Chapter 969: Life's Hardest To Die with No Regrets

Xu Fengnian and Huyan Daguan, each on horseback, took a slight detour late at night to enter Juibei City through the South Gate, which was already under curfew.

The General's Manor was brightly lit and bustling with people. Most were young and vigorous, possessing a more refined demeanor than ordinary Northern Liang border soldiers. They did not wear armor or military uniforms but mostly scholarly blue robes. However, each carried a Liangdao saber and had a green jade seal hanging from their waist, inscribed with the four characters "Military Strategic Counselor." Thus, they were now also known as Border Counselors.

This group of people had diverse backgrounds. Some came from Song Dongming's residence on Qingliang Mountain, known as the "Dragon Gate" by the Northern Liang Dao. Others were young scholars promoted from various academies, recommended by renowned scholars like Huang Shang and Wang Xihua. Still others were young military officers transferred from the border armies of Liang and You prefectures. The oldest among them were just over forty, though they were a minority. Most were in their thirties, and men in their twenties were not uncommon. They shared a common trait: whether native to Northern Liang or from other regions, they came from prominent families, were well-read from a young age, and often had a particular fondness for military strategy. Due to the unique status of the Military Strategic Counselors, their official ranks were difficult to determine. After weighing the pros and cons, Song Dongming, the Deputy Commissioner of the Northern Liang Dao, and Bai Yu, the Prefect of Liang Prefecture—both leaders among civilian officials—agreed that these young men would temporarily serve in the General's Manor in Juibei City as "white-clothed" officials, assisting with crucial strategic matters. They would receive substantial salaries, equivalent to those of low-ranking county magistrates in the Liyang court. Although the salaries sounded generous, the Deputy Commissioner and the Prefect of Liang Prefecture had made it clear from the outset that the payment would be deferred. Nevertheless, everyone enthusiastically accepted their transfer orders.

The General's Manor was quite expansive. Xu Fengnian walked towards the deliberation hall. An unwritten rule here dictated that everyone, regardless of rank, would simply slow their pace upon seeing the young Prince. There was no need to stop or bow; at most, they would move slightly to the sides of the corridor if they met him head-on, making way for him. Almost everyone noticed that day that while the young Prince remained approachable, his demeanor seemed somewhat subdued and introspective, as if burdened by worries. Xu Fengnian arrived at the border army deliberation hall, the most important area of the General's Manor. Compared to the main deliberation hall on Qingliang Mountain, which now held more symbolic significance, this spacious and solemn deliberation hall in Juibei City was the true strategic hub where the fate of Northern Liang's border conflicts was decided.

The deliberation hall was not frequently used; it only became crowded during major discussions about troop deployment or when high-ranking generals gathered at critical moments. As Xu Fengnian stepped over the threshold, only a few Military Strategic Counselors were present, hanging several Qingzhou situation maps, freshly delivered by the Fushui and Yangying bureaus, in a corner of the wall. Upon seeing the young Prince, the counselor responsible for ensuring the maps were straight, aside from the two young men holding the poles, quickly turned and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Great General!"

Xu Fengnian smiled, nodded, and waved his hand, signaling them to continue their work.

Huyan Daguan did not follow the young Prince into the deliberation hall. He strode away, not just leaving Juibei City, but departing Liang Prefecture altogether, taking his wife and children to journey to Xishu and enjoy its scenery.

As Huyan Daguan left, he appeared quite resentful, grumbling and rubbing his arms, which showed visible bruises and marks.

It turned out that during their journey south, the young Prince, who had explicitly stated he had "thought things through," had twice suddenly flown north without warning. After Huyan Daguan managed to stop him once, his second attempt, fueled by anger, involved directly grabbing the young man's ankle and slamming him into the ground, creating a dusty crater.

This Northern Mang martial artist had replaced Cao Changqing in the newly released Two Dynasties Martial Ranking, instantly becoming one of the four greatest grandmasters in the world. Although he was ranked last among the four, he was universally acknowledged as someone who could stand alongside Xu Fengnian, Tuoba Pusa, and Deng Ta'a, and thus could not be considered merely an ordinary Earthly Immortal. This martial ranking specifically commented on the current martial arts world: although the number of Earthly Immortals was slightly fewer than during the era when Wang Xianzhi dominated the martial arts scene, the strength and elevated cultivation of these few Earthly Immortals represented an unprecedented grand spectacle in a thousand years, making it the most glorious period in a millennium of martial arts history.

After this solitary journey to Dunhuang City to gather intelligence for the young Prince, Huyan Daguan felt he had settled his past accounts with Xu Fengnian. Debts from a previous life were concluded in this one; from now on, their paths would be separate, and each would be responsible for their own life and death.

Xu Fengnian, naturally, did not try to persuade Huyan Daguan to stay.

Yuan Zuozong, the commander of the Northern Liang cavalry, entered the deliberation hall, his saber at his side. On either side of the threshold, the girl Hehe and Xu Ying in red robes were squatting and playing. An ordinary person would genuinely not have the courage to step over the threshold between them.

Seeing the young Prince standing alone before the long table, gazing down at the map of the Liang-Mang border, Yuan Zuozong showed no surprise. He slowly walked to Xu Fengnian's side and said softly, "Back then, when Chu Lushan was being stubborn, not even the Great General could persuade him. Only when our foster mother spoke did Chu Lushan listen."

Yuan Zuozong recalled an old anecdote and couldn't help but smile. "Actually, when we first established ourselves in Northern Liang, the Great General initially intended to appoint Chu Lushan as the Deputy Commander of the cavalry. This was partly a reward for Chu Lushan's military achievements in the Spring and Autumn Wars and the northern expedition to the grasslands, and partly to constrain Zhong Hongwu, who was then the only person in the Xu family officially granted the title of Grand General Huaihua by the imperial court. At that time, Zhong Hongwu was very envious of the Grand General title bestowed by Zhao Dun of Liyang, but he was also very hesitant, as it was clearly a move by the Liyang imperial family to vex our foster father. In the end, our foster father laughed, saying it was a free second-rank official position, so why refuse it? Only then did Zhong Hongwu accept it with a clear conscience. However, Chu Lushan was furious and absolutely refused to become the second-in-command of the cavalry outside Liangzhou Pass, claiming he was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist slapping the old man named Zhong to death. That's why he ended up taking a very minor, un-military, un-civilian official post within Liangzhou City. Only Chu Lushan himself was content with it; others couldn't understand. The eight thousand veterans of the Yeluohe Iron Cavalry, whom he personally trained, were disbanded at that time. After all, with their commander Chu Lushan no longer in the border army, this cavalry unit lacked proper standing. Otherwise, it would have been preposterous for them to establish themselves independently outside Liangzhou Pass."

Xu Fengnian suddenly looked up, clenching his fists on the tabletop, and asked, "Is Chu Lushan's presence at Huaiyang Pass truly more beneficial to the overall strategy of Northern Liang than his strategizing here in Juibei City?"

Yuan Zuozong did not rush to answer. Instead, he calmly spoke of unrelated matters: "Chu Lushan is a true cavalry general, having joined the cavalry in the early stages of the Spring and Autumn Wars. In fact, he's a veteran of the Xu family's Iron Cavalry, on par with Wu Qi and Xu Pu. It's just that Chu Lushan was too ruthless in battle—merciless to the enemy, and even more so to himself. If you gave him a thousand troops, others might bring back at least four or five hundred after a tough campaign, but with him, it was often a miracle to have two or three hundred cavalry left. So, although Chu Lushan was once called the Xu family's foremost victor, he never managed to build his own strong contingent. Chen Zhibao, on the other hand, slowly accumulated more direct subordinates as the long Spring and Autumn Wars progressed, eventually standing out, even subtly surpassing the nominal ranks of Wu Qi and Xu Pu in true strength. Later, when Chu Lushan led a thousand cavalry to conquer Shu, do you know how he got those thousand cavalry? At the time, everyone believed that the rugged, perilous mountainous roads of Xishu were completely unsuitable for cavalry assaults, as they could easily get inexplicably trapped in places not even marked on maps. So, when Chu Lushan suggested clearing a path himself, the Great General didn't agree. Even Mr. Zhao, who was bent on revenge, hesitated. Only Mr. Li thought it was feasible. Eventually, the Great General was so annoyed by Chu Lushan that he told him to recruit his own men and do whatever he pleased with them. Chu Lushan himself only gathered a little over two hundred veterans. The remaining eight hundred-plus cavalry he shamelessly borrowed from me. I was initially reluctant, but Chu Lushan went to Mr. Li and asked him to intercede. Only then was Chu Lushan able to lead a thousand cavalry on a raid into Xishu."

Yuan Zuozong sighed heavily and exclaimed, "After that came the legendary 'Thousand Cavalry Conquering Shu,' renowned throughout the land. Originally, our Xu family army had prepared for the worst, intending to enter Xishu territory on foot, without any cavalry. Yet, on that very land, two hundred thousand enemy cavalry appeared—an unprecedented sight in Xishu's centuries of history! You must understand, in the late Great Feng era, three hundred thousand grassland cavalry swept south like a broken bamboo, but fewer than ten thousand cavalry actually managed to enter Xishu!"

Yuan Zuozong turned to face the young Prince and slowly said, "When it comes to leading cavalry in battle, whether in direct confrontation or surprise attack, I, Yuan Zuozong, am certainly no less capable than Chu Lushan. If a major war involves a series of critical engagements, I dare say that in the end, our military achievements, Chu Lushan's and mine, would be roughly equal. If Chu Lushan earns a generalship with a 'Ping' prefix, then I, Yuan Zuozong, would certainly not only receive a generalship with a 'Zhen' prefix. However, if, in a series of campaigns, someone must consecutively face two or three extremely difficult and crucial battles, I, Yuan Zuozong, would never dare claim to win them all, but Chu Lushan? He absolutely could!"

Yuan Zuozong continued, "I'm afraid few people remember this now, but a long time ago, the Great General once joked with Chu Lushan, saying, 'You fight like a damn scoundrel! You win many battles, but look how few survivors are left at the end! My old Xu family's meager resources can't withstand your relentless campaigns anymore. So just wait patiently until the day I, Xu Xiao, have one or two hundred thousand iron cavalry. Then, it won't matter if I hand them all over to you, Luqiu'er!'"

Yuan Zuozong gave a self-deprecating smile. "To be frank, when Qingliang Mountain decided to appoint me as the commander of the cavalry and have Chu Lushan come out of retirement to be the Northern Liang Protector-General, I approached him. I wanted to switch positions with him, partly to fulfill our foster father's promise. Because I knew that Chu Lushan's passion for cavalry was unmatched. But Chu Lushan refused at the time, grinning as he told me, 'I've been a minor official for so many years; I've finally made a comeback. How can I not enjoy myself as the highest-ranking official, the Northern Liang Protector-General?!'"

Yuan Zuozong composed himself, then leaned over and traced a line on the situation map, covering the Huaiyang Pass, Fuling, Liuya, and Chongzhong—a pass and three garrisons that formed a defensive line. "There are no cavalry within Huaiyang Pass because, as a natural stronghold, it is both an advantage and a disadvantage; it cannot accommodate large-scale cavalry forces. While it wouldn't be difficult to hide two or three thousand light cavalry there, such a small force would be a mere drop in the bucket during the Liang-Mang conflict, of little significance. It's better to station them in the Fuling and Liuya garrisons on both flanks. These two garrisons have both cavalry and infantry. Previously, when the Youzhou infantry was moved west, besides Juibei City, they were mainly deployed to these two locations, with seven thousand Youzhou infantry stationed in each. As for Chongzhong, located behind the defensive line, it has always been primarily guarded by infantry rather than cavalry used for field engagements outside the city. Because these closely located pass and three garrisons form a complete defensive system, I could manage the deployment just as well if I were stationed there. However, the greatest significance of Chu Lushan's reluctance to leave still lies in his ability to attract Dong Zhuo's forces, the strongest fighting power of Northern Mang, keeping his hundreds of thousands of elite private troops from advancing. This greatly reduces the pressure on our Liangzhou flank cavalry. No matter how difficult Huaiyang Pass is to attack, it is ultimately not a formidable border city like Hutou City, which Northern Mang cavalry cannot bypass. If the Northern Mang barbarians completely ignore it and directly assault the three garrisons of Fuling, Liuya, and Chongzhong, especially after the loss of Hutou City, Huaiyang Pass would lose almost all its strategic significance. Therefore, half the answer to your previous question, Your Highness, is the very reply Chu Lushan gave to Juibei City earlier: whether he is at Huaiyang Pass or not, the war outside Liangzhou Pass will unfold in two different ways. Ultimately, among all of Northern Liang and its border armies, only Chu Lushan can compel Dong Zhuo to clash directly with Huaiyang Pass. In this situation, if our Liangzhou flank cavalry were to face Murong Baoding's forces, even if the four divine abilities behind this Jie Shi Ling of Juzi Province—Wanyan Jinliang, Helian Wuwei, and Wang Yong—were arrayed, we would still be fearless. Lushan could even, at certain moments, deploy the cavalry from Fuling and Liuya garrisons to unexpectedly support our flank cavalry! However..."

Knowing Yuan Zuozong's concern, Xu Fengnian said softly, "I have already left eighty Wu family swordsmen at Huaiyang Pass."

Hearing this unexpected good news, Yuan Zuozong's face showed relief. He nodded, his tone lightening. "That's excellent. When the time comes, battles outside the pass will undoubtedly be extremely brutal. Northern Mang will certainly do its utmost to intercept our military intelligence and dispatches. Scouts or carrier pigeons will have no chance of delivering orders. With eighty Wu family swordsmen helping, Chu Lushan's burden will be much lighter."

Xu Fengnian lowered his head again, staring at the border situation map, deep in silent thought.

Yuan Zuozong suddenly asked curiously, "How did Your Highness know in advance that the Yelü clan was helping Dong Zhuo raise such a large private army on the northern grasslands, and even have such precise numbers?"

Xu Fengnian's expression was indistinct. "It was the last intelligence report from Dunhuang City, on the border of Hexi Prefecture."

Yuan Zuozong's expression became solemn; he seemed to want to speak but held back.

Xu Fengnian said softly and bitterly, "To prevent exposure, Fushui House proactively cut off contact with Dunhuang City long ago. Before this spring, only one-way intelligence was transmitted from Dunhuang City. Last time, on Long'an'er Plain, Tuoba Pusa deliberately revealed a piece of information: the old woman of Northern Mang ordered Helian Wuwei and several Great Xiti of the grasslands to besiege Dunhuang City. For a long time after that battle, until I left Wudang Mountain, I simply couldn't travel north..."

Yuan Zuozong carefully chose his words. "I thought Your Highness's trip to Huaiyang Pass would naturally extend to Dunhuang City. To be honest, I was already prepared to personally lead ten thousand Great Snow Dragon Riders, bypass the Northern Mang main army, enter Longyao Prefecture from the northeast, and then ride north to meet you on your return."

Xu Fengnian abruptly looked up.

Yuan Zuozong smiled. "Even though I'd surely scold you a bit when we met, it wouldn't stop me from risking military action."

Xu Fengnian looked down at Dunhuang City on the map, lost in thought.

Yuan Zuozong's expression was grave. "I don't know why Your Highness ultimately didn't set off into Northern Mang, but I must be frank: if you had truly gone, the best outcome would have been for you to miraculously return alive to Juibei City, while I and the ten thousand Great Snow Dragon Riders would inevitably all perish in Northern Mang's Longyao Prefecture. The great war outside Liangzhou Pass has already begun. Your personal decision, Xu Fengnian, regardless of your initial intentions—you are both the Prince of Northern Liang and a Grandmaster of martial arts, and no one can stop you—but the gravity of the consequences would be far greater than when you and I led our armies into the Central Plains."

Xu Fengnian offered no explanation, merely muttering to himself, "Of course, I know the consequences. I just couldn't resist; I really wanted to see Dunhuang City, just as I knew I couldn't persuade Chu Lushan to return, but still wanted to see him at Huaiyang Pass."

Xu Fengnian took a deep breath. "Second Brother Yuan, I've disappointed you."

Yuan Zuozong paused, then chuckled. "Disappointed? I, Qi Dangguo, Chu Lushan—none of us have ever been disappointed!"

Xu Fengnian looked silently at Yuan Zuozong.

Yuan Zuozong patted the young Prince's shoulder. "The hardest thing in life is to die without regrets. How fortunate are we, the Northern Liang Iron Cavalry!"

Xu Fengnian gave a slight tug, his voice hoarse. "Only you and Chu Lushan are left. I'd rather you both survive..."

Yuan Zuozong smiled. Without waiting for him to finish, he turned and walked away, the commander of the Northern Liang cavalry, with his back to the young Prince, laughing, "As for surviving, let's talk about that in the next life!"