At last, the heavens no longer wore a gloomy visage, gradually clearing as the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds after many stormy days. A plump woman adorned her forehead with a sable covering, fastened a jade belt with a Xianbei clasp at her waist, and held a brocade-surfaced floral umbrella in one hand, swinging it playfully. She gazed at the tall man riding out of the city alongside the Yulong Gang below, and after he made a bloody gesture, she seemed amused by herself and burst into laughter. The elderly man in brocade robes beside her, uncertain of his mistress’s thoughts, whispered, “Princess, why are you toying with this commoner from Beiliang? Shall I step in?”
The Princess Hongyan, who had personally delivered an ominous eight-character prophecy to Tao Qianzhi a couple of days prior, shook her head slightly, her smile fading as she mused, “Old Dragon King, I was just having fun. I don’t know why, but every time I see this fellow, I can’t help but want to tease and scare him. Oddly enough, even though it seems impossible, I still feel this guy is connected to Tao Qianzhi’s death. A woman’s intuition is truly unfathomable, even to herself.”
The elderly man in brocade robes chuckled, “Where does this humble servant deserve to be called Dragon King by the Princess?”
The woman, who had already attained the peak of wealth and status in the Northern Yan Empire, smiled faintly and turned the sandalwood-handled brocade umbrella slowly. She had always loved rainy weather since childhood, spinning her umbrella in the rain to scatter droplets. The Empress of Northern Yan, over fifty years old and known for her coldness toward the sprawling branches of the royal family, had always doted on this young princess. When Princess Hongyan was a child, she often accompanied her father to the palace, where the Emperor would hold her on his lap and watch her play, creating one of the rare warm scenes in the palace. Unfortunately, as she grew into a young woman and moved away from the capital, her warm relationship with the Emperor inevitably grew distant, especially after her father committed a grave offense of careless speech, and she had not seen the iron-fisted Empress who had executed emperors, empresses, princes, and princesses in years.
She sighed, shaking off some dark emotions, and her gaze turned sharp as she said, “Tao Qianzhi was truly beyond redemption, and his death is no great loss. For a man who wanted a place in the heart of the royal court, what was he sulking about with a mere princess? He insisted on leaving the city on Qingming, and now look what happened—he got killed. According to the guards’ description, the painter Helian Jieyuan, who claimed he would never betray his art, even drew a portrait. Hundreds of light cavalry armed with Northern Yan sabers scoured the city and countryside like headless flies, but it’s like searching for a needle in a haystack. Tao’s death is so murky. Those scoundrels like Murong Zhangtai, who had old grudges with Tao, won’t they be played to death by the younger military hardliners like Dong Fatso? They’ll make a big deal out of nothing. After all, Murong and I are at least cousins by marriage.”
The elderly man, who always kept his hands in his sleeves, chuckled, “If the Princess feels sorrow for the hare’s fate, you’re giving Murong Zhangtai and his ilk far too much credit.”
The woman’s expression shifted like June weather, and she laughed, “That’s true. Though those brats used to trail after me with snot running down their noses when they were little, they’ve only become less lovable as they grew up. I couldn’t care less what happens to them.”
The elderly man, far from being a mere sycophant to become one of the top scholars in Yuchan Prefecture, narrowed his eyes and said, “Tao Qianzhi was skilled in both mounted and dismounted combat. With a decade of refinement in swordsmanship, he might have had a chance to rise to prominence, just like Gu Jiantang in the south, who became a Grand Master through sheer killing. He had many hidden agents in Liuxia City, meaning our eyes and ears would catch any movement from Beiliang. Thus, the assassin who likely crossed the border alone must be no weakling. He managed to kill ten elite cavalrymen and then swiftly dispatch Tao, who was nearly at the Second Tier, before the reinforcements could arrive. Whether he drew his sword or not is the key point. If he didn’t, that would be truly astonishing. I suspect that not only will Liuxia City be thrown into chaos, but many officials in Longyao Prefecture will also be on edge.”
The woman with the sable-covered forehead laughed heartily, “Longyao is far from the war-hardened Guse Prefecture. The officials here are used to a life of luxury and have grown fat. Look down, and you can’t even see your own little bird. The more of these Northern Yan officials who die, the better.”
The elderly man in brocade robes burst into laughter. He had traveled all eight prefectures of Northern Yan with his young mistress and was still occasionally surprised by her sharp tongue.
Princess Hongyan murmured softly, “The Southern Liang has Zhao Gou, but we Northern Yan have our own Spiderweb. I’d like to see when this assassin will fall into our trap. Two cocoons, six ‘Fishing Masters,’ three hundred ‘Dragonfly Catchers,’ and eighty ‘Butterfly Chasers’—they’re all rabid dogs.”
Hearing these obscure terms that meant little to common ears, the elderly man in brocade robes looked around cautiously, and seeing no one nearby, remained silent.
The sable-crowned woman smiled seductively, “Old Dragon King, what are you afraid of? You used to be a big shot on that Spiderweb. Even now, half of those mighty ‘Fishing Masters’ still call you Master’s Uncle.”
The old man sighed, “Once I lost that identity, even a newly recruited Dragonfly Catcher wouldn’t give me a second glance.”
She laughed, “They say you have one foot in the Realm of the Diamond and the other in the The Realm of Finger Mysteries, ranking ninth among the Ten Great Demons of Northern Yan. That alone should strike fear into people’s hearts. It’s no worse than those ‘Fishing Masters.'”
The elderly man in brocade robes was slightly lost in thought and shook his head, “Compared to Tuoba Boshi, Hong Jingyan, and Luoyang, my cultivation and killing skills are still far behind.”
The woman touched her sable-covered forehead, her face a picture of innocent charm, and coquettishly said, “You’re a little short on top but way ahead on the bottom. I’m actually jealous.”
Old Dragon King smiled knowingly.
Outside the city, Wang Dashi, the young apprentice of the Yulong Gang, walked beside Xu Gongzi, leading his horse. The boy had glanced back earlier and was startled upon seeing the sable-crowned woman on the city wall. Not every young swordsman fresh out of the mountains had the audacity and confidence to fear no tigers. Wang Dashi was deeply afraid of this seductive woman who had dealings with the soldiers at Daoma Pass. In his heart, he found her both dangerous and indecent, far removed from the pure image of the girl he secretly admired.
Xu Fengnian mounted his horse and approached Liu Niran, who was leading the group. He said bluntly, “I will travel with the Yulong Gang to Yanhui Pass, and then we must part ways. I have some personal matters to attend to on behalf of the General’s Mansion. There’s a small chest of fire-starting tools specially supplied for the military camps that I obtained from the Wei family, as well as a few calligraphies and paintings gifted by Old Master Wei. Consider them additional compensation from the General’s Mansion to the Yulong Gang. Whether you accept them or not is entirely your decision. Let me add one thing: when it comes to building relationships between martial arts sects and the government, giving gold and silver is inappropriate and likely to cause suspicion. Instead, offering refined and tasteful treasures that appeal to their interests is better. Also, when you go to a temple to burn incense, merely worshipping the Bodhisattva may not be enough—you should also properly tip the monks at the gate. The Yulong Gang has done a terrible job in this regard. The more you want to make up for lost time, the less haste you should show. In fact, Old Master Liu has a good reputation in Lingshou Prefecture. If he is willing to humble himself, breaking the deadlock won’t be difficult. After all, don’t be fooled by the dignified appearance of those officials you have to flatter—they also have moments of humiliation when they have to bow and scrape. Put it another way, unless the King of Hell sends the Black and White Impermanents to take your life, there’s really no obstacle in this world that can’t be overcome.”
Liu Niran cast a cold glance at Xu Fengnian, her lips pressed tightly, her sharpness barely concealed. This inwardly refined woman resembled an unpolished jade, becoming more radiant as life’s trials shaped her.
Xu Fengnian was unfazed by her deliberate coldness and continued, “I’m just saying this to ensure we part on good terms.”
Liu Niran turned her gaze calmly toward Xu Fengnian and said, “I won’t throw away the items, nor will I consider them dirty. They are what the Yulong Gang deserves.”
Xu Fengnian smiled and pointed at the young boy running along the muddy road, saying softly, “Liu Niran, do you know he likes you?”
Liu Niran followed his gesture and looked at the boy, who was relatively unknown within the Yulong Gang, and was momentarily taken aback.
Xu Fengnian looked straight ahead and said slowly, “Don’t misunderstand. I’m just telling you a fact. Otherwise, you might never know there was such a fool who harbored unrequited feelings for you.”
Liu Niran furrowed her brows slightly, “I actually know.”
Xu Fengnian didn’t linger any longer to invite annoyance. He pulled the reins and slowed his pace. Though he had undergone two vastly different journeys that had transformed him from the once carefree young prince into a more mature individual, he still maintained a good temperament and had become smoother in his dealings. However, he wasn’t so shamelessly thick-skinned as to enjoy being scolded or receiving cold stares. As for why he had taken the blame at the Wei residence without defending himself regarding Xiao Qiang’s death, there were two reasons. First, at that time, Liu Niran was furious and in no mood to listen, so any explanation would have seemed like an excuse. Why go through the trouble? Second, if she wanted to hate him, he was willing to let her hate him completely. The young prince had walked step by step through these years, and such misunderstandings had become almost numbing to him. Wasn’t this also a silent guilt he bore for being unable to express his remorse over forcing Gongsun Yang to his death?
Returning to the boy’s side, Xu Fengnian chuckled softly, “Wang Dashi, I just told Miss Liu that you like her.”
Wang Dashi was first shocked, then frightened, and finally deeply embarrassed. His face turned crimson, and he was almost about to cry. Yet Xu Gongzi was the person he admired and was most grateful to in his life. He dared not blame him, so he lowered his head, his shoulders trembling, clearly overwhelmed with Grievance.
Xu Fengnian smiled and comforted him, “I’m kidding.”
Wang Dashi looked up, unable to speak, bewildered and lost.
Xu Fengnian smiled gently, “Wang Dashi, I’ll teach you a good way to pursue a girl. Do you want to hear it? It’s a true story.”
Wang Dashi quickly wiped his eyes and murmured, “Please, tell me, Master Xu.”
Xu Fengnian gazed at the bright sky where the clouds were dispersing and said softly, “You walk up to her and say, ‘You want the martial world? I’ll give you one. You want the entire world? I’ll give you that too. As for me, I just want a son. Will you give him to me?'”
Wang Dashi was stunned, stammering, “I could never say that.”
Xu Fengnian’s lips curled into a gentle smile.
Only after a moment did Wang Dashi realize and curiously ask, “Master Xu, who was it that dared to say something like that? In our Lingshou dialect, that’s just too damn bold!”
Xu Fengnian said softly, “My father.”
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