Chapter 519: How to Kill a First-Rank Expert

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He Xinliang

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He XinliangFeng Huo Xi Zhu Hou

The Crown Prince, who had just settled into his position as the General of Lingzhou, departed, causing an uproar throughout the city. This left the provincial officials, whose ranks were slightly lower than Zhou Jianshu, the Chief Administrator, exchanging bewildered glances outside the general's mansion, filled with frustration. These officials were like people carrying an offering pig's head but finding no temple's Bodhisattva to worship. Fortunately, a Lingzhou Prefect and his Assistant Prefect were temporarily staying at the general's mansion. However, the new Prefect, Xu Beizhi, put on airs during the day, refusing to see any visitors. Only a few scattered officials, stubbornly waiting until dusk, were informed by the mansion's chief steward, Sun Fulu, that they could enter for a talk. This made them as excited as if they had been given a shot of adrenaline, each believing the ancient saying, "Sincerity moves mountains and opens stones," and that the ancients had not deceived them.

However, they only had one congratulatory gift. With the general's mansion's true master gone, although the Prefect and Assistant Prefect inside were a full rank lower, one was a powerful newcomer, and the other an influential local figure; neither dared to be treated lightly. Fortunately, the young Prefect was understanding and waited respectfully with Assistant Prefect Song Yan outside the main hall to receive the officials, giving them ample respect. The congratulatory gift was naturally still for the Crown Prince, who had already left the provincial capital. Prefect Xu, proving himself indeed to be the Crown Prince's top confidant, joked that once he had his own prefectural mansion, he would demand their "meeting gifts" without mercy.

Seeing Xu Beizhi, with his calm demeanor and reserved presence, everyone felt greatly reassured. As long as this young man did not abuse the Crown Prince's authority to wreak havoc in Lingzhou and conducted himself according to the rules, everything would be fine. Indeed, no one dared to cause trouble now. Since everyone had accepted their fate and yielded to the Crown Prince, they had a way out. They no longer had to worry about becoming the one who sticks out and gets targeted, and could confidently help the new master of Lingzhou by adding fuel to the fire, making it burn higher and stronger.

They noticed that Prefect Xu and Assistant Prefect Song did not appear to be merely putting on a show of unity; they conversed frequently and seemed to have a good rapport, which further instilled caution in the officials present. Although they still didn't know the plans of Li Gongde, the Military Commissioner, as long as these two at the top cooperated for a period, even if it was just a brief "honeymoon" period, they might eventually part ways. However, if Sir Li wanted to stir up trouble at this juncture, the General's Mansion would at least have the power to resist, not being entirely defenseless. What happened with Lingzhou's situation in the future was a matter for later; these fifth, sixth, and seventh-rank officials would simply react to whatever came their way.

After seeing off this group of guests, Song Yan looked up at the sky and smiled, "Prefect, by the looks of it, it's going to snow again. How about a small drink together while we wait for the snow?"

Xu Beizhi shook his head and smiled, "I've just finished handing over the Lingzhou affairs from the neighboring office, and it's a complete mess. My mansion is understaffed, and I'm not one to sit idle, so I won't be drinking and enjoying the snow with Sir Song. One day, when I truly have free time, we'll make up for it, and then Sir Song won't be able to escape even if he tries."

Song Yan nodded with a smile, watching Prefect Xu's solitary retreating figure. He wondered, "Xu Beizhi, are you aiming to be an 'isolated official' like Zhao Youling, favored by both civil and military officials in the Liyang court?"

Xu Fengnian had left Lingzhou City and arrived in Qingshe County. This journey was not undertaken secretly; instead, he brought a formidable force of six hundred Lingzhou elite troops. The number of actual commanding lieutenants in Lingzhou was few. For instance, Dong Hongqiu, the Yueqi Lieutenant, was a trusted subordinate of Zhong Hongwu, making his deployment difficult. However, in such a large granary of Beiliang, it was impossible for someone like Zhong Hongwu to truly control everything. The taciturn man beside Xu Fengnian was named Huang Xiaokuai. After his father's death, he exceptionally inherited the position of a powerful lieutenant, a rank not usually hereditary like miscellaneous generals or ordinary captains. His lieutenant title was also rare: Pearl Lieutenant. This originated from a spring and autumn war where Huang Xiaokuai's father, after a surprise city capture, strung thousands of enemy heads together with ropes and hung them on all four city walls, creating four gruesome "pearl curtains" of blood. This was done to greet the approaching enemy reinforcements, demonstrating their resolve to fight to the death. Afterward, he distinguished himself in defending the city, and Xu Xiao promised that no matter what rank his descendants achieved, as long as they served as officials or generals under the Xu family's cavalry, they could inherit his merits. Huang Xiaokuai indeed successfully took over the military post of Pearl Lieutenant the year before last, but he was always severely ostracized and isolated in Lingzhou, being the weakest among the lieutenants who held actual power.

After a few conversations with Huang Xiaokuai, Xu Fengnian understood why he was not popular in Lingzhou: he was simply too rigid and lacked adaptability. Even when facing Xu Fengnian, who had resigned as Lingzhou General but was still the Crown Prince, Huang Xiaokuai remained unyielding and inflexible. Compared to Wang Zhi, another descendant of a meritorious family, the difference was like heaven and earth. However, Huang Xiaokuai's inability to scheme and his sole focus on military governance actually earned him Xu Fengnian's genuine admiration. After encountering many cunning and deceitful officials in Lingzhou, seeing Huang Xiaokuai was like tasting a refreshing bowl of plain porridge after countless tables of greasy delicacies—naturally, it was very much to his liking.

The six hundred cavalry rode eastward on the post road. During this time, spies and scouts continuously relayed military intelligence. Even the rigid Huang Xiaokuai, unfamiliar with official machinations, was somewhat surprised. Not only were his six hundred cavalry heading to the border between Qingshe and Dongfeng counties to await orders, but several other county forces also mobilized upon hearing the news. It seemed they were preparing to cast a net to encircle a master and servant, deploying thousands of troops against just two people. "Isn't His Highness being a bit too extravagant?" he wondered. However, Huang Xiaokuai dared not comment. He had originally thought His Highness would be helpless in Lingzhou, but to his surprise, with a flick of his hand, the entire Lingzhou officialdom prostrated themselves, not daring to breathe. Huang Xiaokuai, who had always lacked talent for navigating official circles, admired him all the more.

Behind Xu Fengnian was Han Laosan, the Lingzhou Deputy General without any personal retinue. There was a carriage in the cavalry procession. Huyan Guanyin had already been sent to Qingliang Mountain Royal Palace, leaving only Pei Nanwei, who was still enjoying her leisure stroll. From time to time, she would lift the curtain and see the man riding ahead not far away. Pei Nanwei's eyes were dim. Three years ago, if the Beiliang Crown Prince had caused such a stir within Lingzhou, it would have been seen by old foxes in officialdom as child's play, a naive act that would only invite ridicule. But now, few dared to hold such an arrogant attitude. Most privately felt that this future King of Beiliang, though still incomparable to Minister Chen, who would likely leave the capital to rule in Xishu, was not disastrously far behind.

Xu Fengnian stopped his horse at a north-south intersection of a post road. Soon, an extraordinarily magnificent dark green horse appeared. This rider clearly came alone, yet still gave the illusion of hooves pounding the ground like thunder. In Huang Xiaokuai's vision, Xu Fengnian gently urged his horse forward, moving slowly. Huang Xiaokuai clicked his tongue in amazement. The burly man holding a spear wore neither official robes nor armor, yet upon seeing the illustrious Crown Prince, he did not dismount. That aura, which was neither clearly that of a martial arts grandmaster nor a great battlefield general, deeply impressed Huang Xiaokuai.

Xu Fengnian calmly said, "Uncle Xu, you've worked hard."

Xu Yanbing, who had just made a round trip to the Youzhou border and back, smiled faintly, "Hong Jingyan of Beimang restrained himself from acting, otherwise it would have delayed me a bit longer."

Xu Fengnian turned his horse, and riding alongside this grandmaster, who, after the old Sword God Li Chungang, was another figure capable of dominating the martial arts world, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "Uncle Xu, if you were to truly cross swords with Hong Jingyan, one of the top ten in the world, what would your chances of victory be?"

Xu Yanbing hesitated for a moment, then calmly replied, "Within five years, it would be a fight to the death between us. After all, I still hold a slight advantage in cultivation level now. It's hard to say what the future holds. That man, along with Dong Zhuo of the Southern Dynasty, is hailed as Beimang's 'Little Tuoba.' He possesses extraordinary talent. When he approaches the realm of a Land God, it would likely be a mutually destructive battle."

Xu Fengnian nodded. Dong Zhuo's "Little Tuoba" referred to the fat man's military genius. Hong Jingyan, who took over the Rouran Iron Cavalry after the death of Fifth Moh, was undoubtedly the second most powerful martial artist in Beimang after the world's greatest devil, Luoyang in white. It is said that Tuoba Chunshun, upon entering the First Rank, became arrogant and challenged the Rouran Lord first, losing terribly. However, he grew stronger with each defeat and made a public "three-year pact," vowing to break through one realm every three years and fight Hong Jingyan each time, which impressed both the court and commoners of Beimang. The martial world was indeed this cruel; anyone could become a stepping stone for the next rising star. Aside from the old monster Wang Xianzhi, who could rival Lu Zu from five centuries ago, there was truly no one unbeatable in the world. The beauty of the martial world lay precisely in this ruthless nature. However, aspiring for instant fame, sword practitioners faced more hardship. Not to mention the divine figures like Li Chungang and Deng Tai'a who were nowhere to be found, there were still many sword masters overseeing the world of swordsmanship. Blade practitioners fared slightly better, with only Gu Jiantang presenting an unavoidable hurdle; without defeating them, it was difficult to claim supremacy in sword or blade techniques.

The travel-worn Xu Yanbing blended into the cavalry, asking quietly, "Has Your Highness thoroughly investigated the background of that master and servant pair who entered Beiliang?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head and chuckled, "They are characters who appeared out of nowhere; we've never heard a single trace of them before. Not only is our Beiliang intelligence at a loss, but perhaps the Liyang Zhao Gou will also be charged with negligence. Actually, the Liyang martial world shouldn't have been so quiet these past few years. It's just that many minor grandmasters with the potential to reach the First Rank were secretly slain by Eunuch Han. Even some reclusive immortals who sought freedom, after entering the First Rank and living without worldly desires, still couldn't escape Han Shengxuan's bloody 'cat claws.' Basically, whenever that 'human cat' secretly left the capital on imperial orders, he would bring back one or two bloody heads. I truly can't figure out who could escape the eyes of the court and Zhao Gou, only to suddenly emerge as a First Rank master. Not to mention those struggling second-rate martial sects, even families like Longhu Mountain and the Wu Family Sword Tomb don't just produce First Rank masters on command. Reaching the Second Rank as a minor grandmaster is already extremely difficult, let alone the rare First Rank experts. Those who adhere too strictly to rules cannot become top figures in this category, and those who disregard rules have all become casualties of Eunuch Han. Heaven knows who that scoundrel is. He truly doesn't value his life, appearing out of nowhere and having the audacity to cause trouble for this Crown Prince. It seems he thinks I'm an easy target."

Xu Yanbing asked, "Do you need me to meet with that person?"

Xu Fengnian still shook his head, "No rush. If the Lingzhou Iron Cavalry turns out to be useless ornamental pillows, then I'll let Uncle Xu clean up the mess."

Xu Yanbing frowned, "Since he's a First Rank master, even at the lowest Vajra realm, it wouldn't be hard for him to escape, even if he couldn't single-handedly kill seven or eight hundred cavalrymen. Unless he's caught on a vast plain suitable for cavalry charges, surrounded by multiple well-formed cavalry formations, and given no moment to rest, he'll be hard to corner. Back then, the Sword Emperor of Xishu, guarding the national gate, was crushed to death by our Beiliang Iron Cavalry only because it was a desperate act driven by a will to die. If this person has the Zhixuan realm, supplemented by one or two celestial insights mastered by Qi practitioners, he would undoubtedly be even harder to capture. When the Beiliang army swept through the martial world back then, dealing with sects, those who died were martial artists unwilling to abandon their roots and leave their homes. For those strong individuals who slipped through the net, we could only use enforcers from the martial world to pursue and kill them. As the Grand General said, it was 'using the martial world to fight the martial world.' Is Your Highness deploying troops like this to train them in Lingzhou?"

Xu Fengnian nodded, "Since it's a game of cat and mouse, it doesn't matter if the mouse is too fat or the cat is too weak. Anyway, there are many 'kittens' being driven to exert themselves, and many falcons circling overhead, keeping watch. That mouse will eventually doze off and become complacent. This Crown Prince intends to close the doors and slowly wear him down. First, there will be layers of interception to prevent him from moving freely and quickly. If he intends to kill ruthlessly, clearing out groups before retreating repeatedly, then he must be prepared to fall into large-scale encirclement by armored soldiers. Lingzhou has deployed a large number of scouts from the military, cooperating with veteran rangers and new falconers, simply to intercept this First Rank 'mouse.' If they can't even do this well, then so be it if they die. The captains and lieutenants standing behind them will also incur this Crown Prince's wrath and reprimand. This training exercise, regardless of whether that master and servant pair are mass murderers, will definitely involve casualties. I haven't killed anyone in Lingzhou officialdom, and I've been holding back some resentment, lest the soldiers of Youzhou and Liangzhou mistakenly think this Crown Prince only talks and doesn't use his blade."

Xu Yanbing laughed, "Your Highness, please take this Lingzhou Deputy General position from me soon. Just hearing about Your Highness's convoluted official machinations gives Xu Yanbing a headache."

Xu Fengnian dismissed it with a smile, then asked with a grin, "Uncle Xu, could you explain the Four Realms of the First Rank?"

Xu Yanbing chuckled, "Talking alone is useless. Your Highness must be able to take a beating."

Xu Fengnian's eyes lit up, "Then, instead of riding, shall I run with Uncle Xu to the border of Qingshe and Dongfeng Counties?"

Xu Yanbing neither affirmed nor denied. With a sweep of his ordinary spear, Xu Fengnian hastily responded by striking the spear shaft with both hands, but was immediately thrown off his horse, his body landing more than a dozen yards away. Xu Yanbing leaped high, simultaneously raising his arm and throwing the spear. Its aura was magnificent, as if it could cleave heaven and earth. However, this martial artist's figure reached the dishevelled Crown Prince even faster than the spear. He stomped his foot on the Crown Prince's blocking left arm, sending the Crown Prince sliding back again, directly into the path of the arcing spear tip. The Beiliang blade at his waist clanged as it was drawn, barely fending off the spear's power before Xu Yanbing, gripping the hilt, flicked his wrist, making the spear bloom like a flower. Xu Fengnian was forced to retreat desperately, facing constant peril.

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