The old man in the hemp robe, carrying a brass Buddhist lamp, left the courtyard. Lu Gui was reading late into the night a rare, old geographical record he had obtained from the local government of Xihé Prefecture. Robbing an emperor’s tomb is an act that stirs the entire world with a single movement. To operate subtly, one must first possess a comprehensive and precise perspective. It was already deep into the night when unexpected visitors arrived. Xu Fengnian concealed his aura, remaining silent. When the young master and servant knocked on the door, he easily identified them—Zhong Gui’s elder clansman, Zhong Tan. The eldest son of the Zhong family was accompanied by a servant girl whose appearance was far from remarkable, slightly plump in figure. Given the family’s status and wealth, selecting such an unattractive girl as a maid was unusual. Xu Fengnian took notice, observing many minute details that others would overlook, such as the small sachet at her waist embroidered with the image of a woman playing the pipa. The servant girl seemed hesitant whether to follow her master into the room. Zhong Tan, holding two vessels, appeared careless but was actually meticulous. He called out, “Master Lu, forgive the intrusion. I know you are a connoisseur of fine food—come, taste the drunken crab I begged from our neighbor. The wine is locally brewed Huanghe honey wine. The crab here tastes different from those in Zhongyuan. By August or September, they’ll be too tough to eat. Now is the perfect time to enjoy them. We’ve come early enough to catch them at their best!”
As he spoke, he pulled the girl along, not waiting for Lu Gui’s permission, and entered the quiet room hand in hand. With a jar of wine and a jar of drunken crab, Zhong Tan hurriedly removed the sealed paper lid, releasing a fragrant aroma that even reached Xu Fengnian. He couldn’t help but admire the eldest son of the Zhong family for his indulgence in luxury. Lu Gui stood up with a smile, crossing the threshold to greet them. As their families were long-time allies, though Lu was the elder, the Lu family in the Southern Court had always been seen as a branch dependent on the Zhong family’s tree. Lu Gui himself was known as a sycophant of General Zhong Shentong, mocked as a court scribe. His current eagerness revealed much about his standing. However, Zhong Tan was always adept at social graces. Though Lu Gui showed him respect, Zhong Tan did not insist on maintaining the airs of a noble heir. Entering the study, he took the bowls and sauces from the servant girl and began serving like a common attendant. Lu Gui casually pushed aside the books on the table and joked, “Connoisseur, connoisseur—you’re teasing me for being old!”
Zhong Tan slapped his forehead. “Calling you a connoisseur is practically asking for a beating. Uncle Lu, you are the finest gourmet in the Southern Court. You once wrote *The Vegetarian Chapter*, and even the Emperor joked that you are the most refined gourmet in the realm. Compared to being called a connoisseur, ‘refined gourmet’ sounds much more elegant.”
At the Empress’s bestowed title of “Refined Gourmet,” Lu Gui smiled with satisfaction, accepting it without modesty. He did not rush to pick up his chopsticks but instead bent down to inhale the aroma of the drunken crab, savoring it. Then he looked toward the girl’s waist and exclaimed in admiration, “The new ant-sink incense in Miss Daogu’s sachet complements the meal perfectly. The aroma of wine, crab, and incense harmonize beautifully. You’ve truly opened my eyes—Miss Daogu is the real refined gourmet.”
The girl, neither flattered nor bashful, replied calmly, “You flatter me, Master Lu. I am but a humble servant, E Daogu.”
This girl was Zhong Tan’s soft spot; praise for her meant more to him than praise for himself. Yet, those who flattered him usually praised E Daogu’s beauty or poise, which never landed well and only annoyed Zhong Tan. Lu Gui’s compliment, however, struck the right chord. Without waiting for Zhong Tan to speak, Lu Gui invited the girl to join in tasting the local delicacy. As Zhong Tan had said, the summer crab caught in the Yellow River was no less delicious than the lake crab of Zhongyuan, which ripens in autumn. Holding a wine cup in one hand and a crab leg in the other, Lu Gui ate slowly and with great enjoyment. As E Daogu poured wine, a few drops spilled onto the table, which she gently wiped away with her hand. Zhong Tan did not mind such trivialities. He turned to Lu Gui and said with a smile, “Uncle, my visit tonight also carries a message from Lord Helian. He was so impressed by your famed cursive script—so wild that even you yourself can’t read it—that he sent this jar of crab as a gift. He asked me to bring it and request a calligraphy piece from you. He even said it doesn’t matter what you write—he’ll try to guess what it says.”
Lu Gui pointed at Zhong Tan and teased, “You, a commoner through and through, can’t compare to the refined Miss Daogu.”
Zhong Tan laughed. “Can’t deny it, can’t deny it.”
After finishing the crab and wine, Lu Gui wrote a calligraphic piece—wild and unrestrained, nearly twenty characters in one flowing stroke, exuding sharpness and vigor. Zhong Tan, ever the rogue, couldn’t read a single character, but after being told the content—“One act of benefit to the people outweighs nine of moral writing; it is near to sainthood”—he understood the flattery. Yet, Lu Gui’s calligraphic skill and noble status were undeniable. This piece, like his earlier remark on the three aromas, pleased all three parties: Lu Gui, Zhong Tan, and Helian Weiwu. Moreover, as a scholar known for moral writings, Lu Gui’s act of praising the martial Helian Weiwu of Xihé Prefecture by calling him “near to sainthood” showed his scholarly insight.
Zhong Tan came with crab and wine, and left with a calligraphic piece, playing the role of a mediator. As he and the girl crossed the threshold and walked toward the courtyard, Xu Fengnian did not watch their backs but instead fixed his gaze on Lu Gui’s expression through the window. When he saw Lu Gui glance toward the window with a hint of tension, Xu Fengnian sensed trouble. Earlier, when the servant girl had spilled wine and wiped it with her finger instead of her sleeve, he had already grown suspicious. Though unsure how she had discovered his presence, combined with Lu Gui’s odd behavior, it was likely that Zhong Tan would soon call for reinforcements. Xu Fengnian had no intention of becoming a helpless drunken crab in a jar. He struck first, unleashing his qi like a cascading Milky Way. As expected, Zhong Tan merely turned aside, while the servant girl, with the crude name, moved with lightning speed. Her delicate hands, so adept at pouring wine and grinding incense, were also deadly weapons. With a slight lift of her hand, she displayed the bearing of a martial master. Xu Fengnian, having studied sword techniques relentlessly on his northward journey and honed them through countless life-and-death battles, had refined his swordplay to perfection. Spring and Autumn, his sword, curved sharply downward. As anticipated, Zhong Tan merely turned aside, while the servant girl, with the crude name, moved with lightning speed. Her delicate hands, so adept at pouring wine and grinding incense, were also deadly weapons. With a slight lift of her hand, she displayed the bearing of a martial master. Xu Fengnian, having studied sword techniques relentlessly on his northward journey and honed them through countless life-and-death battles, had refined his swordplay to perfection. Spring and Autumn, his sword, curved sharply downward. As expected, Zhong Tan merely turned aside, while the servant girl, with the crude name, moved with lightning speed. Her delicate hands, so adept at pouring wine and grinding incense, were also deadly weapons. With a slight lift of her hand, she displayed the bearing of a martial master. Xu Fengnian, having studied sword techniques relentlessly on his northward journey and honed them through countless life-and-death battles, had refined his swordplay to perfection. Spring and Autumn, his sword, curved sharply downward.
She met his strike with a counter, her fingers forming hooks, not retreating but advancing. Rather than striking the blade or blocking the edge, she gathered her fingers like a whetstone, producing a grating sound that pierced the ears. Spring and Autumn trembled thirty times in an instant. Xu Fengnian, who had already given the girl his utmost respect, still underestimated her. He withdrew the sword and prepared for close combat, but the girl pressed forward relentlessly, her small, graceful steps creating a mesmerizing display. Her ten fingers were chilling to behold. Since beginning his sword training, Xu Fengnian had studied countless sword manuals, stacking them into a small mountain, but few had compared to the girl’s external techniques. He recognized traces of the Dragon Claw style in her movements but had no time to dwell on it. Since she seemed unwilling to let go of Spring and Autumn, Xu Fengnian obliged her by releasing the sword and controlling it with his qi, causing a surge of power. The courtyard was instantly filled with sword qi, each inch brimming with deadly intent.
The servant girl fell into a disadvantage, yet Zhong Tan still found amusement. “You’re quite interesting. You and I are alike—without looking at your face, you’re a dashing young gentleman. But once you show your face, all the ladies who like pretty boys will be disappointed. Could you be my long-lost brother? Good fellow, what is your name? Why not tell me? If you die unknowingly later, it would be too tragic.”
Before leaving the inn, Xu Fengnian had changed his appearance, becoming a fierce, bearded man, like a wrathful guardian statue from Leiming Temple, vastly different from his previous scholarly guise. Though the girl was at a disadvantage, she was not entirely helpless. In a fight, women often scratch faces. This girl truly made it meaningful.
Xu Fengnian had no desire to prolong the fight. He unleashed the *Fuyao* technique, a sweeping strike with unstoppable momentum. Zhong Tan finally showed a flicker of concern, stepping forward and cracking the ground beneath his foot. Xu Fengnian half-drew his sword, then withdrew, leaping backward over the courtyard wall. With several swift movements, he vanished into the night, continuing his practiced stealth. This was in line with an assassin’s style—when a strike fails, retreat immediately.
Zhong Tan shook his head, stopping E Daogu from pursuing. He whistled sharply, and the entire estate was instantly illuminated. Servants lit lanterns, soldiers donned armor and brandished spears, and hidden assassins took their positions. There was no panic, revealing the Zhong family’s military discipline applied to household affairs.
Zhong Tan stretched lazily and said, “This guy must be the one who killed Zhong Gui. He’s really something. Even your *Xiebi* hand, derived from the unique calligraphy of the Princess Tomb, couldn’t gain the upper hand. No wonder Zhong Gui died.”
He glanced toward the room, smirking. Lu Gui was surely hiding like a turtle now. What scholar serving in government wasn’t afraid of death?
E Daogu’s expression was serious, her lips slightly pursed. “His strength is nearly at the first rank.”
Zhong Tan remained calm. “Let the tall ones handle it when the sky falls. Do you think my father and uncle are just decorations? We don’t need to worry about it. If he dares to show his face again, he’ll meet his end. Whether he’s nearly first rank or a genuine *Zhixuan*, he’ll still die.”
The girl asked softly, “What about Master Lu’s cursive script?”
Zhong Tan shook the still-damp painting. “Forget it. With all this chaos, we shouldn’t trouble Lord Helian further. We’ll deliver it tomorrow.”
Zhong Tan left the courtyard with a cheerful whistle, still in high spirits. “Six yellow crabs, washed and drained. One catty and two taels of good salt, one liang of chili peppers. Boil and stew until cooled.”
E Daogu walked quietly behind him, smiling without speaking.
“In the Southern Court, the first to be praised are the scholars, then agriculture is valued over commerce. But in the end, even literati like Lu Gui are just businessmen, selling what’s in their bellies. Hmph, they act so refined? I spit on that.”
“I can take down hundreds of such erudite scholars who are masters of poetry, chess, calligraphy, and painting.”
Zhong Tan muttered as he walked, unbothered by taboos.
The servant girl couldn’t help but smile. “Master, don’t forget you were almost the top scholar yourself.”
Zhong Tan, walking ahead, suddenly realized and blushed. “Got carried away.”
Xu Fengnian did not linger in the Zhong estate. Before the Zhong family’s forces could fully mobilize, he chose the lesser of two evils and leapt over the wall into the neighboring estate. The house was large but simply decorated, so plain it hardly resembled a governor’s residence. Compared to the neighbor’s extravagant use of sandalwood and golden nanmu as common timber, it was like a poor farmer’s bare home contrasted with a wealthy man’s mansion—embarrassingly modest. This made Xu Fengnian reflect. The Northern Liang cavalry was the strongest in the world, beyond doubt. However, since Xu Xiao became the King of Northern Liang, especially after the army replaced old soldiers with new recruits, many veteran generals likely felt they had no chance of becoming imperial founders. Since they couldn’t become founding nobles, ruling a small territory under the quasi-emperor Xu Xiao was not so bad. In times of chaos, joining the military, particularly the Northern Liang army, was like wolves and tigers among the dregs—no better than bandits who slaughtered civilians in rows. Few had originally aimed to govern and benefit the people. Who wasn’t first trying to survive, then seeking fame and fortune, and after achieving wealth and stability, believing they could rest on their laurels and enjoy their power? For the misdeeds of his veteran subordinates, as long as they weren’t too extreme, Xu Xiao mostly turned a blind eye, occasionally giving a warning but rarely humiliating them. His second sister, Xu Wei Xiong, had repeatedly advised him, but Xu Xiao only laughed it off, always saying, “Wait a little longer.” And so he waited for over a decade. Before Xu Wei Xiong went to the Shangyin Academy to study, she stood up for her younger brother Xu Fengnian, angrily confronting Xu Xiao and saying directly, “Either dismiss the generals with a toast, or be ruthless and learn the cruel arts of an emperor. Remove the thorns for your descendants early. The earlier, the better. If you wait too long, the roots will run deep, and the inheritance you leave your children will be a rotten, leaky mess!”
But Xu Xiao still only smiled without speaking. No wonder every time his second daughter returned to Northern Liang, he felt both joy and fear. His daughter’s blunt advice truly troubled the King of Northern Liang.
Xu Fengnian sighed inwardly as he stealthily moved through the governor’s estate. Here, the night curfew was lax, and there was no hidden danger—it was genuinely relaxed from start to finish. In another sense, this place truly felt like a home, not a disguised military camp.
Then, by the lake, Xu Fengnian encountered two familiar figures—one very old, one quite new.
Even with his strong will, Xu Fengnian was momentarily stunned by the unexpected sight.
The older one was an old acquaintance met in a foreign land.
White-haired, carrying a blade.
As for the newer one, he was no longer selling melons—had he come to fish at the governor’s estate?
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