Chapter 757: Two-Person Battle, Two-Nation War (Part 2)

Xu Fengnian knew a battle with Tuoba Pusa was inevitable, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

After helping to bury the old Zen monk who had given him the alms bowl—piling earth for the grave and erecting a tombstone—Xu Fengnian used his finger as a knife to carve "Tomb of the Chicken Soup Monk." He had intended to add an epitaph, but he didn't know the lyrics to the song "Lotus Falling," so he gave up the idea. After finishing these tasks, Xu Fengnian had to find two suitable weapons. Yet, after much hesitation, he found what should have been a trivial matter surprisingly difficult. He even had the leisure to squat by the grave and sigh. In the past, when he had to fight for his life, betting everything on survival—against Xie Ling, the demon from Duck Head Green Inn; Tuoba Chunxun, the second-generation scion with two powerful bodyguards; Fifth He, Yang Taisui, and others; and most recently, against the sword qi master Huang Qing and a true Northern Barbarian dragon—Xu Fengnian hadn't thought much, in fact, there was no time for deep thought. It was like a cavalry skirmish: life or death decided instantly. As for his encounters with Han Shengxuan, the Man-Cat, and Wang Xianzhi, Xu Fengnian had ample time to plan, but those calculations were always perilous, filled with trepidation, leaving no room for distraction. Only with Tuoba Pusa, once the inevitable confrontation arrived, there would be a leisurely period, short as a few hours or long as half a day. Far from feeling complex emotions, Xu Fengnian felt a certain lightness, as if waiting for a long-anticipated friend he had never met. He guessed that the moment he saw Tuoba Pusa, he might instinctively smile and say, "You're here." Then he thought, such a greeting hardly showed the demeanor of a true master. As two of the world's four great grandmasters, if they were to fight to the death, one of them would almost certainly fall. Shouldn't their first meeting, which would decide life and death, have a more heroic greeting? Like, "Tuoba Pusa, you've been the second strongest in the world for decades; now go to your death with that ridiculous title"? Or perhaps he should bring two jars of wine, and they could both drink heartily before the fight. But the intelligence reports didn't say whether Tuoba Pusa drank. What if the man was a teetotaler? Would he then have to say, "Wait, wait, let me finish my wine before we fight"? But Xu Fengnian didn't have the capacity to chug two jars of wine in two breaths either... Lost in thought by the thatched hut grave, Xu Fengnian suddenly had a flash of inspiration: bringing wine to a fight might actually work. Even if Tuoba Pusa didn't drink, he could simply say, "Whoever dies, the living one will offer a jar of wine to the deceased, as a farewell." Such words would not only convey the grand entrance of a master but also the spirit of a master who views life and death like a traveler journeying far.

Six Pearls Bodhisattva, who had rushed to Mount Lan Tuo after hearing the news, was almost dumbfounded seeing this scene, watching the young King of Northern Liang squatting there, secretly chuckling. What was going on? Didn't he know the entire Mount Lan Tuo was on the verge of erupting? She composed herself and said with a cold face, "The first wave of twenty thousand monastic soldiers near Mount Lan Tuo can be assembled and sent to Liuzhou in two days."

Xu Fengnian went into the thatched hut, brought out two small wooden stools, and tossed one to her. They sat down together under the setting sun. He smiled, "You really lack sincerity. The prayer wheel has already been set in motion, yet you still wait for me to defeat Tuoba Pusa before sending troops?"

Six Pearls Bodhisattva did not hide her intentions. "A dynasty, at most, lasts three or four hundred years. But do you know how many years Mount Lan Tuo has existed in this world?"

Xu Fengnian gazed at her face, which seemed untouched by time. "The Ten Great Aristocratic Clans of Spring and Autumn back then also thought that way, always believing that a dynasty might fall, but their family's legacy could not be extinguished. I thought the monks of Mount Lan Tuo would be more detached from worldly affairs."

She sneered, "If we were truly detached, why would Mount Lan Tuo concern itself with you, King of Northern Liang? Why would we get involved in this muddy water? Don't push your luck."

Xu Fengnian shook his head. "Who says being detached means closing oneself off, hiding deep in the mountains beyond the heavens, and ignoring the mundane world? Mount Lan Tuo's self-sufficiency is truly remarkable, and I respect it. But what I admire even more is the Wudang Mountain Taoists' descent to cultivate in the world, and the Two Zen Temple's practice of tilling the land one day for every day they practice Buddhism. Whether it's the Wudang's path to immortality or the Two Zen Temple's path to Buddhahood, they are merely the scenery on the other side of the river. They all find their ferry boats, crossing as many feet or yards of the river as they can. And they try to carry as many people as their boat can hold, never charging money, and not even minding if they drown, only wishing to carry one more person. No wonder Monk Wuyong left Mount Lan Tuo. If he had stayed on the mountain, he would have remained Liu Songtao his entire life."

Six Pearls Bodhisattva said expressionlessly, "The millennial Buddhist teachings of Mount Lan Tuo are not something you, Xu Fengnian, can dismantle with a few clever remarks. Ultimately, you're still thinking about those tens of thousands of monastic soldiers. Stop putting on airs."

Xu Fengnian sighed, "Our paths diverge; we're talking past each other."

Six Pearls Bodhisattva frowned. "Tuoba Pusa is on his way here. Aren't you going to flee? You've only absorbed the scattered fortunes of the Spring and Autumn period; do you truly believe you've recovered to your peak state?"

Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes. "Right now, I'm the only one carrying a large lantern in a pitch-black night. Do you think Tuoba Pusa is blind? I definitely can't run back to my own territory in Northern Liang. Go north to Gusai Prefecture? I imagine the Empress of Beiman and Taiping Ling would treat me to good wine and meat. Or even further west into the Western Regions? What's the point? As for going south? Chen Zhibao and Xie Guanying should have already smelled the blood."

Xu Fengnian's expression was calm. "Why run? Let's fight first. It's not a situation of certain defeat or death. Besides, I've long yearned for a carefree life in the Jianghu. The first time I ventured into the Jianghu, it felt most like the real thing, but it wasn't carefree at all; I was dog-paddling through it, often choking on water. Unfortunately, in later times, my abilities grew, but I stopped seeing myself as a Jianghu person. This time, I plan to experience the Jianghu for myself. No dog-paddling across rivers, no taking boats across lakes; I want to drift through it with elegant ease."

Six Pearls Bodhisattva glanced at the inconspicuous grave of the Chicken Soup Monk in the distance and said indifferently, "If you die in the Western Regions at Tuoba Pusa's hands, it might even be difficult for others to collect your body."

Xu Fengnian solemnly murmured, "Children's words are harmless, children's words are harmless..."

Six Pearls Bodhisattva gazed eastward at the aura that ordinary eyes could not perceive. "Tuoba Pusa is in a great hurry to kill you."

Xu Fengnian did not look at that magnificent sight, which discerning people would find grand. There would be plenty of opportunities to admire it later, perhaps even to the point where Xu Fengnian couldn't help but look at it until he vomited. Xu Fengnian murmured to himself, "After Li Chungang re-entered the Jianghu, and before he left it completely, the old man accompanied me back to Northern Liang for a stretch of the road. Before we parted, he used two-word adjectives to describe Jianghu figures. He said Wang Mingyin, the eleventh greatest in the world, was 'composed,' like a great river flowing forth. Xuanyuan Jingcheng of Daxueping was 'subtle,' conveying all charm without a single word. Qi Xuanzhen of Demon Slaying Platform was 'ancient,' like the moon rising from the East Dipper, accompanied by clear breezes. Zhao Xichuan of Longhu Mountain was 'magnanimous,' asking 'how much difference is there between a hundred-year lifespan of the living?' Deng Tai'a was 'vigorous,' his qi like a rainbow, moving like clouds and wind. Cao Changqing was 'melancholy,' a hundred years like a flowing stream, all thoughts turning to cold ash. As for Wang Xianzhi, he was 'old yet robust,' having reached a superb state, truly a 'majestic' first-rank master, like tempestuous winds and boundless seas and mountains. His spirit was full, with all phenomena by his side..."

Six Pearls Bodhisattva patiently listened to him ramble about these old friends and their stories. In fact, she found it quite fascinating, for if she hadn't been there today, these words might have remained buried in someone's heart forever.

Xu Fengnian suddenly asked, "Does Mount Lan Tuo have any good weapons, preferably swords or blades? If there are divine weapons, perhaps you could lend me one."

Six Pearls Bodhisattva looked at the scene to the east and shook her head. "Yes, there's an ancient sword called 'Unleashed Roar' and a blade called 'Grace.' Both were forged during the Great Feng Dynasty. But by the time I go and return, Tuoba Pusa will have already found you."

Xu Fengnian smiled. "Worst case, I'll ask Tuoba Pusa to wait until you arrive before we start fighting. If he refuses, I'll run towards Mount Lan Tuo; I'll definitely be able to wait for you to fetch the sword and blade. Oh, and while I'm fighting Tuoba Pusa, please keep an eye on Wang Weixue, who is currently in the Dong family's inner compound. As long as he doesn't leave the Western Regions, you don't need to intervene."

Six Pearls Bodhisattva slowly stood up, her eyes complex. "Why don't you disperse your aura? Tuoba Pusa would then lose his target. You don't have to fight this battle."

Xu Fengnian said helplessly, "How long has the old monk been buried? Aren't you afraid he'll jump out and smash an alms bowl right into your face? You might not be, but I am. Besides, my intuition tells me that having a decisive battle here and now might be more advantageous, with a higher chance of victory, than a drawn-out struggle later. If I avoid his sharpness now, even if my cultivation recovers, my state of mind will have lost a few points."

She sneered, "Ultimately, you, Xu Fengnian, just want to use the vast, thousand-mile desert battlefield of the Western Regions to fight to your heart's content, regardless of consequences. What's this talk of intuition and state of mind!"

Xu Fengnian gave an awkward smile, then put on an exasperated look, glaring and saying, "Don't hit people's faces, don't expose their flaws!"

Six Pearls Bodhisattva vanished in a flash.

Xu Fengnian sat alone on the small stool.

Little Lan Tuo Mountain belonged to the backyard of the "King Yama Sima" family, one of the three prominent inner city families. However, after the Dong family launched its long-planned bloody massacre, only five out of ten members remained overnight. But a centipede dies but never falls, and after the Dong family ran into trouble with that young drunkard on the rooftop, especially after the son of the Bottle State Inspector heard that the Chicken Soup Monk had given an alms bowl to "Tiemu Dier," and this young swordsman, who had once assassinated Yan Wenluan with his sect, the Great Music Pavilion, actually came to the thatched hut at the foot of the mountain, the cautious Wang Weixue mistakenly thought he was a talisman invited by the old monk to protect the Sima family's gate, so he strictly ordered the Dong family assassins not to continue hunting the Sima family. And Xu Fengnian, sitting idly on the stool, waiting for someone, also felt the strong resilience of this city. The Sima family was in a precarious and bleak state; in the Central Plains, such a family would have long dispersed like birds from a fallen tree. Yet, the Sima family still dispatched over thirty elite guards near the thatched hut, their clothes and blades still stained with fresh blood, protecting a similar number of women, children, and the elderly. This was clearly the last bit of spirit the Sima family had left, and they evidently saw Xu Fengnian on the stool under the eaves of the hut as a savior. After Six Pearls Bodhisattva's elusive coming and going, the Sima family's morale, from top to bottom, rose a few points. After all, in the Western Regions, establishing a connection with Mount Lan Tuo was never a bad thing. An idle Xu Fengnian watched the people two hundred paces away; they, too, scrutinized this mysterious stranger of unknown origin. The children and youths among them widened their eyes, each holding a weapon. Both the weapons and their tragic plight that night were far too heavy for them. Many children still had tear streaks on their faces. A slightly taller boy gently comforted a little girl beside him, while adult men carrying crossbows and bows had their wounds bandaged with the help of female relatives. Nimble-footed children brought arrows from unknown places, standing on tiptoes to carefully place them into their elders' quivers.

To prevent Dong family assassins from using the cover of night for their attacks, lanterns were hung high on the tree branches throughout the area, casting an exceptionally brilliant light.

In the spring breeze of the night, Xu Fengnian watched them, and the children, too, gazed intently at this formidable figure who could connect with the Bodhisattva of Mount Lan Tuo.

Then, escorted by several inner city masters whose skills surpassed those of ordinary family retainers, a woman carrying a large ox-horn bow approached Xu Fengnian. Her graceful and lithe figure, slender waist, and long legs, combined with the huge lethal weapon, stood out starkly in the lamplight. Xu Fengnian slowly rose, thinking he would act as a host on behalf of the Chicken Soup Monk, who claimed to be a senior brother of the Dragon Tree Monk. However, he clearly underestimated his own "aura." As he bent and rose, the three masters, except for the woman, suddenly froze. Then, seeing their mistress still moving forward, they tightened their grip on their weapons and bravely followed. Xu Fengnian hadn't even stood straight when, realizing how nervous this group was, he sat back down, thinking that this might put them at ease. Unexpectedly, his rising and sitting completely spooked the already terrified group. They cried out, and a relatively young man immediately stepped in front of the mistress without a word, drawing his blade and staring intently at Xu Fengnian, as if ready to fight to the death at the slightest disagreement. Xu Fengnian felt a bit helpless. Did they want him to stand or sit?

The woman whispered to the masters of her family, who had been cultivated for a thousand days for this moment of need. She then instructed them to stay fifty paces away and walked alone to Xu Fengnian. She smiled, pointing to the stool Six Pearls Bodhisattva had sat on. Xu Fengnian nodded. After she took off her ox-horn bow and sat down, she smiled, "Please don't mind us, Young Master. Our Sima family is truly on edge tonight. Oh, I forgot to ask, can you understand me?"

Xu Fengnian smiled. "I am not from Beiman, so of course, I understand Madam Chai's Central Plains mandarin."

Not just in this city, but throughout the Western Regions, it was known that the head of the King Yama Sima family was Madam Chai. She hadn't taken her husband's surname after marrying into the Sima family. She had managed the household for twenty years, so some in the inner city's three families even referred to the Sima family as the Chai family. Xu Fengnian had learned from intelligence reports gathered by the Fushui House that Madam Chai was a refugee from Eastern Yue who had fled here. Her elder family members had quickly passed away, and she had married into the Sima family, who were then struggling in the outer city, as a lonely orphan. It could be said that she had personally managed the Sima family's fortunes to their current prominent status. As for the hardships she endured, Xu Fengnian did not know, nor was he interested.

She spoke directly. "Since Young Master is not a Beiman barbarian, then I can speak frankly. If I offend you, please do not be angry. As long as Young Master can protect the one hundred and twenty-four members of the Sima family, whatever Young Master asks for, as long as I can provide it, I will certainly give it!"

Xu Fengnian remained silent.

This madam, nearing forty but still more alluring than many younger women, had resolute eyes. "Young Master might think the Sima family is insignificant, but I can guarantee that as long as we overcome this crisis, as long as the Sima family's golden signboard is not completely destroyed tonight, then within half a year, I can reassemble two thousand men."

Then she suddenly looked a bit distressed. The young man, at such a critical juncture concerning her family's survival, was staring blankly into the distance, lost in thought.

Her ability to lead her family to this point stemmed from her unwavering perseverance. She intensified her tone and said, "Perhaps Young Master is a Central Plains person passing through the Western Regions by chance, or even a top talent from the most renowned sect in the Liyang Jianghu, aspiring to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, and simply despises the rise and fall of one or two families in this Western Regions city. But I implore Young Master for assistance this one time. The Sima family will forever be grateful to Young Master. In the future, as long as Young Master sends a single word back to the Western Regions, even if it's from the Southern Barbarian lands, the Two Liaos, or the Liyang capital, and requires the Sima family's effort, if I am still alive, I will personally lead the family's elite forces to Young Master without delay. If I am dead, the next Sima family head will never refuse! If I, Chai Dongdi, break this oath, I shall never be reborn as a human!"

Xu Fengnian turned to look at the woman, his eyes somewhat distant.

Her gaze instantly turned cold, and her tone unconsciously hardened. "I said, whatever I can afford, Young Master can take!"

She had seen too many men look at her this way in her life. In her early years, they were powerful figures in the outer city; later, they were inner-city warlords, like Dong Tieling of the Dong family, the Li family's father and three sons, and those men who, presuming themselves high-ranking experts, spoke to her frivolously.

She said expressionlessly, "But what Young Master asks for, I will only give once."

She was no longer the naive young girl who believed that chivalry existed everywhere in the Jianghu.

For so many years, for the sake of this family, she had conformed to the rules of this Western Regions city, doing many things that crossed the line of morality: cruelty, bloodshed, filth, conspiracies, calculations, traps.

But for herself, there was one thing she had always held onto: her bottom line. She had once thought that in a few more years, perhaps ten at most, the Western Regions would no longer marvel at her beauty, no young men would lust after her figure. Then, she would have done right by her husband, whose memory had long faded, leaving only a surname.

Xu Fengnian didn't get angry from the misunderstanding; he just smiled. "Madam Chai is overthinking it. You merely reminded me of a very important person."

He turned his head to look northeast, and said softly, "I miss her very much. In fact, I've always missed her."

She froze, looking at the side of his face, which was full of tender longing. She could tell that this man's longing at that moment was genuine.

She suddenly felt an inexplicable sadness and self-mockery. What appeared on his face was precisely the most luxurious thing in the Western Regions. She, a woman who had dominated the Western Regions' desert for twenty years, had never experienced such a feeling.

Xu Fengnian retracted his gaze and smiled. "The person I'm waiting for hasn't arrived yet, so I do have some time left. Instead of sitting here doing nothing, I might as well make a deal with you, Madam."

Even someone as steady as her couldn't help but reveal a look of pleasant surprise, but the young man's next words instantly struck her like lightning. "Madam Chai, can it really only be once? Can we not negotiate?"

Whether it was momentum, arrogance, or grace, all are at their peak at first, then decline, then exhaust. Though Madam Chai was still annoyed this time, she didn't have the same tragic intensity as before. Instead, perhaps because she was past her prime, even her anger had a unique charm, making her seem somewhat... shy?

Xu Fengnian laughed heartily, waving his hand. "Alright, no more jokes. I just felt that Madam's nerves were too tightly strung. This kind of harm is actually prolonged. Madam is an expert with a bow and should understand the principle of balancing tension and relaxation. Now, for serious matters, to be honest, I also have some hidden operations in the inner city. The force that has recently risen in the inner city over the past six months, Madam might have already met that old Confucian scholar who reeks of sourness. He is my contact in the Western Regions."

Madam Chai's expression grew serious. Most capable house-managing women in the world were like this; after a moment of pleasant surprise, they inevitably became calculating and down-to-earth. She asked softly, "It's said that the old man named Liu either has a Northern Liang background or is secretly connected with the expert from the Li family, the God of Wealth; in fact, both are from Liyang's Zhao Gou."

Xu Fengnian shook his head. "These things are not important. I can guarantee that your Sima family will continue to be a major inner-city clan. As long as you cooperate with that old pedant, not only can you survive under the Dong family's nose, but even displacing the Dong family is not impossible. If you need people, I can provide you with individuals no less skilled than those on the inner-city expert list, and as long as you dare to ask, I dare to give you a lot. If you need iron armor, crossbows, or spears, I can give them to you as well. As for my requirements, they are simple: your Sima family in this city must organize a cavalry force of no less than five thousand. When they truly have hope of gaining wealth by putting their lives on the line, Madam must make them believe that it's not empty talk..."

Xu Fengnian paused for a long time here. "Whether I can see these things in the future, let's not talk about it for now, Madam Chai, just rest assured. Later, go find that old scholar named Liu. Just tell him I told you his name is Liu Wenbao, at Xiamawei Inn, by the old pagoda tree. He will naturally trust you, Madam, and will do his best to cooperate with all your actions in the future. However, I must also make one thing clear beforehand: if you, Madam Chai, and the Sima family do not keep your word, and you act like timid turtles when it's time for you to fight, or if someone else offers you greater benefits in the future, then please remember this: what I give to the Sima family tonight, whether I appear in the future or not, I can take back with double interest. Your squabbles in this small corner of the Western Regions—what inner city, outer city, what masters, what three great families—one day you will understand that they truly amount to nothing."

Madam Chai gave a charming smile and nodded gently. "Indeed, in the eyes of the venerable King of Northern Liang, perhaps there's no major event except for the million-strong Northern Barbarian army pressing down. And besides the Liyang Emperor and the Northern Barbarian Empress, there are no other significant figures, right?"

Xu Fengnian said in surprise, "You guessed it?"

She was silent for a moment, then smiled. "I was just speaking offhand. Your Highness must only be so easily tricked into revealing information in front of insignificant women, right?"

Xu Fengnian didn't deny anything, trying not to laugh. "Being so resentful is not good."

Now it was Madam Chai's turn to be dumbfounded. "You're really the King of Northern Liang?!"

Xu Fengnian retorted playfully, "What, am I too approachable, not like a border king holding power? Or perhaps sitting on a small stool, chatting with Madam for half a day, doesn't make me look like a master?"

Madam Chai blinked. "Didn't they say His Highness is as handsome as a jade tree in the wind? Many well-informed young women in our inner city are very curious about His Highness. We have a few in the Sima family too. They used to practice sword, but then heard His Highness started with blades, so they foolishly went to practice blades. They chatter about His Highness's name all day long, my ears are almost calloused."

Xu Fengnian was speechless. He reached up to tap his forehead, giving a wry smile. "Women!"

Madam Chai looked at her family members who had survived the turmoil in the distance, and said calmly, "There's a girl named Sima Bishui. She swore that if she ever mastered peerless blade techniques, she would go to Northern Liang to find that Xu Fengnian fellow. Even if she couldn't become his wife, being his confidante would be fine. Many people made fun of her, but she, with no real talent, just buried herself in practicing her blade."

Xu Fengnian said softly, "And then she died."

She nodded, her tone light. "Yes. She couldn't kill, and she wouldn't endure humiliation, so she took her own life with a blade, cutting across her abdomen instead of lightly slitting her throat, because the latter way of dying still wouldn't spare her from those men. In our Western Regions, such innocent fools, especially women, never live long. Even if they're lucky enough to survive, they don't live happily."

Xu Fengnian followed her gaze, looking together at the distant crowd, which had faintly regained some carefree laughter. He sighed, "There will be a day when the world is at peace. By then, your Western Regions will also have the sound of scholarly readings. Children won't be thinking every day about how to survive, but how to study hard and achieve success. There will be willows swaying, men and women meeting after dusk, young people doing what young people should do. There will be wicker chairs, where old people lie in the sun, slowly recalling the proud deeds and regrets of their lives, and then at the end of their lives, they can peacefully entrust their unfulfilled wishes to their children and grandchildren..."

Madam Chai smiled, gently shaking her head, as if she couldn't believe that such a beautiful, idyllic scene would one day appear on this blood-soaked land beneath her feet.

But she instinctively reached up to smooth a stray lock of hair at her temple, gently tucking it behind her ear.

Suddenly, her body tensed, and she gripped the ox-horn bow beside her feet tightly. In her keen intuitive perception, a ripple of qi as fine as a hair seemed to appear.

In the far distance, a series of muffled, suppressed sounds emerged.

The three inner-city masters, who were renowned on the expert list, also glanced around, slightly flustered. They only saw the nearest sight: a large, leafy tree from which a body dressed in tight black night-traveling clothes fell to the ground. It was noteworthy that three large lanterns were hanging on that tree, meaning the Sima family's lantern hangers had failed to detect this person's presence from start to finish! But what truly chilled the hands and feet of these three top-tier masters in the city was that they hadn't even clearly seen the young man sitting on the small stool. He looked harmless and gentle, yet he killed so trace-lessly. A grandmaster, definitely a grandmaster who surpassed even Dong Tieling, one of the top three experts in the inner city!

Madam Chai, being closer to the action and also an expert ranked just below Dong Tieling in the inner city, was barely able to detect those subtle ripples.

She roughly knew that in the Liyang Jianghu, martial artists' realms were divided into nine ranks, with only the second rank considered truly accomplished, earning the title of 'Little Grandmaster' in the Central Plains. She barely stood at this second-rank threshold, having seen a glimpse of the magnificent scenery within. She had always thought that if she could put aside family affairs and wholeheartedly focus on martial arts, breaking into the top three of the inner city would be easy, and she might even contend with those first-rank masters rumored in the Liyang Jianghu. As for the previous martial evaluations of ten people, and the more recent fourteen and four grandmasters, she had no concrete concept. She knew they were very powerful, like looking at a distant tall mountain – you know it's high, but how majestic and towering it truly is, you can't imagine without actually getting close. So, this young man beside her, whose identity she still doubted, had, in a somewhat stingy and abstruse manner, opened a crack in the door to that first-rank realm for her. She then realized with a start: to those few true martial grandmasters, what difference was there between the self-proclaimed first-rate masters in this city and ants? Soon, even the Sima family's children witnessed a strange sight: a ghostly figure suddenly darted out of the shadows far away, rushing like thunder, full of menacing intent. They thought it was a Dong family master openly coming to kill, perhaps even the notorious Dong Tieling himself. But soon everyone was baffled. That agile master didn't seem to be coming to cause trouble; rather, he seemed to be pushed and forced over by something unseen. He appeared to be dodging something invisible, and though his approach to the thatched hut was inevitable, his footsteps were chaotic, fluttering erratically, appearing particularly disheveled. Even though no one was fighting him, he performed several dazzling front flips, back flips, and side flips – all kinds of flips. A master who was originally quite tall was reduced to a mere acrobat in the eyes of the Sima children. About thirty paces from the thatched hut, he finally managed to stop and catch his breath. It was then that Madam Chai saw this old man was none other than the esteemed "Heaven" rank enshrinement of the God of Wealth Li family. At this moment, his clothes were ragged, as if cut into shreds bit by bit by a sharp weapon, and he was covered in blood.

He stared intently at the young man sitting on the small stool, his voice hoarse. "What a mastery of Deng Tai'a's sword cultivation and control! I finally know who you are."

Xu Fengnian looked at one of the elders of Liyang's Zhao Gou. "The reason you're still alive is because a colleague of yours in Qingcang City said something before he died. He essentially died for you once. Go. Remember to tell Li Fengmao to stop competing with the Sima family from now on. As for your schemes in the Western Regions, they've been perfectly proper these past years, and I can pretend I didn't see them."

The thin old man roared and charged forward, dust rising from his feet, which instantly created a small pit in the ground. But the old man quickly stopped abruptly. Madam Chai narrowed her eyes tightly and saw a "flying sword," no more than an inch long, hovering right in front of the old man's forehead.

The sword was emerald green, crystal clear, a beautiful little sword that could truly gladden the heart.

Madam Chai's lips curled slightly, for she remembered someone's comment.

"Women!"

The old man, who could control everything in this city with one hand, glanced at the young man, who was most likely wearing a disguise, and snorted coldly. He retreated, leaping onto a tree branch, and quickly disappeared into the inky night.

Xu Fengnian's mind stirred. He collected the flying swords into his sleeve, then pointed to the brave man of about thirty who had earlier drawn his blade against him, and asked with a smile, "What's his name? How many years has he been with your Sima family?"

Madam Chai, being incredibly perceptive, instantly felt a shadow fall over her heart and looked at the much-expected man with sadness in her eyes. "Him? He's the youngest on the inner-city expert list, hailed as a more skilled assassin than the Dong family's assassins. He's been working for the Sima family since his father's generation. Perhaps it's insatiable greed, or perhaps he doesn't want his descendants to be servants to others anymore."

Sitting on a small stool like Xu Fengnian, her voice gradually grew cold. She sneered, "Isn't that right, Tao Disong?!"

The dignified-looking man pursed his lips, neither refuting nor admitting, only staring at Madam Chai.

Xu Fengnian, of course, watched from the sidelines. Earlier, when Tao Disong saw him stand, the leakage of his killing intent was understandable, possibly interpreted as a desperate attempt to protect his master. But when he later saw the Dong family assassin fall dead from the tree, the instinctive surge of qi and killing intent of a martial artist in danger could not be explained by mere loyalty to the Sima family. Xu Fengnian sighed, lowered his head, and rubbed his cheek, feeling a bit bitter. If the Wutong Courtyard, which had been so harmonious for so many years, could be so unpredictable, how much more so for a Sima family in the Western Regions?

Tao Disong didn't reveal his true intentions with a hidden dagger; he simply looked at Madam Chai, who was eight years older than him.

Madam Chai seemed to realize some truth and exploded in rage, scolding, "You want to be superior to others, when has the Sima family ever stopped you? For so many years, we've spared no effort to cultivate you, Tao Disong, are you a wolf in sheep's clothing?! In the Western Regions, there's no benevolence, no righteousness, no loyalty, but don't forget, all people in the Western Regions believe in 'faith'! Even if you're a great villain, once you promise something, it's a promise worth a thousand gold. Even children in this city understand that!"

Tao Disong's face was expressionless. "Madam, I have respected you since I was a child. I've always seen you as a Bodhisattva."

Madam Chai angrily said, "Shut up."

She suddenly stood up, grabbed the large ox-horn bow, and in an instant drew the bow to a full moon, showing that her martial arts cultivation was indeed among the top in the city, without any exaggeration.

Tao Disong completely ignored the large bow and the iron-feathered arrow, sharp and ready to fire. He only looked at Madam Chai and murmured to himself, "When I grew up, especially after realizing I had superior martial arts prowess than all the men in the family, I told myself that one day, I would make sure you, Madam, wouldn't have to live such a tired and weary life..."

At this moment of intense solemnity, Xu Fengnian, completely out of place, softly muttered, "You mean 'not so lonely,' right?"

He slightly emphasized the word "lonely."

Madam Chai, who heard this clearly, almost turned the arrow in exasperation and shot this guy first!

Tao Disong laughed uproariously, tears streaming down his face. He raised an arm to wipe his eyes, accepting death with resignation, and slowly stepped forward. His gaze remained fixed on Madam Chai's face, his eyes beginning to radiate a man's unique fervor. "Madam, why do you live so tiringly? In five years at most, I can enter the top three of the inner city. Ten years, just give me ten years, and I, Tao Disong, will have a chance to claim the top spot among inner city masters. In five years, I'll be thirty-five, and you'll only be forty-three. You won't age; your beauty will flourish, looking like a captivating woman under thirty. You will always be the Madam from my youthful memories, the most beautiful woman in the world. Even after ten years, even if you truly age, in my heart, even with white hair, you will still be the most beautiful woman in the world..."

Originally, Madam Chai would have shot an arrow straight at Tao Disong's face the moment he moved, and although she wasn't sure of success, she definitely wouldn't have let this ingrate continue speaking. However, there was a man beside her interrupting, saying to let that person confess everything in his heart so he could die without regret, and she, Madam Chai, could kill her own family member with a clear conscience. But she quickly regretted it. This Tao Disong, who for so many years had been respectful and polite like a junior nephew, the young man from her memories who had once lived so brightly in the Western Regions, had actually died long ago. So she unhesitatingly fired that carved-feathered iron arrow, and Tao Disong finally revealed his true colors, hidden for years. He lunged forward, tilting his body sharply to the right, narrowly dodging the feathered arrow, then continued to charge towards the thatched hut, laughing savagely, "Madam, since I cannot have you in life, let us walk the path to the Yellow Springs together! Before we reach the Gates of Hell, I, Tao Disong, will properly—"

Before Tao Disong could utter another word, he was struck through the neck by a powerful, carved-feathered arrow. The immense force of the impact sent him flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.

Perhaps this was the Western Regions. Victory and defeat were always decided with such lightning speed, utterly unlike the grudges between Central Plains Jianghu factions, which required endless schemes and calculations to finally uncover the truth.

Xu Fengnian's eyes were calm as he murmured, "I remember someone named Lu Qiantang; he was far more of a man than you when he died. He was a true Jianghu person."

Tao Disong died with his eyes wide open, for he knew that Madam Chai, who had fought alongside him just earlier tonight against the Dong family's top assassins, though not severely wounded, had her qi in extreme disarray and absolutely could not have killed him within ten arrows. He knew, of course, that with the strange man's help, he couldn't kill Madam Chai, but in the end, he couldn't even manage to die a slower death at her hands. Instead, he was shot through the throat by that man's flying sword before the feathered arrow could reach him.

This ambitious man had only one thought before he died: Chai Furen, I truly loved you.

However, another, more loyal, Sima family master strode towards Tao Disong's corpse, kicking it dozens of feet away, where it tumbled into the dust. Thus, the two streams of tears on his face before he died were destined to remain unknown.

Xu Fengnian smiled and said, "Madam, you should go attend to your affairs. We've already finalized our deal, and you have this mess to clean up. No need to bother with me."

But Madam Chai, unexpectedly, sat back down on the stool. The stool was small, and she had hastily changed into night-traveling clothes to deal with tonight's assassination, which subtly accentuated her full, moon-like backside.

Xu Fengnian didn't remind her. Perhaps she didn't notice, or didn't care, or perhaps, due to his consistent demeanor as a perfect gentleman who never averted his gaze, she felt a certain unnamable "bored" desire to compete. A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; who knows.

She looked at her family, who, despite the chaos, were still handling things in an orderly fashion, albeit with lingering fear. She said softly, "It's not hard to be busy; there are always endless things to do. I've been busy for twenty years. At first, I was nervous and clumsy, but later I became confident and experienced. Yet, it was always busy, even dreaming about how to expand the family business. Today, I finally managed to steal a moment of leisure and catch my breath."

Xu Fengnian chuckled lightly. "I'm luckier than you. I've only started getting busy these past few years. And even if I'm not in charge of my family, no matter how great the difficulties, they won't fall into disarray..."

Xu Fengnian suddenly turned his head, exasperated. "Madam Chai, do you truly not understand my hint to leave, or are you pretending not to? You've managed to steal some free time, but I also want to sit here alone, in quiet contemplation."

She simply said, "Oh," and then said nothing more, showing no intention of getting up.

Xu Fengnian just smiled it off.

She suddenly called out a name, beckoning to the distance. Soon, a timid girl of thirteen or fourteen, a complete beauty in the making, looking seven or eight parts like Madam Chai, but with only four or five parts spiritual resemblance, came running. After all, Madam Chai's current demeanor was forged through countless hardships, while the girl grew up under her warm protection, so only their innate looks could be similar. The girl, with two short and long embroidered blades hanging from each side of her waist, squatted beside Madam Chai, not daring to look Xu Fengnian directly in the eye.

Madam Chai stroked the girl's head. "Tiehe is my daughter. People used to say that the most powerful experts in the Central Plains Jianghu either didn't use weapons or used long swords. She only started practicing blades late last year, after rummaging through the family's armory to find this pair of blades. Tiehe, look, this young master is the one you've been looking for. Weren't you and your close friend having a dispute before the New Year about who would become 'that person's' wife? Now you've gotten a head start on that foolish girl from the Li family. Mother tells you, such a rare opportunity, if you miss it now, it's gone."

The girl suddenly looked up, her captivating eyes wide. "Him?!"

Madam Chai smiled, nodding, her peripheral vision catching the young man's wry chuckle, while a hint of schadenfreude lurked in her eyes.

The girl abruptly turned her head and then instantly turned back, a look of resentment and suspicion on her face. "He doesn't look like him at all."

Xu Fengnian smiled bitterly, thinking, *How could this Tiemu Dier's face look like mine?* But it was better if it didn't. Did he really have to deal with a foolish Western Regions girl, engaging in a "You're Xu Fengnian," "Yes, yes," "Really?" "Of course it's real!" conversation? The thought made Xu Fengnian's scalp tingle, and he involuntarily chuckled. *Old man Li in the sheepskin robe, with your arrogant temper in your youth, you must have been even more impatient than me back then, right?*

Madam Chai added fuel to the fire, whispering, "Silly girl, it really is him. He's wearing a disguise. Otherwise, do you think that person would swagger into our Western Regions? Would Mother lie to you?"

Xu Fengnian covered his forehead with his hand.

No one expected the girl to suddenly burst into tears without warning. If Madam Chai hadn't gently covered the girl's mouth, she would have been sobbing uncontrollably.

She finally managed to stop crying, turned her head again, and looked at Xu Fengnian very seriously, whimpering, "Sister Bishui really liked you..."

The innocent girl quickly added in a tearful voice, "Sister Bishui also liked you very much... but she died today. Could you help me write a few words? I'll burn them for Sister Bishui when I visit her grave later, okay?"

Madam Chai sighed softly, a look of pleading in her eyes.

Xu Fengnian smiled. "But there's no pen and ink here."

Then, the seemingly frail girl deftly pulled out her blade and cut off a section of her sleeve, handing it to Xu Fengnian. She then made him extend his hand, and finally, with the tip of her blade, she harshly cut a large gash into her own left palm. Blood flowed onto Xu Fengnian's hand.

Madam Chai made no attempt to hide the pride on her face. *My daughter, her nature is truly like mine, no less formidable than the most valiant men in the Western Regions.*

Xu Fengnian raised his arm, and blood flowed down his fingers onto the tip, writing the name "Sima Bishui" on that piece of sleeve.

The girl eagerly said, "Add your name too."

He had no choice but to add the three characters "Xu Fengnian."

The girl carefully put away the piece of sleeve, which now had two names written on it, treating it as a precious treasure. She looked at the blood-written characters and couldn't help but whimper again. But she quickly wiped her tears with her arm, then looked pitifully at Xu Fengnian. "Or, could you write one for me too?"

Before Xu Fengnian could speak, she began to draw her blade and cut her clothes in one fluid motion, then prepared to cut another gash in her other palm. Xu Fengnian quickly stopped her, saying with a wry smile, "Alright, alright, you win. Just give me your sleeve."

Xu Fengnian took the sleeve. With the tip of his right index finger, he lightly pricked the pad of his left middle finger, then wrote "Xu Fengnian, Sima Tiehe" on that piece of sleeve.

The girl craned her neck, staring intently at the sleeve, and then, very familiarly, whispered, "Add the character '贈' (gift) between the two names."

Xu Fengnian added that character.

Only then did the girl, with both pieces of sleeve in hand, seem satisfied. She carefully put away her "sleeve-books" and solemnly thanked Xu Fengnian. Only then did she stand up and leave, her back to him and her mother, secretly sobbing as she walked away into the distance.

Xu Fengnian smiled. "Madam Chai, you have a good daughter."

Madam Chai nodded. "Who could say otherwise? My only wish in this life was for her not to live like me. That wish almost shattered, thankfully His Highness appeared here today."

She finally allowed herself to stand up, a joyful smile playing on her lips. "I won't disturb His Highness's cultivation any further."

Xu Fengnian looked up and said, "Live well."

Madam Chai had never, in her entire life, so sincerely performed the "ten thousand blessings" gesture to a man.

Xu Fengnian closed his eyes.

*You must live well in Dunhuang City. You must wait for me.*

Over the next more than three hours, the Sima family, under Madam Chai's command, gradually dispersed to clean up the aftermath. During this time, she and her daughter stood side-by-side once, looking from afar at Xu Fengnian, who sat under the eaves, eyes closed in contemplation.

When the area around the thatched hut returned to silence, Xu Fengnian opened his eyes.

Indeed, Six Pearls Bodhisattva would not return from Mount Lan Tuo with the sword and blade in time.

He would just have to make do with what he had.

This upcoming battle would not allow for grand gestures or extravagance. Every detail would have to be meticulously accounted for. The key would be who could hold out until the very end.

Xu Fengnian tore off the disguise from his face and slowly stood up, his wide sleeves billowing. In the lamplight, he looked like an exiled immortal wandering the human world.

Xu Fengnian raised one arm.

Swords from all over the city—worn swords, hidden swords, long swords, short swords, ancient swords, new swords—all flew to him, humming joyfully.

In a straight line before him, sword after sword linked hilt to tip, hovering in orderly rows.

There was once an old man who, on a rainy path, turned raindrops into swords.

Xu Fengnian smiled.

The wind is strong; this time, I won't run away.

Xu Fengnian gently pushed his arm forward, then began to move.

Sword joined sword, finally converging into a massive hovering sword hundreds of feet long.

Xu Fengnian said gravely, "Go!"

This sword, in an instant, broke through the city and charged straight towards Tuoba Pusa, the Northern Barbarian God of War, who was rushing towards the city.

Dunhuang City.

Deep in the night, a woman with naturally light sleep quickly dressed and gently picked up her crying child from the cradle. The child soon stopped crying and laughed.

She looked down at the tender smiling face, and she too smiled.

She gently rocked her arm, humming softly, "Little sweet potato, little sweet potato, grow up quick, grow up quick..."

Yan Chi King Zhao Bing's advertised army was only a hundred thousand, but he actually commanded over two hundred thousand troops. He had no fewer than eighty to a hundred martial artists serving as generals. Among them, infantry generals Zhang Dingyuan and Gu Ying: one excelled at leveraging strengths and exploiting weaknesses, using flexible tactics, while the other was good at assaults and preferred tough, desperate battles. There was also General Ye Xiufeng of Yuanzhou, known as King Mingyang of Southern Jiang, famous in southern Liyang for his mastery of siege defense. General Liang Yue of Hezhou was skilled in swift raids, treating infantry like cavalry. These were all exceptionally talented and unruly military commanders, though their fame and sharpness were always overshadowed by Northern Liang's iron cavalry. The times they were mentioned in the Liyang capital, combined, might not even equal a single Chu Lushan or Yan Wenluan. However, there was certainly one exception: Wu Zhongxuan, the top general of Southern Jiang. Not only did the veteran general command half of the troops in northern Southern Jiang, but he also held the region's only cavalry force. At that time, when Prince Zhao Zhu took a few thousand cavalry to Guangling Dao to assist the emperor and quell the rebellion, it was, to be precise, a portion of troops he had borrowed from Wu Zhongxuan. Wu Zhongxuan and Nalan Youci were Zhao Bing's left and right hands, but compared to Nalan Youci's almost blind trust from the Yan Chi King, Wu Zhongxuan, commanding troops outside, seemed much less favored. Among his three sons, the eldest legitimate son and the youngest legitimate son were kept within the prince's manor, with only one illegitimate son by the old general's side. This son didn't join the army; his gambling, drinking, and womanizing made him a prominent figure in northern Southern Jiang. It was rumored that once, taking advantage of his father's inspection tour of the northern border, he secretly took over a hundred elite private guards to flaunt his power in the south, only to be utterly thrashed by Prince Zhao Zhu. What's more, after being beaten senseless, someone apparently gave him the terrible idea to run to the prince's manor shirtless and throw a tantrum. After things settled down, outsiders didn't know the inside story, but Southern Jiang only knew that Yan Chi King's third son, Zhao Yu, who held an important military post in the north, was recalled to the south. In any case, after that, Wu Zhongxuan rarely returned to the south, dedicating himself to guarding northern Southern Jiang.

A cavalry detachment of over twenty riders stopped their horses and cracked their whips on the southern bank of Guangling River, watching the mighty river flow eastward like the most magnificent white ribbon in the world, undulating with the wind. These riders varied greatly in age, but all wore armor and carried sabers, exuding a sharp, formidable aura. The central few riders possessed a profound presence cultivated from long periods in command, with the white-haired old man, his back ramrod straight, being the most eye-catching. The old man gripped his horsewhip, made of tiger bone for the handle and tiger skin for the core, narrowing his eyes as his gaze swept across the river to the north bank. The two middle-aged martial generals beside him were his trusted subordinates, cultivated over twenty or thirty years. Tang He and Li Chunyu's reputations were slightly less than Zhang Dingyuan and Gu Ying, but Wu Zhongxuan didn't think they would lose if truly tested on the battlefield. Moreover, both Tang and Li came from first-rate noble families in northern Southern Jiang, with complex marital alliances, which meant Wu Zhongxuan had more connections in the Central Plains than the Yan Chi King, who was severely restricted by clan laws.

Tang He was a rough man with a rugged appearance, his full beard untended and tangled. He bent down to stroke the muscular back of his warhorse and complained, "Did Zhao Yi and Zhao Xun agree beforehand? Why are they putting on such a grand show, unwilling to help us cross the river, using the excuse that they need to defeat Cao Changqing's navy first to ensure our safety."

The old man was Wu Zhongxuan, the foremost general of Southern Jiang. He said indifferently, "That reasoning makes sense. A hundred thousand troops crossing the river is no small matter."

Tang He boldly retorted, "Cao Changqing has clearly retreated his forces, concentrating them at Bailu Lake. So why don't we just cross at Longmen Ferry with Qingzhou Navy protecting us? Does Zhao Yi's navy lack ten days to half a month? Or we could cross near the Guangling River estuary; Cao Changqing's warships can't possibly climb onto land, bypass Zhao Yi's navy, and then jump back into the river to intercept us, can they? These sons of bitches just don't want to see our Southern Jiang elite troops cross the river smoothly."

Wu Zhongxuan shook his head. "This is the capital's intention. Do you think Zhao Yi and Zhao Xun can decide?"

Tang He's face was full of scorn, and he laughed aloud. "To be a prince reduced to such a state, that's quite a feat in itself."

Wu Zhongxuan had always been a stern and aloof character. Throughout most of his military career, whether in great victories or crushing defeats, he maintained an impassive demeanor, becoming a prime example of what military texts described as "one who has thunder in his breast but a calm face may be appointed a great general." Wu Zhongxuan fell into contemplation. Compared to his subordinates, who were mostly brave on the battlefield but not well-versed in court affairs, as a commander, the old general had more profound and complex thoughts. Was this northern campaign not a great gamble in itself? Besides the official matters, the old general also had a private affair to attend to: someone wanted him to look after a young man named Jiang Fuding from Wudi City. In exchange, that person promised him not only the position of chief commander for the Southern Jiang army's northern expedition but also immense wealth awaiting Wu Zhongxuan after crossing Guangling. Wu Zhongxuan had no choice but to accept, because that person had exposed the true power behind Wu Zhongxuan's rise to fame: Huang Sanjia. Wu Zhongxuan had kept this secret from everyone, even his three disappointing sons and his wife of many years.

At this moment, another cavalry detachment galloped up. Tang He, Li Chunyu, and others looked on, their expressions a little strange. Wu Zhongxuan urged his horse forward and lightly clasped his hands towards the spirited young man on horseback. "Your subordinate greets Your Highness the Prince."

This young man, who brought only five or six mounted guards, was none other than Zhao Zhu, the Crown Prince of Yan Chi. Compared to Wu Zhongxuan's group, who were clad in clanking armor, Zhao Zhu wore a brocade robe. If not for the common Southern Jiang military saber at his waist, he could easily have been mistaken for a young master traveling for pleasure. Besides two personal guards from the princely mansion, he was accompanied by several outsiders from Southern Jiang: one man and two women. The man's attire was extremely peculiar; he had monk's tonsure scars on his bald head but wore a Taoist robe. The older woman was exceptionally beautiful and captivating, appearing as a charming matron in her early thirties. If not for her extremely imposing aura, which inspired awe, she might have perished early in this chaotic world on the banks of the smoke-filled Guangling River, like many other beautiful women. The younger woman was tall, clearly a northern lady, her face not remarkably stunning but possessing a unique charm of her own. Generals like Tang He and Li Chunyu had long heard of the half-monk, half-Taoist man and the woman who had appeared on the Rouge List three times; Gong Banque and the great boxing master Lin Ya, both disciples of Wang Xianzhi from Wudi City, were renowned figures in the Jianghu. As for why these two had become affiliated with Prince Zhao Zhu, they were too lazy to delve deeper. Regardless of any conflicts between Prince Zhao Zhu and their benefactor, Wu Zhongxuan, the entire vast Southern Jiang region would sincerely praise the Prince: "His Highness started his military career young, fighting ten in and ten out in those malarial lands, building countless grand monuments of victory. Before that young man surnamed Xu rose in Northern Liang, the people of Southern Jiang were immensely proud, always telling outsiders that they had produced the most accomplished Prince, both in literature and martial arts, in the entire world."

Zhao Zhu's face beamed with a smile as he returned the clasped-hand salute. "You've worked hard, General."

Wu Zhongxuan tugged at his lips, which was probably his version of a smile.

Zhao Zhu turned to gaze at the river and asked softly, "What are the movements of Zhao Xun and Zhao Yi?"

Zhao Zhu was, after all, the nominal chief commander of the Northern Expedition, with Wu Zhongxuan serving only as his deputy, assisting this Prince who had deeply disappointed Liyang with his Guangling expedition. Wu Zhongxuan replied gravely, "The Qingzhou Navy has moved eastward along the river, meticulously deploying troops at crucial points such as the narrow pass between Guangling River and Wubo Lake, Longdu Ferry, and Zhufa Cliff at the western end of Bailu Lake, to block our return route. Moreover, Qingzhou Navy's deployment is highly strategic, not compromising the main navy's combat strength; there must be a master guiding Zhao Xun. As for Zhao Yi's half of the Guangling Navy, on the vast waters of Bailu Lake, large warships can exert more power. They are now arrayed in formation, like iron cavalry encampments on land. Cao Changqing's Western Chu Navy already has fewer soldiers and smaller ships. Facing such a formation, not only is a frontal assault difficult and an uphill battle, but even their original advantage of small, agile ships has vanished."

Zhao Zhu nodded, seemingly casually asking, "In late spring, what was the usual weather and wind direction around Bailu Lake this time of year?"

Wu Zhongxuan was taken aback, as were the other generals. Not only was this an old general who had never personally participated in a large-scale naval operation, but the others were stumped too.

Lin Ya, the female martial arts grandmaster who once carried a large tripod to smash Sui Xiegou's slow-entering-the-city sword, smiled brightly. "The strategists from Chunxuelou, who live by the Guangling River all year round, aren't all incompetent; they would consider such things."

Zhao Zhu sighed, "Then it all depends on whether Cao Changqing can turn the tide by himself."

Gong Banque rubbed his bald head. "Difficult. Qi Jiajie, the top swordsman in the capital, has arrived, and Chai Qingshan of the Dongyue Sword Pond won't be absent. It's even said that the woman surnamed Xuanyuan from Huishan will also assist. Plus, with Zhao Gou's full deployment, killing Cao Changqing is out of the question, but stopping him for a bit won't be difficult."

Wu Zhongxuan's cavalry troop bid farewell and departed. Zhao Zhu remained by the river for a long time, shaking his head. He looked down; a tattered money pouch was tied with a thin string to the saber at his waist.

The Crown Prince murmured to himself, "If one day, the empire belongs to me, Zhao Zhu, and the Jianghu belongs to you, Xu Fengnian. Then our brotherhood,