When the old man disappeared from sight with his two horses, Xu Fengnian whistled, and the armored Liang horse galloped over at lightning speed. He mounted it in one swift motion.
On their way to the new city, Xu Yanbing noticed Xu Fengnian’s troubled expression and couldn’t help but ask, “Big trouble?”
Xu Fengnian forced a bitter smile. “Not exactly. It’s just that some things have taken unexpected turns. Both Gu Jiantang and Chen Zhibao might bring new variables.”
Xu Yanbing, feeling a pang of guilt, said, “Back in Tai’an City, Chen Zhibao wasn’t willing to fight to the death, and I didn’t dare push him to a decisive battle either. Had I known, I should have settled the score with him there.”
By “settling the score,” Xu Yanbing, of course, meant life or death.
Xu Fengnian turned his head and said helplessly, “Uncle Xu, saying that makes you sound really pretentious.”
Xu Yanbing fell silent.
Xu Fengnian murmured softly, “After much thought, the only variable that could change the situation in the two Liao regions is Yuan Tingshan’s betrayal in Ji Prefecture. If it’s true, that mad dog has truly lost his mind—he doesn’t even care about the lives, honor, or disgrace of his two wives and their fathers.”
Xu Yanbing showed no surprise, calmly stating, “For a turncoat like him, nothing is unexpected.”
Xu Fengnian nodded. “It really proves the saying, ‘The world is full of wonders.’ There will always be people who do things beyond your imagination.”
Xu Yanbing asked, “Shall I go to Ji Prefecture and kill him?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head with a smile. “No need. If he doesn’t seek death himself, Han Fang and Yang Huchen, as his deputies, won’t easily rise. When he fails and flees, I might personally send him off.”
When the two riders were still a few miles from the new city, several horsemen approached in a cloud of dust.
Among them was Liu Wenbao, the disgraced scholar from Shangyin Academy. Having been useless for most of his life, he joined Xu Fengnian and went to Tai’an City and Qingliang Mountain before being stationed in the western city. With the backing of the Fushui Bureau, he quickly stood out amidst the tangled web of power. Initially, Liu Wenbao was merely a cover for Cao Wei’s ten thousand cavalry and a liaison for the Six Pearl Bodhisattva of Mount Lantuo. No one expected that during the battle of Qingcang City, where both Liang and Mang forces used their trump cards, Liu Wenbao played an indispensable role. Now, this old scholar had become the newly appointed governor of Linyao County in Liuzhou, covered in dust but beaming with pride.
Cao Wei, who had failed to lead his ten thousand cavalry deep into the southern court of Northern Mang as planned, looked far less pleased. His elite cavalry had suffered heavy losses outside Qingcang City, and his recent disputes with Kou Jianghuai, the general of Liuzhou, and the Longxiang Army over recruits had left him in a sour mood.
There was also a strikingly beautiful woman—the renowned widow of the Sima family, Madam Chai, Chai Dongdi. During the turmoil targeting the Sima family, Xu Fengnian had intervened, helping her and her family escape disaster. Later, during the battle of Qingcang City, apart from the main reinforcements from the Lantuo Mountain monks, she and Liu Wenbao had rallied nearly three thousand cavalry—half from the Sima family’s hastily gathered forces and half from formidable bandits lured by her silver. While this force was negligible in direct combat, they excelled in mopping-up operations. Moreover, Madam Chai had covered all the rewards for their achievements with her family’s funds, not costing the Liang border army or Liuzhou a single coin.
Back in the city, when Xu Fengnian was about to face Tuoba Pusa in battle, she had promised that if he helped stabilize the Sima family, she and her family would fight to the death for Liang once. Neither Xu Fengnian nor Chai Dongdi had expected her to fulfill this promise so soon, and Xu Fengnian was even more surprised that she personally led the charge.
A promise worth a thousand gold—without an ounce of falsehood.
Chivalry was not exclusive to men; women could embody it just as well.
Now, upon their reunion, before Xu Fengnian could speak, Cao Wei asked sternly, “Your Highness, when you ordered me back to Liuzhou for that battle, I obeyed without question. But now, of my ten thousand elite cavalry, fewer than half remain. Give me a straight answer—when will you replenish them?”
Xu Fengnian smiled. “Fewer than half? Should I go count them myself? For every man short, I’ll personally have the Liang border army make up the difference.”
Cao Wei suddenly broke into a grin. “How could I trouble Your Highness? Absolutely not! Several border cavalry units are already understrength. I’m not one to ignore the bigger picture. Just give me four thousand—four thousand will do!”
Xu Fengnian retorted, “The Linyao military town in Liuzhou’s three garrisons will be under your command. Additionally, the Left Cavalry Army outside the pass can spare you two thousand, and the western monks will provide another two thousand to assist in defending Linyao. As for how many more you can recruit in Liuzhou, that’s up to you. But I’ll only allocate provisions for fifteen thousand. Anything beyond that, you’ll have to handle yourself.”
Seeing Cao Wei about to haggle further, Xu Fengnian coldly said, “Do you still want those two thousand from the Left Cavalry Army?”
Cao Wei, now grinning ear to ear, quickly wiped his mouth with his hand to hide his delight. Two thousand from the Left Cavalry Army and two thousand monks—four thousand in total—was already a boon, but the unlimited recruitment rights in Liuzhou were the real prize!
Xu Fengnian nodded at Liu Wenbao, then turned to Madam Chai. “The Sima family’s aid during the battle for Qingcang City is deeply appreciated by Liang.”
Madam Chai smiled gracefully, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her charm undeniable. “We can’t compare to Your Highness’s Liang cavalry—no amount of silver can buy that. In the western regions, everyone is a desperado. As long as the price is fair, anything can be bought or sold. The Sima family has been rooted in the west for generations, so our coffers are decently deep. But this time, our contributions in men and silver repay your earlier kindness. We’re even now. Does Your Highness agree?”
Xu Fengnian chuckled. “Of course. In fact, I’m the one who gained.”
Cao Wei glanced between the dashing Prince of Liang and the still-alluring Madam Chai, muttering under his breath, “What did he gain? And where?”
Liu Wenbao coughed and looked away at the scenery.
Madam Chai’s cheeks flushed slightly.
Xu Fengnian said coldly, “Cao Wei, the two thousand monks are off the table! No negotiations!”
Cao Wei rolled off his horse, clinging to Xu Fengnian’s leg with teary eyes. “Your Highness, I saw nothing between you and Madam Chai! I won’t breathe a word of it…”
Xu Fengnian, flustered and angry, snapped, “The two thousand from the Left Cavalry Army are gone too!”
Cao Wei sat on the ground, wailing, “The world is so unfair!”
Xu Fengnian took a deep breath. “Get lost! Go to the Left Cavalry Army’s headquarters and demand your two thousand from He Zhonghu!”
With astonishing speed, Cao Wei scrambled up, mounted his horse, turned, and galloped away, vanishing in a cloud of dust.
Liu Wenbao cautiously asked, “Your Highness, shall I take my leave as well?”
Xu Fengnian snapped, “Get out of here too!”
Xu Fengnian had hoped that with Xu Yanbing still by his side, at least it wouldn’t be just him and a woman alone.
Unexpectedly, Xu Yanbing nudged his horse forward, passing by slowly and saying evenly, “Your Highness, rest assured. I also saw nothing and will say nothing.”
Xu Fengnian stared, dumbfounded, while Madam Chai smiled, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
Xu Fengnian sighed. “Not a single decent person among you.”
Unlike the earlier jesting with Cao Wei and the others, Madam Chai now wore a solemn expression. Her gaze was clear as she said earnestly, “Your Highness, I have a request. Could the Sima family lead troops into the westernmost Fengxiang military town in Liuzhou? Ideally, with a deputy general’s rank.”
Xu Fengnian asked in surprise, “Madam Chai, are you sure? This would bind your family to Liang. If Liang falls, the Sima family would have no room to maneuver.”
Madam Chai nodded firmly.
Xu Fengnian asked curiously, “Why?”
Madam Chai suddenly smiled and countered, “What does Your Highness think?”
Xu Fengnian teased, “Surely it’s not because Madam Chai is smitten with my looks?”
Madam Chai blinked, then smirked coquettishly. “Your Highness, is this daylight flirtation with a proper woman? Aren’t you afraid I’ll call for help? That retainer isn’t too far away, and I’m sure there are hidden guards nearby.”
Xu Fengnian remained unruffled, smiling. “Madam Chai, spare me the teasing. Let’s be serious.”
Madam Chai tilted her head slightly, looking less like a married woman and more like a playful young girl. Strangely, this demeanor didn’t seem contrived but carried a peculiar charm.
Xu Fengnian urged his horse forward gently. “If Madam Chai is betting on Liang’s victory to secure her family’s future status, let me be blunt—you don’t need to stake everything on this dangerous gamble. If the day comes when the war ends, I won’t forget the Sima family. After all, I remember a stubborn little girl who cut her hand just to get my signature…”
Turning to Madam Chai riding beside him, Xu Fengnian grinned. “I can’t boast about this to the men of Liang—it’d make them jealous. Like Cao Wei—I’m handsomer, a better fighter, and taller. Rubbing it in would be unkind. But since you’re a woman, I can say it freely.”
Madam Chai said softly, “Your Highness truly doesn’t treat me as an outsider.”
Xu Fengnian raised his hands in mock surrender. “Madam Chai, spare me.”
Madam Chai burst into laughter on horseback.
Xu Fengnian’s gaze flickered briefly elsewhere.
The peaks and valleys of life.
His mind, however, was free of impure thoughts—only reminiscence and resignation.
Madam Chai suddenly straightened, gazing toward the new city and murmuring, “I’m gambling everything to secure an official post for the Sima family, yes. Who wouldn’t want their family to thrive for generations? I’m just a woman who deals with daily chores, but I’ve read books. My vision is slightly broader than that of a village woman. Since I married into the Sima family, I want to do right by them. Your Highness once said that not just Liang, but perhaps even the western regions, could become a paradise—with schools, the sound of children reading, homes where elders live in peace, and women content in their roles. Such a life… would be wonderful. Just thinking about it brings joy.”
Xu Fengnian nodded.
Madam Chai suddenly smiled, blinking playfully. “As a woman of… passable looks, I still want to be liked by men—especially those who don’t just see me as prey. If a man is always the perfect gentleman, deep down, I’d feel disappointed. Just as Your Highness can only share certain pride with certain women, my unseemly words can only be spoken to you.”
Xu Fengnian had no reply.
In his youth, drunkenly whipping famous horses, he had pretended to be heroic.
Now, matured, he often found himself climbing the tower alone.
No one beside him. Alone atop the tower.
Madam Chai studied the young prince’s profile and asked softly, “Will Northern Mang attack Liang with their full force again?”
Xu Fengnian hesitated. “Originally, yes. But now, Northern Mang shows signs of internal strife—the Murong and Yelü clans might split. Of course, I’ll do what I can to fan the flames. But I can’t rely on that. I must prepare for the worst. Gu Jiantang’s preemptive strike might have been prompted by this, fearing the Yelü clan would dominate the court and target the two Liao regions as their invasion route. Otherwise, given Gu Jiantang’s temperament, he wouldn’t have acted so swiftly. Madam Chai, these words stay between us.”
Madam Chai nodded. “Of course. I understand the gravity.”
Xu Fengnian pointed north with his whip, his expression grim. “After Dong Zhuo captured Hutou City, it was mostly destroyed. Even after the Northern Mang armies withdrew, Dong’s private army of over a hundred thousand and Tuoba Pusa’s elite cavalry remain poised at the border, preventing us from fully repairing Hutou. The next Liang-Mang war will center on Hutou and Longyan Plain—a brutal tug-of-war, perhaps even worse than Qingcang. Then, the Huaiyang Pass line—Zhongzhong, Liuya, Fuling—will be critical. He Zhonghu’s Left Cavalry Army will be fully committed, defending the area north of the new city. Unlike the previous three-front war, Northern Mang won’t divide its forces at Youzhou’s Hulu Pass. Liang has proven with its displays of enemy heads that any Mang forces entering there won’t leave alive. Thus, while the Liang border burns, Liuzhou’s defenses will bear a heavy burden. Of course, Youzhou’s general Yan Wenlü and the new cavalry commander Yu Luandao will shift to Liang, making life hard for the Mang army—everywhere they go, they’ll pay in blood.”
Xu Fengnian clenched his whip. “Compared to my past resentment, I feel better now. After my trip to the capital, I know not everyone treats Liang’s sacrifices as a given. Many still speak up for us.”
Madam Chai murmured, “Is that enough for Liang?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head. “Not ‘enough.’ But when every Liang soldier dies facing north, knowing that behind them are not just sneers but also voices of grief and guilt… it makes it less…”
He trailed off, unsure why.
Xu Fengnian whispered, “As Xu Xiao’s son, I have no right to wallow in self-pity. That’s the truth—I’m not lying. But I hope…”
He paused, his gaze resolute. “Before my final battle with Tuoba Pusa, the Six Pearl Bodhisattva sent me a sword named ‘Fangsheng’—‘Raised Voices.’ So I hope the Central Plains hears the thunder of Liang’s three hundred thousand cavalry charging north, this heroic ‘raised voice,’ so that one day, they’ll no longer play deaf and dumb.”
Madam Chai bit her lip, gazing at him raptly.
Xu Fengnian suddenly smiled. “We’re here.”
Approaching the new city, Xu Yanbing and Liu Wenbao waited on horseback nearby.
Madam Chai reined in her horse. “Your Highness, I won’t enter the city. Consider your agreement to appoint a Sima family member as deputy general of Fengxiang military town confirmed.”
Xu Fengnian also stopped, turning to her helplessly. “Very well.”
He clasped his hands in farewell and rode on.
Suddenly, Madam Chai called softly from behind, “Xu Fengnian.”
Xu Fengnian didn’t turn, spurring his horse faster.
Madam Chai laughed loudly. “I, Chai Dongdi, will wait for you in the western regions! I’ll bear your children!”
Xu Fengnian fled in panic.
Xu Yanbing, watching the flustered young prince approach, suppressed a laugh and gave a thumbs-up.
Liu Wenbao followed suit.
But under the prince’s murderous glare, the governor of Linyao sheepishly retracted his thumb.
Then, seized by sudden boldness, Liu Wenbao thrust his thumb up again, refusing to lower it.
※※※
Many, many years later, atop a city wall in Fengzhou, the western regions, after the snow had ceased, an old woman with white hair sat in a wheelchair, a thick, warm blanket over her lap. She smiled into the distance, then closed her eyes to sleep.
In a daze, it seemed she had waited for many years.
The old woman’s eyes brimmed with tears as she whispered faintly.
In her final moments, she struggled to open her eyes.
At last, she smiled.
Blurrily, she fixed her gaze on the figure crouched beside her and rasped, “You’re a bit late.”
He nodded. “I kept you waiting.”
She shook her head slightly, trying to raise a hand—perhaps to tidy her hair.
But she lacked the strength.
A trace of regret flickered in her eyes.
He adjusted her blanket gently. “Don’t worry. You’re still beautiful.”
She lowered her head, her lips moving faintly.
He nodded. “I will.”
She said:
Next life.
She closed her eyes.
At their first meeting, he had been this gentle. At their last, he remained unchanged.
Whether there was a next life or not no longer mattered.
On the city wall, the sun set in the west.
The old woman was named Chai Dongdi.
The old man was named Xu Fengnian.
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