Chapter 166: The Scholar and the砧Board

Xu Fengnian was only slightly dazed, and fortunately, the White Fox Face had already set a high standard, so he quickly regained his composure. Still, he found it hard to believe: a woman worth around seventy coins was neither easy nor difficult to find, but this one here was easily worth ninety coins. And yet, he turned out to be a man? What a waste of beauty! The Young Lord was certainly not like Li Hanlin, who had a penchant for male lovers and could indulge in both genders indiscriminately.

Xu Fengnian had no interest in child prostitutes, let alone the horrifying young male prostitutes. In the Jiangnan region, however, there were no shortages of scholars and connoisseurs who specialized in training such boys. In the Guangling area, there were even experts who could fetch a price of ten or even a hundred gold pieces for these boys when they reached twelve or thirteen years old, selling them off to be sexually exploited by aristocrats and high officials. This practice was considered a refined and elegant pursuit among the Jiangnan literati, who had grown tired of competing in poetry, calligraphy, and collecting antiques. With the recent era of peace and prosperity, they had turned to competing in the beauty of their household singers and maids. Xu Fengnian took a closer look at this “girl” and indeed found that her chest was completely flat, unlike any woman. Clearly, Mu Rong Tong Huang was accustomed to Fengnian’s scrutinizing gaze, and her lips curled into a sneer. Was this a case of driving away a wolf only to invite a tiger? In this world, crows were black all over; the person before her was no better.

Xu Fengnian, who had long been immersed in the company of courtesans, knew precisely how to handle people. He smiled and said, “Yes, I’m not a good person.”

Mu Rong Tong Huang, having been seen through, grew even colder and more rigid, instinctively shrinking back. Xu Fengnian was not offended and curiously asked, “Judging by the situation, you’re not with those cavalrymen. What’s going on? Is this a local nobleman forcibly taking a girl?”

Mu Rong Tong Huang bit her lip and ignored this outsider with a foreign accent. Xu Fengnian turned his gaze to the light cavalry pursuing along the path. With the horsemanship of the Fengzi Camp and the speed of their horses, the odds of ninety against twenty were not a concern at all. If Yuan Meng couldn’t handle it, he could just bring his head to see him. As for that young swordsman who had fought fiercely, Yang Qingfeng was skilled in tracking, Shu Xiu had a broad knowledge of martial arts, and in addition, there was General Ning Ebai with his halberd and ten White Horse Righteous Cavalry, even Old Master Wei said he wanted to stretch his limbs and join the pursuit. No matter how fierce that swordsman was, he would face a near-certain death. Xu Fengnian was not worried about this being a distraction tactic; after the reed marsh incident, the Qingbai Luan bird above his head would cry out at any sign of movement within a ten-mile radius. Moreover, Xu Fengnian had carefully selected five nimble and robust soldiers from the Fengzi Camp to serve as scouts, ensuring they could seize the initiative at the first sign of opportunity.

Xu Fengnian asked calmly, “Who was taken away? I didn’t get a good look earlier. If you keep practicing your silent meditation with me, my men will bring the person back, and I won’t be concerned about whether they’re alive or dead.”

Mu Rong Tong Huang seemed to have been caught at a critical weakness and hesitated before saying, “My sister.”

Xu Fengnian pressed further, “And who was chasing you?”

Mu Rong Tong Huang gritted her teeth, smiling maniacally with a chilling expression, “Have you heard of the Jiangxi Dragon and the Jiangdong Xuanyuan?”

Xu Fengnian pretended to be foolish, “Are the Taoist priests from Dragon Tiger Mountain taking you up the mountain? To practice sexual techniques together?”

Mu Rong Tong Huang turned her head away, unwilling to waste words on this fool whose head had obviously been crushed by a door.

Xu Fengnian smiled, “Jiangdong Xuanyuan, perfect, perfect. Do you know a woman named Xuanyuan Qingfeng from that family?”

Mu Rong Tong Huang’s mind raced, and she replied in a flat tone, “Xuanyuan Qingfeng, in Jianzhou, she’s even more powerful than a princess. So, are you here because you’ve heard of her reputation?”

Xu Fengnian, who had been lifting the carriage curtain with his sword sheath, burst into laughter, holding his belly, “Heard of her reputation? Exactly, exactly. I’ve almost fallen in love with this woman to the point of getting lovesick. That’s a good way to put it. When Wen Hua hears this, he’ll be rolling on the ground laughing. You know, back then, when this woman chased after him and beat him up, Wen Hua even teased her for not shaving her armpits properly.”

Mu Rong Tong Huang stared at this man, wondering if he really had a problem with his head. Xu Fengnian put away his sword, slowly lowered the curtain, and began to scheme with a heart full of mischief.

It turned out to be the private soldiers of the Xuanyuan family. This was like being given a pillow just when you wanted to sleep. The crime of killing dozens of people in a security bureau was serious enough to make even the two prefects open their eyes. At this time, the prefecture system was being changed to the road system, and the thirty-odd prefects in the court were all trying their best to advance further. During this period, it was estimated that the threshold of the Prime Minister’s residence would be worn out by the constant visits, and the visiting cards handed over would number at least eight or nine baskets. Whether it was the Governor or the Military Commissioner, they were all truly powerful officials who controlled vast territories, almost like the kings of a country during the Spring and Autumn period. Although the prefects of Hezhou and Jianzhou had the Prince Zhao Yi above them, making them unable to aspire to the position of Military Commissioner, they could still strive for the position of Governor. At this critical moment, if Xu Fengnian stirred up a hornet’s nest, he was sure that the two prefects would not dare to resist. Xu Xiao’s power lay in his ability to prevent these two high officials from becoming Governors, but he certainly had the power to ensure they would never reach that position! Seeing Qingniao holding the Chan Na spear, Xu Fengnian felt something was off and asked helplessly, “Aren’t you tired?”

Qingniao shook her head earnestly.

The ninety light cavalry of the Fengzi Camp pursued swiftly, their hooves shaking the ground, strong crossbows shooting arrows. Once someone fell from their horse, they would bend down to deliver a finishing blow with their knife, or the archers behind would shoot another precise arrow to pin them to the ground.

Fortunately, this was not the main road, or else the common people witnessing such a bloody scene would be terrified out of their wits.

When facing cavalry skilled in archery and horsemanship, once they were defeated, it would turn into a merciless hunt. The White Horse Righteous Cavalry were originally selected from the elite soldiers of the Beiliang Iron Cavalry, their horsemanship could rival the nomadic cavalry of the Beiman grasslands. Although the Beiliang army could not claim to sweep across the desert in recent years, the border towns of the two countries were intertwined, and there were fierce skirmishes every year, especially under the deliberate arrangements of the Grand Marshal Xu Xiao and the tacit cooperation of the Beiman side. The scouts on both sides were accustomed to forming units of one hundred to one hundred and twenty men, engaging in deadly battles. Once they clashed, it would inevitably become a brutal campaign of hunting and counter-hunting. The Beiliang cavalry’s excellent horsemanship was honed through such relentless training. The soldiers of the two great feudal lords, Prince Yan and Prince Guangling, were once fierce and formidable, but why have they become increasingly unable to compete with the Beiliang forces over the past decade, vying for the title of the strongest in the realm?

It was precisely because Beiliang had the whetstone of Beiman to sharpen their skills, with the blood of both sides flowing continuously, never drying up before fresh blood splashed onto it.

Twenty riders were not difficult to kill, and soon only the cavalryman carrying a woman on his horse remained.

Yuan Meng rode alongside him, his Beiliang saber not rushing to strike, but grinning, “Brother, if you turn around now and go to see our young master, handing over this beauty, we’ll spare your life. Keep running, and you’ll be shot full of arrows like a hedgehog.”

The knight from the Xuanyuan family dared not believe him, wishing his mount had four more legs to gallop away, mercilessly whipping the horse.

Yuan Meng sneered, “In a hurry to be reborn, huh?”

A flash of blade light, and the knight’s head flew off, the headless corpse swaying before finally falling onto the road. Yuan Meng leaped from his horse onto the riderless mount, pulled the reins, and the horse reared up, finally stopping. Yuan Meng laughed loudly, “We’re back!”

Passing the corpses of the enemy cavalry scattered along the road, Yuan Meng said coldly, “Give them another arrow, aim for the head. If any of you bastards miss, you’ll have to get off your horse and pick up the arrows!”

The light cavalry, known for their skill, erupted in laughter. It turned out one of the White Horse Righteous Cavalry had tried to shoot an arrow into the eye of a corpse but missed, the arrow grazing the face and landing on the ground. Yuan Meng turned his head and cursed, “Wang Donglin, get off your horse and pick up every single arrow. If you miss one, I’ll make sure your ass is whipped raw!”

Wang Donglin, the sharp light cavalryman, grumbled as he dismounted, using his saber to hack the corpse that had caused him embarrassment into a pile of mush before obediently going from corpse to corpse to pull out the arrows, not forgetting to shout, “If anyone tells the Young Master about this, I’ll never let them off!”

Yuan Meng’s laughter echoed from afar, “You’re still a kid without a beard, acting all tough. The Young Master said that once we reach Jianzhou, he’ll find each of you two courtesans to lose your virginity!”

Wang Donglin, who was pulling arrows from the corpses, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth with his free hand, only to end up with a face full of blood.

With nothing better to do, Xu Fengnian personally drove the carriage that Mu Rong Tong Huang had been riding. The three carriages moved slowly forward. The current three drivers were none other than the Young Master himself, the daughter of the spear immortal Wang Xiu, and the old sword immortal Li Chungan. This carriage team was truly Outrageous!

After meeting Yuan Meng, the general gently handed Mu Rong Wu Zhu to the Young Master, scratching his head and grinning, “All killed, no survivors.”

Mu Rong Wu Zhu had fainted after witnessing Yuan Tingshan’s method of cutting off heads, which could be considered fortunate, but unfortunately, she was picked up by the Xuanyuan family’s knight and jolted around, waking her up. That slender waist, like a willow branch, almost broke from the pain, causing her to sweat coldly. When she was gently taken back to the carriage by the stranger’s warm hands, she only knew that her future was uncertain, dazed and too afraid to look up.

Mu Rong Tong Huang did not look at her sister but instead lifted the curtain, gazing at that broad back, coldly asking, “To Jianzhou?”

Xu Fengnian did not turn around, nodding, “To Dragon Tiger Mountain, and to see the Xuanyuan family of Jiangdong.”

Mu Rong Tong Huang asked, “Who exactly are you? Knowing that these knights are puppets of the Xuanyuan family, you still dared to kill them?”

Xu Fengnian smiled, “I? My surname is Fu, the ‘fu’ in ‘fuzi’ (gentleman), and my given name is Jun, the ‘jun’ in ‘junzi’ (gentleman).”

Mu Rong Tong Huang coldly let go of the curtain, preferring not to see.

Mu Rong Wu Zhu, hiding in the carriage, endured the pain and timidly said, “Thank you, young master, for saving me.”

Xu Fengnian, with his sharp ears, heard her and laughed, “According to the rules of the martial world, the young lady must marry me to repay the debt.”

Mu Rong Wu Zhu was startled and blushed.

Mu Rong Tong Huang saw this and frowned. When her sister saw his expression, she immediately fell silent, her face pale.

Xu Fengnian, who always brought up the wrong topic, kept asking, “Why did the Xuanyuan family capture you? You two, unarmed and defenseless, surely haven’t made enemies with a family that ranks among the top three in the martial world. Or is it that one of the Xuanyuan sons is after your beauty? If persuasion doesn’t work, they resort to force?”

Mu Rong Tong Huang remained silent, her lips tightly pressed, cold and determined, a stark contrast to her delicate and weak sister.

Even with the Young Master’s boundless imagination, he could not have guessed that the old ancestor of the Xuanyuan family had taken a liking to this pair of jade-like siblings. Mu Rong Wu Zhu could be the old man’s great-granddaughter; this was truly an extreme case of an old man chasing young love. Xu Fengnian waved his hand and said to Yuan Meng, “Take fifty riders to the Hezhou Prefect’s mansion and report the situation. If the old man tries to evade the issue, bring out Chu Lushan directly. If that doesn’t work, then, damn it, I’ll have to step in myself.”

Yuan Meng accepted the order and left.

Mu Rong Tong Huang’s face finally turned as pale as her sister’s, her voice trembling, “Are you one of Chu Lushan’s men from Beiliang?”

Xu Fengnian was somewhat envious of the fat man’s widespread fame across the south and north of the Yangtze River, and replied without enthusiasm, “Don’t worry, Chu Lushan won’t touch you.”

Indeed, according to the fat man’s temperament, even if it were the Young Master’s dog, he would treat it like his own parents.

But how could Mu Rong Tong Huang, unaware of the inside story, feel reassured? Would it not be equally tragic to fall into the hands of Chu Lushan or the old pervert of the Xuanyuan family? She handed her dagger to her sister, coldly saying, “Without a dagger, I know you don’t have the courage to bite your tongue and die. This is the last one; hide it well!”

Mu Rong Wu Zhu trembled as she took the dagger, lowering her head and not daring to look directly at Mu Rong Tong Huang.

The convoy entered Zhizhang City at the border of Hezhou. In fact, the Young Master had all the necessary documents and credentials, but whether to present them or not depended on his mood. Xu Fengnian looked up at the city wall. This city had been ravaged by Xu Xiao during the Spring and Autumn Wars, with ten households not leaving one, only slightly better than Xiangfan. Xu Fengnian drove indifferently through the city gate. Although there were only more than thirty light cavalry guards behind him, the city gate guards had no courage to be troublesome. They could pick fights with anyone, but they dared not provoke seasoned soldiers with powerful backgrounds. If they did, they would be stripped of their skin without a doubt. Xu Fengnian had a deep memory of this Zhizhang City, not only because of the tragic massacre but mainly because it was the hometown of a scholar who had deeply impressed Xu Xiao in his youth.

His name was Xun Ping, a simple name that does not appear in any official history. He left no poems or essays, no romantic tales to be discussed over tea.

But Xu Fengnian knew that this young scholar, who had once debated the old prime minister to the point of making his lips turn blue, was the most far-sighted scholar in Tai’an City. Back then, when Xu Xiao first entered the capital, he was not yet the national teacher, and he met Xun Ping, a scholar from the National University who was skilled in Confucianism and legalism and had extraordinary debating skills. Xun Ping, not yet twenty, had submitted twenty-one memorials to the previous emperor, including “Memorial on Military Affairs,” “Memorial on Selecting Scholars,” and “Memorial on Divination,” but all were ignored. At that time, the emperor, who was just an unremarkable prince, visited the National University three times and took him as his strategist. Eventually, he was criticized by the literati, retired to his hometown of Zhizhang City, and during the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, Xun Ping took the blame for the current emperor and was executed in the city’s bustling market. The citizens of the city, which was then under the rule of the Western Chu, took his blood and flesh home to cook and eat.

That year, he was only twenty-four years old.

The “Twenty-one Memorials” had now become the guiding principles of governance.

Xu Xiao often recited a sentence that this unarmed scholar had once told him: “Scholars can only add flowers to a brocade, but warriors can provide coal in snow for the common people. The nine countries of the Spring and Autumn period are a big chopping block. Xu Xiao, you should act as a butcher, not do anything else, just chop people, keep chopping and chopping, and eventually chop out a peaceful and prosperous era.”

That was exactly what Xu Xiao did, and thus became the only non-imperial prince in the dynasty.

But Xun Ping never had the chance to add flowers to a brocade.