The Empress’s Gigolo

The old man didn’t give the book to Zhan Caixian to see, but instead asked Ren Baqian, “Do you want to see?””Many thanks.” Ren Baqian happened to be interested in the sensual literature of this world and had no reason to refuse.The old man liked his straightforward reply, and his face looked like a chrysanthemum as he smiled, saying, “You are a good guy and more honest than those who desire, but say otherwise.”

The surrounding people were displeased. Was a person reading sensual literature with him considered a good person? Were those who went with him to the brothel his blood brothers?Ren Baqian happily accepted the book and said politely, “Thank you for sharing.”This made the old man even happier, and he praised, “This little rascal is good, has vision, and is polite.”The rest of them didn’t understand, but Ren Baqian understood.Only those who had the experience would understand.The major forums on the internet were infested with flamers. Any words posted could attract vitriolic attacks, and everyone was full of spite. Only a handful of those 1024 netizens would spend their time typing, “Thanks for sharing. The thread starter is a good person. Good people live a peaceful life…” They weren’t spiteful at all.

That was why everyone was a good person.”Can I bring it with me and return it to you later?” Ren Baqian took the book and gestured.”Keep it if you like it. You can give me a new one when you have the opportunity to do so. The precious sword is a gift to the hero. The rouge is a gift to the beautiful woman!” the old man said with gusto.Yet, Ren Baqian felt that it wasn’t quite right.The precious sword is a gift to the hero. The rouge is a gift to the beautiful woman. The sensual literature is a gift to… Ren Baqian felt he couldn’t dwell on this thought. The more he thought about it, the more it felt like the old man was scolding him. The old man smiled so widely and even gifted him a sensual book, so how could he release Lin Qiaole to scratch his face? Ren Baqian cupped his hands to thank the old man. He then took the book from him and quietly put it in his bosom.”What’s in the book? Let me see! Why women can’t see it?” Lin Qiaole leaned over and asked curiously.”You will know after another 50 years!” Ren Baqian retorted. Although Lin Qiaole looked presentable, she might not be able to get married and might have to wait another hundred years.Entering the village, he could see old people basking in their yards or watering flowers from time to time. They were no different from the old ladies in the strongholds.

Fortunately, he came across a person in the courtyard who was holding a brush and painting on a table. This person adopted a horse stance with his forearm parallel to the table. Every now and then, he would paint on the paper. His every move looked very imposing, and his demeanor gave Ren Baqian the impression that he was an expert. After all, these were old war veterans. Not all of them were bumpkins, and it wasn’t surprising that some were calligraphy and painting experts. “Village head grandfather, what are you drawing?” With some firewood in hand, Zhan Caixian propelled herself into the yard with two or three bounces.”I am painting mountains!” the old man replied without even lifting his head.Zhan Caixian craned her neck to look at the painting and then turned to look at the mountain range in the vicinity. She said doubtfully, “This mountain looks a bit fat!”

“This is so majestic!”

“Slightly shorter?””It’s accumulating momentum and will break through the sky one day!””This obviously looks more like a hill.””This is called seeing a mountain for what it isn’t. You talk too much.” The old man became furious.

Although Ren Baqian didn’t see his painting, he did understand what was said. To be able to depict a mountain as a hill definitely required above average talent.Ren Baqian had been deceived by his demeanor. After half a day, he turned out to be a spiritual painter.

While thinking, he added the words,” Spiritual painter!”When the old man’s sharp ears picked up on those words, his eyes brightened. He then laughed loudly and said, “This little rascal is savvy. The important thing about a painting is the soul and the intention, not the form. Come take a look. Only a man with vision can understand my painting.””This old fellow is a Spirit Wheel expert and is only slightly weaker than me.” Lin Qiaole added to these words by gesticulating with her hands, one pointing at the sky and the other at the ground.

Ren Baqian guessed that her message roughly meant the difference between Heaven and Earth. However, she said he was a bit weaker, so what did that mean?”This little girl talks big.” The old man was amused by her actions.”Today, I will not argue with you. Little chap, come over here and see my painting.” The old man looked at her attentively a few times before turning to greet Ren Baqian. It was more important to find someone who appreciated his painting than to fight with someone to prove who was stronger.”Excuse me.”Ren Baqian put his hands behind his back and walked to the table to take a look. His expression was strange. How is this drawing of yours a range of hills?This is obviously a steamed bun. Behind this steamed bun was the outline of another steamed bun. A small stone was also drawn on top of the steamed bun.”How is it?” The old man looked complacent.”A mountain range from the front, a mountain peak from the side!” This poetic verse immediately came to Ren Baqian’s mind. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the perspective depended on the angle of observation. “Good, well said!” The old man laughed loudly after hearing this verse. “This verse matches my painting and is very appropriate. Is there a following verse?”

“The scene differs when seen from different distances.””Not bad!” The old man laughed and added the two verses to the painting.Ren Baqian agreed with the ancient saying, “Hooligans aren’t scary. They are scary when they have culture.”This guy before him wasn’t only a cultured hooligan, but a Spirit Wheel expert as well.The little girl passively looked at the painting titled, “A mountain range from the front, a mountain peak from the side” and was still trying to figure out where the mountain ridges and peaks were.The old man then put his brush aside. Seeing that Zhan Caixian was still holding the firewood, he asked, “Why don’t you deliver the firewood to Hu Qinghua? Aren’t you tired of holding it?”

“Oh!” Zhan Caixian nodded her head quickly and said seriously to Ren Baqian, “Your poem is very good.”

She then ran out while carrying the firewood.The old man stretched out his hands to rub his body twice and raised his head to ask Ren Baqian, “This little rascal is my style. Not bad, not bad! How is Ye Sanbo related to you?Upon hearing this, Ren Baqian’s mind began to whir. This old man was asking about a man from the Yun Nation whose surname was Ye. This person was someone who was well known from at least 70 years ago. If he was still alive, he would be another expert. However, he hadn’t heard that such a person was still around in Qingfeng City. There were two possibilities. Either he was an expert from a generation ago or he was the ancestor of Qingfeng City’s warlord and long dead. Perhaps, the old man was deceiving him. There were often such plots in television shows where a man would trick somebody into saying something, laugh three times, then slap the tricked person to death.Ren Baqian responded after thinking for a while, “I have never heard of this person before. How does senior know him?”The old man kept quiet for a moment, then sighed and said, “Is that so? I thought I was seeing the descendant of my old friend. Time is running out, things have remained the same, but people have changed!””Come in and talk.” The old man waved his hands as his mood became downbeat.Ren Baqian felt that he was overthinking the situation, but it was better to be careful and avoid mistakes. After all, he was in enemy territory.If successful, he would need half the effort to suppress Tianjing Basin in the future.If they saw through him, he would be hunted down by others.This old man was a Spirit Wheel expert, and there might be other Spirit Wheel experts in this village. If there were, the combined strength of the old Earth Wheel experts and these Spirit Wheel experts would make it very unlikely for Lin Qiaole to be able to bring him along while escaping.