Huangfu Jin lay prone on the post road and said in a dull voice, "If I don't stop His Highness today, I will be scolded to death by Protector General Chu, Commander Yan, and Second Princess tomorrow! A King of Beiliang who killed tens of thousands of enemies and died in battle can't compare to a King of Beiliang who's living well in Beiliang! "
Hsu Fengnian frowned. "I don't need you to remind me of this. I know better than anyone what's important. Don't worry, I'll bring Mi Fengjie and Fan Xiaochai. Besides, although my realm isn't as good as before, it's not hard for me to escape and protect myself. There aren't many top experts left in Beimang. "
Huangfu Jin was determined to be stubborn to the end. He looked up at Hsu Fengnian and asked, "What if Tuoba Bodhisattva comes to kill you?!"
Hsu Fengnian said helplessly, "Tuoba Bodhisattva is on his way to Liu Province. Besides, have you forgotten about Xu Yanbing who's about to finish things off at the border of Youzhou? "
Seeing that Huangfu Jin was still unwilling to get up, Hsu Fengnian kicked him and said angrily, "Huangfu Jin, your death remonstrance is a thousand miles away from the Imperial Censor of Grand Peace City. Get up. "
Huangfu Jin got up slowly and hesitated for a moment before saying softly, "Your Highness, I'll say something rebellious. You can't die. If you die, I'll never be able to become the Gu Jiantang of Beiliang."
Hsu Fengnian only glanced at Huangfu Jin's heartfelt words and dismissed them with a smile. Then, he and Yu Dilong each got on a horse and rode away with Mi Fengjie and Fan Xiaochai.
Huangfu Jin didn't wipe the sweat off his forehead.
Both sides knew that what Huangfu Jin really wanted to say wasn't the Gu Jiantang of Beiliang, but the Xu Xiao of Liyang Dynasty.
One day, he would be crowned king.
Huangfu Jin didn't mind that Hsu Fengnian knew about his ambitions.
The four riders galloped eastward on the post road.
Liulong, whose horsemanship was already very exquisite, turned his head to look at the cavalry and asked, "Master, what did this Youzhou general say? What oil and what lantern?"
Hsu Fengnian laughed and said, "You want to say that he's not easy to deal with? Who did you learn from? Junior Sister Wang Sheng or Junior Brother Lu Yunzhang? "
The child chuckled.
Hsu Fengnian teased, "Missing Wang Sheng? Then why didn't you go to Beimang with her? "
The child quickly put on a straight face and said seriously, "She went to Beimang with that White Fox Face to train her martial arts. How can I be a burden to her? She said that when we return to Mt. Qing Liang, she will definitely beat me and Lu Yunzhang alone. "
Hsu Fengnian said meaningfully, "You've already lost half the battle."
Yu Dilong was stunned. "Junior Sister, are you really able to master the most powerful sword art in Beimang?"
Then, he couldn't help but laugh to himself.
Hsu Fengnian shook his head.
The taciturn Mi Fengjie said worriedly, "In the end, Ji Province is not Beiliang. There are many hidden spies. Your Highness should be careful."
Hsu Fengnian nodded.
Mi Fengjie secretly glanced at the female sacrificial warrior, Fan Xiaochai.
This mysterious grandmaster didn't understand why Hsu Fengnian wanted to bring her along.
Mi Fengjie was determined to keep a close eye on her, just in case.
Fan Xiaochai looked ahead with an indifferent expression.
Ji Province was once part of Northern Han.
In fact, it wasn't just the Han family of Ji Province. Northern Han's rule had lasted for more than 160 years. Too many aristocratic families had once been Northern Han's subjects. As for her Fan family, it had been loyal for generations.
Hsu Fengnian suddenly said, "This time, you might not have the opportunity to visit the graves of the Fan family's ancestors. If you decide to stay in Ji Province, I can agree to it right now. You don't need to be in a hurry to answer. We can talk about it when we get there. "
Fan Xiaochai suddenly bit her lip, causing blood to seep out. Her eyes were crazed. She laughed, "I don't have the face to visit the graves of my ancestors. Since I can't kill you, and don't even dare to attack you, I can watch you die on the battlefield with my own eyes."
The famed sword in Mi Fengjie's case shook violently. He angrily shouted, "Fan Xiaochai! Are you seeking death?! "
Fan Xiaochai's shoulders trembled slightly. Her laughter grew louder and louder. Sitting high on her horse, her face was full of disdain. "Tsk, tsk. A mysterious finger expert. I am truly afraid of death."
Hsu Fengnian calmly said, "Enough."
Mi Fengjie took a deep breath. Fan Xiaochai immediately retracted her crazed aura.
Their mounts paused for no reason.
The neglected child, Yu Dilong, looked at the old man who reached out to support the sword case, and then looked at the young woman whose fingers were a little green from holding the reins. This eldest disciple of Xu Fengnian secretly curled his lips.
Hsu Fengnian closed his eyes.
He knew that many people had already begun to die in Youzhou.
— — —
The Hanlin predecessors of the Liyang Dynasty were not stingy with their writing when they wrote the History of Northern Han. Unlike the deliberate belittling of Vietnam and Tang, they were especially appreciative of Northern Han, especially Ji Province. They called it, "Ji Province is full of heroes." "They were all brave warriors who died with a clear conscience." However, in the confrontation with the butcher Xu Xiao, the Fan family, the mainstay of the Northern Han army, had one soldier after another bravely sacrificed themselves. After the Han family had submitted to the Liyang Dynasty and had their entire family executed, the veteran general Yang Shenxing was the first to be trapped in the Guangling Circuit. Ji Province was like an old man past his prime who refused to accept his old age. In the end, it was truly old.
As the sun set in the west, two people stood side by side on the city walls of Transverse Water City, located at the forefront of Northern Ji.
The man wearing the uniform of a Liyang civil official was in his forties. He had a scholarly and refined temperament, but his face had the rough and weathered appearance of someone who had lived on the border for a long time. He was Transverse Water City's garrison general, Wei Jingtang, second in the imperial examination in the ninth year of Yonghui. However, he did not choose to use the Hanlin Academy as a springboard for his career. Instead, he first observed politics in the Ministry of War for half a year. Very quickly, he requested to be transferred to the border of Liaodong. As a result, Wei Jingtang came to Ji Province. First, he served as the county magistrate of Southern Ji. As his official rank grew higher and higher, the area under his jurisdiction grew closer and closer to the border of Ji Province. Finally, he became the commanding officer of the military administration of Transverse Water City. He was only at the fourth rank. In terms of profiting, as long as he did not touch the border trade, he could not even compare to the county magistrates of Jiangnan. In terms of official prestige, he was far inferior to the outstanding figures who had passed the imperial examinations. There was a man from the same hometown as him who was only a top three Jinshi. When he was young, he had a grudge with him. In the capital, he was only the commanding officer of the Ministry of War. Over the years, he had been making things difficult for him. Previously, when the Ministry of War was observing politics at the border, there was a man from the same year who brought a letter to Wei Jingtang. In the letter, he asked Wei Jingtang how 'the sandstorm in the northwest tastes'. He even threatened to make Wei Jingtang drink in this godforsaken place for the rest of his life. Wei Jingtang smiled at this. That fellow student who had clung onto the capital's Third Prince Jin would probably never be able to understand how the barren desert frontier fortress in his eyes was, and how it could make a scholar give up his brush and join the army without regret!
The young general standing beside Wei Jingtang was the young commanding officer of the Youzhou cavalry, Yu Luandao.
Previously, when the Beimang cavalry demonstrated their power outside the pass, Liu Yanlang gave up on Silver Sparrow City, leaving behind only a few old and weak soldiers and a dozen or so officials who didn't know how to show respect to their superiors. Yu Luandao's cavalry wasn't in a hurry to enter the city. Instead, they set up camp outside Silver Sparrow City. When they realized that there wasn't any movement in Transverse Water City, they entered the city alone two days ago to find Wei Jingtang. After that, Yu Luandao's subordinates took over the granary of Silver Sparrow City. Wei Jingtang had the right to control it, but he just turned a blind eye to it. Some of his subordinates were angry, but Wei Jingtang only said one sentence, "Transverse Water City can't touch Silver Sparrow's grain. If we take even one grain, someone will lose his position. However, instead of being treated as an invasion by the Beimang barbarians, what's wrong with handing it over to someone who is willing to draw a blade against the Beimang?"
The extraordinarily handsome Yu Luandao didn't just have the peerless blade passed down from his ancestors, 'Great Luan', on his waist, he also had a brand new cold blade that was equally eye-piercing. He asked softly, "Lord Wei, I still don't understand. However, I still want to thank you on behalf of the Beiliang. "
Wei Jingtang was silent. His expression was resolute as he gazed at the endless desert of yellow sand.
Not moving south was a crime. Allowing the Silver Sparrow's grain to be taken by the Youzhou cavalry was an even greater crime. If that official from the Ministry of War returned to the capital and wrote a report, saying a few words of incompetence in governance, it would be another crime.
Being punished for several crimes was already enough for Wei Jingtang to lose his head.
Those old brothers of his who had exchanged their lives with him in Transverse Autumn City didn't understand either. Some of them almost wanted to tie him up and take him to Ji Nan, saying that Transverse Water City could be defended to the death by them. They didn't need Wei Jingtang alone.
However, Wei Jingtang still stood here in the end.
Yu Luandao laughed, "Although there are some people from Ji Zhou who risked their lives to support the grain supply for my ten thousand cavalry, without the Silver Sparrow's granary, we would still be stretched thin today. That Yuan Tingshan can't wait to give me a taste of his own medicine. "
Wei Jingtang said impartially, "Although his character is like a clown and is loathsome, I have to admit that this man's management and command of troops is not bad."
Yu Luandao looked at the wisps of smoke rising from several tens of miles away, then smiled and said, "Lord Wei, just take it that I'm just trying to spite you. Today, I'm going to teach you one thing. Although the cavalry of Tranquil Province is not as strong as the cavalry of Liang Province, they are much stronger than your Northern Ji Cavalry."
Wei Jingtang smiled faintly and said helplessly, "I'll wait and see."
Yu Luandao turned around and was about to leave when he suddenly turned back. He took down the cold blade from his waist and placed it on the city wall. With a solemn expression, he said, "Lord Wei, whether you accept it or not, I'll give you this cold blade. I, Beiliang, respect all those who dare to fight to the death! "
Wei Jingtang didn't pick up the cold blade. He smiled and asked, "Even if I'm the Grand Secretary's disciple? Even if I've been scolding General Xu Xiao as a traitor to the country? "
Yu Luandao laughed and cupped his fists. He left the cold blade behind and left in a carefree manner.
Wei Jingtang watched as the eldest grandson of the Yu family, who was supposed to have a bright future in Li Yang's officialdom, walked down the city wall. He retracted his gaze and looked at the Beiliang blade. He said softly, "What a Beiliang."
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