Chapter 51

Xu Fengnian, mustering his courage, reached out to grasp the secret manual. There was no abnormal reaction as he had anticipated, and he let out a sigh of relief, gently placing it back on the bookshelf. Then he ran over to Bai Huerliang, not seeing the old man nearby, and in a hurried, hushed voice said, "Why did you let that guy out without telling me? If anything goes wrong, won't you be afraid that Xiudong will also end up with me?"

Bai Huerliang stood on the ladder, looking down at Xu Fengnian, and calmly said, "I didn't let him out. I just followed the Grand Marshal to the netherworld you see, and brought him out. As for what the Grand Marshal traded with him, I don't know, but I do know there are three rules. However, the old man taught me a few moves, and I benefited greatly."

Xu Fengnian asked, "Can I also seek his guidance?"

Bai Huerliang smiled playfully, "You can try."

Xu Fengnian weighed his newly learned knife skills and decided against it, fearing that the old monster might turn him to ashes with a snap of his fingers. But this old man didn't seem like the unpredictable type; he seemed quite approachable. Relying on the old man to support him as they left Beiliang, would the three rules Xu Xiang set be reliable? The temperament of such a high-level expert was hard to fathom.

The young prince shouldn't be killed by his enemies in the martial world, only to be devoured by an old man who had been suppressed for twenty years in Datong. Thinking about how the white-haired old man, freed from his thousands of pounds of iron balls, immediately sought trouble with Old Huang, the old man with the squinty eyes would surely come after him. The more Xu Fengnian thought about it, the more he feared. He wasn't afraid of any martial expert bound by the government, even the Wudang Sect leader Wang Chonglou and the Dragon Tiger Mountain's Master Zhao had to register in their respective regions. This was a strict measure implemented by Xu Xiang after he conquered the martial world. The problem now was, who was this old man who had crawled out of the netherworld? With no ties and nothing to lose, if he accidentally injured or killed the young prince and then fled, where would Xu Xiang's 300,000 iron cavalry go to find him? Would such a transcendent expert even follow the law?

Xu Fengnian silently squatted by the bookshelf, carefully calculating. This was a habit he had developed from living in poverty with Old Huang, where every penny counted. Whether it was a big or small matter, he had to weigh it in his mind. Back then, to earn a few coins, the young prince had to lend his tattered robe to read fortunes, only to be groped by a fat woman all afternoon. The worst part was that before he got the coins, Xu Fengnian had to smile and flatter the 200-pound woman, praising her slender waist and beautiful face.

Thinking about the past, it was truly unbearable. Just as Xu Fengnian was lost in these thoughts, Bai Huerliang had quietly descended the ladder and tapped Xu Fengnian's shoulder with Xiudong.

Xu Fengnian looked up blankly. From his angle, Bai Huerliang's chest was indeed as flat as a plain, even flatter than the young princess with the budding chest. Sighing, Xu Fengnian realized this beauty wasn't a woman, a fact that made him feel a deep sense of loss. Xu Fengnian snapped back to reality and saw Bai Huerliang's phoenix eyes narrowing, filled with killing intent. Xu Fengnian stood up, feeling Xiudong still on his shoulder, and asked with a feigned puzzled look, "What's up?"

Bai Huerliang said calmly, "You're leaving Beiliang, and I'll lend you Xiudong."

Xu Fengnian was puzzled, "I already have Chunlei."

Bai Huerliang sneered, "You've always practiced with your right hand, but do you think I don't know you're left-handed? A left-handed knife is as good as or better than a right-handed one. With your devious nature, you wouldn't leave any room for error. Stop pretending. Take Xiudong openly. Besides me, who would think you're just using it as a decoration?"

Xu Fengnian, whose deep secret had been exposed, wasn't angry. Instead, he picked up a pair of wine flasks and said with a grin, "You truly understand me. Come, let's drink together."

Bai Huerliang let go of Xiudong and shook his head, "I don't drink."

Xu Fengnian, holding the more delicate Xiudong, said with a regretful look, "Not drinking? Then your already dull life will be even more lacking in joy."

Bai Huerliang changed the subject, "How many secret manuals are you taking with you?"

Xu Fengnian knew that once Bai Huerliang made a decision, there was no room for negotiation. He smiled, "At least thirty or forty to fill a box, and I'll discard one after reading it."

Bai Huerliang sighed, "You're fishing again?"

Xu Fengnian, holding a wine flask in one hand and Xiudong in the other, said with a light sigh, "True friend, true friend. Can you help me pick the books?"

Bai Huerliang nodded, dismissing him.

Xu Fengnian climbed to the top floor but didn't see his teacher. Turning back, he saw Xu Xiang sitting on a chair on the fifth floor, with three strangers of different builds, ages, and auras prostrate before him.

Xu Xiang threw three secret manuals to the three men, saying calmly, "Nan Tang's Lü Qiantang, you infiltrated the mansion years ago to steal the 'Wolonggang Yujian Shu.' You were defeated by Sword Nine Huang and withstood four strikes, so I spared your life. Today, this manual is before you, and I'll give it to you."

"Xichu's Shu Xiu, you wanted the 'Ba Di Baopu Jue.'"

"Dongyue's Yang Qingfeng, look closely at this 'Shi Shen Yang Gui Jing,' your family's ancestral manual."

None of the three dared to pick up the manuals they had longed for, their heads almost touching the ground, prostrating even more humbly.

Xu Xiang narrowed his eyes, "I've arranged for you three to accompany the young prince. If you do well, when you return to the mansion, I'll give you whatever you want. If the young prince encounters any trouble and I find out, I advise you to end your own lives early. Otherwise, I have ways to make your lives worse than death. Lü Qiantang, Shu Xiu, Yang Qingfeng, you are all refugees from fallen nations, but even if your countries are gone, you still have relatives. If anything happens to the young prince, they will join you in your fate. Do you understand?"

The three, trembling, responded in unison.

Xu Fengnian, watching from the side, asked, "Xu Xiang, just these three bodyguards? Isn't it a bit too few?"

Xu Xiang quickly stood up, smiling and giving his seat to the young prince, flattering him, "Fengnian, trust your father. Quality is more important than quantity. Lü Qiantang wields a powerful sword, is a second-rank expert, and is fearless. He can hold his own against a first-rank expert for a hundred strikes. Once he dies, you can safely withdraw. Shu Xiu, the Xichu woman, is skilled in seduction and disguise, and her internal strength is formidable. Once she masters the 'Ba Di Baopu Jue,' she will be even more powerful. She has a unique talent for training young girls, and any beauty in her hands will soon surpass a courtesan. As for Yang Qingfeng, who is blind in one eye and deaf in one ear, his methods are the most bizarre and despicable. He can summon spirits, control corpses, and raise ghosts. If you dislike someone, you can have Yang turn them into a puppet for you to command. Fengnian, if they fail, you can make them serve each other. I'm sure it won't be boring."

Xu Fengnian truly didn't know what the three prostrate men were thinking. In the chilly spring, he could clearly see their backs drenched in sweat.

The Grand Marshal, now giving his seat to his son, spoke more sternly to the three, "Leave, and keep your mouths shut."

At this moment, Xu Fengnian finally saw the faces of the three. Lü Qiantang was a towering figure, Yang Qingfeng was a middle-aged man with a wooden expression and abnormally pale fingers, and Shu Xiu was a naturally seductive young woman, though she was now extremely cautious, not daring to look at the young prince. Each of them clutched the long-desired manual, carefully bowing out of the hall. In their eyes, the Grand Marshal's family discipline was quite poor, as the father was giving his seat to his son. They had only heard that the young prince was outrageous, even daring to lecture the Grand Marshal, but today they saw a glimpse of it.

Xu Fengnian threw a wine flask to Xu Xiang, who took a sip and laughed, "By the way, Wei Shuyang will also accompany you. He seems to be interested in the 'Liangyi Cantong Qi.' What to do with him is up to you."

Xu Fengnian said angrily, "You're even threatening Grandpa Wei?"

Xu Xiang chuckled, "Not a threat. Your father knows you respect Grandpa Wei."

Xu Fengnian frowned, "Grandpa Wei is quite old."

Xu Xiang, knowing his son's thoughts, said with a low laugh, "Don't think that when Chu Kuangren cut Wei Shuyang into the lake, he was no longer a master. Wei Shuyang isn't skilled in combat, but he is an expert in geomancy, mathematics, and the art of the Eight Trigrams. Fengnian, having him around will benefit your practice of the Great Yellow Court. Military strategy emphasizes the combination of the orthodox and the unorthodox. The three you saw are unorthodox, skilled in harming others, but you must also be cautious. Wei Shuyang is the orthodox. With these four protecting you, and a hundred elite cavalry led by a fierce general, your father can rest easy."

Xu Fengnian nodded.

Xu Xiang, seeming to know what his son wanted to ask, shook his head, "That old man was indeed released by your father, at great risk. The three rules are roughly in place, ensuring he won't harm you. Whether you can subdue him depends on your ability. As for who this one-armed old man is, your father won't say. You'll find out eventually. Just don't give him any weapons like knives or swords. If you don't, he won't touch them. Even without weapons, he can ensure your safety in any situation."

Xu Fengnian asked, "Are there any trained assassins in the Wutong Garden?"

Xu Xiang nodded.

Xu Fengnian took a sip of wine and said slowly, "I know Qingniao. I thought Hongshu was the least likely, but these days, when she massages my shoulders, I noticed her breathing, which she tried to hide. But the subtleties of the Great Yellow Court are beyond her understanding. Xu Xiang, who else besides them?"

Xu Xiang laughed, "Even Hongshu was discovered by you, which is quite impressive. In the Wutong Garden, there are only these two maids. Since you've found out, I'll be honest. You originally had four trained assassins, each with a code name based on the ten celestial stems. They were very difficult to train, but two died during your three-year journey. Qingniao is Bing. Yi and Ding are already dead."

Xu Fengnian, feeling a mix of emotions, said, "So Hongshu is Jia?"

Xu Xiang shook his head, "You're wrong. She is one of the two people your mother left you, not under my control. As for the other, you may never know."

Xu Fengnian asked curiously, "Who is this 'Jia'?"

Xu Xiang shook his head again, "He will appear when the time is right."

Xu Fengnian said self-deprecatingly, "When he appears, it will probably be the moment he dies for me."

Xu Xiang didn't contradict him.

Xu Fengnian looked down at Xiudong and Chunlei, and said softly, "Be careful when you go to the capital."

Xu Xiang smiled calmly, "They should be the ones to be careful."

{Piaotian Literature}