Chapter Seventy-Seven: A Wretch Is Always a Wretch

Across five thousand years of history, from antiquity to the present, every dynasty leaves behind its own defining image: the might of Han, the splendor of Tang, the wealth of Song, the fierceness of Ming. Once a dynasty is mentioned, some impression slowly rises in the mind.

And the flourishing Tang, a realm where all nations came in tribute, is etched deeply into everyone’s heart.

Yet Wu Ning had already spent five years in Tang. If he were asked to sum up the dynasty, beyond the words “prosperous age,” he might have one more: romance.

This was a romantic dynasty.

Aside from those emperors of legend and the founding generals, especially in the middle Tang, who can you think of when you think of Tang? Li Bai? Du Fu? Chen Zi'ang? Bai Juyi? Liu Zongyuan? Li Shangyin...

And then there were Princess Taiping, Li Guo'er, Yang Yuhuan, Shangguan Wan'er, Gongsun Daniang...

Or perhaps Yu Xuanji? Xue Tao?

Of course, there were also Yuan Tiangang, Li Chunfeng, and Sun Simiao.

As if the most familiar things about the great Tang were not its unparalleled poets, so melancholy in spring and autumn, but rather those alluring and graceful women of the imperial court; not the famed courtesans of the pleasure quarters, but the soothsayers and tricksters of the martial world.

Looked at broadly, across the Tang’s three hundred years, it seemed that apart from the celebrated ministers of the Zhenguan era, there were hardly any governing talents worth remembering.

Were there really no capable ministers?

Of course not.

If one did not know Tang history in depth, one might not know that Di Renjie was not merely skilled at judging cases, or that Su Dingfang’s valor shook the foreign tribes, or that there was also a Guo Ziyi who held both capitals in his hands and offered them to the Son of Heaven.

Tang was never short of able statesmen and fierce commanders, but perhaps those men were simply too capable. They left the court’s great clans, noble houses, imperial kin, and titled aristocrats with idle hands, free to devote themselves to factional struggle and power games, and in the end they seized the initiative for themselves, burying all the light of those who did real work.

So what remained in memory were the poets consumed by frustration, the women who danced through the whirlpool of power, and little else...

The radiant Tang swayed gracefully in a spring of romance and brilliance.

...

With these nameless capable officials and diligent administrators in place, the powerful could pour all their energy into the so-called struggle for authority.

Thus, through the whole of Tang, its fame spanning past and present, it seemed that factional conflict and power struggles were also the liveliest in all dynasties.

From the founding of Tang by Li Yuan, the infighting never really stopped: fighting family, fighting ministers, fighting noble houses...

At long last, when Li Longji no longer wished to fight and the world knew peace, it seemed at last over. Who would have thought that regional warlords would rise to take the baton and keep the struggle going?

By the late Tang, even the salt merchants had overturned the table completely.

...

So, in Wu Ning’s eyes, the circle around Princess Taiping was really rather pointless.

Go be Di Renjie? Only to be remembered by means of a detective drama? Go be Guo Ziyi?

No thanks.

“Is Your Highness cherishing Ning’s talents because she wishes to honor the worthy and appoint the capable for the court and the realm, or merely because she wants a helper so that, if danger comes again, there will be one more person to think of a solution?”

“This...” Princess Taiping was momentarily at a loss for words. Truth be told, she really did only want a helper.

“...”

Just by looking at her expression, Wu Ning already knew the answer. He shook his head with quiet indifference.

After a moment, he said, “If Your Highness truly has the realm’s interests at heart, then please spare your words. I have only petty cleverness, not great ability. I may govern myself, but I have no skill at governing the world or regulating the court.”

“But if Your Highness merely wants a helper, then why bring me to your side at all? If there is a difficulty, a letter will do; I will naturally be glad to help.”

By the time he finished, Princess Taiping could say nothing more and could only reply, “Then from now on, I must trouble you to take even greater care.”

“Mmm.” Wu Ning gave a deliberately composed nod.

“It’s late. Your Highness should rest early.”

With that, he turned and left the small courtyard.

Those two fellows, Dugu Ao and Lei Ji, were still freezing outside. He needed to find them a place to sleep.

But as soon as he stepped out of the gate...

Why were all those guards and attendants grinning at him so knowingly and foolishly?

“Young sir, heading out?”

“Keep your distance from me!” Wu Ning dodged the guard from before as he walked.

But the man leaned in all the more. “It’s dark and unsafe. Shall I accompany you, sir?”

“...”

Wu Ning had no idea that the guard had already decided that this young gentleman and their princess clearly had a relationship most unusual.

Hadn’t he seen it? The young man stood there with a cold face and talked at length, yet the princess did not lose her temper in the slightest and remained so “warm” and attentive? There was definitely something going on here!

“How about I escort the young gentleman instead!” the guard insisted shamelessly, sticking to Wu Ning with dogged persistence.

Wu Ning grew anxious. “I’m only going next door. Why are you following me?”

He thought: What’s wrong with this idiot? He’s pressing so close to me. To anyone who doesn’t know better, it would look as if I had something illicit with him.

He grabbed Dugu Ao and Lei Ji and set off.

“Come on. I’ll find you somewhere to sleep.”

“Ah!” Dugu Ao did not dare delay and hurried after him.

By now, Wu Ning’s standing in his heart had risen by far more than eighty levels.

As he walked, he smacked his lips in admiration. “Tsk, tsk. Why didn’t I see it before? Ninth Brother is the real hidden master! From now on, you must give me more guidance, more guidance, all right?”

Wu Ning was amused by him. “Guidance? Can’t you see I’m already avoiding it? I advise you not to step into it either.”

“I...” Dugu Kexin puckered his lips. “I’m not like Ninth Brother. I’m just an ordinary man. If I don’t go in and test it for myself, I won’t feel at ease.”

Lei Ji also said at this point, “Since Ninth Brother has grand ambitions, and such an excellent opportunity with Princess Taiping, why... why must you avoid it?”

This was what Lei Ji could not understand. Did Wu Ning truly harbor lofty aspirations, yet willingly choose to remain cooped up in this little mountain village?

“You should know, Ninth Brother, that this kind of chance is something many people never get in a lifetime. To miss it now would be such a pity.”

“Heh.”

Unexpectedly, Wu Ning gave a dry laugh and tossed out a line that nearly made Lei Ji faint on the spot.

“Who said I missed it?”

“...”

“...”

Well, both of them rolled their eyes at once. This shameless bastard really was shameless; so it turned out he had merely retreated in order to advance!

What a waste that the two of them had sincerely been moved by his stirring speech just now, and had felt sorry for him over missing such a fine opportunity.

So he was the worst one of all!

Still, it was not hard to understand. With only a little prompting from Wu Ning, both of them immediately saw through it.

He had refused Princess Taiping’s invitation, yes, but he had also said that if she needed him, a letter would be enough.

So long as those words remained, he would have firmly latched onto Princess Taiping’s thick thigh. Then whenever he wished to enter court, it would be a matter of one sentence.

The key was that, by doing this, Wu Ning could both forge a connection with Princess Taiping and cling tightly to her support, while at the same time never going to the capital and avoiding the vortex of the court.

This fellow wanted to reap the profits while sitting comfortably at home.

Tell me, was he clever or not?

“Vile!” Dugu Ao blurted out.

“But why does this kind of good thing never land on me?”

“Tch.” Wu Ning did not mind at all.

After sleeping on the same kang with these two fellows for so long, even their sleep-talk could be shared. They had long since become friends who spoke of everything.

“If I gave it to you, you’d still have to be able to use it.”

“Then what exactly are you planning? To become an official, or not?”

Wu Ning shook his head. “We’ll see as we go. At least for now, I shouldn’t go stirring up trouble. As for the future, who can say?”

Well, then. This fellow planned to squat on the latrine without ever taking a dump.

For now, at least squat there first.

...

Unfortunately, Wu Ning did not know that while he only wanted to watch from the sidelines, there was already someone who had set her sights on him.

And worse still, it was the sort of person he could neither refuse nor afford to refuse.

Heh. Go tell the Empress Dowager Wu that I do not want to be your official and see what happens.

She would truly strike you down without hesitation.