In the northwestern frontier, a solitary city rises beside the desert, with vast clouds of sand stretching boundless and endless.
At dawn, the rhythmic sound of hooves echoes softly. A tall and imposing Grandmaster of Cultivation gently pulls the reins, gazing at the vast and desolate scenery before her, her heart especially serene. Only two riders accompany her. A day earlier, Wu Liuding and the female sword Knighty leading the Wu Clan’s hundred horsemen had parted ways with them, heading towards the Northern Liang Protectorate headquarters guarded by the White Horse Righteousnessfollowers. Without incident, these top sword experts in the world would serve as the most covert and sharp “blade tip” of the Northern Liang border army. As for Xu Beizhi, the young and influential official, he had already turned back alone.
She, Xu Fengnian, and Sui Xiegu continued northward, directly crossing the border defenses between Liang and Mang territory, brazenly entering the Longyao Prefecture of the Southern Court. Tan Tai Pingjing leaned forward and gently stroked the fine horse mane. This warhorse was indeed extraordinary, a steed with unmatched speed and endurance only the Northern Liang could raise. She looked up at the young Liang King sitting high on his horse, silent and composed. Along the journey, one after another secret report had been delivered into his hands, but Xu Fengnian simply read them and burned them without ever intervening in border military affairs. Such a hands-off ruler appeared easy and carefree, as if anyone could Competenthis position.
But Tan Tai Pingjing was no frog in a well. If Northern Liang truly commanded three hundred thousand cavalry, in a peaceful era it would have been enough to live comfortably as a prince of the Xu family. However, the Liang Kingdom of Liyang would have already eliminated such a threat long ago, especially in these turbulent times when the Northern Mang Empire’s million-strong army pressed upon the border. Any mediocre ruler unable to command respect would have caused chaos within Northern Liang even before the Northern Mang army showed its might. No matter how many soldiers the border army had, without unity, even another three hundred thousand armored warriors would not stop the Northern Mang’s tiger and wolf forces, unleashed like caged beasts.
Xu Fengnian absentmindedly rubbed the coarse reins with his thumb and index finger, halting his horse on a hill and gazing into the distance.
“Fire extinguished, smoke gone, the west is silent; the valley still, the mountains empty, the north is peaceful. As long as the general can fight a hundred battles, there’s no need for the emperor to build a Great Wall.”
This was a popular border poem in the Central Plains. The poet, once a promising scholar, fell into disgrace due to his words. Because of this poem’s reputation as “flattering Liang and Xu,” the poet languished for over a decade in local government after returning to the Central Plains, never receiving promotion, and eventually resigned in frustration and faded into obscurity. Xu Fengnian had once visited the poet’s hometown with Old Huang on their first journey across the martial world. Though he was short of money then, he still managed to buy a pot of wine to pay respects, though he only saw moss-covered steps and no one to greet him.
Xu Fengnian softly exhaled, thinking back to how he had blamed the Zhao family’s emperor at the time. But after experiencing the bureaucracy himself, he gradually realized it wasn’t necessarily the emperor’s fault, but rather the local officials who interpreted the emperor’s will and acted accordingly. Take Northern Liang itself as an example: how many officials tried to curry favor with him by offering priceless antiques and calligraphy to the Lu family of Qingzhou, who were related to Northern Liang by marriage? How many backdoors did they open for the Lu family’s descendants in the Northern Liang bureaucracy? Even some of the most upright scholars in Northern Liang’s academies favored the mediocre Lu family members, hoping to cultivate a connection with the Lu family and thus with the Xu family. If not for Lu Chengyan’s own judgment, Lu Feichi, head of the Lu family, would have already become the leading literary figure in Northern Liang.
Xu Fengnian couldn’t help but feel a sense of melancholy. He remembered the old Lu family patriarch giving Lu Feichi a simple bamboo lantern before his death, hoping that Lu Feichi could carry the flickering light of the chaotic times and keep the flame alive. But clearly, Lu Feichi, who had long resented the move to the barren Northern Liang, found the Lu family’s rise to prominence there too easy. Not only Lu Feichi, but the entire Lu family became too proud too quickly, unlike the more discreet old fox, Wang Linquan, who was also a relative of the royal family. What truly troubled Xu Fengnian was Wang Linquan’s compliance. The more the Wang family of Chunshen Lake deliberately yielded to the scholarly Lu family, the more it seemed like a trap for the Lu family to fall into. Wang Linquan’s scheming, in fact, was even more troubling to Xu Fengnian than the Lu family’s lack of awareness.
But these murky and tangled affairs were hard to resolve, and Xu Fengnian, as the “son-in-law” of both families, could not possibly use his authority as the Northern Liang King to bully them. In the end, any action he took would likely be seen as favoring one over the other.
Fortunately, these thorny issues were not urgent, and Lu Chengyan’s handling of them was appropriate and graceful, even earning the approval of Xu Fengnian’s second sister, Xu Wei Xiong, who admitted she could find no fault in Lu Chengyan. Between women, the relationships of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, sisters-in-law, and co-wives were all battles without visible blades. A man caught in the middle could only suffer.
Xu Fengnian, or rather Northern Liang’s greatest threat, had not changed since Xu Xiao was enfeoffed as King of Northern Liang: the ever-watchful Northern Mang.
If the Northern Mang could defeat Northern Liang and bypass the eastern border guarded by Gu Jiantang, the fertile lands of the Central Plains would be left vulnerable, like a helpless woman. How could the hungry and desperate Northern Mang not throw everything at Northern Liang?
In the past, under the planning of Xu Xiao and his teacher Li Yishan, although the question of whether to defend Northern Liang was never in doubt, the strategy of how to defend it still allowed enough flexibility for the Northern Liang cavalry to maneuver. They could retreat with the refugees to the Western Regions or fall back to Xishu with Nanzhao as a base, continuing to resist the Northern Mang army. Even if the Northern Mang captured Northern Liang after the defenders withdrew, it would only be a desolate and empty land, stretching the Northern Mang’s supply lines. Northern Liang could continue to resist at the western border of Xishu or harass the extended Northern Mang front across the vast Western Regions. However, with Chen Zhibao enfeoffed and entering Shu, the entire western line of Northern Liang, Xishu, and Nanzhao was severed, leaving Xu Fengnian and Northern Liang with no strategic depth but to hold their ground.
Deep in his heart, Xu Fengnian felt a guilt he could not share with anyone—not for betraying the people of Northern Liang, but simply for feeling he had let Li Yishan down.
Within the Northern Liang army, there was too much optimism about the internal strife in the Northern Mang royal court. Xu Fengnian did not believe this would significantly weaken the Northern Mang’s military strength. As long as there was profit to be had, it would be inevitable. The old woman would use both rewards and punishments, with Tuoba Pusa’s army to suppress dissent and promises of noble titles for entering the Central Plains, uniting the nation in a determined push southward. The time would not be far off.
Sui Xiegu, over a hundred years old, had traveled all over the Jiangnan region and seen emperors, generals, commoners, and beggars. The ways of the world could no longer stir the old man with one arm. Standing beside Xu Fengnian, who was lost in thought, he grew bored and casually asked, “When I was young, I never understood how generals and soldiers could enjoy war so much. Were they really not afraid of death? The Spring and Autumn Wars were understandable—life was cheap in troubled times, and people didn’t value their lives. But now Northern Liang has enjoyed peace for a long time. Can it really withstand the Northern Mang’s million-strong army?”
Xu Fengnian replied calmly, “It’s a simple truth: sacrificing the family for the country, sacrificing the self for the family. No one fears death, but everyone keeps their own account. The Northern Liang cavalry’s fearless bravery comes not only from their naturally bold nature but also from the knowledge that they have no retreat. Their homes are in Northern Liang. If they retreat and the army disbands, the Northern Mang cavalry will ride south, and even if they escape Northern Liang, their legs cannot outrun the Northern Mang horses.”
Sui Xiegu sneered, “Not a single one of you officials is good.”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “I haven’t retreated either, have I?”
Sui Xiegu rolled his eyes, “With your skills, why not go alone to Longyao Prefecture and cut through it seven times? Can’t Tuoba Pusa and Hong Jingyan follow you around all day?”
Xu Fengnian replied calmly, “I could do that, but the top martial artists on the Northern Mang rankings could do the same. In a war between two nations, such actions are not entirely meaningless, but they are of little significance. Of course, if one day Northern Liang can no longer defend the northwestern gate, I will definitely do so.”
Sui Xiegu was about to speak again when Tan Tai Pingjing let out a cold snort. The old sword-eating monster immediately closed his mouth.
At that moment, a cloud of dust rose in the distance, heading southward. Apparently spotting the three sudden riders on the small sand hill, the skilled riders galloped toward the hill but did not act recklessly. They halted fifty zhang from the foot of the hill, facing Xu Fengnian and the other three riders on the hilltop.
It was a unit of Northern Mang elite scouts. Judging from their armor and attire, they were not the famous Raven Barracks, but rather the vanguard of General Liu Gui, the Southern Court’s great general.
Liu Gui had once been praised by the Northern Mang Empress as capable of replacing half of Xu Xiao. Originally a candidate to succeed Huang Songpu as the Southern Chancellor, he had been beaten to the post by the Empress’s “Fat Dong.”
As scouts, whether Northern Mang or Northern Liang, the most important thing was discipline. Unless it was a chance encounter between scouts, the primary task was to gather intelligence without revealing their presence.
However, if they could easily take a few enemy heads, no one would refuse.
One rider from the unit charged forward, drawing his bow at a hundred paces and shooting an arrow straight at Xu Fengnian’s head. The barbarian probably wanted to test the strength of the three riders. If they were too strong, he would retreat; if they were weak, he would kill them and take their horses.
Now that the two armies faced each other, the earliest to start exchanging lives would be the scouts.
Xu Fengnian turned his head and dodged the arrow.
The unit quickly turned their horses and retreated.
Sui Xiegu widened his eyes and asked, “You didn’t even take the meat in front of your mouth? Even mosquito meat is meat!”
Xu Fengnian shook his head, “There will naturally be top Northern Liang scouts watching secretly. Now the Northern Mang’s harassment seems inexplicable, but I have already paid an immeasurable price to understand their true intentions. These Northern Mang scouts’ routes have become the most valuable clues. As for who is the real bait, it depends on both sides’ strength and luck.”
Sui Xiegu said carelessly, “Such winding intestines are really not straightforward!”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “Do you want the Northern Mang’s million-strong army to obediently gather in one place and fight a decisive battle with our thirty riders all at once?”
Sui Xiegu retorted, “If everyone saves trouble, it’s a happy ending for all. Whoever loses just leaves. What else do you want?”
Xu Fengnian couldn’t help but smile. “The Northern Mang barbarians would love Northern Liang to do that. To be honest, I would like it too.”
The old swordsman’s words sounded naive and absurd, but if the two sides could indeed act so decisively and without hesitation, it would indeed be a happy ending. The Northern Mang would have the chance to swallow the tiger blocking their southern route, while Northern Liang might also have the hope of defeating the Northern Mang army in one stroke. The Northern Mang’s advantage was obvious: they had an absolute numerical superiority. But Northern Liang’s advantage lay in the Northern Mang army’s temporary lack of unified command. Although Dong Zhuo was now the nominal commander-in-chief, aside from his own Dong family’s ten thousand troops, Hong Jingyan’s Rouran cavalry, and the garrisons of Longyao Prefecture and Gusai Prefecture, he could only partially control the armies of generals like Liu Gui and Yang Yuanzan. He could not command them as easily as moving his own limbs. But Northern Liang was different. Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuo Zong could completely control the Northern Liang army. In a decisive battle, this was Northern Liang’s opportunity. However, such a reckless gamble, staking the fate of two dynasties on a single confrontation, was too luxurious for both sides.
Xu Fengnian watched the Northern Mang scouts retreat northward and softly said, “Half of Xu Xiao? No matter who wins or loses this great battle, your four thousand men will surely perish.”
Tan Tai Pingjing asked, “What’s next? Do we go to the Protectorate or continue north?”
“Let’s take a look at the Northern Mang’s million-strong army.”
Xu Fengnian spurred his horse down the hill and galloped northward.
Sui Xiegu, following behind, grumbled, “Didn’t you just say this kind of behavior is meaningless?!”
Xu Fengnian smiled, turned his head to look at the tall woman, and pretended to ask, “Master Tan Tai, did I say that?”
Tan Tai Pingjing expressionlessly replied, “No.”
Sui Xiegu wanted to say something but held it in, looking very uncomfortable.
Xu Fengnian hummed a little tune to himself.
“The King sent me to patrol the mountains, I patrol the northern mountains and then the southern ones…
I patrol the eastern mountains and kill passersby, I patrol the western mountains and watch the sun. My King has three heads and six arms, I carry a pretty girl on my back, poor me, the delicious meat in front of my mouth I can’t eat. When can I become the King…”
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