Chapter 348: Father and Son

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Beacon Fires for the Feudal Lords

A rare guest visited the small manor on Mount Jingtu, which was extensively planted with willows. The man in white, the master of the manor, personally stood at the entrance. When he saw the hunchbacked old man alight from the carriage, a knowing smile, rare among the manor's residents, appeared on his face. He quickly stepped forward and respectfully called out, "Foster Father."

The old man nodded, surveyed his surroundings, and chuckled, "I just realized there's such a scenic place on the border of Northern Liang." If the old man's legitimate eldest son had been present, he would surely have debunked it, retorting, "What nonsense about scenic mountains and clear waters? There isn't even half a stream here. What a pretentious display!" To outsiders, such a lukewarm foster father-son relationship seemed utterly unconnected to the titles of "King of Northern Liang" and "Little Butcher." Aged commoners in the city often mistakenly believed that whenever these two "Big and Little Kings of Hell" met, they would feast on human flesh, drink human blood, and clamor about killing tens of thousands more tomorrow. Yet, at this moment, Xu Xiao merely inquired about trivial household matters, such as the convenience of meat and fruit supplies at the manor and how they managed to escape the summer heat, to which Chen Zhibao smiled and answered each question. This was Xu Xiao's first visit to the small manor. The servants there, accustomed to simple, secure, and comfortable lives under Chen Zhibao's protection, rarely recognized Xu Xiao. Fortunately, Xu Xiao was not the type to flaunt his identity and did not mind the servants' lack of discernment. If it had been a snobbish character like Li Gongde, the first Imperial Commissioner of Northern Liang Province, he would have wished to gouge out the servants' eyes and feed them to dogs. Chen Zhibao, however, remained calm and unruffled, not even bothering to reveal Xu Xiao's identity from the moment they entered the manor until they were seated under a willow's shade.

Outside the manor, there were no high walls. Under the swaying willows, father and son could gaze upon the boundless yellow sand. A well-behaved maid brought a basin of iced lychees. The ice blocks had been painstakingly scooped out and chipped from the ice cellar. Lychees, rare and exotic fruits rumored to grow only in the malarial lands of the Southern Border, were regularly sent to the manor. However, Chen Zhibao rarely tasted them, distributing them instead to the servants. This unintentionally made the young girls in the manor incredibly discerning with their palates, and their outlook and conversation were also proud. When they occasionally went out of the manor to play, whether for spring outings or lantern viewing, not only modest young ladies from nearby prefectures and counties but even young ladies from prominent families would feel inferior when encountering these maids, who were supposedly of low status. The old servant who worried about managing every trivial matter in the manor had, of course, mentioned this to the General, but his exceptionally good-natured master always dismissed it with a smile, and so the matter was dropped. The old steward would secretly chat with the young lads and girls in the manor, always reminding them that "our General is extremely strict in military discipline. You are very fortunate; if you were in the Northern Liang army, you would have been skinned alive by now." The servants, especially the young girls, who had never seen the General angry, would always laugh and say they would gladly die if the General beat them. While the old steward, a retired Northern Liang soldier, felt helpless, he was also relieved and cheerful. After sternly lecturing them a few times, he would turn around and smile brightly, thinking, "This is a great blessing for us servants!"

Xu Xiao picked a lychee, also known as "leaving the branch," peeled it, and put it in his mouth. He then asked the elegant maid, who seemed reluctant to leave, "Little girl, how old are you?"

The maid had been secretly watching the General with all her might. Startled by the old man's question, she wasn't sure of his identity. She couldn't tell if he was a current general in the Northern Liang army or an official from a prefecture or county. She only found him amiable and kind. Besides, no matter how high-ranking an official was, they wouldn't dare act wildly in a manor owned by the General. She was not shy at all and quickly smiled, "To answer you, Uncle, after the New Year, I'll be sixteen."

Xu Xiao swallowed the lychee whole without spitting out the pit and laughed loudly, "Then do you have a sweetheart? If you do, I'll have your General Chen act as matchmaker."

The beauty with the oval face, thin-skinned, and having deliberately applied light rouge and powder, blushed and bashfully replied, "No, not yet."

Chen Zhibao was clearly in an excellent mood. For the first time ever, he joked, "Lü Qi, if you find someone you like one day, I'll arrange the marriage for you."

The little maid, whose heart was completely set on the General, didn't know how to hide her feelings. Believing the General wanted to send her away from the manor, her eyes instantly welled up. She dared not show it in front of the guest, merely looking tearful yet charming. Xu Xiao found the little girl lively and laughed heartily, while Chen Zhibao shook his head and smiled. The maid named Lü Qi was bewildered by their laughter, but her embarrassment dissipated, and her brows relaxed as a smile reappeared on her face. After laughing, Xu Xiao seemed intent on testing her. He picked up another plump lychee and asked, "Lü Qi, do you know what this is?"

The sixteen-year-old girl, standing gracefully under the willow tree, a harmonious sight of person and willow, smiled and replied, "A lychee, of course."

Xu Xiao nodded. "Lychees separated from their branches. I used to hear people say they change color in one day, lose fragrance in two, lose flavor in three. After four or five days, all color, fragrance, and taste are gone, and after half a month, they become truly unsightly, worse than a watermelon costing a few coppers a pound in Northern Liang. 'Leaving the branch'—this name is good, very fitting. Only a scholar could come up with it."

Afraid that the guest would look down on the manor's produce, the maid quickly retorted, "Old Uncle, our lychees are very fresh!"

Chen Zhibao said nothing, merely waving his hand. The little maid dared not be presumptuous and obediently withdrew, though a childish trace of indignation still lingered on her cheeks.

Chen Zhibao waited until she was far away before slowly saying, "The southern postal road that Foster Father built back then was largely unobstructed, except for transporting imperial timber like red sandalwood and huanghuali wood, and numerous tributes such as lychees and delicacies from the mountains and seas. Other routes were hardly worth mentioning. If not for Zhang Julu personally supervising the Taiping Fire project, the beacon towers and fortifications in this area would have been almost completely abandoned."

Xu Xiao glanced at the lychees in the ice tray, each appearing as fresh as if just plucked from its branch, and smiled, "Being vigilant in peacetime is as difficult as finding contentment in what you have."

Chen Zhibao suddenly said, "Foster Father, how about you and the Crown Prince come to this small manor for a big meal on Lunar New Year's Eve this year? I'll personally cook a few of my signature dishes."

Xu Xiao teased, "Ultimately, you want Wei Xiong to taste your cooking, don't you?"

Chen Zhibao smiled helplessly.

The sunset in Northern Liang was an hour and a half later than in the south, but no matter how late, there would always be a time for it to descend. Father and son looked at the setting sun, and Xu Xiao, stirred by the scene, softly said, "You've had it tough all these years."

As Chen Zhibao was about to speak, Xu Xiao asked with a smile, "How were your two consecutive battles against the Bronze Man Patriarch of the Chess-Sword Music Mansion and the martial arts prodigy Hong Jingyan?"

Chen Zhibao smiled faintly, "Although outsiders speak of them as incredibly miraculous, I never fought to the death with either of them, so I had no chance to use that Plum Wine Spear of mine."

The renowned general in white frowned. "Hong Jingyan is a formidable character. His battle with me was merely a means to accumulate reputation. When he transitions from the martial arts world to the military in the future, he is destined to be a great enemy of Northern Liang."

Xu Xiao rubbed his hands and sighed, "Northern Mang indeed has many talented people."

Leading troops and having cliques within the military is inevitable, but Chen Zhibao was never rumored to have engaged in any factionalism or corruption in Northern Liang's political sphere. Whether it was a corrupt official like Li Gongde, who would extort every last penny, or Yan Jixi, the regional governor who initially had a high reputation but later betrayed Northern Liang, or even numerous literati and refined scholars, Chen Zhibao ignored them all. When he left the military life of clashing swords and charging horses to come to his clean and secluded manor, he shut his doors to visitors, let alone actively befriending anyone. One could say there was not a single blemish to be found on Chen Zhibao, the foster son of the Butcher. Privately, he was pure-hearted, indifferent to worldly desires, without wants or demands. Such a person, with an almost perfect character, commanded sincere admiration, yet also struck some as even more terrifying.

Chen Zhibao glanced at the sky and softly said, "Foster Father, it's getting cold."

Xu Xiao nodded, stood up, and shook his head, "I'm truly getting old."

Chen Zhibao had greeted him at the manor gate and then escorted him all the way out. Even after Xu Xiao had settled into his carriage, the man in white remained standing there, not leaving for a long time.

***

After Grand General Gu Jiantang garrisoned the border, the entire border army became solemn.

However, it was widely rumored among the border troops that the Grand General, known for his meticulous military discipline, had taken a good-for-nothing lout as his adopted son! In the Liyang Dynasty, Gu Jiantang's military achievements, having destroyed two nations, were second only to the infamous King of Northern Liang. Moreover, Grand General Gu's reputation was on par with any great scholar or renowned figure; he treated soldiers like sons, respected wise and humble people, and was a brilliant strategist. There was only praise for him, both inside and outside the court, not a single bad word was heard. Even the fact that Gu Jiantang had many wives and concubines as beautiful as heavenly fairies became a beautiful story of a divine couple. His eldest son, Gu Donghai, and second son, Gu Xishan, joined the military at a young age and never disgraced Grand General Gu's prestige; their military achievements were quite remarkable, far surpassing those of their peers from military families. What was even more difficult was that they drew a clear line between themselves and the capital's spoiled nobles, having no interaction with them, never once engaging in feasting and drinking.

How could such a Grand General, whose only disadvantage compared to the King of Northern Liang was his age, and whose future advantage would also be his age, let a wayward scoundrel named Yuan enter his family? This left many people utterly bewildered.

Yuan Tingshan, accustomed to being a stray dog and a street rat, believed more than anyone that he would rise to prominence. So, even when he suddenly became half an adopted son to Gu Jiantang, the paramount swordsman in the world, he merely took it for granted, without any awareness of being extremely lucky. He had almost died under the sword qi of that young martial arts grand-uncle at Baoguo Temple in Jiangnan Road, fleeing all the way to the Northern Border in one breath. Although he still felt lingering fears when he recalled it, often waking up from nightmares terrified and covered in cold sweat as if he had fallen into a water tank, gripping the knife he used as a pillow, ready to kill—this fear, far from disheartening this low-ranking guest official from Huishan, only made him practice martial arts with even more desperate effort. After receiving a secret manual gifted by an old immortal from Longhu Mountain, his cultivation level rapidly increased, which could not be overstated by describing it as advancing a thousand li in a day.

After he believed he had mastered his blade skills, he foolishly sought to challenge Gu Jiantang, forcing his way into the military camp. After killing eighty people, he was captured by hundreds of elite soldiers under the Grand General's command. This misfortune turned into a blessing: Gu Jiantang agreed to spar with him on the training ground. The Grand General was bare-handed, Yuan Tingshan held his saber, but the Grand General held the saber with two fingers, and Yuan Tingshan, even using all his might, couldn't pull the saber out from between his fingers. He was almost disemboweled by a kick from Gu Jiantang and was thrown out of the military camp like a dog that only barked and didn't bite. Unexpectedly, ten days later, the supposedly dying Yuan Tingshan was alive and kicking and began his second attempt to crash the camp. This time, Gu Jiantang did not personally intervene, only letting his second son, Gu Xishan, engage Yuan Tingshan in empty-handed combat. As a result, Gu Xishan was almost strangled to death by the reckless Yuan Tingshan. Gu Donghai took off his personal saber, retrieved two ordinary standard sabers from the weapon rack, kept one for himself, and threw one to Yuan Tingshan. The two fought fiercely for over a hundred rounds, and Yuan Tingshan almost had one arm chopped off. He grinned and said he surrendered, but afterwards, he didn't forget to casually take the excellent military saber with his shaking arm. A month later, he began his third attempt to crash the camp. Yuan Tingshan, now nicknamed "the mangy dog," cut Gu Donghai over a dozen times, but fortunately, this time he didn't go for the kill, only severely injuring the Grand General's eldest son without being fatal.

The obsessed Yuan Tingshan pointed his saber tip at the Grand General sitting high on the command platform, shouting, "Old man Gu, if you have the guts, chop me to death today, otherwise, sooner or later, I will replace you."

After that, the mangy dog who wasn't chopped to death on the spot by the Grand General became known as the "mad dog" to everyone at the border.

Later, this vicious, ruthless, and unkillable young mad dog inexplicably caught the eye of the Grand General's youngest daughter.

It was obvious that Yuan Tingshan was both an adopted son and half a son-in-law of the Gu family.

Currently, Yuan Tingshan held no real military power, only a nominal floating official title of Rank Six. Within a year, relying on the Grand General's banner, he had gathered about a hundred scattered soldiers and desperadoes from the martial arts world and forests. For the past six months, he had been provoking the various sects on the border, exhibiting an arrogant and overbearing aura, proclaiming, "Those who obey me prosper, those who defy me perish." Grand General Gu paid no attention to this. Almost all second and third-rate sects and gangs along the border were harassed by Yuan Tingshan into utter chaos. Several gangs that were tough and rigid in their ways were completely slaughtered by Yuan Tingshan, occasionally leaving behind some women, old people, and children. And the mad dog Yuan, while killing without batting an eyelid, did not engage in despicable acts such as seizing civilian women by force or occupying women.

This time, Yuan Tingshan again wiped out a small hundred-man gang that didn't know its place, leaving almost no living thing behind. During this, a fierce henchman, overcome with lust, saw a beautiful woman who aroused pity while killing to silence witnesses. He took off his pants and pressed her onto a table, just about to engage in sexual acts, when Yuan Tingshan saw him. With one stroke of his saber, he killed both the unfortunate man and the innocent woman.

One woman secretly followed Yuan Tingshan, high-spirited and adventuring in the martial world with a sword. As they rode their horses back to the military town, she turned to look at the cynical man leaning back on his horse and softly asked, "Killing that pervert would have been enough. Why did you kill the woman too?"

Yuan Tingshan replied coldly and stiffly, "A woman without her chastity, living would only be suffering."

The woman gently said, "Perhaps she actually wished to live in disgrace?"

Yuan Tingshan irritably snapped, "Then that's not my problem!"

The woman was about to speak again, but Yuan Tingshan impatiently retorted with a frown, "Don't nag me! You haven't even entered the family, and you already think you're my wife?!"

The woman, from a first-rank noble family of the dynasty, was harshly reprimanded by a man who, not long ago, was merely a common brute, yet she did not get angry; she merely stuck out her tongue.

Yuan Tingshan, moody and unpredictable, sat up straight and chuckled playfully, "Right, where were you in explaining your father's 'Records of Military Training' last time?"

Gu Beihu, who was Grand General Gu Jiantang's youngest daughter, became interested and said, "We're about to reach the nineteen important matters of troop movement."

Yuan Tingshan rolled his eyes and said, "Troop movement? I know all about that. The essence is just one word: 'speed.' Look at my subordinates: they ride fast, draw their sabers fast, kill fast, and rob money even faster. Of course, as soon as things look bad, they're the fastest to escape."

Gu Beihu, famously difficult and ill-tempered in the capital, perhaps truly was a case of "evil meets evil," as she was unusually gentle and obedient with Yuan Tingshan. She covered her mouth and giggled delicately, then said seriously, "Troop movement is not that simple. My father not only studied military treatises of all dynasties but also carefully researched several groups of skilled migrating bandits and marauders from the Spring and Autumn period. Father told me that although these marauders did not achieve great power, their greatest skill lay in the word 'flow' (mobility). They were adept at troop movement, with each camp numbering several thousands or tens of thousands as a fixed number, advancing in relays. They even had the old and weak in the center and elite cavalry on the outside. When marching, scouts ranged far; when halting, they rested horses and foraged for supplies—all implicitly following a pattern. Moreover, my father highly praised Lu Shengxiang's thousand cavalry riding down to Luzhou on a snowy night, and Chu Lushan's isolated army opening up Shu, frequently comparing them with geographical maps and records, repeatedly deliberating on these victories. Not to mention other things, just regarding maps and records, in an ordinary army, mapping is managed by the Ministry of War's Department of Geography and Maps, and maps are requested from them before battles. But in my father's army, before crossing any new territory, there would always be a perfectly accurate and detailed map on his desk. In the Spring and Autumn Wars, my father personally destroyed two nations. When he entered the imperial palace, the first thing he seized was not the beautiful concubines, nor gold treasures, but that nation's books and maps. From this alone, one can know a nation's strategic city passes, its population, and its tax revenue."

She imitated the Grand General's tone, smiling in an old-fashioned and pompous manner, "Every detail of a nation is in my hands."

Gu Beihu spoke with great interest, while Yuan Tingshan listened sleepily. She had originally wanted to elaborate on the nineteen matters of troop movement, but seeing that the man she admired so much had no interest in listening, she reluctantly gave up.

Yuan Tingshan suddenly said, "Hey, flat plains."

Gu Beihu glared at the outspoken Yuan Tingshan, then quickly looked down at her flat chest, feeling utterly wronged.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Tingshan, as if the sun had risen from the west, said something surprisingly human, "I've thought about it. Your chest is a bit small, but you're still a virtuous wife. As long as you're not prone to jealousy, marrying you as the main wife isn't bad after all."

Gu Beihu instantly looked radiant.

Unfortunately, Yuan Tingshan poured a bucket of cold water on her, "Let's be clear upfront: I'm definitely going to marry beautiful concubines in the future. If a man of means isn't short on money and doesn't have three wives and four concubines, it's really improper, he would have lived for nothing."

Gu Beihu mumbled softly, "Don't even think about it. If you dare bring a cheap woman home, I'll beat one to death if one comes, poison a pair if two come, if three come... I'll go back to my maiden home and tell my father!"

Yuan Tingshan laughed holding his belly.

Seeing him happy, she was happy too.

Mother seemed to have said that this was what a woman's love was like.

Yuan Tingshan lowered his head, reaching out to touch the standard saber with its simple sheath. He then looked up and said, "My parents died in the chaos of war, and I don't even know where they're buried. I've only acknowledged one master in my life; though his martial arts were mediocre, he treated me well. Once a teacher, always a father. At least I know the old man's grave. If you marry me, later come with me to kowtow a few times at that grave. This old man loved alcohol more than his life, so bring plenty of good wine, the more expensive the better. Gu Beihu, do you think it would be demeaning for the daughter of a dignified Grand General to do such a thing?"

The woman bit her lip and shook her head vigorously.

Yuan Tingshan grinned, squeezed the horse's belly, moved closer to her, and with his calloused hand, gently rubbed her dark hair.

***

Li Gongde, who had been merely the second most powerful figure in one prefecture as Inspector-General, had suddenly jumped to become the nominal second-in-command, a high-ranking border official, of the entire Northern Liang Province. He had already achieved a profound level of emotional control, not showing joy or anger on his face. However, after a family letter arrived at his Rank Two official residence, he couldn't stop smiling. He caught servants in the mansion and gave silver rewards to everyone he saw. The steward, who was holding silver behind him and already had thin arms and skinny legs, almost broke his arms from exhaustion. Li Gongde's skill at extorting money was truly top-notch, an old expert in the Liyang Dynasty. Giving out money? What a rare sight!

His Excellency the Imperial Commissioner slowly strolled through his mansion's garden. The portly old man, who usually complained about being tired after just a few steps, had probably walked dozens of li today, yet he was still exceptionally energetic. Without turning his head, he chuckled to the steward, "Lin Wang, this time, I've truly gained face. That precious son of mine, he's incredibly promising! Not to mention becoming a crossbowman, one in ten thousand; this time, he went into Northern Mang territory and killed countless northern barbarians. Such undeniable military achievement, let alone in a small place like Fengzhou, even in all of Northern Liang, you could count on one hand the people who could compare! What do you say about my son Hanlin? Isn't he an outstanding talent?"

Old Steward Lin Wang dared not say otherwise. He thought to himself, "Master, you've repeated this dozens of times already," but outwardly, he still flattered with righteous conviction, "Yes, yes, yes, Master is absolutely right! If Young Master is not a dragon and phoenix among men, then no one in Northern Liang deserves that description!"

However, in the heart of the old steward, who had witnessed the young master causing trouble in Fengzhou, there was indeed some genuine shock. It truly was as if the Master's ancestral grave was emitting green smoke; such a rich scion, not good at academics but decent in martial arts, had truly made a name for himself in less than two years after joining the Northern Liang army.

Li Gongde frowned and said, "Now that's an improper thing to say. Of course, my son is next only after the two highnesses."

Lin Wang quickly chuckled, "Right, right, right."

Within Northern Liang, people jested that His Excellency the Imperial Commissioner had "three 'sees' and three 'doesn't sees'." The "three 'sees'" were: seeing which way the wind blows (opportunism), eyes lighting up at the sight of money, and conceiving evil thoughts at the sight of beauty. The "three 'doesn't sees'" were: not releasing the hawk until seeing the rabbit (not acting without certainty), not shedding tears until seeing the coffin (not giving up until the very end), and not kneeling until seeing the King of Liang. The profound meaning within this proverb was hard to define, neither big nor small. In any case, benevolent people saw benevolence, wise people saw wisdom. Many snobs in Northern Liang officialdom considered themselves disciples and grand-disciples of Li, the "unshakeable official." When the maids and servants heard that the tyrannical young master was about to return home in glory with distinguished military achievements, they were not only half-believing and half-doubting but also felt a greater sense of imminent disaster and fear. Since Li Gongde "wouldn't kneel until seeing the King of Liang," he dared to disregard imperial decrees several times, taking them, turning around, and casually discarding them. One can imagine how eccentric this powerful border official, who had a smooth career, truly was. Like father, like son—before Li Hanlin joined the army, as Li Gongde's son and one of the Crown Prince's dissolute friends, he lived up to the name of a fop, notorious for his bad deeds. If not for the two death-exemption tokens on his person, he should have been dragged out and cut into a thousand pieces long ago.

"Master! Master! Reporting, Master! Young Master has ridden into the city!"

A gatekeeper steward rushed into the garden, shouting. Coincidentally or not, he stumbled and fell face-first, which only served to highlight his commendable loyalty. The head steward behind His Excellency the Imperial Commissioner saw this and curled his lips in disdain.

Li Gongde's old face bloomed into a smile. He coughed a few times and instructed the head steward, "Lin Wang, go inform Madam."

Four riders entered the city, then reined in their horses and rode slowly.

Leading them was Li Hanlin, flanked by the double-pupiled Lu Dou and Li Shiyue, the son of a general, as well as a fellow crossbowman of ordinary background named Fang Hutou. Fang Hutou was burly and fierce-looking, but his temperament was the gentlest among the four. Before entering the city, the four riders first went to Ma Zhenzhai, who had died in the beacon tower on Ladder Mountain, and personally delivered consolation silver. Not only Ma Zhenzhai, but almost nine-tenths of a squad of fifty men had died. The four had visited the homes of all these fallen squad leaders and comrades within Northern Mang territory. They had five days of holiday left and had agreed to stay at Li Hanlin's place for a few days first. Li Shiyue said the main event would be feasting at his house, and they wouldn't stop until they had gained a few pounds of autumn fat. This crossbowman, whose father had also been a Northern Liang military general, had just joined the ranks of corporals. He had always thought Li Hanlin was merely the son of a generally well-off family.

Li Shiyue was somewhat dumbfounded when he saw the imposing Imperial Commissioner's residence and witnessed the serious old man, dressed in a Rank Two civil official's uniform, grabbing the new squad leader's hand and crying old tears in the street, completely disregarding his official dignity. A woman dressed as a noble lady hugged Li Hanlin and wept, aching with tenderness.

Fang Hutou, slow to realize, had already had his warhorse led away by a servant after dismounting. He then poked Li Shiyue with his elbow and cautiously asked, "Shiyue, the squad leader's father is also an official, is he, higher-ranked than your father?"

Li Shiyue chuckled softly and cursed, "You idiot! This is His Excellency the Imperial Commissioner of Northern Liang Province, Rank Two! Do you think that's high? My dad is far from that. Damn it, the squad leader is not honest. I was initially wondering why the squad leader had the same name as that bad person Li Hanlin from Fengzhou. Turns out it's the same person! Son of a gun, good thing I originally planned to introduce my sister to Lu Dou. If it were our squad leader, my sister would be scared half to death."

Besides the Imperial Commissioner's confidantes in the mansion, there was an extremely beautiful woman standing beside Li Gongde. She bore some resemblance to Li Hanlin, but perhaps due to her naturally cold and stern gaze, her charming eyes seemed to slightly repel people. When she saw her younger brother, who had caused her trouble since childhood, no matter how cold her personality was, she quietly cried until her eyes were red and pinched Li Hanlin hard. Northern Liang women were mostly heroic, but there were also a few extraordinary beauties among them. Yan Dongwu was known for her talent in Northern Liang, while Li Hanlin's elder sister, Li Fuzhen, was purely and simply breathtakingly beautiful. Xu Fengnian, as the Crown Prince and an extremely solid buddy to both Li Hanlin and Yan Chiji, was in an advantageous position. However, he and Yan Dongwu were always at odds, never seeing eye to eye. As for Li Fuzhen, who had nothing special about her besides being pretty, strangely enough, she genuinely looked down on Xu Fengnian even more than Yan Dongwu. The latter would, when provoked, say a few harsh and sarcastic words to the Crown Prince, but Li Fuzhen wouldn't even spare him an extra glance. Two years prior, she had been bewitched and fallen in love at first sight with a poor scholar. At that time, Li Hanlin resented the Crown Prince for being disloyal, having secretly gone off to travel the world without him.

Upon learning of this, Li Hanlin, without a word, brought vicious servants and dogs to brutally beat up the pedantic scholar who still didn't know Li Fuzhen's background. Unexpectedly, it was fine before the beating, but after being beaten, he understood Li Fuzhen's identity as a young lady from a prominent family. He patiently waited for days, like waiting by a stump for a rabbit, and found an opportunity to give a blood-stained cloth with a poem expressing his ambition to Li Fuzhen's personal maid. Master and maid looked at each other and cried. If not for someone tipping him off, Li Fuzhen would have almost packed up her valuables and eloped with the scholar. Li Hanlin had wanted to secretly kill that bastard who dared to steal his sister from the Crown Prince, but he couldn't help it; his sister was stubborn. She shut herself in and went on a hunger strike, saying that if he died, she would die too, wishing to be a pair of desperate lovers. After repeated reasoning, she was finally convinced. Li Hanlin didn't dare to completely ruin that guy, but secretly, he didn't give that kid an easy time. Heaven knows this scholar became more courageous with each setback, even earning some respect from Li Gongde, who was still the Inspector-General of Fengzhou at the time. He privately weighed the pros and cons with his wife, thinking it was better to guide than to block, and decided it was best to keep him as a house dog tied outside to guard the gate. After several maneuvers, he first raised the scholar's family status, then made him a minor official. When Li Gongde became the Imperial Commissioner, and his family benefited immensely, the scholar naturally transitioned from a clerk to an official. Official and clerk—a single character difference, yet a world of difference.

Later, when Xu Fengnian returned from his travels and rode his white horse out of Liangzhou, he no longer had any contact with this woman who disliked a man's appearance but only admired his talent.

She, too, was glad to be out of sight, out of mind, wishing that the Crown Prince would never come to the Li mansion so she could be at ease.

The crossbowmen, who had faced life and death together, strode into the mansion. Li Shiyue and the other two showed no timidity or hesitation. Li Gongde, who had long cultivated discerning eyes, did not get angry at their demeanor; on the contrary, he was very pleased. Military life truly could refine a person; these brothers his son had befriended would be the true core figures of Northern Liang who could support each other in the future.

After Li Hanlin met his elder relatives in the mansion, bathed, and changed clothes, he and Lu Dou and the other two ate fiercely. When Madam saw that her son, who used to be picky about food and tap his chopsticks, didn't leave a single grain of rice and ate three full bowls of white rice, she felt another pang of sorrow. She sat beside her son, gazing at him carefully, unable to get enough of looking, murmuring to herself, "You've tanned and lost a lot of weight. You must stay longer. If the army urges you back, your father wouldn't dare to plead with the King of Northern Liang, but I will!"

Li Hanlin, besides the mute Lu Dou, had served unknown numbers of chopsticks of dishes to Li Shiyue and Fang Hutou. He made a funny face and joked, "Mother, military law is as rigid as a mountain. Why are you meddling in this? Don't you know a doting mother spoils her child?"

Madam glared and said, "How can a doting mother produce a spoiled child? Who dares to say my son is spoiled? See if I don't slap them across the face!"

His Excellency the Imperial Commissioner stroked his beard and smiled, "Reasonable, very reasonable."

After the sumptuous dinner, Li Gongde and Madam were sensible. Though a thousand words were in their hearts, they still endured not disturbing the young people's time together.

In a pavilion with upturned eaves, Fang Hutou, led by a servant, twisted and turned through several paths and finally managed to go to the latrine. Upon returning, he clicked his tongue in wonder, "Squad leader, even your latrine is incredibly spacious and luxurious! Today, you must find me a big bed to sleep on, so I can tell my villagers when I go home."

"Look at your lack of ambition!"

Li Shiyue picked up a grape and tossed it over. Fang Hutou smiled and caught it in his mouth. Li Shiyue tossed again. Like walking a dog, Fang Hutou didn't mind and had a great time playing.

Lu Dou's cursing also had a calm and unruffled tone, "Two simpletons."

Li Fuzhen sat quietly and gracefully on the side, watching dumbfounded.

Of course, she wouldn't know that in Northern Mang, Fang Hutou had blocked a sharp blade almost comparable to a Northern Liang saber, and Li Shiyue, in an emergency, had directly used his hand to knock away several arrows for Fang Hutou. One of the crow-barbed crossbow bolts had even pierced his palm.

Li Fuzhen also wouldn't know the price these vanguard scouts had paid as they journeyed north, clearing out one beacon tower after another.

Li Hanlin suddenly turned to look at Li Fuzhen and asked, "Sister, do you still like that poor scholar?"

Li Fuzhen's expression became a bit unnatural. Li Hanlin didn't want to embarrass his sister and smiled very sincerely, "Sister, as long as you don't regret it."

Li Fuzhen, feeling very unfamiliar with this side of him, for a moment didn't know how to answer.

Li Hanlin looked out of the pavilion. "I had no right to say anything before, but maybe a little now. That scholar is deep-scheming; I thought so two years ago, and even more so now. After all, I'm a bad person myself, and I'm always accurate in judging bad people. But since you insist on loving him, I can't do much. But you missed Brother Feng. Sister, you will truly regret it for a lifetime."

Li Fuzhen slowly lowered her head, her slender fingers like green onions picking up a corner of her skirt. She asked, "Because he might become the King of Northern Liang?"

Li Hanlin suddenly laughed loudly, "Consider I said nothing."

Looking at her younger brother, who had gone to arm wrestle with Fang Hutou, Li Fuzhen felt only confusion and a sense of dullness. She said goodbye and left the pavilion.

Li Gongde came to a spot far from the pavilion, standing at a distance.

Lu Dou kicked Li Hanlin, who was busy wrestling with Fang Hutou. Li Hanlin trotted to his father, chuckling, "Dad, something wrong? Could it be that Mother is still strict, and you, as my father, need money from your son to go drink with colleagues at brothels? How much? Don't even think about a few thousand taels; I only have less than a hundred taels left in my pocket. Dad, can you manage with that?"

Li Gongde cursed him as a "stinky brat" and slowly walked away.

Li Hanlin hesitated for a moment, waved to Lu Dou and the other two, then ran to catch up. He put his arm around his father's shoulder, and walked alongside this old man, who, despite countless criticisms in Northern Liang, was still the most upright and heroic figure in Li Hanlin's heart. He made a gesture of tilting his head back and raising a cup to drink, smiling in his unchangeable nature, "Dad, your son earned some money, not much, but I must show filial respect to you, old man. How about we two, father and son, go drink a few catties of 'Green Ant' wine?"

That day, at an elegant small restaurant not far from the Li mansion in the city, His Excellency the Imperial Commissioner and his son, now a squad leader of the crossbowmen, spent only a mere dozen or so taels of silver on wine and meat.

In previous years, this son often secretly took thousands of taels of silver from places the old man intentionally didn't hide well, and spent lavishly in Liangzhou or Lingzhou, yet Li Gongde never felt pained.

Even earlier, to get a bigger official position, Li Gongde would spend whole boxes of gold and silver, and he never felt pained.

But this day, having spent only a dozen or so taels of his son's silver, the old man felt extremely pained.