Xu Fengnian and Huyan Daguang, riding alone, took a slight detour late at night and entered Jubei City through the already night-locked southern gate.
The general’s residence was still ablaze with lights, bustling with people—mostly in their prime, exuding a more refined air compared to the usual Northern Liang border troops. They wore no armor or official military attire, mostly dressed in scholars’ green robes, yet each carried a Liang blade at their waist and a small jade seal inscribed with the words “Military Advisor.” Hence, they were now referred to as the “Outer Pass Advisors.”
This group had diverse origins: some came from the prestigious Song Dongming’s residence at Qingliang Mountain, hailed as the “Dragon Gate” of the Northern Liang; others were young scholars recommended by renowned scholars like Huang Shang and Wang Xihua, selected from major academies; and some were young officers transferred from the border armies of Liang and You Provinces. The oldest among them was barely over forty, though most were in their thirties, with a fair number of youths not yet twenty. What they all shared was an elite upbringing, well-versed in literature from childhood, and a particular fondness for military strategy.
Given the ambiguous official status of the Military Advisors, Northern Liang’s Deputy Administrator Song Dongming and Liangzhou Governor Bai Yu, after careful consideration, agreed that these young men would temporarily serve as civilians in the Jubei City residence, advising on military affairs while receiving salaries equivalent to those of county magistrates under the Liyang court. Though the pay sounded decent, both the Deputy Administrator’s office and the Liangzhou Governor’s residence made it clear upfront: the money would have to be deferred! Yet, upon receiving their transfer orders, all accepted them gladly.
The residence was vast. As Xu Fengnian made his way to the council hall, he observed an unwritten rule: regardless of rank, those who encountered the young Prince of Liang merely slowed their pace, neither stopping nor bowing—at most, stepping aside slightly to let him pass. Nearly everyone noticed that while the young prince remained approachable, his demeanor seemed subdued, as if weighed down by heavy thoughts.
The council hall, the heart of Jubei City, was far more pivotal than its counterpart at Qingliang Mountain, which held more symbolic significance. This solemn, spacious hall was where the fate of Northern Liang’s border wars was truly decided.
The hall was rarely used, reserved for major military discussions or critical gatherings of generals. When Xu Fengnian crossed the threshold, only a handful of Military Advisors were present, hanging newly delivered maps of Qingzhou’s situation in the corners. Upon seeing the young prince, all but the two holding the poles turned and bowed respectfully: “Greetings, Grand General!”
Xu Fengnian nodded with a faint smile, gesturing for them to carry on.
Huyan Daguang did not follow the young prince into the hall. Instead, he strode away—not just leaving Jubei City, but departing Liangzhou entirely with his family to tour the landscapes of Western Shu.
As he left, Huyan Daguang seemed aggrieved, muttering curses and rubbing his bruised arms.
During their southbound journey, the young prince—who had claimed to have “figured things out”—had twice abruptly attempted to fly north. After barely stopping him the first time, an exasperated Huyan Daguang had simply grabbed the young man’s ankle on the second attempt, slamming him into the ground and leaving a crater in the dust.
This Northern Mang wanderer, now ranked among the world’s top four grandmasters in the latest martial evaluation—replacing Cao Changqing—was acknowledged as a peer to Xu Fengnian, Tuoba Pusa, and Deng Tai’a. Though ranked last among them, none could dismiss him as an ordinary terrestrial immortal.
This edition of the martial evaluation noted that while the number of terrestrial immortals had slightly dwindled since Wang Xianzhi’s era, the remaining few were unparalleled in strength and realm, marking a golden age in the millennium-long history of the martial world.
Having ventured alone to Dunhuang City to gather intelligence for the young prince, Huyan Daguang considered their past debts settled. What was done in a past life was resolved in this one—from now on, each would walk their own path, responsible for their own fate.
Xu Fengnian, naturally, did not try to stop him.
Yuan Zuozong, commander of the Northern Liang cavalry, entered the council hall with his sword. At the threshold, the playful Hehe Girl and the crimson-robed Xu Ying sat idly—most would not dare to step over them.
Seeing the young prince standing alone before the long table, staring down at the Liang-Mang border map, Yuan Zuozong was unsurprised. He approached quietly and said, “Back when Chu Lushan was stubborn, even the Grand General couldn’t persuade him. Only your mother’s words could make him listen.”
Recalling an old memory, Yuan Zuozong smiled faintly. “When we first settled in Northern Liang, the Grand General intended to appoint Chu Lushan as deputy commander of the cavalry—half as a reward for his merits in the Spring and Autumn Wars and the northern campaigns, half to counter Zhong Hongwu, the only Xu family member then granted the title of ‘Grand General’ by the court. Zhong coveted the title but hesitated, knowing it was the Liyang Zhao family’s ploy to provoke your father. In the end, your father joked that a free second-rank title was too good to pass up, so Zhong accepted. But Chu Lushan was furious, refusing to serve as second-in-command of the border cavalry, claiming he’d be tempted to slap the old man to death. So he took a minor post in Liangzhou City, neither civil nor military, content while others puzzled over his disbandment of the eight thousand elite Iron Cavalry he’d trained. Without their commander, the unit could not legitimately remain in the border army—setting up independently would have been unthinkable.”
Xu Fengnian suddenly looked up, fists pressed against the table. “Is Chu Lushan’s staying in Huaiyang Pass truly more beneficial to Northern Liang than strategizing here in Jubei City?”
Yuan Zuozong did not rush to answer. Instead, he spoke calmly of other matters. “Chu Lushan is a true cavalry general, having served since the early Spring and Autumn Wars, of the same generation as Wu Qi and Xu Pu. But his tactics were brutal—to enemies and his own men alike. With a thousand troops, others might retain four or five hundred after a hard battle; under him, two or three hundred was a miracle. Though he was called the Xu family’s ‘victory king,’ he never built a personal following. Meanwhile, Chen Zhibao gradually amassed his own forces, eventually overshadowing even higher-ranked officers like Wu Qi and Xu Pu. When Chu Lushan led a thousand cavalry into Western Shu, do you know how he got them? Everyone thought the rugged, treacherous terrain of Shu was unfit for cavalry, where a single misstep could trap them in uncharted lands. When Chu Lushan proposed the mission, even the Grand General refused, and even the vengeful Zhao hesitated. Only Li believed it feasible. Finally, the Grand General, exasperated, told Chu Lushan to recruit his own men and do as he pleased. He scraped together just over two hundred veterans and borrowed the rest—eight hundred—from me. I initially refused, but he went to Li, who persuaded me. Thus, he set off with a thousand cavalry into Shu.”
Yuan Zuozong sighed deeply. “What followed was the legendary ‘Thousand Cavalry Conquest of Shu.’ Our Xu army had prepared for the worst—invading Shu on foot—only to face an unprecedented twenty thousand enemy cavalry, a force unheard of in Shu’s centuries of history. Even at the fall of the Great Feng, when three hundred thousand grassland cavalry swept south, fewer than ten thousand had reached Shu.”
Turning to the young prince, Yuan Zuozong said slowly, “In leading cavalry, whether in frontal assaults or surprise attacks, I, Yuan Zuozong, am no less skilled than Chu Lushan. In a series of battles, our achievements would likely be equal. If he earned a ‘Ping’-rank generalship, I’d surely merit a ‘Zhen’-rank one. But! If forced to fight two or three critical, near-impossible battles in succession, I dare not claim victory in all—yet Chu Lushan… he absolutely could.”
He continued, “Few remember now, but long ago, the Grand General once joked with Chu Lushan: ‘You fight like a damn lunatic—winning often, but look how few survive! My Xu family’s resources can’t take your recklessness. So wait patiently. When I command a hundred or two hundred thousand cavalry, I’ll hand them all to you, Lu Qiuer!'”
Yuan Zuozong smiled wryly. “Frankly, when Qingliang Mountain decided I’d lead the cavalry and Chu Lushan would become Northern Liang’s Protector, I sought him out, offering to swap—to fulfill your father’s promise. I knew no one loved the cavalry more than he. But he refused, grinning: ‘After years as a nobody, I finally have power. Why wouldn’t I want the highest post—Northern Liang Protector?'”
Steadying himself, Yuan Zuozong bent over the map, tracing the line from Huaiyang Pass through Fuling, Liuya, and Zhongzhong. “Huaiyang Pass has no cavalry—its natural defenses are both a boon and a curse. Hiding two or three thousand light cavalry is possible, but in the Liang-Mang war, such a force is negligible. Better to station them in Fuling and Liuya, which have both cavalry and infantry. Earlier, Youzhou’s infantry was transferred west, mainly to these two towns, each garrisoned with seven thousand troops. Zhongzhong, further back, has always held more defensive infantry than offensive cavalry. This one-pass-three-town system forms a complete defense. I could manage it just as well. But Chu Lushan’s refusal to leave serves a greater purpose: to pin down Dong Zhuo’s elite private army, the strongest in Northern Mang, relieving pressure on our Liangzhou cavalry. Without Huaiyang Pass as a chokehold like Hutou City, the Mang could ignore it and assault Fuling, Liuya, and Zhongzhong directly—especially after losing Hutou City—rendering Huaiyang Pass strategically irrelevant. So half the answer to your question lies in Chu Lushan’s earlier reply to Jubei City: with or without him in Huaiyang Pass, the Liangzhou border war would unfold differently. Ultimately, in all of Northern Liang, only he can force Dong Zhuo to commit to Huaiyang Pass. In this scenario, even if the Liangzhou cavalry faces Murong Baoding’s forces—backed by Zhong Shentong, Wanyan Jinliang, Helian Wuwei, and Wang Yong—we fear nothing! Chu Lushan could even, at times, deploy Fuling and Liuya’s cavalry to unexpectedly reinforce our flanks! But…”
Knowing Yuan Zuozong’s concern, Xu Fengnian said softly, “I’ve left eighty Wu Family swordsmen at Huaiyang Pass.”
Yuan Zuozong’s face brightened with relief. “That’s excellent. The border battles will be brutal, and the Mang will surely intercept our intelligence. Ordinary scouts or carrier pigeons won’t get through. With the Wu Family swordsmen, Chu Lushan’s burden will lighten.”
Xu Fengnian lowered his head again, staring at the border map in silence.
Yuan Zuozong suddenly asked, “How did you know in advance about the Yelü clan aiding Dong Zhuo in raising a private army on the northern grasslands? And with such precise numbers?”
Xu Fengnian’s expression darkened. “From the last intelligence report out of Dunhuang City on the Hexi border.”
Yuan Zuozong’s face grew solemn, hesitating to speak further.
Xu Fengnian said bitterly, “To prevent exposure, the Fushui Room long ago cut ties with Dunhuang City. Before this spring, only one-way intelligence came from there. Last time on Longyan Plain, Tuoba Pusa deliberately revealed that the Northern Mang dowager had ordered Helian Wuwei and several grassland chiefs to besiege Dunhuang City. After that battle, for a long time—until I left Wudang Mountain—I couldn’t head north…”
Yuan Zuozong chose his words carefully. “I thought you’d go to Dunhuang City after Huaiyang Pass. Honestly… I was ready to lead ten thousand Snow Dragon Cavalry around the Mang central army, entering Longyao Province from the northeast to cover your retreat.”
Xu Fengnian looked up sharply.
Yuan Zuozong smiled. “I’d have scolded you when we met, but that wouldn’t stop me from risking the mission.”
Xu Fengnian stared blankly at Dunhuang City on the map.
Yuan Zuozong said gravely, “I don’t know why you ultimately didn’t go into Northern Mang, but I must say: had you gone, the best outcome would’ve been your lucky return to Jubei City. I and ten thousand Snow Dragon Cavalry would surely have died in Longyao Province. With the border war begun, your choices as Northern Liang’s prince and a grandmaster are yours alone—but the consequences would dwarf our past forays into the Central Plains.”
Xu Fengnian offered no explanation, murmuring, “I knew the consequences. I just couldn’t help wanting to see Dunhuang City. Like knowing I couldn’t stop Chu Lushan but still wanting to see him in Huaiyang Pass.”
He took a deep breath. “Second Brother Yuan, I’ve let you down.”
Yuan Zuozong paused, then shook his head with a smile. “Let down? I, Qi Dangguo, Chu Lushan—we’ve never been disappointed!”
Xu Fengnian gazed at him silently.
Yuan Zuozong clapped the young prince’s shoulder. “Life’s hardest is dying without regret. How fortunate we Northern Liang Iron Cavalry are!”
Xu Fengnian shook his head slightly, voice hoarse. “Only you and Chu Lushan remain. I’d rather you lived on, even if cowardly…”
Yuan Zuozong chuckled, turning away before he could finish. Over his shoulder, the Northern Liang cavalry commander said, “Cowardice can wait for the next life!”
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