Wang Yunshu had just enjoyed a second round of pleasures with the two courtesans of Taosai Mansion, leaving his body exhausted and barely able to maintain composure while kneeling. He dared not move, fearing any slight motion might be mistaken as ill intent. Fortunately, Xu Fengnian chuckled, “Yunshu, I just told Caizhen here that we are quite close. Though we did bet that the loser would kneel upon meeting, you needn’t overdo it. Stand up. I’ve heard you’re a top patron here—don’t you fear being looked down upon by Taosai Mansion?”
Caizhen experienced a turbulent shift of emotions today. In her mind, Wang Yunshu certainly hadn’t suddenly collapsed out of weakness, so the only explanation was that the young nobleman inside, who claimed to be from Lingzhou’s capital, might be an old friend of Wang Yunshu’s. Whether he was truly a companion or not was unclear, but he undoubtedly came from a far more prestigious family than Wang, the assistant official of Huangnan. If their fathers held comparable ranks, even if one had been severely punished before, he would never stoop so low as to prostrate himself immediately upon meeting. As a junior hostess, Xueyi could hide and lose herself in thought, but Caizhen could not. She quickly sorted through her thoughts. Aside from the earlier impropriety of grinding her hips against the older nobleman’s lap, she believed she had otherwise acted respectfully. Yet she was merely a courtesan of Taosai Mansion. Among the noble families, sons of officials often became officials themselves, and descendants of generals often joined the military. When dragons give birth to dragons and phoenixes to phoenixes, naturally mice bear offspring that dig holes. There were certainly other women like her in Huangnan, born into prostitution with their mothers, though they were few and far between.
Xu Fengnian paid little attention to Wang Yunshu. The only reason he remembered the name was due to Wang’s father, Wang Xihua, an official of Huangnan with an uncommonly refined character. The Wang clan was a large family in Huangnan, with many ancestral halls. Though sharing the same surname, they did not share the same ancestry. Four branches were particularly notable: the Shuijing Wangs, the Longyi Wangs, the Lingsu Wangs, and the Zijin Wangs. The governor Li Degong, an outsider to the Wang clan, had risen to prominence by marrying into the Longyi Wang family and skillfully uniting the various powerful Wang clans. If bureaucratic corruption was a new illness, then entrenched family hierarchies were a chronic ailment bordering on incurable.
Wang Yunshu was quick-witted, which was why he could navigate both the underworld and officialdom so skillfully in Huangnan. He immediately understood the situation—Prince Xu did not wish to reveal his identity. He hastily stood, still carefully smoothing his sleeves and adjusting his robe. Xu Fengnian rose as well, gesturing to Caizhen with a hand raised as if to drink. There was wine inside, though it was not quite refined enough for a noble like Wang. Caizhen considered fetching some aged wine from the cellar, but Xu Fengnian simply asked for “Lüyi,” a common wine. Caizhen was surprised but dared not question him. Still, she instinctively glanced at Wang Yunshu, which infuriated the young nobleman. He silently cursed, thinking the junior hostess must be blind, trying to embarrass him. He shot her a sharp glare, warning her not to meddle. Caizhen realized she had overstepped and quickly lowered her gaze, hurrying away. Xu Fengnian waved at Wang Yunshu to sit, but Wang, with a fawning shake of his head, insisted he was more comfortable standing. Xu Fengnian nonetheless pulled up a chair for him and stood by the window himself. Wang sat with a nervous laugh, as if on pins and needles, silently praying to every deity he knew that this ill-tempered prince would not turn from courtesy to cruelty. Even Zhong Hongwu in Longqing County had been dealt with harshly—what chance did he, a mere nobody without official rank, have? Would the prince not simply choose to steam or braise him as he pleased?
Leaning on the windowsill, Xu Fengnian asked, “How is Uncle Wang’s health?”
Wang Yunshu swallowed hard and nodded, “Fine, fine.”
Xu Fengnian, who had been amiable toward him, thought for a moment and smiled, “Uncle Wang comes from one of the few scholarly families in Beiliang. His learning in Huangnan is second only to Governor Song Yan. I’ve heard that a Wudang Taoist once read his fortune and gave him a prophecy. What was it again?”
Wang Yunshu replied awkwardly, “Some unknown old Taoist said my father was first addicted to chivalry and archery, then to classical studies and literary composition, then to Daoist philosophy, and finally to Buddhist teachings from the West, ultimately returning to Confucian sages. I suspect the Taoist might not even have been from Wudang. Please don’t laugh at me, Your Lord… I mean, Master Xu.”
Xu Fengnian shook his head, “I’ve heard that very prophecy on Wudang Mountain. That old Taoist was a true immortal of the Daoist sect—Master Wang Chonglou.”
Wang Yunshu was stunned. In truth, even the Wang family had never taken the prophecy too seriously, treating it more as a pleasant embellishment to their tea-time conversations. But his father had indeed once ridden alone with sword and scrolls, a young man of chivalrous spirit. Now, however, Wang the Official was devoted to Daoist tranquility. Wang Yunshu had never seen his father practice swordplay or even ride much. His father had never spoken of those youthful adventures to his only son, and Wang Yunshu had always assumed such tales were mere flattery from sycophants.
If that truly was the old immortal who had severed the Canglan River with a single finger, then it was no small matter. Wang Yunshu suddenly viewed his father, who had made many enemies among Lingzhou officials, in a new light. At the very least, his father’s feud with the governor had previously made Wang Yunshu fear for his own future. His skill in reading people’s expressions surpassed even Caizhen’s. When the prince spoke of the old Wudang master, his eyes and expression were gentle—not the cold kind that chilled one’s bones. Of course, Wang Yunshu could not possibly know the deep bond between Wudang Mountain and Qingliang Mountain, a connection so profound it could not even be severed by an immortal’s sword.
Lüyi wine, beloved by all and easily found in Beiliang, was soon brought by Caizhen in four flasks. Naturally, Xu Fengnian and Wang Yunshu each took one, Caizhen claimed another, and the last went to the disguised maid in black robes, who wore a marten fur cap. As she handed over the flask, Caizhen was momentarily stunned—what exquisite beauty! Could this woman rival even Li Shuangjia of Xiangfan City? Xu Yanbing had already closed the door and resumed his role as an inscrutable guardian. Xu Fengnian held the small wine flask between two fingers, gently swaying it as he teasingly asked, “Do you still hold a grudge against Li Hanlin?”
Wang Yunshu had just taken a sip to calm his nerves. He usually never touched Lüyi wine, but drinking with the prince, even this barely tolerable brew inspired a bold, drunken spirit. Suddenly hearing a question that struck at his most sensitive nerve, he nearly spat out the wine. He hurriedly swallowed the fiery liquor, but his heart leapt to his throat as he forced a Bitter smile, “How dare I? Li Hanlin has already made a name for himself at the border. I wouldn’t dare hold a grudge, and if he ever returns to Huangnan to visit ancestral graves or relatives, I’d even be willing to hold his horse. But before he left Huangnan, Li Hanlin said he would beat me senseless every time he saw me. Even if I wanted to apologize, I truly wouldn’t dare face him for another beating.”
Caizhen thought she had caught the key point—this young man from Lingzhou’s capital must be close to the governor’s son, Li Hanlin. Perhaps he was even a relative of the governor himself. That would explain why Wang Yunshu was so terrified. Xu Fengnian nodded, seemingly believing Wang’s words, and then casually asked, “I’ve heard you have a sworn brother who serves as a military commander in Huangnan, leading a company of three or four hundred light cavalry. Their horses are of high quality, nearly matching those on the Youliang border. They’re far superior to the local garrison troops, aren’t they?”
Wang Yunshu scratched his head with a sheepish grin, his expression honest, “All showy displays, good to look at but not much use. If they were sent to the border for real combat against the barbarians, I doubt they’d hold up. Most are untested recruits. To be honest, many are disciples of Huangnan’s martial sects. They may not be good for war, but they know how to brawl. These are family secrets, but since Master Xu asked, I can only speak the truth. If I’ve said anything wrong, please let me know, and I’ll make sure to relay it to my father and sworn brother, guaranteeing that everything will be done exactly as you wish.”
Listening intently, Caizhen grew increasingly astonished. This young noble from Lingzhou wasn’t merely a relative of the Li family? Otherwise, how could he comment so freely on Huangnan’s military and political affairs? Among young wastrels, feuds usually amounted to little more than brawls, with each side summoning their own “immortals” to fight, sometimes even involving well-armed soldiers. But nothing ever escalated to the point of shaking the very foundations of their families. In Caizhen’s mind, no young wastrel from Huangnan had ever dared challenge their elders in officialdom. As Beiliang’s granary, Huangnan was filled with powerful officials—none simple men. Governor Song Yan was known for his ruthless efficiency, and Wang the Official was famous for his meticulousness. Each was a veritable hornet’s nest.
Xu Fengnian smiled, “Huangnan has too many wealthy men, but many are like pigs carrying their heads without knowing where to offer them—simply lacking the ability. Back when the position of military inspector of Fengzhou was contested, it wasn’t that Uncle Wang lost to the governor personally, but rather that the Shuijing Wangs lost to the Longyi Wangs. The governor suppressed them for years, preventing them from even becoming governor of Huangnan. Later, he was further pushed aside by Song Yan, who held a higher rank, yet he still managed to maintain his grip on the power to appoint officials throughout the commandery. That in itself was no small feat. Now, Governor Song is finally leaving Huangnan to become a vice-governor in Lingzhou.”
Wang Yunshu’s expression turned complex. Was the prince implying that his father should rise further?
Xu Fengnian did not beat around the bush, directly laying out the stakes, “However, the new governor must still come from the Longyi Wang clan. The established rules of officialdom cannot be easily broken, or it would invite too much resentment. What interests me now is your sworn brother—does he truly have any real ability?”
Wang Yunshu clenched his teeth and said, “My sworn brother…”
He paused and glanced at Caizhen, who was clearly eavesdropping. Xu Fengnian smiled, “Caizhen, go with Xueyi and bring back some fresh food.”
Once the outsiders were gone, Wang Yunshu immediately stood, carefully choosing his words, “Your Highness, my sworn brother is named Jiao Wuyi. He does have ability—he once earned distinction in battle on the Youzhou border. Unfortunately, he was framed by jealous colleagues, costing my father over ten thousand taels of silver, and nearly costing Jiao his life. We Wangs accepted this loss, and I won’t burden Your Highness with complaints. Jiao Wuyi has often drowned his sorrows in drink these past few years in Huangnan, but he has never abandoned his martial skills. Even now, he often leads his soldiers to break ice on the river and forces them to jump into the freezing water. Those who cannot endure are dismissed. I’m not trying to flatter him, Your Highness—I’ve never seen a commander so ruthless in training his men.”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “If you saw the border, you’d know this isn’t even remarkable.”
Wang Yunshu’s face flushed red, embarrassed, “Please forgive my ignorance, Your Highness.”
Xu Yanbing gave a soft cough.
Almost simultaneously, Xu Fengnian waved a hand at Wang Yunshu, then turned to gaze out the window toward the wooden gate courtyard.
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