Chapter 115: Great King, Please Pass Judgment On Li Xiao
The next morning, Xiao Lintta brought Amo and numerous chiliarchs and centurions from nomadic tribes to the main army tent to seek an audience with Xiao Simo.
Although he arrived quite early, someone else had come even earlier than him.
“Who is the Great King talking to? Why has it been so long and they still haven’t come out?”
Xiao Lintta asked Xiao Simo’s guard captain.
“This~”
Considering Xiao Lintta’s status and position, and that Xiao Yanyan would surely be visible when she came out later.
Plus, it wasn’t anything that needed to be kept secret, so the guard captain said, “It’s the Princess.”
“The Princess is back?” Xiao Lintta was somewhat surprised.
He knew Xiao Yanyan had been going out sightseeing with Li Xiao all day every day, and it had been two days since he last saw her.
Now she had come to see Xiao Simo early in the morning.
Shouldn’t she be sleeping with Li Xiao?
A young man like Li Xiao, having just tasted forbidden fruit, would hate not to keep the woman tied to the bed at all times to feel satisfied.
How could Li Xiao bear to let her leave?
So, Xiao Lintta asked again, “Just the Princess alone? Did Governor Li come?”
“Just the Princess alone.” The guard captain said.
Xiao Lintta pondered, could it be that something happened to Li Xiao, or had there been a change in the relationship between the two?
No matter which it was, it was good news for Xiao Lintta.
“Best if it’s Li Xiao~”
Xiao Lintta’s expression remained unchanged, but his mind was thinking something rather dark.
After all, in a power struggle, it has always been a matter of life and death.
Thinking this way, Xiao Lintta called over his confidant and had him find an opportunity to meet the mole by Xiao Yanyan’s side.
To inquire if anything had happened between those two in the past two days.
And right after he gave the order, the guard captain came over and said, “Governor Xiao, you may enter.”
“Good, thank you.”
Xiao Lintta nodded lightly, then led his group over with a clatter.
Due to the large number of people, Xiao Lintta could only bring a few important tribal leaders into Xiao Simo’s large tent.
The ordinary centurions could only wait outside the tent.
But since they had shown up here, they had already demonstrated their stance.
Faced with the surging emotions of so many people, Xiao Lintta believed Xiao Simo would surely have to take it into consideration.
“Greetings, Great King.”
Xiao Lintta led Amo and three chiliarchs into the large tent and bowed to Xiao Simo.
His gaze swept around; there were four personal guards on either side, Xiao Simo was seated at the head, and standing by his side was none other than Xiao Yanyan.
However, judging by Xiao Simo’s expression at this moment, he seemed to be in a bad mood.
Sure enough, the next moment Xiao Simo spoke, it was as sharp as a knife.
“General Xiao Lintta, bringing so many people to my large tent—surely you’re not here to force the palace?”
Xiao Simo snorted lightly, his indifferent gaze fixed tightly on Xiao Lintta.
Just now, Xiao Yanyan had told him about those three moles.
This had infuriated Xiao Simo.
Without a doubt, Xiao Lintta’s act of planting moles was touching Xiao Simo’s reverse scale.
There were already three moles by Xiao Yanyan’s side alone—what about by Xiao Simo’s own side?
Wouldn’t there be even more?
Just at that moment, Xiao Lintta had come seeking an audience, making Xiao Simo even angrier.
What?
Moles by his side, and so many chiliarchs and centurions brought from outside—is he thinking the weather has turned cold and wants to cooperate from within and without to add a garment for himself?
Hearing Xiao Simo’s barbed tone, Xiao Lintta quickly said, “I dare not.”
“What is the Great King saying? This general has always been loyal to the Great King and the Xiao Family, with no second thoughts.”
Xiao Lintta was sweating profusely inside, suddenly sensing that the situation was slipping out of his control.
His gaze flicked toward Xiao Yanyan on the side.
It must be her who had just slandered him in front of Xiao Simo.
“Damn it, a woman’s heart turns outward; they’re all indeed ungrateful white-eyed wolves that can’t be tamed.” Xiao Lintta fumed inwardly.
No matter how well a girl is raised, she still has to marry.
Once married, her heart is with her husband.
At this moment, Xiao Lintta harbored no more illusions about Xiao Yanyan.
To bring down Li Xiao, Xiao Yanyan was an obstacle that could not be bypassed.
“Then what did you bring so many people here for? If not to force the palace, are you trying to give this king a show of strength to display the might of Governor Xiao?”
Xiao Simo snorted.
Hearing this, Xiao Lintta’s heart sank badly.
What bewitching potion had Xiao Yanyan fed Xiao Simo? Xiao Simo’s attitude was off!
Thinking carefully, he didn’t seem to have done anything else.
“The Great King overstates it; this general dares not.”
Xiao Lintta immediately half-kneeled, shouting at Xiao Simo with a terrified and respectful demeanor.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yanyan, standing to the side, saw this and her lips curved slightly, revealing two little tiger teeth.
She held her head high, looking greatly relieved.
This old guy actually dared to plant moles by my side; he must be severely punished.
Seeing Xiao Lintta like this, Xiao Simo’s inner anger was indeed somewhat extinguished.
He recalled how, after his grandfather passed away, Xiao Lintta and these old ministers had stuck by him unwaveringly.
Xiao Simo’s achievements today were indeed inseparable from the support of Xiao Lintta and these old ministers.
After so many years of trials and tribulations, Xiao Simo was no longer young, and neither was Xiao Lintta.
Signs of age had appeared on their faces.
Thinking of his merits and hard work over the years, Xiao Simo felt some reluctance in his heart.
Although planting moles was a grave offense, it did not warrant death.
Thus, Xiao Simo made a decision, sitting high on the folding stool, and said flatly, “Rise!”
“This king still believes in your loyalty, but in the future, put your efforts into the right path and don’t always take crooked shortcuts.”
Xiao Simo said in a measured tone of reprimand.
Xiao Lintta felt depressed inside; he still didn’t understand what had angered Xiao Simo.
He wanted to bide his time and wait for Xiao Simo to fully calm down before bringing up the Uliji Tribe matter.
But at that moment, Xiao Simo asked again about the purpose of bringing people here.
Xiao Lintta knew he had to give an explanation, so he decided to stick to the original plan and accuse Li Xiao.
“Reporting to the Great King, this general has just learned of a matter.”
“Chiliarch Wuliji was killed by men under Governor Li Xiao.”
“This is the son of Chiliarch Wuliji.”
“He wanted to come to Wuya Village to ask the Great King to see justice done, but on the road, he encountered pursuit and killing by cavalry of unknown identity.”
“All his guards were killed, and he himself escaped to Wuya Village only after great hardship.”
“I and Chiliarch Wumeng and others, upon hearing this, were filled with righteous indignation.”
“Chiliarch Wuliji was a man of merit, who charged ahead in the war against the Naiman, slaying countless enemies.”
“To die at the hands of his own people like this is truly unacceptable.”
“Therefore, we have come to implore the Great King to see justice done for Chiliarch Wuliji.”
Xiao Lintta recounted the whole story in one breath, then knelt again, appearing righteous in pleading for his subordinate.
Afterward, Wumeng and the other two chiliarchs also knelt simultaneously, shouting, “Please, Lord, see justice done.”
Hearing this, Xiao Simo’s face instantly darkened.
His gaze fiercely glared at Xiao Yanyan.
This is the fine man you found—bold and reckless, arrogant from favor.
He even killed a chiliarch I personally appointed without hesitation.
What is there in Jin Prefecture that he wouldn’t dare to do?
Thinking this way, Xiao Simo felt it was indeed necessary to curb Li Xiao’s sharpness.
After all, this young man’s power in Jin Prefecture had indeed grown a bit too large.
If this continued, it would easily lead to a monopoly in Jin Prefecture.
Promotion is promotion, approval is approval, but he cannot be beyond my control.
“What is your name?”
Xiao Simo asked in a low tone, looking at Amo kneeling on the ground.
“Replying to the Great King, this general is Amo.” Amo answered honestly.
“Was your father killed by men under Governor Li Xiao?”
But the next second, Amo lifted his head, looked at Xiao Simo, shook his head and said, “No.”
As soon as these words were out, it was as if the entire large tent had been instantly paused.
Time seemed to freeze.
Xiao Simo was stunned, the words he had planned to say stuck in his throat.
Xiao Lintta was shocked, abruptly turning his head, looking at Amo in disbelief.
On his old face full of wrinkles and hair, the muscles twitched madly.
His eyes bulged wide, his trembling hand pointing at Amo: “You you you~”
The three chiliarchs behind him were equally dumbfounded.
The script isn’t right.
How did Wuliji’s death become not by Li Xiao’s hand?
Among them, the Khitan chiliarch who knew the situation inwardly cried out that something was terribly wrong.
While Wumeng and the other chiliarch, not Xiao Lintta’s confidants and completely in the dark, now felt utterly confused.
They looked at each other, not understanding.
Only Xiao Yanyan on the side had a smile on her face, her tiger teeth showing at the corners of her mouth.
“This play is truly splendid.”
Apart from her, everyone looked at Amo with expressions of disbelief.
Like his father, Amo was a man of arrogant personality, stubborn to the end.
Faced with everyone’s astonished looks, he instead stuck out his neck, unrepentant.
“You, do you know what you’re saying?”
“What you told me before was clearly that the one who killed your father was Li Xiao’s subordinate.”
“Were you deceiving me?”
Xiao Lintta looked furious, like he was about to devour someone.
But inside, he was extremely calm.
He had already realized he had likely fallen into a trap.
So, the best way was to deny it to the death and extricate himself from the matter.
He had been deceived by Amo, acting out of a sense of justice to seek fairness for Wuliji, and had accused Li Xiao without knowing the truth.
But facing Xiao Lintta’s hypocritical demeanor, Amo loudly accused, “If I hadn’t said it that way then, I probably wouldn’t see today’s sun.”
Then, Amo kowtowed to Xiao Simo, his eyes red from crying, and said, “Lord, please uphold justice for my father and our Uliji Tribe.”
“The one who killed my father was not Governor Li Xiao.”
“It was him~”
With that, Amo pointed at Xiao Lintta and said viciously, “Xiao Lintta.”
