Chapter 804: Painfully and Freely

The Chongzhong Military Town, located behind Huaiyang Pass, differed from Liuyazhen and Fulingzhen in that it primarily housed garrison infantry. Compared to Huaiyang Pass, which benefited from natural defenses, Chongzhong often felt less secure. In fact, on this defensive line, Chongzhong's commander rarely stood tall or spoke loudly when facing his three colleagues of equal rank. Liuyazhen and Fulingzhen had always stationed a considerable number of border cavalry, and their commanders had connections with the current two deputy cavalry marshals. Chongzhong, however, was an awkward, neglected entity; though part of the Beiliang cavalry sequence, it consisted mostly of infantry and had no ties to Gu Dazu or any powerful patrons. After Huaiyang Pass became the seat of the Protectorate General, the Chongzhong Military Town, like a stepchild, became even more inconspicuous.

Xu Fengnian stayed in a recently cleaned and quiet private courtyard. Finding such a secluded spot was no easy feat in a military town almost entirely occupied by influential figures from Liangzhou's border. Xu Fengnian's choice of lodging sent a noteworthy signal to Chongzhong: the young princely king did not summon Zhou Kang, the "Brocade Partridge," who had, years ago, respectfully escorted the Crown Prince to the capital with a few old soldiers. Nor did he summon Gu Dazu, whom he had personally discovered with keen insight from the martial arts world of the Central Plains. He didn't even summon Qi Dangguo, who, along with Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuozong, was a sworn son of the Great General. Instead, he called Ning Emei, a veteran of the Phoenix Camp, to drink with him in the courtyard.

Ning Emei, the newly appointed deputy general of the Iron Pagoda, was still the same interesting man with a rough appearance and a delicate voice. However, compared to his carefree demeanor of yesteryear, he now displayed a certain understandable reservedness. After all, the young man sitting across from him, sharing wine, was no longer the Crown Prince whom all of Beiliang had once looked down upon.

Xu Fengnian clinked glasses with Ning Emei and mused, "Back then, General Ning brought people to wander the jianghu with me. Many, including Hong Shuwen, are no longer in the Phoenix Camp; they've become local military commandants or even captains. Yuan Meng is still there, though. A few days ago at Tianjing Ranch, he complained to me, and I mentioned it to you—he wants to join the Iron Pagoda. But you not only refused, ignoring old ties, you also scolded him soundly."

Ning Emei instinctively straightened his posture and, in his gentle voice like a Dongyue woman, replied, "The Phoenix Camp has seen many new faces in the past two years. This subordinate feels at ease knowing there's an old-timer like Commandant Yuan among them."

Xu Fengnian chuckled. "Some young people who left the Phoenix Camp as White Horse Cavaliers occasionally gather privately. I hear they like to ask each other what high-ranking officials they've become and what positions they hope to attain, discussing who might become border generals or regional governors in the future and if they can support each other. In that regard, it's a bit like classmates and compatriots from the imperial examinations in the Liyang court. Years ago, Beiliang's earliest border rangers went through a similar phase. At first, when they reunited, they'd talk about who had died in battle, often with a tone of envy. Years or even a decade later, it was different; they'd inquire about the size of newly bought houses, the beauty of new concubines, and how many acres of prime farmland they had acquired."

Seeing Ning Emei's expression change dramatically, Xu Fengnian waved his hand and smiled. "Don't be nervous; these are all human nature. This situation in the Phoenix Camp is still a minority for now. I understand the saying 'water too clear has no fish.' Besides, Xu Xiao said similar things. In his eyes, the world we live in now is vastly different from a few decades ago. Back then, almost everyone was focused on how to survive; everyone's life was hanging by a thread. The only difference was that commoners' lives hung by a straw rope, while literati's lives hung by a more valuable jade belt—in truth, everyone lived from hand to mouth. But now, everyone wants to live better. That's why families have been moving out of Beiliang territory since last year. If staying in Beiliang means potential death, they flee to places without the smoke signals of war, to places where they can't hear the hoofbeats of Northern Mang cavalry. If Huainan isn't safe, they go to Jiangnan. If Jiangnan eventually sees war, they can go south of the Guangling River. If all else fails, they head to the Southern Barbarians. As long as they have money, fleeing south will ultimately allow them to survive."

Xu Fengnian twirled the delicate white porcelain wine cup, as fine as those used by gentry in Jiangnan, and raised it slightly. "I am one of the few truly extravagant people in the world; I know the market price of this wine cup. In the rich regions of the Central Plains, it might sell for two or three taels of silver, but after arduous journeys to our Beiliang, it quadruples or more. Of course, truthfully, the valuable items in Qingliang Mountain are countless. Central Plains scholars say Beiliang 'impoverished ten thousand households, enriched one family,' and they're not wrong. Just in Wutongyuan, there were three valuable paintings and calligraphies that passed through my hands, marked 'fake' with my seal. However, unlike Zhong Hongwu and others, I, Xu Fengnian, have long been known for squandering wealth; I'm not like those misers."

Xu Fengnian chuckled. "Back then, whenever Xu Xiao brought priceless paintings, calligraphy, or antiques to Wutongyuan, he never quite grasped their true worth. He didn't understand why a few strokes of writing or some ink washes could command such high prices. He would just tell me every time that these things were 'very valuable,' always adding that they could buy X number of top-grade Beiliang warhorses or Y number of Beiliang battle sabers. In recent years, I've had Director-General Li Gongde, Lingzhou Governor Xu Beizhi, and Song Dongming secretly sell these precious items and artworks. Watching boxes of things being moved out of Qingliang Mountain, General Ning, do you know what I was thinking?"

Ning Emei shook his head vigorously, deadpan.

Xu Fengnian teased, "I just wanted to complain to Xu Xiao: 'You overpaid back then!'"

Ning Emei chuckled, taken aback.

Xu Fengnian sobered. "To speak of recent events, Bai Yu has only been at Qingliang Mountain for a few days, and he's already at odds with Song Dongming, despite appearing cordial. How can I possibly make Zhou Kang and Gu Dazu get along seamlessly? One is an old Beiliang veteran who was among the few to think highly of me back then, and the other is an outsider whom I painstakingly invited. One is in the cavalry, the other in the infantry; in the council hall today, supporting either would be inappropriate. Family affairs, state affairs, world affairs... just take family matters. Wang Linquan, who has vaguely become Beiliang's financial mastermind, and Lu Dongjiang, who is depressed and frustrated—two fathers-in-law, two sets of in-laws, one rising, one falling. Logically, I should help the struggling Lu family, but can they truly be supported? As for Wang Linquan's schemes against the Lu family's descendants, I simply chose not to delve deeply into them. One is too clever, one is too foolish; they're a perfect match."

Ning Emei sighed, speechless. He didn't dare say anything, nor did he know what he could say.

Xu Fengnian looked at Ning Emei and joked, "Do you think managing things is difficult for me?"

Ning Emei, whose thoughts had been read, nodded. Perhaps fearing he would be seen as flattering, he stated seriously, "This subordinate truly thinks so!"

Xu Fengnian said, "I'm just complaining. The fact that I can still drink with you makes it actually quite easy. The truly difficult ones are those like Liu Jinu, whose names are carved on the Qingliang Mountain stele."

Xu Fengnian put down his wine cup. "But even harder are people like you, Ning Emei, Zhou Kang, and Gu Dazu."

Xu Fengnian let out a deep breath and stood up. "Perhaps elsewhere in Liyang, there are places similar to Beiliang where people are willing to die in this great era of prosperity, where everyone can live. But there's certainly no other place with so many people willing to die together."

Xu Fengnian turned to Ning Emei. "I don't mind at all selling those boxed items for a pittance to officials and dignitaries in other circuits. Even if Qingliang Mountain is emptied, and my Xu family becomes utterly destitute one day, it doesn't matter."

Xu Fengnian twitched his lips; whether from internal sword energy acting up or something else, he gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "But Xu Xiao's true legacy to me—like the 300,000 Iron Cavalry—even if one dies after I inherit the Beiliang King title, my heart aches. And the morale and fighting spirit of my Xu family army—if it diminishes even slightly under my command, I will feel guilty!"

Ning Emei inexplicably remembered a saying: "Those who ponder too much are weary; those with heavy hearts suffer."

Xu Fengnian suddenly laughed and said softly, "Do you know what the old generals like Wei Tieshan and Liu Yuanji were thinking when I visited Right Cavalry Commander He Zhonghu's mansion the other day, where they were visiting him? Liu Yuanji spoke some heartfelt words to me. He said that in just twenty years, that young Captain Zhong Hongwu, who always led from the front in deadly battles, became Grand General Huaihua, a man wielding great power but only knowing how to eliminate dissidents within the army. Liu Yuanji told me I must cherish the current Beiliang Iron Cavalry, because in another twenty or thirty years, they might not be seen again. That's why he and Wei Tieshan want to die gloriously while they can still ride and wield their swords, before they ever see such a Beiliang army."

Ning Emei took a sip of wine and murmured, "Born in Beiliang, die in Beiliang—what a joy!"

After muttering to himself, the extremely detail-oriented Ning Emei carefully placed his wine cup, adjusting it as if it wasn't quite straight. Then he stood up and asked, "Your Highness, I've always had a question but dared not ask. Since I've had some wine today, perhaps it will give a coward courage; may I ask it boldly?"

Xu Fengnian paused, then smiled. "Feel free to ask."

Ning Emei grinned and asked, "This subordinate just wants to know if one day the 300,000 Beiliang Iron Cavalry are gone, will Your Highness regret it?"

Xu Fengnian replied without hesitation, "Nonsense! Of course, I'd regret it to death, the kind of regret that turns your insides green!"

Ning Emei scratched his head, showing no disappointment, but rather a look of "as expected." He just chuckled, "Indeed. Your Highness is good at business, but when it comes to winning people's hearts, you've always been a clumsy amateur."

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter.

Ning Emei said seriously, "But I know that even if you knew all 300,000 Iron Cavalry would be lost, Your Highness, you would still make the same choice if you had to start over."

Xu Fengnian hummed in acknowledgment. "I've noticed too; my skill at winning hearts has been mediocre these past few years, but General Ning's flattery skills have certainly improved."

Ning Emei smiled frankly. "If old General Liu was right, dying now would be perfect!"