Chapter 046: The Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell
Although he believed he had an intellectual advantage over An Lushan and was confident the man could not possibly cause trouble, Li Linfu still felt uneasy about him. It was not rebellion he feared, but rather that An Lushan might ascend to high office, which would run counter to Li Linfu’s original intent in promoting foreign generals.
Among all the border commanders currently favored, An Lushan was the one most adept at currying favor with the Son of Heaven; his cunning made it difficult to believe he was a barbarian. Whether it was Gao Xianzhi in Anxi or Geshu Han in Longyou, their command abilities might be on par with An Lushan, but when it came to the art of officialdom, they could not compare to him in the slightest.
The emperor’s favor toward An Lushan was so extravagant as to defy belief. Li Linfu worried that it would not be long before An Lushan surpassed his own influence, entered the court as a minister, and threatened his position.
After all, he was getting old; to live to seventy was a rarity. He did not know how many years he had left.
From below came the soft sound of footsteps, which stopped outside the door. Li Linfu paused, then asked quietly, “Is that Tengkong?”
“It’s me, Father,” came a clear, melodious female voice.
Li Linfu hesitated. “Come in.”
Li Tengkong entered at a measured pace. She wore a Daoist crown and robe, a horsetail whisk in her hand. Standing by the door, she gazed at Li Linfu with eyes full of tenderness and concern.
“Father, scheming again?”
Li Linfu chuckled and moved aside, making room beside him and patting the mat as an invitation. Li Tengkong smiled, sitting next to him and leaning against his side. He gently draped his arm over her shoulders, as he had when she was a child.
“The imperial princess went to bless An Lushan’s new residence and has suddenly disappeared. Tengkong, can you divine whether this is an omen of fortune or misfortune?”
Li Tengkong lay her head on her father’s knee and was silent for a long time. At last, she sighed softly and whispered, “Father, you are weary. Why not retire and enjoy your remaining years in peace?”
Li Linfu was taken aback, his hand on her shoulder pausing for a moment. He understood what she meant. Ten years ago, he would not have turned to omens and divination. Now he did so because age and fatigue had sapped his confidence, so he pinned his hopes on the supernatural. To withdraw at the height of power might be the only way to preserve wealth and rank. If he persisted, he would only grow more exhausted and uncertain, leading inevitably to ruin.
His eldest son, Li Xiu, had said the same words.
Li Linfu laughed, though it was a bitter sound. He understood the reasoning well enough, but could he truly retire? At this juncture, what choice did he have but to force himself forward? Once Crown Prince Li Heng ascended the throne, what future would remain for him?
“Tengkong, it’s not that your father doesn’t wish to withdraw—there simply is no retreat.” Li Linfu sighed. “In the end, even a prime minister is not close enough to the emperor. If not for one word from Gao Lishi, how would matters have come to this? With eunuchs meddling in state affairs and ministers weakened, the signs of chaos are all too evident.”
Li Tengkong had no answer.
...
Atop the bell tower of Bodhi Monastery, Li Zaixing and Xie Guanglong sat side by side on the railing, their legs dangling over the edge. With one arm around Xie Guanglong’s shoulders, Li Zaixing took a swig of wine and laughed. “Did you enjoy yourself today?”
Xie Guanglong tipped his head back and drank. “It was satisfying, but trouble’s brewing, too.”
“What trouble? With Wei Sanlang taking the brunt, what can Wang Zhun do to you?” Li Zaixing grinned wickedly. “I’m more worried about Wang Hong’s dragnet in the capital. My brothers will have a hard time of it.”
“There’s nothing to fear. At worst, you can lay low for a while—head to Xinfeng to avoid the storm.” Li Zaixing’s smile turned sly. “Or, brother, shall I give you another suggestion?”
“What suggestion?” Xie Guanglong shot him a sidelong glance, mouth twitching. “The look on your face tells me you’re up to no good.”
“Ah, brother, you do me wrong. That’s the suspicion of a petty soul.” Li Zaixing solemnly pointed east with his cup. “Know what’s over there?”
Xie Guanglong hesitated. “I heard... it’s Jiayou Abbey.”
“And do you know who the abbess is?”
“Seems it’s Li Linfu’s daughter.” Xie Guanglong sipped his wine and arched a brow. “Wait, are you thinking of her?”
“Not me. I’m hardly lacking for women.” Li Zaixing grinned mysteriously. “I was thinking of you. I’ve heard that Abbess Li remains unmarried—she must have high standards. With your looks and martial prowess, if you became Li Linfu’s son-in-law, you could rise to the highest offices...”
“Don’t talk nonsense.” Xie Guanglong laughed and cut him off. “It’s unseemly to joke about someone’s family for no reason. Aren’t you afraid the gods above will punish you?”
“Heh. Gods, maybe, but I’ve never seen any.” Li Zaixing withdrew his arm from Xie Guanglong’s shoulder and fell silent for a moment. “Brother, if you could join the Dragon Guard, that would be best. If not, I’ll help you out—get you armor, horse, and travel expenses so you can seek your fortune on the frontier. What do you think?”
Xie Guanglong did not answer. He gazed at the crescent moon, then sighed softly. “I’d better focus on my training and prepare for the Dragon Guard’s entrance exam. If I don’t make it, I’ll consider other options.”
“Fair enough.” Li Zaixing drained his cup, leapt down from the railing, and said, “Sleep early. We have training tomorrow.”
“You go ahead. I’ll sit a while longer.” Xie Guanglong waved him off, his spirits low.
...
After descending the tower and returning to his room, Li Zaixing found Lu Hu and the three Hu girls chatting idly. Aiermaidi was recovering well—she could walk slowly along the wall with support. Li Zaixing glanced at her, then smiled in satisfaction. “Julia is clever—the recovery is much quicker now.”
“It’s the technique you taught us, and the medicine you gave us, master,” Julia replied, embarrassed. “We Cao people fight all year round and have some healing experience, but your massage methods are far superior.”
Li Zaixing chuckled. Coming from a martial family, he was well-versed in treating wounds. He had studied both massage and medicinal remedies—after all, who in the martial world could guarantee a life without injury?
“Aiermaidi, come to the inner room.”
Without thinking, Aiermaidi leaned on Julia’s shoulder and slowly made her way into the inner room. Li Zaixing followed, gave Julia a meaningful look, and motioned for her to leave. Julia hesitated, then blushed as understanding dawned; she quickly ducked her head and slipped out. As she passed Li Zaixing, he caught her arm and whispered, “Guard the door. Don’t let anyone in.”
Julia nodded nervously and hurried away.
Li Zaixing closed the door behind him. Seeing this, Aiermaidi realized his intent and shyly lowered her head, one hand guarding her chest, the other clutching her collar tightly. Li Zaixing approached, placed his hand on her shoulder, and whispered something in her ear.
Aiermaidi started, her face flushing. “Truly?”
Li Zaixing nodded, patted her shoulder, and said softly, “I need your cooperation. Can you do it?”
She bit her lip and nodded. “I can.”
“Then lie down.”
Obediently, Aiermaidi lay on the bed, slowly undressed, slipped beneath the covers, and wrapped herself tightly. She rolled back and forth, making the bed creak, and let out a low, enticing moan.
“Ah...”
Li Zaixing grinned, gave her a thumbs-up, then blew out the lamp, slipped to the wall, opened the window, and vanished into the night like a fish.
Outside, Lu Hu, awkward, said to the Julia sisters, “Well then, you can sleep in my bed tonight. I’ll find somewhere else.”
Blushing, the sisters nodded in silence. Though they knew Aiermaidi was their master’s bedmaid and such matters were expected, it was still embarrassing—her leg had yet to heal, and the sounds were so loud. The Hu people were open-minded, but hearing such things firsthand was still awkward for maidens unversed in such affairs.
Julia and her sister were embarrassed, and Lu Hu at a loss. From Mount Heng to Chang’an, he had never seen Li Zaixing so eager. But it was understandable: Li Zaixing was eighteen, had lived in a monastery, never had the company of women, and now, with such a beautiful maid, it was natural he would be impatient to experience the pleasures of the bed.
...
While Lu Hu and the Julia sisters let their imaginations run wild, Li Zaixing had already slipped out of Bodhi Monastery under the cover of night.
Li Mi’s plan was clever—but it depended on one’s perspective. Li Mi wanted to use this chaos to bring down Wang Hong, or even implicate Li Linfu. Li Zaixing, however, had a different aim: to uncover his own origins. Urging Li Mi to stir up more trouble was simply a way to muddy the waters further.
The more turbulent the scene, the more people drawn in, the easier it would be for him to hide himself among them.
When he left Banruo Monastery and was sent to Bodhi Monastery in Chang’an by his master, he had not thought much of it. Later, he learned Bodhi Monastery sat at the southwest corner of Li Linfu’s estate; then, that his second senior brother Juehui was the monastery’s chief steward; that Bodhi Monastery’s bell tower gave a commanding view of the Li residence’s layout; and that every year, the monastery went to Li Linfu’s home to hold a vegetarian feast and offer prayers on his birthday. All this led Li Zaixing to believe his origins were likely tied to Li Linfu.
But since no one had simply told him to go and claim kinship, it was more likely he was Li Linfu’s enemy, not his descendant. After surveying the estate from the bell tower, he concluded that if he wished to track Li Linfu’s movements, just watching from above would never suffice. From the tower, one saw only rooftops, not people. One could learn the layout of the estate, but not Li Linfu’s whereabouts.
To find him, he would have to infiltrate the residence itself, and his first target was the Jiayou Abbey in the northeast corner of Li Linfu’s compound.