Chapter 479: The Heroine and the Money Bag

Zhou Qinhu had no desire for further interaction with Xu Qi, who was shrouded in an aura of mystery. She glanced at the two strands of gray hair beneath his red fox fur hat, intending to make her excuses and leave. A touch of feminine empathy stirred within her; practitioners of martial arts knew that excessive contemplation could deplete vital energy and blood, hindering the nourishment of bone marrow and leading to premature graying. Yet, Zhou Qinhu also understood that her martial arts skills would certainly not impress him. As she hesitated, a young wandering swordsman with a wine gourd at his waist strode over. He slapped Xu Qi on the shoulder, laughing loudly and calling out his name, then turned to compliment her, "Miss Zhou's Yellow Plum Sword is renowned. I am Huang Quan, an unregistered disciple of Chengxin Tower."

Seeing Zhou Qinhu look at him in confusion, Xu Fengnian smiled and explained, "Old Brother Huang is a friend I met on the way to Kuaixue Hill. He's an experienced figure in the martial world and has taught me a lot through his words and actions. He's a good person and worth befriending."

In truth, Huang Quan had been observing the situation nearby. When he saw the person named Xu being manipulated by the group of influential figures, he completely lost any desire to greet him, fearing he might invite trouble. However, seeing Zhou Qinhu, who had recently gained fame alongside Xu Zhan, actively approach the horses by the lake, his heart stirred. Hearing Xu call him a "good person," Huang Quan accepted the compliment unabashedly and without guilt. After Xu Fengnian's words, Zhou Qinhu offered a polite greeting to this somewhat unrefined wandering swordsman. Xu Fengnian took up the horse's reins, preparing to travel along the lake to find Lin Hongyuan from the Dragon Palace, who had once pretended to be a deity with an ivory tablet. Besides the somewhat trivial stone rubbing for divination, Xu Fengnian also had a newly discovered interesting secret he wished to test Lin Hongyuan about in person. However, before Xu Fengnian could make his escape, Xu Zhan and Deng Maolin arrived with their companions. The illegitimate son of the Liao-dong Feng family clearly gave Xu Zhan face, proactively having his young beloved son apologize to Xu Fengnian. He then suggested they board a decorated boat together to watch the new round of lakeside challenges by the "Purple Clad" from Huishan. Several arenas were built on the lake, miles from the shore, requiring a boat to watch. The number of boats was limited; boarding depended not on money but on one's standing in the martial world and family reputation. Each boat featured performances by famous courtesans from Xiangfan City's brothels. To create a grand spectacle, Kuaixue Villa's owner, Wei Chi Liangfu, had clearly invested heavily in resources and effort. Most martial arts spectators could not board the boats and could only rent small boats to weave between the larger ones. However, traveling in a small boat versus sitting in a grand pavilion boat was a world apart, and the feeling of inferiority was not pleasant.

On the way to the ferry to wait for a boat, through Xu Zhan's concise yet artful introduction, Xu Fengnian learned that Feng Maolin came from a prominent Liao-dong family. The other two pairs of "immortal couples" were of comparable family backgrounds: one from a major family in Lianghuai, and the other from a literati family in Southern Tang. While there was an insurmountable barrier between "literati families" and "aristocratic families," for most common martial artists, such status was already extraordinary. This was akin to how, among courtesans, official courtesans naturally commanded more respect than private or wild prostitutes. Huang Quan, who was usually knowledgeable about everything from astronomy to geography when accompanying Xu Fengnian, was now reserved and awkward, barely daring to speak loudly. In particular, his attempt to introduce himself was interrupted by Deng Maolin, who changed the subject, but Huang Quan didn't mind. He obediently followed behind the main group. When the important people weren't looking, he swaggered, casting sidelong glances at others, brimming with self-satisfaction.

When boarding the boat, Xu Fengnian encountered a problem. He had intended to lead his horse onto the boat, but the young steward from Kuaixue Villa, who managed everything on the grand boat, didn't care about the Liao-dong Feng family or anyone else. He certainly wouldn't allow an unknown martial arts nobody to bring an inferior horse onto the boat to bother people. Moreover, did he know how much a single seat was worth now? This C-grade boat alone cost four hundred taels! And it was in high demand with no available spots! Xu Fengnian did not make a fuss. After everyone else had boarded, he handed his horse's reins to a villa attendant, slipped a piece of silver into his hand, and said, "I am Zuo Jing from Dragon Palace. Could you please inform a woman named Lin Hongyuan from Dragon Palace that I am on this C-grade boat, and ask her to wait for me at this ferry if she has time later?"

Upon hearing the words "Dragon Palace," the servant immediately looked at the young master with newfound respect. With the Dongyue Sword Pool's Spring Post Hall and Yanbao having successively departed, the Dragon Palace was now considered one of the leading prominent sects within the villa. Its members, even if they were insignificant individuals, were not ones he could afford to offend. He quietly suppressed his arrogant demeanor, weighed the silver in his hand, and deliberately put on a difficult expression, saying, "Young Master Zuo, I am just a lowly worker and might not be able to get away for a while. I'm afraid I might delay your important matter." Xu Fengnian, his smile unchanged, offered another silver piece.

Earthen mounds of enemy corpses piled high like towers; over the years, twenty-one Jingguan (pyramids of enemy heads) were constructed. The barbarians of the Southern Frontier were all subjugated. What Zhao Zhu loved to do most was never to feign elegance, but to secretly travel south with dozens of retainers, often spending a month or so on each round trip, eradicating hostile strongholds hidden deep within the miasmic lands, leaving no survivors. Whenever the crown prince was absent from banquets and grand events he was supposed to attend, everyone immediately understood: "Our Crown Prince has slipped away to kill people again."

Yet, facing Xu Fengnian now, Zhao Zhu was inexplicably gentle, humble, and polite to a fault. He looked up sadly and said, "Xiao Nian, you're no longer the good brother who used to take off his pants and compare sizes with me."

Xu Fengnian cursed, "Are you talking about a brother who owes money for over ten years and hasn't repaid it?"

Zhao Zhu immediately started smiling again, throwing a bag of copper coins to Xu Fengnian. "Here's your repayment. Back then, when we parted, you said you wanted to be a great hero, and you earnestly told me never to go from a little beggar to an old beggar. I've always kept that in mind. I haven't spent a single coin from this bag."

Xu Fengnian took the heavily mended cloth money pouch, speechless.