(Two chapters are already 8,000 words. The next chapter is before 4 am.)
At dusk, Hsu Fengnian finally arrived at the source of the weak water at the border of Aquarius State. It was a verdant oasis, like a green pearl embedded in a yellow sand disc. It was a delightful sight. Hsu Fengnian washed his face by the green river at the edge of the oasis. The otherworldly item in the red robe was playing in the water like a koi. Before leaving Beiliang, he was informed that this place was heavily guarded. Not only was there a troop of 600 imperial cavalry stationed here, there were also many catchers and butterfly catchers under Shadow Prime Minister Li Mibi. They interweaved into a large spider web, led by a top assassin swordsman. They were not only to protect the old man, but also to monitor him closely. Whether it was the route he took to enjoy the scenery or the dishes he ate, everything had to be reported to his master Li Mibi. In addition to the old man's own forces, the two sides confronted each other and cooperated to resist the endless revenge assassination.
However, in Hsu Fengnian's opinion, it was inconsistent with the information he received. The hidden forces were sparse, and the troop of 600 men stationed ten miles away had been reduced to only 200. Hsu Fengnian washed his face with cold water and immediately felt relieved. No matter how stubborn the old man was in the eyes of Beimang, he had completely given up for five or six years and lived behind the scenes. His reputation was naturally not as feared as before. The situation in Beimang and Liyang was the same. At first, it was mostly the south facing the north. If it was said that the King of the Southern Court, Huang Songpu, had made a good start as a general in the Southern Court, there was actually someone who had occupied a high position in the Northern Court as a remnant of the Spring and Autumn Period. He could be said to be second only to one and above all. Back then, every time the Empress went on a hunt and had a discussion with the officials, only this person could make the unruly nobles willingly submit to her. It could be said that it was this old man's credit that Beimang was able to smoothly implement the scholarly rule. The purpose of Hsu Fengnian's trip was to meet this old man who was regarded as the pillar of Beimang by the Empress. Who would believe that the Crown Prince of Beimang, who was destined to be irreconcilable with the Beiliang, would walk thousands of miles just to throw himself into a trap?
Hsu Fengnian chose this secluded spot near the water and was not in a hurry to enter the interior of the oasis. It was obvious that this was a Qimen Dun Jia formation. If he stepped in carelessly, he might be arrested as an assassin. Xu Fengnian waited until dusk, but the otherworldly item in the red robe was still indifferent, as if it had nothing to worry about. Hsu Fengnian held his breath like an old monk in meditation. He remembered the camel riding woman he met in the Gobi Desert half a year ago. He did not need to look at her face to know that she was a Dragon Lady. Otherwise, with Hsu Fengnian's current cultivation, he would not have shown himself to borrow water. As for the help he gave later, he did not think too much about it. It was nothing more than the kindness of the water, and he would repay it with a gushing spring. According to ancient books, every time this kind of Mirage Woman entered the ocean or the desert, a mirage would appear. The only difference was that she was a Sea Serpent or a Sand Serpent. The Sea Serpent belonged to the Flood Dragon, and its breath could form a building. It was different from Gonggong Dan's innate divine strength, and it was also different from Phoenix Concubine Xiang, who was the mother of the world. Since ancient times, the Mirage Woman had been regarded as the key to finding the Immortal Mountain by the emperors who were seeking immortality. However, this illusion could not appear for no reason. After all, it had to have something to rely on. In previous dynasties, when the emperors sent necromancers out to sea to find the Immortal Mountain, there must be a Dragon Lady in the team. However, it was not known whether the Dragon Lady would become the key to becoming the emperor in the future. Hsu Fengnian was indifferent to it. It was not something that he, a prince whose position was in danger, could decide.
How many people in the world could be as straightforward as the old man in the sheepskin fur coat when he was young? Most of the martial artists in Jianghu believed in the principle of observing more and doing less after suffering losses. One was Xu Xiao, who was famous in Jianghu, and the other was the Empress of Beimang, who was his lackey. They easily made all the Jianghu people in the two Jianghu helpless.
Hsu Fengnian suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the small path by the water. At the end of the path, there was an old man and a young boy coming together. The young boy had rosy lips and white teeth. He came riding a bamboo horse, looking naive and cute. He used a bamboo pole as his hip to dismount the horse and called out softly. The child was wearing a wide-sleeved Taoist robe. He looked natural, making people forget the vulgarity when they saw him. The old man beside the child had white hair and a beard. He was tall and had a scholar's head and a green robe. He had a natural air of elegance. The old man held the young boy's bamboo horse in one hand and two scriptures in the other. When he saw Hsu Fengnian, who did not hide his whereabouts, he did not seem surprised. He let go of the young boy's hand and waved at Hsu Fengnian with a smile as if they were old friends who had not seen each other for a long time.
Hsu Fengnian did not hide because he guessed the old man's identity. The former most powerful minister in Beimang's royal court, Xu Huainan, was born in Liaodong. After careful consideration, he was actually a distant relative who was one generation older than Xu Xiao. However, this kind of relationship was so distant that it could be ignored. Xu Huainan had already arrived in Beimang before the scholars fled to the north. He became the chief strategist and meritorious official of the Murong clan's Empress who usurped the throne. He was very knowledgeable and devoted all his life's learning to the Beimang court. When Liyang first settled down, it attacked Beimang with great momentum. It was he who urged the Empress, who had yet to sit firmly on the dragon throne, to go south and personally lead the troops. That was how the world was divided into the north and the south today. Liyang's second expedition to the north was also because he, who had already retired from his post, came out of his thatched cottage and formulated a strategy that allowed the upstart Tuoba to defeat Liyang's three fronts. He had been living in seclusion by the Ruoshui all these years. Nominally, he was a double-faced spy who sold military intelligence to both his left and right hands, which angered the Empress. He had no choice but to resign from his post and leave the royal court. In reality, he was fully deserving of his title as a meritorious elder. Xu Huainan's attitude towards the Murong clan differed greatly from the Empress's and was disheartened. The so-called spy case that shocked the imperial court was just a way for both sides to take a step back.
Looking at this old man who had once climbed to the top step by step and then slowly walked down the stairs, Hsu Fengnian couldn't help but have mixed feelings. The person in front of him was a powerful official who could be compared with Xu Xiao in terms of fame and achievements. Hsu Fengnian respectfully bowed with his hands folded in front. The old man, who was in high spirits, walked closer and helped the Xu family's descendant who had risked his life to stand up. After scrutinizing him for a while, he smiled with gratification and said, "This old man never thought that it would be you who would come to visit me. I even thought that it might be Xu Xiao who came to visit me personally. This is really a big surprise. You're indeed a member of the Xu family. I've said it a long time ago, souls without courage and insight wouldn't dare to enter the womb of the Xu family's daughter-in-law."
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