25. Who do you think you are?

"Who in the entire Liang Dynasty can stop me?"

Xiao Pingchuan glanced at the sword indifferently, then gently lifted it with his right hand, placing the heavy sword on his shoulder as if it were nothing.

He slowly walked up to the pedantic scholar and asked him, "Who sent you?"

The scholar remained silent.

Xiao Pingchuan dropped the sword to the ground with a thud, the blade disappearing half an inch into the ground instantly, raising a cloud of dust. Only then did everyone realize that it wasn't that the sword wasn't heavy, but rather that Xiao Pingchuan was incredibly strong.

"What... what does the general intend to do?"

Xiao Pingchuan replied, "It's been a while since I've had any exercise, let's practice." As he spoke, he picked up the sword and threw it to him, "I see you're weak, you should practice more too."

"Ouch, ouch!" The scholar was hit in the chest by the heavy sword and almost lost his breath. After regaining his balance, he hurriedly reached out to steady himself, but was unexpectedly pressed backward by the sword and finally fell to the ground, unable to even turn over.

The people accompanying him tried to help him up, but Xu Youcai blocked them with a single blow, saying, "I'll do it, I'll do it."

As he spoke, he slammed his axe into the stone slabs, causing dozens of slabs to crack instantly, startling the people around him who scattered in panic.

"Is he still breathing?" Xu Youcai squatted down and patted his face as he asked.

The scholar, who had been slapped twice for no reason, was dizzy and mumbled, "I'm angry, I'm angry."

"If you're angry, then get up." With that, he didn't even help the man move the sword away, but instead grabbed his arm and dragged him outside.

"Arm...arm..."

“Brother? What’s with calling me brother? That’s so undignified,” Xu Youcai said.

After forcibly pulling the man up, the scholar's arm was almost broken. His dark eyes glared at Xu Youcai, but he dared not speak out in anger.

"You're rich," Xiao Pingchuan suddenly called out to him.

Xu Youcai leaned closer. "What's wrong, General?"

Xiao Pingchuan leaned close and whispered something to him.

Soon, Xu Youcai hurriedly left, carrying his axe.

Afterwards, Xiao Pingchuan instructed Chai Shun to take good care of these people, and then returned to his residence.

Seeing this, everyone wanted to shout and cause trouble.

Before Chai Shun could react, more than twenty menacing guards surrounded them, swords drawn, staring intently at them like wolves, silencing any words they might utter.

These people's eyes are honed through killing; no ordinary person could withstand them. Being stared at by them for even a short while would send chills down one's spine, making one feel heavy and unable to breathe.

Chai Shun smiled contentedly, strolled around in front of the mansion with his hands behind his back, looking very relaxed and at ease.

As noon approached, he summoned his servants and instructed them, "Tell the kitchen to prepare extra food for lunch and bring it to the door, serving it to each of them. Also, bring me a set of tables and chairs, along with tea and snacks."

"yes."

Before long, Chai Shun sat down at the entrance of the General's Mansion. Beside him was a long-legged lacquered wooden table with peach patterns, on which were placed Longjing tea and jujube pastries.

"Please rest here in peace," he said, pouring himself a cup of tea to moisten his throat. "Lunch will be served at the General's Mansion later. Please eat and drink well."

Everyone stared at him anxiously, fearing that what would be served later was not food, but poison.

At noon, the lunch delivery arrived just as expected.

Chai Shun put down his teacup and instructed the servants to distribute the food to each of them.

Everyone breathed a long sigh of relief, like death row inmates who had been suddenly pardoned, and almost cried while holding the food in their hands.

This is terrifying! This general's mansion is absolutely terrifying.

"Everyone, hurry up and eat," Chai Shun said. "Eat so you can get back to work."

That tone was just like a landlord watching his long-term laborers work.

After saying that, he took a porcelain basin the size of his head from the servant, which was filled with a heaping pile of food, and began to slurp it down.

As soon as he picked up his chopsticks, the scholars, who had been starving all morning, couldn't hold on any longer and followed suit. And so, a hundred or so people in front of the General of the Cavalry's mansion buried themselves in their food, creating quite a spectacular scene.

Chai Shun ate three bowls in a row before he was full. After finishing, he asked everyone, "Is there anyone who is still hungry? If you are not full, you can ask the servants for more."

"I'm full."

"Eat until you're full, then you can continue sitting."

He then continued to sit in front of the mansion gate drinking tea, and everyone else remained seated quietly.

Gradually, some people couldn't hold on and began to leave.

There was no other way; they were so thirsty. The food at the general's mansion was too salty, and there was no water to drink. They were so thirsty they were practically steaming.

"Hey, don't go," Chai Shun called out to stop them. "Aren't you too bored? How about I tell you about the war?"

After saying that, he didn't even ask if the other person wanted to listen, and just started talking on his own.

"The Shatuo people aren't particularly skilled at anything else, but they are exceptionally good at iron smelting. Their scimitars can cut through a hair with a single blow; you can't even touch them..."

When Xu Youcai returned, he found that half the people in front of the mansion were gone. The remaining half were all sitting around Chai Shun like little dogs, looking up at him with admiration in their eyes, listening to him say, "The Lingyan Royal Court is built halfway up the mountain, and the terrain is treacherous. I led my men to climb up at night..."

Xu Youcai: "......"

He knew he was talking about the Black Flag Army breaking through the Shatuo capital, which was their first time venturing deep into the Shatuo people's homeland.

The living environment of the Shatuo people was much harsher than they had imagined. Apart from some greenery around the capital, the rest of the area was covered by yellow sand, and nothing could grow there.

The capital city was built against Mount Nichijin, whose summit is covered with snow that never melts. The snowmelt flows down and nourishes a small grassland, which is where the Shatuo people depend for survival.

It was precisely because the land was barren that the Shatuo people went mad with the desire to plunder southwards.

Therefore, there was no possibility of reconciliation between them and the Shatuo people unless the Shatuo people were completely wiped out or they found a new way to survive.

"Old Chai," Xu Youcai called out from afar, then said loudly, "The heir of the Marquis of Anping has confessed. He said he bribed and instructed people to come here and cause trouble."

Chai Shun stopped and nodded to indicate that he understood.

"Have you all heard this clearly? If you were merely instigated by someone, then go back on your own and it will be as if nothing happened. But if you insist on staying, then you will have to go to the government office," he said.

After he finished speaking, the scholars all said they would leave, but the one who stood up first said he would not leave until he finished telling the story of the "Battle of the Royal Court".

Hearing this, those who were about to leave sat back down, staring wide-eyed as Chai Shun continued.

Chai Shun chuckled.

As the sun began to set, the scholars, having only heard a bit about the war in the north, returned home.

From that day forward, no one in the populace called the Black Flag Army a "beggar army" anymore. They learned from some scholars about the hardships of survival in the northern border and how the "rogues, bandits, and rabble" they spoke of guarded the gates of the Great Liang Kingdom without yielding an inch.

As night fell, after the area in front of the gate was completely quiet, the general's mansion was placed under martial law. The guards lined up outside the mansion, each with bloodshot eyes and a murderous aura.

The General of the Cavalry's mansion finally revealed the fierce and valiant side of the northern barbarian army, and the screams that came from inside the mansion from time to time proved this point.

In the courtyard of the General's Mansion, Wei Gu lay on the ground like a dead dog. He had been brutally beaten for half an hour and was utterly astonished that he could still breathe.

He said weakly, "I didn't bribe anyone or cause trouble."

Tonight, Xiao Pingchuan wore a dark-patterned black robe, the wind blowing through his sleeves and revealing his bulging, veiny hands.

The autumn wind was already a bit chilly. Wei Gu didn't know if it was his imagination or what, but he suddenly felt that the man in front of him tonight was covered in blood, as if he had crawled out of hell.

“I know you don’t,” Xiao Pingchuan said in a low voice.

Wei Gu was slightly taken aback.

Xiao Pingchuan chuckled, squatted down, and patted his face, saying, "Don't you understand? It doesn't matter who started this. If I say it's the Wei family, then it's the Wei family. You're just unlucky. I've been in a bad mood these past few days, so I might be a bit rough. Just bear with it."

Wei Gu went mad, a surge of anger rushing to his head, "I am the heir of the Marquis of Anping, how dare you!"

"You think I wouldn't dare? You're really something, Wei Gu. I let you off the hook once, and now you think you can take advantage of me?" Xiao Pingchuan brushed non-existent dust off his clothes. "The Marquis of Anping is just a second-generation scion who barely managed to secure his position thanks to his family's influence, while you, a third-generation scion, have been languishing in the central army for years and only managed to become a nobody. If I accidentally kill you, not only can your father not do anything to me, but even His Majesty will have to think twice."

"To put it bluntly, under the rule of tyranny, human life is as insignificant as an ant. I, Xiao Pingchuan, command 100,000 soldiers to guard this region, so why should I be so restrained and make others pitiful for no reason?"

At this point, he casually reached out and grabbed Wei Gu by the neck, lifting his bloodied head up to his face and clicking his tongue, "Your eyes aren't blind yet?"

Standing to the side, Xu Youcai held a blood-dripping military baton in his hand and explained, "Beating someone with a baton is ultimately not enough."

Wei Gu was so frightened that he kept shrinking his head back, but Xiao Pingchuan dragged him back like a dog, saying, "Let's loosen his muscles a bit more."

"You, you dare! My brother will never let you get away with this!"

Xiao Pingchuan's lips curled into a cold smile. "Your brother? That Wei Xun who scared the crap out of me? What is he anyway?" As he spoke, he freed one hand and reached out to Xu Youcai. "Lend me your finger."

Xu Youcai quickly clenched his fists and put his hands behind his back. "Sir, you can't just use mine because you think it's dirty. I think it's dirty too. Besides, you're getting married in a couple of days. Why make it all bloody? It's so unlucky."

A grand wedding? Xiao Pingchuan was momentarily dazed. What grand wedding? It was all fake, just for show.

However, after thinking about it for a while, he felt that even if the wedding was fake, it would be bad for that person if it was truly unlucky.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Just kill them, bury them, and that's it."

Hearing this, Wei Gu realized they really dared to kill him, and screamed in terror, "I, I am the heir apparent! If you kill me, you will pay with your life! You can't kill me, please don't kill me!"

Neither of them paid him any attention. Xiao Pingchuan, however, found him too noisy and, without turning around, suddenly tightened his grip on his neck, making him unable to even groan.

"Where to bury it?" Xiao Pingchuan was still discussing this matter with Xu Youcai. "Bury it outside the city? The city gates are all closed at this time, and we can't get out."

"If that doesn't work, just bury it in the backyard; it can even be used as fertilizer for the flowers."

"unlucky."

“Neither horizontally nor vertically will work, so how about we kill him and hang him on the gate of the Marquis of Anping’s mansion?” Xu Youcai suggested. “That would be impressive, and I guarantee that your fearsome reputation would spread throughout the world as soon as you made your move.”

Xiao Pingchuan looked at him with a forced smile.

"Hey, stop pinching, or he'll pass out."

Xu Youcai pointed at Wei Gu, whose eyes were practically rolling back to the back of his head.

Xiao Pingchuan glanced at it casually, but showed no intention of letting go.

After a while, Xu Youcai said helplessly, "Alright, let go, you're dizzy. I've noticed you've been acting strange these past few days, who upset you?"

Xiao Pingchuan ignored him, released his grip, and said with a cold glint in his eyes, "Get some water and splash him to wake him up. Forget it, don't bother." As he spoke, he picked up the stick on the ground, tossed it up and down in his hand twice, and then slammed it down on Wei Gu's leg.

With a snap, the stick broke, and Wei Gu was jolted awake from his unconsciousness.

Xiao Pingchuan gave him no time to react, and struck Wei Gu's legs and arms repeatedly with a heavy blow until he was limp and unable to stand.

At this moment, when you look at Wei Gu again, the arrogance in his eyes has completely disappeared, replaced by fear—the kind of fear that makes one's liver and gallbladder tremble at the mere sight of Xiao Pingchuan's face.

"Look, it's only because you're the heir of the Marquis of Anping, with such a high status, that you've made us go through so much trouble." Xiao Pingchuan casually stroked the broken stick, which was soaked red with blood, and mocked him sarcastically. "If it were just some random Shatuo idiot, I would have chopped him up and fed him to the dogs long ago."

Wei Gu lay sprawled on the ground, his hands and feet flat on the floor. Even a slight increase in his breathing would cause him to exhale a mouthful of bloody foam.

Xiao Pingchuan clicked his tongue twice, then ground his hand on the man's severed arm, seemingly waking him up a bit from the pain. Only then did he slowly get down to business, "I have tens of thousands of elite soldiers under my command. Do you really think you can take them down with just some supplies? Are you really unaware or pretending not to know? If the Black Flag Army can't survive, once we march south out of Jinzhou, who in the entire Liang Dynasty can stop me?"

He wasn't saying this to Wei Gu; hidden behind the courtyard wall were spies sent by the palace that he had deliberately let go.

Because of that treasonous remark, the scout accidentally broke a tile, making a slight noise.

Xiao Pingchuan smiled dismissively.

From its inception, the Black Flag Army recruited only refugees seeking survival. Each of them was fierce and fearless, capable of taking on a hundred men. The people in the south had never witnessed the ferocity of the Shatuo, and naturally had no idea how formidable the Black Flag Army was, having driven the Shatuo all the way back to their homeland.

They only saw the Black Flag Army as exhausted and weak rag dolls, beggars relying on the imperial court for sustenance. They only knew that military power was sweet and delicious, but they didn't know how terrible it would be once it was out of control.

So, Emperor Jingkang was really quite naive.

Imperial power, ha!

He believed that imperial power was the supreme power in the world; if he didn't, then it was utterly worthless.

Xiao Pingchuan curled his lips in a mocking smile and continued, "So, what are you? A fool who was kicked out to test my bottom line, or a dog that covets military power but couldn't find a way to get it, and then became angry and relentless in its bite?"

Wei Gu let out two "ah ah" sounds, just like the mournful howls of a dog before its tragic death.

"Oh? You don't know?" Xiao Pingchuan stood up and kicked him hard, making him roll several times on the ground. "Old Cai, hang him up to the gate and notify the Marquis of Anping's mansion to come and get him."

Xu Youcai clasped his hands in a fist salute.