Yu Youwei found herself at odds with the eccentric old sword expert whose words and actions seemed erratic and absurd. Preferring to cradle her cat while riding horseback, she admired the scenery along the He Yang Commandery. Glancing at Xu Fengnian, who had been whispering constantly with the Taoist Master Wei, she edged closer and asked mockingly, “Are you terribly regretful you couldn’t tutor the graceful Lady Xu in calligraphy to write the ‘Goose Banquet Scroll?'”
Xu Fengnian was consulting Master Wei about the mysteries of several Taoist techniques, including the Mo Lao Gate, hoping that insights from other disciplines might help him sooner grasp the intangible Great Huang Ting technique. Unfazed by Yu Youwei’s sarcasm, he replied, “Believe it or not, if I returned to Ying Chuan County, Jin Sanlang would willingly hand Lady Xu over to warm my bed. Even knowing fully well that he might find Lady Xu and I sharing a bed one spring evening, he would still sleep with a bigger grin than usual.”
Ignoring the crude suggestion behind his words, Yu Youwei replied disbelieving, “Has he gone mad?”
Xu Fengnian smiled, feigning wisdom, “He isn’t mad. Jin Sanlang lacks martial talent but has excelled in learning from the sages, though not becoming one himself—he actually learned social wisdom from his studies, making him intelligent.”
Yu Youwei found this horrifying. Once a daughter of a noble family in Western Chu, she was no stranger to the practice of gifting female attendants to gain favor. Yet, offering one’s own wife to an outsider was scandalous. What surprised her most was that Xu Fengnian had been up to no good in Ying Chuan while Jin Lanting supposedly fumed to the point of madness. Had the latter truly gone mad? As she gently stroked the plump body of Wu Meiniang, Yu Youwei fell silent. Three years wandering, a year of sword practice, and more than a year spent together before Xu’s travels—all of which added up to five years of acquaintance. Yet, the more she thought about it, the less she understood this prince. He was still absurd, but previously, his antics—buying poetry to feign culture, bullying girls with ruthless attendants, lavishly rewarding wandering knights—were merely foolish. Now, however, his folly seemed to conceal something deeper, something she could no longer decipher.
Xu Fengnian didn’t explain the mystery behind it all. After encountering the Fu Jiang Red Armor swordsman, and having Old Master Li repel the enemy with two sword strokes, he used a snowy white spear to send a secret letter to Lu Qiu’er trailing behind. He later played havoc at Jin Sanlang’s residence in Ying Chuan until the poor man was driven to near madness, and sent another letter. The news of Jin Lanting’s promotion had been his own doing—the idea of the Great Column General personally recommending someone was sheer fabrication. In the Ye Yang Empire, Xu Fengnian’s words meant little compared to his father Xu Xiao’s, but within the Xu household, the son’s orders carried much more weight. If Xu Fengnian wanted Jin Lanting promoted to a rank just below the Yellow Gate Attendant, Xu Xiao would certainly agree. Lu Qiu’er, well aware of the family dynamics, simply went with the flow. Meanwhile, General Ning Emei’s encounter with Lu Qiu’er on his return journey to Northern Liang brought an unexpected addition of forty light cavalry riders assigned to his ranks.
Inside the carriage, Jiang Ni was tasked with safeguarding a hundred more sheets of Maturexuan paper collected by Xu Fengnian. These were copies of red armor spell symbols drawn specially, and she was responsible for organizing and storing them in the book chest. Holding up one piece that resembled mystic calligraphy, she scrutinized it but could not discern its secrets. The old Taoist Li, picking at his toes while watching Jiang Ni frown over the scroll, couldn’t stand to see her talent wasted by the young master’s games. He kindly advised, “Jiang girl, don’t bother looking at that. The boy’s only trying to impress you with false mystique. In my view, you shouldn’t even bother reading it—what use is it to you? He won’t mind if you memorize those techniques. Reading more benefits him because he has already mastered martial arts, and the more he learns, the more profound his insights. But for you, the more you read, the more confusing it all becomes. My advice remains the same: concentrate solely on sword training. I assure you, even Deng Ta’ao would hold you in high regard.”
Jiang Ni, not lifting her eyes, snapped, “Don’t bother me. If I don’t read, will you pay me?”
Old Li sighed, “It seems the boy was right—you do have a heart for money.”
Feeling irritable while examining the scroll illustrations, Jiang Ni glared at him and yelled, “Mind your own business!”
Perversely fond of her temper, Old Li pointed at her head and chuckled, “Careful, or I won’t return your Sheng Fu sword.”
Hiding away the scroll, she picked up the much-maligned martial arts manual《A Thousand Swords Treatise》and read silently. Though her memory was poor, she tried to memorize it after reading several times, nothing like Xu Fengnian, who could memorize it instantly. She barely grasped the techniques’ underlying principles and always ended up confused and frustrated. When the carriage suddenly stopped, joy filled her heart. The first stop had revealed General Chen Zhiba bidding farewell in white robes, while the second brought a mysterious red armor assassin targeting Xu Fengnian. This time? Peering through the curtain, she felt disappointed—just the wine-loving prince and Taoist Master Wei stopping at a roadside wine stall.
The wine stall hung an old Apricot Blossom apricot wine flag, covered in dust. After Master Wei and Yu Youwei settled down, Xu Fengnian began, “In our Liang province, roadside apricot wine is either watered down or entirely fake. Unlike this stall, small as it is, the wine’s genuine. What’s more, the well water near the Crane Pavilion is excellent. Used to brew the wine, it enhances richness. The local ‘steamed twice’ brewing method, which gives it an especially bold flavor, has lately spread from nearby villages. And the aroma—wow, it’s amazing when it hits your tongue. Waiter, bring two jin of apricot wine and all the beef you have.”
Eyeing the elegantly dressed young man with deep pockets and hearing him praise the wine, the wine stall operator beamed widely. For sellers, their wine represented their offspring, which any proud parent would love to hear praised. Hearing his words, so full of insight and name-dropping Crane Pavilion and its ancient well, made the stall owner happier yet. Local scholars often brought their fair companions here to compose poetry, but, unlike this boy, they looked down on roadside stalls. The stall owner wasn’t upset though—today had really brought good fortune, attracting such a discerning noble from Liang Province. Judging by his accent, he indeed was from there. The owner cautiously eyed the three attendants without the privilege to sit—especially the flirtatious woman, her hips far more enticing than his own elderly wife’s. The big swordsman with the huge frame was intimidating, and the pale-faced sickly figure, probably a ghost, he tried to ignore.
Hastily serving drinks and meat, the owner glared at the young waiter mesmerized by the cat-cradling beauty, then kicked him hard on the leg. He couldn’t let the youth gawk—it would ruin the business! He had heard tales of the extravagant young masters from Liang Province. Though generous with their money, their actions beyond the province often caused chaos that favored the locals. The most notorious of them was the heir of Northern Liang himself—the ultimate spoilt noble brat, whose arrogance knew no bounds. Luckily, men like him were spared encounters with such a man.
The illiterate but poetry-loving owner proudly declared, “Sir, you clearly know the stuff. They say in《Geography of Yong Province》 that our apricot wine has been recorded!”
Pouring Yu Youwei a clear cup of apricot wine, Xu Fengnian added, “Yes, the new well outside the crane pavilion, and its water, rich like crab roe—the verse was praising this wine.”
The owner was genuinely impressed now, “Sir, your learning must be boundless.”
Xu laughed, “Then give us a discount?”
The owner immediately looked pained—it was one thing to flatter for free, quite another to lower prices. He was running a humble business, penny by penny squeezing out a living. Fortunately, the noble merely joked, graciously adding, “Just kidding; being able to enjoy the apricot wine is a pleasure already.”
Shu Xiu, increasingly intrigued by the prince over the past couple of days, watched him drink poor-quality wine from a grimy bowl and felt puzzled anew. Despite her upbringing as a Miko shamaness in the Southern wilderness, she had been respected as a goddess. Whether it came to comfort and food or living quarters, she had lived far from poverty. Later, fleeing her sect and wandering the Wulin world as a rogue, she had no shortage of admirers. Yet, watching the prince act so casually bewildered her.
Jiang Ni, following the old sword master, joined Xu at the table opposite him.
Yu Youwei sipped the warmed apricot wine, finding its taste refined and clean, distinct from the Green Ant wine of Northern Liang. Softly inquiring, “What’s this tale about ‘spittle well’?”
Xu Fengnian, savoring the lingering aroma, replied, “Legend has it that an immortal from Wudang Mountain once rested in the pavilion, riding on a crane. Gazing upon the simple folk below, he pitied their thirst and cast a mouthful of his saliva into the well. Ever since, the water has been sweeter than even the finest mountain springs.”
Yu Youwei’s face slightly twisted, “Spittle?”
Xu Fengnian grinned, “Apparently, some people’s spittle really is sweet—I’d love to try, but I haven’t found out yet.”
Yu’s cheeks flushed red—whether from the apricot wine or the wine-induced babble.
Old Li rolled his eyes and muttered, “Jiang girl, later we’ll take over the carriage—these two constantly flirting instead of attending to business. It’s sickening.”
Jiang Ni, choosing not to drink, grumbled, “Charge them one coin! No, ten!”
Xu Fengnian was about to tease Jiang Ni for her exaggerated demands when he saw Ning Emei approaching on a single horse. The Northern Liang general, thoughtful not to use his spear, dismounted and prepared to bow when Xu Fengnian waved him away. “Come, drink! Waiter, another two jin of wine.”
Ning Emei wasted no time, drinking three bowls standing, his face unchanged. Probably a man who never lost his composure even on his tenth round. This wasn’t surprising—Liang forces were disciplined, yet after every battle, drinking was allowed to celebrate victories. Few from Northern Liang were weak when it came to liquor.
Ning Emei dropped the honorific for Xu Fengnian after General Chen Zhiba’s farewell ceremony with 300 cavalries, inadvertently aligning himself with Northern Liang’s strategists Dian Xiongxu and Wei Fucheng, which led to Xu’s unfriendliness toward him. He lacked rank but didn’t care much about gaining favor from Prince Xu. However, after humiliating the followers of former General Gu Jiantang at the Ying Chuan gate, he worried that Dong Jin’s deputy commander might accuse him of reckless attacks. As a Northern Liang officer, such minor complaints hardly mattered, but angering Prince Xu further might unfairly reflect on his brave soldiers—those 40 casualties and survivors. So, upon hearing the halt ahead, he rode alone seeking a moment to speak his conscience, hoping not to tarnish the honor or morale of the men of Feng Zi Camp who truly deserved pride in Northern Liang.
The tavern owner and waiter respectfully kept their distance.
The man, built like a tiger and bear, armored and intimidating, was clearly no ordinary soldier. Could he be an officer from He Yang Commandery?
Ning Emei started quietly, “My Prince, at the Ying Chuan gate, I punished those who dared closed it…”
Xu cut him short, smiling, “Ning General, did you consider it settled after defeating that Eastern Jin deputy commander with a single strike? If I were there, I would have ordered you to strip his armor and hang him from the city wall! If you feel you went too far and fear troubling me, forget those three bowls of wine I offered you earlier. But if you still feel unsatisfied, I’ll join you in three more. What do you say?”
Ning Emei’s eyes lit up with fiery pride, his aura growing even fiercer. “Then I shall drink another three bowls!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage