Chapter 7: I Am Quite Interested in Him

"My name is Li Wenxuan. May I have the honor of knowing your name, sir?"

Li Wenxuan spoke with a perfect balance of humility and self-respect, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The Emperor chuckled. "My name is Zhao Hao. Your poem is excellent. I could take you inside, but I am preoccupied today. How about this..."

He unfastened a jade pendant from his person and handed it to Li Wenxuan. "This pendant is worth a hundred gold pieces. Consider it a deposit. Meet me here at noon tomorrow, and I will personally act as your sponsor to recommend you to the Academy of Letters. How does that sound?"

Li Wenxuan took the pendant and examined it for a moment. He was stunned—this was worth far more than a hundred gold pieces; it was worth at least a thousand!

This was a truly powerful and sincere magnate!

"Then... very well. Tomorrow afternoon, it is a promise!"

Li Wenxuan quickly tucked the pendant away, bowed to Zhao Hao with a smile, and turned to leave.

Watching the young man’s upright back, the smile on the Emperor’s face shifted into a cold, grim expression. No matter how talented one might be, if they could not be used by him...

"Investigate his background. Find out which family dares to reach across the boundary toward my Golden Terrace!"

The clean-shaven man immediately bowed. "Your Majesty, rest assured. The agents of the Eastern Depot have been dispatched. Before dark, I will have every detail of this boy’s life uncovered."

Li Wenxuan walked a distance away, waited for a moment around a corner, and then doubled back to toss the two taels of silver to the guard.

The guard looked at Li Wenxuan, bewildered. "What is the meaning of this?"

"My apologies. I thought you were playing me earlier, but it turns out your method really works. A gentleman has already agreed to take me in tomorrow and act as my sponsor," Li Wenxuan said with a smile.

The guard touched the solid silver in his hand and, deciding not to argue, replied, "I’m not one of those who takes money and doesn't deliver. If you have any questions in the future, feel free to ask me. There isn't anything in this capital that I don't know!"

A know-it-all? That was perfect. It was exactly what he lacked.

"I am Li Wenxuan. May I ask your name, brother..."

"Zhang Xiaogui." The guard waved his hand casually.

Zhang Xiaogui? Li Wenxuan was startled—his parents certainly knew how to pick a name!

"Brother Zhang, could you explain the situation at the Golden Terrace to me in detail?"

Seeing that Li Wenxuan’s attitude was good, Zhang Xiaogui decided not to dwell on their earlier friction. After all, the boy had actually paid up. A month of working as a guard here only earned him two taels of silver; this kid was truly generous.

About an hour later, Li Wenxuan had a concrete understanding of the Golden Terrace. He took his leave of Zhang Xiaogui and hurried back to the General’s Mansion.

He arrived late, missing dinner, but Li Wenxuan didn't stand on ceremony. He went straight to the kitchen, started a fire, chopped meat, stir-fried a dish, and swiped half a bottle of wine to take back to his room.

None of the servants dared to say a word. After all, this previously ignored third young master had gouged out a man's eyes that morning, beaten the second young master, and it was rumored he had even doused someone in overnight urine... Later, he had even drawn a blade to kill two low-level servants! He had even held the Lady hostage with a knife to demand the treatment of a high-level servant. In the eyes of the staff, Li Wenxuan was now a madman devoid of filial piety.

Li Wenxuan paid them no mind. He returned to his new room, relit the extinguished brazier, and enjoyed his simple meal and wine. If he was going to live a second life, was he not allowed to enjoy it?

Meanwhile, in the main hall of the General’s Mansion, the steward Li Hui bowed before Li Hu, whispering his report.

"Li Wenxuan went to the Golden Terrace, but he was turned away. He even gave the two taels of silver he had received to the guard, but he still couldn't get in and had to slink back."

"Hah! That unfilial son is dreaming! Does he really think the Golden Terrace is a place he can just walk into?" Li Hu was in a good mood and waved his hand. "From now on, keep an eye on that brat’s movements. Report to the Lady every day; I have business at court to attend to."

"Yes!" the steward bowed repeatedly.

Nearby, Lady Cui said with spite, "That little bas... that little beast, does he really think the Golden Terrace is run by His Majesty for charity? Without a letter of recommendation from a master, he won't even get through the door."

"Master, in my opinion, it won't be a month before he’s begging at your feet. And then..." A cruel glint flashed in her eyes. "Don't you go soft. That little beast is arrogant and deranged; I want to torment him to death!"

Li Hu replied magnanimously, "He is just a beast with no respect for his parents. You may vent your anger as you wish, but do not go complaining to your father." At the mention of his father-in-law, the Minister of War, Li Hu visibly shrank. "You know, the old man has been overwhelmed lately because His Majesty is auditing military expenditures."

"Do not worry, husband. How could I complain to my father about such a small matter..."

In the Imperial Palace, the Emperor was looking at the audit of the military funds embezzled by the Minister of War. He was so furious he nearly lost his composure.

"Your Majesty, the boy’s background has been investigated."

The sudden report caused the Emperor to calm down from his rage. "Speak!"

Hearing the Emperor’s cold, majestic voice, the head steward trembled and hurriedly kowtowed. "Reporting to Your Majesty, he is not from a noble family. He is the illegitimate son of General Li Hu."

The Emperor sipped his ginseng tea, listening with interest.

"He is the third-born. His mother was a servant girl captured from the grasslands whom Li Hu had taken advantage of while drunk, so Li Hu never acknowledged him as a son. For years, he lived in a shed, treated worse than a low-level servant. His mother hanged herself when he was ten, unable to bear the torture of the General’s wife, Lady Cui."

The Emperor was surprised. The way Li Wenxuan spoke, and the poem he had written—that did not sound like an illegitimate son treated worse than a servant.

The steward, who had uncovered all this, looked equally perplexed. He continued, "And this morning, the previously submissive Li Wenxuan suddenly went mad. He beat his second brother, stole winter clothes and the General’s sword, killed two servants, and, surrounded by over a dozen guards, held his stepmother hostage..."

The steward gulped. Under the laws of the Great Wu, an illegitimate son holding a stepmother hostage was a crime of unfilial conduct.

The Emperor remained calm, but he was secretly shocked. Surrounded by over a dozen men, he killed two and took the stepmother hostage? The boy was bold.

The steward paused, and seeing the Emperor remained silent, he continued, "Li Wenxuan used this to force the General to grant him the status of a high-level servant. Furthermore, according to my informants, they made a wager: if he fails to secure an official position on his own within a month, he will be left to the mercy of Lady Cui."

The Emperor’s gaze shifted to the secret memorial detailing the military funds embezzled by General Li Hu. His face darkened. He looked up at the kneeling steward. "Then did you find out who actually wrote that poem?"

He could not believe that an illegitimate son raised in such an environment could write such a world-shaking poem.

"This..." The steward smiled bitterly. "Your Majesty, I know it sounds unbelievable, but I would stake my life that Li Wenxuan wrote it!"

A flash of surprise crossed the Emperor's eyes. The steward was a very steady man; for him to say such a thing... it was likely true. An illegitimate son treated worse than a servant, yet possessing such martial prowess and top-tier literary talent?

"He is both a warrior and a scholar? I am starting to find this little fellow interesting..."

"Keep a close eye on Li Wenxuan. Every word and action must be reported... Tomorrow... I shall test just how much talent he truly has."