Qiang Jin Jiu (Author : Tang Jiuqing 唐酒卿)

Chapter 30 : King Of Wolves

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Xiao Chiye seems to have forgotten having lost his cool last night. He spurred his horse on through the street, causing cries of discontent to rise all around from the stall vendors on both sides of the street. He hurried over to the palace gate just in time to see the horse carriage from the Xiao Clan’s Prince Residence.

Zhao Hui lifted the curtain for Xiao Fangxu and said, “Second Young Master is here.”

With his hand on his knee, Xiao Fangxu looked out of the carriage. His gaze passed past his youngest son and landed upon the man inept in riding behind him—Shen Zechuan. He paused for a moment, but said nothing. When Xiao Chiye arrived before him, he saw the injury on Xiao Chiye’s face and asked, “What did you do last night?”

“I went drinking.” Xiao Chiye reined in his horse and laughed as he held his horsewhip. “I forgot the time. By the time I woke up, it was already late. Father, are you done with the discussion?”

Xiao Fangxu nodded and asked, “Is that Shen Wei’s son?” 

The Autumn wind suddenly came assaulting Shen Zechuan in the face. It grazed past his temples. He met Xiao Fangxu’s eyes and felt a shudder for no reason. His grip on the reins tightened in uneasiness.

But Xiao Fangxu did nothing.

The sideburns of Libei’s old King of the Wolves were white. Even though he was sitting all hunched over in the horse carriage, one could still make out his extraordinary height and build. That commanding presence was not something anyone could develop overnight. It was a majestic dignity honed out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. It was a formidable strength so tempered with bones and blood that even his “sickness” could not overshadow it.

Xiao Chiye’s naturally endowed, sturdy physique was completely inherited from his father. His shocking arm strength, exceptional height, wide shoulders and back, and explosively swift long legs, were all gifts from his father.

Compared with the gentler and more elegant Xiao Jiming, Xiao Chiye was the true wolf pup. If one were to glance over while the two brothers stood together, there would be no doubt that Xiao Chiye was the one who gave off a more aggressive vibe.

And now, the real King of Wolves was watching Shen Zechuan attentively. Despite already learning how to restrain himself, Shen Zechuan still had the strong urge to flee. 

This was utterly different from being pinned down by Xiao Chiye. This was a gaze that would make one shiver subconsciously.
At this very moment, Shen Zechuan recalled Grand Mentor Qi’s words. 

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“It’s Xiao Jiming’s time to shine now that Xiao Fangxu is off-commission from illness. Everyone fears Xiao Jiming. But, Lanzhou, twenty years ago, the one who truly secured the frontier with his steed was Xiao Fangxu. From today’s point of view, Qi Shiyu clearly has more authority of office as the Commander-in-chief of the Five Commanderies, but he has not been conferred the title of a prince. That is because Qidong is a ‘bestowed fief belonging to the Emperor’. The five commanderies are all founding lands of Dazhou that belong to the Son of Heaven. But it’s different for Libei. The vast territory of Libei stretches from Luoxia Pass to the end of Hongyan Mountain Ranges in the northeast, and these are all hard-won lands Xiao Fangxu led the Armored Cavalry of Libei to conquer inch by inch during the years of Yongyi!"

"Xiao Jiming is now the Commander-in-chief of Libei’s Armored Cavalry. ‘River of Ice Armored Cavalry’—How awe-inspiring. But it was Xiao Fangxu who established this powerful regiment of cavalry. The Libei’s Armored Cavalry doesn’t have a long history like the Bianjun Commandery Garrison Troops. They are heavy cavalry that Xiao Fangxu specially set up to deal a heavy blow to our external foes during the years of Yongyi when the Biansha Cavalry repeatedly invaded Luoxia Pass. Libei’s battle steeds, Libei’s soldiers, and Libei’s steel blades with hanging chains… Every symbol of the Libei’s Armored Cavalry you can see today all came from Xiao Fangxu.”