Chapter 647: Beiliang In-Law

Volume Three: He Xinliang

The small city of Qingcang was currently aglow with importance. Not only were the brothers Xu Fengnian and Xu Longxiang from Beiliang present, but it was also rumored that an Assistant Military Commissioner, a position never before established by the Liyang Dynasty, had been added. In the twilight, just before the city gates closed, a majestic cavalry troop rode into Qingcang. The guards, surprisingly, were from Weishui Camp, an honor usually reserved only for "imperial relatives" who had intermarried with the Xu family on the Beiliang Road. It had to be either the Lu family, a prominent clan from Qingzhou, or the Lin family, which had produced a "God of Wealth."

As expected, Liu Zhen, the Registrar of Liuzhou responsible for receiving the guests, saw Wang Linquan's tall, travel-worn figure. Liu Zhen was initially a bit apprehensive; after all, Wang Linquan had once been a vanguard carrying the flag for the Great General and a trusted confidant, and now he was the new King of Beiliang's father-in-law, a powerful figure across "two dynasties." How could a mere Registrar like him put on airs in front of such an influential person? However, Wang Linquan was very approachable. Although he didn't deliberately engage in warm conversation, his gaze carried a genuine sincerity that put Liu Zhen at ease. Liu Zhen had heard rumors that the two "river-crossing dragons" from Qingzhou in Beiliang – the Lu family, led by the great literary master Lu Dongjiang, was extremely difficult to deal with, while Wang Linquan, Qingzhou's richest man and a veteran from Beiliang, treated people thoughtfully, and there had never been any talk of the Lin family's servants abusing their power. Now, having witnessed it firsthand, Liu Zhen was mostly convinced.

Wang Linquan was led by Liu Zhen to a quiet and elegant northern courtyard in the former Dragon King's Residence. Along the way, there were no heavily armed guards, which initially made the perceptive Wang Linquan feel a little uneasy, thinking that Governor Yang Guangdou was being too careless. But he quickly relaxed, realizing that in the world today, few masters would dare to flaunt their martial arts in front of the King of Beiliang.

However, after Wang Linquan and Liu Zhen stepped through the courtyard gate, they looked at each other in surprise at the scene before them. The young feudal lord was sitting on the steps, sleeves rolled up, washing his younger brother Xu Longxiang's hair. The young commander of the 30,000 Dragon Elephant Iron Cavalry was squatting on the two steps below, his rear sticking out, bending his head towards the basin. Liu Zhen didn't dare to stay long and quickly took his leave.

Xu Fengnian held Xu Longxiang's bun with one hand and applied locally made soap to his brother's hair with the other. Upon seeing his father-in-law, he could only raise an elbow to motion for Wang Linquan to sit beside him. Xu Longxiang turned his head and grinned, which served as a greeting. Wang Linquan was inevitably flattered; in Beiliang, the young prince rarely showed warmth to anyone, even to his second sister, Xu Weixiong.

While washing Xu Longxiang's hair, Xu Fengnian casually said, "Only by entrusting all the businesses in Liuzhou to you, Uncle Wang, can I feel at ease. There will certainly be no shortage of gossip. Some will say I'm practicing nepotism, that I've fallen into a money trap, only caring about the Xu family's wealth and not Beiliang's long-term prosperity. Otherwise, even if I promote the capable without regard for kinship, why would I exclusively give important roles to the Wang family while ignoring the Lu family, which has produced so many talents? The intricacies of this situation are clear to you, Uncle Wang, even if others can't see them. Ever since Grand Pillar Lu Feichi passed away, Lu Dongjiang hasn't been able to fully support the Lu family yet. Our Master Lu Bokui, after arriving in Beiliang, first sought official positions for the Lu family's younger members. After being rejected by his daughter Lu Chengyan, he's now vying for the position of Beiliang's literary leader, never idle for a moment. I don't know what to say; I can only let him make a fuss. As long as he doesn't cross the line, there will always be a place for the Lu family at the New Year's Eve dinner here at Qingliang Mountain."

Wang Linquan sighed, not saying much more. Although the Xu family, the Lu family, and his Wang family were now "in the same boat," sharing honor and disgrace, even an honest official finds it hard to mediate family disputes. The Lu family lacked foresight, and Wang Linquan couldn't very well go and criticize Lu Dongjiang. Moreover, all members of the Lu family were scholars with flourishing reputations, each more arrogant than the last, and would never even acknowledge a merchant like him, who "reeked of copper." The Wang and Lu families were now on equal footing in Beiliang due to their daughters. While the Wang family saw nothing wrong with this, the Lu family, whose members had served as officials for generations, considered it a source of shame.

Xu Fengnian helped wring his brother's hair dry, then looked up at the visibly uncomfortable Wang Linquan and asked with a smile, "What's wrong, Uncle Wang? Don't you recognize me?"

Wang Linquan chuckled wryly, "My Lord, my daughter Chuwinter has always been unfamiliar with social graces, and now she's causing trouble at the academy, which is truly unseemly. Please do not hesitate to scold or punish her when she deserves it."

Xu Fengnian teased, "Oh, I wouldn't dare. I don't know how others treat their wives, but our Xu family has never had a rule about keeping women hidden away. Uncle Wang, you've met my mother; would Xu Xiao dare to do that?"

Wang Linquan laughed heartily, "My Lord, you jest. The Princess Consort was a rare and extraordinary woman in this world. How could my humble daughter be compared to her? The Great General held the Princess Consort in great respect, and she certainly deserved it."

Xu Fengnian casually wiped his face with his sleeve and asked, "Uncle Wang, why don't you tell me some stories about Xu Xiao's past? When he talks to me and Huang Man'er, he always likes to recount his heroic deeds. Every time I ask about his famous great defeats, he always avoids the topic."

Wang Linquan nodded, lost in thought for a moment, likely reminiscing about the glorious past. Once immersed, he couldn't pull himself out, as is common for elderly people; recalling old times was like opening a yellowed old book and reading its worn-out stories. Wang Linquan sat on the steps, looking at the empty courtyard, and began to speak of those bloody battles that had nearly crippled the Xu family army, almost preventing them from recovering. The battlefield opponents who had given Xu Xiao so much trouble back then were now forgotten, mostly unmentioned in official histories.

Among them were two feudal lords from the former Liyang Dynasty who had conspired to trap Xu Xiao. Wang Linquan described it as a close-quarters alley battle in the rain. At the time, Xu Xiao was merely a military officer, leading six hundred elite soldiers into the city, only to face three thousand infantrymen. In the end, only forty-six people, including Xu Xiao, escaped the city. That wasn't the worst of it; those two feudal generals even presented the heads of the Xu family's soldiers as those of rebels, reporting them to the imperial court to claim military merits, which the court approved. Within a mere year, Xu Xiao led his private army to flatten those two feudal towns that had nominally submitted to the Zhao imperial family.

When Xu Xiao was at his poorest and most desperate, he was no different from a wandering bandit. The imperial court provided no military pay, and local authorities regarded them as enemies, so they could only resort to highway robbery. However, they tried their best not to harm people and would quietly note down the surnames of those whose property they took. After Xu Xiao rose to prominence, those families whose property and provisions had been taken by the Xu family's armored soldiers all received a generous recompense. Among them was the Liu family of Chishui Commandery, who almost found themselves on the "Biography of Treacherous Officials." Back then, Xu Xiao had only taken goods worth over two hundred taels from them, which was insignificant to the Liu family. However, had Xu Xiao not intervened, if the Liu family had indeed been listed in the "Biography of Treacherous Officials," it would have been a complete catastrophe, ending their family's influence for generations.

As Wang Linquan spoke, his eyes reddened, yet he smiled and said, "I remember that time when it was decided to attack Western Chu. Many in the army had strong opinions about the court's troop deployment, believing that with so much infighting while trying to fight Western Chu, led by Ye Baikui, the battle was unwinnable. Our Xu family army had campaigned north and south for so many years; there was no reason to be at the forefront, sacrificing ourselves. At that time, several old generals who had already been granted titles and positions were the loudest in their complaints. The morale of the people and the army was truly unstable then. Xu Xiao spoke with them once. I was the Great General's personal guard then, protecting the camp, and I remember very clearly how intense the argument was. Anyway, after that, most of these generals returned to Tai'an City, with only a few remaining. Then, Protector Chu, Commander Yuan, and a group of people who were still relatively young and strong at the time, like Yan Wenluan and Wei Tieshan, were appointed as generals in a time of crisis. It wasn't just the imperial court that didn't favor us; even our own people felt uncertain. Fortunately, Protector Chu and Commander Yuan led a few tough battles and won, achieving truly incredible victories."

He continued, "Over the years, I've also met several old men near Qingzhou who had initially left the Xu family army, as well as many old Xu family veterans who had to retire due to injuries. I found something very interesting: those who contributed little but clearly benefited often showed no gratitude, frequently spoke ill of Beiliang, and were sarcastic. Conversely, those old soldiers who contributed a great deal but remained obscure never sought rewards. For all these years, they consistently spoke highly of the Great General. Back then, they were insignificant, and no one was willing to listen to their rambling."

Xu Fengnian nodded and said, "Beiliang's current situation is similar. The principle isn't complicated: many people are essentially businessmen. They prioritize self-interest in everything they do – making friends, becoming officials, arranging marriages for their descendants, engaging in poetry and literary exchanges, and so on. They keep a meticulously clear ledger in their hearts. However, such people are ultimately a minority."

Xu Fengnian smiled and said indifferently, "Because they've never given anything, they can afford not to care."

Wang Linquan sighed with emotion, "I'm relieved that Your Highness thinks this way."

Xu Fengnian finished washing and tying Xu Longxiang's hair, then stood up and emptied the basin. Wang Linquan, the "God of Wealth," had a large pile of matters awaiting his decision, so he did not stay any longer. Xu Fengnian watched the elderly man leave the courtyard, thinking it seemed it was time to choose an auspicious day to get married and take a consort. Otherwise, if he kept delaying, the Wang and Lu families, who were currently able to coexist peacefully, might start exchanging harsh words and arguing, and in the end, he, the son-in-law, would be the one caught in the middle and blamed by both sides. Just because Wang Linquan was kind and benevolent didn't mean that every member of the entire Wang family behind him was simple and honest. And although the Lu family seemed to have caused many jokes and farces for Qingliang Mountain for now, in the future, Beiliang would have to rely on this in-law, the Lu clan, to deal with scholars within its jurisdiction. Xu Fengnian stood at the top of the steps, holding the wooden basin, and chuckled self-mockingly, "They're all calculating businessmen."

Xu Longxiang stood beside his brother; a faint greenish stubble had appeared around the young man's mouth. He was still thin, but much taller.

Xu Fengnian was just about to say some words that had been accumulating in his heart for many years to Huang Man'er when a white gyrfalcon plummeted from the sky, bringing a concise secret letter. The letter contained two pieces of news: Nearly a hundred Qi practitioners from the Guanyin Sect of the South Sea had entered Lingzhou territory, and suddenly, a hundred cavalrymen from the Wu Family Sword Tomb had appeared in the martial arts world, heading straight for Beiliang.