After pasting the Spring Festival couplets on the main gate, Xu Xiaoxiong returned to the Wutong Courtyard, leaving only the three young men wandering around the palace. Xu Fengnian chatted with Xu Xiao about affairs in Linzhou, while Xu Xiao occasionally shared amusing news from the imperial court. For example, Gu Jiantang’s son-in-law had recently gone on a killing spree in Jizhou. Now, the officials and literati had grown tired of cursing Xu Xiao and instead turned their anger toward General Gu Dajiang, who had lost his position as Minister of War. With Gu Jiantang no longer in the capital, the Gu family’s stronghold in the Ministry of War had lost its leadership. The Censorate and the five departments outside the Ministry of War were now hopping about, making life difficult for the remaining members of the Gu faction. This was shaping up to be a tough year for them.
There was also news about Yao Baifeng, the Left Sacrificial Official of the Imperial Academy, who had severely reprimanded his deputy, Jin Lanting. The matter had even reached the emperor himself, who personally intervened at the Imperial Academy to mediate and calm things down. The academy had become a place of factions and rivalries, with various groups forming alliances, mostly supporting the young Jin Sanlang. This was why Yao Baifeng had angrily questioned, “Do the gentlemen of today enjoy forming factions?”
Xu Xiao also mentioned that Prince Zhao Zhu, the heir of the Yanche Kingdom, was no peaceful man. He had led thousands of elite cavalry northward. This was no “pacification” mission—it was clearly a show of force. As he passed through several provinces, chaos followed. Before he even reached Guangling Circuit, where Zhao Yi was stationed, complaints and impeachment memorials flooded the palace like snowflakes.
The three of them reached the edge of the Listening-to-the-Tide Lake. Suddenly, Xu Xiao remembered something and said he needed to go listen to Wang Chudong’s storytelling. If he were late, the girl, who had a bit of an attitude, would refuse to speak with him. He hurried off, leaving Xu Fengnian stunned. It seemed the renowned second-place beauty of the Lipstick Sub-Rank, Wang Dongxiang, was indeed formidable, having even tamed the book-averse Xu Xiao. Earlier, a letter had arrived in Linzhou, in which Xu Xiao had mentioned how lively and clever Wang Chudong was. She was not the least bit afraid of him, the old brute, and had even lectured him on the joys of reading, telling him how much more interesting it was than he thought. She explained that official histories, with their tales of victors and losers, were already known, so why not read unofficial histories? As for the romantic tales of scholars and beauties, they were all the same—no matter how many twists and turns, they always ended in a happy marriage. She even said reading classics was better, like watching an old scholar sit upright and proper from beginning to end. At first, one might find him rigid, but eventually, one would come to appreciate his charm.
Wang Chudong had also spoken of the differences between military treatises and poetry collections, greatly impressing Xu Fengnian. This girl was truly bold, daring to teach Xu Xiao how to read. After all, neither Li Yishan nor Zhao Changling had ever managed to get Xu Xiao to sit still and read more than a few books.
Xu Fengnian looked up at the Listening-to-the-Tide Pavilion. Chen Xiliang should be in one of the side rooms on the top floor. Everyone in the palace said this young man was growing more and more like the national hero who had died without a grave. Xu Fengnian turned his gaze and saw Xu Juzi sitting alone in a pavilion, tossing handfuls of fish food into the lake. The koi swirled about, creating a magnificent sight.
Xu Fengnian crouched at the edge of the Listening-to-the-Tide Pavilion’s base and said to Huangman’er beside him, “Lu Qiuer said that the man known as Yi Jie Liu, whose body I tore apart, didn’t actually die. He must have used some arcane Daoist technique to pull off a clever cicada-shell escape at the last moment. His identity is likely far more complicated than just being a simple thread in the spider’s web. No worries, we’ll definitely have dealings with him again someday.”
Huangman’er nodded vigorously.
Xu Fengnian chuckled bitterly. “I just don’t get it. Yi Jie Liu was like that, and then there’s the young Taoist priest Zhao Jing Si, who changed his name to Zhao Ningshen. He’s just as stubborn. I thought I had him half-dead at the Spring Spirit Lake, planning to use him to unsettle the Taoist sect. But when he returned to Longhu Mountain, they say his cultivation advanced rapidly, rivaling even Li Chungan’s. The young Taoist master Li Yufu of Wudang Mountain slew a malevolent dragon at Di Fei Mountain, earning great fame. The reclusive old Taoist master Zhao Xi Yi had also been busy, cultivating the Jade Emperor Hall, a technique as renowned as the Great Huangting. He is on the verge of ascension, and countless people have already gone to Longhu Mountain to pay their respects. Even Crown Prince Zhao Zhuantai secretly visited Huizhou to watch the plays. That’s probably true, too. And that carefree woman from Huishan, who became the leader of the martial world, has turned against me faster than flipping a page. She says she’ll send the Huishan secret manuals to Beiliang and then sever all ties with me.”
Xu Fengnian turned and patted Huangman’er’s head with a gentle smile. “Never mind these troubles. Huangman’er, you don’t have to worry about anything. Your father and I are here for you. Oh, since you came back from Xiangfan Reed Marsh with four spirit-armored warriors, I’ve had the top engineers of our Beiliang Mechanized Bureau working to restore them to the level of the legendary armor worn by the Grandmaster Ye Hongting. Last time at Tiemen Pass, we got the Golden Armor, and this time, outside Shenwu City, I learned some secrets from the cat-killer through Xu Ying, from Han Diaosi’s severed head. Among them were some fragmented details of how he stripped the skin from Ye Hongting back then. After the New Year, I’ll visit the Mechanized Bureau and share those details with the engineers. Once you wear that spirit armor into battle, you won’t have to worry too much about assassins like Yi Jie Liu. Also, Huangman’er, remember what Xuan Yuan Jingcheng said at Gu Niu Gang—that you mustn’t easily enter the Fingers-to-the-Mystic state. Promise me you’ll wait. I’m not just making armor for you—I’m also poring over some obscure Buddhist and Taoist scriptures in the library. Bai Huerlian has even agreed to help find more information. So you must wait until I find a safe and straightforward path for you to reach the Fingers-to-the-Mystic state. Until then, no matter what happens—even if the sky falls—you must not enter the Fingers-to-the-Mystic state. Got it?!”
Huangman’er wasn’t stupid anymore. He instinctively knew he shouldn’t agree, and since he never lied to his brother, he just looked up at him without nodding or speaking. The boy with twin pupils in his eyes avoided meeting his brother’s gaze.
Xu Fengnian gave Huangman’er a sharp rap on the forehead. “Nod for your brother!”
Huangman’er turned his back to Xu Fengnian and, for the first time, refused to comply.
Xu Fengnian tugged at his brother’s ear, pulling for a long time without making the Realm of the Indestructible-born younger brother turn around. With a sigh, he let go and gazed blankly at the Listening-to-the-Tide Lake, which had grown quiet after Xu Beizhi left.
Huangman’er turned around, sat cross-legged on the ground, and gently patted his older brother’s head, smoothing down his strikingly gray-and-white hair.
Xu Fengnian squinted into the distance.
The Listening-to-the-Tide Lake was always full of fish, and Beiliang was always prosperous.
Xu Fengnian slowly leaned back, resting his head on his hands, gazing at the clear sky, and fell asleep peacefully.
He had never told Xu Xiao that whenever he saw his father’s figure at the Spring Spirit Lake—even though he knew that figure grew older and more hunched with each passing year—just seeing it from afar made him feel fearless. It was as if even the Emperor, Wang Xianzhi, Zhang Julu, and Yuan Benxi were all gathered on the lake together; Xu Fengnian would still not be the least bit afraid. He would feel completely at ease.
※※※
Two powerful tiger-like beasts, the Kui, suddenly darted out and ran toward Xu Fengnian, but Huangman’er grabbed one in each hand and slammed them to the ground. The strange beasts were just a few feet from Xu Fengnian, yet they couldn’t escape Huangman’er’s grip. Their eyes held a strangely intelligent, almost resentful look.
Xu Fengnian laughed. “Huangman’er, go play. Take Pusa and Jingang with you. I still need to sit here for a while and think about some things.”
Huangman’er grinned and nodded, dragging the two Kui by their legs as he ran off.
As Huangman’er wandered about, the first time he let go of the Kui, the pair immediately tried to run back to Xu Fengnian at the Listening-to-the-Tide Pavilion. But Huangman’er, moving as swiftly as thunder, quickly grabbed their tails. After several attempts and many beatings, the Kui finally followed him sullenly.
He wandered without purpose and eventually found himself outside the Wutong Courtyard wall. To his surprise, his father wasn’t with that “little sister-in-law” listening to stories. Instead, he was pushing a wheelchair, taking his second sister for a walk.
Xu Xiao saw Huangman’er and waved him over. The female Kui, named Pusa, was especially affectionate and lively around Xu Xiaoxiong.
Xu Xiao continued the conversation from earlier, speaking slowly. “In the future, when it comes to choosing the official consort for Beiliang, you, as the older sister, must be the one to take charge. Your younger brother, Xiaonian, can handle any matter with a clear mind. I’m not just a little reassured—I’m completely confident in him. But when it comes to matters of the heart, once he falls, he tends to throw caution to the wind. Xiaoxiong, I’m not worried about how this might affect the military or political affairs of Beiliang. I’ve worked hard to build this family legacy, and if in the end my own son can’t even enjoy a fraction of it, then what kind of general would I be? What kind of Beiliang King would Xiaonian become? But I’m afraid my son will get hurt. I’m a rough man, but I’ve seen many people come together and drift apart. I know that emotional wounds are far more painful than any blade or arrow. They can linger for half a lifetime—or even a full one—without ever truly healing.”
Xu Xiaoxiong nodded softly.
“As for the concubines, well, to be honest, there are two women currently in consideration—Wang Chudong, who is already in the palace, and Lu Chengyan from Qingzhou. I do like Wang Chudong a bit more, but when it comes to concubine rankings, Wang Chudong will have to be second to Lu Chengyan. After all, the Lu family, with its many talents, is far more valuable to Beiliang’s future than the Wang family, who only rose to prominence in Qingzhou thanks to Chu Lushan. The more time passes, the more important this will become. So, in the event of disputes between the two families, as long as they don’t involve major moral issues, you must side with the Lu family. This is also a small way for me to make up for the fact that Xiaonian may never truly open his heart to this poor girl. A marriage built on mutual respect and politeness sounds noble, but for a couple who must spend their entire lives together, it’s really just a kind of quiet suffering.”
“These past few days, I’ve been visiting Wang Chudong every day to listen to her stories. Partly because it’s entertaining, but also to let everyone in Beiliang know that this girl has my full approval as the first daughter-in-law of the Xu family. In the future, if anyone tries to curry favor with the Lu family by stepping on the Wangs, they’ll have to think twice about whether they’re really ready to risk offending me.”
“As for Pei Nanwei, I know you don’t like that Jing’an Princess. You don’t have to force yourself to interact with her. Just let things be. There’s an old saying: ‘An elder brother is like a father, and an elder sister-in-law is like a mother.’ But there’s no such saying about a sister running the household. The reason I’m burdening you with this thankless task is purely out of selfishness. I’m afraid Xiaonian won’t have anyone to take care of him, so you can never marry, Xiaoxiong. If you resent me for this, I accept it. I’ve always been a man who favors sons over daughters. I’ve always been straightforward about it. Even when I was with your mother, I said it plainly, even if it meant getting beaten up by her. Before Lipu came along, I got beaten often. After Lipu arrived, I was beaten even worse—truly pitifully. Your mother would make me, a man used to wielding swords and spears, hold a baby. No matter how much I loved my daughter, I couldn’t stop the child from crying. Your mother was reasonable with everyone, except with me. There were times when I had to attend military meetings the next day, and I would go to the camp with a bruised face, laughed at by those bastards. Once, an old comrade made a mistake, and I personally whipped him. He just knelt there, grinning at my swollen forehead, which your mother had given me. I was so angry I gave him fifty more lashes. Later, when I came to apply medicine to his wounds, he grinned at me and said, ‘Even if I’m in a worse situation, I’m not as embarrassed as you are.'”
“That old comrade was the father of Chen Zhibao. He was the one who, aside from his young son, led all the Chen family members to their deaths without hesitation.”
“I’m not the kind of man who would dishonorably give out ‘ Pardon Token’ to loyal subjects while secretly plotting to accuse them of treason. When I say someone is my brother, they are my brother for life. I wronged the Chen family first, so I knew that Chen Zhibao would never accept Xiaonian as the new Beiliang King. For over a decade, I let my adopted son cultivate his own followers without interference. If Chen Zhibao wants to leave Beiliang, I won’t stop him. If he wants to be both Minister of War and King of Shu, I’ll let him. I just hope that one day, he and Xiaonian won’t end up as bitter enemies, forced to fight each other. If they can just avoid seeing each other for the rest of their lives, that would be best. But I know that old foxes like Zhang Julu and Gu Jiantang, and the Zhao family emperor lurking behind the scenes, won’t let such a sharp spear rust without turning it against Beiliang.”
At this point, the old man, who had spent his life in the military, felt a deep sense of sorrow.
Xu Xiao smiled and turned to his second son, Xu Longxiang. “Huangman’er, you’ll eventually awaken, and you must remember how good your brother has been to you. That time when your brother got into big trouble, I wanted to beat him, but you stepped in and stopped me, getting furious with me and ready to fight me if necessary. I only pretended to be angry on the surface, but deep down, I was truly moved. Your brother, over these years, hasn’t been happy. Outsiders think he’s the eldest son of Xu Xiao, the Butcher, and must live a glorious life. But the bitterness and hardship he’s endured, you’ll only understand once you awaken. Losing your mother and sister isn’t the worst thing. In the Spring and Autumn Wars, countless families lost everyone. But being cursed by the ancestors of ungrateful people, and still having to guard the gates for them, knowing that one day tens of thousands of your own cavalry might die just to bring peace, only to be cursed in the history books by the new rulers, and then have a bunch of people who’ve never suffered a day in their lives join in the chorus—that’s the real tragedy of your brother’s life.”
In the young days before the Heir Apparent chose to conceal his talents, everyone in the Northern Liang Prince’s Mansionknew how deeply the Heir cherished his younger brother. Whenever there was anything fun or valuable, no matter how rare or precious, it would quickly be sent to Huang Man’er before it even had time to warm his hands. Yet, once such treasures reached Huang Man’er’s hands—strong yet unaware of his own strength—they rarely remained intact. It would take only a few moments for them to be broken beyond repair. Yet none of the servants who cleaned up the mess ever saw the Heir grow angry.
Even after the Heir Apparent began living a life of notorious indulgence, he never neglected Xu Long Xiang. Rare were the times when servants were punished in the Prince’s Mansion, and the few times Xu Fengnian did lose his temper were always because he had learned of some servant deliberately mocking the young prince. On those occasions, the Heir personally beat the offenders with fists and feet, showing absolutely no mercy—as if trying to kill them outright.
“And also, Wei Xiong,” the father continued, “I know how much you care for Xiaonian deep down, even if you hide it behind a cold exterior. You hesitate to show your feelings, but sometimes, all it takes is a smile from you to make him happy. A few years back, when he went to Wudang Mountain to train in swordsmanship, you disapproved, fearing it would distract him from his duties as heir. He feared your unhappiness even more. So, when he dove into the deep waters to retrieve stones, carving each one by hand into over three hundred chess pieces, you scattered them across the floor the moment you saw them. Yet he never showed you anger. Do you remember? Afterward, he picked every single one up himself, even those that had rolled into the Tide Listening Lake. He spent the entire night retrieving them. I and Yi Shan watched him from the Tide Listening Pavilion the whole night. Even Yi Shan, a man of iron will, ended up drinking alone in silence. When he was young, how many things did he do just to make you happy? Even though Zhi Hu loved him dearly, he always took your side. After Zhi Hu passed away, did you think he was fine? Who has ever seen him cry out in grief? Given his nature, he should have long since gone to Wudang Mountain to pay his respects to the late Master Wang Chonglou. But he feared it—he feared Wudang Mountain, feared seeing Lotus Peak, feared being a curse to those around him, feared that those close to him might leave because of him. From childhood, he gave his favorite things either to his sisters or his brother, keeping only those things that outsiders would consider valuable.”
Xu Wei Xiong lowered her head, her expression unreadable.
“In this world today, those in power value their lives and reputations above all else. The more they study, the more clever they become, until they no longer seem human. Who would willingly carry the coffin of a nameless old soldier? Who would risk their life defending a city gate alone for the sake of a servant girl in a foreign land? Yi Shan, for all his brilliance, held such high standards that even Chen Zhibao failed to impress him, yet he believed in Fengnian. Why? Why did Lao Huang leave for the City of Martial Emperors without a single regret? Why did Li Chungan, after fighting Wang Xianzhi, willingly accept the battle on Guangling River as his final farewell to the martial world? Why did Huan Wen, now the esteemed Deputy Chancellor, once a man who often spoke kindly of Northern Liang, now betray his own conscience, tampering with the grain shipments and scheming to make life hard for Northern Liang? It’s not because Fengnian’s martial talent surpasses those rare Grand Masters of the martial world. It’s not because his political cunning rivals the near-divine wisdom of the strategists. It’s simple: he treats people as people, and in doing so, he gathers hearts. And in gathering hearts, he gains the advantage.
I, your father, remember how I started as a street ruffian, became a bold young officer, then a general who razed cities, and finally the King of Northern Liang with an army of a hundred thousand riders. I stumbled along the way, yet I made it through, despite the many clever men who doubted me. My enemies became smarter and more difficult as time went on, yet many of them, even at death, never understood why I was the one who prevailed in the end. They must have comforted themselves with the thought that it was fate, that Xu Xiao had too strong a destiny. That may be true, but it’s not the whole story. I may not be well-read, but I know one thing: if you don’t betray others, many may not understand, or pretend not to care, even going so far as to see you as a fool, thinking they’ve gained the upper hand. But it doesn’t matter. In the end, there will be those who remember, and even if they are few, they will give their all. And when they fight, even if outnumbered two to one, they will still be unbeatable. Even if they lose, they can rise again.
The six hundred spirit tablets beneath the Tide Listening Pavilion, and the old soldiers who saw Fengnian off to the capital, are proof of this. So, I believe more than anyone that the Northern Liang of the future will be even more of a thorn in the side of the Northern Barbarians than it was under me.
When Fengnian was still young, I did consider the idea of living peacefully as a wealthy gentleman, hoping at least to give my children a life of peace. But Chen Zhibao, for all his virtues, was too clever. When a clever man becomes obsessed and makes a mistake, it becomes a catastrophe beyond repair. Fengnian is clever too, but unlike Chen Zhibao, he listens. Once I am gone, Chen Zhibao will see no one as his equal. If one day he decides to become emperor, he will stop at nothing, even if it means sacrificing every last soldier of Northern Liang.”
After Yi Shan’s death, Xu Xiao seemed to have no place to utter even the self-deceiving words of an old man still strong in spirit. At this point in his speech, the hunched old man could no longer hide his weariness. He fell silent, stopped walking, and gently reached out to adjust the collar of Huang Man’er’s simple robe, though it needed no fixing. Finally, he whispered softly, “Huang Man’er, from now on, don’t throw your life away so easily. If you die, even if your brother survives, how heartbroken would he be? I tell you, it would be worse than if he himself had died. But still, do what you can to ease his burdens. Though he was born first and bears the responsibility, after I’m gone, you will be the only brother left to speak with him on Cool and RefreshingMountain. Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang, no matter how loyal, can never be as close as blood.
Do you remember? When your brother first stormed out of the house in anger and wandered the martial world, his greatest wish wasn’t to become a great hero—it was to bring you, his younger brother, a beautiful bride. Every time you went to Longhu Mountain and sent letters, your brother—who never forgets a single page he reads—would read them again and again, even though he knew they weren’t written by you. Wei Xiong, when he saw you in your wheelchair this time, you deliberately avoided watching him grind ink, but I saw his hands trembling.”
The old man reached out and gently touched Xu Wei Xiong’s head, offering no words of comfort.
Xu Long Xiang clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination. Two tiger-like beasts fled in fear, pacing restlessly in the distance, too afraid to approach the unfamiliar black-robed youth.
The old man slowly walked back toward the courtyard.
The loquat tree remained green even in winter, yet the old man stood alone, solitary and forlorn.
But he was not sad. He smiled and said softly, “My dear, our Xu family has already been upheld by Fengnian. Just wait a little longer for me. I won’t keep you waiting for long.”
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