What on earth is going on?
Li Bai wondered.
The eunuch he had recently crossed paths with—the one who had glowered at him for causing a bit of trouble—was standing right before his eyes. And on top of that, he was wearing the most radiant smile.
His name, if Li Bai recalled correctly, was Jinshi—a eunuch. He was probably younger than Li Bai, yet he had worked his way into the Emperor's favor. With those stunning looks, there were even rumors that he served as the Emperor's personal attendant, yet he was diligent and meticulous in his work.
The fact that everyone around him—regardless of gender—was captivated was somewhat problematic, but otherwise Li Bai didn't think there was anything to be concerned about. As far as Li Bai was concerned, on that point— he walked the straight and narrow— no matter how beautiful a man might be, he wouldn't feel the slightest desire.
Still, having someone suddenly appear and stare at you so intently was, he had to admit, genuinely difficult to handle.
Li Bai was glad there was nobody else around. The location was the wing where the senior officials had their offices. The area was strangely sparsely populated. Right—this was where the eccentric strategist was stationed, so everyone kept their contact to the bare minimum.
Lately, Li Bai had been hearing that the eccentric strategist had been loitering about elsewhere in the palace, but seeing this figure here, it was clear this eunuch had been roped into dealing with him on a professional basis.
Li Bai had intended to submit his paperwork and slip out before getting tangled in any trouble, but he had run smack into this very eunuch, who had just stepped out of Rakan's office.
And this smile was what made it all so puzzling.
Well now, speaking of puzzling— There was the vice-commander trailing behind the eunuch called Jinshi—the same official who had previously asked Li Bai to serve as an intermediary with a brothel. If Li Bai recalled correctly, this official was an old acquaintance of his superior.
When he noticed that this official seemed to know of the freckled lady-in-waiting, Maomao, the connection clicked, and things made a little more sense.
"Would you mind accompanying me for a little while?"
Li Bai was not in a position to refuse such a request. His counterpart might be younger, but he wore a jade of nobler rank at his waist. To refuse, Li Bai would have needed at least four or five more promotions.
"Very well."
He gave a curt reply and followed after the eunuchs.
The location was the inner courtyard—a spot where the senior officials often went to enjoy the evening cool. As such, it felt somewhat off-limits to subordinates, and at this hour, there was no one around. It was the kind of place Li Bai, who had no affinity for refined pleasures, never had reason to visit.
This time of year, the Anchisai was beginning to produce large, hydrangea-like blossoms. A rare flower that had come over from an island nation to the east, said to change between red and blue depending on the day. Apparently, the eccentric strategist had planted them here himself. Something about the shape of the flowers— Hydrangeas— that's what they resembled.
He figured it was going a bit far, doing whatever one pleased, but he'd heard that even the general couldn't get the upper hand on that monocled eccentric, so there was probably no helping it.
Jinshi settled into the chair in the gazebo, then gestured for Li Bai to sit.
With no choice but to comply after being told to sit, Li Bai took a seat facing him.
Resting his chin on his interlocked fingers, Jinshi flashed a dazzling smile. The aide standing behind him watched with practiced indifference, but Li Bai simply couldn't stomach it. In all honesty, the man was so blinding he wanted to turn away.
Li Bai mused that if Jinshi were a woman, the old adage about beauty bringing down a kingdom wouldn't be entirely false. But the fellow was a man—even if the essential parts were long gone, he was still a man.
It was tempting to be fooled by that angelic face and silk-thread hair, but he was tall and broad-shouldered. Even beside his martial-build aide, he didn't look the least bit slight.
If someone were fooled by that gentle smile and tried to pin him down, they'd be in for a painful lesson. Those graceful movements only went to show how devoid of waste every motion was.
Following behind, Li Bai found himself thinking about the eunuch. He felt as though he'd encountered him somewhere before, but couldn't quite place where.
He'd caught glimpses of that face now and then, though he'd never studied it up close—yet somehow, it had stuck with him.
What business could a man of that standing possibly have with him?
"One of our maids told me— you seem to have someone you're fond of right now."
Was Li Bai overthinking it to find the use of "you" somewhat suspicious?
He briefly wondered which "maid" Jinshi meant, but given the context, there could only be one possibility—that scrawny, freckled court lady.
Come to think of it, she had spent a period working in the palace, but who would have guessed she'd ended up under this particular eunuch? Li Bai stroked his chin involuntarily.
He'd thought it took an oddball to hire that girl, but who could have imagined that oddball was this beautiful eunuch?
Still, given the circumstances, a bit of explanation might have been in order—but had she really gone and blabbed about someone else's buyout negotiations? Li Bai couldn't help but wonder. Perhaps that was why this eunuch kept flashing smiles at him.
At his young age, blessed with the finest looks in the kingdom and a position to match, the buyout of a courtesan would be nothing more than a punchline.
Let the man mock him all he wanted, but if he was going to make light of Bai Ling—the woman Li Bai held dear—then Li Bai would take issue with that.
Bai Ling was a fine woman, not just as a courtesan, but as a woman in her own right.
Boudoir He remembers her laughing face in the boudoir. He remembers how she pinches the hem of her robe between her fingertips and dances. He remembers how she brews tea, worrying over the smallest things.
If someone told him that was just part of a courtesan's job, he supposed there'd be nothing more to say.
But still, Li Bai thinks that's fine.
Real or fake—either way, it doesn't matter.
Once you let yourself believe, it makes no difference which is which.
He's seen plenty of colleagues go mad over courtesans and gambling, and from the outside, he must look like one of them too. Those who tell him Bai Ling is a wicked woman—they're only saying it out of concern for him.
He's grateful for that, though he also finds it meddlesome.
Li Bai comes to the Ryokuseikan of his own free will. More often than not, he can't even see Bai Ling, and at the entrance he ends up with Baldy serving him tea, and that's it. That's how many of his visits end.
Even so, that's fine.
Being an unreachable flower—that's part of Bai Ling's job too.
Who would call him greedy for spending an entire month's wages just to drink tea?
She has given everything she is to her life as a courtesan, living as nothing more than merchandise. To call her expensive is the more outrageous stance.
If the eunuch before him were to utter a single word insulting Bai Ling, Li Bai was prepared to lay hands on him.
That would be a blunder that could cost him his own head.
Even so, Li Bai thinks that's fine.
He never bends from what he believes—that bull-headed, reckless way of living suits him just fine. It doesn't matter if everyone around him calls him a fool who's gone mad over a courtesan.
He makes an effort to hold himself back, pressing down his trembling right hand with his left as he looks at Jinshi.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
He's careful not to add any unnecessary words—like "that shouldn't be any of your concern."
Jinshi showed not the slightest displeasure at Li Bai's hostile attitude, his heavenly smile still firmly in place.
And then, his lips parted to deliver a stunning remark.
"What if I said I'd cover the cost of buying her freedom?"
"What!?"
Li Bai was so startled that he involuntarily stood up and struck the table. Since the table was carved from bluestone, a dull throb spread through his palm.
Once the tremors subsided throughout his entire body, Li Bai was finally able to speak.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean exactly what I said. How much would the buyout fee need to be? Would twenty thousand be enough?"
At the casually mentioned sum of twenty thousand, Li Bai swallowed hard. That was not an amount one could produce on a whim. And to say it so abruptly to an official whose identity he barely knew...
Had he already heard the buyout fee from Maomao, or was this sum mere pocket change to a man like him? Li Bai racked his brains.
At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder if, having offered twenty thousand, the man would readily pay half. But Li Bai decided to push those naive thoughts aside.
"I appreciate the kind offer, but is it really proper to say such things to a complete stranger of an official?"
Sweet words come with traps. Li Bai was not so foolish as to lose sight of even a child's common sense.
He sat back down in his chair and looked the man in the eyes. The one who had proposed the enormous sum showed no change in expression, while the attendant behind him wore a look of weary resignation.
"Our cat is quite wary, you know. But she actually came to you for advice and is even considering you as a companion on par with someone she regards as a sister."
Did "cat" refer to Maomao herself? Come to think of it, "cat" suited her perfectly. She was like a wary stray cat — approaching just close enough to take whatever food was offered, then bolting the moment she had what she came for.
If he were to keep a pet, a cat would not suit Li Bai. A more obedient dog that would join him on hunts would be far better.
But the way the man phrased it — did that mean Maomao trusted Li Bai to some degree despite her attitude? She had indeed listened with apparent boredom, cheek propped on her hand and a cold gaze, yet she had answered every question he asked.
For reasons he couldn't fathom, he had been stripped and forced into various positions, but perhaps even that had served some purpose.
And now, as a result, he found himself in this situation — conversing with a eunuch.
"So you're saying that if a cautious cat takes a liking to someone, that alone is reason enough to trust them?"
Li Bai's words drew a subtle reaction from Jinshi.
Li Bai wondered if he had said something amiss, but Jinshi had already returned to his gentle smile, so he dismissed it as his imagination.
"I've heard a few things about you from those around you. You may be the son of a provincial official, but becoming a military officer in the capital must have been quite the struggle."
"More or less."
Factions existed everywhere. His parents may have been officials, but they were civil servants in the provinces. He had weathered his share of harsh winds and was far from always receiving proper recognition.
"I hear that an astute strategist took a liking to you and entrusted you with a unit."
"...Yes."
How far had this man dug into Li Bai's background? On the surface, this was supposed to be nothing more than a promotion triggered by the former squad leader stepping down from his military post.
"Anyone would want to stay on good terms with a promising official—that's only natural."
That said, twenty thousand silver was far too extravagant.
What Li Bai actually needed was half that amount—no, given his existing connections and savings, half of that would do.
A quarter of the sum—five thousand silver. Would this man hand that over without batting an eye?
It was a mouth-watering proposal, but Li Bai shook his head.
He looked Jinshi square in the face with a serious expression.
"I'll be honest—I'm grateful that you think so highly of me, and your offer is almost more than I can resist. However, I cannot accept this silver here and now. She may be just one courtesan to you, but to me, she is the only woman in the world. How could I call myself a man if I didn't earn the money myself to bring home the woman I want to marry as my wife?"
Though the stiff, formal phrasing exhausted him, Li Bai delivered his message to the eunuch.
Li Bai had worried that Jinshi would take offense, but the heavenly maiden's expression remained unchanged—in fact, it had grown even softer than before.
His faint smile had blossomed into a full grin.
"I see. That was presumptuous of me, then."
The eunuch rose with graceful movements and casually ran his fingers through his hair.
Standing there like a figure from a beauty portrait, the man wore a look of satisfaction.
"I may wish to have a word with you again in the future—would that be acceptable?"
"As you wish."
Li Bai rose as well and saluted with fist pressed against his palm.
The beautiful eunuch gave a light nod in reply, then departed with his adjutant in tow.
Li Bai stood rooted to the spot in a daze, watching that elegant figure until it vanished from sight.
And then— "What in the world just happened?"
He scratched his head, utterly bewildered, and accidentally touched the still-bald patch where he'd been burned, his mood dipping ever so slightly.
He slumped into his chair, "Well... what am I supposed to do?"
and muttered to himself.
For now, he'd either show off at least a little something impressive in front of his superior during the next training session—or ask to have his workload increased.
No, more importantly than that.
He would send a letter to a woman he might never get to see again. But rather than unilaterally showing up to take her away, he wanted to hear her wishes first.
Even if it was just social pleasantries, he'd believe those words and let them sustain him through the days.
"Alright!"
Li Bai thrust his hands into his sleeves and trotted out of the courtyard.
As he went, he wondered what kind of branch would be best for tying his letter.
◎●◎ "Maomao, you've got a letter."
Guien handed Maomao the wooden tablet that had been left on top. Maomao untied the cord binding it and found elegant characters written across its surface in flowing script.
It was a reply to the letter Maomao had sent to the Rokushokukan a few days earlier.
"The old woman's doing alright, but I'm still going strong!"
He could picture it vividly—a full-figured young lady puffing out her chest as she made that declaration.
The sender was Shiratsuzu.
"And besides, I'm still waiting for some prince to come riding in to rescue me one day!"
The word was written as "noble son" but called "prince." In a distant foreign land, there was supposedly a figure known as a "prince" who rode a white horse and came to rescue imprisoned maidens.
Shiratsuzu was a woman. And like a woman, she spoke of fanciful things.
She was long past the age to be called a girl—she'd already been with more men than she could count on her fingers—yet she still refused to give up on her dreams.
That tenacious spirit might have been one of the things keeping her young.
(He'd sort of gotten that impression about her.)
If he could win her favor, he probably wouldn't even need ten thousand silver for a buyout fee. All he had to do was play the "prince" she longed for. What that required was peerless stamina, muscles, and the things a normal man possessed but a eunuch did not.
Add to that a bit of acting ability and some congratulatory gift money, and he'd be set.
Never mind the buyout fee—if he tried to haggle over the congratulatory money too, everyone around her would not stay quiet about it.
Even that shrewd old madam would— 「If she wants to retire, then so be it. But the celebration is going to be a grand affair, mark my words.」
That's what she said. The old madam, who was usually tightfisted, was generous when it came to this.
Byakuren had bloomed as the foremost flower of the pleasure district, and when she took her leave from the stage, she wanted the send-off to be a grand affair befitting that.
That was the pride of having lived as a courtesan.
So even the madam wouldn't try to collect the money she'd pushed onto a man if Byakuren truly loved him. She would, however, take five thousand as a necessary expense for the celebration.
A man who couldn't earn at least that much wouldn't be worthy of Byakuren, and being stingy about it would be utterly out of the question.
(Even if ten thousand was impossible, five thousand should be manageable.)
If Li Bai's career continued to progress smoothly from here, he could manage that much in a few years.
The rest was up to luck.
If Byakuren got brainwashed by the madam's way of thinking, it would all be over—but before that happened, Li Bai just needed to win over Byakuren and gather the money.
There was nothing Maomao needed to do about it.
If there was one thing to watch out for, though.
(He wouldn't do something crazy like borrowing money, would he?)
Even if he borrowed money from someone and scraped it together, the madam would look into it thoroughly. That would be the end of it. She would do everything in her power to crush any man with outstanding debts, going on about how she could never hand Byakuren over to someone like that.
Maomao didn't think he would do something like that, but it wasn't something she could say for certain.
Maomao tied the finished wooden tablet with string and set it on the desk in her room.
When she stepped into the hallway, she found that Jinshi and the others had come to visit the Jade Palace for the first time in several days.
The last time they parted, Jinshi had been in an unmistakably foul mood, but today he looked somewhat cheerful.
Wondering what to make of it, Maomao headed to the kitchen to prepare tea.