Chapter 496: Surnamed Xu

It was perhaps the Lingzhou General’s self-proclaimed straightforwardness that, while refreshing to Song Yan, who had been immersed in officialdom for many years, also instilled in the Prefect a trepidation he was unwilling to admit. For a moment, he was speechless and silent. The tea had long grown cold, yet Song Yan remained seated, idly swirling the lid of his cup. Xu Fengnian didn’t mind this minor discourtesy. Secret reports indicated that Li Fuzhen had also arrived in Huangnan County, and he wished to avoid meeting her, as it would be awkward for both parties. So he prepared to leave the indeed somewhat eerie mansion.

Song Yan was not so arrogant as to remain seated; he rose and saw Xu Fengnian to the gate. Xu Fengnian informed him that he would stay in the county town until the next morning. Song Yan nodded, then stood rooted to the spot for a long time before walking back to his chair with heavy steps, gently resting a hand on its iron-pear wood armrest. The steward, whom the distinguished guest had politely declined to lead out of the mansion, stood cautiously at the doorway, inevitably worried. Everyone knew the Beiliang Young Lord's conduct was outrageous and unpredictable. Now that he had placed the official hat of a Lingzhou General on his own head, God knew if he intended to legitimately carve up Lingzhou, and they hoped their master wouldn't be the first. Song Yan patted the armrest, then turned and said, "Go to the Wild Ape Pavilion, sort out two thousand books from the collection, and have General Tao deliver them to the Lingzhou General's residence today."

The steward couldn't help but add, "Master, how should they be divided?"

Song Yan sighed, a look of helplessness on his face as if salt had been rubbed into a wound. "Apart from the forty-odd rare editions individually preserved in huanghuali wood boxes, select the best of the rest and move them out of the Wild Ape Pavilion."

The steward acknowledged with a nod and quickly departed. Song Yan rubbed his temples, forcing a wry smile. "This pains me even more than marrying off a daughter."

Xu Fengnian walked along a small path in the Song family mansion with Xu Yanbing and Hong Shuwun. Huyan Guanyin had not entered the residence, remaining in the carriage in the alley outside. Xu Fengnian had chosen Song Yan of Huangnan County primarily because the Prefect was well-read but lacked the pedantic air of an old scholar. Song Yan’s deliberate public criticism of Xu Xiao’s unclear rewards and punishments was merely a risky political stratagem to attract Xu Xiao's attention; it wasn't truly because Song Yan was ignorant of official rules. Unfortunately, he had encountered Xu Xiao, the "unromantic" Prince of Beiliang, effectively winking at a blind man. Of course, Xu Fengnian now also wondered if Xu Xiao had intentionally left this stubborn stone of Lingzhou for him to conquer.

Lost in thought, Xu Fengnian looked up and saw a tall maid from the mansion. Plainly dressed, she surprisingly carried a long sword at her waist and regarded their group with considerable unfriendliness. After blocking their path, she pressed her hand to her sword hilt and sternly demanded, "Who are you? You were loitering outside the wall with ill intentions earlier. Why have you trespassed into the backyard?!"

Young men in Lingzhou who didn't wear armor but carried Beiliang sabers were certainly ignorant, arrogant dandies. She had seen her young mistress teach these wastrels, who relied solely on their fathers' influence to cause trouble in the region, countless lessons, and they never learned. Now, they had brazenly trespassed into the Prefect's mansion to show off. Xu Fengnian glanced at her. Behind him, Hong Shuwun was eager, his eyes cold, about to knock the young woman unconscious with his scabbard. Xu Fengnian shot him a glance, signaling him not to cause trouble, and explained with a smile, "I am a guest of your esteemed household. Our carriage is parked in the alley by the back gate, and we are just leaving. It's not as you think, young lady. The crime of trespassing into an official residence is not trivial; I wouldn't dare cause trouble at the Prefect's mansion."

Xu Fengnian finished speaking and was about to walk past her, but she unexpectedly shifted two steps sideways, blocking their path again. Hong Shuwun rolled his eyes. This woman truly didn't know how to spell "death."

The maid said stiffly, "No. You must state your names. Only after I've verified with the steward can I let you leave. Otherwise, if you're audacious book thieves, or river and lake bandits intending to commit violence…"

Hong Shuwun couldn't help but curse, "Get lost!"

The maid, whose temper was not much better than Hong Shuwun's, flared up in anger, about to draw her sword. However, what terrified her was that no matter how hard she tried, the long sword would not leave its scabbard, as if it were nailed shut. Xu Fengnian knew Hong Shuwun didn't possess such supernatural ability, but for Xu Yanbing, who had once outmatched Wang Xiu, it was child's play. Xu Fengnian simply brushed past her. The unperturbed Xu Yanbing followed closely, and Hong Shuwun, with a mischievous expression as if watching a great joke unfold, swaggered past. The woman, who had practiced swordsmanship for many years, thought she was seeing a ghost in broad daylight. She dared not act rashly again, turning to stare blankly at the three. Only after seeing their shadows did she breathe a sigh of relief; she had truly feared they were the lonely wandering spirits who had tragically died in this mansion years ago.

The maid was already frozen, but then someone else from the mansion appeared, like a lingering spirit. A long sword flashed like a rainbow, sweeping straight towards them. Xu Fengnian frowned. Hong Shuwun was pleased someone had run into his blade, but with His Highness present, his strike was not overly ruthless. He swiftly drew his blade, poked the "assassin" in the chest with the scabbard, then kicked him in the abdomen. Hong Shuwun seemed to think the man got off too lightly and quickly moved forward, about to viciously stomp on the assassin's face, but Xu Fengnian called out, "That's enough."

Hong Shuwun withdrew his boot, which was barely an inch from the man's face, re-sheathed his Beiliang saber, and turned back towards the Young Lord with a bodhisattva's heart.

The maid who had failed to draw her sword earlier cried out, "Young Mistress!"

The young woman, who had been poked and kicked by Hong Shuwun, struggled to sit up. She pointed her hand towards her fallen sword in the distance and then called out with difficulty to the backs of the three men, "Hey, hey, hey, you with the graying hair, don't be in such a hurry to leave. I have something to ask you."

However, to Song Huangmei's great disappointment, the man left without looking back. She wondered if he was afraid her father would avenge her, or if he simply disdained speaking with her. But Song Huangmei, with her strong sense of chivalry, had no intention of pressing the issue. She knew she was in the wrong for drawing her sword to stop them and didn't feel that the other party's actions were unreasonable; she was outmatched and conceded defeat. Although Song Huangmei's face was ashen from pain, her curiosity far outweighed her irritation. Maid Tieya, however, lacked such magnanimity. After picking up her young mistress's sword and helping her stand, she was still determined to fight, even though she knew she was no match for them. Song Huangmei grabbed her arm, forcing a smile that was uglier than a frown. "Tieya, don't go. They truly are guests of our mansion, and my father personally welcomed them. Ow, it really hurts, I can't talk anymore…"

Maid Tieya cried, "Young Mistress, what kind of guests are these? I must go tell the master!"

Song Huangmei, gasping, smiled with a satisfied expression. "Tieya, we've truly met masters. Let's go, help me to Sister Fuzhen's place. Once I've caught my breath, I'll go ask Father who exactly that person was."

Before entering the carriage, Xu Fengnian said to Hong Shuwun, "There are several Beiliang covert agents deeply entrenched in Huangnan County for many years. Since you're just sitting around idle, you can work with our spies tonight. However, your military merits won't be counted for this. Remember one thing: you must follow their rules. If I find out afterwards that you went on an indiscriminate killing spree, don't expect to get involved in such good opportunities again."

Hong Shuwun nodded vigorously, his eyes blazing, licking his lips. His smile was unnerving.

Guo Fufeng sat alone before the brazier in the room, not feeling slighted or ignored, and even had the leisure to appreciate the room's decor. If he lacked such composure and breadth of mind, how could Li Fuzhen, one of the few noblewomen in Beiliang, have fallen so deeply in love with him? Guo Fufeng was not dissatisfied with his current situation. He considered himself infallible in his schemes. If his brother-in-law, Li Hanlin, continued to be a lawless dandy, it wouldn't matter. Guo Fufeng was never a rigid scholar and didn't mind holding his nose and acting as an accomplice to Li Hanlin's misdeeds. Now that Li Hanlin had gone to the border, it was even better. When Li Hanlin returned home in glory, he would most likely rise through the ranks as a military official. A family needed two legs to walk—the civil official path. Wasn't it precisely for him, the worthy son-in-law of the Li family, to fill that void? With both paths supporting each other, and Li Gongde, who had only been Chief Minister for less than two years, providing guidance and promotion, the Li family's wealth and prosperity would naturally endure. Guo Fufeng had even planned out the future social occasions where he would benefit from meeting the new Prince of Beiliang. What was a little disdain now? Moreover, Li Fuzhen didn't even know that two officials esteemed by the Chief Minister had privately sought out Guo Fufeng, almost treating him as a brother. Guo Fufeng narrowed his eyes, gazing at the charcoal in the brazier. His secret mission in Huangnan County was for Li Fuzhen, who was delicate and inarticulate. He needed to resolve problems for his father-in-law. Huangnan County, as the Chief Minister's "place of ascendancy," couldn't have trouble on the home front or provide ammunition for criticism from the Prince's Estate. Guo Fufeng believed Song Yan understood the gravity of the situation; his earlier coolness was merely a display of official authority.

Li Fuzhen sat down beside him. Seeing no one else around, Guo Fufeng said softly, "I have my own plans on how to persuade Master Song, Fuzhen, you don't need to worry. Also, according to you, the man Young Mistress Song likes is a member of a second-rate gang within Huangnan County. If there's an opportunity, the four of us can find a simple, elegant restaurant for a meal. Although I'm not a martial artist, I know many stories from the martial world, so I won't be at a loss for words with him."

Li Fuzhen suddenly asked, "Fufeng, aren't you tired?"

Guo Fufeng smiled and countered, "Tired?"

Li Fuzhen turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.

Guo Fufeng hesitated, but still did not reach for her hand. He spread his hands over the brazier, enjoying the warmth, and said in a warm voice, "There's no such thing as being tired or not. For our comfortable future, even if I get tired, it's only natural. One day, I will make Lingzhou, and even the entire Beiliang territory, remember the name Guo Fufeng."

Li Fuzhen hadn't felt tired even when she went on a hunger strike against her parents to be with him. Yet now, for some reason, listening to the ambitious words of the man she admired, she felt a little weary.

Guo Fufeng said softly, "Fuzhen, rest assured, sooner or later I will make both your father and Hanlin acknowledge me."

Li Fuzhen nodded.

Song Huangmei entered the room, clutching her chest with one hand and her abdomen with the other, and sat down. Li Fuzhen asked worriedly, "What happened?"

Song Huangmei said conspiratorially, "It's nothing. You know those figures radiating a murderous aura we saw earlier? I personally tested them. Guess what? I got thoroughly thrashed by them. But that's nothing! What Tieya encountered was truly bizarre; she couldn't even draw her sword! That group definitely consists of masters!"

Li Fuzhen asked with a panicked expression, "Does your father know about this?"

Song Huangmei shook her head. "Not yet. I'll ask him when I'm not so disheveled and miserable. Otherwise, my father will surely confine me for ten days to half a month, and I might even miss the Lantern Festival market."

Li Fuzhen, who had intended to continue concealing the truth, grabbed Song Huangmei's hand and blurted out, "The leader was that man surnamed Xu, the current General of Lingzhou!"

Song Huangmei was wide-eyed and speechless, then shook her head and laughed. "No way! How could that man surnamed Xu have such a murderous aura? Him? Even with a Beiliang saber, he's just a 'flowery pillow'—all show, no substance! Impossible! If that man was Xu Fengnian, then I'm a female sword immortal!"

Song Yan, standing behind the three, unintentionally overheard this. For the first time ever, he was furious with his daughter. He roared, "Song Huangmei, alright, alright, so you're a female sword immortal, are you? You are to be confined to your room for a full year! If you dare to step outside, I'll break your legs! This time, your father means what he says!"

Song Huangmei shrunk her neck and asked in a small voice, "Father, was it really that man surnamed Xu?"

Song Yan said sternly, "What 'man surnamed Xu'? It's His Highness the Young Lord!"

For the first time, Song Huangmei saw her father scold someone with such a stern face. She hadn't felt particularly wronged when Hong Shuwun hit her, but now, she was so aggrieved that tears welled up in her eyes. She sobbed defiantly, "He *is* just the man surnamed Xu! Even if he stands right in front of me, I'll still call him the man surnamed Xu! He's an ignorant, incompetent fop! If he hadn't been born into a good family, taking the Grand General's surname Xu, what is Xu Fengnian, really?!"

Outside the door, the Song mansion's steward wished he could dig a hole and disappear into it. He swallowed hard, stiffly twisting his neck to look at the "man surnamed Xu" who had returned, having no idea how to make amends for his young mistress's blunder.

Song Yan saw his daughter suddenly stop crying. Realizing the change behind him, he turned around. Even the Prefect, who had weathered many storms in officialdom, felt his heart turn to ashes.