Chapter 98: The Clever Are Often Undone by Their Own Cleverness

The sky, which had been gloomy for several days, failed to shed a single drop of rain. The dense clouds were pierced by the fierce sunlight, and within moments, they vanished, leaving behind a vast, clear expanse of blue.

The central courtyard of the Wang family’s villa was exquisitely laid out, with pavilions, towers, flowers, and trees arranged with meticulous care. Walking along the winding corridors, one could catch glimpses of flowing water, small bridges, and craggy, peculiar rocks. A closer inspection revealed that this layout subtly aligned with the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements of Feng Shui.

A steward of the Wang family slowed his pace from time to time, maintaining a respectful distance from Lu Liaoliao and Jun Ruochen. One of these two outstanding young men would soon be the Wang family's son-in-law, and the steward dared not show any negligence.

"Tell me, what kind of strange game is that old fox Wang Yuanbao playing, dragging us to his private courtyard for a meeting?" Lu Liaoliao, unable to bear the stifling and peculiar atmosphere, couldn't help but break the silence.

"I can't guess, and I don't care to. Since we are here, we might as well stay," Jun Ruochen replied, his expression indifferent as he casually surveyed the scenery.

"It seems you aren't at all concerned about defeating me and taking the Wang family's young lady home," Lu Liaoliao said with a smirk, secretly observing the subtle changes in Jun Ruochen's expression.

"Does being concerned matter? As the heir to the Prince of Qin’s estate, yet with a father who is a live-in son-in-law, many things are beyond my control." Jun Ruochen, feeling a sense of frustration, quickened his pace, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.

Upon arriving at the central reception hall, both young men instinctively paused before the screen at the entrance. Adorning it was a framed copy of the famous "June Scroll" by the Eastern Jin scholar Xie An.

After a careful appraisal, Lu Liaoliao concluded that it was undoubtedly an authentic work by the great statesman Xie An, and he couldn't help but click his tongue in silent wonder. Shaking his head, he walked around the screen. The hall was elegantly furnished, lacking any of the ostentatious vulgarity typical of a merchant family. Two gentlemen, both past their prime but carrying an imposing aura, sat at the table. Their smiling gazes drifted repeatedly between him and Jun Ruochen.

As Lu Liaoliao bowed in greeting, he secretly observed the two elders, noting that their features bore no resemblance to Lu Jiu, and he wondered just who these important figures might be.

The two elders exchanged a smile and introduced themselves with an air of self-satisfaction.

"I am Yang Chongyi," said the elder in dark red robes, his forehead lined with wrinkles as he stroked his grey beard and nodded slightly.

"I am Guo Wanjin," said the other, dressed in plain cyan robes, his skin tanned but his eyes exceptionally sharp and bright. He merely cast a cold glance at the two young men.

"We two old fellows have been entrusted by that 'Fatty Wang'—who is both a friend and a rival—to judge the outcome of your previous contests and conduct the third and final examination."

Facing these two giants of Chang'an, whose wealth and reputation were on par with Wang Yuanbao's, Jun Ruochen remained poised and respectful.

"In the previous round, I knew I was far behind Brother Lu and conceded the win. Perhaps the two seniors could simply announce the topic for the third round?"

Guo Wanjin’s eyes turned toward Jun Ruochen with a hint of admiration. Lu Liaoliao, however, rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes, secretly contemplating these two wealthy titans.

During the Kaiyuan era, Wang Yuanbao had been famous throughout Chang'an. He and these two men often recruited talented youths, sponsoring their studies to enter officialdom. They competed by seeing who could send the most scholars into the imperial court, and many high-ranking officials were their protégés. Most of the candidates for the annual imperial examinations flocked to these three houses. Though they were rivals, their relationship was close, and they were known as the "Three Great Friends of the Capital."

Did they not realize that such brazen behavior, if seized upon by an enemy, would lead to their own destruction?

Yang Chongyi’s seemingly dim eyes flashed like lightning as they swept over the deep-in-thought Lu Liaoliao, and he offered a subtle, inscrutable smile.

"This third test is actually quite simple. You both need only answer one question. Write your answers on paper, and do not look at each other’s."

Two servants from the Wang estate brought forward the examination papers, ink, and brushes. Jun Ruochen opened his and found the question indeed simple to the extreme:

"If you have a young woman of noble background whom you admire, how do you win her with the least amount of effort?"

The question was perfectly tailored to their current situation: how to marry the daughter of the wealthiest man in the Tang Dynasty with minimal cost. Jun Ruochen raised his brush, but suddenly realized the question was trickier than it seemed.

After much deliberation, none of his answers satisfied him. Half an incense stick's time later, he finally wrote the words "Mutual affection."

Looking over at Lu Liaoliao with a sense of melancholy, he found that the man had already vanished.

Halfway back through the courtyard corridor, Jun Ruochen saw Lu Liaoliao charging back in a rush, looking anxious. Without a word, he dashed past, heading straight for the reception hall.

Yang Chongyi and Guo Wanjin were laughing heartily when they saw Lu Liaoliao burst in, sweating and looking at them with a nervous, pitiful expression.

"Two elders, two noble lords... I was distracted for a moment, and I wrote the wrong answer for that question. Is it possible to retract it?"

Yang Chongyi spread his hands and laughed helplessly.

"Your answers have already been delivered to Fatty Wang and his daughter. They have unanimously chosen yours. Who would have thought that in his later years, Wang Yuanbao would be so fortunate? We must prepare generous gifts to congratulate him in a few days."

*Smack!* Lu Liaoliao struck his own face hard, then looked at Guo Wanjin with pleading eyes: "Noble lord, please, have mercy. Go and speak to your friend in the back—tell him my answer was a mistake and shouldn't count!"

"Humph! Do you think the Wang family's selection of a son-in-law is a game?" Guo Wanjin snorted coldly, glaring at Lu Liaoliao with stern eyes.

Full of regret, Lu Liaoliao walked out of the hall in a daze, wandering through the corridors. He was surprised to find Jun Ruochen waiting for him.

"Brother Lu, what is the matter? You rushed back in such a hurry and walked away looking like you lost your soul. Was there something wrong with your answer?"

"Sigh!" Lu Liaoliao let out a long breath. "I, Lu Liaoliao, pride myself on being clever, but this time I’ve stumbled into a massive trap. Someone set a snare, and I, fool that I am, jumped right into it without a second thought."

"A trap? What trap? I didn't see one," Jun Ruochen said, puzzled.

"Oh, don't mention it. If this gets out, my reputation will be ruined," Lu Liaoliao lamented, looking listlessly at the blindingly bright sky.

"Haha!" Jun Ruochen chuckled. "Brother Lu is no ordinary man; your answer must have been incredibly eccentric—something I couldn't possibly imagine. But I waited here for you for another reason."

Lu Liaoliao thought to himself that since Lu Jiu wouldn't actually be getting married anyway, he had fulfilled his promise to her. She wouldn't spread this around and ruin his already tarnished reputation. Relieved by this thought, he looked up at Jun Ruochen.

"What is it?"

Jun Ruochen took a deep breath and stared at Lu Liaoliao with intense focus.

"Since I was five, I have never seen my mother smile, nor have I ever been able to sleep until I woke up naturally. Every morning at dawn, I was pulled from bed to practice swordsmanship and martial arts. Aside from meal times, I was either reading or studying music, chess, calligraphy, and painting until midnight. I’ve slept less than three hours a day like this for nearly thirteen years.

"In this Wang family selection, meeting an opponent like you, Brother Lu, is my good fortune. Setting aside this final round, we have each won five matches—it’s a draw. Regardless of the final outcome, I, Jun Ruochen, wish to have one more match with you to decide the victor."

"What do you wish to compete in?" Lu Liaoliao asked, feeling a spark of interest.

"Brother Guye of Shangqing Temple once told me that your swordsmanship was passed down from the Poet Immortal, Taibai, and is ten times more exquisite than mine. I have studied for thirteen years and believe my swordsmanship is second to none. I wish to spar with you to see if you truly are ten times my match, as Brother Guye claimed."

Jun Ruochen’s eyes burned with intensity as he stared at Lu Liaoliao.

Lu Liaoliao had almost forgotten about the sword fight. His mistress at Yuzhen Temple had been very stern, insisting that he redeem the reputation of that young Daoist, Guye, by defeating the top young swordsman of Chang'an in front of everyone.

The opportunity had arrived, and there was no way Lu Liaoliao would refuse. His mind raced, and he looked at Jun Ruochen with a serious expression.

"It would be my honor to spar with you, Young Master Ruochen. But against a master like yourself, I cannot be careless. I need to bathe, change, and meditate to bring my body and mind to their peak state. How about we set it for tomorrow afternoon?"

"Agreed! A battle of swordsmanship cannot be rushed. Let us settle it tomorrow afternoon. As for the location, shall we use the Wang family's archery range from the other day?"

"It’s a deal!" Lu Liaoliao declared and slapped hands with Jun Ruochen to seal the oath.

Returning to the Ruyi Inn where he was staying, Lu Liaoliao quickly gathered everyone and held out his hands.

"Quick, quick! Hand over all the valuables you have!"

"On what grounds?" Pei Wuniang asked, hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"Don't think I don't know that you all made a fortune off me during the last match. But me? I didn't get a single copper coin!" Lu Liaoliao swept a dissatisfied gaze around the room.

"Heehee," Gu Xiehua laughed triumphantly. "We won that by placing our own bets. What does that have to do with you?"

"Humph!" Lu Liaoliao scoffed, unwilling to let it go. "I don't want your winnings; I'm here to offer you another chance to get rich."

"What kind of chance?" asked Old Hu, who had been silent until now.

"Heh heh!" Lu Liaoliao laughed smugly. "Today at the Wang residence, Jun Ruochen challenged me to a sword fight. You all just need to spread the word and disparage my swordsmanship. Tomorrow, when the Wang family opens the betting, the odds against me will be sky-high. If we all place heavy bets on me, won't we all make a killing?"

"But are you sure you can beat Jun Ruochen? I heard his father, Jun Nanfeng, though a lecturer at the Lizheng Academy, is a legendary swordsman known as the greatest in the world. With such a family background, you might not win, you know." Pei Wuniang pouted, showing no sign of handing over her wealth.

"Tsk! What do you think is the best of my many talents?" Lu Liaoliao lifted his chin proudly.

"A head full of evil ideas and devious schemes!" Pei Wuniang blurted out, and Old Hu nodded in firm agreement.

"A thick face!" Gu Xiehua covered her stomach and burst into laughter.

Zhou Liuzi, along with his precious jade pendant, took out all his valuables and placed them in front of Lu Liaoliao: "I believe in you!"