Chapter 612: New Martial Emperor (Part 1)

A carriage slowly traveled northeast. The carriage was empty, and the driver was a simply dressed young man with a handsome and refined appearance. If he were from an official family, with such looks and perhaps a good hand in calligraphy, his career in officialdom would likely be smooth sailing. Unfortunately, it seemed he was from a lowly class, forbidden from studying or taking imperial examinations.

The Liyang Dynasty reformed its administrative divisions, establishing "Dao" (circuits) above the "Zhou" (prefectures). In terms of territory, King Yanfu, based in the southern borders, commanded the largest area. The Guangling Dao, overseen by Prince Zhao Yi, was second in size, but the two could not compare in wealth. It was no exaggeration to say that half of the empire's taxes came from Guangling. However, Guangling Dao was far from peaceful now. In the past, people could travel the post roads with connections, but with an impending war clearly on the horizon, the dozens of main post roads around Guangling Dao were under exceptionally strict inspection. No one except soldiers and armored guards was permitted to occupy them; discovery meant exile to the Two Liaos. Many heavily armed checkpoints were established along the Guangling Dao border, allowing passage only out, not in. Clearly, the rebellious elements of Western Chu had first fortified their positions and claimed territory. The subsequent clearing of the land, however, was being carried out by Liyang, aiming to trap them like turtles in a jar.

Several princes, bearing banners for "Suppressing Chaos," were encamped along the border. Most of them were careful to maintain their reputations, and their personal guards largely avoided harming civilians. However, some second- and third-tier generals, holding insignificant military power but unable to participate immediately in the war, sensed a great opportunity. Like horses that don't get fat without night fodder, many bandits were stirring around the border. While a few genuine uprisings did occur, they were never as severe or widespread as reported by local authorities and garrisons. This situation first led to small-scale disturbances, creating a semblance of chaos where bandits would sweep through like a comb. Then, government troops, alerted to "bandit suppression," moved in, which was the true "army sweeping like a fine-toothed comb," causing immense distress for many wealthy households and estates that could otherwise protect themselves. Eventually, even the greedy local officials of prefectures and counties grew bold. Disregarding appearances, they extensively dispatched trusted advisors to approach influential families and rich merchants outside their kin, ostensibly to distribute "amulets." They promised that the government would dispatch troops to protect the border and ensure peace if bandits raided, urging them to feel secure. Nobody was foolish; they could only force smiles and offer crates of gold and silver, considering it a way to avert disaster. Nowadays, even banknotes from major banks with roots in the capital were useless; only solid gold and silver were accepted. The latter could only privately curse, "Officials are like a razor passing through."

To reach the Martial Emperor City in the East Sea now, one either had to take a long detour or pass through Guangling Dao, specifically via its easternmost "wilderness path." Xu Fengnian, acting as a carriage driver, had already crossed the border. Along the way, he had witnessed several instances of profiteering amidst the chaos, all occurring in the unregulated zone between the Western Chu (often referred to as "Great Chu") and Liyang's Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling. One group of over thirty bandits, surprisingly, were all mounted and armored. Though most of their weapons were rusted, they were undoubtedly armory equipment from the old Guangling Dao, clearly showing how Liyang officials, who were outsiders, had for the past twenty years turned a blind eye to local affairs and focused solely on enriching themselves.

However, once Xu Fengnian reached the eastern region, the situation improved. He had initially traveled on foot but later encountered a fierce group of bandits on a mountain road, who were pursuing a wealthy family seeking refuge far from the troubled areas. At that time, most of the dozen or so young household guards had been killed. Xu Fengnian then slew several bandits who were about to harm the women and children, and a few more who charged blindly, though he didn't pursue them all, allowing the remaining bandits to flee. A young man, who had passed the imperial examinations and wore a scholar's robe, glared darkly at Xu Fengnian, his presumed rescuer, offering a hundred catties of gold to kill all the villains and avenge his family. Xu Fengnian ignored him. The thirteen or fourteen-year-old was a legitimate *Juren* (provincial graduate) of the imperial court but had not yet passed the higher *Jinshi* examination. He was likely a local prodigy, highly esteemed within his clan, who eagerly awaited his future glory, which naturally fostered a sense of condescending arrogance. Seeing that this young, low-born wanderer lacked a chivalrous spirit, and having just suffered a tragedy himself, the boy spoke without restraint, uttering some extremely harsh words. Xu Fengnian, however, bothered little with a child and continued on his way. Nevertheless, the elder head of this minor aristocratic family showed generosity. He promptly stepped forward, reprimanded his eldest grandson for his rudeness, and presented a carriage as a gesture of gratitude, carefully adding a small stack of banknotes. The elder had initially hoped Xu Fengnian would help escort them to a safer place further south, but after some probing, he no longer insisted. In truth, the carriage and the three or four hundred taels of silver were external possessions, and with so many household guards acting as drivers dead, a few carriages had become burdens they were already planning to abandon. Xu Fengnian did not refuse, which explains his current possessions. Afterwards, some small groups of clueless bandits and river pirates attempted to harass him, but he easily drove them off. This made the distracted Xu Fengnian recall many old acquaintances, such as the large group of old and young people from Qingcheng Mountain who didn't resemble bandits at all. As for *jianghu* (martial world) heroes, he remembered He Zhu, who rode to Chunshun Lake to deliver a message to girl Hehe. Xu Fengnian felt that after several excursions into the *jianghu*, he had met many so-called female knights, but upon reflection, perhaps only Liu Nirong of the Yulong Gang, and Zhou Qinhu, whom he met through Gu Dazhu, truly fit his image of a female knight. Their martial arts were ordinary, and their appearances were not stunningly beautiful. If he had met them earlier, they would have been far from the *jianghu* goddesses he had fantasized about as a youth. As a child, he always thought female knights were all cast from the same mold: clad in white, ethereal, seemingly never needing to eat, drink, or excrete, let alone pass gas or defecate. Now, Xu Fengnian would never be so naively presumptuous.

Xu Fengnian initially maintained that Western Chu's restoration was merely Cao Changqing's lone struggle against the current, destined to fail to grasp the overarching trend of the world. It could only temporarily occupy a corner, unable to achieve much alone, eventually serving as a list of achievements for Liyang's new generation of young generals and a final brilliant flourish for the old Spring and Autumn generals before their retirement from court. However, along his journey, he had seen many elder Western Chu remnants who had endured humiliation for over twenty years. For now, they remained silent, but Xu Fengnian knew that the more they endured, and the more brutally Liyang officials suppressed them, the "New Chu," with Cao Changqing as its backbone, might not be as easily defeated as it seemed.

When the flames of war erupted, many would die, but a small handful were also destined to rise to prominence and secure a firm place in historical records. The key now was whether Western Chu or Liyang would produce more such talents. Xu Fengnian's intuition told him the latter would have more in sheer numbers, but Western Chu had historically produced extraordinary talents who, once they emerged, did so spectacularly. Perhaps one or two young prodigies capable of inheriting Cao Changqing's mantle would appear.

The carriage temporarily halted in the northeastern border region of Guangling Dao. By this time, all entry and exit points around Guangling Dao had been completely sealed. This was Guangling Dao's last hidden exit, through which many individuals with *jianghu* connections and influence poured into Martial Emperor City for refuge. One of Prince Zhao Yi's trusted and favored generals guarded this point. Likely acting under his master's instruction, he wasn't afraid of censors' impeachments and chose to turn a blind eye. Of course, for anyone wishing to leave, it was impossible without being heavily extorted. Conservatively estimated, Zhao Yi's Chunxue Tower had gained over two million taels of silver in just twenty days, not to mention countless antiques, rare artifacts, calligraphy, and paintings, all transported in cartloads towards the lower reaches of the Guangling River.

Guarded by roughly three thousand strong and well-equipped elite Zhao family light cavalry, the road here, though crowded, was not chaotic. One could tell at a glance who had deep pockets: those with sufficient silver could even enter the main post road to hurry their journey, thanks to Song Li, the young and renowned general of Chunxue Tower who commanded the three thousand cavalry. For those without enough silver, it was still fine, provided they had a beautiful and refined woman in their household, who could then be offered. It was widely known throughout Guangling Dao that the cultured general Song Li, a renowned romantic, had a strong penchant for women. He had no interest in inanimate objects; even priceless treasures would be given away without a second thought. His only true hobby was collecting beautiful women. Even at the age of thirty, Song Li remained insatiable, even when intoxicated and resting on the lap of a beauty from the Rouge Rankings. Rumor had it that he kept no fewer than twenty exquisite beauties in his residence, including exiled royal women from fallen Spring and Autumn kingdoms, young female knights from prominent *jianghu* sects, and even wives from aristocratic families who were willing to betray their husbands for him. Among these women, Liu Jiaolu, ranked sixth on the New Rouge Rankings, was undoubtedly the most famous. This delicate woman's fate was indeed arduous, having passed through many hands, but fortunately, she was never branded with the tragic epithet "beauty with a cursed fate."

Song Li's origins had always been vague, giving the impression that he had inexplicably become a rising star and favored figure in Chunxue Tower, a crucial military intelligence hub in Guangling Dao. However, he had consistently enjoyed the deep trust of the Prince, and even addressed Prince Zhao Piao as a brother. What was even more baffling was that Zhao Piao, a notorious grandson of the Zhao family, could remain calm and collected when encountering the diverse beauties in Song Li's household. He even respectfully addressed Liu Jiaolu as "sister-in-law." Furthermore, Chunxue Tower was divided into two factions: one comprised of military generals like Lu Shengxiang and Zhang Erbao, who had already gone to the capital for promotions, and who were constantly at odds with the chief advisor whose career was hampered by his unsightly appearance. Yet, Song Li managed to maintain good relations with both sides.

Xu Fengnian settled into an inconspicuous inn in the military town. The prices had multiplied untold times; a single night cost thirty taels of silver, and one couldn't even get a second-class room. Moreover, due to the constant flow of people, the hastily cleaned bedding reeked of sweat. Even hay for the carriage horses had to be paid for separately, costing more than a guest's main meal at inns in other regions. Yet, no one dared to complain. Xu Fengnian's room was at the end of a second-floor corridor, small and dim. Along the journey, his initial banknotes, which had their value halved, had long since been spent. He then stripped some real gold and silver from a group of bandits, which was barely enough to cover his transit expenses. If Xu Fengnian wanted to reach the now masterless Martial Emperor City in the East Sea more quickly, it would be easy. However, the timing wasn't right. To truly succeed, it was better to arrive opportunely than early, so he appeared unhurried. He also wanted to use this time to observe the lives of the Western Chu people more closely.

At dusk, Xu Fengnian went downstairs for a makeshift dinner. After chewing slowly, he ordered a pot of tea. The waiter claimed it was this year's new tea from Chunshun Lake, picked before the Qingming festival, but the liquid in the cup was yellow and truly unappetizing. The inn was mostly filled with boisterous, talkative guests from other regions, both drinking alcohol and tea. Xu Fengnian noticed that almost none of the Western Chu remnants, who were deeply rooted there, were traveling north. Liyang's territory, which had pacified the Spring and Autumn kingdoms, was already vast. With so many powerful princes granted fiefdoms by the late emperor, much information, even minor, was hindered by regional barriers. However, certain matters of interest to both court and commoners spread rapidly, supported by a relatively efficient postal service: for instance, the origin of the top three candidates in the triennial palace examination. As for martial arts rankings and beauty rankings, there was even less need to mention them. Yet, for the past month, only two things had been most eagerly anticipated in Liyang: when Western Chu would revolt, and when news of the young Northern Liang king's death would arrive. This news, of course, would be a tremendous cause for celebration. In the eyes of many common people, even though Northern Liang had borne the Xu surname for twenty years, now that Xu Xiao, the Human Butcher, was dead, it would be far better for Chen Zhipao, who had served there for a time, to take over. Only then would all be well. To the world, the new King of Liang was a rogue who had usurped another's nest. King Chen Zhipao of Shu could very well rule two territories, ensuring peace on Liyang's western front, which would be preferable to that prodigal son Xu Fengnian wantonly squandering three hundred thousand of the world's finest iron cavalry.

At this moment, the inn was abuzz with discussions about the second matter. After all, most of the people in the inn had a rough, commoner background; whether Western Chu was restored or not was of little consequence to them, as long as they weren't caught in the crossfire. But Wang Xianzhi, who held a fiefdom without needing a single soldier, that "old monster" who was "co-ranked as emperor" with the Zhao family emperor—everyone became animated when discussing the Lord of Martial Emperor City. At one table in the inn sat a group of distinguished guests whose demeanor differed from ordinary *jianghu* figures. They were solemn and exuded a martial aura, most wearing identical sabers. Anyone with discerning eyes could tell that this table held official status, especially since several identically armed attendants stood outside the inn's entrance, their gazes sharp and arrogant, looking at everyone as if they were dogs. At that table were three men and one woman. The woman ate with her head bowed, occasionally looking up. Her appearance was ordinary, but she possessed a pair of intelligent eyes that made one forget the mundane, especially when she glanced around, adding much charm to her. Next to her sat a short, stout man in his thirties. The other two, both carrying sabers, were an old man and a young man. The old man, dressed in brocade and fine clothes, couldn't help but show a mocking expression upon hearing the boastful chatter in the inn, much like someone by a well's opening mocking a frog at the bottom.