With grand pomp and ceremony, bearing silver flasks, they crossed the Western Regions.
Zhao Kai followed the same path once taken by a white-robed monk who journeyed westward thousands of miles.
Zhao Kai’s entourage included two hundred valiant riders of the imperial guard, and over a dozen inner palace guards wearing yellow belts and golden sabers. Half were youthful, and half were seasoned veterans. Any of these older warriors could have once been the most renowned martial heroes of their time, two decades prior. Additionally, there was the secret tantric dharma queen, highly revered by both the Emperor and a childless Empress, who had shaved her head and renounced worldly life. Rather than diminishing her beauty and grace, this only enhanced the allure of her face, a blend of soft charm and dignified elegance. Truly worthy of being called the Six-Pearl Bodhisattva, possessing the six supreme characteristics.
Zhao Kai had just passed through the Sword Pavilion, known as the most perilous place under heaven, where even cranes would struggle to fly across. Rubbing his sore backside, he turned to the goddess beside him, who truly did not need earthly sustenance, and asked, “Is the ‘Transformation of the Western Barbarians’ Sutra from the Celestial Masters’ Temple on Longhu Mountain the one that says the Daoist patriarch journeyed west from here? It also claims that Laozi left behind three thousand characters before transforming into the Buddha and crossing the western sands. Why don’t I feel any immortal aura or Buddhist energy?”
The woman who once guided ten thousand ghosts out of Xiangfan in the presence of the former Crown Prince of Beiliang and the old sword saint Li Chungan did not ride a horse. She walked like an ascetic monk, calmly replying, “There is a purple aura flowing from east to west, but you are within the mountain, unaware of its presence.”
Zhao Kai chuckled, pointing at himself, “You mean me? You know, before I met you in Xiangfan, there was a very ethereal old master in the reed marshes who praised my fortune as second only to a princess of the fallen Chu Kingdom. What a keen eye!”
She ignored his self-satisfaction, her pure saffron robe fluttering as she walked ahead.
Zhao Kai instinctively glanced northward, licking his dry lips, his face darkening. According to his second master, the reason Beiliang was entrusted to Xu Xiao was out of necessity. The corridor between Liang and Gan was the northwest’s vital throat. If this pass were breached, the Northern Desert’s hundred thousand cavalry could easily surge through the Huang Valley like a lion pouncing on a rabbit, overwhelming the Central Plains. Defending Beiliang was no easy task; most of the border had no natural defenses. The northern expanse beyond Daoma Pass, shaped like a trumpet, would have long ago been crushed into a leaking bamboo basket if not for the Beiliang cavalry stationed there. Any other force would have been no match for the Northern Desert’s cavalry. Moreover, the Northern Desert had the advantage of vast territory, nearly equal to the entire Central Plains, forming a thick wall in the game of Go, something the narrow Beiliang could never rival. Thus, the Northern Desert could afford several major defeats, while Beiliang could not afford even one.
Zhao Kai muttered to himself, “If Xu Xiao won’t be a local warlord, who could? Gu Jiantang? He might not last five years.”
Zhao Kai sneered, rode closer to a carriage, and lifted the curtain.
Inside was the last remaining golden-armored talisman guardian.
Zhao Kai smiled, “My first master is far more generous than the second.”
He let the curtain fall, his heart clouded with gloom. From mocking the Buddha to ignoring him, and finally to destroying him, his second master had remained indifferent, watching silently. In recent years, he had even disappeared completely. His first master seemed to be in trouble within the palace as well. This journey west was a desperate necessity—like a tree that must be moved to survive.
Zhao Kai, his throat nearly dry, swallowed hard, thinking of the peer who would inevitably become his mortal enemy, and softly said, “Dare you come kill me?”
He glanced back at the Sword Pavilion, the most likely spot for an ambush, “Xu Fengnian, it seems you’ve missed your chance.”
Zhao Kai twisted his neck, scoffing, “Hmph, not even daring to sit at the gambling table!”
※※※
Someone personally delivered a message to Huangfu Ping, and the influential and resolute commander immediately set off to Bamboo Knife City with due respect.
He did not alert the local authorities or garrison, traveling lightly with only a retinue of elite guards specially assigned by the Beiliang Prince’s Mansion. Huangfu Ping sat alone in the carriage, mentally preparing for every possible scenario. His reputation had plummeted recently. Once a top martial artist from a renowned sect, he had earned admiration for his fierce resistance against the Beiliang Prince’s Mansion. But after defecting to Beiliang, he was cursed as a traitor, sacrificing his entire clan for personal gain. The martial world condemned him, but in the military and political spheres of Beiliang, he was feared. As a high-ranking general of Youzhou, Huangfu Ping had thoroughly inspected every corner of Youzhou like a farmer checking his crops. Many opportunistic officers, though perhaps not of the highest integrity, had shifted allegiance to Huangfu Ping, forming a powerful faction. Several generals of equal rank in Youzhou finally realized that Huangfu Ping was not merely passing through for profit—he was determined to seize military power. In the bureaucratic game of “one post, one pit,” encroaching on another’s territory was worse than a cuckold’s rage. Over the past six months, these allied generals had conspired to trip him up, and Huangfu Ping had retaliated decisively each time. If not for the looming war with the Northern Desert, they might have already come to blows.
Rumors spread that one general had openly declared, “Even if you, Huangfu Ping, are the new favorite of the General, do you think you can just grab territory without rules? I once fought side by side with the General, and he’s not one to discard old friends for new. If it comes to a head, we’ll all be hauled before the Prince’s Mansion, and I don’t believe the General will truly favor a scoundrel with a past as murky as a latrine!”
Huangfu Ping had a brocade box beside him, containing a rare folding fan with ribs carved by a master artisan. Bamboo Knife City was famous for its bamboo carvings, and the exchange of calligraphy and fans was common among officials and scholars. This fan had cost Huangfu Ping three thousand taels of silver, crafted by the renowned epigrapher Huang Wenhòu. Within a square inch of bamboo, shallow engravings of over ten thousand characters, each minute yet capturing the essence of famous calligraphic styles. Born into a prestigious martial family, Huangfu Ping had once been a refined young gentleman skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, with impeccable taste. He chose the bamboo fan not only for its elegance but also because Huang Wenhòu was known among connoisseurs for his sharp eye. Yet Huangfu Ping knew the unassuming old man was a genuine martial artist. He paid every coin owed to Huang Wenhòu, but if the old man refused to serve him, that silver would become a price on his head. Huangfu Ping believed the martial world of Beiliang would eventually be claimed by someone, and he was merely testing the waters. If he bet right, all the better; if not, a few wasted taels were a small price.
Huangfu Ping smiled faintly. He had waited outside Bamboo Knife City for the entire morning without once lifting the carriage curtain.
I, Huangfu Ping, dare to stake everything on the gambling table. Do you generals, who seek wealth and promotion at the cost of your wives’ deaths, dare to do the same?
The carriage slowly turned toward the city, and only then did Huangfu Ping lift a corner of the curtain, glancing at the simple cart ahead before letting it fall.
The carriage stopped at an ordinary inn in Bamboo Knife City. Huangfu Ping stepped out, leaving behind his elite guards who would never truly be loyal to him, and silently followed. The resolute commander kept his eyes forward as they entered a secluded courtyard behind the inn. Xu Fengnian sat down and sent Qing Niao to buy some dyes. He was dissatisfied with his current appearance and beckoned Huangfu Ping to enter. The burly general wasted no time in prostrating himself, placing the brocade box beside him. Xu Fengnian made no pretense of hospitality, nor did he ask him to rise. Xu Beizhi took the box, and Xu Fengnian opened it, snapping the fan open. He narrowed his eyes, smiling, “A rare treasure among shallow engravings. Clearly the skilled work of the Jinling school. Is this Huang Wenhòu’s? Then, General Huangfu, you must have spent your entire year’s salary on this fan?”
Huangfu Ping replied softly, “As long as the Prince does not find it unworthy.”
Xu Fengnian waved the bamboo fan, feeling that fanning himself in autumn was too ostentatious, so he tossed it to Xu Beizhi, who was quietly sipping tea nearby, and said, “Huang Wenhòu has great influence in Bamboo Knife City. Though he is a scholar from the former Southern Tang, he has managed to thrive in both the underworld and the elite circles. The Prince’s Mansionhas a list of notable figures, and his name is on it. If you didn’t reveal your identity or use your official rank to pressure him, he probably wouldn’t have sold you the fan. They say a single fan of his could buy a seventh-grade official in Bamboo Knife City. At Youzhou’s market rates, thousands of taels wouldn’t be enough.”
Huangfu Ping replied calmly, “I did reveal my name, which is why Huang Wenhòu handed over the fan.”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “Any particular reason?”
Huangfu Ping answered, “Many ruffians and hooligans in Bamboo Knife City have taken Huang Wenhòu as their master, skilled in geomancy and Daoist arts. I thought this local bigwig might be perceptive. After all, Beiliang is the Prince’s Beiliang. If they profit greatly from it, they should contribute when needed. One must not forget one’s roots. But rest assured, Your Highness, I did not flaunt my authority when I approached Huang Wenhòu. We calmly made two deals: one for the fan, and another where I would provide protection for his adopted sons, and in return, he would supply me with underground intelligence from all walks of life. Of course, bloodshed may be necessary at times, and I made that clear to Huang Wenhòu upfront. It was not a matter of coercion.”
Xu Fengnian exchanged a knowing smile with Xu Beizhi, recalling their earlier conversation.
Xu Fengnian nodded, “Stand up and speak.”
Huangfu Ping did not feign modesty, rising to his feet but keeping his eyes lowered.
Xu Fengnian smiled, “You know, I’ll read the secret letters you send to the Phoenix Courtyard on time. If I’m satisfied… well, I probably will be.”
He gestured for Huangfu Ping to sit, “It would be unseemly if the Resolute Commander stood while speaking.”
Huangfu Ping shook his head solemnly, “I dare not be so bold.”
Xu Fengnian teased, “You learned this from our Beiliang Circuit’s Governor, didn’t you? The ‘Three Sees, Three Not Sees,’ including the rule of not kneeling before the King of Liang.”
Huangfu Ping had no reply.
Trying to express loyalty with words to this unpredictable Prince was futile. It was better to remain in his place and do his duty.
Xu Fengnian waved his hand, “Go about your business.”
Huangfu Ping backed out slowly, his hand sweating, gently closing the door behind him.
Xu Beizhi nearly glued his eyes to the inscriptions on the fan ribs, not looking up as he asked, “That was the Resolute Commander of Youzhou, Huangfu Ping?”
Xu Fengnian nodded, “Want me to give you the fan?”
Xu Beizhi replied without hesitation, “Sure, deduct it from my salary.”
Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes, “Easy for you to say! How many years would that take?”
Xu Beizhi, still examining the fragrant bamboo ribs, replied matter-of-factly, “Till I die.”
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