The gates of Liangling in the Beiliang Province swung wide open. Across the land, city gates and strategic passes eased their restrictions almost simultaneously. Not only did scholars flow into Beiliang like fish, but also monks, Taoists, and all manner of wandering folk, mingling like dragons and fish, all seeking fortune and risk in the northern frontier. A small cavalry unit, numbering no more than five or six men, approached from the Millet Granary Ridge Road, bordering the Kuimen and Jiange passes, moving quietly toward the northwest into Lingzhou. All were rugged men, with no trace of feminine delicacy among them. The once-thriving postal roads and horse stations had gradually withered, no longer as bustling as in the war-torn Spring and Autumn era. Yet the Millet Granary Ridge Road, lying between Shu and Liang, despite its winding mountain paths, remained meticulously maintained at great expense year after year, even surpassing its former glory during the Spring and Autumn period. To merchants, this was a great blessing, but to those with foresight, it was but a thin line between the Beiliang cavalry surging southward or the elite Shu troops advancing northward.
The unit halted on a hilltop with a wide view to the south. An elderly man at the head of the group held his horsewhip and pointed toward Jiange. He chuckled, “Originally, according to Yishan’s plan, the Kuimen stronghold was controlled by several thousand light cavalry under the Wang family. Combined with the six thousand elite soldiers hidden in Qingcheng Mountain, with inside and outside forces working in unison, if we truly harbored ambitions to conquer the Central Plains—or if the imperial court pressed us too hard—it would take no more than three months to seize the entire western front of Shu and Nanzhao. But now that Chen Zhibao has gone to Shu alone, though not yet enfeoffed as the King of Shu, he still serves as the Minister of War—a title as useless as it is absurd. If he governs in Shu for a few years, that line will be severed. Heh, Beiliang will be like a man with a festering sore under his armpit—itching to scratch but unable to, or choosing not to, and suffering all the same.”
Besides the elderly man, whose words brimmed with fierce confidence despite his hunched posture, were also the Heir Prince Xu Fengnian, the newly appointed cavalry commander Yuan Zuozong, and Han Laoshan and Xu Yanbing, both soon to take up posts as deputy generals in Lingzhou. They halted side by side, gazing southward toward western Shu. Xu Xiao rode at the peak of the Millet Granary Ridge Road, wearing the red fox fur hat he had donned aboard the warship at the Spring God Lake, and had not removed it once during the journey.
Xu Xiao turned his horse’s head, saying, “Earlier, Lu Qiu’er recommended that I meet with Gu Dazu, the former general of the Southern Tang dynasty. It was only through his outsider’s perspective that I realized how many intricacies and hidden strengths Beiliang actually holds. According to his geographical records, Beiliang can be divided into three zones and fourteen terrain blocks, making it easy to grasp at a glance. As Gu Dazu explained, Beiliang occupies the upper reaches of the land, connected to the vital energies of all regions, capable of controlling the fate of the realm. Before, I only heard from Yishan that after the unification of the Qin dynasty, Beiliang had been the site of 1,282 battles—truly a land of a thousand wars. But Yishan never believed in fate or spirits, and in his heart, he disapproved of Beiliang’s overwhelming might invading the Central Plains again, stirring up chaos. So in recent years, even he has not lived comfortably.”
Xu Fengnian, his hand resting on the Beiliang saber at his waist, smiled, “My master always said that the talents of the world must be guided by knowledge, so that their boldness does not run wild and can instead be channeled to achieve success. That’s truly his painstaking care. Not only do you have a notorious reputation from the Spring and Autumn wars, but our Xu family’s origins are humble. Even with the old mystic Huang Sanjia conjuring auspicious signs, it wouldn’t make a difference. The scholars and common people of the realm would not support the Xu family. Now, scholars, especially those who have struggled for recognition, are pouring into Beiliang because we’ve raised the banner of guarding the northwest for the Central Plains, giving them a way to save face. Otherwise, who would willingly come to Beiliang to serve as an official?”
Xu Xiao lifted his horsewhip to adjust his fur hat, chuckling, “Who says I wasn’t born a few hundred years too early? Yishan said that if he had been born a few hundred years later, when the poor scholars gain power and the aristocratic families are completely dismantled, the legitimacy of imperial rule wouldn’t be as strict as it is now. Then, anyone could sit on the emperor’s throne. As for the common folk, who cares what surname you bear? As long as you bring peace, they’ll accept you. Whether someone sits on the dragon throne or not, they don’t really care. But to be honest, these days, my authority is mostly confined to the military. Even within Beiliang, if one day we’re crushed under the iron hooves of the Northern Barbarians and someone from there governs well, most of the people will soon forget the twenty years we spent guarding their homes. Speaking of this, I feel even more that our victory at Xilei Wall was a stroke of luck. In the Central Plains, the remnants of Xichu who longed to restore their nation were like an unquenchable wildfire, endlessly rising again and again, as if they didn’t even know the meaning of death. In the future, it will be hard to gather such national unity again. Compared to Xichu, or even to Shu, Beiliang still lags behind. That’s my fault. I was good at seizing power on horseback, but once I dismounted, I became careless. Governing a nation is ultimately the skill of scholars—they excel at it. I used to think otherwise, but now I have no choice but to admit it. When I was young, I suffered too much at their hands. Every time I saw their sanctimonious faces, I couldn’t help wanting to beat them up. So from now on, dealing with scholars will be your responsibility. Don’t follow my example. Be more patient.”
Xu Fengnian nodded with a smile, “The Youxi Highlands, the Youbei Plains, the Liangxi Corridor, the Qilian Mountains, the Longdong and Longxi regions, the Helan Mountains, and so on—fourteen regions in total. Since Gu Dazu has so insightfully divided the Beiliang battlefield, I can now place my trusted generals accordingly, each with a clear mission. Then, I can gradually surround these regions with capable scholars, each performing their duties. With border fortresses and strong armies, like a thick filling wrapped in dough, Beiliang will be hard to destabilize. This wave of scholars coming north will certainly include many spies from the Zhao court. I’m curious to see how much trouble they can cause. Beiliang has its limitations, but also its unique advantages. As long as we have the thirty thousand iron cavalry, we can defend ourselves. Except for the Liangxi Corridor, which is fertile, the rest of Beiliang is mostly barren, plagued by food shortages, and the eastern granary transport is tightly controlled by the imperial court. But in the Hetao region and the Hexi Corridor, brave generals and elite soldiers have always emerged. Even Prime Minister Zhang Julu and other court officials envy them. To put it bluntly, even if we go hungry, we can still crush the so-called elite troops beyond Beiliang until they cry for their mothers.”
Xu Xiao teased with a laugh, “Oh, you sound a bit like you’ve got the aspirations of a commander now. I remember when you were little, you were always dreaming of being a chivalrous swordsman, rushing to the aid of the oppressed. You had no interest in leading troops into battle.”
Xu Fengnian replied calmly, “Only after walking the martial world with my own feet did I realize that one person’s strength has limits. The idea of being a great hero faded. Imagine, with a flick of the horsewhip, tens of thousands of cavalry surge forth. Who could stand against them? Wang Xianzhi? Or Cao Changqing?”
Yuan Zuozong chuckled softly, “If it were them, they might still put up a bit of a fight.”
Xu Xiao laughed heartily, clearly delighted that his adopted son could speak so freely and casually with his eldest son. In the past, the six adopted sons had all been full of youthful vigor. Leaving aside Lu Qiu’er, only the reserved Yao Jian had any interaction with his son, which had worried Xu Xiao greatly. Among the adopted sons, Yuan Zuozong was as proud and unyielding as Chen Zhibao, yet the White Bear had “lowered his head.” Qi Dangguo, who now practically revered Fengnian, was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise. The two unassuming attendants, Han Laoshan and Xu Yanbing, exchanged a knowing glance and a quiet smile. In fact, both were disciples of the same master as the spear immortal Wang Xiu. While the world knew Han Laoshan as Wang Xiu’s younger brother, few knew of Xu Yanbing. Because Wang Xiu, as one of the previous generation’s four great martial sect leaders, was so renowned in the northwest and Central Plains that Han Laoshan’s light was dimmed, and Xu Yanbing, who left the sect early to wander the martial world, was even less known. Even Xu Fengnian only learned from Han Laoshan during this journey back to Beiliang that Xu Yanbing had once been so brilliant that Wang Xiu, though older, could barely keep up, nearly falling into despair. As a result, Wang Xiu’s father had no choice but to half-forcefully and half-invite Xu Yanbing to leave the Wang family. Only then did Xu Fengnian begin to understand why Xu Xiao had dared to leave Beiliang openly and venture deep into the Central Plains—not relying on the relatively well-known Han Laoshan, the spear immortal’s younger brother, but on the obscure Xu Yanbing. When the King of Beiliang made his last visit to the capital, Xu Xiao went to the Astronomical Bureau with Xu Yanbing, not Han Laoshan.
The group continued slowly northward along the mountain road. Xu Xiao rode beside Xu Fengnian, speaking softly, “Besides the three key positions of Beiliang’s military command—its cavalry and infantry commanders—already settled, with Lu Qiu’er and your second brother Yuan already in place, Yan Wenluan’s infantry command will also be given to Gu Dazu. Next, the most powerful positions will be the generals of the three provinces of Liang, You, and Ling. The Liang province general has always been held by the Beiliang commander, and the You province general has already been given to the ambitious Huangfu Chen. Xu Yanbing and Han Laoshan have been appointed as deputy generals of Ling province, leaving only the main general position vacant. What are your thoughts?”
Xu Fengnian hesitated for a moment before replying, “Dealing with Yan Wenluan is not easy. He is a seasoned general with great achievements. Unlike Zhong Hongwu, he is not yet old, and he is skilled in navigating all directions, with no clear weaknesses. I plan to first have Gu Dazu take over the Liang province general position from Lu Qiu’er as a transitional step. Then, figures like Wang Zhi, who submitted his allegiance during the Iron Gate Pass battle, and other capable commanders from the Fengzi Camp can establish themselves before we move against Yan Wenluan. To be honest, if Yan Wenluan shows understanding of the bigger picture, even if it means bearing the blame of abandoning allies once they’ve served their purpose, I would still prefer to Grievance Gu Dazu and let Yan Wenluan, this veteran general, continue to stabilize the border. After all, Gu Dazu has no other path to retreat to. At worst, I’ll personally go to apologize, letting him strike and scold me as he pleases. Gu Dazu is a man obsessed with warfare—I don’t believe he would willingly leave Beiliang to become a mere wine merchant or old farmer.”
Xu Xiao frowned slightly, “Men like Gu Dazu are inherently proud and hard to tame. Aren’t you afraid he might harbor resentment? If his heart wavers and he deliberately holds back, it would be an immeasurable loss for Beiliang, which urgently needs great generals to stabilize the situation.”
Xu Fengnian smiled calmly, “When it comes to winning people’s hearts, I don’t have your skills, nor do I ever expect someone to instantly pledge loyalty upon meeting me. That’s just a fool’s dream. Besides, pretending to be fair is itself unfair. Yan Wenluan is a symbol of the Beiliang army. His fall must not be disgraceful. If we topple him merely to elevate Gu Dazu as a new power, it would be a loss not worth the gain. If Gu Dazu cannot wait even a little, then he is fit only to be a general, not a commander.”
Xu Xiao pointed at Xu Fengnian, smiling without speaking. Xu Fengnian looked puzzled. Xu Xiao, unable to keep his thoughts hidden from his son, finally spoke openly, “Last time I had a drink with Gu Dazu, the two old men didn’t sleep all night. In the end, Gu Dazu confided in me. Since coming to Beiliang, he himself does not wish to rise too quickly, for it might bring unnecessary turmoil to his new lord. But he must obtain one of the three provincial general positions—at the very least, the Ling province general, preferably the Liang province general. As long as we grant him that, he will serve to his death. Hmph, Gu Dazu, a man of both literary and martial courage, a reckless soul, has now learned to weigh his options. And yet, you and he seem to have reached an understanding without prior agreement. You two foxes—have you been conspiring behind my back?”
Xu Fengnian laughed, “Since Gu Dazu is so understanding, I suppose I’ll have to make him the infantry commander soon.”
Xu Xiao sighed, “I’ve truly grown old.”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “I’m just playing with small tricks. Compared to you, I’m far behind.”
Xu Xiao shook his head, squinting as if slightly drunk, “Don’t comfort me. A father growing old because of his son has never been a sorrowful thing. In all the world, there is nothing more joyful than this.”
Xu Fengnian said helplessly, “At noon, at the inn at the foot of the mountain, you drank and ate meat heartily—where was your old age then? You, with all your years, still dared to challenge me to a drinking contest? How many times did you sneak off to the latrine? Twice or three times?”
The old man looked embarrassed.
Then he smiled, “This time, when I meet that old woman guarded by Tuoba Pusa at the border, I’ll have to rely on you to hold up my dignity.”
Xu Fengnian replied calmly, “Alright.”
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