Suit one's taste

  Min An spent three consecutive days lurking outside the main building, spying on Li Peinan's "hobbies", and at night he went to the tile house to fight cocks, his days were extremely fulfilling.

  Min An soon discovered that the prince he was spying on was as still as a stone statue, with a will as strong as a mountain. Except for going out to inspect the sentry posts and meeting with messengers, he spent his whole day in his study doing who-knew-what. Min An guessed that luxuries like fine clothes and food, fragrant carriages and precious horses were not enough to move the prince's heart, so he decided to take a different approach and bring out something useful to stir him.

  The young master currently needs an account book.

  Before Ming An could get his hands on the account book, he had to first prepare a fighting cock for a wager at the tile-roofed house. He set his sights on a white rooster named "General".

  Kung Fu suit white crane obviously doesn't work, so Min An racked his brains for half a day and prepared two thin gifts to visit Li Peinan. It's called "thin gift" indeed, because Min An didn't have a single silver coin on him, all of which were taken away by his master. He could only make the gifts himself.

  Min An, based on the few interactions he had with Li Peinan, determined that his interests and tastes were extremely lowbrow, only knowing how to drink tea and intimidate people. So, he rolled up his sleeves and made a package of osmanthus tea, sealed it with wax, and stuffed it into a bamboo tube - the tube was cut from the backyard of the inn, convenient, clean, and also a elegant accessory, taking it out wouldn't be too abrupt for the refined gentlemen who were steeped in literature.

  It's a hassle to talk about this "literary elegance". According to the traditional Chinese etiquette, Min An knew that Wang Zigong and his relatives would all receive Confucian education, but he didn't know how high Li Peinan's literary level was. He thought that if he carved a design of magnolia flowers and white cranes on the green bamboo box, Li Peinan might think it was just a small chicken pecking at grain under the tree... Despite his inner disdain, Min An still used his knife to carve a vivid picture on the bamboo strip, taking the two lines from the Chu Ci "In the morning I drink the dew of the magnolia flowers, in the evening I dine on the fallen petals of the chrysanthemum" to an extreme.

  After packing the Osmanthus tea, Min An picked up a delicate lacquered bone folding fan and painted a bright moon, a perched crow, and an osmanthus tree on its surface. He then held it against the wind to dry the ink marks. This fan was also made by him from split bamboo bones, with two layers of silk gauze applied inside and out, which took considerable effort.

  Everything was ready, Min An requested to see Li Peinan, but Li Peinan refused to see him. Later, it was said that it was related to the account book, and then he called Lijun to bring Min An in.

  Min An walked into the second floor study, Li Peinan was wearing a green silk robe standing under the palace lamp, reflecting the snow-white nightgown inside, looking like he had just been awakened after going to bed and then put on an outer robe to see guests.

  Li Peinan's faction stood coldly, not speaking, causing Min An to hesitate for a moment, thinking that he had come at the wrong time. However, the appointment in Waselei was not waiting for anyone and could only be carried out at night. If he hesitated any further, he might miss the opportunity. Thinking of this, Min An raised his head and said: "Please lend me General Shizhu for one night, I will definitely return him early tomorrow morning."

  Li Peinan said: "You've been gone for three days in a row, losing all your money every day, and you still dare to come and advise the general?"

  Min An didn't expect his movements to be so transparent, and his face turned red as he replied: "That was just the opening act, for tonight's comeback battle, the young master must make it happen."

  Li Peinan asked: "When will you return the ten taels of silver that Lai Qun was cheated out of by you?"

  Min An's face turned even redder: "Tonight I'll return it, tonight I'll return it, twenty taels."

  Li Peinan looked at Min An, who was lowering his head and eyes, and said coldly: "The general comes from the north, it is not easy to grow in the south, and it has taken nearly twenty years to raise one, worth a city..."

  Min An immediately pulled out a fine lacquered bamboo fan from his sleeve and handed it over: "I offer this ancestral Han-style double-lacquered fan as collateral, please accept it, young master, and enjoy it at your leisure." He bowed his head, holding the fan high above his shoulder with both hands, silently praying that the young master wouldn't notice... Fortunately, he hadn't pulled out the cheap flower tea to pawn off... The newly lacquered fan bone should be able to pass as genuine...

  Li Peinan turned around and walked into the room without saying a word, leaving Min An standing alone outside. Min An was left with nothing to do, so he looked up at the curtain behind the door and smiled, then suddenly opened his bamboo fan and fanned out a faint scent of osmanthus flowers, and casually strolled out of the study.

  On the second floor, beside the carved railing, stood a slender figure with a delicate shadow. She was wrapped in white silk, her long black hair cascading down like water, with only a single emerald hairpin adorning her simple bun. Her back to the moon, she revealed a lithe and elegant figure, and as the evening breeze caressed her, her silk skirt fluttered, displaying an endearing vulnerability. A maid approached quietly from the stairs, draped a large red peony brocade over her shoulders, and said, "Miss, our young master has retired for the night; it's getting chilly, you should head back."

  Min Anhe held a bamboo fan, patted his palm, walked to the bottom of the building, and asked Lei Qun who was on duty: "What's the origin of that beautiful woman?"

  Lü Qún said in a low voice: "The songstress sent by Lord Wang."

  Min An raised an eyebrow: "I'm afraid it's for serving in bed?"

  Li Qun smiled and didn't say a word. Min An turned his head to look at the corridor on the second floor, which was shrouded in moonlight, and said with a sour tone: "A heart of ice is devoted to the bright moon, but unfortunately, the bright moon is a foolish goose." He tapped Li Qun's arm and lowered his voice to say: "Brother Li, if you dare to tell the young master what I just said again, those ten taels of silver will be gone."

  Li Qun smiled: "Of course I know."

  Min An hesitated for a moment, then walked towards the side of the rear courtyard, and peeked through the carved flower screen window. Fei Yi was just after her bath, with her long hair loose, wearing a plain white robe, sitting at her desk copying flower and grass patterns. Min An knocked on the window and said: "You're always cooped up in the house, aren't you bored? Why don't you come with me to a place for some fun?"

  "Not going."

  Min An put the wrapped box of Osmanthus tea on the windowsill and smiled: "Then I'll invite you to have some tea."

  He still didn't raise his head and didn't respond either.

  Min An tightly looked at Fei Yi: "I filtered the water with a silk net five times, and added orange peel and mint inside, divided into sweet and salty two flavors, I dare say this is the best Osmanthus tea - don't you really want to try it?"

  Fei Yan put down her brush and said coldly: "I never want anything that is left over after being chosen by the Crown Prince."

  Min An replied: "How dare I use leftovers to deceive you, this fan is what the young master doesn't want." He threw the bamboo fan from the window and was caught by Fei Yi.

  She unfolded the fan and a faint, elegant floral scent wafted over, as her wrist moved up and down, the fan's surface displayed different colors under the lamplight. At first, it was plain and simple, depicting the serene and empty atmosphere of an autumn courtyard; then it became complex, with the fan's skeleton revealing a pomegranate red color, and that one osmanthus tree had transformed into a red plum blossom, proudly blooming alone in the soft snow and moonlight.

  He put down the bamboo fan and said lightly: "This fan of yours is exquisitely made, if it's passed down for a hundred years, it can become a treasured artifact of a famous family."

  "A smile spread across Min's face: 'A trick I learned from Master, a skill to deceive people.'"

  "Come in, have some tea and then tell me about your business."

  Min An suppressed his anxiety and sat with Fei Yi for a moment, using the small ceramic stove to brew a pot of fragrant osmanthus tea. He didn't bother with the delicate process, pouring the tea into a ceramic cup and drinking it all in one gulp. Then he knelt on the mat, pulling up his sleeves to gaze at Fei Yi.

  He didn't even notice the fragrance of the tea until it had dispersed, and only then did he take a sip. Seeing Min An's eyes wandering about, his mind elsewhere, he asked, "Did you get turned down by Young Master?"

  Min nodded, and Fei Yan said: "Ordinary toys can't catch his eye, think of another way."

  Min An hung his head in despair: "Distant water can't save the nearby fire! The general will make a move tonight, or else I'll have wasted my silver for the past three days."

  Fei Yijing thought for a moment before responding: "If I help you borrow General, how will you thank me?"

  Min An bowed down and said: "I have nothing to repay you with, I can only repay with my own life."

  "Who wants your body?"

  "Please don't misunderstand me. I'm saying that I'd be willing to go through fire and water for you, and if I die once, it can offset the debt of human feelings."

  Fei didn't say anything else and drank another cup of tea before instructing, "Let's go." Min An got up and followed behind him, stealing a glance at the bamboo tube on the desk where the osmanthus tea had been reduced by half. He thought to himself: So he has a slightly heavy taste after all.

  In the main building.

  Li Qun saw Fei Yi walking back with Min An, and hurriedly raised his hand in greeting. Fei Yi didn't stop, continuing to walk up the stairs. Min An followed behind him, whispering: "The beauty might still be in the young master's residence, you can't just barge in." Fei Yi didn't even listen, walking straight up to the second floor and bypassing the attendants' reports. Min An watched from the bottom of the stairs as Fei Yi walked away with a steady back, and couldn't help but think again that he was indeed a man of strong tastes.

  A moment later, Fei Xu walked down the stairs, beckoning to Li Nu who was waiting at the bottom. Li Nu immediately ran out and brought back a golden iron cage containing General Bai Que. After a while, Bao Nu, with his robust physique, led in a leopard, its face full of obedience.

  Baozi saw Min An standing under the lamp and let out a low growl. Min An hastily hid behind Fen Yi's back.

  Fei Yu took two steps forward, then suddenly stopped again. Mimicking his actions, Min An also came to a halt, her nose almost touching the back of his white robe.

  Min An looked up and asked in confusion: "What's wrong?"

  "Remember two things."

  Min An lowered his head and made a gesture of listening intently. Fei Yi said, "You are the man who is about to go fight against Bai Que, you should show some masculinity."

  Min An puffed out his chest, looking at Fei Yi with full confidence. Fei Yi turned her head to meet his gaze and said calmly, "Our friendship is like this sleeve, try not to pull it unless necessary." Then she shook off Min An's hand with a flick of her sleeve.

  Thank you Coco for the hand grenade, two landmines

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