Chapter 890: A Child Marriage Arrangement

Previously, what resembled a carpet spread across the yellow desert sands had now been stretched into a long ribbon, yet blood still splattered.

The tables had turned; now it was the White Horse Skirmishers pursuing the Northern Mang cavalry.

A Longguan scout, his lips parched, keenly felt the exhaustion of his mount. All around him, his ragged comrades faced away from Beiliang’s Tiger Head City. Further ahead, maintaining a distance, were the elite cavalry units known as "Crows" and "Black Foxes." General Liu Gui’s trusted aide Lin Fu and Yelü Chucai, Dong Zhuo’s brother-in-law, were both among those fleeing north. In a recent skirmish, Lin Fu's face had been horribly gashed, a shocking bloody furrow with skin and flesh torn open. Yelü Chucai was in no better state, with four or five crossbow bolts piercing his armor and remaining embedded, making him resemble a porcupine, covered in blood—injuries likely severe enough to damage muscle and bone.

This robust cavalryman, sponsored by the powerful Longguan 'Jia-zi' clan, couldn't fathom how what had begun as a dominant hunt had ultimately turned them into the prey of the Beiliang Skirmishers. As a top border scout, he knew the Crow and Black Fox units were not so easily defeated. Had they been willing to fight to the death, there might have been a chance for mutual destruction against the two Beiliang Skirmisher units. But the influential commander and the imperial relative named Yelü chose to retreat. As he was struck by a crossbow bolt that pierced his neck, sending him falling from his horse, he seemed to grasp it: perhaps those two men’s lives were simply too valuable.

Compared to the various brutal acts committed by the Northern Mang scouts who had earlier pursued Sun Ji’s skirmisher unit—such as bending to sever heads, trampling bodies underfoot until nothing remained, or using fallen corpses as arrow targets—Li Hanlin and Wei Musheng’s skirmisher units pursued their enemies just as relentlessly, without hesitation. If a Northern Mang scout dismounted, regardless of rank or status, the nearest skirmishers would uniformly raise their crossbows, angle them downwards, and accurately fire an additional bolt, ensuring the enemy’s death.

The astonishingly powerful Double-Pupil Lu Dou led a hundred skirmishers, tasked with patrolling the left flank of the retreating Northern Mang army. His purpose was to prevent the cavalry formation from scattering, which would hinder their own expansion of battle gains. On the right flank, only two riders maintained vigilance, yet their deterrent effect on the Northern Mang cavalry was no less than that of a hundred Liangzhou horsemen. These two riders were the young swordswoman Wang Sheng, and Yu Dilong, a scout corporal who had previously accompanied the Ghost Cavalry commander Yu Luandao to the area beyond Liangzhou Pass.

Wang Sheng not only carried a sword scabbard containing six swords, but also had four renowned swords crookedly tied with rope, which her master had helped her acquire from the top of Wudi City walls. These included the "Duyu Sword," slender as a spring willow leaf; the three-inch short sword "Zhuyu," personally forged by the Old Northern Han Confucian Sage Cao Ye; the Taoist Talisman Sword "Wild Crane," used by the Great Feng Dynasty Immortal Huang Cishan to slay demons during his travels; and the long sword "Xianzhu," which had once pierced the belly of the Eastern Yue Emperor by an unknown assassin. Additionally, two other legendary swords, "Fat Bamboo" and "Striking Fou," taken from the Tingchao Pavilion armory, hung from her waist. Indeed, the mere sight of these twelve swords on Wang Sheng was enough to evoke a complex mix of emotions in every swordsman in the world, far beyond simple covetousness. For a thousand years, no third person, aside from Huang Zhentu, the Swordman of Western Shu renowned in the Spring and Autumn period, and Jian Jiu Huang, who also loved collecting famous swords and carrying a sword scabbard, could rival this young woman. In later generations, as "land immortals" became a rarity in the martial arts world, it was said that the female Sword Saint Wang Sheng, whose entire life was devoted to the sword, became almost a female Sword Immortal. Like Jiang Ni and the Dongyue Sword Pool Sect Master Shan Eryi, she was hailed as a female sword master possessing innate sword embryo talent. She never married, and traveled alone, wielding her twelve swords across the land. She had a peculiar habit: she never sparred with martial arts masters who did not use swords, such as her fellow disciples Yu Dilong and Lu Yunchang, the foremost master of the blade, or Gou Youfang, who was universally acknowledged as invincible alongside Yu Dilong. Even when encountering them face-to-face, Wang Sheng was unwilling to draw her sword. She defeated dozens of renowned sword masters across the land. Her sole lifelong nemesis, however, was Shan Eryi of the Dongyue Sword Pool, who had only one personal sword, "Green Water Pavilion." Their enduring rivalry, in which each was the other's tormentor, became a long-lasting legend in the martial arts world.

Wang Sheng’s master was never renowned for possessing the world’s foremost swordsmanship.

In later generations, Xu Fengnian would be remembered because of the Female Sword Saint, Wang Sheng.

At this moment, Yu Dilong secretly turned his head to look at the young woman. He had initially thought she would not adapt to the brutal fighting on the battlefield. He had only known previously that she had accompanied the White Fox-faced individual, who shared a deep connection with his master, on travels through Northern Mang, and that her swordsmanship had advanced by leaps and bounds.

The young woman’s clothes were stained with blood. As she galloped forward, her hands, covered in blood, pressed onto the sword hilts at her waist. She looked ahead, her temple hair gently fluttering, her spirit soaring.

His master had privately told him that no woman disliked cosmetics. The reason Yu Dilong had requested silver from his master as a reward for his military achievements last time was not only to send some to Aunt Pei for renovating her small courtyard, but also to secretly save some loose silver for himself. However, being young, Yu Dilong felt that even if he bought such feminine items, he might not have the courage to present them.

"Extreme devotion to the sword?" For me, it's merely a lifelong dedication to the sword.

The world’s foremost master, who would be revered as the “Land Dragon” for the next century, never used weapons in his life, defeating all heroes except Gou Youfang with his bare hands. It was said that he never had a woman he favored, yet year after year, he would personally buy several boxes of rouge, which eventually piled up into a mountain in a particular house.

Many, many years later, an old man, nearing two sexagenarian cycles in age, opened the door to that room. With brows as white as snow, he then sat alone on the threshold, gazing back. It was as if he saw a young woman with slightly dark skin, her hands clasped behind her back, picking and choosing before that mountain of rouge.

Wei Musheng, covered in blood, rode his horse to Li Hanlin’s side and said in a hoarse voice, “Captain Li, these barbarians are not fighting with their full might; something is amiss. The Crow cavalry are our sworn enemies and have never been soft-boned. It seems they, like us, have held something in reserve. Beware of ambushes.”

Li Hanlin casually spat out a mouthful of blood, glanced at the sky, then nodded and stated grimly, “Captain Wei, your unit has suffered heavy casualties. The pursuit is now our responsibility for the time being. If you can seize the opportunity to change horses, do so; a small delay won’t matter. Should we encounter a large Northern Mang cavalry force, your unit will need to buy us time. You must hold out until Yuan Nanting’s White Feather Light Cavalry arrives on the battlefield. According to prior intelligence, given the current established deployments of Dong Zhuo and Murong Baoding’s Northern Mang armies, they will not be able to pull many cavalry units to address this battle. Furthermore, we still have Qi Dangguo’s Iron Pagoda cavalry. At that point, whether to engage or retreat, we will have options.”

Wei Musheng pondered for a moment, then declared ferociously, “That fellow Dong Zhuo is, after all, primarily focused on challenging our Youzhou infantry with his own infantry. The number of cavalry under that fat man has always been limited. With Generals Yuan Nanting and Qi Dangguo supporting us, I believe that even with some unforeseen changes, we will remain in an invincible position. We can fight this battle ruthlessly!”

Li Hanlin offered a bitter smile.

Wei Musheng hesitated, then continued, “Since we’re trying to lure the snake out of its hole, the Northern Mang barbarians aren’t entirely foolish. At the time, Sun Ji suggested the three of us draw lots to decide who would be the bait. To be honest, when Sun Ji drew first and got it, I felt a certain relief deep down. It’s not that I, Wei Musheng, am afraid of death, but I feared my five or six hundred brothers under my command would die alongside me. Captain Li, you don’t need to be too hard on yourself. Old Wei, I actually understand things clearly. This strategy was your proposal to the Protectorate, and you were the one who most wanted to act as the bait. You can’t blame anyone but yourself. If Sun Ji is to blame anyone, he should blame his bad luck, and his blindness for having such an unrighteous brother as me…”

Li Hanlin shook his head, raised an arm, and haphazardly wiped the blood from his mouth. “The drawing of lots was Sun Ji’s suggestion, the items for the draw were prepared by his own hands, and ultimately, Sun Ji was the one who rushed to draw first. Captain Wei, have you truly not figured it out?”

Wei Musheng paused, then gave a bitter smile. “What a truly fortunate general, Sun Ji, whom even the Great General called a 'lucky man destined for good fortune'! What a 'Sun Lucky-Life'! He fought countless fierce battles in his life, yet he was rarely even injured. So, it turns out he finally returned all his good fortune to the heavens.”

Li Hanlin seemed about to speak but then stopped, some words ultimately remaining unsaid.

Sun Ji and Wei Musheng were fellow natives of Youzhou’s Rouge County. In their spirited youth, they disdained the local Youzhou infantry and joined the Liangzhou border army together. They both started as low-ranking soldiers in the Lieju Camp, the predecessor of the Beiliang Skirmishers, and were highly esteemed by Hu Kui. Subsequently, the advancement of both brothers was roughly parallel, and they successively became Captains of the Skirmishers, emerging as the two most prominent among the dozens of Beiliang border army captains. However, a conflict arose between these "good brothers" when it came to who would become captain first, as they were then aligned with Chen Zhibao, the Protector of Beiliang, and Zhong Hongwu, the Cavalry Commander, respectively. After all, the position of Skirmisher Captain had always been considered by the Beiliang border army as a rank not to be exchanged for even three provincial generals—far more than merely a lucrative high office, it was a special, coveted seat. Ultimately, it was Sun Ji, backed by the old military veteran Grand General Zhong Hongwu, who first became captain. At that time, Zhong Hongwu had not yet retired in a fit of pique and his power in the border army was at its zenith. This meant that Wei Musheng, despite having slightly superior military achievements, had to remain as a Duty Captain for another two years. As a result, the two brothers would alternate who went home to Youzhou for the New Year, with the other remaining in the border army, creating an impression of estrangement and lifelong animosity between them.

After the lot-drawing incident in Fuling military town, Li Hanlin walked down the street with Sun Ji. The two, not particularly close, didn't talk much. Sun Ji had always been somewhat unruly but popular within the Beiliang border army. He dared to playfully demand horses and money from Grand General Xu Xiao, and even joked with old Spring and Autumn generals like Yan Wenluan and He Zhonghu. Even Liu Jinpu of Tiger Head City was willing to call Sun Ji a brother. In contrast, the quiet and reserved Wei Musheng was far less prominent, becoming even more taciturn after his former patron, Chen Zhibao, defected from Beiliang. This led to Li Hanlin, son of Governor Li Gongde, rising swiftly to become a Skirmisher Captain, a path that many border army generals suspected was ultimately due to the new Prince of Liang's unease with the Beiliang White Horse Skirmishers.

During that conversation on the streets of Fuling military town, Li Hanlin candidly explained to Sun Ji why he had joined the border army skirmishers, and Sun Ji did not perceive any hidden motives. Sun Ji spoke about Hu Kui and Zhong Hongwu, two influential figures in officialdom; he also spoke about his old brother Wei Musheng, who had grown distant; he discussed the old and new Princes of Liang; and he spoke of Liu Jinpu, who had died in Tiger Head City and whose body Xu Fengnian had eventually recovered in exchange for the heads of Yang Yuanzan and others. Finally, Sun Ji made an offhand remark, quite fitting for the scorching summer. He playfully teased Li Hanlin, one of the few gentry’s sons from Beiliang, saying that the wealthy families in Lingzhou had both summer retreats and various luxurious cooling foods. He added that for many years, he had harbored a dream: to retire to Lingzhou with his family when he could no longer fight, and then make Li Hanlin, the wealthy man, act as their host. Li Hanlin, unsure how to respond at the time, merely smiled and said that in Lingzhou, during summer, every affluent household would have a dish called "Immortal Herb." This item was transported by swift post-horses from the distant Southern Xinjiang region to Lingzhou in Beiliang, and once ground and mixed with ice, it became a large bowl of refreshing jelly—truly divine with every bite.

At that moment, Sun Ji walked armored through the street under the blazing sun. The sturdy middle-aged man was drenched in sweat. He closed his eyes, smacked his lips, and with a brilliant smile on his face, murmured, "In the future, my most cherished little daughter, she must be able to eat that every year."

Before parting ways with Wei Musheng, Li Hanlin inexplicably remarked, “Captain Wei, I’ve long heard that you and your old brother Sun Ji have competed your entire lives, from military achievements and official positions to marrying wives, and even who had more children. Is that true?”

Wei Musheng, both embarrassed and indignant, replied, “That Sun Ji is truly lucky; he had three sons in one go, and last year his family welcomed another little daughter. My wife, however, has been uncooperative, giving birth only to daughters for our Old Wei family. Not a single son yet! I haven’t lost to Sun Ji in anything my entire life, except for this one matter, and I can’t help but feel resentful.”

Li Hanlin smiled, “Old Brother Wei, if you don’t mind me being meddlesome, I’ll add one more thing while I have the chance. If your wife gives you a son in the future, why not arrange a child betrothal with Sun Ji’s little daughter? As the saying goes, ‘a woman three years older brings golden bricks.’ Don’t dislike a girl for being older than your own son; being caring is better than anything.”

The burly man, whom Li Hanlin had for the first time addressed as "Old Brother Wei" instead of "Captain Wei," stared blankly, lost in his thoughts.

Finally, Wei Musheng laughed loudly, “This matter, I think it’s feasible. If I don’t die on the battlefield this time, I’ll personally go and ask Sun Ji… If that old rascal doesn’t say anything, then consider this child betrothal agreed upon!”

But the man was already dead; how could he speak?

So, this impromptu child betrothal was most likely sealed.

In the second year of Xiangfu, during the Major Heat solar term.

Captains Sun Ji and Wei Musheng of the Beiliang White Horse Skirmishers successively fell in battle on Longyan’er Plain outside the pass.

On this same day, Yelü Hongcai of Northern Mang also died in battle.

And Qi Dangguo, adopted son of the old Prince of Liang, Xu Xiao, also died in battle.

Yet that child betrothal, which seemed so insignificant amidst the thunder of hooves on the border battlefield, ultimately did not come to pass.