Commander Liu glanced up cautiously, and seeing that Fang Tianba’s expression had indeed shifted, he continued slowly, "Logically speaking, displaced people from the Central Plains earn their living through farming; why would they carry a nomadic deer whistle on their person? Who can guarantee she isn’t a spy sent by Western Xia to scout out intelligence on our camp? With the war situation as tense as it is, our army cannot afford to be lax. Out of an abundance of caution, I brought a few soldiers here to question her, but who could have known that this old woman would stubbornly deny everything..."
A tall, thin confidant standing beside Commander Liu chimed in, "This old woman is truly ungrateful! Commander Liu has already spoken to her in a gentle and reasonable manner, offering leniency if she would simply explain the origins of the whistle. Who would have thought she would not only refuse to cooperate but instead smear our Commander’s good reputation!"
"Oh? Old woman, have you heard the words of these two officers clearly? Do you have anything to say for yourself? Feel free to speak." Fang Tianba raised an eyebrow. He did not pick up on the thread of conversation from Commander Liu’s side, but instead looked at the old woman before him. She appeared frail and thin, her coarse cloth tunic stained with yellow mud in its tears, as if she had traveled a long and arduous distance, covered in dust and clearly exhausted. After a brief observation, he asked in a gentle tone.
Chapter 86