Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 2 Black Robe
As Chen Baihu approached, Lin Xuan's heart pounded.

Although he had only just transmigrated, everything the original owner did had absolutely nothing to do with him...

But who would believe it if I told them?
Chen Baihu's gaze was sharp as a knife, falling on Lin Xuan with scrutiny and a hint of complexity.

He did not want the traitor of the Jingbian Division to be the son of his old friend.

Finally, he raised the Mirror of Inquiry and asked in a deep voice, "Lin Xuan, I will ask you one more time: Did you betray the Jingbian Division and tip off Nanzhao, resulting in the theft of one hundred Xuan Guang Armors being escorted by the Jingbian Division and the tragic deaths of six comrades..."

As Chen Baihu finished speaking, the silver mirror emitted a beam of light, instantly enveloping Lin Xuan.

Enveloped in this light, Lin Xuan only felt a wave of warmth, and apart from a little comfort, he didn't have any other feelings.

But he soon realized that this was wrong.

He had clearly seen it just now: when Zhang Hu and Chen Bao were reflected in the mirror, their eyes became glazed and their expressions froze, like puppets on strings, only able to respond mechanically.

Almost instinctively, Lin Xuan's eyes glazed over, staring blankly ahead, and he managed to squeeze out two calm words: "No."

This is not a lie; he truly did not betray the Jingbian Division.

The one who betrayed the Jingbian Division was the original owner of this body. What does it have to do with a newcomer like him?

Your Excellency the Mirror is wise and discerning!

As Lin Xuan spoke, the spiritual patterns on the Heart-Questioning Mirror flickered for a moment before finally fading completely.

At this point, no one was paying attention to Lin Xuan anymore; all eyes were on the last person.

Three lowly flag officers could not possibly lie in front of the Mirror of Truth.

Of the four people who knew about the operation beforehand, three passed the test of the Mirror of Inquiry, making it quite clear who the traitor who betrayed them was.

Commander Chen's eyes narrowed slightly: "It was him!"

Deputy Commander Wu looked surprised: "I didn't expect it to be Hong Tian..."

Because of the leak, Zhang Hu and Chen Bao, who had been suffering greatly, couldn't help but curse loudly.

"Hong Tian, ​​you bastard, you made me suffer like this!"

"Relying on his uncle being the prefect of Sizhou, he oppresses the people and has done all sorts of bad things. It's bad enough that he's done such a thing, but he even dares to collude with the enemy. He'll be torn to pieces!"

Lin Xuan had just felt guilty for dragging others into this mess, but hearing Zhang Hu and Chen Bao say that made him feel a little more at ease.

It turns out that Hong Tian was not a good person to begin with.

He's the perfect person to take the blame for this.

……

Wow!

A basin of cold water was splashed on his face, and Hong Tian slowly woke up, still in excruciating pain all over his body.

He came to Sizhou to gain experience. After spending two years in the Jingbian Division, he could transfer back to the capital through family connections and at least become a centurion in the Jingye Division. The future prospects of the Jingye Division were much brighter than those of the Jingbian Division.

He had never suffered like this before. Once he got out, he would find a chance to kill the entire family of the jailer who whipped him!

He wasn't the traitor who leaked the secret, and was about to continue protesting his innocence when he froze, not even uttering the word "innocence."

The atmosphere in the cell was somewhat eerie.

It's eerily suffocating.

Commander Chen and Deputy Commander Wu stood before him, one with a livid face and the other with a playful expression.

Zhang Hu, Chen Bao, and Lin Xuan, for reasons unknown, had their shackles removed and were dressed in the uniforms of banner officers, standing behind the two centurions.

Zhang Hu's eyes were practically spitting fire as he pointed at Hong Tian and roared, "Hong Tian, ​​you traitor!"

Chen Bao spat with disdain, "Colluding with Nanzhao, plotting against your colleagues, and committing treason—you're going to die!"

Hong Tian was stunned for a moment, his mind went blank, and after regaining his senses, he immediately shouted, "Commander, I'm innocent! I'm not a traitor!"

Commander Chen suddenly waved his sleeve and said coldly, "Go to the Yellow Springs and explain to those six dead colleagues."

There are no innocent souls under the Mirror of Inquiry. Only he and the four flag officers knew about this operation. Lin Xuan and the other two did not leak the secret. The traitor is not Hong Tian. Could it be him?
The color drained from Hong Tian's face instantly, leaving only boundless terror in his eyes. He had only been unconscious for a short while, so how did he become a traitor after waking up?

They're taking the blame; they're trying to use themselves as scapegoats!
Chen Baihu didn't look at the seemingly deranged Hong Tian any longer, and turned to walk out of the prison.

Now that the traitor has been identified, he can be handed over to Commander Qianhu for disposal.

Lin Xuan and the other two were helped away by the jailers and left with Commander Chen.

Behind him, only Hong Tian's pitiful cries remained.

"You can't do this!"

"I didn't leak any information, you can't treat me like this!"

"I want to see the Commander-in-Chief! I want to see the Commander! I'm innocent!"

"Injustice!"

……

Outside the cell, the dawn light was just beginning to break, stinging Lin Xuan's eyes.

Chen Baihu stopped and looked at the three wounded men. His tone softened slightly: "I'm sorry you've suffered this time. This matter is of great importance. I hope you won't blame me."

Zhang Hu immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute, wincing in pain from his wound, but his expression remained extremely respectful: "This subordinate dares not! If it weren't for your protection, sir, this subordinate would probably have lost his life inside long ago!"

Although he was simple-minded, he wasn't stupid. Just now in the prison, if it weren't for Commander Chen protecting him, given Deputy Commander Wu's ruthless nature, he might have really killed them all.

Chen Bao, enduring his pain, clasped his hands and bowed deeply. His voice was hoarse but firm: "Thank you for saving my life, sir. In the future, if you ever need my services, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Lin Xuan followed suit: "Thank you, Commander!"

Commander Chen nodded slightly and said, "The interrogation process is mentally taxing, and you have also been tortured. You should rest at home for half a month. We will compensate you with half a year's salary as soon as possible."

After saying that, he took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket and handed it to Zhang Hu, saying, "There are three healing pills in here, made by alchemists of the Jiuli tribe. You should share them."

After Chen Baihu left, Zhang Hu eagerly poured out three pills from the porcelain bottle, giving two to Lin Xuan and Chen Bao, and swallowing the remaining one in one gulp. Seeing the satisfied expressions on Zhang Hu and Chen Bao's faces after swallowing the pills, Lin Xuan hesitated for a moment before also putting the milky-white pill into his mouth.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth. Before Lin Xuan could even taste it, he felt a warm current flowing through his limbs and bones.

In just a moment, the body that had been in excruciating pain suddenly felt no pain at all.

Not only that, but the wounds on his body were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, and soon disappeared without a trace.

Lin Xuan stretched his body and instantly felt fully revitalized.

He was amazed.

First, there was that strange mirror, and then this miraculous elixir—

This world is a bit mysterious!

Zhang Hu smacked his lips, seemingly still wanting more, and then sighed, "I'd only ever heard Commander Chen mention the power of the Heart-Questioning Mirror before, and I'd always wanted to see it for myself. But I never imagined that my first real experience would come from within myself!"

Chen Bao's face was still pale, and he continued with lingering fear, "As expected of the treasure of the Jiuli tribe, when that light shone on me, it felt like I had fallen into an ice cave. Whatever I was thinking was completely out of my control, and I couldn't hide any secrets..."

Zhang Hu nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, that's the feeling. Standing in front of that mirror, it's like being stripped naked..."

Lin Xuan's heart stirred.

Although they were both illuminated by that light, his experience was completely different from Zhang Hu and Chen Bao's.

The two of them felt like they had fallen into an ice cellar, but Lin Xuan felt like she was soaking in a hot spring, without any sense of panic about her secrets being discovered.

Could it be that the mirror was given to Zhang Hu and Chen Bao twice first, and when it was his turn, he was drained dry?

Or is there some other reason?
"I'm off, I'm off..." Zhang Hu stretched his limbs and said, "I'm going home first. My wife and kids must be worried sick if I don't go home all night."

Chen Bao straightened his clothes and said, "I have to go back quickly too. My mother still doesn't know what happened."

The two took a few steps, then turned back at the same time. Zhang Hu looked at Lin Xuan, who was still standing there, with a puzzled expression, and asked, "Lin Xuan, why aren't you leaving?"

Lin Xuan also wanted to leave.

First he fell off a cliff, then he traveled through time, and then he was tortured. He experienced too much in a short period of time, and now he desperately needs to find a place where he can be alone and quiet.

But he didn't know where to go.

He had no memory of where this minor official lived.

Chen Bao seemed to have thought of something, looked at Lin Xuan, and asked, "You didn't let the questioning of your state of mind disturb your mind and make you forget where your home is, did you?"

Lin Xuan was taken aback, then nodded repeatedly: "Ah, yes, yes, yes..."

Stepping out of the Jingbian Division gate and standing on the bustling street, Lin Xuan's expression was somewhat dazed.

What I saw before me was a scene that was both unfamiliar and subtly familiar.

The street follows the contours of the mountain, with rows of stilted wooden houses on both sides, their dark brown wood gleaming warmly in the sunlight.

Several girls dressed in what resembled Miao ethnic costumes walked together. They wore indigo-dyed pleated skirts, the hems of which swayed gently with their steps.

A man with his turban wrapped around his head, carrying a bamboo basket full of fresh mushrooms and bamboo shoots, energetically called out as he passed by Lin Xuan...

The sour aroma of fermentation and the strong smoky scent of smoked cured meat filled his nostrils, while various dialects and slang mingled and collided in his ears. All of this made Lin Xuan feel as if he were in an ancient town in Guizhou from his previous life...

But he knew clearly that it was another world...

After a while.

Deep within a secluded, shabby alley in Sizhou City.

Zhang Hu pointed to a dilapidated little door with peeling paint and a crooked door panel, and said, "Here, this is your house. You have the key. I'm going back now; my wife and kids are waiting for me..."

Lin Xuan looked at the courtyard in front of him, which was even more dilapidated than the poverty alleviation village in Guizhou in his memory, and remained silent.

Standing in front of the mottled courtyard gate, he took out a brass key from his pocket, tried it a few times, and finally, with a "click," the rusty lock opened.

He pushed open the creaking courtyard gate and closed it behind him.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, and the stone benches were cold. Lin Xuan sat down dejectedly, staring at the gray sky, and fell into a long silence.

He fell off a cliff, inexplicably traveled through time, was severely tortured, and managed to escape... In just a quarter of an hour, this bizarre and nightmarish experience left his mind in complete chaos.

This body, though sharing the same name and appearance, is ultimately not him.

Perhaps he has already perished in the other world?

How heartbroken Mom and Dad must be when they hear this news...

A deep sadness and a sense of helplessness welled up inside me.

He didn't know how much time had passed when a strong feeling of hunger in his stomach pulled him back to reality.

Lin Xuan leaned on the stone bench to get up and walked towards the low kitchen in the corner of the courtyard.

Pushing open the kitchen door, a strong smell of dust and staleness hit me.

The stove was empty, without even a pot; the thick layer of ash indicated that it hadn't been used for a long time.

Lin Xuan sighed, turned and walked towards the only main house. He reached out and pushed open the creaking door. He had just lifted one foot, ready to step over the threshold, but his raised foot never came down.

In the center of the room, next to a worn-out wooden table.

A figure sat silently.

The man was shrouded from head to toe in a large, black cloak that seemed to absorb all light.

The face was obscured by the shadow of the hood, leaving only a chilling darkness.

A fleeting, strange sound, like sandpaper rubbing against rubble, abruptly broke the silence of the room, carrying a deep sense of unease.

"Chen Feng even used the Mind-Asking Mirror... How did you manage to walk out of the Jingbian Division prison alive?"

(End of this chapter)