Tian Zongping was a master at social climbing. Although he hadn't leaked the news of Prince Zhou's arrival in Huai'an to the Director-General of Grain Transport, he couldn't bear to let such a valuable connection slip away. Tormented by the desire to climb higher, after much deliberation, he swallowed his pride and came to request an audience.
Zhao Wujiu currently held no official post, posing as an idle man seeking famous doctors. Don't be fooled by his growing closeness to Bai Shiqi—it was because Bai Shiqi was naturally likable and delightfully eccentric, having opened the door to a whole new world for him, allowing him to see different sights. As for officials and petty bureaucrats like Tian Zongping, he had no patience for social niceties. Upon hearing Bai Zhenting's request for an introduction, without even showing his face, he spoke from inside the room: "This prince is weary. All matters are to be handled by Changfeng."
Tian Zongping knew the vast difference in their status. Even if he harbored resentment, he dared not show it, fearing he might anger Prince Zhou. He replied with trepidation, "This humble official will not disturb Your Highness's rest. I shall come another day to pay my respects."
Shu Changfeng received him in a side hall. When asked about his purpose for visiting, Tian Zongping became somewhat awkward but ultimately mustered the courage to say, "This humble official noticed that Your Highness is traveling south alone, without any women to attend to him. I happen to have a pair of twin daughters at home. While their looks may not be considered peerless, they are gentle in temperament, considerate, and most attentive in caring for others. I was thinking of offering them to serve Your Highness and attend to his daily needs..."
Shu Changfeng remained expressionless, his attitude cool. "This general will convey your offer. However, His Highness has never been fond of having women attend him closely. Recently, he has been unwell and his temper... is inevitably somewhat irritable. He is also not in a mood to be gentle or show pity. It would be a shame if he inadvertently caused harm to your daughters. This general thanks you for your kind intention, Lord Tian!"
Tian Zongping had approached this with a trial-and-error mindset from the start. Although unsuccessful, he was not discouraged. If he couldn't meet Prince Zhou, establishing a connection with someone close to him was also good. He pulled a banknote from his sleeve and pressed it over: "I must ask for your care and guidance in the future, Lord Shu."
Shu Changfeng casually accepted it. After seeing Tian Zongping out, he immediately took the banknote to Zhao Wujiu. "These parasitic vermin!"
Zhao Wujiu looked down and remarked sarcastically, "Tian Zongping is certainly generous." It was a two-hundred-tael banknote.
Bai Zhenting was still pacing in the courtyard, uncertain whether to advance or retreat, feeling nothing but bitterness in his mouth. It truly echoed a past saying of Bai Shiqi's: The path you chose yourself, you must finish even if you have to crawl on your knees!
He was considering whether, upon entering, he should formally greet Prince Zhou again, or pretend he didn't know Zhao Wujiu's identity and continue drinking as if nothing had happened?
A moment later, Shu Changfeng emerged from the room and called out politely, "Guild Master Bai, His Highness requests your presence."
Well, so much for playing dumb!
After entering, Bai Zhenting bowed to Zhao Wujiu. "This commoner was unaware of Your Highness Prince Zhou's esteemed presence. If there have been any breaches of etiquette, I beg Your Highness's generous forgiveness!"
"Guild Master Bai, please sit." Zhao Wujiu toyed idly with the banknote in his hand. "This prince has an impertinent request. I wonder if Guild Master Bai would agree?"
Bai Zhenting thought to himself: As long as you don't have any ill intentions of trying to lure away my Shiqi, anything is negotiable.
He smiled obsequiously. "Your Highness, please speak. If it is within Bai's power, I will not refuse."
Zhao Wujiu lightly tapped the table. "Good! Guild Master Bai is indeed a straightforward man. It's actually not a difficult matter. This prince finds great rapport with Shiqi and enjoys her lively nature. The journey is monotonous, and I would like to borrow Shiqi to accompany me for a period of time. What does Guild Master Bai think?"
Bai Zhenting raised his head, his gaze meeting Zhao Wujiu's, and his heart gave a violent thump—in Prince Zhou's eyes was a stubborn determination to have his way. If he wasn't mistaken, it clearly indicated a particular interest in Shiqi!
At this critical moment, Bai Zhenting could also boldly cast aside his pride. "To be perfectly honest, for the past two years, many of the guild's affairs have been handled by Shiqi. She escorted the tribute grain north, and a great deal of business has piled up in the guild, urgently requiring her return to Suzhou to manage it." He brazenly recommended himself: "This commoner, however, is idle. If Your Highness does not find this commoner objectionable, I am willing to accompany you."
Shu Changfeng nearly laughed aloud—Guild Master Bai was quite something. His master had explicitly asked for Bai Shiqi, yet he was offering himself instead.
"Oh." Zhao Wujiu's tone was flat, but Bai Zhenting detected ill intent in that single syllable. Zhao Wujiu said, "So Shiqi is that capable, is she?"
Bai Zhenting was like a miser guarding his treasure at night, wishing he could cover the treasure with seventeen or eighteen thick quilts to prevent anyone from coveting it. "She's only... barely serviceable, like a duck forced onto a perch. Who asked this old man to have only this one seedling? The family burden had to be placed on her shoulders early on."
Zhao Wujiu said, "You may withdraw."
"Yes!"
Bai Zhenting walked out of the room. Standing in the courtyard, chilled by the cold wind, he finally came to his senses: Prince Zhou truly acted as if he were the master here, dismissing people from his room. It was really... really the behavior of the powerful.
Actually, he wronged Zhao Wujiu. Prince Zhou was simply habitually condescending. Before his identity was revealed, he could pretend to be an ordinary person, but without the pretense, his true nature showed.
Shu Changfeng also felt somewhat awkward. "Your Highness, this is... Guild Master Bai's main residence."
Zhao Wujiu casually tossed the banknote to Shu Changfeng, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Changfeng, Guild Master Bai disagrees. What do you think? If I were to ask Shiqi myself, would she agree to accompany me?"
Shu Changfeng thought to himself: If Tian Zongping were here, who knows what he would be thinking.
He had exhausted his efforts trying to offer his twin daughters to make Prince Zhou's bed, yet Bai Zhenting wouldn't even part with his son to let him mingle with nobility. What strange ideas was this Guild Master Bai imagining in his head?
"Your Highness, although Young Master Bai appears disobedient and unfilial on the surface, infuriating Guild Master Bai, from my detached observation, she actually holds great respect for him." Otherwise, she wouldn't have behaved upon seeing him so angry.
"Besides, although Young Master Bai's personality is lively and unrestrained, she is ultimately not as careful and considerate as a young lady. Perhaps... Your Highness might consider Tian Zongping's proposal?" Seeing his long-depressed master in such high spirits recently, Shu Changfeng couldn't resist teasing.
He never expected Zhao Wujiu's next words would nearly make his jaw drop. "There's a strong possibility that Bai Shiqi... is actually a woman!"
Shu Changfeng: "That's... impossible, isn't it?"
How could there be such a mischievous young lady in the world?
Zhao Wujiu's smile was confident. "When has this prince ever deceived you?"
Shu Changfeng was utterly dumbfounded.
When master and servant left the Bai family's main residence, Bai Zhenting, rubbing his hands together, followed behind and said, "Your Highness, Shiqi doesn't know her place and acts rashly. This commoner will have her return to Suzhou today, to avoid causing Your Highness any trouble."
"Guild Master Bai worries too much. Why don't we go together and ask Shiqi's opinion?" Zhao Wujiu said gently. "I must ask Guild Master Bai to continue concealing this prince's identity, to avoid making Shiqi uncomfortable."
Even after being beaten, Bai Shiqi was not subdued. Reeking of medicinal oil, she was directing Zhao Ziheng in making a kite. A small bowl of paste sent from the kitchen sat nearby, bamboo strips were split into several uneven strands of varying thickness. Lying on her side on a daybed, she commanded with full authority, "Ziheng, are you an idiot? Use finesse! Use finesse!"
Zhao Ziheng held out his hands for Bai Shiqi to see clearly. "My hands are full of holes, look how many punctures?"
His delicate, aristocratic hands were not only pricked full of small bloody holes, but also had many splinters in them.
Bai Shiqi, lounging like a lord with his feet propped up, criticized him: "You, you are someone who neither toils with his limbs nor distinguishes the five grains. Your practical skills are this poor too. You split the bamboo strips so finely, how could they possibly hold up a kite? It would fall apart before it even gets off the ground. Isn't that embarrassing?"
Zhao Ziheng complained, "But my hands are hurt. How about... we call a servant to do it?"
"Shall we call a servant to feed you as well?"
"Shiqi, with a tongue that sharp, you'll never find a wife!" Zhao Ziheng helplessly prepared to start over, but was hooked by the collar by Bai Shiqi: "Come back here!"
Zhao Wujiu could hear the noisy commotion from the room even out in the courtyard. From a distance, the two looked intimately close, their heads pressed together. But up close, it became clear that Bai Shiqi was using a needle to pick splinters out of Zhao Ziheng's hand, all the while chiding him: "You're neither accomplished in letters nor in martial arts, and you can't even handle a simple task. When you get married and have a son in the future, he'll be too embarrassed to introduce you, his father, to others!"
Bai Zhenting charged over and roared, "What are you two doing?!" From afar, it had looked for a moment as if the two were a pair of lovers, nuzzling neck to neck.
Caught completely off guard, Bai Shiqi's hand slipped, and the needle plunged down. Zhao Ziheng let out a sharp cry and yanked his hand back, only to find half the needle deeply embedded in the pad of his middle finger.
"Father, what are you doing?" Bai Shiqi calmly pulled the needle out of Zhao Ziheng's finger, pressing down on the unsightly pinprick that was now beading with blood. "You could have announced yourself instead of sneaking up like that. You nearly scared me to death!"
Zhao Ziheng: "Ow ow ow! Be gentle!"
For a moment, Zhao Wujiu felt that the intimacy between Zhao Ziheng and Bai Shiqi was a bit excessive. After witnessing Boat Chief Bai's various acts of fiercely protecting his child, he grew even more convinced of his suspicions about Bai Shiqi.
