Chapter 217: Talking Reason in the Martial World

Xu Fengnian picked up the half-pack of soft chess-piece pastries from the table, walked out of the room, and entered the one where the bandit was held. He sat down and observed the miserable man, who had first been used as a pawn and then discarded. The robust man was still flushed and weak all over, likely due to a muscle-relaxing drug. Fortunately, no one was expected to come to this part of the inn. Otherwise, if someone saw the Crown Prince alone in a room with a man looking so helpless, the implications would be far more scandalous than if it were a man and a woman.

Xu Fengnian moved a chair to the window and sat down. The window was not high, but his tall stature allowed him to easily observe the courtyard below by craning his neck. He tasted the soft and delicious pastry. He had just rescued Wang Dashi from Zhao Yingchuan, and neither Wang Dashi nor Liu Nirong likely understood why. Of course, the Crown Prince hadn't simply intervened for a pack of pastries; people often said that only those with nothing better to do engaged in pointless acts, but at that moment, he hadn't even started eating. Wang Dashi was merely the only member of the Fish Dragon Gang who had shown genuine, unselfish affinity for the Crown Prince. Besides, Zhao Yingchuan's actions had been truly despicable. As for Liu Nirong's fate, Xu Fengnian wouldn't rush to her rescue. This affair was a matter of the Fish Dragon Gang's destiny, and Liu Nirong's fate as its future leader. To put it bluntly, given the Crown Prince's standing, if he were to hastily intervene for Liu Nirong, wouldn't he have to mobilize tens of thousands of cavalry to wage war against the Prince of Jing'an just because Pei Nanwei batted an eyelash?

As an old saying goes, "Give a handful of rice, and you earn gratitude; give a bushel, and you earn resentment." Ancient wisdom often perfectly captured the intricacies of human nature.

Xu Fengnian slowly ate his pastry, ignoring the bandit's suspicious gaze. He pondered Wang Dashi, a pawn who had crossed the river. Currently, Wang Dashi had nothing left and no ties, willing to die alongside Liu Nirong. But if he survived today and later gained wealth and power, when he had the chance to possess the "fairy" Liu Nirong without any cost, what choice would he make? If the answer were affirmative, would that then mean Wang Dashi wasn't a good person in this present moment? Xu Fengnian watched as several hot-headed members of the Fish Dragon Gang tried to block the approaching cavalry. One was shot through the chest with an arrow, undeniably dead. Another had his face split open by a cavalryman's Northern Liang blade, fell to the ground, rolling and howling, only to be trampled to death by a skilled rider. Only then did the Fish Dragon Gang realize that the enemy had no intention of reasoning with them. This ignited the desperadoes' fighting spirit, compelling them to battle the three encroaching forces to the death. With the archery master Gonsun Yang providing support from upstairs, Liu Nirong narrowly escaped death twice, thanks largely to the ruthless cavalryman Zhou Ziru not targeting her directly.

Swallowing a bite of pastry, Xu Fengnian noticed Wang Dashi was nowhere in sight. He then turned and asked vaguely, "What did you do?"

The man's thigh was a bloody mess, bone nearly visible, a clear sign of the rough treatment he'd received from Zhao Yingchuan. He now had a psychological aversion to the young man with the saber. Hearing the Crown Prince's question, he quickly replied, "I robbed and killed a group of merchants from Northern Mang who were doing fur business within our borders, and then Northern Liang put a bounty on my head."

"Hmm," Xu Fengnian mused. "It seems that group of merchants had strong ties with our Northern Liang border army. Were you listed as wanted under the pretense of robbing Northern Liang border merchants?"

The man nodded with a grimace, gritting his teeth against the searing pain. "This young master is perceptive! I heard a new Captain of the Valiant Cavalry had arrived here. All the officers below him were eager to show off to their new superior, and we just happened to run into them. Bad luck, I guess. My skills weren't good enough; I can't blame the martial world for being too treacherous."

Xu Fengnian chuckled softly. "You're quite self-aware."

Fearing that the young master with the saber might cut him on a whim, the man hastily found a new topic, hoping to distract himself from the pain. *Damn this drug, why couldn't it be strong enough to just knock me out?* His face contorted in agony, he asked, his eyes wary and cautious, "Young master, have you heard anything about this newly appointed Captain of the Valiant Cavalry?"

Xu Fengnian glanced at the scene in the courtyard, still not seeing Wang Dashi. He frowned and said, "Huangfu Ping. He used to be the second master of Green Mountain Manor in the Central Plains. After it was flattened by the Northern Liang cavalry, the remaining members, like a pack of stray dogs, spent their days plotting how to fight the Northern Liang Prince's Mansion to the death. Eventually, most of them died off, and their lineage was nearly extinct, forcing them to become smarter. They stopped directly challenging Xu Xiao and the powerful figures, instead, they would red-eyed attack anyone connected to the Prince's Mansion. Three years ago, a maid from a poor family was going home to deliver silver to her parents when they abducted her. By the time the Prince's Mansion's men arrived, the girl's lower body was unspeakable. If I had been there..." Xu Fengnian paused, then gave a self-deprecating smile. "It probably wouldn't have made a difference. That Captain of the Valiant Cavalry betrayed the last remnants of Green Mountain Manor, providing intelligence to the Prince's Mansion. As a result, the old master, who had evaded capture for years, along with a close brother and about twenty relatives, were all slaughtered by the Northern Liang cavalry as easily as slicing melons and dicing vegetables. I also heard that this ruthless fellow was granted an audience with the Prince of Northern Liang, received several martial arts manuals from the Tide-Listening Pavilion, and even obtained the official rank of Captain of the Valiant Cavalry, a fifth-rank position. His luck turned around, just as the old saying goes: nothing is as profitable as selling out your brothers."

The more the man listened, the more alarmed he became. He asked uneasily, "Young master, your information is truly impressive. Are you perhaps an official, like that young general from earlier?"

Xu Fengnian smiled. "I'm currently quite close to the Fish Dragon Gang."

The blood from the man's leg flowed more profusely. He clutched the chair arms tightly, his face covered in cold sweat, yet he managed a forced smile, uglier than a grimace. He complimented, "Young master, your noble bearing suggests you are a man of great fortune. Surviving this great calamity, you are destined for great achievements."

Xu Fengnian finally saw Wang Dashi appear in the courtyard downstairs. Six or seven hot-blooded men from the Fish Dragon Gang had already died, including the one who had spat at the Crown Prince's feet when they checked into the inn at dusk. He was the last corpse lying on the ground, a spear thrust diagonally through his chest, his head then severed by another skilled rider. If the previous few had fought with raw passion, this fellow clearly held his own life in little regard. It was obvious that stepping forward meant certain death, with several bloody corpses serving as a grim warning. To then rush forward and act out of mere bravado was a truly worthless way to die. Indeed, when he was dispatched by a spear and a blade, there was no one left near him except Liu Nirong. Fortunately, Wang Dashi, whose legs had been trembling like a sieve inside the inn's entrance for a long time, repeatedly punched his own thighs and later even slapped himself twice. This finally made his shaking legs obey, and he rushed into the fray, shouting to bolster his courage, picking up an elder brother's saber along the way. He chopped wildly with his eyes closed. Presumably, those who had stormed the inn found it amusing and weren't in a hurry to kill the boy, who posed no threat whatsoever.

Liu Nirong surveyed her surroundings; there was no one left but the enemies. The remaining Fish Dragon Gang members behind her met her gaze, then lowered their heads and recoiled.

Upstairs, Gonsun Yang had fired thirty-one arrows. The first six had killed four men, none of whom were armored soldiers from Daoma Pass. Realizing there was no room for maneuver, he began to target the leaders. However, all subsequent arrows were effortlessly caught by the old man with five talons, who was in the service of the woman with the mink-covered forehead.

Gonsun Yang knew that even if this old man wasn't a top master of the Diamond Realm, he was certainly close.

He stroked his large ox-horn bow, then snapped its string before slowly descending the stairs. Slightly limping, he silently took his place behind Liu Nirong.

Zhou Ziru, who had remained on horseback, turned his horse around and casually, arrogantly circled, man and beast together. He looked down at the blood-stained Liu Nirong, a sinister curve on his lips, revealing immense satisfaction and triumph.

Xu Fengnian muttered to himself, "They're here."

The man on the chair hadn't heard clearly. He quietly murmured to himself, "Young master, a few years ago, I got my hands on a yellowed saber manual. I couldn't read, so I paid for a literate courtesan in a brothel for two full months, memorizing the manual word by word. If you wish to learn it, you could take me out of this inn, and I'll slowly dictate it to you."

Xu Fengnian had his back to the door, seemingly distracted, and didn't appear to hear the man's tempting offer.

An untimely thunder of hooves grew louder, piercingly grating to Zhou Ziru's ears. The always-composed Young Master Zhou's expression subtly shifted. He turned his head to look. In the dark night, lines of torches stretched like a winding mountain range.

No fewer than a hundred cavalrymen had arrived in a sudden assault.

Leading them was an armored middle-aged general with a completely unfamiliar face. However, his armor indicated he was a high-ranking officer with real authority in the Northern Liang army, at least a fifth-rank general. This was certainly not someone the Deputy Commander or Garrison Commandant of Daoma Pass could challenge or shake.

What disturbed Zhou Ziru even more was that riding beside this general was Han Tao, the Garrison Commandant of Daoma Pass, whose rank was second only to Zhou's father!

Han Tao, riding his horse directly into the inn, cast a sidelong glance at Zhou Ziru and sneered, "Tsk tsk, Zhou Ziru, quite impressive, aren't you? Tell me, here in Daoma Pass, is your father the Deputy Commander, or are *you* the Deputy Commander?!" The final word was clearly intoned with a rising inflection. It was a common way for officials to speak when asserting their higher rank and authority over others.

Zhou Ziru bowed his head and cupped his hands. A flicker of malice crossed his eyes, but his voice was flat as he said, "Reporting to Commandant Han, there were bandits colluding with the Fish Dragon Gang from Lingzhou. This junior heard the news, and with the Deputy Commander's permission, brought troops to the inn, fearing these villains might escape. If there was any impropriety during this, I humbly request Commandant Han to point it out. This junior is willing to accept any punishment."

A rider slowly entered the inn. Han Tao instinctively cleared the way, ensuring the general had an unobstructed view. There was no other choice; the Captain of the Valiant Cavalry beside him was an exceptional figure who had personally met the Great General and even received rewards. *Don't even mention those sordid tales of the Captain's ingratitude in the past; they're trivial matters, easily forgotten!* Currently, Captain Huangfu was undoubtedly the most influential figure along this stretch of the Northern Liang border. Had Han Tao not had connections "in court," he wouldn't have been able to get involved with him at all. Today, it was just bad luck for Zhou Ziru and his father; they'd run straight into a sharp blade. In the past, Han Tao would have simply held his nose and turned a blind eye, given the father and son's power and influence. But today was the Captain of the Valiant Cavalry's border inspection day. If Han Tao let this opportunity slip through his fingers, he might as well chop off his own hands and forget about fondling the ample bosoms of his concubines and maids.

All meticulous calculations became a joke when faced with a higher rank and position.

Zhou Ziru was brave enough to act and take responsibility, but even more so, brave enough to yield and admit defeat.

The Captain of the Valiant Cavalry glanced at the bowing Zhou Ziru and smiled warmly. "You're Zhou Ziru, yes? Though I haven't been in office long, I've long heard of your distinguished reputation. Seeing you today, it's clear you live up to it. Very good, very good."

Han Tao was momentarily stunned.

Zhou Ziru keenly caught the flicker of confusion in Han Tao's eyes, and his heart settled. He knew his father had significant room to maneuver with this prominent figure in the Northern Liang border army, space that could be slowly filled with gold, silver, beautiful women, and antiques.

This made Zhou Ziru, who had initially intended to reveal that someone had dared to kill the Northern Liang armored soldier Zhao Yingchuan in the inn, willingly endure the bitterness in silence. He cast a sidelong glance at Liu Nirong, thinking that once he got her into bed, he would have countless ways to make her wish she were dead.

On the way to the inn, the Captain of the Valiant Cavalry had already gathered some information from Han Tao's subtle hints, guessing that the Garrison Commandant had some connections with the Fish Dragon Gang's backer. He gave Han Tao a meaningful look, then smiled faintly and left first.

Zhou Ziru followed closely.

The woman with the mink-covered forehead looked displeased, but the old man with five golden claws beside her whispered a few words of persuasion, prompting her to leave with resentment.

The martial artists who had come seeking revenge on Xiao Qiang immediately scattered like birds and beasts.

The storm had been loud, and the downpour significant, but at least it hadn't left everyone drenched. Yet, this only highlighted the innocent and pitiable plight of those Fish Dragon Gang members who had died before Liu Nirong.

Xiao Qiang had likely failed to escape through the back gate. He appeared in the front courtyard with a calm expression, giving a light cough to revive his gang members and direct them to clean up the mess. Facing Liu Nirong's cold stare, the second master remained unfazed. *You're just a young woman who hasn't even taken power yet, still my apprentice. What could you possibly do to turn the heavens upside down?*

Liu Nirong silently walked back into the inn. Wang Dashi still looked bewildered, slumped on the ground, his limbs weak.

Upstairs. The man, who had been enduring pain and desperately accumulating strength, finally felt the drug's effects recede. Supporting himself on his left leg, he suddenly sprang forward, launching a punch at the young master's back. Had he succeeded against an ordinary martial artist, it would have surely caused blood to gush from all seven orifices! He had no saber manual; he had merely been stalling for time. *Since this greenhorn, new to the martial world, doesn't understand its treacherous ways or the depths of human deceit, and has given me such an open back, I won't be polite!*

Xu Fengnian's clothes imperceptibly rippled.

The martial artist, renowned for his fierce boxing, was utterly terrified. He found that his punch, after coming within three inches of the man's back, could not penetrate an inch further! It was as if he had run into an invisible wall of brass and iron! Such masters, capable of such divine feats, surely existed in the world, but how could he believe he had encountered one in this small inn? Realizing the dire situation, the experienced fighter tried to withdraw his fist and retreat. However, an even greater terror enveloped him: he was putting all his strength into moving backward, yet his body remained utterly still. He watched as the young master, still facing away from him, reached a hand to the hilt of the saber at his waist. The scabbard "gently" struck his chest. It was like a morning bell reverberating through a mountain temple! His internal energy burst open instantly. He died, bleeding from all seven orifices.

Xu Fengnian felt nothing after the kill, his mind drifting to a particular story from the martial world. He remembered, as a child in the armory, listening to a weathered old guard recount tales of the *jianghu*. The aged man, with his witty remarks, told of a saber-wielding hero who, on his travels, once met someone. "Oh, your nickname is 'Saber Ghost'? Mine too!" the man had laughed, saying, "What a coincidence!" And then what? Didn't he just find an opportunity to stab the other in the back, ensuring there was only one "Saber Ghost" in the world? The young Crown Prince had found it amusing at first, failing to grasp the self-mockery in the old man's words or the desolation in his eyes. It was much later that he learned the old man's true nickname had indeed been "Saber Ghost," and the other person was a good brother he had met in his youth. For the sake of brotherhood, the old man had even rejected the woman he admired, silently leaving the *jianghu* to wander the land, performing chivalrous deeds. When they later reunited, he discovered that the woman, who had married his brother, had died of depression, and his brother, after a night of heavy drinking, had nearly shredded his chest with a saber. Only then did he realize how much the woman had suffered all those years and how much jealousy and hatred his brother had harbored. Later, a young man from the *jianghu* sought out the armory to avenge his father's murder. After being captured, the old man actually knelt before the Crown Prince, begging for clemency, and the truth finally surfaced. Xu Fengnian was extraordinarily generous; seeing the old man's sincerity, he not only released the fellow who had humiliated himself but also casually tossed him two martial arts manuals from the armory. And what happened after that? About three years later, the old man went out for a stroll and was beheaded by that very young man, using the sword techniques from the manual. Perhaps there was an unspoken understanding between the old man and the youth, one seeking death, the other determined to avenge. But this assassination enraged the Crown Prince, who felt mocked. In a fit of anger, he had his men capture the assassin, but then remembered the old man's magnanimity in the Tide-Listening Pavilion and ultimately, through gritted teeth, let him go.

Such vile affairs, when merely heard as after-dinner anecdotes, seemed utterly absurd. But what would it feel like if they truly happened to oneself? Xu Fengnian had witnessed too much of the so-called *jianghu*—its grand heroism and its utter filth, its gentlemen and its villains. He had seen many who were magnificent outside the Northern Liang Prince's Mansion but knelt begging inside. He had seen countless individuals who, never having met him, wished to slice him into a thousand pieces. And often, the Crown Prince, the target of these assassination attempts, was barely ten years old. Yet, too many martial artists who managed to enter the Prince's Mansion and approach him would unhesitatingly swing their blades. Naturally, their bodies were all, without exception, eventually fed to the dogs. Others learned of the *jianghu*'s cold cruelty much later, perhaps like Liu Nirong, only at the very end of their lives. But Xu Fengnian was fortunate that he was the son of Xu Xiao, the Butcher; he learned early and had not lived a short life. He had survived to this day, living a seemingly glorious and enviable existence.

In the *jianghu*, many honest people try to reason with others using the principles of empathy and fairness, while others respond with their fists. And when you try to reason with fists, others will assail you with a torrent of righteousness and morality. How then, does one truly reason?

Xu Fengnian merely lowered his gaze to look at the Spring Thunder Saber, which had killed without even leaving its sheath.