Chapter 110: Mountain Rain

Night fell over the gardens of the Princess’s estate, alive with the flickering of fireflies and the persistent, gentle chirping of crickets hidden in the grass and stones. Under the soft, hazy glow of lanterns, several figures stood gathered.

"Your Highness!"

"Mm."

Wu Yueling looked at the two "beggars" who had changed into clean clothes and nodded, signaling them to stand.

Although the Saint of Painting, Wu, had not explicitly recommended them, the gesture of having beggars carry his paintings was a clear message in itself. It was a reminder to never forget one's roots, and a pointed hint that the Protector Princess must remain mindful of the common people suffering under the nation’s burden. That was why he had sent them to her in such a state.

"What are your names?" Under the dim light, Wu Yueling observed them closely. Surely, those introduced by the Saint of Painting must be extraordinary.

"I am Du Fu."

"I am Gao Shi."

"What?"

The names startled her; she rose to her feet, staring at Du Fu with a mix of shock and suspicion. Her sudden reaction caught Du Fu off guard—he wondered why the Princess’s mood had shifted so drastically.

"You are Du Fu?" Wu Yueling stepped closer, peering at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"That I am."

Du Fu was confused and trembling. He had expected the Saint of Painting to introduce them personally, yet the Saint had said nothing. He had no idea why the Princess had requested to see them, leading them into her estate to bathe and dress before meeting in this garden.

"You were recommended by the Saint of Painting. How would you like to work in the Princess’s estate?"

Wu Yueling set aside her surprise, looking at Du Fu as if he were a rare treasure. He had a short, thin goatee and gaunt cheeks, carrying the refined air of a scholar, yet his brow was etched with the lines of hardship, as if one could see towering mountains in the furrows of his forehead.

"We are deeply grateful for your patronage, Your Highness!" the two men bowed in unison.

"Think nothing of it. And you, I recall your name is Gao Shi, correct?" She turned to the other man. He had thick brows and large eyes; though lean, his frame was robust—clearly a man trained in martial arts. Her mind raced, already forming a plan.

"Yes! What are your orders, Your Highness?" Gao Shi replied.

"How would you like to help me train the local militia?"

Gao Shi agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

Wu Yueling fell silent, turning her head to gaze at the moonlit stream as it flowed and shimmered. An awkward silence settled over the group. Du Fu felt quite uneasy. What was he to do? It was certain he would stay to work, but he could not simply idle away his time. Seeing that Gao Shi had been given a position while he remained without one left him anxious.

He reflected on the situation: the Princess had seen through Gao Shi’s martial background at a glance, proving she was no ordinary person. Yet, her failure to assign him a role left him baffled. "Your Highness, may I ask what my duties shall be?"

Whether she was feigning ignorance or lost in thought, the Princess did not respond immediately. Du Fu’s voice had broken the silence, only for it to fall back into stillness.

Wu Yueling did not mean to make things difficult for him; she had actually thought of a suitable place, but she feared he might be unwilling to go. After a long pause, she finally said, "Assigning you a task is truly a pain in the balls."

Du Fu scratched his head in confusion. "Do balls have feelings?"

Wu Yueling stared at his bewildered face for a long time. Once she was certain he truly did not understand the vulgar idiom, she laughed until her shoulders shook and she could no longer stand straight. Calming herself, she joked, "Perhaps they can be painful!"

The Princess’s laughter made Du Fu blush, his thin skin flushing as he instinctively lowered his gaze.

"Does Your Highness have an arrangement suitable for Brother Du?" Gao Shi, not understanding why the Princess was so amused and thinking perhaps Du Fu had committed a gaffe, stepped in to smooth over the awkwardness.

"We shall discuss it later."

Just as Wu Yueling prepared to leave, she heard Li Bai calling out to her from a distance, demanding to know the method for saving the common people that she had wagered on earlier! A headache flared behind her eyes. Why bring up such an impossible question? How could she possibly have a real solution? She hadn't been here long; while she couldn't stand the oppression of slavery, she had no concrete answers as to why refugees appeared or why the people were so impoverished.

"Your Highness... Taibai... has a question!" Li Bai stumbled over, his clothes disheveled and his face flushed with heavy intoxication. He hiccuped loudly, clearly drunk.

Helpless, she turned back to listen.

"Your Highness, Taibai has remembered! *Hic!* What exactly is the method to save the people you spoke of that day? If Taibai could understand it, I would gladly lay down my life for it!"

He swayed, appearing to collapse, but steadied himself and lurched forward three steps, only stopping when Du Fu and Gao Shi grabbed his arms to keep him upright.

Hearing this, Wu Yueling felt it best to retreat. To be honest, she had no answer. She could faintly sense where the crux of the problem lay, but she could not bridge the gap. She said nothing, but gestured toward Du Fu, who was holding Li Bai’s arm, implying that he knew the answer she was looking for. Then, she picked up her lantern and departed.

Li Bai turned his drunken head toward Du Fu. "And who might you be, sir..."

***

In the inner courtyard of the Duke of Jin’s mansion, the Right Chancellor had just regained consciousness, feeling a splitting headache and profound discomfort.

After a long while, Li Linfu opened his eyes. The lantern light was piercing; turning his head, he saw Luo Yishi standing respectfully to the side. "Where am I?"

"Right Chancellor, we have returned to the mansion." Luo Yishi had grown accustomed to suppressing his bandit-like nature, learning how to serve those in power.

"Then... I have passed out! Tsk. I had intended to become one of the 'Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup,' but I ended up incapacitated. That strong liquor truly lives up to its name!" Li Linfu sat up slowly, feeling a deep sense of resentment. He picked up his teacup and took a sip, but the memory of something unpleasant made him smash the cup against the floor. It was that red-nosed drunkard who had been mocking his tolerance! And then, he had been the one to pass out!

Seeing this, Luo Yishi knelt immediately. He had seen many men in his time in the underworld, but he dared not offend or even look this man in the eye. This was not merely about street brawls—if this man truly unleashed his temper, even the King of Hell would likely give him a wide berth.

"What a pity, what a pity, my glazed treasure cup. Never mind! Consider it a toy for them. You red-nosed fool, you have been Chancellor long enough; it is time to step down!"

Li Linfu’s face was dark, his voice cold and devoid of emotion, sending a chill through Luo Yishi.

"Oh, I recall it was you who supported me, was it not?"

"Yes!"

"Then, did you reveal anything in front of the Princess?"

"Reporting to the Right Chancellor, your subordinate did not!" Luo Yishi replied, feeling a twinge of guilt; he had let a trace of killing intent slip in the Princess’s presence.

"Mm, it is best that you did not. Is Wang Lizhi still at the mansion?"

"Yes!" Luo Yishi felt a surge of relief that the Chancellor was not pursuing the matter.

"The Protector Princess is using the Eight Immortals to legitimize herself; a clever plan indeed. To think that at such a young age, she is already showing her ambition. Wang Lizhi spoke highly of her when we discussed her. Hmm! It seems the scholar and the beauty share a mutual admiration. I have an idea now."

"By the way, I hear the 'Bad Boys' are investigating your Manichaeism? And that a captain from the Ministry of Justice is in your hands?"

"Yes!"

"Hmph, teach the 'Bad Boys' a harsh lesson. Make them pull in their horns. Chang'an will be run by me!"