Chapter 4

Xu Shizi threw a few handfuls of feed, tired of watching the koi fish leap, clapped his hands, and stood up. Originally, Jiang Ni had prepared a piece of brocade to wipe his hands with warm water, but Xu Fengnian did not take it. After three years of hardship, it was difficult to transition from luxury to frugality, but the reverse also required a period of adjustment.

He left the Tingchao Pavilion alone, not forgetting to turn around and remind her:

"Sister Jiang Ni, don’t even think about sneaking into the building to try and steal a martial arts secret manual. You know, none of the guards inside can be dealt with by the divine talisman in your sleeve. These old fellows are far less considerate of women than I am. As a girl, it’s much better to have perfect hands and a fragrant sky. Come on, don’t glare at me. The first time I saw you, I knew your eyes were beautiful."

After teasing the maid, Xu Fengnian walked to the stable that was exclusively his and his second sister’s. Along the way, he didn’t forget to put his arm around the waist of the beautiful maids, touch their small hands, and for those with even more striking beauty, he would also not forget to feel their heavy chests, calling them sisters and brothers, then teasingly say, "Oh, a few more pounds of meat here, be careful not to get tired while walking," which would elicit a series of silver bell-like shy laughs.

Xu Fengnian arrived at the stable, which was more luxurious than the homes of most wealthy merchants, and inside, there was only one lonely chestnut-red lame horse.

The old servant Huang, who had been a groom for the mansion for many years, was chatting with the horse. Seeing the prince he had relied on for three years, he habitually grinned, revealing a comical sight of missing two front teeth. Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes and asked in surprise, "Old Huang, where’s your box? Why aren’t you carrying it?"

Old Huang, who was probably from Shu, had a Sichuan accent that was not well-liked in the kingdom and couldn’t be changed.

The tiny state of West Shu, with only six thousand soldiers, couldn’t escape the fate of being destroyed by the Northern Liang King, just like the Western Chu Dynasty. But Old Huang was much more likable than Jiang Ni, being very obedient.

During the three years of bleak and tragic travels, if it weren’t for Old Huang’s skills in fishing, climbing trees, and stealing chickens, and his hands-on teaching Xu Fengnian how to make straw shoes, the prince would have starved to death in a foreign land.

Old Huang carried a sack wrapped in old cloth, containing only a long purple sandalwood box, which he refused to let Xu Fengnian open no matter what.

At first, Xu Fengnian thought it was a famous box used to carry divine weapons, assuming his father had sent a top-notch expert to accompany him. But when he first encountered bandits and saw the old servant run away even faster than a dog, he was completely disappointed.

Every time he tried to trick Old Huang into opening the box, the old groom would only shake his head and smile foolishly. Xu Fengnian could only curse, "It’s not like I want to see your wife naked."

In Qinghe County, Xu Fengnian, unable to resist his curiosity, secretly studied the box when Old Huang went to the toilet. He found no clues, only feeling that the box was cold and piercing to the touch. When Old Huang saw this, his eyes were filled with a deep sorrow, even more pitiful than the young ladies on Lingzhou Street who were teased by him.

Perhaps as a result of this, Xu Fengnian caught a cold the next day. Old Huang boiled medicine, heated water, and stole sweet potatoes to roast, working himself to the bone. For the next half a month, Old Huang carried Xu Fengnian, leaving a deep impression of his bony frame, which was uncomfortable to lean on, but also a sense of unspoken gratitude.

After that, Xu Fengnian never thought about the box again. He just vaguely wondered about the small secrets inside, which were certainly trivial. A old groom couldn’t have any major secrets, that would be a joke.

Xu Fengnian still vividly remembered asking the old servant after escaping from the bandits, "Old Huang, are you an expert?"

Old Huang, with a bashful look that would be charming on a beautiful woman, nodded.

Xu Fengnian asked again, "A very high-level one?"

Old Huang seemed even more bashful, slightly turning his head and nodding again.

Xu Fengnian, thinking of the tragic scene of being chased by a group of bandits with wooden spears and knives, barely suppressed the urge to hit someone and asked, "How high?"

Old Huang blinked, seemingly thinking, and then gestured with his hand, indicating a height roughly the same as the prince, then lowered it a bit. Thus, Xu Fengnian, who had been hoping, was completely disappointed.

Therefore, Xu Fengnian had every reason to be resentful towards the Great Pillar of the State. Besides forgetting to arrange a skilled escort, he didn’t even tell him the simple truth of not flaunting wealth when traveling, and instead encouraged him by saying,

"Son, the most important skill when traveling is to protect your life. Here, put on this invincible armor and wear this glove made from the silk of ice worms. Here are also three or four supreme secret manuals similar to the Wudang Sect’s 'Purple Yang Scripture.' Take them all, they are valuable. If you lose any of them, it will cause a storm in the martial world. Practice them when you have time, and you might become an expert tomorrow. See, your father truly cares for you. Take the banknotes, and the jade pendants on your waist are worth hundreds of taels of gold. If you run out of money, just pawn them at a pawnshop, and you can live a life of luxury."

At first, Xu Fengnian thought it was indeed great. Such a journey would be smooth sailing, without worrying about spending money, flirting with beautiful women from different regions, and befriending famous heroes, which sounded delightful.

But later, he realized he was just a fat sheep for anyone to prey on. Everyone who saw him wanted to take advantage of him. This damn donkey’s ass, in the end, those secret manuals were only useful for wiping his ass.

The remaining half of the 'Gold Swallowing Treasure Scripture,' which looked like a book from heaven, finally came in handy. On the way back, he met a white-faced fox, who was more beautiful than any courtesan in Lingzhou. He recognized the value and agreed to take half of the 'Gold Swallowing Treasure Scripture' in exchange for escorting him back to Lingzhou.

During that half a year, Xu Fengnian finally met a genuine expert with no ill intentions. He tried every way to please him, but the white-faced fox ignored him, even walking a considerable distance away. He only spoke when encountering bandits.

Xu Fengnian entered the stable, gave the lame horse a handful of hay, and sighed, "Red Rabbit, Red Rabbit, if my second sister sees a fine blood horse like you being treated this way, she might give me a good scolding."

For the past three years, a hawk, a horse, and a not-so-old-eyed old servant were all he had.

Xu Fengnian fed the horse for a while, thinking about the news from the mansion’s spies that the white-faced fox was still in the city, and decided to leave the mansion to find some long-missed fun.

This guy would often tease him, "If you were a young master from a noble family, I would be a woman." Xu Fengnian had no reason not to show off.

In the past, he thought it was natural to rely on his father’s Xu family banner to bully others. Now, he still believed it, but with more appreciation. After more than two years of a life worse than death, he realized that the cost of living in this world was not cheap.

Old Huang and the prince had developed a默契 (rapport). Knowing that the prince was going out to enjoy himself, he rubbed his hands and made a drinking gesture.

Xu Fengnian understood and laughed, "Don’t worry, I won’t forget to invite you to drink the best and most expensive huadiao wine. Let’s go!"

As Xu Fengnian and the old groom walked out of the stable, he saw the old Taoist, who looked like a god, and knew this old fraud was here to ask him to persuade his brother to go to Dragon Tiger Mountain to learn the art.

Twelve years ago, Xu Fengnian had let his dogs bite this old Taoist. Because his mother believed in Buddhism, the prince, who didn’t believe in fate, respected monks but would always smash the fortune-telling stands of street fortune-tellers. This old Taoist from Dragon Tiger Mountain was also unlucky.

Back then, the unkempt old Taoist with lice passed the first test and almost lost his virginity. Their first meeting started unpleasantly but ended decently.

Before parting, the young Xu Fengnian earnestly advised the old Taoist, "Old man, if you want to cheat and make money, you should at least invest in a decent outfit. The Taoist masters in those immortal and monster novels all wear yellow crowns and Taoist robes, and can ascend to heaven with a sneeze. Why don’t you learn from them? If you come to the mansion like this again, I’ll let my dogs bite you!"

It seemed the old Taoist surnamed Zhao had learned his lesson. He was now wearing a new and proper Taoist robe, a yellow crown, and a simple peachwood sword. Everywhere he went, he received the respect he had never experienced in his life, which was a great comfort to the old Taoist who had been facing the same few faces on the mountain for decades.

Xu Fengnian, without any respect, put his arm around the old Taoist’s shoulder and said slyly,

"Old Taoist, it’s a good thing for my brother to go to Dragon Tiger Mountain, but since your mountain has formed such a great bond with my father, shouldn’t you show some gratitude? Otherwise, my brother could just as well go to Wudang Mountain to learn. Why go to your desolate place? The scenery at Wudang Mountain is much better, and I can visit him from time to time."

The old Taoist looked embarrassed, looked around to make sure no one was there, and then quietly reached into his robe, took out an old and yellowed book, and reluctantly said, "This 'Dragon Riding Sword Manual'..."

Unexpectedly, Xu Fengnian turned his face, not even glancing at the sword manual, pointed to the Tingchao Pavilion, and spat, "Damn, Old Taoist Zhao, you’re really not up to it. If I need secret manuals, whether for internal cultivation or weapon skills, do I need to go elsewhere? Don’t you feel ashamed?"

The old Taoist, who was also a seventy-year-old man, had a good sense of judgment and insight, and smiled along with the prince.

The old Taoist then remembered the 'armory' called the Tingchao Pavilion in the mansion and looked embarrassed, withdrew his hand, and said, "What should we do then?"

Xu Fengnian lowered his voice, "Does Dragon Tiger Mountain have any pretty young Taoist nuns? A bit older is fine, but not over thirty-five. Any older, and they’re too old. Even if they’re well-maintained, they won’t have the charm of a middle-aged woman."

The old Taoist was surprised, "Ah?"

Xu Fengnian raised an eyebrow, "What, you don’t have any or you’re not willing?"

The old Taoist, after a brief internal struggle, quietly said, "There are some, but they are all my disciples and grand-disciples. I have always been selective in taking disciples, so there are very few in my lineage. However, since the prince is interested in studying Daoism, I don’t mind introducing a few female disciples."

Xu Fengnian patted the old Taoist’s shoulder and gave a thumbs up, "That’s more like it."

The old Taoist began to recite the 'Three Five All-Powerful Scripture' to atone for his sins, thinking, "Ancestor, don’t blame me, I’m doing this for the thousand-year plan of Dragon Tiger Mountain."

Then, the old Taoist, one of the three great Taoist masters of Dragon Tiger Mountain, said anxiously, "Choosing a disciple requires a good time. If we don’t leave for Dragon Tiger Mountain today, it will be too late, which would be inappropriate for the young prince."

Xu Fengnian frowned, "Right away?"

The old Taoist, with a serious expression, nodded, "Right away!"

Xu Fengnian, who had planned to take his brother hunting, took a deep breath, instructed Old Huang to wait on the street outside the mansion, and went to find his beloved brother Xu Longxiang. As they left the stable, the old Taoist glanced at the old groom who was smiling foolishly by the stable, and his heavy steps became lighter.

Xu Fengnian arrived at his brother’s courtyard and found the boy squatting on the ground watching ants. He walked over, patted his head, and said straightforwardly, "Stop watching. The ants on Dragon Tiger Mountain are bigger. Go there to watch. Learn your skills quickly and bring me a bag of wild hawthorns when you come back, got it?"

The young prince, who was truly a fool, stood up, nodded heavily, and smiled, drooling.

The old Taoist was stunned. This major task was so easily accomplished? The Great Pillar of the State had once tried his hardest but failed to convince this disciple.

Xu Fengnian, wiping the drool, laughed and scolded,

"Foolish Huang Mian. Look, this is your future master. On Dragon Tiger Mountain, you can hit anyone, but not this old man. If anyone dares to bully you or call you a fool, hit them hard. If you can’t, have your master write a letter, and I’ll lead the Northern Liang cavalry to attack Dragon Tiger Mountain. To hell with the orthodox Daoist sect! Remember, don’t let anyone bully you! In this world, only we brothers and our two sisters can bully others!"

Xu Longxiang seemed to understand and nodded.

The old Taoist was terrified.

With Xu Fengnian’s involvement, Xu Longxiang had no resistance. The mansion acted swiftly, led by the adopted son Qi Dangguo, with forty elite cavalry as escort, and several skilled experts from the Northern Liang mansion secretly watching. With a Dragon Tiger Mountain Taoist master, no one would dare to challenge them.

As the farewell approached, Prince Xu Fengnian stood in front of his brother and said softly, "Foolish Huang Mian, I won’t be able to wipe your drool anymore. But I promise to find you the most beautiful woman in the world as a wife. If she refuses, I’ll tie her into the bridal chamber."

The young fool, blessed with the strength of a dragon, was not mentally sharp, but that didn’t mean he had no feelings. On the contrary, in some aspects, his feelings were particularly strong, especially his deep dependence on his brother, the second person in the world to wipe his drool after his mother.

At the age of fourteen, Xu Fengnian caused a major disaster, and the Great Pillar of the State, who never hit or scolded his children, almost took out his iron whip to hit his most beloved son. No one dared to stop him, but Foolish Huang Mian stood firmly in front of his brother, not moving an inch.

Xu Fengnian’s eyes turned red, and he turned to the old Taoist, saying each word clearly, "Old Taoist Zhao, I’ve said it before, don’t let anyone bully Huang Mian. I, Xu Fengnian, may be a rogue and weak, but you should know the consequences."

The old Taoist smiled awkwardly and nodded.

As the group gradually moved away, neither Xu Fengnian nor his father Xu Xiao sent them off out of the city.

Xu Fengnian found Old Huang standing next to the jade lion and said with a light smile, "Not in the mood to drink today, how about later?"

The old servant smiled warmly and sincerely, his old face like a vast reed field seen only in remote areas, not necessarily picturesque or grand, but with its own charm, like a jar of wine sealed for many, many years.