Chapter 220: Spring Thunder Doesn't Move, Youzhou Moves

Xu Fengnian approached the young woman who was skilled at embroidery. He picked up her bamboo basket, handed it to her, and then stepped in front of her. Looking at the soldiers from Daoma Pass, who were displaying the banner of the Beiliang Iron Cavalry, he smiled and slowly said, "Gentlemen, I am a distant relative of sister-in-law Xu Qing. I travel between the border and Lingzhou and have managed to earn some silver. I have over one hundred taels on me. If you don't mind, you can all take it for drinks. I only ask that you be lenient and not make my sister-in-law go to the general's mansion. After all, she is a postman's widow, and even if everything is completely innocent and the general's wife is compassionate towards the common people, if this matter gets out, it will not be good for my sister-in-law or the reputation of the Beiliang border."

One hundred taels of silver? Zhang Shun even forgot to restrain the brat in his arms. If it were all small pieces of silver, it could pile up into a small silver mountain on the table. If converted into copper coins, wouldn't it blind one's eyes?! For poor folk who hadn't seen the world, they didn't understand the concepts of "rich enough to rival a nation" or "wealth equal to a king." Instead, "carrying ten thousand strings of cash" was more resonant and tangible. A thousand coins made one string, so one hundred taels of silver was a full one hundred strings. In reality, silver was more valuable than copper, so it could exchange for at least one hundred and several strings. Zhang Shun thought to himself, wasn't his greatest lifelong wish to walk around with a dozen or twenty strings of cash jingling on him? To take off the copper coins and throw them on the table when eating or drinking—that was truly magnificent. And after returning home, to embrace two delicate, slender-waisted, plump-hipped women to warm the bed—that person would have no other desires.

Zhang Shun stared dumbfounded at the young man who had suddenly appeared. He was impeccably dressed, indeed like a young master with plenty of money. He even carried a saber, making Zhang Shun envious. Commoners, let alone carrying a saber and walking through the market, were often restricted by rules regarding the colors of their clothes.

But how strange! When did this woman, Xu Qing, acquire a wealthy relative who could casually offer one hundred taels of silver? Could he be the kind of lover who secretly rolls around in the fields with her? Zhang Shun's mind raced, thinking that a cooked duck couldn't fly out of the pot. If that hundred taels came out of that pretty boy's pocket, it would have absolutely nothing to do with him. If Xu Qing didn't go to Daoma Pass, and wasn't taken by that General Guoyi, then his easily obtainable rise to prominence would turn into nothing, and he'd be left with a mess. Most of the nearby villages were related by marriage, and although no one could really do anything to him, he would inevitably be gossiped about behind his back. The crucial thing was that he wouldn't get to taste Xu Qing's charms.

Zhang Shun, unwilling to let his efforts go to waste, sneered, "Relative? I heard you're an outsider lusting after Xu Qing's body. Don't think that just because you have a little money, you can challenge us military gentlemen of Daoma Pass. Be careful, or you might try to steal a chicken and lose the rice!"

The burly corporal was uninterested in Zhang Shun's fabricated slander, and didn't believe it. However, after the young swordsman spoke frankly, one piece of information was quite troublesome: this woman's deceased husband was a postman? He hoped he wasn't a fallen soldier from Youzhou, as Youzhou frequently fought the Northern barbarians, and the higher-ups were very strict about the pensions for soldiers who died in service from these two prefectures. It wasn't that the corporal couldn't seize the person; if he was determined, he could. But if it caused a scandal involving hanging or suicide by jumping into a well, he would inevitably have to spend money to smooth things over with all parties. The village would have to be suppressed, and the county yamen would also need to be informed.

That was secondary. If Captain Han thought he was ineffective, how could he ever compete with those fellow officers who called each other brothers at the wine table but then spared no effort to dig pits and frame others the moment they turned their backs? How could he smoothly get promoted, make a fortune, and accumulate silver?

Seeing that even the military officers who could strut freely in Daoma Pass were hesitating, Zhang Shun became desperate. He pointed at the man and woman by the stream and cursed, "Xu Qing, your man was just a postman from Jinzhou who became a laughingstock, thrown off his horse and trampled to death! It's a disgrace to the men of Daoma Pass to even mention it! And you still have the nerve to claim that pension money, pah! If I were a county official, I wouldn't give you seven or eight taels, not even seven or eight copper coins! Now that your in-laws are buried, you think no one will stop you from finding a wild man? I bet you personally killed those two old folks, didn't you? Women like you are worse than the prostitutes who at least sell their bodies for hard-earned money in brothels! You should be paraded through the streets, ridden on a wooden donkey, and drowned in a pig cage!"

The child, as if possessed, went to bite Zhang Shun, crying out, "My father is a hero! Don't you dare insult my mother!"

Annoyed, Zhang Shun roughly pushed the brat to the ground and cursed, "Who knows whose brat you are! A hero? Your father was a cuckolded coward! He couldn't even control a horse, how could he control your mother?"

The young woman bit her lip until it bled, her eyes blurry with tears. Yet, she hardened her heart and loudly told Yousong, "Don't cry!"

The child, full of grievance, paused and surprisingly became quiet.

The corporal breathed a sigh of relief. Since the deceased was a postman from within their own prefecture and seemingly hadn't even died in battle, there was no way for opportunistic people like Zhou Ziru to make a big fuss about it. Having risen to his current position as a soldier, who didn't have a few tricks up their sleeve? Daoma Pass in Jinzhou was strategically located deep within Beiliang territory, so it would take immense courage for the Northern barbarians to invade this large pocket. There hadn't been any battles for over a decade. Since he didn't need to risk his life fighting barbarians, how else was he to secure a prosperous future? He couldn't just wait for good things to fall from the sky. It was precisely by doing these less-than-honorable things that he could curry favor with important figures like Han Tao. The corporal remembered that a few years ago, his superior's scandal with Captain Han came to light: a noblewoman, nicknamed "tigress," had found out about Han's hidden mistress. Without a word, his superior stepped in and formally married the young mistress with an eight-bearer sedan chair, not daring to even touch her himself. He could only watch as the woman bathed and prepared herself, fragrant, waiting for Captain Han's favor, and he even had to personally guard the door. The corporal was nothing but impressed. Sure enough, once Captain Han tired of the woman, he secured a good position for the superior in a neighboring county. Occasionally, when the superior returned home in glory, he could still share drinks and friendly conversation with Captain Han.

This was the art of officialdom. How could the corporal not be convinced?

Xu Fengnian's gaze was icy as he said, "I am a scholar from Lingzhou, traveling to Daoma Pass in Jinzhou. If you wish to seize her, I will not resist; you can step over my corpse. However, afterward, when my family questions this, I am confident that a small Daoma Pass, guarded by two minor deputy lieutenants of the sixth rank and a supervising captain, will not be able to handle it!"

The corporal and the cavalrymen, who appeared incomparably formidable in the eyes of the common folk, all frowned in unison. The corporal uttered a soft "Oh?" with a hint of doubt, then glared fiercely at this bastard who had repeatedly ruined a good thing. "Traveling scholar? You're clearly wearing a saber, damn it!" But the corporal's eyesight was good; he could vaguely discern the bearing of the sabered man, which was very similar to Zhou Ziru, the top young master of Daoma Pass. An ordinary person, even if they tried to inflate their image by throwing money around, couldn't feign such composure and calmness. This made him hesitant, as if throwing a rat would break a valuable vase. The cavalry corporal rubbed his arm, his gaze finally no longer lingering on Xu Qing. His face darkened as he looked at the young man who claimed to be from a noble family.

The warhorses snorted, and their impatient iron hooves occasionally stamped the ground. The sound was not loud, but in the quiet village stream, mixed with a few barks and crows, it was exceptionally startling.

Zhang Shun's heart was suspended, neither up nor down, a terrible feeling. Just moments ago, he had wondered if that handsome, saber-wielding youth, whose looks drove him mad, would try to steal a chicken and lose the rice. Now the tables had turned. After the young man revealed his scholar status, it was Zhang Shun's turn to be anxious. If the Daoma Pass officers took the money and retreated peacefully, how could he, a mere hooligan who only dared to bully his own village, compete with a scholar? He would surely lose face, and more. Zhang Shun no longer dared to provoke that young master. He cautiously looked up at the corporal, not daring to even breathe.

Xu Fengnian turned his head and saw the young woman extending two fingers to pull at his sleeve. She shook her head vigorously, her eyes resolute.

Xu Fengnian hesitated for a moment, then took her cold little hand, pulled her back behind him, and released her. Unnoticed by anyone, his left hand slowly pressed against the Spring Thunder Saber at his left hip.

Only the young woman, perhaps with a woman's keen intuition, seemed to sense a subtle change in the atmosphere.

It was like drying wheat on the stone-paved clearing in the village; whenever it was about to rain, she and the villagers would rush to gather the wheat. At such times, the sky gave off a suffocating, oppressive feeling, and if there were a few claps of thunder, it would be even more frightening.

When Zhang Shun saw a hint of malevolence flash in the corporal's eyes from atop his horse, he knew he had made the right gamble today. That pathetic scholar from Lingzhou, on the other hand, had completely lost, losing everything, perhaps even his life!

The cavalrymen behind him, who lived with their corporal day and night, knew what he had for dinner just by his farts. When they saw the corporal slowly drawing his saber, the cavalrymen, who also carried only a single Beiliang saber for this outing, revealed grim expressions.

More than a dozen Beiliang sabers moved with startling uniformity, slowly emerging from their scabbards.

Zhang Shun and the other ruffians were so frightened that all their legs went weak.

Were they going to kill?

They were merely street thugs and village hooligans who had neither been bled nor made anyone bleed. If they were to witness a killing up close, they would probably faint from fright.

At that moment, Xu Fengnian's eyes turned completely cold.

A strange, clear sound came from the stream bank, but no one knew what object was making that friction sound.

But at that moment, the young woman felt a biting chill. She widened her beautiful eyes and saw that the scholar's clothing on his back rippled subtly, like a wave, layer upon layer, advancing, then spreading out, and finally disappearing.

Spring Thunder had emerged one inch from its scabbard.

But it was quickly pressed back into the scabbard!

Xu Fengnian gripped the saber hilt tightly and took a deep breath.

He would not draw his blade unless his life was in mortal danger. In Buddhism, there was a "closed-mouth meditation." Li Chungang, a great swordsman who appeared once every five hundred years, had kept his sword sheathed for six full years after reaching the Celestial Phenomenon realm, not drawing it once, before he could achieve that powerful sword intent that "opened the Gate of Heaven"!

Xu Fengnian saw the corporal, after drawing his saber, reach for the reins, preparing to charge.

Xu Fengnian extended his arm, stopping the young woman who was recklessly rushing forward. He looked at the cavalry troop and, in a stiff, firm tone, said, "You go back to Daoma Pass and tell General Guoyi Huangfu Ping that someone with a Spring Thunder Saber is here. I'll give him the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn to get here."

The dozen or so warhorses, which had just begun to run, halted instantly after the corporal reined them in tightly.

The corporal was no fool. Was a young man who claimed to be a traveling scholar from Lingzhou and dared to call General Guoyi by his personal name merely putting on a desperate act?

His future was certainly important, but his life was even more so.

In this world, it's not the certainty that frightens you, but the possibility of a "what if."

What if this young man truly knew General Huangfu Ping? Even if they weren't close, a mere nodding acquaintance would be enough to cause serious trouble for those who could only throw their weight around in Daoma Pass! What if this saber-wielding young master was indeed from a prominent gentry family in Lingzhou? If Captain Han shirked responsibility then, who would take the blame? Lingzhou was somewhat distant from Youzhou, but if a noble family pursued the matter relentlessly, even if they couldn't bring down Captain Han, a sixth-rank official, what would happen to him, the corporal who had personally shed blood? However, the most crucial question was, did this assertive young man truly warrant all these "what ifs"?

The corporal gritted his teeth, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

Xu Fengnian narrowed his phoenix eyes and said, "Two sticks of incense. Some time has already passed. If Huangfu Ping gets furious by then, no one will be able to save you from trouble."

The corporal let out a heavy breath, stopped his horse, sheathed his saber, and motioned for a cavalryman to return to Captain Han in Daoma Pass and report the situation here.

He would, of course, stay here with his men to keep watch. After two incense sticks, if he confirmed that this brat was merely bluffing, he would personally hack to death this fellow who had made him lose face.

To hack, not just to cut.

Daoma Pass.

General Guoyi, who had not changed into comfortable silk clothes, rose early and stood atop the city wall. In fact, since leaving Liangzhou, he had never once removed his armor in front of outsiders, except when sleeping.

Everyone knew that Huangfu Ping had exchanged dozens of lives from his family for his current glory and wealth.

They only knew that of the once proud and prominent Qingshan Manor, only he and his mute son survived. His elder brother, along with his four children, had been beheaded for the grave crime of treason.

But they didn't know that Huangfu Ping possessed military strategy and once harbored ambitions and aspirations to settle all matters of the world for his monarch.

They only knew that this beast, worse than a pig or dog, had groveled before the Prince of Beiliang to secure a fourth-rank general position and three secret manuals. But they didn't know that the three secret manuals were what he deserved for betraying his family, whereas the title of General Guoyi was merely a casual suggestion from a smiling young master, like throwing a bone to an old dog.

A wag of the tail from a wealthy family's lackey could achieve more than a poor scholar reading ten thousand books.

Huangfu Ping saw nothing wrong with this. He only wished to pledge his unwavering loyalty to the enigmatic father and son in the Prince of Beiliang's mansion in Youzhou, and then establish his own hundred-generation legacy!

Therefore, on this journey, he had almost traversed the entire Youzhou, every prefecture, every county, every mountain range that could serve as a strategic high point, every city, every pass, only missing visiting every single village.

Huangfu Ping unconsciously touched his frosted temples. He was past the age of forty, a time when one should no longer be confused! If he didn't awaken from his dream and continued to drift aimlessly like his brothers, Qingshan Manor would not only fail to rise again but would also see its lineage ended!

The two highest-ranking officials in Daoma Pass, Deputy Colonel Zhou Xian (Zhou Ziru's father) and Captain Han Tao, stood behind General Guoyi as if treading on thin ice. After returning from the inn last night, General Huangfu had not stayed in the luxurious mansion arranged by Han Tao, but instead resided at the post station. According to secret reports, Zhou Xian, that old tortoise, had visited him overnight, which made Captain Han alert, thinking the General felt he hadn't fulfilled his host duties. Whether in officialdom or the military, being slow to realize things was the worst. Han Tao, ignoring the smooth, round curves of the woman on his bed, sat alone by the lamp, pondering. He inadvertently turned around and saw the two alluring women, whom he had intended to enjoy together, winking at him. He slapped his thigh and, burning with urgency, sent his trusted men to find two more fresh young women. General Huangfu had to be made comfortable. Captain Han spent the entire night busy with this. Of the two previous women, one had been returned, and the other secretly kept. He wondered if his subordinates could smooth things over before General Huangfu left Daoma Pass.

Trouble? In Daoma Pass, as long as the corrupt Zhou father and son didn't interfere, there wouldn't be any trouble!

Seeing a familiar cavalryman dismount at the city gate and scramble up to the city wall, Han Tao's face broke into a smile. When he smiled, Zhou Xian, who had been at odds with him for years, also offered a faint smile, though it was a forced one, making Han Tao want to slap him hard.

The ordinary cavalryman, without official rank, was stopped at a distance. Han Tao dared not show off in front of General Guoyi, so he paced over. When he saw the cavalryman's face, as grim as if he were holding in excrement, he realized there was trouble brewing. He led the man to the corner of the city tower. Before Captain Han could speak, the cavalryman blurted everything out like beans spilling from a bamboo tube. The matter wasn't too complicated, and having been immersed in officialdom for many years, Han Tao quickly grasped it. His expression changed several times, and he lifted his foot, ready to kick the life out of the brat who brought bad news. But just as he lifted his leg, he abruptly put it down, quickly turned, and walked towards General Huangfu. Those twenty-odd steps felt like an eternity.

Though preoccupied, General Guoyi Huangfu Ping was not focused on the intrigues of Daoma Pass. However, from the corner of his eye, he saw Han Tao's frustrated expression, as if he wanted to speak but hesitated. He smiled and asked, "Han Tao, just say what you have to say."

Hearing his name directly, instead of a polite but distant official title, Captain Han breathed a sigh of relief. He bent down, trotted a few steps closer, and whispered, "One of our pass's cavalry patrols encountered a young scholar in a village within our jurisdiction, who claims to be from Lingzhou and to know the General."

"Hmm?"

Huangfu Ping's face remained calm, but he simply stared at Han Tao.

Feeling immense pressure, Captain Han quickly added, "That scholar seems to be carrying a Spring Thunder Saber."

Huangfu Ping uttered a lukewarm "Oh," but no one saw him instantly clench his fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands.

The most prominent General Guoyi in the Beiliang army calmly stated, "Prepare a horse for me. You, have that cavalryman lead the way. The rest of you need not follow."

Captain Han was drenched in sweat, his lips trembling and turning pale. Risking his life, he whispered, "That scholar also said he would only give the General two sticks of incense's time."

General Guoyi turned his head and smiled.

Captain Han, who had once beheaded over ten enemies on the battlefield, had perhaps grown too accustomed to peaceful days. Startled by General Huangfu's glance, he stumbled backward, leaning against the city wall, and said with a mournful face, "General, there's no need to worry. From Daoma Pass to that village, it doesn't even take one stick of incense."

Two riders galloped furiously.

The cavalryman was so terrified his soul seemed to scatter, wishing only that the warhorse beneath him had eight hooves.

By the stream.

Xu Fengnian turned and softly told the young woman, "Take Yousong home. I'll find you later. Don't worry, it's alright now. I have some connections with a general from Daoma Pass. At most, it'll cost some silver, and I guarantee you won't have to go to the general's mansion. If you don't trust me, then pack up and take Yousong away from Daoma Pass first. But when you're in another town, remember to pay attention to news from here; you'll understand then."

The young woman, still half-doubting, was about to move when she saw two riders approach. A majestic and formidable general stopped his horse on the high slope, while the other cavalrymen, for reasons unknown to her, only heard a command to "quickly return to Captain Han for orders," and then turned their horses, retreating dispiritedly.

Xu Fengnian and the young woman walked back together. She glanced back, holding her child, and saw Xu Fengnian smiling and waving his hand. Only then did she take her son's hand and jog towards the village.

Only two people remained by the stream.

General Guoyi Huangfu Ping tumbled off his horse and prostrated himself completely, just as he had upon his first entry into the Prince of Beiliang's mansion. He said nothing, his five fingers digging into the ground, wishing he could sink deep into the earth to appear sufficiently humble.

Xu Fengnian slowly approached General Guoyi, now a powerful front-line commander in Youzhou, and calmly said, "Originally, if you had groveled and kowtowed before me in front of those men, I would have cut off your head without a second thought. After all, it doesn't matter who wears this General Guoyi armor."

Huangfu Ping remained silent, his strong, imposing body pressed tightly against the ground.

"It's nothing for minor officials to show deference to senior ones, even going so far as to snatch women overnight to warm their beds. There's no place in the Liyang or Beimang dynasties where such rotten things don't happen."

"And it's nothing for minor officials to dispatch their subordinates, causing a stir and wasting resources. Isn't the point of being an official to wield power? That's understandable."

"Seeing a beautiful woman, even if she's a postman's widow, and seizing her, then offering some silver compensation afterward—whether the woman lives or dies, it's naturally of no concern to the officials. They just blame her poor background and her man's incompetence. This is still nothing; I've seen far more sordid affairs in this world."

At this point, His Royal Highness Xu Fengnian smiled.

General Guoyi's mind went blank.

He only vaguely remembered that night at the Prince of Beiliang's mansion, when he, a homeless dog of the jianghu, was granted an audience. The Crown Prince sat in the main chair, while the Prince of Beiliang, the pinnacle of martial arts in the world, sat smilingly by his side.

Xu Fengnian looked at the stream and sneered, "But in Beiliang, there is an iron rule that must be shouted eight or ten times on the very first day of joining the Beiliang army. Yet you still dared to draw a Beiliang saber to cut off a commoner's head? We need to have a very serious reckoning about what that means!"

Xu Fengnian suddenly roared, "The Beiliang saber was originally forged by commoners who broke their pots and sold their iron! Its blade is naturally sharp, but its keenest edge, Xu Xiao himself told me, his useless son, countless times, so many times that I've grown calluses from hearing it!"

Huangfu Ping's lips were pressed to the ground, the strong scent of mud and grass filling his nostrils. He said, "Huangfu Ping deserves death."

Xu Fengnian suppressed the emotions in his heart with all his might, the scabbard of the Spring Thunder Saber trembling incessantly.

After a long pause, His Royal Highness gave a self-deprecating smile and whispered, "I am already the hereditary Crown Prince of Beiliang. I dare to snatch women from Prince Jing'an Zhao Heng, dare to sit atop the walls of Wudi City, dare to carve flesh from the Prince of Guangling's son, and yet I still dare not forget this rule. So where did these people get their courage? Did Xu Xiao give it to them? Or Chen Zhibao? Or some other remarkable figure?"

Xu Fengnian glanced sidelong at General Guoyi. Once his emotions settled, he smiled and said, "Get up. Today's matter isn't entirely your fault. These past few days, you've been riding and patrolling Youzhou in armor, with mixed reviews. Whether you're just putting on a show or genuinely want to accomplish something, just don't let me encounter such a situation again. Anyway, the General Guoyi position has been given to you. You can do whatever you please in Youzhou. I've always had a playboy's temperament; I only look at results. I've given you time. If you can't satisfy me by then, that little one in the General Guoyi's mansion, who is actually your elder brother's legitimate son, will truly be the sole surviving sprout of your Huangfu family."

Huangfu Ping, who had already half-stood, immediately knelt back down.

His Royal Highness narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Your Huangfu family are all ruthless people, but you are the most ruthless. You allowed your own son to be killed, and fearing that the nephew you intended to train as a major asset would reveal secrets, you burned his throat."

Huangfu Ping was in tears.

"Go back to Daoma Pass. Today's matter isn't simply resolved by beheading a few people. As General Guoyi, you are to decide what needs to be done. I, the Crown Prince, will watch. Of course, if you don't even dare to strip a few officials of their hats or take a few lives, then I will consider myself to have misjudged you."

Huangfu Ping said in a deep voice, "Huangfu Ping understands. Please rest assured, Your Royal Highness!"

His Royal Highness walked towards the village, seemingly talking to himself, "The child in the General Guoyi's mansion is now called Huangfu Qingping. And there's another child, whose given name is also Huangfu Qingping, who became a servant boy in Wutongyuan recently. Unlike his father, who is like a tiger that eats its cubs, this child is simple-natured and diligent with his hands and feet. I like him very much."

Huangfu Ping kowtowed heavily. This ruthless hero, who had experienced both glory and humiliation, choked with sobs from the bottom of his heart at that moment, "From today onward, Huangfu Ping is willing to die for Your Royal Highness!"