Chapter 500: Entrapment

Wang Yunshu had just finished a second tryst with the two courtesans from Peach Blossom Tower and was utterly exhausted. As he knelt, his body began to tremble, but he dared not move a muscle, fearing any slight movement would be misinterpreted as ill intent. Fortunately, Xu Fengnian laughed and said, "Yunshu, I just told Miss Caozhun that we have a close relationship. Although our last bet stipulated that the loser would kneel upon meeting, you don't need to get addicted to it. Get up. I hear you're the top patron here; aren't you afraid Peach Blossom Tower will look down on you later?"

Caozhun's emotions had swung wildly that day. In her opinion, Wang Yunshu definitely hadn't collapsed there, feigning death, simply because his legs had suddenly given out. The only explanation was the young master in the room, who claimed to be from Lingzhou Prefecture. Whether he was an old friend of Wang Yunshu's was hard to say, but his family background was certainly far superior to that of the Huangnan Prefecture Commander. Even if he were the son of an official of similar rank and had once been severely reprimanded, he would never be so subservient as to prostrate himself upon meeting someone. As a junior manager, Caozhun couldn't afford to stand idly by and stare like Xueyi. She quickly sifted through her thoughts like sand. Aside from her earlier disrespectful act of rubbing her buttocks on the gray-haired young master's lap, Caozhun considered her other interactions to have been decent. However, she was ultimately just a courtesan from Peach Blossom Tower. Sons of officials often became officials, and sons of generals frequently joined the military; as there are dragons that beget dragons and phoenixes that beget phoenixes, there are naturally also mice that beget hole-digging offspring. Yet, women like her, who followed their mothers into prostitution, were certainly present in Huangnan Prefecture but were exceedingly rare.

Xu Fengnian wasn't really thinking about Wang Yunshu. The only reason he remembered the name was because the young master's father, Wang Xihua, the Commander of Huangnan Prefecture, was quite distinguished. The Wang surname was a prominent one in Huangnan Prefecture, with numerous ancestral temples. However, despite sharing the same surname, they did not all share the same ancestor, with four well-known branches: the Shuijing Wang clan, the Longyi Wang clan, the Lingsu Wang clan, and the Zijin Wang clan. Military Governor Li Gongde was an outsider in Huangnan Prefecture. His rise to power was due to him being the son-in-law of the Longyi Wang clan and his success in uniting several major Wang clans whose lineages were intricately intertwined. If corrupt minor officials were a new ailment, then the pervasive influence of established noble families was an old malady, almost beyond cure.

Wang Yunshu was quick-witted, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to navigate Huangnan Prefecture so smoothly, dealing with both legal and illicit circles. He immediately understood that the Prince didn't want to reveal his identity. He quickly rose, still solemnly brushing off his sleeves and straightening his clothes. Xu Fengnian stood up and made a raised-arm gesture for wine to Caozhun. There was wine in the room, but it was too common to serve Wang Yunshu. Caozhun thought of fetching some aged, mellow wine from the cellar, but Xu Fengnian said the simple "Green Ant" wine would suffice. Caozhun was astonished and dared not question him, but she still instinctively glanced at Wang Yunshu, which infuriated the young master. He thought to himself, 'Is this junior manager blind? Isn't she setting me up?' He shot her a sharp glare, telling her not to overdo it. Caozhun, realizing she had inadvertently overstepped, quickly lowered her gaze and hurried away. Xu Fengnian waved his hand at Wang Yunshu, indicating he should sit. Wang Yunshu fawningly shook his head, hastily saying he was more comfortable standing. Still, Xu Fengnian pulled a chair for Wang Yunshu, while he himself stood by the window. Wang Yunshu sat down with a dry laugh, feeling as if he were sitting on pins and needles. He silently invoked every Bodhisattva, immortal, and Buddha he knew, praying that this notoriously ill-tempered Prince wasn't merely being polite before resorting to force. Even Zhong Hongwu in Longqing Prefecture had been severely dealt with; for an insignificant subordinate like himself, who held no official post, the Prince could surely do as he pleased, whether it was "steaming" him or "braising" him. Xu Fengnian leaned his elbow on the window rail and asked, "How is Uncle Wang's health?"

Wang Yunshu swallowed, nodded, and replied, "He's well, quite well."

Xu Fengnian, who had been amiable with Wang Yunshu throughout, thought for a moment and smiled, "Uncle Wang comes from one of Beiliang's rare scholarly families. His erudition in Huangnan Prefecture is no less than that of Prefect Song Yan. I heard a Wudang Daoist master once observed his physiognomy and gave a prophecy. How did it go again?"

Wang Yunshu said awkwardly, "That unknown old Daoist priest said my father, in his youth, indulged in chivalry and horsemanship, then immersed himself in classical studies and literary composition, then in Huang-Lao Daoist mysticism, then in the Western Buddhist Pure Land, and finally returned to the sages. I figure whether that Daoist priest was from Wudang is debatable. I'm making a fool of myself in front of Your Highness... I mean, Young Master Xu."

Xu Fengnian shook his head, "When I was on Wudang Mountain, I indeed heard of this. That old master was a truly worthy Daoist immortal, the former Grandmaster, Wang Chonglou."

Wang Yunshu gawked in astonishment. To be honest, even the Wang family hadn't taken the prophecy very seriously, regarding it merely as an interesting tidbit for after-dinner conversation. However, it was true that his father, in his youth, had traveled alone on horseback, carrying a sword and books for study, full of chivalrous spirit. But now, Commander Wang was devoted to the serene principles of Huang-Lao Daoism. Wang Yunshu had never seen his father practice swordplay since childhood, and he rarely even rode horses. Commander Wang had also never mentioned his youthful travels to his only son. Wang Yunshu had always dismissed these rumors, which his own father seemed disinclined to discuss, as mere flattery from sycophants and busybodies.

If it truly was that old immortal who could sever the Canglan River with a single finger, then that was truly remarkable. Wang Yunshu immediately looked at his father, who had made enemies on all sides in the Lingzhou bureaucracy, with new respect. Just the fact that his father was at odds with the Military Governor alone had made Wang Yunshu feel his own future was bleak. Wang Yunshu's skill at reading people was even more refined than Caozhun's. When the Prince spoke of the old Wudang Grandmaster, his gaze and expression were remarkably gentle, not the kind of unsettling, chilling softness that made others' bones ache. Wang Yunshu, of course, couldn't know about the profound connection between Wudang Mountain and Qingliang Mountain, a bond that could almost be described as something even an immortal's sword couldn't sever.

The ubiquitous Green Ant wine was readily available in Beiliang. Caozhun soon brought four pots. Xu Fengnian and Wang Yunshu naturally took two, Caozhun kept one for herself, and since Xueyi wasn't a heavy drinker, the last pot went to the woman in the mink cap disguised as a green-robed page. As she handed over the wine, Caozhun suddenly froze. Was there truly such a beautiful person in the world? Could she even rival Li Shuangjia of Xiangfan City? Xu Yanbing had already closed the door, resuming his post as an inscrutable door god. Xu Fengnian held a small wine pot with two fingers, gently swirling it, and slyly asked, "Do you still resent Li Hanlin?"

Wang Yunshu had just taken a sip of wine to calm his nerves. He normally wouldn't touch Green Ant wine, but drinking with the Prince, even the dregs of this barely palatable drink would have inspired him to drink until he dropped. Suddenly, hearing a remark that struck him where it hurt most, he nearly spat out a mouthful of wine. He quickly swallowed the strong liquor, but his heart was in his throat. He cautiously offered a bitter smile, "How dare I? Young Master Li has already made a name for himself and achieved great things on the frontier. Not to mention holding a grudge, if Young Master Li returns to Huangnan Prefecture to visit his ancestors and relatives, I'd even lead his horse for him. However, before Young Master Li left Huangnan Prefecture, he said he'd beat me so badly my own father wouldn't recognize me every time he saw me. Even if I wished to apologize, I truly wouldn't dare face Young Master Li and get a beating."

Caozhun thought she had grasped the secret. This young man from Lingzhou Prefecture must have had a connection with Young Master Li Hanlin, the Military Governor's son, perhaps even a younger relative, which was why Wang Yunshu was so terrified. Xu Fengnian nodded, as if he believed Wang Yunshu, and then casually asked, "I hear you have a sworn brother who is a commander in Huangnan Prefecture, leading a battalion of three to four hundred armored soldiers. They're all light cavalry, and their warhorses are of upper-middle B-grade. They'd be perfectly fine even on the Youliang frontier, far more elite and battle-hardened than the soldiers under the county captains, wouldn't they?"

Wang Yunshu scratched his head, chuckling, and grinned with an honest expression, "They're just showpieces bought with money; they certainly look good. But if you were to take them to the frontier to fight barbarians to the death, I'd say it's iffy. They're all new recruits who haven't seen battle. Honestly, many of them are direct disciples of Huangnan Prefecture gangs; they're not good at fighting wars, but they're very good at brawling. Since Young Master Xu asked about these family disgraces, I can only tell the truth. If anything I said was wrong, please tell me, Young Master Xu, and I'll clarify it with my father and sworn brother later. I'll make sure everything goes exactly as you wish, without any deviation."

Caozhun, who had heard every word, grew increasingly surprised. So, this young master from Lingzhou wasn't just a simple relative of the Li family? Otherwise, how could he criticize or direct the military and political affairs of Huangnan Prefecture? Squabbles between dissolute young masters, even at their worst, typically amounted to mutual brawls, with each side bringing in their powerful figures, fighting fiercely. The most serious outcome would be well-equipped soldiers acting as accomplices; there was no way it would be severe enough to shake the foundations of a family. In the junior manager of Peach Blossom Tower's impression, there had never been a young scion from Huangnan Prefecture who could bypass their elders and challenge those old bureaucratic foxes. Huangnan Prefecture, as Beiliang's granary, had officials who threw their weight around, and none of them were simple. Not only were Prefect Song Yan's tactics ruthless, but Commander Wang was also famously meticulous; one could say each of them was a hornet's nest.

Xu Fengnian laughed, "There are too many rich people in Huangnan Prefecture, but many of them have money but lack the savvy. In the past, during the competition for the Inspector of Fengzhou position, it wasn't Uncle Wang who lost to the Military Governor, but rather the Shuijing Wang clan that lost to the Longyi Wang clan. He was suppressed by the Military Governor for so many years, to the point that he couldn't even become the Prefect of Huangnan Prefecture later. Then, despite being marginalized by Song Yan, whose higher rank could crush a man, he still managed to remain secure and firmly held the power to distribute official positions within the prefecture, which was extremely difficult. Now, Prefect Song is finally relocating from Huangnan Prefecture to become an Assistant Prefect in Lingzhou."

Wang Yunshu's expression grew complex. Was the Prince implying that his father should advance further?

Xu Fengnian didn't keep him in suspense, directly laying out the implications for Wang Yunshu. "However, the Prefect post will still have to be filled by an official from the Longyi Wang clan. The established rules of officialdom, passed down through generations, cannot simply be broken at will, or it would cause too much resentment. What I'm curious about now is whether your sworn brother truly has some real ability."

Wang Yunshu gritted his teeth and said, "My sworn brother..."

At this point, the young master glanced at Caozhun, who had pricked up her ears. Xu Fengnian smiled, "Miss Caozhun, please go with Xueyi and fetch some fresh refreshments."

As soon as the outsiders left, Wang Yunshu immediately stood up and carefully chose his words. "Your Highness, my sworn brother is named Jiao Wuyi. He does have ability and once achieved significant military merits on the Youzhou frontier. Unfortunately, he was framed and slandered by his colleagues. Not only did it cost my father over ten thousand taels of silver for nothing, but my sworn brother almost didn't make it back to Huangnan Prefecture alive. However, our Wang family accepts the loss in this matter, and I won't complain about it to Your Highness. In recent years, my sworn brother Jiao Wuyi has often drowned his sorrows in wine in Huangnan Prefecture, but his martial arts skills haven't diminished. Even now, he frequently takes his soldiers to chisel ice on the river and makes them jump into the freezing water. Whoever can't endure it has to leave. I'm not trying to flatter my sworn brother to deceive Your Highness; I've truly never seen a commander who led troops so ferociously."

Xu Fengnian laughed, "If you were to go to the frontier and see for yourself, you'd know this is nothing at all."

The young master's face immediately flushed red, and he said sheepishly, "Please don't be offended, Your Highness. It is Wang Yunshu's limited knowledge."

Xu Yanbing lightly coughed.

Almost simultaneously, Xu Fengnian waved his hand at Wang Yunshu, then turned to stand by the window, gazing towards the humble dwelling with a wattle gate.