Chapter Twenty-Five: With So Much Money, How Should I Spend It?

For two consecutive days, the investigation made no progress—or perhaps some secrets were uncovered, but they were mysteries Li Xubai was not entitled to know. At the very least, no one came to speak a word to him.

Most of the residents at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple were noblewomen, and fearing he might run into more of those unreasonable types like last time, he couldn't be bothered to wander about. During these two days, Li Xubai did not see Zhao Yizhen or Empress Dowager Wen again.

It wasn't until the morning of the third day, as the first light of dawn broke, that Li Xubai splashed his face with cold water. Just then, Yu Zhong entered the courtyard with a beaming smile.

"Master Li, congratulations. You are cleared to descend the mountain and return home today."

Li Xubai paused, stunned. "Does this mean the investigation is complete?"

Yu Zhong didn't answer directly. Instead, he gestured for a young eunuch carrying a tray to step forward, who then lifted the red silk cloth covering it.

The tray was piled high with neatly stacked silver ingots. The brilliant, dazzling luster of the silver nearly blinded Li Xubai.

"What is the meaning of this?" Li Xubai had a vague, surreal suspicion in his heart, but he didn't dare ask aloud.

Yu Zhong grinned, his face radiating such good cheer that the gloom of the previous days seemed to have been swept away. "His Majesty commanded me to bestow this upon you before his departure."

Li Xubai was astonished. "His Majesty has already left the mountain? And the Empress Dowager as well? Is all this silver for me?"

Yu Zhong nodded. "Yes, the Imperial carriage returned to the capital early this morning. This thousand taels of silver is a gift for you. You risked your life to save the Empress Dowager; this is what you deserve."

Li Xubai agreed entirely; he felt no qualms about accepting the money. Facing such a windfall, his eyes glowed with excitement. A thousand taels! He would have to work at the Lulutong Carriage Agency for years to earn such a sum!

"I... Steward Yu, you are too kind. I haven't even properly thanked His Majesty..." Li Xubai stammered, incoherent with joy.

Yu Zhong, understanding the mindset of a poor man suddenly struck by fortune—having once been destitute himself, with nowhere left to turn, which was exactly how he ended up a eunuch—felt a natural empathy for Li Xubai. He smiled and nodded. "His Majesty said that you are a man of future blessings. If fate wills it, you shall meet again."

Li Xubai was well aware that the chasm between their social statuses was like a natural barrier. In his current circumstances, bridging that gap would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. He had no desire to engage in such thankless pursuits.

With a fortune in hand, he was content.

Li Xubai accepted the silver, saw Yu Zhong off, and began his descent down the mountain, mentally tallying how he would spend this massive sum. Yu Zhong was an exceptionally thoughtful eunuch; he had even left behind a sedan chair, and two porters carried him down the mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, Li Xubai saw Song Shiyu sitting on the carriage shaft, flicking a horse whip, waiting for him with an air of boredom.

Although he had only just transmigrated and knew nothing about this person, seeing her gave him an inexplicable sense of peace.

He stepped out of the sedan chair, walked over, and smiled at her. "You haven't left yet?"

"If I let you walk back to the capital from here, you’d be worn down to the bone," Song Shiyu replied, rolling her eyes.

Li Xubai climbed onto the carriage with a grin and sat on the shaft. "Clearly, you have a heart of gold, yet you insist on putting on a prickly front. You could have just admitted you were worried about me."

Song Shiyu let out a "Hmph" and kicked Li Xubai off the carriage.

"Hey, you change your face faster than turning a page!" Li Xubai scrambled up, chased the carriage for two steps as it started to speed up, and hopped back on, settling into his seat.

Song Shiyu cast a surprised glance at him.

Li Xubai looked smug. "I have some martial arts training, you know!"

He understood clearly that Song Shiyu likely knew something of the original Li Xubai. She had seen through his facade as an imposter at a glance, yet for reasons unknown, she had chosen not to dig deeper. Since she was playing along, he no longer needed to struggle with tedious concealment. He could fully embrace his "lying flat" mode.

The words he had spoken to Zhao Yizhen earlier were meant to comfort the Emperor, but they were also a way to comfort himself. He was a fraud, fundamentally out of place here. Living was hard enough; having to tread carefully to hide his identity was even worse. It was a disastrous start, a living hell.

Song Shiyu snorted coldly. "So, you’ve finally torn off your last mask and stopped pretending?"

Li Xubai shook his head. "I still have to put on a show when I get home. Otherwise, what if I scare my younger brother and sister?"

Song Shiyu paused for a moment. She hadn't expected Li Xubai to treat that place as a home and those two children as his own family so quickly—much faster than she had adapted. She felt a sudden, bittersweet emotion and found herself at a loss for words. After all, in her previous life, she had shared a cordial acquaintance with the adult Li Xuzhang; looking after his younger self and his siblings was, in truth, a trivial matter not worth mentioning.

"You saved the Empress Dowager and must have received quite a reward. I thought you might use this as a chance to leave the Li family," Song Shiyu said, her expression complex.

"You even know that?" Li Xubai was amazed, then smiled teasingly. "What a cynical outlook! Those three little ones have no one else to look after them; they would starve sooner or later. I might as well give them a hand while I can."

Hearing this, Song Shiyu asked no more questions.

Li Xubai found it strange that she didn't pry into how much he had received. "Aren't you curious?"

"Curious about what?"

"Curious about how much I was rewarded?"

"..." Song Shiyu was speechless. "Don't you know that one shouldn't flaunt wealth? Besides, whatever you received was earned with your own life. What does it have to do with me?"

"..." Li Xubai looked her up and down. "You really don't seem like someone from the mountains, being so indifferent to gold."

Song Shiyu: "..."

The two made the journey back to Bianliang City in silence, arriving just before the city gates closed.

Li Xubai first returned the carriage to the Lulutong Agency. Following his earlier arrangement with Zhao Yizhen, he reported the events at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple to Manager Su and requested a day off. Manager Su seemed to have guessed something; his attitude was exceptionally warm, and he approved the leave without hesitation. He even told Li Xubai that since the trip was so exhausting, he wouldn't even count it as a leave day, but as a paid holiday for the agency.

Li Xubai had just received a thousand taels, but even a fly's leg is meat, and a day's wage was six taels—not having it deducted was for the best.

By the time he returned to the Li household on Tian-shui Lane, it was already the hour of the dog, and the sky was pitch black. Li Yunnuan was, as always, standing at the gate, waiting expectantly.

A warm feeling flooded Li Xubai’s heart as he quickened his pace.

"Second Brother! Second Brother is back!" As soon as she saw him, Li Yunnuan threw herself at him, nearly in tears. "People came that day and said you were kept at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. Third Brother and I were terrified, afraid you had offended someone important."

Li Xubai reached out to wipe her face and handed her a packet of peanut brittle. "Your Second Brother is far too clever to offend anyone. Here, I bought this at the Zhou Bridge on my way back—peanut brittle, it's very sweet."

In the kitchen, smoke curled and steam rose. Song Shiyu looked up from the stove. "You're back. Let's eat; we've been waiting for you."

Li Xubai was moved. To be waited for, to be longed for—the feeling of having a home was truly wonderful.