In the Liyang Dynasty, the esteemed historian of the Hanlin Academy who compiled the “History of the Northern Han” was lavish with his praise, unlike his deliberate belittlement of the Eastern Yue and Southern Tang. He especially admired the Northern Han, particularly Jizhou, calling it “Jizhou Overflowing with Heroes” and describing its people as “generous warriors who remain noble spirits even in death.” However, after the Fan family, a pillar of the Northern Han military, perished one after another in confrontations with the butcher Xu Xiao, and after the Han family, having defected to Liyang, was ultimately executed in full, and after the veteran general Yang Shenxing was trapped with his old soldiers from Jizhou in the Guangling Route, Jizhou’s valorous spirit was exhausted. Jizhou, like an old man unwilling to accept age, eventually truly grew old.
As the sun set in the west, two men stood side by side on the battlements of Hengshui City, the most forward position in northern Jizhou, bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
The man in his forties, dressed in the official robes of a civilian official of Liyang, had a refined and scholarly demeanor, though his face bore the ruggedness of one long stationed at the frontier. This was Wei Jingtang, the commander of Hengshui City, who had been the second-place graduate in the Yonghui ninth year imperial examination. He had not chosen to use the Hanlin Academy as a stepping stone for building political influence. Instead, he first served as an observer in the Ministry of War for half a year, and soon requested transfer to the borderlands from his mentor Zhang Julu. The Chief Minister agreed to half his request—agreeing to his transfer but not allowing him to go to Liaodong. Thus, Wei Jingtang came to Jizhou, initially serving as a county magistrate in southern Jizhou. As his official rank gradually increased, his jurisdiction moved ever closer to the border of Jizhou, until he became the chief official overseeing both military and civil affairs of Hengshui City, holding the rank of fourth junior grade. In terms of financial gain, unless one involved oneself in border trade, one could not even match a county magistrate from Jiangnan. In terms of prestige, he lagged far behind several outstanding peers from his examination year who had enjoyed smooth career progress. One of his fellow townspeople, originally just a third-tier jinshi, had a childhood grudge with him. Now in the capital merely a director in the Ministry of War, he had always been giving Wei trouble. Previously, when officials from the Ministry of War observed the border, one of his fellow townspeople, a colleague in the Ministry of War, had even sent Wei a letter during the trip. The letter mockingly asked, “How does the northwest wind taste?” and openly threatened to make him spend his entire life in this godforsaken place, Hengqiu. Wei Jingtang merely smiled at this. His fellow townsman, who had ingratiated himself with Jin Sanlang of the capital, would likely never understand how magnificent the desolate frontier, which he regarded as barren wasteland, truly was, and how it could inspire a scholar to abandon his brush for arms without regret!
Beside Wei Jingtang stood the young general Yu Luandao, the youthful commander of over ten thousand cavalry in Youzhou.
Previously, when the Northern Man cavalry displayed their might beyond the border, Liu Yanlang abandoned Yin Yao City, leaving behind only some elderly and disabled soldiers and around a dozen officials who had failed to flatter their superiors and were thus left to die. Yu Luandao’s cavalry did not rush into the city but instead encamped outside Yin Yao City. When they noticed Hengshui City remained inactive, Yu Luandao personally entered the city two days earlier to meet with Wei Jingtang. Afterward, Yu Luandao’s subordinates took control of Yin Yao City’s granary. Wei Jingtang, though technically entitled to intervene, chose to turn a blind eye. His subordinates were indignant, but Wei simply said, “The grain in Yin Yao is something Hengshui City cannot touch. Taking even a single grain would cost someone his official post. But if we instead entrust it to those willing to draw their swords against the Northern Man, what is wrong with that?”
The exceptionally handsome Yu Luandao wore at his waist not only the hereditary legendary blade “Da Luan,” but also a newly acquired, eye-catching cool saber. He quietly asked, “Minister Wei, I still don’t understand. But I would still like to thank you on behalf of Beiliang.”
Wei Jingtang remained silent, his expression resolute as he gazed at the endless expanse of yellow sand and desert.
Refusing to move southward was a crime; allowing Yin Yao’s grain stores to be seized by Youzhou’s cavalry was an even greater one. If the official from the Ministry of War who had observed the borderlands returned to the capital and submitted a memorial accusing Wei of poor governance, that would be yet another offense.
Combined, these offenses were enough to cost Wei Jingtang his head.
Old comrades from Hengqiu, men who had shared life-and-death bonds, also failed to understand. Some nearly tried to bind him and drag him back to southern Jizhou, saying that Hengshui City would be defended by them alone and did not require Wei Jingtang’s presence.
Yet in the end, Wei Jingtang still stood here.
Yu Luandao smiled and said, “Although certain people from Jizhou secretly support my cavalry’s provisions at great risk, without the Yin Yao granary, we would still be in dire straits today. Yuan Tingshan is certainly eager to show me a thing or two.”
Wei Jingtang replied impartially, “Though his character resembles that of a clown, irritating and detestable, we must admit that his military command and strategy are indeed quite formidable.”
As Yu Luandao watched the rising columns of smoke from signal fires in the distance, he smiled and said, “Minister Wei, just pretend I’m sulking with you. Today, I will prove to you one thing: although Youzhou’s cavalry may not match the iron riders of Liangzhou, we are certainly far superior to your Jibei cavalry!”
Wei Jingtang smiled faintly, shaking his head helplessly. “I shall look forward to it.”
Yu Luandao turned to leave but suddenly turned back, unfastening the cool saber from his waist and placing it solemnly on the city wall. “Minister Wei, regardless of whether you accept it or not, this cool saber is a gift from me. Beiliang respects every soul brave enough to fight to the death!”
Wei Jingtang did not reach for the saber but smiled and asked, “Even though I am the Chief Minister’s student? Even though I have always called General Xu Xiao a traitor who brought chaos to the nation?”
Yu Luandao burst into laughter, suddenly saluted with a fist, left the saber behind, and departed with elegance.
Watching the young man, a direct heir of the Yu family who should have enjoyed a bright future in the Liyang bureaucracy, descend from the city wall, Wei Jingtang turned his gaze back to the Beiliang saber, murmuring softly, “What a Beiliang.”
Lifting his head to gaze at the sky, tears filled Wei Jingtang’s eyes as he smiled, saying, “Teacher, in your letter you asked if I dared to drink with you below, Student Wei Jingtang would be delighted to do so!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage