Chapter 753: Want to Sit in That Chair

Xie Guanying showed no signs of fear or idleness. With a leisurely air, he slowly and methodically critiqued each of the distinguished figures present. Finally, he turned his gaze to the emaciated scholar sitting beside him, raised his teacup, and chuckled, “When we parted in Jiangnan, neither of our temples was yet touched by frost. You said you wanted to go see Xu Manzi’s army as he led hundreds of old soldiers out of Liaodong. At that time, Li Yishan, you were so full of vigor and ambition. Years have passed, and now you’ve ended up like this, neither human nor ghost, restless even in death. What are you truly after? Do you genuinely believe that by defending the northern borders, Beiliang can usher in the so-called 'eternal peace' of Huanglong Mountain? You should know that a dynasty lasting four or five hundred years is already considered extremely long-lived.”

Xie Guanying seemed to imbibe the spirit and intoxication of wine even from tea, raising his voice as he laughed heartily, “Li Yishan, ah, Li Yishan, I told you long ago that if you truly joined the Xu family army, the one you would assist in your later years would only be a short-lived vassal king of the Northwest. He would merely leave behind a notorious name in official history after dying in battle, dragging you down to the very bottom of strategists’ rankings among future enthusiasts, perhaps even below Nalan Youci, with whom you traveled across the land. It’s a pity you never believed in prophecies or spirits. Even when I conclusively predicted Xun Ping’s death early on, you still refused to believe it. You said it was merely because Xun Ping misused his governing skills, and his death was man-made, not fated. You, you’ve always been stubborn and prone to overthinking, no wonder the older you get, the more unhappy your life becomes.”

Xie Guanying withdrew his gaze and looked at Xu Fengnian opposite him, sneering, “What, is having more people so impressive? Are you truly so forgetful that you’ve forgotten who ranked ahead of you on that Land Immortal Map, one of the Guanyin Sect’s supreme artifacts? You take Lu Zu’s fusion of the three teachings as your principle, and through the fundamental Buddhist visualization, you’ve summoned so many past lives—it is quite spectacular. But aren’t you afraid that such a grand gesture will ultimately only lead to the sheep entering the tiger’s mouth?”

Xu Fengnian sat upright and calmly stated, “Among these predecessors, some were scholars, others were not. Some are dead, some are still alive, and those who are dead could have continued to live, but they chose not to. The manner in which they appear today signifies what, in my heart, is their true grace and spirit. In your view, Xie Guanying, perhaps my staunch defense of Beiliang is a self-imposed limitation born of a lack of ambition. Perhaps my master Li Yishan’s twenty years in Listening Tide Pavilion were an act of self-entrapment. Perhaps Xu Xiao, with his thirty thousand border troops, was a fool for not contending for that throne. It doesn’t surprise me that you think this way; each person has their own aspirations, their own pursuits, their own thoughts. I merely want to tell you a truth: everyone has their own way of living. It’s not about doing what you, Xie Guanying, find interesting. Life inevitably brings dissatisfaction; it’s hard to please oneself, and even harder to please others. If you want to do business with me, Xu Fengnian, with my Beiliang, you should at least first understand what kind of person I am. Since the difference in our positions is not that great, where in the world is there such a thing as forced buying and selling?”

Xu Fengnian suddenly smiled. “Mr. Xie has lived too detached and carefree a life; he probably wouldn’t understand what it feels like to walk with both feet in the mud.”

He had recently teased Xie with a question about whether she understood, and now this remark carried an even more pronounced veiled threat.

Xie Guanying looked around, his expression cold.

Xu Fengnian narrowed his already slender eyes. “If Mr. Xie believes these ‘courtyard figures’ are just a superficial display I’ve put on, why don’t you try them? Let’s see if they will truly become nourishment for the King of Shu to ascend to a celestial being.”

Chen Zhibao, who had been slowly sipping his Spring God Tea, suddenly set his teacup down with a light clink on the table.

Xie Guanying snorted coldly. “According to His Highness’s custom, can I now say that this business is no longer about benevolence but about power?”

Xu Fengnian smiled back, asking, “Are you truly not going to fight? Then you would truly have come with high hopes and returned empty-handed, wouldn’t you?”

Xie Guanying turned to look at the white-robed man, who shook his head.

Xie Guanying seemed slightly helpless, but his words showed no weakness. “Water without a source, no matter how much, cannot withstand squandering. I advise you, Your Highness, save this display of force for Tuoba Pusa.”

The deceased figures from past eras surrounding Xu Fengnian gradually dissipated. Xu Fengnian stood up with a smile and asked, “So, that’s it?”

Xie Guanying remained seated, his face cold. “Please excuse me for not seeing you off.”

From beginning to end, Chen Zhibao did not utter a single word.

Outside the door, as Xu Fengnian was about to pass Xie, who had a face full of inquiry, he paused and smiled, “Aunt Xie, do you never want to come to Beiliang again? That’s right, there’s little water here, strong winds, and a lot of sand, which harms the skin. You’re already off the beauty rankings; if some younger woman steals the title of the foremost beauty of Shu, I would truly feel too guilty to rest easy.”

Xie sneered, “The esteemed King of Beiliang, bickering over trifles with a mere woman like me—what great magnanimity!”

Xu Fengnian replied with a warm, gentle smile, “It is my fault. One last sincere word: Aunt Xie’s tea brewing truly is a skill unique in all the world, a tremendous artistry that cannot be sufficiently appreciated.”

Xie was now utterly unsure whether these were the scoundrel’s heartfelt words or a knife hidden in his smile, but deep down, she harbored a hint of self-satisfaction she was unwilling to admit.

The five mounted their horses and rode away.

Dantai Pingjing looked at the pale-faced Xu Fengnian, then glanced at Huyan Daguan, frowning. “Why display such reckless bravery? Regardless of combat strength or cultivation level, that Xie Guanying is far superior to me. If it truly came to a fight, your technique relies more on cultivation, and it is Xie Guanying’s most proficient and powerful method.”

Xu Fengnian waved his hand, interrupting Dantai Pingjing. He smiled, “Just consider it a warm-up, so I won’t be flustered next time I face Tuoba Pusa. Although this battle with Xie Guanying didn’t materialize, I did gain something: many gaps in my visualization, which were previously like a drafty house, have now been filled.”

After speaking, Xu Fengnian turned to Xu Yanbing and said with a wry smile, “Uncle Xu, I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to take a detour and tell Deputy General Han something. Hmm, just tell him not to blame himself.”

Xu Yanbing was puzzled but asked no further questions. His fellow disciple Han Laohshan was now the Deputy General of Lingzhou, nominally guarding Beiliang’s southernmost gateway. However, everyone knew Han Laohshan’s most crucial duty was to watch for any movements in Western Shu, to prevent Shu’s forces from seizing the opportunity to attack while the war between Liang and Mang was raging.

The five riders had already parted ways before leaving the city, heading in three different directions. Xu Fengnian and Dantai Pingjing rode north into Liangzhou, Xu Yanbing went south to deliver the message to Han Laohshan, while Huyan Daguan and Tiemu Die’er were free to wander around Lingzhou. The two of them had little involvement with Beiliang, and Xu Fengnian didn’t have the nerve to truly command them.

After Xu Fengnian and Dantai Pingjing rode out of the city, he mused, “Leaving aside the strength of combat power and just considering the level of cultivation, Tuoba Pusa, as the second strongest person in the world, has actually always been noticeably distanced by Wang Xianzhi.”

Dantai Pingjing nodded. “Speaking of that, although Huyan Daguan has now lost to Tuoba Pusa, the former’s cultivation level is actually still higher than the latter’s. This is related to talent and opportunities. With Wang Xianzhi’s death, the gap between the fourteen martial arts experts is not as significant as before, both in terms of cultivation and actual combat power. Of course, currently, Tuoba Pusa is unrivaled in killing. As for the furtive Xie Guanying, who has spent years working for others’ benefit, his cultivation level is the highest. You and Huyan Daguan are temporarily close behind.”

At this point, Dantai Pingjing paused, as if hesitating whether to reveal a heavenly secret.

Xu Fengnian smiled. “Are you trying to say that Cao Changqing will be a flash in the pan, and Chen Zhibao will also surpass his predecessors?”

For some reason, Dantai Pingjing gazed at the young man, whose hair, once frosted with white, had long since turned black again, and felt an increasing sense of uncanny resemblance to those distant years.

Xu Fengnian’s lips curled slightly. Not gripping the reins, his hands habitually tucked into his sleeves, he gazed into the distance. “Please don’t look at me with such pity; that Xie Guanying already did so for a long time.”

Dantai Pingjing blurted out, “If you’re truly annoyed, why don’t you just beat up Xie Guanying in one go and then talk?”

Xu Fengnian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Women were women, even divine ones, and could be equally unreasonable and domineering.

Dantai Pingjing herself laughed, likely realizing her own unreasonableness.

After galloping for more than thirty li outside the city, Xu Fengnian dismounted and fed fine grain to his warhorse.

During this stop on their return to Liangzhou, Dantai Pingjing asked, “Why did you want Xu Yanbing to tell Han Laohshan not to blame himself? Was there a mistake in the Lingzhou military?”

Xu Fengnian’s expression was complex as he said, “It was just a guess I had after seeing him and Xie Guanying. If I’m not mistaken, the ten thousand troops on the surface in Shu did not leave Shu, but secretly, perhaps more than ten thousand have already left Western Shu. This move might have been planned by Chen Zhibao even before he entered Shu alone. Moving ten or twenty thousand troops and wanting to maximize their combat strength would still be a headache for ordinary renowned battlefield generals, but for Chen Zhibao, it’s always been like child’s play. Besides, at present, it’s merely relocating these troops.”

Once he started talking, Xu Fengnian began muttering to himself: “Just wait. These Shu soldiers, who haven’t fought outside their borders for four hundred years, will soon astonish the entire Liyang Dynasty in the Guangling Road campaign. Back then, Xu Xiao, famous for his cavalry, used infantry to conquer Western Shu, which created a misunderstanding for the court and the Central Plains: that Shu soldiers were weak in combat. But the perfectly preserved secret archives in Listening Tide Pavilion clearly and unequivocally record how the soldiers and officers of Shu dared to fight, fought bloodily, and fought to the death. Western Shu, with its natural defensive advantage, had a total national military strength of only 120,000, but do you know how many Shu soldiers died back then? As many as 90,000, a full 90,000! The brutality of that war firmly ranks it as the most severe of the Spring and Autumn period!”

At this point, Xu Fengnian actually gritted his teeth and began cursing vehemently. “Son of a bitch, if Beiliang could have Western Shu as strategic depth and a source of soldiers, would I still need to be at the mercy of the imperial court? Would I still need to personally go outside Hulu Pass, leading ten thousand Youzhou cavalry to their deaths? I could just sit on a small stool at Huaiyang Pass, sunbathing and eating melon seeds, waiting for those Northern Mang barbarians to attack Beiliang! Would they dare? Hmph, if Zhao Dun hadn’t sent that Minister of War to enfeoff Western Shu, then today it would be Gu Jiantang’s Liangliao defense lines facing that million-strong army, wouldn’t it?”

Watching the young vassal king lose his composure, Dantai Pingjing smiled knowingly. She softly asked, “You truly don’t want to be emperor? I think you would make a good emperor.”

Xu Fengnian, who had been muttering, regained his composure and looked up, asking, “Why?”

Dantai Pingjing said, “The Zhao family cannot tolerate Beiliang, but you can tolerate the Central Plains.”

Xu Fengnian said languidly, “As emperor, sitting on the dragon throne, some people can certainly do better than me. But as the King of Beiliang, only I, Xu Fengnian, can do it in the entire world. This has something to do with my martial strength or depth of knowledge, but it’s not the most important thing. As for whether I can be a good King of Beiliang, that also has no bearing.”

Dantai Pingjing asked, “Not even Chen Zhibao?”

Xu Fengnian said softly, “Probably not. But Chen Zhibao’s inability isn’t due to the White-robed Military Saint’s lack of skill; it’s due to a personal reason of mine. I don’t care who sits on the dragon throne, but the position of King of Beiliang—that must be me.”

Dantai Pingjing, understanding, said, “To live for oneself is heaven’s law and earth’s principle. If one does not look out for oneself, heaven and earth will destroy them.”

Xu Fengnian couldn’t help but laugh. “My Grandmaster Dantai, I’d tolerate it if anyone else said such nonsense, but how have you also started misinterpreting Buddhist scriptures?”

As one of the world’s rare Qi-cultivator Grandmasters, playing the role of catching those who slip through heaven’s net, how could Dantai Pingjing not know that this Buddhist saying is often taken out of context by the world, or its true meaning? She countered, “Did I truly misinterpret it?”

Xu Fengnian sighed softly. “You overrate me.”

After they mounted their horses, Xu Fengnian’s face suddenly lit up with a brilliant smile. “You asked if I wanted to be emperor? Why don’t you take a guess?”

Dantai Pingjing was exasperated.

So, the two riders continued north in silence.

However, when they were less than a hundred li from Liangzhou City, Xu Fengnian stopped his horse at a post station and, without warning, told her he needed to go west. Dantai Pingjing asked what he meant by west—a few hundred li, or a thousand?

Xu Fengnian smiled and said he needed to borrow troops from someone, and that others couldn’t negotiate it.

He also said he needed to go alone; otherwise, it would seem like he was crashing the party, which would be improper.

Dantai Pingjing said, “The person in the world most confident in killing you alone happens to be halfway along the path to Mount Lanta in the west.”

Xu Fengnian merely said, “Indeed,” and offered no further elaboration.

Dantai Pingjing suddenly flew into a rage. “Even if Xu Longxiang is your brother, he has his own destiny. Are you going to protect him for his entire life? You’ve already suffered enough in Liangzhou; do you want to go and get yourself bruised and battered again?”

Xu Fengnian chuckled. “Xie Guanying and I didn’t fight, and I’m even less likely to fight Tuoba Pusa for now. And of course I’ll take a detour; I’d have to be terribly idle to go looking for Tuoba Pusa.”

Dantai Pingjing firmly suppressed her fury. “I’ll escort you to the vicinity of Qingcang City. One word of advice: you’d best not fight anyone at Mount Lanta! Otherwise, even if I foresee Tuoba Pusa ambushing you, I can only watch helplessly as he makes his move.”

Xu Fengnian blinked. “Actually, I was just waiting for you to say that.”

Dantai Pingjing’s expression was exceedingly displeased, showing just how annoyed this Qi-cultivator Grandmaster was.

Xu Fengnian remounted his horse and asked with a light laugh, “That question, have you guessed it yet?”

Dantai Pingjing’s temper finally exploded. With an angry look, she retorted, “Guess your big-headed ghost!”

Xu Fengnian’s lips moved slightly as he muttered something softly.

Dantai Pingjing instantly regained the dignified demeanor of a Qi-cultivator Grandmaster.

In the second year of Xiangfu, Grain Rain arrived, and spring was drawing to a close.

Every household wrote talismans with cinnabar to ward off scorpions and insects.

After Xu Fengnian and Dantai Pingjing parted ways south of Qingcang City, he traveled alone into the heartland of the Western Regions.

Finally, he saw that unremarkable mountain.

At this very moment, a monk nicknamed “Useless,” who had traveled to Guangling on a single reed leaf, found Cao Changqing on his multi-decked boat in Western Chu. The monk, floating on a reed leaf on the river, pressed his palms together and looked up at the green-robed figure, saying he wished to ask Cao Changqing to put down one thing and pick up another.

Cao Changqing did not speak, only shook his head.

Great Chu—Cao Changqing could not let it go. The Central Plains—Cao Changqing could not bear the burden of it.

The monk from Mount Lanta, whose true name was Liu Songtao, asked, “This humble monk can let go; why can you not?”

Cao Changqing smiled. “What I cannot let go of, you have never picked up. How can we talk about letting it go?”

Monk Wuyong lowered his head and silently chanted a Buddhist name.

Cao Changqing looked up towards the capital of Great Chu, a city now beyond the reach of his sight.

He said he could not let go of Great Chu.

He could not let go of the capital, could not let go of the imperial palace, could not let go of the pavilion, could not let go of the chess game.

In truth, it was merely that he could not let go of her—her who smiled by the king’s side, watching the game of chess with him.

On that day, Monk Wuyong died in battle on the Guangling River.

On that day, seawater poured back into the Guangling River.

The domineering nature of the Confucian Saint Cao Changqing was known throughout the court and the populace.

As Xu Fengnian ascended the mountain, suddenly, bells rang throughout the peak.

Amidst the melodious bell sounds, Xu Fengnian felt a premonition. He stopped halfway up Mount Lanta, gazing towards the east, lost in thought.

Xu Fengnian slowly closed his eyes, bowed his head slightly, and pressed his palms together.

May Beiliang never be desolate.

At that time, after Xu Fengnian and his party had departed, Chen Zhibao gently picked up his teacup, remaining silent as before.

Xie Guanying stood up, unable to help but chuckle and lightly scold, “That fellow truly is Li Yishan’s disciple, so single-minded. He even turned around and lectured me. But I wonder if he took any of it to heart. His, Xu Fengnian’s, cultivation is already like water without a source, and with the Western Regions being the only exception, Beiliang from today onward can be considered to have made enemies on three sides, even more so now.”

Chen Zhibao smiled. “Anyway, our trip to Lingzhou didn’t aim for anything in particular. I just wanted one last look at a relatively peaceful Beiliang. As for you… are you like a father-in-law holding his nose and suppressing his anger while looking at his son-in-law, finding him more and more of an eyesore?”

Xie Guanying said self-deprecatingly, “Me? I only have a son; where would I get a son-in-law?”

Chen Zhibao’s smile deepened, and he even joked, “Could it be the mentality of a difficult mother-in-law looking at her unmarried daughter-in-law?”

Xie Guanying sighed and changed the subject, his expression gloomy. “If circumstances could give me another half a year, just half a year, then you…”

Chen Zhibao shook his head. “On the battlefield, don’t speak of half a year. Half an hour, or even a quarter of an hour, can decide the outcome.”

Xie Guanying sat back down on the stool, feeling somewhat curious. He asked, “Is there truly nothing you wanted to say to Xu Fengnian?”

Chen Zhibao replied indifferently, “Things I want to say? Yes, but I don’t want to say them.”

Xie Guanying could indeed understand the seemingly contradictory words of the white-robed man.

Xie Guanying rested his elbows on the table, leaning forward with a more relaxed posture. “That fellow said something that hit the nail on the head: it’s hardest to get what you want in life. For example, if Xu Fengnian had continued to be a mere figurehead, and Beiliang now bore your surname, Chen, and he had honestly remained a puppet vassal king enjoying his blessings, then there wouldn’t be so much trouble. If Xu Fengnian had not only been the world’s top martial artist but also possessed your military strategy and tactics, being the world’s foremost commander, then I would have gone straight to Qingliang Mountain instead of Shu.”

Chen Zhibao and the Xu family of Beiliang were like a dead knot.

The greater Xu Fengnian’s achievements, the harder it became to untie.

A gloating expression appeared on Xie Guanying’s face. “What are your thoughts on Xu Fengnian, the current crown prince and new King of Beiliang?”

After asking this question, Xie Guanying believed he was destined not to receive an answer, but Chen Zhibao unexpectedly replied without hesitation, “When he was a child, perhaps I felt some jealousy. But once he became the King of Beiliang, I didn’t feel much anymore.”

Xie Guanying was surprised. “Jealousy? You, a master strategist who defeated Ye Baikui, someone who could have become a vassal king of a different surname at the age of coming of age, would be jealous of a crown prince who had to hide his talents and deliberately sully his reputation to become notorious?”

Chen Zhibao smiled faintly. “Xu Fengnian was right about one thing: there are some trivial matters, Mr. Xie, that you truly do not understand.”

Xie Guanying fell into deep thought. “Huang Sanjia prided himself on infallible calculations, then resorted to calculating human hearts to pass the time, only to miscalculate that young wandering swordsman with the wooden sword in the capital.”

Chen Zhibao slowly stood up. “When I was young, a man and a woman had an argument.”

This time, Xie Guanying was genuinely curious. The identities of the man and woman were not hard to guess; only Xu Xiao, the King of Beiliang, and Queen Wu Su could remain so unforgettable to the White-robed Military Saint after so many years. But the content of their argument was something he could not possibly guess.

A slight smile played on Chen Zhibao’s lips, unconcealed. “The man said that as men, we should wear armor, ride horses, and slay enemies, and even dismounted, still look handsome and mighty in pitch-black iron armor. The woman, however, said that plain and elegant white robes were more beautiful and gave one a scholarly air. Later, when I came to Beiliang, apart from the initial great war caused by Zhao Dun, which had some substance, later, when I served as the Protector-General of Beiliang, I didn’t fight many major battles—they were all intermittent, small skirmishes. More often than not, I was reading books in that dwelling where opening the door revealed nothing but yellow sand. My father died early, but I have some impression of him. My mother died even earlier, and my memories are very blurry. So, in this life, I considered that man my adoptive father, but I always considered that woman my own mother.”

Then Chen Zhibao’s smile faded. “As long as my adoptive father is alive, I will never move against Xu Fengnian. But if he dies by his own hand in the Liyang martial world or on the Northern Mang grasslands, I don’t care. My adoptive father believed in this original intention, but many others did not, not even Yao Jian and Ye Xi. So, they secretly sought out the Northern Mang assassin Xue Songguan and paid him to kill him. Huang Sanjia had a prophecy that the dragon, python, and white robe would all be slain. This was not only a trap for the Xu family of Beiliang but also a set of shackles for me, Chen Zhibao. So, in that ambush at Iron Gate Pass, she thought I was going to kill him. I can tolerate many things, but not with her. Back then, at Xi Leibi, I personally killed her parents, yet I spared only her…”

After a moment of silence, Chen Zhibao said in a deep voice, “My father faced death calmly. I only resent the state of the world, but I never resented anyone. I acknowledged my adoptive father, and sincerely so, which is why I preferred to follow him to the northwest frontier rather than become some southern frontier vassal king. But if you’re saying I, Chen Zhibao, should serve devotedly a fellow who, in my impression, has always been a clueless child, why? Just because he shares the surname Xu with my adoptive father? Because one day he’ll inherit the title by hereditary succession?”

Xie, who had just stepped over the courtyard threshold, heard his words and her eyes shone brightly, captivated and infatuated.

This was truly the man she admired.

The vassal king title, which the world saw as the highest official position, was still too small; only the entire world would suffice.

Xie began brewing tea again, and this time, compared to the subtle undercurrents from before, it was naturally much more relaxed and pleasant.

Xie Guanying shook his sleeves and sat back down on the stool. “I know best what Xu Fengnian has done these past years. Back when he was in Tai’an City, I specifically kept an eye on him. But by the time he left the capital, I was only disappointed.”

Xie couldn’t help but ask, “Why was Mr. disappointed? Although I also dislike that Xu Fengnian, to be fair, he does have some… talents.”

Xie suppressed her aversion and managed to say “to be fair,” which showed that Xu Fengnian, the new King of Beiliang, was indeed no longer what he used to be in people’s hearts; he was no longer as disgraceful as before.

Chen Zhibao smiled faintly. “Mr. Xie dislikes him for lacking grand ambition, unable even to conceive the idea of sitting on the dragon throne, or perhaps suppressing it very well.”

Xie widened her eyes. “Among the exceptional men in the world who could be called formidable heroes, are there still those who don’t want to be emperor?”

She raised her sleeve, covering her mouth, revealing her narrowed, beautiful eyes, and sneered, “Is he, Xu Fengnian, even a man?”

On the stone table, water vapor curled upwards.

The aroma of tea wafted through the air.

During this time, Xie, being clever and perceptive, noticed that Xie Guanying was quite chatty, so she asked some questions she had long kept to herself.

Why were there so many masters emerging in the world today, their splendor far surpassing the martial world of the past?

Mr. Xie chuckled and told her that the Yonghui Spring was not just a year of great harvest for Liyang’s officialdom. It was also a false “great year” created by Huang Longshi at the cost of depleting the martial world’s vitality for the next hundred or even thousand years. It was like a prodigal son, not only living on future earnings but also consuming all the grain from future years. From now on, there would be no more great years, only small years, and they would get smaller and smaller. Each generation of the martial world would progress from having no Land Immortals, to no one who could resonate with heaven and earth, to no one who could tap their fingers to ask about immortality, with not a single first-rank four-realm grandmaster. In the end, only the second-rank experts, now merely considered minor grandmasters, would become the undisputed grandmasters in the eyes of future generations. All the martial prowess of this era would become strange and doubtful legends for those who came after.

Each emperor had his own court, and each generation’s grievances ended with that generation. So why did the new monarch, Zhao Zhuan, still seem to harbor a father-killing grudge against the new King of Beiliang?

Mr. Xie’s expression was amused. Of course, there was no father-killing grudge, but there was a slight resentment over a stolen wife.

Upon hearing this, Xie’s mouth fell open. Did that Xu fellow possess such heaven-defying tactics? Did he truly have some illicit relationship with the current Liyang Empress, who hailed from Beiliang?

Xie Guanying, who was well-versed in the internal affairs of the Zhao imperial family, revealed a heavenly secret in one sentence. The late Emperor Zhao Dun at least knew that Empress Zhao Zhi was merely competing with Queen Wu Su of Beiliang, and that there was nothing truly between Zhao Zhi and Xu Xiao. However, there truly was a thorn in the heart of the current emperor. The crucial thing was that this deeply hidden thorn could not be removed even by the new Empress Yan Dongwu, let alone any outsiders; touching it might even mean death.

At this point, Xie Guanying pointed at Chen Zhibao and half-joked, “In the new monarch’s heart, our King of Shu is another thorn, just like the late Emperor Zhao Dun’s complex feelings towards Xu Xiao—it’s exactly alike.”

Chen Zhibao’s face was calm as he patiently waited for the new tea.

When Chen Zhibao took the teacup from Xie’s hand, he looked at Xie Guanying and asked, “Xu Fengnian said so much today; do you know what he truly wants to do?”

Xie Guanying nodded, his tone tinged with a slight lament. “On that point, Xu Fengnian and Li Yishan are truly worlds apart.”

Chen Zhibao stated frankly, “That’s why Qingliang Mountain will only have a place for people like Song Dongming; you, Xie Guanying, will not go there.”

Xie Guanying merely smiled it away. Catching a glimpse of Xie’s thoughtful expression from the corner of his eye, he teased, “Very well, since I’ve already told you so many anecdotes and secrets, it won’t hurt to add this one. From a young age, Xu Fengnian believed in Buddhism and reincarnation. As his loved ones passed away one by one, he became increasingly afraid that he had monopolized all of his family’s fortune, causing his relatives to miss out on blessings. Therefore, he, the one still remaining in the mortal world, is even willing to die to accumulate good karma for the Xu family, to repay the debts of Xu Xiao, who killed so many throughout the Spring and Autumn period.”

Xie Guanying burst into laughter. “What a perfect case of the son repaying the father’s debt! So that’s why, no matter whether Xu Fengnian wants to be emperor or not, he doesn’t dare! How pitiful!”

After her shock, Xie lowered her head and softly said, “How truly pitiful.”

Chen Zhibao, however, muttered, “Pitiful?”