Isolated town in northern border region

On the day of the autumn hunt, before dawn broke in Bingzhou City, Xiao Lie was already fully prepared.

A bow with an iron core hangs horizontally on the left side of the saddle, the quiver is full of white-feathered arrows, the Taiping sword hangs at the waist, the copper buckle on the scabbard gleams coldly in the morning light, and a ten-foot-long spear stands upright on the Victory Hook, its sharpness soaring straight to the sky!

He wore a dark suit of armor over a suit of dark armor plates, the plates of which were polished to a deep black, not reflecting light, but exuding a heavy, murderous aura.

As he rode on horseback, an aura of fierce power, like a tiger that has fought countless battles, naturally arose within him.

Bisu stood at the entrance of the post station, her eyes red-rimmed, clutching a handkerchief in her hand, twisting it again and again.

Xiao Lie turned around and glanced at her.

"Why are you crying? It's not like I'm not coming back."

Bisu sniffed hard.

"Your Highness, you must come back..."

Xiao Lie smiled.

"rest assured."

"I haven't even introduced you to your future husband's family yet."

He spurred his horse, and the elite troops of the northern frontier lined up in neat rows, forming a flowing torrent of iron behind him.

The horses' hooves pounded on the bluestone slabs, producing a dull yet rhythmic sound, like the thunderous war drums beating in Bingzhou City.

The streets of Bingzhou City were already crowded with people watching the spectacle.

Some vendors stood on tiptoe and craned their necks to look ahead;

Unmarried girls were peering down from the second-floor windowsill, and every now and then a handkerchief would drift over Xiao Lie's head.

A child, perched on his father's shoulders, pointed to the "King of the Northern Frontier" banner fluttering in the wind in the distance and called out in a childish voice.

"Father! Is that man the prince?"

The father quickly covered his mouth.

Shh! Don't point randomly!

Xiao Lie rode at the head of the group, his posture upright, the Taiping sword at his waist swaying gently with his horse's movements.

The morning light slanted across him, casting a long shadow.

An old man standing by the roadside saw his outfit and couldn't help but sigh softly.

"This isn't a hunting trip, it's a war trip..."

The person next to him chimed in.

"What do you know?"

"Who is the King of the Northern Frontier? He's a prince who fought his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood!"

"What's a little hunting? They're hunting the northern barbarians!"

"This is the kind of imposing presence our Great Chu Prince should have!"

When the group reached the south gate of Bingzhou, they could see two groups of people already standing outside the city gate from afar.

One group consisted of civil officials, led by Du Ming, who wore a dark official robe and had a solemn expression, but his eyes kept darting around, never daring to meet Xiao Lie's gaze.

The other group consisted of military officers, led by a middle-aged man clad in heavy armor. He was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a fierce-looking face. The sword at his waist was inlaid with gold and jade, so flashy that it looked more like an ornament than a weapon!

It was Peng Xuan, the governor of Bingzhou, and a confidant of Emperor Xiao Mu of Chu.

When Peng Xuan saw Xiao Lie approaching, instead of dismounting to pay his respects, he sat upright on his horse, tilting his head to examine Xiao Lie's attire, with an undisguised mockery on his lips.

"Wow, Your Highness, your outfit is quite impressive."

"Those who don't know the situation might think that barbarians from the grasslands have invaded our Bingzhou!"

He deliberately dragged out the last syllable.

"It's just a hunting trip, why wear all your valuables?"

"Could it be that Your Highness is worried that his handsome appearance might arouse the lust of female apes in the mountains?"

The guards behind him joined in the laughter, which echoed in front of the city gate like a flock of noisy crows.

Xiao Lie did not answer, nor did his expression change.

He simply gave the horse a gentle nudge, and the horse took a couple more steps forward.

Then he flicked his wrist, and the tip of the lance, like a silver lightning bolt, grazed the edge of Peng Xuan's helmet!

The spear tip precisely severed the straps of his helmet, and the gold-inlaid and jade-adorned helmet, now unrestrained, tumbled to the ground, bounced a few times on the stone slabs at the city gate, and rolled into a stinking ditch by the roadside.

At the same time, the remaining force of the spear tip had not dissipated, leaving a thin bloodstain on Peng Xuan's neck. It wasn't deep, but it was enough for him to feel the presence of that cold metal weapon.

Peng Xuan was stunned, his face turned bright red, and he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word.

Upon feeling the warmth of the blood, he suddenly clutched his neck as if stung by a scorpion, and his whole body leaned back, causing him to fall directly off the horse, landing sprawled on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The people at the city gate were taken aback at first, then burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Some people covered their mouths and turned their faces away, some people shrugged their shoulders, and a child pointed at him and shouted.

"Mother! That general took a nasty fall!"

Xiao Lie sheathed his spear, looked down at Peng Xuan on the ground, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Governor Peng, the wound on your neck isn't even as big as a needle prick!"

"Did you fall, or were you scared?"

The soldiers in the northern frontier raised their voices in unison. Some whistled, some patted their saddles and laughed, and some deliberately imitated Peng Xuan's tone.

"Ouch! This general is injured!"

"Where's the military doctor? Where is the military doctor?"

"If it's not treated, the wound will heal on its own!"

Peng Xuan got up from the ground, his face turning from red to green and then to white, his lips trembling, like a dehydrated fish.

He cursed through gritted teeth.

"You'll be in for a world of trouble once you get to Wolf-Looking Mountain!"

As soon as he said that, the deputy general next to him changed his expression and quickly tugged at his sleeve.

Peng Xuan realized he had misspoke and opened his mouth to try to make amends, but it was too late.

Xiao Lie's gaze sharpened slightly as he thought to himself.

"They really set a trap... I just don't know if it was a large-scale army ambush or a secret assassination."

He waved behind him, and Ledo ran up.

"Bring me paper and pen."

Ledo looked around and spotted a scholar carrying a book box in the crowd. He quickly stepped forward, exchanged ten taels of silver for a set of writing implements, and respectfully presented them to Xiao Lie.

Xiao Lie pursed his lips.

"Ledo, can you read?"

Ledo shook his head blankly, then immediately realized what was happening, took out a few more pieces of silver, and dragged the scholar over with him.

Xiao Lie asked the scholar with a smile.

"What is your name? Are you fluent in poetry?"

The scholar straightened his clothes, which had been torn by Le Duo, and respectfully bowed to Xiao Lie.

"Student Ma Zhe has a rudimentary understanding of literature."

"If Your Highness wishes to compose a poem, I am willing to transcribe it for you."

Upon hearing the name, Xiao Lie was immediately filled with respect. Remembering that the provincial examination was just around the corner, he offered words of encouragement.

"Great name! This name has power!"

"You must be a candidate here to take the state exam, right?"

"With a name like yours, there's no reason you shouldn't pass the imperial examination with flying colors!"

Ma Zhe was overjoyed upon hearing this, but still maintained proper etiquette, nodding and bowing.

"Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness. I will certainly live up to your expectations!"

"Very well! Then transcribe it for me!"

Xiao Lie pondered for a moment, then recited aloud:

"The green spear casts a cold light, the helmet falls to the ground and rolls in yellow dust."

Peng Xuan glared fiercely at Xiao Lie, raising his chin to feign composure.

"Those who claim to be generals but receive no official rank are nothing but jackals and dogs occupying the court."

Xiao Lie said something again, and Peng Xuan was so angry that he cracked his whip, wishing he could lash Xiao Lie's mouth with it!

"Before the saddle is even stained with blood, the rider falls from the horse; from which can one judge merit?"

By the time he uttered the third sentence, Peng Xuan's face had turned completely red, and even his warhorse seemed to sense its master's unusual mood, snorting as it began to snort...

"The third-rank general who governs Bingzhou is no match for a frontline warrior on the northern frontier!"

As the poem was completed, the northern border soldiers behind Xiao Lie shouted softly—

"kill!"

The shout of "Kill!" startled Peng Xuan's mount so much that it reared up, and Peng Xuan was thrown off his horse, crashing heavily to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Hahaha!"

"With that kind of guts, he calls himself a general!"

"Your Highness's poem is excellent! A dignified third-rank military commander like yourself is less spirited than one of your soldiers!"

The soldiers in the northern border region were laughing and joking, which drew a lot of discussion from the onlookers...

Peng Xuan's two downfalls in a short period of time have become an indelible stain on his history!

After reciting the poem, Xiao Lie waved his hand.

"Post it on the south gate!"

"Let the people of Bingzhou see what a 'tiger general' really is!"

Ma Zhe suppressed a laugh, quickly finished writing, and strode to the city gate, where he posted the poem in the most conspicuous place.

The people crowded around, some reading it aloud, some clapping and cheering, and some laughing so hard they couldn't stand up straight.

Peng Xuan was helped up by his deputy and stood there, his face ashen, his fingers clenched so tightly they cracked, but he dared not speak again.

He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, Xiao Lie would find something to use against him.

He subconsciously looked at Du Ming, hoping that this prefect could save face for him.

Du Ming kept his head down, his gaze fixed on the saddle, as if counting the number of hairs on the horse's mane.

Xiao Lie merely glanced at him indifferently, but Du Ming felt as if that gaze was an invisible hand pressing on his shoulder, so heavy that he couldn't lift his head.

He recalled what he was like in Qingzhou.

Back then, he still dared to slam his fist on the table and defy his family; he still retained some of his former arrogance.

Now that he has been transferred to Bingzhou, he has learned to remain silent.

Seeing his expression, Peng Xuan was furious but helpless.