Chapter 258: Wind and Rain Come, Sword Qi Approaches

Tao Manwu’s head rested on Xu Fengnian’s as they returned to the inn. The little girl intended to show her curious spider box to the young lady, believing that shared joy was better than solitary pleasure. However, as they reached the entrance, they saw a commotion. Many ruffian-looking men were shouting outside, spewing vile and offensive language. Innkeeper Sun stood on the steps, bowing and smiling apologetically to a burly, formidable man. The man tossed a pouch of silver that the innkeeper had discreetly handed him. His cold face suddenly contorted, and he flung the small pouch of silver to the ground before punching the older man in the chest. Innkeeper Sun’s wife and two daughters, hiding inside the inn’s doorway, wept bitterly. They dared not help their fallen patriarch, fearing they would anger these local bullies.

Xu Fengnian inquired among the onlookers and learned the general situation. It seemed Innkeeper Sun’s wife and eldest daughter had gone to a gathering in the west of the city. In the crowd, they encountered a lecherous scoundrel. The eldest daughter, although modest, had a fiery temper. When her backside was touched, she immediately slapped him. The skinny ruffian, unprepared for such a fierce girl, was knocked down by the slap, losing face. Seeing that she was new to the area, he didn't dare retaliate on the spot. He called upon some idle friends from the neighborhood and followed them to this inn in the east of the city. After consulting with local thugs they knew, they learned that Innkeeper Sun had no powerful backing. So, they enlisted a local gang leader and called over twenty more friends, storming in with the clear intention of extorting a hefty sum from the easily manipulated Innkeeper Sun. A mere seven or eight taels of silver would never satisfy them. Innkeeper Sun, who had become well-off and enjoyed a comfortable life, had also read some poetry and valued his reputation. Being knocked down by a punch, the pain was secondary; it was the humiliation of being seen by neighbors, especially his three female family members, that made him furious. He scrambled up, grabbed a stool, and was about to fight these ruffians. But the lead ruffian, who had practiced martial arts for years and possessed considerable skill, paid no mind to a stool. He demonstrated a leg technique, kicking the stool in half and stunning the enraged Innkeeper Sun. As Sun hesitated, wondering if he should get a cleaver from the kitchen, a scrawny rogue stealthily approached him from behind, kicked him in the backside, and sent him sprawling face-first.

The scrawny rogue had prominent cheekbones and small, deep-set eyes. During gang brawls, he usually used words more than fists. This sneak attack made him feel quite heroic, but unfortunately, he overstretched, and his leg cramped up. He had to stand aside, limping, which drew widespread laughter. Just as the scrawny rogue was about to explode in anger, he caught a glimpse of the gang leader, whose thunder he had stolen, frowning. He immediately shut up and retreated to the side. Xu Fengnian set down Tao Manwu, took her hand, and walked up to the ruffian leader. He smoothly offered several ten-tael silver notes and smiled, “My esteemed boss, I don’t know what disrespect Old Brother Sun might have shown, but I hope you’ll grant us the opportunity to resolve this with some compensation.”

One could refuse to give face to anyone, but not to money. The burly ruffian, who had a fierce black tiger tattooed on his muscular arm, asked coldly, “And who are you, kid?”

Xu Fengnian smiled faintly, “I’m not as imposing as you, boss. I just run errands for the second young master of the City Governor’s Residence. I’m nobody special. The second young master took a liking to a dish here, the ‘Five Branch Broth,’ and so I developed some acquaintance with Innkeeper Sun. I’m here now to pick up that signature vegetarian dish. You’re a broad-minded man, boss, and Innkeeper Sun was at fault first, so please be understanding. If I mess this up, even if it reaches the second young master’s ears, the inn won’t be in the right, and he’s too busy with important matters to care about such trivialities. But my inefficiency would leave a bad impression on him, which would be terrible, and I wouldn’t earn a single copper coin from this. So, these thirty or forty taels of silver are a small token of respect. Consider it me asking for a favor, showing kindness, and not cutting off my source of income. When you’re free tomorrow, boss, I’ll treat you and your brothers to a good meal. What do you say?”

The big ruffian’s expression flickered between cloudy and clear, but finally, he gave a free-spirited smile. He pocketed the silver notes, patted Xu Fengnian’s shoulder, and said, “Since you, young brother, have admitted the mistake, this matter isn’t a big deal to begin with. I’ll let it go for your sake! Next time you’re in the west side of the city, look me up for a drink. Just mention my name, Guan Xi from Flying Fox Town!”

With the excitement over, the various onlookers dispersed. Inside the inn, a bewildered Innkeeper Sun, still shaken, quietly asked, “Brother Xu, are you truly a dignitary from the City Governor’s Residence?”

Xu Fengnian picked a clean table, sat down, and laughed, “How could I possibly have connections with the City Governor’s Residence? It’s just that an elder in my family has some business dealings with their steward. I’m not familiar with Young Master Tantai at all. I shamelessly submitted a calling card at the City Governor’s Residence this trip, but I don’t even know if I’ll get to see him. Old Brother Sun knows my family dabbles in small-scale porcelain trade, and the second young master is an expert in that field. If I’m truly lucky enough to gain his favor, maybe I can even bring him to the inn for a meal sometime. You mustn’t charge him for food or tea then, Old Brother Sun.”

Innkeeper Sun’s mind was greatly eased. He rubbed his hands, relieved, and said, “I wouldn’t dare take Young Master’s money! It would be a great honor for him to come to the inn. Brother Xu, I’m very grateful for your generous help today. I’ll go get the money to pay you back right now. And no matter how many days you stay at the inn, all your expenses—food, clothing, lodging, travel—I’ll cover them. If you refuse, I’ll be upset with you!”

Xu Fengnian hesitated for a moment, then laughed, “Old Brother Sun, please don’t fret over those thirty or forty taels. I am, after all, a descendant of a merchant family prosperous enough to frequent the Guanghan Tower. If you insist, it would be like disowning me as a brother. From now on, whenever I’m in Flying Fox City, I guarantee I’ll come here to freeload, that much I won’t hesitate about. I’m not joking with you, Old Brother Sun, so don’t feel bad about it.”

Innkeeper Sun’s earlier resentment completely vanished. He laughed heartily, sat down, and waved to his wife and daughters who stood at a distance, saying, “Come, greet Brother Xu.” Even the little girl who had previously thought Xu Fengnian was too old, along with her mother and sister, properly curtsied. The three women, tear-stained from their ordeal and relief, felt a profound gratitude towards Xu Fengnian. Moreover, hearing that this refined-looking but sword-carrying young master had some connection to the City Governor’s Residence, they felt a sense of shared honor that Innkeeper Sun had such a young friend who called him brother. The eldest daughter, who had previously been mortified by her father being easily knocked down, feeling like she wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it, now only felt that her father was courageous and a good judge of character, without a trace of resentment. Innkeeper Sun’s wife, a shrewd and clever merchant woman, swayed gracefully to retrieve a pot of good wine. She poured wine for her husband and Xu Fengnian, wanting to strike while the iron was hot and bind this wealthy, seemingly humble young master to the inn. That way, if they had future conflicts with those ruffians, he wouldn’t necessarily have to fight for them, but at least he wouldn’t stand idly by. Innkeeper Sun’s youngest daughter had been in a daze, but her sister pinched her, and she looked up to see her sister winking and mouthing “Young Master Tantai.” The little girl immediately brightened, ignoring everything else, and eagerly asked, “Brother Xu, if you go to the City Governor’s Residence, will you be able to see Young Master Tantai? If you do, please remember to mention me! My name is Sun Xiaochun!”

The little girl was pinched again on the arm and quickly understood. She smiled widely and said, “And my sister! Her name is Sun Zhiqiu!”

Innkeeper Sun and his wife exchanged a smile, a little helpless with their overly enthusiastic daughters. The sisters, however, were full of hopeful anticipation, disregarding any shyness or reserve. Xu Fengnian chuckled helplessly and could only nod, “If there’s truly an opportunity, I will certainly put in a good word for both of you young ladies. But I can’t guarantee I’ll definitely see that impressive young master.”

The elder sister, Sun Zhiqiu, being older, understood more about social niceties and nodded with a smile. The younger sister, Sun Xiaochun, however, looked serious and solemnly stated, “You absolutely must see him!”

Their mother pretended to swat the little girl, but her eyes and tone were gentle: “Don’t be rude.”

Xu Fengnian smiled, “No worries, sister-in-law, it’s merely a small favor.”

Afterward, the three women went to their room to have a private chat, while Innkeeper Sun, beaming with pride, chatted with some old friends who had come upon hearing the news. Xu Fengnian returned to his room at the inn. Tao Manwu put down her curious box, opened her travel bag, and began counting silver pieces one by one. Xu Fengnian playfully scolded, “If there were real thieves, would they only steal a few silver pieces? They’d have taken everything already!”

The little girl, adept at managing household finances, glared back and continued counting money.

Xu Fengnian, with his back to Tao Manwu, secretly summoned a flying sword from one of the twelve “scabbards” on his personal silkworm armor, quietly nurturing the sword.

After counting all the silver, confirming none was missing, Tao Manwu fastened her travel bag. She kicked off her boots, arranged her curious box and porcelain pillow, and lay on the bed, chin in hands, looking left and right with obvious pleasure and delight.

Xu Fengnian hid the flying sword and glanced at his palms, where the calluses were gradually peeling off after the integration with the Grand Yellow Court. For ordinary people, nurturing swords with blood, let alone twelve, even two or three, would ruin their hands within ten days. But with the Grand Yellow Court cultivating the Immortal Lotus, there was no need to worry. His qi and blood were as vigorous as the surging tides of Guangling, circulating ceaselessly, and his injuries healed extremely fast. Xu Fengnian sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back, enjoying a moment of leisure, closing his eyes in contemplation. Tao Manwu, after an internal struggle, generously placed the porcelain pillow under his head. Holding her curious box with the small spider weaving a web inside, she sat up and looked at the man beside her, seemingly wanting to speak but hesitating.

Xu Fengnian, with his eyes still closed, asked calmly, “Do you want to know why I, despite being able to teach those ruffians a lesson, merely bowed down, offered money, and resolved the matter peacefully?”

The little girl nodded, pouting slightly, feeling a bit wronged and resentful, thinking he lacked any heroic spirit.

Xu Fengnian’s lips curled into a slight smile, and he said softly, “I am a scoundrel without roots, drifting wherever the wind takes me. Innkeeper Sun and his family of four are ordinary people rooted here, unable to leave for their entire lives. The thugs of Flying Fox City are cunning and crafty. To put it nicely, they’re good at assessing situations; to put it harshly, they bully the weak and fear the strong. Unless I scare them off permanently by killing them all, they’ll harass Innkeeper Sun relentlessly the moment I leave. But I have personal matters to attend to, and I’ve brought you along, a burden who can only help carry money. I can’t just get into a big fight over every little thing. Ultimately, one’s own misfortunes are one’s own to bear. Today, I only acted out of respect for that cup of tea we shared and because I was afraid of the trouble of having to move inns again. Otherwise, given my cold-hearted nature, I wouldn’t bother playing the good Samaritan. This is called ‘each sweeping the snow from their own doorstep, not minding the frost on others’ roofs.’ If you’re looking for a great hero to travel the jianghu with, I’m sorry, little girl, I’m definitely going to disappoint you.”

Tao Manwu let out a faint snort.

She had only just started to think he wasn’t so bad after seeing him teach the pipa player in the tea house! Now, she felt he wasn’t so good after all!

Xu Fengnian grasped the little girl’s arm and secretly cleared her meridians, while teasing her sharply, “Good deeds bring good rewards—that’s just something people invent because they’re afraid of misfortune befalling them. In truth, few genuinely want to be good people. Generally, good people don’t get good rewards, but nobody ever gets the chance to let you know.”

Tao Manwu only felt her arm growing warm; it wasn’t particularly comfortable or uncomfortable, so she endured it.

Xu Fengnian said calmly, “Switch arms.”

She turned around and extended her other arm.

Once he had his way, Xu Fengnian teased, “They say men and women should not touch, yet you show no shame.”

Tao Manwu ignored the remark, sighed maturely, and bit her lip, saying, “Uncle Dong said, ‘A nation’s powerful weapon should not be shown to others. A gentleman conceals his tools, acting only when the time is right. A petty person wields his tools, constantly boasting.’”

Xu Fengnian opened his eyes and laughed, “Your Uncle Dong, that fat fellow, is quite learned in the art of concealing one’s abilities, isn’t he? Quite like me, wouldn’t you say?”

The little girl rolled her eyes, too lazy to respond to this scoundrel who was praising himself. She just wanted to pull back her beloved porcelain pillow.

Xu Fengnian held down the porcelain pillow defiantly, “No.”

The little girl, knowing she couldn’t win a tug-of-war, displayed an expression of disdain, as if to say she wouldn’t bother arguing over trifles with him. Spending so much time with this scoundrel, she seemed to have learned some small ways to make her own interactions more comfortable.

A noisy commotion came from the street. Tao Manwu, curious, put on her boots, ran to the window, and stood on tiptoes to see what was happening.

Flying Fox City was stunned.

It was said that Young Master Tantai had been beaten by a fat man! Even more infuriating was that this accursed fat man was accompanied by a beautiful young woman, who, by the looks of it, was his young wife.

Over a hundred fierce cavalrymen rode straight into Flying Fox City. Their iron hooves crushed the city’s peace and romance.

Later, the well-informed officials and nobles of Flying Fox City turned from shock and anger to fear. The accursed fat man who had brought troops into the city in violation of the law was not only a genuine military general but also a leading figure in the military of Beiliang’s Southern Court. He held the exceptionally high rank of second-grade official, a rarity in Beiliang for nearly thirty years, just a step below the three first-grade great generals in the south. Not to mention the City Governor, in the vast, militarily weak Longyao Prefecture, perhaps only the Inspector-General dared to cross this accursed fat man. Even later, a series of shocking news spread, terrifying people to no end. The woman in the colorful flowing robes beside the fat man was the biological daughter of the Master of Ti Bing Mountain, one of Beiliang’s five great sects, and she was also the fat man’s second wife. And the main wife of this accursed fat man had an even more incredible background, no wonder she could overshadow the esteemed daughter of Ti Bing Mountain. Young Master Tantai had merely led people to block the city gate, but his cavalry was dispersed, and he himself was dismounted by a single move from the fairy-like woman from Ti Bing Mountain.

For a time, the whole city was in turmoil.

Only a tea house, far from the commotion, remained peaceful, with a blind storyteller recounting the tales of the Prince of Beiliang’s travels, heedless of the outside world.

An old scholar who had recently entered the city sat by the window, ordering a pot of cheap tea, with his worn book box at his feet. Opposite him sat a middle-aged man with a sword on his back, his face solemn.

Jian Qi Jin.