Chapter 20: Killing to Enjoy the Snow

During the first lunar month, the Magic Mansion received a continuous stream of distinguished guests, who arrived with gifts. Yan Jiexi, the Governor of Lingzhou, arrived with his children, followed closely by Li Gongde, the Governor of Fengzhou, who naturally brought along his cherished son, Li Hanlin, a young man with a terrible reputation. Because their sons were childhood friends with the Crown Prince, the two governors shared a deep bond and were always fortunate enough to be highly regarded by the King of Beiliang. Any occasional oversights in their governance were gently overlooked by the Grand Chancellor. Furthermore, Yan Jiexi possessed an enviable advantage: a daughter of exceptional talent and beauty. Even the Grand Chancellor praised her highly, personally remarking that she was "calm and peaceful, poised and generous." Many at the time firmly believed that she would enter the Beiliang Prince's residence, but perhaps due to the Crown Prince's uninhibited nature, nothing substantial ever materialized.

Today, the Grand Chancellor personally received the two governors. Li Hanlin, unable to sit still, had long been itching to move. With a wave of his hand, the Grand Chancellor told him to "scram." Li Hanlin, as if granted amnesty, immediately pulled his close friend Yan Chiji, who still remembered to bow, and ran out. Governor Li Gongde of Fengzhou sighed repeatedly, lamenting how undignified his son was. The Grand Chancellor, however, smiled and said, "Hanlin has a good disposition." Only then did Li Gongde feel relieved, understanding that the Grand Chancellor's casual remark was hundreds of times more effective than ten thousand criticisms within the province.

Yan Dongwu, Yan Jiexi's daughter, also gracefully excused herself to stroll within the mansion. It was very rare for a woman to receive such high praise from the Grand Chancellor. She was publicly recognized by the scholars of Beiliang as a "female scholar," proficient in all arts: zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song. Her demeanor was clear and bright, and she was strikingly beautiful. Had it not been for Xu Weixiong, the extraordinary woman of Beiliang, who outshone her, she would have been even more famous. However, from the moment she first saw Xu Fengnian, she had no good feelings towards him, openly regarding the Crown Prince as an empty-headed good-for-nothing. Xu Fengnian, in turn, was equally confrontational, claiming that Yan Dongwu was a hypocritical woman who sought fame and reputation. He asserted that while she appeared amiable, she was actually shrewd and worldly, and despite her gentle and harmless appearance, she was truly a knife. Anyone who married her, he warned, would be bringing a sharp blade home, bringing misfortune to their family.

In short, the two had been at odds for years, disliked each other, and avoided meeting whenever possible. When they happened to visit each other's homes, they wouldn't even exchange greetings. Her younger brother, Yan Chiji, had originally hoped for a closer family tie with "Brother Feng," but seeing no hope, he eventually gave up.

In the twilight, Yan Dongwu walked along a secluded path. She sneered inwardly, noting that she hadn't heard of the Crown Prince's misdeeds for the past six months. She heard he was confined to study ancient texts, but she didn't believe the Grand Chancellor could truly restrict Xu Fengnian's movements. It was more likely he had caused some colossal trouble again.

Yan Dongwu heard a sarcastic remark: "Oh, what courage this young lady has, daring to wander alone on the good-for-nothing Xu's territory. Aren't you afraid of being abducted and wantonly humiliated by that good-for-nothing?"

Without needing to look up, she knew it was her fated archenemy, the Crown Prince, who couldn't pass examinations or achieve anything significant.

Yan Dongwu couldn't be bothered to respond; she quickened her pace, wanting to leave quickly, out of sight, out of mind.

Xu Fengnian relentlessly blocked her path and mischievously teased, "Young lady, how about I escort you? Don't fall victim to the good-for-nothing Xu's evil hands, or your virtue won't be safe. Who would marry you then? I heard a young prince in the capital is fond of you; could it be that you're preparing to become a royal concubine?"

Yan Dongwu glared angrily with her phoenix eyes.

Her face remained cold, but she felt a slight surprise inwardly. The rogue before her, whom she hadn't seen in over three years, seemed much darker and sturdier. Yet, that obnoxious, inherent air of a profligate, which was hard to change, remained as detestable as ever. Being observant, she noticed that Beiliang's most prominent young master no longer wore a showy sword; he had replaced it with a saber, which he carried awkwardly in his hand instead of at his waist.

Yan Dongwu took a step back, widening the distance between herself and Xu Fengnian. She retorted mockingly, "Unable to learn the skills of that masked blade master, you can only pick up the easiest way to carry a saber? What grand ambitions you have, Crown Prince!"

Xu Fengnian hummed a few times, then casually propped the Xiudong saber on his shoulder, looking even more roguish. He said with a smile, "So, the 'female scholar' has heard of the blade master's feats? Do you think I should reward him with several thousand or tens of thousands of silver taels? I've heard there's a fight outside the city tonight, and I'm wondering how much silver I should bring. Female scholar, you're quite good at calculations, why don't you help me plan?"

Yan Dongwu sneered, "Do you dare witness such a bloody scene? How much silver you give is your private matter, Your Highness, but Dongwu kindly reminds you to remember to bring an extra set of clothes."

Xu Fengnian tutted, "The female scholar truly is infallible in her calculations, even predicting I'd wet my pants, how impressive. I used to say you don't speak unless it concerns you and shake your head 'I don't know' to every question, but it seems I truly misjudged you."

Yan Dongwu lost patience with bickering with Xu Fengnian. She said coldly and firmly, "Move aside!"

Xu Fengnian, with the Xiudong saber casually propped, said idly, "Female scholar, do you dare come with me to witness that blade master?"

Yan Dongwu flatly stated, "I dare not!"

Xu Fengnian teased, "Are you afraid of seeing my disgrace, or afraid of seeing the blade master and being tempted to elope with him? I heard Yan Chiji say you always secretly read tales of wandering heroes. Aren't you truly curious about the hero behind that menacing mask?"

Yan Dongwu, exposed, showed no embarrassment and remained silent.

Xu Fengnian said with a look of regret, "If you're not going, then don't. It's better for me to enjoy it alone than with company."

He brushed past Yan Dongwu, the Xiudong saber on his shoulder.

Yan Dongwu suddenly scrunched her nose, turned around, and for the first time, proactively asked, "Are you really going to be that gullible benefactor?"

Xu Fengnian smiled, "There are two horses in the stable."

Ultimately, two riders left the city.

As Yan Dongwu, concealed by a thick fur cloak, galloped her horse, she was filled with immense annoyance. How had she been sweet-talked by this good-for-nothing Xu? She had assumed the Prince's residence would have armored cavalry escorts, but after riding twenty li out of the city, they were still nowhere in sight. Curious, she called out, "Xu Fengnian, where are you taking me?!"

Xu Fengnian, holding his saber in one hand, turned his head and smiled, "Another twenty li, and you'll know. Are you still afraid I'd take you to the wilderness to commit improprieties? Don't worry, a forced melon isn't sweet; I understand that principle better than anyone now."

Under the starry night sky, Yan Dongwu saw a face that seemed unfamiliar to her.

They rode another twenty li.

They saw campfires flickering on the opposite side of a small hill.

Xu Fengnian was the first to leap onto his horse and ride up the slope.

After Yan Dongwu rode her horse to the hilltop, her face turned ashen.

Below the slope, a dozen burly men were seated, drinking from large bowls and eating large chunks of meat. Their faces were grim, and when they saw Xu Fengnian, they looked as if they had spotted a fat sheep. Then, seeing the elegantly dressed Yan Dongwu, their eyes filled with lustful heat. Stranded in this desolate place, living in fear, they felt it would be a sin not to devour a tender young woman delivered right to their mouths.

Yan Dongwu stared blankly at Xu Fengnian's profile. Was this profligate planning to retaliate against her using such a vicious and vile method?

Xu Fengnian kept his eyes fixed on the slope below, chuckling softly. "Miss Yan, don't be in such a hurry to bite your tongue and commit suicide. Xu Fengnian isn't as filthy as you imagine. Handing you over to a bunch of dead men would make Yan Chiji break off our friendship and fight me to the death. No matter how you look at it, I'd suffer a huge loss."

Xu Fengnian let out a long breath, and in the bitter cold, this wisp of white mist was particularly clear in Yan Dongwu's eyes.

Then she saw this idle Crown Prince pull a menacing mask from his embrace, place it over his face, draw his saber, and thrust the scabbard into the soil. This series of silent actions instantly changed his entire demeanor.

Yan Dongwu covered her mouth, daring not to make a sound.

It was a good time for killing. On snowy days, bodies would quickly become like icicles under the eaves, appearing clean, especially pools of blood, which would freeze like women's embroidery. This pleased Xu Fengnian, who for now could only prioritize swiftness and speed in his killings. After handling four or five groups carelessly but smoothly, he gained some experiences that were inconvenient to share with others. However, wandering the Jianghu with blood on his hands, how lonely it would be without a supportive confidant. Otherwise, why do masters always choose rooftops or mountain peaks for duels? Or, at the very least, crowded, bustling markets?

Furthermore, Xu Fengnian had disliked Yan Dongwu for many years. What he disliked was Miss Yan's pretentious demeanor, though he actually found her face and figure quite pleasing. So, he mischievously plotted to lure her out to see the world. Having finally gained a rare spectator other than Old Kui, Xu Fengnian felt it was necessary to kill with more intention, with more decisive ruthlessness, to truly scare the living daylights out of her.

The bandit leader signaled for two capable but less trusted men to go first. They were naturally reluctant, having heard that the blade master on the hill, who specialized in killing fellow bandits, was not gentle and left few bodies intact. But the leader had spoken: as long as they killed the masked man, they could have a taste of the young woman first. This made the two bandits, who had been restrained for too long, disregard their lives. The crucial point was that after being inexplicably abandoned here, they learned that by killing the person who intended to kill them, they would be pardoned from their death sentence, receive a huge bounty, and even be able to rejoin the army. It was already a life-or-death situation, and in a fit of recklessness, they didn't think much further.

The Xiudong saber collided with a finely crafted saber in a bandit's hand. Xu Fengnian sidestepped, letting his saber slide down and slice off several fingers from the charging thug. Before the man could cry out, Xu Fengnian smoothly flicked his saber, severing a head.

His feet didn't stop, and Xiudong swirled, cutting down a bandit at the waist.

Xu Fengnian charged directly into the fray.

The Xiudong saber moved like a surging snowball.

In just the time it takes an incense stick to burn, they were all dead, with very few bodies left intact.

Xu Fengnian finally let out a long breath. The saying "to make a supreme effort in one go" was indeed very reasonable. When using a saber, chaotic qi flow is most taboo. He was beginning to understand something he had learned at the peak of Wudang Mountain.

Xu Fengnian removed the fanged green mask from his face, and his demeanor changed again, returning to that of the roguish, handsome young master. He lightly flicked his wrist, shaking the blood beads from the Xiudong saber onto the snow. As he carried the saber up the slope, Yan Dongwu, still trembling on horseback, clenched her teeth, seemingly unwilling to lose her long-held aura of haughty dignity. Xu Fengnian glanced at her, then wiped the Xiudong saber on her invaluable white fox fur cloak, leaving a slight stain. This crude action startled the noble lady into a gasp, her delicate body swaying precariously.

Xu Fengnian stopped frightening the intelligent, yet momentarily blank-minded, noble lady. He re-sheathed the Xiudong saber, took a few steps, mounted his horse, and softly said, "Let's go back."

For the forty li return journey to the city, Xu Fengnian rode ahead, while Yan Dongwu, whose riding skills were mediocre, struggled to keep up behind him.

For most of the ride, Xu Fengnian on horseback closed his eyes, concentrating, his breathing long and steady.

Practicing with the saber and killing were secondary matters; the real training awaited him in the Prince's small courtyard.

The city gate captain, recognizing the Crown Prince's esteemed face with wide eyes, hastily shouted orders to open the city gates, terrified that offending this Beiliang "devil king" would mean packing up and going home to raise chickens and farm. Xu Fengnian escorted Miss Yan to the Governor's mansion and chuckled, "You'll have to return this horse to me."

After dismounting, Yan Dongwu remained silently ladylike. Xu Fengnian, unconcerned, bent down to take the reins from her hand and playfully tapped her buttocks with the Xiudong saber's scabbard, teasing, "Lost your soul?"

Yan Dongwu's face showed annoyance.

Xu Fengnian used the Xiudong saber to gently lift her delicate chin, and slowly said, "Your father has a letter addressed to Grand Tutor Wang in the capital, which is currently on Xu Xiao's desk. So, your condescending trip out of the city to enjoy the snow with a depraved and vulgar Crown Prince like me was not in vain."

Yan Dongwu's eyes showed panic.

Xu Fengnian chuckled idly, then tossed the green mask from his embrace to her. "Since Miss Yan graced me with your presence tonight, consider this my return gift. If you ever hate me again, take it out on this."