As Xu Beizhi entered the general’s mansion in Lingzhou, only three days remained until the Lunar New Year’s Eve. Almost immediately upon his arrival at the residence, he accompanied the heir prince to Liangzhou. Such an honor would have been considered the pinnacle of favor in the eyes of others, truly making him the most favored in Northern Liang. On this return journey, there were two carriages: Huyan Guanyin occupied one alone, while Xu Fengnian and Xu Beizhi squeezed into the other. The two coachmen were Xu Yanbing and Hong Shuwen, with no other personal guards accompanying them. Xu Beizhi listened to Xu Fengnian’s account of the matters in Huangnan Commandery, but gave no comment. The relationship between these two, “Persimmon” and “Orange,” seemed reminiscent of the exemplary rapport between Prince Yanke and Nalan Youci, a model of harmony between ruler and minister.
Xu Beizhi’s first question was why Xu Fengnian had not allowed Song Gu to finish speaking when he attempted to intercept them on the road. Xu Beizhi was well aware of the matter concerning the Chai Fei Courtyard. Originally, the slight oversight that led to the serious injury of the eagle warrior Ren Shanyu was not a significant issue. However, since the heir prince had personally witnessed the outcome, and given the calculating nature of Chu Lushan, Song Gu’s career was certainly ruined, and whether he could even survive was uncertain. Had Xu Fengnian scolded him a few times and kicked him around a bit at that moment, venting his anger, Chu Lushan could have seized the opportunity to make a show of punishing Song Gu severely. This would have satisfied the heir prince and the eagle warriors, allowing Song Gu to survive, albeit temporarily disciplined. Then, Song Gu could still be of use later. But since Xu Fengnian said nothing at all, how could Chu Lushan dare to take the initiative to downplay the matter? At the time, Xu Fengnian’s answer was that he would absolutely never interfere in the affairs of Northern Liang’s spies. He could even tolerate the rivalry between the Peregrine Falcon (You Sun) and the Eagleshield (Ying Shi) after the spy organization split into factions, akin to the jealousy between lovers. However, he would absolutely not allow them to become openly hostile and take opportunities to undermine each other. Northern Liang could not afford such internal conflicts. In this matter, and in all future disputes, Xu Fengnian would not favor his second sister Xu Wei Xiong, nor would he deliberately support the eagle warriors at the expense of the Peregrine Falcon, nor would he lean towards Chu Lushan. He would not adopt a compromising approach, treating both sides equally without addressing the root issues.
After hearing this response, Xu Beizhi smiled without reservation, clearly satisfied. It is difficult for an upright official to mediate family matters, primarily because the person attempting to maintain impartiality fails to do so. Once impartiality is compromised, it becomes increasingly difficult to restore. However, maintaining impartiality also has its own challenges and drawbacks. One might easily end up in a lose-lose situation, and it remains to be seen whether Xu Fengnian can persevere to the end. Xu Fengnian shared everything he knew, not only recounting the three kings of Huangnan Commandery who had come together to the general’s mansion to pledge their loyalty and request official appointments—each employing different methods—but also mentioning Wang Luting’s proactive proposal to purchase the Golden Thread Weaving Office with his own money.
Upon hearing this, Xu Beizhi frowned and asked, “Can this man be entrusted with a significant responsibility?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head. “I’ve only met him once, but I found his conversation agreeable and to my liking. As for whether he is capable of managing the Golden Thread Weaving Office, we will need more detailed intelligence reports on the Zijin Wang Clan and test him thoroughly to determine his competence. However, the Golden Thread Weaving Office is located in Lingzhou, so it will be your headache as the governor of Lingzhou.”
Xu Beizhi asked, “What about the former head of the Weaving Office, Li Xifeng?”
Xu Fengnian evaded responsibility by saying, “I haven’t decided yet. Why don’t you handle it when the time comes?”
Xu Beizhi shot him a glare, probably too tired to deal with the prince, and fell into his own thoughts.
All regions across the land had Weaving Offices, and Northern Liang was no exception. Officially, these offices were responsible for overseeing the production and delivery of silk for the royal family and government use. However, they wielded significant covert power. In previous dynasties, it was customary for the heads of these Weaving Offices to submit secret reports to the capital on a regular basis, reports that could reach the emperor’s desk directly. The transmission of such intelligence along the postal routes was handled with greater caution than ordinary military reports. Several times, Prince Jiaodong Wang Zhaosui and Prince Huainan Liu Ying had been reprimanded and severely punished by the emperor due to secret reports from the local Weaving Offices. Now, in the Liyang court, with the establishment of regional administrations, although the ranks of the Weaving Offices in various regions had not been elevated, the astute individuals in both the court and the common world understood clearly that aside from the Jinglue Envoys sent from the capital to deliberately restrain the feudal princes, these dozen or so Weaving Office officials, despite their relatively low ranks, were the most insidious and troublesome.
However, Li Xifeng, the head of the Golden Thread Weaving Office under the Northern Liang region, was nearing seventy years old. For many years, he had been inactive and had never been known to interact with Prince Northern Liang Xu Xiao. He neither flattered nor distanced himself excessively. Once, a “semi-annual report” was intercepted by a group of audacious bandits on the postal route and leaked to the public. People were astonished to learn that this Weaving Office official was so foolish and idle that he reported to the emperor detailed lists of the heir prince’s collection of antiquities, numbering nearly forty categories and totaling over six hundred items. No one could understand why such an old and incompetent man was allowed to remain in Northern Liang, wasting the court’s salary. It was said that when the report was leaked, Xu Xiao, then still the Grand Commander-in-Chief, had laughed heartily upon hearing of the matter. He even sent silver equal to the imperial salary to this Weaving Office official who held his position but did not fulfill his duties, and this continued year after year without fail. Li Xifeng was not afraid of the emperor’s suspicions and accepted the silver every time without hesitation.
However, no matter how much outsiders mocked and belittled Li Xifeng, within Northern Liang, even Li Yishan had thoroughly analyzed this man’s official career and temperament. Xu Xiao’s act of sending silver was not a mockery of Li Xifeng’s idleness but a message to this Golden Thread Weaving Office official, who was skilled at deciphering Northern Liang’s situation through subtle details: “Xu Xiao is now watching you!”
Moreover, Xu Fengnian did not hide from Xu Beizhi the fact that when the Yan family defected from Northern Liang to enjoy wealth and honor in the capital, it was the Weaving Office that orchestrated the escape. The escape route, disguises, and support along the way were meticulously planned. However, since Li Yishan had been observing coldly from the sidelines, this game of intrigue between Northern Liang and the imperial court eventually ended with Northern Liang gaining the upper hand. Combined with Chu Lushan’s relentless efforts, the Northern Liang spies successfully intercepted the Yan family. However, at that time, Xu Fengnian had a moment of mercy and personally pleaded for the Yan family’s clemency, so Xu Xiao spared them. Otherwise, even if Wang Xianzhi himself had come to Northern Liang to rescue them, he could have only saved one or two individuals. Although Li Xifeng had failed, considering that his position as a Weaving Office official in Northern Liang was surrounded by wolves, his ability to achieve such an outcome was already remarkable.
Breaking the silence, Xu Beizhi said, “If Li Xifeng wishes to retire peacefully and return to the capital, he must strike a deal with Northern Liang. However, this deal would be beneficial to him, the Golden Thread Weaving Office official, with no drawbacks.”
Xu Fengnian remained silent, his expression subtly somber.
Xu Beizhi raised his eyebrows and spoke bluntly, “I remember you once had three very close friends. Among them, Yan Chiji has already followed his family to the capital and become a royal relative, filling the coveted position of Hanlin Huangmen Lang, with a promising future ahead. That Kong Wuchi is no slouch either, and by the end of the year, he also became a commander of the imperial guards. In the end, only Li Hanlin remains in Northern Liang. Can you really bear it? You haven’t even become a feudal prince yet, and you’re planning to become a lonely ruler?”
Xu Fengnian replied calmly, “Regardless of the outcome, even in the worst-case scenario, I will ensure that the Li family is always well-provided for. If Li Hanlin no longer recognizes me as his brother, it’s entirely my own doing.”
Xu Beizhi smiled faintly and said, “That’s truly pitiful.”
Xu Fengnian kicked him lightly, and Xu Beizhi leaned against the carriage wall, patting his clothes as he casually asked, “What about that friend of Wang Luting’s, Sun Yin, whom Yao Baifeng praised as a man whose talent could shake the stars? He’s not an imperial scholar but is better than one. Now that Yao Baifeng has become the Left Sacrificial Official of the National Academy, presiding over the literary world, is there any intelligence report indicating that Yao intends to invite Sun Yin to be his deputy?”
Xu Fengnian laughed heartily and said, “Orange, you’re really something else—truly a master strategist! If I hadn’t learned that Yao Baifeng secretly sent someone to invite Sun Yin, promising that if this fellow is willing to go to the capital, he would first be appointed as a prestigious official in the National Academy, and the following year he could participate in the palace examination. Yao Baifeng even went so far as to promise to use his valuable reputation to commit the utmost favoritism, personally pleading with the emperor for the top honor in the examination! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known that there was such a remarkable figure in Huangnan Commandery. But you can be both reassured and concerned—Sun Yin has already been escorted to Lingzhou by Wang Luting, and I plan to appoint him directly as a sixth-rank official with real authority. If you become the governor of Lingzhou but are overshadowed by this man, be careful—I might get angry and replace you with him.”
Xu Beizhi glanced at Xu Fengnian but said nothing.
Xu Fengnian laughed and said, “Rest assured, rest assured. I may like new things, but I don’t abandon the old. Even if Sun Yin is exceptionally capable, Orange, you will always be my old flame, and my favor will not wane.”
Xu Beizhi sneered, “Stop the carriage. Let me get out and throw up.”
Xu Fengnian feigned hurt and said, “You have no sense of romance. I’ve saved all the good things for you first. I found a rare Tianqing translation:
Courage Vial (Celestial Green CourageBottle) from the imperial kiln in Dongyue at the Taosai Pavilion—there’s no second one like it in the entire world. You really don’t want it? Then I’ll just give it to Chen Xiliang. That guy is more understanding than you.”
Xu Beizhi closed his eyes to rest and said indifferently, “Hurry up.”
At noon on New Year’s Eve, Qingliang Mountain, already adorned with lanterns and decorations, finally welcomed the return of the heir prince.
Xu Fengnian arranged for Huyan Guanyin to stay in a quiet villa, with no intention of letting her meet the girls from Wutong Courtyard. Xu Xiao accompanied him all the way, not saying much, just smiling happily. His younger brother, Huangman’er, had grown a little taller, his brows carrying more fierceness. When he wasn’t smiling, he looked exceptionally heroic. However, when he joined his father in laughing foolishly, the effect was instantly ruined. Fortunately, he no longer drooled, but it still left Xu Fengnian at a loss for words. When he went to see his second sister, the four family members finally reunited. Xu Wei Xiong, who controlled half of Northern Liang’s spies, now lived in Wutong Courtyard to handle confidential affairs. Apart from the two senior maids, Hongshu and Qingniao, the rest of the maids in the two lower ranks had become Northern Liang’s “female scholars,” reviewing and filtering military intelligence reports with the authority to make red annotations. Insiders affectionately dubbed them the “Crimson Maidens.” Green Ant, the young Northern Liang Go prodigy who was second only to Xu Wei Xiong in the nineteen-line game, seemed naturally adept at strategic planning and had become the second-in-command of Wutong Courtyard. The second princess, who demanded perfection, had scolded almost all the maids, except for Green Ant, whom she trusted and relied upon heavily.
As the three Xu men entered the Wutong Courtyard, Xu Wei Xiong sat in a wheelchair behind a specially made low desk. She glanced at the three of them briefly before returning her gaze to a large stack of intelligence reports already annotated in red, randomly pulling out one to inspect the Crimson Maidens in the adjacent room for any oversights. Xu Fengnian ran over and noticed that the ink in the ancient inkstone on the table had dried up. He immediately squatted beside the wheelchair and turned around to flatter, “Sister, let me grind the ink for you.”
Xu Wei Xiong did not even look at him, her smile devoid of warmth as she replied, “How dare I have the great general of Lingzhou do such a task?”
Xu Fengnian played dumb and said, “It’s only right, only right.”
Xu Wei Xiong did not continue to mock the heir prince and allowed him to roll up his sleeves and grind the ink beside her while she concentrated on browsing the detailed red annotations on the official reports and intelligence from Northern Liang.
Xu Xiao smiled knowingly.
Xu Longxiang sat on the threshold, resting his chin on his hands, lost in thought.
Perhaps Xu Wei Xiong could no longer tolerate Xu Fengnian’s presence beside her, and without looking up, she said, “Don’t you see that the house hasn’t even put up the New Year couplets yet?”
Xu Fengnian slapped his forehead, exclaiming, “I’ll go write the couplets right away! Can we put them up together later?”
Xu Wei Xiong did not respond.
Xu Fengnian went to the adjacent empty desk and began writing furiously. It still took him half an hour to finish the hundred couplets needed for the mansion. As he completed each couplet, Xu Xiao and Xu Longxiang gently blew on them to dry the ink, then called for Xu Wei Xiong, who was still occupied with her work and said not to wait for her. Xu Fengnian ended up carrying more than fifty couplets with Huangman’er, while Xu Xiao was responsible for carrying a lighter box of the couplets, starting from the top of Qingliang Mountain and pasting them all the way down. When they reached the main gate, they found Xu Wei Xiong sitting in her wheelchair, quietly waiting outside the mansion. Xu Fengnian smiled and asked Xu Xiao to check if the couplets were crooked. He and Xu Longxiang each pasted one of the particularly wide and long festive couplets on either side. When they finished, they both turned around and saw Xu Xiao laughing with joy, and their second sister, who rarely smiled, had a rare smile on her face.
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