DLWAV CH93

Ruize?

Third Master Liu could not possibly be unfamiliar with the name of the previous emperor.

So he froze for a beat on the spot.

But he quickly came back to himself.

Because he simply could not imagine that Ao Ruize would actually be Emperor Jianxing, Zhou Ruize.

After all, if Ao Ruize were Emperor Jianxing, and he had already admitted to his given name, why would he have gone to the trouble of changing his family name?

And most critically, if he were Emperor Jianxing, how could he possibly have come here to do something so beneath his dignity, so demeaning to himself, as to try to seduce him?

So Ao Ruize’s name must simply share the same sound as Emperor Jianxing’s by coincidence.

And Third Master Liu couldn’t be bothered to ask which exact characters made up Ao Ruize’s name.

He said: “Judging by your manner, you are a scholar?”

Ao Ruize: “I have read a few books, yes.”

Third Master Liu’s narrow eyes lifted slightly: “A scholar should naturally have his own integrity and sense of dignity. How could you lower yourself to something like this?”

Ao Ruize: “……”

Was this “lowering yourself” referring to the matter of wanting to pursue a man?

In the next instant, Ao Ruize caught on.

He immediately smiled: “Third Master Liu makes an excellent point.”

“Only, my finances have been a little strained of late……”

Third Master Liu turned at once to the steward beside him: “Prepare three hundred taels of silver for Mr. Ao.”

Then he said: “Three hundred taels should be more than enough to see you through your current difficulties.”

After all, even in Jiangnan, the wealthiest region under heaven, three hundred taels was enough to keep a family comfortable for ten years.

“I would also trouble you to return and tell Mr. Lu that the Canal Gang has no wish to involve itself in court affairs. We simply want to tend to our own patch of land in Jiangnan and live quietly. Please ask him not to press us any further.”

The milk dumpling froze for a moment, then couldn’t help bursting into laughter, fists planted on its nonexistent hips.

“In this world, I’m finally not going to be cheated on.”

And most importantly——

“Give it up. In this world, my wife has good taste. He won’t fall for your tricks the way Qin Qin and the others did.”

Ao Ruize: “……”

Little did the milk dumpling know that Ao Ruize had never expected to win his wife over in a single day anyway.

So he simply said: “Then many thanks to Third Master.”

Third Master Liu gave a satisfied nod.

Because Ao Ruize had been easier to send on his way than he had anticipated.

He had assumed that would be the end of the matter. But the very next day, the Liu household suddenly received over a dozen paintings.

The moment Third Master Liu returned home, the steward reported the matter to him.

Third Master Liu glanced at the dozen or so scroll cases in the painting holder on the writing desk as he untied his cape: “Sent by Ao Ruize?”

Steward: “Yes, sir. He said it was to express his gratitude for Third Master’s gift of silver.”

“When I checked them, I unrolled a few to look. The paintings are extraordinary.”

Third Master Liu: “How extraordinary?”

Steward: “To say so would not be the slightest exaggeration: those three hundred taels of yours probably wouldn’t even cover a fraction of what these paintings are worth.”

Otherwise he would not have thought to mention it at all.

Hearing this, Third Master Liu was genuinely curious.

Once the steward took his cape, he walked directly to the painting holder and pulled out a scroll at random.

The scroll unfurled slowly, and a stand of green bamboo came into view.

The bamboo stood on the edge of a cliff, its trunk upright, its leaves full and lush, the ink strokes crisp and decisive.

The brushwork was fine yet forceful, flowing and unrestrained, so that the bamboo, though standing in cold wind, radiated vigorous life, filling the viewer’s mind with endless feeling.

Beside it, the inscription read: “Gripping the green mountain, refusing to let go, roots anchored deep in the broken rock. Ground down by a thousand blows, still unyielding, let the wind come from east or west or south or north.”

Third Master Liu had never heard of any poet by the name of Zheng Xie, but he couldn’t help saying: “Fine verse. And the painting is finer still.”

It seemed this Ao Ruize did have some genuine integrity about him after all. Otherwise how could he have produced a painting this good?

The steward immediately said: “There is also a winter plum painting, a painting of a hundred birds paying court to the phoenix…… All very well done.”

Third Master Liu nodded, set the bamboo painting aside, and pulled out another scroll.

But in the very next instant, his expression shifted.

The steward was still chattering on: “Well? How is it?”

He leaned in to take a look.

But right at that moment, Third Master Liu abruptly rolled the scroll back up, his knuckles whitening around the tube.

The steward was taken aback: “What’s the matter?”

Third Master Liu’s face cycled through several shades: “Leave us.”

“Yes, sir.”

The steward didn’t understand, but reading Third Master Liu’s expression, he had no choice but to bow and withdraw.

Only once the steward’s figure had completely disappeared from the doorway of the study did Third Master Liu finally give voice to the word that had been hovering on his lips for some time: “Insolent.”

Because the painting he had unrolled was not a winter plum painting, and not a painting of a hundred birds paying court to the phoenix. It was a…… self-portrait of Ao Ruize, depicting him in the midst of a hunt.

In itself, that was not so remarkable.

The critical thing was that the figure in the painting was bare from the waist up, trousers hanging loose and low……

And this painting was every bit as vivid and lifelike as the bamboo painting he had drawn before it…… The tips of Third Master Liu’s ears turned red instantly, and his grip on the scroll loosened of its own accord.

But in the next moment, he caught himself.

So the business about gratitude for the silver was nothing but a pretext.

Ao Ruize’s true purpose had been to get this painting in front of him.

No. To be more precise, his true purpose was to seduce him.

To think he had just been reflecting that Ao Ruize seemed to be a man of genuine integrity. He had clearly been wrong about him.

And most critically, he had not expected that even after he had made himself this clear, Lu Dang’s camp would still refuse to give up.

Right at that moment, the steward returned: “Third Master, Mr. Ao is asking to see you.”

Third Master Liu laughed in spite of his fury.

Because he had not expected Ao Ruize to have the nerve to show up at this particular moment.

“Let him in.”

But before he could even begin to rebuke him, Ao Ruize, one foot already through the door, said: “Third Master Liu, I must sincerely apologize. I was rather busy today, and when I was sorting through the paintings to send you, I accidentally mixed in one that was not meant to be included.”

Third Master Liu: “……”

The words died in his throat.

Accidentally mixed in one that was not meant to be included?

Ao Ruize was saying that his self-portrait had been placed in the bundle by accident?

It seemed he had misjudged Ao Ruize again after all……

Right at that moment, Ao Ruize’s voice came again: “Third Master…… has already seen that painting?”

Third Master Liu: “……”

He looked down, and only then noticed that he was still holding the scroll in his hands.

For no particular reason, Third Master Liu suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

Ao Ruize: “What did Third Master think of the painting?”

Third Master Liu steadied himself with some effort.

From a purely technical standpoint, the painting was genuinely exceptional.

So he was not stingy with his praise: “I dare say, if Mr. Ao were to call himself second in the art of painting, no one alive today would dare claim first.”

Ao Ruize immediately smiled: “As long as Third Master likes it.”

Third Master Liu: “?”

What did “as long as he likes it” mean?

Ao Ruize: “Because this painting was intended for Third Master all along.”

Third Master Liu: “??”

What did “this painting was intended for Third Master all along” mean?

Third Master Liu understood at once.

What Ao Ruize was clearly saying was that he fully intended to keep pursuing him.

He had not been wrong before. Lu Dang’s camp had indeed still not given up on recruiting him.

But in the very next instant, he heard Ao Ruize say: “Lord Lu is not aware of this.”

Third Master Liu: “???”

Ao Ruize: “The truth is that Third Master is simply too good-looking. I found myself somewhat moved, and so the thought of pursuing Third Master arose.”

“Of course, this is entirely my own wishful thinking. It would be perfectly natural for Third Master to be unwilling.”

“That said, I will not be giving up.”

“The hour is getting late. I will come to call on Third Master again in a couple of days.”

“I take my leave.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Ao Ruize left so cleanly that Third Master Liu couldn’t help freezing for a moment.

But he recovered quickly.

What did he mean, he had been moved because he was too good-looking?

The audacity of this man.

And most critically, he had actually had the nerve to say that even if Third Master Liu was unwilling, he would not give up.

Third Master Liu settled back into full composure.

Did Ao Ruize really think that simply because he wanted to, he could actually…… win him over?

Laughable.

He could cut off any such notion with the lift of a finger if he chose to.

For instance, he could send word to Lu Dang and inform him that Ao Ruize had been coming to pester him.

Or simply the next time Ao Ruize came, he could have the servants bar him at the gate, and Ao Ruize would have no recourse whatsoever.

Thinking this, Third Master Liu felt somewhat steadier.

But right at that moment, the steward came again, placing a sheet of paper in his hands: “Third Master, this was just left by Mr. Ao. He said he left in too much of a hurry earlier and forgot to mention this.”

“Mr. Ao says there is a traitor within the Canal Gang. They are planning to join forces with the Yangtze River pirates, the Hongtao Gang, on the first of next month, during the Gang’s dividend celebration, to attack the five major branch halls.”

“This is the list of traitors.”

Third Master Liu: “What?”

He took the list, and his brow immediately knitted together.

Because everyone on the list was one of his trusted confidants.

And just a few days ago, the spy he had planted in the Hongtao Gang had indeed sent word back that the Hongtao Gang had been making an unusual number of small moves lately.

So regardless of whether what Ao Ruize had said was true, he ought to investigate thoroughly.

And so it was that two days later, when the steward came to report that Ao Ruize was requesting an audience, Third Master Liu, who had just finished dealing with the matter, fell completely silent.

Because the results of the investigation were in. Those trusted confidants of his had indeed colluded with the Hongtao Gang. The reasons no longer mattered. What mattered now was how he ought to receive Ao Ruize.

After all, if not for Ao Ruize’s warning, things might still have turned out alright if they had eventually spotted the signs themselves. At worst they would have lost some people. But if they had never spotted those signs at all, the Canal Gang might have been entirely undone by it.

Which meant Ao Ruize could now be considered a benefactor of the Canal Gang.

Even though he had also once helped Ao Ruize.

But debts of kindness had never been the kind of thing that could simply cancel each other out.

Third Master Liu’s brow furrowed lightly.

Though there were other ways to handle this.

Since he could not simply turn Ao Ruize away outright, he could just as easily make it clear that pursuing him was a lost cause.

As though struck by an idea, Third Master Liu said at once: “Go. Summon all the beauties from the rear courtyard.”

So when Ao Ruize stepped into the Liu household’s garden, what he walked into was the sight of Third Master Liu reclining with women on either side of him, watching a performance of song and dance.

The milk dumpling: “……”

I’m still being cheated on after all!!

Ao Ruize: “……”

Seeing the slight furrow in Ao Ruize’s brow, Third Master Liu felt somewhat reassured.

He said: “Mr. Ao, as you can see, it is not that you are lacking in any way. It is simply that Liu only has a taste for women.”

“As such, all of the dozen or so concubines I keep in my household are women.”

Ao Ruize, who was in truth only mildly curious about how exactly Third Master Liu had managed to have his arms around both women without his fingertips making the faintest contact with their clothing, and how long Third Master Liu could sustain such a posture: “……”

“That’s alright.”

He settled himself unhurriedly into the chair beside him, and said with a smile.

“I used to only have a taste for women myself. Which goes to show that preferences are the sort of thing that can change.”

“And most importantly, I also happen to keep a dozen or so concubines in my own household right now.”

“So Third Master and I are really rather kindred spirits.”

Third Master Liu: “……”

He used to only have a taste for women?

And currently kept a dozen or so concubines in his household?

And he called that being kindred spirits?

Third Master Liu, whose original intention had been to let Ao Ruize see him in close and easy company with women, thereby provoking his disgust and causing him to abandon the idea of pursuing him, was the first one to experience the feeling of having words stuck in his throat.

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