Lady Xu Huipo strode swiftly along the tea mountain path until she finally stepped beyond the sight of the old patriarch. Standing amidst the tea bushes, she gazed absentmindedly at the yellow-glazed tiled pavilion of Baoguo Temple, its double-eaved roof resting in solemn majesty. Only the faint trace of blood from her bitten lip betrayed any emotion; her face bore no deep sorrow. She did not resent the old patriarch’s decree, only the failure of that young swordsman in green robes from years past to rise above it all. Devoted to her Daoist cultivation, she had mastered the art of preserving youth, appearing as a graceful woman in her thirties though nearing forty. When she first met him, she was but thirteen—how many such thirteens does one life allow? She wiped the blood from her lips, her face darkening as she descended the mountain.
Unbeknownst to Xu Huipo, deep within the shade of trees, a swordsman in green robes had watched her for many years. As she entered Baoguo Temple, he slowly made his way toward the bamboo pavilion. The old man and his cat were still there. The white lion cat, as round as a snowball, let out a sharp yowl. The old Jiangzhou guardian, dozing lightly, laboriously lifted his eyelids to look at this young man, once a raw jade carefully carved by the Lu family. This swordsman had once been full of vigor and ambition. Had he not failed the trials of love, whether in officialdom or the sword path, he would have gone far indeed. The old man gently soothed the startled lion cat on his lap, furrowing his white brows as he asked in a calm voice, “Did you hear everything?”
Lu Baijie, the sword immortal of Tangxi, nodded slightly. His gaze was cold as he looked at the old man, one finger resting constantly on his sword scabbard, as if the ancient sword, Baxiu, might leap forth at any moment. With Lu Baijie’s sword mastery, his draw would be swift beyond measure, and there was no need to emphasize it so deliberately. Clearly, this was a statement: if the old man did not retract his words about Xu Huipo, Lu Baijie would not hesitate to commit another act of rebellion—not as a son of the Lu family, but as the sword immortal of Tangxi. What if you are the old patriarch of the Jiangxin Yushis? With sword in hand, Lu Baijie asks only for a clear conscience—why should he care for rules?
Yuguan Kang, the ancient guardian of the Jiangnan scholarly circle, whose seniority could not be surpassed, felt his eyelids tremble slightly. One hand no longer gently petted the white lion cat but instead curled into a claw, gripping the creature’s head without applying pressure. The cat, instinctively uneasy, turned its head in confusion. Yujian Kang, one of the few in the dynasty who might one day earn the posthumous title of “Wenzhong,” suddenly gave a self-mocking smile. As for the even more prestigious title of “Wenzheng,” it had remained unclaimed for 120 years, and even he dared not dream of it. The old man merely turned his gaze once more to the distant green hills. Jiangnan was rich in landscapes, always a pleasure to behold. His voice, calm and rare in its compromise, softly said, “Tangxi, you know that originally I intended for you to become the head of the Lu family. Lao Daolin was willing as well.”
Lu Baijie interrupted bluntly, “I was not willing.”
The old guardian frowned. “You were unwilling to marry Yushis’ pearl, unwilling to be the head of the Lu family, unwilling to recommend yourself for officialdom, unwilling to accept a military post through favor. As a son of the Lu family, Tangxi, you have far too many refusals that defy tradition. Had you not been so indifferent and idle, how could the Lu family have allowed the Boling Yuans to rise and surpass you?”
Lu Baijie remained silent, his finger no longer resting on the sword scabbard. The old guardian sighed and gestured for the once highly valued junior to sit. As Lu Baijie sat down, Yujian Kang, who had specially come from Jiangxin Prefecture to Baoguo Temple today, smiled slightly. “Pity you are not of the Yushis. My descendants are too cautious, lacking vigor, only able to maintain the status quo, unable to revitalize the family. None of them dare to call us old bastards, not even in their hearts. They’re all full of the stench of premature senility. Tangxi, do you know why I have been so hard on a woman like Xu Huipo?”
The sword immortal of Tangxi shook his head.
The old guardian cradled the lion cat in both hands, sighing, “She is not worthy of you.”
Lu Baijie smiled bitterly. “But I just can’t let her go.”
The old man snorted coldly, “Your father had you late in life and doted on you excessively. Before his death, he even wrote separate letters to me and Xu Yinsheng, disregarding the tradition of favoring the eldest son, and offered some of the family’s resources to help you become the head of the Lu family. Did you really think Lu Daolin didn’t know this secret? I could keep silent, but Xu Yinsheng revealed it to him long ago. In recent years, Gumo has used the Lu family’s influence to grow stronger in secret. The wolves have already entered the house, yet you disappointed your father. Lu Daolin may be a good man, but how can he compete with the scheming villains of Gumo Xu clan? Don’t even mention the past; the Lu family’s involvement in the matter of Concubine Xu, Empress Zhao has been watching coldly, keeping everything in mind. Do you really think Empress Zhao regards that Xu girl as a sister? This time, the Beiliang prince stirred up quite a storm, and the Jiangnan scholars were in an uproar. The thirty thousand students at the Imperial Academy in the capital were incited. Do you think your elder brother can remain safe within the academy? Without a doubt, Lu Daolin, who has failed to satisfy either side, will have to resign as Right Sacrificial Official. Huan Shu, who has been in a long rivalry with your brother, will naturally be happy to push him down. The Lu family’s setback in the capital is ultimately a loss for our Jiangnan. If not for this, what would bring an old man with one foot already in the coffin here? To listen to that boring debate on kingship versus hegemony? Or to be threatened by your sword?”
The sword immortal of Tangxi said indifferently, “Uncle, telling me all this—aren’t you afraid of preaching to a cow?”
Whether out of anger at his misfortune or frustration at his lack of ambition, the old guardian’s temper flared slightly, raising his voice. “Tangxi, I can stop Xu Huipo from doing that, but this time you must come out and help the Lu family. Otherwise, with my temper, the Gumo Xu family’s underhanded tricks will be reminded by sending an insignificant Xu Huipo to make a spectacle of herself. Tangxi, I ask you one last time: are you willing to go to the capital and become the vice minister of the Ministry of War? You don’t need to worry about how you can attain such a high rank; I only ask if you are willing or not!”
Lu Baijie replied bitterly, “I only ask that you don’t make things hard for her.”
The old guardian smiled slightly, returning to his usual calm and composed demeanor, speaking gently, “Tangxi, Tangxi, those caught in the game cannot see clearly. If you are willing to enter officialdom, who would dare to mistreat her?”
Lu Baijie shook his head. “Even the daughter of the Beiliang King has been treated this way. She is only a discarded pawn of the Gumo Xu family. How can I feel at ease?”
The old man said calmly, “Fine. I can make a promise with you: if you go to the capital, she will remain nominally a granddaughter-in-law of the Yushis. No one will dare to harm her.”
Lu Baijie, the sword immortal of Tangxi, bowed and quietly departed.
The old man narrowed his eyes, leaning back in his chair, his thoughts inscrutable.
From the bamboo pavilion emerged a master and servant, none other than the fan-wielding young master and the swordsman in green robes who had witnessed the arrogance of the Beiliang cavalry at the tavern. The dashing young noble had exchanged his fan for one made of ivory bone, its surface painted with three beauties of distinct charm. Kneeling beside the old guardian Yujian Kang, he reached out to stroke the lion cat, looking up with a smile. “Grandfather, why go to such lengths to get the Tangxi sword immortal into officialdom? The Lu family’s foundation is not much weaker than ours. One Lu Daolin is not a threat, but with him, things become more complicated. The Boling Yuans and Gumo Xu clan are nothing compared to you, but once the Lu family has the Tangxi sword immortal at their helm, with just a bit of military merit, he could become a real vice minister of the Ministry of War. In seven or eight years, with the Lu family’s resources, controlling a ministry would not be difficult. Compared to a Concubine Xu, he would carry far more weight.”
The old guardian laughed. “What is a Concubine Xu? Let me tell you the truth: no matter which family’s daughter enters the palace, she cannot rival Empress Zhao. Relying on the path of imperial relatives is the stupidest strategy. The Gumo Xu clan refuses to believe this, their vision short-sighted, and they will eventually bring disaster upon themselves. But the path of military and political power is full of opportunities. We Jiangnan scholars are not lacking, but we lack someone like Lu Baijie who can achieve success on horseback. Whether for long-term or personal interests, I will ensure his entry into the Ministry of War. As for whether Lu Baijie can rise in the narrow space between Xu Quezi, Gu Jiantang, and the several feudal princes, we will have to see as we go. Lu Baijie’s nature allows him to become a general, but not a minister of war. However, this will distract the Lu family’s attention, create discord between the Lu and Xu families, make the Boling Yuans, who have long clashed with the Lu family, feel uneasy, and make the Lu family indebted to us Yushis. Tell me, how many gains does this bring?”
The young nobleman pinched the fan’s handle with two fingers and smiled. “Four gains.”
After a moment of thought, the young and handsome nobleman snapped open the fan and carefully said, “Grandfather, the Xu and Lu families are in-laws. If the Tangxi sword immortal gains military power in the future, it might make the court more wary of Beiliang.”
The old man was pleased. “That’s only half a gain and half a loss. It’s hard to say for sure. Xu Quezi and Lu Baijie’s personalities are naturally incompatible. The Emperor might not see it, but Empress Zhao surely does. In this world, the only solid alliances among noble families are those formed by scholars like us. Common military men cannot be judged by ordinary logic, especially not Xu Quezi. Deep down, the Xu and Lu families actually despise each other. Still, you seeing this point is commendable.”
The young noble smiled, opening his fan to cool the old man and the lion cat.
The old man said softly, “Though I call that man Xu Quezi, he is a demonic figure who destroyed half the youth of eight nations and trampled the great Spring and Autumn righteousness into dust. He is not someone your young generation can provoke lightly. So, don’t think about seeking revenge for that tavern incident. One misstep could bring fire upon you. Xu Quezi’s protectiveness of his own is something your generation cannot truly understand. I don’t care if you don’t grasp it now, just remember my words. The delaying tactics of minor officials can trouble even ministers and generals. For you, you must learn the art of waiting. Youth is a good thing because it allows you to wait. Whether it’s Zhang Julu or Gu Jiantang, their achievements today were all earned through waiting.”
The young noble nodded, not daring to take his grandfather’s advice lightly. Though he could not immediately trip up the Beiliang prince, he felt some regret. But since even his grandfather said to wait, as a mere concubine-born son of the Yushis, he dared not disobey and could better appreciate the importance of patience.
At this time, Xu Fengnian was strolling through Baoguo Temple with the Princess of Jing’an, pausing occasionally. Eventually, they arrived at the Reclining Dragon Pine (Wolong Pine) by the temple wall, where there was shade and a clear spring. Xu Fengnian sat on a stone by the spring, enjoying the coolness amidst the sweltering heat. Today, Baoguo Temple was hosting an unprecedented debate on kingship versus hegemony, and ordinary visitors could not even enter to burn incense and pray. Monks guarded the entrance, allowing only familiar faces inside. Those without connections had to present their visiting cards and prove their status to gain entry.
Xu Fengnian noticed a poor scholar lingering outside the temple for a long time. The sun was scorching, and soon he was drenched in sweat. Perhaps because Xu Fengnian, dressed in fine clothes, was sitting by the spring with a graceful “servant” attending him, the scholar dared not approach to cool off. In the Jiangnan region, the sons of noble families considered sitting with commoners a disgrace. Thus, the scholar dared not provoke trouble but, unable to endure the blazing sun any longer, hesitated for a while before finally crouching at the farthest point from Xu Fengnian by the spring. He scooped some water and splashed it on his face, feeling immense relief as he let out a long sigh. After crouching for a while and seeing that Xu Fengnian had not spoken, he cautiously sat down, wiping his wet hands on his sleeve before pulling out a book and silently reading.
Xu Fengnian glanced sideways and found it was not the usual Jiangnan text but rather the “Four Classics with Annotations” by the Beiliang scholar Yao Baifeng. Watching the scholar’s lip movements, he found it even more amusing, as the interpretations were quite heretical.
“Mr. Yao’s interpretations are based on his understanding at the time and may not reflect the true meaning of the sages. There is much room for discussion.”
“His commentary is lofty, but he overemphasizes his own views, going beyond the original texts and appearing to surpass the sages, leading to abstract and impractical interpretations, not the orthodox way to understand the classics.”
“But compared to the rigid interpretations of the academic Zhu school, there are many charming aspects, less Reserved and more accessible.”
Xu Fengnian observed the scholar’s lip movements, finding it very interesting. Especially when the poor scholar closed the book and said, “We scholars must die with the posthumous title of Wenzheng,” Xu Fengnian couldn’t help but laugh, startling the scholar. The book slipped from his hands into the water. The scholar hurriedly jumped in, only to find the soaked book ruined. Climbing back to shore, he looked heartbroken. Even if he tore each page and dried them, the book would be greatly damaged. He sighed heavily, lost in thought.
Xu Fengnian teased, “How much is one book worth?”
The poor scholar didn’t look up. “This book isn’t worth much, but when I read it, it can be worth a lot.”
Xu Fengnian clicked his tongue. “Scholars sell their knowledge to the emperor, but you can’t even get into Baoguo Temple. Who will listen to you?”
The poor scholar smiled slightly and muttered to himself, “Who says I want to sell it to the imperial family? The sage said to cultivate oneself, manage the family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world. He never said anything about serving the emperor.”
Xu Fengnian bent down and picked up a watermelon that had been chilled in the spring for some time. He tapped it, splitting it in two, and smiled. “Want some?”
The scholar looked up in confusion.
Xu Fengnian grinned. “Afraid?”
The scholar remained silent, only frowning.
Xu Fengnian simply tossed half the watermelon gently toward him. The scholar fumbled but managed to catch it. Seeing Xu Fengnian bite into his half with gusto, he finally took a bite himself, feeling the coolness seep into his heart.
Xu Fengnian teased, “Dying with the title of Wenzheng—what great ambition.”
The scholar paused, truly feeling the chill now.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage