When an old steward informed them that there weren’t enough rooms in the mountain villa and they might need to stay temporarily in the nearby Fulu Town, assuring them that the best inn would be arranged and all expenses would be covered by the Song family of Sword Pool, Xu Baozao was instantly furious. Though the steward’s guilt and apologies were genuine, the young girl couldn’t bear such humiliation. Before she could explode, Xu Fengnian stopped her and declined the “kindness” from Sword Pool, saying they had intruded first and should handle their own lodging. The steward, unable to persuade them, reluctantly gave up, repeatedly apologizing. Eventually, perhaps out of guilt, he subtly hinted that Sword Pool was currently entangled in a major feud, so it would be best for the two guests to wait in Fulu Town until things settled before returning to enjoy the scenery.
After a brief rest, the two left Sword Pool. During this time, the girl had gathered some intelligence and returned with an increasingly grim expression.
Once the steward led them past the mountain gate with its inscribed plaque and departed, the girl couldn’t hold back any longer. She complained to Xu Fengnian, “Xu! You’re familiar with my master, the Zhao Sect Leader of Longhu Mountain, and even the White Lotus Sage, aren’t you? Why not reveal your identity to these snobs at Sword Pool? Let’s see if they dare kick us out then! Why can the Ye siblings stay, and even Song Xianhu only had to move to a slightly worse room?!”
Xu Fengnian chuckled, “Easier to go from frugality to luxury than the reverse.”
The girl glared at him. “You still have the leisure to mock me?! Xu, I’m standing up for you! Do you even have a conscience?!”
Xu Fengnian glanced back at Sword Pool’s gate and smiled. “We’ll definitely return, and then you can vent your anger.”
Skeptical, she asked, “You’re not lying?”
Xu Fengnian retorted, “What would I gain from lying to you? Your money? Your looks?”
The girl scoffed.
As they descended the steps, someone hurried after them—Wang Fumi.
Xu Fengnian asked curiously, “Brother Wang, are you seeing us off?”
Wang Fumi laughed heartily. “We came together; we should leave together.”
Xu Fengnian prodded, “What about Miss Liu?”
A flicker of sadness crossed Wang Fumi’s face before he composed himself. “She’s getting along well with Madam Jiang of Sword Pool. I didn’t say goodbye—she’s more of a martial artist than I am and needs these connections.”
Xu Fengnian nodded approvingly. “Brother Wang, though you lack the title of a hero, you already have the bearing of one.”
Wang Fumi clasped his hands, laughing. “I’ll modestly decline aloud but secretly relish the compliment.”
Xu Fengnian gave a thumbs-up. “You remind me of a good brother of mine!”
Wang Fumi brushed it off casually. “Then we must visit Shouhu Lake again someday, preferably during a heavy snowfall. I’ll host, and we’ll drink and admire the snow until we’re thoroughly drunk!”
As they prepared to leave, Liu Wanqing arrived, her expressive eyes fixed on Wang Fumi, who grew increasingly uneasy.
Torn between camaraderie and romance, Wang Fumi hesitated.
Xu Fengnian, not wanting to put him in a difficult position, excused himself, leaving Wang Fumi behind and departing with Xu Baozao.
Xu Baozao gloated, “Now even the righteous Wang Fumi is gone. You’re left all alone—hilarious!”
Xu Fengnian took the reins of his chestnut horse from a Sword Pool disciple. “Why don’t you sew your mouth shut?”
Xu Baozao was baffled. “Why?”
Xu Fengnian deadpanned, “If you ‘laugh to death’ here, how would I explain it to Sword Pool and the authorities?”
Xu Baozao flushed with anger before calming down, sneering, “That joke wasn’t funny at all.”
After thanking the low-ranking disciple, Xu Fengnian mounted the horse gracefully. Xu Baozao boarded the plain carriage driven by Old Wei. As she lifted the curtain to enter, she paused briefly.
Xu Fengnian, already aware, simply smiled.
Old Wei called out, “Young Master Xu, are we heading straight to Eastern Sea’s Martial Emperor City?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head. “We’ll go to the Eastern Sea, but first, we’ll stay in Fulu Town for a couple of days.”
Old Wei grinned. “Got it! Just say the word, and we’ll go or stay. If I were twenty years younger, I’d follow you not just to the Eastern Sea but to Liaodong, the Southern Border, and even the Northwestern Frontier! Pity I’m too old now. The storytellers say the Northern Desert grasslands are now part of Liyang for the first time in a millennium—even the First Emperor of Qin couldn’t manage that. I’d love to see if the grasslands are truly endless yellow sands and if the snowflakes are as big as children’s palms!”
Xu Fengnian slowed his horse to match the carriage’s pace. “If the snowflakes were that big, the Northern Desert barbarians would’ve been crushed long ago, and there’d be no wars beyond the borders.”
Old Wei smirked. “Our Emperor is truly wise and mighty, conquering most of the Northern Desert right after ascending the throne. I wonder what the two previous Northern Liang Kings were doing all those years?”
Xu Fengnian chuckled. “With thousands of miles between regions, how could commoners like us know what those great figures did, good or bad?”
Old Wei nodded but disagreed. “True, but these past few years, storytellers have been full of tales about the Northwestern wars—Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuozong, the adopted sons of the old Prince; Yu Luandao from the Central Plains; Xie Xichui and Kou Jianghuai from Western Chu; Chen Xiliang, the humble scholar from Jiangnan; the ‘Two Li Generals,’ Li Yanchao and Li Mofan; not to mention the veteran generals like Yan Wenluan and Gu Dazu… After hearing so much, I’ve realized one thing: the young Prince Xu inherited his father’s 300,000-strong cavalry. Though not a bad ruler, he wasn’t particularly capable either. Otherwise, the stalemate in the Southern Dynasty wouldn’t have suddenly resolved after his death…”
At that moment, the carriage curtain was flung open, revealing a pretty young girl with a voice as clear as wind chimes. She snapped, “That Prince was nothing like you described! In our household, even Grandpa Chai praised him as the most genuine and worthy martial arts grandmaster. And Sister Dan, who met him several times, told us privately that he had the best temper, looks, demeanor, swordsmanship, blade skills, magnanimity, taste, calligraphy…”
Her words were far from subtle but undeniably sincere.
Xu Fengnian, amused, smiled as the breeze brushed his face. His hands tucked in his sleeves, he let the horse run smoothly without holding the reins.
Old Wei gaped, glancing at the girl. “Little miss, why are you in my carriage?”
Blushing, the girl quickly dropped the curtain and retreated.
Old Wei turned to Xu Fengnian, who reassured him, “Don’t worry. She’s a child from the Song family of Sword Pool, probably sneaked out for some air. No one would dare harm her here.”
Old Wei sighed in relief. “Young Master, I’ll be blunt—I’ll take her to Fulu Town, but no further. If anything happens to such a precious young lady, even selling everything I own and breaking my old bones wouldn’t cover it!”
Xu Fengnian nodded. “Rest assured, I won’t let you take any risks.”
Old Wei finally relaxed.
Unlike the younger generation—Wei Gaowei, Liu Wanqing, or Wei Xiaoshuang—the old man knew what kind of fortune had brushed past him. Some blessings were too grand for him to grasp.
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