Chapter 51: Borrowing Embroidered Winter, Giving to the Running Dog

Chapter 2

Xu Fengnian boldly reached out and grasped the secret manual. Nothing unusual happened as he expected, so he breathed a sigh of relief and gently placed it back on the shelf. He then hurried over to White Fox Face's side. Not seeing the old man nearby, he urgently whispered, "How could you let that guy out without telling me? What if something bad happens? Aren't you afraid I'll end up with Xiudong too?"

Standing on a ladder, White Fox Face looked down at Xu Fengnian and calmly said, "I didn't release him. I merely followed the Grand Chancellor to what you consider the underworld and invited him out. As for what the Grand Chancellor traded with him, I'm not clear, only that there's an agreement of three rules. However, the old man did give me a few pointers, and I benefited greatly."

Xu Fengnian asked, "Should I also go and ask for some pointers?"

White Fox Face smiled playfully, "You can try if you want."

Xu Fengnian weighed his novice blade techniques and decided against it, fearing the old monster might reduce him to dust with a flick of his finger. However, this old man didn't seem like the type of capricious monster; he appeared easy to get along with. Would they have to rely on him when leaving Beiliang? Were Xu Xiao's three agreed-upon rules reliable? It was truly difficult to gauge the temperament of such a master.

The Crown Prince worried he might not be dealt with by a martial arts foe, but instead be devoured alive by the old man who had been suppressed for twenty years. He imagined the white-haired old man, free from thousands of pounds of iron chains, emerging from the lake bottom and immediately seeking trouble with Old Huang. Wouldn't that cross-eyed old man eventually come looking for him? The more Xu Fengnian thought about it, the more he feared. He wasn't afraid of any martial arts masters whose household registrations were filed with the imperial court's Ministry of Revenue. Even Wudang's Grandmaster Wang Chonglou and Longhu Mountain's State Preceptor Zhao had to register in their respective prefectures. This was a strong measure Xu Xiao had implemented after his martial arts campaign years ago. The current problem was: who was this old man who had climbed from the underworld to the human world? Alone and unburdened, if he accidentally injured or outright killed the Crown Prince, and then simply ran off, whom would Xu Xiao's three hundred thousand iron cavalry pursue? Three rules of agreement—would such an extraordinary master even bother with laws?

Xu Fengnian quietly squatted by the bookshelf, carefully calculating and weighing everything. This was the benefit of having lived a poor life with Old Huang back then—being meticulous about every penny. Was a single coin not money? Every big and small matter had to be meticulously considered within himself. He recalled how, years ago, for a few coins, the Crown Prince borrowed a tattered Taoist robe to tell fortunes. He ended up with few coins and was fondled by a plump woman all afternoon. The most unfortunate part was that before he even got the coins, Xu Fengnian had to smile, using all his eloquence to praise how slender the two-hundred-pound woman's waist was and how beautiful her face was.

The past was too painful to recall; it was utterly unbearable. As Xu Fengnian was lost in these unbearable memories, White Fox Face quietly descended the ladder and tapped Xu Fengnian's shoulder with the Xiudong blade.

Xu Fengnian looked up blankly. From his angle, White Fox Face's chest was indeed completely flat, even flatter than Princess Taiping's youthful figure. *Sigh*, to think this beauty wasn't actually a woman—it was truly regrettable. Xu Fengnian snapped back to reality, seeing White Fox Face's phoenix eyes narrowed, a murderous glint in them. Xu Fengnian stood up, noticing Xiudong still resting on his shoulder, and deliberately asked with a confused expression, "What's wrong?"

White Fox Face said indifferently, "You're leaving Beiliang. I'll lend you Xiudong."

Xu Fengnian wondered, "But I already have Chunlei."

White Fox Face sneered, "You've always practiced with your right hand, but did you think I don't know you're left-handed? Your left-hand blade is only stronger, not weaker, than your right. Given your cunning nature, do you ever do anything without leaving a hidden advantage? Stop pretending. Just openly take Xiudong. Besides me, who would think you're just using Xiudong as decoration?"

Xu Fengnian, exposed in his deeply hidden secret, wasn't annoyed. Instead, he grinned, raising a pair of wine gourds, and said delightedly, "As expected of a true confidant! Come, let's drink together."

White Fox Face let go, disregarded Xiudong, and shook his head, "I'm not drinking anymore."

Xu Fengnian caught the Xiudong blade, which was a few degrees more refined and exquisite than Chunlei. With a look of regret, he said, "Not drinking? Wouldn't that make your already dull life even less enjoyable?"

White Fox Face changed the subject and asked, "How many secret manuals do you plan to take with you?"

Knowing there was no room for negotiation once White Fox Face made a decision, Xu Fengnian could only laugh, "I'll need thirty or forty to fill a box. I'll throw one away after I finish reading it."

White Fox Face helplessly said, "Are you fishing again?"

Xu Fengnian, holding a wine gourd in one hand and Xiudong in the other, lightly sighed, "A true confidant indeed! So, I'll trouble you with choosing the books?"

White Fox Face nodded, effectively ushering him out.

Xu Fengnian ascended to the top floor but didn't see his master. Turning back downstairs, he found Xu Xiao seated high on a chair on the fifth floor. Before him, three strangers of vastly different builds, ages, and auras were prostrating themselves.

Xu Xiao tossed three secret manuals from his hand, placing them before the three individuals. He said calmly, "Lu Qiantang of Southern Tang, you infiltrated my manor years ago solely to steal this 'Wo Long Gang Sword Art.' You were defeated by Sword Nine Huang, but I saw you withstood four of his strikes, so I spared your life. Today, this manual is before you. It's yours."

"Shu Xiu of Western Chu, what you desire is the 'White Emperor's Embrace of Simplicity'."

"Yang Qingfeng of Eastern Yue, open your eyes and look carefully. This is your ancestral 'Divine Spirit and Ghost Cultivation Scripture'."

None of the three dared to pick up the objects they had coveted for years, now finally within reach. Their heads were bowed low, almost touching the ground, prostrating themselves even more humbly.

Xu Xiao narrowed his eyes and said, "This trip, I'm assigning the three of you to accompany the Crown Prince. If you perform well, upon your return to the manor, if you want official titles, I will grant them. If you want secret manuals, you may take them. Oh, I remember now, Shu Xiu, you like women. I'll give you ten then. But if anything happens to the Crown Prince and I find out, I advise you to end your own lives quickly. Otherwise, I have countless ways to make you three wretches suffer worse than death. Lu Qiantang, Shu Xiu, Yang Qingfeng, you are all subjects of fallen nations. But even if your nations are gone, you still have relatives. When the time comes, they will have to accompany you. Is that clear?"

The three, trembling with fear, all responded with a resounding "Yes!"

Xu Fengnian, who had been observing the scene, spoke up and asked, "Xu Xiao, only these three attendants? Isn't that a bit few?"

Xu Xiao immediately stood up, smiling, and offered his seat to the Crown Prince, flattering him, "Fengnian, you must trust your father. Quality over quantity in soldiers, precision over multitude in people. This Lu Qiantang wields an overbearing sword. He's a second-rank master and utterly fearless. He can even hold his own against a first-rank expert for a hundred moves. Once he falls, you'll have ample time to retreat from danger. This Western Chu woman named Shu Xiu is skilled in charm and disguise, knows many unorthodox techniques, and has considerable internal energy. Once she masters the 'White Emperor's Embrace of Simplicity,' she'll be even more formidable. Furthermore, her ability to train young girls is unique; any beautiful girl in her hands will surely become more adept at serving people than even a courtesan from a brothel. As for Yang Qingfeng, who is blind in one eye and deaf in one ear, his methods are the most bizarre and sinister. He can summon spirits, drive corpses, and raise ghosts. If you dislike someone, just have Yang turn them into a walking corpse puppet for your command. Fengnian, if they don't perform well, you can have them serve each other. I'm sure you won't be bored."

Xu Fengnian truly wondered what the three prostrating individuals were thinking.

In the biting chill of early spring, Xu Fengnian could clearly see that the clothes on their entire backs were soaked with sweat.

The Grand Chancellor, having yielded his seat to his son, turned to the three before him, his words and expression growing much sterner. He stated gravely, "Leave. And remember to keep your mouths shut."

It was only then that Xu Fengnian clearly saw their appearances. Lu Qiantang, the swordsman, was burly. Yang Qingfeng was a dull-faced middle-aged man with pathologically pale fingers on both hands. Shu Xiu of Western Chu was a naturally seductive young woman, though at the moment, her demeanor was reserved, and she dared not act presumptuously, lacking even the courage to glance at the Crown Prince. Each clutched a secret manual they had yearned for, then carefully bowed and exited the hall. Perhaps to these three, the Grand Chancellor's parenting was quite poor, as a father would actually give up his seat for his son. Before, they had only heard rumors of the Crown Prince's arrogance, daring even to lecture the Grand Chancellor, but today they had witnessed just the tip of the iceberg.

Xu Fengnian tossed a wine gourd to Xu Xiao, who took a sip and laughed heartily. "Oh, by the way, Wei Shuyang will also accompany you. He's probably interested in that 'Two Forms Coalescence Sutra.' How you handle that is up to you."

Xu Fengnian angrily said, "You even threaten Grandpa Wei?"

Xu Xiao chuckled, "How is that a threat? Don't I know you've always respected your Grandpa Wei?"

Xu Fengnian frowned, "Grandpa Wei is quite old."

Knowing his son's thoughts, Xu Xiao chuckled softly, "Don't think that just because Wei Shuyang was struck into the lake by the Madman of Chu that day, he's no longer a master. Wei Shuyang isn't primarily skilled in martial combat, but he's highly proficient in geomancy, calculations, and Qimen Dunjia. Fengnian, having him by your side will also benefit your Dahuangting cultivation. Military strategy emphasizes a combination of orthodox and unorthodox approaches. The three you just saw are unorthodox practitioners, excellent at harming others. While you may have the heart to harm, you must also have a heart for defense. Wei Shuyang represents the orthodox path. With these four protecting you, and if I arrange another hundred elite cavalry led by a formidable general, then I can truly rest easy."

Xu Fengnian hummed in acknowledgement.

Xu Xiao seemed to know what his son was about to ask and shook his head. "That old man was indeed released by me, at no small risk. The three rough rules only guarantee he won't harm you. Whether you can subdue him depends on your own ability. As for who this one-armed old man is, I won't say. You'll find out sooner or later. I'll just add one more thing: don't actively give him any objects like swords or blades. If you don't offer them, he won't actively touch them. Even without external tools, and no matter the situation, ensuring your safety is not difficult for him."

Xu Fengnian asked, "Are there assassins you've trained in Wutong Garden?"

Xu Xiao nodded.

Xu Fengnian took a sip of wine and slowly said, "I know Qingniao. I previously thought Hongshu was the least likely, but these past few days, as she massaged my shoulders, I unfortunately detected something. Although she tried to conceal her breathing, she doesn't understand the mysteries of Dahuangting. Xu Xiao, tell me, besides these two, who else is there?"

Xu Xiao laughed heartily, "You even uncovered Hongshu! That's truly impressive. There are only those two maids in Wutong Garden. Since that's the case, I'll tell you the truth. You originally had four hidden assassins by your side, code-named by the Heavenly Stems. They were indeed extremely difficult to train. Unfortunately, two of them died fighting during your three years of travels. Qingniao is Bing, and Yi and Ding have already fallen."

Xu Fengnian, overwhelmed with emotion, said, "So Hongshu is Jia?"

Xu Xiao shook his head, "Wrong guess. She's one of the two people your mother left for you and isn't under my command. As for the other person, you might never know in this lifetime."

Xu Fengnian asked curiously, "Who exactly is this 'Jia'?"

Xu Xiao still shook his head, "They will naturally appear before you when the time is right."

Xu Fengnian mocked himself, "And when they appear, it will probably be the moment this 'Jia' resolutely goes to their death?"

Xu Xiao did not refute him.

Xu Fengnian looked down at Xiudong and Chunlei, now reunited, and softly said, "You go to the capital; be careful too."

Xu Xiao smiled faintly, "It's those people who should be careful."