Chapter 92

Update time: August 26, 2012

(Two chapters today, 8,500 words. The first chapter tomorrow will be after 12 PM.)

Under the moonlight, while admiring the lake, Xu Fengnian took the opportunity to flirt with the young lady and carved a string of absurd words on a stone tablet. Feeling content, he returned to Laoshan with Wang Chudong, and Ning Emei and the others felt relieved. Back at the Wang family courtyard, they first escorted the little girl to the door of her small courtyard. With no one around, Xu Fengnian kissed her again. The young girl returned to her courtyard, sat on the swing, and gently swayed. Wang Chudong pressed her finger to her lips, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Thinking of many things he had said, like "If handsome looks alone could get one through life, I would have been invincible long ago," and other such shameless remarks, Wang Chudong laughed as she thought, and thought as she laughed, without stopping.

Xu Fengnian wasn't wrong when he praised her for her extraordinary talent. This girl had read extensively since childhood, not just the classics but also various miscellaneous books. Therefore, the things she wrote always had a natural flow. In Qingzhou, there was a custom for children to start writing on the second day of the second month. She wrote, "Frogs croak softly through the green window screen, waves of the great river outside wash the sand." The first half was a gentle expression of a maiden's sentiments, but the second half abruptly shifted to a grand and heroic tone, creating a striking contrast. Thus, people who commented on "Dongxiang Touxue" all said that Wang Dongxiang used light ink to express deep emotions, often touching the heart with every word. She deeply understood the essence of the sage's saying, "Joy without excess, sorrow without harm," and the final line, "May all lovers in the world be united," was the finishing touch, making the work profound and transcendent.

Wang Linquan entered the small courtyard and pushed the swing for his daughter, smiling, "I didn't say it wrong, did I? His Highness the Prince is indeed a sharp and clever person. I always said that the son of a great general and a princess couldn't be far off. Heh, when His Highness started wielding a saber early on, and now to see him with two sabers again, I'm very pleased. I hate those so-called Confucian scholars in Qingzhou who claim to be gentle and humble, far less straightforward and decisive than His Highness. I heard you fought the son of General Zhao in a teahouse? Good job! A beating is the best way to teach them a lesson. I was just thinking of using money to show them the difference between pillow talk and hard cash."

Wang Chudong hummed and turned her head, "Father, I won't write the afterword for 'Dongxiang' anymore."

Wang Linquan sat beside the swing, kindly saying, "If you don't want to write it, don't. It will save the ladies in the palace from being obsessed with it."

The little girl playfully said, "Someone will definitely say I've run out of ideas."

Wang Linquan laughed heartily, "Those poor, starving scholars, who can't write a good piece or fight on a horse, why bother with them? It's a great honor for them to be scolded by my daughter."

Before leaving, Wang Linquan earnestly said, "Daughter, it's still too early to make a lifelong commitment. Wait another two years."

Wang Chudong blushed and waved her little fist.

Wang Linquan came to the Prince's courtyard, knocked, and entered. He saw the Prince sitting in the courtyard with a purple sandalwood sword case on the table, and only the maid Qingniao standing beside him. Just as Xu Fengnian was about to stand up, Wang Linquan hurriedly said, "Your Highness, there's no need to stand. I, an old servant, dare not accept such a gesture."

Xu Fengnian didn't say much. The strict hierarchy and formal etiquette couldn't be dispelled with a few words. After Wang Linquan sat down, he cautiously looked at the sword case he had never forgotten. After leaving the Northern Liang army, there were a few things the old soldiers never forgot: the camp they belonged to, the invincible Xu flag, and the sword case on the table. Wang Linquan was a true vanguard of Xu Xun, and he had seen and remembered more things. One of them was this sword case. The sword inside was wielded by the princess, known as "a sword that brings cold winds for a thousand miles," the undisputed first sword in the world. The previous martial evaluation had a poem: "A sword shines over thirty states, its energy piercing the heavens," showing the princess's unparalleled grace. Wang Linquan's eyes welled up with tears as he looked at it. Despite the years of dealing with money, he still felt a surge of emotion when he thought of the general's fierce determination, throwing ten thousand whips into the river. This spirit had sustained Wang Linquan to this day.

Xu Fengnian slowly closed his eyes, his fingers brushing over the sword case, which had eighteen characters engraved on it.

His mother had written them herself. She was the previous V Family Sword Crown, and although she left her family for Xu Xun, she still followed many of their rules. After her death, the armored sword maiden Zhao Yutai guarded her tomb and buried her sword, which was not just a symbolic tomb but a true sword tomb. Dao cultivators who do not respect the Dao will never achieve enlightenment, and similarly, swordsmen who do not respect their swords will not reach high realms. Despite Deng Tai'a's casual demeanor, carrying a peach branch, he had openly stated that he did not disdain swords but simply lacked worthy opponents. Only Wang Xianzhi was a true match, while others like Cao Guanzi were only half-qualified.

Xu Fengnian's journey was not just to vent three years of pent-up frustration. Besides secretly mapping the terrain over thousands of miles, he also wanted to connect with old Northern Liang loyalists like Wang Linquan. This was not something Xu Xun had taught him. The father, known as a doting parent to a wayward son, never nagged about how to act or behave. The Butcher simply let the Prince cause trouble and then happily cleaned up the mess. The Prince had a continuous stream of bodyguards and assassins, so why did he insist on practicing with a saber? It wasn't just to be a brave general; his younger brother Xu Longxiang, with his innate strength, would carry the banner in the future. It wouldn't be Xu Fengnian's turn. Was it for Old Huang, to retrieve the sword case hung on the top of Wudicheng? That was part of it, but the most hidden reason was the hardest for the Xu family to let go of.

Before the Xu family moved to Northern Liang, the princess had gone to the imperial palace alone. At the time, there were over a dozen first-rate experts present, half from the palace and half from the martial world. This was a taboo known only to a few, a secret buried in history within just twenty years. Xu Fengnian knew the old emperor's plan. If Xu Xun had no sons, what difference would it make if he was both a Grand Marshal and the King of Northern Liang? The thirty thousand iron cavalry would eventually belong to the royal family. This crude imperial strategy was obvious to Xu Fengnian. As for the martial world's recluses and experts, most had lost their families to the Xu family's iron cavalry, or were ancestors of the ten great clans, seeking revenge for their country and families. What better way to strike at Xu Xun when he was at his peak?

But they didn't expect the pregnant princess to transform from a worldly sword to a transcendent one that night, achieving the realm of a terrestrial sword immortal, beyond the level of celestial phenomena.

In the long run, that battle was a lose-lose situation, with no winners.

The once loyal Northern Liang iron cavalry and the court developed an unbridgeable rift, and the princess was left with a serious illness, dying young.

Xu Fengnian had a book of names, recording the people present that night in the palace. One-third had already died violently, none of old age. Now that Xu Fengnian was of age, he hoped to personally kill those still alive, even if he never achieved it, it was better than doing nothing. Xu Xun had sacrificed the entire martial world for the dynasty's prosperity, so Xu Fengnian wanted to crush the martial world even more. Some things didn't need justification. Xu Xun could bring twenty years of stability, with iron cavalry and assassins protecting him, but he would grow old. In ten or twenty years, Xu Xun's influence would wane. Xu Fengnian needed to take over the Northern Liang iron cavalry to ensure the Xu family's continued power. This wasn't just a matter of words; Northern Liang valued military achievements and martial prowess. If he followed his sister Xu Weixiong's advice and focused solely on military governance, Xu Fengnian lacked the confidence.

Xu Fengnian often asked himself, without Xu Xun, what would he be?

Xu Fengnian subconsciously gripped his two sabers and exhaled a long breath.

Wang Linquan, reminiscing about the past, said with deep emotion, "When the general conquered Western Shu, Military Advisor Zhao was only ten miles away from seeing the Western Shu capital when he died of illness. The general then led the army to break the river with whips, to honor Advisor Zhao's spirit. Who in Western Shu wasn't terrified?"

Xu Fengnian said solemnly, "The Northern Liang iron cavalry will fight to the death."

Wang Linquan nodded heavily, "To the death!"

Military strategy is about deception, but Xu Xun went against it, saying that no matter how many enemies came, the Northern Liang army would fight to the death.

Xu Fengnian smiled, "Xu Xun's trip to the capital will likely stir up a lot of trouble."

Wang Linquan dared not speak rashly.

Xu Fengnian, however, didn't mind sharing family matters with this old soldier. If Wang Linquan could kneel and weep in front of countless spies at the dock, Xu Fengnian wouldn't be fit to take over Xu Xun's whip, let alone wander the martial world. He gestured for Qingniao to bring some wine and said, "Uncle Wang, we're family, so let's speak openly. This time, by openly showing your loyalty to the old Northern Liang, you'll be targeted by many in Qingzhou and even the court. I'll have Chu Lushan keep an eye on you. If things get out of hand, I'll have Xu Xun speak up. I don't believe Jing'an King Zhao Heng, who was once hit on the head by Xu Xun's whip, would dare to confront us. As for Xu Xun's trip to the capital, I think he's going to secure a hereditary title for me, ensuring I can wear a yellow silk robe with dragons, just like his."

Hereditary title!

Wang Linquan, who usually seemed old and feeble, immediately lit up at these words. The thirty thousand Northern Liang iron cavalry and all the old soldiers scattered across the empire were all concerned about this. The hereditary title meant inheriting the father's rank, title, and fief. The "hereditary" part was even more significant, meaning it would not be replaced or abolished. Even imperial princes, except for the exceptionally meritorious Yan and Guangling princes, had to inherit a lower rank according to the "Imperial Clan Law." If Xu Fengnian was recognized by the court as hereditary, he would still be the King of Northern Liang!

That's why he could wear the yellow silk robe with dragons.

Only the emperor could wear the nine-dragon, five-clawed robe.

Xu Fengnian didn't mind wearing the robe to crush the martial world, just to infuriate and terrify those bastards.

Wang Linquan felt a great sense of satisfaction, and just as Qingniao brought the wine, the old man drank a cup, wiped his mouth, and smiled, "With this, who in Northern Liang would dare to defy us!"

Xu Fengnian drank his cup in one go, slightly self-mocking, "But right now, I can only break through the six layers of the celestial realm, which isn't much to boast about."

Wang Linquan dismissed it, "Your Highness is a genius. If you practice the saber, you'll easily become a first-rate expert!"

Xu Fengnian joked, "Uncle Wang, it's easy for you to say, but it's not easy for me to practice the saber."

Wang Linquan just laughed, silently repeating "Uncle Wang," which warmed his heart more than the wine.

Wang Linquan suddenly said with regret, "My two sons are no good, only good at reading books. They can't serve as your horsemen."

Xu Fengnian shook his head, "That's not true."

Wang Linquan, for the first time, contradicted the Prince, solemnly saying, "Your Highness, as long as Wang Linquan is alive, the Wang family will serve the general. There is no greater truth than this!"

Xu Fengnian didn't know how to persuade him, raised his cup, and drank the wine in the crystal nightlight cup, softly saying, "I just wonder if the court will strip Xu Xun of his Grand Marshal title."

Wang Linquan was silent.

After finishing a pot of wine, Wang Linquan respectfully knelt again before leaving.

Xu Fengnian turned to look at the sword case.

At the eighteen characters.

This sword rights the wrongs of the world, this sword is not ashamed of the world's shame.

{Piaotian Literature}