Chapter 87

**Update Time: August 21, 2012**

Three large ships sailed from the river into the lake. The 800-mile Chunshen Lake, with its vast and misty waves, has always been a strategic location for military contention and a popular destination for literati. Xu Fengnian stood at the bow of the ship, explaining the geographical advantages of Chunshen Lake to Yu Youwei, interspersing many military insights that Li Yishan had once imparted to him. "Before the Spring and Autumn period, the north and south were in a standoff, and every conflict centered on this strategic location. Controlling Chunshen Lake allowed one to sail eastward, with a commanding position, like a lion pouncing on a rabbit, to seize the world. In the past, if the north wanted to advance southeast or the south wanted to invade the north, they had to pass through the 800-mile Chunshen Lake, the three cities, the three passes, and the three mountains, which have always been of great military importance. Among these, the three cities are the most significant: Xiangfan, Xingyang, and Wuling. In terms of the entire country, Xiangfan is the most important; in the southeast, Xingyang; and in this province, Wuling. Xiangfan has always been called the 'waist of the world.' During the chaotic battles of the Three Kingdoms, the former minister of West Chu, Wang Mingyang, was appointed as the governor of Xiangfan. He resisted Xu Xiao's 100,000 troops and held out for three years. When West Chu was eventually destroyed and West Shu forgotten, this scholar from the Shangyang Academy still refused to surrender, even resorting to cannibalism within the city. Wang Mingyang even personally cooked and killed his wife and children. After three years, the city of Xiangfan, which had 200,000 people, was left with less than 10,000, becoming a ghost town. It is said that ten years after the city was breached, there were still tens of thousands of restless spirits that refused to leave, wailing every night. The imperial court had to send the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain to Xiangfan to perform a grand ritual, with 36,500 positions, a feat unprecedented and unmatched. This battle earned Wang Mingyang the title of 'First Defender of the Spring and Autumn period,' and even Xu Xiao admired him. However, one person's fame and success came at the cost of 200,000 lives, making Wang Mingyang a controversial figure for a thousand years."

Yu Youwei, frightened, asked, "We won't go to Xiangfan, right?"

Xu Fengnian, who had recently developed a habit of flicking his fingers, doing it thousands of times a day, probably due to his intense practice with the sword, smiled and said, "I was planning to, but if you're scared, we'll head straight to Wuling."

Yu Youwei shook her head. Suddenly, Xu Fengnian heard a commotion from the stern of the ship. Yu Youwei, who had just heard the legend of the 100,000 vengeful spirits of Xiangfan, felt a chill and realized they were on the bow of the ship on Chunshen Lake, feeling somewhat self-deprecating. Xu Fengnian ignored Yu Youwei and rushed to the stern, where he saw a boatman rolling on the ground with a blood-soaked arm. Two young Kuilong, their bodies covered in red, were growling at him. Lu Qiantang explained the incident to the prince: the young Kuilong had been playing and accidentally bumped into the boatman. The young Kuilong, being temperamental, bit the boatman. Xu Fengnian frowned. Kuilong are ancient fierce beasts that eat humans when hungry. Xu Fengnian squatted down, and the young Kuilong that bit the boatman, named Jingang, seemed to sense his master's anger, lowered its head, and whimpered, its skin turning from red to black. Xu Fengnian did not indulge it, flicking his finger to send Jingang flying into the lake through a hole in the ship's side. The sister Kuilong, looking pitifully at her brother, turned to Xu Fengnian as if pleading for mercy. Xu Fengnian coldly snorted and stood up, saying, "Compensate the injured man with some silver. Also, have the Fengzi Camp help repair the ship's hull."

As dusk fell, the 800-mile Chunshen Lake was bustling with a hundred ships and a thousand sails, a scene of prosperity and vitality. The closer they got to the fertile lands of Jiangnan, the more they felt the vast and desolate wilderness of their homeland, Beiliang, was far away.

Tonight, they would stay on an island in the middle of Chunshen Lake called Nushan. As they approached the island, Xu Fengnian saw Jiang Ni, who rarely left the cabin, standing beside him. He explained, "This mountain was originally called Jianlao Mountain, where the Queen Mother of the West imprisoned the daughter of the Jade Emperor, Chunshen. The area around Jianlao Mountain was not a lake but a basin. Later, a terrestrial immortal, enraged, drew a circle around Jianlao Mountain with a sword, causing it to collapse 800 miles, and the lake was formed. Over time, the lake became Chunshen Lake, and the mountain became Nushan. The story of the immortal creating the lake is, of course, a myth. Now, Nushan is filled with courtyards and pavilions, where people of all walks of life gather. There are mansions of the nobility, temples of monks and Taoists, and even exiled nobles who have drawn their own boundaries on the island. There are also many shops. Once we're on the island, you can choose something you like."

Jiang Ni extended her hand, and Xu Fengnian, taken aback, asked, "What?"

Jiang Ni bluntly said, "Silver."

Xu Fengnian laughed and said, "Sure, you've already earned several hundred taels of silver. How much do you want to take? But let me remind you, if you use my name, who would dare ask you for money? Why waste the secret manuals you've earned through hard study?"

Jiang Ni sneered, "Do you think I'm someone who takes things by force like you?"

Xu Fengnian, amused, smiled and said, "So, how much silver do you want? A few hundred taels? Or should I lend you a few thousand taels of gold, so you can read for several lifetimes?"

Jiang Ni angrily said, "I only want one tael of silver!"

Xu Fengnian, exasperated, said, "Do you have to be so petty?"

Jiang Ni, with a stern face, said, "Give it to me!"

Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes and said, "Wait, I'll get it from Qingniao. The prince never carries such small amounts of money."

Jiang Ni returned to the cabin and, like a thief, carefully took out a small ledger from her book box. It clearly recorded how much she had earned from reading "The Great Mystery Scripture," "The Thousand Sword Herbal," "The Whale-Killing Sword," and so on, including the number of characters read and the dates and places of reading. By now, she had earned more than the several hundred taels Xu Fengnian mentioned, but 1,073 taels and 34 coins. The old sword god, Li Chonggang, who was pacing in the cabin, saw Jiang Ni about to deduct one tael from her savings. She held the ledger with one hand and a pen with the other. Li Chonggang, helpless, stood back and let Jiang Ni finish her task. Then, he sat at the table with a wine pot, poured some wine, and dipped his fingers in it. When Jiang Ni put the ledger back in the bottom of the book box and sat opposite him, Li Chonggang, using his fingers as a pen and the wine as ink, began to write on the table, his spirit and energy flowing freely. Jiang Ni sat upright, watching the old man write, a continuous flow from start to finish, the table densely covered with characters, like the rugged reefs at the Ghost Gate. After finishing, Li Chonggang looked at Jiang Ni, who remained calm. The old man, as he had said, did not expect her to learn much, wiped the table with his sleeve, and started over. This time, Li Chonggang said, "The essence of my wild cursive script lies in three points: first, a continuous flow; second, a thousand layers and a thousand levels; and third, a state of nothingness, fearlessness, and desirelessness. Like this wine, once wiped away, it leaves no trace. The first point is about not being lazy, even when drunk and writing sloppily, there is no mistake, all following rules. Why? Because the daily practice is thorough. Each stroke is like a sword or a knife, not to be taken lightly. My writing has always been praised as swift and fierce, like a sword, sharp and awe-inspiring..."

As Li Chonggang was getting excited, he noticed Jiang Ni yawning. The ship stopped, seemingly about to dock. The old man, feeling defeated, took a deep breath, sighed, and muttered, "Don't waste, don't waste," as he sucked the wine from the table into his mouth. Jiang Ni, used to the old man's eccentric behavior, walked out of the cabin with him and saw Xu Fengnian discussing something with the spearman Ning Emei. It seemed that most of the Fengzi Camp would not go up the mountain, which made sense, considering the visibility of 100 armored soldiers and the attention they would draw. As Jiang Ni pondered, the old man continued to boast about his calligraphy, but she paid no attention, lifting her skirt to walk down the wooden plank. She saw a young Kuilong dash ashore with a fat carp in its mouth, seemingly trying to show off to Xu Fengnian. However, Xu Fengnian just shouted at it, and the little creature immediately lay still, perhaps pretending to be dead. Just as Xu Fengnian was about to kick it, the other young Kuilong gently bit his robe, and he stopped, ending the punishment. The young Kuilong, not holding a grudge, happily followed the prince, making Jiang Ni feel a pang of sympathy. The two little fools, why were they so obedient to Xu Fengnian?

Xu Fengnian looked back at Chunshen Lake, his eyes distant, murmuring, "We've arrived?"

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**Imperial Capital, Tai'an City**

In the early morning, the sky was gray.

On the official road, 300 iron-clad cavalry galloped, raising dust.

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