Chapter 116: The Divine Art of Striking Across Mountains to Hit a Cow

Li Sanjian stood over six chi tall, roughly one meter eighty, while Liang Shicheng was under five chi, a full head shorter than him.

The diminutive Liang Shicheng stared intently at Li Sanjian, circling him three times. Li felt deeply uncomfortable and exceptionally perplexed. What puzzled him was that the man before him had no beard, his skin was as pale as if coated in powder, and his voice was rather shrill—clearly, he was a eunuch. What Li could not understand was why a eunuch would "fish" him out of prison.

Could it be him? Li suddenly recalled that after his provincial examinations concluded, someone had delivered a warning note to him. Recalling the incident, the person appeared to be a palace eunuch. Could it be him? This man before him, who looked as cunning as a fox? Li wondered, yet what connection could he possibly have with such a man?

However, since it was Liang Shicheng who had secured his release from the Inspectorate’s prison, Li suppressed his unease, bowed, and said, "I am very..."

Before Li could finish, Liang Shicheng interrupted, "You are Li Sanjian from Lingnan. Are you truly a man of Lingnan?"

People from Lingnan were generally shorter and, due to the long hours of sunshine, typically had darker complexions. Li, however, was not only tall but also fair-skinned, which prompted Liang’s question.

"My father was from Shaowu Army in Fujian Circuit, and my mother was a Li tribeswoman from Danzhou, Qiongzai. I grew up in Lingnan," Li replied honestly, though he still did not grasp the man's intent.

"That shouldn't be," Liang continued.

"What shouldn't be? What do you mean by that, sir?" Li asked, surprised.

"Nothing," Liang waved his hand and asked, "What is the situation between you and Master Su? Were you not once his disciple? Why were you expelled from his tutelage?"

"Master Su? Do you mean my mentor? Alas, it is a long story." Hearing the inquiry about Su Shi, Li’s suspicions grew, yet he briefly recounted the events that had transpired between them.

"I see," Liang said after listening, looking thoughtful. "Is... is he, the Great Master, in good health?"

"I have not seen my mentor for several years... I do not know. Wait, 'the Great Master'? Eunuch, you..." Li suddenly realized something and asked, stammering.

"That is correct," Liang nodded. "Master Su is my biological father."

It was rumored that when Su Shi was exiled to a remote region, he had gifted a maid from his household to a family named Liang. Shortly after, the maid gave birth to Liang Shicheng. Thus, Liang was widely considered to be Su Shi’s illegitimate son, and he certainly identified himself as such. While many Song people doubted the veracity of this, the fact that Su Shi’s own children did not deny it suggested it was likely true.

No wonder, Li thought, realizing why Liang had shown him such favor and intervened to save him. The revelation left Li feeling deeply ashamed, mostly because he was no longer a student under Su Shi. At the same time, he felt a strange curiosity about how Liang had become a eunuch.

"I am deeply grateful for your grace in saving me, sir," Li said, offering his thanks.

"Heh heh," Liang chuckled, steadying Li. "You should not thank me; you should thank the Princess."

The Princess? Li stood there, stunned.

***

Ordinarily, after being released from prison, Li should have headed straight to the Prince Duan’s mansion to visit Zhao Ji to demonstrate his loyalty. However, in Li’s heart, his mother came first above all others. Though he had been imprisoned for less than a day, he knew his mother, Fu Erniang, would have heard the news. To put her mind at ease, he returned home first.

As he expected, Fu Erniang had found out and was beside herself with worry, having begged Li Qingzhao, the daughter of Li Gefei, to help save him. Upon learning this, Li felt a touch of resentment toward his mother, though he dared not show it.

Rumors in the city claimed Li had been arrested for brawling in a brothel over a courtesan. This was humiliating enough, and knowing that Li Qingzhao was aware of it made him unable to look her in the eye; he was terrified of meeting her again. Thus, he practically fled to Prince Duan’s mansion.

"Sanlang, you have returned?" Zhao Ji was overjoyed to hear of Li’s return and personally welcomed him into the mansion.

"From this day forth, Li Sanjian of Lingnan is my brother!" Zhao Ji announced publicly.

As the matter was not to be spread, Zhao Ji ordered everyone in the mansion to remain silent. He did not explain the reasons, instead ordering a grand banquet to wash away the bad luck of the prison.

"You... have returned?" A delicate, coy voice sounded in Li’s ear.

The sweetness of the tone startled everyone in the mansion. They were bewildered as to why the usually headstrong Princess was behaving like a young bride awaiting her husband’s return. Everyone looked on in shock, except for Zhao Ji, who winked at Li and burst into laughter. Gao Er secretly nudged Li with his elbow.

Under the "attentive gazes" of the household, Li felt incredibly awkward, wishing he could crawl into a hole in the ground. He felt utterly humiliated. He had known the Princess had feelings for him, but did she have to be so blatant? Was she afraid others wouldn't know? He prayed that neither the Dowager nor the Emperor would find out, or he would be in grave trouble.

Li glared at Gao Er, then reluctantly walked over to the Princess and bowed deeply. "I am most grateful to you, Princess."

"You... what are you thanking me for?" The Princess blushed, lowering her head with her hands behind her back, drawing circles on the ground with her toe, looking every bit the bashful girl.

*Please, stop acting like this,* Li pleaded in his heart, feeling as if a thousand horses were trampling through his mind. *I would rather you be your old self and beat me up again than act like this!*

"Thanking you... for your brilliant strategy to defeat the enemy, Master," Li said, a sudden inspiration striking him to escape his predicament. He couldn't admit the Princess had sent people to rescue him—that was something to be understood, not spoken. He used the title "Master" to deflect the awkwardness, regardless of how transparent his excuse was.

"What? What strategy? Tell me, tell me!" The Princess was intrigued, not questioning why he suddenly called her "Master."

"Oh, it was like this," Li said after a moment’s thought. "It was pitch black, a night of wind and moon, when the enemy suddenly attacked. There were dozens of bandits, and we were only three. As they say, two fists cannot fight four hands, and even a fierce tiger fears a pack of wolves. At the critical moment, I remembered the 'Mountain-Piercing Palm' you taught me. I struck directly at their leader. Your technique was so marvelous, how could they possibly resist? I captured him in one fell swoop and resolved the crisis."

Li’s casual fabrication caused the household to burst into laughter, effectively breaking the tension.

"You... talk nonsense!" The Princess pinched his waist hard when no one was looking and whispered, "When did I ever teach you any 'Mountain-Piercing Palm'?"

"Come, Hanyin, come inside with your brother for a few cups of wine to steady your nerves. Let us drink until we are drunk," Zhao Ji said to Li.

***

After the feast, Li was summoned to a side chamber by an elderly man of about sixty.

The man was He Zhizhong, courtesy name Botong, a native of Longquan, Chuzhou. He held the rank of Minister of Works and served as the scribe and lecturer for Prince Duan’s mansion—essentially, Zhao Ji’s teacher.

Li had been in the mansion for a long time and knew the man, though He might not have known him. When questioned, Li bowed and replied, "I am a man who failed the examinations; how could I be a top scholar? Just a down-and-out student." Having failed the provincial exam, his status as a top scholar and even as a provincial graduate had been stripped away.

"A down-and-out student?" He Zhizhong shook his head with a smile, then suddenly composed his expression and bowed to Li. "I thank you on behalf of Prince Duan, Master Li."

"Sir, you must not! You are shaming me," Li replied, hurriedly returning the bow. "Why do you say this? What have I done to warrant such treatment?"

"You truly do not know?" He Zhizhong asked.

Li shook his head. "Are you referring to the incident at Fengle Restaurant? I only acted because I saw the Prince in a difficult spot. It was a trifle, not worth mentioning."

"A trifle?" He Zhizhong laughed. "Do you know that this 'trifle' saved the Prince, saved the entire mansion, and everyone within it?"

"Surely not?" Li licked his lips, startled. "You exaggerate, sir."

He had thought his assistance to Zhao Ji was a minor matter. Hearing He Zhizhong elevate it to such importance left him deeply puzzled. He was desperate to understand what was really going on.

He Zhizhong shook his head and added, "However, everything has its pros and cons, its gains and losses. You saved Prince Duan, but you have also become a hindrance to him. Do you know that?"

"I would like to hear the details," Li said, his heart pounding as he bowed.