Chapter 560: A One-Money Agreement

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He Xinliang

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[Book Title] on Zongheng, Author: Fenghuo Xizhu Hou

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He Xinliang

Fenghuo Xizhu Hou

(It's a bit late because it's over 4,000 characters. PS: I like two writers the most: Old Cat and Yan Nan. Yan Nan's book, *Evernight King*, was released on Zongheng today, and it's truly great! PS2: Old Cat, when are you coming to our big Zongheng? PS3: I'm just dreaming... There's another chapter tonight.)

Stones continued to be thrown over the fence into the compound from outside, and they grew progressively larger. Some tall and sturdy Beiliang youths also joined in, throwing with greater force. This was no longer mere playful mischief. The Liyang armored soldiers stationed at the Deputy Transport Commissioner's residence still dared not retaliate, only glaring back angrily. Of course, what they feared was not these young children and robust teenagers, but Beiliang itself, standing firm behind them. Moreover, Deputy Commissioner Gu Dacheng had repeatedly issued strict orders, forbidding anyone in the residence from provoking the local populace. Violators would have their armor stripped and their official positions revoked.

A low-ranking officer, appearing to be a captain, watched as his subordinates were struck by stones on their iron armor, sending out a spray of dazzling sparks. Perhaps even a clay Buddha has a three-point temper, he covertly used his iron spear to flick a stone back towards the fence. Whether intentional or not, the stone flew through a gap and struck a boy in blue cotton clothes. The boy was too slow to dodge and instinctively closed his eyes, on the verge of being struck in the face and bleeding profusely, when an elegant young man with two swords hanging from his waist reached out and caught the stone. The boy opened his eyes and gave a shy, grateful smile.

The captain saw the young scion and merely took him for an ordinary rich young master, not giving it much thought. But as his gaze drifted and settled on the waist of a short man standing beside the young master, his scalp instantly tingled—it was a genuine Beiliang Saber! In Beiliang today, regardless of past merits, no one is permitted to privately carry a Beiliang Saber unless they are a military armored soldier. It doesn't matter if your elders held general ranks or served as governors or prefects; if discovered by the patrolling cavalry guards specifically assigned to this matter, they are immediately arrested on the spot, flogged fifty times, and thrown into prison for three to six months. Consequently, in the spring of the first year of Xiangfu, the prisons throughout Lingzhou were exceptionally lively, filled with the sons of various generals, big and small, all bruised and battered. These privileged youths, who had run afoul of the new Governor Xu Beizhi's strict policies, were not only caught carrying Beiliang Sabers but also for riding horses wildly through the streets. However, these "brothers in misfortune" would gather in prison, still manage to drink and eat meat through connections, and chat about everything under the sun while incarcerated, their camaraderie even improving from before.

The captain under Gu Dacheng cared little whether Beiliang's situation was good or bad. But if he were to provoke a scion of a general's family who was privileged enough to disregard rules in Beiliang, he would surely be flayed alive by Lord Gu. If he were to further cause the Deputy Transport Commissioner's residence to suffer collateral damage, leading to the Beiliang cavalry trampling their camps, how could a mere captain, living off Liyang's payroll, survive?

However, the captain was rather bewildered. Given the temperament of the "Beiliang barbarians," why were they not making a big deal out of it? The grey-haired young master simply turned and left, and the audacious short man wearing a Beiliang Saber didn't press the issue either. The captain, having narrowly escaped trouble, hesitated for a moment, then decided it was necessary to inform Lord Gu, lest he be held accountable later.

Gu Dacheng was an easily memorable official. Despite always having access to lavish meals, he remained gaunt and bony. He styled himself 'Mr. Bag of Rice,' habitually carrying a red silk bag full of rice at his waist. Legend had it that before the Gu family rose to prominence, Gu Zhui had survived only because someone had given him a bag of rice. The entire Gu family had been traumatized by war and chaos, and after achieving success, they never forgot their humble origins. Both father and son, like mythical Pixius, maintained the habit of carrying rice bags. This was a constant source of amusement and gossip among the numerous officials involved in the Liyang water transport system. There were even rumors that last year, when Gu Zhui went to the capital, he specifically visited the venerable Old Man Tan Tan, who was by then the head of the Central Secretariat. Everyone assumed that such an infamous third-rank official would never be able to cross the threshold of Old Man Huan's residence. Yet, unexpectedly, Old Man Tan Tan not only allowed 'Big Pixiu Gu' inside but also kept the bag of rice, claiming his household happened to be out of rice for cooking. From then on, officials who used to mock Gu Zhui, who became Vice Minister of Revenue the very next day, noticeably decreased, and the lighthearted gossip gradually turned into a respectful anecdote.

While the captain reported the situation outside the fence, Gu Dacheng was sitting alone, sipping tea and listening to his trusted aide's detailed report. Initially, Lord Gu wasn't overly concerned, but then a sudden realization struck him, and he began to ask in detail about the appearance of the young scion with the two swords, not even omitting the stableman. The captain recounted from memory, describing the young man as grey-haired, slender, with eyes like a woman's. As for the stableman, he was further away and not clearly visible, so the captain could only estimate his height to be around eight feet.

Gu Dacheng's face showed an expression of intense discomfort, as if in pain. His trembling finger pointed at the captain, and he cursed him as someone 'incapable of success but adept at failure.' He then leapt off his brocade couch, not bothering to put on his boots, and rushed out of the residence. The Deputy Transport Commissioner caught up with the group lingering at the pier, but Gu Dacheng suddenly stopped, hesitating. Ultimately, he did not step out of the residence to exchange pleasantries with the new King of Beiliang. Gu Dacheng tiptoed back to his mansion, called two elderly trusted advisors, and ordered them to immediately write a sealed express letter, notifying all water transport officials between Feishou and Xiangfan to take action. However, it wasn't a major mobilization. Instead, they were to use the excuse of several major river channels being blocked to 'make every effort' to requisition and dispatch a small number of grain boats, transporting thirty percent of the usual annual grain tribute swiftly into Beiliang.

Both advisors were somewhat confused, but Gu Dacheng was not in the mood to explain. Returning to the tea room, where the tea had long gone cold, Gu Dacheng sighed. Every family has its own set of troubles. He knew his own capabilities as an official were limited; he was decent at making money, but the past two years had seen so many dazzling moves from the imperial court that both he and his father could only see them through a fog. Fortunately, his father had aligned himself with the venerable Old Man Huan during his last trip to the capital, and Old Man Tan Tan's guidance had allowed Gu Dacheng to 'hereditarily' secure the position of Deputy Transport Commissioner. With his father also gaining promotions, the father-son duo operated with the son earning money in the provinces and the father serving as a high official at court. Therefore, the Gu family was determined to play the villain for the court this time, clashing directly with Beiliang. Gu Dacheng was essentially holding Feishou City with a death wish, all to repay Old Man Tan Tan's kindness. However, Old Man Huan was Old Man Huan after all; he even personally imparted wisdom to Gu Dacheng, bestowing upon the Gu family a life-preserving talisman. This talisman stipulated that as long as Xu Fengnian himself did not become enraged, everything would be done to severely restrict the southward movement of grain boats. Only if the young princely king could no longer hold back and personally intervened, would Gu Dacheng have a countermeasure. Old Man Huan had already made arrangements with Xiangfan City, allowing Beiliang thirty percent of the grain tribute at that time.

Although Gu Dacheng deployed this protective talisman according to Old Man Huan's wishes, he had no idea how Beiliang would interpret it. In fact, he had been very anxious the last time he put Chen Xiliang in a difficult position, like 'riding a tiger and being unable to dismount.' Others didn't know how highly Beiliang valued this scholar from humble origins; during their private meeting at the Huan residence, Old Man Tan Tan had repeatedly mentioned that this person was not to be underestimated, and that delaying his rise to prominence by even one day was a good thing. Gu Dacheng, who was not old in years but showed all the signs of aging, thought of his difficult past half-year in Feishou City. He touched the rice bag at his waist and gave a wry smile, saying, "Old brother, wealth is sought in danger. The Gu family has gained wealth. Once this task is completed, we will peacefully seek honor. I will never again deal with those Beiliang barbarians, not even if it kills me. Nowadays, even the least-known courtesans in Feishou City are unwilling to earn my silver. I truly have money with nowhere to spend it. How miserable can one get?"

A girl, carrying a withered wooden pole, stood by the river at the ferry crossing. After a soft laugh, she turned her back and stared blankly at the murky water. Beiliang women were also often extraordinarily tall and formidable. Cao Wei finally spotted a girl shorter than him, who seemed to have some connection with the one named Xu, and wanted to approach her to get acquainted. Xu Fengnian had no intention of stopping him, neither officially nor personally. Then, Cao Wei, despite his considerable martial arts skill, was neatly slapped into the river by the young girl. Cao Wei didn't even have time to draw his saber; in fact, he didn't even sense the slightest danger.

Yang Guangdou, the Grand Master, looked utterly bewildered. Xu Fengnian quietly explained, "During the Battle of Reed Marsh, Wang Yin, who was ranked eleventh among the martial artists of Liyang at the time, was killed by her with a single blow. Later, when Grand Master Liu Hao escaped Shenwu City, she likely secretly dispatched him too."

Yang Guangdou was both horrified and enlightened. It was only natural for Cao Wei, whose martial arts training was broad but not refined, to be defeated by her. Xu Fengnian walked over to her side and asked, "Why are you in Beiliang already? If I remember correctly, it's not yet the time I agreed upon with Huang Sanjia?"

The girl remained silent. Xu Fengnian wasn't sure how to make appropriate small talk. He smiled faintly and said, "So, would you like to come with me? There aren't many masters in Beiliang worth killing right now; otherwise, I wouldn't even suggest it, as it might seem like I'm trying to use you to kill someone. I happen to be traveling around Beiliang, and I've already been wandering through Lingzhou for a month before meeting you. For the past two years, I've really missed your braised beef."

The girl, whose name could be Jia Jiajia, let out a soft sound. Xu Fengnian looked at the dried sunflower stalk, then at her complexion, and reached out to hold her arm, sensing the flow of her vital energy. He whispered, "Whether Huang Sanjia stumbled into it or planned it meticulously, I have good news for you. When you bore the karmic disaster of that old bastard Zhao for me, I now have a sixty percent chance of helping you resolve it. Of course, I must admit it also greatly benefits me. Besides slowly cultivating the remnants of Han Shengxuan's red threads, I also have dozens of purple thunderbolts carefully nurtured by Grand Master Liu Hao for half his life, plus a bun I gained from a trade with Beimang's Imperial Advisor Yuan Qingshan. I'm only a hair's breadth away from the convergence of Confucianism and Daoism. If I could then absorb the Zijing qi luck from Dragon Tiger Mountain left by Zhao Xuansu and make it my own, it would be complete. After that, it would depend on destiny whether I could absorb the essence of Buddhism. At that point, with the convergence of the three teachings, once I form my own minor world, it would be unreasonable if I didn't become an Earth Immortal. Perhaps I could even contend with Gao Shulu, the great demon from four hundred years ago who reached the Celestial Immortal realm, and Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City, who proves his Dao through strength. However, reaching that stage will take an unknown amount of time. Anyway, I'm hiding nothing from you; I'm telling you everything. If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes."

Yang Guangdou was somewhat astonished. The King of Beiliang truly didn't treat this assassin girl as an outsider. These secrets were things the old man had never heard before, and if they were to get out, they would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar in the martial arts world. Of the three great demon lords of the Spring and Autumn period, Xu Xiao the Human Butcher died of old age, and Han Diaosi the Human Cat 'died suddenly in the imperial palace,' leaving two gone. Huang Longshi, like a divine dragon, is seen neither head nor tail, most likely stirring up trouble from behind the scenes. Could it be that this young princely king beside him intends to not only be the joint ruler of Beiliang, holding immense power, but also to become, after Han Diaosi, a great demon lord whose mere presence makes the entire martial arts world tremble? Previously, Beiliang relied on its iron cavalry and falcons to keep martial artists from causing trouble. It seems that from now on, the new King of Beiliang alone will be able to make the martial arts world around Beiliang obediently submit?

Hehe-girl retracted her arm, pointing a finger at her stomach. Xu Fengnian smiled softly and said, "Alright, good timing, I'm hungry too. Let's go into the city and find some braised beef to eat. If it's not good, we won't pay!"

Collapse Replies:Too naive (2014-03-11 08:23 PM)First! (2014-03-11 08:24 PM)1 (2014-03-11 08:25 PM)I've replied to three update posts, bowing to the admin permissions! (2014-03-11 08:28 PM)Reply to 'Too Dark': Not first! (2014-03-11 08:31 PM)Lalala (2014-03-11 08:39 PM)

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The thoroughly soaked Cao Wei awkwardly leaped onto the riverbank, stamping his foot and glaring angrily, "Didn't we agree not to stay in Feishou City? I want to go to Huangnan Prefecture, where there are countless brothels and entertainment houses! You, Xu, how dare you forget loyalty for lust! Do you believe I won't hack you to death with my saber?!" Xu Fengnian raised a leg, pretending to kick the short Cao Wei back into the river for a 'second dip.' Cao Wei, adept at finding an excuse for himself, cursed continuously as he ran towards the carriage. The carriage was not large, and it was already filled with maps and gazetteers. With the addition of the young girl, it became even more cramped. Fortunately, Cao Wei was sensible enough to sit beside Xu Yanbing, busy wringing water from his sleeves.

During their journey, Xu Fengnian had been discussing and predicting the course of war with Yang Guangdou inside the carriage. Among them, there were two points of confrontation on the western front between Liangzhou and Gusezhou, and the Hulu Pass outside Daoma Pass in Youzhou was another. Having left the carriage, Xu Fengnian had spent the past month traveling intermittently in Lingzhou. Not all high-ranking officials and nobles would grant him an 'imperial audience.' According to Xu Beizhi's nineteen-level classification of officials, the Wutong Academy meticulously compiled a preliminary, rough official assessment for Beiliang. This assessment focused solely on practical achievements, downplaying academic prestige and family background. Xu Fengnian secretly met only those officials who appeared on this list. Among the seven or eight individuals he met during this trip, his hopes and disappointments were roughly equal. The bureaucracy, varying in scale, was like a sieve present in every household; whoever held it dictated the specific method of selection based on their preferences. The Zhao imperial family filtered the empire under the management of Zhang Julu and Zhao Youling. In Xu Fengnian's hands, it was the filtering of Beiliang, which, compared to the Liyang court, was less composed and more utilitarian. In Xu Beizhi's hands, it was a step down, only able to filter Lingzhou, and so on. Through these layers of filtering, those who ultimately stood out and held their positions firmly would be no fools.

Once Xu Fengnian finished touring Lingzhou, his next destination was Youzhou. If Liangzhou was the eldest legitimate son of the Beiliang Dao, and prosperous Lingzhou was a highly promising illegitimate son raised by a stepmother, then Youzhou, with less military authority than Liangzhou and poorer than Lingzhou, without support from either side, found its status awkwardly highlighted as neither here nor there between its two brother prefectures. However, Youzhou was the true focus of Xu Fengnian's secret journey. In fact, Youzhou held the greatest resentment towards him as the King of Beiliang, especially after Xu Fengnian accepted the title of Grand Pillar of the State, unlike his previous refusal of Xu Xiao's posthumous title. There were quite a few military officials in Youzhou who were quite agitated, and this subtly echoed the plight of the generals' families who had suffered imprisonment in Lingzhou. When Xu Fengnian was a general in Lingzhou, he uncharacteristically did not go on a killing spree and was quite amiable to everyone, leading many to believe he had a woman's soft heart. This time, heading to Youzhou, which was controlled single-handedly by Yan Wenluan, Xu Fengnian felt it was time to take some heads. If they wanted to play with him, they could, but they would have to play with their lives.

The assassin girl suddenly asked, "Do you know someone named Zhao Zhu?"

Xu Fengnian paused for a moment. "Of course, I know him well. That guy is the Crown Prince of Yan Chi, King of Yan Chi. He likes to build Jingguan (pyramids of skulls) with others' heads. I even saw him recently on Spring God Lake."

The young girl, holding the sunflower stalk upright with both hands, casually said, "And there's someone named Nalan. I've met them all."

Yang Guangdou's hands trembled uncontrollably as he stared intently at Xu Fengnian.

Xu Fengnian hummed in acknowledgement, offering no further comment.

Her having met them naturally meant that Huang Sanjia, Zhao Zhu, and Nalan Youci had secretly met.

Earlier, Xu Fengnian had jokingly said to Yang Guangdou and Cao Wei that Cao Changqing would head north to Taian City. Nalan Youci, secretly hidden among Crown Prince Zhao Zhu's several thousand light cavalry, went to secretly meet Huang Longshi—was this not an even more silent yet astonishing journey north?

The girl, whose words were always startling, casually and lazily said, "Old Huang said when he was drunk that the current Zhao Emperor is quite good; it's just his sons who are useless. They love grand gestures and... hehe, I forgot..."

Yang Guangdou's mouth twitched.

Xu Fengnian's mind was in turmoil. Why did Yuan Qingshan demand that copper coin from him with the world's most expensive bun? Because when that Earth Immortal was freely roaming Liyang, his reclusive disciple was none other than Zhao Zhu!

Now, Zhao Zhu not only had hundreds of thousands of crack troops from his father, Yan Chi King Zhao Bing, as his foundation, and the full support of Nalan Youci, but he also had the 'One Coin Agreement' with Beiliang. Furthermore, Huang Longshi had most likely placed an enormous bet on this fellow!

Xu Fengnian smiled. "Nalan Youci has painstakingly managed Yan Chi Dao, providing Zhao Zhu with favorable geography and human support. He has been patiently waiting for the opportune moment, and now, it seems, destiny has finally arrived for him."

Xu Fengnian then asked and answered himself, "But will Yuan Benxi just sit back and await his doom? Impossible."

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