Chapter 144: Palace Attendant and Dressmaker (Part Two)

Quan Ce walked over to Princess Taiping's carriage and glanced at Xiangnu standing outside. Seeing her cheeks slightly flushed, he obediently reined in his horse, kept a modest distance, and followed at a leisurely pace without announcing his presence or disturbing them.

Now that he had tasted the pleasures of carnal intimacy, he would no longer ask such foolish questions about whether those matters were truly that interesting. Men and women were born with natural desires for food and sex; some simply had stronger appetites, which was inevitable.

After a long while, the dark purple curtains of the carriage were lifted. The person stepping out was Cui Shi, the Hanlin Academician, impeccably dressed and groomed. Wearing a three-part smile and exuding gentleness and refinement, he seemed entirely normal—except that as he jumped down from the carriage, his legs softened and he nearly stumbled, and when he twisted his waist to stand upright, he looked feeble and listless.

Bending down from his saddle, Quan Ce reached out to steady him. The two exchanged a friendly smile and passed each other. Glancing at Cui Shi's back, which seemed almost unable to straighten, Quan Ce could not help but sigh. This man had not only meddled with Shangguan Wan'er but also entangled himself with Princess Taiping; he certainly had a hearty appetite.

After yet another long while, the voice of Princess Taiping came from within the carriage.

"Has Dalang arrived?"

"Quan Ce is here."

"Come up. Your aunt has something to say to you."

Hesitating for a moment, Quan Ce lifted the curtain and stepped inside the carriage. To avoid any awkwardness, he bowed in greeting the moment he entered, keeping his gaze lowered. "Quan Ce pays his respects to Aunt."

"Sit down and speak." Princess Taiping was already neatly composed, showing no signs of disarray or unusual scents, save for a lingering, heavy fragrance of peonies. "That Wang Tongjiao has acted presumptuously time and again, slandering your reputation first and provoking you publicly afterward. Do you have a way to deal with him?"

The subtext was clear: she intended to support Quan Ce in retaliating against Wang Tongjiao. Instead of being pleased, Quan Ce was startled. Sitting gingerly on the edge of the soft cushion with half of his buttocks, he assumed an expression of innocent sincerity. "Wang Tongjiao is overbearing, and I lost my temper earlier, arguing with him on principles. I received a reprimand from Her Majesty, ordering me to properly cultivate my temperament and refrain from striving for dominance or being overly competitive."

"So now you are going to play the obedient little darling?" Princess Taiping let out a derisive chuckle. She shifted right next to him, reached out, and pinched his cheek, shaking it playfully. "The Empress Dowager favors the strong and decisive. What she detests is not you arguing with someone publicly, but the fact that after expending so much breath, you still failed to subdue him. If you have the ability to make Wang Tongjiao swallow a bitter pill, Her Majesty will only greatly admire you and will never blame you."

Hearing this, Quan Ce remained silent on the surface, but inwardly he grew even more certain. Princess Taiping was right; Empress Wu indeed favored strong personalities. For instance, the newly promoted Vice Director of the Phoenix Pavilion, Li Zhaode, was favored immensely precisely because of his formidable style, even showing a trend of surpassing Cen Changqian. However, her motives in saying this were hardly pure; she was clearly trying to kill with a borrowed knife—using Quan Ce's hands to deal with Wang Tongjiao.

"Look at this little bit of courage you have." Princess Taiping laughed with a sweet trill, leaning her head against his shoulder and rubbing gently. "Don't worry, Dalang. Go ahead and do as you wish. If any mishap occurs, your aunt will bear the responsibility for you."

Since the matter had reached this point, Quan Ce had no room for refusal. Weighing his words, he said in a deep voice, "Quan Ce obeys your command and will make sure Wang Tongjiao receives a lesson."

Princess Taiping glanced sideways at him and gave him a light poke with her finger. "You cunning little ghost. Of course, your aunt isn't asking you to take his life. Court struggles are nothing more than demotions and salary cuts, stopping at the right point. I simply want you to vent your frustration."

Quan Ce nodded and said nothing more.

Silence reigned within the carriage for a long time, broken only by the creaking of the wheels and the incessant swaying of the curtains.

Princess Taiping raised her head, smoothed his lapels, and spoke in gentle, soft tones. "Dalang, your aunt has many things to do and very few people she can use. You must apply yourself wholeheartedly and come to assist me sooner."

Quan Ce understood the situation completely. Punishing Wang Tongjiao was both a test and a pledge of allegiance. Only by passing this trial would Princess Taiping truly trust him intimately. Although he had no personal interest in becoming Princess Taiping's confidant, he was equally unwilling to stand as her adversary.

All things were dictated by fate, entirely beyond human control. This feeling of helplessness was not the first time he had experienced it, and judging by the look of things, it would not be the last. Feeling utterly weary, Quan Ce jumped down from the carriage and looked up at the sun. Sunlight flooded the world, yet his heart was filled with lingering reluctance. Was this how he was supposed to live, after going through such painstaking efforts to save his own miserable life?

A pang of agitation rippled through his heart. Quan Ce shook his head, suppressing the thoughts that spread like wild grass, and walked over to lead his steed, Xuan Shuang. He tried twice to mount, but failed to reach the saddle both times.

Chuckling foolishly at his own clumsiness, Quan Ce suddenly felt a spark of interest in Wang Tongjiao. Whose person was he? And why had he incurred Princess Taiping's disfavor?

Upon reaching Songyang County, the imperial procession halted to spend the night.

As the sovereign, Empress Wu found that the local authorities had long since made full preparations. The gardens serving as the temporary imperial palace were grand, exquisite, and breathtakingly beautiful. However, the accompanying high ministers, nobles, and civil and military officials did not enjoy such lavish accommodations and had to find lodging scattered around Songyang County.

Given her exalted status, Princess Taiping moved directly into the garden compound with the Empress Wu, while subordinate officials like Quan Ce lacked such qualifications. Fortunately, Wu Youxu possessed a penchant for seeking immortals and pursuing the Dao, maintaining a residence in Songyang County. He invited Quan Ce to stay with him, and since Cui Rong, Lu Zhaoyin, and other fellow retainers also lacked lodgings, they went along together.

"Brother Lu, congratulations, congratulations!" Raising their cups, Wu Youxu, Cui Rong, and the others toasted Lu Zhaoyin. Due to the recent changes in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices where Yu Xuanwei had fallen and Ouyang Tong had risen, Lu Zhaoyin had caught a windfall, being promoted from Director of the Ceremonial Bureau in the Court of State Ceremonials to Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

"Thank you, gentlemen, and thank you, Director Wu." Lu Zhaoyin beamed with radiant joy, offering universal salutations. With a crisp sound, he drained his cup in one gulp. His capacity for liquor was sound; after several rounds of exchanging toasts, his expression remained unchanged. Leaning closer to Quan Ce, he lowered his voice and said, "Master Quan, word has reached me that the one who recommended and promoted me was Chancellor Su. Is there anything improper about this matter?"

As Quan Ce was flushed and warmed by the alcohol, his expression shifted slightly. This matter was indeed bizarre. Everyone knew that Su的味道 (Su Weidao) was notoriously ambiguous, never expressing firm opinions, careful not to offend anyone, let alone meddling in personnel matters—the most fiercely contested arena of all. Since Lu Zhaoyin was Quan Ce's man, why would Su make an exception to show favor?

There were only two possibilities. First, Su Weidao might be selling Quan Ce a favor in light of their past acquaintance, though this possibility was microscopically small. Back when Du Shenyan was struggling in his official career while Su Weidao was soaring into the clouds, Su had never uttered a single word of support despite their relationship. Their friendship surely had not reached such a level. Second, Su Weidao was acting upon someone else's commission, serving as an intermediary. The people capable of ordering a chancellor around could be counted on one hand. A charming face with hidden barbs flashed through his mind—Princess Taiping.

"Master Lu need not worry. I have a clear grasp of the situation. You are diligent and accomplished in your duties, so these honors are entirely your due. Do not let your imagination run wild." Quan Ce offered a few ambiguous words to pacify Lu Zhaoyin.

Seeing how resolute Quan Ce appeared, Lu Zhaoyin dropped the subject. Instead, he listened as Cui Rong spoke of the newly appointed Hanlin Academician, Cui Shi. This gentleman possessed fine lineage and character and was adept at socializing, yet he was disdainful of others, looked down from on high, and frequently engaged in flattering superiors while bullying inferiors, making it difficult for anyone to feel close to him.

The banquet lasted until the end of the Hour of *Xu* (around 9 PM). After three full rounds of food and wine, the gathering finally dispersed, and several grown men retired to their respective quarters with a hazy, tipsy drowsiness.

Quan Ce's tolerance for alcohol could not compare to those battle-hardened older men. Dizzily escorted into his room by two maidservants, he was undressed and wiped down. One of the maidservants seemed to harbor improper intentions, intentionally or unintentionally brushing against his lower body. Being at the peak of his youthful vigor, Quan Ce found himself instantly aroused despite his stupor.

*Whoosh.* A shadow flashed past the door and outside the window.

The maidservant was startled into halting her movements. After a moment of hesitation, driven by lingering temptation, she kept her eyes fixed on the window while continuing to grope Quan Ce.

*Whoosh.* The shadow flashed by once more. A thread so fine it was invisible to the naked eye suddenly whistled through the air, whipping fiercely across the maidservant's cheek. Though the thread was completely imperceptible visually, the maidservant let out a sharp shriek as she was struck. Her cheek swelled up instantly, raising a bright red welt. Terrified, she no longer dared to make any reckless moves or touch him further; clutching her face, she fled in a panic, hugging the base of the wall.

Quan Ce lay on the bed wearing only his undergarments. The maidservant had fled in such a rush that she had not even pulled the quilt over him. A shadow cast itself over his body; the newcomer bent down to drape the quilt across him, then sat sideways on the edge of the bed. As a gentle breeze blew in, the corner of a green ribbon fluttered in the air.

"Even a mere maidservant almost managed to bully you right under your nose. Have you no shame?"

Yet she did not know that while she was lost in thought, a pair of eyes had been gazing intently at her through the window all along. Witnessing the scene, a faint smile crossed those hidden eyes before vanishing.