Chapter 504: Family Traitor

As Hong Shuwen dismounted at the General’s Residence in Lingzhou, he jovially exclaimed, "We're home!" He then widened his eyes to see a large group of shadowy figures huddled together in the small open space near the stone lion on the right side of the residence. With his privileged background, Hong Shuwen immediately saw through their pretense of being jianghu heroes and brigands seeking refuge and a free meal. Their fur garments, whether made of muskrat or raccoon dog, were conspicuously new and clearly among the cheapest types of fur available for winter wear. Two of the outfits were even identical, revealing they were merely putting on a show, having unluckily purchased their cheap fur coats from the same shop during a sale.

Hong Shuwen stepped closer and casually scanned the two or three dozen men. Not a single one possessed the demeanor of a true master. This bored Hong Shuwen, who harbored an inherent prejudice against jianghu individuals. Just as he was about to turn away, the Young Master stood shoulder to shoulder with him, prompting Hong Shuwen to subtly take a step back. Xu Fengnian smiled and said, "Brave gentlemen, if anyone among you has Fourth Rank strength, please step forward."

In martial arts, the Fourth Rank is a significant watershed. Reaching this level meant one could be considered a formidable practitioner in a local prefecture or commandery, and virtually unchallenged within a county. In smaller regions where martial arts were not prevalent, one could even establish a sect or school, if not amass great wealth, at least become a prominent local gentry. Hong Shuwen let out a surprised "Oh." He had expected perhaps two or three Fourth Rank masters among these half-baked heroes, if he was lucky. To his astonishment, fourteen or fifteen men stepped forward. Xu Fengnian noticed a man with a shifty gaze and subtly nodded towards Hong Shuwen. "Fierce Hong" stepped forward, instantly radiating a chilling aura. He leaped, hands gripping the hilts of the two Beiliang sabers at his waist, and delivered a knee strike towards the man's chest.

Just as the surprised man was about to suffer a heavy blow, a thin, old man who had not yet stepped forward glided a few steps on the ground, his shoe soles barely an inch off the earth. With one hand, he pushed aside the man trying to feign competence, and with the other, he pressed down on Hong Shuwen’s knee. Hong Shuwen, whose body was lunging forward, sneered. His right saber flashed from its sheath, blinding many onlookers who instinctively squinted. Most could not clearly discern the young guard's saber draw, only vaguely seeing the shabby old man hunch his back and side-step, striking Hong Shuwen's chest with both fists before his feet could land. The old man's fists created a whistling wind, and a fierce inner energy emanated, prompting someone to exclaim, "It's the Heart-Piercing Cannon of the Yang family of Licang!" Hong Shuwen blocked with his arm, sliding back five or six steps on the ground. He plunged his right saber into the earth, stopping himself abruptly, and shook his left wrist. Hong Shuwen then turned to smile at the Young Master, his eyes asking if he could fight with full force. Xu Fengnian shook his head, smiling, "Besides this elder, are there any Third Rank masters? Please step forward openly. Beiliang says I like to abduct civilian women, but since none of you are beautiful young ladies, you need not worry."

Several vigorous Fourth Rank masters grinned, realizing the Young Master was quite a straightforward man. Some men who had attempted to bluff their way through sheepishly retreated a few steps.

Besides the old man from the Yang family of Licang County, skilled in Long Fist and Cannon Fist, two burly men, obviously masters of external martial arts, also stepped forward, loudly announcing their names one after another. Xu Fengnian nodded with a smile in his eyes, then slightly raised his chin and called out towards the back of the crowd, "Brother, you clearly possess Second Rank strength. Since you've come all this way, why are you unwilling to reveal yourself? Do you wish for this Young Master to open the ceremonial gate of the General's Residence in Lingzhou before you'll deign to enter and sit?"

The crowd parted, and everyone noticed a shabbily dressed middle-aged man squatting against the wall, reeking of alcohol, with several cheap wine gourds of various sizes scattered at his feet. When he looked up, his face was crisscrossed with scars, like a ghost's.

The ugly man, whose voice seemed hoarse from years of alcoholism, rasped, "May I ask, Young Master, if it's true that you once ventured alone into Beimang, brought back two heads, and returned unscathed?"

Xu Fengnian smiled faintly. Everyone felt a blur before their eyes, then heard a loud crash. After the dust settled, they saw the Young Master standing at the base of a collapsed wall, clapping his hands.

The drunken man, who had been pushed into the wall by the Young Master with one hand, sat on the ground, his expression calm.

Many people wondered why the Young Master was so courteous to everyone else but showed no mercy to this Second Rank master, who should have been highly revered. Some jianghu people with poor discernment thought the Young Master had arranged a show. Otherwise, if the drunkard truly was a minor grandmaster, why would he be casually pushed into the wall by a single blow? The few Third Rank masters present, who vaguely understood what had transpired, were utterly astonished. Xu Fengnian turned to everyone and smiled, "All who come are guests. Whether you enter the residence or not, each of you will receive 300 taels of silver."

He then instructed three White Horse Volunteers, "Tianguan, Yanru, you two go to the steward to collect the silver, then have him arrange accommodations for these brothers who entered the residence. Shuwen, later, take these righteous men to the best restaurant in the city for a feast. If you spend too little, I won't let you off lightly."

The men who didn't get to enter the General's Residence in Lingzhou looked on enviously as others filed in. Xu Fengnian wasn't in a hurry to leave. He stood on the street, chatting with these jianghu men of less than Fourth Rank strength, asking about their origins, their schools of martial arts, and if they had any intention of joining the army. Regardless of whether these men had previously slandered Xu Fengnian while privately discussing affairs of the world, now with the Young Master standing right before them, they were awkward and ill at ease. Those few who were fortunate enough to speak a couple of sentences turned crimson in the face, overwhelmed with flattery. This young man with greying hair was the future uncrowned king of Beiliang, wielding control over hundreds of thousands of soldiers across three prefectures. When they returned home and recounted this to their families, especially their jianghu brothers, wouldn't it make their eyes pop out? Some inevitably felt confused. Everyone said the Young Master was not only domineering in Beiliang but arrogant wherever he went, like when he relied on the Old Sword God to confront Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling's thousands of cavalry on the Guangling River. How could such an exalted figure seem to talk to them without putting on any great airs, but rather be extraordinarily approachable? If one disregarded his illustrious status and striking looks, judging only by his attire and demeanor, he seemed just like a gentle scholar from a wealthy family in a small county.

A grand procession of carriages and horses, truly luxurious, clattered rapidly towards the General’s Residence in Lingzhou. This left the gatekeeper of the Governor-General’s residence, who was already preparing to receive distinguished guests, feeling rather dejected. Just then, someone lifted a curtain and looked towards the Li residence. The gatekeeper squinted, gave a jolt, slapped his head, and hurried towards the back of the mansion. "Good heavens!" he thought. His master’s mortal enemy, with whom he had battled for half a lifetime in Huangnan Commandery, had actually appeared in Lingzhou Prefecture City! In the past, officials of Sixth Rank and above from Lingzhou's seven commanderies needed to rush to the Governor-General’s mansion to discuss important political matters, but the one in the carriage had always feigned illness to avoid attending.

Xu Fengnian heard the unusually loud clatter of hooves, turned his head, and saw three carriages lined up. Understanding dawned on him. He then told the jianghu men who hadn't become retainers or guests of the General’s Residence that they had two paths they could take. One was to join the army nearby; as long as they passed the assessment, becoming a corporal would be easy. The other path was even easier: various yamen in Lingzhou urgently needed many skilled jianghu righteous men to take up temporary, unranked official positions, similar to the military and judicial sections directly under the county magistrate, which involved eliminating evil and ensuring peace. In the future, as long as they made achievements and showed tangible merit, the Lingzhou government would prioritize their promotion. Upon hearing that it was only the local Lingzhou government that needed people, and not a desperate fight on the border, everyone felt a great sense of relief. Many men eager for fame beamed with joy, looking at each other, their eyes reflecting an eagerness to try.

After Xu Fengnian amiably finished discussing the serious matters, he smiled and told them to make sure they ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves, and that if they truly became officials in Lingzhou later, they were welcome to visit the General’s Residence as guests.

Xu Fengnian turned and slowly walked towards the three carriages. When the owners of the carriages dismounted, they coincidentally quickened their pace. At a distance of five paces, the three literati, widely disparate in age, simultaneously knelt.

"Wang Xihua of Huangnan Commandery pays respects to the Young Master.""Wang Zhenlü of Huangnan Commandery pays respects to the Young Master.""Wang Lüting of Huangnan Commandery pays respects to the Young Master."

The three were the current patriarchs of the Wang clans of the Water Sutra, Ling-Su, and Purple Gold branches in Huangnan Commandery. Wang Xihua was Wang Yunshu's father, currently the Registrar of Huangnan Commandery. He possessed an ancient and elegant demeanor, with the air of an ancient sage. The Water Sutra Wang clan was renowned for its extensive collection of books, and its scholarly members throughout generations were particularly skilled in textual exegesis and commentary, maintaining a dignity akin to a ducal residence within their family. Yao Baifeng, the newly appointed Left Libationer of the Imperial Academy, who was determined to transform family learning into national scholarship, had lived in anonymity in his youth, serving as a private tutor for the Water Sutra Wang clan, precisely to take advantage of his proximity and peruse their vast library. Later, Yao Baifeng's reputation soared, and his profound scholarship, which grew stronger with age, became known throughout the court and country. He was hailed as the patriarch of the northern literary scene, sharing control of the world of literature with the two masters of the Song family, and still frequently borrowed, exchanged, and bought books from the old patriarch of the Wang clan. The grey-haired Wang Zhenlü came from the Ling-Su Wang clan, which had produced a great immortal who ascended to heaven on a crane. The Purple Gold Wang clan's origins were not as illustrious as the other three Wang clans of Huangnan, but owing to three successive Purple Gold Grand Masters during the previous dynasty, three generations simultaneously served in the imperial court. Alas, it was a fleeting moment. In recent times, the Purple Gold Wang clan had not been prominent. Its current patriarch, Wang Lüting, was not only young—only three years since his coming of age ceremony—but also notoriously unconventional. Outsiders wondered how such a notorious young man, who was once a fop like Wang Yunshu, had suddenly transformed into the leading figure of the Purple Gold Wang clan.

Xu Fengnian was not so arrogant as to make the three patriarchs kneel on the street for long. He bade them rise, led them into the residence, and agreed to discuss matters in detail the following day after they had rested for the night.

At the Li residence, Governor-General Li Gongde was tending to a hollyhock in his garden. Hearing from his steward that Wang Xihua had gone to the General’s Residence to pay respects to the Young Master, bringing along the aged and infirm Wang Zhenlü and the immature Wang Lüting, Li Gongde’s expression darkened. He scoffed with a cold laugh, saying, "Old He, don't you think some people are strange? If you give someone a penny every day and then stop, they'll yell and curse. But if you slap someone every day and then stop, they'll be grateful. Everyone says Huangnan Commandery produced the Four Wangs and is a blessed land with excellent feng shui. But in my opinion, Huangnan Commandery is a place that only produces ungrateful wretches, who only remember ill treatment, not kindness. I've only been away for a year, and they've already started forgetting my kindness. If I hadn't paved the way and built bridges for them back then, they wouldn't be where they are today. Not to mention the other three families, just take the Longyi Wang clan. It's true I rose quickly through their connections, but what I've given back to Longyi over the years is far more than what they gave me back then, isn't it? My father-in-law only agreed to have his first proper meal with me, his humble son-in-law, after I became the Prefectural Governor of Fengzhou. Now he’s begging to bring his whole family to live five generations under one roof in this mansion."

The steward, surnamed He, was terrified into silence by his master's words. He had originally been a servant of the Wang clan. Later, when Li Gongde had not yet risen to prominence, He was the only junior steward who had invited this son-in-law of the Wang family to a pleasure house. Even Steward He himself couldn't believe Li Gongde would reach his current position. Back in Huangnan Commandery, Li Gongde was neither scholarly nor skilled in martial arts, and received countless disdainful looks. To put it unpleasantly, even maids and stablehands didn't look him in the eye. The reason Steward He had gone out of his way to invite Li Gongde for a night out then was because he had received an unexpected silver reward, and after searching throughout the Wang household, he felt only Li Gongde was suitable for him to boast to and impress, and could also be persuaded to come along. Later, when one person achieved success, their dependents also benefited, and Steward He became one of the Li family's earliest veterans. He initially simply thought his master would repay every grievance and every favor. Only later did he realize it wasn't that simple at all; his master merely wanted those Wang clan members who had looked down on him back then to regret it deeply, and in reality, he hadn't thought much of He Chang himself.

The matter of the illicit cults was instigated by Li Gongde, who arranged for Song Yan to be exposed and impeached. Li Fuzhen personally went to the Huangnan Commandery Prefectural Yamen, intending for her daughter to speak frankly and openly with Song Yan on his behalf, to maintain their relationship. Li Gongde initially believed Song Yan would understand his painstaking efforts. Of course, there was also the intention to subtly warn Song Yan. If Wang Xihua became the Prefect of Huangnan Commandery, Li Gongde, who was already barely holding onto his position as Lingzhou Prefect, did not wish to lose even Huangnan Commandery, which was considered the Li family's backyard.

However, his daughter did not have a deep understanding of officialdom, but Li Gongde anticipated she would surely bring Guo Fufeng with her to Huangnan Commandery to meet Song Yan and his daughter, Song Huangmei. It was better for him to mediate the discussions than for his muddled daughter to cause trouble with good intentions. Moreover, Li Gongde had already learned that several of his protégés and former subordinates, who were adept at exploiting loopholes, were beginning to flirt with Guo Fufeng. This young man seemed shrewd but was actually impulsive, and Li Gongde intended for Song Yan to give him the cold shoulder for a bit, so that Guo Fufeng would understand that his efforts were far from enough to truly enter the Li family's inner circle.

How pitiful are the hearts of parents around the world; truly pitiful. It is precisely because children, before they become parents themselves, find it difficult to understand such painstaking efforts, which is why it is so pitiful.

A steward from the outer compound rushed over, his expression somewhat peculiar: "Master, the young mistress has returned."

Li Gongde, being extremely worldly-wise, thought for a moment, then impatiently said, "Let that person come in with her."

The steward lowered his head, his face brightening. Unexpectedly, Li Gongde chuckled, "Jia Gui, how many dozens of taels of silver did that young man give you?"

Jia Gui immediately pulled a silver note from his sleeve, bowed, and scurried to hand it to the Governor-General. Without a single unnecessary word, he honestly replied, "Fifty taels."

Li Gongde waved his hand, glanced at the silver note, and with a helpless expression, mumbled to himself, "This silly girl, using the silver her father gave her to fool her father."

Li Gongde narrowed his eyes, slowly slipping the silver note into his sleeve. "So, you, surnamed Guo, dared to accept this silver note? Aren't you afraid it's too hot to handle?"

He Chang, one of the inner compound stewards, quietly withdrew on his own accord.

Alone, Li Gongde continued to tend to the hollyhock as tall as a man, using two fingers to nip off branches and leaves, sometimes nodding, sometimes shaking his head.

After the General's Residence accommodated the first batch of jianghu people who had pledged their allegiance, and the three Wang family patriarchs of Huangnan Commandery settled in, the place finally gained some vitality. Xu Fengnian sat in his study, using the twilight glow to examine a valuable calligraphy and painting filled with dense inscriptions. Huyan Guanyin tiptoed into the study, holding the balsam plant, disparagingly called a "chrysanthemum maid," and placed it on the windowsill. Blocked from the light, Xu Fengnian did not look up, but waved his hand towards her. The calligraphy and painting on the table was a genuine work by Yao Baifeng, a prominent figure from Beiliang in earlier times. Yao Baifeng had spent a long time in reclusion and a short time at court. It wasn't that Xu Xiao hadn't considered inviting him to serve, but Yao Baifeng had always ignored him. Xu Fengnian ran a finger over the artwork and sighed softly. "He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world" was all false; "He who wins the scholars rules the empire" was the true saying. Xu Fengnian looked up and saw Huyan Guanyin's back. She stood staring out the window, the yellowish afterglow falling upon her, making her appear like a flying Apsara from a mural. Xu Fengnian knew perfectly well that she was his bait. Several Qi practitioners in Beiliang must have already noticed her unusual nature. Xu Xiao had hidden her away here, partly because she was a rare commodity worth hoarding, but more importantly, to transfer her vitality and destiny entirely to Xu Fengnian, whose fortune was like blank Xuan paper, ready to be inscribed. The concept of vitality and destiny, though seemingly ethereal, was actually very simple. For instance, what people called a "couple's resemblance" was the result of a married couple living together day and night, their vitalities complementing each each other. Huyan Guanyin was often listless, not just due to superficial acclimatization issues, but fundamentally because her abundant vitality was being stolen by Xu Fengnian.

Xu Fengnian rolled up the scroll and self-deprecatingly remarked, "It's hard to guard against a thief in the house."

As for whether the jianghu people who had voluntarily pledged allegiance to the General’s Residence in Lingzhou included spies or loyal assassins from outside Beiliang, Xu Fengnian had ways to make them wish they were dead once their identities were revealed.

Huyan Guanyin gasped, as Xu Fengnian raised his arm to let a messenger falcon land.

The contents of the secret message caused Xu Fengnian's pupils to suddenly constrict.

The Lu family of Qingzhou had suffered an assassination attempt. Solely to protect Lu Chengyan, four peregrine falcons from the first-tier wing of the Fusui Society died, and the Tingyun Pavilion, which had been responsible for operations in Qingzhou, suffered heavy losses, with almost all its elite forces wiped out.

Clearly, both Liyang and Beimang did not want to see the Qingzhou Lu family become in-laws with the Xu family and then establish roots in Beiliang. If Lu Chengyan, who was expected to become the Princess of Beiliang, died, the Lu family would completely abandon any thought of changing allegiances. As for which party went to such lengths to prevent the Lu family from moving to Beiliang, the secret message only stated that it was still unclear. Xu Fengnian lit a thick red candle and burned the secret message inch by inch into ash. A breeze blew through the window, the candlelight flickered, and the ashes scattered. Huyan Guanyin saw that the letter was already completely burned, but he still maintained the focused posture of his two fingers pressed together near the candle flame.

Xu Fengnian flicked his fingers, walked over to Huyan Guanyin, his gaze obscure and hard to decipher, and quietly looked towards an upturned eave of the Governor-General’s residence.

Huyan Guanyin heard him murmur to himself, "Perhaps I was wrong from the beginning."