me? It's simply because I have a connection to Qingyang, and he believes that Grand Preceptor Frostleaf is still my patron."

This assumption was only natural; the Yao King couldn't very well write to Frostleaf for confirmation.

"He not only sent Fan Shuang to invite me, but he also specifically dispatched all these Yao nobles to badmouth Qingyang in my presence. This is to let me know that the Yao Kingdom has suffered under Qingyang for a long time and, just like Grand Preceptor Frostleaf, dislikes him!" Otherwise, would these Yao nobles dare to openly criticize the Grand Regent so brazenly, even when away from their homeland? That's a major taboo in official circles, especially for those on the public payroll. Unless, of course, this is what their superiors want. "Even the smaller states surrounding Beijia, no matter how displeased they are with Beijia, would never dare to express it so overtly. The Yao Kingdom truly acts with more recklessness."

"What does he want from you?"

"I'll only find out once I get there."