Chapter 672: Great King Patrolling the Mountain

On the northwestern frontier, a lone city nestled against the desert, where clouds and sand stretched boundlessly. At dawn, with light hooves, the tall Grandmaster of Qi Cultivation reined in her horse. As she gazed at the vast, desolate landscape stretching between sky and earth, her mind felt particularly serene. She was accompanied by only two other riders. Wu Liuding and the Hundred Riders of the Wu family, led by a female sword attendant, had parted ways with them a day earlier. Escorted by the White Horse Righteous Guard, they had journeyed to the headquarters of the Beiliang Protectorate, where Chu Lushan was stationed. As expected, this group of the world's top swordsmen would serve as the most covert and sharp "tip of the blade" for the Beiliang frontier army. As for Xu Beizhi, the young, high-ranking official, he had already returned alone on horseback. She, Xu Fengnian, and Sui Xiegou, however, continued north, brazenly passing through the border defenses separating Liang and Mang, and entered Longyao Province in the Southern Dynasty. Tantai Pingjing bent down and stroked the horse's soft mane. This warhorse was exceptionally magnificent; indeed, only Beiliang could raise such a swift and powerful steed. She looked up at the young King of Liang, who sat silently high on his horse. Along their journey, dispatches of intelligence and military reports were constantly delivered to him. Xu Fengnian would read them and casually burn them, seemingly never interfering with frontier military affairs. Such a hands-off approach seemed easy and carefree, as if anyone could fill his position. However, Tantai Pingjing was not so naive. Since Beiliang boasted control over three hundred thousand iron cavalry, if they were in an era of peace and prosperity, someone not named Xu would not be able to be a carefree prince; the Zhao imperial family of Liyang would have long since eliminated them, like 'killing the cunning rabbit once the hounds are dead'. Moreover, in the current chaotic times, with a million Northern Mang troops pressing down, if any mediocre ruler unable to command respect held the northwestern gateway, Beiliang would have fallen into chaos long before the Northern Mang army even showed its might. No matter how many frontier troops there were, if morale faltered, even if Beiliang had another three hundred thousand armored soldiers, they still couldn't withstand the Northern Mang's tiger-wolf army unleashed by that old woman.

Xu Fengnian unconsciously rubbed the rough reins with his thumb and forefinger, his horse halted on the hillside as he gazed into the distance.

"Where fires fade and smoke settles, the Western reach ends; valleys are silent, mountains bare, the North lies flat. If only generals could win a hundred battles, the Emperor would not need to build a Great Wall."

This was a widely popular frontier poem in the Central Plains. The poet, originally a promising scholar of humble origins, brought misfortune upon himself through his words. Because this poem was suspected of "flattering Liang and Xu" in literary circles, after the poet returned to the Central Plains to serve as an official, he languished in local bureaucracy for over ten years, never receiving a promotion, eventually resigning in depression and fading into obscurity. When Xu Fengnian first traveled the Jianghu with Old Huang, he once visited the poet's hometown. Although he was very short on money at the time, there was no problem in 'swelling his face to look fat' (pretending to be rich) to buy a pot of wine and carry it to visit. Unfortunately, he only saw moss-covered steps but no one. Xu Fengnian lightly exhaled a turbid breath. At that time, he had only thought that Emperor Zhao must have manipulated things. Later, after personally experiencing some bureaucratic rules, he gradually understood that it might not be the man on the dragon throne who was so petty, but rather the local officials, the 'ground snakes', who observed expressions and anticipated the imperial will. To say nothing of distant places, even in nearby Beiliang, how many officials, to curry favor with him, would readily use ancient artifacts and calligraphy worth a fortune to build connections with the Lu family of Qingzhou, who were now relatives by marriage to Beiliang? And how many unknown backdoors had been opened for the Lu family's children to ensure their smooth advancement in Beiliang's officialdom? Even some of Beiliang's most esteemed academy scholars, known for their integrity, looked favorably upon the mediocre literary talents of the Lu family's offspring, hoping to forge connections with the Lu family and, in turn, with the Xu family. If not for Lu Chengyan's strong will, Lu Feichi, the head of the Lu family, would have long since leveraged this to become the patriarch of Beiliang's literary circles. Xu Fengnian couldn't help but feel a touch of melancholy. He still remembered the ordinary bamboo lantern the old Lu family patriarch had handed to Lu Feichi before his death, hoping that Lu Feichi would take up the flickering flame that swayed with the chaotic times, striving for the tradition to continue. Clearly, Lu Feichi, who had long harbored grievances about his family's relocation to impoverished Beiliang, found the process of settling in Beiliang too smooth. When he suddenly discovered that the Lu family had achieved unparalleled prominence in Beiliang, not just Lu Feichi but the entire Lu clan too quickly became carried away with their success, far less discreet than the 'royal relative' old fox Wang Linquan. But what truly filled Xu Fengnian with resentment was Wang Linquan's conformity and self-restraint. The more the Wang family of Chunschen Lake deliberately accommodated the scholarly Lu family at every turn, wasn't it precisely to dig a pit for the Lus to fall into? Wang Linquan's overt calculations were, in fact, a greater headache for Xu Fengnian than the Lu family's lack of tact.

However, these sordid matters, difficult for even sages to judge, were impossible to speak of or untangle. As the "favored son-in-law" of two families, Xu Fengnian could hardly use his status as King of Beiliang to throw his weight around. Such actions would likely lead to more mistakes than successes, inevitably inviting accusations of favoritism.

Fortunately, these thorny issues were not yet urgent. Moreover, Lu Chengyan's handling of affairs was appropriate and fitting; even his second sister, Xu Weixiong, admitted she could find no fault with Lu Chengyan. Among women—mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, sisters-in-law, and wives of brothers—these relationships are often a silent clash of swords. A man caught in the middle, naturally, suffers immensely.

The great impending disaster for Xu Fengnian, or rather, for Beiliang, had remained unchanged since Xu Xiao was granted a fief and became King of Beiliang: the ever-watching Northern Mang.

If Beiliang could be destroyed, and the eastern frontier, where Gu Jiantang was stationed, bypassed, then the fertile Central Plains would be like women waiting to be slaughtered. How could Northern Mang, like a famished man, not desperately attack Beiliang?

Previously, under the plans of Xu Xiao and his teacher Li Yishan, while Beiliang didn't face the question of whether to defend or not, the 'how' of defense—a 'live' defense—still allowed the Beiliang iron cavalry ample room for maneuver. They could retreat with refugees to the Western Regions, or fall back to Western Shu, using Nanzhao as support. This would be enough to fight the Northern Mang army to the bitter end. Even if Northern Mang captured Beiliang after its troops had voluntarily withdrawn due to unfavorable battle, it would be a desolate, 'scorched earth' territory, which would only stretch Northern Mang's supply lines. Beiliang could then continue to confront Northern Mang along the Western Shu border, or even harass the overextended Northern Mang forces across the vast Western Regions. However, due to Chen Zhibao being enfeoffed as a king and entering Shu, this entire vertical western line—Beiliang, Western Shu, and Nanzhao—was cut in half. As a result, Xu Fengnian and Beiliang lost their strategic depth and could only fight to the death.

Deep down, Xu Fengnian harbored an unspeakable guilt. It wasn't that he felt he had wronged the people of Beiliang, but rather that he felt he had let down Li Yishan.

Within the Beiliang army, there was excessive optimism about the internal unrest within the Northern Mang royal court. Xu Fengnian did not believe this could significantly restrain the fighting power of the invading Northern Mang army. When profit is paramount, it becomes an irresistible trend. As long as that old woman employed both carrot and stick – with Tuoba Pusa's army suppressing one side, and promises of marquisates and peerages upon entering the Central Plains on the other – she could truly unite the nation for a southward advance, and it wouldn't take long.

Sui Xiegou, a centenarian, had traveled the length and breadth of the land, seen emperors, generals, merchants, and commoners alike. The affairs of the world could hardly stir this one-armed old man's emotions anymore. Feeling rather bored beside the dazed Xu Fengnian, he casually asked, "When I was young, I never understood why those generals and soldiers loved to fight. Were they truly not afraid of death? Wars in the Spring and Autumn period were easier to understand; in chaotic times, a person's life was worth less than a dog's in peacetime, cheap as straw. People were forced to treat their lives as worthless. But now Beiliang has enjoyed peace for a long time. Can it really withstand a million Northern Mang troops?"

Xu Fengnian calmly replied, "It's a simple principle: sacrifice one's family for the country, and one's life for the family. No one is unafraid of death, but everyone has a reckoning in their heart. The fearless bravery of our Beiliang iron cavalry, besides the naturally courageous spirit of the Beiliang people, also stems from the clear understanding among many that they have no retreat. Their homes are in Beiliang. If they retreat and the frontier army disperses, the Northern barbarians' cavalry will sweep south. Even if they fled Beiliang, their two legs couldn't outrun the four legs of the Northern Mang warhorses."

Sui Xiegou pursed his lips and sneered, "None of you officials are any good."

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Don't I also have no retreat?"

Sui Xiegou rolled his eyes and said, "With your skills, if you truly wanted to kill, why don't you go alone to Longyao Province and cut your way through seven times? Are Tuoba Pusa and Hong Jingyan going to follow you around daily, keeping an eye on you?"

Xu Fengnian calmly replied, "I could kill like that, but figures on Northern Mang's martial arts ranking could also kill back in the same way. In a war between two nations, such actions aren't entirely meaningless, but their impact is truly limited. Of course, if one day Beiliang can no longer hold the northwestern gate, I will certainly do so."

Sui Xiegou was about to speak again when Tantai Pingjing let out a cold snort. The old sword-eating monster, his long brows fluttering, immediately shut his mouth.

Just then, a cloud of dust rose in the distance. Judging by their trajectory, they were heading south. Perhaps noticing the three conspicuous riders on the small sandy slope, these skilled horsemen charged straight for the hillside. However, they did not act rashly. Instead, they halted their horses fifty *zhang* from the base of the slope, gazing at Xu Fengnian and his two companions on the crest. They were a unit of Northern Mang elite scouts. Judging by their armor and attire, they were not the Raven Barricade, who were as famous as Beiliang's Ranger Archers. They were likely the direct vanguard of Liu Gui, the Southern Dynasty's Grand General. Liu Gui had once been praised by the Empress of Northern Mang as being worth "half a Xu Xiao." He had originally been one of the candidates expected to succeed Huang Songpu as the King of the Southern Court, but "Fatty Dong," as the old woman called him, had beaten him to it.

As scouts, whether from Northern Mang or Beiliang, they strictly adhered to rules. Unless it was a direct confrontation between fellow scouts, their primary objective was to gather intelligence without revealing their own positions. However, if they could casually take a few enemy heads, no one would refuse.

From this unit of scouts, one rider galloped out, drew his bow a hundred paces away, and fired an arrow with excellent aim, directly targeting the head of Xu Fengnian, who was in the middle of the three riders on the slope. This barbarian likely wanted to gauge the strength of the three riders: if they were formidable, they would simply retreat; if they were "embroidered pillows" (all show and no substance), then they would kill them and seize their horses. Now that the Liang and Mang armies were arrayed against each other, the scouts would certainly be the first to exchange lives.

Xu Fengnian turned his head, dodging the arrow.

That unit of scouts quickly turned their horses and retreated.

Sui Xiegou's eyes widened as he asked, "You won't eat meat delivered to your mouth? Isn't mosquito meat still meat?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head, saying, "Naturally, top Beiliang Ranger Archers will be covertly shadowing them. Currently, Northern Mang's harassment seems inexplicable. To ascertain Northern Mang's true motives, I have already incurred immeasurable losses. The marching routes of these Northern Mang scouts have thus become the most valuable clues. As for who the true bait is, that will depend on the strength and luck of both sides."

Sui Xiegou nonchalantly said, "So many twists and turns, how troublesome!"

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Are you suggesting it would be 'trouble-free' if Northern Mang's million troops obediently gathered in one place for a single decisive battle against our thirty thousand iron cavalry?"

Sui Xiegou retorted, "You save trouble, he saves trouble, everyone's happy, loser gets out—what else do you want?"

Xu Fengnian couldn't help but smile. "The Northern barbarians certainly hope Beiliang would do that. To be honest, I'd quite like to as well." The old swordsman's suggestion sounded amateurish and absurd, but if Liang and Mang truly could be so decisive and leave no room for maneuver, it would indeed be a win-win situation. Northern Mang would hope to swiftly devour the 'roadblock tiger' on its path south, and Beiliang would not be without hope of utterly defeating the Northern Mang army in a single strike. Northern Mang's advantage was clear: overwhelming numerical superiority. However, Beiliang's advantage lay in the Northern Mang army's temporary leaderlessness. Although Dong Zhuo was nominally the supreme commander, he could only mobilize his own more than ten thousand Dong family troops, Hong Jingyan's Rouran cavalry, the Wu army from Longyao and Guse Provinces, and the personal armies of several grand generals including Liu Gui and Yang Yuanzan. As King of the Southern Court, he could command them, but he absolutely could not control them as if they were his own limbs. Beiliang was different; Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuozong held absolute control over the Beiliang army. In a decisive battle, this was Beiliang's opportunity. However, such a "clash of wills," which amounted to gambling with the fate of two dynasties, was too extravagant for both sides.

Xu Fengnian watched the Northern Mang scouts retreat north and said softly, "Half a Xu Xiao? No matter who wins or loses this great war, your forty thousand troops, Liu Gui, are certainly doomed."

Tantai Pingjing asked, "What's next? To the Protectorate, or do we continue north?"

"To observe the million Northern Mang troops." Xu Fengnian galloped down the slope, speeding north.

Sui Xiegou, forced to follow behind, grumbled indignantly, "Didn't you just say that such actions were meaningless?!"

Xu Fengnian squinted with a smile, turned to the tall woman, and feigned ignorance, asking, "Senior Tantai, did I say that?"

Tantai Pingjing replied expressionlessly, "No."

Sui Xiegou hesitated, wanting to speak, but was stifled with immense discomfort.

Xu Fengnian hummed a little tune to himself:"My great king told me to patrol the mountains, oh, patrol the northern mountain, then the southern mountain, oh.Patrol the eastern mountain to kill passersby, patrol the western mountain to watch the sun.My great king has three heads and six arms, oh, I, the henchman, snatched a young woman and carried her on my back, but alas, the delicious meat reaches my mouth but I cannot swallow it. When will it be my turn to become a great king, oh..."