Xu Fengnian approached a young maiden known for her exquisite embroidery, picked up the bamboo basket, and handed it to her. Standing protectively in front of her, he faced the soldiers of Daoma Pass bearing the banners of the Bei Liang Iron Cavalry, smiled faintly, and spoke slowly, “Esteemed soldiers, I am a distant relative of my elder brother’s wife, Xu Qing. I travel between the borderlands and Lin Province, and have managed to earn a bit of silver—over a hundred taels, to be exact. If you gentlemen do not mind, you may take it all for wine. I only ask for your mercy in one matter: do not take my sister-in-law to the general’s mansion. She is the widow of a postal courier, and though her case may be entirely innocent, and though the general’s wife may be compassionate, rumors will inevitably harm both her reputation and that of the Bei Liang borderlands.”
A hundred taels of silver? Zhang Shun momentarily forgot about the little rabbit squirming in his arms. If it were all in silver coins, it could pile into a small silver mountain on a table. If converted entirely into copper coins, it would blind one’s eyes with its gleam! Those who had never seen true wealth could scarcely fathom the meaning of boundless riches or wealth rivaling nobility. Compared to the more vivid and catchy phrase “a fortune worth thousands,” the concept of wealth was far less tangible. A thousand copper coins made one guan, so a hundred taels of silver equated to a full hundred guan, and since silver was more valuable than copper, it could fetch over a hundred guan in copper. Zhang Shun mused that his greatest lifelong dream was simply to walk about with ten or twenty guan dangling from his waist. To dine and drink, he would toss copper coins onto the table with flair. Upon returning home, he could embrace two tender-waisted, full-hipped beauties by the warm kang bed—such was all he could ever hope for in life.
Zhang Shun stared in disbelief at this young man who had appeared out of nowhere. He looked like a typical rich young master, indeed, the kind who never lacked money. Even the sight of him wearing a sword made Zhang Shun envious. Commoners were forbidden from carrying swords in public, and even their clothing colors were restricted by countless rules.
But this was strange—since when had Xu Qing had a wealthy relative willing to spend a hundred taels at a whim? Could it be some secret lover sneaking around in the fields? Zhang Shun’s mind raced. He could not let this cooked duck fly from the pot. That hundred taels of silver would surely come out of the pretty boy’s pocket, and Zhang Shun had no claim to it. If Xu Qing did not go to Daoma Pass and did not end up under the command of that Guoyi Captain, then his own prospects of rising in rank would turn to dung, leaving him stinking of failure. The nearby villages were mostly related by blood or marriage. Though none could harm him directly, they would surely mock him behind his back. Worse still, he would never taste the charms of Xu Zhi Niang.
Refusing to let his efforts go to waste, Zhang Shun sneered, “A relative? I heard you were just some outsider lusting after Xu Qing’s body. Don’t think you can challenge us Daoma soldiers with a little silver. Be careful not to lose more than you gain!”
The burly squad leader, however, was not interested in Zhang Shun’s slander and did not believe it. Yet the young swordsman’s candid words had revealed troubling news: this young woman’s deceased husband had once been a postal courier? Heaven forbid he was one of those who had died in Youzhou’s endless battles against the Bei Man barbarians. The authorities were extremely strict about posthumous honors for soldiers who died in Youzhou and Liangzhou. It wasn’t that the squad leader couldn’t simply seize the woman by force, but if she were to commit suicide or cause a scandal, he would have to spend silver smoothing things over with all concerned parties—silencing the village, placating the county officials.
That was not even the worst of it. If Captain Han thought him incompetent, how could he ever outmaneuver his fellow soldiers, who called each other brothers over wine but schemed relentlessly behind each other’s backs? How could he ever rise in rank, amass wealth, and secure his future?
Seeing the usually domineering Daoma soldiers hesitate, Zhang Shun grew desperate. He pointed at the couple by the stream and shouted, “Xu Qing, your husband was nothing but a laughingstock postal courier in Jinzhou, thrown from his horse and trampled to death. He disgraced the men of Daoma Pass! And you still dare to claim your pension? Hmph! If I were an official in the county, I wouldn’t give you seven or eight taels—seven or eight coins, even! Now that your in-laws are buried, you think no one can stop you from finding a lover? I bet you even killed them yourself! You’re worse than the prostitutes in the brothels, who at least earn their keep with sweat and labor. You deserve to be paraded through the streets on a wooden donkey and drowned in a pig cage!”
A child, overcome with rage, lunged to bite Zhang Shun, crying out, “My father was a hero! Don’t you dare insult my mother!”
Frustrated, Zhang Shun shoved the child to the ground, cursing, “Who even knows whose brat you are! Hero? Your father was a cuckolded fool who couldn’t even control a horse—how could he control your mother?”
The young woman bit her lip until it bled, her mouth filled with blood, tears clouding her eyes. Yet she steeled herself and sternly told You Song, “Don’t cry!”
The child, full of Grievance, hesitated, then obediently fell silent.
The squad leader felt relieved. If the deceased was merely a local courier within the province, and not even a battlefield casualty, then no one—no matter how ambitious—could stir up trouble over this. Having served in the military to his rank, he knew the tricks of the trade. Daoma Pass in Jinzhou was nestled deep within the Bei Liang territory, and only the most reckless Bei Man barbarians would dare invade such a trap. There had been no war for over a decade. Without risking one’s life against the barbarians, how else could one secure a bright future? One could not simply wait for fortune to fall from the sky. Thus, he engaged in these unsavory affairs to curry favor with powerful men like Han Tao.
The squad leader recalled how his superior had once taken the blame for Captain Han’s indiscretions—how Han had secretly taken a concubine, and how the superior had immediately stepped forward to marry her off in a grand ceremony, not daring to touch her himself. He had to watch helplessly as the woman bathed and perfumed herself for Han’s pleasure, while he himself stood guard at the door. The squad leader could only admire such loyalty. And indeed, when Han grew tired of the woman, he arranged a prestigious post for the superior in a neighboring county. Occasionally returning home in glory, the superior could still share wine and laughter with Captain Han.
That was the art of governance, the squad leader thought. How could he not admire it?
Xu Fengnian’s eyes turned icy. “I am a scholar from Lin Province, traveling here to study in Jinzhou’s Daoma Pass. If you wish to take her, I will not resist. You may step over my corpse. But when my family demands answers, I assure you, the two minor deputy commanders of Daoma Pass—merely sixth-grade officers—will not be able to contain the consequences!”
The squad leader and the hardened cavalry soldiers, who seemed invincible to the common folk, all frowned involuntarily. The squad leader let out a faint “Hmm?” in mild confusion, glaring fiercely at this man who had repeatedly spoiled his plans. “A traveling scholar? Then why the hell are you carrying a sword!” But the squad leader had a keen eye. He could sense the young man’s bearing—so much like that of Zhou Ziru, Daoma Pass’s top young noble. Ordinary men could not mimic such calm dignity, even if they threw away their wealth to pretend. This made him hesitate, like one fearing to harm a mouse for fear of breaking a valuable vase. The squad leader rubbed his arm, finally shifting his gaze from Xu Zhi Niang to this young man claiming noble birth, his face darkening.
The horses snorted, their hooves occasionally stamping impatiently. In the quiet village by the stream, the sound mingled with the barks of dogs and the crows of roosters, creating a tension that sent chills down the spine.
Zhang Shun’s heart was in his throat, suspended between hope and dread, making him terribly uneasy. Just moments ago, he had mocked this well-dressed youth, thinking he would end up losing everything. But now, with the young man revealing himself as a scholar, it was Zhang Shun’s turn to tremble. If the Daoma soldiers took the silver and left peacefully, how could a petty thief like him ever compete with a noble scholar? He might even lose a few layers of skin in the process. Zhang Shun dared not provoke the young noble further, cautiously glancing at the squad leader, barely daring to breathe.
Xu Fengnian turned his head and saw the young woman extend two fingers to tug at his sleeve. She shook her head firmly, her eyes resolute.
After a moment’s hesitation, Xu Fengnian took her icy hand and pulled her back behind him. Then he let go. Yet, almost imperceptibly, his left hand slowly rested on the hilt of his Chuntian sword at his waist.
Only the young woman, perhaps by a woman’s intuition, sensed a strange shift in the air.
It was like when she and the villagers hurried to gather wheat from the stone-paved village square before a storm. The sky would grow oppressively heavy, and if a few thunderclaps followed, it would be truly terrifying.
When Zhang Shun saw the squad leader’s eyes flash with malice, he knew he had bet correctly. The so-called Lin scholar had bet wrongly, and was about to lose everything—even his life!
The soldiers behind the squad leader, who had ridden and dined together for years, could tell his mood by the scent of his farts. Seeing the squad leader slowly draw his sword, the soldiers, each carrying only a Bei Liang saber, began to grin wickedly.
Over a dozen Bei Liang sabers were slowly unsheathed in eerie unison.
Zhang Shun and the other ruffians trembled in their pants.
Were they about to kill someone?
They were mere ruffians and Rogue, who had neither shed blood nor seen it spilled. To witness a killing up close would likely make them faint.
At that moment, Xu Fengnian’s eyes turned icy cold.
A strange, clear sound echoed from the stream, but no one could tell what had caused it.
But the young woman felt a piercing chill. Her wide, beautiful eyes widened further as she noticed the scholar’s back rippling like water, subtle waves spreading outward, then vanishing.
The Chuntian had been drawn an inch.
But it was quickly pushed back into the sheath!
Xu Fengnian gripped the hilt tightly, taking a deep breath.
Unless his life was in certain danger, the sword would not leave its sheath. Like the Buddhist monk’s vow of silence, Li Chungan, the greatest sword master in five hundred years, had once sealed his sword for six years before attaining the legendary sword strike that opened the heavens.
Xu Fengnian saw the squad leader draw his sword, then tug at the reins, preparing to charge.
Xu Fengnian extended his arm, blocking the young woman from rushing forward. Facing the cavalry, he spoke in a stiff tone, “Return to Daoma Pass and tell Guoyi Captain Huangfu Ping that a man bearing the Chuntian sword is here. I give him one incense stick’s time to arrive.”
The horses, already galloping, halted instantly as the squad leader pulled the reins tight.
The squad leader was no fool. Could this young man, who claimed to be a scholar from Lin and dared to speak the captain’s name directly, really be just a desperate pretender?
Ambition was important, but life was more so.
In this world, it was not the one in a thousand that one feared, but the one in ten thousand.
What if this youth truly knew Captain Huangfu? Even if they were not close, even if they merely nodded in passing, that would be enough to bring great trouble to men like them, who could only strut their stuff in Daoma Pass. What if this sword-bearing young noble was indeed a man of noble birth from Lin with influence? If Captain Han shifted blame, who would bear the consequences? Though Lin was distant from Youzhou, a noble family could bring ruin upon a sixth-grade officer like Han, and the squad leader, who had personally drawn blood, would be left in dire straits. But most crucially—was this young man truly worth all these “what-ifs”?
The squad leader gritted his teeth, weighing the risks and rewards in his mind.
Xu Fengnian narrowed his phoenix-shaped eyes. “Two incense sticks. Some time has already passed. If Huangfu becomes enraged, no one will be able to save you.”
The squad leader exhaled heavily, halted his horse, sheathed his sword, and signaled to one of the soldiers to return to Daoma Pass and report to Captain Han.
Of course, he would leave men behind to watch. If, after two incense sticks, the youth was proven to be bluffing, he would personally carve him to death.
Carve, not merely cut.
At Daoma Pass.
The Guoyi Captain, Huangfu Ping, had risen early, clad not in comfortable silk robes, but in full armor. Indeed, since leaving Liangzhou, he had never removed his armor in public, not even while sleeping.
The world knew that Huangfu Ping had traded dozens of his family’s lives for his current glory.
They knew how the once-mighty Qingshan Manor had fallen, leaving only him and his mute son alive, while his elder brother and all four of his children were executed for treason.
But few knew of Huangfu Ping’s strategic brilliance, his ambition to serve the emperor and settle the affairs of the realm.
They knew only that this despicable dog had groveled before the Bei Liang King to obtain his current rank of fourth-grade general and three secret scrolls. They did not know that the scrolls were his just reward for betraying his family, but that the Guoyi Captain rank had been granted by a noble youth who had smiled and tossed him the title like a bone to a dog, a mere act of charity.
A wagging tail of a noble hound outweighs a scholar’s lifetime of study.
Huangfu Ping saw nothing wrong with this. He had come to Youzhou to serve the enigmatic father and son of the Bei Liang Prince’s Mansion with his life, and to build his own eternal legacy!
Thus, on this journey, he had traversed nearly all of Youzhou—every commandery, every county, every strategic mountain range, every city and fortress—missing only the villages.
Huangfu Ping instinctively touched his frost-white temples. He had already reached the age of no confusion — it was indeed time to no longer remain lost in dreams, nor to muddle through life like his brothers-in-arms. If Green MountainsVilla was to rise again and avoid the fate of having no descendants to carry on its legacy, he must awaken now!
In Daomaguan, the two highest-ranking officials were Vice Garrison Commander Zhou Xian — the father of Zhou Ziru — and Han Tao, a Censorial Officer bearing the title of Lieutenant of the Serene Bow. Both stood behind the Battalion Commander like men walking on thin ice. After General Huangfu returned from the inn last night, he did not stay at the luxurious residence Han Tao had arranged, but instead chose to reside at the Posthouse. According to secret reports, the old tortoise, Zhou Xian, had paid a midnight visit, which immediately raised Han Tao’s suspicions. He feared the General might think him lacking in hospitality. In both the bureaucratic and military worlds, nothing is more dangerous than realizing too late. Ignoring the soft, delicate charms of the woman beside him in bed, Han Tao sat alone under the lamp, pondering deeply. By chance, he turned and saw the two flirtatious women he had originally intended to share a night with exchanging seductive glances. He slapped his thigh in sudden realization — he needed to send his trusted men to find two fresh, lively girls to properly attend to General Huangfu. Han Tao spent the entire night on this matter. Of the two women he had sent before, one was returned, and the other quietly kept for himself. He could only hope his subordinates could settle things smoothly before General Huangfu left Daomaguan.
Strange disturbances? In Daomaguan, as long as the Zhou family — those crooked superiors who led the subordinates astray — kept their hands off, there would be no disturbances!
Seeing a familiar cavalryman dismount at the city gate and scramble up to the ramparts, Han Tao’s face lit up. But as soon as he smiled, Zhou Xian — his longtime rival — also offered a thin, insincere smile, which made Han Tao want to slap him across the face.
The common cavalryman, lacking any official rank, was stopped at a distance. Han Tao dared not act arrogantly before the Battalion Commander, so he walked over and saw the soldier’s face twisted in distress. Immediately sensing something amiss, he led the man to a secluded corner of the watchtower. Before Han Tao could even speak, the soldier spilled everything like beans from a tipped jar. Though the matter was not overly complicated, Han Tao, seasoned in court politics, quickly grasped its implications. His expression shifted several times. He lifted his foot, ready to kick the messenger who brought such ill news to death, but stopped mid-motion. He turned swiftly and hurried toward General Huangfu. Those twenty-odd steps felt like an eternity.
Though Battalion Commander Huangfu Ping’s mind was not on the intrigues of Daomaguan, he noticed Han Tao’s hesitant, troubled expression from the corner of his eye. With a faint smile, he asked, “Han Tao, if you have something to say, just say it.”
Hearing his name spoken directly, rather than the formal title that was polite yet distant, Han Tao exhaled in relief. He jogged closer and whispered, “A cavalry scout from our garrison encountered a scholar from Lingzhou claiming to be on a journey of study. He says he knows the General.”
“Hmm?”
Huangfu Ping’s expression remained calm, his eyes fixed on Han Tao.
Feeling immense pressure, Han Tao hurriedly added, “The scholar seems to carry a Spring Thunder Blade.”
Huangfu Ping merely uttered a noncommittal “Oh,” but no one saw the sudden tightening of his fists and the veins bulging on the back of his hand.
The most prominent Battalion Commander in the Beiliang army spoke indifferently, “Prepare my horse. Have that scout lead the way. The rest of you needn’t follow.”
Sweating profusely, Han Tao’s lips trembled as he dared to whisper, “The scholar also said he only has two incense sticks’ worth of time for the General.”
The Battalion Commander turned and smiled.
Han Tao, who had once taken over a dozen enemy heads in battle, must have grown too used to peaceful times. One glance from General Huangfu sent him stumbling backward, leaning against the city wall, his face pale with fear. “No need to worry, General. It won’t take even one incense stick’s time to reach the village from Daomaguan.”
The two rode off at full gallop.
The scout was so terrified he wished his warhorse had eight legs.
By the stream, Xu Fengnian gently said to the young woman, “Take You Song home. I’ll find you later. Don’t worry, everything’s fine now. I have some connections with a general in Daomaguan. It’ll just cost a little money, and you won’t have to go to the general’s mansion. If you don’t trust me, leave Daomaguan with You Song for now, but keep an ear out for news from here. You’ll understand soon enough.”
The young woman, still doubtful, was about to move when she saw two riders approaching. A formidable general halted his horse on a high slope. The other cavalrymen, without explanation, heard only the words “Return to Officer Han for orders,” then turned their horses and retreated listlessly.
Xu Fengnian and the young woman walked back together. She looked back once, saw Xu Fengnian smiling and waving, then took her son’s hand and hurried toward the village.
Only two remained by the stream.
Battalion Commander Huangfu Ping dismounted and threw himself to the ground, prostrating himself as he had on his first day entering the Beiliang Prince’s Mansion. He said nothing, fingers digging into the earth, wishing he could sink into the ground itself to show his utmost humility.
Xu Fengnian slowly approached this man, now a powerful commander in Youzhou, and said calmly, “You know, if you had immediately groveled and kowtowed before me in front of those men, I would’ve cut your head off without a second thought. After all, whoever wears this Battalion Commander’s armor doesn’t really matter to me.”
Huangfu Ping remained silent, his strong, towering frame pressed tightly to the ground.
“It’s nothing unusual for a low-ranking official to flatter his superiors, even if it means snatching women in the middle of the night. In both the Great Yang and Northern Liang courts, such things happen everywhere.”
“It’s also not unusual for a low-ranking official to send his men to do things, causing commotion and wasting resources. After all, what’s the point of having power if not to enjoy its privileges? I can understand that.”
“As for seizing a beautiful woman, even if she’s the widow of a Posthousecourier, and later offering a little silver as compensation, well, whether she lives or dies is of no concern to the officials. They’ll just blame her lowly birth or her husband’s incompetence. That’s nothing new. I’ve seen far worse in this world.”
At this, the Crown Prince Xu Fengnian smiled faintly.
Huangfu Ping’s mind was blank.
He vaguely recalled that night in the Beiliang Prince’s Mansion when he, a wandering martial artist with no home, was granted an audience. The Crown Prince sat on the main chair, while the greatest martial artist in the world — the Beiliang King — sat smiling at his side.
Xu Fengnian gazed at the stream and coldly said, “But in Beiliang, there is a strict rule, one we recite eight or ten times a day from the very first day of joining the army. Yet someone still dares to draw a Beiliang saber and threaten the heads of commoners. Now that’s something worth seriously considering!”
Xu Fengnian suddenly roared, “These Beiliang sabers — they were forged with the people’s last pots and pans, and their blades are sharp indeed. But what makes them sharpest? My father, Xu Xiao, told me — again and again, so many times that I’m practically calloused from hearing it!”
Huangfu Ping’s lips pressed to the ground, the thick scent of earth and grass filling his senses. “Huangfu Ping deserves death.”
Xu Fengnian tightly repressed his emotions, and the sheath of the Spring Thunder Blade trembled violently.
After a long silence, the Crown Prince gave a self-deprecating smile and softly said, “I am now the hereditary Crown Prince of Beiliang. My father dared to take a woman from Prince Jing’an Zhao Heng, dared to sit atop the Wudi City gate, dared to carve flesh from the son of Prince Guangling. Yet even I haven’t forgotten this lesson. Where did these men get the Courages to do this? Did Xu Xiao give it to them? Chen Zhibao? Or some other great figure?”
Xu Fengnian glanced sideways at the Battalion Commander. Once his emotions had steadied, he smiled and said, “Stand up. This matter today isn’t entirely your fault. These past few days, you’ve been riding in armor across Youzhou, and people’s opinions of you are mixed. Whether you’re just putting on a show or truly trying to do something, as long as I don’t encounter such things again, it’s fine. After all, I’ve already given you the title of Battalion Commander. Do as you please in Youzhou. I’ve always had the temper of a spoiled noble — I only care about results. I’ve given you time. If you still can’t satisfy me, then in the Battalion Commander’s mansion, that boy — actually the son of your elder brother — will truly be the last hope of the Huangfu clan.”
Huangfu Ping, who had already half-risen, immediately dropped back to his knees.
The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes and smiled, “Your Huangfu family is full of ruthless people, but you are the most ruthless of all. You even allowed your own son to be killed. Fearing that your nephew — the one you hoped to cultivate into a great weapon — might reveal secrets, you burned out his throat.”
Huangfu Ping wept openly.
“You return to Daomaguan. This matter today isn’t something that can be resolved by cutting off a few heads. As the Battalion Commander, you must act. And I, the Crown Prince, will watch. Of course, if you can’t even remove a few official hats or take a few lives, then I suppose I’ve misjudged you.”
Huangfu Ping’s voice was heavy, “Huangfu Ping understands. Please, Crown Prince, rest assured!”
The Crown Prince walked toward the village, almost as if speaking to himself, “The child in the Battalion Commander’s mansion is now named Huangfu Qingping. There’s another boy named Huangfu Qingping who recently became a servant in the Phoenix Court. Unlike his father, who would even devour his own offspring, this boy is honest and hardworking. I like him very much.”
Huangfu Ping struck the ground heavily with his forehead. A man who had endured countless trials, a ruthless and cunning hero, now wept from the depths of his soul, “From this day forth, Huangfu Ping pledges his life to the Crown Prince!”
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