Travel through the heavens

After meeting up with Yu Youwei, everyone headed straight for Jiangnan Road without stopping. There was no trouble along the way.

During these days, they rarely stayed in the busy streets of big cities. They either camped in the wilderness or lived in the private houses outside the city owned by some former members of the Northern Liang Army.

Everyone would see Qing Gang Chong Niu Dou every night. When His Royal Highness the Crown Prince left, he was usually dressed neatly, but when he came back, he was covered in dust and had no clothes to wear, but the smile on his face was getting more and more intense.

In this way, we left Qingzhou, passed Yuzhou and reached Yangzhou, and drove through Tangsong County at the junction of Qingzhou and Yangzhou. We were only separated from our destination, Jiangnan Daohu Ting County, by Xiongbao County. The locust trees on both sides of the post road were replaced by willows. At a glance, the view was filled with soft green that was refreshing.

Xu Fengnian, who rode with Fang Muye, said with a sneer on his face, "Although the scenery in Jiangnan is picturesque, the people are not as brave and martial as those in Beiliang. Even the women in Liangzhou are good at riding and archery, but the men here can't even compare to the women in Beiliang in the two arts of archery and charioteering. A few years ago, it was said that a woman from Beiliang who was born in an official family married to Jiangnan. One day, she and her husband traveled around the mountains and rivers and encountered a group of bandits. As a result, the man hid and cried, but she personally went into battle with a sword, which became a joke."

Fang Muye smiled softly and said, "The land and water nurture the people. The people here may not be good at wielding swords and sticks, but they can still wield literary skills."

His tone was flat, and Xu Fengnian couldn't tell whether he was praising or mocking him. He curled his lips and said, "We will soon be able to see these Jiangnan gentlemen who are known as the best in the world for their literary skills."

Fang Muye could clearly feel that Xu Fengnian had been exuding a sense of arrogance and violence since entering Yangzhou. Just like when he talked about the word "moral gentleman", he held the knife with both hands, full of murderous intent.

Fang Muye naturally knew the reason. After Xu Fengnian's eldest sister Xu Zhihu married into the Lu family in Jiangnan, she was slandered and ostracized because of her husband's sudden death and her own dissolute lifestyle. She was insulted as a slut and pointed at by thousands of people. Xu Fengnian, who knew this, was very angry.

Two days later, Fang Muye and his party finally arrived outside Yangcheng, Huting County.

Looking at the city wall that was getting taller and taller, Xu Fengnian said to Ning Emei who was riding slowly behind him: "General Ning, gather the Fengzi Battalion and enter the city together."

Ning Emei's expression changed. Under normal circumstances, the Feng Camp would maintain a distance of one mile, but judging from the Crown Prince's intention today, they were about to prepare to enter the city.

"Yes, Prince." Ning Emei responded, turned her horse's head and galloped back.

Soon, dust flew up on the official road, and the suffocating sound of iron cavalry could be heard. Ning Emei led a hundred arrogant and imposing light cavalry from the Phoenix Battalion and came rapidly.

Xu Fengnian said to Fang Muye, "Wen Hua, let's go." After that, he kicked his horse hard and rushed towards the city gate.

Fang Muye smiled slightly and patted the big cat gently. The big cat immediately spread its legs and started running. Its speed was not slower than Xu Fengnian's famous Western Region horse.

The guards at the city gate and the merchants and common people who were brought into the city were all attracted by the huge noise and looked over.

My goodness, what kind of strange beast is that big cat that the young man in green is riding? Why is it so huge and ferocious? It won’t hurt anyone, right?

And the horse that the young man in white robe rides is also extraordinary. All the officials in Yangcheng, big and small, don’t have such a mount, right?

However, the expressions of the lieutenant at the city gate and several guards became solemn, because behind the two men there was a group of strange cavalry with unknown flags rushing towards them.

Due to his duty, the lieutenant at the city gate wanted to stop the enemy and ask questions. Unexpectedly, just as he took a step forward and was about to speak, something came flying across the sky with a momentum like a sudden goose piercing the sun, and pierced diagonally into the bluestone ground in front of him with a loud bang. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was a very rare black halberd used in military battle formations. If he took another step forward, the halberd would pierce a big hole in him. He was immediately frightened and stood like a wooden chicken, his legs shaking.

This is a halberd, a general holding a halberd, the dynasty is said to have a million soldiers, how many dare to wield a halberd? Why is a small lieutenant like me standing out? Are you tired of living?

While he was stunned, the young man in white robe and white horse and the young man in sky blue robe riding a ferocious cat had already passed through the city gate, followed by a mighty general leading a hundred light cavalry. When the general passed in front of him, he took away the halberd with the character "卜" on it.

Not until the cavalry unit that had intruded into the gate of Yangcheng disappeared did all the people who dared not to speak a word finally feel relieved.

After entering the city, Xu Fengnian instructed Ning Emei: "Go find someone to ask how to get to the Lu family."

Fang Muye smiled and said, "Mr. Xu, shouldn't we wait for the carriage behind?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head: "I'll go find my eldest sister first, and let them meet up later."

At this moment, Shu Xiu sped up his horse and caught up, calling out, "Prince."

Xu Fengnian asked, "What's wrong?"

Shu Xiu said softly, "Senior Li said he was hungry."

Xu Fengnian frowned, then relaxed and nodded, "Yes, it's been a tiring journey, so don't worry, let's find a restaurant and have a good meal before going to the Lu family."

The group arrived at a restaurant in front. The waiter kept his eyes and ears alert in all directions, and quickly ran out of the restaurant to greet these distinguished guests.

The Feng Camp stopped their horses by the roadside. Fang Muye, Xu Fengnian, Ning Emei, and Shu Xiu did not wait for Li Chungang and the others, but followed the waiters up to the second floor.

Business is booming here, with guests flocking in and the sound of lively conversation rising and falling, making it very lively.

The four of them had just sat down and asked the waiter to prepare some of the restaurant's signature dishes and wine when they heard some not-so-quiet whispering coming from next door.

"You two, I heard that the pregnant prince of Beiliang will come to our Yangcheng to visit his elder sister in a few days."

"This pair of siblings, one is uneducated and unskilled, the other is shameless, they are really the same kind of people."

"I heard that Mr. Chengzhai's wife called Xu Zhihu a two-legged incense burner. This statement is really wonderful, hahahaha."

The incense burner has many holes, which is a metaphor for a slut. It is extremely vicious to use it to insult women.

When Ning Emei heard someone insulting the Princess of Beiliang in such a way, she was about to slam the table and go and cause trouble for those people. However, Xu Fengnian stopped her with a gloomy face, wanting to hear what those people would say next.

"Everyone in the capital knows about this matter."

"You don't know, there is a lady in the palace who is of the same clan as Mr. Chengzhai's wife. According to seniority, the lady should call her niece."

"The widow Xu Zhihu is so dissolute. Where can the Lu family put their little dignity? Hahaha..."

Hearing this, Xu Fengnian stood up suddenly, walked to the table, drew his sword and split the entire table in half, and said calmly: "Tell me about the Lu family's affairs."