Chapter 741: Women's Thoughts

**Author:** Fenghuo Xizhuhou**Genre:** Xuanhuan Fantasy

The soil was rich, and with the first spring thunder, all things came to life.

A fine drizzle fell as dusk approached. On the official road connecting Yanzhi Prefecture City and Bishan County, three riders galloped, finally reaching Gulu Street just in time for dinner. They slowed their horses on the somewhat muddy street, making a few turns before arriving at a secluded courtyard. Dismounting, Lu Yunchang, who had the Great Frost long saber strapped to his back, looked puzzled. He couldn't understand why Yu Dilong insisted on coming to this godforsaken place. When their master had suggested returning directly to Liangzhou, Yu Dilong's face had fallen. He'd spent half a day stalling in his room, claiming through the door that he had an upset stomach and telling Lu Yunchang to go on ahead with their master. Lu Yunchang had laughed on the spot; with Yu Dilong's internal energy, he could swallow swords and knives without upsetting his stomach. Lu Yunchang had teased, "Are you pregnant or something?" In the past, the usually humorless Senior Disciple would have challenged him to a sparring match with his fists, but this time there was no reaction. Then, for some unknown reason, their master simply said it would be fine to go to Bishan County first. Yu Dilong immediately came alive, dashing to the stables, leading out his horse, and mounting it in one fluid motion. The wattle gate to the courtyard was latched with a reed stalk. Lu Yunchang could have easily pushed it open, but Yu Dilong, familiar with the place, meticulously secured their horses, then formally straightened his clothes and brushed off the rain marks on his shoulders before primly knocking on the wooden gate. Soon, Lu Yunchang saw the inner door slowly open, and a simply dressed woman emerged. Lu Yunchang whispered, "Yu Dilong, is that your mother?"

Yu Dilong, annoyed, instinctively blurted out, "She's your mother!"

Perhaps realizing that if Aunt Pei became Lu Yunchang's mother, it would mean Lu Yunchang's ancestors were truly blessed (an expression of extreme fortune, not an insult), Yu Dilong quickly composed his face and said, "Stop grinning. Later, you'll call her Aunt Pei with me. I don't care about anything else, but if you dare to be improper today, I'll really beat you."

Lu Yunchang rolled his eyes, but soon he couldn't tear his gaze away. Goodness, this lady was truly beautiful. However, Lu Yunchang quickly regained his composure. He wasn't some witless fool. Having spent so many years navigating the underworld of the Eastern Sea Martial Emperor City, though young, he was already a seasoned veteran. He could guess with certainty that this stunning woman was... something to their master. What followed in her words and actions impressed Lu Yunchang even more. Who was their master? Besides being the most powerful feudatory king in the Liyang Dynasty, he had, after just a few years in the martial world, earned the title of the foremost martial artist under heaven. Lu Yunchang had even heard that Purple-Clad Xuanyuan, the only female Jianghu Alliance Leader in centuries, who now wielded immense influence, was merely an attendant to their master back then. Yet, this woman, standing behind a dilapidated wattle gate, showed no urgency in unbolting it. Her face was cool and indifferent, and she gave Xu Fengnian a sidelong glance, a half-smile that was worse than no smile at all. Lu Yunchang could feel a mysterious, even murderous, intent in her gaze. He heard her say, "Oh, what a rare guest."

Lu Yunchang, filled with profound admiration, almost couldn't resist giving a thumbs-up, thinking, "This is absolutely a woman warrior! And the real kind, one who stays out of worldly affairs but possesses peerless martial arts!" Otherwise, who in the world would have the power and audacity to give their master the cold shoulder like this? Yu Dilong suppressed a smile, seemingly delighted to see his master in a predicament. Xu Fengnian coughed, waited a moment, and seeing she still had no intention of opening the gate, said somewhat awkwardly, "Well, I've been a bit busy. Oh, have you eaten yet?"

Pei Nanwei ignored him. At this moment, Yu Dilong craned his neck and, very obediently, smiled brightly, "Aunt Pei."

Pei Nanwei returned a knowing smile and finally opened the wattle gate for the three of them. She ruffled Yu Dilong's hair, "You seem to have grown taller."

Yu Dilong chuckled. The four walked towards the house together. Lu Yunchang furtively glanced around, but could make nothing of it. It was just an ordinary small Beiliang household, with a faint green vegetable patch in the corner and even a simple chicken coop. Yu Dilong nudged Lu Yunchang with his foot. Lu Yunchang whispered, "What?!"

Yu Dilong glared at him. Lu Yunchang froze for a moment, then quickly forced a smile and said, "Aunt Pei, my name is Lu Yunchang. I'm Master's head disciple."

Yu Dilong, who had been carrying the Liang saber strapped across his back since returning from Guluo Pass, impassively raised a hand to grasp the hilt of his saber. Not daring to really provoke Yu Dilong, Lu Yunchang quickly corrected himself with a laugh, "My mistake, my mistake. I am Master's last disciple. Yu Dilong is my senior disciple brother. Master has another disciple named Wang Sheng, who is our second senior sister."

Pei Nanwei smiled and nodded.

Inside the house, Pei Nanwei went to the kitchen and prepared some simple dishes for the master and his two disciples. The four sat around the table, each on a stool, and Xu Fengnian slowly picked up his chopsticks.

Pei Nanwei asked, "When are you leaving?"

Xu Fengnian smiled wryly, "Are you already trying to get rid of us?"

Pei Nanwei was silent for a moment, then suddenly frowned and said, "Aren't you still the records officer for Bishan County? Why haven't you received your salary? I went to the county office after the Lantern Festival, and the household registry clerk said you didn't need to report for roll call anymore. Later, I heard the county magistrate informed the prefect that an outside scholar assigned to Liangzhou would fill your vacant position."

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "It's indeed improper to occupy a latrine without relieving oneself. As for the salary..."

Seeing Pei Nanwei staring intently at him, Xu Fengnian slammed his chopsticks down and, immediately changing course, feigned anger. "This is outrageous! They're bullying people! I'll find an opportunity to go to the county office and reason with them."

Pei Nanwei said, "Go after dinner."

Xu Fengnian cautiously asked, "Is there no spare money left at home?"

Pei Nanwei calmly replied, "In daily life, who ever has too much money?"

Yu Dilong, who came from a poor background, nodded in deep agreement, "Exactly, exactly. Aunt Pei, you're right. Later, Master and I will go to the Bishan County office to demand your salary. If they don't give it..."

Pei Nanwei smiled slightly, "Speak nicely, no fighting."

Yu Dilong nodded vigorously, then looked at Xu Fengnian and seriously said, "Master, don't we in Beiliang get reward money for military achievements? The ones outside Guluo Pass were for the big guys, not me. But can you advance me ten taels of silver first? I'll make it up on the battlefield later. I'll store the money with Aunt Pei for now."

Xu Fengnian kicked his clumsy disciple under the table for bringing up a sore subject, then helplessly laughed, "I don't have any silver on me."

Yu Dilong persisted, "Didn't we bring two jars of chess pieces from the prefecture city? There's a pawn shop on Gulu Street too. They look quite valuable. How about picking forty or fifty pieces for me, and I'll pawn them for ten taels of silver first?"

Xu Fengnian reached up and rubbed his forehead, sighing softly. This prodigal son, whose loyalty bent outwards, those two red date wood jars, each containing 180 chess pieces—whether the "fish brain frost" black pieces or the "snow seal" white pieces—were so exquisite in material that a single piece wouldn't sell for ten taels of silver, let alone ten taels of gold. Moreover, such antique treasures, like rare books, were most prized when complete. Furthermore, those were top-grade imperial tributes from the Western Chu palace! Heaven knew if they were once the cherished possessions of some chess master, or perhaps even used by Grand Preceptor Li Mibi or Cao Changqing to play against others and discuss affairs of state.

Pei Nanwei asked with displeasure, "He's just a child, and he's going to kill people on the battlefield?"

Xu Fengnian looked at her calmly and said, "He is my disciple."

Yu Dilong seemed very afraid that his master and Aunt Pei would argue because of him, so he laughed, "Aunt Pei, it's fine. I'm a Beiliang native. Since I have martial arts, it's only right for me to go to the battlefield and kill barbarians. Later, after I pay off the 'big guys'' debt and earn more military merits, I'll send all the money here to you. Can you keep it for me? You can use it however you like then, Aunt Pei."

Pei Nanwei smiled and hummed in agreement, "Later, Aunt will find someone to renovate the house and turn it into a quadrangle courtyard. I'll specially reserve a room for you then."

Yu Dilong, who was wolfing down his food, looked up excitedly and exclaimed, "Great!"

After finishing his meal, Xu Fengnian put down his chopsticks and looked at Pei Nanwei, "I'll go to the county office with you. Let the two children wash the dishes."

After the two adults took their oil-paper umbrellas and left the house, Lu Yunchang sat cross-legged on a stool, watching Yu Dilong busy clearing the dishes, and quietly asked, "Just who is Aunt Pei? It seems like Master is quite devoted to her."

Yu Dilong, in an excellent mood, decided to joke around. He deliberately spoke mysteriously, "Aunt Pei is incredible. If her martial arts aren't second best in the world, they're at least third best."

Lu Yunchang looked utterly bewildered, "Are you kidding me?"

Yu Dilong pouted, "Believe it or not, Aunt Pei could crush you with one finger. Oh, and this is my home. When you visit in the future, remember not to scrounge for food and drink. You need to bring gifts."

Lu Yunchang grimaced.

Yu Dilong, clutching the bowls and chopsticks, happily ran to the kitchen, "I have a home now!"

Walking through the alley, Xu Fengnian and Pei Nanwei, Xu Fengnian remarked, "Thank you."

Pei Nanwei said calmly, "Because of Yu Dilong? No need. I already quite like that child. It's that Lu Yunchang, so full of hostility, I don't care for him much."

Xu Fengnian shook his head, "You're wrong. If I were to abandon him, Lu Yunchang would at most become a formidable figure in the Jianghu, stirring up trouble and perhaps becoming a Martial Arts Alliance Leader. But if Yu Dilong is left unrestrained, or without any emotional ties, he would be truly terrifying. This child might just have the potential to become another Wang Xianzhi."

Xu Fengnian rubbed his temples. "It's hard to say what the world will be like in the future, but after Huang Sanjia channeled the fortunes of the eight nations into the Jianghu, the current martial world is like a bamboo forest experiencing a 'great year' with a rapid growth of bamboo shoots after the rain. But next, it will soon be like bamboo flowering, where vast swathes die off, sometimes across dozens or even hundreds of li. Moreover, there will be no more 'great years' of abundance; they will all be 'small years.' The more this is the case, the more my three disciples—Yu Dilong, Wang Sheng, and Lu Yunchang—will stand out. Especially Yu Dilong, who has the best opportunities and the highest potential; he will undoubtedly stand alone at the peak. He might even be the only Land Immortal in the next century of the Jianghu after my generation. So, whether he has a home or not makes a huge difference."

Pei Nanwei smiled, "So that's why you were willing to come here for a visit and a meal. It's truly difficult for you, the King of Beiliang, to fight Northern Mang barbarians and also worry about the nation, its people, and the world. And you even scheme against your own disciples; aren't you tired?"

Xu Fengnian said with self-mockery, "Worrying about the nation and its people is too much. I truly don't have that much free time. Ultimately, I just want to protect the family legacy Xu Xiao passed down to me; that's the bottom line. Above that bottom line, if I can do something good to 'add flowers to the embroidery,' that's even better. If I can't, I won't force myself or make things difficult. But as for 'kicking someone when they're down' or 'adding fuel to the fire,' I genuinely don't want to do that. And as for your talk of scheming? Perhaps. There's no helping it; whenever I see this disciple Yu Dilong, it's hard not to think of Wang Xianzhi. He, Huang Longshi, and Zhang Julu are three people I intensely disliked in my early years, but whom I ultimately had to admire."

Pei Nanwei suddenly said, "I just heard military news from Guluo Pass, saying that Wogong City and Luanhe City were suddenly breached by the Northern Mang barbarians. I thought you would send a spy to tell me to move back to Qingliang Mountain. For the past two days, everyone in Bishan County has been saying that you personally led troops outside Guluo Pass and killed many barbarians. So, does that mean I don't have to go to Liangzhou now?"

Xu Fengnian smiled, "If you don't like it, you don't have to go back. And to tell you the truth, if the Northern Mang army really could advance south, of Beiliang's four prefectures, Youzhou would be the last to fall."

Pei Nanwei asked in confusion, "Later than Liangzhou?"

Xu Fengnian nodded, "It's due to the geographical situation. To give you an analogy, Youzhou is like a chicken rib—of little value but extremely tough to gnaw on. Liuzhou is an appetizer, spicy in flavor, but if Northern Mang grits its teeth, it can devour it. Lingzhou is a platter of delicacies from mountains and seas, but it's a bit far, and the barbarians' chopsticks can't reach it. Therefore, the main battlefield between the two sides can only be in Liangzhou. There will be city sieges, light cavalry seizing opportunities, and perhaps even the first large-scale clashes between heavy cavalry in history."

Pei Nanwei quietly said, "The Beiliang Dao is still too small, and its population isn't large enough."

Xu Fengnian looked a little helpless. "Otherwise, what did you think? The Liyang court's initial methods of controlling numerous feudatories, such as those of Zhang Lu and Gu Lu, largely referenced Xun Ping's 'Kuodizhi' and Xie Guanying's 'Hongjianian County Map Gazetteer.' The territories of the major feudatory kings—how many troops Xu Xiao's Beiliang Dao could support, how many Zhao Bing's Southern Border could support—were all calculated and simulated countless times. From the mid-Yonghui era onwards, the various restrictions and supports for the Beiliang Dao were all based on Northern Mang using Beiliang as its southern entry point. Yuan Benxi was betting on the situation that exists today. As for Zhao Bing's Southern Border, it was used to counter the Western Chu restoration on Guangling Dao. Otherwise, where would Liyang get the confidence to remain so calm and composed after Yang Shenxing and Yan Zhenchun's great defeat? Zhao Dun even had the leisure to take only Gu Jiantang to Jizhou to admire the scenery before his death, instead of going south of the capital to boost army morale, nor did he frantically order the Liangliao border army south. Why? It's simple: in Zhao Dun's eyes, the Western Chu restoration was not a major event that would harm the nation's vitality. All he wanted to do was control the timing, weakening all separatist forces of the feudatories outside of Beiliang Dao. He wasn't afraid of early defeats; in fact, he feared Yang Shenxing and Yan Zhenchun winning consecutive battles from the start, leaving no room for Guangling King Zhao Yi, Huainan King Zhao Ying, or Jingan King Zhao Xun. Otherwise, why do you think Yan Zhenchun, who was well-versed in military affairs, would have rushed south to assist Yang Shenxing at that time? Would Lu Shengxiang not have seen the risks? And why, after the war, was no one in the Ministry of War in the capital, including Lu Shengxiang, held accountable, despite seemingly issuing chaotic orders that led to disaster?"

Pei Nanwei said worriedly, "What if Yan Chi King Zhao Bing doesn't send troops? With a million Northern Mang troops at the border, isn't the court afraid of being attacked from both sides? Will Gu Jiantang's Liangliao forces alone be enough to hold Taian City?"

Xu Fengnian smiled, and said softly, "You, you underestimate Zhao Dun and those famous ministers of the 'Spring of Yonghui.' Feudatories, eunuchs, imperial relatives, factional struggles among civil officials, and local generals building up their own power—these have always been the five great scourges in history. You might recall the past twenty years of the Liyang court and the outcomes since the Western Chu restoration."

Pei Nanwei recounted, "Eunuchs interfering in politics never happened during the reigns of the two Zhao emperors, nor will it happen in the future. The same applies to imperial relatives. As for factional struggles, Zhang Julu was not a significant force during the Yonghui era, and now both the Zhang Lu and Gu Lu factions have collapsed. Although I don't know what it's like with a different person on the dragon throne, I do know that before his death, Zhao Dun invited Qi Yanglong, the Grand Libation of Shangyin Academy, to Taian City to be a regent minister and help the new emperor stabilize the court. So, presumably, no major chaos will occur. As for local generals, after the collapse of Gu Lu, and with the precedents of old generals Yang Shenxing and Yan Zhenchun, everyone feels insecure. Coupled with Gu Jiantang's constant concessions, many generals are grateful just to protect themselves and truly lack the spirit to challenge the court. Among the major old feudatory kings, Huainan King Zhao Ying is dead, Jiaodong King Zhao Sui is suppressed by Gu Jiantang and struggles to even breathe, and in Qingzhou... that person sacrificed several thousand elite cavalry, it seems, to show loyalty? Then, Beiliang must fight to the death with Northern Mang, and the most powerful Guangling King Zhao Yi is constrained by Western Chu, inevitably suffering severe damage. Plus, you said Yan Chi King Zhao Bing will soon be imperially ordered to go north..."

Pei Nanwei reached up and smoothed her hair from her forehead, smiling, "Truly worthy of the 'Spring of Yonghui.'"

Xu Fengnian remarked, "Qi Yanglong did not disappoint. The new court has handled many matters comprehensively: exceptionally conferring posthumous titles on meritorious military generals, adding Six Bureaus Academicians for civil officials. Everything is proceeding in an orderly manner."

Xu Fengnian lowered his head slightly, watching the rainwater fall on the bluestone slabs in the alley and disappear. "Zhang Julu is dead. Except for certain underlying matters that won't change, many of his and the Zhang Lu faction's imprints on the Liyang Dynasty will soon fade and vanish without a trace. The 'Spring of Yonghui' that Zhang Julu authored, that page of history, has been turned just like that. This is the Liyang's greatest strength: it appears to be assailed by winds from all directions and leaking everywhere, but in reality, it's as stable as Mount Tai. Ultimately, this is because the foundation Zhao Dun left for the current emperor is not weak."

They walked slowly, still some distance from the Bishan County office. Pei Nanwei hesitated to speak.

Xu Fengnian turned to her and smiled, "Just ask if you want to."

Pei Nanwei looked at him, "Don't you know what I want to ask?"

Xu Fengnian folded his oil-paper umbrella and suddenly moved under hers. Pei Nanwei showed no unusual expression; she thought that if the "couple" were to go to the yamen to argue for money, each holding an umbrella, it might seem improper and weaken their presence.

Xu Fengnian took the umbrella from her hand, and they walked shoulder to shoulder onto Gulu Street after turning out of the alley. "On the way to Shenwu City with Wang Xiaoping of Wudang, I wasn't sure if I would survive against Human Cat Han Shengxuan, so I confided some thoughts to Wang Xiaoping. My father, Xu Xiao, was never a devious person. He always said that Beiliang Dao and Liyang were one family; it was fine to argue behind closed doors. If life under one roof truly became unbearable, then they could move out and establish their own separate households next door, never interacting again. But if others thought they could take advantage, and came to their doorstep to show off their might, then Xu Xiao wouldn't hesitate to give them a big slap. It's that simple. Of course, Xu Xiao also had a bottom line: me, the son who would inherit his legacy. As long as I didn't die, even if the process of inheriting the legacy was bumpy and not smooth, Xu Xiao could endure it. But if I died at the hands of the court, he would abandon Beiliang and definitely lead the 300,000 Beiliang border troops all the way to Taian City. When I wandered the Jianghu with Old Huang back then, the then-Empress, now Empress Dowager Zhao Zhi, personally used her guards to shield me from disaster. Clearly, as a woman, she was better able to intuitively grasp Xu Xiao's intentions."

Xu Fengnian suddenly chuckled to himself. "As for me, I boasted in the capital back then that I would guard the nation's gate for the people of the Central Plains. It wasn't entirely sincere, but it wasn't entirely false either. Anyway, I had to help Xu Xiao protect Beiliang, and wasn't that just helping the people of the Central Plains guard their northwest gateway? It's the same thing, just two different intentions."

Pei Nanwei's lips curled into a faint smile.

Xu Fengnian gazed at the county office building not far ahead and said softly, "That old woman from Northern Mang once said in front of everyone from both dynasties that she was willing to rule the world with Xu Xiao. Doesn't that sound stirring and heroic?"

Pei Nanwei nodded, "It does."

Xu Fengnian smiled, "That's a needle hidden in cotton. Back then, Xu Xiao refused to divide the land along the river and rule separately, which led to a group of disgruntled generals leaving. One could say that was Xu Xiao's own doing. Later, when the court allowed the Xu family's Iron Cavalry to trample the Jianghu and act against martial artists, how many low-ranking soldiers left? You definitely wouldn't guess—as many as twenty thousand, all battle-hardened elite veterans. If Xu Xiao had agreed to the Northern Mang matriarch's proposal back then, how many people do you think would have left?"

Xu Fengnian extended a hand and rotated it, "At least a hundred thousand."

Pei Nanwei realized, "So that's how it was."

Xu Fengnian narrowed his eyes, "In that snowstorm, Xu Xiao and that old woman met outside the pass, with Tuoba Pusa and I serving as their grooms. They eventually parted on bad terms. But if you think Xu Xiao refused because he feared the Beiliang army's morale would collapse, then you underestimate my father and Empress Murong too much. She secretly promised Xu Xiao a condition that you'd never guess, no matter what."

Pei Nanwei casually said, "Isn't it that after success, Xu Xiao, being old, could retire, but you, Xu Fengnian, could become the ruler of the Central Plains?"

Xu Fengnian was dumbfounded. After letting out an expletive, he looked utterly shocked and said, "You guessed that too?!"

Pei Nanwei rolled her eyes at him, "I wouldn't have guessed it ordinarily, but you said it in such a way that it had to be something incredible. Besides, Zhao Zhi is a woman, and I am a woman. Why couldn't I guess Empress Murong's thoughts?"

Xu Fengnian praised sincerely, "Amazing!"

Pei Nanwei suddenly said, "I'm not cold."

Xu Fengnian looked bewildered.

Pei Nanwei curled her lips, "If you were truly worried about me being cold, with rain splashing on my shoulders, why didn't you simply tilt the oil-paper umbrella towards me? Isn't your sincerity a bit too strong? Hand, remove it!"

Xu Fengnian sheepishly withdrew the hand that had been resting on Pei Nanwei's shoulder.

The two walked into the county office gate, and Xu Fengnian closed his umbrella. County Magistrate Feng Guan and County Vice-Magistrate Zuo Jing customarily lived behind the yamen. Xu Fengnian, as the nominal third-in-command, the records officer, should have had a place there too, but Feng Guan had bullied him for being "young and ignorant with no connections," pushing him out. In the previous bandit suppression campaign in the mountains, Feng Guan, who was the top official and actually did nothing, received an above-average appraisal at the end of the year. Zuo Jing only got some "scraps," and County Lieutenant Bai Shangque, a scholar assigned to Liangzhou, successfully transferred into the Youzhou army. As they walked through the yamen, the clerks of the Six Bureaus who were still on duty greeted them warmly. They had a decent impression of Xu Qi, the young records officer who had been missing for a long time, leading to his position being jeopardized. However, their enthusiastic expressions also carried a hint of amusement—both regret and schadenfreude. Xu Fengnian grasped the situation from these subtle clues. Although Records Officer Xu was about to be dismissed, Feng Guan, upon learning of his visit, didn't act too unfeeling. After all, he was the culprit; otherwise, Xu Qi wouldn't have to leave Bishan County so soon. In Youzhou's old customs, let alone six months or a year, how many sons of generals who held positions in the yamen and profited from them were rarely seen for years? Who told Xu Qi, a mere descendant of a low-ranking general's family, to have no backing and be so ignorant of the times, idling away his days? Nowadays in Youzhou, who dared to take roll call lightly? It was said that in Lingzhou, under the rectifications of the Granary Governor, a large number of idle aristocratic sons were disciplined more severely than even grandsons. Feng Guan was in his study, admiring two newly acquired fine items: a bamboo root carving of a young lion as a Grand Tutor paperweight, and a bamboo fungus lingzhi jade ruyi, supposedly imperial-made by the old Southern Tang. Upon hearing his servant's report, he had originally intended to stand up and deal with the matter quickly outside the study, not even offering Xu Qi a cup of hot tea. However, when the servant thoughtfully mentioned that Records Officer Xu's wife was also accompanying him, the magistrate understood implicitly, settled back into his chair, and ordered tea to be prepared in the study for guests.

Feng Guan did not walk to the study door to greet them. Then, the county magistrate saw the young man, who should have been fawning, step directly over the threshold without exchanging polite pleasantries. His next actions were even more absurd: he had his "virtually widowed" wife sit in a chair, while he himself leaned casually against it, and asked, "If I'm not mistaken, the new records officer and county lieutenant are both scholars assigned to Liangzhou, named Yang Gongshou and Zhu Ying respectively. Both were formerly students of Qinglu Cave Academy. Now, in Beiliang, Grand Confucian Huang Shang and others are presiding over the appraisal of Beiliang scholars' essays and current affairs commentaries. Yang Gongshou once won first place in Youzhou's semi-annual assessment, but let's not discuss him. Just tell me, how is Zhu Ying's governance?"

Feng Guan, still holding the exquisite bamboo carving in one hand and maintaining the gesture of inviting them to drink tea with the other, was at a loss.

For a moment, he dared not look directly at the young man before him.

Feng Guan himself found it strange. Where did this young man get such official authority? Feng Guan had never felt such pressure, not even from Hong Shandong, the Prefect of Yanzhi Prefecture. Feeling utterly disgraced, Feng Guan put down the bamboo carving ruyi ornament, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and in the officialese he had perfected over years of government service, drawled, "Xu Qi, ah..."

Xu Fengnian smiled faintly, "My name is Xu Fengnian."

Feng Guan froze for a moment, then sneered, "And I'm Zhang Julu!"

Feng Guan suddenly realized that the Grand Minister was dead, and, angered by his own blunder, slammed his hand on the table. "Xu Qi, believe it or not, with that insolent remark, this official could have you arrested and thrown into prison by the Imperial Guards?! Hmm?!"

Pei Nanwei reached out with two fingers and secretly pinched Xu Fengnian's waist, mimicking the magistrate's tone, "Get to the point! Hmm?!"

Xu Fengnian snapped his fingers. Then, Feng Guan felt a cold wind appear beside him, and an expressionless, black-clad strong man mysteriously appeared. He pulled out an ancient-looking bronze "General's Tally" from his bosom and held it before Feng Guan's eyes.

Feng Guan had heard that high-ranking border generals all possessed such a General's Tally. It wasn't used for deploying troops, but had only one purpose: if a general died in battle on the field, it would be passed to the deputy general to command the battle; if the deputy general died, it would be given to the captain; if the captain died, it would be passed to the commander; if the commander died, to the standard-bearer; if the standard-bearer died, to the squad leader, until the entire army was annihilated.

But Feng Guan couldn't be sure if this was truly that General's Tally. Besides, he would never in a million years believe that Records Officer Xu Qi was the King of Beiliang. So, Feng Guan, without reason, felt a surge of heroic spirit and loudly rebuked, "Xu Qi, how dare you! Do you really think I'm easy to fool?!"

The Earthly Branch death warrior, who had followed Xu Xiao for many years, glanced at his new master. Xu Fengnian waved his hand, and the expressionless shadow vanished instantly.

Feng Guan's hair stood on end.

Meeting such a person, Xu Fengnian didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He reached out to grasp Pei Nanwei's two fingers, but she struggled and pulled her hand away.

Xu Fengnian said helplessly, "Never mind anything else for now. Give me those months of salary. My family is waiting to put food on the table."

Feng Guan leaned back in his chair, "Let's talk this out properly. Murder and silencing—that absolutely cannot be done. This official has several hundred Imperial Guards under his jurisdiction in Bishan County."

He was clearly more inclined to believe that this fellow was a Northern Mang spy who had infiltrated Youzhou territory, rather than believing that this former records officer was Xu Fengnian himself.

Pei Nanwei extended a hand and said flatly, "Give me the money. Twenty-four taels and seven qian."

Cold sweat beaded on Feng Guan's forehead. He forced a smile and said, "Both bamboo carvings are from famous masters of the Spring and Autumn period. They could sell for at least a hundred taels of silver. You can have them."

Pei Nanwei sneered, "To burn for fuel? Is that enough? Besides, they've passed through your hands, I find them dirty. I want silver. Hmm?!"

Feng Guan cursed inwardly, "Two bamboo carvings! I merely played with and caressed them a bit, what's dirty about that? And real gold and silver haven't passed through my hands? What a short-sighted woman! What a waste of such a captivating beauty." Xu Fengnian smiled, "Magistrate, then I'll go to the household office to collect the salary."

Feng Guan's legs were actually trembling, but he still pretended to be calm and waved his hand, thinking that as soon as the couple left, he would immediately order the law enforcement office and constables to arrest them! After Xu Fengnian walked out of the study, he picked up the two oil-paper umbrellas left at the door. Pei Nanwei asked, "Is this how you demand your salary?"

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "I was afraid reasoning wouldn't work. And with his eyes constantly fixed on you, I worried that if we kept haggling, I'd lose my temper and slap him to death. Slapping Feng Guan to death wouldn't be so bad actually; any official could do his job. It would just clear the positions for Yang Gongshou and Zhu Ying."

Pei Nanwei's expression was a little odd.

Xu Fengnian collected the salary at the household office in the front courtyard of the yamen. The clerk naturally didn't dare to give any attitude to the records officer who had the magistrate's verbal "imperial decree." As they walked out of the yamen, they found the rain had stopped. Xu Fengnian said softly, "That Yang Gongshou is nothing special; he only writes flowery prose that lacks true spirit. However, Zhu Ying, though not famous at Qinglu Mountain Academy, has many essays criticizing current affairs that are always on the Fushui House's desks. Even my second sister was startled by them and specially wrote to me, saying this person is worthy of great responsibility. It's just that compared to Chen Xiliang and Xu Beizhi, he's too sharp-edged, stubbornly adheres to principles, and never backs down when he's in the right. Several times, even the grand Confucians invited by Huang Shang were forced into awkward situations."

Pei Nanwei said with a cold face, "That Yang Gongshou is not a good person."

Xu Fengnian smiled, "I knew it. Is this the person who's been bothering you? The Fushui House spies haven't told me about this yet. Has it been recent?"

There was no anger on Pei Nanwei's face. "The last time I went to the yamen to collect the debt, this person arrived in Bishan County to take up his post. He probably had to wait for the prefect's official approval, so he had nothing to do all day. Every time I went out to buy things, he would appear. At least he still had some scholar's shame; he didn't come too close, but loudly recited poems and odes from a not-too-far distance. Hmm, his skill level might be on par with yours back then."

Xu Fengnian couldn't help but laugh, "How could that be? When I bought poems and lyrics from Beiliang scholars back then, they were all very expensive, and the content was quite good."

Just as Pei Nanwei and Xu Fengnian were about to turn from Gulu Street into the alley, four or five grinning ruffians, seemingly waiting for them, surrounded them. Pei Nanwei glanced at Xu Fengnian, who frowned and muttered to himself, "Has Bishan County not experienced the might of the Imperial Guards? How can anyone still dare to cause trouble at a time like this?"

Soon, the answer revealed itself.

As the ruffians closed in with their strange remarks, someone arrived to "save the beauty." Not far behind Xu Fengnian and Pei Nanwei appeared a man in flowing white robes, carrying a sword. He was handsome and dashing, standing with a distinguished bearing, and his sword looked quite valuable.

When he saw Xu Fengnian standing beside the woman he admired, a flicker of sadness and disappointment secretly crossed his eyes, but this emotion quickly transformed into burning passion and endless fighting spirit.

Then, without even needing his sword to move like a swimming dragon, he gave a light shout and gracefully strode forward. From seven or eight steps away, he delivered a palm strike, and instantly, one ruffian seemed to be swept by a powerful palm wind, lifted off his feet, and slammed against the alley wall.

The white-robed swordsman delivered another palm strike, and another man spun around several times before falling to the ground, groaning in pain.

Pei Nanwei's lips twitched slightly. She turned her head away, choosing not to look at this idiot.

Xu Fengnian reached out and pinched her chin, gently turning her head back, and suppressing a smile, said, "This heroic individual who helps others when seeing injustice works very hard, you know. You should at least watch the whole show."

The white-robed swordsman was busy demonstrating his profound internal energy and peerless martial arts, so he didn't see this scene. Otherwise, he probably would have spat blood from embarrassment.

He continued striking palm after palm, sending the group of burly hooligans scrambling in terror. Some "struggled" to get up and rushed towards the white-robed swordsman, but none of them even touched the "hero's" clothes before being swept by the "fierce" palm wind, flying sideways, backwards, or spinning away in various spectacular postures.

Xu Fengnian turned his head and, with the seasoned experience of a "veteran," quietly explained to Pei Nanwei, "When I did these kinds of things back then, it would cost more than two hundred taels of silver. Because at first, having the guards and attendants from the prince's manor pretend to be ruffians was too fake. It was my first time, and I had no experience. Those seven or eight guards were only supposed to be teasing a girl verbally, but the moment they opened their mouths, it sounded like they were going to murder her entire family. The innocent young lady was so scared she almost fainted, crying and saying not to kill her, she would do anything. Later, I had to step in and explain. Guess what? That seemingly delicate girl wasn't shy at all; she directly asked me if I was married, which startled me. It made Li Hanlin and those other onlookers laugh at me for half a year. After that, I hired street ruffians to act in these dramas. I had to explain beforehand how the 'fight' should go. The palm wind and fist aura style was easier and cheaper. If knives were involved, they'd demand more money. But back then, I'd give them money depending on my mood. I estimate this fellow, no matter how stingy, probably spent twenty or thirty taels of silver."

Yu Dilong and Lu Yunchang, squatting at the alley entrance, were also dumbfounded.

When the 'hero,' who was already sweating profusely just from striking palms, finally finished his performance, the ruffians "as per custom" yelled out phrases like "Young hero, spare our lives!" and "Young hero's martial arts are truly impressive!" Then they helped each other up and left.

Pei Nanwei covered her mouth and chuckled, because Xu Fengnian had already whispered these exact words in her ear. The former "scourge of Beiliang" wore a triumphant expression. "How about that? It's all the same trick, isn't it? I'm the pioneer of such things. Back then, who knows how many dandies in Liangzhou and Lingzhou were imitating me."

The white-robed swordsman, his back to the two, quickly gasped for air. Once his breathing steadied, he turned around with a smile and walked towards Xu Fengnian and Pei Nanwei. Just as he was about to speak, two troublemakers suddenly ran out from somewhere. The taller one among them shouted at the annoying fellow beside Miss Pei, "Master and Mistress, my senior brother and I will just find an inn to stay at! We're not used to squeezing onto one bed board. We're off!"

Xu Fengnian watched the two young rascals slip away, his face somewhat embarrassed.

Pei Nanwei sneered, "You've certainly taken on good disciples."

The white-robed swordsman before them was none other than Yang Gongshou, the new records officer of Bishan County. Watching "Xu Qi" stand beside the woman he admired, his heart was truly broken. He had long heard tales of the Yanzhi women's captivating beauty, such as "Marry a Lingzhou woman, take a Yanzhi woman as concubine." At first, he dismissed it as mere lewd talk among old officials after dinner. But when he caught a fleeting glimpse of the woman at the yamen, his soul was utterly lost. Later, he heard she was already married. He endured a painful internal struggle, but ultimately could not control himself. Yang Gongshou didn't truly intend to do anything serious; he merely worked hard to find opportunities to appear before her. Later, seeing that his poetic talent was useless, he felt he might have taken the wrong approach. Since Beiliang's customs were fierce, perhaps she admired the great hero and master type, and thus, this whole charade came to be.

Xu Fengnian reached out and encircled Pei Nanwei's slender waist, smiling broadly. "This great hero must be a grandmaster of the Jianghu, I presume? I wonder if he has a widely known nickname?"

Yang Gongshou slightly opened his mouth; he had actually forgotten this detail. However, he certainly possessed talent, otherwise he wouldn't have gained fame at Qinglu Cave Academy. He cupped his hands and smiled slightly, "I am Yang Gongshou, known in the Jianghu as 'Poetry Sword'..."

Not far away, a young scholar gently clapped his hands and walked over, laughing heartily. "Brother Wenfu, you and I climbed Qinglu Mountain together, and you were gasping for breath like an ox barely halfway up! How is it that today you've achieved great mastery of martial arts? Is it true that a divine being has possessed you?"

Yang Gongshou, his cover blown, wished he could dig a hole and crawl into it. Fortunately, Miss Pei had already walked away with that man.

Yang Gongshou's face flushed red, but he still couldn't utter any harsh words. He simply let out a heavy, cold snort.

The scholar stood with Yang Gongshou, watching the two figures disappear into the alley. He chuckled softly, "Fair ladies are good matches for gentlemen. Brother Wenfu, we used to dislike each other, but after today, though your ill feelings towards me have greatly increased, I've developed a bit of a fondness for you."

Yang Gongshou flung his sleeve and strode towards the county office.

The scholar shook his head with a smile. "Oh, Yang Gongshou, Yang Gongshou. Do you really think those two couldn't see through your clumsy trick? I just saved you from continuing to be treated like a performing monkey."

Walking in the alley, Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Perhaps that Yang Gongshou won't appreciate it, and will just think Zhu Ying was undermining him."

Pei Nanwei, who had once been ranked on the Yanzhi Beauty List, felt no ripple of emotion regarding this farce. She said, "That Zhu Ying probably isn't suited for officialdom, is he?"

Xu Fengnian sighed softly, "If it were in Liyang, unless there was a discerning patron with great magnanimity, Zhu Ying would probably never make a name for himself. Scholars have one very significant flaw."

Pei Nanwei asked, "Acting on impulse?"

Xu Fengnian nodded. "Scholars have more sensibilities than ordinary people. The more they read and learn, the more history they know, the heavier their thoughts inevitably become. The greater their talent, often the weaker their sense of propriety. They dislike gauging the situation; to be precise, they disdain it, too lazy to deal with people and matters evasively. When judging people and doing things, it's easy for them to see things in black and white, which is what you call acting on impulse. That's why those great literary figures in history, despite their immense talent, often didn't hold high official positions. This strange phenomenon cannot be fully explained by merely saying they have 'high aims but low ability.' Fortunately, it doesn't matter to them. Emperors, generals, and ministers all eventually become a handful of dust. Only the drinkers and poets leave their names behind. How delightful to drown sorrows in wine and write masterpieces! Thousands of years later, they will naturally be remembered more easily than those emperors, generals, and high officials."

The two returned to the courtyard. Pei Nanwei brought two small stools and placed them under the eaves.

She looked at him, sitting quietly beside her.

She said, "It's hard to imagine you as the Crown Prince who killed people in the reed marsh back then."

He remained silent.

She asked casually