Chapter 437: There Is Murderous Aura in the Wine

Elite soldiers of Iron House often killed with feathered arrows. However, before Xu Fengnian and Yuan Zuozong could act, a burly figure strode over. With his back to them, he caught an arrow with one hand, then glared at the armored cavalry who rode past and roared, "I, Duan Chunan of Huainan, am here! How dare you scoundrels harm anyone?!"

Ding Ce reined in his horse, turned its head, and his expression grew grim. This sharpshooter, holding a military rank, had always regarded martial arts heroes as mere weeds or pigs. The few arrows from his archers were originally just a warning for bystanders to mind their own business and stay out of the way. If one could dodge, that was skill; the Iron House Army wouldn't bother to investigate further. If one couldn't, they could only blame their bad luck for insisting on being on Dragon Tail Slope. But this boorish Huainan man, Duan, broke the rules, daring to provoke Iron House City. Ding Ce, with keen hearing, already heard another cavalry troop charging up Dragon Tail Slope, blocking their retreat. Huang Shang and his companions were destined to be rounded up. He was happy to take some time to play with this group first. Holding his bow in one hand and pulling out a special carved-feather arrow from his whale-skin quiver with the other, he looked down condescendingly and sneered, "What eye saw us harming anyone? Clearly, you are interfering with the Iron House Army's bandit suppression duties. If you weren't gentry, by law, you'd be exiled a thousand li at best, or executed on the spot at worst."

The eight-foot-tall man's face turned red, and he said with extreme indignation, "You're spouting nonsense with your eyes wide open, how hateful! Today, I shall..."

Before the man could finish his heroic words, Ding Ce, unwilling to listen to his chatter, shot an arrow straight at him. The martial arts hero from Huainan originally intended to catch the arrow bare-handed, but quickly weighed the situation. The arrow sliced through the air with a force like lightning, giving no time to react. He dared not confront its sharpness and dodged awkwardly, his heart still pounding. Before he could calm himself, Ding Ce, wearing a fine paper armor from the old Southern Tang treasury, unleashed a volley of continuous arrows. Two arrows shot out simultaneously, one after the other, their trajectories seemingly wavering like intelligent, living beings, extremely tricky. The man, who had a modest reputation in the Huai River martial arts world, inwardly groaned. Just as he was about to shamelessly bend down and perform a donkey roll, his vision blurred. Straightening up and looking closely, he saw that the pale-faced man had stepped out at some point, and through some mysterious technique, there were now four broken arrow shafts on the ground. The majestic man stomped his foot, and the four arrow pieces leaped up. Ding Ce's face changed dramatically. He took out four carved-feather arrows and shot them in a volley, but the four broken arrow pieces still pierced through the four arrogant archers who had previously drawn their bows, chilling them to the bone. Their armor shattered, their lives ended, and they fell heavily from their horses.

The top of Mawei Slope was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Ding Ce's face was grim. He squeezed out each word through clenched teeth: "Unauthorized killing of armored soldiers incurs punishment to the entire nine generations of your family!"

Xu Fengnian, with his hands in his sleeves, said with a smile, "I am Xu Qi, from the capital. I've had dealings with both Vice Ministers Lu, Lu Baixie and Lu Shengxiang, of the Ministry of War. Whether it's a nine-family extermination, a minor general like you doesn't decide. I need to ask the Ministry of War if such a military law exists."

Ding Ce frowned deeply, his expression shifting uncertainly. His thoughts raced: The Xu family from the capital? Tai'an City was a chaotic mix of millions; there were countless families named Xu. Not to mention dozens, one couldn't even count on two hands the number of families eligible to attend court. If this person genuinely had connections with the two influential Vice Ministers, even a casual acquaintance, it was not something a minor captain like him could easily challenge. Capital officials, no matter how humble and cautious they acted in the capital, always considered themselves superior when outside. Along Guangling Road, military garrisons were like a forest, establishing their dominance. It wasn't that no one dared to disrespect officials, but unfortunately, Ding Ce was not one of them.

Hearing that the young man was an official's son from the capital, Duan Chunan's gratitude for their rescue immediately lessened, and his desire to make acquaintances vanished entirely. He was an unrecorded disciple of Old Master Liang, the leader of the Huai River martial arts world. This time, he was secretly escorting Minister Huang north and was not to reveal himself unless absolutely necessary. Those who lived by the jianghu code understood Old Master Liang's painstaking efforts. The Spring and Autumn aristocratic families and powerful clans were destroyed, and the martial arts world was even more fragmented. The true local powers were those warlords holding significant military authority. Getting involved with the regular government was one thing, but getting involved with garrisons that constantly used bandit suppression as an excuse was like having yellow mud stuffed in your pants—worse than excrement, impossible to shake off. At this point, the situation was Xu Fengnian and Yuan Zuozong, plus Duan Chunan, standing in front of the thatched shed. Ding Ce and nearly thirty mounted soldiers stretched out like a white snake across the road at the top of Mawei Slope. At the inn's entrance, Lu Song and Wang Lin stood by, watching the show. The woman behind Ding Ce and Xu Zhan were worried, unsure how this would end, and only hoping to buy time.

The two horses that had fled for their lives were actually driven back. The woman, who had just fought desperately, looked back and sighed inwardly. A larger cavalry force, no less than forty riders, was winding its way up Dragon Tail Slope, followed by infantry who climbed the mountain swiftly, their aura fierce. The youth Wu, who had been carrying a horse, put down the red-date horse. On its back, Hu Chunya and Li Huai'er, the ill-fated couple, were already scared out of their wits. The youth wrapped his arms around the girl's slender waist. Normally, she would have kicked and punched him, but now she forgot to teach this little pervert a lesson. With wolves in front and tigers behind, were they truly going to die here today? Hu Chunya covered her face with her hands, on the verge of tears. She hadn't yet worn a red headscarf to marry, nor had she roamed the jianghu as a divine couple. How could she be willing to die?

Xu Fengnian turned his head to look at the elderly Censor riding with Ning Zong, and asked with a loud laugh, "Minister Huang, Vice Minister Lu asked me to meet you here. Shall we have a few drinks before heading to the capital? Vice Minister Lu has already prepared a banquet to welcome you."

Ding Ce's heart trembled. If the "Lu" the young noble spoke of was Lu Baixie, the Sword Immortal of Tangxi, there might still be room for negotiation. But if Lu Shengxiang, the foremost general of Guangling Road, was truly involved, let alone an unknown minor like Ding Ce, even the general who was determined to win would get into serious trouble. Lu Shengxiang, whose reputation in the Spring and Autumn period was second only to towering figures like Xu Xiao and Gu Jiantang, had left Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling and been promoted to Vice Minister of War. Yet, his direct subordinates and trusted confidants still spread throughout Guangling. Any one of them, if pulled out, was a fierce character who could make a prefecture tremble with just a sneeze. Ding Ce was like an ant on a hot pan, no longer able to remain composed.

Huang Shang smiled calmly, "I've met Vice Minister Lu a few times, always for literary gatherings. This time, it's a great effort for the Vice Minister to personally arrange things. After arriving in the capital, I, Huang, will certainly penalize myself with three cups first."

Ding Ce was half-skeptical. Huang Shang's official rank wasn't high, but he had extensive connections. Although there were no public rumors of him having a close relationship with Grand General Lu Shengxiang, in officialdom, a cunning rabbit has three burrows. It was hard to guarantee that an old fox hadn't laid several layers of open and hidden stratagems. This time, censors from various provinces entered the court in a continuous stream. It was said that the Emperor was starting to curb Prime Minister Zhang's overwhelming power, beginning to promote new rising stars like Jin Lanting to control public discourse, in order to create a new political landscape where the new "God of War" Chen Zhibao would ally with the two Lu Vice Ministers of the Ministry of War to counter old Minister Gu Jiantang, and the Censorate would put pressure on Zhang Julu. Lu Shengxiang and Huang Shang, one of the censors, were undoubtedly important pieces. Their moves could shake the court and the public. Therefore, Lu and Huang, both from Guangling, secretly exchanging glances wasn't too surprising. Ding Ce was naturally suspicious. The white-haired young master's unreasonable move, claiming to be from a capital aristocratic family, made him increasingly apprehensive. Clever people are often outsmarted by their own cleverness. For a moment, he was at a loss, unable to advance or retreat. If he were to break ties and forcefully kill them, whether he succeeded or not was debatable. He was afraid that if he angered Lu Shengxiang, this great Buddha who, even from distant Tai'an City, could make Guangling Road chaotic, Ding Ce wouldn't have enough lives to atone. But returning empty-handed would certainly lead to future difficulties. If he accidentally fell for an empty fort strategy, it would be even harder to salvage the situation. As long as Huang Shang entered the capital, the western prefectures of Guangling Road would surely lose a few layers of skin, and many officials would lose their heads.

Xu Fengnian smiled, not adding fuel to the fire, but instead proactively offering Ding Ce a way out. "You can discuss it among yourselves. Minister Huang and I will go to the inn first to sit and drink. If you decide to politely escort us out, Xu Qi will remember this kindness, and we shall meet again in the future. If you refuse to let us go, then draw the line. First, leave dozens of corpses, report it to the Ministry of War in the capital, and then we'll compare the size of our respective patrons' official hats. However, I think that in Guangling Road, besides Prince Zhao Yi, there's no official greater than Vice Minister Lu."

Hearing the name Zhao Yi, Ding Ce's eyelids twitched. This young man dared to call the Prince by his given name? Was he truly one of those arrogant young masters from Tai'an City? These scoundrels, relying on their fathers' influence, were notoriously muddle-headed people who only recognized the Emperor and not the princes!

Huang Shang, escorted by the cautious Ning Zong, walked into the inn. Xu Fengnian left the youth Wu and Lu Song, then stepped over the threshold with Yuan Zuozong and Wang Lin. Sitting at the same table as Minister Huang, he said straightforwardly, "It's true that I am Xu Qi, but I have no deep connection with Vice Minister Lu Shengxiang. We merely saw each other from afar in Tai'an City. I was spouting nonsense. If that bunch of blocking wolves isn't scared off, a fierce battle will be unavoidable. Earlier, the old gentleman left in a hurry and didn't get to drink any wine. There's still half a jar left on the table. Shall we satisfy our craving now?"

Huang Shang, as an official, was rigid, almost pedantic, but he had also written many spirited poems and grand essays. In person, he wasn't always harsh or unfeeling. At this moment, trapped in a deadly situation, he became surprisingly bold. He voluntarily picked up the wine jar, shook it, closed his eyes to smell it, then opened them and smiled freely, "I've been feeling stifled. After drinking this wine and satisfying my craving, it won't be too late to die. On the road to the Yellow Springs, I can still savor the lingering taste of wine."

Ning Zong, Duan Chunan, and the others who had entered the room, all showed looks of sadness upon hearing this. For such an upright and capable official as Minister Huang to meet such an end, any man with a conscience would feel heartbroken. The path is full of wolves; good people can barely move forward. Old Master Huang rolled up one sleeve of his official robe and poured several bowls of wine with the other hand. Besides the audacious white-haired Young Master Xu in front of him, he didn't forget Ning Zong, who had accompanied him all the way, and Duan Chunan, who had acted rightiously. Looking up, seeing the majestic man who had broken arrows and killed standing behind Young Master Xu, not sitting, the old master smiled, "Won't this brave hero have a bowl?"

Yuan Zuozong smiled and gently shook his head.

Hu Chunya, who had just escaped danger, whispered, "Minister Huang, be careful! These people might be in cahoots with the government, playing a trick to gain our trust. What if there's knockout drug in the wine..."

Ning Zong suddenly pulled back his hand, not rushing to pick up the bowl and drink.

Duan Chunan had already carelessly brought the bowl to his mouth, but now he neither drank nor put it down. He simply pretended to sniff the wine, looking somewhat comical.

Xu Fengnian's face was calm, his slender fingers stroking the rim of the bowl, still not showing anger.

Huang Shang laughed heartily, "When I was young, I learned a bit of physiognomy and aura reading, just scratching the surface. Young Master Xu is a person of great fortune and destiny. A northerner with southern features, inherently wealthy and prosperous, coupled with cherishing blessings and connections, which is truly remarkable."

Xu Fengnian raised his wine bowl, clinked it with the open-minded old gentleman, and drank.

Xu Zhan and the woman surnamed Zhou remained guarding the inn's entrance, cautiously wary of the Iron House soldiers suddenly attacking. She hadn't paid much attention to the elegant white-haired young master before, only glancing at him and wondering how he came to have such beautiful phoenix eyes. Now, seeing him sitting and drinking openly and honestly with Minister Huang, she took a few more prolonged looks. Lu Song stood proudly at the inn's entrance, arms crossed, eyes closed, resting. The burly youth, who had previously astonished all outsiders, plopped down on the threshold, bored. He only hated that the short-sighted armored soldiers were so timid, not allowing him to kill to his heart's content. Outside Shenwu City, his continuous arrows had achieved no merit, which already made him feel frustrated and uncomfortable. The "continuous arrows" of that damn general on Dragon Tail Slope, in his opinion, were like a young lady's embroidered shoes—mincing and indecisive, entirely unimpressive.

Half a jar of wine wasn't enough to go around. Xu Fengnian smiled and asked the innkeeper, who was squatting by the hanging curtain, "Innkeeper, do you have any good, genuine wine? Don't hide it away; you'll get your money for it."

The burly man, having encountered such a huge misfortune that common folk feared like tigers, reluctantly stood up. Having served many people and learned to read expressions, he habitually bent his waist and mumbled his agreement. Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Things have come to this. One more jar of wine won't add to the trouble. You might as well get the silver first and warm it in your hand."

Hu Chunya glanced at the innkeeper. It was a good thing this fellow had a fleshy, intimidating face but was as timid as a mouse. He deserved to barely scrape by in such a small place. Xu Fengnian reached into his sleeve, took out a heavy silver ingot, and lightly tossed it over. The innkeeper hurriedly stumbled to catch it, wiped it with his sleeve, turned his back to bite it hard, confirming it was real silver, and only then grumbled as he turned to fetch the wine. Hu Chunya hated stingy and slovenly men the most, and rolled her eyes. Li Huai'er, on the other hand, had only seen murderous soldiers, high officials like Huang Shang, and exceptional martial artists like Xu Zhan on their journey, all beyond the young man's reach. Finally, he found someone with similar habits and quietly smiled knowingly. Hu Chunya saw it again, remembered being taken advantage of by this lazy, poor fellow earlier, and fiercely kicked him. The youth gasped, squatted on the ground, holding his calf, not daring to cry out in protest.

The girl's peripheral vision constantly tracked the white-haired young master of unknown origin, feeling that he was like the City Godess's morning sickness—with no good intentions, carrying a ghost fetus!

Duan Chunan rose from the table, took a jar of wine from the innkeeper, and tore off the mud seal. It was a common Southern Jiangnan rice wine, fragrant and clean, mellow on the palate, and not too potent. He took the initiative to pour wine for everyone present. Huang Shang even had the mind to mock himself, "Waiting to die isn't pleasant, but to be able to drink a few bowls of wine before dying, and most importantly, not have to worry about the cost, truly counts as a great blessing in life."

Wang Lin didn't dare to sit at the same table as Xu Fengnian, but the smell of wine made him foolish. He shamelessly asked for a bowl and went to the next table to drink slowly.

Xu Fengnian took a sip, raised his wine bowl high, and frowned, calling out, "Innkeeper!"

The man squatting under the hanging curtain stood up, his face full of apprehension, and stiffened his neck, forcing himself to sound firm, "Esteemed guest, I did not water down the wine, and I won't return your money!"

Xu Fengnian said with a serious expression, "This wine is not right."

Huang Shang was completely confused. Ning Zong and Duan Chunan, both experienced jianghu veterans, thought the wine was poisoned and immediately turned hostile, preparing to act.

Xu Zhan, a little further away, also tightened his grip on his staff.

Unexpectedly, Xu Fengnian chuckled, "I tasted a murderous aura in the wine. I must not have paid enough."

The burly man, who had been an innkeeper on Dragon Tail Slope for many years, looked utterly bewildered.

Xu Fengnian tossed over another silver ingot, "Xu Xiao once said there was a commander in Southern Tang who was all courage but blind. He deserves a reward!"

Except for Yuan Zuozong, who understood, everyone else exchanged bewildered glances, as if lost in a fog.

Huang Shang was the first to recover, yet showed no unusual emotion. He lowered his head, took a sip of wine, and self-reflectively sighed, "Indeed, there's a murderous aura in this wine. After all, the spirits of hundreds of thousands of fallen navy soldiers from Poyang Lake have all settled into this bowl."