Chapter Twenty-Five: A Visitor Bearing Gifts

Judging by their attire, these young men were surely the sons of high officials or noble families, all flamboyantly dressed and riding spirited horses, charging recklessly through the street. Many small stalls along the road had no time to dodge; some were trampled by the horses, others collapsed and injured their owners.

“As expected of the scions of the powerful—arrogant no matter the place or hour,” Yang Lian sighed, turning to leave. Though he was indignant, he understood that in these times, one needed strength and strategy to act. He would not provoke them. Perhaps this was pragmatism.

Before Yang Lian even reached the Laifu Inn, he heard the clamor of drums and firecrackers. Curious, he hurried ahead and saw a group of laborers carrying over a dozen chests of various sizes. At the front rode a man on a tall steed, dressed like a steward, speaking loudly before the inn.

Yet his voice was oddly shrill, and his chin was beardless, lending him a peculiar air. The man called out, “Is Young Master Yang Lian present?”

Wang Hu was bewildered. Ever since he’d woken with a dull ache at the back of his head, Yang Lian had disappeared—who knew where he’d gone? Zhao Peng and Little Black were equally puzzled, as Yang Lian had left unnoticed.

The steward called out twice, frowning when no one replied. At that moment, Yang Lian stepped forward, stopping a dozen paces away and cupping his hands in greeting. “I am Yang Lian.”

“You are Young Master Yang?” The steward dismounted, approached briskly, and studied Yang Lian, noting the familiar scar on his face before breaking into a smile. “Indeed, you are he.”

The voice struck a chord of recognition in Yang Lian’s mind. The steward’s expressive glances reminded him—this was the eunuch he’d met in Henglin Town, though he didn’t recall his name.

“What brings you here?” Yang Lian inquired with curiosity.

The steward smiled slightly. “Young Master Yang’s righteousness and bravery in saving the Princess have deeply moved Prince Qi. Hearing that you’ve just opened an inn, His Highness has ordered me to bring you some gifts. Please, accept them.”

Since the gifts were from Prince Qi, Yang Lian accepted without hesitation, bowing. “Such generosity from His Highness overwhelms me. Please, sir, come inside.”

“No need for such formality, Young Master. You may call me Zhang Defu,” the eunuch replied, then turned to the laborers. “Hurry and carry these inside for Young Master Yang—careful not to break anything!”

The laborers responded and soon moved the chests inside.

“Master Zhang, please come in!” Yang Lian said, signaling subtly to Little Black, who quickly slipped away.

Yang Lian led the way, with the steward following, and together they entered the inn. Though the establishment was simple, it was clean, and Zhang Defu’s impression of Yang Lian improved. He had once seen Yang Lian act rudely toward Princess Huairou, but since the Princess herself never mentioned it, as a servant, he saw no reason to interfere.

Especially after Yang Lian discreetly slipped him a silver ingot, Zhang Defu’s eyes narrowed in delight—he was thoroughly satisfied with the young man.

After some polite conversation, Yang Lian glanced over the gift list and could hardly believe his eyes. There were ten gold ingots, each weighing at least ten taels. In ancient China, gold and silver were not the main currencies until after the Song dynasty, when trade made them mainstream, and by the Ming and Qing, they were the primary mediums of exchange.

Thus, a hundred taels of gold was a fortune, equivalent to the wealth of at least ten middle-class households. And that was not all; Prince Qi’s gifts included two precious gems, five hundred taels of silver, various pieces of furniture and silk, and several fine porcelain items.

Staring at the list, Yang Lian drew a sharp breath. Was he dreaming? In just a few days, he had gone from penniless to fabulously wealthy.

Yang Lian’s reaction pleased Zhang Defu greatly. In his eyes, Yang Lian had his flaws, which was good—after all, every man loves either wealth, beauty, or power.

Yang Lian’s shortcomings were a comfort. Zhang Defu didn’t linger long; after bidding farewell, he returned to report his success.

As the procession left to the beat of drums, Yang Lian narrowed his eyes, fully aware of Prince Qi Li Jingsui’s desire to win him over. Staring at the gleaming gold, he had to admit, Prince Qi was being exceedingly generous.

Wang Hu had never seen so much gold in his life—he felt dazed, as if in a dream.

Yang Lian put away the gold, then took out three small silver ingots, each about a tael, and handed them to Wang Hu. “Wang Hu, here’s some money for you. Over there is some cloth—take a length each, you three, and have new clothes made. The Laifu Inn has changed hands, and its people should look the part.”

Zhao Peng immediately knelt and bowed. “Thank you, master!”

“Get up. Just remember this—if I have food, so will you. Work honestly, and I’ll see it,” Yang Lian told them.

Zhao Peng rose and took the silver, his feelings mixed. Wang Hu and Little Black were likewise overcome with gratitude, instantly feeling that Yang Lian was a far better master than Li Xiongxin had ever been.

After securing the gold and silver and storing the silks in his room, Yang Lian understood Li Jingsui’s intentions. For now, he would wait. But he had other matters to attend to and set off to find Li Xiongxin.

Meanwhile, after Li Shu’s fall, though it was his own carelessness, he vented his anger on Yang Lian. If not for Yang Lian seizing his family’s property, would he have suffered such a fate? As for Little Black, Wang Hu, and Zhao Peng—ungrateful traitors, changing masters without so much as a blink after all the Li family had given them. Li Shu was furious.

He returned to gambling, his way of coping with frustration, but luck was not on his side that day—the two strings of coins he brought were soon lost.

Clicking his tongue in disappointment, he had hoped to turn his luck around. Now what? Life would be hard unless he found a way to recoup his losses. Depressed, Li Shu stood up.

Suddenly, a burly man strode over, grabbed him by the collar, and barked, “Li Shu, when will you pay your debt?” He raised a palm as broad as a fan.

“Ah, it’s Brother Ba. Don’t worry, I’ll pay in a couple of days,” Li Shu stammered, trying in vain to pry the man’s hand loose with his bony fingers.

“A couple of days? You’ve said that how many times now? If you don’t pay soon, I’ll take your hands and feet,” Ba declared menacingly.

“No, please, let’s talk this through,” Li Shu pleaded. Without hands or feet, he’d be ruined.

“Hmph. Two days. If you don’t pay, you’ll regret it.” Ba delivered a sharp flick to Li Shu’s forehead, making stars dance before his eyes.

Within the imperial city, Prince Qi, Li Jingsui, walked alongside the Emperor, Li Jing.

At court that day, the ministers had been in heated debate. With war breaking out again in Fuzhou, should the Tang send aid to Chen Jue? Though Privy Councilor Chen Jue had mobilized troops without authorization, the court had quickly reinforced Changzhou to guard against an invasion from Wuyue. Some, led by Song Qiqiu and Feng Yansi, advocated war; others, like Han Xizai and Xu Xuan, firmly opposed it, arguing that with the realm in chaos and the people suffering, further conflict would only harm the nation.

The two sides’ dispute gave Li Jing a headache. On one hand, Song Qiqiu was a founding elder, instrumental in helping Emperor Liezu overthrow the Yang Wu regime and establish the dynasty. On the other, Han Xizai had served Li Jing since his days as crown prince, managing the Eastern Palace’s literary affairs; Li Jing admired his talent greatly.

Emotionally, Li Jing could not choose. From the court’s perspective, both sides had merit. The crucial question was whether the Tang could win. If victorious, they could seize Min and cripple Wuyue, dominating the south. But if defeated, the dynasty’s prestige would suffer, and its status as the preeminent southern power would be shaken.

Unable to decide, Li Jing sought out his brother, Prince Qi, for counsel after court.

“I heard Princess Huairou has returned?” Li Jing asked.

“Brother, she arrived two days ago,” Li Jingsui replied.

“That child is always so mischievous. Perhaps once she’s married, she’ll settle down and tend to her household,” Li Jing mused.

“With her wild nature, I fear no one will want her,” Li Jingsui laughed. He, too, wondered—she resembled neither parent, which was rather odd.

“Nonsense. She is a princess by my decree, beloved by heaven. How could she fail to marry? Her husband must be a rare talent,” Li Jing said, waving his hand dismissively.

Li Jingsui simply smiled. He wished his daughter happiness; his words had only been self-effacing.

“I heard she ran into some trouble while out?” Li Jing pressed.

“She did, but it’s nothing serious now,” Li Jingsui answered.

“Nonsense! I heard she was kidnapped. Who would dare such a thing?” Li Jing’s tone darkened—kidnapping a princess was a grave matter.

Sensing that his brother knew something but not the full story, Li Jingsui did not lie, recounting the entire affair.

Li Jing listened, his shock and anger mounting. As he suspected, it was the work of Wuyue—how dare they insult the throne! Though a scholar by nature, even a clay idol has a temper, and he was an emperor besides. “Wuyue has gone too far! I—” He cut himself off mid-sentence.

“Brother, if not for Hero Yang’s timely intervention, who knows what might have become of Princess Huairou,” Li Jingsui said, with a trace of lingering fear.

Li Jing nodded, making up his mind. He asked, “Brother, such a righteous man deserves proper gratitude.”

“Yesterday I visited him in person. Before coming to the palace, I sent a hundred taels of gold, five hundred of silver, and fine cloth. He has just purchased an inn in the capital, so I also sent excellent furniture,” Li Jingsui replied.

“Good,” Li Jing nodded. “For someone to rescue the Princess from three men of Wuyue, he must be capable. But why only run an inn?”

“Brother, each man has his ambition. We should not force him,” Li Jingsui answered with a smile.

Li Jing made a sound of agreement, then said, “In that case, go on my behalf and grant him a light official post with a stipend.”

“I shall obey,” Li Jingsui replied. The two brothers chatted a while longer about trivial matters. As noon approached, Li Jingsui dined in the palace before returning at a leisurely pace to the Prince Qi’s mansion.