Chapter 865: Southward Migration and Return to the North

On the mid-to-lower reaches of the Guangling River, the Qingzhou navy held a commanding advantage. The Guangling navy, with Cao Changqing personally commanding its flagship, was stationed downstream. However, as the Qingzhou navy was overall weaker, a stalemate ensued. Victory or defeat would only be decided outside the river, leaving them to merely watch as lives were exchanged on the vast lands along the Guangling River's north bank.

Consequently, of the two leading figures in the Qingzhou navy, Wei Dong, known as the "Dragon King," had already been to the capital for an imperial audience and was now an esteemed guest at the residence of Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling, having effectively stepped aside. This burdened Zhao Xun, who was only nominally the navy's commander. The arrogant and fierce generals under Grand General Wu Chongxuan paid little heed to this young prince, and even local officials weren't particularly welcoming to Zhao Xun, who had left his own jurisdiction. This left Zhao Xun confined to a Yellow Dragon warship, closed off to visitors. Of course, there was hardly anyone for the young prince to receive anyway. It was rumored that fine wines flowed continuously to his ship from both riverbanks, suggesting he was likely drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

However, Zhao Xun was not dispirited; on the contrary, his spirits were quite high. Apart from being accompanied by a captivating woman who remarkably resembled the old Princess Jing'an in appearance and demeanor, Zhao Xun had maps of the Liangmang border defenses and the Guangling situation hung on two cabin walls. Every day, he would pull up a chair, sit upright beneath them, and ponder the upcoming trends of both battlefields. Although Zhao Xun knew full well that he was likely destined to be a ridiculous, powerless prince for some time, he had learned a skill from the Old Prince Jing'an, Zhao Heng: patience and biding his time. The advisor left to him by the old prince had taught Zhao Xun a second lesson: retreating as a means to advance. The destruction of the Qingzhou cavalry was a self-inflicted wound, yet it solidified his position as Prince Jing'an and even gained him a slight advantage, as he took control of the Qingzhou navy. The subsequent generous sacrifice of ten thousand young men from Jing'an Dao was his first independent decision since the blind young man left. Zhao Xun was quite pleased with himself. It would have been even more perfect if the imperial court hadn't sent Wen Taiyi and Ma Zhongxian, two new high-ranking officials, to meddle in his territory. Wen Taiyi, in particular, was an old Qingzhou native well-versed in the Jing'an Dao bureaucracy. After Hong Lingxu went to the capital, Minister Wen unexpectedly returned after many years as a prestigious commissioner, coming home in glory, which became a thorn in Zhao Xun's side. As for Ma Zhongxian, he was ultimately an outsider, and Qingzhou officialdom was notoriously xenophobic. Furthermore, collusion between local military and political leaders was a major taboo for the court, making it unlikely that Ma Zhongxian and Wen Taiyi would truly act in concert.

Today, Zhao Xun again sat by the wall, gently shaking his wine pot with two fingers, and turned his head, smiling, to the woman sitting beside him on a chair. "Before betraying me, Mr. Lu left a long letter of over ten thousand words, which mentioned Qingzhou's situation in the mid-to-late Guangling conflict. He said that the commissioner of Jing'an Dao might be Yuan Guo, a discarded disciple of Zhang Lu from early on, and the governor would be Hong Lingxu, that local bigwig. But look, even our Mr. Lu can be 'wrong' sometimes."

The woman frowned, not blindly agreeing with the young prince's jab at the advisor. Instead, she spoke in an unreservedly instructive tone: "Mr. Lu worked diligently for Your Highness for two years. Even if it didn't end well, he never did anything to harm you. You shouldn't mock him like that! As a ruler, you should possess the magnanimity befitting your position."

Zhao Xun wasn't angry; he smiled. "I was wrong."

She sighed, "If only Mr. Lu had remained by Your Highness's side."

She was now secretly criticized in the Qingzhou high official circles as the "female prince." Even Hong Lingxu had speculated before his departure that it was this mysterious woman who, through pillow talk, had squeezed out the blind advisor whom she had always disliked. But both she and Zhao Xun knew that wasn't the case at all; the one who truly wanted Lu Xu to leave Qingzhou was the young emperor sitting on the throne in Tai'an City. Similar in age and sharing the surname Zhao, one a young prince in python robes, the other a young emperor in dragon robes, yet they were worlds apart. Zhao Xun knew Lu Xu had no choice in the matter, but his feelings for Lu Xu had always been extremely complex and obscure, combining both admiration and apprehension, wanting him as a close friend yet also wishing to subdue him.

Zhao Xun raised the exquisite wine pot and took a sip, his smile deepening. "The world doesn't know why Xu (Fengnian) marched south; I do. He loves beauty more than a kingdom. I used to envy him greatly, but now, looking back, why bother? His beloved woman, publicly a queen ruling half the Central Plains, was first coveted by that handsome Song family disciple. Countless ministers in court then helped advocate for and build momentum around the idea. When the war turned unfavorable, Cao Changqing had to leave the navy, and just as the civil and military officials finally quieted down, she was put on the spot, forced to personally lead the army. I just received some intelligence reports: this noble woman, nurtured by the great Chu dynasty, is actually starting to deliberately leak a secret message—that she didn't go to the first defense line, the ancient battlefield of Xileibi, but was secretly confined in the imperial palace! How hypocritical, claiming the monarch shouldn't risk herself, just in case. But in truth, aren't they just thinking of pushing their emperor out as a scapegoat when the Western Chu capital falls? Without her, this invaluable bargaining chip, once all Western Chu generals are dead, what leverage would these civil officials, who rebelled with Cao Changqing, have to negotiate with the Liyang court? Would they even have a way out?"

Zhao Xun mocked, "I heard several fierce generals under Wu Chongxuan made military pledges. Wu Chongxuan also promised his confidants that whoever first breaches the Western Chu capital can ask His Majesty the Emperor for the right to dispose of the fallen empress, Jiang Si, as he pleases. Getting the beauty for breaching the city is a huge bonus! No wonder the Southern Frontier army on the western front is fighting like madmen, completely reckless, fighting to the death. Except for poor Gu Ying, who was beaten half to death by Xu Yanbing in Tai'an City and didn't have that luck. From Wang Tongshan, the Southern Frontier 'Myriad-Enemy' and world's foremost halberd user, to infantry generals like Zhang Dingyuan, Ye Xiufeng, and Liang Yue—all of them have lavished gold and silver on their subordinates, and some have even risked secretly borrowing huge sums from local officials and gentry. Wu Chongxuan naturally turns a blind eye to this."

Zhao Xun rubbed his chin, gloating, "Wang Tongshan, whom Prince Yanji Zhao Bing once greatly relied on, heard that Jiang Si personally led the army to the Xileibi front, and he actually left his assigned Old Du Mountain battlefield without authorization. He led only eighteen elite cavalry north for three hundred li, and even on the front lines where two armies were arrayed, he unexpectedly broke through the enemy formation by himself for two hundred paces. No fewer than a hundred Western Chu soldiers and generals died by his great halberd, all in gruesome ways. Tsk tsk, it's a pity Wang Tongshan only found out later that the woman wasn't the Western Chu empress. But after this battle, I'm sure you've heard Wang Tongshan's famous quote. Although a bit vulgar and unrefined, it truly speaks the minds of countless men in the world today, haha: 'You surnamed Jiang, I, General Wang Tongshan, have a great halberd in my hand, and another halberd between my legs. I heard your sword skills are not bad; do you dare to fight me, Wang Tongshan? I'll make you submit, in bed and out!'"

As Zhao Xun spoke, he couldn't help but roar with laughter, almost to tears, but his eyes were grim, as if saying, "So what if you, Xu Fengnian, are the master of 300,000 iron cavalry? So what if you are one of the Four Grandmasters of martial arts, a celestial figure? Can you truly break through several Liyang battle lines to save your woman?!"

Unlike the Prince Jing'an's great delight, the woman beside Zhao Xun looked downcast. As a woman herself, she naturally felt a sense of empathy. In these chaotic times, how many women, especially beautiful ones, could escape disaster?

Zhao Xun leaned forward understandingly, patted her hand, and said softly, his eyes gentle, "Don't worry, I, Zhao Xun, will never let you down in this life."

She was about to speak when she suddenly rose, almost violently dragging Zhao Xun from his chair and shielding him behind her.

When she saw that familiar yet strangely unfamiliar back, she was struck as if by lightning, her face turning pale, her body beginning to tremble uncontrollably. Her grip on the young prince's fingers was so tight that Zhao Xun's face contorted in pain. But just like her, when he saw that back, he instantly forgot the stinging pain; only fear remained. It was like tiny insects suddenly seeing a great dragon crossing the river.

It was a slender figure, with twin sabers hanging at his waist, standing by the opposite wall. One hand rested on the chair's edge as he looked up at the somewhat rough Liangmang border defense map.

She bit her lip, blood seeping out without her notice.Prince Jing'an, Zhao Xun, was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

The uninvited guest, who by all accounts should not have appeared there, did not turn around. He merely continued to stare at the map, and slowly spoke, "We're all old acquaintances. Seeing you chat so happily, I didn't want to disturb you."

Zhao Xun desperately wished he could stand tall at such a moment, perhaps even say a word or two of defiance, but he himself noticed his teeth chattering as he spoke. "How did you get here?"

The person's tone was completely flat. "I was looking for Chen Zhibao. I just happened to find you nearby, so I came to say hello. If you, Prince Jing'an, hadn't revealed the secret, I truly wouldn't have known she didn't appear on the Xileibi defense line."

The calmer this person spoke, the more terrified she and Zhao Xun became. This person even dared to kill heavy cavalry in the capital, dared to kill celestial beings worshipped reverently for centuries by the Imperial Astronomers. What was it to silently visit and kill two people?

Zhao Xun found courage from somewhere, his eyes red, and suddenly shouted at the back, "Xu Fengnian, do you dare to kill me?!"

Xu Fengnian turned around, tugged at the corner of his mouth, a half-smile.

That look made the young Prince Jing'an feel even more grief and humiliation. "You really intend to kill a Liyang prince, openly rebelling?!"

Xu Fengnian said, "Are Liyang princes named Zhao very valuable?"

Zhao Xun's face flickered, changing between emotions.

Xu Fengnian added, "The two fastest arriving Prince Jing'an's residence guards are already dead, just now. As for those royal guards and retainers, even if they cram themselves onto this Yellow Dragon warship, stacking on top of each other, gathering a thousand or so people, is that truly enough for this King to kill?"

Zhao Xun finally broke down, staggering back a step. The young prince, Liyang's first successful hereditary ruler, tried to step forward again but simply couldn't.

When Xu Fengnian instantly appeared before Zhao Xun, the woman continued to tremble, never having the courage to act, not even to slightly raise her arm.

Xu Fengnian grabbed the neck of the dignified Prince Jing'an, lifting him off the ground. "The reason I'm not killing you today is that a useless person like you is more valuable to the Zhao imperial family of Liyang alive than dead. Zhao Xun, don't you think Zhao Heng lost money by using his old life to secure your hereditary succession?"

Zhao Xun's eyes were bloodshot, and his hands grabbed Xu Fengnian's arm, but they were powerless, futile.

Xu Fengnian carried Zhao Xun out of the cabin, walked to the railing, lifted him high, and smashed the Prince Jing'an into the water.

The force of the throw created a large splash on the Guangling River surface. This was Zhao Xun's second time ending up drenched. The first time was as the Prince Jing'an's heir, in Spring God Lake. This time, as a dignified prince, it happened in the Guangling River.

The woman, whose real name was Shu Xiu, wearing the meticulously crafted skin mask, stood nearby. Blood spilled from her mouth, and she didn't dare to look directly at Xu Fengnian, trembling as she said, "Your Royal Highness..."

Suddenly realizing this young man was no longer "Your Royal Highness," Shu Xiu hastily whispered, "Your Highness, Shu Xiu has not wronged Beiliang all these years. The news of Lu Xu leaving Qingzhou was also conveyed by this servant to the Frost Water Chamber. This servant just... just didn't..." She could not say another word.

After a moment, she didn't feel the Northern Liang King strike a fatal blow. Then she looked up and saw him gazing into the distance, his eyes fixed on a particularly massive Yellow Dragon warship.

She gritted her teeth and leaped into the river.

Xu Fengnian completely ignored Shu Xiu's actions and vanished in a flash.

The ship beneath his feet instantly sank over ten feet!

Huge waves surged on the Guangling River, roaring loudly. The commotion was so great that a nearby warship began to shake uncontrollably.

About two hundred *zhang* away, on a warship, a white-clad man, rarely seen by the navy, the famous King of Shu, stood at the bow. In his hand, he held the Plum Wine spear, the second most famous spear in the world, inverted.

Above the great river, a figure appeared in the air, still higher than the warship.

Chen Zhibao flicked his wrist. The Plum Wine spear, though he was using its butt as the tip to thrust upwards, its actual tip, currently held in Chen Zhibao's hand as the butt, turned from green to purple.

With this warship as the center, the river surface within a hundred *zhang* churned like a hundred dragons twisting together. On this day, when the Guangling River wind was not strong, monstrous waves appeared out of nowhere.

And in the high sky pointed at by Chen Zhibao's spear tip, the clouds parted, creating a hole. Sunlight streamed through it, illuminating the earth in a visible, giant column of light.

After that, Chen Zhibao's Plum Wine spear changed from vertical to horizontal. Not only that, the middle section of the spear shaft pressed against his arm.

A "River Crossing Veteran" chopped down onto the Plum Wine spear.

After a brief silence, the massive warship where Chen Zhibao stood was no longer a warship; all structures on the deck were instantly shattered and exploded by the immense qi pushed outwards.

The "River Crossing Veteran" pressed downwards.

Chen Zhibao and the Plum Wine spear remained perfectly still.

But the already broken warship sank further, adding insult to injury, like a rapidly leaking vessel. Soon, there was no trace of the warship on the Guangling River. Chen Zhibao stood as if on the water's surface, holding his spear horizontally.

The surrounding Yellow Dragon warships of the Qingzhou navy swayed and slid backward. Several nearby *Mengchong* assault ships, main warships, almost capsized, not to mention smaller vessels like *Lurao* and *Xiandeng*, which directly overturned on the Guangling River.

Chen Zhibao's face was normal. He looked at the empty river surface a hundred paces away. He gently rotated his wrist, finally holding his spear normally for the first time against an enemy. The Plum Wine spear shaft was wreathed in green and purple qi, its tip shimmering like multicolored glaze in the sunlight.

The white-clad Military Sage's sleeves were shattered. Furthermore, under the mountain-like impact of the "River Crossing Veteran," the arm bracing the Plum Wine spear had started to seep blood.

Where Chen Zhibao's gaze fell, Xu Fengnian stood on the river surface. The Beiliang saber, hanging on his right hip, was still sheathed. In today's martial arts world, people knew the new King of Beiliang, Xu Fengnian's true killing move, was his left-hand saber. So, when he only drew the saber from his left hip with his right hand, it meant the true moment of life or death was yet to come.

Chen Zhibao said calmly, "I didn't expect this." He was far from fundamentally injured; Xu Fengnian even less so. But even so, in the initial clash between the two Grandmasters, Xu Fengnian's single strike easily pressed the Yellow Dragon warship completely underwater.

How much power does it take to sink an entire Yellow Dragon warship into the river?

Watching from the sidelines? Observing from afar? Applauding? Offering advice? The disheveled Qingzhou navy wasn't mad; they fled for their lives, not even bothering to rescue people.

Chen Zhibao, his white robes fluttering, smiled. "When you recover your peak strength, and when I ascend to the Sage realm, it won't be too late to fight again. Of course, if you get there first, I won't run. If I'm faster than you, you won't escape either."

Xu Fengnian didn't speak. The new King of Beiliang only used his drawn left-hand saber to tell the white-clad Military Sage: some things, you, Chen Zhibao, don't get to decide.

On this day, the vast Guangling River, for over a hundred li up and down, was as if two celestial giants were wielding hammers and striking the water, plunging the world into darkness. Later unofficial histories record that the Guangling River's seawater flowed backward on this day.

A figure in white robes sat cross-legged on a piece of shattered ship deck, bobbing with the waves. The Plum Wine spear rested casually on his lap. A gentle breeze swept across the river, which was becoming calm. His robes fluttered, making the King of Shu, a master strategist, appear even more like an immortal. His chest was slightly shifted left by over an inch, dripping with blood. Chen Zhibao gently placed his hands on the Plum Wine spear, emotionless. He looked up at the sky, silent.

And on the far north bank, a young man, with twin sabers re-hanging at his waist, having crossed south, returned north. He goes north, to see her, even if just for a glance.

But before seeing her, he had to kill someone first.

Wang Tongshan.