A humble carriage leisurely headed southward, first touring the three military towns outside the Wazhu Garrison—Junzhi Pavilion, Maolong, and Lig Valley. The southern border had erupted in smoke and flames last year as the Northern Liang cavalry swept through like an irresistible tide. Surprisingly, after their victories, they did not occupy the towns to shift the border northward against the Northern Man, but instead looted all valuables and craftsmen before leaving. They didn’t even bother destroying the web-like network of The Post Road along the border, clearly unafraid of the Northern Man’s swift retaliation.
After touring the three towns, the carriage passed through scenes of devastation and panic. The carriage owner occasionally lifted the curtain, expressionless, before turning eastward toward Liuxia City at the border of Longyao Prefecture and You Prefecture. The city magistrate Tao Qianzhi had died suddenly during Qingming Festival last year while visiting his ancestor’s grave, and had been replaced by a new magistrate bearing the surname Yelü. The carriage did not enter the city but continued southward toward the border of Northern Liang and Northern Man. The carriage owner seemed in a good mood, sitting behind the driver, leaning against the thick cotton curtain, holding a jar of homemade sticky rice wine. She took several large gulps, then sang a familiar, high-pitched folk tune. Amidst the vast yellow sands of the desert, the carriage seemed slightly lonely, and the old woman’s song lacked the gentle, melancholic tones of a lady, instead echoing with passion and vigor.
The driver was an unremarkable, short, and sturdy man, his long arms holding the reins like a monkey, giving him a bizarre appearance. The middle-aged man was serious and seldom spoke. At one point, the old woman tapped his back with the wine jar, but he did not turn around, only shaking his head to indicate he did not drink. Unbothered by his indifference, the old woman finished her tune, tilted her head back, and took another large gulp of the rich sticky rice wine, exuding boldness and bravado. While such a display from a female martial hero might earn cheers from others, an old woman with white hair behaving so informally would hardly be seen as pleasant.
Knowing the driver’s reserved nature, the old woman did not expect him to respond. Gazing at the high sky and drifting clouds, she spoke to herself, “You men, when you gain wealth and power, always like to keep beautiful women hidden away. As for me, I have a different hobby—I raise literary talents and heroes. My ability to nurture scholars is unmatched, even surpassing that of the old Zhao Emperor. In literature, first there was Xu Huainan, the Northern Court Grand Chancellor, followed by Taiping Decree, the Imperial Tutor, and then the old scholars and famous literati from the south. In martial prowess, there were twelve great generals including Yang Yuanzan and Liu Gui, all renowned for their battle achievements, all under my command. In six major wars between our two nations, we lost two at first but won four later. If it weren’t for being caught off guard by Xu Quezi of Northern Liang last year, who among the courtiers of Liyang would not fear the iron hooves of the Northern Man? But it’s not all bad—this chaos caused by Northern Liang’s cavalry made Liyang underestimate us. Soon after, the Tai’an City authorities removed Gu Jiantang from his position as Minister of War. Biyan’er’s policy of shifting taxation toward the north began to face increasing resistance at court. The lack of unity within the capital’s central government is a good thing. I think the young Minister of War, the ‘Little Butcher,’ is deliberately ignoring the situation, even suppressing the military officials loyal to Gu Jiantang, allowing the civil officials to harass Biyan’er. He might secretly hope for constant warfare along the northern border so that one decisive battle could secure his dominance in the Spring and Autumn period, and another could determine the fate of the entire realm. Such ambition, to put it bluntly, is wolfish greed. The ambitions and appetite of the ‘White-Robed War Sage’ are far greater than those of his adoptive father. Truly deserving of the title ‘Wolfish Gaze’—if he were in our Northern Man, even one ambitious Dong Fatso would already be a headache, let alone adding him into the mix. How could I possibly manage the three of you without losing my mind? Oh, and Hong Jingyan from the Chess and Sword Music Bureau, who studied alongside Taiping Decree, is no small fry either. However, he and Dong Zhuo can only have one rise to prominence in the southern court. I have already granted him the three towns of Rouxuan, Lao Huai, and Wuchuan, along with the Rouyan Iron Cavalry stationed there, matching Dong Zhuo’s current military strength. If he still loses, it’s only because he was destined to be a martial hero, not someone fated for the yellow and purple robes of imperial power. To be honest, Dong Fatso may be scheming and full of tricks, but he at least has a bottom line, low as it may be. That kind of person isn’t truly frightening. What I fear most are those with shifting loyalties—like Zhong Shentong and Murong Baoding, both devious and treacherous. You never know what ‘surprises’ they might bring or what despicable acts they might commit. Entrusting the Northern Man to Dong Fatso, even the Murong and Yelü clans won’t dare to sever ties.”
The man, speaking in a flat tone, said, “Dong Zhuo is capable of such treasonous deeds too.”
The old woman laughed heartily, “That doesn’t bother me. Who else but Dong Fatso would dare to call me ‘Sister Emperor’ with such audacity after I ascended the throne? His stubborn persistence is almost endearing. Though he may be scheming and full of tricks, he still has a bottom line. Low as it may be, at least he has one. That kind of person isn’t truly dangerous. What’s truly frightening are those whose loyalties are unpredictable.”
The man, addressed only by his surname, fell silent again. The old woman finished the jar of homemade sticky rice wine, holding it in her arms, and sighed, “In my youth, I wandered from place to place, once traveling to Liyang’s Liaodong region. I met Xu Quezi before he became crippled. I didn’t fall head over heels for him, but I found him interesting. Later, when Xu Xiao rose from Liaodong and climbed to the pinnacle of power, I never believed he could achieve such feats. During moments of leisure in handling state affairs, I often wondered how he managed to rise above others. Over time, even though I had long since let go, many years later I found myself thinking of him again, feeling Unwilling to accept. But such romantic entanglements can only remain in thoughts. If I had to choose again, I would still return to Northern Man. To spend a lifetime worrying about daily trivialities for a man—I’d be so bored I’d want to kill someone. After the Battle of Xilei Wall, I even wrote to Xu Xiao, urging him to seize the opportunity and declare himself emperor. I promised to support him from Northern Man, vowing that in the future, when I marched south and he advanced north, we would divide the Liyang realm like the big pancake he once shared with me in Jinzhou, each taking half, ruling north and south together. But he refused. Of course, even if that day had come, I would have gone back on my word. How could I truly share the world with him? ‘Women and petty men are hard to keep,’ as they say. I count as both, so who could possibly keep me? Even if he were Xu Xiao, I would be the one keeping him!”
The old woman sighed, “Only when soldiers are willing to risk their lives can chaos be quelled and order restored. You and the other generals have done well in that regard. Only when the people value life can there be no rebellion. The southern court’s old scholars and officials have done a decent job too. But unfortunately, the tides of fate still do not favor Northern Man. We must seize the moment and strive while we still can. Don’t be fooled by Northern Man’s four victories—Liyang has only suffered minor injuries, not deep wounds. With Biyan’er orchestrating the overall strategy and joining forces with Gu Jiantang to fortify the eastern border, Northern Man’s advantage will only diminish over time. Once Liyang fully recovers from the Spring and Autumn period and regains its strength, it will turn its wrath upon us. Therefore, before my death, no matter the outcome, while Taiping Decree has resurfaced, we must engage in one final battle. Whether it’s against Liyang or Northern Liang, I am still undecided. Both have their pros and cons. Old generals like Helian Wwei and Huang Songpu insist on attacking Liyang first, citing the example of the old Zhao Emperor who, upon listening to Yuan Benxi, chose to bite down on Xichu at all costs before easily conquering Nantang and Xishu. Taiping Decree and Dong Zhuo, along with many younger generals, insist on striking Northern Liang first, then proceeding to conquer Xishu and Nanzhao, forming an east-west standoff, which would be more stable. However, with the emergence of Chen Zhibao’s move to govern Xishu, the consensus has shifted. Now only Taiping Decree and Dong Fatso remain steadfast in their opinions. Many believe that facing Xu Xiao’s 300,000 cavalry and Chen Zhibao guarding Xishu is too risky, and it would be better to seek advantages on the eastern front against Gu Jiantang alone. As for me, when it comes to palace intrigue and the art of seduction, even Zhao Zhi from Tai’an City would have to learn from me. But when it comes to matters that determine the fate of the dynasty, it’s laughable to admit that I often rely solely on a woman’s intuition. Back in Jinzhou, Xu Quezi used to say that whenever he faced a difficult decision, he would flip a coin and leave it to fate—whatever happens, happens. Should I do the same? Tuo Ba, do you have a coin on you?”
The middle-aged man probably found the idea absurd, this time not even bothering to shake his head, his posture remaining still.
The old woman, who did not refer to herself as “I” or “the Your Majesty” in his presence, smiled bitterly, “With your straightforward nature, how could you have lost your temper at the Yellow River and killed our Qilin Taoist Immortal?”
The man sneered coldly, “Pretending to be divine. If it weren’t for the urgency to head north to the icy plains, I would have killed all those claiming to be ‘One Qi Manifesting Three Purities,’ except for the National Teacher Yuan Qingshan himself. Only then would the Emperor have peace of mind.”
The old woman smiled faintly, hugging the old fur coat she had With great difficulty retrieved from the bottom of a chest, and softly said, “How should the court interact with the martial world? Liyang learned from us Northern Man. Back then, ordering Xu Xiao to trample the martial world was thankless work. Neither the court, the martial world, nor Xu Xiao himself, who bore all the blame and curses, came out unscathed. A ruler wielding power should not personally engage in petty conflicts with martial artists—it’s beneath their dignity and harms their reputation. Instead, the best approach is to have martial artists vying to serve you. However, while cultivating several martial sects, one must also be cautious not to let them grow too powerful. A sect brimming with talents is like a weapon store in your own backyard. If their spearhead ever turn against you, it will bring nothing but disaster.”
The driver frowned, “What about the Moral Sect and the Chess and Sword Music Bureau, the two dominant forces in the Northern Man martial world?”
The old woman replied casually, “One is obsessed with immortality, the other with worldly affairs. Both have weaknesses and cannot stir great waves. Give you, Tuo Ba Bodhisattva, twenty thousand soldiers, and you can easily deal with them.”
The man nodded slightly.
The old woman shook the wine jar, “As for that woman and Murong Baoding’s illegitimate son hidden in the web, if it weren’t for the great calamity he suffered in Liyang and his true form being exposed, I would have been deceived by Li Mibi. But the old man had his own difficulties, so I won’t hold it against him this time. No wonder we couldn’t find him despite searching high and low before—he was hiding right under my nose all along. Yi Jie Liu, what a Yi Jie Liu, truly possessing the skill to grow shade wherever he is planted, making it hard to eradicate him completely.”
The man, Tuo Ba Bodhisattva, naturally had no intention of commenting on such a scandal involving the imperial family. His entire life was devoted solely to martial cultivation and leading troops. Beauty, official rank—these were all trivial external matters to him.
The Northern Man Empress looked at the sky and softly laughed, “Back then, the Zhao family wished nothing more than for Xu Xiao’s child to die young. When he survived and grew up, they believed he was as stubborn as Xu Quezi, never betraying Northern Man. Now, they are eager to see the Northern Liang’s 300,000 cavalry wiped out completely, a grand joke for them to enjoy. Either way, the Zhao family always profits. If the child had been slightly cunning, showing even a hint of willingness to defect to Northern Man when pressured by Liyang, he wouldn’t be in such a difficult and tiring situation. But then again, if this child were such a ‘clever’ Northern Liang King, Northern Man wouldn’t pose much of a threat, and Chen Zhibao probably wouldn’t have left Northern Liang. Whether or not there is a successor to Northern Liang in the west will determine if Chen Zhibao can secure his dominance in one decisive battle. Otherwise, the Zhao family is best at discarding a tool once its purpose is fulfilled. No matter how much the current Liyang Emperor favors him, he would still end up as a retired Shu King with only thirty to forty thousand elite troops, tolerated out of necessity but never truly trusted. That is no blessing—it is a great calamity. This Liyang Emperor is fine in every other way, except for his narrow heart. He isn’t even as stubborn as the old Xu Quezi, who deserves his fate.”
Tuo Ba Bodhisattva, the Northern Man’s military god, spoke freely, “If I were Xu Xiao, I would have rebelled after the White-Robed Incident.”
The Northern Man Empress, whose beauty was still faintly visible from her youth, smiled, “That’s why you will never become a man capable of making me, Wu Su, and Zhao Zhi all remember him. A man occasionally acting childish, brimming with killing intent, and possessing an air of divine or Buddhist transcendence—these are merely embellishments. What truly matters is brotherhood and human warmth. Without these, we women won’t even spare a glance. This world is never short of clever people. Those rare fools who refuse to live an easy life are the true treasures. Xu Xiao is the Butcher, the Northern Liang King, and also a fool. Unfortunately, this old fool who laughed at the Rivers and mountains with such simplicity will soon grow old after meeting you and me.”
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