Zhao Hanzhang frowned and asked him, “When did Liuxiu arrive?”
Tuoba Liuxiu raised his hand and bowed his head slightly in salute before saying, “Liuxiu wanted to ask Master Ming about Han books. Master Ming said he needed aunt’s permission, so Liuxiu came to ask for aunt’s consent.”
Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded, “You have a heart for learning—this is good. Go ahead, if you have any questions you can ask Master Ming.”
After thinking for a moment, she led Tuoba Liuxiu to her study and took a copy of the Spring and Autumn Annals from the bookshelf to give him, “This is a history book from before the Qin dynasty. If a person’s knowledge comes only from what they’ve personally experienced, it will be too limited. With shallow knowledge, one becomes trapped by small matters. When you’ve witnessed the breadth of heaven and earth, the vastness of history, and look back again, you’ll find that what you once experienced, what seemed like the sky falling, is not worth mentioning.”
“Reading history allows you to understand the rise and fall of dynasties. Having witnessed the rise and fall of all under heaven, what difficulty in this world cannot be overcome?” Zhao Hanzhang said, “I’m giving you this book.”
Tuoba Liuxiu reached out to receive it, his numb heart constricting, feeling a bit painful, a bit sour, so sour it reached his eyes, making them slightly red.
He had been raised by his mother alone, but his mother didn’t have such insights. No one had ever said these things to him.
His father would only teach Pugen and Biyan. What he did most as a child was tend sheep and cattle on the grasslands. He also loved tending sheep and cattle—on the open grasslands he could do whatever he wanted without anyone constantly cursing him or ordering him about.
Tuoba Liuxiu accepted the book and, imitating the Han people, bowed to Zhao Hanzhang. His movements weren’t very standard, but they were sincere. Zhao Hanzhang smiled with relief and helped him up, “I don’t know what conflicts you and your father have, but to me, you, Biyan, and Pugen are all the same—all my nephews. In the future, if you have difficulties, you can write to me.”
Zhao Hanzhang walked to her desk, wrote down an address for him, “If you can’t find my whereabouts, have someone deliver the letter to this place. The people there will definitely get it to me.”
Tuoba Liuxiu solemnly accepted it.
At noon, Hu Zhi brought the weapons into the city. Both Liu Kun and Tuoba Yilu came excitedly to see them, bringing many people.
Before long, Shi Le also brought Zhang Bin and others to watch the excitement.
These weapons and equipment were originally meant for her new army. From the newly recruited soldiers, they would select some for intensive training to become elite troops, and they would use better weapons and equipment.
Zhao Hanzhang now brought them out, indicating she would divide them equally with her two brothers.
Tuoba Yilu was the first to take a spear to test it, merely brandishing it twice before suddenly turning the spear point toward his own people and thrusting. The crowd immediately scattered, leaving only Tuoba Liuxiu standing there.
Tuoba Liuxiu didn’t yield. He was stubborn—seeing his father coming at him, he simply crouched low, concentrating all his strength in his legs. As soon as the spear arrived, he kicked off the ground and flew into the air, his body rolling to dodge the thrust.
Liu Kun quickly shouted, “Stop at a touch, stop at a touch, elder brother, that’s enough, enough, quickly stop.”
Tuoba Liuxiu dodged two more thrusts in midair, landing somewhat awkwardly, staggering a couple of steps before steadying himself, then glaring furiously at his father.
Seeing his eldest son show him such disrespect in front of outsiders, Tuoba Yilu became immediately enraged. His motion to withdraw paused, and he spun the spear in a circle before thrusting it flying…
Seeing this, Liu Kun’s expression changed greatly, fearing they would commit patricide or filicide right here in Jinyang.
Zhao Hanzhang quickly moved between several boxes, then slapped one open, selected a cavalry saber from inside, and shouted at Tuoba Liuxiu, “Good nephew, test this cavalry saber for your aunt!”
With that, she gauged the timing and threw the cavalry saber toward Tuoba Liuxiu.
Tuoba Liuxiu rolled awkwardly on the ground, dodging three thrusts in succession. Seeing the flying cavalry saber, he engaged his core strength, his whole body springing up, and grabbed the cavalry saber with an outstretched hand.
The cavalry saber was slightly heavy, about one meter long with a slightly curved handle. When he extended his hand to grip it, it fit his palm perfectly. As soon as he grasped the blade, he turned and swung, perfectly deflecting his father’s thrust with a clear ringing sound. Both father and son felt their arms tremble slightly and their wrists ache, showing they had both used considerable force.
Both father and son’s hearts sank, their faces darkening—one felt his son was rebellious, daring to use such great force; the other felt his father truly wanted to kill him.
Both simultaneously felt intense killing intent and wariness, watching each other alertly.
Zhao Hanzhang narrowed her eyes, a faint smile on her face as she watched father and son fight to the death.
The more they fought, the greater their anger grew. Liu Kun’s expression also grew increasingly grim. Just as Tuoba Liuxiu’s blade was about to strike Tuoba Yilu, he quickly drew a sword and jumped in, deflecting the blade with one stroke while reaching out to block Tuoba Yilu, “Elder brother, stop at a touch!”
Tuoba Yilu’s rage had been provoked—this was his son, yet he dared try to kill his father. How could he stop just because someone said so?
His spear moved like a snake, nimbly circling around Liu Kun to thrust. Tuoba Liuxiu also gripped his blade tightly, planning to circle around Liu Kun to counterattack. Another spear thrust diagonally across, blocking Tuoba Yilu’s spear with two clanging sounds. Zhao Hanzhang stood face to face with Tuoba Yilu, while Liu Kun, pushed aside by the spear shaft, staggered back a few steps with Tuoba Liuxiu, and looking again, they had already been pushed out of the battle.
The two exchanged glances and said nothing, standing there obediently.
Zhao Hanzhang withdrew her spear and asked Tuoba Yilu with a hearty laugh, “Elder brother has tested it—how do you find my spear?”
Facing Zhao Hanzhang’s smiling face, his anger receded like the tide, and Tuoba Yilu’s reason returned. He raised the spear point to examine it—the cold light was piercing. Despite fighting that unfilial son for so long, the spear point showed no marks at all. The spear shaft bore some marks, but she had used an excellent wooden shaft, so the damage was limited.
Tuoba Yilu couldn’t help but praise, “Excellent spear!”
Zhao Hanzhang looked back at Tuoba Liuxiu and asked with a smile, “Liuxiu, how is the blade?”
Tuoba Liuxiu looked down at the blade in his hand, his eyes gleaming, and couldn’t help but call out loudly, “Excellent blade!”
Tuoba Yilu stepped forward to look, seeing the equally cold and gleaming cavalry saber, his eyes flickered slightly. He knew how much force he had used—he had thrust at the blade several times in the middle, pressing that unfilial son back several steps, yet now the blade showed only slight scratches. If this had been their blades, they would nearly be ruined by now, wouldn’t they?
Tuoba Yilu gripped his spear tightly, no longer caring about his grudge with his son, and immediately asked Zhao Hanzhang with shining eyes, “Hanzhang, you truly mean to divide these weapons equally with us?”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled, “Naturally—Hanzhang never breaks her word.”
Shi Le, who had walked around the boxes and mentally tallied the contents, sneered coldly at these words, “The Governor doesn’t break her word, but shows clear favoritism. Tuoba and Prefect Liu both came later, yet just because they’re your sworn brothers, you give them divine weapons. What about me? My contributions to the Governor are not small either. You give others meat but don’t leave me even a mouthful of soup!”
With that, he turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.