Chapter 94: Deadly Battle

Since the Spring and Autumn War, Spring Lake had been free of the smoke of battle. Was it possible that today, three merchant ships would be the first taste of combat for the Qingzhou Navy?

The scion, subtly leading the group of young noblemen on the Yellow Dragon battleship, frowned deeply. To him, the outcome of a naval battle with such an imbalance of power was a foregone conclusion. However, initiating hostilities would lead to severe repercussions, especially given his delicate position—consequences even his father wouldn't dare to face.

These three Yellow Dragon warships, ostensibly on a naval exercise near Mount Laota, were primarily meant to display power. If they were facing ordinary sons of nobility, the four enormous ramming poles positioned fore, aft, port, and starboard of the battleship would be excessive overkill. The grappling hooks and plow-head darts alone would suffice. After crushing or overturning the opponent's large ship, they could simply accuse them of salt and iron smuggling, making it an unchallengeable legal case. Qingzhou was already unhappy with Wang Linquan of Mount Laota meddling in the salt and iron trade. This operation would serve a dual purpose: first, to appease Commandant Zhao's son, and second, to send a clear warning to Mount Laota. It was a win-win situation.

However, he noticed that over a hundred people on the three ships carried not only standard military sabers but also crossbows. While sabers were acceptable—the dynasty didn't encourage wandering swordsmen to carry them, but didn't strictly forbid it—crossbows were strictly prohibited for non-military personnel. He wasn't blind; behind the young man visiting Mount Laota stood a colossal general, clad in heavy armor and wielding a great halberd. Among the dynasty's million armored soldiers, only a handful of brave men could master an iron halberd. The identity of the person they were meant to teach a lesson was now crystal clear: who else could command the personal guard of Ning Emei, the Great Halberd of Beiliang? He had long heard that the Crown Prince of Beiliang was on his second tour and never anticipated such an untimely encounter.

The Crown Prince was not a figure anyone dared to impersonate. Princely heirs required imperial approval to travel outside their domain, and their entourages had explicit regulations. Furthermore, it was evident that claiming to be any other prince's heir would be far safer than impersonating the Crown Prince of Beiliang. The son of the "Human Butcher" would, in any of the Eight Spring and Autumn Kingdoms, be swarmed by countless assassins and desperate killers if he were to simply declare himself the Crown Prince of Beiliang.

The young man, himself a prominent scion of the dynasty, gazed with complex emotions and murmured, "This fellow brought a hundred Beiliang light cavalry, nearly equivalent to my own father's entourage. What an impressive display; truly befitting the son of a prince not of the imperial clan."

Different positions bred completely divergent thoughts. Unlike the cautious lead scion, the Qingzhou noblemen, including the Zhao scion, were enraged by Xu Fengnian's provocation. Naval warfare, they knew, relied on two primary advantages: first, holding the upstream position to leverage the current, making it difficult for the enemy to engage; and second, crushing smaller vessels with larger ones. The imperial navy had recently invested colossal sums to build three gigantic warships as tall as city walls: the Yu Huang in former Eastern Yue, the Shen Huang in former Western Chu, and the flagship of the Qingzhou Navy. Even the substantial Azure Dragon warship, let alone the Yellow Dragon battleship, would be instantly shattered by a direct hit from a ramming pole extending from the bow of these behemoths. The disparity between the Yellow Dragon and the three colossal warships mirrored the current gap between the merchant ships and the Yellow Dragon. From where did that fellow summon the audacity to challenge them with "Dare you fight?" He must have consumed an extraordinary amount of bear gall and leopard guts to utter such words.

Among these wealthy young noblemen, splendidly dressed and mounted on sturdy horses, two were particularly aggressive and impetuous, besides the leading scion. One was the Zhao scion, whose father was a commandant, and the other was Wei Wei, whose father headed the Qingzhou Navy. Wei Wei was privately dubbed the "Evil Dragon" by the Qingzhou populace. Exploiting his father's authority, he delighted in forcibly abducting young women to the lake and subjecting them to his whims. Afterward, he would either dispose of their bodies by drowning or strip them naked and force them off the ship. Most of the latter, unable to bear the humiliation, would attempt to drown themselves. Wei Wei's most abhorrent trait was his proficiency with a three-stone bow; he would shoot any woman who fell into the water.

His father was practically the Dragon King of Qingzhou. Wei Wei, this illiterate ruffian, scarcely knew a few characters. He often roamed the streets with his hawk and hounds, regularly assaulting any scholar he encountered. He had inherited much of his father's tyrannical cruelty. He most admired Li Hanlin, one of the Four Evils of Liangzhou, known for keeping beast cages at his estate, and frequently declared his desire to become sworn brothers with Young Master Li.

Wei Wei erupted in a fit of rage. Throughout his life, two things infuriated him most: refined scholars and young noblemen more arrogant than himself. The man at the bow embodied both. He found him utterly insufferable, daring to utter such audacious remarks in his domain. Impatiently, he turned and bellowed at a distant servant, "Go fetch my bow for me!"

The servant quickly ran to retrieve the large bow, stained with the marks of countless previous engagements.

The two Yellow Dragon battleships carried a total of four hundred marines. According to the Five Elements theory, Earth conquers Water, and its corresponding color is yellow. Thus, the soldiers aboard wore yellow robes and hats, earning them the moniker "Yellow-Headed Lads." Each Yellow Dragon vessel was outfitted per the naval warfare treatise "Taibai Yinjing for Defeating Enemies on Water" with ten spears, ten hooked axes, thirty-two crossbows, three thousand three hundred arrows, and forty sets of armor. Combat-proficient Yellow-Headed Lads were granted the title of "Oar-Washing Warrior," and the Yellow Dragon fleet boasted over a dozen such elites. Moreover, with the two battleships fighting downwind, victory seemed undeniably assured against an enemy possessing only a hundred bows and crossbows.

The noblewomen aboard the Yellow Dragon ships all wore the distinctive wide-sleeved long dresses. This "wide-sleeve" style originated with Empress Zhao Zhi in the imperial palace and, like the phoenix crown and ceremonial robe, was standard attire for empresses and concubines. In recent years, with a more relaxed imperial rule, the fashion cascaded down to prominent families in civilian society. Dressed in crimson, purple, pink, green, and duck-yellow wide-sleeved robes, the women on the battleship resembled a vibrant flock of butterflies and orioles, a truly captivating sight. Their opulent attire reflected a different mindset from the young noblemen on board. They held no strong animosity toward the man with two swords; to their eyes, he appeared dashing and refined. His two swords, one long and one short—the long one beautiful, the short one antique—were strikingly distinct. Standing at the bow, facing four hundred Qingzhou marines without a hint of fear, he exuded the demeanor of a graceful general. Regardless of whether he was merely a "silk pillow" (all show, no substance), his sheer audacity alone made their hearts flutter. Surely, a lover should be precisely such a dashing and fearless young nobleman?

They paid no mind to the tense military standoff. Two of the bolder daughters from influential Qingzhou families had already subtly cast flirtatious glances.

Xu Fengnian wasn't truly concerned with whether the Qingzhou Navy would engage. His focus was instead on observing the minute details of the Yellow Dragon battleship: the orderliness of its maneuvers, the gleaming cleanliness of its grappling hooks and ramming poles, and the completeness of the ox-hide and iron armor on its deck and sails. Just as a single leaf signals autumn, he could discern roughly eighty to ninety percent of the Qingzhou Navy's combat capability. The elderly Taoist Wei Shuyang stood beside the Crown Prince, guarding against any surprise attacks. Xu Fengnian turned to Ning Emei, casually discussing crucial naval matters and offering a concise yet sharp assessment of the Qingzhou Navy. Ning Emei, one of Beiliang's Four Fangs and a Martial Code General, was unfamiliar with naval warfare. Yet, as he listened to the Crown Prince speak, his expression became solemn, laced with surprise. The Crown Prince was clearly a master of naval tactics and strategy, articulating advantages and disadvantages with smooth eloquence—knowledge far beyond what could be gleaned from a mere perusal of "Taibai Yinjing."

The Great Halberd General smiled faintly, bowed, and requested permission: "Should the enemy dare to engage, I can sever their ramming poles with a single halberd, preventing them from closing in. As for archery, the Yellow-Headed Lads are nowhere near as skilled as my Beiliang crack troops. I humbly request Your Highness's permission to lead our forces in a preemptive strike! We must show the Qingzhou Navy the true meaning of fierce combat!"

Xu Fengnian shook his head, quipping, "General Ning, we've issued a challenge, but whether they fight or not is best decided by those on the other side. If you strike first and it's investigated afterward, I, as a Crown Prince with an already terrible reputation, am not afraid; at most, Xu Xiao will simply exchange curses with Grand Secretary Zhang and other academicians in court. But be cautious, you might not even remain a Martial Code General. Look at that Battleship General over there, your peer, he's full of complacency, likely envisioning promotion and wealth if he handles this correctly. General Ning, you already suffer enough following me; it's one thing if you don't get promoted, but if you were to be demoted, my reputation would truly be ruined across all thirty states. Who would dare to serve a disreputable Crown Prince like me then?"

The heavily armored and formidable Ning Emei, having seemingly understood the Crown Prince's temperament, smiled knowingly. "That's certainly true. It seems I'll have to ask Your Highness and the Great General for a promotion to General of a Thousand Armored Oxen very soon. Since we've finally had the opportunity to travel, I must at least bring some prestige to Your Highness."

Xu Fengnian laughed heartily, "Absolutely."

As the Beiliang light cavalry focused on the enemy, they occasionally observed the expressions of the Crown Prince and General Ning. Witnessing their two pillars of command so relaxed and casual, a surge of fierce pride swelled within them. The veterans of the Beiliang Army were arguably the most unpopular group in the Liyang Dynasty. Three hundred thousand invincible iron cavalry were stationed at the border between Liyang and Beiman, powerless against the prevailing sentiment that had lasted over a decade. Following the Crown Prince, General Ning, and Commandant Yuan, they had finally seized the opportunity to leave Beiliang. Although many brothers were lost in the skirmish on the rainy path, who in the Beiliang Army feared death in battle? Later, at the Yingchuan city gate, General Ning's halberd dismounted an insolent former general of Gu Jiantang. General Ning later recounted that the Crown Prince himself had declared that if he had been present, he would have hung that Deputy Commandant of the Eastern Prohibition on the city gate for public display. If the Phoenix Camp light cavalry had harbored any lingering doubts then, after the Crown Prince personally rescued them from the brink of death, and now hearing his open challenge to fight today, their belief in him far outweighed any skepticism. Regardless of whether the Crown Prince was reckless, this unparalleled display of arrogance was truly befitting the Beiliang Xu family's royal banner!

That day, the Crown Prince moved like an ape amidst the turbulent currents, especially his technique of gripping the *Bu*-shaped iron halberd to lift people. The Phoenix Camp had witnessed and remembered it well. Those few light cavalrymen rescued from the water by His Highness had recently been jesting with their comrades, their words always carrying a subtle undertone of pride.

Xu Fengnian observed a burly young man on the Yellow Dragon battleship take up a large horn bow, drawing it taut like a full moon, revealing impressive arm strength.

That arrow was aimed directly at him.

Xu Fengnian, holding Xiudong in his right hand, narrowed his remarkably beautiful phoenix eyes and quietly murmured, "I've been waiting for you."

At Mount Laota, Wang Linquan joined his youngest daughter, Wang Chudong, in her tower study to observe the unfolding confrontation.

Wang Chudong's "First Snow Study" was the tallest building on Mount Laota. Books lay everywhere, scattered and unorganized, yet she never allowed maids to tidy them. The study was a forbidden zone, especially when she was writing or composing poetry, where no one was permitted to disturb her. She categorized every book into various ranks, assigning them different nicknames. When bored, she would lie amidst the piles of books on the floor, orchestrating imaginary duels between different categories, talking to herself and entertaining herself, thus never feeling lonely. Consequently, her personal maids, standing outside the study, often overheard remarks such as, "Oh, classics have triumphed over military treatises, I sentence you forty-six military books to half a month without my reading," or "Ah, the West Shu poetry collection and Southern Tang lyrics are evenly matched, excellent, excellent. As a reward, your respective generals will each read 'Anthology of Flower Fairies' and 'Pusa Man Postscript' for three days."

The maids had long grown accustomed to their young mistress's fantastical ideas, considering themselves fortunate to serve such a joyous and free-spirited master. If their mistress grew weary of writing or reading, she would play *cuju*, swing, or polo with them. What was truly remarkable was that some of the maids had even appeared in "First Snow in the East Wing," making them known to scholars throughout the land. Consequently, many handsome young men from Qingzhou's gentry families came specifically hoping to marry a "First Wing maid." This, along with the old man's claim to be a descendant of Dongxiang, became widely known as the two great curiosities of the local literary scene.

Wang Chudong stood on tiptoes, peering anxiously at the confronting boats on the lake, and asked worriedly, "Father, can we win?"

"Indeed, wisdom comes with age," Wang Linquan said confidently. "The Qingzhou Navy may appear formidable with its large ships and numerous personnel, but in reality, they're all show and no substance. Qingzhou has seen no battles for ten years, so these Yellow-Headed Lads are merely putting on a pretense. The Crown Prince's personal guards and entourage, however, are different. They are highly selective, one in a hundred, experts in horsemanship and archery. A hundred agile, fierce soldiers against four hundred useless individuals unfamiliar with warfare—if it truly comes to battle, the Yellow-Headed Lads will abandon their armor and weapons within mere moments. However, the Crown Prince must consider the political machinations at court and cannot be the first to attack. The Qingzhou Navy, too, would not dare to be so lawless as to engage in a naval battle after the Crown Prince reveals his identity. This is not a trivial matter of officials bullying commoners that can be easily concealed. A conflict between two factions of imperial forces is a grave taboo for the court. Now, it depends on whether there are any discerning individuals on the Qingzhou Navy's side. If scoundrels like Wei Wei control the situation, they will most likely lose the naval battle and then suffer political repercussions. Once the Qingzhou Navy's utter inadequacy is exposed, the corruption and law-breaking of Navy Commandant Wei Dong over the years will become impossible for even the provincial governor to cover up. At that point, this navy will face a drastic overhaul. Previously, the Qingzhou Navy was thoroughly controlled by Gu Jiantang's former subordinates, repeatedly obstructing your father's salt and iron river transport business. Hmph, this presents a perfect opportunity for your father to insert his trusted personnel."

Wang Chudong murmured, "Thirty-six thousand *qing* of Spring Lake; a hundred armored men defeat four hundred."

Wang Linquan quickly composed himself, steering clear of further discussion about political intrigues, and smilingly praised, "What a fine poem, magnificent in its spirit!"

Wang Chudong glared at him. "That's hardly a poem! Your daughter just made it up on the spot."

Wang Linquan shamelessly boasted, "My Chudong can compose ten thousand words on horseback, so even if it's not a poem, it surpasses poetry itself."

Just as Wang Chudong was about to retort, she suddenly noticed a dramatic shift in the atmosphere on the lake. She pointed towards the water, raising her voice, "Look!"

It was Wei Wei on the third deck of the battleship, drawing his bow into a full circle, and then, in a flash of lightning, releasing an arrow!

The sharp arrow streaked directly towards Xu Fengnian.

Earlier, General Ning Emei, the Great Halberd, had noticed someone drawing a bow and was about to intercept the arrow for the Crown Prince, but the elderly Taoist Wei Shuyang, "Nine Dou Mi," signaled with his eyes that it was unnecessary.

Xu Fengnian instantly drew his saber. All on the battleship and the four hundred Yellow-Headed Lads saw was a dazzling white arc. On closer inspection, the arrow that had cut through the air with astonishing force was severed in two. Somehow, the arrowhead half was now clutched in Xu Fengnian's hand. Giving Wei Wei no time to recover from his expectation of an opponent's death, Xu Fengnian lightly tossed the half-arrow and flicked it with his finger. The arrow shot forth with incredible speed, but this strike was not aimed back at Wei Wei; instead, it flew towards the leading scion. This young nobleman had already retreated to a safe, behind-the-scenes position, clearly intending to watch the ensuing chaos from a distance. Xu Fengnian would not let him get away with it. If he was fishing, what was the point if he didn't catch a big fish? This fellow was most likely a descendant of Prince Jing'an, Zhao Heng. Before entering Xiangfan City, Xu Fengnian intended to make Prince Jing'an understand: back then, you were struck dozens of times with a horsewhip by Xu Xiao and dared not utter a sound. Today, this Crown Prince will personally beat your son, and we shall see whose family truly boasts a tiger for a father and a dog for a son!

The scion's expert guards quickly intervened, deflecting the half-arrow with their sleeves. Yet, the scion was visibly startled, stumbling back several steps and inadvertently bumping into the chest of a high-born Qingzhou noblewoman, eliciting a delicate shriek that was jarringly out of place in the tense situation.

Xu Fengnian slowly sheathed his saber, maintaining his utterly arrogant and provocative expression. He then asked in a clear, loud voice, "Dare you fight?!"

Ning Emei slammed his iron halberd onto the deck with a thunderous clang. His face, already fierce with a leopard's head, piercing eyes, a swallow's jaw, and a tiger's beard, now glared furiously at the Yellow Dragon battleship, appearing incredibly savage and powerful. He roared, "Phoenix Camp! Fight to the death!"

Yuan Meng and the hundred light cavalry of the Phoenix Camp instantly roared in unison, "Fight to the death!"

The roar echoed like thunder, ascending to the heavens.

The people on the two opposing ships involuntarily shivered, exchanging wide-eyed glances and seeing profound fear reflected in each other's eyes.

The four hundred Yellow-Headed Lads were visibly trembling, their hands unable to maintain a grip on their weapons.