The Hedong Ma clan wielded substantial power, so much so that even the Wei clan held them in considerable regard. If Fu Wenjun dared to oppose the Ma clan, her background must be far from ordinary.
"Do you know Ma Jingliang?" Fu Wenjun suddenly asked.
Hearing the name, Wei Changle felt a vague sense of familiarity, but no matter how hard he tried to recall, the details eluded him.
"I feel like I've heard the name," Wei Changle admitted honestly after some thought, "but it still seems very unfamiliar."
"You'll get to know him very soon when you arrive in Shanyin," Fu Wenjun said.
"And who is he?" Wei Changle asked curiously.
"Ma Jingliang holds the position of Sanxiaolang (a minor officer) in Shanyin. The Weeping Ghost operates under his command," Fu Wenjun explained. "He also happens to be the nephew of Ma Cunkuo, the Infantry Commander of the Hedong region." After a brief pause, she continued, "His situation is somewhat similar to yours. He got into trouble in Taiyuan three years ago and was exiled to Shanyin to serve as Sanxiaolang."
Wei Changle immediately understood, letting out a cold laugh. "No wonder the Weeping Ghost miscreants are so brazen. It turns out they have the backing of the Hedong Ma clan."
"So," Fu Wenjun said with a faint smile under her veil, "are you still planning to go to Shanyin?"
"Now that I know the Ma clan has people there, I'm even more determined to go," Wei Changle replied with a grin. "Master, what kind of character is Ma Jingliang, exactly?"
"Seeing is believing," Fu Wenjun said calmly. "If you want to know what kind of person he is, don't rely on hearsay."
Wei Changle gave her a thumbs-up. "Master, you're truly wise. That's deep." After a pause, he added, "But there's something that strikes me as rather odd."
"What is it?" Fu Wenjun asked.
"Master, before you left Shanyin for this trip, how many people were aware of it?" Wei Changle's tone grew serious. "I assume you wouldn't have allowed your enemies to know your whereabouts, correct?"
Fu Wenjun nodded slightly. "Half a month ago, when I left Shanyin, only a few trusted confidants were informed. I even had a rumor spread within my estate that I was ill and needed time to recuperate. No one would have suspected that I had already left Shanyin."
"Confidants? An estate?" Wei Changle quickly picked up on these clues, confirming his suspicion that Fu Wenjun had her own network of influence.
"If even your estate residents didn't know, how did these people find out?" Wei Changle wondered aloud. "Both the Weeping Ghost faction and the Three Ghosts of Lüliang ambushed you on the road—one overtly, the other covertly. How could they have been so well-prepared unless they had precise knowledge of your movements?"
Fu Wenjun remained silent, her head slightly bowed.
"I'm not accusing your people of betrayal," Wei Changle clarified. "But this situation is certainly strange. Master, these two groups were exceptionally prepared. Although they underestimated your skills, they knew your exact whereabouts. Surely they couldn't have foreseen your movements by chance."
Before Fu Wenjun could respond, the sound of footsteps crunching through snow interrupted them. Zhinu and the old servant Wei Gu had returned after burying the severed heads.
"Zhinu, keep an eye on Song Kun," Wei Changle instructed, gesturing toward the horse where the unconscious man lay. "Uncle Gu, ride your own horse. As for the remaining three horses, one will go to my master, and you'll take care of the other two."
Fu Wenjun's mount had been poisoned by Bai Gui, but with the eradication of their attackers, they now had four extra horses. This left everyone with a mount and a couple of spares.
Since horses were valuable, Wei Changle had no intention of leaving them behind.
Without further delay, everyone mounted their horses. This time, Wei Changle rode alongside Fu Wenjun at the front, while Zhinu and Wei Gu followed behind.
Throughout the journey, Fu Wenjun remained silent, rarely speaking unless prompted. Even when Wei Changle tried to start a conversation, her responses were limited to a few indifferent words, making for a rather dull ride.
However, Wei Changle still showed great respect and care for his new master. At mealtimes, he made sure to offer her food first, demonstrating his reverence.
The group traveled almost nonstop, and by noon on the third day, the heavy snowfall had ceased. The world around them was blanketed in white, and in the distance, a walled city suddenly appeared on the horizon.
The city resembled an ancient beast crouching on the desolate earth, its appearance weathered and decrepit.
"I've heard that this city was once bustling with activity," remarked the old servant Wei Gu as he gazed at Shanyin City. "Over a century ago, it was a vital supply hub along the trade routes. Merchants and caravans traveled its roads in an endless stream. But now, it's cold and desolate, a shadow of its former glory. This is all the doing of the Tatars."
"Oh?" Wei Changle glanced back at him. "Didn't you say you knew nothing about Shanyin?"
Wei Changle's memory of the empire's northern history was reasonably clear.
About thirty years ago, the Tatar Khan had sought to cement peace by marrying into the Great Liang Empire. A princess had been wed to him, creating a bond of kinship between the two nations that fostered frequent exchanges and prosperous trade.
However, eight years ago, the old Tatar Khan passed away, returning to the embrace of the Eternal Sky. His sons turned on each other in bloody conflict to claim the throne. After much carnage, one of them, Loli, emerged victorious and declared himself the new Tatar Khan.
Unlike his predecessor, who had prided himself on being a son-in-law of the Great Liang Empire, Loli was ambitious and aggressive. He abandoned his father's policies of harmony and demanded that the empire address him as an equal brother. He even had the audacity to request the hand of Princess Gaocheng in marriage.
The Liang Emperor, enraged by Loli's arrogance, refused the demand outright and reprimanded the Tatar delegation harshly.
Harboring a grudge, Loli Khan began to stir up trouble along the border. Tatar cavalry frequently raided and harassed border towns, bringing great suffering to the frontier population.
The Tatar invasion of seven years ago had already been humiliating enough for the Empire, but it was worse than Wei Changle initially wanted to admit.
Seven years ago, the upheaval in the capital of the Liang Empire caused chaos in the imperial court, leaving it unable to focus on the northern border.
Taking advantage of the situation, Loli Khan personally led the Tatar cavalry in a southern campaign, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. They besieged Yunzhong City in Yunzhou for over a month.
Despite their valiant efforts, the outnumbered Yunzhou army received no reinforcements, and the city eventually fell.
In response, the court sent envoys to negotiate peace, resulting in the cession of Yunzhou and Weizhou to the Tatars, along with an enormous amount of gold, silver, and textiles. Only then did the Tatars agree to withdraw.
From that point on, Yunzhou and Weizhou became Tatar territory.
Shanyin, located in Shuozhou, had once relied on Yunzhou as a northern shield. With Yunzhou ceded, Shuozhou became the Empire's northernmost frontline.
Although the two nations had reached a ceasefire, trade between them was no longer as prosperous as it had once been. Shanyin, at the Empire's northern edge, had lost the bustling traffic it once enjoyed.
As these memories played through Wei Changle's mind, he felt a wave of shame wash over him.
"Second Master, there's someone ahead!" Zhinu called, raising his hand to point toward the path ahead.
Wei Changle looked up and saw a group of riders galloping toward them from the direction of the ancient city.
The riders approached quickly but slowed as they drew near.
There were three of them, dressed in coarse cotton garments and wearing fur hats.
All three dismounted almost simultaneously. The leader, a man of about forty with dark, weathered skin, a thick, bristle-like beard, and a broad, muscular build, stepped forward. He approached Fu Wenjun's horse, bowed, and clasped his hands in greeting.
"Master, you've returned? We've been waiting for two days. Was the journey safe?" As he spoke, his eyes flicked toward Wei Changle, a hint of suspicion crossing his face.
The two men behind him also bowed respectfully.
Wei Changle exhaled in relief, realizing that these three were Fu Wenjun's subordinates.
His suspicions were confirmed—Fu Wenjun's background was indeed not simple.
"Wei Changle, this is where we part ways," Fu Wenjun said, turning to him with an unusually gentle tone. She raised her hand to point westward and continued, "If you want to learn more about Shanyin City's situation, you can enter through the west gate."
"Master, where are you going?" Wei Changle asked in surprise.
The three men seemed even more astonished upon hearing Wei Changle address Fu Wenjun as "Master."
"I live at Guiyun Manor, twenty li (about 10 kilometers) east of the city," Fu Wenjun explained. "If you have free time in the future, you can come to Guiyun Manor to find me."
Only then did Wei Changle realize that Fu Wenjun didn't reside within Shanyin City itself.
A twinge of disappointment crept into his heart.
He had hoped that if he encountered any emergencies in the city, he could immediately seek Fu Wenjun's help. But now he learned that she was stationed miles away. If trouble arose, he would have to leave the city to seek her assistance.
"Master, I was planning to treat you to a meal at the best restaurant in the city after we arrived—and perhaps buy you some gifts," Wei Changle said with a sigh. "But it seems that will have to wait for now." Turning back, he called, "Uncle Gu, give those two horses to Master as a gift."
Wei Gu approached with the two horses and handed the reins to the burly man.
Fu Wenjun accepted the gesture without politeness, nodding slightly at Wei Changle in acknowledgment.
Zhinu then nudged his horse forward and tossed Song Kun from his mount.
"Meng Bo, take him back," Fu Wenjun ordered calmly.
Song Kun had had a miserable two days. Although he'd been given a few sips of water to keep him alive, he had been knocked unconscious repeatedly and had gone without food. By this point, he was utterly weak and helpless.
"That's Song Kun?" Meng Bo, the burly man, shot a glance at the figure on the ground and spat angrily. "This scum deserves to be cut down with a single stroke!" Yet he couldn't hide his curiosity as he asked, "Master, what happened with him…?"
"He led the ambush on the road," Fu Wenjun said succinctly. "Take him back to Guiyun Manor and let's see if Ma Jingliang cares to intervene."
Meng Bo was visibly shocked. "How did they know your movements, Master?"
"We'll discuss it back at the manor," Fu Wenjun replied tersely, unwilling to waste words.
Meng Bo spat on Song Kun and added a vicious kick before hefting him onto a horse.
As the group prepared to separate, Fu Wenjun glanced at Wei Changle. She hesitated briefly before saying, "Take care." With a flick of her reins, she turned her horse toward the east.
"Master, wait!" Wei Changle called after her.
"What is it?" Fu Wenjun asked, stopping her horse.
"Now that I'm officially your disciple, I can't very well not know what my master looks like," Wei Changle said with an innocent smile.
Fu Wenjun understood his implication immediately. After a brief moment of hesitation, she raised her hand and lifted her veil.
Beneath the veil was a face of breathtaking beauty.
Her almond-shaped eyes, delicate nose, and fair, full cheeks were stunning, but what truly caught the eye was the small crimson mole near the corner of her lush, red lips. It added a unique charm to her already enchanting features.
She appeared no older than twenty-five or twenty-six, her elegant demeanor accentuating the faint grace in her expression. Most captivating of all were her eyes, which shimmered as though veiled by a thin mist—a gaze that was both alluring and moving.
Even though Wei Changle had expected Fu Wenjun to be attractive, he was momentarily stunned by her unparalleled beauty.
Without a word, Fu Wenjun lowered her veil, flicked her reins, and rode off. Her three subordinates followed closely behind, taking Song Kun and the two gifted horses with them.
Wei Changle watched her retreating figure, murmuring almost unconsciously:
"In the north, there is a beauty, unmatched in all the land.
One glance topples a city, another glance topples a nation."
[--------------------------------------------]
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