Chapter 386: Pouring Seventy-one Drops of Wine

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*Sword Snow Stride*, by Fenghuo Xihou

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It was a turbulent autumn.

But for ordinary people accustomed to peaceful days, it merely meant a few more stories for after-dinner conversation. Unaware of the coming storm, their hearts remained at ease.

After Xu Fengnian returned to Beiliang from Beimang, he first rushed to Iron Gate Pass to intercept and kill Zhao Kai. Upon returning to the Prince's Mansion, he had to constantly look after Xu Weixiong. Later, he began to pave his way using the strategies of Xu and Chen. Only today did he ascend the tower with a pot of Green Ant wine. It wasn't that he couldn't squeeze out time to visit the Listening Tide Pavilion earlier; rather, Xu Fengnian dared not do so.

As a child, his legs were weak, yet he could swiftly climb up and down within the Listening Tide Pavilion. Now, even with his cultivation having regressed to the second rank, he walked so slowly.

The emaciated man, who had sat atop the pavilion for nearly twenty years, was stern and unsmiling. After the death of Beiliang's chief strategist, Zhao Changling, he should have risen to prominence, becoming known throughout the Liyang Dynasty and making a significant mark in history. Yet, he remained in seclusion there. Why? Didn't strategists guide their enlightened lords to achieve lasting fame after death?

After Li Yishan's death, there was no grave, and thus no tombstone.

A jar of ashes was personally taken by Xu Xiao to the border and scattered. According to Li Yishan, dying without a burial place was his fate. He also thought that since he wouldn't live to see Xu Xiao lead troops to conquer Beimang, he wished to quietly gaze north after death, letting his unacknowledged disciple accomplish it. Xu Xiao never told Xu Fengnian about this painstaking wish, but how could Xu Fengnian not know? Fan group: 1681655

Xu Fengnian pushed open the thin pavilion door. The interior was dim and damp. He placed the Green Ant wine on the desk and lit the copper oil lamp at its corner. A plain, solitary hard-bristled brush hung from the brush rack. Unlike the usual clutter of books on the floor, the room seemed to have been tidied by Xu Xiao himself, but this made it appear even more empty and desolate. As a child, Xu Fengnian greatly feared this place. He had to read history and copy books with this man, who was half a teacher to him, and also play chess with him. If he didn't comply, he would be thoroughly beaten. Crucially, he couldn't complain to anyone, and he had to watch him drink and listen to his coughs, as if the man might die from drunkenness at any moment. In the hollow space beneath the desk where Xu Fengnian stood, there was a worn-out chessboard with blurred lines and two increasingly smooth boxes of black and white chess pieces. He bent down and moved them to the desk. Back then, to test and improve young Xu Fengnian's memory, master and disciple would play chess by pointing their fingers in the air, rarely using the board or pieces. Xu Fengnian opened a chess box and took out a handful of black pieces.

One person was missing from the opposite seat.

Previously, it was often Xu Fengnian who was absent due to his travels; this time, it was Li Yishan.

Xu Fengnian said softly, "Chen Zhibao went to Xishu alone, without a single soldier. I've created such an adversary, causing you much worry, Master."

"Chen Zhibao left without any burdens, but nearly a hundred of his loyal retainers, willing to die for him, went with him. I allowed Xu Xiao not to stop them; you can scold me if you wish. If we lose in the future, unofficial histories will surely say that the second Beiliang King was incompetent, letting the tiger return to the mountains and allowing a hundred cavalry into Shu, proving Xu Fengnian truly unfit for great responsibility. Chen Zhibao's talent as a general is only slightly inferior to Xu Xiao's, and his ability to command troops is unparalleled in the world. If he becomes king in Xishu, simply raising the Chen-character Shu King banner would likely enable him to command tens of thousands of battle-ready and defensible elite soldiers within a few years. But I thought, since a fight with him is inevitable, we might as well face him in a fair and open battle, rather than resort to petty schemes."

"Nangong Pushe, who had been in secluded cultivation with you in the pavilion, has now emerged to intercept and kill Han Diaosi. I don't know if it's because that powerful eunuch is one of White Fox Face's four enemies. Before I killed Fifth He in Beimang, I thought I could perhaps catch up to his cultivation realm in one go during this lifetime. Unexpectedly, the battle at Iron Gate Pass knocked me back to my original state. It seems you, Master, never opposed my martial arts training. In the Nine Games of Listening Tide, one was a wager between you and Xu Xiao on whether I could reach the first rank. I entered the first rank and then fell out of it. Now, I wonder if I've disappointed you."

"According to your arrangements, Murong Tonghuang took a lifelike human mask and infiltrated the Beimang royal court. Shuxiu also went to Xiangfan City, exchanging ten years of her life for the wealth and prestige she yearned for – not quite a princess consort, but better than one. As for whether Murong Tonghuang can establish himself and whether Shuxiu can successfully sow discord between Zhao Xun and Lu Xu, who I just missed meeting, you always said that 'man proposes, God disposes.' I can afford to wait."

"Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang each have their strengths, and it's hard to say right now who resembles you more or who resembles Zhao Changling. As the saying goes, 'give a peach, get a plum in return,' I left Xu Huainan's head by the Ruoshui River, and as expected, Xu Beizhi willingly revealed the truth. He is an exceptionally broad-minded strategist, not confined to devising schemes behind curtains. He is also highly skilled and excellent in governance, and his talent for foresight, essential for a strategist, is particularly outstanding. If all goes as expected, I will make him the top candidate for the next Governor-General.

"Although Chen Xiliang comes from a humble background, his discernment, adaptability, and literary talent are all first-rate. You once commented on strategists: 'scheming for oneself, for others, for military affairs, for the state, and for the world,' progressing layer by layer. Only by securing one's own peace can one offer advice to others. You said that the talent for military strategy is rare and hard to come by, and although you yourself were a scholar, you didn't recommend scholars to dictate military campaigns, suggesting this level could be skipped. However, you stressed that the vision for statecraft is indispensable. You also said that Beiliang's chessboard was a desperate game of 'isolating the lone king,' where victory could only be sought through peril. Strategists shouldn't deliberately aim to govern the world, as that goal would exhaust Beiliang's twenty years of hard-earned foundations. Instead, one should relatively 'foolishly' follow the flow. I don't know what Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang are thinking; I can only proceed step by step. Beiliang can only afford to lose once, while Beimang and Liyang can lose multiple times. I don't mind 'tucking my tail between my legs'; I've grown accustomed to it over the years anyway."

"My second sister can probably take on the important strategic task of military planning. I will make Wutong Courtyard a strategic military hub, similar to Prince Guangling Zhao Yi's Spring Snow Tower. Who says women are like those Longquan kilns that leave no truly great artifacts behind?"

Fan group: 1681655

Xu Fengnian continued to ramble on like this.

He wasn't originally someone who liked to chatter. This was true even when killing enemies: killing Tao Qianzhi in Liuxia City during the Qingming Festival, killing the demonic Xie Ling, killing Tuoba Chunxun's retainers, and killing Fifth He from Tibing Mountain—all were done with similar resolve.

Xu Fengnian lowered his head and said, "You once evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of several strategists in the world based on their 'hand-strength' in chess, with Huang Longshi ranking first, earning seventy-six pieces, and Yuan Benxi, who always hid behind the emperor, coming second with sixty-seven pieces. Today, I dare to deliver a final judgment for you, Master."

"Between the Spring and Autumn periods, by assisting Xu Xiao, you were essentially strategizing for the Zhao imperial family to conquer the world and unify the Central Plains. The vast territory of the Liyang Dynasty rivals that of the Great Qin Empire from eight hundred years ago. For this, you earned ten pieces."

Xu Fengnian placed ten chess pieces on the board.

"Regarding insight and foresight, you, Master, almost single-handedly urged Xu Xiao not to contend for the world and not to sit on that scorching dragon throne. You earned six pieces. By gradually driving Chen Zhibao into Shu, you earned four pieces."

After gently placing six pieces, Xu Fengnian grabbed another handful of pieces from the box.

"Regarding geography, under your guidance, the imperial court allowed Xu Xiao to lead troops into Beiliang, granting him the title of a prince of a different surname, keeping him away from the capital, and enabling him to guard the dynasty's northwest gateway. You earned nine pieces."

"You enjoyed personally strategizing for military affairs, single-handedly orchestrating the Battle of Concubine Tomb and Chu Lushan's thousand cavalry opening up Shu. After pacifying Xishu, you even employed a ruthless strategy. Upon entering Beiliang, you further created a fighting force of no less than one hundred thousand accumulated criminals and refugees, waiting only for me to become the Beiliang King and issue a decree of amnesty, upon which they would command over one hundred thousand troops. You earned eight pieces."

"In terms of diplomacy, Xu Xiao, following your arrangements, negotiated with the imperial court, with Zhang Julu, and with Gu Jiantang for over ten years, never falling behind. He far surpassed the strategist under Prince Yan Chi and was undoubtedly the foremost expert in the world at 'isolating the lone king.' You earned nine pieces."

"Regarding astronomy, you did not believe in ghosts or deities, so you earned zero pieces."

"In terms of discernment and recognizing talent, three of Xu Xiao's six adopted sons—Yuan Zuozong, Chu Lushan, and Qi Dangguo—were identified by your unique insight. You earned six pieces. For Yao Jian and Ye Xizhen, four pieces are deducted. Afterward, you personally wrote down methods for refining Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang, so for now, an additional four pieces are added."

"Beiliang is desolate, holding only three prefectures. Yet, under your meticulous governance and planning, Beimang dared not make the slightest move, and you successfully secured hereditary succession for Xu Xiao, allowing even an incompetent like me to have the chance to become the King of Beiliang. You earned eight pieces."

There were now exactly sixty chess pieces on the board.

Then came the six relatively minor matters, such as literary talent, and gradually, eleven more pieces were added to the board.

Xu Fengnian gazed blankly at the chessboard, "A strategist must first scheme for himself. Huang Longshi, the 'Invincible in the Endgame' who single-handedly created the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, still lives a carefree life like an immortal. Yuan Benxi, the 'Unparalleled in First Move' who secretly strategized for the Zhao family, is also safe, a great hermit hidden within the court. Prince Yan Chi's chief strategist is also above tens of thousands of people in the Southern Frontier, enjoying all the world's riches. Master, what about you?"

He picked up the pot of Green Ant wine.

He poured the wine onto the chessboard.

After emptying the Green Ant wine from the pot, Xu Fengnian, alone in the room, was in tears and choked out, "Master, who will I bring wine to drink with in the future?"

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