A well-meaning and anonymous onlooker suddenly stepped out of the crowd to hand over paper and a brush; this was the East Market of Jingdu, where all sorts of goods could be found.
Liu Mang wrote an IOU "of his own free will," then pressed his thumbprint upon it under Zhao Wujiang's watchful gaze.
"Get lost." Zhao Wujiang picked up the IOU and blew on it to dry the ink.
[Liu Mang owes Zhao Wujiang nine thousand liang.]
*Just you wait. Your name is Zhao Wujiang, right? You're a dead man...* Trembling, Liu Mang supported himself with the help of his four wailing servants as they dragged themselves away. He kept his head lowered, but the hatred in his eyes turned his pupils bloodred.
Zhao Wujiang folded the IOU and tucked it into his sleeve, then walked over to Li Yuanzheng and handed him the bank note.
"I'm buying your sword."
The hand holding Li Yuanzheng's sword trembled. Instead of taking the note, he said in a deep voice:
"Brother, Yuanzheng is deeply grateful, but one thousand liang is too much... You should leave quickly, too. The Liu family will not let this rest."
"The sword of Li Zuo, the armed escort, is worth far more than one thousand liang," Zhao Wujiang said with a calm smile.
Li Yuanzheng's pupils contracted violently. He stared at Zhao Wujiang in disbelief, unable to understand who this man was or how he knew his true identity.
Zhao Wujiang reached out and took the sword from Li Yuanzheng's grip.
"People of the jianghu live freely and untethered. You have already been trapped by money once—do you want that to happen again? Take it."
A bitter wave welled up in Li Yuanzheng's heart. He loosened his grip on the sword, accepted the bank note from Zhao Wujiang, then cupped his fists and said solemnly:
"Thank you, brother. Yuanzheng will not forget your helping hand today."
Zhao Wujiang turned the antique three-chi green-glowing sword over in his hands, then slowly slid it out of its scabbard. A chilling, brilliant gleam gradually revealed itself before his eyes.
Murderous intent!
Though Zhao Wujiang possessed no martial arts cultivation, he could feel it all the same. Unfazed, he slid the sword back into its scabbard.
"Fine sword."
Li Yuanzheng lowered his gaze slightly, reluctance filling his eyes. This sword had accompanied him for many years, and he had formed a profound bond with it.
"I'm giving this sword to you." Zhao Wujiang held out the sword toward Li Yuanzheng.
"Brother, you..." Emotions surged in Li Yuanzheng's chest.
Zhao Wujiang raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"I bought the sword, and now I'm giving it to you. Is there a problem? Or are you planning to abandon the companion that fought alongside you through thick and thin for all these years?"
With reddened eyes, Li Yuanzheng received the three-chi green-glowing sword, cupped his fists, and bowed.
"Brother, mere words cannot express my great gratitude! Once Yuanzheng has settled his family matters, I will guard your side for a thousand days!"
"We'll talk about that later," Zhao Wujiang said calmly. "Go take care of your family matters first."
"Brother, be careful of the Liu family. Their influence in Jingdu is not small..." Li Yuanzheng cupped his fists.
"There is still an old man around who can pack quite a punch." Zhao Wujiang patted Jia Ersan's arm and waved at Li Yuanzheng. "Go on."
"I vaguely heard earlier that brother's surname is Zhao. Brother Zhao, I will come looking for you." Li Yuanzheng bowed with cupped fists, then strode away.
The surrounding crowd gradually dispersed.
With a kind and benevolent expression, Jia Ersan praised: "My lord, this old slave finds that you possess quite a bit of that chivalrous jianghu spirit. Have you wandered the jianghu before?"
*I've just read too many wuxia novels, that's all...* Zhao Wujiang chuckled. "The jianghu? I've seen plenty of it."
Jia Ersan shook his head with a smile as a doubt occurred to him: "My lord, you stepped in to right a wrong, but I'm afraid this young master of the Liu family won't let it go easily."
"I know." Zhao Wujiang's eyes were deep as he tapped the IOU in his palm. "Good. I'm waiting for them to come pay up, anyway."
Chapter 47: He Was Always So Sensible
Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Zhao Wujiang had barely warmed his seat upon returning to the palace when a young eunuch came running in, completely out of breath.
"Grand Eunuch! Grand Eunuch! The Court of State Ceremonies has been looking for you!"
"What is it?" Zhao Wujiang sipped his tea unhurriedly.
The young eunuch panted heavily. "They say Princess Baiyue has been gloomy for days now, and the Court of State Ceremonies doesn't know what to do. Lord Li, the Minister of the Court, sent someone to ask for you."
"Let's go." Zhao Wujiang straightened his robes.
...
Outside the main gates of the Court of State Ceremonies.
Recently, the Court of State Ceremonies, in conjunction with the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites, had been preparing for the wedding between the Emperor and Princess Baiyue. Everyone was rushed and busy, with officials from the three ministries constantly passing back and forth.
At that moment, Liu Wanshan, a Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue, received word from his subordinates that his beloved nephew was looking for him.
He hurried out to the front gates and immediately caught sight of his nephew, Liu Mang. His brows furrowed tightly upon seeing Liu Mang's bruised and swollen face—he had clearly been "bullied."
*Who has the eyes in the back of their head to dare bully Liu Wanshan's nephew!* Liu Wanshan hurried forward. Although Liu Mang was his nephew, Liu Wanshan was already forty-three and still had no sons of his own; he treated Liu Mang as if he were his own flesh and blood.
"Uncle!"
The moment Liu Mang saw his uncle, his eyes filled with tears, looking like a child who had suffered every grievance in the world. "Uncle, you must seek justice for Mang'er."
Liu Wanshan frowned. "What happened? Tell me slowly, Mang'er."
Liu Mang wiped away a tear. "Today Mang'er went to play in the East Market and ran into a swordsman who was selling his sword to bury his mother. Mang'er wanted to buy his sword to help him out, but suddenly a scoundrel rushed out from the crowd, coveting the precious sword and refusing to pay. When Mang'er stepped up to reason with him, he humiliated Mang'er right there in public! What's more, he had an expert with him who directly inflicted heavy injuries on several of our family servants."
Furious, Liu Wanshan burned with rage.
Liu Mang continued to pile on exaggerations: "He directly robbed Mang'er of the three thousand liang in bank notes that I had prepared to show my filial piety to you, Uncle! And he even forced Mang'er to write an IOU for nine thousand liang! Finally, he even brazenly threatened us, telling the Liu family to get out of Jingdu!"
"Who is he?!" Liu Wanshan roared. The minor officials nearby all shrank their necks back; a Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue was a key official in the imperial court, and ordinary people could not withstand his anger.
"His name is Zhao Wujiang."
Someone answered Liu Mang's question with a voice tinged with magnetism and amusement.
Guided by the young eunuch, Zhao Wujiang had already arrived outside the gates of the Court of State Ceremonies. Hearing the furious roar of the Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue, he answered with a smile.
"Yes, Uncle! His name is Zhao Wujiang!"
Liu Mang had just been about to cast a look of gratitude toward the person who answered when he realized how familiar the man looked—it was unmistakably that odious Zhao Wujiang.
Gripping his uncle's arm, he spoke in a rush: "Uncle, it's him! It's this hateful wretch! Quick, have someone arrest him!"
Liu Wanshan froze in place. As he watched the smiling Zhao Wujiang walk closer and closer, his pupils contracted violently.
Zhao Wujiang was the Grand Eunuch of the Inner Palace, a favored subject of the Emperor whose reputation had been soaring recently. At the peace banquet, he had utterly suppressed all the talents and won a smile of admiration from Princess Baiyue. Furthermore, through his own channels, he had heard that Dugu Yihe, the head of the Dugu clan, had personally invited Zhao Wujiang to a banquet and seated him in the seat of honor...
*And a man like this is someone you're asking your uncle to arrest?* Liu Wanshan swallowed hard. "Mang'er, say no more."
"Uncle!" Liu Mang's face darkened. "Uncle, Mang'er suffered very severe injuries today—he's the one who beat me!"
"Stop talking, Mang'er." Liu Wanshan watched as Zhao Wujiang drew nearer, a bitter expression on his face as he patted Liu Mang's hand.
"I won't!" Liu Mang felt utterly wronged. "Uncle, you usually dote on me so much! What's wrong with you today? He's just wearing eunuch robes—what are you afraid of?!"
"Liu Mang!" Liu Wanshan roared.
At the same time, Zhao Wujiang called out in a clear voice: "Liu Mang, have you prepared the money?"
With a twisted expression, Liu Mang opened his mouth to speak again, only to see his uncle Liu Wanshan hurry forward and bow deeply to Zhao Wujiang.
"Grand Eunuch Zhao, you've come."
*Grand... Grand Eunuch...* Liu Mang swallowed with great difficulty, his entire body trembling like a sieve. He wanted to hide, but there was nowhere to run.
Zhao Wujiang wore a smiling expression. "Your nephew?"
"A cousin."
Liu Wanshan maintained a deadly serious expression, terrified of failing to distance himself, and quickly added, "Not a close one."
"Doesn't matter."
Zhao Wujiang slowly withdrew a slip of paper from his sleeve—it was the IOU written by Liu Mang. "I was just wondering how to go about finding him, and here he's delivered himself right to my door."
"He has always been very sensible," Liu Wanshan forced a smile, gesturing with his eyes for Liu Mang to come over.
*How on earth do you connect him to the word 'sensible'...?* Zhao Wujiang unfolded the IOU in his hand.
"Grand... Grand Eunuch, sir."
Liu Mang piled a smile onto his face. His family had money; nine thousand liang was something he could easily afford to pay off. Now that he knew Zhao Wujiang was someone he couldn't afford to cross, he wouldn't be foolish enough to provoke him again. Paying to settle the matter was the best possible outcome. "Grand Eunuch, sir, this lowly one will definitely get the nine thousand liang to you as soon as possible."
"Yes, yes, my lord! Paying one's debts is only natural and proper," Liu Wanshan chimed in with a forced smile, then barked at Liu Mang, "Kneel!"
Trembling all over, Liu Mang dropped to his knees with a thud, his expression respectful.
"Nine thousand is correct." Zhao Wujiang held the IOU up before their eyes. "Except it's not silver. It's gold."
Chapter 48: Because It's You, Anything Is Fine
The IOU read:
[Liu Mang owes Zhao Wujiang nine thousand liang of gold.]
Liu Mang felt as though his brain had been struck by lightning. When had the word "gold" been added to the end?
It was obviously something Zhao Wujiang had added himself!
Liu Wanshan was also frozen in place. Silver versus gold—the gap... was a bit wide.
"Grand Eunuch Zhao, this..."
Liu Mang wanted to speak, but Liu Wanshan immediately cut him off.
"Grand Eunuch Zhao, rest assured. Paying one's debts is only right and proper."
Zhao Wujiang glanced sideways at Liu Wanshan. "Sensible."
Amid the guarantees and forced smiles of Vice Director Liu Wanshan and Liu Mang, Zhao Wujiang stepped through the main gates of the Court of State Ceremonies.
Notified by a minor official, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies hurried over in a flurry of anxiety. The moment they met, he seized Zhao Wujiang's hand with fiery enthusiasm:
"Grand Eunuch Zhao, you've finally come!"
Seeing this scene from outside the gates, Liu Mang completely abandoned any thoughts of revenge. The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies was a Rank 3 senior official, yet he treated Zhao Wujiang with such extreme courtesy—there was simply no way he could ever hope to fight back...
"Where is the Princess?" Zhao Wujiang asked warmly.
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies gave a bitter smile. "Inside the Pingkang Tower, feeling quite out of sorts. She didn't even eat her breakfast today; I'm afraid her health might be failing!"
"Take me to her."
"I've heard Grand Eunuch Zhao possesses superb medical skills. I must trouble you, Grand Eunuch."
Gratitude filled the Minister's eyes.
Zhao Wujiang returned his smile. "Where is that, Lord Li? You're being far too polite. We're all just sharing the Emperor's burdens."
...
The two of them walked quickly to Pingkang Tower, passed through the main hall, and reached the quarters in the back.
Layers of guards surrounded the residence, not only to protect Princess Baiyue, but also to guard against her escaping the way she had last time.
With the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies flashing his face, the guards stepped aside, and soon Zhao Wujiang and the Minister arrived outside the temporary bedchamber of Princess Baiyue.
"Lord Zhao, many thanks. Another day, the three of us old fellows will invite you to a banquet at my estate."
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies quietly let out a breath of relief. The scene of Zhao Wujiang crushing the various talented youths to win Princess Baiyue's delight on that day was still vivid in his mind; now that Zhao Wujiang was here, the anxiety in his heart dissipated quite a bit.
Zhao Wujiang nodded, gently tapped on the door, and said with a smile:
"Princess, Little Zhao begs an audience."
Sounds suddenly came from within the quiet bedchamber, as if someone was walking over in a hurried rush.
The door creaked open, revealing Princess Baiyue's bright and peerlessly beautiful face.
Her lovely eyes were filled with pleasant surprise. "Zhao Wujiang."
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies let out a long sigh of relief. Looking at the smile that rapidly bloomed on the Princess's face, he knew he had found the right person.
"Grand Eunuch Zhao, this official will take his leave first. There are many matters in the Court demanding attention, so I must ask Grand Eunuch Zhao to examine the Princess's health."
Zhao Wujiang nodded and was pulled into the bedchamber by Princess Baiyue.
...
Inside the room.
Princess Baiyue pulled Zhao Wujiang down to sit, her autumn-water eyes sizing him up as she muttered in a muffled voice:
"Good friend, why haven't you come to see me?"
Zhao Wujiang knitted his sharp brows. With his exquisite medical skills, he faintly sensed a breath of decay lingering about Princess Baiyue. He seized Princess Baiyue's wrist and pressed his fingers against her pulse:
"I'm here now, aren't I? Have you felt any discomfort lately?"
"Does being unhappy count?"
Princess Baiyue crinkled her delicate nose, biting her lip as her eyes stared into Zhao Wujiang's concerned face.
"It counts."
Zhao Wujiang offered a warm smile, his fingers feeling the beat of her pulse. "Where else does it feel uncomfortable?"
"Nowhere else, I just feel stuffy inside."
With bright eyes and white teeth, Princess Baiyue gazed up at him as the autumn water in her eyes rippled. "You haven't answered my question yet—why haven't you come to find me?"
"A man must make his career a priority, you know."
Zhao Wujiang rubbed Princess Baiyue's head. "Roll up your sleeve; let me examine your entire arm."
Princess Baiyue pouted, dissatisfied with Zhao Wujiang's answer.
She extended both arms, signaling for Zhao Wujiang to do it himself—she wasn't going to cooperate.
A hidden worry gathered in the depths of Zhao Wujiang's brow, but he did not let it show. Wearing a spring-breeze smile, he gently rolled up Princess Baiyue's long sleeve section by section, baring an arm smooth as jade.
He caught a faint, lingering fragrance—evidently emanating from Princess Baiyue's own body.
A flush bloomed across Princess Baiyue's face like evening glow; she pursed her lips and gazed with quiet intensity at Zhao Wujiang.
Zhao Wujiang rolled the cuff higher and higher until, two inches above the joint of Princess Baiyue's left elbow, he discovered a greyish-green thread the thickness of a little finger hidden beneath her skin, continuously extending upward.
*Something is wrong!*
His heart skipped a beat, and he said in a deep voice: "Open... open your robes. I need to continue the examination."
Princess Baiyue felt her cheeks burning with a terrifying heat. Her eyes darted away, not daring to meet Zhao Wujiang's gaze, though she still kept her arms extended, signaling for Zhao Wujiang to do it himself.
Zhao Wujiang shook his head with a smile. "Aren't you afraid?"
"I'm not." The evening glow on Princess Baiyue's pretty face spread all the way to the tips of her ears. She lifted her gaze and saw Zhao Wujiang's gentle smile. Her heart pounded rapidly against her ribs, and she lowered her eyes to stare at the floor, speaking in a muffled, increasingly quiet voice:
"Because... it's you... so... anything... is fine..."
Chapter 49: After Marrying the Daxia Emperor, Can I Still Come Secretly to Play with You?
...
*Because it's you, so anything is fine...*
Listening to Princess Baiyue's sincere words, which sounded very nearly like a confession, Zhao Wujiang smiled warmly. He gently pinched Princess Baiyue's delicate, straight nose:
"Since anything is fine, then properly submit to my examination. You currently show signs of being poisoned..."
"But I feel much better the moment I see you."
Princess Baiyue couldn't stop biting her lips. She stared blankly at Zhao Wujiang's face, her mind recalling the scene of their very first meeting.
When she lifted the carriage curtain amidst the clamor and noise of the whole world, her eyes had instantly locked onto Zhao Wujiang sitting across from her. Those pupils, as deep and calm as a pool of water, had captivated her at first sight.
Before she had even finished "feeding" him her line, Zhao Wujiang had vanished. That had been their initial encounter.
When she met Zhao Wujiang for the second time, she hadn't wanted to stay trapped in the Court of State Ceremonies and had tried to escape—only to run into Zhao Wujiang again.
The two of them walked and stopped, sharing stories and speaking their true hearts.
Parting in the setting sun, meeting again in Pingkang Tower—that brief separation had felt exceptionally long. The talented youths upon the stage had all appeared washed in grey, until the moment she saw Zhao Wujiang once more, and the world abruptly brightened, brilliant and vivid as a painting.
When the diplomatic mission and the Emperor finished their negotiations, the outcome had been set. Locked away in Pingkang Tower for her own protection, her mind had been filled entirely with memories of encountering Zhao Wujiang.
Yearning was like a lingering plum-rain season—it seeped into the soul, damp and seemingly endless.
For the fourth time, Zhao Wujiang stood before her. Ripping waves stirred within her azure eyes as she grabbed Zhao Wujiang's large hand—the one that had gently untied her robes' button-loops and cords—her voice trembling slightly:
"Zhao Wujiang, can you come to see me often in the future?"
Zhao Wujiang nodded casually. "A man's career comes first, even if I am a man with a disabled body who perseveres."
*A disabled body who perseveres...* Ah, if only Zhao Wujiang were a real man, how wonderful that would be.
A trace of disappointment flickered across Princess Baiyue's face, but Zhao Wujiang added, "I'll come when I have time."
Hearing this, Princess Baiyue nodded lightly, though the gloomy depression between her brows remained unresolved.
Zhao Wujiang slowly untied the cords and button-loops of Princess Baiyue's outer garment, revealing her silk undergarment beneath. Then he parted the undergarment as well, exposing her pinkish-white *dudou* before his eyes.
He discovered that the greyish-green thread, as thick as a thumb, extended all the way from Princess Baiyue's left arm toward the vicinity of her heart; its exact destination was blocked from view by the *dudou*.
"I need to untie your *dudou* to check the exact location."
Zhao Wujiang met Princess Baiyue's gaze, which had been fixed on him the entire time.
Lying upon the bed with her robes half-undone and her alluring charm fully exposed, Princess Baiyue already had her lovely face flushed with the hue of evening clouds. Hearing Zhao Wujiang's words, she stretched out her arms to hook them around Zhao Wujiang's neck, a sigh of grievance in her voice:
"If... if only you weren't a eunuch..."
Zhao Wujiang could clearly read the flirtatious affection and regret in Princess Baiyue's words. He gave a faint smile:
"Even though I'm a eunuch and can't satisfy you, His Majesty, the Emperor of our Daxia, is awfully formidable in bed..."
"Ah?"
Princess Baiyue felt her cheeks grow scorchingly hot; Zhao Wujiang's words were simply too brazen.
Zhao Wujiang's large hand felt along Princess Baiyue's smooth back until it found a butterfly-knot cord, which he gently tugged:
"After you're married, you'll naturally understand..."
Right at that moment—
*Thump, thump, thump! Grand Eunuch Zhao! Grand Eunuch Zhao!*
*Thump, thump, thump! Is Grand Eunuch Zhao inside?*
Knocking sounded abruptly, followed by the inquiring voice of the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, Li Chenxu, from outside the door.
Zhao Wujiang had already been in Princess Baiyue's room for over half an hour. Neither the sounds of the Princess laughing nor any other noises had emerged from within; the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies was growing frantic inside. What if something had happened to Princess Baiyue and Grand Eunuch Zhao?
This was the Court of State Ceremonies, after all, and as the Minister, he wouldn't be able to escape responsibility. A visiting princess and a favored confidant of the Emperor—once something went wrong, his career as Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies would likely come to an end, and he might even lose his head.
"I must ask Lord Li to wait a moment longer!" Zhao Wujiang called out in a clear voice. At that moment, the cord of Princess Baiyue's *dudou* had already been undone, revealing even more enchanting scenery.
Brimming water filled Princess Baiyue's lovely eyes. Refusing to loosen her grip around Zhao Wujiang's neck, she muttered:
"Then... then after I marry the Daxia Emperor, can I still come secretly to play with you?"
*Hmm?*
*What kind of situation is this...*
*The Emperor is getting cuckolded by himself.*