Chapter 841: 侠客行（三）

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Title:Category: Fantasy & MagicAuthor: Fenghuo Xizhu Hou

Once the old man, riding two horses, disappeared from sight, Xu Fengnian whistled. The armored Liang horse galloped swiftly to him, and he mounted it.

On the way to New City, Xu Yanbing saw Xu Fengnian looking worried and couldn't help but ask, "Is there big trouble?"

Xu Fengnian gave a wry smile. "Not exactly, but some things are unexpected. There might be new variables concerning Gu Jiantang and Chen Zhibao."

Xu Yanbing said with some guilt, "At that time in Tai'an City, Chen Zhibao was unwilling to fight to the death, and I myself didn't dare to wholeheartedly force him into a desperate battle. If I had known this, I should have settled the outcome with him right there."

What Xu Yanbing referred to as "outcome" was, of course, life or death.

Xu Fengnian turned his head helplessly. "Uncle Xu, you're being overly sentimental now."

Xu Yanbing remained silent.

Xu Fengnian said softly, "After much thought, the only variable that could change the situation in Liangliao is Yuan Tingshan's defection in Jizhou. If it's true, that mad dog has truly gone insane, disregarding even the lives, honor, and disgrace of his two wives and two fathers-in-law."

Xu Yanbing showed no surprise, calmly stating, "It's not surprising for such a turncoat to do anything."

Xu Fengnian nodded. "It truly shows that there's nothing new under the sun. There are always people who can do things you can't imagine."

Xu Yanbing asked, "Should I go to Jizhou and kill him?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head and smiled. "No need. If he doesn't seek death himself, Han Fang and Yang Huchen, as his deputies, will find it harder to rise. When he fails and flees, I might personally send him on his way."

When the two riders were still a few miles from New City, several more riders approached, raising dust.

Among them was Liu Wenbao, the "stray dog" from Shangyin Academy. This scholar, who had been largely useless for most of his life, joined Xu Fengnian and subsequently went to Tai'an City and Qingliang Mountain before being stationed in a city in the Western Regions. With the backing of Fushui Manor, he quickly distinguished himself among the intricate network of forces. Initially, Liu Wenbao's role was merely to provide cover for Cao Wei's ten thousand cavalry and to secretly contact the Six-Pearled Bodhisattva of Lantuo Mountain. No one expected that in the Battle of Qingcang City, both Liang and Mang sides would use their ultimate tactics, and Liu Wenbao played an indispensable role. This old scholar is now the Prefect of Linyuan Commandery, a newly established region in Liuzhou, looking travel-worn but beaming with pride.

Cao Wei, who failed to lead his ten thousand cavalry as expected deep into the heartland of Beimang's Southern Dynasty, looked much grimmer. Furthermore, his ten thousand elite cavalry suffered heavy casualties outside Qingcang City, and not long ago, he had an unpleasant dispute with Liuzhou General Kou Jianghuai and the Dragon Elephant Army over recruitment.

There was also an energetic and beautiful woman, the renowned widow of the Western Regions, Madam Chai Dongdi of the Sima family. At that time, Xu Fengnian had extended a helping hand during the Sima family's turmoil, assisting her and her family in escaping a disaster. Later, during the Battle of Qingcang City, apart from the Lantuo Mountain monk soldiers who served as the main reinforcement, she and Liu Wenbao together gathered nearly three thousand cavalry, a force not to be underestimated. Half of these were forces quickly gathered by the Sima family, and the other half were formidable horse bandits enticed by Madam Chai with genuine gold and silver. While this force was negligible in direct combat, they performed remarkably well in the mopping-up operations. Furthermore, Madam Chai paid for all the military rewards for this cavalry unit under her family's name, without requiring the Beiliang border army or Liuzhou to spend a single coin.

At that time, inside the city, with Xu Fengnian and Tuoba Bodhisattva on the verge of a major battle, she had promised that if Xu Fengnian helped the Sima family stabilize their situation, she and her family would exert themselves to fight to the death for Beiliang once. Neither Xu Fengnian nor Chai Dongdi probably expected her to fulfill her promise so quickly, and Xu Fengnian certainly didn't expect this woman to personally lead troops into battle.

A promise worth a thousand gold pieces.

These four words contained not a hint of exaggeration.

A woman can also be a hero.

Women are also capable of great chivalry.

Upon their reunion, before Xu Fengnian could speak, Cao Wei sternly asked, "My Lord, you sent me back to Liuzhou for that battle, and I, Cao Wei, had no objections. But now, of my ten thousand elite cavalry, less than half remain. Tell me clearly, when will they be replenished?!"

Xu Fengnian asked with a smile, "Less than half? How about I go take a look? For every person missing, I'll personally have the Liangzhou border army replenish them for you?"

Cao Wei suddenly brightened, smiling broadly. "How could I trouble Your Lordship? No, absolutely not! Several iron cavalry units in the border army are currently scattered. I, Cao Wei, am not someone who doesn't understand the bigger picture. Four thousand cavalry will be enough for me, just four thousand!"

Xu Fengnian retorted exasperatedly, "Linyuan Garrison, one of the three garrisons in Liuzhou, will be under your command from now on. At the same time, the Left Cavalry Army outside the pass can only allocate two thousand cavalry to you, and the Western Regions monk soldiers can also give you two thousand, to assist in guarding Linyuan. As for how many more cavalry you can raise in Liuzhou, that depends on your own ability. However, I will only provide military pay and provisions for fifteen thousand cavalry; anything beyond that, you'll have to manage yourself."

Seeing Cao Wei about to haggle further, Xu Fengnian sneered, "Do you still want those two thousand Left Cavalry Army troops?"

Cao Wei was already grinning from ear to ear, quickly covering his mouth with his palm, trying desperately to hide his wild joy. Not only were there the two thousand Left Cavalry Army troops and two thousand monk soldiers, totaling four thousand, but more importantly, he also had unlimited recruiting rights within Liuzhou – this was simply too tempting!

Xu Fengnian nodded to Liu Wenbao, then looked at Madam Chai. "Beiliang is extremely grateful for the Sima family's assistance in the defense and attack of Qingcang City this time."

Madam Chai smiled charmingly, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, exuding grace. She said softly, "It cannot compare to Your Lordship's Beiliang Iron Cavalry, which no amount of silver can buy. Everyone in our Western Regions is a desperado; as long as the price is fair, they can be bought and sold. Fortunately, the Sima family has been rooted in the Western Regions for generations, and our wealth is considerable. However, our efforts and expenditure of silver this time can be considered repayment for Your Lordship's righteous assistance back then. We are now even. Do you have any objections to this calculation, Your Lordship?"

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Of course I have no objections. In fact, I'm the one who benefited."

Cao Wei glanced at the dashing Prince of Beiliang, then at the still charming Madam Chai, and mumbled under his breath, "Benefited from what? Where did he benefit?"

Liu Wenbao cleared his throat and turned to look at the scenery.

Madam Chai's pretty face flushed slightly.

Xu Fengnian sneered, "Cao Wei, the two thousand monk soldiers are gone! No discussion!"

Cao Wei tumbled off his horse, hugged one of Xu Fengnian's legs, and tearfully whimpered, "Your Lordship, I saw nothing between you and Madam Chai, and I won't say a single word..."

Xu Fengnian, flushed with anger, exclaimed, "The two thousand Left Cavalry Army troops are gone too!"

Cao Wei plopped onto the ground and wailed, "The world is unfair!"

Xu Fengnian took a deep breath. "Get out of here immediately! Go to He Zhonghu's Left Cavalry Army headquarters and request two thousand men!"

Cao Wei scrambled to his feet with astonishing speed, remounted his horse, turned its head, and galloped away, disappearing from sight.

Liu Wenbao cautiously asked, "Your Lordship, should I, your humble subordinate, also return first?"

Xu Fengnian snapped, "Get out, both of you!"

Xu Fengnian's original intention was that with Xu Yanbing still by his side, it wouldn't be a situation of a lone man and woman.

Unexpectedly, Xu Yanbing nudged his horse's flank, slowly brushed past him, and casually dropped a remark, "Your Lordship, rest assured, I saw nothing, and I won't say a word."

Xu Fengnian's face was dumbfounded, while Madam Chai's eyes curved into crescent moons, her smile radiant.

Xu Fengnian sighed helplessly, "Not a single one of them is decent."

Unlike when Cao Wei and the others were present, deliberately making light of the situation, Madam Chai had now composed herself. Her eyes clear, she spoke gravely, "Your Lordship, I have a request. Is it possible for our Sima family to lead troops to be stationed in Fengxiang Garrison, the westernmost part of Liuzhou? Ideally, with an official position as a deputy general of the garrison."

Xu Fengnian asked in surprise, "Madam Chai, no regrets? This would bind your family completely to Beiliang. If Beiliang is defeated in the future, the Sima family will have no room for maneuver."

Madam Chai nodded, her expression resolute.

Xu Fengnian asked curiously, "Why?"

Madam Chai suddenly smiled and counter-asked, "What does Your Lordship think?"

Xu Fengnian teased, "Surely Madam Chai isn't after my good looks, are you?"

Madam Chai paused, then narrowed her eyes and smiled coquettishly. "Your Lordship, are you propositioning a respectable woman in broad daylight? Aren't you afraid I'll call for help? That attendant isn't too far away, is he? And I trust there are hidden bodyguards as well, right?"

Xu Fengnian's expression remained calm, and he smiled slightly. "Madam Chai, please stop teasing me. Let's be serious."

Madam Chai tilted her head slightly, looking less like a young mother and more like a playful teenage girl. What was even more remarkable was that this posture, far from giving any negative impression, exuded a unique and alluring charm.

Xu Fengnian rode slowly ahead, saying softly, "If Madam Chai is betting on Beiliang's complete victory, hoping for the Sima family to gain a foothold as meritorious officials in a future Beiliang, or even the Liyang Dynasty, then I can tell you directly, Madam Chai, there's no need for you to place such a bet, no need to bring your entire family to this perilous gambling table. If the day of the war's end truly comes, I will certainly not treat the Sima family unfairly. After all, I still remember a stubborn little girl there, cutting her own hand just to get me, Xu Fengnian, to sign my name..."

At this point, Xu Fengnian turned to Madam Chai, who was riding alongside him, and chuckled happily, "I'm a bit proud, but I can't really say anything to those Beiliang men, lest they feel unbalanced. Like Cao Wei, I'm more handsome than him, better at martial arts, and crucially, taller than him. If I were to provoke him further, it would seem rather unkind. But since Madam Chai is a woman, there's no harm in saying it."

Madam Chai said gently, "Your Lordship truly doesn't treat Chai Dongdi as an outsider."

Xu Fengnian raised both hands, pleading wryly, "Madam Chai, please let me off the hook."

Madam Chai burst into laughter on horseback.

Out of the corner of his eye, Xu Fengnian subtly glanced over there.

Rolling peaks.

Xu Fengnian was actually free of impure thoughts, merely reflecting on some past events, some in vain.

Madam Chai suddenly straightened her back, looked towards New City, and murmured, "It's true that I'm staking everything on securing an official position for the Sima family; who wouldn't want their family to hold high office for generations? I, Chai Dongdi, am just a woman of hearth and home, but I've also read books, and my outlook is somewhat more far-sighted than that of an ordinary countrywoman. Since I married into the Sima family, I want to be worthy of them. Your Lordship once said that not only Beiliang, but perhaps even the Western Regions in the future, will be like a land of peace and prosperity, with private schools and the sound of reading everywhere, elderly people enjoying their twilight years in every home, and women raising their children and supporting their husbands with peace of mind in every household. Such a life would truly be wonderful. Even just thinking about it makes one happy."

Xu Fengnian hummed in affirmation.

Madam Chai suddenly laughed, blinked her eyes, and turned mischievously, "I am a woman of... passable looks. No matter what I think of Your Lordship, I still want to be liked by men, especially those who don't immediately think of a hungry tiger pouncing on a lamb when they see me. If he's always a perfect gentleman, I'd feel disappointed. Just as Your Lordship said you have some pride that you can only share with certain women, these very unladylike words of mine can only be spoken to Your Lordship."

Xu Fengnian was speechless.

In his youth, when he got drunk and whipped a famous horse, he was solely focused on how to feign gallantry.

After truly maturing, many times he would simply retreat into solitude.

With no one by his side, he would retreat into solitude.

Madam Chai looked at the young prince's profile and gently asked, "Will Beimang attack Beiliang again with the full strength of their nation?"

Xu Fengnian hesitated, then said, "Originally, yes, but now there are signs of internal strife in Beimang. The Murong and Yelü clans might split, and of course, I will do my best to fan the flames. However, this possibility is small, and I cannot pin my hopes on it; I can only prepare for the worst. Gu Jiantang's preemptive strike earlier very likely stems from him seeing these clues, fearing that the Yelü clan would dominate the Beimang court and then regard Liangliao as a breakthrough point for a southward military advance. Otherwise, with Gu Jiantang's temperament, he would never have acted so quickly. Madam Chai, you've heard these words, now forget them. Do not speak of them outside."

Madam Chai nodded. "Of course. I understand the gravity of this matter."

Xu Fengnian raised his riding crop and pointed north in the distance, his face grave. "After Hutou City was captured by Dong Zhuo, it was largely destroyed. More importantly, even after Beimang's various armies retreated, this Southern Court Great King's tens of thousands of Dong family private troops and Tuoba Bodhisattva's elite cavalry are still eyeing the border, precisely to prevent Beiliang from fully repairing Hutou City. Should the next Liang-Mang war erupt, a tug-of-war centered around Hutou City and Longyan'er Plain is destined to be fierce, perhaps even more so than Qingcang City. Then there's the Chongzhong-Liuyaling-Fuling line with Huaiyang Pass at its core. Following that, He Zhonghu's Left Cavalry Army will fully commit to the battlefield, holding the northern area of New City to the death. Unlike the previous three-pronged campaign, Beimang will not be distracted by Youzhou's Hulukou now; Beiliang has already used the trophy mounds of heads and the heads of Yang Yuanzan and others to prove that in that particular battleground, Beimang can enter but cannot leave. This means that not only will there be widespread conflict outside Liangzhou Pass, but the entire Liuzhou defense line will also bear a heavy burden. Of course, General Yan Wenluan of Youzhou and the new cavalry commander Yu Luandao will both transfer to Liangzhou, which will also make things difficult for Beimang's army everywhere, causing heavy casualties everywhere."

Xu Fengnian gripped his riding crop. "Compared to my past resentment, I actually feel much better now. Because of this trip to the capital, I know that not everyone considers our Beiliang's desperate fight and deaths in battle to be a matter of course. There are still many people who speak out against the injustice faced by Beiliang."

Madam Chai softly asked, "Is Beiliang content with just that?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head. "Not content, but when every person in Beiliang faces north and dies, if there are not only cynical remarks but also people filled with sorrow, indignation, and guilt behind us, then it won't be so..."

For some reason, Xu Fengnian did not continue.

Xu Fengnian said softly, "I, Xu Fengnian, am Xu Xiao's son. In this life, I have no right to wallow in self-pity at all; this is what I truly feel, I'm not lying. But I hope..."

Xu Fengnian paused, his eyes resolute. "Before my desperate battle with Tuoba Bodhisattva, the Six-Pearled Bodhisattva of Lantuo Mountain sent me a saber and a sword. The name of that sword is truly wonderful. It's called 'Loud Cry'. So, I don't hope that the people of the Central Plains will be grateful, nor do I hope they will come to Liang to fight. I only hope that the entire Central Plains can hear the thundering hooves of my three hundred thousand Beiliang Iron Cavalry heading north from the northwestern border, hear this magnificent 'Loud Cry', and that it may one day allow them to stop feigning muteness and deafness."

Madam Chai pressed her lips together, gazing at him with infatuation.

Xu Fengnian suddenly smiled. "We've arrived."

Approaching New City, Xu Yanbing and Liu Wenbao waited quietly on their horses nearby.

Madam Chai reined in her horse. "Your Lordship, I won't go to New City now. Consider it that you have agreed to grant our Sima family a deputy general position in Fengxiang Garrison."

Xu Fengnian also stopped his horse and turned, nodding helplessly. "Alright."

Xu Fengnian cupped his hands in a farewell gesture, then slowly proceeded.

Suddenly, Madam Chai called out softly from behind, "Xu Fengnian."

Xu Fengnian didn't turn his head at all, spurring his horse to a faster pace.

Madam Chai laughed and shouted loudly, "I, Chai Dongdi, will wait for you in the Western Regions! I want to bear your children!"

Xu Fengnian fled in disarray.

Xu Yanbing watched the approaching young prince, who appeared to be sweating profusely, and suppressing a smile, gave him a thumbs-up.

Liu Wenbao also extended a thumbs-up.

But after a glare from the prince that could kill, the Prefect of Linyuan Commandery sheepishly withdrew his thumb.

Yet, with an inexplicable surge of boldness, as if bravely going to his death, Liu Wenbao abruptly extended his thumb again, refusing to lower it.

Many, many years later, on a city wall in Fengzhou, Western Regions, after the heavy snow had stopped, the woman, now white-haired, sat in a wheelchair with a warm, thick blanket over her knees, smiling as she gazed into the distance, then closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

In a daze, it felt as if she had waited for many years.

The old woman's eyes were misty with tears as she murmured softly.

On the verge of death, she suddenly struggled to open her eyes.

She finally smiled.

Her vision blurred, she looked intently and with effort at the person squatting beside her, and said hoarsely, "A bit late, isn't it?"

That person nodded and said, "I made you wait a long time."

She shook her head slightly, trying to lift her hand, seemingly wanting to smooth a strand of hair by her temple.

But she simply no longer had the strength or spirit.

So, she felt a little regret.

That person helped tuck her blanket around him, and said softly, "Don't worry, you're still very beautiful."

She lowered her head, her lips moving slightly.

He hummed, and said, "Alright."

She said.

"Next life."

She closed her eyes.

The first time they met, he was so gentle, and the last time they met, he still was.

Whether there was a next life or not, it no longer mattered.

On the city wall, the sun set in the west.

The old woman, her name was Chai Dongdi.

The old man, his name was Xu Fengnian.

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