Chapter 1010: Joy, Joy

As the main forces of Murong Baoding’s army split into two routes, advancing south towards the towns of Liu Ya and Fu Ling, Dong Zhuo’s private army of over a hundred thousand soldiers simultaneously pressed towards Huaiyang Pass, poised for imminent siege.

However, the Northern Mang suddenly altered their established deployment once more. While Dong Zhuo’s forces maintained their course to attack Huaiyang Pass, Murong Baoding’s army was ordered to push further south, directly seeking decisive battles with the two main field forces of the Northern Liang border cavalry—the Left and Right Cavalry Armies.

The task of containing the military towns of Liu Ya and Fu Ling was handed over to two Northern Court nobles who abruptly accelerated their southward advance: Helian Wuwei, the Jiedushi of Hexi Province, and Wang Yong, the Jiedushi of Baoping Province. The Northern Mang emperor was not naive enough to leave Murong Baoding’s forces alone to confront the Northern Liang’s Left and Right Cavalry Armies. As reinforcements, the Southern Dynasty’s Grand General Zhong Shentong and the leading aristocrat of Longguan, Wanyan Jinliang, were assigned to support Murong Baoding. Likely aware of the temperament of the Jiedushi of Juzhou, the Empress Dowager issued a secret edict alongside the public decree, its wording far more ruthless: *”If you, Murong Baoding, are unwilling to achieve military glory, and your forces hesitate in the vast lands south of Liu Ya and Fu Ling, then I shall have Zhong Shentong and Wanyan Jinliang march south in your stead to slay the enemy!”*

Thus, the Jiedushi of Juzhou, who had initially rejoiced at avoiding a deadly clash with Chu Lushan at Huaiyang Pass, now found himself leading his army southward with a heavy heart. He might disregard the imperial decree or the emperor’s verbal threats, but Murong Baoding knew better than to assume that the Kheshig troops under the Crown Prince would show mercy to him—his own nephew—once their forces met. Moreover, he had heard that the emperor had even entrusted the two royal guard cavalry units, named after the Murong and Yelü clans, to his nephew. Faced with two equally dire choices, the cunning Murong Baoding opted for the lesser evil. After all, engaging the Left and Right Cavalry Armies outside Liangzhou was a dream many Northern Mang generals coveted. The so-called “Northern Liang Iron Cavalry” had always been these two northwestern border forces at its core.

Two factors slightly eased Murong Baoding’s worries. First, after the initial major battle, the Longxiang Army of Liuzhou had siphoned off a considerable number of elite border troops from the Left and Right Cavalry Armies, with Cao Wei and Kou Jianghuai also taking some. Second, the veteran general He Zhonghu had withdrawn from the Left Cavalry Army, while Li Yanchao led a group of trusted young officers to join the Right Cavalry Army, leaving the Left Cavalry temporarily leaderless and inevitably demoralized.

Had this intelligence surfaced before the war began, when Liangzhou’s roaming crossbowmen still patrolled the Hutong City area, it would have been difficult to relay to the courts of Xijing and the Northern Court. But times had changed. Huaiyang Pass was now tightly besieged by Dong Zhuo, cutting off retreat and severing connections with the three military towns of Liu Ya, Fu Ling, and Zhongzhong. Zhongzhong, defended only by infantry, was a dead city and thus of no concern. The towns of Liu Ya and Fu Ling, each garrisoned by cavalry adept at long-distance raids, now faced the relentless onslaught of the renowned Jiedushis Wang Yong and Helian Wuwei, who cared little for casualties. These towns were already struggling to survive, like clay idols crossing a river—barely able to protect themselves.

Thus, the defensive line north of the Left and Right Cavalry Armies outside Liangzhou had been shattered. With the Northern Liang’s already outnumbered main field forces isolated, the Northern Mang could now pick them apart piece by piece, feasting on their defeat, trading the heads of Northern Liang generals for the military honors that would elevate their own warriors to nobility.

Inside and outside the Hulu Pass of Youzhou, battles were sparse, with only occasional skirmishes involving a few hundred cavalry. Compared to the grand clashes of tens of thousands in Liangzhou and Liuzhou, the fighting here was remarkably uneventful.

North of Qingcang City in Liuzhou, after receiving reinforcements from Deputy General Xie Xichui’s monk soldiers, the main Liuzhou commander Kou Jianghuai launched a third interception battle against Huang Songpu’s western forces. Strangely, Kou Jianghuai—who had previously disoriented the Northern Mang border cavalry in two major cavalry battles—now fought in an unusually rigid and orthodox manner, resulting in a brutal and bloody engagement. He positioned the monk soldiers from Luotuo Mountain as the central force, forming a standard infantry formation common in the Central Plains. Xu Longxiang and Li Mofan each led a wing of the Longxiang Army, while the Liuzhou cavalry, still understrength at less than ten thousand, remained behind the infantry as the final reserve.

With Kou Jianghuai adopting a passive, conservative stance, Huang Songpu abandoned his own cautious approach and launched a full-scale assault. On the open plains, ideal for cavalry charges, the veteran general stretched his cavalry lines wide, ordering three Southern Dynasty border cavalry units to charge simultaneously. In a straightforward cavalry battle, especially one where the steppe riders could maximize their mobility, every hoofbeat of the Northern Mang warhorses carried an aggressive precision. Xie Xichui’s monk infantry, intended as the backbone of Liuzhou’s defense, became mere spectators, utterly failing as an anti-cavalry barrier. The steppe cavalry ignored the bristling spear forest and towering shield walls entirely. Had Kou Jianghuai’s Liuzhou cavalry not intervened decisively at the critical moment, stabilizing the precarious situation, the Liuzhou border army might have been wiped out after this battle.

From start to finish, the monk soldiers who had traveled all the way from the Western Regions to Liuzhou not only failed to deliver the expected surprise effect but, under Kou Jianghuai’s command, became a liability—even a burden.

For the first time since the initial Liang-Mang war and the previous two northern interceptions, the Longxiang Army suffered devastating losses: eight thousand elite Northern Liang cavalry perished. This gave Huang Songpu’s Southern Dynasty forces the minor victory the Northern Mang’s Taiping Ling had been waiting for. The previously anxious and mournful court of Xijing in the Southern Dynasty now showered the once-criticized veteran general with praise, even comparing him to Qi Yanglong of Liyang. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites jointly petitioned the Northern Court to recommend that the emperor ennoble Huang Songpu for his achievements—the first major victory on the borders of Gusai and Longyao Provinces in twenty years. Though they had failed to claim the heads of Xu Longxiang, Li Mofan, Kou Jianghuai, or Xie Xichui, the emperor was urged to reward the triumphant general accordingly.

※※※

In the study of the second hall at the Jubei City residence, Deputy Military Commissioner Yang Shenxing and the Governor of Liangzhou visited the young Prince of Beiliang in succession. The old general from the Spring and Autumn era wore a grave expression, gripping the arms of his chair tightly as he gritted his teeth and said, “Although there were prior discussions about Liuzhou… the loss of nearly ten thousand Longxiang cavalry and over three thousand Liuzhou riders is just… just…”

The old man seemed at a loss for words and simply fell silent. The favorable situation in Liuzhou, built through the victories at Miyun Pass, two successful interceptions north of Qingcang City, and the defense of Linyao and Fengxiang towns, seemed to have been undone overnight by Kou Jianghuai. Was it true, as the whispers in the residence suggested, that *”Liuzhou rises with Kou Jianghuai and falls with Kou Jianghuai”*?

Bai Yu arrived at the study later than Yang Shenxing, carrying a delicate miniature bronze incense burner. After exchanging greetings with the young prince, he didn’t rush to speak but instead bent over the desk, placing the polished antique burner down—not for incense but oddly retrieving a classified dossier from the shelves. This dossier, compiled by the Fushui Fang intelligence network years ago, detailed the backgrounds of the Southern Dynasty’s leading generals. He then lifted the burner’s lid and slammed it onto the book before looking up at the bewildered prince with a smile.

“Helping Your Highness suppress the fortunes of that old Huang from Northern Mang.”

Yang Shenxing looked skeptical. Was this some esoteric Dragon-Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master technique? Did it actually work?

Xu Fengnian, well-versed in Daoist mysteries, couldn’t help but laugh. “Master Bai Lian, since when have you indulged in such childish whims?”

Yang Shenxing, who had just begun to relax, nearly spat blood upon hearing the prince expose Bai Yu’s antics.

Bai Yu, unperturbed, adjusted the burner slightly and said cheerfully, “Your Highness, it’s better to believe than not. Sincerity moves metal and stone—faith makes miracles.”

Xu Fengnian could only sigh in resignation. “Yes, yes, Master Bai Lian speaks wisely.”

Watching this odd pair—neither strictly ruler and subject nor equals—Yang Shenxing couldn’t help but smile.

Suddenly, Xu Fengnian asked, “How is Zhao Ningshen’s secluded cultivation at Difei Mountain progressing? Smoothly, I hope?”

Bai Yu smiled. “Thanks to Your Highness, the Zhao Gou spies of Liyang no longer have diviners peering into the heavens. Ningshen’s retreat remains unnoticed, proceeding comfortably. He even wrote to me, suggesting I join him there for some peace and quiet instead of living under someone else’s roof in Beiliang, always at their mercy.”

Xu Fengnian snorted. “Zhao Ningshen’s knack for burning bridges rivals his mastery of the Dao. From now on, any letters from outside Beiliang addressed to you will be rejected at Jubei City.”

Bai Yu hastily waved his hands. “That won’t do! I still receive letters from female devotees now and then, and I must reply. Though I find it odd—why do they always hint at their relationship with Your Highness, asking if I can request calligraphy from you? Some even mention their nieces, how young and virtuous they are… truly baffling. Quite disheartening, really.”

Xu Fengnian took a deep breath and glanced out the window, speaking softly, “Jia Jiajia, don’t forget the gift from Western Shu is on its way. So, let’s not spread Master Bai Lian’s nonsense to the Fourth Hall, alright?”

A head gently nudged the window open, resting her chin on the sill. The girl widened her eyes, bargaining silently: *Tell me first, then I’ll decide.*

Xu Fengnian grinned. “Guess.”

The girl scoffed and vanished.

Xu Fengnian’s face twisted in frustration, but he held his tongue.

After Bai Lian’s jesting and Jia Jiajia’s theatrics, the tense atmosphere in the study lightened somewhat.

Once the girl had scampered off to the Fourth Hall, Xu Fengnian turned serious again. “Liuzhou has fought three interception battles. Kou Jianghuai’s secret letter didn’t detail his plans for the fourth, only requesting command of the entire Qingyuan military defense line. What do you think?”

Yang Shenxing frowned. “The entire line? Not just Qingyuan’s garrison?”

Xu Fengnian nodded. “Including Shi Fu’s troops from Liangzhou, Ning Emei’s Iron Pagoda, and Yuan Nan Ting’s White Feather Light Cavalry!”

Yang Shenxing fell into thought, murmuring, “Kou Jianghuai has quite the appetite.”

Then he cautiously asked, “As the Liuzhou general, demanding authority over Liangzhou’s border forces—tens of thousands of elites at that—not only empties Liangzhou’s western defenses but also places him above the higher-ranked Liangzhou general. Isn’t that… inappropriate?”

Before Xu Fengnian could answer, Bai Yu cut in. “General Yang, elsewhere, yes. But here? No need to scare ourselves. Shi Fu won’t mind—provided they win. If they lose, though, Shi Fu will never speak to Kou Jianghuai again. Worse, Liangzhou and Liuzhou’s armies might turn hostile.”

Yang Shenxing pressed, “Why won’t General Kou share his strategy with Jubei City?”

Xu Fengnian shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Yang Shenxing slammed his chair arm in fury. “That Kou Jianghuai is utterly reckless! How can he treat military affairs so lightly?!”

Xu Fengnian remained calm, rubbing his temples wearily. “Battles can be lost, but morale cannot. That’s the Northern Liang Iron Cavalry’s creed. Since I put Kou Jianghuai in charge of Liuzhou, I’ll clean up his mess.”

Yang Shenxing ventured, “Perhaps Your Highness should reconsider?”

Xu Fengnian shook his head. “No. Draft three secret orders for Shi Fu, Ning Emei, and Yuan Nan Ting. No explanations needed—just bring them here for my seal.”

Relieved, Yang Shenxing stood and strode out.

Xu Fengnian looked at Bai Yu. “Shall I write Kou Jianghuai’s letter, or will you?”

Bai Yu blinked innocently.

Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes. “Stop pretending. I know you and Yang Shenxing are working with Kou Jianghuai. One plays bad cop, the other good cop—did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

Bai Yu feigned seriousness. “A local general colluding with court officials to seize military power? Even if it’s not a capital offense, dismissal is warranted, no?”

Xu Fengnian glared. “Enough!”

Bai Yu laughed. “Fine, I’ll write Kou Jianghuai. Tell him you agree to his demands—but if he doesn’t repay the losses from the third battle twofold in the fourth, Jubei City will make him *lose ten jin*!”

Xu Fengnian frowned. “What’s *ten jin*?”

Bai Yu tapped his neck. “His head.”

Xu Fengnian first nodded, then slammed the table. “Bai Yu, you snake! Vague wording gives Kou Jianghuai an out! If he loses, he can just ditch his helmet and armor—that’s ten jin! How’s that fair?!”

Bai Yu pouted. “Your Highness, that’s uncharitable.”

Xu Fengnian waved him off. “Get out! I’ll write it myself!”

Bai Yu sauntered out, chuckling. “Saved myself a letter. More time for leisure reading—what joy!”

The young prince mimicked Jia Jiajia’s mocking laugh. “I *was* going to gift someone two violet-tipped brushes… but never mind. What joy!”

Bai Yu—once praised by the late Liyang Emperor Zhao Dun as *”a man I mistook for an immortal at first glance”*—whirled around, beaming, and scurried back to the desk, squinting eagerly. “Where? Show me! I knew it! Violet tips are perfect for small script—giving them to that calligrapher Lu Ke was like gifting a beauty to a woman! A waste!”

The prince smirked. “You actually believed that? The whole box went to my father-in-law.”

Bai Yu froze, then turned stiffly and marched out, raising a middle finger as he crossed the threshold.

Just as the fuming Bai Lian stepped outside, a triumphant chuckle followed. “Here. Two violet tips. Take them.”

Bai Yu paused but didn’t turn, wrestling with himself.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and kept walking, convinced the prince was bluffing again.

Sure enough, Xu Fengnian didn’t call him back.

As Bai Yu descended the steps, he spotted the ever-free Jia Jiajia approaching. She wordlessly handed him two slender brocade boxes. “From him.”

For a moment, Bai Yu was genuinely moved.

Back in his study, Bai Yu sighed deeply, lost in thought. When he finally opened the boxes and examined the brushes inside, his jaw dropped.

*Damn it! These aren’t violet tips—just ordinary goat-hair brushes!*

After a long pause, he burst into inexplicable laughter.

The entire room stared in bewilderment.

Only Bai Yu found it utterly delightful.

Setting the brushes down, the myopic scholar squinted at the blurry world outside and murmured, “One day, the goat hair in all Central Plains brushes will come from the grasslands.”