Chapter 1

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The Beiliang王府 (Duke's Mansion) was situated on Qingliang Mountain, with its numerous gates and halls, it was a grand display of architectural splendor.

As the only surviving non-imperial duke in the dynasty, Duke Xu Xiao of Beiliang was a man of mixed reputation in both the imperial court and the martial world. As a meritorious military official, he had everything except the imperial throne. In the three northwestern provinces, he was the undisputed ruler, wielding immense power and influence.

No wonder the officials in the court who disagreed with this non-imperial duke would privately call him "Xu the Barbarian" in a refined manner, and some with ulterior motives would even label him as a "second emperor."

Today, the mansion was bustling with activity. The powerful Duke of Beiliang personally opened the central gate, setting up a grand procession to welcome an elderly man with the air of a sage. The servants in the mansion only heard that he was a divine being from the Daoist holy site of Longhu Mountain, who had chosen the simple-minded young prince as a disciple for seclusion. This was considered a great blessing, and the Beiliang Mansion interpreted it as good fortune for the foolish.

Indeed, the young prince had never cried since birth, was completely illiterate, and only started speaking at the age of six. His name, Xu Longxiang, was grand and imposing, and it was said that it was given by the old sage of Longhu Mountain, who promised to return after twelve years to take him as a disciple, and here he was, as promised.

In a courtyard within the mansion, the venerable Daoist patriarch from Longhu Mountain, with a long white beard, frowned deeply, carrying an unusual small Zhong Kui-style peach wood sword. His appearance truly matched the description of a transcendent being, and anyone who saw him would sincerely praise him as a sage.

However, this time, his attempt to take a disciple was encountering significant obstacles. It wasn't that the mansion had any objections, but rather that his future disciple had a stubborn streak. He was squatting under a pear tree, using his buttocks to face the potential master, who was one of the top three in the Daoist hierarchy. As for martial arts, well, he should at least be in the top thirty, right?

Even the mighty Duke of Beiliang had to squat down and gently persuade him, using a mix of诱导 (inducement) and coaxing, "Son, go to Longhu Mountain and learn great skills. In the future, if anyone calls you foolish, you can beat them up. You won't have to worry about any officials or generals below the third rank; I'll back you up."

"Son, you're strong. It would be a waste not to learn martial arts and become one of the top ten warriors in the world. When you return, I'll make you a Cavalry Commander, riding a fine horse and wearing heavy armor. How impressive would that be?"

The young prince completely ignored him, staring intently at the ground, thoroughly engrossed.

"Huang Man'er, don't you like sugar skewers? Longhu Mountain is full of wild hawthorns. You can pick and eat them as you like. Isn't that right, Master Zhao?"

The old sage forced a smile, nodding repeatedly. To reach this point in taking a disciple was truly embarrassing; it would be a laughingstock if it were known.

Even the mighty Duke, who held a position higher than the first rank and had the final say in the twelve counties, was exhausted from trying to persuade the young prince, who seemed to be growing impatient with his father's chatter. He let out a loud fart, still managing to turn his head and grin at his father.

The Duke of Beiliang, angered, raised his hand as if to strike, but after a moment of hesitation, he let it drop. He couldn't bear to hit his son, and even if he did, it wouldn't make a difference.

This son truly lived up to his name, Xu Longxiang, which meant "the dragon is the strongest in water, the elephant is the strongest on land, and the dragon-elephant is as mighty as a Vajra." Despite his nickname "Huang Man'er" and his seemingly foolish and clumsy appearance, he was illiterate, had a sickly yellow complexion, and was thinner than his peers, but his strength was truly terrifying.

Duke Xu Xiao had started his military career at the age of ten, fighting from the northeast to the south, conquering six small kingdoms and seventy cities, and suppressing sixteen tribes in the southwest. He had seen many powerful warriors, but none like his youngest son, who was born with a body of copper and iron, capable of moving mountains.

Duke Xu Xiao sighed softly. If Huang Man'er were just a bit more intelligent, he could become an unparalleled warrior, the best in battle.

He slowly stood up, turning to the highly respected Daoist from Longhu Mountain with an awkward smile. The Daoist's eyes signaled that it was fine, but he couldn't help feeling a deep sense of sorrow. To reach this point in taking a disciple was truly a failure, and if it were known, he would be laughed at by the world, and his face would be lost in front of his disciples.

The Duke of Beiliang, at a loss, had an idea and chuckled, "Huang Man'er, your brother is returning from his travels. He should be entering the city soon. Don't you want to go out and meet him?"

The young prince suddenly looked up, his expression as stiff as always, but his usually dull eyes sparkled with rare brilliance. He grabbed his father's hand and rushed out.

Unfortunately, the Beiliang Mansion was famous for its winding corridors and numerous twists, which also housed the "Tingchao Pavilion," a place often criticized by the officials and scholars. Duke Xu Xiao, whose hand was being squeezed painfully by his son, had to remind him several times that they were going the wrong way. It took them the time it takes to burn an incense stick to finally reach the gate.

Behind the father and son, a group of servants carrying large and small boxes followed, preparing to take them to Longhu Mountain. The Duke of Beiliang was incredibly wealthy and doted on his children, unable to bear seeing them suffer or be wronged.

Outside the gate, the young prince, seeing the empty street with no sign of his brother, first felt disappointed, then angry. He let out a deep, hoarse roar, initially wanting to vent his anger on Duke Xu Xiao, but despite his foolishness, he knew this was his father. Otherwise, Duke Xu Xiao's fate might have been like that of the black bear he encountered during the autumn hunt, which was torn in half by the twelve-year-old boy. He glared at his father and turned to leave.

Duke Xu Xiao, not wanting to fail, gave the old sage a helpless look. The Daoist smiled and extended his withered arm, gently placing two fingers on the young prince's wrist, speaking kindly, "Xu Longxiang, don't waste your rare and extraordinary talent. Come with me to Longhu Mountain, and in ten years, you can return to achieve great deeds."

The young prince didn't argue, grunting and continuing forward, but strangely, he found himself unable to break free from the Daoist's seemingly effortless restraint. His foot, which was about to step forward, couldn't touch the ground.

The Duke of Beiliang felt relieved. This Daoist, with his high status in the Daoist hierarchy, truly had some skills. As a father, Duke Xu Xiao knew his son's strength, which was so formidable that he dared not assign many servants or maids to him, for fear they might be accidentally injured. Over the years, countless tables and chairs in the courtyard had been broken, but the Beiliang Mansion's wealth was such that it could easily afford the repairs, unlike ordinary wealthy families who would have gone bankrupt.

The young prince, after a moment of hesitation, became angry, letting out a light shout and dragging the old sage forward, step by step. The Daoist, wearing a yellow cap and a Daoist robe, merely let out a slight "hmm" and, instead of being angry, secretly increased his strength, stopping the young prince's progress.

This time, Xu Longxiang was truly enraged, his face contorted like a wild beast. He extended his free hand, grabbed the Daoist's arm with both hands, and, with a deep crouch, cracked the white jade floor, lifting the Daoist and throwing him away.

Duke Xu Xiao narrowed his eyes, not fearing any potential fatalities. If the Daoist lacked the necessary skills, he could die, and Duke Xu Xiao, who had once crushed the mighty Western Chu Dynasty with the Beiliang cavalry, had never shown any respect for martial sects. Even the leader of the Daoist hierarchy, Longhu Mountain, was no exception. The several major sects within his jurisdiction, though not as powerful as Longhu Mountain, were still among the best in the dynasty, such as Wudang Mountain, which had been competing with Longhu Mountain for centuries. Every year, Wudang Mountain would send several precious elixirs as a gesture of respect.

The Daoist gently landed on a two-meter-tall white marble lion at the mansion's gate, exuding a sage-like aura. If this were in a market, it would have earned him a round of applause.

According to the popular saying of the Duke's eldest son, "This deserves a reward; it's not an easy task, it's a skill," he would have given a few hundred or even a thousand silver notes as a reward. In the past, before the Crown Prince left Beiliang to cause trouble elsewhere, many courtesans and con artists had received generous rewards from him.

The highest record was set by a wandering knight who, in a street fight with a local swordsman, moved from a vegetable stall to a lakeside and finally to the rooftop of the largest brothel in Liangzhou, the Yixiang Tower. The noise woke the Crown Prince, who was enjoying himself, and he immediately cheered from the window. Afterward, with the Crown Prince's intervention, the local authorities not only did not punish the knight but almost awarded him a grand banner as a Liangzhou hero, and the Crown Prince sent a large stack of ten thousand silver notes via a fast horse.

Without the Crown Prince, who enjoyed falconry and dog fighting, Lingzhou was truly lonely. Proper families' young women could finally walk the streets beautifully, and the second-rate rascals no longer had a monster to compete with in bullying and oppressing others. The brothels no longer waited for the top patron to spend lavishly.

Duke Xu Xiao had two daughters and two sons, all unique in their own ways.

The eldest princess, after marrying, had outlived three husbands, becoming the most beautiful and wealthy widow in the five counties of Jiangnan, known for her scandalous behavior.

The second princess, though plain in appearance, was highly educated and skilled in strategy, a disciple of the famous scholar Han Guxi from the Shangyin Academy, and a junior sister to military strategists like Xu Huang and political tacticians like Sima Can.

Xu Longxiang, the youngest son, was relatively unknown, while the eldest son was famous even in the capital. Whenever Duke Xu Xiao was mentioned, people would inevitably praise his son, saying, "A tiger father does not have a dog son." Unfortunately, while Duke Xu Xiao was brave on the battlefield, his son excelled in extravagance and debauchery.

Three years ago, the Crown Prince, Xu Fengnian, was reportedly chased out of the mansion with a sword at his neck and forced to go on a traditional coming-of-age journey, a practice for the young nobles of the Guanzhong region. For three years, he disappeared without a trace. Lingzhou still remembered the touching scene of the Crown Prince leaving the city, with dozens of wealthy young men and courtesans shedding tears on the city wall. However, it was rumored that once the Crown Prince was out of sight, the Red Sparrow Tower held a feast that lasted all night, with so much wine poured into the river that the entire city could smell it.

Back at the mansion, the young prince, unsatisfied with just throwing the old man, now aimed to throw the heavy marble lion along with the Daoist.

Just as he was about to lift the lion, the Daoist floated down, grabbed the young prince's hand, and used the Daoist technique "Moving the Mountain" to pull the half-squatting young prince up, smiling gently, "Huang Man'er, don't be naughty. Come with your master."

The young prince, gripping the base of the lion with his fingers like hooks, refused to let go, stretching his arms like a monkey and shouting hoarsely, "I want to wait for my brother to come back. He promised to bring me the most beautiful woman in the world as a wife. I want to wait for him!"

Duke Xu Xiao, a man of high rank, was at a loss, sighing heavily, "Alright, let's wait a bit longer. He should be here soon."

The Daoist, hearing this, smiled strangely but released the young prince's arm, inwardly marveling at the boy's strength, which was not just extraordinary but divine.

However, was that rascal Xu Fengnian really coming back? This was not good news. The first time he came to the mansion, he caused a lot of trouble, being mistaken for a con artist and attacked by a pack of dogs. Later, after explaining himself and entering the mansion, he sent two beautiful women to his room in the middle of the night, claiming it was cold and they needed to warm the bed. If it weren't for the Daoist's extraordinary self-control, he might have fallen for it. Now, he sometimes regrets not spending the night discussing the "Dadong Zhenjing" and "Huangting Jing" with the two women, or even the "Heart Sutra."

In the twilight, an old man and a young man walked along the road, their shadows stretched by the setting sun. The old man, dressed in tattered clothes, with a long white beard and a few strands of grass, carried a long, wrapped bundle on his back and led a thin, limping horse. The young man, though not young in appearance, had a full beard, wore a commoner's robe, and looked like a refugee.

"Old Huang, just a bit longer. Once we're back in the city, we'll have meat and wine. Damn, I never thought I'd miss it so much. I dream about it every day," the young man said, out of breath.

The old servant, looking like a beggar, chuckled, showing his yellow, missing front teeth, looking both simple and amusing.

"Laugh all you want, I can't even cry anymore," the young man rolled his eyes, truly exhausted.

The two-thousand-mile journey had been tough, almost resorting to begging. They had fished, hunted rabbits, and climbed trees to steal bird nests. Anything with meat, cooked without salt, was the most delicious meal in the world. They had tried to steal chickens and ducks from villages, but were chased for miles by farmers with hoes and sticks, almost dying from exhaustion.

Which noble son wasn't once dressed in fine clothes and rode proudly?

Now, he wore tattered clothes, straw shoes, and a limping horse, unwilling to slaughter it for meat or even ride it, adding another mouth to feed.

He had no servants, and Old Huang, who had lived for sixty years, made him anxious, fearing he might die silently during the journey, leaving him without a companion and the task of digging a grave in the wilderness.

Before entering the city, not far from the city wall, there was a stall selling apricot flower wine. He was utterly exhausted, smelling the wine, closing his eyes, and sniffing, feeling deeply intoxicated by the aroma. He walked over to the only empty stool and sat down, gritting his teeth and shouting, "Waiter, bring wine!"

The other customers, both entering and leaving the city, avoided the poorly dressed master and servant, sitting far away.

The busy waiter, hearing the call, was about to respond, "Coming right up," but upon seeing their appearance, his face fell. He didn't want to lose business, but these two didn't look like they could afford the wine. He put on a fake smile and reminded them, "Our apricot flower wine costs twenty coins per pot. It's not cheap, but it's not expensive either."

If it were before, the young man would have let his dogs or servants deal with such disrespect, but after three years of hardship, he had lost his arrogance and temper. He panted, "Don't worry, someone will pay for us. You won't be shortchanged."

"Pay for you?" The waiter raised his voice, looking disdainful.

The young man smiled bitterly, placing his thumb and index finger to his mouth and using the last of his strength to whistle. He then laid his head on the rough table and fell asleep, snoring.

The waiter was puzzled, but a keen-eyed person noticed a shadow flash overhead.

An eagle-like bird soared over the city wall.

About the time it took to finish a bowl of apricot flower wine, the ground suddenly rumbled, the table shook, and the customers, holding their drinks, looked around in confusion.

A group of iron-clad cavalry charged out of the city gate, forming two black lines that seemed endless. Dust rose as they rode, all wearing heavy armor, the famous Beiliang cavalry. The general leading them held a banner with the character "Xu" in blood-red.

Goodness, the elite troops under the Duke of Beiliang.

Who in the world could match the Beiliang cavalry, which had fought across the thirteen provinces of the dynasty?

In the past, the Western Chu Dynasty thought its twelve thousand spear soldiers could challenge them, but in the Jinghe battle, they were completely annihilated, with the survivors buried alive, their cries echoing like thunder.

Two hundred elite cavalry charged forward, their momentum overwhelming.

An ethereal eagle led the way.

The cavalry suddenly stopped, their movements in perfect unison, far surpassing the skills of ordinary soldiers.

A fourth-rank military officer, the Zhechong Duwei, dismounted and, upon seeing the old servant, immediately galloped to the tavern, kneeling and respectfully saying, "This officer, Qi Dangguo, pays respects to the Crown Prince!"

The young man, who had boasted about paying, only mumbled in his sleep, "Waiter, bring wine."