The sky gradually turned dusky.
Xu Fengnian stepped out of the room where Xu Weixiong resided, its air thick with medicinal scents. Huanggua, the maid, had been clinging to the young master these past few days, the first free moments she had in a long while. At the door, she wrinkled her nose, thinking of giving him her scented sachet to replace the medicinal stench, but Xu Fengnian shook his head. They walked together into the courtyard, where Xu Xiao was dozing on a stone bench. Huanggua quietly covered her mouth with a smile, tiptoed away, not wishing to disturb the King of Beiliang and the Young Master. Before leaving, she turned back for one last glance, her heart aching at the sight of the young master’s white hair.
As soon as Xu Fengnian sat down, Xu Xiao, seemingly dozing, suddenly became alert. He rubbed his cheeks and chuckled, “Getting old makes one drowsy. I remember when I was young—whether in battle or fleeing for my life—I could go three days and nights without sleep, never feeling fatigue. Just a short nap and a hearty sleep, and I could wake up and eat four or five jin of cooked meat. Now, I simply can’t deny aging anymore.”
Xu Fengnian laughed, “A hero never boasts of his past glories. Everyone grows old eventually. You’re not some immortal Daoist cultivating longevity in a blessed mountain retreat. Besides, with your aptitude, how could you ever hope to attain immortality? You’ve barely reached the second-tier martial realm your whole life. Look at General Gu Jiantang—he’s younger than you and already ranked among the martial elite. Aren’t you ashamed?”
Xu Xiao wanted to laugh heartily but dared not disturb his daughter recuperating inside. He rolled up his sleeves, hands tucked into his sleeves, neither resembling the King of Beiliang nor a general, but more like a carefree old man in a village. He chuckled softly, “You don’t understand. Once you’re a father and at my age, it’s no longer about martial prowess or official rank. What we compare is our sons. Take a look at Gu Jiantang’s children—his sons are neither scholarly nor martial, and their appearances are nothing special. His daughters are nothing extraordinary either. If Gu Jiantang wants to compare with me, Xu Xiao, I wouldn’t even bother with him. Let him go play with his big sword somewhere else.”
Xu Fengnian mocked, “You sure have a way of thinking.”
Xu Xiao turned to look at the Yellow Crane Tower atop Qingliang Hill and suggested, “How about we chat while climbing the mountain?”
Xu Fengnian nodded. He waved to the head maid of his second sister’s courtyard, requesting two pots of warmed yellow rice wine. He handed one to Xu Xiao, saying, “Drink less green ant wine; even I feel my throat burning. Since you’ve admitted to aging, drink more yellow rice wine from now on—it’s good for your health.”
Xu Xiao accepted the wine with a smile, took a small sip, and walked out of the courtyard along a main path paved with blue stones. When the mansion was built, the King of Beiliang had originally wanted the path to be paved with gold. Later, his wife suggested plain blue stone slabs, which carried the auspicious meaning of a rising path to success. He agreed without hesitation and even personally participated in the labor of carrying stones and paving the road. As the father and son leisurely climbed the mountain, Xu Fengnian said, “Chu Lushan has already taken up his post as the protector of Beiliang, granted the title of General of Cavalry. Because Chen Xiliang is preparing to reorganize the military ranks of Beiliang, many auxiliary and deputy titles will be abolished, leaving only eight or nine. The titles of junior commanders will become more valuable. We will start by removing the word ‘Great’ from the title of General of Cavalry. Yuan Zuozong has replaced Zhong Hongwu as the commander of the cavalry and has been granted the title of General of Chariots and Horses. Qi Dangguo and Ning Emi have been appointed as the main and deputy commanders of the Iron Floating Buddha unit. Huangman will lead the newly formed Dragon and Elephant Army, and the three of them will temporarily not be granted the title of general. Guoyu Colonel Huangfu Ping has been promoted one rank. Whether he will be appointed as the General of Youzhou or another title, I must wait for Chen Xiliang’s report. Hong Biao, the guest general from Huishan sent by Xuan Qingfeng, indeed has the talent for leading troops. Whether he should replace Huangfu Ping as Guoyu Colonel is still under consideration. Once the second sister recovers, she will take command of your 30,000 Snow Dragon Cavalry. Do you have any objections?”
Xu Xiao laughed, “If I can be a comfortable and hands-off overseer, how could I have any objections? An old cucumber painting itself green to look fresh—that’s just too tasteless.”
Xu Fengnian glared, “You sound quite resentful.”
Xu Xiao hurriedly waved his hand, “No, no such thing.”
Xu Fengnian sighed, “The Beiliang army is undergoing tremendous changes, with significant adjustments from top to bottom. If there are any sharp conflicts and I cannot suppress them, you may have to step in to pacify the situation.”
Xu Xiao said calmly, “Nothing serious will happen. The Zhao family has ruled the world for twenty years, and the Xu family has ruled Beiliang for nearly twenty years. Among the old men here in Beiliang, I have not wronged anyone. Besides, their descendants have benefited from the blessings, so they should be content. I know about Zhong Hongwu. If he dares to secretly conspire with Yan Wenluan to cause trouble, I won’t mind letting him suffer in the cold wind, stripped of his title and rank, and live peacefully as a wealthy farmer. As for Yan Wenluan, he and Changling once strongly advised me to divide the empire and rule together. Over the years, he has been mockingly called the leader of the ‘Emperor Party’ by Yishan. He has gathered many old men who harbor grievances, and the younger officers he promoted are mostly descendants of old generals who gave up hope of advancement after failing to attach themselves to a dragon.”
Xu Fengnian took a sip of yellow rice wine, “It’s been nearly twenty years since that rot began. Luckily, you had the resolve to let Yan Wenluan establish his own faction early on, preventing that vine from spreading into the cavalry, which saved the entire Beiliang cavalry from becoming hopelessly diseased.”
Xu Xiao, holding the wine pot, sighed, “It was unavoidable. In the Spring and Autumn War, nine kingdoms stood against each other, and our Beiliang army wiped out six of them through hard-fought battles. How many heroes had to die? I didn’t want to become emperor, and later, when I rode across the martial world, it was fortunate that many old soldiers with ties to the martial world left. But when we campaigned against the Northern Barbarians, the emperor’s decree was the real blow. My reluctant withdrawal caused the Beiliang army to lose morale, and many officers left. Many old men who had been holding their breath to achieve great feats gradually faded from view. So, it’s difficult for scholars to govern a country, but easy for them to cause harm. You must be especially careful with Yuan Benxi, the strategist who rivals Yishan. That secret decree came from his hand. In the Spring and Autumn War, the hard work was done by me and generals like Gu Jiantang, but those soft, bloodless knives were mostly his doing. Bi Yanguo Zhang Julu, from a minor eunuch to a high-ranking official, became the chief minister in three years, all under his guidance. In my opinion, scholars naturally have more talent than us rough warriors who ride horses and wield swords, but most of them are high-handed and low-skilled, unable to achieve great things. The truly dangerous ones are scholars like Yuan Benxi, who can ride the tide and realize their ambitions. Before the current emperor ascended the throne, he sincerely said, ‘I wish to be Yuan Benxi’s puppet.’ So Yuan Benxi made him the Son of Heaven. Zhao Heng, that woman, surely hated Yuan Benxi to the end for making him lose the throne. Ha ha, that bitter woman Zhao Heng, before his death, finally showed some manliness by sacrificing himself to secure Zhao Xun’s hereditary title. If he had had that wisdom twenty years ago, there wouldn’t be a current emperor. That blind man Lu Xu, blind in eyes but sharp in heart, wrote the ‘Fourteen Strategies of Lu Xu’ beautifully. Even I could understand them. I heard you played chess with him in Yongzi Alley? Why didn’t you bring him directly to Beiliang as a strategist?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head, “At the time, I couldn’t spare him, and mainly, I didn’t trust my own luck, so I missed the chance. There is some regret, but not much remorse. I’ve seen the abilities of Zhao Xun, the King of Jing’an. He’s very patient, but in the end, he’s not as good as his father. Without Lu Xu, the Jing’an territory would definitely need a more capable person to govern, which would make Beiliang even more difficult. It’s better to let Zhao Xun mess around there with his small-minded schemes. According to the rules, the kings must visit the capital every four years. If he dares to bring Lu Xu along, I’ll worry for him, fearing that Lu Xu might be poached. Then that rare scholar-official king would become a great joke.”
Xu Xiao smiled with satisfaction, “No wonder you’re my son, Xu Xiao. You have the Domineering.”
Xu Fengnian smiled helplessly.
Xu Xiao laughed, “Outside Dunhuang City, one man with a sword guarding the city gate—that was also Domineering. No wonder Redbean is so devoted to you.”
When Xu Fengnian was still some distance from the summit, he paused with Xu Xiao, gazing at the panoramic view of Liangzhou City. “Ye Xizhen and Chu Lushan, one overt and one covert, control the Beiliang spy network. Now that Lushan has become the protector of Beiliang, he has to give up one of his positions. I plan to let Chen Xiliang take over. As for Ye Xizhen’s part, do you have a suitable candidate?”
Xu Xiao asked softly, “Why not choose Xu Beizhi?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head, “I want him to focus on becoming the next governor. Involvement in espionage would distract him too much. Spies deal with small plans and details, while a governor must plan on a grand scale. Moreover, Xu Beizhi’s health is poor, and I don’t want him to follow in my master’s footsteps.”
Xu Xiao nodded, looking into the distance, his figure lonely.
Continuing their climb, Xu Xiao said, “Wu Qi should have already entered Shu from the Northern Barbarians and joined Chen Zhibao.”
Xu Fengnian said bitterly, “This trip to the Northern Barbarians was arduous, and I didn’t even get to see my uncle.”
Xu Xiao shook his head, “You might have seen him, but you just didn’t know it. Don’t dwell on this matter; the fate between relatives has already ended.”
Xu Xiao continued, “No one’s son is born into wealth and nobility, and no one’s son is immune to death. My son is no exception. To inherit the family legacy, one must strive with their own efforts. These twenty years, I’ve been waiting for you to grow, while Chen Zhibao has been waiting for you to die. The bond between me and the old Chen family ended when he went to Tiemenguan, plotting to kill both you and Zhao Kai. It’s better this way; no one owes anyone else. Fengnian, I forced you to travel three times. Don’t blame your father for being heartless.”
Xu Fengnian joked, “I know. You’re just holding a grudge because I chased you with a broom so many times.”
Xu Xiao almost laughed until tears came, coughed a few times, and took a sip of warm wine to calm himself.
Finally, they reached the summit of Qingliang Mountain. The weather was clear and bright, with an excellent view.
Xu Xiao, hunched over, squinted toward the western city gate. “Among the current six feudal lords, besides me, Yanshi Wang Zhao Bing is the strongest. When the emperor wanted to grant Chen Zhibao the title of King of the Southern Frontier, it was not without the intention of balancing Zhao Bing’s power. Guangling Wang Zhao Yi, born of the same mother as the emperor, is deeply trusted. The apparent reprimands are nothing but performances for outsiders. Appointing Sun Xi Ji, the left Servantye of the Menxia Province, as the governor of Guangling Dao is to prevent Zhao Yi from being too harsh and causing criticism, ensuring the third Hereditary succession in perpetuity of the Liyang Dynasty. The emperor’s treatment of these two reveals his closeness or distance. Jiaodong Wang Zhao Sui, stationed in the two Liaos, has some camaraderie with me. Over the years, he has been repeatedly attacked by the emperor, Zhang Julu, and Gu Jiantang, and his situation is indeed pitiful. However, though born into the imperial family, his nature is refreshingly straightforward. Once trust is established, he is reliable. As for Jing’an Wang Zhao Xun, let’s not speak of him. Xiongzhou Huainan Wang Zhao Ying, originally resembling the old emperor, merely lacked the divine favor and had to live a simple life. Among the five royal feudal lords, he was suppressed the most severely, without any real power. This time, the feudal lords will follow the example and go to the capital. I definitely won’t go, but Chen Zhibao, who has not yet been officially titled a king, is destined to make the journey. Thus, it will be a grand scene with six kings entering the capital.”
Xu Fengnian shook his empty wine pot and asked, “Has the crown prince not been decided yet?”
Xu Xiao smiled and revealed the secret, “Unless something unexpected happens before the princes are enfeoffed and leave for their fiefs, the fourth prince, Zhao Zhuan, will be appointed as the crown prince. Who else but this young man is favored by Yuan Benxi?”
Xu Fengnian frowned, “Isn’t the tradition to appoint the eldest son rather than the youngest, and the legitimate son rather than the concubine’s son? Although Zhao Zhuan is a legitimate son, the eldest prince, Zhao Wu, is the rightful eldest legitimate son.”
Xu Xiao handed the wine pot, which still had more than half its contents, to Xu Fengnian and said calmly, “Zhao Wu has a fiery temper. Now that the world is at peace, what is needed is stability and preservation of the status quo, not a crown prince suited for conquering the world. Zhao Zhuan is different. He has been skillful and hidden his abilities for years, destined to remain silent until he makes a stunning breakthrough. There’s another key point: their mother, the empress Zhao Zhi, seems to have quietly instilled in him from a young age the idea that his older brother would be a general leading a northern campaign while his younger brother would become emperor. Although Zhao Wu has a temper, he has always believed in his mother’s words and has a very good relationship with his younger brother Zhao Zhuan. I believe that this crown prince’s position, vacant for over a decade, will surface without much turmoil. Fengnian, you must know that the Qing Party, who support the eldest prince, has already split into factions. As for the northern scholars who compete with the southern literati for power, although they have heavily invested in Zhao Wu, as long as Zhao Wu can smoothly go to the two Liaos to guard the border, and the future emperor Zhao Zhuan will surely compensate these people, their immediate interests will not only remain intact but even increase, so their current complaints won’t be too loud, nor can they afford to be too loud. As for the second prince Zhao Bo, who is supported by the largest faction in court, the Zhang Party, it’s merely a trick performance orchestrated by Zhang Julu and the emperor, not worth mentioning.”
Xu Fengnian took a sip of wine.
Xu Xiao smiled, “The newly favored eunuch, Song Tanglu, has taken over the Seal Supervisor’s post from the ‘Cat Man’ Han Shengxuan. Although he hasn’t directly become the Chief Eunuch of the Office of Ceremonial, he has taken over the Internal Affairs Office from his master. The court knows I won’t get involved in this farce of appointing a crown prince and sending princes out, so Song Tanglu was secretly sent to Beiliang to deliver two sets of princely robes to you, one red and one white. The white one is specially tailored for you as an exception. In short, they want you to go to the capital to attend the ceremony. Will you go?”
Xu Fengnian asked, “Is it a matter of life and death?”
Xu Xiao shook his head, “This time is different. It’s hard to die. Both the emperor and empress will protect you. Now that the situation in Liyang is stable, especially with Chen Zhibao entering Shu as the King of Shu, if they still want chaos in Beiliang, who will stop the Northern Barbarians’ hundreds of thousands of cavalry? Without our Beiliang, even if Gu Jiantang fortifies the eastern front, not only the emperor but the entire capital will be in turmoil. Those bastards may curse me fiercely, but secretly, they’re grateful for the thirty thousand iron cavalry of Beiliang.”
Xu Fengnian asked, “Last time you went to the capital, right after leaving the hall, you crippled an official. Why?”
Xu Xiao laughed, “That unseeing fellow called the Beiliang cavalry a watchdog. I beat him half to death. Did you see anyone dare to speak out among the civil and military officials at that time? Also, Gu Jiantang later properly reprimanded that fellow. That remark insulted even the general.”
The secret agent Yin appeared mysteriously and whispered, “Eunuch Song Tanglu has arrived at the gate.”
Xu Xiao asked, “If you really go to the capital, the Cat Man hasn’t been killed yet. Aren’t you worried?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head, “I’m just waiting for him to come to me.”
Xu Xiao hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.
Xu Fengnian suddenly said, “I killed Yang Taishui. Will you blame me?”
Xu Xiao said calmly, “My old brother died a worthy death.”
The The Case of the White Robe in the capital: the mastermind was the Zhao family’s Son of Heaven, and the planner was the sneaky Yuan Benxi. Among the many high-level martial artists, Han Diaosi was one of them. As for the Tiantian-level martial artist, there was another person.
Xu Xiao said softly, “Let’s go down the mountain.”
On the way down, Xu Xiao saw Xu Fengnian holding two wine pots and laughed, “Let me carry them? Even if I’m older, I can still wear armor and ride a horse. Carrying two wine pots is no problem.”
Xu Fengnian slowed his pace, looking at the blue stone slabs under his feet and said, “If you grow old, just grow old, but don’t you dare die.”
Xu Xiao sighed softly, “I also want to hold my grandson in my arms.”
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