Chapter 108: First Appearance

"Would you like to try?" Wu Ning's sudden remark caught Taiping off guard. Dodging the sparks that flew from the fire, she was momentarily too stunned to reply.

In the palace, she had always watched the eunuchs and maids tend the New Year bonfire from a distance; this was her first time experiencing it firsthand. She had never even imagined it could be this lively.

At this moment, Wu Ning handed her a bamboo branch. Taiping hesitated for a second before taking it, though the intense heat made her afraid to get too close. She poked at the fire several times with the branch but couldn't bring herself to toss it in.

Wu Ning watched from the side, finding it amusing. He thought to himself, so this is what a noble lady of the palace is like? Isn't she just as clumsy as anyone else?

When Taiping finally managed to thrust the branch into the fire, the excitement in Wu Ning's heart reached its peak.

"Happy New Year!"

He followed through by tossing his old shoes and clothes into the flames. With a *poof*, more sparks showered outward, causing Taiping to shrink back in fright.

"Eek!"

But then, realizing nothing was wrong, she caught the playful spirit and tossed her own old shoes and clothes into the fire as well.

"Happy New Year!"

...

"Happy New Year!!!!"

The villagers in the mountain hollow all followed suit, throwing their old belongings into the fire. As the children cheered, the sheer festive joy of the New Year was something even Wu Ning, in his previous life, had rarely been able to enjoy.

...

This was the New Year tradition of the Great Tang: clans gathered around the fire to symbolize unity and prosperity for the coming year. Tossing old shoes and clothes into the fire was a way to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, praying for peace and safety.

This year, whether at the charcoal factory or the vegetable fields, the Mountain Hollow had seen great profits. Every family had made new clothes, so naturally, there were more old shoes and clothes being thrown into the fire than in previous years.

Of course, this was just the beginning. Once the fire died down later, everyone would collect the ashes of the burnt clothing and shoes to bury in their courtyards, a gesture believed to ensure that future generations would become high-ranking officials. Each family would also take embers from the bonfire back home to light their "courtyard torches." Later, they would burn an old broom, symbolizing that their storehouses would remain full in the coming year.

...

After enjoying the festivities with his clansmen for a while, Wu Ning picked up a half-burnt piece of firewood, intending to go back and light his courtyard torch.

Taiping had completely let go of her inhibitions. Though reserved at first, she was now holding hands with the village children, dancing around the bonfire. This sight left Wu Ning filled with emotion.

In later ages, as the economy soared, people focused only on immediate gains and forgot that our ancestors were also a people who loved to sing and dance. They would never believe that we, too, were once like our African brothers—able to jump and dance for hours given nothing more than a pile of fire.

"Time to go, time to go!" Wu Ning called out to Taiping.

Look at the poor child; she had probably never been this uninhibited in her life. In just this short while, the hem of her freshly changed dress was already covered in mud.

"Let's go. We can come back out to dance tonight."

Taiping was reluctant to leave, but she obediently followed Wu Ning. "Give it to me!" She snatched the half-burnt firewood from Wu Ning's hand and began waving it around with a giggle.

Wu Ning couldn't help but smile, thinking: ...What about me? Do I prefer this carefree life, or the life of high-ranking status that Taiping leads?

...

On the way home, full of laughter, they had not yet reached the gate when they saw a large group of people coming up from the foot of the mountain.

Taiping, who had been playing so freely, suddenly froze, staring blankly down the slope.

Wu Ning stepped forward and took the piece of firewood from her. "Your Imperial Brother has arrived quite early."

With that, he walked into the courtyard alone to light the courtyard torch. As for welcoming Li Xian, that was Taiping's business.

...

Actually, Li Xian hadn't wanted to come so early, but staying at the Prince's mansion was incredibly dull. Besides, Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi had arrived at the residence early to offer their congratulations. He figured that since they were all just sitting around staring at each other, they might as well go find his imperial sister Taiping and stare at each other together.

And so, after lighting the courtyard torches at the mansion, Li Xian brought his entire household—along with the Wu brothers—out of the city.

But Li Xian never expected that his imperial sister Taiping... how had she become so much like a village girl?

The moment she stepped off the carriage, he saw Taiping standing there, covered in filth; he almost didn't recognize her.

"Greetings, Imperial Brother!"

"Greetings, Imperial Sister-in-law!"

Alright, once Taiping spoke, Li Xian finally confirmed that this was indeed his sister.

"Imperial Sister, this is..."

Before he could finish, Taiping, still energized, rushed forward, linking arms with Li Xian on one side and Princess Wei on the other.

"Imperial Brother, you've finally come! Celebrating New Year in this mountain village is much more interesting than in the capital."

Li Xian, clearly uncomfortable, wore a sour, pedantic expression. "Slow down, slow down! In public, with no decorum—what kind of standard is this?"

Taiping raised an eyebrow and stopped. "Then you can just ask Mother to punish me."

Having said that, she continued to drag Li Xian toward the courtyard.

Li Xian looked at Princess Wei, shaking his head with a bitter smile. "This is my imperial sister. She was like this when she was little, and she hasn't changed a bit."

Princess Wei had to offer a forced smile. While being pulled by Taiping, she leaned away intentionally or otherwise. She was afraid that the mud on Taiping would soil her own dress, and a look of distaste flickered across her face.

Behind them, Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi looked on with similar disdain. A dignified princess, a model for the royal family—how could she be so vulgar? The only difference was whether they chose to show it or not.

Li Xian's children, however, didn't react to their aunt's appearance. One five- or six-year-old girl with twin buns even hid behind a young boy, peeking out timidly, thinking: Why has Aunt turned into a mud doll?

...

Although Wu Ning hadn't stepped out, he had seen everything from outside the courtyard.

Taiping's seemingly foolish behavior had actually helped Wu Ning gain a preliminary understanding of these royal relatives.

First, Li Xian. Wu Ning had met him once five years ago, and he didn't seem to have changed at all. He was still the same pedantic, cowardly, and well-meaning man. There was no pretense in his feelings toward Taiping; at least when Taiping leaned on him, there was genuine affection and nostalgia in his eyes.

Princess Wei was a bit more fake. She was disgusted by Taiping's mud-stained clothes, yet she didn't dare show it, forced instead to pretend to be affectionate. This was normal; having lived in fear for five years, never knowing when Empress Wu might turn against them and claim the lives of her whole family, anyone would have to be cautious. The Empress Wei of later history—who would be even more ruthless than Taiping—had to at least play the part of a pitiful victim for now.

The two men behind them must have been Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi.

To be honest, the first impression these two gave Wu Ning was different from what he had expected. Originally, Wu Ning thought Wu Sansi was more calculating than Wu Chengsi. Based on descriptions from his Fourth Uncle and Taiping, Wu Sansi was a socialite who could navigate any situation. But seeing him in person, it didn't seem that way.

Regarding Taiping's lack of manners, it was actually Wu Chengsi who showed little expression, as if it were none of his business. Wu Sansi, on the other hand, was clearly frowning, his subtext being that he was very dissatisfied with this newly formed ally.

...

Then again, Taiping was indeed acting out of character, but in Wu Ning's view, none of these four were performing well.

One had to remember, every one of them would eventually become a major player in the winds of change! It could only be said that talent in the Great Tang was withering; after Wu Zetian, only Li Longji could be considered capable. As for the rest, they were all mediocre at best—otherwise, they wouldn't have played such a good hand of cards so poorly.

Seeing that everyone had entered the courtyard, Wu Ning hurriedly got up from the bonfire and stepped aside. In their eyes, Wu Laojiu was just a small figure in a small mountain shop; it wasn't time for him to be in the spotlight.

And that was indeed the case. Even when Taiping deliberately introduced Wu Ning to the group, "This is the young proprietor of the Xun-Cui Pavilion..."

"Hmm." Li Xian just grunted while looking around at the quaint courtyard. He glanced at Wu Ning for a split second and didn't even recognize that they had met five years ago. Princess Wei and Wu Sansi didn't even bother to look at Wu Laojiu.

Wu Chengsi, however, raised an eyebrow slightly at Taiping's words. "You are Wu Ning?"

Wu Ning bowed. "That is I."

"Heh." Wu Chengsi let out a dry laugh. "The same Wu Ning who was rewarded by the Holy Empress and then punished?"

"Er..." Wu Ning felt awkward. *Why bring that up?*

But then he saw Wu Chengsi turn to look at Wu Changlu, who was standing guard behind the group. "Vice Governor Wu, this is your nephew, right?"

"Indeed! A fine young man with great talent; he will surely accomplish great things in the future."

After offering this praise, he didn't say anything more and walked away with his hands behind his back, looking around the small Wu courtyard.

However, Wu Chengsi's remark had drawn the attention of Li Xian, Princess Wei, and Wu Sansi.

"Oh?" Li Xian wondered. "So he is the nephew of Vice Governor Wu. I was negligent."

Wu Sansi even walked up to Wu Ning and patted him on the shoulder. "Good lad, there aren't many young talents who have been both rewarded and punished by the Holy Empress. You should cherish that, understand?"

Wu Ning rolled his eyes internally. *All these guys are just stating the obvious in hindsight!*

He took a long, deep look at Wu Chengsi and thought, *This man is truly not simple.*

Wu Chengsi's first sentence, mentioning the reward and the punishment, showed that he saw further and more clearly than Wu Sansi or Li Xian. At the very least, he remembered every decree the Empress had issued and had pondered them. His second sentence to the Fourth Uncle was clearly meant to win favor, effectively telling the Uncle that he was keeping track of his family affairs. That simple acknowledgment was a massive favor.

Li Xian, on the other hand, was only concerned about the connection between Wu Ning and the Vice Governor, likely because he knew that when the Empress ascended the throne, he would likely be promoted to Prince of Chu, and he needed to keep his subordinates close. Wu Sansi was concerned with the Empress's intentions, but none of them were as thorough as Wu Chengsi.

One could say the difference in their abilities was clear at a glance.

However, Wu Ning couldn't understand one thing: Wu Chengsi was supposedly the first of these three to die, right? *Do clever people die young? What kind of logic is that? Could it be...*

Wu Ning's heart skipped a beat. *Could it be that the Old Empress Wu prefers the dull-witted?*

...

The more Wu Ning thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. He marveled that the Old Empress was the true master of this game, and he realized it was best not to become her enemy. Otherwise, he really wasn't confident he could get the better of her.

...

However, there wasn't much time for him to dwell on it. They were already inside, and he had to attend to them. Fortunately, Li Xian was a man of status, and he had brought his own chefs and servants from the palace, who would surely look down on the clumsy efforts of country folk. Wu Ning was happy to be idle, only stepping in to coordinate so that the palace staff knew where things were.

Taiping, however, found Wu Ning when Li Xian and the Wu brothers weren't looking.

"What are you going to do? Are you really going to take the risk?"

Wu Ning found it strange. Wasn't the Princess feeling quite relaxed just a moment ago? Why was she suddenly full of worry again?

"I was just pretending!" Taiping's face turned red. She lowered her head and whispered, "I was scared for a moment and forgot..."

Wu Ning chuckled. "What are you afraid of? It's fine."

"But what happens next?"

Wu Ning had to think about what to do next as well. The best-case scenario would have been for Li Xian to recognize him the moment he walked in, allowing Wu Ning to play along and clear up the past. But to defend against Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi, Wu Ning had "disfigured" himself, which made things more complicated.

He said to Taiping, "In a while, invite your uncle-master and Senior Brother Meng over to celebrate the New Year together!"

"Ah!?" Taiping gasped. *Isn't that... isn't that taking the risk too far?* If it were just Wu Ning, people might not suspect the "Left-Handed Swordsman," but if she invited Meng Cangsheng, it would be impossible for them not to make the connection.

"Don't worry!" Wu Ning remained calm. "I've already made arrangements."

After dismissing Taiping, Wu Ning buried his head in thought, going over every detail from start to finish in his mind. Only after confirming there were no loopholes did he feel at ease.

In truth, clearing up the relationship wasn't that difficult; all he had to do was prove that Meng Cangsheng wasn't the Taoist who wielded the sword with his left hand. The key was how to prove it without leaving any holes for others to exploit.

...

Turning around, he saw Luo the chef squatting at the kitchen entrance with a pout, while Li Wenbo was trying to comfort him.

"What's wrong now?"

When Luo saw his employer, he pouted even more. "They... they won't let me into the kitchen!!"

"They won't..." Wu Ning frowned at Li Wenbo. "What's going on?"

Li Wenbo was also at a loss. "The palace chefs have occupied the kitchen and won't let Brother Luo inside."

"Oh, if they won't let you in, then don't go in."

"How can that be!?" Luo the chef glared. "That's my territory! They occupied my kitchen and won't even let me cook!?"

"..." Wu Ning was speechless. *Why are you so stubborn? Why are you getting angry over not being allowed to cook?*

"Are you stupid?"

Luo retorted immediately, "You're the stupid one!"

"You really are stupid!!" Wu Laojiu was so angry he poked Luo Li in the forehead. "It's the New Year. Isn't it good that someone else is doing the work for you?"

Luo Li wouldn't budge. "If he does it, what am I supposed to do?"

"You don't have to do a damn thing! Go home and spend the New Year with your mother!"

"..." Luo the chef was stunned for a moment, then slapped his forehead. "Oh, right!" He jumped up. "Then I'm going to be with my mother!" He scurried away.

Wu Ning was impressed. *With that kind of IQ, how did I manage to recruit you?*

He turned to Li Wenbo. "You're not needed here either. Go home and be with your parents!"

Li Wenbo refused. "I'd better stay and keep an eye on things, in case they need something."

"Forget it!" Wu Ning waved his hand. "Don't spend the New Year alone. Take your parents, and Luo Li's mother, and bring them all to the Old Ancestor's courtyard. We'll all celebrate together this year; it'll be livelier."

"Alright!" Li Wenbo liked the idea of a lively celebration. "I'll go check and see where I can help over there."

"Go."

Wu Ning dismissed Li Wenbo. Just as he was finally getting a moment to relax, he saw a ten-year-old boy leading a little girl to the kitchen door.

The boy bowed, quite politely. "Young Master, is there anything to drink here?" He pointed to the little girl. "My little sister is thirsty, and she doesn't like tea."

"Yes, there is."

Wu Ning replied, looking at the little girl with a smile. He tested the waters with a question: "Are you Li Guo'er?"