Chapter 109: Scheming and Absurd

Xu Fengnian kindly took Jiang Ni out for a change of scenery, but she was obsessed with all the rumors of Xiangfan Ghost City. Watching the lake with old man Li was the limit of her courage; she dared not venture out again. Even when Xu Fengnian made a rare concession, promising to count ten thousand characters of reading for her if she went, Jiang Ni refused without hesitation. Xu Fengnian had to give up; he couldn't very well force her to go. Moreover, the planned itinerary included the Fishing Platform, a place whose atmosphere was far too oppressive. It was where Wang Yangming, after his defeat and the city's fall, gouged out his eyes and then committed suicide on the city wall, vowing in his dying breath to watch Xu Xiao's downfall. It was hardly a place to enjoy the scenery. Since Jiang Ni wouldn't go, the Old Sword God, who acted as a pillar of stability in chaotic times, naturally wouldn't follow. Xu Fengnian could only bring his three retainers, and even the halberdier Ning Emei, as he needed to discuss military strategy and formations with the general.

Before Xu Fengnian could send Qingniao to call for him, Ning Emei strode in with a solemn expression. After confirming no one was in the corridor, he whispered, "Your Highness, Prince Jing'an, Zhao Heng, has arrived!"

Xu Fengnian was surprised and narrowed his eyes, asking, "How many soldiers did he bring?"

Ning Emei shook his head and said gravely, "He brought no troops, only a few personal guards, Zhao Xun, and a woman, who seems to be Princess Jing'an."

Xu Fengnian was utterly shocked by Prince Jing'an's unexpected move. Was he coming to beg forgiveness with his wife and son? Otherwise, there was no reason for Princess Jing'an to show her face. The absence of an escort of armor, spears, and halberds already showed enough sincerity! Take Xu Xiao, for example; he never bothered with courtesies to men of worth. If you came to him, simply having the main gate opened was a great honor. Even if Prince Jing'an was no longer as glorious as he once was, he was still one of the six powerful princes. While adhering to the restrictive "Laws for Princes" that forbade mobilizing large forces, why would he need to come in person?

Was this appropriate?

Xu Fengnian frowned, his mind racing. For a moment, he didn't notice Ning Emei observing him. Outside the room, Jiang Ni held a book, appearing unconcerned, as if the sky could fall and His Royal Highness would handle it. Qingniao, sensitive and adept at concealing her emotions, saw Ning Emei's gaze and immediately felt an indescribable, profound killing intent. Ning Emei seemed to notice, shifted his gaze, and smiled openly at Qingniao. Xu Fengnian was pondering how to respond, missing the silent exchange between Qingniao and Ning Emei. After a slight pause, he chuckled, "General Ning, let's go together. I hear Princess Jing'an is a very shapely woman. If I'm not mistaken, she was on this year's Rouge Ranking. To be on the list near forty, she must be quite an enchanting beauty. Such a rare sight should be shared and enjoyed by all."

Ning Emei smiled slightly and led the way.

The meeting was in a secluded private room in a corner of the inn. Unbeknownst to Xu Fengnian, Lu, Yang, and Shu had quietly gathered behind him. As Xu Fengnian approached, even Li Chungang stood silently around the corner. Two robust Prince Jing'an guards stood at the door, their internal energy flowing continuously. One used a saber, the other was empty-handed. They carried the aura of the battlefield that Xu Fengnian recognized, simple yet intensely resolute, like snow, but snow stained with blood.

Old veterans would say that people who crawled out of hundreds of thousands of corpses were feared even by ghosts because they were imbued with potent killing energy, taken from the realm of the dead. Therefore, when Beiliang soldiers mentioned the Grand Pillar State and Xiangfan City, they would proudly say, "What are hundreds of thousands of lonely ghosts? As long as the Grand General enters the city alone, he would ensure those defilements wouldn't even remain as ghosts, making any attempts to appease them with pathetic Grand Rituals utterly futile."

The two battle-hardened guards did not stop Xu Fengnian. Prince Jing'an Zhao Heng was renowned for his prudence; since he was willing to humble himself by coming to the inn in person, he wouldn't let minor details ruin the important matter. Xu Fengnian, who was wearing his twin sabers, did not knock but pushed the door directly open.

Zhao Xun, the most prominent young master of Xiangfan and Prince Jing'an's heir, stood with his head bowed.

A middle-aged, refined man sat in a chair, twirling a string of 108 Bodhi beads from Mount Tiantai, reciting the names of the Three Jewels, his face exceptionally devout. Even though he was past forty and nearing fifty, his demeanor was outstanding, instantly revealing he was a man with a face as fair as jade in his youth. Unofficial histories and secret rumors claimed Prince Jing'an was the Empress Dowager's favorite, named "Tan Lang," because Zhao Heng was handsome from a young age and also filial and gentle, thus enjoying the Empress Dowager's unique affection among the princes. After coming of age, he became dashing and elegant, possessing a tiger's physique and ape's arms. Official histories recorded "the Sixth Prince, handsome in appearance, skilled in riding and archery, wielding a long spear, mounted on a swift horse, unstoppable when charging into battle." This showed Zhao Heng's peerless grace in his younger days.

However, after entering, Xu Fengnian did not look at Zhao Xun or the prince who had failed at the last hurdle in his ambition. It wasn't that Xu Fengnian was deliberately arrogant, but the woman in the room was too eye-catching.

She was sitting sideways, her figure graceful and fully visible. She was reading a book, and when she turned a page, she used one hand to brush back a strand of hair from her temple. She was exceptionally beautiful, her charm even more refined, with a classic elegance, like an immortal lady in a painting. Hearing the door open, she turned her head and smiled gently.

A beauty's smile can topple a city.

Xu Fengnian's gaze wavered for a moment. Prince Zhao Xun, bowing his head, caught a glimpse of this scene, his eyes filled with even greater malice. He quickly lowered his head, gritting his teeth without speaking. Prince Jing'an Zhao Heng's temples were streaked with white; perhaps he had expended too much mental effort in his life, finally showing his age. Fortunately, his masculine demeanor was not diminished by age, but compared to Princess Jing'an, whose beauty was not fading and who remained radiant, there was a slight mismatch. They were already ten years apart, but now they appeared even more like an old husband and young wife. The world only knew the Princess came from a noble and influential Spring and Autumn family, and her father was Pei Kai, a renowned scholar of their time in Western Shu, known as "Elder Pei Huang." He was famous in his youth, especially for his mastery of "Laozi" and "I Ching," transcending worldly concerns, a true master of classical studies. The Pei family declined during the Unjust Wars of Spring and Autumn, and Pei Kai died as a martyr, leaving only one orphan daughter. The widowed orphan of a fallen state marrying a marquis, a lady matching a prince – this was a famous topic of conversation throughout the land at the time. For years, as Princess Pei, she had been secluded behind the high walls of the palace, with almost no news escaping.

Xu Fengnian only stared deeply at Princess Pei, which in others' eyes naturally seemed like an utterly rude libertine.

One of the royal guards tried to close the door. Lu Qiantang immediately made a gesture to draw his sword.

Xu Fengnian, with his back to the room, said coldly, "Presumptuous! Do not be rude."

He allowed the door to close slowly.

Prince Jing'an Zhao Heng did not rise to greet him. After finishing his prayers, he hung up his prayer beads, which were wrapped around his well-maintained hands. He looked up and said cordially, "Fengnian, there are no outsiders here. Let's address each other as uncle and nephew."

Xu Fengnian, for once, shed his arrogance and rudeness, returning the politeness warmly, "Your humble nephew greets Prince Jing'an, Uncle."

Perhaps not expecting the notoriously arrogant Beiliang scion to be so amiable, a fleeting, ambiguous look crossed Zhao Heng's eyes. He gently pinched a Bodhi bead between his thumb and forefinger, his face showing contentment, "My elder brother Xu is indeed a tiger of a father with no dog of a son. In my youth, I couldn't compare to his unmatched military achievements. I always lost to him in every aspect, so I couldn't help but feel a bit unconvinced, thinking I'd eventually win back something somewhere. My son Zhao Xun is not suited for martial arts, so I had him diligently study literature, fearing he might not even compare to my elder brother Xu's son. It seems today that I still can't catch up; I'm far behind. By the way, Fengnian, your uncle has come uninvited this time, bringing this boy, who has studied so much he's become foolish, to apologize to you. Zhao Xun is too sensitive; even when he knows he's wrong, he's too shy to come, so I had to ask his mother to bring him, making you laugh."

Princess Pei smiled again, a smile that could topple a city.

Zhao Heng smiled faintly at his son Zhao Xun. The latter, who had remained expressionless even when Xu Fengnian slapped his face with his embroidered saber on the Yellow Dragon battleship, and who was even teased by Xu Fengnian for his composure when he jumped into the water, now, with just a glance from his father, stiffened and immediately raised his head with a solemn expression. He bowed deeply to Xu Fengnian, formally apologizing in person to the man who was his sworn enemy just days before, almost to the point of burying the hatchet with a smile.

Xu Fengnian unceremoniously pulled over a chair and sat down. He stared at Princess Jing'an's beautiful face for a while, then turned to Prince Jing'an and chuckled, "It was my rudeness, Uncle. How could Brother Xun owe me a bow?"

Though he said so, he showed no intention of getting close to Zhao Xun and accepted Prince Jing'an's heir's apology with a clear conscience.

Zhao Heng merely smiled at this, sitting upright in a grand chair made of Sunken Star Zitan. No matter how luxurious the inn's decor, it wouldn't have the extravagance of chairs made from Rhinoceros Horn Sandalwood or Chicken Blood Old Sandalwood. Sunken Star Zitan was at the lower end of the Zitan spectrum, with a relatively looser texture and far less luster and grain than the former two. However, Zitan trees grow slowly and rarely yield large pieces. Ordinary high officials would be overjoyed to have even a Zitan chair, and scholars would cherish a small Zitan fan. It was believed this low-grade Zitan chair was already the inn's most prized possession. Prince Jing'an was named "Tan Lang," and his obsession with Zitan was only surpassed by the Western Chu Imperial Uncle who built a Sandalwood Palace for little Jiang Ni. Zhao Heng's claim of "never sitting or sleeping on anything but Zitan" seemed no exaggeration.

Xu Fengnian looked at the 108 Mani beads in Zhao Heng's hand and praised, "Uncle is indeed a devout Buddhist. Tiantai Bodhi beads are golden-yellow and hard when picked. Even senior monks who hold beads for decades only manage to turn them from golden-yellow to light yellow. Yet, in Uncle's hands, they have already turned from light yellow to white. As the ancient saying goes, 'Sincerity can open even metal and stone.' With such sincerity as Uncle's, what Bodhisattva would not wish to grant protection and blessings?"

Prince Jing'an laughed heartily, "I've long heard that Fengnian, like me, venerates Buddhism, and it's truly so. Xun'er, on the other hand, is hopeless; he still can't recognize these as Tiantai Bodhi beads. Last year, for my birthday, Xun'er took it upon himself to give me a string of walnut prayer beads. Although each walnut was carved with six Arhats, he didn't know that the 'Sutra on the Merits of Counting Rosary Beads' states that the merits gained from recitation vary greatly depending on the material of the beads. Walnut only brings double merit, iron five times, copper ten times, lotus seeds ten thousand times, but Bodhi beads bring a millionfold merit. Fengnian, if it were you, would you want that walnut 'bridle rope' or this string in your uncle's hand?"

Xu Fengnian feigned surprise, "If my humble nephew isn't mistaken, it is the Vajra Bodhi beads that offer a millionfold merit, while Bodhi beads are the most auspicious, offering immeasurable merit."

Zhao Heng pinched a worn Tiantai Bodhi bead between two fingers, his eyes narrowed into a smile, "Your uncle is getting old after all, always making mistakes. One simply can't fight old age."

Princess Jing'an's beauty and demeanor were like that of an empress. Perhaps influenced by the harmonious atmosphere, she shed some of her deliberate decorum. With two slender fingers like spring onions, she held a book page, and with the other hand, she rested her chin, looking sideways at Xu Fengnian, her nephew's generation, her brows naturally alluring. She seemed very curious about this distant Beiliang heir. This junior, no longer a child, was the subject of much talk even in Qingzhou, unable to escape acidic remarks like "profligate heir" or "Xu family's Phoenix." Moreover, Xiangfan itself was ruined by Xu Xiao and Wang Yangming, with the once grand city turning into a ghost city. The literati of Qingzhou, knowing they couldn't debate the King of Beiliang, found pleasure in vehemently criticizing the Beiliang heir's profligate behavior.

Xu Fengnian met Princess Pei's gaze and smiled, "Auntie, you are truly beautiful."

Princess Jing'an was momentarily stunned. Zhao Heng gently squeezed his rosary beads, seemingly to curb stray thoughts, and then playfully said, "Of course your auntie is beautiful, Fengnian. Do you have any Qingzhou ladies in mind? Your uncle can even snatch one for you."

Xu Fengnian, with a face as thick as Xiangfan's city walls, climbed the ladder, shamelessly saying, "I was originally thinking of a Qingzhou girl I met by chance on Spring Spirit Lake, what was her name... Oh, I remember, Lu Xiuer. Her family's ancestor seemed to be an old Grand Minister in the capital. In terms of family background, she might just barely be worthy of your humble nephew. But after seeing Auntie today, I won't think about her anymore; the difference is too great."

Zhao Heng dismissed it with a laugh. Prince Zhao Xun, meanwhile, was so angry his lips turned blue and his body trembled. Fortunately, he stood with his head down to the side, especially inconspicuous next to Prince Jing'an and the Princess.

The conversation then continued with even more casual chatter, finding no lack of topics thanks to the Literary and Martial Rankings and Rouge Ranking. Xu Fengnian's verbal skills had long been honed to a profound level by the Beiliang rascals' flirtatious banter, far surpassing his saber skills. Prince Jing'an mentioned that the General and Minister Ranking was missing this time, and even defended Xu Xiao, who had once humiliated him, saying it was unfair. The reason given for the General and Minister Ranking not appearing was "after the Spring and Autumn period, there were no famous generals; after the Spring and Autumn period, there were only 'Emerald Eyes'." If the General and Minister Ranking couldn't rank anyone anymore, why bother? However, discerning people could tell this statement greatly praised the current Prime Minister Zhang Julu, almost elevating him to the height of a single person leading the nation.

Prince Jing'an Zhao Heng finally rose. Xu Fengnian bowed slightly in farewell. When leaving the room, Zhao Heng naturally went first, followed by Princess Pei, and then the younger generation, Xu Fengnian and Zhao Xun, at the rear. Xu Fengnian intentionally fell back a few steps. Princess Pei's demeanor was relaxed, and the utterly disgraced Zhao Xun was eager to escape. This resulted in Xu Fengnian and Princess Pei walking side-by-side. As they crossed the threshold, the woman, who was highly ranked on the Rouge Ranking and came from a royal family, trembled slightly. She widened her autumn eyes, which seemed to hold the essence of Jiangnan, and looked with incredulity at the young man who had repeatedly called her "auntie." He... how dare he?!

Xu Fengnian had an innocent expression and said softly, "Auntie, your nephew has chosen a string of hand beads. I'll have someone deliver them to the palace shortly."

Her earlobes turned bright red. She said nothing.

A tingling sensation spread through her buttocks, concealed by her ornate robes.

How could he be so brazen and outrageous?!