Chapter Seventy-Nine: Sudden Clouds of Suspicion
Wu Ning ought to count himself fortunate. After all, he was only fifteen, and Lady Wu merely used his words to admonish the court, rather than directly appointing him to serve at her side. Had she done so, the entire assembly of civil and military officials would hardly have shrugged it off. Watching a fifteen-year-old boy become the new favorite would have stirred murderous envy in their hearts.
Moreover, while Lady Wu admired Wu Ning’s talents, she did not truly like him. She acknowledged his abilities, but found his mouth a bit too bold. To put it plainly, he dared say anything, fire off any opinion, much like Chen Ziang, the long-serving official at Taiping’s estate. Talented as he was, his words and actions offended many, rendering him unsuitable for use. So, after praising Wu Ning in court, Lady Wu seemed to grow playful and issued another decree:
“Wu Ning, child of Fangzhou, harbors loyalty for home and country, his sincerity as radiant as the sun and moon. I reward him with fifty pounds of gold, to honor his achievement.”
Nearby, Shangguan Xiaowan, who was recording the decree, nearly burst out laughing at the reward. Fifty pounds? Was this a reward or a scare tactic?
Wu Ning, however, cared little. Only a fool would refuse money. Besides, fifty pounds of gold! That was a considerable sum. Whatever the real intention—whether to warn or intimidate—none of that mattered. Who would have guessed that a person of Lady Wu’s stature would eavesdrop like common folk? If need be, Wu Ning would simply keep his mouth shut in the future.
Besides, there was another layer to this: Lady Wu was telling Wu Ning, “I remember you now.” Did Wu Ning care? Not in the least. He was the sort who treated nothing seriously. So what if it was Wu Zetian? Wasn’t she just a formidable old lady? He hadn’t crossed her; what was there to fear? As long as he got the money, that was enough.
His mind was filled with dreams of a hundred pounds of gold, but when the money actually landed in his hands, Wu Ning was dumbfounded. Damn it, she played him!
It turned out that “fifty pounds of gold” meant something else entirely! Had Tang Yi been here, he wouldn’t even have accepted the decree after hearing “fifty pounds of gold.” It was obvious trickery.
Wu Ning didn’t know that, in ancient times, imperial rewards often spoke of gold by the hundreds or thousands, but the “gold” was not actually gold, but merely metal. Or, to put it more bluntly, it looked like gold—but was actually copper. Rewarding someone with so much copper sounded unpleasant, so to add a touch of prestige, they called it gold instead.
His “fifty pounds of gold” was actually fifty pounds of copper coins, amounting to just over ten strings of cash.
Damn it!
Wu Ning thought to himself, how did he not realize that the old lady was so stingy? Just over ten strings of cash, and she had the nerve to make it a reward.
Ten strings... and she even had it hauled all the way from Luoyang?
Seeing Wu Ning’s pained expression, Princess Taiping found it all very amusing.
Taiping was in excellent spirits. Her mother had read Wu Ning’s words in court to chastise the officials, which meant Lady Wu knew everything, including Wu Ning’s advice to ease tensions between the Wu and Li families.
Yet Lady Wu only issued a reward decree for Wu Ning, an outsider, and said nothing about Taiping, Wu Sansi, Wu Chengsi, or Li Xian. This signaled tacit approval, so there was no longer any fear that today’s actions would cause her mother to misinterpret anything.
Page (1/3)
“All right!” Taiping said, smiling broadly. “You should be content. For many, just having their names remembered by her majesty would be cause for three days’ celebration, let alone a reward.”
Wu Ning was speechless, thoroughly swindled by Lady Wu this time.
He turned to Taiping, saying, “Your Highness has stayed at my place for over twenty days now. Shouldn’t you be heading back?”
Taiping raised her delicate brows; not only did she have no intention of leaving, she sat down again, unhurried.
“Why leave? Isn’t it nice here?”
Indeed, even when Li Xian celebrated his birthday, Taiping only visited briefly and returned in the evening, never spending a full day in the city.
Wu Ning felt a headache coming on. Fine! If you won’t leave, I’ll just hide.
With Lady Wu’s decree, all under heaven knew Wu Ning of Fangzhou had caught her attention, and he might be a rising star. Could Wu Ning stay at home anymore? All sorts of factions would likely be heading his way; it was best to lay low.
Thinking this, Wu Ning couldn’t help but mutter, “Such shamelessness in old age, despicable!”
“Hm?” Taiping heard him. “Who are you talking about?”
“Oh, nothing,” Wu Ning quickly changed the subject. “I need to spend a few days in the city, Your Highness. Please stay here comfortably.”
With that, he called Wu Li and headed for his fourth uncle’s house in the city.
...
Wu Ning didn’t notice that the official who had traveled specially from Luoyang to announce the decree was now gazing at Wu Ning’s departing figure with a furrowed brow, silently thinking, “This boy... why does he look so familiar?”
“Minister Zhou?” Taiping called softly from the side.
Zhou Xing snapped back to himself and quickly bowed to Taiping. “Your Highness, what are your orders?”
The Taiping who had just been chatting with Wu Ning now wore her usual calm, cool expression.
“A routine decree, yet her majesty sent you personally. Is there another message she wishes you to convey?”
Zhou Xing, hearing this, instantly put on a fawning smile. “Nothing escapes Your Highness. The Empress asked me to relay her message: She is very pleased by Your Highness’s efforts.”
“But... the Empress says the current situation is delicate. She asks Your Highness to work hard to mediate between the Prince of Luling and Minister Wu, as well as Master Wu.”
“This...” Taiping was troubled.
She hadn’t expected her efforts at self-preservation to be seen as an accomplishment by her mother. Now she was entrusted with the heavy responsibility of bridging the Wu and Li families.
Truth be told, without Wu Ning, Taiping wouldn’t have managed even the first step, let alone act as mediator.
Yet whether she was capable or not was her own business; now that Wu Hou had spoken, Taiping could not refuse.
She replied, “Understood. Minister Zhou, you have traveled far. Please go and rest.”
Page (2/3)
She thought to herself that when Wu Ning returned, she would have to trouble him once more.
As Zhou Xing bowed and withdrew, his mind was still occupied by Wu Ning’s strangely familiar face.
Now Zhou Xing was certain he had seen this boy somewhere before.
...
All this was observed from the inner chamber by the Ugly Uncle, whose brow was deeply furrowed as if recalling events from years past.
“What’s wrong, brother?” Chen Ziang asked in confusion.
“Nothing...” Ugly Uncle shook his head slowly. “It’s likely Zhou Xing has realized that Ninth Young Master is the boy from the river crossing five years ago.”
“No!” The more he thought, the more alarmed Ugly Uncle became.
If Zhou Xing truly recognized Wu Ning as the child from five years past, and linked him, along with the Daoist who traveled with him, to the disappearance of Qiu Shenji that night, things would get complicated.
He hurriedly saluted Chen Ziang. “Brother, please sit here. I must go up the mountain!”
Hearing he was about to leave, Chen Ziang grew anxious. “Brother, it’s best for you to remain unseen. Her Highness already inquired once about your origins; she must be suspicious.”
He looked at Ugly Uncle. “After all...”
“Appearance and voice can be concealed, but how could Her Highness fail to recognize your build?”
Ugly Uncle fell silent, stood for a moment, and finally strode out the door.
He bowed deeply to Taiping in the courtyard, then left for the Temple of Immortal Inquiry.
Taiping watched his retreating figure, thinking only one thing:
That bow had all the dignity of court ritual...
So familiar!
...
The World Cup! Poor Cangshan’s little frame can hardly withstand it!
Can I take a month off from updating, watch the matches, and then continue the story?
Page (3/3)