The mansion of Song Yan, the governor of Huangnan Prefecture, was vast and sparsely populated, with few servants and an air of cold desolation. In truth, this was one of the most prestigious mansions in all of Huangnan. Given Song Yan’s modest wealth, he should never have been able to reside here, let alone purchase or even rent it. But this mansion had once been a haunted house, feared by all, and thus ended up in the hands of the incorruptible Song Yan. The previous lord of the house was a retired general who had once served as the right-hand man of General Yan Wenluan. A decorated veteran who had once dined alongside the King of Beiliang in his youth, he had returned to the mansion to enjoy his twilight years with his family. Yet one stormy, snowy night, every single one of the seventy-odd residents was slaughtered without a single soul spared—men, women, and children alike, all beheaded in a most gruesome and harrowing manner. To this day, it remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in the Beiliang region. Some say it was the work of bandits, while others whisper that political enemies within the Beiliang border forces were responsible. Whatever the truth, the mansion remained empty for years, its silence broken only by the weeping of ghostly women on snowy nights.
Song Yan, a man who disdained superstition, took up residence as the new governor. He did not perform any exorcisms or rituals, nor did he summon any Taoist priests. He simply moved in with his family, and for years, all remained peaceful.
Though Song Yan was a devoted follower of Legalist philosophy, he had adopted the Taoist sobriquet “Master Caigen.” His wife had passed away long ago, leaving behind a single daughter, Song Huangmei, who remained unmarried. A spirited young woman, she rode horses, wielded swords, and drew bows with the bravado of any wandering knight of Beiliang. When Song Yan noticed that his daughter, who had always considered applying makeup the greatest of evils, had begun asking him for money—not for weapons, but for cosmetics—he knew something had changed. Catching her more than once with traces of rouge still on her face, Song Yan realized his daughter had fallen in love. He did not mind. In fact, he welcomed the development, choosing not to expose her clumsy attempts at concealment.
The study stood beside the garden, and Song Yan quietly stood by the window, a scroll in hand. Below, his daughter laughed and chatted with two maids who were like sisters to her, their voices bright and clear. Song Yan, now middle-aged with streaks of gray in his hair, smiled faintly. His daughter’s voice was unusually loud—was she not deliberately trying to be heard by the young man who had stood outside the wall for nearly half the afternoon?
Song Yan had discreetly investigated the young man. Born into the lowest rungs of society, the youth was fiery and bold. He had joined a middling sect in Huangnan and had risen through the ranks by sheer ferocity in gang battles, eventually becoming a favored disciple of a sect elder. Over the years, he had honed his social skills, proving himself far more mature and courteous than the arrogant sons of noble families in Huangnan. On one occasion, Song Yan had even mingled with him incognito, sharing tea and conversation. The young man spoke plainly and honestly, with none of the pretentiousness common among youth. Though Song Yan did not openly acknowledge the budding romance, he silently stepped aside, allowing it to unfold. After all, Song Yan himself had risen from poverty and understood the struggles of a commoner striving for success.
Had the young man been a scholar, even one without prospects of officialdom, Song Yan would have welcomed him into the family without hesitation. But as a swordsman from a violent sect, Song Yan could do no more than withhold his disapproval. Forcing himself to favor such a man would be asking too much.
Now, watching his daughter sneak toward the garden wall, glancing nervously around, Song Yan could not help but chuckle. She was too shy to be caught red-handed by her father, yet she knew well that her father’s ability to discern the smallest details was legendary. With a sigh, Song Yan retreated from the window to the bookshelves. He returned the Legalist text *Five Vermin* to its rightful place and sat back at his desk, where a bronze incense burner smoldered with fragrant sticks. He glanced at two sealed letters delivered by the Prefect’s office. His expression remained impassive as he traced the taotie motifs on the bronze burner—symbols meant to ward off evil spirits. He closed his eyes, feeling the heat of the metal against his fingertips, before withdrawing his hand slowly.
He paid little heed to the warnings in the letters from his former mentor, Li Degong. On the contrary, this was the moment Song Yan had been waiting for—a chance to break away and establish his own legacy. Serving under Li Degong had brought him favor, especially as Li rose to the rank of second-grade official. But Song Yan had hit a ceiling at the fourth-grade governor’s post. With the winds of change blowing through Beiliang, Song Yan knew he had little favor with the King of Beiliang. If he did not act now, he would remain stuck in the same position for years to come. He had no intention of trailing behind others, scavenging for scraps. Yet he was uncertain whether the General of Linzhou possessed the magnanimity to accept him, or the courage to personally meet with a stubborn, foul-tempered bureaucrat like himself.
As Song Yan pondered, a cry from his daughter echoed from the garden. He rose with a sigh. That girl—no grace, no decorum. How would she ever find a good husband? He did not respond, but descended the stairs and entered the garden through the back gate. There, he was surprised to see his mentor’s daughter, Li Fuzhen, had arrived, accompanied by a stranger. From his seasoned judgment, Song Yan immediately recognized the man—Guo Fufeng, the commoner Li Fuzhen favored.
Song Yan had no strong feelings about Guo Fufeng. As his daughter Song Huangmei stared at the man, Song Yan gave her a subtle glance. Guo Fufeng, for his part, remained composed, bowing deeply to the governor with utmost respect. Song Yan nodded slightly, though he offered no warm words. Even if Guo Fufeng were to become Li Degong’s son-in-law, Song Yan still held little hope for him. And even if Guo Fufeng were to rise through the ranks, it would take at least twenty years of toil before he could stand as an equal to Song Yan.
Li Fuzhen took Song Huangmei’s hand, her expression tense. This was the first time she had brought Guo Fufeng before her father’s protégé. Though others might show her some courtesy as the daughter of a Prefect, Song Yan was known among Li Degong’s disciples for his cold demeanor. She feared he might simply turn them away. This visit had been arranged out of desperation—Li Degong had no other choice. Somehow, Guo Fufeng had learned of the secret meeting and pleaded with Li Fuzhen until she reluctantly brought him along. Li Fuzhen and Song Huangmei had been close since childhood, and Song Yan doted on his daughter, a fact well known to all. Moreover, Song Huangmei was entangled with a young swordsman of even lower birth than Guo Fufeng, which gave Li Fuzhen the courage to bring Guo Fufeng into the open. Yet as she thought this, a quiet sorrow welled up in her heart. When had she, too, become so calculating? Still, seeing that Song Yan, though expressionless, had not spoken ill of Guo Fufeng, she felt a little reassured. Meanwhile, the oblivious Song Huangmei wondered why Li Fuzhen’s hand was sweating.
As the group moved indoors to sit by the hearth, Song Huangmei suddenly excused herself to fetch more firewood. Song Yan knew instantly she was going to bid farewell to her lover. He could already imagine the sound of her stacking chairs and climbing the wall. *Ah, daughters grow up too fast,* he mused.
No sooner had Song Yan seated himself than a steward brought several visiting cards—requests from young scholars in Huangnan to discuss matters of governance. In truth, they merely wished to meet the governor and gain his favor. Song Yan returned the cards with a few books from his collection, and though the scholars left without meeting him, they departed satisfied, eager to boast of their visit.
As Song Yan finished this trivial matter, he turned to Li Fuzhen with a smile. “My salary goes entirely to books. We’re practically starving at home. Don’t expect any feasts here.”
Li Fuzhen, never one for small talk, simply smiled. Guo Fufeng, unwilling to be ignored, spoke up. “Throughout history, bibliophiles have cherished books as dearly as their wives. Some even say borrowing a book is like borrowing a man’s wife. It’s far better to give a book than to lend it—like a nobleman gifting a concubine. The governor clearly understands this.”
Song Yan remained silent, offering no response. Guo Fufeng, however, was undeterred. Li Fuzhen, who had just begun to relax, now felt uneasy again, fearing Guo Fufeng might offend the reserved Song Yan. Fortunately, Song Huangmei returned just then with a basin of coals, breaking the tension.
In her usual bold manner, Song Huangmei frowned. “Father, Tieya just told me some strangers have been loitering outside the street for a while. What are they doing in this cold weather? Could they be bandits?”
Song Yan chuckled. “The road belongs to all. Even as governor, I cannot stop people from walking. If they wish to freeze outside our walls for an hour or two, I cannot chase them away with my official cap.”
Song Huangmei caught the meaning in her father’s words and blushed, poking at the coals.
A steward stood at the door, visibly flustered. Song Yan rose and stepped outside, his expression calm. Turning to Li Fuzhen, he said, “I must attend to some urgent matters. Huangmei, be a good hostess.”
As the governor hurried away, his footsteps fading, Guo Fufeng warmed his hands over the coals, his face darkening. Glancing at the two beautiful women whispering together, he quickly masked his mood with a warm smile, showing no sign of resentment at Song Yan’s coldness.
After finishing their private conversation, Li Fuzhen hesitated, catching Guo Fufeng’s firm gaze. Finally, she spoke. “Huangmei, do you know there are several unauthorized shrines in Huangnan? Someone reported them to my father, saying that Song Yan not only failed to ban them but allowed them to flourish. These shrines are secretly controlled for profit, and their practices are considered indecent. I came here to warn Song Yan.”
Song Huangmei gasped, then narrowed her eyes with a smirk. “Decency? What decency do we have left in Beiliang? It can’t get much worse. Those who accuse my father are just envious. They want his post, and without it, they can’t climb the ranks. It’s all about money. I heard at the tavern that other prefectures in Linzhou are stirring up trouble against the General of Linzhou. But here in Huangnan, we’ve stayed peaceful, so naturally, my father has become the target.”
Li Fuzhen smiled bitterly. Guo Fufeng looked at the girl with surprise.
Song Huangmei glanced sideways at Guo Fufeng’s refined demeanor and said to Li Fuzhen, “Sister, Hanlin is really something now. He’s become the leader of the border scouts, and they say he’s killed hundreds of Beiman barbarians. His horse can’t even carry all the heads anymore. Is he coming home for the New Year? If he does, you must bring him here. I have so much admiration to express. A real man should fight on the battlefield like Hanlin, not hide behind books.”
Guo Fufeng suppressed a sneer, though his face remained calm.
Li Fuzhen glanced nervously at him and said, “Let’s take a walk outside.”
Guo Fufeng naturally stayed behind. As the two women stepped out, Li Fuzhen pinched Song Huangmei’s ear. “You little brat! You dared to scold me? I clearly wrote in my letter not to treat him poorly!”
Song Huangmei pouted. “I didn’t like him from the start. Father says a scholar shouldn’t be too servile or pretentious. That Guo fellow has both flaws. Sister, listen to me. You once rejected that Beiliang rogue, Xu, and it was glorious. Why are you settling for less now? If only you had accepted Xu back then, you’d be a concubine of a prince, and my father would be laughing all the way to the capital. Besides, even Hanlin turned his life around. Maybe Xu will wake up one day and fight on the battlefield too… though I doubt it. That scoundrel would rather bully women than kill anyone himself. I don’t know why people keep praising him—his old soldiers escorting him to the capital, his trip to Beiman, his so-called storm in the Jianghu. Who believes it?”
Li Fuzhen smacked Song Huangmei’s forehead. “If you can’t say anything useful, then shut up!”
As they turned a corner, they saw a group of men walking silently along the stone path toward the mansion. Except for Song Yan, who wore official robes without a sword, the others all carried the distinctive Beiliang swords at their waists, adding a chill to the winter air.
Song Huangmei, who loved nothing more than joining in on the excitement, quickly tugged at Li Fuzhen’s sleeve, exclaiming with fascination: “Oh my, oh my, who is that handsome young man with grayish hair and an aura of deadly intent? Miss Fuzhen, look at this—my father, so proud a man, actually walks half a step behind him! No, I must find an excuse to pay my respects to this heroic figure!”
Li Fuzhen’s expression was complex, difficult to decipher.
Nonetheless, Song Huangmei still had a sense of loyalty and did not abandon her dear Fuzhen. Unlike most noble daughters, she had been obsessed with martial arts since childhood. For years, she had persistently begged her father for a Northern Liang saber to keep in secret, until finally Song Yan had no choice but to promise he would obtain one for her on her wedding day. According to the strict laws of Northern Liang, even military officers who had retired were forbidden from privately carrying Northern Liang sabers. Even if gifted one, they were not allowed to carry it outside their homes—though whether or not they actually obeyed was another matter entirely. Many sons of Northern Liang nobility took pride in secretly wearing these blades, as long as they weren’t caught. But there was an enormous difference between secretly wearing a blade and openly carrying one. To this day, no current civilian official in Northern Liang had the privilege of wearing a Northern Liang saber—such an honor was akin to being permitted to carry a sword into the imperial court in the capital. Despite being the daughter of a governor, Song Huangmei still deeply admired those soldiers who had earned the right to wear Northern Liang sabers through their own merit. The gang member she had recently fallen for had solemnly sworn to her that before coming to ask for her hand in marriage, he would be wearing a Northern Liang saber when he visited her father.
Song Yan led these unexpected guests into the back hall for discussion, dismissed the servants, and personally poured tea for them, showing great courtesy. However, his expression remained calm and unshaken.
Even though the young man seated before him was the Crown Prince of Northern Liang, and the newly appointed General of Lingzhou.
Xu Fengnian accepted the teacup and calmly said, “Years ago, under the orders of Li Mibi of the Beiman intelligence network, martial artists from the Beiman court attempted to infiltrate Northern Liang. They specifically targeted vulnerable civilian officials for assassination, hoping to destabilize Northern Liang’s foundations. However, they were intercepted and slaughtered at the border before they could even enter the region. Still, a few managed to escape and infiltrate You and Liang provinces. At the time, to maintain public morale, many of these unprovoked incidents were covered up. Lingzhou fared relatively better, but still, the tragedy that occurred within this very estate could not be concealed.”
Song Yan smiled and said, “Last year, there was a murder case in Huangnan Commandery that drew the attention of a cavalry regiment stationed in another commandery. They crossed jurisdictional lines to wipe out an entire gang, nearly exterminating the entire clan. At the time, I was unaware of the truth and almost rode out personally to intercept them and demand an explanation from the officer in charge. Fortunately, a spy under General Chu delivered a military order that made me realize the danger involved.”
Xu Fengnian said, “Huangnan Commandery is known as the ‘Jiangnan beyond the Frontier,’ the granary of Northern Liang. As the grain overseer of our Lingzhou, Minister Song, I imagine the burden upon your shoulders must be heavy indeed.”
Song Yan replied in a calm tone, “It is merely my duty.”
Xu Fengnian gave a cold chuckle, “Banning unauthorized worship of false deities and shrines is also within the jurisdiction of a commandery governor. Minister Song, you have always been known for your decisiveness and efficiency in Lingzhou—how could you have neglected your duties? In Huangnan, there are three shrines dedicated to spirits, their tablets neither honoring Northern Liang’s fallen heroes nor sanctioned by imperial decree. Clearly, they violate the rites. Yet one of the couplets in one shrine bears your handwriting. Could it be that you, relying on the protection of Minister Jinglue, knowingly broke the rules? I’ve heard Minister Song has a fondness for collecting books, recently acquiring over sixty rare editions at great expense. I wonder how much incense money that shrine offered you as tribute this past New Year?”
Song Yan took a sip of tea and replied, “Only five hundred taels—hardly worth mentioning. I missed acquiring several rare editions I had my eye on. A regrettable matter, indeed.”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “The proliferation of unauthorized shrines and embezzlement of more than three hundred taels are both capital offenses, punishable by death. Minister Song, are you so eager to offer your head to help this prince establish authority in Lingzhou?”
Song Yan, the hard and stinking stone in Lingzhou’s latrine, actually laughed, “Since the prince has come bearing a blade and I have confessed my crime, it’s just a matter of a single stroke of the knife.”
Xu Fengnian placed his teacup down, “You and I both know the truth—you have deliberately defied Minister Jinglue’s wishes this time, hoping to rise above the Lingzhou bureaucracy so that I would notice you, a man who once angered Xu Xiao. You’ve hit a career bottleneck and want to change allegiances to climb higher. I, too, am surrounded by enemies in Lingzhou, restricted at every turn. I need someone like you—of considerable rank and reputation, the governor of Huangnan Commandery. If you were to publicly rise up in Huangnan, making outsiders believe Minister Jinglue has decided to yield to the General of Lingzhou, many minor officials would wisely rein in their covert schemes. After all, when the time comes for retribution, the masterminds behind the scenes will remain clean, while those who carried out the dirty work will likely find themselves unable to escape consequences. Though the law rarely punishes the masses, everyone knows how to make an example of a few unlucky chickens. These cunning, sharp-tongued clerks are secretly afraid, too. Song Yan, do you believe that without your Huangnan, I would be stuck in a swamp, emerging only to be covered in mud, forced to flee shamefully to Liangzhou and cry to Xu Xiao?”
Song Yan shook his head, “Your Highness doesn’t lack methods to break the deadlock—you simply lack time. Even if you were to recklessly kill your way through, you might gain outward compliance but not true loyalty. Eventually, when your military confidants are in place and local Lingzhou officials and visiting scholars balance each other out, the bureaucracy will gradually be tamed through a combination of force and patience. But for now, Your Highness seems to lack the ruthlessness and the time to wait. This much became clear to me the moment you personally came to Huangnan to seek me out.”
Seeing Xu Fengnian remain silent, Song Yan continued slowly, “If I became the Inspector of Lingzhou, I could serve as your vanguard to clean up corruption, while publicly placating Minister Jinglue, giving both sides a graceful way out, and secretly weakening Minister Li’s grip on Lingzhou…”
Xu Fengnian interrupted with a smile, “Minister Song, you overestimate yourself. The Inspector of Lingzhou will be Xu Beizhi, not you. At most, you might serve as a Deputy Inspector of Lingzhou. But I’ll be honest with you—should Xu Beizhi ever become the Governor of Northern Liang, you might have a chance at becoming Inspector of Lingzhou. But that’s still far off. You’ll have to wait, because Northern Liang will not move against Minister Li, who has done nothing wrong. The goodwill between the Xu and Li families has been built over two generations. Setting aside Minister Li’s contributions, the friendship between me and Li Hanlin alone is enough to let Minister Jinglue indulge in his official ambitions. Besides, I’d rather not resort to the despicable act of discarding a tool after it’s served its purpose. Of course, if you truly have talent and Xu Beizhi stands before you, even if you can’t become Inspector of Lingzhou, there are still the posts of Inspector of You and Liang provinces for me to consider. Among the thirty provinces of Liyang, aside from Xu Beizhi, how many provincial inspectors are under forty? Minister Song, you should be content.”
Song Yan’s expression darkened and brightened by turns.
Then Xu Fengnian added a final remark that made Song Yan want to laugh and cry at once, “Oh, and many officials are eager for promotion to the position of Deputy Inspector of Lingzhou. If you want that post, you’ll have to give me half of the books in your collection. I’ll need them to win over the hearts of the scholars who come to Northern Liang.”
Before Governor Song could even nod, Xu Fengnian stood up and muttered to himself, “Damn it, no wonder so many people want to be emperor. Even selling official posts feels so righteous and justified.”
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