As the Qingming Festival approached,
the northern Liang province experienced no rain this year.
The people of northern Liang grew increasingly stable. The Tiger-Headed City of Liangzhou remained as solid as a mountain, while the Twilight glow City near the Gourd Pass, which had seemed on the verge of collapse, managed to hold its ground. Young men from the Liuzhou gradually joined the border armies of various provinces. Suddenly, the two Towncommanders Willow Budsand Poriafound themselves under the command of a new general named Kou. Officially titled as the Deputy General of Liangzhou, this Kouwas a man of real authority. With the illustrious military exploits of Youzhou’s Yu Lu Dao outside the Gourd Passserving as a precedent, the border forces of Liangzhou found this situation quite normal. This also demonstrated that the young prince’s control over the military and political affairs of northern Liang was growing stronger, something that could not be attributed solely to his surname Xu.
The Qingming Festival falls between mid-spring and late spring, when the weather is clear and bright, and all things become visible, hence its name. In previous years, northern Liang shared similar customs with the Central Plains. Besides the tradition of tomb sweeping and ancestor worship, people also lit lanterns for blessings at night and inserted willow branches to ward off evil spirits. However, this year, the government of northern Liang issued a special order prohibiting the insertion and wearing of willow branches without explanation. Qingming is one of the ghost festivals, occurring at the time when willow branches sprout and turn green. Thus, the saying “willow branches on the door keep ghosts away” became widely popular. However, many troublemakers in northern Liang had either already left the region or been subdued, so there was no significant dissent or controversy over this minor issue.
In the second year of the Xiangfu era, there was no rain in Liangzhou during the Qingming Festival, and the weather was gentle and pleasant.
However, in the city of State City, located at the Cool Mountain of Liangzhou, an unspoken solemnity pervaded. Important figures kept arriving with their retinues. Except for the Northern Liang Commander-in-Chief Zhu Lushan, who remained at Huaiyang Pass, the cavalry commander Yuan Zu Zong did not head south, and the infantry commander Yan Wenluan guarded the border of Youzhou. Almost all the other border generals came to this city: Zhou Kang, Gu Dazu, He Zhonghu, Chen Yunchui, the governor of Youzhou Hu Kui, the general of Youzhou Huangfu Ping, and even the Finance Minister Li Gongde and the governor of Lingzhou Xu Beizhi gradually arrived.
This was the first time since Xu Fengnian inherited the title of Prince of Northern Liang that the Cool Mountain Mansion gathered so many military stars, making it an unprecedented spectacle.
The next day was the Qingming Festival. Two riders from the northern border of Liangzhou quietly entered the city under the cover of night. After entering through the southern city gate, they rode along the main street heading north, directly toward the legendary Northern Liang Prince’s Mansion, which was filled with legends for the whole court of the Liyang Dynasty.
Kou Jianghuai, the Deputy General of Liangzhou who used the alias Kou Beishang, smiled at Xu Fengnian beside him while riding slowly: “Are there still people trying to assassinate you at the Prince’s Mansionnow? There shouldn’t be anymore. Xu Fengnian, one of the four grand masters in the world, whether or not he is the Prince of Northern Liang, no one dares to provoke trouble anymore.”
Xu Fengnian just smiled at this.
Only after getting to know Kou Jianghuai well did Xu Fengnian realize that, despite his cold and forbidding appearance, the man was actually quite talkative. Once he started talking, he couldn’t stop. During their journey together, Kou Jianghuai asked Xu Fengnian countless questions about his first travels through the martial world, prying into every detail. On the other hand, Kou Jianghuai never took the initiative to ask about military and political affairs of Northern Liang. When occasionally discussing the military affairs of Guangling that could shake the entire nation, he always adopted a casual and indifferent attitude, which greatly surprised Xu Fengnian. He had never imagined that there could be generals like this, standing somewhere between the fearless warrior who leads charges and the refined general who commands with grace. As a swordsman, Kou Jianghuai was particularly excited to learn that Xu Fengnian had traveled with Li Chungan and had also interacted with Deng Taiya. He was eager to know everything about the two previous Sword Saints—what they wore, what they ate. So when Xu Fengnian revealed that the old man in the goatskin cloak actually liked to pick his feet and dig his ears, Kou Jianghuai was utterly devastated. He remained silent for nearly half a day before finally recovering his spirits, muttering, “So that’s what a true master’s demeanor looks like,” “No wonder he could cultivate the finest sword techniques in the world by refusing to conform to the mundane. I guess I should wear a tattered goatskin too.” But when Xu Fengnian added that the Peach Blossom Sword Saint wasn’t particularly handsome or refined, and was actually more approachable than Kou Jianghuai himself, Kou Jianghuai fell silent again. When Kou Jianghuai finally recovered from his injuries, Xu Fengnian casually mentioned that he had only been cultivating martial arts for three or four years and had somehow become a Grand Master by sheer luck. This devastated Kou Jianghuai, a swordsman of considerable skill, so much that he fell completely silent. It wasn’t until they finally entered Liangzhou City that Kou Jianghuai seemed to regain some of his spirit.
As they approached the Cool Mountain and could faintly see its lights, Kou Jianghuai suddenly felt relieved and said, “Even though you try to make it sound easy, I know how hard-earned your current success really is.”
Xu Fengnian smiled faintly and said, “If saying that helps you feel better, then you can think of it that way. Let me roughly calculate—I started training with a saber on Wudang Mountain, from a minor master of the second rank to reaching the realm of a terrestrial immortal above the earthly realm. If we count it properly, there are six stages, and I broke through more than once a year. Oh, by the way, you’re still a minor master, right? Haven’t reached the Realm of the Indestructibleyet. If you’re lucky, in four or five years, you might become the greatest martial artist in the world.”
So Kou Jianghuai had nothing to say.
The Deputy General of Liangzhou still looked rather ill when he entered the magnificent Prince’s Mansion.
Two young tiger spirits, excitedly ran to greet Xu Fengnian. The one nicknamed King Kongjumped directly into Xu Fengnian’s arms, while its older sister “Bodhisattva” playfully bit the hem of Xu Fengnian’s robe.
Then Xu Fengnian left Kou Jianghuai at the Listening-to-the-Tide Lake and took the two joyful young tiger spirits to the Phoenix Tree Courtyard. His second sister Xu Wei Xiong and Lu Chengyan were naturally there, busily working with those young women who were known as “female scholars” on Approval in Red. His second sister merely glanced at Xu Fengnian and then lowered her head again. Xu Fengnian walked to Lu Chengyan’s desk and was surprised to find that the girl Wang Chu Dong was also present in the Phoenix Tree Courtyard, sitting at a desk next to Lu Chengyan. She seemed to be working on a book titled “The Collection of Northern Liang’s Heroes,” which was destined to be ignored by the literary circles of the Liyang Dynasty. When Xu Fengnian pulled up a chair to sit between them, the little girl was still holding her brush, lost in thought, her expression of earnest daydreaming making Xu Fengnian and Lu Chengyan exchange a knowing smile.
Not far away, after finishing the review of a report, Xu Wei Xiong put down her brush, rubbed her wrist, and softly said, “Lu Xu will be entering the capital in these days. You should have had Mi Fengjie and Fan Xiao Chai bind him and bring him to Cool Mountain. That would have made it much easier for Deputy Finance Minister Song.”
Xu Fengnian raised both hands in surrender and pleaded, “Well, I did bring back Kou Jianghuai, right? That should count as making up for it.”
Xu Wei Xiong glared at him and said, “Kou Jianghuai not coming to Northern Liang is merely ‘not possible,’ but Lu Xu, who helped Zhao Xun submit his memorial, arriving in Tai’an City and being employed by Zhao Zhuan, will be detrimental to Northern Liang. That is a ‘loss.’ How can these two be confused?”
Xu Fengnian looked distressed and dared not argue back.
Lu Chengyan didn’t try to help him with words either, just gave him a slight smile.
Wang Dongxiang, who was known as “The One Who Won with a Book” and was a great literary figure, finally noticed that Xu Fengnian was sitting just a short distance away. She was so startled that she leaned backward, causing both her and her chair to fall over. Xu Fengnian gently reached out and pulled the chair back into place. Wang Chudong, who had made a fool of herself, looked extremely embarrassed, as if wanting to find a place to hide, like a startled little fox. Xu Fengnian made a face at her, and she immediately brightened with a smile, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons and dimples appearing on her cheeks.
Xu Fengnian smiled and said, “Don’t work too hard, remember to balance work and rest. You can also practice the Wudang Mountain martial arts when you have free time.”
Xu Weixiong replied without enthusiasm, “You’re just saying that because it’s easy for you.”
Xu Fengnian carefully made a face at Lu Chengyan and Wang Chudong, and the maids in the Phoenix Tree Courtyard, who were sitting at that table, couldn’t help but secretly smile.
As Xu Weixiong was about to continue scolding him, Xu Fengnian quickly stood up and said, “I’ll go see Mr. Song.”
As the Northern Liang King ran off with the two tiger spirits trailing behind, the atmosphere in the Phoenix Tree Courtyardbecame much more relaxed.
The treatment Xu Fengnian received from Song Dongming was completely different from the cold reception in the Phoenix Tree Courtyard. It was like the difference between heaven and earth. The officials currently serving under the Deputy Finance Minister were mostly young scholars who excelled in both practical affairs and scholarship in Northern Liang, each with their own specialties. Compared to the younger generation of martial artists who mostly admired and envied Xu Fengnian’s status as a Grand Master, these scholars had a genuine respect for Xu Fengnian, the master of the thirty thousand cavalry, after deeply understanding the current situation in Northern Liang. Therefore, when Xu Fengnian and Song Dongming, who was taking a break, were drinking tea together, these young people paid close attention to every move of the young prince. Song Dongming held the teacup personally brewed and poured by Xu Fengnian. He didn’t rush to drink it but used it to ward off the spring chill. He said softly, “All the scholars who came to Northern Liang have arrived, as well as the families of the fallen soldiers. There are bound to be some words and voices among them. I hope the prince won’t take them to heart.”
Xu Fengnian nodded.
Some rumors were like what many people had said when they heard he went to the Gourd Pass, thinking he was showing off his bravery as an ordinary man. Xu Fengnian truly didn’t want to pay attention to such comments.
Some were the voices of those who had cried from deep sorrow, and these, Xu Fengnian dared not listen to.
After discussing some administrative matters of Northern Liang, Song Dongming stood up and walked out of the house with Xu Fengnian. This middle-aged man, who had once been cultivated by Yuan Benxi as a potential prime minister, hesitated for a moment and said, “Before, I wanted to be the Finance Minister to better exert my abilities. After getting along with Li Gongde, I feel that it would be better if he could continue serving as the Finance Minister. I will stay in Liangzhou, and Li Gongde will be in Lingzhou, and there won’t be any problems.”
Xu Fengnian nodded and said, “Since Mr. Song has spoken, there shouldn’t be any issues.”
Song Dongming stopped walking and smiled, saying, “I still have a lot of work to do, so I won’t see you off further.”
Xu Fengnian smiled and said, “That’s appropriate.”
Song Dongming said to Xu Fengnian’s back, “Before, I only knew that Northern Liang was a place for warriors to use their military skills. Now, Song Dongming and many other scholars have discovered that Northern Liang is also a place for scholars to ‘write.’ I want to thank the prince on behalf of these people.”
Xu Fengnian turned his head and smiled happily.
Suddenly, Song Dongming blinked and tried to suppress his smile, saying, “Your Highness, several young female relatives from my Song family are all virtuous and gentle. They have all written to me, saying that even if they have to steal, they want me to send them back some small items of yours, like seals or calligraphy. The boldest one among them, who has always dreamed of traveling in the martial world and becoming a female hero, said that it would be best if I could send her a piece of your clothing. If there’s nothing to send back, she will cut off relations with me, her uncle.”
Xu Fengnian awkwardly touched his forehead.
Song Dongming laughed heartily and said, “Forget about the clothes. Just write a few characters of calligraphy for me.”
※※※
On the night before Qingming, Xu Fengnian sat alone on the mountaintop, watching the city lights below gradually light up and then dim out, as he finished a jar of green ant wine.
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