The Lu Mansion had inexplicably shut its gates in broad daylight. A maid known by the nickname Xiao Qiao hurried back to the inner courtyard to deliver this sensitive news to her lady. The lady was a widow, renowned throughout Jiangnan as the most captivating fox-spirit, reclining on her couch reading a romantic novel about scholars and beauties. But compared to “The First Snowfall,” it was hardly worth reading.
She listened distractedly as Xiao Qiao reported. She assumed her younger brother wouldn’t arrive in Yangchun City for at least two or three days. She didn’t care much about the Lu family’s small moves. She wasn’t foolish. The Liu family of Jiangxin Prefecture, to which Liu Ting belonged, was merely a minor aristocratic clan in Yanzhou. How could they possibly gain favor with the imperial court? The Huting Lu family had complex marital ties with the other three great clans. Though they couldn’t claim to rise together, they certainly could fall together. Without Lu Xuanlang’s tacit approval, how could they possibly summon the Empress’s presence from the palace? Perhaps the mastermind behind it all was none other than Lu Xuanlang himself, her nominal husband. But she simply couldn’t be bothered to dwell on it. No matter how Lu Qinquan had died, she would still bear the blame for being a widow who brought death to her husband. Regardless of how cold and disdainful her in-laws were, she had always fulfilled her duties as a daughter-in-law to the fullest. As for frequently attending philosophical debates at famous temples and being criticized for it, she cared even less. She simply enjoyed watching those self-proclaimed refined scholars become excited and flustered when she entered the room. Therefore, when Liu Ting’s wife slapped her at the Baoguo Temple, she merely smiled. Who knows who should truly be pitied?
Married far south to Jiangnan, over the years she had seen through these aristocratic scholars. Most were conceited, relying on their ancestors’ achievements without striving for progress, living off their family’s past glories. Officials from Jiangnan Prefecture who went to the capital were different from their northern counterparts. They liked to constantly find fault with trivial matters, opposing the emperor without fear of corporal punishment or public humiliation. They occasionally even staged dramatic death protests by headbutting pillars, as if deliberately trying to provoke the emperor’s anger. They were staunchly traditional, almost obsessively devoted to propriety and rituals. It was no wonder many scholars said that officials from Jiangnan were the most like proper subjects.
But Jiangnan did indeed produce a small group of exceptionally capable individuals—skilled in political maneuvering, adept in governance, and able to benefit the people. However, these officials and generals, once they had left Jiangnan and risen to prominence, never wished to return. They were indifferent to the scholarly debates and philosophical discussions. Yet no one could deny that it was precisely these powerful figures who truly upheld Jiangnan’s prosperity. If she had to name a few, Lu DaoLin, the head of the Lu family who controlled half of the Imperial Academy, would be one. The Minister of Personnel, Yu Lian, and General Xu Gong would also qualify. As for Lu Xuanlang and the many so-called scholars and sages celebrated throughout the land, they lacked vision and breadth. These old men were obsessed only with their clan’s status—ecstatic when it rose, devastated when it fell. In their eyes, the warriors who had contributed greatly to the empire during the Spring and Autumn Wars were nothing but crude brutes. The concept of a military lineage was more often criticized than praised, especially in Jiangnan.
If she had been merely the daughter of an ordinary military family, she would have long been condemned by moralists. Fortunately, she was none other than Xu Jiao’s eldest daughter—the Butcher of Men!
The maid who cherished and admired her lady most, looked at her with eager anticipation and softly asked, “Miss, when will the Young Master arrive in our Yangchun City?”
The widow Xu Zhihu gently pinched the young girl’s pretty face and teased, “Why don’t you count for yourself? How many times have you asked in these past few days? Ten times at least?”
The girl blushed and replied, “I just hope the Young Master will come and stand up for you. Liu Ting and that vicious woman are too despicable!”
Xu Zhihu tossed the book aside, stretched lazily, and smiled, “No later than the day after tomorrow. In his last letter, my brother said he was already approaching Xiongbao Prefecture.”
Xiao Qiao, the maid purchased from the roadside for ten taels of silver, laughed sweetly. Her eyes sparkled like autumn water, curving into crescent moons as she said, “Compared to the Second Princess, the Young Master clearly favors you more.”
Xu Zhihu pulled the girl close, resting her chin on the girl’s forehead, and laughed heartily, “You’re such a flatterer.”
Outside the Lu Mansion, the second steward, having just received instructions from Lu Xuanlang, heard the harsh sound of horse hooves. He exchanged a glance with the gatekeeper, a man whose status in Huting Prefecture rivaled that of a sixth-rank official. The gatekeeper promptly opened the side gate, allowing only one person to pass through. The second steward originally did not bear the Lu surname. The Lu family, appreciating his loyalty, had bestowed the family name upon him. Do not underestimate this change of surname. In an era when aristocratic families looked down on commoners as if they were dogs, it was a great honor. The steward was now known as Lu Dongyang. With the head steward and family patriarch having gone to the capital, Lu Dongyang held great power in Huting Prefecture. Influenced by the Lu family’s upright traditions, he especially enjoyed wearing straw sandals and a wide-sleeved robe on snowy days, calling himself the “Four Cold Gentleman” due to his preference for cold clothes, cold drinks, cold food, and cold beds. He stepped out alone through the side gate, saw the group escorted by forty-five elite light cavalry, felt a slight chill in his heart, but stood as steady as a mountain. He pointed at the “No Visitors” sign hanging nearby and said coldly, “The Lu Mansion does not receive guests today. You may leave your visiting card; I will call upon you when I have time.”
The officer Yuan Meng’s face darkened, but he could not act rashly at the moment. The Young Master was not present, and after all, the mansion housed the Young Master’s beloved elder princess. He could not afford to act recklessly. As for the Lu family’s lofty status and intricate power networks in Jiangnan, did he care about such murky affairs?
Perhaps sensing the awkward position of these Northern Liang brutes, the second steward Lu Dongyang, relying on the deep-rooted prestige of the Lu family, quickly recovered from his initial shock at hearing of their bloody deeds. He no longer felt fear, only a sneer forming in his heart. Fifty light cavalry dared to act brazenly in Huting Prefecture? Truly unaware of their own mortality! Those so-called scholars who had the misfortune to be killed in the teahouse—what were they but lowly menials? At best, they were descendants of minor clerks or servants, far from qualifying as true scholars. Killing a few lowlifes, did they really think they could dominate Huting Prefecture? They would still have to come begging to the Lu family for help! These crude military men, how could they possibly enter the Lu Mansion!
Inside the carriage, the Princess of Jing’an, Pei Nanwei, had been watching the scene unfold with amusement, enjoying the spectacle like a spectator at a fight between tigers.
After the Spring and Autumn Wars, when the great clans were toppled by Xu Jiao, Gu Jiantang, and the regional kings, the Liyang Dynasty had formed three major aristocratic groups. One of them was in Jiangnan. When the dynasty conquered the eight kingdoms, it ordered some of the defeated clans to relocate to the capital, where they intermarried with local aristocrats, forming another group. Some clans gradually migrated northward over the next twenty years, especially during the Hongjia era, with no fewer than 300,000 people moving northward. This migration was known as the “Hongjia Northward Shift,” and many chose to settle in Jiangnan, which was fertile and far from the capital. This undoubtedly strengthened the power of the four great clans in Yanzhou. Under the leadership of the current patriarch Lu DaoLin, the Huting Lu family recruited talents second only to the Yu clan. The Lu family had every reason to be proud. If that man who had dared to spear an officer from Qingzhou in front of Zhao Heng during battle had been here, this confrontation would have been uninteresting—nothing more than a swift trampling by his White Horse Righteous Cavalry. But since he had gone to Jiangxin Prefecture, things were getting interesting. If there were capable military officials in Huting Prefecture who were not afraid of Northern Liang soldiers, it would certainly become more exciting.
Thinking of this, Princess Pei finally allowed herself a rare smile.
Sitting in the same carriage, Jiang Ni watched in a daze. This older sister was truly beautiful.
Old sword saint Li Chungan lazily leaned against the carriage door, dozing off, determined not to get involved in this family matter.
At some point, Yu Youwei stepped down from the carriage, holding the white cat Wu Meiniang, and stood at the steps, looking toward the second steward who was flaunting his authority over the Fengzi Camp. Calmly, she said, “Open the central gate.”
Lu Dongyang let out a scoff and pointed at the sign.
Yu Youwei turned to Officer Yuan Meng, who was mounted on his horse, and said calmly, “Officer Yuan, since the Huting Lu family has chosen to treat us this way, we should naturally respond in kind.”
Yuan Meng was puzzled. First, he wasn’t entirely sure of the relationship between the Young Master and this beautiful woman who had once been a courtesan. Since she had the privilege of traveling with the Young Master out of Northern Liang, she couldn’t be too lowly ranked. Only a fool would treat her as an ordinary courtesan. Second, her words about “responding in kind” carried hidden meaning, so he looked at her, waiting for her to continue. If she were to suggest that the Fengzi Camp simply turn around and leave, he would certainly think less of her. But unexpectedly, Yu Youwei said coldly, “Kill this blind servant with a single sword stroke. The Young Master previously said that after killing someone, the body should be left at their doorstep. There’s no need to waste effort here. Then tear down the central gate. We are only here to see the elder princess. If she later says it’s inconvenient without a gate, the Lu family can reinstall it. If the elder princess does not approve, whoever dares to intervene—kill them all.”
Yuan Meng burst into laughter, saluted her respectfully from horseback, his eyes showing new respect. Then he turned and ordered grimly, “Draw swords and return the courtesy!”
Yu Youwei, holding the adorable white cat, turned and walked back to the carriage. The second steward, red-faced and furious, could not utter a word. When he saw the Northern Liang light cavalry drawing their swords with a metallic clang, the fear he had barely shaken off returned in full force. Especially when he saw the fierce officer spur his horse up the steps, he immediately turned to flee through the side gate for help. But a man cannot outrun a horse, especially a Northern Liang warhorse. As Lu Dongyang stepped across the threshold, Yuan Meng rode past and cleaved him down with a single stroke. The steward fell into a pool of blood, crawling forward with difficulty. The sight caused the servants inside the mansion to scream in terror. Yuan Meng dismounted, gave the “Four Cold Gentleman” a heavy second blow, then grabbed a leg and hurled the body out through the side gate. The Young Master had specifically instructed that the body should be left at the doorstep.
Yuan Meng ignored the scattering servants of the Lu family and stood at the gate, ordering grimly, “Tear down the central gate!”
Princess Pei was stunned, looking again at Yu Youwei, whose demeanor had always been gentle and soft. She was momentarily at a loss.
At the Liu Mansion in Jiangxin Prefecture.
The Liu family was considered a Authentic clan in Yanzhou, but even among aristocrats, there were clear hierarchies. Compared to the four great clans, the difference was like heaven and earth.
Liu Ting, known by the pseudonym “Master Chengzhai,” was now soothing his wife with gentle words. Renowned throughout Jiangnan for his culinary skills, he had recently disregarded the ancient adage that a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen, personally cooking for his wife almost daily, devising various ways to please her. Liu Ting had a tall and graceful figure, standing out among the men of Jiangnan. With his refined appearance and aristocratic background, he naturally had no shortage of romantic entanglements. A few years ago, during his first philosophical debate at the Baima Temple, he had seen the widow and been instantly smitten. So what if she was a widow? She was the eldest daughter of the Butcher of Men, and her beauty was so alluring that it seemed one could pinch her and she would drip with moisture. Yet despite her terrible reputation, seemingly sleeping with everyone, Liu Ting, a seasoned womanizer, knew that this natural beauty had a cold heart. This only fueled Master Chengzhai’s competitive spirit. He lavished her with attention, treating her like a queen, and not long ago, she had finally relented. During a peony viewing at the Baoguo Temple, half-seriously and half-jokingly, she had said that if he dared to divorce his wife, she might consider him.
Thinking back now, Liu Ting broke into a cold sweat. How had he been so bewitched? He had failed to see her cold nature. This widow was clearly just waiting to watch the show! So when the heavens were shaken, his wife somehow gained favor with an influential concubine in the palace. He no longer cared about his scholarly dignity and immediately composed a poem of severance, throwing it at the Lu Mansion gates. Fortunately, the widow’s reputation was already ruined—why would anyone take her side? Otherwise, the Lu family wouldn’t have remained silent, allowing him to smear her. Ha! Liu Ting thought to himself, secretly rejoicing. What a blessing in disguise! If not for this widow, who would have known that his wife’s family had connections in the imperial court, a direct line to the heavens!
Liu Ting massaged his wife’s shoulders, smiling nervously as he asked, “My dear, why has the palace been quiet lately? Why hasn’t the concubine issued an edict to Jiangnan?”
His wife gave him a cold, indifferent look, though in truth, she could only feign mystery. It wasn’t just her—initially, even her family didn’t understand how to anger the concubine who had written the “Nüjie.” Her father had stayed up all night, poring over the family genealogy, barely finding a faint familial connection. As for why the storm had suddenly quieted, how could a family like hers possibly know the truth? As for her husband, how could she not know of his petty infidelities? But having married him, she had to follow him, directing all her anger at that wanton widow. In her eyes, that slap had been perfectly justified. Such a shameless widow, always scheming to seduce other men, deserved to be paraded through the streets in disgrace! A man having multiple wives was fine, but a widow—did she expect to have a thousand lovers?
Fearing that her husband would continue prying about the palace concubine, she coldly said, “It’s late. Let’s sleep.”
Liu Ting stole a glance at his wife’s face and silently sighed. Compared to the natural beauty Xu, she was simply incomparable.
Under the moonlight, outside the Liu Mansion, fifty valiant light cavalry ignored the night curfew, charging into the city with force.
At their head rode a young nobleman in white robes atop a white horse. Without slowing, he spurred his mount forward, yanked the reins, and crashed the horse’s hooves against the central gate of the Liu Mansion, breaking it open with a thunderous boom!
With the gate shattered, he rode straight into the Liu Mansion.
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