Xu Feng Nian did not climb over the wall again upon returning to his mansion, which greatly disappointed Song Huangmei, who had been waiting anxiously by the wall. It was very late when she finally learned from the steward of the Jinglue Governor’s mansion that the Prince had simply walked out of the residence with his own feet. Upon hearing this, Miss Song gasped in astonishment and ran out of the Li residence. Observing this, the steward muttered inwardly that the Song family’s daughter was far too impulsive—she paled in comparison to his own composed and graceful young lady, lagging behind by ten thousand miles. The steward then began to imagine: everyone in Beiliang Circuit knew that young Master Hanlin and the Prince were like brothers who had grown up together, wearing the same trousers. If Miss Song could become the future Queen of Beiliang, hmm hmm, considering that her father was already the Governor, wouldn’t the Li family then become the most prestigious aristocratic clan in all of Beiliang? The old steward shook his head with a sigh. Unfortunately, the young lady had chosen to associate with that lowborn fellow surnamed Guo from a humble background. It was like placing a peony in cow dung!
Xu Feng Nian lay on a bench in the pavilion, gazing up at the low-hanging, glittering stars, completely ignoring the girl who had sneaked into the pavilion like a shadow.
That girl was truly a determined and hardy young woman. She endured the cold and remained silent for half an hour, gritting her teeth.
Xu Feng Nian sat up and smiled, asking, “Miss Song, are you looking for me for something?”
Hiding beside the pavilion’s pillar to escape the cold, Song Huangmei was startled. Then, her face flushed red—though not particularly beautiful—and she lowered her head, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her robe. She no longer carried the bold and fearless demeanor of a female swordsman who had once drawn her blade to block the Prince at the governor’s mansion in Huangnan Prefecture.
Xu Feng Nian, not wishing to embarrass her, took the initiative to ask, “How many years have you been practicing swordplay? Would you like me to teach you a few easy-to-learn sword techniques?”
After posing the question, Xu Feng Nian found himself both amused and exasperated. The girl simply stared at him, muttering to herself, apparently saying that the Prince’s eyes were more handsome than someone else’s, but she still only loved that person.
Xu Feng Nian coughed heavily. Startled, Song Huangmei plopped down on the other bench, hugging her shoulders tightly to keep warm. Soon, her usual straightforward personality returned, and she smiled playfully, saying, “Your Highness, I know you’re a master and a good person. I have a sweetheart—he’s an outer disciple in a sect in Huangnan Prefecture, named Dou Yangguan. His greatest wish in life is to marry me wearing a Beiliang saber. But my father doesn’t seem to like him very much. How about, Your Highness, would you be so kind as to casually gift Dou Yangguan a saber? My father would surely stop opposing our relationship!”
Xu Feng Nian knew that the girl was likely unaware that the Lotus Pond sect had nearly been wiped out and erased from the Jianghu of Lingshou. However, intelligence reports had indeed mentioned that a young man named Dou Yangguan had escaped. He was the lover of Song Yan’s daughter, Song Huangmei. Moreover, the entire eighteen generations of Dou Yangguan’s ancestors had been thoroughly investigated. Xu Feng Nian had personally issued orders at the time for the Eagle Guards to abandon any further action against him. A mere outer disciple who had joined the Lotus Pond sect only recently was expendable—either to be killed or spared. Since he was connected to the Song family, Xu Feng Nian treated him as a gift for Song Taihou’s promotion to the post of Deputy Governor of Lingshou. As for whether Dou Yangguan would harbor resentment toward Beiliang after escaping death, or whether he would vow to avenge his sect, Xu Feng Nian didn’t care. Throughout the Liyang Jianghu, very few people possessed the capability and ambition of that fan-waving young nobleman who had the potential to fight his way all the way to Xu Feng Nian’s presence. Most would never even get a glimpse of the Prince’s face before their deaths. If someone like Dou Yangguan could indeed rise above the rest and manage to catch Xu Feng Nian’s attention again through intelligence reports, he wouldn’t mind revealing the identity of Zhang Ce, the Northern Liang spy embedded in the Lotus Pond, and sending him to the borderlands for some trials. If the young man truly wanted to wield a blade, joining the army would give him the chance to do so until he was sick of it. But human hearts are unpredictable—nobody could say which path Dou Yangguan would choose. As for whether Dou and Song would eventually end up together, it was neither Xu Feng Nian’s concern nor his place to care. At this point in Beiliang, perhaps the Prince had the most valuable time of all.
Xu Feng Nian returned to the present and smiled, saying, “Private citizens are not allowed to carry Beiliang sabers. Besides, do you think your father wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a real and a fake saber carried by Dou Yangguan?”
Song Huangmei had the cheerful disposition of someone content with simple joys. Upon hearing the Prince’s words, she simply nodded in understanding and made no further demands. In fact, if a more worldly and cunning woman had the chance to be alone with the Prince, she would have done everything possible to attract his attention, not letting go of such an opportunity. If not that, she would have clung to him like a snake around a staff, using her femininity to extract promises from the Prince. That was probably why Xu Feng Nian was willing to exchange a few casual words with her. Song Huangmei didn’t disturb the Prince further, nor did she leave. She sat on the bench, lazily leaning against the pillar, gazing at the stars. Xu Feng Nian, being experienced in such matters, knew that the girl was likely thinking of that martial artist named Dou. He lay back down, closed his eyes, and resumed contemplating the final arrangements in Lingshou. The political landscape in Lingshou had originally been far more complex than that of You and Liang provinces. But now that Governor Li Gongde had declared his stance, Xu Beizhi’s abilities would likely prevail despite some lingering obstacles. It was about time for Xu Feng Nian to leave. He couldn’t keep holding the title of Lingshou General and occupying the position like a cuckoo in another’s nest. However, before he could truly depart, he had to deal with that young martial expert who had dared to challenge Beiliang.
As Xu Feng Nian blocked out the noise around him, he sensed Song Huangmei rising and tiptoeing away. He smiled faintly, waited until she was far off, then snapped his fingers. A silent figure, known only as Si Shi Yin, appeared beside him. Xu Feng Nian said softly, “Inform the Lingshou You Shun unit. Let them have some fun with Dou Yangguan. If the man is too stubborn, break some of his edges. If he’s already lost his spirit, let him meet a benefactor. Don’t let him lose his fighting spirit too soon.”
As Si Shi Yin was about to leave, he suddenly heard the Prince ask with a smile, “Or should I go meet that The Peach Blossom Fan (peach blossom fan) myself?”
In times of chaos, many people changed their names to escape calamities and settle elsewhere. As a result, when the imperial court compiled the nationwide genealogical records, they found many new surnames with unclear origins. However, even among these, few were as nameless as this silent figure beside the Prince, who had no name at all. The man, who seemed to have no past and no future, remained silent as always. Xu Feng Nian waved his hand, and Si Shi Yin vanished like a shadow. With no intention of sleep, Xu Feng Nian strolled along the garden path, counting lanterns as he walked. He speculated whether the imperial court would approve Wang Luting’s appointment to succeed Li Xifeng as the Chief Textile Commissioner of Jinlü. Once this precedent was set, it would be difficult to resist the ambitions of Prince Zhao Ying of Huainan and Prince Zhao Xun of Jing’an. The powerful Prince Yan Chi and the favored Prince Guangling would surely seize the opportunity to remove the Textile Bureau, a thorn in their sides, using Beiliang as an excuse. Thinking of this, Xu Feng Nian chuckled, “Not a thorn in the flesh, but a thorn in the eye.”
As he reached the northern side of the official residence overlooking the lake, he was surprised to find Song Yan, the newly appointed Deputy Governor of Lingshou, sitting on a large stone brought from the shores of the Spring Spirit Lake to Beiliang. Many aristocrats in the Liyang court had developed a taste for collecting such stones. Even an ordinary rock, weighing thousands of jin and transported hundreds or even thousands of li, would inevitably become valuable. Song Yan sat leisurely, one leg stretched and the other bent, sipping a fiery wine known as Jian Nan Chun, which was said to scorch one’s insides after just half a jin. When Xu Feng Nian approached the massive stone, Song finally noticed him. As he began to rise in respect, the Prince had already settled cross-legged beside him. Song decided not to make a show of formality, having already learned the character of the Lingshou General. He simply shook the yellow clay wine jar and said with a smile, “Your Highness, it’s nearly empty.”
Xu Feng Nian laughed, “Empty? There’s still at least two big sips left. If you don’t want to share, just say so.”
Song Yan was honest and laughed heartily, “Indeed, I was reluctant. This jar has been buried underground for seven or eight years. I originally buried three jars. When Governor Li was appointed as the Governor, he drank one. This time, knowing that I was going to be promoted and leave Huangnan Prefecture, I brought the remaining two jars with me. I was reluctant to part with them, but I insisted on giving one to Your Highness. But when I went to the backyard later, only this jar remained. I quickly realized that my daughter, who always sides with others, must have stolen the other one to give away. It gave me several more white hairs from worry. Alas, daughters grow up and leave home. It’s the same in every household. Your Highness, please don’t be angry.”
Xu Feng Nian joked, “You’ve taken all the reason and propriety for yourself. What more can this Prince say?”
Song Yan sighed, “Your Highness has had a hard few years.”
Xu Feng Nian was silent for a moment. As Song took another large sip of wine and swallowed, Xu spoke softly, “You might not believe me, but the most painful experience I had was not in the Northern Liang court or the imperial capital. It was when I first ran away from home in disgrace. In Hezhou, I encountered a rich young man who had bought a Beiliang saber illegally. He hit me on the head with it, giving me a huge bump. Back in Beiliang, someone like him would have been torn apart by my dogs. That was when I realized the difference between having Xu Xiao as a father and not. Later on, I suffered other setbacks, but I gradually got used to being treated like a rat on the run, so I stopped caring so much. As for the worst hardship, it was the training with the saber before I went up Mount Wudang. I found some desperate outlaws to serve as my training dummies. One of them slashed me with a blade, and the pain of my flesh tearing open was so unbearable that I nearly rolled on the ground screaming. At the time, I didn’t even dare to look at the wound. When the scab finally healed, I told myself to stop training. Fortunately, I persisted, and from then on, I could never forget that pain. Even in the years that followed, despite many near-death experiences, none of them ever felt as unforgettable as that single slash.”
Song Yan was momentarily stunned. He raised the wine jar and sighed, “I’m not afraid of political intrigue, but if someone were to put a blade to my throat and I had to watch my own blood spill, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to maintain my scholarly dignity. That’s just how weak and powerless we scholars are.”
Xu Feng Nian teased, “No man is truly weak. Some courtesans in the pleasure houses have more strength than you think.”
Song Yan spat out the wine he had just taken, looked down at his crotch, and laughed until tears streamed from his eyes, not caring about the waste of that last sip of Jian Nan Chun.
After their laughter faded, Song turned to the Prince and said, “Life is full of disappointments and hardships.”
Xu Feng Nian gazed at the lake and smiled faintly, “But at least we can still share the good parts with others. That’s something to be grateful for.”
Song Yan fell silent.
Xu Feng Nian said, “Song Yan, bury three more jars of wine. Seven or eight years from now, if we’re both still alive, give me one. I’ll return the favor by making you a Governor no less prestigious than Li Gongde.”
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