Chapter 450: Wind and Snow Return

**Beacon Fire for the Vassals**

A person returning home on a snowy night. Xu Fengnian stood at the doorway. The small street, paved with bluestone slabs, was deserted. He cupped his hands and exhaled, his breath heavy with the scent of alcohol. Seeing Xu Fengnian emerge safely from the Jiansnow Teahouse, Yuan Zuozong, now the commander of the Beiliang Cavalry, felt a great weight lift. The two exchanged a smile. Young Wu drove the carriage over. Xu Fengnian and Yuan Zuozong got in; they needed to leave the city before the night curfew. Their hurried trip to watch the battle was now worry-free. Gu Dazu, Huang Chang, and others had already secretly departed for Beiliang, arranged by Chu Lushan. It was said that the Stone Quarry Mountain had been practically emptied, leaving behind only a few less-connected scholars and recluses. These individuals were fortunate enough to have taken over the vacated properties. As for the whereabouts of Xu Zhan, Zhou Qin, and others, Xu Fengnian wasn't concerned. However, he heard that young Li Huai'er insisted on heading north with Huang Chang, eager to see the border scenery of Beiliang. The saying goes, "One does not travel far while parents are alive," but since his parents were no longer in this world, the boy had no family obligations and could go wherever he pleased. Xu Fengnian didn't stop him.

Inside the carriage, Yuan Zuozong seemed to hesitate, as if he wanted to speak but held back. Xu Fengnian, no longer treating his "second brother" Yuan as an outsider, spilled the beans, recounting the general situation. Yuan Zuozong listened, amazed. He had never imagined Liu Songtao's identity to be so shocking: not only the previous leader of the Demonic Cult but also a high monk from Mount Lantu, who was supposed to have achieved Buddhahood. The swift transition between demon and Buddha was fully evidenced in Liu Songtao. What surprised Yuan Zuozong even more was Luo Yang, the White-Clad. The greatest demon in Northern Mang had come to the Liyang *jianghu* to become the tenth leader of Zhulu Mountain, only to stir up a conflict between the "Nine" and the "Ten." Truly, human affairs were unpredictable. Xu Fengnian lifted the curtain and gazed distantly at the teahouse in the snow. He gave a bitter smile. "How can you be stabbed through the heart every day? If it were anyone else, they wouldn't be able to sit and drink with others; they would have long since hidden away to heal, tormented by pain. Only you are truly worthy of the name Luo Yang."

Xu Fengnian repeated the name "Luo Yang," then murmured, "During its prime, the Great Qin Dynasty's ruler, hailed as the 'Emperor of a Thousand Ages,' defied criticism and insisted on renaming the capital to Luoyang. Later generations claimed this went against the will of heaven and sowed the seeds for Qin's demise after three generations. Afterward, for a bewitching woman whose name was not even recorded in history, he lit a thousand eight hundred beacon fires, an act widely condemned as utterly foolish. I truly wonder what kind of peerless beauty could compel the Great Qin Emperor to act in such a way. One woman accompanied him in conquering the realm, while another brought about its ruin. If I had been born eight hundred years ago, I would genuinely want to ask that Qin Emperor face-to-face: between his new love and his old, who did he truly favor more?"

Yuan Zuozong merely smiled, offering no reply. Yuan Baixiong, whose fame rivaled Spring and Autumn generals like Lu Shengxiang, was never rumored to have admired any woman in his life, seeming utterly untouched by romantic entanglements. Outside the window, a falcon swooped down on the curtain. Xu Fengnian smiled, lifted the curtain, untied a thin bamboo slip from the falcon's talons, and let the Beiliang falcon fly away. After reading the secret message, he frowned, worried. "I don't know what happened, but Wang Xiaoping clashed with Liu Songtao. They exchanged a sword strike, and it seems the foremost talisman-sword master of Taoism was severely injured. Thankfully, Liu Songtao didn't kill him; instead, he abducted Wang Xiaoping to travel east with him. I don't think this is a case of mutual admiration, even if it might appear so for now. Liu Songtao is insane. Wudang Mountain finally produced a Wang Xiaoping after the 'Riding-Ox' master, and he might just be destroyed by Liu Songtao. But how can I stop it?"

Yuan Zuozong shook his head. "You can't stop it, and there's no need to. Whether Sword Lunatic Wang Xiaoping lives or dies is a matter of fate. One madman and one fanatic—perhaps it's a fated encounter bound to happen. Senior Li Chungang had Deng Tai'a inherit his sword; Liu Songtao, who quietly became a Land Immortal a century ago, might also want a new *jianghu* successor to take up his sword. To be honest, I, Yuan, back then, only used a saber because it was more suitable for battlefield combat than a sword. Otherwise, perhaps I would also be a mediocre swordsman by now. The Way of the Sword has stood firm in the *jianghu* for a thousand years, unique and capable of holding its own against the Sages of the Three Religions. It truly possesses its own unique charm. Your Highness, it's a pity you don't practice the sword."

Xu Fengnian chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Practicing the sword requires absolute focus; I simply wouldn't dare. If I gave up halfway, wouldn't I be cursed and laughed to death?"

Yuan Zuozong said no more. He was unwilling to involve himself in such personal matters concerning emotions. Among the endless stream of talented military generals in Beiliang, he, Yuan Baixiong, was probably the least adept at forming factions for personal gain. This was true to such an extent that even old veteran generals like Zhong Hongwu and Yan Wenluan, who had cultivated their own loyalists for years, and even the "Four Fangs of Beiliang" would not dare to compete with Yuan Zuozong on who was more independent. Yet, precisely because of this, when Yuan Zuozong single-handedly took over Zhong Hongwu's cavalry, not a single person dared to stir up trouble. The traps set for Zhong Hongwu by Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang invisibly fell through. Zhong Hongwu, who had retired to civilian life, was uncharacteristically law-abiding, which left Xu Fengnian not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He could only secretly sigh that "Second Brother" Yuan was truly too overtly powerful and domineering. Meanwhile, Chu Lushan served as the Beiliang Protector, holding significant power in the entire Beiliang region, second only to the Military Commissioner and the Strategic Commissioner. It was said that many people were secretly beginning to stir, which could perhaps be described as an unintentional success. Chen Xiliang, who was subtly becoming the chief strategist of Qingliang Mountain after Li Yishan, recently had several social engagements of varying depth with Chu Lushan. Xu Beizhi, on the other hand, a fallen noble from a powerful family now in a foreign land, was the complete opposite, befriending many poor scholars. Were they like a domesticated carp and a wild carp, secretly competing to see who would leap over the Dragon Gate first?

Xu Fengnian rubbed his forehead. "Even an honest official finds it hard to settle a family dispute," he mused, a headache brewing. As he raised his hand, Yuan Zuozong caught sight of several red threads, like vibrant crimson snakes, wrapped around His Highness's arm, slowly shifting. Yuan Zuozong smiled knowingly.

The falling snow was as chaotic as flying catkins. Outside the curtain, young Wu was humming the "Useless Song," which had long spread across the land, though his tune was terribly off-key.

The Shangyin Academy was profoundly distinguished, yet many might not know that this thousand-year-old institution had always been a private school. Throughout history, the rulers who controlled the territory under Shangyin Academy's jurisdiction—whether brilliant and ambitious monarchs or stagnant, foolish ones—never attempted to interfere with it. Perhaps there were some minor attempts, but none ever succeeded. Shangyin Academy always remained outside the influence of the imperial court, and it was said that as long as one building, one book, and one person remained in the academy, the cultural lineage of the Central Plains would continue unbroken. Even the Liyang Dynasty, the only one to unify the Central Plains after Great Qin, treated Shangyin Academy with courtesy. Although these were largely empty gestures and didn't prevent them from secretly supporting the Imperial Academy and the Yao family's private scholarship to rival Shangyin Academy, hoping to create a tripartite scholarly power structure, overtly, they still granted Shangyin Academy many special favors and privileges. For example, Prince Zhao Kai, who tragically died young, once studied there under a master. The current Grand Libationer of the Academy was also regarded as a semi-imperial tutor. Even now, with the imperial examinations drawing many talented students to the Imperial Academy, Shangyin Academy remained the undisputed leader of the literary world.

In the past two years, a new female Libationer joined the academy, teaching music. Students affectionately called her "Teacher Yu" and flocked to her. While there were hundreds of Libationers at the academy, half of them secluded themselves to pursue their private family studies. Only about 160 individuals were considered "Jixia Sages" worthy of the title "Teacher," holding open lectures and specializing in their respective fields. During this time, many other teachers found their lectures poorly attended, with students secretly mocking that they only had "two or three cats and dogs" for an audience, effectively "playing a lute to a cow." Teacher Yu, however, was different. Skilled in music, her teaching was profound yet easy to understand, and she was far from being a mere pedant seeking fame. Legend had it that her father was a pillar of talent from Shangyin Academy, and her mother was a female sword attendant highly praised by the late emperor of Western Chu. After Western Chu's fall, it was natural for a woman of such tragic background to seek refuge in the academy. Coupled with her outstanding talent and beauty, like a clear lotus, she naturally inspired admiration for her knowledge, adoration for her appearance, and pity for her family's plight. In these two years, countless students had become utterly captivated by her, constantly yearning for her.

A gentle, subtle new snowfall arrived unannounced. The snowflakes were small, timid, and soft, appearing much more charming compared to the majestic, goose-feather snow of early winter. Today, Teacher Yu announced that she would appreciate the snow, canceling classes for the day, which greatly disappointed the students who had come specifically for her. The academy was built against a mountain, featuring three independent lakes that were not interconnected. Lotus Lake, adjacent to Grand Master Xu Weixiong's small building, had always been like forbidden ground; after it was vacated, no one even bothered with it. Zhan Dan Lake's shore was crowded with small boats, densely packed, available for scholars and students to ride and enjoy the lake. Setting up a stove on a boat to boil wine and appreciate the snow was certainly a delightful pastime. However, with so many boats, it was like a chessboard in its endgame, with countless pieces scattered about, making the experience less wonderful than imagined. The other lake, the small and exquisite Buddha's Palm Lake, was quiet and sparsely visited because it was privately owned. Even wealthy aristocratic students, who had "money to buy a pig's head but no ability to enter the temple to burn incense" (meaning they had the means but not the access), could only sigh from afar. Within a hundred *zhang* of Buddha's Palm Lake's shore, unauthorized persons were strictly forbidden. At this moment, a voluptuous woman holding a white cat sat inside a lakeside pavilion. Her beauty was bewitching and enchanting, yet her demeanor was cold and aloof, which only fueled the desire to conquer her. She was wrapped in a priceless white fox fur coat, and a slightly plump white cat lay lazily nestled in the fur on her chest, yawning endearingly.

Inside and outside the pavilion, seven or eight young children played and romped. They were the children of the Jixia Sages who had resided and taught at the academy for many years. The owner of Buddha's Palm Lake was lenient with these innocent children, never refusing them permission to play by the lake. There were many conjectures about the elusive owner of Buddha's Palm Lake. Some said it was bought with great wealth by remnants of the Southern Tang royal family, others that it was the ancestral property of Western Chu's old Grand Tutor Sun Xiji, and still others claimed it was the private estate of a descendant of Great Qin. Opinions varied widely. As for why it was given the peculiar name "Buddha's Palm Lake," there were also many fascinating and diverse theories and historical investigations, almost forming a school of thought in themselves. The white-fox-furred woman holding the cat, whose expression was typically cool, suddenly broke into a charming smile. She saw a little girl with pigtails, who seemed to have been hit in the face by a strong-armed boy during a snowball fight. Enraged, she rushed forward and swept a leg at her laughing peer, knocking the boy, who had grown up with her, directly to the ground. Still not satisfied, the pigtail girl saw him struggle to his feet and promptly slapped him down again. After a moment of stunned silence, the boy sat on the ground and burst into tears. The girl stood with her hands on her hips, menacingly surveying her surroundings, clearly embodying the spirit of a "heroine unrivaled under heaven, oh so lonely."

The woman in the pavilion smiled faintly, her eyes dreamy, and softly murmured, "It truly is lonely."

Outside the pavilion, a comforting voice, naturally capable of making women feel warm, spoke. "Even Teacher Yu feels lonely?"

The woman rubbed the white cat's head, frowning slightly. When she turned, her smile had vanished. She saw a handsome, elegant face that wasn't unfamiliar: Qi Shence. He was a young man whose given name carried grand expectations from his father's generation, a native of old Western Chu. His grandfather, Qi Duhai, was the favorite disciple of Western Chu's National Grand Tutor, Sun Xiji. Qi Shence's father, in the Battle of Princess Tomb, almost annihilated Yuan Zuozong's entire army. Unfortunately, that battle was suspected of being an unfair victory, and on the broader strategic chessboard, it still hindered Western Chu's overall momentum. Later, in the Battle of Xileibi, this general died in battle, fighting on foot after his horse fell, suffering dozens of Beiliang saber wounds. It was considered an atonement for his past, and he died with honor. At Shangyin Academy, descendants of Western Chu were already highly regarded. Given Qi Shence's prominent and tragic family background, coupled with his own academic prowess — he was personally praised as a prodigy by Sun Xiji when he was young — everyone at Shangyin Academy knew he was determined to win over Teacher Yu, who also hailed from Western Chu, and most were quite pleased to see it happen.

The woman in the fox fur coat offered a polite smile and remained silent. Qi Shence, smiling, entered the pavilion. Instead of sitting down uninvited, he leaned against a pavilion pillar, a slight smile playing on his lips. Respectfully averting his gaze, he didn't linger on the woman but looked out at the lake. To the eyes of ordinary young ladies from esteemed families, this would have appeared entirely unrestrained and debonair.

By Buddha's Palm Lake stood an ancient stele, carved with Great Qin's lesser seal script. A white-haired young man, who had quietly entered Shangyin Academy, squatted before the stele, reaching out to wipe away the accumulated snow, revealing ten weather-beaten characters: "The Buddha's palm, five fingers are the Five Great Mountains."

Most children were lively and restless, their hands, feet, and eyes always busy. They quickly spotted the stranger. The "heroine" with pigtails, who had just punched and kicked the boy, immediately ran over, followed by several playmates cheering her on. The white-haired, white-clad young man happened to stand up and stretch. They stared at each other, wide-eyed. The little girl's eyes were wary as she fiercely demanded, "Who are you? How dare you come to Buddha's Palm Lake?!"

From the pavilion, Qi Shence also observed the scene. He shook his head helplessly, thinking the tall, slender stranger was truly mischievous. He wondered what the man had said to provoke the little girl in front of him to punch and kick. The man, meanwhile, simply bent down and placed a hand on the pigtail girl's head.

Such a childish young man, even with white hair, what great deeds could he possibly accomplish?

However, that scoundrel's loud shout nearly made the refined Qi Shence explode with rage.

"Yu Youwei, how did our child grow so big in the blink of an eye? This child asked me who I was, and when I said I was her father, she hit me! How do you teach this child?!"