Chapter 382: Childhood Engagement

The Northern Liang was in turmoil, and news that Chen Zhibao was about to be enfeoffed as a king in Shu had spread across the land.

It seemed he would become the second non-imperial king in Liyang even before Xu Fengnian, the heir of Northern Liang, who was destined to inherit his father’s title.

A modestly decorated carriage came to a gentle halt before the gate of Chu Mansion. The doorman, idly leaning against the side door cracking melon seeds, was momentarily stunned. The coachman was a young woman dressed in green. He thought to himself, this master of the house truly fears nothing, sending a maid straight into the tiger’s den. But when the doorman saw who stepped down from the carriage, he froze in terror, his lips trembling. He dropped his handful of seeds and stumbled out the gate in panic.

The first to step down was a white-haired man, dressed in a black robe over a white undergarment. He didn’t carry himself with any great pomp or grandeur, but his face alone was enough to send the doorman’s heart racing. In all of Northern Liang, only this young master could truly keep his master, General Chu, in check.

Behind him came Xu Longxiang, the second son of the Great General, as well as Yuan Zuozong, elegant and graceful as a jade tree in the wind, and Qi Dangguo, a towering and mighty figure. These four were figures of such prominence that they would never have been expected to visit Chu Mansion together. Could it be that they had come to seize the estate? The doorman hurriedly muttered, “No, no, no,” to himself. General Chu was known for his loyalty—no one would dare lay a hand on this household. Spotting the rarest and most exalted guest of all—the Heir Prince Xu Fengnian—the quick-witted doorman dropped to his knees without hesitation, ready to shout out a grand announcement to honor his master. But Xu Fengnian had already smiled and said, “Enough. Rise and lead the way.”

As the group settled into the main hall of Chu Mansion, the ground beneath them trembled slightly. Chu Luxian, wearing loose, informal robes, rolled dramatically across the threshold and landed in a heap at Xu Fengnian’s feet, a mountain of fat bowing low. “Ah, at last, the Prince has graced my humble abode! What an honor! I must burn more incense for my ancestors tonight.”

Xu Fengnian gave him a kick. “Humble abode? Looks to me like it’s not much different from the Northern Liang Prince’s Mansion. I’ve brought Yuan Second Brother and General Qi here for a drink today. No nonsense—take us somewhere quiet and refined.”

Chu Luxian struggled to rise, swaying like a mountain of jelly. He shot a sharp glance at the old butler behind him, then turned back with a face full of fawning smiles. With his soft, boneless, plump hands, he tugged at Xu Fengnian’s sleeve. “Wine or tea, I’ve got the perfect spots. If the Prince finds anything unsatisfactory later, I’ll carve off two jin of my own flesh to go with the wine.”

Xu Fengnian smirked. “With all that fat, you dare call yourself a delicacy? None of us would even dare to raise our chopsticks.”

Chu Luxian chuckled sheepishly. “It’s my fault. I just couldn’t grow the perfect marbled pork belly that pairs well with wine.”

They arrived at a bamboo pavilion. Sparse purple bamboo surrounded the area, not so dense as to feel eerie or haunted. A small, deep green pond lay nearby, sunlight filtering through the leaves in golden threads. On the water’s edge, a tiny wild turtle, no bigger than a palm, basked with its family. Upon hearing footsteps and voices, it swiftly slipped into the dark green waters. Though the pond was small, the pavilion was large, its lighting ingeniously arranged. As the door opened, the space felt serene yet spacious, with no sense of confinement. Inside, a weathered ancient qin stood, its patterns worn by time. Sitting here, whether drinking or sipping tea, one would feel in perfect harmony with the scenery. Xu Fengnian glanced at the qin. Though few knew of the butcher Chu Bacha’s talents, he was no stranger to the truth. Chu Luxian was skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose. Unfortunately, his appearance lacked the refined elegance of a scholar.

After settling by the window, Chu Luxian poured two cups of wine for Xu Fengnian and Qi Dangguo. Holding the wine jug, he smiled toward Yuan Zuozong. “If the honorable elder doesn’t mind my dirty hands or the stench of my wine, I’ll be bold enough to pour you a cup.”

Yuan Zuozong merely flicked his eyes upward, and Chu Luxian poured accordingly.

Qi Dangguo had a particularly good relationship with Chu Luxian. Among the six adopted sons, he was the most popular, often visiting the homes of his fellow adoptive brothers. A few years ago, a little girl was born in Chu’s household, and she had even taken Qi as her godfather. They were practically on the verge of arranging a child betrothal. Chu Luxian was harsh with his sons, treating them as if they were adopted. But with his youngest daughter, he was doted on and indulgent. He even criticized Qi Dangguo’s youngest son for being ugly, which had led Qi to confront him every time they met, demanding, “Why is my son so ugly?”

Xu Fengnian took a sip of wine and glanced around. Among the three, Yuan Zuozong held the highest military rank, serving as the Second-Rank General of Pacification, a position of genuine power and prestige. In the Northern Liang army, only General Chen Zhibao, who commanded the two border provinces, ranked half a level higher. Yuan currently served as the deputy commander of the Snow Dragon Cavalry. Chu Luxian held the rank of Third-Rank General of the Thousand Oxen and Dragon Warriors, but had no real military authority. Qi Dangguo’s rank was even lower, merely a minor Captain of the Folded Banners, a small post. However, during major campaigns, he was responsible for carrying the command flag.

Since Northern Liang was a vassal domain governed by a military prince, and since Xu Xiao had once held the titles of Supreme Column General and First-Rank Swift Cavalry General, the region had developed its own unique military and administrative hierarchy. With the capital far away, Northern Liang’s civil officials followed the same ranks as those in the Liyang Empire, while many of its military officers held ranks one or half a level higher. The imperial court turned a blind eye to this, even the Chief Minister Zhang Julu had once said that Northern Liang’s autonomy was justified. Northern Liang did not have a distinct civil bureaucracy, but among its military officers ranked above the Seventh Rank, excluding those who had retired from the border, there were still eighty men. These were the backbone supporting the thirty-thousand-strong Northern Liang cavalry, yet most had never even laid eyes on Xu Fengnian.

After finishing his cup, Xu Fengnian took the opportunity while Chu Luxian was pouring more wine to ask, “Luxiu, who do you think should be the next Northern Liang Commander?”

Without hesitation, Chu Luxian replied, “Yuan General, of course. Otherwise, the two veteran generals—Zhong Hongwu, commander of the cavalry, and Yan Wenluan, commander of the infantry—might also qualify. But frankly, Zhong has strong prejudices against the Prince and is entangled with Chen Zhibao, making him unsuitable to immediately assume the Second-Rank Commander position. As for Yan Wenluan, he appears impartial and has his own issues with Chen Zhibao, but his temperament is gloomy and difficult—perhaps even more so than Zhong Hongwu. I’ve been watching him for over a decade and never once heard him speak ill of the Prince. That’s precisely what makes him suspicious. All things considered, Yuan General is the most suitable to command the military forces of both provinces. You can glare all you want, but I’ve said the same words before both the Prince and Yuan Zuozong, and I’ll say them again to Father Xu. If you don’t appreciate the compliment, then you’re just hard to please!”

Yuan Zuozong merely smiled and sipped his wine.

Huang Man’er had been squatting beside the qin, lost in thought.

Xu Fengnian spoke calmly, “Luxiu, give me a list. I’ll consider promoting one or two of them. If necessary, even a three-rank jump is acceptable.”

Upon hearing this, Chu Luxian promptly retrieved a folded sheet of paper from his sleeve and handed it over with a smile. Yuan Zuozong frowned slightly, his gaze coldly fixed on the ever-astute Chu Luxian.

Xu Fengnian chuckled and spread the three sheets of paper on the table. They were densely filled with over sixty names, each accompanied by concise military records, strengths, weaknesses, and experiences. The handwriting was Chu Luxian’s distinctive cursive—bold yet not bizarre, elegant yet unrestrained. After reading every word carefully, Xu Fengnian pushed the papers toward Yuan Zuozong. After thoroughly reviewing them, Yuan’s frown eased slightly. The list was neither nepotistic nor overly moralistic. About a dozen names belonged to Chu Luxian’s inner circle, but most were young, battle-hardened officers from the lower and middle ranks of the Northern Liang army—men full of vigor and promise.

Xu Fengnian teased, “Luxiu, you’re not even a little cautious? You could’ve waited to show this later.”

Chu Luxian, sitting like a small hill, chuckled. “No need. The Great General is my adoptive father, and I’d gladly die for him. As for the Prince, you are my true master. Hiding and scheming would only make me seem insincere. Oh, and there’s something else I’ve wanted to say for years. If I offend, please don’t take it the wrong way.”

Xu Fengnian nodded. “Go ahead.”

Chu Luxian straightened himself and said, “The nearly a thousand civil officials in Northern Liang who can even be called officials are a mess. Most are retired soldiers with battlefield experience but no governance skills. Those who don’t oppress the people are considered rare virtuous officials. Many of these men carry the bad habits of military life—favoritism, nepotism, ruling their families like armies. Becoming an arrogant official only makes things worse. Fortunately, the people of Northern Liang have long been accustomed to hardship and poverty. Otherwise, in any other part of the Liyang Empire, they might have risen in rebellion. Moreover, the mutual protection among officials has become an incurable disease. Retired generals, big and small, can be found in any decent brothel, drinking and carousing. Their descendants, if they join the army, are usually decent men. But those who stay at home? Nine out of ten are lawless, arrogant scions who plague the countryside. Damn it, Yuan, are you addicted to glaring at me? Do you think I can say these things to Father Xu? Do you think he doesn’t see these problems? He just can’t bring himself to act! These are the old brothers who fought beside him for decades, risking their lives. Don’t think I haven’t seen it—I’ll tell you about the Meng family case in Lingzhou last year. Old General Meng died beside you in the The Concubine’s Tomb with his two sons, remember? His only grandson grew up and stole another man’s wife, then hired killers to massacre an entire family of over forty people. What was Father Xu supposed to do? Cut off Meng’s family line? How many bastards have tested his limits with such filth over the past twenty years?”

Yuan Zuozong snorted coldly.

For the first time, Chu Luxian grew genuinely agitated. “Confucian benevolence and righteousness—benevolence comes first, righteousness second. If you lack righteousness, you’re merely a poor subject. But if you lack benevolence, you’re not even human. In today’s world, if we followed Legalist principles, it would only get worse. Since Sage Zhang’s time a thousand years ago, scholars have struggled to balance benevolence and righteousness. Do you think it’s simple? Gaining the world by force is hard enough—governing it without force is easy?”

After speaking his heart, Chu Luxian hurriedly wiped his forehead with his sleeve, slapped himself a few times, and muttered, “I’ve lost my composure, I’ve lost my composure. I deserve a slap.”

Xu Fengnian smoothly changed the subject with a smile. “Let’s get back to business. I came here to relay one thing: let Dian Xiongchu and Wei Fucheng go. Don’t make things difficult for them.”

He paused, then added calmly, “Also, Xu Xiao has agreed to appoint you as the Northern Liang Commander.”

Chu Luxian collapsed backward, the entire bamboo pavilion shaking slightly. The fat man sat on the ground, trembling, his eyes vacant, forgetting to stand.

In truth, Yuan Zuozong and Qi Dangguo had never heard this shocking news before. The former remained calm and expressionless. The latter gaped, speechless.

Xu Fengnian didn’t even glance at Chu Luxian as he addressed the two seated before him. “Yuan Second Brother, General Zhong Hongwu will likely resign from his military post soon out of anger. When that happens, you can take over openly. Qi General, you’ll take command of Dian Xiongchu’s six thousand heavy cavalry and Wei Fucheng’s crossbow riders. Ning Emei will be your deputy. If you think it’s too few, I’ll add more. If you think it’s too many, I won’t interfere.”

Yuan Zuozong set down his cup. “I accept.”

Qi Dangguo rubbed his face hard. “Your Highness, am I really up to this?”

Xu Fengnian teased, “Well, you can’t expect me to become a General of Valor instead, can you?”

Chu Luxian, his face full of grief, was about to speak when the Heir Prince gestured toward the window.

Shortly after, a beautiful woman holding a little girl stood timidly at the door. Chu Luxian rushed over and slapped her across the face. “You useless thing! Who let you disturb the Prince’s drinking!”

The young woman’s child wailed as Chu Luxian scooped her up and whispered soothing words. The woman’s lip bled, but she endured the pain and elegantly performed a kowtow to those inside. Yuan Zuozong and Qi Dangguo showed no surprise, neither rising nor returning the gesture.

Only Xu Fengnian walked to the door, his expression gentle. “Greetings, sister-in-law.”

The woman, whose beauty could shame the moon and shame flowers, was deeply uneasy. She was merely a concubine in Chu Mansion—how could she possibly deserve the Heir Prince’s greeting? As she struggled to respond, Chu Luxian glared coldly. “Go back!”

The woman performed another kowtow and slowly withdrew.

Xu Fengnian didn’t look at her for long, instead focusing on the little girl, whose face was like a delicate carving. He reached out to pinch her cheek, but she dodged. He could only withdraw his hand in mock disappointment. “Luxiu, thank the heavens she takes after her mother. No wonder you didn’t want to arrange a child betrothal with Qi General. Little one, how old are you?”

The tearful girl pouted and said nothing, sulking.

Chu Luxian could only smile. “She’s barely over three. She started speaking later than most children, but her first word was ‘Dad,’ which made me so happy. She’s been walking for half a year, but she’s always clinging.”

Chu Luxian gently pinched his daughter’s rosy cheeks and chuckled. “Come on, call our Heir Prince ‘Dad.’”

Xu Fengnian couldn’t help but laugh. “Get lost.”

The little girl, still young and innocent, already knew to defend her father. She puffed her cheeks at the man who had spoken rudely to her dad, holding her breath until her face turned red.

Chu Luxian laughed heartily. “This is her secret weapon. I don’t know who she learned it from. I’m always helpless against it.”

Xu Fengnian was amused. “Hurry up and let her stop. Be careful she doesn’t suffocate.”

Chu Luxian quickly kissed his daughter’s forehead. “Changsheng, be good. Later, Dad will buy you pretty clothes. Don’t be angry anymore.”

The little girl looked up at her father with a bright smile, then turned her head toward Xu Fengnian again, puffing her cheeks and holding her breath. But she couldn’t resist Chu Luxian’s tickling for long, and she broke into giggles, hiding in his arms and refusing to look at Xu Fengnian.

Xu Fengnian laughed heartily. “Oh, is it because I didn’t bring you a gift? Little Changsheng, do you know I’ve given your dad a Second-Rank Northern Liang Commander title? Do you think it’s too light a gift? Alright, I’ll say this here today—if I ever have a son, you’ll be his bride.”

Chu Luxian’s face lit up with joy. “Prince, you really mean it?”

Xu Fengnian nodded. “I mean it. But only if your daughter doesn’t change much as she grows.”

Chu Luxian was overjoyed. “Don’t worry. My Changsheng takes after her mother. She won’t be ugly!”

Chu Luxian turned around. “Yuan Zuozong, Qi Dangguo, you two must bear witness. If the Prince ever changes his mind, I’ll rely on you two to speak up for me!”

Yuan Zuozong stood. “Depends on my mood.”

Qi Dangguo burst into hearty laughter, feeling utterly delighted. The green ant wine on the table was hardly enough to satisfy his thirst.

Xu Fengnian made a funny face at the little girl, who had peeked at him secretly, then said to Chu Luxian, “No need to see us off.”

As the four walked along the carefully paved stone path he had personally designed, their figures gradually disappeared from sight. Only then did Chu Luxian sit by the pond, holding his daughter in his arms.

The little girl’s clear voice called out, “Dad.”

Chu Luxian snapped back to reality and smiled. “Little Changsheng, let’s see if you have the fate to become an empress in the future.”