Chapter 67: The Heavenly Malignant Wolf-Fang Lance!

"Imperial Commissioner, you may not be aware, but allow me to explain. This Heavenly Fiend Wolf-Tooth Mace is a cursed weapon that inherently brings misfortune to its master. Whoever wields it meets a tragic end; even Xue Ju perished because of it."

The old eunuch stepped forward to recount the history to Li Zhao.

In the thirteenth year of the Great Sui Dynasty's Daye era, a blood-red comet streaked across the sky and fell in the Longyou region. Among its fragments was a rare piece of red meteoric iron. After being discovered by local herdsmen, it was presented as a treasure to the Overlord of Western Qin, Xue Ju.

Xue Ju summoned master craftsmen to forge a divine weapon from this celestial iron to help him conquer the world, but the artisans failed more than a dozen times. Later, following the advice of a Xiliang sorcerer, Xue Ju executed ninety-nine captives, offering their heads to the heavens and their blood to the furnace. Only then did the smiths succeed in forging a mace.

When the Wolf-Tooth Mace was completed, dark clouds gathered, lightning intertwined, and an aura of malevolent gloom permeated the surroundings. Thus, it was named the "Heavenly Fiend Wolf-Tooth Mace."

During the Battle of Qianshuiyuan, the Overlord of Western Qin, Xue Ju, brandished this very mace while leading his warriors to crush the Tang army. Yet, less than a month after the battle, Xue Ju died inexplicably. Consequently, the world buzzed with rumors, claiming the mace was a cursed weapon that doomed its owner and should never be used.

After the fall of Western Qin, the mace became a trophy and fell into the hands of Li Shimin. Fearing its reputation, he abandoned it, sealing it away in the imperial armory—where it remained for over a hundred years, until fate brought it into Li Zhao's hands.

...

"Imperial Commissioner, there are many fine weapons in the armory; you should choose another. This Heavenly Fiend Wolf-Tooth Mace must never be touched. It is a cursed weapon that kills its master!"

"No need. I have a spirit of iron; no matter how powerful the curse, it cannot touch me. Instead, it will serve me and aid me in building my legacy. Ha!"

Li Zhao gripped the mace firmly, swinging it with ease. As he used it, it felt increasingly natural, and he gave no thought to the warnings of its curse.

During the Three Kingdoms period, they said the Dilu horse would bring disaster to its rider, yet the "Big-Eared Thief" Liu Bei rode it across the land. Not only did he survive, but he even became the Emperor of Shu Han. What does that prove? It proves that those blessed with great fortune and destiny are untouchable by ghosts and gods alike, and nothing is forbidden to them!

Having crossed through souls into a second life, his fortune was far greater than that of the Big-Eared Thief. What was there to fear? If anyone disagreed, he would simply strike them down with the mace! Ha!

Next came the selection of his entourage. Bai Mo had always been inseparable from Li Zhao, so he would naturally accompany him. The four scouts—Dayi Rat, Thousand-Face Rat, Earth-Tunneling Rat, and River-Crossing Rat—each possessed unique skills and would also join the campaign. Additionally, he selected thirty seasoned veterans from the secret service—men who had seen blood on the battlefield—to serve as his personal guards.

On the eighteenth of the twelfth month, the imperial decree arrived. Li Zhao was ordered to escort two hundred carriages of gold, silver, silk, and fine wine to the Northwest Army camp to reward the troops and remain under the command of the General of the Household Cavalry, Wang Zhongsi.

On the nineteenth, Li Zhao drank heavily with Cui Zongzhi, Li Shizhi, and Jiao Sui at the mansion of the Duke of Qi as a send-off.

On the twentieth, Li Zhao entered the Xingqing Palace once more to bid farewell to the Emperor and receive his final imperial instructions. Everything was now prepared for his departure.

However, before setting out, there was one person Li Zhao had to see: the Fairy of the Plum Blossoms.

They had first met at the Daci'en Temple, and Li Zhao had felt his heart flutter, giving rise to strange thoughts. At the Qujiang Banquet, their second meeting confirmed that he had fallen in love. At the Plum Blossom Manor, during their third meeting, he became determined to marry no one else; he had even thought of names for their children.

Of course, for a man to fall in love with a woman, secret determination was far from enough; he had to take action. But how? If he were back before his transmigration, he would have dressed handsomely, holding a rose in one hand and a diamond ring in the other, with a hotel room key hidden away, and rushed to propose.

But that wouldn't work here. While the Tang Dynasty was relatively open, it had not reached the point where one could propose casually. The strictures between men and women still stood; the commands of parents, the words of matchmakers, and the traditional rites were all mandatory.

Therefore, Li Zhao did not rush his confession. Instead, he intended to nurture their connection bit by bit and patiently wait for the fruit of love to ripen. He was only sixteen, after all; he wouldn't reach adulthood for another four years. There was no rush.

But the sudden war had disrupted his plans. The battlefield was fraught with danger. Whether he would return from his service in the Northwest was an unknown. Thus, before leaving Chang'an, he decided to see her and reveal his heart.

The twenty-second was an auspicious day, suitable for travel and the formal presentation of betrothal gifts. At the third watch, Li Zhao was too excited to sleep. He leaped from his nanmu bed and, with Bai Mo's help, boiled water for a bath. He scrubbed his skin until it was as red as a steamed crab, ensuring he was perfectly clean before stopping.

He then donned a pure black Shu-silk battle robe, fastened a tiger-skin belt around his waist, and slipped into soft deerskin boots. Looking into the mirror, he saw a dashing, jade-like young man. A standard heartthrob!

"Hooliganism"—or rather, dating—was best done without a "lightbulb" present. After dawn, he left even Bai Mo behind, riding out alone toward the Plum Blossom Manor.

The Plum Blossom Manor was located twenty miles west of Chang'an, atop a high ridge by the Feng River. The estate was vast, surrounded by tens of thousands of plum trees.

In the depths of winter, the plum blossoms were in full bloom—red, white, and pink—weighing down the branches. They vied for beauty, exhaling a fragrance that filled the air, making the place feel like a terrestrial fairyland.

As the morning hour approached, Li Zhao arrived near the gates of the manor, only to see another man on horseback pacing back and forth in the plum grove. A closer look revealed it to be the "Fierce Tiger" Xue Song!

Xue Song wore a pure white battle robe and rode a horse as white as the night-shining lion. He paced in circles, sometimes lost in thought, sometimes blushing, sometimes looking utterly dejected. What was wrong with this guy? And why was he here?

At the same time, Xue Song spotted Li Zhao. The two riders locked eyes, face-to-face.

"Xue Song, why are you here?"

"Li Zhao, why are you here?"

"By imperial decree, I am heading to the Northwest to serve. Before I leave, I came to bid farewell to the Lady of the Plum Blossoms."

"By imperial decree, I am heading to the Northeast to serve. Before I leave, I came to bid farewell to the Lady of the Plum Blossoms."

To concentrate their efforts against the Turks, the Tang needed to stabilize the Tibetans in the southwest and guard against the Xi and Khitan in the northeast. Thus, a few days prior, the Emperor had promoted Xue Chuyu to General of Dingyuan and Xue Song to Commandant of Zhenwei. The father and son were to serve under the Fanyang Jiedushi, An Lushan, to bolster northeastern defenses.

Before departing, Xue Song had wanted to bid farewell to the woman he had secretly admired for so long. Unfortunately, while Xue Song was as brave as a tiger in all other matters, he became as timid as a kitten when it came to romance. He had paced outside the manor for over an hour, never daring to enter—only to run into Li Zhao, who was there for the same reason.

'Bah, that man surnamed Li is shameless. Saying he's here to bid farewell—he must have some ulterior, filthy motive!'

'Bah, that man surnamed Xue is shameless. Saying he's here to bid farewell—he must have some ulterior, filthy motive.'

'Hmph, you are nothing but a rogue!'

'Hmph, you are the same!'