Li Yao waited for five whole days without being summoned by the Emperor. Instead of seeing the Emperor, she was asked to meet with the Prime Minister.
It turned out the Imperial Secretary's message about the Emperor wanting to see her was completely false. The one who really wanted to meet her was the Prime Minister Zhu Zilin instead, or perhaps the Crown Prince.
Li Yao didn't know what virtues or talents she possessed that made the current Crown Prince and Prime Minister take notice of her.
"Then I can just go back," Li Yao said. "Since it's not the Emperor seeing me, the Prime Minister can't accuse me of defying an imperial order."
"Li Yao," Jia Zhanliang said, "things are not that simple. The messenger said just now that if you don't meet the Prime Minister, we won't be able to do any more business in the capital."
A Prime Minister putting on such airs?
Not only making her wait for days, but even daring to threaten her?
"I know what to do. Don't worry, you won't have trouble in the capital," Li Yao said.
Li Yao returned to the inn with a big package of food and slept until midnight before sneaking out the window again.
The Prime Minister's estate was easy to find, standing out conspicuously among the expansive buildings.
As the current Prime Minister, security at Zhu Zilin's estate was tight, but the short walls and buildings were no match for Li Yao. She leapt over them effortlessly.
Based on the layout of the buildings, Li Yao located where Zhu Zilin lived. Security here was even more lax since it was deep inside. She easily slipped into Zhu Zilin's bedroom.
She quietly went to his bedside, lit incense to aid sleep, and after a while, Li Yao took out a small pair of scissors.
Snip snip snip--
Zhu Zilin's long beard and hair were quickly shorn bald, leaving only stubble.
Li Yao had used this trick in the Nanzhao Kingdom forts before, but she didn't mind using it again. She casually trimmed Zhu Zilin's wife's hair as well.
Having done this, Li Yao put away the incense and returned to the inn.
...
The next day, the servants at the Prime Minister's estate found things very strange.
Although it wasn't an important court day, the Prime Minister usually rose at dawn.
But today it was already mid-morning and not only had the Prime Minister not woken up, it seemed like the Prime Minister's wife was also sleeping very soundly.
Several maidservants holding wash basins of water had been standing at the steps waiting until their feet tingled, changing the water over and over. But as lowly maidservants, they didn't dare knock on the door.
It wasn't until the head steward heard the news and rushed over in a panic with guards.
"Prime Minister Zhu?"
The head steward called out several times at the door but didn't hear a response. His heart sank.
"Quick, break down the door!"
Two guards clumsily removed the door panel while the pale-faced maidservants rushed inside.
Seeing the Prime Minister and his wife lying perfectly fine in bed, it was like a boulder lifted from their hearts.
"But Prime Minister Zhu's beard and hair...they're gone?"
"And the Prime Minister's wife's hair is gone too!"
"What?"
The head steward turned deathly pale. Forgetting all propriety, he charged inside with the others.
This wasn't just an exaggeration?
The head steward's calves trembled in fear. As head steward of the estate, the guards were under his responsibility. Now the Prime Minister's beard and hair had been shorn by someone, and they were still sleeping unaware while no one knew what had happened...
This was a grave dereliction of duty. When the Prime Minister awoke, would he take his head?
Although worried for his own life, the head steward could only summon the imperial physician. Fortunately the Prime Minister and his wife were unharmed, and soon awoke.
Upon finding out his and his wife's hair and beards had been trimmed without their knowing, Zhu Zilin immediately thought of one person.
Li Yao.
"I've heard this woman is audaciously bold, daring to go to the northern border alone. It seems the rumors are true," Zhu Zilin said sternly. "It appears she has no intention of coming to meet me."
"Sir," the head steward suggested, hoping to redeem himself, "for a mere commoner girl to be so insolent, why don't I take some men and get rid of her directly!"
"Get rid of her?" Zhu Zilin shook his head. "She's someone the Crown Prince explicitly wanted to recruit. Here's what we'll do - since she refuses to come see me, I'll go see her."
...
Bang bang bang--
Li Yao was eating candied haws in her room when someone knocked violently on her door.
"Li Yao, the Prime Minister is here. Come out and greet him properly!"
It wasn't even noon yet and Zhu Zilin had lost patience and taken the initiative to come find her? So much for having the patience and wisdom of a prime minister.
Li Yao opened the door, still holding the unfinished candied haws, and followed two guards downstairs.
In a spacious private room, she saw the current Prime Minister, Zhu Zilin.
"You're still eating?" A guard couldn't stand it and shouted, "No greeting for the Prime Minister and you're eating? You-- "
"Let her eat," Zhu Zilin was unexpectedly not angry at all, even smiling. "Let Li Yao finish eating first, then we can talk slowly, it's not urgent."
Li Yao recognized his smile didn't reach his eyes. Zhu Zilin had playing fake sincerity down to an art.
Li Yao finished the last two haws hastily and mumbled unclearly, "Okay, you can talk now."
"All of you, leave us."
Zhu Zilin had the guards exit before smiling and saying, "I've heard of Li Yao's exceptional beauty and seeing you today, the rumors are true..."
"Prime Minister Zhu," Li Yao didn't have time for pleasantries. "You made me wait five, six days. It can't just be to praise me."
"Haha, naturally there are important matters."
"Then speak directly. I still want to go home for the new year."
"Then I won't beat around the bush," Zhu Zilin said. "Li Yao, have you considered moving your family to the capital? By coincidence, there is an estate near my residence, left behind by a duke. The Crown Prince's intention is to bestow it to you as a gift."
"That place isn't one a mere commoner like me can live in."
"No matter," Zhu Zilin said. "With Li Yao's contributions at Daling, becoming a first-rank lady within two years isn't out of the question. By then, your status would suffice, no?"
I see, he wants to buy me over with fame and status?
Unfortunately, Li Yao wasn't moved by such things at all. A mansion in the capital or becoming a first-rank lady held no appeal compared to her carefree retirement in Riverbend Village.
"I appreciate the Crown Prince and Prime Minister's kind intentions," Li Yao said. "But I have many chickens, ducks, cows and sheep I'd be reluctant to leave behind."
"You...think carefully about this. Once you miss this opportunity, it won't come again."
"I've thought it through clearly," Li Yao said. "If the Prime Minister has no other matters, I'll be on my way home for the new year."
Zhu Zilin looked at Li Yao for a while. Seeing her attitude was firm and she could not be persuaded, a flash of killing intent appeared in his eyes.
But it quickly disappeared.
He knew that even with a dozen guards, it was very possible Li Yao could escape. If she got away, she would surely retaliate. Just thinking about Li Yao shaving his beard and hair without his knowing made Zhu Zilin's neck feel cold.
"Li Yao, you choose your own path!"
That sounded like a veiled threat, albeit a refined one as expected from a scholar.
As Zhu Zilin prepared to leave, he heard Li Yao say behind him, "Prime Minister Zhu, you also choose your own path."
Tit for tat.