Chapter 146: Death as the Posthumous Title of Wen Zheng

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The Taoist nun Xu Huipu walked along a winding path through the tea mountains. She finally moved beyond her patriarch's view and stood among the tea bushes, gazing absently at a pavilion with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof and yellow glazed tiles at Baoguo Temple. Aside from the trace of blood from biting her lip, her face showed little sorrow. She didn't resent the patriarch's arrangements; she only regretted the green-robed swordsman's lack of initiative back then. She devoted herself to cultivating the Tao and possessed the art of preserving youth. Though she appeared as a graceful woman of thirty, she was in fact nearing forty. She was only thirteen when she first met him. How many "thirteens" does one have in a lifetime? She wiped away the bloodstains, her face clouded with gloom, and walked down the mountain.

Unbeknownst to Xu Huipu, a swordsman in a green robe had been watching from the deep shade for many years. Only after she entered Baoguo Temple did he slowly walk towards the bamboo house. The old man and the cat were still there. A lion cat, white as a snowball, let out a yelp. The elderly attendant from Yangzhou, who had been dozing, slowly and with some effort lifted his eyelids, looking at this junior, a rough gem carefully sculpted by the Lu family back then. What a spirited and dashing figure this swordsman once was! Had he not been held back by matters of the heart, he would have gone far, whether in officialdom or the path of the sword. The old man soothed the startled lion cat on his lap, furrowed his white brows, and asked calmly, "Did you hear all that?"

Lu Baijie, the Sword Immortal of Tangxi, nodded. His gaze was cold as he looked at the old man, a finger resting continuously on his sword sheath, as if the ancient sword Baxiu could be drawn at any moment. Given Lu Baijie's mastery of sword skills, his draw was naturally swift, and he didn't need to display it deliberately. This was, of course, Lu Baijie making a statement: if the old man didn't retract his words concerning Xu Huipu, he wouldn't mind making another rebellious move, but this time as the Sword Immortal of Tangxi, not merely a member of the Lu family. "What does it matter if you are the old patriarch of the Yu family from Jiangxin? With a sword in my hand and a clear conscience, why should I pay you any mind?"

The old attendant Yu Jiankang, whose seniority in the Jiangnan scholar-official group was unparalleled, saw his eyelids tremble. One hand, no longer stroking the snow-white lion cat, now held the pet's head in a claw-like grip, though without force. The lion cat, instinctively feeling uncomfortable, seemed not to understand and turned its head. Yu Jiankang, one of the few in the dynasty who could hope to receive the posthumous title of "Wenzhong," suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly. As for "Wenzheng," a title even higher than "Wenzhong," it had been vacant for 120 years in the dynasty, and even he didn't dare to aspire to it. The old man merely looked again at the distant green mountains. Jiangnan had abundant landscapes, always a pleasure to behold. In his placid words, a rare hint of compromise emerged as he softly said, "Tangxi, you know that my original intention was for you to become the head of the Lu family back then. Lu Daolin was willing too."

Lu Baijie interrupted curtly, "I am not willing."

The old attendant Yu Jian frowned, "You refuse to marry the Yu family's Pearl, you refuse to be the head of the Lu family, you refuse recommendations for official appointments, you refuse to be granted a position as a general. As a member of the Lu family, Tangxi, do you know how many unseemly refusals you've made? If you weren't so carefree and idle, how could the Lu family have been surpassed by even the Baling Yuan family, who now hold sway over you?"

Lu Baijie remained silent, his finger no longer on the sword sheath. The old attendant sighed and gestured for this junior, whom he had once highly valued, to sit on a stool. After Lu Baijie sat down, Yu Jiankang, who had made a special trip from Jiangxin Commandery to Baoguo Temple today, smiled. "It's a pity you're not my Yu family's descendant. My own juniors are steady enough but lack drive; they can only maintain what we have, making it hard to revitalize our family. How would they dare to call us old men 'old immortals'? Even if they harbored resentment, they wouldn't dare curse us even in their thoughts. From a young age, they're all reeking of stale apathy. Tangxi, do you know why I'm making things difficult for a woman like Xu Huipu?"

The Sword Immortal of Tangxi shook his head.

The old attendant cupped the lion cat in his hands and sighed emotionally, "She is hardly worthy of you."

Lu Baijie gave a bitter smile. "But I just can't let go of her."

The old man snorted coldly, "Your father had you late in life and doted on you exceptionally. Before he died, he even left separate letters for me and Xu Yinsheng, disregarding the family rule of choosing the eldest over the youngest. He didn't hesitate to give up some family assets, risking 'leading wolves into the house,' asking us to help you become the head of the Lu family. Do you really think Lu Daolin doesn't know this secret? I may not have said anything, but Xu Yinsheng revealed it to him long ago. Over the years, Gummu has secretly grown stronger by leveraging the Lu family's influence. The wolves have already entered the house, and you have greatly disappointed your father. While Lu Daolin is indeed a good man, how can he gain an advantage over the treacherous individuals of the Gummu Xu family? Not to mention, your Lu family became involved in Concubine Xu's affair. Empress Zhao observed with a cold eye, and she remembers everything. Do you truly believe Empress Zhao would be like sisters with that Xu family woman? This time, the Prince of Beiliang stirred up trouble, inciting indignation among the scholars of Jiangnan. Thirty thousand students at the Imperial Academy in the capital were provoked. Can your elder brother still remain secure in the Imperial Academy? Without unexpected twists, Lu Daolin, who can't satisfy anyone internally or externally, will have to resign as Right Libationer. Huan Shu, who has been contending with your elder brother for years, will naturally be delighted to push things along. The Lu family's setbacks in the capital—isn't that ultimately a loss for my Yangzhou? If not for all this, why would an old fossil like me, with one foot in the grave, come here? To listen to that tiresome distinction between kingly and hegemonic rule? Or to be threatened by your sword?"

The Sword Immortal of Tangxi calmly said, "Uncle, aren't you afraid of 'playing the lute to a cow' by telling me all this?"

Unsure whether he was angry at Lu Baijie's misfortune or lamenting his lack of ambition, the old attendant's anger subtly surged as he raised his voice. "Tangxi, I can prevent Xu Huipu from doing that. But this time, you absolutely must step forward to relieve the Lu family's worries. Otherwise, given my temper and the Gummu Xu family's machinations over the years, making an insignificant Xu Huipu disgrace herself would merely be a warning to them. Tangxi, I'll ask you one last time: are you willing to go to the capital and serve as a Vice Minister of War? Never mind how you can become this fourth-rank capital official; I only ask if you are willing or not!"

Lu Baijie said bitterly, "I only ask that Uncle does not allow anyone to trouble her."

The old attendant smiled faintly, returning to his usual relaxed and composed demeanor. He said pleasantly, "Tangxi, ah, Tangxi, the one involved is often blind to the situation. If you are willing to enter officialdom, who would dare to slight her?"

Lu Baijie shook his head. "Even the daughter of the King of Beiliang dares to be bullied like that. She is merely an abandoned pawn of the Gummu Xu family. How can I feel at ease?"

The old man said calmly, "Very well. I can make an agreement with you: if you go to the capital, she will, after all, be a nominal granddaughter-in-law of the Yu family. No one will be able to bully her."

The Sword Immortal of Tangxi, Lu Baijie, bowed and then quietly departed.

The old man narrowed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, his thoughts inscrutable.

A pair of master and servant emerged from the bamboo house: none other than the fan-wielding young master and the green-robed swordsman who had witnessed the arrogant behavior of Beiliang light cavalry at the inn. The elegant young master had swapped his fan for one with an ivory frame, on which three beautiful women of distinct charm were painted. He crouched beside the old attendant Yu Jiankang, reached out to stroke the lion cat, and looked up with a smile. "Grand Patriarch, why go to the trouble of getting the Tangxi Sword Immortal to enter officialdom? The Lu family's foundation isn't much worse than our Yu family's to begin with, is it? One Lu Daolin is nothing to fear, but add this one, and it becomes difficult to say. How could the Baling Yuan family and the Gummu Xu family even catch your eye, Grand Patriarch? But once the Lu family has the Tangxi Sword Immortal to lead them, as long as he earns some military merits and truly becomes a Vice Minister of War, then wait another seven or eight years, with the Lu family's backing, taking charge of a ministry wouldn't be difficult. Compared to a Concubine Xu, his influence would be no lighter, only heavier."

The old attendant chuckled, "What is Concubine Xu? Truth be told, no matter whose daughter enters the palace, she is no match for Empress Zhao. Currently, relying on maternal relatives is the most foolish path. The Gummu Xu family doesn't believe in karma and is shortsighted; they will sooner or later bring disaster upon themselves. However, the path of military and political affairs in the dynasty offers great prospects. We in Jiangnan are not short on scholars, but we lack figures like Lu Baijie who can immediately achieve merit. Whether for long-term goals or for public and private interests, I will have him enter the Ministry of War. As for whether Lu Baijie can emerge in the precarious balance between Xu the Cripple, Gu Jiantang, and the several great vassal kings, we'll have to wait and see. Given Lu Baijie's temperament, at most he can become a grand general; he won't be able to become the Minister of War. But he can distract and divide the Lu family's attention, create a rift between the Lu and Xu families, make the Baling Yuan family—who have been arrogant and constantly clashing with the Lu family in recent years—feel like a fishbone stuck in their throat, and also make the Lu family indebted to our Yu family. Count them: how many gains are there with one stroke?"

The young master pinched the fan handle with two fingers and chuckled, "Four gains."

After a moment of thought, the handsome young master snapped his fan open with a 'pa' sound and cautiously said, "Grand Patriarch, the Xu and Lu families are, after all, related by marriage. If the Tangxi Sword Immortal takes charge of military power in the future, it seems it could also make the imperial court more wary of Beiliang."

The old man said with satisfaction, "That's only half a gain and half a loss; it's hard to predict. Xu the Cripple and Lu Baijie's temperaments are inherently incompatible. His Majesty might not see it, but even if he doesn't, Empress Zhao sees it clearly. Among all the alliances between powerful families in this world, only those forged by scholarly families like ours are truly solid. Mere military lineages are not to be judged by common sense, let alone Xu the Cripple. The Xu and Lu families, at their core, actually disdain each other. But it's good that you can see this point."

The young master smiled, opened his fan, and began fanning a cool breeze for the old patriarch and the lion cat.

The old man said softly, "Although I call that fellow Xu the Cripple, he is ultimately a butcher and a demon who annihilated nearly half the young men from eight kingdoms and trampled the great principles of Spring and Autumn into dust. He is not someone you children can provoke casually. Therefore, don't think about getting even for the minor scuffle at the inn. One wrong move, and you'll bring trouble upon yourself. You children have no personal experience with Xu the Cripple's protectiveness. I don't care how little you understand it now; just remember these words. The 'delay tactic' of minor officials can give even high-ranking generals headaches. Applied to you, you must learn the 'wait tactic.' Youth is a good thing; you can afford to wait. Both Zhang Julu and Gu Jiantang achieved what they have today by waiting."

The young master nodded, not daring to take his grand patriarch's advice lightly in the slightest. Although he regretted not being able to immediately trip up the Prince of Beiliang, since even the grand patriarch said to wait, and he was merely a concubine's son of the Yu family, he naturally dared not disobey and could better appreciate the importance of patience.

Meanwhile, Xu Fengnian, accompanied only by the Princess Consort of Jing'an, strolled leisurely through Baoguo Temple. They eventually arrived at the foot of the Recumbent Dragon Pine outside the temple wall, where there was shade and a clear spring. Xu Fengnian sat on a stone by the spring, finding it exceptionally pleasant in the scorching summer heat. Today, Baoguo Temple hosted an unprecedented debate on kingly versus hegemonic rule. Ordinary pilgrims were no longer allowed inside the temple to offer incense and pray to Buddha. Several monks guarded the entrance, admitting only familiar faces or those who presented a calling card and whose identity was deemed sufficient.

Xu Fengnian saw a shabby scholar lingering outside the temple for a long time. The sun was scorching, and he soon broke into a sweat. Presumably, seeing Xu Fengnian in his splendid robes by the spring at the wall's base, attended by an exceptionally graceful "maidservant," the scholar dared not approach for shade. In Jiangnan, scions of aristocratic families considered it a great humiliation to even sit at the same table as a commoner's son. Naturally, the scholar dared not invite trouble, but he simply couldn't endure the oppressive heat of the sun any longer. After half a day of hesitation, he finally came to the spring, squatted as far away from Xu Fengnian as possible, cupped some water, and splashed it on his face. It felt incredibly refreshing, and he let out a long sigh. After crouching for a while and seeing that Xu Fengnian said nothing, he cautiously sat down. He wiped his wet hands on his sleeve, pulled out a book from his bosom, and began to read silently.

Xu Fengnian glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw that it was not a common book from Jiangnan, but rather "Collected Commentaries on the Four Classics with Chapter and Verse" by Yao Baifeng, a great contemporary Confucian scholar from Beiliang. Watching the scholar's lips move, it became even more interesting; it was almost utterly heterodox.

"Mr. Yao's commentaries, based on his immediate observations, may not fully capture the sage's original intent; there are many points open to discussion."

"His words are too lofty, and he over-expresses his own ideas, overflowing beyond the original scriptures, seeming to wish to be superior to the sages. This results in empty pronouncements without substance, not aligning with orthodox commentary."

"However, compared to the meticulousness of the Zhu Gate Neo-Confucianism of the academies, there are still many charming aspects; it is less rigid and more comprehensive."

Xu Fengnian observed the scholar's lip movements, finding it very interesting. Especially when the shabby scholar closed the book and muttered, "When we die, we should be posthumously titled 'Wenzheng'," Xu Fengnian couldn't help but laugh aloud, startling the scholar. With a jolt of his hand, "Collected Commentaries on the Four Classics with Chapter and Verse" fell into the water. The scholar frantically jumped into the water. Seeing the sodden, muddled book, his face was filled with distressed heartache. After climbing back ashore, he was beside himself with grief. Even if he tore out each page of the drenched book to dry, he estimated that most of it would be ruined. For a moment, he stood there sighing mournfully.

Xu Fengnian teased, "How much is a book like that worth?"

The scholar didn't raise his head, saying, "It's true it's not worth much money, but by my reading, it can be made to yield much."

Xu Fengnian tutted, "It's said that 'one who is well-versed in poetry can sell it to emperors,' but you can't even get into Baoguo Temple. Who would pay you any mind?"

The shabby scholar chuckled, lowering his head and muttering to himself, "Who says I want to sell it to the imperial family? The Sage said to cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world; there was no mention of 'serving the monarch's affairs' alone."

Xu Fengnian bent down and picked up a watermelon that had been chilled in the spring water for some time. He tapped it, and with one tap, it split perfectly into two halves. He smiled, "Want some?"

The scholar looked up, a puzzled expression on his face.

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Are you afraid?"

The scholar remained silent, only frowning.

Xu Fengnian simply tossed one half of the watermelon gently towards him. The scholar fumbled to catch it, finally managing to do so. Seeing Xu Fengnian burying his face in his own half, he lowered his head and took a bite, feeling the coolness penetrate to his very core.

Xu Fengnian teased, "'To be posthumously titled 'Wenzheng' upon death'—that's quite an ambition."

The scholar froze for a moment. This time, he truly felt a chill penetrate to his very core.