Chapter Seventy: A Pair of Born Actors
As always, history belongs to the victors.
Looking over Princess Taiping’s life, her greatest mistake was likely choosing the wrong side in the matter of succession, backing Li Dan. And the eventual victor, Li Longji, would never show mercy to an aunt who stood in the way of his ascent to the throne. The charges leveled against her—how much truth, how much fabrication?
...
Wu Ning knew little of history, but at least the Taiping before him seemed pitiable.
He lifted the teapot and slowly filled her cup. “What is it that Your Highness desires?”
Wu Ning was no longer the frivolous youth from the snowy fields; he seemed transformed. All the years of careful tutelage by his uncle had forged in him a calm, commanding presence, and now it was fully on display.
Taiping’s heart trembled, and she asked herself: Is this truly just a rustic boy? No wonder the master wishes to pass on his teachings to him.
Lost in thought, she heard Wu Ning repeat, “What does Your Highness wish for?”
Afraid she might not understand, he added, “Is it to resolve your own predicament, or to save the imperial clan?”
...
Taiping was silent. Save the imperial clan? Impossible. Her mother’s ascension was irreversible, imminent. With a woman ruling the world, with the rise of the Wu family, disaster for the Li clan was inevitable. No one could untangle this knot. Not even her mother, swept along by the tide, was powerless to change fate.
She bit her lip unconsciously. “In any case, I don’t want to marry Wu Chengsi.”
After all, he was the man who killed her husband.
“To force me to marry him is worse than death!”
Having said this, Taiping didn’t know why, but she looked at Wu Ning with expectation, as if she truly believed this rustic youth could unravel a crisis she herself could not.
Wu Ning exhaled heavily.
“If it’s just a matter of not marrying Wu Chengsi…”
Under Taiping’s eager gaze, Wu Ning suddenly curled his lip and shrugged. “It’s actually very simple—too simple, really!”
Taiping was taken aback.
“That seems a bit dismissive, doesn’t it?”
“Please, enlighten me, sir!”
So now he was “sir.”
Wu Ning replied coolly, “Just choose another member of the Wu family to marry. There’s plenty of them—it doesn’t have to be Wu Chengsi. Your Highness could pick a young, handsome one to your liking!”
“In that way, you’d still be a Wu family bride, still safe.”
Taiping was stunned.
It was an idea, but how shameless!
Her face flushed red; she glared fiercely at Wu Ning, feeling a strong urge to crawl across the table and throttle him.
She thought: How did my marriage become a mere transaction in his mouth? And even if it were a transaction, I am a princess of the Tang dynasty—must it be so blunt?
She retorted, “Don’t talk nonsense!”
And now he was “you” again.
“I will not marry into the Wu family!”
...
“Oh.”
To her surprise, Wu Ning seemed utterly unfazed by her displeasure. “So it’s still the same question. I’ll ask again.”
“What does Your Highness wish for? Is it possible to resolve your own predicament without marrying into the Wu family, or to save the Li clan?”
...
Taiping was silent for a long time before she spoke. “If you…”
“If you could save the Li clan, that would be best.”
Wu Ning smiled.
“Very good! I can help with that.”
Taiping was once again stunned.
She realized then that Wu Ning’s previous remarks were deliberate—he had been testing her.
Indeed, Wu Ning was probing Taiping.
Frankly, whether the historical Taiping or the one before him, he knew little about her. He needed to know if she was a selfish woman, whether she was worth saving.
And Taiping, who still thought of the Li clan’s fate even in her own crisis, made Wu Ning feel she was worth it.
“Forgive me, Your Highness!” Wu Ning resumed his steady demeanor.
“I can help. But there are two things I must say upfront.”
“Please, sir, speak.”
“First…” Wu Ning raised a finger.
“Since Your Highness has asked me to resolve this crisis, you must disclose to me, without reservation, every piece in this game—the hidden moves, the people in court who are yours—everything.”
“I can.”
Taiping nodded.
“Second…” Wu Ning paused. “Since you have asked me to resolve the crisis, I am the one holding the pieces. In this game, everyone is a piece—including Your Highness!”
“Only I decide how they are played!”
...
...
...
This declaration left not only Taiping astonished, but even Old Xiao and Meng Cangsheng’s hearts were racing. This boy was truly extraordinary!
Old Xiao thought: In this world, only Wu Lao Jiu would dare speak such words to Princess Taiping’s face.
Bold!
Confident!
Utterly audacious!
Meng Cangsheng silently recited, “I am the player; you are the piece; you must obey me!”
Hmm, better jot this down for future use.
...
“Agreed!!”
Wu Ning’s air of masterful strategy made Taiping once again believe he could truly save the Li clan.
She stood, faced Wu Ning, and with her jade hands clasped before her, she bowed deeply.
“I leave everything to your arrangements, sir!”
After rising, her face was full of hope. “Can you truly resolve the crisis facing the Li clan?”
Wu Lao Jiu curled his lip. “I cannot.”
Taiping: “...”
Old Xiao: “...”
Meng Cangsheng: “...”
Cannot?
Can. Not. Do!
Why act so high and mighty if you can’t do it!?
The three nearly fainted—never had they seen such shamelessness!
Princess Taiping was so furious her chest heaved; she was on the verge of exploding, ready to kill Wu Ning.
A dignified princess, toyed with by this youth to the point of having no temper left—unforgivable!
“You!!!”
“Don’t be angry, Your Highness!” Wu Ning grinned mischievously. “It’s true—I can’t resolve it. The knot between the Wu and Li families cannot be untangled by anyone. But…”
He shifted his tone. “But I can find a way to delay it.”
“Delay?” Taiping still hadn’t calmed down. “What use is delay? What must come will come!”
Wu Ning shrugged. “Better to live shamelessly than die well! At least for a period, you won’t need to worry about deaths in the Li clan, or retaliation from the Wu clan, nor will Your Highness have to fret about whom to marry.”
“How long is this period?”
Taiping was furious, determined to settle accounts with him once she left the temple.
“A month? Half a year? Or a year?”
Well, if he could truly delay it for a year, Taiping thought she’d keep him around, since a year is not short.
...
“Hmm, let me think…” Wu Ning genuinely pondered.
“A decade, maybe eight years—shouldn’t be a problem.”
Taiping exclaimed, “A decade, eight years—what’s…”
She hadn’t finished the word “use” before she froze.
“You… how long did you say?”
“A decade, maybe eight years,” Wu Ning repeated. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”
...
Taiping was momentarily dumbfounded, then straightened her face, clasped her hands, and bowed deeply again. “Please instruct me, sir!”
Wu Ning rolled his eyes, thinking: She’s quite the performer herself.
...
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Next chapter should still come in the latter half of the night; if your sister-in-law is asleep, I’ll post it tomorrow morning.