Chapter 363: On the Table

Playing with Beacon Fires for the Lords

Vast and mighty, carrying a silver flask, he crossed the Western Regions.

Zhao Kai was following the exact same path that the white-robed monk had taken thousands of miles west years ago.

Zhao Kai's entourage, in addition to two hundred valiant Imperial Guards, included a dozen imperial bodyguards with yellow sashes and gold sabers. Half of them were young and strong, the other half seasoned veterans; any one of these older veterans had been a renowned martial arts master fifteen or twenty years prior. Additionally, there was the female Tantric Dharma King, who was highly respected in the palace by His Majesty and a concubine who had no children of her own. After shaving off her three thousand strands of worldly vexations, far from diminishing her beauty and demeanor, her face, which was hard to describe as either gentle or dignified, became even more captivating, truly befitting a Six-Pearled Bodhisattva embodying the six aspects.

Zhao Kai had just passed through Jianmen Pass, the world's most perilous pass, known as the 'Sword Pavilion that even a yellow crane cannot fly over'. He rubbed his sore backside, looked back, and asked the female Bodhisattva beside him, who indeed seemed to subsist on air alone, "Does the Scripture of Converting Barbarians from Longhu Mountain's Celestial Master's Residence state that the Daoist patriarch went to the Western Regions from here? And that after Laozi left behind three thousand characters, he transformed into the Buddha and crossed the Moving Sands? How come I don't feel any immortal aura or Buddhist presence?"

The woman, who once led ten thousand ghosts out of Xiangfan in front of the Northern Liang Heir and the old Sword God Li Chungang, had not ridden a horse, instead walking like an ascetic monk. She replied calmly, "There is purple qi flowing from east to west, but you are in the mountain and do not know the mountain."

Zhao Kai chuckled, pointing to his nose, "Are you talking about me? Don't even get me started. Before I met you in Xiangfan City, there was an immortal-like old senior in the reed marsh who praised my fortune as second only to that of a fallen princess from Western Chu. What keen insight!"

She ignored the prince's self-satisfaction and continued to walk forward, her simple, clean kasaya fluttering.

Zhao Kai instinctively looked north, licking his dry lips, his expression grim. According to his second master, assigning Northern Liang to Xu Xiao for defense was a desperate measure. The Lianggan Corridor was the throat of the Northwest; once that opening was breached, Northern Mang's million strong cavalry could easily swoop down upon the Central Plains from the Huangshui Valley, like a lion pouncing on a rabbit! Northern Liang's defenses were actually difficult to maintain, with most of its border lacking natural barriers. For instance, the trumpet-shaped, outwardly expanding wasteland north of Daoma Pass – if it weren't for the Northern Liang iron cavalry stationed there, any other army replacing them would likely have been crushed into a leaky bamboo basket by Northern Mang's cavalry. Moreover, the advantage Northern Mang held over Northern Liang lay in its vast territory, possessing a strategic depth almost equivalent to the entire Central Plains. This created a 'thick wall' advantage, like in Go, which the geographically small Northern Liang simply couldn't compare to. Therefore, Northern Mang could afford several major defeats, while Northern Liang, if it lost once, would lose everything.

Zhao Kai muttered to himself, "If Xu Xiao isn't the local emperor, who can be? Gu Jiantang? He probably couldn't even last five years."

Zhao Kai pursed his lips, rode closer to a carriage, and lifted the curtain to peek inside.

It was the last remaining Talisman-Armored Golden Figure.

Zhao Kai chuckled, "My first master is much more generous than my second master."

Zhao Kai lowered the curtain, an inescapable gloom lingering in his heart. From mocking and slandering Buddhism to ultimately suppressing it, his second master, who was once expected to become the head of all Buddhism, had remained silent and stood idly by, disappearing completely in recent years. It seemed his first master was also facing a crisis in the palace, making his journey west a desperate move, like a tree that dies if moved, but a person lives if they move.

Zhao Kai, his throat feeling dry as if smoking, swallowed with difficulty, and thinking of the contemporary who was destined to be his mortal enemy, he softly said, "Do you dare to come and kill me?"

He looked back again at Jianmen Pass, which should have been the easiest place for an ambush. "Xu Fengnian, it seems you have no chance."

Zhao Kai twisted his neck and sneered, "Bah, you don't even dare to come to the gambling table!"

When You Chou personally delivered a message to Huangfu Ping, the powerful and influential Courageous Commandant immediately set off for Zhudao City to respectfully await him.

He dared not alarm the local authorities or the garrison, traveling lightly with only a detachment of fierce retainers specially assigned to him by the Northern Liang Royal Palace. Huangfu Ping sat alone in the carriage, having prepared for all possible contingencies. Huangfu Ping's reputation had plummeted sharply. As a top martial artist from a prominent sect in the martial arts world, he had risked his life fighting tooth and nail against the Northern Liang Royal Palace some years ago, earning him praise as a true hero among Jianghu circles. However, after he pledged allegiance to the Northern Liang Royal Palace and became a 'running dog,' the martial arts community in Northern Liang cursed him, calling him a disgrace. Not only had his entire clan almost perished for his personal ambition of promotion and wealth, but the prestigious reputation accumulated over generations was also completely shattered. However, Jianghu honor and disgrace were one thing, while Northern Liang's military and political affairs were entirely different. Everyone in Youzhou was quite wary of this 'jackal.' Huangfu Ping himself held a significant official rank; as a proper Courageous Commandant, he was a first-class general with real power in Youzhou. Moreover, Huangfu Ping had diligently traversed the vast Youzhou region, inspecting it like an old farmer checking his fields. Among the fence-sitters in Youzhou's military garrisons, while their character might not have been admirable, not all of them were mere sycophantic good-for-nothings. Among the many colonels who sided with Huangfu Ping, there were quite a few young and strong officers with significant military merits. These individuals, united around Huangfu Ping, had already gained considerable influence. The generals in Youzhou whose official ranks were equivalent to the Courageous Commandant finally realized that this Huangfu was not merely passing through Youzhou to line his pockets, but was determined to contend for military power with them. In officialdom, each position was like a radish in its own pit, and each pit represented a share of wealth. If you crossed the line and tried to seize more pits, it caused more anguish than the hatred of having one's wife stolen. Over the past six months, several generals, united by common interests, had conspired to trip up Huangfu Ping, but the Courageous Commandant had decisively retaliated each time. Both sides were fiercely engaged, and if the war with Northern Mang hadn't started, they might have resorted to outright armed conflict.

It was rumored that a general had declared, "Even if you, Huangfu Ping, are a rising favorite of the Grand General, does that mean you can disregard rules and blindly seize territory? I fought alongside the Grand General through life and death back in the day; how could the Grand General be someone who favors the new and forgets the old? If we truly fall out, at worst we'll all be tied up and taken to the Royal Palace. I refuse to believe the Grand General would truly favor a man whose background is as dirty as a latrine!"

Beside Huangfu Ping lay a brocade box containing a rare folding fan with a masterfully carved frame. Zhudao City was famous for its bamboo carving, and the custom of officials and gentry exchanging calligraphic fans was prevalent. This fan cost Huangfu Ping three thousand taels of silver, and it was crafted by the calligrapher and engraver Huang Wenhou. Within an inch of the bamboo surface, over ten thousand characters were delicately etched in tiny script, perfectly capturing the essence of famous calligraphic models. Huangfu Ping came from a prominent martial arts clan and, in his youth, was a refined young gentleman skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, thus possessing excellent taste. He chose this bamboo fan not only for its elegant and refined appearance but also because Huang Wenhou was renowned among fan connoisseurs for his exceptionally keen eye. However, Huangfu Ping knew that this unassuming old man was a genuine martial artist. Huangfu Ping paid Huang Wenhou every single coin for the fan, but he implicitly understood that if Huang was unwilling to serve him, those three thousand taels of silver would become payment for his life. Huangfu Ping instinctively believed that the martial arts world of Northern Liang would eventually be brought under someone's control, and he was merely feeling his way across the river by touching stones, exploring the path. If he bet correctly, all the better; if not, spending some extra silver wouldn't matter. Huangfu Ping had already abandoned his reputation and family; why would he care about ephemeral worldly possessions like gold and silver, which one cannot take to the grave?

Huangfu Ping smiled faintly. He had waited outside Zhudao City for an entire morning, never once lifting the curtain.

"I, Huangfu Ping, dare to stake my entire fortune at the gambling table. Do you generals, who seek promotion, wealth, and the death of your wives, dare to do the same?"

The carriage slowly turned and drove into the city. Only then did Huangfu Ping lift a corner of the curtain, glance at the simple carriage ahead, and gently lower it.

The carriage stopped outside an ordinary inn in Zhudao City. Huangfu Ping stepped down, leaving behind his elite retainers who would never truly be loyal to him in this lifetime, and quietly followed. Along the way, the Courageous Commandant kept his eyes straight ahead, following into a secluded, detached house in the backyard. After Xu Fengnian sat down, he instructed Qingniao to purchase some dyes, remarking that his current appearance was too unseemly. He motioned for Huangfu Ping, who was standing at the doorway, to enter. The burly general knelt on the ground without hesitation, prostrating himself, with the brocade box placed beside his hand. Xu Fengnian did not feign an approachable demeanor by telling him to rise. Xu Beizhi helped retrieve the brocade box. Xu Fengnian opened it, snapped open the folding fan, squinted at it, and chuckled, "This is an exquisite piece of shallow carving, clearly the work of a skilled Jinling carver. Huang Wenhou's? Didn't that mean General Huangfu spent an entire year's salary on it?"

Huangfu Ping softly replied, "As long as Your Highness doesn't find it dirtying your hands and eyes."

Xu Fengnian fanned himself with the bamboo fan, then felt it was too much of a 'gentlemanly' affectation to fan oneself in late autumn. So he tossed it to Xu Beizhi, who was quietly drinking tea nearby, and said, "Huang Wenhou is quite renowned in Zhudao City. Don't let his background as a scholar who migrated from Southern Tang to Northern Liang fool you; he's actually well-connected in both legitimate and underworld circles. The Royal Palace has a list, and his name is on it. If you hadn't announced your identity or used your official position to pressure him, that old man probably wouldn't have been willing to sell you this fan, would he? His fans are rumored to be worth a seventh-rank official position in Zhudao City. According to Youzhou's market, a few thousand taels wouldn't be enough to buy it."

Huangfu Ping calmly stated, "I did indeed state my name before Huang Wenhou handed over the fan."

Xu Fengnian asked with a smile, "Any particular reason?"

Huangfu Ping replied, "Many local ruffians and hoodlums in Zhudao City recognize Huang Wenhou, who is skilled in feng shui and Daoist arts, as their master. I was just wondering if this 'local snake' was discerning. After all, Northern Liang belongs to Your Highness; since they make their living here and are well-off, they should be able to contribute when needed. People should not forget their roots. However, Your Highness, please rest assured, when I went to the Huang household, I did not 'wave a big banner.' I simply conducted two transactions with Huang Wenhou in a peaceful manner. One was the purchase of the bamboo fan, and the other was my provision of various forms of support for his adopted sons, in exchange for his underworld intelligence. Of course, occasionally getting a little bloody is unavoidable. I was upfront with Huang Wenhou at the time; it couldn't be called abusing my power."

Xu Fengnian and Xu Beizhi, who had just been discussing martial arts affairs, exchanged a smile.

Xu Fengnian nodded and said, "Rise and speak."

Huangfu Ping dared not be affected; he stood up, lowered his gaze, and kept his eyes fixed on his toes.

Xu Fengnian smiled and said, "I will read the secret letters you regularly send to Wutong Courtyard when I return. If I'm satisfied... haha, I should be satisfied."

Xu Fengnian smiled again and told Huangfu Ping to sit down, saying, "It would be unseemly if word got out that the Courageous Commandant had to stand while speaking."

Huangfu Ping shook his head and said solemnly, "I dare not presume to speak while sitting, Your Highness."

Xu Fengnian teased, "You must have learned that from our Northern Liang Provincial Governor, about the 'three sees and three not sees,' one of which is not kneeling unless you see the Prince of Liang."

Huangfu Ping was speechless.

Expressing loyalty to this unpredictable Heir Apparent with words was truly futile; it was better to simply stand and do one's duty.

Xu Fengnian waved his hand and said, "You may go and attend to your duties."

Huangfu Ping, his palms sweating, retreated step by step and gently closed the door.

Xu Beizhi's eyes were practically glued to the inscription on the fan's frame. Without looking up, he asked, "Is this the Courageous Commandant Huangfu Ping from Youzhou?"

Xu Fengnian hummed in affirmation and said, "How about I give you the fan?"

Xu Beizhi replied without ceremony, "Fine, deduct it from my salary."

Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes and said, "Easier said than done! How many years would that take to deduct?"

Xu Beizhi meticulously gazed at the bamboo surface, which emanated a subtle fragrance amidst its yellow hue, and stated matter-of-factly, "Until I die."