Chapter 576: 天下第二第三

The old eunuch, though not trained in martial arts, had discerning eyes from his position as one of the most exceptional top-tier eunuchs in the Tai'an City Imperial Palace, where masters were never in short supply. Witnessing such a divine battle on the mountain, capable of commanding wind, rain, and thunder, sent shivers down his spine. The chilling late spring wind and rain in Northern Liang were particularly bone-piercing, making Zhao Siku feel even more miserable. As he watched the tall figure descend slowly, each step seemed to land on his already overburdened heart, making his teeth ache terribly. When the young man with the saber reached the foot of the mountain, old Eunuch Zhao, embracing the tragic resolve of an early death and rebirth, scurried forward. Just as he was about to offer a few flattering words, not daring to hope that the Northern Liang King would not harm a smiling person, but perhaps wishing for a less painful death at his hands, the man waved him off and spoke first: "This king thanks you, Elder Zhao, on behalf of Northern Liang. It's not as grand here as Tai'an City, but I can certainly find a peaceful place for you to live out your old age."

Zhao Siku was stunned, then heard the man, who had drawn closer, continue with a smile: "The Xu family owes Zhao Changling a debt that can never be fully repaid. Since you are an old acquaintance of Zhao Yangcai of Northern Liang, and you bravely risked your life to earn merit without disappointing my master, rest assured, Elder Zhao. I've said all this because I genuinely want you to feel at ease."

The aged eunuch offered a carefree, slightly self-deprecating smile. "How can a eunuch despised by all be called 'Elder'? Is Your Highness's wording suggesting you want me to risk my life again? If so, just 'Elder' won't be enough."

Xu Fengnian laughed heartily. "I knew Elder Zhao wouldn't truly feel at ease."

The old man bent at the waist and asked with a puzzled expression, "Can I truly live and die as I please in Northern Liang?"

Xu Fengnian smiled and nodded. Zhao Siku sighed deeply, then looked up at the peak of Qinglu Mountain, now serene and clear, and said softly in a eunuch's distinct high-pitched voice: "Since Your Highness is so generous, I'll dare to speak a rebellious thought from my heart. My young master initially favored Chen Zhibao. But even though that White-Clad Strategist didn't gain power in Northern Liang, it doesn't mean my young master misjudged him. If my young master were alive today, he would likely not harbor much resentment."

Xu Fengnian shook his head. "If Zhao Changling hadn't died, Northern Liang would most likely have nothing to do with me."

Zhao Siku studied the young lord deeply, remarking, "I cannot yet fully discern Your Highness's character, but your words are sincere and pleasant to hear."

The old eunuch turned his gaze towards Tai'an City. "The people there, however, prefer to shroud things in clouds and mist. Even under the best skies, they make one feel a chilling gloom."

Xu Fengnian made no hasty judgment on this, merely saying softly, "Northern Liang is often rough with sand and wind, and winters are also particularly difficult to endure. But wherever you stand, the view is generally expansive. If you stay long, any lingering melancholy will be swept away by the strong winds or buried by the heavy snow."

The old eunuch smiled genuinely. "I'll take the King of Northern Liang's auspicious words. I had only expected to be content with fulfilling my young master's dying wish, never imagined I could still hope to live a few more years."

Xu Fengnian turned and saw the empty-handed Hehe Girl, idly swinging her wrists. He said to Zhao Siku, "Elder, why don't you go up the mountain and enjoy the scenery? You can come down with Hu Kui and Huangfu Ping later."

The old man smiled. "Yes, I should walk around more while my legs are still nimble."

The old eunuch passed the young girl and muttered to himself: "When the great Qin fell, heroes across the land vied for power. Eight centuries of unity and division, and only the Great Feng Dynasty, four centuries ago, showed signs of unifying the north and south. But in the end, it set the precedent for northern barbarians invading the Central Plains. Since then, subsequent dynasties were never free from concern about the north; our current dynasty is no exception. Grand Secretary Zhang Julu, who governed court affairs for over twenty years, spent half that time watching the northern frontier. Even with Grand General Gu Jiantang, he only managed to bring a disadvantageous situation to a stalemate. Liyang now intends to 'kill its own deer,' so what will become of the world? Alas, I've never understood this world in my lifetime. Scholars cannot tolerate eunuchs, nor commoners, and ultimately, not even other scholars. I've read every one of the Zhang family sage's inherited classics, and found no such principles there. After much thought, it must be the principle that 'what the superiors like, the subordinates will like even more.' I truly must open my eyes and see if the academies and scholars here are indeed somewhat different."

Xu Fengnian chuckled softly. "Truly a person from Zhao Changling's own family."

The girl tilted her head. Xu Fengnian took her hand and said softly, "Let's not overthink things."

She softly said, "Old Huang, however, thinks more."

Xu Fengnian pulled her into the carriage that was parked at the base of the mountain. Xu Yanbing, who had remained still, glanced at Xu Fengnian, and the two exchanged nods, understanding without words. Xu Fengnian rarely had a chance to truly catch his breath. He chatted casually with the young girl: "For strategists, their inherent capacity is one thing, and their vantage point is another. To plan within one's role: Yuan Benxi has always been ranked higher among Spring and Autumn strategists than my master Li Yishan, Yangcai Zhao Changling, and Nalan Youci behind the Yan Chi King. This isn't necessarily that Half-Tongue Yuan Benxi's talent was superior to the others. It's simply that his position allowed him greater scope for planning and more resources at his disposal, like a clever cook, given ample firewood, rice, and oil, naturally producing more lavish meals. In Northern Liang, we currently have Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang. If Northern Liang can withstand Northern Mang's incursions, their future achievements will undoubtedly be significant, though it's hard to say how grand. The same applies to Lu Xu in Xiangfan City. This is also why Sun Yin, who specializes in 'dragon-slaying arts,' was unwilling to remain in Northern Liang—the pond here has pythons but no dragons; he simply doesn't rate it. However, being part of the Liyang court has both advantages and disadvantages. The downside is that there are simply too many capable individuals directly under the emperor's gaze, a dazzling array that can be overwhelming. Even if there are talents like Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang, firstly, it's hard for them to stand out as quickly as they might in Northern Liang. Secondly, as Elder Zhao said, scholars find it hard to tolerate other scholars; literary figures disparage each other. The Zhao imperial court also has numerous strict rules, and many scholars' ambitions remain unfulfilled. Most of these are mere complaints without true suffering, but there are indeed some who were genuinely born at the wrong time, their talents unrecognized. If Huang Longshi were born in this era, let alone becoming the Spring and Autumn's Great Demon, Huang Sanjia, even becoming a Grand Libationer of Shangyin Academy would be incredibly difficult."

Xu Fengnian glanced at Hehe Girl, somewhat helplessly. "Why are you glaring at me? I'm not speaking ill of your Old Huang; I'm praising him. My master himself called him an extraordinary person, a peerless genius. How dare I underestimate Huang Longshi?"

Xu Fengnian's thoughts drifted. "Zhao Zhu, that fellow, his luck is so good it could be called excellent fortune. He's simultaneously favored by Huang Longshi, the Northern Mang National Preceptor Qilin Zhenren Yuan Qingshan, and Nalan Youci. Zhao Kai, who died outside Iron Gate Pass, only had Yang Taisui and Han Shengxuan as masters, so his destiny was far less fortunate than Zhao Zhu's. As for the Fourth Prince Zhao Zhuan, he is already a crown prince, so little needs to be said. Anyway, the future of the Liyang empire will depend on these two."

On the way back to the Yizhou General's Residence in Yihe City, they encountered two waves of suicidal assassination attempts. The assassins were utterly annihilated by the Falcon spies without requiring the three individuals driving or riding in the carriage to intervene. The people of Northern Liang are inherently fierce, to say nothing of the loyal retainers and death-sworn warriors maintained by military households. Most martial artists from these families are unyielding in character, valuing neither the lives of others nor their own. They subscribe to the principle that if you nurture them for ten or twenty years, they will repay you with their life, viewing this as a matter of righteousness, heroic spirit, and the bearing of a great hero. Outsiders find it hard to say whether such principles are right or wrong. During this, Xu Fengnian lifted the curtain and looked at a pair of unseeing eyes in a pool of blood. He felt no particular pity, but his thoughts drifted to many things beyond Northern Liang. Take the Zhao emperor: solely as a monarch of a single surname, he is capable of being hailed as a rare wise ruler in a century of historical records. Yet, after his ascension, he sought to eliminate Xu Xiao, and now he aims to kill Zhang Julu, a great meritorious official of Liyang. This doesn't mean he is a poor emperor. He tolerates the refined scholars of the Hanlin Academy, permits the existence of the Zhang and Gu factions, and even allows remnants of the eight kingdoms to stir up trouble with their writings. Truly, an emperor who governs the world inevitably bears the unspoken burdens of a family patriarch. However much he wishes to govern diligently day and night for the common people, he must ultimately prioritize the gains and losses of the Zhao clan. Zhang Julu, without regard for his personal gains or losses, could establish a path for impoverished scholars to ascend, like carp transforming into dragons. One could even say that the 'green-eyed' one not only sacrificed his life for four thousand official positions within the six ministries but also secured a foothold in the imperial court for future common-born scholars. The Zhao emperor, fortunately, is not short-sighted. Even if, for a century after his reign, common-born scholars can still adhere to protocol and serve the emperor wholeheartedly, can the same be guaranteed two centuries later? If everyone in court were like Zhang Julu, balancing the interests of the Zhao clan with the welfare of the world, even prioritizing the people over the monarch, to the extent of caring only for the world and not the Zhao clan, this door, once opened, who could close it? This is not alarmist. Poor scholars are not bound by the same rules as aristocratic scions. Noble families are accustomed to fine shoes and are reluctant to remove them, but commoners are born barefoot. If they become reckless, with talent to back them, who cares whom they assist? What if they decide to sit on the dragon throne themselves? Thus, the Zhao emperor's act of killing Zhang Julu, while indeed eliminating Liyang's foremost meritorious official, was more a helpless measure to try and close a door that had been flung wide open.

These matters were clear to Master Li Yishan, and certainly to Huang Longshi and Yuan Benxi. Zhang Julu himself understood them even more profoundly. As for whether these actions were right or wrong, Xu Fengnian was not the emperor, so he didn't need to concern himself.

Xu Fengnian murmured to himself, "With Yizhou in such disarray, Liyang must think it's merely 'rats carrying knives, fighting in their own nest.' I also need to ease up a bit... yes, I need to rest and recover properly."

The little girl extended a palm, staring intently at Xu Fengnian, whose graying hair was subtly returning to black.

Xu Fengnian smiled and shook his head.

The girl bent one finger, her eyes posing a question.

Xu Fengnian still shook his head.

She slowly bent another finger.

Xu Fengnian continued to shake his head.

When only two fingers remained together, Xu Fengnian smiled, "I haven't fought Tuoba Pusa, so it's hard to say if I'm second or third."

The girl's eyes lit up.

Xu Fengnian softly said, "But as long as Wang Xianzhi is alive, being second or third, or even tenth at the bottom of the martial rankings, holds little meaning."

The girl reached out a finger and gently rubbed the faint purplish-gold "eye" that seemed to appear on Xu Fengnian's forehead. It wasn't quite the golden yellow of a summer or autumn sunflower, but she still liked it very much.

When she was little, besides the man who only gambled and never acted as a father, it was just her and her mother, and the golden-yellow sunflowers in their field. Those strange men her father brought home sometimes defiled her mother in the field, and she could only hide far away. Every time her mother tidied her clothes, smoothed her hair, and walked out of the field, she would find her daughter, who didn't even dare to cry. Her mother would gently smile at her, hand her a picked sunflower, and they would go home together. Later, her mother died, and she could only look at those sunflowers by herself.