My Antique Mirror Is A Portal To Another World

Listening to what Tuluo Cheng just said, Feng Xiyan raised his brows slightly and thought, ’Let’s see what kind of lies he will tell.’

With that, he said, "As far as this general knows, Military Advisor Tuluo is General Ji’s trusted right-hand man. This general also heard that General Ji even promised to marry one of his daughters to you."

Pausing for a second, Feng Xiyan asked, "Military Advisor Tuluo, based on that, could it be that you are not General Ji’s subordinate but his son-in-law instead?"

The moment Tuluo Cheng heard this question, he knew that if he didn’t come clean now, he would never earn Feng Xiyan’s trust.

Closing his eyes, he fell silent. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and straightened his back.

Looking directly at Feng Xiyan, he calmly asked, "Great General Feng, do you want to hear a story?"

When he asked this, Feng Xiyan stared at him for a long time before gesturing for him to speak.

Receiving his answer, Tuluo Cheng’s expression changed slightly as he recalled life in his hometown.

After a moment of silence, he said, "This humble one believes that Great General Feng is aware of the twelve nomadic tribes."

Feng Xiyan nodded. "Yes."

After that, Tuluo Cheng asked, "Has the Great General ever heard of the supreme ruler of the twelve nomadic tribes?"

Feng Xiyan had followed his father onto the battlefield since he was old enough to hold a sword at the age of five, guarding the western border ever since. Yet, he had never heard of any supreme ruler of the twelve nomadic tribes.

"No," he replied after searching his memories.

Pausing for a second, Feng Xiyan asked, "Military Advisor Tuluo, are you saying that the twelve nomadic tribes used to be a single tribe?"

Tuluo Cheng nodded. "Yes."

"Five years ago, the last supreme ruler of the twelve nomadic tribes was killed during the Yuezhi Tribe’s rebellion. The Yuezhi Tribe’s leader wanted to become the new supreme ruler, but the other tribes opposed him because he was the one who killed the former ruler."

"As a result, the twelve nomadic tribes chose to separate, each governing its own territory. However, the Yuezhi Tribe’s ambition was too great for them to be content as merely one of the twelve nomadic tribes."

"Three years ago, they began their conquest of the other tribes. If not for the sudden drought and natural disasters that hit the world, half of the twelve nomadic tribes would already be gone by now."

When he said this, Tuluo Cheng gritted his teeth and continued, "The Tuluo tribe and the Jie Tribe were the Yuezhi Tribe’s first targets. When the drought struck the grasslands, my Tuluo Tribe and the Jie Tribe had already been nearly wiped out."

"If not for this humble one’s tribesmen sacrificing their lives to help this humble one escape, this humble one would have died in that final massacre."

Seeing the hatred in Tuluo Cheng’s eyes, Feng Xiyan could tell he was speaking the truth.

Feng Xiyan pondered for a moment before saying, "This general knows that you are already aware Ji Huí is working for Prime Minister Wen, and that Prime Minister Wen is colluding with the Yuezhi Tribe. By working for Ji Hui, you are indirectly working for the Yuezhi Tribe."

"Since you hold a grudge against them, why are you working for Ji Hui?" Feng Xiyan asked while studying Tuluo Cheng’s expression.

At the question, Tuluo Cheng slowly released his clenched fists. Lowering his head, he answered, "Because this humble one has no choice."

Taking a deep breath to control his emotion, he added, "When this humble one met Ji Hui, this humble one was on the brink of death—starving, and my wounds were infected. If Ji Hui hadn’t taken a liking to this humble one’s intelligence, he wouldn’t have saved this humble one that time."

"Working for him was this humble one’s way to survive in the Central Continent and gather intelligence on the Yuezhi Tribe."

"Alone, this humble one has no chance of avenging my tribesmen. This humble one needs someone powerful enough to defeat the Yuezhi Tribe, and Ji Hui was my best option at that time."

After hearing this, Feng Xiyan calmly asked, "And now, you think this general is a better sword to use against the Yuezhi Tribe?"

Tuluo Cheng’s heart skipped a beat at Feng Xiyan’s words.

Before he could respond, Feng Xiyan sneered and added, "Military Advisor Tuluo, you are quite bold. Your abacus already calculates up to this general’s head."

Startled by Feng Xiyan’s sudden murderous aura, Tuluo Cheng quickly said, "Great General Feng, this humble one truly wishes to serve under your leadership!"

Rubbing the hilt of his black sword, Feng Xiyan chuckled as he stared at Tuluo Cheng and slowly asked, "Military Advisor Tuluo, do you believe the words you just said?"

When Tuluo Cheng fell silent, Feng Xiyan shifted his gaze to another man and said, "If this general remembers correctly, you should be the leader of the Ji family’s shadow guards."

Under Feng Xiyan’s cold gaze, the leader’s back was soaked in cold sweat. With his head lowered, he could only confess.

"Yes," he replied.

Seeing that he didn’t dare to lie, Feng Xiyan asked, "Since you are the leader of the shadow guards, why did you betray Ji Hui? The first rule for the shadow guards is loyalty. This general believes you know that."

Swallowing hard, the leader hesitated for a moment before answering, "This subordinate was once the sect leader of a small sect in Jiang Hu. Due to the wars, this subordinate sect was implicated and subsequently destroyed. To survive, this subordinate had no choice but to become a guard."

"One day, this subordinate saved General Ji Hui from an assassination attempt, and he offered a high salary to this subordinate to work as his shadow guard. After much consideration, this subordinate agreed to General Ji’s offer with two conditions."

"What conditions?" Feng Xiyan asked.