The Empress’s Gigolo

“Young fellow, is this bunch of barbarians sick?” Li Fu was fretting and showing uncontrollable anger when he met Ren Baqian.

He had been made to suffer miserably during these two days.

No matter what, these were a bunch of Cardinal Heaven experts. It looked like he could easily dispatch them with two or three moves, but it was mentally distressing.

Furthermore, Li Fu didn’t like to fight at all. His brain was preoccupied with finding the stairway to heaven, and fighting was only a last resort to him.

Unexpectedly, he was faced with endless challenges after the first confrontation. Every day, they were challenging him all day long and even at night…

Whether it was day or night, this bunch of idiots would challenge him at their whim and fancy.

If he didn’t comply, they would harass him to no end.

The aboriginals were loud and made him nervous for a few days.

If not for the promise of Ren Baqian to provide the hot-air balloon and rocket, he would have routed them.

Ren Baqian was at a loss for words. Although he knew that Li Fu was a good person, he didn’t expect him to be at such a level! Ren Baqian wondered how he managed to attain the position of number one in the world.

It seemed more like he was being bullied by these old boors.

Although he was the one kicking the testicles of others, in actual fact, it seemed like he was the one being kicked.

“Don’t forget that you are the world’s number one expert! It’s very fortunate for these people to see you alive. Furthermore, who doesn’t worship their idols? Despite their high status, they are as excited as young people when they see their idols. The other reason is to get pointers from you!” Ren Baqian spouted some half-truths rapidly.

Before he came, he was worried that Li Fu would go crazy and therefore rushed over to take a look. Yet, from what he had seen, there was no harm even if they disturbed him some more.

To be able to see Li Fu making a few moves was very beneficial.

Most importantly, many people came. Standard class, rank 3 and higher level visitors from different places had challenged him once and were planning to challenge him for the second time. It was rumored that even the high ranking official, Tu Wan, was also interested.

Li Fu was becoming like a tourist attraction. Many important people from different places could be seen, and the people that just came from the Jing Tribe were dumbstruck.

“Black Bamboo Academy will start classes the day after tomorrow. If Senior is free, you can attend classes and also hide there to get some peace,” Ren Baqian said after a long consideration.

“I have no interest! You better fulfill your promises as soon as possible.” Li Fu waved his hands. He didn’t care, but was a bit vexed about those rascals harassing him.

Ren Baqian didn’t want to say anymore. He bid goodbye with a laugh and was accosted as he was leaving the courtyard.

“Sir Ren, what kind of arrangement are you making for me? Surely, you can’t let me stay here without any identity or position.” Ning Caichen looked sorrowful. Onlookers would assume that Ren Baqian had done something to him.

Ren Baqian looked at the expression of the gossipy guards who had just been posted here and knew what they were thinking without having to ask.

Then, he glared at Ning Caichen with a piercing look. Ren Baqian was thinking that if Ning Caichen had the guts to approach the empress personally, he would admit defeat if the empress didn’t slam Ning Caichen against the wall.

Ren Baqian managed to pacify with a few words. There was no suitable post for him recently, his identity wasn’t confirmed, and many jobs couldn’t be given to him.

Those jobs that were suitable for him were already done by others.

It wasn’t possible to abandon a sword master and ignore him. Ning Caichen certainly wouldn’t be able to take it after a few days.

Ren Baqian contemplated on where to send Ning Caichen as he walked home and was blocked again when he was halfway home.

“Sir Ren, let’s have a few words!” A middle-aged man and two young men came down from a carriage by the roadside and shouted to stop him.

Ren Baqian gave them a thorough glance and guessed, “Are you from the Yun Nation?”

People from the Yun Nation and Great Xia looked quite alike, but the Yun Nation people were known for their luxurious and exquisite clothing, so Ren Baqian was able to guess the identity of these three well-dressed men immediately.

“Sir, my surname is Zhang. I have had the pleasure of meeting you before and am here to consult you on an important matter. Please step aside and have a few words with me. Your humble servant has already prepared good food and wine at the restaurant by the side.”

Ren Baqian looked carefully at the man and the two young men behind him, but didn’t have any impression of them. However, he really wanted to know what they intended to say.

When Ren Baqian nodded to the side, Zuo Leng and a few others immediately went to check the restaurant thoroughly. After confirming that there were no problems, they reported to Ren Baqian.

He wasn’t being overly careful. Anyone who had experienced several assassination attempts within a year would definitely be careful.

The two young men lowered their heads. They had strange expressions, maybe scornful or something else, and were trying not to let others see it.

Ren Baqian was sandwiched in between the guards as he went upstairs to find a window seat. The three men from the other side then carefully sat across from him under the hostile glares of the guards.

“Sir Ren, I saw you a year ago. I think Sir Ren doesn’t remember us.”

Ren Baqian recollected that he had just come to Dayao a year ago and was appointed as the Honglu Deputy to receive the visitors from various countries.

“Did the few of you participate in Her Majesty’s birthday celebration?” Ren Baqian asked. All he could remember was a select few of the people he had met at that time—Ning Caichen, the Seventh Prince from Great Xia, and that kidney-impaired gentleman who spat out blood with every cough.

He couldn’t even remember the name or the appearance of the Lian Family’s young master that he killed at that time, not to mention other people.

“Exactly.” The middle-aged man nodded with a laugh and said, “Your humble servant’s surname is Zhang, Zhang Junzheng. These are my two nephews, Zhang Heqi and Zhang Heju. We convey our respects to Sir Ren. We are from the Yun Nation as you have already guessed.”

The middle-aged man carefully observed Ren Baqian as he talked and sighed deeply in his heart. This time last year, the guy in front of him was a Honglu Deputy in name only. Not long after, he became the husband of Qi Zixiao.

At that time, he didn’t take Ren Baqian seriously.

After all, he didn’t show any outstanding traits, so everyone thought he was just fortunate to be favored by the empress. Yet, this luck could change any time Qi Zixiao changed her mind and then he would directly reach rock bottom.

In many people’s eyes, this thinking was normal. After all, what kind of person was Qi Zixiao? How long could a lucky and ordinary man last even though she loved to be flattered?

Therefore, he himself didn’t take the man in front of him into consideration even after repeatedly failing to build a relationship with Dayao during this year.

But a year later, this man’s status and position surprisingly became more and more stable.

This change could be seen just by observing the attitude with which the court officials regarded him.

Moreover, there were rumors regarding the big role he played in the war with Great Xia in the north, his production of salt in the mountains, and his recent trip with the empress to Tianjing Basin. Although he didn’t know what happened, 2,000 people from Tianjing Basin came to Lan City, and Ren Baqian had some extra bodyguards that were top experts among the remnant citizens of the Hao Nation.

Now, he actually had to lower himself and ask Ren Baqian for favors.

Even though he had always prided himself for being superior in judging the character of people, he had to admit that he was wrong this time.

Ren Baqian pondered for a while and finally found the three men in front of him to be vaguely familiar. He waited for them to speak so he could see what they had to say.

Were they thinking of using him to persuade the empress to give the Yun Nation a lifeline? Historically, there was no lack of such transactions where senior officials were bribed to let the opponent set fire to their own backyard.

However, if they were to make such a proposal, he wouldn’t hesitate to cut off their heads.

“We are here to make a petition to settle down here.”

Ren Baqian was extremely surprised by Zhang Junzheng’s request.