Yunzhou, Tianji City.
Morning.
A flood dragon boat slowly sailed from the north. Without entering the city, it stopped outside. Inside the city, Chen Xi, clad in dark blue armor, led a group of Cangnan cavalry out to greet them. As the eleventh-realm female martial artist rode her horse, Lin Zhao and Huang Tingyu had already jumped down from the flood dragon boat. From a distance, many players and citizens of Tianji City were watching the spectacle.
"Chen Xi pays respects to Marshal Lin!" Chen Xi said with a smile, bowing.
"Your Excellency is too kind."
Lin Zhao quickly returned the bow and said, "I've come this time to select soldiers. How have you arranged it, Your Excellency?"
"No rush, no rush."
Chen Xi smiled, "The end of the year is approaching. Marshal Lin has finally come to Tianji City. Shouldn't we have a drink to warm up first? As for accommodation, do Marshal Lin wish to stay in my City Lord's mansion, or at the temporary encampment outside the city?"
"The encampment will do."
Lin Zhao said, "Don't be too extravagant. Everyone and I will stay at the encampment. After selecting the soldiers each day, they will be sent to Xueyu Tianchi by flood dragon boat, to begin training this army as quickly as possible and bolster the combat strength of the Xueyu Legion."
"Mm!"
Chen Xi nodded, "Alright then. The new recruit camp is less than a few miles from the encampment. I'll accompany Marshal Lin for a drink at noon, and then escort Marshal Lin to the new recruit camp to select the soldiers."
"No rush."
Lin Zhao pondered, "Let's talk about selecting soldiers tomorrow. We've just arrived today, let's first experience the local customs of Yunzhou."
"Oh?"
Chen Xi narrowed her eyes, not knowing what Lin Zhao was planning. However, she couldn't be bothered to think about it. All she wanted was for Lin Zhao, who had rarely visited Tianji City, to be properly hosted by her, the lord of Tianji City. The encampment would do; the food and wine at the encampment were good, and they could bring out some of the city's stored fine wine to entertain the distinguished guests.
Thus, at noon, a banquet was set up at the encampment. Chen Xi played host, bringing a group of local officials from Yunzhou and the generals in charge of the new recruit camp to entertain the two distinguished guests from Xueyu Tianchi, Lin Zhao and Huang Tingyu. Lin Zhao and Huang Tingyu treated it as a mere social obligation. When selecting soldiers in someone else's territory, and later needing to establish a grain supply office in Tianji City, these were all matters requiring interaction.
Lin Zhao was actually not very adept at social gatherings. When roaming the martial world, he could make friends with his chivalrous spirit, but that wouldn't work in this encampment. The officials and generals Chen Xi brought were all seasoned veterans, their words often laced with hidden meanings. Lin Zhao, no matter how hard he tried, sometimes couldn't grasp the deeper intent. Fortunately, Huang Tingyu was also a seasoned veteran, and he quickly bonded with the officials, becoming deeply familiar with them over drinks.
Lin Zhao secretly praised his own foresight for bringing Old Huang. Anyone else from Xueyu Tianchi would not have been suitable; only Old Huang could manage such a situation. Perhaps Tang Guangjun could have, but Tang Guangjun was a military man with a notoriously bad temper, and he was far inferior to Old Huang's smooth performance in such gatherings.
...
As the end of the year approached, Yunzhou remained very cold.
Soon, snowflakes began to drift down from the sky, and the last snowfall of the year finally arrived.
Within the city, an extremely luxurious building stood on the most prosperous street in Tianji City. This building bore the golden signboard of "Yun Xiang Lou," the most renowned brothel in Yunzhou. Countless dignitaries, princes, and nobles squandered their fortunes here. It was said that sometimes, Yun Xiang Lou saw millions of taels of silver flowing in and out in a single day, and this was no exaggeration.
At this moment, the red tiles of Yun Xiang Lou were adorned with snow. Outside a window on the third floor, a snowstorm swirled, and the cold wind blew with the sorrow of parting. Inside the window sat a beautiful woman, whose beauty could make fish sink and geese fall. She wore a flowing golden-red dress, her beautiful eyes unstained by any dust, as if able to penetrate all the filth of the mortal world. She frowned, her red lips pursed, in a decidedly unhappy mood.
The woman was none other than Shi Hanyin, renowned as the most beautiful woman in the Great Shang Dynasty and the foremost singer of Yunzhou. Legend had it that Shi Hanyin was skilled in singing and dancing, and was even the foremost zither player in Yunzhou. Coupled with her peerless beauty, she was not only famous throughout Yunzhou but also throughout the land, the most admired courtesan by the dignitaries of Yunzhou.
"I say, girl."
From behind, a middle-aged woman dressed as a noblewoman came upstairs. She looked at the dishes nearby and said, "These dishes have been warmed several times. Why haven't you touched any of them? Even if you have something on your mind, you must eat something. If you get too thin, your face won't look as good, and those young masters will surely be heartbroken."
"What does their heartache have to do with Hanyin?"
Shi Hanyin parted her red lips and said, "To them, Hanyin is merely a fleeting amusement. Madam, please take these dishes away; I truly have no appetite."
"Alas!"
The Madam shook her head and said, "Are you still angry about young Master Liu holding your hand yesterday and being somewhat impertinent? Girl, don't you forget, although you are nominally a singer performing, who are we? What kind of place is Yun Xiang Lou? Ultimately, we are a family of prostitutes. Isn't your body as a courtesan bound to be given to someone sooner or later, to be sold at a sky-high price? Young Master Liu is the son of the Ministry of Revenue's Assistant Minister. His family is wealthy, and he is willing to spend money on you. Yesterday alone, he spent three hundred thousand taels of silver notes. What do you want? He merely held your hand, what's the harm? If young Master Liu were to spend a few million taels of silver, you might even become the young mistress of the Assistant Minister's mansion."
"Madam, enough!"
Shi Hanyin frowned and looked towards the north of the city, her brow furrowed. "What's going on in the north of the city today? It seems quite lively."
"Oh."
The Madam smiled, "I heard that the officials are hosting a distinguished guest from the north. Even the lord of Yunzhou, Lord Chen Xi, personally went to receive him. The person being received seems to be from some Xueyu Tianchi... I heard from the guests on the first floor that his name might be Bai Yi, but I don't know if it's true."
"Ah?!"
Shi Hanyin's brows furrowed slightly. Her thoughts raced, and finally, she said softly, "Madam, please leave for now. Let me be alone for a while."
"Alright, I'll have the dishes warmed again and brought over later. You must eat at least a bite."
"Alright."
After the Madam left, Shi Hanyin sat alone by the window and opened a drawer on her dressing table. Instead of rouge and powder, there was a thick stack of storybooks. Shi Hanyin was originally from an official family. After her father was framed, she fell into her current situation. Fortunately, her talents were exceptional, which prevented her from being forced to take clients. However, she had ultimately lost her freedom. Therefore, Shi Hanyin often asked the servants in Yun Xiang Lou to buy Jianghu tales and legendary novels from the streets. By reading these Jianghu stories, her heart yearned endlessly.
The topmost book in this stack of storybooks had three characters written on its cover: "Bai Yi Zhuan" (The Legend of Bai Yi).
This was Shi Hanyin's favorite legendary tale. It spoke of Lin Bai Yi, who fought against the demon race in Xueyu Tianchi over a hundred years ago, and how he drew his sword to slay thirteen-realm great demons. Later, Shi Hanyin heard that Lin Bai Yi had dissolved his earthly form and reincarnated in Xueyu Tianchi. During that time, Shi Hanyin was quite happy. However, he was Lin Bai Yi, and she was Shi Hanyin; there was a vast difference between them, which made her feel inferior in every aspect.
How could I, Shi Hanyin, be worthy of Lin Bai Yi?
She only hoped to have the fortune to see him once, and her wish would be fulfilled. But how could a person like that frequent places like brothels to listen to music?
...
Afternoon.
Chen Xi bid farewell.
Lin Zhao, accompanied by Huang Tingyu, took advantage of the wind and snow to travel. With a burst of sword light conjured by Huang Tingyu, the two of them rode the wind and finally landed in front of a grand courtyard in the south of the city. The plaque above the gate bore the inscription "Lu Clan Merchant House." Without a second thought, Lin Zhao raised his hand, drew his Li Quan sword, and unleashed a sword energy that split the plaque in two.
"Who's there!?"
The guards from the Lu Clan Merchant House rushed out, their gazes malevolent.
Lin Zhao, with Huang Tingyu, slowly advanced and said with a smile, "We are merchants from the northern region, seeking an audience with the head of the Lu Clan Merchant House, Lu Yiwei."
"Bah!"
A guard, a fourth-realm martial artist, spat on the ground and said, "Haven't you looked in a mirror? What are you? Do you think you can just see our master whenever you please?!"
"Buzz!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a frosty flying sword was pressed against his brow. The sword tip was incredibly sharp, and even before it made contact, it pierced through the guard's brow, causing blood to flow incessantly.
"Do you still have the right now?" Lin Zhao asked.
"How dare you!"
A ninth-realm martial artist rushed out from the mansion, frowning. "Who dares to cause trouble at the Lu Clan Merchant House? Are you tired of living?!"
"Bold!"
Huang Tingyu stepped forward in a flash, and with a gentle press of his palm, he pinned the ninth-realm martial artist to the ground. He then stepped on him and said, "How dare you speak to our Mountain Lord like that? Do you want to die!?"
Seeing that the situation was not good, the people of the Lu Clan Merchant House realized that the ninth-realm martial artist had been easily subdued. That old sword cultivator's cultivation was unfathomable. Perhaps he was the legendary tenth-realm Sword Immortal!
Just then, a surge of spiritual energy emanated from the Lu Clan Merchant House. A middle-aged man in a long gown emerged from the mansion and said with a smile, "I am Lu Yiwei. I wonder what offense my Lu Clan Merchant House has committed to warrant such aggressive questioning from the two of you?"
Lu Yiwei's cultivation was not high, only at the Star River realm.
Lin Zhao smiled and said, "You should ask your son, Lu Shaoyan. Did he, at Danxia Mountain, strike a Daoist named Xu Ming'an? Did he collude with Sun Tingxuan of Medicine King Valley to scheme and steal someone's medicinal formula?"
Instantly, Lu Yiwei's heart turned cold. It seemed that today's matter could not be resolved peacefully.
He narrowed his eyes and said, "This is, after all, the territory of Tianji City, Yunzhou. Do the two of you dare to kill someone within the city? Guards, where are the Lu Clan soldiers of Yunzhou?!"
Immediately, a large group of martial artists, at least a hundred strong, rushed out of the mansion. They were all at least of the lower five realms, and they even formed some kind of formation, connecting their spiritual energies.
"What's the matter?" Huang Tingyu asked with a smile.
"The Lu Clan Soldier Formation!"
Lu Yiwei raised his eyebrows slightly. "Do you dare to break it?! If not, then scram. If you do dare, then you bear the consequences of life and death. Don't say we of the Yunzhou Lu Clan..."
"Enough, enough!"
Huang Tingyu interrupted him, slowly drawing his sword, and said, "Mountain Lord, do not worry. Watch how Old Huang breaks it with a single sword..."