One look told me you wouldn't survive two episodes

In the west wing of Li Garden, Bai Wangyu immediately turned his gaze toward Li Ziye upon hearing his mumbled words and asked, "Brother Li, do you know how to solve the questions?"

"No."

Li Ziye shook his head vigorously. "I don't know anything."

Those lousy questions-anyone who had received even a little of the nine years of compulsory education could solve them.

"That's not right."

Noticing the contradiction in the young man's words, Bai Wangyu pressed, "Brother Li, you must know how to solve them, don't you?"

"Old Bai, stop eating salty radishes and worrying yourself thirsty over other people's business. This has nothing to do with you. There are so many capable officials at court. They'll figure it out."

Li Ziye spoke as he gnawed on the "radish" in his hand. Actually, after eating so many of these great medicines, even his sense of taste had changed. He found the stuff rather tasty now...

"Brother Li, this is no small matter."

Bai Wangyu explained earnestly, "If Great Shang can't answer the Divine Oracle Hall's three questions, it won't just be a matter of losing face. The Ninth Princess is the ruler of Fengyang. If she marries, Fengyang City will go with her as her dowry."

"Oh."

Li Ziye crunched through half a "radish" in one bite and responded indifferently.

Seeing how little he cared, Bai Wangyu was so angry he wanted to beat him up.

This brat really didn't want to lift a finger when something didn't concern him.

He had to find a way to make this fellow put in some effort.

Countless thoughts turned through Bai Wangyu's mind, but he couldn't come up with a good idea just then.

At the Imperial Academy.

The Divine Hall's three questions soon arrived, and all the academy's students and instructors buried themselves in thought.

"Making fire with water? Isn't this question utter bullshit?!"

After pondering for half a day, an old instructor angrily overturned his table and shouted.

"Threading a southern pearl? I've tried it. Utterly impossible. Farewell!"

Another old instructor had used his internal power to control a thread, trying several times without managing to pass it through the southern pearl.

Then, his beard bristling, he swept his sleeves and left.

This old instructor was an expert of the martial Third Realm, a powerful being who could slap several Li Ziyes to death at once.

"A hundred horses? Fuck their uncles! Does anyone raise horses? Tell me how to distinguish them!"

Some of the more hot-tempered old instructors had already begun cursing, their mouths spilling fragrant language, stopping just short of greeting the ancestors of those people from the Divine Hall.

While the old instructors flew into rages, the Confucian School's four venerables were also plagued by headaches over the Divine Hall's affair.

The court had sent someone early that morning to ask the Imperial Academy to help solve the questions. But these questions were truly unheard of, and they couldn't find the answers right away either.

Left with no choice, the four venerables could only seek an audience with the Head of the Confucians, hoping for his guidance.

"Bai Wangyu knows the answers. Go find him."

In response to the four venerables' request for an audience, Kong Qiu said only this and nothing more.

"Wangyu?"

After hearing the Head of the Confucians' guidance, the Venerable Law Confucian looked surprised.

How could Wangyu solve questions that even they couldn't?

But since the Head of the Confucians had given his guidance, the four venerables dared not ask further. They could only send someone to Li Garden to summon Bai Wangyu back.

At Li Garden, a disciple of the Imperial Academy came to request an audience. Upon hearing that the Venerable Law Confucian had summoned him, Bai Wangyu immediately returned to the Imperial Academy.

"What? You don't know?"

Inside the Law Enforcement Hall, the Venerable Law Confucian heard his disciple's answer and asked in surprise, "But the Head of the Confucians said you had already figured out the answers."

"The Head of the Confucians said that?"

Bai Wangyu froze at those words. A moment later, he seemed to understand something. After hesitating briefly, he said, "Venerable, although this disciple doesn't know the answers, Brother Li might."

"Li Ziye? That brat can solve the Divine Oracle Hall's three questions?"

The Venerable Law Confucian stared blankly, disbelief written across his face.

"Venerable, although Brother Li's cultivation is still weak, he's extremely clever. I think he really does know the answers," Bai Wangyu said solemnly.

"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry and bring him here. The Divine Oracle Hall only gave us Great Shang three days, and one day has already passed," the Venerable Law Confucian said anxiously.

"I can't get him to come."

Bai Wangyu smiled bitterly. "This disciple already tried persuading him, but Brother Li simply refuses to get involved. Presumably, since this matter has nothing to do with the Li Family, he doesn't want to invite this trouble."

"He refuses to get involved?"

Anger appeared on the Venerable Law Confucian's face. "That brat has no sense of the bigger picture! This is a matter of state. Every ordinary man bears responsibility for his nation's rise and fall. Go bring him here. If he refuses, tie him up and drag him here!"

"Well..."

Bai Wangyu looked troubled at those words. He understood Brother Li's temper somewhat. If Brother Li didn't want to do something, no one could likely persuade him.

"Wangyu."

Just as Bai Wangyu struggled with his dilemma, an aged voice rang out between heaven and earth. "Since the Li Family's third son refuses to come, there's no need to force him. When you return, just tell him that if he wants to forge a sword from Blazing Fire Iron Essence, the Water-Fire Pearl brought by the Divine Oracle Hall is indispensable. As it happens, the Confucian School also wants that Water-Fire Pearl. Let him consider it himself."

Inside the Law Enforcement Hall, both the Venerable Law Confucian and Bai Wangyu wore strange expressions after hearing the Head of the Confucians' words.

Those words from the Head of the Confucians were already a naked threat.

"Go."

Inside the hall, the Venerable Law Confucian recovered and said, "Just relay what the Head of the Confucians said to that Li Family brat. He can decide for himself whether to help."

"Yes!"

Bai Wangyu bowed respectfully, then turned and left.

At Li Garden.

"Pfft!"

Li Ziye had finally managed to rest for a moment and was just taking a sip of tea when he heard the message Little Red Riding Hood brought back. He sprayed out the tea in his mouth.

"I need that Water-Fire Pearl to forge a sword from Blazing Fire Iron Essence?"

After hearing this, Li Ziye immediately took the Essential Arts of Heavenly Craft from his robes and hurriedly searched through it.

What was a Water-Fire Pearl? He hadn't paid it any attention before.

After searching for ages, he finally found a line about the Water-Fire Pearl tucked into an obscure corner of the shabby book.

The Water-Fire Pearl originated in the far west where yin and yang converged. Blue and red in color, it could refine yin and yang and was a divine treasure for forging artifacts.

"That's it?"

After reading that single entry, Li Ziye hurriedly flipped through the pages after it, but couldn't find another word about the Water-Fire Pearl.

Fuck!

"Brother Li, the Head of the Confucians never lies. If he says the Water-Fire Pearl is useful to you, then it definitely is."

Seeing the young man's miscalculation, Bai Wangyu was in an excellent mood. He spoke with a look that said, Choose for yourself. I won't interfere.

Li Ziye gritted his teeth, rose, and started toward the exit of the west wing.

"Where are you going, Brother Li?" Bai Wangyu asked in surprise.

"I'm going to find Zhangsun Nanqiao and have her get me the Water-Fire Pearl too," Li Ziye said through gritted teeth.

"Heh."

Bai Wangyu smiled faintly. "Brother Li, do you think anyone else can snatch away something the Confucian School wants? Of course, you're welcome to try. After all, the Zhangsun Family does have an empress in the palace. Perhaps she can help you obtain that Water-Fire Pearl."

At those words, Li Ziye stopped mid-step. Looking at Little Red Riding Hood before him, he gritted his teeth and said, "You're threatening me."

"Oh."

Bai Wangyu responded indifferently.

What a relief. That felt great!

Who said a gentleman could wait ten years for revenge? Taking revenge right now for this morning's grudge-didn't that feel good?!

Seeing Little Red Riding Hood looking so pleased that his tail was practically sticking into the air, Li Ziye wanted to go over and kick him.

Revenge. Naked revenge!

How had that once-innocent Little Red Riding Hood become so calculating? He wasn't cute at all anymore!

"Brother Li, think it over carefully. There's no hurry. There are still two days."

Bai Wangyu sat leisurely on the stone steps, casually setting the Taiyi Sword beside him as he spoke.

Beside him, Li Ziye stared down at Little Red Riding Hood, wanting to kill him with his gaze!

Half a quarter of an hour later, Li Ziye had glared so hard his eyes were almost watering, yet Little Red Riding Hood still sat there at ease, completely unaffected.

Go ahead and glare yourself blind, you little bastard!

Bai Wangyu had never felt so thoroughly at ease.

"Old Bai, you've changed."

After glaring for ages, Li Ziye finally decided to give up. Thoroughly dejected, he sat down beside Little Red Riding Hood and spoke.

"Brother Li, it's only a small favor. Don't you love the limelight most? What a wonderful opportunity this is. If you help Great Shang solve the Divine Oracle Hall's three questions, you'll be a hero throughout the entire Great Shang Dynasty. For you, there are a hundred benefits and not a single harm. Why are you so reluctant?" Bai Wangyu asked, somewhat puzzled.

"You don't understand."

Li Ziye said unhappily, "The tree that towers above the forest is bound to be battered by the wind. The Li Family already catches enough wind. If I step out into the limelight now, think about it-won't that push the Li Family even further into the teeth of the storm? People's hearts are prone to jealousy. The more glorious the Li Family becomes, the more people will trip us up in the shadows."

"But if you render this great service to Great Shang and become a hero in the hearts of its people, even those who want to act against the Li Family will have their misgivings," Bai Wangyu said.

"One look tells me you're a complete newbie at palace intrigue, the kind who wouldn't survive two episodes. Power struggles aren't nearly as simple as you imagine."

Li Ziye said helplessly, "Throughout history, those so-called heroes have met the most miserable ends. Forget everything else. Just look at Great Shang's thousand-year history. Which executed general hadn't won illustrious military achievements, enjoyed unparalleled glory, and been revered by the masses while alive?"

At those words, a thoughtful look appeared on Bai Wangyu's face. Actually, Brother Li's words did seem to make some sense.

"Then what should we do?"

Bai Wangyu said worriedly, "How about you tell me the answers, and I'll take the limelight for you?"

Li Ziye turned to look at Little Red Riding Hood beside him. A moment later, in a very elegant tone, he spat out one word: "Scram!"

"Haha."

Bai Wangyu laughed heartily. He had known Brother Li couldn't possibly give up this chance to take the limelight.

"If I die, I die. Countless people are already watching the Li Family anyway. A few more won't make a difference. You have a point too. If I become a hero in the people's hearts, then even if the court wants to move against the Li Family in the future, it'll have some reservations."

At this point, Li Ziye grinned. "Of course, the main thing is that ever since I came to the capital, all I've done is watch you show off. This time, it's finally my turn. Hahaha!"

Beside him, Bai Wangyu smiled as he watched the young man's unrestrained manner.

That's more like it. This Brother Li was the fearless young man of the Li Family he knew!

A youth who was never wild wasted his youth. How could an unparalleled genius like Brother Li resign himself to mediocrity?