Ps: This is the fifth update today, please support with monthly votes. Also, a sect has been set up on the book page; I’m still figuring out its exact function. I hope everyone will participate and support this book, thank you.

Originally, even before this, Yu Feibai had planned a trip to Meishan. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried so hard to persuade Wang Guan to go with him. Now, feeling he had done something wrong and fearful of Yu Shuzhong’s reprimand, he was even more eager to leave for a few days to let the situation cool down.

Therefore, Qi Qingguo’s invitation arrived like a timely shower. Yu Feibai was delighted and certainly wouldn't refuse.

“Then it’s settled.”

Qi Qingguo was slightly taken aback. He had only been speaking out of politeness; he hadn't expected Yu Feibai to agree so readily. Moreover, his demeanor suggested he wasn't just making a casual promise.

However, Qi Qingguo didn't dwell on it too much. Frankly, it didn't matter much. Whether Yu Feibai genuinely intended to go or merely agreed on the spot, it held no real advantage or disadvantage for the calligraphy and painting exhibition. Of course, if Yu Shuzhong himself were to attend, that would be entirely different. Unfortunately, Yu Shuzhong’s position was somewhat sensitive, making it difficult for him to casually attend outside events.

Qi Qingguo felt a touch of regret, but securing Yu Shuzhong’s actual calligraphy in his absence was already satisfying enough. After bidding farewell for a moment at the entrance, he got into his vehicle and departed.

Watching Qi Qingguo leave, the three returned inside the house.

As soon as they entered the living room and saw the cut sections of rush matting scattered on the floor, Yu Shuzhong immediately turned around and sharply addressed Yu Feibai: “We have a guest, and you leave the hall a complete mess. What kind of spectacle is this? Clean it up quickly!”

While speaking, Yu Shuzhong ascended the stairs again. A moment later, he came back down, having changed out of his military uniform into casual attire, and strode confidently up to Wang Guan.

At this point, Yu Shuzhong extended his hand and said calmly, “Let me see the item.”

“Ah!”

Wang Guan froze, taking a long moment to react before hurriedly and clumsily handing over the ring-pommel sword in his grasp. Simultaneously, he felt a blush creeping up his neck. Perhaps he valued the sword so highly that he had held onto it from beginning to end.

He had completely forgotten that a sword is a weapon. Following Yu Shuzhong around while holding it, it was quite fortunate that the guards hadn't treated him as a potential assailant.

“Dad!”

Yu Feibai, standing nearby, saw this and was about to interject, hoping to salvage Wang Guan’s impression.

“Don't shout; you’re interrupting my appreciation of the item.”

Unexpectedly, upon receiving the ring-pommel sword, Yu Shuzhong entered a state of deep focus.

Furthermore, unlike Wang Guan and Yu Feibai who had immediately drawn the blade for examination, Yu Shuzhong first meticulously observed the decorative patterns on the scabbard, followed by the pommel’s ring, the dragon scale texture, and the bird motif, inspecting each element one by one.

After a long pause, Yu Shuzhong gently drew the blade, and a clear, brilliant gleam immediately shimmered in the air.

Even though this wasn't the first time they had seen the blade's keen edge, at this moment, both Wang Guan and Yu Feibai felt the blade exude a bone-chilling aura, its sharpness fully revealed, giving them a slight tremor in their hearts.

“Dad, this sword is incredibly sharp!”

At this point, Yu Feibai, with a touch of prideful display, boasted, “We tested it just now. It can certainly shave hair from a man’s beard, and even cutting through metal wouldn't be a problem.”

“That is indeed the case,” Wang Guan confirmed at Yu Feibai’s prompting. “The edge is extremely fine. When we cut the rush mat, it was easier than cutting tofu. That’s why, even after several chops, Feibai didn't notice.”

“Additionally, the sword body is inscribed with seal script,” Yu Feibai continued. “Wang Guan and I suspect this sword’s origin is not simple. It might be something recorded in historical annals, or perhaps it’s a famous ancient sword meticulously replicated by a later artisan. Of course, by 'later artisan,' we don't mean modern times, but perhaps the late Ming Dynasty, hundreds of years ago.”

“Hmm…” Yu Shuzhong nodded calmly, his composure unwavering.

Whether it was psychological conditioning or genuine experience, Wang Guan always felt that the words and actions of great men were profound, subtle, and inscrutable, making it impossible to fully grasp their thoughts.

After another period of close examination, Yu Shuzhong slowly sheathed the sword and then asked, “How did you acquire this item?”

Wang Guan hesitated slightly upon hearing the question. Before he could speak, Yu Feibai rushed to answer first: “Wang Guan picked this up while antique hunting on the mountain, buying it from a peasant family. At the time, the sword was locked inside a heavily rusted iron box. The lock was broken, and the box couldn't be opened, so the farmers sold the iron box to Wang Guan as scrap metal.”

Finishing, Yu Feibai sighed, “Dad, now you see what I mean about him being a master at finding overlooked treasures, right? He finds a bargain nearly every time he goes out. It makes me incredibly envious.”

“That’s because your eye isn't sharp enough. Instead of envying others, you’d do well to study hard. Daydreaming about impossible achievements will prevent you from achieving anything great,” Yu Shuzhong seized the opportunity to lecture, without harboring any suspicion.

Wang Guan smiled gratefully, knowing Yu Feibai was covering for him. After all, according to regulations, excavated items like this generally needed to be surrendered to the relevant authorities.

However, considering the great risk Wang Guan took to unearth the item, he was naturally reluctant to hand over both treasures so easily.

Human nature always possesses a selfish aspect. Perhaps one day his moral enlightenment would reach a sufficient height for selfless donation, but certainly not now.

“Yes, yes, yes.” Meanwhile, Yu Feibai nodded meekly. Once Yu Shuzhong stopped lecturing, he quickly changed the subject: “Dad, as a soldier, do you have any knowledge of ancient cold weapons? Do you know the origin of this sword?” —, ~~

Yu Shuzhong frowned sternly. “The origin of this sword is already marked by the inscription on the blade. Can’t you see it?”

“Of course I recognize the seal script,” Yu Feibai countered, defending himself. “But with both ‘Wu Chu Zhanlu’ and ‘Daxia Longque,’ it’s easy to get confused.”

“Sophistry,” Yu Shuzhong snorted. “Zhanlu was a famous sword from the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, while Daxia Longque is a renowned saber. They are distinctly different; how could you confuse them?”

“You mean this is the Daxia Longque Saber?” Yu Feibai reacted quickly, immediately understanding.

Ancient Sharp Weapons, Wu Chu Zhanlu, Daxia Longque, Famous throughout the Divine Capital. This constituted the first half of the inscription on the blade.

Before this, Yu Feibai had interpreted the inscription as referring to two ancient divine weapons: one was the Zhanlu Sword, and the other was the Longque Saber. The person who forged this sword intended for it to rival those two divine weapons, hence the inscription.

Hearing Yu Feibai’s explanation, Yu Shuzhong couldn't help but frown and shake his head. “I’ve always told you to read more, but you never listen. Now you’ve made a fool of yourself.”

“You can’t blame me entirely for that,” Yu Feibai complained aggrievedly. “Ancient Classical Chinese has words with multiple meanings, and different ways of segmenting the sentence lead to different interpretations and meanings.”

“Still arguing,” Yu Shuzhong chided him with a hint of exasperation that he wasn't improving. “Haven't you ever heard of the Chénshuǐ Lóngquè (Submerged Dragon Sparrow) or the Lóngquè Dàhuán (Dragon Sparrow Great Ring) from the Jin Dao Jian Lu (Record of Ancient Swords)?”

“Chénshuǐ Lóngquè, Lóngquè Dàhuán…” Yu Feibai shook his head blankly.

Wang Guan beside him was equally puzzled, having no recollection of these names.

Seeing this, Yu Shuzhong couldn't help but frown again. “Then, Helian Bobo, you must have heard of him?”

“King Helian Bobo? Isn't he a writer?” Yu Feibai mused, a faint memory stirring.

“No!” At this moment, Wang Guan couldn't help but interject, quickly stating, “Helian Bobo and King Helian Bobo are the same person, yet they are not the same person.”

“Wang Guan, what do you mean by that?” Yu Feibai was confused.

“As far as I know, there’s an author in the Writers’ Association who uses King Helian Bobo as a pen name,” Wang Guan smiled. “As for the historical Helian Bobo, he was the founder of the Hu Xia kingdom during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period. I recall his most famous deed was building the city of Tongwancheng. When constructing the city walls, he had people test them with awls. If the awl couldn't pierce the wall, the person who tested it was executed. If the awl sank in by an inch, the craftsman responsible for that section was executed.”

Wang Guan had put considerable effort into studying history. While he couldn't claim comprehensive knowledge, he certainly wouldn't forget historically significant figures and events.

“That’s correct,” Yu Shuzhong’s face softened with a smile, nodding in approval. “This Helian Bobo was once a subordinate of Yao Xing of Later Qin. He later raised his own army, declared himself King of Great Xia and Great Chanyu, and is often referred to as King Helian Bobo.”

“Moreover, something you both might not know: this man is considered the progenitor of guerrilla warfare.”

Pausing here, Yu Shuzhong noticed the blank expressions on Wang Guan and Yu Feibai, realizing they were unaware of this aspect. He immediately smiled and began to elaborate: “Back then, Helian Bobo established his own rule, captured several cities from Later Qin, and secured a large territory. His subordinates advised him that to conquer the realm, he first needed to consolidate the Guanzhong region, secure his base, and give his people a place to settle, noting the strategic defensibility and rich lands of Guanzhong as ideal for establishing a capital.”

“That suggestion from his subordinates was undoubtedly reasonable and strategically insightful. However, Helian Bobo, amidst the turbulent era teeming with formidable rivals during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, possessed his own astonishing military philosophy. He formally put forward the essence of guerrilla warfare: disregarding temporary gains or losses of territory, striking swiftly and unexpectedly like the wind, attacking the rear when the enemy rushed forward, and attacking the front when the enemy reinforced the rear, causing the enemy to exhaust themselves running, while we enjoyed ease and sustained ourselves.”

Yu Shuzhong sighed with admiration. “Reading Helian Bobo’s strategic thinking from over 1,500 years ago, and then comparing it to the sixteen-character maxim of guerrilla warfare from the Anti-Japanese War period, one cannot help but marvel at how far the wisdom of our ancestors exceeded common imagination. It holds immense research value.”

“Dad, we know about that. Our ancient Chinese military strategy is profound and vast; take the Art of War by Sun Tzu, the Thirty-Six Stratagems, for example—they have always been subjects of study worldwide,” Yu Feibai cautiously interjected. “However, is this sword related to Helian Bobo?”

“Of course.”

Interrupted mid-thought, Yu Shuzhong felt a flicker of annoyance but patiently explained, “You can tell just by looking at the hilt section of this sword. The ring is wrapped with dragon scales, and inside the ring is a bird-shaped decoration—this is what is referred to as the Longque (Dragon Sparrow). Many books record that the term Longque specifically refers to ring-pommel swords adorned with dragon and sparrow motifs inside the ring, fitted with elaborate mountings.”

“Although this type of Longque ring was a common configuration for Han Dynasty ring-pommel swords, according to the Record of Ancient Swords by Tao Hongjing, a chancellor in the mountains of Southern Liang during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Helian Bobo forged five swords in the second year of Longsheng (408 AD), which featured a dragon-sparrow ring on the back edge, inlaid with gold in the shape of a dragon, and a bird shape at the tip, named the Daxia Longque Saber.”

Yu Shuzhong explained methodically: “This sword is three chi and nine cun long, and its back is inscribed with characters such as: Ancient Sharp Weapons, Wu Chu Zhanlu, Daxia Longque, Famous throughout the Divine Capital, Capable of Subduing the Distant, Capable of Pacifying the Near, Like the Wind Sweeping Grass, Commanding Awe Over Nine Regions.”

“Dad, are you saying this sword is the Daxia Longque Saber forged by Helian Bobo back then?” Yu Feibai exclaimed, his tone a mixture of surprise and excitement.

(To be continued)