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Daoist True Masters soar through the sky and burrow into the earth, capable of taking heads from a thousand li away. Buddhist Bodhisattvas, with downcast brows and furious eyes, can shake Mount Kunlun with a raised hand. And who says scholars lack spirit? In a single fit of rage, they can make the Emperor's face cloud with sorrow. Stepping across rivers and lakes, striding to a song, I wield a sword that makes immortals kneel. Wielding sabers, unsheathing swords, and raising wine, 300,000 iron cavalry conquer the heavens. Welcome to the Fenghuo Xizhuhou Readers' Forum.
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Jiantiao Tiandao 15
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Jiantiao Tiandao 15
Lu Yunchang was profoundly disappointed with their trip to Longqing County. His immortal master had merely shared a drink with that woman, chatting about trivial matters. There was no romance or elegance at all, let alone a grand slaughter of the Fish-Dragon Gang's foot soldiers. Before leaving, Lu Yunchang incessantly grumbled that the mistress of the world's tenth largest gang was plain in appearance and mediocre in cultivation. In short, he was expressing indignation on behalf of his immortal master, implying that if it were him, he wouldn't waste his energy and spirit on such a woman. Xu Fengnian, who usually wasn't keen on wasting words with Lu Yunchang, uncharacteristically spoke his mind, saying he wasn't looking for a wife, so Liu Nirong's appearance didn't matter. As for her martial arts aptitude, it didn't affect whether she was the female hero in his heart. Upon hearing this, Lu Yunchang's eyes widened, asking if Liu Nirong was even worthy of being a female hero. Xu Fengnian gave the boy a four-character assessment: "casting pearls before swine."
Next, the three—master and apprentices—journeyed to Liangzhou. Along the way, Xu Fengnian gradually imparted over a dozen crude sword forms to Wang Sheng, including Old Huang's nine swords, the Old Man in Sheepskin's two swords, and Wen Hua's one sword. He allowed her not to seek complete understanding, only to grasp the general idea. Nor did he deliberately favor Wang Sheng; the saber techniques he taught Lu Yunchang were also of high quality, and he didn't even hold back Gu Jiantang's "Inch Thunder" technique.
Both the young man and young woman were naturally hardworking and secretly competed, fearing to fall behind each other. They were both obsessed and fanatical about martial arts. However, it was clear that Lu Yunchang's cultivation progressed significantly faster than Wang Sheng's. His "Rolling Saber and Dragging Saber" techniques were already extremely proficient, subtly exuding the demeanor of a grandmaster. Occasionally, when he overheard Xu Fengnian explaining the mysteries of sword moves to Wang Sheng, he could infer from one case to another and offer unique, insightful opinions, as if by telepathy. In contrast, after Wang Sheng recognized Xu Fengnian as her master, for some unknown reason, her personality became increasingly introverted and taciturn, no longer as innocent and carefree as before. This was especially true perhaps due to Lu Yunchang's displayed martial arts talent, which created a lot of unspoken pressure for the girl. Xu Fengnian was well aware of this but did not try to comfort or alleviate the heavy suppression in her heart.
As they approached Liangzhou, Xu Fengnian rarely used post roads or official routes, choosing instead sparsely populated paths. He had Wang Sheng and Lu Yunchang take turns, instructing them to advance with their weapons, trying their best to get close. Compared to the two, Lu Yunchang naturally had more momentum. With his "Great Frost Long Saber" in hand, he dared to fight desperately, recognizing no authority, not even the "King of Heaven." Against his immortal master, he never held back, always charging forward with a single surge of courage. Wang Sheng, however, was much inferior. Each time her "Goose-Yellow" sword was unsheathed, even if her movements were sixty to seventy percent similar to the original, her spirit and intent were only twenty to thirty percent, precisely contrary to Xu Fengnian's expectations for her. Over time, Wang Sheng herself realized this issue. Her already dark and rough face grew increasingly stiff, and each time she looked at the calm Xu Fengnian, she hesitated to speak, feeling guilty and uneasy.
After passing Huanghua Pass and traveling another dozen li, they would reach Liangzhou. Within the Beiliang Dao territory, fourteen military commanders were now stationed to guard fourteen passes. This system, from individual points to a connected line, followed the "situation theory" proposed by Gu Dazhu, the progenitor of such theories: a beacon every five li, a mound every ten li, a fort every thirty li, and a city every hundred li. Previously, Beiliang was not without beacons, mounds, and forts; on the contrary, their numbers were not few, but most were disorganized. If war truly erupted, they might not be able to quickly respond to each other. Now, the numbers had been slightly streamlined, but the strategic situation in Beiliang had consequently become much clearer. Huanghua Pass was one of these fourteen passes, guarded by a highly experienced old commander, Li Maozhen, leading three thousand elite soldiers. Li Maozhen was mature and steady, deeply trusted and relied upon by the old King of Liang. Otherwise, Xu Xiao would not have entrusted the eastern gate of Liangzhou to him.
The Waiyuan Gate of this pass city was a favorite of border poets throughout history. This gate symbolized the imperial court's policy of conciliation to achieve long-term stability and secure the western frontiers. The dull, dark green city walls extending from both flanks of the pass were like a roaming dragon traversing the desert Gobi, its head connecting northward to the reddish Mount Sheyan, where the "Lock-Yin Beacon," renowned as the "No. 1 Beacon Under Heaven," was located. In previous years, Huanghua Pass did not exclude civilian markets; especially on the first and fifteenth days of each month, people came and went, making it exceptionally bustling. However, after becoming one of the fourteen passes, Huanghua Pass became much quieter. Trade caravans traversing the northwestern regions of the dynasty had to detour, leading to widespread complaints. As a result, Commander Li Maozhen, known as "Weak String Commander," specifically submitted a memorial to Qingliang Mountain, requesting the reopening of the city gate and military agricultural colonies. He argued that with these, the three thousand elite soldiers would not require military pay from Liangzhou and could even provision the border army. At that time, Xu Fengnian was not in the Prince's Residence. The "Red-Ink Hanlin" scholars in Wutong Courtyard had a dispute over this, and finally, Lu Chengyan, who had replaced Lu Yi in Wutong Courtyard, made the final decision, rejecting old Commander Li Maozhen's memorial. It was said that the vigorous old Commander Li almost resigned and retreated, openly scolding the "short-sighted women" in Wutong Courtyard for managing the household without knowing the cost of daily necessities, claiming they would eventually empty the Prince's Residence's coffers. The old commander even criticized the young vassal king, saying, "A mouth without hair cannot handle matters reliably" (meaning, young and inexperienced).
Six or seven elite light cavalrymen galloped out from Huanghua Pass city gate, escorting a white-haired old man in plain clothes. The old man stopped his horse at a military agricultural colony outside the city and squatted by the field, sighing deeply. Although Beiliang Dao had newly established a "Military Agricultural Land Department," modeled after the imperial Ministry of Works, responsible for all military-cultivated lands within its territory, in the eyes of the old man, who was familiar with officialdom's rules, this was merely a reluctant measure by the new King of Liang to accommodate outside scholars. The essence of military cultivation lay in the words "military" and "reclamation"; once handed over to outsiders, it would only become a tool for illicit gains and exploitation. However, the old man was, after all, a subject of Beiliang; how could he truly contend with the Beiliang Prince's Residence? Fortunately, the young scholar serving as Supernumerary Official in the Military Agricultural Land Department hadn't extended his reach too far for now. Although he was an amateur in agricultural colony affairs, his subordinates were quite capable and dedicated. The new settlers who had migrated from Liuzhou, Beiliang Dao's fourth province, were also honest and peaceful. Only then did the old man grudgingly accept the situation; otherwise, he would truly be capable of the bold act of leading troops to expel those people from the territory.
Not long after the old man arrived at this agricultural colony, several young civil officials hurried there upon hearing the news. Among them, the leading young man had an eighth-rank oriole embroidered on his official patch, and the two behind him had ninth-rank quail patches. Their ranks were not high, but they all held substantial power. That eighth-rank official was Liu Gongren, one of the six Supernumerary Officials of the Beiliang Dao Military Agricultural Land Department. The other five colleagues were all at the border, and he alone was responsible for the agricultural colony affairs of Liangzhou and Youzhou. It was said that this was because the Military Agricultural Land Department was wary of Li Maozhen, a talent like "a sharp awl in a bag," and Liu Gongren was implicated, forced to remain inland and unable to pursue his ambitions at the border. After Liu Gongren arrived, in addition to surveying the fields, he had also repeatedly sent formal requests to the Irregular General's Residence. Unfortunately, the powerful Commander Li Maozhen, who held the title of an irregular general, gave no respect to this young man, always rejecting him. After the fourteen commanders of Beiliang Dao emerged, it was as if regional warlords had carved up territory, with most of them being new faces. The arrogant old man squatting by the field with his back to Liu Gongren was precisely the backbone of Huanghua Pass, Commander Li Maozhen, the "Weak String Commander."
The old man ignored Liu Gongren's formal pleasantries, snorted coldly, and without raising his head, sneered, "Lord Liu certainly has a lot of leisure, prancing over here to curry favor with this general. Aren't you afraid of delaying the great undertaking of agricultural colonies in two prefectures? Or perhaps you think getting familiar with a 'Weak String Commander' will help your future career climb?" The two young auxiliary officials, also eighth-rank Supernumerary Officials like their superior, were indignant upon hearing this and were about to speak. Liu Gongren, whose mouth was dry and cracked, waved his hand and took a few steps forward, intending to approach the old man. However, a burly attendant with a saber blocked his path. Liu Gongren smiled, and after some deliberation, the attendant, perhaps sensing the seventh-rank civil official's clear eyes and finding him hard to dislike, hesitated then moved aside, allowing Liu Gongren to walk to the edge of the field. He sat down beside the old man and lifted his official robe collar, shaking it. It turned out this Supernumerary Official was not sweating profusely, but his fingernails were full of dirt, and even his official patch was covered in dust. With his discerning eyes, Li Maozhen merely glanced sideways and immediately seized another opportunity to mock, "Tsk, tsk. Lord Liu, you make quite the official! Working in the fields while wearing your official robe—who would still think you're lazy and ignorant of farming? Or are you afraid people won't recognize you as a seventh-rank official?"
Liu Gongren smiled calmly, "Working in official robes is not only uncomfortable and cumbersome but also hot. However, if I didn't wear official robes, your wolf-like soldiers, Old General, would surely drive me out of the agricultural colony." Li Maozhen frowned and remained silent.
Just then, the attendants who had followed Li Maozhen out of the city became alert. Three strange figures were slowly walking along the small path by the field. When they were about ten meters apart, the young man with empty hands smiled and asked, "Are you Li Maozhen?" Li Maozhen, whose name was directly called, turned his head and looked. Seeing the vaguely familiar, refined face, a storm surged in his heart. Yet, he was somewhat unsure. Li Maozhen was an old Beiliang general and naturally remembered the unparalleled grace of the former Beiliang Princess Wu. But how could the old man believe that the young man before him was *that* person? The young man, with two youths carrying a sword and a saber standing beside him, smiled faintly, "Li Maozhen, now that I'm standing right in front of you, you're not cursing anymore?" Hearing this playful remark, Li Maozhen instantly recognized the person's identity. He suddenly stood up and was about to perform a kneeling bow. However, the young man, who looked like a scholar, had unknowingly walked to Li Maozhen's side. He sat down beside the old man, with Supernumerary Official Liu Gongren on his other side. Li Maozhen's light cavalry attendants were startled and were about to protect him when Li Maozhen ordered them to retreat to the city first.
Liu Gongren and the two auxiliary officials from the Military Agricultural Land Department, who had been standing, were utterly bewildered. Li Maozhen's expression was agitated; he didn't know what to say. The old man wasn't truly foolish; with the King of Beiliang actually sitting beside him, even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to curse him. Moreover, when his memorial was rejected back then, he had merely said a few things in a fit of anger and regretted it afterwards. In fact, if the young vassal king had personally approved it, instead of those women from Wutong Courtyard handling it, then let alone refuting it, even if the King of Beiliang had publicly berated Li Maozhen severely, he, as the "Weak String Commander," would not have talked back. Li Maozhen, holding significant power, recognized two things more than many others: Beiliang and the Xu family. No matter if you were a mere "kitten or puppy" but the head of the Xu family after Grand General Xu Xiao, as long as you sat in the position of Beiliang's co-ruler, Li Maozhen would pledge his life to you.
The newcomer was naturally Xu Fengnian. He leaned past Li Maozhen to glance at Liu Gongren, with his eighth-rank official patch, and smiled, "You must be Lord Liu, the Supernumerary Official who once studied at Shangyin Academy. You two continue your conversation; I'll just listen." Liu Gongren mistakenly thought this person was a local bigwig whom even Old General Li had to be wary of, a scion of an influential general's family in Liangzhou. Nevertheless, he decided to make the best of the situation and seized the opportunity to explain to the old commander why Beiliang Dao had "added legs to a snake" (done something superfluous) by establishing the Military Agricultural Land Department. However, before the young civil official could speak, Li Maozhen turned and glared fiercely at him, "The Prince is sitting right beside you, personally backing you up, and you're still talking nonsense to this old man? From now on, I will strictly rein in those subordinates who deliberately make things difficult for the Military Agricultural Land Department. If you, this Supernumerary Official, encounter any more difficulties, you can directly enter the Irregular General's Residence within the pass." Liu Gongren and the two young scholars-officials behind him were all stunned and speechless. Xu Fengnian looked up, waved his hand, and smiled, "Everyone, please sit down and talk." Several people sat side by side by the field. Except for Li Maozhen, who could maintain composure on his face, the others, including Liu Gongren, were restless, with an uncontrollable excitement in their hearts.
Jiantiao Tiandao 15
In officialdom, advancement meant progressing from one rank to another, with one threshold after another, almost without end. For the ministers of the Six Boards, who were pillars of the imperial court, let alone local officials, even capital officials who could participate in court assemblies might find many colleagues never even getting close to those important figures in their entire lives, let alone exchanging a few words. However, apart from Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Julu and Gu Jiantang, vassal kings who carved out territories were undoubtedly even rarer than these famous dukes and powerful ministers who were pillars of the dynasty. These scholars who had come to Liangzhou had long heard various tales of the new King of Liang. Unlike his previous infamous reputation, the increasingly widespread rumors now mostly concerned the young vassal king's numerous heroic deeds. But even if Xu Fengnian were a useless "embroidered pillow" (a handsome but incompetent person), as long as he was the master of Beiliang, he was destined to have a large group of renowned military talents behind him, including Chu Lushan, Yuan Zuozong, and Yan Wenluan.
Seeing that they were unwilling to speak, Xu Fengnian could only smile and ask, "Lord Liu, since becoming Supernumerary Official, how much road have you traveled?" Liu Gongren respectfully replied, "Your humble servant has been a Supernumerary Official in the Military Agricultural Land Department for over two months. I don't know how much road I've traveled, but I've already replaced four pairs of boots." Li Maozhen said softly, "Liu Gongren, this eighth-rank official, is indeed a bit different from the previous corrupt officials in Beiliang. I've checked his background; since taking office, he hasn't acquired a private residence or kept concubines. However, it's also possible he's not yet familiar with the intricacies of officialdom and hasn't dared to get involved too early and ruin his future." Liu Gongren didn't know whether to laugh or cry, muttering, "Old General Li, are those good words or bad words?" Xu Fengnian said, "Given Li Maozhen's foul temper, generally speaking, if he hasn't directly spoken ill of you, then it's all considered good words." Li Maozhen chuckled softly, nodded, and looked somewhat smug.
Xu Fengnian suddenly addressed him as Old General Li and asked, "Are these new officials like Liu Gongren, these outside scholars taking up their posts, still satisfactory?" Li Maozhen hummed and replied, "At the very least, for the next three or four years, they can be considered honest officials. As for whether they can be called capable administrators, compared to those useless fellows who previously did nothing productive, they are certainly much better." Xu Fengnian muttered to himself, "That's enough." Li Maozhen suddenly asked cautiously, "Your Royal Highness, perhaps we should switch places? Your humble general doesn't dare to sit in the central, principal seat. I keep feeling that Your Royal Highness might be being courteous first and then aggressive, about to strip this humble general of his official position?" Xu Fengnian teased, "Xu Xiao used to say that you, Li Maozhen, have a great lust for officialdom. That's why he made an exception and helped you get the fixed quota of four Irregular Generals from the Liyang imperial court. It certainly seems to be the case now." Li Maozhen laughed heartily, "If I don't become a high official, how can I lead troops into battle? Your humble general knows his own limitations; otherwise, I'd already be asking Your Royal Highness for the position of a Grand Commander." Xu Fengnian said softly, "There will be fighting to be had." Li Maozhen paused, then smiled knowingly, "According to our old rules, whenever there's a major battle, the Xu family's iron cavalry will establish temporary vanguard and assault camps. How about including Li Maozhen? Anyway, the Grand General promised this humble general that the title of Irregular General can be hereditary, and this old man has no other wishes. My eldest legitimate son, Li Houshi, is no worse than me at leading troops. If Huanghua Pass is entrusted to him, Your Royal Highness can rest assured." Xu Fengnian smiled faintly, "Xu Xiao died of old age in his bed. You, Li Maozhen, already have four generations living under one roof. What kind of excitement do you need to go to the border for?" Li Maozhen said in a deep voice, "Then let it be my last time to ride to the border for the Grand General. Military Advisor Li Yishan once said, 'We must always make those northern barbarians remember one thing: where the Xu family's doorstep is, that is where Liyang's national gate stands!'"
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