Chapter 975: Slaying the Dragon and the Fake

In the study next to the office of the second hall, an old man and a young man were enjoying a rare moment of leisure, engaged in a game of chess. Two chairs, a stool, and a chessboard were all they needed for their quiet match.

With the chessboard resting on a small stool, the two players could only hold their respective chess boxes. Initially, news of the impending intense match drew a large crowd, including prominent figures from Beiliang like Li Gongde from the Front Hall's administrative office and Bai Yu from the household department. Even military advisors with no immediate duties flocked in, filling the study to capacity and leaving no room to stand. This highlighted the captivating nature of the contest on the board. After all, one of the players, the young Prince, was not only a top disciple of Li Yishan but also widely regarded as the brother of Xu Weixiong, a Grand Chess Master of the eleventh rank. Rumors had long circulated about Xu Fengnian's remarkable tenacity and strength in chess. His opponent, Court Grandee Wang, was a highly learned and revered master of Liyang's literary world, and also Xu Weixiong's esteemed mentor. Though none of his famous chess games had ever been publicly recorded, it was widely believed that even if Court Grandee Wang's skill didn't match the prodigious talent of Xu Weixiong, he would certainly be a formidable and evenly matched opponent for the young Prince.

When the old man, playing white, made his move, his elegant grace—one hand pulling back his sleeve, the other delicately picking up a piece—was utterly captivating. He truly embodied his stature as the second-highest authority in Shangyin Academy, a profound scholar, a literary sage, and a moral master.

The old man’s imposing presence and intense focus were such that almost no one noticed the young Prince, the one being challenged, rolling his eyes with a look of utter helplessness.

Uninhibited, Mr. Bai Lian squatted beside the chessboard, practically pressing his eyes to the board.

Jin Baoshi, one of Han Guzi's most accomplished disciples alongside Chang Sui, Xu Huang, and Xu Weixiong, stood behind the old man, devoid of any expectation. She had initially resisted coming, wishing to avoid embarrassment, but had finally capitulated to the incorrigible old man's relentless badgering. He had insisted she accompany him to boost his morale, claiming, "My chess skill is on par with Xu Fengnian's, and the outcome is fifty-fifty. With a peerless beauty cheering me on, I will surely sweep him away and decisively defeat the Xu fellow." However, Jin Baoshi knew the old man's chess entirely too well; he was an utterly dreadful player, a truly "rotten chess basket." Not only was his skill miles behind her senior sister Xu Weixiong's, but even she could easily defeat him in every single game, guaranteeing a hundred victories.

While Jin Baoshi and Xu Fengnian were well aware of the old man's true chess prowess, the onlookers inside and the heads craning through the window remained oblivious. Consequently, after a mere dozen moves, Bai Yu, a chess aficionado, furrowed his brow in utter confusion. Those still in the dark found the game utterly profound, convinced that Court Grandee Wang was truly a Grand Master of his time. They believed his every move was not only a return to simplicity but also deeply insightful, surely indicating supreme brilliance. They attributed their own lack of understanding to their limited perspective, unable to discern the old man's intricate long-term strategy. How could it possibly be the old man making random moves due to flagging energy?

After approximately thirty moves, Li Gongde had already rolled his eyes and left with his hands clasped behind his back. Many military advisors who recognized the situation also quietly departed, their expressions peculiar. Eventually, as the game neared its conclusion, only the two seated players, the squatting Bai Yu, and the standing Jin Baoshi remained in the room—a mere four individuals.

The old man, convinced he had a winning position, turned to Jin Baoshi and triumphantly declared, "My dear, what do you think? My nickname 'Wang Ironhead,' revered as a chess saint throughout the land, is no empty boast, is it? See how fierce my chess is! Our Prince is retreating at every step, utterly defenseless!"

The old man then muttered to himself, "Alright, I should change my nickname from now on. I'll call myself 'Wang Iron Cavalry,' just like the Beiliang Iron Cavalry, renowned for their unmatched combat prowess."

Then, the old man smiled and looked down at Bai Yu, "Mr. Bai Lian, you've been squatting there for quite some time. Are you so deeply engrossed you can't tear yourself away? Don't worry, I completely understand."

Bai Yu looked up with an expressionless face. "My legs are numb," he stated, "I can't stand."

The corner of the old man's mouth twitched, and he let out a cold snort.

Xu Fengnian silently placed his piece, expertly "slaughtering" a large "dragon" of white stones. Instantly, seven or eight out of ten white pieces met a desolate end.

The young Prince leisurely gathered the captured pieces from the board, dropping them one by one into the old man's chess box, which rested on his lap.

The old man, jolted back from his stupor, was about to reach out to intervene. The young Prince, however, cast him a sidelong glance. "What, you want to take back a move?" he asked. "You can do it this time, but don't ever think about coming to my study to play chess with me again."

After weighing the pros and cons, the old man burst into laughter. "This game was truly magnificent, a stroke of genius for all time!" he exclaimed. "Though I lost, I lost with honor!"

Bai Yu finally managed to stand, bending to rub his legs. "If I ever come to this study to watch people play chess again," he muttered to himself, "I'll pluck out my own eyes."

The old man, ignoring him completely, maintained a satisfied expression.

Jin Baoshi chose a chair and sat beside the chessboard, helping them put away the pieces.

The old man clasped his hands around the chess box, his smile fading. "Do you know Nalan Youci's true intentions?" he asked.

Xu Fengnian placed the chess box in the corner of the chessboard. "Roughly, she wants me to help King Yan Chi and his son tie down the grassland cavalry for at least a year and a half."

Court Grandee Wang's voice deepened. "You agreed?"

Xu Fengnian leaned forward, twirling a chess piece between two fingers. He smiled indifferently. "Agreeing or disagreeing on such a matter is pointless," he said. "If I agree, do I genuinely believe the new Liyang Dynasty will treat the Beiliang border army kindly? If I don't, will the Beiliang Iron Cavalry cease fighting the Northern Barbarians?"

Court Grandee Wang's next words were startling, causing Jin Baoshi, who was bending to collect the chess pieces, to flinch. "Then have you considered meeting the old woman privately and diverting the trouble eastward?" he pressed. "Let the Liyang border armies in the Two Liaos fall into chaos, and then let Zhao Bing and Zhao Zhu, the father and son who rule Tai'an City, clean up the mess? Beiliang could then reap the fisherman's profit; at the very least, fewer people would die."

Xu Fengnian replied calmly, "I have considered it."

Jin Baoshi's eyes widened, and her face instantly went pale.

Xu Fengnian smiled. "But it was only a thought," he added.

The old man's expression was dark and unreadable. He stared intently into the young Prince's eyes, trying to discern any clues.

The old man exhaled slowly. "May I ask why that is?" he inquired.

Xu Fengnian gently placed the chess piece from his fingertips back into the box. "It's difficult to distinguish right from wrong among people in this world," he mused. "But in the affairs of this world, there are indeed rights and wrongs."

The old man said impatiently, "Just say it simply. Don't try to be profound just because Miss Jin is here. To be frank, even if this girl were to like you, would you dare to like her?"

Jin Baoshi's cheeks flushed crimson, and she glared at the old man.

Xu Fengnian said helplessly, "Simply put, it's quite straightforward. If Xu Xiao were still alive, facing a million Northern Barbarian cavalry at the passes, would he secretly go to that old woman and propose, 'You take your troops to fight Gu Jiantang, and we, Liang and Mang, will have a truce'?"

The old man retorted irritably, "That's different. Xu Xiao is Xu Xiao. That old woman fancied your father back then, and your father, being a man of his standing, couldn't bring himself to say it. What's so strange about that? But you, Xu Fengnian, are different!"

Xu Fengnian didn't answer directly. Instead, he met the old man's gaze and asked, "If the Beiliang Iron Cavalry encounters the enemy and doesn't fight, are they still the Beiliang Iron Cavalry?"

The old man slammed the chess box heavily onto the chessboard with both hands. "You're all facing death," he rebuked, "what heroics are you still trying to perform?!"

Xu Fengnian's expression remained unchanged. "You might as well ask the Beiliang border army that question," he said. "Ask them if they'd agree. In the first Liang-Mang War, at Hutou City in Liangzhou, beneath Qingcang City in Liuzhou, and within Hulukou in Youzhou, so many border soldiers weren't merely 'facing death'; they were already dead. Telling me now that fewer people could die is pointless."

The old man cursed furiously, "They're all fools!"

Xu Fengnian snapped angrily, "Don't act your age and boast; I'll truly hit you!"

The old man jutted out his neck and made a slashing gesture. "Come on," he challenged, "come right here!"

Xu Fengnian immediately put on a playful smile. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare," he said. "Come on, let's play another game; I guarantee you'll win!"

The old man said skeptically, "Truly?"

Xu Fengnian stated seriously, "A gentleman's word is his bond!"

The old man's mood immediately shifted from sullen to jovial. "Miss Jin," he announced, "hurry, stop tidying up! I'll play another game with this undisputed Grand Chess Master. Just watch me dominate!"

The second game concluded swiftly.

The old man, whose "dragon" had been slaughtered yet again, angrily rose, waved his sleeve, and departed, abandoning even the chessboard and chess box.

Jin Baoshi didn't put away the chessboard or chess box. Before leaving the study, she subtly gave the young Prince a thumbs-up, feeling a great sense of satisfaction!

Xu Fengnian smiled faintly.

At that moment, an intelligence agent from the penal department entered the study and whispered, "Vice-Jiedushi Lu is visiting, accompanied by seven members of the Lu clan."

Xu Fengnian rubbed his temples and nodded. "Have them come here," he instructed.

The Lu clan of Qingzhou was once undeniably a prominent and flourishing family in Jing'an Dao. Particularly in their early years, under the shade of the formidable patriarch Lu Feichi, the Grand Councillor, they truly prospered. Within the Green Party, notorious for its factionalism both at court and throughout the realm, the Lu family was still lauded as the most distinguished branch among scholars.

However, the initial period of their clan's relocation to Beiliang Dao proved quite arduous. The Lu descendants achieved nothing of note, neither in Liangzhou's officialdom nor in Beiliang's literary circles. The main reason was that Lu Dongjiang, the head of the family, held no official position for an extended period, and even rumors surrounding his father-daughter relationship with the future Princess Consort of Qingliang Mountain were highly sensitive. For the more than four hundred members of the Lu clan, this compounded their difficulties. That period of uncertainty was a bleak time that the current Lu descendants least wished to recall. Even the innocent young children in the family were influenced by their frustrated elders, their laughter gradually diminishing, and slight, harmless mischievous acts would earn them loud scolding from discontented elders, leading to more tears.

The Lu family mansion, once known for lavish spending and constant guests in Liangzhou thanks to its robust financial background, became deserted within a mere year. In stark contrast, the Wang family, merchants also from Qingzhou and in-laws to the Xu family of Qingliang Mountain, flourished. They moved seamlessly among influential circles, with busy Wang family members even present in the two pastoral districts of Xianli and Tianjing. Wang Linquan, originally Qingzhou's wealthiest man, was now dubbed the "Martial God of Wealth" by Beiliang officials, standing alongside Li Gongde, the "Literary God of Wealth."

People aren't afraid of sharing the same unfortunate fate; they're afraid of being compared. The meteoric rise of the Wang clan only amplified the grievances of the prestigious Lu clan. It is said that a proud Lu descendant, newly arrived at the Liangzhou official bureau, was so ostracized and bruised by his colleagues that, in a fit of pique, he vowed to return home, telling his uncle Lu Dongjiang directly, "I'd rather be a Qingzhou ghost than a Beiliang dog."

All of this abruptly changed when Lu Chengyan was officially confirmed as the future Princess Consort of Beiliang. First, a Lu descendant secured a position of real authority in the construction of Jubai City. Though not high in rank, this marked the initial breakthrough for the long-dormant Lu family in Beiliang's official circles. Subsequently, Lu Dongjiang, the very backbone of the large clan, experienced a meteoric rise in his official career, ascending rapidly until he became the current Vice-Strategic Envoy, a genuine second-rank regional grandee. Across the entire Central Plains, the renowned scholar Lu Kuobai, barely in his early forties, was considered among the youngest regional civilian leaders.

On this occasion, Lu Dongjiang traveled from Lingzhou to Jubai City, his retinue including six young members of the Lu clan. The Lu family comprised four branches, and at least one individual from each branch received the honor of accompanying the Vice-Strategic Envoy to meet the young Prince. Including Lu Chensong, the young prodigy already serving in Jubai City, Lu Dongjiang was followed by a total of seven young people. Led by a military advisor in a blue robe adorned with a jade pendant, they proceeded to the study adjacent to the Hall of Summer Retreat in the second hall. Lu Dongjiang specifically had Lu Chensong walk by his side. The latter had recently transitioned from his temporary role overseeing the new city's grain and fodder as a finance officer to a permanent official position, his rank elevated from "turbid" to "clear"—colloquially, from a mere clerk to a full official, a true "carp leaping over the dragon gate." Consequently, the Vice-Strategic Envoy, who already harbored high hopes for Lu Chensong, beamed with satisfaction, nodding frequently as he listened to this Lu descendant recount interesting anecdotes about Jubai City, his pride undisguised.

After unifying the Central Plains, the Liyang court, which had previously suffered greatly from regional warlordism, largely centralized power rather than delegating it. Apart from princes who were granted fiefdoms, no border minister, regardless of their rank as a Strategic Envoy or Jiedushi, possessed the right to establish their own government. Arbitrarily appointing subordinate officials with official ranks was a severe crime punishable by exile. However, Beiliang consistently remained an exception. Whether within the Liangzhou border army or the internal bureaucracy, as long as one attained the third rank, both the old and new Princes tacitly allowed it, permitting the select few civil and military officials to establish their own offices and appoint their own subordinates. Qingliang Mountain and the Protectorate General's office would almost always readily grant their crucial "approval." Beiliang was indeed an exception, and Lu Dongjiang was no exception to this unique privilege. Nevertheless, the Vice-Strategic Envoy, being a celebrated and refined scholar who valued his reputation, did not excessively promote Lu family members to high official positions. Only a scattered dozen or so were appointed, mostly minor officials who had just entered the ranks of the "pure stream," likely as a reciprocal gesture towards his son-in-law, who was surnamed Xu.

The young man walking at the very end of the procession belonged to the fourth branch of the Lu clan. This branch had few male descendants and had struggled even during the lifetime of the old patriarch, Lu Feichi. This twenty-year-old descendant, Lu Chengqing, essentially benefited from being the "tallest among the short"; otherwise, if he had been from another branch, he would never have had the opportunity to appear in that study. From his early schooling, Lu Chengqing was unremarkable within the Lu clan, possessing mediocre aptitude and unexceptional literary talent. Lu Dongjiang naturally regarded him as a dull junior, unsuitable for significant responsibilities. Nevertheless, his gentle nature and tendency never to cause trouble made him tolerable. Thus, when traveling to Jubai City to meet the Prince this time, this quiet young man, whose father had died long ago, was brought along.

Lu Chengqing quietly brought up the rear of the procession, his steps steady and his gaze fixed forward. He exhibited none of the curious glances of his peers, nor the smug satisfaction displayed by the two Lu descendants ahead of him.

Unlike the renowned Lu Chensong and others, Lu Chengqing, after his family relocated to Beiliang, remained devoted to his studies, secluded with ancient texts. Thus, when the Lu family experienced its decline, this young scholar, lacking family connections, suffered the least. And when the Lu family rapidly rose again, he did not exploit the lingering influence from his father's generation or the main branch to seek an official position from Lu Dongjiang, the clan head adorned with jade pendants. Instead, he went to Qinglu Cave Academy in Youzhou to diligently pursue his education. His life remained unremarkable, and even now, none of his classmates were aware of his Lu family identity. In discussions with classmates, whether debating current affairs, critiquing the world, or reciting elegant poems, Lu Chengqing was never a participant. When the family letter arrived, requesting him to travel beyond the pass earlier than planned, Lu Chengqing complied, bringing only a book box. He grimly hired a carriage and then waited alone at the market outside the city for the impressive procession of the Vice-Jiedushi. Meanwhile, Lu Chenghe, a peer from the third branch, complained upon learning that no high-ranking official from Jubai City had come out to greet them, grumbling that Jubai City lacked proper decorum. He argued that in Tai'an City, given his uncle's prominent status, at least a Vice-Minister of Rites, if not the Minister himself, would have been waiting outside the city. Lu Chengqing, whom his peers mocked as a "wooden block," remained as detached as ever, listening but never speaking or acting.

The Prince's study next to the Hall of Summer Retreat was not large, accommodating only four chairs. The young Prince occupied one, Lu Dongjiang naturally took another, and Lu Chensong—both a local influential figure in Jubai City and the top-ranked young descendant of the Lu clan—also took a seat. For the final chair, after Lu Dongjiang sat down, he gestured with his eyes for Lu Chenghe to take it, his gaze conveying not only encouragement for a junior but also a subtle warning against causing trouble. This Lu Chenghe was the Lu descendant who had unhappily resigned from his official post in the Liangzhou yamen, and also the young scholar who had uttered that harsh remark. It was a pity this was Beiliang Dao, a region that valued martial prowess over literary talent; perhaps in the Central Plains or Jiangnan, this would have been a sensational and elegant tale among scholars. Lu Dongjiang had long favored Lu Chenghe, once personally praising him as "my Lu clan's standard-bearer"—a metaphor for a high branch, symbolizing loftiness. In Lu Chenghe's youth, Lu Dongjiang spared no effort in promoting him in the literary circles of Jing'an Dao. Lu Chenghe indeed lived up to expectations, earning himself the nickname "Little Master of Pure Conversation." He was the only young person who could truly contend with the relatively more pragmatic Lu Chensong. As for the quiet and reserved Lu Chengqing, he likely didn't even warrant a glance from his two more prominent peers.

In a study with four chairs, the young Prince stood at the doorway to greet them. After leading them into the room, he smiled as he stood behind a very ordinary desk, gesturing downwards with his hand. Only after his father-in-law, Lu Dongjiang, and the three young men were seated did the young Prince slowly take his own seat.

The study was not large, yet it was filled with books and files. There were no ice basins in the corners to cool the air, and even with the windows already open, the room felt somewhat cramped and hot. This made the Lu descendants, dressed formally to maintain decorum, feel a little uncomfortable. Several young men standing behind Lu Dongjiang, Lu Chensong, and Lu Chenghe, after subtly surveying the study, were quite surprised. For a dignified Prince to use such a humble, almost shabby, study for official military affairs seemed remarkably unconventional.

In their earlier years, far away in Qingzhou, Jing'an Dao, they had been immensely curious about the rumored opulence of the Wutong Courtyard in Beiliang. There was a curious anecdote from the Central Plains literary circles of that time: a highly talented scholar from Jiangnan Dao considered slandering Xu Xiao his primary duty as an official, and after retiring to the countryside, he made disparaging Beiliang's border affairs his life's foremost task. This old man, from an ordinary gentry background, rose through the ranks and in his later years excelled at writing graceful poetry, which gained popularity across the land. His poems were richly adorned with flowery language, particularly favoring depictions of joyful gatherings and feasts. The literati of Jiangnan lauded him as "one who writes of affairs within wealthy households, with such flowing charm that it truly feels like a house full of gold and jade." Somehow, this news reached the harsh and cold Beiliang, and the Crown Prince sent a letter to the old man's residence. The gist was: "You, an old man from a humble family, have never in your life touched the threshold of true wealth, and your entire text is filled with 'gold' and 'jade,' which is utterly vulgar." At the end, he even added, "A thousand sounds of rain hitting plantains, sitting and watching ten thousand carp," the undeniable implication being that the trivial romantic experiences of this old official, who only achieved a third-rank position, were utterly beneath contempt.

Upon receiving the letter, the old man, though indignant, also cherished it like a valuable treasure. He immediately impeached the Xu family of Beiliang to the imperial court, claiming things like, "Xu Xiao privately embezzled military pay for the Northwest border army to an extreme, which is appalling," and, "Beiliang is impoverished, only the Xu family is rich." These pronouncements, later frequently borrowed by censor-officials and loyal ministers, first originated from that "upright scholar." However, many years later, when news spread that ten thousand Great Snow Dragon Riders of Beiliang were descending upon Jiangnan, the old man who had once vowed, "I would rather die than face Xu the Lame," promptly packed his entire family and moved to Tai'an City overnight. In a single night, nothing movable was left behind; they cleared out completely.

During the conversation in the study, despite the young Prince not wearing a dragon robe, Lu Dongjiang was impeccably dressed in his official attire. Yet, from beginning to end, there was no hint of a formal exchange between ruler and subject; it was more like a casual chat between a sincere father-in-law and son-in-law. Even when official matters were discussed, the young Prince maintained a smile, mostly listening intently while the Vice-Strategic Envoy spoke, showing not a trace of impatience. During this time, the young Prince even personally poured cool tea for everyone in the room. The tea was White Frost Tea from Lingzhou, which, like "green ant wine," was quite rustic. It was a summer tea, coarse and heavily astringent, only favored by impoverished old tea drinkers from Lingzhou's countryside. The reason White Frost Tea was personally designated as "tribute tea" for Qingliang Mountain Prince's Manor and the Beiliang border army by the old Prince of Liang, Xu Xiao, was that, from its place of origin, over eight hundred men had joined the Liangzhou border cavalry together and coincidentally became comrades. In a frontier battle, these eight hundred cavalrymen voluntarily served as rearguards and all died in battle. At that time, in Xiao county of Lingzhou, a sparsely populated area with only three towns under its jurisdiction, almost every household wore white mourning like frost. The Lu descendants had probably never even heard of this. They simply wondered how the young Prince, accustomed to the most opulent and leisurely life in the world, could possibly drink such a tea. Of course, most young people, as long as they could drink this tea, no matter how unpalatable or difficult to consume, still accepted it willingly.

Only Lu Chengqing, standing in the farthest corner, found the taste bitter.

Even during the brief journey into the city, he had been listening to Lu Chenghe and his companions discuss the antiques and curios that had flowed from the Beiliang Prince's Manor into the civilian market, each boasting of a fortunate find or lamenting a missed opportunity.

Lu Chengqing had no spare silver, and even if he did, he would not have bought them.

At this moment, Lu Chengqing looked at the young Prince, who maintained a perpetually warm smile, and found the aftertaste of the tea even more astringent.

Lu Dongjiang likely understood that the fierce battle beyond the pass required the young Prince to personally manage extensive affairs, so he did not linger, soon rising to take his leave.

After rising, the young Prince picked up a long brocade box from the corner of the desk, walked around it, and handed it to the Vice-Strategic Envoy. "There's nothing particularly good here," he said with an apologetic smile. "This box of 'Bamboo Tube Xing Cones' was specially sent to me from Wutong Courtyard. It's not worth much money, but it's precious for its scarcity."

Lu Dongjiang's eyes lit up. He took the box and laughed heartily. "Your Highness is too kind!" he exclaimed. "From the Great Feng Dynasty to the Southern Tang in the Spring and Autumn Period, these purple and green brushes from Zhulin County in Huizhou were tribute items. The Feng laws even explicitly recorded 'an annual tribute of five liang of green brushes and four liang of purple brushes.' The purple brushes, especially those described as 'old rabbits crouching like tigers on rocks, eating bamboo and drinking spring water to produce purple bristles,' were the most precious. Unfortunately, after the fall of the old Southern Tang, war ravaged Zhulin County, leaving it almost barren. These 'Xing Cones' truly became extinct. It is said that even in the Imperial Study of Tai'an City, only two or three such brushes exist, kept solely for display, too precious for use. Your Highness, to be frank, I searched