The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 427 Aogu
Outside, the wind and snow howled, and the cold was biting. A chubby tabby cat and an equally plump Jianzhou cat that Xiao Yan had casually pushed aside with his toes, now shook off the snow on their bodies and followed him in, rubbing against his boots affectionately and purring with satisfaction.

As for the two Mobei women, as soon as they saw Xiao Yan, they immediately bowed down with both respect and fear. Then, after calling him "Great Khan Xiao", they just bowed their heads and said nothing more.

Xiao Yan stood with his hands behind his back and looked at the big box for a moment, then moved his eyes away from the copper lock on the box. He ignored the two Mobei women and just turned back to ask Qian Wu who was waiting quietly beside him.

"Are they the only two who gave gifts?"

"Not just that, there is actually a whole team of people, and the leader is a woman named Shiri Qixiang." Qianwu replied.

After hearing this familiar name, Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, then became interested: "Where is this person?"

"He and Mo Bei's group have been settled in the other courtyard."

"Call her over. I have something to ask her." Xiao Yan said, and then he told the two girls in Mobei language, "Open the box."

Unexpectedly, one of the maids was a little panicked when she saw this, and she looked up hastily, and then said in a fairly fluent Chinese: "Is the Khan going to open the box here?"

Qian Wu, who was about to leave, paused slightly, her eyes moving around, and then calmly fell on the box. Although she didn't say anything, her eyes fell on the two girls again, and then looked at the big box that had not been opened yet.

Xiao Yan also narrowed his eyes slightly, and his gesture frightened the maid so much that her face turned pale instantly. However, as Shuliduo's personal maid, she was still able to maintain courtesy and just suppressed her anxiety and said, "This is a precious gift from the Queen Mother. Before leaving, the Queen Mother said that only Khan Xiao could see it..."

Qian Wu's gaze then turned silently to her husband with a hint of inquiry.

Xiao Yan sneered, with a bit of understanding and helplessness, and shook his head and said: "You go and make your own arrangements... Shuliduo doesn't have the courage to assassinate me." As he said that, he had no intention of confronting the two maids, so he just said kindly: "In this case, open the box."

Qian Wu followed his words, lowered her head, and retreated silently. However, without her figure in the hall, the atmosphere was much more relaxed. But even so, perhaps because Xiao Yan was too majestic, or because he looked too intimidating, the two maids who were called up were a little at a loss. After standing up, they reluctantly bowed, and their voices were as thin as mosquitoes: "Before coming, the Queen Mother said that she had failed the Great Khan during the Yinshan trip in the past, so she prepared this gift on this New Year's Day to show her apology. Please close the door and let us two maids show the gift to the Great Khan..."

Xiao Yan couldn't help laughing at this remark, but he also became curious about Shuliduo's gift, so he didn't stop her. He just sat on a chair in the hall, leaned back and said nonchalantly: "When I got married, the Queen Mother had already given me a big gift. I don't intend to ask more about the past. I wonder what gift your Queen Mother gave me. Is she confident that she can apologize to me?"

Since the door was closed, and Xiao Yan signaled, one of the maids quickly took out the key from her bag. However, it was not known whether it was because it was too cold or she was too nervous, but she was shaking for a while. Her hands were shaking so badly that she failed to align the key with the keyhole several times. The other maid knew that she could not delay, so she rushed over and opened the copper lock. The two did not dare to delay and quickly took off the lock, but still did not open the lid of the box. They just crawled on the ground again, with their foreheads pressed against the cold floor tiles, and their voices were particularly respectful:

"Please ask Khan Xiao to write it in person."

Xiao Yan rubbed his chin helplessly as he stood up and walked over. Then, while the two maids were waiting anxiously, he bent down and opened the lid of the long and narrow wooden box himself. He was immediately stunned.

Almost at the same time, the two fat cats that were playing around seemed to be attracted by some kind of smell. They lightly jumped onto the edge of the box, poked their furry heads out, and sniffed and looked in curiously. As for Xiao Yan, he was dumbfounded but stared at it intently.

"Why is it so?" After a moment, Xiao Yan came back to his senses, but he couldn't help but frowned and shook his head: "I don't blame the Queen Mother for doing this..."

There was nothing else in the box, but a young woman, wearing only two narrow white cloths to cover her chest and waist, was huddled in the box, with large areas of her skin, whiter than frost, exposed to the sudden influx of light and slightly cold air. She also closed her eyes because of the sudden light, and even her long eyelashes cast a trembling shadow under her eyelids.

But when she heard Xiao Yan's voice, she immediately opened her pure eyes, and then with a little confusion and confusion, she tried hard and seriously to look at Xiao Yan standing in the light and shadow. Then, as if because she hadn't seen him for two years, she took a little time to identify Xiao Yan's face, and then she seemed to recognize it.

After identifying it, she thought about it carefully again, and then spoke in a very light voice with a slight tremor, but it sounded extremely clear, like a feather brushing against the tip of her heart: "My mother said that the gap has been created, and it is better to have no fault than to have fault."

Xiao Yan was speechless for a moment. His eyes swept over the maid who was still lying on the ground and dared not look up, and a complex emotion suddenly surged in his heart. He sighed silently, then took off his scarlet official robe and reached out to the dazzlingly pure white woman in the box.

The woman looked at his outstretched hand, then tilted her head to look at the two pairs of wide-open cat eyes on the edge of the box. One of the raccoons also responded, "meowing" curiously. She seemed to think for a moment, then stretched out her slightly cool and slender fingers, gently placed them on Xiao Yan's warm and broad palm, and with his help, stepped barefoot on the brocade at the bottom of the box and stood up.

Xiao Yan moved naturally and with an almost gentle sense of wrapping, he draped the heavy scarlet robe that still carried his body temperature over her thin shoulders that seemed to be fragile at the touch. The wide robe instantly wrapped her petite body tightly, revealing only a frowning but innocent little face that was ignorant of the world.

He turned his head, his eyes not lingering on her for too long, and gave a deep order to the two maids who seemed to be relieved and almost shrunk into the cracks in the ground, his tone returning to his usual calmness: "Go out. Say it's the king's order, and have someone bring a set of clean clothes to keep out the cold."

The two maids naturally didn't say much or ask any more questions. They didn't even dare to raise their heads, but bent their bodies and almost walked backwards as they quickly disappeared out the door.

As for the woman in the box, she was the great shaman of Mobei, Yelu Zhiwu, known as Aogu. After seeing Xiao Yan's serious expression, she did not react at all. She was even more natural than when she was curled up in the box just now. At this moment, she was standing in the open box, but she was just looking at Xiao Yan in front of her with her clear and almost transparent eyes, as if she was studying something that she was particularly concerned about.

Xiao Yan was speechless for a moment. He really didn't know what to say, so he could only push the civet cat that was in the way away from his feet with a slightly irritated look, and walked back to the chair where he had just sat, wearing only his white lining.

"Meow—" The kicked cat cried out in dissatisfaction, but it was not afraid of strangers at all. It jumped lightly and rushed directly into the open wooden box. It circled around the hem of Yelu Zhiwu's drooping scarlet robe, and finally rubbed the exposed, jade-like and delicate bare feet with its furry head affectionately.

"What is this?" Yelu Zhiwu, who was originally still curiously looking at the furnishings in the hall, was immediately attracted by the warm touch at her feet. She tilted her head slightly, and her pure eyes were filled with real doubts. The furry touch of this little thing seemed to be naturally pleasing. At this moment, it twisted its body and rubbed against her ankles, making her squat subconsciously, with the scarlet sleeves of her robe dragging on the ground.

"Cat." Xiao Yan gave the answer concisely.

After Xiao Yan explained, Yelu Zhiwu nodded, as if she was satisfied with knowing the name. She stopped asking questions, stretched out her arms, carefully picked up the civet cat that was rubbing against her, and then, holding it, stepped out of the wooden box with bare feet and stepped on the cold and hard floor. Xiao Yan frowned when he saw the person stepping on the cold floor barefoot, but as a great shaman, he was not afraid of the cold. "...What did your mother send you here for?" Xiao Yan obviously asked knowingly, with a tone of complexity that was not easy to detect.

"Of course I'm here to apologize to you." Yelu Zhiwu was holding the civet cat, with the Jianzhou cat that refused to leave at her feet. She walked straight to Xiao Yan, her expression was so calm that it was almost frank, as if she was just stating a simple fact. "My mother said that after seeing me, you will naturally understand." She looked at Xiao Yan with a natural doubt in her eyes, wondering why this extremely smart person in her mother's words still needed to ask.

Xiao Yan frowned, choked by her matter-of-fact and nonchalant look, and was speechless for a moment. On the contrary, his own hesitation to speak seemed particularly redundant at this moment.

Fortunately, at this moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by another voice asking, "My dear, can you come in?"

Hearing Qian Wu's voice, Xiao Yan heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly let her in. When the door was pushed open, Qian Wu came in with a neatly folded new jacket and skirt and a pair of thick, warm cotton boots. Seeing that there was no one following her, Xiao Yan felt an indescribable sense of relief.

Qian Wu saw her husband sitting there expressionlessly without his outer robe, while a strange young woman wearing a scarlet robe, holding a cat in her arms and standing barefoot in the hall. This scene was bizarre, but Qian Wu's face did not show any surprise or inquiry. Her expression was as calm as water, as if the scene before her was just an ordinary one. She gently closed the door with her backhand, walked straight to Xiao Yan holding her clothes, and bowed slightly: "My husband."

"Put it on her." Xiao Yan still had nothing to say.

Qian Wu nodded as he was told, and then turned his gaze to Yelu Zhiwu, examining her carefully. Yelu Zhiwu was also looking back at Qian Wu curiously at this moment, and after a moment, she turned her gaze to Xiao Yan again and asked directly, "Who is she?"

"Put on your clothes first, and talk later." Xiao Yan's tone sounded a little impatient.

Yelu Zhiwu looked at him expressionlessly, then obediently put the civet cat in her arms gently on the ground, then stretched out her empty hand to Qianwu and said in a serious tone that was almost ritualistic: "Hello, I am Aogu."

Qian Wu raised her eyebrows slightly, and seeing Xiao Yan's helpless look, she responded concisely: "Qian Wu."

Yelu Zhiwu then took the clothes from Qianwu. She seemed to want to take off her crimson robe, but she paused, glanced at Xiao Yan with clear eyes, then held the clothes, walked a few steps to the corner, and then turned her back to them to start changing.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan immediately stood up and walked out without looking back. Qian Wu moved very quickly, immediately picking up the precious scarlet robe that Yelu Zhiwu had taken off, followed Xiao Yan's footsteps out of the room, and skillfully unfolded the robe at the door to put it on Xiao Yan.

"For the time being..." Xiao Yan raised his hand to stop Qian Wu's movements, and took the scarlet robe himself, but did not put it on immediately. He turned his head and cast his eyes towards the closed door, lowering his voice with a rare, almost unnatural caution in his tone, "Let's hide it from Xue'er and the princess first... Can we keep it a secret?"

"Don't worry, Mr. Lang."

Xiao Yan was also overwhelmed. He glanced at the two obedient Mobei maids standing guard outside the door and frowned, saying, "Let's find a place to settle them down first."

Qian Wu agreed without asking any unnecessary questions.

"Where is that so-and-so?"

"Outside." Qian Wu immediately turned sideways, ready to lead the way.

Xiao Yan held her arm, his eyes filled with a hint of entrustment: "You don't have to come with me. Stay here." He paused and added, "Keep an eye on her."

Qian Wu raised her eyes and her gaze lingered on Xiao Yan's face for a moment, as if she had caught his flash of embarrassment. She leaned closer and said in a tiny voice that only the two of them could hear, "My dear, are you...feeling guilty? What's the matter? The princess and Miss Xue'er are both reasonable people, and they won't care about these things."

"This is different." Xiao Yan was at a loss for words, feeling awkward. He just said vaguely, "First follow my instructions. When the New Year is over and the snow is lighter, immediately give an order to Gong Yangzuo to personally bring people to send her back to me! Send her back the same way! Besides the palace guards and you, who else knows about this?"

"The princess and the others only know that there is a 'gift', but they don't know what it is. The only ones who know the inside story are me and the several guards on duty. Don't worry, my lord. I will take care of it."

Xiao Yan nodded heavily, said no more, turned around and strode towards the side hall. He was very relieved to leave Yelu Zhiwu and this mess to Qian Wu. She could always execute his will perfectly. This loyalty had long surpassed the status of an ordinary concubine and became one of the most stable cornerstones of his power. Indeed, even if the matter was known by the Empress or Xue'er, given their status and temperament, it might really be just a trivial matter as Qian Wu said.

But Xiao Yan also has to save face.

Back to the present, Xiao Yan came to the side room. Shili Qixiang, who had been waiting there for a long time, immediately bowed and saluted, with a seemingly neither humble nor arrogant attitude: "Greetings to Great Khan Xiao. On behalf of the Queen Mother, I wish the Great Khan a long life and good health, and a peaceful New Year..."

Xiao Yan walked straight to the main seat, but did not sit down. He stood with his hands behind his back, his back to Shili Qixiang, his eyes seemed to be looking at the snow falling outside the window. His slender fingers tapped the back of his hand unconsciously, making a slight, heart-tightening sound.

The side hall fell into a dead silence, with only the monotonous knocking sound echoing. This silent pressure was like a cold tide, instantly drowning the fragrance of the world. She maintained the posture of saluting, bent her waist even lower, and fine cold sweat quietly seeped out of her forehead. The calmness and "neither humble nor arrogant" that she had barely maintained in front of Xiao Yan before, in this long and oppressive silence, quickly melted and disintegrated like thin ice under the scorching sun. She didn't even dare to raise her eyes, she only felt that the figure with his back to her exuded a breath that was even colder than the harshest winter in Mobei.

"What does Shulido want to do?"

Finally, Xiao Yan's voice, devoid of any emotion, broke the silence, like an icy spike falling to the ground.

Shili Qixiang's heart trembled suddenly, and she suppressed the surging fear, still maintaining the posture of greeting, and tried to keep her voice steady, but it already had a little unnoticeable tension: "Replying to the Khan, the Queen Mother... just wants to apologize to the Khan Xiao... for the previous misunderstanding."

(End of this chapter)