The ministers withdrew their curious gazes as the Inspector monitoring the Northwest stepped forward to report.
“Your Majesty, as of today, the Northwest has mobilized a vast number of troops. However, the cavalry performing daily exercises numbers only about ten thousand. I suspect the Northwest has long been colluding with neighboring countries. Recently, the volume of grain imports from the coast by these neighbors has increased, and they are likely preparing for war.”
“I am aware. Starting today, increase the intensity of the soldiers’ training, beginning with the archers. Double the grain collection, and have the newly conscripted northern soldiers participate in the harvest to alleviate the pressure on the common people. At the same time, draft maps of the key passes on the main routes from the Northwest to the capital and complete a topographic survey of these routes within half a month.”
Xiao Shiyun did not fear war; he only feared being outmaneuvered by the enemy in logistical preparations.
The Prime Minister voiced his opposition. “I believe we should not go to war. Once war breaks out, decades of economic development in the North will be squandered. It would be better to hold a banquet to negotiate peace and strengthen superficial cooperation to delay the conflict.”
Xiao Shiyun pondered this and nodded. “Approved. The Ministry of Personnel shall invite the envoys of the Jiangyue State from the Northwest to a banquet in fifteen days. Increase security throughout the city.”
“I believe the responsibility of receiving the envoys should be given to the former Magistrate of Jingzhou. I have heard that he is close friends with the Magistrate stationed in the Jiangyue State, which would better facilitate cooperation.”
Bai Yi, who was listening in utter boredom, was suddenly mentioned. He looked up at Xiao Shiyun in confusion. Was the original host’s relationship with that Magistrate really that good? If he were tasked with hosting, he would definitely be exposed.
“That will not do. Our relationship is not very good anymore. We have broken ties, the kind where we never want to see each other again.” Bai Yi racked his brains to pull out several idioms, speaking with a convincing and resolute tone.
Xiao Shiyun raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Why was I unaware that your relationship was so strained? Tell me, what happened?”
Bai Yi, who was making it all up, glared at Xiao Shiyun when no one was looking. Xiao Shiyun was clearly making things difficult for him on purpose, knowing full well he was not the actual Magistrate of Jingzhou.
Still, he was backed into a corner and had to continue the ruse. “It was years ago. He borrowed money from me and did not pay it back for several years. Although it was a small sum, it was enough to show his poor character. He also did not bathe for half a month. He stank so badly and was so unhygienic that I could not stand it, so we parted ways.”
The other ministers had not paid much attention to the Prime Minister’s suggestion, but Bai Yi’s response drew everyone’s focus. Bai Yi had only been here for a few months, and he had never even met a Magistrate of this or that state; there was no way he could convincingly fake a close friendship. A debt that was never repaid was a perfectly valid reason for a falling out.
“So I am afraid I am not up to the task,” Bai Yi said firmly. A tiny ninth-rank official managed to attract a lot of attention during the morning court.
The Prime Minister’s lips twitched. He asked with feigned confusion, “According to what I have heard, did you not receive a honeydew melon sent by the Magistrate of Jiangyue five months ago? When you hosted a banquet, you praised it endlessly. That does not look like a broken relationship; it looks like a deep, genuine friendship.”
Honeydew melon? Bai Yi was allergic to honeydew melon and had never met this Magistrate of Jiangyue he was suddenly hearing about. He did not have a good impression of him, though; there were always villains plotting against him, and the original owner’s relationship with this official could not have been good.
“What I praised was the melon, not the man! I already said our relationship is poor. He still owes me money!”
The Prime Minister recalled further. “That is not right. You seem to owe the Magistrate of Jiangyue money. We are all acquaintances here, and he has always had a positive impression of you.”
“I owe him money? Impossible. He is so petty, how could he ever be willing to lend me money? It must be him who owes me!”
In Bai Yi’s version of events, a man he had never met had transformed into a petty, unhygienic, debt-evading bully. The Prime Minister, who had accepted bribes from the Jiangyue Magistrate to facilitate this, played his trump card.
He leaned toward Bai Yi and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, “You will make money if you host him. He is a fool with too much money. He promised a thousand taels of silver as long as he is satisfied.”
Bai Yi’s eyes lit up instantly. It was just a meeting to discuss cooperation; it was not as if the man would eat him. He was determined to show these ancient people the power of a top-tier salesman.
Seeing the melon being sent and money being lent to Bai Yi, a gloomy, surging emotion churned beneath Xiao Shiyun’s dark eyes. He intervened, “No need. We shall choose another.”
“I want to go! I want to go! Your Majesty, pick me!” Bai Yi raised his hand, jumping up and down in the middle of the hall.
“What capability do you have to host him?” Xiao Shiyun’s tone became increasingly sharp and cutting.
For the sake of money, Bai Yi gave his all, quickly listing his professional experience.
“First, I have extensive experience in hosting foreign guests. I have traveled to various regions for business and understand some foreign languages, having hosted important clients. Second, I am quick-witted and have strong adaptability. Finally, and most importantly, the Jiangyue Magistrate and I were once close friends, which will be more conducive to reaching a cooperation agreement.”
An extremely strict and scrutinizing gaze fell upon Bai Yi. Xiao Shiyun continued to press him, seemingly intent on forcing Bai Yi to give up voluntarily.
“You say you know the language of the Jiangyue State. Demonstrate it now.”
Damn, he was serious. Bai Yi thought on his feet and spewed out a mixture of eight different languages. “Anakasiyo, Baka-yaro, Ashibayo, Hello Oppa!” He smiled and said seamlessly, “That is the friendly way to say hello.”
The ministers were stunned. Even the Prime Minister’s expression cracked. Only Xiao Shiyun watched him with suspicious eyes. Xiao Shiyun stroked his chin, ruminating on the string of gibberish Bai Yi had just uttered. It sounded strangely familiar. He tentatively learned from Bai Yi and said, “Hello?”
“Ah!” Bai Yi jumped up, shocked. “You remember? Xiao Shiyun, do you remember!”
Watching Bai Yi’s overreaction, Xiao Shiyun cleared his throat and said, “What nonsense is the official spouting? Very well, I grant you permission to host the Magistrate of Jiangyue.”
“I am not spouting nonsense, you definitely remembered, right? Damn you, English CET-4 and CET-6, the first word of the 3,500 vocabulary list! Xiao Shiyun, come back with me!”
At this moment, there was only Xiao Shiyun in Bai Yi’s eyes; he could no longer hear any other sounds.
A minister, curious about the madman who had caused such a stir on his first day at court, asked, “Magistrate Bai, where do you want the Emperor to return with you?”
“Naturally, to my home,” Bai Yi blurted out.
Xiao Shiyun’s pupils contracted. Then, he let out a self-deprecating laugh. How much sincerity was in that request? It was likely nothing more than a desire to escape from him. Xiao Shiyun did not speak. After the attendant announced the end of the court session, he abruptly rose and left the hall, leaving an embarrassed Bai Yi behind.
This chaotic morning court session ended with the other ministers looking on as if they were watching a good show. The Prime Minister and two other military officials were summoned to the study to discuss state affairs. Bai Yi did not forget that Xiao Shiyun had ordered him to find him in the study, nor did he forget the punishment for being late.
He paced outside the study door for a while. Seeing an official kneeling at his feet with his head bowed, whispering something, Bai Yi felt an inherent repulsion toward such hierarchy.
Bai Yi stood there a while longer before deciding to sneak out of the palace by climbing the wall. He walked toward the back garden, not having made any proper preparations, and not having considered how far he would go. He simply wanted to see that old man behind Xiao Shiyun’s back and ask if there were any other ways to return home.
Suddenly, a young eunuch with his head down bumped into Bai Yi, scattering a stack of envelopes he was holding onto the ground. Bai Yi sighed, resigned to his fate, and crouched down to help him pick them up. As he was about to return them, the eunuch did not take the gold-stamped envelope from his hand.
His gaze fell upon the large characters on the surface of the envelope. It was written in neat, elegant calligraphy: To be opened by my benefactor.
When he looked up, the eunuch had already run far away. After hesitating, Bai Yi tore open the envelope.
There were only a few short lines: “Thank you for the wine at the night market that day, benefactor. I once promised to host you in the city after three days. I was too busy and was negligent; I beg for your forgiveness. I happen to have a carriage that can take you to tour the capital. If you would do me the honor, please come to the Zuixiang Tower.”
Signed—Zhang Kongting.
A face that was gentle as jade and filled with smiles surfaced in Bai Yi’s mind. He had absolutely held back during the poetry competition. The difficulty of reciting, “When the golden wind and jade dew meet, they win over countless people in the mundane world,” had no real value. On social media, it would have been relegated to a video of top-tier literary quotes.
This person had left a deep impression on him. It was all his fault for inexplicably going to the wine shop, which was how he had become separated from Xiao Shiyun.