Chapter 653: Chen Zhibao

The man who harbored a fondness for tiger brains, Huyan Nao Nao, furrowed his brows. The smallest among the many warriors from Shu, the deputy general from Youzhou, did not glance at the blind female qin player who had fallen into their trap. Instead, he pointed at the latticed balcony of the stilted house.

Then Dian Xiongchu saw a dark, emaciated figure, small as a child, suddenly spring forth. It snatched up the unconscious Crown Prince of Xishu and dashed along the railing of the balcony. As the figure prepared to leap from the stilted house, Huyan Nao Nao hurled his Shu saber, which embedded itself into a pillar, the hilt vanishing in an instant. The dark figure carrying Susu twisted its body mid-lunge into a grotesque posture, narrowly dodging the flying blade. It shattered the railing and plunged into the open air outside the house. In that moment, a volley of crossbow bolts rained down like a storm upon the reed-pipe square. The blind qin player, Xue Songguan, tilted her head slightly, plucking a string as if adjusting its tone. The dozens of heavy crossbow bolts shattered mid-air. Then, with her little finger bent, she plucked the first string—the most solemn and revered of all. The string formed a beautifully curved arc, yet never struck. At the same time, her left thumb struck the other six strings. The royal son-in-law Fu Tao and the former Southern Tang nobleman Wang Jiangwu both stepped forward, each delivering a slash. Countless tiny cracks appeared along the edges of their blades.

Xue Songguan still kept her head lowered. The curved finger suddenly straightened, and the taut string snapped back. Her right hand withdrew into her sleeve and struck downward across all the strings. The entire reed-pipe square, paved with river stones, began to crack outward from her as the epicenter. Among the warriors from Shu, Huyan Nao Nao led the charge, the only one who did not retreat but advanced instead. The diminutive general, now weaponless, bent low and drew Dian Xiongchu’s sword, his face twisted in a savage grin. He leapt forward three zhang, landed, and with a flick of his toes, shifted sideways. The river stones beneath his landing spot exploded. Then Huyan Nao Nao tilted his head, and immediately a bloom of blood erupted from his ear. A sliver of his ear had been sliced away by an invisible musical note, yet he laughed all the harder. He continued his charge, leaping forward a few steps before rolling sideways through the air. Behind him, five or six zhang away, Dian Xiongchu extended his hand as though snapping a string. Fragments of broken strings still left several marks upon his armor. Dian Xiongchu ignored the blood on his palm and fixed his gaze on the young blind qin player, murmuring in astonishment.

Not every general can be a warrior capable of defeating a thousand men, nor is it necessary. Dian Xiongchu, though acknowledged as a martial expert, had only recently crossed into the second-tier realm. Yet even so, when it came to leading a charge, he might well be more deadly than any second-tier martial artist in the jianghu. After all, in the martial world, it is rare to see the absurd spectacle of many fighting one, but in battlefield charges, it is crucial for a warrior to be able to hear in all directions and watch in all directions.

Yet there are exceptions among military officers. Xu Longxiang, who rose to fame during the raid on Beiman, and renowned generals of the Spring and Autumn Period like Chen Zhibao and Yuan Zongzuo are examples. On the western Shu road, Huyan Nao Nao and the young, as yet obscure, Cheye are also such exceptions. Especially the latter two, who have everything prepared except for the grand stage upon which to perform. In the Liyang court, where seniority dictates rank, standing out is as difficult as climbing to the heavens—only through endurance can one rise.

The woman, whose beauty was only modest, indeed possessed the bearing of a Grandmaster capable of holding a pass against ten thousand men. Even facing their numerous and arrogant elite soldiers, she remained composed throughout, her expression never wavering. Even as Huyan Nao Nao’s blade approached within three zhang of her, her hand upon the strings showed no sign of haste, nor did she even lift her head to glance at Huyan Nao Nao. Instead, she cradled the qin with one hand and extended the other, palm up, reaching beneath the strings. Her thumb and middle finger grasped the inner and outer strings, forming a gesture like cupping water in one hand. With a calm voice and a faint smile, she said, “A single spoon of water holds the taste of the boundless sea. A single flower blooms into heaven and earth.”

Huyan Nao Nao’s blade was but three inches from cleaving the qin when, as the blind qin player gently released her fingers in a blooming gesture, he halted his strike. Yet he was still too late to evade completely. His finely crafted armor shattered into dust in an instant, and the fierce general was drenched in blood. At that moment, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a scene on the distant stilted house. Gritting his teeth, he gripped his sword with both hands, roared, and charged toward the blind woman.

Xue Songguan turned around, for the first time radiating a resolute and fearless aura. Yet her resolve was not aimed at the equally determined Huyan Nao Nao, but at the man who had silently intercepted Susu’s escape route. From the beginning, this man had never deigned to acknowledge her. In a flash, he stood atop a slightly lower stilted house, perfectly blocking the path of retreat for the dark figure and Susu. Xue Songguan allowed Huyan Nao Nao’s blade to strike her shoulder and, with all ten fingers pressing the strings, caused the rooftop beneath the man’s feet to collapse with a thunderous boom. Yet no sound came from the qin—though the strings were pressed, no music was heard. Still, the man did not budge, and the hidden deadly notes shattered on their own. Xue Songguan sighed softly, extended a finger, snapped a string, and flicked it gently toward the man.

Huyan Nao Nao, left out of the fray, furiously swung his blade and shouted, “You wench, dare you look down on your old man Huyan!”

Xue Songguan, having snapped one string herself, proceeded to sever the remaining five in succession, each time using the force of the broken string to block the fierce strikes from Huyan Nao Nao behind her.

Yet no matter how composed Xue Songguan appeared before generals like Huyan Nao Nao, the gap between her and that man was as vast as the chasm between generals like Dian Xiongchu and herself—impossible to cross. Her finger hovered over the final string, hesitating to break it.

The man hovered in midair, one hand gripping Susu’s shoulder, the other clamping the neck of the dark figure. For the first time, the figure revealed itself—a dwarfed old man weighing no more than sixty jin.

Xue Songguan dared not snap the string. The moment she did, it would mean the deaths of Susu and the venerable elder from Manxi.

In the next moment, the man returned to the corridor of the latticed balcony, gently setting down Susu and the old man. He did not seem intent on killing them. Xue Songguan, puzzled, leapt into the air, her qin in hand, hopping across the rooftops of bamboo houses. She stood at one end of the railing, facing off against the man. But Xue Songguan knew all too well—this was a futile gesture. Three of her would not be his match. Even if the blacksmith who once forged swords for the Sword Emperor of Xishu were here, along with the “Lord of the Thirty-Six Manxi Tribes,” who was now pretending to be dead, it would still be meaningless.

The man, exuding a strange and powerful aura, glanced at the old man curled up on the ground and smiled, “Senior Meng Gu, is it not a little unseemly to pretend to be a grandson in front of this junior?”

The dwarfed old man muttered with his eyes closed, “Whoever has stronger martial arts is the grandfather. Just consider me already dead. Don’t bother with me!”

Huyan Nao Nao, furious at the blind qin player, stomped along the rooftops, leaping high, about to strike, when the man calmly said, “Tiger-Eater, stop.”

Huyan Nao Nao grabbed the eaves mid-leap, hanging in the air, his body exuding blood and malice. Yet upon hearing the man’s words, he obediently retracted his blade, landing gently on the latticed balcony and squatting there in sullen silence.

The man glanced at the qin player and gestured, “Wake him. I have something to say.”

Xue Songguan hesitated, then stepped forward and gently patted Susu awake.

Still dazed, Susu struggled to grasp the situation. After rising, he stood protectively in front of Xue Songguan, his voice trembling, “If you want to kill or maim, come at me! She has nothing to do with this!”

The dwarfed old man, feigning death on the ground, rolled his eyes in exasperation. Being a follower to such a little brat was truly shameful. If it weren’t for the old tortoise Zhao Dingshou begging him endlessly, he wouldn’t have come out of hiding to get involved in this mess. Back then, he had nearly been skinned alive by the Cat-Man. He never wanted to entangle himself with Central Plains martial artists again. Besides, this so-called Crown Prince of Xishu was no prize either. Where was the sign of a worthy ruler? He was timid, narrow-minded, always wandering about pretending to be a great hero, doing nothing of importance, living day to day. It would have been better for Xishu to have no such Crown Prince at all.

Then Susu asked a question that made Huyan Nao Nao’s face twitch, “Who are you?”

The man hesitated, then smiled softly, “Chen Zhibao.”

Susu took a step back in fear, his legs trembling. Fortunately, Xue Songguan supported him, or he would have collapsed.

The small butcher of the Spring and Autumn Wars, the White RobeBing Immortal in the Emperor’s mouth, the Minister of War of the Liyang Dynasty after Gu Jiantang and before Lu Baijie, now the King of Shu.

Chen Zhibao turned his gaze to the foot of the mountain and said calmly, “The reason I do not kill you, Susu, is that I wish to make a deal with Zhao Dingshou. This deal was originally between Beiliang and you. But after I was enfeoffed as King of Shu, I severed your connection. Now, Beiliang can at most secretly send you some silver, but not a single soldier or piece of armor will pass through Shu. Since Beiliang broke its promise first, you cannot blame you for breaking yours. Moreover, your life is in my hands. Whether or not to make this deal, if Old Master Zhao were here, he would not hesitate.”

Susu, summoning his courage, asked, “You mean you want us to abandon Xu Fengnian and rise up in Nanzhao according to your plan?”

He sneered, “Hmph! I may not be skilled in martial arts, but I’m not the kind to forget kindness!”

The old dwarfed man, whose life hung by a thread, jumped up in fury and slapped the foolhardy youth, then lay back on the ground, still fuming, “You want to die? Go ahead! Don’t drag your old grandpa Meng Gu down with you!”

Chen Zhibao chuckled softly, “Forget kindness?”

Susu, emboldened by some unknown courage, stuck out his neck, his face flushed red, “I don’t like Xu Fengnian, and I hate people like you even more!”

Chen Zhibao did not take offense but muttered to himself, “There are public and private, great and small kinds of kindness. Just as these Miao people protect you, the exiled crown prince, because they once benefited from Old Master Zhao’s mercy, they repay kindness with kindness. Until their deaths, they still owe you, Susu.”

Chen Zhibao ordered, “Tiger-Eater, go kill. Kill them all.”

Huyan Nao Nao took off with his blade, and soon wails and blood filled the Miao village.

Chen Zhibao did not look at the furious Susu but asked, “Say the word, and I can make them stop.”

Susu wrestled with his conscience, closed his eyes, and dared not look at the Miao people who had shared drinks with him yesterday, now lying in pools of blood. The able-bodied Miao men were nearly all dead, and next would come the women, children, and elders.

Susu turned his head, his expression dazed, looked at Xue Songguan, and helplessly asked, “Will the Master agree?”

The blind qin player hesitated.

Susu lowered his head in despair, “He will. As long as it means restoring the kingdom, the Master will agree.”

Chen Zhibao said calmly, “I promise you, elsewhere may have kings, but only Shu may have an emperor.”

Susu choked up, “What does that have to do with me? I never wanted to restore the kingdom, never thought about those distant dreams of imperial dominance…”

Chen Zhibao smiled, “Out of reach? Your single thought just now has already caused thirty-seven Miao people to die, and more will follow. If you are a useless wretch who ignores great kindness, then you seem to ignore even small kindnesses.”

Susu raised his head and roared, “Stop!”

Chen Zhibao smiled, unmoved.

Susu, eyes red, charged at Chen Zhibao, fists swinging, “I told you to stop! Did you hear me?!”

Without even moving, Chen Zhibao sent Susu flying backward, where he was caught in Xue Songguan’s arms.

Chen Zhibao raised his arm, and the slaughter in the village ceased.

Chen Zhibao narrowed his eyes, gazing into the distance, and said mockingly, “What if I told you that Old Master Zhao came to me a month ago, seeking to abandon Beiliang and ally with me? Would you believe me?”

Susu, blood trickling from his lips, muttered in disbelief, “Impossible… impossible…”

Chen Zhibao did not look at Susu but turned to Xue Songguan, “Go tell Zhao Dingshou. I agree. Shu will give you thirty thousand troops within six months. Within a year, either you conquer Nanzhao and we’ll talk again, or I will conquer you.”

Xue Songguan, expressionless, nodded.

She helped Susu away from the latticed balcony.

The dwarfed old man, who had narrowly escaped death, chuckled and stood up, dusting off his rear before preparing to leave.

But from behind came a voice, “Meng Gu, back then, someone accompanied the late Emperor on a tour of Shu. You tried to assassinate him and called him ‘Xu the Lame’—do I remember that correctly?”

The old man froze, his laughter dry, “Ancient history. I’ve long forgotten. Your Majesty, the King of Shu, is so magnanimous—please, just let it pass like a fart.”

In the next instant, Chen Zhibao held Meng Gu’s severed head in one hand, while the headless body slumped lifelessly onto the corridor.

Chen Zhibao casually tossed the head into the distance and smiled, “Chen Zhibao, originally named Chen Zhibao. What a fine name—‘Knowing Kindness and Returning Favor.’”