Chapter 506: Lonely and Alone

When Xu Beizhi entered the General's Mansion in Lingzhou, it was only three days until New Year's Eve. Almost immediately upon his arrival, he accompanied the Crown Prince to Liangzhou. In the eyes of others, this honor was truly unmatched in Northern Liang.

For this return journey, there were two carriages. Huyan Guanyin had one to herself, while Xu Fengnian and Xu Beizhi shared the other. The two drivers were Xu Yanbing and Hong Shuwen, and there were no other personal guards or attendants. Xu Beizhi listened to Xu Fengnian discuss the affairs of Huangnan Commandery without committing to a stance. The two, Persimmon and Orange, as they were often called, seemed to get along much like King Yanchi and Nalan Youci, serving as an ideal example of a harmonious ruler-minister relationship.

Xu Beizhi's first question was why Song Gu, who had been blocking their path, wasn't allowed to finish speaking. Xu Beizhi knew about the incident at Chaifei Manor: the minor oversight of Eagle Guard Ren Shanyu being severely wounded was originally not a major issue. However, with the Crown Prince witnessing the outcome firsthand, and given Chu Lushan's somber disposition, Song Gu's career was definitely ruined, and whether he could even keep his life was debatable. If Xu Fengnian had cursed him or kicked him a few times, expressing his anger, Chu Lushan could have used that as an excuse to mitigate the situation. He could have severely punished Song Gu but ultimately spared his life, merely giving him a harsh dressing-down to satisfy the Crown Prince and the Eagle Guards. This wouldn't have hindered Song Gu's future appointments. But with Xu Fengnian saying nothing, how would Chu Lushan dare to unilaterally downplay such a serious matter?

Xu Fengnian's answer at the time was that he would never interfere with Northern Liang's intelligence affairs. He could even tolerate the rivalry between the Peregrine Falcons and Eagle Guards, who had become adversaries after the intelligence agency split, but he would absolutely not allow them to openly be at loggerheads, seizing opportunities to sabotage each other. Northern Liang could not afford such internal strife. In this matter, and in all future disputes, Xu Fengnian would not favor his second sister Xu Weixiong, nor would he deliberately support the Eagle Guards to suppress the Peregrine Falcons. Similarly, he would not actively lean towards Chu Lushan, nor would he simply gloss over matters by punishing both sides equally.

Upon hearing this reply, Xu Beizhi smiled unreservedly, clearly satisfied. It's said that 'even an honest official finds it hard to settle family disputes,' and the root cause lies with the one who holds the bowl not holding it level. If the water isn't level once, it becomes difficult thereafter. However, maintaining impartiality also has its difficulties and drawbacks; one might easily displease everyone. It would depend on whether Xu Fengnian could see it through to the end.

Xu Fengnian spoke openly and without reservation. Besides mentioning the three kings of Huangnan Commandery who jointly came to the General's Mansion to declare their loyalty and request official positions—each using vastly different methods to do so—he also brought up Wang Lüting's initiative to pay for the position of Director of Golden Silk Weaving.

Hearing this, Xu Beizhi frowned and asked, "Can this person handle such an important task?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head and said, "I've only met him once, but I found Wang Lüting's conversation pleasant and much to my liking. As for whether he's capable of heading the Golden Silk Manufactory, I'll need more detailed intelligence reports on the Zijing Wang clan. Then, we'll 'parade' Wang Lüting around a bit to see if he's a mule or a horse. However, since the Golden Silk Manufactory is in Lingzhou, it'll be your headache as the Lingzhou Prefect."

Xu Beizhi asked, "Then what about the old Director of Weaving, Li Xifeng?"

Xu Fengnian said mischievously, "I haven't figured that out either. Why don't you handle it when the time comes?"

Xu Beizhi shot him a glare, seemingly too lazy to bother with the Crown Prince, and fell into his own thoughts.

Weaving Bureaus were established in all circuits across the realm, and Northern Liang Circuit was no exception. Nominally, they were responsible for overseeing the weaving and delivery of silk products from various regions for royal and official use. However, their hidden power was immense. In previous dynasties, it was customary for the principal officials of the Weaving Bureaus to submit secret reports to the capital every ten days or month, reaching the Emperor's desk directly. Such intelligence transmitted via post routes was handled with even greater caution than ordinary military intelligence. King Jiaodong Zhao Sui and King Huainan Liu Ying were reprimanded and heavily fined by the Emperor multiple times, all due to secret denunciations from their local Weaving Bureaus. Now, with the Liyang court establishing circuit-level administration, although the local Weaving Bureaus haven't seen a rise in their official ranks, all shrewd individuals, both within and outside the court, clearly understood that, besides the military commissioners overtly dispatched from the capital to restrain the vassal kings, these dozen or so weaving officials, despite their relatively low official grades, were the most insidious and repulsive.

However, Li Xifeng, the Director of Golden Silk Manufactory for Northern Liang Circuit, was nearing seventy. For many years, he had been inactive, and there were no reports of him having any significant interactions with Xu Xiao, the King of Northern Liang; he neither actively flattered nor excessively alienated him. Once, a bi-annual report, submitted twice a year, was inadvertently intercepted by a group of audacious bandits on a post road and widely disseminated. It was then that people realized this weaving official was so senile and dull that his report to His Majesty the Emperor detailed the Crown Prince of Northern Liang's collection of antiques, listing nearly forty categories and over six hundred items. No one could understand why such a doddery old man was allowed to remain in Northern Liang, wasting court stipends. It is said that after the secret report was leaked, Xu Xiao, who was then the Grand Pillar General, burst into laughter upon hearing about it. He then ordered that this Director of Golden Silk Manufactory, who held his position but did not fulfill his duties, be sent the same amount of silver as the Zhao imperial family's stipends. These payments never ceased over the years, and Li Xifeng, unafraid of arousing the Emperor's suspicion, always accepted them without fail.

However, regardless of how outsiders ridiculed or disparaged old Li Xifeng, within Northern Liang, even Li Yishan had thoroughly analyzed his official career, talents, and temperament. Xu Xiao's sending of silver was not to mock Li Xifeng's idleness, but rather to signal to this Golden Silk Manufactory Director, who was skilled at discerning the intricate dynamics of Northern Liang, "I, Xu Xiao, am now watching you!"

Furthermore, Xu Fengnian did not hide from Xu Beizhi that when the Yan family defected from Northern Liang to enjoy wealth and glory in the capital, it was the Weaving Bureau that had acted as a go-between with the imperial court. Their escape route, methods of disguise, and arrangements for support along the way had all been meticulously planned. However, because Li Yishan had always observed with a cold eye, this complex game of stratagem and intrigue between Northern Liang and the imperial court ultimately saw Northern Liang gain the upper hand. With Chu Lushan's tireless investigation efforts, the Yan family was eventually successfully intercepted by Northern Liang's spies. But that time, Xu Fengnian, having a soft heart, personally intervened to plead for the Yan family, prompting Xu Xiao to show leniency. Otherwise, even if Wang Xianzhi himself had come to Northern Liang to rescue them, he would have only been able to save one or two individuals at most. Although Li Xifeng lost, it should be noted that for him, as a weaving official surrounded by 'wolves' in Northern Liang, to achieve what he did was truly remarkable.

Xu Beizhi broke the silence and said, "If Li Xifeng wishes to enjoy a peaceful old age and return to the capital in glory, he'll have to make a deal with Northern Liang. However, for him as the Director of Golden Silk Manufactory, this deal would be entirely beneficial with no downsides."

Xu Fengnian remained silent, his expression subtly shadowed with melancholy.

Xu Beizhi raised an eyebrow and spoke bluntly, "I remember you used to have three very close friends. Yan Chiji has already followed his family to the capital to become an imperial relative, filling a coveted position as a Hanlin Huangmen Lang with limitless prospects. Kong Wuchi isn't bad either; by year-end, he became a Forbidden Army Commandant. In the end, only Li Hanlin is left in Northern Liang. Can you really bear to do this? You haven't even become a vassal king yet, and you're already planning to be a loner?"

Xu Fengnian calmly replied, "Regardless of the outcome, even in the worst-case scenario, I will ensure that the Li family remains free from worries about food and clothing. If Li Hanlin no longer acknowledges me as a brother, it's a consequence of my own making."

Xu Beizhi smiled faintly and said, "How pathetic."

Xu Fengnian kicked the fellow, and Xu Beizhi, leaning against the carriage wall, dusted off his clothes and casually asked, "That friend of Wang Lüting's, Sun Yin, was boasted by Yao Baifeng as having extraordinary talent, surpassing even a successful Jinshi examination candidate. Yao Baifeng has become the Left Libationer of the Imperial Academy, overseeing the literary world. Is there any intelligence that Master Yao intends to invite Sun Yin to be a libationer?"

Xu Fengnian laughed heartily, "Orange, you're amazing, a true master strategist! If I hadn't secretly learned that Yao Baifeng sent someone to invite Sun Yin, promising that if this fellow was willing to go to the capital, he would first be appointed as a 'pure' Libationer at the Imperial Academy, and then be able to participate in the palace examination next year, Yao Baifeng would then shamelessly use his influence to the extreme, personally asking the Zhao Emperor for a top-tier first-place rank! Otherwise, I truly wouldn't have known such a character existed in Huangnan Commandery. However, you can both relax and not relax: Sun Yin has already been escorted to Lingzhou by Wang Lüting. I intend to appoint him directly as a sixth-rank official with real authority. If you become the Lingzhou Prefect and are overshadowed by this person, beware, because in a fit of anger, I might just let him take your place."

Xu Beizhi glanced at Xu Fengnian, but said nothing.

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Don't worry, don't worry. I'm not one to abandon old favorites for new ones. Even if Sun Yin is incredibly capable, Orange, you're still my old favorite, and my favor for you remains undiminished."

Xu Beizhi sneered, "Stop the carriage immediately. I need to get out and vomit."

Xu Fengnian, looking hurt, said, "How unromantic! I always save the best things for you first. I stumbled upon a celadon 'gall-bladder' vase from the imperial kilns of Dongyue at Taosai Tower—you won't find a second one in the whole world. Are you sure you don't want it? Then I'll just give it to Chen Xiliang; that fellow is much more understanding than you."

Xu Beizhi closed his eyes to rest, calmly saying, "Just do it."

At noon on New Year's Eve, Qingliang Mountain, already adorned with lanterns and colorful decorations, finally welcomed the Crown Prince once more.

Xu Fengnian arranged for Huyan Guanyin to stay in a quiet detached courtyard, with no intention of letting her meet the maids from Wutong Courtyard. Xu Xiao accompanied them all the way, not speaking much, just looking pleased. His younger brother, Huang Man'er, had grown taller, and there was a hint of fierceness in his brows. When not smiling, he appeared exceptionally valiant. However, when he joined his father in silly laughter, the image instantly dissolved. Thankfully, he no longer drooled, but it still left Xu Fengnian speechless.

When they went to see his second sister, the family of four finally reunited. Xu Weixiong, who controlled half of Northern Liang's intelligence agents, now resided in Wutong Courtyard to handle confidential matters. In Wutong Courtyard, apart from the two senior maids, Hongshu and Qingniao, who were not involved, all other maids of lesser rank had become Northern Liang's "female Hanlin scholars," responsible for reviewing and filtering military intelligence reports, and possessing the authority to mark them with red ink. Insiders affectionately called them "Vermilion Maids." Especially Green Ant, Northern Liang's "minor national chess master" whose strategic prowess in the nineteen lines was second only to Xu Weixiong's. She seemed inherently skilled in grand strategic planning and had effectively become the second-in-command of Wutong Courtyard. The perfectionist Second Princess had reprimanded almost all the maids, yet she placed great reliance and trust in Green Ant alone.

The three Xu men entered the Wutong Courtyard. Xu Weixiong was seated in her wheelchair behind a specially made low desk. She glanced up at the three of them, then lowered her head again, casually pulling a new secret report from a large stack of already red-marked documents, supervising the Vermilion Maids in the adjacent room for any errors. Xu Fengnian jogged over, noticed the ancient inkstone on the desk was a bit dry, and immediately crouched beside her wheelchair. He turned and flattered, "Sister, I'll grind the ink for you."

Xu Weixiong didn't even turn to look at him, saying with a forced smile, "How dare I trouble the esteemed General of Lingzhou with such a task?"

Xu Fengnian feigned ignorance, saying, "It's only right, it's only right."

Xu Weixiong did not continue to mock the Crown Prince, allowing him to roll up his sleeves and grind the ink beside her, while she focused intently on browsing the detailed vermilion annotations on the various court gazettes and Northern Liang's own intelligence reports.

Xu Xiao smiled knowingly.

Xu Longxiang plopped onto the doorstep, resting his chin in his hand and staring blankly.

Xu Weixiong probably couldn't stand Xu Fengnian getting in her way. Without lifting her head, she said, "Haven't you noticed that we still haven't put up the couplets and peach talismans for the New Year?"

Xu Fengnian slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "I'll go write the couplets right away! Shall we put them up together later?"

Xu Weixiong remained silent.

Xu Fengnian went to the unoccupied desk next door and wrote with remarkable speed, yet it still took him half an hour to finish the hundred New Year couplets needed for the manor. As he finished each one, Xu Xiao and Xu Longxiang would gently blow on it to dry the ink. They then went to call Xu Weixiong, but she said she had matters to attend to and they shouldn't wait for her. So, Xu Fengnian and Huang Man'er each carried over fifty couplets, while Xu Xiao took charge of a slightly lighter box of New Year decorations. They began affixing the couplets from the top of Qingliang Mountain downwards. When they reached the main entrance, they found Xu Weixiong sitting in her wheelchair, quietly waiting just outside the manor gate. Xu Fengnian smilingly asked Xu Xiao if they had pasted anything crookedly. He and Xu Longxiang then affixed the exceptionally wide and grand celebratory couplets, one on each side. As the two brothers finished pasting their couplets simultaneously, they turned to see Xu Xiao beaming with a wide smile, and their second sister also wearing a long-absent smile.