Chapter 41: Dating Suppresses the Old Monster

The young girl had said she wanted to leave early, but on the first day, she claimed a stomach ache and couldn't. On the second day, she said she needed to buy some New Year's goods for her parents to take back, which resulted in her dragging the Young Master around the city all day. On the third day, she lay in bed, refusing to get up, her eyes darting around as she tried to come up with a good excuse. It was Xu Fengnian who was astute enough to say that the almanac indicated it was not auspicious for long journeys today. Then she had the Young Master accompany her up and down Qingliang Mountain several times. By the fourth day, she had finally run out of options, and the little monk, Ben Nanbei, was nearly driven mad. The young girl could only sigh deeply as she got into the carriage Xu Fengnian had prepared for her. The carriage was filled with her favorite pastries and fruits. She had put all of them, along with her cosmetics, on a tab, intending to pay Xu Fengnian back when they met again. As for whether there were enough copper coins in her father's begging bowl under his bed, she didn't care.

Seeing that the Young Master didn't seem to be getting into the carriage, as if something were missing, the young girl anxiously asked, "Xu Fengnian, aren't you going to see me off?"

Xu Fengnian looked up and said gently, "No, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to resist taking you back once we leave the city."

The young girl immediately brightened. "See?" she thought, "Xu Fengnian still cares about me, his confidante. If he can't see me off, then he can't." He was still young, and she was still small; she wasn't afraid they wouldn't have a chance to meet again. Besides, Xu Fengnian had said he would visit her home within two years at the latest. The young girl, engrossed in her happiness, completely forgot that she hadn't told the Young Master where she lived or what kind of temple it was. There were countless temples in the world; even if the Young Master was immensely capable, without a clue, where would he even begin to look? She sat in the carriage, lowering her head to fiddle with a string of 108 sandalwood prayer beads in her hand. The 108 beads symbolized the breaking of the "108 afflictions" that arise from the six senses, across three temporal states. This was a sacred Buddhist relic the Young Master had devoutly sought from an enlightened monk on Mount Jiuhua. That venerable monk's master had coincidentally passed away at 108 years old and had held this string of "Buddha's horse-tying rope" while chanting countless sutras, naturally imbuing it with an extraordinary merit that could only be intuitively grasped.

It was clear that the seemingly carefree Young Master cherished this young girl deeply.

That night, during the magnificent Beiliang Soul-Soothing Song that stirred mixed emotions in the old soldiers within the city, the young girl, as if by some strange impulse, ran to the Young Master's couch. He pulled her close, holding her in his arms. She felt no shame, only a deep sense of peace as she listened to the song and smelled the faint scent of wine.

Before getting into the carriage, the little monk bowed to Xu Fengnian with clasped hands. Xu Fengnian smiled and returned the gesture. The little monk was more versed in social etiquette than the young girl and offered many heartfelt words of thanks. The little monk had, from beginning to end, harbored no dislike for this notoriously ill-reputed playboy of Beiliang, nicknamed "Heaven-Grade." Perhaps it was because before meeting Xu Fengnian, he had already heard Li Zi speak of how good and intelligent he was, leading to a favorable first impression. Moreover, during this time, he had only seen the Young Master humble himself and playfully indulge Li Zi, never witnessing any arrogant or wicked behavior. In fact, the Young Master had even brought him several rare Buddhist scriptures from the grand pavilion that were missing from their temple, making it truly impossible for the little monk to feel any resentment.

As the carriage slowly moved, the young girl lifted the curtain and waved vigorously.

Xu Fengnian smiled and waved back.

Only when Xu Fengnian's tall figure was completely out of sight did the young girl plop back onto the embroidered stool, feeling a pang of annoyance and an emptiness in her heart.

The little monk asked, "Li Zi, why didn't I see the stableman, Old Huang, whom you mentioned?"

The previously listless young girl immediately brightened, her eyebrows dancing. "Old Huang!" she exclaimed, "He's the most interesting! When he smiles, you can see his two missing front teeth. Old Huang treasures an ivory comb the most; he always hides it, afraid Xu Fengnian will take it and sell it for money. But he's willing to let me use it to comb my hair! Anyway, Old Huang and I are super, super good friends!"

As long as Li Zi was in a good mood, the little monk was in a good mood.

Even if Li Zi's mood improved because of Old Huang, or even Xu Fengnian, the little monk didn't mind. He was just Ben Nanbei, after all.

The young girl suddenly tapped the little monk's head with her finger, reprimanding him, "Who told you to call me Li Zi?!"

The little monk clutched his head and said, "Xu Fengnian calls you that."

The young girl, furious and embarrassed, retorted, "Are you him?! Is it the same?"

The little monk timidly replied, "Okay, Dongxi."

The young girl gritted her teeth and said, "And don't you dare call me Dongxi! Wu Nanbei, you blockhead!"

The little monk wisely shut up. She was truly angry, otherwise, she wouldn't have called him by his full name, Wu Nanbei. This was because their master used to pull Li Zi's braid and repeatedly instruct her that monks do not speak their names, and Taoists do not speak their age, forbidding her from calling monks by their original names from before they renounced the world. Alas, their master, who had no great virtues, was only truly presentable in this one regard.

Li Dongxi.

Wu Nanbei.

Although the little monk's expression was reserved, he was secretly thinking happily: "You are Dongxi, I am Nanbei; as long as we are together, it's good."

Poor Xu Xiao! Only after the young girl and little monk had left the city could he finally emerge from his own mansion and sit with Xu Fengnian at the lakeside pavilion, just the two of them, father and son, without even Chen Zhibao present.

The Grand Pillar Kingdom had six adopted sons: Chen Zhibao, Yuan Zuozong, Ye Xizhen, Yao Jian, Qi Dangguo, and Chu Lushan. Their personalities were vastly different, and the Young Master's relationship with each of them was subtly unique. Xu Fengnian had never gotten along with Chen Zhibao since childhood. Previously, he also had no fondness for Yuan Zuozong and Qi Dangguo, those two invincible generals who charged into battle. However, their relationship had improved significantly in the past year, and they had shared drinks several times. As for the scholarly general Ye Xizhen, his relationship with the Young Master had always been ordinary. However, Yao Jian, who specialized in geomancy, had always been able to converse with Xu Fengnian. The young Young Master used to find it particularly amusing to watch Yao Jian "chew on dirt" (a colloquial term for analyzing feng shui or geomancy spots). As for that plump "Luo Ball" (Chu Lushan), there was no need to elaborate; he was so obsequious it was as if he were Xu Fengnian's own son. No one doubted that if the Young Master ordered him to kill his wife and children, this "Luo Ball" wouldn't even bat an eyelid.

Xu Xiao said proudly, "I met your second sister near the city. She didn't scold me this time! Isn't your old man impressive?"

Xu Fengnian replied glumly, "She didn't scold you because she's still mad at me. She doesn't even care about you."

The dignified Grand Pillar Kingdom's Xu Xiao, however, acted like a rascally village farmer, saying, "I don't care about that."

Xu Fengnian said angrily, "Couldn't you at least have held onto Second Sister so she could celebrate New Year's at home?!"

Xu Xiao pursed his lips and said, "Wouldn't that just invite a scolding for myself?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head, full of suppressed anger. He took a deep breath and asked, "That unauthorized song and dance performance I put on a couple of days ago, was it okay?"

Xu Xiao replied awkwardly, "No problem, no problem. It's not like the emperor dies every time."

Xu Fengnian snorted.

Xu Xiao could only force a smile.

When Xu Fengnian was fourteen, the previous emperor died unexpectedly and suddenly. During the period of mourning throughout the court and the land, the Young Master inexplicably put on a grand performance of song and dance beneath the Yellow Crane Tower, astonishing all of Beiliang into dumbfounded silence. The Grand Pillar Kingdom, covered in dust, rushed back to the manor intending to cane his unruly son, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he simply had over two hundred people from the music troupe dragged out and publicly beheaded. At that time, the newly enthroned emperor displayed a magnanimous side, merely offering a few verbal reprimands. Using Xu Fengnian's youth and ignorance as an excuse, he suppressed the criticisms from all the court officials and scholars across the land. Yet, only three years later, there was again an intention to betroth the emperor's daughter to that mischievous Young Master of Beiliang, causing an even greater uproar throughout the realm.

Xu Fengnian asked, "How good is Second Sister's swordsmanship now?"

The Grand Pillar Kingdom laughed, "Still half a step behind Master Nangong, whom you brought here."

Xu Fengnian was surprised. "I knew Second Sister's swordsmanship was good," he said, "but is it truly so exceptional?"

The Grand Pillar Kingdom said proudly, "That girl Weixiong, whatever she does, she strives to be first. That good-for-nothing nicknamed Huang Longshi will be used as a stepping stone by your second sister sooner or later."

Xu Fengnian, with Xiu Dong draped over his shoulder, his hands clasped behind his head, leaned lazily against a large, dragon-carved pavilion pillar painted red and gold. "How about we set Second Sister up with 'White Fox Face'?" he said idly. "Thinking about it, they're the only two who seem suitable for each other."

The Grand Pillar Kingdom rolled his eyes. "Say that to either of them, and you'll get a beating! One with a Red Chi sword, the other with a Spring Thunder sword, you'll certainly have your hands full!"

Xu Fengnian sighed, "Indeed, I can't beat them."

The Grand Pillar Kingdom lowered his voice. "I do have a master on hand; if you have the ability, you can take him on."

Xu Fengnian frowned and subconsciously asked, "How skilled?"

The Grand Pillar Kingdom held out both hands. "In the entire world, he can truly rank among the top ten. Forty years ago, he could have been in the top three; twenty years ago, top five was definitely no problem."

Xu Fengnian gave a wry smile. "Isn't that even better than Old Huang?"

Xu Xiao smiled.

Xu Fengnian asked, "Where have you hidden him?"

Xu Xiao pointed to the Listening Tide Pavilion, saying mysteriously, "He's suppressed beneath the pavilion. The reason I built this pavilion, and why your master is here, is all because of this once-in-a-century old monster."

Xu Fengnian shook his head, with a clear understanding of his own limitations. "With my fledgling, amateur skills, wouldn't I just be walking to my death?"

Xu Xiao nodded. "No rush. That old monster's malevolence hasn't been worn away yet. Anyone who goes now would indeed be walking to their death."

Xu Fengnian muttered to himself, "Then I won't dare go to the Listening Tide Pavilion anymore."

Xu Xiao chuckled, "You can go."

Xu Fengnian stated firmly, "Not if my life depended on it!"