In another small courtyard of Yibin Garden, the night had grown deep, but when the High Dean returned here, those two old fellows had apparently not yet gone to sleep.

The High Dean saw that there were lamplight reflections in the courtyard, and before entering, hid what he had brought in his hands outside the door.

Upon entering, he saw Old Zhenren Zhang and the Long-Browed Daoist sitting on small stools with a little table placed before them.

The two of them, seeing the High Dean approach, craned their necks to peer and see whether there was anything in his hands.

This manner of theirs called to mind nestlings in a bird’s nest — seeing the parent bird return, stretching their necks to wait to be fed.

The High Dean deliberately walked in with empty hands. The two nestlings, who added up to over a hundred years old combined, were visibly unhappy.

“Off drinking fine wine on your own, no conscience.”

The Long-Browed Daoist gave a snort.

Old Zhenren Zhang said: “It may not even be fine wine — perhaps the taste was dreadful, the kind where you take one sip and want to retch.”

The Long-Browed Daoist immediately nodded: “Surely it was — and it was probably wine that had been diluted with enough water to be thoroughly tasteless.”

Old Zhenren Zhang: “More like water with a splash of wine — can’t even call it tasteless.”

The High Dean gave a snort: “Li Chi must have sent someone to invite the two of you, and you two were too lazy to go — and now you’re being sour.”

Old Zhenren Zhang said: “We were not being lazy at all — we were afraid those young ones would feel ill at ease.”

The High Dean said: “Now that does sound like something an elder would say.”

The Long-Browed Daoist said: “Little Diu-diu has a conscience — he knew there was good wine and called us to come drink, it was you who had no conscience…”

Before he could finish, the High Dean said: “I advise you to say something kind.”

The Long-Browed Daoist was sharp — the moment he heard it, he caught the meaning in those words, and immediately smiled broadly: “…you had no conscience toward yourself — so selflessly stinting on yourself, just so you could bring back a little more for the two of us.”

Old Zhenren Zhang narrowed his eyes and looked at the Long-Browed Daoist: “The speed with which this man changes his face is a revelation to all. Not a shred of backbone.”

He rose to his feet: “I am ashamed to be in your company.”

He then moved a small stool and placed it beside the little table, and said to the High Dean: “The High Dean, however, is a man of lofty character and great goodness — the most genuinely good person in all the world. I intend to spend more time in the High Dean’s company in future, to learn from you. From now on, you and I shall be of the same party.”

The Long-Browed Daoist: “Pah!”

The High Dean laughed heartily, immensely satisfied to see those two old fellows wearing such ingratiating expressions.

He went back to the door and retrieved two crocks of wine he had brought, and smiled: “I love nothing more than seeing the two of you make these faces.”

The Long-Browed Daoist laughed: “For good wine, you can have me make whatever face you like.”

Old Zhenren Zhang: “He can’t do it well — I’ll fill in where he falls short.”

The three men chatted idly for a while, and then the High Dean suddenly recalled what Li Chi had mentioned earlier about the matter of Xu Ji, and on a whim wanted to ask these two cryptic old fellows to cast a divination.

He had originally not believed in such things, but after spending a long time in the company of these two old fellows, he had inevitably become rather superstitious.

Old Zhenren Zhang had once explained the meaning of the word “superstition,” and summed it up in one line: it is better to believe than not.

Having heard the High Dean describe in full Li Chi’s concerns about Xu Ji, Old Zhenren Zhang said: “I am not familiar with this person, so it is not easy to judge.”

The Long-Browed Daoist was likewise unfamiliar with Xu Ji, only having heard Li Chi and the others mention him occasionally.

The three pooled together what they had each heard, and arrived at some simple conclusions.

Old Zhenren Zhang said: “This person’s opportunistic nature is exceedingly strong, and his thinking vacillates. Without even casting a divination, one can already see that Ning Wang’s concern is not without basis.”

The High Dean sighed: “Yet nothing can be done to him at this moment.”

The Long-Browed Daoist nodded: “He has great merit — and not just a single instance of it. Before Little Diu-diu formally proclaims himself Emperor, one cannot casually deal with meritorious officials — that would chill the hearts of those who serve under him.”

The High Dean said: “Xu Ji’s faults are not clear, while his good deeds are visible to most eyes, so Li Chi must continue to use him.”

The three old men looked at one another, and Old Zhenren Zhang smiled: “Tomorrow morning I will send my disciple to investigate.”

The Long-Browed Daoist smiled: “We three old fellows — we’re not entirely without use. I’ll write a letter this evening.”

The High Dean asked: “To whom?”

The Long-Browed Daoist answered: “A crafty young one — Cao Lie.”

Cao Lie was halfway there, already not far from Daxing City.

He had come to Daxing City this time bringing Yang Zhenting along — at this point, if he still did not come clean, that would be a bit much. Yang Zhenting, son of Prince Wu, had been staying at Cao Lie’s home; saying nothing before, while the situation was ambiguous, was understandable. Now that Li Chi had entered and taken possession of Daxing City, to say nothing further would be going beyond what was reasonable — it would be a grave error outside the bounds of any excuse.

Only four days later, Cao Lie arrived. He brought Yang Zhenting directly to seek an audience with Ning Wang.

Li Chi’s approach to Yang Zhenting was straightforward: to stay or go was his choice. If he wished to remain at Cao Lie’s side, Li Chi would not interfere; if he wished to go find the Princess of Wu, Li Chi would send people to protect him.

After Yang Zhenting returned to Prince Wu’s Manor, Cao Lie remained behind, and looked at Li Chi with a face full of apologetic sincerity, his expression earnest, his gaze honest.

Li Chi glanced at him: “Stop performing — it’s clumsy.”

Cao Lie clicked his tongue: “I had been building up to this for quite some time, and one word from you — ‘clumsy’ — and you’ve broken my composure.”

Li Chi smiled: “A fox like you — if there were no other scheme behind it, would you bring Yang Zhenting to see me?”

Cao Lie smiled: “Then shouldn’t you reward me?”

By keeping Yang Zhenting and then bringing him back to Daxing City to meet Li Chi, Cao Lie had indeed had more in mind than simply his connection with the Princess of Wu.

Cao Lie had thought: if word were spread that Li Chi had taken in Prince Wu’s only son, it would do Li Chi’s reputation a great deal of good.

Li Chi already had a name for benevolence and wisdom — add to it a name for magnanimity, and the people’s reverence for Li Chi would grow still weightier, making his future proclamation of Emperor all the more a matter of course.

This matter could be loudly proclaimed and made known to all under heaven.

And within all of that reasoning, naturally it was not only about Li Chi.

Cao Lie was a true fox — young in years, but a fox of deep cultivation.

If this matter were loudly proclaimed and known by everyone, Li Chi would win the name of righteousness and magnanimity. But because everyone knew of it, Yang Zhenting remaining under Li Chi would be all the safer.

Li Chi too was a fox — a fox of even deeper cultivation than Cao Lie. So what Cao Lie was thinking, Li Chi naturally understood.

Two foxes — what did one not know about the other?

Cao Lie said: “I asked Yang Zhenting, and he still prefers living in Daxing City, so…”

Before he had finished, Li Chi had already nodded: “Let him stay in Prince Wu’s Manor — that is his home.”

Cao Lie immediately smiled: “Many thanks to my lord for his magnanimity and righteousness.”

Li Chi gave him another glance: “Tone down the flattery and give me something of real value instead.”

Cao Lie said: “The business my aunt runs includes water transport that operates freely throughout all the Jiangnan provinces. I was thinking on my way here that if official grain is to be purchased and new currency issued in future, water transport will be of vital importance.”

Li Chi burst out laughing: “You fiend.”

Cao Lie also burst out laughing: “This is all cunning born of necessity, from wanting to live well — how am I a fiend? I was forced into it.”

He spoke this way to tell Li Chi: the water transport business of the Princess of Wu was being offered up — this was the Cao family’s gratitude to Ning Wang.

He could not have known that Li Chi had only just finished discussing minting new currency, and yet he was able to strike straight to the heart of the matter — his intelligence and talent were plain to see.

“And you.”

Li Chi looked at Cao Lie and asked: “How do you intend to repay me?”

Cao Lie said: “I wish I were born a woman.”

Li Chi: “Get out…”

Cao Lie laughed heartily: “A person of my background, of my abilities, is best off staying far from the court. Too many people do not wish to see me in the court, and I myself dislike those kinds of constraints — so just let me go free and earn my money, and when you come to squeeze me in the future it will be more convenient.”

Li Chi: “Pah — as if I care that much about your money… I simply find what you say genuinely reasonable.”

Cao Lie laughed heartily — another large stone in his heart settled down, and he felt at once much more at ease.

He truly could not enter officialdom. The implications would be too great and would make too many people feel the Cao family was attempting a revival.

The Cao family’s tree was already too large and had already drawn the wind — entering the court again would make that wind ungovernable.

Better by far to simply be a wealthy idler, free and unconstrained, with far fewer dangers. As long as the Cao family’s hand did not reach into the court, no one would pay him much mind. So this kind of man — Cao Lie — possessed not only a fox’s small cunning, but also great wisdom.

After chatting with Li Chi for a while, Cao Lie took his leave and went out. Yang Zhenting had returned to Prince Wu’s Manor, and Cao Lie needed to go check on things. After helping Yang Zhenting settle in, he also needed to dispatch people to find the Princess of Wu and bring her back.

But just as he stepped out the door, he was intercepted by Little Zhenren Zhang and Peng Shiqi, who without ceremony hauled Cao Lie over to the courtyard where Old Zhenren Zhang and the others were staying.

The Long-Browed Daoist saw Cao Lie and smiled: “With you I won’t stand on ceremony — I’ll say it directly.”

Cao Lie said: “Daoist, if funds are tight, just say directly how much you need.”

The Long-Browed Daoist was immediately displeased — did he think I came to find you just to squeeze some silver out of you?

So he righteously and severely squeezed five hundred taels of silver from Cao Lie.

Then he brought up the matter of Xu Ji. Hearing it, Cao Lie knew he had been careless — those five hundred taels of silver had been freely donated.

“Xu Ji’s great merit…”

Cao Lie said: “That business of ten thousand civilian laborers disguised as Ning troops frightening the Qingzhou brigands into retreat — that was not something Xu Ji came up with.”

The Long-Browed Daoist was taken aback: “Not him?”

Cao Lie had a good relationship with Mister Jingya and had once heard Mister Jingya mention this matter. He had simply not thought that Xu Ji, in front of Li Chi, had not mentioned Mister Jingya even once.

Such a great merit, and he had simply claimed it for himself like that.

The Long-Browed Daoist’s expression was not entirely pleasant: “This person’s character does indeed have some problems.”

Cao Lie said: “Actually the three elders have no need to concern themselves with any of this — do you think Ning Wang cannot handle it?”

He smiled slightly: “Daoist, how do you think my own tricks compare to Xu Ji’s?”

The Long-Browed Daoist thought for a moment, then said: “Xu Ji is no comparison to you — he falls far short.”

Cao Lie said: “And yet even I have been played by Ning Wang such that I have no way out at all. Can Ning Wang truly not handle a Xu Ji? If he truly once had some dealings with Yang Xuanji, and Ning Wang wants to deal with him, there will be a way when the time comes — it is simply that the moment has not yet arrived.”

He said with some feeling: “Those who try to show off their cleverness in front of Ning Wang — has there been a single one who truly got the better of him…”

The Long-Browed Daoist burst out laughing: “What you say does make sense.”

Cao Lie looked at those five hundred taels of silver, and sighed: “No need to look at who taught him, really.”

The Long-Browed Daoist, hearing those words, looked at Old Zhenren Zhang: “Don’t you also have something important to discuss with Young Master Cao? Same as me — just say it directly.”

Cao Lie turned and walked out.

—