The young prince, who had barely settled into his position as the general of Lingzhou, had left, causing an uproar throughout the city.
This left many officials, whose ranks were slightly lower than that of Zhou Jianshu, the governor, standing outside the general’s mansion, exchanging helpless glances, deeply frustrated. These officials were truly filled with bitterness, like carrying a pig’s head offering but unable to find a temple god to worship. Fortunately, the mansion still temporarily housed the governor of Lingzhou and the assistant governor. However, the newly appointed governor, Xu Beizhi, had made a grand show of authority in broad daylight, declaring he would not receive any visitors. Only a few stubborn officials waited until dusk, unwilling to give up. They were finally informed by Sun Fulu, the chief steward of the mansion, that they could enter for a meeting. This news excited each of them like a shot of adrenaline, and they all felt that the ancient saying, “Sincere devotion can move even the hardest stone,” was indeed true. However, they had only one gift between them. With the mansion’s main occupant gone, the remaining governor and assistant governor, though a full rank lower, were still a dragon from afar and a snake from nearby, and none dared to slight them. Fortunately, the young governor was considerate and, together with the assistant governor Song Yan, waited at the entrance hall to greet the officials, giving them full face. Naturally, the gift was still presented to the departed prince, the young Governor Xu, who was indeed the prince’s most trusted aide, joked that once he had his own governor’s mansion, he would surely ask for another gift, and would not be lenient. Seeing Xu Beizhi, calm and composed, the officials felt a great sense of reassurance. As long as this young man did not use the prince’s power to wreak havoc in Lingzhou and instead followed the rules in conducting affairs, everything would be fine. Now, no one dared to cause trouble. Since everyone had accepted their fate and submitted to the prince, they could now step down with dignity, without fear of being the first to stick their heads out and get punished. They could now Peace of mind to help the new master of Lingzhou add more fuel to the fire, making it burn higher and brighter.
Seeing off the guests together, Song Yan glanced at the sky and smiled, saying, “Governor, judging by the signs, it looks like it’s going to snow again. How about a small drink and wait for the snow together?”
Xu Beizhi shook his head and smiled, “I’ve just handed over the affairs of Lingzhou to the neighboring area, and everything is in a mess. There aren’t enough hands at home, and I’m not the kind of person who can sit idle. I won’t be able to drink and enjoy the snow with you, Governor Song. If there’s ever a day when I can truly relax, we’ll make it up then. At that time, even if you want to escape, you won’t be able to.”
Song Yan nodded with a smile, watching Xu Beizhi’s solitary back, thinking to himself, “Xu Beizhi, are you going to become a solitary minister like Zhao Youling in the court of Liyang, who is favored by both civil and military officials?”
Xu Fengnian had already left Lingzhou City and arrived in Qing She County. This trip was not done in secret but was accompanied by a grand entourage of six hundred elite soldiers from Lingzhou. Among the few influential officers in Lingzhou, such as the cavalry commander Dong Hongqiu, who was a trusted subordinate of Zhong Hongwu, the mobilization was not smooth. However, in the vast granary of Northern Liang, it was impossible for figures like Zhong Hongwu to dominate completely. The taciturn man beside Xu Fengnian was named Huang Xiaokuai. After his father’s death, he was granted the rare rank of Pearl Cavalry Commander, an exception to the usual hereditary succession for regular generals and commanders. The title of Pearl Cavalry Commander originated from the Spring and Autumn Wars, when Huang Xiaokuai’s father, after a surprise attack that breached the city walls, strung thousands of enemy heads on ropes and hung them on all four city walls, resembling four curtains of blood-soaked pearls, to greet the approaching enemy forces and show his determination to fight to the death. Later, he successfully defended the city and was promised by Xu Xiao that no matter what rank his descendants held, as long as they served under the Xu family’s cavalry, they could inherit the title. Huang Xiaokuai indeed inherited the title of Pearl Cavalry Commander two years ago, but he was always marginalized and isolated in Lingzhou, being the weakest among the several influential cavalry commanders. After a few exchanges with Huang Xiaokuai, Xu Fengnian realized that his unpopularity in Lingzhou was justified. Huang was simply too rigid and inflexible, maintaining a strict demeanor even in the presence of Xu Fengnian, who had resigned from his position as general of Lingzhou but remained the Crown Prince. He was as stiff as a board, barely uttering a word even after several nudges, a stark contrast to Wang Zhi, another scion of a distinguished family. However, Huang Xiaokuai’s lack of political cunning and his sole focus on military discipline earned Xu Fengnian’s genuine admiration. After seeing too many slippery and scheming officials in Lingzhou, encountering someone like Huang Xiaokuai was like having a bowl of refreshing congee after a feast of greasy delicacies, which naturally suited his taste.
The six hundred cavalry galloped eastward on the The Ancient Post Road, during which time scouts and spies continuously returned with military intelligence. Even Huang Xiaokuai, a rigid cavalry commander who was not adept at political flattery, was somewhat surprised. It turned out that not only were his six hundred cavalry heading to the border of Qing She County and Dong Feng County to await orders, but also several other troops from different counties were also moving into action. It seemed they were setting up a net to hunt down a master and servant pair. Deploying thousands of troops against just two individuals, was the Crown Prince making too much of a fuss? However, Huang Xiaokuai dared not comment on this. He had originally thought the Crown Prince was alone and powerless in Lingzhou, but now, with a single flip of his hand, the entire Lingzhou bureaucracy was cowering in fear. Huang, who had never had a talent for navigating the bureaucracy, found himself increasingly in awe of the Crown Prince.
Behind Xu Fengnian was Han Laoshan, the acting deputy general of Lingzhou. Among the cavalry was a carriage, with Huyan Guanyin already sent to the Cool Mountain Mansion, leaving only Pei Nanwei, who was still wandering around, not yet satisfied. She occasionally lifted the curtain, catching sight of the figure riding ahead. Pei Nanwei’s eyes darkened. Three years ago, if the Northern Liang Crown Prince had made such a commotion within Lingzhou, it would have been seen by the bureaucratic old foxes as mere child’s play, a childish act that only invited ridicule. But now, few dared to hold such an arrogant attitude. Most privately felt that this future Northern Liang King, even if he still could not compare to the future Minister of Justice Chen, who would likely leave the capital to take up a post in Western Shu, was not too far off.
Xu Fengnian halted his horse at a crossroads of the The Post Road. Soon, a very strong Qing Zhui horse approached. This single rider gave the impression of thunderous hooves with every step. In Huang Xiaokuai’s vision, he saw Xu Fengnian gently nudge his horse’s belly and slowly move forward. Huang Xiaokuai was amazed. The tall man holding the spear did not wear official robes or armor, yet he did not dismount upon seeing the illustrious Crown Prince. The indescribable aura of a martial arts master and a battlefield general left Huang Xiaokuai in awe. Xu Fengnian said calmly, “Uncle Xu, you’ve worked hard.”
Xu Yanbing, who had just returned from a round trip to the border of Youzhou, smiled slightly, “The Northern Meng Hong Jingyan held back and did not act, otherwise it would have taken more time.”
Xu Fengnian turned his horse around, riding side by side with this new Grand Master of Jianghu, the next after the old sword immortal Li Chungan, and curiously asked, “Uncle Xu, if you really were to confront Hong Jingyan, who is among the top ten in the world, how much chance of victory would you have?”
Xu Yanbing hesitated for a moment and replied indifferently, “Within five years, it would be a fight to the death. After all, I still have an advantage in one realm. But in the future, it’s hard to say. That man, together with Dong Zhuo of the Southern Dynasty, is known as the Little Toba of Northern Meng. He is exceptionally talented. Once he approaches the realm of a terrestrial immortal, it would probably only end in mutual destruction.”
Xu Fengnian nodded. Dong Zhuo’s reference to the Little Toba was about the military talent of this fat man. After the death of the fifth Heshi, Hong Jingyan took over the Rouran cavalry and, after the departure of the White Robe Luoyang, the greatest demon of the world, had become the undisputed second strongest in Northern Meng. It was said that Toba Chunsun entered the first rank, and with no one in his eyes, the first person he challenged was the master of Rouran, Hong Jingyan, and lost badly. However, he became even more determined and made a public three-year challenge, vowing that he would break a realm every three years and fight Hong Jingyan each time, making the court and people of Northern Meng look at him with new eyes. This was the cruelty of Jianghu; everyone could become the stepping stone for the next rising star. Except for the old monster Wang Xianzhi, who could rival the five hundred-year-old Patriarch Lv, there was no one who could claim to be invincible in the world. The beauty of Jianghu lay precisely in this ruthless nature. Those who wanted to rise to fame through swordsmanship had a relatively tough time. Not only were Li Chungan and Deng Ta’a, the celestial-like figures, nowhere to be found, but there were still many sword masters overseeing the sword world. Those who practiced the saber had it slightly better, with only Gu Jiantang as an unavoidable threshold. Without defeating them, it was hard to claim to be the best swordsman or saber expert in the world.
Xu Yanbing, covered in dust from his journey, quietly asked, “Has the Your Highness thoroughly investigated the background of that master and servant who entered Liang?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head and smiled, “They are characters who have emerged out of nowhere, people we have never heard of before. Not only are our Northern Liang intelligence reports at a loss, but the Zhao Gou of Liyang might also be guilty of negligence. In fact, in recent years, the Jianghu of Liyang should not have been so quiet. Many small masters who had the potential to reach the first rank were secretly killed by Han Diaosi. Some reclusive immortals who pursued freedom, even if they reached the first rank, still could not escape Han Shengxuan’s bloody cat claws. Basically, every time the ‘Cat’ was secretly sent out by the emperor, he would return with one or two blood-soaked heads. I really can’t figure out who could escape the eyes of the court and Zhao Gou and suddenly surface as a first-rank expert. Not only the second-rate Jianghu sects that are on the brink of collapse, but even Longhu Mountain and the Wu family Sword Tomb, these families are not ones where someone can just say they are first-rank and they become first-rank. It’s already very difficult to reach the second-rank of small masters, let alone the rare first-rank experts. Those who follow the rules too much cannot become top figures in this category, and those who don’t follow the rules have all become victims of Han Diaosi’s hands. Who knows who that guy is, he really doesn’t value his life, just as he appeared, he ate the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard to come looking for trouble with this Crown Prince. It seems he thinks this Crown Prince is a soft persimmon that can be easily squeezed.”
Xu Yanbing asked, “Do you need me to meet that person?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head again, “Not yet. If the Lingzhou cavalry are nothing but Embroidered Pillow that can’t handle a fight, then let Uncle Xu deal with the aftermath.”
Xu Yanbing frowned, “Since he is a first-rank expert, even if it’s the lowest Realm of the Indestructible, even if he can’t kill seven or eight hundred cavalry in one breath, escaping should still be easy. Unless that person is on an open plain where cavalry can charge, surrounded by several thick formations of cavalry, and without any chance to rest, it would be hard to catch him. Back then, the Sword Emperor of Western Shu was guarding the border, it was a helpless act of determination to die, and he was crushed to death by our Northern Liang cavalry. If this person has the The Realm of Finger Mysteries, combined with one or two Celestial Perception that the alchemists are proficient in, it would be even harder to capture him. The Northern Liang army once trampled Jianghu, dealing with Jianghu sects, those who died were all Jianghu people who were unwilling to abandon their roots and leave their homes. As for those who managed to escape, we could only send out Jianghu-born hounds to chase and kill them. As the general said, it’s using Jianghu to kill Jianghu. The Your Highness’s deployment of troops is to train the army in Lingzhou?”
Xu Fengnian nodded, “Since it’s a game of cat and mouse, even if the mouse is too fat and the cat is too weak, it doesn’t matter. After all, there are many kittens being driven to work, and many eagles watching from above. That mouse will eventually get tired and slack off. This Crown Prince wants to shut the door and slowly exhaust him. First, there will be layers of interception to prevent him from quickly roaming and advancing. If he wants to kill everyone and then retreat, he must be aware of the situation of being surrounded and killed by a large number of armored soldiers. The large number of scouts in the Lingzhou army, working with the old You Falcon and new Ying Knight, is nothing more than to block this first-rate mouse. If they can’t even do that well, then they can just die. The captains and officers behind them will also be blamed by this Crown Prince. This military training, no matter whether that pair of master and servant kills many people or not, will definitely result in deaths. The Lingzhou bureaucracy hasn’t killed anyone, and this Crown Prince also has a grudge to bear, so as not to let the soldiers of You and Liang provinces mistakenly believe that this Crown Prince only knows how to talk and not to fight.”
Xu Yanbing smiled, “Prince, I think you should take away my position as deputy general of Lingzhou sooner rather than later. Just hearing your complicated political strategies makes my head ache.”
Xu Fengnian smiled it off and asked curiously, “Uncle Xu, tell me about the four realms of the first rank?”
Xu Yanbing smiled, “Just talking won’t help. Prince, you have to be able to take a beating.”
Xu Fengnian’s eyes lit up, “Then let’s not ride horses. Let’s run to the border of Qing She County and Dong Feng County with Uncle Xu?”
Xu Yanbing did not commit, but swept his ordinary long spear. Xu Fengnian, caught off guard, clapped his hands on the spear, only to be knocked off his horse, his body drifting more than ten zhang away. Xu Yanbing leaped high, then raised his arm and threw the spear. The spear’s aura was mighty, as if it could split the heavens and earth.
But the martial artist’s figure was even faster than the spear, arriving in front of the prince’s helpless form. He stepped on the prince’s left arm, sending him sliding back again, just in time for the tip of the spear, which had drawn an arc, to point at him. The Northern Liang saber at his waist rang out as it was drawn, barely blocking the spear’s might. Xu Yanbing then twisted his wrist, the spear blooming with flowers, and Xu Fengnian was forced to retreat again and again, in a perilous situation.
Huang Xiaokuai was so startled by this scene that his face turned pale, thinking this man was an assassin. Just as he was about to mobilize the troops to rescue the Crown Prince, Han Laoshan, sitting steadily on his horse, calmly said, “No problem, order the troops to continue forward.”
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